Boycott Israel [IslamCity] QURAN : For Men of Understanding- I
down water from the sky. From it you drink and from it
come the shrubs among which you graze your herds. And by it He makes crops grow
for you and olives and dates and grapes and fruit of every kind. . There is
certainly a sign in that for people who reflect. He has made the night and the
day subservient to you, and the sun, the moon and the stars, all subject to His
command. There are certainly signs in that for people who use their intellect.
And also the things of varying colours He has created for you in the earth.
There is certainly a sign in that for people who pay heed. It is He Who made
the sea subservient to you so that you can eat fresh flesh from it and bring
out from it ornaments to wear. And you see the ships cleaving through it so
that you can seek His bounty, and so that perhaps you may show thanks. He cast
firmly embedded mountains on the earth so it would not move under you, and
rivers and pathways so that perhaps you might be guided,
and landmarks. And they are guided by the stars. Is He Who creates like him
who does not create? So will you not pay heed?
(Surat an-Nahl: 10-17)
In the Qur'an, Allah invites men of understanding to think about the issues
which other people overlook, or just dismiss using such barren terms as
evolution, coincidence, or a miracle of nature.
In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night
and day, there are Signs for people of intelligence: those who remember Allah
standing, sitting and lying on their sides, and reflect on the creation of the
heavens and the earth: Our Lord, You did not create this for nothing. Glory be
to You! So guard us from the punishment of the Fire. (Surah Ali-Imran:
190-191)
As we see in these verses, people of understanding see the signs of Allah and
try to comprehend His eternal knowledge, power and art by remembering and
reflecting on them, for Allahs knowledge is limitless, and His creation
flawless.
For men of understanding, everything around them is a sign of this creation.
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Death, Resurrection, Hell - II
for a while and then I will
be forgiven is bigoted thinking indulged in by some to comfort themselves.
Indeed, God draws attention to this in the Qur'an, the same rationale having
also been given utterance to by the Jews:
They say, 'The Fire will only touch us for a number of days.' Say, 'Have you
made a contract with God - then God will not break His contract - or are you
rather saying about God what you do not know?' No indeed! Those who accumulate
bad actions and are surrounded by their mistakes, are the Companions of the
Fire, remaining in it timelessly, for ever. (Surat al-Baqarah: 80-81)
Being ungrateful and rebellious to the Creator who gave hearing and sight
and intelligence and affections (Surat an-Nahl: 78) certainly deserves
unceasing suffering. The excuses one puts forward will not save one from hell.
The verdict given for those who display indifference - or worse, animosity -
towards the religion of his Creator is certain and invariable:
When Our Signs are recited to them - Clear Signs - you can detect denial in
the faces of those who are disbelievers. They all but assault those who recite
Our Signs to them! Say: 'Shall I inform you of something worse than that? The
Fire which God has promised those who are disbelievers. What an evil
destination!' (Surat al-Hajj: 72)
Those who remained arrogant to God and harboured enmity towards believers
will hear the following words on the Day of Judgement:
So enter the gates of Hell, to dwell therein. Thus evil indeed is the abode
of the arrogant. (Surat an-Nahl: 29)
The most fearsome characteristic of hell is its eternal nature. Once in hell,
there will be no return. The only reality is hell together with many other
kinds of torture. Encountering such an eternal torture, a person falls into
total despair. He has no further expectations. This state is described in the
Qur'an as follows:
As for those who are rebellious and wicked, their abode will be the Fire.
Every time they wish to get away from it, they will be forced into it, and they
will be told: 'Taste the Penalty of the Fire, which you were wont to reject as
false.' (Surat as-Sajdah: 20)
They will want to get out of the Fire but they will not be able to. They will
have an everlasting punishment. (Surat al-Ma'idah: 37)
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Lucknow, India
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] HIJAB : A Study of Surah an-Nur, Ayah 31
, letting the ends fall downwards, would cover the forehead, ears, neck,
and upper chest, as Imam Qurtubi and Imam ibn Kathir have specified. It should
also be easy to recognize in this a description of the headscarf of the Muslim
sister.
The point is, neither Imam Qurtubi nor Imam ibn Kathir describes that the
khimar was to be pulled over the face, even though each specifies a variety of
anatomical features of the woman.
This should be strong evidence that the word khimar means HEADSCARF. Its
linguistic meaning is a headcovering, not a face veil, and the information
provided by both Imam Qurtubi and Imam ibn Kathir clearly shows that the khimar
is to be worn as a HEADSCARF not as a face veil.
What is the woman's jayb?
Actually, the quotes from Imam Qurtubi and Imam ibn Kathir provide a pretty
good explanation of what the jayb is. The usual translation of the term is
bosom. The word jayb has also given its name to a certain type of
mathematical curve (see The Origin of the Word Sine).
As well, Surah al-Qasas ayah 32 in Arabic reads Usluk yadaka fii JAYB ka
takhrur bayda'a... which means Thrust your hand into your chest and it will
come out white... (this is a story about the prophet Musa, alayhi salam).
Shaykh Muhammad Nasiruddin Albani says that the word jayb is related to the
word jawb which refers to something cut out, and he says that in this context
it refers to the neckline of the woman's dress.
In any case, all of these definitions clearly point to the bosom, the upper
chest, or the neck and upper chest. They certainly do not mean face or
entire body!
Summary
Surah an-Nur ayah 31 gives two basic commands in regard to women's dress. The
first of these commands is that the Muslim sister shall cover all of her beauty
except what is apparent of it whenever non-mahram men are present. The
majority opinion on the meaning of what is apparent of it is the face and
hands.
The second command is to draw the khimar to cover the jayb. In classical
Arabic, the khimar is the headcovering or headscarf, and the jayb is the bosom
or more generally the neck and upper chest. Imam Qurtubi and Imam ibn Kathir
have provided a precise description of how the khimar is to be drawn to cover
the jayb, and why this was necessary. Neither the word khimar nor the word
jayb has anything to do with the face.
Therefore, the first command (to cover the beauty) contains a specific
exemption that the majority of scholars have taken to refer to the face and the
hands. And the second command (regarding the wearing of the khimar) does not
mandate the covering of the face either.
In conclusion, I feel that there is a very strong case to be made that Surah
an-Nur ayah 31 does not make niqab fard, but in fact allows the display of the
face and hands.
-
Al-Muhajabah is an Arabic pseudonym meaning she who wears Islamic dress.
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] War With Iran : Who Would Benefit From It?
, as Zalmai Khalilzad put it, and they could not trust the Republicans
with Iraq anymore. It might sound like a far-fetched idea, but the only thing
that could put a Neo-con policy back on the map for the 2008 presidential
election is most probably another crisis such as a war. With lessons learned
from Iraq, this time the Americans might be looking for a limited conflict, one
that has a very low chance of failure, requires no long-term troops
commitments, yet is significant enough to make them look like the saviors of
the world against the most dangerous nation in the world. Iran is the only
country that fits the profile; thanks in no small part to Ahmadinejad's
adventurism.
Regional Factors
With the understandable exception of Kuwait, and partly Saudi Arabia, many
Arab states were not very happy about the prospect of a US invasion of Iraq in
2003. Countries like the UAE lost a lot of tourism revenue during the weeks and
months following America's attack on Iraq. Other governments simply feared the
public reaction to any cooperation with the Americans in an invasion of another
Arab country.
Not only is this not the case with Iran, many countries including Saudi
Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Jordan would very much like Iran to be contained, to
say the least. Saudi Arabia and Jordan have not concealed their concerns with
the formation of the Iranian-supported Shiite Crescent, in Iraq and in
Lebanon (Wright and Baker). The UAE is already a huge absorbent of Iranian
capital. More than 400,000 Iranians are estimated to have already invested up
to US$200 billion in Dubai, mostly in the real estate business (Iran Daily).
In event of any conflict, this figure will undoubtedly increase. Qatar, which
shares vast oil and gas reserves with Iran, would very much enjoy seeing Iran
engaged with some pressing issue that keeps it from further developing its oil
and gas exploration and production plans just like it did during the
eight-year Iran-Iraq war.
Although these countries might not want to be actively involved in any
military conflict between Iran and the United States, their sheer political
support and blessing would make America's job much easier.
All this should be added to Israel's desire for an allied attack on Iran,
albeit a limited one against its military and nuclear infrastructure.
The fate of Iran and the entire Middle East region is at crossroads. Forces
both within and without would like to see Iran engage in some sort of military
confrontation with the West, especially the United States. It is up to
pragmatic and moderate minds on both sides to recognize this desire for
conflict and try to balance and contain the reckless.
It is also crucial that the people Iranians as well as Americans be
careful not to fall into populist traps of their hardliner governments. When
Ahmadinejad uses Iran's ancient history one which they always tried to play
down against Iran's Islamic identity to appeal to people's nationalist
sentiment, we Iranians should not be fooled. When Dick Cheney still insists on
links existing between pre-2003 Iraq and Al-Qaeda, the American people should
understand what he is really after: to still present war as a justifiable
solution to any perceived problem.
Sources:
Ansari, Ali. Comment: 'Not a Time for Hyperbole or Mislaid Threats'. Times
Online. 30 March 2007. Accessed 22 April 2007. Capital Flight to Dubai
Worrisome. Iran Daily, 8 March 2006. Accessed 22 April 2007.
Interview With US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns. BBC. 29 March
2007. Accessed 22 April 2007.
Full Implementation of the Budget Would Be Impossible With an Oil Price Less
Than US$52 per Barrel. Iranian Parliament Research Center. Accessed 22 April
2007.
Trait, Robet. Ahmadinejad Challenged for Control of Iran's Economy.
Guardian Unlimited. 7 March, 2007. Accessed 22 April 2007.
Wright, Robin and Peter Baker. Iraq, Jordan See Threat To Election From
Iran. Washington Post. 8 December 2004. Accessed 22 April 2007.
-
Arash Jalaliis an Iranian computer engineer who lives in Iran. He
occasionally writes articles for several blogs.
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] An Insightful Look at Prayer
An Insightful Look at Prayer
Forward By : http://www.shariqkhan.page.tl
Prayer is the second pillar upon which Islam rests, the
first pillar being the testimony of faith. Islam stresses this act of worship
and sternly warns against neglect of it. Prayer is the central pillar of faith.
It is the key to Paradise. It is the first thing to be accounted for on the Day
of Judgment. It is also the first of the religious obligations brought by the
Prophets after faith in Allah. Allah says, addressing Mûsâ (Moses, peace be
upon him):
Verily I am Allah. There is no god but Me, so worship Me and establish prayer
to celebrate My praises.
Allah relates to us the supplication of Ibrâhîm (Abraham, peace be upon him):
My Lord, have me and my descendants establish prayer. My Lord, accept my
supplication.
Likewise, Ismâ`îl (Ishmael, peace be upon him) used to order his family to
pray. Allah says:
He used to order his family to pray and pay Zakâh (alms), and he was pleasing
to his Lord.
The Messiah (peace be upon him) mentioned prayer when he was in the cradle.
Allah relates his words:
And He enjoined prayer and Zakâh (alms) upon me as long as I live.
Allah, in the Qurân, orders the Seal of the Prophets Muhammad (may the peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) to pray. Saying:
Recite what your Lord reveals to you of the Book and establish prayer.
The effects of prayer
1. It enriches the soul and fulfills its yearning to connect with its Lord.
This gives the soul peace and contentment.
2. It purifies the heart from the effects of indolence and sin by providing a
continuous opportunity for communication with Allah and for repentance. The
Messenger (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) indicated this
when he said to his Companions: Consider if one of you had a river by his door
in which he bathed five times a day. Would any filth remain on him? They
responded in the negative. He said: Likewise, Allah wipes away sins with the
five daily prayers.
This stresses the meaning of Allahs words:
Verily prayer forbids licentiousness and wrongdoing. And the remembrance of
Allah is the greatest thing.
3. It emphasizes the proximity between religion and daily life. Life, from an
Islamic standpoint, is to be directed to Allah. Life is an opportunity for
worship and the remembrance of Allah. Praying repeatedly throughout the day,
interrupting the daily activities, brings about the realization of this
concept. The believer, through prayer, acquires a spiritual awareness that he
takes with him throughout all of lifes endeavors.
4. It teaches a Muslim to respect time and to manage it wisely. Prayer shows
how important time actually is. Allah says:
Prayer is enjoined upon the believers at prescribed times.
5. It teaches the Muslim the virtues of constancy and perseverance while
opening the door to greater effort and competition. Allahs Messenger (may the
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The best of deeds with Allah
are the ones performed most regularly, even if it is small.
6. It cultivates brotherhood, equality, and humility between the Muslims.
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] The Day of Judgment
The Day of Judgment
Forward By : http://www.shariqkhan.page.tl
Our present life is only a trial preparation for the next
realm of existence. This life is a test for each one of us, so we should all
get prepared for the hereafter life.
On the Day of Judgment, this world we're living in will come to an end and, the
dead will be resurrected for judgment by God.
This day will be the beginning of a life that will never end. It's the day when
all people will be rewarded by God according to their beliefs and deeds. Those
who die as believers, (believing that There is no true god but Allah, and
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah) and are Muslim will be rewarded on that
day and will be admitted to Paradise forever, as Allah says:
And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they
dwell therein forever.
(Qur'an, 2:82)
Whereas those who die while not believing that There is no true god but Allah,
and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah or are not Muslim will lose Paradise
forever and will be sent to Hellfire, as God says:
And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from
him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.
(Qur'an, 3:85)
Allah also says:
Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would
not be accepted from any of them if it were offered as a ransom. They will have
a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers.
(Qur'an, 3:91)
After having sent the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to call people to Islam, Allah
does not accept adherence to any religion other than Islam. Allah is our only
Creator and Sustainer.
Allah created for us whatever is on the earth. All the blessings and good
things we have are from Him. So after all this, when someone rejects belief in
Allah, His Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), or His religion of Islam, it is just that
he or she be punished in the Hereafter. Actually, the main reason after which
we were brought to life on earth is to worship Allah alone and obey Him.
This life we live today is a very short life, and will come to an end at one
day nobody knows but Allah. The unbelievers on the Day of Judgment will think
that the life they lived on earth was only a day or part of a day, as Allah has
says:
He (Allah) will say, How many years did you stay on the earth? They will say:
We stayed a day or part of a day
(Qur'an, 23:112-113)
Allah also says:
Did you then think that We had created you in jest (without any purpose), and
that you would not be returned to Us (in the Hereafter)? So, God is exalted,
the True King. None has the right to be worshipped but Him...
(Qur'an, 23:115-116)
The life in the Hereafter is the real life, the life that lasts forever. It is
not only spiritual, but physical as well. We will live there with our souls and
bodies.
In comparing this world with the Hereafter, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
(The value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter is like what your
finger brings from the sea when you put it in and then take it out.)
The meaning is that, the value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter
is like a few drops of water compared to the sea. Thus we should all get
prepared for that day, compete in having Hasanat (good deed), for at the Day of
Judgment no one, not even your mom, will be able to rescue you from Hell if
your deeds were bad. As Allah says:
And Upon that Day, the wrongdoer shall bite at his hands and say: Would that I
had taken a Path with the Messenger.
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Why I Wear the Muslim Headscarf
that many men
(yes, non-Muslims) are more gentlemanly with me in general. I have more doors
held open for me, paths cleared for me, more assistance when needed, and an
overall respect given to me.
4. Wearing the head covering works to remind me of my duties. I am more
likely to be a better person when I am covered because the headscarf is a
potent reminder to me of what type of behavior and attitude is expected of me.
I am less likely to lose my temper, more likely to be kind and forgiving, in
difficult situations.
In my experience, the hijab or headscarf is beneficial to me. Not only do I
have the security that I am following a mandate set by God and thereby pleasing
God, but I also experience great comforts in this life because of my coverage.
Contrary to what many think, I am not forced to wear it (I chose it for myself
while still single, and as a convert I am not being forced by family to wear
it), it is not an obstacle or a discomfort to me, and it does not in any way
impair my opportunities or abilities. I am an independent American woman with a
high degree of personal freedom and fulfillment. The headscarf has never stood
in my way of doing or achieving anything, but has instead made me more
comfortable as I interact in society and my community.
-
**Aaminah Hernandez is an American writer who converted to Islam seven
years ago. She is an active member of the Islamic Writers Alliance and the
Islamic Artists Society. She can be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Boycott Israel [IslamCity] Belgian Convert Day
are the contacts between converts and their non-Muslim environment? Do
they face similar problems? Do they support each other?
Raes and Mus: Some families support their daughters in their choice, others
turn their back to them. It differs from family to family. Most converts do
find support with other Muslims, especially during Ramadan and Islamic
festivities. On those days, converts often feel isolated from their families.
That is why our organizations organize iftars (meals to break the fast) and
encourage people to break the fasting together.
IOL: Are converts in general more strict in their religious identity than
Muslims-by-birth?
Raes and Mus: We can not generalize this. However, converts are more free
from traditional or cultural practices that have nothing to do with Islam. They
try to find their information from different sources and are often more
critical.
IOL: Were do they find their information on Islam?
Raes and Mus: One person finds it in books, another by learning from other
Muslims. Internet forums are very popular. Of course the danger exists that not
all sources are trustworthy. Therefore, we should always compare information to
what is said in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
IOL: How can converts play a role in a better perception of Muslims in media?
Raes and Mus: Converts should be covered more in the media. As such, people
will realize that Islam is a universal religion. A Muslim is not only a
foreigner, but can be your Belgian neighbor, with the same Belgian roots.
It is our role to make it clear that people choose Islam without external
pressure. In creating a more realistic perception on Muslims, we point out that
it is important that Muslims - both converts and Muslims-by-birth - have their
voice heard in the media. Why not interview a female doctor wearing a veil?
Once Muslims are being normalized in the media, they will become part of
society. It is terrible when people cross the road once they see a veiled woman
walking in their direction.
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* This article was first published in European Muslims section. Eva
Vergaelen lives in both Egypt and Belgium and works as a freelance journalist,
with special interest in gender politics and identity. She wrote a book on
female immigrants in Belgium. Eva studied African culture and obtained a
master's in governance and development. She embraced Islam in 2004.
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