The Last Ten Days of Ramadan: The Home Stretch!

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Almighty God, the most gracious, the most merciful. All praise be to God, the lord and cherisher of all that exists. We praise Him, we seek His guidance, we seek His forgiveness and we seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and the evil within our deeds. No one whom God guides can be misguided, and no one whom God allows to go astray can be guided. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Almighty God, without equal or partners, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
My brothers and sisters in Islam, starting tonight, after the sun has disappeared below the horizon, we will officially begin the last ten days of this holy month of Ramadan. The whole of the month of Ramadan is indeed holy and magnificent, but these last ten days, hold special significance.
It is recorded in the collections of Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, on the authority of Aisha (ra), that during these last ten days of Ramadan, the prophet Muhammad (sws), used to spend the whole of the night in constant prayer and worship of Allah (swt). He would also wake his wives to do the same.
Also the prophet (sws) performed itikaf in the last ten days of Ramadan. Secluding himself in the masjid in a form of spiritual retreat, retreating from the world for the sake of spending every waking hour in worship of Allah (swt). This is actually similar to what he did even before receiving the very first revelations from Allah (swt) the cave on Mount Hira.
Now here for us, we don't have a masjid to perform itikaf in, however we can learn from that example of how to spend these last ten days of Ramadan. You could say that these last ten days are the home stretch of the holy month. That last leg of the race where you push yourself hard, harder than you think you can handle, to try to reach that finish line in good standing.
Another important and maybe the most important part of these last ten days, is the coming of Laylat ul Qadr. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an,
Indeed We sent it down on the night of Qadr;
And what will make you comprehend what is
the night of Qadr?
The night of Qadr is better than a thousand
months;
The angels and the Spirit descend within it
with the permission of their Lord on every
affair;
Peace it is until the break of dawn.
This night, Laylat ul Qadr, is the absolute most important night of the whole year. And here Allah (swt) is telling us that to worship Him in this night is not only extra special because of it being Ramadan, but it is so special that He compares it to a thousand months. That's approximately 83 years! Many of us may not live to be that old. Allahu 'Alim (God knows). Any Muslim man or woman who would rather be busy with the affairs of their dunya (daily life) during that night is nothing short of a fool. This is a night that could easily mean a big difference when your good deeds are weighed against your bad deeds on Yawm ul Qiyyama (Day of Judgment). However, remember that it is not known with any certainty what night of these last ten it is, but it is reported that the prophet (sws) said to look for it in the odd numbered nights. So, it could be the 21st, the 23rd, the 25th, the 27th, or the 29th, only Allah knows for sure. So it is important to spend each of these nights worshipping Allah (swt) as much as you possibly can.
This is the night that the holy Qur'an descended from Allah (swt). Many times we may forget or take for granted how truly magnificent this book is. It is not the first nor the only revelation from Allah (swt), but it is the only one that was literally the very speech of Allah. My brothers and sisters remember when you look at this text, in it's Arabiyyah (Arabic), and when these marks and dots turn into a sound in your mind, remember that that is not just the words of a book, that it's not just beautiful poetry, but that this is the very speech of Allah (swt). When you hear me, or Dr. Iyad, or Dr. Firas, or anyone else reciting the Qur'an in salat, that this is not our words. These are words that are far beyond the conceptualization and creativity of any man or jinn who has ever lived, including the prophet Muhammad (sws). Many people read through the Qur'an hastily as if they were reading any other kind of book. There is a hadith, although I'm not sure of it's authenticity, but it says that the prophet (sws) said that "anyone who does not sing or recite the Qur'an in a beautiful voice, is not from us". This is not like any other book in any language that we will read. These are the literal words of Allah (swt), to be revered, to be shown the utmost respect, and to held in esteem far beyond any other book. During these last ten days, recite the Qur'an frequently. You can't recite it too much. But, don't only recite it but reflect upon it. We know that on Yawm ul Qiyyama (Day of Judgment), one of the types of people who will be blessed with shade from the heat on that day, will be those who remember Allah to such an extent that they cry. Reflect on the Qur'an until you cry, and if you that your just not a crier, than reflect harder. Because when you truly TRULY reflect on those words of Allah (swt) and really apply them deep within yourself, there is not a human being alive who would not cry. There is not a human being alive who would not cry at the beauty of Allah (swt). There is not a human being alive who would not cry at the mercy of Allah (swt). There is not one who would not cry at the majesty, and bountifulness of Allah (swt), and there is not one alive who would not cry at the thought of tasting even one millisecond of the punishment of Allah (swt).
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Brothers and sisters in Islam. As I said, we are in the home stretch. Attendance has been waning at congregational tarawih for many of us, myself included. Please if you haven't attended tarawih during this month, please try to attend in these next few days. Not for our sake but for your sake in seeking the bounty of Allah (swt). Strive to share the blessings of this holy month with your families, whether they be Muslims or not. If you do not pray tarawih here with us, be sure to stand in Qiyam during these nights worshipping Allah (swt). Remember the obligation of Zakat ul Fitr as well and insha'Allah let us really push ourselves, both individually and as a community, through these ten days, all the way into the Eid ul Fitr (Festival of the fast breaking) insha'Allah.

Taqwa

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Almighty God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise be to God, the lord of all that exists. We give him our praise, we seek His guidance, we seek his forgiveness, and we seek refuge in him from the evil within ourselves and within our deeds. No one whom the Almighty guides can be misguided, and no one who He allows to go astray can be guided. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Alhamdulillah, we are now in the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the most blessed time of the year. We should all thank Allah (swt) for the opportunity to live to see this Ramadan, and we should all put fourth our best effort to take advantage of all the blessings and opportunities for forgiveness that this month offers.
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an, "O those who believe, the fasts have been enjoined upon you as were enjoined upon those before so that you be Al Muttaqun" . Now this word here Muttaqun means "ones who have taqwa". What is taqwa? Taqwa is a word that we hear often in Islamic discourse. Often times it is translated as having fear of God. However these translations often cause a great deal of confusion. In some versions of the English translation of this verse, they translate Al Muttaqun as "self restraint". Some translate it as "God fearing". Some translate it as "the pious". All of these translations give a piece of the puzzle so to speak, to the meaning of taqwa, but none of them truly embody the meaning of this word. Like many words that Allah (swt) uses in the Qur'an, the word taqwa is a very difficult word to render into English. However Allah (swt) makes it clear in this verse that the whole point of fasting, is to create this taqwa. So it is imperative that we come to a clear understanding of it, and know how to more accurately explain it.
Firstly let's take the most common translation of the word taqwa, "fear of God". This often creates a lot of confusion for native speakers of the English language because the word "fear", indicates a sense of terror, and apprehension. Most people associate "fear" with negative things, such as the fear of being attacked, or the fear of an enemy, or maybe the fear of disaster or the fear of failure. So when taqwa is translated in this way, it tends to put a negative connotation in people's minds. This is not really what the word taqwa means. It can be related to fearing the punishment of Allah for our sins; this is true. We should fear for our akhirah that we do not taste the punishment of the hellfire. However this still does not truly embody the meaning of the word taqwa.
Let us look to other passages of the Qur'an that refer to taqwa. In Surat Al ‘Imran Allah (swt) says, in the English translation, “And march forward in the way which leads to forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who have taqwa, Those who spend what Allah gives them both in prosperity and in adversity. Who repress anger, and who show forgiveness to their fellow man. Verily Allah loves those who do good.” In another place, in Surat al Baqarah Allah (swt) also says,
“It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the east or to the west, but righteousness is the one who believes in Allah, the last day, the angels, the book, the prophets, and gives wealth in spite of their love for it, to their family, to the orphans, and to the poor, and to the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and to free the slaves. It is the one who performs regular prayer, and gives the Zakat, and who fulfill their oaths when they make them, and who are patient in extreme poverty and ailment and at the time of battle. Such are the people of the truth and they are Al Muttaqun”.
These verses clearly tell us what it is to have taqwa. But notice that Allah (swt) says that it is not righteousness, or in other words it is not taqwa, that you turn your face to the east or the west. It is not taqwa that you dress a certain way, or that you talk a certain way. A person who has taqwa, as these verses tell us, is one who prays regularly. They are those who keep promises they make no matter how inconvenient. They are those who spend their wealth on those who need it, and they give regardless of whether or not they are in a time of prosperity or adversity. They are those who have patience when facing poverty, or when facing disease, or when facing the enemy on the field of battle.
Taqwa as we see here is not only our deeds; it is not only in the rituals that we perform; it is not only the beliefs that we hold in our heart; it is in fact all of these things put together.
People who have taqwa first and foremost, obey what Allah (swt) orders of them, and they avoid whatever Allah forbids them. The lack taqwa in today’s world is very evident. There are so many issues that Muslims today try to question. Many Muslims today spend a lot of time trying to find loop holes in Allah’s commands in the Qur’an, and to try and find ways to make some of the evil influences of the secular world, permissible in Islam.
One example of this is the issue of the hijab. Allah (swt) is very clear in the Qur’an, “walyudhribna khumurihinna ‘alaa juyubihinna”, or as it means in English, “draw their headcoverings over their upper torso”. This verse is very clear and explicit as to what Allah (swt) orders of the Muslim women, yet today there are countless people who try to pick apart every little detail and nuance of the verses of the Qur’an to try to find a way that it can be interpreted differently in order to fit modern and secular ideas of women’s dress. We should remember the extent of the taqwa of the sahabah, where in this particular case, Aisha (ra) said in an authentic hadith that when these verses were revealed, that the sahaba women tore pieces off their garments to cover their head, neck, and upper torso. In fact many of them, in their sense of taqwa, covered themselves completely. They obeyed the words of Allah immediately, and without question. This is true taqwa.
The verses that I quoted earlier also make a lot of references to how someone with taqwa spends of their wealth. This is also important because someone with true taqwa realizes that nothing that they have as far as wealth, really belongs to them. It is only in their possession by the permission of Allah (swt). Allah (swt) is the Lord of all that exists, and that includes your house, your car, all of your possessions. All that any of us have, belongs to Allah. The one who has true taqwa, is always aware of this, and this is why they spend from their wealth on those who don't have as much, not only out of kindness, but because this is what Allah (swt) orders them to do.
Taqwa is also that you treat others as Allah tells you to treat them. In one of the verses I quoted earlier Allah (swt) says that those who have taqwa, “repress anger, and show forgiveness to their fellow man”. I heard it said once that to serve God, one must serve humanity. This verse makes it clear that having taqwa is not just about your relationship with Allah (swt), but it is also about your relationship to your spouse, to your children, to your parents, to your brothers and sisters in Islam, and to all human kind, the children of Adam. We as servants and slaves of Allah (swt) are called to be a shining light of peace, love, mercy, and justice to all peoples of the world. We are called to defend those who are oppressed even if they may be our theological or spiritual enemy, and even if the oppressors are fellow Muslims. We are called to enjoin good and forbid evil. In one verse of the Qur’an Allah (swt) tells us that we are not forbidden from showing kindness to those who do not do us wrong. As I have said in many previous khutbahs, the best form of da’wah that any of us do, is simply by being a good and upright example of the deen of Islam. Taqwa in addition to our worship and our firmly held beliefs, is also rooted in how we treat others. This is another area where the Muslim Ummah has fallen far short of the standard. Today Muslims around the world oppress others, insult the beliefs of others, deface the symbols of others peoples, and yet we act so shocked and surprised when someone insults us or our religion. We demand people respect our faith yet we have no respect for theirs. We demand to be treated as equals in society but often times Christians, Jews, and other religious groups in Muslim countries are harassed and abused, and in many countries aren't allowed to practice their religion at all. Many Muslim countries don't allow Christian missionaries and other people like this because they don't want them poisoning the minds of Muslims and leading them away from Islam. However, if the leaders of these countries had true taqwa, and enjoined on their people true taqwa, the words of these missionaries would have no effect. In fact, most likely, it would be the missionaries who would see the truth and beauty of Islam, and embrace it, and take it back to the countries they came from.
In all reality, the best definition of taqwa that I can come up with is to be in a constant state of "God consciousness". It is to be constantly aware of your being a slave and servant of Allah (swt). Taqwa, is seeing Allah's will in everything we do from the most menial things like mowing the grass or using the bathroom, to the most profound things like making Hajj. Why do we pray five times a day? The prophet (sws) compared the five daily salaat to bathing five times a day. If you took a shower five times a day, would you ever be dirty? No. But what the five daily salaat really do, is that they don't allow us to forget about Allah (swt). If you are praying five times a day, you don't have time to forget about Allah. One of the first verses in the Qur'an related to alcohol, khamr, was that Allah said, "Do not approach the prayer when you are drunk". Well if you are praying five times a day it doesn't leave a whole lot of time to get drunk. So you see, the five daily prayers create taqwa in us, because they keep us constantly reminded of our position as slaves of Allah (swt). Likewise, the Zakat creates taqwa by insuring that always remember that our wealth first and foremost belongs to Allah. The Hajj certainly creates taqwa by reminding us of our past as the human race, our present state as a nation, and our future in the akhirah, where we will stand before Allah without any of our worldly possessions to be of any benefit to us; this of course represented by the state of ihram that we enter upon making Hajj or Umrah. Also, fasting definitely creates taqwa. Just like the five daily prayers don't allow you to forget about Allah, fasting does the same thing, but on an even higher level, because in this case it's not only when it's time to pray that you remember your servanthood to Allah, but you remember every time you feel a hunger pain, or struggle to maintain wetness in your mouth. Fasting keeps us in an even bigger state of God consciousness, or taqwa.
To conclude, I'd like to end with an excerpt from our beloved prophet's first khutbah in Medina (sws). Prophet Muhammad (sws) said,
"Whoever obeys Allah and His messenger is wise and whoever disobeys them is astray, wasted, and has lost his way far from the true path. I advise you to fear Allah and be conscious of Him. Be conscious of what Allah warned you of Himself. There is no better advice than that or a better reminder. It is a shield for those who follow this advice carefully and cautiously and it is an aid, and the truth that will get you what you aspire for on the Day of Judgment. Whosoever establishes a good relationship between him and Allah, secretly and openly, only to seek the pleasure of Allah, will benefit in this life and be saved in the afterlife when he will be in dire need of the good deeds he earned before death. Man will then wish that there were a great distance between him and anything else other than taqwa."
...And Allah Knows Best...

Fasting: A Common Tradition

To our Christian and Jewish friends...

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

Salaam Aleikum, peace and blessings be upon you. This week, we in the Muslim community, welcome our holy month of Ramadan. It is a holy, and blessed month in which we as Muslims devote ourselves to continuous worship and reflection of Almighty God. One of the most recognized and primary elements of Ramadan is fasting. Muslims abstain from all food and drink during the daylight hours throughout the month. In the Holy Qur'an, God says, "O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may increase in your consciousness of the Almighty". (Surah Baqarah vs. 183). The Qur'an makes it clear that fasting is not just for Muslims, but also for the "people of the book", Jews and Christians. In Judaism, Jews are given the command by God to fast or "afflict" themselves, on their most holy day of "Yom Kippur". In Leviticus 23:26, it says, "Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord". Fasting is also a fundamental part of Christian tradition, as in the story in Jesus' fasting for 40 days in the wilderness. Jesus Christ, peace and blessings be upon him, is quoted in Mathew 6:16 as saying, "And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Lord who is in secret. And your Lord who sees in secret will reward you." It is important that people who fast whether they be Muslim, Christian or Jewish fast for the sake of God, and not to be seen as "righteous" by others, and this is a fundamental part of what it means to be "truly" a person of faith. It means praying and worshipping God whether anyone is there or not. It means standing up for what is right and just because it is right and just, not because it may or may not be popular. A true person of faith, any faith, lives there life in what I call a "constant state of God consciousness". This is the result of fasting. Every time you feel a hunger pain, you remember God. Every time you see someone drinking that ice cold soda, or eating your favorite dish, you remember your devotion to the Almighty. Fasting isn't just about starving yourself, it is about focusing on your relationship with God. The prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him said, "He who does not give up uttering falsehood and evil behavior, Allah has no need of his giving up his food and his drink." So, for us it is also important that we strive to fundamentally be better people, and in the spirit of that we offer our prayers for all the Ashland community, and would like to commend the efforts by local churches to revive the spiritual nature of our community including mass worship services at Community Stadium, and tent revivals. Our hope is that we as Muslims, Jews, and Christians in the community can learn from each other, and share with each other our common belief in the Almighty God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, and Muhammad, peace be upon them all, and that we can combine our strengths to combat the evils of our society, and promote peace and brotherhood amongst all humanity. Peace, and God Bless.

Shahadah: A New Beginning

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Almighty God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise be to God, the Lord and Cherisher of all creation. We praise Him, we seek His guidance, we seek his forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and the evil in our deeds. Whomever God Almighty guides, cannot be misguided and whomever God Almighty allows to go astray will not be guided, except by God's mercy. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except Almighty God; alone with no partners, and I testify that Muhammad was the servant and messenger of Almighty God.
It is said these days that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the western world. Studies have shown that as many as 20,000 Americans embrace Islam each year. In Europe many community churches are becoming masajid (mosques). Indeed people have been entering the fold of Islam in droves since the time of the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. Islam historically has proven to be one of the fastest spreading ideologies in the history of human civilization, and today the "west", is ultimately just the next step in that evolution.
God Almighty says in the Qur'an, "When there comes to you the help of Allah, the conquest, and you see that the people are entering the religion of Allah in droves; So glorify the praises of your Lord and ask for his forgiveness. Verily, He is the one who accepts repentance and who forgives". (Surat An Nasr).
As we see these people entering Islam, by the thousands each year, what does it mean to us who are already Muslims? What does it say to us about this deen? And, what exactly are these people excepting? Are they excepting to be a Sunni or Shia? In most cases no. Are they excepting to be a Sufi or a Salafi? No. Are they excepting to become an Arab? or a Pakistani? or an African? No. By excepting Islam, do they agree with the politics of say the royal family of Saudi Arabia, or the president of Egypt, or say the Taliban of Afghanistan? No they are excepting "Islam". But what is Islam and how does it differ with all the different people, cultures, groups and ideologies I just listed? It seems like ultimately a very simple question, but the realities of the Muslim world today prove that most in our Ummah (nation) truly do not know the difference.
Many times when people learn about Islam, and they begin to consider the idea of being a Muslim, they usually find many things that they like about it. However, there are also often things that they may be apprehensive about. But, what's interesting is that many times, the things that they are apprehensive about are really not issues related to Islam. Rather, they are issues related to the cultures of the Muslims of the world. Without a doubt one of the hardest things to do when becoming a new Muslim, is navigating your way through all of the cultural fog that we find in our masajid (mosques) and in our Muslim communities. So it is imperative that when we have someone who is a new shahadah in our community, we take care and be mindful of our own cultural influences and remember what Islam really is at its fundamental core.
Of course the most fundamental belief in Islam is tawheed, or absolute monotheism. That absolutely nothing else in all that exists is worthy of worship except God Almighty, known in the Arabic of the Qur'an as Allah, and it matters not the name people call him by in different languages. In Spanish He is Dios, in German He is Gott, in Hebrew He is Elohim. All of these names refer to the same Lord, Creator, and Sustainer of all that exists, Allah, subhana wa ta'ala (God, the glorified, most high). The most fundamental principal of Islam is tawheed; to believe that only God is worthy of worship. Surprisingly not all Muslims understand this. You can find Muslims the world over who pray to and invoke their so called "saints". Who make pilgrimages to their shrines. But, nonetheless, this concept of absolute monotheism is paramount and the absolute most fundamental principle of Islam.
When someone embraces Islam, they do so by proclaiming the Shahadah or testimony of faith. That is to say, "I bear witness there is nothing worthy of worship except Almighty God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God". But, what does it truly mean to make this statement? It truly is more than a simple sentence. By saying this statement, your are actually signing a contract with God. But, just as with any contract, there is always fine print, and it's absolutely essentially that one understands every point of that fine print before signing the contract.
1. You are testifying with all your mind heart and Soul that God is the creator of the earth, the heavens, the sun, the moon, the planets, the stars, trees, birds, animals, jinn (supernatural spirits), men, women, and everything that exists. That He is the organizer of all these things, and that He provides them the means to exist in the way that they do. That He is the one who provides life and death, and that only He can cause us or prevent us from harm or success. This is called Tawheed ul Rububiya (Oneness of Lordship).
2. You are testifying with all your mind heart and soul that God is the only thing worthy of worship or ibadah. That He is the only one to whom one should pray, invoke, bow, prostrate, or glorify. Nothing else not a physical form (idol), not a person, not an animal, not a place, not a celestial body, and not even an idea or one's self is worthy of any kind of worship. This is called Tawheed al Uluhiyah (Oneness of Worship).
3. You are testifying that God is the epitome of all his qualities mentioned in the Qur'an and/or in the Sunnah (example) of prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. This is to say the so called "99 names of Allah". That He is Al Rahman (The Most Compassionate), Al Hafiz (The preserver), Al Hakim (Perfectly Wise), Al Mubdi (The Originator), Al Awwal (The First), Al Akhir (The Last), and Al Baqi (The Everlasting). All of these and many more are the attributes of God. God is the absolute form of every good and righteous quality. This is called Tawheed al Asma wa Sifat (Oneness of the Names and Attributes).
4. You are testifying that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was the last and final messenger of God. By testifying this you agree to the message of the Qur'an given through prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. So obeying the Qur'an is obligatory on you. Also, God says in the Qur'an, "Say (Muhammad),'If you really love Allah, then follow me". So also then, in obeying the Qur'an, one must also obey the prophet, peace be upon him, as the two go hand in hand. So, following the Sunnah, or what can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt is the sayings and deeds of prophet Muhammad, is obligatory with the accepting of this contract.
Most of the time when people become Muslims, other people who are raised Muslim expect that any bad habit they had as a non-Muslim should simply disappear. Often times new Muslims may have a hard time quiting drinking, or quiting being with girls/guys, many times new sisters have a very hard time with wearing the hijab, and then other Muslims are appalled by this and say, " Don't they understand this is haram???" or "Don't they understand that they have to do this and that". We forget that Islam did not come all at once. It came over the course of 23 years. It was between 10 and 12 years before the Salat (5 daily prayers) was instituted and ordered upon the Muslims. It was more than 15 years before alcohol was prohibited. At least the same amount of time for the hijab to be ordered on the Muslim women. So those of us who are with new Muslims and also those of us who are new Muslims, it is important that we understand what is minimally important to understand.
The following hadith relates what the prophet said of the basics of the Islamic faith. On the authority of Abu 'Abd al-Rahman 'Abdullah bin 'Umar bin al-Khattab, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: "Islam has been built upon five things - on testifying that there is no god save Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger; on performing salah; on giving the zakah; on Hajj to the House; and on fasting during Ramadhan." Al-Bukhari & Muslim.
In another famous hadith, a man came to the prophet, peace be upon him, and asked him, "If I testify the Shahadah, that there is nothing worthy of worship except God, and that you (Muhammad) are the messenger of God, and I pray the 5 daily prayers, I pay Zakat (obligatory charity), I fast in the month of Ramadan, and make or have the sincere intention to make the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca); I do these things nothing more and nothing less, will I be successful?". To that, the prophet, peace be upon him replied, "Yes, if you do these things, you will be successful".
So from this we can know what someone looking to take shahadah "must" know.
Islam is to believe that there is none worthy of worship except God, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God, and this first pillar is inclusive of the six pillars of faith: Believe in God, Believe in the Prophets, Believe in the Books of God, Believe in the Angels, Believe in the Day of Judgment, and to believe in Qadr (divine pre-ordainment). It is to pray the obligatory 5 daily prayers. It is to pay the Zakat (annual wealth tax to the poor), it is to fast during the month of Ramadan, and it is to make or have the sincere intention to make the Hajj. These are the things that every new Muslim needs to know and be willing to do. We as Muslims trying to help them, must realize that outside of these five things, adjusting one's life to the deen (way) of Islam is a process, and we should not become disheartened when they trip up during their journey through this life. Allah knows that all of us do too, even those of us who have been Muslim our whole lives. God Almighty says in the Qur'an in Surat Wal Asr, "By Time, Verily mankind is in loss. Except those who believe, and do righteous good deeds, and remind each other to the truth, and remind each other to have patience". We must always remind each other of the truth of this way, and help to teach each other that which we don't know, and remind each other of what we do, and most of all, we must do so in patience, and remember that God is As Sabur (The Patient One).
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We must also remember that we as the Muslim ummah, do not have anything to be proud of when it comes to the rapid spread of Islam. It is truly a miracle of God Almighty that Islam is spreading so quickly, because the Muslims of the world today (as a whole) are definitely not doing anything to help it. Islam is not spreading because of the Muslims, it is spreading despite the Muslims. Allah, subhana wa ta'ala (God, glorified and most high), tells us in the Qur'an, "And you see the people coming to the way of Allah in droves. So, glorify the praises of your Lord, and ask his forgiveness. Verily He is the one who accepts repentance and who forgives". I've heard many times Muslims boasting about how many Muslims there are. You can see them bragging to non-Muslims how there are 8 million Muslims in America, or how in the world 1 and 4 people are Muslim. We see Muslims boasting about this all the time, but they ought to remember that they have nothing to do with it, and the Lord that is responsible for that is the same Lord responsible for those who are not Muslim. The bottom line is that it doesn't matter whether Islam is the fastest growing religion, or the fastest shrinking religion. God says in the Qur'an, "Let there be no compulsion in religion, TRUTH STANDS OUT CLEAR FROM FALSEHOOD". It wouldn't matter if the Muslims in this room were the only Muslims in the world, because the truth is the truth. We must do nothing except praise our Lord, and beg his forgiveness for what little we do as an ummah (people i.e. Muslims) to help in the rapid spread of Islam.
As many of you know we are quickly approaching the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is a time of purifying ourselves, and bringing ourselves closer to being the best Muslims we can be. On December 31st many people make new year resolutions, well I am asking all of you to make Ramadan resolutions. If you don't pray regularly everyday, make a resolution to pray every single prayer on time every day for the entire month. Make a resolution not to watch smutty movies, or listen to profane music. Make a resolution to visit or call your parents and relatives on a regular basis. Make a resolution to do things to help in your community. Make a resolution to make friends with your neighbors and expose them to the beauty of this blessed month. Make a resolution to be as good a Muslim as you can be, and insha'Allah (God willing) if you can do it for a month you can do it for the rest of the year too. The devils and the shayateen are about to be chained for one whole month people! Let's start to get ready to gobble up as much ajar (reward) and barakah (blessings) as we can. And, let us start by getting back to the basics of this deen, and today let us all be new shahadas.
...And Allah Knows Best...

God's Prophet's Series: #2 Idris and Nuh (Enoch and Noah)

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Almighty God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise be to God, the lord and cherisher of all creation. We give him our praise, we seek his guidance, and we ask his forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and in our deeds. No one whom God guides can be misguided, and no one whom God allows to go astray can be guided. I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Almighty God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the slave and messenger of God.
In my last sermon, I began my God's Prophets series by talking about our father, prophet Adam, peace be upon him. This week, insha'Allah, I will continue with the next two prophets, prophet Idris, and prophet Nuh (also known in English as Enoch, and Noah), peace be upon them both.
Not much is known about prophet Idris, from the Qur'an and Sunnah. We know he came several generations after Adam, peace be upon him. He is only mentioned in four ayahs or verses from the Qur'an. Allah (swt) mentions him in Suraat Al Maryam or the Chapter of Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. In verses 56 and 57, Allah says, " And mention in the Book, Idris, verily, he was a man of truth, and a prophet". Then Allah (swt) mentions him again in Suraat Al Anbiya or the Chapter of The Prophets. In verses 85 and 86 Allah (swt) says, "And remember Isma'il, Idris and Dhul Kifl. All were from among the patient. And we admitted them to our mercy. Verily they were of the righteous." Also there are a couple hadiths that refer to Idris (as). It is narrated by Abbas bin Malik in the collection of Bukhari, that the prophet, in describing Al Miraj, or his miraculous ascent into the heavens, said, "The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is Idris; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet." Not much can be understood thru these sources alone about exactly who Idris or what he did, however there are traditions that relate some information about him. According to the work of Sheikh Ibn Kathir, Idris was born in Babylon or present day Iraq, and that he was of the 5th generation after Adam, peace be upon him. He was believer in tawheed, or the absolute oneness of God. He called his people to the way of Allah, but most didn't listen to him. At some point, Idris moved to Egypt where he continued his mission. There he called the people to Allah, instructing them to pray, fast, give from there wealth to the poor. This was most likely right around the very beginning of the Egyptian civilization. It is also said that he was the first to develop written language.
In some other traditions it is said that he made an ascension to Heaven, similar to Al Miraj of prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and that the area where he returned to Earth was in Giza, where the great pyramids now stand. We can speculate a lot about nabi Idris (as), but what we can be fairly sure of is he called people to Allah and most of them did not listen. The fact that this happened only 5 generations after Adam (as) illustrates how easily people can be led astray from the path of righteousness, Siraatul Mustaqeem. As Allah says he was righteous man, and was chosen by Allah to be among His Anbiya, or prophets.
A few generations after prophet Idris (as), came another great prophet of God. This one we know much more about. He is so well known amongst not only Muslims but also the ahl al kitab, or the people of the Book, that there have even been movies made about him. This of course is prophet Nuh, or Noah, peace be upon him. It is related in the collection of Bukhari that the prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said that between Adam and Nuh, was ten centuries, or in other words 1,000 years. In his day, the people of Nuh worshipped many gods. Idolatry was in full swing by this time in human history. Allah even mentions the names of their idols in the Qur'an. They were Waddan, Suwa'an, Yaghutha, Ya'auga, and Nasran. Originally these were actually people who lived among them. They were considered to be great men of their society. They were the George Washingtons, and Benjamin Franklins, and Abraham Lincolns of their day and nation. After they had died, statues were erected in their honor. Later on however, people began to actually worship these statues, and as many generations passed, they even forgot the "reality" of who these people were; all they knew was their parents prayed to them and invoked them, so they did the same.
This was the foundation of shirk, or idolatry. Originally the intention behind making those statues was relatively innocent, but shaitan had his ways of deceiving them into invoking these statues and remembering them instead of Allah (swt).
Nuh, was a man living amongst these people, who did not fall for the farce. It is said that he was an excellent speaker and a very patient man. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an, "Indeed We sent Noah to his people (he said): "I have come to you as a plain Warner that you worship none but Allah, surely, I fear for you the torment of a painful Day." the chiefs of the disbelievers among his people said: "We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they too followed you without thinking. And we do not see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars." (CH 11:25-27).
This was a to become a trend amongst all the prophets that would come throughout history, that the leaders of their people would not only reject his warnings, but mock him and accuse him of lying.
Eventually the disbelievers tried to negotiate with him. They pointed out the fact that the majority of Noah's believers were poor and meek. They insisted that Noah dismiss them, as they did not feel that it was proper for people of their status to associate with such people. They insisted that no faith could include them both as equals. Noah, being the patient man that he was, responded in a gentle, but firm manner, and Allah (swt) relates what he said in the Qur'an. It says, "O my people! I ask of you no wealth for it, my reward is from none but Allah. I am not going to drive away those who have believed. Surely, they are going to meet their Lord, but I see that you are a people that are ignorant. O my people! Who will help me against Allah, if I drove them away? Will you not then give a thought? And I do not say to you that with me are the Treasures of Allah nor that I know the unseen, nor do I say I am an angel, and I do not say of those whom your eyes look down upon that Allah will not bestow any good on them. Allah knows what is in their inner selves (regards to Belief). In that case, I should, indeed be one of the Zalimeen (wrongdoers, oppressors etc)."
(Ch 11:29-31 Quran)
Allah (swt) also then relates the reaction of the kufar in the Qur'an. "They said: "O Noah! You have disputed with us and much have you prolonged the dispute with us, now bring upon us what you threaten us with, if you are of the truthful." He said: "Only Allah will bring it (the punishment)on you, if He will, and then you will escape not. And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you counsel, if Allah's Will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord! And to Him you shall return."
(Ch 11:32-34 Quran)
The war of ideologies continued for some time. Noah kept patient, calling them to the path of Allah. But, it was no use. The mere mention of the name of Allah, made their skin crawl and they would stuff their fingers in their hears when they heard Noah's preaching. Allah (swt) relates a dua that Noah made, in the Qur'an. Noah said, "O my Lord! Verily, I have called my people night and day (secretly and openly to accept the doctrine of Islamic Monotheism), but all my calling added nothing but to their flight from the truth. Verily! Every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted (in their refusal), and magnified themselves in pride. Then verily, I called to them openly (aloud); then verily, I proclaimed to them in public, and I have appealed to them in private, I said to them: 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord, Verily, He is Oft Forgiving; He will send rain to you in abundance, and give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers."
Noah continued on this mission for 950 years. Allah says in the Qur’an "Indeed We sent Noah to his people and he stayed among them a thousand less fifty years (inviting them to believe in the Oneness of Allah (Monotheism) and discard the false gods and other deities)."
(Ch 29:14 Qumran)
Eventually, Allah (swt) revealed to Noah, that no more would believe. And then Noah invoked Allah, "My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth. If you leave them, they will mislead Your slaves and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers." (Ch 71:27 Quran)
It was then that Allah (swt) revealed to Noah, the news of the flood; that all of the kafiroon, or disbelievers were going to be drown in a massive flood. Allah then commanded Noah to build a ship. Allah (swt) said, "And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Inspiration and address Me not on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned."
(Ch 11:37 Quran)
Noah began collecting tools and wood, and chose a spot outside the city to start building. The people walked by and laughed and mocked at Noah. Allah (swt) relates in the Qur'an, "As he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they made a mockery of him. He said : "If you mock at us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking. And you will know who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover him with disgrace and on whom will fall a lasting torment." (Ch 11:38-39 Quran)
After completing the ship, Noah sat and waited for Allah's command. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an, "So it was till then there came Our Command and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: "Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family, except him against whom the Word has already gone forth, and those who believe." And none believed him except a few." (Ch 11:40 Quran)
Soon the water began to rush forth, starting from the oven in Noah's house. The water poured from the skies and gushed from every crack in the Earth. Allah (swt) relates the story in the Qur'an in these words, "He (Noah) said: "Embark therein, in the Name of Allah will be its moving course and its resting anchorage. Surely, my Lord is Oft Forgiving, most Merciful." so it (the ship) sailed with them amidst the waves like mountains, and Noah called out to his son, who had separated himself (apart), "O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers." The son replied, "I will betake myself to a mountain, it will save me from the water." Noah said: "This day there is no savior from the Decree of Allah except him on whom He has mercy." And a wave came in between them so he (the son) was among the drowned.
It was (then) said: "O Earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain)." The water was diminished (made to subside) and the Decree (of Allah) was fulfilled (the destruction of the people of Noah). And it (the ship) rested on Mount Judi, and it was said: "Away with the people who are Zalimeen (polytheists, and wrongdoing)!"
Noah called upon his Lord and said, "O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! Certainly, Your Promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges." HE said: "O Noah! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you be one of the ignorant."
Noah said: "O my Lord! I seek refuge with You from asking You that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have Mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the losers."
It was said: "O Noah! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you(and on some of their offspring), but (there will be other) people to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us." (Ch 11:41-48 Quran)
And so, this was the destruction of the people of Nuh. These verse really indicate how truly evil idolatry is. For all of us, our families are probably the dearest things to us in this world, and no doubt, Allah (swt) has made it clear throughout the Qur'an that one of our primary duties in this life is to serve our families. However these verses show us how truly horrible shirk is. When Noah pleaded for his some to Allah, Allah responded by saying that, "He is not your son!". No doubt Noah was heartbroken, like any of us would be, but none the less shirk is unforgivable.
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So, what can we learn from these prophets, Idris and Nuh, (ahs)? I would say that the stories of these two prophets are perfect illustrations of the nature, beginnings, and severity of shirk. Their stories show us where shirk came from and how people gradually but swiftly moved away from tawheed, or pure monotheism very early in our history. Their stories show us how easily shirk can creep into our lives. How it comes to us through seemingly innocent things, like statues, or pictures, or science, or tombs al khabool, or charms and amulets. Like I always say, shaitan is evil, not stupid. The stories of these prophets show us how truly helpless we really are without Allah. Before his death, prophet Noah, peace be upon him, gave some advise to his sons, the progeny that would repopulate the Earth; advise that I feel is the best words to end with. It is recorded in the collection of Bukhari, that Abdullah ibn Amru ibn Al narrated that the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him said, "When the death of the Messenger of Allah Noah approached, he admonished his sons: 'Indeed I would give you far reaching advice, commanding you to do 2 things, and warning you against doing 2 things as well. I charge you to believe that there is no god but Allah and that if the seven heavens and the seven earths were put on one side of a scale and the words "there is no god but Allah" were put on the other, the latter would outweigh the former. I warn you against associating partners with Allah and against pride."

...And Allah Knows Best...

God's Prophets Series: #1 Adam

بسم لله الرحمان الرحيم

In the name of Almighty God, the most gracious, the most merciful. All praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds. We give Him our praise, we seek his guidance, we seek forgiveness, and we seek refuge in Him from the evil within ourselves and the evil within our deeds. No one whom He guides can be misguided, and no one whom He allows to go astray, can be guided. I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except almighty God, and I testify that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is his slave and messenger.
Allah (swt) has told us in the holy Qur'an, that He has sent many prophets to mankind. He has said that to every nation, there were prophets, who taught the message of "La ilaha illa Allah", or "there is none worthy of worship except Almighty God". Allah (swt) tells us that these prophets were sent from amongst us, to tell us, and maybe more importantly to show us how to live according to Allah's will. It is not known how many prophets there were exactly, but Allah (swt) mentions 25 of them by name in the Qur'an. Insha'Allah I will be talking about many of them in coming khutbahs, but today I will start with the first prophet of Allah, our primordial father Adam, peace be upon him.
Adam (as) is unique from all other prophets in that he did not come to any "nation" or "tribe", as there were no nations or tribes yet. But it was him, and his family that would set the stage for the creation of all of those nations and tribes. Allah (swt) relates the story of Adam's creation in Surat Al Baqarah verses 30-39. Allah (swt) says, "Remember when your Lord said to the angels: 'Verily, I am going to place mankind generations after generations on earth.' They said: 'Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks (exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You.' Allah said: 'I know that which you do not know.'
Allah taught Adam all the names of everything, then He showed them to the angels and said: "Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful." They (angels) said: "Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Verily, it is You, the All-Knower, the All-Wise."
He said: "O Adam! Inform them of their names," and when he had informed them of their names, He said: "Did I not tell you that I know the unseen in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been hiding?"
Remember when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourself before Adam" They prostrated except Iblis, he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers(disobedient to Allah)."
We said: "O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Paradise and both of you freely with pleasure and delight of things therein as wherever you will but come not near this tree or you both will be of the Zalimeen (wrongdoers)."
Then the Satan made them slip there from (the Paradise), and got them out from that in which they were. We said: "Get you down all with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment for a time."
Then Adam received from his Lord Words. His Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance). Verily He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the most Merciful.
We said: "Get down all of you from this place (the Paradise), then whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My Guidance there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve. But those who disbelieve and belie Our Ayah (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, and signs and revelations, etc) such are the dwellers of the Fire, they shall abide therein forever."
This is the story of our beginning. How human beings came to be the inheritors of the Earth. These verses from the Holy Qur'an also demonstrate to us the beginning of our war with Shaitan, Iblis. Allah (swt) relates the same story in Surat Al A'raaf verses 11-25 in more detail. It reads, "And surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape (the noble shape of a human being), then We told the angels, "Prostrate to Adam", and they prostrated, except Iblis, he refused to be those who prostrate.
Allah said: "What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate when I commanded you?"
Iblis said: "I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire and him You created from clay."
Allah said: "O Iblis get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out for you are of those humiliated and disgraced."
Iblis said: "Allow me respite till the Day they are raised up (Day of Resurrection)."
Allah said: "You are of those allowed respite."
Iblis said: "Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (they will not be dutiful to You)."
Allah said: "Get out from Paradise, disgraced and expelled. Whoever of them (mankind) will follow you, then surely I will fill Hell with you all."
"And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat thereof as you both wish, but approach not this tree otherwise you both will be of the Zalimeen (unjust and wrongdoers)."
Then Satan whispered suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts before, he said:" Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become angels or become of the immortals." Satan swore by Allah to them both saying: "Verily I am one of the sincere well wishers for you both."
So he misled them with deception. Then when they tasted of the tree, that which was hidden from them of their shame (private parts) became manifest to them and they began to stick together the leaves of Paradise over themselves (in order to cover their shame). Their Lord called out to them saying "Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you, Verily Satan is an open enemy unto you?"
They said: "Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers." Allah said: "Get down one of you an enemy to the other (i.e. Adam, Eve, and Satan etc). On earth will be a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment, for a time." He said: "therein you shall live, and therein you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out (resurrected)."
From these immortal words of our Lord, we see that from the beginning, what an evil enemy we have in Iblis, Al Shaitan. We see that Iblis made a solemn oath to Allah (swt) to be a constant distraction to us as human beings along the path of righteousness. He said he would "sit in wait against them or your straight path. Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, and from their left and from their right".
This is probably one of the most important lessons we can take away from the story of our father Adam. That Iblis, Shaitan, Satan, the Devil, Lucifer, Diablo, whatever you call him, is the sworn enemy of our race. We must make no mistake about it. The fruits of his labor exist all around us. Everywhere we look we see them. On TV, in books, in our communities, in our families and even in ourselves. We must always remember that Shaitan is evil, but by no means stupid. Shaitan is more clever than any of us realize. The prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said in his final sermon, "Shaitan has given up on deceiving you in bigger things (i.e. worshipping statues, and the like), so beware of the smaller things". We must constantly be aware of Shaitan's influence in our lives and let this story of Sayyidina Adam being an illustration and reminder to that.
Another important lesson we see from this story is that of the Angels place with Allah (swt). We see at first, the Angels to some extent questioned God's decision to create Adam, as he and thus his progeny would have the ability to disobey God. Angels don't have this ability. They are created with the sole purpose of carrying out Allah's command. Allah told the Angels, "I know that which you do not know", meaning that Allah knew what human beings were capable of, and therein lies the lesson. We as human beings have the potential to even greater in the sight of Allah, then the Angels. Because, we have the ability to disobey, yet some "choose" to obey; something that the Angels don't have. This fact is illustrated in that the Angels and all in the Heavens were ordered to prostrate themselves to Adam, not in worship of course because all worship is strictly for Allah, but in respect and admiration. This was Allah's way of demonstrating to them and to us through the telling of the story in the Qur'an, how truly esteemed we are in the sight of Allah, as a creation. At our best, we have the ability to surpass the Angels, however at the same time, at our worst, we are lower than animals. Allah (swt) also created all the different animals of the Earth, but they are given instinct, or built in instructions on how to survive and multiply. They are programmed if you will. They do not have the ability to override that programming. We as human beings also have that same programming but we have extra components such as reason, love, and lusts that can allow us to override that programming either for good or bad. We have the ability to behave in ways that make us lower than those animals. For example, if a dog tries to take a bear's fish, the bear will do whatever it can to try to ward of the dog before getting the fish. However, if the dog makes off with the fish, the bear isn't going to hunt down that bear years later and try to kill him. Human beings, however will do that. So in short this part of the story of prophet Adam (as) demonstrates to us the unique and esteemed position we as human beings hold in the spectrum of Allah's creations.
It is also documented in the Sahih al Bukhari on the authority of Abi Musa Sha'arai that the prophet Muhammad (sws) said, "Allah created Adam from a handful of dust (dirt) taken from different lands, so the children of Adam (human beings) have been created according to the composition of the land. Therefore from mankind we have white, red, black and yellow ones; good and evil, ease and sorrow, and all that comes between." So another lesson that can be deduced from the addition of this hadith is that the nature of our creation, is what lead to the variety of our colors. If you travel the Earth, you will many different kinds of soil. Indeed there are places where the soil appears red; there are places where the soil appears black, and there are places where the soil appears light brown and sometimes almost white, but regardless of the color, all of this soil is basically the same; made primarily of carbon and water. So it is also with human beings, and also we are made primarily of carbon and water. This goes to show how truly equal we are. There are no races amongst us as human beings, we are all one race, the human race.
It is almost impossible to talk about Adam, without talking about his wife Hawa, or as she is known in English, Eve. Allah talks briefly about her creation in the Qur'an. He says in the first verse of Surat An Nisa "O Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam) and from Him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women." Allah (swt) also says in Surat Al A'raaf verse 189, "It is he Who has created you from a single person (Adam) and then He created from him his wife (Eve), in order that he might enjoy the pleasure of living with her." These verses from Allah's book show us that with the creation of Hawa, men and women were eternally linked as partners. In the Biblical tradition it was supposedly Hawa who was deceived by the serpent (i.e. Iblis), and that she fed some of it to Adam. This misrepresentation has led to centuries of persecution and dehumanization of women within both the Jewish and Christian traditions. Many Christians even up to today believe that the woman's menstrual cycle is "punishment" for their disobedience to God in the beginning. Also the Biblical story implies that Adam was unaware that the fruit he was eating was that of the forbidden tree and therefore their fall from Eden, or Paradise, was entirely her fault. Because of that mentality women have been subjugated and abused constantly throughout Biblical history. The Qur'an sets the record straight that they were BOTH equally responsible for disobeying Allah (swt); that Adam was just as guilty as Hawa, and this is the foundation of the role of the Male and the Female according to the deen of Islam.
Adam (as) was the original father. He and Hawa bore many children. Of which two named Cain and Abel became very famous. Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an in Surat al Ma'idah verses 27-31, "And (O Muhammad) recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of Adam (Abel and Cain) in truth; when each offered a sacrifice to Allah, it was accepted from the one but not from the other. The latter said to the former; "I will surely kill you."
the former said: "Verily Allah accepts only from those who are Al Muttaqeen (the pious). If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you, for I fear Allah; the Lord of the Alameen (mankind, jinn, and all that exists). Verily I intend to let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours then you will be one of the dwellers of the Fire, and that is the recompense of the Zalimeen (polytheists, and wrongdoers)."
So the self of the other (latter one) encouraged him and made fair seeming to him the murder of his brother; he murdered him and became one of the losers. Allah sent a crow who scratched the ground to show him to hide the dead body of his brother. He (the murderer) said: "Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother?" Then he became one of those who regretted." This event, the first murder, set the stage for the long history of humanity to come. Bloodshed has definitely been a chief characteristic of human beings, just as the Angels had feared. But through it all; despite all the droves of evil, misguided men and women their have been, there have always been those who heeded the message of Allah (swt) revealed through his many prophets. Noah, Moses, Abraham, Solomon, Jesus, and ending with Muhammad; all of them calling to the same basic and fundamental principal; "La ilaha illa Allah", "There is none worthy of worship except Almighty God". Let us all reflect on the story of Sayyidina Adam, peace be upon him, as a lesson to us about who we are, where we have come from, and where we aught to be moving into the future, towards the inevitable judgment day that awaits.
...And Allah Knows Best...

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...