CONCEPT OF GOD IN ISLAM by Dr. Zakir Naik

INTRODUCTION
Islam is a Semitic religion, which has over one billion adherents all over the world. Islam means "submission to the will of God". Muslims accept the Qur’an, as the word of God revealed to His last and final prophet, Mohammed (peace be upon him). Islam states that Allah sent messengers and prophets throughout the ages with the message of Unity of God, and accountability in the Hereafter. Islam thus makes it an article of faith to believe in all the earlier prophets, starting with Adam, and continuing withNoah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, John and Jesus amongst many others (may peace be on them all).

The Most Concise Definition of God:
The most concise definition of God in Islam is given in the four verses of Surah Ikhlas which is Chapter 112 of the Qur’an:
"Say: He is Allah, The One and Only. "Allah, the Eternal, Absolute.
"He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him."
[Al-Qur’an 112:1-4]
The word ‘Assamad’ is difficult to translate. It means ‘absolute existence’, which can be attributed only to Allah (swt), all other existence being temporal or conditional. It also means that Allah (swt) is not dependant on any person or thing, but all persons and things are dependant on Him.
Surah Ikhlas - the touchstone of theology:

Surah Ikhlas (Chapter 112) of the Glorious Qur’an, is the touchstone of theology. ‘Theo’ in Greek means God and ‘logy’ means study. Thus Theology means study of God and to Muslims this four line definition of Almighty God serves as the touchstone of the study of God. Any candidate to divinity must be subjected to this ‘acid test’. Since the attributes of Allah given in this chapter are unique, false gods and pretenders to divinity can be easily dismissed using these verses.

What does Islam say about ‘god-men’?

India is often called the land of ‘god-men’. This is due to the abundance of so-called spiritual masters in India. Many of these ‘babas’ and ‘saints’ have a large following in many countries. Islam abhors deification of any human being. To understand the Islamic stand towards such pretenders to divinity, let us analyze one such ‘god-man’, Osho Rajneesh.

Let us put this candidate, ‘Bhagwan’ Rajneesh, to the test of Surah Ikhlas, the touchstone of theology:


i) The first criterion is "Say, He is Allah, one and only". Is Rajneesh one and only? No! Rajneesh was one among the multitude of ‘spiritual teachers’ produced by India. Some disciples of Rajneesh might still hold that Rajneesh is one and only.

ii) The second criterion is, ‘Allah is absolute and eternal’. We know from Rajneesh’s biography that he was suffering from diabetes, asthma, and chronic backache. He alleged that the U.S. Government gave him slow poison in prison. Imagine Almighty God being poisoned! Rajneesh was thus, neither absolute nor eternal.

iii) The third criterion is ‘He begets not, nor is He begotten’. We know that Rajneesh was born in Jabalpur in India and had a mother as well as a father who later became his disciples.
In May 1981 he went to U.S.A. and established a town called ‘Rajneeshpuram’. He later fell foul of the West and was finally arrested and asked to leave the country. He came back to India and started a commune in Pune which is now known as the ‘Osho’ commune. He died in 1990. The followers of Osho Rajneesh believe that he is Almighty God. At the ‘Osho commune’ in Pune one can find the following epitaph on his tombstone:
"Osho – never born, never died; only visited the planet Earth between 11th December 1931 to 19th January 1990."
They forget to mention that he was not granted visa for 21 countries of the world. Can a person ever imagine ‘God’ visiting the earth, and requiring a visa to enter a country! The Archbishop of Greece said that if Rajneesh had not been deported, they would have burnt his house and those of his disciples.

(iv) The fourth test, which is the most stringent is, "There is none like unto Him". The moment you can imagine or compare ‘God’ to anything, then he (the candidate to divinity) is not God. It is not possible to conjure up a mental picture of the One True God. We know that Rajneesh was a human being, having two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth and a white flowing beard. Photographs and posters of Rajneesh are available in plenty. The moment you can imagine or draw a mental picture of an entity, then that entity is not God.
Many are tempted to make anthropomorphic comparisons of God. Take for instance, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous body builder and Hollywood actor, who won the title of ‘Mr. Universe’, the strongest man in the world. Let us suppose that someone says that Almighty God is a thousand times stronger than Arnold Schwarzenegger. The moment you can compare any entity to God, whether the comparison is to Schwarzenegger or to King Kong, whether it is a thousand times or a million times stronger, it fails the Qur’anic criterion, "There is none like unto Him".
Thus, the ‘acid test’ cannot be passed by anyone except the One True God.
The following verse of the Glorious Qur’an conveys a similar message:
"No vision can grasp Him But His grasp is over
All vision: He is Above all comprehension,
Yet is acquainted with all things." [Al-Qur’an 6:103]

DEVELOPING LOVE FOR ALLAH

By the Shaykh - the Scholar of Hadith - Muhammad Nasirud-Din al-Albani




Ibn al-Qayyim (d.751H)- rahimahullah - said: "People have discussed about mahabbah (love of Allah); its causes and what brings it about, its signs, its fruits, and its rulings. The most comprehensive saying about this is what Abu Bakr al-Kattani - rahimahullah - relates about al-Junayd (d.279H).

Abu Bakr al-Kattani (d.322H) said: "A discussion about mahabbah took place in Makkah during the Pilgrimage month. The Shaykhs who were present spoke about this matter, and al-Junayd was the youngest of them. They said to him: O 'Iraqi, what do you have to say? So he bowed his head and tears were flowing from his eyes, then he said:

"A servant should overcome his soul;
And be continuous in the remembrance of his Lord;
Establishing the rights of his Lord;
Focusing upon Him with his heart;
The late of fear letting ablaze his heart;
Whilst drinking from the vessel of true love;
And certain realities become unveiled for him.
So when he talks, it is due to Allah.
When he speaks, it is from Allah.
When he moves, it is by the Command of Allah.
And when he is serene, then it is from Allah.
He belongs to Allah, is for Allah, and is with Allah."

So the Shaykhs started to weep and said: How can that be increased upon. May Allah reward you with good, O crown of the knowledgeable ones!"1

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim - rahimahullah - further said:

"The rearons which cause mahabbah (love of Allah) to develop are ten:-

Firstly: Reciting the Qur'an, reflecting upon it, and understanding its meanings.

Secondly: Drawing closer to Allah through the performance of optional deeds, after fulfilling the obligatory duties.

Thirdly: Being continuous in the dhikr (remembrance) of Allah - in all circumstances - with the tongue, the heart and the limbs. The more constant the dhikr, the more mahabbah develops and intensifier.

Fourthly: Giving precedence to what Allah loves - when being overcome with desires - over what one personally loves and desires.

Fifthly: Causing the heart to contemplate over the Names and the Attributes of Allah, being a witness to what they necessitate, and causing the heart to be enlivened in the garden of this realisation.

Sixthly: Witnessing the blessing and favours of Allah; the apparent and the hidden.

Seventhly: Subduing the heart and humbling it before Allah, causing it to be in awe of Him.

Eighthly: Being in seclusion during that time in which Allah decends to the lowest heaven; reciting the Qur'an, and finishing this recitation with seeking Allah's forgiveness and sincerely repenting to Him.

Ninethly: Sitting in the gatherings of the true and sincere lovers of Allah; reaping the benefits of their teachings, and not speaking except when you know that there is benefit in doing so, and that such speech will increase you in goodness and benefit others as well.

Tenthly: Keeping clear of all there matters which will cause the heart to distance itself from Allah - the Mighty and Majestic.

So there are ten matters which causes the lover to reach the station of true love for Allah, so that he may then reach Allah - his Beloved.

WANT PARADISE? YOU HAVE TO WORK FOR IT. PARADISE HAS A PRICE .... :)

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Bismillah
Allahuma salli'ala Muhammad.

The only ghaayah (aim and target) of a Muslim should be to seek the pleasure of Allah, whilst hoping to be rewarded by his Lord (with paradise) for doing so. Thus, paradise is not the sole objective in his life; rather it is seeking the pleasure of Allah.

However, this paradise which we are speaking of requires a huge amount of sacrifice and willpower, and this was confirmed by the Messenger Muhammad (saw) who said in a famous hadeeth:

"When Allah created paradise and hell, he sent Jibreel (Gabriel) to paradise, saying: 'Go and look at it and the things I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.' So he went and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants. He then came back and said: 'By your glory, whosoever will hear of it will long to enter it.' So he ordered that it be surrounded by forms of hardship, and said to Jibreel: 'Go back and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.' So he went back and found that it was surrounded by forms of hardship. Then he came back and said: 'By your glory, I fear that no-one will enter it.'

Then he sent him to the fire of hell saying, 'Go and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.' So he looked at it and saw that it was in layers, one above the other. Then he came back and said: 'By your glory, whoever hears of it will never try to enter it.' So he ordered that it be surrounded by passions and desires, and said: 'Go and see what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants.' So he went and looked at it, then came back and said, 'by your glory, I fear that no-one will escape from entering it.'" (Muslim, Abu Daawood and Imaam Ahmad)

And the messenger of Allah (saw) also said:

"The Fire is surrounded by shahawaat (desires), and paradise is surrounded by hardship." (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim)

Therefore oh dear brothers and sisters, after knowing these ahaadeeth how can we expect the road to Jannah to be simple, easy and test free? We know very well that the only way to please Allah (swt) and enter paradise is by following the Messenger Muhammad (saw) and his companions, yet how similar is our life to theirs?

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) and his companions were extradited from their homeland, mocked at, tortured, ridiculed, boycotted, killed, slandered and attacked; how much of this do we suffer? The moment we lose a bit of wealth, are shouted at by our parents, are labelled by the Kuffaar and face a bit of criticism from so-called Muslims, we completely give up our da'wah, 'aqeedah and zeal to work for Allah's deen.

It is vital for us to understand this concept properly in order for us to remain steadfast and firm in the deen. Allah (swt) will always test the believers; sometimes he may test us through our families or wealth, and other times he may test us with the Kuffaar, Munaafiqeen, deviant Muslims or even with our close friends. This is a promise from almighty Allah (swt) therefore we should always be expecting it.

Dear Muslims, never lose hope in your Lord. Always remember that whatever test you face, the Sahaabah were faced with much worse scenarios. Ibn Taymiyyah, Abu Haneefah, Ahmad bin Hanbal and many other great 'Ulamaa (scholars) were put behind bars but they never compromised their call. 'Ammaar bin Yaasir (ra) witnessed by his own eyes the torture and killing of his mother, Hamzah was mutilated, Bilaal was tortured, Abu Bakr was beaten to near death, 'Uthmaan was assassinated, and the Messenger Muhammad (saw) was strangled and suffocated. What kind of similar hardship have we faced in our life for the sake of Allah?

If you hear a Munaafiq or corrupted person say, "Yes but that was at their time. The reality has changed and we are living in a different situation," do not listen to him for he has a disease in his heart. No person will ever enter paradise without to face severe tests from almighty Allah (swt) in every sphere of life, for Allah will test those who he loves:

"When Allah wishes good for someone he will test him." (Al-Bukhaari)

We have heard many people who have the attributes of the Munaafiqeen often saying in regards to the Mujaahideen and those sincere Muslims who have lost their limbs for the sake of Allah or have been imprisoned, "Allah has punished these people. Had they not made such statements then they would be free today." We would like to remind them of one verse where Allah (swt) says:

"O you who believe! Be not like those who disbelieve (hypocrites) and who say to their brethren when they travel through the earth or go out to fight: 'If they had stayed with us, they would not have died or been killed,' so that Allah may make it a cause of regret in their hearts. It is Allah that gives life and causes death. And Allah is All- Seer of what you do." (EMQ Aali 'Imraan, 3: 156)

One day you may have no food to eat, no clothes to wear, no home to live in, no family to ask for help, and no limbs to help you work. If you are ever tested by Allah (swt) and find yourself to be in this situation, then the best and only thing you could do is say, "al-Hamdulillaah (all praises are for Allah)." Be grateful to your Lord in ease and in hardship. Verily the one who is ungrateful to his Lord will live a miserable life in the dunyaa, and in the hereafter he will be disgraced and humiliated.

"Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, 'When (will come) the Help of Allah?' Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!" (Al-Baqarah, 2: 214)

"Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: 'We believe,' and will not be tested?"

"And we indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test)." (Al-'Ankaboot, 29: 2-3)

"And certainly, we shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-Saabireen (the patient ones, etc.)."

"Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: 'Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.'"

"They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. blessings etc. [who are blessed and will be forgiven]) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones." (Al-Baqarah, 2: 155-157)

Seerah Project : Muhammad (P.B.U.H) Characters : Fulfillment of Promises

Safwan bin Umayya was a deadly enemy of Islam. When Makkah was conquered, he ran away to Jeddah with the intention of going to Yemen. Umir ibn Wahab came to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and told him about Safwan. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) gave him his turban and said, "This is a sign of the guarantee of his safety." Umir went to Safwan with the turban and told him that he had no cause to run away for his safety had been guaranteed. When be came to see the Holy Prophet (PBUH), he said, "Have you given me amen (safety)?" The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, "Yes, it is true." Abu Rafey, a slave, came to Medinah as an ambassador of the Quraish. When he saw the Holy Prophet (PBUH), the truth of Islam dawned on him and he said, "O Messenger of God (PBUH)! I shall never go back to the unbelievers." The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, "I can neither breach the contract, nor keep the ambassadors with me. If you feel the same way when you go there, you can come back." He went back and embraced Islam.
In the treaty of Hudaibiyah, one of the conditions was that if any Muslim went to Medinah from Makkah, he would be returned on demand. When the Treaty was being written, Abu Jandal escaped from the prison of the Makkans in chains. All the Muslims were shocked to see him in this condition, but the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said to him, "O Abu Jandal! Be patient, we cannot break the promise. God will very soon find a way for you." He was returned to the people of Makkah. Two companions of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Hazifa bin al-Yaman and Abu Husail, while coming from Makkah, were caught by the unbelievers. The Makkans insisted that they should not go to Muhammad but the two companions refused. At last they were released on the condition that they would not participate in the battle (of Badr) on behalf of the Muslims. They came to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and told him the whole story. It was a severe test of their truthfulness. The Muslims were very few and needed more men to fight against the unbelievers. The addition of two men would have made a lot of difference to them but the Holy Prophet said, "Both of you must go back; we will keep the promise under all circumstances. We need only the help of God."

Muhammad (PBUH) always kept his promises and contracts at all costs even with his enemies, and never broke his word. He preached the Qur'an and practiced what he taught to other people in obedience to the Commandment of God

Abdullah ibn Abdul Hamsa (RA) reported that he bought something from God's Messenger before he received his prophetic commission, and as there was something still due to Muhammad (PBUH), he promised that he would bring it to his place. But Hamsa forgot about it and remembered three days later. He went to that place and found God's Messenger (PBUH) there waiting for him. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "You have caused me great trouble and inconvenience. I have been here three days waiting for you." Abdullah ibn Amir (RA) reported that his mother called him one day when God's Messenger (PBUH) was sitting in their house, saying, "Come here and I shall give you something." God's Messenger asked her what she intended to give him; she replied that she intended to give him some dates. He said, "If you were not to give him anything, a lie would have been recorded against you.

Abu Juhaifa (RA) said, I saw God's Messenger as a fair-skinned man who had become gray-haired. Al-Hasan ibn Ali resembled him. He ordered that thirteen young she-camels should be given to us and we went to receive them, but news of his death reached us before they had been given to us. Then when Abu Bakr (RA) became Caliph, he said, "If anyone has received a promise from God's Messenger, let him come." So I got up, went to him and told him of the promise and he ordered that the camels should be given to me."

Jazaak Allah Khair for reading.

The Importance of Quality over Quantity

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Islam emphasized the importance of good quality and treasured it more than the quantity, because the good quality-from people and from deeds-even if it is small in quantity, its effect will be great. Also, the large quantity without good quality has very little effect if any.

If we look into the Qur’an, we will find many verses in which Allah scolds the large majority of people, because this majority was from those who do not think, or do not know, or do not believe, or do not give thanks. Allah (S.W.T.) said in surat Al-Ankabut, (verse 63), what can be translated as, "But most of them (mankind) have no sense."

surat Al-Ana’am, (verse 116), "And if you obey most of those on earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah’s Path."

For this reason, the prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H.) emphasized on the importance of making his companions of high quality with teaching and purification. These few good believing people overcame the majority of people who were on the side of falsehood. One of these few used to be equal or more effective than hundreds of people... and so on.

This was the understanding of Omar Bin Al-khat-tab (R.A.A.) when he sent Amru Bin Alaas to conquer Egypt with 4000 soldiers only. Amru Bin Alaas asked Omar for more soldiers, Omar then sent him 4000 more soldiers among them 4 companions whom Omar said about, "Each and every one of them equal 1000 and Omar considered that the army is 12000 soldiers, and 12000 soldiers will never be defeated because of less in number.

If we take a look at the reality of Muslims today, we find that they are over a billion and a quarter of a billion people, but unfortunately, they are not of good quality, like the prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H.) described them when he said in an authentic Hadith reported by Imam Ahmad, and Abu-Daud, "It is almost time that nations will call each other against you (Muslims) like the eaters call each other to their food." The companions said, "Are we few in number at that time oh prophet of Allah (S.W.T.) ?! The prophet replied, "No, but you are then numerous but you are of no value like the foam of the water stream, and Allah will take the fear out of your enemies’ heart from you and He will throw in your heart the Wahan" They said, "what is the Wahan oh messenger of Allah?! He said, "The love of this worldly life and hatred of death."

So, the large number of Muslims alone is not effective, and there has to be a great effort made toward finding the people with good quality.

And the prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H.) says in a good Hadith, "Allah For loves his servant when he initiates some deed, he does it well"

Allah (S.W.T.) commanded us to establish prayer, and not only performing the various prescribed movements, but by praying the prayer well. Allah (S.W.T.) said in many places in the Quran like (verse 110) in surat Al- Baqarah, what can be translated as, "And offer prayers perfectly."
Allah (S.W.T.) described his believing successful servants, and from their description in surat Al- Muminun (verses 1 & 2), what can be translated as, "Successful indeed are the believers. Those who offer their prayers with all solemnity and full submissiveness."

The Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H.) confirms the importance of having solemnity and full submissiveness in the prayer. Also in keeping the heart concentrated during prayer. The Muslim will be rewarded for his prayer as much as he accomplishes this. The Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H.) said, "You will be rewarded for your prayer as much as you concentrated and focused in it."

The Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H.) also says in another authentic Hadith reported by Imam Ibn-Majah, An-nisa’, and Ibn-Khuzaymah, "There may be a fasting person who has nothing from his fasting except hunger, and there may be night-praying person who has nothing from his night-praying except staying up."

In another authentic Hadith reported by Bukhari and others that the Prophet Mohammed (P.B.U.H.) said about fasting, "Anyone who does not leave the wrong sayings and the wrong actions then, Allah has no need for that person to leave his food and drink."

(Extraction from a khutba by Mohamed Baianonie.)

Advice to New Muslims

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In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Asalam Alaykum (Peace be with you),
Congratulations! Alhamdulillah (Praise to Allah) who has guided you to Islam, the path to success in this life and the next.



So now you are a new Muslim with lots on your mind. Amidst the joy and excitement of embracing Islam you may also be feeling bewildered or confused regarding what to do next. You may have concerns about how your family or friends will react. No doubt there is lots to learn and obstacles to overcome, but with a sincere effort and a strong faith in Allah, everything will fall into place. Below you will find the most important advice we can offer you as a new Muslim. Don’t rush yourself, go at your own pace, and most of all remember we are here to help and support you every step of the way.
Importance of Prayer
“The importance of the prayer in Islam cannot be understated. It is the first pillar of Islam that the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned after mentioning the testimony of faith, by which one becomes a Muslim. It was made obligatory upon all the prophets and for all peoples. Allah has declared its obligatory status under majestic circumstances. For example, when Allah spoke directly to Moses, He said, "And I have chosen you, so listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily, I am Allah! There is none worthy of worship but I, so worship Me and offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance." [Taha 13-14]
Similarly, the prayers were made obligatory upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during his ascension to heaven. Furthermore, when Allah praises the believers, such as in the beginning of surah al-Muminoon, one of the first descriptions He states is their adherence to the prayers.

The importance of prayer is demonstrated in the many of the Prophet’s statement. For example, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad." [Recorded by al-Tabarani. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol.1, p. 503.]

The importance of the prayers lies in the fact that no matter what actions one performs in his life, the most important aspect is one’s relationship to Allah, that is, one’s faith (imaan), God-consciousness (taqwa), sincerity (ikhlas) and worship of Allah (`ibaadah). This relationship with Allah is both demonstrated and put into practice, as well as improved and increased, by the prayer. Therefore, if the prayers are sound and proper, the rest of the deeds will be sound and proper; and if the prayers are not sound and proper, then the rest of the deeds will not be sound and proper, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself stated.

As for the Hereafter, Allah’s forgiveness and pleasure is closely related to the prayers. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions, prays them in their proper times, completes their bows, prostrations and khushu` [Khushu` in the prayer is where the person’s heart is attuned to the prayer. This feeling in the heart is then reflected on the body. The person remains still and calm. His gaze is also lowered. Even his voice is affected by this feeling in the heart….] has a promise from Allah that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do that has no promise from Allah. He may either forgive him or punish him." [Recorded by Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’I and others. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol. 1, p. 616.] ]

The prayers are a type of purification for a human being. He turns and meets with his Lord five times a day. As alluded to above, this repeated standing in front of Allah should keep the person from performing sins during the day. Furthermore, it should also be a time of remorse and repentance, such that he earnestly asks Allah for forgiveness for those sins that he committed. In addition, the prayer in itself is a good deed that wipes away some of the evil deeds that he performed. These points can be noted in the following hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him):
"If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?" The people said, "No filth would remain on him whatsoever." The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, "That is like the five daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them." (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)

In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The five daily prayers and the Friday Prayer until the Friday prayer are expiation for what is between them."(Recorded by Muslim.)”] [1]

Okay so now you ask yourself…I know the prayer is so important, how do I learn how to pray? There are many sources on the internet which explain the purification and prayers, and that’s a good way to get an idea. But to really learn how to do it correctly you have to make the effort of finding a practicing Muslim to help you or Click Here. A good place to do so is at the local mosque in your area…this is explained in more detail below.

[1] Extracts from “The Importance of Prayer” by Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo
Seek Knowledge

Acquiring Islamic knowledge is vital to every Muslim. Clearly knowledge must precede action, since it is the bases by which one knows his/her obligations to Allah. Knowledge will enable you to practice your religious duties correctly, be aware of things which Allah made halal (permissible) and haram (forbidden), in that way you will conduct your life according to Allah’s guidance.

Several verses in the Quran reveal to us the importance of knowledge:
"Allah will raise up, to (suitable) ranks and (degrees), those of you who believe and who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is well-acquainted with all you do." [Al-Mujadilah 58:11]

" And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge." [Ta-Ha 20:114]

Also the prophet, peace be upon him, informed us of the reward for one who seeks knowledge.

Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "For him who embarks on the path of seeking knowledge, Allah will ease for him the way to paradise." (Related by Muslim)

So, know you may wonder what do I need to learn?

Well first of all you need to:

Have a good understanding of the basic Islamic beliefs (Aqeedah) such as knowledge of Allah, the Angels, the Prophets, and the Day of Judgment. Learn the purification and the five daily prayers correctly. Its important to learn how to recite Al Fatiha in Arabic for the prayers. Click Here to read some articles.

Learn about the permissible (Halal) and forbidden (Harm) things in Islam.

After that, you can continue in learning more about the other pillars of Islam such as Sawm( Fasting), Zakat, and Hajj (Pilgrimage). Also you should strive to learn the Seerah (life of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him), since his life is a role model for all Muslims. Another excellent goal which many converts aspire to is to learn the Arabic language to be able to read and understand the Quran in the language it was revealed by Allah(subhanahu wa ta'ala). You can also Download the translation of Holy Quran in 33 Language from Here.
How can you do this?

There are many resources available to learn in our page and website. There is a multitude of Islamic books, articles, and tapes which address all these topics and can give you a good start, however to learn correctly you need to do so at the hands of a practicing Muslim as we mentioned earlier regarding the prayers. Just like you can’t expect to be a good sports player by simply reading a book or two about it, you can’t expect to learn the various branches of Islam all alone; you need to practice it with other Muslims. Naturally to do so, you should frequently visit the mosque in your area…. Which brings us to the next topic. You can also contact with our Help and Support Department via problem@iloveallaah.com
Importance of the Mosque (Masjid)

The mosque plays a central role in Muslim society. Apart from being a place of prayers (the 5 daily prayers as well as the Friday prayer) the Mosque is a learning center. It’s a place where study circles and lectures are held for Muslims to learn more about Islam. Also a place were Muslims meet to study and recite the Quran, collect charity for the poor, and discuss issues concerning the community. It’s an ideal place for a new convert to meet Muslims and learn in a short time what would normally take weeks or months to learn alone. Naturally many new converts are shy or afraid to make their first visit to the mosque, but if they knew the joy which Muslims share when they meet a convert, such hesitation would disappear. Also, don’t worry about not doing everything perfectly from the start, no one expects a new Muslim to learn everything over night.

From Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said: "A man does not frequent the mosques for the Prayer and the remembrance of Allaah except that Allaah, the Most High, greets him joyfully, just as the family of one who is absent greet him with joy when he returns to them." [Reported by Ibn Abee Shaybah, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Khuzaimah and others and it is found in Saheehit-Targheeb (no. 315)]

So finally, we strongly encourage you to do your best to enrol in the study circles in your local mosque or fix a weekly schedule with the Imam to teach you all you need to know.
Staying In touch

It’s hard to explain the joy the whole team feels at iloveAllaah.com upon hearing of a new convert like yourself, at the same time we feel a sadness when someone losses touch with us. We continue to wonder how the person is doing…how he/she is coping with family and friends, If he/she succeeded in finding a local mosque or not …etc. We hope that you will help us to help you, be keeping contact and letting us know your progress, concerns, questions…etc.

Finally, our Team sends you their warmest congratulations on embracing Islam and wishes you all the success in this life and the next, as Allah tells us in the Quran,
"Those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." [2:277]

Rulings of Udhiyah (Sacrifice / Qurban)

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Praise be to Allaah and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allaah, Muhammad, and upon his family and companions.


Udhiyah is one of the great rituals of Islam, in which we remember the Unity of Allaah, His blessings upon us and the obedience of our father Ibraaheem to his Lord, and in this act of udhiyah there is much goodness and blessing. So the Muslim must pay attention to its great importance. The following is a brief look at this important ritual.
Udhiyah refers to the animal (camel, cattle or sheep) that is sacrificed as an act of worship to Allaah, in the country in which the person offering the sacrifice lives, during the period from after the Eid prayer on the Day of Nahr (Eid al-Adhaa) until the last of the Days of Tashreeq (the 13th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah), with the intention of offering sacrifice. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord anf sacrifice (to Him only).” [al-Kawthar 108:2]
“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists).” [al-An’aam 6:162]
“And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle that He has given them for food. And your God is One God, so you must submit to Him Alone (in Islam)…” [al-Hajj 22:34]
Udhiyyah is a confirmed Sunnah according to the majority of scholars (some scholars say that it is waajib or obligatory; this will be discussed in more detail below). The basic principle is that it is required at the appointed time from one who is alive on behalf of himself and the members of his household, and he may include in the reward for it whoever he wishes, living or dead. With regard to udhiyah on behalf of one who is dead, if the deceased bequeathed up to one third of his wealth for that purpose, or included it in his waqf (endowment), then these wishes must be carried out, otherwise, if a person wishes to offer a sacrifice on behalf of someone who has died, this is a good deed and is considered to be giving charity on behalf of the dead. But the Sunnah is for a man to include the members of his household, living and deed, in his udhiyah, and when he slaughters it, he should say, “Allaahumma haadha ‘anni wa ‘an aali bayti (O Allaah, this is on behalf of myself and the members of my household” – he does not have to make a separate sacrifice on behalf of every deceased person.

The scholars agreed that sacrificing the animal and giving its meat in charity is better than giving its value in charity, because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to make the sacrifice, and he did not do anything but that which is best and most befitting. This is the opinion of Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad.

The virtues of udhiyah and the best of udhiyah


A sheep is good enough as a sacrifice for one man and the members of his household and his children, because of the hadeeth of Abu Ayyoob: “At the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a man would sacrifice a sheep on behalf of himself and the members of his household, and they would eat from it and give some to others.” (Reported by Ibn Maajah and al-Tirmidhi, who classed it as saheeh)

The kinds of animals prescribed for sacrifice are camels, cattle and sheep. Some of the scholars said that the best sacrifice is camels, then cattle, then sheep, then a share in a she-camel or cow, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning Friday prayers: “Whoever goes to [Friday prayers] early, it is equivalent to him sacrificing a camel.” This is the opinion of the three imaams Abu Haneefah, al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad. On this basis, a sheep is better than one-seventh of a camel or cow. Maalik said that the best is a young sheep, then a cow then a camel, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed two rams, and he never did anything but that which was the best. The response to that is that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always chose what was more appropriate out of kindness towards his ummah, because they would follow his example, and he did not want to make things difficult for them. (Fataawa al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz).

A camel or cow is enough for seven people, because of the report narrated by Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “We sacrificed at al-Hudaybiyah with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), a camel for seven and a cow for seven.” According to one version: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to share camels and cattle, each seven men sharing one animal.” According to another version: “So a cow would be sacrificed on behalf of seven men and we would share it.” (Reported by Muslim)

Ruling of udhiyah:


Udhiyah is one of the rituals of Islam. It is mentioned in Jawaahir al-Ikleel Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel that if the people of a city or country neglect udhiyah, they should be fought, because it is one of the rituals of Islam. (Rasaa’il Fiqhiyyah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 46). There are two scholarly opinions on udhiyah:

that it is waajib (obligatory). This is the opinion of al-Oozaa’i, al-Layth and Abu Haneefah, and it is one of the two opinions narrated from Imaam Ahmad. It was also the opinion of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, and is one of the two opinions in the madhhab of Maalik, or is what seems to be the madhhab of Maalik. Those who favour this opinion take the following as evidence:

The aayah: “Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord anf sacrifice (to Him only).” [al-Kawthar 108:2]. This is a command, and a command implies that something is obligatory.

The hadeeth of Jundub (may Allaah be pleased with him), reported in al-Saheehayn and elsewhere, who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before he prays, let him slaughter another one in its place, and whoever did not slaughter a sacrifice, let him do so in the name of Allaah.’” (Reported by Muslim, 3621)

The hadeeth: “Whoever can afford to offer a sacrifice but does not do so, let him not approach our place or prayer.” (Reported by Ahmad and Ibn Maajah; classed as saheeh by al-Haakim from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). It says in Fath al-Baari that its men are thiqaat).

(B) that it is a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah). This is the opinion of the majority, and it is the madhhab of al-Shaafa'i and the better-known opinion of Maalik and Ahmad. But most of those who favour this opinion stated that it is makrooh (disliked) for the one who is able to offer a sacrifice to neglect to do so. They base their opinion on the following:

The hadeeth of Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) in Sunan Abi Dawood, where he said: “I prayed on Eid al-Adhaa with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and when he finished (the prayer), he was brought two rams, and he sacrificed them. He said, ‘In the Name of Allaah, Allaah is Most Great. This is on behalf of myself and any member of my ummah who did not offer a sacrifice.” (Sunan Abi Dawood bi Sharh Muhammad Shams al-Haq Abaadi, 7/486)

The hadeeth reported by all the famous muhadditheen apart from al-Bukhaari: “Whoever among you want to offer a sacrifice, let him not take anything from his hair or nails.” Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, said, following his discussion of those who say it is obligatory and those who say it is Sunnah, “Each point of view has its evidence, but to be on the safe side, the one who is able to offer a sacrifice should not neglect to do so, because of what is involved in this act of reverence towards Allaah, remembering Him, and making sure that one has nothing to be blamed for.



Conditions of udhiyah


The animal should have reached the required age, which is six months for a lamb, one year for a goat, two years for a cow and five years for a camel.
It should be free of any faults, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are four that will not do for sacrifice: a one-eyed animal whose defect is obvious, a sick animal whose sickness is obvious, a lame animal whose limp is obvious and an emaciated animal that has no marrow in its bones .” (Saheeh, Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 886). There are milder defects that do not disqualify an animal, but it is makrooh to sacrifice such animals, such as an animal with a horn or ear missing, or an animal with slits in its ears, etc. Udhiyah is an act of worship to Allaah, and Allaah is Good and accepts only that which is good. Whoever honours the rites of Allaah, this has to do with the piety (taqwa) of the heart.

It is forbidden to sell it. If an animal has been selected for sacrifice, it is not permissible to sell it or give it away, except in exchange for one that is better. If an animal gives birth, its offspring should be sacrificed along with it. It is also permissible to ride it if necessary. The evidence for this is the report narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw a man leading his camel and told him, “Ride it.” He said, “It is for sacrifice.” He said,“Ride it” a second or third time.

It should be sacrificed at the specified time, which is from after the prayer and khutbah of Eid – not from when the time for the prayer and khutbah starts – until before sunset on the last of the days of Tashreeq, which is the 13th day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever sacrifices before the prayer, let him repeat it.”(Reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim). ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The days of Nahr (Sacrifice) are the day of al-Adhaa and the three days following it.” This is also the opinion of al-Hasan al-Basri, ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabaah, al-Oozaa’i, al-Shaafa'i and Ibn al-Mundhir, may Allaah have mercy on them all.

What should be done with the sacrifice?


It is mustahabb (liked, preferable) for the one who has made a sacrifice to not eat anything on that day before he eats from it, if this is possible, because of the hadeeth, “Let every man eat from his sacrifice.” (Classed as saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5349). This eating should be after the Eid prayer and khutbah. This is the opinion of the scholars, including ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Abbaas, Maalik, al-Shaafa'i and others. The evidence for this is the hadeeth of Buraydah (may Allaah be pleased with him): “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would not go out on the day of Fitr until he had eaten, and he would not eat on the day of Adhaa until he had slaughtered (his sacrifice).” (Al-Albaani said: its isnaad is saheeh. Al-Mishkaat, 1/452).

It is better for a person to slaughter the sacrifice himself, but if he does not, it is mustahabb for him to be present when it is slaughtered.

It is mustahaab to divide the meat into three: one third to be eaten, one third to be given as gifts and one third to be given in charity. This was the opinion of Ibn Mas’ood and Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them). The scholars agreed that it is not permissible to sell anything from its meat, fat or skin. In a saheeh hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever sells the skin of his udhiyah, there is no udhiyah for him (i.e., it is not counted as udhiyah).” (Classed as hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6118). The butcher should not be given anything of it by way of reward or payment, because ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded me to take care of the sacrifice and to give its meat, skin and raiment ( covering used for protection ) in charity, and not to give anything of it to the butcher as a compensation . He said, ‘We will give him something from what we have.’” (Agreed upon). It was said that it is permissible to give the butcher something as a gift, and that it is permissible to give some of it to a kaafir if he is poor or a relative or a neighbour, or in order to open his heart to Islam. (Fataawa al-Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz).

Question: what should the Muslim avoid in the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah if he wants to offer a sacrifice?


The Sunnah indicates that the one who wants to offer a sacrifice must refrain from taking anything from his hair, nails or skin from the first day of Dhu’l-Hijjah until he offers his sacrifice, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When you see the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah, if any one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him not remove anything from his hair or nails until he has offered his sacrifice.” According to another report: “Let him not touch any part of his hair or nails.” (Reported by Muslim with four isnaads, 13/146). This command implies obligation and the prohibition implies that it is forbidden, according to the most correct opinion, because these are absolutes with no exceptions. If a person deliberately takes something (from his hair or nails), he must seek the forgiveness of Allaah, but he does not have to pay any fidyah (penalty), and his udhiyah is still valid. Whoever needs to remove some of his hair or nails because leaving it will cause him harm, such as a torn nail or a wound in a site covered by hair, should remove it, and there is no sin on him if he does so. This is not more serious than the muhrim (person in ihraam for Hajj or ‘Umrah) who is allowed to shave if not doing so will cause him harm. There is nothing wrong with men and women washing their hair during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only forbade removing hair, and because the muhrim is allowed to wash his head.

The wisdom behind the prohibition on removing hair and nails is because the one who is going to offer a sacrifice is like the one who is in ihraam for Hajj and ‘Umrah with regard to some rituals, which is the offering of a sacrifice in order to draw closer to Allaah. Thus some of the rulings of ihraam apply to the one who wants to offer a sacrifice, so he should not touch his hair and nails until he has slaughtered his sacrifice, in the hope that Allaah will release him from the fire of Hell. And Allaah knows best.

If a person removes some of his hair and nails during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah because he is not planning to offer a sacrifice, then he decides to sacrifice, he should refrain from cutting his hair or nails from the moment he takes the decision.

There are some women who delegate their brothers or sons to do the sacrifice on their behalf so that they can cut their hair during the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah. This is not correct, because the ruling applies to the one who is making the sacrifice, whether he or she delegates someone else to do the actual slaughter or not. The prohibition does not apply to the person appointed, it applies to the person who wants to offer a sacrifice on behalf of himself, as is indicated by the hadeeth. As for the person who is doing the sacrifice on behalf of another, whether because of a will or because he has been delegated to do so, the prohibition does not apply to him.

It is apparent that this prohibition applies to the one who is offering the sacrifice, and does not extend to his wife or children, unless one of them is offering a sacrifice on his or her own behalf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to sacrifice on behalf of the family of Muhammad, and it was not reported that he forbade them to remove anything of their hair or nails.

Whoever is planning to offer a sacrifice, then decides to go for Hajj, should not remove anything of his hair or nails when he wants to enter ihraam, because this is Sunnah only when there is a need for it. But if he is doing Hajj “tamattu’” [where one performs ‘Umrah, then ends ihraam and enters a new state of ihraam for Hajj], he should shorten his hair when he finishes ‘Umrah because that is part of the ritual.

The things that are forbidden for the person who wants to offer a sacrifice are reported in the hadeeth quoted above. It is not forbidden for him to wear perfume or to have intercourse with his wife or to wear sewn garments and so on.

And Allah knows best.