10 Benefits of As Salat (Prayer)

"The closest a person is to Allah is when he is in prostration."

The obligatory prayers, As Salah, five times a day is the second most important pillar of Islam. But in a broader background, prayer has always been made mandatory on all prophets and messengers of Allah and their followers to thank Allah for those so many bounties and blessings that have been showered on the man. Ever prophet and messenger has been specifically asked to worship Allah and be thankful to Him. When Allah spoke to Prophet Musa (Moses, peace be upon him)specifically made a mention of it:

"And I have chosen you, so listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily, I am Allah! There is none worthy of worship but I, so worship Me and offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance." [Surah At Taha 13-14]

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) have on many a occasion instructed his followers to offer prayer for it would save them from embarrassment on the Day of Judgement:

"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.]

Prayer in fact is the means of direct communication between a Muslim and Allah and Allah certainly listens to his subject when he takes time out of his busy life five times a day and prostates and thanks his all powerful Creator for everything that he has been blessed with. Though an obligation, if one puts one's heart and soul in it, it becomes a means of soothing and alleviating one's depression for the mere fact that none other than Allah is attentive to his prayers. 

Prayers have many befits like it enriches one's soul, protects one from the evil ideas, washes away one' sins besides purifying one's soul. This also spiritually cleanse our souls and inspires and strengthens one's faith. I could list more but recently I came across a video which explains 10 benefits of prayers. And believe me these benefits have been so eloquently explained that I was almost spellbound by the narration and instantly thought of sharing it with my readers so that they too benefit from it and make their prayers more meaningful and complete.

Watch this beautiful video which explains ten benefits of prayer, As Salah, in such a fascinating way that will attract to the prayer even those who have not been regular in their prayers and bring them more closer to Allah than ever before:

Summing up benefits of prayers, please read this verse from the Holy Quran: "Indeed, mankind was created anxious: When evil touches him, impatient, And when good touches him, withholding [of it], Except the observers of prayer - Those who are constant in their prayer" [Surah al-Ma'arij 19-23]. So let us derive maximum benefits from our prayers so that we are pardoned and forgiven of our sins, beside being spiritually cleansed.

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The Benefits of Ablution (wudu) - The Science now Understands

Prayer (Salah) is the second most important pillar of Islam. It is obligatory five times a day on all able bodied Muslim men and women. When a Muslim stands to offer the prayer, he/she in fact is standing in front of Allah and is in direction communication to one's true Creator. Therefore one has to be in highest state of purity for one may not dare taking to one's Creator with a soiled body and clothes.

The washing of body parts is called "wudu" or the ablution is thus mandatory before one stands to offer one's obligatory prayers.  Wudu involves washing the hands, mouth, nostrils, arms, head and feet with water. The detailed procure to perform wudu has already been explained in one of our earlier posts "How to perform Wudu (Ablution) before offering prayers (As salat).

O ye who believe! when ye prepare for prayer, wash your faces, and your hands (and arms) to the elbows; Rub your heads (with water); and (wash) your feet to the ankles. If ye are in a state of ceremonial impurity, bathe your whole body. But if ye are ill, or on a journey, or one of you cometh from offices of nature, or ye have been in contact with women, and ye find no water, then take for yourselves clean sand or earth, and rub therewith your faces and hands, Allah doth not wish to place you in a difficulty, but to make you clean, and to complete His favour to you, that ye may be grateful. [Surah Al-Ma'ida, Sura 5, Ayah 6]

Although Muslims have been performing wudu since it was first taught to the newly Muslims through a Divine commandment in the Holy Quran as quoted above, it is not until recently that scientist have started to understand the philosophy of wudu and its impact not only on human body but its deep rooted purification of soul and effects that it creates.

The importance of ablution is so much important that even if there is not water available or those who are unable to perform wudu with water, due to skin disease, a disability or lack of clean water, etc. are recommended to perform "tayammum", or the "dry ablution", using sand or dust instead of water. Such an alternative form of ritual purity may also be accepted in cases where one fears the acquisition of hypothermia in cold weather.

Please watch the video below and see the health and spiritual benefits of wudu, which have a telling effect on the human mindset other than purification to offer As Salah:

You may have now realized after watching this video that nothing in Islam is meaningless and all commandments and directions given out by Allah Almighty in the Holy Qur'an have a definite meaning and effect that not only Muslims, but even the non Muslims too have started to understand and emulate in their daily lives.

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Surah At Tahrim - The Prohibition: Summary of 66th Chapter of the Holy Quran

Sūrat at-Taḥrīm is the sixty sixth surah with 12 ayats with two rukus, part of the 28th Juzʼ  of the Holy Qur'an. The Surah derives its name from the words "lima tuharrimu" of the very first verse. Thus the name implies that it is the Surah in which the incident of tahrim (prohibition, banning) has been mentioned. 

The subject matter of this surah is very important as some questions of grave significance with reference to some incidents concerning wives of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) have been mentioned. These events indicate that this Surah was sent down some time during A.H. 7 or A. H 8.

As per eminent scholar of Pakistan and the Muslim world Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, author of the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an", the surah is very important for the following five reasons: [1]

• First, that the powers to prescribe the bounds of the lawful and the unlawful, the permissible and the forbidden, are entirely and absolutely in the hand of Allah and nothing has been delegated even to the Prophet of Allah himself, not to speak of any other man. The Prophet cannot declare something lawful or unlawful unless he receives an inspiration from Allah to do so. However, even the Prophet is not authorized to declare anything made permissible by Allah unlawful by himself, much less to say of another man.
• Second, that in any society the position of a Prophet is very delicate. A minor incident experienced by an ordinary man in his life may not be of any consequence, but it assumes the status of law when experienced by a Prophet. That is why the lives of the Prophets have been kept under close supervision by Allah so that none of their acts, not even a most trivial one, may deviate from Divine Will. Whenever such an act has emanated from a Prophet, it was rectified immediately so that the Islamic law and its principles should reach the people in their absolute purity not only through the Divine Book but also through the excellent example of the Prophet, and they should include nothing which may be in disagreement with Divine Will,
• Thirdly, and this automatically follows from the above mentioned point, that when the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was checked on a minor thing, which was not only corrected but also recorded, it gives us complete satisfaction that whatever actions and commands and instructions we now find in the pure life of the Holy Prophet concerning which there is nothing on record in the nature of criticism or correction from Allah, they are wholly based on truth, are in complete conformity with Divine Will and we can draw guidance from them with full confidence and peace of mind.
• The fourth thing relates to the Holy Messenger himself, whose reverence and respect Allah Himself has enjoined as a necessary part of the Faith of His servants, it has been stated in this Surah that once during his sacred life he made a thing declared lawful by Allah unlawful for himself only to please his wives; then Allah has severely reproved for their errors those very wives of the Holy Prophet, whom He Himself has declared as mothers of the faithful and worthy of the highest esteem and honor by them. Then, this criticism of the Prophet and the administration of the warning to the wives also has not been made secretly but included in the Book, which the entire Ummah has to read and recite for ever.
• The fifth thing that has been explicitly mentioned in this Surah is that Allah's Religion is absolutely fair and just. It has for every person just that of which he becomes worthy on the basis of his faith and works. No relationship or connection even with the most righteous person can be beneficial for him in any way and no relationship or connection with the most evil and wicked person can be harmful for him in any way. In this connection three kinds of women have been cited as examples before the holy wives in particular in verse 10-11.

Let us now read explanation of the Surah segmented into portions as per the subject matter:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"

Before we read the first verse, it would be pertinent to mention an incident due to which this surah was revealed. 

• The Prophet (ﷺ) usually paid a daily visit to all his wives after the Asr Prayer. Once it so happened that he began to stay in the house of Zainab bint-Jahsh longer than usual, for she had received some honey from somewhere as a gift and the Prophet was very fond of sweet things; therefore, he would have a drink of honey at her house. Aishah states that she felt envious of this and spoke to Hafsah, Saudah and Safiyyah about it and together they decided that whoever of them was visited by the Prophet, she should say to him: Your mouth smells of Maghafir (a kind of flower, which gives out an offensive smell, and if the bee obtains honey from it, it is also tainted by the same odor). 
• Wives of Prophet knew the he was a man of very fine taste and he would not like that he should emit any kind of unpleasant smell. When several of his wives told him that his mouth smelt of Maghafir, he made a promise not to use the honey any longer. In one tradition his words are to the effect: Now, I will never have a drink from it: I have sworn an oath. In another tradition he only said: I will never have a drink from it, and there is no mention of the oath. And in the tradition which Ibn al Mundhir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Tabarani and Ibn Marduyah have related from Ibn Abbas the words are to the effect: By God, I will not drink it.
• There is yet another incident concerning Hafsah and Aishah and Mariyah. Due to jealousy of the former two wives, they had said something about Mariyah  that the Prophet  forbade her for himself. There upon, Allah sent down this verse: O Prophet, why do you make unlawful that which Allah has made lawful for you. But this incident has not been covered in any of the authentic Hadith books. 
• The other incident of foul smelling if the honey is well covered in Sahi Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Daud, Nasai and several other books of Hadith from Aishah herself. Thus it is agreed upon by all major Hadith collectors that the opening verse of this surah concerns the incident as explained in detail above.

Now read the first verse and its revelation will be be better understood:

1. O Prophet! Why do you ban (for yourself) that which Allah has made lawful to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

2. Allah has already ordained for you (O men), the dissolution of your oaths. And Allah is your Lord, and He is the All-Knower, the All-Wise.

As per the exegesis, the second verse above means: "Act according to the method Allah has prescribed for absolution from oaths by expiation in (Surah Al-Maidah, Ayat 89) and break your promise that you have made to forbid yourself of a lawful thing. 

Here, an important legal question arises and it is this: Is this command applicable to the case when a person has forbidden upon himself a lawful thing on oath, or is forbidding oneself a lawful thing by itself tantamount to swearing an oath, whether the words of the oath have been used or not. The jurists in this regard have expressed different opinions:

• One section opines that mere forbidding oneself of a lawful thing is not an oath. If a person without swearing an oath has forbidden upon himself a wife, or some other lawful thing, it is an absurd thing which does not entail any expiation, but he can resume without any expiation the use of the thing that he had forbidden for himself. 
• The second group says that to forbid oneself something without using the words of oath is not an oath by itself, but the case of the wife is an exception. If a person has forbidden himself a garment, or an article of food, it is meaningless, and one can use it without expiation. But if concerning a wife or a slave-girl he has said: I forbid myself an intercourse with her, she would not become unlawful and forbidden, but one would have to expiate the oath before going in to her. 
• The third group says that to forbid oneself something is by itself an oath even if the words of oath have not been used. This is the opinion of Abu Bakr. Aishah, Umar, Abdullah bin Masud, Zaid bin Thabit and Abdullah bin Abbas. Although from Ibn Abbas another opinion has been reported in Bukhari to the effect: If a man has forbidden himself his wife, it is meaningless, yet it has been interpreted to mean that according to him this is not divorce but an oath which entails an expiation. 

The verse 3 below again describes an incident on which commandant from Allah was received:

3. The Prophet confided something to one of his wives and then she disclosed it (to another); so after Allah revealed to the Prophet (that she had disclosed that secret), he made a part of it known to her and passed over a part of it. And when he told her about this (i.e., that she had disclosed the secret entrusted to her), she asked: “Who informed you of this?” He said: “I was told of it by He Who is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

The object relating the matter in the Quran is to warn the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) wives and the wives of the responsible people among the Muslims not to be careless in the matter of guarding secrets. Had it been only a private and personal affair, as is generally the case between the husband and the wife in the world, there was no need that Allah should have directly informed the Prophet (ﷺ) of it through revelation, and then did not rest content only with giving the information, but should also have recorded it in the Book which the whole world has to recite forever. The reason why it was given such importance was that this wife was not the wife of an ordinary husband but of that illustrious husband, whom Allah had appointed to the office of the highest responsibility. In the house of such an illustrious man there could be countless things which if not kept secret but disclosed before time, could harm the great mission which he was performing. Therefore, when a lady of the house happened to show this weakness for the first time in that she disclosed a secret that had been told her in confidence, to another (a member of her own household), the weakness was immediately pointed out to her, not secretly but openly in the Quran, so as to impart training in the guarding of secrets not only to the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) but also to the wives of all responsible people of the Muslim community. 

The verses 4-5 re;ate to the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) for in ( verses 1-5 of this Surah ) the affairs concerning the Prophet’s (ﷺ) wives only have been discussed continuously, and this becomes obvious from the style of the Quran itself. 

4. If the two of you turn in repentance to Allah (that is better for you), for the hearts of both of you have swerved from the Straight Path. But if you support one another against the Prophet,8 then surely Allah is his Protector; and after that Gabriel and all righteous believers and the angels are all his supporters.

The details of subject matter in verses 4-5 have been related by Ibn Abbas quoting Umar bin Al Khattab, who narrated the incident to him:

• Umer said: They two ladies mentioned in verses 4-5 were Aishah and Hafsah. 
• Then he began to relate the background, saying: We, the people of Quraish, were used to keeping our women folk under strict control. Then, when we came to Al-Madinah, we found that the people here were under the control of their wives, and the women of Quraish too started learning the same thing from them. One day when I became angry with my wife, I was amazed to see that she argued with me. I felt badly about her conduct. She said: Why should you feel so angry at my behavior. By God, the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) answer him back face to face, (the word in the original is li yuraji nahu) and some one of them remains angrily apart from him for the whole day. (According to Bukhari: the Prophet (ﷺ), remains angry and apart from her the whole day). 
• Hearing this I came out of my house and went to Hafsah (who was Umar’s daughter and the Prophet’s, (ﷺ), wife). I asked her: Do you answer back to the Prophet (peace be upon him) face to face? She said: Yes. I asked: And does one of you remain apart from him for the whole day, (according to Bukhari: the Holy Prophet remains angry and apart from her for the entire day). She said: Yes. 
• I said: Wretched is the one from among you, who behaves thus. Has one of you become so fearless of this that Allah should afflict her with His wrath because of the wrath of His Prophet (ﷺ) and she should perish, So, do not be rude to the Prophet (ﷺ). 
• Here also the words are: la turaji-i, nor demand of him anything, but demand of me whatever you desire. Do not be misled by this that your neighbor (i.e. Aishah) is more beautiful and dearer to the Prophet (peace be upon him). 
• After this I left her house and went to the house of Umm Salamah, who was related to me, and talked to her on this subject. She said: Son of Khattab, you are a strange man: you have meddled in every matter until you are now interfering in the affair between Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and his wives. She discouraged me. Then it so happened that an Ansari neighbor came to my house at night and he called out to me. We used to sit in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) assembly by turns and each used to pass on to the other the news of the day of his turn. It was the time when we were apprehending an attack by the Ghassanids any time. On his call when I came out of my house, he said that something of grave significance had happened. I said: Have the Ghassanids launched an attack? He said: No, but something even more serious. The Prophet (ﷺ) has divorced his wives. I said: Doomed is Hafsah (the words in Bukhari are: Raghima anfu Hafsah wa Aishah). I already had a premonition of this.
• We have left out what happened after this, how next morning Umar went before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and tried to appease his anger.

Here, what needs to be considered carefully is that if it was such an ordinary and trivial matter that when the Prophet (ﷺ) said something to his wives they would retort to Him, why was it given so much importance that in the Quran Allah administered a severe warning directly to the wives themselves? And why did Umar take it as such a grave matter that first he reproved his own daughter, then visited the house of the other wives and asked them to fear the wrath of Allah? And, above all, was the Prophet (peace be upon him) also so sensitive that he would take offense at minor things and become annoyed with his wives, and was he, God forbid, so irritable that once having been annoyed at such things he had severed his connections with all his wives and retired to his private apartment in seclusion? If a person considers these questions deeply, he will inevitably have to adopt one of the two views in the explanation of these verses. Either on account of his excessive concern for reverence for the wives he should not at all mind if a fault is imputed to Allah and His Messenger, or else he should admit in a straightforward way that at that time the attitude and behavior of these wives has actually become so objectionable that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was justified in becoming annoyed over it, and more than that, Allah Himself was justified that He should administer a severe warning to the wives on their unseemly behavior and attitude.

5. It may be if he divorced you (all) that his Lord will give him instead of you, wives better than you, Muslims (who submit to Allah), believers, obedient to Allah, turning to Allah in repentance, worshiping Allah sincerely, fasting or emigrants (for Allah's sake), previously married and virgins.

The verse 5 shows that the fault did not lie only with Aisha and Hafsah but the other wives also had some share in it. That is why, after them, all the other wives too, have been warned in this verse. No light has been thrown on the nature of the error in the Quran. In Bukhari, a tradition has been reported from Anas, saying that Umar said: The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) wives because of their mutual envies and rivalries had utterly displeased him. At this I said to them: It may well be that if the Prophet (peace be upon him) divorced you, Allah would give him in your place better wives than you.

In Muslim, Abdullah bin Abbas has related that Umar said to him: When the Prophet (peace be upon him) separated himself from his wives, I went to the mosque and found the people worried and upset and playing with pebbles and saying to one another: The Prophet (peace be upon him) has divorced his wives. After this Umar related his visiting the apartments of Aishah and Hafsah and admonishing them. Then he said: I went before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: Why do you feel upset with regard to your wives? If you divorce them, Allah is with you, all the angels and Gabriel and Michael are with you, and I and Abu Bakr and all the believers are with you. I thank Allah that seldom has it so happened that I said a thing and did not have hope from Allah that He would testify to what I said. So, after this these verses of Surah At-Tahrim were sent down. Then I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him): Have you divorced your wives? He said: No. Thereupon I stood at the entrance of the Mosque and announced in a loud voice: The Prophet has not divorced his wives.

6. O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded.

7. (It will be said in the Hereafter) O you who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allah - Islamic Monotheism)! Make no excuses this Day! You are being requited only for what you used to do .

In the verse 8 below, the word taubat an-nasuh-an has been used which may either mean that one should offer such true repentance as may have no tinge of pretense and hypocrisy in it, or that one should wish his own self well and repenting of sin should save oneself from the evil end, or that one should so adorn and improve his life after repentance as to become a cause of admonition for others, and seeing his example others also also reform themselves accordingly. 

8. O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance! It may be that your Lord will remit from you your sins, and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise) the Day that Allah will not disgrace the Prophet (Muhammad ) and those who believe with him, their Light will run forward before them and with (their Records Books of deeds) in their right hands they will say: "Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us [and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirat (a slippery bridge over the Hell) safely] and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things ."

As for its religious meaning of taubat an-nasuh, its explanation is found in the Hadith which Ibn Abi Hatim has related on the authority of Zirr bin Hubaish. He says: When I asked Ubayy bin Kaab the meaning of taubat an-nasuh, he said that he had asked the Prophet (ﷺ) the same question, and he had replied: It implies that when you happen to commit an error, you should feel penitent for it, then should implore Allah for forgiveness remorsefully, and then should refrain from committing the same error again. 

After offering repentance one should not even think of committing the sin, not to speak of repeating it. In fact a repentance should be accompanied by six things:

(1) You should feel penitent for the wrong you have done. (2) You should carry out the duties that you have ignored. (3) Restore the rights that you have usurped. (4) Ask forgiveness of him whom you have wronged. (5) Make a resolve not to repeat the sin again. (6) Consume yourself in obedience to Allah as you have so far been consuming it in wrongdoing, and cause it to taste the bitterness of obedience as you have so far been causing it to enjoy the sweet taste of disobedience and sin. 

9. O Prophet (Muhammad )! Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be severe against them, their abode will be Hell, and worst indeed is that destination.

In the verse 10 below, the mention of wives of Prophets Nuh and Lut (may peace be upon them)

10. Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve, the wife of Nuh (Noah) and the wife of Lout (Lot). They were under two of our righteous slaves, but they both betrayed their (husbands by rejecting their doctrine) so they [Nuh (Noah) and Lout (Lot)] benefited them (their respective wives) not, against Allah, and it was said: "Enter the Fire along with those who enter!"

This betrayal was not in the sense that they had committed an indecency but in the sense that they did not follow the Prophets Noah and Lot (peace be upon them) on the way of faith but sided with their enemies against them. Ibn Abbas say: No Prophet’s wife has ever been wicked and immoral. The betrayal of these two women in fact was in the matter of faith and religion. They did not acknowledge the religion of the Prophets Noah and Lot (peace be upon them). The Prophet Noah’s wife used to convey news about the believers to the wicked of her people, and the Prophet Lot’s wife used to inform the immoral people about those who visited him in his house. 

The verse 11 below mentions the pious wife a wretched Pharaoh who lamented to Allah to save her from the the treacheries of her husband:

11. And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe, the wife of Fir'aun (Pharaoh), when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'aun (Pharaoh) and his work, and save me from the people who are Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers and disbelievers in Allah).

In the last verse, mention of Maryam (Mary, the mother of Prophet Eesa / Jesus Christ):

12. And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of 'Imran who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Ruh [i.e. Jibrael (Gabriel)], and she testified to the truth of the Words of her Lord [i.e. believed in the Words of Allah: "Be!" and he was; that is 'Eesa (Jesus) - son of Maryam (Mary); as a Messenger of Allah], and (also believed in) His Scriptures, and she was of the Qanitin (i.e. obedient to Allah).

Here it may be noted that the name of Maryam’s father was Imran, or she may have been called daughter of Imran because she belonged to the family of Imran. This is a refutation of the accusation by the Jews that the birth of Jesus was, God forbid, the result of a sin of his mother. Their same accusation has been called a monstrous calumny in (Surah An-Nisa, Ayat 156). That is, without her having any connection with a man, Allah breathed into her womb a Spirit from Himself. 

You may now like to listen to Arabic recitation of Sūrat at-Taḥrīm with English subtitles:

You may refer to our post "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, meaning and summary of other chapters (Though not complete but building up from 30th Part backwards for chapters in 30th Part are shorter and easier to understand). 

References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
An effort has been made to gather explanation of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic souses and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. However, those wanting detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to sites the references of which are given above.

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Is the Arabic Language Qur'an relevant to people of other languages

There is often a discussion that since the Holy Qur'an was revealed in the Arabic language, it is only relevant to the people of the Arabic speaking people of the Arabian Peninsula. Some even object that since it was revealed under a peculiar environment exclusive to Arabia, its relevance to people of other regions is questionable.

And it is amazing to note that such queries are often raised by people of other faiths, whose holy scriptures have been translated from the language these scriptures were originally written and spread out to the whole world so that these could be read and understood. Likewise, the Holy Qur'an too was revealed in Arabic for it was the language of the people where it was revealed, but this does not mean that its message was only for the Arabs. Today when the Qur'an has been translated into all other languages, it has spread the message which is in universal and commanded for the entire mankind not just the Arabs.

Also, the commandments of Allah contained in the Holy Qur'an are as relevant today as these were more than 1400 years when it was revealed. The same way Bible and Old and New Testaments are applicable to the Christians and Jews today as these were applicable to the people of Israel when these were revealed on to Prophets Mus and Eesa (Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them).

Thus, the relevance of religion of Islam to our practical life today is oft question. But I wonder why such queries aren't raised for Christians and Jews as they too follow scriptures revealed much earlier than the Holy Qur'an. However, since Arabic language is very rich, especially that of the Holy Qur'an, it is generally recommended that one must learn Arabic to fully grasp the messages and commandments contained in the Holy Qur'an for better and full comprehension.

I came across such a discussion and thought of sharing it with my readers to understand the context clearly. Please listen to an enlightening answer on the subject by Jāvēd Ahmad Ghāmidī, a Pakistani Muslim theologian, Quran scholar, Islamic modernist, exegete and educationist in the video below. Though the conversation is in Urdu, its English translation in subtitles on the screen will help non-Urdu peaking to know Professor's view point:

I hope this would clarify the queries oft raised and substance contained in the Holy Qur'an will be understood in whatever language it is translated for people to understand the Divine message. Remember, the Divine message is never stale as it is revealed not for one generation or people of one area, but it is sent for the entire mankind.

However, as highlighted by the learned scholar in the video above, the reason why we do not find Holy Quran relevant to our practical life is that we have stopped reading and interpreting it like any other disciplines of knowledge, like mathematics, chemistry, physics and others. So let us start learning the Qur'n like any discipline, it will only be then we will start to find its relevance to our lives by understanding it. 

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.

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What would be the Fate of Pious Non Muslims on the Day of Judgment

One of the most sought out question both by Muslims and Non Muslims is what would be the fate of pious non Muslims on the day of Judgment - that is whether they would go to paradise for being pious and helping mankind or would face the hell fire for not accepting Islam when it had reached them?

There have been many freeness to the effect to answer the question in the Holy Qur'an and even in the Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The oft quoted verse from the Holy Qur'an to answer this question is found in Surah al-Bayyinah 98:6]:

“Verily, those who disbelieve (in the religion of Islam, the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad) from among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) and Al-Mushrikoon (the non believers) will abide in the fire of Hell. They are the worst of creatures”

Likewise, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) has been quoted in saying in Sahi Muslim 153: 

“By the One in Whose hand is my soul, no one of this nation, Jew or Christian, hears of me then dies without having believed in that with which I was sent, but he will be one of the people of the Fire.” 

There are many interpretations and view point on the subject. But it is generally believed that whether Muslim or non-Muslim, if one does not adhere to the commandments of Allah in whichever form they come in and in whichever religion they are espoused in, one will have to answer for one's beliefs and faith.

This question has often crept into my mind too and I too have been looking for an appropriate answer to this query. I too have been wandering as others, for some believe Mother Tresa had her life devoted for helping the poor should stand out from the rest on the Day of Judgment for her service to mankind and humanity. While some argue that what she had been doing was to serve the cause of her religion, which shares the Jesus Christ (Prophet Eesa, peace be upon him) and the holy spirit with God, something that strictly negates the concept of One true Allah in Islam.

Watch the answer to this important and most oft asked question from Jāvēd Ahmad Ghāmidī, a Pakistani Muslim theologian, Quran scholar, Islamic modernist, exegete and educationist in the video below. Though the conversation is in Urdu, its English translation in subtitles on the screen will help non Urdu peaking to know Professor's view point:

May Allah help us know the truth no matter how bitter it may be' but one must standby the ultimate truth dispelling all prejudices, religious beliefs other than Islam and pragmatic thinking and reasoning.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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A Christian convinced of mention of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in Earlier Scriptures Embraces Islam

Those who seek the truth ultimately find the truth, no matter how much concealed or hidden from the ordinary people by the scholars or the religious clerics. Ordinary non Muslims have no idea how in hidden, referred or in open words, there have been many Divine messages that tell of prophet even after Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him).

Dr Zakir A Naik is one of the most prominent Muslim scholar of the present times, who has taken upon himself to clear doubts of non Muslims about Islam and the last prophet of Allah, Muhammad (ﷺ). Besides being authority on the Holy Qur'an, he is equally a competent authority on all earlier scriptures including the Old and New Testament, Bible and all holy scriptures of Hindus. He more often than not holds open congregations so that non Muslims could clarify from him any doubts that boggle their mind and clarity these in the light of relevant passages / surahs from the Holy Qur'an in reference to the context of other holy scriptures.

Recently I came across a video of Dr Zakir in which a Christian woman asked him a question regarding mention of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in the earlier scriptures. The debate is worth listening to in the video given at the end of this post. The later part of the video is so emotional that I being a Muslim myself could not control my emotions and was all tears.

Scroll down for the video

However, before you scroll down for the video of a conversation between a Christian woman and Dr Zakir A Naik, let me quote here some mentions that tell of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to come after the Prophet Jesus in some very clear indications. The most glaring evidence of coming of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)  by name is mentioned in  the Song of Solomon chapter 5 verse 16:

"Hikko Mamittakim we kullo Muhammadim Zehdoodeh wa Zehraee Bayna Jerusalem." 

The above verses in English mean: "His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem." In the Hebrew language "im" is added for respect. Similarly im is added after the name of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to make it Muhammadim. In English translation they have even translated the name of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as "altogether lovely", but in the Old Testament in Hebrew, the name of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is yet present.

In the book of Isaiah It is mentioned in chapter 29 verse 12: 

"And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned."

And we all know that when the Angel Jibraeel (Gabriel) came to Muhammad and asked him to read (Iqra), Muhammad replied: replied, "I am not learned". This is something already predicted in the Book of Isaiah. [Read first five verses of Surah Al Alaq, Chapter 96]

There is yet another reference to Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) when Almighty God speaks to Moses in Book of Deuteronomy chapter 18 verse 18:

"I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him."

Most of the Christians are of the view that this prophecy refers to Jesus (pbuh) because Jesus (pbuh) was like Moses (pbuh), both were prophets and Jews. But it may be pondered that if these two are the only criteria for this prophecy to be fulfilled, then all the Prophets of the Bible who came after Moses (pbuh) such as Solomon, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Malachi, John the Baptist, etc. (pbut) will fulfill this prophecy since all were Jews as well as prophets.

Dr Zakir A Nakik is of the view that from the point of view of Muslims it is Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) who is like Moses (pbuh):

• Both had a father and a mother, while Jesus (pbuh) was born miraculously without any male intervention. [Mathew 1:18 and Luke 1:35 and also Al-Qur'an 3:42-47]
• Both were married and had children. Jesus (pbuh) according to the Bible did not marry nor had children.
• Both died natural deaths. Jesus (pbuh) has been raised up alive. (4:157-158)

As for the reference to "brethren", Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is from among the brethren of Moses (pbuh) for they are the descendants of Prophet Ismail (Ishmael, son of Prophet Ibraheem, Abraham, peace be upon him) as were the Jews descendants of Isaac (pbuh), the other son of Prophet Ibraheem.

Since Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was unlettered, whatever revelations he received from Almighty God he repeated them verbatim. "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." [Deuteronomy 18:18] It may also be noted that both Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and Prophet Moses (pbuh) were leader of their people or kings i.e. they could inflict capital punishment, whereas Jesus (pbuh) said, "My kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36). Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and Prophet Moses (pbuh) brought new laws and new regulations for their people. Jesus (pbuh) according to the Bible did not bring   any new laws. (Mathew 5:17-18).

Both Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and Prophet Moses (pbuh) were accepted as Prophets by their people in their lifetime but Jesus (pbuh) was rejected by his people. John chapter 1 verse 11 states, "He came unto his own, but his own received him not."

Here some authentic references that confirm what has been written in the Holy Quran. In the Holy Qur'an it is mentioned in Chapter 61 Verse 6:

"And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said, 'O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me and giving glad tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmed.' But when he came to them with clear signs, they said, 'This is evident sorcery!' "

"Ahmed" or "Muhammad" meaning "the one who praises" or "the praised one" is almost the translation of the Greek word Periclytos. In the Gospel of John 14:16, 15:26, and 16:7. The word 'Comforter' is used in the English translation for the Greek word Paracletos which means advocate or a kind friend rather than a comforter.  Paracletos is the warped reading for Periclytos. Jesus (pbuh) actually prophesied Ahmed by name. Even the Greek word Paraclete refers to the Prophet (pbuh) who is a mercy for all creatures.

Now read the prophecies mentioned in the Old Testament regarding Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) besides applying to the Jews also hold good for the Christians.

• John chapter 14 verse 16: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever."
• Gospel of John chapter 15 verse 26: "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which  proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me."
• Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 7: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you".
• Gospel of John chapter 16 verse 12-14: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth is  come, he will guide you unto all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he     speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me".

Some Christians say that the Comforter mentioned in these prophecies refers to the Holy Spirit. They fail to realize that the prophecy clearly says that only if Jesus (pbuh) departs will the Comforter come. The Bible states that the Holy Spirit was already present on earth before and during the time of Jesus (pbuh), in the womb of Elizabeth, and again when Jesus (pbuh) was being baptized, etc. Hence this prophecy refers to none other than Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ).

Lately, however, there is also awakening among Christians to come to realize that Qur'an is book of God and Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was a messenger just like the earlier prophets:

Unfortunately, we have for the most part completely ignored the unity of the Gospel and the Qur’an in terms of their common revelatory source.  However, if we take Jesus’ words seriously, we have the opportunity to receive the Word of God in the Qur’an in accordance with Jesus’ promise that the Spirit of Truth “will take what is mine and declare it to you.”  We can accept the Qur’an as a revelation, not in opposition to the Gospel, but in unity with the Gospel and the will of Jesus.  [7]

I am sure one day the majority Christians will find much more in the Holy Qur'an that substantiate what has been revealed earlier and that would foster more harmony and love between the people of the Books.

May Allah bless with the ability to know and acknowledge the truth and come under the fold of Islam - the final and the ultimate Godly religion that was given to through the last of the prophets Muhammad (ﷺ).

Note: This post is based on information contained in the references given below and are generally based on the interpretations of Holy Scriptures by Dr Zakir A Naik. Should anyone fell differently, he/she may contact the learned scholar for details.

To read personal accounts of many a celebrity who have reverted to Islam, please visit our page: Embracing Islam: Revert Experiences.

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

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |

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Hadith of the Day: Actions are dependent upon Intentions

The entire life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is an excellent specimen of how a true Muslim and believer should live his life.  Thus the numerous sayings or Hadiths as these are called of the Prophet of Allah must be correctly understood in reference to the context for their better understanding and implementation in our daily chores and undertakings. 

One of the very famous Hadith attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is:

"Innamal a’malu binniyat" ~ “Actions are dependent upon their Intentions”

We must understand that Allah will bless us or otherwise of our actions based on our intentions, for He alone knows what resides inside our thoughts. 

This [articular saying of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is attributed to an event that took place during the migration of Muslims from Makkah to Medina. While most of the Muslims migrated in the name of Allah to preserve His religion from being polluted by the pagans of Makkah, it so happened that one man who when found that the woman he loved was migrating to Medina, he followed suit to be near her and marry her. Thus his intention was not to migrate in the name of Allah but to follow his worldly desires.

This incident has been narrated on the authority of Omar bin Al-Khattab, who said : I heard the messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam say : “Actions are but by intention and every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus he whose migration was for Allah and His messenger, his migration was for Allah and His messenger, and he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for that for which he migrated.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

It has also been related to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as narrated by Imam Muslim,that:

The first people to be judged on the Day of Judgement was a martyred. Allah asked him, “What have you done in the world?” The martyred replied, “I fought for your religion.” Allah said, “You lie. You fought so that people will call you the dare one.” And you will be judged for your intention accordingly.

A seeker of knowledge that knowledge and diligent practice read the Qur’an comes before God. Allah asked, “What have you done in the world?” He replied, “I seek knowledge, act upon it, and I read the Qur’an because of Allah.”  Allah said, “You lie. You seek knowledge and you read Qur’an so that others call you religious people.”  

one with a wealth of rich and famous because his charity come before God.  Allah asked, “What have you done in the world?” He replied, “I spent all the wealth that I have because of You.” God said, “You lie. You do it all so that people call you generous.” 

Then the Prophet of Allah remarked: “They are the first people to feel the heat of hell fire on the Day of Resurrection.”

There are many Hadiths that can be quoted on this account, but the purpose here is to highlight the importance of our hidden desires and to reign these as per the dictates of the commandments of the Holy Qur'an and sayings of the Prophet of Allah so that our actions do not go waste and instead of being blessed with for our apparent good and noble actions, we may not displease Allah and suffer His wrath. 

Watch this beautiful video below on intentions and actions:

So before embarking upon anything, first set your intentions right and be mindful of the fact that any polluted intention and its consequent action may harm you rather than benefiting from it. Having set your course right, then put in your best effort not to implement your plan but also keep in mind that you may not select a discourse that is illegal or Haram for any such act may ruin your intentions, no matter how good and noble these may be. Then leave it to Allah to make it happen, and whatever is the outcome,rest assured that Allah never wrongs His true believers.

Photo | References: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

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