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Prophet Jonah (PBUH)

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the All-Compassionate
“May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You”

Praise be to Allah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam ‘ala Rasulillah
As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu

Prophet Yunus (Jonah)
Prophet Jonah (Yunus) (PBUH), also known as Dhan-Nun. About his people, Almighty Allah said: “Was there any town community that believed after seeing the punishment, and its Faith at that moment, saved it from the punishment? (the answer is none)–except the people of Jonah; when they believed, We removed from them the torment of disgrace in the life of the present world, and permitted them to enjoy for a while.” (Ch 10:98 Quran)

The inhabitants of the town of Nineveh were idolaters who lived a shameless life. Prophet Jonah (PBUH) was sent to teach them the worship of Allah. The people disliked his interference in their way of worship, so they argued. “We and our forefathers have worshiped these gods for many years, and no harm has come to us.”

Jonah Leaves His People
Try as he might to convince them of the foolishness of idolatry and of the goodness of Allah’s laws, they ignored him. He warned them that if they kept on with their foolishness, Allah’s punishment would soon follow. Instead of fearing Allah, they told Jonah that they were not afraid of his threats. “Let it happen,” they told him. Jonah was disheartened. “In that case, I will leave you to your misery!” So saying, he left Nineveh, fearing that Allah’s anger would soon follow.

“Remember Dhan Nun (Jonah), when he went off in anger, and imagined that We shall not punish him (the calamities which had befallen him)! (ch 21:87)

The People are Forgiven
Hardly had he left the city when the skies began to change color and looked as if they were on fire. The people were filled with fear at the sight of this. They recalled the destruction of the people of Ad, Thamud, and Noah. Was theirs to be a similar fate? Slowly, faith penetrated their hearts. They all gathered on the mountain and started to beseech Allah for His mercy and forgiveness. The mountains echoed with their cries. It was a momentous hour, filled with sincere repentance.

Declaration Of The Prophet Of Islam

[Quran – 10:104] “O ye men, if you are in doubt concerning my religion, then know that I worship not those whom you worship instead of ALLAH, but I worship ALLAH alone………”

The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has said :
[Bukhari, Book #2, Hadith #42] “Narrated Anas: The Prophet said, “Whoever said” None has the right to be worshiped but Allah and has in his heart good (faith) equal to the weight of a barley grain will be taken out of Hell. And whoever said: “None has the right to be worshiped but Allah and has in his heart good (faith) equal to the weight of a wheat grain will be taken out of Hell. And whoever said, “None has the right to be worshiped but Allah and has in his heart good (faith) equal to the weight of an atom will be taken out of Hell.”

In Search Of The Prophet

I found my source of adoration for you in the love and respect that the Almighty has proclaimed for you; in the honor that He bestowed upon you; in His confirmation of you as “the ultimate exemplar”; “seal of Prophets” and “mercy unto all existence”.

O Prophet of Allah, where shall I find the source of my adoration for you? I have memorized hundreds of your sayings since my youth, taught your seerah (example) to numerous students, grown a beard, used the miswaak, sang, and proudly taught others odes (qasidahs) in praise of you. But I did not find you in these rituals nor did any of these make me anymore like you; rather they merely flung me into the fray of insignificant debates in the arena of so many of the sunnahless Muslims who see your Sunnah only as an endless array of harsh laws and practices or as some justification for their cultural tendencies. O Allah, save me from being of those who consider the Sunnah of Thy beloved as being expressed only through aimless imitations and who know Thy Prophet only as a conveyor of commands and warnings. O Prophet of Allah, I did not truly find you in the books of fatawa (religious edicts), nor in grand seminars and conferences throughout the world, and certainly not in the harsh arguments between groups proclaiming mutually exclusive rights over you. I found my source of adoration for you in the love and respect that the Almighty has proclaimed for you; in the honor that He bestowed upon you; in His confirmation of you as “the ultimate exemplar”; “seal of Prophets” and “mercy unto all existence”. Allah has elevated the very memory of you and has made His boundless love accessible through obedience to you. I catch but a dimension of you through the instances of compassion you extended to others; how you played with the poor orphaned boy when other children refused to play with him, how you prolonged your prostration out of consideration that your change in posture may inconvenience or hurt your beloved grandson who had climbed on your back; how you blessed with Paradise the sinful woman for saving the life of a cat by making the water of the well accessible with her shoes; how you intervened and prevented a man from abusing his wife by teaching him that “the best of men are those who treat their wives the best”; how you patched your clothes, mended your shoes and did your daily household chores; how you wrestled with your nephew and raced with your wife; how you joked with the kids and carried the baggage of the elderly; how you hosted the Christians of Najran in your mosque and stood up to honor the bier of a Jew. O Prophet of Allah, why is it that so many of us who claim to be of you refuse to be like you. We sing for you and dress like you, but do not come near fulfilling the expression of love, care, and beauty that is generated from yourself. Why is it that we see in you that which suits our cultural, organizational, and chauvinistic interests, yet ignore the essence of what is essential to your being. Others who are not of you proclaim the multidimensional and multi-faceted nature of your personality. “The personality of Muhammad is most difficult to get the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of him I can catch. What dramatic succession of picturesque scenes? There is Muhammad (PBUH) the Prophet; there is Muhammad (PBUH) the General; Muhammad (PBUH) the King; Muhammad (PBUH) the Warrior; Muhammad (PBUH) the Businessman; Muhammad (PBUH) the Preacher; Muhammad (PBUH) the Philosopher; Muhammad (PBUH) the Statesman; Muhammad (PBUH) the Orator; Muhammad (PBUH) the Reformer; Muhammad (PBUH) the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad (PBUH) the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad (PBUH) the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad (PBUH) the Judge; Muhammad (PBUH) the Saint… In all these magnificent roles and all these departments of human activities, he is equally a hero.” (Professor Ramakrishna Rao). O Prophet! Your life example is an integrated biography, history, and law; it is above all a model of excellence. O Prophet of Allah, you have certainly been adored by many much more worthy than I. Yet, neither the inability to capture my appreciation of you with the eloquence of poets nor my weakness as a believer debars me from qualifying as one who adores you; for in the commemoration of your being do I find the dignity and honor of my existence.

Sadullah Khan

 

I Am Pleased With Allah As Lord, Islam As Religion, Muhammad As Prophet

Sunan of Abu-DawoodHadith 5054 Narrated by A man
Abu Sallam said that he was in the mosque of Hims. A man passed him and the people said about him that he served the Prophet (peace be upon him). He (Abu Sallam) went to him and said: Tell me any tradition which you heard from the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) and there was no man between him and you. He said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) say: If anyone says in the morning and in the evening: “I am pleased with Allah as Lord, with Islam as religion, with Muhammad as Prophet,” Allah will certainly please him.

pleased with their striving,- (Chapter #88, Verse #9)

Thy Guardian-Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased. (Chapter #93, Verse #3)

And soon will thy Guardian-Lord give thee (that wherewith) thou shalt be well-pleased. (Chapter #93, Verse #5)

If ye reject (Allah), Truly Allah hath no need of you; but He liketh not ingratitude from His servants: if ye are grateful, He is pleased with you. No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. In the end, to your Lord is your Return, when He will tell you the truth of all that ye did (in this life). for He knoweth well all that is in (men’s) hearts. (Chapter #39, Verse #7)

The vanguard (of Islam)- the first of those who forsook (their homes) and of those who gave them aid, and (also) those who follow them in (all) good deeds,- well-pleased is Allah with them, as are they with Him: for them hath He prepared gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein for ever: that is the supreme felicity. (Chapter #9, Verse #100)

Their reward is with Allah. Gardens of Eternity, beneath which rivers flow; they will dwell therein forever; Allah well pleased with them, and they with Him: all this for such as fear their Lord and Cherisher. (Chapter #98, Verse #8)

Prophet Of Islam (Peace Be Upon Him) With Guidance And Knowledge For The Mankind

[ALLAH’S Quran – 9:128] “INDEED, there has come unto you [O mankind] an Apostle from among yourselves: heavily weighs -upon him [the thought] that you might suffer [in the life to come]; full of concern for you [is he, and] full of compassion and mercy towards the believers.”

The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) has said :
[Bukhari, Book #3, Hadith #79] “Narrated Abu Musa: The Prophet said, “The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it, and for irrigation of the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah’s religion and gets the benefit (from the knowledge) that Allah has revealed through me (the Prophets and learns and then teaches others. The last example is that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah’s guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.)”

Who Is Muhammad And How Did He Become A prophet And Messenger Of God

Who is Muhammad?

Muhammad [PBUH] was born in Makkah in the year 570, at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity, and sincerity, so he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative. Muhammad [peace be upon him] was of a deeply religious nature and had long detested the decadence of his society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the ‘Mountain of Light’ near Makkah.

How did he become a prophet and messenger of God?

At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad [pbuh] received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation continued for twenty-three years and is known as the Qur’an. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecutions, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra, ‘migration’, in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.

After several years, the Prophet [peace be upon him] and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet [pbuh] died at the age of 63, the more significant part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death, Islam had spread to Spain in the west and as far east as China.

What is the Ka’aba?

The Ka’aba is the place of worship that God commanded Abraham and Ishmael to build over four thousand years ago. The building was constructed of stone on what many believe was the original site of a sanctuary established by Adam. God commanded Abraham to summon all mankind to visit this place, and when pilgrims go there today they say ‘At thy service, O Lord’, in response to Abraham’s summons.

How did the spread of Islam affect the world?

Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity of its doctrine — Islam calls for faith in only One God worthy of worship. It also repeatedly instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and observation. Within a few years, great civilizations and universities were flourishing, for according to the Prophet [pbuh], ‘seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman’. The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas and of new thought with old brought about great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history. Many crucial systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and also the concept of the zero [vital to the advancement of mathematics], were transmitted to medieval Europe from Islam. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant, and good navigational maps.

What Is Islam And Who Are The Muslims

What is Islam?

Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God revealed through all His prophets to every people. For a fifth of the world’s population, Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith.

Who are the Muslims?

Over one billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities, and cultures across the globe — from the southern Philippines to Nigeria — are united by their common Islamic faith. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world’s largest Muslim community is in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa are Muslims, while significant minorities are to be found in the Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe.

What do Muslims believe?

Muslims believe in One, Unique, Incomparable God; in the Angels created by Him; in the prophets through whom His revelations were brought to mankind; in the Day of Judgment and individual accountability for actions; in God’s complete authority over human destiny and in life after death. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus, peace be upon them. But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up of all that has gone before was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him] through Gabriel.

How does someone become a Muslim?

Simply by saying, ‘There is no god apart from God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.’ By this declaration the believer announces his or her faith in all God’s messengers, and the scriptures they brought.

What does ‘Islam’ mean?

The Arabic word ‘Islam’ simply means ‘submission’, and derives from a word meaning ‘peace’. In a religious context, it means complete submission to the will of God. ‘Mohammedanism’ is thus a misnomer because it suggests that Muslims worship Muhammad [peace be upon him] rather than God. ‘Allah’ is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike.

Do Islam and Christianity have different origins?

No. Together with Judaism, they go back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham, and their three prophets are directly descended from his sons — Muhammad [peace be upon him] from the eldest, Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus [peace be upon him] from Isaac. Abraham established the settlement that today is the city of Makkah, and built the Ka’aba towards which all Muslims turn when they pray.

Jonah And The Whale

In the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever Merciful Jonah too was one of Our messengers. He deserted, going on the laden ship. They cast lots, and he was the one who lost. The whale swallowed him, for he was to blame. Had he not been of those who truly glorified God, he would have remained in the whale’s belly till Resurrection Day. We caused him to be cast out, sick, on a barren shore and caused a gourd tree to grow over him. Then We sent him to (a community of) one hundred thousand or more, They believed, so We let them enjoy life for a while. (Ranged in Rank, Al-Saffat: 37: 139-148)

After giving us the powerful scene of the sacrifice Abraham and Ishmael were required to give, in fulfillment of God’s command, the surah gave us a few glimpses of some of Abraham’s descendants including Isaac, Moses, Aaron, and Elijah, then added a glimpse of Lot and the fate of his people. The last of these glimpses from the history of earlier messengers is the one we are looking at today. It concerns Jonah and what happened to him.

The Qur’an does not mention where Jonah’s people lived, but it is understood that they were not far from the sea. Reports tell us that Jonah was frustrated by his people’s continued denial of his message and the truth it made clear. He warned them against God’s impending punishment and then abandoned them in anger. His anger led him to the seashore, where he boarded a laden ship.

When the ship was in the middle of the sea, it was hit by a raging storm. It was widely believed at that time that such a disaster signaled that among the passengers there must be someone who had incurred God’s anger. For the ship to withstand the storm that person had to be thrown overboard.

They, thus, drew lots and Jonah was the one who lost. Although they knew him to be a virtuous and God-fearing man, the drawing of his lot was confirmed. Therefore, they threw him into the sea, or he might have jumped himself.

Nonetheless, he was swallowed by the whale, deserving of blame, because he had abandoned the assignment God had given him, leaving his people in anger before seeking God’s permission.

When he felt acute distress inside the whale’s belly, he glorified God and prayed for His forgiveness, stating that he had wronged himself. He said in his prayer: “There is no deity other than You! Limitless are You in Your glory! I have done wrong indeed!” God answered his prayer, and the whale cast him out.

The surah makes it clear that “had he not been of those who truly glorified God, he would have remained in the whale’s belly till Resurrection Day.” When he was cast out, he was both sick and naked. Therefore God “caused a gourd tree to grow over him,” its broad leaves covering him. It also protected him against flies, which are said not to come near this plant. This was part of the favor God bestowed on him. When he had recovered, God returned him to the people whom he had left in anger. In turn, they feared that his warnings would come true, and they believed, praying for God’s forgiveness. God thus accepted them, sparing them the punishment He inflicts on people who deny His message: “They believed, so We let them enjoy life for a while.” They numbered a hundred thousand or more, and all of them became believers.

This brief account of Jonah’s story explains the fate of those who believe, so contrasting the fate of the unbelievers in the other stories. Let the Arabs, who received the message of Muhammad (peace be upon him), choose which fate they prefer.

After this comes the last part in which the surah builds on the main themes already discussed, particularly the historical accounts given in the second part which explain the true nature of the relation between God and His servants to refute the superstitions circulated among the Arabs. In one such superstition, the Arabs claimed that the angels were God’s daughters, and in another, they alleged that a marriage relation existed between God and the jinn. The surah now puts before them what they said before God’s message was delivered to them.

This was when they expressed dear hopes that God would send them a messenger and when they emphasized that they would follow the guidance such a messenger provided. Yet when God sent them the Messenger they asked for they resorted to disbelief. The surah concludes by stating God’s promise to His messengers that they will end victorious, disassociating God from all the unbelievers’ claims, and praising God, the Lord of all the worlds.

– Commentary by Sayyid Qutb

When An Order Admits Two Interpretations

Abdullah Ibn Umar reports: “When we returned home after the siege by the confederate tribes was ended, the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered us: ‘No one should offer the Asr prayer except at the Qurayzah quarters. Some of us were still on the way when Asr was due. Some said that they would not pray until they arrived at Qurayzah, while others said that they would pray on the way because the Prophet did not wish anyone to delay prayers until its time was over. The Prophet was told of this, and he did not reproach either group.” (Related by Al-Bukhari)

The siege referred to in this hadith was when the combined forces of major Arabian tribes, together with their Jewish allies, besieged Madinah, with the declared aim of exterminating Islam and all Muslims. The Prophet and his companions dug a moat along the area where these forces could enter Madinah, which was wide and deep enough to prevent any breach of their lines.

The Muslims were able to hold on indefinitely because their enemy could not force entry, no matter how much they tried. Only after the Jewish tribe of Qurayzah, bound by a treaty of friendship and alliance with the Muslims, decided to switch sides and attack the Muslims from behind, the Muslims were in real danger. Still, the Muslims were determined to continue with their resistance. Ultimately, the Muslims were able to create doubts among the various parties of their enemies, which led to the withdrawal of the Arabian tribes, humiliated and defeated without even putting up a fight. The Muslims were then able to go to their homes to rest.

However, on orders from God, the Prophet sent out callers requiring all Muslims to move against the traitors of Qurayzah. The order was in the terms set out in the quoted hadith: ‘No one should offer the Asr prayer except at the Qurayzah quarters.’ The Prophet’s companions immediately complied with the Prophet’s order, as they always did. They set out in small groups, heading to Qurayzah’s forts where they would join the Prophet.

As they marched on, quite a long distance that took more than a couple of hours, it was time for Asr’s prayer. They feared that by the time they would reach their destination they would have missed their prayer, as the sun would have set. Some of them argued that the Prophet did not wish them to miss their prayer; rather, he only indicated the urgency of setting out. Therefore, they stopped to pray on the way, before they resumed their march. Others took the order quite literally. They argued that the occasion was special and, therefore, the Prophet wanted them to get to the Qurayzah quarter so that they would pray there. Hence, they did not stop. Although they arrived after sunset, which meant that the time range for Asr had passed, they prayed it on arrival.

The reporter of the hadith makes clear that the Prophet did not take issue with either group. He accepted both as correct. This is an indication that some situations admit more than one acceptable alternative. If one exercises one’s discretion to arrive at the right choice, God will accept that and reward him for it, even if he is wrong. The Prophet says that a scholar who exercises scholarly discretion to arrive at a ruling will be given a double reward if he is right and a single reward if he is wrong.

– by Adil Salahi

Prophethood In Islam

Prophethood in Islam has a special status and significance. According to Islam, Allah created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know the role and purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what Allah wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus Allah had chosen from every nation a prophet or more to convey His Message to people. One might ask: How were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor? Prophethood is Allah’s blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:

1 . He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet’s life serves as a model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message he is infallible.

2. He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an impostor. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superiors. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of the major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Moses’ contemporaries excelled in magic. So his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his days. Jesus’ contemporaries were recognized as skillful physicians. Therefore, his miracles were to raise the dead and cure incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad, were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So Prophet Muhammad’s major miracle was the Qur’an, the equivalent of which the whole legion of Arab poets and orators could not produce despite the repeated challenge from the Qur’an itself.
Again Muhammad’s miracle has something special about it. All previous miracles were limited by time and place, i.e., they were shown to specific people at a specific time. Not so the miracle of Muhammad, the Qur’an. It is a universal and everlasting miracle.

Previous generations witnessed it and future generations will witness its miraculous nature in terms of its style, content, and spiritual upliftment. These still can be tested and will thereby prove the divine origin of the Qur’an.

3. Every prophet states clearly that what he receives is not of his own but from God for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him.

A prophet does this to show that he is simply conveying the message which is entrusted to him by the One True God of all people of all ages. So the message is one in essence and for the same purpose.

Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealed before him or what might come after him. Prophets are necessary for conveying God’s instructions and guidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What will happen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable for our actions? In other words, is there any reward or punishment for our deeds in this life? These and so many other questions about God, angels, paradise, hell, etc. cannot be answered without revelation from the Creator and All-Knower of the unseen.

Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect.
That is why messengers are the select of their societies in terms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.