Prophet Muhammad in the Bible and Torah

MV: Allah (swt) tells us in the Qur’an that the Jews and Christians knew that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was coming, but they still rejected him. While searching to see if his prophecy was still there, I came across this great article by Dr. Jamal Badawi. Even after changing their books many times, they could not hide this.

BIBLE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE ADVENT OF MUHAMMAD Abraham is widely regarded as the Patriarch of monotheism and the common father of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Through His second son, Isaac, came all Israelite prophets including such towering figures as Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus. May peace and blessings be upon them all. The advent of these great prophets was in partial fulfillment of God’s promises to bless the nations of earth through the descendents of Abraham (Genesis12:2-3).Such fulfillment is wholeheartedly accepted by Muslims whose faith considers the belief in and respect of all prophets an article of faith. BLESSINGS OF ISHMAEL AND ISAAC Was the first born son of Abraham (Ishmael) and his descendants included in God’s covenant and promise? A few verses from the Bible may help shed some light on this question; 1) Genesis 12:2-3 speaks of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants before any child was born to him. 2) Genesis 17:4 reiterates God’s promise after the birth of Ishmael and before the birth of Isaac. 3) In Genesis, ch. 21. Isaac is specifically blessed but Ishmael was also specifically blessed and promised by God to become “a great nation” especially in Genesis 21:13, 18. 4) According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17 the traditional rights and privileges of the first born son are not to be affected by the social status of his mother (being a “free” woman such as Sarah, Isaac’s mother, or a “Bondwoman” such as Hagar, Ishmael’s mother). This is only consistent with the moral and humanitarian principles of all revealed faiths. 5) The full legitimacy of Ishmael as Abraham’s son and “seed” and the full legitimacy of his mother, Hagar, as Abraham’s wife are clearly stated in Genesis 21:13 and 16:3. After Jesus, the last Israelite messenger and prophet, it was time that God’s promise to bless Ishmael and his descendants be fulfilled. Less than 600years after Jesus, came the last messenger of God, Muhammad, from the progeny of Abraham through Ishmael. God’s blessing of both of the main branches of Abraham’s family tree was now fullfilled. But are there additional corroborating evidence that the Bible did in fact foretell the advent of prophet Muhammad. MUHAMMAD: The Prophet Like Unto Moses Long time after Abraham, God’s promise to send the long-awaited Messenger was repeated this time in Moses’ words. In Deuteronomy 18:18, Moses spoke of the prophet to be sent by God who is: 1) From among the Israelite’s “brethren”, a reference to their Ishmaelite cousins as Ishmael was the other son of Abraham who was explicitly promised to become a “great nation”. 2) A prophet like unto Moses. There were hardly any two prophets who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad. Both were given comprehensive law code of life, both encountered their enemies and were victors in miraculous ways, both were accepted as prophets/statesmen and both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlooks not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well (e.g. the natural birth, family life and death of Moses and Muhammad but not of Jesus, who was regarded by His followers as the Son of God and not exclusively a messenger of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslim belief Jesus was). THE AWAITED PROPHET WAS TO COME FROM ARABIA Deuteronomy 33:1-2 combines references to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. It speaks of God (i.e. God’s revelation) coming from Sinai, rising from Seir (probably the village of Sa’ir near Jerusalem) and shining forth from Paran. According to Genesis 21:21, the wilderness of Paran was the place where Ishmael settled (i.e. Arabia, specifically Mecca). Indeed the King James version of the Bible mentions the pilgrims passing through the valley of Ba’ca (another name of Mecca) in Psalms 84:4-6. Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the beloved of God. His elect and messenger who will bring down a law to be awaited in the isles and who “shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgement on earth.” Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Ke’dar. Who is Ke’dar? According toGenesis 25:13, Ke’dar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of prophet Muhammad. MUHAMMAD’S MIGRATION FROM MECCA TO MEDINA: PROPHECIED IN THE BIBLE? Habakkuk 3:3 speaks of God (God’s help) coming from Te’man (an Oasis North of Medina according to J. Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible), and the holy one (coming) from Paran. That holy one who under persecution migrated from Paran (Mecca) to be received enthusiastically in Medina was none but prophet Muhammad. Indeed the incident of the migration of the prophet and his persecuted followers is vividly described inIsaiah 21:13-17. That section foretold as well about the battle of Badr in which the few ill-armed faithful miraculously defeated the “mighty” men of Ke’dar, who sought to destroy Islam and intimidate their own folks who turned -to Islam. THE QUR’AN (KORAN) FORETOLD IN THE BIBLE? For twenty-three years, God’s words (the Qur’an) were truely put into Muhammad’s mouth. He was not the “author” of the Qur’an. The Qur’an was dictated to him by Angel Gabriel who askedMuhammad to simply repeat the words of the Qur’an as he heard them. These words were then committed to memory and to writing by those who hear them during Muhammad’s life time and under his supervision. Was it a coincidence that the prophet “like unto Moses” from the “brethren” of the Israelites (i.e. from the lshmaelites) was also described as one in whose mouth God will put his words and that he will speak in the name of God, (Deuteronomy 18:18-20). Was it also a coincidence the “Paraclete” that Jesus foretold to come after Him was described as one who “shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak (John 16:13) Was it another coincidence that Isaiah ties between the messenger connected with Ke’dar and a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sang unto the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). More explicitly, prophesies Isaiah “For with stammering lips, and another tongue, will he speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11). This latter verse correctly describes the “stammering lips” of Prophet Muhammadreflecting the state of tension and concentration he went through at the time of revelation. Another related point is that the Qur’an was revealed in piece-meals over a span of twenty three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28:10 whichspeaks of the same thing. THAT PROPHET- PARACLETE- MUHAMMAD Up to the time of Jesus (peace be upon him), the Israelites were still awaiting for that prophet like unto Moses prophecied in Deuteronomy 18:18. When John the Baptist came, they asked him if he was Christ and he said “no”. They asked him if he was Elias and he said “no”. Then, in apparent reference to Deuteronomy 18:18, they asked him “Art thou that Prophet” and he answered, “no”. (John 1: 1 9-2 1). In the Gospel according to John (Chapters 14, 15, 16) Jesus spoke of the “Paraclete” or comforter who will come after him, who will be sent by Father as another Paraclete, who will teach new things which the contemporaries of Jesus could not bear. While the Paraclete is described as the spirit of truth, (whose meaning resemble Muhammad’s famous title Al-Amin, the trustworthy), he is identified in one verse as the Holy Ghost (John 14:26). Such a designation is however inconsistent with the profile of that Paraclete. In the words of the Dictionary of the Bible, (Ed. J. Mackenzie) “These items, it must be admitted do not give an entirely coherent picture.” Indeed history tells us that many early Christians understood the Paraclete to be a man and not a spirit. This might explain the followings who responded to some who claimed, without meeting the criteria stipulated by Jesus, to be the awaited “Paraciete”. It was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was the Paraclete, Comforter, helper, admonisher sent by God after Jesus. He testified of Jesus, taught new things which could not be borne at Jesus’ time, he spoke what he heard (revelation), he dwells with the believers (through his well-preserved teachings). Such teachings will remain forever because he was the last messenger of God, the only Universal Messenger to unite the whole of humanity under God and on the path of PRESERVED truth. He told of many things to come which “came to pass” in the minutest detail meeting, the criterion given by Moses to distinguish between the true prophet and the false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:22). He did reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement (John 16:8-11) WAS THE SHIFT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP PROPHECIED? Following the rejection of the last Israelite prophet, Jesus, it was about time that God’s promise to make Ishmael a great nation be fulfilled (Genesis 21:13, 18) In Matthew 21:19-21, Jesus spoke of the fruitless fig tree (A Biblical symbol of prophetic heritage) to be cleared after being given a last chance of three years (the duration of Jesus’ ministry) to give fruit. In a later verse in the same chapter, Jesus said: “Therefore, say I unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruit thereof” (Matthew 21:43). That nation of Ishmael’s descendants (the rejected stone in Matthew 21:42) which was victorious against all super-powers of its time as prophecied by Jesus: “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matthew 21:44). OUT OF CONTEXT COINCIDENCE? Is it possible that the numerous prophecies cited here are all individually and combined out of context misinterpretations? Is the opposite true, that such infrequently studied verses fit together consistently and clearly point to the advent of the man who changed the course of human history, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Is it reasonable to conclude that all these prophecies, appearing in different books of the Bible and spoken by various prophets at different times were all coincidence? If this is so here is another strange “coincidence”! One of the signs of the prophet to come from Paran (Mecca) is that he will come with “ten thousands of saints” (Deuteronomy 33:2 KJV). That was the number of faithful who accompanied Prophet Muhammad to Paran (Mecca) in his victorious, bloodless return to his birthplace to destroy the remaining symbols of idolatry in the Ka’bah. Says God as quoted by Moses: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:19) http://www.islamicity.com/Mosque/Muhammad_Bible.HTM

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

MV: This post comes from IslamGuide. Islam Guide has lots of interesting articles that we get many of our posts from so please visit that site. This post talks about ever since the Quran was reveled nobody has been able to make a single book that has the beauty of the Quran. That task is simply impossible because the Quran is more then a book, it is the words of Allah and our guide to success in this life and the life after. Man is Allah’s creation and the Quran is Allah’s word. Their is no way Man can make something that has the beauty of the Quran. Man cannot make anything whatsoever, Man only makes things by the will of Allah.

God has said in the Quran:

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

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

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

Michael Jackson, did he die as a Muslim?

:Update: Yusuf Islam on Micheal Jackson.

:Edit: Some people in the comments pointed out that this song was actually done by the Islamic artist Zain Bhikha, now that I realize it his voice does sound like Zain Bhikha, so my regards if that song was not sang by him.

MV: As a memory of Micheal Jackson, who people say died as a Muslim. This was his greatest song ever……

Farther truth he became a Muslim many months before dying,

Michael Jackson converted to Islam and took name “Mikail” according to to the Sun News and Newspaper he is now a Muslim and has Islamic dress. He was influenced by ex-christian Cat Stevens – now know as Yusuf Islam.

Yusuf Islam on Micheal Jackson:

“It’s always inevitable, but a shock when death comes. With Michael, it seems to me even more shocking, and I feel very sad. He seemed to have the heart of a child, though he was a giant of a musician. The moment I heard he had been taken to hospital, the worst was anticipated. I hope he finally worked out his purpose in life, before he left it. I just discovered his middle name was Joseph. He’ll be missed.”

Source

Inna lillahi wa inna ilahi rajioon. May Allah bless him with happiness and forgive his sins in the after life. Ameen.

Scientists Comments on the Scientific Miracles in the Holy Quran

MV: Adding up to our usual Science and Quran topics,here is a nice and relevant post about what Scientists say about the scientific Miracles in the Holy Quran.

1) Dr. T. V. N. Persaud is Professor of Anatomy, Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, and Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  There, he was the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy for 16 years.  He is well-known in his field.  He is the author or editor of 22 textbooks and has published over 181 scientific papers.  In 1991, he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists.  When he was asked about the scientific miracles in the Quran which he has researched, he stated the following:

“The way it was explained to me is that Muhammad was a very ordinary man.  He could not read, didn’t know [how] to write. In fact, he was an illiterate.  And we’re talking about twelve [actually about fourteen] hundred years ago.  You have someone illiterate making profound pronouncements and statements and that are amazingly accurate about scientific nature.  And I personally can’t see how this could be a mere chance.  There are too many accuracies and, like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which led him to these statements.”

Professor Persaud has included some Quranic verses and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad  in some of his books.  He has also presented these verses and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad  at several conferences.

2) Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson is the Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Professor of Molecular and Human Genetics at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.  Formerly, he was Professor of Ob-Gyn and the Chairman of the Department of Ob-Gyn at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.  He was also the President of the American Fertility Society.  He has received many awards, including the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology Public Recognition Award in 1992.  Professor Simpson studied the following two sayings of the Prophet Muhammad :

{In every one of you, all components of your creation are collected together in your mother’s womb by forty days…}²

{If forty-two nights have passed over the embryo, God sends an angel to it, who shapes it and creates its hearing, vision, skin, flesh, and bones….}³

He studied these two sayings of the Prophet Muhammad  extensively, noting that the first forty days constitute a clearly distinguishable stage of embryo-genesis.  He was particularly impressed by the absolute precision and accuracy of those sayings of the Prophet Muhammad .  Then, during one conference, he gave the following opinion:

3) Dr. E. Marshall Johnson is Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.  There, for 22 years he was Professor of Anatomy, the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy, and the Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute.  He was also the President of the Teratology Society.  He has authored more than 200 publications.  In 1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Professor Johnson said in the presentation of his research paper:

“Summary: The Quran describes not only the development of external form, but emphasizes also the internal stages, the stages inside the embryo, of its creation and development, emphasizing major events recognized by contemporary science.”  (View the RealPlayer video of this comment )

Also he said: “As a scientist, I can only deal with things which I can specifically see.  I can understand embryology and developmental biology.  I can understand the words that are translated to me from the Quran.  As I gave the example before, if I were to transpose myself into that era, knowing what I knew today and describing things, I could not describe the things which were described.  I see no evidence for the fact to refute the concept that this individual, Muhammad, had to be developing this information from some place.  So I see nothing here in conflict with the concept that divine intervention was involved in what he was able to write.”⁴ (View the RealPlayer video of this comment )

4) Dr. William W. Hay is a well-known marine scientist.  He is Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA.  He was formerly the Dean of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA.  After a discussion with Professor Hay about the Quran’s mention of recently discovered facts on seas, he said:

“I find it very interesting that this sort of information is in the ancient scriptures of the Holy Quran, and I have no way of knowing where they would come from, but I think it is extremely interesting that they are there and that this work is going on to discover it, the meaning of some of the passages.”  And when he was asked about the source of the Quran, he replied: “Well, I would think it must be the divine being.”  (View the RealPlayer video of this comment
)

5) Dr. Gerald C. Goeringer is Course Director and Associate Professor of Medical Embryology at the Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.  During the Eighth Saudi Medical Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Professor Goeringer stated the following in the presentation of his research paper:

“In a relatively few aayahs (Quranic verses) is contained a rather comprehensive description of human development from the time of commingling of the gametes through organogenesis.  No such distinct and complete record of human development, such as classification, terminology, and description, existed previously.  In most, if not all, instances, this description antedates by many centuries the recording of the various stages of human embryonic and fetal development recorded in the traditional scientific literature.”  (View the RealPlayer video of this comment )

6) Dr. Yoshihide Kozai is Professor Emeritus at Tokyo University, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan, and was the Director of the National Astronomical Observatory, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan.  He said:

“I am very much impressed by finding true astronomical facts in [the] Quran, and for us the modern astronomers have been studying very small pieces of the universe.  We’ve concentrated our efforts for understanding of [a] very small part.  Because by using telescopes, we can see only very few parts [of] the sky without thinking [about the] whole universe.  So, by reading [the] Quran and by answering to the questions, I think I can find my future way for investigation of the universe.”  (View the RealPlayer video of this comment )

7) Professor Tejatat Tejasen is the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.  Previously, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the same university.  During the Eighth Saudi Medical Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Professor Tejasen stood up and said:

“During the last three years, I became interested in the Quran . . . . From my study and what I have learned from this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Quran fourteen hundred years ago must be the truth, that can be proved by the scientific means.  Since the Prophet Muhammad could neither read nor write, Muhammad must be a messenger who relayed this truth, which was revealed to him as an enlightenment by the one who is eligible [as the] creator.  This creator must be God.  Therefore, I think this is the time to say La ilaha illa Allah, there is no god to worship except Allah (God), Muhammadur rasoolu Allah, Muhammad is Messenger (Prophet) of Allah (God).  Lastly, I must congratulate for the excellent and highly successful arrangement for this conference . . . . I have gained not only from the scientific point of view and religious point of view but also the great chance of meeting many well-known scientists and making many new friends among the participants.  The most precious thing of all that I have gained by coming to this place is La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah, and to have become a Muslim.”  (View the RealPlayer video of this comment )

After all these examples we have seen about the scientific miracles in the Holy Quran and all these scientists’ comments on this, let us ask ourselves these questions:

n Could it be a coincidence that all this recently discovered scientific information from different fields was mentioned in the Quran, which was revealed fourteen centuries ago?

n Could this Quran have been authored by Muhammad  or by any other human being?

The only possible answer is that this Quran must be the literal word of God, revealed by Him.

“So that the two hadeeths (the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad ) that have been noted provide us with a specific time table for the main embryological development before forty days.  Again, the point has been made, I think, repeatedly by other speakers this morning: these hadeeths could not have been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available [at] the time of their writing . . . . It follows, I think, that not only there is no conflict between genetics and religion but, in fact, religion can guide science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches, that there exist statements in the Quran shown centuries later to be valid, which support knowledge in the Quran having been derived from God.”

Source

Islam in Facebook

MV: Yea, I know, you might be calling me a facebook addict right now for writing a post about “Islam in Facebook” but actually believe it or not, facebook can change peoples views on Islam and can also help make a good Muslim Ummah. Now for those who don’t know what facebook is (and live under a rock) but even those who do know:

Facebook (from the Facebook corporate page) was founded in February 2004 and is a social utility that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, family and coworkers. The company develops technologies that facilitate the sharing of information through the social graph, the digital mapping of people’s real-world social connections.

• More than 130 million active users
• More than half of Facebook users are outside of college
• The fastest growing demographic is those 25 years old and older
• Average user has 100 friends on the site
• 2.6 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide)
• More than 13 million users update their statuses at least once each day
• More than 2.5 million users become fans of Pages each day

Now do you see how facebook can help Muslims spread causes and help spread a message. For example, during my years using Facebook, I have joined many causes for donations such as Feed a child with a click. Well it can still depend on your friends but since I had many friends on Facebook, it helped spread the cause very quick and in a matter of days most of my friends saw the cause and so they spread the cause and so on. Since facebook is such a big social networking system, it helps us Muslims spread causes and as well as messages. Some of them are, Defend the Prophet (PBUH), Islam is a religion of peace, Stop selling the Furqan. Also other then those there are also various ideas you can become fans of, such as the most obvious, Islam. So if you have a facebook account remember to join causes, events, donations and become fans of anything that helps Islam as in facebook so it spreads mad fast!

Also remember to become a fan of The MV and HML

Our New Partner Site-Halal My Life

MV:

From the creator of The Muslim Voice…….

I present to you a new project, Halal My Life!

So what is Halal My Life (HML)? Well those of you familiar of the site Fmylife.com (ASTAGHFIRALLAH!) will know that, that site is about people submitting to the site about how something horrible happened to their life and how miserable it is. Similarly there is also a new site called givesmehope.com (GMH) which is the whole opposite of the site. (Not to mention a http://mylifeisdesi.com/!) Now if you look at title of the site ^Halal My Life-you can tell what this site is going to be about! In case if you still have not guessed, this site will promote how you choose Islam over something haraam. Remember anyone can submit and you can also submit anonymously. So go on ahead and submit how you overcame Shaitan!

Another great way of expressing your Muslim Voice. So the new project site is especially since it can encourage others to overcome the evils of Shaitan, Inshallah…..

Click the icon bellow to visit my new site:

http://halalmylife.co.cc

They will also be a link on the sidebar in the future, Inshallah.

Ilm Summit 2009

MV: As a request from a fellow Muslims, I am posting for supporting a cause and a convention in Texas. The convention it self is actually really exiting and interesting and is like the ICNA convention as it also talks about issues about Islam from Islamic scholars. But not everyone can go and its mostly for low budget students. Here are the details:

The idea is simple.
We want to reward our 100 best students (yes, that’s exactly one hundred), by giving them the opportunity to study with all of the Instructors, and many more guest speakers, for a period of two weeks, in intense morning-to-evening sessions, covering all the basic sciences of Islam, and then some.

Sh. Yaser Birjas and myself will be resident (on-site) for the entire two weeks. The other Instructors will come for stints, and other guest speakers will come as well.

We will cover: tajweed, tafseer, Uloom al-Quran, Mustalah al-Hadeeth, Hadeeth, Fiqh, Usool al-Fiqh, Qawaid, History, Dawah, and perhaps some aspects of Arabic language. Additionaly, we will invite speakers in other specialities (not necessarily ‘Islamic’) that are essential for us as Western Muslims to be familiar with. Tentatively, we might include workshops on khutbah/speech techniques, managing Islamic Centers, organzing conferences, and other practical information that we would expect these participants to find useful in their dawah.

Each of the ‘classical’ sciences will obviously not be covered in its entirety (except for tajweed). Rather, in each field, we will choose a sub-section and cover it to a level that our experienced and mature students deserve. Thus, for example, in fiqh, we shall cover all of the chapters of taharah up to shurut al-salat, in all four madhabs, from a standard matn in each madhab, then we will go back and do fiqh al-muqaran of those same issues. In Uloom al-Quran, we will cover in detail the compilation of the Quran between Muslim scholarship and Orientalist views. In history we will cover the rise and fall of Muslim Spain and the lessons learned from that experience. And so forth…
For Tajweed, if there is an interest, we might offer ‘ijaazahs’ in the Quran for those who are qualified (i.e., huffadh). For others, we will teach one-on-one to the greatest extent possible.
The program will be open for brothers and sisters (sorry, no babysitting facilities available!) who have taken AlMaghrib classes, and who will be committed to two solid weeks of learning.
SERIOUS STUDENTS ONLY – LAZY STUDENTS NEED NOT APPLY!!!!

Although all AlMaghrib students can apply, we will NOT accept students on a first-come-first-serve basis. Rather, there will be an application process and all students will be screened exhaustively, and ONLY the best students will be chosen.

Criterion that will decide who gets chosen are:
1) Number of AlMaghrib seminars attended, with exam, and high pass
2) Amount of Quran memorized
3) Level of activism in the community

Students from all over North America are welcome to apply, and our goal is to accept students from ALL Qabeelahs.
Cost and location of the program is still being formulated, but will cover everything, from room/board, to transportation from/to airport, etc. All that will be required in addition to this will be the plane ticket to the city of the program (to be decided very soon insha Allah).
The date has been scheduled for the 1st to the 18th of August.
All students are expected to arrive by Friday the 1st of Auguest, and leave Monday the 18th of August.
There will be exams and projects for these students as well, and MAJOR prizes will be given out to the top students.
Oh, and those who get chosen first time round and pass the exams will automatically get chosen next year as well.
Yes, you heard me right, this is an annual event.

If you are interested, here is the official site: http://help2ilmsummit.wordpress.com/

Also a fellow Muslims is in great needs for donations to go the event because of financial problems. If you are interested in donating, click here.

May Allah help give support to people in need. Ameen.

Watch bellow for a video also about the event.

I will also be adding an advertisement on the sidebar.

Freedom Will Come – Zain Bhikha

MV: Asselamulakum, The usual site owner usually does not post bias videos or articles, but since I am not the site owner (The MV) heres a nice video by Zain Bhikha (Islamic Singer). “Zain Bhikha joined with friends Abdul Malik, Khalil Ismail L Debois and Mellow Mark to create a song for the struggles in Palestine.”

LYRICS
Rap: Abdul Malik
I’ve been to the holy land,
A place cherished by children of Abraham
But this bloodshed and carnage, don’t understand
Son raise your head, find the star in the night sky
Freedom will come Palestine, we hear it worldwide,

Verse 1:
I see you creeping, over the border
so eager to take a life
guns a blazing, you bring the horror
tell me how you sleep at night
children screamin, no tomorrow
thats how they’ve lived their lives
hope’s still burning, freedom will come
everything’s gonna be alright

Chorus::
no matter how you try
you’ll never kill the hope burning bright deep inside
you may take their lives
but you’ll never kill the voice rising up
freedom will come, Palestine

Verse 2:
As a father buries his child,
You say she deserved to die
But aint nobody buying your lies
How can you say its right
Demolition of homes and minds
In the eyes of a world gone blind
The revolution aint televised
In the streets, from the blood and dust, you will hear their cry

Chorus

Rap Khalil
Livin conditions vicious
electricity missin
Villages pillaged
mothers and children innocent victims
indigenous however treated as if
they were the foreigner and criminal for showing resistance
Freedom
Limited
by an occupant position
inhibited transmission from humanitarians
this is
just the beginning of these horrific incidents
innocents disregarded so bombs drop, kill, and injure
tell me
how hypocritical is it
to receive reparations for the crimes committed
against you
only to turn around and do
the same type of atrocities done to you
face the truth
justice will win through
and we all
will answer for what we do
know oppression never lasts
stand firm hold fast
to your faith
let us pray palestine
will find
freeer days

The Quran on Clouds

MV: I am sorry that I have not been on the site for the past week, but I will be posting more for the next couple of weeks. I got this interesting article from Islam-guide and that website has been helpful in giving information about Islam in Science. This very long and interesting post talks about Clouds and give ayats from the Quran that talk about clouds.

Scientists have studied cloud types and have realized that rain clouds are formed and shaped according to definite systems and certain steps connected with certain types of wind and clouds.

One kind of rain cloud is the cumulonimbus cloud.  Meteorologists have studied how cumulonimbus clouds are formed and how they produce rain, hail, and lightning.

They have found that cumulonimbus clouds go through the following steps to produce rain:

1)  The clouds are pushed by the wind: Cumulonimbus clouds begin to form when wind pushes some small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds) to an area where these clouds converge (see figures 17 and 18).

Figure 17: Satellite photo showing the clouds moving towards the convergence areas B, C, and D.  The arrows indicate the directions of the wind. (The Use of Satellite Pictures in Weather Analysis and Forecasting, Anderson and others, p. 188.)  (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

Figure 18: Small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds) moving towards a convergence zone near the horizon, where we can see a large cumulonimbus cloud. (Clouds and Storms, Ludlam, plate 7.4.)   (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

2)  Joining: Then the small clouds join together forming a larger cloud¹ (see figures 18 and 19).

Figure 19: (A) Isolated small pieces of clouds (cumulus clouds).  (B) When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase, so the cloud is stacked up.  Water drops are indicated by ·. (The Atmosphere, Anthes and others, p. 269.)  (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

3)  Stacking: When the small clouds join together, updrafts within the larger cloud increase.  The updrafts near the center of the cloud are stronger than those near the edges.² These updrafts cause the cloud body to grow vertically, so the cloud is stacked up (see figures 19 (B), 20, and 21).  This vertical growth causes the cloud body to stretch into cooler regions of the atmosphere, where drops of water and hail formulate and begin to grow larger and larger.  When these drops of water and hail become too heavy for the updrafts to support them, they begin to fall from the cloud as rain, hail, etc.³

Figure 20: A cumulonimbus cloud.  After the cloud is stacked up, rain comes out of it. (Weather and Climate, Bodin, p.123.)

Figure 21: A cumulonimbus cloud. (A Colour Guide to Clouds, Scorer and Wexler, p. 23.)

God has said in the Quran:

Have you not seen how God makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a stack, and then you see the rain come out of it….  (Quran, 24:43)

Meteorologists have only recently come to know these details of cloud formation, structure, and function by using advanced equipment like planes, satellites, computers, balloons, and other equipment, to study wind and its direction, to measure humidity and its variations, and to determine the levels and variations of atmospheric pressure.⁴

The preceding verse, after mentioning clouds and rain, speaks about hail and lightning:

….And He sends down hail from mountains (clouds) in the sky, and He strikes with it whomever He wills, and turns it from whomever He wills. The vivid flash of its lightning nearly blinds the sight.  (Quran, 24:43)

Meteorologists have found that these cumulonimbus clouds, that shower hail, reach a height of 25,000 to 30,000 ft (4.7 to 5.7 miles),⁵ like mountains, as the Quran said, “…And He sends down hail from mountains (clouds) in the sky…” (see figure 21 above).

This verse may raise a question.  Why does the verse say “its lightning” in a reference to the hail?  Does this mean that hail is the major factor in producing lightning?  Let us see what the book entitled Meteorology Today says about this.  It says that a cloud becomes electrified as hail falls through a region in the cloud of supercooled droplets and ice crystals.  As liquid droplets collide with a hailstone, they freeze on contact and release latent heat.  This keeps the surface of the hailstone warmer than that of the surrounding ice crystals.  When the hailstone comes in contact with an ice crystal, an important phenomenon occurs: electrons flow from the colder object toward the warmer object.  Hence, the hailstone becomes negatively charged.  The same effect occurs when supercooled droplets come in contact with a hailstone and tiny splinters of positively charged ice break off.  These lighter positively charged particles are then carried to the upper part of the cloud by updrafts.  The hail, left with a negative charge, falls towards the bottom of the cloud, thus the lower part of the cloud becomes negatively charged.  These negative charges are then discharged as lightning.⁶ We conclude from this that hail is the major factor in producing lightning.

This information on lightning was discovered recently.  Until 1600 AD, Aristotle’s ideas on meteorology were dominant.  For example, he said that the atmosphere contains two kinds of exhalation, moist and dry.  He also said that thunder is the sound of the collision of the dry exhalation with the neighboring clouds, and lightning is the inflaming and burning of the dry exhalation with a thin and faint fire.⁷ These are some of the ideas on meteorology that were dominant at the time of the Quran’s revelation, fourteen centuries ago.

The Way To Happiness

MV: Mashallah this is a good article about how to get to happiness, its shares what Tahab’s post was about  but its more in depth and includes other facts.

In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

Ultimately, we all want to be happy. It seems easier for some than others, and there are those who it is a perpetual struggle.
So what is happiness? And how do we achieve it?

Sources of Happiness
Different individuals and groups of people may have different ideas with regard to the best ways of achieving happiness.

Some common beliefs are that the following are the means to happiness:

1. Wealth.
2. Rank and position.
3. Educational achievements (Academic and Honorary? Degrees).
4. Fame (i.e., in politics, arts, sports, science, etc.).

Happiness in Wealth

One of the biggest misconceptions is that money can buy happiness. I think there is a saying actually, money cant buy happiness but it can certainly rent it.

So if it cant buy happiness, only rent it then there is no level of permanency in the happiness that is attained through wealth.

How many unhappy rich people do we hear about? What about all the stories of the people who have won lotto and ended up like prisoners in their homes from the attention they received, the gold diggers after their money, chasing them to the point they have no life? There is a story of a man that won lotto and used his money to import all his favorite exotic foods from around the globe, ended up really fat and died of a heart attack.

The Prophet (peace be upon him), as always states it best… he (peace be upon him) said:
“May he be miserable, the worshiper of the Dinar and dirham, and the worshiper of the striped silk cloak. If he is given anything, he is satisfied; but if not, he is unsatisfied”. [Al-Bukhari]

Happiness in Rank & Position

Could real happiness be attained through the acquirement of high rank or position in society?

In Islam, holding any position, rank or office is first and foremost regarded as a trust and, therefore, constitutes an obligation, and a legal as well as moral responsibility. Therefore, those to be entrusted with such roles could only be citizens who are possessed of unquestionable competence, integrity and virtue. Only a righteous and competent person can shoulder responsibility and use his position or office for public welfare.

Thus, he would love doing his job because ultimately he would be blessed with joy, happiness, contentment and satisfaction? But what happens when he reaches retirement age? Where will he source his happiness then?

Educational Achievements

Then, where is happiness? Is it in obtaining the highest level of education and in earning doctorate degrees?

It is true that Islam not only encourages but also requires man to seek knowledge and live in the light of learning. Islam is a way of life based on knowledge and not on superstition.

Prophets are the sources of divine knowledge, and the first divine revelation to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) begins with the word “IQRA” meaning “READ”. In that same revelation, Allah, tells mankind that He (Allah) taught man ‘with the pen” and taught man “what he did not know”. Much emphasis is placed in Islam on the need for excellent learning, that in the Quran, Allah teaches mankind the following supplications:
“…and say ‘O my Lord, advance me in knowledge’.”
[Noble Quran 22:114]

In another verse of the holy Quran, Allah tells mankind: “those truly fear Allah among His servants who have knowledge.”
[Noble Quran 35:28]

So isn’t Allah then telling us that we should be getting degrees?
No, the knowledge here is knowledge of Islam, beneficial knowledge that will make us successful in this life and the Hereafter. There are many who have attained high degrees in university only to live an unhappy or lonely life. The knowledge that Allah is recommending is that of the Quran and Sunnah, not that of the university degree.

Happiness in Fame

How much happiness do the “famous” men and women in activities enjoy?
Next time you are waiting at the checkout to pay for your shopping just look at the covers of the popular magazines and it is obvious that a life of fame is not a happy one. Divorce, drugs problems, over weight, etc these are all the headlines you will see.

“And this life of the world is only amusement and play! Verily, the home of the Hereafter is the real life if they but knew”.
[Noble Quran 29:64]

The messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
“Two hungry wolves sent in the midst of a flock of sheep are no more destructive to them than a mans greed for wealth and fame is to his Deen.” [At-Tirmidhi]

Barriers to Real Happiness

1. Disbelief In Allah And Lack Of The True Faith -

One of the biggest barriers to real happiness both in this world and the Hereafter is the rejection of Allahs true religion (i.e., Islam). Those who lack correct belief and stray from Divine Guidance revealed to mankind through the Universal and Last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, will suffer from spiritual void and deprive themselves from real salvation and mercy.

“Those whom God (in His Plan) wills to guide, He opens their breast to Islam; those whom He wills to leave straying, He makes their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus does Allah lay abomination on those who refuse to follow His code of life, that is Islam…” [Noble Quran 6:125]

2. Envy and Jealousy -

In chapter 113 of the Holy Quran, we are advised to seek refuge in Allah “from the mischief of the envious one as he practices envy… “

Both envy and jealousy, when translated into action, lead to the destruction of happiness and deprive people of the good things they enjoy. The best refuge from evil is trust in Allah alone.

3. Ill-will -

True believers are described in the Quran as saying when they pray to Allah:
“And leave not, in our hearts, rancor (or sense of injury) against those who have believed…” [Noble Quran 10:59]

4. Anger -

Anger connotes displeasure and hostility. Therefore, it is one of the biggest threats that spoil mans happiness.

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) stressed the importance of self restraint when he advised one of his companions:
“Do not be overpowered by anger…”

5. Injustice -

Abu Musa Al-Ashari companion of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), related that the Prophet said [as narrated by imams Bukhari and Muslim]:

“Allah may give a wrongdoing tyrant respite, and thereafter when He punishes him, He never lets him escape.” Then, he recited this Quranic Verse: “Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous, indeed, and severe is His chastisement.” [Noble Quran 11:102]

In another verse from the Holy Quran, it is stated:
“And how many populations did I give respite, which were given to wrongdoing, In the end I punished them. To Me is the destination (of all).” [Noble Quran 22:48]

6. Fear of Worldly Power -

Fear of other than Allah. Allah says in the Quran:
“It is only the Satan that suggests to you the fear of his votaries: be you not afraid of them, but fear me, if you are true believers.”
[Noble Quran 3:175]

7. Suspicion -

Allah states:
“O ye who believe! Shun suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin…” [Noble Quran 49:12]

Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) also says:
“Shun suspicion, because suspicion is the biggest lie.”
[Bukhari and Muslim]

8. Arrogance -

An arrogant person leads a life of misery even though he treats other people rudely and boastfully without due regard to established norms of moral conduct. He oppresses them or turns his cheek in scorn toward them but he is definitely haunted with guilty conscience which makes his life miserable:

“Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loveth not each braggart boaster.” [Noble Quran 31:I8]

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave his advice in this regard when he said:
“On the Day of Judgment Allah will not look towards him who trails his lower garment out of pride” [Bukhari and Muslim]

9. Other such as – devotion to other than Allah, pessimism, sinful and criminal behavior, alcohol and Drug Addiction

On the Way to Happy Life

1. Sound Belief -

Belief in Allah and in His perfect attributes would deeply influence the Muslims character and his whole outlook on life. It brings him to acquire good qualities and aim for human perfection. This will undoubtedly achieve, for both the individual and the society, a life of ideal values and collective happiness.

2. Worship and Devotion to Allah

“Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between” [Noble Quran 21:16]

So creation is not for idle sport or play, Allah has a serious purpose behind it. What is it? Allah has revealed to us His purpose:
“I have only created Jinns (i.e., genies) and men, that they may serve Me!” [Noble Quran 51:56]

Obedience and worship of Allah are a major and comprehensive source of contentment and happiness for man. On the personal level, it gives man the feeling that he is close to Allah and such nearness to his Lord, consequently, provides him with guidance, wisdom, strength, confidence, steadfastness, security, joy and satisfaction.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:
“Happiness, all happiness, is long life (full) of obedience to Allah.” [Qudai and Daylami]

3. Goodness and Kindness to Others -

This emanates from the very essence of faith.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:
“All creatures are dependants of Allah, and the most favored among them by Allah is the one who is most helpful to His dependants.” [Tabarani, Abu Naim and Bayhaqi]

Thus, active faith turns man into a mercy to himself and to others.

4. Renunciation of Too Long Term Hopes and Grieves of the Past -

hanging onto a past that cannot be returned and aspiring to a future that may not come only leads to discontentment.

Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,
“Whosoever begins the day feeling family security and good health; and possessing provision for his day is as though he possessed the whole world.” [At-Tirmidhi].

Being content with what we have today, embarking on utilizing the day that we have and being grateful to Allah, all these are lead to happiness.

5. In times of discontentment -

The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him ) in the following words:
“Look at those inferior to you, and do not look at those superior to you. Thereby, you would be able to appreciate better the benevolence of Allah bestowed upon you.” [Bukhari and Muslim]
gives us the best advise for these times.

6. Building of better understanding -

seeking knowledge of Islam and removing misconceptions and superstitions deliver man from ignorance, illusions and baseless worries that spoil his tranquility and happiness.

7. One important step on the way to happiness is -

to work towards harmony within oneself and with the outward world: in the family, at school, in the office, in society and more generally, in humanity.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised us that there is a time for this and a time for that and that we are a people of moderation.

8. Access to happiness can also be obtained -

by making ever aspect of your life lawful. Eat what is lawful, make your home and work environment lawful.

“Eat of the things which Allah hath provided for you, lawful and good; but fear Allah, in Whom you believe.” [Noble Quran 5:88]

9. Stability of the human Personality -

Be moderate in all that you do
“And those, who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly, but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes).” [Noble Quran 25:67]

10. Repentance purifies -

rectify your mistakes with repentance rather than dwell on them and feel badly
“O ye Believers! Turn ye all together toward Allah, that ye may attain Bliss.” [Noble Quran 24:31].

11. Learning and Pursuit -

Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing be upon him) stressed the importance of the pursuit of knowledge as a way to eternal happiness.
“If a person follows a path for acquiring knowledge Allah will make easy the passage to paradise for hint” [Muslim]

Pursuit of knowledge provides man with a feeling of enjoyment and pleasure If man enjoys having delicious meals for his body, he would also enjoy more delicious meals (of knowledge) for his mind and soul.

12. To form a happy social life -

Choosing spouse, friends and companions wisely.

13. Strong will -

Ability to persist through the challenges and hurdles of life.

Conclusion
One of the best ways to have a good life is strong Iman and good deeds, Allah the Most High said:

“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and is true believer, verily to him will We give a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.” [Noble Quran 16:94]

This is because true believers in Allah, who have sound belief that gives rise to righteous deeds, and mends the heart and corrects the human behavior, and makes good both this world and the Hereafter. These people know how to deal with situations of happiness and joy and situations of anxiety, sorrow and grief.

Source