Reality of Life - Scholar's Viewpoint

Life is the most beautiful word that we ever hear. The first cry of a newly born not only brings life to another being on the earth, but it also injects joy and a new spirit on the faces of parents and near and dear ones. even the new crop when it first surfaces from below the earth, is an indicative of life and it continues to grow till it is harvested. each day of its growth beings smiles on the faces of the farmers for their hard work is finally been repaid by the Nature.

We look around people making merry, laughing, chatting, enjoying at the beeches or parks, restaurants and even at homes surrounded by one's families. For many this is the Life, laughing and smiling. 

But this not the reality of life! We see only one side of the life which is fun. But we seldom ponder over the other side: People carrying the dead to the grave , leaving behind wailing and lamenting women and children. Suddenly, all fun is gone, or stops temporarily as someone near and dear one departs. And then a few days after, life returns to normal for no one wants to talk of death or even think of it.

We try to become ostriches to hide ourselves form the death talking, the actual reality of life, with whom escapes none.   All living beings whether humans, animals, birds and insects, have to cease to exist - that is The Reality of Life.

كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۖ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡنَا تُرۡجَعُونَ

Every soul will taste death. Then to Us will you be returned. (Surah An Kabut [The Spider] verse 57)

Thus, the first reality of life is Death which will be tasted by every living organism. No one has ever escaped death since the beginning of life, that since the descent of Adam and Eve and continues till the Doomsday, Yaum al Qiyama. So far the only exception has been Prophet Eesa (Jesus, may peace be upon him), who was raised alive. However, he will come back in some point in time in future, live a wholesome life and then meet his natural death eventually.

Despite knowing the reality, none seems to remember death nor wants to be apprised of it. That is the reason, we see men and women enjoying their lives to their fullest, loud music, dancing, eating more than needed, with complete disregard to the sufferings of people who cannot afford even a drop of clean water or a morsel of food. This is because they not only remember death, but also shun the reality of returning to their Creator for final balance sheet checking - this is the second reality of life.

But before death, there is another test that man has to under take as mentioned in QUr'an:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍۢ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِٱلشَّرِّ وَٱلْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةًۭ ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ 

Every soul will taste death. And We test you ˹O humanity˺ with good and evil as a trial, then to Us you will ˹all˺ be returned.(21. Surah Al-Anbya [The Prophets] ver4se 35)

That is while a man is living, the life is not easy going for every human being is tested by the Nature by putting him on trials of good and evil, money or no money, honour and dishonors, easy living and hardships, and so on a long list of tests and trials when has to undergo. It is these tests and trials, which will decide the future life of everyone when one dies and returns to one's Creator, as mentioned earlier.

And yet, the third reality is the Day of the Judgement, when every man who was ever born will be paraded in front of Allah, our Creator and the Master of the Day of Judgment. It will be fateful day when one's visa either of Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannam (Hell) will be issued. And from then on, the ultimate reality will unfold, much to the surprise of many, specially the atheists, who think life ends as one dies and the body withers away forever.

We are sharing a very informative lecture by Dr Israr Ahmad, which only our readers who understand Urdu will be able to understand. However, the crux of the lecture has already been shared above:

Dr Israr Ahmad: Israr Ahmad (Urdu: اسرار احمد; 26 April 1932 – 14 April 2010), was a Pakistani Islamic scholar, orator and theologian. He developed a following in South Asia but also among some South Asian Muslims in the Middle East, Western Europe, and North America. He has written around 60 books on Islam and Pakistan, of which twenty nine have been translated into several other languages, including in English, as of 2017. [Read more about Dr Israr Ahmad from Wikipedia]

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 to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

Photo | For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, 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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Surah Ad Duha (The Morning Light): A surah about promise of Allah - never to abandon those who remember Him

Man, no matter how holy or faithful to Allah he may be, at some point in time of his life succumbs to negativities around him and gets into a state of despair, losing all hope of standing on one's feet again. Such negativities or propaganda can even effect the prophets of Allah, though specially chosen. Such was the case in point when our revered Prophet Muhammad ﷺ suddenly stopped getting the Divine revelations. This created a lot of stir and happiness among the disbelievers of Makkah who mocked him that he has been abandoned by Allah and that is prophethood is finally over.  

Obviously, for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ it was a big setback for suddenly he felt all alone and abandoned since there were no Divine revelation in sight. Under such trying and testing times,  Sūrah Aḍ-Ḍuḥā " الضحى " the 93rd sürah part of the 30th Juzʼ of  Qur'ān was revealed reassuring Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that indeed Allah has not abandoned His servant and that he should recall the days when he was an orphan and yet he was placed at a very high pedestal of prophethood. 

 

In fact, in this sūrah, the vicissitude of human life is referred to, and a message of hope and consolation is given to man's soul from Allah's past mercies, and he is bidden to pursue the path of goodness and proclaim the bounties of Allah. 

We have already presented the verse by verse exegesis / tafsir of this surah which our readers can access from the link given below:

* Surah Ad Duha - The Morning Light: Exegesis 93rd Chapter of Qur'an

However, today we share an incredible explanation of Surah Ad Duha by one of the most eminent scholars of present times, Nouman Ali Khan, making the understanding of the Surah much more easier and understandable. Please watch the video:

About Nouman Ali Khan: Born to a Pakistani family, Nouman Ali Khan is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

While this Surah was specially revealed to console the restless Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, desperately waiting for the continuation of the Divine revelations, this should also serve as a guideline and Divine reassurance for all Muslims that if we are sincere and faithful in our religion and seek help only from Allah alone, we shall never be abandoned or left alone, In sha Allah.  

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 to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

| Photo |  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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, 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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Has purpose of our life changed (Scholars' viewpoint)

The relationship between man and the Creator is a very special one. While an ordinary man or employee of a big conglomerate cannot dare to walk into the office of the chairman and puts forward a list of demands, it becomes so very easy when a ordinary man, no matter how sinful or deviant from the path of his Master, stands in front of his Mighty creator Allah and laments and airs out his grievances to his Creator without fear of being rejected or reprimanded of how dare he tried to converse with his Master without an appointment.

Well, this is the beauty of being a true believer when it comes to asking something from Allah and with a reassured heart that he will be listened to and his grievances addressed. This is the difference between the man who is so inaccessible to others when in state of a position of authority, and the relationship of a man with his Creator where there is no fear in standing in front of the Master of the universes.

But the question arises should all forms of our worship, whether daily prayers, charity, zakat, fasting and Hajj/Umra be only undertaken as means to asking something always? Has our relationship with Allah changed from being thankful to that being of a beggar who is always revoking the mercies of his Creator, rather than being just thankful?

The purpose of our life seems to have drifted form being part of Allah's plan to concentration on fulfillment of our desires. We think, as a 'favour' of our worship, Allah 'should' fulfill all our desires. This new trend is simple absurd and smacks of confidence in the plan of Allah.

We need to understand Islam by carefully reading Qur'an and knowing what is expected of us by Allah, and what we expect f Allah. If we follow Allah the way He want us to, believe me all our apprehensions will be gone in a minute and our orientation will change from being slave to our desires to be a part of plan of Allah.

Try it. We should always ask Allah: The purpose for which I am created, please help me in attaining it before I am called back, for no sooner we attain the purpose we were born, our time in this world will be over.

Please watch a short clip on the subject by eminent Muslim scholar Nouman Ali Khan and let us ponder over the message the scholar is trying to put across. 

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 to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

| Photo |

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, 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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How Qur'an teaches us difference between Arrogance and Humility with Confidence

Qur'an is  book of Divine guidance for those who ponder over every word that is written therein. Many have learnt from Qur'an how to be humble, yet confident of the knowledge so gained, while there are also those who after attaining knowledge become arrogant as if they are superior to others for their knowledge. Qur'an has many a example of such people and serve them as a lesson to learn from the people who became arrogant and those who become humble.

We have anecdotes related to some of the prophets like Prophet Dawud, Suleiman and Yusuf (David, Solomon, Joseph) who despite attaining extraordinary knowledge remained humbled, while there were people, like the Pharaoh and Qarun,  who by virtue of the immense power and wealth became arrogant and lived in the history as the miserable failures. The prophets mentioned were confident because they knew what they hade was not theirs but from Allah and thus remained confident with an utter sense of humility, and were thus always expressive of their gratitude to Allah. While likes of Pharaoh and Qarun became arrogant as if what they had was all due to their efforts, thus were robbed of their power and wealth to serve as living example of the fate of the ungrateful.

Being humble is a willingness to learn from anyone by setting aside any judgment of the person in front of you. Arrogance is the belief that I know better. Arrogance is the belief that I have something that can trump what others bring to the table. Arrogance is the belief that I don't need feedback and support.

Arrogance breeds false ego and many a man do t want to lose their ego and become arrogant. While those who are humble despite being blessed with wisdom, knowledge and power, and exhibit a stature which does not smack of pride or arrogance or a sense of superiority.

Just as arrogance is usually treated as a serious vice, so humility is widely regarded as an important virtue. Indeed, it is supposed to be the virtue that opposes arrogance, keeping it in check or preventing it from developing in the first place.

We have such examples even today in our lives where knowledge, power and wealth made many arrogant, while many infused more humility in them and thanking Allah for the position, wisdom and knowledge given to them. 

Without going into the details of defining arrogance and confidence with humility, please listen to Nouman Ali Khan, an eminent Muslim scholar of present time, very convincingly defining the difference between arrogance and confidence with humility by referring to mentioning prophets and others as mentioned in Qur'an. We hope after listening to the difference, we will try to reform our lives and shun any iota of arrogance inside us because of our knowledge, power or wealth and instead become more humble, yet confident of our selves as an expression of our gratitude to Allah:

Nouman Ali Khan, born to a Pakistani family, is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

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 to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, 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 your Do List and Fix List for Ramadan and afterwards

Much is being said about Ramadan these days - an fact immense flow of information is being seen befitting the hoy month of Ramadan: the 30 days long month of fasting and Divine blessings. Ramadan is month in which gates of Heavens are let open for all those who make best of this month by ensuring that their fasts are well protected against all evil and accts that may harm our very act of fasting.

In fact, Ramadan is much more than abstaining from food for the duration of the fasting period. This is a month where every noble act and good deeds are valued much more than the other 11 months. So let us not miss the bus and let this month pass by without us being specially blessed and rewarded. 

We need to get ready for this month with a elaborate Do List for during the month of Ramadan and also make a Fix List for us after we bid farewell to this holy month. If we do not come out cleansed after fasting, we will sure be among the losers.

Let us listen to Dr. Omar Suleiman who explains how to get ready for the Ramadan and how to make best out it:

Omar Suleiman is an American Muslim scholar, civil rights activist, public speaker, and author. He is the founding president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research and an adjunct professor of Islamic studies and member of the Ethics Center Advisory Board at Southern Methodist University.

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 to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, Twitter, 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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Ramadan: Whose fasting will not be accepted by Allah (Hadith Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is an act that a believer undertakes to please Allah and none else. It is ant in which a person observing the fast (Saum) makes things Haram (forbidden) on him which are otherwise Halal (Allowed) for him. These may include abstaining from eating and even spousal intimate relations. Since fasting is an act of self discipline, a man must guard his thoughts, tongue and physical actions for this may invalidate fasting and even render his fasting unaccepted by Allah.

In one of his hadiths, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ mentioned two acts of a person which direct towards unacceptability of his fact by Allah. This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī  (Book 30 - Fasting /  كتاب االصوم / Chapter 8:  Whoever does not give up lying speech while observing Saum / باب مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فِي الصَّوْمِ) as Hadith 1903, given herein under:

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e. Allah will not accept his fasting.)"

Arabic Text:

حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ مَنْ لَمْ يَدَعْ قَوْلَ الزُّورِ وَالْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ حَاجَةٌ فِي أَنْ يَدَعَ طَعَامَهُ وَشَرَابَهُ ‏"‏

If despite keeping fast, a man does not harness his tongue and continue use abusive language and uttering words that may hurt others, this would mean that that person has not understood the spirit of fasting and Allah does not want fasting of such a violator for one fasts only to please Allah. Likewise indulging into evil acts which are tangent to teachings of Islam will also render his fast unacceptable by Allah.

It must be remembered that one must spiritually clean oneself by fasting. Abstaining from food and drinks is no big deal for it can be done even otherwise as people do intermittent fasting these days. Fasting is an act directly between a man and Allah for a man does fasting for Allah alone. And definitely foul language and evil deeds are acts of Satan, unacceptable to Allah. So why should we render our fasts unacceptable by Allah by going against the Divine Commandments of spiritual cleanliness and guarding against acts that hurt others.

You may like to listen to Sheikh Assim Al Hakeem explaining the above referred Hadith:

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.

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.

Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ  for more Hadiths on the General Subjects.

Please refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given below. 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.

Photo | Source of Supplication

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How to talk to Allah

Today we touch upon an aspect which is generally set aside and more often than not when someone is in distress, he starts to find some holy man to forward his request to Allah, for he thinks it is too holy or forbidden to approach directly to Allah. This happens when our scholars, mentors and imams who discourage someone talking directly to Allah and ask them to find some Wali who could forward their request to Allah, for they are thought to be pure and 'more closer to Allah.'

Well to my reckoning, this mindset is totally misleading. Allah is always close to His servants and is on the lookout for someone turning to him and make a request. In fact we have been told to memorize a few supplications and repeating these time and again to forward our case to Allah. Whereas, Allah wants us to talk to Him, in any words, any language or even in any state or place. He wants us to really talk to  Him as a child makes a request to his mother again and again till his mother gives in.

In this backdrop, we share a very enlightening lecture which is based on the following verse from Qur'an:

وَاِذَا سَاَلَـكَ عِبَادِىۡ عَنِّىۡ فَاِنِّىۡ قَرِيۡبٌؕ اُجِيۡبُ دَعۡوَةَ الدَّاعِ اِذَا دَعَانِ فَلۡيَسۡتَجِيۡبُوۡا لِىۡ وَلۡيُؤۡمِنُوۡا بِىۡ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَرۡشُدُوۡنَ

“And when My servants ask you (O Muhammad concerning Me, then answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.“ Surah Al-Baqarah (2:186)

Even though people can neither see God nor subject Him to any other form of sense perception this should not make them feel that God is remote from them. On the contrary, He is so close to each and every person that whenever any person so wishes he can communicate with his Lord. So much so that God hears and responds even to the prayers which remain within the innermost recesses of the heart.

People exhaust themselves by approaching false and powerless beings whom they foolishly fancy to be their deities but who have neither the power to hear nor to grant their prayers. But God, the omnipotent Lord and the absolute Master of this vast universe, Who wields all power and authority, is so close to human beings that they can always approach Him without the intercession of any intermediaries, and can put to Him their prayers and requests.

This announcement of God's closeness to man may open his eyes to the Truth, may turn him to the right way wherein lies his success and well-being.

You may now listen to one of the most eminent scholars of present times, Nouman Ali Khan, explaining how to connect to Allah by really talking to Him:

Nouman Ali Khan, born to a Pakistani family, is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

Imam Ahmad reported that Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari said, “We were in the company of Allah’s Messenger during a battle. Whenever we climbed a high place, went up a hill or went down a valley, we used to say, `Allah is the Most Great,’ raising our voices. The Prophet came by us and said: “O people! Be merciful to yourselves (i.e., don’t raise your voices), for you are not calling a deaf or an absent one, but One Who is All-Hearer, All-Seer. The One Whom you call is closer to one of you than the neck of his animal. O `Abdullah bin Qais (Abu Musa’s name) should I teach you a statement that is a treasure of Paradise: `La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (there is no power or strength except from Allah).” This Hadith was also recorded in the Two Sahihs, and Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’i, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah recorded similar wordings.

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: The supplication of the servant is granted in case he does not supplicate for sin or for severing the ties of blood, or he does not become impatient. It was said: Allah’s Messenger, what does:” If he does not grow impatient” imply? He said: That he should say like this: I supplicated and I supplicated but I did not find it being responded. and thus he becomes frustrated and abandons supplication. (Muslim :: Book 35 : Hadith 6595) 

So let us talk to Allah, specially when all alone. In fact Tahajjad is the best time when man is all alone, sitting in remote corner of his house and crying his heart out to all. One doesn't have to have any set format to talking to Allah. Say what you wan to say in any language, not necessarily Arabic and take time in doing so. Don't hurry it up. And talk to Allah with a conviction that He will fulfill His promise to listen to you and would grant you something which is best for you, not what you think what is best for you.

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 to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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, Twitter, 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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Understanding Divorce in Islam

Allah created this world for the peaceful coexistence between man and woman. And thus provided immense means of sustenance so that they could not fell absence of means to live a peaceful life. Going a step further, the concept of marriage was given so that a man and woman could live together to bring peace to each other by mutual love, solace, comfort with a sense of belonging. 

It is stated in Surah 30 Ar Rum, verse 21: And one of His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves so that you may find comfort in them. And He has placed between you compassion and mercy. Surely in this are signs for people who reflect. 

Marriage, therefore in Islam, is much more than physical intimacy between man and wife. It is more to do with satisfaction of emotions which get disturbed in our pursuit for finding means of sustenance. Generally, man is made responsible to make all possible arrangements for a peaceful living for his wife and the offspring. The wife on the other hand has been entrusted to manage the household. Some liberal women take this responsibility as a burden and feel that they are being made a servant rather than a wife. But they fail to understand that it is the man who is running around day  and night to find means that can ensure a peaceful living for his family. And if this fine equation is not understood, the very sacred institution of marriage beings to crumble and may end up in the most disliked world of divorce (Arabic: الطلاق, aṭ-talāq). 

In Islam, giving divorce “for no reason” is NOT encouraged either for males or females. God says to try, as much as possible to reconcile. He said in 4:127, “peace is best”. In fact, divorce is the most hated and unpleasant thing in Islam. The most detestable of lawful thing nears near Allah is divorce. Despite the Islam permits divorce as it becomes inevitable in some extreme situations when it is not possible for the husband and wife to pull on together.

It is reported from Ibn-Umar that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “In the sight of Allah subḥānahu wa ta'āla (glorified and exalted be He), the worst of all halal (lawful) acts is talaq (divorce).”

Generally some of the reasons for seeking divorce in Islam include physical, mental, or emotional abuse, incompatibility, infidelity, and failure to fulfill responsibilities.. However, when when a situation has arisen that a  man and wife cannot live with each other, and that the marital harmony is no more possible, efforts must be made both by the man and wife, as well as all members of the family and friend to avert a  divorce should such a situation arise. 

The Qur'an promotes reconciliation, through negotiated settlements between the spouses themselves or the use of arbitrators from their families. However, when “mutual good treatment” is not possible, there should be an amicable parting. Thus, the Qur'an treats divorce as something permitted but not laudable.

"If you divorce women, and they reach their appointed term, hold them back in amity or let them go in amity. Do not hold them back out of malice, to be vindictive. Whoever does this does himself injustice." (Surah 2. al Baqarah:231) 

If despite all efforts, a reconciliation is not reached, the husband pronounces the phrase “I divorce you” (in Arabic, talaq) to his wife. A man may divorce his wife three times. Institutionally, the three divorces should not be pronounced at one time. Rather, after pronouncing each divorce, a one should wait for sometime, normally three months, to pronounce the second divorcee. For this provides a leverage for the husband to still think over his decision and take back her wife after the first two (reconciling). After the third divorce they can't get back together until she marries someone else.

The Quran also sets waiting periods to discourage hasty divorces.[6] For a menstruating woman, the waiting (Iddah) period before the divorce is finalized, as three monthly periods.[9] For non-menstruating women, including post-menopause women and pre-menarche girls, the waiting period is three months.[10] This is to give the husband time to reconsider his decision.[6] Moreover, a man who vows not to have sexual intercourse with his wife, which would lead to automatic divorce, is allowed a four-month period to break his oath.

While a it is the husband who generally pronounces divorce, Islam provides equal opportunity for the wife to seek divorce, called Khula in Arabic. If a husband denies his wife's request for khula, the wife can seek the assistance of an Islamic court or a qualified scholar to help resolve the matter. In some cases, the court or scholar may attempt to mediate between the husband and wife to find a resolution that is acceptable to both parties.

Detailed instructions on divorce are given in Surah 4. An Nisa (The Women) and Surah 65. At Talaq (Divorce).

Please watch an enlightening video below by one of the most eminent scholars of present times, Nouman Ali Khan:

Nouman Ali Khan, born to a Pakistani family, is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

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 refer to our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on some of the important issues and explanations related to Islam Qur'an and Sunnah. 

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 | References: Divorce in Islam (Wikipedia) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

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

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 Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Incredible explanation of 5th verse of Surah 1. Al Fatiha (The Opener)

The very first chapter of Qur'an, Surah Al Fatiha (The Opener) is the most important Surah of the Qur'an. This Surah is in fact a prayer which Allah has taught to all those who want to make a study of His book. It has been placed at the very beginning of the Qur'an to teach this lesson to the reader: if you sincerely want to benefit from the Qur'an, you should offer this prayer to the Lord of the Universe.

And it for this importance, it has been made part of the every cycle / rakah of the obligatory and voluntary prayers. By reading this supplication right at the beginning of the prayers, a believer not only acknowledges the supremeness of Allah, but also pledges to be His servant and vows to ask none other than Him for his every need. 

We have already published the Summary and Tafseer / Exegesis of this very important Surah. But today we share the incredible explanation of the 5th verse of the Surah, which in fact is the crus of faith of a believer, in which he not only submits himself completely to his Creator, but aslo pledges in his entire sincerity to ask none but He if in want of something.

Renowned Muslim scholar and exegete Yusuf Ali  while interpreting this verse notes: On realizing in our souls God's love and care, His grace and mercy, and His power and justice (as Ruler of the Day of Judgment), the immediate result is that we bend in the act of worship, and see both our shortcomings and His all-sufficient power. The emphatic form means that not only do we reach the position of worshipping God and asking for His help, but we worship Him alone and ask for His aid only. For there is none other than He worthy of our devotion and able to help us. The plural "we" indicates that we associate ourselves with all who seek God, thus strengthening ourselves and strengthening them in a fellowship of faith.

You may also like to read an exhaustive explanation of the 5th verse by one of the most revered and expert exegete Ibn Kathir from Tafseer / Exegesis of the surah already posted.

Today, we share an incredible explanation of this verse by one of the most eminent scholars of present times, Nouman Ali Khan, which takes the meaning of the 5th verse of the Surah Al Fatiha and explains it in a manner that even a simple believer with least intellect can get to know what is being said in this verse and how it lays the foundation of our faith in Allah. Please watch the video:

About Nouman Ali Khan: Born to a Pakistani family, Nouman Ali Khan is an American Muslim speaker and Arabic instructor who founded the Bayyinah Institute for Arabic and Qur’anic Studies, after serving as an instructor of Arabic at Nassau Community College. He has been named one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre of Jordan.

Let us listen to this video again and again and really understand how Allah wants us to be His servants and how we should always be looking towards him, and no one else, for our worldly needs. If we can really Ingrid the meaning of this verse into ourselves, we will never go astray or be misled by worldly desires or following the priests and imams or asking from the dead saints.

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 to convey only 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 Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. 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. 

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

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the video above are those of the scholar concerned. We have shared this view as added information in better understanding of Islam. The reader may or may not agree with the view owing to their own perception. 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.

Photo | 

For more Scholarly views and videos, please read our reference page: Scholars' Viewpoint on Important Issues Related to Islam. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

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, Twitter, 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.

Read More