Death for Apostasy:

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim
 
A very short response to Muslim and Non-Muslims who have been misled to believe that Islam prescribes death punishment for apostasy.

1.     There is not a single verse of the Holy Quran to even suggest a punishment for apostasy. On the contrary a believer can -> apostate -> become a believer again -> then apostate again. If he or she was to be killed for apostasy then how could they believe again?

‘Those who believe then disbelieve, then believe again, then disbelieve...’(4.138)

2.     Not a single true incident in which we find Holy Prophet (saw) himself ordered the death of a person for the charge of apostasy. Yet, several incidents exist were a Muslim apostates and Holy Prophet (saw) does not order any punishment. (Please do your research or ask me, I am not ignorant of the incidents commonly cited to prove death for apostasy)

 

Bukhari relates, on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah, that a desert Arab took the pledge of Islam at the hand of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and a little later he suffered from fever while he was still in Medina. He came to the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and said: Messenger of Allah, do release me from my pledge. But the Holy Prophet paid no attention to him. He came a second time and made the same request, and the Holy Prophet refused to comply with his request. He then departed from Mediga., whereupon the Holy Prophet observed: Medina is like a furnace which destroys the dross and purifies the rest (Fathul Bari, Vol. XXIII, p.173). 

More than 50 verses of the Holy Quran disagree:

1.      2.57, 100, 109, 218, 257, 273 

2.      3.21, 73, 86–92, 145 

3.      4.83, 138, 139, 146 

4.      5.55, 62, 91–3, 99–100 

5.      6.67, 105–8, 126 

6.      7.124–9 

7.      9.11–14 

8.      10.100–9 

9.      13.41 

10.  15.10 

11.  16.83, 105–7, 126 

12.  17.55 

13.  18.30 

14.  19.47 

15.  20.72–4 

16.  22.40 

17.  24.55 

18.  25.42–4 

19.  26.117 

20.  28.57 

21.  29.19 

22.  39.30–42 

23.  40.26, 27 

24.  42.7, 8, 48, 49 

25.  47.26 

26.  50.46 

27.  51.57 

28.  64.9–13 

29.  66.7 

30.  88.22–3

 

Holy Prophet (saw)'s Love of Salat

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim

Asalamo Alaikum,

I will now try to do more frequent and shorter posts on this topic. In this post I will just cover the Sunnah of Salat to motivate us to aim towards this Salat, which is the true Salat. I am taking parts directly from a speech called Iqamatus Salat by Imam of Al-Fazl Mosque in London, UK. May we all benefit from this example, InshAllah.

Holy Prophet (saw)'s Love of Allah confessed by his enemies:

The Holy Prophet(saw) fulfilled the right of Iqamatus Salat so beautifully that Allah testified that his prayers, his worship, his living and dying, were all for His sake, the Lord of all the worlds, and even the enemies of the Holy Prophet(saw) publicly announced ‘Ashiqa Muhammadun Rabbahu, that Muhammad(saw) has fallen in love with his Lord! The Holy Prophet(saw) has stated, “O People! I like three things from this world, but I tell you that Qurratu ‘aini fis-salat that the delight and pleasure of my eyes is in the observance of prayer.”

Observing the beauty and length of Holy Prophet (saw)'s prayers:

Someone asked Hadhrat ‘A’ishah(ra), the blessed wife of the Holy Prophet(saw), to narrate the state of the Holy Prophet(saw)’s prayer. She responded:

“Where shall I find the words to describe the beauty and length of those prayers?” (Bukhari, Kitabus Saum)

The Holy Prophet(saw) would stand in prayer for so long that his blessed feet would become swollen. When someone suggested that he take rest, he responded saying, “Shall I not be a thankful servant to my Lord?” The state of his prostrations to Allah were also something to behold. The narrator relates that the state of the Holy Prophet(saw) in prostration was like a pot fervently boiling upon the stove, or like two millstones in a grinder hitting each other. To think of this causes the body to tremble and the following supplication comes from the heart:

“The emotion that existed in the supplications of Muhammad(saw), if only a glitter of it were granted to my prostrations as well.”

Holy Prophet (saw) lost in Prayers:

Hadhrat ‘A’ishah(ra) was the dearest and most beloved wife of the Holy Prophet(saw). She narrates: One night, when I woke up, I noticed the Holy Prophet(saw) was not in bed. I thought, perhaps he had gone to the house of another wife. As I looked here and there, I found the Holy Prophet(saw) had left his comfort and bed, and was on the ground, prostrating at some distance and was engaged in supplications. Hadhrat ‘A’ishah(ra) states: When I saw this, I was very disappointed at myself and I said to myself, O ‘A’ishah(ra), what thoughts are you preoccupied with, whereas look at the state in which the Messenger of Allah is in (Al-Nisa’i). In another narration it is mentioned that she found the Prophet(saw) prostrating in a nearby graveyard in the darkness of the night.

The Holy Prophet (saw) observed his Salat with such dedication throughout his life, even in times of the greatest hardships, bitter persectution, and battles in the face of enemies. I sincerely pray that we all take the example of Holy Prophet (saw) and attach it to our hearts and that Allah may grant us all the grace of prayer.

InshAllah, I will cover tips on how to establish concentration in Salat in my next post. I will be taking it from another speech that has now been translated into English called Rememberance of Allah.

Salam

Hope for Salat

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful

Asalamo-Alaikum, 

This is a very important topic, especially with Ramadhan coming up. I will not be able to do justice to this topic, but I will still try my best. I will be jumping with joy if just one person is able to improve their Salat in the least bit as a result of this post.May Allah enable me so.

Let me first clarify the importance of Salat. We all know the five pillars of Islam: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj. Shahada and Salat are so closely linked that they cannot be separated without losing the other. Now reflect on Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj. How important is Salat? It is so important that Allah has been prescribed 5 times a day. Not once a year like Zakat, or one month a year like Sawm, or once in your life like Hajj.

Don't give up hope if you have not been able to establish Salat 5 times a day. If you have faltered earlier, I am sure it is only because nobody has given you direction in this matter. To me it is more worrisome that many offer their prayers daily but are only doing it ritualistically. Ritual prayer is not true Salat, only those who have tasted true Salat even for a minute moment can understand this reality. 

I can give you hope that there is more past these rituals, and anyone who strives for it, can taste true Salat. I can affirm this from personal experience. Although I have not achieved true Salat in every prayer, I have been able to taste moments of true Salat several times a week. It is a continuous effort and struggle to bring every prayer to what can be called true Salat. This effort is like a child who finds a lighter and fervently rolls the wheel trying harder and harder to light a flame. As the sparks fly with each attempt there is great hope that a flame would be lit. One should never give up,  as what is now sparks will soon be a flame.

I will leave a few quotes that brought me out from a state of offering no prayers, into mostly ritualistic prayers. And now where I can often taste moments of true Salat. This taste is sufficient to begin a chase in hopes of deriving pleasure from every single moment in Salat. 

For each quote, please read it, read it, and read it. Then when you have understood it completely, please read it again. They are very deep, and you will not grasp the deep wisdom and meanings at once. Again, personal experience here.

What is Salat? It is a supplication addressed to the Lord of Honour without which a person cannot be truly alive, nor can he procure any means of security and happiness. When God Almighty bestows this grace upon a person it is only then that he obtains true comfort. From that moment he will begin to feel pleasure and delight in Salat. As he derives pleasure from delicious food he will begin to derive pleasure from his weeping and crying in Salat. Before he experiences that condition in his Salat it is necessary that he should persist in Salat as he swallows bitter medicine so that he may be restored to health. In the same way it is necessary for him to persist in Salat and in making his supplications while he derive no pleasure from them. In such condition he should seek pleasure and delight in Salat with the supplication:  

Allah! Thou knowest how blind and sightless I am, and at the moment I am like the dead. I know that in a little while I shall be called and shall present myself before Thee and no one will be able to stop me. But my heart is blind and unenlightened. Do Thou cause to descend upon it such a flame of light that thereby it may be inspired with Thy love and devotion to Thee. Do Thou bestow upon me such grace that I shall not be raised up sightless nor join the blind.

When he supplicates in this manner and persists in the supplication he will see that a time will arrive when something will descend upon him while he is engaged in such type of prayer which will melt his heart. 

The way of the Holy Prophet (saw) was that at a time of difficulty he made his ablutions and stood up in Salat and made his supplications in the Salat. My experience is that nothing takes one so near to God as Salat. The various postures of the Salat demonstrate respect, humility and meekness. In Qiyam (standing posture) the worshipper stands with his arms folded as a slave stands respectfully before his master and king. In Ruku‘ (bowing) the worshipper bends down in humility. The climax of humility is reached in Sajdah (prostration), which indicates extreme helplessness. 

I tell you again that if you wish to establish a true relationship with God, hold fast to Salat in such a way that your body and your tongue and your spiritual designs and emotions should all become a true embodiment of Salat.

InshAllah I will post more on how to establish Salat. I felt it was it is important to first get an idea of what one is aiming to establish.

How to Wake Up for Fajr Every Single Time!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful

Unfortunately Fajr is one of the toughest challenges for many of us today. With this post I intend to share some tips that I only wish somebody who have guided me to earlier. Put them into practice at a pace you feel comfortable and InshAllah you will be waking up on your own before the alarm rings.

I have summarized and selected 7 methods from the 13 methods listed in the book, Remembrance of Allah, by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (ra). I would highly encourage everyone to read the book as it also provides the best guidance on how to concentrate on prayers and explains the purpose of Sunnah prayers. You will not find such matters explained so beautifully elsewhere.

One way—not very useful in my opinion—is to use the alarm clock. It creates dependency, and fails to produce the resolute will. If you go to sleep having resolved to get up for Tahajjud, you will be in a state of worship all night. Being determined, you will get up. Those depending on the alarm clock, but lacking determination, will often shut the alarm clock to go back to sleep. When they get up, they generally feel sleepy in Prayers. Their dependency prevents them from full awakening and alertness. However, under certain circumstances the alarm clock may be used by beginners or others. 

There are thirteen methods, which can help in getting up at night. Anyone who sincerely tries them will, God willing, benefit from them. There may be difficulties in the beginning, but in the end these methods will prove useful. I have derived these methods from the Holy Qur’an and Hadiths. It is Allah’s Grace that these points, which remained hidden from others, have been manifested to me. To save time, I will only give my conclusions without quoting the references.

(Remembrance of Allah, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad, pg 34)

Zikr is an Arabic word meaning remembrance.
Zikr-i-Ilahi means the remembrance of Allah.

There are different forms of Zikr: salat, recitation of Quran, recitation and pondering on attributes of Allah, and publicly proclaiming the attributes of Allah. Explanation is best left to the book Remembrance of Allah.

1. End your day at Isha Prayers

Avoid continuing conversations after Isha Prayer, as a general rule Holy Prophet (saw) forbade it.
There are two reasons of this:
(a) what may start as a short conversation will continue late, leaving you unable to wake up early.
(b) if your conversation is not related to matters of faith your attention will be diverted. Ideally you want to go to sleep in a state of remembering Allah as you will find yourself waking up with the same thoughts.

Try your best to schedule your day to end after Isha Prayers. It is not forbidden to carry out important assignments after Isha but it is best avoided. This time is better spent in Zikr before going to sleep.

2. Perform Wudu (ablution) before going to bed

Renew your ablution even if you are already in a state of ablution. It affects the heart and creates a special kind of freshness. If you go to sleep in that state of freshness, you will get up in the same condition. This is a common observation. One who is smiling at bedtime is generally smiling when they get up. Likewise, one who sleeps crying will often wake up crying. Go to sleep fresh so that you can easily wake up fresh!

3. Recite Zikr Before Falling Asleep

Falling asleep in a state of performing Zikr will cause you to wake up again for Zikr (Fajr) during the night. The more Zikr you perform, the earlier you will get up for Zikr before the morning. The Holy Prophet (saw) used to perform Zikr in the following manner before going to sleep: He recited Ayatul-Kursi (verse 2:255) and the last three chapters of the Holy Qur'an; he then gently blew upon his hands and lightly passed them over his body three times. Then he turned towards his right and said:

Allahumma inni aslamto nafsi ilaik. Wa wajjahtu waj hi ilaik. Wa fawwadtu amri ilaik raghbatan wa rahbatan ilaik.La malja’a wa la manja’a minka illa ilaik. Allahumma aamanto bikitabikalladhi anzalta wa nabiyyikalladhi arsalta.

O Allah, I put myself in Thy protection, and turn my face towards Thee and assign all my affairs to Thee, with complete inclination and fear of Thee. There is no refuge or protection from Thee except towards Thyself. I believe in Thy Book, which Thou hast revealed, and Thy Prophet that Thou hast sent.

4. Firmly Resolve to Wake Up For Fajr

If you go to bed doubting that you will be able to wakeup for Fajr it will likely result in your doubts becoming reality . God has granted us the power to make our mind obey our will, exercise this with a firm resolution to wakeup. With a strong mental state your body will sleep but your mind will be alert ready to wake you up exactly at the desired time.

5. Eat Dinner Early

Have your last meal several hours before going to bed. Either eat before Magrib Prayer or right after it. Sometimes even if your spirit is active the body may not be. The body acts like a yoke: if the yoke is too heavy it strangles the spirit. The stomach should not be full at bedtime. It has an adverse affect upon the heart and makes us lazy.

6. Cleanliness

Stressing the importance of cleanliness Holy Prophet (saw) said "Cleanliness is half of faith" (Muslim). Angels abhor filth and only associate with those who are clean. Physical cleanliness affects purity of the heart. One who is clean will have the help of angels waking them up. Likewise the bed should also be clean, as it will also directly influence ones spirituality. Special care should be taken in respect to cleanliness.

7. Purify your Heart Before You Sleep

This last point is the most important one of them all. It not only helps us in getting up for Fajr but will also save us from many sins and weaknesses. Before retiring for sleep, ponder if you have any malice or harbour any rancour or prejudices towards anybody. If so, remove it, the heart should be totally clean at bedtime. The self purification achieved through this practice will help enable you to get up for Fajr. Moreover, should you breathe your last during the night; you will miss the opportunity of asking forgiveness for this sin.

References (linked):
1. Remembrance of Allah, Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (ra)

Recommended Books for All Muslims

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful

I was looking into books that would be most beneficial to new Muslims. Upon further reflection I realized that in reality majority of the Muslim world itself has yet to recognize the true Islamic concepts on the nature of God, the Angels, Life After Death, the Soul, and Pre-destiny vs Free Will. Hence, here are five books that all Muslims should read to truly understand their religion and its intricate nature in the most simple manner. Titles are linked to the electronic PDF copies of the books from www.alislam.org/books.

An Elementary Study of Islam

“On March 12, 1990, at the invitation of the Department of Islamic Studies, Seville University, Spain, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad delivered an address entitled 'Islam -- A Discourse on its Elementary and Fundamental Teachings'. He was advised by the Head of the Department to introduce Islam at an elementary level, keeping in view that most of the audience, drawn from other departments and the general public, would have very little knowledge of Islam.”

Topics: Unity of God, The Angels, The Books, The Prophets, The Prayer, Spending in the Cause of Allah, The Pilgrimage, Fasting, The Holy War, Life After Death, Pre-destiny and Free Will.

Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam

Present the views of Islam on the following five subjects:

1. The physical, moral and spiritual conditions of man.
2. The state of man after death.
3. The object of man's life on earth and the means for attaining the same.
4. The effect of action in this life and the next.
5. What are the means for the attainment of spiritual knowledge?

Life of Muhammad (saw)

Introductory book on the life of Holy Prophet (saw). Presents image of Arabia at the time of his birth and his personality and character. Thoroughly covers major events from prior to receiving first till his last days.

Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues

“The central theme of the lecture is peace in this world: or to be more exact the teachings of Islam regarding peace” It is spread into following six categories:

1. Inter-religious peace and harmony
2. Social peace, in general
3. Socio-economic peace
4. Economic peace
5. Peace in national and international politics
6. Individual Peace

Absolute Justice,Kindness, and Kinship

“The Quranic verse which I have chosen for today’s address is extremely vast and comprehensive:

'...Indeed Allah requires you to abide by justice, to treat with grace and to give like the giving of kin to kin. ...' (Surah al-Nahl; Ch. 16: V.91)

Allah does not command us to exercise justice (‘Adl) alone, but also desires us to voluntarily add benevolence (Ihsan) to the act of justice and then to move further to the third stage of human relationships, which is Ita’i Dhil-Qurba—a spontaneous expression of love and care as experienced by a mother for her child.”

Fitrat Allah, Human Nature and the Conscience

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful

[30:31] And follow the nature made by Allah — the nature in which He has created mankind

In the Holy Qur’an Allah (swt) has instructed instructed us to follow “Fitrat Allah”, the nature made by Allah. There is a popular Hadith of Holy Prophet (saw) in which this nature is explained.

God is One and humanity is One. This is the Fitrat Allah or Dinal Fitrah - the religion which is rooted in the nature of man and to which he conforms and instinctively reacts. It is in this religion that a child is born but his environment, the ideas and beliefs of parents and the training he receives from them subsequently make him a Jew, a Magian or a Christian. (Sahih Bukhari)

Many are aware of this Hadith which is now known for the idea that people revert to Islam rather than converts. Unfortunately they have overlooked the more beautiful and deep concept conveyed in this Hadith, just as one who collects a pearl shell but is not yet aware of the pearl inside. Now to expound on the concept of Fitrat Allah I will turn back to the Holy Qur’an which says:

[91:8] And by the soul and its perfection —

[91:9] And He revealed to it what is wrong for it and what is right for it —

What is being conveyed here is that the right path is ingrained in human nature and soul is born pure. Not only is it born pure but it is taught the difference between right and wrong, and this which has been labelled today as “conscience”. It is wrongly believed today that “conscience” is taught by society, it is actually Allah (swt) who has ingrained it in our very nature. It is something that cannot be removed from our nature. So the question that follows is, why does it appear that this nature is not present among the whom the Qur’an has described as the asfala safileen, “lowest of the low” (95:6).

[91:10] He indeed truly prospers who purifies it,

[91:11] And he who corrupts it is ruined.

The reality is that the nature is always present in mankind and cannot be removed from it. It can only be covered by corrupting it. Just as the when the moon eclipses the sun it does not cease to exist but rather we are shaded from the light. Similarly this nature and conscious is always present by Allah's Rehmaniyyat (Grace) as the Sun is always present even if we are undeserving of it. This is why the Holy Qur’an warns those who corrupt their soul (91:11) that they will be ruined. Just as a plant deprived of the light from the sun meets its ruin.

[83:15] Nay, but that which 

they have earned has rusted 

their hearts.

The Holy Qur’an has referred to the corruption of the soul as the rusting or sealing of hearts and other faculties such as sight and sound. The Holy Prophet (saw), so beautifully explained the meaning of rusting of hearts in this verse in the following Hadith:

When a man commits a sin, a black spot is thereby formed on his heart. Then if he repeats and gives up the sin and asks God’s forgiveness, the black spot is washed off, leaving the heart clean. But if he repeats not and commits another sin, another black spot in formed on his heart and so on, until his whole heart is covered with a black covering, and that is the covering of rust to which the Qur’an refers in Sura Tatfif (Jarir).

To wrap this up, it is our own actions that ruins our soul and suppresses our conscience. Fitrat Allah, the nature made by Allah (swt) is always present within us. This brings us to the topic of the importance of repentance and prayers so that we can prosper by purifying our soul, I will leave it as a topic for a later post, InshAllah. One should also keep in mind that conscience is not created by society but rather it is corrupted by it, this is exactly what Holy Prophet (saw) said in the Hadith stating what changes us a man is “ his environment, the ideas and beliefs of parents and the training he receives”.

Unfortunately I am not capable of doing justice to this topic, I hope I have introduced it in good light. In order to truly understand this concept one must refer to the sources have learned and greatly benefited from. They are deeply rooted in the teachings of the Holy Quran and I am certain they will prove beneficial to all. First and foremost, is the lecture written by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as), Philosophy of the Teaching of Islam. Second, the explanation of “Who and What is Satan” in a Question & Answer Session by Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (ra), Khalifatul Massih IV. Third, the Commentary on Surah Baqarah Verse 8 by Hazrat Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (ra).

References

1. http://www.alislam.org/library/books/Philosophy-of-Teachings-of-Islam.pdf
2. http://www.reviewofreligions.org/2698/who-or-what-is-satan/
3. http://www.alislam.org/quran/tafseer/?page=38&region=E1&CR=EN,E2

Please note this is my first post sharing content and its getting late as I edit it for approx the 10th time. I will review it further as I feel it can be improved as time permits. If I had held the draft back I fear it may have fell off of my mental list of topics to research. JazakAllah to the friend whose post brought this topic back from my lost thoughts.

If there are any errors please let me know and I will correct them. InshAllah