Islam: Questions And Answers Volume 1: Basic Tenets of Faith: Belief (Part 1)

ISLAM: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Basic Tenets of Faith (Belief) ...Part 1 Volume 1 of a Series of Islamic Books by Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman

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Islam: Questions And Answers Volume 1 Basic Tenets of Faith: Belief (Part 1)

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Islam: Questions And Answers Volume 1 Basic Tenets of Faith: Belief (Part 1)

Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman B.Sc., DipHE

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© Muhammad Saed Abdul-Rahman, 2003 ISBN for volumes 1 86179 080 5 ISBN for volume 1 paperback 1 86179 081 3 ISBN for volume 1 hardback 1 86179 082 1 ISBN for volume 1 pdf eBook 1 86179 083 X ISBN for volume 1 Microsoft eBook 1 86179 084 8 ISBN for volume 1 Palm eBook 1 86179 085 6 All Rights reserved

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Designed, Typeset and produced by: MSA Publication Limited, 4 Bello Close, Herne Hill, London SE24 9BW United Kingdom

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Contents Introduction .............................................................................. 1 General ...................................................................................... 3 32492: Are there any weak points in Islam that enable the kaafirs to attack it?.............................................. 3 20612: He is amazed by the height of Adam (peace be upon him) ............................................................. 6 20059: Causes of weakness of faith ..................................... 9 14041: I want to strengthen my faith ................................. 11 13183: The soul of the deceased does not come back to his family or his house .......................................... 13 13205: This world is the place of trials and tribulations ......................................................................... 15 11535: Misinterpretation of the word of Tawheed, and a false claim that it renders a person free from any need for food ............................................................... 19 12368: Is knowing the sex of the baby part of the knowledge of the unseen? ............................................ 22 9414: The Shaytaan whispers to him about who created Allaah .................................................................... 25 10809: What are the things that make faith decrease? ............................................................................ 26 10839: Pillars of faith and branches of faith ...................... 28 9356: Does faith increase and decrease according to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah? ...................................... 29 10776: What are the means of increasing faith? ................ 31 6090: The soul’s connection to the body ........................... 32 2689: Ruling on saying “I am a mu’min (believer) in sha Allaah.” .................................................................... 34 Belief in Allaah ....................................................................... 36 34630: The meaning of belief in Allaah ............................ 36 11035: Allaah is above His Throne and He is close to us by His Knowledge ............................................ 47 12295: Conditions of Laa ilaaha illa-Allaah ...................... 50 v

20468: The mercy of Allaah towards His slaves ............... 57 25778: Disturbed by waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and evil thoughts ......................................... 60 26728: Ruling on saying “We are the children of Allaah” ........................................................................... 64 10153: The Qur’aan was revealed by Allaah, not created .......................................................................... 67 12315: He is suffering from waswaas (insinuating whispers) of the Shaytaan about the Essence of Allaah ......................................................... 72 1152: The Conditions of the Testimony of Faith ............... 76 179: Meaning of laa ilaaha illa Allah Muhammadun rasoolullah .......................................................................... 77 11804: A Christian is asking why God created mankind ............................................................................. 78 9566: What is the difference between the ‘Arsh of the Lord and His ? ......................................................... 79 9104: Conditions of the acceptance of the Shahaadatayn ..................................................................... 85 9571: What is the meaning of the hadeeth “Do not inveigh against time (waqt) for Allaah is time waqt)”? ................................................................... 92 6660: The kuffaar ask who created Allaah ......................... 96 4524: Who do Muslims worship? ...................................... 98 736: Who do Muslims worship? ...................................... 107 2734: Is it possible to see Allaah in this world? .............. 116 992: Evidence that Allaah is exalted high above His creation and that He is above the heavens ................. 122 439: Evidence that only Allah is the Creator of life ......... 126 498: What do Muslims Believe? ...................................... 128 499: Who is Allaah? ......................................................... 129 Belief in the Angels .............................................................. 130 40671: We cannot be certain that the name of the Angel of Death is Azraa’eel ....................................... 130 26071: Do the angels and jinn die? .................................. 132 6485: Iblees was not one of the angels ............................ 133 9477: The reality of belief in the angels........................... 136 vi

22232: Is Iblees one of the angels or one of the jinn? ........................................................................... 138 14610: Angels .................................................................. 141 8055: Ruling on describing nurses as “angels of mercy” ......................................................................... 146 10013: A non-Muslim researcher is asking about the proof that Jibreel spoke to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) .............................. 147 6523: The number of angels with each person ................ 151 8976: Is Iblees a jinn or an angel?.................................... 155 6711: How the angels protected the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ................... 160 1863: The meaning of al-mala’ al-a’laa ........................... 164 843: Al-Malaa’ikah (Angels) ........................................... 166 Belief in Divinely-revealed Books ....................................... 182 44018: Is the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned in the Bible? ......................................................................... 182 23475: Things foretold in the Qur’aan which have come to pass ..................................................................... 187 9519: The reality of belief in the Books .......................... 191 20020: The Ruling of Optaining a Bible .......................... 195 10817: Ruling on obtaining the previous scriptures ........ 196 4322: If a Jew or Christian believes that Allaah is One but does not rule according to the Qur’aan .............. 197 4134: Last will of Yaa’qoob; Scripture of Ibraaheem in the Qur’aan; country with largest Muslim population and how they came to Islam ............. 200 185: Foretelling of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Bible ................. 201 2110: What is the nature of the authority of the Qur’aan according to Muslims? ................................. 206 1400: Muslim view of Ibraaheem (upon whom be peace) and the Tawraat (Torah) ................................... 207 2001: Corruption of the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel) ................................................................. 209 Belief in the Messengers ....................................................... 213 vii

44018: Is the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned in the Bible? ......................................................................... 213 42216: The infallibility of the Prophets ........................... 218 45820: How long was Maryam pregnant with ‘Eesa (peace be upon him)? ............................................. 229 34634: Can it be said of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “Habeeb-Allaah (the Beloved of Allaah)”? ................................................ 232 36836: Was Idrees the first of the Messengers? ............... 235 43148: The Muslims’ beliefs concerning the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam .............................................. 237 34295: Why do people not respond to the laws of Allaah? ......................................................................... 244 23290: Falseness of the hadeeth, “Were it not for you, I would not have created the universe” .............. 249 26713: Did a light shine when the Prophet peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him was born? .............. 253 2431: How can we increase the love of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in our hearts? ........................................................... 255 26117: The life of the Prophets ........................................ 259 2036: What is the high status of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? ....................................................................... 262 20177: How was the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) bewitched? ....................................................................... 264 8929: The reality of belief in the Messengers .................. 266 12096: Preferring some Messengers over others ............. 271 13957: Mankind’s need for the Messengers .................... 274 21793: Was al-Khidr a Prophet? ...................................... 279 10452: The reason why there is no picture of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ......................................................................... 282 10468: Belief in the Books and Messengers ....................................................................... 286 viii

10551: The first of the Prophets and the first of the Messengers ................................................................. 291 10470: Nooh (peace be upon him) ................................... 292 13043: Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) ........................... 298 10242: A brief look at Moosa (peace be upon him) ......... 310 10669: The superiority of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to all of creation ........................................................................ 326 10277: A brief look at ‘Eesa (Jesus) – peace be upon him ..................................................................... 332 6084: Is the Prophet peace and blessings of Allaah alive and present on the earth at this time? ...................... 345 10116: Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the bible ............................................................................ 348 9514: What is the role of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him)? ....................................................................... 355 11725: The difference between a Messenger and a Prophet ................................................................... 356 11452: Was Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) the first to be created? ................ 358 8490: Are the ahaadeeth about matters of the unseen revelation (wahy) from Allaah? ........................... 359 7459: Are the Prophets equal? ........................................ 360 7208: Did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commit sin? ................................ 364 2070: When witchcraft was used against the Prophet , this did not affect his worship .......................... 370 6333: How was ‘Eesaa (peace be upon him) created? ............................................................................ 371 5455: What is the difference between a Prophet and a Messenger? ............................................................. 376 5643: How the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw in this world some events of the Hereafter ..................................................... 382 1684: Do Prophets sin? Do they need forgiveness? ......... 383 500: Who was Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ...................................................... 388 ix

502: What do Muslims believe about Jesus (peace be upon him) ......................................................... 389 Belief in the Last Day ........................................................... 392 32627: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not know when the Hour would begin ............................................................ 392 33689: Falseness of the reports narrated concerning how long this world will last ......................... 397 34649: The reason why the torment of the grave is hidden from man ................................................ 402 34694: How will the kaafir be brought to account in the Hereafter, when he is not required to adhere to sharee’ah? ...................................... 404 41643: Should we place green leaves on graves so that the punishment of the deceased may be reduced? .............................................................. 407 42970: The Dajjaal will emerge at the end of time, so why did the Prophets warn their people about him? And when and where will he emerge? .......... 410 43314: How will be people be able to bear the sun being brought close on the Day of Resurrection? ................................................................... 413 43138: How the deceased is questioned in the grave ................................................................................. 414 33634: The grave is not the final resting place ................ 416 20286: Are there airports and airplanes in Paradise? .......................................................................... 417 20469: The ages of the people of Paradise ...................... 420 22203: What are the questions that a person will be asked on the Day of Resurrection? ...................... 421 6974: Resurrection after death ......................................... 423 31805: The weighing of deeds and the distribution of the books of deeds on the Day of Resurrection ........... 426 21679: The gathering of mankind and the animals .......... 431 10403: Three questions in the grave ................................ 438 14379: Ruling on belief in reincarnation ......................... 444 13994: The reality of belief in the Last Day .................... 448 x

14490: The kaafir’s reckoning in the Hereafter ............... 449 10673: Settling of scores among the animals on the Day of Resurrection ................................................... 452 9488: The meaning of the hadeeth which says that the sins of the Muslims will be placed on the kuffaar of the People of the Book .................................... 455 1506: It is not possible to say that someone is Muslim if they did not utter the Shahaadatayn ................ 457 8398: Is it true that the Day of Judgement will come on a Friday, 10th Muharram? ................................. 459 2443: Those who never hear anything about Islam ......... 460 2180: The Muslim’s reckoning will be much shorter than the kaafir’s ................................................... 461 2272: Is a day with Allaah one thousand years or fifty thousand years? .................................................... 462 1244: The fate of kuffaar who did not hear the message of Islam .............................................................. 464 314: The Muslim belief concerning the destiny of atheists in the Hereafter ............................................... 466 1916: Meeting Allaah on the Day of Judgement.............. 467 1028: The meaning of Verse 33, Al Rahmaan ................. 470 The Signs of the Hour ........................................................... 473 43840: The truth about the Mahdi, and the order in which the portents of the Hour will appear.................. 473 34618: One of the signs of the Hour is that time will pass more quickly ..................................................... 476 34890: The hadeeth “There is no Mahdi except ‘Eesa” is not saheeh ......................................................... 481 21636: Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) not tell us when the Hour would begin? .................................................................... 483 11902: Events that will occur before the Day of Resurrection and distinguish the believers from the kaafirs ................................................................ 486 13060: How can we understand the strength of Israel in the context the approach of the onset of the Hour? ..................................................................... 489 xi

21614: Prophet’s prayers for refuge with Allaah and dhikr at times of tribulation and hardship ................. 492 32665: The Dajjaal will enter every land except Makkah and Madeenah .................................................... 496 20673: The middle hour ................................................... 499 10301: The emergence of the Mahdi ............................... 501 11954: The gathering of mankind will be in al-Shaam not in ‘Arafaah ................................................. 504 11093: What to do at times of fitnah and division ........... 505 10302: The Messiah son of Maryam and the false messiah (Dajjaal) ..................................................... 507 8301: Who was Ibn Sayyaad? Was he the false messiah (al-maseeh al-dajjaal)? ....................................... 508 8806: Who is the Dajjaal ................................................. 514 3096: Will the Qur’aan disappear at the end of time? ............................................................................ 531 6190: The approach of the Hour ...................................... 536 6196: Madeenah will have seven gates when the Dajjaal comes ............................................................. 539 171: The Dajjaal (Anti-Christ), Al-Daabbah (the Beast) and Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj (Gog and Magog) ...................................................................... 541 3259: Will we see the Mahdi et al. in our lifetimes? .......................................................................... 543 3437: Do Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj exist at the present time, and is the barrier real? ................................ 544 2281: Signs of the Hour ................................................... 547 1252: Is the Mahdi real or not? ........................................ 562

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Introduction Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon His last Messenger, Prophet Muhammad, and on his family and his companions. This book, Basic Tenets of Faith: Belief (Part 1), is the first volume of a series of authoritative Islamic books entitled Islam: Questions And Answers. The overall series discusses issues relevant to Islam, and present accurate and reliable information based on the true beliefs and practices of the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) and his companions. The objectives of the various books include: to teach and familiarize Muslims with various aspects of their religion to be a source for guiding people to Islam to assist in solving the social and personal problems of the Muslims in an Islamic context The books are directed towards Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Subject areas include, but are not limited to, Islamic fiqh and jurisprudence, Islamic history, Islamic social laws (including marriage, divorce, contracts, and inheritance), Islamic finance, basic tenets and aqeedah of the Islamic faith and tawheed, and Arabic grammar as it relates to the Qur'an and Islamic texts. The books are compilations of questions and responses about Islam, from both Muslims and Non-Muslims. The responses are handled mainly by internationally re-nowned Islamic shaykhs and scholars, including Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn Katheer, al-Albaani, Shaykh Ibn Baaz, Ibn al-Jawzi, Ibn al-Qayyim, Al‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam, al-Nawawi, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem, al Khudayr, Al-Dhahabi, al-Qurtubi, Al-Sindi, al-Shawkaani and al-Bastawi using only authentic, scholarly sources based on the Qur'an and sunnah. References, which include Haashiyat Ibn Maajah, Sharh Saheeh Muslim, Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 1

Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Da’eefah, Al-Mawsoo’ah fi Ahaadeeth al-Mahdi al-Da’eefah wa’l-Mawdoo’ah, Al-Manaar al-Muneef and Fataawa Islamiyyah, are provided where appropriate in the responses. The book also provides the reader with cross-references to other pertinent responses not necessarily in the same volume, but also in other volumes of the series. However, each volume is complete in itself. It is intended that this present series of Books will cover the following subject areas (insha-Allah): Aqeedah (Basic Tenets of Faith) Usool ul-Fiqh (Science of evidence that serve a basis for Fiqh) Fiqh (Jurisprudence and Islamic Rulings) Da'wah (Inviting others to Islam) Aadaab (Manners) Akhlaaq (Character and Morals) Tareekh wa ul Seerah (Islamic history and biography) Tarbiyyah (Pedagogy, education, and upbringing) Mashakil Nafsiyah wa Ijtimaa'yah (Psychological & Social Problems). May Allah reward the owners and maintainers of www.islamqa.com for granting me full, exclusive, assignable and transferable rights to use and display all the questions and answers needed for the compilation of these books. May Allah grant everyone involved in the promotion of this project good in this world and the Hereafter and protection from the fire of hell.

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General 32492: Are there any weak points in Islam that enable the kaafirs to attack it? Question: As you know Muslims are facing many challenges, pressures and criticisms from non-Muslims in the world. In light of this atmosphere, should we Muslim not be the most open and honest about our shortcomings and try to tackle them as opposed to being overly defensive and seeming to make excuses or cover our faults? The reason for this question is that if we seem to deny or gloss over obvious shortcomings it will not help us to overcome them. Perhaps some Muslims feel that to deal with our problems openly will assist the kufaar in their attacks on Islam. Please advise. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: There are no weak points in Islam – praise be to Allaah – that the Muslim needs to worry about. Islam is the perfect religion of Allaah, and Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled in truth and in justice” [al-An’aam 6:115] One of the scholars said that this means, it tells the truth in its reports and is just in its rulings. 3

Allaah has blessed us by completing His religion and perfecting the blessing, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3] If an Islamic ruling seems to a person to be a weak point, he should realize that the fault lies in his way of thinking, because some of the rulings of sharee’ah that are absolutely wise and just may appear otherwise to some people, either because of their whims and desires, or because it goes against what people are used to in their lives, that goes against sharee’ah. For example, some think that a man’s being the protector and maintainer of women is a weak point in Islam, because they are used to something which is contrary to that and which also goes against the fitrah (natural inclination of man). Secondly: An important matter which should be pointed out here is that it is not permissible for anyone to speak about the rulings of Islam or the tafseer of Qur’aan or the meanings of hadeeth, rather that should be referred to the scholars who are well-versed in knowledge. What happens is that a question is put to an ordinary Muslim, and he cannot find an answer for it or he gives a wrong answer, or it leaves some doubt in his heart that he cannot rid himself of. “if only they had referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have understood it from them (directly). Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of 4

Allaah upon you, you would have followed Shaytaan (Satan), save a few of you” [al-Nisa’ 4:83 – interpretation of the meaning] Hence we say that Allaah has protected the religion for us through the scholars and has enabled them to understand it correctly so as to refute hostile ideas and explain its wisdom to people. That is not for the ordinary people, rather it is only for the elite, namely the scholars. Some of scholars used to challenge people to bring them a verse that contradicts another verse or a hadeeth, or a hadeeth that contradicts another hadeeth or a verse of Qur’aan, and they would explain to them anything that appeared to be a contradiction, and they used to openly challenge everyone on this matter. Al-Daaraqutni – who was one of the imams of hadeeth – stood in Baghdad as a khateeb and said: “O people of Baghdad! No one can tell lies against the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whilst I am alive.” These words indicate the depth of their knowledge and understanding of Islam, which was so great that the people of falsehood could not attack Islam or introduce into it things that were not part of it. Hence our advice to this questioner and other Muslims, especially those who mix with kuffaar because of their work or because they live in their countries, is to strive to seek knowledge and to learn the correct rulings of Islam that are derived from the Qur’aan and Sunnah, whilst paying attention to learning the reasons behind these rulings, so that they will have knowledge with which to refute the specious arguments of those who seek to attack Islam, and this will enable them to call people to Allaah with proper insight and understanding. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 5

20612: He is amazed by the height of Adam (peace be upon him) Question: In saheeh al bukhari hadith No246, rasulullah states Adam was created 30m in height. i cannot understand and imagine this can you please expain?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: This hadeeth was narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who said: “Allaah created Adam and he was sixty cubits tall. Then He said, ‘Go and greet those angels and listen to how they greet you, for that will be your greeting and the greeting of your progeny.’ He said, ‘Al-salaamu ‘alaykum (Peace be upon you).’ They said, ‘Al-salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmat-Allaah (Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allaah).’ So they added the words ‘wa rahmat Allaah.’ And everyone who enters Paradise will be in the form of Adam. People kept on growing smaller until now.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3336; Muslim, 7092 According to a version narrated by Muslim: “Everyone who enters Paradise will be in the form of Adam who was sixty cubits tall. People kept growing smaller until now.” With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “People kept growing 6

smaller until now,” al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in Fath alBaari (6/367): “This means that in every generation people grew shorter than the previous generation, and continued to grow shorter until the time of this ummah, then they stayed like that.” The Muslim is obliged to believe in every idea for which there is evidence in the Qur’aan or saheeh Sunnah from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Imam al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “I believe in Allaah and in that which came from Allaah in the sense meant by Allaah. I believe in the Messenger of Allaah and in what came from the Messenger of Allaah in the sense meant by the Messenger of Allaah.” See al-Irshaad Sharh Lam’at al-I’tiqaad, p. 89. So the believer is required to believe with firm faith in everything that we are told by Allaah and by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), if it is proven to be soundly reported from him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He must believe in it with firm faith that leaves no room for the slightest doubt. He must accept it in general and specific terms, whether he understands it or not and whether he finds it strange or not, because not understanding something that is proven in a sound report does not mean that it did not happen. All that means is that he cannot comprehend this particular issue. Allaah has commanded us to believe in everything that He tells us and everything that His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) tells us. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Only those are the believers who have believed in Allaah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allaah. Those! They are the truthful” [alHujuraat 49:15] 7

Part of faith is belief in the unseen (al-ghayb). The hadeeth we are discussing here comes under this heading. Allaah praises those who believe in the unseen, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Alif-Laam-Meem. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’aan and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.] This is the Book (the Qur’aan), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqoon [the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism who fear Allaah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allaah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. Who believe in the Ghayb[the unseen]” [al-Baqarah 2:13] You should note that Allaah is Able to do all things. Just as He is able to create man in the form that he appears in now, He is also Able to create man in a larger or smaller form. If this is difficult for you to understand, then think of the dwarves that we see, who are child-sized men. If this can happen, then why could the opposite not happen, namely a man being sixty cubits tall? In the history of mankind there have been giants as the archaeologists tell us. The basic principle here is to accept the absolute power of Allaah and to accept what He tells us and what His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) tell us, and to say what those who are well versed in knowledge say: “We believe in it; the whole of it (clear and unclear Verses) are from our Lord” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:7 – interpretation of the meaning]. 8

We ask Allaah to show us the truth as true and help us to follow it, and to show us falsehood as false and help us to avoid it. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 20059: Causes of weakness of faith Question: I have some problems in Faith sometimes I know it is th eSataans. Can you give me some more stories that will give me more fairh. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. A person may become negligent and that may lead to weakening his faith. The remedy for that is to pray a great deal for forgiveness and to constantly remember Allaah, and to read Qur’aan and focus on and ponder its meanings, for doing that will rid the heart of its carelessness and wake it from its slumber. And it is very important to do a lot of righteous deeds. There are several reasons for weakness of faith, including the following: 1 – Ignorance of the names and attributes of Allaah leads to weakness of faith because if a person is lacking in knowledge of the names and attributes of Allaah, his faith will be imcomplete. 2 – Neglecting to think of the signs of Allaah in the 9

universe and to ponder His commands and prohibitions. This causes a lack of faith or at the very least it makes faith stagnant and prevents it from growing. 3 – Committing sin, for sin has a far-reaching effect on the heart and on faith. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No adulterer is a believer at the moment when he is committing adultery.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2475; Muslim, 57). 4 – Failing to do acts of worship, for failing to do acts of worship diminishes faith. But if the act of worship is something that is obligatory and it is neglected with no excuse, then this is a shortcoming for which a person is to be blamed and will be punished. If it is an act of worship that is not obligatory or it is obligatory but a person does not do it because he has an excuse, then this is a shortcoming for which he will not be blamed or punished. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, 1/52 We advise you to read Qur’aan a great deal and ponder its verses, for in that there is healing for what is in your heart, if Allaah wills. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We send down of the Qur’aan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe” [al-Isra’ 17:82] We also advise you to study the stories of the Prophets, for Allaah narrated them in the Qur’aan to make the heart of his Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the believers with him, steadfast. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And all that We relate to you (O Muhammad) of the news of the Messengers is in order that We may make strong 10

and firm your heart thereby. And in this (chapter of the Qur’aan) has come to you the truth, as well as an admonition and a reminder for the believers” [Hood 11:120] And we also advise you to read question no. 14041. O Allaah, make faith dear to us and make kufr (disbelief), evildoing and sin hateful to us, and make us of those who are rightly-guided. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 14041: I want to strengthen my faith Question: could you please write me something inspirational that will lift my iman. I do the basics required by me pray fast, make dua, read islamic literature be good to my parents, give sadaqa but I just don’t feel like I’m doing anything extra, or striving and making jihad. Please help me. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. On this site there is an essay entitled “Weakness of Faith, which gives a detailed description of the weakness of faith that many people suffer, and explains the causes and the remedy. We advise you to read it. Here is the link: [http://63.175.194.25/books/dofuleeman/english.html]. There follow two pieces of advice from major scholars, 11

in addition to the above, summing up what is required on your part: 1 – We advise you to read Qur’aan a great deal, listen to its recitation and ponder the meanings of what you read and listen to, as much as you can. If you find anything difficult to understand then ask the scholars in your country or write to other Sunni scholars for advice. We also advise you to remember Allaah a great deal (dhikr) with the dhikrs narrated in the saheeh ahaadeeth, such as “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god except Allaah)”, “Subhaan-Allaah wa’l-hamdu Lillaah wa laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa Allaahu akbar (Glory be to Allaah, praise be to Allaah, there is no god except Allaah and Allaah is Most Great)”, and so on. For more information on this see al-Kalim al-Tayyib by Ibn Taymiyah; al-Waabil al-Sayyib by Ibn al-Qayyim; Riyaadh al-Saaliheen [available in English]; al-Adhkaar al-Nawawiyyah by Imaam al-Nawawi, and so on. Remembering Allaah (dhikr) increases faith and brings peace of mind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “verily, in the remembrance of Allaah do hearts find rest” [al-Ra’d 13:28] Regularly perform acts of worship such as prayer, fasting and the other pillars of Islam, whilst hoping for the mercy of Allaah and putting your trust in Him in all your affairs. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The believers are only those who, when Allaah is mentioned, feel a fear in their hearts and when His Verses (this Qur’aan) are recited unto them, they (i.e. the Verses) increase their Faith; and they put their trust in their Lord (Alone); Who perform As-Salaah (Iqaamatas Salaah) and spend out of that We have provided them. 12

It is they who are the believers in truth. For them are grades of dignity with their Lord, and forgiveness and a generous provision (Paradise).” [al-Anfaal 8:2] Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas, 3/185, 186 2 – Faith is also increased by obeying Allaah, and it decreases when one disobeys Him. So adhere to doing that which Allaah has enjoined such as performing the prayers on time in congregation in the mosque, praying zakaah willingly to purify yourself of sin and show compassion towards the poor and needy, sitting with good and righteous people so that they will help you to apply sharee’ah and guide you to that which will bring you happiness in this world and in the Hereafter. Avoid the followers of bid’ah and sinners, lest they tempt you and weaken your resolve to do good. Do a lot of voluntary good actions, turn to Allaah, and ask Him for strength. If you do that, Allaah will increase you in faith and you will make up for lost time, and Allaah will increase you in goodness and steadfastness in adhering to Islam. Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas, 3/187. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 13183: The soul of the deceased does not come back to his family or his house Question: Can a dead muslim feel the feelings of his close relatives after his death? i.e their sorrows, weeping, happiness and they are remembering him or not after him/her? Is the soul of a good muslim can come in the world to 13

know about his family. I heard that the soul come to the place where he/she died for forty days. Do we feel or see the souls of our close relatives? What is the reality of dreams about dead ones? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. When a person dies, he moves from this world to another realm, and his soul does not come back to his family and they do not feel anything of him. What is mentioned (in the question) about the soul coming back for forty days is a myth that has no foundation. Similarly the dead person does not know anything about the circumstances of his family, because he is absent from them, in a state of bliss or torment. But Allaah may inform some of the dead of some of the circumstances of their families, but this is not necessarily so. There are some reports, which cannot be relied upon, that say that the deceased may know something about his family’s circumstances. With regard to dreams, some of them are true and some are the playing of the Shaytaan. The living may come to know something of the circumstances of the dead via true dreams, but that depends on the sincerity of the one who sees the dream, whether the dream is a true dream and the ability of the one who interprets these dreams. Yet despite that we should not be certain of what the dream says, unless there is some evidence to indicate that. For a living person may see his deceased relative in a dream, advising him to do things or saying some things to him which he may know are true if they match reality. There have been some cases in which dreams matched reality and others where there is no evidence to suggest that the dreams are true. And some dreams are known to be untrue. So dreams are of three types. We must pay attention to that when dealing with news, reports and stories that have to do with the circumstances of the dead. 14

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak. (www.islamqa.com) 13205: This world is the place of trials and tribulations Question: What is this world? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This world is the place of striving and the Hereafter is the place of reward or punishment, where the believers will be rewarded with Paradise and the disbelievers will be punished with Hell. Paradise is good and none but those who were good will enter it. Allaah is Good and accepts nothing but that which is good. So the way of Allaah with His slaves is to test them with calamities and tribulations, so that the believer may be known from the kaafir and so that the truthful may be distinguished from the liar, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test)” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:2-3] Victory and success cannot be achieved except after tests 15

which will bring the good forth from the evil and tell the believer apart from the kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good. Nor will Allaah disclose to you the secrets of the Ghayb (Unseen)” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:179] Among the trials with which Allaah tests His slaves in order to distinguish the believers from the disbelievers is that which He mentions in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to AsSaabiroon (the patient). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’ They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones” [al-Baqarah 2:155-157] So Allaah tests His slaves, and He loves those who are patient, and gives them the glad tidings of Paradise. Allaah tests His slaves with jihaad, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allaah tests those of you who fought (in His Cause) and (also) tests those who are AsSaabiroon (the patient)?” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:142] 16

Wealth and children are a trial by means of which Allaah tests His slaves, to know who will give thanks for them, and who will be distracted from Allaah by them: “And know that your possessions and your children are but a trial and that surely, with Allaah is a mighty reward” [al-Anfaal 8:28 – interpretation of the meaning] Allaah tests us, sometimes with calamities and sometimes with blessings, to show who will be thankful and who will be ungrateful, and who will obey and who will disobey, then He will reward or punish them on the Day of Resurrection: “and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good. And to Us you will be returned” [al-Anbiya’ 21:35 – interpretation of the meaning] Testing is according to one’s faith; the most severely tested among mankind are the Prophets, then the next best and the next best. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When I fall ill, my pain is equivalent to the pain of two men among you.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5648). Allaah tests His slaves with different kinds of trials. Sometimes He tests them with calamities and tribulations to distinguish the believer from the disbeliever, the obedient from the disobedient, the grateful from the ungrateful. Sometimes Allaah tests His slaves with calamities; when they commit sin, He punishes them with calamities so that they might come back to him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of 17

what your hands have earned. And He pardons much” [al-Shoora 42:30] “And indeed We seized them with punishment, but they humbled not themselves to their Lord, nor did they invoke (Allaah) with submission to Him” [al-Mu’minoon 23:76] Allaah is merciful to His slaves; He sends repeated tribulations upon the ummah so that they may return and repent to Him, and give up that which Allaah has forbidden, and so that Allaah might forgive them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “See they not that they are put in trial once or twice every year (with different kinds of calamities, disease, famine)? Yet, they turn not in repentance, nor do they learn a lesson (from it)” [al-Tawbah 9:126] It is part of the mercy of Allaah that disasters befall sinners in this world, so that their souls might be purified and they might come back to Allaah before they die: “And verily, We will make them taste of the near torment (i.e. the torment in the life of this world, i.e. disasters, calamities) prior to the supreme torment (in the Hereafter), in order that they may (repent and) return (i.e. accept Islam)” [al-Sajdah 32:21 – interpretation of the meaning] Sometimes Allaah tests His slaves with calamities in order to raise them in status and to expiate for their sins, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No misfortune or disease befalls a Muslim, no worry or grief or harm or distress – not even a thorn that pricks him – but Allaah will expiate for some of his sins because of that.” (Agreed upon. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5641) 18

From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com) 11535: Misinterpretation of the word of Tawheed, and a false claim that it renders a person free from any need for food Question: laailaaha illalaah.my sheikh once said that the meaning of the kalima is, laa meaning, (non is capable of)ilaaha meaning,(fulfilling the needs)illalaah meaning,(except allah) but many others say that non worthy of worship except allah is the actual meaning. i’ve got great belief in the teaching of my sheikh.he explains,firstly we have the need to alive. if it’s not for allah,whoelse could fulfillthat need.he also said if a person could live in laailaahailallaah that person is a sufi.today many people are against sufism.what is your opinion? Answer: Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O mankind! it is you who stand in need of Allaah. But Allaah is Rich (Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise” [Faatir 35:15] This aayah indicates that people are in need of their Lord in all their affairs, and for their very existence and survival, to benefit them and keep them safe from all evils. Allaah is the One Who bestows all that. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning), “Allaah is He Who created you, then provided food for you, then will cause you to die, then (again) He will give you life (on the Day of Resurrection)” [al-Room 30:40] 19

“And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allaah” [al-Nahl 16:53] Allaah is free from any need of His slaves and to Him belongs all dominion and praise. His slave cannot benefit Him or harm Him. If all of them were to believe, that would not increase His dominion at all, and if they were all to disbelieve, that would not reduce His dominion at all. He is the Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of the first and the last. He is the True God, besides Whom no other is deserving of worship. Everything else that is worshipped apart from Him is false. The meaning of Laa ilaaha illAllaah is, there is none who is rightfully worshipped apart from Allaah. This is the correct meaning. It does not mean that there is no creator apart from Allaah, or there is none who is able to meet all needs apart from Allaah. These are also implied in its meaning, for the True God is the Creator of all things, the One Who is Able to do all things. What this shaykh said, that the meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah is “none is capable of fulfilling needs except Allaah” – if he meant that this is part of the meaning, then this is correct; but if he said that this is what is meant by it, then this is false. If what is meant by this phrase is what the shaykh said, then why did the early mushrikeen refuse to say it when the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to them, “Say Laa ilaaha illAllaah and you will prosper”? Because they affirmed that there was no creator besides Allaah, and they understood what was meant by this phrase, which is that there is none who is rightfully worshipped except Allaah. Allaah is the One Who is rightfully worshipped, and anything else that is worshipped apart from Him is false. This implies that the gods of the mushrikeen which they worship are false. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “That is because Allaah, He is the Truth, and that which 20

they invoke besides Him is Al Baatil (falsehood, Satan and all other false deities); and that Allaah, He is the Most High, the Most Great” [Luqmaan 31:30] Because the mushrikeen knew what it meant, and that it implied that their gods were false, they refused to say it, and they recommended one another to remain constant to their gods, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the disbelievers say: ‘This (Prophet Muhammad) is a sorcerer, a liar. Has he made the aalihah (gods) (all) into One Ilaah (God — Allaah). Verily, this is a curious thing!’ And the leaders among them went about (saying): ‘Go on, and remain constant to your aalihah (gods)! Verily, this is a thing designed (against you)!’” [Saad 38:4] Hence you may know that what many say, which goes against what your shaykh said concerning the meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, is what is correct. What your shaykh said, ‘That we are in need of Allaah… ’ means that Allaah Alone is the One Who gives us life, and that is correct. But that is not the meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Rather what it means is that there is none who is rightfully worshipped except Allaah, as stated above. The True God is the One who deserves to be worshipped, and He is the One Who gives life and gives death, and He is Allaah, may He be exalted. What your shaykh said, that ‘if a person could live … many people are against sufism’, if he meant that a person could do without food and drink constantly, this is a false notion, because there is no person who can do without food and drink constantly, not even the Prophets, let alone anyone else. His claim that a Sufi can live without food 21

and drink, and that making dhikr enables him to do without that constantly, is false. If anyone among them makes such a claim, he is a liar. So do not be deceived by this shaykh, for he is either ignorant and misguided, or he is a liar and an imposter. Beware of him and his ilk. We ask Allaah to guide you and help you. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (www.islamqa.com) 12368: Is knowing the sex of the baby part of the knowledge of the unseen? Question: How can we reconcile between the fact that doctors can find out whether the foetus is male or female, and the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “and [He] knows that which is in the wombs” [Luqmaan 31:24], and what was narrated in Tafseer Ibn Jareer from Mujaahid, that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) what his wife would give birth to, and Allaah revealed this aayah, and what was narrated from Qutaadah (may Allaah have mercy on him)? Is there any aayah or hadeeth to make the general meaning of this aayah (“what is in the wombs”) more specific? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Before I discuss this matter, I would like to explain that there can never be any contradiction between an unambiguous statement of the Qur’aan and reality. If there appears to be a contradiction with reality, it is either because what we think is reality is a baseless claim, or the (text of) the Qur’aan is not opposed to this reality in a 22

clear and definite manner. The unambiguous statements of the Qur’aan and the facts of reality are both definitive, and two definitive things can never contradict one another. Based on the above, it may be said that now they (doctors) are able, through the use of precise machines, to discover what is in the wombs and to find out whether it is male or female. If what is said is false, then there is no point in discussing it. If it is true, then it does not contradict the aayah, because the aayah is referring to a matter of the unseen, which has to do with the knowledge of Allaah about these five matters. The matters of the unseen as far as the foetus are concerned are: how long he will remain in his mother’s womb, his life, his deeds, his provision, whether he is doomed (destined for Hell) or blessed (destined for Paradise), and – before it is fully formed – whether it will be male or female. But after it has been fully formed, knowledge of whether it is male or female is no longer the matter of the unseen, because once it has been fully formed it becomes the matter of the visible world, but it remains within the three layers of darkness which, if they were removed, it would be known what it is. It is not far-fetched to think that among the things that Allaah has created are powerful rays which can penetrate these layers of darkness so that it may become clear whether the foetus is male or female. The aayah does not clearly refer to knowledge of whether the foetus is male or female, and the Sunnah does not refer to that either. With regard to what the questioner refers to, that Ibn Jareer quoted from Mujaahid that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) what his wife would give birth to, and Allaah revealed this aayah, this narration is munqati’ (interrupted), because Mujaahid (may Allaah have mercy on him) was one of the Taabi’een. The tafseer of Qutaadah (may Allaah have mercy on him) may be interpreted as meaning that Allaah Alone has 23

knowledge of that so long as it has not yet been fully formed. But once the foetus is fully formed, then others may have knowledge of it. Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his tafseer of the aayah from Soorat Luqmaan: “No one knows what Allaah wants to create in the wombs apart from Him, but once He decrees that it should be male or female, doomed or blessed, the angels who are appointed in charge of it know that, and whoever else He wills among His creation.” With regard to your question about what may make the general meaning of this aayah (“what is in the wombs”) more specific, we say that if the aayah was speaking about being male or female after the foetus is fully formed, then that which would make it more specific would be tangible facts. The scholars have mentioned the principles of making the general meanings of the Qur’aan and Sunnah more specific, which are a text, ijmaa’ (scholarly consensus), qiyaas (analogy), tangible facts or reason. Their comments on this matter are well known. But since the aayah does not refer to after the foetus is fully formed, but rather it refers to before that time, there is nothing in it that would contradict the idea of knowing whether the foetus is male or female. Praise be to Allaah, there is not, and never will be, anything in reality that contradicts the unambiguous statements of the Qur’aan. The accusations made by the enemies of the Muslims against the Qur’aan, that things happen which outwardly appear to contradict the Qur’aan, arise from their misunderstanding of the Book of Allaah which stems from their bad intentions. But the committed Muslims and scholars have enough knowledge to discover the truth which will refute the specious arguments of these people. Praise and blessings be to Allaah. With regard to this matter, people may be one of two extremes, or a middle group. 24

One extreme is to adhere to the apparent meaning of Qur’aanic verses which are not unambiguous, and to reject any certain facts that go against it. Such people either expose themselves to criticism, or they expose the Qur’aan to criticism, because their view contradicts the certain realities of everyday life. The other extreme is to turn away from that which is indicated by the Qur’aan and to adopt a purely materialistic approach. Thus one becomes a heretic. The middle path is to accept both the indications of the Qur’aan and the facts of reality. These people know that both of them are true, and that the unambiguous statements of the Qur’aan cannot contradict something that is well known and visible. They combine acceptance of the transmitted texts with reason, thus keeping their religious commitment and their intellect safe and sound. Allaah guides those who believe to the truth of that wherein they differ, and Allaah guides whom He wills to a Straight Path (cf. al-Baqarah 2:213). May Allaah help our believing brothers to achieve that, and may He cause us to be guided and to guide others, and make us righteous leaders. My strength is only in Allaah, in Him I put my trust and to Him I turn in repentance. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, vol. 1, 68-70, (www.islam-qa.com) 9414: The Shaytaan whispers to him about who created Allaah Question: There is a person to whom the Shaytaan whispers this 25

question, “Who created Allaah?” Will this have any effect on him? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This insinuating whisper will not have any effect on him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that the Shaytaan comes to a person and says to him “Who created such and such? Who created such and such?” until he says, “Who created Allaah?” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us of the best medicine for dealing with that, which is to seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan and to put a stop to that. So if any such thing occurs to you or crosses your mind, say “A’oodhu Billaahi min al-Shaytaan ir-rajeem (I seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan)” and give up this thought and ignore it completely. Then it will go away by Allaah’s Leave. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, vol. 1, p. 60 (www.islam-qa.com) 10809: What are the things that make faith decrease? Question: What are the things that make faith decrease? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 26

The things that make faith decrease are as follows: 1. Ignorance of the names and attributes of Allaah makes a decrease in faith inevitable, because if a man is lacking in knowledge of the names and attributes of Allaah, he will be lacking in faith. 2. Neglecting to think about the signs of Allaah in the universe and the signs of sharee’ah (i.e., verses of the Qur’aan and miracles of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), etc.). This causes a decrease in faith or at the very least it causes it to stagnate and not grow. 3. Committing sins, because sin has a profound effect on the heart and on faith. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The adulterer at the time when he is committing adultery is not a believer.” 4. Neglecting to do acts of worship, because neglecting to do acts of worship causes a decrease in faith. But if the act of worship is obligatory and a person neglects it with no excuse, then he is to be blamed and deserves punishment. If the act of worship is not obligatory, or it is obligatory but a person does not do it for a valid reason, then he is lacking but is not to be blamed. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described women as lacking in reason and in religion, and he explained their lacking in religion as being because of the fact that when they menstruate, they do not pray or fast. But they are not to be blamed for not praying or fasting during their menstruation; rather they are commanded not to do these things at that time. But because they miss out on doing some of the things that men do, they are regarded as lacking in this regard. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 1. p. 57 (www.islam-qa.com) 27

10839: Pillars of faith and branches of faith Question: How do we reconcile the idea that eemaan (faith) means “belief in Allaah, His angels, His Books, the Last Day and the Divine Decree, both good and bad,” with the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Eemaan (faith) has seventyodd branches…”? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Faith in the sense of belief is based on six principles, which are mentioned in the hadeeth of Jibreel (peace be upon him), when he questioned the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said: “Faith means to believe in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and the Divine Decree, both good and bad.” (Agreed upon). Faith which includes good deeds of various kinds is that which has seventy-odd branches. Hence Allaah called prayer eemaan in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And Allaah would never make your faith [eemaan] (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allaah is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind” [al-Baqarah 2:143] The mufassireen said: “your faith (eemaan)” means your prayers towards Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), because the 28

Sahaabah used to pray towards al-Masjid al-Aqsaa before they were commanded to face the Ka’bah in their prayers. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 1, p. 54 (www.islam-qa.com) 9356: Does faith increase and decrease according to Ahl alSunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah? Question: What is the definition of eemaan (faith) according to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah? Does it increase and decrease? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. According to Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, eemaan (faith) is “belief in the heart, words on the tongue and actions of the body.” This includes three things: 1. Belief in the heart 2. Words on the tongue 3. Actions of the body As this is the case, then it will increase and decrease. That is because the degree of belief in the heart differs from one person to another. Believing in what someone tells you is not the same as believing something that you see with your own eyes. Believing in what one person tells you is not the same as believing what two people tell you, and so on. Hence Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) said: 29

“ ‘My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.’ He (Allaah) said: ‘Do you not believe?’ He [Ibraaheem (Abraham)] said: ‘Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in Faith’” [al-Baqarah 2:260] Eemaan may increase with regard to belief, contentment and tranquillity in the heart. A person may experience that in himself when he attends gatherings of dhikr where he hears a lesson. Remembering Paradise and Hell increases eemaan to the point where it as if you can see them with your own eyes. But when a person is negligent and leaves those gatherings, this certain faith is reduced in his heart. Eemaan in the sense of words may increase similarly. Whoever remembers Allaah a few times is not like one who remembers Him one hundred times. The latter is far better in eemaan. And the one who does an act of worship in a perfect manner will have more faith than one who does it in an imperfect manner. The same applies to righteous deeds. If a person does good deeds physically more than another, the one who does more will have more eemaan than the one who does less. This is stated in the Qur’aan and Sunnah – I mean the fact that eemaan may increase and decrease. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We have fixed their number (19) only as a trial for the disbelievers, in order that the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) may arrive at a certainty [that this Qur’aan is the truth as it agrees with their Books regarding the number (19) which is written in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] and that the believers may increase in Faith [al-Muddaththir 74:31] 30

“And whenever there comes down a Soorah, some of them (hypocrites) say: “Which of you has had his Faith increased by it?” As for those who believe, it has increased their Faith, and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts is a disease (of doubt, disbelief and hypocrisy), it will add suspicion and doubt to their suspicion, disbelief and doubt; and they die while they are disbelievers [al-Tawbah 9:124-125] According to a saheeh hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have never seen any women lacking in reason and faith who have a more negative impact on the mind of a serious man than you.” Thus eemaan increases and decreases. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 1, p. 49) (www.islam-qa.com) 10776: What are the means of increasing faith? Question: What are the means of increasing faith? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There are several means of increasing faith: The first means is learning about Allaah through His names and attributes. The more a person learns about Allaah through His names and attributes, the more he will increase in faith, without a doubt. Hence you find that the scholars who know more about the names and attributes of Allaah than others do, are stronger in faith than others in this regard. 31

The second means is looking at the signs of Allaah in the universe and the signs of sharee’ah (i.e., verses of the Qur’aan and miracles of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), etc.). The more a person looks at the signs of Allaah in the universe, the more he increases in faith. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty. And also in your ownselves. Will you not then see?” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:20-21] The verses which indicate that are many, I mean the verses which indicate that by pondering and thinking about this universe, man can increase in faith. The third means is doing many acts of worship, for the more acts of worship a person does, the more he will increase in faith thereby, whether those acts of worship involve words or actions. So dhikr increases faith in quantity and quality, and prayer, fasting and Hajj also increase faith in quantity and quality. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 1. p. 49 (www.islam-qa.com) 6090: The soul’s connection to the body Question: Is there anything in Islam to explain the soul’s connection to the body? 32

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The soul (al-rooh) is connected to the body in five different ways, to which different rules apply. Its connection to the body as a foetus in his mother’s womb. Its connection to the body after a person is born. Its connection to the body when a person is asleep, when the soul is connected in one way and separated from it in another way. Its connection to the body in al-Barzakh (the period between a person’s death and the Day of Resurrection), when it has departed from the body and separated from it, but is not separated completely in such a way that there is no connection at all. We have mentioned at the beginning of this reply that there are ahaadeeth and reports which indicate that the soul is returned to the body when somebody sends the greeting of salaam to a deceased person. This returning is of a special nature which does not mean that the life is restored to the body before the Day of Resurrection. Its connection to the body on the Day when bodies will be resurrected. This is the most perfect type of connection to the body, and has no comparison to the previous types, because after that the body will never die, sleep or have anything wrong with it. When a person is asleep, his soul is in his body and he is alive, although his being alive is not the same as that of a person who is awake, for sleep is comparable to death. Similarly, when a dead person’s soul is returned to his body (when the greeting is sent upon him), he is in a state 33

between one who is alive and one who is dead, whose soul is not restored to his body. This is like the case of a sleeping person who is in a state between life and death. We hope that this will dispel a lot of your confusion. Kitaab al-Rooh, 44. (www.islam-qa.com) 2689: Ruling on saying “I am a mu’min (believer) in sha Allaah.” Question: Can a moslem say: I am a momen In shaa Allah Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The issue of whether one can add the condition of saying “in sha Allaah” when speaking about matters of faith is one concerning which there has been lengthy and detailed debate among the scholars. The correct attitude in this case is to ask what is meant by the word “mu’min” (believer). If the speaker is referring to the essence of faith, i.e., Islam, without which one would be a kaafir, then in this case it is not correct to say “in sha Allaah.” This would imply some doubt about Islam, which is not permitted; the Muslim should be definite in his faith, and should say “I am a mu’min,” without adding “in sha Allaah.” However, if what is meant is the perfection of faith and the high rank which is above the level of just being a Muslim, then one should say “in sha Allaah,” because otherwise one would be praising oneself, which is forbidden as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Therefore ascribe not purity to yourselves” [al-Najm 53:32] 34

If a person wants to say something straightforward to express his belief, then he should say “I am a Muslim.” In this case there is no need to add “in sha Allaah.” And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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Belief in Allaah 34630: The meaning of belief in Allaah Question: I have read and heard a great deal about the virtues of attaining true belief in Allaah, and I would like you to explain to me in detail the meaning of belief in Allaah in a way that will help me to attain true faith and to keep away from everything that goes against the teachings of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the way of his companions. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Faith in Allaah means believing firmly in His existence, Lordship and Divinity, and in His names and attributes. Faith in Allaah implies four things, whoever believes in them is a true believer. 1 – Belief in the existence of Allaah. The existence of Allaah is something indicated by reason and by man’s innate nature, let alone the large amount of shar’i evidence to that effect. (i) The evidence of man’s innate nature that Allaah exists: every man has been created with an innate belief in his Creator without having to first think about it or be taught, and no one deviates from this innate nature except the one who has been exposed to misguiding influences. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no child who is not born in a state of 36

fitrah (the natural inclination of man), but his parents make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian.” Narrated by alBukhaari, 1358; Muslim, 2658. (ii) The evidence of reason that Allaah exists: all these created things, past, present and future, must have a Creator Who brought them into existence, because it is not possible for them to have created themselves or to have come into existence by accident. It is impossible for them to have come into existence by themselves because a thing cannot create itself: before it existed it was non-existent, so how could it be a creator?! And it is impossible for them to have come into existence by accident, because everything that happens must have a cause. Moreover, this creation is done in a wondrous and precise manner, and every created being is in harmony with the rest of creation, and there is a strong connection between cause and effect. All of this makes it impossible that this universe could have come into being accidentally, because what happens accidentally does not happen in a precise and perfect manner, so how could it remain so precisely balanced? If it is not possible for these things to have created themselves or to have come into existence by accident, then there must be One Who brought them into existence, namely Allaah the Lord of the Worlds. Allaah has mentioned this rational evidence and definitive proof in Soorat al-Toor, where He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Were they created by nothing? Or were they themselves the creators?” [al-Toor 52:35] They were not created without a Creator, and they did 37

not create themselves, so their Creator must be Allaah, may He be blessed and exalted. Hence when Jubayr ibn Mut’im heard the Messenger of Allaah (S) reciting Soorat al-Toor, and he reached these verses (interpretation of the meaning): “Were they created by nothing? Or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they have no firm Belief. Or are with them the treasures of your Lord? Or are they the tyrants with the authority to do as they like?” [al-Toor 52:35-37] Jabeer was a mushrik at that time, and said: “My heart almost soared, and that was the first moment that faith entered my heart.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari in several places. We will give you an example that will help to explain that: If a person were to tell you of a beautiful palace, surrounded by gardens among which rivers flowed, filled with furniture and couches, decorated with all kinds of luxuries and adornments, and told you that this palace and all that it contains created itself, or came into existence like that by accident without anyone building it, you would hasten to deny that and regard it as a lie, and you would regard this as foolish speech. So after that can it be possible that this wondrous, vast and well balanced universe with its earth, heavens and stars, could have created itself or come into being by accident with no Creator?! This rational evidence was understood by a Bedouin who 38

lived in the desert and who expressed it most eloquently, when he was asked, “How do you know your Lord?” He said: “If you see the camel dung you know that a camel has passed this way, and if you see a footstep you know that a person has passed this way, so the heaven with its starts and the earth with its mountain passes and the oceans with their high waves all point to the existence of the AllHearing, All-Seeing.” 2 – Belief in the Lordship of Allaah. i.e., belief that He alone is the Lord, with no partner or helper. The Lord (Rabb) is the One Who has the power of creation, dominion and control. There is no Creator except Allaah, no Sovereign except Allaah, no controller of affairs except Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, His is the creation and commandment” [al-A’raaf 7:54] “Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?’ They will say: ‘Allaah.’ Say: ‘Will you not then be afraid of Allaah’s punishment (for setting up rivals in worship with Allaah)?’” [Yoonus 10:31] “He manages and regulates (every) affair from the heavens to the earth; then it (affair) will go up to Him” [al-Sajdah 32:5] “Such is Allaah, your Lord; His is the kingdom. And those, 39

whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmeer (the thin membrane over the date stone)” [Faatir 35:13] Think about what Allaah says in Soorat al-Faatihah (interpretation of the meaning): “The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) [Maaliki Yaawm il-deen]” [al-Faatihah 1:4] And there is an alternative reading, Maliki yawm il-deen. If we combine the two readings we will see a wondrous meaning, for the Malik (King) has more power and authority than the Maalik (Owner), but a king may sometimes be a king in name only, with no control over affairs, in which case he is a king but not an owner. But as Allaah is both Malik and Maalik, then this is confirmation both of His Sovereignty and His control over all affairs. 3 – Belief in His Divinity i.e., that He is the One True God, with no partner or associate. Al-Ilaah (God) means the One Who is loved, i.e., the One Who is worshipped out of love and veneration. This is what is meant by Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (there is no god but Allaah), i.e., there is none who is rightfully worshipped except Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And your Ilaah (God) is One Ilaah (God — Allaah), Laa Ilaaha illa Huwa (there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” [al-Baqarah 2:163] 40

“Allaah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His creation in justice. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the AllMighty, the All-Wise” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:18] Everything that is taken as a god alongside Allaah and worshipped instead of Him, its divinity is false. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “That is because Allaah He is the Truth (the only True God of all that exists, Who has no partners or rivals with Him), and what they (the polytheists) invoke besides Him, it is Baatil (falsehood). And verily, Allaah He is the Most High, the Most Great” [al-Hajj 22:62] Calling them gods does not give them the rights of divinity. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They are but names which you have named you and your fathers for which Allaah has sent down no authority” [al-Najm 53:23] Allaah tells us that Yoosuf (peace be upon him) said to the prison guard (interpretation of the meaning): “Are many different lords (gods) better or Allaah, the One, the Irresistible? You do not worship besides Him but only names which you have named (forged) — you and your fathers — for which Allaah has sent down no authority” [Yoosuf 12:39-40]

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No one deserves to be worshipped or singled out for worship except Allaah, and no one has any share in this right with Him, no angel who is close to Him nor any Prophet who was sent. Hence the call of all the Messengers, from the first to the last of them, was the call to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)” [al-Anbiya’ 21:35] “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): “Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, i.e. do not worship Taaghoot besides Allaah)” [al-Nahl 16:36] But the mushrikeen rejected that and took other gods instead of Allaah, which they worshipped alongside Allaah, seeking their support and help. 4 – Belief in His Names and Attributes. i.e., affirming the names and attributes which Allaah has affirmed for Himself in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a manner that befits Him, without distorting or denying the meanings, or asking how, or likening Him to His creation. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His 42

Names. They will be requited for what they used to do” [al-A’raaf 7:180] This verse indicates that the Most Beautiful names belong to Allaah. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “His is the highest description (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) in the heavens and in the earth. And He is the AllMighty, the AllWise” [al-Room 30:27] This verse indicates that the attributes of perfection belong to Allaah, because “the highest description” is the attribute of perfection. These two verses prove that the most beautiful Names and the most sublime attributes belong to Allaah in general terms. With regard to the details of that, there is a great deal of information in the Qur’aan and Sunnah. This field of knowledge, i.e., the names and attributes of Allaah, is one of the fields in which there has been a great deal of dispute and division among the ummah, and the ummah has split into various factions regarding the names and attributes of Allaah. Our attitude towards these differences is that enjoined by Allaah when He said (interpretation of the meaning): “(And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day” [al-Nisa’ 4:59] We refer this dispute to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 43

him), seeking guidance therein from the way in which the righteous salaf, the Sahaabah and Taabi’een, understood these verses and ahaadeeth, for they are the most knowledgeable of this ummah as to what Allaah and His Messenger meant. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood spoke the truth when he described the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by saying: “Whoever wants to follow a path, let him follow the path of one who has died, for there is no guarantee that the one who is still alive will not be tempted. Those are the companions of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), the most pure in heart of this ummah and the most deep in knowledge, the least sophisticated and complicated, people whom Allaah chose to establish His religion and accompany His Prophet. So acknowledge their rights and adhere to their guidance, for they are following true guidance.” Everyone who deviates from the path of the salaf in this matter is erring and going astray, and is following a path other than that of the believers, so he deserves the warning issued in the verse where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell — what an evil destination!” [al-Nisa’ 4:115] Allaah has stipulated that in order to be correctly guided, we must believe what the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) believed, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “So if they believe in the like of that which you believe then they are rightly guided” [al-Baqarah 2:137] 44

Everyone who deviates and wanders far from the path of the salaf is lacking in guidance to the extent that he strays from the path of the salaf. Based on this, then what we must do in this case is to affirm what Allaah has affirmed for Himself or what His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has affirmed of the divine names and attributes; we should take the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah at face value, and believe in them as the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did, as they are the best and most knowledgeable of this ummah (may Allaah be pleased with them). But it should be noted that there are four things to be avoided, whoever falls into one of them has not attained true belief in the names and attributes of Allaah as he is obliged to do. Belief in the names and attributes of Allaah is not correct unless one avoids these four things, which are: tahreef (distortion), ta’teel (denial), tamtheel (likening Allaah to His creation) and takyeef (asking or discussing how). Hence we say that what is meant by belief in the names and attributes of Allaah is “affirming the names and attributes which Allaah has affirmed for Himself in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in a manner that befits Him, without distorting or denying the meanings, or asking how, or likening Him to His creation.” There follows a brief explanation of these four things that are to be avoided: (i) Tahreef (distorting) What is meant is changing the meaning of the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah from their true meaning, which means affirming that the most beautiful names and 45

sublime attributes belong to Allaah, to another meaning which was not intended by Allaah or His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). For example: They distort the meaning of the Hand of Allaah which is mentioned in many texts and say that it refers to His blessing or power. (ii) Ta’teel (denying) What is meant is denying the beautiful names and sublime attributes and saying that Allaah does not possess them or some of them. Everyone who denies one of the names or attributes of Allaah that are proven in the Qur’aan or Sunnah does not truly believe in the names and attributes of Allaah. (iii) Tamtheel (likening Allaah to His creation) This means likening the attribute of Allaah to the attribute of a human being, such as saying that Allaah’s Hand is like a man’s hand, or that Allaah hears as a man hears, or that Allaah rose over the Throne like a man sitting on a chair… and so on. Undoubtedly likening the attributes of Allaah to the attributes of His creation is wrong and false. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “There is nothing like Him, and He is the AllHearer, the AllSeer” [al-Shoora 42:11] (iv) Takyeef (discussing how) This means discussing how the attributes of Allaah are, whereby a person tries to imagine or put into words how the attributes of Allaah are. 46

This is definitely invalid, and man cannot know this. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “but they will never compass anything of His Knowledge” [Ta-Ha 20:110] Whoever attains these four things believes truly in Allaah. We ask Allaah to make us steadfast in faith and cause us to die therein. And Allaah knows best. See Risaalat Sharh Usool al-Eemaan by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 11035: Allaah is above His Throne and He is close to us by His Knowledge Question: Quran says “Angels and Gabriel ascents to Allah in a day equivalent to 5000 terrestrial years. Does it imply that Allah is controlling the earthly matters sitting on the throne? Then how can be Allah nearer to us than the veins? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is proven in the Qur’aan and Sunnah and by the consensus (ijmaa’) of the salaf (early generations) of this ummah that Allaah is above His heavens on His Throne, and that He is the Exalted, Most High. He is Above all 47

things, and there is nothing that is above Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah it is He Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them in six Days. Then He rose over (Istawaa) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). You (mankind) have none, besides Him, as a Wali (protector or helper) or an intercessor. Will you not then remember (or receive admonition)?” [al-Sajdah 32:4] “Surely, your Lord is Allaah Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then rose over (Istawaa) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty), disposing the affair of all things [Yoonus 10:3] “To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it (i.e. the goodly words are not accepted by Allaah unless and until they are followed by good deeds) [Faatir 35:10] “He is the First (nothing is before Him) and the Last (nothing is after Him), the Most High (nothing is above Him) and the Most Near (nothing is nearer than Him) [al-Hadeed 57:3] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You are the Most High and there is nothing above You…” There are many similar ayaat and ahaadeeth. But at the same time, Allaah tells us that He is with His slaves wherever they are: “Have you not seen that Allaah knows whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? There is no Najwa (secret counsel) of three but He is their fourth (with His Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over 48

the seventh heaven), — nor of five but He is their sixth (with His Knowledge), — nor of less than that or more but He is with them (with His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be” [al-Mujaadilah 58:7] Allaah has combined mention of His being above His Throne with mention of His being with His slaves in one aayah, where He says (interpretation of the meaning): “He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then rose over (Istawaa) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, and what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be [alHadeed 57:4] Saying that Allaah is with us does not mean that He is mixed with (or dwells in) His creation; rather He is with His slaves by His knowledge. He is above His Throne and nothing is hidden from Him of what they do. With regard to the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge)” [Qaaf 50:16] - most of the mufassireen said that what is meant is that He is near by means of His angels whose task it is to record people’s deeds. And those who said that it means that He is near explained it as meaning that He is near by His knowledge, as is said concerning how He is with us. This is the view of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, who affirm that Allaah is above His creation and that He is also with His slaves, and they state that He is far above dwelling in His created beings. With regard to the denial of all Divine attributes as voiced by the Jahamiyyah and their followers, they deny that His Essence is above His creatures and that He rose above His Throne, and they 49

say that He is present in His Essence everywhere. We ask Allaah to guide the Muslims. Shaykh Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (www.islam-qa.com) 12295: Conditions of Laa ilaaha illa-Allaah Question: Can you please explain the conditions of Laa ilaaha illAllaah (knowledge, certainty, etc), and tell us the rulings on one who does not attain them and one who is ignorant of the meaning of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The conditions of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah. Shaykh Haafiz al-Hukmi said in his poem Sullam al-Wusool : “Knowledge, certainty, submission and following. So listen to what I say. Truthfulness, sincerity and love. May Allaah help you to do that which He loves.” The first condition is knowledge, in the sense of negating what is negated in the Shahaadah and affirming what is affirmed therein – as opposed to being ignorant of that. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings): “So know (O Muhammad) that Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah)…” [Muhammad 47:19] 50

“except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly” – i.e., that there is no god except Allaah (laa ilaaha ill-Allaah) – “and they know” – in their hearts the meaning of the words that they utter with their lips. [alZukhruf 43:86] It is narrated in al-Saheeh from ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever dies knowing that there is no god except Allaah will enter Paradise.” The second condition is certainty, in the sense that the one who says these words is absolutely certain of their meaning. Faith is not sufficient unless it is based on certain knowledge with no element of speculation, let alone doubt. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Only those are the believers who have believed in Allaah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allaah. Those! They are the truthful”[al-Hujuraat 49:15] The sincerity of their faith in Allaah and His Messenger is conditional upon there being no element of doubt therein, As for the doubter, he is one of the hypocrites. In al-Saheeh it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and that I am the Messenger of Allaah, for no person meets Allaah with these two, not doubting in them, but he will enter Paradise.’” According to another report: “No person meets Allaah with these two, not doubting in them, and is denied Paradise.” And it was also narrated from Abu Hurayrah in a lengthy hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent him and said, “Whoever you meet 51

behind this wall who bears witness that there is no god except Allaah, believing in it with certainty in his heart, then give him the glad tidings of Paradise.” Thus we see that a person’s entering Paradise for saying these words is conditional upon his believing in them with certainty in his heart, with no element of doubt. If this condition is not met the target is not met. The third condition is acceptance and submission to what these words imply, both in one’s heart as well as verbally. Allaah has told us the stories of those who came before, who were saved by their acceptance of these words from the punishment of those who had rejected them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “(It will be said to the angels): ‘Assemble those who did wrong, together with their companions (from the devils) and what they used to worship, Instead of Allaah, and lead them on to the way of flaming Fire (Hell); But stop them, verily, they are to be questioned. What is the matter with you? Why do you not help one another (as you used to do in the world)?’ Nay, but that Day they shall surrender. And they will turn to one another and question one another. They will say: ‘It was you who used to come to us from the right side (i.e., from the right side of one of us and beautify for us every evil, enjoin on us polytheism, and stop us from the truth, i.e. Islamic Monotheism and from every good deed).’ They will reply: ‘Nay, you yourselves were not believers. 52

And we had no authority over you. Nay! But you were Taaghoon (transgressing) people (polytheists, and disbelievers). So now the Word of our Lord has been justified against us, that we shall certainly (have to) taste (the torment). So we led you astray because we were ourselves astray.’ Then verily, that Day, they will (all) share in the torment. Certainly, that is how We deal with AlMujrimoon (polytheists, sinners, disbelievers, criminals, the disobedient to Allaah). Truly, when it was said to them: Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah (none has the right “to be worshipped but Allaah),” they puffed themselves up with pride (i.e. denied it). And (they) said: ‘Are we going to abandon our aalihah (gods) for the sake of a mad poet?’”[al-Saffaat 37:2236] So Allaah has made the reason and cause of their punishment their arrogant refusal to say Laa ilaah illAllaah, and their disbelief in the one who brought this message, so that they did not negate what this word negates and they did not affirm what it affirms, rather they said, arrogantly denouncing: “ ‘Has he made the aalihah (gods) (all) into One Ilaah (God — Allaah). Verily, this is a curious thing!’ And the leaders among them went about (saying): ‘Go on, and remain constant to your aalihah (gods)! Verily, this is a thing designed (against you)!’” [Saad 38:5] So Allaah showed them to be liars and threw their words 53

back at them through the words of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Nay! he (Muhammad) has come with the truth (i.e. Allaah’s religion — Islamic Monotheism and this Qur’aan) and he confirms the Messengers (before him who brought Allaah’s religion — Islamic Monotheism)”[al-Saffaat 37:37] Then He said concerning those who accept it (interpretation of the meaning): “Save the chosen slaves of Allaah (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism). For them there will be a known provision (in Paradise), Fruits; and they shall be honoured, In the Gardens of Delight (Paradise)”[al-Saffaat 37:4043] In al-Saheeh it is narrated from Abu Moosa (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The guidance and knowledge with which Allaah has sent me is like abundant rain which falls on the land. Some of the land absorbs the water and brings forth much grass and vegetation. And some of (the rain) falls on another part of the land which is like a smooth plain and does not hold the water, so no vegetation grows. That is the likeness of the one who understands the religion of Allaah and benefits from that with which Allaah has sent me, so he learns and acts, and the likeness of the one who pays no heed and does not accept the guidance of Allaah with which I have been sent. The fourth condition is following that which is indicated, 54

as opposed to not following it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whosoever submits his face (himself) to Allaah, while he is a Muhsin (gooddoer, i.e. performs good deeds totally for Allaah’s sake), then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold” – i.e., Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah – “And to Allaah return all matters for decision”[Luqmaan 31:22] What is meant by “submitting one’s face” is following, when one is also a doer of good and a believer in Tawheed. Whoever does not submit his face to Allaah and is not a doer of good has not grasped the most trustworthy handhold. This is what is meant by the following aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And whoever disbelieves, let not his disbelief grieve you (O Muhammad). To Us is their return, and We shall inform them what they have done…”[Luqmaan 31:23] According to a saheeh hadeeth, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “none of you truly believes until his desire is in accordance with that which I have brought.” This is the ultimate meaning of following. The fifth condition is truthfulness, as opposed to lying. This means that one says it (Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah) sincerely from the heart, with harmony between what is in the heart and what is said on the lips. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the 55

falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test)”[al-‘Ankaboot 29:23] And He said concerning the hypocrites who spoke these words falsely (interpretation of the meaning): “And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: ‘We believe in Allaah and the Last Day,’ while in fact they believe not. They (think to) deceive Allaah and those who believe, while they only deceive themselves, and perceive (it) not! In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allaah has increased their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies” [al-Baqarah 2:810] In al-Saheehayn it is narrated from Mu’aadh ibn Jabal (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “there is no one who bears witness that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, sincerely from the heart, but Allaah will make him forbidden for the Fire.” The sixth condition is sincerity, which means that actions are free from any element of shirk. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allaah only [al-Zumar 39:3] “Say (O Muhammad): ‘Allaah Alone I worship by doing religious deeds sincerely for His sake only’”[al-Zumar 39:14] In al-Saheeh it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 56

“The most deserving of my intercession are those who say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah sincerely from the heart or from the soul.” The seventh condition is love for this word and for what it implies and indicates, and love for the people who act upon it and adhere to its conditions and hate whoever or whatever goes against it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah” [al-Baqarah 2:165] Allaah tells us that those who believe love Allaah more, because they do not associate anything with Him in that love, as is done by those among the mushrikeen who claim to love Him but who also take others as rivals to Him whom they love as they love Him. In al-Saheehayn it is narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No one of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him that his son, his father and all of mankind.” Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 20468: The mercy of Allaah towards His slaves Question: How merciful is Allah, because i heard he loves you more than 70 mothers. Is that true? please explain?. 57

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah is the Most Merciful, Most Compassionate, and He is the most Merciful of those who show mercy. His Mercy encompasses all things. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and My Mercy embraces all things” [al-A’raaf 7:156] In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has one hundred parts of mercy, of which He sent down one between the jinn, mankind, the animals and the insects, by means of which they are compassionate and merciful to one another, and by means of which wild animals are kind to their offspring. And Allaah has kept back ninety-nine parts of mercy with which to be merciful to His slaves of the Day of Resurrection.” Muslim, al-Tawbah, 6908. It was narrated that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab said: “Some prisoners were brought to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and there was a woman among the prisoners who was searching (for her child). When she found her child she embraced him and put him to her breast. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to us, ‘Do you think that this woman would throw her child in the fire?’ We said, ‘No, by Allaah, not if she is able not to.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Allaah is more merciful to His slaves than this woman is to her child.’” Agreed upon. Al-Bukhaari, 5653; Muslim, 6912. One aspect of the mercy of Allaah to His slaves is that He sent the Messengers and revealed the Books and laws to 58

organize their lives according to the ways of wisdom, far removed from hardship and difficulty. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)” [al-Anbiya’ 21:107] The mercy of Allaah is what will admit His believing slaves to Paradise on the Day of Resurrection. No one will ever enter Paradise because of his deeds alone, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No one’s deeds will ever admit him to Paradise.” They said, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “No, not even me, unless Allaah shower me with His Mercy. So try to be near to perfection. And no one should wish for death; he is either doing good so he will do more of that, or he is doing wrong so he may repent.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5349; Muslim, 7042 So the believer must remain in a state between hoping for the mercy of Allaah and fearing His punishment, for Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Declare (O Muhammad) unto My slaves, that truly, I am the OftForgiving, the MostMerciful. And that My Torment is indeed the most painful torment” [al-Hijr 15:49-50] With regard to your saying that Allaah loves us more than seventy mothers, Allaah knows best concerning that. It is sufficient for us to know that the mercy of Allaah encompasses all things. O Allaah, have mercy upon us, O Most merciful of those who show mercy. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 59

25778: Disturbed by waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and evil thoughts Question: When I do Salah or intend to do good deeds I often get very evil thoughts in my mind. When I concentrate in Salah, and try to focus on the meaning of the words, evil thoughts enter my mind, which make evil suggestions about everything including Allah. I feel very frustrated and angry about this. I know that none forgives sins except Allah alone, but because of my thoughts I feel that there is nothing worse than to have evil thoughts about Allah. After Salah I ask Allah’s forgiveness, but feel very bad because I want to stop these evil thoughts, but I can’t stop them. These thoughts spoil my enjoyment of Salah, and also make me feel as though I am doomed. Please advise me. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Evil whispers during prayer and at other times come from the Shaytaan, who is keen to misguide the Muslim and deprive him of good and keep it far away from him. One of the Sahaabah complained to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about waswaas during prayer, and he said: “The Shaytaan comes between me and my prayers and my recitation, confusing me therein.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “That is a devil called Khanzab. If he affects you seek refuge in Allah from him and spit drily to your left three times.” He [the Sahaabi] said, I did that and Allaah took him away from me. (Narrated by Muslim, 2203) 60

Proper focus (khushoo’) is the essence of prayer. Prayer without proper focus is like a body without a soul. The following are two of the things that help one to develop the proper focus: 1 – Striving to think about what you are saying and doing, pondering the meanings of the Qur’aan, dhikr and du’aa’s that you are reciting; bearing in mind that you are conversing with Allaah as if you can see Him. For when the worshipper stands to pray, he is speaking to his Lord, and ihsaan means worshipping Allaah as if you are seeing Him, and knowing that even though you cannot see Him, He sees you. Every time a person experiences the sweetness of prayer, he will be more inclined to do it. [?]. This depends of the strength of one’s faith – and there are many means of strengthening one’s faith. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Of the things of your world, women and perfume have been made dear to me, and my joy is in prayer.” According to another hadeeth he said, “Let us relax, O Bilal, with prayer,” and he did not say, Give us a break from it. 2 – Striving to ward off the things that may distract you during prayer, namely thinking about things that are irrelevant or distracting. Waswaas affects each person differently, because waswaas has to do with a person’s level of doubts and desires and the degree to which a person is attached to other things or is fearing other things. (From Majmoo’ Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, 22/605) With regard to what you say about the waswaas reaching such a great level that you have begun to experience waswaas that makes you think about Allaah in ways that are not appropriate, these are evil whispers from the Shaytaan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan (Satan) tries to 61

turn you away (O Muhammad) (from doing good), then seek refuge in Allaah. Verily, He is the AllHearer, the AllKnower” [Fussilat 41:36] Some of the Sahaabah complained about the waswaas that was bothering [?] them. Some of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said to him, ‘We find in ourselves thoughts that are too terrible to speak of.’ He said, ‘Are you really having such thoughts?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘That is a clear sign of faith.’” (Narrated by Muslim). (Narrated by Muslim, 132 from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah). Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on this hadeeth: “The Prophet’s words, ‘That is a clear sign of faith’ means, the fact that think of this waswaas as something terrible is a clear sign of faith, for if you dare not utter it and you are so afraid of it and of speaking of it, let alone believing it, this is the sign of one who has achieved perfect faith and who is free of doubt.” And it was said that what it means is that the Shaytaan only whispers to those whom he despairs of tempting, because he is unable to tempt them. As for the kaafir, he can approach him in any manner he wants and is not restricted to waswaas, rather he can play with him however he wants. Based on this, what the hadeeth means is that the cause of waswaas is pure faith, or that waswaas is a sign of pure faith. See also question no. 12315 The fact that you hate that and your heart recoils from it is a clear sign of faith. Waswaas happens to everyone who turns to Allaah by reciting dhikr etc. It is inevitable, but you have to be steadfast and patient, and persevere with 62

your dhikr and prayer, and not give up, because in this way you will ward off the plot of the Shaytaan. “Ever feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan” [al-Nisa’ 4:76 – interpretation of the meaning]. Every time a person wants to turn to Allaah, waswaas brings other matters to mind. The Shaytaan is like a bandit: every time a person wants to move towards Allaah, he wants to block the way. Hence when it was said to one of the salaf that the Jews and Christians say, “We do not experience waswaas,” he said, “They are speaking the truth, for what would the Shaytaan do with a house in ruins?” (From Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, 22/608). The remedy: 1 – If you feel that you are being affected by this waswaas, say, “Aamantu Billaahi wa Rasoolihi (I believe in Allaah and His Messenger).” It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan comes to one of you and says, ‘Who created you?’ And he says ‘Allaah.’ Then the Shaytaan says, ‘Who created Allaah?’ If that happens to any one of you, let him say, Aamantu Billaahi wa Rusulihi (I believe in Allaah and His Messenger). Then that will go away from him.” (Narrated by Ahmad, 25671; classed as hasan by alAlbaani in al-Saheehah, 116). 2 – Try to stop thinking about that as much as possible, and keep busy with things that will distract you from it. Finally we advise you to keep on turning to Allaah in all situations, and to ask Him for help, and to beseech Him, and to ask Him to make you steadfast until death, and to cause you to die doing righteous deeds… And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 63

26728: Ruling on saying “We are the children of Allaah” Question: What is the rulling on, when a Muslim say “We believe we are all children of Allah” Basing it on the weak Hadeeth (All creations are sustained by Allah). Please provide details of the ruling. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The hadeeth mentioned was narrated by al-Bazzaar and Abu Ya’la from Anas, and says, “All of mankind are the dependents of Allaah, and the most beloved of them to Allaah are those who are most helpful to their dependents.” This is a very weak (da’eef jiddan) hadeeth as al-Albaani said in Da’eef al-Jaami’, hadeeth no. 2946. Any Muslim who says, “We believe that we are all the children of Allaah” should be asked to explain what he means before any judgement is made concerning him. 1 – If what he means by being children is the metaphorical meaning, which is that people are dependent upon Allaah, and he is using this word for a purpose allowed in sharee’ah, such as refuting the Christians who say that the Messiah is the son of God, then there is nothing wrong with that if he uses it only with Christians in order to show that their belief is false, but he should not use it with others lest that generate confusion and misunderstanding. That is because one of the means of showing the Christians’ beliefs concerning ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) to be false is to use the same expressions as are mentioned in their holy Book (the Bible) to prove that others were described as “sons of God” as well as 64

‘Eesa, which clearly indicates that what is meant by being a son of God in the texts of the Gospels is not “sonship” in the literal sense, which St. Paul claimed for Jesus in order to lead them astray from belief in Divine Oneness (Tawheed). St. Paul based his argument on the confusion that may arise from the use of the words “father” and “son”. Some of the Bible texts that may used to refute their argument are as follows: In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus said of those who believed in him: “They are like the angels. They are God’s children since they are children of the resurrection.” [Luke 20:36] And in the Book of Isaiah: “Bring back My sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth” [Isaiah 43:6] And this is what was said describing God as the Father, as it is narrated in the Gospel of Matthew that the Messiah said to his students: “If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” [Matthew 6:1] In the Gospel of Luke: “When you pray say, ‘Our Father, Who art in heaven…’” [Luke 11:2] In the Gospel of John: “I am returning to my Father and your Father, my God 65

and your God.” [John 20:17] The Christians do not say that the angels, the Children of Israel and the Disciples were sons of God in a literal sense, or that God was their father in a literal sense, rather they interpret that in a metaphorical sense, i.e., that He is a father to them in the sense of blessing them, being kind to them, protecting them and taking care of them, and they are His children in the sense that they worship Him, need Him and are dependent upon Him. This demonstrates the falseness of their understanding of ‘Eesa being the son of God, basing their argument on some texts that say that he is the son of God. 2 – If he means that all people are children of Allaah just as ‘Eesa is the son of Allaah, in the sense of the Christian belief, then this is kufr (disbelief) that is worse than the kufr of the Christians. 3 – If he means that we are all children of Allaah or dependent upon Him, with no difference between Muslims and kaafirs, and he means that the Jews, Christians and idol-worshippers are not kaafirs, then this is riddah or apostasy from Islam, because whoever doubts that the Jews and Christians are kaafirs or approves of their religions is a kaafir, according to scholarly consensus. 4 – If he means thereby to justify using the word “brother” for Jews and Christians, because we are all the children of Allaah, this is false, because there is no brotherhood between the believers and the disbelievers. The hadeeth (which some may interpret as meaning that all men are brothers) has been proven to be not saheeh. Even if it was saheeh, it could not be interpreted in this fashion. We must beware of using confusing words which may 66

cause a person to fall into something haraam or make people think badly of him, especially words which have to do with the Oneness of Allaah (Tawheed) and His Uniqueness in His names and attributes. For the rights of Allaah take precedence and must be taken care of, and we must avoid anything that may violate them, especially when those words are used by the Jews and Allaah quotes them in the Qur’aan in the context of condemnation. “And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are the children of Allaah and His loved ones.’ Say: ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins?’ Nay, you are but human beings of those He has created…” [al-Maa’idah 5:18 – interpretation of the meaning] And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 10153: The Qur’aan was revealed by Allaah, not created Question: Can you recommend a book in english that explains what it really means that the Qu’ran is not a creation ; and what we should believe in as Muslims? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. What we Muslims are obliged to believe is that which has come to us from Allaah, and that which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us. Allaah has told us that He speaks, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 67

“And who is truer in statement than Allaah?[al-Nisaa’ 4:87] “and whose words can be truer than those of Allaah? [al-Nisaa’ 4:122] These two aayahs offer proof that Allaah speaks, and that His words are true, and there is no kind of lie in them at all. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)!…’” [al-Maa’idah 5:116] This aayah shows that Allaah speaks, and that His speech can be heard, so His speech has sound. And His speech includes words and phrases. The evidence that the speech of Allaah is composed of letters is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “O Moosa (Moses)! Verily, I am your Lord!”[Ta-Ha 20:11] because these words are composed of letters, and they are part of the speech of Allaah. And the evidence that the speech of Allaah has sound is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning]: “And We called him from the right side of the Mount, and made him draw near to Us for a talk with him [Moosa (Moses)]. [Maryam 19:52] Calling and talking can only happen with sound. 68

See Sharh Lam’ah al-I’tiqaad by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 73 Hence the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah is that Allaah speaks in a real sense, when and as and with whatever He wills, with letters and sound, but this does not resemble the voices of created beings. The evidence that it does not resemble the voices of created beings is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “There is nothing like Him, and He is the AllHearer, the AllSeer”[al-Shoora 42:11] So it is known from the outset that this is the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. Ahl al-Sunnah wa’lJamaa’ah believe that the Qur’aan is the word of Allaah, and among the evidence for this belief is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And if anyone of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allaah” [al-Tawbah 9:6] what is meant here is the Qur’aan, by scholarly consensus. The fact that Allaah mentions kalaam (speech, word) in idaafah (genitive or possessive construction) with Himself indicates that the Qur’aan is His Word. The belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah is that the Qur’aan is the word of Allaah which was revealed, not created; it began from Him and will return to Him. The evidence that it is revealed is as follows (interpretation of the meanings): “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan” [al-Baqarah 2:185] 69

“Verily, We have sent it (this Qur’aan) down in the Night of AlQadr (Decree)”[al-Qadr 97:1] “And (it is) a Qur’aan which We have divided (into parts), in order that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have revealed it by stages” [al-Israa’ 17:106] “And when We change a Verse (of the Qur’aan) in place of another — and Allaah knows best what He sends down — they (the disbelievers) say: ‘You (O Muhammad) are but a Muftari! (forger, liar).’ Nay, but most of them know not. Say (O Muhammad) RuhulQudus [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought it (the Qur’aan) down from your Lord with truth, that it may make firm and strengthen (the Faith of) those who believe, and as a guidance and glad tidings to those who have submitted (to Allaah as Muslims). And indeed We know that they (polytheists and pagans) say: ‘It is only a human being who teaches him (Muhammad).’ The tongue of the man they refer to is foreign, while this (the Qur’aan) is a clear Arabic tongue [al-Nahl 16:101-103] - the One Who changes a verse in place of another is Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. The evidence that the Qur’aan is not created is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, His is the creation and commandment”[al-A’raaf 7:54] So Allaah describes creation as one thing and commandment as another. The conjunction implies that the second thing mentioned is different, and the Qur’aan 70

is part of the commandment because of the evidence of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And thus We have sent to you (O Muhammad) Rooh (a revelation, and a mercy) of Our Command. You knew not what is the Book, nor what is Faith? But We have made it (this Qur’aan) a light wherewith We guide whosoever of Our slaves We will” [al-Shoora 42:52] If the Qur’aan is part of the command or commandment, which is different from creation, therefore it is not created, because if it were created, this division of categories would not be correct. This is the evidence from the Qur’aan. The rational evidence is that the Qur’aan is the word of Allaah, and words cannot exist in and of themselves so that they would have a distinct and separate identity. If they did exist separately and distinct from Allaah, then we would say that they are created, but words are an attribute of the speaker. If they are an attribute of the speaker and they are spoken by Allaah, then they are not created, because the attributes of Allaah are not created. Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitah by Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 1/ 418-426-441 We must believe this and be certain of it. We should not change the meanings of the verses of Allaah, for they clearly indicate that the Qur’aan is a revelation from Allaah. Hence Imaam al-Tahhaawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The Qur’aan is the word of Allaah which came from Him in the form of speech, without any need for us to know how. He sent it down to His Messenger by Revelation, the believers believe that it is true and they are certain that it is indeed the word of Allaah and that it is not created like the words of human beings. Whoever hears it and claims that it is the words of human 71

beings is a kaafir, who is condemned and warned of Hell, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘I will cast him into Hell fire’ [al-Muddaththir 74:26]. Since Allaah threatened with Hell the one who said, ‘This is nothing but the word of a human being’ [al-Muddaththir 74:26 – interpretation of the meaning], we know and are certain that it is the word of the Creator of mankind, and it does not resemble the speech of human beings.” Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah, 179 Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 12315: He is suffering from waswaas (insinuating whispers) of the Shaytaan about the Essence of Allaah Question: A man is experiencing waswaas (insinuating whispers) from the Shaytaan having to do with Allaah, and he is very afraid of that. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The questioner has mentioned this problem and is afraid of its consequences. I say to him, Rejoice, for its consequences cannot be anything but good. By means of this waswaas, the Shaytaan tries to gain control over the believers and shake the sound belief in their hearts, and make them suffer psychological and intellectual anxiety that will affect the purity of their faith and their life, if they are believers. 72

This is not the first or the last time that the believers are exposed to this. It will continue so long as there is any believer in this world. The Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) also faced this problem. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Some of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said to him, ‘We find in ourselves thoughts that are too terrible to speak of.’ He said, ‘Are you really suffering from that?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘That is a clear sign of faith.’” (Narrated by Muslim). It was narrated in al-Saheehayn, also from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The Shaytaan comes to one of you and says, ‘Who created such and such? Who created such and such?’ until he says, ‘Who created your Lord?!’ If that happens to any of you, let him seek refuge with Allaah and put a stop to these thoughts.” It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said, “I think thoughts to myself, which I would rather be burnt to a cinder than speak of them.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Praise be to Allaah, Who has reduced all his [the Shaytaan’s] plots to mere whispers.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood). Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Kitaab al-Eemaan: “The believer may suffer from the whispers of the Shaytaan insinuating thoughts of kufr, which may make him feel distressed. The Sahaabah said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, some of us think thoughts which we would rather fall from heaven to earth than speak of them.’ He said, ‘That is a clear sign of faith.’ According to one report, ‘… thoughts which are 73

too terrible to speak of.’ He said, ‘Praise be to Allaah, Who has reduced all his [the Shaytaan’s] plots to mere whispers,’ meaning that the fact that these whispers come, but they are so greatly disliked, and they are pushed away from the heart, is a clear sign of faith. This is like the mujaahid to whom the enemy comes, but he resists him until he overwhelms him, and this is a mighty jihaad… Hence the seekers of knowledge and devoted worshippers experience waswaas and doubts which others do not face, because they (the others) are not following the way prescribed by Allaah, rather they are following their own whims and desires and neglecting to remember their Lord. This is what the Shaytaan wants, in contrast to those who are striving to draw closer to their Lord by seeking knowledge and worshipping Him. He is their enemy and seeks to prevent them from drawing closer to Allaah.” (p. 147 of the Indian edition) I say to this questioner, if you are faced with this waswaas from the Shaytaan, then fight it and resist it. Know that it can never harm you when you fulfil the duty of fighting and resisting it, and you refuse to be controlled by it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Allaah will forgive my ummah for any insinuating whispers that may cross their minds, so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it.” (Agreed upon). If it is said to you, Do you believe the insinuating whispers you experience? Do you think that they are true? Do you really think that Allaah is like what this waswaas says? You would say, “It is not right for us to speak of this. Glory be to You (O Allaah)! This is a great lie” [al-Noor 24:16 – interpretation of the meaning]. You would denounce that in your heart and with your tongue, and be the one who objects to it the most, for it is only whispers and thoughts that cross your mind. It is a trap set by the Shaytaan, who flows through the son of Adam like blood 74

flows, to make you doomed and to confuse you about your religion. Hence you will find that the Shaytan does not cast doubts or suspicions into your heart about trivial matters. For example, you may hear of the existence of great cities filled with people and buildings in the east and the west, but it would never cross your mind some day to doubt that they exist or to criticize them and say that they are in ruins and unfit for habitation, or that they are uninhabited, and so on. The Shaytaan has nothing to gain by making people doubt about these cities. But he does have a lot to gain by corrupting the believer’s faith, so he strives with his cavalry and his infantry to extinguish the light of knowledge and guidance in his heart and to make him fall into the darkness of doubt and confusion. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us of the appropriate remedy for that, which is to seek refuge with Allaah and put a stop to it. If a person puts a stop to that and continues to worship Allaah, seeking and hoping for (the reward) which is with Allaah, that will stop by Allaah’s leave. So turn away from all the thoughts of this kind that cross your mind. You are worshipping Allaah, calling upon Him and glorifying Him, and if you were to hear anyone ascribing to Allaah the things that are whispered to you (waswaas), you would probably kill him if you could. So the things that are whispered to you are neither real nor true, they are merely imagination and whispers which have no basis. Our advice may be summed up as follows: 1. Seek refuge with Allaah and give up these thoughts completely, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded. 2. Remember Allaah and control yourself and do not continue to think of these whispers. 75

3. Occupy yourself with worship and doing good deeds, in obedience to the command of Allaah and seeking to please Him. When you devote yourself completely and seriously to worship, you will forget about these whispers, in sha Allaah. 4. Frequently seek refuge with Allaah and make du’aa’ to free you from these whispers. I ask Allaah to keep you safe and sound, and protect you from all evils, Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, vol. 1, p. 57-60 (www.islam-qa.com) 1152: The Conditions of the Testimony of Faith Question: What are the conditions of the testimony of faith? Answer: There are seven conditions of the testimony of Faith : Knowledge which negates ignorance. Certainty which negates doubt. Sincerity and purity of intent which negates shirk. Truthfulness which negates hypocrisy. Love and devotion which negates disdain of Allah’s religion. Submission which negates disobedience. 76

Acceptance which negates rejection or denial. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 179: Meaning of laa ilaaha illa Allah Muhammadun rasoolullah Question: What is the meaning of the words “laa ilaahah illa allaah muhammadun rasool ullaah”? Answer: Bearing witness “laa ilaahah illa allah” and that “muhammadun rasool ullaah” is the first pillar of the five pillars of Islam. And the meaning of “laa ilaahah illa allah” is that nothing worshipped is worthy of worship except Allah—it is simultaneously a denial and affirmation. “laa ilaahah” is denial of all worship other than that of Allah. “illa allaah” is affirmation that all worship is for Allah alone without partners. As for the declaration, “muhammadun rasool ullaa,” its meaning is the assertion of the message of Mohammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and to believe in it and to adhere to it by speech, action and faith, and to avoid all that is against it, whether it be sayings, actions, or intentions… In other words, obeying him in what he ordered and believing in what he said and relayed and avoiding what he has forbid and denounced and not worshipping Allah except as he has ordained. wa-sall-allahu wa-sallim ‘ala nabiyyina muhammadin wa77

aalihi wa-sahbih. (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our prophet Muhammad and upon his families and companions). Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 11804: A Christian is asking why God created mankind Question: According to the Qur’aan and/or Islamic traditions, why did God create mankind? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah created the jinn and mankind to worship Him alone, to obey His commands and heed His prohibitions. Allaah says [in the Qur’aan] (interpretation of the meaning): “And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:56] i.e., to believe in His Oneness and to devote their worship to Him alone, to the exclusion of all others. One of the conditions of worship being correct is belief in His Messenger [Muhammad] (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and following his example, for he is the example to be followed, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 78

“Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow [al-Ahzaab 33:21] Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr (www.islam-qa.com) 9566: What is the difference between the ‘Arsh of the Lord and His ? Question: What is the difference between Arsh and Kursi of Allah ? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Kursiy is the footstool of the Most Merciful, according to the most correct of the scholarly opinions on the matter. The ‘Arsh (Throne) is the greatest of all things that Allaah has created, over which our Lord rose in a manner that befits His Majesty. It has pillars and is carried by bearers who are angels of immense size. The evidence for the above is given below, along with the comments of some of the scholars. It was narrated that Ibn Mas’ood said: Between the first heaven and the one above it is (a distance of) five hundred years. Between each of the heavens is (a distance of) five hundred years. Between the seventh heaven and the Kursiy is (a distance of) five hundred years. Between the Kursiy and the water is (a distance of) five hundred years, and the Throne is above the water. Allaah is above the Throne, and nothing whatsoever of your deeds is hidden from Him. (narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah in al-Tawheed, p. 105; by al-Bayhaqi in al-Asmaa’ wa’l-Sifaat, p. 401). 79

This report was classed as saheeh by Ibn al-Qayyim in Ijtimaa’ al-Juyoosh al-Islamiyah, p. 100; by al-Dhahabi in al-‘Uluw, p. 64). Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: This hadeeth stops at Ibn Mas’ood (it is mawqoof), but this is one of the matters concerning which there is no room for personal opinion, so it comes under the heading of marfoo’ [ahaadeeth whose isnaad goes back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)], because Ibn Mas’ood is not known to have taken anything from the Israa’eeliyyaat [reports derived from Jewish sources]. (al-Qawl al-Mufeed Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, 3/379) Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab said, in the list of points noted from this hadeeth: .....(9) The great size of the Kursiy in relation to the heavens. (10) The great size of the Throne in relation to the Kursiy. (11) That the Throne is something other than the Kursiy and the water. (Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, p. 667, 668). The Throne of the Most Merciful is the greatest and most vast thing in His creation. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So Exalted be Allaah, the True King: Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne! [al-Mu’minoon 23:116] 80

“and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne” [al-Tawbah 9:129] “Owner of the Throne, the Glorious” [al-Burooj 85:15] Al-Qurtubi said: The Throne is mentioned on its own because it is the greatest thing that Allaah has created; everything else is also included in this. (Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 8/302, 303). Ibn Katheer said: “and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne” [al-Tawbah 9:129 – interpretation of the meaning] means, He is the Sovereign and Creator of all things, because He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne which is the roof of creation. All created things, the heavens and the earth and all that is in them and in between them are beneath the Throne of Allaah and are subject to His power. His knowledge encompasses all things and His power controls all things, and He is Watcher over all things. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/405) And he said (may Allaah have mercy on him): “Owner of the Throne” [al-Burooj 85:15 – interpretation of the meaning] means, the Master of the Mighty Throne which is above all created things. “The Glorious” – there are two readings of this word (al-Majeed). If it is nominative (al-Majeedu) it is an adjective referring to the Lord, may He be glorified, and if it is genitive (alMajeedi), it is an adjective referring to the Throne. Both meanings are correct. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/474).

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Majeed means vast and mighty in power. It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people will fall unconscious on the Day of Resurrection; I will be the first to regain consciousness, and Moosa will be there, holding on to one of the pillars of the Throne. I do not know whether he woke up before me or if he was exempted because he had fallen unconscious at the Mount of Sinai.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3217) The Throne has bearers who carry it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allaah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah) (saying): ‘Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and save them from the torment of the blazing Fire!’” [Ghaafir 40:7] They are of immense size: It was narrated from Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have been granted permission to speak about one of the angels of Allaah, one of the bearers of the Throne. The space between his earlobes and his shoulders is the distance of seven hundred years’ travelling.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4727) Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said concerning this hadeeth: its isnaad meets the conditions of being saheeh. (Fath alBaari, 8/665) 82

The Throne is above the Kursiy, and is above all of creation. Ibn al-Qayyim said: If Allaah is separate from His creation, then either He is encompassing them or He is not. If He is encompassing them, then He must be above them, because that which encompasses must necessarily be above that which is encompassed. Hence because the heavens encompass the earth, they must be above it, and because the Kursiy encompasses the heavens, it must be above them, and because the Throne encompasses the Kursiy, it must be above it. Whatever encompasses all of that must necessarily be above it. This does not imply that there is physical contact with anything that He encompasses; neither is there any similarity or resemblance between Him and that which He encompasses. (al-Sawaa’iq al-Mursalah, 4/1308) The Throne is neither Sovereignty (al-Mulk) nor the Kursiy Ibn Abi’l-‘Izz al-Hanafi said: What would those who distort the word of Allaah and say that the Throne is an expression referring to al-Mulk or sovereignty say about the following aayat? – “…and eight angels will, that Day, bear the Throne of your Lord above them” [al-Haaqqah 69:17 – interpretation of the meaning] “…and His Throne was on the water…” [Hood 11:7 – interpretation of the meaning] Will they say that eight angels will, that Day, bear the Sovereignty of Allaah, and that His Sovereignty was on the water? Will Moosa be holding on to one of the pillars of Allaah’s sovereignty? Can any same person who knows what he is saying utter such things? 83

Concerning the Kursiy, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “His Kursiy extends over the heavens and the earth” [al-Baqarah 2:255] It was said that this is the Throne, but the correct view is that it is something else. This was transmitted from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) and others. Ibn Abi Shaybah narrated in Sifat al-‘Arsh, and al-Haakim narrated in his Mustadrak that [the following report] meets the conditions of the two Shaykhs [alBukhaari and Muslim] although they did not narrate it: (it was reported from) from Sa’eed ibn Jubayr that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said, concerning the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “His Kursiy extends over the heavens and the earth” [al-Baqarah 2:255]: The Kursiy is the footstool, and no one can comprehend how vast the Throne is except Allaah. This was transmitted as a marfoo’ report (attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)), but the correct view is that it is mawqoof, stopping at Ibn ‘Abbaas… Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “The Kursiy in relation to the Throne is like an iron ring thrown out into empty land.” And, as one of the Salaf said, before the Throne it is like a step. (Sharh al-‘Aqeedah al-Tahhaawiyyah, p. 312, 313). Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: 84

There are those who say that the Kursiy is the Throne because of the hadeeth, “Allaah will set up His Kursiy on the Day of Resurrection.” They think that the Kursiy is the Throne. Similarly, some people claim that the Kursiy is Allaah’s knowledge, and say that the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) “His Kursiy extends over the heavens and the earth” [alBaqarah 2:255] refers to His Knowledge. The correct view is that the Kursiy is a footstool, and the Throne is that which the Most Merciful rose above (istiwaa’). And knowledge is the attribute of the knowledgeable one by means of which he understands that which he knows. (al-Qawl al-Mufeed Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed, 3/393, 394). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 9104: Conditions of the acceptance of the Shahaadatayn Question: My question deal with a topic I heard in a khutbah. The Imam spoke about our khalimah. And he said it has conditions, that the ulama have given 9 or so, that you must have in order to gain access to jannah. He said just saying the words would not be enough. I wanted to know what were those conditions. He gave a few that I can remember. The first being knowledge of the Khalimah. The second being yaqeen. I would like to know if you 85

know of this, and if I could be given the rest? Any help you may be able to provide would be appreciated insha Allah Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It seems that by “kalimah” you mean the Kalimat alTawheed (lit. Word of Divine Unity), which is the Shahaadatayn, “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Muhammadun Rasool-Allaah (There is no god except Allaah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah).” This is also what the khateeb was referring to. There are a number of conditions attached to the Shahaadatayn, which are as follows: (1) (1) Knowledge This means knowing the meaning of the Shahaadah, both the negation (There is no god) and the affirmation (except Allaah), knowledge as opposed to ignorance of this. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So know (O Muhammad) that Laa ilaaha ill -Allaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah)…” [Muhammad 47:19] “except for those who bear witness to the truth knowingly [i.e., that there is no god except Allaah, and they know” [al-Zukhruf 43:86] – they know in their hearts the meanings of the words that their mouths speak. It is reported in al-Saheeh that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: 86

“Whoever dies knowing that there is no god except Allaah will enter Paradise.” (2) Certainty This is certainty as opposed to doubt, whereby the person who says this [the Shahaadah] is absolutely certain about the meaning of these words, because faith does not count unless it is based on certain knowledge, not on knowledge based on speculation, let alone doubt. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Only those are the believers who have believed in Allaah and His Messenger, and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives for the Cause of Allaah. Those! They are the truthful” [al-Hujuraat 49:15] A condition of their being truthful in their belief in Allaah and His Messenger is that they should not doubt. The one who doubts is a hypocrite – Allaah forbid. It is reported in al-Saheeh that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and that I am the Messenger of Allaah, for no person meets Allaah with these two (words), not doubting in them, and is kept away from Paradise.” (3) Acceptance This means that one accepts with one’s heart and with one’s words that which is implied by this kalimah. Allaah says concerning the one who accepts it (interpretation of the meaning): “Save the chosen slaves of Allaah (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism). 87

For them there will be a known provision (in Paradise), Fruits; and they shall be honoured, In the Gardens of Delight (Paradise)… [al-Saaffaat 37:40-43] “Whoever brings a good deed (i.e. belief in the Oneness of Allaah along with every deed of righteousness), will have better than its worth; and they will be safe from the terror on that Day” [al-Naml 27:89] It was narrated in al-Saheeh from Abu Moosa (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The likeness of the guidance and knowledge with which Allaah has sent me is a great deal of rain which falls on the land. Some of the land is fertile: it absorbs the water and brings forth a lot of grass and vegetation. Other parts of the land are infertile, but they hold the water and Allaah benefits the people thereby, so that they drink it, and water their animals and irrigate their lands with it. A third part of the land is plains which do not hold the water and where no plants grow. This is like the person who understands the religion of Allaah and benefits from the Message with which Allaah sent me, so he learns and teaches others (what he has learned), and the person who does not pay attention or accept the guidance of Allaah with which I was sent.” (4) Submission This means submitting to what is implied by the Shahaadatayn, as opposed to ignoring or neglecting it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 88

“And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islamic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him (in Islam)” [al-Zumar 39:54] “And who can be better in religion than one who submits his face (himself) to Allaah (i.e. follows Allaah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism); and he is a Muhsin (a gooddoer [al-Nisaa’ 4:125] “And whosoever submits his face (himself) to Allaah, while he is a Muhsin (gooddoer, i.e. performs good deeds totally for Allaah’s sake without any show-off or to gain praise or fame and does them in accordance with the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger Muhammad), then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold [Laa ilaaha illAllaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah)]. And to Allaah return all matters for decision” [Luqmaan 31:22] “submits his face” means, he submits fully. “While he is a muhsin (good-doer)” means he affirms the Unity of Allaah. (5) Truthfulness, true belief This means, meaning what you say, as opposed to lying. This means saying it from the heart, where the heart agrees with the words being uttered. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Alif Laam Meem. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’aan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.] 89

Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested. And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allaah will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allaah knows all that before putting them to test)… [al-‘Ankaboot 29:13] In al-Saheehayn it was narrated from Mu’aadh ibn Jabal (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no one who bears witness that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, truly from his heart, but Allaah will protect him from the Fire.” (6) (6) Sincerity This means purity of action with a sound intention, free from any contamination of shirk. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, the religion (i.e. the worship and the obedience) is for Allaah only” [al-Zumar 39:3] “And they were commanded not, but that they should worship Allaah, and worship none but Him Alone (abstaining from ascribing partners to Him)…” [al-Bayyinah 98:5] In al-Saheeh it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people who will be most deserving of my intercession will be those who say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah sincerely from their hearts or their souls.” 90

(7) Love This means love for this word and for what it implies, and its people, those who act upon it and adhere to its conditions; and hatred of whatever goes against it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them as they love Allaah. But those who believe, love Allaah more (than anything else).” [al-Baqarah 2:165] The sign that a person loves his Lord is that he gives priority to what Allaah loves even if it goes against his own desires, and he hates what Allaah hates, even if it is something to which he is inclined.. He takes as friends those who are friends of Allaah and His Messenger and he takes as enemies those who are the enemies of Allaah and His Messenger. He follows His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), follows in his footsteps and accepts his guidance .All of these signs are conditions of this love, and it cannot be imagined that this love can exist without any of these conditions. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three things which if a person finds them, he has found the sweetness of faith: when Allaah and His Messenger are dearer to him than all else; when he loves a person for no other reason than for the sake of Allaah; and when he hates to return to kufr after Allaah has saved him from it as he would hate to be thrown into fire.” (Narrated from the hadeeth of Anas ibn Maalik). Some scholars added an eighth condition, which is the 91

rejection of all things that are worshipped instead of Allaah (al-kufr bi’l-taaghoot or rejection of false gods). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah and rejects everything that is worshipped instead of Allaah, his property and his blood will be sacred [i.e., it is forbidden to seize his property or shed his blood] and his reckoning will be with Allaah.” (Narrated by Muslim). In order for his property and his blood to be protected, he must, in addition to saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, also reject whatever is worshipped instead of Allaah, no matter who or what it is. Summarized from Ma’aarij al-Qubool by Muhammad ibn Sa’eed al-Qahtaani, pp. 119-122 (www.islam-qa.com) 9571: What is the meaning of the hadeeth “Do not inveigh against time (waqt) for Allaah is time waqt)”? Question: Is the saying “Do not curse time for Allah is time” authentic from the Rasool’s sayings ? If so, how do you interpret this ? I am confused about this issue. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The word used in the hadeeth is not waqt (= time), but dahr (= time, vicissitudes of time) [this element of confusion may stem from translation of the question into Arabic]. This hadeeth was narrated by Muslim (5827) from Abu Hurayrah. Other versions of the hadeeth are: 92

“Do not inveigh against time (al-dahr), for Allaah is time” “Let not any one of you say, ‘Woe to time,’ for Allaah is time” “Allaah says, ‘The sons of Adam offend Me and say, Woe to time, but they should not say Woe to time. I am time, I alternate the night and the day, and if I willed, I could seize them both.’” With regard to the meaning of the hadeeth, al-Nawawi said: They said: this is a metaphor, because the Arabs used to inveigh against time when disasters such as death, old age, loss of money, etc., happened. They would say, ‘Woe to time’ and other phrases cursing or inveighing against time. So the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Do not inveigh against time for Allaah is time’, i.e., do not inveigh against the One Who brings about those disasters, for that will be directed towards Allaah, for He is the One Who causes them to happen. Time (al-dahr) means al-zamaan (time) which cannot do anything in and of itself, for it is just one of the things that have been created by Allaah. The meaning of the phrase “for Allaah is time” means that He is the One Who causes those events and accidents to happen, and He is the Creator of all that happens. And Allaah knows best. (Sharh Muslim, 15/3) It should be noted that “time” (al-dahr) is not one of the Names of Allaah; it is attributed to Allaah in the sense that He created it and is controlling it, i.e., He is the Creator of time. Some phrases in the same hadeeth also indicate this, as when He says, “It is in My Hand, I alternate the night and the day.” The One Who alternates and the thing 93

which is alternated cannot be one and the same; there is the One Who alternates – i.e., Allaah – and the thing which is alternated – i.e., time, which Allaah controls as and when He wills. See: Fataawa al-‘Aqeedah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 1/163 Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer said, in his Tafseer of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And they say: “There is nothing but our life of this world, we die and we live and nothing destroys us except AdDahr (time)” [al-Jaathiyah 45:24] Al-Shaafa’i, Abu ‘Ubaydah and others said, in their commentary on the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Do not inveigh against time for Allaah is time” – During the Jaahiliyyah, if some difficulty, trial or disaster befell them, the Arabs would say ‘Woe to time’, attributing those events to time and inveighing against it. But the One Who brought those events to pass is Allaah, so it was as if they were inveighing against Allaah, may He be glorified, because in fact He was the One Who caused those things to happen. So it was forbidden to inveigh against time in this manner, because Allaah is Time, i.e., He is the One lWho is controlling it, but the Arabs were attributing those events to Time. This is the best of the comments made in the Tafseer of this hadeeth, and this is what is meant. And Allaah knows best. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/152) Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah preserve him) was asked about the ruling on inveighing against time. He replied: 94

Inveighing against time may be divided into three categories: 1. Where the intention is to convey information without blaming or condemning. This is permissible, such as when a person remarks, “We are suffering from the heat (or the cold) today” and the like, because deeds are judged according to their intentions, and in this case a person is merely describing what is happening without expressing discontent. 2. Where a person inveighs against time as the cause of events, as if by inveighing against it he means that time is what causes things to alternate between good and bad. This is shirk akbar (major form of shirk) because when a person attributes events to something other than Allaah, this means that he believes that there is another creator alongside Allaah. 3. Where a person inveighs against time but believes that the One who causes things to happen is Allaah, but he inveighs against time because of the bad things that happened. This is haraam because it is contrary to the sabr (patience) that is required, but it is not kufr because the person does not inveigh directly against Allaah. If he were to inveigh directly against Allaah, he would be a kaafir. (Fataawaa al-‘Aqeedah, 1/197) Other reprehensible expressions which people utter include cursing the hour or the day on which a certain bad thing happened, and so on. This is a sin because it is cursing and improper speech, and because this is cursing something which does not deserve to be cursed. What has the hour or the day done wrong? Nothing apart from the fact that the events happened then, but they are only created things which have no control over anything and cannot be held to blame. If a person inveighs against time, 95

this reflects on the Creator of time. The Muslim should be above speaking in such a foolish and improper manner. And Allaah is the One Whose help we seek. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 6660: The kuffaar ask who created Allaah Question: I tell non-muslims that Allah created everything in this universe. They say to me who created Allah ? How can Allah have been there since the beginning ? How can i answer them ? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This question which the Kuffaar have asked you is inherently false and self-contradictory. If we were to say – for the sake of argument – that someone created Allaah, then they would ask you, Who created the creator of the creator? Then, who created the creator of the creator of the creator?! And so on, ad infinitum. This is irrational and impossible. All of creation goes back to the Creator Who created all things. No one created Him; He created everything other than Himself. This is what makes sense and is logical. This creator is Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. With regard to what our religion tells us, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us about 96

this question, where it comes from, and how to respond to it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “People will keep on asking question until someone will say, ‘Allaah created the universe, but who created Allaah?’ Whoever encounters anything like that, let him say, ‘Amantu Billaah (I believe in Allaah).’” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan will come to one of you and say, ‘Who created the heaven? Who created the earth?’ He will say, ‘Allaah’” – then he mentioned something similar (to the previous report), and added, “And His Messengers.” [i.e., amantu Billaah wa Rusulihi = I believe in Allaah and His Messengers] The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan will come to one of you and say, ‘Who created such and such?’ until he says to him, ‘Who created your Lord?’ When it reaches that stage, let him seek refuge with Allaah [say A’oodhu Billaahi min ash-shaytaan ir-rajeem = I seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan] and stop thinking about it.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan will come to a person and say, ‘Who created such and such…’” and he narrated the whole report. (Imaam Muslim, 134). In these ahaadeeth we see: Where this question comes from – from the Shaytaan; How to deal with it, which is: to stop pursuing these thoughts and these tricks of the Shaytaan 97

to say, “I believe in Allaah and His Messengers” to seek refuge with Allaah from the Shaytaan. It was also reported that one should spit drily three times to one’s left, and recite Qul Huwa Allaahu ahad. (See “Problems and Solutions” in the Shaykh’s Books section of this website). 3. With regard to the prior existence of Allaah, our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us about this, for example: He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O Allaah, You are the First and there is nothing before You; O Allaah, You are the Last and there is nothing after You.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2713) He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah existed when there was nothing apart from Him.” According to another report: “There was nothing before Him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari; the first report 3020; the second report 6982). This is in addition to what is stated in the aayaat of the Qur’aan. The believer believes without a doubt, the kaafir denies and the munaafiq doubts. We ask Allaah to grant us sincere and certain faith with no doubts. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 4524: Who do Muslims worship? Question: Who do Islams worship? 98

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Before answering, we would like to express our appreciation for your interest, at such a young age, in the religion of Islam. May Allaah open the door for you to find much blessing through your asking this question, and decree for you guidance such as you have never thought of. Allaah [the Arabic name for the One True God – Translator] says in the Qur’aan [the Holy Book of Islam] (interpretation of the meaning): “This is the Guidance of Allaah with which He guides whomsoever He will of His slaves…” [al-An’aam 6:88] “And whomsoever Allaah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam…” [al-An’aam 6:125] With regard to this important question – who do the Muslims worship? – the answer is to be found in the Holy Qur’aan, which is the Scripture of Islam, and in the words of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who received Revelation from his Lord. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “In the name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All praises and thanks be to Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful, the Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e., the Day of Resurrection). You (Alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and every thing).” [al-Faatihah 1:1-5] “O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allaah), Who has 99

created you and those before you so that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious).” [al-Baqarah 2:21] “Such is Allaah, your Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian) over all things.”[al-An’aam 6:102] “And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.” [al-Isra’ 17:23] Muslim worship Allaah [the One True God] whom all the Prophets worshipped. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya’qoob [Jacob]? When he said unto his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’ They said, ‘We shall worship your God, the God of your fathers, Ibraaheem [Abraham], Ismaa’eel [Ishmael] and Is-haaq [Isaac], One God, and to Him we submit (in Islam).” [al-Baqarah 2:133] The Muslims worship Allaah and call others who follow different religions to worship Allaah Alone, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say [O Muhammad]: ‘O People of the Scripture [Jews and Christians]: come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allaah, and we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allaah.’ Then, if they turn away, say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:64] 100

It is Allaah Alone Whom Nooh [Noah] (peace be upon him) called his people to worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Indeed, We sent Nooh [Noah] to his people and he said: ‘O my people! Worship Allaah! You have no other god but Him. Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day!.’” [al-A’raaf 7:59] It is Allaah Alone whom the Messiah [Jesus] (peace be upon him) called people to worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allaah is the Messiah [Jesus] son of Maryam [Mary].’ But the Messiah said: ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the zaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers) there are no helpers.” [al-Maa’idah 5:73] Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa [Jesus], son of Maryam [Mary]! Did you say unto men: ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?’ He will say: ‘Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours. You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen. Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allaah) did command me to say: “Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.” And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the 101

Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things.’”[al-Maa’idah 5:116-117] When Allaah spoke to His Prophet Moosa [Moses] (peace be upon him), He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, I am Allaah! None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me, and perform al-Salaah [prayer] for My Remembrance.”[Ta-Ha 20:14] Allaah commanded His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as follows (interpretation of the meaning): “Say [O Muhammad]: ‘O mankind! If you are in doubt as to my religion (Islam), then (know that) I will never worship those whom you worship, besides Allaah. But I worship Allaah Who causes you to die, I am commanded to be one of the believers.” [Yoonus 10:104] It is Him Alone, with no partner or associate, Whom the angels worship and do not worship anyone or anything besides Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on earth. And those who are near Him (i.e., the angels) are not too proud to worship Him, nor are they weary (of His worship).”[al-Anbiya’ 21:19] Everything that is worshipped instead of Allaah can neither bring benefit nor cause harm, it can neither create nor provide. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad, to mankind); ‘How do you worship besides Allaah something which has no power either to harm or to benefit you? But it is Allaah Who is the AllHearer, All-Knower.’” [al-Maa’idah 5:76] “You worship besides Allaah only idols, and you only invent falsehood. Verily, those whom you worship besides 102

Allaah have no power to give you provision, so seek your provision from Allaah (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him. To Him (Alone) you will be brought back.” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:17] Having explained this, we must complete the topic by asking: why should we worship Allaah Alone with no partner or associate? The answer is as follows: Firstly: because there is nothing and nobody else in the universe that deserves to be worshipped, for Allaah is the Creator and Sustainer, Who has created the universe out of nothing and has bestowed so many blessings upon us. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So glorify Allaah, when you come up to the evening [i.e., offer the Maghrib (sunset) and ‘Isha’ (night) prayers], and when you enter the morning [I.e., offer the Fajr (morning) prayers]. And His is all the praise and thanks in the heavens and the earth, and (glorify Him) in the afternoon [i.e., offer ‘Asr (mid-afternoon) prayer] and when you come up to the time when the day begins to decline [i.e., offer the Zuhr (mid-day) prayer]. He brings out the living from the dead, and brings out the dead from the living. And He revives the earth after its death, and thus shall you be brought out (resurrected). And among His Signs is this, that He created you (Adam) from dust, and then [Hawwa (Eve) from Adam’s rib, then his offspring from the semen, and], - behold you are human beings scattered! And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, 103

and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect. And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Verily in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge. And among His Signs is the sleep that you take by night and by day, and your seeking of His Bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen. And among His Signs is that He shows you the lightning, by way of fear and hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who understand. And among His Signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His Command, then afterwards when He will call you by single call, behold, you will come out from the earth (ie.e, from your graves, for reckoning and recompense). To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are obedient to Him. And He it is Who originates the creation, then will repeat it (after it has perished), and this is easier for Him. His is the highest description (i.e., none has the right to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) in the heavens and in the earth. And He is the AllMighty, the All-Wise.”[al-Room 30: 17-27] Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and the earth, and sends down for you water (rain) from the sky, whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight? It is not in your ability to cause 104

the growth of their trees. Is there any god with Allaah? Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him)! Is not he (better than you gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any god with Allaah? Nay, but most of them know not. Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when He calls Him, and Who removes the evil, generations after generations. Is there any god with Allaah? Little is it that you remember! Is not He (better than your gods) Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy (rain)? Is there any god with Allaah? High Exalted be Allaah above all that they associate as partners (to Him)! Is not He (better than your so-called gods) Who originates creation, and shall thereafter repeat it, and Who provides for you from heaven and earth? Is there any god with Allaah? Say: ‘bring forth your proofs, if you are truthful’ Say: ‘None on the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allaah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected.’” [al-Naml 27:60-65] So is there anyone or anything besides Allaah that deserves to be worshipped? Secondly: Allaah did not create us except to worship Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).”[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56] Thirdly: No one will be saved on the Day of Resurrection except those who used to worship Allaah truly and 105

sincerely. After death Allaah will resurrect His slaves and call them to account, rewarding or punishing them according to their deeds. No one will be saved on that day except for those who used to worship Allaah Alone. The rest will be gathered into a Hell, a terrible fate! The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), was asked by his Companions: “Will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?” He told them: “Do you doubt that you can see the sun and the moon when the sky is clear?” We [his Companions] said, “No.” He said, “Then you should not doubt that you will see your Lord on that Day, you will see Him as you see them (the sun and moon).” Then he said, “A caller will call out, ‘Let every people go to that which they used to worship.’ So the worshippers of the cross will go with their cross, the worshippers of idols will go with their idols and the worshippers of every god will go with their gods, until there will be left those who used to worship Allaah, whether they were righteous or otherwise, and a few of the People of the Book [Jews and Christians]. Then Hell will be brought and shown to them as if it is a mirage. It will be said to the Jews, ‘What did you used to worship?’ They will say, ‘We used to worship ‘Uzayr, the son of God.’ It will be said, ‘You have lied. Allaah does not have a wife or son. What do you want?’ They will say, ‘We want something to drink.’ It will be said to them, ‘Drink!’ and they will fall into Hell. Then it will be said to the Christians, ‘What did you used to worship?’ They will say, ‘We used to worship the Messiah, the son of God.’ It will be said, ‘You have lied. Allaah does not have a wife or son. What do you want?’ They will say, ‘We want something to drink.’ It will be said to them, ‘Drink!’ and they will fall into Hell. Then there will be left those who used to worship Allaah, whether they were righteous or otherwise. It will be said to them, ‘What are you waiting 106

for? All the people have gone.’ They will say, ‘We have separated from them and we need Him more today. We heard a caller saying that every people should follow that which they used to worship, so we are waiting for our Lord.’ He will say, ‘Al-Jabbaar [the Compeller, i.e., Allaah] will come…’ And He will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say, ‘You are our Lord,’ but none will speak to Him except the Prophets… then every believer will prostrate to Him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 6886). These believers are the people of Paradise on whom shall be no fear neither shall they grieve, and they will dwell therein for ever. We hope that this matter has now become clear. In conclusion we can say nothing except that which Allaah has said (interpretation of the meaning): “Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his ownself. And whoever goes stray, then he goes astray to his own loss…” [al-Isra’ 17:15] Peace be upon him who follows the guidance. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 736: Who do Muslims worship? Question: Who do Islams worship? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Before answering, we would like to express our 107

appreciation for your interest, at such a young age, in the religion of Islam. May Allaah open the door for you to find much blessing through your asking this question, and decree for you guidance such as you have never thought of. Allaah [the Arabic name for the One True God – Translator] says in the Qur’aan [the Holy Book of Islam] (interpretation of the meaning): “This is the Guidance of Allaah with which He guides whomsoever He will of His slaves…” [al-An’aam 6:88] “And whomsoever Allaah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam…” [al-An’aam 6:125] With regard to this important question – who do the Muslims worship? – the answer is to be found in the Holy Qur’aan, which is the Scripture of Islam, and in the words of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) who received Revelation from his Lord. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “In the name of Allaah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. All praises and thanks be to Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists), the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful, the Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of Recompense (i.e., the Day of Resurrection). You (Alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and every thing).” [al-Faatihah 1:1-5] “O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allaah), Who has created you and those before you so that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious).” [al-Baqarah 2:21] “Such is Allaah, your Lord! None has the right to be worshipped but He, the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian) over all things.”[al-An’aam 6:102] 108

“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.” [al-Isra’ 17:23] Muslim worship Allaah [the One True God] whom all the Prophets worshipped. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya’qoob [Jacob]? When he said unto his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’ They said, ‘We shall worship your God, the God of your fathers, Ibraaheem [Abraham], Ismaa’eel [Ishmael] and Is-haaq [Isaac], One God, and to Him we submit (in Islam).” [al-Baqarah 2:133] The Muslims worship Allaah and call others who follow different religions to worship Allaah Alone, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say [O Muhammad]: ‘O People of the Scripture [Jews and Christians]: come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allaah, and we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allaah.’ Then, if they turn away, say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:64] It is Allaah Alone Whom Nooh [Noah] (peace be upon him) called his people to worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Indeed, We sent Nooh [Noah] to his people and he said: ‘O my people! Worship Allaah! You have no other god but Him. Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day!.’” [al-A’raaf 7:59] 109

It is Allaah Alone whom the Messiah [Jesus] (peace be upon him) called people to worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allaah is the Messiah [Jesus] son of Maryam [Mary].’ But the Messiah said: ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the zaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers) there are no helpers.” [alMaa’idah 5:73] Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa [Jesus], son of Maryam [Mary]! Did you say unto men: ‘Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?’ He will say: ‘Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours. You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen. Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allaah) did command me to say: “Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.” And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them, and You are a Witness to all things.’”[al-Maa’idah 5:116-117] When Allaah spoke to His Prophet Moosa [Moses] (peace be upon him), He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, I am Allaah! None has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me, and perform al-Salaah [prayer] for My Remembrance.” [Ta-Ha 20:14] 110

Allaah commanded His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as follows (interpretation of the meaning): “Say [O Muhammad]: ‘O mankind! If you are in doubt as to my religion (Islam), then (know that) I will never worship those whom you worship, besides Allaah. But I worship Allaah Who causes you to die, I am commanded to be one of the believers.” [Yoonus 10:104] It is Him Alone, with no partner or associate, Whom the angels worship and do not worship anyone or anything besides Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on earth. And those who are near Him (i.e., the angels) are not too proud to worship Him, nor are they weary (of His worship).”[al-Anbiya’ 21:19] Everything that is worshipped instead of Allaah can neither bring benefit nor cause harm, it can neither create nor provide. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad, to mankind); ‘How do you worship besides Allaah something which has no power either to harm or to benefit you? But it is Allaah Who is the AllHearer, All-Knower.’” [al-Maa’idah 5:76] “You worship besides Allaah only idols, and you only invent falsehood. Verily, those whom you worship besides Allaah have no power to give you provision, so seek your provision from Allaah (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him. To Him (Alone) you will be brought back.” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:17] Having explained this, we must complete the topic by asking: why should we worship Allaah Alone with no partner or associate? The answer is as follows:

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Firstly: because there is nothing and nobody else in the universe that deserves to be worshipped, for Allaah is the Creator and Sustainer, Who has created the universe out of nothing and has bestowed so many blessings upon us. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So glorify Allaah, when you come up to the evening [i.e., offer the Maghrib (sunset) and ‘Isha’ (night) prayers], and when you enter the morning [I.e., offer the Fajr (morning) prayers]. And His is all the praise and thanks in the heavens and the earth, and (glorify Him) in the afternoon [i.e., offer ‘Asr (mid-afternoon) prayer] and when you come up to the time when the day begins to decline [i.e., offer the Zuhr (mid-day) prayer]. He brings out the living from the dead, and brings out the dead from the living. And He revives the earth after its death, and thus shall you be brought out (resurrected). And among His Signs is this, that He created you (Adam) from dust, and then [Hawwa (Eve) from Adam’s rib, then his offspring from the semen, and], - behold you are human beings scattered! And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect. And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Verily in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge. And among His Signs is the sleep that you take by night and by day, and your seeking of His Bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen. 112

And among His Signs is that He shows you the lightning, by way of fear and hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who understand. And among His Signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His Command, then afterwards when He will call you by single call, behold, you will come out from the earth (ie.e, from your graves, for reckoning and recompense). To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are obedient to Him. And He it is Who originates the creation, then will repeat it (after it has perished), and this is easier for Him. His is the highest description (i.e., none has the right to be worshipped but He, and there is nothing comparable unto Him) in the heavens and in the earth. And He is the AllMighty, the All-Wise.” [al-Room 30: 17-27] Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and the earth, and sends down for you water (rain) from the sky, whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of beauty and delight? It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees. Is there any god with Allaah? Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him)! Is not he (better than you gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water). Is there any god with Allaah? Nay, but most of them know not. Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when He calls Him, and Who removes 113

the evil, generations after generations. Is there any god with Allaah? Little is it that you remember! Is not He (better than your gods) Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His mercy (rain)? Is there any god with Allaah? High Exalted be Allaah above all that they associate as partners (to Him)! Is not He (better than your so-called gods) Who originates creation, and shall thereafter repeat it, and Who provides for you from heaven and earth? Is there any god with Allaah? Say: ‘bring forth your proofs, if you are truthful’ Say: ‘None on the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allaah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected.’” [al-Naml 27:60-65] So is there anyone or anything besides Allaah that deserves to be worshipped? Secondly: Allaah did not create us except to worship Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And I (Allaah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).”[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56] Thirdly: No one will be saved on the Day of Resurrection except those who used to worship Allaah truly and sincerely. After death Allaah will resurrect His slaves and call them to account, rewarding or punishing them according to their deeds. No one will be saved on that day except for those who used to worship Allaah Alone. The rest will be gathered into a Hell, a terrible fate! The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), was asked by his Companions: “Will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?” He told them: 114

“Do you doubt that you can see the sun and the moon when the sky is clear?” We [his Companions] said, “No.” He said, “Then you should not doubt that you will see your Lord on that Day, you will see Him as you see them (the sun and moon).” Then he said, “A caller will call out, ‘Let every people go to that which they used to worship.’ So the worshippers of the cross will go with their cross, the worshippers of idols will go with their idols and the worshippers of every god will go with their gods, until there will be left those who used to worship Allaah, whether they were righteous or otherwise, and a few of the People of the Book [Jews and Christians]. Then Hell will be brought and shown to them as if it is a mirage. It will be said to the Jews, ‘What did you used to worship?’ They will say, ‘We used to worship ‘Uzayr, the son of God.’ It will be said, ‘You have lied. Allaah does not have a wife or son. What do you want?’ They will say, ‘We want something to drink.’ It will be said to them, ‘Drink!’ and they will fall into Hell. Then it will be said to the Christians, ‘What did you used to worship?’ They will say, ‘We used to worship the Messiah, the son of God.’ It will be said, ‘You have lied. Allaah does not have a wife or son. What do you want?’ They will say, ‘We want something to drink.’ It will be said to them, ‘Drink!’ and they will fall into Hell. Then there will be left those who used to worship Allaah, whether they were righteous or otherwise. It will be said to them, ‘What are you waiting for? All the people have gone.’ They will say, ‘We have separated from them and we need Him more today. We heard a caller saying that every people should follow that which they used to worship, so we are waiting for our Lord.’ He will say, ‘Al-Jabbaar [the Compeller, i.e., Allaah] will come…’ And He will say, ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say, ‘You are our Lord,’ but none will speak to Him except the Prophets… then every believer will prostrate to Him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 6886). These believers are the people of Paradise on whom shall 115

be no fear neither shall they grieve, and they will dwell therein for ever. We hope that this matter has now become clear. In conclusion we can say nothing except that which Allaah has said (interpretation of the meaning): “Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his ownself. And whoever goes stray, then he goes astray to his own loss…” [al-Isra’ 17:15] Peace be upon him who follows the guidance.. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2734: Is it possible to see Allaah in this world? Question: I have read that no man has seen Allah (S) in this life, not even the prophet (SM) in his mira’j. The book has been written by Sk. Abu Ameenah Bilaal Philips. Now, I have heard from one scholar from my country that Imam Malik saw Allah (S) hundred times in his dream. Is that possible? May Allah (S) reward you. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Seeing Allaah in reality (as opposed to in a dream) is not possible in this life, although no doubt it will happen after death. This is not because seeing Him is impossible in itself, but because Allaah has willed that it should not happen. This is for many reasons, some of which have 116

been found by the scholars, and others which remain known only to Allaah. Among the reasons which we do understand is human weakness, which is apparent from the story of Moosa (upon whom be peace), which we will quote shortly. Another reason is that seeing Allaah is a great blessing and joy, indeed it is the greatest blessing, so it is withheld for the place of ultimate blessing and joy, namely Paradise. Another reason is that this world is a mixture of good believers and kuffaar, so this blessing is deferred until it will be given exclusively to the believers in Paradise. Withholding this blessing until the Hereafter also provides a strong motive to do good in this world, so that one may see Allaah and feel secure and content in nearness to Him in the Hereafter. Evidence that it is not possible to see Allaah in this world Allaah says, in the story of Moosa (peace be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): “And when Moosa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him, he said, ‘O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You.’ Allaah said, ‘You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain, if its stands still in its place, then you shall see Me.’ So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Moosa fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said, ‘Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers.’” [al-A’raaf 7:143]. The word lan (here translated as cannot in ‘You cannot see Me’) conveys the meaning of ‘You will not see Me in this life’, because there is evidence that man will see Allaah in the Hereafter, which means that this lan is not eternal in application. (The negative particle lan often carries a sense of eternal negation, that something will never happen, but this is not the case here. Translator). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the 117

Most Subtle and Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.” [al-An’aam 6:103]. The commentator al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, in his tafseer of this aayah: “Concerning the phrase No vision can grasp Him, several comments regarding it have been narrated from the imaams of the salaf, one of which is that it means, you will not be able to see Him in this world, even though you will see Him in the Hereafter. The reports that state this, narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), reach the level of mutawaatir and are reported through more than one sound isnaad in the books of Saheeh, Musnad and Sunan. [Translator’s note: a mutawaatir report is one that was narrated by so many to so many that it is inconceivable that they could all have agreed on a lie]. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not given to any human being that Allaah should speak to him unless (it be) by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He will by His Leave. Verily, He is Most High, Most Wise.” [al-Shoora 42:51]. Abu Hurayrah said: “Some people said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?’ He said, ‘Do you have any doubt about seeing the sun on a cloudless day?’ They said, ‘No, O Messenger of Allaah.’ He said, ‘Do you have any doubt about seeing the full moon on a cloudless night?’ They said, ‘No, O Messenger of Allaah.’ He said, ‘You will see Him just as clearly on the Day of Resurrection…’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6088). It is clear that the idea that Allaah will not be seen in this life was well-entrenched in the minds of the Sahaabah. They were asking about the Hereafter, and this is what the Prophet’s answer also referred to. Abu Dharr said: “I asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘Have you seen your Lord?’ He said, ‘(There is) light, how could I see 118

Him?’” This light, which prevented him from seeing Him, is a veil of light, which is further explained in the hadeeth of Abu Moosa, who said, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood up and told us five things: ‘Allaah does not sleep, and it is not befitting that He should sleep. He lowers the scale and lifts it. The deeds in the night are taken up to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night. His veil is the light. If He were to withdraw it (the veil), the splendour of His countenance would consume His creation as far as His sight reaches.’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad and Muslim, 263). Further clear evidence comes in the hadeeth which warns against the Dajjaal (antichrist): “Written between his eyes is (the word) kaafir, which will be read by everyone who hates his works, or every believer will read it. Know that none of you will see your Lord until he dies.” (Reported by Muslim, 5215). So any claim that anyone but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) can see Allaah in reality is impossible, according to the consensus of the scholars. However, there is some disagreement among the scholars as to whether or not the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw Allaah on the night of the Mi’raaj. The correct view is that he did not see Him physically, with his own two eyes, because when he was asked about this, he said, “(There is) light, how could I see Him?” According to another report, he said, “I saw light.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not see Him, but he saw His veil of light. The question of whether Allaah may be seen in a dream does not contradict the fact that Allaah cannot be seen in reality in this world, because all the texts quoted above speak about physical vision when one is awake, not the 119

“vision” of the heart when one is asleep. Proof that the latter kind of vision is possible is to be seen in the hadeeth about the dispute of the “chiefs on high” (the angels). Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘My Lord came to me tonight in the most beautiful form.’ I think he said, ‘in a dream. He said, “O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs on high disputed about?” I said, “No.” He put His hand between my shoulder-blades and I could feel its coolness on my chest (or just beneath my throat), then I knew everything that is in the heavens and on earth. He said, “O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs on high disputed about?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “About expiation, and expiation is staying in the mosque after prayers, walking to join congregational prayers, and doing wudoo’ properly in adverse conditions. Whoever does that will live a good life and die a good death, and will be as sinless as the day his mother bore him.” He said, “O Muhammad, when you pray, say Allaahumma innee as’aluka fa’l alkhayraat wa tark al-munkaraat wa hubb al-masaakeen, wa idha aradta bi ‘ibaadika fitnatan fa’qbudni ilayka ghayra maftoon (O Allaah, I ask you to make me do good deeds and avoid evil deeds, and to make me love the poor and wretched. If You want to test Your slaves, then take me unto You without subjecting me to the trial). One’s status in Paradise may be raised by spreading the greeting of salaam, feeding others, and praying at night when people are sleeping.”’” (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 16026; and by al-Tirmidhi, 3159, who said it is a saheeh hasan hadeeth). Some of the scholars have commented that it is possible to see Allaah in a dream. Imaam al-Daarimi said, in his refutation of Bishr ibn Ghiyaath, “This seeing took place in a dream, and in a 120

dream it is possible to see Allaah in any shape or form.” (p. 166) Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, “A believer may see his Lord in a dream, in various forms according to his faith and belief. If his eemaan is correct, he can only see Him in a beautiful form, and if his faith is lacking, this will be reflected in the way he sees Him. Seeing Allaah in a dream is not like seeing Him in reality. It may have different interpretations and meanings referring to something in reality.” (al-Fataawa, 3/390) He also said, “Whoever sees Allaah in a dream sees Him in a form that corresponds to his own state. If he is righteous, he will see Him in a beautiful form, which is why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw him in the most beautiful form. (al-Fataawa, 5/251) Shaykh ‘Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz was asked about the ruling concerning one who claims to have seen the Lord of Glory in a dream, and whether it was true, as some claim, that Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal had seen the Lord of Glory in his dreams more than one hundred times. The Shaykh answered as follows: “Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) and others said that it is possible for a man to see his Lord in a dream, but what he sees is not reality, because there is nothing like Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.’ [al-Shoora 42:11]. Nothing in His creation is like unto Him. A person may dream that his Lord is speaking to him, and no matter what kind of image he sees, that image is not Allaah, because there is nothing that is like Allaah in any way. Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen (may 121

Allaah have mercy on him) mentioned that dreams differ according to the state of the person who is dreaming. The more righteous and closer to goodness a person is, the more correct his dream will be, but the truth is still something other than what he sees, because the guiding principle is still that there is nothing like unto Allaah. He may hear a voice and be told such-and-such, or to do such-and-such, without any clear image resembling anything in creation, because there is nothing at all like unto Allaah… Some people may imagine that they have seen their Lord when in fact this is not the case. The Shaytaan may deceive a person and make him imagine that he is their Lord, as it was reported that he made ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jeelaani see him on a throne above water, and said, ‘I am your Lord and I freed you from doing any duties (worship, etc.).’ ‘Abd al-Qaadir al-Jeelaani said, ‘Get lost, O enemy of Allaah! You are not my Lord, because the commands of my Lord are not cancelled for anyone,’ or some similar words. As for whether Imaam Ahmad saw his Lord, I do not know if this is true or not. It is said that he saw his Lord but I do not know if this is true.” And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 992: Evidence that Allaah is exalted high above His creation and that He is above the heavens Question: Some people say that Allah is above the heavens (according to one of the ayahs of the quran), and may 122

scholars say that Allah exists without a place, since only the creation has the characteristic of needing a place and We know the ayah “Laysa-ka-mislly-he-shay” - (proving allah does not resemble his creation), is he everywhere, existing without a place, or above the heavens? Answer: Praise be to Allaah, The people of Sunnah and Jamaa’ah (Ahl al-Sunnah) believe that Allaah is exalted above His creation because of the evidence of the Qur’aan, Sunnah, consensus of the scholars, common sense and man’s innate instinct (fitrah). (1) The Qur’aan describes the “exaltedness” or “highness” of Allaah in different ways, as His being High and Above, and by describing how things come down from Him, and go up to Him, and by stating that He is above heaven. For example (interpretations of the meaning): (Highness): ". . .and He is the Most High, the Most Great." [al-Baqarah 2:255] ”Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High.” [al-A’la 87:1] (Above): "And He is the Irresistible, above His slaves..." [al-An’aam 6:18] "They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded.” [al-Nahl 16:50] (Things coming down from Him): ”He arranges (every) affair from the heavens to the earth . . .” [al-Sajdah 32:5] 123

”Verily We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e., the Qur’aan). . .” [al-Hijr 15:9] (Things going up to Him): ”. . . To Him ascend (all) the goodly words, and the righteous deeds exalt it . . .” [Faatir 35:10] ”The angels and the Rooh (Jibreel) ascend to Him . . .” [al-Ma’aarij 70:4] (Allaah is above heaven): ”Do you feel secure that He, Who is over the heaven, will not cause the earth to sink with you . . .?” [al-Mulk 67:16] (2) The Sunnah: many reports were narrated “mutawaatir” (i.e. with a large number of narrators at every stage of the isnaad, such that it is impossible for them all to have agreed on a lie) from the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), describing his words and deeds and things of which he approved. For example, he used to say “Subhaana Rabbi al-A’laa (Glory be to my Lord Most High)” in sujood, and in some ahaadeeth he is reported to have said “By Allaah Who is above the Throne.” Among his deeds is the gesture of pointing up with his finger, when addressing the people in the greatest gathering, on the Day of ‘Arafaah during his Farewell Pilgrimage. He asked the people, “Have I not conveyed the message?” and they said, “Yes!” He asked again, “Have I not conveyed the message?” and they said, “yes!”. He asked a third time, have I not conveyed the message?” and they said “Yes!” Each time, he said: “O Allaah, bear witness!” - pointing up to the sky and then at the people. He also used to raise his hands towards heaven when he made du’aa’, as it reported in tens of ahaadeeth. This is proof via his actions that Allaah is exalted and high. 124

An example of an approval of the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) which indicates that Allaah is exalted and high is the hadeeth concerning the young slave girl, to whom the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: “Where is Allaah?” She said: “In heaven” He asked, “Who am I?” She said, “The Messenger of Allaah.” So he said to her master: “Set her free, for she is a believer.” This young girl was uneducated, as many are, and she was a slave, but she knew that her Lord is above heaven. Some misguided people deny that Allaah is above heaven, and say, “He is neither above nor below; neither to the right nor to the left. He is everywhere!” (3) The consensus of the scholars: the salaf agreed that Allaah is above heaven, as is reported by scholars such as al-Dhahabi, may Allaah have mercy on him, in his book Al-‘Aluw li’l-‘Aliy al-Ghaffaar. (4) Common sense: highness is a quality which is associated in people’s minds with perfection. If this is the case, then it should be attributed to Allaah because every absolute perfection should be attributed to Him. (5) The innate instinct of man (fitrah). There should be no dispute that man instinctively knows that Allaah is above heaven. Whenever something overwhelming befalls a person, and he turns to Allaah for help, he looks towards heaven, not in any other direction. But it is strange that those who deny that Allaah is above His creation still raise their hands in supplication to no other direction than towards heaven. Even Pharaoh, the enemy of Allaah who disputed with Moosaa about his Lord, told his minister Haamaan (interpretation of the meaning): “O Haamaan! Build me a tower that I may arrive at the ways, - the ways of the 125

heavens, and I may look upon the god of Moosaa . . .” [Ghaafir 40:36-37] He knew in his heart of hearts that Allaah is real, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And they belied them (those aayaat) wrongfully and arrogantly, though their own selves were convinced thereof . . .” [al-Naml 27:14] These are a few of the indications that Allaah is above the heavens; this proof comes from the Qur’aan, the Sunnah, the consensus of the scholars, common sense, man’s own instincts and even the words of the kuffaar. We ask Allaah to guide us towards the Truth. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 439: Evidence that only Allah is the Creator of life Question: Please explain to me, according to the Qur’an, is it possible for a human to produce life? If not, then explain in detail about the cloning of animals and possibly humans, by humans. Please give the answer in detail as it is confusing the minds of many, who think that in the next century science will conquer religion. Answer: Praise be to Allah. The evidence that Allah is the only Creator of life may be 126

found in many places in the Qur’an and Sunnah. For example: ”Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is Able to do all things, Who has created death and life, that He may test you which of you is best in deed, and He is the All-Mighty, the OftForgiving.” [al-Mulk 67:1-2] ”Is, then, He Who creates as one who creates not?” [al-Nahl 16:17] ”Yet they have taken besides Him other gods that created nothing but are themselves created . . .” [al-Furqaan 25:3] Allah challenged all of mankind to create even the most insignificant creature, i.e. a fly, but no one could do that and no one ever will. Allah says: ”O mankind! A similitude has been coined, so listen to it (carefully): verily! Those on whom you call besides Allah cannot create (even) a fly, even though they combine together for the purpose. And if the fly snatched away a thing from them, they would have no power to release it from the fly. So weak are (both) the seeker and the sought.” [al-Hajj 22:73] Imam al-Bukhari reported in his Saheeh from Abu Sa‘eed (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: “There is no created being but Allah created it.” In Arabic, the word “khalaqa” means to make out of nothing, which is something that only Allah can do; it is impossible for anyone except Allah to do this. It also carries the meaning of decreeing or foreordaining. [**] 127

See Fath al-Bari Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhari, 13/390. The Religion of Allah (Islam) is proud and cannot be defeated by the kaafirs’ arrogance about the knowledge they possess. Allah says: ”. . . [they] are deceived by the life of this world . . .” [al-An‘aam 6:70] ”They know only the outside appearance of the life of this world, and they are heedless of the Hereafter.” [al-Rum 30:7] We ask Allah to help us to be steadfast in our adherence to His Religion, and to make our end good. And Allah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 498: What do Muslims Believe? Question: What do Muslims Believe? Answer: Muslims believe in one, unique, incomparable, and singular God, whose name in Arabic is “Allaah”, literally meaning “The God”; in the angels created by Him; in the prophets through whom His revelations were brought to mankind; in God’s complete authority over human destiny, and in life after death. 128

Muslims believe in a chain of prophets (may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them all) starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist and Jesus, peace be upon them. God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up, synopsis, and perfection of all that has gone before was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad , peace be upon him, the last prophet, through the angel Gabriel. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 499: Who is Allaah? Question: Who is Allaah? Answer: Allaah is the Arabic word for “one God”, the same as Eloh in Aramaic. Allaah is not the God of Muslims only. He is God of all creations, because He is their Creator and Sustainer. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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Belief in the Angels 40671: We cannot be certain that the name of the Angel of Death is Azraa’eel Question: Is there any evidence to show that the name of the Angel of Death is Azraa’eel?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is widely assumed that the name of the Angel of Death is Azraa’eel, but there is nothing in the Qur’aan or saheeh Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to indicate that this is his name. Rather this is narrated in some reports which may be from among the Israa’eeliyyaat (reports from Jewish sources). Based on this, we cannot be certain whether this is his name or not. So we cannot affirm that the name of the Angel of Death is Azraa’eel, nor can we deny it. Rather we should refer this matter to Allaah and call him as Allaah calls him, the ‘Angel of Death”. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: The angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls. Then you shall be brought to your Lord” [al-Sajdah 32:11] But the name of the Angel of Death is not given in the Qur’aan or in the saheeh ahaadeeth. His name is mentioned in some reports as Azraa’eel, but Allaah knows best. 130

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: The angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls. Then you shall be brought to your Lord [alSajdah 32:11] Al-Sindi said: There is no marfoo’ hadeeth [one that can be traced back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] which mentions his name. Al-Manaawi said in Fayd al-Qadeer (3/32), after stating that the Angel of Death is known by the name ‘Azraa’eel: I have never seen anyreport giving his name as such. Shaykh al-Albaani said in his comment on the words of al-Tahhaawi, “We believe in the Angel of Death who is appointed to take the souls of all creatures”: This (“the Angel of Death”) is what he is called in the Qur’aan. With regard to the name ‘Azraa’eel which is widely known among the people, there is no basis for this, rather it comes from the Israa’eeliyyaat. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: “The Angel of Death” is well known by the name ‘Azraa’eel, but this is not correct, rather this was narrated from Jewish sources. So we should not believe in this name, and we should call the one who is appointed over death “the Angel of Death,” as Allaah called him in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: The angel of death, who is set over you, will take your souls. Then you shall be brought to your Lord” [al-Sajdah 32:11] Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 3/161 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 131

26071: Do the angels and jinn die? Question: Do the angels and jinn die? Where are they buried? Is the funeral prayer offered for them? How long do each of them live?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish. And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will remain forever” [al-Rahmaan 55:26-27] Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Here Allaah tells us that all the inhabitants of the earth will perish and die, as will all the inhabitants of heaven, except for whomsoever Allaah wills, and nothing will be left except His Noble Face, for the Lord does not die, rather He is the Ever-Living who will never die. (Tafseer al-Qur’aan il-‘Azeem, 4/273) Al-Bukhaari (7383) and Muslim (2717) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bi ‘izzatika laa ilaaha ill anta an tadillani, anta al-hayyu alladhi laa yamoot wa’l-jinn wa’l-ins yamootoon (O Allaah, I seek refuge in Your glory, there is no god but You, against being led astray, for You are the Ever-Living Who does not die, but the jinn and mankind will die).” 132

With regard to your questions about where they are buried, whether the funeral prayer is offered for them and how long they live, these are matters which are concealed from us. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little” [al-Isra’ 17:85] The Muslim should strive to learn more about that which has an impact on his own behaviour, such as knowledge of Allaah, His names and attributes, what he is obliged to believe in and knowledge of the rulings of sharee’ah. He should avoid delving deeply into matters which he is not required to know and in which there is no benefit. I ask Allaah to grant us beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 6485: Iblees was not one of the angels Question: My friend told me that iblis (shaitan) used to be an angel. My wife says that this is not true. Could you please give me some information. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Iblees was definitely not one of the angels. This is indicated by three things: the clear texts of the Qur’aan, the physical attributes of Iblees and the attitude of Iblees. 133

1 – With regard to the clear statements of the Qur’aan, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.’ So they prostrated themselves except Iblees (Satan). He was one of the jinn” [al-Kahf 18:50] Al-Hasan al-Basri said: Iblees was never one of the angels, not even for an instant. He is the father of the jinn, just as Adam (peace be upon him) is the father of mankind. This was narrated by al-Tabari with a saheeh isnaad as stated by Ibn Katheer in his Tafseer, 3/89. 2 – With regard to his physical attributes, Allaah stated that He created him from fire. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery. And the jinn He created from a smokeless flame of fire” [al-Rahmaan 55:14, 15] and it was narrated in Saheeh Muslim (2996) from the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” So it is clear that there is a difference between the physical nature of the angels and that of Iblees, and he is definitely not one of them. 3 – With regard to his attitude, Iblees disobeyed Allaah by not prostrating to Adam, but we know from the Qur’aan 134

that it is impossible for the angels to disobey Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “…angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded” [al-Tahreem 66:6] Some reports which are not saheeh have been narrated from some of the salaf, suggesting that Iblees was the best of the angels, that he was one of the keepers of Paradise, etc. Imaam Ibn Katheer commented on that by saying: Many reports to that effect have been narrated from the salaf, but most of them come from the Isra’eeliyyaat (reports narrated from Jewish sources) which were narrated to be examined. Allaah knows best about the true status of many of them. There are some which can be rejected out of hand because they go against the truth that we have before us. In the Qur’aan there is sufficient information that we have no need of earlier reports, because hardly any of them are free from alterations, additions and subtractions, and many things have been fabricated in them. The earlier nations did not have scholars to examine these reports and eliminate those which are not sound, as this ummah has its imams and scholars who have great knowledge and are pious and righteous, who wrote down the hadeeth and examined it and showed what is sound and what is not, and what is fabricated, identifying the fabricators, liars and those narrators who were unknown, and other categories of narrators. All of that was to protect the status of the Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets and the leader of mankind (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), lest any lie be attributed to him and lest anything be attributed to him that he did not say or do. May Allaah be 135

pleased with them and make them please and make the Paradise of al-Firdaws their abode. Tafseer al-Qur’aan il-‘Azeem, 3/90. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 9477: The reality of belief in the angels Question: What does belief in the angels mean? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The angels form an unseen world; they were created by Allaah from light and they obey the commands of Allaah: “who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded” [al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning] Belief in the angels implies four essential things: 1 – Affirming that they exist and that they are part of the creation of Allaah, subject to His Lordship and subjugated to Him. “…honoured slaves. They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command” [al-Anbiya’ 21:26-27 – interpretation of the meaning] 136

“who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded” [al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning] “And those who are near Him (i.e. the angels) are not too proud to worship Him, nor are they weary (of His worship). They (i.e. the angels) glorify His Praises night and day, (and) they never slacken (to do so)” [al-Anbiya’ 21:19-20 – interpretation of the meaning] 2 – Belief in the names of those whose name we know, such as Jibreel, Mikaa’eel, Israafeel, Maalik, Radwaan and others – peace be upon them. 3 – Belief in the attributes of those whose attributes we know, as we know the description of Jibreel from the Sunnah, and that he has six hundred wings which filled the horizon or the sky. 4 – Belief in the actions which we know some of them do, so Jibreel (peace be upon him) was entrusted with that which revives the heart, namely the Revelation. Israafeel is entrusted with sounding the Trumpet-blast (to herald the onset of the Day of Resurrection); Mikaa’eel is entrusted with the rain; Maalik is entrusted with Hell, and so on. One of the most important things that we must believe in is that every person has two angels with him who record his deeds. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “(Remember) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being), one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions) 137

Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it)” [Qaaf 50:17-18] i.e., a watcher from among these angels who is present. So beware lest these two angels record anything from you that will be bad for you on the Day of Resurrection, for everything that you say will be recorded against you, and when the Day of Resurrection comes, each person’s book of deeds will be brought out, “…and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open. (It will be said to him): ‘Read your book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day.’” [al-Isra’ 17:13-14 – interpretation of the meaning]. We ask Allaah to conceal our sins and forgive us, for He is All-Seeing, Ever Responsive. And Allaah knows best. See: A’laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 86; Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 3/160. For more information see question no. 843 and 14610. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 22232: Is Iblees one of the angels or one of the jinn? Question: Was Iblees one of the angels or one of the jinn? And are the jinn from among the angels? 138

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: Allaah says in the following aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “He [Iblees] was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord” [al-Kahf 18:50] The apparent meaning is that the reason for his disobedience of his Lord was the fact that he was one of the jinn. The conjunction fa’ in the Arabic text [kaana min al-jinn fa-fasaqa ‘an amri Rabbihi] is indicative of the reason, as in the Arabic phrase saraqa fa quti’at yaduhu which means, “he stole, so his hand was cut off”, i.e., that was because he stole; or the phrase saha fa sajada which means, “he forgot so he prostrated”, i.e., that was because he forgot. The same pattern is seen in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And (as for) the male thief and the female thief, cut off [fa-qta’u] (from the wrist joint) their (right) hands” [al-Maa’idah 5:38] i.e., because of their stealing. Similarly, the phrase kaana min al-jinn fa-fasaqa (he was one of the jinn [so] he disobeyed…) means that this was because he was in essence one of the jinn, because this feature is what made him different from the angels, for they obeyed the command but he disobeyed. Because of the apparent meaning of this aayah, a number of scholars were of the opinion that Iblees was not originally one of 139

the angels, rather he was one of the jinn, but he used to worship Allaah with them, so he was called by their name because he followed them, just as an ally of a tribe may be given their name. The dispute as to whether Iblees was originally an angel whom Allaah changed into a devil, or whether he was not originally an angel but was included in the word malaa’ikah (angels) because he had joined them and worshipped Allaah with them, is a well known dispute among the scholars. The evidence of those who say that he was not originally one of the angels is based on two things: 1 – The fact that angels are protected against committing kufr as was committed by Iblees, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded” [al-Tahreem 66:6] “They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command”[al-Anbiya’ 21:27] 2 – Allaah clearly states in this aayah [al-Kahf 18:50] that he was one of the jinn, and the jinn are not angels. They said: this is a Qur’aanic text concerning which there is some dispute. … Among those who stated that he was not originally one of the angels based on the apparent meaning of this aayah was-Hasan al-Basri, who was supported by alZamakhshaari in his Tafseer. Al-Qurtubi said in his tafseer of Soorat al-Baqarah: “The idea that he was one of the angels is the view of the majority, Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn Mas’ood, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn al140

Musayyib, Qutaadah and others. It is the view chosen by al-Shaykh Abu’l-Hasan and regarded as more correct by al-Tabari, and it is the apparent meaning of the phrase “except Iblees” [al-Kahf 18:50] What the mufassireen have quoted from a group of the salaf, such as Ibn ‘Abbaas and others, that he was one of the noblest of the angels, one of the keepers of Paradise, and that he controlled the affairs of the first heaven, and that his name was ‘Azaazeel (Azazel) is all taken from the Israa’eeliyyaat (reports narrated from Jewish sources) and is not reliable. The most clear evidence concerning this matter, the evidence cited by those who said that he was not an angel because of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “He [Iblees] was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord” [al-Kahf 18:50] is the clearest text from the revelation that proves this point. And Allaah knows best. Adwaa’ al-Bayaan, 4/130-132. (www.islam-qa.com) 14610: Angels Question: Could you give us some information about the angels? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah created the angels from light. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels 141

were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” (narrated by Muslim, 2996) The angels are by nature obedient to Allaah: “[they, i.e., angels] disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allaah, but do that which they are commanded [al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning] They are created in such a way that they do not eat or drink. Their food is tasbeeh (glorification of Allaah) and tahleel (saying Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah), as Allaah tells us concerning them (interpretation of the meaning): “They (i.e. the angels) glorify His Praises night and day, (and) they never slacken (to do so) [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:20] The angels bear witness to the Oneness of Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah bears witness that Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), and the angels, and those having knowledge (also give this witness); (He always) maintains His creation in justice. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the AllMighty, the All-Wise” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:18] Allaah has honoured some of the angels by choosing them as Messengers, just as He has chosen some of mankind as Messengers: “Allaah chooses Messengers from angels and from men” [al-Hajj 22:75 – interpretation of the meaning] When Allaah created Adam and He wanted to honour him, He commanded the angels to prostrate to him: 142

“And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)’” [al-Baqarah 2:34 – interpretation of the meaning] The angels are a mighty creation, and they perform many tasks, and they are divided into many groups, which no one knows except Allaah. Some of them carry the Throne: “Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allaah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah)…”[Ghaafir 40:7 – interpretation of the meaning] Among them is the one who brings down the Revelation to the Messengers. He is Jibreel (peace be upon him), who brought the Qur’aan down to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Which the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought down Upon your heart (O Muhammad) that you may be (one) of the warners” [al-Shu’araa 26:193 – interpretation of the meaning] Among them is Mikaa’eel, who is appointed in charge of the rain and vegetation, and Israafeel who is appointed to blow the Trumpet when the Hour begins. And among them are the recording angels who are appointed to watch over the sons of Adam and their deeds: “But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you, Kiraaman (Honourable) Kaatibeen —writing down (your deeds), 143

They know all that you do" [al-Infitaar :10-12 – interpretation of the meaning] Among them are those who are entrusted with the task of writing down all deeds, whether good or evil: “(Remember) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being), one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions) Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it) [Qaaf 50:17-18 – interpretation of the meaning] Among them are those who are entrusted with the task of seizing the souls of the believers: “Those whose lives the angels take while they are in a pious state (i.e. pure from all evil, and worshipping none but Allaah Alone) saying (to them): Salaamun ‘Alaykum (peace be on you) enter you Paradise, because of that (the good) which you used to do (in the world)” [al-Nahl 16:32 – interpretation of the meaning] And among them are those who are entrusted with the task of seizing the souls of the disbelievers: “And if you could see when the angels take away the souls of those who disbelieve (at death); they smite their faces and their backs, (saying): ‘Taste the punishment of the blazing Fire’” [al-Anfaal 8:50 – interpretation of the meaning] Among them are the gatekeepers of Paradise and the servants of the people of Paradise: “And angels shall enter unto them from every gate (saying): 144

Salaamun ‘Alaykum (peace be upon you) for you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home!” [al-Ra’d 13:23-24 – interpretation of the meaning] And among them are the gatekeepers of Hell: “O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe” [al-Tahreem 66:6 – interpretation of the meaning] Among them are some who strive in jihaad with the believers: “(Remember) when your Lord revealed to the angels, ‘Verily, I am with you, so keep firm those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who have disbelieved, so strike them over the necks, and smite over all their fingers and toes’” [al-Anfaal 8:12 – interpretation of the meaning] On Laylat al-Qadr in the month of Ramadaan, the angels come down to witness goodness with the Muslims, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The Night of AlQadr (Decree) is better than a thousand months (i.e. worshipping Allaah in that night is better than worshipping Him a thousand months, i.e. 83 years and 4 months). Therein descend the angels and the Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] by Allaah’s Permission with all Decrees” [al-Qadr 97:3-4] The angels do not enter a house in which there is a statue, 145

picture (image) or a dog. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or an image.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2106). Belief in the angels is one of the pillars of faith, and whoever denies it is a kaafir: “and whosoever disbelieves in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, then indeed he has strayed far away[al-Nisaa’ 4:136 – interpretation of the meaning] From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com) 8055: Ruling on describing nurses as “angels of mercy” Question: We often read about and hear the common people and their writers and poets describing nurses as “angels of mercy.” Is that permissible? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to apply this description to nurses, because the angels are male and are not female. Allaah denounced the mushrikeen for describing the angels as female. Moreover, the angels of mercy have their own description which cannot be applied to nurses, for there are good and bad nurses, so it is not permissible to apply this description to them. And Allaah knows best. From Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li 146

Samaahat al-Shaykh al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz, vol. 8, p. 423 (www.islam-qa.com) 10013: A non-Muslim researcher is asking about the proof that Jibreel spoke to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) Question: I’m a student of a college in the USA. This question is for my paper of Western Civil class. What proof do you have that Gabriel spoke to Muhammad? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Jibreel (peace be upon him) spoke to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) directly, with no barrier in between, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw him in his true form. This was reported in many aayaat (verses of the Qur’aan) and ahaadeeth (reports of the things that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said and did). 1. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “By the star when it goes down (or vanishes). Your companion (Muhammad) has neither gone astray nor has erred. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed. 147

He has been taught (this Qur’aan) by one mighty in power [Jibreel (Gabriel)].” [al-Najm 53:1-5] The mufassireen (commentators on the Qur’aan) have stated that what is meant by “one mighty in power” is Jibreel (peace be upon him), who taught Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) the Revelation. One of the ways in which Revelation happened is when the angel spoke directly to the Prophet. This indicates that Jibreel (peace be upon him) spoke to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This idea is also supported by the aayahs (interpretation of the meaning): “And truly, this (the Qur’aan) is a revelation from the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists), Which the trustworthy Rooh [Jibreel (Gabriel)] has brought down Upon your heart (O Muhammad) that you may be (one) of the warners, In the plain Arabic language” [al-Shu’araa’ 26:192-195] “Say (O Muhammad): “Whoever is an enemy to Jibreel (Gabriel) (let him die in his fury), for indeed he has brought it (this Qur’aan) down to your heart by Allaah’s Permission, confirming what came before it [i.e. the Tauraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)] and guidance and glad tidings for the believers” [al-Baqarah 2:97] 2. The First Revelation, as is well known, happened when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 148

was in seclusion in the cave of Hiraa’. Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to him and commanded him to read. It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The first of the Wahy (Revelation) that came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was seeing true dreams; he never saw any dream but it came true like the break of day. Then the love of seclusion was bestowed upon him. He used to go into seclusion in the cave of Hiraa’ where he would worship Allaah continuously for many nights, until he went back to see his family to collect more provisions. He would go back to Khadeejah, and take provisions with him for a similar number of nights. (This went on) until the truth came to him when he was in the cave of Hiraa’. The angels came to him and said, ‘Read!’ He said, ‘I am not a reader.’ He [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said: he embraced me and squeezed me so hard that I almost could bear it no longer, then he released me and said, ‘Read!’ I said, I am not a reader.’ Then he embraced me a second time and squeezed me so hard that I almost could bear it no longer, then he released me and said, ‘Read!’ I said, I am not a reader.’ Then he embraced me a third time and squeezed me so hard that I almost could bear it no longer, then he released me and said, ‘Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous.’ [al-‘Alaq 96:1-3 – interpretation of the meaning]. Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back with (the Revelation) and with his heart pounding wildly.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 3; Muslim, no. 231). 3. It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that al-Haarith ibn Hishaam (may Allaah be 149

pleased with him) asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “O Messenger of Allaah, how does the Revelation come to you?” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Sometimes it comes to me like the ringing of a bell, which is the hardest of all, then it passes once I have grasped what is said. And sometimes the angel comes to me in the form of a man and speaks to me, and I grasp what he says…” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 2). 4. The lengthy hadeeth about Jibreel, when he came in the form of a man, a stranger, and sat down with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked him about Islam, Eemaan (faith) and Ihsaan (goodness, perfection). The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) answered his questions, knowing that he was Jibreel. When he had finished asking his questions and had gone away, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told his companions that this was Jibreel, who had come to teach them their religion. See Saheeh al-Bukhaari, no. 48; Muslim, no. 9. 5. The reports about the Israa’ and Mi’raaj (Prophet’s night journey from Makkah to Jerusalem, and ascent from Jerusalem into the seven heavens). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked Jibreel questions, and Jibreel answered him. See Saheeh alBukhaari, no. 2968; Muslim, no. 238, and the ahaadeeth which tell the story of the Israa’ and Mi’raaj. 6. There are also many ahaadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) says, “Jibreel came to me and said…”, such as the hadeeth in which he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to me and said, ‘Whoever among your ummah (nation) dies not associating anything 150

with Allaah, will enter Paradise.’ I said, ‘Even if he does such and such?’ He said, ‘Yes.’” (Narrated by alBukhaari, no. 2213; Muslim, no. 137) When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back from (the battle of) alKhandaq, he and his companions put down their weapons and washed themselves. Jibreel came to him with his head covered with dust and said, “You have put down your weapons! By Allaah, I have not put down mine.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Where to?” He said, “Over there” – and pointed towards Bani Qurayzah. So the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set out [to resume the campaign]. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 2602; Muslim, no. 3315). And there is more, similar, evidence. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 6523: The number of angels with each person Question: How many angels are there with any muslim and what are their functions concerning him/her? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The honourable angels accompany the children of Adam from the day they are formed in their mothers’ wombs 151

until the day when their souls are brought forth from their bodies at the time of death. They also accompany them in their graves and in the Hereafter. - Their accompanying them in this world is as follows: 1 – They take care of him when he is created It was reported from Anas that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah appoints an angel in the womb, who says, ‘O Lord, a nutfah (mixed drop of male and female sexual discharges)? O Lord, a ‘alaqah (a clot)? O Lord, a mudghah (lump of chewed flesh)?’ When Allaah decrees that it is to be created, (the angel) says, ‘O Lord, male or female? Doomed or blessed? What is his provision? What is his lifespan?’ And that is written in his mother’s womb.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6595; Muslim, 2646. This version was narrated by al-Bukhaari). 2 – They guard the son of Adam Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceals his speech or declares it openly, whether he be hid by night or goes forth freely by day. For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allaah” [al-Ra’d 13:10-11] The commentator on the Qur’aan who had the best understanding of it, Ibn ‘Abbaas, explained that the mu’aqqibaat [translated here as “angels in succession”] refers to the angels whom Allaah has appointed to guard man from in front and from behind. When the decree of 152

Allaah comes – when He decrees that some accident or calamity etc. should befall him – the angels withdraw from him. Mujaahid said: There is no person who does not have an angel appointed to protect him when he is asleep and when he is awake, from the jinn, men and wild beasts. There is nothing that comes to him but the angels tell it to clear off, except for that which Allaah grants permission for it to befall him. A man said to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib: “A group from (the tribe of) Muraad wanted to kill you.” ‘Ali said, “With every man there are two angels who protect him from everything that is not decreed; when the decree comes, they withdraw and do not stand between him and it. A man’s decreed lifespan is his protection.” The “angels in succession” mentioned in the aayah from Soorat al-Ra’d are what is referred to in another aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “He is the Irresistible (Supreme), over His slaves, and He sends guardians (angels guarding and writing all of one’s good and bad deeds) over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our messengers (angel of death and his assistants) take his soul, and they never neglect their duty” [al-An’aam 6:61] The guardians whom Allaah sends protect a person until the appointed time (of death) that has been decreed for him comes. 3 – The angels who write down hasanaat (good deeds) and sayi’aat (bad deeds) Every single person has two angels who write down his 153

deeds, both good and bad, minor and major. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you, Kiraaman (Honourable) Kaatibeen —writing down (your deeds), They know all that you do” [al-Infitaar 82:10-12] “And indeed We have created man, and We know what his ownself whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge). (Remember) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being), one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it). [Qaaf 50:16-18] The angel on the right records hasanaat (good deeds) and the angel on the left records sayi’aat (bad deeds). It was reported from Abu Umaamah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angel on the left does not write down anything until six hours have passed after a Muslim does a bad deed. If he regrets it and asks Allaah for forgiveness, he casts it aside [does not write it down], otherwise he writes down one (sayi’ah/bad deed).” (Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer, 8/158. The hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2/212) 154

Once we know this, the number of angels who accompany the son of Adam after he is born will become clear: four angels. Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The aayah (interpretation of the meaning): ‘For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allaah’ [al-Ra’d 13:10-11] means: each person has angels who take turns in guarding him by night and day, who protect him from evil and from accidents, just as other angels take turns in recording his deeds, good and bad, by night and by day. Two angels, on the right and the left, record his deeds. The one on the right writes down his hasanaat (good deeds) and the one on his left writes down his sayi’aat (evil deeds). Two other angels guard him and protect him, one from behind and one from in front. So there are four angels by day and four others by night.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/504) And Allaah knows best. For more information see Question # 843 Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 8976: Is Iblees a jinn or an angel? Question: I was just wondering if Iblis was actually a jinn or an 155

angel. This particular issue recently sparked my curiosity when it was presented to me by a person I know. If he is an angel, then how is it he disobeyed Allah, when Angels have no will of their own and follow only Allah’s command. If he is really a jinn, then it would better explain his disobedience as then he actually had the choice to obey or disobey Allah. I would appreciate a response, even if it is a brief one. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Ibless – may Allaah curse him – is one of the jinn. He was not an angel for a single day, not even for an instant. The angels were created noble; they never disobey Allaah when He commands them to do something and they do what they are commanded. This is clearly stated in the Qur’aanic texts which indicate that Iblees is one of the jinn and not one of the angels. These texts include the following: 1. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when We said to the angels: “Prostrate yourselves unto Adam.” So they prostrated themselves except Iblees (Satan). He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord. Will you then take him (Iblees) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zaalimoon (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc).” [al-Kahf 18:50] 2. Allaah stated that He created the jinn from fire, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire” [al-Hijr 15:27] 156

“And the jinn He created from a smokeless flame of fire” [al-Rahmaan 55:15] And it was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth that ‘Aa’ishah said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from smokeless fire and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, no. 2996; also narrated by Ahmad, no. 24668; by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan alKubra, no. 18207 and by Ibn Hibbaan, no. 6155). One of the attributes of the angels is that they were created from light, and the jinn were created from fire. It was mentioned in the Qur’aan that Iblees – may Allaah curse him – was created from fire. This is what Iblees himself said when Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, asked him the reason for his refusal to prostrate to Adam when Allaah commanded him to do so. He – may Allaah curse him – said: “ ‘I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay’” [al-A’raaf 7:12; Saad 38:76 – interpretation of the meaning]. This indicates that he was one of the jinn. 3. Allaah has described the angels in His Book, where He says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allâh, but do that which they are commanded” [al-Tahreem 66:6] “And they say: ‘The Most Gracious (Allaah) has begotten a son (or children).’ Glory to Him! They [whom they call children of Allaah i.e. the angels, ‘Eesaa (Jesus) son of 157

Maryam (Mary), ‘Uzair (Ezra)], are but honoured slaves. They speak not until He has spoken, and they act on His Command” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:26-27] “And to Allaah prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they are not proud [i.e. they worship their Lord (Allâh) with humility]. They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded” [al-Nahl 16:49-50] So it is not possbile for the angels to disobey their Lord, because they are protected from sin and they are naturally inclined to obey Allaah. 4. The fact that Iblees is not one of the angels means that he is not compelled to obey Allaah. He has freedom of will just as we humans do. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning); “Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful” [al-Insaan 76:3] There are also Muslims and kaafirs among the jinn. It says in Soorat al-Jinn (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinn listened (to this Qur’aan). They said: ‘Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur’aan)! It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allaah).’” [alJinn 72;1-2] In the same soorah, it states that the jinn said: “‘And indeed when we heard the Guidance (this Qur’aan), we believed therein (Islamic Monotheism), and 158

whosoever believes in his Lord shall have no fear, either of a decrease in the reward of his good deeds or an increase in the punishment for his sins. And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allaah, after listening to this Qur’aan), and of us some are AlQaasitoon (disbelievers those who have deviated from the Right Path)’…” [al-Jinn 72:13-14] Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer: Al-Hasan al-Basri said: Iblees was not one of the angels, not even for a single moment. He is the father of the jinn, just as Adam (peace be upon him) is the father of mankind. This was narrated by al-Tabari with a saheeh isnaad (part 3/89). Some of the scholars said that Iblees was one of the angels, that he was the peacock of the angels, that he was the one among the angels who strove the hardest in worship… and other reports, most of which come from the Israa’eeliyyaat (stories and reports from Jewish sources), and some of which contradict the clear texts of the Qur’aan. Ibn Katheer said, explaining this: A lot of these reports were transmitted from the Salaf, and most of them come from the Israa’eeliyyaat, which may be been transmitted in order to be examined [i.e., as opposed to being accepted as is]. Allaah knows best about the veracity or otherwise of many of them. Some of them are definitely to be rejected, because they go against the truth which we hold in our hands. In the Qur’aan we have sufficient so that we have no need of previous reports, because hardly any of them are free of distortions, with things added or taken away. Many things have been 159

fabricated in them, for they did not have people who had memorized things precisely by heart (huffaaz) who could eliminate the distortions created by extremists and fabricators, unlike this ummah which has its imaams, scholars, masters, pious and righteous people, brilliant critics and men of excellent memory who recorded the hadeeths and classified them, stating whether they were saheeh (sound), hasan (good), da’eef (weak), mawdoo’ (fabricated), matrook (to be ignored). They identified the fabricators and liars, and those about whom nothing was known, and other kinds of men (i.e., narrators). All of this afforded protection to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), the Seal of the Messengers and the Leader of Mankind, so that nothing would be attributed to him falsely and nothing would be transmitted from him that he did not say or do. May Allaah be pleased with them and make them pleased [by rewarding them], and make the Paradise of al-Firdaws their eternal abode. (Tafseer al-Qur’aan il-‘Azeem, 3/90). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 6711: How the angels protected the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) Question: is there a hadith saying that the prophet was protected by a jinn when the wife of abu lahab came to harm him? if so please reply, or is there any other hadith regarding the wife of abu lahab?? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 160

The idea that one of the jinn used to protect the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) from the wife of Abu Lahab needs real evidence. The person who said this has to produce evidence for it. Perhaps he is confused, because what was reported was that the angels, by the command of Allaah, protected the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) from the wife of Abu Lahab, as we shall see. Allaah, may He be exalted, guaranteed to protect His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah will protect you from mankind” [al-Maa’idah 5:67]. One of the ways in which He protected His Prophet was by subjugating His angels to protect and guard him. So they hid him from the sight of the wife of Abu Lahab, and she did not see him. The evidence for this is the report narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: “When the words ‘Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab’ [al-Masad 111:1 – interpretation of the meaning] were revealed, the wife of Abu Lahab came when the Messenger of Allaah was sitting with Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr said to him, ‘Why do you not move out of her way so that she will not harm you, O Messenger of Allaah?’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘There will be a barrier between me and her.’ She came and stood over Abu Bakr and said, ‘O Abu Bakr, your companion has lampooned us.’ Abu Bakr said, ‘No, by the Lord of this House, he has not spoken poetry and he does not utter verse.’ She said, ‘You are speaking the truth.’ When she went away, Abu Bakr (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, ‘Did she not see you?’ He said, ‘No, an angel was covering me until she went away.’” (Narrated by al-Bazzaar in al-Musnad, 1/68; he said this hadeeth has a hasan isnaad. It was also classed as hasan by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari, 8/958). 161

(b) Among the ahaadeeth that have been narrated concerning her, may Allaah curse her: From Jundub ibn Sufyaan (may Allaah be pleased with hhim), who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fell ill and did not stay up and pray Qiyaam for two or three nights; then a woman came and said, ‘O Muhammad! I hope that your shaytaan has left you! I have not seen him coming near you for two or three nights!’ Then Allaah revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning): ‘By the forenoon (after sunrise). By the night when it darkens (and stands still). Your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither forsaken you nor hates you” [al-Duha 93:1-3].” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4667; Muslim, 1797). Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said: the words “a woman came” refer to Umm Jameel bint Harb, the wife of Abu Lahab. We have already stated this in Kitaab Qiyaam al-Layl. (Fath al-Baari, 8/921). Further evidence of the angels guarding the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by the command of Allaah is to be seen in another incident with Abu Jahl, which was reported by Imaam Muslim (may Allaah have mercy on him) in his Saheeh from Abu Hurayrah, who said: Abu Jahl asked, “Does Muhammad rub his face in the dust (i.e. does he prostrate when he prays at the Ka’bah) when he is among you?” He was told, “Yes.” He said, “By al-Laat and al-‘Uzza, if I see him doing that, I will step on his neck or I will rub his face in the dust.” Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blesings of Allaah be upon him) came and prayed. He (Abu Jahl) had claimed that he would step on his neck, but suddenly all they saw was that he was running away, raising his hands to protect himself. It was said to him, “What is the matter with you?” He said, “There is a ditch of fire and 162

terror and wings between me and him.The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If he had come near me, the angels would have snatched him piece by piece.” Then Allaah revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning): “Nay! Verily, man does transgress (in disbelief and evil deed). Because he considers himself self-sufficient. Surely, unto your Lord is the return. Have you (O Muhammad) seen him (i.e. Abu Jahl) who prevents A slave (Muhammad) when he prays? Tell me if he (Muhammad) is on the guidance (of Allaah) Or enjoins piety? Tell me if he (Abu Jahl) denies (the truth, i.e. this Qur’aan) and turns away? Knows he not that Allaah does see (what he does)? Nay! If he (Abu Jahl) ceases not, We will catch him by the forelock — A lying, sinful forelock! Then let him call upon his council (of helpers). We will call out the guards of Hell (to deal with him)! Nay! (O Muhammad)! Do not obey him (Abû Jahl).” [al-‘Alaq 96:6-19] And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A 163

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 1863: The meaning of al-mala’ al-a’laa Question: I am a non-Muslim who is currently enrolled in class studying Muslim traditions. I am writing a paper on the interpretation of prophets by commentators. One of the words being repeated is al-mala al-a’la. I do not know what this means. I know that al-a’la means the most highest. Could you please help me with this. I appreciate your time and your help. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The phrase al-mala’ al-a’laa is mentioned in both the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. In Soorat Saad, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”‘I had no knowledge of the chiefs (angels) on high when they were disputing and discussing (about the creation of Adam). Only this has been inspired to me, that I am a plain warner.’” [Saad 38:69-70] In his commentary on this aayah, Shaykh al-Mufassireen Ibn Jareer al-Tabari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “ ‘I had no knowledge of the chiefs on high (al-mala’ ala’laa) when they were disputing and discussing’: here Allaah is telling His Prophet Muhammad (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), ‘O Muhammad, say to the mushrikeen among your people: “I had no 164

knowledge of the chiefs (angels) on high when they were disputing and discussing” about the creation of Adam before Allaah revealed this to me.’ What this means is: ‘My telling you about this is clear proof that this Qur’aan is a Revelation from Allaah, because you know that I had no knowledge of this before this Qur’aan was revealed; it is not something I witnessed with my own two eyes – I know it only because Allaah has informed me of it.’” Other scholars of tafseer have said something similar. The comments of other scholars: Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “Allaah’s words (interpretation of the meaning) ‘I had no knowledge of the chiefs on high when they were disputing and discussing’ refer to the angels, when they were consulted about the creation of Adam, and they disputed it and said: Do not place a khaleefah on earth.” Al-Saddi said: “‘… The chiefs on high when they were disputing and discussing’ means: ‘… when your Lord said to the angels: “Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth”…’ [al-Baqarah 2:30]” Qutaadah said: “The words ‘I had no knowledge of the chiefs on high when they were disputing and discussing’ refer to the angels, who disputed the creation of Adam when Allaah said to them, (interpretation of the meaning) ‘Truly, I am going to create man from clay’ [Saad 38:71].” As regards what was reported in the Sunnah, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father) narrated that the Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said that Allaah spoke to him in a dream and said, “O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs 165

on high are disputing about?… about the things which expiate for sins. Things that expiate for sins are: staying in the mosque after the prayers, walking to join congregational prayers and performing wudoo’ properly when it is difficult to do so. Whoever does these things will have a good life and die a good death, and he will be as free from sin as on the day his mother bore him.” (AlTirmidhi, 3157; see also Saheeh al-Jaami’, 59). In his commentary on this hadeeth, al-Mubaarakpoori explained that … “the chiefs on high” (al-mala’ al-a’laa) referred to the angels who are closest to Allaah. Al-mala’ refers to nobles who attend gatherings and sit at their head because of their high status. They are described as ala’laa either because they live on high, or because of their high status in the sight of Allaah. Their “dispute” refers either to their competing or rushing to record these deeds and take them up to heaven, or to their discussing the virtue and blessing of these deeds, or to their feeling happy about people when they do these good deeds. It may have been called a “dispute” because it came in the form of questions and answers, which sounds like a dispute or a debate, hence it was appropriate to use the word “dispute” in this context. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 843: Al-Malaa’ikah (Angels) Question: What do you believe about angels regarding their function, appearance, form and powers? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 166

Belief in angels is one of the six pillars of belief or faith without which there is no faith. Whoever does not believe in any of these pillars is not a believer (mu’min). These pillars are belief in: Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and that predestination, both good and bad, comes from Allaah. Angels are a part of the world of the Unseen which we cannot comprehend. Allah has told us about them in many places in the Qur’aan and via His Prophet Muhammad (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him). There follows a number of proven reports concerning the angels, which hopefully will make you realize the greatness of the Creator and the greatness of this religion which has told us so much about them: Of what are they created? They are created from light, as ‘Aa’ishah reported: “The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘The angels are created from light, just as the jinn are created from smokeless fire and mankind is created from what you have been told about.’” (Reported by Muslim, no. 2996). When were they created? We have no knowledge of precisely when they were created, because there is no text to tell us this. But they were created before mankind for certain, because the Qur’aan says (interpretation of the meaning): “Behold, your Lord said to the angels: ‘I will create a vicegerent on earth.’ . . .” [al-Baqarah 2:30] The fact that Allah told them of His intention to create man indicates that they already existed. Their great size Allaah says concerning the angels of Hell: 167

”O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern and severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.” [alTahreem 66:6] The greatest of all the angels is Jibreel (Gabriel), upon whom be peace, who was described in the following report: ”From ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, who said: the Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) saw Jibreel in his true form. He had six hundred wings, each of which covered the horizon. There fell from his wings jewels, pearls and rubies, only Allah knows about them.” It was reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, and Ibn Katheer said in al-Bidaayah 1/47 that its isnaad is jayyid. The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said, describing Jibreel: ”I saw Jibreel descending from heaven, and his great size filled the space between heaven and earth.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 177). Among the greatest angels are those who carry the Throne (of Allaah), who were described in the following report: ”From Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah from the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), who said: ‘I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of Allaah who carry the Throne. The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a sevenhundred-year journey.’” (Sunan Abee Daawood, Kitaab al-Sunnah, Baab fi’l-Jahamiyyah). They have wings Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”Praise be to Allaah, Who created (out of nothing) the 168

heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings - two, or three, or four (pairs) adds to Creation as He pleases: for Allah has power over all things.” [Faatir 35:1] Their beauty Allaah said, describing Jibreel, upon whom be peace (interpretation of the meaning): ”He [the Prophet] has been taught by one Mighty in Power, Dhoo Mirrah (free from any defect in body and mind), then he rose and became stable.” [al-Najm 53:5-6] Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “‘Dhoo Mirrah means that he has a beautiful appearance.” Qutaadah said: “He is tall and beautiful.” The idea that angels are beautiful is firmly established in all people’s minds, so much so that they liken a beautiful human to an angel, as the women said about Yoosuf: ”. . . When they [the women] saw him, they did extol him and (in their amazement) cut their hands: they said: ‘Allah preserve us! no mortal is this! This is none other than a noble angel!’” [Yoosuf 12:31] Their differences in size and status The angels are not all of one size or status; there are differences between them just as there are differences in virtue. The best of them are those that were present at the battle of Badr, as is stated in the hadeeth narrated by Mu‘aadh ibn Rifaa‘ah al-Zuraaqi from his father, who had been one of the people present at Badr. He said: “Jibreel came to the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) and asked, ‘How do you rate the people 169

among you who were present at Badr?’ He said: ‘They are the best of the Muslims,’ or something similar. [Jibreel] said: ‘So it is with the angels who were present at Badr.’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 3992). They do not eat or drink This is indicated by the conversation between Ibraaheem, the “friend” of Allaah and the angels who visited him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”Then he turned quickly to his household, brought out a fatted calf, and placed it before them. He said, ‘Will you not eat?’ (When they did not eat), he conceived a fear of them. They said: ‘Fear not,’ and they gave him glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge.” [al-Dhaariyaat 51:26-28] Elsewhere, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”But when he [Ibraaheem] saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of the. They said: ‘Fear not: we have been sent against the people of Lut.’” [Hud 11:70] They do not get bored or tired of remembering and worshipping Allah Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever slacken.” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:20] ”. . . For in the presence of your Lord are those who celebrate His praises by night and by day. And they never become tired (nor feel themselves above it).” [Fussilat 41:38] Their number The angels are many, and their number is known only to Allah. The Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon 170

Him) said, described the Much-Frequented House (alBayt al-Ma‘moor) in the seventh heaven: ”Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, another [group] coming after them.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 3207). ‘Abdullaah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘Hell will be brought forth that day by means of seventy thousand ropes, each of which will be pulled by seventy thousand angels.” (Reported by Muslim, no. 2842). Their names The angels have names, but we know only the names of a few of them. We have to believe in the names reported in the Qur’aan and Sunnah texts, as a part of general belief in the angels. Among the names of angels that are known to us are: (1) Jibreel (Gabriel) and (2) Mikaa’eel (Michael) ”Say: Whoever is an enemy to Jibreel - for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by Allah’s will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings to those who believe Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels and prophets, to Jibreel and Mikaa’eel - Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith.” [al-Baqarah 2:97-98] (3) Israafeel From Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, who said: “I asked ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers about what the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) used to start his prayer with when he got up to pray at night (qiyaam al-layl). She said: ‘When he got up to 171

pray at night, he would start his prayer (with the words): ‘O Allah, Lord of Jibreel, Mikaa’eel and Israafeel, Creator of heaven and earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You are the Judge of the matters in which Your slaves differ; guide me with regard to disputed matters of Truth by Your permission, for You guide whomever You will to the Straight Path.’” (Reported by Muslim, no. 270). (4) Malik He is the Keeper of Hell, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They [the people in Hell] will cry: ‘O Malik! Would that your Lord put an end to us!’. . .” [alZukhruf 43:77] (5) Munkar and (6) Nakeer From Abu Hurayrah, who said: “The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘When the deceased is buried (or he said: when one of you is buried), there come to him two blue-black angels, one of whom is called Munkar and the other Nakeer. They ask him, ‘What did you used to say about this man?’ and he says what he used to say: ‘He is the slave and Messenger of Allah: I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the slave and Messenger of Allah. They say, ‘We knew beforehand that you used to say this.’ Then his grave will be widened for him to a size of seventy cubits by seventy cubits and it will be illuminated for him. Then they tell him, ‘Sleep.’ He says, ‘Go back to my family and tell them.’ They tell him, ‘Sleep like a bridegroom whom no-one will wake up except his most beloved,’ until Allah raises him up. If (the deceased) was a hypocrite, he says, ‘I heard the people saying something so I said something similar; I do not know.’ They say: ‘We knew beforehand that you used to say this.’ The earth will be told to squeeze him, so he will be crushed until his ribs are interlocked, and he will remain like that until 172

Allah raises him up.’” (reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 1071. Abu ‘Isa said: It is a ghareeb hasan hadeeth. It is judged hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami‘, no. 724). (7) Haaroot and (8) Maaroot Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”. . . and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Haaroot and Maaroot . . .” [al-Baqarah 2:102] ”. . . and none can know the forces of your Lord, except He. And this is no other than a warning to mankind.” [al-Muddaththir 74:31] Their powers The angels have great powers given to them by Allaah, including the following: The ability to take on different forms. Allah has given the angels the ability to take on forms other than their own. Allah sent Jibreel to Maryam (Mary) in the form of a man, as Allah says: ”. . . Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.” [Maryam 19:17] Angels also came to Ibraaheem in human form, and he did not know that they were angels until they told him so. Similarly, angels came to Lut in the form of young men with beautiful faces. Jibreel used to come to the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) in different forms: sometimes he would appear in the form of Dihyah al-Kalbi, a Sahaabee who was very handsome, and sometimes in the form of a Bedouin. The Sahaabah saw him in his human form, as is reported from ‘Umar ibn alKhattaab in the two Saheehs. (‘Umar) said: ”One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly 173

white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of travel were to be seen on him, and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him). Resting his knees against his and placing his hands on his thighs, he said: ‘O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.’. . .” (Saheeh Muslim, no. 8). Many other ahaadeeth refer to the angels taking human forms, such as the hadeeth about the one who killed a hundred, in which it says “. . . there came to them an angel in human form . . .” and the hadeeth about the blind man, the bald man and the leper. Their speed The greatest speed known to man today is the speed of light; the angels are able to travel much faster than this. Hardly had an enquirer completed a question to the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), but Jibreel would bring the answer from Allah. Their duties Among the angels is one whose task it was to convey the revelation from Allah to His Messengers; this is al-Rooh al-Ameen, Jibril, upon whom be peace. Allah says: ”Say: whoever is an enemy to Jibreel - for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by Allah’s will. . . “ [alBaqarah 2:97] ”Which the trustworthy spirit has brought down, Upon your heart, that you may be (one) of the warners.” [al-Shu‘araa’ 26:193-194] Another is responsible for rain, directing it wherever Allah wishes. This is Mikaa’eel, upon whom be peace. He has helpers, who do what he tells them, by the command of 174

his Lord; they direct the winds and clouds, as Allah wills. Another is responsible for blowing the Trumpet, which will be blown by Israafeel at the onset of the Hour (the Day of Judgement). Others are responsible for taking people’s souls: these are the Angel of Death and his helpers. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say: ‘the Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls, then shall you be brought back to your Lord.’” [al-Sajdah 32:11] There is no proof in any saheeh hadeeth that his name is ‘Azraa’eel. Others are responsible for protecting the slave throughout his life, when he stays home and when he travels, when he is asleep and when he is awake. These are the “angels in succession” concerning whom Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whether he be hid by night or go forth freely by day. For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allaah. Verily! Allaah will not change the good condition of a people so long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sin and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allaah). But when Allaah wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector.” [al-Ra‘d 13:10-11] Others are responsible for recording the deeds of man, good and bad. These are the “honourable scribes” (kiraaman kaatibeen) and are referred to in the aayaat (interpretation of the meanings): 175

”. . . and He sends guardians (angels guarding and writing all of one’s good and bad deeds) over you . . .” [al-An‘aam 6:61] ”Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private counsel? (Yes We do) and Our Messengers (appointed angels in charge of mankind) are by them, to record.” [al-Zukhruf 43:80] ”(Remember!) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being after he or she has attained the age of puberty), one sitting on the right and one on the left (to note his or her actions). Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).” [Qaaf 50:17-18] ”But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you, Kiraaman (honourable) kaatibeen - writing down (your deeds).” [al-Infitaar 82:10-11] Others are responsible for testing people in the grave. These are Munkar and Nakeer. From Abu Hurayrah who said: “The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘When the deceased is buried (or he said: when one of you is buried), there come to him two blue-black angels, one of whom is called Munkar and the other Nakeer. They ask him, ‘What did you used to say about this man?’ . . .” [The hadeeth is quoted in full above] Some of them are the keepers of Paradise. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”And those who kept their duty to their Lord will be led 176

to Paradise in groups, till, when they reach it, its gates will be opened and its keepers will say: Salaamun ‘alaikum (peace be upon you!). You have done well, so enter here, to abide therein.” [al-Zumar 39:73] Some of them are the keepers of Hell, the “guards of Hell”, whose number is nineteen and whose leader is Malik, upon whom be peace. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ”And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups, till, when they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened. And its keepers will say, ‘Did not the Messengers come to you from yourselves, - reciting to you the Verses of your Lord, and warning you of the Meeting of this Day of yours?’ They will say: ‘Yes, but the Word of torment has been justified against the disbelievers!’” [al-Zumar 39:71] ”Then. let him call upon his council (of helpers), We will call the guards of Hell (to deal with him)!” [al-‘Alaq 97:17-18] ”And what will make you know exactly what Hell-fire is? It spares not (any sinner), nor does it leave (anything unburnt)! Burning the skins! Over it are nineteen (angels as guardians and keepers of Hell). And We have set none but angels as guardians of the Fire, and We have fixed their number only as a trial for the disbelievers - in order that the People of the Scripture 177

may arrive at a certainty and the believers may increase in Faith . . .” [al-Muddaththir 74:27-31] ”And they will cry: ‘O Malik (Keeper of Hell)! Let your Lord make an end of us.’ He will say: ‘Verily you shall abide forever.’” [al-Zukhruf 43:77] One of the angels is responsible for the sperm in the womb, as is mentioned in the hadeeth of Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), whose truthfulness is confirmed, said: ‘The way that each of you is created is that he is gathered in his mother’s womb for forty days as a sperm drop, and then for a similar length of time as a blood-clot, and then for a similar length of time as a lump of flesh. Then an angel is sent and he breathes the spirit into (the foetus), and is charged with four commands: to write down his provision, his life-span, his actions, and whether he will be wretched or happy. By the One besides Whom there is no other god, one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until he is just a cubit away from entering it, then his fate will overtake him and he will begin to do the deeds of the people of Hell, so he will enter Hell; and one of you may do the deeds of the people of Hell until he is just a cubit away from entering it, then his fate will overtake him and he will begin to do the deeds of the people of Paradise, so he will enter Paradise.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 3208 and by Muslim, no. 2643). Some angels carry the Throne of Allaah, as He describes in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): ”Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allaah) and those around it glorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah) (saying): ‘Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and save them from the 178

torment of the blazing Fire!’” [Ghaafir 40:7] Some of the angels travel throughout the world, seeking out gatherings of dhikr (remembrance of Allaah). Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘Allah, be He be blessed and exalted, has angels who travel the highways seeking out the people of dhikr. When they find people remembering Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, they call out to one another, “Come to what you hunger for!” and they enfold them with their wings, stretching up to the lowest heaven. Their Lord asked then, and He knows better than them, “What are My slaves saying?” They say: “They are glorifying, magnifying, praising and extolling You.” He asks, “Have they seen Me?” They say, “No, by Allaah, they have not seen You.” He asks, “And how would it be if they saw Me?” They say, “They would be even more fervent and devoted in their praise and worship.” He asks, “What are they asking me for?” They say, “They ask You for Paradise.” He asks, “And have they seen it?” They say, “No, by Allaah, O Lord, they have not seen it.” He asks, “And how would it be if they saw it?” They say: “They would be even more eager for it and they would beseech You even more earnestly.” He asks, “And what do they seek My protection from?” They say, “From the Fire of Hell.” He asks, “Have they seen it?” They say, “No, by Allaah, they have not seen it.” He asks, “And how would it be if they saw it?” They say: “They would be even more afraid and anxious to escape it.” Allah says: “You are My witnesses that I have forgiven them.” One of the angels says: “So-and-so is not really one of them; he came (to the gathering) for some other reason.” Allah says, “They were all in the gathering, and one of them will not be excluded (from forgiveness).”’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 6408). Some of them are responsible for the mountains. 179

‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him): “Have you ever faced any day more difficult than the day of Uhud?” He said: “I suffered at the hands of your people and the worst that I suffered was what I suffered at their hands on the day of ‘Aqabah. That was when I went to call Ibn ‘Abd Yaalayl ibn ‘Abd al-Kalaal to Islam, and he did not respond. I left, feeling depressed and hardly knowing where I was going. I did not recover until I found myself in Qarn al-Tha‘aalib. I raised my head and saw that I was being shaded by a cloud. I looked, and saw Jibreel in the cloud. He called me and said: ‘Allah has heard what your people said and how they responded to you. He has sent the Angel of the Mountains so that you can tell him to do to them whatever you want.’ The Angel of the Mountains called me and greeted me, then said: ‘O Muhammad, tell me what you want me to do. If you want, I can crush them between two mountains.’” The Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: “All I hope for is that Allah will bring forth from their loins people who will worship Allah alone and not associate any partner with Him.” (Reported by al-Buhaari, Fath, no. 3231). Some of them visit the Much Frequented House (al-bayt al-ma‘moor). In the lengthy hadeeth describing the Israa’ and Mi‘raaj (the Night Journey and the Ascent to Heaven), the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ”Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, another [group] coming after them.” There are also angels standing in rows, who never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads, as was reported by Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: “The Messenger 180

of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘I see what you do not see and hear what you do not hear. The heaven makes a noise like groaning, and it has the right to (or it is no surprise), for there is no space in it the width of four fingers, but there is an angel there, placing his forehead in sujood (prostration) to Allaah. By Allaah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much, you would not enjoy your relationships with women and you would go out in the street praying to Allaah.’” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2312) This is a summary of Islamic teachings concerning the noble angels of Allaah. We ask Allaah to make us believe in them and love them. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad. (www.islam-qa.com)

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Belief in Divinely-revealed Books 44018: Is the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned in the Bible? Question: What sort of references can I use to confirm that what GOD intended as regards His will, and that His will has been changed by christian scribes/translators? Also, if you could tell me where in the Bible it speaks of the Prophet Muhammad, does it mention his name or it is symbolic?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allaah unto you, confirming the Tawraat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic’” [al-Saff 61:6] “Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)— he commands them for Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); he allows them as lawful AtTayyibaat (i.e. all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), and prohibits 182

them as unlawful AlKhabaa’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allaah’s Covenant with the children of Israel), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad), honour him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur’aan) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful” [al-A’raaf 7:157] These two verses indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel (the Bible), no matter how much the Jews and Christians claim that he is not, for the word of Allaah is the best and most truthful of words. Some of the things mentioned in the previous Books are as follows: 1 – In the Torah, in the Book of Deuteronomy 18:18-19 it says: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (New International Version) This text is still extant among them. With regard to the phrase “from among their brothers” – if that prophet were to be from among the Children of Israel, it would have said, “I will raise up for them a prophet from among them.” But it says “from among their brothers” – i.e., from among the sons of Ismaa’eel (Ishamel). Secondly, it says in the Gospel of John 16:6-8, 12-13: 183

“It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor [Paraclete] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin… I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (New International Version) This cannot apply to anyone except the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Secondly: Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It says in the Torah, in the fifth book [Deuteronomy 33:2]: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes [or: from his right hand went a fiery law for them].” (New International Version; alternative version of last phrase – the meaning of which is unclear in the original Hebrew texts – is from the King James Version) This refers to the three Prophethoods: the Prophethood of Moosa (Moses), the Prophethood of ‘Eesa (Jesus) and the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). “Coming from Sinai” refers to the mountain where Allaah spoke to Moosa and called him and told him he was a Prophet. “Dawning over them from Seir” refers to the appearance of the Messiah from Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). Seir is a village that is still known there to this day. So this was a foretelling of the Prophethood of the Messiah. 184

“Paran” refers to Makkah. Allaah likens the Prophethood of Moosa to the coming of the dawn, and the Prophethood of the Messiah after him to the rising of the sun, and the Prophethood of the Seal of the Prophets to the sun rising high in the sky and its light reaching all over the earth. And it came to pass exactly as foretold, for Allaah dispelled the night of kufr with the Prophethood of Moosa, and the light increased with the Prophethood of the Messiah, and was completed and reached everywhere on earth with the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). These three Prophets who were mentioned in this foretelling were also mentioned in the beginning of Soorat al-Teen (interpretation of the meaning): “By the fig, and the olive. 2. By Mount Sinai. 3. By this city of security (Makkah)” [al-Teen 95:1-3] End quote. See Hidaayat al-Hayaara, p. 110; and Ibn alQayyim’s comments on the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 33:1. Fourthly: Shaykh ‘Abd al-Majeed al-Zandaani said in his book al-Bishaaraat bi Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fi’l-Kutub al-Samawiyyah alSaabiqah that in the 22nd chapter of the Gospel of Barnabas it says: “And this will continue until there comes Muhammad the Messenger of God who, when he comes, will expose this deceit to those who believe in the laws of God.” And it says in the Book of Isaiah: “I have made your name Muhammad O Muhammad, O 185

beloved of the Lord, your name will abide forever.” And it says in the Book of Isaiah: “What I have given to him I will not give to anyone else: Ahmad, because he praises God and this praise comes from the best part of the earth, and this will bring joy to mankind and they will recite the word of divine unity on every hill and glorify God in every high place.” Many scholars have mentioned the places in the Bible where the name of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is mentioned. Sometimes his name is mentioned clearly, and sometimes he is described in ways that can only apply to him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). You should note that the books of the Bible as they exist today have been altered and changed. This fact has been stated by non-Muslim historians, but despite all that we still find in the Bible the foretelling of the coming of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Shaykh Rahmat-Allaah al-Hindi stated that every time the Christians were able to change something they did so, hence you will find that some of the ancient scholars quote passages from the Bible that no longer exist. But there are still other passages that foretell the Prophethood of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his coming. It should be noted that we have to arm ourselves with adequate sound knowledge in order to debate with the Christians, because even if they have no proof, they will still try to sow the seeds of doubt in people’s hearts so that they will give in to these wrong ideas and so that the truth will be concealed. “But Allaah will bring His Light to perfection even though the disbelievers hate (it)” [alSaff 61:8 – interpretation of the meaning]. 186

Some of the most useful books on this topic are: Izhaar al-Haqq by Shaykh Rahmat-Allaah al-Hindi; Kitaab Hidaayat al-Hayaara by Ibn Al-Qayyim; and al-Jawaab al-Saheeh by Ibn Taymiyyah. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 23475: Things foretold in the Qur’aan which have come to pass Question: Are there any prophecies made in the Noble Qur’an that have already come true? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Yes, there are some things which Allaah mentioned in the Qur’aan which were yet to come, and which did in fact happen. These include the following : 1 – The defeat of the Persians by the Romans within a number of years. Allaah said: “The Romans have been defeated. In the nearest land (Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Palestine), and they, after their defeat, will be victorious. Within three to nine years. The decision of the matter, before and after (these events) is only with Allaah, (before the defeat of the Romans by the Persians, and after the defeat of the Persians by the Romans). And on that day, 187

the believers (i.e. Muslims) will rejoice (at the victory given by Allaah to the Romans against the Persians)” [al-Room 30:2-4] Al-Shawkaani said: The scholars of Tafseer said: the Persians defeated the Romans, and the kuffaar of Makkah rejoiced because of that and said, “Those who do not have a Book have defeated those who do have a Book,” and they gloated over the Muslims and said, “We will also defeat you as the Persians defeated the Romans.” The Muslims wanted the Romans to prevail over the Persians because they were People of the Book… “and they, after their defeat, will be victorious” means that the Romans, after having been defeated by the Persians, would defeat the people of Persia. Al-Zajjaaj said: This is one of the verses that prove that the Qur’aan is from Allaah, because it is foretelling something that was yet to come, and this is something which no one could know except Allaah. Fath al-Qadeer, 4/214 2 – Enmity among the Christian sects until the Day of Resurrection: Allaah said: “And from those who call themselves Christians, We took their covenant, but they have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. So We planted amongst them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection (when they discarded Allaah’s Book, disobeyed Allaah’s Messengers and His Orders and transgressed beyond bounds in Allaah’s disobedience); and Allaah will inform them of what they used to do” [al-Maa’idah 5:14] 188

Ibn Katheer said: “So We planted amongst them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection” means, We sowed amongst them enmity and hatred of one another, and they will remain like that until the Hour begins. Hence the Christian groups, no matter what their types, will continue to hate one another and denounce one another as disbelievers and curse one another. So each group forbids the others to come to its place of worship, and the Byzantines denounced the Jacobites as disbelievers, and the Nestorians denounced the Arians, and so on. Each group denounces the others as disbelievers in this world and will do so on the Day of Judgement. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/34 3 – Allaah promised His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that his religion would prevail over all others. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam), to make it superior over all religions” [al-Tawbah 9:33; al-Fath 48:28; al-Saff 61:9] Al-Qurtubi said: Allaah indeed did that. Whenever Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) sent his armies out on a campaign, he would remind them of what Allaah had promised them, that He would cause His religion to prevail, so that they would be confident of victory and certain of success. ‘Umar used to do likewise, and their conquests continued east and west, by land and sea. Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 1/75 189

4 – The conquest of Makkah Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “Indeed Allaah shall fulfil the true vision which He showed to His Messenger [i.e. the Prophet saw a dream that he has entered Makkah along with his Companions, having their (head) hair shaved and cut short] in very truth. Certainly, you shall enter AlMasjid AlHaraam, if Allaah wills, secure, (some) having your heads shaved, and (some) having your head hair cut short, having no fear. He knew what you knew not, and He granted besides that a near victory” [al-Fath 48:27] al-Tabari said: Allaah says: Allaah is confirming as true the vision which He showed to His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), that he and his companions would enter the sacred House of Allaah in very truth, not fearing the mushrikeen, some of them having their heads shaved and some of them with their hair cut short. The scholars of tafseer said something similar to that which we have said. Tafseer al-Tabari, 26/107 5 – The battle of Badr Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allaah promised you (Muslims) one of the two parties (of the enemy, i.e. either the army or the caravan) that it should be yours; you wished that the one not armed (the caravan) should be yours, but Allaah willed to justify the truth by His Words and to cut off the roots of the disbelievers (i.e. in the battle of Badr)” [al-Anfaal 8:7] 190

Ibn al-Jawzi said: What this means is: Remember when Allaah promised you one of the two parties. The two parties were: Abu Sufyaan and the wealth that was with him, and Abu Jahl and the people of Quraysh who were with him. When Abu Sufyaan went ahead with the wealth that was with him, he wrote to Quraysh saying, if you have already gone out to save your caravan, I have already saved it for you (i.e., so go back). Abu Jahl said, By Allaah, we will not go back. Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set out, heading for the people (i.e., to confront the kaafir army), but his companions were not happy about that, wishing that they had caught up with the group from whom they could capture the booty without fighting. Hence Allaah said “you wished that the one not armed (the caravan) should be yours”. (Zaad al-Maseer, 3/324) And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 9519: The reality of belief in the Books Question: What does it mean to believe in the Books? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Belief in the Books implies four things: 1 – Firm belief that all of them were revealed from Allaah, and that Allaah spoke them in a real sense. Some of them were heard from Him from behind a veil, without there 191

being any intermediary from among the angels. Some were conveyed by an angelic Messenger to a human Messenger. Some were written by Allaah’s own Hand, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not given to any human being that Allaah should speak to him unless (it be) by Revelation, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His Leave. Verily, He is Most High, Most Wise” [al-Shoora 42:51] “and to Moosa (Moses) Allaah spoke directly” [al-Nisa’ 4:164] And Allaah said concerning the Tawraat (Torah): “And We wrote for him on the Tablets the lesson to be drawn from all things and the explanation for all things” [al-A’raaf 7:145] 2 – The Books that Allaah has mentioned by name, we must believe in by name. These are the Books which Allaah has named in the Qur’aan, i.e., the Qur’aan, the Tawraat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel), the Zaboor (Psalms), and the Scriptures of Ibraaheem and Moosa. Those which Allaah has mentioned in general terms, we must believe in them in general terms, so we say concerning them what Allaah and His Messenger have commanded us to say: “…say: “I believe in whatsoever Allaah has sent down of the Book [all the holy Books…]” [al-Shoora 42:15 – interpretation of the meaning] 3 – Believing whatever is true of what they say, such as 192

what is said in the Qur’aan, and whatever has not been altered or distorted in the previous Books. 4 – Believing that Allaah revealed the Qur’aan as a witness over these Books and to confirm them, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Muhaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures)”[al-Maa’idah 5:48] The mufassireen said that Muhaymin means trustworthy and a witness over the Books that came before it, and confirming them, i.e., confirming whatever is true in them and rejecting whatever alterations, distortions and changes have occurred in them, and ruling that the previous rulings have been abrogated – i.e., they are no longer applicable – and that new rulings and laws have been promulgated. Hence all those who were following previous books and who have not turned on their heels should submit to it, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And when it is recited to them, they say: We believe in it. Verily, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed even before it we have been from those who submit themselves to Allaah in Islam as Muslims” [al-Qasas 28:52-53] It is obligatory for all the ummah to follow the Qur’aan both outwardly and inwardly, and to adhere to it, and give it its due, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And this is a blessed Book (the Qur’aan) which We have sent down, so follow it and fear Allaah”[al-An’aam 6:155] What is meant by adhering to the Qur’aan and giving it 193

its due is: regarding what it permits as permitted, regarding what it forbids as forbidden, obeying its commands, avoiding that which it prohibits, paying heed to its lessons, learning from its stories, understanding its clear and unambiguous texts, referring the exact meaning of its ambiguous texts to Allaah, not overstepping its limits and defending it, whilst memorizing it, reciting it in a proper manner, pondering the meanings of its verses, reciting it in prayer night and day, being sincere towards it in all senses, and calling others to do likewise with understanding. This belief will bear great fruit for a person, the most important of which is: 1- Knowledge of Allaah’s care for His slaves, for He has revealed to each people a Book by which they may be guided. 2- Knowledge of the wisdom of Allaah in the laws which He has set out for each people, laws which are suited to their circumstances as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way” [al-Maa’idah 5:48]. 3- Fulfilling the duty of giving thanks to Allaah for this great blessing. 4- The importance of paying attention to the Qur’aan, by reading it, pondering its meanings, understanding its meanings and acting accordingly. And Allaah knows best. See A’laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 90-93; Sharh alUsool al-Thalaathah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 91-92. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 194

20020: The Ruling of Obtaining a Bible Question: Am I entitled to obtain a copy from the Bible to know the book Allah sent to Jesus? And is the existing Bible aurate for I heard that the true one did sink in the Euphrates? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is nopt permitted to have any of the books prior to Islam because of the following : - Anything helpful in them Allah illustrated in the Qur’an. - The Qur’an contains wha makes one in no need of such books. Allah, Subhanahu Wata’ala, says, “It is He who has sent down the Book ( the Qur’an ) to you ( Mohammad ) in truth, confirming wha came before it. “ therefore, everything useful in these Books is mentioned in the Qur’an. With regard to the second qustion, the words sent by Allah to Jesus and of which we may benefit are already in the Qur’an. Furthemore, the existing Bible is distorted, for there are four different scripts, each of which is violating the others. But seekers of knowledge who have the sight of differentiate between truth and wrong can study these books to refute what evil they include. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen may Allaah have mercy on him. al-Da’wah magazine, no. 1789, p. 43. (www.islamqa.com) 195

10817: Ruling on obtaining the previous scriptures Question: Is it permissible for a Muslim to obtain the Injeel (Gospel) to find out the words of Allaah to His slave and Messenger ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to obtain any of the previous scriptures which came before the Qur’aan, such as the Injeel (Gospel or New Testament), Tawraat (Torah or Old Testament) and others, for two reasons. The first reason is that anything in them that is beneficial has been explained by Allaah in the Qur’aan. The second reason is that the Qur’aan frees us from any need for these books. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur’aan) to you (Muhammad) with truth, confirming what came before it [Aal ‘Imraan 3:3] “And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Mohaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures). So judge among them by what Allaah has revealed [al-Maa’idah 5:48]

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So whatever good may be in the previous books is to be found in the Qur’aan. With regard to the questioner’s statement that he wants to find out what Allaah said to His slave and Messenger ‘Eesa, this information is to be found in what Allaah has told us in the Qur’aan. So there is no need to look elsewhere. Moreover, the Injeel (Gospel) that is extant today is distorted. The evidence for that is the fact that there are four Gospels which contradict one another; there is no one Gospel which can be relied upon. But the seeker of knowledge who has sufficient knowledge to be able to tell truth from falsehood, may be allowed to read (the previous scriptures) in order to refute the falsehood found therein or to leave the followers of the scriptures with no excuse for not knowing that they are false. Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 1, p. 32-33 (www.islam-qa.com) 4322: If a Jew or Christian believes that Allaah is One but does not rule according to the Qur’aan Question: If today there is a jew or a christian who believes in Alaah and that he has no partner. He believes in the prophethood of the Messenger of Allaah . But he does not rule by the Qur’aan even though he accepts it as being from Allaah, but he deems it permissible to rule by the original torah. Is he a muslim. This needs a quick response if you can , for dawah purposes. Jazak Allaahu Khair. 197

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We sent this question to our Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak, who replied as follows: Praise be to Allaah. Among the basic principles of faith are Belief in all the Books that have been revealed from Allaah, and belief in all the Messengers. These two principles include belief in the noblest of Books, which is the Qur’aan, and the best of the Messengers, namely Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), the Seal of the Messengers and the Messenger of Allaah to all of mankind from the time when Allaah sent him until the time when the Hour will begin. Every person from every nation must believe in him and follow him and rule by his sharee’ah (laws). Whoever claims to believe in him and in the Qur’aan, but does not rule according to it or follow him in everything that he brought and believe everything he told us, is not a Muslim or a believer. If he dies like this then he will be one of the people of Hell. If he claims to believe in Allaah Alone, with no partner or associate, and in all the Messengers, belief in the Messenger and in the Qur’aan does not only mean believing that they are true, without following them and ruling according to what they say. Many of the Mushrikeen believed in the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in their hearts, and there were those who believed in him in their hearts and in the words they spoke, but this did not benefit them at all, like his uncle Abu Taalib. This belief did not help them at all when they insisted on not following. Similarly, the Jews and Christians who knew him as they knew their sons, and who admitted that they believed in the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but this knowledge and belief did not benefit 198

them at all when they refused to follow him. They were kaafirs and Allaah decreed their blood and their wealth to be permissible for His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so he fought them, and Allaah caused him to prevail over them, and His religion to prevail over all other religions. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is He Who has sent His Messenger (Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) with guidance and the religion of truth (islam), to make it superior over all religions, even though the Mushrikoon (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) hate (it).” [al-Tawbah 9:33] So every Jew and Christian has to enter the religion of Islam which Allaah revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because the Message of Muhammad is the final Message, which abrogates the previous religions. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And whoever seeks a religion other than islam, it will never be accepted of him” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85] According to a saheeh hadeeth: “By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, there is no one among this ummah, Jew or Christian, who hears of me than dies without believing in that with which I have been sent, but he will be one of the people of Hellfire.” (Reported by Muslim, 218). On this basis, the religion of any Jew or Christian will not be correct unless he believes in the sharee’ah of Islam and adheres to the rulings of the Holy Qur’aan. The Qur’aan is Muhaymin (i.e., it testifies to the truth that is in the previous scriptures and exposes the falsehood that has been added to them), and it abrogates the previous 199

Books. The Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel) have been abrogated and have been changed and altered. And Allaah knows best. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (www.islam-qa.com) 4134: Last will of Yaa’qoob; Scripture of Ibraaheem in the Qur’aan; country with largest Muslim population and how they came to Islam Question: 1) What was the last will of Prophet Jacob (Yacoub) (PBUH) for his children before his death?. Where do you find this in the Holy Quran? 2)The scripture revealed to Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) is lost but it is mentioned in the Holy Quran in different chapters? Give two references from two chapters in the Holy Quran mentioning this scripture.? 3)Which Country has the highest muslim population? How did the people of that country become muslims?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 1. The Qur’aan indicates that Ya’qoob gave final instructions to his sons before he died. “… he said unto his sons, ‘What will you worship after me?’ They said, ‘We shall worship your Ilaah (God — Allaah) the Ilaah (God) of your fathers, Ibraaheem (Abraham), Ismaa‘eel (Ishmael), Ishaaq (Isaac), One Ilaah (God), and to Him we submit (in Islam).’” [al-Baqarah 2:133 – interpretation of the meaning]. 200

2. The scripture of Ibraaheem is mentioned in Soorat alA’laa 87:19 (interpretation of the meaning): “The Scriptures of Ibraaheem (Abraham) and Moosa (Moses)”; and in Soorat al-Najm 53:36-37 (interpretation of the meaning): “Or is he not informed with what is in the Pages (Scripture) of Moosa (Moses), And of Ibraaheem (Abraham) who fulfilled (or conveyed) all that (Allaah ordered him to do or convey).” 3. The country with the largest Muslim population in Africa is Nigeria, and in Asia, Indonesia. The Indonesians became Muslim through contact with Muslim traders from Hadramawt as is well known. Perhaps this is what the questioner wanted to know, even though the question is not quite clear. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 185: Foretelling of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Bible Question: Some folowers of Islam tell me that Muhammad and Jesus were two of the great prophets . They tell me that the reason Muhammad wasn’t mentioned in the Bible was because he was born after the Bible was already written. Well, Jesus was born after the Old Testiment was written, yet there were over 600 prophesy’s in the Old Testiment about Jesus that all came true, yet there are NO prophesy’s about Muhammad in the entire Bible. How can Muhammad be like Jesus if that is true? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 201

This is one of two cases: either this man is ignorant and what he says is of no significance, or what he says is a fabrication and a lie. We Muslims know well the aayah (Qur’aanic verse) in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Tawraat (Torah) (Deut, xviii 15) and the Injeel (Gospel) (John, xiv 16), — he commands them for Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); he allows them as lawful AtTayyibaat (i.e. all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), and prohibits them as unlawful AlKhabaa’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allaah’s Covenant with the children of Israel), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad), honour him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur’aan) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful [al-A’raaf 7:157] Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary (tafseer) on this verse: “ ‘Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write whom they find written with them in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)’ – this is a description of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the books of the Prophets who gave their nations the glad tidings of his coming and commanded them to follow him. This description is still there in their books and their scholars and rabbis know it. Imaam 202

Ahmad narrated: Ismaa’eel told us from al-Jareeri from Abu Sakhr al-‘Aqeeli, a man from among the Bedouin told me, I brought a milch-camel to Madeenah during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). When I had sold her, I said, “Let me meet this man [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] and listen to him.” I met him walking between Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and I followed them until they came to a Jewish man who was reading from a scroll of the Torah, consoling himself for the plight of his son who lay dying, a boy who was very handsome and good looking. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘I ask you by the One Who revealed this Torah, do you find any mention in this book of yours of my attributes and my coming?’ The man gestured with his head to indicate ‘No’. But his son said, ‘Yes indeed, by the One who revealed the Torah, we do find mention of your attributes and your coming in our book, and I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and that you are the Messenger of Allaah.’ [The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] said, ‘Keep this Jew away from your brother.’ Then he took care of shrouding him and praying [the funeral prayer] over him.” This is a qawiy jayyid hadeeth. It was narrated that ‘Ataa’ ibn Yassaar said: “I met ‘AbdAllaah ibn ‘Amr and said, ‘Tell me about the attributes of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described in the Torah.’ He said, ‘Yes, by Allaah he is described in the Torah as he is described in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We have sent you (O Muhammad) as a witness, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner” [al-Fath 48:8] – and as a saviour to the unlettered; you are My slave and My messenger; your name is al-Mutawakkil; you are not harsh and aggressive; Allaah will not take him (in death) until He has straightened a crooked nation through him so that 203

they will say that there is no god except Allaah, and has opened hard hearts, deaf ears and blind eyes.’” ‘Ataa’ said: “Then I met Ka’b (who was one of the People of the Book who had become Muslim) and I asked him about that, and he told me exactly the same, not even one letter was different…” Al-Bukhaari narrated in his Saheeh that ‘Ataa’ ibn Yassaar said: “ I met ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with him) and said, ‘Tell me about the description of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Torah. He said, “Yes, by Allaah, he is described in the Torah in some of the same terms as he is described in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We have sent you (O Muhammad) as a witness, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner” [al-Fath 48:8] – and as a saviour to the unlettered; you are My slave and My messenger; your name is al-Mutawakkil; he is not harsh and aggressive, and he does not make a noise in the market-place; he does not repay evil with evil, rather he overlooks and forgives; Allaah will not take him (in death) until He has straightened a crooked nation through him so that they will say that there is no god except Allaah, and has opened hard hearts, deaf ears and blind eyes.’” (al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 2125) Allaah did not send any Prophet without taking from him the covenant and promise that if the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were to appear during his lifetime, he would follow Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says in Soorat Aal ‘Imraan (which no Christian reads with an open mind but he will become Muslim) (interpretation of the meaning): 204

“And (remember) when Allaah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: ‘Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allaah), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him.’ Allaah said: ‘Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My Covenant (which I conclude with you)?’ They said: ‘We agree.’ He said: ‘Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this).’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:81] Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary (tafseer) on this verse: It is said that Allaah took the covenant from the Prophets that they would confirm one another, and He commanded them to believe in one another. This is the meaning of believing and helping (‘you must, then, believe in him and help him’)… Taawoos said: Allaah took the covenant from the first Prophets that they would believe in the Message of the later Prophets… The Messenger here is Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), according to the view of ‘Ali and Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them). Allaah took the covenant from all the Prophets that they would believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) if they met him, and He commanded them to take the same covenant from their nations. If you want to know more about the references to the coming of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Bible (even after it has been altered!) we refer you to the books “Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the Bible” and “What 205

the Bible says about Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)” by Ahmad Deedat. We ask Allaah to guide you. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 2110: What is the nature of the authority of the Qur’aan according to Muslims? Question: I am taking a course on Religions of the World, I am having trouble locating the following answer: What is the nature of the authority of the Qur’an according to Orthodox Islamic tradition? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Qur’aan was revealed by Allaah, may He be glorified, as a law and a reference as to what is permissible and prohibited, what is commanded and forbidden, for people to follow, so that they obey its commands and abide by its prohibitions, take what it allows as permissible and take what it prohibits as forbidden. The Qur’aan tells us about what happened before and what is yet to come, and it is a reference for judging between us. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… We have neglected nothing in the Book…” [al-An’aam 6:38].

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After the Revelation was completed, Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “… This day, I have perfected your religion for you…” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]. The Sunnah [words and deeds of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] came to explain and complement the Qur’aan. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have been given the Qur’aan and something like it with it.” The phrase “something like it with it” refers to the Sunnah. (Saheeh hadeeth). Allaah commanded us to refer to these two constitutional references, when He said (interpretation of the meaning): “…if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger…” [alNisa’ 4:59]. Referring to Allaah means referring to the Qur’aan, and referring to His Messenger means referring to the Sunnah. The Qur’aan is the primary source of legislation, then comes the Sunnah. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 1400: Muslim view of Ibraaheem (upon whom be peace) and the Tawraat (Torah) Question: Why does Islam ,believing that its roots lie with abraham, nonetheless not believe in the veracity of hebrew scriptures? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Muslims believe in all the Prophets and Messengers 207

without exception; whoever denies any Prophet is a disbeliever. Muslims believe in all the Books that were revealed by Allaah to His Prophets, without exception; whoever denies any Book is a disbeliever. On this basis, Muslims believe in Moosa (Moses) as a Prophet from Allaah, and in the original Torah as a Book from Allaah, and in ‘Eesa (Jesus) as a Prophet from Allaah, and in the original Gospel as a Book from Allaah. When the previous books were distorted and altered because of men’s desires and division among the Jews and Christians, it was no longer possible to rely on them. Allaah abrogated all previous laws (sharee’ahs) when Islam came, and all previous Books when the Qur’aan was revealed. When He sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as the final Messenger and Seal of the Prophets, it became obligatory to believe in and follow the Qur’aan which was revealed to him, especially since Allaah has guaranteed to preserve the Qur’aan and protect it from alteration and distortion, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e., the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).” [al-Hijr 15:9] Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) is the Khaleel (Friend) of Allaah, the Father of the Prophets and the pride of the Muslims. Allaah sent him with the message of Tawheed (Divine unity) just as He sent Moosa, ‘Eesa and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them all). The happiest of mankind is one who follows his way, which is Tawheed (belief in Divine unity). Because both the Jews and Christians claimed that Ibraaheem belonged to them, Allaah explained that they were both wrong, giving decisive historical evidence in the aayaat (interpretation of the meaning): 208

“O People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Why do you dispute about Ibraaheem, while the Tawraat and the Injeel were not revealed till after him? Have you then no sense? Verily, you are those who have disputed about that of which you have no knowledge. Why do you then dispute concerning that which you have no knowledge? It is Allaah Who knows, and you know not. Ibraaheem was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim haneefa (Islamic monotheism – worshipping none but Allaah alone), and he was not of al-mushrikoon (polytheists). Verily, among mankind who have the best claim to Ibraaheem are those who followed him, and this Prophet (Muhammad (peace andb lessings of Allaah be upon him) and those who have believed (Muslims). And Allaah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of the believers.”[Aal ‘Imraan 3:65-68] Become Muslim and you will be saved. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2001: Corruption of the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel) Question: What sura in the Quran is related or mentions about the curruption of the Torah and Gospel? 209

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah says about the Jews (interpretation of the meaning): “Do you (faithful believers) covet that they will belive in your religion in spite of the fact that a party of them (Jewish rabbis) used to hear the Word of Allaah (the Tawraat), then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it?” [al-Baqarah 2:75] Qutaadah said: “The phrase ‘then they used to change it knowingly after they understood it’ refers to the Jews, who used to hear the words of Allaah, then they altered it after they had understood what it meant.” Abu ‘Aaliyah said: “They took what Allaah had revealed in their Book describing Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and changed its meaning.” Ibn Zayd said: “The phrase ‘[they] used to hear the Word of Allaah (the Tawraat), then they used to change it’ refers to the Tawraat which Allaah revealed to them; they changed it, making what it permitted forbidden, and what was forbidden allowed, changing the truth to falsehood and falsehood to truth…” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer] Allaah also said (interpretation of the meaning): “Among those who are Jews, there are some who displace words from (their) right places and say: ‘We hear your word (O Muhammad) and disobey,’ and ‘Hear and let you (Muhammad) hear nothing.’ And Raa’ina [in Arabic this means, ‘Be careful, listen to us and we listen to you,’ whereas in Hebrew it means ‘an insult.’] with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion (Islam). And if only they had said, ‘We hear and obey,’ and ‘Do make us understand,’ it would have been better for them, and more proper, but Allaah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except for a few.” [al-Nisaa’ 4:46] 210

The phrase “[they] displace words from (their) right places” means that they misinterpret them and understand them in a way that Allaah did not intend, doing this deliberately and inventing lies against Allaah. [Tafseer Ibn Katheer] Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them, and made their hearts grow hard. They change the words from their (right) places and have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. And you will not cease to discover deceit in them, except a few of them. But forgive them, and overlook (their misdeeds). Verily, Allaah loves al-Muhsineen (good-doers).” [al-Maa’idah 5:13] The phrase “because of their breach of their covenant, We cursed them” refers to the fact that they broke the Covenant which had been made with them, so Allaah cursed them, i.e., He kept them away from following the True Guidance. “[We] made their hearts grow hard” means that they will not benefit from any preaching because their hearts are so hard. “They change the words from their (right) places” means that they play havoc with the words of Allaah and misinterpret His Book, taking it to mean things that were never meant and attributing to Allaah things that He never said; may Allaah protect us from that. “[They] have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them” means that they stopped following its teachings because they did not want to follow them. AlHasan said: “They did not adhere to their religion or keep their duties towards Allaah, without which no deeds are acceptable to Him; their fitrah (innate nature) was not sound and their deeds were not righteous.” [Tafseer Ibn Katheer] So it becomes quite clear that the ways in which the 211

Children of Israel tampered with the Tawraat and Injeel include the following: Changing Omitting Adding things and attributing to Allaah words that He did not say Misinterpreting the words of Allaah. When Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent, the original Tawraat and Injeel had already been altered and distorted. Allaah revealed the Qur’aan to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and guaranteed that He Himself would preserve it, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e., the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).” [al-Hijr 15:9] This distinguishing feature was not found in any Book before the Qur’aan. From the time of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) until the present (more than fourteen hundred years) the Qur’aan has stayed the same, and not a single letter of it has been changed, as ancient manuscripts and the hearts of generation after generation of people who have memorized the entire text and earned the title of “haafiz” bear witness. We ask Allaah to guide us to the true and straight path. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam qa.com)

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Belief in the Messengers 44018: Is the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned in the Bible? Question: What sort of references can I use to confirm that what GOD intended as regards His will, and that His will has been changed by christian scribes/translators? Also, if you could tell me where in the Bible it speaks of the Prophet Muhammad, does it mention his name or it is symbolic?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah says in His Book (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allaah unto you, confirming the Tawraat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic’” [al-Saff 61:6] “Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad) whom they find written with them in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)— he commands them for Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam has ordained); and forbids them from Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); he allows them as lawful AtTayyibaat (i.e. all good and lawful as regards 213

things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), and prohibits them as unlawful AlKhabaa’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), he releases them from their heavy burdens (of Allaah’s Covenant with the children of Israel), and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad), honour him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur’aan) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful” [al-A’raaf 7:157] These two verses indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel (the Bible), no matter how much the Jews and Christians claim that he is not, for the word of Allaah is the best and most truthful of words. Some of the things mentioned in the previous Books are as follows: 1 – In the Torah, in the Book of Deuteronomy 18:18-19 it says: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (New International Version) This text is still extant among them. With regard to the phrase “from among their brothers” – if that prophet were to be from among the Children of Israel, it would have said, “I will raise up for them a prophet from among them.” But it says “from among their brothers” – i.e., from among the sons of Ismaa’eel (Ishamel). 214

Secondly, it says in the Gospel of John 16:6-8, 12-13: “It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor [Paraclete] will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin… I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” (New International Version) This cannot apply to anyone except the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Secondly: Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: It says in the Torah, in the fifth book [Deuteronomy 33:2]: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes [or: from his right hand went a fiery law for them].” (New International Version; alternative version of last phrase – the meaning of which is unclear in the original Hebrew texts – is from the King James Version) This refers to the three Prophethoods: the Prophethood of Moosa (Moses), the Prophethood of ‘Eesa (Jesus) and the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). “Coming from Sinai” refers to the mountain where Allaah spoke to Moosa and called him and told him he was a Prophet. “Dawning over them from Seir” refers to the appearance of the Messiah from Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). Seir is a village that is still known 215

there to this day. So this was a foretelling of the Prophethood of the Messiah. “Paran” refers to Makkah. Allaah likens the Prophethood of Moosa to the coming of the dawn, and the Prophethood of the Messiah after him to the rising of the sun, and the Prophethood of the Seal of the Prophets to the sun rising high in the sky and its light reaching all over the earth. And it came to pass exactly as foretold, for Allaah dispelled the night of kufr with the Prophethood of Moosa, and the light increased with the Prophethood of the Messiah, and was completed and reached everywhere on earth with the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). These three Prophets who were mentioned in this foretelling were also mentioned in the beginning of Soorat al-Teen (interpretation of the meaning): “By the fig, and the olive. 2. By Mount Sinai. 3. By this city of security (Makkah)” [al-Teen 95:1-3] End quote. See Hidaayat al-Hayaara, p. 110; and Ibn alQayyim’s comments on the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 33:1. Fourthly: Shaykh ‘Abd al-Majeed al-Zandaani said in his book al-Bishaaraat bi Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) fi’l-Kutub al-Samawiyyah alSaabiqah that in the 22nd chapter of the Gospel of Barnabas it says: “And this will continue until there comes Muhammad the Messenger of God who, when he comes, will expose this deceit to those who believe in the laws of God.” 216

And it says in the Book of Isaiah: “I have made your name Muhammad O Muhammad, O beloved of the Lord, your name will abide forever.” And it says in the Book of Isaiah: “What I have given to him I will not give to anyone else: Ahmad, because he praises God and this praise comes from the best part of the earth, and this will bring joy to mankind and they will recite the word of divine unity on every hill and glorify God in every high place.” Many scholars have mentioned the places in the Bible where the name of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is mentioned. Sometimes his name is mentioned clearly, and sometimes he is described in ways that can only apply to him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). You should note that the books of the Bible as they exist today have been altered and changed. This fact has been stated by non-Muslim historians, but despite all that we still find in the Bible the foretelling of the coming of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Shaykh Rahmat-Allaah al-Hindi stated that every time the Christians were able to change something they did so, hence you will find that some of the ancient scholars quote passages from the Bible that no longer exist. But there are still other passages that foretell the Prophethood of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his coming. It should be noted that we have to arm ourselves with adequate sound knowledge in order to debate with the Christians, because even if they have no proof, they will still try to sow the seeds of doubt in people’s hearts so that they will give in to these wrong ideas and so that the truth will be concealed. “But Allaah will bring His Light 217

to perfection even though the disbelievers hate (it)” [alSaff 61:8 – interpretation of the meaning]. Some of the most useful books on this topic are: Izhaar al-Haqq by Shaykh Rahmat-Allaah al-Hindi; Kitaab Hidaayat al-Hayaara by Ibn Al-Qayyim; and al-Jawaab al-Saheeh by Ibn Taymiyyah. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 42216: The infallibility of the Prophets Question: I would like to ask a question about ‘aqeedah. Is it part of our ‘aqeedah to believe that the Prophets committed sins and were not infallible?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Prophets are the best of mankind, and the most noble of creation before Allaah. Allaah chose them to convey the call of Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah to mankind, and Allaah has made them the intermediaries between Him and His creation in conveying His Laws. They were commanded to convey the message from Allaah, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “They are those whom We gave the Book, AlHukm (understanding of the religious laws), and Prophethood. But if these disbelieve therein (the Book, AlHukm and Prophethood), then, indeed We have entrusted it to a people (such as the Companions of Prophet Muhammad) who are not disbelievers therein” [al-An’aam 6:89] 218

The Prophets’ task was to convey the message from Allaah even though they were human, hence the issue of infallibility may be examined from two angles: 1 – Infallibility in conveying the message 2 – Infallibility from human error Firstly: With regard to the first issue, the Prophets were infallible in conveying the message from Allaah. They did not conceal anything that Allaah had revealed to them, and they did not add anything from themselves. Allaah said to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): “O Messenger (Muhammad)! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allaah will protect you from mankind” [al-Maa’idah 5:67] “And if he (Muhammad) had forged a false saying concerning Us (Allaah), We surely would have seized him by his right hand (or with power and might), And then We certainly would have cut off his life artery (aorta), And none of you could have withheld Us from (punishing) him” [al-Haaqqah 69:44-47] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And he (Muhammad) withholds not a knowledge of the Unseen” [al-Takweer 81:24] 219

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on this verse: He is not stingy with that which Allaah has revealed to him, concealing some of it. Rather he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) the most trustworthy of the inhabitants of heaven and the people of earth, the one who conveys the message of his Lord, the faithful conveyor (of the message). He does not withhold any part of it, from rich or poor, from ruler or subject, from male or female, from city-dweller or Bedouin. Hence Allaah sent him to an illiterate and ignorant nation, and he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not die until they had become knowledgeable scholars, steeped in knowledge…" So with regard to conveying the religion of his Lord, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not make any mistakes at all, whether major or minor, rather he was infallible and under the constant protection of Allaah. Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 6/371: All the Muslims are unanimously agreed that the Prophets (peace be upon them) – especially Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – are infallible and protected from error in that which they conveyed from Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “By the star when it goes down (or vanishes). Your companion (Muhammad) has neither gone astray nor has erred. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed.

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He has been taught (this Qur’aan) by one mighty in power [Jibreel (Gabriel)]” [al-Najm 53:1-5] Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is infallible in all that he conveyed from Allaah, in word and deed and in what he approved of. There is no dispute on this point among the scholars." The ummah is agreed that the Messengers are infallible in their conveying the message. They did not forget anything that Allaah revealed to them, except for things that were abrogated. And Allaah guaranteed His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that he would remember it and would not forget it, except for that which Allaah wanted him to forget, and He guaranteed to remember the whole Qur’aan in his heart. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “We shall make you to recite (the Qur’aan), so you (O Muhammad) shall not forget (it)” [al-A’la 87:7] “It is for Us to collect it and to give you (O Muhammad) the ability to recite it (the Qur’aan). And when We have recited it to you [O Muhammad through Jibreel (Gabriel)], then follow its (the Qur’aan’s) recitation” [al-Qiyaamah 75:17-18] Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said in Majmoo’ alFataawa, 18/7]: The verses which point to the Prophethood of the Prophets indicate that they are infallible with regard to the message that they convey from Allaah, so what they convey from their Lord can only be true. This is the meaning of 221

Prophethood and this implies [?] that Allaah tells [the Prophet] of the unseen and he tells the people of the unseen. So the Messenger is commanded to call people and to convey the message to them." Secondly: With regard to the Prophets as people, they may make mistakes. This may be discussed as follows: 1 –They do not commit major sins With regard to major sins, the Prophets do not commit major sins at all, and they are protected from such major sins both before their missions began or afterwards. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 4/319: The view that the Prophets are infallible and protected against committing major sins, as opposed to minor sins, is the view of the majority of Muslim scholars and of all groups. It is also the view of the scholars of tafseer and hadeeth and fuqaha’. Indeed, nothing has been narrated from any of the salaf, imams, Sahaabah, Taabi’een and those who followed them except that which is in accordance with this view." 2 – Matters that have nothing to do with conveying the message and the revelation. With regard to minor sins, these may be committed by them, or by some of them. Hence the majority of scholars are of the view that they are not infallible when it comes to minor sins. But if they committed such actions they were not left to persist therein, rather Allaah pointed that out to them and they hastened to repent therefrom. The evidence that they might commit minor sins and that they were not left to persist therein is the verses in which Allaah says of Adam (interpretation of the meaning): 222

“Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness, and gave him guidance” [Ta-Ha 20:121-122] This indicates that Adam committed sin, but he was not left to persist therein, and he repented to Allaah from that. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “He said: ‘This is of Shaytaan’s (Satan’s) doing, verily, he is a plain misleading enemy.’ He said: ‘My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.’ Then He forgave him. Verily, He is the OftForgiving, the Most Merciful” [al-Qasas 28:15-16] So Moosa (peace be upon him) confessed his sin and sought forgiveness from Allaah after he killed the Egyptian, and Allaah forgave him his sin. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and he [Dawood] sought forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down prostrate and turned (to Allaah) in repentance. So We forgave him that, and verily, for him is a near access to Us, and a good place of (final) return (Paradise)” [Saad 38:23-24] Dawood’s sin was hastening to pass judgement before hearing the case of the second disputant. And our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was rebuked by his Lord for several 223

things that are mentioned in the Qur’aan, such as the following (interpretation of the meaning): “O Prophet! Why do you forbid (for yourself) that which Allaah has allowed to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allaah is OftForgiving, Most Merciful” [al-Tahreem 66:1] This refers to the well-known story with some of his wives. Allaah also rebuked His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning the prisoners of war at Badr: Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (4588) that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: When the prisoners were taken captive, the Messenger of Allaah (S) (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them): “What do you think about these prisoners?” Abu Bakr said: “O Prophet of Allaah, they are our cousins and kinsmen. I think that we should accept a ransom from them which will give us some support against the kuffaar, and perhaps Allaah will guide them to Islam.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “What do you think, O Ibn al-Khattaab?” He said: “I say, no, by Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah. I do not agree with Abu Bakr. I think that you should hand them over to us so that we may strike their necks (execute them). Hand over ‘Aqeel to ‘Ali so that he may strike his neck, and hand over So and so – a relative of ‘Umar – to me, for these are the leaders and veterans of kufr.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) liked what Abu Bakr said and he did not like what I [‘Umar] said. The next day I came and found the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and Abu Bakr weeping. I said: “O Messenger of Allaah, tell me, what has made you and 224

your companion weep? If there is a reason to weep, I will weep with you, and there is no reason, I will pretend to weep in sympathy with you because you are weeping.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I am weeping because I was shown the torture to which they were subjected. It was brought as close to me as this tree” – a tree which was near the Prophet of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – then Allaah revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allaah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. Were it not a previous ordainment from Allaah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took. So enjoy what you have gotten of booty in war, lawful and good” [al-Anfaal 8:67-69] So Allaah permitted booty to them. From this hadeeth it is clear that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) chose to ransom the prisoners, this was a decision that he made by ijtihaad after consulting his companions, and he had no revelation from Allaah concerning that. The words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “(The Prophet) frowned and turned away. Because there came to him the blind man (i.e. ‘Abdullaah 225

bin Umm Maktoom, who came to the Prophet while he was preaching to one or some of the Quraysh chiefs)” [‘Abasa 80:1-2] This is the famous story of the great companion ‘AbdAllaah ibn Umm Maktoom and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), when Allaah rebuked him. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in Majmoo’ alFataawa, 4/320: What has been narrated from the majority of scholars is that they (the Prophets) are not infallible with regard to minor sins, but they are not left to persist therein. They do not say that this does not happen under any circumstances. The first group from whom it was narrated that they are infallible in all cases, and who say that the most, are the Raafidis (Shi’ah), who say that they are infallible and protected even against forgetfulness and misunderstanding." Some people think this is too much to suggest that Prophets may commit sin, and misinterpret some of the texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah which indicate that. Two specious arguments lead them to do that: (i) – The fact that Allaah has commanded us to follow the Messengers and take them as our example. The command to follow them is taken as meaning that everything they did is an example for us to follow, and that every action and belief of theirs is an act of worship. If we suggest that that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) committed a sin, there will be a dilemma, because that implies that we are commanded to imitate this sin which was committed by the Prophet because we are commanded to follow his example, but at the same 226

time we should no agree with it or do it, because it is a sin. This argument is valid and is appropriate if the sin is hidden and not obvious in such a way that it could be confused with acts of obedience. But Allaah has explained to His Messengers where they went wrong and enabled them to repent without delay. (ii) – Sins contradict perfection and are a shortcoming. This is true if they are not accompanied by repentance, for repentance brings forgiveness of sin, and does not contradict perfection or bring blame upon a person. Rather in many cases a person may be better after repenting than he was before he fell into sin. It is well known that no Prophet committed sin but he hastened to repent and seek forgiveness. The Prophets did not persist in sin or delay repentance, for Allaah protected them from that, and after repenting they became more perfect than they were before. 3 – Unintentional mistakes with regard to some worldly matters With regard to mistakes in some worldly matters, it is permissible for them to make such mistakes although their reason is sound and their insight is strong. This happened to several of the Prophets including our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This happened with regard to various spheres of life such as medicine, agriculture, etc. Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (6127) that Raafi’ ibn Khadeej said: The Prophet of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah and found them pollinating the palm trees. He said: “What are you doing?” They said: “We always do this.” He said: “Perhaps if you do not do it, that will be better.” So they did not do it, and the harvest failed. They told him about that and he 227

said: “I am only human. If I tell you to do something with regard to your religion, then do it, but if I tell you to do something based on my own opinion, then I am only human.” Hence it is known that the Prophets are infallible and protected from error with regard to the Revelation, so we should beware of those who cast aspersions upon the Messenger’s conveying of the Message and his laws, and say that it is his own personal opinion. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) could never do such a thing. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed” [al-Najm 53:3-4] The Standing Committee was asked: Do the Prophets and Messengers make mistakes? They replied: Yes, they make mistakes but Allaah does not let them persist in their mistakes, rather he points out their mistakes to them as a mercy to them and their nations, and He forgives them for their mistakes, and accepts their repentance by His Grace and Mercy, for Allaah is OftForgiving, Most Merciful, as will be clear to anyone who studies the verses of the Qur’aan which speak of that. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 3/194 For more information see question no. 7208 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 228

45820: How long was Maryam pregnant with ‘Eesa (peace be upon him)? Question: Was the virgin Maryam pregnant with ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) for nine months? Or when the angels came to her and told her to take refuge at the trunk of the palm tree, did she give birth to him at that point?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The scholars differed as to how long Maryam was pregnant with ‘Eesa (peace be upon him). The view of the majority is that it was nine months, as with all other humans. ‘Ikrimah said: Eight months, and said: For that reason no child born at eight months’ gestation lives, so as to preserve the uniqueness of ‘Eesa. It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: No sooner did she become pregnant but she gave birth. Ibn Katheer said (3/117) concerning this report narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas: This is strange, and appears to have been taken from the apparent meaning of the verses in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 46 miles from Jerusalem).

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23. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm” [Maryam 19:22] The particle fa (translated here as ‘and’), in Arabic, implies a succession of events, but things follow one another at their own pace, as in the verse where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth). 13. Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and female sexual discharge and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman). 14. Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones” [al-Muminoon 23:12-14] Here the particle fa (translated as ‘then’) indicates succession at the appropriate pace. And it is proven in al-Saheehayn that between each two stages is a period of forty days [i.e., it remains a nutfah for forty days, then a clot for forty days, then a lump of flesh for forty days]. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “See you not that Allaah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and then the earth becomes green?” [al-Hajj 22:63]

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The well-known view is the apparent meaning– and Allaah is able to do all things – which is that she bore him as all other women bear their children. Hence when the signs of pregnancy appeared on her, and there was with her in the mosque a righteous man from among her relatives who worshipped in the temple with her, who was called Yoosuf al-Najjaar. When he saw that her belly had become swollen he found it strange. Then he decided to think well of her because of what he knew of her innocence, honour, religious commitment and worship. Then he thought about her situation, and he could not stop thinking about this matter. So he said, speaking indirectly: “O Maryam, I am going to ask you about something, so do not get alarmed.” She said, “What is it?” He said: “Has any tree or plant ever grown without a seed? Has any child ever been born without a father?” She said: “Yes, I understood what you are referring to. As for your asking whether any tree or plant has ever grown without a seed, when Allaah first created trees and plants He created them without seeds. And has any child ever been born without a father? Allaah created Adam without either a father or a mother.” So he believed her and left her alone. When Maryam felt that her people were accusing her, she withdrew to a far place, i.e. far away from them, so that she would not see them and they would not see her. Muhammad ibn Ishaaq said: When she became pregnant with him and her menses ceased, and she experienced the discomforts that all pregnant women face, then no household experienced what the household of Zakariyah experienced. Talk spread among the Children of Israel and they said that the one who was responsible for this was her companion Yoosuf because there was no one else in the church with her except him. So she stayed away from people and put a screen between her and them so 231

that no one could see her and she could not see anyone." (from Ibn Katheer). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 34634: Can it be said of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “Habeeb-Allaah (the Beloved of Allaah)”? Question: Can the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) be described as “Habeeb-Allaah (the Beloved of Allaah)”?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is undoubtedly the Beloved of Allaah; he loves Allaah and Allaah loves him. But there is a better description than that, which is Khaleel-Allaah (the Close Friend of Allaah). The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the Close Friend of Allaah, as he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has taken me as a close friend (khaleel) just as he took Ibraaheem as a close friend.” (Narrated by Muslum, 532). Being a close friend is the most perfect form of love. 232

Hence whoever describes him as “habeeb” only is not giving him his full due. Close friendship (being a “khaleel”) is greater and more sublime than love. All the believers are beloved to Allaah, but the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) occupies a higher status than that, which is close friendship. Allaah took him as a close friend just as He took Ibraaheem as a close friend. Hence we say that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Close Friend of Allaah. This is better than saying that he is the Beloved of Allaah, because the Arabic word khillah (close friendship) implies love and more, because it is the ultimate love. Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 1/319. Shaykh al-Islam said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 10/204: The view of some people that Muhammad is the Beloved of Allaah and Ibraaheem is the Close Friend of Allaah, and their notion that love (hubb) is superior to close friendship (khillah), is a weak view, because Muhammad is also the Close Friend of Allaah (Khaleel-Allaah), as was proven in many saheeh ahaadeeth. And Ibn al-Qayyim said in Rawdat al-Muhibbeen, 1/49: Some of those who have no knowledge think that a “beloved (habeeb)” is superior to a “close friend (khaleel)”, so they say “Muhammad is the Beloved of Allaah and Ibraaheem is the Close Friend of Allaah.” This is false for many reasons: For example: close friendship is specific whereas love is general. Allaah loves those who repent, and He loves those who purify themselves, and He says of His believing slaves (interpretation of the meaning): 233

“whom He will love and they will love Him” [al-Maa’idah 5:54] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stated that he had no close friend among the people of this world, but he stated that the most beloved of women to him was ‘Aa’ishah and the most beloved of men to him was her father. And he said: “Allaah has taken me as a close friend (khaleel) just as he took Ibraaheem as a close friend.” And he said: “If I were to have taken any of the people of this world as a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend, but (between us) is the brotherhood and love of Islam.” Note: There is a hadeeth which appears to contradict the above statement that close friendship (khillah) is superior to love (hubb). It was narrated by al-Tirmidhi (3161) from Ibn ‘Abbaas who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Ibraaheem was the Close Friend of Allaah and Moosa was the one with whom Allaah spoke, and ‘Eesa was a spirit and Word created by Allaah, and Adam was chosen by Allaah, but I am the Beloved of Allaah and I am not boasting…” This hadeeth is da’eef (weak) and is not soundly narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef alTirmidhi. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com)

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36836: Was Idrees the first of the Messengers? Question: I read in some history books that Idrees was the first of the Messengers and that he came before Nooh. Is this correct?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The first of the Messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) was Nooh (peace be upon him), and the last of them was Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Before Nooh, no Messenger was sent, and from this we realize that the historians are mistaken in their view that Idrees (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came before Nooh, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We have sent the Revelation to you (O Muhammad) as We sent the Revelation to Nooh (Noah) and the Prophets after him” [al-Nisa’ 4:163] According to the saheeh hadeeth which talks of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection), “… the people will come to Nooh and will say to him, ‘You are the first Messenger whom Allaah sent to the people of the earth…’” So there was no Messenger before Nooh, and there is no Messenger after Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he 235

is the Messenger of Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets” [al-Ahzaab 33:40] With regard to the descent of ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) at the end of time, he will not come down as a Messenger with a new message, rather he will come down as a ruler who rules according to the sharee’ah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because ‘Eesa and other Prophets are obliged to believe in Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allaah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: ‘Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allaah), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him.’ Allaah said: ‘Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My Covenant (which I conclude with you)?’ They said: ‘We agree.’ He said: ‘Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this)’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:81] This Messenger who confirmed what was with them is Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as was narrated in saheeh reports from Ibn ‘Abbaas and others. Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 1/315 See also question no. 10551 for more information. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 236

43148: The Muslims’ beliefs concerning the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam Question: What are the Muslims’ beliefs concerning the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Our beliefs concerning the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary – peace be upon him) are those indicated by the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of our Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). We believe that ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) was one of the slaves of Allaah, and one of His noble Messengers. Allaah sent him to the Children of Israel to call them to believe in Allaah alone and worship Him alone. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allaah unto you, confirming the Tawraat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic’” [al-Saff 61:6] “But the Messiah [‘Eesa (Jesus)] said: ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allaah, then 237

Allaah has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers) there are no helpers” [al-Maa’idah 5:72] ‘Eesa was not a god or the son of God as the Christians claim. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allaah is the Messiah [‘Eesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary).’” [al-Maa’idah 5:72] “And the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say: Messiah is the son of Allaah. That is their saying with their mouths, resembling the saying of those who disbelieved aforetime. Allaah’s Curse be on them, how they are deluded away from the truth!” [al-Tawbah 9:30] The first words that ‘Eesa spoke when Allaah caused him to speak when he was in the cradle were (interpretation of the meaning): “He [‘Eesa (Jesus)] said: ‘Verily, I am a slave of Allaah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet’” [Maryam 19:30] We believe that Allaah supported him with miracles that proved he was speaking the truth. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “(Remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection). ‘O ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Remember My Favour to you and to your mother when I 238

supported you with RoohulQudus [Jibreel (Gabriel)] so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, AlHikmah (the power of understanding), the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel); and when you made out of the clay, a figure like that of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) as you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: This is nothing but evident magic’” [al-Maa’idah 5:110] We believe that ‘Eesa was born from the Virgin Maryam with no father, and that is not impossible for Allaah Who, when He wills a thing, says “Be!” and it is. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, the likeness of ‘Eesa (Jesus) before Allaah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!’ — and he was” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:59] “(Remember) when the angels said: ‘O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allaah gives you the glad tidings of a Word [‘Be!’ — and he was! i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allaah.” He will speak to the people, in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous.’

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She said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.’ He said: ‘So (it will be) for Allaah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” and it is’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:45-47] We believe that he permitted to the Jews some of the things that had been forbidden to them. Allaah tells us that ‘Eesa said to the Children of Israel (interpretation of the meaning): “And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Tawraat (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allaah and obey me” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:50] We believe that he did not die and his enemies the Jews did not kill him, rather Allaah saved him from them and raised him up to heaven alive. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And because of their (Jews) disbelief and uttering against Maryam (Mary) a grave false charge (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse); And because of their saying (in boast), ‘We killed Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allaah,’ — but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them the resemblance of ‘Eesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man)], and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)]: 240

But Allaah raised him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allaah is Ever AllPowerful, AllWise” [al-Nisa’ 4:156-158] We believe that he told his followers of the coming of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allaah unto you, confirming the Tawraat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic’” [al-Saff 61:6] We believe that he will come back down at the end of time, and will disprove the claim of his enemies the Jews that they killed him, and will disprove the claim of the Christians that he is God or the son of God, and he will not accept anything from them but Islam. Al-Bukhaari (2222) and Muslim (155) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, soon the son of Maryam will descend among you [according to another report: the Hour will not begin until the son of Maryam descends among you] as a just judge. He will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the jizyah, and money will become abundant until no one will accept it.” “Soon” means it will inevitably happen quickly. 241

“will descend among you” means among this ummah. “A just judge” means that he will come down and rule according to this sharee’ah, and that this sharee’ah will remain and not be abrogated, rather ‘Eesa will be one of the rulers of this ummah. “He will break the cross and kill the pigs” means he will declare as false the religion of the Christians by breaking the cross in a real sense and proving false the Christians’ claims and veneration of the cross. “and he will abolish the jizyah”: al-Nawawi said: The correct view concerning this is that he will not accept it, and he will not accept anything from the kaafirs but Islam. If any of them offer the jizyah that will not make him stop fighting them. Rather he will not accept anything but Islam or death. This is the view of Imam Abu Sulaymaan al-Khattaabi and other scholars (may Allaah have mercy on them)." “Money will become abundant” – the reason for this abundance will be the descent of blessings and the spread of goodness because of justice and the absence of oppression or wrongdoing. At that time the earth will bring forth its treasures, and desire to keep money will decrease because they will know that that Hour is at hand. Then he will die and the Muslims will offer the funeral prayer for him and bury him. Ahmad (9349) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I am the closest of people to ‘Eesa ibn Maryam because there was no Prophet between him and me…” Then he mentioned his descent at the end of time. Then he said: 242

“And he will remain for as long as Allaah wills he should remain, then he will die and the Muslims will offer the funeral prayer for him and bury him.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2182). We believe that he will disavow himself on the Day of Resurrection of the claims that he was a god. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?’ He will say: ‘Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my innerself though I do not know what is in Yours; truly, You, only You, are the AllKnower of all that is hidden (and unseen). Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allaah) did command me to say: Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things’” [al-Maa’idah 5:116-117] “ ‘Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allaah) did command me to say: Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things’” [al-Maa’idah 5:116-117] This is what the Muslims believe about the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him). Al-Bukhaari (3435) and Muslim (28) narrated from 243

‘Ubaadah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever bears witness that there is no god but Allaah alone, with no partner or associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, and that ‘Eesa is His slave and Messenger, a word which Allaah bestowed upon Maryam and a spirit created by Him, and that Paradise is real, and Hell is real, Allaah will admit him through whichever of the eight gates of Paradise he wishes.” We ask Allaah to make us steadfast in faith and to cause us to die as believers. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 34295: Why do people not respond to the laws of Allaah? Question: Allaah has revealed religions and sent the Messengers to set mankind’s affairs straight, because these laws bring goodness, righteousness, happiness and justice etc. But in fact we do not see these laws achieving these aims except in a few short periods of history. My question is, how can the religious believe in these values which are like a mirage that did not exist on earth except at the time of the Prophets and the Sahaabah? I really hope that you can answer this question that is bothering me. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 244

First of all we want to remind you of an important point, advice which was given by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah to his student Ibn al-Qayyim, as it says in Miftaah Daar al-Sa’aadah, 1/140. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Shaykh al-Islam (may Allaah be pleased with him) said to me – when I started to ask him one question after another – “Do not make your heart like a sponge soaking up any idea and specious arguments that come to mind, rather make it like a glass through whose surface the specious arguments pass but do not settle there, otherwise if all those doubts and specious arguments settle in your heart, it will be overwhelmed by them.” I do not think that I have ever benefited from any advice on how to deal with doubts and specious arguments as much as I benefited from this. Know, may Allaah bless you, that the purpose behind the sending of the Messengers was to guide mankind to the worship of Allaah, so that proof may be established against His slaves. The Prophets of Allaah were not charged with the task of instilling faith in people’s hearts, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “You are only a warner, and to every people there is a guide” [al-Ra’d 13:7] “Say (O Muhammad): I am only a warner and there is no Ilaah (God) except Allaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah) the One, the Irresistible” [Sad 38:65] “Verily, this is an admonition, therefore whosoever will, let him take a Path to His Lord!” [al-Muzzammil 73:19] 245

“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve” [al-Kahf 18:29] In Saheeh Muslim (2865) it is narrated from ‘Iyaad ibn Himaar al-Mujaashi’i that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said one day in his khutbah: “My Lord has commanded me to teach you something of which you are unaware, that He has taught me today…: ‘I created all My slaves as haneefs (pure monotheists), but the devils came to them and turned them away from their religion, and forbade them that which I permitted them and commanded them to associate with Me others with no authority from Allaah. Allaah looked at the people of the earth and despised them, Arabs and non-Arabs, except a few left over from the People of the Book. And He said, ‘I have only sent you in order to test you and test (others) by means of you.” Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It may be that you (O Muhammad) are going to kill yourself with grief, that they do not become believers” [al-Shu’ara 26:3] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad) then compel mankind, until they become believers” [Yoonus 10:99] “And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly” [Yoosuf 12:103] 246

Allaah has decreed that some of the sons of Adam will be believers and some will be kaafirs. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “He it is Who created you, then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers. And Allaah is AllSeer of what you do” [al-Taghaabun 64:2] It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah will say on the Day of Resurrection: ‘O Adam!’ He will say, ‘Here I am, our Lord.’ Then a voice will call out: ‘Allaah commands you to bring forth those of your offspring who are to be sent to Hell.’ He will say, ‘O Lord, who are those who are to be sent to Hell?’ He will say, ‘From every thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine.’” That affected the people so much that their expressions changed. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “From Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj nine hundred and ninety nine, and from you one. Among the people you are like a black hair on the side of a white bull, or like a white hair on the side of a black bull. I hope that you will be one-quarter of the people of Paradise.” We said, “Allaahu akbar!” Then he said, “One third of the people of Paradise.” We said, “Allaahu akbar!” then he said, “Half of the people of Paradise.” And we said, “Allaahu akbar!” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4741; Muslim 222 The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that Islam started as something strange, and it will go back to being strange as it started. Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (no. 145) that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Islam started as something strange and it will go back to being strange as it started, so give glad tidings to the strangers.” 247

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) spoke of the Prophets who came before him, whose followers were few, as it says in the hadeeth narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh (no. 5705): It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The nations were shown to me and one or two Prophets came past me with a small group, and a Prophet with no one with him. Then a great crowd was shown to me and I said, ‘What is this? Is this my ummah?’ It was said, ‘No, this is Moosa and his people.’ Then it was said, ‘Look at the horizon,’ and there I saw a (vast) crowd filling the horizon. Then it was said to me, ‘Look there and there on the horizon,’ and I saw a crowd that had filled the horizon. It was said, ‘This is your ummah, and seventy thousand of them will enter Paradise without being bought to account.’” It should be noted that for values to be sound, it is not essential for all the people to adhere to them. Most people, of all times, all classes and all languages – except for those on whom Allaah has mercy – do not follow their better instincts, let alone the commands that Allaah has enjoined, and the fact that they do not follow these laws does not mean that these laws are not good in and of themselves. The reason for that is that Allaah has created the human soul, and made among its basic attributes ignorance and injustice, as Allaah says of man, and He knows best about him (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results)” [al-Ahzaab 33:72] This soul knowingly does things that harm it, because of its inherent unjust and ignorant nature. 248

For the Muslim who has submitted fully to Allaah, Soorat al-‘Asr is enough, of which al-Shaafa’i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If Allaah had not revealed any soorah to His slaves apart from this, that would have been sufficient for them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “By Al‘Asr (the time). Verily, man is in loss, Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth [i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (AlMa‘roof) which Allaah has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (AlMunkar) which Allaah has forbidden], and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allaah’s Cause during preaching His religion of Islamic Monotheism or Jihad)” [al-‘Asr 103:1-3] Every kind of human being is in a state of loss, apart from those who fulfil these conditions. We ask Allaah to make us among them and to make us steadfast in following this path. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 23290: Falseness of the hadeeth, “Were it not for you, I would not have created the universe” Question: I have got a question regarding a hadiith. How sound is 249

the hadiith, that states, that it were not for Muhammad (saw) Allaah (swt) would not have created this world??? To be honest I am a bit suspicious about this hadiith, could you shatter some light in the matter?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Many false and fabricated ahaadeeth have been narrated that say similar things. For example: “Were it not for you, I would not have created the universe.” This was quoted by al-Shawkaani in al-Fawaa’id alMajmoo’ah fi’l-Ahaadeeth al-Mawdoo’ah (p. 326). He said: Al-San’aani said: (it is) mawdoo’ (fabricated). Al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (282): (it is) mawdoo’. Another example is the hadeeth narrated by al-Haakim according to which Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “Allaah revealed to ‘Eesa (Jesus, peace be upon him): ‘O ‘Eesa, believe in Muhammad, and tell whoever you meet of your ummah to believe in him. For were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created Adam, and were it not for Muhammad, I would not have created Paradise and Hell. I created the Throne over the water and it would not settle until I wrote on it, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Muhammad Rasool Allaah (There is no god but Allaah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah).” Al-Haakim said: its isnaad is saheeh! But al-Dhahabi 250

commented on that and said: I believe it is fabricated and falsely attributed to Sa’eed. Meaning, Sa’eed ibn Abu ‘Aroobah (one of the narrators of this hadeeth). This hadeeth was narrated from him by ‘Amr ibn Aws al-Ansaari, who is the one who is accused of fabricating it. Al-Dhahabi mentioned him in alMeezaan where he said: “He produced a munkar report,” then he quoted this hadeeth, and said, “I believe that it is mawdoo’ (fabricated).” Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar agreed with him, as it says in al-Lisaan. Al-Albaani said in al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah (280): There is no basis for it. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is the hadeeth which some people quote – “Were it not for you, Allaah would not have created the Throne or the Kursiy or the earth or the heavens or the sun or the moon or anything else” saheeh or nor? He replied: Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the leader of the sons of Adam, and the best and noblest of creation, hence some people say that Allaah created the universe because of him, or that were it not for him, Allaah would not have created the Throne or the Kursiy or the earth or the heavens or the sun or the moon. But this hadeeth that is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is neither saheeh (sound) nor da’eef (weak), and it was not narrated by any scholar in a hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Neither was it known from the Sahaabah. Rather it is the words of one who is unknown. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 11/86-96. 251

The Standing Committee was asked: Can it be said that Allaah created the heavens and the earth for the purpose of creating the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? What is the meaning of the hadeeth, “Were it not for you the universe would not have been created,” and does this hadeeth have any basis? They replied: The heavens and the earth were not created for the sake of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), rather they were created for the purpose which Allaah mentions (interpretation of the meaning): “It is Allaah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allaah has power over all things, and that Allaah surrounds all things in (His) Knowledge” [al-Talaaq 65:12] As for the hadeeth mentioned, it is falsely attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and has no sound basis. Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 1/312 Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked about this hadeeth and said: The answer is that this was transmitted from the words of some of the common people who have no understanding. Some people say that the world was created for the sake of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and were it not for Muhammad the world would not have been created and mankind would not have been created. This is false and has no basis, and these are corrupt words. Allaah created the world so that He would be 252

known and worshipped. He created the world and He created mankind so that His names and attributes, His power and knowledge, would be known and so that He alone would be worshipped with no partner or associate, and so that He would be obeyed – not for the sake of Muhammad or for the sake of Nooh or Moosa or ‘Eesa or any other Prophet. Rather Allaah created the universe so that He alone would be worshipped, with no partner or associate. Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb, 46. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 26713: Did a light shine when the Prophet peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him was born? Question: Is there any reality in that before getting birth rasool as pak sallah alai salam was there in the sky as a light or (star), if it is there then can you explain me this in the light of quran and ahadis. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. One of the signs of the coming of our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is that when his mother became pregnant with him, she saw in a dream that a light came out of her that reached Syria. It was narrated from Khaalid ibn Ma’daan that the 253

Companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O Messenger of Allaah, tell us about yourself.” He said: “I am the answer to the prayer of the father of Ibraaheem, and the glad tidings of ‘Eesa, and when my mother became pregnant with me, she saw something as if a light came out of her and illuminated the palaces of Busra in the land of Syria.” Narrated by Ibn Ishaaq with his isnaad; Seerat Ibn Hishaam, 1/166. Narrated with a different isnaad by alTabari in his Tafseer, 1/566, and by al-Haakim in alMustadrak, 2/600. He said: its isnaad is saheeh although they [al-Bukhaari and Muslim] did not narrated, and alDhahabi agreed with him. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1545 Al-Tabaraani narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “My mother saw in a dream that there came from between her legs a lamp that illuminated the palaces of Syria.” Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 224. Ahmad (16700) narrated from al-‘Irbaad ibn Saariyah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said… and he mentioned the hadeeth according to which the mother of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw, when she gave birth to him, a light which illuminated the palaces of Syria. Al-Haythami said in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id: its isnaad is hasan. Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in al-Fath: When she gave birth there came forth from her a light which illuminated the house. This is supported by the hadeeth of al-‘Irbaad ibn Saariyah who said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be 254

upon him) say: “I was the slave of Allaah and the Seal of the Prophets, when Adam was still in the form of mud on the ground, and I will tell you about that. I am the answer to the prayer of the father of Ibraaheem, the glad tidings of Eesa concerning me, and the dream that my mother saw and that the mothers of the Prophets saw. The mother of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw, when she gave birth to him, a light which illuminated the palaces of Syria. Narrated by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan and alHaakim. A similar hadeeth was narrated from Abu Umaamah by Ahmad. We should note that the evidence of the Prophethood of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not limited to this sign. Whether this is proven or not, his Prophethood is proven by definitive evidence which no fair-minded person can deny, rather those who deny it do so out of ignorance or arrogance. We ask Allaah to cause His religion to prevail and His word to be supreme. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 2431: How can we increase the love of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in our hearts? Question: How can one develop in their heart love of Prophet Muhammad more than anything else in the world?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 255

The strength of love for the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is connected to the Muslim’s faith. When his faith increases, his love for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) increases. Loving the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is an act of obedience to Allaah and a means of drawing closer to Him. Loving the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is one of the obligatory duties in Islam. It was narrated that Anas said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him that his father, his child and all the people.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 15; Muslim, 44) You can increase your love of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by realizing the following: Firstly: he was sent by his Lord who chose him above all of creation to convey the religion of Allaah to mankind. Allaah chose him because He loved him and was pleased with him. If Allaah were not pleased with him, He would not have chosen him. So we must love the one whom Allaah loves and be pleased with the one with whom Allaah is pleased. We must realize that he is the close friend (khaleel) of Allaah and that close friendship is a higher status and it is the highest degree of love. It was narrated that Jundub said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “I declare before Allaah that I have no close friend (khaleel) from among you. Allaah has taken me as a close friend as he took Ibraaheem as a close friend. If I were to have taken a close friend from among my ummah, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend.” (Narrated by Muslim, 532). 256

Secondly: We should realize the high status to which Allaah has raised him, for he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the best of mankind. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I will be the leader of mankind of the Day of Resurrection, the first whose grave will be opened, the first to intercede and the first to be asked to intercede.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2278) Thirdly: We should realize that he suffered trials and difficulties in order to bring Islam to us. We should remember that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was persecuted, hit, slandered and insulted; the closest people to him disowned him and accused him of being a madman, a liar and a sorcerer. He fought the people in order to protect the religion so that it could reach us; they fought him, expelled him from his people and homeland, and gathered armies against him. Fourthly: We should follow the example of his companions who loved him deeply. They loved him more than wealth and sons, and more than their own selves. There follow some examples of that: It was narrated that Anas said: I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when the barber was cutting his hair and his companions were going around him wanting to ensure that his hair would fall only into someone’s hand. 257

Narrated by Muslim, 2325 It was narrated that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “On the Day of Uhud some of the people fled and left the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), but Abu Talhah stood before him covering him with a shield. Abu Talhah was a powerful archer who broke two or three bows that day. When a man passed by carrying a quiver containing arrows, he would say: Give them to Abu Talhah. Whenever the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) raised his head to look at the people, Abu Talhah would say: O Prophet of Allaah, may my father and my mother be sacrificed for you, do not raise your head lest you be struck by an arrow shot by the enemy. My neck is before your neck.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3600; Muslim, 1811) Fifthly: You should follow his Sunnah in word and deed, so that his Sunnah is the path you follow in your whole life, and you put his words before any other words and put his command before everything else; and you should follow the ‘aqeedah (belief) of his noble Companions, and the ‘aqeedah of the Taabi’een who followed them, and the ‘aqeedah of those who followed their path until the present day, namely Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah, and avoid bid’ah (innovation), especially the Raafidis (Shi’ah), for their hearts are hardened against the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and they give their imams precedence over him and love them more than they love him. We ask Allaah to help us to love His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and to make him dearer to us than our children, parents, families and our own selves. 258

And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 26117: The life of the Prophets Question: Are the prophets alive or dead? Because when prophet Muhammed(pbuh) went on the miraaj, all the prophets prayed behind him in masjid alaqsa, then prophet Muhammed(pbuh) went though each heaven and met some of the more well known prophets again who must have prayed behind him earlier. Therfore, how could the prophets be in masjid al-aqsa and then in the heavens after. Or are the prophets alive, but in a different reality to us?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Prophets (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon them) are dead as far as the people of this world are concerned. Allaah says, addressing the last and best of them (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they (too) will die” [al-Zumar 39:30] But before Allaah they are alive, for if the martyrs are alive with Allaah, then the Prophets are undoubtedly higher in status before Allaah. See Fath al-Baari, 6/444. 259

It was narrated in a saheeh report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Prophets are alive in their graves and they pray.” (Narrated by alBazzaar; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh alJaami’, 2790). This prayer is something that they are blessed with just as the people of Paradise are blessed with tasbeeh (glorifying Allaah). They (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon them) are in their graves apart from ‘Eesa (peace be upon him), whom Allaah raised up into heaven, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them [the resemblance of ‘Eesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man)], and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)]: But Allaah raised him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allaah is Ever All Powerful, All Wise.” [al-Nisa’ 4:157-158] With regard to the Prophets praying behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the night of the Isra’ (Night Journey), they prayed behind him in spirit, but their bodies were in their graves. The same applies to his seeing the Prophets during the Mi’raaj (ascent into heaven), when he saw Adam in the lowest heaven, and ‘Eesa and Yahya in the second heaven, and Yoosuf in the third, and Idrees in the fourth, and Haroon in the fifth, and Moosa in the sixth, and Ibraaheem in the seventh, or vice versa. He saw their souls appear in the shape of their bodies. 260

Some people say that he saw the same bodies that are buried in the graves, but this view does not carry any weight. But ‘Eesa ascended into heaven body and soul, and the same is said of Idrees. But with regard to Ibraaheem, Moosa and others, they are buried on earth. The Messiah (may the blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him and all the other Prophets) will inevitably descend to earth, to the white minaret in the east of Damascus; he will kill the Dajjaal (“Antichrist”), break the cross and kill the pigs, as is proven in the saheeh ahaadeeth. Hence he is in the second heaven even though he is superior to Yoosuf, Idrees and Haroon, because he will descend to the earth before the Day of Resurrection, unlike the other Prophets. And Adam is in the lowest heaven because the souls of his descendents who are blessed (i.e., destined for Paradise) will be shown to him. As for the souls of the doomed (i.e., those who are destined for Hell) the gates of heaven will not be opened for them and they will not enter Paradise until the camel passes through the eye of the needle. So if they will be shown to him, he has to be near them. There is no contradiction in the fact that they (may the blessings and peace of Allaah be upon them) prayed behind the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) then he met some of them after he was taken up into the heavens, because the souls are like the angels, they may ascend and descend in an instant; they are not like bodies. Adapted from Majmoo’ al-Fataawa by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), 4/328329. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 261

2036: What is the high status of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Question: I would like to know about the status of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) . Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is prescribed for everyone who hears the adhaan and call to prayer to repeat after the muezzin, and when he has finished repeating the entire adhaan, he should send prayers and blessings on the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then recite the words narrated in the saheeh hadeeth from Jaabir ibn ‘AbdAllaah, who reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever says when he hears the call to prayer, ‘Allaahummah Rabba haadhihi’l-da’wat il-taammah wa’l-salaat ilqaa’imah, aati Muhammadan al-waseelata wa’lfadeelah, wab’athhu maqaaman mahmoodan alladhi wa’adtahu (O Allaah, Lord of this perfect Call and the Prayer to be offered, grant Muhammad the privilege and also the eminence, and resurrect him to the praised position that You have promised), will be granted my intercession on the Day of Resurrection.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 579). There is no phrase in this du’aa’ like “al-darajah al-‘aaliyah al-rafee’ah (the high and elevated status),” so this should not be said. The conjunction “wa” in the phrase “al-waseelata wa’l-fadeelah (the privilege and also the eminence) is by way of explanation; waseelah is the status higher than the rest of creation. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained it 262

in the hadeeth narrated by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al‘Aas, who said that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “When you hear the muezzin and say something like he says, then send blessings on me, whoever sends blessings on me, Allaah will send blessings tenfold on him. Then ask Allaah to grant me al-waseelah, for it is a status in Paradise that only one of the slaves of Allaah will reach, and I hope that I will be the one. Whoever asks for al-waseelah for me will be granted intercession.” (Reported by Muslim, 577). The “praised position”(maqaam mahmood) is intercession before Allaah so that He will start to judge between His slaves, and no one will be granted this except Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is mentioned in the words of Allaah addressed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): “Perform al-salaah from mid-day till the darkness of the night (i.e., the Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha’ prayers), and recite the Qur’aan in the early dawn (i.e., the morning prayer). Verily, the recitation of the Qur’aan in the early dawn is ever witnessed (aatended by the angels in charge of mankind of the day and the night). And in some parts of the night (also) offer the salaah (prayer) with it (i.e., recite the Qur’aan in the prayer), as an additional prayer (tahajjud – optional prayer) for you (O Muhammad). It may be that your Lord will raise you to maqaaman mahmoodah (a station of praise and glory, i.e., the highest degree in Paradise).” [al-Isra’ 17:78-79] It is called al-maqaam al-mahmood because all of creation will praise Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) for that status, because his intercession will ease their distress on that terrible day by setting the process of judgement in motion. And Allaah knows best. 263

Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 20177: How was the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) bewitched? Question: How was the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) bewitched, when Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah will protect you from mankind” [al-Maa’idah 5:67]? How could he have been bewitched when he was receiving Revelation from His Lord and conveying that to the Muslims? How could he convey it if he was bewitched, and the kaafirs and mushrikeen said: “You follow none but a man bewitched”[al-Furqaan 25:8 – interpretation of the meaning] We hope that you could explain this and clear up these doubts. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It was proven in a saheeh hadeeth that this witchcraft took place in Madeenah, when the Revelation and the Message had become well-established and clear, and after the evidence of Prophethood and the truthfulness of the Message had been confirmed, and after Allaah had supported His Prophet against the mushrikeen and 264

humiliated them. Then a Jewish person called Labeed ibn al-A’sam came to him and did some kind of witchcraft against him, using a comb and the hairs stuck to it and the skin of pollen of a male date palm. He – the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – started to imagine that he had done something with his wife when he had not done it, but his reason, feelings and ability to distinguish matters remained with him with regard to the things he was telling the people, praise be to Allaah. So he continued to speak to the people of the truth which Allaah had revealed to Him. But he felt that something was affecting him with regard to his wives, as ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “He used to imagine that he had done something in the house with his wife when he had not done it. So Revelation came to him from his Lord via Jibreel (peace be upon him), telling him what had happened. So he sent someone to take that thing [the material used for witchcraft purposes] out of the well of one of the Ansaar, and he destroyed it.” Then the effects of that left him, praise be to Allaah, and Allaah revealed to him the two soorahs of seeking refuge with Allaah (al-Mi’wadhatayn, the last two soorahs of the Qur’aan). He recited them and all harm left him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Those who seek refuge can never seek refuge with anything like them.” Nothing resulted from this witchcraft that could have harmed the people or undermined the Message or Revelation. Allaah protected him from the people with regard to the matter of receiving and conveying the Message. But with regard to the kinds of harm that befell the Messengers, he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was not protected from them, rather some such things befell him too. He was wounded on the day of Uhud, and 265

his helmet was smashed on his head and his cheek was cut, some of the rings from his chain mail pierced his cheeks, he fell in one of the holes that were there, and they subjected him to intense persecution in Makkah. He suffered some of the things that the Messengers before him had suffered, and that were decreed for him, by means of which Allaah raised him in status and multiplied his hasanaat (reward for good deeds). But Allaah protected him from them, so that they were not able to kill him or to prevent him from conveying the Message; they were not able to prevent him from fulfilling his obligation to convey the Message, so he conveyed it and fulfilled the mission with which he had been entrusted. May the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him, and praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. See Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi’ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on him, 8/149. (www.islam-qa.com) 8929: The reality of belief in the Messengers Question: What is meant by belief in the Messengers? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Belief in the Messengers implies four things: 1 – Firm belief that Allaah sent to every nation a Messenger from amongst them, to call them to worship Allaah alone and to disbelieve in everything that is worshipped instead of Him, and that they (the Messengers) were all truthful, speakers of the truth, righteous, wise, 266

pious and honest, and that they conveyed everything with which Allaah sent them, concealing and altering nothing. They did not add even one letter from themselves or omit anything. “Are the Messengers charged with anything but to convey clearly the Message?” [al-Nahl 16:35 – interpretation of the meaning] Their message was the same, from the first to the last of them, based on the principle of Tawheed, i.e., that all kinds of worship should be devoted to Allaah alone, beliefs, words and deeds alike, and that everything that is worshipped instead of Allaah is to be rejected. The evidence for that is the verses (interpretation of the meanings): “And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allaah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)”[alAnbiya’ 21:25] “And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: ‘Did We ever appoint aalihah (gods) to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious (Allaah)?’”[al-Zukhruf 43:45] And there are very many similar aayahs. With regard to the obligatory duties by which Allaah is to be worshipped and the minor details of legislation, prayers and fasts may have been enjoined on some nations but not on others, and some things may have been forbidden to some and permitted to others, as a test from Allaah. “Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed” [al-Mulk 67:2 – interpretation of the meaning] 267

The evidence for that is the verses (interpretation of the meaning): “To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way” [al-Maa’idah 5:48] Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said “(This means) a way and a path.” Mujaahid, ‘Ikrimah and many of the mufassireen said likewise. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari (3443) and Saheeh Muslim (2365) it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Prophets are like brothers from one father, their mothers are different but their religion is one’” – i.e., the Prophets are united on the principle of Tawheed, the message with which Allaah sent every Messenger whom He sent, and which He included in every Book that He revealed, but their laws differed as to command and prohibitions, what was permitted and what was forbidden. Whoever disbelieves in the message of one of them has disbelieved in all of them, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The people of Nooh (Noah) belied the Messengers” [al-Shu’ara’ 26:105] Allaah described them as disbelieving in all of the Messengers even though there was no Messenger other than Nooh at the time when they disbelieved. 2 – Belief in those Messengers whose names we know, such as Muhammad, Ibraaheem, Moosa, ‘Eesa and Nooh (may blessings and peace be upon them all). With regard to those who have been mentioned in general terms but whose names we do not know, we are obliged to believe 268

in them in general terms, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’” [al-Baqarah 2:285] “And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad), of some of them We have related to you their story. And of some We have not related to you their story” [Ghaafir 40:78] And we believe that the Final Messenger was our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and there is no Prophet after him, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allaah is Ever AllAware of everything” [al-Ahzaab 33:40] In al-Bukhaari (4416) and Muslim (2404) it is narrated from Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out to Tabook, and appointed ‘Ali as his deputy (in Madeenah). ‘Ali said, “Are you leaving me in charge of the children and women?” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Does it not please you that you are to me like Haroon to Moosa? But there will be no Prophet after me.” Allaah favoured him and singled him out for great blessings which were given to no other Prophet. For example: 269

1- Allaah sent him to all of the two races of mankind and jinn, whereas each Prophet who came before him was sent only to his own people. 2- Allaah supported him against his enemies by striking fear into the hearts of all his enemies within the radius of one month’s travel. 3- The earth was made a place of prayer and a means of purification for him. 4- War booty was made permissible for him, where it had not been permitted to any Prophet before him. 5- He will be granted the position of greater intercession. And there are many other special favours that have been bestowed upon him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 3 – Believing in the sound reports that have been narrated from the Messengers. 4 – Following the laws of the Messenger who has been sent to us, namely the Final Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who was sent to all of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission” [alNisa’ 4:65] We should note that belief in the Messengers bears great fruit, such as: 1- Knowledge of the mercy of Allaah towards His slaves and His care for them, as He sent the Messengers to guide them to the path of Allaah and to show them how to 270

worship Allaah, for human reason alone cannot come to know that. 2- Giving thanks to Him for this great blessing. 3- Loving and venerating the Messengers (blessing and peace be upon them), and praising them in the manner that befits them, because they are the Messengers of Allaah, and because they worshipped Him and conveyed His Message, and were sincere towards His slaves. And Allaah knows best. See A’laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 97-102; Sharh Usool al-Thalaathah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 95, 96. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 12096: Preferring some Messengers over others Question:

How can we reconcile between the two aayahs (interpretation of the meaning): “Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others [al-Baqarah 2:253] and : “We make no distinction between any of them [al-Baqarah 2:136]? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The aayah (interpretation of the meaning): 271

“Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others [al-Baqarah 2:253] is like the aayah: “And indeed, We have preferred some of the Prophets above others” [al-Isra’ 17:55] There is no doubt that some of the Prophets and Messengers are superior to others; the Messengers are superior to the Prophets, and the “Messengers of strong will” (cf. al-Ahqaaf 46:35) are superior to all the others. The Messengers of strong will are the five whom Allaah has mentioned in two verses of the Qur’aan, the first of which is in Soorat al-Ahzaab: “And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad), and from Nun (Noah), Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosa (Moses), and ‘Eesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary)” [al-Ahzaab 33:7 – interpretation of the meaning] – these are Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosa and ‘Eesa ibn Maryam. The second verse is in Soorat al-Shoora: “He (Allaah) has ordained for you the same religion (Islamic Monotheism) which He ordained for Nooh (Noah), and that which We have revealed to you (O Muhammad), and that which We ordained for Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosa (Moses) and ‘Eesa (Jesus)”[al-Shoora 42:13 – interpretation of the meaning]. These five are superior to all others. With regard to what Allaah says concerning the believers (interpretation of the meaning) – 272

“Each one believes in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’” [al-Baqarah 2:136] – what this means is: we make no distinction between them in terms of belief, we believe that they are all truly Messengers from Allaah, and that they did not tell lies, so they all spoke the truth. This is the meaning of the phrase “We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers”, i.e., in terms of belief: we believe that they were all truly Messengers from Allaah. But in terms of the kind of belief that implies following, for those who come after the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), this applies only to the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He is the one to be followed because his sharee’ah (law) abrogates all other laws. Hence we know that we must believe in all of them and believe that they are truly Messengers from Allaah, but after the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent, all previous religions were abrogated by his sharee’ah, and it became obligatory upon all people to follow Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) only. Allaah by His wisdom abrogated all religions apart from the religion of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), hence He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allaah — to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). It is He Who gives life and causes death. So believe in Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad), who believes in Allaah and His Words [(this Qur’aan), the Tawraat (Torah) 273

and the Injeel (Gospel) and also Allaah’s Word: “Be!” — and he was, i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary)], and follow him so that you may be guided” [al-A’raaf 7:158]. So all religions other than that of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are abrogated, but we must still believe in the Messengers and that they are true. From the fatwas of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, Kitaab Fataawa Islamiyyah, 1/81. (www.islam-qa.com) 13957: Mankind’s need for the Messengers Question: Why do people need the Prophets? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Prophets are the Messengers of Allaah to His slaves; they convey His commands, and give them glad tidings of the delights that Allaah has promised them if they obey His commands, and they warn them of the abiding punishment if they go against His prohibitions. They tell them the stories of the past nations and the punishment and vengeance that befell them in this world because they disobeyed the commands of their Lord. These divine commands and prohibitions cannot be known through independent thinking, hence Allaah has prescribed laws and enjoined commands and prohibitions, to honor mankind and protect their interests, because people may follow their desires and thus transgress the 274

limits and abuse people and deprive them of their rights. So by His wisdom Allaah sent among them from time to time Messengers to remind them of the commands of Allaah and to warn them against failing into sin, to preach to them and to tell them the stories of those who came before them. For when people hear wondrous stories it makes their minds alert, so they understand and increase in knowledge and understand correctly. For the more people hear, the more ideas they will have; the more ideas they have, the more they will think; the more they think, the more they will know; and the more they know, the more they will do. So there is no alternative to sending Messengers in order to explain the truth. (A’laam alNubuwwah by ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Maawardi, p. 33). Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) – Ahmad ibn ‘Abd al-Haleem ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam, who is well known as Ibn Taymiyah, born in 661 AH and died in 728 AH, one of the greatest scholars of Islam who wrote many valuable books – said: Messengership is essential to guide mankind to that which is best for them in this world and in the Hereafter. Man cannot follow what is best for him with regard to the Hereafter unless he follows the Message and he cannot be guided to what is best for him in this world unless he follows the Message. Man needs the sharee’ah because he has two motives, to bring that which will benefit him and to ward off that which will harm him. This sharee’ah is the light of Allaah on this earth, and His justice among His slaves, and the refuge which whoever enters it will be safe. Sharee’ah does not mean distinguishing between what is beneficial and what is harmful on a physical basis, because even animals are able to do this. Donkeys and camels are able to differentiate between barley and dust. Rather the distinction is between deeds which will harm a person in 275

this world and the Hereafter, and deeds which will benefit him in this world and in the Hereafter, such as faith, Tawheed, justice, righteousness, kindness, trustworthiness, chastity, courage, knowledge, patience, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, upholding the ties of kinship, honouring one’s parents, treating neighbours well, recognizing people’s rights, sincerely doing things for the sake of Allaah, putting one’s trust in Him, seeking His help, accepting His decree, submitting to His will, believing in Him and in His Messengers in all that they have told us, and other deeds which are of benefit to a person in this world and in the Hereafter. The opposite of that leads him to misery and doom in this world and in the Hereafter. Were it not for the Messengers, our minds could not guide us to differentiate between the beneficial and the harmful in this life in a detailed manner. One of the greatest blessings that Allaah has bestowed upon His slaves is that He sent Messengers to them and revealed books to them, and showed them the Straight Path. Were it not for that, they would have been like cattle, and even worse off. So whoever accepts the Message of Allaah and adheres to it is one of the best of mankind, and whoever rejects it and ignores it is one of the worst of mankind, even worse off than dogs and pigs, and the vilest of the vile. The people of this world could not survive except by virtue of the Messengers’ teachings, traces of which are still extant amongst them. If these traces of the Messengers vanished from the earth and their teachings were wiped out, Allaah would destroy the upper and lower realms and the Hour would begin. The need of the people of the earth for the Messengers is not like their need for the sun, moon, wind and rain, or like a man’s need for his life, or like the eye’s need for light, or like the body’s need for food and drink. Rather it is greater than that, greater than his need for anything 276

you could think of. The Messengers (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon them) are intermediaries between Allaah and His creation, conveying His commands and prohibitions. They are ambassadors from Him to His slaves. The last and greatest of them, the noblest before his Lord, was Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him, and upon all of them). Allaah sent him as a mercy to the worlds, guidance for those who want to draw closer to Allaah, proof which left no excuse for all people. He enjoined the people to obey him, love him, respect him, support him, and acknowledge his rights. Allaah took the covenant from all the Messengers and Prophets that they would believe in him and follow him, and He commanded them to take the same covenant from the believers who followed them. He sent him just before the Hour as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner, calling people to Allaah by His leave and as a brightly shining lamp. He concluded the line of Messengers with him. Through him He guided people and dispelled misguidance, taught them and dispelled ignorance. Through his Message He opened blind eyes, deaf ears and hard hearts. Through his message He filled the world with light after it had been in darkness, He brought people together after they had been divided, He straightened the crooked path of mankind and showed them the clear way. He opened his heart for him and removed from him his burden, and raised high his fame (cf. al-Sharh 94:1-3). He inflicted humiliation and shame on those who went against his command. He sent him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) at a time when there had been no Messengers for a long while and when the Books had vanished, when words had been distorted and laws changed, when all peoples referred to their own unfair opinions, developed their own ideas about Allaah and judged among people by their own corrupt ideas and whims and desires. Through him Allaah guided mankind and clarified the different means of drawing closer to 277

Allaah. Through him, He brought the people forth from darkness into light. Through him, He differentiated between those who will prosper and those who are immoral. So whoever follows his guidance is truly guided, and whoever turns away from his path is misguided and has deviated. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon him and upon all the Messengers and Prophets. (This list is from Wujoob al-I’tisaam bi’l-Risaalah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), vol. 19, p. 99-102; and from Majmoo’ alFataawa. See Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah, vol. 2, p. 216, 236) We may sum up man’s need for the Messengers as follows: 1- Man is created and subjugated, and he has to know his Creator and what He wants of him, and why he was created. Man cannot come to know that independently. He has no way of finding that out except through knowing the Prophets and Messengers, and the guidance and light which they brought. 2- Man is composed of body and soul, His body is nourished by his food and drink, but the nourishment of his soul is that which was explained by its Creator, namely the true religion and righteous deeds. The Prophets and Messengers brought the true religion and taught them to do righteous deeds. 3- Man is religious by nature; he has to have a religion to follow, and this religion has to be correct. There is no way to the true religion except through believing in the Prophets and Messengers and believing in the message they brought. 4- Man needs the way through which he may attain the pleasure of Allaah in this world, and reach His Paradise 278

and bliss in the Hereafter. No one can show these ways and guide people to them apart from the Prophets and Messengers. 5- Man is weak by nature, and there are many enemies lying in wait for him, such as the Shaytaan who wants to lead him astray and bad companions who make evil things attractive to him, and his own self which is inclined towards evil. Hence he needs something to protect himself from the plots of his enemies. The Prophets and Messengers guide him towards that and show it to him clearly. 6- Man is sociable by nature. In human meetings and interactions, there have to be laws to guide people in a fair and just manner – otherwise the law of the jungle would prevail. This guiding law must protect the rights of all those who have rights, without neglecting or exaggerating in any way. No one can produce a perfect law except the Prophets and Messengers. 7- Man needs something that will give him security and peace of mind, and guide him to the means of true happiness. This is what the Prophets and Messengers guide people towards. From al-Islam Usooluhu wa Mabaadi’uhu, by Dr. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Saalih al-Husaym (www.islam-qa.com) 21793: Was al-Khidr a Prophet? Question: Was al-Khidr an angel, a Messenger, a Prophet or a wali (“saint”)?

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The from the general meaning of the Qur’aanic verses it appears that he was a Prophet. Shaykh al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) “Then they found one of Our slaves, on whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught knowledge from Us” [al-Kahf 18:65] “But it may be understood from some aayahs that the mercy mentioned here was the mercy of Prophethood, and that this knowledge which came from Allaah was the knowledge of revelation (wahy)… It is known that mercy and the bestowal of knowledge from Allaah is more general and comes in more ways than via Prophethood. The fact that something general exists does not necessarily imply that something more specific exists, as is well known. One of the indications that the mercy and knowledge with which Allaah blessed His slave al-Khidr came by way of Prophethood and revelation is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And I did them not of my own accord”[al-Kahf 18:82] i.e., rather I did them by the command of Allaah, and the command of Allaah is only conveyed via wahy (revelation), because there is no way for the commands and prohibitions of Allaah to be known except through revelation from Allaah, especially with regard to the killing of an apparently innocent soul and damaging a ship by making a hole in it, because committing acts of aggression against people’s lives and wealth can only be 280

validated via revelation from Allaah. Allaah has restricted the method of warning to revelation as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): “I warn you only by the Revelation” [al-Anbiya’ 21:45] the word innama (translated here as “only”) implies limitation or restriction. Adwaa’ al-Bayaan, 4/172, 173 And he said: From all of this we know that al-Khidr’s killing the boy and making a hole in the ship, and his saying, “And I did them not of my own accord” [al-Kahf 18:82 – interpretation of the meaning]] clearly indicate that he was a Prophet. Al-Fakhr al-Raazi, in his tafseer, attributed the view that he was a Prophet to many scholars. Another factor that may indicate that he was a Prophet is the fact that Moosa (peace be upon him) humbled himself before him and said (interpretation of the meaning): “May I follow you so that you teach me something of that knowledge (guidance and true path) which you have been taught (by Allaah)?”[al-Kahf 18:66] “If Allaah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in aught”[al-Kahf 18:69] even though al-Khidr said to him (interpretation of the meaning): “And how can you have patience about a thing which you know not?” [al-Kahf 18:68] 281

Adwaa’ al-Bayaan, 3/326. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 10452: The reason why there is no picture of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) Question: why is it that there isn’t a picture available of the prophet Muhammed[pbuh] anywhere in the world? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Islam came to prevent all means that may lead to shirk or the association of others in worship with Allaah. Among these means is the making of images, so sharee’ah forbids making images, and curses the one who does that, and a strong warning is issued to the one who does that. It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah the Mother of the Believers that Umm Habeebah and Umm Salamah mentioned a church that they had seen in Abyssinia, in which there were images. They mentioned it to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he said: “Those people, if there was a righteous man among them and he died, they would build a place of worship over his grave and put those images in it. They will be among the most evil of creation before Allaah on the Day of Resurrection.” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Salaah, 409). It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and 282

blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back from a journey and I had placed a curtain of mine that had pictures on it over (the door of) a room of mine. When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw it, he tore it and said, ‘The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be those who try to make the like of Allaah’s creation.’ So we turned it (the curtain) into one or two cushions.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Libaas, 5498). It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘The people who will be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection will be the image-makers.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Libaas, 5494). So how could he grant permission to make a picture of him? Hence none of the Sahaabah dared to make a picture or image of him, because they knew the ruling that doing so was haraam. Allaah warns against exaggeration, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion” [al-Nisaa’ 4:171] And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned against doing anything that may involve exceeding the limits concerning him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He said: “Do not exaggerate about me as the Christians exaggerated about the son of Maryam, for I am just a slave, so say ‘The slave of Allaah and His Messenger.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, Ahaadeeth al-Anbiya’, 3189). Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhaab wrote a chapter entitled “Maa jaa’a ‘an sabab kufr Bani Adam huwa al283

ghulw fi’l-saaliheen (What was narrated stating that the reason for the kufr of the sons of Adam was their exaggeration concerning the righteous).”, in which he said: “In al-Saheeh it is narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, concerning the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): ‘“And they have said: ‘You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwaa‘, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya‘ooq nor Nasr’ (these are the names of their idols).’ [Nooh 71:23] – “These were the names of righteous men among the people of Nooh. When they died, the Shaytaan inspired their people to set up stone altars in the places where they used to sit, and call them by their names. They did that but they did not worship them, until those people died, then the knowledge was forgotten and they were worshipped.” Ibn al-Qayyim said: “More than one of the salaf said: ‘when they died, the people started to frequent their graves, then they made statues of them, then as time passed they started to worship them.” (Fath al-Majeed Sharh Kitaab al-Tawheed by ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Hasan, p. 219) For this reason there are no pictures of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he forbade doing that, lest it lead to shirk. The implication of the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is that we believe in him and in the message that he brought, even though there are no pictures of him. The believers do not need a picture of him in order to follow him. The description of him that is given in the saheeh reports means that we have no need of his picture. 284

Among the descriptions of him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that have been narrated are the following: 1- He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most handsome of face of all people. 2- He had wide shoulders. 3- He was neither tall nor short (of average height). 4- He had a round face with a ruddy complexion. 5- His eyes were intensely black. 6- He had long eyelashes. 7- He was the Seal of the Prophets, the most generous of people in giving, he was the most forbearing and content of all people, he was the most sincere in speech of all people, he had the gentlest nature of all people and was the most easy-going with others. Those who saw him suddenly stood in awe of him and those who mized with him came to love him. Those who described him said they had never seen anyone like him before or since.” See Sunan al-Tirmidhi, al-Manaaqib, 3571 and other books of Sunnah which give descriptions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Undoubtedly the believers wish that they could have met the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Hence it says in the hadeeth narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people most loved by me among my ummah will be those who would come after me, but every one amongst them would have the keenest desire to catch a glimpse of me even at the expense of his family and his wealth.” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Jannah wa Sifat Na’eemihaa, 285

5060). Undoubtedly love of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and following him are the means of being brought together with him in Paradise. Part of loving him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is seeing him in a dream, which means seeing him in his real form. It was reported that Abu Hurayrah said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Whoever sees me in a dream will see me when he is awake, for the Shaytaan cannot take my form.’” Abu ‘Abd-Allaah said, Ibn Seereen said: this applies if one sees him in his true form. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Ta’beer, 6478). And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 10468: Belief in the Books and Messengers Question: Who are the Prophets who were sent by Allaah? What are the Books which were sent down with them? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. When Allaah sent Adam down to the earth and his descendents spread out, He did not forsake them. Rather He gave them provision and sent down to him and his descendents revelation. So some of them believed and some of them disbelieved: “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah 286

(community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, i.e. do not worship Taaghoot besides Allaah).’ Then of them were some whom Allaah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified”[al-Nahl 16:36 – interpretation of the meaning] There are four heavenly books which Allaah sent down. They are the Tawraat (Torah), Injeel (Gospel), Zaboor (Psalms)and the Qur’aan: “It is He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur’aan) to you (Muhammad) with truth, confirming what came before it. And He sent down the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:3 – interpretation of the meaning] And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and to Dawood (David) We gave the Zaboor (Psalms)” [al-Israa’ 17:55] The Prophets and Messengers were many, and no one knows their number except Allaah. Among them are those of whom Allaah has told us, and some of whom He has not told us: “And Messengers We have mentioned to you before, and Messengers We have not mentioned to you”[al-Nisaa’ 4:164 – interpretation of the meaning] It is obligatory to believe in all the Books which Allaah has revealed and in all the Prophets and Messengers whom Allaah has sent, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Believe in Allaah, and His Messenger (Muhammad), and the Book (the Qur’aan) which He has sent down to His Messenger, and the 287

Scripture which He sent down to those before (him); and whosoever disbelieves in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, then indeed he has strayed far away”[al-Nisaa’ 4:136] Rasool (Messenger) and Nabi (Prophet) are two names with the same meaning, which is someone whom Allaah sent to call the people to worship Allaah alone, one of the Prophets and Messengers whom Allaah chose and sent to His slaves to convey His religion: “Messengers as bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allaah after the (coming of) Messengers”[alNisaa’ 4:165 – interpretation of the meaning] The Prophets and Messengers are many, of whom Allaah has mentioned twenty five in the Qur’aan, and we are obliged to believe in all of them. They are: Aadam, Idrees, Nooh, Hood, Saalih, Ibraaheem, Loot, Ismaa’eel, Ishaaq, Ya’qoob, Yoosuf, Shu’ayb, Ayyoob, Dhu’l-Kifl, Moosa, Haaroon, Dawood, Sulaymaan, Ilyaas, al-Yasa’, Yoonus, Zakariyya, Yahyaa, ‘Eesa and Muhammad – blessings and peace be upon them all. The Qur’aan is the greatest and last of the heavenly Books, and it abrogates the books which came before it and is a witness over them, so we must follow it and ignore those which came before it: “And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Mohaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures). So judge among them by what Allaah has revealed”[al-Maa’idah 5:48 – interpretation of the meaning] Allaah chose Messengers and Prophets from among the sons of Adam, and sent them to each nation, and 288

commanded them to call them to worship Allaah alone and to explain the ways which would bring happiness in this world and in the Hereafter, and to bring glad tidings of Paradise to those who believed and the warning of Hell to those who disbelieved: “And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): ‘Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, i.e. do not worship Taaghoot besides Allaah).’ Then of them were some whom Allaah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified”[al-Nahl 16:36 – interpretation of the meaning] Allaah preferred some of the Prophets and Messengers over others. The best of them are the “Messengers of strong will” who are Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosa, ‘Eesa and Muhammad; and the best of the Messengers of strong will is Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). For each Prophet was sent only to his own people, until Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to all of mankind. He is the last and the best of the Prophets and Messengers, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, but most of men know not”[Saba’ 34:28 – interpretation of the meaning] The Prophets and Messengers were chosen by Allaah to be an example to their nations. He taught them, guided them and honoured them with the Message; He protected them from falling into sin and supported them with miracles. So they are the most perfect of humanity both physically and in their attitude, the best of them in knowledge, the most truthful in speech, the most exemplary in the life they lived. Allaah says of them (interpretation of the meaning): 289

“And We made them leaders, guiding (mankind) by Our Command, and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, performing Salaah (IqaamatasSalaah), and the giving of Zakaah and of Us (Alone) they were the worshippers”[al-Anbiyaa’ 21:73] Because the Prophets and Messengers reached such a high status of obedience and good character [?], Allaah has commanded us to take them as an example. Allaah says ((interpretation of the meaning): “They are those whom Allaah had guided. So follow their guidance”[al-An’aam 6:90] All of the characteristics of the Prophets and Messengers were combined in our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and Allaah honoured him by instilling in him the noblest characteristics. Therefore Allaah stated that his example is to be followed in all situations: “Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day, and remembers Allaah much [al-Ahzaab 33:21 – interpretation of the meaning] Belief in all the Prophets and Messengers is one of the pillars of Islamic belief (‘aqeedah), without which the faith of the Muslim cannot be complete, because they all preached the same message, which is belief in Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muslims): ‘We believe in Allaah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibraaheem (Abraham), Ismaa’eel (Ishmael), Ishaaq (Isaac), Ya‘qoob (Jacob), and to Al-Asbaat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya‘qoob (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Moosa (Moses) and ‘Isa (Jesus), 290

and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)’” [al-Baqarah 2:136] From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com) 10551: The first of the Prophets and the first of the Messengers Question: i wouldlike to know if adam-ali-is-salaam was a prophet and if he was not who was our first prophet ,basicily the origen and the history of islam Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Adam (peace be upon him) was the first of the Prophets, as it says in the hadeeth narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked about Adam – was he a Prophet? He said, “yes, a Prophet to whom Allaah spoke.” But he was not a Messenger, because of the hadeeth about intercession in which it says that the people will go to Nooh and say to him, “You are the first Messenger whom Allaah sent to the earth.” This text clearly indicates that Nooh was the first of the Messengers. And Allaah knows best. Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 1/317. Adam the father of mankind was a Prophet, so he was the first of the Prophets. 291

Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 10470: Nooh (peace be upon him) Question: I would like to have some information about the Prophet of Allaah Nooh (peace be upon him). Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah chose Messengers and Prophets from among the sons of Adam, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah chose Adam, Nooh (Noah), the family of Ibraaheem (Abraham) and the family of ‘Imraan above the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn) (of their times)[Aal ‘Imraan 3:33] Allaah sent Nooh to his people to call them to worship Allaah alone: “Indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people and he said: ‘O my people! Worship Allaah! You have no other Ilaah (God) but Him. (Laa ilaaha ill Allaah: none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah.) Certainly, I fear for you the torment of a Great Day!’” [al-A’raaf 7:59 – interpretation of the meaning] The people of Nooh used to worship idols, so they transgressed, rebelled and were arrogant: “And they have said: ‘You shall not leave your gods, nor 292

shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwaa‘, nor Yaghooth, nor Ya‘ooq nor Nasr’ (these are the names of their idols)[Nooh :23 – interpretation of the meaning] Nooh called his people, and he remained among them for one thousand years less fifty (i.e., 950 years), calling them to worship Allaah alone and to give up idol-worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And indeed We sent Nooh (Noah) to his people, and he stayed among them a thousand years less fifty years[al‘Ankaboot 29:14] But the people of Nooh did not respond to him and they did not benefit from his advice. Rather their nobles denied his Prophethood and accused him of lying, and they said that his followers were from among the poor and weak who had little understanding. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The chiefs who disbelieved among his people said: ‘We see you but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us and they (too) followed you without thinking. And we do not see in you any merit above us, in fact we think you are liars’”[Hood 11:27] Nooh continued to call his people, treating them kindly and calling them on every occasion, night and day, in secret and openly, but no one believed with him except for a few. Most of them disbelieved in him and mocked him; they accused him of insanity and tried to stop him from conveying the message of his Lord. They threatened to stone him if he did not stop: “They said: ‘If you cease not, O Nooh (Noah) you will surely, be among those stoned (to death)’”[al-Shu’ara 26:116] But Nooh paid no heed to their threat, and he continued 293

to call them until, when he could no longer bear their mockery and arrogance, he turned to his Lord with this complaint (interpretation of the meaning): “He said: ‘O my Lord! Verily, I have called to my people night and day (i.e. secretly and openly to accept the doctrine of Islamic Monotheism), But all my calling added nothing but to (their) flight (from the truth). And verily, every time I called unto them that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, and persisted (in their refusal), and magnified themselves in pride. Then verily, I called to them openly (aloud). Then verily, I proclaimed to them in public, and I have appealed to them in private. I said (to them): Ask forgiveness from your Lord, verily, He is Oft Forgiving; He will send rain to you in abundance, And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.’ ”[Nooh 71:512] When Nooh despaired of his people’s ever believing, and they threatened to kill him and they persecuted him and those who believed with him, he had no choice but to pray against them. He said: “My Lord! Leave not one of the disbelievers on the earth! If You leave them, they will mislead Your slaves, and they will beget none but wicked disbelievers”[Nooh 71:2627] 294

Allaah responded to the prayer of Nooh and destroyed the people of Nooh by drowning them. He commanded him to build a ship of salvation so that he and the believers could ride in it: “And it was revealed to Nooh (Noah): ‘None of your people will believe except those who have believed already. So be not sad because of what they used to do. And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Revelation, and call not upon Me on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely to be drowned’”[Hood 11:3637 – interpretation of the meaning] When Nooh (peace be upon him) had finished building the ship, and the signs of the beginning of the punishment appeared, with water springing up from the ground and water falling from the sky, Allaah commanded Nooh to take onto the ship one pair, male and female, of every living creature and animal, so that they might continue to survive. He also commanded him to take with him his family, except for those among them who disbelieved – who were one of his wives and one of his sons. And Allaah also commanded him to take with him those who believed, who were few in number. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “(So it was) till when Our Command came and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: ‘Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family — except him against whom the Word has already gone forth — and those who believe. And none believed with him, except a few.’ And he [Nooh (Noah)] said: ‘Embark therein: in the Name of Allaah will be its (moving) course and its (resting) anchorage. Surely, my Lord is OftForgiving, Most Merciful.’ 295

So it (the ship) sailed with them amidst waves like mountains, and Nooh (Noah) called out to his son, who had separated himself (apart): ‘O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.’ The son replied: ‘I will betake myself to some mountain, it will save me from the water.’ Nooh (Noah) said: ‘This day there is no saviour from the Decree of Allaah except him on whom He has mercy.’ And waves came in between them, so he (the son) was among the drowned”[Hood 11:40-43] Then Nooh was seized with compassion for his son, so he asked his Lord to save him from destruction: “And Nooh (Noah) called upon his Lord and said, ‘O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly, Your Promise is true, and You are the Most Just of the judges.’ He said: ‘O Nooh (Noah)! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge! I admonish you, lest you should be one of the ignorant’” [Hood 11:45-46 – interpretation of the meaning] When Allaah had destroyed the kuffaar by drowning, He commanded the earth to swallow up the water and He commanded the sky to withhold its rain. Then the ship came to rest on Mount Joodi in Mosul. The matter was settled and the wrongdoers were destroyed: “And it was said: ‘O earth! Swallow up your water, and O sky! Withhold (your rain).’ And the water was made to subside and the Decree (of Allaah) was fulfilled (i.e. the destruction of the people of Nooh (Noah). And it (the ship) rested on (Mount) Judi, and it was said: ‘Away with the people who are Zalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoing)!’” [Hood 11:44 – interpretation of the meaning] 296

After the ship had come to rest, Allaah commanded Nooh and those who were with him to disembark, encompassed with peace and blessings: “It was said: ‘O Nooh (Noah)! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you (and on some of their offspring), but (there will be other) people to whom We shall grant their pleasures (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us’” [Hood 11:48 – interpretation of the meaning] Thus Allaah helped Nooh and those who believed with him, and He destroyed those who disbelieved, and made them a lesson for mankind: “And (remember) Nooh (Noah), when he cried (to Us) aforetime. We answered to his invocation and saved him and his family from the great distress. We helped him against the people who denied Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). Verily, they were a people given to evil. So We drowned them all” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:76-77 – interpretation of the meaning] Then Allaah ordained Prophethood and the Book among the descendents of Nooh and Ibraaheem (peace be upon them), as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And indeed, We sent Nooh (Noah) and Ibraaheem (Abraham), and placed in their offspring Prophethood and Scripture. And among them there are some who are guided; but many of them are Fasiqoon (rebellious, disobedient to Allaah)” [al-Hadeed 57:26] From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com) 297

13043: Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) Question: Could you give us some information about the Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah sent His Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and ordained among his offspring Prophethood and the Book (cf. al-‘Ankaboot 29:27). “And mention in the Book (the Qur’aan) Ibraaheem (Abraham). Verily, he was a man of truth, a Prophet [Maryam 19:41 – interpretation of the meaning] Allaah guided Ibraaheem and honoured him with virtues and praiseworthy characteristics: “Verily, Ibraaheem (Abraham) was an Ummah (a leader having all the good righteous qualities), or a nation, obedient to Allaah, Haneef (i.e. to worship none but Allaah), and he was not one of those who were AlMushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah, and those who joined partners with Allaah). (He was) thankful for His (Allaah’s) Favours. He (Allaah) chose him (as an intimate friend) and guided him to a Straight Path (Islamic Monotheism — neither Judaism nor Christianity). And We gave him good in this world, and in the Hereafter he shall be of the righteous”[al-Nahl 16:120-122 – interpretation of the meaning] Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) was the father of the 298

Prophets; no Prophet was sent after him but he was from among his descendents. He had two sons whom Allaah chose to be Prophets. They were Ismaa’eel the grandfather of the Arabs, from among whose descendents Allaah sent the Prophet Muhammad SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and Ishaaq whom Allaah blessed with a Prophet called Ya’qoob, who was also known as Israa’eel, after whom Bani Israa’eel (the Children of Israel) and their Prophets were called. The Qur’aan refers to the fact that Ibraaheem was the father of the Prophets, when it says concerning Ibraaheem (interpretation of the meaning): “And We bestowed upon him Ishaaq (Isaac) and Ya‘qoob (Jacob), each of them We guided, and before him, We guided Nooh (Noah), and among his progeny Dawood (David), Sulaymaan (Solomon), Ayyoob (Job), Yoosuf (Joseph), Moosa (Moses), and Haaroon (Aaron). Thus do We reward AlMuhsinoon (the gooddoers). And Zakariyya (Zachariya), and Yahya (John) and ‘Eesa (Jesus) and Ilyaas (Elias), each one of them was of the righteous. And Isma‘eel (Ishmael) and Al-Yasaa‘ (Elisha), and Yoonus (Jonah) and Loot (Lot), and each one of them We preferred above the ‘Aalameen [mankind and jinn (of their times)]”[al-An’aam 6:84-86] Ibraaheem called his people in Mesopotamia to worship Allaah alone and to stop worshipping the idols which could neither bring benefit nor cause harm. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) Ibraaheem (Abraham) when he said to his people: ‘Worship Allaah (Alone), and fear Him: that is better for you if you did but know. 299

You worship besides Allaah only idols, and you only invent falsehood. Verily, those whom you worship besides Allaah have no power to give you provision, so seek your provision from Allaah (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him. To Him (Alone) you will be brought back’” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:16-17] Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) wanted to free his people from idol-worship and rid them of myths and legends. He asked his people about these idols, as Allaah tells us (interpretation of the meaning): “And recite to them the story of Ibraaheem (Abraham). When he said to his father and his people: ‘What do you worship?’ They said: ‘We worship idols, and to them we are ever devoted.’ He said: ‘Do they hear you, when you call on (them)? Or do they benefit you or do they harm (you)?’ They said: ‘(Nay) but we found our fathers doing so’”[alShu’araa’ 26:69-74] Then he explained to them that they should not mindlessly follow others like dumb animals and clarified for them the ultimate reality which is that they should worship Allaah alone, in Whose hand is the dominion of all things: “He said: ‘Do you observe that which you have been worshipping You and your ancient fathers? Verily, they are enemies to me, save the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists), 300

Who has created me, and it is He Who guides me. And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me. And Who will cause me to die, and then will bring me to life (again). And Who, I hope, will forgive me my faults on the Day of Recompense (the Day of Resurrection)’”[al-Shu’araa’ 26:75-82] The father of Ibraaheem was one of the idol-worshippers. He used to carve them and sell them. His father’s kufr troubled Ibraaheem, so he singled him out for advice and said to him: “O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything? O my father! Verily, there has come to me of the knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me, I will guide you to the Straight Path”[Maryam 19:42-43 – interpretation of the meaning] But his father did not respond to him, rather he threatened to stone him and forsake him. He said: “Do you reject my gods, O Ibraaheem (Abraham)? If you stop not (this), I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely (before I punish you)”[Maryam 19:46 – interpretation of the meaning] So Ibraaheem had no choice but to leave him, and he said to him: “Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily, He is unto me Ever Most Gracious[Maryam 19:47 – interpretation of the meaning] 301

Ibraaheem continued to ask for forgiveness for his father and to ask his Lord to guide him, but when it became clear to him that he (his father) was an enemy of Allaah, he disavowed him and stopped asking for forgiveness for him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And Ibraaheem’s (Abraham) invoking (of Allaah) for his father’s forgiveness was only because of a promise he [Ibraaheem (Abraham)] had made to him (his father). But when it became clear to him that he (his father) is an enemy of Allaah, he dissociated himself from him. Verily, Ibraaheem was Awwah (one who invokes Allaah with humility, glorifies Him and remembers Him much) and was forbearing[al-Tawbah 9:114] When the people of Ibraaheem persisted in worshipping idols, Ibraaheem wanted to prove to them in practical terms that these idols could not cause harm or bring benefit, after his preaching and teaching had had no effect on his people: “Then he cast a glance at the stars, And he said: ‘Verily, I am sick (with plague). [He did this trick to remain in their temple of idols to destroy them and not to accompany them to the pagan feast)].’ So they turned away from him, and departed (for fear of the disease). Then he turned to their aalihah (gods) and said: ‘Will you not eat (of the offering before you)? What is the matter with you that you speak not?’ Then he turned upon them, striking (them) with (his) right hand” [al-Saaffaaat :88:93] 302

Ibraaheem broke all the idols except the biggest one, which he left so that they could ask it who had done this: “So he broke them to pieces, (all) except the biggest of them, that they might turn to it” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:58 – interpretation of the meaning] When they came back from the festival for which they had gone out, they saw the broken idols and they accused Ibraaheem (of breaking them). He said to them: “Nay, this one, the biggest of them (idols) did it. Ask them, if they can speak!” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:63 – interpretation of the meaning] Because they knew that these idols could not speak – for they were inanimate objects – they said to Ibraaheem: “Indeed you [Ibraaheem (Abraham)] know well that these (idols) speak not!” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:65 – interpretation of the meaning] When they admitted that these idols could do nothing, Ibraaheem said to them: “Do you then worship besides Allaah, things that can neither profit you, nor harm you? Fie upon you, and upon that which you worship besides Allaah! Have you then no sense?” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:67 – interpretation of the meaning] When they had exhausted all lines of argument, they resorted to the use of force and said: “Burn him and help your aalihah (gods), if you will be doing” 303

[al-Anbiyaa’ 21:68 – interpretation of the meaning] They gathered a lot of wood and started a fire which had great sparks and flames, then they threw Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) into that fire. He said, “Hasbi Allaah wa ni’am al-wakeel (Allaah is sufficient for me and He is the best Disposer of affairs).” So Allaah saved him from it and made it coolness and safety for him, and foiled the plot of his enemies: “We (Allaah) said: ‘O fire! Be you coolness and safety for Ibraaheem (Abraham)!’ And they wanted to harm him, but We made them the worst losers” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:69-70 – interpretation of the meaning] After saving Ibraaheem from the fire, Allaah commanded him to leave Mesopotamia and migrate to the Holy Land in Palestine. He married his cousin (the daughter of his paternal uncle) – Saarah – and set out with her and his brother’s son Loot for Syria, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We rescued him and Loot (Lot) to the land which We have blessed for the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn)[alAnbiyaa’ 21:71] Then great hardship befell the land of Syria, so Ibraaheem moved to Egypt with his wife, then he came back to Palestine, bringing his wife and a slave woman of hers called Haajar. Ibraaheem longed to have children, but his wife was barren and had grown old. When she saw how much her husband longed to have a child, she gave her slave woman, Haajar, to him. So he married her and was blessed with his son Ismaa’eel from her: “’My Lord! Grant me (offspring) from the righteous.’ 304

So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy” [al-Saaffaat 37:100-101 – interpretation of the meaning] After Haajar gave birth to Ismaa’eel, Saarah began to feel jealous, so she asked Ibraaheem to send them away from her. Allaah revealed to Ibraaheem that he should take Haajar and the infant Ismaa’eel and take them to Makkah. So he took them and left Haajar and her child Ismaa’eel in an bleak, isolated place in which there was no water, then he left them and went back to Palestine. Haajar said to him, “For whom are you leaving us in this forsaken valley?” But Ibraaheem went and left her, and she said, “Has Allaah commanded you to do this?” He said, “Yes.” She said, “Then Allaah will not cause us to be lost.” Ibraaheem submitted to the command of his Lord and patiently bore the separation from his wife and child. Then he turned towards where they were at the Sacred House and prayed for them in the following words (interpretation of the meaning): “O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah) in order, O our Lord, that they may perform AsSalaah (IqaamatasSalaah). So fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allaah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks”[Ibraaheem 14:37] Haajar stayed in Makkah, eating the food and drinking the water that Ibraaheem had left for her and her son. When that ran out, she and her son became thirsty. She looked for water, and climbed the hill of al-Safaa but she did not see anything. Then she climbed the hill of alMarwah but she did not see anything. She did that seven times, then she turned towards Ismaa’eel and saw water gushing from beneath his feet. She rejoiced and drank 305

some, and gave some to her son to drink. Then a tribe – Jurham – came to Haajar and asked her permission to settle by the water. She gave them permission and they settled beside her. When Ismaa’eel grew up, he married one of their women and learned Arabic from them. During this period, Ibraaheem used to visit his son from time to time. On one of these visits, Ibraaheem saw in a dream that Allaah was commanding him to sacrifice his son Ismaa’eel. The dreams of the Prophets are true, so Ibraaheem resolved to obey the command of Allaah, even though he was old and Ismaa’eel was his only son. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy. And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said: ‘O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offering you in sacrifice to Allaah). So look what you think!’ He said: ‘O my father! Do that which you are commanded, In sha’ Allaah (if Allaah wills), you shall find me of AsSaabiroon (the patient).’ Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allaah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering); We called out to him: ‘O Ibraaheem! You have fulfilled the dream!’ Verily, thus do We reward the Muhsinoon (gooddoers). Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram)” [al-Saffaat 37:101-107] Then Allaah gave him the glad tidings of another son, who was Ishaaq, and then Ibraaheem returned to Palestine: 306

“And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaaq (Isaac) a Prophet from the righteous[al-Saaffaat 37:112 – interpretation of the meaning] Ishaaq was born to him from his wife Saarah: “And his wife was standing (there), and she laughed [either, because the messengers did not eat their food or for being glad for the destruction of the people of Loot (Lot)]. But We gave her glad tidings of Ishaaq (Isaac), and after Ishaaq, of Ya‘qoob (Jacob)” [Hood 11:71 – interpretation of the meaning] Then Ibraaheem stayed in Palestine for a while, then he returned to Makkah for an important reason. Allaah had commanded him to build in Makkah the first House to be built for the worship of Allaah. So Ibraaheem undertook this task of construction, and his son Ismaa’eel was lifting up the stones to him. When the walls grew higher, Ibraaheem stood on a rock, and this is the Station of Ibraaheem (Maqaam Ibraaheem) which is to be found in the vicinity of the Ka’bah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Ibraaheem (Abraham) and (his son) Ismee‘eel (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah), (saying), ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the AllHearer, the All-Knower’” [al-Baqarah 2:127] Allaah commanded Ibraaheem and Ismaa’eel to cleanse the House of idols and other impurities so that it would be pure for those who would circumambulate it and stand and bow and prostrate (in prayer). When Ibraaheem built the House, Allaah commanded him to call mankind to perform the Hajj, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 307

“And proclaim to mankind the Hajj (pilgrimage). They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from every deep and distant (wide) mountain highway (to perform Hajj)” [al-Hajj 22:27] Then Ibraaheem offered this great supplication for Makkah and for those who live in it: “And (remember) when Ibraaheem (Abraham) said, ‘My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allaah and the Last Day.’ He (Allaah) answered: ‘As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!’” [al-Baqarah 2:126 – interpretation of the meaning] Then he prayed for himself and his descendents, saying: “Our Lord! Accept (this service) from us. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manaasik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage — Hajj and ‘Umrah), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful”[alBaqarah 2:127-128 – interpretation of the meaning] Then he prayed for the people of the sanctuary, that Allaah would send to them a Messenger from amongst them, who would call them to worship Allaah Alone. He said: “Our Lord! Send amongst them a Messenger of their own, who shall recite unto them Your Verses and instruct them in the Book (this Qur’aan) and Al-Hikmah (full knowledge of the Islamic laws and jurisprudence or wisdom or 308

Prophethood), and purify them. Verily, You are the AllMighty, the All-Wise” [al-Baqarah 1:129 – interpretation of the meaning] Allaah responded to the prayer of His Prophet Ibraaheem. He made Makkah a place of security, He blessed its people with fruits and sent to them a Messenger from amongst themselves, who was the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). All praise and thanks be to Allaah. After Ibraaheem, Prophethood remained with the Children of Israel for a long time, until Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) from among the descendents of Ismaa’eel as a Messenger to all of mankind, and commanded him as He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allaah…’” [al-A’raaf 7:158] Allaah commanded Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to follow the religion of Ibraaheem, as He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Then, We have sent the Revelation to you (O Muhammad saying): ‘Follow the religion of Ibraaheem (Abraham) Haneef (Islamic Monotheism — to worship none but Allaah) and he was not of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers)”[al-Nahl 16:123] Ibraaheem’s advice to his children was to adhere to the religion of Islam and follow its commands until they died. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): 309

“And this (submission to Allaah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibraaheem (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya‘qoob (Jacob) (saying), ‘O my sons! Allaah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islam (as Muslims — Islamic Monotheism)’” [al-Baqarah 2:132] O Allaah, send blessings upon Ibraaheem and upon the family of Ibraaheem, for You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. Other Prophets who were alive at the time of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) were Loot, Ismaa’eel, Ishaaq, and Ya’qoob. Then came Yoosuf, then Shu’ayb, then Ayyoob, then Dhu’l-Kifl. Then Allaah sent Moosa and Haaroon (peace be upon them and may the best of blessings and peace be upon all the Prophets). From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri. (www.islam-qa.com) 10242: A brief look at Moosa (peace be upon him) Question: We would like a brief description of Moosa (peace be upon him) and his people. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah sent revelation to Moosa ibn ‘Imraan (peace be upon him) and sent him to the Children of Israel to call them to worship Allaah alone, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 310

“And indeed We sent Moosa (Moses) with Our Ayaat (signs, proofs, and evidences) (saying): “Bring out your people from darkness into light, and remind them of the annals of Allaah” [Ibraaheem 14:5] · And Allaah sent Haaroon the brother of Moosa as a support to Moosa when He wanted to send him to Pharaoh, to call him to worship Allaah. This was in response to the request of Moosa: “And We granted him his brother Haaroon (Aaron), (also) a Prophet, out of Our Mercy”[Maryam 19:53] · At that time, the Children of Israel were in Egypt, under the rule of Pharaoh, who had enslaved and humiliated them. He used to let their women live but he killed their sons: “…weakening (oppressing) a group (i.e. Children of Israel) among them: killing their sons, and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the Mufsidoon (i.e. those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors, tyrants”[al-Qasas 28:4] · Moosa was born in Egypt, and Allaah willed that he should be brought up in the house of Pharaoh… So his mother put him in a box which she threw into the river, and it was picked up by the family of Pharaoh. His wife Aasiyah rejoiced over him and forbade them to kill him… When he grew up and attained his full strength, Allaah gave him wisdom (Prophethood, right judgement of affairs) and knowledge (of the religion of his forefathers, i.e., Islamic monotheism). (cf. al-Qasas 28:14) · One day a man from among the Children of Israel sought Moosa’s help against his enemy. Moosa struck him with his fist and killed him (cf. al-Qasas 28:15). Then Moosa 311

regretted it, and sought the forgiveness of his Lord, and He forgave him. Then he became afraid, looking about in the city (waiting to see the result of his crime of killing) (cf. al-Qasas 28:18). The next day, Moosa found that man fighting another enemy. He asked Moosa to help him again, and Moosa became angry with him. The man thought that he was going to kill him, so he said to him: “ ‘Is it your intention to kill me as you killed a man yesterday?”” [al-Qasas 28:19] · That enemy told the people of Pharaoh about that, and they started to look for him in order to kill him. A righteous man came and told Moosa what the people were plotting against him. He advised him to leave Egypt: “So he escaped from there, looking about in a state of fear. He said: ‘My Lord! Save me from the people who are Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers)!’” [al-Qasas 28:21] · Moosa headed for the land of Madyan (Midian), where he married the daughter of a noble shaykh in return for working for him for eight years. When that time was over, Moosa travelled with his family towards Egypt. When he came to al-Toor (Mount Sinai), Allaah wanted to single him out, to honour him with Prophethood and to speak with him. Moosa lost his way, then he saw a fire… “… he said to his family: ‘Wait! Verily, I have seen a fire; perhaps I can bring you some burning brand therefrom, or find some guidance at the fire.’ And when he came to it (the fire), he was called by name: ‘O Moosa (Moses)! Verily, I am your Lord! So take off your shoes; you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa. 312

And I have chosen you. So listen to that which will be revealed (to you). Verily, I am Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform As Salaah (IqaamatasSalaah) for My remembrance. Verily, the Hour is coming and I am almost hiding it that every person may be rewarded for that which he strives” [Ta-Ha 20:10-15] · Then Allaah showed him some of the miracles. He commanded him to throw his stick on the ground, and it turned into a snake; then to put his hand into his garment, and it came out white. Then He told him to go with these two miracles to Pharaoh, so that he might accept admonition or fear Allaah, for he had transgressed all bounds in oppression and corruption. And He sent with Moosa his brother Haaroon. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “ ‘Go, both of you, to Fir‘awn (Pharaoh), verily, he has transgressed (all bounds in disbelief and disobedience and behaved as an arrogant and as a tyrant). And speak to him mildly, perhaps he may accept admonition or fear (Allaah).’ They said: ‘Our Lord! Verily, we fear lest he should hasten to punish us or lest he should transgress (all bounds against us).’ He (Allaah) said: ‘Fear not, verily, I am with you both, hearing and seeing. So go you both to him, and say: “Verily, we are Messengers of your Lord, so let the Children of Israel go with us, and torment them not; indeed, we have come 313

with a sign from your Lord! And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance!”’”[Ta-Ha 20:43-47] · Moosa and Haaroon (peace be upon them) went to Pharaoh and conveyed the message to him. Pharaoh asked Moosa: “Fir‘awn (Pharaoh) said: ‘And what is the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)?’ Moosa (Moses) said: ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty’”[al-Shu’araa’ 26:23-24] · Then Pharaoh asked Moosa for a sign to prove that he was speaking the truth: “[Fir‘awn (Pharaoh)] said: ‘If you have come with a sign, show it forth, if you are one of those who tell the truth.’ Then [Moosa (Moses)] threw his stick and behold! it was a serpent, manifest! And he drew out his hand, and behold! it was white (with radiance) for the beholders”[al-A’raaf 7:106-108] · When Pharaoh and his people saw that, they accused Moosa of sorcery. They brought the sorcerers together and offered them a great reward. Then they gathered the people together on a feast day. The sorcerers threw down their sticks and ropes, “…So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and struck terror into them, and they displayed a great magic”[al-A’raaf 7:116] · Then Allaah supported Moosa against the sorcerers and exposed the falsehood of their plots. Then the sorcerers believed in the Lord of the Worlds: 314

“And We revealed to Moosa (Moses) (saying): ‘Throw your stick,’ and behold! It swallowed up straight away all the falsehood which they showed. Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect. So they were defeated there and returned disgraced. And the sorcerers fell down prostrate. They said: ‘We believe in the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists). The Lord of Moosa (Moses) and Haaroon (Aaron)’”[al A’raaf 7:117-122] · When the sorcerers believed in Allaah, Pharaoh cut off their hands and feet on opposite sides and crucified them. But they bore that with patience and paid no heed to his threats, until they met Allaah as Muslims. Then the chiefs indicated that Moosa and his people should be killed, lest they spread corruption in the land. So they killed their sons, and let their women live. Moosa urged the Children of Israel to have patience. Then Pharaoh could no longer bear to see Moosa , so he decided to kill him: “Fir’awn (Pharaoh) said: ‘Leave me to kill Moosa (Moses), and let him call his Lord (to stop me from killing him)! I fear that he may change your religion, or that he may cause mischief to appear in the land!’” [Ghaafir 40:26] · Whilst they were thinking of killing Moosa, chivalry caused a believing man from among the family of Pharaoh, who was concealing his faith, to defend Moosa. He said, “If he is lying, he cannot harm us, and if he is telling the truth, then some of that of which he is warning 315

you will befall you.” This man continued to advise Pharaoh and his people, but they did not respond to him: “… Fir‘awn (Pharaoh) said: ‘I show you only that which I see (correct), and I guide you only to the path of right policy!’”[Ghaafir 40:29] · Moosa continued to call Pharaoh and his people, preaching in a good manner, but it only made them more arrogant in the land and caused them to oppress and persecute the believers even more. So Moosa prayed against them, and Allaah punished them with drought, famine, and failure of the harvest, that they might receive admonition. But they did not submit, rather they persisted in their evil deeds and transgression. So Allaah punished them with other kinds of afflictions, so that they might return to their senses: “They said [to Moosa (Moses)]: ‘Whatever Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) you may bring to us, to work therewith your sorcery on us, we shall never believe in you.’ So We sent on them: the flood, the locusts, the lice, the frogs, and the blood (as a succession of) manifest signs, yet they remained arrogant, and they were of those people who were Mujrimoon (criminals, polytheists and sinners)’” [al-A’raaf 7:132-133] · When the transgression of Pharaoh intensified, there came the divine command to seek a way out. Allaah commanded Moosa to leave Egypt with the Children of Israel, in secret. When Pharaoh found out, he gathered a great army to catch up with Moosa and his people before they reached Palestine. Pharaoh and his troops set out, leaving behind them gardens and wealth. They caught up with Moosa and his people at sunrise, on the shores of 316

the Red Sea. Allaah saved Moosa and his people, and drowned Pharaoh and his troops, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We revealed to Moosa (Moses), saying: ‘Depart by night with My slaves, verily, you will be pursued.’ Then Fir‘awn (Pharaoh) sent callers to (all) the cities. (Saying): ‘Verily, these indeed are but a small band. And verily, they have done what has enraged us. But we are a host all assembled, amply forewarned.’ So, We expelled them from gardens and springs, Treasures, and every kind of honourable place. Thus [We turned them (Pharaoh’s people) out] and We caused the Children of Israel to inherit them. So they pursued them at sunrise. And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Moosa (Moses) said: ‘We are sure to be overtaken.’ [Moosa (Moses)] said: ‘Nay, verily, with me is my Lord. He will guide me.’ Then We revealed to Moosa (Moses) (saying): ‘Strike the sea with your stick.’ And it parted, and each separate part (of that sea water) became like a huge mountain. Then We brought near the others [Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh’s) party] to that place. And We saved Moosa (Moses) and all those with him. Then We drowned the others. 317

Verily, in this is indeed a sign (or a proof), yet most of them are not believers. And verily, your Lord, He is truly, the AllMighty, the Most Merciful” [al-Shu’araa’ 26:52-68] · Thus Pharaoh and his troops were destroyed. When he was drowning, he believed, but that was of no benefit to him. Allaah preserved his body to be a lesson to those who came after him. The punishment of Pharaoh’s family in this world was drowning in the sea, and in the Hereafter, theirs is a painful torment: “…while an evil torment encompassed Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh) people. The Fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): ‘Cause Fir‘awn’s (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!’”[Ghaafir 40:45-46] · The Children of Israel witnessed the miracles of Moosa, the last of which was their being saved and the destruction of their enemy. These miracles were sufficient to eradicate the last traces of idolatry from their hearts, but they still returned to it sometimes, and Moosa was faced with great difficulties in bringing them back to the worship of Allaah alone. For example: When they had crossed the sea, they passed by some people who worshipped idols. They asked Moosa to give them an idol which they could worship like those people did. Moosa said to them: “ ‘Verily, you are a people who know not (the Majesty and Greatness of Allaah and what is obligatory upon you, i.e. to worship none but Allaah Alone, the One and the Only God of all that exists).’ 318

[Moosa (Moses) added:] ‘Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idols, worship). And all that they are doing is in vain.’ He said: ‘Shall I seek for you an ilaah (a god) other than Allaah, while He has given you superiority over the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn of your time)?’”[al-A’raaf 7:138-140] The Children of Israel were headed towards the Holy Land, and on the way they suffered from thirst. They complained to Moosa, who prayed to his Lord and He gave them water: “We revealed to Moosa (Moses) when his people asked him for water (saying): ‘Strike the stone with your stick’, and there gushed forth out of it twelve springs, each group knew its own place for water”[al-A’raaf 7:160] On their journey, they complained about the intense heat of the sun, and the lack of food. So Moosa prayed to his Lord and He shaded them with clouds, and provided them with good things (to eat), but they did not appreciate that, and they demanded something else. “We shaded them with the clouds and sent down upon them AlManna and the quail (saying): ‘Eat of the good things with which We have provided you.’ They harmed Us not but they used to harm themselves”[al-A’raaf 7:160] Then they complained and said: “ ‘We cannot endure one kind of food. So invoke your Lord for us to bring forth for us of what the earth grows, its herbs, its cucumbers, its Foom (wheat or garlic), its lentils and its onions”” [al-Baqarah 2:61] 319

Allaah had promised Moosa that He would send down to him a Book containing commands and prohibitions for the Children of Israel. When Pharaoh was destroyed, Moosa asked Allaah his Lord for that Book. Allaah commanded him to fast for forty days. He appointed his brother Haaroon as his deputy to be in charge of his people, and he fasted for those days. Then Allaah revealed the Tawraat (Torah) to him at the mountain of al-Toor (Sinai), in which there were lessons and explanations of all things. When he came back to his people, he found them worshipping the calf, which al-Saamiri had made for them from their jewellery and had told them, “This is your god and the god of Moosa.” “Then he took out (of the fire) for them (a statue of) a calf which seemed to low. They said: ‘This is your ilaah (god), and the ilaah (god) of Moosa (Moses), but he [Moosa (Moses)] has forgotten (his god).’ Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good? And Haaroon (Aaron) indeed had said to them beforehand: ‘O my people! You are being tried in this, and verily, your Lord is (Allaah) the Most Gracious, so follow me and obey my order.’ They said: ‘We will not stop worshipping it (i.e. the calf), until Moosa (Moses) returns to us’” [Ta-Ha 20:88-91] When Moosa came, he got angry with them and rebuked them, and explained the truth to them. Then he burned the calf, and threw it into the sea. He punished al-Saamiri and he subsequently felt pain from anything he touched. The Children of Israel regretted having worshipped the 320

calf. Moosa chose from among them seventy men and took them to the Mountain (al-Toor/Sinai) to worship Allaah and show their regret for what they had done. There Allaah spoke to Moosa, but some of them did not believe that Allaah was the One who had spoken to Moosa. So they disobeyed him and said, Show us Allaah plainly. “And (remember) when you said: ‘O Moosa (Moses)! We shall never believe in you until we see Allaah plainly.’ But you were seized with a thunderbolt (lightning) while you were looking. Then We raised you up after your death, so that you might be grateful”[al-Baqarah 2:55-56] When Moosa came back to the Children of Israel with the Tawraat, they refused to accept it and complained about its rulings. So he threatened them, then they accepted it, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (O Children of Israel, remember) when We took your covenant and We raised above you the Mount (saying): ‘Hold fast to that which We have given you, and remember that which is therein so that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious). Then after that you turned away. Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allaah upon you, indeed you would have been among the losers”[al-Baqarah 2:63-64] Then Moosa commanded the Children of Israel to go with him to the Holy Land in Palestine, so they went with him, then they became afraid of its powerful inhabitants, so they disobeyed Moosa and rebelled against him: “They said: ‘O Moosa (Moses)! We shall never enter it as long as they are there. So go you and your Lord and fight you two, we are sitting right here’”[al-Maa’idah 5:24] 321

So Moosa prayed against them, and Allaah answered his prayer. He told him that the Holy Land was forbidden to them, and they would wander in the land for forty years, so he should not grieve over them: “He [Moosa (Moses)] said: ‘O my Lord! I have power only over myself and my brother, so separate us from the people who are the Faasiqoon (rebellious and disobedient to Allaah)!’ (Allaah) said: ‘Therefore it (this holy land) is forbidden to them for forty years; in distraction they will wander through the land. So be not sorrowful over the people who are the Faasiqoon (rebellious and disobedient to Allaah)’ [al-Maa’idah 5:25-26] · Moosa bore with patience the many complaints of the Children of Israel. During that period of wandering, Haaroon died, then Moosa died, and most of them also died. When that time came to an end, Yoosha’ ibn Noon (Joshua the son of Nun) led them into the Holy Land and besieged it until he conquered it. He commanded them to enter the land prostrating, but they did not obey him, and entered it on their backsides. · Allaah bestowed great blessings upon the Children of Israel. He saved them from Pharaoh, and provided them with good things to eat. He made Prophets and kings from among them, and favoured them above all other people, but they were ungrateful for those blessings and did not appreciate them: “And (remember) when Moosa (Moses) said to his people: ‘O my people! Remember the Favour of Allaah to you: when He made Prophets among you, made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any other among the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn, in the past)’” 322

[al-Maa’idah 5:20] · The Jews say and do evil things which bring upon them the wrath and anger of Allaah. · They accused Allaah of being stingy: “The Jews say: ‘Allaah’s Hand is tied up (i.e. He does not give and spend of His Bounty).’ Be their hands tied up and be they accursed for what they uttered. Nay, both His Hands are widely outstretched. He spends (of His Bounty) as He wills” [al-Maa’idah 5:64] · By virtue of this serious lie, they became disbelievers: “Indeed, Allaah has heard the statement of those (Jews) who say: ‘Truly, Allaah is poor and we are rich!’”[Aal ‘Imraan 3:181] · They attributed a son to Allaah; Allaah’s curse be upon them, how they are deluded away from the truth! “And the Jews say: ‘Uzayr (Ezra) is the son of Allaah…” [al-Tawbah 9:30] · When the Tawraat reached them, most of them disbelieved in its rulings. They turned away from the path of Allaah, and regarded wrongdoing as permissible, so Allaah punished them for their sins. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “For the wrongdoing of the Jews, We made unlawful for them certain good foods which had been lawful for them — and for their hindering many from Allaah’s Way; And their taking of Riba (usury) though they were forbidden from taking it and their devouring of men’s substance wrongfully (bribery). And We have prepared 323

for the disbelievers among them a painful torment”[alNisaa’ 4:61] · Among their lies is their claim that they are the sons and the beloved of Allaah: “And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are the children of Allaah and His loved ones.’ Say: ‘Why then does He punish you for your sins?’ Nay, you are but human beings of those He has created”[al-Maa’idah 5:18] · And among their lies is the following: “And they say, ‘None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.’ These are their own desires. Say (O Muhammad), ‘Produce your proof if you are truthful’”[alBaqarah 2:111] · And among their fabrications is the following: “And they (Jews) say, ‘The Fire (i.e. Hell-fire on the Day of Resurrection) shall not touch us but for a few numbered days.’ Say (O Muhammad to them): ‘Have you taken a covenant from Allaah, so that Allaah will not break His Covenant? Or is it that you say of Allaah what you know not?’”[al-Baqarah 2:80] · An example of their plots and betrayal is the way in which they distorted their Book, the Tawraat: “Among those who are Jews, there are some who displace words from (their) right places…”[al-Nisaa’ 4:46] · Among their crimes are their disbelief in the signs of Allaah and their killing the Prophets unlawfully, so Allaah will punish them for their sins. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And they were covered with humiliation and misery, and they drew on themselves the Wrath of Allaah. That was 324

because they used to disbelieve the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations etc.) of Allaah and killed the Prophets wrongfully. That was because they disobeyed and used to transgress the bounds (in their disobedience to Allaah, i.e. commit crimes and sins)”[al-Baqarah 2:61] · Because the Jews have committed so many wrongful actions and evil deeds, fabricated so many lies and spread so much corruption on earth, Allaah has created hatred and enmity among them, and they will never have lasting power until the Day of Resurrection: “We have put enmity and hatred amongst them till the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war, Allaah extinguished it; and they (ever) strive to make mischief on the earth. And Allaah does not like the Mufsidoon (mischiefmakers)”[al-Maa’idah 5:64] · The Jews are weak and divided, each of them with different desires: “They fight not against you even together, except in fortified townships, or from behind walls. Their enmity among themselves is very great. You would think they were united, but their hearts are divided. That is because they are a people who understand not”[al-Hashr 59:14] · The Jews are the most hostile of all people towards those who believe. Because of their transgression and corruption, the Jews hate death because they fear what comes after death. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘O you Jews! If you pretend that you are friends of Allaah, to the exclusion of (all) other mankind, then long for death if you are truthful.’ But they will never long for it (death), because of what 325

(deeds) their hands have sent before them! And Allaah knows well the Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers, disbelievers)’”[al-Jumu’ah 62:6-7] · The Jews persisted in their corruption, transgression and deviation. Allaah sent many Prophets and Messengers to the Children of Israel, to bring them back to the Straight Path, and some of them believed in them and some disbelieved… until Allaah sent ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) to them. From: Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com) 10669: The superiority of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to all of creation Question: I believe for sure that Rasulu’LLah Muhammad(swa) Is the best of all the prophets(asw) . But is there any envidence in the Quran or Sunna to support this ? There is an aya in quran which says ‘we(i) don’t diffetiance(nufariq) amoung them(the prophets). Answer: Praise be to Allaah. (1) Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers” [al-Baqarah 2:285]. Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer of this aayah: 326

The believers believe in all the Prophets and Messengers, and the books revealed from heaven to the slaves of Allaah, the Messengers and Prophets; they do not differentiate between any of them, believing in some and rejecting others. Rather they regard all of them as truthful, righteous, rightly-guided and guiding to the path of goodness, even though some of them abrogated the laws of others, until all of them were abrogated by the sharee’ah of Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, upon whose sharee’ah the Hour will cone.(Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/736) With regard to the superiority of some of the Prophets over one another, Allaah has told us of this, when He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allaah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour)”[al-Baqarah 2:253] Allaah tells us that some of them are several degrees above others, hence the chosen ones among the Messengers are “those of strong will”. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you (O Muhammad), and from Nooh (Noah), Ibraaheem (Abraham), Moosaa (Moses), and ‘Eesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary). We took from them a strong covenant”[al-Ahzaab 33:7] And Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the best of them. This is indicated by the fact that he was their imaam on the night of the Mi’raaj, because no one but the best is put forward. More evidence that he is the best of them comes from Abu Hurayrah, who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘I will be the leader of the sons of 327

Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and the first one for whom the grave will be opened, and the first to intercede, and the first whose intercession will be accepted.’” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Fadaa’il, 4223) Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on Saheeh Muslim: The phrase “I will be the leader of the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection and the first one for whom the grave will be opened, and the first to intercede, and the first whose intercession will be accepted”: al-Harawi said: the leader (sayyid) is the one who surpasses his people in goodness. Someone else said: He is the one to whom they turn at times of calamity and hardship, so he takes care of them, carries their burdens and protects them. The phrase “the Day of Resurrection” – even though he is their leader in this world and in the Hereafter. The reason for this specific mention is that on the Day of Resurrection his position of leadership will become apparent to everyone, and there will no longer be anyone who disputes or stubbornly rejects it, unlike the case in this world when the kings of the kuffaar and the leaders of the mushrikeen competed with him. The scholars said, he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not say ““I will be the leader of the sons of Adam” out of pride. Indeed, that is clearly stated in the famous hadeeth narrated by compilers other than Muslim: “I will be the leader of the sons of Adam, and I am not boasting.” Rather, he said it for two reasons. The first was in obedience to the command of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “And proclaim the Grace of your Lord”, and the second was that it was part of the message that he was commanded to convey in totality to his ummah so that they would acknowledge his status and believe in him, and do as he commanded, and respect him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as required by his status and as Allaah 328

commanded them. This hadeeth implies that he is superior to all of creation, because the view of Ahl al-Sunnah is that human beings, i.e., the people of obedience and piety, are superior to the angels, and he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is superior to human beings and to others. With regard to the other hadeeth – “Do not differentiate between the Prophets” – it may be responded to in five ways. The first is that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said this before he knew that he was the leader of the sons of Adam; then when he came to know he spoke of it. The second is that he said it out of politeness and humility. The third is that the prohibition refers to the kind of differentiation that leads to undermining the position of the one who is less preferred. The fourth is that the prohibition applies to the kind of differentiation that leads to dispute and fitnah (tribulation), as is well known in the reason for the hadeeth. The fifth is that the prohibition applies only in the case of prophethood itself, not to superiority within the ranks of the Prophets; rather, it applies to superiority in characteristics and other virtues, so it is essential to believe in that. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others…” [al-Baqarah 2:253] And Allaah knows best. The characteristics of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) confirm that he is superior to the rest of the Messengers. We will mention some of them which are narrated in the Qur’aan and Sunnah: Allaah has singled out the Qur’aan, to the exclusion of other Books, to be preserved. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 329

“Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)” [al-Hijr 15:9] In the case of the other Books, Allaah entrusted their protection to their people. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning] “Verily, We did send down the Tawraat (Torah) [to Moosa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allaah’s Will, judged for the Jews. And the rabbis and the priests [too judged for the Jews by the Tawraat (Torah) after those Prophets], for to them was entrusted the protection of Allaah’s Book, and they were witnesses thereto [al-Maa’idah 5:44] He is the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets” [al-Ahzaab 33:40] He is unique in that he was sent to all of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Blessed be He Who sent down the criterion (of right and wrong, i.e. this Qur’aan) to His slave (Muhammad) that he may be a warner to the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn)” [al-Furqaan 25:1] Among his unique characteristics in the Hereafter: He will be the owner of the “position of praise and glory 330

(al-maqaam al-mahmood)” on the Day of Resurrection. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And in some parts of the night (also) offer the Salaah (prayer) with it (i.e. recite the Qur’aan in the prayer) as an additional prayer (Tahajjud optional prayer Nawaafil) for you (O Muhammad). It may be that your Lord will raise you to Maqaam Mahmood (a station of praise and glory, i.e., the honour of intercession on the Day of Resurrection)” [al-Israa’ 17:78] Ibn Jareer said: most of the commentators said that is the position which he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will occupy in order to intercede for the people on the Day of Resurrection, to ask that their Lord might grant them respite from the great hardship that they are suffering on this Day.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 5/103) And he will be the leader of all of mankind on the Day of Resurrection, as stated in the hadeeth quoted above. He will be the first one to cross al-Siraat with his ummah. Al-Bukhaari narrated a lengthy hadeeth concerning that from Abu Hurayrah, in which it says, “… and I will be the first one among the Messengers to lead his ummah across it.” (al-Adhaan, 764). Another indication that he is the best of the Prophets is the fact that they will not intercede, rather one of them will refer the people to another, until ‘Eesa refers them to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He will say, “I (will do it),” then he will step forward to intercede for everyone, and the first and the last will praise him for that, the Prophets and the rest of mankind. His unique characteristics, as mentioned in the ayaat and 331

saheeh ahaadeeth, are too many to mention in this brief summary; entire books have been written on this topic. See Kitaab Khasaa’is al-Mustafa (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) bayna al-Ghulw wa’l-Jafaa’ by al-Saadiq ibn Muhammad, 33-79 To sum up, we prefer our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) over all the other Prophets and over all of mankind, because of the evidence that has been narrated concerning that, whilst also respecting the rights of the other Prophets and Messengers and believing in them and respecting them. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 10277: A brief look at ‘Eesa (Jesus) – peace be upon him Question: Could you give us a brief description of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. · Maryam the daughter of ‘Imraan was a pious and righteous woman… She strove hard in worship until she had no peer in matters of worship… The angels gave her the glad tidings that Allaah had chosen her: “And (remember) when the angels said: ‘O Maryam 332

(Mary)! Verily, Allaah has chosen you, purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn) (of her lifetime).’ O Maryam! ‘Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allaah, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and bow down along with ArRaaki‘oon (those who bow down)’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:42-43] · Then the angels gave Maryam the glad tidings that Allaah would bestow upon her a child, whom He would create with the word “Be! And it is.” This child’s name was the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary)… He would be held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and he would be a Messenger to the Children of Israel… He would teach the Book and wisdom, and the Tawraat (Torah) and Injeel (Gospel) … And he would have attributes and miracles that no one else would have, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “(Remember) when the angels said: ‘O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allaah gives you the glad tidings of a Word [“Be!” — and he was! i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus) the son of Maryam (Mary)] from Him, his name will be the Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), the son of Maryam (Mary), held in honour in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allaah. He will speak to the people, in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous.’ She said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.’ He said: ‘So (it will be) for Allaah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” and it is’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:4547] 333

· Then Allaah tells us the rest of the glad tidings of the angels to Maryam of her son ‘Eesa (peace be upon him), and of the honour of ‘Eesa, and how He would support him with miracles: “And He (Allaah) will teach him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom), (and) the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel). And will make him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel (saying): ‘I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allaah’s Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allaah’s Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe. And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Tawraat (Torah), and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allaah and obey me. Truly, Allaah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (Alone). This is the Straight Path’” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:48-51] · Allaah is absolutely perfect in His powers of Creation. He creates what He wills, how He wills… He created Adam from dust without a father or a mother, and He created Hawwa’ from the rib of Adam from a father but without a mother. He has caused the descendents of Adam to have both a father and a mother, and He created ‘Eesa from his mother without a father… Glory be to the AllKnowing Creator. 334

Allaah has explained clearly in the Qur’aan how ‘Eesa was born. He says (interpretation of the meaning: “And mention in the Book (the Qur’aan, O Muhammad, the story of) Maryam (Mary), when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Rooh [angel Jibreel (Gabriel)], and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. She said: ‘Verily, I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Allaah) from you, if you do fear Allaah.’ (The angel) said: ‘I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.’ She said: ‘How can I have a son, when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste?’ He said: ‘So (it will be), your Lord said: ‘That is easy for Me (Allaah). And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allaah), and it is a matter (already) decreed (by Allaah)’ ” [Maryam 19:16-21] · When Jibreel told her that, she submitted to the will and decree of Allaah, and Jibreel breathed into the sleeves of her garment: “So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (i.e. Bethlehem valley about 46 miles from Jerusalem). And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm. She said: ‘Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!’” [Maryam 19:22-23] 335

· Then Allaah provided Maryam with water and food, and commanded her not to speak to anyone: “Then [the babe ‘Eesa (Jesus) or Jibreel (Gabriel)] cried unto her from below her, saying: ‘Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you. And shake the trunk of date palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: “Verily, I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allaah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day”’”[Maryam 19:24-26] · Then Maryam came to her people, carrying her child ‘Eesa. When they saw her, they thought that she had done a terrible thing and they denounced it, but she did not respond to them. She indicated that they should ask this infant, and he would tell them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: ‘O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariyy (a mighty thing). O sister (i.e. the like) of Haaroon (Aaron)! Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.’ Then she pointed to him. They said: How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?’” [Maryam 19:27-29] · ‘Eesa replied to them straight away, even though he was a child in the cradle: “He [‘Eesa (Jesus)] said: ‘Verily, I am a slave of Allaah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; 336

And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me Salaah (prayer), and Zakaah, as long as I live. And dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest. And Salaam (peace) be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive!’”[Maryam 19:30-33] This is the information about ‘Eesa ibn Maryam, the slave and Messenger of Allaah. But the People of the Book differed concerning him. Some of them said that he was the son of God, and some said that he was the third of three (“trinity”), and some said that he was God, and some said that he was a slave and Messenger of God. This last view is the correct view. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Such is ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or dispute). It befits not (the Majesty of) Allaah that He should beget a son [this refers to the slander of Christians against Allaah, by saying that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is the son of Allaah]. Glorified (and Exalted) be He (above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it: “Be!” and it is. [‘Eesa (Jesus) said]: ‘And verily, Allaah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path. (Allaah’s religion of Islâmic Monotheism which He did ordain for all of His Prophets).’ Then the sects differed [i.e. the Christians about ‘Eesa (Jesus)], so woe unto the disbelievers [those who gave false witness by saying that ‘Eesa (Jesus) is the son of Allaah] from the Meeting of a great Day (i.e. the Day of 337

Resurrection, when they will be thrown in the blazing Fire)”[Maryam 19:34-38] · When the Children of Israel deviated from the Straight Path and overstepped the limits set by Allaah, they did wrong and spread corruption on earth, and a group among them denied the resurrection, Reckoning and punishment. They indulged in their desires and in physical pleasures without expecting to be brought to account. At that point, Allaah sent to them ‘Eesa ibn Maryam as a Messenger, and taught him the Tawraat and Injeel as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And He (Allaah) will teach him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] the Book and Al-Hikmah (i.e. the Sunnah, the faultless speech of the Prophets, wisdom), (and) the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel). And will make him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] a Messenger to the Children of Israel”[Aal ‘Imraan 3:48] · Allaah revealed to ‘Eesa ibn Maryam the Injeel (Gospel) as guidance and light, confirming that which had come before it in the Tawraat: “and We gave him the Injeel (Gospel), in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Tawraat (Torah) that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition for Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”[al-Maa’idah 5:46 – interpretation of the meaning] · ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) foretold the coming of a Messenger from Allaah after him, whose name would be Ahmad. This is Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel! I am the Messenger 338

of Allaah unto you, confirming the Tawraat [(Torah) which came] before me, and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad.’ But when he (Ahmad, i.e. Muhammad) came to them with clear proofs, they said: ‘This is plain magic’”[al-Saff 61:6] · ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) called the Children of Israel to worship Allaah alone, and to obey the rulings of the Tawraat and Injeel… He started to dispute with them and to explain the error of their ways. When he saw how stubborn they were and how the signs of kufr were manifest among them, he stood among his people, saying, Who will be my helpers in the cause of Allaah? The disciples believed in him, and their number was twelve. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Then when ‘Eesa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: ‘Who will be my helpers in Allaah’s Cause?’ AlHawaariyyoon (the disciples) said: ‘We are the helpers of Allaah; we believe in Allaah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allaah).’ Our Lord! We believe in what You have sent down, and we follow the Messenger [‘Eesa (Jesus)]; so write us down among those who bear witness (to the truth, i.e. Laa ilaaha illallaah — none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah)”[Aal ‘Imraan 3:52-53] · Allaah supported ‘Eesa with great miracles which remind us of the power of Allaah, lift the spirit and promote faith in Allaah and in the Last Day. He made something like the shape of a bird from clay, and blew into it, and it became a bird, by Allaah’s leave. He healed the blind and the leper, and brought the death back to life by Allaah’s leave. He told the people what they were eating and what they were storing in their houses. So the Jews to whom Allaah had sent ‘Eesa became hostile towards him and 339

tried to the people away from him, so they disbelieved in him and accused his mother of immorality. · When they saw that the weak and poor believed in him, and were gathering around him, they formed a plot to kill him. So they provoked the Romans against him, and they made the Roman governor think that the call of ‘Eesa contained a threat against (Roman) power. So he (the Roman governor) issued orders that ‘Eesa should be arrested and crucified. But Allaah caused a hypocrite who had betrayed him to the Romans to look like ‘Eesa. The soldiers arrested him, thinking that he was ‘Eesa, and crucified him. But Allaah saved ‘Eesa from the cross and from death, and Allaah tells us about the Jews (interpretation of the meaning): “And because of their saying (in boast), ‘We killed Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), the Messenger of Allaah,’ — but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but it appeared so to them the resemblance of ‘Eesa (Jesus) was put over another man (and they killed that man)], and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely; they killed him not [i.e. ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)]: But Allaah raised him [‘Eesa (Jesus)] up (with his body and soul) unto Himself (and he is in the heavens). And Allaah is Ever All Powerful, All Wise” [al-Nisaa’ 4:157-158] · So Eesa (peace be upon him) did not die, rather Allaah raised him up to Himself, and he will descend before the Day of Resurrection and will follow Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He will prove the Jews to be wrong in their claim to have killed ‘Eesa and crucified him. And he will prove the Christians to be wrong who exaggerated about him and said that he was 340

God, or the son of God, or the third of three. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the son of Maryam will descend among you as a just judge. He will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the jizyah, and money will become so widespread that there will be no one who will accept it.” (Agreed upon; narrated by Muslim, no. 155). · When ‘Eesa comes down before the Day of Resurrection, the People of the Book will believe in him, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) but must believe in him [‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), as only a Messenger of Allaah and a human being] before his [‘Eesa (Jesus) or a Jew’s or a Christian’s] death (at the time of the appearance of the angel of death). And on the Day of Resurrection, he [‘Eesa (Jesus)] will be a witness against them” [al-Nisaa’ 4:159] · ‘Eesa ibn Maryam is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah sent him to guide the Children of Israel and to call them to worship Allaah alone, as Allaah says to the Jews and Christians (interpretation of the meaning): “O people of the Scripture (Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth. The Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), was (no more than) a Messenger of Allaah and His Word, (‘Be!’ — and he was) which He bestowed on Maryam (Mary) and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him; so believe in Allaah and His Messengers. Say not: ‘Three (trinity)!’ Cease! (it is) better for you. For Allaah is (the only) One Ilaah (God), glory is to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allaah is All Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs” [al-Nisaa’ 4:171] 341

· Saying that ‘Eesa is the son of God is a monstrous saying and a great evil. “And they say: ‘The Most Gracious (Allaah) has begotten a son (or offspring or children) [as the Jews say: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of Allaah, and the Christians say that He has begotten a son [‘Eesa (Jesus)], and the pagan Arabs say that He has begotten daughters (angels and others)].’ Indeed you have brought forth (said) a terrible evil thing. Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the earth is split asunder, and the mountains fall in ruins, That they ascribe a son (or offspring or children) to the Most Gracious (Allaah). But it is not suitable for (the Majesty of) the Most Gracious (Allaah) that He should beget a son (or offspring or children). There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Gracious (Allaah) as a slave[Maryam 19:88-93] · ‘Eesa ibn Maryam is a human being, a slave of Allaah and His Messenger. Whoever believes that the Messiah son of Maryam is God is a disbeliever (kaafir). “Surely, they have disbelieved who say: Allaah is the Messiah [‘Eesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary)’” [al-Maa’idah 5:72] · Whoever says that the Messiah is the son of God or the third of three is also a disbeliever: “Surely, disbelievers are those who said: ‘Allaah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).” But there is no Ilaah (god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One 342

Ilaah (God —Allaah). And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among them” [al-Maa’idah 5:73] · The Messiah son of Maryam was a human being. He was born from a mother; he ate and drank, got up and went to sleep, suffered pain and wept… and God (Allaah) is far above all of that, so how could he be God? Rather he is the slave of Allaah and His Messenger: “The Messiah [‘Eesa (Jesus)], son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother [Maryam (Mary)] was a Siddeeqah [i.e. she believed in the Words of Allaah and His Books]. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allaah does not eat). Look how We make the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them; yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth)” [al-Maa’idah 5:75] · The Jews, Christians, crusaders and their followers distorted the religion of the Messiah, and deviated and changed it. They said (may Allaah curse them) that Allaah sent forth his son the Messiah to be killed and crucified as a sacrifice for mankind – so it doesn’t matter if anyone does whatever he wants, because Jesus will carry all his sins for him… And they spread that belief among all the Christian groups until it became a part of their beliefs. All of this is falsehood and is lies against Allaah, and speaking about Him without knowledge. Rather “every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds”. Man’s life cannot be sound or correct unless they have a path to follow and limits at which to stop. · Look at how they fabricate lies against Allaah, and speak about Allaah with no guidance: 343

“Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allaah,’ to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby” [al-Baqarah 2:79] · Allaah has taken from the Christians the pledge that they will follow ‘Eesa and follow that which he brought, but they changed and distorted that; they differed then they turned away. So Allaah will punish them with enmity and hatred in this world, and with torment in the Hereafter, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And from those who call themselves Christians, We took their covenant, but they have abandoned a good part of the Message that was sent to them. So We planted amongst them enmity and hatred till the Day of Resurrection (when they discarded Allaah’s Book, disobeyed Allaah’s Messengers and His Orders and transgressed beyond bounds in Allaah’s disobedience); and Allaah will inform them of what they used to do”[al-Maa’idah 5:14] · On the Day of Resurrection, ‘Eesa will stand before the Lord of the Worlds, Who will ask him before the witnesses what he said to the Children of Israel, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allaah will say (on the Day of Resurrection): ‘O ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary)! Did you say unto men: “Worship me and my mother as two gods besides Allaah?”’ He will say: ‘Glory be to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my innerself though I do not know what is in Yours; truly, You, only You, are the AllKnower of all that is hidden (and unseen). Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allaah) did command me to say: “Worship Allaah, my Lord and 344

your Lord.”’ And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things. (This is a great admonition and warning to the Christians of the whole world). If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You, are the All Mighty, the All Wise”’ [al-Maa’idah 5:116-118] · Allaah has created kindness and mercy among the followers of ‘Eesa and the believers. They are closer in friendship to the followers of Muhammad than anyone else, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, you will find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) the Jews and those who are Al-Mushrikoon, and you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say: ‘We are Christians.’ That is because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud” [al-Maa’idah 5:82] ‘Eesa ibn Maryam was the last of the Prophets sent to the Children of Israel. Then after him Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), from among the descendents of Ismaa’eel, to all of mankind. And he is the last of the Prophets and Messengers. From Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri (www.islam-qa.com) 6084: Is the Prophet peace and blessings of Allaah alive and present on the earth at this time? Question: the following article was published stating that the prophet’s spirit is omnipresent at all times (may allah bless him & give him peace). below is most of their article and 345

their proofs. is what they say the truth? it is the contention and the belief of the ahle sunnat wal jamaat that the holy prophet(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is : (a). present & seeing at all times , (b). aware and witnessing the creation of allah , (c). able to be present in several places at the same time . ” ‘o’ nabi (communicator of the unseen) we have sent you as a witness.” (s33 v45). 2). “then how shall it be, when we bring up a witness from each nation (of each prophet) and ‘o’ beloved messenger we will bring you as a witness and guardian against all those.” (s4 v41) observe that the holy prophet(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is being called a witness to all the nations that allah has put upon this earth. therefore, the holy prophet(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) must have been present before his earthly appearance and is still present after this earthly demise, otherwise he cannot be called upon as a witness in the true sense of the word. there are many other verses of the holy quran that call upon the holy prophet(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) to be a witness. and a witness can only be someone who is haazir & naazir. a technical point: the following quranic verses are often quoted to show that the holy prophet(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) was not present and seeing before his earthly appearance : “and you(‘o’ prophet) were not with them(present) when they cast their pens(to decide) which of them should be mary’s guardian.” (s3 v44) ”the prophet was not present when musa was called upon tur” (s28 v46) yes, the holy prophet(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) was not present (physically speaking) at these Answer: The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the best and most perfect of creation, and the most 346

beloved to Allaah and the most honoured by Him. But this does not mean that his human characteristics are to be denied, or that any of the duties of worship which are due only to Allaah should be directed to him. The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was a human being who suffered from sickness and real death the same as any other human being. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die, and verily, they (too) will die” [al-Zumar 39:30] “And We granted not to any human being immortality before you (O Muhammad); then if you die, would they live forever?” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:34] The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died and was buried in his grave, hence al-Siddeeq Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Whoever used to worship Muhammad, Muhammad has died, but whoever used to worship Allaah, Allaah is alive and will never die.” The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was a witness, a bringer of glad tidings and a warner, and that he will be a witness on the Day of Resurrection, does not mean that he is present among all nations, or that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will remain alive until the Day of Resurrection, or that he sees and witnesses whilst he is in his grave. Witnessing does not only mean seeing. Rather he will testify against the nations by means of what Allaah tells him, for he does not know the unseen. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth…”[al-A’raaf 7:188] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) does not have the ability to be present in numerous places; 347

he is in only one place, which is his grave, and this is according to the consensus of the Muslims. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr (www.islam-qa.com) 10116: Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the bible Question: Did Muhammad (peace be upon him) was mentioned in the bible?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Muhammad(Peace Be Upon Him)in the bible Bible prophecies about the advent of muhammad Abraham is widely regarded as the Patriarch of monotheism and the common father of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. Through his second son, Isaac, came all Israelite prophet including such towering figures as Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus. May peace and blessing be upon them all. The advent of these great prophets was in partial fulfillment of God’s promises to bless the nations of earth through the descendents of Abraham (Genesis 12:2-3). Such fulfillment is wholeheartedly accepted by Muslims whose faith considers the belief in and respect of all prophets an article of faith. BLESSING OF ISHMAEL AND ISAAC Was the first born son of Abraham (Ishmael) and his descendants icluded in God’s covenant and promise? A 348

few verses from the Bible may help shed some light on this question : Genesis 12:2-3 speaks of God’s promise to Abraham and his descendants before any child was born to him. Genesis 17:4 reiterates God’s promise after the birth of Ishmael and before the birth of Isaac. In Genesis, ch.21. Isaac is specifically blessed but Ishmael was also specifically blessed and promised by God to become “ a great nation” especially in Genesis 21:13, 18. According to Deuteronomy 21:15-17 the traditional rights and privileges of the first born son are not to be affected by the social status of his mother (being a ‘free’ woman such as Sarah, Isaac’s mother, or a “Bondwoman” such as Hagar, Ishmael’s mother). This is only consistent with the moral and humanitarian principles of all revealed faiths. The full legitimacy of Ismael as Abraham’s son and “seed” and the full legitimacy of his mother, Hagar, as Abraham’s wife are clearly stated in Genesis 21:13 and 16:3. After Jesus, the last Israelite messenger and prophet, it was time that God’s promise to bless Ismael and his descendants be fulfilled. Less than 600 years after Jesus, came the last messenger of God, Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) , from the progency of Abraham through Ishmael. God’s blessing of both of the main branches of Abraham’s family tree was now fulfilled. But are there additional corroborating evidence that the Bible did in fact foretell the advent of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him)? MUHAMMAD (Peace be Upon Him):

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The Prophet Like Unto Moses Long time after Abraham, God’s promise to send the longawaited Messenger was repeated this time in Moses’ word. In Deuteronomy 18:18, Moses spoke of the prophet to be sent by God who is : From among the Israelite’s “brethren” a reference to their Ishmaelite cousins as Ishmael was the other son of Abraham who was explicitly promised to become a “great nation”. A prophet like unto Moses. There were hardly any two prophets who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad. Both were given comprehensive law code of life, both encountered their enemies and were victors in miraculous ways, both were accepted as prophets/ statesmen and both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlooks not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well (e.g. the natural birth, family life and death of Moses and Muhammad but no of Jesus, who was regarded by His followers as the Son of God and not exclusively a messenger of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslim belief Jesus was). THE AWAITED PROPHET WAS TO COME FROM ARABIA Deuteronomy 33:1-2 combines references to Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. It speaks of God (i.e. God’s revelation) coming from Sinai, rising from Seir (probably the village of Sa’ir near Jerusalem) and shining forth from Paran. According to Genesis 21:21, the wilder-ness of Paran was the place where Ishmael settled (i.e. Arabia, specifically Mecca). 350

Indeed the King James version of the Bible mentions the pilgrims passing through the valley of Ba’ca (another name of Mecca) in Psalms 84:4-6. Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the beloved of God. His elect and messenger who will bring down a law to be awaited in the isles and who “shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgement on earth.” Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Ke’dar. Who is Ke’dar? According to Genesis 25:13, Ke’dar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the prophet Muhammad. MUHAMMAD’S MIGRATION FROM MECCA TO MEDINA : PROPHECIED IN THE BIBLE? Habakkuk 3:3 speaks of God (God’s help) coming from Te’man. (an Oasis North of Medina according to J. Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible), and the holy one (coming) from Paran. That holy one who under persecution migrated from Paran (Mecca) to be received enthusiastically in Medina was none but prophet Muhammad. Indeed the incident of the migration of the prophet and his persecuted followers is vividly described in Isaiah 21:13-17. that section forerold as well about the battel of Badr in which the few ill-armed faithfull miraculously defeated the “mighty” men of Ke’dar, who sought to destroy Islam and intimidate their own folks who turned to Islam. THE QUR’AN (KORAN) FORETOLD IN THE BIBLE? For twenty-three years, God’s word (the Qur’an) were truely put into Muhammad’s mouth. He was not the “author” of the Qur’an. The Qur’an was dictated to him by Angel Gabriel who asked Muhammad to simply repeat the words of the Qur’an as he heard them. These words 351

were then committed to memory and to writing by those who hear them during Muhammad’s life time and under his supervision. Was it a coincidence that the prophet “like unto Moses” from the “brethren” of the Israelites (i.e. from the Ishmaelites) was also described as one in whose mouth God will put his words and that he will speak in the name of God., (Duteronomy 18:18-20). Was it also a coincidence the “Paraclete” thet Jesus foretold to come after Him was described as one who “shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak.. “(John 16:13). Was it another coincidence that Isaiah ties between the messenger connected with Ke’dar and a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sang unto the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). More explicitly, prophesies Isaiah “ for with stammering lips, and another tongue, will he speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11). This latter verse correctly describes the “stammering lips” of Prophet Muhammad reflecting the state of tension and concentration he went through at the time of revelation. Another related point is that the Qur’an was revealed in piece-meals over a span of twenty-three years. It is interisting to compare this with Isaiah 28:10 which speaks of the same thing. THAT PROPHET – PARACLETE – MUHAMMAD Up to the time of Jesus, the Israelites were still awaiting for that prophet like unto Moses prophecied in Deuteronomy 18:18. when John the Baptist came, they asked him if he was Christ and he said “No”. they asked him if he was Elias and he said “No”. then, in apparent reference to Deuteronomy 18:18, they asked him “Art thou that Prophet” and he answered, “No”. (John 1:1921). 352

In the Gospel according to John (Chapters 14, 15, 16) Jesus spoke of the “ Paraclete” or comporter who will come after him, who will be sent by Father as another Paraclete, who will teach new things which the contemporaries of Jesus could not bear. While the Paraclete is described as the spirit of truth (whose meaning resemble Muhammad’s famous title Al-Amin, the trustworthy), he is identified in one verse as the Holy Ghost (John 14:26). Such a designation is however incosistent with the profile of that Paraclete. In the words of the Dictionary of the Bible, (Ed. J. Mackenzie) “ These items, it must be admitted do not give an entirely coherent picture.” Indeed history tells us that many early Christians understood the Paraclete to be a man and not a spirit. This might explain the followings who responded to some who claimed, without meeting the criteria stipulated by Jesus, to be the awaited “Paraclete”. It was Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) who was the Paraclete, Comforter, helper, admonisher sent by God after Jesus. He testified of Jesus, taught new things which could not be borne at Jesus’ time, he spoke what he heard (revelation), he dwells with the believers (through his well-preserved teachings). Such teachings will remain forever because he was the last messenger of God, the only Universal Messenger to unite the whole of humanity under God and on the path of PRESERVED truth. He told of many things to come which “came to pass” in the minutest detail meeting, the criterion given by Moses to distinguish between the true prophet and the false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:22). He did reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement (John 16:8-11). WAS THE SHIFT OF RELIGIUS LEADERSHIP PROPHECIED? 353

Following the rejection of the last Israelite prophet, Jesus, it was about time that God’s promise to make Ishmael a great nation be fulfilled (Genesis 21:13, 18). In Matthew 21:19-21, Jesus spoke of the fruitless fig tree (A Biblical symbol of prophetic heritage) to be cleared after being given a last chance of three years (the duration of Jesus’ ministry) to give fruit. In a later verse in the same chapter, Jesus said : “Therefore, say I unto you, the Kingdom of God shall be taken away from you, and given to nation bringing forth the fruit thereof” (Matthew 21:43). That nation of Ishmael’s descendants (the rejected stone in Matthew 21 :42) which was victorious against all super-powers of its time as prophecied by Jesus : “ And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken, but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder” (Matthew 21:44). OUT OF CONTEXT COINCIDENCE? Is it possible that the numerous prophecies cited here are all individually and combined out of contect misinterpretations? is the opposite true, that such infrequently studied verses fit together consistently and clearly point to the advent of the man who changed the course of human history, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him). Is it reasonable to conclude that all these prophecies, appearing in different books of the Bible and spoken by various prophets at different times were all coinsidence? If this is so here is another strange “coincidence”! One of the signs of the prophet to come from Paran (Mecca) is that he will come with “ten thousands of saints” (Deuteronomy 33:2 KJV). That was the number of faithful who accompanied Prophet Muhammad to Paran (Mecca) in his victorious, bloodless return to his birthplace, to destroy the remaining symbols of idolatry in the Ka’bah. 354

Says God as quated by Moses : And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:19). Dear Readers: May the light of truth shine in your heart and mind. May it lead you to peace and certitude in this life and eternal bliss in hereafter. AMEEN . Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 9514: What is the role of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him)? Question: I would like to know what is the duties and functions of Jesus as “Al-Masih” in Islam. Many Christian anti-Islamic sites have been asking this question. Its not that my faith is not strong, but I could not explain my answer properly. Perhaps you can help me. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) has two roles: 1- His first role, which was before Allaah raised him up to heaven when the Jews wanted to crucify him. His role at that time was, like that of any other Prophet, to convey 355

the Message. Allaah gave him the Injeel (Gospel) to confirm the Tawraat (Torah), and He gave him miracles which are well known, such as healing the blind and lepers, and raising the dead by Allaah’s leave, and other well known miracles. “He called his people to worship Allaah Alone and to believe in Him alone (Tawheed), and he was a witness against them throughout his stay among them.” 2- His second role will come at the end of time, when the Dajjaal will emerge. Allaah will send ‘Eesa down to the earth, and he will be a leader of the believers who will rule them according to the Islamic sharee’ah. He will kill the Dajjaal, and the Mahdi will appear during his time. Blessings will come down from Allaah such that the milk of one camel will be sufficient for a large number of people, and wealth will be abundant. During his time Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj (Gog and Magog) will emerge and will spread mischief throughout the earth. “Allaah will destroy them and ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) will rule the earth according to Islamic sharee’ah, until he dies and the Muslims offer the funeral prayer for him.” Then Allaah will send a cool breeze which will take the soul of every believer, and after that none will be left except the most evil of people, upon whom the Hour will come. Shaykh Sa’d al-Humayd (www.islam-qa.com) 11725: The difference between a Messenger and a Prophet Question: Reference to Holy Qur‘an 33:40 ........; he was a messenger of God and the last prophet. - What is the difference between messenger and prophet? 356

-Why A messnger and not the LAST messenger? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The well-known difference between a Prophet and a Messenger is that a Messenger is one to whom a law is revealed and he is commanded to convey it, whilst a Prophet is one to whom a law is revealed but he is not commanded to convey it. But this distinction is not free of problems, because a Prophet is also commanded to call people, convey the Message and judge among the people. Hence Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: The correct view is that the Messenger is one who is sent to a disbelieving people, and the Prophet is one who is sent to a believing people with the sharee’ah of the Messenger who came before him, to teach them and judge between them, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, We did send down the Tawraat (Torah) [to Moosa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allaah’s Will, judged for the Jews” [al-Maa’idah 5:44] So the Prophets of the Children of Israel judged by the Tawraat which Allaah had revealed to Moosa. With regard to the aayah, “but he is the Messenger of Allaah and the last (end) of the Prophets” [al-Ahzaab 33:40] and why it did not say the last of the Messengers – the end of the Message does not mean the end of Prophethood, but the end of Prophethood does mean the end of the Message. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of 357

Allaah be upon him) said: “There will be no Prophet after me,” and he did not say, there will be no Messenger after me. Thus we know that there is no Messenger and no Prophet after him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); he was the last of the Prophets and of the Messengers, (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (www.islamqa.com) 11452: Was Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) the first to be created? Question: Is it permissible for the Muslim to say in praise of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Yaa awwal khalq Allaah (O first of the creation of Allaah)”? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the best of the creation of Allaah, and the highest in status. But he is not the first of the creation of Allaah. The first thing that Allaah created was the Throne, not Adam or Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). With regard to the reports that Allaah created Muhammad from light and put his name next to His Name, and that when Adam was created and the spirit was breathed into him, he saw that his name was written by the Throne – there is no proof that any of these reports were narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). And Allaah knows best. 358

Fataawa Samaahat al-Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Humayd, p. 16 (www.islam-qa.com) 8490: Are the ahaadeeth about matters of the unseen revelation (wahy) from Allaah? Question: I have a question regarding hadith. I know the Prophet (saaw) never spoke from his own desires about the deen so how did he know information about stuff like the signs of the dat of judgement and so on? Did Allah (swt) tell him all these things? Please clearify this matter for me. Thank you Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Everything that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us about the unseen, past, present and future, such as the beginning of creation, the resurrection, Paradise, Hell, the signs of the Hour, the angels and the Prophets, all of that is by revelation (wahy) from Allaah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed” (al-Najm 53:3-4) “This is of the news of the Unseen which We reveal unto you (O Muhammad)” [Hood 11:49] “Say (O Muhammad): ‘I don’t tell you that with me are the treasures of Allaah, nor (that) I know the Unseen; 359

nor I tell you that I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me.’” [al-An’aam 6:50] Hence it is obligatory to believe everything that Allaah has told the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concerning the unseen and other matters, for he is the one who tells the truth and is to be believed. Whoever disbelieves him, even if it is with regard to only one report that he knows to be sound (saheeh), becomes an apostate thereby, if he is Muslim. Al-Nubuwwaat (Prophethood) Written by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (www.islam-qa.com) 7459: Are the Prophets equal? Question: I help teach a group of girls about Islam once a week.This past week, one of the girls asked me the following question.To which, I was not able to reply and I told her that I would look it up or ask someone. The question was: Are all the prophets considered equal? If so, then why is it that the there is a prophet on each level of heaven, with Prophet Muhammad (SAAS) in the highest (seventh heaven)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. All people were created by Allaah and are His slaves; His is the power and command from eternity to eternity. The wisdom of Allaah decreed that He should select some of His angels and prefer them over others, such as Jibreel, 360

Mika’eel, Israafeel, Maalik, Radwaan et al., who have a higher status than others. And His wisdom and justice decreed that He should select some of the children of Adam and prefer some of them over others, so that they have a higher status and better position. As Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Allaah chooses Messengers from angels and from men. Verily, Allaah is AllHearer, AllSeer” [al-Hajj 22:75] “Those Messengers! We preferred some of them to others; to some of them Allaah spoke (directly); others He raised to degrees (of honour)” [al-Baqarah 2:253] Allaah tells us that He chose and selected these Messengers from among mankind. After mentioning some of the Prophets and Messengers, He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And also some of their fathers and their progeny and their brethren, We chose them, and We guided them to the Straight Path” [al-An’aam 6:87]. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And Allaah has preferred some of you above others in wealth and properties” [al-Nahl 16:71]. His wisdom decreed that Adam (peace be upon him) should be the father of mankind, and His wisdom, mercy and justice decreed that from among Adam’s progeny He should select an elite of Messengers and Prophets – may peace and blessings be upon them and upon our Prophet. Among those whom He chose and preferred over others were the Messengers of strong will [Uloo’l-‘Azm, see alAhqaaf 46:35], namely, Muhammad, Ibraaheem, Nooh, Moosa and ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam, may the best of blessings and peace be upon them. And He chose and favoured 361

above them all their leader, the final Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He is indeed the leader of the sons of Adam, with no boast. He will carry the banner and will be granted the power of intercession [on the Day of Resurrection]. He is the one who will attain al-maqaam al-mahmood (the Praised Position) in Paradise, which will be given to one person only, and that person will be our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Hence Allaah took the covenant and pledge from all the Prophets that if Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent during the lifetime of any one of them, they would be obliged to follow him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), to leave behind what they had brought and follow what our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) brought. As Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when Allaah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: ‘Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Hikmah (understanding of the Laws of Allaah), and afterwards there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him.’ Allaah said: ‘Do you agree (to it) and will you take up My Covenant (which I conclude with you)?’ They said: ‘We agree.’ He said: ‘Then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses (for this).’ Then whoever turns away after this, they are the Faasiqoon (rebellious: those who turn away from Allaah’s obedience)” [Aal-Imraan 3:81-82] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him): “By Allaah, if my brother Moosa were alive, he would have no choice but to follow me.” And when the Messiah ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) comes down at the end of time, he will come to rule 362

in accordance with the sharee’ah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he will follow him (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). All of the above refers to their status before Allaah. With regard to their religion, it is one religion, for they all called people to believe in One God, Allaah (Tawheed) and to devote worship sincerely to Him Alone. With regard to laws, each of them had his own law which was for his people alone. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way” [al-Maa’idah 5:48]. But the way (sharee’ah) of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the most perfect, the best, the most complete and the most beloved to Allaah; it abrogates all laws that came before it. Undoubtedly the Prophets differ in status, and they are at varying levels. The best of them, as stated above, are the five Messengers of strong will (Uloo’l-‘Azm), and the best of them all is the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). With regard to the saheeh ahaadeeth, “Do not prefer me over Yoonus ibn Mattaa” and “By the One Who chose Moosa over all of creation” – these all indicate the immense humility of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when speaking of his brothers the Messengers. But he is undoubtedly the best of them all, for he led them in prayer in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) on the night of the Israa’. He will be the leader of the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, and he is the only one among all the Messengers who will be granted the power of intercession on that Day. He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the one who said: “From among the sons of Adam, Allaah chose Quraysh; from among Quraysh He chose Kinaanah; from among Kinaanah He chose Bani Haashim; and from among Bani 363

Haashim He chose me.” He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the Chosen One (al-Mustafaa) from among all of mankind. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 7208: Did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commit sin? Question: My question is about the Prophet( ). Some muslims believe that he was sinless while others say he was not. I personally dont think he was sinless cause he was just a human. Can u tell me which is true using Quran or Hadith, please? Thank you very much. Allahu Akbar Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: the use of the word “sin” in the question is a grave mistake, because sin (khatee’ah, pl. khataayaa) is impossible in the case of the Messengers. It is more correct to say mistakes, because a mistake may be made unintentionally, which is not the case with sins. Secondly: with regard to sins, the Messengers, including Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), never committed any sin intentionally as an act of disobedience towards Allaah after receiving their Mission (risaalah). This is according to the consensus of the Muslims. They were protected from major sins (kabaa’ir) but not from minor sins (saghaa’ir). 364

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The view that the Prophets were protected from major sins (kabaa’ir) but not from minor sins (saghaa’ir) is the view of the majority of the scholars of Islam and all the sects… It is also the view of the majority of the scholars of tafseer and hadeeth, and of the fuqahaa’. Nothing was reported from any of the Salaf, Imaams, Sahaabah, Taabi’een or the successive generation that does not agree with this view. (Majmaa’ al-Fataawaa, 4/319). This question was posed to the Standing Committee on this topic: Question: Some people, including the heretics, say that the Prophets and Messengers could make mistakes, i.e., they could make mistakes like all other people. They say that the first mistake ever made was when the son of Adam, Qaabeel, killed Haabeel… and when the two angels came to Dawood, he listened to the first and did not listen to what the second had to say… and the story of Yoonus when the big fish swallowed him; and the story of the Messenger with Zayd ibn Haarithah, they say that he concealed something which he should have declared openly; and with his Sahaabah, he told them, “You know better about your worldly affairs,” and they say that this is because he made a mistake in this regard; and what happened with the blind man, which is referred to in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning), “(The Prophet) frowned and turned away, because there came to him the blind man…” [‘Abasa 80:1-2]. Could the Prophets and Messengers really make mistakes? How can we respond to these sinners [who say these things]? 365

Answer: Yes, the Prophets and Messengers made mistakes, but Allaah did not approve of their mistakes; rather, He pointed out their mistakes as a Mercy to them and their ummahs, and He forgave their mistakes and accepted their repentance as a Grace and Mercy, for Allaah is OftForgiving, Most Merciful. This will be clear to anyone who checks out the aayaat of the Qur’aan in which the matters raised in the question are discussed… With regard to the sons of Aadam, even though they were not Prophets… Allaah explained how evil was the deed which he did to his brother… (Fataawaa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, no. 6290, 3/194). Thirdly: before they were given their Mission (risaalah), the scholars have said that it is possible that they may have committed some minor sins, but they were protected from committing major sins such as zinaa, drinking wine, etc. But after they received their Mission, the correct view is that they may have committed some minor mistakes but this was not approved of and they were rebuked. Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said: Most of the reports from the majority of scholars state that they were not infallible with regard to minor mistakes, but they were not allowed to persist in them; they do not say that this could never happen at all. The first suggestion that they were completely infallible came from the Raafidis, who say that they are so infallible that they could never make any mistake even by way of forgetfulness and misunderstanding. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, 4/320). They are infallible with regard to conveying the Message from Allaah, may He be exalted. 366

Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The aayaat which indicate the Prophethood of the Prophets also indicate that they are infallible with regard to the conveying of the Message from Allaah; so what they say can only be true. This is the meaning of Prophethood, which implies that Allaah tells the Prophet something of the Unseen and he tells it to the people. And the Messenger is commanded to call the people to Allaah and to convey the message of his Lord. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa, 18/7) Fourthly: mistakes which are committed unintentionally are of two types: With regard to worldly matters: this happened to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). With regard to agriculture, medicine, carpentry, etc., he was like all other people. Allaah did not tell us that he was sent to us as a businessman or a farmer or a carpenter or a doctor. His mistakes in these fields are quite natural and do not impact on his Message at all. It was reported that Raafi’ ibn Khudayj said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah, and they were pollinating the date-palms. He said, “What are you doing?” They said, “We always used to pollinate them.” He said, “Perhaps if you do not do that, it will be better.” So they did not do it, and the harvest was lacking. They mentioned that to him, and he said, “I am only a human being like you. If I tell you to do something with regard to religion, then follow it, but if I tell you to do something based on my own opinion, I am only a human being.” (narrated by Muslim, 2361). We note that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made a mistake in this worldly matter, 367

because he was like all other human beings, but with regard to matters of religion he did not make mistakes. With regard to unintentional mistakes concerning matters of religion: The most correct view among the scholars is that the way this happened with regard to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is that he might do something which is OK but it was not the more appropriate choice. He was sometimes faced with issues concerning which there was no shar’i text on which he could base his decision, so he sought to make ijtihaad based on his own opinion, just as any Muslim scholar may make ijtihaad, and if he makes the right decision, he will be given two rewards, and if he makes the wrong decision, he will still be given one reward. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If the judge makes ijtihaad and gets it right, he will have two rewards, and if he makes ijtihaad and gets it wrong, he will have one reward.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6919; Muslim, 1716, from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah). This also happened to him concerning the prisoners of Badr. Anas said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) consulted the people concerning the prisoners who had been captured on the day of Badr. He said, “Allaah has given you power over them.” ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, strike their necks [execute them]!” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) turned away from him. Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back and said, “O people, Allaah has given you power over them and they were your brothers.” ‘Umar stood up and said, “O 368

Messenger of Allaah, strike their necks [execute them]!” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) turned away from him. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back and said something similar to the people. Abu Bakr stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allaah, why don’t you forgive them and accept payment of ransom from them?” The worried expression left the face of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he forgave them and accepted their payment of ransom. Then Allaah revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not for a Prophet that he should have prisoners of war (and free them with ransom) until he had made a great slaughter (among his enemies) in the land. You desire the good of this world (i.e. the money of ransom for freeing the captives), but Allaah desires (for you) the Hereafter. And Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise” [al-Anfaal 8:67] Narrated by Ahmad (13143). We may note that in this case, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not have any clear text so he made ijtihaad and consulted his companions, and he made a mistake in deciding what was the best thing to do. Cases like this are few in the Sunnah. We have to believe that the Messengers and Prophets are infallible, and we know that they did not disobey Allaah. We should also beware of the words of those who want to cast aspersions on his conveying of the Message by referring to the fact that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made some mistakes with regard to earthly matters. There is a huge difference between the former and the latter. We should also beware of those misguided people who say that some of the rulings of sharee’ah which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us about are his own personal ijtihaad which could be right or 369

wrong. What would these misguided people say in response to the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “Nor does he speak of his own desire. It is only an Inspiration that is inspired” [al-Najm 53:3]? We ask Allaah to protect us from confusion and misguidance, And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2070: When witchcraft was used against the Prophet , this did not affect his worship Question: How was witchcraft used against the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he was the one whom no one could match in worship? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The correct view is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was not harmed by that withcraft physically, mentally or spiritually, or with regard to the Message which he had been enjoined to convey. None of the people noticed or mentioned any change in his life or in his dealing with them, his salaah and adhkaar, or his teachings. The effect of that witchcraft had to do with his initmate relationship with his wives, or with some of his wives, and it was reported only by ‘Aa’ishah, who mentioned that he would imagine that he had had intercourse with his wives when in fact he had not. This effect did not have any impact upon the Message; it happened by the will and decree of Allaah, for a reason. Allaah tested some of the righteous people, such as the Prophets, more severely than other people, and the test is 370

in accordance with the degree of righteousness of a person. And Allaah knows best. Al-Lu’lu al-Makeen min Fataawaa ak-Shaykh ibn Jibreen, p. 65 (www.islam-qa.com) 6333: How was ‘Eesaa (peace be upon him) created? Question: can you tell me how nabi Isa was created in relation to his conception? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah commanded Jibreel to blow through the neck of Maryam’s garment, and this breath went down and by the will of Allaah entered her womb, so it became a soul that Allaah had created. Allaah has explained how He created ‘Eesaa (peace be upon him), as He said (interpretation of the meaning): “And she who guarded her chastity [Virgin Maryam (Mary)], We breathed into (the sleeves of) her (shirt or garment) [through Our Rooh — Jibreel (Gabriel)]” [al-Anbiya’ 21:91] Then Allaah explains that the Rooh reached her womb, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And Maryam (Mary), the daughter of ‘Imraan who guarded her chastity. And We breathed into (the sleeve of her shirt or her garment) through Our Rooh [i.e. Jibreel (Gabriel)]”. [al-Tahreem 66:12] 371

The aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “(The angel) said: ‘I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son’” [Maryam 19:19] – indicates that the one who blew into her was Jibreel, who does not do anything except by the command of Allaah. Some commentaries have been narrated from some Mufassireen suggesting that her pregnancy lasted only a few seconds, but this is not clearly indicated by the texts. If that had been the case, it would have been a miracle in and of itself: people would have accepted that this was not a normal pregnancy as experienced by women, and they would not have accused her of fornication, as they said (interpretation of the meaning): “O Mary! Indeed you have brought a thing Fariyy (a mighty thing)” [Maryam 19:27] There follow comments on this matter from two of the great Mufassireen, one from the past – Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, and one from more recent times – al-Shanqeeti, may Allaah have mercy on him. Imaam Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: The Mufassireen differed as to the length of time (Maryam was) pregnant with ‘Eesaa (peace be upon him). The best known view of the majority is that she carried him for nine months… Ibn Jurayj said: al-Mugheerah told me, from ‘Utbah ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Thaqafi, that he heard Ibn ‘Abbaas being asked about the pregnancy of Maryam, and he said: no sooner had she conceived him then she gave birth! This is strange (ghareeb), and it was based on what might 372

be the apparent meaning of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm” [Maryam 19:22]. The prefix “fa” here [in the phrase fa ajaa’ahaa almakhaad - And the pains of childbirth drove her] indicates a succession of events, but things follow one another according to their own merits and characteristics, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth). Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and female sexual discharge and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman). Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones” [al-Mu’minoon 23:12] Here the fa’ [translated as ‘then’] implies a succession of events according to their own merits and characteristics. It was reported in al-Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari, 3208, Muslim, 2643) that “between each stage there are forty days.” And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “See you not that Allaah sends down water (rain) from the sky, and then [fa’] the earth becomes green?” [al-Hajj 22:63]. The apparent meaning – although Allaah is able to do all things – is that her pregnancy was like that of other women… When Maryam felt that her people were becoming suspicious about her, she hid herself away from 373

them “[in] a far place” [Maryam 19:22], i.e. far away so that she would not see them and they would not see her… she hid away from them and “placed a screen (to screen herself) from them” [Maryam 19:17 – interpretation of the meaning]. So no one could see her and she could not see anyone else. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/122). Shaykh al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: We will not mention all the views of the scholars concerning the length of time Maryam carried ‘Eesaa (peace be upon him), because of the lack of evidence (daleel) for these views. The strongest opinion is that her pregnancy was like that of other women, even though its beginning was miraculous. And Allaah knows best. (Adwaa’ al-Bayaan, 4/264) Some ignorant people interpret the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me” [Saad 38:72] as meaning that the Messiah was a part of the spirit of Allaah! [The original Arabic says min roohi, lit. ‘of My spirit’] Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) explained that this interpretation is misguided, as he said: With regard to the misinterpretation of the genitive (or possessive) construction [idaafah] in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me [min roohi, lit. ‘of My spirit’]” [Saad 38:72] – it should be known that when this construction appears in conjunction with the name of Allaah, may He be glorified, it may be one of two types: 374

(The first) is qualities that cannot stand alone, such as knowledge, power, words, hearing, sight. Here the attribute is attached in a genitive construction (idaafah) to the One Who is described in this manner. So His knowledge, His words, His will, His power, His life are all attributes or qualities which are not created (because this refers to His Essence); the same applies to His Face and His Hand, may He be glorified. The second kind are things which exist separately and are mentioned in idaafah (genitive construction), such as (His) house, (His) she-camel, (His) slave, (His) Messenger, (His) spirit. Here the created thing is connected by the genitive construction to its Creator, but in this case the idaafah implies that the thing mentioned is special and is honoured, and is thus distinguished from other things. For example, the House of Allaah [meaning the Ka’bah] – although all houses belong to Allaah – and the she-camel of Allaah – although all camels belong to Allaah and are created by Him. This idaafah is connected to the idea of His Divinity (uloohiyah), which implies that he loves and honours the thing so described. In contrast, idaafah in the general sense has to do with His Lordship (ruboobiyyah), which implies that He created and formed it. So the general kind of idaafah implies that He is the Creator of that thing, whilst the specific kind of idaafah implies that Allaah has chosen that thing. Allaah creates what He wills and chooses some of His creation, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses” [al-Qasas 28:68] So in this case – the phrase min roohi (lit. ‘of My spirit’), the idaafah (genitive construction) is of the specific type, not the general type, and it does not refer to the attributes of Allaah. Think about this matter, for it will save you 375

from the many errors into which people have fallen by the will of Allaah. (al-Rooh, p. 154, 155) In conclusion, the description of ‘Eesaa (peace be upon him) as the spirit (rooh) of Allaah is by way of honouring him. This idaafah (whereby the word rooh (spirit) is connected in a genitive construction to the Name of Allaah) does not serve to ascribe an attribute to the One Who is so described, as is the case in the phrases “the hand of Allaah”, “the Face of Allaah.” On the contrary, it connects the created being in a genitive construction to the Creator, as the Ka’bah is described as the House of Allaah, and the she-camel – which was the miracle that Allaah gave to His Prophet Saalih (peace be upon him) – was described as the she-camel of Allaah. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 5455: What is the difference between a Prophet and a Messenger? Question: I wonder what is the difference between Nabi (prophet) and Rasul (messenger)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There are a number of views on this issue, one of which is that of Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him): 376

“A Prophet (Nabi) is one to whom Allaah reveals (yanbi’uhu) something, and he passes on what Allaah has reveals to him. If he is sent with that to those who go against the commandments of Allaah, to convey a message from Allaah to them, then he is a Messenger. But if he follows a sharee’ah that came before him, and is not himself sent to anyone to convey the message from Allaah to them, then he is a Prophet and not a Messenger…” (alNubuwwaat, p. 255). Other scholars add different details, but these are the most important of them. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 5522: Which son was to be sacrificed? Question: I understand that Prophet Ibrahim (pbuh)intended to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ishmail (pbuh), according to Muslim belief. However, a non-Muslim that I had a discussion with pointed out that this is not mentioned in the Quran. Upon investigating this matter, it seems that the Quran is ambiguous as to which son is intended to be sacrificed (as least in my English translation) (surah 37). Please explain the Muslim position on Prophet Ibrahim and the sacrifice, using textual evidence. jazakallah khairun Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah says of His slave and Close Friend (Khaleel) Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): 377

“99. And he said (after his rescue from the fire): “Verily, I am going to my Lord. He will guide me!” 100. “My Lord! Grant me (offspring) from the righteous.” 101. So We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy. 102. And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him, he said: “O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offering you in sacrifice to Allaah). So look what you think!” He said: “O my father! Do that which you are commanded, In shaa’ Allaah (if Allaah wills), you shall find me of As-Saabiroon (the patient).” 103. Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allaah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering); 104. We called out to him: “O Ibraaheem! 105. You have fulfilled the dream!” Verily, thus do We reward the Muhsinoon (good-doers). 106. Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial. 107. And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice (i.e. a ram); 108. And We left for him (a goodly remembrance) among the later generations. 109. “Salaam (peace) be upon Ibraaheem!” 110. Thus indeed do We reward the Muhsinoon (gooddoers). 111. Verily, he was one of Our believing slaves. 112. And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaaq (Isaac) ¾ a Prophet from the righteous. 113. We blessed him and Ishaaq (Isaac). And of their 378

progeny are (some) that do right, and some that plainly wrong themselves.” [al-Saaffaat 37:99-113) Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Allaah tells us that when His Close Friend (Khaleel) Ibraaheem migrated from the land of his people, he asked his Lord to grant him a righteous son, so Allaah gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing boy. This was Ismaa’eel (peace be upon him), because he was the first child who was born (to Ibraaheem, peace be upon him). There is no dispute on this point among the followers of the various religions [Jews, Christians and Muslims], that (Ismaa’eel) was the first child born to Ibraaheem. “And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him” means, when he grew up and was able to take care of himself, like his father. Mujaahid said: “And, when he (his son) was old enough to walk with him” means, when he grew up and was able to ride and walk and work like his father did. When this happened, then Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) saw a dream in which he was commanded to sacrifice this son of his. According to a hadeeth narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas and attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “The dreams of the Prophets are Wahy (revelation).” So Allaah was testing His Close Friend by commanding him to sacrifice this beloved son who had come to him in his old age, when he was very old, and after he had been commanded to settle the child and his mother in the desert, in a valley in which there was no noise, no people, no vegetation and no animals. So Ibraaheem obeyed the command of Allaah and left them there, putting his trust in Allaah, and Allaah sent them provision, from an unexpected source. After all that, when Ibraaheem was ordered to sacrifice this son of his, who was his firstborn and his only child, he responded to his Lord and obeyed His command, hastening to do as He willed. So he told his son about it so as to put him at ease and not sacrifice him by force. 379

“He said: ‘O my son! I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you (offering you in sacrifice to Allaah). So look what you think!’” The forbearing boy immediately responded: “He said: ‘O my father! Do that which you are commanded, In shaa’ Allaah (if Allaah wills), you shall find me of As-Saabiroon (the patient).’” This was the best answer he could give, an example of obedience to his father and to the Lord of mankind. Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): “Then, when they had both submitted themselves (to the Will of Allaah), and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead (or on the side of his forehead for slaughtering).” It was said that “when they had both submitted themselves” meant when they had both surrendered to the command of Allaah. “and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead” means that he put him face down. It was said that he wanted to slaughter him from behind so that he would not see his face at the time of slaughter. This was the view of Ibn ‘Abbaas, Mujaahid, Sa’eed ibn Jubayr, Qutaadah and al-Dahhaak… “They both submitted themselves” means that Ibraaheem said Bismillaahi’rRahmaan ir-Raheem and said Allaahu akbar and the boy said La ilaaha ill-Allaah because he was about to die. AlSaddi and others said that (Ibraaheem) passed the knife over the boy’s throat but it did not cut him at all. It was said that a sheet of copper was placed between the knife and his throat, and Allaah knows best. Then it was called out from Allaah: “’O Ibraaheem! You have fulfilled the dream!’” meaning, the purpose has been achieved, you have been tested and your obedience and willingness to do what your Lord commands have been proven. An alternative sacrifice will be provided instead of your son, just as you willingly submitted your body to the flames and you spent your wealth to honour your guests. Hence Allaah said: 380

“Verily, that indeed was a manifest trial” meaning that it was an obvious test. “And We ransomed him with a great sacrifice” means, We provided a ransom for his son, an alternative to be sacrificed in his stead. According to the best known opinion of the majority of scholars, this was a fine white horned ram. Al-Thawri narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Uthmaan ibn Khaytham from Sa’eed ibn Jubayr that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: It was a ram that had grazed in Paradise for forty years. It was also narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the dried ram’s head was still hanging on the downspout of the Ka’bah. This alone is evidence that the one who was to be sacrificed was Ismaa’eel, because he was the one who was settled in Makkah and we have never heard that Ishaaq ever came to Makkah from the time he was little. And Allaah knows best. See Al-Bidaayah wa’l-Nihaayah by Ibn Katheer, 1/157158 The one who was to be sacrificed was Ismaa’eel and not Ishaaq, because of the reasons stated above. In his Tafseer (commentary) on these Ayaat, Ibn Katheer also mentioned a number of points which prove that it was Ismaa’eel who was to be sacrificed. These points may be summed up as follows: Ismaa’eel was the first child of whom glad tidings were given to Ibraaheem. He was older than Ishaaq according to the consensus of the Muslims and the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). According to the scriptures of the People of the Book, it was stated that Allaah commanded Ibraaheem to sacrifice his only son, and in some manuscripts it says that he was to sacrifice his firstborn son. 381

The first son is usually more dear than other children, so the command to sacrifice him is a more exacting test. It is mentioned that glad tidings of a forbearing boy were given, and that he was the one who was to be sacrificed. Later in the passage it says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We gave him the glad tidings of Ishaaq (Isaac) ¾ a Prophet from the righteous.” When the angels brought the glad tidings of Ishaaq to Ibraaheem, they said: “We give you glad tidings of a boy (son) possessing much knowledge and wisdom” [al-Hijr 15:53 – interpretation of the meaning]. Allâh said (interpretation of the meaning): “But We gave her glad tidings of Ishaaq, and after him, of Ya’qoob.” (Hood 11:71) meaning that a child called Ya’qoob would be born during their (Sara and Ishaaq’s) lifetimes, and he would have many descendents… and it does not sound right for Ibraaheem to be commanded to sacrifice him when he was little, because Allaah had promised that he would have many descendents. Ismaa’eel is described here (in Soorat al-Saffaat) as being “forbearing” because this is very appropriate in this context. Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/15. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 5643: How the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw in this world some events of the Hereafter Question: My Question is if Judgement day has not occurred yet and no one is in Hell or Paradise how is it that the Prophet 382

Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) saw people being punished in Hell already and the prophets, children, and people already in Paradise. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. How the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw in this world some events of the Hereafter If we believe that Allaah is able to do all things, the matter is easy for us, and we believe what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us. Allaah is the Creator of time and is able to show His Prophet in this world things that will happen on the Day of Resurrection, just as He showed him Paradise and Hell on the wall when he prayed Salaat al-Kusoof (the eclipse prayer), and he almost brought his companions a bunch of grapes from the fruits if Paradise, even though the distance between earth and Paradise is so immense. The One Who brought the place near is not incapable of doing whatever He wills with regard to time and of showing His Prophet in this world living scenes of what will happen on the Day of Resurrection. Your Lord is Able to do all things. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 1684: Do Prophets sin? Do they need forgiveness? Question: I have been told by someone claiming to be a Muslim that all God’s prophets, including Mohammed, were 383

without sin, (perfect), never requiring forgiveness. Is this a view held officially by Islam as a whole? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. We thank you for sending this question in an effort to find the right answer instead of merely accepting what you have heard from someone who claims to be a Muslim. “The ummah (Muslim nation) is agreed that the Messengers are infallible in carrying out their mission – they do not forget anything that Allaah has revealed to them except with regard to matters that have been abrogated. They are also infallible in conveying the Message – they do not conceal anything that Allaah has revealed to them, for that would be a betrayal and it is impossible to imagine that they could do such a thing. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘O Messenger! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not ,then you have not conveyed His Message…’ [al-Maa’idah 5:67]. If anything is concealed or changed, then the punishment of Allaah will befall the one who is guilty of doing these things, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And if he [Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] had forged a false saying concerning Us [Allaah], We surely would have seized him by his right hand (or with power and might), and then certainly should have cut off his life artery (aorta).’ [al-Haqqah 69:44-46]. One aspect of infallibility is that they (the Prophets) do not forget anything of that which Allaah has revealed to them, and thus no part of the revelation is lost.” [Al-rusul wa’l-risaalaat (The Messengers and their missions), ‘Omar al-Ashqar, p. 97] 384

‘Omar al-Ashqar also said (op. cit., p.102): “The Prophets and Messengers may also strive to find the right judgement in the situations with which they are faced, and they judge according to what they themselves see and hear – they do not have knowledge of the Unseen. They may make an incorrect judgement, as happened to the Prophet of Allaah Dawood (David), who failed to do so, and Allaah helped his son Sulaymaan (Solomon) to come up with the right answer in that particular case. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘There were two women, each of whom had a son. A wolf came and carried off the son of one of them, who said to the other, “The wolf has taken your son.” The other said, “No, he took your son.” They came to Dawood to ask him to judge between them, and he ruled in favour of the older woman. Then they went to Sulaymaan the son of Dawood and told him what had happened. He said, “Bring a knife and divide the child between them.” The younger woman said, “Do not do that, may Allaah have mercy on you! He is her son.” So Sulaymaan ruled in favour of the younger woman.’ (Reported by al-Bukhaari). “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this story: Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) narrated that he heard a dispute going on at the door of his apartment, so he went out and told them: ‘I am no more than a human being. Disputing parties may come to me, and one of you may be more eloquent and persuasive than the other, so I may think that he is telling the truth and rule in favour of him. Whoever has a judgement in favour of him to the detriment of a fellow-Muslim’s rights, this is a piece of the Fire – let him take it or leave it.’” When it comes to the idea of the Prophets committing major sins (kabaa’ir), Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said (in al-Fataawaa, 4/319): “…The belief that the Prophets 385

are free of major sins, but not of minor sins, is the opinion of the majority of Islamic scholars and of all (Muslim) groups… It is the opinion of most mufassireen (commentators on the Qur’an), scholars of hadeeth and fuqaha’ (jurists).” With regard to whether it is possible for the Prophets to commit minor sins, in Lawaami’ al-Anwaar al-Bahiyyah (2/214), al-Safaareeni quoted from Ibn Hamdaan who said in Nihaayat al-Mubtadi’een: “They are infallible in conveying the commands and message of Allaah, but they are not infallible in any other regard. They may make mistakes, forget things, or commit minor sins – according to the most well-known opinion (of the scholars) – but they will not be approved for these mistakes.” The majority of scholars take the following as evidence to support their claim that the Prophets are not free from minor sins: Adam’s sin in eating from the tree from which Allaah had forbidden him to eat. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And (remember) when We said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves to Adam.’ They prostrated (all) except Iblees (Satan), who refused. Then We said, ‘O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you be distressed in misery. Verily, you have (a promise from Us) that you will never be hungry therein nor naked. And you (will) suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun’s heat. Then Shaytaan whispered to him, saying: ‘O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that shall never waste away?’ Then they both ate of the tree, and so their private parts appeared to them, and they began to stick on themselves leaves from Paradise for their covering. Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray.” [Ta-Ha 20:116-121] 386

When Nooh prayed for his kaafir son, Allaah rebuked him for doing so, and taught him that this person was not a member of his family, and that this prayer was not a righteous deed on his part. So Nooh sought forgiveness from his Lord, repented and returned to Allaah: “Nooh said: ‘O my Lord! I seek refuge with You from asking You that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have Mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the losers.’” [Hood 11:47 – interpretation of the meaning]. When Dawood realized that he had been too quick to judge, without listening to what the second disputant had to say, he hastened to repent: “… and he sought Forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down prostrate and turned (to Allaah) in repentance.” [Saad 38:24 – interpretation of the meaning]. Everyone, even the Prophets, is in need of the forgiveness of Allaah. Allaah has blessed His Prophets by forgiving their sins, and He has blessed our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as He said (interpretation of the meaning): “That Allaah may forgive you your sins of the past and the future, and complete His favour upon you, and guide you on the Straight Path.” [al-Fath 48:2] Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, in al-Fataawaa 10/ 296, “Concerning the issue of forgiveness of the Prophets’ sins: Allaah, may He be exalted, does not speak of any Prophet in the Qur’aan, except He also mentions repentance and seeking forgiveness. For example, Adam and his wife said: ‘Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.” [al-A’raaf 7:23 – interpretation of the meaning]. Nooh said: “O my Lord! I seek refuge with You from asking You that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have Mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the losers.’” [Hood 11:47 – interpretation of the meaning]. Ibraaheem said: “Our 387

Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the Believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established.” [Ibraaheem 14:41 – interpretation of the meaning] and “… You are our wali (Protector), so forgive us and have Mercy on us, for You are the Best of those who forgive. And ordain for us good in this world, and in the Hereafter. Certainly we have turned unto You…” [al-A’raaf 7:155156 – interpretation of the meaning]. Moosa said: ‘…You are our wali (Protector), so forgive us and have Mercy on us, for You are the Best of those who forgive.’ [alA’raaf 7:155 – interpretation of the meaning]. Then he [Ibn Taymiyah, may Allaah have mercy on him] gave further examples, but what we have mentioned here is sufficient. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 500: Who was Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Question: Who was Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)? Answer: In brief, Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him) was born in a noble tribe of Mecca in Arabia in the year 570 CE (Christian Era). His ancestry goes back to Prophet Ishmael (peace be upon him), son of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him). His father died before his birth and his mother died when he was six years old. He did not attend any formal school. He was raised first by a nursemaid in the desert, as it was the customary in those 388

days, then by his grandfather and then by his uncle. As a young man, he was known as a righteous person who used to meditate in a cave. At age 40, he was bestowed with prophet-hood by God through an angel, Gabriel, who appeared to Him in the cave of Hiraa’, in Mecca. Subsequently, revelations were received by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him) for a period of 23 years. This book of revelations is called the Qur’aan. The Qur’aan has been preserved, unchanged, in its original form and language, and confirms the truth in the Torah, the psalms and the Gospel, prior to their corruption as in their present forms today. The Qur’aan is the only scripture in existence today in its original text. All the earlier divine scriptures were entrusted by God to His messengers to guard them, and after the physical death of the Messengers, their followers were entrusted to guard them. However, the followers failed in their duties; therefore each subsequent divine scripture corrected the previous one. God has confirmed in the Holy Qur’aan that not only is it His last and final revelation to mankind, and but also that He Himself will guard and preserve it until the Day of Judgment. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 502: What do Muslims believe about Jesus(peace be upon him) Question: What do Muslims believe about Jesus (peace be upon him)? 389

Answer: Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him) , and await his second coming. They consider him one of the greatest of God’s messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as ‘Jesus’, but always adds the phrase “peace be upon him.” The Qur’aan confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur’aan is entitled ‘Mary’) in her time, and Mary is considered the purest woman in all creation. The Qur’aan describes the creation of Jesus as follows (interpretation of the meaning): “Behold! the Angel said, ‘God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary, God gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one that shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and shall be of the righteous.’ She said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said: ‘Even so; God creates what He wills. When He decrees a thing, He but says to it, “Be!” and it is.” (Qur’aan, Surat (chapter) Aala ‘Imraan, 3:42-7) Jesus (peace be upon him) was born miraculously through the same power which had brought Adam (peace be upon him) into being without a father: “Truly, the likeness of Jesus unto Allaah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, ‘Be!’ and he was.” (3:59) During his prophetic mission, Jesus (peace be upon him) was granted and performed many miracles. The Qur’aan tells us that he said (interpretation of meaning): “I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by Allaah’s leave. And I heal the blind and the lepers, and I raise the dead by Allaah’s leave.” (3:49) Other miracles include speaking soon after birth in defense of his mother’s piety. God’s other gifts to him 390

included healing the blind and the sick, reviving the dead, and, most importantly, the message he was carrying. These miracles were granted to him by God to establish him as a prophet. According to the Qur’aan, he was not crucified, but only appeared so; instead, Allaah raised him unto Heaven. (Quraan, Chapter Maryam) Neither Muhammad (peace be upon him), nor Jesus (peace be upon him), came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in one God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Quran Jesus (peace be upon him), is reported as saying that he came: “ To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign form your Lord, so fear God and obey me.” (3:50) Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)

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Belief in the Last Day 32627: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not know when the Hour would begin Question: Did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) know when the Hour would begin?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Knowledge of the hour is a matter of the unseen which belongs to Allaah and which He has kept to Himself. He has not told any of His creation of that, including the Prophets, Messengers and the angels who are close to Him. Even the best of the Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), did not know when the hour will begin. The texts of the Qur’aan and Sunnah clearly indicate that the knowledge of the Hour is something unseen which no created being knows. The evidence from the Qur’aan includes the following: 1 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They ask you about the Hour (Day of Resurrection): ‘When will be its appointed time?’ Say: ‘The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its time but He. Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden.’ They ask you as if you have a good knowledge of it. Say: ‘The knowledge thereof is with Allaah (Alone), but most of mankind know not.’”[al-‘Araaf 7:187] 392

2 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “People ask you concerning the Hour, say: ‘The knowledge of it is with Allaah only. What do you know? It may be that the Hour is near!’” [al-Ahzaab 33:63] The people used to ask the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about the time that the hour would begin, so Allaah commanded him to refer the matter to Him: “The knowledge of it is with Allaah only”. Ibn Katheer (3/527) said: Allaah tells His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that he has no knowledge of the Hour and that when the people ask him about that, he should refer the matter to Allaah. Al-Shanqeeti said (6/604): It is known that the word innama (translated here as “only”) has the effect of limiting or restricting the meaning, so what the verse means is: No one knows when the Hour will come except Allaah alone. 3 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They ask you (O Muhammad) about the Hour — when will be its appointed time? You have no knowledge to say anything about it. To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof? You (O Muhammad) are only a warner for those who fear it” [al-Naaz’iaat 79:42-45] al-Sa’di said: 393

Because knowing the time of the Hour serves no spiritual or worldly purpose for people, rather their interests lie in it being concealed from them, the knowledge of that has been kept from all of creation and Allaah has kept it to Himself. “To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof.” 4 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, Allaah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs” [Luqmaan 31:34] It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The keys of the unknown are five: Allaah has knowledge of the Hour, and He sends down rain, and He knows what is in the wombs, and no person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allaah is AllKnower, AllAware (of things).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4627. And it was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: These five things are known to no one except Allaah; no angel who is close to Allaah and no Messenger who was sent has any knowledge of them. Whoever claims that he has any knowledge of them has disbelieved in the Qur’aan, because he has gone against it. Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 14/82. Ibn Katheer said (3/462): These are the keys of the unseen, knowledge of which Allaah has kept to Himself. So no one knows them until after Allaah has informed him of them. And no angel who is close to Allaah and no Messenger who was sent has any knowledge of the Hour." 394

The ahaadeeth which indicate that no one knows when the Hour will begin except Allaah include the following: 1 – The famous hadeeth of Jibreel, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Jibreel, when he asked him when the Hour would begin: “The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking.” Narrated by Muslim, 8. 2 – It was narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, one month before he died: “You ask me about the Hour, but the knowledge thereof is only with Allaah. I swear by Allaah that there is no soul on earth that will live for more than one hundred years.” Narrated by Muslim, 2538. What this hadeeth means is: every soul that was on the face of the earth when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said these words would not live for more than one hundred years. The hadeeth does not means that the Resurrection would happen within one hundred years. And Muslim narrated (2537) that Ibn ‘Umar said: What he meant was that that generation would come to an end. This hadeeth shows that there is no possibility that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) could have come to know it after Jibreel asked about it, because that was one month before he died. Whoever claims after this that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) knew when the Hour would begin is ignorant, because the verses of the Qur’aan and the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) quoted above clearly refute that. 395

Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Manaar al-Muneef: One of those in our own time who claim to have knowledge clearly told lies when he said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) knew when the Hour would begin. It was said to him that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in the hadeeth of Jibreel: “The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking,” but he misinterpreted that and said that it means, you and I know it. This is one of the worst kinds of ignorance and distortion. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) could not have said to one whom he thought was a Bedouin, you and I know when the Hour will be. But this ignorant man may say that he knew that this was Jibreel, and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, he never came to me in any form but I recognized him, except in this case.” Narrated by Ahmad, 374. Ahmad Shaakir said: Its isnaad is saheeh. Rather the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) realized that this was Jibreel after a while, as Umar said: A short while passed, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O ‘Umar, do you know who that questioner was?” Narrated by Muslim, 8. This liar says that he knew at the time of questioning that this was Jibreel but he did not tell his companions about that until a while afterwards. Moreover the words “The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking” are general and include both the one who asked and the one who was asked, regardless of who they may be, so every one who asks and everyone who is asked about the Hour are all the same. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 396

33689: Falseness of the reports narrated concerning how long this world will last Question: I heard that some scholars said that the Day of Resurrection would happen before the year 1500 AH, and they quoted some ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as evidence. Is this view correct?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The view referred to in the question was suggested by alSuyooti (may Allah have mercy on him) in his book alHaawi, 2/249-256, in which he said that this world would last for seven thousand years and that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent at the end of the sixth millennium. The end of the sixth millennium means half way through it. Based on that the lifespan of this ummah is more than one thousand years and less than 1500 years. He said: “The period cannot be fifteen hundred years at all.” I.e., the period must be less than fifteen hundred years. Then he mentioned the ahaadeeth and reports which he quoted as evidence to support that, some of which are Israa’eeliyyaat (reports from Jewish sources) which cannot be taken as evidence, and some of the rest are da’eef (weak), and the scholars ruled that they are lies and fabrications (mawdoo’). 397

The evidence that this view is false includes the following: 1 – If this view were correct, then everyone would know when the Hour is to begin. This goes against what is mentioned in the verses of the Qur’aan and the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which definitely state that the time of the Hour is known to no one except Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “People ask you concerning the Hour, say: ‘The knowledge of it is with Allaah only. What do you know? It may be that the Hour is near!’” [al-Ahzaab 33:63] Ibn Katheer said (6/527): Here Allaah tells His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that he has no knowledge of the Hour and that if people ask him about that, he should refer the matter to Allaah (i.e., say that only Allaah knows that). Al-Shanqeeti said (6/604): It is known that innama (translated here as “only”) conveys the meaning of exclusivity, so what the verse means is that the Hour is known only to Allaah alone. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They ask you (O Muhammad) about the Hour — when will be its appointed time? You have no knowledge to say anything about it. To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof? You (O Muhammad) are only a warner for those who fear it” [al-Naazi’aat 79:42-45] 398

Ibn Katheer (4/736) said: i.e., knowledge of that is not given to you or to anyone else in creation, rather the matter is to be referred to Allaah, for He is the One Who knows exactly when it will happen. Al-Sa’di said: Because knowledge of the Hour serves no religious or worldly purpose of people, rather their interests lie in its being hidden from them, the knowledge of that has been concealed from all of creation and Allaah has kept that knowledge to Himself. He says (interpretation of the meaning): “To your Lord belongs (the knowledge of) the term thereof?” [al-Naaz’iaat 79:44] The ahaadeeth which indicate that the time of the Hour is known only to Allaah include the famous hadeeth of Jibreel in which it says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Jibreel, when he asked him about the Hour: “The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking.” Narrated by Muslim, 8. 2 – These reports which al-Suyooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) quoted as evidence were classed as da’eef (weak) by the scholars, and indeed they ruled that they were lies. Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Manaar al-Muneef (1/80), where he mentions the ways in which a hadeeth may be known to be mawdoo’: “(one of these ways is): if the hadeeth goes against the clear meaning of the Qur’aan, such as the hadeeth which says that this world will last for seven thousand years and that we are now in the seventh millenium. This is one of the most obvious of lies. Because if it were correct then 399

everyone would know that there was only two hundred and fifty-one years left until the Resurrection from our time [i.e., the time of Ibn al-Qayyim]. But Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They ask you about the Hour (Day of Resurrection): “When will be its appointed time?” Say: “The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its time but He. Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. It shall not come upon you except all of a sudden.” They ask you as if you have a good knowledge of it. Say: “The knowledge thereof is with Allaah (Alone)…” [al-A’raaf 7:187] Ibn Katheer said in al-Nihaayah fi’l-Fitan wa’l-Malaahim (1/25): There is no (sound) ahaadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) defined when the Hour would be, rather he mentioned some of its portents and signs. He also said (2/28): With regard to the statements in the books of the Israa’eeliyyeen and the People of the Book which suggest that this world will last for a certain number of millennia, more than one of the scholars have stated that these are mistaken, and it comes as no surprise that they were mistaken. There is a hadeeth which says, “This world is one of the weeks of the Hereafter” but its isnaad is not saheeh either. The same applies to every hadeeth which states a specific time for the Day of Resurrection – none of their isnaads can be proven. Al-Sakhaawi said in al-Maqaasid al-Hasanah (p. 444): Everything that has been narrated describing a specific 400

time for the Day of Resurrection either has no basis at all or its isnaad cannot be proven. 3 – What al-Suyooti himself said indicates that this view is false. He mentions that the Mahdi will appear after twelve hundred years, but fourteen hundred years have passed and the Mahdi has not appeared yet. He says that people will remain for one hundred and twenty years after the sun rises from the west, then the Hour will begin. This means that the sun should have been rising from the west for more than twenty years! He says that the Dajjaal will appear after one hundred years, and the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam will come down and kill him, and he will remain after that for forty years, but here we are in the last century – according to what he says, and the Dajjaal has not appeared and the Messiah ‘Eesa ibn Maryam has not yet come down. He says that several of the major signs such as the Dajjaal, the descent of ‘Eesa and the rising of the sun from the west will happen more than two hundred years before the Hour begins. All of these things indicate that this view is false, and that knowledge of the Hour should be referred to Allaah, and Allaah commands us (interpretation of the meaning): “People ask you concerning the Hour, say: ‘The knowledge of it is with Allaah only. What do you know? It may be that the Hour is near!’” [al-Ahzaab 33:63] And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 401

34649: The reason why the torment of the grave is hidden from man Question: Is the torment of the grave one of the matters of the unseen or of the seen world? What is the reason why it is made one of the matters of the unseen?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The torment of the grave is one of the matters of the unseen. How many people in these graves are being tormented but we do not realize it, and how many of their neighbours are being blessed with a door opened for them to Paradise, but we do not realize it? What is beneath the graves is known only to the Knower of the Unseen. The torment of the grave is one of the matters of the unseen, and were it not for the revelation that came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), we would not know anything about it. Hence when the Jewish woman entered upon ‘Aa’ishah and told her that the dead are tormented in the grave, she was alarmed, until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came and she told him, and he confirmed that. But Allaah may cause whomsoever He wills of His slaves to see that, as He caused His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to see the two men who were being punished, one for going about spreading malicious gossip, and the other for not taking precautions to protect himself from urine. 402

The reasons why this is one of the matters of the unseen are as follows: 1 – Allaah is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy, for if we were to see the torment of the grave this would make our lives a misery, because if a person were to know that his father or brother or son or spouse or relative is being punished in the grave and he is not able to save him, then he would be distressed and unable to relax. So this is a blessing from Allaah. 2 – It would be a scandal for the deceased. If Allaah had concealed him and we did not know his sins, which were a matter between him and his Lord, then he died and Allaah showed us his torment, that would be a great scandal for him. So concealing him is a mercy from Allaah towards the deceased. 3 – It might become difficult to bury the dead, as it was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Were it not that you would not bury one another, I would have asked Allaah to make you hear the torment of the grave.” Narrated by Muslim, 2868. This indicates that burial might become too difficult and people would not do it, even though if a person deserves to be punished he will be punished even if he is lying on the surface of the earth. But people might imagine that the torment only takes place when the person is buried, so they would not bury one another. 4 – If it were visible, belief in it would serve no purpose, because it would be visible and no one could deny it. And this might force all people to believe, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So when they saw Our punishment, they said: We believe in Allaah Alone” [Ghaafir 40:84] 403

So if the people saw those who had been buried and heard their screams, they would believe and none of them would disbelieve, because he would be certain that the torment is real and he would see it with his own eyes as if it were happening to him. But the wisdom of Allaah is great, and the true believer is the one who believes with certainty what Allaah tells him more than what he sees with his own eyes, because what Allaah tells us cannot be subject to confusion or lies, but what the eyes see may be imaginary. How many people have sworn that they have seen the new crescent moon, when it was in fact a star; how many people have seen the new moon and it turned out to be a white hair on his eyebrow; how many have seen a shadow and said that it was a person coming towards him, but it turned out to be the trunk of a palm tree; how many people have seen a stationery object moving and a moving object standing still. But what Allaah tells us cannot be subject to confusion. We ask Allaah to make us and you steadfast, for what Allaah tells us about these matters is stronger that what we can see, and concealment is in the best interests of people. And Allaah knows best. Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 2/32. (www.islam-qa.com) 34694: How will the kaafir be brought to account in the Hereafter, when he is not required to adhere to sharee’ah? Question: How will the kaafir be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection, when he is not required to adhere to sharee’ah?. 404

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This question is based on an incorrect understanding, because the kaafir is subject to the same requirements as the believer, but he is not obliged to follow them in this world. The fact that this is required of him is indicated by the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Except those on the Right (i.e. the pious true believers of Islamic Monotheism). In Gardens (Paradise) they will ask one another, About AlMujrimoon (polytheists, criminals, disbelievers) (and they will say to them): ‘What has caused you to enter Hell?’ They will say: ‘We were not of those who used to offer the Salaah (prayers) Nor we used to feed AlMiskeen (the poor); And we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah hated) with vain talkers. And we used to belie the Day of Recompense’” [alMuddaththir 74:39] If they would not be punished for not praying and not feeding the poor, etc, the verse would not have mentioned these things. This indicates that they will be punished with regard to minor issues of Islam. As this is proven in the texts, it is also indicated by rational thinking, because if Allaah will punish His believing slave for his shortcomings with regard to the obligations of his religion, how can He not then punish the kaafir? 405

Moreover, the kaafir will be punished for all the blessings that Allaah bestowed upon him of food, drink and other things. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Those who believe and do righteous good deeds, there is no sin on them for what they ate (in the past), if they fear Allaah (by keeping away from His forbidden things), and believe and do righteous good deeds, and again fear Allaah and believe, and once again fear Allaah and do good deeds with Ihsaan (perfection). And Allaah loves the gooddoers” [al-Maa’idah 5:93] The wording of this verse states that the believers will be spared any blame for what they ate, which implies that the kaafirs will be subjected to blame for what they ate. Similarly Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allaah, which He has produced for His slaves, and At-Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (lawful) things] of food?’ Say: ‘They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) exclusively for them (believers) on the Day of Resurrection (the disbelievers will not share them)’” [al-A’raaf 7:32] The words “They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe” in this verse indicate that non-believers have no right to enjoy them in this world – i.e., they have no rights according to sharee’ah, but according to real life as Allaah has decreed it to be, Allaah has created these blessings and the kaafirs are benefitting from them, and this is something that no one can deny. This indicates that the kaafir will be brought to account for what he ate of permissible things and what he wore. What is implied by the text is also implied by reason, otherwise how could this kaafir who disobeys Allaah and does not believe in Him deserve to enjoy that which Allaah has created and 406

has bestowed upon His slaves? If this is clear to you then the kaafir will also be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection for his deeds, but the reckoning of the kaafir on the Day of Resurrection will not be like the reckoning of the believer, because the believer’s reckoning will be easy; his Lord will address him in secret and will tell him of his sins until he confesses, then He will say to him, “I concealed them for you in the world and I forgive you for them this Day.” But for the kaafir – we seek refuge with Allaah – his reckoning will involve his being told of his sins and being disgraced in front of the witnesses: “and the witnesses will say, ‘These are the ones who lied against their Lord!’ No doubt! the Curse of Allaah is on the Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers, oppressors)” [Hood 11:18 – interpretation of the meaning] Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/38. (www.islamqa.com) 41643: Should we place green leaves on graves so that the punishment of the deceased may be reduced? Question: I heard in a hadeeth that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) placed two leaves on two graves whose occupants were being tormented, so that the punishment might be reduced, but I do not understand the reason for that. Is it prescribed for us to do likewise?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: 407

Yes, it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) passed by two graves and said: “They are being punished but they are not being punished for something that was difficult to avoid [?}.” Then he said, “One of them used to go about spreading malicious gossip, and the other used not to take precautions to avoid being contaminated with urine.” Then he took a fresh branch, broke it in two and planted each piece on a grave. Then he said: “May their punishment be reduced so long as this does not dry out.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1378; Muslim, 292. This indicates that the punishment may be reduced, but what is the relationship between these two branches and the reduction of these punishments for these two persons? 1 – It was said that the branches glorify Allaah (by saying “Subhaan-Allaah” i.e., tasbeeh) so long as they do not dry out, and tasbeeh reduces the punishment of the deceased. Based on this they reached the conclusion – which far-fetched – that it is Sunnah for a person to go to the grave and recite tasbeeh so that the punishment of the deceased might be reduced. 2 – Some of the scholars said: This reason is da’eef (weak) because the two branches would recite tasbeeh whether they were fresh or dry, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification” [alIsra’ 17:44] Pebbles in the hands of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) were heard to recite tasbeeh even though pebbles are dry, so how are we to understand the hadeeth? 408

We may understand it as meaning that the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) hoped that Allaah would reduce their punishment so long as these two branches remained fresh, so it was not a long period. This was so as to warn against doing what they did, because their actions were serious as it says in the report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “But it is serious.” One of them did not take precautions to avoid being contaminated by urine, and if he was not free of such contamination then he was praying without being pure. The other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip, causing mischief among the slaves of Allaah and stirring up enmity and hatred among them. This is a serious matter. This is the most likely understanding of the meaning of the hadeeth, that it was a temporary intercession and a warning to the ummah, not because the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to offer ongoing intercession. Secondly: Some scholars – may Allaah forgive them – say that it is Sunnah to place a fresh branch, etc on the grave so that the punishment might be reduced. But this understanding is very far-fetched, and it is not permissible for us to do that for several reasons. (i) We do not know that this man is being punished, unlike the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) whom Allaah told by means of Revelation about the situation of those two graves. (ii) If we do that, we are mistreating the deceased, because we are thinking badly of him and assuming that he is being punished, but we do not know that. It may be that he is 409

being blessed, or it may be that this deceased person is one of those whom Allaah blessed with forgiveness before he died because of one of the many things that bring forgiveness, so he died having been forgiven by the Lord of all people, in which case he would not deserve to be punished. (iii) This understanding is contrary to the way of the righteous salaf. This action was not part of their way and they were the most knowledgeable of people about the sharee’ah of Allaah. (iv) Allaah has shown us something that is better than that. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) finished burying someone he would stand over the grave and say, “Pray for forgiveness for your brother and ask that he be made steadfast, for even now is he being questioned.” From Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 2/30. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 42970: The Dajjaal will emerge at the end of time, so why did the Prophets warn their people about him? And when and where will he emerge? Question: Why did the Prophets warn their people about the Dajjaal when he will not emerge until the end of time? And when will the Dajjaal emerge?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 410

Firstly: The greatest fitnah (trial, tribulation) on the face of the earth since the creation of Adam until the onset of the Hour will be the fitnah of the Dajjaal, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said. Hence there is no Prophet, from Nooh to Muhammad (may the blessings and peace of Allaah be upon them all), who did not warn his people about him, as an indication of have serious his fitnah will be. Although Allaah knows that he will not emerge until the end of time, nevertheless He commanded the Messengers to warn their people about him so that they would understand how serious the matter is. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If he emerges whilst I am still among you, then I will suffice you against him, otherwise each man should take care of himself, d Allah will take care of every Muslim on my behalf (and safeguard him against his evil).” Muslim, 5228. The Dajjaal is a serious matter, indeed he is the greatest fitnah, as it says in the hadeeth, since the creation of Adam and until the Hour begins. No wonder that he is the only one of the trials of life from which refuge is sought in prayer: “A’oodhu Billaah min ‘adhaab Jahannam wa min ‘adhaab il qabri wa min fitnat il-mahyaa wa’l-mamaat wa min fitnat il-maseeh il-dajjaal (I seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of Hell, the torment of the grave, the trials of life and death and the trial of the Dajjaal).” The word Dajjaal comes from the word dajl, which means misrepresentation or falsification, because he is a falsifier, indeed the greatest falsifier and the worst liar of all people. Secondly: The appearance of the Dajjaal is one of the signs of the Hour, but the time of his emergence is not clearly defined, because no one knows when the Hour will be except 411

Allaah. Similarly with regard to the portents of the Hour, all we know is what has already happened (but with regard to those which have not yet happened, we do not know when they will happen). The time of his appearance is not known, but we do know that it is one of the portents of the Hour. Thirdly: With regard to the direction from which he will emerge, he will emerge from the east, from the direction of tribulation and evil, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fitnah is here,” and he pointed towards the east. (al-Bukhaari, 3279; Muslim, 5167). So the east is the source of evil and tribulation, and he will emerge from the east, from Khurasaan, passing through Isfahan and entering the Arabian Peninsula from a point between Syria and Iraq, with no goal but Madeenah, because there lies the Bringer of glad tidings and warnings (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He will want to destroy the people of Madeenah, but it will be forbidden to him, as was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “At every gate thereof will be angels guarding it.” Narrated by alBukhaari, 1880; Muslim, 2449. This man will emerge between Syria and Iraq, and seventy thousand of the Jews of Isfahan will follow him, because they are his troops. (Narrated by Muslim, 5237). The Jews are among the most evil of the slaves of Allaah, and he is the most misguided of the slaves of Allaah. So they will follow him and support him, and they will be his troops, they and others who follow him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O slaves of Allaah, stand firm; O slaves of Allaah, stand firm.” Narrated by Muslim, 5228. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) urged us to stand firm, because the matter is serious. And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever hears of the Dajjaal, let him flee 412

from him, for by Allaah, a man will come to him thinking that he is a believer, then he will follow him because of the specious arguments he puts forward.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3762; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. A man will come to him and say, “He will never lead me astray and I will never be affected by him,” but he will keep producing specious arguments until he follows him – we seek refuge with Allaah from that. We ask Allaah to protect us with His protection. Praise be to Allaah the Lord of the Worlds. From Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him), 2/13. (www.islam-qa.com) 43314: How will be people be able to bear the sun being brought close on the Day of Resurrection? Question: How will the sun be brought close to mankind until it is one mile away from them on the Day of Resurrection without burning them, when if it were brought close now, it would burn the earth?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The believer’s responsibility with regard to reports of the unseen is to accept and submit to them, and not to ask how or why. This is the foundation on which out ‘aqeedah must be built, because this is a matter that is beyond your 413

comprehension. So you have to accept it and submit and say, “We believe. We believe that the sun will be brought close to mankind on the Day of Resurrection until it is one mile away from them. Asking any futher questions about that is a kind of innovation (bid’ah). Hence when Imam Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked how Allaah rose above the Throne, he said, “Asking about this is bid’ah.” Similarly it is bid’ah to ask about all other matters of the unseen; man’s attitude towards them should be to accept and submit. The answer to the second part of the question, about the sun being brought close to mankind on the Day of Resurrection: We say that bodies will not be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection in the form in which they were in this world, with their shortcoming and inability to bear that; rather they will be resurrected whole and complete. Hence the people will stand on the Day of Resurrection for a day which is equivalent to fifty thousand years, neither eating nor drinking. This is something which would be impossible in this world. Then the sun will be brought close to them and their bodies will be given the ability to bear its being brought close, as we have mentioned above that they will be able to stand for fifty thousand years without needing food or drink. So their bodies on the Day of Resurrection will be different from their bodies in this world. From Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/35. (www.islam-qa.com) 43138: How the deceased is questioned in the grave Question: Is the questioning of the deceased in the grave real, and does he really sit up in the grave and speak?. 414

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The questioning of the deceased in the grave is undoubtedly real, and the person sits up in his grave, speaks and is questioned. If someone were to ask: the grave is narrow and confined, so how can he sit up? The answer is: Firstly: With regard to matters of the unseen, the believer is required to accept them and believe, and not ask how or why, because no one asks about how or why except the one who has doubts. But the one who believes and whose heart is content with what Allaah and His Messenger say, will accept it and say, Allaah knows best about how that happens. Secondly: The connection of the soul to the body in death is different from its connection in life. The connection between body and soul may vary in ways that man cannot understand, and the body’s connection to the body after death cannot be compared to the connection in life. When a person dreams, he sees himself coming and going, travelling, speaking to people, meeting people both living and dead; he may see himself having a beautiful garden, or a dark and frightening house; he may see himself riding in a comfortable car, or riding in an uncomfortable car. All of that may happen, even though he is in his bed and nothing has changed, and even the blanket covering him has not 415

changed, but nevertheless we feel that in a real sense. But the connection of the soul to the body after death is different to its connection when one is awake and when one is asleep. It is different and we do not understand it. So a person can sit up in his grave and be questioned, even though the grave is narrow and confined. Similarly this was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); he conveys the message and we have to believe and submit. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission” [al-Nisa’ 4:65] Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 2/34. (www.islamqa.com) 33634: The grave is not the final resting place Question: Often in the newspapers and on the news, when a person has died and been buried, they say that he has gone to his final resting place. Is the grave the final resting place?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in Tafseer Juz’ ‘Amma (p. 117): The grave is not the final abode, rather it is a stage on the journey. A Bedouin heard a man reciting the verse (interpretation of the meaning): 416

“The mutual rivalry (for piling up of worldly things) diverts you, Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die)” [al-Takaathur 102:1-2] The Bedouin said, “By Allaah, the visitor does not stay forever.” The Bedouin, by his innate common sense, understood that after the grave comes something else that will be the final abode, because as is well known, the visitor visits and leaves. Hence we know that what we read in the newspapers, “So and so has passed away and gone to his final resting place” is a serious mistake, which implies disbelief in Allaah and in the Last Day, because if you regard the grave as the final resting place, this means that there is nothing after that. The one who believes that the grave is the final resting place and that there is no abode after that is a kaafir, for the final abode or resting place is either Paradise or Hell. Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in Tafseer Juz’ ‘Amma (p. 117) (www.islam-qa.com) 20286: Are there airports and airplanes in Paradise? Question: This might sound very childish but I would like to know if someone likes something on earth very much , like an airplane for example , can he get one in heaven ? can he get an airport as well ?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 417

This question is not childish, rather it is prescribed for the intelligent person to ask questions, seek benefits and look for that which will increase his longing for Paradise and make him strive harder to reach it. Some of the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked him similar questions to this. It was narrated from Sulaymaan ibn Buraydah from his father that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “O Messenger of Allaah, are there horses in Paradise?” He said, “If Allaah admits you to Paradise, any time you wish to be carried on a horse of red rubies that will fly with you wherever you want in Paradise, you will do that.” Another man asked him, “O Messenger of Allaah, will there be camels in Paradise?” and he did not say to him something like he said to his companion. He said, “If Allaah admits you to Paradise, you will have there whatever your heart desires.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2543; this hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 3/ 522. With regard to the specific topic of your question, about a person who loves flying and airplanes, there are many saheeh ahaadeeth which speak of a similar joy. It was proven that the souls of the martyrs are in the crops of birds in Paradise, flying wherever they wish. Narrated by Muslim, 2410. It was proven that Ja’far ibn Abi Taalib (may Allaah be pleased with him) flies in Paradise with two wings, as an honour from Allaah and to replace his arms which were cut off in the battle of Mu’tah. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I saw Ja’far flying in Paradise with the angels.” 418

Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3763; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3465. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that he used to say salaam to Ibn Ja’far and say, “Peace be upon you, O son of the one with two wings.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3506. It seems that for a person to fly by himself is more exciting for most people than flying by means of something else. There are many verses and ahaadeeth which say that people in Paradise will have whatever their hearts desire and more. As it says in the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “Trays of gold and cups will be passed round them; (there will be) therein all that innerselves could desire, and all that eyes could delight in and you will abide therein forever” [al-Zukhruf 43:71] Al-Sa’di said in his commentary on this verse: “… all that inner-selves could desire…” – this phrase is comprehensive and includes every kind of blessing, joy, delight and pleasure, in the most perfect and best sense. And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (Gardens of Eternity) which they will enter, under which rivers flow, they will have therein all that they wish. Thus Allaah rewards the Muttaqoon (the pious)” [al-Nahl 16:31] The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah says: ‘I have prepared for My righteous slaves that which no eye has seen, no ear has heard and it has never crossed the mind of man.’ Recite if you wish: 419

‘No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do’ [al-Sajdah 32:17 – interpretation of the meaning].” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3072; Muslim, 2824 A person should be certain of the absolute perfection of Paradise and of its people’s happiness. With regard to being certain that there will be airplanes and airports and other things for which no proof is narrated in the texts, this is the matter of knowledge of the Unseen, which needs evidence. We say as the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If Allaah admits you to Paradise you will have therein whatever your heart desires and whatever will delight you.” We ask Allaah to help us and you to do that which will lead us to everlasting delight in Paradise. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 20469: The ages of the people of Paradise Question: How old will you be in heaven(both men and women) for eternity?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The people of Paradise will enter Paradise in the most perfect and beautiful form, in the form of their father Adam (peace be upon him), whom Allaah created with 420

His own hand and perfected his form and made his shape beautiful. Everyone who enters Paradise will be in the form of Adam. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah created Adam in his form, sixty cubits tall… and everyone who enters Paradise will be in the form of Adam, sixty cubits tall…” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5873; Muslim, 7092 With regard to their ages, they will all enter Paradise at the age of strength and youth, thirty-three years old. It was narrated from Mu’aadh ibn Jabal that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people of Paradise will enter Paradise hairless, beardless with their eyes anointed with kohl, aged thirty or thirtythree years.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2545. Classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7928 It was also narrated by Ahmad (8505) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), with the words “thirty three years old”, with no doubt. Ahmad Shaakir said: its isnaad is hasan. O Allaah, we ask You for Paradise and the words and deeds that will bring us closer to it. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 22203: What are the questions that a person will be asked on the Day of Resurrection? Question: Could u please tell us relating the ‘Day of judgement’ it’s tortures,the questions that wud be asked. 421

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is proven in the Qur’aan and Sunnah that when a person dies, he will be called to account for every major and minor action he did in this world, whether it was good or bad. He will be rewarded for his good deeds and punished for his bad deeds. The first stage of that reckoning is in the grave. In the grave the first thing a person will be asked will be: Who was your Lord? What is your religion? Who is this man who was sent amongst you? – as was narrated in the hadeeth of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him), which was narrated by Abu Dawood in his Sunan (4753) and classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2979. Then on the Day of Resurrection he will be brought to account for every major and minor action, even though he has already been brought to account for that in the grave. The first thing for which he will be brought to account for then will be his prayer. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first thing among their deeds for which the people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be prayer. Our Lord will say to His angels, although He knows best, ‘Look at My slave’s prayer, is it complete or lacking?’ If it is complete, it will be recorded as complete, but if it is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether my slave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.’ If he had done voluntary prayers, He will say, ‘Complete the obligatory prayers of My slave from his voluntary prayers.’ Then the rest of his deeds will be examined in a similar manner.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 864; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 770). 422

On the Day of Resurrection, people will be asked about other matters, including the following: It was narrated from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The son of Adam will not be dismissed from before his Lord on the Day of Resurrection until he has been questioned about five things: his life and how he spent it, his youth and how he used it, his wealth and how he earned it and how he disposed of it, and how he acted upon what he acquired of knowledge.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2422; classed as hasan by alAlbaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 1969) And the nations will be asked on the Day of Resurrection: “What answer gave you to the Messengers?” [al-Qasas 28:65 – interpretation of the meaning] These are some of the things about which people will be asked on the Day of Resurrection. So the wise person who is keen to save himself should prepare answers to these questions. We ask Allaah to guide us to the straight path. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 6974: Resurrection after death Question: After death, until Yaum Al-Qiyama, are the human beings reborn in any other form?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 423

When the son of Adam dies, his body disintegrates and vanishes apart from the tailbone, which is a bone at the base of the spine. When the Resurrection begins, Allaah will cause the bodies to grow by means of rain from the earth which will make these bones grow until each person’s body is restored to the way it was before he died. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘What is between the two Trumpet-blasts will be forty.’ Somebody asked, ‘Forty days?’ But I could not answer. Then he asked, ‘Forty months?’ But I could not answer. Then he asked, ‘Forty years?’ But I could not answer.” Abu Hurayrah added, “Then (after this period) Allah will send water from the sky and then the dead bodies will grow like vegetation grows. There is nothing of the human body that does not decay except one bone; that is the little bone at the end of the coccyx from which the human body will be recreated on the Day of Resurrection.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4651; Muslim, 2955). Al-Nawawi said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘What is between the two Trumpet-blasts will be forty.’ Somebody asked, ‘Forty days?’ But I could not answer…” What is meant is that he refused to specify whether it would be forty days, or years, or months. Rather what he was sure of was that it would be just forty. It is explained in another report narrated by someone other than Muslim, which says that it will be forty years. The phrase “the little bone at the end of the coccyx” refers to the small bone at the base of the spine, which is the end of the coccyx. This is the first part of a person that is created, and it is what will be left of him so that he will be created anew from it. Sharh Muslim, 18/92 424

When a person comes forth from his grave and is gathered and brought to account, his body will remain the same as it was before he died. Then when the people of Paradise enter Paradise and the people of Hell enter Hell, Allaah will change their forms. Description of the people of Hell: It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The distance between the shoulders of the kaafir [in Hell] will be that of three days’ swift travelling.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6186; Muslim, 2852). It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The molar of the kaafir – or the eyetooth of the kaafir – will be like Uhud, and his skin will be as thick as three days’ travelling.” (Narrated by Muslim, 2851). Description of the people of Paradise: It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first group to enter Paradise will look like the moon when it is full; then those who follow them will look like the brightest star in the sky. They will not urinate or defecate, spit or blow their noses. Their combs will be of gold, their sweat will be musk, their incense burners will be of aloes-wood. Their wives will be al-hoor al-‘iyn and they will all look alike, like their father Adam, sixty cubits tall.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3149; Muslim, 2834) It was narrated from Mu’aadh ibn Jabal that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people of Paradise will enter Paradise hairless and beardless, with kohl-rimmed eyes, all thirty or thirty-three years old.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2545). 425

This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 8072. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 31805: The weighing of deeds and the distribution of the books of deeds on the Day of Resurrection Question: How will the books of people’s deeds be distributed to the people on the Day of Resurrection? How will their deeds be weighed?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The distribution of the books of deeds: When people have been brought to account for their deeds, each person will be given the book that contains the record of all his deeds. The believer will be given his book in his right hand, as a sign of honour. He will be the one who is saved and happy on the Day of Resurrection. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand, He surely, will receive an easy reckoning, And will return to his family in joy!” [al-Inshiqaaq 84:7-9] 426

“Then as for him who will be given his Record in his right hand will say: ‘Here! read my Record! Surely, I did believe that I shall meet my Account!’ So he shall be in a life, well pleasing. In a lofty Paradise, The fruits in bunches whereof will be low and near at hand. Eat and drink at ease for that which you have sent on before you in days past!” [al-Haaqqah 69:19-24] But the kaafirs, hypocrites and followers of misguidance will be given their books in their left hands, from behind their backs. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “But whosoever is given his Record behind his back, He will invoke (for his) destruction, And he shall enter a blazing Fire” [al-Inshiqaaq 84:10-12] “But as for him who will be given his Record in his left hand, will say: ‘I wish that I had not been given my Record! And that I had never known how my Account is! Would that it had been my end (death)! My wealth has not availed me; My power (and arguments to defend myself) have gone from me!’ 427

(It will be said): ‘Seize him and fetter him; Then throw him in the blazing Fire. Then fasten him with a chain whereof the length is seventy cubits!’” [al-Haaqqah 69:25-32] When the people have been given their books, it will be said to them: “This Our Record speaks about you with truth. Verily, We were recording what you used to do (i.e. Our angels used to record your deeds)” [al-Jaathiyah 45:29] “Read your book. You yourself are sufficient as a reckoner against you this Day” [al-Isra’ 17:14] With regard to the Balance: The Balance will be set up to weigh people’s deeds. AlQurtubi said: “When the Reckoning is completed, then people’s deeds will be weighed, because the weighing has to do with reward and punishment. So it is apt that it should come after the Reckoning. The Reckoning is to evaluate the deeds, and the weighing is to determine the amount of reward or punishment.” The texts indicate that the Balance is a real Balance, with two pans, in which people’s deeds will be weighed. It is a huge Balance, the size of which is known only to Allaah. The scholars differed as to whether it is one Balance in which people’s deeds will be weighed, or whether there are numerous Balances, so that each person will have his own Balance. Those who said that there will be numerous balances quote as evidence the fact that the word appears in plural form in some verses, for example (interpretation of the meaning): 428

“And We shall set up Balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We to take account” [al-Anbiya’ 21:47] Those who say that it will be one Balance quote as evidence the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “The Balance will be set up on the Day of Resurrection, and if the heavens and the earth were to be weighed in it, it would be sufficient to carry them. And the angels will say, ‘O Lord, who is this for?’ Allaah will say, ‘For whomsoever I will from among My slaves.’” (al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 941). They interpret the verse in which the plural form is mentioned as referring to the large number of things to be weighed, namely words, deeds, records and people. One of the things that indicate that words will also be weighed is the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah, according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Two words which are light on the tongue but will weigh heavily in the Balance and are beloved to the Most Merciful: Subhaan Allaah il‘Azeem, Subhaan Allaahi wa bi Hamdihi (Glory be to Allaah the Almighty, Glory and praise be to Allaah).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6406). The fact that deeds will be weighed is indicated by the saheeh hadeeth narrated from Abu’l-Darda’ who said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘There is nothing that will be placed in the Balance that will weigh more heavily than a good attitude. The one who has a good attitude will attain thereby the status of one who fasts and prays (a great deal).’” (Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 1629) 429

Another thing that indicates that the books of deeds will be weighed is the hadeeth of al-Bitaaqah from ‘AbdAllaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas who said, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah will separate a man belonging to my ummah in the presence of all creatures and will spread ninety-nine scrolls for him, each scroll extending as far as the eye can see. Then He will say, ‘Do you object to anything in this? Have my scribes who keep note wronged you?’ He will say, ‘No, my Lord.’ He will ask him, ‘Do you have any excuse?’ He will say, ‘No my Lord.’ Allaah will say, ‘On the contrary, you have with Us a good deed, and you will not be wronged this Day.’ A slip of paper will then be brought out, on which are the words ‘Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhu wa rasooluhu (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger).’ Allaah will say, ‘Bring your weight (i.e., the scrolls).’ The man will say, ‘O Lord, what is this slip of paper in comparison to these scrolls?’ And He will reply, ‘You will not be wronged.’ The scrolls will then be put in one side of the Balance and the slip of paper in the other, and the scrolls will become light and the slip of paper heavy, for nothing could compare in weight to the name of Allaah.” (Saheeh Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 2127) One of the things that indicate that people will be weighed is the hadeeth narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A huge fat man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection, and he will not weigh more before Allaah than the wing of a gnat. Recite: ‘and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall assign no weight for them’ [alKahf 18:105 – interpretation of the meaning].” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4729). It is also indicated by the fact that 430

Ibn Mas’ood was trying to break a siwaak branch from an araak tree and he had thin legs and the wind started to buffet him, so the people laughed at him. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “What are you laughing at?” They said, “O Prophet of Allaah, because his legs are so thin.” He said, “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, they will weigh more heavily in the Balance than Mount Uhud.” Its isnaad was classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Sharh al-Tahhaawiyyah, no. 571, p. 418 We ask Allaah to make us weigh heavily in the Balance. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 21679: The gathering of mankind and the animals Question: What can you tell us about how people will look following the Resurrection? Will people will be wearing clothes or not? Will the animals be resurrected after death or not?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah calls the Day of Resurrection the Day of Gathering because Allaah will gather His slaves, mankind and the jinn. Allaah says: “Indeed in that (there) is a sure lesson for those who fear the torment of the Hereafter. That is a Day whereon 431

mankind will be gathered together, and that is a Day when all (the dwellers of the heavens and the earth) will be present” [Hood 11:103] “Say (O Muhammad): (Yes) verily, those of old, and those of later times. All will surely be gathered together for appointed Meeting of a known Day” [al-Waaqiyah 56:49-50] “There is none in the heavens and the earth but comes unto the Most Gracious (Allaah) as a slave. Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection (without any helper, or protector or defender)” [Maryam 19:93-95] “And (remember) the Day We shall cause the mountains to pass away (like clouds of dust), and you will see the earth as a levelled plain, and we shall gather them all together so as to leave not one of them behind” [al-Kahf 18:47] Also included in this gathering are the animals. Shaykh al-Islam (Ibn Taymiyah) said: “As for the animals, they will all be gathered by Allaah, as is indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘There is not a moving (living) creature on earth, nor a 432

bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered’ [al-An’aam 6:38] ‘And when the wild beasts are gathered together’ [al-Takweer 81:5] ‘And among His Ayaat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.) is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and whatever moving (living) creatures He has dispersed in them both. And He is AllPotent over their assembling (i.e. resurrecting them on the Day of Resurrection after their death, and dispersion of their bodies) whenever He wills’ [al-Shoora 42:29] The word idha (translated here as when or whenever) refers to something that will inevitably come to pass. And there are many well known ahaadeeth on this topic. On the Day of Resurrection Allaah will gather the animals, and the scores among them will be settled. Then it will be said to them, “Be dust!” and they will become dust. At that point the kaafir will say, “Would that I were dust!” (al-Naba’ 72:40 – interpretation of the meaning). Whoever says that they will not be brought back to life is making a serious mistake, indeed he is misguided or is a kaafir. And Allaah knows best. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 4/248 Ahmad (20534) narrated from Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting, and two sheep locked horns, and one of them butted the other and defeated it. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) smiled, and it was said to him, “Why are you 433

smiling, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “Because of the sheep. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it will settle its score with the other on the Day of Resurrection.” Ahmad Shaakir said, its isnaad is hasan and unbroken. Muslim (2582) narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “All rights will be restored on the Day of Resurrection, until even the hornless sheep will settle its score with the one that has horns.” Al-Nawawi said: This clearly indicates that the animals will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, and that they will be brought back to life like human beings who are accountable, and like children and the insane and those who were not reached by the call of Islam. This is what is indicated by the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And when the wild beasts are gathered together” [al-Takweer 81:5] If something is stated in a shar’i text, and there is no rational or shar’i reason not to interpret it according to what it appears to mean, then it must be taken at face value. The scholars said that it is not a condition of the gathering or the resurrection that there should be reward or punishment. With regard to the hornless sheep settling their scores with those that have horns, this is not the retaliation that comes with accountability, because they are not accountable. Rather it is simply settling the scores. And Allaah knows best. People will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection barefoot, naked and uncircumcised. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the 434

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You will be gathered barefoot, naked and uncircumcised.” Then he recited, “As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it” [al-Anbiya’ 21:104 – interpretation of the meaning]. Then he said: “The first one to be clothed on the Day of Resurrection will be Ibraaheem. Some people from among my followers will be taken away towards the left and I will say, ‘My followers, my followers!’ He will say, ‘They kept turning back on their heels after you left them.’ And I will say what the righteous slave said: ‘And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when You took me up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things. (This is a great admonition and warning to the Christians of the whole world). If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You, are the AllMighty, the AllWise’ [al-Maa’idah 5:117].” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3349) It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘You will be gathered barefoot, naked and uncircumcised.’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, men and women will be looking at one another?!’ He said, ‘The situation will be so terrible that that will not concern them.’” (Narrated by alBukhaari, 6527) And it was narrated in the hadeeth that people will be resurrected in the clothes in which they died. It was narrated that when Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri was dying, he called for new clothes and put them on, then he said, “I 435

heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘The deceased will be resurrected in the clothes in which he died.’” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3114; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in alSilsilah al-Saheehah, 1671). This hadeeth may seem to contradict the hadeeth quoted above, which says that they will be resurrected naked. The scholars reconciled between the two reports by noting the following points: 1- That they will be raised in those garments but they will wear out after the resurrection, and when they reach the place of standing they will be naked. 2- They will be raised naked then when the Prophets and Siddeeqs etc have been clothed, everyone else will be clothed in the same kind of clothes as those in which they died. 3- Some of the scholars interpreted this hadeeth as referring to the martyrs (shuhada’), because they are the ones whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded should be buried in the clothes in which they died, so they will be resurrected in their clothes in order to distinguish them from others. 4- What is meant by clothes is righteous deeds, as in the verses (interpretation of the meanings) “and the raiment of righteousness, that is better” [al-A’raaf 7:26] “And purify your garments” [al-Muddaththir 74:4] What is meant by a person being resurrected according to what he was doing when he died is that if his final 436

action was good, then it will be good (for him) and if it was bad then it will be bad (for him). This is indicated by the hadeeth of Jaabir who said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘Every person will be resurrected in the manner that he died.’” (Narrated by Muslim, 2878) And Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When Allaah sends down punishment upon a people, the punishment also befalls those who were among them, then they will be resurrected according to their deeds.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7108). This is also indicated by the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “Whilst a man was at ‘Arafah, he fell from his mount and broke his neck (or it broke his neck). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Wash him with water and lotus leaves, and shroud him in two garments, but do not apply perfume or cover his head, for he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection reciting the Talbiyah.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1265). And it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every wound that the Muslim receives for the sake of Allaah will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was at the time when it was inflicted; blood will be flowing from the wound and its color will be that of blood but its smell will be the fragrance of musk.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 237). Hence it is mustahabb to encourage one who is dying to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, so that these good words will be his last words in this world and he will be raised saying them on the Day of Resurrection. 437

See Fath al-Baari, 11/383 The people will be gathered on that Day on another earth, one that is different from this earth, with specific features that are explained in the Sunnah. It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa’d said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘The people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection on reddish white land like a pure loaf of bread (made from pure fine flour).” Sahl or someone else said, “It will have no landmarks for anyone (to make use of).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6521) ‘Afra’ (translated here as reddish) means white that has a hint of redness; or it was said that it is intensely white; or it was said that it means pure white. A pure loaf of bread means a loaf that is made from pure flour that is unadulterated. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 10403: Three questions in the grave Question: Can you please tell me what are the trials of the grave that we ask allah (saw) to save us from. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: When the son of Adam dies and his soul departs and he is placed in his grave, then he is in the first stage of the Hereafter, because the grave is the first of the stages of the Hereafter. It was narrated that Haani’ the freed slave of ‘Uthmaan 438

ibn ‘Affaan said: when ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affaan stood by a grave he would weep until his beard became wet. It was said to him, “You remember Paradise and Hell and you do not weep, but you weep because of this?” He said, “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The grave is the first of the stages of the Hereafter; whoever is saved from it, whatever comes afterwards will be easier for him, but if he is not saved from it, what comes afterwards will be worse for him.’” And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have never seen any scene but the grave is more frightening than it.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2308; Ibn Maajah, 4567; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1684). Secondly: The two angels who are charged with questioning come to him and ask him what he used to believe in in this world, who was his Lord, what was his religion and who was his Prophet. If he gives a good answer, that is good, but if he does not answer them they inflict a severe and painful beating on him. If he was one of the righteous, angels with white faces come to him, but if he was one of the evildoers, angels with dark faces come to him. This is the fitnah or tribulation that he suffers. It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, ‘Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min al-kasali wa’l-haram wa’l-maghram wa’l-ma’tham. Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaab al-naar wa fitnat il-naar, wa fitnat ilqabri, wa ‘adhaab il-qabri, wa sharri fitnat il-ghina wa sharri fitnat il-faqair wa min sharri fitnat il-maseeh ilDajjaal. Allaahumma ighsil khataayaaya bi ma’ al-thalji wa’l-baradi wa naqqi qalbi min al-khataaya kama 439

yunaqqa al-thawb al-abyad min al-danas, wa baa’id bayni wa bayna khataayaaya kama baa’adta bayna almashriqi wa’l-maghrib (O Allah! I seek refuge with You from laziness and old age, and from debts and sins; from the torment of the Fire and from the tribulation of the Fire, and from the tribulation of the grave and the torment of the grave, and from the evil of the tribulation of wealth, and from the evil of the tribulation of poverty, and from the evil of the tribulation of the Dajjaal (Antichrist). O Allah! Wash away my sins with the water of snow and hail, and cleanse my heart from sin as a white garment is cleansed from filth, and put a great distance between me and my sins, as great as the distance You have made between the East and the West).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6014). Ibn Hajar said: The phrase “from the tribulation of the grave” means the questioning of the two angels. Fath al-Baari, 11/177. And al-Mubaarakfoori said: “The tribulation of the grave” means confusion when answering the two angels. Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, 9/328 Thirdly: With regard to the questions that the angels will ask in the grave, this is explained clearly in the following hadeeth: It was narrated that al-Bara’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: We went out with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) for the funeral 440

of a man from among the Ansaar. We came to the grave and when (the deceased) was placed in the lahd, the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sat down and we sat around him, as if there were birds on our heads (i.e., quiet and still). In his hand he had a stick with which he was scratching the ground. Then he raised his head and said, “Seek refuge with Allaah from the torment of the grave”, two or three times. Then he said, “When the believing slave is about to depart this world and enter the Hereafter, there come down to him from heaven angels with white faces like the sun, and they sit around him as far as the eye can see. They bring with them shrouds from Paradise and perfumes from Paradise. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits by his head, and he says, ‘O good soul, come forth to forgiveness from Allaah and His pleasure.’ Then it comes out easily like a drop of water from the the mouth of a waterskin. When he seizes it, they do not leave it in his hand for an instant before they take it and put it in that shroud with that perfume, and there comes from it a fragrance like the finest musk on the face of the earth. Then they ascend and they do not pass by any group of angels but they say, ‘Who is this good soul?’ and they say, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so, calling him by the best names by which he was known in this world, until they reach the lowest heaven. They ask for it to be opened to them and it is opened, and (the soul) is welcomed and accompanied to the next heaven by those who are closest to Allaah, until they reach the seventh heaven. Then Allaah says: ‘Record the book of My slave in ‘Illiyoon in the seventh heaven, and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, to it I will return them and from it I will bring them forth once again.’ So his soul is returned to his body and there come to him two angels who make him sit up and they say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He says, ‘Allaah.’ They say, ‘What is your religion?’ He says, ‘My religion is Islam.’ They say, ‘Who is this man who was sent among 441

you?’ He says, ‘He is the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).’ They say, ‘What did you do?’ He says, ‘I read the Book of Allaah and I believed in it.’ Then a voice calls out from heaven, ‘My slave has spoken the truth, so prepare for him a bed from Paradise and clothe him from Paradise, and open for him a gate to Paradise.’ Then there comes to him some of its fragrance, and his grave is made wide, as far as he can see. Then there comes to him a man with a handsome face and handsome clothes, and a good fragrance, who says, ‘Receive the glad tidings that will bring you joy this day.’ He says, ‘Who are you? Your face is a face which brings glad tidings.’ He says, ‘I am your righteous deeds.’ He says, ‘O Lord, hasten the Hour so that I may return to my family and my wealth.’ But when the disbelieving slave is about to depart this world and enter the Hereafter, there come down to him from heaven angels with black faces, bringing sackcloth, and they sit around him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes and sits by his head, and he says, ‘O evil soul, come forth to the wrath of Allaah and His anger.’ Then his soul disperses inside his body, then comes out cutting the veins and nerves, like a skewer passing through wet wool. When he seizes it, they do not leave it in his hand for an instant before they take it and put it in that sackcloth, and there comes from it a stench like the foulest stench of a dead body on the face of the earth. Then they ascend and they do not pass by any group of angels but they say, ‘Who is this evil soul?’ and they say, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so, calling him by the worst names by which he was known in this world, until they reach the lowest heaven. They ask for it to be opened to them and it is not opened.” Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited (interpretation of the meaning): “for them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and 442

they will not enter Paradise until the camel goes through the eye of the needle” [al-A’raaf 7:40] He said: “Then Allaah says, ‘Record the book of My slave in Sijjeen in the lowest earth, and return him to the earth, for from it I created them, to it I will return them and from it I will bring them forth once again.’ So his soul is cast down.” Then the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “and whoever assigns partners to Allaah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place” [al-Hajj 22:31] He said: “Then his soul is returned to his body, and there come to him two angels who make him sit up and they say to him, ‘Who is your Lord?’ He says, ‘Oh, oh, I don’t know.’ They say, ‘What is your religion?’ He says, ‘Oh, oh, I don’t know.’ Then a voice calls out from heaven, ‘Prepare for him a bed from Hell and clothe him from Hell, and open for him a gate to Hell.’ Then there comes to him some of its heat and hot winds, and his grave is constricted and compresses him until his ribs interlock. Then there comes to him a man with an ugly face and ugly clothes, and a foul stench, who says, ‘Receive the bad news, this is the day that you were promised.’ He says, ‘Who are you? Your face is a face which forebodes evil.’ He says, ‘I am your evil deeds.’ He says, ‘O Lord, do not let the Hour come, do not let the Hour come.’” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4753; Ahmad, 18063 – this version was narrated by him. Classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1676. 443

The correct view is that the two angels will only question the deceased in his grave about matters of Tawheed (monotheism) and ‘aqeedah (belief). This is quite clear. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 14379: Ruling on belief in reincarnation Question: I have a member of my family who believes in reincarnation which is a view i strongly oppose ,what (if there is ) is the muslim explanation behind this, as i wish to correct them (they have fallen from the faith and this may help)? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. What is meant by reincarnation or the transmigration of souls is that when the body dies, the soul moves to another body, where it will be happy or miserable as the result of its previous actions, and thus it moves from one body to another. This is one of the falsest of false beliefs, and one of the worst forms of kufr or disbelief in Allaah, His Books and His Messengers. For belief in the Hereafter, the Reckoning, Paradise and Hell are among the things that are well-known in the teachings of the Messengers and in the words of the Books which were revealed to them. Belief in reincarnation is tantamount to disbelief in all of that. The Islamic understanding of the Resurrection is stated clearly in the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). For example, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning]: 444

“Everyone shall taste death. Then unto Us you shall be returned” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:57] “To Him is the return of all of you. The Promise of Allaah is true. It is He Who begins the creation and then will repeat it, that He may reward with justice those who believed and did deeds of righteousness. But those who disbelieved will have a drink of boiling fluids and painful torment because they used to disbelieve” [Yoonus 10:4] “The Day We shall gather the Muttaqoon (the pious) unto the Most Gracious (Allaah), like a delegation (presented before a king for honour). And We shall drive the Mujrimoon (polytheists, sinners, criminals, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) to Hell, in a thirsty state (like a thirsty herd driven down to water)” [Maryam 19:85-86] “Verily, He knows each one of them, and has counted them a full counting. And everyone of them will come to Him alone on the Day of Resurrection (without any helper, or protector or defender)” [Maryam 19:94-95] “Allaah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). Surely, He will gather you together on the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt” [al-Nisa’ 4:87] “The disbelievers pretend that they will never be resurrected (for the Account). Say (O Muhammad): Yes! 445

By my Lord, you will certainly be resurrected, then you will be informed of (and recompensed for) what you did; and that is easy for Allaah” [al-Taghaabun 64:7] And there are other clear and unambiguous verses. There are innumerable references in the Sunnah which mention and confirm the Resurrection, and give details concerning it. For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You will be resurrected barefoot, naked and uncircumcised.” Then he recited (interpretation of the meaning): “As We began the first creation, We shall repeat it. (It is) a promise binding upon Us. Truly, We shall do it” [al-Anbiya’ 21:104]. (Then he said:) “And the first one to be clothed on the Day of Resurrection will be Ibraaheem…” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3100; Muslim, 5104). And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “In man there is a bone which will not be consumed by the earth, and from it he will be regenerated on the Day of Resurrection.” They asked, “What bone is that, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “The tailbone.” (Narrated by Muslim, 5255). And he said: “The sun will be brought close to mankind on the Day of Resurrection until it will be as close to them as a meel.” Saleem ibn ‘Aamir [one of the narrators of this hadeeth] said: “By Allaah, I do not know whether by meel he meant a distance on land (a mile) or the stick with which kohl is applied to the eyes. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Then the people will be submerged in sweat according to their deeds; some with be in sweat up to their ankles, some up to their knees, some up to their groin and some up to their 446

jaws.” He said: and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) pointed to his mouth. (Narrated by Muslim, 5108). And he said: “I will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and ask for it to be opened. The gatekeeper will ask, ‘Who are you?’ I will say: ‘Muhammad.’ He will say, ‘I was commanded not to open it for anyone before you.’” (Narrated by Muslim, 292). And there are other similar ahaadeeth. The idea of the transmigration of souls is a rejection of these texts and a denial of the Resurrection. The Islamic teachings concerning torment or blessing in the grave and the questioning of the two angels clearly prove that the soul of man does not move to another body, rather it and the body experience torment or blessing, until mankind will be gathered to their Lord. Imaam Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “It is sufficient refutation of their idea to note that there is consensus among all Muslims that they are kaafirs and that those who believe in this idea are following something other than Islam, and that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught something other than this.” (al-Fasl fi’l-Milal wa’l-Ahwa’ wa’l-Nihal, 1/166). The belief that the body will perish and will not be restored to experience blessing or punishment is a means that leads man to indulge in desires, wrongdoing and evil. This is what the Shaytaan wants for those who follow this corrupt belief, in addition to pushing them further in to kufr when he makes them believe in this false idea. What you must do is to advise this person and remind him of the words of Allaah and the words of His 447

Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and call him to repent from this kufr. If he repents and turns to Allaah, all well and good, otherwise keep away from him and warn others against listening to him, and tell people that you reject his beliefs, lest people be deceived by him. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 13994: The reality of belief in the Last Day Question: What is meant by belief in the Last Day? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. What is meant by belief in the Last Day is: Firmly believing that everything that Allaah has told us about in His Book and that His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us about what will happen after death, will indeed happen and come to pass. That includes believing in the signs of the Hour which will happen before the Last Day; in death and things that accompany it when a person is on his deathbed; what comes after death, namely the trial of the grave and torment or blessing therein; the Trumpet-blast and resurrection; the standing and terrors of the Day of Resurrection; the details of the gathering and reckoning; 448

Paradise and its delights, the greatest of which will be looking upon the Face of Allaah; Hell and its torments, the most severe of which will be their being veiled from seeing their Lord. And belief in the Last Day includes acting in accordance with what is implied by these beliefs. If this belief is firmly established in a person’s heart, it will bear great fruits, including the following: 1 – The desire to do acts of obedience and worship, and to strive hard in doing so, in the hope of attaining the rewards of that Day. 2 – Fear of committing sin or approving of it, for fear of the punishment of that Day. 3 – The believer will be consoled for whatever he misses out on of worldly luxuries and delights, because of his hope for the delights and rewards of the Hereafter. We ask Almighty Allaah to bless us with sincere belief and unshakeable certainty of faith… Ameen. See A’laam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 110; Sharh alUsool al-Thalaathah by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 98-103. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 14490: The kaafir’s reckoning in the Hereafter Question: The believer will face his reckoning on the Day of Resurrection, whether his deeds are good or bad. But how will the reckoning of the kaafir be, when he is not required to observe the same duties as the believer? 449

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This question is based on a misconception, for the same requirements are demanded of the kaafir as of the believer, but he is not obliged to do them in this world. The indication that he is subject to the same requirements is to be found in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Except those on the Right (i.e. the pious true believers of Islamic Monotheism). In Gardens (Paradise) they will ask one another, About Al Mujrimoon (polytheists, criminals, disbelievers) (and they will say to them): ‘What has caused you to enter Hell’ They will say: ‘We were not of those who used to offer the Salaah (prayers), Nor we used to feed AlMiskeen (the poor); And we used to talk falsehood (all that which Allaah hated) with vain talkers. And we used to belie the Day of Recompense’” [al-Muddaththir 74:39-46] If their suffering were not due to the fact that they did not pray or feed the poor, they would not mention these things. This indicates that they will be punished concerning (neglect of) the minor issues of Islam. This is based on the texts but it is also the matter of common sense, for if Allaah will punish His believing slave for what he failed to do with regard to religious obligations, how can He not punish His disbelieving slave? Rather I could add that the kaafir will be punished for everything that Allaah 450

has blessed him with in this world, his food, drink, etc. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Those who believe and do righteous good deeds, there is no sin on them for what they ate (in the past), if they fear Allaah (by keeping away from His forbidden things), and believe and do righteous good deeds, and again fear Allaah and believe, and once again fear Allaah and do good deeds with Ihsaan (perfection). And Allaah loves the gooddoers” [al-Maa’idah 5:93] The apparent meaning of the aayah is that the believers are relieved of any blame for what they eat, and it may be understood that the kaafirs are to blame for what they eat. Similarly Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allaah, which He has produced for His slaves, and At-Tayyibaat [all kinds of Halaal (lawful) things] of food?’ Say: ‘They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) exclusively for them (believers) on the Day of Resurrection (the disbelievers will not share them)’”[al-A’raaf 7:32] The phrase “They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe” indicates that people other than the believers do not have any right to enjoy them. I say that they do not have any shar’i right to them, but the reality of this life is that Allaah has created these things and the kaafirs are benefitting from them, and this is something that cannot be denied. This indicates that the kaafir will be brought to account even for the permissible things that he ate and for what he wore. This is based on the texts but it is also the matter of common sense, for how can it make sense that this kaafir who disobeys Allaah and does not believe in Him should have the right to enjoy that which Allaah has created and blessed His slaves with? If this is clear to 451

you, (then you will see that) the kaafir will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection for his deeds, but the way in which the kaafir will be brought to account will not be like the way in which the believer is brought to account, because the reckoning of the believer will be easy, and his Lord will speak to him alone, and will make him admit to his sins, then He will say to him, “I concealed your sins in the world and I forgive you for them today.” But as for the kaafir – we seek refuge with Allaah – his reckoning will mean that he will confess to his sins and be humiliated before all the people, “and the witnesses will say, “These are the ones who lied against their Lord!” No doubt! the Curse of Allaah is on the Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers, oppressors)” From the fatwas of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al‘Uthaymeen, in Kitaab Fataawa Islaamiyyah, 1/82. (www.islam-qa.com) 10673: Settling of scores among the animals on the Day of Resurrection Question: I have heard that there will be a settling of scores among the animals on the Day of Resurrection. Is this true? If it is true, how will that be done if they are not accountable? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – in a hadeeth that has many 452

corroborating reports and isnaads – that he said: “Allaah will judge between His creation, jinn, men and animals. On that Day, Allaah will let the hornless animal settle its score with the horned until, when there is nothing left to be settled, Allaah will say to them, ‘Be dust.’ At that point the kaafir will say, ‘Would that I were dust.’” (Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilat alSaheehah, no. 1966) Among the versions of this hadeeth which we may mention are the following: · “All creatures will settle the scores between them, even the hornless animal with the horned one, and even one ant with another) · It was narrated from Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting, and two sheep locked horns until one of them defeated and subdued the other. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) smiled and someone asked him, “Why are you smiling, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “It is amazing. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, their score will be settled on the Day of Resurrection.” · “O Abu Dharr, do you know what they are fighting over?” He said, “No.” He said, “But Allaah knows and He will judge between them.” Al-Nawawi said in Sharh Muslim, under the hadeeth of al-tarjumah: “This clearly indicates that the animals will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection and that they will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection like humans who are accountable, and as children, the insane, and those whom the call did not reach will also be resurrected. There 453

is also evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah to support that. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And when the wild beasts shall be gathered together” [al-Takweer 81:5] If there is a phrase in a text of sharee’ah whose apparent meaning is not impossible whether according to sharee’ah or reason, then it must be interpreted according to its apparent meaning. The scholars said: reward and punishment are not essential features of the gathering and the resurrection. The settling of scores between the hornless and horned animals is not based on accountability, because they are not held accountable, rather it is retaliation in kind for the sake of justice. And Allaah knows best.” Shaykh ‘Ali al-Qaari quoted him in al-Murqaah (4/761) as saying: “If it is said that a sheep is not accountable, how can scores be settled with it? (Our response is) that Allaah does as He wills, and He cannot be questioned as to what He does. The point is to demonstrate to people that rights will not be neglected, rather the rights of the oppressed will be settled at the expense of the oppressor” al-Qaari’ said: “This is a good point. The point is that this settling of scores points in the most eloquent manner to the perfect justice with which all those who are accountable will be dealt. If this is the situation with regard to animals who are not accountable, then how about those who possess reason, lowly and noble, strong and weak?” See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, p. 612 Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 454

9488: The meaning of the hadeeth which says that the sins of the Muslims will be placed on the kuffaar of the People of the Book Question: We would like you to please explain for us the hadeeth qudsi that follows (some say that how can this be since there is injustive involved-wa ‘iyaadhu billaah): In a book entitled 110 Hadith Qudsi, translated by Syed Masood-ul-Hasan, Revision and Commentaries by Ibrahim M. Kunna, published by Darussalam, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1996/1417H, appears a Qudsi Hadith No. 8 on page 19/20. No. 8: Narrated Abu Musa (r.a.): Allah’s Messenger (s.a.s.) said: On the Day of Resurrection, my Ummah (nation) will be gathered into three groups, one sort will enter Paradise without rendering an account (of their deeds). Another sort will be reckoned on easy account and admitted into Paradise. Yet another sort will come bearing on their backs heaps of sins like great mountains. Allah will ask the angels though He knows best about them: Who are these people? They will reply: They are humble slaves of yours. He will say: Unload the sins from them and put the same over the Jews and Christians; then let the humble slaves get into Paradise by virtue of My Mercy. (This Hadith is sound and mentioned in Mustadrak of Hakim). Please help us ya shaykh to clarify the meaning of this hadeeth. We are doing as Allaah commanded us (meaning):ask those of knowledge if you do not know Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This hadeeth is to be found in Saheeh Muslim (2767), narrated from Abu Moosa (may Allaah 455

be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said: “On the Day of Resurrection, some of the Muslims will come with sins like mountains, but Allaah will forgive them and will put them (the sins) onto the Jews and Christians.” So this hadeeth is saheeh. With regard to its meaning, al-Nawawi said in his commentary: “The meaning of this hadeeth is the same as the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah: “For each person there is a place in Paradise and a place in Hell.” When the believer enters Paradise, his place in Hell is taken over by the kaafir because he deserves that because of his kufr. The meaning of the phrase “your ransom from the Fire” is that you could have entered Hell, but this is your ransom because Allaah has decreed a certain number to fill it; when the kuffaar enter Hell because of their kufr and sins, this is like a ransom for the Muslims. With regard to the report, “On the Day of Resurrection, some of the Muslims will come with sins” – Allaah will forgive the Muslims these sins and will absolve them of them, and He will put the like of those sins onto the Jews and Christians because of their kufr and sins. So they will enter Hell because of their own actions, not because of the sins of the Muslims. This report has to be interpreted in this manner, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden” [Faatir 35:18] It may be that the meaning is: sins which the kuffaar innovated and initiated, because whoever starts a bad thing will bear a burden of sin like that of each person who does that thing. Shaykh Sa’d al-Humayd (www.islam-qa.com) 456

1506: It is not possible to say that someone is Muslim if they did not utter the Shahaadatayn Question: if someone who is born nonmuslim (christian ) he/she is honest and never commits major sins and he/she belives everybbody is right on their own religion but knows nothing about islam nobody told them about it and they die in this stage so where will they go on the day of judgement Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The person whose situation is described in the question cannot be said to be a Muslim even if his attitude and morals were good, because he did not utter the Shahaadatayn and did not believe in Allaah as his Lord, Muhammad as his Prophet and Islam as his religion. The belief that all religions on earth are correct and that their followers are all following the truth is one of the gravest falsehoods and one of the greatest examples of kufr. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning); “…Say: ‘Are those who know equal to those who know not?’…” [al-Zumar 39:9] “And not equal are the blind and those who see; nor are (equal) those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic Monotheism), and do righteous good deeds, and those who do evil. Little do you remember! [Ghaafir 40:58] 457

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say: ‘(It is) Allaah.’ Say: ‘Have you then taken (for worship) Awliyaa’ (protectors) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?’ Say: ‘Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light?’” [al-Ra’d 13:16] “Say (O Muhammad): ‘Not equal are AlKhabeeth (all that is evil and bad as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods) and AtTayyib (all that is good as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods)…’” [al-Maa’idah 5:100] “Not alike are the blind (disbelievers in Islamic Monotheism) and the seeing (believers in Islamic Monotheism). Nor are (alike) darkness (disbelief) and light (belief in Islamic Monotheism). Nor are (alike) the shade and the sun’s heat. Nor are (alike) the living (i.e., the believers) and the dead (i.e., the disbelievers). Verily, Allaah makes whom He wills to hear, but you cannot make hear those who are in graves” [Faatir 35:19-22] With regard to the ultimate destiny of the person referred to in the question, and whether he will be excused for his ignorance or not, and what his situation will be on the Day of Resurrection, we believe that his case rests with Allaah. A similar question has already been answered – please refer to Question # 2443 And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 458

8398: Is it true that the Day of Judgement will come on a Friday, 10th Muharram? Question: my question is with regards to the day of judgement. from what i have read in the sahih(accurate) hadith it is stated that the day of judgement will come on friday(10th moharram).My question is if it is friday in saudi arabia then it will be another day in USA and so on....so basically it is never friday all over the world at one time...please answer, this has been troubling me for sometime. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Everyone who gives a specific time or date for the onset of the Day of Judgement is a fabricator and a liar. The onset of the Day of Resurrection is the “Hour” of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They ask you about the Hour (Day of Resurrection): ‘When will be its appointed time?’ Say: ‘The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (Alone). None can reveal its time but He’” [al-A’raaf 7:187] But when the Day of Resurrection comes, at the time which is known to Allaah, which will be a Friday, then the system of this universe, with its night and day, sun and moon and stars, will be changed. We do not know whether the America which exists today will exist then or not, for Allaah is Able to destroy whichever of these nations He wills before the Day of Resurrection, for Allaah is Able to do all things.

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Written by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (www.islam-qa.com) information is quoted in its entirety, the source is mentioned, and without changing the contents. 2443: Those who never hear anything about Islam Question: What happens to those who have no access to Islam? How are they judged? Jazak-Allah Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak answered this question as follows: “Those who never hear the call of Islam, or they hear about it in an incorrect form, will be tested on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever obeys will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys will enter Hell, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)’ [al-Isra 17:15].” And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 460

2180: The Muslim’s reckoning will be much shorter than the kaafir’s Question: Will there be any difference in the length of the reckoning of the Muslim and of the kaafir on the Day of Resurrection? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Without a doubt, because Allaah says about the Day of Resurrection (interpretation of the meaning): “The sovereignty on that Day will be the true (sovereignty), belonging to the Most Beneficent (Allaah), and it will be a hard Day for the disbelievers.” [al-Furqaan 25:26]. The fact that the kaafirs will be singled out for hardship on the Day of Resurrection indicates that it will be easy for the believers. The words (interpretation of the meaning), “Truly, that Day will be a hard Day, far from easy for the disbelievers.” [al-Muddaththir 74:9-10] also indicate that it will be easy, not difficult, for the believers. This is also indicated by the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Hastening towards the caller, the disbelievers will say, ‘This is a hard Day.’” [al-Qamar 54:8]. This means that the Day of Resurrection will be long for the kuffaar and short for the Muslims. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, has mentioned in His Book the length of time the reckoning will take on the Day of Resurrection. He said (interpretation of the meaning): “Those who have earned the Garden 461

[Paradise] on that day will be better in their home and happier in their place of noonday rest” [al-Furqaan 25:24 – Pickthall’s translation]. This aayah indicates that the reckoning will be completed in half a day, because almaqeel (translated as “noonday rest”) refers to a siesta or rest from the heat of mid-day. Among those who said that the reckoning will be completed in half a day are Ibn ‘Abbaas, Ibn Mas’ood, ‘Ikrimah and Ibn Jubayr, because this is what is indicated by this aayah, as was reported by Ibn Katheer and others. (Daf’ Ayhaam al-Idtiraab by al-Shanqeeti, p. 172). Another clear indication that the reckoning of the believer on the Day of Resurrection will be easy is the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah who reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “For the believers, the (length of) the Day of Resurrection will be like the time between Zuhr and ‘Asr.” (Reported by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 8193). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2272: Is a day with Allaah one thousand years or fifty thousand years? Question: Bismillahir rahmaanir raheem, asalaamu ‘alaykum, please answer, this is very important: Does Allah’s day equal to 1,000 human years (Sura 22:47, 32:5) or 50,000 human years (Sura 70:4) Jazakallaahu khayr. 462

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shanqeeti said in his book Daf’ Ayhaam al-Idtiraab ‘an Aayaat al-Kitaab (p. 158): “The aayah (interpretation of the meaning) ‘…And, verily, a day with your Lord is as a thousand years of what you reckon’ [al-Hajj 22:47] indicates that the length of a day with Allaah is a thousand years. The same is indicated by the aayah (interpretation of the meaning) ‘He arranges (every) affair from the heavens to the earth, then it (the affair) will go up to Him, in one Day, the space whereof is a thousand years of your reckoning.’ [al-Sajdah 32:5]. Another aayah indicates something different (interpretation of the meaning): ‘The angels and the Rooh [Jibreel] ascend to Him in a Day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years’ [al-Ma’aarij 70:4]. There are two ways in which these aayaat may be reconciled: The first was reported by Ibn Abi Haatim via Sammaak from ‘Ikrimah from Ibn ‘Abbaas: the day of a thousand years mentioned in Soorat al-Hajj is one of the six days in which Allaah created the heavens and the earth; the day of a thousand years mentioned in Soorat al-Sajdah is the length of time it takes for a matter to go up to Allaah; and the day of fifty thousand years is the Day of Resurrection. The second (way of reconciling the aayaat) is that what is meant by all of them is the Day of Resurrection, and the difference in the time span depends on whether a person is a believer or a kaafir. This is indicated by the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Truly that Day will be a Hard Day, far from easy for the disbelievers.” [al463

Muddaththir 74:9-10]. These two suggestions were mentioned by the author of al-Itqaan. And Allaah knows best.” Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 1244: The fate of kuffaar who did not hear the message of Islam Question: Someone has asked me this question (she is about to become a muslimah). Her statement: ‘A lot of others will never meet a Muslim in person. Will they be held responsible for their ignorance? What exactly does this mean: “After the revelation of the Quran who ever receives this message & does not abide by it is a nonbeliever”? i. Who is considered to have received the message? ii. Isn’t it possible for people to have not received the message even though the Quran is in existence?’ Answer: Praise be to Allaah. It is part of the justice of Allaah that He does not punish any people until He has first sent a warning to them and unless there is evidence against them. Allaah does not treat anybody unfairly. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning).” [al-Israa’ 17:15]. In his tafseer (commentary) on this aayah, Ibn Katheer 464

(may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “These words, ‘…And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)’ tell us of the justice of Allaah, may He be exalted, and that He does not punish anyone until after He has established evidence against him by sending a Messenger to him. This is like the aayat (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… Every time a group is cast therein [into Hell], its keeper will ask, “Did no warner come to you?” They will say, “Yes indeed; a warner did come to us, but we belied him and said: ‘Allaah never sent down anything (of revelation), you are only in great error.’”’ [al-Mulk 67:8] and: ‘And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups, till, when they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened (suddenly like a prison at the arrival of its prisoners). And its keepers will say, “Did not the Messengers come to you from yourselves, - reciting to you the Verses of your Lord, and warning you of the Meeting of this Day of yours?” They will say: “Yes, but the Word of torment has been justified against the disbelievers!”’ [al-Zumar 39:71]…” A person who has never heard of Islam or the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and who has never heard the message in its correct and true form, will not be punished by Allaah if he dies in a state of kufr (disbelief). If it were asked what his fate will be, the answer will be that Allaah will test him on the Day of Resurrection: if he obeys, he will enter Paradise and if he disobeys he will enter Hell. The evidence (daleel) for this is the hadeeth of al-Aswad ibn Saree’, who reported that the Prophet of Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are four (who will protest) to Allaah on the Day of Resurrection: the deaf man who never heard anything, the insane man, the very old man, and the man who died during the fatrah (the interval between the time of ‘Eesaa (Jesus, upon whom 465

be peace) and the time of Muhammad SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)). The deaf man will say, ‘O Lord, Islam came but I never heard anything.’ The insane man will say, ‘O Lord, Islam came but the children ran after me and threw stones at me.’ The very old man will say, ‘O Lord, Islam came but I did not understand anything.’ The man who died during the fatrah will say, ‘O Lord, no Messenger from You came to me.’ He will accept their promises of obedience, then word will be sent to them to enter the Fire. By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, if they enter it, it will be cool and safe for them.” According to another report, he said: “Whoever enters it, it will be cool and safe for him, and whoever does not enter it will be dragged to it.” (The hadeeth was reported by Imaam Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan, and deemed saheeh by al-Albaani, Saheeh al-Jaami’, 881). Everyone who hears the message of Islam in a sound and correct form (and rejects it), will have evidence aginst him. Whoever dies without having heard the message, or having heard it in a distorted form, then his case is in the hands of Allaah. Allaah knows best about His creation, and He will never treat anyone unfairly. And Allaah is All-Seer of His slaves. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 314: The Muslim belief concerning the destiny of atheists in the Hereafter Question: What do Muslims believe will happen to Athiests in the Hereafter 466

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The athiest is destined to Hell fire in the Hereafter. This is mainly because an athiest refuses the most basic belief which is the existance and oneness of Allaah. I ask Allaah to guide us all to the truth and help us to follow it, for He is the best Supporter and Helper. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 1916: Meeting Allaah on the Day of Judgement Question: Where is Allah? Can we meet Allah in last judgement day? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah points to the fact that Allaah is above the heavens, seated on the Throne in a manner that befits His Majesty and Greatness. Allaah says in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “The Most Beneficent istawaa (rose over) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His majesty).” [Ta-Ha 20:5] (For more information, please see question #992 ). 467

As for meeting Allaah and seeing Him: meeting Him occurs after death and on the Day of Judgement; seeing Him will occur only on the Day of Judgement. Concerning the meeting with Allaah after death, Imaam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) reported in his Saheeh, in the chapter on “whoever loves to meet Allaah, Allaah loves to meet him”: From ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit, from the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) who said: “Whoever loves to meet Allaah, Allaah will love to meet him, and whoever hates to meet Allaah, Allaah will hate to meet him.” ‘Aa’ishah or one of his wives said: “But we all dislike the idea of death.” He said, “It is not what you are thinking. When death approaches the believer and he is given the news of Allaah’s pleasure and honour, nothing will be more dear to him than what lies ahead of him, so he will love to meet Allaah and Allaah will love to meet him. But when death approaches the disbeliever and he is given the news of Allaah’s wrath and punishment, nothing will be more disliked by him that what lies ahead of him, so he will hate to meet Allaah and Allaah will hate to meet him.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 6026). The words “nothing will be more dear to him than what lies ahead of him” refer to what he will go through after death. Muslim and al-Nisaa’i report that Shurayh ibn Haani’ said: “I said to ‘Aa’ishah: ‘I have heard a hadeeth which, if it is as I heard it, means that we are doomed. The hadeeth says: “There is not one of us who does not dislike death.”’ She said: ‘It is not what you think. What it means is when a person’s eyes stare without blinking, when the death rattle is in his chest and his skin and muscles contract.’ This is the state of one who is dying. “Al-Khattaabi said: “There are different types of meeting: it may mean seeing with one’s own eyes, or it may mean resurrection, as Allaah says (interpretation of the 468

meaning):‘They indeed are losers who denied their meeting with Allaah…’ [al-An’aam 6:31]; or it may mean death, as Allaah says: (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Whoever hopes for the Meeting with Allaah, then Allaah’s term is surely coming…’ [al-‘Ankaboot 29:5] and ‘Say (to them): Verily, the death from which you flee will surely meet you…’ [al-Jumu’ah 62:8]” The meeting with Allaah (mentioned in the hadeeth quoted above) refers to something other than death, because in another hadeeth the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said, “Death is a barrier between us and the meeting with Allaah.” But when death is the means of meeting Allaah, it is described as the meeting with Allaah. Imaam Abu ‘Ubayd al-Qaasim ibn Salaam said: “The hadeeth does not refer to a dislike of death and the suffering involved, because everybody feels this way. What is being criticized here is a love and preference for this world and a dislike of the idea of moving on to Allaah and the Hereafter. This is explained by the fact that Allaah condemned people who love this life, and said (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… those who hope not for their meeting with Us, but are pleased and satisfied with the life of the present world…’ [Yoonus 10:7].” Al-Nawawi said: “The meaning of the hadeeth is that the like and dislike referred to are those that occur at the time of death, at the stage when repentance is no longer acceptable, when the dying person is shown where he is headed. There is also some discussion in the hadeeth about the dislike of death. Whoever dislikes death because he prefers this life to the blessings of the Hereafter is condemned. Whoever dislikes death because he fears being brought to account for his shortcomings, lack of preparation and failure to carry out the commands of Allah properly, is not to blame in this case. The one who feels this way should hasten to prepare himself so that when death comes to him he will not dislike it but will love it 469

because of the meeting with Allaah which he is hoping for after death. The hadeeth quoted above also indicates that no living person will see Allaah in this life, but that the believers will see Him after death, as the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: “Death is a barrier between us and the meeting with Allaah.” This fact is stated even more clearly in another hadeeth narrated by Muslim from Abu Umaamah, in which the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) says: “Know that you will not see your Lord until you die.” The meeting with Allaah and seeing Him on the Day of Judgement is proven in many texts, such as the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Some faces that Day will be naadirah (shining and radiant), looking at their Lord.” [al-Qiyaamah 75:22-23] Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the people said, “O Messenger of Allaah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?” He said, “Do you have any doubts about seeing the full moon on a cloudless night?” They said, “No.” He said, “Do you have any doubts about seeing the sun on a cloudless day?” They said, “No.” He said, “Then you will see your Lord in the same way.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 764). We ask Allaah to let us meet Him when He is pleased with us. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 1028: The meaning of Verse 33, Al Rahmaan Question: Assalamu’alaikum wbt 470

Brother, I would like to seek your assistance in translating the tafsir of surah 55 ayat 33(Since I do not know Arabic): ”33. O ye assembly of Jinns and men! if it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth pass ye! not without authority shall ye be able to pass!” Jazakallahu Khair. Answer: Praise be to Allah; Verse 33 of Surat al-Rahman, interpretation of the meaning: “O ye assembly of Jinns and men! If you can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye! Not without authority shall ye be able to pass!” This challenge from Allaah to all will be on the day of resurrection when all creatures, Jinn and humans, will be assembled and the heavens split apart. Angels will descend from all of heavens and encircle the resurrected. Allah will challenge the people assembled to escape if they can. They will not be able to escape as they will not have the ability or the power to do so with the angels besieging and encircling them from all sides. In explanation of this Verse, Ibn Kathir (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Meaning that you cannot escape Allaah’s power and predestination, which are everywhere around you. You cannot escape Allah’s power or break away from His authority or ruling on you. On the day of resurrection, wherever you go, you will be surrounded on all sides by seven rows of angels. No one can pass beyond the zones “without authority” i.e. an order from Allah. Verse 10 of Surat Al-Qiyamah, or the resurrection, says (interpretation of the meaning): “(10.) That day will man say: Where is the escape? (11.) By no means! No place of safety! 12. Before thy Lord (alone), that day will be the dwelling.” 471

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The Signs of the Hour 43840: The truth about the Mahdi, and the order in which the portents of the Hour will appear Question: In the present distressed situation many people including scholars are found to talk about the Renaissance of Islam and the emergence of Imam Mehdi. I want to ask about two things: first, who is or may be Imam Mehdi and is there any evidence about his possible emergence, in the light of Quran and Hadith. Secondly what will be the order of occurence of events before the Qiyamat, including emergence of Imam Mehdi, Fitna-e-Dajjal, Yajooj Majooj and Hazrat Issa (Jesus). Kindly reply in detail. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Imam al-Mahdi will be a righteous man from among the descendants of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who will appear at the end of time, through whom Allaah will set mankind’s affairs straight, and will fill the earth with fairness and justice just as it was filled with wrongdoing and oppression. His name will be the same as the name of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and his father’s name will be the same as that of the father of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). So his name will be Muhammad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Mahdi, or Ahmad ibn ‘Abd-Allaah al-Mahdi. He will be descended from Faatimah the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), through al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him). The sign of 473

his appearance will be widespread corruption and the earth being filled with wrongdoing and aggression. There are a number of ahaadeeth which point to his appearance and attributes being as described above. When taken together these reports reach the level of tawaatur (i.e., narrated from so many people by so many people that it is inconceivable that they could all have agreed upon a lie). This is explained in more detail in question no. 1252. With regard to the order in which the portents of the Hour will appear, there is some difference of opinion among the scholars, the reason being that no such order or events is narrated in the Sunnah. However the scholars have determined the order of some of the events, as follows: 1 – The appearance of the minor portents of the Hour, of which there are many which will not appear in any specific order. These include: the sending of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his death; the plague of ‘Amwaas; the appearance of tribulations; the loss of honesty; the disappearance of knowledge; the spread of riba, musical instruments and alcohol; regarding these things as permissible; competition in erecting tall buildings; a great deal of killing; time passing more quickly; adornment of the mosques; prevalence of shirk; the spread of immorality; a great deal of stinginess; many earthquakes; landslides, transformations and pelting with stones from the heavens; disappearance of righteous people; believers’ dreams coming true; neglect of the Sunnah; a great deal of lying; a great deal of false testimony; a great deal of sudden death; a great deal of rain but little growth of vegetation; wishing for death; increase in numbers of the “Romans” and fighting them; and other signs which are narrated in saheeh ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). 474

2 – The appearance of the Mahdi, who will appear before the Dajjaal and before the descent of ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This is indicated by the hadeeth of Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “ ‘Eesa ibn Maryam will come down and their leader the Mahdi will say to him: ‘Come and lead us in prayer.’ But he will say: ‘No, one of them should lead the others in prayer, as a sign of honour from Allaah to this ummah.’: Narrated by alHaarith ibn Abi Usaamah in his Musnad. And Ibn alQayyim said in al-Manaar al-Muneef (1/147): its isnaad is jayyid. The hadeeth is narrated with a mawsool isnaad in Saheeh Muslim, without naming their leader. Muslim’s report says: “… ‘And ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will come down and their leader will say to him: ‘Come and lead us in prayer.’ But he will say: ‘No, one of them should lead the others in prayer, as a sign of honour from Allaah to this ummah.’” Narrated by Muslim, 225. So ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) will follow the Mahdi in prayer, which indicates that the Mahdi will appear before ‘Eesa, and ‘Eesa will kill the Dajjaal, which indicates that the Dajjaal will appear during the time of the Mahdi. See also question no. 10301. 3 – The appearance of the Dajjaal – for more detail about his emergence see Questions no. 8806, 171, 8301. 4 – The descent of ‘Eesa ibn Maryam and his killing the Dajjaal (see question no. 10302). 5 – The appearance of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj (Gog and Magog). One indication that Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj will emerge at the time of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) is the hadeeth of al-Nawaas ibn Sam’aan, which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told them about the Dajjaal, and said: “Whilst he is like that, Allaah will reveal to ‘Eesa: ‘I have released slaves of Mine 475

whom no one will be able to fight. Take My slaves to safety in al-Toor (Sinai),’ and Allaah will send Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj, who will come swarming down from every mound. The first of them will pass by Lake Tiberias and will drink the water in it, and the last of them will pass by it and will say, ‘There was water here once.’” Narrated by Muslim, no. 2937. See also questions no. 171 and 3437. Then the signs will come quickly, one after another. According to a hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The signs will come one after another, like beads falling from a string”. Narrated by alTabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Awsat; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’. Then the sun will rise from the west, the Beast will emerge, and there will be landslides and other major signs. We ask Allaah to make us steadfast unto death. And Allaah knows best. For more information see: al-Mahdi al-Muntazar by Dr. ‘Abd al-‘Aleem al-bastawi, 1/256; Ashraat al-Saa’ah by Yoosuf al-Waabil, p. 249. see also question no. 3259. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 34618: One of the signs of the Hour is that time will pass more quickly Question:

Is it one of the signs of the hour that days will pass quickly and will become short?. 476

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Perhaps the questioner is referring to the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (1036) from Abu Hurayrah who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Hour will not begin until knowledge is taken away, earthquakes increase, time passes quickly, tribulations appear, and there is a lot of haraj, which is killing, killing, and until there will be a lot of wealth among you and it will become abundant.” And Ahmad narrated (10560) that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Hour will not begin until time passes quickly, so a year will be like a month, and a month will be like a week, and a week will be like a day, and a day will be like an hour, and an hour will be like the burning of a braid of palm leaves.” Ibn Katheer said: Its isnaad is (saheeh) according to the conditions of Muslim. And it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7422. These two ahaadeeth indicate that one of the signs of the Hour is that time will pass more quickly. The scholars differed concerning the meaning of the phrase taqaarub al-zamaan (time passing more quickly). There are many views, the strongest of which is: That the phrase taqaarub al-zamaan (time passing quickly) may be interpreted literally or metaphorically. The metaphorical meaning is that barakah (blessing) will disappear from time, which is something that started a long time ago. 477

This was the view favoured by al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad, al-Nawawi and al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on them). Al-Nawawi said: what is meant by its becoming short is that there will be no barakah in it, and that the benefit that a person gets from one day, for example, will be the equivalent of the benefit that he used to get in a single hour. Al-Haafiz said: The fact of the matter is that what it means is that barakah will disappear from everything, even from time. That is one of the signs that the Hour is at hand. The metaphorical meaning also includes ease and speed of travel between distant places, so that it may be regarded as time passing more quickly. Distances that took months to cross in the past do not take more than a number of hours nowadays. Shaykh Ibn Baaz said, in his commentary on Fath alBaari, 2/522: the time passing quickly mentioned in the hadeeth may be interpreted in the sense of what has happened nowadays, where the distances between cities and regions have grown shorter and it takes less time to travel between them, because of the invention of planes, cars, broadcasting, etc. And Allaah knows best. With regard to the literal meaning, that days will become shorter in a real sense, so that the hours of night and day pass quickly, this has not happened yet, but it is not something impossible. This is supported by the fact that the days of the Dajjaal will become longer so that a day will be like a year or a month or a week in length. Just as days may become longer, they may also become shorter. That will be because of the world system going out of control and the approach of the end of the world. In al-Fath, al-Haafiz quoted Ibn Abi Jamrah as saying: 478

It may be that what is meant by time passing quickly is that time will literally become shorter, based on what is said in the hadeeth: “The Hour will not begin until a year is like a month.” Based on this, then the shortening of time may be understood in a literal sense, or it may be metaphorical. In the real sense it has not started yet, but it may be one of the things that will happen when the Hour is at hand. With regard to the metaphorical sense, it appeared some time ago. This is known to the religious scholars and also to those who are smart and involved in worldly affairs, for they find that none of them can do as much work as they used to do before, and they complain about that and do not know the reason for it. Perhaps that is because of the weakness of faith and the emergence of things that go against Islam in many ways. The worst of that lack of barakah is mostly manifested in provision, because the sources of provision are either completely haraam or are dubious, as is obvious to everyone, to such an extent that many people do not care where their provision comes from; wherever they can get they take it and they do not care. In fact the barakah in time, provision and agriculture can only be obtained by means of strength of faith, following Allaah’s commands and heeding His prohibitions. The proof of that is the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): “And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwa (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth” [al-A’raaf 7:96] Al-Suyooti said something similar in al-Haawi li’lFataawi (1/44), where he said concerning the meaning of this hadeeth: It was said that this is in fact literal, and that the hours of day and night will grow shorter when the onset of the Hour is at hand. And it was said that it is metaphorical, 479

and that what is meant is that days will pass quickly and the barakah will be removed from all things, even from time…. And there are other opinions as well. And Allaah knows best. There is no contradiction between these three views, that it means the removal of blessing, ease of transportation and time passing more quickly in a literal sense. There is no reason why the hadeeth should not be interpreted as meaning all of them. And Allaah knows best. There are other opinions concerning the meaning of “time passing quickly,” but they are not as strong as the opinions quoted above. For example there is the view of alKhattaabi, which is that life will become enjoyable. AlHaafiz said: It means – and Allaah knows best – that this will happen at the time of the Mahdi, when security and justice prevail throughout the earth, and life will become enjoyable at that time, and people will feel that time is shorter; because people feel that times of ease are short even when they are long, and they feel that times of hardship last long, even if they are short. Then al-Haafiz said: Rather al-Khattaabi interpreted it in this manner because that this shortness of time had not yet happened in his era. But what the hadeeth refers to is happening in our time, for we see that days are passing quickly in a way that did not happen during previous times, even though there is no easy life. In fact the meaning is metaphorical and refers to the removal of barakah. Another opinion was that of Ibn Battaal, which is that what is meant is that people will become similar to one another in their lack of religious commitment, so that there will not be anyone among them who enjoins what is good and forbids what is evil, because of the prevalence of evil and its people. This interpretation goes against the apparent meaning of 480

the hadeeth and is refuted by what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in another hadeeth: “The Hour will not begin until time passes more quickly so that a year will be like a month…” It is obvious that what is meant is that time itself will pass more quickly, not that people will start to resemble one another in their lack of religious commitment. And Allaah knows best. See Fath al-Baari, 13/21, commentary on hadeeth no. 7061. Ittihaaf al-Jamaa’ah by al-Tuwayjri, 1/497 Al-Sunan al-Waaridah fi’l-Fitan wa Ghawaa’iliha wa’lSaa’ah wa Ashraatiha by Abu ‘Amr ‘Uthmaan al-Daani, ed. By Dr. Rida’-Allaah al-Mubaarakfoori Ashraat al-Saa’ah by al-Waabil, p. 120. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 34890: The hadeeth “There is no Mahdi except ‘Eesa” is not saheeh Question: Is the hadeeth “There is no Mahdi except ‘Eesa” saheeh?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This hadeeth was narrated by Ibn Maajah in his Sunan (4039).

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Almost all the muhadditheen (hadeeth scholars) are agreed that this hadeeth is da’eef (weak)” It was classed as da’eef by al-Bayhaqi, al-Haakim, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah in Manhaaj al-Sunnah (8/256), and Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Manaar al-Muneef (p. 148). Al-Dhahabi said in Meezaan al-I’tidal (3/535): it is a munkar report. Al-Qaari said in Mirqaat al-Mafaateeh (10/183): it is da’eef according to the consensus of the muhadditheen. It was mentioned by al-Shawkaani in al-Qawaa’id alMajmoo’ah, 127. He said: al-San’aani said: (it is) mawdoo’ (fabricated). Al-Albaani said in Silsilat al-Ahaadeeth al-Da’eefah (77): It is munkar. Even if this hadeeth were saheeh – but it is not saheeh – the meaning would be that there is no one who perfectly guided (mahdi) or protected from sin and error except ‘Eesa ibn Maryam. This was stated by al-Qurtubi, Ibn alQayyim and Ibn Katheer. This does not contradict the fact that the Mahdi will emerge at the end of time and that he will join forces with ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him), and ‘Eesa will pray behind him in congregation. We have already stated in the answer to question no. 1252 the evidence showing that the Mahdi will emerge at the end of time with the attributes that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described. These saheeh ahaadeeth cannot be contradicted by a da’eef hadeeth like this one. See al-Ahaadeeth al-Da’eefah, 1/89 by al-Albaani. AlMawsoo’ah fi Ahaadeeth al-Mahdi al-Da’eefah wa’l482

Mawdoo’ah by al-Bastawi, p. 94-104. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 21636: Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) not tell us when the Hour would begin? Question: Why did the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) not tell us when the Hour would begin?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not tell us when the Hour would begin because he did not know when the Hour would begin. We have already quoted in question no. 32627 the evidence from the Qur’aan and Sunnah concerning that. Secondly: If it is asked: why did Allaah not tell us when the Hour would begin? The answer is that wisdom dictates that the time should be hidden from mankind. The reason for that is that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent with glad tidings of Paradise for those who obey Allaah, and with warnings of Hell for those who disobey Him, and with warnings of the Hour and of Hell and its horrors. The purpose of that can only be achieved if the time of the Hour is concealed, 483

so that the people of every era will fear that it may come upon them. Announcing the time when it will happen would cancel out that benefit and would also have other evil consequences. If the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had told the people: The Hour will come one thousand years from today, for example, you would have seen the liars mocking this idea and persisting in their disbelief, and the doubts of the doubters would have increased. So there is great wisdom in concealing the matter of the Hour, as Allaah has also concealed the time of each person’s own “Hour,” meaning his death. Al-Aloosi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Allaah has concealed the knowledge of the Hour because shar’i wisdom and reason dictate that this should be so, because that is more effective in calling people to obey Him and putting them off disobeying Him. Similarly he has also concealed the lifespan of each person. The verses indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not know when the Hour would begin. Yes, he knew that it was close in general terms, and he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us of that." So the believers must fear that Day and their fear should make them aware that Allaah is always watching what they do. So they should adhere to what is true and seek what is good, and they should fear evil and sin, and they should not make the Hour the focus only of disputes and arguments." from Tafseer al-Manaar. It is by Allaah’s mercy towards His creation that He has told them of signs which will indicate that the onset of the Hour is approaching, so that that will motivate them to do righteous deeds and fear Allaah, and avoid haraam things. Every time they see one of its signs, their fear of 484

the Hour and its horrors will increase, as will their certainty that it is at hand, so they will prepare for it by doing more righteous deeds. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Do they then await (anything) other than the Hour that it should come upon them suddenly? But some of its portents (indications and signs) have already come” [Muhammad 47:18] This is also indicated by the report narrated by Muslim (2947), that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before six things come to pass: the rising of the sun from the west, the smoke, the Dajjaal, the Beast, and that which will come to each one of you alone, and that which will affect everyone.” Narrated by Muslim, 2947. This means: try to beat the six signs that the Hour has begun, and hasten to do righteous deeds before they come to pass, for good deeds done after they appear will not be accepted and will not count. “That which will come to each one of you alone” refers to death. “That which will affect everyone” means the Resurrection. Al-Qaadi said: He commanded them to hasten to do righteous deeds before these signs came to pass, for when they come they will dazzle people and will distract them from doing anything, or will close the door of repentance and acceptance of deeds to them. Al-‘Alaa’i said: The purpose of these reports is to encourage us to start doing righteous deeds before we die, and to make the most of our time before disaster comes. 485

We ask Allaah to help us to make the most of our time in obeying Him. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 11902: Events that will occur before the Day of Resurrection and distinguish the believers from the kaafirs Question: What are the tests or trials that may occur before the last day of Judgement which will help distinguish between the Muslims and Kaafirs?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us of signs that will take place before the Hour begins, which the scholars have categorized as “lesser signs” and “greater signs”. Some of them designated a third category, “intermediate signs”, namely the emergence of the Mahdi. This is one of the minor signs, but during his time some of the major signs will appear. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us of some of the things that will distinguish the believers from the kaafirs before the Day of Resurrection. These include: (a) The emergence of the Beast. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 486

“And when the Word (of torment) is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast for them, to speak to them because mankind believed not with certainty in Our Ayaat (Verses of the Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad)” [al-Naml 27:82] Ibn Katheer said: This Beast will emerge at the end of time, when people have become corrupt and forsaken the commands of Allaah, and altered the true religion. Then Allaah will bring forth to them a Beast from the earth.” Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 3/375. It was narrated from Abu Umaamah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Beast will emerge and strike the people on their noses, then their numbers [i.e., those who have been marked on the nose] will increase among you until a man will buy a camel, and they will say, ‘Who did you buy it from?’ and he will say, ‘I bought it from one of those with a mark on their noses.’” Narrated by Ahmad, 21805. Classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 322. What is meant by striking the people on their noses is that it will make marks on their noses, and there will be one mark for believers and another for kaafirs. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three things which, when they emerge, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his Faith [cf. al-An’aam 6:158]: the sun rising from the west, the Dajjaal and the Beast of the earth.” 487

Narrated by Muslim, 158. (b) The followers of the Dajjaal when he emerges. It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Seventy thousand of the Jews of Isbahaan wearing large cloaks will follow the Dajjaal.” (c) Madeenah will be cleansed of kaafirs and hypocrites at the time of the Dajjaal. It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no city that the Dajjaal will not enter, except Makkah and Madeenah. He will not approach any of their alleyways but there will be angels standing guarding it. Then Madeenah will be shaken with its people three times, and Allaah will bring forth every kaafir and hypocrite.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1782; Muslim, 2943. (d) A wind blowing from the direction of Yemen It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah will send a wind from Yemen, softer than silk, and it will not leave anyone in whose heart is faith the weight of a grain but it will take him (his soul).” Narrated by Muslim, 117. Al-Nawawi said: With regard to the meaning of this hadeeth, there are many similar ahaadeeth, for example: “the Hour will not begin until it is not said on earth, ‘Allaah, Allaah’”; and “It will not come upon anyone who says, ‘Allaah, Allaah’”; and “It will only come upon the most evil of people.” All of these and similar reports mean what they appear to mean. 488

With regard to the other hadeeth, “A group of my ummah will continue to follow the truth [?] until the Day of Resurrection,” this does not contradict the other ahaadeeth, because what this means is that they will continue to adhere to the truth until their are taken by that gentle wind, close to the time of the Hour or when its portents appear. So the mention in this hadeeth of them remaining until the Hour begins is to be understood as referring to when its portents appear and it is about to begin. And Allaah knows best. Sharh Muslim, 2/132. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 13060: How can we understand the strength of Israel in the context the approach of the onset of the Hour? Question: The prophet(saw)said that the signs would come very quickly, also that he was the beginning of those signs...what is happening right now? how is it possible that israel is so powerfull on earth?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The portents of the Hour are not all of the same degree, rather some of them are minor and some are major. The major signs are those which, when the first one appears, the others will follow like beads falling from a broken string. But with regard to the minor signs, there is a long period of time between the first and the last of them. The sending of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be 489

upon him) was one of the minor signs of the Hour, not one of the major portents. It was narrated that Anas said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I and the Hour have been sent like these two.” He said, And he held up his index and middle fingers together. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6139; Muslim, 2951. Al-Qurtubi said: The first of the portents of the Hours is the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because he is the Prophet of the end of time. He has been sent and there will be no Prophet between him and the Resurrection. Al-Tadhkirah, p. 111 With regard to the strength of Israel (the Jewish state), this is something that has happened to them by the will and decree of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Indignity is put over them wherever they may be, except when under a covenant (of protection) from Allaah, and from men” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:112] Allaah has given them power and respite, but that is only so that when He does seize them, He will seize them severely. It was narrated that Abu Moosa (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Allaah gives respite to the wrongdoer until, when He seizes him, He does not let him go.” Then he recited (interpretation of the meaning): 490

“Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful (and) severe” [Hood 11:102] Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4409; Muslim, 2583. At the time of the Mahdi and when ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) comes down, the Muslims’ victory over the Jews will be complete. It is proven (in the hadeeth) then when the leader of the Muslims, the Mahdi will come to lead them in praying Fajr, ‘Eesa ibn Maryam will come down to them, and the imam will step back so that ‘Eesa can come forward and lead the prayer, but ‘Eesa will put his hand on his back and say, “Go forward and lead the prayer, for the iqaamah was given for you.” So their imam will lead them in prayer, and when he has finished, then ‘Eesa will head towards the Dajjaal, with whom will be seventy thousand Jews. When the Dajjaal looks at him, he will melt like salt in water, and the Messiah ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) will catch up with him at the gate of Lod (which is a town near Jerusalem) and kill him. Then Allaah will cause the defeat the Jews, and there will be nothing that Allaah has created that a Jew hides behind, but Allaah will cause that thing to speak. Rocks, trees, walls and animals will all say, ‘O Muslim, O slave of Allaah, here is a Jew, come and kill him!’ – except for the box-thorn tree (al-gharqad), for it is one of their trees and will not speak.” If the Muslims want to defeat the Jews and all kaafirs, they have to turn back to Allaah and support His religion until Allaah grants them victory, for the Jews are too insignificant for words, but they took advantage of the fact that the Muslims have turned away from their religion. We ask Allaah to being the Muslims back to their religion 491

and help them follow it properly. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 21614: Prophet’s prayers for refuge with Allaah and dhikr at times of tribulation and hardship Question: Are there any du’aa’s that we can say at times of calamity and tribulation, such as war and the kaafirs’ attacks against Muslim countries?. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allaah a great deal from trials and tribulations, as it says in the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Thaabit that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Seek refuge with Allaah from trials and tribulations, both visible and hidden.” Narrated by Muslim, 2867. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “My Lord came to me tonight in the most beautiful form…” and in this hadeeth he said that Allaah said, “O Muhammad, when you pray, then say: ‘Allaahumma inni as’aluka fi’l alkhayraat wa tark al-munkaraat, wa hubb al-masaakeen, wa an taghfira li wa tarhamani wa tatooba ‘alayya. Wa in aradta bi ‘ibaadika fitnatan, faqbidni ilayka ghayra 492

maftoon (O Allaah, I ask You (to enable me) to do good deeds and avoid evil deeds, and to love the poor, and (I ask You) to forgive me, have mercy on me and accept my repentance. If You will that some trial should befall Your slaves, then take me to You [i.e., cause me to die] without having subjected to that trial).” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3233; al-Albaani said of this hadeeth in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (408), it is saheeh li ghayrihi. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge from trials and tribulations because when they come they do not befall the wrongdoers only, rather they befall everyone. It is a good idea to acquaint ourselves with the ahaadeeth that mention dhikrs which have to do with trials and tribulations and disasters, so that we may call upon Allaah with these words and spread this knowledge and memorize whatever we can of them… and understand their meanings so that we can worship Allaah by means of them, because they are the greatest words that can be spoken in these circumstances. 1 – Abu Burdah ibn ‘Abd-Allaah narrated from his father that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was afraid of some people he would say, “Allaahumma inna naj’aluka fi nuhoorihim wa na’oodhu bika min shuroorihim (O Allaah, we place You before them and we seek refuge in You from their evil).” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1537; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 1360. 2 – It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say at times of distress: “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah al-‘Azeem al-Haleem, 493

laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb al-‘Arsh al-‘azeem, la ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb ul-samawaati wa Rabb ul-ard wa Rabb ul-‘Arsh il-kareem (There is no god but Allaah, the AllPowerful, the Forbearing; there is no god but Allaah, Lord of the mighty Throne; there is no god but Allaah, Lord of heaven, Lord of earth, and Lord of the noble Throne).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6345; Muslim, 2730. 3 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The words of relief are: Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah al-‘Azeem al-Haleem, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb al-‘Arsh al-‘azeem, la ilaaha ill-Allaah Rabb ul-samawaati wa Rabb ul-ard wa Rabb ul-‘Arsh il-kareem (There is no god but Allaah, the All-Powerful, the Forbearing; there is no god but Allaah, Lord of the mighty Throne; there is no god but Allaah, Lord of heaven, Lord of earth, and Lord of the noble Throne).” Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuhu, 4571. 4 – When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went on a military campaign he would say, ‘Allaahumma anta ‘adudi wa anta naseeri wa bika uqaatil (O Allaah, You are my help and You are my support and by Your help I fight).” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3584; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2836. 5 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Shall I not tell you of something that, if any worldly calamity or disaster befalls any man among you and he says these words, he will be relieved of it. (It is) the du’aa’ of Dhu’l-Noon: “Laa ilaaha illa anta subhaanaka inni kuntu min al-zaalimeen (none has the right to be worshipped but You (O Allaah), Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrongdoers).” According 494

to another report: “No Muslim man says this du’aa’ concerning anything but Allaah will answer his prayer.” Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer wa Ziyaadatuhu, 2065 6 – The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to teach his Sahaabah to say these words when they felt afraid: “A’oodhu bi kalimaatillaah il-taammati min ghadabihi wa min sharri ‘ibaadihi wa min hamazaat al-shayaateeni wa an yahduroon (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from His wrath and from the evil of His slaves and from the evil promptings of the devils and from their presence).” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3893; classed as hasan by alAlbaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3294. 7 – The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The du’aa’ of the person who is in distress is: ‘Allaahumma rahmataka arjoo fa laa takilni ilaa nafsi tarfat ‘ayn wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu laa ilaaha illa anta (O Allaah, for Your mercy I hope, so do not leave me in charge of my affairs even for the blink of an eye; rectify all my affairs. There is no god except You)’” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5090; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 4246. 8 – If some matter was troubling him, he would say, Yaa Hayyu yaa Qayyoom bi rahmatika astagheeth (O EverLiving, O Sustainer, by Your mercy I seek Your help).” According to another report: “If some matter worried him or distressed him.” Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer, 4791. 9 – The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: to Asma’ bint ‘Umays, “Shall 495

I not teach you some words which you can say at times of distress and hardship? ‘Allaahu rabbee laa ushriku bihi shay’an (Allaah is my Lord, I do not associate anything with Him).’” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1525; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 1349. According to a version narrated in al-Saheeh al-Jaami’, “Whoever is afflicted by worry, distress, sickness or hardship, and says, Allaahu rabbee laa shareeka lah (Allaah is my Lord, He has no partner or associate), will be relieved of that.” And there are other ahaadeeth which will have a positive effect in times of tribulation and fear, bringing peace of mind and physical safety, and drawing one closer to Allaah… We should be content with that which has been narrated in saheeh reports from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), for that is sufficient and we have no need to reports that are not sound. This is better. And Allaah knows best. See also question no. 12715. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 32665: The Dajjaal will enter every land except Makkah and Madeenah Question: Will the Dajjaal go to all parts of the globe or will the people come to him? Will all those who are alive when 496

he emerges meet him? Will some be able to escape and not see him? I read in some ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that the people will flee from him to the mountains. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Dajjaal will emerge from the east, then he will travel throughout the earth and he will not leave any land but he will enter it, apart from Makkah and Madeenah, al-Masjid al-Aqsa and Masjid al-Toor (Sinai). This is what is stated in the saheeh ahaadeeth. Al-Tirmidhi (2237) narrated that Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us: “The Dajjaal will emerge from a land in the east called Khurasaan.” This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. Al-Bukhaari (1881) and Muslim (2943) narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There is no land that the Dajjaal will not enter, apart from Makkah and Madeenah. He will not come to any of their entrances but there will be angels standing in rows guarding them. Then Madeenah and its people will be shaken by three earthquakes, and Allaah will expel every kaafir and hypocrite from it.” Muslim (2942) narrated from the Hadeeth of Faatimah bint Qays, which tells the story of Tameem al-Daari and al-Jassaasah, that the Dajjaal said to them: “Soon I will be given permission to emerge and I will emerge and travel 497

throughout the land, and I will not leave any town but I will enter it within forty nights, apart from Makkah and Teebah, for they are both forbidden to me. Every time I want to enter one of them I will be met by an angel with an unsheathed sword in his hand, who will drive me back. Over each of their entrances there are angels guarding them.” [Faatimah] said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, striking the minbar with his stick, “This is Teebah, this is Teebah, this is Teebah,” meaning Madeenah. “Have I not told you that?” The people said, “Yes.” [The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:] “I liked what Tameem said because it agreed with what I have been telling you about him [the Dajjaal] and about Makkah and Madeenah.” Ahmad (23139) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have been warning you about the Dajjaal who has one abraded eye.” [The narrators] said: I think he said the left eye. “He will have with him mountains of bread and rivers of water, and his sign will stay in the earth for forty mornings, and his authority will reach everywhere. He will not come to four mosques: the Ka’bah, the Mosque of the Prophet, al-Masjid al-Aqsa and the Mosque of al-Toor (Sinai).” This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by Shu’ayb alArna’oot in Tahqeeq al-Musnad. The command to flee from the Dajjaal when he emerges is for fear that people may be deceived by his specious arguments and extraordinary feats, for a man may come to him thinking that he has strong faith, then he will follow him. Abu Dawood (4319) and Ahmad (19888) narrated from Imraan ibn Husayn that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever hears of the Dajjaal, let him keep away from him, for by Allaah a man 498

will come to him thinking that he is a believer, then he will follow him because of the confusion he causes.” This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. This hadeeth indicates that it will be possible to flee from him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded those who live to see the Dajjaal to recite over him the first few verses of Soorat al-Kahf. Narrated by Muslim, 2937. Al-Tayyib said: What this means is that reciting these verses will bring protection from his fitnah and confusion. Abu Dawood (4331) added: “For they will be your protection from his fitnah.” Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3631. We ask Allaah to protect us from his evil and to help us against his fitnah. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 20673: The middle hour Question: I was reading the Signs of Last Hour in the below Islamic website. I came across a Hadith given in the website which is as follows : [Some Ahadith report that the Prophet was asked about the Hour. He looked towards a young boy and said, “If he lives, he will not grow very old before he sees your Last Hour coming to you.” By this he meant their death and entering the Hereafter, because everyone who dies enters the Hereafter; some people say that when a person has died, his judgment has begun. This Hadith with this meaning is “correct” (Sahih)] 499

Does that Hadith means that the Last Hour will begin before the young boy turns old. Please advise if the above interpretation of Hadith as mentioned in the website is right or not. I am quite confused so kindly elaborate the true meaning of this Hadith. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. This hadeeth has been narrated in al-Saheehayn in several versions, such as that narrated by al-Bukhaari (6146) and Muslim (2952) from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: “Some tough men among the Bedouin came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and asked him when the Hour would be. He would look at the youngest of them and say: ‘If this one lives, old age will not catch up with him until your Hour begins.’” Hishaam [one of the narrators of the hadeeth] said: This means their death. The hadeeth is quite clear: what is meant is that the Hour of these people, i.e., their death, was something that was close at hand, and would happen when this youngster grew old. This hadeeth does not refer to the greater Hour which is the Day of Resurrection. Al-Qaadi said: What was meant by “your Hour” was their death; it meant that that generation would die, or that those who were being addressed would die. Quoted from Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi. Al-Karmaani said: This answer was very wise, i.e., it was a wise way of telling them not to ask about the time of the greater Hour, for no one knows that except Allaah; rather they should ask about the time when their generation would come to an end; it is more appropriate 500

to know this because it will motivate you to keep doing righteous deeds before it is too late, because none of you knows who will die before the other. Al-Raaghib al-Isfahaani said: The word saa’ah (hour) means a portion of time and is used to refer to the Resurrection, to indicate that the Reckoning will be very swift. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “and He is the Swiftest in taking account” [al-An’aam 6:62] Or it may indicate the meaning stated in the following verse (interpretation of the meaning): “On the Day when they will see that (torment) with which they are promised (i.e. threatened, it will be) as if they had not stayed more than an hour in a single day” [al-Ahqaaf 46:35] The word saa’ah is used to refer to three things: al-saa’ah al-kubra (the greater Hour), which is when the people will be resurrected to face the Reckoning; al-saa’ah alwusta (the middle Hour) which is the death of a generation; and al-saa’ah al-sughra (the lesser hour) which is a person’s death. So the Hour of each person is his death. From Fath al-Baari. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 10301: The emergence of the Mahdi Question: Is it told in the Quran when the Mahdi will come to save the muslims? . 501

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Muslim must understand that evidence from both the Qur’aan and Sunnah are of the same level and must be followed equally. Both the Qur’aan and Sunnah are Revelation (Wahy) from Allaah and must be followed. Allaah says concerning His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): “Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed” [al-Najm 53:4-3] It was narrated from al-Miqdaam ibn Ma’dikarib that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Beware! I have been given the Qur’aan and something like it, yet the time is coming when a man replete on his couch will say: ‘Keep to the Qur’aan; what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible, and what you find in it to be prohibited treat as prohibited.’” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4606; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani – may Allah have mercy on him – in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 3848). Secondly: Allaah has enjoined that His Messenger is to be obeyed independently of the Qur’aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority” [al-Nisa’ 4:59] “And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)” [al-Hashr 59:7] 502

Thirdly: It is not narrated in either the Qur’aan or the Sunnah precisely when the Mahdi will emerge, but he will emerge at the end of time. However we must point out the following: 1- The emergence of the Mahdi will be one of the last minor signs of the Hour. 2- Many people claimed that the Mahdi has emerged or will emerge to support their personal aims and misguided beliefs, such as the Qadianis (Ahmadis), Baha’is, Shi’ah and other deviant groups. This has led some later scholars to reject the ahaadeeth which speak of the Mahdi or to misinterpret them by saying that what is meant by the Mahdi is the descent of ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary – peace be upon him) at the end of time. Some of them quote a hadeeth that is attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which says, “There is no Mahdi apart from ‘Eesa ibn Maryam.” This hadeeth is da’eef (weak) and cannot be soundly attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). See al-Silsilah al-Da’eefah, 1/175, by alAlbaani (may Allaah have mercy on him). 3- Many scholars have written books confirming that the Mahdi will emerge, and describing that as part of the belief (‘aqeedah) of the Muslim. For example: al-Haafiz Abu Na’eem, Abu Dawood, Abu Katheer, al-Sakhaawi, alShawkaani, and others. 4- It is proven in the Sunnah that the Mahdi will meet ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) and that ‘Eesa will pray behind him. Muslim (156) narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Prophet 503

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say, ‘A group of my ummah will continue to fight for the truth and prevail until the Day of Resurrection. Then ‘Eesa ibn Maryam will come down and their leader will say, “Come and lead us in prayer.” But he will say, “No, you are leaders of one another” – as an honour to this ummah.’” The leader mentioned in this hadeeth is the Mahdi. According to a report narrated by Abu Na’eem and alHaarith ibn Usaamah, “Their leader the Mahdi will say…” Ibn al-Qayyim said, “Its isnaad is jayyid (good).” 5- The Muslim should not wait for the emergence of the Mahdi, rather he has to strive hard and devote his efforts to support Islam, and to do whatever he can for the religion. He should not hope and wait for the emergence of the Mahdi or anyone else, rather he should correct himself, his family and the people around him, so that when he meets Allaah he meet Him having done his best. See Al-Mahdi Haqeeqah wa laa Khuraafah by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel. Islam Q&A (www.islam-qa.com) 11954: The gathering of mankind will be in al-Shaam not in ‘Arafaah Question: Will people be gethered on the day of Judgement in Arafat? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 504

There is no saheeh evidence to indicate that. Shaykh Sa’d al-Humayd Rather it is proven in the saheeh hadeeth that the gathering will be in al-Shaam (Greater Syria, including Palestine). It was narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Al-Shaam is the land of the gathering and the resurrection.” (Narrated by Ahmad). Al-Manaawi said in Fath al-Qadeer: “i.e., it is the place where the people will be gathered for the Reckoning. They will be resurrected from their graves then they will be driven to that land. It has been singled out for this because it is the land of which Allaah said (interpretation of the meaning): ‘the land which We have blessed for the ‘Aalameen (mankind and jinn)’ [al-Anbiya’ 21:71]. Most of the Prophets were sent from that land and their laws spread throughout the world, so it is appropriate that it should be the land of the gathering and the resurrection.” (Fayd al-Qadeer by al-Manaawi, vol. 4, p. 171). But the gathering of the people on Hajj at ‘Arafaah reminds the Muslim of the gathering of all of mankind for the Reckoning and requital (reward or punishment). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 11093: What to do at times of fitnah and division Question: Are these the times which are referred to in the hadeeth of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 505

him), according to which when one of the Sahaabah asked him, “What should I do when there is too much fitnah and division?”, he replied, “Keep away from the people, and sit in your house”? In al-Saheeh, in Kitaab al-Fitan, Baab Kayf al-Haal idha lam yakun khaleefah, there is a hadeeth which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told them to withdraw from people when calamities strike, and he said, “… even if you have to bite onto the root of a tree.” Please explain this hadeeth and tell us what the scholars said about it. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. In al-Saheehayn and elsewhere – and this version was narrated by al-Bukhaari – it is reported from Abu Idrees al-Khawlaani that he heard Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan say: “The people used to ask the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about good things, but I used to ask him about bad things, fearing that I would live to see such things. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, we were in a state of ignorance (jaahiliyyah) and evil, then Allaah sent us this good (i.e., Islam). Will there be any evil after this good?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Will there by any good after that evil?’ He said, ‘Yes, but it will be tainted.’ I said, ‘How will it be tainted?’ He said, ‘(There will be) some people who will guide others in a way that is not according to my guidance. You will approve of some of their deeds and disapprove of others.’ I said, ‘Will there be any evil after that good?’ He said, ‘Yes, there will be people calling at the gates of Hell, and whoever responds to their call, they will throw them into it (the Fire).’ I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, describe them to us.’ He said, ‘They will be from among our people, speaking our language.’ I said, ‘What do you command me to do if I live to see such a thing?’ He said, ‘Adhere to the jamaa’ah 506

(group, community) of the Muslims and their imaam (leader).’ I asked, ‘What if there is no jamaa’ah and no leader?’ He said, ‘Then keep away from all those groups, even if you have to bite (eat) the roots of a tree until death overtakes you whilst you are in that state.’” The time does not refer to this particular period we are living in; it is a general idea which may refer to any time and place, from the time of the fitnah and rebellion against ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) at the time of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them all), onwards. What is meant by keeping away or withdrawing from people at the time of division is what was mentioned by al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) in al-Fath, narrating from al-Tabari, who said: when the people do not have an imaam (leader) and they split into sects and parties, do not follow any of these groups; keep away from all of them if possible, lest one fall into evil. When there is a jamaa’ah that is truly following the Straight Path, then you have to join them and help to increase their numbers, and cooperate with them in truth, because in that case this group constitutes the jamaa’ah of the Muslims for that man in that place. And Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions and grant them them peace. Fataawa al-Lajnah alDaa’imah, 3/95 (www.islam-qa.com) 10302: The Messiah son of Maryam and the false messiah (Dajjaal) Question: What is the difference between the Mahdi and the Messias? 507

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The texts state that the awaited Mahdi will come at the end of time, and he will be a just ruler descended from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He is not infallible, unlike the Messiah ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him), on who, according to the mutawaatir reports will come down at the end of time and will rule according to the sharee’ah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The difference between them is that the Messiah ‘Eesa is a Prophet and the Mahdi is a just ruler. For more details on the false messiah (Dajjaal), please see Question# 8806 . And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 8301: Who was Ibn Sayyaad? Was he the false messiah (almaseeh al-dajjaal)? Question: I have read in some ahaadeeth about a strange person who appeared at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). His name was Ibn Sayyaad or Ibn Saa’id. Who was this man and what was he? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Ibn Sayyaad’s name was Saafi, or ‘Abd-Allaah, ibn (the son of) Sayyaad or Saa’id. He was one of the Jews of Madeenah, and it was said that he was one of the Ansaar. He was a child at the time when

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the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah. It was also said that he became Muslim. Ibn Sayyaad was a dajjaal (a liar), and he used to tell fortunes, sometimes what he said came true, and sometimes it did not. He became famous among the people, and it was rumoured that he was the Dajjaal. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to find out about him, so he used to go to him secretly, without revealing his identity to him, hoping to hear something from him. He also asked him some questions directly, to find out what he really was. He outlived the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then he was lost on the day of al-Harrah. [comment deleted] The story of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and Ibn Sayyaad ‘Abdaan told us, ‘Abd-Allaah informed us, from Yoonus from al-Zuhri, who said, Saalim ibn ‘Abd-Allaah informed me that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) informed him that ‘Umar set out with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to look for Ibn Sayyaad, and they found him playing with some boys near the battlement of Banu Maghaalah. At that time Ibn Sayyaad was on the threshhold of adolescence. He did not notice anything until the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) struck him on the back with his hand. Then he said to Ibn Sayyaad, “Do you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allaah?” Ibn Sayyaad looked at him and said, “I bear witness that you are the Messenger of the unlettered.” Ibn Sayyaad said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “Do you bear witness that I am the messenger of Allaah?” He ignored that and said, “I believe in Allaah and His Messengers.” Then he asked him, “What do you see?” 509

Ibn Sayyaad said, “(Sometimes) a truthful one comes to me and (sometimes) a liar comes.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “You have been confounded.” Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him, “I am concealing something from you.” Ibn Sayyaad said, “It is al-dukh.” [Referring to Soorat al-Dukhaan]. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him, “Be off with you! You will never go beyond your rank.” ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, “Permit me to strike his neck (kill him), O Messenger of Allaah.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “If he is he (the Dajjaal), then you will not be able to overpower him, and if he is not (the Dajjaal), then your killing him will not do any good.” Saalim said, I heard Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) say: After that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and Ubayy ibn Ka’b set off to go to some date-palm trees where Ibn Sayyaad was. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) concealed himself in order to hear something from Ibn Sayyaad before Ibn Sayyaad saw him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw him lying on his bed with a blanket around him from which was coming a murmuring sound. The mother of Ibn Sayyaad saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) hiding behind the trunk of the palm-tree and said, “O Saaf!” – which was his name – “Here is Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)!” Then Ibn Sayyaad jumped up and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “If she had left him alone, things would have been made clear.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1355). “Battlement” refers to a structure like a fortress. Maghaalah was a tribe of the Ansaar. 510

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to talk to Ibn Sayyaad without him realizing who he was. “from which was coming a murmuring sound” means, a low voice, or moving the lips as in speech, or speaking in an indistinct manner. See Fath al-Baari for the commentary on the above hadeeth in Kitaab al-Janaa’iz of Saheeh al-Bukhaari. · Was Ibn Sayyaad the great Dajjaal? The hadeeth quoted above – which describes some of the features of Ibn Saayaad and how the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) examined him – indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not pass judgement on the matter of Ibn Sayyaad, because it was not revealed to him (by Wahy) whether he was the Dajjaal or not. Many of the Sahaabah thought that Ibn Sayyaad was the Dajjaal. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) swore that he was the Dajjaal in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Sahaabah, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not disapprove of that. Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir said, “I saw Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah swear by Allaah that Ibn al-Saa’id was the Dajjaal. I said, ‘Do you swear by Allaah?’ He said, ‘I heard ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab swear to that effect in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not disapprove of that.’” (Narrated by alBukhaari, 6808). Ibn ‘Umar told a strange story about Ibn Sayyaad which was narrated in Saheeh Muslim from Naafi’, who said: 511

Ibn ‘Umar met Ibn Sayyaad on one of the paths of Madeenah, and said to him something which made him so angry that he swelled up and filled the road. Ibn ‘Umar went to Hafsah and told her about this. She said, “May Allaah have mercy upon you! Why did you upset Ibn Sayyaad? Don’t you know that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that he (the Dajjaal) will emerge when something makes him very angry?” (Saheeh Muslim, 2932) In spite of that, when Ibn Sayyaad grew up, he tried to defend himself and said that he was not the Dajjaal; he was apparently upset by this accusation, and he quoted as evidence the fact that the attributes of the Dajjaal described by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not apply to him. Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said: “We went out for Hajj or ‘Umrah, and Ibn Saa’id was with us. We stopped at a place to camp, and the people separated and I was left with him (Ibn Saa’id). I felt very nervous and afraid of him, because of what had been said about him. He brought his luggage and put it with mine. I said, ‘It is very hot – why don’t you put your things under that tree?’ So he did that. Then some sheep appeared before us, and he went and brought a large vessel (of milk) and said, ‘Drink, O Abu Sa’eed.’ I said, ‘It is too hot, and the milk is hot.’ In fact (the only thing wrong was) that I did not want to drink from his hand, or take anything from his hand. He said, ‘Abu Sa’eed, I have been thinking that I should take a rope and suspend it from a tree, and hang myself, because of what people are saying about me. O Abu Sa’eed, does anyone know more about hadeeth than you Ansaar? Are you not one of the most knowledgeable of people about the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? Didn’t the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say that the Dajjaal is a kaafir, and I am a Muslim? Didn’t 512

the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say that he would be sterile, with no children, and I have left my child behind in Madeenah? Didn’t the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say that he will never enter Madeenah or Makkah, but I have left Madeenah and am headed for Makkah?’ … I was about to accept his excuses, then he said, ‘But, by Allaah, I know who the Dajjaal is, where he was born and where he is now.’ I said to him, ‘May you perish for the rest of the day!’” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5211). According to another report, Ibn Sayyaad said: “By Allaah, I know where he is now and I know his father and mother.” It was said to him, “Would you not be happy to be that man?” He said, “If it were offered to me, I would not refuse.” (Narrated by Muslim, 521) The scholars were confused by the reports about Ibn Sayyaad. Some scholars said that he was the Dajjaal, and others said that he was not. Both groups had evidence (daleel) for what they said, and their views conflicted a great deal. Ibn Hajar tried to reconcile the two views by saying: the best way in which we may reconcile what is said in the hadeeth of Tameem al-Daari and the view that Ibn Sayyaad was the Dajjaal is to say that the Dajjaal is the exact same person whom Tameem al-Daari saw chained up, and that Ibn Sayyaad was a shaytaan (a devil) who appeared in the image of the Dajjaal at that time, until he went to Isfahaan, where he hid with his qareen, until the appointed time comes when Allaah will decree that he should emerge. Because the matter is so confusing, al-Bukhaari, instead of attempting a reconciliation, narrated the hadeeth of Jaabir from ‘Umar, believing it to be more saheeh, and did not narrate the hadeeth of Faatimah bint Qays about the story of Tameem. (Fath al-Baari, 13/328) 513

It was said that Ibn Sayyaad was one of the dajjaals or liars, but he was not the greater Dajjaal. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)

8806: Who is the Dajjaal Question: Who is the Dajjaal and what are his attributes? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Meaning of the word Maseeh (Messiah) There are over fifty scholarly comments on the meaning of the word Maseeh (Messiah). They said that this word is applied both to the Truthful One [True Messiah, i.e., ‘Eesa (Jesus)] and to the misleading liar [the “antichrist” or Dajjaal]. The Messiah is the Truthful One, ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary), the Messiah of guidance, who healed those who were born blind and lepers, and brought the dead to life by Allaah’s Leave. The false messiah (al-maseeh al-dajjaal) is the liar who leads people astray, the messiah of misguidance who will tempt people by means of the signs that he is given, such as bringing down rain, reviving the earth to bring forth vegetation, and other “miracles.” So Allaah has created two messiahs, who are opposites of one another. The scholars said that the reason why the Dajjaal is called 514

maseeh (a “messiah”) is because one of his eyes is mamsooh (lit. “wiped”; smooth or abraded, i.e., he will be blind or defective in one eye). Or it was said that it is because he will survey or travel throughout the earth (yamsah) in forty days… The former view is more correct, because of what was said in the hadeeth narrated by Muslim (no. 5221) from Anas ibn Maalik, who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Dajjaal will be blind (mamsooh) in one eye, and between his eyes will be written ‘kaafir’…’”. Meaning of the word Dajjaal The word Dajjaal is taken from the expression “Dajjala al-ba’eer (he smeared the camel)”, referring to when they covered it with tar. The root dajala means to mix. The word dajala is used to mean deliberately confusing matters and being vague and ambiguous, The Dajjaal is the one who speaks in vagaries, who tells many lies and deceives many people. The word “Dajjaal” became a title given to the lying, oneeyed, false messiah. The Dajjaal is so called because he will conceal his kufr from the people by lying to them, deceiving them and confusing them. Description of the Dajjaal, and the ahaadeeth narrated concerning him The Dajjaal will be a man from among the sons of Adam. He will have many attributes which were described in the ahaadeeth to acquaint people with him and to warn them of his evil. So when he comes, the believers will know him and will not be misled by him; they will know his features which the Truthful One (the Prophet) (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us about. These features will distinguish him from other people, so that no one will be deceived by him except those who are 515

ignorant and whose doom has already been decreed. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. Among these attributes are: He will be a young man with a ruddy complexion, short, with thick curly hair, a wide forehead, and broad upper chest, blind or defective (mamsooh) in the right eye. This eye will be neither prominent nor sunken, and will look like a floating grape. His left eye will be covered with a thick piece of flesh growing at the edge of his eye. Written between his eyes will be “Kaaf faa’ raa’ (K-F-R)”, in separate (Arabic) letters, or “kaafir”, with the letters joined. This will be read by every Muslim, literate or illiterate. Another of his characteristics will be that he will be sterile, with no children born to him. There follow some of the saheeh ahaadeeth in which the above attributes are mentioned. These ahaadeeth form part of the evidence (daleel) concerning the emergence of the Dajjaal: From ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whilst I was sleeping, I saw myself performing Tawaaf around the Ka’bah, when I saw a dark man with straight hair, standing between two other men, with water dripping from his head. I asked, “Who is this?” They said, “The son of Maryam.” Then I turned and saw a ruddy-complexioned man, well built, with curly hair, blind in his right eye, with his eye looking like a floating grape. I asked, “Who is this?” They said, “This is the Dajjaal.” The person who looks most like him is Ibnu Qatan.’” (Narrated by alBukhaari, no. 6508; Ibn Qatan was a man from Banu Mustalaq from Khuzaa’ah). 516

It was also narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned the Dajjaal to the people and said: “Allaah is not oneeyed, but the false messiah (al-maseeh al-dajjaal) is oneeyed, blind or defective in his right eye, with his eye looking like a floating grape…” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 3184). In the lengthy hadeeth narrated by al-Nawwaas ibn Sam’aan (may Allaah be pleased with him) it says: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned the Dajjaal one morning. Sometimes he described him as insignificant and sometimes he described him as so significant that we thought that he was in the cluster of date-palm trees…” One of the features of the Dajjaal that he described was: “He will be a young man with very curly hair, with his eye floating. It is as if he looks like ‘Abd al-‘Uzza ibn Qatan.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5228) It was narrated from ‘Ubaadah ibn al-Saamit (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I have told you so much about the Dajjaal that I fear you will not understand. The Dajjaal will be a short man, pigeon-toed, with curly hair. He will be one-eyed, with his eye neither prominent nor sunken. If you become confused about him, then remember that your Lord is not one-eyed.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, no. 3763. This hadeeth is saheeh – Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer, no. 2455). Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘… as for the false messiah, he will be one-eyed, with a wide forehead and broad upper chest, and he will be hunchbacked…’” (Narrated by Ahmad, no. 7564). 517

Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Dajjaal will be one-eyed, blind or defective in his left eye, with thick hair. He will have with him a paradise and a hell, but his hell will be a paradise and his paradise will be a hell.’” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5222). According to the hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No Prophet was sent but he warned his people about the one-eyed liar. He is one-eyed, but your Lord is not one-eyed, and between his eyes will be written ‘kaafir.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 6598). According to another report: “Written between his eyes will be ‘kaaf faa’ raa’.’” (Muslim, no. 5219) According to a report narrated by Hudhayfah, “This will be read by every believer, literate or illiterate.” (Muslim, no. 5223). From the apparent meaning, this writing will be real, and the fact that some will see it whilst others will not, and that illiterate people will read it, is not problematic. “This is because Allaah causes people to understand something when looking at it, as He wills and when He wills. So the believer will see this with his insight, even if he is illiterate, and the kaafir will not be able to see it, even if he is literate. By the same token, the believer will see with his insight evidence that the kaafir will not see. Allaah will enable the believer to understand without him being literate, because at that time, extraordinary things will be happening.” (Fath al-Baari by Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani, 13/100) Al-Nawawi said: “The correct view according to those who studied this issue is that this writing should be taken literally, as being real writing which Allaah will create as a sign, one of the definitive proofs that (the Dajjaal) is a kaafir and a liar, to expose his falsehood. Allaah will show 518

this sign to every Muslim, literate or illiterate, and will conceal it from everyone whom He decrees is doomed or whom He wants to test. There is no reason why this should be impossible.” (Sharh al-Nawawi li Saheeh Muslim, 18/ 60). Another of his attributes was mentioned in the hadeeth of Faatimah bint Qays (may Allaah be pleased with her), in the story of al-Jassaasah, in which Tameem al-Daari (may Allaah be pleased with him) said; “So we rushed to the monastery, where we saw the most enormous man we had ever seen, fettered with the most chains we had ever seen.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5235). ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘From the time of the creation of Adam until the Hour begins, there will never be a bigger creation than the Dajjaal.’” (Narrated by Muslim, 5239). The Dajjaal will not have any children, as stated in the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him), who described what happened between him and Ibn Sayyaad, who said to him: “Did you not hear the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say that he will have no children? …” Abu Sa’eed said, ‘I said, ‘Yes…’” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5209). From the reports quoted above, we may note that some of them describe his right eye as being blind or defective, and some describe his left eye as being blind or defective. Both accounts are saheeh. Some of the scholars sought to reconcile these reports. Al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad said: “Both eyes of the Dajjaal will be defective, because all the reports are saheeh. His right eye will be the one that is abraded (mamsooh) and dull, unable to see, as stated in the hadeeth 519

of Ibn ‘Umar. And his left eye will be the one that is covered with a thick fold of skin, and will also be defective.” So he will have a defect in both his right eye and his left eye; each of them will be blind, i.e., defective, because the Arabic word used in the hadeeth, a’war, is used to describe anything that is defective and is especially used to describe the eyes of they are impaired. One eye will be non-functional and the other will be defective.” Al-Nawawi agreed with this reconciliation suggested by al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad, and al-Qurtubi also approved of it. Where the Dajjaal will emerge The Dajjaal will emerge from the direction of the east, from Khurasaan, from among the Jews of Isfahaan. Then he will travel throughout the earth and will leave no city without entering it, apart from Makkah and Madeenah, which he will not be able to enter because the angels are guarding them. According to the hadeeth of Faatimah bint Qays (may Allaah be pleased with her), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said concerning the Dajjaal: “He will (emerge) from the direction of the Syrian sea or from the direction of the Yemeni sea… No, rather from the east…” – and he pointed towards the east. (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5228). Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us: “The Dajjaal will emerge from a land in the east called Khurasaan.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2163. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer, hadeeth 3398). 520

Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Dajjaal will emerge from among the Jews of Isfahaan, and with him will be seventy thousand Jews, wearing crowns.’” (Narrated by Ahmad, no. 12865). Places which the Dajjaal will never enter It is forbidden for the Dajjaal to enter Makkah or Madeenah when he emerges at the end of time, because of the saheeh ahaadeeth narrated to that effect. As far as other places are concerned, he will enter them one after another. In the hadeeth of Faatimah bint Qays (may Allaah be pleased with her), it says: “(He will say:), ‘I almost have permission to emerge. Then I will emerge and will travel throughout the earth for forty days, and I shall not leave any town without entering it, apart from Makkah and Madeenah, which I will be prevented from entering because every time I try to enter, there will be an angel with an unsheathed sword in his hand, preventing me from entering. On every gate there will be angels defending them.’” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5228) It was also reported that the Dajjaal will not enter the mosque of Sinai, or Masjid al-Aqsaa (at Jerusalem). Imaam Ahmad (no. 22572) narrated that Junaadah ibn Umayyah al-Azdi said: “I came to a man from among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said to him, ‘Tell me a hadeeth that you heard from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about the Dajjaal.’ He mentioned the hadeeth, and said, ‘He will stay among you for forty days, during which he will go to every place (on the earth) 521

apart from four mosques: Masjid al-Haraam (in Makkah), the mosque of Madeenah, the (mosque of) Sinai and Masjid al-Aqsaa.’” The followers of the Dajjaal Most of the followers of the Dajjaal will be from among the Jews, Persians and Turks, and a mixture of other people, mostly Bedouins and women. Imaam Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (5237) from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The followers of the Dajjaal from among the Jews of Isfahaan will number seventy thousand, wearing heavy, striped garments.” According to a report narrated by Imaam Ahmad, “Seventy thousand Jews, wearing crowns.” (hadeeth no. 12865). According to the hadeeth of Abu Bakr referred to above: “He will be followed by people with faces like burnished shields.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, no. 2136). With regard to the Bedouin being followers of the Dajjaal, this is because many of them are ignorant. With regard to women, this is because they are readily swayed, and because many of them are ignorant. It was reported that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Dajjaal will come to this pond in Marriqanaat – a valley in Madeenah – and most of those who go out to him will be women, until a man will come to his mother in law, his mother, his daughter, his sister and his aunt, and will tie them up strongly for fear that they will go out to him.” (Narrated by Ahmad, no. 5099) The fitnah of the Dajjaal The fitnah of the Dajjaal will be the greatest fitnah from 522

the time Allaah created Adam until the Hour begins. This will be because of the mighty miracles that Allaah will create with him, which will dazzle people’s minds and amaze them. It was reported that he will have a paradise and a hell with him, but his paradise will be his hell and his hell will be his paradise. He will have rivers of water and mountains of bread. He will command the sky to send down rain, and it will rain, and he will command the earth to bring forth vegetation and it will do so. The treasures of the earth will follow him, and he will travel rapidly, like clouds driven by the wind. And he will do other extraordinary feats. All of that was mentioned in the saheeh ahaadeeth. Imaam Muslim narrated in his Saheeh that Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Dajjaal will be one-eyed, blind in his left eye, and will have thick hair. He will have a paradise and a hell with him, but his paradise will be a hell and his hell will be a paradise.’” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5222) Muslim also narrated that Hudhayfah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘I know what the Dajjaal will bring with him: he will have two rivers flowing. One will clearly look like water and the other will clearly look like blazing fire. If any one of you sees that, let him choose the river which looks like fire, then let him close his eyes and lower his head and drink from it, for it will be cool water.’” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5223) In the hadeeth of al-Nawwaas ibn Sam’aan about the Dajjaal, it is reported that the Sahaabah said: “O Messenger of Allaah, how long will he stay on the earth?” He said, “Forty days: one day like a year, one day like a 523

month, one day like a week, and the rest of the days like your days.” … They said, “How fast will he travel through the earth?” He said, “Like the clouds when they are driven by the wind. He will come to some people and call them, and they will believe in him and respond to him. Then he will command the sky to rain, and the earth to bring forth vegetation, and their cattle will come back to them in the evening, with their humps very high, and their udders full of milk, and their flanks stretched. Then he will come to another people and will call them, but they will reject him. So he will leave them and they will be stricken with famine, with none of their wealth in their hands. He will pass by ruins and will say, ‘Bring forth your treasure!’ – and the treasure will follow him like a swarm of bees. Then he will call a man who is brimming with youth, and will strike him with a sword and cut him in two, then (he will put the pieces apart from one another) the distance of an archer from his target. Then he will call him, and the young man will come forward smiling, with his face shining.” (narrated by Muslim, 5228) Al-Bukhaari narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) that this man whom the Dajjaal will kill will be one of the best people, who will go out to the Dajjaal from the city of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and will say to the Dajjaal, “I bear witness that you are the Dajjaal of whom the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us.” The Dajjaal will say (to the people): “What do you think – if I kill this man then bring him back to life, will you have any doubts?” They will say, “No.” So he will kill him, then bring him back to life. Then he (the believing man) will say, “By Allaah, I have never been more sure about you than I am today.” The Dajjaal will want to kill him but will not be permitted to. (al-Bukhaari, no. 6599) 524

According to the hadeeth of Umaamah al-Baahili (may Allaah be pleased with him), the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said of the Dajjaal: “Part of his fitnah will be that he will say to a Bedouin, Do you think that if I resurrect your father and mother for you that you will testify that I am your lord?’ He will say, ‘Yes.’ So two devils will appear to him in the image of his father and mother, saying, ‘O my son, follow him for he is your lord.’” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, no. 4067. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, Saheeh al-Jaami’ alSagheer, hadeeth 7752). Protection against the fitnah of the Dajjaal The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has taught his ummah about that which will protect them against the fitnah of the false messiah (al-maseeh aldajjaal). He left his ummah on a path that is clear, and no one deviates from it except the one who is doomed. He did not leave any good thing without pointing it out to his ummah, or any evil thing without warning them against it. Among the things which he warned us against was the fitnah of the Dajjaal, because it is the greatest fitnah which the ummah will face until the Hour comes. Every Prophet warned his ummah against the one-eyed Dajjaal, but Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the only Prophet who warned his ummah more about him. Allaah told him many of the attributes of the Dajjaal so that he could warn his ummah. The Dajjaal will undoubtedly emerge among this ummah, because it is the last ummah, and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the Seal of the Prophets. There follow some of the Prophetic guidelines which the Chosen Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set out for his ummah so that it may be protected against this mighty fitnah, from which we ask Allaah to save us and grant us refuge: 525

Adhering to Islam, having the right faith and learning the Names and Most Beautiful Attributes of Allaah which are not shared by anyone else. One should know that the Dajjaal will be a human being who will eat and drink, and that Allaah is far above that; the Dajjaal will be oneeyed but Allaah is not one-eyed; no one can see his Lord until he dies, but the Dajjaal will be seen by all people, believers and kaafirs alike, when he emerges. Seeking refuge with Allaah from the fitnah of the Dajjaal, especially in salaah (prayer). This has been narrated in the saheeh ahaadeeth, such as that narrated from Umm al-Mu’mineen ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to pray in his salaah: “Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaab al-qabri, wa a’oodhu bika min fitnat il-maseeh il-dajjaal, wa a’oodhu bika min fitnat il-mahyaa wa fitnat il-mamaat. Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min alma’tham wa’l-maghram (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the torment of the grave, I seek refuge with You from the fitnah of the Dajjaal, and I seek refuge with You from the trials of life and death. O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from sin and debt).” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 789) Muslim narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘When any one of you says Tashahhud, let him seek refuge with Allaah from four things, and say: “Allaahumma inni a’oodhi bika min ‘adhaab jahannam wa min ‘adhaab alqabri wa min fitnat il-mahyaa wa’l-mamaat wa min sharri fitnat al-maseeh al-dajjaal (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the torment of Hell, from the torment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil 526

of the fitnah of the Dajjaal).”’” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 924) Memorizing aayaat from Soorat al-Kahf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded us to recite the opening verses of Soorat al-Kahf against the Dajjaal. According to some reports, the final verses of this soorah was mentioned. This means reciting the first ten verses or the last ten. Among the ahaadeeth narrated concerning this was the lengthy hadeeth narrated by Muslim from al-Nawwaas ibn Sam’aan, in which it says: “Whoever among you sees him (the Dajjaal), let him recite against him the opening verses of Soorat alKahf.” (Hadeeth 5228). Muslim (no. 1342) narrated from Abu’l-Dardaa’ that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever memorizes ten aayaat from the beginning of Soorat al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjaal” – i.e., from his fitnah. Muslim said: “Shu’bah said, ‘from the end of al-Kahf.’ Hammaam said, ‘from the beginning of al-Kahf.’” Al-Nawawi said: “The reason for this is because at the beginning of (this soorah), mention is made of wonders and signs, and whoever ponders them will not be deceived by the fitnah of the Dajjaal. And at the end of this soorah, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Do then those who disbelieve think that they can take My slaves as awliyaa’ (lords etc.) besides Me?’ [al-Kahf 18:102].” (Sharh Saheeh Muslim, 6/93). This is one of the special features of Soorat al-Kahf. There are ahaadeeth which encourage reading it, especially on Fridays. Al-Haakim narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever recites Soorat al-Kahf on Friday, it will be a light for him 527

from one Friday to the next.” (al-Mustadrak, 2/368. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani, Saheeh al-Jaami’ alSagheer, hadeeth 6346) Undoubtedly Soorat al-Kahf is of great significance, containing great aayaat, such as the story of the People of the Cave, the story of Moosa and al-Khidr, the story of Dhu’l-Qarnayn and his building the dam to hold back Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj, proof of the resurrection and the blowing of the Trumpet, and explanation of those whose deeds are most lost, who are those who think that they are guided when in fact they are misguided and blind. Every Muslim should strive to read this soorah, and to memorize it and read it repeatedly, especially on the best day on which the sun rises, namely Friday. Fleeing from the Dajjaal and keeping far away from him. The best way is to live in Makkah or Madeenah, and the places which the Dajjaal will not enter. When the Dajjaal emerges, Muslims should keep far away from him, because of the confusion he will cause and the mighty wonders that he will have with him, which Allaah will cause to happen at his hands in order to test mankind. A man will come to him, thinking that he is a strong believer, then he will follow the Dajjaal. We ask Allaah to grant us and all the Muslims refuge from his fitnah. Imaam Ahmad (19118), Abu Dawood (3762) and alHaakim (4/31) narrated from ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever hears of the Dajjaal, let him keep far away from him, for a man will come to him and think that he is telling the truth because of the wonders that are sent with him.” The death of the Dajjaal The Dajjaal will die at the hands of the Messiah ‘Eesa 528

ibn Maryam (peace be upon him), as is indicated by the saheeh ahaadeeth. The Dajjaal will appear on earth and will gain many followers, spreading his fitnah far and wide. No one will escape his fitnah except a few of the believers. At that point, ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) will descend to the eastern minaret in Damascus, and the believing slaves of Allaah will gather around him. He will lead them towards the Dajjaal, who at the time of the descent of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) will be heading for Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). ‘Eesa will catch up with him at the gate of Ludd (Lod), a place in Palestine near Bayt al-Maqdis. When the Dajjaal sees him, he will start to melt like salt melting in water, but ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) will say to him, “I have some business with you, you will not get away from me.” Then he will catch up with him and will kill him with his spear. His followers will flee, pursued by the Muslims, who will kill them, and trees and rocks will say, ‘O Muslim, O slave of Allaah, there is Jew behind me – come and kill him!” – apart from the gharqad (box thorn), for it is one of the trees of the Jews. There follow some of the ahaadeeth narrated about the death of the Dajjaal and his followers: Muslim (no. 5233) narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Dajjaal will emerge among my ummah and will stay for forty… Then Allaah will send ‘Eesa ibn Maryam, who looks like ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ood, and he will pursue him and kill him.” Imaam Ahmad (no. 14920) and al-Tirmidhi (no. 2170) narrated that Majma’ ibn Jaariyah al-Ansaari (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘The son of Maryam will kill the Dajjaal at the gate of Ludd.” 529

Muslim (no. 5228) narrated a lengthy hadeeth from alNawwaas ibn Sam’aan (may Allaah be pleased with him) about the Dajjaal, in which the story of the descent of ‘Eesa and his killing the Dajjaal are mentioned. In this hadeeth the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “… Every kaafir who will smell the fragrance of (‘Eesa) will die, and his fragrance will reach as far as he will be able to see. He will then search for him (the Dajjaal) until he catches up with him at the gate of Ludd, where he will kill him.” Imaam Ahmad narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Dajjaal will emerge at a time when religious commitment is low and knowledge has decreased… Then ‘Eesa ibn Maryam will descend just before dawn and will call people, saying, ‘O people, what is stopping you from coming out against this evil liar?’ They will say, ‘This man is a jinn’, then they will set out. When they reach ‘Eesa ibn Maryam, the time for prayer will come the iqqamah will be given, and it will be said to him, ‘Go forward (to lead the prayer), O Spirit of Allaah.’ He will say, ‘Let your imaam go forward and lead you in prayer.’ When they have prayed fajr, they will go out to meet him (the Dajjaal) and when they see the liar, he will start to dissolve like salt in water. ‘Eesa will go to him and kill him. Even the trees and rocks will call out, ‘O Spirit of Allaah, here is a Jew!’ And none of those who followed him will be left, they will all be killed.” (Hadeeth no. 14426). When he (may Allaah curse him) is killed, his great fitnah will come to an end. Allaah will save those who believed from his evil and from the evil of his followers, at the hands of the Spirit and Word of Allaah, ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) and his believing followers. Praise and blessings be to Allaah. 530

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 3096: Will the Qur’aan disappear at the end of time? Question: The Islamic Future Magazine from Saudia Arabia in editorial feature stated that one of the signs of the last days were; that the Quran would disappear. I have not heard this. And how could it be true why we have many many hafis of Qurans. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There are a number of ahaadeeth which indicate that the Qur’aan will be taken away at the end of time. Among these ahaadeeth are the following: From ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood, who said: “Something will come and take the Qur’aan one night and not one aayah will be left, either in the Mus-haf or in the heart of any person, but it will be taken away.” (Narrated by al-Daarimi with a saheeh isnaad, no. 3209) Al-Daarimi narrated with a different saheeh isnaad (no. 3207) that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: “Recite the Qur’aan much before it is taken away.” They said, “These Mus-hafs will be taken away! What about that which is (memorized) in men’s hearts?” He said: “Something will come and take it one night, and in the morning they will wake up without it. They will forget the phrase ‘laa ilaaha ill-Allaah’ and they will start to recite the sayings and poetry of the Jaahiliyyah. That is when the Word will be fulfilled against them.” 531

The phrase ‘That is when the Word will be fulfilled against them’ is a reference to the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And when the Word (of torment) is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast for them, to speak to them because mankind believed not with certainty in Our Ayaat (Verses of the Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad)” [al-Naml 27:82]. Ibn Katheer said in his tafseer of this aayah: This beast will emerge at the end of time when mankind becomes so corrupt that they neglect the commandments of Allaah and change the true religion. Allaah will bring forth for them a beast from the earth – it was said from Makkah, or from elsewhere – and it will speak to the people concerning that. Ibn ‘Abbaas, al-Hasan and alQutaadah said – and it was also narrated from ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib – (may Allaah be pleased with them all): it will speak to them, i.e., it will address them. ‘Ataa’ alKhurasaani said – and it was narrated from ‘Ali and this was the view favourd by Ibn Jareer: it will speak to them and it will say to them, ‘mankind believed not with certainty in Our Ayaat’. There are some reservations about this interpretation, and Allaah knows best. According to one report, Ibn ‘Abbaas said: the words tukallimuhum (to speak to them) means, it will wound them; according to another report he said: it will do both (i.e., speak to them and wound them). [The word Tukallim may mean either speak or wound. – Translator]. This is a good point with no contradictions, and Allaah knows best. (Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-‘Azeem, 3/375-378) Many ahaadeeth and reports have been narrated about the beast, such as the following: 532

It was reported that Hudhayfah ibn Usayd al-Ghiffaari said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw us from a room whilst we were talking about the Hour. He said: “The Hour will not come until you see ten signs: the rising of the sun from the west; the smoke; the beast; the emergence of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj; the appearance of ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him); the Dajjaal (“antichrist”); three landslides – one in the west, one in the east and one in the Arabian Peninsula; and fire which will emerge from the direction of ‘Aden and will drive – or gather – the people, stopping with them whenever they rest overnight or during the siesta hour.” (Narrated by Imaam Ahmed, no. 46 – his version is his; also by Muslim, no 2901; Abu Dawood, no. 4311; alTirmidhi, no. 2183 - he said it is hasan saheeh; al-Nasaa’i, no. 1138; Ibn Maajah, no. 4055). It was reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three things which, when they appear, it will not benefit anyone to believe if he did not believe before: the Dajjaal, the beast and the rising of the sun from the west – or from the place where it sets.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, no. 3072; he said it is a saheeh hasan hadeeth). It was reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before six things come to pass: the rising of the sun from the place where it sets; the smoke; the Dajjaal; the beast; or personal calamities or general tribulations.” (narrated by Muslim, no. 2947; Ibn Maajah, no. 4056, 533

and others). There are many ahaadeeth which speak of the beast which will emerge at the end of time, but it would take too long to quote them all here. And Allaah is the Source of strength. Further evidence that the Qur’aan will be taken away at the end of time is to be found in the report narrated by alTabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer, no. 8698, according to which Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “This Qur’aan will most certainly be taken away from amongst you.” He was asked: “O Abu ‘Abd al-Rahmaan, how will it be taken away when it is so deeply rooted in our hearts and is written in our mus-hafs?” He said: “Something will come to it at night, then there will be nothing left of it in people’s hearts or in the mus-haf, and the next morning the people will be like animals.” Then he recited the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “And if We willed, We could surely, take away that which We have revealed to you (i.e. this Qur’aan). Then you would find no protector for you against Us in that respect” [alIsraa’ 17:86]. Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari (13/16): its isnaad is saheeh but it is mawqoof. Al-Haythami said in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 7/329): its men are the men of saheeh, apart from Shaddaad ibn Ma’qil, who is thiqah. And it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. This hadeeth is to be regarded as marfoo’, because it deals with something which is not subject to opinion or ijtihaad. Imaam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa (3/198): “At the end of time, something will come to it at night in the mus-hafs and in people’s hearts, then there will not be left one word of it in people’s hearts or one letter of it in the Mus-haf.” Allaah revealed the Qur’aan as a guidance to mankind and He guaranteed to protect it. It is the eternal miracle 534

of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and it will remain, and people of earlier and later generations will learn from it and be guided by it, but at the end of time, just before the Hour comes, Allaah will take the souls of the believers, and there will be no one left on earth except the most evil of people. There will be no prayer, no fasting, no Hajj and no charity (zakaah). Then there will be no point in the Ka’bah being there or in the Qur’aan remaining among mankind, so Allaah will decree that the Ka’bah be destroyed at the hands of a kaafir from Ethiopia. Al-Bukhaari narrated in his Saheeh, no. 1519 that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Ka’bah will be destroyed by Dhu’l-Suwayqatayn from Ethiopia.” And Allaah will take the Qur’aan away from the earth, and not one aayah of it will be left in the mus-hafs or in people’s hearts. Allaah will not permit His Book to remain on earth if it is not benefitting anyone and no one is acting in accordance with it. So this thing will come to pass. This frightening event makes the sincere Muslim hasten to pay attention to the Book of Allaah, to learn it, memorize it, recite it and ponder its meanings, before the Book is taken away. This is one of the tribulations that will happen at the end of time, concerning which our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before tribulations come like patches of dark night, when a man will wake up as a believer and by evening he will be a kaafir, or in the evening he will be a believer and by morning he will be a kaafir, selling his religion for some worldly gains.” (narrated by Muslim, no. 169). We ask Allaah to make us adhere firmly to His religion 535

and to protect us from tribulations, both seen and unseen. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 6190: The approach of the Hour Question: Is the day of Judgement near as everyone seems to be committing so many sins at the moment? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Draws near for mankind their reckoning, while they turn away in heedlessness.” [al-Anbiyaa’ 21:1] Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (3/172): Here Allaah is pointing out that the Hour is approaching and is at hand, and that people are unaware of it, i.e., they are not working and preparing for it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The Event (the Hour or the punishment of disbelievers and polytheists or the Islamic laws or commandments) ordained by Allaah will come to pass, so seek not to hasten it. Glorified and Exalted be He above all that they associate as partners with Him” [al-Nahl 16:1]. 536

Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (2/560): Here Allaah tells us about the approach of the Hour and that it is at hand. The fact that it is expressed in the past tense [in the original Arabic] indicates that it is true and will undoubtedly come to pass. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has been cleft asunder” [al-Qamar 54:1] Ibn Katheer said in his Tafseer (4/360): Here Allaah tells us of the approach of the Hour and the passing of this world. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is Allaah Who has sent down the Book (the Qur’aan) in truth, and the Balance (i.e., to act justly). And what can make you know that perhaps the Hour is close at hand?” [al-Shoora 42:17] At-Tirmidhi reported in As-Sunan (1980 – with asSaheeh) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “How can I enjoy life when the bearer of the horn (or trumpet) has put the horn to his lips and is listening, waiting for the command to blow?” It was as if this was difficult for the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to hear, so he said to them: “Say: Hasbuna Allaah wa ni’am al-wakeel, ‘ala Allaah tawakkalnaa (Sufficient for us is Allaah, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs, in Allaah we put our trust).” Ahmad and Muslim narrated that Ibn Mas’ood said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be 537

upon him) said: “The Hour will only come upon the most evil of people.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 5243, and by Ahmad, no. 3548). Ahmad and al-Bukhaari narrated that Mardaas al-Sulami said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The righteous people will vanish, the best first, then the next best and so on, and there will be left worthless chaff like the chaff of barley or dates, and Allaah will not care about them at all.” (See al-Jaami’ al-Saheeh, 7934). Ahmad and the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim) narrated that Anas said: I shall tell you a hadeeth which no one else will tell you after I am gone. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Among the signs of the Hour are: knowledge will be reduced, ignorance will prevail, zinaa will be widespread, and there will be many women and few men, until for fifty women there will be one guardian.” (Narrated by alBukhaari, no. 79 –this version was narrated by him. Also narrated by Muslim, no. 4825; Ahmad, no. 12735; and al-Tirmidhi, no. 2131). At-Tabaraani narrated that Sahl ibn Sa’d said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “At the end of time there will be earthquakes, slander, transmutation into animals [or disfigurement, deformity], when stringed instruments and female singers will be widespread, and wine will be permitted.” (Saheeh alJaami’, 3665). All of these texts clearly indicate that the Hour is 538

approaching and that an abundance of sin and evil is one of its signs. The Kuffaar think that the Hour is unlikely to happen and that it is taking too long, but the fact of the matter is as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily! They see it (the torment) afar off, But We see it (quite) near.” [al-Ma’aarij 70:6-7]. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound in this world and in the Hereafter. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 6196: Madeenah will have seven gates when the Dajjaal comes Question: I saw a hadith in Sahi-al-Bukhari, (rough translation) stating when Ad-Dajjal comes there will be eight gates in Madina, and each gate will have two angels as a guard to prevent Dajjal to enter Madina. As far as my knowledge goes Madina at this present time do not have any gates, but only paths. My question is does the word gate in the hadith refers to pathways, if it does then how many pathways are there to Madina. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 539

There is a mistake in the quoting of the hadeeth in question. The hadeeth was narrated by al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) in his Saheeh, in Kitaab Fadaa’il al-Madeenah (the Book of the Virtues of Madeenah, 1879) and in Kitaab al-Fitan (The Book of Tribulations, 7125), from the hadeeth of Abu Bakrah (may Allaah be pleasaed with him), who narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The feeling of terror of the Dajaal will not enter Madeenah. At that time it will have seven gates, at each of which will be two angels.” Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his footnote on this hadeeth, with regard to the phrase “At that time it will have seven gates”: ‘Iyaad said: this supports the idea that what is meant here by gates is paths, as in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah. It was reported in al-Saheeh from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: On the pathways of Madeenah there are angels, and neither the plague nor the Dajjaal will enter it. Al-Haafiz said in Al-Fath (4/96): “Al-Anqaab (pathways) is the plural of Naqab… Ibn Wahb said: what is meant by this is entrances, or it was said that it means gates. The original meaning of Naqab was a path between two mountains. It was said that al-anqaab were the routes which people followed, as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… they ran for a refuge (naqqabu) in the land” [Qaaf 50:36] This is all that al-Haafiz said in his commentary on the gates. There is still room for ijtihaad on this issue, and it could mean for example: 540

That Madeenah will have gates in the future when the Dajjaal comes, even though it does not have gates at the present time. That what is meant by gates is the main entrances to the city, even if they do not take the form of gates. That the angels who are appointed to guard it are covering seven points, at each of which there are two angels, and the points were described as gates – which is acceptable in Arabic. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 171: The Dajjaal (Anti-Christ), Al-Daabbah (the Beast) and Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj (Gog and Magog) Question: Can you give us an idea about the Dajjaal, Al-Daabbah and Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj? Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There follows a brief description from the Qur’aan and Saheeh Sunnah narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about these three major signs that will precede the Hour and will come at the end of time just before the Day of Resurrection. 541

The Dajjaal – a man created by Allaah, who will appear at the end of time because of something that makes Allaah angry. He will spread corruption on earth and will claim divinity, calling on people to worship him. They will be tested by the extraordinary powers that Allaah will grant him, such as causing rain to fall, reviving the earth with vegetation and extracting the treasures of the earth. He will be a young man with a ruddy complexion, short of stature, with curly hair. He will be one-eyed; his right eye will be flat and his other eye will have a thick piece of flesh over it. Written between his eyes will be the word “Kaafir” (disbeliever). Most of those who follow him will be Jews. He will meet his end at the hands of ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary) who will kill him with a spear in Lod, which is in Palestine. Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj – two disbelieving tribes from among the sons of Adam. They have wide faces and small eyes. They used to spread mischief on earth, so Allaah gave Dhoo’l-Qarnayn the power to build a barrier to detain them. They will keep on digging at it until Allaah gives them permission to come out at the end of time, after ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) has killed the Dajjaal. They will emerge in huge numbers and will drink up the lake of Tiberias (in Palestine). They will spread mischief on earth and no one will be able to resist them. ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) and the believers with him will take refuge in Mount Toor until Allaah destroys Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj by sending worms that will eat their necks. Then Allaah will send rain to wash away their bodies into the sea and cleanse the earth of their stench. Al-Daabah – a great creature which Allaah will cause to emerge when the people become corrupt. It will speak to mankind and exhort them, having the ability to reason and speak. It will make marks on the people’s noses which will distinguish the believers from the disbelievers. 542

(For more informations, see Ashraat al-Saa’ah by Yoosuf al-Waabil or al-Qiyaamah al-Kubra by ‘Umar al-Ashqar). The responsibility of the Muslim is to believe in what was narrated from Allaah and His Messenger. How many wondrous and strange things has Allaah created in this world, which speak of His might and power, may He be glorified and exalted. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 3259: Will we see the Mahdi et al. in our lifetimes? Question: I have read many signs concerning the appearance of the Mahdi, Dajjal, Prophet Isa. Signs that the Holy Prophet (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) predicted. These signs have amazed me because they have almost all come true, or are happening at this moment. Signs such as time will pass quickly, drinking wine will increase, fornication will increase, singing will be common.. and so many more. My question is, is that do you think that the coming of any of the three people named above is close and may it occur in our lifetime? Thankyou. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. 543

The appearance of these three signs, the Mahdi, the Dajjaal and the descent of ‘Isa (peace be upon him), will undoubtedly happen, as is indicated in the saheeh reports. These three signs will appear within a short space of time, as ‘Isa (peace be upon him) will pray behind the Mahdi, and will kill the Dajjaal, as was reported in the saheeh ahaadeeth. As for when this will happen, Allaah knows best about that. As to whether it will happen soon, the texts seem to indicate this, but the question of whether it will be in our lifetime or after is part of the Unseen, which no one knows except Allaah. The Muslim should seek refuge with Allaah from fitan (tribulations) in general, and from the fitnah (tribulation) of the Dajjaal in particular; he should pray to Allaah, openly and in secret, to help him remain steadfast in this world and the next. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com) 3437: Do Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj exist at the present time, and is the barrier real? Question: Assalamu Alaikum My question is regarding the tribes of Yajoog and Majoog. I understand that they are huge in number, are plunderers and are destined for hell fire. My question is do they still exist? If they do, are they confined within the wall erected by Zul Qarnain? Is this wall(doorway) imaginary or physical(made of metal)? Wa Jazakallahi Khairan 544

Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There is no doubt that Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj are two huge nations of the sons of Adam. Anyone who reads the story of Dhu’l-Qarnayn and how he dealt with this nation in Soorat al-Kahf will know for sure that they exist and that the barrier which was built is not metaphorical or imaginary, but is a physical barrier built of iron and melted copper. The basic principle is that we should take this Qur’anic text as it is, without resorting to any kind of misinterpretation or trying to twist the intended meaning. The Qur’aan has told us how the barrier was built and what materials were used, so it is not right to say that it is a metaphorical or imaginary barrier. In Soorat al-Kahf, Allaah has told us the story of the Muslim king and the great leader Dhu’l-Qarnayn (may Allaah have mercy on him): “Until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them, a people who scarcely understood a word. They said, ‘O Dhu’l-Qarnayn! Verily! Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?’ He said: ‘That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I will erect between you and them a barrier. Give me pieces (blocks) of iron,’ then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said, ‘Blow,’ till when he had made it (red as) fire, he said, ‘Bring me molten copper to pour over it.’ 545

So they [Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj] were made powerless to scale it or dig through it. (Dhu’l-Qarnayn) said: ‘This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true.’” [al-Kahf 18:93-98] What indicates that these nations exist at present, and indeed are attempting on a daily basis to get out and attack people, is the hadeeth reported by Ibn Maajah with a saheeh isnad from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj are digging every day until they can almost see sunlight, then the one who is in charge of them says, “Go back, we will dig again tomorrow.” Then Allaah restores (the barrier) and makes it stronger than it was. (This will continue) until the appointed time. When Allaah wishes to send them against the people, they will dig until they can almost see sunlight, then the one who is in charge of them will say, “Go back, we will dig again tomorrow, in sha Allah.” This time he will say “in sha Allah”, so when they come back (the next day), they will find it as they left it, so they will dig their way out and emerge to attack the people. They will dry up water (by drinking it, because of their great numbers), and the people will seek to protect themselves from them in their fortresses. They will fire their arrows into the sky, and the arrows will come back down covered in blood (as a test for them), and they will say, “We have defeated the people of the earth and have gained the upper hand over the people of heaven.” Then Allaah will send worms on the napes of their necks, which will kill them. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the beasts of the earth will grow fat from their flesh.” (Saheeh Ibn Maajah, 3298) 546

Umm Habeebah bint Abi Sufyaan reported from Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allaah be pleased with them) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon her in an agitated state and said, “Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, woe to the Arabs from an evil that has approached! Today a hole like this has been opened in the barrier of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj,” and he made a circle with his thumb and forefinger. Zaynab bint Jahsh said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, will we be destroyed even though there are righteous people among us?’ He said, ‘Yes, if evil becomes overwhelming.’” (Reported by alBukhaari, 3097). And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 2281: Signs of the Hour Question: There are various sites regarding prophesies on the last days . The sites give very precise locations and happenings before the last day. Are they true ? . However in Quran there are prophesies but it does not mention the places. If there are any clear indications in Quran or in Hadith about Last Days, can you kindly tell. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. The Signs of the Hour are the signs that will precede 547

Yawm al-Qiyaamah (the Day of Judgement) and indicate that it is nigh. The Hour (al-Saa’ah) means the time of reckoning, and is either: 1. Saa’ah sughra (the lesser hour), which is a person’s death, whereupon his reckoning starts when he leaves this world and passes into the Hereafter; 2. Or Saa’ah kubraa (the greater Hour), which is when mankind will be resurrected from their graves to be judged and rewarded or punished accordingly. When the word al-saa’ah is used on its own in the Qur’aan, it refers to the greater reckoning (the Day of Judgement), as in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “People ask you concerning the Hour…” [al-Ahzaab 33:63] The Signs of the Hour (i.e., the Day of Judgement) are of two types: 1. Ashraat al-Saa’ah al-Sughra (Minor signs of the Hour) These are signs that will appear a long time before the Hour approaches, such as the decline of knowledge, the spread of ignorance, drinking of wine or alcohol, competition in the construction of tall buildings, and many others. The scholars have listed almost sixty signs, some of which will accompany the major signs, or will appear afterwards. 2. Ashraat al-Saa’ah al-Kubraa (Major Signs of the Hour) These are major signs that will appear shortly before the Day of Judgement comes. These extraordinary events will be: (1) The appearance of the Mahdi. At the end of time, a man from the descendents of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will appear, and Allaah will help him to make His religion prevail. He will take 548

control of the land (or the earth) and fill it with justice just as it had previously been filled with wrongdoing and oppression. Under his rule, the ummah will be blessed as it has never been blessed before. This man’s name will be like the name of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and his father’s namewill be like the Messenger’s father’s name. He will be a descendant of Faatimah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), through the line of al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him). He will appear from the East. A number of saheeh ahaadeeth refer to the appearance of the Mahdi, including the following: 1. Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “During the last days of my ummah, the Mahdi will appear. Allaah will send rain for him, and the earth will bring forth its produce. He will give money sihaahan (according to one report, the Prophet was asked, “What is sihaahan?” and he said, “Equally among people.” Reported by Ahmad), and livestock will increase… He will live for seven or eight” - meaning years. (Reported by al-Haakim, 4/557; he said it is saheeh according to the conditions of the two shaykhs [alBukhaari and Muslim]. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Shaykh al-Albaani said: its sanad is saheeh. Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 711) 2. Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘The Mahdi will be of my family (according to one report: of the people of my household) [Reported by Ibn Hibbaan and by al-Haakim in alMustadrak. He said: this hadeeth is saheeh according to the conditions of the two shaykhs, but they did not report 549

it. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him] from the children of Faatimah.” [Reported by Abu Dawood, 11/373 and Ibn Maajah, 2/1368. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, section 6610]. Al-’Allaamah al-Safaareeni said: “So many reports were narrated concerning the appearance of the Mahdi that they reached the level of Tawaatur in meaning, and this became so well known among the scholars of Sunnah that it is counted as one of their basic beliefs.” (Lawaami’ alAnwaar al-Bahiyyah, 2/84). [Tawaatur: a mutawaatir hadeeth is one that was narrated by so many people and transmitted by so many people that it is inconceivable that they could all have agreed on a lie. Translator] Imaam al-Shawkaani said: “The mutawaatir ahaadeeth about the awaited Mahdi, which we managed to find and examine, number fifty, including saheeh, hasan and da’eef munjabir (weak ahaadeeth that are supported by corroborating evidence) reports. They are mutawaatir beyond any shadow of a doubt… The reports from the Sahaabah that speak about the Mahdi are also very many and are judged as having the status of marfoo’ ahaadeeth (i.e., ahaadeeth whose isnaads go back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), because this is not an issue in which they would have made ijtihaad.” (For more information, see Question #1252). (2) Al-Maseeh al-Dajjaal (The “Antichrist”) Al-Maseeh al-Dajjaal is a man from the sons of Aadam. He has a number of features which were mentioned in the saheeh ahaadeeth, including the following: he will be a young man with a ruddy complexion and curly hair, and will be one-eyed, with his right eye looking like a floating grape. Between his eyes will be written “ka’ fa’ ra’” (in unjoined letters) or “kaafir” (disbeliever), which 550

every Muslim, literate or illiterate, will be able to read. Another of his attributes will be that he is sterile, and will have no children. Among the ahaadeeth that describe him are the following: 1. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whilst I was sleeping, (I dreamt that) I was doing Tawaaf around the House (the Ka’bah).” He mentioned that he saw ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam, upon whom be peace, then he saw the Dajjaal, and he described him: “He is a well-built man, with a ruddy complexion and curly hair. He is one-eyed, with his eye looking like a floating grape. (Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in al-Fath, 6/485: i.e., it is sticking out. The word yatfaa, with no hamzah, is used to describe something that is on top of something else. It is likened to a grape which is part of the bunch but sticks out from the rest. Al-Nawawi said: the word has been narrated both with the hamzah and without the hamzah. With the hamzah it means that the light has gone out of the eye, and without the hamzah it means that it is sticking out.) They said: “This is the Dajjaal…” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 13/90, and Muslim, 2/237) 2. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) also reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) described the Dajjaal as living among people, and said: “Allaah, may He be exalted, is not one-eyed, but al-Maseeh al-Dajjaal is oneeyed, and his right eye looks like a floating grape.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 13/90, and Muslim, 18/59) 3. ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Between the creation of Aadam and the onset of the Day of Judgement, there will be a creation greater than the Dajjaal.” (Reported by Muslim, 18/86). [This means that] the Dajjaal will 551

appear from the East, from Khurasaan, from among the Jews of Isfahaan, then he will travel around the world, leaving no country but he will enter it, except for Makkah and Madeenah, which he will not be able to enter because the angels are guarding them, as is reported in the hadeeth of Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that the Dajjaal would appear from a land in the East called Khurasaan.” (Reported by alTirmidhi, 6/495); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, section 3398). The fitnah (trial, tribulation) of the Dajjaal will be the greatest fitnah ever, seen from the time that Allaah created Aadam until the onset of the Day of Judgement, and this will be because of the power that Allaah will permit him to have, of working great miracles that will amaze and confuse the people. There are ahaadeeth that describe how he will have a “paradise” and a “hell”, but his paradise will in fact be a hell, and vice versa. He will have rivers of water and mountains of bread. He will command the sky to rain, and it will rain, and he will command the earth to bring forth its produce, and it will bring forth its produce. The treasures of the earth will follow him, and he will travel though the earth at great speed, like rain driven by the wind. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught his ummah how they can protect themselves from the evil of the fitnah of the Dajjaal, as is reported in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, may Allaah be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When any one of you pronounces the Shahaadah, let him seek refuge with Allaah from four things, and let him say: ‘Allaahumma innee a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaab jahannam, wa min ‘adhaab al-qabr, wa min fitnati’l-mahyaa wa’l-mamaat, wa min sharri fitnati’l-maseeh al-dajjaal (O Allaah, I seek 552

refuge with You from the punishment of Hell, from the punishment of the grave, from the trials of life and death, and from the evil of the tribulation of the Dajjaal).” (Reported by Muslim, 5/87). Another way of protecting oneself is by memorizing the first aayaat of Soorat al-Kahf. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined reciting the first verses of Soorat al-Kahf against the Dajjaal, by reciting the first ten verses, as was reported by alNawwaas ibn Sam’aan, who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever of you encounters him (the Dajjaal), let him recite the first verses of Soorat al-Kahf against him.” (Reported by Muslim, 18/65). Abu’l-Dardaa’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever memorizes ten aayaat from the beginning of Soorat al-Kahf will be protected from the Dajjaal.” (Reported by Muslim, 6/92). The destruction of the will come at the hands of ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam, upon whom be peace, as is indicated in the saheeh ahaadeeth. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The Dajjaal will emerge among my ummah… and Allaah will send ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam… and he will pursue him and destroy him.” (Reported by Muslim, 18/75). (3) The descent of ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam, upon whom be peace After the Dajjaal has appeared and spread corruption throughout the earth, Allaah will send ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam, upon whom be peace, who will descend to the earth, coming down to the white minaret in the East of Damascus, Syria, resting his hands on the wings of two angels. When he lowers his head, drops will fall, and when he raises it, drops like large pearls will fall (these are like 553

grains of silver in the shape of big pearls, and it means that drops of water as pure as pearls will fall. The water is described as pearls because of its purity). No kaafir will smell his breath except he will die, and his breath will reach as far as his eyes can see. He will come down to the victorious group that is fighting for the truth and has come together to fight the Dajjaal. He will descend at the time when the iqaamah for prayer is being given, and he will pray behind the leader of that group. The reports about his descent are many, including the following: 1. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it is nearly time for the son of Maryam to descend upon you, to judge fairly. He will break the cross, kill the pigs and put an end to war. Wealth will increase so much that no-one will accept it, and one prostration to Allaah will be worth more than the world and all that is in it.” Then Abu Hurayrah said: “Recite, if you wish: ‘And there is none of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) but must believe in him (‘Eesaa - as a human Messenger of Allaah) before his (‘Eesaa’s) death. And on the Day of Resurrection, he (‘Eesaa) will be a witness against them.” [Al-Nisaa’ 3:159 - interpretation of the meaning].’” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6/490, and Muslim, 2/189). 2. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) also reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “How will you be when ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam descends to you and your leader is one of you?” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6/491, and Muslim, 2/193). Imaam Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer (7/223): “Mutawaatir ahaadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) describe how ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam will descend before the Day of Judgement as a just leader and fair ruler.” 554

(4) Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj (Gog and Magog) Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj are human beings, descended from Aadam and Hawwa, upon whom be peace. According to the descriptions of them given in the ahaadeeth, they belong to the Turkic Mongol race, having small eyes, small, flat noses and wide faces. Their faces look like hammeredout shields (their faces are likened to shields because they are wide and round). Their appearance at the end of time is one of the signs of the Hour, as indicated in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “Until, when Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj are let loose (from their barrier), and they swiftly swarm from every mound. And the true promise (Day of Resurrection) shall draw near (to fulfilment). Then (when mankind is resurrected from their graves, you shall see the eyes of the disbelievers fixedly stare in horror. (They will say): ‘Woe to us! We were indeed heedless of this; nay, but we were zaalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.).” [alAnbiyaa’ 21:96-97] In the story of Dhoo’l-Qarnayn, Allaah tells us (interpretation of the meaning): “Then he followed (another) way, until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word. They said: ‘O Dhoo’l-Qarnayn! Verily! Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?’ He said: ‘That (wealth, authority and power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than your tribute). So help me with strength (of men), I will erect between you and them a barrier. Give me pieces (blocks) or iron,’ then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said, ‘Blow,’ till when he had made it (red as) fire, he said, ‘Bring me molten copper to pour over it.’ So they [Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj] were made powerless to scale it or dig through it. (Dhoo’l555

Qarnayn) said: ‘This is a mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He shall level it down to the ground. And the Promise of my Lord is ever true.’ And on that Day [i.e., the day Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj will come out], We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another, and the Trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together.” [al-Kahf 18:92-99] Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj are also mentioned in the Sunnah, in more than one hadeeth, including the following: 1. Umm Habeebah bint Abi Sufyaan reported from Zaynab bint Jahsh that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon her one day in a nervous state, saying, “La ilaaha ill-Allaah! Woe to the Arabs from the evil that has approached! Today a hole this big has appeared in the barrier of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj,” and he made a circle with his thumb and forefinger. Zaynab bint Jahsh said, “O Messenger of Allaah, will we be destroyed even though there are righteous people among us?” He said, “Yes, if evil becomes widespread.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6/381, Muslim, 18/2). 2. Al-Nawaas ibn Sam’aan (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported a long hadeeth describing several signs of the Hour. In this hadeeth, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “… and Allaah will send Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj, swiftly swarming from every mound. They will pass the lake of Tiberias [in Palestine] and will drink everything that is in it. Then the last of them will pass by and will say, ‘There used to be water here once.’ The Prophet of Allaah, ‘Eesaa, and his companions, will be besieged until a bull’s head will be more precious to one of them than a hundred dinars are to any of you today. ‘Eesaa and his companions will pray to Allaah, and Allaah will send a kind of worm (like that found in the noses of camels and sheep) on their (Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj) necks, and they will fall down dead, all at once. Then ‘Eesaa 556

and his companions will come down out of the place where they were besieged, and they will find hardly a handspan of land that is not filled with the stench (of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj), so ‘Eesaa and his companions will pray to Allaah, and He will send birds like the necks of camels to carry them away and throw them wherever Allaah wills.” (Reported by Muslim, 18/68). (5) The swallowing up of the earth This means that a place is swallowed up in the earth and disappears into it, as is described in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “So We caused the earth to swallow him and his dwelling place…” [al-Qasas 28:81]. Among the major signs of the Hour will be three such events, as described in the hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn Usayd (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Hour will not begin until you see ten signs… (including) three events where the earth swallows up, one in the East, one in the West, and one in the Arabian Peninsula.” (Reported by Muslim, 18/27). These events, like other major signs of the Hour, have not happened yet. Although other instances of places being swallowed up by the earth have occurred at various times and in various places, they did not cover so wide an area as to include both East and West. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “There have been instances of places being swallowed up by the ear, but it could be that what is meant by the three events referred to is events that are worse than anything yet seen, which could be more intense and cover a larger area.” (Fath alBaari, 13/84). (6) The smoke Another of the major signs of the Hour will be the appearance of the smoke. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Then wait you for the Day when the sky will bring forth a visible smoke, 557

covering the people, this is a painful torment.” [alDhukhaan 44:10-11]. A definition of the smoke was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who explained that it is one of the Signs of the Day of Judgement, as was narrated by Ibn Jareer and Ibn Abi Haatim from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Abi Maleekah, who said: “I went to Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) one day, and he said: ‘I did not sleep at all last night.’ I asked him, ‘Why not?’ He said, ‘They said that a star with a tail (a comet) had appeared, and I was afraid that the smoke had started, so I could not sleep at all.’” Imaam Ibn Katheer commented: “This is a saheeh isnaad, going back to Ibn ‘Abbaas, the scholar of the ummah and the interpreter of the Qur’aan. This is also the opinion of all the Sahaabah and Taabi’een who agreed with him, in addition, there are many ahaadeeth going back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saheeh, hasan and others - which state the same thing. This is convincing evidence that the smoke will be one of the expected signs, as is also clear from the text of the Qur’aan.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 7/235). Among the ahaadeeth that describe the appearance of the smoke as one of the signs of the Hour is the following: 1. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hasten to do good deeds before six things appear: the Dajjaal, the smoke…” (Reported by Muslim, 18/87) (7) The rising of the sun from the West Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… The day that some of the Signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his faith…” [al-An’aam 6:158]. Most of the mufassireen (commentators) state that one of 558

these signs is the rising of the sun from the West. Among the reports that indicate this are: 1. The hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) according to which the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Hour will not begin until the sun rises from the West, and when it rises and the people see it, they will all believe, but that will be when it will do a person no good to believe, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his faith.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 11/352, and Muslim, 2/194). 2. The hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-’Aas (may Allaah be pleased with them both), who said: “I learned from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) a hadeeth that I have never forgotten since. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘The first of the signs of the Hour to appear will be the rising of the sun from the West.’” (Reported by Muslim, 18/78). (8) The appearance of the Beast Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And when the Word (of torment) is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast to them, which will speak to them because mankind believed not with certainty in our aayaat.” [al-Naml 27:82] Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘There are three things which, once they happen, it will do a person no good to believe, if he believed not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his faith: the rising of the sun from the West, the Dajjaal, and the Beast of the earth.’” (Reported by Muslim, 2/195). 559

Abu Umaamah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Beast will emerge, and it will mark all the people on their noses, and this mark will last, so that if a man buys a camel, and is asked who he bought it from, he will say, ‘From the man with the mark on his nose.’” (Reported by Ahmad and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no. 322). According to some reports, when the Beast appears, it will mark the believers and the kaafirs. As for the believer, it will make his face shine brightly, as a sign of his faith, and as for the kaafir, it will mark his nose with a sign of his disbelief. The Qur’aan tells us that the Beast will speak to people, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And when the Word (of torment) is fulfilled against them, We shall bring out from the earth a beast to them, which will speak to them because mankind believed not with certainty in our aayaat.” [al-Naml 27:82]. This kalaam may refer to actual speech, whereby the Beast will address people, which is supported by the reading of Ubayy ibn Ka’b (tunabbi’uhum, i.e., tell them), or it may convey the other meaning of the word kalaam, to wound, which is supported by the alternative reading (taklamuhum, i.e., mark them by cutting them) reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him). (9) The fire which will gather the people together Another of the signs of the Hour is the great fire which will appear from the direction of Yemen, from the bottom of ‘Aden, from the Sea of Hadramawt. Among the ahaadeeth that describe this are the following: 1. The hadeeth of Hudhayfah ibn Usayd which mentions the major signs of the Hour, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “… The last 560

of them will be a fire which will emerge from Yemen, and will drive the people to their gathering place.” According to another report: “… and a fire which will emerge from the bottom of ‘Aden and drive the people (ahead of it).” (Reported by Muslim, 18/27). 2. The hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) which states that when ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam embraced Islam, he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about a number of issues, including the first sign of the Hour. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first sign of the Hour will be a fire which will drive the people from East to West.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6/362). 3. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Fire will emerge from Hadramawt or from the sea of Hadramawt (according to another report: from the direction of Hadramawt or from Hadramawt - Mishkaat al-Masaabeeh) before the Day of Judgement, and it will drive the people (ahead of it).’” (Reported by Ahmad, 7/133; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3603). A number of saheeh ahaadeeth describe how this fire will gather the people together. Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The people will be gathered in three ways, willingly or by force, two on one camel, or three or four or even ten on one camel. The rest of them will be gathered together by means of a fire, which will stay with them whenever they stop to rest or to sleep, no matter what the time of day or night.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 11/377, Muslim, 17/194). Finally, it should be noted that belief in the signs of the Hour is part of our belief in the Unseen (al-ghayb), without 561

which the belief of the Muslim is incomplete. And Allaah is the Source of Strength.. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com) 1252: Is the Mahdi real or not? Question: Is the hadith about the coming of Mehdi Saheeh? Because I was told by a friend of mine, that it’s not and it’s a weak hadith. Answer: Praise be to Allaah. There are saheeh ahaadeeth that indicate that the Mahdi (peace be upon him) will appear at the end of time. He is one of the signs of the Hour. Among these ahaadeeth are the following: 1. Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: “At the end of the time of my ummah, the Mahdi will appear. Allaah will grant him rain, the earth will bring forth its fruits, he will give a lot of money, cattle will increase and the ummah will become great. He will rule for seven or eight years. (Mustadrak al-Haakim, 4/557558; he said: this is a hadeeth whose isnaad is saheeh, although it was not reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him, and al-Albaani said: this is 562

a saheeh sanad, and its men are thiqaat (trustworthy), Silsilat al-ahaadeeth al-saheehah, vol. 2, p. 336, hadeeth 771) 2. ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘The Mahdi is one of us, a member of my family. Allaah will guide him in a single night.’” (Musnad Ahmad, 2/58, hadeeth 645, edited by Ahmad al-Shaakir, who said: its isnaad is saheeh; Sunan Ibn Maajah, 2/1367. This hadeeth was also classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ al-Sagheer, 6735). Ibn Katheer said: “This means that Allaah will forgive him, grant him help, inspire him and guide him, when he was not like this before.” (Al-Nihaayah, al-Fitan wa’lMalaahim, 1/29; edited by Taha Zayni). 3. Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: ‘The Mahdi is of my lineage, with a high forehead and a long, thin, curved nose. He will fill the earth with fairness and justice as it was filled with oppression and injustice, and he will rule for seven years.’” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Kitaab al-Mahdi, 11/375, hadeeth 4265; Mustadrak al-Haakim, 4/557; he said: this is a saheeh hadeeth according to the conditions of Muslim, although it was not reported by alBukhaari and Muslim. See also Saheeh al-Jaami, 6736). 4. Umm Salamah said: “I heard the Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) say: ‘The Mahdi is of my lineage and family, from the descendants of Faatimah.’” (Sunan Abu Dawud, 11/373; Sunan Ibn Maajah. 2/1368. Al-Albaani said that it is saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami, 6734) 5. Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: “Eesaa ibn Maryam will descend, and 563

their leader the Mahdi will say, “Come and lead us in prayer,” but he will say, “No, one of them should lead them as an honour to this ummah from Allaah.”’” The version narrated by Muslim says: “… Then ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam (Peace be upon him) will descend and their leader will say, ‘Come and lead us in prayer,’ but he will say, ‘No, some of you are leaders over others as an honour from Allaah to this ummah.’” (Reported by Muslim, 225) 6. Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: “He is one of us, behind whom ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam will pray.” (Reported by Abi Na’eem in Akhbaar al-Mahdi. Al-Albaani said it is saheeh; see alJaami’ al-Sagheer, 5/219, hadeeth 5796). 7. ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood reported that the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: “The world will not come to an end until the Arabs are ruled by a man from my family whose name will be the same as mine.” (Musnad Ahmad, 5/199, hadeeth 3573. Another version says: “… whose name is the same as mine and whose father’s name is the same as my father’s.” Sunan Abi Dawud, 11/370). The ahaadeeth concerning the appearance of the Mahdi reach the level of Tawaatur in meaning (tawaatur refers to a hadeeth which was narrated by so many people through so many isnaads that it is inconceivable that they could all have agreed on a lie). The imaams and scholars of this ummah have stated this, and a few of their comments are quoted below: 1. Al-Haafiz Abu’l-Hasan al-Aabiri said: “The mutawaatir reports from the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) describing the Mahdi are very many. They state that the Mahdi will be of his family, that he will rule for seven years, that he will fill the earth with justice, that 564

‘Eesaa ibn Maryam will emerge and help him to kill the Dajjaal, and that he will lead this ummah in prayer and ‘Eesaa will pray behind him.” 2. Muhammad al-Barzanji said, in his book al-Ishaa’ah li Ashraat al-Saa’ah: “The major signs and the signs that will be immediately followed by the Hour: these signs are many, of which the Mahdi will be the first. Know that the ahaadeeth that have been narrated about him in various reports are numerous.” He also said: “You know that the ahaadeeth which speak of the Mahdi, his appearance at the end of time, and his lineage and descent from the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) via Faatimah reach the level of tawaatur in meaning, so there is no point in denying them.” 3. Al-‘Allaamah Muhammad al-Safaareeni said: “There are so many reports which speak of the appearance of the Mahdi that they reach the level of tawaatur in meaning; they are very popular among the scholars of Sunnah and have become part of their faith.” Then he quotes a number of ahaadeeth and reports about the appearance of the Mahdi and the names of the Sahaabah from whom they were narrated: “Many reports were narrated from the Sahaabah whose names were mentioned and others whose names were not mentioned, may Allaah be pleased with them all, and from the Taabi’een after them, all of which proves that this is definitive knowledge. Belief in the appearance of the Mahdi is obligatory, as it has been confirmed by the scholars and is listed among the beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah.” 4. Al-‘Allaamah al-Mujtahid al-Shawkaani said: “The ahaadeeth that we have come across that speak of the awaited Mahdi reach the level of tawaatur, including fifty saheeh, hasan and da’eef munjabar ahaadeeth. There are mutawaatir without a doubt; indeed they are more mutawaatir than others, according to all the standards of 565

usool. There are also many reports from the Sahaabah that speak about the Mahdi and that reach the level of marfoo’, so there is no room for individual opinions in such an issue.” 5. Al-‘Allaamah al-Shaykh Siddeeq Hasan Khaan said: “Even though there are different versions of reports concerning the Mahdi, they are so many that they reach the level of tawaatur in meaning. They are to be found in al-Sunan and other books of Islam.” 6. Al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ja’far al-Kattaani said: “The conclusion is that the ahaadeeth narrated concerning the Mahdi are mutawaatir, as are the ahaadeeth concerning the Dajjaal and the descent of ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam, upon whom be peace.” (See Ashraat al-Saa’ah by Yoosuf ibn ‘Abdullaah al-Waabil, pp. 195-203). You should be aware that some liars have fabricated ahaadeeth about the Mahdi, and others have even claimed to be he, or that he belongs to a group other than Ahl alSunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. Some of these “false mahdis” have tried to deceive the slaves of Allaah for some worldly gain and to distort the picture of Islaam. Some have started movements and revolutions and gathered those people and supporters whom they were able to deceive. Then they were destroyed, and their lies and falsehood were exposed. None of this affects the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah in the Mahdi, upon whom be peace, and that he will undoubtedly appear and rule the earth in accordance with Islamic Sharee’ah. And Allaah knows best. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islamqa.com)

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