Aqueedah Page
TOPICS:
- "TRUST"
- "The Speech of Allah"
- "Special Times for Dua"
- "The Three Stages of Self"
- "Nothing is more Precious"
- "For Allah's Sake"
- "No Boyfriends or Girlfriends in Islam: Why?"
- "TRUST"
- "The Speech of Allah"
- "Special Times for Dua"
- "The Three Stages of Self"
- "Nothing is more Precious"
- "For Allah's Sake"
- "No Boyfriends or Girlfriends in Islam: Why?"
Trust
Tawakkul: Whoever relies on Allah (has Tawakkul), He is sufficient for him. (At-Talaaq 65:3)
by Ayub A. Hamid
Tawakkul is another attribute that results from a true Eeman in Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala and the hereafter and continual remembrance of both. It is an attitude that emanates from the conviction that:
Allah has put me in this world temporarily for a test and all of my good and bad circumstances are part of the test.
The test is about my performance in given circumstances, not about how good or bad my circumstances are. Regardless of what circumstances I encounter, the test is about how well I exhaust all my efforts in achieving the objective of the Deen Allaah has prescribed for me for His pleasure.
My success depends on the quality (in terms of relevance, wisdom, propriety, tactics, strategy and sincerity) and quantity I put in, not on the material results they appear to produce, regardless of what kind of good or bad circumstances I happen to encounter.
Whatever Allah has commanded us to do and the objectives He wants us to achieve are the best things for us in this world and in the hereafter. My duty is to continue steadfastly on the job Allah has assigned to me utilizing every tool humanly possible and doing my earnest best, without worrying about the results, but instead leaving the results totally to Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala.
The real success is attaining the pleasure of Allah, not the results in this world. Whether my efforts bear any visible result in this world or not, I must continue on my course steadfastly.
Whatever hardships, test, trials and sufferings I endure during my servitude to Him are all part of His plan for my ultimate success. Enduring them with contentment without a word of complaint or without being disheartened in any way is a part of my job as His slave that I am doing for His pleasure.
These convictions produce a winning state of mind and a believer feels that because I truly believe in Allah and am doing what He wants me to do, He is with me, watching me, and accepting my efforts; and He is not going to let my endeavours go in vain, let me fail or leave me unsupported. No one can do anything to me that is not part of His plan for me as His slave. Regardless of what transpires in this world, the ultimate success is mine, as long as I am truly committed to His work. If I keep the right attitude, come what may, I will be successful:
The Messenger of Allah, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam said, "How wonderful it is for a believer that he always ends up with goodness: If he suffers and remains steadfast, it is rewarding; if good things happen and he thanks Allah, that is also rewarding." (Suhaib in the Muslim)
It is a totally liberating, very empowering state of mind that a true believer attains because of his trust in and reliance on the power, authority, help and support of Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala and because of the contentment he feels in serving Allah without being concerned about the results that Allah provides for his untiring efforts. This kind of resolute trust in and reliance on Allah– Tawakkul – provides such a tranquility to one’s heart, such a courage in one’s psyche and such a resilience in one’s nature that a believer cannot be scared, pressured into giving up, made to compromise, compelled to give in, bought out of his Islamic mission, or forced into submission by any enemy, tyrant, power or authority. For those who have Tawakkul, Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says:
Whoever relies on Allah (has Tawakkul), He is sufficient for him (At-Talaaq 65:3)
Thus, Tawakkul is a natural corollary of true faith and is one of the evidences (Shahada) of faith. A person with true faith will always rely on Allah / have Tawakkul. Lack of Tawakkul indicates lack of true faith. This was true for previous Ummah's as it is for us:
The believers are only those who: when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful; when His verses are recited to them, they increase their faith; and only on their Lord they rely (have Tawakkul). (Galangal 8:2)
When Moos `alayhi invited Bane Israel to enter Palestine , they refused to do so, being scared of the strength of the enemy. Two of the believers endowed with true faith spoke up and said,
Enter upon them through the gate, for when you enter it, you will be the dominant. And rely upon Allah (have Tawakkul), if you are believers. (Al-Ma'idah 5:23)
Also:
But no one believed in Moosa except the offspring (youth) of his people, because of the fear of Fir’awn and his establishment that they would persecute them; and indeed, Fir’awn was arrogant in the land and indeed, he was of the transgressors.
And Moosa said, “O my people, if you have believed in Allah, then rely on Him (have Tawakkul in Him), if you are Muslims.” So they said, “Upon Allah do we rely (have Tawakkul). Our Lord! Do not make us (object of) trial (persecution) of the unjust/wrongdoers. And save us by Your mercy from the disbelievers.” (Younus 10:83-85) As is evident from the verses quoted above as well as those quoted below, Tawakkul is closely related to the untiring struggle that a Muslim undertakes to achieve both the personal and collective goals of Deen -- Iqaamah of Deen in personal life to achieve personal excellence as a Muslim and in collective life to achieve the establishment and dominance of the Islamic system of peace and justice.
Personal struggle and Tawakkul:
Indeed, there is no authority for him (Shaytaan) over those who believe and rely upon their Lord (have Tawakkul). (An-Nahl 16:99)
If Shaytaan tries to sow doubts in the mind of a believer, a believer with Tawakkul is protected by Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala:
The Messenger of Allah, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam said, “The human mind keeps wandering and branching away into different valleys. If someone follows his mind in all those wanderings, Allah does not care which valley ruins that person. On the other hand, whoever has Tawakkul in Allah, He will be sufficient to save him from those wanderings.” (Ibn Maajah from ‘Amr Ibn Al-’Aas)
A person without Tawakkul will fall prey to many un-Islamic practices in the face of adversity that a true believer with Tawakkul on Allah will avoid at every cost. Those who have Tawakkul will be appropriately rewarded in the Hereafter:
Seventy thousand of my Ummah will enter Jannah without reckoning. They will be those who did not seek cure through mantras, who did not take omens and who had Tawakkul in their Lord. (Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn ‘Abbaas)
Islamic work and Tawakkul: A person with tawakkul on Allah will bravely, unflinchingly and steadfastly continue working for Islamic objectives regardless of the impediments, threats and hardships encountered. When Nooh `alayhissalaam was rebuked and threatened, this is how he responded:
And recite to them the news of Nooh when he said to his people: O my people, if my stay (among you) and my reminding (you) Aayaat of Allah is hard on you, then I have put my Tawakkul (trust / reliance) in Allah So devise your plan and (call upon) your Shurakaa (any entity equated with Allah) and let not your plan be obscure to you. Then carry it out upon me and do not give me respite. (Younus 10:71)
During resistance from his people, the Messenger Hood `alayhissalaam said to them:
I put my Tawakkul in (I rely on) Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is not a creature but He holds its forelock (controls it). (Hood 11:56)
Shu’aib `alayhissalaam said to his people:
I do not want to do the things from which I stop you. I only desire reform as much as I am able. My potential and inclination is only through Allah, upon Him I rely (in him I have Tawakkul) and to Him I turn. (Hood 11:88)
Ibrahim `alayhissalaam and his people’s struggle and Tawakkul are presented as a model:
Indeed there has been for you an excellent model in Ibrahim and those with him, when they said to their people: “Verily we disassociate from you and whatever you worship other than Allah We have rejected you and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allah alone… Our Lord upon You we have relied (have Tawakkul), to You we have turned and to You is the destination. Our Lord, do not make us (object of) persecution for the disbelievers, and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, only You are the All-Mighty, the Wise.” (Al-Mumtahinah 60:5-6)
In fact, that has been the way of all prophets, messengers and Islamic workers:
Their messengers said to them: True, we are human like yourselves, but Allah bestows His grace on whom He pleases of His slaves. It is not for us to bring you a miracle except by Allah’s permission. And on Allah should the believers rely (have Tawakkul). How should we not rely upon (have Tawakkul in) Allah when He has indeed guided us in our ways? Certainly we would persevere against the persecution that you may inflict on us . And upon Allah must the reliant rely (have Tawakkul). (Ibrahim 14:11-12)
For our Ummah:
Thus have We sent you to a community, before whom other communities have passed away, in order that you recite to them what We have revealed to you, but they disbelieve in the Most Gracious. Say: He is my Lord; there is no deity except Him; upon Him I rely (in Him I have Tawakkul) and to him is my return in repentance. (Ar-Ra’d 13:30)
When commenting on Uhad, Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala said,
When two parties among you were about to lose courage, while Allah was their ally; and upon Allah must the believers rely (have Tawakkul). (Aali-‘Imraan 3:122) And when you have made a decision, then rely upon Allah (have Tawakkul). Verily, Allah loves those who rely on Him. If Allah helps you, no one can overcome you; but if He forsakes you, who is there who can help you after Him. And upon Allah must the believers rely (have Tawakkul). (Aali-‘Imraan 3:159-160)
On the Prophet, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam’s concern for enemies’ attacks over his marriage to Zainab radhiallahu `anha on Allah’s command, Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala admonished:
O Prophet! Fear Allah and do not obey disbelievers or hypocrites, certainly Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise; follow what is revealed to you from your Lord, certainly Allah is fully aware of what you do; and, (have Tawakkul) rely on Allah, He is sufficient as a Trustee. (Al-Ahzaab 33:1-3)
If at any point, a believer feels powerless or hopeless, he should refresh his faith and tawakkul in Allah and continue his personal or Islamic struggle with hope and a winning attitude. The Prophet, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
Allah Ta`alaa condemns powerlessness / hopelessness. It is incumbent upon you to take a stand with hope and intelligent resolve. If you are overpowered in a matter, then say, “Sufficient is Allah for my means and He is the best supporter.” (Reported by Aboo Dawoodfrom ‘Owf Bin Maalik)
Otherwise, a true believer knows that the best of the successes is for him in the hereafter, if he relies only on Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala:
As for those who emigrated for Allah after they had been persecuted, We will certainly settle them in this world nicely, but their reward of the Hereafter will be greater, if only they knew. They are those who persevered and relied in their Lord. (An-Nahl 16:41-42)
With the degeneration of the Ummah, Tawakkul has also taken on wrong connotations. Some people think that Tawakkul entails only sitting like monks and doing nothing, hoping that Allah will do something. That meaning is from Shaytaan to make Muslims inactive and indolent. The real Tawakkul, as evidenced by the verses of the Qur'an quoted above, is such a strong conviction of Allah’s approval and mercy being with you in your Islamic struggle that no problem in the world is able to dampen your spirit or make you feel defeated or helpless. The life of the Prophet, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam was a superb example of Islamic tawakkul. In every move he made and at every stage of his mission, he used the best tactics and strategies at human disposal, and then fully relied on Allah without having even a bit of worry of the consequences.
For example, while migrating to Madeenah, he took all the precautions that were humanly possible for his safe departure from Makkah and safe arrival in Madeenah: Planning the migration secretly, leaving when least expected, asking ‘Ali to sleep in his bed so that his departure is not noticed, selecting a hiding place on an opposite direction to Madeenah, arranging of survival provisions for three days of hiding and a week of traveling, arranging of a faithful guide, arranging for the camels to be brought only when leaving the hiding place, selection of route least traveled, etc. But once he had done whatever was humanly possible, he had such trust in Allah that he was never worried about the consequences even when everything seemed to fall apart. It was the remarkable demonstration of his Tawakkul, when enemies reached at the mouth of the Thowr cave and Aboo Bakr, radhiallahu `anhu became worried, he calmly assured him, “Do not worry, Allah is with us.” Even in basic matters of the world, one has to do his best and then leave the results to Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala.
A person asked, “Should I tie my camel and have Tawakkul (trust in Allah for her protection) or should I leave her untied and have Tawakkul.” The Messenger, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam replied, “Tie her and then have Tawakkul.” (Reported by Tirmidzi from Anas)
‘Umar Bin Khattaab, radhiallahu `anhu heard the Messenger of Allah, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam saying, “If you trust Allah with right kind of Tawakkul, He will provide you sustenance as He provides for the birds – they go out in the morning with empty stomachs and come back in the evening with full stomachs.” (Tirmidzi)
A bird sitting in his nest, praising Allah, will not have his stomach filled. It has to go out to seek food. It is only the one that goes out and does its best to find food, comes back full.
Tawakkul, as described above, is related to one’s efforts and results of those efforts for the matters that fall under the area of human endeavour. A person with right concept of accountability to and tawakkul on Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala puts in his best possible efforts to do what Allah expects him to do in those matters and does not worry about the results. He positively and constructively deals with whatever he encounters and continues with full force doing his level best regardless of the results or consequences. Another matter closely related to Tawakkul is being content with matters that are beyond our power and influence.
There are many things in our life that are decided for us without our input or approval. The examples are the parents we are born to, our genes that determine many things in our life, our physical features, the circumstances of the society we are born in or we live in, etc. The Muslims who understand that our life is a test of how we live and do the best with whatever we got and whatever situations we have been put in, they are fully content and happy with the circumstances, putting all their efforts and energies in making the best of their situations and making the correct Islamic decisions in those situations.
They know that their personal success is not dependent on circumstances but in doing their best in the given circumstances. If they find themselves in bad circumstances, they work hard to do better, and keep seeking Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala’s help, mercy and bounty through Du’aa and Istikhaarah to go with their best of the efforts. On the other hand, the losers concentrate on their circumstances and on the things beyond their control. They neither seek Allah’s help, mercy and bounty, nor do they take the circumstances as given and work on performing the best they can in those given situations. They end up being unhappy, miserable complainers always complaining about what they do not have, rather than making the best of what they do have. They end up being the utter losers. This is what was expressed in the following Hadith:
“One of the factors that indicate blessedness (Sa’aadah) of a person is his being pleased with Allah’s decision for him, while two of the attitudes indicating wretchedness / despondence (Shaqaawah) of a person are: his not seeking goodness from Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala or his being unhappy about Allah’s decisions for him.” (Sa’ad in Musnad of Ahmad and Jaami’ of At-Tirmidzee)
The Speech of Allah
Is it articulated, or is it exalted meanings that derive existence from the Existence of the Exalted Self?
The first group said that speech is attributed to Allah; they derive existence from the Existence of the Exalted Self; He, Glory be to Him, speaks whenever it pleases Him, with His Power. Allah, Glory be to Him, called Moses and called Adam with a voice, but the words and the voice He uttered are an attribute of His Exalted Self, unparalleled and can not be compared to the words and the voices of creatures; He, Glory
be to Him, related in the Qur’an about Jesus, “..and to Moses God spoke direct” (NISAA’, 164). Other Quranic verses denote that Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, really called Moses from behind a veil and not through angels; “And We called him from the right side of Mount Sinai” (MARYAM, 52), and Speech is hence incidental because He said, “When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him” (A‘RAF, 143). So, the Call is proved here; it must be an audible voice. Moreover, Allah spoke to Adam and Eve and this took place after the sin had been committed.
The holy books are the Speech of Allah; He spoke their words with all their meanings and expressions through His Own voice. Allah spoke in the Torah in the Hebrew language and in the Qur’an in the comprehensive Arabic tongue; when people recite it they read it in their own language and since it is
Allah’s Speech, it is His Book because it had been written in the Preserved Tablet and in the copies of the Qur’an.
The second group said that Allah, Glory be to Him, speaks, commands, forbids, warns, promises, and threatens by His Speech; the eternal, ancient, unparalleled Speech that can not be compared to that of His creatures. It is neither uttered through a voice that is produced by the vibration of air or the friction of objects nor by the movement of the lips and the tongue. Although the Qur’an is recited by tongues, written
in books, and memorized by hearts, it is ancient and eternal deriving its existence from the Existence of Allah, and it will never be separated, fragmented, nor altered through conveyance to the hearts and papers.
They also said that Moses heard Allah’s Speech without a voice, just as the righteous see the Exalted Self of Allah without an essence in the hereafter; Allah’s Speech is the words of the soul but voices are fragmented into letters which serve as indicators and signals; gestures are used for the same purpose.
Furthermore, if we can understand that Allah has an all-knowing Power, then we can perceive that He has the power to speak with everything that denotes expressions. The Speech of Allah derives its existence from His Existence, is ancient, and so are all His attributes, as it is impossible to think that Allah is subject to events or change.
Thereupon, Allah’s Speech is ancient and the Speech is self-existent; what is recent are the voices that denote it; for instance, when Allah said to Moses, “Therefore, in My presence put off thy shoes” (TA-HA,12), this is a request that had been formulated by Allah since eternity and Moses was addressed after he had been created.
Comment:
The Speech of Allah is not unknown; the manner is unintelligible; believing in it is a must; and any attempt
at knowing the manner or the modality is a rebellion against the teachings of our ancestors.
To the first group we say: If this viewpoint is true, how then was Gabriel revealing to the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, the Qur’an? Sometimes, he came to him in the form of a human being and sometimes the revelation came in the form of the clank of a bell, and this was the most severe, then he would grasp what he was told. How come then this revelation had been revealed through a voice while the Companions had been sitting and heard nothing? Moreover, the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,differentiated between the Speech of Gabriel when he came to him in the form of a human being and the
revelation when it came to him in the form of the clank of a bell.
Furthermore, Allah said, “So We sent this inspiration to the mother of Moses” (QASAS, 7); was this Speech
to the mother of Moses through a voice or was it a mere inspiration as the kind of innate inspiration mentioned in the verse, “And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in men’s habitations” (NAHL, 68).
A letter is uttered when the two lips are brought together and the tongue moves so that the voice is broken into letters. Sounds arise from friction of celestial bodies that produces sound waves and this needs an atmosphere of air because a sound in a vacuum does not exist. That the sound needs a medium to transform it and that the articulated letters need lips to articulate them can not be applied to Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him.
To the second group we say: The fact that Allah created Moses and endowed him with perceptions and audition to enable him to comprehend His Speech that derives its existence from the Existence of His Exalted Self is something, and the direct Speech is something else. Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, said,“..and to Moses God spoke direct” (NISAA’, 164).
Therefore, we must believe that Allah speaks, then we have to entrust the knowledge of the manner and the modality of that speech to Allah, Who is unequaled. Praise and Glory be to Him, He is Allah.
Special Times for Dua
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “A servant is nearest to his Lord when he is in prostration, so increase your supplication when in prostration.” [Muslim, Kitab as-Salah]
Although a Momin remembers Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) all the time, there are some special times and conditions that are considered to be especially favourable for making Dua.
Of the special times for supplication is the day of Arafat from the days of the year, the month of Ramadan from the months of the year, Friday from among the days of the week, and the early morning hours from the times of the day.
Some of the favourable conditions for making Dua are at the time of rain fall, at the time that armies fighting in the way of Allah march out, the time between the Adhan and the Iqama and at the time of being in the position of Sajdah.
The Three States of Self
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The intelligent person is the one who brings his self to account and acts in preparation for what lies beyond his death; and the foolish person is the one who abandons himself to his desires and cravings and expects Allah to fulfill his futile wishes.” [Tirmidhi; Kitab Sifat al-Qiyyamah]
The self/nafs is a single entity, although its state may change: from the self that urges evil (an-nafs al-ammara), to the reproachful self (an-nafs al-lawwama), to the self at peace (an-nafs al-mutma’inna), which is the final aim of perfection. In the Quran, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has described these three states of the self.
Qatadah described the self at peace (an-nafs al-mutma’inna) as “the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah has promised.” When the self can rest at peace in the Presence of Allah, and is made tranquil when His Name is invoked, and always relates all matters to Him, and often turns to Him, and is impatient to meet Him, and experiences the intimacy of His nearness, then this is a soul at peace. It is the soul to whom it is said at the time of death: “O soul at peace, return to your Lord, well pleased and well-pleasing. Enter with My servants, enter into My Garden.” [Quran: Surah al-Fajr, Ayaat 27-30] The self at peace has an angel to help it, who assists and guides it.
The reproachful self (an-nafs al-lawwama) is the one that blames itself because of its shortcomings in obeying Allah. This is the self that endures criticism from others in its quest to please Him, so that no one can find fault with it as regards his worship of Him. This one has escaped being blamed by Allah.
The self that urges evil (an-nafs al-ammara) is inside each person and must be curbed because by its very nature it directs its owner towards every wrong action. “And I do not say that my self is free from blame: surely the self urges evil.” [Quran: Surah Yusuf, Ayat 53] This is the self that brings punishment on itself. It has Shaytaan as its ally who leads it on with hope after hope and presents falsehood to it in a form that it will accept and admire.
Commentary: Nothing is more Precious
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Nothing, it has been said, is more precious than intelligence used in the service of a good and firm management that itself is nourished by the reverential fear of Allah (Taqwa). There is no good neighborliness without evenness of temper; it is based upon the good education that the behavior of each will be judged; without Divine assistance, there is no success to be expected. Similarly, trade with others only profits where, based on virtue, it aspires for sole compensation the Supreme Reward. There is no better Piety than adherence to the limits set by Islam, there is no better Science than that of reflection; there is no better devotion than fulfilling the obligations of Divine institution; there is no better demonstration of Faith than that which is done in discretion; there is no better merit than humility and no nobility except that which comes with Knowledge. Fair share must be made for what the body feels with, always in mind, the idea of the
precariousness of things and of Death
For Allah's Sake
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
Allah will ask on the Day of Judgment: “Where are those who loved each other for the sake of My glory? Today, on a day when there is no shade but Mine, I shall shade them with My shade.” (Muslim)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
“Among Allah’s servants are people who are neither prophets nor martyrs, but whom the prophets and martyrs will deem fortunate because of their high status with Allah.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Inform us of who they are.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told them that they are people who loved each other for Allah’s sake, even without being related to one another or being tied to one another by the exchange of wealth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went on to describe their great reward on the Day of Resurrection: “By Allah, their faces will be luminous and they will be upon light. They will feel no fear when the people will be feeling fear, and they will feel no grief when the people will be grieving.” Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) read the verse: [Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve] (Yunus 10:62). (Abu Dawud)
No Boyfriend & Girlfriend in Islam. “WHY?”
“It is not permissible for a man to look at a woman who is not his wife or un-marriageable relative except for her face and hands (because of the necessity of her need to deal with men in taking and giving and the like). If a man is not safe from lust, he may not look at her face except for when it is demanded by necessity.” [Quduri]
Muslims are also required to lower their gaze when coming into contact with a non-Mahram, as stated in the Holy Qur’an: “Tell believers to lower their gaze, and tell the believing women to lower their gaze.” [Qur’an 24:30, 31]
If a Muslim brother or sister is ready for marriage it is usual for them to ask friends and family if they know of anyone suitable. If a potential partner is found, then meetings between the couple take place in a chaperoned environment. The Prophet Muhammad (ṣall Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “Not one of you should meet a woman alone unless she is accompanied by a relative (mahram).”
This rule is to protect the couple from temptation as they are getting to know each other. Islam is all too aware of our weaknesses as humans and states that Muslims should follow the directions of the Qur’an in lowering their gaze and guarding their modesty.
If the couple agrees to marriage and become engaged, this does not mean that they can then begin a Western-style courtship. Those who believe that they can be alone with their fiance/fiancée have misunderstood the rules of Islam or have accepted foreign influences. Until the marriage takes place, the rules regarding non-mahram relationships still applies and both partners should be aware of this. It is recommended that the couple see each other in the presence of a mahram so that they can find out more about each other and develop feelings for one another. However, no relationship is permitted between the couple until the nikah.
Conclusion
Islam regards the family as the building block of society and, to enable the creation of a family, it requires the commitment of a man and a woman to one another in a lawful and life-long relationship. Because of this, dating, and all the associated problems it brings, is completely at odds with Islamic society
The first group said that speech is attributed to Allah; they derive existence from the Existence of the Exalted Self; He, Glory be to Him, speaks whenever it pleases Him, with His Power. Allah, Glory be to Him, called Moses and called Adam with a voice, but the words and the voice He uttered are an attribute of His Exalted Self, unparalleled and can not be compared to the words and the voices of creatures; He, Glory
be to Him, related in the Qur’an about Jesus, “..and to Moses God spoke direct” (NISAA’, 164). Other Quranic verses denote that Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, really called Moses from behind a veil and not through angels; “And We called him from the right side of Mount Sinai” (MARYAM, 52), and Speech is hence incidental because He said, “When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him” (A‘RAF, 143). So, the Call is proved here; it must be an audible voice. Moreover, Allah spoke to Adam and Eve and this took place after the sin had been committed.
The holy books are the Speech of Allah; He spoke their words with all their meanings and expressions through His Own voice. Allah spoke in the Torah in the Hebrew language and in the Qur’an in the comprehensive Arabic tongue; when people recite it they read it in their own language and since it is
Allah’s Speech, it is His Book because it had been written in the Preserved Tablet and in the copies of the Qur’an.
The second group said that Allah, Glory be to Him, speaks, commands, forbids, warns, promises, and threatens by His Speech; the eternal, ancient, unparalleled Speech that can not be compared to that of His creatures. It is neither uttered through a voice that is produced by the vibration of air or the friction of objects nor by the movement of the lips and the tongue. Although the Qur’an is recited by tongues, written
in books, and memorized by hearts, it is ancient and eternal deriving its existence from the Existence of Allah, and it will never be separated, fragmented, nor altered through conveyance to the hearts and papers.
They also said that Moses heard Allah’s Speech without a voice, just as the righteous see the Exalted Self of Allah without an essence in the hereafter; Allah’s Speech is the words of the soul but voices are fragmented into letters which serve as indicators and signals; gestures are used for the same purpose.
Furthermore, if we can understand that Allah has an all-knowing Power, then we can perceive that He has the power to speak with everything that denotes expressions. The Speech of Allah derives its existence from His Existence, is ancient, and so are all His attributes, as it is impossible to think that Allah is subject to events or change.
Thereupon, Allah’s Speech is ancient and the Speech is self-existent; what is recent are the voices that denote it; for instance, when Allah said to Moses, “Therefore, in My presence put off thy shoes” (TA-HA,12), this is a request that had been formulated by Allah since eternity and Moses was addressed after he had been created.
Comment:
The Speech of Allah is not unknown; the manner is unintelligible; believing in it is a must; and any attempt
at knowing the manner or the modality is a rebellion against the teachings of our ancestors.
To the first group we say: If this viewpoint is true, how then was Gabriel revealing to the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him, the Qur’an? Sometimes, he came to him in the form of a human being and sometimes the revelation came in the form of the clank of a bell, and this was the most severe, then he would grasp what he was told. How come then this revelation had been revealed through a voice while the Companions had been sitting and heard nothing? Moreover, the Prophet, Allah’s Prayers and Peace be upon him,differentiated between the Speech of Gabriel when he came to him in the form of a human being and the
revelation when it came to him in the form of the clank of a bell.
Furthermore, Allah said, “So We sent this inspiration to the mother of Moses” (QASAS, 7); was this Speech
to the mother of Moses through a voice or was it a mere inspiration as the kind of innate inspiration mentioned in the verse, “And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in men’s habitations” (NAHL, 68).
A letter is uttered when the two lips are brought together and the tongue moves so that the voice is broken into letters. Sounds arise from friction of celestial bodies that produces sound waves and this needs an atmosphere of air because a sound in a vacuum does not exist. That the sound needs a medium to transform it and that the articulated letters need lips to articulate them can not be applied to Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him.
To the second group we say: The fact that Allah created Moses and endowed him with perceptions and audition to enable him to comprehend His Speech that derives its existence from the Existence of His Exalted Self is something, and the direct Speech is something else. Allah, Praise and Glory be to Him, said,“..and to Moses God spoke direct” (NISAA’, 164).
Therefore, we must believe that Allah speaks, then we have to entrust the knowledge of the manner and the modality of that speech to Allah, Who is unequaled. Praise and Glory be to Him, He is Allah.
Special Times for Dua
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “A servant is nearest to his Lord when he is in prostration, so increase your supplication when in prostration.” [Muslim, Kitab as-Salah]
Although a Momin remembers Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) all the time, there are some special times and conditions that are considered to be especially favourable for making Dua.
Of the special times for supplication is the day of Arafat from the days of the year, the month of Ramadan from the months of the year, Friday from among the days of the week, and the early morning hours from the times of the day.
Some of the favourable conditions for making Dua are at the time of rain fall, at the time that armies fighting in the way of Allah march out, the time between the Adhan and the Iqama and at the time of being in the position of Sajdah.
The Three States of Self
The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “The intelligent person is the one who brings his self to account and acts in preparation for what lies beyond his death; and the foolish person is the one who abandons himself to his desires and cravings and expects Allah to fulfill his futile wishes.” [Tirmidhi; Kitab Sifat al-Qiyyamah]
The self/nafs is a single entity, although its state may change: from the self that urges evil (an-nafs al-ammara), to the reproachful self (an-nafs al-lawwama), to the self at peace (an-nafs al-mutma’inna), which is the final aim of perfection. In the Quran, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) has described these three states of the self.
Qatadah described the self at peace (an-nafs al-mutma’inna) as “the soul of the believer, made calm by what Allah has promised.” When the self can rest at peace in the Presence of Allah, and is made tranquil when His Name is invoked, and always relates all matters to Him, and often turns to Him, and is impatient to meet Him, and experiences the intimacy of His nearness, then this is a soul at peace. It is the soul to whom it is said at the time of death: “O soul at peace, return to your Lord, well pleased and well-pleasing. Enter with My servants, enter into My Garden.” [Quran: Surah al-Fajr, Ayaat 27-30] The self at peace has an angel to help it, who assists and guides it.
The reproachful self (an-nafs al-lawwama) is the one that blames itself because of its shortcomings in obeying Allah. This is the self that endures criticism from others in its quest to please Him, so that no one can find fault with it as regards his worship of Him. This one has escaped being blamed by Allah.
The self that urges evil (an-nafs al-ammara) is inside each person and must be curbed because by its very nature it directs its owner towards every wrong action. “And I do not say that my self is free from blame: surely the self urges evil.” [Quran: Surah Yusuf, Ayat 53] This is the self that brings punishment on itself. It has Shaytaan as its ally who leads it on with hope after hope and presents falsehood to it in a form that it will accept and admire.
Commentary: Nothing is more Precious
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Nothing, it has been said, is more precious than intelligence used in the service of a good and firm management that itself is nourished by the reverential fear of Allah (Taqwa). There is no good neighborliness without evenness of temper; it is based upon the good education that the behavior of each will be judged; without Divine assistance, there is no success to be expected. Similarly, trade with others only profits where, based on virtue, it aspires for sole compensation the Supreme Reward. There is no better Piety than adherence to the limits set by Islam, there is no better Science than that of reflection; there is no better devotion than fulfilling the obligations of Divine institution; there is no better demonstration of Faith than that which is done in discretion; there is no better merit than humility and no nobility except that which comes with Knowledge. Fair share must be made for what the body feels with, always in mind, the idea of the
precariousness of things and of Death
For Allah's Sake
Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
Allah will ask on the Day of Judgment: “Where are those who loved each other for the sake of My glory? Today, on a day when there is no shade but Mine, I shall shade them with My shade.” (Muslim)
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
“Among Allah’s servants are people who are neither prophets nor martyrs, but whom the prophets and martyrs will deem fortunate because of their high status with Allah.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah! Inform us of who they are.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told them that they are people who loved each other for Allah’s sake, even without being related to one another or being tied to one another by the exchange of wealth. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went on to describe their great reward on the Day of Resurrection: “By Allah, their faces will be luminous and they will be upon light. They will feel no fear when the people will be feeling fear, and they will feel no grief when the people will be grieving.” Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) read the verse: [Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve] (Yunus 10:62). (Abu Dawud)
No Boyfriend & Girlfriend in Islam. “WHY?”
“It is not permissible for a man to look at a woman who is not his wife or un-marriageable relative except for her face and hands (because of the necessity of her need to deal with men in taking and giving and the like). If a man is not safe from lust, he may not look at her face except for when it is demanded by necessity.” [Quduri]
Muslims are also required to lower their gaze when coming into contact with a non-Mahram, as stated in the Holy Qur’an: “Tell believers to lower their gaze, and tell the believing women to lower their gaze.” [Qur’an 24:30, 31]
If a Muslim brother or sister is ready for marriage it is usual for them to ask friends and family if they know of anyone suitable. If a potential partner is found, then meetings between the couple take place in a chaperoned environment. The Prophet Muhammad (ṣall Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam صلى الله عليه وسلم) said, “Not one of you should meet a woman alone unless she is accompanied by a relative (mahram).”
This rule is to protect the couple from temptation as they are getting to know each other. Islam is all too aware of our weaknesses as humans and states that Muslims should follow the directions of the Qur’an in lowering their gaze and guarding their modesty.
If the couple agrees to marriage and become engaged, this does not mean that they can then begin a Western-style courtship. Those who believe that they can be alone with their fiance/fiancée have misunderstood the rules of Islam or have accepted foreign influences. Until the marriage takes place, the rules regarding non-mahram relationships still applies and both partners should be aware of this. It is recommended that the couple see each other in the presence of a mahram so that they can find out more about each other and develop feelings for one another. However, no relationship is permitted between the couple until the nikah.
Conclusion
Islam regards the family as the building block of society and, to enable the creation of a family, it requires the commitment of a man and a woman to one another in a lawful and life-long relationship. Because of this, dating, and all the associated problems it brings, is completely at odds with Islamic society
