Entries Tagged 'Islamic Knowledge' ↓

With the arrival of February, the most awaited day of the month is the 14^th of February. Valentine’s Day or the day of love is celebrated on this date, and the event is celebrated all across the world with full enthusiasm and joy.

Muslims have special reservations towards this day. A majority of Muslims does not celebrate this day, while those who do it, do on the name of liberalism and religious freedom. The Quran tutoring academies who teach to Western Muslims, recommend them not to celebrate this day. The lines below with two verses of Quran clearly give the verdict on Valentine’s and other such celebrations.

The first verse of Quran that can be consulted for the purpose of taking a verdict upon the celebration of Valentine’s Day is:

“Guide us to the Straight Way, The way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray.” (1:6-7)

In these verses, the clear supplication of a Muslim is given. A Muslim needs to ask Allah Almighty for the way upon which the people passed who received blessings from Allah and not His anger, neither the path of those who went astray.

Now a Muslim needs to ask, whether the Valentine’s Day celebration is the Right Path? Is it the path on which the earlier Muslims followed? Is it the path that will lead to blessings from Allah Almighty?

The answer to all these questions is a big ‘No’.

Valentine’s Day celebration is not an activity of the followers of right path, it does not bring blessings of Allah Almighty, and rather it brings His anger. The reason for all this is that, if it had been an activity of righteous people, then all Muslims must have celebrated it before the Christians and Jews started it. If it were the celebrations of rightful people, then the Jews and Christians would have been Muslims. The fact is quite contrary, where it is a day where great expenditure is made by people to show their partner how much they love each other, without considering the constraints of gender laid forward by Islam. Moreover, it encourages the ill passion of carnal lover and sexual desire among individuals, a factor that is against Islamic preaching and truly a path of those who fall astray and receive the anger of Allah Almighty.

In Islam, husband and wife can show their love to each other and celebrate it, but this love does not rely on any special day, rather you can do it any time. So, if you are husband and wife and truly love each other, then every day is Valentine’s Day for you and every night is New Year eve.

Along with the recitation of Quran if a Muslim understands the meaning of the verses then he can easily find answers to problems. Regarding Valentine’s Day another verse of Quran that gives the clear message is:

“O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are (in fact) allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you then indeed, he is (one) of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.” (5:51)

In this ayah, Allah Almighty forbids Muslims to join with Christians and Jews and not be an ally with them. Now if we view the characteristic of an ally, then one immediately gets to know that being ally means following the other ally and complementing to whatever they do. In this way, as the Valentine’s Day is celebrated by Christians and Jews, therefore, anyone who celebrates it is an ally of them. Thus, a Muslim who follows the instructions of Quran knows that celebrating Valentine’s day is an event of Christians and Jews, thus in order to be not one of them, a Muslim needs not to celebrate Valentine’s day.

In conclusion, the two aforementioned verses of Quran make it clear that celebration of Valentine’s Days is neither supported nor commended by Islam. Celebration of Valentine’s Day comes with no social, economical, or religious benefit, therefore, Muslims must condemn it and celebrate events only that are supported by Islam, and that come with benefit to humankind.

We live in a world that is full of aggression and disputes. All around the world there is turbulence and turmoil, nations fighting over land, fighting for freedom, fighting against poverty and hunger and so on. All this fighting results in drastic measures, and one of the drastic measures prevalent today is of suicide attacks.

When it comes to suicide attacks, the first image that pops up in mind is of Muslim religious fundamentalists. However, this is just the superficial level of the reality that is far deeper than mere religious thought. This image of suicide attacks pertinent to Islam is primarily due to Western monopoly and the biased role of media. The lines below discuss the history of suicide attacks with facts along with the stance Islam takes against it.

History of Suicide Attacks:

All the non-biased critics and researchers have concluded the fact that all the suicide attacks that have taken place or that are taking place have nothing to do with religion. Rather, these attacks are undertaken to achieve a particular strategic goal and in some cases, it is even secular. These goals may contain, to compel western oppressors out of their land, to make a statement against some foreign intervention in the matters of one’s country. If the history of suicidal attacks be taken into consideration, the facts that appear show that the people who initiated suicide attack were non-Muslims. Some historical facts of suicidal attacks are:

• Karl Klinke, a Prussian solider who gave his life to blow a hole in Danish fortification in the Battle of Dybbol 1864.
• In 1943, Chirstoph Freiherr von Gersdorff tried to assassinate Hitler with a suicide attack but was unsuccessful.
• Clarence Cull was charged with assassination attempt on President Franklin D. Roosevelt with a suicide bomb in 1943.
• The Kamikaze Pilots of Japan who did suicide attacks on the enemies during the World War II with their planes. They all were reverend for it and given great respect.

All these facts and other minor suicide attempts during different decades show that all of these attacks were undertaken for secular reason, therefore, there is no point in associating them with Islam or Muslims. Moreover, Muslims were not the initiators of the suicide attacks; the credit to it goes to the West.

Stance of Islam:

Islam is clearly against any attempt that comes under the heading of suicide and results in killing of innocent people. Holy Qur’an reading makes it clear, as Allah Almighty says in it:

“O ye who believe!.. [Do not] kill yourselves, for truly Allah has been to you Most Merciful. If any do that in rancour and injustice, soon shall We cast him into the Fire..” (Quran 4:29-30)

This ayah of Quran clearly shows that Allah Almighty clearly forbids any killing of oneself for an unjust and hostile purpose. Therefore, any killing that has an unjust or hostile purpose is clearly against Quran and forbidden.

Further Allah Almighty says in Quran:

“And fight in the way of God against those who fight you. But do not transgress the limits. Truly God does not love transgressors.” (2:190)

In this ayah also, it is evident that Allah Almighty does not like transgression, and in light of above mentioned ayah, suicide comes under the flag of transgression. Therefore, killing oneself and as a result of which other innocent lose their lives too, is surely transgression and not liked by Allah Almighty.

The suicide attacks primarily result in killing of innocent civilians. Quran clearly tells us that killing of one innocent is equal to killing of whole of humanity. Moreover, Prophet (PBUH) himself seconded the message of Quran in his hadith:

“Allah takes mercy upon those who take mercy upon fellow human beings. You treat the inhabitants of earth with compassion and the inhabitant of Heaven (Allah) shall show compassion towards you.” (Tirmizi, Abu Dawood)

Everyone agrees on the fact that suicide attack is an act of brutality, which is totally opposite to compassion, therefore, how can such a person expect mercy and compassion from Allah Almighty.

Different Muslim scholars have given fatwas about suicide attacks being haram and totally forbidden in Islam. People who learn Quran and understand it know that any such action is not supported in Islam, rather it is just an act of ignorance by extremists, and is not what Islam preaches.

Conclusion:

There is no evidence that Islam supports suicide attacks and killing of innocents. Rather, the history of the attacks shows that these are acts that have nothing to do with religion; rather they are undertaken with strategic objective in mind. Moreover, Islam above all is a religion of peace, and can never commend or support any such action.

May Allah Almighty save us all from such attacks and guide us in having a better and true understanding of the Islam and its Teachings. Ameen!

The latest issue haunting the Muslim world is the derogatory movie made against the Holy Prophet (PBUH). The protest and the fire in the heart of Muslims across the world had not ceased, that a French magazine came up with the caricature of Prophet (PBUH) resulting in adding insult to injury. The only reason because of why Western world could come up with against all this derogation and hurting of billion Muslims is the Freedom of Speech.

Freedom of speech is to say what a person wants regardless of any insight to the consequences. The lines below give a detail of the concept of freedom of speech in West and their contradictions, along with the sayings of Islam on freedom of speech in light of holy Quran learning and Sunnah.

West And Its Contradictions:

Every where the modern countries of West are found speaking freedom of speech, however, firstly their lie contradiction in their saying and doing, and secondly, as per say there cannot be such a concept of freedom of speech.

Contradictions:

Some of the major contradictions in the Western world pertaining to the slogan of freedom of speech are:

• In Europe certain social and legal limits are imposed on publication of Semitic cartoons, and as per law the person doing so is liable to be prosecuted legally. Moreover, in some of the European countries the law restricts everyone not to say that Hitler was the killer of Jews. On the other hand, when it comes to the movie and sketches against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) the hypocritical Europe calls it freedom of speech.
• In UK there exists Official Secrets Act, which binds all the workers of UK intelligence agencies to sign a paper which restricts their freedom of speech in matters of national security.
• In United States also the CIA officials are bound to keep everything secret as per law. The law initiated when CIA officials started writing memoirs. Thus the hypocrisy of United States pertaining to freedom of speech.

As a matter of fact, no matter how liberal the West is, they have never been able to establish a true definition of freedom of speech. Would calling prostitution good, pornography a healthy thing be considered freedom of speech? The answer is that it is very subjective and the West could never define freedom of speech, neither can it allow someone to speak against its opinions. Therefore, the Western Freedom of Speech slogan is fallible; hence it needs not to be followed.

Islamic Point Of View:

The Islamic point of view about the freedom of speech is quite clear; there is no ‘freedom of speech’ slogan in Islam. Rather Islam has given us Quran and Sunnah as the boundaries, staying within which a Muslim can say or debate about anything. Therefore, there is no need to follow the Western slogan of freedom of speech. Allah Almighty says in Quran:

“We have set you on a plain way of commandment so follow it, and not the desires of those who have no knowledge.” (Quran 45:18)

Therefore, Holy Quran reading gives guidance to Muslim about anything they want to say about anything. In lights of Quran Muslims can decide whether the speech about a particular person or topic is to be made or not.

It is not that Islam does not allow proclamation of opinion freely; rather it is allowed but within the boundaries set by Quran and Sunnah. Some examples that show the Islamic freedom of opinion and respect to the feelings of others are given below:

• Harun al-Rahid would give financial incentives to those who would learn, teach and debate about issues of deen for the purpose of clear understanding.
• Prophet (PBUH) said: “The master of martyrs is Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib and a man who stood up to an oppressive ruler, ordered hi (to do good) and forbade him (from doing evil) and was killed by him.”  Thus Muslims have freedom of expressing their opinion when it is against an oppressor abusing his authority or anything happening against Islam.
• When it comes to tolerating non-Muslims, Prophet (PBUH) clearly said: “Whoever hurts a non-Muslim citizen of an Islamic state hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys Allah”. (Bukhari) The hadith clearly shows the value preached to Muslims in respecting and securing the non-Muslim citizens, their beliefs and lives both.

In short, a Muslim of today’s world does not need to follow the Western hypocritical slogan of freedom of speech. Rather a Muslim needs to follow the instructions of Quran and the Sunnah of Holy Prophet (PBUH) which in reality are what they preach on contrary to Western slogan. Therefore, a Muslim must always speak and express opinion in guidance of Quran and Sunnah and not follow the hollow charm of West.

Every person who is born to Muslim parents is a Muslim by birth and a person who accepts Islam after by saying the Kalma is also a Muslim. However, being a Muslim is far more than merely being born to Muslim parents or just entering Islam by saying Kalma. The need for a Muslim is to follow and practice Islam.

After entering Islam or realizing the fact of being a Muslim, it is the duty of every Muslim to follow the Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The lines below give useful tips extracted from Sunnah and Quran that can help a Muslim to become a pure:

1. Faith In Allah-

First of all you need to have a strong unflinching faith on the Supremacy of Allah. He is the creator of all and whatever happens in this world is as per His will. Have strong faith in Allah, all His Prophets and Books He bestowed upon mankind.

2. Pray- Thing to adhere to in prayers is not saying them as a robot, rather there needs to be sincerity in your prayers. Take prayers as a source that helps you avoid all other sins, instead of just performing prayers and continuing sins likewise. Pray with true heart and spirit.

3. Midnight Prayers- Say the prayer of Tahajjud at midnight when most of the people are in sleep. Waking up at midnight shows that your love with Allah and for only him you have woke up and not for reasons of boasting in front of others.

4. Zikr- Reciting the name of Allah Almighty all the times makes a person blessing full. The Zikr purifies a person and makes him close to Allah Almighty.

5. Shukar- Being grateful to Allah Almighty for all you have whether it’s physical, spiritual or mental is another trait of a pure Muslim. When a person believes that all is from Allah Almighty and he becomes more thankful and grateful to Allah for all His blessings.

6. Quran and Hadith- In order to become a true Muslim, a person needs to stay in constant touch with Quran and Hadith of Prophet (PBUH). Both these sources provide guidelines to becoming a true Muslim, no matter whichever walk of life you belong to. If you don’t have time to read Quran at home, you can read Quran online in your office, same goes for Hadith as well.

7. Protect Chastity- Adultery is one of the major sins, therefore, to become a true, you need to protect chastity and always ask Allah for protection.

8. Keeping Promises- Prophet (PBUH) always kept His promise no matter whatever the situation is. Therefore, to become a pure and true Muslim you need to keep your promises, and honor your commitments.

9. Fast- Besides the month of Ramadan fast in other months as well. But do not fast to impress, rather fast only because you want to do it for Allah and Prophet (PBUH) did it as well.

10. Never Lie- One among the people who is most hated by Allah is whom who lies. In order to become a pure Muslim, you need to be a void of lying. When you become a pure Muslim, you become a role model, and a role models are not worth following if the person is a liar. Therefore, commit never to lie.

11. Be Kind- To become a pure you also need to be a kind to everyone, regardless of that they are Muslim or not, as it is what our Prophet (PBUH) did. Moreover, if you are a man, then the best thing you can do is to be kind to your family, as Prophet (PBUH) said:

“The best of you is he who is best to his family.”

12. Strive Towards Goodwill- The path of becoming a pure Muslim also requires sacrifice. In order to practice goodwill, you will have to sacrifice your personal will, be giving, be considerate, helpful, courteous, and charitable, participate in Quran teaching and be a source of providing happiness to others.

In short, being a pure Muslim is not just following a single instruction of Islam. Rather, to become a true Muslim you will have to follow Quran and Sunnah and make them a part of your life, and to seek guidance from both these sources.

Many people consider themselves as more Islamic and religious but they are unaware of the proper teachings of Islam and the Holy Quran. They take the belief from any other source which might not be that authentic, and the credibility is also doubted. Some sources spread false knowledge about the Holy Quran, and some people start believing in that knowledge, as a result their perception gets distorted and their belief becomes weak. Allah has identified about these twisters as follow:

“Among them is a group who distort the Book with their tongues so that you think it is from the Book when it is not from the Book. They say, ‘it is from Allah’, but it is not from Allah. They tell a lie against Allah and they know it.” Al-Imran, 3:78, Al-Qur’an

One of the consistent features of such people is that they think that they have true knowledge of the religion Islam and believe they are religious while they fail to describe the verses of Holy Quran. There might be vast technical knowledge, but it is not based on the Holy Quran. Therefore, they don’t care what they are claiming in the Holy Quran is true or not. While giving the impressions of Muslims, many people get into the debates and arguments about the Holy Quran. Quran teaching for kids and adults help them to understand the real knowledge of Allah Almighty.

Holy Quran contains the religious text of Islam. Muslims consider it as the verbatim of word of Almighty Allah. It is regarded as one the finest pieces of literature in the Arabic language. It is divided into 114 suras of different lengths. Holy Quran was revealed through the Angel Hazrat Jibril A.S from Allah to Muhammad PBUH over a period of almost 23 years. After the death of Muhammad (P.B.U.H), Holy Quran was compiled into a single book at the suggestion of Hazrat Umar (R.A). After the Caliph Umar (R.A) died, widow of Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and daughter of Umar (R.A) was entrusted with the text of Quran. Uthman R.A made many copies of redaction for standardizing the text. This process is known as “Uthmanic recension.” The current form of the Holy Quran is final as it is compiled by Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddique R.A.

Muslims regard the Holy Quran as the miracle of Muhammad (P.B.U.H). The culmination of series of divine messages starts with the messages that are revealed to Hazrat Adam A.S, regarded in Islam as the first Prophet. Therefore, the authenticity of Holy Quran cannot be challenged. It is therefore a great sin for a Muslim to doubt its authenticity.

To know better about the Holy Quran, a Muslim must understand its teachings through Quranic verses translation, only this way a person will be able to understand the real teachings of Islam. Here two points arise, one situation is where a person is ignorant and the other is where the person has the knowledge but he spread false information. In order to know about the right teachings of Islam, one can look out for good Quran teacher who can teach you well. While people who present the teachings of Holy Quran in a twisted manner will definitely get punishment for this act at the Day of Judgment.

Taraweeh prayers are performed by all Muslims at night in the month of Ramadan. Contrary to this belief, they are not at all compulsory and many Muslims pray these in evening. It is also said by some scholars that it is not fard nor it is Sunnah, instead it is Tahajjud prayer which is shifted for praying after the Isha. These prayers are prayed in the pair of two and can also be prayed into 20 rakaat as said by the Shafii and Hanafis of Sunni Islam. Just like the Taraweeh prayers, Quran Recitation Online can help you a lot in the recitation of Quran by sitting at your home. However, talking about broader spectrum, these prayers are performed in a much wider scope and there are different opinions about it. Studying the history provides with different answers and these prayers were offered in a various patterns during different times.

Fasts are among the special Ibadah of month of Ramadan and Taraweeh Salah. According to Hadith from Sahaba, it was derived that Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) once performed Salah in the Nabawi mosque, and then Sahabah followed him. Later on a large congregation also followed while Sahaba followed the Salaah. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) did not come to offer Salah Taraweeh on the third and fourth night.

Here Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said to Sahabah: “I noticed your fervour and did not come to the Masjid to perform the Salaah fearing that this Taraweeh salaah should become compulsory for you.”

It is therefore clear that Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) performed prayed all regularly in all these nights but stopped this practice in between because of the fear that it would be made Fradh instead of Sunnah. A research done on Ahadeeth Allama Showkaani reveals the truth that Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) never mentioned rakaahs for the Taraweeh.

Taraweeh Salah During the period of Hazrat Umar:

During the Khilafaah, Hazrat Umar Farooq combined the small congregations into a single one because there was no possibility of existence of Taraweeh Salah. Alongwith the approval of Sahabahs, there were almost twenty Rakaahs Taraweeh Salah that need to be performed at every night of Ramadan. These are followed by the three Rakahs of Salaah Witr. Many people today perform the Taraweeh Salah today with Jamaah in the whole Ramadan as it carried out in the time of Hazrat Umar. There is objection of people on the Rakaahs, however, if they continue to follow the Hadith in their mind, this objection can be removed very easily.

In a Hadith, Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) emphasized on his Ummah that it is necessary for all of them to follow the practices of Khulafaa Raashideen. The life of Hazrat Umar is a practical representation of this hadith. Third Khalifa Hazrat Uthman(RA) continued practicing the twenty Rakaahs in congregation which were later on followed by three Rakahs of Witr. This pattern was followed mostly at the time of Hazrat Umar.

Taraweeh Prayers in Masjid Haraam:

According to most scholars, number of Rakaahs in the Salah of Taraweeh is twenty. This is also the opinion of Hazrat Sufyan and Hazrat Abdullah, as Hazrat Imaam Shafi said: “I have seen the learned scholars of Makkah perform twenty Rakaahs of Taraweeh salaah.”

The historian of Makkah, Ishaaq said that during Ramadan, people of Makkah offered all the periods of Taraweeh. This shows that they are performing the old pattern of Salaah. The Rakaahs of Taraweeh were performed in the Makkah in Mosque Haraam for many centuries.

Taraweeh Salah in Nabawi Mosque:

The famous Saudi scholar and traveler Sheikh Salim was a lecturer in the Nabawi mosque wrote a book that has the title of “The history of the Taraweeh salaah in the Masjidun Nabawi for more than a thousand years.”

There are several occasions that are deemed as a blessing and gift from Allah Almighty other than Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adhaa in Islamic societies all around the world, and one such revered occasion is Isra or Me’raj that occurs on 27^th of Islamic month of Rajab (the 7^th month according to Islamic calendar). This year, Isra/Me’raj will fall on 17^th of 2012.

Isra or Me’raj, according to Islamic theology, concerns establishment and acknowledgement of Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) miraculous journey from Mecca through Jerusalem and his eventual ascension to Heavens before the all mighty all powerful Allah (SWT).

Isra, Me’raj and Qur’an

Some people refer to this revered event as a fabrication because of its details that do not concede with common human intellect. In fact, the ascension of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to Heavens is the truest of events as there are narrations of it in a source as authentic and eternal as Holy Qur’an:

“Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allaah) [above all that (evil) they associate with Him] Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al‑Masjid Al‑Haraam (at Makkah) to Al‑Masjid Al‑Aqsa (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad) of Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All‑Hearer, the All‑Seer”[al-Isra’ 17:1]

In fact, that is why learning Qur’an is seen as a religious obligation on Muslims ever since its revelation, as it contains knowledge and information on everything that people might ever need. Today, one can even recite and read holy Quran online, getting high quality assistance needed to do so while sitting within the comforts of their own homes.

Explanation

Fact of the matter is that Isra/Me’raj is not described in detail in Qur’an. The details come to us from hadith and other authentic Islamic traditions that explain this miraculous journey in fine details. According to those details, this journey comprised of two parts:

Isra – First part of the journey

Islamic scholars are of the view that this miraculous journey comprised of two parts; the first one referred as Isra that involves Muhammad’s (PBUH) visit to Jerusalem in company of Archangel Gabriel (may peace be upon him) where he prayed with all the Prophets including Adam, Jesus, Moses, and others. Gabriel presented Muhammad (PBUH) with Burraq, a special kind of ride bestowed to them by Allah Almighty that travelled lightening fast to enable them complete this multidimensional journey merely in a matter of one night.

Burraq

According to Islamic traditions, Burraq was a ride specially sent from heavens for Muhammad (PBUH) to help him travel at lightening speeds. Many scholars also believe it resembled a horse, which by the way, should not matter, because the point lies in its lightening fast speed rather than its size, shape, or nature.

Me’raj – Second part of the journey

Islamic theology states that Me’raj constitutes the latter half of this revered journey when Muhammad was ascended to Heavens where he practically witnessed hell and heaven by wish and will of Allah Almighty. The word Me’raj equates to “ladder” in Arabic that is also expressive of the nature of this journey. Different levels and intensities of hell and heaven were shown to Muhammad (PBH) during this phase of journey as well.

Incumbency of daily prayers

It is also through Me’raj that Muslims were granted the gift of 5 daily prayers by Allah Almighty. As a matter of fact, Allah initially awarded 50 prayers a day to Muhammad (PBUH), which was later on reduced to 5 times a day. This is another great significance of Me’raj.

How Muslims honor Isra/Me’raj

Muslims commemorate this gracious event by praying to Allah Almighty and praising Muhammad (PBUH). They try to pray as much as possible this day to appease Allah (SWT). Muslims try to recite as much of Qur’an this day as possible. As stated earlier, one can also perform Quran recitation to express their love, respect, and gratitude to The One Who deserves all praise and worship, i.e. Allah Almighty.

Conclusion

This revered occasion bestows Muslims with great opportunity of not only thanking Allah Almighty and His beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), but it also serves as a reminder to them about the power and might of Allah (SWT) Who is capable of showing us anything He wants. May Allah Almighty bestow us with all the blessings this Isra/Me’raj and set our direction right.

The infinite colors of this world and the whole universe have always been a great source of inspiration for brilliant minds, intriguing them to uncover and explore what inspires them and much beyond. However, no matter how colorful, bright, and attractive all this might be; it was never meant to be eternal, as told by the ultimate Creator and Cherisher of the whole cosmos several times in Holy Quran and that is why Qur’an is referred as the ultimate source of guidance and knowledge for whole of the humanity.

Though there are many verses in Holy Qur’an, presenting the same ultimate truth in various perspectives; given below is just one example that should suffice very much in this regard:

(Qur’an; 5:22) O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm then out of a leech-like clot, then out a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (Our Power) to you; ……. .

This inevitable event, marking the end of this worldly life, whose exact time is known by none other than Allah Almighty, is referred as The Judgment Day or The Day of Resurrection as we get to know from various verses of Holy Quran. In fact, that is why Allah and His last apostle Muhammad (PBUH) insisted so much on reading and learning Qur’an. For people like us, living their lives in this information rich world, there is a great opportunity to read Quran online as well, as offered by many online Quran schools.

Some signs for The Resurrection Day (Irrespective of chronological order)

Getting back to the main theme of this article; though the exact moment that is going to host this call for Resurrection is known only to Allah Almighty; many of its signs are illustrated in Hadeeth as well, some of which are described in the lines to follow:

• The inevitable coming of Allah’s last Apostle Muhammad (PBUH), which in fact, has already happened

• Slaves getting in place of masters

• Engagement of shepherds into construction of very tall buildings; this is something to be witnessed currently as in Saudi Arabia and almost all of the United Arab Emirates

• Coming of Anti-Christ (also referred as Al-Dajjal)

• Rebirth of Jesus the Christ (PBUH)

• Population of females in the world increasing significantly greater than the population of men, and this is also something already happening in many countries of the world, such as the United States of America, France, Australia, Austria, etc

• Fornication and drinking will increasingly prevail among all societies of the world; yet another undeniable reality, getting more and more visible with every passing day

• Another sign marking the nearing of The Day of Judgment will be that time will pass more quickly than ever, so much so that a year will pass like a month; month will go by like a day and a day speeding up like an hour

Conclusion

The point is not when exactly will this inevitable event of Resurrection take place; the point is in heeding to what Allah Almighty wants from us as His humble creatures, and the best way to equip ourselves with this kind of knowledge is none other than Qur’an and Hadeeth. As mentioned earlier, as inhabitants of current times, online Quran schools can be one of the most effective and convenient mediums for Quran learning, Quran teaching, and knowledge of Hadeedht as well.

The best way to conclude this discussion is to present readers with the true purpose and objective of our lives as mentioned in the Holy Quran:

Did you then think that We had created you in jest (without any purpose), and that you would not be returned to Us (in the Hereafter)? So, God is exalted, the True King. None has the right to be worshipped but Him… (Quran, 23:115-116)

And

“And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they dwell therein forever.” (Quran, 2:82)

Though Islam is not the only divine religion descended upon humanity for the ultimate purpose of their guidance, but it is definitely the final one chosen for this purpose by the ultimate creator Allah Almighty. This is not just some positive apprehension, but it is a fact mentioned by Allah (SWT) in the final Scripture, the Holy Quran, such as in the verse mentioned below:

This day, I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…” (Holy Qur’an, 5:3)

Now, mention of the word “complete” means comprehensively complete; covering all aspects of life, including the most talked about one today, i.e. human rights. Unlike what is portrayed about state of affairs related to human rights in Islamic societies on media, let us have a deeper look at the ultimate source of guidance for Muslims, i.e. the Holy Quran and try to infer truth from it. This shall also compel us to find a learned and experienced Quran teacher who might guide us in detail about teachings of Islam as mentioned in Qur’an.

Freedom of choosing religion

Let us start by one of the most popularized allegation on Islam, i.e. people are forcefully converted to Islam. Have a look at this clear and blunt verse that shall serve enough to conclude the true state of affairs in this regard from true Islamic perspective:

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things. (2:256)

Protecting all under Islamic jurisdiction

Yet another proof to Islam’s intent to unbiased justice and freedom in an Islamic society comes from the fact that it not only cares for Muslims living in an Islamic society, but cares for all, irrespective of their religions. “Dhimmi” is a term that refers to non Muslims living in an Islamic state. Look what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in this regard:

“One who kills a man under covenant (i.e., dhimmi) will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise.”

Protesting tyranny

Today, media portrays Islam as a religion that promotes tyranny. Though it appears true under current circumstances when majority of Islamic societies are being ruled by tyrants, but this is much far from true Islamic perspective that can be seen from the following statement of the first Caliph of Muslims, i.e. Abu Bakar (R.A):

“Cooperate with me when I am right but correct me when I commit error; obey me so long as I follow the commandments of Allah and His Prophet; but turn away from me when I deviate.”

Share of needy in basic necessities of life

This is yet another brilliant chapter in Islam’s concern about human welfare. It asks and encourages for provision of basic necessities of life to all, especially the needy ones, as evident from the following verse:

Adh-Dhariyat [51:19] And in their wealth and possessions (was remembered) the right of the (needy), him who asked and him who (for some reason) was prevented (from asking).

Securing life and property

Security of human life and property is also very important in regard to Islam’s concept of human welfare. Have a look at the following words from The Last Sermon of Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at Hajja-tul-vida:

“Your lives and properties are forbidden to one another till you meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection.”

Conclusion

The points mentioned above serve just a little fraction of the comprehensive teachings of Islam on human rights in Qur’an and Sunnah. That is why learning both of them are so imperative to Muslims. In fact, we can do it in the most convenient manner by registering with Quran online institutions where tutors help people in learning the ways of Quran and Sunnah.

Remember, Allah Almighty has descended His final message to humanity in the form of Quran, to be complemented by Sunnah as well. Now, it rests upon us to get acquainted with it and get the best out of it. Make sure you also do that before it is too late.

One of the testaments to the truth and reality of Islam is the fact that ever since its inception, it has been under the attack of so many enemies collectively; but the number of its followers is increasing till date despite all odds. In fact, this number has gone much higher in recent past, despite the efforts of Islam’s enemies to subdue it by spreading different false perceptions about it in masses through their stronghold on popular media.

Questioning women’s status in Islam

Of all the propaganda against Islam, one of the most favorite areas of Islam-haters is the women’s status in Islam. As mentioned earlier, with their influence on almost all popular media of the world, anti-Islam forces keep trying to propagate falsely that Islam is some sort of anti-women religion that has nothing else to do other than suppress, disrespect, and disgrace women. Oh God! How ironic it is that such people try to portray Islam as an anti-women religion and more irony lies in the fact that people start believing so without making any kind of research at their own. Irrespective of what different people (Muslims or non-Muslims, for that matter) have to say about Islam, the best way to have a clear idea about its teachings is through consulting Holy Prophet Muhammad (PPBUH) and Holy Quran. So, let us have a glimpse of what Quran has to say about women in their different ages, roles, and statuses:

Islam’s stance on female children

At the time when Islam first glorified the whole world, things were much worse than they seem to be today. Pre-Islamic Arabian culture was of brutally killing (to the extent of burying alive) their female children soon after they were born, or a bit later on still at a younger age. None other than Islam had the courage and strength to challenge and stop that cruel practice that was adamantly followed by those people. In fact, Quran Reading reveals to us what Islam’s view on that was, as can be seen from the following verse:

When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! ith shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on? (16:57-58)

Islam’s stance on adult females

Yet again, those lucky few females who reached adulthood during those times of ignorance and darkness were treated as a material commodity. They were not respected as wives and life partners, but were treated as objects of trade and reconciliation. People never bothered giving them their due share in inheritance. Let’s have a glance at what Quran tells us about Islam’s stance on adult women in these scenarios:

O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may Take away part of the dower ye have given them,-except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good. (4:19)

As mentioned previously, Qur’an is truly a comprehensive book of life and one can get any type of answer if they truly seek for it through Qur’an. It is better resorting to the assistance of a learned Quran Teacher who can teach it to you; so that you can search for all the answers you need in Qur’an.

Conclusion

Winding up the debate, there is no point in assuming things. The better way is to search for the reality by yourself and Qur’an can be the best of your guides in this regard. At the end, just have a look at the following verse to realize that for Allah Almighty, gender does not come into consideration while deciding the fate of any human being:

An-Nahl [16:97] Whoever works righteousness, man or woman and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.