Stand Out!!!

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All Praise be to Allah, the lord and cherisher of all creation. We give Him our praise, we seek His guidance, we beg his forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and in our deeds. No one whom Allah guides can be misguided, and no one whom Allah allows to go astray, can be guided. I bear witness that there is no Deity worthy of worship except Allah (swt), and I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah.
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an, "Oh you who believe. Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor. Allah is a better protector to both. So follow not the lusts of your heart, least you commit injustice. And if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is ever Well Acquainted with what you do." (An Nisa 135).
Islam is a faith of rights and limitations. All things have rights. People have rights. Animals have rights. Plants and trees have rights. Stones and rocks even have rights. Life in this dunya is in all actuality a balancing act of fulfilling others rights over us. We must make sure that we fulfill Allah's rights over us first and foremost. But, we must also fulfill our families rights over us, and our employers rights over us, our rulers rights over us, and even our own bodies' rights over us. These rights make this world work. It is the grease that allows this great machine of life to function smoothly and efficiently. It is the cartilage between the joints of our many relationships. These rights are what allows for peace in this world. However, when these rights are violated, then it is like a car out of oil. Friction is created. Things begin to loose control, and eventually the whole thing just shuts down. No peace. There can be no peace, whether it be big or small, without justice. Justice, simply is ensuring that rights are upheld. And, often in today's materialistic world, it becomes easy to overlook others' rights. For those of us who consider ourselves descent people, we would like to think that we do respect the rights of others for the most part. However, we forget that Shaitan is tricky. The prophet Muhammad (sws) told us that Shaitan had given up on deceiving us in large matters, so beware of the smaller matters. Sometimes we may forget the little rights people and other things have over us, and when we do that, we fall into committing injustice, even though we're not really aware of it.
I would like to go back to the verse from the Qur'an that I quoted earlier. Allah (swt) says, "Oh you who believe" (this tells us that Allah is talking to Muslims specifically), "Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah". This is a direct command from our Lord (swt) to stand for justice. There can be no middle ground on this issue, when Allah aza wa jall uses this kind of language. "STAND OUT!!!! FIRMLY FOR JUSTICE! As witnesses to Allah".

" Kunu Qawaamiina!!!, bil qisTi shuhadaa'a lillaahi".

كونو قوامين بالقسط شهدا لله .

Make no mistake about it, this is an order from my Lord, from your Lord, from our Lord, to stand firmly for JUSTICE. There is no middle ground, there is no compromise and there are no excuses. Allah (swt) goes on, "even if it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor". These words from Allah illustrate to us that justice is blind as they say. There is no favoritism in justice. Justice means that one's rights are ensured, and that the one who violates another's rights should be penalized accordingly, regardless of who they are. We as Muslims have a responsibility to stand up for justice, and to stand against injustice, regardless of who the oppressed and the oppressors are. Of course if we see Muslim brothers and sisters oppressed in the world today, we have a responsibility to stand up for them and against their oppressors, in whatever way is appropriate. Today we see this a lot. Particularly in places like Palestine and Somalia. Our brothers and sisters in these places are killed, raped, and terrorized on a daily basis. Rights? ha! What rights do these people know? How many rights of the Palestinian people have been violated since 1948, or 1967, or even in just the past two or three years. Countless. How many rights of the Somali people have been violated in the past 20 years? Even in many cases by other Somalis? My point is that we don't have to look very hard to find Muslims who are victims of oppression and who's rights are being violated on a daily basis. But what about the other way around? What about when Muslims commit injustice and oppress others? What about Muslims like the Taliban in Afghanistan? Who beat women in the street if any trace of skin could be seen? Who publicly executed thousands of people without any type of fair trial? Who sexually exploited countless women and children? All in the name of their perverted, backward, sadistic, and downright satanic "version" of Islam. What about corrupt so called democratic leaders such as Mubarak of Egypt? He, who imprisons anyone who disagrees with his policies. Or, what about the so called royal families of Saudi Arabia and Jordan, who impede the very livelihoods of their subjects, and who's motivation is money and greed? These are all Muslims who commit injustice on a daily basis. The prophet Muhammad (sws) said, "support your brother whether he be doing right or doing wrong". When he was asked how could one support someone who is doing wrong, the prophet (sws) replied, "by preventing him from doing wrong". As Allah (swt) says we have a responsibility to stand up for justice, EVEN if it against ourselves. Ourselves as Muslims.
Allah (swt) continues in this verse, "So follow not the lust of your heart, least you commit injustice". This also relates to another verse from Allah's kitab. He says in that verse, "Oh you who believe, stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealings, and LET NOT THE HATRED OF OTHERS MAKE YOU SWERVE TO WRONG AND DEPART FROM JUSTICE. Be just, for that is next to piety. And fear Allah for he is well acquainted with what you do". (Al Ma'eeda vs. 8) The message from these verses should be clear. Do not let hatred of those whom have done injustice to you, make you do injustice to them. We have a saying for this, "two wrongs don't make a right". A good example of this in modern times is suicide bombing. Going back to Palestine, as I said these people have suffered countless injustices. However, despite how grief stricken and hopelessly desperate they are, they cannot fall into doing injustice by killing civilians. By killing men, women, and children who were not directly involved with their oppression. This is what Allah (swt) means by "Don't let the hatred of others make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice".
So far most of my examples have been one's concerning other parts of the world. But, what about here in this country? What about right here in Ashland? Without a doubt, Muslims are targets for bigotry from the left and right. Muslims are harassed, degraded, victimized, demoralised, and sometimes even terrorized. For many Muslims throughout this land, it is not uncommon to hear slanderous remarks called from passing cars. For many it has become a part of life to get that evil eye whenever they walk into the neighborhood grocery store, and God forbid a young Muslim decides they want to be a pilot. How many of you can think of a time that something happened to you or to someone you know, that was unjust and a violation of your or this persons rights in some way? Especially when it involved religion? These incidents happen a lot nowadays. But, in many ways they are not unlike what has happened to other minorities in American history. But, the thing we must cling to ever so tightly in order to persevere these things, is justice. We must always stand up for what is just when faced or when another is faced with injustice. The prophet (sws) said, "Whenever you witness munkar (something wrong, or injustice) stop it with your hand, and if you can't stop it with your hand, then stop it with your tongue, and if you can't stop it with your tongue that at least have hatred for it in your heart, and that is the least of faith". So, the general message is that whenever we see injustice, we must do what we can to stop it, or at least hold it in contempt in our hearts. That is the absolute least we can do.
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The last part of the verse from suret An Nisa, is, "And if you distort your witness or refuse to give it at all, then verily Allah is always well acquainted with what you do." Sometimes people, in order to make the argument more in their favor, will "distort" or exaggerate the truth when standing up to an oppressor. While this may or may not work in your favor in this world, Allah knows what's in your heart and will judge you accordingly. And, also sometimes people who have been victimized in some way or another, don't want to do anything about it; sometimes out of fear, sometimes simply because they don't want the hassle, especially when someone is victimized by someone they are supposed to trust such as a parent, teacher, doctor, or law enforcement. However, Allah (swt) is reminding us here that it is our RESPONSIBILITY to stand against injustice and to do what we can to ensure that it wont happen again either to us or to others.
It is also important that we stand up for justice both as individuals AND as a community. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an, "Let there rise from among you a band of those calling towards all that is good, and commanding what is right, and forbidding what is wrong, and they are the ones who will be successful".
(Al 'Imraan vs. 104)
We must always stand in solidarity behind those who have been wronged within our community. We as a community must always be the first to speak out against injustice, even if it be our enemy who is violated. The prophet Muhammad (sws) said, "The Muslim Ummah, is like the human body; when one part of the body aches, the whole of the body shares in the pain". And Also like the human body, we must all come to the aid of those who are suffering and oppressed; just as white blood cells and antibodies band together to attack an invading pathogen, and just as our senses each become more keen when one of them is lost or out of commission. Let us all seek to be among those who will rise from amongst the Muslim ranks to be the commanders of good, and the forbidders of evil, and that we might be a shining example to the world of what justice truly is and truly means, so that in the end we may attain success both in this life and the next. Qulu Ameen.

...And Allah Knows Best...

'ILM "Seeking Knowledge"

‘ILM
“Seeking Knowledge”

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Allah, the most gracious the most merciful. All praise be to Allah, the lord and cherisher of all creation. We give Him our praise, we seek his guidance, we seek his forgiveness and seek refuge in him from the evil within ourselves and in our deeds. No one whom Allah guides can be misguided, and no one whom Allah allows to go astray, can be guided. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah without partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah.
One of the most important aspects of the deen of Islam, is knowledge. Knowledge allows one to free themselves from the bondage of ignorance and dependence, to free one’s mind and soul, to be able to fully and completely experience the beauty of Islam. In today’s time, the Muslim Ummah, is plagued by a drought of real ‘ilm. Muslims today respond to the world around them in ways that are reminiscent of the days of jahalia, before the coming of Jibreel to our beloved prophet Muhammad (sws). It seems that the average Muslim simply relies on listening to their local sheikh in regards to fatawa. And, at the same time, many of those who are considered shieookh aren’t really knowledgeable at all. This is a problem that is at the root of many other problems facing the Muslim Ummah. So how do we fix it.
The very first words revealed to our messenger (sws), dealt directly with the importance of knowledge and education. Allah says in the Qur’an, “Read in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a congealed clot of blood. Read, for your Lord is most bountiful. Who taught the use of the pen, and taught Man that which he knows not.” These illuminous words of our Lord illustrate to us that knowledge, and the ability to reason are what makes us unique among Allah’s creation. It is what separates us from the animals. Many animals can be very intelligent. Some can even be taught to do basic math and to learn basic language skills. However the thing that no animal can do, is reason. To be able to contemplate Allah’s creation. To be able to contemplate their purpose in this world. This is something that only we, as human beings can do.
However, this ability to reason also allows us as human beings, to lead ourselves down different and mislead paths. It is this ability that can cause people to associate partners with Allah and commit shirk. It can even cause them to conclude that they don’t believe in God at all. The ability to reason is by it’s nature chaotic, unless supplemented with guidance and wisdom along the way.
Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an, “Indeed, Allâh conferred a great favor on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses, and purifying them, and instructing them the Book and Al-Hikmah [the wisdom and the
Sunnah of the Prophet, while before that they had been in manifest error” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:164]
Allah (swt) sent messengers from amongst us to give us this wisdom thru two basic means. One being the direct revealation from Allah such as what was given to Musa in the Torah, to Dawood in the Psalms, Jesus in the Gospels, and Muhammad in the Qur’an. The other means, is in the hikmah or wisdom in their sunnah, or example. This leads me to my first major point concerning knowledge; that all knowledge is based first and foremost in the wisdom of the Qur’an and Sunnah. No shiekh, imam, scholar, ruler, or idealogy can overule these two fundamental bases of knowledge.
Many people choose to follow a particular shiekh or imam. One that they trust in their interpretation of the Qur’an and Sunnah. This may be a local shiekh but in many cases it is a particular classical shiekh such as those of the major madathab, or schools of thought. While these shieookh were no doubt great scholars of Islam, none of them ever claimed that they were infallible, or that they wished to found any type of “school of thought”. It was actually students of these imams later after their deaths, that founded the concept of a madhab related to their respective Imams. In many cases the madhabs dominated a certain geographical region. The Maliki madhab, dominated most of northern and western Africa. The Hanafi madhab dominates much of central Asia from China to southern Europe. The Shafi’ii madhab nominates most of eastern Africa as well as southeast Asia into Indonesia, while the Hanbalis made up much of the Arabian penninsula. So as a result, many people were and still are raised to follow certain madaahab that are dominate in their local areas. While I have the utmost respect for these imams and the later imams that followed their respective school’s of thought, the danger in this concept is that people become lazy in respect to ‘ilm. People begin to rely more and more on following the fatwas and rulings of their respective madhab, and all the while they don’t have any real understanding of where that knowledge comes from. It’s similar to how today, if you ask a lot of people where milk or eggs come from, they say the grocery store. People have become so disconnected with the original sources such as the cow or the chicken, that they don’t even associate these things together. The same is true with the majority of average Muslims today. They’ve become so accustomed to receiving their “deen” from their shieookh that they’ve lost contact with that original source, the Qur’an and Sunnah. Thus, they no longer feel the need to seek knowledge. Or, if they do, they do so within the scope of their particular madhab, and not considering the opinions of other respected scholars. Thus, it is absolutely vital for all Muslims to seek knowledge of their deen. It is not enough just to practice Islam the way someone tells you to.
Without knowledge, one cannot truly have faith. How can you have faith in something that you don’t understand? Allah (swt) consistently, throughout the Qur’an, refers to his ayaat as “signs for those who understand”, or “those who comtemplate”. Allah (swt) does not ask us to have blind faith. He encourages us to ask questions and to seek to understand his creation. And, the more we understand, the more we appreciate of his creation. After all we were created to be the keepers of this earth. Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an, “ And it is He who has created you as the inheritors of the Earth” (An’aam 6:165). The word “khalaaif” is used in this verse to refer to the purpose of our existence. “Khalaaif” or “Khaleefa”, means a ruler. Any ruler, in order to carry out his duties, must have a complete and comprehensive understanding over that which he is to rule. The very purpose of our existence depends on our seeking knowledge. The prophet Muhammad (sws) said, “seek knowledge even into China”, illustrating to us the importance of seeking knowledge to the furthest of our ability.
Also however, knowledge is essentially useless if you don’t put it into action. Allah (swt) says in his kitaab, “O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? Most hateful it is with Allâh that you say that which you do not do” [al-Saff :2-3]
Many people who do have some degree of knowledge, don’t act by it, whether it be due to laziness or maliciousness. It is truly unfortunate that so many of our brothers and sisters have some knowledge of this deen, but choose to follow alternate ideologies. Today in the Muslim world you can find all sorts of political and religious movements. Many of them not at all based on the teachings of Islam. You can find socialism, communism, fascism, monarchy, military dictatorship, all the way down to fundamentalist Muslim movements that all adhere to a manmade ideology, and meanwhile the words of Allah (swt) and our beloved prophet Muhammad (sws) are not much more than an after thought. I personally, is my few travels to the Muslim countries, have mentioned these things to some people. That many of their customs and practices are un-Islamic. Their usual response is that, “well that’s just the way it is”, or “ that’s our culture”, or sometimes the response is just a shrug. It is truly unfortunate that so much of the Muslim world has lost it’s connection with the teachings of Allah (swt) and his prophet (sws). All of us, who do have understanding of this deen, have a responsibility to convey it to others. Not only is it our responsibility, but it is one of the only things that can benefit us after our deaths. Only three things can accumulate ajar for us in death, which are charity that people continue to benefit from, a righteous child that prays for you, and knowledge that you convey to others, and that they continue to benefit from. So it is important to seek knowledge and then also to impliment it into one’s life, and then to convey that knowledge for the sake of making life easier in this dunya, for completing our purpose in this life, and also for our benefit in the akhira and for the pleasure of Allah (swt).
A Qulu Qawli Haatha, wa Astaghfir Allah lii wallakum…
In todays times, humanity has achieved many great accomplishments as a result of their pursuit of ‘ilm. Man has discovered the atom, and how to manipulate it to create energy. Man went into space and landed on the moon, and even in these past two weeks, sent the second robotic system to explore the surface of Mars. I find it rather sad that there hasn’t been more Muslims involved with these accomplishments. Knowledge, both of the deen of Islam, and of this dunya, is absolutely essential to living a life pleasing to Allah. For those who are students my advice is this; don’t let your studies, come in the way of your education. What I mean by that is that don’t just study to past the tests. Study to educate yourself about this world that we live in, and to find how you can contribute to make it a little better than you found it. For those of us who aren’t students I say, you don’t have to be attending a school to be a student. Nowadays, the internet makes almost any information you could possibly want to know available at just the click of a button. We have available to us, information that generations before us could only dream of. A little bit of “careful” use of the internet, can go a long way in the pursuit of knowledge. So let us all seek to be students or knowledge, whether young or old, man or woman, rich or poor; so that we may attain the pleasure of Allah and win the ultimate reward in jennah insha’Allah.

Memorial Day

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Almighty God, the most gracious, the most merciful. All praise be to God, the lord and sustainer of all creation. I give Him praise, I seek his guidance, I seek his forgiveness, and I seek refuge in Him from the evil in my deeds and in myself. No one whom the Almighty guides can be misguided, and for those whom he allows to go astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no Deity worthy of worship except Almighty God, alone with no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the servant and messenger of Almighty God.

This coming Monday is known here in the US as "Memorial Day". It is a day in which Americans remember those who have died in military service to our country. Many people now-a-days, tend to just think of it as a day off work, but this is, in my opinion, one of many signs that many people of this country have lost sight of what it really means to be an American.

Memorial Day began first as a day to honor US (Union) soldiers who died in the War for Southern Independence, or more commonly known as the American Civil War, and the day was originally known as "Decoration Day". As a side note, many former Confederate states have "Confederate Memorial Day" that honors those soldiers who died for the Confederacy in that war. After World War I, the holiday was extended to all American servicemen who gave their lives in combat.

As an American Muslim, Memorial Day has special meaning to me, because it is a recognition of what it took and what it has taken for this nation to preserve it's freedom's. I cherish my American heritage for the fact that it is the very thing that gives me the freedom to choose and recognize the truth of Islam. The Constitution of the United States, is a political document that bears incredible resemblance to the Constitution of Medina, implemented by our prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. The Constitution of Medina gave equal rights under the law to all who pledged allegiance to it. It guaranteed freedom of worship, commerce and trade, and property to all whether they be Muslim, Jewish, or even Pagan. It was a document that recognized that all human beings are equal in the sight of Almighty God. The Almighty says in the Qur'an, "We have created you from a single pair, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may come to know one another (not to despise one another), and the best among you is the most righteous." This compares rather similarly with statements in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Those men and women who have fallen in defense of this country, are the "beasts of burden" upon which the heavy weight of liberty was carried. If not for them, Muslims and non-Muslims alike would not have the opportunity to live in such a place that is based upon the individuals right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Some might say that some of the recent military campaigns that the U.S. has engaged in have not been for the sake of "defending freedom". Regardless of your political views, it cannot be said that the men and women who serve in our military are always in unanimous agreement with the "politics" of the situation. However, they serve there country because they believe in the ideals upon which it was founded; as do I, and as should all people of this nation, especially Muslims.

The bottom line is that we may not always agree with policies of our government or the reason for waging such wars, and no doubt there are indeed servicemen who behave shamefully in any conflict. However, the heroism that belongs to those men and women and serve and die honorably in defense of the American ideals can in no way be diminished by these few ignorant and shameful soldiers and the corruption of Washington. They deserve our utmost respect and admiration, and on this Memorial Day, I encourage all my brothers and sisters in Islam and my fellow Americans to remember these words.

...And Allah Knows Best...

60 years of Oppression and Exploitation

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Almighty God, the most gracious, the most merciful. All praise be to God. I praise him, I seek his guidance, and I beg his forgiveness. I seek refuge in Him from the evil within myself and the evil of my deeds. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than Almighty God, and I bear witness that Muhammad, is the slave and messenger of God.

People who know me, know that generally I avoid engaging in political talk and rhetoric. However, as many know, this past week, on the 14th of May, the world recognized the 60th anniversary of the creation of the state of Israel. For the Palestinian people, it means 60 years of oppression of exploitation.

This is nothing more than my personal remembrance, and a call for others to remember the plight of the Palestinian people. May almighty God alleviate there pain and suffering, and may Almighty God guide them to retain their faith in Islam to the utmost degree, so that they do not transgress limits because of anger, and may Almighty God guide the Israelis away from committing the same crimes that were committed against their parents and grandparents in Europe, and may He guide them towards recognizing the evil of Zionism, to recognize their Palestinian neighbors, both Christian and Muslim, as fellow human beings and believers in the same loving, and just God.

...And Allah Knows Best...

The Creed

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful. Verily, all praise is due to Allah. We praise him, seek his help and ask for his forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil in our own souls and from our sinful deeds. Whoever Allah guides, no one can mislead, and whoever Allah allows to stray, no one can guide. I bear witness that that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, without partners. And, I bear witness that Muhammad (sws), is the slave and messenger of Allah.
Recitation of last five verses of Surah Al An'am
" Say, Truly, my lord has guided me to a straight path, a right religion, the religion of Abraham, and he was not of those who associated partners with Allah.
Say, Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the lord of the worlds, and all that exists.
He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims.
Say, shall I seek a lord other than Allah, while he is the lord of all things? no person earns any sin except against himself, and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then to your lord is your return, so he will tell you that wherein you have disputed.
And it is He who has made you generation after generation, replacing each other on the earth. And He has raised you in ranks, some above others that he may try you in that which He has bestowed on you. Surely, your lord is swift in retribution, and certainly He is oft-forgiving, most merciful."
In my journey through this life, since my acceptance of Islam, I have hardly come across another passage of the Qur'an that hit me quite so hard as these verses. These verses are the last of Surah Al An'am, the sixth chapter of the Qur'an. According to a tradition of Ibn Abbas, the whole of the Surah was revealed at one sitting at Makkah. Asma, a daughter of Yazid and a first cousin of Hadrat Mu'az-bin Jabl, says, "During the revelation of this Surah, the Holy Prophet was riding on a she-camel and I was holding her nose-string. The she-camel began to feel the weight so heavily that it seemed as if her bones would break under it. "We also learn from other traditions that the Holy Prophet dictated the whole of the Surah the same
night that it was revealed.
These particular verses sung out to me as I read them. These verses, in essence, sum up what it is to be a Muslim. In another surah, al ikhlaas, Allah (swt) illustrates to us the entire essence of exactly who He is, and how we, not only as Muslims, but as human beings should see our mighty creator.
Recite Surah Al Ikhlaas
" Say, He is Allah, The ONE.
The eternal, the absolute
He does not beget, nor is he begotten
And there is none comparable to him.
But, in these verses, the last five verses of Surah An'am, Allah (swt) in some of the most glorious and most profound language ever to befall the eyes and ears of man, illustrates to us exactly what it means to be a Muslim, or one who fully and completely submits to Allah, the most high and exalted.
"Say truly my lord has guided me to a straight path, a right religion, the religion of Abraham haneefa, and he was not of the those who associate partners with Allah". Alhamdulillah, all praise be to Allah, this first verse of this passage, shows us firstly that "Islam" was not a religion that started with Muhammad (sws). "Islam" or the willful and complete submission to almighty Allah, is the original religion. The deen ul fitra, the "native deen". The native deen of all humanity. We ask our non-Muslim friends, what religion was Adam? What religion was Noah, or Lut? And, what RELIGION was ABRAHAM? Were they Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus? These religions didn't exist in their day! So, of what religion were they? They were servants and messengers of the one true God. They submitted their will to almighty God and to no one and nothing else. This is the definition of "Muslim". They were Muslims. Did you know that Islam is the only major religion, who's name is not based on a person, place, or thing? Christianity, comes from "Christ", which means Messiah or "Messeeh" in Arabic. That's why in Arabic we refer to Christians as "messeehi". Judaism comes from the place where they came from, Judah. It also refers to the tribe of Judah. Buddhism comes from the title given to their prophet, which means " the enlightened one". Zoroastrianism refers to their prophet. Islam, on the other hand, isn't any person, place, or thing. It is a "verb", meaning to submit. That means that anyone who fully and completely submits their will to that of God's, they are performing "Islam", and would be known in Arabic as a "Mu Islam", or "Muslim". Even if they never even heard of the Qur'an or the prophet Muhammad (sws), if they recognized that there is only one God with no partners, and did everything in their power to submit to his will, and subject their lives to whatever they have of God's teachings, they are making "Islam". Haneefa; this means the pure worship of God, and only God, or tawheed. This verse illustrates that they only way to view "Islam" is as complete and utter submission to Allah (swt). It is not a cultural thing, or something you do just because your parents, relatives and neighbors do it. It's not just something you do to show off or gain recognition with. To declare oneself a Muslim doesn't mean that you follow in the footsteps of the Saudi royal family, or of the Arabs, or of the Pakistanis, or the Ottomans. It means to declare that you follow in the footsteps of Adam, and Noah, and Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon them all. And, this verse also means giving thanks to Allah for his guidance. "man yahadillahu falla mudhilallah, wa man yudhlil falla hadiallah", "Whoever Allah guides, no one can misguide, and whoever Allah allows to go astray, no one can guide." Be thankful to Allah that he allowed you to be guided to this deen, the religion of righteousness, and pray that he never lets you go astray.
Recite second half of Al Fatiha.
“Guide us down the straight path, the path of those on whom you have bestowed they grace, not those who earn your anger, nor those who go astray”
"Say, Verily my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the lord of the worlds."
Every day we should think this. Every day this should cross our minds that everything we do in this life, we do for Allah. To seek Allah's favor. Our prayers; all the countless prayers any one of us have performed in our lifetimes don't mean anything if they are not for Allah. All the sacrifices we make. Sacrifices of our time, our money, our health, our freedom, the animals we slaughter. All of it means nothing if it's not done for Allah. Our very lives, the fact that we rise from bed in the morning is for Allah. And, the fact that someday we will rise for the last time, is also for Allah. This verse reminds us, as so many do, that death is a reality that no one will avoid. So we must ensure that when that day does come, that we die in no other state than in a pure state of submission to Allah, and that the name of Allah be the last thing from our lips.
Our whole lives are centered around Allah (swt). This is the fundamental concept of life as a Muslim. It is why we bow and prostrate ourselves in prayer five or more times day. It is why we fast, during the month of Ramadan. It is why we make Hajj and Umrah. It is why we pay zakat and sadaqah. It's most certainly not because Allah "needs" us to. Allah (swt) is not in "need" of anything. But these things are for our benefit. To purify our minds and hearts, and to discipline our body's and souls, and to prove ourselves worthy of Allah's grace and mercy. A Muslim is a person who is in a constant state of God consciousness. Someone who recognizes Allah's lordship, tawheed ul rububiyya, in all that they encounter. All of the wonders of our world; the Earth, the sky, the oceans and seas, and the universe and all the tremendous and wondrous things and creatures that fill it, all bow in submission to Allah (swt). We as Allah's vice generates on Earth, are no different. We as Muslims recognize that, and it is why all that we are, and all that we do, our prayers, our sacrifices, our lives and deaths are all for Allah.
"He has no partner. And, of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of those who submit to Allah."
In this verse, the prophet Muhammad (sws) was instructed to repeat, "I am the first of those who submit to Allah". Now this doesn't literally mean he was the first person to be a Muslim, because that's most certainly not true. Rather, what is meant here, is that a true believer, should hasten, or hurry to submission to Allah. One should not delay, or procrastinate in submitting themselves to Allah (swt). Once a matter in the deen of Islam has been made clear and proven to a believer, they implement it in their life immediately. They do not question Allah's wisdom. Just as the sahabah immediately smashed their jugs of wine when the prohibition of alcohol came. Right and left people smashed their jugs of wine, so much that the streets of Medina ran red with wine. Or when the order for women to draw their jalabeeb, or hijab, over them, and to cover their ornaments. When this verse from the Qur'an came, the women used anything they could, even ripping some other garments, to cover themselves in response to the revelation. This was true faith and devotion to Allah (swt). So hasten to the will of your lord. Heed his warning of hellfire, and always strive to be the first to submit to his command.
Qulu Qawli Haatha
"Say, Shall I seek a lord other than Allah, while He is the lord of all things? No person earns any sin except against himself, and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another. Then to your lord is your return, so he will tell you that wherein you have disputed."
Some Christians, make the mistake of calling Isa, lord, or rabb. Their reason for this lies in the theology of what is called original sin. This is the idea that because Adam (as) sinned and fell from Eden, all of his descendants will carry the stain of that sin and that only the sacrifice of Isa, wa 'auodhoo billah, would atone for that. Many other faiths also have awlihaa that they see as intercessors for the same reason. This ayah from the holy Qur'an, refutes that. "Shall I seek a lord other than Allah, when he is the lord of all creation?" The message of this is clear; worship the creator not the created. There is no intermediary between Allah and his servants. And as for the original sin concept, " No person earns any sin except against himself, and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another". We do not inherit the sins of our forefathers. We are born pure, in a pure state of Islam, or submission to Allah (swt). It is only as we grow older that we are taught to be either a Muslim, a Christian, a Jew, or an atheist, and it is only when we reach puberty that our sins are counted for us. No one can bear the burdens of anyone else. This is our creed and a mercy from Allah.
"And it is He who has made you generations after generations, replacing each other on the earth. And He has raised you in ranks, some above others that He may try you in that which He has bestowed upon you. Surely, your lord is swift in retribution, and certainly He is oft-forgiving, most merciful."
And lastly, Allah (swt) illustrates to us the miracle of humanity. Generation after generation, for tens of thousands of years. Mighty civilizations have risen and fallen. Many great men and women who illuminate our histories have come and gone, while many more whom we will never know of have also come and gone. From Egypt to China, from Mayans and Aztecs to the Celts and Druids. The Franks, The Cherokee, The Hebrews, The Romans, The Persians, The Arabs, The Hindis, The Normans, The Aboriginals, and many more. From every corner of the Earth, humanity has grown and developed a vast array of cultures and tongues. But, despite all of our differences of language, culture, color and ethnicity, we are all slaves and servants of Allah (swt). We belong to the same lord. We share a common father in Adam (as).
These five ayahs of the Qur'an, these holy words of Allah (swt), illustrate what it truly means to be one who submits to Allah, one who heeds the warning of our beloved prophet Muhammad (sws), and one who hastens to the call of , "La illaha illa Allah, Muhammadun Rasool Allah", "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God".

Letter in Times Gazette

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Almighty God, the most gracious, the most merciful. This is a letter, written by myself, that was published last Friday, April 4th, in Ashland, OH's newspaper the Times Gazette. I thought I would share it with those who aren't from Ashland, and those who are but don't regularly read the paper.

To our neighbors, friends and family,
First of all allow me to extend to you our greeting of peace, “assalaamu aleikum wa rahmatullah”, which means, “may the peace and mercy of Almighty God be upon you”. We, the Islamic Society of Ashland, would like to formally introduce ourselves to the greater Christian majority, and express our wish to be cooperating members of the religious community. Now we know that it seems that relations between our faiths seem tense in today’s world. However, it is my and our congregations sincere hope that we could bridge some of those gaps and be an example to our beloved country and our world that we indeed can work together for the common good, through our mutual belief in the one true God, our mutual love for Jesus Christ, peace be upon him, and our desire to see “One Nation Under God” mean something again. Ashland is a wonderful place, indeed someplace special, and we hope that we can be a part of that. As you may know, much of our faith is based on the teachings of our prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, so allow me to share with you what he said about Christians in his letter to the monks of St. Catherine‘s Monastery in the year 628 of the common era.
“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! (God) I hold out against anything that displeases them. No compulsion is to be on them. Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries. No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims’ houses. Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God’s covenant and disobey His Prophet.
Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate. No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight. The Muslims are to fight for them. If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray. Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants. No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
We hope that these words from our beloved prophet might provide some enlightenment about our often misunderstood faith, and we pray that we can become friends and partners in the spiritual development of our community.
We pray that you accept this letter as a gesture of peace and cooperation, and that you might share it with the congregations of your churches.

The Blessings of Marriage in Islam

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

The Blessing of Marriage in Islam
Wesley Ja’far Porter
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. We give all our praise to Allah, we ask for his guidance, and we seek his forgiveness. We seek refuge in him from the evil within ourselves and from evil in our deeds. Allah guides whom he wills and he misguides whom he wills, and we ask Allah to guide us on the straight path. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that he has no partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the slave and messenger of Allah.
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an, "O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person created of like nature his mate and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women; reverence Allah through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you): for Allah ever watches over you. (Surah 4:1)
Allah also said, It is He Who has created man from water: then has He established relationships of lineage and marriage: for thy Lord has power over all things. (Surah 25:54)

In a sahih hadith recorded in the collection of imam Bukhari, narrated by Anas ibn Malik, (ra) we read, “A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet (sws) asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, "Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever." Allah's Apostle came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me. The last of these men said he would stay away from women, and never marry. The prophet responds by pointing out the fact the HE, the messenger of Allah, who has more taqwa and iman than any other man or woman on Earth, has wives, and enjoys his time with them. In Islam, it is absolutely wajib, or obligatory to marry. According to another hadith, the prophet (sws) also said, “when a man marries, he has fulfilled half of his religion , so let him fear Allah regarding the remaining half." If marriage is half of our deen, then does that mean that without it, we only have 50% of our deen? For any of you who are students or teachers you know what kind of score 50% is, and it’s not good.
In Islam, there is no room for celibacy. The Catholics relate celibacy to taqwa, and having pure faith. This is absolutely unacceptable in Islam. We’ve seen in recent years, a multitude of cases of sexual child abuse amongst some Catholic priests in this country, and this is a testament to the fact we as human beings are not created to be without a mate, and when deprived of that, severe psychological problems can develop.
Marriage is a blessing that is almost unsurpassed by anything else in our lives. For myself, I can honestly say that my marriage was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, with the exception of embracing Islam. It’s difficult to discribe in words all the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual blessings associated with marriage. But, to say the least it is one of the most important things any of us will do.
But, with any great blessing, comes great responsibility. For a man, taking on a wife is an incredible undertaking. Allah has said in his Qur’an that men are protectors and the sustainers of women. This means that when a woman agrees to marry a man, it means that she is entrusting him with her livelihood, that she is trusting that he will take care of her, provide for her, and give her the love and respect that she is entitled to by Allah. Likewise, women have many responsibilities toward their husband when it comes to marriage.
The marriage ceremony in Islam is actually a rather simple thing. The actual requirements for a marriage ceremony are very few. This allows for there to be room for cultural traditions in the ceremony. When we look to Muslim weddings around the world we see a very wide range of traditions. But, within each of them, are the basic requirements of nikkah, or marriage in Islam. The requirements are first that there needs to be agreement by both the bride and the groom for the marriage. While a persons family can most certainly be involved with the selection of a mate, no person, male or female, can be forced to marry someone that they do not approve. Also, another extremely important requirement for the marriage is the mahr, or dowry. Allah (swt) says, "And give to the women whom you marry their Mahr with a good heart, but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it without fear of any harm as Allâh has made it lawful." (Surah 4:4)
In some cultures, such as American Christian traditions, the bride will actually give the groom a dowry, but this is not the case in Islam. In Islam the groom is obligated to give or promise to give a fixed dowry to the bride at the time of the nikkah. The mahr is the brides right, and she has the right to ask whatever she wants so long as it is reasonable to the groom. It is also her right to expect it at the time of marriage, or to defer it, or even to wave it. Ultimately it is her right. Also, there needs to be witnesses. These witnesses should be Muslims, although additional non-Muslim witnesses are welcome and even encouraged. The officiator of the nikkah should also be a Muslim, who is knowledgeable of the deen of Islam, and the important aspects of marriage. This person does not necessarily have to be an imam, however, in this country it is important that he be someone that is legally certified to officiate weddings. Many Muslims do not file their marriage with the state government, but there are many scholars who believe that this could be at least mukruh or even haram, because in Islam the marriage should be something recognized by local authorities in order to ensure that both parties are legally entitled to full rights of marriage under the local law. It matters not that the local government is a non-Muslim one. We are required to obey authorities and laws regardless of whether or not they are Muslim, so long as they don't prevent one from performing obligatory aspects of Islam. After the officiator delivers a khutbah and takes the promise from both the bride and the groom, the two are then married, and only then are halal towards each other.
As I said, there are many responsibilities involved with marriage. Both the husband and the wife have rights over each other. These rights could be roughly divided into material rights, and non-material rights. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an, And they (women) have rights similar to those of their husbands over them to what is reasonable, but men have a degree of responsibility over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
The prophet (sws) said, as recorded in Sahih Al Tirmidhi, said, "Listen! You have your rights upon your wives and they have their rights upon you. Your right is that they shall not allow anyone you dislike, to trample your bed and do not permit those whom you dislike to enter your home. Their right is that you should treat them well in the matter of food and clothing."
Material Rights of the Wife~ The husband is responsible for the upkeep of the household, expenses, and seeing that all of the wife’s needs are taken care of. She may work if she chooses but she should not be obligated to. The husband should share in the household chores and when she becomes ill or unable to complete tasks, it is his responsibility to pick up the slack.
Non-Material Rights~ The husband has the responsibility to treat his wife as his partner and companion, and NOT as his servant. He is not to force her to engage in sexual activity that is deemed haram. He should not take anything of her wealth without her consent. He should consult her in matters in his life, and in their family affairs. He should be gentle and kind to her, and always try to never become angry or insulting. Women are generally emotional beings and it is important that they feel loved and appreciated on a daily basis.

Material Rights of the Husband~ The wife is expected to safe guard the husband’s property in his absence. She should not allow people in his house whom he would not approve, and she should not mingle or make friends with people that he would not approve of. It is also important for her to take part in the household chores although that is not her responsibility alone, and also to nourish and tend to the couples children.
Non-Material~ She should also be gentle, loving and respectful to her husband. When her husband is stressed she should seek to ease his troubles. Actually men can be rather emotional at times as well as women, even if we don’t like to admit it. And, they both should try to be physically attractive for each other, in order to help prevent the possibility of zina, or adultery.
Also it needs to be noted that when searching for a mate, a pious, faithful person is always better than a non-pious one. Many times people are attracted to someone because of their wealth, or physical appearance, or family status, or the tribe they come from, etc. However, none of these things should take priority over the persons dedication to the deen of Islam. In the Sahih al Bukhari, the prophet Muhammad (sws) is recorded to have said, A wealthy man passed by Allah's Apostle and Allah's Apostle asked (his companions) "What do you say about this (man)?" They replied, "If he asks for a lady's hand, he ought to be given her in marriage; and if he intercedes (for someone) his intercessor should be accepted; and if he speaks, he should be listened to." Allah's Apostle kept silent, and then a man from among the poor Muslims passed by, an Allah's Apostle asked (them) "What do you say about this man?" They replied, "If he asks for a lady's hand in marriage he does not deserve to be married, and he intercedes (for someone), his intercession should not be accepted; And if he speaks, he should not be listened to." Allah's Apostle corrected the companions and said, "This poor man is better than so many of the first as filling the earth."
A Qulu Qawli Hatha, Wa StaghfirAllaha lii Walakum

Today, one of the biggest issues that critics of Islam raise, is the issue of the treatment of women. A lot of people in our society today like to talk about equality between men and women. Men and women should be equal. It sounds reasonable. In reality, there can be no equality between men and women. Now before anyone reports me to Fox News, let me explain. 1+1=2, 3x4=12. The term “equals”, means that what’s on one side of an equation is the “same” as what’s on the other side. To say that men are “equal” to women is not correct. Men are most certainly not the “same” as women. There are obviously huge physical, mental, and emotional differences between men women. So rather than use the term “equality” it is better to use the term “equity”. We have equitable responsibilities, and have a balanced degree of rights over each other. Woman are NOT to be considered second class citizens. They are not to be considered inferior in intellect strictly based on their gender. And, most of all we should not judge them, based on how they look or dress. Likewise, women should not see men as overbearing or over-controlling just because they expect certain things in a wife. When it comes to marriage it is absolutely important that in addition to understanding our roles as husbands and wives, we understand our roles simply as Muslim men and Muslim women first.
We have seen in the media, stories of gross mistreatment of women in the old Muslim world. Now while of course the media often exaggerates or practices selective covering, these things DO happen. There ARE Muslims who treat their women like this. But, this is not because of Islam, it is because of their ignorance of Islam. We can rant and rave until we’re blue in the face about the ignorant portrayals of Islam that we see from our critics, but not of it matters until we first turn our ranting and raving on those Muslims who actually DO these things. These dogs that call themselves men, who use the message of Allah (swt) and the words of our beloved prophet Muhammad (sws) to carry out such acts of barbarism against the women that, in their devotion to Allah, rely on these so-called men for their sustenance. The most righteous amongst you are those who are best to your wives. That is the message of Islam. May Allah protect us from such things, and may we be an example to our community, our country, and our world what marriage really is in Islam.
For those of us who are married, let us take the time to remember our spouses and appreciate what they are to us, and how much they mean to us. Let us thank Allah (swt) that He blessed us with such a thing in this dunya. Let us always strive to participate with our spouse in the development of our deen. To read Qur’an together, to make du’a together, and encourage each other in increasing our iman. And, for those of us who are not married, take this time to make du’a to Allah that He may grant you with a good, and righteous spouse.