Joining In Charity With Non-Muslims
Islam is a religion that cares for the welfare of all humans and calls for participating in volunteer activities and services for people without awaiting any reward from them but only from Allah.
In this sense, volunteering is deep-rooted in Islamic teachings and practices. In Islam, doing voluntary acts is not restricted to a certain race or religion but it encompasses all human beings and even all creatures.
Every voluntary act by a Muslim to bring about a material benefit or happiness for a human being is regarded as an act of worship. Several Ahadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) designated several forms of social services as kinds of charity: removing a harmful thing from the road or street, enjoining what is good, forbidding what is evil, reconciling two people, receiving a Muslim brother with a smile, a good word, and so on.
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) made helping others a human and social duty upon every Muslim, saying, “There is a (compulsory) sadaqah (charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah) every day the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as sadaqah; and to help a man concerning his riding animal, by helping him to mount it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as sadaqah; and (saying) a good word is also sadaqah; and every step taken on one’s way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque) is also sadaqah, and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also sadaqah.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim with a sound chain of transmission).
Volunteering refers to doing an activity of one’s own will without being paid for it or without expecting any material reward for it.
As for Muslims, they are strongly recommended to do many volunteer acts and they should do so for the sake of Allah and with the hope of getting His rewards in Hereafter.
In fact, there is no harm for Muslims living in the West to undertake volunteer activities with non-Muslims. Furthermore, they are strongly recommended to do so in order for them to introduce Islam to non-Muslims during these activities in a very kind and peaceful manner. Muslims have to mix with non-Muslims as much as they can in order for them to call them to Islam and introduce to them the beauty and greatness of the wonderful religion, Islam.
The Prophet (peace be upon him), said, “The believer who mixes with the people and has patience and tolerance with them is better than the believer who doesn’t mix with the people.”
Da’wah (calling others to Islam) should not be limited and focused on Muslims only, it has to move around and look for opportunities and seize the chances. Indeed, there are many verses in the Qur’an which call upon Muslims to interact with non-Muslims. Almighty Allah says: “Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity.” (60: 8)
He also says: “And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur’an) and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.” (9: 6)
There are also other verses which urged the Prophet (peace be upon him) him to call the People of the Book to Islam and its teachings. Furthermore, the biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is full of occasions that he benefited from and used for the interest of da’wah. It was reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) visited a young Jewish boy who fell sick. At the end of his visit, the Prophet called him to Islam and the father of the boy advised him to obey the Prophet (peace be upon him). The boy converted to Islam.
There are many practical examples that urge Muslims to seize various opportunities to serve the cause of Islam. All in all, Islam recommends participation in volunteer activities with Muslims as well as with non-Muslims.
Sadqa Ki Ahmiyat Aur Fazail
by Allama Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer
Satan Tempts Believer With False Desires
[ALLAH’S Quran – 4:118-119] “whom Allah has cursed. He (the Satan) said; Surely I will take an appointed share from Your slaves, and I will lead them astray, and I will tempt them with false hopes, and I will command them, whereby they shall slit the ears of cattle, and I will command them, whereby they shall alter the creation of Allah. Whoever takes Satan for friend, instead of Allah, incurs an obvious loss.”
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has said:
[Bukhari, Book #72, Hadith #815] “ Narrated ‘Abdullah: ALLAH has cursed those women who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those who remove their face hairs, and those who create a space between their teeth artificially to look beautiful, and such women as changing the features created by ALLAH. Why then should I not curse those whom the Prophet has cursed? And that is in ALLAH’s Book. i.e. His Saying: ‘And what the Apostle gives you take it and what he forbids you abstain (from it).’ (59.7)
[Bukhari, Book #34, Hadith#299] “Narrated ‘Aun bin Abu Juhaifa: My father bought a slave who practiced the profession of cupping. (My father broke the slave’s instruments of cupping). I asked my father why he had done so. He replied, “The Prophet forbade the acceptance of the price of a dog or blood, and also forbade the profession of tattooing, getting tattooed and receiving or giving Riba, (usury), and cursed the picture-makers.”
Taqdeer Kay Mutaliq Ahkam
The Next World
The present world may seem to lack noting, but the order of this world has been established with the trial of man in mind. According to God’s scheme, only a world, which leads up to reward and punishment, can be considered ideal and permanent. This is not the case in the present world. So, then the period of trial is over, God will destroy this world and create another more complete one. There the evil will be separated from the righteous, and all will be confronted with the just consequences of their deeds.
The present world is full of strange paradoxes. Here, birds chant hymns of divine praise, while man recites eulogies to himself. Stares and planets continue their voyages without clashing with one another, while man willfully sets himself on a collision course with others. In this world, there is no tree, which undermines another, but men spend their lives plotting one another’s destruction. Lofty, upright trees show their meekness by casting their shadows on the ground, but if man ascends to any heights he immediately becomes arrogant.
This attitude of man is totally contrary to God’s will for His entire creation. Doomsday will erase these paradoxes, the might of all save God will be eradicated, and every will saw His will be negated.
When this period of trial has run its course, God will destroy the present world and create another one. There, the righteous and the wicked will be separated from one another.
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
1. When the earth is shaken in its ultimate quaking
2. And the earth ejects its loads.
3. The human will wonder: “What is happening?”
4. On that day, it will tell its news.
5. That your Lord has commanded it.
6. On that day, the people will issue from every direction, to be shown their works.
7. Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.
8. And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.
Sura 99: The Quake (Al-Zalzalah)
Akhrat Behtar Bananay Ka Moqa Sirf Dunya Ki Zindgi Ha
Why Islam Forbids Alcohol, Drugs?
Alcohol and narcotic drugs are now the greatest social problem all over the world.
It is said that Omar (later the Second Rightly-Guided Caliph) prayed: “O Allah give us a decisive indication about wine, it takes away the money and the intellect. (Ahmad) Allah revealed: “They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling. Say: In them is great sin, and (some) benefits for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit.” (2:219)
Omar continued to pray: “O Allah indicate a manifest indication about wine.” Allah revealed: “O you who believe! Approach not As-Salat (the prayer) when you are in a drunken state until you know (the meaning) of what you utter.” (4:43)
Omar prayed again: “O Allah indicate us about wine.” Allah revealed: “O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks), and gambling … are an abomination of Shaitan’s (Satan) handiwork. So avoid (strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful. Shaitan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salat (the prayer). So will you not then abstain?” (5:90-91)
After hearing this revelation, Omar exclaimed: “We are refrained, we are refrained.”
The ban on the use of intoxicants was gradual. This evil was eradicated by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He warned about the curse of Allah on all those associated with it from production to its consumption.
The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whatever much of it intoxicates, then little of it is also prohibited.” (Abu Dawood from Jabir)
Abdullah Bin Omar is quoted to have said: “The Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) said that ‘Anybody who attributed to me anything which I did not say will go to Hell.'” After this Abdullah Bin Omar said: “I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) saying ‘No doubt Allah has prohibited the wine, games of chance and the wine extracted from “Ghabeera” (a flower tree with fruit.)
Narcotic drugs are also banned in Islam. This ban was enforced in the 7th century for the welfare of humanity. The latest developments in medical science have proved the consumption of alcohol and narcotics to be a social evil causing great harm not only to society but also to human health. If we look into the expenditure incurred on drinks (intoxicants) in European and American countries we get an alarming figure of thousands of millions of dollars. France has the highest alcohol consumption. French men consume 200 million liters of alcoholic beverages every year.
Alcohol makes the man unstable and creates multifarious problems. It breaks the family ties and brings about a complete disruption in family life. The man under its influence fills the destructive bowl, gets excited with an urge to commit crimes, and does not hesitate to commit adultery, incest, and fornication.
Alcohol abuse presents society with a staggering bill. In the US, somewhere between $25 billion to $40 billion are lost in terms of labor productivity, treatment, and welfare. (Koffend 1979)
In 1979, the World Health Organization in a report stated that alcoholism is becoming a major problem in developing countries. In Zambia and Venezuela, the abuses of alcohol are linked with increasing crimes and are the major cause of road accidents. In South Africa, 75 percent of the population is affected directly by the adverse effects of alcoholism. In the US, 40 percent of all road accidents are due to alcohol abuse, and alcohol accounts for 50 percent of criminal arrests.
Man is a social animal. He is superior to animals by virtue of his mental faculties. If these faculties are impaired, he will act like an animal. Alcohol and narcotic drugs impair the higher centers of the brain as a result a man loses judgment, intellect, learning, reason, memory, and orientation. The lower centers of the brain are freed from the inhibiting influence of the higher centers causing excitement and animalistic behaviors. Owing to this, the intoxicated person behaves recklessly and becomes loquacious and loses self-control, totters, and is led by evil desires to commit crimes.
The following are the bodily harms or diseases of alcoholism observed by medical science.
1) Peripheral Neuritis, i.e. numbness and weakness in the nervous system.
2) Wernicks Encephalopathy, causing the disturbance in consciousness and neurological problems.
3) Korsakoffs Psychosis i.e. impairment of memory delusion.
4) Delirium Tremens. The alcoholic is confused, restless, misidentifies people and places, and has a severe tremor.
5) Cerebella degeneration.
6) Alcoholic gastritis causes heartburn, anorexia, nausea, and vomiting.
7) Pancreatitis. It may result in hemorrhage resulting in death.
There are some other severe diseases like cardiomyopathy abnormality of the rhythm of the heart and beriberi heart disease etc., etc.
The above facts make it crystal clear that alcohol and narcotic drugs not only take away the hard-earned money of the people but also their intellect and health and leave them worthless. Caliph Omar was wise when he prayed in the earlier 7th century for the ban saying intoxicants take away the money and the intellect. Allah the Omniscient, the All-Wise Who cares for the welfare of his bondmen banned intoxicants and delivered them from the pernicious evil.
Now in 21th century all the sensible world is making a lot of hues and cry to stop alcoholism only to learn that it is reaching epidemic proportions.
It is Islam that tackled all social evils and crimes and devised ways and means to save humanity from the menace of narcotics and alcoholism.
Zaid Bin Harisah (RA) Ka Apne Baap Ko Inkaar
Functions Of Iblis/ Shaytan
Satan makes them promises and creates in them false desires, but satan’s promises are nothing but deception. [4:120]
The Evil one threatens you with poverty and bids you to conduct unseemly. Allah promises you His forgiveness and bounties. And Allah careth for all and He knoweth all things. [2:268]
The Evil One has got the better of them: so he has made them lose the remembrance of Allah. They are the Party of the Evil One. Truly, it is the Party of the Evil One that will perish! [58:19]
O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination,- of Satan’s handwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper. [5:90]
Satan’s plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain? [5:91]
Never did We send an apostle or a prophet before thee, but, when he framed a desire, Satan threw some (vanity) into his desire: but Allah will cancel anything (vain) that Satan throws in, and Allah will confirm (and establish) His Signs: for Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom: [22:52]
Remember Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them and said: “No one among men can overcome you this day, while I am near to you”: But when the two forces came in sight of each other, he turned on his heels, and said: “Lo! I am clear of you; lo! I see what ye see not; Lo! I fear Allah. for Allah is strict in punishment.” [8:48]
“Did I not enjoin on you, O ye Children of Adam, that ye should not worship Satan; for that he was to you an enemy avowed?- [36:60]
“He did lead me astray from the Message (of Allah. after it had come to me! Ah! the Evil One is but a traitor to man!” [25:29]
By Allah, We (also) sent (Our apostles) to Peoples before thee; but Satan made, (to the wicked), their own acts seem alluring: He is also their patron today, but they shall have a most grievous penalty. [16:63]
Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents, that they may become Companions of the Blazing Fire. [35:6]
O ye Children of Adam! Let not Satan seduce you, in the same manner as He got your parents out of the Garden, stripping them of their raiment, to expose their shame: for he and his tribe watch you from a position where ye cannot see them: We made the evil ones friends (only) to those without faith. [7:27]
O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly, and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy. [2:208]
O ye who believe! follow not Satan’s footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of Satan, he will (but) command what is shameful and wrong: and were it not for the grace and mercy of Allah on you, not one of you would ever have been pure: but Allah doth purify whom He pleases: and Allah is One Who hears and knows (all things). [24:21]
Say to My servants that they should (only) say those things that are est: for Satan doth sow dissensions among them: For Satan is to man an avowed enemy. [17:53]
Dr.Masood Tariq