Many Muslims believe that what they are going to do is caused by what has already been written in Al-Lauhulmahfudz - they confuse 'causation' with 'association'. In truth what we have is association, not causation. What we do is not caused by what is written by Allah. Allah with His ultimate knowledge knew what we are going to do. He could easily have put the good-doers into Jannah and the evil-doers into the Hellfire. But Allah is Adil (Just) so He created us in this life as to test us which way to go. What we are going to do will match what has already been written but it's not a matter of causation - what we do is out of our own willingness and ability and we do have full responsibility on whatever choice we make.
Looking at guidance and misguidance, guidance (hidayah) is a gift (rahmah) from Allah. It is Allah who created us and gave us the mind so we can distinguish between right and wrong to a certain capacity. It is Allah who equipped us with fitrah to like the truth and good and to dislike the wrong and evil It is Allah who gave us the ability and power to do things and it is Allah who sent the Messenger with the Message to guide us in things, which are beyond the reach of our conception. So when it comes to guidance it is a bounty from Allah.
But when it comes to misguidance, it has to do with us. When we do bad deeds, it is from our own willingness and ability.
Those who turn away from guidance do so because they want to turn away, i.e. they choose not to be guided. They have been misguided because they are arrogant - they refuse to listen.
And so when they swerved from the right way, Allah let their hearts swerve from the truth.[Surah As-Saff (61): ayat 5]
Nevertheless there are people who have not received the Message of Islam/guidance at all or the Message has not reached them in the clearest form, i.e. it is incomplete or distorted. These people are called Ahlul Fatrah and will be excused and not be punished, even though there are misguided.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Controlling The Tongue
Among Allah's blessings upon man is that He made him a thoughtful and sane being and created a tongue for him... The Messenger of Allah [s] says: "Blessed is the man who speaks good and is triumphant; or keeps silent in the face of evil and is secure".[11] Among Allah's blessings upon man is that He made him a thoughtful and sane being and created a tongue for him. He made him able to utter sounds and clarify what he wants through the words which he speaks. He has only to speak to let people know what he wants.
Thus, we should thank Allah for the blessings which He bestowed upon us. We should use our speech in useful ways; not to speak but goodness. For example, if we are in a meeting or a gathering and want to speak with people, or any discussion comes up then we should first think what we want to say and choose which words to use. If we can offer useful counsel to people or offer advice, we should speak in such a way to make others want to listen.
Hence your words will be acceptable to Allah and the people because your speech is beneficial in guiding towards goodness or reconciling people, or teaching useful knowledge, and will increase the love of people to each other.
If we say a word of goodness we will get Allah's reward and the love and respect of the people and so we will be triumphant. As our glorious Prophet Muhammad [s] says: If man is not able to say something useful, he should keep silent from bad words and his silence will keep him far from Allah's wrath and from the harm which might befall him as a result of saying bad words. Whoever does evil deeds to people, people will surely confront him with evil too.
And certainly, if you speak bad words it may cause you problems and harm and make you regret and wish you had kept silent and had not spoken.
Consequently, our Holy Prophet Muhammad [s] educates us with good manners saying: Either you speak a useful and good word, or be silent which is better for you than speaking evil words.
In Summary Among the best characteristics of a Muslim is to speak only the words of goodness and reconciliation.It is better to remain silent if you cannot speak the word of goodness.Whoever does not keep a check on his tongue will regret it.For those who do good is good (reward) and even more than that.
Thus, we should thank Allah for the blessings which He bestowed upon us. We should use our speech in useful ways; not to speak but goodness. For example, if we are in a meeting or a gathering and want to speak with people, or any discussion comes up then we should first think what we want to say and choose which words to use. If we can offer useful counsel to people or offer advice, we should speak in such a way to make others want to listen.
Hence your words will be acceptable to Allah and the people because your speech is beneficial in guiding towards goodness or reconciling people, or teaching useful knowledge, and will increase the love of people to each other.
If we say a word of goodness we will get Allah's reward and the love and respect of the people and so we will be triumphant. As our glorious Prophet Muhammad [s] says: If man is not able to say something useful, he should keep silent from bad words and his silence will keep him far from Allah's wrath and from the harm which might befall him as a result of saying bad words. Whoever does evil deeds to people, people will surely confront him with evil too.
And certainly, if you speak bad words it may cause you problems and harm and make you regret and wish you had kept silent and had not spoken.
Consequently, our Holy Prophet Muhammad [s] educates us with good manners saying: Either you speak a useful and good word, or be silent which is better for you than speaking evil words.
In Summary Among the best characteristics of a Muslim is to speak only the words of goodness and reconciliation.It is better to remain silent if you cannot speak the word of goodness.Whoever does not keep a check on his tongue will regret it.For those who do good is good (reward) and even more than that.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Recipients of Zakat:
If a person does not fall into any of the following categories, then they are prohibited from receiving zakat. These people include the wealthy; the strong and healthy that are capable of working and earning; unbelievers- fathers, sons, and wives; the family or descendents of the Prophet, sallallaahu wa alayhe wa sallam, namely Banu Hashim.
1. THE MASAKEEN: These people do not have anything, so they are in need of asking others for food and clothing. Such have the right to ask and receive zakat. Others hold that these are those who may have some their basic needs. Allah says, "But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep. And what will make you know the path that is steep? (It is) freeing a neck (slave), or giving food in a day of hunger to an orphan near of kin, or to a miskeen afflicted with misery. [90:11-16]
2. THE FUQARAA: These people may have money, but it is not sufficient for their basic needs. Others have stated that these people have nothing. Allah says, "If they are Fuqaraa (poor), Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty". [24:32]
3. ZAKAT COLLECTORS: These are persons that the authority employs to collect the zakat. The authority gives them a fee for their work, which includes, collecting, recording, guarding, dividing and distributing the zakat.
4. ALLAH'S CAUSE: General opinion is that this term embraces every kind of struggle for a righteous cause. including expenditures of toward the propagation of Islam and for all charitable purposes.
5. THE DEBTORS: Debtors are those people burdened by debts because of personal needs or social necessity; such as the person who borrows to spend on himself and his family. This person is given zakat if he does not have enough money beyond his basic needs to repay his debt. However, for the one who borrows money for a social necessity; such as spending on an orphan, reconciling between Muslims, or renovating a masjid or school; then he may be given zakat to repay his debt. This holds true even if he is wealthy according to sound opinion of the jurists.
6. WAYFARER: The wayfarer is the traveler stranded in a foreign land and is in need of money to achieve his objective or return to his own country. This person can receive zakat, if the purpose for traveling were lawful. If the purpose were unlawful, then he should not receive any moneys from zakat because it would help him in his sins. Allah warns us, "Help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not one another in sins and transgression. [5:2]
7. FREEING CAPTIVES: This shows that zakat can be paid in order to buy a slave and then free him or her. These slaves become free, capable of worshipping Allah, and then can become useful members of the community. The fact is in these days, the slavery, in form of buying and selling human being, does not exist. However majority of people living in poor countries suffer from economic slavery at the hand of many local landlords, rich industrialist, and multi-national corporation that exploit natural resources. We believe zakat can be used to give these oppressed people temporary relief along with essential resources to acquire training, equipment, and material (for example small business can be created through small loans).
8. ATTRACTING HEARTS: Zakat is also to be paid to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined towards Islam or to prevent the harm of non-Muslims residing within the Muslim state. Scholars have agreed that this type of zakat should be considered whenever there is a need for it. We often see people who embrace Islam become detached form their families and are sometimes deprived of a source of income. These people have the right to receive zakat to protect themselves from harm and to make their faith firm.
1. THE MASAKEEN: These people do not have anything, so they are in need of asking others for food and clothing. Such have the right to ask and receive zakat. Others hold that these are those who may have some their basic needs. Allah says, "But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep. And what will make you know the path that is steep? (It is) freeing a neck (slave), or giving food in a day of hunger to an orphan near of kin, or to a miskeen afflicted with misery. [90:11-16]
2. THE FUQARAA: These people may have money, but it is not sufficient for their basic needs. Others have stated that these people have nothing. Allah says, "If they are Fuqaraa (poor), Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty". [24:32]
3. ZAKAT COLLECTORS: These are persons that the authority employs to collect the zakat. The authority gives them a fee for their work, which includes, collecting, recording, guarding, dividing and distributing the zakat.
4. ALLAH'S CAUSE: General opinion is that this term embraces every kind of struggle for a righteous cause. including expenditures of toward the propagation of Islam and for all charitable purposes.
5. THE DEBTORS: Debtors are those people burdened by debts because of personal needs or social necessity; such as the person who borrows to spend on himself and his family. This person is given zakat if he does not have enough money beyond his basic needs to repay his debt. However, for the one who borrows money for a social necessity; such as spending on an orphan, reconciling between Muslims, or renovating a masjid or school; then he may be given zakat to repay his debt. This holds true even if he is wealthy according to sound opinion of the jurists.
6. WAYFARER: The wayfarer is the traveler stranded in a foreign land and is in need of money to achieve his objective or return to his own country. This person can receive zakat, if the purpose for traveling were lawful. If the purpose were unlawful, then he should not receive any moneys from zakat because it would help him in his sins. Allah warns us, "Help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not one another in sins and transgression. [5:2]
7. FREEING CAPTIVES: This shows that zakat can be paid in order to buy a slave and then free him or her. These slaves become free, capable of worshipping Allah, and then can become useful members of the community. The fact is in these days, the slavery, in form of buying and selling human being, does not exist. However majority of people living in poor countries suffer from economic slavery at the hand of many local landlords, rich industrialist, and multi-national corporation that exploit natural resources. We believe zakat can be used to give these oppressed people temporary relief along with essential resources to acquire training, equipment, and material (for example small business can be created through small loans).
8. ATTRACTING HEARTS: Zakat is also to be paid to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined towards Islam or to prevent the harm of non-Muslims residing within the Muslim state. Scholars have agreed that this type of zakat should be considered whenever there is a need for it. We often see people who embrace Islam become detached form their families and are sometimes deprived of a source of income. These people have the right to receive zakat to protect themselves from harm and to make their faith firm.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Lailatul Qadr (Night of Power)
There is night in the month of Ramadhan which is better than a thousand months (83 years, 4 months). This night is called Laitatul Qadr.
According to Hadith, this night occurs during the last ten days of Ramadhan on one of the odd numbered nights. Usually it is celebrated on the 27th night of this holy month. It is a night of great importance and enormous blessings for Muslims.
A night such as Lailatul Qadr was not granted to any religious community (Ummah) before Muslims. Only the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were favoured with a night of huge reward. Once reason, it was granted, was to enable Muslims to equal the worship of any people who lived before us. In the distant past it is said that people lived very long lives of hundreds of years. We, today, live much shorter lives. And so Allah gave us Laitatul Qadr to enable us to do as much worship as a man who lived even hundreds of years longer. If in a lifetime, you only worshipped on Lailatul Qadr ten times, you would have equaled in those ten nights 833 years of worship.
Signs of Laitul Qadr
There are some signs that reveal which night is Laitatul Qadr.
The night will be peaceful, neither hot nor cold, with a clear moon shinning but with no rays.
There will be no shooting stars in the night
At sunrise the sun will rise as just a disc without and radiant beams of light.
One companion of the Prophet reported that on Laitatul Qadr he tasted sea water and it was sweet.
from islamiccenter.org.
According to Hadith, this night occurs during the last ten days of Ramadhan on one of the odd numbered nights. Usually it is celebrated on the 27th night of this holy month. It is a night of great importance and enormous blessings for Muslims.
A night such as Lailatul Qadr was not granted to any religious community (Ummah) before Muslims. Only the Ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were favoured with a night of huge reward. Once reason, it was granted, was to enable Muslims to equal the worship of any people who lived before us. In the distant past it is said that people lived very long lives of hundreds of years. We, today, live much shorter lives. And so Allah gave us Laitatul Qadr to enable us to do as much worship as a man who lived even hundreds of years longer. If in a lifetime, you only worshipped on Lailatul Qadr ten times, you would have equaled in those ten nights 833 years of worship.
Signs of Laitul Qadr
There are some signs that reveal which night is Laitatul Qadr.
The night will be peaceful, neither hot nor cold, with a clear moon shinning but with no rays.
There will be no shooting stars in the night
At sunrise the sun will rise as just a disc without and radiant beams of light.
One companion of the Prophet reported that on Laitatul Qadr he tasted sea water and it was sweet.
from islamiccenter.org.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
ISLAMINGAMBIA`S BLOG
Thanks for logging on to islaminthegambia.com. This website contains audio tapes of Islamic scholars mostly from Gambia and Senegal . The purpose of this website is to remind us about islam ,bring us closer to Allah and how to follow the teachings of Muhammed S.A.W. We will be posting Articles about Islam, we will also discuss various islamic topics . If you are a muslim and have an article that can benefit us please email us at islaminthegambia@hotmail.com or mkah@hotmail.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)