Ramadan - Make Aspiring Goals During The Holy Month Of Ramadan by Quran reading

Ramadan is the most auspicious and blessed month of the Islamic calendar. During this month, Allah showers His blessings on His servants and it is during this month that Allah listens to all kinds of prayers of His people. Ramadan is the month during which individuals can shape their lives according to the concepts of Islam. Therefore, it is essential to have goals and aims during this month to lead a life according to the principles of Islam. 1. Be Moderate in Eating and Drinking After the Iftar time, most Muslims start eating food like there is no tomorrow. Eating so much food ultimately makes it difficult for people to move. Eating too much after Iftar actually contradicts with the spirit and teachings of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims are expected to learn self-control and avoid indulgence into things. Therefore, Muslims should follow the rule of the Prophet (PBUH) even during the month of Ramadan. One third of their stomachs should be filled with food, one third with water and the remaining space should be left for breathing. 2. Make Charity During the month of Ramadan, the Prophet (PBUH) gave out more in charity than normal days. Therefore, all Muslims should try to dig in deep into their wallets and open their hearts during the auspicious month of Ramadan. Allah blesses Muslims for being more considerate and keeping into consideration the need of the poor people. Even if you can manage a very small amount, Allah will still bless you for it is the intention that matters. 3. Memorize Surahs Most times people do not memorize the Quran because it appears to be a daunting task. However, it is more effective and useful if you memorize in small steps. During each week, you can memorize one Surah of the Quran. it is best to start with a short and easy Surah as it will make learning easy for you. Once you have built the momentum, you may be able to learn longer Surahs as well. 4. Offer Taraweeh Prayers As soon as people eat, they feel drowsy and sleepy because of the sudden intake of food. However, it is always best to resist that urge and go to the mosque to offer taraweeh prayers. You may also offer the taraweeh prayers at home; however, praying in congregation has its own benefits and has greater rewards for people. 5. Avoid using Bad Language During Ramadan, it is very difficult for people to control their urge to swear or use bad language. However, this is what the Ramadan spirit is all about. Ramadan teaches people to be patient and respect others. So if you do not control yourself during this holy month, Ramadan will be of no use to you since it did not teach you anything. Conclusion It is also very rewarding to read and recite Quran during Ramadan or to learn Quran during this auspicious month. If you cannot go to a Quran school, you can simply learn Quran online from a competent tutor.

Developing Family Ties With The Quran

Quran is one of the greatest gifts of Allah to mankind. This is because Quran is the most authentic and the truest source of guidance and direction for Muslims. By reading, understanding and acting on the principles of Islam, Muslims can reap the benefits in the life hereafter. Therefore, it is essential for all Muslims to read and recite Quran on a daily basis and make it a family activity. However, people are still perplexed and cannot understand how they can change their routine to make Quran a part of their life and family. Some ways to make Quran a part of your life are given below. Quran and the Family To make Quran recitation an important part of your life, it is important that you make the reading a cherished part of the day. It is essential that you stop considering Quran reading as a chore rather than a gift or blessing. Set the time of Quran recitation based on your daily activities. Make sure to not miss this time at any cost. You can also start by simply reading a page or two every day after the Fajr prayers. Reading and Understanding the Quran Generally, it is thought that reading the Quran enhances the intelligence of individuals as for most Muslims, Quran is written in a language that is not familiar to them. 

Therefore, these individuals have to push themselves to learn how to read and recite Quran and increase their mental capacity. It is always best to read the Quran with Tafseer or translation as it allows individuals to understand the verses of the Quran thus making Quran learning an easy task. One can also derive lessons from the verses of the Quran and can discuss with the family or teach the children how to put use the lessons from the Quran into the daily lives. The Quran’s basic purpose is to be read and acted upon as it was revealed to the mankind as a source of guidance. Additionally, there are Muslims who struggle to read the Quran. However, for these individuals, Allah has announced more rewards. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Quran and Its Importance The importance of reading, understanding and following the teachings of Quran can be understood by the following Hadith, “The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood] This Hadith focuses on the importance of Quran in the lives of all Muslims. It highlights the fact that Quran helps individuals find the right path. Conclusion People often make excuses that they cannot recite Quran because it is difficult to find a physical version of the Quran in the place they live. There are many online Quran recitation websites using which they can read the Quran on a daily basis. If you want to read more Articles regarding to Islam and Quran, you can find all here: Quran Recitation is an online Islamic School which offers online Quran recitation services online. The school also teaches Quran Recitation and Quran Reading with translation through best Quran teacher Learn All about Islam and Quran Online Islamic Articles by visiting our Quran reading blog.

Resources to Learn the Quran Online

AAl-Kahf [18:66] Musa said to him: Shall I follow you on condition that you should teach me right knowledge of what you have been taught?

To learn Quran online, there are so many resources available. One just has to decide that how one wants to learn Quran online . Actually, the scope of the Quran is very wide. Therefore, it is but natural that there are so many subjects, which lie under the category of the Quran education.

Al-Maeda [5:4] They ask you as to what is allowed to them. Say: The good things are allowed to you, and what you have taught the beasts and birds of prey, training them to hunt-- you teach them of what Allah has taught you-- so eat of that which they catch for you and mention the name of Allah over it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is swift in reckoning.

To learn Quran online, one can consider one of the following resources.

1. Websites for Tajweed

2. Freelance tutors for Tajweed

3. Quran search Engines with translations in different languages

4. Websites with Quran explanation

5. Websites of Islamic centers

6. Websites of Islamic scholars

7. Islamic videos on the YouTube

All of the resources mentioned above are simply great for anyone who simply wants to learn Quran online. For inspiration to learn Quran online or offline, one can consider the following two verses.

• Yusuf [12:6] And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of sayings and make His favor complete to you and to the children of Yaqoub, as He made it complete before to your fathers, Ibrahim and Ishaq; surely your Lord is Knowing, Wise.

• Al-Baqara [2:129] Our Lord! and raise up in them a Messenger from among them who shall recite to them Thy communications and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify them; surely Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.

Of course, it is very easy to learn Quran online because of the plethora of the resources available. However, one thing that is very important for all those who want to learn Quran online is the authentication of any given resource. In fact, it is a grave problem for most of the people who want to learn Quran online.

Along with many good resources, there are some resources online, which contain falsified, fabricated, unauthenticated, or incomplete information. It becomes a great nuisance and even a source of misguidance for many people who want to learn Quran online. In case one comes across an unauthenticated website, one must report the website.

Usually it is not easy for any ordinary internet user to take down an unauthenticated website. However if more and more people report the website, its rankings go down and the authorities do something about it soon. Similarly, it is also a good idea to promote the websites with authenticated information.

Aal-e-Imran [3:48] And He will teach him the Book and the wisdom and the Taurât and the Injeel.

The Prophet's Night Journey to Jerusalem (Arabic: Israa) and Ascent to the Heavens (Arabic: Miraj)

Volume 5, Book 58, Number 228:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

Regarding the Statement of Allah"

"And We granted the vision (Ascension to the heavens) which We made you see (as an actual eye witness) was only made as a trial for the people." (17.60)

Ibn Abbas added: The sights which Allah's Apostle was shown on the Night Journey when he was taken to Bait-ul Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) were actual sights, (not dreams). And the Cursed Tree (mentioned) in the Quran is the tree of Zaqqum (itself) .

Volume 4, Book 54, Number 462:

Narrated Ibn Abbas:

The Prophet said, "On the night of my Ascent to the Heaven, I saw Moses who was a tall brown curly-haired man as if he was one of the men of Shan'awa tribe, and I saw Jesus, a man of medium height and moderate complexion inclined to the red and white colors and of lank hair. I also saw Malik, the gate-keeper of the (Hell) Fire and Ad-Dajjal amongst the signs which Allah showed me." (The Prophet then recited the Holy Verse): "So be not you in doubt of meeting him' when you met Moses during the night of Mi'raj over the heavens" (32.23)

Narrated Anas and Abu Bakra: "The Prophet said, "The angels will guard Medina from Ad-Dajjal (who will not be able to enter the city of Medina)."

Volume 5, Book 58, Number 227:

Narrated Abbas bin Malik:

Malik bin Sasaa said that Allah's Apostle described to them his Night Journey saying, "While I was lying in Al-Hatim or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut my body open from here to here." I asked Al-Jarud who was by my side, "What does he mean?" He said, "It means from his throat to his pubic area," or said, "From the top of the chest." The Prophet further said, "He then took out my heart. Then a gold tray of Belief was brought to me and my heart was washed and was filled (with Belief) and then returned to its original place. Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me." (On this Al-Jarud asked, "Was it the Buraq, O Abu Hamza?" I (i.e. Anas) replied in the affirmative). The Prophet said, "The animal's step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal's sight. I was carried on it, and Gabriel set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven.

When he asked for the gate to be opened, it was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel answered, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has Muhammad been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Adam there. Gabriel said (to me). 'This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel answered, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel answered in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened.

When I went over the second heaven, there I saw Yahya (i.e. John) and 'Isa (i.e. Jesus) who were cousins of each other. Gabriel said (to me), 'These are John and Jesus; pay them your greetings.' So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is!' The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven there I saw Joseph. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is Joseph; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed, what an excel lent visit his is!'

The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is Idris; pay him your greetings.' So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked. 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is! So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw Harun (i.e. Aaron), Gabriel said, (to me). This is Aaron; pay him your greetings.' I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked. 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. It was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!'

When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Moses. Gabriel said (to me),' This is Moses; pay him your greeting. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious brother and pious Prophet.' When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him, 'What makes you weep?' Moses said, 'I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.' Then Gabriel ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel replied, 'Gabriel.' It was asked,' Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel replied, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!'

So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Abraham. Gabriel said (to me), 'This is your father; pay your greetings to him.' So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, 'You are welcomed, O pious son and pious Prophet.' Then I was made to ascend to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary) Behold! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajr (i.e. a place near Medina) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants. Gabriel said, 'This is the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary) . Behold ! There ran four rivers, two were hidden and two were visible, I asked, 'What are these two kinds of rivers, O Gabriel?' He replied,' As for the hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise and the visible rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.'

Then Al-Bait-ul-Ma'mur (i.e. the Sacred House) was shown to me and a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Gabriel remarked, 'This is the Islamic religion which you and your followers are following.' Then the prayers were enjoined on me: They were fifty prayers a day. When I returned, I passed by Moses who asked (me), 'What have you been ordered to do?' I replied, 'I have been ordered to offer fifty prayers a day.' Moses said, 'Your followers cannot bear fifty prayers a day, and by Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel (in vain). Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers' burden.' So I went back, and Allah reduced ten prayers for me. Then again I came to Moses, but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allah and He reduced ten more prayers. When I came back to Moses he said the same, I went back to Allah and He ordered me to observe ten prayers a day. When I came back to Moses, he repeated the same advice, so I went back to Allah and was ordered to observe five prayers a day.

When I came back to Moses, he said, 'What have you been ordered?' I replied, 'I have been ordered to observe five prayers a day.' He said, 'Your followers cannot bear five prayers a day, and no doubt, I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your follower's burden.' I said, 'I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah's Order.' When I left, I heard a voice saying, 'I have passed My Order and have lessened the burden of My Worshippers."

Athaan--Sheikh Mishary b. Rashid Afasy

Worship in the Last 10 Days, Don't Shop !

21st Ramdhan..Martyrdom of 4th Caliph, Ali (r.a)

Amongst  the descendants of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s), Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) belonged to the line of Quraish. He was the son of Abu Talib , son of Abdul Muttalib of the distinguished tribe of Bani Hashim.  Only one step above his lineage coincided with that of the Prophet of Islam (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).The latter being Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib. and the former Ali bin Abi Talib bin Abdul Muttalib.. It was his father Abu Talib who had nourished and brought up the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). His mother Fatima binte Asad was also a noble lady belonging to the tribe of Bani Hashim whom the Prophet (saw) regarded as his own mother. When the Prophet of God (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was 30 years old, Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) was born on 13th of Rajab in the 30 th year of Aamul eel (The Elephant Era) inside the sacred Kaba.

The responsibility for bringing him up devolved directly on Muhammad Mustafa (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) who devoted all his time and attention towards nurturing him with utmost love and affection, instilling in him both knowledge and noble morals. Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) was 10 years old when Muhammad Mustafa (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) was formally called upon to convey the divine message. The Prophet had embarked upon a mission which was against the trend of the times, the prevailing environment, the practice of  the entire city and of his own people and tribe. No one was prepared to extend a helping hand and cooperate with him. It was Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) alone who was foremost in testifying the claim  of the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and in reposing full faith in his mission.The other personality was that of Khadijatul Kubra (radyAllahu`anha) who acquired the honor of precedence in embracing Islam among the women.

The moment the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) proclaimed his prophet hood every particle under the sun turned against him. Those very people who used to acclaim his truthfulness and trustworthiness began calling him a lunatic, a sorcerer and what not ? Thorns were laid in his path, stones were pelted at him , and garbage was thrown on his head. In these hard times only a child was there to share his misery. This child was the same Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) who never lost his courage in collaborating with his cousin and in professing his love and loyalty towards  him. On every occasion he acted as a shield to the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) against all odds.

The demise of Prophet's (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) loving uncle Abu Talib broke the Prophet's (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) heart. He made up his mind to migrate to Madinah because the enemies unanimously decided to surround the house of the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) at night and finally kill him. At night the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) left Makkah for Madinah and Ali ibne Abi Talib (radyAllahu`anhu)  slept on his bed. Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) stayed at Makkah for 3 days. During this period he returned to their owners all the articles that were left in trust with the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)

The first thing that the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) did on his arrival to Madinah was to solemnize the marriage of his only daughter, Fatima Zahra (radyAllahu`anha) with Ali (radyAllahu`anhu). The Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) deeply loved his daughter and had so much respect for her that whenever she came to him he used to stand up in reverence. The life of Fatima and Ali presented an unparalleled ideal for domestic life. It was an example of how a man and woman can prove to be the real life partners, what should be the distribution of duties between them and how they can be helpful to each other.
Besides participating in Jihad Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) was never averse to do anything for the sake of Islam.The tasks that he had to perform were of diverse nature. He was responsible for writing down treaties and letters.  He was also the custodian of the recorded portions of the Quran.  Besides, he was deputed to Yemen by the Prophet (saw) for the propagation of Islam.As a result of his successful preaching,the entire Yemen embraced Islam.

When the Prophet's (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) soul left his body Ali's (radyAllahu`anhu) hand was still on his chest.After the Prophet's (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) demise how could the man who had been with him for the whole of his life, leave his body unattended ?So, the duty of washing of the body, wrapping it in shroud and other funeral rites were performed by Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) It was he who laid the Prophet's (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) body in the grave. After the Prophet's (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) burial.

In addition to this he was, on his own, ever busy in the service of Islam in the spiritual sphere as well as in the dissemination of knowledge.  He compiled the Quran in order of revelation of the verses, specifying the verses which were later canceled and those which canceled them; the verses which are clear and those which are obscure. He generated in the educated class of the Muslims an interest in writing and compilation of  books land also a longing for research in various branches of knowledge.  He himself produced a body of learned works comprising Quranic exegesis, philosophical reasoning, Islamic jurisprudence and commandments. He trained a large number of disciples who helped build in future a society of learned scholars amongst the Muslims. In order to preserve the Arabic language, Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) laid the foundation of Arabic grammar and elucidated the principles of etymology and literature.  In this way Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) set an example that one must not forget one's duties even when facing adverse conditions, deprived of authority and compelled to lead a life of neglect and seclusion. The interest of the society is not to be harmed for the sake of personal aggrandizement or to gain official position. One should in all circumstances continue to serve the society. the community and the religion as far as possible.

For 25 years after the Prophet's (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) demise Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) led a life of seclusion. In 35 A.H. the Muslims offered the office of Islamic Caliph to Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) At first he refused. But when the insistence on part of the Muslims increased , he accepted it on the condition that he would rule strictly in accordance with the precepts laid down in the Quran and the Sunnah (practice) of the Prophet (salAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) without favour and partiality towards any body. The people agreed to this condition and thereupon he accepted the office of the Caliph. But the people could not tolerate his purely religious rule. and rebelled against him on one or the other excuse.

He wore patched clothes, sat in the company of poor people on ground and partook food with them. The p;proceeds of the Baitul Mal (public treasury) were distributed equally amongst the deserving .

Alas! this protagonist of peace, equality and Islamic values could not escape the malicious designs of the worldly people. In the morning of 19th of the month of Ramdhan 40 A.H. while offering prayer in the mosque he was fatally wounded by a  sword dipped in poison . His mercifulness, kindness and regard for equality of all human beings was such that when his assassin was brought before him with a pale face and tears rolling down his eyes, he was touched with compassion even for him and and addressing his two sons, Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (radyAllahu`anhu) , said : " He is your prisoner. Do not treat him harshly. Give him the food that you yourself eat. If I recover, it will be upto me to punish him or to forgive him. But if I do not survive and you decide to avenge his crime, then strike him with sword only once as he had struck me once and in no case his hands or legs or any other part of his body should be cut off as it is against the teachings of Islam." Ali (radyAllahu`anhu) spent  two  restless days on his sick bed in extreme  pain and distress. Eventually the poison spread all over the body and he breathed his last on 21st of Ramdhan at the time of morning prayer.  Hasan and Husain (radyAllahu`anhu) performed the funeral rites and that prince of humanity was buried at Najaf at the back of the city of Kufa (Iraq).

US Muslim women seek active faith role

See the Akhtar family at a weekend lunch, and the renewal of Islam in America seems inevitable and irresistible. Shahid and Mino Akhtar were born in Pakistan and, like their son and three daughters, they are devout Muslims who attend the mosque regularly.
Meeting them at their house in a quiet tree-lined street in Emerson, New Jersey, it soon seems clear that they, and their progressive Islam, are as perfectly adapted to life in modern America as their Christian neighbours.
Shahid is a hands-on dad. While his wife pursued a career as a lawyer he took charge of raising the children. His son Reza, a hospital doctor, is following his example by being the one who cooks dinner and does the dishes as his wife, Amna, also works.
The Aktar daughters are pursuing careers as a lawyer, businesswoman and dentist. Their emancipation has not diluted their sense of being Muslim, but it has changed it.
Sheema wears shorts to play soccer, but sees no conflict with the duty to behave modestly. They feel bound by the duty to pray, for example, but not at five set times each day.
Mino Akhtar says connection with God is what counts.
"In terms of the daily practices, when I travel on business I don't get to get to pray five times a day," she says. "It's my connection with the creator that's more important than how I do it."
"Absolutely," says her daughter Sheema. "We're just adapting to the surroundings. As long as you have the basic principles, and you abide by them and remember Allah every day."
Women 'reclaiming Islam' 
American Muslims' determination to grasp the basic principles of their religion - rather than the sometimes harsh rules contributed by other cultures during its long history - grew out of the wreckage of the World Trade Center towers.

 

We've been working with a variety of organisations on really taking the teachings of Islam and delivering them without the baggage of tradition

Lena Alhusseini

Islam series: Radical revision

Shahnaz Taplin Chinoy stands on Brooklyn Heights and surveys the southern tip of Manhattan. She recalls the events of 11 September 2001, and the moment she made it her mission to reclaim the Islam of her childhood. "I was bombarded by questions from friends," she says. "They kept saying, 'why does Islam suppress women? Why does Islam condone violence?' I was flabbergasted at the Islam of the hijackers which was so disconnected with the Islam of my youth - which was not extremist at all."
'Baggage of tradition'
Lena Alhusseini, whose origin is Palestinian, runs a family support centre for Arab-Americans in Brooklyn. She says women are leading the renewal of Islam because they have the most to gain.
"Oftentimes we get women who are illiterate. They come from tribal societies and in their understanding of Islam it's okay to be beaten by a man. Their role is to be subservient and that's the mark of a good Muslim woman - which is very different from what Islam teaches.
"So we've been working with a variety of organisations on really taking the teachings of Islam and delivering them without the baggage of tradition. And telling them this is what Islam is all about - Islam gives you rights, Islam doesn't allow you to be treated this way."
Laleh Bakhtiar is a Muslim scholar who has translated the Koran, making controversial changes in standard translations which she says more accurately reflect the original spirit of the religion.


Dr Bhaktiar's English text has removed derogatory references to Christians and Jews. It changes many of the most important words, even substituting the word "God" for "Allah", which she says is more inclusive. Most controversially, her Koran rejects the idea, in Chapter Four, verse 34, that men may beat their wives. "The word for "beat" has 25 meanings", she says. "We need to look therefore at what Muhammad did. He didn't beat but walked away. So why are we saying 'beat' when we can say 'go away' - which is what he did."
Modern mosques
Muslim women have also been demanding changes in the way mosques are run. Daisy Khan was among the designers contributing to the plans for Long Island Mosque in Westbury, a suburb of wide roads, trees and clap-boarded houses. She quickly discovered that the draft design confined women to a basement.
"Women were out of sight... the design was done in such a way that women were supposed to be downstairs with no access to the main prayer space," she says.

You're talking about a country [the US] which is based on the principles of freedom and democracy, equality, justice - all these are Islamic Imam Shamsi Ali

Now women worship in the prayer hall behind the men, a step that seems radically modern to some new immigrants. "There's no provision in Islam which says women can't pray in the same space," insists Ms Khan. "These are just traditions we've adopted over the years because of the practice in certain countries."
Among the Sufi Muslims of the Nur Ashki Jerrahi order at their meeting in Yonkers, men and women mix freely. The spiritual director is a woman. Shaykha Fariha occasionally leads both men and women in prayers, an act which has scandalised traditionalists but which she says is appropriate in America.





"In the West I'm more free about leading prayers" she says. "I think the tendency against it is mainly a cultural one."
At the New York Islamic Cultural Centre, a group of high-spirited girls is studying alongside boys on a Saturday morning. The mosque's imam, Muhammad Shamsi Ali, says educating girls is vital to developing Islam in the West, and is true to Islam's original purpose.



"Prophet Mohammed stated clearly that women must learn - they must be equal to the male intellectually, they have to improve themselves intellectually," he says. Imam Shamsi Ali says he sees no incompatibility between the US and Islam. "You're talking about a country which is based on the principles of freedom and democracy, equality, justice - and all these are Islamic."
Shaykha Fariha says that apart from these shared principles, Islam has what the founder of her order described as the ability to behave like water - taking on the shape of the vessel into which it is poured.
She says Muslims in many parts of the world are shedding the cultural restrictions inherited from male-dominated and conservative societies.
"Islam is undergoing a huge reformation and self questioning, and certainly 9/11 has [led to] people looking at their religion and asking what has led to this," she says. "So I think what we're seeing today within the Islamic tradition is comparable to the Christian reformation in the sense of the dimension of its impact on the religion, its impact on individuals and its impact on the world as a whole."
Traditionalist critics say those who seek revolutionary change in Islam are diluting its teaching. They say that adapting the religion to contemporary mores progressively undermines its ability to give moral guidance to society.
But the Akhtar family insist that their modern lifestyle in secular America does not stop them practising what they call "the beautiful values of Islam".
Mona Akhtar, a lawyer, bubbles rose-flavoured smoke through an after-lunch shisha, and contemplates her emancipated sisters.
"We're living examples of the importance of women taking a more active role in Islam," she says. "We're following the Spirit of the Quran ."

ISLAM - THE MISUNDERSTOOD RELIGION by Muhammed Kutub (Part 3)

Don’t Miss! Follow this topic to know the Truth of Islam and share with your beloved ones.

IS RELIGION ANTIQUATED?
Viewed in this context religion means broadening the mental horizon of mankind, for life is not confined to this world alone but continues even beyond it-up to eternity. This brightens hope in man's heart and encourages him to fight steadfastly against evil and oppression. Religion teaches love, sympathy and universal brotherhood and is thus the only way to peace, prosperity and progress which is in itself a sufficient reason for its retention. It equips man in the best possible way for the hard struggle of life.

Furthermore, it is faith and faith alone that can inspire man to rise above his self and suffer for noble and lofty ideals. Once it is taken away from him he is left with nothing else to look up or pin his hopes to outside his own self. He changes into a brute immediately. Many a man fell fighting in the noble cause of truth spending the whole of their lives in the struggle yet achieving nothing in the materialistic sense of the word.
What inspired these noble souls to engage in a battle that brought them no material rewards, hat caused them rather lose whatever little they happened to possess?
Undoubtedly, it was one of the many miracles of the Faith, for, so far as selfish motives viz. avarice, greed, lust etc. are concerned, these can never make man achieve anything really good, noble or of a permanent value. This is why the material triumphs won by selfish avarice are so short-lived and temporary as the incentive for immediate gain cannot equip man with character, nor can it give him the courage to stand fast suffering patiently and for long for a truly noble and lofty cause.

There are in fact some so-called "reformers" who seek inspiration from hatred rather than love. This is the headspring of their inspiration, which they say gives them the courage to bear hardships for their cause with patience. The hatred they cherish may be personal in character or it may spring among a class of people and be directed against mankind in general or the generation they may have happened to be born in. Such rancorinspired people may realize some of their ends by way of "reformation”. Their rancor coupled with their fiery and innate cruel natures may as well sustain them and boost their "morale" to willingly suffer privation for the sake of the cause they stand for, but a doctrine based on malevolence rather than love can never lead humanity to anything good. They may remove certain evils and put an end to the existing state of injustice but offer no sound remedy for these ailments of mankind. Based on hatred and malevolence, such a philosophy of life is bound sooner or later to degenerate and create far more evil and injustice than that it had originally professed and sought to cure.

On the other hand, a creed that does not aim at the immediate gains of this world, nor derives inspiration from malevolence but fosters in men noble passions of love, fraternity and a will to lay down their lives serving their fellowmen, can alone guarantee to humanity a reward permanent and worth striving for, and pave the way to its future progress and prosperity. The essence of such a creed is faith in God and love for Him with a consequent virtuous mode of living that helps man get nearer unto his Creator. But both of these remain lifeless so long as one does not believe in the Hereafter as well.
Belief in the Hereafter gives man a sense of security banishing from his heart fear of extinction with his physical death and promising him an eternal life. This, in other words, means that his efforts shall not be wasted away but shall be crowned with their fullest reward in the life to come, if not in the life herein.

All this is, however, what follows as a natural corollary to a simple belief in God and the Hereafter as such. But so far as Islam is concerned it does not stop short there, but goes a long way ahead: it has a quite different and far more fascinating story to tell.

Those who may imagine that Islam has become outmoded and is no longer needed, do not know as to what it stands for, nor do they in any wise seem to understand its real mission in human life. As taught to them in the history books prescribed by the agents of imperialism in early life they think that Islam was revealed merely to put an end to idolatry and guide man to the worship of God alone, that the Arabs were torn into antagonistic tribes, so Islam came and united them and made them a strong and unified nation, that they were addicted to drinking and gambling and led depraved lives, so Islam came and checked them from these depravities as it did abolish so many other evil customs prevalent among them such as burying alive their daughters and wasting away their strength in acts of revenge, and that Islam called upon Muslims to disseminate its message which they did, this in turn leading to the battles that ultimately determined the boundaries of the Islamic world as we know it today. This was then according to these people the sole purpose of Islam in human life! "Being a historical mission it has long since been fulfilled: there is no idol-worship in the Islamic world; the once antagonistic tribes have been more or less subject to a process of absorption losing their identity in the larger nationalities or communities. As far as gambling and drinking are concerned let us bear in mind that human civilization has advanced to such an extent now that it is useless to declare such pastimes unlawful as we see that despite all religious taboos they still persist. It is no use insisting on their abolition. Thus they conclude that Islam has served its purpose in this world; it has had its day but is now quite out of place and is, therefore, no longer needed. We must, therefore, turn towards the modern doctrines of life as in these alone lies our salvation".

Thus parroting the ideas of their western teachers these people betray their own ignorance. They know nothing about Islam or its real mission in human life. Let us, therefore, before proceeding further, see what Islam is, and what in fact it stands for.

Islam, in a word, means liberation from all sorts of slavery such as may inhibit the progress of humanity or may not allow it to follow the path of virtue and goodness. It means man's freedom from dictators who enslave him by force or fear, make him do what is wrong and deprive him of his dignity, honor, property or even life. Islam liberates him from such tyranny by telling him that all authority vests in God and God alone; He alone is the Real Sovereign. All men are His born subjects and, as such, He alone controls their destinies, none of them having the power to benefit aught or even avert any distress from his own self contrary to or independent of His Divine Will. All men shall be presented before Him on the Day of Judgment to account for their performance in this life. Thus Islam brings to man freedom from fear or oppression inflicted on him by men like himself who are in reality as helpless as he, and who are no less subject to the Dominant Will of God Almighty than he himself is.
Not only this. Islam means freedom from lust as well, including even the lust for life, as it is this very weakness of man which is exploited by tyrants and dictators intentionally or otherwise in enslaving their fellowmen, But for it no man would silently accept slavery to men like himself or sit idle to watch tyranny strut abroad and dare not challenge it, It is a great blessing of Islam that it taught man to fight tyranny and oppression bravely rather than cringe before them in abject servitude, Says the Holy Qur'an : “Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brother, your mates, or your kindred, the wealth that ye hale gained, the commerce in which ye fear a decline, or the swellings in which ye delight-are dearer to you than God, or His Apostle, or the striving in His cause,-then wait until God brings about His Decision: and God guides not the rebellious" (ix: 24),

Contrasting the blind passions and appetites with the love of God, that represents in life love, virtue and truth and striving hard in His way-in the way of all that is good and lofty in life, Islam subjects the former to the latter, Unruly passions must be kept in check by the love of God; it must be the dominant and real directing force in man's life as without this no man can claim to be a true Muslim,
A man engrossed in sensual pleasures may form a mistaken out look upon life and think that he enjoys life more than others do. But soon he realizes his mistake as not long after this he is reduced to a mere slave to his blind passions, He is doomed to a perpetual life of deprivation and restlessness, for animal desires once run rampant are never satisfied: they are rather sharpened all the more and degrade man to lower levels of animalism where all his efforts are focused on one object: how to derive the maximum possible sensual pleasure in life? Such an attitude towards life is, however, not conducive to progress, material or spiritual, as humanity cannot soar in higher realms unless it is freed from the dominance of the blind animal appetites. Only then can it march ahead freely in the fields of science, arts or religion,

It is for this very reason that Islam attaches so great an importance to the freeing of man from his animal passions. For this purpose it neither favors monarchism, nor does it forbid its followers to partake freely of the good things of this life. Rather it aims at the attainment of a balance between these two extremes. Whatever things are here, are for man. They are to serve him, not to dominate or rule over him. He should not, therefore, allow himself to be made slave to them. He should rather use them as means to a higher end i.e. his spiritual perfection by disseminating the word of God amongst his fellowmen.
Thus Islam has a twofold objective in this regard: in the individual life, it aims at making a just and sufficient provision to each and every individual so as to enable him to lead a decent, clean life; and in the collective sphere, it arranges things in such a way that all the social forces of a community are directed towards the enhancement of progress and civilization in accordance with its basic outlook Upon life that aims at striking a balance between the units and the whole, between individuals an d the community.

Islam has also had the most liberalizing effect on human intellect as it is diametrically opposed to all sorts of superstition. Humanity has been in the course of history found to fall a prey to diverse absurdities of thought as well as practice, some of which were the lively play of man's fancy and were acknowledged as such, whereas others were referred to as originating with gods to whom human hands gave shape. Thus did the human intellect grope about in the dark before the advent of Islam. With Islam it attained maturity and freedom from this hotchpotch of nonsense, symbolized in these so-called gods, the Jewish traditions, and the imbecilities of the Christian church, and was once again brought back to the folds of True Faith and True God.

This is ...?

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof : Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student : Yes..

Prof:
My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.
Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student : No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From....God. ..

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Prof: So who created evil? (Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student: Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them? (Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you.
Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student: Yes.

Prof:
According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist.
What do you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn't. (The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat..
But we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't
go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it .
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student :
You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light.....But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student:
Sir, you are working on the premise of duality.. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought.. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor.Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student:
Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student:
Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)

Student:
Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain,sir.
With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. )

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student: That is it sir... The link between man & God is FAITH . That is all that keeps things moving & alive.


this is a true story, and the student was none other than ......... APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India.

Amazing recitation of the Qur'an by a young child!

How to memorize Holy Quran

It is the perfect time for students to start or renew their memorization now that the summer break is upon us and Ramadan is right around the corner inshaAllah.

We hope that these answers are beneficial to you and us. May Allah make us from the Compani...ons of His Book and unite us with His righteous slaves in the highest gardens of Paradise. Ameen.

Ustadhah Kareema Czerepinski, author of the three part book series: Tajweed Rules of the Qur’an, memorized the Quran and went on to receive an ijaazah in the way of Hafs ‘an ‘Asim, by the way of Shatibiyyah, and another ijaazah by the way of Tayyibat Al-Nashr.

She then continued and received an ijaazah in the ten qira’aat min tareeq Ash-Shaaitibiyyah and Ad-Durrah. She is in charge of the non-Arab division at Dar Al-Huda Qur’an School for ladies.

What is your advice for the one who has embarked on the journey to memorize the Quran?

“Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.”

Assalaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. First of all, I thank you for the good supposition you have about me, pray that this is for the benefit of the Muslims, and ask Allah to guide me in my answers to that which is best and helpful to the Muslims who wish to learn and memorize the Words of Allah.

This question alone is one that books could be written on. I will try not to, but it is hard. The main three points of advice surround intention, schedule, and being tested.

Intention

Of course the first step is to make one’s intention solely for the pleasure of Allah and not for any earthly gain. I say “of course” thinking that it is hardly possible for one to embark on this journey without pure intentions, as it is one that requires great amounts of time, patience, and perseverance, continual supplication to Allah for success, and deep from the gut determination.



Then again, lately there has been a rise in Muslims forging documents, claiming to have a

certificate they don’t, or a chain of transmission that they don’t, all to charge others great amounts of money for the chance to recite to them.



The stories get more and more amazing as the years go by and some Muslims lose track of the fact that Allah is always monitoring, watching our every move and knows what is in our hearts.



For that reason, I feel like it is still the number one thing to say, even though it is obvious. The Muslim brothers or sisters who have embarked on or are going to embark on this journey need to be honest with themselves and clear up any kind of wiswas (whispers) that may occur in their intentions.

The student may want to research the sound ahaadeeth on the benefits of memorizing the Qur’an and the honor those who have memorized receive on the Day of Resurrection. One may put posters up in different part of the house with some of the ahaadeeth, then change them every week or so, to help refresh the intentions and feel motivated.

Schedule

The next is to set up a reasonable schedule, one including daily memorization and review. It is of the upmost importance that this schedule is neither too ambitious, so the student of memorization doesn’t get frustrated and give up, nor too easy so the student feels unchallenged and loses interest. It is always best that the memorization and review are sequential and not random. This helps give the memorizer a clear picture of where he/she is and where he/she is going.

The best way for most is to be in an organized group with a set curriculum, time and days of class. This helps keep motivation up, as no one likes to be behind the class, and also formulates bonds of brotherhood/sisterhood between the students for mutual cooperation and assistance.



There are some who do better on an individualized program, but with a group where each person recites what he/she has memorized to the teacher or individually has a set date for reciting his/her memorization to a teacher.



Still others have the patience, perseverance, and self motivation and control to do the memorization by their selves. On the whole, this form takes the most struggle as it is easy to get distracted and fall out of the daily routine when there is no appointed time to recite to a teacher and no group for extra motivation.

It is important to set apart a specific time of day to memorize and review, the time of day when there is the least amount of noise, and least amount of chance of being bothered or distracted. This time is set by the individual circumstances, but if possible right after fajr is what I would recommend.

Review/Testing

Don’t be in a hurry to finish memorizing and whiz through it without the memorization being firm. The student should be able to close the mushaf (copy of the Quran) and recite what he/she memorized completely without a mistake, then that same section should be repeated during the day.



It is very important, no, imperative, that someone who is proficient in the Qur’an listens to what has been memorized and checks it. It is also crucial to be tested on a whole juz’ when finished, and then on groups of ajzaa, such as 3, 5, or 10 at a time as the memorizer progresses through the stages of putting the Qur’an in their memory.

The review part of the daily section is just as important as the new memorization. One cannot call himself or herself a haafidh when in fact he/she memorized piece by piece and never put it together or reviewed intensely.

How does one face a period of laziness that might attack in the middle of this journey?

The student of the Qur’an needs to realize before they start that shaytaan is going to come to them and try to dissuade them from their noble goal. The wiswas can be in the form of making one feel like it is never going to end, or seeing others having “fun” while the student is struggling forth, or any other sort of tool.





Knowing this should keep the student on guard and help recognize the cause of the laziness or feeling of wanting to stop.

The worst thing to do at this time is take a break from memorizing. This will make returning to the memorization more difficult and usually one will feel like the task has become harder. The best thing to do is make dua’, renew one’s intentions, change the hadeeth on the wall to a new one and read all the previously hung hadeeth. Reading other’s stories of struggle can also help.

What is the best way to schedule memorization around work, school, and/or other responsibilities? Or is it recommended to take time off and devote oneself completely for it, for better results?

As previously mentioned, the student of memorization needs to find a quiet, consistent time where he/she can memorize and review. Memorization should have first priority in the day, and insha’Allah there will be barakah in the remaining activities.

It is hard to say whether it is better to take time off from studies and work to memorize or not. Oftentimes with a tight schedule and well planned time control one can do more than freeing oneself completely to devote all one’s time to memorization. For many, taking time off is not an option. Others do better in a classroom situation with a set curriculum and complete devotion to memorization.

Any tips on the best way to memorize the Mutashabihaat verses? (i.e. those verses that are repeated, similar, etc.)

Memorizing them isn’t nearly as difficult as keeping them straight when reviewing. Since memorizing is a slow build up, the first few mutashaabihaat are not too difficult to keep straight. It is later when firming up memorization and reviewing that it can become difficult. One tool is writing down the different stories of the same content or groups of aayaat and comparing them. As the same story comes up in different surahs, the memorizer can add the new aayaat to his/her comparative list and study them and review them all at the same time, finding the similarities and differences. The stories of the Prophets is one area in which this is especially needed.

There are numerous books in Arabic which help with the mutashaabihaat and there are poems. One specific poem which helped me personally was As-Sakhkhaawiyyah. I didn’t memorize the whole poem, but learned some parts and read through it and that helped keep many things straight. For example the lines outlining the places in the Qur’an which have abadan after khaalideen feeha really helped.

Some Muslims just can keep them straight by themselves, though, masha’ Allah and don’t need mnemonic devices to keep them straight.

Many Muslims feel that learning tajweed is not necessary; can you shed some light on why it is a critical part of learning the Qur’an?



The Qur’an was revealed in the Arabic language and was recited by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, and the Sahabah with tajweed. Why would one want to recite it another way? The Arabs at the time of revelation spoke with idhgaam, ikhfa’, etc, all the rules we now study to be able to read the Qur’an with tajweed. There are parts of tajweed which were not in the normal Arab speech such as the lengthening of the sounds in the mudood, and this was then passed down in authentic chains of transmission to us and documented in the old books on tajweed.

There are parts of tajweed which are vital to know, since without applying them the actual letters can change in sound and a major mistake is made. This is the basic tajweed knowledge that all Muslims should apply in their reading, whether they are memorizing the whole Qur’an, or just memorizing a few for their prayers.

What level of tajweed does one need to possess before embarking on the journey to memorize Quran?

This would depend on one’s ultimate goal. If one is memorizing with the intention of never teaching anyone else and just to get the honor and reward, then it would be enough to know the basic rules such as the laam saakinah, mudood, noon saakinah, makhraj, and meem saakinah. I would caution however, that many times Muslims memorize, then later decide they want to teach or find themselves in a situation in which they are the only ones around who knows any amount of Qur’an, or change their mind and want an ijaazah, and then have to go back and learn everything in detail. This can be quite difficult.

For most Muslims I would say that they should learn the above, plus all the rest of detailed tajweed because those who have memorized are usually called upon to teach and have a duty to help other Muslims. One cannot teach properly without having a strong basis of knowledge themselves. One can start memorizing at a slow level while learning the tajweed rules and being corrected on its application in recitation, and later after learning the required tajweed step up the memorization quantity.

Is it possible for one to perfect their tajweed and pronunciation without a teacher, perhaps through listening to recorded recitations only?

It is possible, but not very likely. The way the Qur’an has been taught from the early days of this nation and will continue to be taught is by oral transmission, being taught and listened to and corrected by a trained, mastered Qur’an teacher. There are a few who are very good at imitating sounds and have the ear to pick up the small minute changes in sound heard from recordings and produce them with their own mouth, but this is not the average person, not even some, instead it is a rare case. Again, it can happen, but the general rule for the vast majority is that it is extremely important that one is corrected by a trained teacher.

Is it required to memorize the last harakah of each ayah if one does not have a solid background in Arabic grammar?

One doesn’t need to have a solid background in Arabic grammar to memorize the last harakah of the aayah. One needs to have a solid Arabic grammar background to explain the reason for the harakah. When we memorize the Qur’an we should pay attention to the last harakah and try to memorize it with the rest of the aayah. Many shuyookh giving ijazaah request the student of the ijaazah to join aayaat together particularly in the shorter surahs to make sure the student knows the vowel on the last letter of an aayah. Knowing the vowel on the last letter of the aayah becomes particularly important in learning and applying the different qira’aat.

Many people associate memorization with being young. Is it possible for someone to begin memorizing after the ‘golden years’ of memorization? And what is your advice for such a person?

Youth on the whole can memorize easier, but age should not stop anyone from memorizing. Sometimes Muslims have a mental picture of those over 40 or 50 not being able to memorize, but there are many stories of Muslims memorizing the Qur’an later in life, some even starting in their 60’s and succeeding in completion.

With purity of intention, lots of dua’ asking Allah to make it simple, and determination, nothing is impossible with Allah’s help.

I know of a sister in her 30s with 5 children who memorized the whole Qur’an in 3 years and went on to get an ijaazah. She had to sacrifice sleep and many other things we generally hold important, but she did it for Allah, and by His will, she accomplished her goal. My advice is to never give up.

What advice do you have for new Muslims and older Muslims who face difficulty with memorizing and pronunciation?

The same advice as above, do not give up. Turn to Allah, don’t be afraid of the struggle and devote yourself to the Qur’an. You do have to sacrifice, but the reward of Allah is great for all your efforts. Some give up too easily, but be stubborn in your pursuit of reading the words of Allah correctly and keep trying. Don’t make excuses for yourself and don’t let your ego get in your way. The students who do the best on the whole are those who are eager to be corrected, do not complain, and are not afraid to make a mistake.

What are some habits that a student of the Qur’an should implement?

You probably mean study habits, but more important is improving themselves as Muslims and making that a habit. Pray tahajjud, fast extra fasts, make sure you implement the aayaat of Qur’an in your life and are a shining example of those of the Qur’an.

Stay away from sin, repent for all your sins and stop anything that is not suitable for “ahl al-Qur’an.” (the people of the Qur’an)

Do not waste time, it is a precious commodity for the student of the Qur’an, so use it wisely and use it for the sake of Allah. This is something I can’t say enough. Many Muslims have lofty goals, but lose their precious time searching the Internet for different recordings of recitation from multiple shuyookh, looking up details of the qira’aat and other advanced details of tajweed when they themselves are relatively beginners or have not progressed far in their memorization. Focus on the task at hand, and listen to one of the masters of tajweed such as Sheikh Al-Husary or Sheikh Abdullah Basfar.

What should be the goal(s) of a student who has completed their memorization and what should they do after this?

This is really up to the student for most aspects, but the goal that should be shared by all after memorizing the Qur’an is to firm up the memorization and have a very strong review program to keep themself a hafidh. Once the memorization is complete it is not the end, it is just the beginning.

If the student of the Qur’an would like to achieve an ijaazah of the Qur’an after memorizing and firming up the memorization, they should approach a sheikh or sheikhah with an ijaazah and be evaluated by them. If the student has not memorized the Jazariyyah poem, and wished to get an ijaazah in the Qur’an, he/she should memorize the Jazariyyah and study its meaning. After the evaluation, the sheikh or sheikhah might give them points to work on, or start an ijaazah with them.

After an ijaazah in one riwaayah or qiraa’ah, the student can then pursue knowledge of the 10 qiraa’aat. There is much to learn and each step is more beautiful than the previous one.

In your opinion, what is the best method of reviewing the Book of Allah, so as not to lose it by Allah’s will?

The scholars say, “[Review] five, you won’t forget” (خمس لا تنسى), meaning if you review five ajzaa’ per day, you will not forget. This is a very true statement. If one cannot keep up reviewing 5 per day all the time, they should try to do this strong program of review for at least six months after completing memorization. After that the student who cannot keep up with five ajzaa’ per day can decrease the amount to 2 or 3 a day, or the very minum, one juz’ per day; any less than this will not keep the memorization strong.

How much repetition is required for one to completely solidify the hifdh? What has worked for you/your students?

It is hard to quantify and varies from individual to individual. Suffice it to be said that it requires a lot of repetition, and for six months the review should be quite intense with five ‘ajzaa per day reviewed, if at all possible.

The school I studied at has special classes for tathbeet (firming up memorization). As a class we went through the Qur’an six times, the number of students in the class, and each day recited three ajzaa’ to the teacher as a class, but we didn’t know which section we were going to be asked to recite as individuals.



We were required to recite at a quick pace, trying to keep our tajweed up as much as possible, so the memorization needed to be quite firm. The teacher would keep track of which sections we had recited to her and at the end of the year, each of us had recited the whole Qur’an to her, but in pieces. This was and is a very good program and I thank Allah for giving me the opportunity to be in this class.

Please recommend a Tafseer suitable for beginners. Which tafseer did you benefit from the most?

The translations into English of the meaning of the Qur’an give only a general idea of the aayaat, and it is quite important that a deeper understanding of the Qur’an and the background for a surah or aayah be known, as well as any explanation given by the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, and the Sahaabah.



Ibn Kathir is a great tafseer and al-hamdu lillah it has been translated into English. May Allah reward those who did this with a great reward and make it of the deeds which continue accumulating for them after their deaths.

How important do you think it is to study tafseer along with memorization? Does it aid in memorizing?

It is extremely important and yes it aids greatly in memorization, especially if word by word meaning is given to the students as they memorize. There needs to be study of vocabulary words along with the memorization and tests given on the vocabulary words.

How can we instill love for the Qur’an in our children and youth?

By showing them how much we love it and by employing the Qu’ran in our life in every aspect. Teaching them that Qur’an is first is something they will carry with them to adulthood.



I heard a lecture once recommending that parents always start their children with Qur’an homework, then any other deen related subjects, then the other science, math and literature subjects. This will show the children the importance of Qur’an.

There is no doubt that one who carries the Book of Allah must also carry beautiful conduct and character. Can you please shed light on some of the most important characteristics of Ahl-al-Quran?

There are so many, as “ahl Al-Qur’an” should be examples of the best in character and conduct. We should aim to have our manners as [what is in] the Qur’an as Aisha may Allah be pleased with her, described the Prophet peace and blessings of Allah upon him. Even though we are far from his example, we should try our utmost.

I think the one encompassing characteristic is that of Taqwaa. If one has taqwaa, everything else will be correct, insha’ Allah.

The following are what came to my mind, and are under the category of taqwaa:

First and foremost, those who are “carriers” of the Qur’an should have truthfulness and honesty. It cannot be that ahl al-Qur’an tell lies or are dishonest.

Another very important characteristic is standing up for the truth and not wronging anyone or allowing someone to be wronged.

The inside of Ahl Al-Qur’an should be like their outward appearance, meaning there should be no hypocrisy.

Patience is also a very important characteristic which those who are carriers of the Qur’an should have.

May Allah grant us the best of manners and characteristics, may He purify our intentions in all that we do, may Allah make us of “ahl al-Qur’an,” and give us the honors promised those who have memorized the Qur’an on the Day of Resurrection. I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him alone.(Interview with Ustadhah Kareema Czerepinski)

Why I shed 'bikini' for Niqab ... By Sara Bokker

" I am an American woman who was born in the midst of America's "Heartland". I grew up, just like any other girl, being fixated with the glamor of life in "the big city". Eventually, I moved to Florida and on to South of Miami, a hot spot for those seeking the "glamorous life". Naturally, I did what most average Western girls do. I focused on my appearance and appeal, basing my self-worth on how much attention I got from others. I worked out religiously and became a personal trainer, acquired an upscale waterfront residence, became a regular "exhibiting" beach-goer and was able to attain a "living-in-style" kind of life.
Years went by, only to realize that my scale of self-fulfillment and happiness slid down the more I progressed in my "feminine appeal". I was a slave to fashion. I was a hostage to my looks.
As the gap continued to progressively widen between my self-fulfillment and lifestyle, I sought refuge in escapes from alcohol and parties to meditation, activism, and alternative religions, only to have the little gap widen to what seemed like a valley. I eventually realized it all was merely a pain killer rather than an effective remedy.
By now it was Sept. 11, 2001. As i witnessed the ensuing barrage on Islam, Islamic values and culture, and the infamous declaration of the "new crusade", I started to notice something called Islam. Up until that point, all I had associated with Islam was women covered in "tents", wife beaters, harems, and a world of terrorism. As a feminist libertarian, and an activist, I was pursuing a better world for all.
One day I came across a book that is negatively stereotyped in the West, "The Noble Quran". I was first attracted by the style and approach of the Quran, and then intrigued by its outlook on existence, life, creation, and the relationship between Creator and creation. I found the Quran to be a very insightful address to heart and soul without the need for an interpreter or pastor.
Eventually I hit a moment of truth: my new-found self-fulfilling activism was nothing more than merely embracing a faith called Islam where I could live in peace as a "functional" Muslim.
I bought a beautiful long gown and head cover resembling the Muslim woman's dress ode and I walked down the same streets and neighborhoods where only days earlier I had walked in my shorts, bikini, or "elegant" Western business attire.
Although the people, the faces, and the shops were all the same, one thing was remarkably distinct... I was at the peace at being a 'woman' I experienced for the very first time. I felt as if the chains had been broken and I was finally free. I was delighted with the new looks on wonder on people's faces in place of the looks of a hunter watching his prey I had once sought. Suddenly a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Finally, I was free.
Of all places, I found my Islam at the heart of what some call " the most scandalous place on earth", which makes it all the more dear and special.
While content with Hijab I became curious about Niqab, seeing an increasing number of Muslim women in it. I asked my Muslim husband, whom I married after I reverted to Islam, whether I should wear Niqab or just settle for the Hijab I was already wearing. My husband simply advised me that he believes in Hijab is mandatory in Islam while Niqab is not. At the time, my Hijab consisted of head scarf that covered all my hair except for my face, and a loose long black gown called "Abaya" that covered all my body from neck to toe.
A year-and-a-half passed, and I told my husband I wanted to war Niqab. My reason, this time, was that I felt it would be more pleasing to Allah, the Creator,increasing my feeling of peace at being more modest. He supported my decision and took me to buy an "Isdaal", a loose black gown that covers from head to toe, and Niqab, which covers all my head and face except for my eyes. Soon enough, news started breaking about politicians, Vatican clergymen, libertarians, and so-called human rights and freedom activists condemning Hijab at times, and Niqab at others as being oppressive to women, a obstacle to social integration, and more recently, as an Egyptian official called it "a sign of bckwardness".
I find it to be a blatant hypocrisy when Western governments and so-called human rights groups rush to defend woman's rights when some governments impose a certain dress code on women, yet such "freedom fiighters" look the other way when women are being deprived of their rights, work , and education just because they choose to exercise their right to wear Niqab or Hijab.
Today I am still a feminist, but a Muslim feminist, who calls on Muslim women to assume their responsibilities in providing all the support they can for their husbands to be good Muslims. To raise their children as upright Muslims so they may be beacons of light for ll humanity once again. To enjoin good and any good and to forbid evil and any evil. To speak righteousness and to speak up against all ills. To fight for our right to wear Niqab or Hijab and to please our Creator whichever way we hose. But just as importantly to carry our experience with Niqab or Hijab to fellow women who may never have had such a chance.
Most of the women I know wearing Niqab are Western reverts, some of whom are not even married. Others wear Niqab without full support of either family or surroundings. What we all have in common is that it is the personal choice of each and every one of us, which none of us is willing to surrender.
Willingly or unwillingly, women are bombarded with styles of "dressing-in-little-to-nothing" virtually in every means of communication everywhere in the world.
As an ex non-Muslim, I insist on w omen's right to equally know about Hijab, its virtues, and the peace and happiness it brings to a woman's life as it did to mine. Yesterday, the bikini was the symbol of my liberty, when in actuality it only liberated me from my spirituality and true value as a respectable human being.
Today, Niqab is the new symbol of woman's liberation.
To women who surrender to the ugly stereotype against the Islamic modesty of Hijab, I say : "You don't know what you are missing".
Wearing Hijab does not mean you will never face challenges. It is like all the other things we are expected to do; they all require an element of determination and a lot of faith. "
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Some quotations
"Everything God made valuable in the world is covered and hard to get to.".

"The flower is the unveiled woman(who shows her charms) and the pearl is the veiled woman(who conceals her beauties)."
Think about ... ! our sisters, daughters and mothers

If a drop of water falls in lake there is no identity. But if it falls on a leaf of lotus it shines like a pearl. So choose the best place where you would shine.

Lets fear Allah(SWT) and protect our MODESTY !!!!!!

Let us :
Learn Islam with ambition,
Observe Islam with sincerity.
Pratice Islam with discipline(Sunnah of Prophet and Ahlul- Bayt)
Spread Islam with truth and kindness.

May Allah give all of lus Hidayat and taufeeq ( Ameen)

Never blame any DAY in your LIFE.
Good days gives you "HAPPINESS".
Bad Days give you "EXPERIENCE'.
Worst Days gives you 'A LESSON".
----

A letter from shaytaan

Shaitan means devil

I saw you yesterday as you began your daily chores. You awoke without stopping to pray. As a matter of fact, you didn't even bless your meals, or pray before going to bed last night. You are so unthankful, I like that about you. I cannot tell you how glad I am that you have not changed your way of living, Fool, you are mine.
 ...
Remember, you and I have been going steady for years, and I still don't love you yet. As a matter of fact, I hate you, because I hate God. I am only using you to get even with God. He kicked me out of heaven, and I'm going to use you as long as possible to pay him back. You see, Fool,ALLAH LOVES YOU and HE has great plans in store for you. But you have yielded your life to me and I'm going to make your life a living hell. That way we'll be together twice. This will really hurt God. Thanks to you.

I'm really showing Him who's boss in your life. With all of the good times we've had..... We have been watching dirty movies, cursing people, out partying, stealing, lying, being hypocritical, indulging in fornication, overeating, telling dirty jokes, gossiping, back stabbing people, disrespecting adults and those in leadership position, NO respect for the mosque, bad attitudes: SURELY you don't want to give all this up.

Come on, Fool, let's burn together forever. I've got some hot plans for us. This is just a letter of appreciation from me to you. I'd like to say "Thanks!" for letting me use you for most of your foolish life. You are so gullible, I laugh at you. When you are tempted to sin, you give in HA HA HA, you make me sick. Sin is beginning to take its toll on your life. You look 20 years older, I need new blood. So go ahead and teach some children how to sin.

All you have to do is smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, cheat, gamble, gossip, fornicate, and listen to and dance to the top 10 jams. Do all of this in the presence of children and they will do it too. Kids are like that. Well, Fool, I have to let you go for now. I'll be back in a couple of seconds to tempt you again. If you were smart, you would run somewhere, confess your sins, ask forgiveness from Him, live for God with what little bit of life that you have left. It's not my nature to warn anyone, but to be your age and still sinning, it's becoming a bit ridiculous. Don't get me wrong, I still hate you...... IT'S JUST THAT YOU'D MAKE A BETTER FOOL FOR ALLAH.

The day of judgement 1

BEAUTIFUL RAMADHAN REMINDER for you ALL

Ramadan Diet Tips

Salah - Just Do It

Breaking Fast in Ramadan(رمضان) - Faris Abu Ismail

Kitab'ul-Fitan wal-Malahim -The Termination of the Afflictions and Fierce Battles - Part - 22

The Dajjaal Will Enter Neither Makkah Nor Al-Madeenah

It is established in As-sahih, as we have already mentioned, that Ad-Dajjaal cannot enter Makkah or Al-Madeenah. There are angels at the mountain-passes of Al-Madeenah, protecting it, so that the Dajjaal does not enter it. Abu Hurayrah 4 related that the Messenger of Allah said, "Neither Al-Maseeh Ad-Dajjaal nor plague will enter Al-Madeenah." (Bukhaaree) And we also mentioned that the Dajjaal will make camp just outside of Al-Madeenah. It will shake its inhabitants with three quakes, and every male and female hypocrite as well as every male and female wicked-doer will go out to him. Those who remain firm inside of its borders will be every male and female believer (Mo'min) as well as every male and female Muslim. That day is called the Day of Deliverance. Al-Madeenah is as the Prophet * described it: "It is pure and good, expelling its filth and Yansa'u (purifying and making sincere) its good (elements)." Allah It says: "Bad statements are for bad people (or bad women for bad men) and bad people for bad statements (or bad men for bad women). Good statements are for good people (or good women for good men) and good people for good statements (or good men for good women), such (good people) are innocent" 24:26. The point is that Al-Madeenah will be inhabited during the days of the Dajjaal, and then it will be inhabited during the period of Al-Maseeh 'Eesa ibn Maryam, the Messenger of Allah O. 'Eesa will die there and will be buried there. Then people will leave it, as we have already pointed out. 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab 4 related that he heard the Prophet *; say, "A rider will pass by the sides of Al-Madeenah, and then he will indeed say, 'There used to be many Muslims present here."' (Ahmad)

The Beast Will Come Out And Speak To The People
Allah said: "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 Ayat (Verses of the Qur'an and sayings of Prophet Muhammad ed." 27:82 When we discussed the Tafsir of this verse, we explained it and mentioned those Ahaadeeth that pertain to it. Ibn 'Abbaas 4, Al-Hasan, and Al-Qataadah said, " 'Speak to them' means address them verbally."' Ibn Jareer holds that the beast will speak to them, saying, "Because mankind believed not with certainty in Our Ayaat (Verses of the Qur'an and sayings of Prophet Muhammad 0)." Ibn Jareer related this view from 'Ataa and 'Ali JAti, but this is not certain, and requires further study. It is also related from Ibn 'Abbaas 4 that "speak to them' means, write Al-kafir (disbeliever) on the forehead of a kafir, and Mo'min (believer) on the forehead of a believer. It is also related from Ibn 'Abbaas 4, that "speak to them" means both addressing them verbally and writing on their foreheads. This last saying is in harmony with both views; it is strong, good, and it combines both views in a suitable manner. And Allah itt. knows best.

Ten Signs Before The Hour
We have already mentioned the following Hadith, which is related in Ahmad, Muslim, and the Compilers of the sunnan, and it is related by Abu Shuraihah Hudhaifah ibn Usais: Hudhafah ibn Asad 4; in it, the Messenger of Allah ;,*, said, "Indeed the Hour will not come until you see ten signs: The rising of the sun from the West, the smoke (will fill all that is between the East and the West for 40 days), the beast, the coming out of Yajooj and Majooj (Gog and Magog), the coming out of 'Eesa and the Dajjaal, three Khusoof(plural of Khasf, the swallowing of the earth and all that is on it) — the Khasf of the West, the Khasf of the East, and the Khasf of the Arabian Peninsula — and the last of them is a fire that will emerge from the East and that will steer the people — or gather the people; it will spend the night with them wherever it is they spend the night and it will spend the day with them wherever it is they take their day nap." Abu Hurayrah 4 related that the Prophet * said, "Hasten to do (good) deeds before the Dajjaal, the smoke, the beast of the earth, the affair of the 'Aamah (i.e. the Day of Resurrection), and the death of one of you." (Muslim) Anas 4,, related that the Messenger of Allah j* said, "Hasten to (perform good) deeds before six (matters occur): the sun rising from the West; the smoke; the beast of the earth; the Dajjaal; the death of one of you; and the affair of the 'Aamah (i.e., the Day of Resurrection)." (Ibn Maajah) 'Abdullah Ibn 'Ubaid related from a man who belongs to the family of 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ood 4; in that narration, the Messenger of Allah*, mentioned the beast, saying, "In time, it comes out three times. It comes out from the farthest part of the desert, and its mention does not enter the Qaryah - i.e. Makkah. Then it will hide for a long time, after which it will come out another time, to a lesser degree, though, than the previous outing. It will be highly mentioned among the inhabitants of the desert, and its mention will enter the Qaryah — i.e. Makkah." (Related by Abu Daawood At-Tiyaalisee) The Messenger of Allah * said, "While people will be in the greatest Masjid for Allah in terms of its inviolability and in terms of its being the most honorable — Al-Masjid Al-Haraam —they will not be frightened except that it (the beast) will make a loud noise between Ar-Rukn (i.e. the black Stone) and the Maqaam (the Station of Ibraaheern). It will shake the dirt out of its head. People will disperse from it separately and in groups. The group of the believers will remain... It will begin with them, polishing their faces, until it makes them like glistening stars. It will direct itself to the earth: no seeker will catch it and no escaper will be saved from it. A man will seek refuge (in Allah), and it will come to him from behind and say, '0 so-and-so: now you pray?' It will advance and stamp him on his face. It will go, and people will participate with one another in the wealth and they will accompany one another in cities. The believer will be known from the disbeliever (because their faces will be stamped), to the degree that a believer will say, '0 disbeliever, pay me what is due to me,' and the disbeliever will say, '0 believer, pay me what is due to me."' (Related by Abu Daawood At-Tiyaalisee) It has some Gharaabah to it. ibn Jareer related it from Al-Yamaan, and in his narration, it is mentioned that this will occur during the era of 'Eesa ibn Maryam a when he will be making circuits around the Ka'bah. However the chain of that narration is dubious. And Allah ex knows best. 'Abdullah ibn Buraidah 4 said, "The Messenger of Allah * took me to a place in the desert, near to Makkah. It was a dry land, and around it was sand. The Messenger of Allah 7A- said, 'The Beast will come out from this place...' Ibn 'Abbaas 4 said, "It is a beast with short, soft hair; it has four legs and will come out from some of the valleys of Tuhaamah." (Related by 'Abdur-Razzaaq Al-Mu'ammir) 'Atiyyah related that 'Abdullah said, "The Beast will come out from the side of As-Safaa, coming out like the running of a horse — three days and two-thirds of it will not have come out." 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr 4 said, "The Beast will come out from underneath a rock. It will face the East, and give out a shriek that will pierce through it. Then it will face the West, and give out a shriek that will pierce through it. Next, it will face Yemen and give out a shriek that will pierce through it. Then it will go from Makkah until it reaches 'Afsaan." It was said to him, "And then what?" He 4 said, "I do not know." It is also related from him that he said, "The Beast will come out from underneath As-Sudoom (Sodom) — i.e. the city of Loot's people." All of these sayings are in conflict with one another, and Allah 230 knows best. It is related from Abu Tufail that he said, "The Beast will come out from As-Safaa or Al-IVIarwaa." (Related by Al-Baihaqee)

Abu Maryam related that he heard Abu Hurairha 4 say, "Indeed the Beast has in it every color; between its two horns is the distance of a league for a rider." And it is related from the Leader of the Believers, 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib 4, that he 4 said, "Indeed it is a beast that has a head. It has short, soft hair as well as hoofs. It also has a tail and a beard. It will come out with the speed of a racing horse for three (days perhaps?) and not even two-thirds of it will have come out." (Related by Ibn Abi Haatim) Ibn Juraij related that Abu Az-Zubair described the Beast, saying, "Its head is that of an ox; its eye is that of a pig; its ear is like the ear of an elephant; its horn is like the horn of an ibex; its neck is like the neck of an ostrich; its chest is like the chest of a lion; its color is like the color of a leopard; its waist is like the waist of a cat; its tail is like the tail of a ram; and its legs are like the legs of a camel. Between each of its joints is the distance of 12 arm-spans. It will come out, and with it, it will have the rod of Moosa and the stamp of Sulaimaan. With the rod of Moosa it will write a white spot on the face of every Muslim; that spot will spread until the entire face becomes white. And with the stamp of Sulaimaan it will write a black spot on the face of every disbeliever; that spot will spread until the entire face becomes black. People will be trading in the marketplaces, and some will say, 'How much is this, 0 believer? How much is this, 0 disbeliever?' So (clear will the distinction be between a disbeliever and a believer) that the people of a single house will sit at their table, and they will know which of them is a believer and which of them is a disbeliever. Then the Beast will say to them, "0 so-and-so, rejoice, for you are from the inhabitants of Paradise! 0 so-and-so, you are from the inhabitants of the Fire!' And that is the saying of Allah "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 Ayat (Verses of the Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad)." 27:82 We have hitherto mentioned a narration from Ibn Mas'ood, in which it is mentioned that the Beast is from the progeny of Iblis (the Satan), the accursed. Abu Na'eem related that narration from Hammaad in his book, Al-Fitan Wal-Malaahim. And Allah knows best whether it is authentic. 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr 4 said, "I memorized a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah which I have not forgotten as of yet: I heard the Messenger of Allah say, 'The first of the Signs to come out is the rising of the sun from its West and the coming out of the Beast to the people in the morning. Whichever of the two comes before the other, then the other will follow it shortly." (Muslim) "The first of the Signs" means the first of the signs that is truly extraordinary, even though the coming out of the Dajjaal and the descending of 'Eesa .84,4 will occur before that, for these latter matters are not as extraordinary: 'Eesa VI and the Dajjaal have appearances that are like others of their kind (human beings). But the Beast will come out in a truly strange physical form, one that is out of the ordinary; furthermore, it will speak to people and brand them with Eemaan (faith) or Kufr (disbelief). These are matters that are truly outside the realm of the ordinary. This is the first of the (extraordinary) signs of the earth, just as the rising of the sun from the west — opposite of what is known from it — is the first of the (extraordinary) signs of the sky.