12/15/00
Salaams, Ramadan Mubarak. Welcome to the Muslimsworldwide newsletter.
For all of you who join me today, the article entitled The Merits of
Islaam: was written by By Sh. Mohammad Saleh El-Monjjid. The article
was written as a response to a question: There are many religions.
Why do Muslims think that Islam is true. Is there any factual basis?
Allah Hafiz
May Allah be with you every step of the way...
M. Editor
The Merits of Islaam
By Sh. Mohammad Saleh El-Monjjid
There are many religions.
Why do Muslims think that Islam is true. Is there any factual basis?
This is a reasonable enough question for one who has not entered
Islam, but one who believes in and practices this religion already
knows the blessings which are his because of this religion. There are
many reasons for this, which include the following:
(1) The Muslim worships One God, Who has no partner, and Who has the
most beautiful names and the highest attributes. Thus the
Muslim's
focus and aim is concentrated, focused on His Lord and Creator; he
puts his trust in Him and asks Him for help, patience and support; he
believes that Allaah is able to do all things, and has no need of a
wife or son. Allaah created the heavens and earth; He is the One Who
gives life and death; He is the Creator and Sustainer from Whom the
slave seeks provision. He is the All-Hearing Who responds to the
supplication of His slave, and from Whom the slave hopes for a
response. He is the All-Merciful and All-Forgiving, to Whom the slave
turns in repentance when he has committed a sin or fallen short in
his worship of Allaah. He is the Omniscient and All-Seeing, who knows
all intentions and what is hidden in people's hearts. The slave
feels
ashamed to commit a sin by doing wrong to himself or to others,
because his Lord is watching over him and sees all that he does. He
knows that Allaah is All-Wise, the Seer of the Unseen, so he trusts
that what Allaah decrees for him is good; he knows that Allaah will
never be unjust to him, and that everything that Allaah decrees for
him is good, even if he does not understand the wisdom behind it.
(2) The effects of Islaamic worship on the soul of the Muslim include
the following:
Prayer keeps the slave in contact with his Lord; if he enters it in a
spirit of humiliation and concentration, he will feel tranquil and
secure, because he is seeking a "powerful support," which is Allaah,
may He be glorified and exalted. For this reason, the Prophet of
Islaam, Muhammad (PBUH) (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to say: "Let us find relaxation and joy in prayer." If something
distressed him, he would hasten to pray. Everyone who finds himself
faced with disaster and tries prayer finds strength, patience and
consolation, because he is reciting the words of his Lord, which
cannot be compared to the effect of the words of a created being. If
the words of some psychologists can offer a little comfort, what do
you think of the words of the One Who created the psychologist?
Now let us look at zakaat, which is one of the pillars of Islaam.
Zakaat purifies the soul from stinginess and miserliness, and
accustoms people to being generous and helping the poor and needy. It
will bring a great reward on the Day of Resurrection, just like other
forms of worship. It is not burdensome, like man-made taxes; it is
only 25 in every thousand, which the sincere Muslim pays willingly
and does not try to evade or wait until someone chases him for it.
Fasting involves refraining from food and sex. It is a form of
worship, and a way in which one can feel the hunger of those who are
deprived. It is also a reminder of the blessings of the Creator, and
it brings rewards beyond measure.
Hajj is the Pilgrimage to the sacred House of Allaah, which was built
by Ibraaheem (Abraham, upon whom be peace). By performing Hajj one is
obeying the command of Allaah and the call to come and meet Muslims
from all over the world.
(3) Islaam commands all kinds of good and forbids all kinds of evil.
It encourages good manners and proper treatment of others. It enjoins
good characteristics such as truthfulness, patience, deliberation,
kindness, humility, modesty, keeping promises, dignity, mercy,
justice, courage, patience, friendliness, contentment, chastity, good
treatment, tolerance, trustworthiness, gratitude for favours, and
self-control in times of anger. Islaam commands the Muslim to fulfil
his duty towards his parents and to uphold family ties, to help the
needy, to treat neighbours well, to protect and safeguard the wealth
of the orphan, to be gentle with the young and show respect to the
old, to be kind to servants and animals, to remove harmful things
from the road, to speak kind words, to forgive at the time when one
has the opportunity to take revenge, to be sincere towards one's
fellow-Muslims, to meet the needs of the Muslims, to give the debtor
time to repay his debt, to prefer others over oneself, to console
others, to greet people with a smiling face, to visit the sick, to
support the one who is oppressed, to give gifts to friends, to honour
his guest, to treat his wife kindly and spend on her and her
children, to spread the greeting of peace (salaam) and to seek
permission before entering another person's house, lest one see
something private that the other person does not want one to see.
Some non-Muslims may do these things out of politeness or good
manners, but they are not seeking reward from Allaah or salvation of
the Day of Judgement.
If we look at what Islam has prohibited, we will find that it is in
the interests of both the individual and society as a whole. All
these prohibitions serve to safeguard the relationship between the
slave and his Lord, and the relationship of the individual with
himself and with his fellow-man. The following examples demonstrate
this:
Islam forbids the association of anything in worship with Allaah and
the worship of anything other than Allaah, because this spells doom
and misery. Islaam also forbids visiting or believing soothsayers and
fortune-tellers; magic or witchcraft that may cause a rift between
two people or bring them together; belief in the influence of the
stars on events and people's lives; cursing time, because Allaah
is
directing its affairs; and superstition, because this is pessimism.
Islam forbids cancelling out good deeds by showing off, boasting or
reminding others of one's favours; bowing or prostrating to
anything
other than Allaah; sitting with hypocrites or immoral people for the
purposes of enjoying their company or keeping them company; and
invoking the curse or wrath of Allaah on one another or damning one
another to Hell.
Islaam forbids urinating into stagnant water; defecating on the side
of the road or in places where people seek shade or where they draw
water; from facing the qiblah (direction of prayer) or turning
one's
back towards it when passing water or stools; holding one's penis
in
one's right hand when passing water; giving the greeting of
salaam
(peace) to one who is answering the call of nature; and putting
one's
hand into any vessel before washing it, when one has just woken up.
Islaam forbids the offering of any nafl (supererogatory) prayers when
the sun is rising, when it is at its zenith, and when it is setting,
because it rises and sets between the horns of Shaytaan (Satan);
praying when there is food prepared that a person desires; praying
when one urgently needs to pass water, stools or wind, because that
will distract a person from concentrating properly on his prayer.
Islam forbids the Muslim to raise his voice in prayer, lest it
disturb other believers; to continue offering supererogatory prayers
at night when one feels drowsy - such a person should sleep then get
up; to stay up all night in prayer, especially one night after
another; and to stop praying when there is doubt as to the validity
of one's wudoo' - unless one hears a sound or smells an odour.
Islaam forbids buying, selling and making "lost and found"
announcements in the mosque - because it is the place of worship and
remembrance of Allaah, where worldly affairs have no place.
Islam forbids haste in walking when the iqaamah (call immediately
preceding congregational prayer) is given, and prescribes walking in
a calm and dignified manner. It is also forbidden to boast about the
cost of building a mosque; to decorate a mosque with red or yellow
paint or adornments which will distract the worshippers; to fast day
after day without a break; and for a woman to observe a
supererogatory fast when her husband is present without his
permission.
Islaam forbids building over graves, making them high, sitting on
them, walking between them wearing shoes, putting lights over them or
writing on them. It is forbidden to disinter the dead or to take
graves as places of worship. Islam forbids wailing, tearing one's
clothes or leaving one's hair unkempt when a person dies.
Eulogizing
the dead in the manner of the times of Ignorance (Jaahiliyyah) is
also forbidden, although there is nothing wrong with informing others
that a person has died.
Islaam forbids the consumption of riba (interest); all kinds of
selling which involve ignorance (of the product), misleading and
cheating; selling blood, wine, pork, idols and everything that Allaah
has forbidden - their price, whether bought or sold - is haraam;
najash, which is offering a price for something one has no intention
of buying, as happens in many auctions; concealing a product's
faults
at the time of selling; selling something which one does not own or
before it comes into one's possession; undercutting, outbidding
or
out bargaining another; selling produce before it is clear that it is
in good condition and free of blemish; cheating in weights and
measures; and hoarding. A partner who has shares in a plot of land or
a date palm tree is forbidden to sell his share without consulting
his partners. It is forbidden to consume the wealth of orphans
unjustly; to bet or gamble; to take anything by force; to accept or
offer bribes; to steal people's wealth or to consume it unjustly;
to
take something for the purpose of destroying it; to undermine the
value of people's possessions; to keep lost property which one
has
found, or to keep quiet about it and not announce it, for it belongs
to the one who recognizes it; to cheat in any way; to ask for a loan
with no intention of repaying it; to take anything of the wealth of a
fellow-Muslim, unless it is given freely, because what is taken
because of another person's shyness is haraam; and to accept a
gift
because of intercession.
Celibacy and castration are forbidden, as is marrying two sisters, or
a woman and her aunt (paternal or maternal), whether he marries the
aunt after marrying her niece or vice versa, for fear of breaking the
ties of kinship. It is forbidden to make deals in marriage, such as
saying "Let me marry your daughter and I will give you my daughter or
sister in marriage." Such reciprocal deals are a form of oppression
and injustice, and haraam. Islaam forbids mut'ah (temporary
marriage), which is a marriage contract for a period of time agreed
by the two parties, at the end of which the marriage expires. Islaam
forbids intercourse with a menstruating woman, until she has purified
herself (by taking a bath after her period ends), and also forbids
anal intercourse. A man is forbidden to propose marriage to a woman
when another man has already proposed to her, unless the other man
withdraws his proposal or gives him permission. It is forbidden to
marry a previously-married woman without consulting her, or a virgin
without seeking her permission. It is forbidden to wish (a newly
married couple) "Bi'l-rafaa' wa'l-baneen (a joyful life
and many
sons)," because this is the greeting of the people of Jaahiliyyah,
who hated daughters. The divorced woman is forbidden to conceal what
Allaah has created in her womb (if she is pregnant). A husband and
wife are forbidden to speak (to others) about the intimacies of
married life. It is forbidden to turn a woman against her husband or
to take divorce lightly. It is forbidden for a woman to ask for
another's divorce, such as asking a man to divorce a woman so
that
she can marry him. A wife is forbidden to spend her husband's
money
without his permission, or to keep away from his bed without good
reason, because the angels will curse her if she does that. A man is
forbidden to marry his father's wife, or to have intercourse with
a
woman who is pregnant from another man. It is forbidden for a man to
practise `azl (coitus interruptus) with his free wife without her
permission. It is forbidden for a man to return home from a journey
late at night and startle his family, unless he has previously
notified them when he will arrive home. A man is forbidden to take
anything of his wife's mahr (dowry) without her consent, or to
keep
annoying his wife so that she will give up her wealth.
Islaam forbids women to make a wanton display of themselves
(tabarruj). It also forbids extreme forms of female circumcision.
Women are forbidden to admit anyone into their husband's home
without
his permission; his general permission is acceptable so long as they
stay within the limits of sharee'ah. It is forbidden to separate
a
mother and child (in case of divorce); to let one's womenfolk
behave
foolishly (in an immoral fashion) and not say anything; to let
one's
gaze wander everywhere; and to follow an accidental glance with an
intentional glance.
Islaam forbids the eating of dead meat, regardless of whether it died
by drowning, strangulation, shock or falling from a high place;
eating blood, pork and anything slaughtered in a name other than that
of Allaah or for idols; eating the flesh or drinking the milk of
beasts that feed on filth and waste matter; eating the flesh of every
carnivorous beast that has fangs and every bird that has talons;
eating the meat of domesticated donkeys; killing animals by keeping
them and throwing stones at them until they die, or detaining them
without food until they die; slaughtering with teeth or nails;
slaughtering one animal (for food) in front of another; or sharpening
the knife in front of the animal to be slaughtered.
In the area of clothing and adornment, men are forbidden the
extravagance of wearing gold. Muslim are forbidden to be naked or to
expose their thighs; to leave their clothes long (below the ankles)
and trail them on the ground for the purpose of showing off; and to
wear clothes that will attract attention.
It is forbidden to bear false witness; to make false accusations
against a chaste believing woman; to accuse someone who is innocent;
to utter lies; to slander and backbite; to call people by offensive
nicknames; to spread gossip and malicious slander; to make fun of the
Muslims; to boast about one's status; to shed doubts on a
person's
lineage; to utter slander, insults and obscenities; to speak in an
indecent or rude manner; or to utter evil in public, except by one
who has been wronged.
Islaam forbids telling lies; one of the worst kinds of lie is to lie
about dreams, like fabricating dreams and visions in order to prove
one's virtue, or make some material gains, or to frighten an
enemy.
Muslims are forbidden to praise themselves, or to talk in a secret
way: two may not converse secretly to the exclusion of a third,
because this is offensive. It is forbidden to curse a believer or
someone who does not deserve to be cursed.
Islaam forbids speaking ill of the dead; praying for death; wishing
for death because of some suffering that one is passing through;
praying against one's self, one's children, one's
servants or one's
wealth.
Muslims are told not to eat the food that is directly in front of
others or to eat from the centre of the dish or platter; rather they
should eat from what is directly in front of them or thereabouts,
because the barakah (blessing) comes in the middle of the food. It is
forbidden to drink from a broken edge of a vessel, because this could
cause harm; or to drink from the mouth of a vessel; or to breathe
into it. It is forbidden to eat while lying on one's stomach; to
sit
at a table where wine is being drunk; to leave a fire burning in
one's house when one sleeps; to sleep with Ghamr in one's
hand, like
an offensive smell or the remainder of food (grease); to sleep on
one's stomach; or to talk about or try to interpret bad dreams,
because these are tricks of the Shaytaan.
It is forbidden to kill another person except in cases where it is
right to do so; to kill one's children for fear of poverty; to
commit
suicide; to commit fornication, adultery or sodomy (homosexuality);
to drink wine, or even to prepare it, carry it from one place to
another, or sell it. Muslims are forbidden to please people by
angering Allaah; to offend their parents or even to say "Uff" (the
slightest word of contempt) to them; to claim that a child belongs to
anyone but his real father; to torture by means of fire; to burn
anyone, alive or dead, with fire; to mutilate the bodies of the
slain; to help anyone commit falsehood; or to cooperate in wrongdoing
and sin.
It is forbidden to obey any person by disobeying Allaah; to swear
falsely; to swear a disastrous oath; to eavesdrop on people without
their permission; to invade people's privacy or look at their
private
parts; to claim something that does not belong to one or that one did
not do, for the purpose of showing off; to look into someone's
else's
house without permission; to be extravagant; to swear an oath to do
something wrong; to spy on others or be suspicious about righteous
men and women; to envy, hate or shun one another; to persist in
falsehood; to be arrogant or feel superior; to be filled with self-
admiration; to be pleased with one's arrogance. Islam forbids
taking
back one's charity, even if one pays to get it back; employing
someone to do a job without paying him his wages; being unfair in
giving gifts to one's children; bequeathing everything in
one's will
and leaving one's heirs poor - in such a case the will should not
be
executed; writing a will that concerns more than one third of
one's
legacy; being a bad neighbour; or changing a will to the detriment of
one or some of one's heirs. A Muslim is forbidden to forsake or
shun
his brother for more than three days, except for a reason sanctioned
by sharee'ah; to hold small stones between two fingers and throw
them
because this could cause injury to eyes or teeth; to include his
heirs in a will, because Allaah has already given heirs their rights
of inheritance; to disturb his neighbour; to point a weapon at his
Muslim brother; to hand someone an unsheathed sword, lest it harm
him; to come (walk) between two people except with their permission;
to return a gift, unless there is some shar'i objection to it; to
be
extravagant; to give money to foolish people; to wish to be like
someone to whom Allaah has given more of something; to cancel out his
charity by giving offensive reminders of his giving; to wilfully
conceal testimony; or to oppress orphans or scold one who asks for
help or money. It is forbidden to treat with evil medicines, because
Allaah would not create a cure for this ummah which includes
something that He has forbidden. It is forbidden to kill women and
children in warfare; to boast to one another; or to break promises.
Islaam forbids betraying a trust; asking for charity that one does
not need; alarming a Muslim brother or taking away his possessions,
whether jokingly or seriously; changing one's mind after giving a
gift, except in the case of a gift from a father to his child;
practising medicine without experience; or killing ants, bees and
hoopoe birds. A man is forbidden to look at the `awrah (private
parts) of another man, and a woman is forbidden to look at the
`awrah
of another woman. It is forbidden to sit between two people without
their permission; or to greet only those whom one knows, because the
greeting is to be given to those whom you know and those whom you do
not know. A Muslim is forbidden to let an oath come between him and
good deeds; he should do what is good and make expiation for the
oath. It is forbidden to judge between two disputing parties when one
is angry, or to judge in favour of one party without hearing what the
other has to say. It is forbidden for a man to walk through the
market-place carrying something - like a sharp weapon - that could
harm the Muslims, unless it is properly covered. A Muslim is
forbidden to make another person get up, so that he can take his
place.
There are more commands and prohibitions which came for the benefit
and happiness of individuals and mankind as a whole. Have you ever
seen any other religion that can compare to this religion?
Read this response again, then ask yourself: is it not a great pity
that I am not one of them? Allaah says in the Qur'aan
(interpretation
of the meaning): "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it
will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of
the losers." [Aal `Imraan 3:85]
Finally, I hope that everyone who reads this will be guided to the
correct way and to follow the truth. May Allaah protect you and us
from all evil.
------
sites of recognition
http://www.islamunity.homestead.com
www.musedserv.com
www.ekuhtba.com
www.islamnet.net
www.aicp.org
www.ummah.net
http://www.al-muslim.org/articles/l_main.htm
www.iad.org
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