Ilm Fruits

The Parable of Spouses and Garments

Bismillah

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) uses amazing parables in the Qur'an that strike fear, awe and amazement in the hearts of the believers. Throughout the Qur'an, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) draws parables for us to convey the importance of certain topics, to extract lessons from them and so that we may ponder and reflect over them. We hear many times of the examples of the hypocrites, the mushrikeen (pagans) and the believers. But there is one parable that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) puts forth that increases the love and mercy between a husband and wife, and this parable is one of the most eloquent and striking in the Qur'an.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) describes the spousal relationship in Surah Al-Baqarah, when He says:

Translation: They are your garments and you are their garments. [Surah Baqarah, verse 187]

SubhanAllah, Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) compares the relationship between a husband and wife as clothing. Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says that both the husband and wife are "libaas", garments, for each other. This shows the equality that Allah places between spouses and how each partner has a role in the relationship.

Remember again that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) puts parables in the Qur'an so that we may ponder, so let's ponder on how a spouse compares to clothes:

1. Clothes are close to you, behind your clothes is your bare skin. A spouse is close to you in that manner, emotionally and physically.
2. Clothes protect your skin from the outside. A husband is the maintainer of his wife and the wife protects her husband's home and property.
3. Clothes beautify you. A husband and wife compliment eachother, in this life and the next.
4. Clothes are comfortable. When one is around their spouse, they feel at ease and their hearts are at rest. One can relax around their spouse and find comfort in them and their words when they are in difficulty.
5. Clothes hide and screen you. A husband and wife should not discuss each other's faults to the outside or complain to others about their spouse.

SubhanAllah, indeed our Lord is Ar-Ra'oof (the extremely Compassionate) for placing this tranquility between spouses. As Ibn Kathir says in his tafseer of Surah Room: If Allah had made all of Adam's progeny male, and created the females from another kind, such as from Jinn or animals, there would never have been harmony between them and their spouses. There would have been revulsion if the spouses had been from a different kind. Out of Allah's perfect mercy He made their wives from their own kind, and created love and kindness between them. For a man stays with a woman because he loves her, or because he feels compassion towards her if they have a child together, or because she needs him to take care of her, and so on.

Many may feel embarrassed that this verse is mentioned in the Qur'an, but subhanAllah, this is just another beautiful example which shows that our deen is truly complete and that Allah have given us guidance through His Book for every aspect of our lives, and for this we should be thankful alhamdulillah.

This parable between a spouse and a garment is one of the many parables in the Qur'an that we should ponder and reflect over, and this is from the Ultimate Wisdom and Mercy of Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) that He explains His verses and signs to us in a manner that is most fitting to our intellect.

Wa lillahil hamd.

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Rizq Without Measure

Bismillah.

Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) says:

Translation: Every time he entered Al-Mihrab to her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said: "O Maryam (Mary)! From where have you got this?" She said, "This is from Allah. Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without measure." At that time, Zakariya invoked his Lord, saying: "O my Lord! Grant me from You, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocations." [Surah Al-e-Imran, verse 37-38]

Maryam (عليها السلام) was chosen by Allah as the best woman amongst all women, and in this ayah we see how Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) provides for His Auliya (close protecting friends) without measure.

Maryam (عليها السلام) was in her "Mihraab" when Zakariyya (عليه السلام) entered upon her. Mihraab means a secluded prayer area. The root is from the Arabic letters haa raa baa or harb. This is also the word used for war. (The connection with Mihraab and war is that in a mihraab, one is in a place where they "fight" against their nafs and shaytan.) Her room was totally secluded from the people and was also high above the people.

Zakariyya (عليه السلام) would enter upon her and he found her with rizq, The Ulema interpreted this as two kinds of provisions:

• Out-of-season, and out-of-this world fruits, unusual fruits that Zakariyya (عليه السلام) never saw the like of before.
• Scrolls with knowledge of the deen.

When he asked her where she received this from she said, "It is from Allah and Verily, Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without measure." When Zakariyya (عليه السلام) heard this, immediately, he made dua. "هُنَالِكَ" , the word used in the ayah, means, here and now, right there and then. He didn't say to himself "I'm deprived," and pity himself or think negatively because of what he saw what Allah gave Maryam (عليها السلام); instead, he (عليه السلام) had certainty--if Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) can give to Maryam without measure, I'm going to ask Him from His fadl (fadl means bounty that is great in quality and quantity!).

Zakariyya (عليه السلام) was very old, and his wife was barren, but that didn't stop him from asking Allah for offspring. And he said, "innaka samee' ad-dua," which means "indeed, you are the Hearer of supplications," and shows his conviction in his dua and his hope in Allah (سبحانه وتعالى).

I wanted to share this because, subhanAllah, when many of us see someone with rizq from Allah, we despair in what He has given them--when infact we should be positive and make duaa that Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) blesses us as well--because Allah provides to whomever He wills without measure!

To be continued inshaAllah: How Zakariyya (عليه السلام) reacted when he recieved the glad tidings of Yahya (عليه السلام), his son, and the lessons we take from it.

Wa lillahil hamd.

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Umm Salamah

Umm Salamah! What an eventful life she had! Her real name was Hind. She was the daughter of one of the notables in the Makhzum clan nicknamed "Zad ar-Rakib," because he was well known for his generosity, particularly to travelers. Umm Salamah's husband was Abdullah ibn Abdul-Asad, and they both were among the first people to accept Islam. Only Abu Bakr and a few others, who could be counted on the fingers of one hand, became Muslims before them.

As soon as the news of their becoming Muslims spread, the Quraish reacted with frenzied anger. They began hounding and persecuting Umm Salamah and her husband. But the couple did not waver or despair and remained steadfast in their new faith.

The persecution became more and more intense. Life in Makkah became unbearable for many of the new Muslims. The Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) then gave permission for them to emigrate to Abyssinia. Umm Salamah and her husband were in the forefront of these muhajirun, seekers of refuge in a strange land. For Umm Salamah, it meant abandoning her spacious home and giving up the traditional ties of lineage and honour for something new hope in the pleasure and reward of Allah.

Despite the protection Umm Salamah and her companions received from the Abyssinian ruler, the desire to return to Makkah, to be near the Prophet and the source of revelation and guidance persisted.

News eventually reached the muhajirun that the number of Muslims in Makkah had increased. Among them were Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib and Umar ibn al-Khattab. Their faith had greatly strengthened the community and the Quraish, they heard, had eased the persecution somewhat. Thus a group of the muhajirun, urged on by a deep longing in their hearts, decided to return to Makkah.

The easing of the persecution was but brief, as the returnees soon found out. The dramatic increase in the number of Muslims following the acceptance of Islam by Hamzah and Umar only infuriated the Quraish even more. They intensified their persecution and torture to a pitch and intensity not known before. So the Prophet gave permission to his companions to emigrate to Madinah. Umm Salamah and her husband were among the first to leave.

The hijrah of Umm Salamah and her husband though was not as easy as they had imagined. In fact, it was a bitter and painful experience and a particularly harrowing one for her.

Let us leave the story now for Umm Salamah herself to tell ...

When Abu Salamah (my husband) decided to leave for Madinah, he prepared a camel for me, hoisted me on it and placed our son Salamah on my lap. My husband then took the lead and went on without stopping or waiting for anything. Before we were out of Makkah, some men from my clan stopped us and said to my husband:

"Though you are free to do what you like with yourself, you have no power over your wife. She is our daughter. Do you expect us to allow you to take her away from us?"

"They then pounced on him and snatched me away from him. My husband's clan, Banu Abdul-Asad, saw them taking both me and my child. They became hot with rage.

"No! By Allah," they shouted, "we shall not abandon the boy. He is our son and we have a first claim over him."

They took him by the hand and pulled him away from me. Suddenly, in the space of a few moments, I found myself alone and lonely. My husband headed for Madinah by himself, and his clan had snatched my son away from me. My own clan, Banu Makhzum, overpowered me and forced me to stay with them.

From the day when my husband and my son were separated from me, I went out at noon every day to that valley and sat at the spot where this tragedy occurred. I would recall those terrible moments and weep until night fell on me.

I continued like this for a year or so until one day a man from the Banu Umayyah passed by and saw my condition. He went back to my clan and said:

"Why don't you free this poor woman? You have caused her husband and her son to be taken away from her."

He went on trying to soften their hearts and play on their emotions. At last they said to me, "Go and join your husband if you wish."

But how could I join my husband in Madinah and leave my son, a piece of my own flesh and blood, in Makkah among the Banu Abdul-Asad? How could I be free from anguish and my eyes be free from tears were I to reach the place of hijrah not knowing anything of my little son left behind in Makkah?

Some realized what I was going through and their hearts went out to me. They petitioned the Banu Abdul-Asad on my behalf and moved them to return my son.

I did not now even want to linger in Makkah until I found someone to travel with me, and I was afraid that something might happen that would delay or prevent me from reaching my husband. So I promptly got my camel ready, placed my son on my lap and left in the direction of Madinah.

I had just about reached Tan'im (about three miles from Makkah) when I met Uthman ibn Talhah. (He was a keeper of the Ka'bah in preIslamic times and was not yet a Muslim.)

"Where are you going, Bint Zad Ar-Rakib?" he asked.

"I am going to my husband in Madinah."

"And there isn't anyone with you?"

"No, by Allah. Except Allah and my little boy here."

"By Allah, I shall never abandon you until you reach Madinah," he vowed.

He then took the reins of my camel and led us on. I have, by Allah, never met an Arab more generous and noble than he. When we reached a resting place, he would make my camel kneel down, wait until I dismounted, lead the camel to a tree and tether it. He would then go to the shade of another tree. When we had rested he would get the camel ready and lead us on.

This he did every day until we reached Madinah. When we got to a village near Quba (about two miles from Madinah) belonging to Banu Amr ibn Awf, he said, "Your husband is in this village. Enter it with the blessings of God. "

He turned back and headed for Makkah.

Their roads finally met after the long separation. Umm Salamah was overjoyed to see her husband and he was delighted to see his wife and son.

Great and momentous events followed one after the other. There was the battle of Badr, in which Abu Salamah fought. The Muslims returned victorious and strengthened. Then there was the battle of Uhud, in which the Muslims were sorely tested. Abu Salamah came out of this wounded very badly. He appeared at first to respond well to treatment, but his wounds never healed completely and he remained bedridden.

Once while Umm Salamah was nursing him, he said to her:

"I heard the Messenger of God (صلي الله عليه وسلم) saying. Whenever a calamity afflicts anyone he should say, "Surely from Allah we are and to Him we shall certainly return," (inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon). And he would pray, "O Lord, give me in return something good from it which only You, Exalted and Mig hty, can give.'"

Abu Salamah remained sick in bed for several days. One morning the Prophet came to see him. The visit was longer than usual. While the Prophet was still at his bed-side, Abu Salamah passed away. With his blessed hands, the Prophet closed the eyes of his dead companion. He then raised these hands to the heavens and prayed:

"O Lord, grant forgiveness to Abu Salamah. Elevate him among those who are near to You. Take charge of his family at all times. Forgive us and him, O Lord of the Worlds. Widen his grave and make it light for him."

Umm Salamah remembered the prayer her husband had quoted on his deathbed from the Prophet and began repeating it, "O Lord, with you I leave this my plight for consideration . . ." But she could not bring herself to continue ... "O Lord give me something good from it", because she kept asking herself, "Who could be better than Abu Salamah?" But it did not take long before she completed the supplication.

The Muslims were greatly saddened by the plight of Umm Salamah. She became known as "Ayyin al-Arab"--the one who had lost her husband. She had no one in Madinah of her own except her small children, like a hen without feathers.

Both the Muhajirun and Ansar felt they had a duty to Umm Salamah. When she had completed the Iddah (three months and ten days), Abu Bakr proposed marriage to her, but she refused. Then Umar asked to marry her, but she also declined the proposal. The Prophet then approached her and she replied:

"O Messenger of Allah, I have three characteristics. I am a woman who is extremely jealous and I am afraid that you will see in me something that will anger you and cause Allah to punish me. I am a woman who is already advanced in age and I am a woman wh o has a young family."

The Prophet replied:

"Regarding the jealousy you mentioned, I pray to Allah the Almighty to let it go away from you. Regarding the question of age you have mentioned. I am afflicted with the same problem as you. Regarding the dependent family you have mentioned, your family is my family."

They were married and so it was that Allah answered the prayer of Umm Salamah and gave her better than Abu Salamah. From that day on Hind al Makhzumiyah was no longer the mother of Salamah alone but became the mother of all believers, Umm al-Mu'mineen.

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Eid Mubarak!

So, another Ramadan has come and gone! 30 days of reading Qur'an and feeding the poor, 30 nights of Qiyaam-ul-Layl and Taraweeh and Tahajjud. And so, 'Eid comes again.

Congratulations! You have been one of those lucky few who lived to receive this great blessing from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى), this chance to get all your sins forgiven! Because the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: "Whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven." [Saheeh Al-Bukhari]

So rejoice! Spend today with your family! And remember, Ramadan is the excuse killer. All of those things you started doing--praying in the masjid every day, fasting every now and then, reading Qur'an often, praying extra (nafl) prayers--that's taqwa. Keep doing those things. And all those things you stopped doing--lying, cheating, backbiting, arguing, listening to music, wearing immodest clothes, boycotting your boyfriend or girlfriend--that's taqwa. Keep avoiding those things. Forget about Shaytaan being on the loose, that's just an excuse--be strong, and ask Allah to help you.

Brothers and sisters, remember, you start with a clean slate after Ramadan! Don't let the future be like the past! Take a moment, right now, and decide on some changes that will, insha'allah, be for your akhira, your eternal life. Decide NOW to:

• Be a better son or daughter to your parents
• Be a better husband or wife to your spouse (if you're married)
• Cut out at least three haraam activities from your life, permanently, starting today
• Block, delete, and break contact with non-mahrams of the opposite gender you have communication with--whether your boyfriend or girlfriend, that sister on facebook, or someone else.
• Ask Allah, As-Sittiyr, to cover your sins and help you overcome them.

O Allah, make us among those people who benefit from every Ramadan, who have our sins forgiven and become better people for all time after that! Ameen ajma'een!

'Eid Mubarak to you and your families, from Ilm Fruits!

(P.S. If you're interested, check out this excellent Flash presentation on 'Eid--what to do and not do, and what it's all about.)

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Umm Sulaym and the Death of her Son

Remember the story of the companion Umm Sulaym (رضي الله عنها), what an amazing thing about how a wife is with her husband. Her husband, Talha, was out working, and it so happened that day that their son, 10 years old, died.

She had a decision to make: when he comes home should she tell him right away, or should she just bear it and make him happy first and then when he is comfortable and settled in, then tell him? She thought to herself that she's going to take the weight of this tragedy upon herself. And she's not gonna tell him, and she didn't want him to spend the entire night crying because that would really be hurtful to her, she could not bear the fact that her husband would be crying all night because of their son.

So Talha (رضي الله عنه) comes in and asks his wife Umm Sulaym about his son, how's he doing? She said, "He's relaxed, he's at peace." Talha didn't think anything of it, thought he probably went to sleep, he's ok. She then beautified herself, and they spent the entire night together.

After Talha was relaxed, she said to him, "O Abu Talha, imagine if we had some neighbors, that they had some trust that they had placed with us, should I return the trust to them?" Talha didn't suspect anything, so he said "sure, if there's some trust you took, you should return it." So she said, "We have a trust, this trust has been with us for 10 years"--look at how smart she is, using metaphors about her son--and Abu Talha said, "10 years? That should be returned sooner, that has more of right to be returned immediately."

So she says, "Allah has now taken back His trust, so seek your reward from Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) by being patient about your son's death." Abu Talha was livid, he got very upset, he thought, she waited the entire night to tell me? until Fajr came.

Without saying a word to her, he raced to Rasoolullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) at the time of Fajr and complained to him – "look, this is what my wife did, look at how mean this was and how …" Rasoolullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم)--after he was finished--smiled and said "Is this the one who's footsteps I hear in Paradise?" – Is this the woman who's footsteps I hear in Paradise? Meaning that what she had done was the right thing, to please her husband despite the tragedy that had happened.

And for that he heard her footsteps in Paradise.

May Allah make us all among the sabireen, the ones who are patient and attain Paradise through it, ameen!

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Be Smart

What if you were asked to praise Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) in the best possible way, using the best possible words? What words would you pick? Subhanallah, look at the words of our beloved prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم):

Juwairiya (رضي الله عنها) reported that Allah's Messenger (صلي الله عليه وسلم) came out from her apartment in the morning as she was busy in observing her Fajr prayer in her place of worship. He came back in the forenoon and she was still sitting there. He (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said to her: You have been in the same seat since I left you. She said: Yes. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said:

I recited four kalimaat three times after I left you, and if these are to be weighed against what you have recited since morning these would outweigh them and (these words) are:

Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih, 'adada khalqihi, wa ridaa nafsihi, wazinata 'arshihi, wa midaada kalimaatihi (Glory and praise be to Allaah, as much as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink of His words) [Shaheeh Muslim: Book 35, Number 6575]

What are some of the lessons that we can learn from this hadith? Devotion of Juwairiya (رضي الله عنها) after converting to Islam, importance and manners of giving nasiha, how the ummah benefitted from wives of the prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم). The main lesson that we want to focus on today is:

Sometimes we just have to be smart instead of working hard! You can earn lots of hasanats in a short time by just being smart. Subhanallah the ahdkars taught to us by Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) are very small, don't take much time and don't cost you anything! No matter how busy we get, we can always spare few minutes for these adkhars.

To get the maximum benefit out of these adhkars and to make it into a habith, we would Inshallah focus on one zikhar every week. While you are reciting this dikhar this week, pay close attention to the meaning of each phrase. Inshallah we will look at some of these phrases in future posts.

Do not forget to recite these beautiful words whenever you get a chance this week? Will You?

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Be Smart

What if you were asked to praise Allah (سبحانه وتعالى) in the best possible way, using the best possible words? What words would you pick? Subhanallah, look at the words of our beloved prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم):

Juwairiya (رضي الله عنها) reported that Allah's Messenger (صلي الله عليه وسلم) came out from her apartment in the morning as she was busy in observing her Fajr prayer in her place of worship. He came back in the forenoon and she was still sitting there. He (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said to her: You have been in the same seat since I left you. She said: Yes. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said:

I recited four kalimaat three times after I left you, and if these are to be weighed against what you have recited since morning these would outweigh them and (these words) are:

Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih, 'adada khalqihi, wa ridaa nafsihi, wazinata 'arshihi, wa midaada kalimaatihi (Glory and praise be to Allaah, as much as the number of His creation, as much as pleases Him, as much as the weight of His Throne and as much as the ink of His words) [Shaheeh Muslim: Book 35, Number 6575]

What are some of the lessons that we can learn from this hadith? Devotion of Juwairiya (رضي الله عنها) after converting to Islam, importance and manners of giving nasiha, how the ummah benefitted from wives of the prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم). The main lesson that we want to focus on today is:

Sometimes we just have to be smart instead of working hard! You can earn lots of hasanats in a short time by just being smart. Subhanallah the ahdkars taught to us by Rasulullah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) are very small, don't take much time and don't cost you anything! No matter how busy we get, we can always spare few minutes for these adkhars.

To get the maximum benefit out of these adhkars and to make it into a habith, we would Inshallah focus on one zikhar every week. While you are reciting this dikhar this week, pay close attention to the meaning of each phrase. Inshallah we will look at some of these phrases in future posts.

Do not forget to recite these beautiful words whenever you get a chance this week? Will You?

• Earn MAXIMUM Profit This Ramadan
• The Magnificent Three
• Umm Sulaym and the Death of her Son
• Signing on Behalf of Allah

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Al-Qahhar - The Subduer

The root word for ٱلۡقَهَّارُ is قَهر which is defined as:

1. to compel something or someone against his/her wishes
2. to subdue
3. to overcome
4. to force [1]

Thus, with regards to Allah (سبحانه وتعال), the noble name Al-Qahhar can be translated as "the Subduer, i.e. the Subduer of His creatures by His sovereign authority and power and the Disposer of them as He pleases, with and against their will." [1]

Along with ٱلۡعَزِيزُ (the Powerful and Honorable) and ٱلۡجَبَّارُ (the Strong and Powerful), this noble name illustrates that Allah(سبحانه وتعال) has the supreme authority and power to do anything, and He can subdue or force anyone to compel to Allah’s Will against his/her wishes. This supreme power rests with only Allah (سبحانه وتعال).

Allah (سبحانه وتعال) has said in the Qur'an:

Translation: Do they seek other than the religion of Allah, while to Him submitted all creatures in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly. And to Him shall they all be returned. [Al-Imran: 83]

In this verse, Allah (سبحانه وتعال) is telling us that everything that is created submits to Allah (سبحانه وتعال) willingly or unwillingly, such is the power and force of Al-Qahhar. If we ponder over this ayah and look around us, we will see the amazing truth in it. For example, the gravity of earth and the planets ensure that humans can only make an object go only so far. The limitations of the body ensure that we can only go at a certain top speed and nothing more. Regardless of how advanced the technology becomes, this technology will be compelled and will be subdued by Al-Qahhar to comply to His will, whether it is willingly or unwillingly. That shows how finite and limited we are, and how grand, powerful and majestic is Allah (سبحانه وتعال).

Also, this verse is telling us how foolish those people are who seek a religion other than the religion of Allah (سبحانه وتعال) – Islam – because these people are submitting to other object(s) of worship, whereas to Allah (سبحانه وتعال) submits everything willing or unwillingly, and to Allah (سبحانه وتعال) is the ultimate return. Such is the power and force of Al-Qahhar (سبحانه وتعال).

The name Al-Qahhar is found in the noun form in six ayaat of Quran. Amazingly, all six times the name الْوَاحِدُ (the One) is combined with Al-Qahhar. These six instances are:

"O two companions of the prison! Are many different lords (gods) better or Allah, the One, Al-Qahhar?" [Yusuf:39]

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "(It is) Allah." Say: "Have you then taken (for worship) Auliya (protectors, etc.) other than Him, such as have no power either for benefit or for harm to themselves?" Say: "Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light? Or do they assign to Allah partners who created the like of His creation, so that the creation (which they made and His creation) seemed alike to them." Say: "Allah is the Creator of all things, He is the One, Al-Qahhar." [ArRad:16]

On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens, and they (all creatures) will appear before Allah, the One, Al-Qahhar. [Ibrahim:48]

Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I am only a warner and there is no Ilah (God) except Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah) the One, Al-Qahhar. [Sad:65]

Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring or children), He could have chosen whom He pleased out of those whom He created. But glory be to Him! (He is above such things). He is Allah, the One, Al-Qahhar. [Az-Zumar:4]

The Day when they will (all) come out, nothing of them will be hidden from Allah. Whose is the kingdom this Day? (Allah Himself will reply to His Question): It is Allah's the One, Al-Qahhar! [Ghafir:16]

The reasons why Allah (سبحانه وتعال) chose to combine these two names (الْوَاحِدُ and Al-Qahhar) together at every mention of the name Al-Qahhar are known only to Allah. However, one can see that one of the reasons for this coupling could be that Allah (سبحانه وتعال) is trying to emphasize that there is only, exclusively, unquestionably one Al-Qahhar. In other words, there is no one who is that powerful and mighty such that they can force and subdue all of the creation – willingly or unwillingly – to comply with their will. No one has this capability, except Allah, الْوَاحِدُ (the One) ٱلۡقَهَّارُ, Exalted is He (سبحانه وتعال).

Also, one can see this combination is done every time, in all six instances in the Quran. This is to further emphasize the afore-mentioned point that truly, unmistakably there is only One Al-Qahhar.

The following is an explanation of two ayaat from the afore-mentioned six ayaat.

The first ayah mentioned (in chronological order) is ayah 39 from Surah Yusuf. In the preceding ayaat, the story of Yusuf (عليه السلام) and his encounter with the wife of Aziz was mentioned. In the story, Yusuf (عليه السلام) was imprisoned even though he had not committed any crime and the entire fault laid with the wife of Aziz. In prison, he was approached by two prisoners who wanted to ask Yusuf (عليه السلام) about the interpretation of their dreams. Yusuf (عليه السلام) took this opportunity to do some da'wah, even though he was imprisoned! In his da'wah, he first disassociates himself from the religion and practises of the people of Egypt and then mentions his religion, the religion of Allah. He then poses an intriguing and awe-inspiring question: Are many gods better, or is Allah, الْوَاحِدُ (the One) ٱلۡقَهَّارُ, better?

The question is obviously hypothetical because the answer is so obvious. How can the acceptance of and worship of multiple gods make any sense when Allah, the True God, is One and Allah is Al-Qahhar, and ONLY Allah is Al-Qahhar? The mention of Al-Qahhar emphasizes that Allah is the One who is so powerful and mighty that He can force and subdue all of the creation – willingly or unwillingly – to comply to His Will. So why, then, worship anyone else who itself is submitting to Allah (سبحانه وتعال)?

The last ayah mentioned (in chronological order) is ayah 16 from Surah Ghafir. The ayah is very clear, explicit and dripping with majesty and grandeur. Allah (سبحانه وتعال) is telling us about the Day of Judgement, and how on that day when all of mankind will be summoned abruptly from their graves, nothing on that day will be hidden from Allah (سبحانه وتعال). The مَـٰلِكِ يَوۡمِ ٱلدِّين will show everyone who is the King and the Master on this day of chaos: it is none other than Allah, الْوَاحِدُ ٱلۡقَهَّارُ.

The mention of Al-Qahhar emphasizes in very clear and certain terms that Allah will subdue everyone and force everyone on that day to comply with His Will. For example, we know from Surah Tariq, ayah 10 that on the Day of Judgment, man will have neither power nor any helper except Allah, الْوَاحِدُ ٱلۡقَهَّارُ. We also know that no one can intercede for anyone except by Allah's leave, nor can anyone help anyone else on this day. So truly, everyone without exception on this day will be subdued and forced to comply – willingly or unwillingly – with the Will of Allah and only Allah, الْوَاحِدُ ٱلۡقَهَّارُ, Exalted is He above the seven heavens (سبحانه وتعال).

1. Vocabulary of The Holy Quran. Abdullah Abbas AlNadawi. Darul Ishaat, Karachi Pakistan.

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Wild Rumors

After the battle of Uhud, 'Aisha (رضالله عنها) lost her necklace; so while the Muslim army moved forward, she stayed behind to find it. The army had a lost-and-found guy--Sawfan ibn Mu'atib (رضالله عنه)--who travelled behind the army and picked up lost items. So when he saw her, he immediately said la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah (there is no might or power except Allah), hopped off his camel, and let her go on it. Not one word passed between them (as they narrated later).

When they reached Medina, rumors sprang up: 'Aisha and Sawfan committed zina. Rumours by Abdullah ibn Ubay, the chief of the hypocrites.

Four groups emerged during this great fitnah--a fitnah where people offered to kill Sawfan. A fitnah where the Messenger of Allah himself (صلي الله عليه وسلم) drew back from his wife, unsure what to do. (Though Allah revealed verses confirming her innocence, after a month.) Who were these four groups?

1. Gossip-Mongers: one group actively took it upon themselves to spread the vicious rumors (and they even knew it was false).
2. Echoers: one group didn't believe in it, but they still passed it on to others, anyway--and so word spread quickly.
3. The Silent Ones: one group remained silent. Completely. They didn't say she did it, they didn't say she didn't do it; they side-stepped the fitnah.
4. Deniers: one group--even though they had no evidence--denied it. Some said "we only know good of Sawfan (رضالله عنه) and 'Aisha (رضالله عنه)." And this is how Muslims should be--husnul thunn, or giving our brothers and sisters the benefit of the doubt.

And Allah rebuked these groups, and revealed ayaat that Muslims should not pass on unconfirmed rumors, that they should think good of their brothers and sisters. The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) even had people publicly lashed for spreading accusations without proof!

Allah says:

Translation: Verily! Those who brought forth the slander (against 'Aishah) [...] unto every man among them will be paid that which he had earned of the sin [...]. Why then, did not the believers, men and women, when you heard it (the slander) think good of their own people and say: "This (charge) is an obvious lie?" [...] Since they (the slanderers) have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars. [...] When you were propagating it with your tongues, and uttering with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, you counted it a little thing, while with Allah it was very great. [Surah Noor, verses 11-15]

This happens today--you see a brother or sister at the mall walking with someone of the opposite sex. Or Muslims get arrested for purported acts of terrorism because they went paintballing once. But what should you do?

1. Default to a good opinion. Innocent until proven very guilty. You'll find that, most cases, you turn out to be right, and they really were innocent.
2. Confirm a statement before you pass it on. If it's not confirmed when it reaches you, no problem; but do confirm it before you tell others about it.
3. Don't get lashed! Remember, the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) had them lashed--those who didn't even believe it, but only passed it on! This is the level of enormity of the deed; remember it well.

And we ask Allah to make us among those who are safe from backbiting and slander, both to ourselves and to others (ameen)!

Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. The Shepherd’s Path. University of Ryerson, Toronto. March 2007.

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Mecca’s War Criminals

In the eight year after Hijrah (8AH), the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) and his companions conquered Mecca--without a single sword-swing. 10,000 Muslim warriors arrived at the gates, and the inhabitants of Mecca raised their arms in surrender.

The norm during those days was that when a land is conquered, ALL its people are killed, and its women and children are taken as slaves and property. So when the Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) conquered Mecca, the Meccans became frightened. And they should've been--this is the man who they slandered, tortured, ridiculed, persecuted, and fought for 21 years.

So what did he (صلي الله عليه وسلم) do when he entered?

He forgave them all.

Translation: And We have not sent you (O Muhammad (صلي الله عليه وسلم)) except as a mercy for the universe. [Suratal Anbiyyah, 21:107]

However, there were certain individuals who were not forgiven--war criminals whose opposition reached such a level of intensity and evil, that they could not be forgiven. The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) gave this list out--these men and women were to be executed, immediately, and there would be no mercy for them--not in this life, and not in the next.

Who were these individuals, Mecca's war criminals?

1. Wahshi, a slave who earned his freedom in Uhud by killing the Prophet's uncle Hamza (رضالله عنه) in Uhud.
2. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyaan, who ripped out the liver of Hamza's (رضالله عنه) body, and ate it. Raw. (The Messenger of Allah (صلي الله عليه وسلم) said: there was never a day more painful to me then the day I stood over the body of my uncle Hamza.)
3. Abu Sufyaan, who--although decided to become Muslim--had to run for his life to the Prophet, because 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab (رضالله عنه) saw him, and chased after him! (Had 'Umar (رضالله عنه) reached him before Abu Sufyaan (رضالله عنه) reached the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم), 'Umar (رضالله عنه) would've killed him! Though, once he said he wanted to become Muslim, the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) forgave him.)
4. Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, the son of Abu Jahl; all the Arabs considered the ka'ba sacred, it was their sanctuary--yet, even as he was clinging to the curtains of the ka'ba, they were pulling him away to kill him.
5. Abdullah ibn Sa'ad

Yet, subhanallah, we see the truth of this ayah--because ALL of these four criminals were forgiven, and all of them accepted Islam. Ikrimah (رضالله عنه) pledged to spend double for Islam what he spent against it; Abdullah ibn Sa'ad (رضالله عنه) became the commander of the Muslim navy; Wahshi killed Musaylimah Al-Kathaab, one of the biggest opponents of Islam during the reign of of Abu Bakr (رضالله عنه).

That's Islam for you.

Muhammad Alshareef. Lecture. AlMaghrib. The Shepherd’s Path. University of Ryerson, Toronto. March 2007.

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