The Questions of Hijab: Suppresion or Liberation?

“Why do Muslim women have to cover their heads?”

This question is one which is asked by Muslim and non-Muslim alike. For many women it is the truest test of being a Muslim.

The answer to the question is very simple – Muslim women observe HIJAB (covering the head and the body) because Allah has told them to do so.

 

“O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed…” (Qur’an 33:59)

Other secondary reasons include the requirement for modesty in both men and women. Both will then be evaluated for intelligence and skills instead of looks and sexuality. An Iranian school girl is quoted as saying, “We want to stop men from treating us like sex objects, as they have always done. We want them to ignore our appearance and to be attentive to our personalities and mind. We want them to take us seriously and treat us as equals and not just chase us around for our bodies and physical looks.” A Muslim woman who covers her head is making a statement about her identity. Anyone who sees her will know that she is a Muslim and has a good moral character. Many Muslim women who cover are filled with dignity and self esteem; they are pleased to be identified as a Muslim woman. As a chaste, modest, pure woman, she does not want her sexuality to enter into interactions with men in the smallest degree. A woman who covers herself is concealing her sexuality but allowing her femininity to be brought out.

The question of hijab for Muslim women has been a controversy for centuries and will probably continue for many more. Some learned people do not consider the subject open to discussion and consider that covering the face is required, while a majority are of the opinion that it is not required. A middle line position is taken by some who claim that the instructions are vague and open to individual discretion depending on the situation. The wives of the Prophet (S) were required to cover their faces so that men would not think of them in sexual terms since they were the “Mothers of the Believers,” but this requirement was not extended to other women.

The word “hijab” comes from the Arabic word “hajaba” meaning to hide from view or conceal. In the present time, the context of hijab is the modest covering of a Muslim woman. The question now is what is the extent of the covering? The Qur’an says:

“Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands…” (Qur’an 24:30-31)

These verses from the Qur’an contain two main injunctions:

1. A woman should not show her beauty or adornments except what appears by uncontrolled factors such as the wind blowing her clothes, and
2. the head covers should be drawn so as to cover the hair, the neck and the bosom.

Islam has no fixed standard as to the style of dress or type of clothing that Muslims must wear. However, some requirements must be met. The first of these requirements is the parts of the body which must be covered. Islam has two sources for guidance and rulings: first, the Qur’an, the revealed word of Allah and secondly, the Hadith or the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (S) who was chosen by Allah to be the role model for mankind. The following is a Tradition of the Prophet:

“Ayesha (R) reported that Asmaa the daughter of Abu Bakr (R) came to the Messenger of Allah (S) while wearing thin clothing. He approached her and said: ‘O Asmaa! When a girl reaches the menstrual age, it is not proper that anything should remain exposed except this and this. He pointed to the face and hands.” (Abu Dawood)

The second requirement is looseness. The clothing must be loose enough so as not to describe the shape of the woman’s body. One desirable way to hide the shape of the body is to wear a cloak over other clothes. However, if the clothing is loose enough, an outer garment is not necessary. Thickness is the third requirement. The clothing must be thick enough so as not to show the color of the skin it covers or the shape of the body. The Prophet Muhammad (S) stated that in later generations of his ummah there would be “women who would be dressed but naked and on top of their heads (what looks like) camel humps. Curse them for they are truly cursed.” (Muslim) Another requirement is an over-all dignified appearance. The clothing should not attract men’s attention to the woman. It should not be shiny and flashy so that everyone notices the dress and the woman. In addition there are other requirements:

Women must not dress so as to appear as men.
“Ibn Abbas narrated: ‘The Prophet (S) cursed the men who appear like women and the women who appear like men.’” (Bukhari)

Women should not dress in a way similar to the unbelievers.

The clothing should be modest, not excessively fancy and also not excessively ragged to gain others admiration or sympathy.

Often forgotten is the fact that modern Western dress is a new invention. Looking at the clothing of women as recently as seventy years ago, we see clothing similar to hijab. These active and hard-working women of the West were not inhibited by their clothing which consisted of long, full dresses and various types of head covering. Muslim women who wear hijab do not find it impractical or interfering with their activities in all levels and walks of life. Hijab is not merely a covering dress but more importantly, it is behavior, manners, speech and appearance in public. Dress is only one facet of the total being. The basic requirement of the Muslim woman’s dress apply to the Muslim man’s clothing with the difference being mainly in degree. Modesty requires that the area between the navel and the knee be covered in front of all people except the wife. The clothing of men should not be like the dress of women, nor should it be tight or provocative. A Muslim should dress to show his identity as a Muslim. Men are not allowed to wear gold or silk. However, both are allowed for women.

For both men and women, clothing requirements are not meant to be a restriction but rather a way in which society will function in a proper, Islamic manner.

Categories of Tawheed

Literally Tawheed means “unification” (making something one) or “asserting oneness”, and it comes from the Arabic verb (wahhada) which itself means to unite, unify or consolidate.1 However, when the term Tawheed is used in reference to Allaah (i.e. Tawheedullaah2), it means the realizing and maintaining of Allaah’s unity in all of man’s actions which directly or indirectly relate to Him. It is the belief that Allaah is One, without partner in His dominion and His actions (Ruboobeeyah), One without similitude in His essence and attributes (Asmaa wa Sifaat), and One without rival in His divinity and in worship (Ulooheeyah/’Ebaadah). These three aspects form the basis for the categories into which the science of Tawheed has been traditionally divided. The three overlap and are inseparable to such a degree that whoever omits any one aspect has failed to complete the requirements of Tawheed. The omission of any of the above mentioned aspects of Tawheed is referred to as “Shirk” (lit. sharing); the association of partners with Allaah, which, in Islamic terms, is in fact idolatry.

The three categories of Tawheed are commonly referred to by the following titles:

1. Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah (lit. “Maintaining the Unity of Lordship”)

2. Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (lit. “Maintaining the Unity of Allaah’s Names and Attributes”)

3. Tawheed al-’Ebaadah (lit. “Maintaining the Unity of Allaah’s Worship”)

The division of Tawheed into its components was not done by the Prophet (saws) nor by his companions, as there was no necessity to analyze such a basic principle of faith in this fashion. However, the foundations of the components are all implied in the verses of the Qur’aan and in the explanatory statements of the Prophet (saws) and his companions, as will became evident to the reader when each category is dealt with in more detail later in this chapter.

The necessity for this analytical approach to the principle of Tawheed arose after Islaam spread into Egypt, Byzantium, Persia and India and absorbed the cultures of these regions. It is only natural to expect that when the peoples of these lands entered the fold of Islaam, they would carry with them some of the remnants of their former beliefs. When some of these new converts began to express in writings and discussions, their various philosophical concepts of God, confusion arose in which the pure and simple unitarian belief of Islaam became threatened. There were also others who had outwardly accepted Islaam but secretly worked to destroy the religion from within, due to their inability to oppose it militarily. This group began to actively propagate distorted ideas about Allaah among the masses in order to tear down the first pillar of Eemaan (faith) and with it Islaam itself.

According to Muslim historians, the first Muslim to express the position of man’s free-will and the absence of destiny (Qadar) was an Iraqi convert from Christianity by the name of Sausan. Sausan later reverted to Christianity but not before infecting his student, Ma’bad ibn Khaalid al-Juhanee from Basrah. Ma’bad spread the teachings of his master until he was caught and executed by the Umayyad Caliph, ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Marwaan (685-705), in the year 700 CE.4 The younger Sahaabah (companions of the Prophet (saws)) who were alive during this period, like ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (d. 694 CE) and ‘Abdullaah in Abee Awfaa (d. 705CE), advised the people not to greet those who denied destiny nor make funeral prayers for those of them who died. That is, they considered them to be disbelievers.5 However, Christian philosophical arguments for free-will continued to find new supporters. Ghailaan ibn Muslim from Damascus studied under Ma’bad and championed the cause of free-will until he was brought before Caliph ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-’Azeez (717-720CE). He recanted his beliefs publicly, however, [and] on the caliph’s death, he resumed teaching free-will. The following caliph, Hishaam ibn ‘Abdul-Malik (724-743CE), had him arrested, tried and executed.6 Another prominent figure in this controversy was al-Ja’d ibn Dirham, who not only supported the philosophy of free-will, but also attempted to re-interpret the Qur’anic verses containing descriptions of Allaah’s qualities according to neo-platonic philosophy. Al-Ja’d was at one point a tutor for the Umayyad prince, Marwaan ibn Muhammad, who later became the fourteenth caliph (744-750CE). During his lectures in Damascus, he openly denied some of Allaah’s attributes, like seeing, hearing etc., until the Umayyad governor expelled him.7 He then fled to Kufah, where he continued to propound his ideas and gather followers until his heretical opinions became widely publicized and the Umayyad governor, Khaalid ibn Abdillaah, had him publicly executed in 736 CE. However, his main disciple, Jahm ibn Safwaan, continued to defend his master’s doctrines in philosophical circles in Tirmiz and Balakh, when his heresies became widespread, he was executed by the Umayyad governor, Nasr ibn Sayyaar, in 743CE.8

The early caliphs and their governors were closer to Islamic principles and the consciousness of the masses was higher due to the presence of the Prophet’s companions and their students. Hence, the demand for the elimination of open heretics received immediate response from the rulers. In contrast, the later Umayyad caliphs were more corrupt and as such cared little about such religious issues. The masses were also less Islamically conscious and thus were more susceptible to deviant ideas. As greater numbers of people entered Islaam, and the learning of an increasing number of conquered nations was absorbed, the execution of apostates was no longer used to stem the rising tide of heresy. The task of opposing the tide of heresy fell on the shoulders of the Muslim scholars of this period who rose to meet the challenge intellectually. They systematically opposed the various alien philosophies and creeds by categorizing them and countering them with principles deduced from the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. It was out of this defense that the science of Tawheed emerged with its precisely defined categories and components. This process of specialization occurred simultaneously in all of the other areas of Islamic knowledge as it has done in the various secular sciences of today. Therefore, as the categories of Tawheed are studied separately and in more depth, it must not be forgotten that they are all a part of an organic whole which is itself the foundation of a greater whole, Islaam itself.

Captivity, Imprisonment and Trials

By Shaykh Abu Qatadah

(May Allah protect Him from harm)

Is prison a necessary stage for the Dā’ī (the caller to Allāh)? Is it a praised rank, whereby the one that is included in it is better than the one who isn’t because of having entered this stage?
From what there is no doubt about is that the path of Da’wah is filled with dangers and hardships. Allāh, Ta’ālā, said:

Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: “We believe,” and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allāh will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allāh knows all that before putting them to test)[1]

That is because the Dā’ī comes to the people with matters that are new, and he calls them to abandon their profits and their agreements, and he is grieved over the course and the path they are upon, and this is a tremendous matter for the people because he challenges their principles and their greatest convictions. Therefore, the Dā’ī is met with vehemence and violence. And for this reason, hardships separate the ranks [of the people], and through them, the people return to their rightful positions without ambiguity or falsification. Trials make the standing of the people known, and endurance is only for one who is patient. Allāh, Ta’ālā, said:

And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayāt (proofs)[2]

Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allāh have Mercy upon him, said in the exegesis of this Verse, “With patience and certainty, leadership is attained.” So, patience prevents rashness, and certainty prevents despair. So the Dā’ī has two strengths that fortify him against mistakes. A strength that drives him – and it is certainty, and a strength that bides him time – and it is patience; certainty about the forthcoming promise, and patience in the trials presently occurring.

Tribulations and tests are manifest in every calling, and they surround the insubordinate ones, whether their insubordination was with Truth or with falsehood. It is not only the Prophets or their followers who meet hardships in the path of their Da’wah, but rather, all those who come to the people with something new. But what distinguishes the people of Truth from others regarding this is that the difficulties [faced by] the Prophets and their followers is for the sake of Allāh:

That is because they suffer neither thirst nor fatigue, nor hunger in the Cause of Allāh, nor they take any step to raise the anger of disbelievers nor inflict any injury upon an enemy but is written to their credit as a deed of righteousness.[3]

But as for the others, their hardships are a plague for them, as Allāh, Ta’ālā, said:

“Labouring (hard in the worldly life by worshipping others besides Allāh), weary (in the Hereafter with humility and disgrace). They will enter in the hot blazing Fire”. [4]

And as He, Ta’ālā, said:

Verily, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to hinder (men) from the Path of Allāh, and so will they continue to spend it; but in the end it will become an anguish for them. Then they will be overcome. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto Hell[5]

So tribulations are manifest in the course of the Da’wāt (callings), because the presence of the enemies are from the indications of Allāh’s Victory to His Awliyā‘. Allāh, Ta’ālā, said:

And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies – Shayāt īn (devils) among mankind and Jinn[6]

And it is one of the implications of the Name of Allāh: Al-Muntaqim (the Avenger).

The disparity amongst people is a cosmic Sunnah, and so is their scrambling so that each one of them achieves the goals he is striving towards. And the equilibrium between the two parties comes through the attainment of the Victory and the defeat extended in the Qur’ān. There is no Divine injunction except that it is an element from the elements of Victory, and there is no violation of the Sharī’ah except that it is a factor from the factors of defeat.

Prison is one of the manifestations of tribulation, and is one of the forms of torment with which every party threatens the other, as Fir’awn menacingly said to Mūsā, Peace be upon him,

(Fir’awn) said: “If you choose an Ilāh (god) other than me, I will certainly put you among the prisoners.”[7]

And it was one of the choices of Quraysh in their torment of the Messenger of Allāh, Peace and Blessings be upon him;

And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you (O Muhammad) to imprison you, or to kill you, or to get you out (from Makkah) [8]

And this is because prison is one of the forms of psychological and physical torment, and it shackles the will of the human being and prohibits him from exercising his civil and human [rights]. And for the Dā’ī, it is even more unbearable and fatiguing because it separates between the Dā’ī and the surrounding he needs for his Da’wah. The work of the Dā’ī is the light within the people, and [it is] teaching them what is good, and winning followers for his call, and advancing his call to the individuals on the way. So prison is a deprivation for him of all this because the Dā’ī is isolated from his surroundings so as to prevent him from impacting and aquiring [followers].

In this contemporary estrangement (Ghurbah), the callers began to call to Allāh and the Sunnah of vindication has been completed between the Party of Hāq and the party of Bātil, and the Tāghūt has filled the prisons with the callers, and the forms of tribulation have recurred. And until now, [many] large groups have been put in prison. But what did prison do to them?

The prison is like a vessel whose colour is established depending on the colour of what is within it. Some of them deteriorated and fell, and usually, those are a minority that are not noticed. But the majority emerged from prison carrying memories of pain and torment, emerging to write to the people Karbala-like memoirs, full of weeping and lamentation, every one of the [writers] attempts to draw the readers’ emotions towards him with his work, and [attempts] to win their pity over it. And there is a form of literature found in the Islāmic libraries that exemplify this form of art, that of weeping and Karbala-like lamentation. And the intention behind this is to hang medals over the chests so as to indicate that this man has been tortured and beaten. And until now, there has not emerged from this afflicted group a work or works resulting from their experience that may be a provision for the coming generation.

So prison is a trial; it will either break [you], or squeeze [you], or profit [you] so that the imprisoned one will emerge purified of all impurities – impurities of thought and impurities within his Nafs, so that his insight ascends, and his Nafs is polished in its development and training. The one that is tested should not be praised except according to the extent he benefited from the trial. He is not praised and sought after in and of himself, for the person might deteriorate within [prison], or he might emerge from it just as he entered it – ignorant, blind, and with bad character, or he might emerge having risen in rank while he was in it. And all of this depends on the person and how he looks at the phases and manifestations that pass him by in life. And prison is not a praiseworthy stage, nor is it something that a person should seek so as to be better than those close to him; rather he should look to the magnitude of benefit to be gained from such an experience.

- Al-Jihād Wal-Ijtihād 102-104

————————————
[1] Al-‘Ankabūt : 2-3
[2] As-Sajdah : 24
[3] At-Tawbah : 120
[4] Al-Ghāshiyah : 3-4
[5] Al-Anfāl : 36
[6] Al-An’ām : 112
[7] Ash-Shu’arā : 29

[8] Al-Anfāl : 30

The 7 Signs of Destruction for any Nation

By Shaykh Omar Bakri Muhammad

Allah (SWT) has placed certain bounds which if exceeded will result in the destruction of any nation. Currently, there are many nations, such as the USA, who have exceeded these bounds and are therefore destined to be destroyed, by the Will of Allah, very soon.

The seven signs of destruction for any nation

When a nation allows forbidden sexual acts to become rampant, and spreads corruption and oppression on earth in the name of God

Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’aan:

And when they commit faahishah (evil deeds, every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse etc.), they say: “We found our fathers doing it, and Allah (God) has commanded us of it.” Say: “Nay, Allah never commands of faahishah. Do you say of Allah what you know not?” (EMQ al-A’raaf, 7:28)

When people begin to openly indulge in homosexuality, fornication, adultery, incest and other illegal sexual acts, Allah (SWT) will destroy them indiscriminately, like He did to the people of Sodom, who resided in an area which is today the Dead Sea. Allah (SWT) says:

And (remember) (Prophet) Loot (Lot), when he said to his people: “You commit al-faahishah (i.e. sodomy) which none has preceded you in (committing) before.”

“Verily, you do sodomy with men, and rob the wayfarer (travellers etc.)! And practise al-munkar (disbelief and polytheism and every kind of evil wicked deed) in your meetings.” But his people gave no answer except that they said: “Bring Allah’s Torment upon us if you are one of the truthful.” (EMQ al-’Ankaboot, 29:28–29)

The people of Loot (Lot) belied the warnings.

Verily, We sent against them a violent tornado with showers of stones (which destroyed them all), except the family of Loot (Lot), whom We saved in last hour of the night. (EMQ al-Qamar, 54:33–34)

Countries such as Holland, Germany, Britain and the USA will inevitably face the same destiny as the people of Loot. Allah (SWT) will destroy them and send them all kinds of illnesses, sexually transmitted diseases and “natural disasters”. This is because they permit all forms of forbidden sexual acts and have killed thousands of innocent women and children in Afghanistan and Iraq – all in the name of God, freedom and democracy:

…They say: “We found our fathers doing it, and Allah (God) has commanded us of it.”

When they begin to plot against the believers, and seek to extinguish the Light of Allah

Allah (SWT) says:

They (the disbelievers) want to extinguish Allah’s Light (i.e. Islam) with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the Kaafiroon (disbelievers) hate (it). (EMQ at-Tawbah, 9:32)

And they (disbelievers) plotted, and Allah planned too. And Allah is the Best of the planners. (EMQ Aali ‘Imraan, 3:54)

When they begin to hunt the true believers and kill them

The chiefs of Fir’awn’s (Pharaoh) people said: “Will you leave Moosaa (Moses) and his people to spread mischief in the land, and to abandon you and your gods?” He said: “We will kill their sons, and let live their women, and we have indeed irresistible power over them.” (EMQ al-A’raaf, 7:127)

When they force the Muslims to declare kufr

Nowadays the Kuffaar are working hard to push the Muslims to integrate into their kufr society and disassociate themselves from the true believers. New laws, such as the laws against inciting religious hatred and glorifying “terrorism” (jihaad), make it almost impossible for Muslims to hold fast to their religion.

The People of the Cave faced a similar situation to us. They were forced to integrate with their kufr society and follow the customs and values of their people. However, they, being true believers, refused to integrate and compromise their belief and thus fled to the Cave. They chose to isolate themselves from society instead of becoming Kaafir by committing kufr and shirk. Allah (SWT) says:

(Remember) when the young men fled for refuge (from their disbelieving folk) to the Cave, they said: “Our Lord! Bestow on us mercy from Yourself, and facilitate for us our affair in the right way!” (EMQ al-Kahf, 18:10)

And We made their hearts firm and strong (with the light of Faith in Allah and bestowed upon them patience to bear the separation of their kith and kin and dwellings, etc.) when they stood up and said: “Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, never shall we call upon any ilaah (god) other than Him; if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity in disbelief. (EMQ al-Kahf, 18:14)

When they accuse the believers of outrageous crimes

The Kuffaar will call the true Muslims “people of Hell”, and the Munaafiqeen (hypocrites) will call them Khawaarij. They will claim that it is the believers who are spreading mischief, creating havoc and killing innocent people, even though it is only they who have a history of doing so. Allah (SWT) says:

Fir’awn (Pharaoh) said: “Leave me to kill Moosaa (Moses), and let him call his Lord (to stop me from killing him)! I fear that he may change your religion, or that he may cause mischief to appear in the land!” (EMQ Ghaafir, 40:26)

When they start to mock the believers and swear at them

The Kuffaar (Quraysh) used to satirise the Prophet of Allah (SAW) and call him a liar, lunatic, extremist, fundamentalist, magician, madman and sorcerer etc. Today, the Kuffaar are still adhering to their sunnah (tradition) and mocking the true believers and even the Prophet (SAW) himself. Undoubtedly, they will have the same fate as the Quraysh, Inshaa’ Allah.

When they start to spread evil across the land and sea

And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order (to obey Allah and be righteous) to those among them (or We (first) increase in number those of its population) who are given the good things of this life. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction. (EMQ al-Israa’, 17:16)

All of these seven signs are present in the USA; and hence, it is only a matter of time before they are destroyed.

We ask Allah (SWT) to fulfill His Promise and grant victory (authority or martyrdom) to the believers.

The excellence of the scholars

The Excellence of the Scholars
Written by Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, says in the Noble Qur’aan: “Allaah bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but He, and the angels, and those having knowledge (Oolul-’llm) (also bear witness to this; (He is always) maintaining His creation in justice. None has the right to be worshipped but He. the All-Mighty. the All-Wise.” (Soorah Aal-’Imraan (3):18)
This verse shows the superiority of knowledge (“ilm) and its people; the following points can be inferred from this verse:

1. Allaah chose the people of knowledge (Oolul ‘ilm) to bear witness to His Oneness (Tawheed) over and above the rest of His creation.

2. Allaah honoured the people of knowledge by mentioning their testimony along with His testimony.

3. He raised high the status of the scholars by associating their testimony with the testimony of the angels.

4. This verse bears witness to the superiority of those who possess knowledge. Allaah does not make any of His creation bear witness except the upright amongst them.

There is a well-known narration from the Prophet (sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam), who said: “The upright in every generation will carry this knowledge, rejecting the distortions of the extremists, the false claims of the liars, and the (false) interpretations of the ignorant.” (hasan)

5. Allaah, the One free from all defects. Himself bears witness to His Oneness, and He is the greatest of witnesses. Then He chose from His creation the angels and the scholars – this is sufficient to show their excellence.

6. Allaah made the scholars bear witness with the greatest and the most excellent testimony and that is, “None has the right to be worshipped but Allaah.” Allaah, the One free of all defects and the Most High, does not bear witness except to matters of great importance and only the greatest from Allaah’s creation bear witness to this.

7. Allaah made the testimony of the people of knowledge a proof against the rejecters. Thus they are its proofs and its signs, indicating His Oneness (Tawheed).

8. Allaah, the Most High, used a single verb (shahida) to refer to His testimony and the testimony of the angels and the scholars. He did not use an additional verb for their testimony; thus he connected their testimony to His. This shows the strong link between their testimony and Allaah’s testimony, as if He himself bore witness to His Oneness upon their tongues and made them utter this testimony.

9. Allaah, the One free from all defects, made the scholars fulfil His right (that none has the right to be worshipped but Him) through this testimony and if they fulfill it then they have fulfilled and established this right of Allaah upon them. Then it is obligatory upon mankind to accept this testimony which is the means to reach happiness in this life and in their final return (to Allaah). Whosoever takes this guidance from the scholars and accepts this truth because of their testimony, then for the scholars there is a reward equal to them. And none knows the value of this reward but Allaah.

May Allah reward the scholars of truth for their service at a time when the wolves in sheep’s clothing (the scholars of falsehood) have sold out the Muslim Ummah.

The difference between Ibn Laden & Bush

What is the difference between Osama bin Laden and George Bush?

Apart from their ideology, in what way are they different?

• Both are alleged terrorists.
• Both are engaged in war and recruiting people to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Both believe in supremacy for their religion and ideology.
• Both are accused of bombing buildings and the infrastructure of ’sovereign’ states.
• And both are accused of targeting civilians.

So what is the difference between the two men? Why is it illegal to support one and not the other? Why is it a crime to sing praises for Bin Laden, but not for Bush?

The only difference I can see between the two men is that one is a Muslim and the other is a non-Muslim (Christian).

If one were to stand outside on the streets of Britain praising George Bush and celebrate the killing of Iraqi civilians and so-called insurgents, I don’t think anybody, especially the police, would have a problem with that. In fact, it certainly wouldn’t be a crime.

But on the other hand, if one were to stand in a mosque, praise Bin Laden or celebrate the killing of British and American soldiers – accused of beating children, raping women, destroying mosques and killing civilians – that would be a crime and one would consequently be arrested under the Terrorism Act if it came to the attention of the police.

The democratic definition of terrorism has thus become very clear indeed.

It is now understood that a ‘terrorist’ is a Muslim who possesses a book on self defence or believes Muslims must physically and intellectually resist the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. But on the contrary, killing Muslims, labelling them as extremists and thereby stripping them of their civil liberties or torturing them in Abu Ghraib or Guantanamo Bay is not terrorism, but rather “necessary to ensure the safety of the public and our freedom.”

If it is a crime under the Terrorism Act to sympathise with Bin Laden or support Muslims in Iraq who are fighting to defend their lives and sanctity, it should also be a crime under the Terrorism Act to stand by George Bush and support his wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Furthermore, those that vote for him or his like should be arrested for aiding and abetting a terrorist. Their homes should be raided, their lives should be turned upside down, and they should be detained in solitary confinement for anything up to 28 days, without trial, in a high security police station.

The Nullifiers of Islaam

the Imaam and Mujaddid – Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab

Know that the Nullifiers of Islaam are ten.

THE FIRST NULLIFIER

Shirk (associating partners) in the worship of Allaah. Allaah says:

“Verily, Allaah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him in worship (i.e. Shirk), but He forgives what is less than that to whom He wills.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 116]

And He says: “Verily, the one who mixes partners in worship with Allaah (Shirk), then Paradise has been made forbidden for him and his final abode will be the Hellfire. And the wrongdoers will not have any helpers (in Hell).” [Surah Al-Maa’idah: 72]

What falls into this is performing sacrifices to someone other than Allaah,such as the person who offers a sacrifice to the Jinn or to a grave.

THE SECOND NULLIFIER

Whoever places intermediaries between himself and Allaah, callingunto them and asking intercession from them, and seeking reliance in them,has committed disbelief according to the unanimous agreement (Ijmaa’).

THE THIRD NULLIFIER

Whoever does not hold the polytheists to be disbelievers, or has doubtsabout their disbelief or considers their ways and beliefs to be correct, hascommitted disbelief.

THE FOURTH NULLIFIER

Whoever believes that some guidance other than that of the Prophet’s(sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is more complete than his guidance and thatsomeone else’s judgement is better than his judgement, such as the one whoprefers the judgement of the Tawaagheet (pl. of Taaghoot; falsedeities/religions) over his judgement, then he is a disbeliever.

THE FIFTH NULLIFIER

Whoever hates something that the Messenger came with, even thoughhe may act on it, has disbelieved.

THE SIXTH NULLIFIER

Whoever mocks or ridicules any part of the Messenger’s Religion or itsrewards or punishments has committed an act of disbelief. The proof for this is Allaah’s statement:

“Say: ‘Was it Allaah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking? Make no excuses, you have disbelieved after having had faith.” [Surah At-Tawbah: 65-66]

THE SEVENTH NULLIFIER

Sorcery, which includes magic spells that cause a person to hate something he seeks after (sarf) or love something he doesn’t seek after (‘atf).

So whoever performs it or is pleased with it being done, has committed disbelief. The proof for this is Allaah’s statement:

“And neither of these two (angels) would teach anyone until they had first said to them: ‘We are only a trial (for the people), so do not commit disbelief.’” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 102]

THE EIGHTH NULLIFIER

Supporting and assisting the polytheists against the Muslims. The proof for this is Allaah’s statement:

“And whoever amongst you takes them (i.e. the disbelievers) as allies and protectors then he is indeed from among them. Verily, Allaah does not guide a wrong-doing people.” [Surah Al-Maa’idah: 51]

THE NINTH NULLIFIER

Whoever believes that it is permitted for some people to be free of (implementing) the Sharee’ah (revealed laws) of Muhammad (i.e. Islaam), justas it was permitted for Al-Khidr to be free from the Sharee’ah of Moosaa, thenhe is a disbeliever.

THE TENTH NULLIFIER

Turning away from Allaah’s Religion, not learning it or implementing it (is an act of disbelief). The proof for this is Allaah’s saying:

“And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the ayaat(signs/verses) of his Lord, then turns away from them. Verily, We shall extract retribution from the criminals.” [Surah As-Sajdah: 22]

There is no difference, with regard to (committing any of) these nullifiers, between the one who jokes, the one who is serious or the one who does so out of fear. However, the one who commits them due to being coerced (is excused)  All of these (ten) matters are from the gravest in danger and from those that most often occur. So the Muslim must beware of them and fear from these acts befalling him. We seek refuge in Allaah from those things thatbring about His Anger and painful Punishment. May the peace and blessing be on the best of His creatures, Muhammad (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

Bida’aa

“Hold onto the rope of Allah, and do not be divided amongst yourselves” [EMQ 3:103]

We have been ordered to hold onto the rope of Allah (swt), and once we have it, we must unite upon it. Many today are uniting upon nationalism, tribalism etc. – everyone has there own ism to unite upon. But Allah (swt) has rejected all unities, except the one that is based on His Rope, which is the Qur’an and the Sunnah. This ittisaam is from Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah and is very important for us to possess, for there is an aim for the ummah and as an individual, which is to follow the Messenger Muhammad [saw]. Unless the individual holds onto the rope of Allah (swt), he will never be able to follow the Messenger Muhammad (saw). For example, the Sufis, Barelvis etc, all say that they follow the way of the Messenger Muhammad (saw), yet they do not hold onto the Rope. So no matter how hard they try, it will never be accepted from them, because in order for your deeds to be accepted, two conditions must prevail. The objective must firstly be to hold on fast to the Rope of Allah (swt), by following the Qur’an and Sunnah, and also hifz ud deen- the protection of the deen. There is no way to protect the deen unless we hold on to the Rope of Allah (swt). Just look around. Muslims are being attacked everywhere and the Muslim lands are occupied, simply because Muslims are not holding onto the rope of Allah (swt).

‘Do not take the disbelivers as your auliyah. They are but supporters of one another, and anyone who does take them as supporters, he is one of them’. [EMQ 5:51]

So it is very important for us to hold onto the Rope of Allah (swt), and this is manifested in many degrees. Firstly, we must close the door to innovation as it will lead to the Hellfire. The Prophet (saw) told us to beware of innovation even before it comes near us, so that we can reject it and close the door that leads to it.

The Salaf were asked, which was worse; bid’ah or sin? They replied that when a person does a sin, he knows it is wrong and will repent from it if he is sincere and knows in his heart that what he is doing is wrong. But when a person does what is bid’ah he does it sincerely in their heart thinking that he is doing good, so how will he seek forgiveness for it?

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said that every bid’ah is dalalah [misguidance] and every dalalah leads to hellfire. He said there will be a lot of havoc and many divisions because people will begin making decisions from their desires. Bid’ah is anything added onto the deen, or taken away from the deen, or distorted in the Shariah. ibn Abbas (ra) narrated that the Messenger Muhammad [saw] said, ‘A group of my ummah will be dragged towards the left, I will say that they are my Companions’ [Usayhabi: not the general companions, but those in his time who met him (saw)]. You did not know what they invented after you. He (saw) quoted. “Never did I say to them aught except what You did command me to say: ‘Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things.’ (EMQ 5: 117)

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) would call them Usayhabi, but they were actually murtadeen because at that time there were many who would reject the revelation when it was conveyed e.g. they didn’t give the zakah. At that time they only refused the zakah, but look today how many rules have been rejected, and changing and innovating in the deen is the greatest cause of fitna and a cause of apostasy.

Make not the calling of the Messenger among you as your calling of one another. Allah knows those of you who slip away under shelter. And let those who oppose the Messenger’s commandment (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them. [EMQ 24: 63]

And from those who call themselves Christians, We took their covenant, but they have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. So We planted amongst them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will inform them of what they used to do. [EMQ 5: 14]

In this verse Allah (swt) talks about the People of the Book who committed a great bid’ah in their time and were punished, and He (swt) put enmity between them i.e. today, if someone is a Hannafi, they won’t let their daughter marry a Shafi’ and this is one of the sicknesses we suffer. We need to now ask ourselves that if we are Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah how can we block the doors of innovation rather than closing them? On the Day of Judgment, Allah (swt) won’t account us if we successfully change our reality, but we will be asked about our duties. Imam Bukhari said in his Kitaab ul Itisaam: “Block the doors of innovation by constantly speaking about it and continue warning others about it”.

So whatever the bid’ah is, Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah will always speak about it so that others are warned and are aware of it. As far as bid’ah is concerned, just like the kufr and shirk, it as two types; bid’ah, akbar (which makes the person) murtad; and bid’ah asghar, which leads towards bid’ah akbar. So we should follow the ulema and not the ignorant; we must expose any false analogies and opinions, such as those that say that voting is allowed – the evil analogy has been condemned in the Qur’an. The first of creation ever to make a false and evil analogy was Iblis who said that he was made from the fire and Adam was made from clay, thus refusing to obey Allah (swt), but he was from among the losers. We must expose ourselves; if we are about to do a sin, we must expose ourselves and not blame the deen and engage in matters of exaggeration and dwelling deep into things. The Shariah doesn’t talk about certain matters, nor do we need to talk about it, but people wish to dig deep, but this deepness is too much, questioning everything, digging deep into matters and by doing this, people will enter into innovation.

Jundub Ibn Abdullah narrated that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said, ‘Read the Qur’an as long as your heart is close to each other, if you differ, leave it and leave the Qur’an, because that is what will cause dispute’.(Sahih Bukhari)

A group of Sahabah mentioned an ayah from the Qur’an and started to argue until their voices had risen. The Messenger Muhammad (saw) came out angrily, and threw sand at them saying, ‘Take it easy people, slow down!’ His face was red by this time. He said, ‘It is by this that many nations before were destroyed. They differed among each other about their nabi, and argued about their books and made contradictions between the ayah. The Qur’an never came down to negate anything, rather it came down to support the other. Whatever you know, act upon it and whatever you are ignorant about, refer it back to the aalim.’

So don’t argue for the sake of arguing; rather refer to the ulema when you are not sure about something. Allah (swt) said, ‘They are not equal, those who know and those who dont know’. Although people may have legitimate arguments, one person may have an argument, and the other says that it is not allowed. It is allowed to debate like this provided that the arguments are based on evidence. The whole point of debating is for the haq to prevail, and not for the sake of arguing.

Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy, after knowledge had come to them. And whoever disbelieves in the Ayah of Allah, then surely, Allah is Swift in calling to account’ [EMQ 3: 19]

It is forbidden to follow or imitate the Kuffar and take your Deen from them. Allah (swt) says:
O you who believe! If you obey those who disbelieve, they will send you back on your heels, and you will turn back (from Faith) as losers. [EMQ 3: 149]

When a person starts to obey and refer to the disbelievers, they will naturally refer to organisations like the MCB, who have become the voice the eyes the ears of the non-Muslims.

Never will the disbelievers be pleased with you till you follow their religion. Say: “Verily, the Guidance of Allah that is the (only) Guidance. And if you were to follow their desires after what you have received of Knowledge then you would have against Allah neither any Walî nor any helper. [EMQ 2:120]

Allah (swt) is telling us that once we have established the Haq, we must never turn to the kuffar

O you who believe! Take not as Bitânah those outside your religion since they will not fail to do their best to corrupt you. They desire to harm you severely. Hatred has already appeared from their mouths, but what their breasts conceal is far worse. Indeed We have made plain to you the Ayah if you understand. [EMQ 3:118]

Abu Saeed Al-Khidri narrated that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said, ‘You are going to imitate the people before you arm by arm, hand-span by hand-span until you enter the lizard’s hole’. The Sahabah asked if it was the Yahoodi wal Nasaar and He (saw) replied, ‘Who else?’ (Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

Imaam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal narrated from Abdullah Ibn Omar (ra) that the Messenger Muhammad (saw) said ‘Whoever imitates a people he is part of them’.

So how have the people followed the kuffar? They celebrate the birthdays of their Prophets, just as the kuffar do. They build places of worship over graves, and take their Sheikh’s word over the word of Allah (swt), just like the kuffar took their priests and rabbis as their Lords; the kuffar call for democracy as do the Muslims; they call for interfaith, as do the Muslims, and the kuffar have an organisation called Christian Aid – Muslims have Muslim Aid

In conclusion, there are a few things that we can do, in order to make the haq prevail and for the bid’ah to be exposed. They are as follows:
1. Stop bid’ah
2. Stop the jaahil from being in charge
3. Encourage the ulema
4. Expose false analogies.
5. Stop exaggerating in the deen
6. Stop people from bickering and arguing

Great Islamic Achievments

For 1302 years, the Ottoman Empire extended from the Atlantic Ocean in the West to the borders of China in the East, and of all the colonial empires that existed, the French, the Dutch, the Spanish, the German and even the British, the Ottoman Empire was the most advanced of all.

Its driving force was the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Messenger Muhammad (saw), according to the understanding of the Sahabah, which obliges Muslims to seek knowledge and simultaneously make people aware of this knowledge

“And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord, there is none who can alter His words; and you shall not find any refuge besides Him.” [EMQ 18:27]

When one thinks of an Islamic State, the image of poverty, illiteracy and barbarism comes to mind – a view that is quite widespread today, Thus, it is quite difficult to imagine that such an ‘outdated’ regime that ruled for so long could ever flourish.

However, if we look to history, it is evident that the Ottoman Empire was once indeed prosperous and thrived in education and modernity. This leaflet will highlight just a handful of such successes in order to understand how the Empire was a vital catalyst towards society as it stands today.

Arabic, the language of Islam, became the international language of learning, with millions of works translated into modern languages such as Latin and English.

Medicine was the most common field of interest amongst the scientists, some of whom were scholars. Amongst them were:

Abu Musa Jabir in Haiyyan (Geber) [also known as the Father of Chemistry]. He excelled in chemistry (which is derived from the Arabic word ‘al-Kimya’), pharmacy, philosophy and was renowned astronomer, engineer, physician and physicist.

His works include:
 The study of numerous applied sciences
 The discovery of processes such as evaporation and crystallisation
 He was able to classify materials into three substances – spirits, metals (gold, silver, lead) and compounds (groups of two or more elements that are bonded together), very similar to the Periodic Table that is used in schools today
 He invented numerous important processes that are used in modern chemistry today such as hydrochloric and nitric acids and distillation that are now the foundations of chemistry and chemical engineering. He invented aqua regia, one of the few substances that can dissolve gold.
 He is also credited with the discovery of both citric and acetic acid.
 He discovered the method to prevent rust, how to engrave gold, dyeing and waterproofing cloth and tanning leather.

Mohammad ibn al Khawarizmi a mathematician, astronomer and geographer was the founder of algebra, (the word ‘Algebra’ comes from the word ‘al Jabr’ meaning ‘binding together’). It was the first book ever that dealt with the linear and quadratic equations. His work paved the way for trigonometry and he founded the study of modern arithmetic such as decimals and fractions that we study today, and until the Sixteenth Century, his works were used as a point of reference in universities all over the world.

In geography, he compiled a book called Kitab Surat al Ard, (only one copy of this book exists in the Strasbourg University Library in France). It consists of a list of latitudes and longitudes in each weather zone

Bin Rabban was amongst the founders of the study of the body i.e. biology. He studied and classified all the diseases of the bodily organs such as that of the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys

He wrote a book entitled Firdous al Hikmat, which was the first ever Medical encyclopaedia and incorporated all the branches of medicinal science as it is today. Some of the topics in this book are:
 Diseases of the head and brain
 Muscular diseases (paralysis and spasm),
 Different kinds of fever,
 The examination of the pulse and urine (this part is the largest in the book and is almost half the size of the whole book),
 The description of flavour, taste and colour, and drugs and poison

Abu al-Qasim Al-Zahrawi (Albucasis) was known as the Father of Surgery. His book, Kitab ul Tasrih became extremely popular in the West. It covered a wide range of topics, including surgery, medicine, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, nutrition and pharmacology. In this latter section, he covers areas such as cardiac drugs, laxatives, weights and measures and drug substitution.

He also discovered the causes and symptoms of diseases and invented the process of tablet-making.

His work on various operations spanned many subjects, ranging from cauterisation, bloodletting, midwifery, obstetrics and the treatments of wounds. He spoke about the extraction of cataracts from the eyes, as well as extensive work on injuries to bones and joints, even mentioning fractures of the nasal bones and of vertebrae. He described the removals of tonsils, tracheotomy and craniotomy.

He was an expert in dentistry and developed the technique of preparing artificial teeth and in medicine he was the first to describe the disease of haemophilia, a blood disorder most common in men.

Imam ibn Zakaria ar-Razi (Rhazes) was known as the Head of Physicians. He compiled twenty volumes of books about the basis of medicines, and his book, Kitab al Asar, was the chief source of chemical knowledge at his time.

He was the first to write articles on allergies and discovered hay fever and that fever is a natural defense mechanism, the body’s way of fighting disease.

A bulletin in 1970 by the World Health Organisation (WHO) commented on his work stating: His writings on Smallpox and Measles show originality and accuracy and his essay on infectious diseases was the first scientific document on the subject.

Ibn Sina (Avicenna) wrote a book entitled al-Qanoon [The Cannon] which listed over 760 drugs and medicines and was the main source of guidance at his time. It enlisted the nature of contagious diseases, the spread of disease via water and soil. It discovered the cause of meningitis, the mannerisms of the spread of epidemics and the contagious nature of tuberculosis.

Imam ibn Haytham (Alhazen) excelled in the study of the eyes and that of motion
He made significant contribution in optics, anatomy, maths, engineering, medicine, ophthalmology, physics, psychology, visual perception and science. He invented the camera and laid the foundations for microscopic work.

Complicated eye surgery had been carried out in the Islamic State 600 years before it had even been contemplated in Europe.

Other scientist and scholars who excelled in their relative spheres were:
 Arib in Sa’ad al-Katib of Cordoba in gynaecology
 Ali ibn Isa in ophthalmology
 Ibn Nafi’ in blood circulation
 Al-Khazini in gravity

Aside of the achievements of these scientists and scholars, the environment within the Islamic State was also very advanced, in comparison to the rest of the world at that time. By the Tenth Century, with Cordoba in Spain as it’s Capital, the Islamic State already consisted of:

 Sanitation
 Pavements
 Street lights
 300 public baths
 Parks
 100,000 houses,
 Police stations
 70 libraries, each containing at least half a million books – all the libraries in France combined did not possess this many books.
 The use of paper was discovered 200 years before it had been in Europe, and the State itself had many paper mills and paper banks.
 Education was free under the Islamic State
 In the field of mathematics, difficult equations had been solved by the Tenth Century, and in science, gravity, blood circulation and the laws of motion had all been discussed in some way or another.

A famous historian of science, George Sarton once stated:
The mission of mankind is accomplished by Muslims. The greatest mathematicians, Abul Kamil and Ibrahim ibn Sina, geographer and encyclopaedist al-Masudi, and the greatest historian, at-Tabari were all Muslim.

So it is clear from these very few examples that much of society that we witness today is nothing other than the legacy of Islam and the Muslims. Muslims throughout history have endeavoured to succeed in the betterment of society whether it be in the field of education or in that of the environment. Either way, it poses the question that, had the Muslims not contributed to society in the way that they had, would we even have had this piece of paper in the form that it is today?

The way to help the believers

The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “The supplication of a Muslim for his brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Everytime he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: `Ameen! May it be for you, too’.” [Muslim].

Then I remind you with the following words about our obligations to our brothers and sisters who are being humiliated and oppressed at the hands of the crusaders, first from our Prophet, and then from our salaf.

In the Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet Muhammad said, “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He does not wrong him, forsake him or despise him.”

Imam Nawawi commented on this hadith in Sharh Muslim (16/120) saying, “the scholars said, “forsaking him is leaving him when he is in need and despising him means, if he asks for help to remove an evil in his life, he must help him if he can and if he does not have a legitimate excuse not to”.

Ibn Rajab said in Jami Al-Ulum Wal Hukum, p. 333, “by this, a believer forsaking his brother, it means that the believer is commanded to help his brother as the Prophet said, “help your brother, whether he is the oppressed or the oppressor”. He was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, help the oppressed but how do I help the oppressor?” He said, “by preventing him from oppressing. This is how you help him”. Narrated by Anas.

Abu Dawud mentions the hadith narrated by Abu Talha Al-Ansari and Jabir Bin Abdullah, that the Prophet Muhammad said, “No man forsakes a Muslim when his rights are being violated or his honour is being belittled except that Allah will forsake him at a place in which he would love to have His help. And no man helps a Muslim at a time when his honour is being belittled or his rights violated except that Allah will help him at a place in which he loves to have His help”.

Ahmed reported that Abu Umamah Bin Sahl narrated from his father that the Prophet (SAW) said, “He in whose presence a Muslim is humiliated and who does not help him, being able to help him, God will humiliate him before all creatures on the Day of Judgment”.

There are many other obligations we have towards the prisoners that the scholars are agreed upon, such as the obligation to use all our wealth in pursuit of their freedom. So what is wrong with us that we don’t even use the greatest weapon a sincere supplication to Allah, in the last third of the night dedicated to our brothers?