Friday Nasiha

Living The Quran

Satan's Influence
Al Imran (The House of Imran) - Chapter 3: Verse 155 (partial)

"... Satan caused them to stumble only by means of something that they [themselves] had done ..."

"Satan's influence" on man is not the primary cause of sin but its first consequence: that is to say, a consequence of a person's own attitude of mind which in moments of moral crisis induces him to choose the easier, and seemingly more pleasant, of the alternatives open to him, and thus to become guilty of a sin, whether by commission or omission. Thus, God's "causing" a person to commit a sin is conditional upon the existence, in the individual concerned, of an attitude of mind which makes him prone to commit such a sin: which, in its turn, presupposes man's free will - that is, the ability to make, within certain limitations, a conscious choice between two or more possible courses of action.

Compiled From:
"The Message of The Quran" - Muhammad Asad, pp. 123, 124

Understanding The Prophet's Life

Making A Difference

A Muslim is not the one who fights Satan with his sword only and gets catapulted into Jannah (paradise), but rather the one who interacts actively with his environment in order to make a difference. Our actions are witnessed not only by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) but also by others as well. Hence, the Muslim is not living in a vacuum; he is continuously acting and interacting with his surroundings. What makes him or her a better Muslim? According to the following Hadith:

"People are dependents of Allah; the closest to Him (Allah) are the ones who are most useful to His dependents. (i.e. other creature)"
(Sahih Muslim)

Thus, the criterion for being a better Muslim is not simply Salah (prayers), fasting, Dhikr, and tasbih (glorifying Allah); it's one's utility to others! In this context the following principle should alarm us: "He who does not concern himself with the affairs of other Muslims is not one of them."

The task of a jama'ah (group) of Muslims is not to serve itself; it is to serve others! The group is not the objective, for in reality it is only an organizational means to accomplish the objective. The interest of such an organization must be subservient to the interest of the Ummah (Nation) and of the outside world. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) directs us:

"Have mercy on those in the land, so that the One in Heaven will have Mercy on you."
(Reported by at-Tirmidhi)

Muslim groups which confine themselves to their membership are losing sight or their objectives are becoming self-serving. In fact, all the preparation and training of the organization's members should be directed towards serving their nation. To establish an organization for the sake of the organization is like building a house for the sake of the house.

The environment and the population, of which the Da'iyah (Caller to Allah) is a part, are the only mediums through which he can perform. They are the only fields of operation in which Allah is testing him during his life.

Compiled From:
"Training Guide for Islamic Workers" - Dr. Hisham Altalib, pp. 15-16

Blindspot!

Hadith Forgery

Signs of Forgery: Forgery in Text

[continued from previous issue]

c) Statements that stand in clear opposition to the Quran in such a way that no reasonable compromise and interpretation can be attempted are usually rejected. The so-called hadith, for example, that "The offspring of zina shall not enter Paradise down to seven generations" was rejected by the Prophet's widow, Aisha, as it violated the clear text of the Quran that " no soul shall carry the burden of another soul" (Al-Anam, 6: 164). Similarly the report "whoever begets a child and names him Muhammad, he and his offspring shall go to Paradise" is clearly in conflict with numerous Quranic promises of reward for good work and punishment for corruption and evil. Another example is the so-called hadith that specifies the lifespan of the world at 7,000 years, which stands in contrast to the Quranic declaration: "God only knows the time of the day of resurrection" (Luqman, 31:34).

d) A report may be unhistorical and fail to pass the test of historical reality. The hadith, for example, which is transmitted by Sad bin Muadh and Muawiya that "the Prophet imposed the jizya (poll tax) on the Jews of Khaybar and relieved them of hardship (prospects of war)" is discredited on account of historical facts that jizya was not known at that time and that the Quranic ruling on it was only revealed in the year of the Tabuk, and that Sad bin Muadh had died before this last event. In yet another report Anas bin Malik has stated that "I entered the public bath and saw the Prophet wearing a wrapper and said: O Anas, I have forbidden entry to the public bath without a wrapper." The facts of history show on the other hand that the Prophet never entered a public bath and that they did not exist in Madina at the time.

e) When the hadith smacks of scholastic fanaticism such as the report by Hibban bin Juwayn that "I heard Ali saying that I and the Prophet worshipped God six or seven years before anyone of this umma." It is known on the other hand that Hibban was a fanatical Shii and careless in the treatment of hadith.

[to be continued ...]

Compiled From:
"A Texbook of Hadith Studies" - Mohammad Hashim Kamali, pp. 77 - 78