Moving On.

So I'm finally saying a good-bye to this blog. It was meant to end at one point or another and I guess I'm ending it a bit earlier than anticipated.  In some ways, it shows my progression as a student of Islamic knowledge.  Some of the posts might be really awesome on this blog, others I disagree with myself now as Alhumdulilah, Allah (SWT) has blessed me with deeper and more knowledge.

Anyway, inshaAllah, I'm starting a new blog currently titled "In Search of the Creator". I'm planning on transcribing some of my recent Tafseer classes that I've taken as well as summarize a book relevant to our times. So here it is, http://insearchforthecreator.blogspot.com/

The Muqallid/ Ghair Muqallid Controversy (Part 1)

Ok, so this controversy, I’m going to work my way towards it, inshaAllah, instead of giving you the final verdict. Also, this discussion isn’t just about people, it’s has a lot to do with understanding the principles of our religion. 

I got this advice from a friend not too long ago. ‘Stay away from the Ghair Muqallids’. A couple years back, I read a book about how one should not do Taqleed (the book wasn’t really impressive by the way.) Just the other day, I was talking to another friend, and he talked about his cousin was pressuring him to not become a Ghair-Muqallid. He didn’t even know what the term meant. Yeah, so this controversy is all the rage here in Pakistan. But what do these terms even mean? Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Why? Let’s take a step back and reexamine this issue.

What’s Taqleed?

So the first question, what is Taqleed?

In the Arabic language, Taqleed literally means placing something around the neck. The word for necklace in Arabic is Qilaadah. Technically speaking, however, it means following a qualified scholarship. Some add to this “uncritical following of a qualified scholarship”.

The Four Madhabs

Taqleed stems from the concept of following the four Madhahib, schools of thought. To summarize this whole concept, in the early days of Islam, starting from the era of the Tabi’een, the generation after the Sahabah, there were huge scholars of our religion whom people would listen to and learn from. Each scholar had his own way of understanding the religion. (Which is normal really, we all think differently, no two people think alike in all circumstances.) All of these scholars each had many, many students and so they formed their own ‘schools’ in a sense where they would teach the religion in a particular way and their students would follow them. These different ways were very similar and in fact the scholars agreed on more things than they differed.

There were about a dozen of these scholars (some were contemporaries, others were of different generations), but in the end only 4 (in some senses 5) of these schools survived. (A side note, as Imam Shafi said the reason for the survival of some of them and not of others was because of their students. Those who had students zealous in spreading the Madhab caused the Madhab to prosper. ) And they are the schools of Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Each of these schools has its own set of rules with regard to Ibadah and Ma’llamaat (dealings). Though these rules and regulations differ from each other to some extent, they are all based upon each scholar and his students’ understanding of the Quran and Sunnah.

To explain, how these scholars differed let’s take an example which inshaAllah, if you study properly you’ll be able to learn a lot from it.

Issue: Are you allowed to face the Qiblah when relieving yourself?

The scholars had three major (note the word major here) opinions concerning this issue:

1. One is forbidden to face or turn ones back to the Qiblah.(Imam Abu Haanifa’s Madhab, One narration of Imam Ahmed’s Narration, Abu Ayub Al-Ansari (R) )
2. It is permissible to face the Qiblah while answering the call of nature.
   (Imam a-Dhaahiri’s opinion – his Madhab is non-existent these days but still codified, Urwa Ibn Zubayr (R) )
3. It is permissible if you are inside, and there is a partition between you and outside. If you are not inside then it is not allowed. (Imam AshShafi’s Madhab, Imam Malik’s Madhab, Abdullah Ibn Umar (R), and a stronger narration of Imam Ahmed).

Proofs used by the Scholars on this Issue:

1.       Proof used by the scholars who supported the first opinion:

Abu Ayoub Al-Ansaaree(R) reported from Allah’s Messenger (SAW ) that he said:

“When you go to relieve yourselves or urinate, then do not face the Qiblah nor turn your back to it. Instead turn (your direction) to the east or the west.” (AlBukhari and Muslim)

This hadith is of an extremely high level of authenticity. Furthermore, this hadith was directed to the people of Madinah because to them the Qiblah was facing the direction of the south. In the first hadeeth of Abu Ayoub (R), turning towards the east or west was specified because Madinah was located towards the south. So facing East or West would be away from the Qiblah.

2.       Proof used by the scholars who supported the second opinion:

Ibn ‘Umar (R) narrated:

“I ascended the roof of the house of Hafsah (R) and saw the Messenger of Allah (SAW) sitting on two bricks facing Jerusalem (Bait al-Maqdis) for relieving himself.” (alBukhari and Muslim.)

Another Hadith that has a very high level of authenticity.

3.       Proof used by scholars who supported the third opinion:

Abdullah Ibn Umar(R) narrated:

Marwan al-Asfar (R) said: “I saw Ibn Umar make his camel kneel down facing the Qiblah, then he sat down urinating in its direction. So I said: Abu Abdur Rahman, has this not been forbidden? He replied: Why not, that was forbidden only in open country; but when there is something between you and the Qiblah that conceals you, then there is no harm” (Abu Da’wood).

As you can see, all 3 opinions with regards to this matter have proof established from the Quran and Sunnah. In other words, all of them are correct to follow. But here’s the real question. What should I do? Which one is strongest? First of all, let us look at critically look at the issue,

Reasons for Disagreement and Conclusions

The Prophet’s (SAW) actions in the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (see above) contradict his saying in Abu Ayub’s (R). To resolve this, the majority of scholars state that if one is within the confines of one’s home, it is okay to face the Qiblah. Those who say that it’s not permissible at any place say that while the Prophet (SAW) was urinating, he did not know that anybody else saw him. This was done in private. He wasn’t expecting anybody to see it. So, this could specifically be just for the Prophet (SAW). For example, the tahajjud prayer was obligatory on the Prophet (SAW), but not on us.

The Companions themselves (Abu Ayub Al-Ansari, Abdullah Ibn Umar and Urwah ibn Zubair) differed on this issue. If they differed, and it is not from the four khulafah (the four great successors), then we need to go back to the Sunnah.

If there is an order from the Prophet (SAW) “to do” and “not to do,” then the order “not to do” takes over.

We should try to follow the order as much as we can, but we should never come even close to a prohibition.

The Strongest Opinion

According to Shaykh AbdulBary Yahya (who taught me about this issue), his verdict was that Imam Abu Hanifa’s opinion is the strongest. Why? Because of the following established principle of Islam:

Whenever the actions of the Messenger (SAW) contradict his sayings, we take his sayings over his actions. The Messenger’s (SAW) sayings always take precedence over his actions.

Why? Because the Messenger’s (SAW) sayings are directed to us, the Muslim Ummah. His (SAW)’s actions might be applicable and permissible only to him alone. For example, the tahajjud prayer was compulsory for the Messenger (SAW) but not for us. Allahu'alam.

End of this part for now. InshaAllah, I'll try to finish the discussion in the next part.

Du’a – The Network Link to the Creator

This was an article I published in my university web tech magazine 5 months ago, forgot to put it on my blog. 

Think about this. What if you had a 1000 Gbps dedicated connection with Allah, one that would reach the highest heaven instantaneously. No monthly bandwidth, unlimited use and absolutely free. With that connection, you could ask him anything you want, and he guaranteed that he would either fulfill it, or give you something better in return. All you would have to do is type in the correct URL by directing your hands and heart up to Allah (SWT). Would you avail it? How much would you avail it? Would you be stingy in using your free connection? Leaving it for once every week, or once daily before you go to sleep? We all have that special connection, Du’a, yet many of us utilize it so rarely that it seems as if it is a burden for ourselves. Here is a list of 7 reasons why you shouldn’t procrastinate in making Du’a.

An act of Worship

What if there existed this website that every time you visit it, you get some bonus, some credits, or some other perks? Irrespective of whether you sign up to a special offer, browse a few pages or simply look at the homepage. Well that’s the exact case with Allah. Every time, you make du’a, you utilize your free connection, you are rewarded with the currency of the Akhirah.  Yes, you heard that right. When you hold your hands up to Allah (SWT) asking something for yourself or for others, irrespective of whether you get it or not, Allah (SWT) rewards you for it. It is an act of worship like Salah, Fasting, obeying your parents, helping your neighbor, etc.  The Prophet (SAW) said, “The best form of worship is du’a”.

The weapon of the weak and the wronged

Internet companies have an unspoken rule. The more you pay, the better connection you have. So, usually what happens is that the rich, powerful people have extremely fast internet connections while the poor, weak people have a slow internet speeds (maybe not even broadband). This rule doesn’t apply with Allah at all. In fact, many times the opposite happens. Two determining factors in a Du’a’s acceptance is a person’s sincerity and his humble appearance. The more you are sincere with Allah (SWT) while making du’a, the higher is the acceptance rate. One of the Ulemah of the past stated: “It is said a du’a is never responded to quickly except for a person who is sincere, or one who has been wronged.”

Through many examples in the Quran and the Sunnah, Allah (SWT) has taught us that the weapon of those who have been oppressed and have nothing is Du’a. When Musa (A), whose people were oppressed and tortured by Fir’aun, made Du’a, Allah (SWT) caused their means of sustenance (the Nile) to kill them. When Jurayj, a pious individual who had been accused of committing adultery and his house destroyed, made Du’a, Allah (SWT) redeemed his reputation and reconstructed his house. When a young man, sent for execution in the middle of the sea, made Du’a, Allah (SWT) caused those with him to be killed yet he remained alive.

One of the Most Noble Acts in the Sight of Allah

Ever wonder why this connection works? I mean why do we have this free hotline? It’s because of what you are doing when you are asking Allah. When a person makes Du’a, he submits himself to his Lord. It is as if he is saying, O Allah (SWT), I am incapable of having my request fulfilled, I cannot control my own affairs without your Will. So I ask you and you only, who is All-Powerful, to fulfill my request. This is one of the reasons why the Prophet (SAW) said: “There is nothing that is more noble in the sight of Allah than Du’a”.

The Only Cause of Allah’s Concern for us

FaceBook offers its services free because it gets all its money from advertisements. In other words, it makes money off people looking at advertisements and clicking on the ads. FaceBook wants you to visit their page, so it can implicitly get money from you. With Allah, Al-Karim (the Most Generous), it’s the exact opposite. Allah (SWT) wants you to make du’a to him, visit His URL, so that you can ask Him and he can respond to you demands. Moreover, du’a is the only reason that Allah (SWT) cares about us. As Allah (SWT) states in the Qur’an:
“Say (O Muhammad): My Lord only pays attention to you because of your du’a towards Him. But now you have rejected (Him), so the (torment) will you yours permanently.”

A Dialogue with the Creator

Du’a is communication with Allah (SWT), not that Google stuff where you type in a few keywords and get algorithm-based results. And so though you won’t be getting any verbal response from Allah (SWT), you are in a dialogue with the Creator. So what does this mean?

You believe that Allah is hearing you, hoping for Allah’s response, and fearing its delay. You call upon Allah with His most beautiful Names and Attributes. Your eman increases, as do your hopes and fears increase and your Love of Allah increases. At the same time, you remembers your sins, for sins are like closed doors which prevent the du’a from being responded to, and you fear that, because of these sins, your du’a will be rejected. So you repent to Allah, and changes your life, striving to please Allah, realizing that only Allah can change your situation, and thus in the process, you develop a new relationship with Allah. [1]

Guaranteed Return

Ever spent so much time on something and then found out that all your hard work was going to waste? With du’a, the opposite is true, there is no du’a that is left unanswered.[2] So if you’re asking for that Lamborghini, either you’ll be getting that or something similar (or even better) or you’ll be averted from some similar evil that was predestined for you. So why wait? Open up that browser, click go and start making du’a right away. Jabir bin ‘Abdillah stated that the Prophet (SAW) said :
“There is no person who asks Allah for anything except that Allah gives it to him, or keeps away from him a similar evil, as long as he does not ask for something evil or for breaking the ties of kinship”. At this, a person said to the Prophet (SAW): “In that case, he will ask for plenty!” The Prophet (SAW) responded: “Allah (is even) more plentiful!”

Hassle-free Connection – One of the Easiest Acts of Worship

What do you require to make Du’a? Hardly any energy is required, hardly any time. Even hands and a tongue are not necessary, all you need is an attentive heart and a humble soul.  No need for a WiFi settings, internet connection, routers and all that other stuff. This is one of those hassle-free things that just simply work, no delay, no-downtimes, pure 100% reliability. On the other hand, leaving Du’a is a sign of laziness. The Prophet (SAW) said,

“The most incapable (or lazy) person is he who does not make du’a, and the most miserly is he who does not give salam.”

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? TYPE IN THAT CORRECT URL (ALLAH) AND START MAKING DU’A IMMEDIATELY.

This article is inspired from Yasir Qadhi’s Du’a: Weapon of the Believer. Though the theme of the article is entirely different, all of the reasons for making du’a are derived from the book. Also the Quranic ayaat, ahadith, and statements of the scholars mentioned in this article are listed in the book with their proper references. For more reasons, further proofs, a more detailed explanation and references consult the book.

---

[1] This paragraph was copied almost verbatim from the Du’a: Weapon of the Believer by Yasir Qadhi.

[2] Provided you fulfill its conditions of which are mentioned in the above hadith. It is however possible that your Du’a is responded to even if you don’t fulfill these conditions.

The People of Substance - Part 1

Ok, so this isn't really a summary, its more of a stub of an article based on Nouman Ali Khan's speech on Sunday at the Live Deen event. I expanded my notes of the lecture, reorganized some of the points and added a few things of my own.

There are some Sahabah whose names  we hear of more than that of others, like Abu Bakr (R),  Musab ibn Umar (R), Umar (R), Uthman (R), Ali (R) and others. These were the foremost among the foremost. These Sahabah, were among those who accepted Islam at Makkah in the beginning and later became of the Muhajirun. So what did these elite Sahabah look like in those beginning years? What distinguished them from the Kuffar? There was no Islamic dresscode then, no Zakah, no inheritance laws, no fasting. These things later became part of Islam in Madinah. Even Salah was prescribed during the later years in Makkah. But there was something different about them and that was their justice and ethics. When Abu Bakr (R), tired of the oppression in Makkah decided to leave  to Abyssinia for Hijrah, one of the non-Muslims stopped him and said "Someone of your ranking and character does not leave and should not be forced to leave: For indeed, you provide for the needy, you join ties of family relations, you support the weak, you honor your guests and you help others rise above the vicissitudes of life.". As for the Uthman (R), Quraysh loved his manners and character so much that an Arab woman would sing a lullaby to her child, "By the Most Merciful, I love you as much as Quraysh love Uthman".  Abu Bakr (R), Uthman (R), like the other Sahabah, were models of justice and ethics. And the Prophet (SAW) was an even better example of these virtues.

Truthfulness, trustworthiness and fairness were definitely among the foremost of his qualities, so much that even his enemies couldn't deny his ethics.  When Abu Sufyan, the foremost enemy of the Prophet (SAW) was asked about the Prophet (SAW)'s character from the Caesar of Rome, he replied that he was an honest and trustworthy man. In Makkah, by Muslim and Kafirs alike, he was known as As-Sadiq (The truthful) and Al Ameen (the trustworthy). From an early age, his decisions were given weight because of his integrity. Though during Jahilliyah (the period of ignorance) the Arab poets used to dedicate themselves to insulting others and a large portion of their poetry involved defamation, when it came to the Prophet (SAW), they would praise him.

These qualities were not just confined to the society in general. Even at home, the Prophet (SAW) would display justice and tolerance. Once an argument occurred between Umm ul Mu'mineen, Aisha (R) and the Prophet (SAW), one that wasn't being resolved easily. So the Prophet (SAW) called for an arbitrator to mediate between the two. He suggested Abdullah ibn Zubair but Aisha (R)  rejected him, saying he loved the Prophet (SAW) too much and would be unfair in his judgment. She then recommended her father, Abu Bakr (R)and the Prophet (SAW) agreed. Later, Aisha (R) realized her misjudgment and gave up the argument all together. The Prophet (SAW), despite being the Imam of the Prophets was ready to call for an arbitrator to settle a quarrel between him and his wife. And then upon her wife's insistence, the arbitrator was of her choice. The Prophet (SAW) was no ordinary husband. As the Prophet (SAW) himself said, "“The best of you is the one who is best to his family, and I am the best of you to my family.”

When we compare ourselves to these individuals, do we really think that we are following their model? What type of character do we have? There are among us many that act religious, have long beards, pray five times a day, fast during Ramadan, perform Hajj, and give Sadaqah. But many of us fail to practice the foremost qualities of the Messenger (SAW)  and his Sahabah, those that really made those early Muslims people of substance and eventually the leaders of the world.

Notes- Umar bin Al-Khattab (Part 1)

These are edited notes I took from a CD set that I had of Umar Ibn Khattab. The content is roughly one CD of the set. 95% of the material is directly from the CD set while less than 5% is from external sources. These notes were compiled so that I could give them to attendees of my class. If you have any trouble understanding some of the points, please comment below. InshaAllah, if I have time, I will write more parts.

Introduction

Why should we study the lives of the Sahabah? Abdullah ibn Masood (R) says:

"Whoever is going to follow a path, follow the path of those who died because the living could fail in their trials. They were the best of this ummah, and the had the most pious hearts and they had the deepest knowledge, they were the least superficial, and these were the people whom Allah chose to be the companions of his prophet and to establish his religion. So, recognize their virtues and follow their footsteps and follow what you can of their character and their religion."

Lessons

1. A person could be on the track of the people of Jannah, but before they die, they commit the actions of the people of hellfire and die as kuffar
   
2. The sahabah have been given the stamp of approval while others have not
   
3. The first generation, the Sahaba were much better than the second generation, the Tabieen
   
4. "they were the best of this ummah, and the had the most pious hearts
   
5. They had the most Taqwa
   
6. Not necessarily the most knowledge but the deepest knowledge
   
7. Depth of knowledge because they experienced the revelation, lived the Ahadith, knew the circumstances
   
8. When knowledge is deep, it comes with action and changes your outlook to life
   
9. They did not pretend to be sophisticated, to show off, nothing to prove
   
10. Their words were short and clear
    Arabs not affected by the culture, Islam was easy to accept because Quran came on an empty plate
    
11. Theological fitnah, Bid'ah came from other places in later times, not Makkah or Madinah
    

Why Umar (R)?

Adhere to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided successors after me. Hold on to it and cling on to it stubbornly

Abdullah ibn Umar said: "During the time of the Prophet (sas), we never equated anyone with Abu Bakr then Umar then Uthman. We left the remainder of the Companions of the Prophet (sas) and never made comparisons between them." Umar ibn Khattab

"There were muhaddathun in the previous nations and if there would be muhaddathun in this Ummah it would be Umar"

What does the word Muhaddith mean?

• Men who are inspired by Allah
  
• Man whose intuition is right
  
• One who speaks the truth, the truth naturally flows from his tongue
  
• Men who angels speak to him, w/o
  

For what other reasons was Umar (R) special?

1. Prophet (SAW) said that if there would be a prophet after me, it would be Umar (R)
   

• He is similar to Musa (A) and Nuh (A), both Anbiya of strength
  

Birth and Physical Characteristics

Birth

• 11 years after year of elephant
  
• 29 years old when the Prophet (SAW) proclaimed Prophethood
  
• He accepted Islam when he was 29 (other narrations say early 30s)
  

Physical Description

• Towering figure, the tallest in any group of men
  
• When you saw him among men at a distance it was as if he was riding his mount,on a camel while others were standing on the ground
  
• Very well built and muscular
  
• He was a wrestler and his limbs were large,
  
• Bald-headed
  
• Fair skinned relative to other Arabs
  
• Redness in his color
  
• Tips of mustache were long, twist them when angry
  
• One Sahabi described him as: Walks fast, when strikes, he strikes with strength and when he speaks everyone can hear him
  

Personality and Demeanor

• Intimidating to both his friends and enemies
  
• Abu Musa Al Ashari's face became pale when Umar (R) asked him for something
  
• Once walking and there was a pregnant woman behind him, when he turned around she had a miscarriage
  
• The enemies of Allah's knees would shake from his name
  
• Yet very Humble and his eyes would flow with tears
  
• Very compassionate
  

Family and Upbringing

• His father was Al-Khattab bin Nufail
  
• Umar had a tough upbringing
  
• He would be a shepherd for camels, his father was very harsh, and make him exhausted, and beat him when he didn't do work
  
• His mother was the cousin of Abu Jahl and her name was Hintimah bint Hisham
  
• 7 wives
  
• 13 Children
  • Zaid (2), AbdurRahman (3), Hafsa, Ruqayyah, Zainab, Fatima
    

Profession

• Shepherd
  • One day called the people, came on the mimbar and announced "I used to be shepherd for my aunts and they would give me a handful of dates at the end of the day and I would have a miserable day."
    
  • When his son asked why he did this, he said, "My nafs was telling me that there is no one better than me, so I had to teach it a lesson."
    
• Business man – later on became a merchant and became very wealthy, one of the wealthiest in Makkah
  
• Wrestler and unbeatable
  

Lessons

• Umar ibn Khattab is not fooled by anyone, even himself
  
• Shaytan can't come to you, unless you allow him to deceive you
  
• He once said, "I'm not a deciever and I don't allow anyone to deceive me."
  

In Jahilliyah

Persecution

• Very committed, disciplined with whatever he believers
  
• He was never on the sidelines, always was in the front give his 200% in everything
  
• Very effective against the Muslims
  
• Once he was beating a female Muslim slave, and stopped. He said I stopped because I am tired, not because I am feeling sympathy. The Muslim answered. It is Allah who made you stop.
  
• To the Muslims it was unacceptable that he would ever become Muslim
  
• Once a woman was making Hijrah to Abyssinia. He saw her and asked: Are you leaving ? She answered: Yes, you have persecuted us, …. And so that we can practice our religion in freedom. He answered: May Allah be with you.
  
• When she told Nu'aym ibn Abdullah this, he said Do you think he will become Muslim. She said yes. He answered The donkey of his father will become Muslim before he does.
  

How he became Muslim

The Fortune Teller

• Once AbdurRahman was walking with his father and they saw a handsome man that they never saw before. Umar (R) said that he was a fortune teller for his people. Rarely would the intuition of my father. When he asked the man, the man said I don't know anything of this.
  
• Umar (R) told him to tell me the strangest thing that you have heard. Once I heard some strange rhyming words speaking about the coming of the prophet.
  
• Umar (R) answered that yes, that's true. Once I was near the Ka'abah and I heard a voice about the coming of a prophet. Immediately afterwards, Muhammad (SAW) declared himself to be a Prophet.
  
• "O blood red one, The deed is done. A man will cry Besides God, none." – Unknown source
  

Surah Haqqah 

• Umar (R) in the days before Islam was a heavy drinker. He had his drinking partners whom he used to drink with. One night, he went out to drink but all the bars were closed, and there was no one he could drink with
  
• So he said to himself, if I can't do this. Why not go and make tawaaf around the Kabah? It was very late at night and when he went to the Ka'bah he saw only Prophet Muhammad (SAW) praying. He said to himself: Why don't I strike fear in the heart of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
  
• So went to the opposite end of the Kabah, snuck under the cloth of the kabah and slowly made his way around in front of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) He wanted to ambushthe Prophet (SAW) and scare him.
  
• Now since he was in front of PM, he was in the hearing range of the Prophet (SAW). He had no plugs on his ears to stop him from listening to the Quran. The Prophet (SAW) was reciting Surah Haaqa.
  
• He thought to himself, that these must be the words of a poet
  
• The next ayah recited was "These are not the words of a poet, little do you believe"
  
• The he thought to himself that these must be the words of a fortuneteller
  
• The next ayah recited was "These are not the words of a fortuneteller, little do you believe"
  
• At this Umar froze and did not continue with his plan
  

Surah Taha

• One day Mushrikeen were discussing the problem of Rasulullah (SAW). Umar (R) decided that he will stop this mess and kill the Prophet (SAW) at the house of Arqam. Most of the Muslims had left to Abyssinia and Muhammad (SAW) was with a few of the Sahabah. Umar buckled his sword and set out to kill the Holy Prophet (peace be on him).
  
• In the way, Umar met Nuaim bin Abduilah. He was a friend of Umar. He had converted to Islam, but Umar did not know of that. Noticing the dark frowns on his face, Nuaim asked Umar what he was up to. Umar said that he was going to slay Muhammad (peace be on him), and thus vindicate the gods of Ka'bah. Nu'aym wanted to divert him, change his object. He said, "Beware if you harm Muhammad (peace be on him) you will not be safe from the fury of Banu Hashim. Desist from such a course in your own interest". Umar ejaculated angrily: "It appears you have also become a Muslim." Now, Nu'aym had no hope left in dissuading Umar. Then he said, "Umar, do not bother about me, but take care of your sister and brother-in-law who have been converted to Islam, and who may be reading the Quran at this very moment."
  
• That made Umar pause. Instead of going to the Holy Prophet, he went to the house of his sister. His sister was Fatima and her husband was Saeed bin Zaid. Umar loved his sister. He had never thought that his brother-in-law or his sister would have the audacity to accept Islam. This was news to him. He could not believe it, but he thought it advisable to verify the facts.
  
• As Umar stepped into the house of his sister, he found that both Fatima and her husband were reading the Quran and Khabbab bin Al-Arrat was teaching them. Seeing Umar, his sister hid the Quran under her thigh. Fatima rose to welcome her brother with a smile. But there was a dark frown on the face of Umar. "What was that humming sound I heard? ", he thundered. "O Umar, what if Islam is better than your religion?", replied Fatima. Umar caught his brother-in-law and threw him on the ground and sat on him. Fatima tried to intervene and he slapped her and she started bleeding. She became angry and said, "You enemy of Allah, you hit me b/c I believe in Allah whether you like it or not, I testify that there is no God but Allah (SWT) and Muhammad is his Messenger (SAW)." Umar felt sorry and asked what they were reading. Fatima said that he could not touch the Quran until he had made Ghusl. Umar washed Ghusl and started readingIt was the Sura Ta Ha. It read:
  • Ta­Ha. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.]
    
  • We have not sent down the Quran unto you (O Muhammad SAW) to cause you distress,
    
  • But only as a Reminder to those who fear (Allah).
    
  • A revelation from Him (Allah) who has created the earth and high heavens.
    
  • The Most Beneficent (Allah) Istawa (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty).
    
  • To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and all that is between them, and all that is under the soil.
    
  • And if you (O Muhammad SAW) speak (the invocation) aloud, then verily, He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden.
    
  • Allah! La ilahla illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He)! To Him belong the Best Names.
    
• Once Umar (R) heard this, he said: Is this what Quraysh was against? Where is Muhammad? Upon hearing this, Khabbab bin Arrat came out of hiding and told Umar I think that Allah has accepted the dua of PM which he said "O Allah, honor Islam with the more beloved of the two men, Amr bin Hisham or Umar bin Khattab"
  • Why these two men? Their strength would turn into strength for Islam
    
• With his sword across his back, Umar went to Darul Arqam. When Umar knocked all the Sahabah got scared and didn't open.When Hamza asked who it is, he replied. So what if its Umar? If we came for good, he's welcome. If he came for evil, we will kill him by his own sword
  
• Once they opened the door Hamza and another Sahabi grabbed him and took him to the Prophet (SAW).The Prophet (SAW) grabbed Umar by his clothes, "Why did you come here o son of Khattab, aren't you going to stop fighting Islam untll Allah destroys you?" O Messenger of Allah (SWT), I have to come accept it.Prophet (SAW) said, Takbir.
  
• All the Sahabah were hiding but when they heard the takbir, they all said it loudly. Their voices for so loud, they had to disperse so as to not disclose their location.

Ibn Al Qayyim on the Rights of the Quran upon us

 In Surah Furqan, Ayah 30: Allah (SWT) says:

And the Messenger will say, 'O my Lord, indeed, my people have deserted the Quran.'" 

(Al-Furqan 25:30) 

Ibn Al-Qayyim commentated on this Ayah saying that people abandon the Quran in five ways:

1. Abandoning listening to it, believing in it, and paying attention to it.
   
2. Abandoning acting upon it and abiding by what it permits and prohibits, even if one recites it and believes in it.
   
3. Abandoning referring to it and judging by it in the fundamental issues of the religion even its subsidiary issues, believing it that it does not provide certainty, and that its evidences are merely words not giving (certain) knowledge.
   
4. Abandonment of pondering it, seeking to understand it and what the One who spoke it meant by it.
   
5. Abandonment of seeking healing through it for all the diseases of the heart such that one seeks the cure for his disease from other sources and abandons seeking healing through it.
   

Are we among those who have deserted the Quran? Do we fulfill any of these five obligations upon the Quran?

An Abridged Guide for Test-Takers

Tests, tests, and tests. I never used to think much about tests. I would sleep through them, study for a couple of hours for a midterm, read my textbooks as though they were novels. But two and a half years ago, everything changed. In Pakistan, acing or failing the Intermediate Board Exams (11^th and 12^th for Americans) seems like life and death. If you do well in them, you get into a good university otherwise you stay among the mediocre. So, my situation made me reassess my mentality towards tests. And now I have become test-crazy. At the same time, tests are a great opportunity to understand the Qadr of Allah and establish Tawakkul. So how should you take a test?

    No one really tells us about how to go about tests. There are a lot of things involved: a mentality, dependency, hard work, pre-requisites, dealing with after-effects. But all they say is STUDY, STUDY, STUDY. But is that what test-taking is all about, studying? When we examine our colleagues, there are some of them who work hard and get good grades, but there are others who work little but achieve much. And there are others who work hard but are not rewarded properly. In all reality, studying is NOT proportional to good grades. There may be some relationship, but definitely no proportionality. As one of my favorite scholars, Ibn Hazm, said, "You should also know that many of those who value knowledge, most of them work hard by reading and learning, but in the end they attain no knowledge."
¹

The Qadr of Allah (SWT)⁸

What good grades are really proportionally to is the Qadr of Allah (SWT). To put it in easy terms, Al-Qadr consists of two main things.⁷ (1) Allah (SWT) knows everything and (2) everything that happens is because of Allah (SWT)'s will and command. For every Muslim, understanding the concept of Al-Qadr is the key to preparing for a test, understanding the workings, and being satisfied with the results.

Allah (SWT)'s Knowledge

Allah (SWT) knows everything about us. He knows what happened yesterday, today and what will happen tomorrow. As Allah (SWT) says in the Quran, "It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof. His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge."⁴

All this knowledge, our destinies were written in Al-Lawhul Mahfooz, 50, 000 years before the creation of the Heavens and the Earth (i.e. the Universe)². Allah (SWT) says in the Quran, "And there is nothing hidden in the heavens and the earth, but is in a Clear Book (i.e. Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz)"³. So before Allah (SWT) created everything, He, out of His knowledge, his Divine Wisdom wrote what was to happen to us beforehand.

Does that mean I should just lay back and not care about tests? If I'm destined to fail, despite my constant studying, I'll still fail? And if I'm destined to pass, even if I don't study, I'll still pass? The Sahabah (R) also asked the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) the same question. "Shall we (then) not depend on it (The Qadr of Allah), O Messenger of Allah?" He replied, "No, act for everyone will have that made easy for him." In other words, whatever you do, that will be your path. If you try to achieve success, you will achieve it. If you get lazy, then you're destined to be a loser.⁵

Suppose you have the unlucky occurrence of having your calculus teacher as your mother. She knows you inside out. And you have a calculus test today. Since she made the test and she knows you, she also knows how you will perform on that test. Which questions you will get correct and which questions you get wrong. She knows if you will pass or fail. But her knowledge, insight about you has nothing to do with you taking the test.

    This is the same situation with us and Allah (SWT) in this life. He has complete knowledge over everything, much more than that teacher could possibly muster. He knows so much about us that he knows what we will do tomorrow, the day after and for the rest of our lives. And he has written it all in a book, Al-Lawhul Mahfooz. Despite Allah (SWT) knowing everything, we don't have access to any of that knowledge. For us CS students, strict information hiding if you want to term it. Your actions, are not and cannot be based upon His knowledge. They are totally unrelated. Just because Allah (SWT) knows what you will do, your actions are not effected by His knowledge.

Allah's Will vs. Our Will

    The concept of free will in Islam. This is a concept that is also part of Christianity and Judaism. But because of their lack of knowledge, comprehension about it, they either totally disregard it or bind themselves upon it entirely. The reality is that this concept is quite easy to understand if you learn it the proper way.

As Muslims, we believe that everything happens by Allah (SWT)'s Will (Mashee'ah) and that everything that happens is caused by Allah (SWT). "Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing is only that He says to it, "Be!" and it is!"⁹ And in another ayah, "And your Lord creates whatever he wills and chooses" ¹¹And this is the case with everything, be it small or big, long-lasting or short.

So the question arises, do I really have a free will? Does everything I do depend upon me or upon Allah (SWT)? Am I the one doing the action or is Allah (SWT) doing it? Actually it's a mixture of both. You are the one who does the action but Allah (SWT) is the one who commanded it, allowed you to do it and gave you all the necessary means to do it. You are the one who is actually studying but it is Allah (SWT) who allows that to happen. He is the one who gave you the books to study, the desire, the time an d the health. Everything that you do, its cause is Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) says in the Quran, "And Allah created you and your handiwork"¹⁰

So who's responsible for your actions? You are, of course! Allah (SWT) created you and gave you the mind, free will, means, health, emotions etc. Everything that results from using these abilities belongs to Allah (SWT) since He created you. But how are you going to use it that's your responsibility. You are responsible for your actions as you chose to act that way with all the given abilities.

There once was a thief who deserved punishment of having his hand amputated for stealing. When he was brought before the Khalifah Umar ibn Khattab, Umar (R) ordered that his hand be amputated. He complained. "Wait, O Chief of the Believers, I only stole by the Qadr(Will) of Allah (SWT)." Umar (R) replied, "And we only amputate by the pre-decree of Allah (SWT)".¹²

The Principle of Tying your Camel

Now, you might be confused. What should you do? Should you put your trust in Allah (SWT)? Or should you try to do something about your life? Like for every situation, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) gave us the solution to this problem.

One day Allah's Messenger, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, noticed a Bedouin leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the Bedouin, "Why don't you tie down your camel?" The Bedouin answered, "I placed my trust in Allah." At that, the Prophet, sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam, said, "Tie your camel and place your trust in Allah" – Tirmidhi

    In this short hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) explains that true Tawakul, placing one's trust in Allah (SWT) consists of taking action yourself and leaving the rest to your Lord. So for tests, you listen to lectures, take notes, study as much as you can and then leave the rest to Allah (SWT).

Increasing your favor

    Studying is one thing but in all reality, Allah (SWT) controls everything. One of the important ways to 'tie your camel' is to come close to Allah (SWT). Of the many things that you can do, here are three things that really help you come close to Allah (SWT).

Tahajjud Salah

        How can I over emphasize the importance of Tahajjud? The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "The best of prayers, after those prescribed (Fard salah), are those prayed in the depth of the night."¹³ Also, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "Dua are most acceptable in the last depth of the night, and at the end of the prescribed prayers."¹⁴

        So do you have to wake up for 2-3 hours and pray each night? No. I think the easiest way is to get up an hour before Fajr, pray two rakah and then if you're sleepy, go back to sleep. (Remember not to miss Fajr, though.)Or do it the last thing you do, when you go to sleep. My personal experience is that, whenever I pray Tahajjud salah, the next day is a good day for me. Quizzes go excellent, classes are easy to concentrate in, and time seems to be well spent altogether.

Zikr and Dua

        Zikr is one of the easiest ways to come closer to Allah(SWT) and one of the most rewarding Ibadaat(forms of worship). About those who remember Allah (SWT), Allah (SWT) says in the Quran:"So remember Me, and I shall remember you; and be grateful to me and do not deny Me."¹⁵ Along with the final Surah of the Quran, Ayatul Kursi and the ending ayaat of Surah Baqarah, there are many, many prescribed Azkaar that one can say. (You have to look them up, I can't list them here for you.)

        As for Dua, there are hundreds of Ayat in the Quran in which Allah (SWT) commands us to worship him alone. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "Dua is worship"¹⁶. When a person calls out to Allah (SWT), he is lowering himself, putting his hope in Allah, submitting to him and placing Allah (SWT)'s control and power over everything. Accordingly, Dua is called the greatest manifestation of worship. How much time, energy does it really take you to call out and ask Allah (SWT)?

Leaving sin

    One greatest factors in our acceptance of Dua are our how much we commit sins. There is the famous story of Imam Shafi who complained to his teacher, Waqee about his poor memory. His teacher told him to leave all sorts of sin, be it small or big. A simple translation of his poetry is as follows.

I complained to Waki' about my poor memory:

"Give up your sins!" was his advice to me;

"For knowledge is a light from Divinity (Allah),

and the Light of Allah is veiled by iniquity(sin)!"¹⁷

Good Grades = Favor: A Misconception

    Does getting good grades mean that you are close to Allah (SWT)? No way. One of the most intelligent men in the world was Abu Jahl, one of the richest in the history of man was Qarun and one of the most powerful was Fir'awn. All three of these were sentenced to Jahannum because of their disbelief in Allah (SWT) and will be in its lowest depths. Their 'blessings' in this world for them were actually misfortunes in disguise. Allah (SWT) tells us in the Quran, "And let not the disbelievers think that Our postponing of their punishment is good for them. We postpone the punishment only so that they may increase in sinfulness. And for them is a disgracing torment."¹⁸

    Ultimately what matters most is if you believe in Allah (SWT). Whatever blessings you get in this world, you have to utilize them properly by thanking Allah (SWT), coming closer to him and using them in ways which Allah (SWT) is pleased with. If you do this, then consider these blessings as good, because they will help you come closer to Him and attain eternal success. On the other hand, if you use them to become arrogant, ungrateful to your Creator and in ways that anger Him, then your blessings are a source of evil for you. On the Day of Resurrection, you will be asked what you did with the blessings you have been given in this life and rewarded or punished accordingly.

The Aftermath

    Personally, I celebrate right after I take a test, whether it goes good or bad, because now my responsibilities (of tying my camel) are over. The results are in the hands of Allah (SWT). But what usually affects us most are the grades, good or bad. I like to characterize test-takers into two categories, the losers and the winners.

The Losers

    "But I studied and studied and studied, did all my homework, assignments, everything. I still don't understand why I didn't do good on that test." A calamity. All of us hate bad grades. But Allah (SWT) tells us directly in the Quran that there may be something we dislike though it is good for us and there may be something we like though it is bad for us. How can we, as mere human beings, mortals who can't see seconds into the future decipher between what is beneficial to us and what is detrimental to us.

    Our bad result motivates us in the future, makes us work harder, see through our mistakes and helps us change our studying habits. Ibn Hazm says "If the imperfect really becomes aware of his shortcomings, he would become perfect."¹⁹ Mistakes. If you ever ask someone a 'successful' individual how he achieved success, it was because he corrected his mistakes.

    "But … there's something wrong. I fix my mistakes, I've tried everything technique, and it still seems likes there no solution. I'm a born loser. I can never do well on a test ". Still not convinced? The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said, "I am astonished by the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful to Allah (SWT) and that is good for him, and if something bad happens to him, he is patient and that is good for him."²⁰ In this hadith, the blessed Prophet (SAW) told us that no matter what happens to a Mu'min, one who has strong belief in Allah, it is good for him because in the end EVERYTHING is beneficial. So make the most out of this life and try to always be optimistic.

The Winners

    Ibn Hazm again. He says "And if you feel impressed by your knowledge, then you should know that you deserve no praise. It is purely a gift from Allah (SWT), bestowed upon you by your Lord, the Almighty. So, do not repay him with disobedience, for he might cause you to forget what you have learned and known."²¹ Ibn Hazm explains that if you're a winner, if you do good on your tests, then it's not you who's really responsible, it's Allah (SWT).

I like to think of myself as an empty shell, a hollow robot controlled by external forces, an avatar, someone who really doesn't have control over himself. He has some hand in what he does but most of it, it's not him. After all, Allah (SWT) gives you both the ability and opportunity to study, to take the test, and ace it.

And for the vain, the proud, the boastful, he tells them "Whoever is tested by vanity should think about his faults. If he is impressed by his virtues, he should search for his vices. If his faults are totally hidden from his knowledge, so that he believes that he is free from fault, then he should know that he is troubled forever, and that he is the most imperfect among people, the greatest in fault, and the weakest in recognition."²²

The Real Test

    What would you say about a person who has his finals starting next week and is only concerned about the volleyball game he has tomorrow? He cares nothing about his finals and is just aiming to star in his game, score the most points, beat the other team. You would call him an idiot, a misguided soul, blind, one who can only see what is before his eyes. That is the similar to the situation of the individual who cares only about the tests in this life. He cries and celebrates on his tests as if they would help him for eternity. Allah (SWT) tells us in many places in the Quran that this world is simply a mirage, a deception. This world is ending, absolute while the hereafter has much more blessings for us and is much longer. Allah (SWT) tells us in Surah A'laa, "Nay, you prefer the life of this world; Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting."²³

    So I ask you, why should you devote all your energy for that game and forget your final. In the end, no one cares how your game went, they care about your final. They'll easily forget your game score (and you will too) but your finals will seem all important. Nevertheless, why lose one to achieve the other? If you can, do good in both but make sure when you practice for your game, you don't mess up your finals. In conclusion, do your best in the tests of the Dunya but treat them as the games they really are, and concentrate on that final you have, the results of which will be announced on the Day of Judgment.

References

¹Ibn Hazm- Healing the Souls and Improving the Morals pg. 20 
²Sahih Muslim, No. 6416 
³Quran 27:75 
⁴Quran 65:12  
⁵Sahih Al-Bukhari, No. 4620 
⁷Actually, the scholars of Islam have codified it into 4-5 different pillars (Knowledge, Prescription, Will, Command and Creation)but I am grouping them into two big ones for the sake of simplification. 
⁸SWT = Subhanahu Wa ta'ala, "glorious and exalted is He (Allah)"  
⁹Quran 36:82 
¹⁰Quran 37:96
¹¹Quran 28:68 
¹²Story taken from an Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles by Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen pg.189 
¹³Muslim (1163) and Ahmad 
¹⁴Tirmidhi. Verified to be hasan by al-Albani (Hidayat ur-Ruwah n. 1188) 
¹⁵ Quran 2:152 
¹⁶Abu Dawud 
¹⁷Diwan Al-Imam Al-Shafi 
¹⁸Quran 3:178 
¹⁹ Ibn Hazm- Healing the Souls and Improving the Morals pg. 9 
²⁰Muslim 42: 7138 
²¹ Ibn Hazm- Healing the Souls and Improving the Morals pg. 20 
²² Ibn Hazm- Healing the Souls and Improving the Morals pg. 20 
²³Quran 87: 16-17