HOW TO PRAY
Islam Is A Religion Of Peace.
(Syed Faisal Iqbal., Lahore)
The topic "Islam is a religion of peace" is based on such a reality which cannot be denied because it is an eternal truth. To support my point first of all we discuss about what is meant by the word ISLAM?
The root of the word ISLAM is "salam" which means "Peace" so it means peace and safety and ALLAH ALMIGHTY calls his being to "The House of Peace".
In Quran ALLAH says;
"To you be your religion, and to me my religion."
According to this verse one can live according to his own religion of once own choice, This shows the great importance. ISLAM attaches to such values as mercy and compassion and when there is mercy and compassion, ofcource the will prevail all over.
Once our Holy prophet HAZRAT MUHAMMAD (P.B.U.H) stands in the respect of non Muslim. When he goes back, the people said to HAZRAT MOHAMMAD (P.B.U.H); "Oh prophet he was a funeral of a Jew not a Muslim", the HAZRAT MOHAMMAD (PBUH) replied" Was he not a human being?" so ever human being is worthy of respect.
unfortunately because of the middle Eastern events of the last couple of decades ISLAM has been branded by the media as a religion of violence….this is totally wrong and against all the facts. it is just like saying that the CATHOLIC CHURCH promotes violence and terrorism due to Irish Republican armed activities…, ISLAM is a religion of peace in its fullest sense.
ISLAM says " murder of one personthe murder of all humanity"……this wholly depicts the picture of a religion which always protest the inhumane behavior of the individuals of society……Islam not only gives rights to Muslims but it equally supports the identity and rights of non-believers as well.
IN MY WAY, THE LIGHT I SEE,
THE SHADE, LIKE A TREE,
IT IS A MESSAGE, WHICH I FOLLOW,
THE MESSAGE OF ISLAM,
PEACE EVER WHERE AND HARMONY………..
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What Islam Says?
1-Islam asks for worshipping just one god "Allah" (the father in your religion) and believing in the prophet Mohammed and all the prophets before him as Jesus and Abraham. We believe that there aren't any sons to Allah or gods.
2- Islam doesn’t degrade other prophets, but respect them. It is a big sin to say something rude about one of them or their good relatives as Maria (Mary).
3- Islam says that the one whose doles are more than his sins will enter paradise and vice versa.
4- Islam say that we should build and work on earth not just pray. When we were religious, we were more advanced than West. They took our culture and became more advanced as we became less religious.
5-Islam ordered us to be just and fair in judging between people, and not to hurt or offend any one. Even animals, we mustn't hurt or kill them except if they became dangerous or harmful. There is a story says that there was a religious woman who prisoned a cat till death, so went to hell, and another bad (did many sins) woman who saved another cat from death so she enter paradise. Mercy is very important in our religion.
6-Islam hate very much betrayal, lying (falsity), wantonness, oppression, cheating and laziness. Islam like very much honesty, truthfulness, piety, justice, activity, patience, forgiveness and mercy.
7- Islam want to achieve the welfare to all people. Islam urge us to give poor people money as we can because these people must live and this money is from Allah, He gave it to us to live and make others live also.
8- Islam urge us so much to vouch orphans i.e. to send them money or let them live in this one's house in order that this money will let them live a normal life as if they have their dads.
9- Islam urge us not to break promises, it is bad that one promise someone to do something then he breaks this promise.
10-Islam urge us to be patient and forgiving, if someone blackguard us, it is preferable to be patient and forgive him, not to get back the insult.
11-Islam ask us to be in touch with our relatives, not to leave them away, to help them if they need us, because this will create a love atmosphere between the relatives who are very near to one relation.
12-Islam hate very much killing people or animals without a legal reason. To kill someone is a very big sin, and this murderer must be killed. If someone kills someone by accident, then he must pay money.
13-In Islam there is small sins and big ones. Big ones such as: to steal, to cheat [1] , to lie or to take drugs because all these are very bad to society and to oneself.
14-In Islam, to be religious doesn’t mean not to marriage or leave life with its technology, welfare or stick to old or very simple life. One can be religious and marry, live a luxury life, pray and work and play some sports and so on.
15-In Islam, we enter paradise by our good deeds not by our money or position in life. Islam don’t make a difference between people except in piety. We all equal except in devotion. He better than me because he is more religious. When we go to make our pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, we all wear nearly the same clothes, we do the same deeds, in the same time, in the same places, no matter who is so and so and the other is so and so.
16-In Islam, we aren’t punished if we do something wrong by accident i.e. we don’t mean it, but if this something destroy another one possessions, we must pay for what we destroy. Or be punished because we forgot to do something we?to do it , e.g. if I am in Ramadan (the month of fasting) and I forgot so and ate some food or drink some water, I won?e punished or repeat this day just throw out the food from my mouth if there is something in it and continue without any problem. Or be punished for doing something wrong someone forced us to do it.
17-In Islam, we must knock at the door before entering someone house, and it is preferable to knock just 3 times, because if he don’t to open the door, wouldn’t be disturbed by many times knocks. Inside someone house we must ask for permission to enter the other room in 3 times in the day: in dawn time, in noon time and at night, because in these 3 times one may take off some of his clothes while sleeping. And it is preferable to ask for permission to enter in all the times.
18-Islam have a Holly Book named "Quran", Quran is Allah's words, so it was protected from distortion, it is just as God descend it from heaven about 1431 years ago. If any one have a very old copy of it, he will find it exactly the same as nowadays. Nothing has changed, added, deleted or replaced. God said in Quran:" We (God) have, without doubt, send down the message (Quran); and We will assuredly protect it (from corruption) quran can't be translated exactly because it is a miracle: no one can imitate it at all, Many people tried so but they all failed. The last time I heard something like this was on the Internet.
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How to Convert to Islam and Become a Muslim
The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process that requires no pre-requisites. One may convert alone in privacy, or he/she may do so in the presence of others.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion of God, then, all one needs to do is pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The “Shahada” is the first and most important of the five pillars of Islam.
With the pronunciation of this testimony, or “Shahada”, with sincere belief and conviction, one enters the fold of Islam.
Upon entering the fold of Islam purely for the Pleasure of God, all of one’s previous sins are forgiven, and one starts a new life of piety and righteousness. The Prophet said to a person who had placed the condition upon the Prophet in accepting Islam that God would forgive his sins:
“Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins which come before it?” (Saheeh Muslim)
When one accepts Islam, they in essence repent from the ways and beliefs of their previous life. One need not be overburdened by sins committed before their acceptance. The person’s record is clean, and it is as if he was just born from his mother’s womb. One should try as much as possible to keep his records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible.
The Holy Quran and Hadeeth (prophetic sayings) both stress the importance of following Islam. God states:
“...The only religion in the sight of God is Islam...” (Quran 3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Quran, God states:
“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter, he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the Hellfire).” (Quran 3:85)
In another saying, Muhammad, the Prophet of God, said:
“Whoever testifies that there in none worthy of being worshipped but God, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Prophet, and that Jesus is the Slave of God, His Prophet, and His word[1] which He bestowed in Mary and a spirit created from Him; and that Paradise (Heaven) is true, and that the Hellfire is true, God will eventually admit him into Paradise, according to his deeds.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The Prophet of God, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, also reported:
“Indeed God has forbidden to reside eternally in Hell the person who says: “I testify that none has the right to worship except Allah (God),’ seeking thereby the Face of God.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The Declaration of the Testimony (Shahada)
To convert to Islam and become a Muslim a person needs to pronounce the below testimony with conviction and understanding its meaning:
I testify “La ilah illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah.”
The translation of which is:
“I testify that there is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and that Muhammad is a Messenger (Prophet) of God.”
To hear it click here or click on “Live Help” above for assistance by chat.
When someone pronounces the testimony with conviction, then he/she has become a Muslim. It can be done alone, but it is much better to be done with an adviser through the “Live Help” at top, so we may help you in pronouncing it right and to provide you with important resources for new Muslims.
The first part of the testimony consists of the most important truth that God revealed to mankind: that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God. God states in the Holy Quran:
“We did not send the Messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘none has the right to be worshipped except I, therefore worship Me.’” (Quran 21:25)
This conveys that all forms of worship, whether it be praying, fasting, invoking, seeking refuge in, and offering an animal as sacrifice, must be directed to God and to God alone. Directing any form of worship to other than God (whether it be an angel, a messenger, Jesus, Muhammad, a saint, an idol, the sun, the moon, a tree) is seen as a contradiction to the fundamental message of Islam, and it is an unforgivable sin unless it is repented from before one dies. All forms of worship must be directed to God only.
Worship means the performance of deeds and sayings that please God, things which He commanded or encouraged to be performed, either by direct textual proof or by analogy. Thus, worship is not restricted to the implementation of the five pillars of Islam, but also includes every aspect of life. Providing food for one’s family, and saying something pleasant to cheer a person up are also considered acts of worship, if such is done with the intention of pleasing God. This means that, to be accepted, all acts of worship must be carried out sincerely for the Sake of God alone.
The second part of the testimony means that Prophet Muhammad is the servant and chosen messenger of God. This implies that one obeys and follows the commands of the Prophet. One must believe in what he has said, practice his teachings and avoid what he has forbidden. One must therefore worship God only according to his teaching alone, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelations and inspirations conveyed to him by God.
One must try to mold their lives and character and emulate the Prophet, as he was a living example for humans to follow. God says:
“And indeed you are upon a high standard of moral character.” (Quran 68:4)
God also said:
“And in deed you have a good and upright example in the Messenger of God, for those who hope in the meeting of God and the Hereafter, and mentions God much.” (Quran 33:21)
He was sent in order to practically implement the Quran, in his saying, deeds, legislation as well as all other facets of life. Aisha, the wife of the Prophet, when asked about the character of the Prophet, replied:
“His character was that of the Quran.” (As-Suyooti)
To truly adhere to the second part of the Shahada is to follow his example in all walks of life. God says:
“Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love God, then follow me.’” (Quran 3:31)
It also means that Muhammad is the Final Prophet and Messenger of God, and that no (true) Prophet can come after him.
“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you but he is the Messenger of God and the last (end) of the Prophets and God is Ever All-Aware of everything.” (Quran 33:40)
All who claim to be prophets or receive revelation after Muhammad are imposters, and to acknowledge them would be tantamount to disbelief.
We welcome you to Islam, congratulate you for your decision, and will try to help you in any way we can.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion of God, then, all one needs to do is pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The “Shahada” is the first and most important of the five pillars of Islam.
With the pronunciation of this testimony, or “Shahada”, with sincere belief and conviction, one enters the fold of Islam.
Upon entering the fold of Islam purely for the Pleasure of God, all of one’s previous sins are forgiven, and one starts a new life of piety and righteousness. The Prophet said to a person who had placed the condition upon the Prophet in accepting Islam that God would forgive his sins:
“Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins which come before it?” (Saheeh Muslim)
When one accepts Islam, they in essence repent from the ways and beliefs of their previous life. One need not be overburdened by sins committed before their acceptance. The person’s record is clean, and it is as if he was just born from his mother’s womb. One should try as much as possible to keep his records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible.
The Holy Quran and Hadeeth (prophetic sayings) both stress the importance of following Islam. God states:
“...The only religion in the sight of God is Islam...” (Quran 3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Quran, God states:
“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter, he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the Hellfire).” (Quran 3:85)
In another saying, Muhammad, the Prophet of God, said:
“Whoever testifies that there in none worthy of being worshipped but God, Who has no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Prophet, and that Jesus is the Slave of God, His Prophet, and His word[1] which He bestowed in Mary and a spirit created from Him; and that Paradise (Heaven) is true, and that the Hellfire is true, God will eventually admit him into Paradise, according to his deeds.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The Prophet of God, may the blessing and mercy of God be upon him, also reported:
“Indeed God has forbidden to reside eternally in Hell the person who says: “I testify that none has the right to worship except Allah (God),’ seeking thereby the Face of God.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
The Declaration of the Testimony (Shahada)
To convert to Islam and become a Muslim a person needs to pronounce the below testimony with conviction and understanding its meaning:
I testify “La ilah illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah.”
The translation of which is:
“I testify that there is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and that Muhammad is a Messenger (Prophet) of God.”
To hear it click here or click on “Live Help” above for assistance by chat.
When someone pronounces the testimony with conviction, then he/she has become a Muslim. It can be done alone, but it is much better to be done with an adviser through the “Live Help” at top, so we may help you in pronouncing it right and to provide you with important resources for new Muslims.
The first part of the testimony consists of the most important truth that God revealed to mankind: that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God. God states in the Holy Quran:
“We did not send the Messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘none has the right to be worshipped except I, therefore worship Me.’” (Quran 21:25)
This conveys that all forms of worship, whether it be praying, fasting, invoking, seeking refuge in, and offering an animal as sacrifice, must be directed to God and to God alone. Directing any form of worship to other than God (whether it be an angel, a messenger, Jesus, Muhammad, a saint, an idol, the sun, the moon, a tree) is seen as a contradiction to the fundamental message of Islam, and it is an unforgivable sin unless it is repented from before one dies. All forms of worship must be directed to God only.
Worship means the performance of deeds and sayings that please God, things which He commanded or encouraged to be performed, either by direct textual proof or by analogy. Thus, worship is not restricted to the implementation of the five pillars of Islam, but also includes every aspect of life. Providing food for one’s family, and saying something pleasant to cheer a person up are also considered acts of worship, if such is done with the intention of pleasing God. This means that, to be accepted, all acts of worship must be carried out sincerely for the Sake of God alone.
The second part of the testimony means that Prophet Muhammad is the servant and chosen messenger of God. This implies that one obeys and follows the commands of the Prophet. One must believe in what he has said, practice his teachings and avoid what he has forbidden. One must therefore worship God only according to his teaching alone, for all the teachings of the Prophet were in fact revelations and inspirations conveyed to him by God.
One must try to mold their lives and character and emulate the Prophet, as he was a living example for humans to follow. God says:
“And indeed you are upon a high standard of moral character.” (Quran 68:4)
God also said:
“And in deed you have a good and upright example in the Messenger of God, for those who hope in the meeting of God and the Hereafter, and mentions God much.” (Quran 33:21)
He was sent in order to practically implement the Quran, in his saying, deeds, legislation as well as all other facets of life. Aisha, the wife of the Prophet, when asked about the character of the Prophet, replied:
“His character was that of the Quran.” (As-Suyooti)
To truly adhere to the second part of the Shahada is to follow his example in all walks of life. God says:
“Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love God, then follow me.’” (Quran 3:31)
It also means that Muhammad is the Final Prophet and Messenger of God, and that no (true) Prophet can come after him.
“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you but he is the Messenger of God and the last (end) of the Prophets and God is Ever All-Aware of everything.” (Quran 33:40)
All who claim to be prophets or receive revelation after Muhammad are imposters, and to acknowledge them would be tantamount to disbelief.
We welcome you to Islam, congratulate you for your decision, and will try to help you in any way we can.
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I want to be a Muslim but... Myths about Converting to Islam (part 1 of 3)
The most fundamental belief in Islam is that there is no true god (deity) but Allah. He, the One, the Only, the First and the Last, has no partners, sons, daughters or intermediaries. He is Alone in His Dominion and in His Omnipotence. It is a very simple concept, it is simply the truth. Nevertheless sometimes the pure belief in God can be overwhelming. Often we are surprised when we call for God and He answers immediately.
The religion of Islam encompasses that simple concept – that God is One and wraps it in a package called submission. Islam means, submission to the will of God. The root word of Islam (sa-la-ma) is the same that is shared with the Arabic word meaning peace and security. In essence, peace and security comes from living life according to God’s will. Like a circle of life it always begins and ends in the same place – there is no god but Allah. When we submit to the will of God, we are Muslims and to demonstrate our sincerity we testify that we are Muslim by saying, alone or in the company of other Muslims, La ilah illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah. There is no true god (deity) but Allah and Mohammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is His messenger.
Whenever any human being experiences and understands God’s mercy, Satan tries his best to harm that individual. Satan does not want us to feel comfort and mercy; he wants us to feel anxious and depressed. He wants us to make mistakes and commit sins. Satan despairs of ever feeling God’s love therefore he wants to corrupt as many human beings as he can.
(Satan said) “…surely I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left…” (Quran 7:16-17)
Whenever a person realises the truth and wants to become a Muslim, Satan introduces the word ‘but’. I want to become Muslim...BUT! But I am not ready. But I don’t speak Arabic. But I am white. But I don’t really know about Islam. God warned us against Satan and his cunning ways.
“O children of Adam. Let not Satan deceive you.” (Quran 7:27)
“Surely Satan is an enemy to you so take him as an enemy.” (Quran 35:6)
Satan’s whispers try to prevent us from converting to Islam. These ideas should not stand in the way of a person connecting, or reconnecting with the Most Merciful God. In this article, and the next, we will discuss some of the most prominent myths, lay them open to scrutiny and see that God is indeed Most Merciful. He makes converting to Islam easy, not difficult. No buts!
1. I want to be a Muslim but I do not want to change my name.
A person embracing Islam does not have to change his or her name. Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, said that everybody was entitled to a good name, a name that had meaning or character. For the vast majority of people it is not an issue, however if you discover that your name has a bad meaning or an association with sinners or tyrants it is better to change it to something more acceptable. If the person’s name is a name of an idol or reflects servitude to something or someone other than God, then it has to be changed. Remember though that Islam is easy. If changing your name officially would cause hardship, distress or harm, it would suffice to change it only among friends and family.
2. I want to be a Muslim but I do not know any Arabic.
The religion of Islam was revealed for all people, in all places, at all times. It is not a religion exclusively for Arabs or Arabic speakers. In fact the majority of the world’s 1.4 billion Muslims are not from an Arab background. A person can become Muslim without knowing a single word of Arabic; it does not affect his or her ability to accept Islam. However, the language of Quran is Arabic and the daily prayers are performed in Arabic, so although it is not necessary to learn the whole language, after conversion it will be necessary to learn some Arabic words.
If a person is unable to learn enough Arabic to perform his prayers because of a speech defect or because he is not able to pronounce the Arabic, he must try as much as he can. If learning at least some Arabic is not possible, then he is relieved of this obligation, because God does not burden people with more than they are able to bear. However God also says that he has made learning Quran easy, therefore it is obligatory for a person to try his best.
“God burdens not a person beyond his scope.” (Quran 2:28)
“And We have indeed made the Quran easy to understand and remember” (Quran 54:17)
A man came to the Prophet and said: “O Messenger of God, teach me something of the Quran that will suffice me, for I cannot read.” He said, “Say: Subhaan-Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar wa laa hawla wa la quwwata illa Billaah (Far removed is God from every imperfection, praise be to God, there is no god except Allah and God is Most great, there is no god except Allah and there is no power or strength except with God).”[1]
Entering the fold of Islam is easy. It is a simple process, free of complications. In part 2 we will discuss circumcision, the fact that Islam has no ethnic or race restrictions and becoming Muslim without knowing very much about Islam.
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I want to be a Muslim but... Myths about Converting to Islam (part 2 of 3)
There is no god but God. It is a simple statement that should make converting to Islam easy. There is only One God, and only one religion, nothing could be more uncomplicated. However, as we discussed in the previous article, whenever a person realises the truth and wants to become a Muslim, Satan introduces the word but. I want to be a Muslim...BUT. But I am not ready. But I don’t speak Arabic, or but I do not want to change my name. Today we will discuss more myths that prevent people from converting to Islam.
3. I want to be a Muslim but I do not want to be circumcised.
Prophet Muhammad said that every child was born in a state of fitrah, with the correct understanding of God.[1] and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad tell us that the conditions related to fitrah (the natural state of being) are five.
“Five things are part of the fitrah: shaving the pubic hair, circumcision, trimming the moustache, plucking the armpit hairs, and cutting the nails”.[2] This is believed to be the ancient way, the natural way, followed by all of the Prophets, and enjoined on the believers by the laws that they brought.[3]
The majority of Islamic scholars agree that circumcision is obligatory for men providing they do not fear that it may harm them. When assessing the degree of harm a man must look to the Quran and the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad for guidance. If a man is not able to be circumcised due to fear of injury or any other valid reason that may make his life miserable, the obligation is waived. It is not permissible for the issue to become a barrier that prevents a man from accepting Islam[4]. In other words, it is not a condition for becoming a Muslim. Also, it does not prevent a man from leading the prayers.
There is no requirement for female circumcision in Islam.
4. I want to be a Muslim but I am white.
Islam is the religion that was revealed for all people, in all places, at all times. It was not revealed for a particular race or ethnicity. It is a complete way of life based on the teachings found in the Quran and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad. Although the Quran was revealed in the Arabic language and Prophet Muhammad was an Arab, it would be wrong to assume that all Muslims are Arabs, or for that matter, that all Arabs are Muslim. In fact the vast majority of the world’s 1.4 billion Muslims are not Arabs.
There are no racial or ethnic requirements for one to be a Muslim. In his final sermon Prophet Muhammad reiterated this fact very succinctly.
“All humankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab and a non-Arab has no superiority over an Arab; a white person has no superiority over black person nor does a black person have superiority over a white person, except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood.”[5]
“O humankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another.” (Quran 49:13)
5. I want to be a Muslim but I do not know anything about Islam.
There is no need to know a lot about Islam to become a Muslim. It is enough to know the meaning of testimony and the six pillars of faith. Once a person has embraced Islam, there is time for him to learn about his religion. There is no need to rush and be overwhelmed. Take things slowly, but steadily move forward at your own pace. There is time to understand the inspirational beauty and ease of Islam, and to learn about all the prophets and messengers of Islam including the last prophet, Muhammad. A Muslim never stops learning; it is a process that will continue until death.
Prophet Muhammad said, “The believer will never have enough of listening to good things (seeking knowledge) until he reaches Paradise.”[6]
6. I want to be a Muslim but I have committed too many sins.
When a person says the testimony of faith (Shahada), I testify that there is no god but God and I testify that Muhammad is His messenger, he becomes like a new born baby. All his previous sins, no matter how great or small are washed away. The slate is clean, free from sin, shiny and white; this is a new beginning.
“Say to those who have disbelieved that if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them…” (Quran 8:38)
There is no compulsion for anyone to accept the truth of Islam. However if your heart tells you there is only One God, do not hesitate.
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in evil and believes in God, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And God is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Quran 2:256)
3. I want to be a Muslim but I do not want to be circumcised.
Prophet Muhammad said that every child was born in a state of fitrah, with the correct understanding of God.[1] and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad tell us that the conditions related to fitrah (the natural state of being) are five.
“Five things are part of the fitrah: shaving the pubic hair, circumcision, trimming the moustache, plucking the armpit hairs, and cutting the nails”.[2] This is believed to be the ancient way, the natural way, followed by all of the Prophets, and enjoined on the believers by the laws that they brought.[3]
The majority of Islamic scholars agree that circumcision is obligatory for men providing they do not fear that it may harm them. When assessing the degree of harm a man must look to the Quran and the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad for guidance. If a man is not able to be circumcised due to fear of injury or any other valid reason that may make his life miserable, the obligation is waived. It is not permissible for the issue to become a barrier that prevents a man from accepting Islam[4]. In other words, it is not a condition for becoming a Muslim. Also, it does not prevent a man from leading the prayers.
There is no requirement for female circumcision in Islam.
4. I want to be a Muslim but I am white.
Islam is the religion that was revealed for all people, in all places, at all times. It was not revealed for a particular race or ethnicity. It is a complete way of life based on the teachings found in the Quran and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad. Although the Quran was revealed in the Arabic language and Prophet Muhammad was an Arab, it would be wrong to assume that all Muslims are Arabs, or for that matter, that all Arabs are Muslim. In fact the vast majority of the world’s 1.4 billion Muslims are not Arabs.
There are no racial or ethnic requirements for one to be a Muslim. In his final sermon Prophet Muhammad reiterated this fact very succinctly.
“All humankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab and a non-Arab has no superiority over an Arab; a white person has no superiority over black person nor does a black person have superiority over a white person, except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood.”[5]
“O humankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another.” (Quran 49:13)
5. I want to be a Muslim but I do not know anything about Islam.
There is no need to know a lot about Islam to become a Muslim. It is enough to know the meaning of testimony and the six pillars of faith. Once a person has embraced Islam, there is time for him to learn about his religion. There is no need to rush and be overwhelmed. Take things slowly, but steadily move forward at your own pace. There is time to understand the inspirational beauty and ease of Islam, and to learn about all the prophets and messengers of Islam including the last prophet, Muhammad. A Muslim never stops learning; it is a process that will continue until death.
Prophet Muhammad said, “The believer will never have enough of listening to good things (seeking knowledge) until he reaches Paradise.”[6]
6. I want to be a Muslim but I have committed too many sins.
When a person says the testimony of faith (Shahada), I testify that there is no god but God and I testify that Muhammad is His messenger, he becomes like a new born baby. All his previous sins, no matter how great or small are washed away. The slate is clean, free from sin, shiny and white; this is a new beginning.
“Say to those who have disbelieved that if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them…” (Quran 8:38)
There is no compulsion for anyone to accept the truth of Islam. However if your heart tells you there is only One God, do not hesitate.
“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in evil and believes in God, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And God is All-Hearer, All-Knower.” (Quran 2:256)
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I want to be a Muslim but... Myths about Converting to Islam (part 1 of 3)
We finished Part 2 by mentioning that when a person converts to Islam all his previous sins, no matter how grave or small, are eliminated. The slate is clean, free from sin, shiny and white; this is a new beginning. However there are some people who may hesitate to accept Islam because they fear they will be unable to stay away from sin. We begin part 3 by discussing this topic.
7. I want to be Muslim but I know there are some sins I cannot stop doing.
If a person truly believes that there is no god but Allah, he or she should accept Islam without delay, even if they believe they will continue to sin. When a person is used to living a life unencumbered by any set of moral principles, Islam may at first seem like a set of rules and regulations that are almost impossible to fulfil. Muslims do not drink alcohol, Muslims do not eat pork, Muslim women must wear scarves, Muslims must pray five times every day. Men and women find themselves saying things like, “I could not possibly stop drinking”, or “I would find it too difficult to pray every single day let alone five times”.
The reality is however, that once a person has accepted that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, and developed a relationship with Him the rules and regulations drift into insignificance. It is a slow process of wanting to please God. For some, accepting the guidelines for a happy life is a matter of days, even hours, for others it can be weeks, months, or even years. Every person’s journey into Islam is different. It is important to remember that God forgives all sins. A believer can, by the mercy of God, be admitted to paradise no matter what sins he has committed. On the other hand, a non believer, one who worships something or someone other than the One True God, will be admitted to eternal Hellfire. Therefore given a choice between not accepting Islam altogether or being a Muslim who is sinning, the second choice is certainly much better.
8. I want to be a Muslim but I am afraid to inform others.
As we have stressed repeatedly there is nothing in the world that should prevent a person from embracing Islam. If one fears the reaction of others, such as his or her parents, siblings or friends, and feels that they are not ready to inform them, still they should convert and try to practice Islam in secret as much as they can. As time passes, and the connection with God is established, a person’s faith will become stronger and they will know how to handle the situation better. In fact the new Muslim will almost certainly feel liberated and begin to feel the need to inform the whole world about the beauty of Islam.
In the meantime it is a good idea to slowly and subtly prepare your friends and family for the changes that will obviously take place. Perhaps one could begin to talk openly about God and religion in general, express an interest in other faiths or Islam in particular. When a person begins to practice Islam, which is in fact a way of life, those close to them often notice a difference. They will see a new found respect for them, the family and society in general; they will also see a change in demeanour often from anxious and unhappy to relaxed and contented.
Islam is a way of life and it's difficult to hide it for long. It is important to remember that when people learn of your conversion to Islam there will be a reaction. It will range from those that are happy and accepting, to those who feel upset and disappointed. Often those upset, with time get over it and begin to accept the change. And when they see many positive changes in you, they may actually begin to appreciate your conversion. One needs to stay strong, determined and know that God is with you. Your words and experience may very well lead others to follow your example. Trust in God, learn all you can about your new found faith and let the light of Islam shine through your eyes.
9. I want to be a Muslim but do not know any Muslims
Some people learn about Islam from reading, others from watching the behaviour of Muslims they see in their cities and towns, some even learn about Islam from programs on TV and for others, it is the sound of the call to prayer. Often people seek and find the beauty of Islam without ever meeting a Muslim. It simply is not necessary to know Muslims before accepting and converting to Islam.
Conversion to Islam is as easy as saying the words, I testify that there is no god but God and I testify that Muhammad is His messenger. The conversion does not have to be done in a mosque (Islamic centre) and nor are witnesses needed for the conversion. These things however, are manifestations of the brotherhood of Islam and mark the beginning of a new faith with the moral and spiritual support of others. If there is no Islamic centre nearby or Muslims to help, one can simply follow the procedure explained in the “How to convert to Islam and Become a Muslim”.
Consequently after conversion it could be very helpful for the new Muslim to make contact with other Muslims. Members of your new spiritual family can be found by approaching local mosques and Islamic centres, or introducing yourself to the Muslim who lives down the street, catches the same bus, or works in the same company. However, even if a new Muslim is totally alone, he or she is connected to 1.5 billion other Muslims.
Before or after conversion this website is available to help new Muslim or those thinking about converting to Islam. There are literally hundreds of easy to understand articles about Islam. After your conversion, this website will help you get started as a new Muslim by giving you useful resources and online support through Live-Chat.
7. I want to be Muslim but I know there are some sins I cannot stop doing.
If a person truly believes that there is no god but Allah, he or she should accept Islam without delay, even if they believe they will continue to sin. When a person is used to living a life unencumbered by any set of moral principles, Islam may at first seem like a set of rules and regulations that are almost impossible to fulfil. Muslims do not drink alcohol, Muslims do not eat pork, Muslim women must wear scarves, Muslims must pray five times every day. Men and women find themselves saying things like, “I could not possibly stop drinking”, or “I would find it too difficult to pray every single day let alone five times”.
The reality is however, that once a person has accepted that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, and developed a relationship with Him the rules and regulations drift into insignificance. It is a slow process of wanting to please God. For some, accepting the guidelines for a happy life is a matter of days, even hours, for others it can be weeks, months, or even years. Every person’s journey into Islam is different. It is important to remember that God forgives all sins. A believer can, by the mercy of God, be admitted to paradise no matter what sins he has committed. On the other hand, a non believer, one who worships something or someone other than the One True God, will be admitted to eternal Hellfire. Therefore given a choice between not accepting Islam altogether or being a Muslim who is sinning, the second choice is certainly much better.
8. I want to be a Muslim but I am afraid to inform others.
As we have stressed repeatedly there is nothing in the world that should prevent a person from embracing Islam. If one fears the reaction of others, such as his or her parents, siblings or friends, and feels that they are not ready to inform them, still they should convert and try to practice Islam in secret as much as they can. As time passes, and the connection with God is established, a person’s faith will become stronger and they will know how to handle the situation better. In fact the new Muslim will almost certainly feel liberated and begin to feel the need to inform the whole world about the beauty of Islam.
In the meantime it is a good idea to slowly and subtly prepare your friends and family for the changes that will obviously take place. Perhaps one could begin to talk openly about God and religion in general, express an interest in other faiths or Islam in particular. When a person begins to practice Islam, which is in fact a way of life, those close to them often notice a difference. They will see a new found respect for them, the family and society in general; they will also see a change in demeanour often from anxious and unhappy to relaxed and contented.
Islam is a way of life and it's difficult to hide it for long. It is important to remember that when people learn of your conversion to Islam there will be a reaction. It will range from those that are happy and accepting, to those who feel upset and disappointed. Often those upset, with time get over it and begin to accept the change. And when they see many positive changes in you, they may actually begin to appreciate your conversion. One needs to stay strong, determined and know that God is with you. Your words and experience may very well lead others to follow your example. Trust in God, learn all you can about your new found faith and let the light of Islam shine through your eyes.
9. I want to be a Muslim but do not know any Muslims
Some people learn about Islam from reading, others from watching the behaviour of Muslims they see in their cities and towns, some even learn about Islam from programs on TV and for others, it is the sound of the call to prayer. Often people seek and find the beauty of Islam without ever meeting a Muslim. It simply is not necessary to know Muslims before accepting and converting to Islam.
Conversion to Islam is as easy as saying the words, I testify that there is no god but God and I testify that Muhammad is His messenger. The conversion does not have to be done in a mosque (Islamic centre) and nor are witnesses needed for the conversion. These things however, are manifestations of the brotherhood of Islam and mark the beginning of a new faith with the moral and spiritual support of others. If there is no Islamic centre nearby or Muslims to help, one can simply follow the procedure explained in the “How to convert to Islam and Become a Muslim”.
Consequently after conversion it could be very helpful for the new Muslim to make contact with other Muslims. Members of your new spiritual family can be found by approaching local mosques and Islamic centres, or introducing yourself to the Muslim who lives down the street, catches the same bus, or works in the same company. However, even if a new Muslim is totally alone, he or she is connected to 1.5 billion other Muslims.
Before or after conversion this website is available to help new Muslim or those thinking about converting to Islam. There are literally hundreds of easy to understand articles about Islam. After your conversion, this website will help you get started as a new Muslim by giving you useful resources and online support through Live-Chat.
************************
Accepting Islam (part 1 of 2): A religion for all people, in all places
Many people throughout the world today are searching for the truth; they search for meaning in their lives, and wonder what life is all about. Men and women ask the question, why am I here? In the midst of suffering and pain, humankind calls out silently or loudly asking for relief, or understanding. In the midst of pleasure often, a person seeks to understand the source of such elation. Sometimes people contemplate accepting Islam as their true religion but find some obstacles.
In life’s most joyous moments or darkest hours, a person’s most instinctive reaction is to reach out for a connection to some sort of Supreme Being, to God. Even those who would consider themselves atheists or non-believers have at some stage in their lives experienced that innate sense of being part of a grand plan.
The religion of Islam is based on one core belief, that there is One God. He alone is the Sustainer and Creator of the Universe. He is without partners, children, or associates. He is the Most Merciful, the Most Wise, and the Most Just. He is the all Hearer, all Seer, and the All Knowing. He is the First, He is the Last.
It is comforting to think that our trials, tribulations, and triumphs in this life are not random acts of a cruel unorganised universe. Belief in God, belief in One God, the Creator, and Sustainer of all that exists is a fundamental right. Knowing with certainty that our existence is part of a well-ordered world and that life is unfolding as it should is a concept that brings serenity and peace.
Islam is a religion that looks at life and says this world is but a transient place and our reason for being is to worship God. Sounds simple doesn’t it? God is One, acknowledge this and worship Him and peace and serenity are obtainable. This is within the grasp of any human being and can be had simply by believing sincerely that there is no god but God.
Sadly in this brave new century, we continue to push the boundaries and rediscover the world in all its glory but have forgotten the Creator, and forgotten that life really was meant to be easy. Finding our connection to God and establishing a relationship with Him is paramount if we are to live peacefully and throw off the shackles binding us to pain, psychological turmoil and sadness.
Islam was revealed for all people, in all places and at all times. It was not revealed for men or for a particular race or ethnicity. It is a complete way of life based on the teachings found in the Quran and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad. Once again, sounds simple doesn’t it? Guidance revealed by the Creator to His creation. It is a foolproof plan to achieve everlasting happiness in both this life and the next.
The Quran and the authentic traditions explain the concept of God and give details of what is permissible and what is forbidden. They explain the basics of good manners and morals, and give rulings about worship. They tell stories about the Prophets and our righteous predecessors, and describe Paradise and Hell. This guidance was revealed for all of humankind, and God Himself says that He does not want to place humankind in difficulty.
“God does not want to place you in difficulty, but He wants to purify you, and to complete His Favour to you that you may be thankful.” (Quran 5:6)
When we reach out to God, He listens and responds and the truth that is Islam, pure monotheism, is revealed. This all sounds simple, and should be uncomplicated, but sadly, we, humankind, have a way of making things difficult. We are stubborn yet God continuously leaves the path clear for us.
Accepting Islam as the one true religion should be simple. There is no god but God. What could be clearer than that statement? Nothing is less complicated, but sometimes considering the prospect of redefining out belief system can be scary and fraught with obstacles. When a person is considering Islam as their religion of choice they are often overcome by reasons for not accepting what their hearts are telling them is the truth.
Currently, the truth of Islam has become blurred by what appears to be a set of rules and regulations that seem almost impossible to fulfil. Muslims do not drink alcohol, Muslims do not eat pork, Muslim women must wear scarves, Muslims must pray five times every day. Men and women find themselves saying things like, “I could not possibly stop drinking”, or “I would find it too difficult to pray every single day let alone five times”.
The reality however is that once a person has accepted that there is no god but God and developed a relationship with Him the rules and regulations drift into insignificance. It is a slow process of wanting to please God. For some accepting the guidelines for a happy life is a matter of days, even hours, for others it can be weeks, months, or even years. Every person’s journey into Islam is different. Every person is unique and every person’s connection to God comes about via a unique set of circumstances. One journey is not more correct than another.
Many people believe that their sins are too big and too frequent for God to ever forgive them. They hesitate to accept what they know is the truth because they fear they will not be able to control themselves and give up committing sins or crimes. Islam however is the religion of forgiveness and God loves to forgive. Although the sins of humankind may reach the clouds in the sky, God will forgive and go on forgiving until the Final Hour is almost upon us.
If a person truly believes that there is no god but God, he or she should accept Islam without delay. Even if they believe they will continue to sin, or if there are some aspects of Islam they do not fully understand. Belief in one God is the most fundamental belief in Islam and once a person establishes a connection with God changes will occur in their lives; changes they would not have believed possible.
In the following article we will learn that there is only one unforgiveable sin and that God is the Most Merciful, oft Forgiving.
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Accepting Islam (part 2 of 2): The Religion of Forgiveness
We finished part 1 of this article by suggesting that if a person truly believes there is no god but God, he or she should accept Islam immediately. We also put forward that Islam is the religion of forgiveness. No matter how many sins a person may have committed, he or she never becomes unforgivable. God is the oft Forgiving, Most Merciful and Quran stresses these attributes more than 70 times.
“And to God belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills. And God is oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 3:129)
There is however, one sin that God will not forgive and that is the sin of ascribing partners or associates to God. A Muslim believes that God is One, without partners, offspring, or associates. He is the only One worthy of worship.
“Say (O Muhammad), He is Allah, (the) One. Allah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten; And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.” (Quran 112)
“Verily, God forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills.” (Quran 4:48)
It may seem strange to say that God is the Most Merciful, and stress that Islam is the religion of forgiveness while also saying that there is one unforgivable sin. This is not a strange or unreliable concept when you understand that this grave sin is only unforgivable if a person dies without repenting to God. At any time, up until a sinful person draws his last breath he or she may turn sincerely to God and ask for forgiveness, knowing that God truly is the Most Merciful Oft Forgiving. Sincere repentance assures God’s forgiveness.
“Say to those who have disbelieved, if they cease (from disbelief), their past will be forgiven.” (Quran 8:38)
Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, said: “God will accept His slave’s repentance so long as the death rattle has not yet reached his throat.”[1] Prophet Muhammad also said, “Islam destroys that which came before it (sins)”.[2]
As discussed in the previous article, often when a person is contemplating accepting Islam they are confused by or even ashamed of the many sins they may have committed over their lifetime. Some people wonder how they can ever be good, moral people when in the shadows lurk their sins and crimes.
Accepting Islam and pronouncing the words known as the Shahada or testimony of faith, (I testify “La ilah illa Allah, Muhammad rasoolu Allah.”[3]), wipes a person’s slate clean. He or she becomes like a newborn baby, completely free from sin. It is a new beginning, where one’s past sins can no longer hold a person captive. There is no need to be haunted by past sins. Every new Muslim becomes unburdened and free to live a life based on the fundamental belief that God is One.
When a person is no longer held back by the fear that their past sins or lifestyle prevents them from leading a good life, the path to accepting Islam often becomes easier. Knowing that God can forgive anyone, of anything, is certainly a comforting prospect. Never the less, understanding the importance of not worshipping anything or anybody other than God is paramount because it is the basis of Islam.
God did not create humankind except that they should worship Him alone (Quran 52:56) and knowing how to keep that worship pure and unadulterated is imperative. However, the details will often be learned after a person has recognised the sublime truth of the way of life that is Islam.
“And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord (i.e. this Quran, do what it orders you to do and keep away from what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!” Lest a person should say: “Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to God (i.e. I have not done what God has ordered me to do), and I was indeed among those who mocked.” (Quran 39:55-56)
Once a person has accepted the truth of Islam, thus accepting that there is no god but God alone, there is time for him to learn about his religion. There is time for him to understand the inspirational beauty and ease of Islam, and to learn about all the prophets and messengers of Islam including the last prophet, Muhammad. If God should decree that a person’s life would end soon after accepting Islam it could be seen as a sign of the mercy of God; for a person as pure as a newborn baby would be destined for eternal paradise; by the mercy of God, and His infinite wisdom.
When a person is contemplating accepting Islam, many of the barriers that he or she perceives are nothing more than illusions and tricks from Satan. It is clear that once a person has been chosen by God, Satan will do his upmost to lead that person astray and bombard them with small whispers and doubts. The religion of Islam is a gift, and just like any other gift it must be accepted, and opened before the true worth of its contents can be revealed. Islam is a way of life that makes eternal bliss in the hereafter an achievable dream. There is no god but God, the One the Only, the First and the Last. Knowing Him is the key to success and accepting Islam is the first step on a journey to the Hereafter.
What Drives People to Convert to Islam? (part 1 of 2)
Description: The various aspects of Islam which drives people to convert despite its negative portrayal in the media.
Description: The various aspects of Islam which drives people to convert despite its negative portrayal in the media.
The nature of religious faith is quite mysterious. As part of their religious faiths, people believe in a variety of deities. There are people who have religious faith in the unseen supreme inimitable power, and then there are others who believe in some humans as Gods, or animals (e.g. monkeys), fire, idols made of stone, and the list goes on.
A lot is associated with having a religious “faith”. Part of it has to do with beliefs passed on through generations. People’s identities therefore get tied to it. Many times, these beliefs and associated feelings are not completely demonstrable by reason or any rational arguments. There is nothing right or wrong with this, but that’s just how the nature of religious faith has come to be.
Almost everyone thinks they are right in their faith and beliefs. Being with people and groups with similar faith further strengthens people’s faith, and they see it as right, even though logical reasoning and argument sometimes can’t explain it all. That’s simple human psychology.
Islam’s arguments based on intellectual reasoning
Muslims believe however, that the Islamic religion is different in this context. One may argue that similar to other faiths there are aspects of it which are not completely demonstrable by reason, but on the other hand the Quranic text, which is God’s words addressing humanity at large, uses intellectual reason, critical thinking, and the process of reflection as a means not only to reinforce the faith of the believers, but also to call non-believers to ponder about the authenticity of Islam as the way of life for humanity at large. Although no religious beliefs can be fully based on logic and reasoning, Islam and Quran provide more than enough examples and an opportunity to examine the truth and the soundness of its message through the lens of empirical evidence and knowledge.
No one (Muslim or otherwise) would argue that critical thinking and reflection can be a major catalyst for changing ones life. Critical thinking has been used by many to improve their lives simply because a critical thinker asks probing questions about a situation, collects as much information as possible, reflects on the ideas collected and generated in context of the information available, keeps an open and unbiased mind, and carefully scrutinizes assumptions and seeks alternatives.
This is the reason, therefore, that new Muslim converts would attribute the use of intelligent reasoning, reflection and critical thinking when explaining their journey to Islam. Such people cut through the hysteria created in the media to view Islam from a critical lens and following the truth thus comes naturally to them as part of this process. How else can one explain the increase in conversions with the increase of anti-Islamic rhetoric? How else can one explain that more non-Muslim preachers have been converting to Islam than ever before? Although, as Muslims, we believe that guidance comes only from Allah, the use of a person’s God-gifted intellectual reasoning has a very powerful role to play in Muslim converts making that destiny changing decision. And once converted, they rarely go back to their old faiths, simply because a faith whose foundations are built on logic and reason is much less likely to be shaken down than one which simply builds upon a set of rites and sacraments.
Reasons attributed by new Converts
Some of the reasons given why people convert to Islam are the eloquence of the Quran’s language, its overwhelming scientific evidence and proofs, arguments rooted in intellectual reasoning, and the Divine wisdom behind various social issues. The uniqueness and beauty of the Quran’s text has been marveled by the best of Arab linguists and scholars, both Muslim and otherwise, from the days it was revealed until today. The more knowledgeable people are in the language, the more they appreciate the wonders of the textual fluency of the Quran. Revealed more than 1400 years ago, the Quran also has numerous scientific facts that are being validated by science only in this era. Furthermore, it is the only known religious text that challenges mankind to think, reflect and ponder over the creation at large, social issues, God’s existence, and more. The Quran, in many instances, challenges people to reflect and think on their own, rather than heeding the loose talk of those whose criticism is based on baseless foundations. Finally, the Quran provides a solution to numerous social issues, deviation from which has been known to cause societal chaos at all levels.
The Quran is a confident assertion of a Supreme Being; the only known religious book that has a confident assertion of a Supreme Being on all issues ranging from the creation of the universe to most particular components of the social milieu. Moreover, its Divine Text - the language and prose of the Quran - is very different from the language in the Prophet’s sayings, which demonstrates that the Quran is not from the creative imagination or inspired words of Prophet Muhammad, as many doubters have alleged in the past, and continue to do even today.
We can see that most of these reasons can only be attributed to the process of critical thinking and intellectual reflection. However, cold reasoning is not enough. The heart has to be engaged in the search: a search whose aim is to reach for the truth at its core. No wonder, then, that when such sincere people hear the Quran for the first time, and understand it, they say:
“We believe in it; surely, it is the Truth from our Lord. Indeed, even before it, we were Muslims!” (Quran 28:53)
What Drives People to Convert to Islam? (part 2 of 2)
Description: The Quran’s challenge to the intellect.
Description: The Quran’s challenge to the intellect.
The Quran challenges humanity at large to think, reflect and ponder over their affairs on numerous occasions. This is some of what the Quran states:
· Thus do We explain the verses (and their signification) in detail for the people who reflect. (Jonah, Quran 10:24)
· Do they not think deeply about their own selves (being)? Allah has created not the heavens and the Earth and all that is between them except with truth and for an appointed term. And indeed many of mankind deny the Meeting with their Lord. (The-Romans, Quran 30:8)
· He it is Who has appointed for you the night that you may rest therein, and the day to make things visible. Verily, in this are signs for a people who listen. (Jonah, Quran 10:67)
· Does man think that he will be left to no purpose? (The Resurrection, Quran 75:36)
· Did you think that We had created you in play, and that you would not be brought back to Us?” (The Believers, Quran 23:115)
· Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle; nay, they are even farther astray from the Path. (The Criterion, Quran 25:44)
· Do they not reflect? There is no madness in their companion (Muhammad). He is but a plain Warner. (The Heights, Quran 7:184)
· Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder for the fear of God. Such are the parables which We put forward to mankind that they may reflect. (The Overcrowding, Quran 59:21)
When studying the many cases of new Muslim converts, we see that engaging in critical thinking and intellectual reasoning have led people to change their non-Islamic faiths – the same faiths that would earlier supposedly have moved mountains, but were diluted by the voice of reason easily heard in the roots of Islam. A mere process of thinking and reflection brings so much into light that otherwise would remain veiled by the distractions and forces of anti-Islam pundits. Those who are bent on seeing only the negative fail to see the light of truth. Rather, they engage in a never ending superficial analysis to unsuccessfully prove their misguided philosophies.
There are many statistics in the media that highlight the phenomenal rate at which people are converting to Islam. Although, the authenticity of all these sources has not been validated for the purpose of this article, some of them include the following:
· According to “The Almanac Book of Facts”, the population increased 137% within the past decade, Christianity increased 46%, while Islam increased 235%.
· 100,000 people per year in America alone, are converting to Islam. For every 1 male convert to Islam, 4 females convert to Islam
· TV Report: 4,000 Germans Convert To ISLAM Each Year
· About 25,000 people convert to Islam every year in the UK alone
· …many more examples exist.
What about Muslims?
If voices of reason embedded in the teachings of Islam are causing non-Muslims to revert to Islam in droves, why is it that so many Muslims born into the religion usually fail to fully follow, and thus enjoy, the teachings of the religion? The fact is that it may just be the lack of critical thinking and reflection on the part of some Muslims that is forcing the Muslim world to have a substandard way of life as a whole. Islam and its teachings hold the promise of a fulfilling and peaceful life for all. Yet Muslims continue to ignore the basics and get mired in social and moral issues causing unnecessary pain and suffering on themselves and their families. The fact is that only if they would think and reflect on the teachings of their own religion, they could escape the many problems and challenges that face them.
The Message
To non-Muslims who have only scratched the surface of Islam and may be getting distracted by those who are the wrong torch bearers of this religion and by the biased voices in the media, the message is simple – try to view the teachings of Islam with a critical lens. It may be that you will be able to see more reason than you may initially have thought was not present. To Muslims, the message is that sometimes we do not appreciate the teachings of our own religion simply because we never think and grow beyond the few religious practices in our operating lives. A focused effort to learn, think and reflect more will help us get closer to the religious teachings in ways that can drastically improve our lives.
The Benefits of Converting to Islam (part 1 of 3)
Description: All your questions answered.
Description: All your questions answered.
Many articles on this web explain how easy it is to convert to Islam. There are also articles and videos that discuss the obstacles that can prevent one from accepting Islam. Real converts tell their stories, and we can share their elation and excitement. There is even an article that explains exactly how to become Muslim. Converting to Islam is covered from many different angles and this series of articles discuss the benefits that come from converting to Islam.
Many advantages are gained by converting to Islam, the most obvious one being the sense of calmness and well being that descends upon any person who realises they have discovered one of life’s most basic truths. Establishing a relationship with God in the most pure and simple way is liberating and exhilarating, and it results in serenity. However it is not the only advantage of converting to Islam, there are other benefits that one would experience and we will discuss them here one by one.
1. Converting to Islam liberates a person from slavery to manmade systems and lifestyles.
Islam emancipates the mind from superstitions and uncertainties; it liberates the soul from sin and corruption and frees the conscience from oppression and fear. Submission to the will of God, does not curtail freedom, on the contrary it gives a very high degree of freedom by freeing the mind from superstitions and filling it with truth and knowledge.
Once a person accepts Islam they are no longer slaves to fashion, or consumerism, and they are free from the slavery of a monetary system designed to subjugate the people. On a smaller but equally as important scale Islam liberates a person from the superstitions that rule the lives of those not truly submitted to God. A believer knows that good and bad luck do not exist. Both the good and the bad aspects of our lives come from God and as Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, explains all the affairs of a believer are good, “If he is granted ease then he is thankful, and this is good for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres, and this is good for him”.[1]
After a person is freed from manmade systems and lifestyles he or she is free to worship God in the correct manner. A believer is able to put his trust and hope in God and sincerely seek His mercy.
2. Converting to Islam allows a person to truly experience God’s love.
Converting to Islam allows a person to achieve God’s love by following His guide to life - the Quran, and the authentic teachings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad. When God created the world He did not abandon it to instability and insecurity. He sent a rope, firm and steady, and by holding tightly to this rope an insignificant human being can achieve greatness and eternal peace. In the words of Quran, God makes His desires perfectly clear, however human beings have free will and are free to either please or displease God.
Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love God then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah), God will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Quran 3:33)
And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. (Quran 3:85)
There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taghut[2] and believes in God, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break. And God is All-Hearer, All-Knower. (Quran 2:256)
3. A benefit of converting to Islam is that God promises Paradise to the believer.
Paradise, as described in many verses of Quran, is a place of eternal bliss and it is promised to believers. God shows his mercy to the believers by rewarding them with Paradise. Whoever denies God or worships something with, or instead of Him, or claims that God has a son or daughter or partner, will be doomed in the Hereafter to the hellfire. Converting to Islam will save a person from the torment of the grave, suffering on the Day of Judgement and eternal hellfire.
“And those who believe (in the Oneness of God) and do righteous good deeds, to them We shall surely give lofty dwellings in Paradise, underneath which rivers flow, to live therein forever. Excellent is the reward of the workers.” (Quran 29: 58)
4. Happiness, tranquillity and inner peace and can be achieved by converting to Islam.
Islam itself is inherently associated with inner peace and tranquillity. The words Islam, Muslim and salaam (peace) all come from the root word “Sa - la – ma” denoting peace, security, and safety. When one submits to the will of God he or she will experience an innate sense of security and peacefulness.
Perfect happiness exists only in Paradise. There we will find total peace, tranquillity and security and be free from the fear, anxiety and pain that are part of the human condition. However the guidelines provided by Islam allow us, imperfect humans, to seek happiness in this world. The key to being happy in this world and the next is seeking the pleasure of God, and worshipping Him, without associating partners with Him.
In the next article we continue our discussion about the benefits of converting to Islam by mentioning forgiveness and mercy, and trials and tribulations.
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The Benefits of Converting to Islam (part 2 of 3)
Description: Why you should convert to Islam without delay.
Description: Why you should convert to Islam without delay.
Many people around the globe spend countless hours reading and studying the principles of Islam; they pour over translations of the meanings of the Quran and are held entranced by the life and times of Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him. Many need only a glimpse of Islam and convert immediately. Still others recognise the truth but wait, and wait and keep on waiting, sometimes to the point of putting their hereafter in peril. Therefore today we continue our discussion on, the sometimes not so obvious benefits of converting to Islam.
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (Quran 3:85)
5. Converting to Islam is the first step in establishing a lifelong connection to the Creator.
Every single member of the human race is born innately knowing that God is One. Prophet Muhammad said that every child was born in a state of fitrah[1], with the correct understanding of God.[2] According to Islam this is a natural state of being, instinctively knowing there is a Creator and naturally wanting to worship and please Him. However those who do not know God or establish a relationship with Him may find the human existence puzzling and sometimes even distressing. For many, allowing God into their lives and worshipping Him in a way that is pleasing to Him, gives a whole new meaning to life.
“Verily, in the remembrance of God do hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28)
Through acts of worship such as prayer and supplication, one begins to feel that God is close at hand, through His infinite knowledge and wisdom. A believer is secure in the knowledge that God, the Most High, is above the heavens, and comforted by the fact that He is with them in all their affairs. A Muslim is never alone.
“He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be. And God is the All-Seer of what you do.” (Quran 57:4)
6. Converting to Islam reveals God’s mercy and forgiveness towards His creation.
As feeble human beings we often feel lost and alone. It is then that we turn to God and seek His Mercy and Forgiveness. When we turn to Him in true submission His tranquillity descends upon us. We are then able to feel the quality of His mercy and see it manifest in the world around us. However in order to worship God, we need to know Him. Converting to Islam opens the gateway to this knowledge, including the fact that God’s forgiveness knows no bounds.
Many people are confused or ashamed of the many sins they have committed over the course of their lives. Converting to Islam completely washes those sins away; it is as if they never happened. A new Muslim is as pure as a new born baby.
“Say to those who have disbelieved [that] if they cease, what has previously occurred will be forgiven for them. But if they return [to hostility] - then the precedent of the former [rebellious] peoples has already taken place.” (Quran 8:38)
If after converting to Islam a person commits more sins the door to forgiveness is still wide open.
“O you who believe! Turn to God with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will expiate from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise)…” (Quran 66:8)
7. Converting to Islam teaches us that trials and tests are part of the human condition.
Once a person converts to Islam he begins to understand that the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of this life are not random acts of a cruel and unorganised universe. A true believer understands that our existence is part of a well-ordered world, and life is unfolding in exactly the way God, in His infinite wisdom, has ordained.
God tells us we will be tested and He advises us to bear our trials and tribulations patiently. This is difficult to understand unless one embraces the Oneness of God, the religion of Islam, where God has given us clear guidelines about how to behave when faced with trials and tribulations. If we follow these guidelines, found in the Quran and the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad, it is possible to bear afflictions with ease and even be grateful.
“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones.” (Quran 2:155)
Prophet Muhammad said, “A man will be tested according to the level of his religious commitment, and the trials will keep affecting a believer until he is left walking on the face of the earth with no burden of sin whatsoever”.[3] A Muslim knows with certainty that this world, this life, is no more than a transient place, a stop on the journey to our eternal life in either the hell fire or the paradise. To face the Creator with no burden of sin is a marvellous thing, certainly worth the tests that befall us.
In the next article we will conclude this discussion by mentioning that Islam is a way of life. It clearly defines the rights, obligations and responsibilities we have towards other human beings, and our care towards animals and the environment. Islam contains the answers to all of life’s questions both big and small.
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The Benefits of Converting to Islam (part 3 of 3)
Description: Continuing our discussion about the benefits of conversion.
The benefits of converting to Islam are too numerous to count, however we have chosen just a few that stand out above the rest.
8. Converting to Islam answers all life’s BIG questions.
BenefitsOfConvertingPart3.jpgOne of the major benefits of converting to Islam is that it lifts the fog. Suddenly life, and all its ups and downs becomes clearer, it all makes more sense. The answers to the big questions that have been plaguing humankind for millennia are all laid bare. At any time during our lives, when we stand on the precipice, or at the fork in the road we ask ourselves – “Is this it, is this really all there is?” Well no, this is not all there is. Islam answers the questions and asks us to look beyond materialism and see that this life is little more than a transient stop on the way to life everlasting. Islam gives a clear aim and purpose to life. As a Muslim we are able to find answers in the words of God, the Quran, and in the example of His final messenger Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him.
Being Muslim indicates complete submission to the Creator and the fact that we were only created to worship God Alone. That is the reason we are here, on this spinning planet in the seemingly infinite universe; to worship God and God Alone. Converting to Islam frees us from the only potentially unforgiveable sin, which is to associate partners with God.
“And I (God) created not the jinn and humankind, except to worship Me (Alone).” (Quran 51:56)
“Oh humankind, worship God, you have no other god but Him.” (Quran 7:59)
It must be said however, that God is not in need of human worship. If not a single human worshipped God, it would not diminish His glory in any way, and if all of humankind worshipped Him, it would not increase His glory in any way.[1] We, humankind, need the comfort and security of worshipping God.
9. Converting to Islam allows every aspect of life to be an act of worship.
The religion of Islam was revealed for the benefit of all humankind who will exist until the Day of Judgement. It is a complete way of life, not something only practiced on the weekend or at annual festivals. A believer’s relationship with God is twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. It does not stop and start. Through His infinite mercy, God has provided us with a holistic approach to life, one that covers all aspects, spiritual, emotional and physical. He has not left us alone to stumble in the darkness rather God has given us the Quran, a book of guidance. He has also given us the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad that explain and expand on the guidance of the Quran.
Islam fulfils and balances our physical and spiritual needs. This system, designed by the Creator for his creation, not only expects a high standard of behaviour, morality and ethics but it also allows each and every human act to be transformed into worship. In fact, God commands the believers to dedicate their lives to Him.
“Say: ‘Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for God, the Lord of all the worlds.’” (Quran 6:162)
10. Converting to Islam makes all relationships harmonious.
God knows what is best for His creation. He has complete knowledge of the human psyche. Consequently Islam clearly defines the rights and responsibilities we have towards God, our parents, spouses, children, relatives, neighbours, etc. This brings order out of chaos, harmony out of confusion and replaces friction and conflict with peace. Converting to Islam allows one to face any and all situations with confidence. Islam is able to guide us through all aspects of life, spiritual, political, familial, societal and corporate.
When we fulfil our obligation to honour and obey God we automatically acquire all the manners and high standards of morality that Islam demands. Converting to Islam means submitting to the will of God and this entails honouring and respecting the rights of humankind, all living creatures and even the environment. We must know God and submit to Him in order to make decisions that will earn His pleasure.
In conclusion, there is one benefit of converting to Islam that makes every day a delight. No matter what circumstances a Muslim finds him or herself in, they are secure in the knowledge that nothing in this universe happens without the permission of God. The tests, trials and triumphs are all good and if faced with complete trust in God, they will lead to a happy conclusion and real contentment. Prophet Muhammad said, “Indeed amazing are the affairs of a believer! They are all for his benefit. If he is granted ease then he is thankful, and this is good for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres, and this is good for him”.[2]
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Why are Women Turning to Islam?
by Hanifah Ashawe
AT A TIME WHEN ISLAM IS FACED WITH HOSTILE MEDIA COVERAGE PARTICULARLY WHERE THE STATUS OF MEN IN ISLAM IS CONCERNED, IT MAY BE QUITE SURPRISING TO LEARN THAT ISLAM IS THE FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN THE WORLD, AND EVEN MORE IRONIC TO IS THAT THE STATISTICS SHOW THE MAJORITY OF CONVERTS TO ISLAM ARE WOMEN!
The status of women in society is neither a new issue nor is it a fully settled one, and where Islam is mentioned, for many the term 'Muslim Woman' prompts images of exhausted mothers chained to the stove, 'victims' suppressed in a life of indoctrination, frantic to be westernized and so on. Others will go to great lengths to explain how the hijab is an obstacle, clouding the mind, and comment that female converts are either brainwashed, stupid or traitors to their sex. I reject such accusations and pose to them the following question: why is it that so many women who have been born and brought up in the so-called "civilised" societies of Europe and America are willing to reject their "liberty" and "independence" to embrace a religion that supposedly oppresses them and is widely assumed to be prejudicial to them?
As a Christian convert to Islam, I can only present my personal experience and reasons for rejecting the "freedom" that women claim to have in this society in favor of the only Religion that truly liberates women by giving us a status and position which is completely unique when compared with that of our non-Muslim counterparts.
Before coming to Islam, I had strong feminist tendencies and recognized that where the woman was concerned, a lot of shuffling around had been going on, yet without being able to pin her on the social map. The problem was ongoing new woman's issues' being raised without the previous ones being satisfactorily resolved. Like the many women who shared my background. I would accuse Islam of being a sexist religion, discriminating, oppressing and giving men the greater privileges. All this coming from a person who didn't even know Islam, one who had been blinded due to ignorance and had accepted this deliberately distorted definition of Islam.
However, despite my criticisms of Islam, inwardly I wasn't satisfied with my own status as a woman in this society. It seemed to me that society would define the terms such as "liberty" and "freedom" and then these definitions were accepted by women without us even attempting to question or challenge them. There was clearly a great contradiction between what women are told in theory and what actually happens in practice.
The more I pondered, the greater emptiness I fell within. I was slowly beginning to reach a stage where my dissatisfaction with my status as a woman in this society, was really a reflection of my greater dissatisfaction with society itself. Everything seemed to be degenerating backwards, despite all the claims that the 1990's was going to be a decade of success and prosperity. Something vital seemed to be missing from my life and nothing would fill this vacuum. Being a Christian didn't do anything for me, and I began to question the validity of only remembering God one day a week – Sundays! As with many other Christians too, I had become disillusioned by the hypocrisy of the Church and was becoming increasingly unhappy with the concept of the Trinity and the deification of Jesus. Eventually, I began to look in Islam. At first I was only interested in looking into those issues which specifically dealt with women. I was surprised. What I read and learned taught me a lot about myself as a woman, and also about the real oppression of women lies: in every other system and way of life outside Islam. Muslim women have been given their rights in every aspect with clear definitions of their role in society – as had men – with no injustices against either of them. As Allah says: "Whoever does deeds of righteousness, by they male or female, and have faith, they will enter Paradise and not the least injustice will be done to them." [an-Nisa' (4):124]
So having amended my misconceptions about the true status of women in Islam, I was now looking further. I wanted to find that thing which was going to fill the vacuum in my life. My attention was drawn towards the beliefs and practices of Islam. It was only through establishing the fundamentals that I would understand where to turn and what to prioritize. These are often areas which receive little attention or controversy in society, and when studying Islamic creed, it becomes clear why this is the case: such concise, faultless and widely comprehensive details cannot be found elsewhere.
The fundamental belief of Islam is Tawhid which is a simple message 'la ilaha illallah'. It is recognized that Allah alone is to be worshiped and then to direct all worship towards Him – the root message which strikes at all false worship and it is the place where any person who seriously wants to learn about Islam should start.
By this time I had begun to meet practicing Muslim women and how I felt so secure and welcome in their company! There was a sense of tranquility and humility about them and I wanted to share in that. These sisters, I regarded not only as friends, but advisers, and supporters too, and the beauty of their companionship was that every person was attracted due to the same reason: to help each other in worshiping Allah. This is what united their hearts together. Allah says: "And He has united their [i.e. the believers] hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but All h has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise." [al-Anfal (8):63]
Alhamdulillah, I accepted Islam willingly.
Through my reading, researching and attending lectures, I have come to know my Rabb (Lord). I have come closer to acquainting myself with some of His Names (Asma') and Attributes (Sifat) of Beauty and Perfection. I have found this a great help in understanding the whole Religion. To know, for example, that among Allah's Names is that He is the Most Wise (al-Hakim) and the Most Just (al-'Adl), and therefore that He commands only that which is wise and just, would completely relieve a person from seeking to find justifications for Allah's Laws, or from having having doubts about the fairness of Allah's Laws. Now, alhamdulillah, I can appreciate much more why the true Muslim scholars emphasize so strong for Muslims to learn about Allah – His Asma' and Sifat – before trying to reason with Allah's Laws. Unfortunate I would have been, had I taken the stance that "Islam gives the best deal to women" and made this my reason for embracing Islam because then my faith would have been without a firm ground and sooner or later I would have come across some laws ordained by Allah that I couldn't logically / rationally understand or see the wisdom behind. Had I not studied the foundation of belief, namely Tawhid and looked at how Allah describes Himself in His Book, perhaps I would still be in darkness. And all praise and thanks is for Allah who guided me to the truth – It is as He says: "Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His good pleasure, to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness, by His will, into light and guides them to a Straight Path." [al-Ma'idah (5):16]
The reason why women are turning to Islam must certainly have something to do with the honor that Islam gives them and the equality with which it deals with people, not only in terms of gender, but also in terms of race, nationality, class, etc. However, the overriding reason why I and so many others like me were attracted to Islam was because Islam answered the most important question which I had ever asked: "Why am I here on this earth?" So I crossed the divide and managed to see what lies on the other side … alhamdulillah, I chose Islam.
AT A TIME WHEN ISLAM IS FACED WITH HOSTILE MEDIA COVERAGE PARTICULARLY WHERE THE STATUS OF MEN IN ISLAM IS CONCERNED, IT MAY BE QUITE SURPRISING TO LEARN THAT ISLAM IS THE FASTEST GROWING RELIGION IN THE WORLD, AND EVEN MORE IRONIC TO IS THAT THE STATISTICS SHOW THE MAJORITY OF CONVERTS TO ISLAM ARE WOMEN!
The status of women in society is neither a new issue nor is it a fully settled one, and where Islam is mentioned, for many the term 'Muslim Woman' prompts images of exhausted mothers chained to the stove, 'victims' suppressed in a life of indoctrination, frantic to be westernized and so on. Others will go to great lengths to explain how the hijab is an obstacle, clouding the mind, and comment that female converts are either brainwashed, stupid or traitors to their sex. I reject such accusations and pose to them the following question: why is it that so many women who have been born and brought up in the so-called "civilised" societies of Europe and America are willing to reject their "liberty" and "independence" to embrace a religion that supposedly oppresses them and is widely assumed to be prejudicial to them?
As a Christian convert to Islam, I can only present my personal experience and reasons for rejecting the "freedom" that women claim to have in this society in favor of the only Religion that truly liberates women by giving us a status and position which is completely unique when compared with that of our non-Muslim counterparts.
Before coming to Islam, I had strong feminist tendencies and recognized that where the woman was concerned, a lot of shuffling around had been going on, yet without being able to pin her on the social map. The problem was ongoing new woman's issues' being raised without the previous ones being satisfactorily resolved. Like the many women who shared my background. I would accuse Islam of being a sexist religion, discriminating, oppressing and giving men the greater privileges. All this coming from a person who didn't even know Islam, one who had been blinded due to ignorance and had accepted this deliberately distorted definition of Islam.
However, despite my criticisms of Islam, inwardly I wasn't satisfied with my own status as a woman in this society. It seemed to me that society would define the terms such as "liberty" and "freedom" and then these definitions were accepted by women without us even attempting to question or challenge them. There was clearly a great contradiction between what women are told in theory and what actually happens in practice.
The more I pondered, the greater emptiness I fell within. I was slowly beginning to reach a stage where my dissatisfaction with my status as a woman in this society, was really a reflection of my greater dissatisfaction with society itself. Everything seemed to be degenerating backwards, despite all the claims that the 1990's was going to be a decade of success and prosperity. Something vital seemed to be missing from my life and nothing would fill this vacuum. Being a Christian didn't do anything for me, and I began to question the validity of only remembering God one day a week – Sundays! As with many other Christians too, I had become disillusioned by the hypocrisy of the Church and was becoming increasingly unhappy with the concept of the Trinity and the deification of Jesus. Eventually, I began to look in Islam. At first I was only interested in looking into those issues which specifically dealt with women. I was surprised. What I read and learned taught me a lot about myself as a woman, and also about the real oppression of women lies: in every other system and way of life outside Islam. Muslim women have been given their rights in every aspect with clear definitions of their role in society – as had men – with no injustices against either of them. As Allah says: "Whoever does deeds of righteousness, by they male or female, and have faith, they will enter Paradise and not the least injustice will be done to them." [an-Nisa' (4):124]
So having amended my misconceptions about the true status of women in Islam, I was now looking further. I wanted to find that thing which was going to fill the vacuum in my life. My attention was drawn towards the beliefs and practices of Islam. It was only through establishing the fundamentals that I would understand where to turn and what to prioritize. These are often areas which receive little attention or controversy in society, and when studying Islamic creed, it becomes clear why this is the case: such concise, faultless and widely comprehensive details cannot be found elsewhere.
The fundamental belief of Islam is Tawhid which is a simple message 'la ilaha illallah'. It is recognized that Allah alone is to be worshiped and then to direct all worship towards Him – the root message which strikes at all false worship and it is the place where any person who seriously wants to learn about Islam should start.
By this time I had begun to meet practicing Muslim women and how I felt so secure and welcome in their company! There was a sense of tranquility and humility about them and I wanted to share in that. These sisters, I regarded not only as friends, but advisers, and supporters too, and the beauty of their companionship was that every person was attracted due to the same reason: to help each other in worshiping Allah. This is what united their hearts together. Allah says: "And He has united their [i.e. the believers] hearts. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts, but All h has united them. Certainly He is All-Mighty, All-Wise." [al-Anfal (8):63]
Alhamdulillah, I accepted Islam willingly.
Through my reading, researching and attending lectures, I have come to know my Rabb (Lord). I have come closer to acquainting myself with some of His Names (Asma') and Attributes (Sifat) of Beauty and Perfection. I have found this a great help in understanding the whole Religion. To know, for example, that among Allah's Names is that He is the Most Wise (al-Hakim) and the Most Just (al-'Adl), and therefore that He commands only that which is wise and just, would completely relieve a person from seeking to find justifications for Allah's Laws, or from having having doubts about the fairness of Allah's Laws. Now, alhamdulillah, I can appreciate much more why the true Muslim scholars emphasize so strong for Muslims to learn about Allah – His Asma' and Sifat – before trying to reason with Allah's Laws. Unfortunate I would have been, had I taken the stance that "Islam gives the best deal to women" and made this my reason for embracing Islam because then my faith would have been without a firm ground and sooner or later I would have come across some laws ordained by Allah that I couldn't logically / rationally understand or see the wisdom behind. Had I not studied the foundation of belief, namely Tawhid and looked at how Allah describes Himself in His Book, perhaps I would still be in darkness. And all praise and thanks is for Allah who guided me to the truth – It is as He says: "Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His good pleasure, to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness, by His will, into light and guides them to a Straight Path." [al-Ma'idah (5):16]
The reason why women are turning to Islam must certainly have something to do with the honor that Islam gives them and the equality with which it deals with people, not only in terms of gender, but also in terms of race, nationality, class, etc. However, the overriding reason why I and so many others like me were attracted to Islam was because Islam answered the most important question which I had ever asked: "Why am I here on this earth?" So I crossed the divide and managed to see what lies on the other side … alhamdulillah, I chose Islam.
*************************
* How to enter Islam?
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"Key" to Paradise
What Every Muslim Needs to Know - The 9 Conditions of "Shahadah"
What Every Muslim Needs to Know - The 9 Conditions of "Shahadah"
Based on an Article entitled "The Conditions of "La illah illa-lah" taken from
AL-BASHEER magazine
The complete statement of the creed of the Muslim is: "Ash-shadu anna Laa elaha illa lah. Ash-shadu anna Muhammadar Rasoolulah." (I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger).
Every Muslim has been taught that the key to "Jennah" (Paradise) is the statement in Arabic: "Laa illaha illa lah." (There is none worthy of worship except Allah.) Yet too many Muslims simply rely upon this statement and believe that as long as they have made this statement, nothing will harm them. They think they will be granted Paradise because of this mere verbal statement of the Shahadah.
There is no question that the mere saying of the shahadah: "I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger" is not sufficient for salvation. In fact, the munafiqeen ( hypocrites) used to make this statement quite often yet Allah describes them as liars and says that they shall abide in the lowest abyss of the Hell-fire.
True scholars of Islam are quick to tell us that this testimony of faith is our "Muftah ul Jennah" (Key to Paradise). The famous follower Wahb ibn Munabbih was once asked;
"Isn't the statement of "La ilaha illa-lah" the key to Paradise?"
He answered;
"Yes! But every key has ridges. If you come with the key that has the right ridges, the door will open for you. Yet if you do not have the right ridges the door will not open for you."
Think about it. If you try to drive your car with the key to your house will it work? Of course not. So, we see that the statement like a key, must meet certain conditions in order to work. In fact these conditions are what will determine who will benefit from the statement and who will not benefit from saying it, no matter how many times per day they say it. We must work hard to learn, understand and practice these conditions before we run out time and then it would be too late for our shahadah to help us at all. This article has value only if we use it to look at ourselves and make sure we are really meeting these conditions.
Then by Allah's Mercy, the doors to Jennah will open for us with our " muftah of Laa elaha illa lah".
"Nine Conditions of the Shahadah":
The Qur'an and the "Hadeeth" (teachings of Muhammad, peace be upon him) are the ultimate sources for knowledge in Islam. We find contained in them the reality of the conditions necessary for the "shahadah" to work as a "muftah" to the "Jennah" for us. The number might be understood as seven, eight or even nine depending on how you would categorize them or combine them together. Regardless of how we would list them or divide them up, it still remains that we must understand and most important, apply these conditions of our shahadah if we are to enter the Jennah. We listed them here as "nine" in order to give more attention and detail to each and every aspect. However, the scholars who have listed them as seven or eight have not left anything out. They have merely combined several for easier comprehension and memorization.
The nine conditions of the shahadah are known as:
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
1 KNOWLEDGE: ('ilm) Top
That is, one must have the basic and general knowledge of what is meant by the shahadah. One must understand what the shahadah is affirming and what the shahadah is denying. Allah says in the Qur'an,
"So know that there is no God save Allah, and ask forgiveness for your sin."
(Surah Muhammad: 19).
Similarly, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
“Whoever dies knowing that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah shall enter Paradise.”
(Recorded in Sahih Muslim).
In fact, the shahadah itself is a testimony. When one testifies to something, one must know what it is that he is testifying concerns. Obviously, a testimony about something that one does not have any knowledge about is absolutely unacceptable. Allah says in the Qur'an,
"Except him who bears witness unto the truth knowingly."
(Surah Al-Zukhruf: 86).
Now this condition probably sounds obvious; if someone said to you, "There is no God except Allah," and then said that what he meant by Allah was Jesus, you would immediately tell him that this shahadah is nonsense. Yet can you imagine that there is a Muslim country in the world that until recently used to have a yearly weeklong celebration to "the Gods of the Sea"! All along they call themselves Muslims and they make the shahadah numerous times a day.
This clearly shows that they have no idea what the meaning of their shahadah is. Do you think that this kind of shahadah will open the doors to Paradise for them? Today, there are many Muslims who wonder why we should not accept secularism. They think that there is nothing wrong with secularism! Many of these Muslims pray five times a day and utter the shahadah repeatedly. Yet they see nothing wrong with accepting a Lawgiver other than Allah? What kind of shahadah are these people making?
All of us do our best to learn at least the basics of Islamic beliefs, the basics of what shahadah means. In this way, Allah willing, we will be making the correct shahadah. We will be witnessing to the truth as we are supposed to be witnesses to it.
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
2 CERTAINTY (yaqeen): Top
This is the opposite of doubt and uncertainty. In Islam, in fact, any kind of doubt is equivalent to Kufr or disbelief. We must, in our hearts, be absolutely certain of the truth of the shahadah. Our hearts must not be wavering in any way when we testify to the truth of, "There is none worthy of worship except Allah." Allah describes the believers in the Qur'an as those who have belief in Allah and then their hearts waver not. Allah says,
"the (true) believers are those only who believe in Allah and His messenger and afterward doubt not, but strive with their wealth and their lives for the cause of Allah. Such are the sincere."
(al-Hujjarat : 15).
Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "No one meets Allah with the testimony that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and I am the Messenger of Allah, and he has no doubt about hat statement, except that he will enter Paradise." (Recorded by Muslim.)
Indeed, Allah describes the hypocrites as those people whose hearts are wavering. For example, Allah says,
"They alone seek leave of thee (not to participate in jihad) who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver."
(al-Tauba: 45).
Many scholars have stated that the diseases of the heart, or the doubt and suspicions that one allows into one's heart, are more dangerous for a person's faith than lusts and desires. This is because lusts and desires may be satisfied at some time yet the person still knows them to be wrong and he may control himself and repent and give up that evil deed. On the other hand, the doubts and suspicions may linger in the heart, with no cure, until the person finally leaves Islam entirely or continues to practice Islam while, in fact, in his heart he does not have the true faith. The greatest cure for these doubts is seeking knowledge. It is through sound knowledge of the Qur'an and the Sunnah that most of these doubts will be removed.
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
3 ACCEPTANCE (qabool): Top
If a person has knowledge of and certainty in the shahadah, this must be followed by acceptance, with the tongue and heart, of whatever that shahadah implies. Whoever refuses to accept the shahadah and its implications, even if he knows that it is true and certain about its truth, then he is a disbeliever. This refusal to accept is sometimes due to pride, envy or other reasons.
In any case, the shahadah is not a true shahadah without its unconditional acceptance. The scholars all talk about this condition as a general condition in the way that I have just stated. However, there is also a more detailed aspect that we must all be aware of. The believer accepts whatever the implications of the shahadah are. This also means that he believes in whatever is stated in the Qur'an or stated by the Prophet (peace be upon him), without any right to choose what he wants to believe and what he wants to reject. Allah says in the Qur'an,
"Do you believe in part of the book and reject part of it? And what is the reward of those who do so, except humiliation in the life of this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be sent to the most dreadful doom."
(al-Baqarah: 85).
This is one aspect that the Muslims must be aware of. Although it is not the same as the complete refusal to accept the truth, by rejecting part of the truth that has come from Allah, one also negates his testimony of faith. Unfortunately, many Muslims are doing this nowadays in various ways. Although not all of these forms may necessarily be considered apostasy, they are still very dangerous. For example, if they do not like what is stated in a verse in the Qur'an, they simply reinterpret the verse according to their liking. If they do not like what is stated in a hadeeth, they simply state that the hadeeth must not be authentic although they are not scholars in that area. This kind of behavior is the antithesis of the behavior of the true Muslims. Whatever comes from Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him), the true Muslim believes in as the truth. This goes hand in hand with their testimony of faith.
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
4 SUBMISSION and COMPLIANCE (Inqiyad): Top
This implies the actual physical enactment with our deeds of our shahadah. In fact, this is one of the main meanings of the word Islam itself, "the submission to the will and commands of Allah." This is what Allah commands in the Qur'an,
"Turn unto Him repentant, and surrender unto Him" (al-Zumar: 54).
Allah has praised those who submit to His command by their actions. Allah says,
"Who is better in religion than he who surrenders his purpose to Allah while doing good" (al-Nisa: 125).
Actually, Allah has clearly made it a condition of faith that one submits to the command of Allah and His messenger. Allah says,
"But nay, by your Lord, they will not truly believe until they make you [the Messenger of Allah] judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of which you decide, and submit with full submission" (al-Nisa: 65)
Unfortunately, there are many that claim that there is no relationship between faith and deeds. You can even hear one Muslim saying about another, "That is the best Muslim I have ever met," yet the other person performs scarcely any of the deeds of Islam whatsoever. This incorrect understanding of faith has spread throughout the Muslim world. Indeed, our shahadah or testimony of faith must be implemented or realized in our hearts, tongues and actions. In our hearts, we must have love for Allah, fear Allah and hope in Him. With our tongues we must testify to the shahadah. And with our actions, we must implement what the testimony of faith requires from us.
Anyone who claims to be a Muslim and yet does no deeds, either does not understand Islam whatsoever or is bearing testimony against himself that his testimony of faith is not a true and correct testimony of faith. This does not mean that the true believer never commits a sin. Indeed, true believers do commit sins, but as long as they recognize that what they did is not correct and it is inconsistent with their obligation of submitting to Allah, then they have not violated the soundness of their testimony or shahadah. But do not forget they are still sinners. And what is the minimum of submission that is required from a person beyond whom there can be no claim to faith? For those scholars who say that the abandonment of prayers is infidelity, it is the five daily prayers. Whoever does not perform, at least, the five daily prayers have gone beyond the limit that is acceptable for lack of deeds. Allah knows best.
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
5 TRUTHFULNESS (as-sidq),
as opposed to hypocrisy and dishonesty: Top
This means that when we say the shahadah, we are saying it honestly. We actually mean it. We are not lying when it comes to our testimony of faith. The Prophet (peace be upon his) said, "No one bears testimony to there being no one worth of worship save Allah, sincerely from his heart, except that Allah makes the Hell-fire forbidden for him." (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
We are all familiar with those who say the testimony of faith yet they are not saying it honestly. They do not believe in it but they are simply saying it in order to protect themselves or to get some gain from doing so; these are the hypocrites. Allah has described them in the opening of the Qur'an with the following words,
"And of mankind are some who say, 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' when they believe not. They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves, but they perceive not. In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increases their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie"
(al-Baqarah: 8-10).
Obviously, the shahadah of those who become Muslims simply to benefit from being Muslim and not because they believe in Islam will be rejected by Allah in the Hereafter. They will face a painful punishment due to their lying.
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
6 SINCERITY (or al-ikhlass): Top
That is, when we make the shahadah, we must do so solely for the sake of Allah. We must not do it for any other reason. And we must not do it for anyone else's sake. In this manner, the meaning of sincerity is opposite of Shirk or ascribing partners with Allah. We became and remain Muslims solely for Allah's sake. Allah says in the Qur'an,
"Worship Allah, making religion pure for him" (al-Zumar: 2).
And Allah also says,
"And they are ordained not else than to serve Allah, keeping religion pure for Him, as men by nature upright and to establish worship and to pay the poor-due. That is true religion" (al-Bayinah: 5).
And the Prophet (peace be upon him) added, "Allah has forbidden for the Hell-fire anyone who says, 'There is no one worthy of worship except Allah,' and say so desiring the face [and pleasure] of Allah." (Recorded by Muslim).
This is something that we should all think about, especially those of us who grew up in Muslim families and were born Muslim. We should make it very clear to ourselves that we are Muslims only for the sake of Allah. We are not Muslims for the sake of our parents, friends, family or community. It must be clear in our minds that we are Muslims for the sake of Allah first, last and only. One of the signs that we are Muslims for the sake of Allah is that we do whatever Allah asks of us, regardless of what anybody else desires or wants from us. That is, in the same way that we are Muslims solely for the sake of Allah, all of our actions are done for the sake of Allah.
However, sometimes one begins to wonder whether some people meet this condition. Some people from the Muslim world practice Islam to the extent that it is pleasing to their families. If there is anything in Islam that their families do not like- although their families are Muslim and therefore they actually should like all of Islam- then they do not practice that aspect of Islam. One common example of that nature is mixing between men and women. Sometimes a brother, here in the U.S., will not mix with women and his wife will remain separate from the men. Yet, when they return to their homes, because this is not pleasing to their families who want to mix between men and women, they easily, simply and happily compromise their religion for the sake of their parents. These people must sincerely ask themselves why they are Muslims. Are they Muslims for the sake of their parents and therefore whatever their parents like they will do and whatever their parents do not like they won't do? Or are they Muslims for the sake of Allah and therefore whatever Allah dislikes they will not do and whatever Allah is pleased with they do?
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
7 LOVE (mahabbah): Top
That is, the believer loves this shahadah, he loves in accordance with the shahadah, he loves the implications and requirements of the shahadah and he loves those who act and strive for the sake of this shahadah. This is a necessary condition of the shahadah. If a person makes the shahadah but does not love the shahadah and what it stands for, then, in fact, his faith is not complete. It is not the faith of a true believer. And if he loves something more that this shahadah or if he loves something more than Allah, then he has negated his shahadah. The true believer, the one meeting the conditions of the shahadah puts no one whatsoever as an equal to Allah in his love. Allah says in the Qur'an,
"Yet of mankind are some who take unto themselves (objects of worship which they set as) rivals to Allah, loving them with a love like (that which is due to) Allah only. However, those who believe are stauncher in their love of Allah" (al-Baqarah: 165).
And elsewhere Allah says:
"Say: If your fathers, or your sons, or your brethren, or your wives, or your tribe, or the wealth you have acquired, or merchandise for which you fear that there will be no sale, or dwellings you desire are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His way: then wait till Allah brings His command to pass. Allah guides not wrongdoing folk" (al-Tauba: 24).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever has three characteristics has tasted the sweetness of faith. [The first of these] is that he loves Allah and His Messenger more than he loves anyone else..."(Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.).
This is one of the most important aspects of Islam yet, for some reason, it is missing from the lives of many Muslims. They act in Islam as if Islam were a chore instead of doing things out of the love of Allah. When Allah orders us to do something, like bear witness to the faith, we should realize that that thing is pleasing to Allah and, therefore, out of our love for Allah, we should be very pleased to do the acts that are pleasing to Allah. But, as I said, this feeling is missing from many, many Muslims today.
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
8 DENIAL OF FALSE WORSHIP: Top
Although that is clear in the words of the testimony of faith, it does not seem clear to everyone who makes that testimony. Therefore, I am mentioning it explicitly here. In Surah al-Baqarah, Allah clearly reminds us of this important aspect of the shahadah, the shahadah is not merely an affirmation but it is both an affirmation and a negation. Allah states,
"And he who rejects false deities and believes in Allah has grasped a firm handhold which will never break" (al-Baqarah: 256).
Perhaps the Prophet (peace be upon him) made this point even clearer when he said, "Whoever says there is no one worthy of worship except Allah and denies whatever is worshipped besides Allah, then his wealth and blood are protected and his accounting will be with Allah." (Recorded by Muslim).
Although this condition should be obvious to everyone who says the words of shahadah, you can still find Muslims who say the shahadah and then make acts of worship for beings or things other than Allah. You will find them going to the graveyards and worshipping those in the graves. They will perform acts of worship, not for the sake of Allah, but for the sake of the dead "saints" in the grave. What kind of shahadah have these people made? Do you really think that their shahadah will mean anything on the Day of Judgment as long as they believe that acts of worship may be done for other than Allah?
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
9 ADHERENCE (astaqeem) until death: Top
This is must if the shahadah is to mean anything for you in the Hereafter. You cannot rest on your laurels of what you may have done in the past. No, indeed, the shahadah must be your banner until your death. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, " A man spends a long time doing the deeds of the people of Paradise and then he ends his deeds with the deeds of the people of the Hell-fire. And a man spends a long time doing the deeds of the people of the Hell-fire and then he ends his deeds with the deeds of the people of Paradise." (Recorded by Muslim)
In another hadeeth, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
"By the One beside whom there is no other God, one of you does the actions of Paradise until there is just a hand span between him and Paradise and then the book [preordainment] overtakes him and he does the actions of the people of Hell and he enters into it." (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
And Allah says in the Qur'an,
"O believers, observe your duty to Allah with right observance, and die not except as Muslims "O believers, observe your duty to Allah with right observance, and die not except as Muslims [in complete state of surrender, submission, obedience to Allah]" [in complete state of surrender, submission, obedience to Allah]" (al-Imran: 102).
Dear brothers and sisters, these are the conditions of the shahadah. These are the aspects of the shahadah that each and every one of us should look deep down into our own hearts and ask ourselves:
"Is my shahadah meeting those requirements?"
"Am I saying it sincerely, honestly and out of love for Allah?"
"Am I saying it based on what it really means?"
"Am I denying all other false objects of worship?"
"Is there any part of my shahadah that is weak or missing?"
It is not enough to simply memorize these conditions and the answers to the questions as though we were on our way to class to take a "pop quiz." We might meet Muslims or even the teachers themselves, who have totally memorized these conditions and their meanings so much so that they can recite every detail. But if we look to the way they act and the way they treat others, we know that the conditions are not having the right effect on them. This is proof that no matter how much a person knows, it only matters how much they live up to it. In the Next Life their knowledge of these conditions of shahadah will not benefit them in the least if they have not put them into practice. Actually, their knowledge will be proof against them because they clearly knew the conditions, yet they were not willing to live up to them in this life.
As Muslims we need to ask ourselves right now, before we die and go in front of Allah for His Judgment. We need to consider our answers carefully to these questions. If we are weak in certain areas of these important questions, then we should work hard to remove that weakness. So that in the Next Life our shahadah will be our "Key to Paradise" and the gates of the Paradise will open wide for us and we will be able to live forever in Allah's Jennah with Him being please with us.
"O Allah, make us of those who learn, understand and apply the true meanings of the shahadah, ameen. Forgive us were we fall short or make mistakes, ameen. Bring us closer to You by Your Mercy and enter us into Your Jennah, ameen."
Al Hamdulilah Rabbil Alameen was salat was salam ala Rasool al kareem. Top
1 - Knowledge 4 - Submission 7 - Love
2 - Certainty 5 - Truth 8 - Denial
3 - Acceptance 6 - Sincerity 9 - Adherence
Original article taken from AL-BASHEER magazine
(Vol. 7, No.5 January-February, 1994).
Other articles of interest on this subject can be found at Today Islam .com:
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Category: Non-Muslims
Published on Saturday, 31 March 2007
Written by Mitexcecedimi
Find Your Way to Real Happiness
Witten by Dr. Bilal Philips
Please take a moment to think about the answers to the following earth-shaking questions:
What is the purpose of life?
Can true happiness be attained without knowledge of life’s purpose?
Does real happiness and /or purpose lie in mere eating and drinking, sex and procreation; a few enjoyable moments, followed by sudden death?
Isn’t it absolutely illogical for God, who is infinitely wise, to create us without a purpose?
Well, He didn’t.
The purpose of life is to achieve real happiness by worshipping the One True God in everything that we do.
To find out why this definitely is the real purpose to life, how to fulfill it, and why this is the only source of real happiness, please visit the following website:
purposeofcreation.com Or write to: Qatar Guest Center/The Purpose of Life, PO Box 33306, Doha, Qatar, for your free copy of the book: The Purpose of Creation by Dr. A.B. Philips
"There is no other way"
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The Search for Inner Peace
Written by Dr. Bilal Philips
01 April 2007
The topic of inner peace addresses a universal need. There is nobody on this planet that does not desire inner peace. It is not a desire that is new to our time; rather, it is something that everybody has been searching for throughout the ages, regardless of colour, creed, religion, race, nationality, age, sex, wealth, ability or technological advancement.
People have taken a variety of different paths in trying to achieve inner peace, some through accumulating material possessions and wealth, others through drugs; some through music, others through meditation; some through their husbands and wives, others through their careers and some through their children’s achievements. And the list goes on
Yet the search also goes on. In our time we have been led to believe that technological advancement and modernisation will produce for us physical comforts and and through these we will attain inner peace.
However, if we were to take the most technologically advanced and most industrialised nation in the world, America, then we would see that what we have been led to believe is not factual. The statistics show that in America some 20 million adults suffer from depression yearly; and what is depression but a total lack of inner peace? Furthermore in the year 2000 death rate due to suicide was double the rate of those who die from Aids. However, the news media being what it is, we hear more about those who die from Aids than we do about those who die by committing suicide. Also more people die from suicide in America than from homicide, and the homicide rates themselves are massive.
So the reality is that technological advancement and modernisation have not bought inner peace and tranquillity. Rather in spite pf the creature comforts that modernisation has brought us, we are further away fro inner peace than our ancestors were.
Inner peace is for the most part of our lives very elusive; we never seem to get our hands on it.
Many of us mistake personal pleasures for inner peace; we achieve elements of pleasure from a variety of things, be it wealth, sexual relations or other than that. But these do not last, they come and go. Yes we have personal pleasures from time to time and we are pleased with various things from time to time, but this is not inner peace. True inner peace is a sense of stability and contentment which carries us through all the trials and difficulties of life.
W need to understand that peace is not something that will exist in this world around us because when we define peace according to the dictionary definition it states that peace is freedom from war or civil strife. Where do have this? There is always a war or some sort of civil unrest happening somewhere in the world. If we look at peace in terms of the state level then peace is freedom from public disorder and security, but where in the world do we have this in a complete form? If we look at peace on a social level, family and work, then peace is freedom from disagreements and arguments, but is there such a social environment that never has disagreements or arguments? In terms of location, then yes, we can have a place which is calm, peaceful and tranquil, some islands for example, but this external peace only exists for a small amount of time, sooner or later a storm or a hurricane will come.
Allaah says:
“Verily, I have created man in toil (struggle).” (Al-Balad 90:4)
This is the nature of our lives; we are in toil and struggle, ups and downs, times of difficulties and time of ease.
It is a life full of tests as Allaah says:
“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-Saabirin (the patient ones, etc.).” (Al-Baqarah 2:155)
To deal with our circumstances, the circumstances of toil and struggle in which we live, patience is the key.
But if we go back to the inner peace that we are looking for, then patience cannot manifest itself if we do not have that inner peace.
We are living in a world of toil and struggle, but yet within ourselves it is possible to attain inner peace, peace with the environment, with the world in which we live.
Obviously there are some obstacles which prevent us from attaining peace. So first we have to identify the obstacles in our lives which prevent us from achieving maximum inner peace and develop some kind of strategy to remove them. The obstacles will not be removed just by thinking that we need to remove them; we have to develop some steps to achieve this. So how do we go about removing these obstacles so that we can achieve what is possible of inner peace?
The first step is to identify the obstacles themselves. We have to be aware of them, because if we cannot identify them then we cannot remove them
The second step is to accept them as obstacles within ourselves. For example anger is one of the biggest obstacles to inner peace, for example. If a person is angry worked up and has blown a fuse, how can he or she have inner peace in that circumstance? It is not possible. So the person needs to recognise that anger is an obstacle to inner peace.
However, if a person states that, “Yes, it is an obstacle but I do not get angry”, then such a person has a problem. He has not accepted that obstacle as a problem and is in a state of self denial. As such he cannot remove it.
If we look at the obstacles in life we can put them under a variety of headings: personal problems, family issues, financial dilemmas, work pressures and spiritual confusion. And there are many issues under these headings.
We have so many problems, so many obstacles that they are like illnesses. If we try to deal with them one by one we will never get through them. We need to identify them, put them in some general categories and tackle them as a group as opposed to trying to tackle each individual obstacle and problem.
To do this we have to first of all remove obstacles that are beyond our control. We have to be able to distinguish which obstacles are within our control and which ones are beyond our control. While we perceive the ones that are beyond our control as obstacles the reality is that they are not. They are the things that Allaah has destined for us in our lives, they are not really obstacles, but we have misinterpreted them as being obstacles.
For example, in this time one might find oneself born black in a world that favours white people over black people; or born poor in a world that favours the rich over the poor, or born short, or crippled, or any other physical condition which is considered a handicap.
These are all things that were and are beyond our control. We did not choose which family to be born in to; we did not choose which body for our spirit to be blown into, this is not our choice. So whatever we find of these kinds of obstacles then we just have to be patient with them and realise that, in fact, they are not really obstacles. Allaah told us:
“…and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allaah knows but you do not know.” (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:216)
So the obstacles that are beyond our control, we may dislike them and we may want to change them, and some actually people spend a lot of money trying to change them. Michael Jackson is a classic example. He was born black in a world that favours white people, so he spent a lot of money trying to change himself but he only ended up making a mess of himself.
Inner peace can only be achieved if the obstacles that are beyond our control are accepted by us patiently as part of Allaah’s destiny.
Know that whatever happens which we had or have no control over, then Allaah has put in it some good, whether or not we are able to grasp what is good in it; the good is still there. So we accept it!
There was an article in a newspaper which had a photograph of a smiling Egyptian man. He had a smile on his face from ear to ear with his hands stretched out and both thumbs sticking up; his father was kissing him on one cheek and his sister on the other cheek.
Underneath the photograph it had a caption. He was supposed to have been on a Gulf Air flight the day before, Cairo to Bahrain. He had dashed down to the airport to catch the flight and when he got there he had one stamp missing on his Passport (In Cairo you have to have many stamps on your documents. You get this person to stamp this and sign that and that person to stamp that and sign this) But there he was at the airport with one stamp missing. As he was a teacher in Bahrain and this flight was the last one back to Bahrain which would enable him to report back on time, missing it meant that he would have lost his job. So he nagged them to let him on the flight. He became frantic, started crying and screaming and going berserk, but he could not get on the plane. It took off without him. He went (to his home in Cairo) distraught, thinking that he was finished and that his career was over. His family comforted him and told him not to worry about it. The next day, he heard the news that the plane he was meant to be on crashed and everybody on board died. And then there he was, ecstatic that he did not make the flight. But the day before it was the end of his life, a tragedy that he did not get on the flight.
These are signs, and such signs can be found in the story of Moosaa and Khidr (which we should read every Jumu’ah, i.e. Soorah al-Kahf). When Khidr made a hole in the boat of the people who were kind enough to take him and Moosaa across the river, Moosaa asked why he (Khidr) did that.
When the owners of the boat saw the hole in the boat they wondered who did it and thought that it was a nasty thing to have done. A short while later the king came down to the river and forcefully took away all the boats except the one with a hole in it. So the owners of the boat praised Allaah due to the fact that there was a hole in their boat. [1]
There are other obstacles or rather things which are perceived as obstacles in our life. These are things in which we cannot figure out what is beyond them. A thing happens and we do not know why, we do not have an explanation for it. For some people this drives them into disbelief. If one listens to an atheist he has no inner peace and has rejected God. Why did that person become an atheist? It is abnormal to disbelieve in God, whereas it is normal for us to believe in God because Allaah created us with a natural inclination to believe in Him.
Allaah says:
“So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion of pure Islaamic Monotheism Hanifa (worship none but Allaah Alone) Allaah’s Fitrah (i.e. Allaah’s Islaamic Monotheism), with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Khalq¬illah (i.e. the Religion of Allaah Islaamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of men know not.” (Ar-Rum 30:30) [2]
The Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Every child is born with a pure nature (as a Muslim with a natural inclination to believe on God)…” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree & Saheeh Muslim)
This is the nature of human beings, but a person who becomes an atheist without having been taught it from childhood usually does so because of a tragedy. If a tragedy happens in their life they have no explanations as to why it happened.
For example, a person who became an atheist may say that he/she had a wonderful auntie; she was a very good person and everybody loved her, but one day whilst she was out crossing the road a car came out of nowhere and hit her and she died. Why did this happen to her of all people? Why? No explanations! Or a person (who became an atheist) may have had a child who died and say why did this happen to my child? Why? No explanations! As a result of such tragedies they then think that there can’t possibly be a God.
Going back to the story of Moosaa and Khidr, after they crossed the river they came across a child and Khidr cut that child’s head off. Moosaa asked Khidr how he could possibly do such a thing? The child was innocent and Khidr cut his head off! Khidr told Moosaa that the child had righteous parents and if the child had grown up (Allaah knew that) he would have become such a terror for his parents that he would have driven them into disbelief, so Allaah ordered the death of the child.
Of course the parents grieved when they found their child dead. However, Allaah replaced their child with one who was righteous and better for them. This child honoured them and was good to and for them, but the parents would always have a hole in their heart due to losing their first child, right until the Day of Judgement when they will stand before Allaah and He will reveal to them the reason why He took the soul of their first child and then they will then understand and praise Allaah.
So this is the nature of our lives. There are things, things which are apparently negative, things which happen in our lives which seem to be obstacles to inner peace because we do not understand them or why they happened to us, but we have to put them aside.
They are from Allaah and we have to believe that ultimately there is good behind them, whether we can see it or not. Then we move on to those things that we can change. First we identify them, then we move to the second major step and that is removing the obstacles by developing solutions for them. To remove the obstacles we have to focus mostly on self-change and this is because Allaah says:
“Verily! Allaah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of good within themselves…” (Ra'd 13:11)
This is an area which we have control over. We can even develop patience, although the common idea is that some people are just born patient. A man came to the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and asked what he needed to do to get to Paradise, so the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told him: “Do not get angry.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree)
The man was an individual who would get angry quickly, so the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told the man that he needed to do change his angry nature. So changing oneself and one’s character is something achievable. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) also said: “Whoever pretends to be patient (with a desire to be patient) Allaah will give him patience.” This is recorded in Saheeh al Bukharee This means that although some people are born patient the rest of us can learn to be patient.
Interestingly in western psychiatry and psychology they used to tell us to get it off our chest, don’t hold it in because if we did we would explode, so better to let it all out.
Later on they discovered that when people let it all out small blood vessels would burst in their brain because they were so angry. They found that it was actually dangerous and potentially damaging to let it all out. So now they say it is better not to let it all out.
The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told us to try to be patient, so externally we should give that façade of being patient even when internally we are boiling. And we do not try to be patient externally in order to deceive people; rather, we do so in order to develop patience. If we are consistent in this then the external image of patience also becomes internal and as a result complete patience is achieved and is achievable as mentioned in the Hadeeth quoted above.
Among the methods is to look at how the material elements of our lives play a major part with regards to patience and us achieving it.
The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) gave us advice on how to deal with these elements by saying: “Do not look to those above you who are more fortunate, instead, look to those below you or less fortunate…”
This is because no matter what our situation is, there are always those who are worse off than us. This should be our general strategy with regards to the material life. Nowadays the material life is a huge part of our life, we seem to be obsessed with it; gaining all we can in this world seems to be the main point that most of us focus our energies towards. So if one must do this then they should not let it affect their inner peace.
While dealing with the material world we should not keep focusing on those who are better off than us otherwise we will never be satisfied with what we have. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“If you give the son of Aadam a valley of gold he would want another one.” (Saheeh Muslim)
The say that the grass is always greener on the other side, the more a person has the more a person wants. We cannot achieve satisfaction in the material world if we are chasing after it in such a way; rather, we should look to those who are less fortunate, this way we will remember the gifts, benefits and mercy that Allaah has bestowed upon us with regards to our own wealth, no matter how little it may seem.
There is another hadeeth which helps us in the realm of the material world to put our affairs in their proper perspective, and is a Prophetic example of Steven Covey’s [3] principle of “first things first”. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) stated this principle over 1400 years ago and laid this principle down for the believers by saying, “Whoever makes this world his goal Allaah will confuse his affairs and place poverty before his eyes and he will be able to attain nothing from this world except for what Allaah has already written for him…” (Ibn Maajah & Ibn Hibbaan)
So a person’s affairs will not come together for him, he will be all over the place, like a chicken with its head cut off, running wild if he makes this world his goal. Allaah will place poverty before his eyes and no matter how much money he has he will feel poor. Every time someone is nice to him or smiles at him he feels that they are only doing so because they want his money, he can’t trust anyone and is not happy.
When the stock market crashes you read about some of those who invested in it committing suicide. A person may have had 8 million and lost 5 million with 3 million left after the market crashed, but losing that 5 million seems to him tp be the end. He sees no point in living after that, as Allaah has put poverty between his eyes.
We have to keep in mind that a person will not get from this world except what Allaah has already written for them, this is the bottom line. After all that running around, staying up late at night, being a workaholic a person will only get that which Allaah has already destined for him or her. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Whoever sets the Hereafter as his goal, Allaah gathers his affairs for him, gives him richness of (faith in) the heart and the world will come to him grudgingly and submissively.” (Ibn Maajah & Ibn Hibbaan)
Such a person attains richness of the heart. Richness is not about having a lot of wealth, but richness is having wealth of the heart, and what is wealth of the heart? It is contentment, and this is where the peace comes from, when a person submits themselves to Allaah, and this is Islaam.
The inner peace is accepting Islaam in our hearts and living by the principles of Islaam. So Allaah will put richness in a person’s heart and this world will come to him submissively, on its knees and humbled. such a person will not have to chase it.
This is the Promise of the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) if a person puts “first things first”, and that is the Hereafter. If it is Paradise that we want then that should be manifest in our lives, it should be the point of our focus, what we keep putting in the forefront.
So how do we know when the Hereafter is our focus? If we sit down with a person and all we talk about are the latest cars, expensive houses, travelling and holidays and money, if the majority of our conversations is about material things or it is gossip, talking about this person and that person then it means that the Hereafter is not our focus. If the Hereafter was our focus then it would be reflected in our conversation. This is a very basic level in which we can judge ourselves, so we should stop and ask ourselves, “what do we spend most of our time talking about”?
If we find that our priority is this world, then we need to re-focus, we need to put “first things first”, meaning the Hereafter before the life of this world, and if we do this we can achieve inner peace, and Allaah informed us of this in the Qur’aan, a precise step to take in order to attain inner peace, and Allaah says:
“Verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest.” (Ra'd 13:28)
So it is only by the remembrance of Allaah that hearts find rest. This is the inner peace. The remembrance of Allaah is in everything we do as Muslims. Islaam is living a life remembering Allaah, and Allaah says:
“Perform the prayer for my remembrance…” (Ta-Ha 20:14)
Everything that we do (in Islaam) involves the remembrance of Allaah as Muslims. Allaah says:
“Say: ‘Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and dying are for Allaah, Lord of all the worlds’.” (Al-An'am 6:162)
So here is the way to achieve inner peace, to remember Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) in all aspects of our lives.
This remembrance (dhikr) is not as some people think i.e. to sit in the corner of a dark room constantly repeating “Allaah, Allaah, Allaah…” This is not how we remember Allaah. Yes, such a person is saying Allaah’s name, but if we think about it, if somebody came to you (and for example your name is Muhammad) and kept saying “Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad…” you would wonder what is wrong with that person. Does he want something? Is there something that he needs? What is the purpose of repeating my name without further talk?
This is not the way to remember Allaah because this is not how the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) remembered Allaah and there is no record of him doing that. Some people say that we should remember Allaah by dancing around or swaying from side to side. This is not the way to remember Allaah, as this too is not how the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) remembered Allaah and there is no record of him doing that.
The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) remembered Allaah in his life. His life was a life of remembrance of Allaah, he lived a life in remembrance of Allaah and this is the true remembrance, in our prayers and in our living and our dying.
In summary, the search for inner peace involves recognising the problems that we have in our lives, recognising our obstacles, recognising that inner peace will only come when we identify those obstacles and understand which of them we can change and that we focus on those obstacles we can change, the ones which are related to our self.
If we change our self then Allaah will change the world around us and give us the means to deal with the world around us. Even though the world is in turmoil Allaah gives us inner peace with it.
Whatever happens we know that it is Allaah’s destiny and that it is Allaah’s trials and we know that ultimately it is for our good. and has good in it. Allaah created us in this world and the world as a means to attain Paradise and the trials of this world is our own spiritual growth. If we can accept all this, accepting Allaah in our hearts then we can find inner peace
Transcribers Footnotes:
[1] The king was an oppressor and was known for seizing every good boat by force, but the people who owned the boat were poor people and it was their only means of benefit so Khidr wanted the boat to appear to be faulty so that the king did not seize it in order for the poor people to carry on benefiting from it
[2] This aayah was added to the transcription by the transcribers
[3] Stephen Covey is an internationally respected leadership authority and founder of Covey Leadership Centre. He received his M.B
Quick List - By Title
Find Your Way to Real Happiness
The Search for Inner Peace
Find Your Way to Real Happiness
Witten by Dr. Bilal Philips
1 April 2007
Please take a moment to think about the answers to the following earth-shaking questions:
What is the purpose of life?
Can true happiness be attained without knowledge of life’s purpose?
Does real happiness and /or purpose lie in mere eating and drinking, sex and procreation; a few enjoyable moments, followed by sudden death?
Isn’t it absolutely illogical for God, who is infinitely wise, to create us without a purpose?
Well, He didn’t.
The purpose of life is to achieve real happiness by worshipping the One True God in everything that we do.
To find out why this definitely is the real purpose to life, how to fulfill it, and why this is the only source of real happiness, please visit the following website:
purposeofcreation.com Or write to: Qatar Guest Center/The Purpose of Life, PO Box 33306, Doha, Qatar, for your free copy of the book: The Purpose of Creation by Dr. A.B. Philips
"There is no other way"
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The Search for Inner Peace
The topic of inner peace addresses a universal need. There is nobody on this planet that does not desire inner peace. It is not a desire that is new to our time; rather, it is something that everybody has been searching for throughout the ages, regardless of colour, creed, religion, race, nationality, age, sex, wealth, ability or technological advancement.
People have taken a variety of different paths in trying to achieve inner peace, some through accumulating material possessions and wealth, others through drugs; some through music, others through meditation; some through their husbands and wives, others through their careers and some through their children’s achievements. And the list goes on
Yet the search also goes on. In our time we have been led to believe that technological advancement and modernisation will produce for us physical comforts and and through these we will attain inner peace.
However, if we were to take the most technologically advanced and most industrialised nation in the world, America, then we would see that what we have been led to believe is not factual. The statistics show that in America some 20 million adults suffer from depression yearly; and what is depression but a total lack of inner peace? Furthermore in the year 2000 death rate due to suicide was double the rate of those who die from Aids. However, the news media being what it is, we hear more about those who die from Aids than we do about those who die by committing suicide. Also more people die from suicide in America than from homicide, and the homicide rates themselves are massive.
So the reality is that technological advancement and modernisation have not bought inner peace and tranquillity. Rather in spite pf the creature comforts that modernisation has brought us, we are further away fro inner peace than our ancestors were.
Inner peace is for the most part of our lives very elusive; we never seem to get our hands on it.
Many of us mistake personal pleasures for inner peace; we achieve elements of pleasure from a variety of things, be it wealth, sexual relations or other than that. But these do not last, they come and go. Yes we have personal pleasures from time to time and we are pleased with various things from time to time, but this is not inner peace. True inner peace is a sense of stability and contentment which carries us through all the trials and difficulties of life.
W need to understand that peace is not something that will exist in this world around us because when we define peace according to the dictionary definition it states that peace is freedom from war or civil strife. Where do have this? There is always a war or some sort of civil unrest happening somewhere in the world. If we look at peace in terms of the state level then peace is freedom from public disorder and security, but where in the world do we have this in a complete form? If we look at peace on a social level, family and work, then peace is freedom from disagreements and arguments, but is there such a social environment that never has disagreements or arguments? In terms of location, then yes, we can have a place which is calm, peaceful and tranquil, some islands for example, but this external peace only exists for a small amount of time, sooner or later a storm or a hurricane will come.
Allaah says:
“Verily, I have created man in toil (struggle).” (Al-Balad 90:4)
This is the nature of our lives; we are in toil and struggle, ups and downs, times of difficulties and time of ease.
It is a life full of tests as Allaah says:
“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-Saabirin (the patient ones, etc.).” (Al-Baqarah 2:155)
To deal with our circumstances, the circumstances of toil and struggle in which we live, patience is the key.
But if we go back to the inner peace that we are looking for, then patience cannot manifest itself if we do not have that inner peace.
We are living in a world of toil and struggle, but yet within ourselves it is possible to attain inner peace, peace with the environment, with the world in which we live.
Obviously there are some obstacles which prevent us from attaining peace. So first we have to identify the obstacles in our lives which prevent us from achieving maximum inner peace and develop some kind of strategy to remove them. The obstacles will not be removed just by thinking that we need to remove them; we have to develop some steps to achieve this. So how do we go about removing these obstacles so that we can achieve what is possible of inner peace?
The first step is to identify the obstacles themselves. We have to be aware of them, because if we cannot identify them then we cannot remove them
The second step is to accept them as obstacles within ourselves. For example anger is one of the biggest obstacles to inner peace, for example. If a person is angry worked up and has blown a fuse, how can he or she have inner peace in that circumstance? It is not possible. So the person needs to recognise that anger is an obstacle to inner peace.
However, if a person states that, “Yes, it is an obstacle but I do not get angry”, then such a person has a problem. He has not accepted that obstacle as a problem and is in a state of self denial. As such he cannot remove it.
If we look at the obstacles in life we can put them under a variety of headings: personal problems, family issues, financial dilemmas, work pressures and spiritual confusion. And there are many issues under these headings.
We have so many problems, so many obstacles that they are like illnesses. If we try to deal with them one by one we will never get through them. We need to identify them, put them in some general categories and tackle them as a group as opposed to trying to tackle each individual obstacle and problem.
To do this we have to first of all remove obstacles that are beyond our control. We have to be able to distinguish which obstacles are within our control and which ones are beyond our control. While we perceive the ones that are beyond our control as obstacles the reality is that they are not. They are the things that Allaah has destined for us in our lives, they are not really obstacles, but we have misinterpreted them as being obstacles.
For example, in this time one might find oneself born black in a world that favours white people over black people; or born poor in a world that favours the rich over the poor, or born short, or crippled, or any other physical condition which is considered a handicap.
These are all things that were and are beyond our control. We did not choose which family to be born in to; we did not choose which body for our spirit to be blown into, this is not our choice. So whatever we find of these kinds of obstacles then we just have to be patient with them and realise that, in fact, they are not really obstacles. Allaah told us:
“…and it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allaah knows but you do not know.” (Soorah Al-Baqarah 2:216)
So the obstacles that are beyond our control, we may dislike them and we may want to change them, and some actually people spend a lot of money trying to change them. Michael Jackson is a classic example. He was born black in a world that favours white people, so he spent a lot of money trying to change himself but he only ended up making a mess of himself.
Inner peace can only be achieved if the obstacles that are beyond our control are accepted by us patiently as part of Allaah’s destiny.
Know that whatever happens which we had or have no control over, then Allaah has put in it some good, whether or not we are able to grasp what is good in it; the good is still there. So we accept it!
There was an article in a newspaper which had a photograph of a smiling Egyptian man. He had a smile on his face from ear to ear with his hands stretched out and both thumbs sticking up; his father was kissing him on one cheek and his sister on the other cheek.
Underneath the photograph it had a caption. He was supposed to have been on a Gulf Air flight the day before, Cairo to Bahrain. He had dashed down to the airport to catch the flight and when he got there he had one stamp missing on his Passport (In Cairo you have to have many stamps on your documents. You get this person to stamp this and sign that and that person to stamp that and sign this) But there he was at the airport with one stamp missing. As he was a teacher in Bahrain and this flight was the last one back to Bahrain which would enable him to report back on time, missing it meant that he would have lost his job. So he nagged them to let him on the flight. He became frantic, started crying and screaming and going berserk, but he could not get on the plane. It took off without him. He went (to his home in Cairo) distraught, thinking that he was finished and that his career was over. His family comforted him and told him not to worry about it. The next day, he heard the news that the plane he was meant to be on crashed and everybody on board died. And then there he was, ecstatic that he did not make the flight. But the day before it was the end of his life, a tragedy that he did not get on the flight.
These are signs, and such signs can be found in the story of Moosaa and Khidr (which we should read every Jumu’ah, i.e. Soorah al-Kahf). When Khidr made a hole in the boat of the people who were kind enough to take him and Moosaa across the river, Moosaa asked why he (Khidr) did that.
When the owners of the boat saw the hole in the boat they wondered who did it and thought that it was a nasty thing to have done. A short while later the king came down to the river and forcefully took away all the boats except the one with a hole in it. So the owners of the boat praised Allaah due to the fact that there was a hole in their boat. [1]
There are other obstacles or rather things which are perceived as obstacles in our life. These are things in which we cannot figure out what is beyond them. A thing happens and we do not know why, we do not have an explanation for it. For some people this drives them into disbelief. If one listens to an atheist he has no inner peace and has rejected God. Why did that person become an atheist? It is abnormal to disbelieve in God, whereas it is normal for us to believe in God because Allaah created us with a natural inclination to believe in Him.
Allaah says:
“So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the religion of pure Islaamic Monotheism Hanifa (worship none but Allaah Alone) Allaah’s Fitrah (i.e. Allaah’s Islaamic Monotheism), with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Khalq¬illah (i.e. the Religion of Allaah Islaamic Monotheism), that is the straight religion, but most of men know not.” (Ar-Rum 30:30) [2]
The Prophet Muhammad (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Every child is born with a pure nature (as a Muslim with a natural inclination to believe on God)…” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree & Saheeh Muslim)
This is the nature of human beings, but a person who becomes an atheist without having been taught it from childhood usually does so because of a tragedy. If a tragedy happens in their life they have no explanations as to why it happened.
For example, a person who became an atheist may say that he/she had a wonderful auntie; she was a very good person and everybody loved her, but one day whilst she was out crossing the road a car came out of nowhere and hit her and she died. Why did this happen to her of all people? Why? No explanations! Or a person (who became an atheist) may have had a child who died and say why did this happen to my child? Why? No explanations! As a result of such tragedies they then think that there can’t possibly be a God.
Going back to the story of Moosaa and Khidr, after they crossed the river they came across a child and Khidr cut that child’s head off. Moosaa asked Khidr how he could possibly do such a thing? The child was innocent and Khidr cut his head off! Khidr told Moosaa that the child had righteous parents and if the child had grown up (Allaah knew that) he would have become such a terror for his parents that he would have driven them into disbelief, so Allaah ordered the death of the child.
Of course the parents grieved when they found their child dead. However, Allaah replaced their child with one who was righteous and better for them. This child honoured them and was good to and for them, but the parents would always have a hole in their heart due to losing their first child, right until the Day of Judgement when they will stand before Allaah and He will reveal to them the reason why He took the soul of their first child and then they will then understand and praise Allaah.
So this is the nature of our lives. There are things, things which are apparently negative, things which happen in our lives which seem to be obstacles to inner peace because we do not understand them or why they happened to us, but we have to put them aside.
They are from Allaah and we have to believe that ultimately there is good behind them, whether we can see it or not. Then we move on to those things that we can change. First we identify them, then we move to the second major step and that is removing the obstacles by developing solutions for them. To remove the obstacles we have to focus mostly on self-change and this is because Allaah says:
“Verily! Allaah will not change the good condition of a people as long as they do not change their state of good within themselves…” (Ra'd 13:11)
This is an area which we have control over. We can even develop patience, although the common idea is that some people are just born patient. A man came to the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and asked what he needed to do to get to Paradise, so the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told him: “Do not get angry.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree)
The man was an individual who would get angry quickly, so the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told the man that he needed to do change his angry nature. So changing oneself and one’s character is something achievable. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) also said: “Whoever pretends to be patient (with a desire to be patient) Allaah will give him patience.” This is recorded in Saheeh al Bukharee This means that although some people are born patient the rest of us can learn to be patient.
Interestingly in western psychiatry and psychology they used to tell us to get it off our chest, don’t hold it in because if we did we would explode, so better to let it all out.
Later on they discovered that when people let it all out small blood vessels would burst in their brain because they were so angry. They found that it was actually dangerous and potentially damaging to let it all out. So now they say it is better not to let it all out.
The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told us to try to be patient, so externally we should give that façade of being patient even when internally we are boiling. And we do not try to be patient externally in order to deceive people; rather, we do so in order to develop patience. If we are consistent in this then the external image of patience also becomes internal and as a result complete patience is achieved and is achievable as mentioned in the Hadeeth quoted above.
Among the methods is to look at how the material elements of our lives play a major part with regards to patience and us achieving it.
The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) gave us advice on how to deal with these elements by saying: “Do not look to those above you who are more fortunate, instead, look to those below you or less fortunate…”
This is because no matter what our situation is, there are always those who are worse off than us. This should be our general strategy with regards to the material life. Nowadays the material life is a huge part of our life, we seem to be obsessed with it; gaining all we can in this world seems to be the main point that most of us focus our energies towards. So if one must do this then they should not let it affect their inner peace.
While dealing with the material world we should not keep focusing on those who are better off than us otherwise we will never be satisfied with what we have. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“If you give the son of Aadam a valley of gold he would want another one.” (Saheeh Muslim)
The say that the grass is always greener on the other side, the more a person has the more a person wants. We cannot achieve satisfaction in the material world if we are chasing after it in such a way; rather, we should look to those who are less fortunate, this way we will remember the gifts, benefits and mercy that Allaah has bestowed upon us with regards to our own wealth, no matter how little it may seem.
There is another hadeeth which helps us in the realm of the material world to put our affairs in their proper perspective, and is a Prophetic example of Steven Covey’s [3] principle of “first things first”. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) stated this principle over 1400 years ago and laid this principle down for the believers by saying, “Whoever makes this world his goal Allaah will confuse his affairs and place poverty before his eyes and he will be able to attain nothing from this world except for what Allaah has already written for him…” (Ibn Maajah & Ibn Hibbaan)
So a person’s affairs will not come together for him, he will be all over the place, like a chicken with its head cut off, running wild if he makes this world his goal. Allaah will place poverty before his eyes and no matter how much money he has he will feel poor. Every time someone is nice to him or smiles at him he feels that they are only doing so because they want his money, he can’t trust anyone and is not happy.
When the stock market crashes you read about some of those who invested in it committing suicide. A person may have had 8 million and lost 5 million with 3 million left after the market crashed, but losing that 5 million seems to him tp be the end. He sees no point in living after that, as Allaah has put poverty between his eyes.
We have to keep in mind that a person will not get from this world except what Allaah has already written for them, this is the bottom line. After all that running around, staying up late at night, being a workaholic a person will only get that which Allaah has already destined for him or her. The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Whoever sets the Hereafter as his goal, Allaah gathers his affairs for him, gives him richness of (faith in) the heart and the world will come to him grudgingly and submissively.” (Ibn Maajah & Ibn Hibbaan)
Such a person attains richness of the heart. Richness is not about having a lot of wealth, but richness is having wealth of the heart, and what is wealth of the heart? It is contentment, and this is where the peace comes from, when a person submits themselves to Allaah, and this is Islaam.
The inner peace is accepting Islaam in our hearts and living by the principles of Islaam. So Allaah will put richness in a person’s heart and this world will come to him submissively, on its knees and humbled. such a person will not have to chase it.
This is the Promise of the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) if a person puts “first things first”, and that is the Hereafter. If it is Paradise that we want then that should be manifest in our lives, it should be the point of our focus, what we keep putting in the forefront.
So how do we know when the Hereafter is our focus? If we sit down with a person and all we talk about are the latest cars, expensive houses, travelling and holidays and money, if the majority of our conversations is about material things or it is gossip, talking about this person and that person then it means that the Hereafter is not our focus. If the Hereafter was our focus then it would be reflected in our conversation. This is a very basic level in which we can judge ourselves, so we should stop and ask ourselves, “what do we spend most of our time talking about”?
If we find that our priority is this world, then we need to re-focus, we need to put “first things first”, meaning the Hereafter before the life of this world, and if we do this we can achieve inner peace, and Allaah informed us of this in the Qur’aan, a precise step to take in order to attain inner peace, and Allaah says:
“Verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest.” (Ra'd 13:28)
So it is only by the remembrance of Allaah that hearts find rest. This is the inner peace. The remembrance of Allaah is in everything we do as Muslims. Islaam is living a life remembering Allaah, and Allaah says:
“Perform the prayer for my remembrance…” (Ta-Ha 20:14)
Everything that we do (in Islaam) involves the remembrance of Allaah as Muslims. Allaah says:
“Say: ‘Indeed, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and dying are for Allaah, Lord of all the worlds’.” (Al-An'am 6:162)
So here is the way to achieve inner peace, to remember Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) in all aspects of our lives.
This remembrance (dhikr) is not as some people think i.e. to sit in the corner of a dark room constantly repeating “Allaah, Allaah, Allaah…” This is not how we remember Allaah. Yes, such a person is saying Allaah’s name, but if we think about it, if somebody came to you (and for example your name is Muhammad) and kept saying “Muhammad, Muhammad, Muhammad…” you would wonder what is wrong with that person. Does he want something? Is there something that he needs? What is the purpose of repeating my name without further talk?
This is not the way to remember Allaah because this is not how the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) remembered Allaah and there is no record of him doing that. Some people say that we should remember Allaah by dancing around or swaying from side to side. This is not the way to remember Allaah, as this too is not how the Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) remembered Allaah and there is no record of him doing that.
The Prophet (sall-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) remembered Allaah in his life. His life was a life of remembrance of Allaah, he lived a life in remembrance of Allaah and this is the true remembrance, in our prayers and in our living and our dying.
In summary, the search for inner peace involves recognising the problems that we have in our lives, recognising our obstacles, recognising that inner peace will only come when we identify those obstacles and understand which of them we can change and that we focus on those obstacles we can change, the ones which are related to our self.
If we change our self then Allaah will change the world around us and give us the means to deal with the world around us. Even though the world is in turmoil Allaah gives us inner peace with it.
Whatever happens we know that it is Allaah’s destiny and that it is Allaah’s trials and we know that ultimately it is for our good. and has good in it. Allaah created us in this world and the world as a means to attain Paradise and the trials of this world is our own spiritual growth. If we can accept all this, accepting Allaah in our hearts then we can find inner peace
Transcribers Footnotes:
[1] The king was an oppressor and was known for seizing every good boat by force, but the people who owned the boat were poor people and it was their only means of benefit so Khidr wanted the boat to appear to be faulty so that the king did not seize it in order for the poor people to carry on benefiting from it
[2] This aayah was added to the transcription by the transcribers
[3] Stephen Covey is an internationally respected leadership authority and founder of Covey Leadership Centre. He received his M.B
