The Messenger of Allah (blessings of Allah be upon him and his family) has said: “The one who recites the Qur’an and the one who listens to it have an equal share in the reward.”
"A seeker is not a seeker until he is able to find in the Quran everything that he desires."
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “I have left two things among you, as long as you hold fast to them, you will never go astray. They are the Book of Allah (Quran) and the Sunnah of His Messenger”
The Quran is the ocean where from the jewels of knowledge and the treasures of understanding are extracted. Any believer who is grants the way to understand it, his Opening (fathu; Victory in a general sense. The same word can be used for the conquest of a city, the dispelling of hardships, achievement of success in any Endeavour, and the unveiling of the Eye of the heart so that it begins to perceive the Unseen; it is usually in this latter sense that the term is used in Sufi texts), becomes permanent, his light complete, his knowledge vast, and he never tires of reading it night and day, for he found therein his goal and his purpose. This is the quality of the sincere seeker.
The Qur'an challenges the reader to think about its message, ponder its meaning, and accept it with understanding rather than blind faith. As you read, feel free to ask for clarification from knowledgeable Muslims.
. Four Suras dating from a period prior to Hegira refer to the writing down of the Quran before the Prophet left Mecca in 622 (Surah 80, verses 11 to 16):
By no means! Indeed it is a message of instruction
Therefore whoever wills, should remember
On leaves held in honor Exalted, purified in the hands of scribes Noble and pious.
"The sources all agree in stating that whenever a fragment of the Quran was revealed, the Prophet called one of his literate companions and dictated it to him, indicating at the same time the exact position of the new fragment in the fabric of what had already been received... Descriptions note that Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked the scribe to reread to him what had been dictated so that he could correct any deficiencies...
Another famous story tells how every year in the month of Ramadan, the Prophet would recite the whole of the Quran (so far revealed) to Gabriel..., that in the Ramadan preceding Muhammad's death, Gabriel had made him recite it twice... It is known how since the Prophet's time, Muslims acquired the habit of keeping vigil during Ramadan, and of reciting the whole of the Quran in addition to the usual prayers expected of them. Several sources add that Muhammad's scribe Zaid was present at this final bringing-together of the texts. Elsewhere, numerous other personalities are mentioned as well."
Extremely diverse materials were used for this first record; parchment leather, wooden tablet, camel's scapula, soft stone for inscriptions, etc.
At the same time however, Muhammad (peace be upon him) recommended the faithful to learn the Quran by heart. They did this for a part if not all of the text recited during prayers. Thus there was .Hafizun. Who knew the whole of the Quran by heart and spread it abroad. The method of doubly preserving the text both in writing and by memorization proved to be extremely precious.
It is logical that one wanting to learn about a faith would start by reading its most holy text. For some, however, the Qur'an can be difficult to sit down and read from cover to cover. The revelation was given over a period of decades, and each verse has a particular scriptural and historical context. The themes of the Qur'an are interwoven among the chapters, and the book is not in chronological order.
The following was the first Revelation (Surah 96, verses 1 to 5):
Read: In the name of thy Lord who created,
Who created man from something which clings
Read! Thy Lord is the most Noble
Who taught by the pen
Who taught man what he did not know
(When the Revelation of this Surah was made, forty-two or forty-five others had been written and were kept by Muslims in Mecca (out of a total of 114):
You must have a wird (any repeated devotional act), of the Mighty Book to be read every day. The least you should do is read one Juz' (one thirtieth of the Quran' an), so that you complete it once month, and the most is to complete to every three days.
Surah Al Rahman (55)
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:’ everything has a bride, and the bride of the Qur’an is Surah Al Rahman’
Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘What an excellent treasure Surah Al Imran is to the pauper when he recites it in prayer during the last part of the night’ Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:’ Allah’s most magnificent name, which when used to implore Him, He responds, is found in three Suras. Al Baqara, Al Imran and Taha’
Be careful to read those Suras and verses which are recommended in the Sunna at particular times ; for examples al-Sajdahs; The Prostration [ 32 ], al-Mulk; The kingdom [67 ], al-Waqi' a; The Event [ 56 ], and the last two verses of al-Baqara; the Heifer [2], every night before going to sleep. Al-Dukhaan ;( The Smoke [44],): on Sunday and Thursday evenings, and al-Kahf; The Cave [18], on Thursday night and Friday. Read if you can, the Seven Saving Ones every night they are; al-Sajadah ,YA-SIN[ 36 ], al-Dukhaan [ 44 ], al-Waqiah [ 56 ], al-Hasher [ 59 ], al-Mulk [67 ], And Insaan; Man[ 76 ].for their merit is great. Also morning and evening the first few verses of Surat al-Hadid; The Iron [ 57 ], the last few verses of Surat al-Hasher; The Gathering [59], Sura Ikhlas[112], three times and the two refuge-taking Suras al-Falaq & al-Nas [114,113] three times each; similarly, al-Ikhlas and he last two Suras of the Quran' an together with the al-Kursi verse; The Foot stool [ 2:255 ], and Surat al-Kafirun;The Disbelieves [109], immediately before going to sleep, making these the last thing that you utter.
And Allah Ta’aala says the truth, and He guides to the way.
Know that great merit attaches to reciting the Quran' an, and an influence in illuminating the heart. The Messenger of Allah, may blessings and peace be upon him, has said: " The best of my nation's devotions is the recitation of the Quran' an". And Ali may Allah ennoble hid face, has said:" The one who recites the Qur'an while standing in prayer receives one hundred rewards for each letter; the one who recites it outside the prayer but in a state of ritual purity receives twenty-five rewards for each letter; and the one who recites it without ritual purity receives ten rewards for each letter."
Beware of concentrating, while reciting, on reciting a large amount to the exclusion of reflection and correct recitation. You must reflect and comprehend while you recite; slow, melodious recitation will assist you in this. Feel in your heart the Magnitude of the Speaker ( Transcendent and Exalted is He!) and that you are before Him, reciting His Book to Him, in which He addresses His commands, prohibitions, counsels and exhortations to you. When reading verses on unification and glorification are full of reverence and awe, when reading verses of promises and threats be full of hopeful expectation and apprehension, and when reading the commands and prohibitions be thankful, acknowledge your shortcomings, ask for forgiveness and determine to show ardor.
In Islam, the learning process is never complete. As you grow in understanding of the Muslim faith, you may come across more questions, or more topics you want to study. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told his followers to "seek knowledge, even unto China" -- i.e. pursue your study to the farthest reaches of the earth.
I pray Allah SWT make our efforts sincere and keep us all on the straight path...........
Feel free to Share the information here with everyone you know,
And earn Sawab-e-Jariya...May Allah swt make it a source of Sawab-e-Jariya for u and me .Ameen
P.S.: "Have fun praying don’t forget to make dua for me...
Showing posts with label every Muslim to seek knowledge.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label every Muslim to seek knowledge.. Show all posts
Thursday, 24 March 2011
Saturday, 12 February 2011
For those who are more ambitious to be closer to Allah swt (God)
We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. [Al-Hujurat: 14].
Need to reach a higher level of faith than Islam. This level is more theoretical than the first level of Islam. In the first level, Islam, a person is saved by worshipping Allah ( God) through actions.
Iman is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof.
Need to reach a higher level of faith than Islam, which is Iman.
For those who are more ambitious to be closer to Allah (God), and to gain a higher level of his rewards, they need to reach a higher level of faith than Islam, which is Iman.
Iman, more faith is needed. A deeper degree of acknowledgement is required. This includes a belief in Allah (God) and what He said. He informed us in His Book, the Holy Qur'an, that He has angels, He sent previous Books to humanity, delivered through previous messengers.
Thus, a person reaching Iman (a Mu_min) believes that not only Allah (God) exists but He is capable of doing anything He wants. A Mu_min believes in everything God told in the Holy Qur'an. He/she believes that there are other intelligent creations of God than human beings, particularly angels. Among these are Jibril (Gabriel, the medium between God and His human messengers), Mikhail (Michael, the angel of sustenance), Azrail (angel of death), Israfil (angel of the Trumpet), Radhwan (custodian of Paradise), Malik (custodian of the Hellfire), Raqeeb and 'Ateed (the angels who keep records for our good deeds and bad deeds), and Nakir, and Nakir (the angels who question a human being briefly after death). A Mu_min is a person who believes that these angels exist and we are affected by them.
There are three levels of faith a person can attain. The first level is Islam. Prophet Muhammad, (sallallaahu alayhi WA sallam). Explained it as observing the five major obligations (the adhering to which creates an Islamic structure, as these obligations constitute the pillars of Islam's structure). Every child is born knowing that his or her Lord is Only One, Allah, regardless of what faith his or her parents may practice. But just because a child is born with this fitra, or natural belief, does not necessarily mean that the child will grow up to be what truly makes a person Muslim, which is ones iman. A Muslim must have belief and iman in the following:
1) One must belief in Allah as One Allah (God) without any partners and without denying His Names and Attributes and without directing any form of worship to any other than Allah.
2) One must believe in all of Allah’s noble angels without doubt and without associating any non-Islamic belief regarding them, such as them being females or human-like.
3) To be considered a believer, one must have faith in all of Allah’s chosen messengers and prophets, named and unnamed without attributing to them any falsehoods or flaws.
4) One must have faith in the Divine Scriptures, but taking only the Quran as the one true guidance, preserved by Allah for all of eternity and for all of mankind.
5) One of the most important beliefs, which illustrate the purpose of life, is the belief in the Hereafter without denying any of the events told in the Quran or by the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).
6) Finally, one must believe in Divine Preordainment, more commonly known as fate or destiny. One must believe that Allah has knowledge of the future and that everything has been preordained with its due measure.
When a person accepts the above beliefs with his heart and affirms it with his tongue, he is considered as one who has iman. Iman requires acknowledgement of these beliefs through action. The Quran constantly connects ones iman with ones deeds in the phrase, Inna ladhina amanu wa amilusalihaat, which translates to those who believe and do good deeds. It is the actions a person chooses to do that both increase the iman and act as evidence of ones iman or decreases it and proves the weakness of the iman.
There are three main causes for the decrease in ones iman. A persons iman is sure to take a fall when he loses certainty in the above six beliefs. These beliefs when properly settled into the heart play an important role in a believer’s life. When a person says, performs, or believes something, which is Islamic’ ally known as kufr (disbelief), their iman will be affected in a very negative way. And the final reasons for the down fall of iman is performing any type of shirk. These three things all lead to sin, which is what prevents the iman from increasing.
It is a duty of every Muslim to keep his or her iman in check. This means one must constantly guard his or her iman and observe whether it has increased or decreased and for what causes. If it has decreased, one must work to increase it before it falls low enough to destroy the heart. There are many ways to increases ones iman and it involves increasing in righteous deeds and refraining from sins, as well as staying away from sinful activities and people who encourage such activities.
The Holy Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi WA sallam) said, Iman wears out in ones heart just as the clothes (one wears) wears out. Therefore, ask Allah to renew iman in your hearts. Unfortunately, iman will not increase by only making dua and asking Allah to increase it, but it also takes effort from the believer. Allah states:
Lo! Allah does not change the condition of a people until they (first) change that which is in their hearts. (Surat ar-Rad 13:11)
In His commands, Allah Almighty says,
The Bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. [Al-Hujurat: 14].
Based on this, scholars consider Iman as the inward deeds, while Islam is the outward actions. This is because Iman principally is the belief instilled in one's heart and Islam is to submit one's senses to it.
Therefore, the true Muslim is not reluctant in submitting himself in humiliation to Allah obeying His commands, hastening to fulfill the obligations of Islam, abandoning its prohibitions and believing that what Allah commanded us to do is in our best interest and what He prohibited entails evil.
Iman includes verbal deeds, actions and strong belief: the heart and tongue admit with faith while the heart and senses work for it. Verbal deeds include remembering Allah [Dhikr], reading Qur'an, supplicating Allah, enjoining what is good and urging others to do it, forbidding what is evil and warning others against it, teaching and guiding those who go astray to the right path, sending or answering back greetings and the like
A Mu_min believes that this life is a test, in which all our deeds and activities are recorded by angels. We will be held accountable for the entire test when we meet our Creator in the Day of Judgment. So, the belief in the Last Day is an acknowledgement of accountability and reckoning. It is an incentive for people to do well in this life in order to be rewarded in Paradise, and a warning against doing bad in order to avoid punishment in the Hellfire.
Finally, a Mu_min believes in Al-Qada wal Qadar, or divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof. This is a belief in the ability of Allah, praise to him, to predict our behavior.
And remember this blessed is he who speaks a kindness;
Thrice blessed is he who repeats it.
…….True servants of the Most Merciful Allah….
The true servants of the Most Merciful are those who behave gently and with humility on earth, and whenever the foolish quarrel with them, they reply with [words of] peace.’
(Al-Furqan 25: 63)
May Allah make our efforts sincere and keep us all on the straight path...........
Feel free to Share the information here with everyone you know,
And earn Sawab-e-Jariya...May Allah swt make it a source of Sawab-e-Jariya for u and me .Ameen
Need to reach a higher level of faith than Islam. This level is more theoretical than the first level of Islam. In the first level, Islam, a person is saved by worshipping Allah ( God) through actions.
Iman is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof.
Need to reach a higher level of faith than Islam, which is Iman.
For those who are more ambitious to be closer to Allah (God), and to gain a higher level of his rewards, they need to reach a higher level of faith than Islam, which is Iman.
Iman, more faith is needed. A deeper degree of acknowledgement is required. This includes a belief in Allah (God) and what He said. He informed us in His Book, the Holy Qur'an, that He has angels, He sent previous Books to humanity, delivered through previous messengers.
Thus, a person reaching Iman (a Mu_min) believes that not only Allah (God) exists but He is capable of doing anything He wants. A Mu_min believes in everything God told in the Holy Qur'an. He/she believes that there are other intelligent creations of God than human beings, particularly angels. Among these are Jibril (Gabriel, the medium between God and His human messengers), Mikhail (Michael, the angel of sustenance), Azrail (angel of death), Israfil (angel of the Trumpet), Radhwan (custodian of Paradise), Malik (custodian of the Hellfire), Raqeeb and 'Ateed (the angels who keep records for our good deeds and bad deeds), and Nakir, and Nakir (the angels who question a human being briefly after death). A Mu_min is a person who believes that these angels exist and we are affected by them.
There are three levels of faith a person can attain. The first level is Islam. Prophet Muhammad, (sallallaahu alayhi WA sallam). Explained it as observing the five major obligations (the adhering to which creates an Islamic structure, as these obligations constitute the pillars of Islam's structure). Every child is born knowing that his or her Lord is Only One, Allah, regardless of what faith his or her parents may practice. But just because a child is born with this fitra, or natural belief, does not necessarily mean that the child will grow up to be what truly makes a person Muslim, which is ones iman. A Muslim must have belief and iman in the following:
1) One must belief in Allah as One Allah (God) without any partners and without denying His Names and Attributes and without directing any form of worship to any other than Allah.
2) One must believe in all of Allah’s noble angels without doubt and without associating any non-Islamic belief regarding them, such as them being females or human-like.
3) To be considered a believer, one must have faith in all of Allah’s chosen messengers and prophets, named and unnamed without attributing to them any falsehoods or flaws.
4) One must have faith in the Divine Scriptures, but taking only the Quran as the one true guidance, preserved by Allah for all of eternity and for all of mankind.
5) One of the most important beliefs, which illustrate the purpose of life, is the belief in the Hereafter without denying any of the events told in the Quran or by the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).
6) Finally, one must believe in Divine Preordainment, more commonly known as fate or destiny. One must believe that Allah has knowledge of the future and that everything has been preordained with its due measure.
When a person accepts the above beliefs with his heart and affirms it with his tongue, he is considered as one who has iman. Iman requires acknowledgement of these beliefs through action. The Quran constantly connects ones iman with ones deeds in the phrase, Inna ladhina amanu wa amilusalihaat, which translates to those who believe and do good deeds. It is the actions a person chooses to do that both increase the iman and act as evidence of ones iman or decreases it and proves the weakness of the iman.
There are three main causes for the decrease in ones iman. A persons iman is sure to take a fall when he loses certainty in the above six beliefs. These beliefs when properly settled into the heart play an important role in a believer’s life. When a person says, performs, or believes something, which is Islamic’ ally known as kufr (disbelief), their iman will be affected in a very negative way. And the final reasons for the down fall of iman is performing any type of shirk. These three things all lead to sin, which is what prevents the iman from increasing.
It is a duty of every Muslim to keep his or her iman in check. This means one must constantly guard his or her iman and observe whether it has increased or decreased and for what causes. If it has decreased, one must work to increase it before it falls low enough to destroy the heart. There are many ways to increases ones iman and it involves increasing in righteous deeds and refraining from sins, as well as staying away from sinful activities and people who encourage such activities.
The Holy Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi WA sallam) said, Iman wears out in ones heart just as the clothes (one wears) wears out. Therefore, ask Allah to renew iman in your hearts. Unfortunately, iman will not increase by only making dua and asking Allah to increase it, but it also takes effort from the believer. Allah states:
Lo! Allah does not change the condition of a people until they (first) change that which is in their hearts. (Surat ar-Rad 13:11)
In His commands, Allah Almighty says,
The Bedouins say, "We have believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. [Al-Hujurat: 14].
Based on this, scholars consider Iman as the inward deeds, while Islam is the outward actions. This is because Iman principally is the belief instilled in one's heart and Islam is to submit one's senses to it.
Therefore, the true Muslim is not reluctant in submitting himself in humiliation to Allah obeying His commands, hastening to fulfill the obligations of Islam, abandoning its prohibitions and believing that what Allah commanded us to do is in our best interest and what He prohibited entails evil.
Iman includes verbal deeds, actions and strong belief: the heart and tongue admit with faith while the heart and senses work for it. Verbal deeds include remembering Allah [Dhikr], reading Qur'an, supplicating Allah, enjoining what is good and urging others to do it, forbidding what is evil and warning others against it, teaching and guiding those who go astray to the right path, sending or answering back greetings and the like
A Mu_min believes that this life is a test, in which all our deeds and activities are recorded by angels. We will be held accountable for the entire test when we meet our Creator in the Day of Judgment. So, the belief in the Last Day is an acknowledgement of accountability and reckoning. It is an incentive for people to do well in this life in order to be rewarded in Paradise, and a warning against doing bad in order to avoid punishment in the Hellfire.
Finally, a Mu_min believes in Al-Qada wal Qadar, or divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof. This is a belief in the ability of Allah, praise to him, to predict our behavior.
And remember this blessed is he who speaks a kindness;
Thrice blessed is he who repeats it.
…….True servants of the Most Merciful Allah….
The true servants of the Most Merciful are those who behave gently and with humility on earth, and whenever the foolish quarrel with them, they reply with [words of] peace.’
(Al-Furqan 25: 63)
May Allah make our efforts sincere and keep us all on the straight path...........
Feel free to Share the information here with everyone you know,
And earn Sawab-e-Jariya...May Allah swt make it a source of Sawab-e-Jariya for u and me .Ameen
Friday, 3 September 2010
MUSLIMS SHOULD TEACH WHAT THEY LEARN
It may be said that Islam is the path of "knowledge." No other religion or ideology has so much emphasized the importance of 'ilm. In the Qur'an the word 'alim has occurred in 140 places, while al-'ilm in 27. In all, the total number of verses in which 'ilm or its derivatives and associated words are used is 704. The aids of knowledge such as book, pen, ink etc. amount to almost the same number. Qalam occurs in two places, al-kitab in 230 verses, among which al-kitab for al-Qur'an occurs in 81 verses. Other words associated with writing occur in 319 verses. It is important to note that pen and book are essential to the acquisition of knowledge. The Islamic revelation started with the word iqra' ('read!' or 'recite!').
One of the distinctive features of Islam is its emphasis on knowledge. The Quran and the Islamic tradition (sunnah) invite Muslims to seek and acquire knowledge and wisdom and to hold men of knowledge in high esteem.
In the Holy Quran the word al-Ilm, knowledge, and its derivatives are used more than 780 times. The first few verses that were revealed to our Holy Prophet (SAW) mention the importance of reading, pen, and teaching for human beings:
IqraRead: in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from something which clings. Read and your Lord is the most generous. Who taught with pen. Taught man what he knew not..." (96:1-5
According to the Qur'an, the first teaching class for Adam A.S. started soon after his creation and Adam was taught 'all the Names'.
Allah is the first teacher and the absolute guide of humanity. This knowledge was not imparted to even the Angels.
Beside various Qur'anic verses emphasizing the importance of knowledge, there are hundreds of Prophetic traditions that encourage Muslims to acquire all types of knowledge from any corner of the world.
Prophet Muhammad (saws) said: "Seeking Knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim."
Though this Hadith is known and memorised by most Muslims, the essence, the amount, and the kind of knowledge referred to in this Hadith remains misunderstood by many.
If it is true that the knowledge incumbent upon every Muslim pertains to religious knowledge, or al-'Ilm al-Shar'i, how deeply does one have to pursue his quest of this knowledge to fulfil his duties and discharge the learning obligations placed upon him? In other words, what are the minimum teachings that every Muslim - male or female - is required to know about his Deen(religion)?
TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM
Muslim scholars classify knowledge into two categories:
Obligatory Knowledge (fardh 'ayn)
This refers to knowledge of the fundamentals of Islamic beliefs which every Muslim must know Seeking this knowledge is an obligatory duty upon every Muslim. All obligatory knowledge deal exclusively with al-'Ilm al-Shari'i, that is, knowledge pertaining to Islamic faith, acts of worship, and the necessary transaction in the daily dealing of a Muslim.
Optional Knowledge (fardh kifayah)
This is not a duty required of every individual, but rather it falls upon the community as a whole. Hence, if a group of individuals in the community undertake to acquire this kind of knowledge, all other individuals will be exempted from this duty, and the whole community will be free from responsibility or negligence to acquire this kind of knowledge. Examples of such knowledge include studying Islamic law and other basic sciences, industries and professions which are vital for the welfare of the society.
Unlike obligatory knowledge, optional knowledge covers part of Islamic knowledge and all worldly knowledge. The former is called al-'Ilm al-Shar'i al Kifa'i (optional Islamic knowledge), while the latter is called al-Ilm al-dunyawi (worldly knowledge).
Religious sciences: These cover all branches of Islamic Shariah, such as: tafsir (Qur'anic exegeses), fiqh, hadith sciences (known as mustalah al-hadith or 'Ilm usul al-hadith), seerah (the Prophet's biography), Islamic political science, (As-siyasah al-shar'iyah), Islamic history, etc.
Each of these sciences may require knowledge of other sciences to fully and comprehensively cover the substance of the matter studied. For example: tafsir needs Arabic grammar, Arabic literature, and other linguistic skills; Hadith sciences need the science of criticism (which looks at the narrators' credibility, trustworthiness, power of memorisation, etc.), called 'Ilm al-jarh wat-ta'deel.
The natural and applied sciences: These are all the basic sciences, industries and professions which are of vital necessity for the welfare of the community. Examples of such fields include: engineering; agriculture, fisheries, food sciences, etc.
Leaders of every Muslim community should always do their best to procure the necessary number of scholars, professionals and qualified men and women in all fields of optional knowledge needed by the community. For example, Muslims in America must train sufficient number of Shariah scholars to answer questions raised by members of the community. They must also prepare enough educators – administrators, teachers and counsellors to fill the growing needs of Islamic schools in this country. Both male and female Muslim doctors are needed in every city to care for male and female Muslim patients, respectively.
From the above discussion, we can fully understand the responsibility that lies upon the shoulders of Muslims in this continent. Any community which does not take the necessary steps to satisfy its own needs in all fields of optional knowledge becomes subject to the punishment of Allah. Consequently, all its members will share the blame and the sins for their shortcomings.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ISLAMIC SCIENCES
First, the understanding fundamentals of Iman: This is also called 'Ilm Usul ud-Deen (Fundamentals of Deen), or 'Ilm al-Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah), or simply 'Aqeedah (Islamic faith). Every Muslim must have a general knowledge of all matters pertaining to his faith. He should have a clear understanding of the Lord he worships, the Prophet he follows and the Deen to which he committed himself. Needless to say, one should exert the best of one's effort to acquire these fundamentals. Second, understanding Islamic rules and conduct (fiqh al-ahkam): This is also called fiqh al-'Ibadat (understanding of acts of worship). This field covers all aspects of the Islamic acts of worship that are necessary for the correct practice of one's Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj. It also covers all aspects of family issues, such as marriage, divorce, children's education, as well as rules and regulations for one's business transactions such as, buying, selling, borrowing and lending, etc.
A Muslim is obligated to learn from fiqh al-ahkam only matters that are related to Ibadah (worship) he needs to perform; and rules of a particular transaction he wants to undertake. For example, if a Muslim has not reached the age for prayer or fasting, he does not have to learn about them though the may be encouraged to do so. Also, if one does not have the necessary means to perform Hajj, one does not need to learn its rituals until one becomes able to undertake the Hajj journey.
By learning those two branches, a Muslim will know His Lord by all His beautiful names and Most High attributes. He will renounce all imperfections that ignorant and deviant people attributed to Allah. He will know the status, function and rights of the Prophets and, thus, will not elevate them to a divine status, nor will he degrade them to a status that does not befit their prophethood as many heretics had done. He will follow a similar course when dealing with other required beliefs, such as the belief in the Angels, the Books, the Predetermined Decree, the Last Day, the punishment in the grave, etc. On the other hand, before performing any act of worship, a Muslim should know the requirements, the conditions and the desirable actions pertaining to that act. Hence, He will never practice any act of worship or undertake any transaction not sanctioned by the Qur'an or Sunnah.
Just by contemplating the Islamic knowledge of Muslims today, the reader will realise how much those two disciplines, which are required of every Muslim, have been neglected, if not totally ignored. Unfortunately, there are many Muslim professors, doctors, and engineers, who hold the most advanced academic or professional positions in their respective institutions, yet do not possess the minimum knowledge of the Islamic sciences. Ironically, while it takes only a few weeks or even a few days to acquire the obligatory Islamic knowledge, it may take at least two years to obtain a basic degree in any worldly field. Though these brothers and sisters are to be thanked and encouraged for their worldly endeavour, they are undoubtedly sinful due to their shortcomings in learning the required Islamic knowledge.
Every Muslim should know that once he has corrected his beliefs, and Ibadah, through knowledge, and cleansed his devotions from any type of Shirk (i.e. Showing off, pleasing others besides/other than Allah, etc.), he can aspire and hope for his reward from Allah (Most Exalted is He). Indeed, it is through knowledge and sincerity that one can enter paradise. This is how we can understand the Hadith of our beloved Prophet : "Whoever adopts the path of seeking knowledge, Allah eases for him the way to Paradise." (Related by Ahamad, Tirmithi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, i)
MUSLIMS SHOULD TEACH WHAT THEY LEARN
A Muslim who has learned the requirements of his individual duties is responsible for disseminating the knowledge he has acquired to his family members first; then to his friends, co-workers, neighbours, etc. Allah (Most Exalted is He) says:
"O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones…"
(Qur'an, Al-Tahrim 66:6)
The only way to save one's family members from Hell is to teach them the Islamic obligations and instruct them to observe them consistently.
The Messenger of Allah also emphasised this responsibility. He said: "Every one of you is a steward and is accountable for that which is committed to his charge. The ruler is a steward and is accountable for his charge, a man is a steward and is accountable for his charge, a man is a steward in respect of his household, a woman is a steward in respect of her husband's house and his children. Thus, everyone of your is accountable for that which is committed to his charge." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim)
The following Hadith is a strong reminder for anyone of us whom Allah has blessed with some Islamic knowledge: "Whoever is asked about a knowledge that he knows about and then hides it and keeps it away, he will be bridled on the day of judgement with a bridle of fire." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhi)
Traditions attributed to the Holy Prophet (SAW) in this regard, some of which are quoted below:
* It is an obligation for every Muslim to seek knowledge.
* Seek knowledge even if it be in China.
* Seek knowledge from cradle to grove.
* Scholars are the heirs of the prophets.
* The ink of the learned will be weighed with the blood of the martyrs on the Resurrection Day; and then, the ink of the learned would be preferred to the blood of the martyrs.
* Anyone who pursues a course in search of knowledge, God will ease his way to paradise.
* The most learned of men is the one who gathers knowledge from others on his own; the most worthy of men is the most knowing and the meanest is the most ignorant.
* Acquire knowledge, it enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to heaven.
CHOICES TO STUDY FURTHER
Whether one who has acquired the requisite knowledge and committed himself to spreading it, will further his study or be content with that level is left to his decision. One should realise, however, that not all people possess the aptitude and diligence to enter the depths of Islamic knowledge, for this is a favour that Allah gives to whomever He pleases.
Nevertheless, one should keep in mind the virtues and merits of disseminating the knowledge of Islam. The Prophet saw said: "Allah and His angels and the creatures of Heavens and earth, even the ant in its dwelling and the fish in the sea, do send Salat to the one who teaches people (good) beneficial knowledge." (Related by Al-Tirmidhi)
The Salat of Allah is His mercy that he bestows on His slaves; the Salat of the angels and other creatures is to ask Allah to forgive these servants.
And Allah Knows Best!
"Have fun praying and getting ready for the Day of Judgment coz that day will NOT be fun :) P.S.: don’t forget to make dua for me.
One of the distinctive features of Islam is its emphasis on knowledge. The Quran and the Islamic tradition (sunnah) invite Muslims to seek and acquire knowledge and wisdom and to hold men of knowledge in high esteem.
In the Holy Quran the word al-Ilm, knowledge, and its derivatives are used more than 780 times. The first few verses that were revealed to our Holy Prophet (SAW) mention the importance of reading, pen, and teaching for human beings:
IqraRead: in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from something which clings. Read and your Lord is the most generous. Who taught with pen. Taught man what he knew not..." (96:1-5
According to the Qur'an, the first teaching class for Adam A.S. started soon after his creation and Adam was taught 'all the Names'.
Allah is the first teacher and the absolute guide of humanity. This knowledge was not imparted to even the Angels.
Beside various Qur'anic verses emphasizing the importance of knowledge, there are hundreds of Prophetic traditions that encourage Muslims to acquire all types of knowledge from any corner of the world.
Prophet Muhammad (saws) said: "Seeking Knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim."
Though this Hadith is known and memorised by most Muslims, the essence, the amount, and the kind of knowledge referred to in this Hadith remains misunderstood by many.
If it is true that the knowledge incumbent upon every Muslim pertains to religious knowledge, or al-'Ilm al-Shar'i, how deeply does one have to pursue his quest of this knowledge to fulfil his duties and discharge the learning obligations placed upon him? In other words, what are the minimum teachings that every Muslim - male or female - is required to know about his Deen(religion)?
TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM
Muslim scholars classify knowledge into two categories:
Obligatory Knowledge (fardh 'ayn)
This refers to knowledge of the fundamentals of Islamic beliefs which every Muslim must know Seeking this knowledge is an obligatory duty upon every Muslim. All obligatory knowledge deal exclusively with al-'Ilm al-Shari'i, that is, knowledge pertaining to Islamic faith, acts of worship, and the necessary transaction in the daily dealing of a Muslim.
Optional Knowledge (fardh kifayah)
This is not a duty required of every individual, but rather it falls upon the community as a whole. Hence, if a group of individuals in the community undertake to acquire this kind of knowledge, all other individuals will be exempted from this duty, and the whole community will be free from responsibility or negligence to acquire this kind of knowledge. Examples of such knowledge include studying Islamic law and other basic sciences, industries and professions which are vital for the welfare of the society.
Unlike obligatory knowledge, optional knowledge covers part of Islamic knowledge and all worldly knowledge. The former is called al-'Ilm al-Shar'i al Kifa'i (optional Islamic knowledge), while the latter is called al-Ilm al-dunyawi (worldly knowledge).
Religious sciences: These cover all branches of Islamic Shariah, such as: tafsir (Qur'anic exegeses), fiqh, hadith sciences (known as mustalah al-hadith or 'Ilm usul al-hadith), seerah (the Prophet's biography), Islamic political science, (As-siyasah al-shar'iyah), Islamic history, etc.
Each of these sciences may require knowledge of other sciences to fully and comprehensively cover the substance of the matter studied. For example: tafsir needs Arabic grammar, Arabic literature, and other linguistic skills; Hadith sciences need the science of criticism (which looks at the narrators' credibility, trustworthiness, power of memorisation, etc.), called 'Ilm al-jarh wat-ta'deel.
The natural and applied sciences: These are all the basic sciences, industries and professions which are of vital necessity for the welfare of the community. Examples of such fields include: engineering; agriculture, fisheries, food sciences, etc.
Leaders of every Muslim community should always do their best to procure the necessary number of scholars, professionals and qualified men and women in all fields of optional knowledge needed by the community. For example, Muslims in America must train sufficient number of Shariah scholars to answer questions raised by members of the community. They must also prepare enough educators – administrators, teachers and counsellors to fill the growing needs of Islamic schools in this country. Both male and female Muslim doctors are needed in every city to care for male and female Muslim patients, respectively.
From the above discussion, we can fully understand the responsibility that lies upon the shoulders of Muslims in this continent. Any community which does not take the necessary steps to satisfy its own needs in all fields of optional knowledge becomes subject to the punishment of Allah. Consequently, all its members will share the blame and the sins for their shortcomings.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ISLAMIC SCIENCES
First, the understanding fundamentals of Iman: This is also called 'Ilm Usul ud-Deen (Fundamentals of Deen), or 'Ilm al-Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah), or simply 'Aqeedah (Islamic faith). Every Muslim must have a general knowledge of all matters pertaining to his faith. He should have a clear understanding of the Lord he worships, the Prophet he follows and the Deen to which he committed himself. Needless to say, one should exert the best of one's effort to acquire these fundamentals. Second, understanding Islamic rules and conduct (fiqh al-ahkam): This is also called fiqh al-'Ibadat (understanding of acts of worship). This field covers all aspects of the Islamic acts of worship that are necessary for the correct practice of one's Salat, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj. It also covers all aspects of family issues, such as marriage, divorce, children's education, as well as rules and regulations for one's business transactions such as, buying, selling, borrowing and lending, etc.
A Muslim is obligated to learn from fiqh al-ahkam only matters that are related to Ibadah (worship) he needs to perform; and rules of a particular transaction he wants to undertake. For example, if a Muslim has not reached the age for prayer or fasting, he does not have to learn about them though the may be encouraged to do so. Also, if one does not have the necessary means to perform Hajj, one does not need to learn its rituals until one becomes able to undertake the Hajj journey.
By learning those two branches, a Muslim will know His Lord by all His beautiful names and Most High attributes. He will renounce all imperfections that ignorant and deviant people attributed to Allah. He will know the status, function and rights of the Prophets and, thus, will not elevate them to a divine status, nor will he degrade them to a status that does not befit their prophethood as many heretics had done. He will follow a similar course when dealing with other required beliefs, such as the belief in the Angels, the Books, the Predetermined Decree, the Last Day, the punishment in the grave, etc. On the other hand, before performing any act of worship, a Muslim should know the requirements, the conditions and the desirable actions pertaining to that act. Hence, He will never practice any act of worship or undertake any transaction not sanctioned by the Qur'an or Sunnah.
Just by contemplating the Islamic knowledge of Muslims today, the reader will realise how much those two disciplines, which are required of every Muslim, have been neglected, if not totally ignored. Unfortunately, there are many Muslim professors, doctors, and engineers, who hold the most advanced academic or professional positions in their respective institutions, yet do not possess the minimum knowledge of the Islamic sciences. Ironically, while it takes only a few weeks or even a few days to acquire the obligatory Islamic knowledge, it may take at least two years to obtain a basic degree in any worldly field. Though these brothers and sisters are to be thanked and encouraged for their worldly endeavour, they are undoubtedly sinful due to their shortcomings in learning the required Islamic knowledge.
Every Muslim should know that once he has corrected his beliefs, and Ibadah, through knowledge, and cleansed his devotions from any type of Shirk (i.e. Showing off, pleasing others besides/other than Allah, etc.), he can aspire and hope for his reward from Allah (Most Exalted is He). Indeed, it is through knowledge and sincerity that one can enter paradise. This is how we can understand the Hadith of our beloved Prophet : "Whoever adopts the path of seeking knowledge, Allah eases for him the way to Paradise." (Related by Ahamad, Tirmithi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, i)
MUSLIMS SHOULD TEACH WHAT THEY LEARN
A Muslim who has learned the requirements of his individual duties is responsible for disseminating the knowledge he has acquired to his family members first; then to his friends, co-workers, neighbours, etc. Allah (Most Exalted is He) says:
"O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones…"
(Qur'an, Al-Tahrim 66:6)
The only way to save one's family members from Hell is to teach them the Islamic obligations and instruct them to observe them consistently.
The Messenger of Allah also emphasised this responsibility. He said: "Every one of you is a steward and is accountable for that which is committed to his charge. The ruler is a steward and is accountable for his charge, a man is a steward and is accountable for his charge, a man is a steward in respect of his household, a woman is a steward in respect of her husband's house and his children. Thus, everyone of your is accountable for that which is committed to his charge." (Related by Bukhari and Muslim)
The following Hadith is a strong reminder for anyone of us whom Allah has blessed with some Islamic knowledge: "Whoever is asked about a knowledge that he knows about and then hides it and keeps it away, he will be bridled on the day of judgement with a bridle of fire." (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhi)
Traditions attributed to the Holy Prophet (SAW) in this regard, some of which are quoted below:
* It is an obligation for every Muslim to seek knowledge.
* Seek knowledge even if it be in China.
* Seek knowledge from cradle to grove.
* Scholars are the heirs of the prophets.
* The ink of the learned will be weighed with the blood of the martyrs on the Resurrection Day; and then, the ink of the learned would be preferred to the blood of the martyrs.
* Anyone who pursues a course in search of knowledge, God will ease his way to paradise.
* The most learned of men is the one who gathers knowledge from others on his own; the most worthy of men is the most knowing and the meanest is the most ignorant.
* Acquire knowledge, it enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to heaven.
CHOICES TO STUDY FURTHER
Whether one who has acquired the requisite knowledge and committed himself to spreading it, will further his study or be content with that level is left to his decision. One should realise, however, that not all people possess the aptitude and diligence to enter the depths of Islamic knowledge, for this is a favour that Allah gives to whomever He pleases.
Nevertheless, one should keep in mind the virtues and merits of disseminating the knowledge of Islam. The Prophet saw said: "Allah and His angels and the creatures of Heavens and earth, even the ant in its dwelling and the fish in the sea, do send Salat to the one who teaches people (good) beneficial knowledge." (Related by Al-Tirmidhi)
The Salat of Allah is His mercy that he bestows on His slaves; the Salat of the angels and other creatures is to ask Allah to forgive these servants.
And Allah Knows Best!
"Have fun praying and getting ready for the Day of Judgment coz that day will NOT be fun :) P.S.: don’t forget to make dua for me.
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