Clearly Understand about Islam

 THE RELIGION OF ISLAM

At the core of Islam is the Qur'an, believed to be the final revelation by a transcendent Allah to Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam; since the Divine Word was revealed in Arabic, this language is used in Islamic religious practice worldwide. Muslims believe in final reward and punishment, and the unity of the umma, the "nation" of Islam. Muslims submit to Allah through arkan ad-din, the five basic requirements or "pillars": shahadah, the affirmation that "there is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God"; salah, the five daily ritual prayers; zakat, the giving of alms, also known as a religious tax; Sawm, the dawn-to-sunset fast during the lunar month of Ramadan; and hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. The importance of the hajj can hardly be overestimated: this great annual pilgrimage unites Islam and its believers from around the world.

The ethos of Islam is in its attitude toward Allah: to His will Muslims submit; Him they praise and glorify; and in Him alone they hope. However, in popular or folk forms of Islam, Muslims ask intercession of the saints, prophets, and angels, while preserving the distinction between Creator and creature. Islam views the Message of Muhammad as the continuation and the fulfillment of a lineage of Prophecy that includes figures from the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament, notably Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus. Islamic law reserves a communal entity status for the ahl al-kitab, People of the Book, i.e., those with revealed religions, including Jews and Christians. Islam also recognizes a number of extra-Biblical prophets, such as Hud, Salih, Shuayb, and others of more obscure origin. The chief angels are Gabriel and Michael; devils are the evil jinn.

The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of "Allah" and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah's "God's" religion; the total submission to the will of Allah "God". The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true god worthy of worship "Allah" and anyone who does so is termed a "Muslim", The word also implies "peace" which is the natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) I in Arabia in the seventh century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.

Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of God's religion lslam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. In the final book of divine revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah states the following:

    "This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion". (Soorah Al-Maa'idah 5:3)

    "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah (God) never will It be accepted of Him" (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:85)

    "Abraham was not a Jew nor Christian; but an upright Muslim." (Soorah Aal'imraan 3:67)

Nowhere in the Bible will you find Allah saying to Prophet Moses' people or their descendants that their religion is Judaism, nor to the followers of Christ that their religion is Christianity. In fact, Christ was not even his name, nor was it Jesus! The name "Christ" comes from the Greek word Christos which means the annointed. That is, Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew title "Messiah". The name "Jesus" on the other hand, is a latinized version of the Hebrew name Esau.

For simplicity's sake, I will however continue to refer to Prophet Esau (PBUH) as Jesus. As for his religion, it was what he called his followers to. Like the prophets before him, he called the people to surrender their will to the will of Allah; (which is Islam) and he warned them to stay away from the false gods of human imagination.

According to the New Testament, he taught his followers to pray as follows: "Yours will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".

Since the total submission of one's will to Allah represents the essence of worship, the basic message of Allah's divine religion, Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than Allah.Since everything other than Allah, the Creator of all things, is Allah's creation; it may be said that Islam, in essence calls man away from the worship of creation and invites him to worship only its Creator. He is the only one deserving man's worship as it is only by His will that prayers are answered. If man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it was not the tree which answered his prayers but Allah who allowed the circumstances prayed for to take place. One might say, "That is obvious," however, to tree-worshippers it might not be. Similarly, prayers to Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna, to Saint Christopher, or Saint Jude or even to Muhammad, are not answered by them but are answered by Allah. Jesus did nottell his followers to worship him but to worship Allah. As the Qur'an states:

    "And behold Allah will say: "O Jesus the son of Mary Did you say to men, Worship me and my mother as gods besides Allah He will say-"Glory to you I could never say what I had no right (to say')" (Soorah Al-Maa'idah- 5:116)

Nor did he worship himself when he worshipped but rather he worshipped Allah. This basic principle is enshrined in the opening chapter of the Qur'aan, known asSoorah Al-Faatihah, verse 4:

    "You alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help".

Elsewhere, in the final book of revelation, the Qur'aan, Allah also said:

    "And your Lord says:"Call on Me and I will answer your(prayer)."(Soorsh Mu'min 40:60)

it is worth noting that the basic message of Islam is that Allah and His creation are distinctly different entities. Neither is Allah His creation or a part of it, nor is His creation Him or a part of Him.

This might seem obvious, but, man's worship of creation instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of Allah is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some aspects of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of creation though such worship maybecalled the worship of Allah through his creation. How ever, the message of Islam as brought by the prophets of Allah is to worship only Allah and to avoid the worship of his creation either directly or indirectly. In the Our'aan Allah clearlystates:

    "For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet,(with the command) worship meand avoid false gods " (Soorsh Al-Nahl 16:36)

When the idol worshipper is questioned as to why he or she bows down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping the stone image, but Allah who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only a focal point for Allah's essence and is not in itself Allah! One who has accepted the concept of the presence of God's being within His creation in any way will be obliged to accept this argument of idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never concede to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized. Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that Allah is present in man. They merely had to assert that although Allah according to their false beliefs, is in all of us, He is more present in them than in the rest of us. Hence, they claim, we should submit our will to them and worship them as they are either God in person or God concentrated within the person.

Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their passing have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God's presence in man. One who has grasped the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstances. God's religion in essence is a clear call to the worship of the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam:

"Laa Elaaha lllallaah" (There is no god but Allah)

Its repetition automatically brings one within the fold of Islam and sincere belief in it guarantees one Paradise.

    Thus, the final Prophet of Islam is reported to have said, "Any one who says: There is no god but Allah and dies holding that (belief) will enter paradise".(Reported by Abu Dharr and collected by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).

It consists in the submission to Allah as one God, yielding to Him by obeying His commandments, and the denial of polytheism and polytheists.


The Great Challenge to Produce  One Chapter Like the Chapters  of the Holy Quran.

God has said in the Quran:

 And if you are in doubt about what We have revealed (the Quran) to Our worshiper (Muhammad ), then produce a chapter like it, and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides God if you are truthful.  And if you do not do it, and you can never do it, then fear the Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones.  It has been prepared for disbelievers.  And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that for them are gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow.... (Quran, 2:23-25)

Ever since the Quran was revealed, fourteen centuries ago, no one has been able to produce a single chapter like the chapters of the Quran in their beauty, eloquence, splendor, wise legislation, true information, true prophecy, and other perfect attributes.  Also, note that the smallest chapter in the Quran (Chapter 108) is only ten words, yet no one has ever been able to meet this challenge, then or today.1  Some of the disbelieving Arabs who were enemies of the Prophet Muhammad  tried to meet this challenge to prove that Muhammad  was not a true prophet, but they failed to do so.2  This failure was despite the fact that the Quran was revealed in their own language and dialect and that the Arabs at the time of Muhammad  were a very eloquent people who used to compose beautiful and excellent poetry, still read and appreciated today.

The smallest chapter in the Holy Quran

The smallest chapter in the Holy Quran (Chapter 108) is only ten words, yet no one has ever been able to meet the challenge to produce one chapter like the chapters of the Holy Quran.

 VIRTUES of SALATUL AWWABEEN: 6 or 20 NAFL RAKA'AH

Hadrat Ayeshah narrated that the Rasoolallah said: For the person who offers 20 Raka'ah nafl after the Maghrib Salat Allah Ta'ala will make a house for him in Paradise. {Tirmidhi, Mishkat, Tarteeb Shareef pg. 169}
Hadrat Abu Hurairah narrated that the Rasoolallah said: The person who offers 6 Raka'ah Nafl after the Maghrib Salah, and does not speak evil in between receives rewards equal to 12 years of worship. {Tirmidhi, Mishkat, Tarteeb Shareef pg. 169}

How to perform prayers of Ishraq, Duha (Chaasht), Awabeen, Tahajjud, Tasbeeh, Hajaat to the benefits of greatness that accrue from them.

Prayer of Ishraq

Salatud Duha [Chaasht]

Salatul Awwabeen

Prayer of Tahajjud

Salatul Tasbih

Salatul Hajaat



Prayer of Ishraq

The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: Those who perform the Fajr prayer in congregation (Jamaa’at), read the Zikr (remembrance of Allah) till the sun has completely arisen (length of a spear from the horizon, after 20 minutes of sunrise) and read 2 Raka-at Nafil prayer, will have the benedictions (sawaab) equal to those of Haj-Umrah. It is recommended to read the Surah Fateha and Ayyat-uk-Kursi till Khaalidoon, in the first Raka-at, and in the second Raka-at to read, after Surah Fateha, Aamanar Rasul till the end of Suratul Baqarah. In the case that this verse cannot be read from memory, one can recite any other verse and then ask Duas. Woman should read all prayers of Farz and Nafil at home and will derive the same benefits (sawaab) that accrue from prayer performed at the Mosque (Tirmizi Shareef).

Salatul Duha [Chaasht]

The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: For the one that has read the 12 Raka-at Salatud Duha, Allah will build for him a golden castle in paradise, and the one that always reads the 2 Raka-ats of Chaasht will have his sins forgiven even though they may be of oceanic dimensions (Tirmizi and Then Maaja). The prayer of Chaasht consists of 2 Raka-at and of a maximum of 12 Raka-ats. It should be read between the time the sun has completely risen from the horizon and before Zawal (zenith of the sun).

Salatul Awwabeen

This Nafil prayer is read after the Farz (Fard) and Sunnat of Maghrib. It consist of a minimum of 6 Raka-ats and this Nafil prayer procures many benedictions (blessings) and mercy.

Prayer of Tahajjud

Our Master, the beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has said: In Paradise there is a castle reserved for those who read Tahajjud and the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) further adds, those who pray at night will enter paradise without having to account for their acts in this life. The Nafils of Tahajjud are read after the Esha prayer, but it is important to sleep before performing Tahajjud. The prayer consists of a minimum of 2 Raka-ats, and a maximum of 8 or 12 Raka-ats (to be read according ones capacity).

After Esha prayers sleep for some time, then wake up any time during the night before the rise of morning for Tahajjud prayers. With the performance of 2 Rakats you have duly achieved your Tahajjud. However, the performance of 8 Rakats in Sunnat, and complying with the practice of the Holy Saints of Islam and performing 12 Rakats is commendable.

It is recommended that you recite in your prayers as much of the Sacred Quran as you know. If you happen to know by heart the whole of the Sacred Quran you may, in at least 3 nights or most 4 nights of Tahajjud effectuate the complete reading of the Sacred Quran.

Otherwise, you may recite 3 Surah Ikhlas (Qul Hu Allahu Ahad) after your "Alhamdu..." in every Rakat and you will thus derive full benefits of the full recital of the Sacred Quran in every Rakat.

Salatul Tasbih

Our beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) had taught this Nafil prayer to his Uncle, Hazrat Abbas (RA) and told him; He who performs this prayer will have his past and future sins forgiven. The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has recommended to read this prayer daily on each Friday or once a month or once a year, in case of this not being possible, to read it even once in one’s life. This Nafil prayer provides limitless benefits both in the material and spiritual life.

How to perform this Nafil:

After having pronounced one’s intention (Niyat), say Allaho-Akbar, read "Subhanaka-Alla humma" completely (Sana), read now 15 times "Subhaanallah wal hamdo Lillaah wala illaha Illallah Wallah-o-Akbar." Then read Aoozu billah and Bismillah (completely) and Surah Fateha. Then recite 10 times the Tasbih mentioned above and go to Ruku. Here also recite 10 times the Tasbih before raising yourself to read another 10 times the same Tasbih, this time in a standing position. Then prostrate (Sajdah) and read 10 times the Tasbih, sit now and read again 10 times this Tasbih (Jalsa) and prostrate again, Tasbish 10 times in the 2nd Raka-at begin by reading 15 times this Tasbih before reading "Bismillah" and Surah Fateha. After that read 10 times the Tasbih and then proceed as in the first Raka-at. To end the second Raka-at, read as usual "Attahiyat", "Durood" and "Duas". Then read 2 other Raka-ats. As in each Raka-at the Tasbih is recited 75 times, it means that in all 4 Raka-at the Tasbih is read 300 times. In the other 2 Raka-at, after "Subhana Rabbiyal-azeem", read the Tasbih 75 times and in the Sajdah (prostrations after Subhaan Rabbiyal-ala) read again 75 times the Tasbih.

Note: No fixed time has been prescribed for this prayer, a fact, which means that besides any time prohibited this prayer, can be read at any time.

Salatul Hajaat

In case of difficulty, illness or of authorized necessity this prayer is read. The beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) had taught this to a blind person who, as soon as he performed it, regained his eyesight. (Tirmizi Shareef Tibrani)

To perform this prayer it is recommended to wear one’s best and clean clothes and to perform pleasingly one’s ablution (Wudu). Then 2 Raka-ta Nafil is read in the usual way, after salaam this dua is read:

Allahuma Inni As-aloka wa (Atawassalo) Wa Atawajjaaho ilaika be nabbiyeka Muhammadin nabi yir Rahmate ya Rasullulah. Inni tawajjahto be ka ila Rabbi fi hajaati haa-zehi (here we make our requests (le tuqza li) Allahumma fashaffiho fiya

Translation: O Allah I implore You and I come near You through the intermediary of Your Prophet (Nabee) Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) who is the Prophet of Grace. Ya Rasullullah, through your intercession I implore Allah to accept my request. O Allah grant the intercession of your Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in my favor.


VIRTUES of SUNNAH


"Tell them O' Muhammad that if you love Allah then follow my

footsteps {follow my Sunnah}, Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la will love you and He will forgive all your sins. Indeed He is Most Forgiving and Merciful."

Indeed following the Sunnah of the Rasoolallah is following the Siratal Mustaqeem. Indeed the very purpose of The Coming of The Rasoolallah was to show his followers how to put the Guidance of the Holy Quran into practice in their lives. This is also why Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la described His beloved messenger Muhammadin The Quran as Uswatul Husnah {the perfect model} for his followers, and indeed the word "Ummah" which means followers, is in itself self explanatory. How can we be his Ummah without following him?

When Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la has mentioned in the Holy Quran that He did not create humans and Jinns but for His Worship, it is obvious that worship does not just include rituals of Salat, Fasting, Zakah and Hajj. Since the entire purpose of our creation is to worship our Creator, our entire life is therefore to be spent in His Worship. Indeed this larger worship would include all the hours of the day, every day of the month and every day of the year. If the word worship only meant the compulsory rituals, the Rasoolallah would have finished his mission in just one year. Therefore every aspect of the life of our beloved Prophet Muhammad which is his Sunnah can truly reflect the larger and wider meaning of the word worship.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad saw therefore commanded his holy companions males, females, and his holy wives, very early in his mission to write down and note every action performed by him and everything said by him very carefully and then convey it to those not present. Therefore it is from the collection of the Ahadith {Hadith singular} that we get a clear, picture of his practices, which forms the sum total of the worship of Allah Subhanna Wa Ta'la, as revealed in the Holy Quran. To complete the picture: we need to follow and obey our Beloved Prophet Muhammad to learn how to worship our Lord and Creator; We need to look and follow the Sahabah {companions} May Allah be pleased with them all to learn how closely they obeyed and followed the Rasoolallah in every action of his, from the simplest and common place to the performance of all the compulsory rituals of worship

When there is only a single star left in the sky..
At that very moment, the path of forgiveness will close.
The writing in the Quran will vanish.
The sun will lower itself with the earth.

Prophet Muhammad Salalallahu Alayhi Wassallam said, ‘Who ever delivers this news to someone else,
I will on the Day of Judgement make for him a place in Jannat.’

When Mu’min will enter into Jannah, it will be announced

1.   You will remain healthy forever, disease will never come.
2.   You will remain alive for ever, death will never come.
3.   You will remain in bounties which will never be finished.

Jannah is made with

Bricks of Gold and Silver.
Its cement is of perfumed Musk.
Its chips are pearls and Yaqoot.
Its sand is Zafraan.

There are eight doors of Jannah. These are eight grades of Jannah

1.   Jannatul Mava
2.   Darul Maqaam
3.   Darul Salaam
4.   Darul Khuld
5.   Jannat-ul-Adan
6.   Jannat-ul-Naeem
7.   Jannat-ul-Kasif
8.   Jannat-ul-Firdous

Jannatul Mava is in the lowest,
Jannat-ul-Adan is the middle &
Jannat-ul- Firdous is on the highest.

Food of Jannah

They will eat foods and fruits continuously up to 40 years.
Every bowl will have a new taste.
They will take eructation which will digest the food and there will be perfumed sweating for the digestion of water.
There will be no urine and stool.

Place Name

There will be gardens in Jannah.
Every garden will have the length of about 100 year’s journey.
The shadow of these gardens will be very dense.
Their plants will be free of thorns.
The size of their leaves will be equal to ears of elephants.
Their fruits will be hanging in rows.

Those who love each other for the sake of Allah will get a pillar of Yaqoot,
On which there will be seventy thousand (70,000) rooms.
These will shine for the residents of Jannah as the sun shines for the residents of Duniya.

There will be rooms in Jannah in such a way that every room will have seventy thousand (70,000) dinning sheets.
On every dinning sheet 70,000 types of foods will be served.
For their service 80,000 young boys will be moving around looking like beautiful scattered pearls.

One bunch of dates will be equal to the length of 12 arms.
The size of a date will be equal to the big pitcher.
These will be whiter than milk, sweeter than honey and softer than butter and free
Of seeds.
The stem of these plants will be made up of gold and silver.
There will also be gardens of grapes. The bunches of grapes will be very big.
The size of a single grape will be equal to a big pitcher.

Someone asked, Ya Rasulullah (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam):
will it be sufficient for me and my family.

It was answered, it will be sufficient for you and your whole tribe.

The Dresses of Jannah

The dress of Jannah will be very beautiful.
One will wear 70 dresses at a time.
These will be very fine, delicate, weightless, having different colors.
These dresses will be so fine that the body even the heart will be visible.
And the waves of love in the hearts will also be visible.
These dresses will never become old, never be dirty and will never tear.

There will be four canals in every Jannah.

1.  Water
2.   Milk
3.   Honey
4.   Sharabun Tahoora.

There will also be three fountains in  Jannah:

1.   Kafoor
2.   Zanjabeel
3.   Tasneem

Qualities of People of Jannah

In Jannah, height of every Mo ‘min, will be equal to the height of

Hazrat Adam (Alaihissalaam) 60 arms (90 feet).
Beauty will be like that of Hazrat Yousuf (Alaihissalaam).
Age of youth will be like that of Hazrat Esa (Alaihissalaam) 30-33 years).
Sweetness of voice will be like that of Hazrat Dawud (Alaihissalaam).
Tolerance will be like that of Hazrat Yaqoob (Alaihissalaam).
Patience will be like that of Hazrat Ayyub (Alaihissalaam).
Habits will be like that of Sayyaduna Muhammad (Sallalahu alaihi wasallam)

NOTE:

If a person makes Du’a for Jannah three times,
Jannah requests Allah that O, Allah; make his entry into Jannah.
And if a person makes Du’a for safety from Jahannum three times,
The Jahannum requests Allah that, O, Allah; save him from Jahannum.

Please pass on and may Allah grant the entire Ummah of Nabi sallalahu alayhi wasallam Jannat ul Firdous Ameen!

Every good act is charity