Argue not with the People of the Book except in the fairest manner

The purpose of the Divine religions has always been to put the people, who had otherwise directionless, to a straight path as envisioned for them by their Creator: The One and Only One True God, we call Allah in Islam. However, instead of keeping focused on the Divine framework of unity, there seems to be complete disharmony among the people of the Book. And every effort is made by the priests, pastors and Imams to prove their own view point right while outrightly negating what others have to say.

This disharmony among the people of the Book often leads to heated arguments which further widen the gap rather coming closer to each other. It is in this regard we share a few verses from Surah 29. Al Ankabut (The Spider) which instruct the Muslim scholars and Imams not to get into arguments with the people of the Book except in the fairest manner so as not to vent animosity between different Divine religions. 

However, before we do that, let us understand the difference between a debate and an argument:

A debate is formal, deliberate, executed according to an agreed upon set of rules, and a decision is made at the end of the debate to ascertain WHAT is right, based on rational thinking by well-read scholars. Debates use arguments, but an argument itself is informal, usually unplanned, can get heated, and doesn't always end in a decision. The arguments on the other hand are generally a display of emotional outburst of one's conviction and those involved in an argument tend to press upon their focused stand to press upon WHO is right. Those who get into argumentation about religion generally have a shallow language about theirs as well as others religions and their only intention is to prove their viewpoint right rather than striving WHAT is right, for they are not equipped with requisite knowledge to do that.

Therefore, when it comes to discussion on religions, the stress should be on kindness and tact and, hence, on the use of reason alone with adherents of other creeds, fully in tune with the basic, categorical injunction, "There shall be no coercion in matters of faith."  

وَلَا تُجَادِلُوۡٓا اَهۡلَ الۡكِتٰبِ اِلَّا بِالَّتِىۡ هِىَ اَحۡسَنُ ۖ اِلَّا الَّذِيۡنَ ظَلَمُوۡا مِنۡهُمۡ​ وَقُوۡلُوۡٓا اٰمَنَّا بِالَّذِىۡۤ اُنۡزِلَ اِلَيۡنَا وَاُنۡزِلَ اِلَيۡكُمۡ وَاِلٰهُـنَا وَاِلٰهُكُمۡ وَاحِدٌ وَّنَحۡنُ لَهٗ مُسۡلِمُوۡنَ‏ 

(29:46) Argue not with the People of the Book except in the fairest manner, unless it be those of them that are utterly unjust. Say to them: “We believe in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you. One is our God and your God; and we are those who submit ourselves to Him.” 

That is, "The discussion should be conducted rationally, in a civilized and decent language, so that the ideas of the other person may be reformed. The preacher's chief aim should be to appeal to the addressee's heart, convey the truth to him and bring him to the right path. He should not fight like a wrestler whose only object is to defeat his opponent. He should rather conduct himself like a physician who is ever cautious not to cause the patient's ailment to worsen by any of his own mistakes, and tries to cure him with the least possible trouble. This instruction bas been given here especially in connection with the conduct of a discussion with the people of the Book, but is a general instruction pertaining to the preaching of the religion and it has been given at several places in the Qur'an. For example, "O Prophet, invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition and discuss things with the people in the best manner." (AnNahl: 125). "O Prophet, goodness and evil are not alike. Repel evil with what is best. You will see that he. with whom you had enmity, has become your closest friend. ' (Ha Mim As-Sajdah: 34). "O Prophet, repel evil with what is best: We are fully aware of what they utter against you." (Al-Mu'minun: 96) "O Prophet, adopt the way of leniency and forbearance; enjoin what is good and avoid useless discussions with the ignorant people. If Satan ever excites you to anger, seek refuge in Allah."  

(unless it be those of them that are utterly unjust) That is, "With those who adopt an attitude of wickedness a different attitude may also be adopted according to the nature and extent of their wickedness. In other words, one cannot, and should not adopt a soft and gentle attitude towards all sorts of people under all circumstances at all time, which might be mistaken for the weakness and meekness of the inviter to the Truth. Islam does teach its followers to be polite, gentle and reasonable, but it does not teach them to be unduly humble and meek so that they are not taken for granted by every cruel and wicked person."

(Say to them: “We believe in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to you. One is our God and your God; and we are those who submit) In these sentences Allah Himself has provided guidance to the best method of discussion, which the inviters to the Truth should adopt. The method is this: "Do not make the error or deviation of the other person the basis and starting point of the discussion, but begin the discussion with those points of truth and justice which are common between you and your opponent. That is, the discussion should start' from the points of agreement and not from the points of difference. Then, arguing froth the agreed points, the addressee should be made to understand that, in the matter of the things in which you differ, your stand is in conformity with the agreed points whereas his stand is contradictory to them

In this connection, one should bear in mind the fact that the people of the Book did not deny Revelation, Prophethood and Tauhid, like the polytheists of Arabia, but believed in these realities just like the Muslims. After agreement on these basic things, the main thing that could become the basis of difference Between them could be that the Muslim would not believe in the Divine Scriptures sent down to them and would invite them to believe in the Divine Book sent down to themselves, and would declare them disbelievers if they did not believe in it. This would have been a strong basis of their conflict. But the Muslims had a different stand. They believed as true all those Books that were with the people of the Book, and then also had believed in the Revelation that had been sent down to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Allah's peace be upon him). After this it was for the people of the Book to tell the rational ground for which they believed in one Book sent by Allah and rejected the other. That is why Allah here has instructed the Muslims that whenever they have to deal with the people of the Book, they should first of all present before them this very point of view in a positive manner. Say to them: "We believe in the same God in Whom you believe and we are obedient to Him. We have submitted ourselves to all those Commands and injunctions and teachings that have come from Him, whether they were sent down to you, or to us. We are obedient servants of God and not of a country or a community or a race, that we should submit to God's Command when it is sent down in one place and reject it when it is sent down in another place. This thing has been repeated at several places in the Qur'an and particularly in relation to the people of the Book, it has been presented forcefully. For this,see AI-Baqarah: 4, 136, 177, 285; Al-i-`Imran: 84; An-Nisa': 136, 150 to 152, 162 to 164; Ash Shu'araa: 13.  

Ibn e Kathir explains:

That while Arguing with the People of the Book and wanting to know about religion from them should argue with them in a manner that is better, as this will be more effective. 

For Allah says: (Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching...) (16:125) And Allah said to Musa and Harun when he sent them to Pharoah: (And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear.) (20:44) 

(and say (to them): "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you;) means, `if they tell you something which you do not know to be true or false, say to them: We do not hasten to say it is a lie, because it may be true, and we do not hasten to say it is true because it may be false. We believe in it in general, under the condition that it has been revealed and has not been altered or deliberately misinterpreted.' 

Imam Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded that Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "The People of the Book used to read the Tawrah in Hebrew and explain it in Arabic to the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah said: (Do not believe the People of the Book and do not deny them. Say: "We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to you. Our God and your God is One, and to Him we have submitted.'')'' This Hadith was narrated only by Al-Bukhari. Al-Bukhari recorded that Ibn `Abbas said: "How can you ask the People of the Book about anything, when your Book that was revealed to the Messenger of Allah is more recent, you read it pure and uncontaminated, it tells you that the People of the Book altered and changed the Book, that they write the Book with their own hands and then say, `This is from Allah,' to purchace with it a small price Should not the knowledge that you have, prevent you from asking them No, by Allah, we have never seen any of them asking you about what was sent down to you.'' Al-Bukhari recorded that Humayd bin `Abdur-Rahman heard Mu`awiyah talking to a group of Quraysh in Al-Madinah. He mentioned Ka`b Al-Ahbar, and said: "He was one of the most truthful of those who narrated from the People of the Book, even though we found that some of what he said might be lies.'' I say, this means that some of what he said could be classified linguistically as lies, but he did not intend to lie, because he was narrating from manuscripts which he thought were good, but they contained fabricated material, because they did not have people who were so conscientious in memorizing the Scriptures by heart as the people of this great Ummah.

Yusuf Ali is of the opinion that mere disputations are futile. In order to achieve our purpose as true standard-bearers for Allah, we shall have to find true common grounds of belief, as stated in the latter part of this verse, and also to show by our urbanity, kindness, sincerity, truth, and genuine anxiety, for the good of others, that we are not cranks or merely seeking selfish or questionable aims. However, those who are deliberately trying to wrong or injure others will have to be treated firmly, as we are guardians of each other. With them there is little question of finding common ground or exercising patience, until the injury is prevented or stopped.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

This is explained ahead: the first common things should be presented to them. After that, their attention should be directed to the consequences and implications of the common things that can become a cause of dispute. These should be presented in decent and polite language, with cogent arguments and with the spirit of earnestly making them understand a point. Instead of a dominating style, wisdom and sagacity should be held on to. This is because this style does not hurt the ego of a person and if the addressee is an upright person, he is even prepared to reflect on what is presented.

If the people of the Book are mischievous, indulge in baseless rhetoric and engage in debates meant to humiliate others, then in other instances in the Qur’ān, it is directed that instead of engaging with such people, one should ignore them. It is not proper for the preacher of the truth to respond to an allegation by a counter allegation or answer an insult by a bigger insult. The right attitude in such a case is to say salām and go one’s way.

(Tell them: We believe in what is revealed to us and that also which had been revealed to you.) The implication is that they are not inflicted with any bias or prejudice. They accept the truth because it is the truth and attest to it wherever they find it. Their book and the book of their addresses do not primarily differ from one another. Both have the same source and origin and both call to the same religion. Hence if their addressees also reflect while disregarding prejudices, they too will say like them that they believe in what is revealed to them and also in what is revealed to their addressees.

(Our God and your God is the same and we are obedient to Him alone.)  Ie., since God is one, they are not asking their addressees to profess faith in some other god; rather they are only asking them to believe in Him and like them solely obey Him by devoting themselves to Him and submitting to Him and leave aside 

Having advised the believers how to deal with the people of the Book, the next verse tells that those who do not believe in Qur'an are utter unbelievers:

وَكَذٰلِكَ اَنۡزَلۡنَاۤ اِلَيۡكَ الۡكِتٰبَ​ؕ فَالَّذِيۡنَ اٰتَيۡنٰهُمُ الۡكِتٰبَ يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِهٖ​ۚ وَمِنۡ هٰٓؤُلَاۤءِ مَنۡ يُّؤۡمِنُ بِهٖ ​ؕ وَ مَا يَجۡحَدُ بِاٰيٰتِنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡكٰفِرُوۡنَ‏ 

(29:47) (O Prophet), thus have We bestowed the Book on you.84 So those on whom We had bestowed the Book before believe in it, and of these (Arabs) too a good many believe in it. It is none but the utter unbelievers who deny Our Signs.

((O Prophet), thus have We bestowed the Book on you) This can have two meanings:

• (1) "Just as We had sent down the Books to the former Prophets, so We have sent down this Book to you"; and
• (2) "We have sent down this Book with the teaching that it should be believed in not by rejecting Our former Books but by affirming faith in all of them. " 

(So those on whom We had bestowed the Book before believe in it) The context itself shows that this does not imply all the people of the Book but only those who were blessed with the right understanding and the knowledge of the Divine Scriptures, and were "the people of the Book ' in the we sense. When this last Book of Allah came before them, confirming His earlier Books, they did not show any stubbornness or obstinacy but accepted it sincerely as they had accepted the previous Books. 

(and of these (Arabs) too a good many believe in it) "These people": the people of Arabia. What it means to say is: The truth-loving people, whether they already possess a Divine Book or do not possess any, are affirming faith in it everywhere. 

(It is none but the utter unbelievers who deny Our Signs.) Here, "the disbelievers" imply those people who are not prepared to give up their prejudices and accept the truth, or those who reject the truth because they do not want their lusts and their unbridled freedom to be subjected to restrictions. 

So, my brothers and sisters in Islam, while Da'wah (calling others to Islam) is the duty of every Muslim, care must be taken that Da'wah be organized with Muslims who have extensive study of other Divine Books as well as Qur'an and Sunnah. If this is done, one may never get into arguments with anyone and will lead a healthy discussion about inter faith harmony and removal of doubts. But even if the opposing sides ridicule Allah, Islam, Qur'an and the very personality of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, one should deal the situation firmly so that the opposing side should not prevail upon the Da'wah team for being otherwise courteous and friendly.  It is better to disengage from such people who instead of a healthy discussion, ridicule and make mockery of Islam, the same way Pagan of Makkah did. To such people, one should simply recite the Surah 109. Al-Kafirun to part ways happy clinging to own faith and mindset.

You may read this post in conjunction with our earlier post: Da'wah: Calling others to Islam - the sacred duty of every Muslim

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may read more posts on similar theme in our series of posts related to: Al Qur'an guides and helps those who sincerely seek Divine Guidance and Help.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Tafsir References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from the following sources: 

• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Yusuf Ali Translation
• Translation Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Qur'an Wiki
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle
• Towards Understanding the Quran

In addition, references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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If your feet do not lead you to prayers (As Salat), these would not lead you to Jannah (Paradise) EITHER!!

All Divine religions offer prayer as ordained by the Lord of the universe, the One and Only God, who created the entire universe, and life wherever it prevails. In fact, a prayer made to our Lord is a "Thank You for everything" for without His blessings we would not have survived even for a single day. The importance of prayer/As salat is more emphasized in Islam than in any religion, for Jews and Christians attend the synagogue or church once a week, Muslims are ordained to offer five prayers EVERY DAY.

At number of places in the Qur'an, Allah has commanded believers to offer prayers for prayers directly connect a believer to Allah:

اِنَّنِىۡۤ اَنَا اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنَا فَاعۡبُدۡنِىۡ ۙ وَاَقِمِ الصَّلٰوةَ لِذِكۡرِىۡ‏ 

"Verily I am Allah. There is no god beside Me. So, serve Me and establish Prayers to remember Me." (Surah 20 Ta Ha :14) 

This is the real object of Salat. It has been prescribed to remind people that they should not become neglectful of Allah by worldly diversions and that they should remember that man is not an unbridled free being but a servant of Allah. Salat has been prescribed five times a day to remind man of Allah’s presence. The five prayers are offered before dawn, noon, midafternoon, just after sunset and then at night.

The importance of offering prayers can be gauged from one of the saying of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him):

"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.

In another Hadith, as reported by Abu by Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state). So, wouldn't a believer be like to be near to his Lord while prostrating during daily prayers?

Since prayers are obligatory, these have to be offered no matter where one is. If a masjid is nearby, it is better performed there. But in case a masjid is not nearby, it can be offered anywhere, be it one's home, office or any place of work. Even one is not allowed to miss a a prayer when traveling. However,r for travelers a 50% concession is given in their numbers.

 

Prayer or As Salat, as is known in Arabic, has been made obligatory on every sane adult man and woman and there is no excuse or escape from it. Even if one is travelling, one must offer prayer, as for the ease of traveler, the number of obligatory cycles has been halved. If someone cannot offer prayer while standing, he should sit and pray and if one cannot even sit, then one should offer prayer while lying down on the bed. 

This is the importance of prayer in Islam and one must never miss one's prayer. And if for some reason, a prayer is missed due to oversleeping or any other reason, one must make good by offering prayer on the first available opportunity.

If this is the importance of prayers in Islam, the one who misses the prayers regularly, should feel concerned for If one's feet do not lead him to prayers, these would not lead him to Jannah (Paradise) EITHER!!  

So, my brothers and sisters in Islam, let us force our feet to lead us to a masjid or a prayer mat when it is time for an obligatory prayer. So long as we establish and guard our prayers, we are likely to please Allah and become a contender for Jannah. Let us not lose this opportunity while we are alive. Many in their graves would repent for not having been regular in guarding their prayers and would wish to be sent back to worldly life so that they could make up for the lost prayers. But this will not be so and cannot happen. Time is now!!

May Allah (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.  

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may refer to our reference page: As Salat / Prayers for any Q&A you may have with regard to prayers.

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If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Salutation in Islam

Salutation is a gesture or utterance made as a greeting or acknowledgement of another's arrival or departure all over the word. The may entail a handshake followed by a verbal greeting which is normally returned with appropriate words. 

Generally all over the world, salutations like Good Morning, Good Afternoon or Good evening are used. In some East Asian countries, two meeting people clasp their hands as a gesture of greetings. In India, the greeter add word Namsate, meaning greeting to you, along with clasping their hands.

It will be seen that in all above said salutations and greeting, there is no prayer or blessing is involved. Mere wishing a good morning or simply saying greetings are good gestures without any meaningful meaning. In fact these words have no spiritual and moral significance, but just a wish that one should find one's mornings and evenings happy. 

In Islam, whenever two Muslims meet, they extend salutation with a wonderful meaning and blessing. Muslims shake hand with a salutation in Arabic: " السلام عليكم (As-Salaam-Alaikum)" meaning "Peace be unto you. The salutation is returned with "وعليكم السلام (Wa-Alaikum-Salaam)" meaning "And unto you peace too."

The word Salaam means peace. As-Salaam is therefore one of the attributes of Allah, meaning "The Source of Peace." 

In the Quran, Allah instructs believers to greet one another with words of peace:

وَاِذَا جَآءَكَ الَّذِيۡنَ يُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاٰيٰتِنَا فَقُلۡ سَلٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ​ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمۡ عَلٰى نَفۡسِهِ الرَّحۡمَةَ​ ۙ اَنَّهٗ مَنۡ عَمِلَ مِنۡكُمۡ سُوۡٓءًۢا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِهٖ وَاَصۡلَحَۙ فَاَنَّهٗ غَفُوۡرٌ رَّحِيۡمٌ‏ 

And when those who believe in Our signs come to you, say to them: 'Peace be upon you. Your Lord has made mercy incumbent upon Himself so that if anyone of you does a bad deed out of ignorance and thereafter repents and makes amends, surely you will find Him All-Forgiving, All Compassionate.'  (Surah 6. Al-An'am:54) 

It is mentioned in the 37th verse Surah 39. Az-Zumar that when the fortune ones will enter the Jannah (Paradise), the guard at the gate will also greet them with same salutation:

وَسِيۡقَ الَّذِيۡنَ اتَّقَوۡا رَبَّهُمۡ اِلَى الۡجَـنَّةِ زُمَرًا​ؕ حَتّٰٓى اِذَا جَآءُوۡهَا وَفُتِحَتۡ اَبۡوَابُهَا وَقَالَ لَهُمۡ خَزَنَتُهَا سَلٰمٌ عَلَيۡكُمۡ طِبۡتُمۡ فَادۡخُلُوۡهَا خٰلِدِيۡنَ‏ 

And those who eschewed disobeying their Lord shall be driven in companies to Paradise so that when they arrive there its gates will have already been thrown open and its keepers shall say to them: “Peace be upon you; you have done well. So enter. Herein you shall abide.”

Even when in Jannah (Paradise), when two believers would meat, they would greet each other with Salam, , as sated in the 23rd verse of Surah 14. Ibrahim:

وَاُدۡخِلَ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ جَنّٰتٍ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ خٰلِدِيۡنَ فِيۡهَا بِاِذۡنِ رَبِّهِمۡ​ؕ تَحِيَّتُهُمۡ فِيۡهَا سَلٰمٌ‏ 

(14:23) As for those who had believed and did good in the world, they shall be admitted to the Gardens beneath which rivers flow. There, with the leave of Allah, they shall abide forever, and will be greeted with: "Peace".

Generally a person meeting with someone or entering someone's house or office should extend this salutation. It common courtesy that if the receiver is sitting, he should stand up and return the salutation.

Who should greet first in Islam? Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The rider should first greet the pedestrian, and the pedestrian the one who is seated and a small group should greet a larger group (with as-Salam-u-'Alaikum).

The two words " السلام عليكم " may be called the irreducible minimum which are essential for greeting one another. Muslims are encouraged to add few words to make the prayer wholesome like: " السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته " (As-Salam-u-Alaikum wa-rahmatullahi wa-barakatuh) which means "Peace be unto you and so may the mercy of Allah and his blessings." Thus the wholsome salam " السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته " of "peace... ,mercy" and "blessings of Allah" forms the sum and substance of Islam and the Muslims are asked to shower upon one another these benedictions. so that they may be able to live in this world and the Hereafter in perfect peace and tranquility and blessings and mercy of Allah around him.

Muslims are so accustomed to using this salutation that they even extend this salutation while greeting a non Muslim. And by and by non Muslims of non Arabic origin have also started to understand this salutation and sometimes respond with "وعليكم السلام (Wa-Alaikum-Salaam)"

According to Imam Nawawi, greeting with the words of as-Salam-u-'Alaikum is a Sunnah, and responding to it is Wajib (obligatory), but this essentiality is of the nature of Kifaya, meaning thereby that if a few persons out of the whole assembly or group respond to the greeting it will absolve all of the responsibility of response but if no response comes forth from any quarter all are held responsible for it. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, Book : 26 KITAB AS-SALAM "THE BOOK ON SALUTIONS AND GREETINGS") [1]

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to greet people by saying As-salamu alaikum and encouraged his followers to do so as well. The tradition helps bond Muslims together as one family and establish strong community relationships. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once told his followers that there are five responsibilities each Muslim has toward their brothers and sisters in Islam: greeting each other with salaam, visiting each other when someone is sick, attending funerals, accepting invitations, and asking Allah to have mercy on them when they sneeze. [2]

 Salam at the end of each prayer / Salat:

(Photo)

At the end of each prayer/salat, that is while sitting after the tashahhud, durood, and any du'a, the salat is ended by turning head to the right and saying, As-salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu. The angel who records your good deeds is to this side. Turning your head to the left for the angel sitting on the left shoulder and saying, As-salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakaatuhu.

Shaking Hands: Muslim men generally shake hands or embrace each other when meeting with the salutations. They would also shake hands even if it comes to Non Muslims. But don't be surprised if a Muslim declines a handshake with a lady, for generally it is not done by Muslims. This is mainly because of religious prohibitions against a woman being touched by a man outside of her family. Likewise do not extend a hand when meeting a Muslim woman for generally she may decline it. However, meeting a Muslim woman, one may slightly bow his head in respect or placing one's right hand on his chest as a matter of courtesy.  A Muslim may do so when meeting a non Muslim woman. It may be added that even Muslim men do not shake hands with Muslim women, for Muslim men do not touch women outside of their family except their wives, daughters, mothers, etc. However, when a non Muslim woman meets a Muslim woman she may extend a hand which is seldom declined.

May Allah helps us understand Islam better by pondering over the verses of the Qur'an and acting upon the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Aameen

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For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

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Who are the rightful beneficiaries of Charity

No two men are born equal - some are privileged while some are less privileged, some are born with a silver spoon in their mouth and some are born in tatters and rag tags. The equation between haves and haves not can never be equal or the gulf between the two cannot be bridged.  This leaves the poor and the downtrodden living their life in a state of misery all their lives. No system can ensure equal sustenance opportunities to all its people. Even in the best of the economies of the world, there are homeless people living on footpaths or in shabby localities. The wars result in refugees that are forced to live in foreign lands on aids that is never enough.

Islam is the only religion that addresses this issue with the concept of Zakat (obligatory deduction from one's money to be reserved for the poor) and charity (the voluntary donations to people in need) by the rich to the poor. We have already written a detailed post on "Who are the rightful recipients of Zakat," and now we talk of who are the rightful beneficiaries of Charity in Islam in the light of 273rd verse of Surah 2. Al Baqarah (The Cow). 

Before quoting the the selected verse, let me point out one thing that charity to beggars is not allowed as these are professionals whom no amount of charity is enough. Then who are the rightful beneficiaries? See what Qur'an says:

لِلۡفُقَرَآءِ الَّذِيۡنَ اُحۡصِرُوۡا فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ لَا يَسۡتَطِيۡعُوۡنَ ضَرۡبًا فِى الۡاَرۡضِ يَحۡسَبُهُمُ الۡجَاهِلُ اَغۡنِيَآءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ​ۚ تَعۡرِفُهُمۡ بِسِيۡمٰهُمۡ​ۚ لَا يَسۡـئَلُوۡنَ النَّاسَ اِلۡحَـافًا ​ؕ وَمَا تُنۡفِقُوۡا مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ بِهٖ عَلِيۡمٌ

(2:273) Those needy ones who are wholly wrapped up in the cause of Allah, and who are hindered from moving about the earth in search of their livelihood, especially deserve help. He who is unaware of their circumstances supposes them to be wealthy because of their dignified bearing, but you will know them by their countenance, although they do not go about begging of people with importunity. Whatever wealth you spend on helping them, Allah will know of it.

This refers to the people who devote themselves wholly to the service of Islam and are, therefore, unable to earn their livelihood. There was a regular band of such volunteers of Islam known as Ashab as-suffah. They numbered about 400 and were always at the beck and call of the Holy Prophet, who had imparted to them the knowledge of Islam and trained them for its service. They imparted their acquired knowledge to others and went on different missions and expeditions under the instruction of the Holy Prophet. Obviously, such people specially deserve help because they are whole-time workers of Islam and have no spare time to earn their livelihood.

In addition to those mentioned above, the scholars also mention others to be the rightful beneficiaries of charity:

Muhammad Asad Explanation:

I.e., those who have devoted themselves entirely to working in the cause of the Faith - be it by spreading, elucidating or defending it physically or intellectually - or to any of the selfless pursuits extolled in God's message, such as search for knowledge, work for the betterment of man's lot, and so forth; and, finally, those who, having suffered personal or material hurt in such pursuits, are henceforth unable to fend for themselves.

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

Indiscriminate acts of so-called charity are condemned as they may do more harm than good (see ii 262). The real beneficiaries of charity are here indicated. They must be in want. And the want must be due to some honorable cause. For example, they may be doing some unpaid service, such as teaching, or acquiring knowledge or skill, or be in exile for their faith, or in other ways be prevented from seeking employment or doing strenuous work. "God's cause" must not be narrowly interpreted. All sincere and real service to humanity comes within the definition. Such men do not beg from door to door. It is the duty of those who are well-to-do, or of the Public Purse, to find them out.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The actual words are: لِلْفُقَرَآءِ الَّذِيْنَ اُحْصِرُوْا فِيْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ. The inchoative (mubtadāTT) has been suppressed before لِلۡفُقَرَآءِ since it is understood to be present – a common feature of Qur’ānic Arabic.

This is a reference to the muhājirūn who had been stranded in Madīnah for many years and it was not possible for them to even go out of it for trade purposes, and the treaty of brotherhood which had been established between them and the anṣār also could not have been of benefit for them beyond a certain limit. It was also not easy for them to find other means of livelihood within a small village like Madīnah. For this very reason, Muḥammad (sws) had given them residence in the mosque. In history, they are known as the aṣḥāb al-ṣuffah.

And those do not ask for their needs. The attribute اِلْحَافًا which qualifies their manner of asking is used to express their general situation. To express the severity of an action, such a style is often adopted in the Qur’ān. The attribute does not mean that they do ask for their needs but do not ask by being annoyingly persistent.

Qur'an Wiki:

The sūrah then refers to a specific form of giving, the beneficiary of which is an honest and honourable section of society who are not ashamed of being poor and who are prevented by their dignity and self-esteem from degrading themselves by begging.

The description fitted a group of Makkan Muslims (Muhājirūn) who had migrated with the Prophet to Madinah, leaving behind all their belongings and members of their families. They settled in Madinah; some of them, known as Ahl al-Şuffah, lived in and around the Prophet’s Mosque, and devoted their lives completely to the service of the community, volunteering for military missions and expeditions or guarding the Prophet and his household and mosque. These people were not able to work and earn a living, but behaved with dignity and propriety, refusing to beg or ask for charity, so much so that only a few people were aware of their plight.

Nevertheless, the directive has a universal application. In every generation there will be people not able, for various reasons, to earn their livelihood, but who insist on preserving their modesty and personal dignity by not becoming a burden on anyone else. They do their utmost to hide their poverty and distress, and only a few people are able to detect and appreciate their predicament.

Thus, in its unique and inimitable style, the Qur’ān depicts in a few words a full and deeply poignant picture of human dignity and self-respect. The highly expressive syntax brings the features of those people gradually to life, and puts the reader face to face with their human characters.

Those honourable people who hide their want, as eagerly as they would their nakedness, could only be offered assistance privately and in such a way as would not offend their dignity. The verse closes with the appropriate comment that: “Whatever good you give is certainly known to God.” He will certainly not let it go unrewarded.

Please listen to explanation of the ayat by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan:

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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Basic Differences between Sunni and Shia Sects - A Dispassionate Comparison

Islam is the second largest religion of the world after Christianity and is fast growing taking its roots in many non Muslim countries. Most of the Muslims belong to the Sunni sect of Islam while a sizeable number of Muslims around the world follow the Shia sect of Islam. And this division often creates questions as how to clearly distinguish between Sunni and Shia? 

And thus it is one of the major decisions that a new Muslim upon reversion to Islam is to take as to which of the two leading sects of Islam, that is Sunni or Shia, should he adopt. There are many videos and lectures available on the net to guide a raw mind. But some are really very intricate and even misleading that further the miseries of a reverted Muslim. I too, being a born Muslim, get confused as to what really major differences when seen dispassionately without any prejudice.

Recently I came across a video on the subject which I found to have tackled the issue of major differences between Sunni and Shia sects and I thought by sharing this video, many a basic doubts would be addressed and a clearer picture would emerge for a reverted Muslim to make up his mind.

The video is by Islamic scholar Dr. Abbu Ammar Yasir Qadhi, is a Pakistani-American preacher and imam. Since 2001, he has served as Dean of Academic Affairs at the Al-Maghrib Institute, an international Islamic educational institution with a center in Houston, Texas. He also taught in the Religious Studies department at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.

Please watch the video as shared below. You may further your research on the subject by taking this lecture as a base before making any conclusive final decision:

T

These are just to basic differences. For more detailed discussions and information, please search  for such discussions where the matter is discussed without any prejudice rather than bumping into hardcore scholars from both side.

May Allah helps us understand Islam better by pondering over the verses of the Qur'an and acting upon the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Aameen

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Who is a Muslim

It is generally understood that Muslims are the believers who follow the religion of Islam. However, the actual understanding of the word Islam and Muslims is quite different and even some Muslims are unaware of it.

Let us start from the word Islam: The word Islam in Arabic means “submission to the will of God.” Here it however needs to be understood that the concept of God or Allah as in Arabic language hinges around the concept of monotheism. Which means that there is no gods but One God / Allah and that He has no associates or offspring as is the understanding of God in Christianity, where the concept of Trinity equates with God the Jesus Christ (Prophet Eesa, may peace be upon him) being the son of God and the holy spirit. 

Thus anyone who submits to will of One True God / Allah is called a Muslim - that is the submitter.

Since Qur'an is a Divine scripture, revealed unto Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, it becomes as The Book that Muslims read and follow. Since the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was lived exactly as directed by Allah in the Qur'an, Muslims also follow his way of life called Sunnah.

Now coming back to the concept of Islam, which is total submission to Allah, and Muslim being the total submitter to the will of Allah. It must be borne in mind that all Divine Religions earlier than Islam, that is from Adam, and specially from Prophet Nuh (Noah, peace be upon him) and the followers of Psalms (on Prophet Dawood - David peace be upon him), Torah (on Prophet Musa - Moses peace be upon him) and Bible (on Prophet Eesa - Christ peace be upon him) all taught submission to One True God and their followers have been addressed as Muslims (the submitters) in the Qur'an. Take a look at some of the verses from Qur'an:

وَجَاهِدُوۡا فِى اللّٰهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهٖ​ؕ هُوَ اجۡتَبٰٮكُمۡ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِى الدِّيۡنِ مِنۡ حَرَجٍ​ؕ مِلَّةَ اَبِيۡكُمۡ اِبۡرٰهِيۡمَ​ؕ هُوَ سَمّٰٮكُمُ الۡمُسۡلِمِيۡنَ ۙ مِنۡ قَبۡلُ وَفِىۡ هٰذَا لِيَكُوۡنَ الرَّسُوۡلُ شَهِيۡدًا عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَتَكُوۡنُوۡا شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ​ ​ۖۚ فَاَقِيۡمُوا الصَّلٰوةَ وَاٰتُوا الزَّكٰوةَ وَاعۡتَصِمُوۡا بِاللّٰهِؕ هُوَ مَوۡلٰٮكُمۡ​ۚ فَنِعۡمَ الۡمَوۡلٰى وَنِعۡمَ النَّصِيۡرُ‏  

(22:78) Strive in the cause of Allah in a manner worthy of that striving. He has chosen you (for His task), and He has not laid upon you any hardship in religion. Keep to the faith of your father Abraham. Allah named you Muslims earlier and even in this (Book), that the Messenger may be a witness over you, and that you may be witnesses over all mankind. So establish Prayer, and pay Zakah, and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protector. What an excellent Protector; what an excellent Helper!

وَقَالَ مُوۡسٰى يٰقَوۡمِ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ اٰمَنۡتُمۡ بِاللّٰهِ فَعَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلُوۡاۤ اِنۡ كُنۡتُمۡ مُّسۡلِمِيۡنَ‏ 

(10:84) Moses said: 'My people! If you believe in Allah and are truly Muslims, then place your reliance on Him alone.'

The fact that Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) in his address called his people “Muslims” shows that all the people of the community of Israel were Muslims; otherwise he could not say to them, “if you are Muslims”. He meant to urge them to be brave, saying: If you are true Muslims, as you profess to be, do not fear the might of Pharaoh but put your trust in the might of Allah.

وَ اِذۡ اَوۡحَيۡتُ اِلَى الۡحَـوَارِيّٖنَ اَنۡ اٰمِنُوۡا بِىۡ وَبِرَسُوۡلِىۡ​ۚ قَالُوۡۤا اٰمَنَّا وَاشۡهَدۡ بِاَنَّـنَا مُسۡلِمُوۡنَ‏ 

(5:111) And recall when I revealed to the disciples to believe in Me and in My Messenger, they said: "We do believe, and we bear witness that we indeed are the ones who submit to Allah"

Prophet Eesa (Jesus peace be upon him)) is being told that the faith of the disciples in him was also the result of God's grace and succour, for he, himself, did not have the power to produce even one man of faith in that land of disbelief. It is also made clear that the true religion of the disciples of Jesus was Islam.

قُلۡ يٰۤـاَهۡلَ الۡكِتٰبِ تَعَالَوۡا اِلٰى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَآءٍۢ بَيۡنَـنَا وَبَيۡنَكُمۡ اَلَّا نَـعۡبُدَ اِلَّا اللّٰهَ وَلَا نُشۡرِكَ بِهٖ شَيۡـئًا وَّلَا يَتَّخِذَ بَعۡضُنَا بَعۡضًا اَرۡبَابًا مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰهِ​ؕ فَاِنۡ تَوَلَّوۡا فَقُوۡلُوا اشۡهَدُوۡا بِاَنَّا مُسۡلِمُوۡنَ‏ 

(3:64) Say: 'People of the Book! Come to a word common between us and you: that we shall serve none but Allah and shall associate none with Him in His divinity and that some of us will not take others as lords beside Allah.' And if they turn their backs (from accepting this call), tell them: 'Bear witness that we are the ones who have submitted ourselves exclusively to Allah.'

وَمَنۡ اَحۡسَنُ قَوۡلًا مِّمَّنۡ دَعَاۤ اِلَى اللّٰهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَّقَالَ اِنَّنِىۡ مِنَ الۡمُسۡلِمِيۡنَ‏ 

(41:33) And who is fairer in speech than he who calls to Allah and acts righteously and says: “I am a Muslim”?

The thing which wins man the highest place of honor is that he should do good deeds himself and should invite others to the service of Allah, and even in the environment of severe antagonism where to proclaim Islam is tantamount to inviting hardships for oneself, one should firmly say that one is a Muslim. To understand the full significance of these words, one should keep in view the conditions in which they were said. The conditions were that anyone who proclaimed to be a Muslim would feel as if he had stepped into a jungle of beasts, where everyone was rushing at him to tear him into pieces. More than that, if anyone opened his mouth to preach Islam he would feel as if he had called on the beasts to come and devour him. Such were the conditions when it was said: A person’s believing in Allah as his Lord and adopting the right way and standing steadfast on it is indeed a great and fundamental good, but the greatest good is that man should boldly say that he is a Muslim and should invite others towards Allah’s service, fearless of the consequences, and while performing this duty should remain so pure and pious in conduct and character that no one should have a cause to find fault with Islam and with those who uphold it.

Although the word “Submitter” is the English equivalent of the Arabic word “Muslim,” and the word “Submission” is the English equivalent of the Arabic word “Islam,” the underlying implication of these words is very profound, and far from the superficial meanings that are traditionally understood or used.

Thus, a Submitter or a Muslim can be defined as a person who submits to the will of God. The state of Submission, which can only take place between the person and God Almighty, is considered to be the only acceptable form of worship by God. (see Qur’an 3:19, 85):

اِنَّ الدِّيۡنَ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ الۡاِسۡلَامُ وَمَا اخۡتَلَفَ الَّذِيۡنَ اُوۡتُوا الۡكِتٰبَ اِلَّا مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ الۡعِلۡمُ بَغۡيًا ۢ بَيۡنَهُمۡ​ؕ وَمَنۡ يَّكۡفُرۡ بِاٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ فَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ سَرِيۡعُ الۡحِسَابِ‏ 

"The true religion with Allah is Islam. The People of the Book adopted many different ways rather than follow the true way of Islam even after the knowledge of truth had reached them, and this merely to commit excesses against one another. Let him who refuses to follow the ordinances and directives of Allah know that Allah is swift in His reckoning.

All Abrahamic faiths proximate toward a similar structure in terms of their beliefs and practices. An observant ‘Muslim’ should, therefore, feel no antipathy toward any in the Abrahamic faiths:

‘If Allah were not to repel some through others, monasteries and churches and synagogues82 and mosques wherein the name of Allah is much mentioned, would certainly have been pulled down.83 Allah will most certainly help those who will help Him. Verily Allah is Immensely Strong, Overwhelmingly Mighty.’ (Quran 22:40).

Now the question arises that while Jews and Christians also believe in One True God, why there is a dividing line between them and followers of Islam? It is because unlike the Jews who restrict them to Torah or the Old Testament and nothing beyond that followed after that and the Christians who restrict themselves to Bible / New Testament and nothing that came after it, that is Qur'an, a Muslim believes in all the Angels, Prophets and Divine Scripture that came before the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Qur'an for all these have been a continuation of the Divine Guideline that is submission to One True God Only and all that has been revealed by God to His chosen prophets and messengers. That completes the religion of Islam that commenced from Prophet Adam and ended with revelation of Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

Those non Muslims who have understood the above said philosophy are now reverting to Islam and their numbers are increasing day by day. For all those who believe in all above are true Muslims !!

May Allah helps us understand Islam better by pondering over the verses of the Qur'an and acting upon the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Aameen

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

For more Q&A about Understanding Islam, please refer to our reference page: Understanding Islam - Frequently asked Q&A

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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What is a Qareen?

Allah has created two types of beings; the visible beings (that is us humans) and the invisible beings (that is jinn and devils). Of the invisible beings devils are the associates of Iblees or the Satan which are responsible for inciting all types of evil among the humans and create unrest in this world.

The devils have been associated with man right from his birth till he dies for Iblees or the Satan had promised Allah that he would do his best to mislead man from the righteous path, when Iblees was expelled from Jannah / Paradise for refusing to prostrate Adam. And in fact it was he who "whispered" to Adam to go near the tree which was forbidden for Adam and his wife Eve by Allah and caused their expulsion too from Jannah to earth.

The associate of the Iblees who are made companion of man upon his birth has been mentioned as Qareen in the Qur'an:

قَالَ قَآئِلٌ مِّنۡهُمۡ اِنِّىۡ كَانَ لِىۡ قَرِيۡنٌۙ‏ 

One of them will say: “I had a companion in the world (Surah 37. As-Saffat: 51)

Like Iblees "whispered" in the ears of Adam, this Qareen also continues to whisper in the ears of the man he is associated with to do wrong and evil so that he is doomed forever as promised by Iblees - the Satan. Whenever, the man decides to do something good, this Qareen does his utmost to mislead him by whispering to him and tries to draw the man away from good and lead him to evil things.

A Qareen (Arabic: قرين‎ qarīn literally meaning: 'constant companion') is a spiritual double of human, either part of the human himself or a complementary creature in a parallel dimension. Since this constant companion is devilish in nature, it is also known as the devil companion of the devil within,

When our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told about Qareen to his companions, they asked: Do you have a Qareen too? To which the Prophet of Allah said yes, but for prophets, Allah has subdued them and given them under their controls, thus they cannot mean no harm to the prophets or whisper evil to them to mislead them.

In the last Surah 114 An Nas, the whispering of this Qareen has been mentioned in the fourth verse:

مِنۡ شَرِّ الۡوَسۡوَاسِ  ۙ الۡخَـنَّاسِ ۙ‏

from the mischief of the whispering, elusive prompter who returns again and again, 

In the above verse, man is seen asking Allah to save them from the evil whispers of the Qareen, who continues to prompt man, and jinn too, to do evil. Since, the Qareen can only whisper and "recommend" a evil course or deed, it has no power to let the man make a decision. The decision ultimately rests on the man and he alone will be responsible for his resultant evil deeds on the Day of Judgement. The same has been mentioned in Surah Qaf: 27, wherein on the Day f Judgement, the Qareen would say:

“His comrade saith: Our Lord! I did not cause him to rebel, but he was (himself) far gone in error.” i.e. the devil assigned to seduce him will say: “My lord! It was not me who seduced him at the beginning, but it was he himself who preferred blindness to guidance. So, I helped him achieve his goal through seduction.”

One can feel the machinations of the Qareen and if one is wise enough, he can beat back its tricks. Like for instance, when one is asleep and it is time for Fajr / the Dawn prayer, the Qareen would continue to whisper to the man to a have a little more sleep as there is still time and in doing so, many a times one misses his prayer. Likewise, music is favourite of devils and they would distract his man companion to listen to music and this skip his prayers. The Qareen also pampers man to see porn stuff and pollute his mind and commit evil deeds. That is why man and woman are advised not to meet in private as the third present with them is their Qareen pestering them for committing sin by being intimate.

So can we save ourselves from the misguidance of the Qareen? Whenever, one is inclined to do evil deed, he must know that he is being mislead by his Qareen. At that time he must start to recite Qur'an, specially the Ayat ul Qursi (verse 255 of Surah 2 al Baqarah), and also the last two verses of the same Surah.

Ibn Mas`ud, may Allah be pleased with him narrated: “ I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the night in which he met the jinn at the presence of Gabriel. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was reciting the Qur’an while the devil was getting more closer to him. Gabriel said to the Prophet: “Would you like me to tell you some words that, when uttered, will make the devil walk prone (without seeing) on his face and will blow out his flame?… say: “ I seek refuge in the incomparable Glory of Allah that can not be violated by the righteous or the cunning from the evil of what goes into the earth and all that comes out thereof; all that comes down from the sky and all that ascends thereto and from the evil of night visitants except for good ones. You are the Most Merciful!” (when the Prophet uttered these words) the devil began groping his way and his flame got extinguished.”

You may watch a relevant video, though in Urdu but with English sub titles to understand the concept of Qareen:

May Allah help us overcome the treacheries and machinations of the Qareen and let us always be guided toward truth and path of righteous and cleanliness. Aameen

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

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