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Immigrating To A Non-Muslim Country For Work

Muslims can live in any place and in any country. However, there are some basic Islamic rules about migration, which differ according to the circumstances in one s country and in the prospective country.

Muslim Shariah scholars have divided hijrah, or migration, into four categories: fard (obligatory), haram (forbidden), makruh (disliked), and mubah (permissible).

Immigration is fard when you are forced to change your religion and cannot freely establish your faith in your location, in such case you have to move to another area where you can worship Allah without restraint.

It is haram to immigrate for an evil purpose, to corrupt your faith, or to cause mischief in the land.

It becomes makruh if you feel your religion will come under great risk (in the new land). It is not recommended for Muslims to migrate to the lands where their and their descendant’s religion might be at risk.

And it is mubah if you make sure your faith will remain strong and you will benefit from the new location you want to move to.

Therefore, before you immigrate to any country, you have to make sure your faith will be solid and that you will be able to keep the religious identity of your children safe in face of temptations and evil surroundings. If you are able to do this, then you can move to any place you want.

Tired of Life Difficulties?

Never Despair! Allah’s Mercy Is Always There

Abu Sa`id and Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “No fatigue, nor disease, nor anxiety, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

This world is no more than a test in which all humans are bound to face some hardships and challenges that reveal their patience and steadfastness.

The forms of this test are numerous and diverse: Some people suffer poverty, some suffer physical illnesses, some live in a state of insecurity, some are deprived of their cherished and beloved ones, and still others suffer psychiatric disorders. Referring to this fact, Allah says:

{And surely We shall try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops; but give glad tidings to the patient, Who says, when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return”: They are those on whom (descend) Blessings from Allah and Mercy, and they are the ones that receive guidance.} (Al-Baqarah 2:155-157)

In another verse, He Almighty says: {He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.} (Al-Mulk 67:2)

Since trials and hardships are inevitable, Islam does not let them pass by without instructing Muslims on the best course of action or by guiding them to the safest and most appropriate attitude. The Hadith reveals one dimension of Islam’s recipe for successfully dealing with life’s challenges.

In order to balance the negative effects posed by afflictions, Islam draws our attention to their expected fruit. Problems and troubles serve as means to expiate sins and elevate the believer’s rank in the Hereafter.

This optimistic and positive approach safeguards one from falling prey to despair and grief. Here, it is fitting to cite some Prophetic hadiths that emphasize this concept:

Abu Yahya Suhaib bin Sinan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “How wonderful is the case of a believer; it is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity attends him, he expresses gratitude to Allah and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he endures it patiently and that is good for him” (Muslim).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “He whom Allah intends good, He makes him suffer from some affliction” (Al-Bukhari).

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property, and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record” (At-Tirmidhi).

The above hadiths should not be mistaken for a call to fatalism and defeatism. The message the hadiths convey is that every Muslim should expect hardships and prepare to weather them. This point makes a distinction between one who trusts in Allah and believes in His mercy and one who feels that he is alone in this world, that he faces its formidable challenges isolated from any source of support or assistance.

So, these hadiths are meant to infuse Muslims with hope and vigor and drive away the destructive thoughts of failure and hopelessness. To get a better understanding of them, they should be considered the light of the following hadiths:

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “A strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than a weak one, and both are good.

Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allah for help and do not refrain from it.

(If you are afflicted in any way), do not say: ‘If I had taken this or that step, it would have resulted into such and such,’ but say only: ‘Allah so determined and did as He willed.’ The word ‘if’ opens the gates of satanic (thoughts)” (Muslim).

In line with this hadith comes the Prophet’s advice to his cousin Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) to know that with patience comes victory, with distress, comes relief, and with hardship comes ease.

In this respect, one idea may be a source of worry and disturbance. How can we approach afflictions with such optimism when they are clear signs of Allah’s wrath and manifestations of His punishment? Has not Allah said,

{Whatever misfortune happens to you, is because of the things your hands have wrought, and for many (of them) He grants forgiveness} (Ash-Shura 42:30)?

Actually, these questions haunt many people, especially the practicing ones when they are afflicted with a calamity, deprived of a cherished person, or plagued with an illness. The problem is that in many cases this thought becomes a source of frustration and depression.

Instead of being an incentive to hasten to Allah and drawing closer to him, the idea serves sometimes as a dispiriting factor. So, let’s see how the Companions viewed the above verse and how they took it positively and optimistically.

In his comment on this verse, Imam Al-Qurtubi reports that `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “This verse is the most hopeful one in the Quran; if my sins are to be expiated through afflictions and calamities, and in addition to that, Allah forgives many other sins, then what will remain after such expiation and forgiveness?”

True, life’s disasters leave hearts broken and loved ones deprived, but the bright believer knows how to turn them into a source of determination and a fountain of strength.

I conclude with the beautiful authentic hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that the people who face the harshest trial (bla’) are the prophets, then those next to them (in faith and devotion), and then the next. Everyone will be tried according to his level of faith; one who has strong faith will undergo a harsh trial and one who is of weak faith will receive a weak trial. And the affliction will encompass one until he becomes free of sins altogether.

What The Qur’an Says: Allah’s Unfailing Support

In the name of Allah, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful We shall indeed support Our messengers and the believers both in this world’s life and on the Day when all the witnesses shall stand up. On that Day their excuses will be of no avail to the wrongdoers: their fate will be rejection, and they will have the worst of homes.

And indeed, We bestowed Our guidance on Moses and passed down the Book to the children of Israel as a guide and a reminder to people of understanding. Therefore, remain patient in adversity, for Allah’s promise always comes true. Ask forgiveness for your sins and extol your Lord’s glory and praise evening and morning. (The Forgiving; Ghafir: 40: 51-55)

This passage is given as a comment on the whole episode detailed in a long discourse about Moses and the reaction of Pharaoh to his call on him to abandon his false claim to Allahhead and to believe in Allah’s oneness. It comments on what preceded this long passage of reference to the different communities which suffered Allah’s punishment after taking a negative attitude toward His message. Furthermore, it states Allah’s attitude to the unbelievers as they stubbornly reject the calls of His messengers. Allah’s support is certain to come, not only to Allah’s messengers but to the advocates of the true faith when they follow in the prophets’ footsteps, as indeed happened to the believer in Pharaoh’s household.

This definitive comment suits the decisive situation. We have been given an example of the end of truth and falsehood, both in this world and in the life to come. We have seen what fate befell Pharaoh and his noblemen in this life, and we have seen them disputing in hell, utterly humiliated. Such is the end of these communities, as stated in the Qur’an: “We shall indeed support Our messengers and the believers both in this world’s life and on the Day when all the witnesses shall stand up. On that Day their excuses will be of no avail to the wrongdoers: their fate will be rejection, and they will have the worst of homes.”

As for the life to come, perhaps no believer in life after death will argue about this. They do not find any reason to argue. As for victory in this present world, this may need some explanation.

Allah’s promise is clear and definitive: “We shall indeed support Our messengers and the believers both in this world’s life and…” Yet we see that some messengers were killed, and some had to abandon their homes after being rejected and driven out. Some believers have also been exposed to grievous suffering; some were thrown into the fire pit; some fell martyrs; some live in exceedingly difficult circumstances. What happens, then, to Allah’s promise of support being given to them in this present life? Satan tries hard to exploit this situation, working hard to shake people’s faith.

People, however, use superficial measures when evaluating things, and they overlook many values and facts. They look at a brief period of time and a small area or space. These are limited human measures. A comprehensive look shows the situation to occur in a broad span of time and place. It does not erect limits between one era or place and another. If we look at the question of faith from such a broad perspective, we will see it triumphant, no doubt. Its triumph is the victory of its upholders. They have no existence separate from their existence. The first thing faith requires of them is to dedicate themselves to it completely, so that it is almost as if they disappear while it stays in full vision.

Moreover, people often limit the meaning of victory to a specific outcome they know and can easily recognize. But victory can take different forms, some of which might superficially at least appear akin to defeat.

When Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) was thrown into the fire and remained resolute in his determination to stick to his faith and advocate it, was he in a position of victory or defeat? From a faith perspective, he was undoubtedly at the highest point of victory as he was being cast into the fire. He again triumphed when he was saved from the fire. These are two different images that appear to be poles apart, but they are in fact very close to each other. Al-Husayn, the Prophet’s grandson, met his martyrdom in a way that is tragic from one angle and splendid from another: so was he victorious or vanquished? On the surface, and judging by immediate considerations, it was a defeat. In reality and from a wider perspective, though, it was a true victory. No other martyr excites sympathy and feelings of support, among both Sunnis and Shiites, like Al-Husayn. Indeed, such feelings also apply to many non-Muslims.

Many are the martyrs who achieved their faith through martyrdom which they could never have achieved in life had they lived a thousand years. They could not impress great meanings on people’s minds or motivate them to act like they did with their final sermon, written with their own blood. Their martyrdom provided motivation for their children and grandchildren, and at times they provided the motivation to change history over several generations.

– By Romulo Tangbawan

The First Step to Paradise

Remember that Islam is a state of becoming not a state of being. Each day you must strive to improve and better yourself — and you will improve. The first step in self-development is to concentrate single-mindedly on paradise… Indeed, the one who is unsure of his destiny in life, torn between this world and the next, like one standing with his feet in two separate boats, will be thrown off balance.

Many of the difficulties that we face are due to this lack of commitment and inability to focus on the real and ultimate goal. If you can keep your focus on paradise, then everything else will be possible.

Beginning a New Journey
The selection of the ultimate goal of Paradise must be made consciously and may involve an absolute break with the past. To choose this new goal as the ultimate goal is in fact to choose a new life, to begin a new journey.

Embark on this new journey by refreshing your ablution and offering two rakahs(units) of Salah (prayer) reminding yourself of all the punishment of Hell-fire you have just resolved to avoid at all costs and all the rewards of paradise that you Remind yourself also of the important stations and landmarks on the journey: imagine death as near; imagine the moment when the Angel of Death will declare, “your time is over, now you must follow me”, imagine that moment when you will be made to stand in the presence of Allah, Most High, so that the final judgment of life may be passed on you and imagine the consequences of that judgment.

When you have completed the two rakahs then resolve once more that all efforts will be directed towards achieving paradise, beseech Allah and pray with humility:

“O Allah, I ask for Your mercy and whatever brings me closer to it, in word and deed. O Allah, I ask for a faith that will never vanish, a blessing that will never diminish, a pleasure that will never abate, and the most elevated position in paradise distinguished by the companionship of Your Messenger, Muhammad.”

While improvement in your habits and actions is a life-long process, the desire to achieve it can thus be sparked in a moment. This desire will provide the momentum for attaining your goal — the good pleasure of Allah and paradise.

Your Mission
What Allah requires of you, in Quranic vocabulary, is for you to be a mu’min and mujahid. Having taken the first step and resolved to attain Paradise, you may ask yourself, what does Allah require from me in order for me to succeed?

A mu’min is one who is true and firm in his faith in God.

A mujahid is one who strives his utmost, with all the means at his disposal, to gain God’s pleasure.

If you are a mu’min and a mujahid, Allah, the Most Exalted in Power and yet the Most Compassionate, will assist you to rise to higher stations both in this world and in the Hereafter.

Allah has promised this to those who possess the qualities of iman (faith) and the active resolve for jihad, or struggle. The Quran states:

{The Believers are only those who have attained faith in God and His Messenger and have left all doubt behind, and who strive hard in God’s cause with their possessions and their lives: it is they, they who are true to their word.} (49:15)

You now have a mission: to become a mu’min and mujahid… As you embark upon this mission you may come to feel that your knowledge of Islam is somewhat limited or perhaps that you are unable to attain those heights of submission and purification that you desire or others expect of you.

This is only natural. You must not, however, allow these feelings of personal shortcomings to undermine your efforts to practice Islam.

A State of Becoming
Remember that Islam is a state of becoming not a state of being. Each day you must strive to improve and better yourself — and you will improve.

Tazkiya or this new program for self-improvement that you now find yourself in is a process that unfolds itself step by step.

You cannot expect to change all at once. This is against the laws of nature. The Prophet was always aware of this when he was dealing with his Companions.

Whenever someone embraced Islam, the Prophet would not ask that person to do everything immediately. Instead, he would teach and expect that person to start fulfilling his obligations only as much as he could bear at a time.

This gradual process of change is also clearly reflected in the manner in which the Quran was revealed over a period of 23 years. In all your efforts toward becoming a better believer, you must bear in mind this principle of gradualism, otherwise, you may try to attain the impossible, and when you do not achieve it, you may become frustrated.

A Bargain with the Divine
Once you have committed yourself to Allah, all that you have must be spent in His way.

At this stage, what matters most is that your bargain with Allah, iman, remains sound and firm. This definition of iman is perhaps a little different from the definition you usually hear. It is, however, a definition that we find in the Quran.

Furthermore, attainment of such iman allows you to be counted among the true and sincere servants in the eyes of your Lord. The Quran states:

{Behold, God has bought of the Believers their lives and their possessions, promising them Paradise in return, they fight in God’s cause, and slay, and are slain: a promise which in truth He has willed upon Himself in the Torah, and the Gospel, and the Quran. And who could be more faithful to his covenant than God?} (9:111)

Once you have committed yourself to Allah, all that you have must be spent in His way. This is the ideal. Ideals, however, are always difficult to achieve — and this you must understand and accept. Ideals are always to be pursued; if they are easily and always achievable, they can hardly remain as ideals.

Keeping to your side of the bargain is an ideal you must always seek to maintain.

It is this seeking and this striving to spend all that we have in the way of Allah that is known as jihad and, in this instance, as tazkiya.

By Khurram Murad

What Is Prayer (Salaat)

The Prayer is:

  • The coolness of the eyes of the Holy Prophet Mohammed
  • A pillar of religion
  • The key to paradise
  • The spiritual ascent of the faithful believer
  • The greater Jihad (holy war)
  • A sign of faith
  • Light of the heart
  • The radiance of the face
  • The nourishment of the soul
  • A cause of blessings in the house
  • A cause of abundance in the provision
  • Cure for ailments of the body and soul
  • A light in the gloom of the grave
  • A canopy in the hot sun on the Day of Resurrection
  • An entertainer of the heart amidst the fear of the grave
  • A swift carrier across the thin bridge on the Day of Resurrection
  • A means of attaining forgiveness from sins
  • A barrier between hell and the offerer of Prayers
  • A repeller of the devil
  • A bestower of Allah’s proximity and His favor

After proper acceptance of faith and its inherent beliefs, i.e. the recitation of the Pure Words (Kalemah Tayyebah), the most important duty is that of offering the Prayer.

The Holy Prophet has stated: “The first duty that Allah, the Supreme, has ordained upon my nation is that of offering Prayer, and indeed Prayer is the first thing that will be taken account of on the Day of Resurrection.”

It is also reported in the Hadith that, “Whoever keeps the Prayer established, has kept his religion established – and whoever leaves Prayer has demolished religion”.

It is reported by Syedna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be well pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet said: “Allah the Supreme states, ‘O the son of Adam! Free yourself for My worship, I shall fill your heart with content – and if you do not do so, I shall make you busy in several affairs but not remove your poverty.’ ” (Mishkaat ul Masabeeh, Ibn Majah)

“Be content with five things before (the advent of) the other five: Youth before old age, good health before sickness, prosperity before poverty, a spare time before indulgence in affairs, and life before death.” (Hadith reported in Tirmizi)

Regrettably, the Muslims of this age have forgotten Prayer. Most people do not have the time for it, whereas some people do offer their Prayers but do not know the proper way of offering them. It is imperative to learn the correct way of offering the Prayer and to offer all the 5 Obligatory Prayers with the congregation.

This concise book attempts to highlight the importance, excellence, mode, and rules of Prayer from the Holy Quran, Hadith, books of Hanafi Jurisprudence, Fatawa Razvia and Bahaare Shariat. May Allah grant all Muslims the guidance to seek religious knowledge and to act upon it – A’ameen (and through the supplications of the Holy Prophet ).

What Is Islam?

What is Islam?
Islam is an Arabic word meaning “surrender” or “submission.” It is a faith that encompasses approximately one-fifth of humanity. Its adherents reside in almost every country of the world and comprise majorities in large segments of Africa, the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent, and Asia. Approximately more than 6 million Americans follow Islam.

The Origins of Islam
The historical origins of Islam date back to seventh-century Arabia. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), an aristocratic Arabian born and raised an orphan in the sanctuary city of Makkah, experienced a revelation in his fortieth year. He began to preach to his own people, most of whom initially persecuted him. After thirteen years of suffering with patience and endurance, he migrated to the nearby city of Madinah. For over twenty-three years, beginning in 610 C.E., the Prophet orally transmitted the Qur’an. Muslims believe the Qur’an was revealed from God through the archangel Gabriel. In it, a cosmology, a theology, and an elaborate eschatology are described. By the end of the Prophet’s life in 632 C.E., almost the entire Arabian Peninsula had converted from paganism to Islam, and within a hundred years, its followers stretched from France to China.

Although considered the youngest of the three great Abrahamic faiths that include Judaism and Christianity, Islam does not view itself as a new religion but rather as a reformed Abrahamic faith. Muslims believe that the Qur’an corrects distortions of previous prophetic dispensations while not departing from the aboriginal faith of humanity, which according to the Muslims is Islam or submission to one God. While Muslims believe all prophets have taught the unity of God and that their beliefs about God were the same, their actual practices have changed to suit various times and places. According to Muslims, this is why religions tend to differ outwardly while retaining an essential inward truth common to them all. However, the Qur’an declares its message as uniquely universal applying to all people for all remaining time.

Ultimate Victory Will Be For The Believers But Only After Succeeding In Trials

Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you?” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 214]

Every believer will have to go through the tests of Eeman in order to attain victory in this world and Paradise in the Hereafter.

Allah will test every believing slave according to his level of faith

Allah said: “Alif-Laam-Meem. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘We believe,’ and will not be tested?” [Soorah al-Ankaboot (29): 1-3] This is an admonition in the form of a question, meaning that Allah will inevitably test His believing servants according to their level of faith, as it is recorded in the authentic Hadeeth. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said: “The people most severely tested are the Prophets, then the righteous, then the next best and the next best. A man will be tested in accordance with the degree of his religious commitment; the stronger his religious commitment, the stronger his test.” [Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi (7:78)]
But those who are not believers will not escape such trials and tests for ahead of them lies a severe punishment as Allah says: “Or think those who do evil deeds that they can outstrip (escape) Us? Evil is that which they judge!” [Soorah al-Ankaboot (29): 4]

“Allah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are now until He distinguished the wicked from the good.” [Soorah al-Imran (3): 179] Allah allows a calamity to happen, and during this calamity, His friends become known and His enemies exposed, the patient believer recognized and the sinful hypocrite revealed. “Nor will Allah disclose to you the secrets of the Unseen.” [Soorah al-Imran (3): 179] meaning you do not have access to Allah’s Knowledge of His creation so that you can distinguish between the believer and the hypocrite, except by signs that Allah uncovers.

Even Previous Nations were tried and tested with calamities and oppression from the Kuffar but the Final Victory is always for the believers

In an authentic Hadeeth, it is reported that Khabbab Ibn al-Aratt said: “We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Why do you not invoke Allah to support us? Why do you not supplicate to Allah for us?’ He said: “Among the people who came before you, there was a man who was taken and put into a hole dug for him in the earth, then a saw was put on his head and he was cut into two pieces, and an iron comb was used to tear the flesh from his bones, but this still did not turn him away from his religion.” [Reported by al-Bukharee, see Fath al-Baaree, (12/315)] He (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) then said: “By Allah! This matter (religion) will spread (or expand) by Allah until the traveler leaves San’aa to Hadramat fearing nothing except Allah and the wolf that may attack his sheep.” [See Fath al-Baree (7/165)]

Allah says: “Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said: ‘When (will come) the help of Allah?’ Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near!” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 214] Meaning that you will be tested like the nations before you were tested and tried with illness, pain, disasters, and hardships so much that they pleaded (to Allah) for victory against the enemies and invoked Him for aid and deliverance from their hardships and trials.

Allah says in Soorah al-Imran, “Many similar ways (and mishaps of life) were faced [by nations (by believers and disbelievers) that have passed away] before you, so travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those who denied. This is a plain statement for mankind, a guidance, and instruction for the Muttaqun. So do not become weak, nor be sad, and you will be triumphant if you are indeed believers. If a wound has touched you, be sure a similar wound has touched the others. And so are the days, that We give to men by turns, that Allah may know (test) those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allah likes not the wrongdoers. And that Allah may test those who believe and destroy the disbelievers. Do you think that you will enter Paradise without Allah knowing those of you who fought (in His cause) and knowing those who are the patient?” [Soorah al-Imran (3): 142]

These verses were revealed after the defeat of Muslims in the battle of Uhud. Allah states to His believing servants who suffered losses in the battle of Uhud that similar mishaps were faced by the previous nations who followed the Prophet, they too suffered losses. However, the good end was theirs and the ultimate defeat was for the disbelievers. This is why Allah said: “so travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who denied. This is a plain statement for mankind.” The Qur’an contains the news of the past, it explains the true reality of things and narrates how the previous nations suffered at the hands of their enemies.

Then Allah comforts the believers saying, “So do not become weak,” because of what you suffered for surely the ultimate victory and triumph will be yours, O believers. If you suffered injuries and some of you were killed, then your enemies also suffered injuries and fatalities.

And at times, out of His Wisdom, Allah allows the enemy to overcome you, although the final good end will be for the believers so that those who are patient and those who gladly offer their lives seeking Allah’s Pleasure may be known. Allah’s statement, “and destroy the disbelievers” testifies that the disbelievers who transgress and commit aggression will be led to ultimate destruction, extermination, perishing, and dying out.

Then Allah says, “Do you think that you will enter Paradise without Allah knowing those of you who fought (in His cause) and knowing those who are the patient?” meaning you will not earn Paradise until you are tested with such hardships.

When the Emperor of Rome asked Abu Sufyan, “Did you fight him (Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi was-sallam)?” He said: “Yes,” Heracles said: “What was the outcome of the warfare between you?” Abu Sufyan replied: “Sometimes we lose and sometimes he loses.” He said: “Such is the case with Prophets, they are tested, but the final victory is theirs.” [Fath al-Baree (9: 25)]

See how Allah consolidates His Prophet during his (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) trials, when the Quraysh disbelieved in his Message, mocked, and gathered together against him. Allah explained: “And how many a Prophet have We sent among the men of old. And never came there a Prophet to them but they used to mock at him. Then We destroyed men stronger (in power) than these and the example of the ancients has passed away.” [Soorah az-Zukhruf (43): 6-8] meaning ‘We destroyed those who disbelieved in the Messengers, and they were stronger in power than those who disbelieve in you, O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam). And We made them a lesson for those disbelievers who came after them, that they would suffer the same end as them, as also in the verse, “And We made them a precedent, and an example to later generations.” [Soorah az-Zukhruf (43): 56]

Allah also explained in Soorah Ghafir that it is His Sunnah to humiliate and destroy the disbelievers at the hands of believers, even if the disbelievers were more in number and strength and the believers only a handful. “Have they not traveled through the earth and seen what was the end of those before them? They were more in number than them and mightier in strength and in the traces in the land; yet all they used to earn availed them not. Then when their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, they were glad (and proud) with that which they had of the knowledge (of worldly things). And that at which they used to mock, surrounded them. So when they saw Our punishment, they said: ‘We believe in Allah and reject (all) that we used to associate with Him as (His) partners.’ Then their faith could not avail them when they saw Our punishment. (Like) This has been the way of Allah in dealing with His servants. And there the disbelievers lost utterly.” [Soorah Ghafir (40): 85]

A good example can be given of Musa (alaihi as-salaam) and his enemy; Firawn, who had much more strength and men than Musa (alaihi as-salaam). But Allah destroyed his army and drowned them all, and Firawn said as he was drowning, “I believe that none has the right to be worshiped but He Whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am one of the Muslims.” [Soorah an-Anfal (10): 90] but Allah said: “Now (you believe) while you refused to believe before, and you were one of the corrupters.” [Soorah an-Anfal (10): 91]

Thus, “That was the way of Allah in the case of those who passed away of old, and you will not find any change in the way of Allah.” [Soorah Ahzab (33): 62] Therefore, the believers are required to trust Allah and His Promise that He will surely humiliate and destroy the disbelievers who commit oppression against the believers. But until then, the believers should persevere with patience in their trials because victory will only come after succeeding in these trials.

The Sahabah (radhi allahu anhum) were severely tortured by the disbelievers. They were forced to migrate leaving behind their family members and relatives and all their wealth and belongings. But they persisted in their Faith bore the oppression of the Kuffar in Makkah for ten years and then the hardships of migration to al-Medina, after which, Allah compensated them with the better in this world; He made them victorious, gave them power throughout the land and caused them to rule over the people who had forced them to migrate – they became governors and rulers, and each of them became a leader of the pious.

Allah tells us that His reward for the Muhajirin (migrants) in the Hereafter is greater than which He gave them in this world. He said: “and as for those who emigrated for the Cause of Allah, after suffering oppression, We will certainly give them goodly residence in this world, but indeed the reward of the Hereafter will be greater if they but knew! (They are) those who remained patient (in this world for Allah’s sake) and put their trust in their Lord” [Soorah an-Nahl (16): 41-42]

Conclusion: Every person who claims to be a true Muslim will be tested and tried by Allah. These trials can be in the form of starvation, famine, or oppression from the disbelievers. When these trials take place, the believer is expected to succeed in these tests by practicing Sabr (patience), Tawakkul (trust in Allah that He will help him and support the religion), and with Istiqama (steadfastness) on his Deen because Allah does not grant Paradise or victory without Sabr, Tawakkul and Istiqama on the part of the believers.

One should also not deem that those who do not accept Islam will be saved from all afflictions and calamities because the respite given to them in this world will lead them to eternal destruction in Hell-Fire! Whereas the believers who are tested with calamities that are very insignificant compared to the punishment of the Hereafter will be granted eternal pleasure in Paradise where there will be no trace of any hardship or suffering

From As-Sunnah Bi-Monthly Newsletter (19)
Compiled by Shawana A. Aziz

What the Qur’an Teaches: Why Hate Oneself

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful The unbelievers will be addressed:

“Indeed, greater than your present loathing of yourselves is God’s loathing of you when you were called to the faith and you rejected it.” They will say: “Our Lord! Twice have You caused us to die, just as twice You have brought us to life! Now that we have recognized our sins, is there any way out?” [They will be told]: “This is all because when God alone was invoked, you denied this truth; whereas, when partners were associated with Him, you believed in them! All judgment rests with God, the Exalted, the Supreme One.” He is who shows you His signs and sends down sustenance from the sky for you. Yet only those who turn to God will take heed. (The Forgiving, Ghafir; 40: 10-13)

The verses just before this passage drew an image of certain angels, the carriers of God’s throne, and those surrounding it. It shows them in supplication, address their prayer to God appealing for His grace to be bestowed on believers, their brethren in faith. Now the surah gives a contrasting image of the unbelievers who find themselves in a totally different capacity. Everyone is looking for support, but none is to be found. In fact, all bonds with all beings and things in the universe are severed. They are called out so that they can listen to the rebuke coming from all directions. The arrogance they demonstrated in this life is turned now into humiliation. They want to place their hopes in someone, but none is available to encourage their hopes:

The Arabic text uses the strongest word for hate. We see them addressed from all corners and told that God’s loathing of them when they were called upon to believe and still rejected the faith is far stronger than their feelings of hate toward themselves as they realize to what end they have brought themselves. They realize how different their fate could have been, had they responded to the call to faith before it was too late. This reminder is exceptionally painful for them in their newly difficult situation.

Now that all delusion is gone, they realize that the only one to turn to is God Himself; and so they do: “They will say: Our Lord! Twice have You caused us to die, just as twice You have brought us to life! Now that we have recognized our sins, is there any way out?” Their words betray their misery and despair. They call out: ‘Our Lord!’ Yet they had once denied Him and rejected His message. You gave us life the first time when You breathed of Your spirit into what was dead and thus You gave it life and we became alive. Again You have given us life after we died. We are now turning to You because You are the only One who can save us from the misery we are in. We acknowledge our faults and admit our sins. Is there, then, a way out of this misery?

Their appeal betrays the direness of their situation. They are in bitter despair. They are made to see the reason for their plight: “This is all because when God alone was invoked, you denied this truth; whereas, when partners were associated with Him, you believed in them! All judgment rests with God, the Exalted, the Supreme One.” This is what has brought you to your present position of humiliation. You denied God’s oneness and attributed partners to Him. All judgment, then, rests with Him, the Exalted, the Supreme. Both attributes fit well with the position of judgment. He is Exalted above all things and Superior to all beings.

The surah now dwells on one of God’s attributes that fit with His exalted position. The believers are instructed to address their prayers to Him, associating no partners with Him and to be sincere in their devotion to Him alone. The surah also refers to the fact of revelation so as to give a warning about the day when all mankind will be brought together for judgment, reward and punishment. On that day, all dominion and sovereignty belong to God alone.

“He is who shows you His signs.” God’s signs are seen in everything in the universe: in the great bodies such as the sun and the planets, and also in the great phenomena such as the day and night, rain, thunder, and lightning. Likewise, they are seen in minute things such as the atom, cell, leaf, or flower. In each of these, there is a miraculous sign which appears clearly when man tries to imitate it, let alone initiate it. Never can manfully imitate even the simplest little thing God has created.

And He is who “sends down sustenance from the sky for you.” Of all the sustenance God sends down people know best the rain, which is the origin of life on earth and the source of food and drink. Yet there is so much more than the rain that God sends down and people learn about this gradually. Part of it consists of the rays that are necessary for life on earth. Such sustenance may also include the divine messages that have provided guidance for mankind ever since the early stages of human life on earth. They showed the man the right way and provided sound codes for living.

“Yet only those who turn to God will take heed.” It is the one who turns to God that remembers His grace as well as His signs and revelations which the unbelievers, with hardened hearts, prefer to ignore.

– by Adil Salahi