HOW A MUSLIM SHOULD DO BUSINESS?

Being Muslims and living is a Muslim majority society (though not completely Islamic in many aspects) we are more responsible than others when it comes to honesty and justice and truthfulness. Since the western system has failed to maintain the truthfulness and quality of business where, society can benefit, now they realize that there needs to be business ethics and “corporate social responsibility” if they want their business to grow. The business solely depends on the society, if people will not take any interest into a business, it will collapse, and therefore the first thing to run a business successfully is to run it truthfully.

ALLAH (swt) says in Holy Quran: 23: 7

“But those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors”

Therefore, to exceed the limits and to ask for more than what is the right share means nothing but to invite anger of ALLAH. History has seen that no matter how successfully the buggers planned but in the end, they ended up with nothing but humiliation. The case of ENRON is the biggest example.

But those, who observe their limits, and do not ask for more than their due share, for them ALLAH says:

Holy Quran: 23: 8-11

“Those who faithfully observe their Trusts and their covenants; And who (strictly) guard their prayers. Those will be the heirs. Who will inherit Paradise: they will dwell therein (forever). “

The above verses indicate that those who do their jobs with truthfulness and those who do not break trusts, they will be the dwellers of paradise. This means that ALLAH swt likes such people.

Quran those duties which ALLAH swt has assigned to man, were first offered to the heavens and earth but they refused to take them because these duties need strong personality and moral uprightness and firm believe in ALLAH swt to bear such great responsibilities. Truthfulness, honesty and moral responsibilities are among those duties assigned by ALLAH.

ALLAH swt has told us to do business but keeping ourselves in the prescribed limits of ALLAH and HIS Messenger s.a.w.w. In surah al-baqarah verse number 282, ALLAH swt told us clearly that whenever undergoing and business or debt deal, we must sign contract and make everything transparent. Similarly, in sahih bukhair chapter 35 Messenger of ALLAH s.a.w.w has told us how to do business and trade.

Muhammad s.a.w.w. said:

“if he does  not strive  diligently to promote their welfare, he will not enter Paradise with them.” 

(Bukhari)

Islam teaches us to be just, dutiful, truthful and honest. How ALLAH’s Messenger s.a.w.w has spent His life is a best example for us. All we need to do is to be good Muslims and we will never need any CSR or business ethics as a part of our code because they are already part of our FAITH and a true Muslim’s faith is in his conscience and in his soul.

ADVISES FOR MUSLIM YOUTH

Life is responsibility given to us by Allah. Therefore to lead it seriously and to understand the duty is what the most important thing to do is. Allah swt has said several times in Quran that to spend life in a way serving HIM is the purpose of life. But there are many few who understand the value of life.

In the age of youth, almost 90 percent of humans waste their time in useless activities. See what happens today. Young boys and girls spend their time in music, dance, driving, partying and they forget to offer the obligations which ALLAH swt has put on every muslim.

Al-Quran 2:281

“And fear the Day when you shall be brought back to ALLAH. Then every person shall be paid what he earned, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly”

To hold the book of deeds in the right hand means to lead a life considering it a responsibility and a trust that has been bestowed on us by ALLAH. We should be more than careful about our deeds when we are young. It is said that young age is the most dangerous age because this is that period of time when emotions are strong and high and logic is covered by them. Hence any step can be taken in any direction if due care is not taken. Shatan likes to shatter the iman of youngsters because children are innocent and shatan;s trick do not influence their innocents minds. In old age, a man already learns enough from his life to take some what sound decisions, but in young age, everything looks right which is thought. And every logic looks absurd and backward. This is why youth should be protected from satan.

The biggest problem with youth is that they fell into the trap of love and emotions easily. The love which is promoted through dramas and movies looks very good and precious but in reality, it is the biggest source to inject the evil practice of zina in society. In islam there is no place for “love” and there is not even a logic behind it. But still novels and biggest writers call it a mystery and unknown. It is neither mystery nor unknown. It is known. it bears no logic because it is a feeling led by wild emotions. Therefore to protect oneself from it should be the primary concern.

Singing and dancing was once considered filth and a degraded act but now it is considered a field of art. The art of emotions and life. There are songs made today especially to attract youth that contain very shirkia words where some times the holy words of Quran are sung with vulgar dance and sometimes God Is cursed. Similarly youth are shown dancing and enjoying life. The common belief in today’s young world is to lead life at full because the fun is full on and this time will not come again. Through the absurd term “fun” , illicit relationship and distance from God is been promoted.

The only target for youth is to be engineer or doctor but they do not want to find what is written in Quran and what was said by Muhammad s.a.w.w. parents like their children to be good at worldly activities but they do not encourage their kids to be good muslims. Young generation knows that there are characters that can find any danger to the world, the concept of God is been wiped out from their minds through high quality fiction movies and cartoons and video games. These video games are not for kids but youngsters through that they learn to kill, to deceive and to steal. They are gradually loosing humanity.

The only advice youth needs is that they should realize their duty and their value. They should read Quran and understand it. They should know how Muhammad s.a.w.w led His life and should learn how the pious muslims competed their duties and died a death of honor and dignity.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A PIOUS WIFE

A pious woman’s priority is to seek the pleasure of Allah. She tries acquiring the qualities of a good wife by following the examples of the Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) and obeying what is commanded in the Book of Allah. Complete obedience and adherence to the Sunnah of the Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) and Quran is the best of a woman’s qualities.

Examples:
A woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, for her fame, for her beauty and for her religion. So marry one for her religion and you will win. [Bukhari & Muslim]

Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands) and guard in their husband’s absence what Allah orders them to guard (e.g. their honor, husbands property, etc) [4:34]

An-Nasaii narrated that the Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) was asked “Who are the best of women?” He replied, “The one who pleases him (her husband) if he looks at her, obeys him if he orders (her) and does not subject her honor or money to what he dislikes.”

Ibn Hibban narrated that the Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, “If a woman prayed five prayers, fasted in Ramadan, protected her honor and obeyed her husband; then she will be told (on the Day of Judgment): enter Paradise from any of its(eight) doors.”

Reflect on:
If a woman harms (in any way) her husband, then his wife in Paradise tells her: “Do not harm him, May Allah fight you, he is only staying temporarily with you. Soon he will come to us.” [Ahmad & At-Tirmithi]

If a man calls his wife to bed and she refuses till he slept while angry, then the Angels will curse her till the morning. [Muslim]

Allah does not look to the woman who does not appreciate her husband while she cannot stand his departing her. [An-Nasaii].

A woman does not fast while her husband is present without his permission, except in Ramadan. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Any woman who asks her husband for divorce for no reason will not smell the fragrance of Paradise. [Sahih Al-Jamii]

The Prophet(Sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) said, “If I were to order anyone to bow down to other than Allah, I would order the wife to do so for her husband. By the One who owns the soul of Muhammad,if a wife does not fulfill her obligations towards her husband, then she will not have fulfilled her obligations towards Allah.” [Ahmad]

MUST A MUSLIM WOMAN BE DRESSED IN BLACK?

In the first place, it should be noted that there are certain requirements for a Muslim woman’s dress. These are:

1) It must cover the whole body with the exception of her face and hands.

2) It must not be tight or transparent.

3) It must not delineate the parts of the body, especially those parts that are sexually attractive.

4) It must not be a dress that is usually worn by men.

There is no specific significance for the black color to say that the dress should be black. In some cultures, certain colors are reserved for men; in such a case, a woman should not wear those colors while in that cultural setting.

Elaborating on this issue, Sheikh Muhmmad Saleh Al-Munajjid, a prominent Muslim scholar and Saudi lecturer, issues the following fatwa:

It is not one of the conditions pertaining to the Muslim woman’s dress that it should be black. A woman may wear whatever she wants, so long as she does not wear a color that is only for men [according to the custom of the country], and she does not wear a garment that is an adornment in itself, that is, decorated and adorned in such a way that it attracts the gaze of men, because of the general meaning of the verse: ‘and not to show off their adornment…’ (An-Nur 24:31)

This general meaning includes the outer garment, if it is decorated. Abu Dawud narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah from attending the mosques of Allah, but let them go out unadorned.’

In the Fatwas of the Standing Committee for Fatwa and Research in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia we read:

It is not permissible for a woman to go out in a decorated garment that attracts people’s gaze, because this is something that tempts men.

The dress of the Muslim woman need not only be black. It is permissible for her to wear any color of clothing so long as it covers her `awrah (the parts of the body that have to be covered), does not resemble men’s clothing, and is not so tight as to show the shape of her limbs or so thin as to show what is beneath it, and does not provoke temptation.

It is not a must for women to wear black. They may wear other colors that are worn only by women, do not attract attention, and do not provoke desire.

Many women choose to wear black, not because it is obligatory, but because it is farthest removed from being an adornment. There are reports that indicate that the women of the Companions used to wear black. Abu Dawud narrated that Umm Salamah said: ‘When the words ‘and to draw their veils all over juyubihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms [one interpretation of the meaning])’ (An-Nur: 31) were revealed, the women of the Ansar (Helpers) went out looking as if there were crows on their heads because of their garments.’

This is to be understood as meaning that those clothes were black in color.

Allah Almighty knows best.

WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO PERFORM TAHAJJUD?

Tahajjud Prayer is part of the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), which Muslims are preferred to follow all the time.

In his famous work, Fiqh As-Sunnah, Sheikh Sayyid Sabiq elaborates on the subject as follows:

Ordering His Messenger to perform Tahajjud, Allah Almighty says what means:

{And during a part of the night, pray Tahajjudbeyond what is incumbent on you; maybe your Lord will raise you to a position of great glory.} (Al-Israa’ 17:79)

This order, although it was specifically directed to the Prophet, also refers to all Muslims, since the Prophet is a perfect example and guide for us in all matters.

Moreover, performing Tahajjud Prayers regularly qualifies one as one of the righteous and makes one earn Allah’s bounty and mercy. In praising those who perform the late night Prayers, Allah says what means:

{And they who pass the night prostrating themselves before their Lord and standing.}(Al-Furqan 25:64)

Next to these Quranic verses, there also exist a number of hadiths that reinforce the importance of Tahajjud.

`Abdullah ibn Salam reported:

“When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah, the people gathered around him and I was one of them. I looked at his face and understood that it was not the face of a liar. The first words I heard him say were: ‘O people, spread the salutations, feed the people, keep the ties of kinship, and pray during the night while the others sleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace.’” (At-Tirmidhi.)

Salman Al-Farsi quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:

“Observe the night Prayer; it was the practice of the righteous before you and it brings you closer to your Lord and it is penance for evil deeds and erases the sins and repels disease from the body.” (At-Tabarani)

Etiquette of Prayer

The following acts are recommended for one who wishes to perform the Tahajjud Prayer:

Upon going to sleep, one should make the intention to perform the Prayers. Abu Ad-Darda’ quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:“Whoever goes to his bed with the intention of getting up and praying during the night, but, being overcome by sleep, fails to do that, he will have recorded for him what he has intended, and his sleep will be reckoned as a charity (an act of mercy) for him from his Lord.” (An-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah)

On waking up, it is recommended that one wipes the face, use a toothbrush, and look to the sky and make the supplication which has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Abu Hudhaifa reported:

“Whenever the Prophet intended to go to bed, he would recite: (With Your name, O Allah, I die and I live).” And when he woke up from his sleep, he would say: (All the Praises are for Allah Who has made us alive after He made us die (sleep) and unto Him is the Resurrection.)” (Al-Bukhari)

One should begin with two quick rak`ahs and then one may pray whatever one wishes after that. `A’ishah said:“When the Prophet prayed during the late-night, he would begin his Prayers with two quick rak`ahs.”(Muslim)It is recommended that one wakes up one’s family, for Abu Hurairah quoted the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:“May Allah bless the man who gets up during the night to pray and wakes up his wife and who, if she refuses to get up, sprinkles water on her face. And may Allah bless the woman who gets up during the night to pray and wakes up her husband and who, if he refuses, sprinkles water on his face.” (Ahmad)

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also said:“If a man wakes his wife and prays during the night or they pray two rak`ahs together, they will be recorded among those (men and women) who (constantly) make remembrance of Allah.” (Abu Dawud.)

If one gets sleepy while performing Tahajjud, one should sleep. This is based on the hadith narrated by Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), who quoted Allah’s Messenger as saying:“When one of you gets up during the night for Prayer and his Quranic recital gets mixed up to the extent that he does not know what he says, he should lie down.” (Muslim.)

Recommended Time for Tahajjud

Tahajjud may be performed in the early part of the night, the middle part of the night, or the latter part of the night, but after the obligatory `Isha’ Prayer (night Prayer).

While describing the Prophet’s way of performing Prayer, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“If we wanted to see him praying during the night, we could see him praying. If we wanted to see him sleeping during the night, we could see him sleeping. And sometimes he would fast for so many days that we thought he would not leave fasting throughout that month. And sometimes he would not fast (for so many days) that we thought he would not fast during that month.” (Al-Bukhari, Ahmad and An-Nasa’i.)

Commenting on this subject, Ibn Hajar says:

“There was no specific time in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would perform his late night Prayer; but he used to do whatever was easiest for him.”

Best Time for Tahajjud

It is best to delay this Prayer to the last third portion of the night. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:

“Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: ‘Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him? Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?’” (Al-Bukhari)

Amr ibn Absah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying:

“The closest that a slave comes to his Lord is during the middle of the latter portion of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allah the Exalted One at that time, then do so.” (At-Tirmidhi)

The Number of Rak`ahs in Tahajjud

Tahajjud Prayer does not entail a specific number of rak`ahs that must be performed, nor is there any maximum limit that may be performed. It would be fulfilled even if one prayed just one rak`ah of Witrafter `Isha’.

Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

“The Messenger of Allah ordered us to pray during the night, a little or a lot, and to make the last of the Prayer the Witr Prayer.” (At-Tabarani and Al-Bazzar)

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF THE FIVE DAILY PRAYERS?

Praying five times a day is considered so important to Muslims that we call it one of the Five Pillars of Islam. In other words, along with the declaration of faith, fasting in Ramadan, paying of Zakat and going on pilgrimage once in one’s life to Makkah, prayer is considered essential if we are to call ourselves Muslims.

As with everything in Islam, there is a reason behind all the things we do. Sometimes, if we don’t understand these underlying reasons, many things can just appear as external rules and regulations. Modern men and women are not looking for extra burdens to put on their backs, so there is much more to praying than observing a regulation.

Contrary to what many people think, there is much more to prayer than just asking for things! Of course, we ask things of Almighty God, but we can also spend time thanking Him and praising Him. Indeed, the angels in heaven exist just to do this.

In the holy Quran we read: 
{Most surely, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find solace.}(13:28)

In the Call to Prayer (the Adhan), which is called from the mosque five times a day, the caller says these words: “Come to prayer. Come to Success.” In the Call for the Morning Prayer, he even adds the phrase, “Prayer is better than sleep.”

There is really nothing more beautiful in a Muslim country to wake up in the morning to hear Allah’s name being mentioned from every part of the city. Even for those who are the only Muslims in their town, though, the morning Call to Prayer reminds them just how beautiful a gift prayer really is.

Imagine an air-raid siren being sounded in time of war. People hear the siren and run as fast as they can to take cover from the bombs that would soon be falling on them.

The Adhan is like this air-raid siren, but instead of calling people to take shelter from bombs it is asking them to come to God Almighty and take shelter from the cares of this life. You see, prayer is not an escape from reality. It is an escape to reality. In prayer we can put all things in perspective and see what is really important in life.

When our foreheads are touching the ground in prayer we can’t fool anyone. Maybe in life we manage to fool others by the way we dress or by the words we use. Sometimes we even manage to fool ourselves. But Allah is not to be fooled. He not only created the heavens and the earth and everything in between, but He also knows every leaf that falls from every tree. This is why we can truly be ourselves in His presence when we pray.

For Muslims, praying is not a regulation. It is a gift.

So why five prayers, and why at certain set times during the day? You know, of all the Pillars of Islam, praying five times a day was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in heaven. At first, he was told that Muslims should pray fifty times, but Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) urged Muhammad to go back and say that this was too much.

Allah Almighty then said ten times, and again Moses (peace be upon him) persuaded Muhammad (peace be upon him) to plead that this was too much. Finally, Muhammad (peace be upon him) was told that Muslims must pray five times a day, and Allah added, “I have enforced My obligation and made it light for my servants. He who prays these five prayers will be rewarded as if he had prayed fifty. What I decree cannot be changed.” (Al-Bukhari)

The regulation of praying at certain set times is not just a random idea. The whole idea is to permeate the whole of one’s day with the remembrance of Allah. Some new Muslims say that they lead very busy lives and ask if it is OK to say all the five prayers together in the evening when they have more time.

It is precisely because we live busy lives that we must pray at certain times. The times are simple: when we get up, at noon, in the middle of the afternoon, in the early evening and at night. By praying at these set times we give a routine of prayer to our day. We wake up thinking of Allah and we spend the day interrupting all of our busyness to think of Him again.

So, if you are new to Islam is it easy to adjust to the routine of praying at five fixed times a day? Well, in my own case it certainly wasn’t easy and it took me some time to get used to it. So if at first you are not feeling all that uplifted by getting up to pray at four in the morning, stick with it. The routine itself will help you. By doing good things we become good people. The routine of prayer will make you a better Muslim.

A few simple tips might help. If you find it difficult to get up for the Dawn Prayer, then buy yourself a loud alarm clock, or even two or three, and have them so far out of your reach that you have to get up to turn them off! You might at first even get your telephone company to give you a wake-up call.

As well as an alarm clock, you can also get an alarm clock that will sound the call to Prayer five times a day. There are many Muslim bookshops that sell these and you could probably even get one online. This kind of clock is especially helpful if you live in a country where the Adhan is not called publicly. If that is not possible, set your mobile phone to vibrate and be reminded of the prayer times even while you are in the office!

A problem people sometimes have in prayer is that they are distracted and cannot concentrate. Well, it all depends on how well prepared we are. If we are going to our prayers straight from watching a football match or a sitcom on the TV, then our thoughts will not be on Allah alone. So we need to take time in preparing for prayer.

This, in fact, is what the Ablution gives us time to do. As we wash away the dirt that clings to our bodies, we prepare for the prayer to wash away the dirt that clings to our hearts and our lives.

So, for those new to Islam, setting off on a journey of prayer will bring great benefits. The greatest one of all is that it will help us to put our lives into perspective, seeing that all things come from Allah and that it is to Allah that all will return.

JESUS... A FOLLOWER OF MUHAMMAD (PBUH)

The Second Coming of Jesus

There are a large number of authentic sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that clearly indicate the second coming of Jesus.

Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet as saying:

By the One in Whose hand is my self, definitely the son of Mariam will soon descend among you as a just judge, and he will break the cross, kill the pig and abolish the jizyah, and wealth will be so abundant that no one will accept it, until a single prostration will be better than the world and everything in it. (Al-Bukhari)

Jabir ibn `Abdullah said, "I heard the Prophet saying, 'A party of my nation will never stop fighting for the truth victoriously until the Day of Rising.' He said, 'Then Jesus son Mary (peace be upon him) will descend and their amir will say, "Come and lead us in prayer," but he will say, "No. Some of you are amirs over others," as Allah's showing honor to this nation.'" (Muslim)

A Follower of Muhammad

The above two hadiths show that according to Islam, Jesus will return to the earth as a follower of the final Prophet Muhammad. And at the second coming, it is inconceivable that Jesus will bring a new Law.

Even at the first coming, he was working within the framework of the earlier Law of Moses. So, if Jesus does not follow the Law of Muhammad, he should follow the Law of Moses, which is most unlikely.

We should remember that the religion of Allah has been completed through the final Prophet, and so there is no question of another Law at all; so Jesus has got to follow the Law of Muhammad.

We know that some "Christians" do not follow Jesus. They follow St Paul and his version of the religion of Jesus. So one of the first duties of Jesus will be to bring the Christians back to the true religion he preached and practiced, namely submission to the One God.

Also, the Jews who are still waiting for the Messiah will be made to realize that the real Messiah was indeed Jesus and they need to recognize that fact, and follow the Messiah (Christ) Jesus.

When the Christians and the Jews follow Jesus, they will be Muslims. By the second coming of Jesus, the confusions regarding Jesus will disappear and we can imagine a situation where Jews, Christians and Muslims join together to pray behind Islam's prophet Jesus, or behind a Muslim Imam.

Three Expectations

One important point to note in this connection is the correlation between the expectations about the coming of a prophet or messiah in all the three Abrahamic religions.

Jews expect the Mashiach (Messiah; literally "the Anointed One" ) as a political and military deliverer and king. The Christians believe the Messiah to be a divine incarnation and "savior", who came to liberate the people from sin. And the Muslims believe the Messiah to be a sign to the world sent by God with a significant prophetic mission to the Children of Israel.

In all the three cases the word, Messiah (Arabic: Masih) is used for the expected prophet. Both Christians and Muslims believe Jesus to be the Messiah, while the Jews reject him and continue to expect the Messiah even now.

No one can deny the continuity of the same religious tradition through the three religions, though sectarianism has clouded the whole issue of common religious heritage.

One of the important links among the three religions ought to be the Messiah; especially as he serves as a link between Judaism and Islam. Because, he is the expected Messiah of the Jews, who clearly foretells to his followers of the coming of the Paracletos – the final Prophet.

Besides, he is properly described by Allah Almighty in the Qur'an as a "sign" to the world. But most people did not properly understand the sign and consequently misconstrued his mission.

Jews Believing in Jesus?

As Jesus was a sign from Allah, there was an aura of wonder and mystery around him, which caused a lot of speculation among his followers after his time.

And there ought to be a way of clearing the cloud of mystery around Jesus before the end of the world. So Allah Almighty says in the Qur'an what means:

*{That they said in boast, "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah";- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no certain knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not. Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment he will be a witness against them…}* (An-Nisaa' 4:157-159)

Indeed these verses have generated a lot of controversy about the implication of certain words. A few points are worthy of note here:

The reference is clearly to the future; and the verse tells us of something that will happen in the future which will make the People of the Book to believe in Jesus. And we should note that by "the People of the Book" not merely the Christians but also the Jews are meant.

Referring to the doubts and confusion in the minds of the people (i.e. People of the Book) regarding "the death" and the "raising" of Jesus, Allah emphatically tells us that they did neither kill him nor crucify him; but raised him up to Himself.

Believing in Jesus

The verses quoted above clearly say that all the People of the Book will believe in Jesus before he dies. Obviously, "believe in him" indicates the right belief about Jesus, that is, that Jesus was a prophet of God preaching His Oneness.

We know that neither the present day Jews nor the present day Christians have this belief about Jesus. So the reference in the verse is obviously about future Jews and Christians who will be made to realize the truth about the Messiah and will have to accept that truth.

The occasion for this is when Jesus himself appears again and clears all misunderstandings about him. And then the Jews will realize that he was the Messiah they were expecting; and the Christians will realize that he was not the Son of God who died on the cross. And if there are any Muslims who reject the return of Jesus, they too will realize the truth about him.

And in the above verse, we may note the expression "before he dies". This expression is attributed to People of the Book sometimes; i.e. in the sense of "before their death".

But this cannot be; if so it would mean that all the Jews and Christians who lived after Jesus' time would realize the truth of Jesus before their death till Judgment Day.This is most unlikely. Rather the correct meaning of the verse must be that Jesus, on his second coming will bring the Jews and the Christians of that future time, not only to the truth of himself, but also to the true religion.

A careful evaluation of all the points related to the matter would lead us to the conclusion that Islam teaches that Jesus will come again and he will not bring a new Law then; so he would follow the Law of Muhammad.

ANSWERS TO SEVEN QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM

1. What is Islam?

The word "Islam" is an Arabic word that means"submitting and surrendering your will to Almighty God". The word comes from the same root as the Arabic word"salam", which means peace. Unlike the names used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, the name for the religion of Islam was both revealed by God and carries a deep spritual meaning—only by submitting one's will to Almighty God can one obtain true peace both in this life and in thelife hereafter. Islam teaches that all religions originally had the same essential message—which was to submit whole-heartedly to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone. For this reason, Islam is not a new religion but is the same divinely revealed Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

2. Who are Muslims?

The Arabic word "Muslim" literally means "someone who submits to the will of God". The message of Islam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World—from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia—it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups and nationalities. From the very beginning, Islam had a universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed will of Almighty God. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. In the past, even though you don't see it as much today, the word"Mohammedans" was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a misnomer and is the result of either willful distortion or sheer ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone or anything besides Almighty God.

3. Who is Allah?

Very often one will here the Arabic word "Allah" being used in regards to Islam. The word "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word "Allah" being use where the word "God" is used in English. Actually, the Arabic word for Almighty God, "Allah", is quite similiar to the word for God in other Semitic languages—for example, the Hebrew word for God is "Elah". For various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians. This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islam calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all of the other prophets. However, even though Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God—since there is only one God—their concepts concerning Him differ in some significant ways.

4. Who is Muhammad?

The last and final prophet that God sent to humanity was the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many reasons, but mainly because the results of his mission have brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet. Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some religions believe their prophets to be manifestions of God, "God Incarnate" or the "Son of God". All of these false ideas lead to the creature being worshipped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad always emphasized that he was only a human-being tasked with the preaching of God's message. He taught Muslims to refer to him as "the Messenger of God and His Slave". To Muslims, Muhammad is the supreme example for all people—he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbor husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history. Muslims don't need to have "faith" that he existed and that his teachings are preserved—they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad that he had be sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or forgotten God's messages, God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad. This was because Almighty God promised not to send another messenger after him. Since all of God's messengers have preached the message of Islam—i.e. submission to the will of God and the worship of God alone—Muhammad is actually the last prophet of Islam, not the first.

5. What are the Teachings of Islam?

The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Unity of God. This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Him. Truly believing in the Unity of God means much more than simply believing that there is "One God"—as opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions that claim belief in "One God" and believe that ultimately there is only one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Islam, however, not only insists on this, but also rejects using such words as "Lord" and "Savior" for anyone besides Almighty God. Islam also rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone. Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and Merciful. The essence of falsehood is the claim that God cannot deal with and forgive His creatures directly. By over-emphasizing the burden of sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive you directly, false religions seek to get people to despair of the Mercy of God. Once they are convinced that they cannot approach God directly, people can be mislead into turning to false gods for help. These "false gods" can take various forms, such as saints, angels, or someone who is believed to be the "Son of God" or "God Incarnate". In almost all cases, people who worship, pray to or seek help from a false god don't consider it to be, or call it, a"god". They claim belief in One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others beside God only to get closer to Him. In Islam, there is a clear distinction between the Creator and the created. There is no ambiguity in divinity—anything that is created is not deserving of worship and only the Creator is worthy of being worshipped. Some religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation, and this has led people to believe that they can worship something created in order to reach their Creator. Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and beyond comprehension—He has no "Son", partners or associates. According to Muslim belief, Almighty God "does not beget nor was He begotten"—neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or metaphysically—He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why is called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Almighty God has created the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the Unity of God is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic belief that effects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of life. As a logical corollary to the Islamic belief in the Oneness of God, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.

6. What is the Qur'an?

It is the final revelation of the will of Almighty God's to all of mankind, which was conveyed through the Angel Gabriel, in Arabic, to the Prophet Muhammad in its sounds, words and meanings. The Qur'an, sometimes spelled Koran, was relayed to the Prophet's companions, which they memorized verbatim, and which has been publicly and continually recited by them and their successors until the present day. In short, the Qur'an is the book of guidance from God par excellence. The Qur'an is still memorized and taught by millions of people. The language of the Qur'an, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of people, so unlike the scriptures of other religions, the Qur'an is still read in its original language by countless millions of people. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'an, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur'an was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'an word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'an was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to the teachings of the Qur'an - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'an focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Qur'an contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'anic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today.

7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?

In the Holy Qur'an, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'an, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral. 

HOW TO BEHAVE WITH YOUR WIFE (LIFE PARTNER)

HOW TO BEHAVE WITH YOUR WIFE (LIFE PARTNER)???

Allah Subhanawa Ta'la said in the holy Quran; “And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is

reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise.”

[The Holy Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:228]

Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu AlayhiWassallam (PBUH) Says that;

(You never spend anything but you will be rewarded for it, even the morsel of food that you lift to your wife’s mouth) [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6352;

Muslim, 1628]

(The best of you are those who are the best to their wives, and I am the best of you to my wives) [Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3895; Ibn Maajah, 1977; classed as  saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al- Tirmidhi]

HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MENTIONING THE NAME OF ALLAH BEFORE EATING

"Mentioning the name of Allah before eating."

It is obligatory to mention the name of Allaah before eating. What is meant by that is saying “Bismillaah (in the name of Allaah)” when starting to eat.

It was narrated from Umm Kalthoom from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allaah Sallallahu alaihi wasallam said:
“When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allaah. If he forgets to mention the name of Allaah at the beginning, then let him say ‘Bismillaahi awwalahu wa aakhirahu (In the name of Allaah at the beginning and at the end).’”

(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1858;
Abu Dawood, 3767;
Ibn Maajah, 3264.
Classed as sahih by al-Albaani in Sahih Sunan Abi Dawood, 3202).

And ‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah said: I was a young boy in the care of the Messenger of Allaah MuhammedSallallaho alaihi wasallam, and my hand used to wander all over the platter (of food).
The Messenger of Allaah Muhammed Sallallaho alaihi wasallam, said to me,
“O young boy, say Bismillaah, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is directly in front of you.”

(Narrated by Al-Bukhaari, 3576; Muslim, 2022).

From this hadith, we deduce three etiquettes:

1.Say bismillah before you start eating
2.Eat with your right hand
3.Eat what’s closest to you–don’t grab that tasty tidbit from the opposite side of the plate!

•Notes:
The Prophet (pbuh) informs us that shaitaan shares food and drink with those people who DO NOT mention the name of Allah.

- The pronouncement of Allah’s name beings blessing to the meal, and the omission of His Name robs the blessing away.

May Allah allow us all to understand and comprehend the greatness and completeness of our perfect and eternal deen, ameen!

THE TOP 10 RICHEST PEOPLE ON EARTH

THE TOP 10 RICHEST PEOPLE ON EARTH

10. Mukesh Ambani- Net Worth: $27.0 Billion.

9. Eike Batista- Net Worth: $30.0 Billion.

8. Amancio Ortega- Net Worth: $31.0 Billion.

7. Lakhsmi Mittal- Net Worth: $31.1 Billion.

6. Lawrence Ellison- Net Worth: $39.5 Billion.

5. Bernard Arnault- Net Worth: $41.0 Billion.

4. Warren Buffett- Net Worth: $50.0 Billion.

3. Bill Gates- Net Worth: $56.0 Billion.

2. Carlos Slim Helu- Net Worth: $74.0 Billion.

1. The ONE who prays the two rak'ah (units of prayer) Sunnah of Fajar (the pre dawn prayer).

The Messenger peace be upon him said: "The two rak'ah (sunnah) of the Fajar prayer are better than this World and ALL it contains.'' [Sahih Muslim]