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Consideration for Neighbors

Your neighbor has rights over you

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is loved by all Muslims. He is well honoured and respected by countless others and considered influential in both religious and secular circles.

Mahatma Ghandi described him as scrupulous about pledges, intense in his devotion to his friends and followers, intrepid, fearless, and with absolute trust in Almighty Allah and in his own mission. Muslims all around the world consider him the example to follow in their worship and dealings with others.

The religion of Islam, as taught to us by Prophet Muhammad, urges kind and considerate treatment towards our neighbors. They deserve our respect and good treatment regardless of their religion, race, or colour. In a hadith narrated by `A’ishah, Prophet Muhammad said, “Gabriel continued to advise me to treat neighbors well until I thought he would make them my heirs” (Muslim). This clearly indicates that neighbors’s rights are indeed great.

Commanding the good treatment of neighbors in the Qur’an, Almighty Allah says:

Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer, and those whom your right hands possess. Verily, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful. (An-Nisa’ 4:36)

The men and women around the Prophet were constantly reminded of their obligations to their Lord and to one another, including kindness to neighbors. In a hadith, he reportedly said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him not harm or annoy his neighbor.” He also reminded — not only his Companions, but all of us who follow him — that a true believer in Allah does not allow his brother or sister to go hungry or live in unfortunate conditions, while he or she is able to help. Today, in a time when old people die alone and forgotten, and when our neighbors both near and far go hungry whilst we have food, we would do well to remember the examples set by our righteous predecessors.

Abu Dhar, one of the close Companions, was told by Prophet Muhammad to add extra water to his broth in order to be able to offer some to his neighbors. Another Companion, `Abdullah ibn `Amr, once asked his servant after slaughtering a sheep, “Did you give some to our Jewish neighbor?”

A believer is encouraged to give gifts even if they are of little monetary value. The true value of the gift is the generous spirit with which it is given. The giving of gifts fosters friendship and mutual support. When the Prophet’s wife `A’ishah asked him about which neighbors she could send gifts to, he replied, “To the one whose door is closest to yours.” Although the closest neighbors are more entitled to our care and interest, Islam urges us to take care of all our neighbors. It is a system that takes into consideration the needs and feelings of others in the greater community.

When one truly understands the teachings of Islam, he or she begins to see that if one member of a community suffers, the whole community feels the pain. After family, neighbors are the people that we depend on the most in times of need and trouble. A bad relationship with neighbors can make life miserable. It is important that people who share a neighborhood be able to trust and rely on each other, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. Neighbors need to feel secure that both their honor and wealth are safe. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) described a good neighbor as one of the joys in a Muslim’s life; he said, “Among the things that bring happiness to a believer in this life are a righteous neighbor, a spacious house, and a good steed” (Al-Hakim). A good neighbor is one who guarantees comfort, security, and safety. For this reason, it is important that one who believes in and obeys Allah does not spare any effort in being considerate of and generous to the neighbors.

Prophet Muhammad warned his Companions against harming or upsetting neighbors. In a hadith reported by Imam Ahmad that is as true today as it was 1400 years ago, the Prophet was asked about a certain woman who prayed and fasted more than was obligatory upon her, and gave generously in charity, but unfortunately, she did not refrain from speaking harshly to her neighbors. He described her as being one of the people of Hell, who would be punished for this. In the same hadith, he was asked about another woman who fulfilled only her obligatory duties and gave very little in charity; however, her neighbors were safe from her harsh tongue and she offended no one. Prophet Muhammad described her as among the people of Paradise. The religion of Islam places great emphasis on the solidarity of families, neighborhoods, and the wider community,

Dealing with a Bad Neighbor

Islam advises its followers to be kind and considerate of neighbors. What happens, however, if one has a neighbor who behaves badly and does not show the respect inherent in the teachings of Islam? Believers are patient and tolerant and do not hold grudges. They strive to mend the broken relationship through good morals and manners and a forgiving attitude in the hope that this will bring about great reward from Almighty Allah. Hence, they patiently bear the annoyances as much as they can. If the situation becomes intolerable, to take a different stance can be a last resort. Publicizing the bad behavior may be an option.

Prophet Muhammad once advised a man to gather his belongings in the middle of the road as an indication that he could no longer live beside his bad neighbor. His neighbor immediately apologised and begged him to return. Nobody likes their bad behavior to be made public, and this is especially true of a Muslim, whose religion requires him or her to have the highest moral standards. Islam places great emphasis on the qualities of respect, tolerance, and forgiveness, and these qualities shown to neighbors are a demonstration of the moral values and virtues inbuilt into the worship of the One God—Allah.

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This article was originally published on islamreligion.com. It has been taken with modifications from onislam.net


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How the Prophet Cared for Converts

We can admit that we have a lot of room for improvement to get back to this idea of Islam being a refuge for people as they embrace Islam.

We have a lot of room for improvement to get back to the fact of Islam being a refuge for people as they embrace Islam.

It’s amazing to reflect upon that moment when the revelation came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and how people begin to embrace Islam and begin to follow the Prophet.

In a very real way Islam comes as a healing, but also as a disruptive force to the Arabian Peninsula. The nature of true religion is that it adds a taste to the society and highlights the negative things and ills in that society that need to be remedied. And it acts as the refuge for people in that society that may be suffering from the ills and in it. And this was the very case when Allah revealed the final revelation to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

And so, people begin to embrace Islam, at first in smaller numbers, congregating in Dar Al-Arqam (the house where the Muslims used to meet) in Makkah. Then, as time passes, more and more people embrace Islam.

Just reflect for a moment on the idea that the Prophet and his closest Companions were there for people as they embraced Islam. That was a was a very real opportunity for a human transition to take place in addition to people processing and digesting the revelation as it came to the Prophet. With that came the idea of there being a refuge or safe place for people as they embraced Islam.

If you fast forward to our day and time and think for a moment about the parallel between Dar Al-Arqam; this refuge for new Muslims, this safe space for people, and what people find in our communities, I think– if we were honest with ourselves- we can admit that we have a lot of room for improvement to get back to this idea of Dar Al-Arqam; to get back to the idea of a refuge for people as they embrace Islam.

Social Redemption

Just because like people were fleeing from negative norm in the Arabian Peninsula in the sixth century to Islam, there are people embracing Islam today, not only seeking other-worldly redemption, not only seeking theological truth, but also seeking social redemption and seeking social safety. So, as they come to the Muslim community they are going to look for a safe space.

Reflect for a moment on the idea the Companions could talk to the Prophet about whatever was going on in their life for better or for worse, and the way they met with that open prophetic heart.

Reflect for a moment upon the priority the Prophet put on new Muslims and the sensitivity that day brought with them.

In an authenticated narration, in different variances of it, Mother `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet said to her: “O `A’ishah! Were your people not new to Islam, I would have rebuilt the Ka`bah on the foundation of Abraham.” (Al-Bukhari)

In other words, the Prophet knew that the Ka`bah was built on other than the exact foundation that Abraham (peace be upon him) had built it, and that if it wasn’t going to affect the sensibilities of the people of Makkah who were new to Islam, he would have put it back into its original foundation. So, think about it. For the Prophet (peace be upon him) the sensibilities of people that were new to Islam are a priority over the exact placing of the Ka`bah.

So what then does this say about us if we were to say: ‘well, you know we really want to make a safe space for converts in our community, but it would disrupt the standard of religiosity’? As it were we’ve established our community and it would disrupt the kind of norm that we have in our community. So, converts are going to have to find another kind of comfort from whatever going on.

I think that we can do better; we can revisit this idea and make our community spaces safe spaces for people as they are new to Islam, as they are fleeing from whatever they are fleeing from to Islam. And whether this be by way of conversion to Islam or by way of recommitment to Islam or revisiting Islam, we have a lot of room for improvement in terms of making sure that our communities are safe spaces.

We ask Allah to give us success to be with what is pleasing to Him in that regard and enable us to bring about more safe spaces in our community.

Watch Sheikh Usama Canon’s talk here…

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Ethics & Values New Muslims

Citizenship in Islam: Rights of the Muslim upon the Muslim (1/3)

By Editorial Staff

Citizenship in Islam Rights of the Muslim upon the Muslim

A Muslim is asked to give his Muslim brother a helping hand and stand with him until he accomplishes his matters.

Rights of the Muslim upon the Muslim are some of the first principles Islam came to instill.

When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions migrated to Al-Madinah, they had to encounter new, even, strange situations. It was similar to the conditions of refugees nowadays although being quite different.

The concept of migration itself was extrinsic to Arabs who have been known to their strong fidelity to their tribes and chieftains. A great deal of Arabs activities, such as marriage, residence, social relations, and litigation were pure tribal. The loyalty to tribe knew no limit to the extent that the history of Arabia recorded long destructive wars that remained for tenths of years and killed hundreds of people, such as the wars of Da`is wal-Ghabra’, and Al-Basus, because of tribal issues.

However, the approach of Islam was completely different. It toned the equity between people, loyalty to Islam, the universality of Islamic messages, the submission to the rulings of Islam alone, the formation of a new social system of equal rights and duties, and the elimination of the improper customs and conventions of the pre-Islamic period.

When Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived at Al-Madinah he established the concept of Islamic brotherhood in its best sense. He (peace be upon him) confirmed up the brotherhood of Islam between the Muslims of Al-Madinah and the migrants, which remained a lasting basis for the Muslim community ever. A Muslim became a brother of a Muslim, regardless of their homeland, tribe, color, gender, and economic level.

This relationship for a Muslim should be stronger and more preferred than any other relationship. It stems from the Islamic creed and touches on the belief of God himself. Almighty Allah blamed those who have loved the hostile non-Muslim fathers and brothers as they have set themselves against Allah and His Messengers:

You will not find a people who believe in Allah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those – He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him. (Al-Mujadalah 58:22)

Then, He (Glory be to Him) praised the Muslims of Al-Madinah for their perfect application of the principle of Islamic brotherhood with their fellow Meccan Muslims. He says:

And (also for) those who were settled in al-Madinah and (adopted) the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give (them) preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul – it is those who will be the successful. And (there is a share for) those who came after them, saying, “Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith and put not in our hearts (any) resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are Kind and Merciful.” (Al-Hashr 59:9-10)

This concept of brotherhood was consolidated by the revelation. The Qur’an always uses the word brother, in the singular or plural forms, referring to Muslims:

The believers are but brothers. (Al-Hujurat 49:10)

And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. (Al-Hujurat 49:12)

O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered – the free for the free, the slave for the slave, and the female for the female. But whoever overlooks from his brother anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him with good conduct. (Al-Baqarah 2:178)

Brotherhood in the Sunnah

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “A Muslim is a brother to a Muslim.” (At-Tirmidhi)

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Do not desert (stop talking to) one another, do not nurse hatred towards one another, do not be jealous of one another, and become as fellow brothers and slaves of Allah. It is not lawful for a Muslim to stop talking to his brother (Muslim) for more than three days.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Abu Dharr narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Your smiling in the face of your brother is charity, commanding good and forbidding evil is charity, your giving directions to a man lost in the land is charity for you. Your seeing for a man with bad sight is a charity for you, your removal of a rock, a thorn or a bone from the road is charity for you. Your pouring what remains from your bucket into the bucket of your brother is charity for you.” (At-Tirmidhi)

In these quoted texts, Islamic brotherhood in all its meanings is highlighted. A Muslim is a brother to a Muslim in the full sense of the word with full rights and duties. A true Muslim cares for his Muslim brother, visits him, shares happiness with him, consoles him in case of grief, and cooperates with him in the goodness. In the following lines, we will try to find out these mutual rights between the Muslims and each other as substantiated by the Qur’an and Sunnah.

1- Right of Support

A Muslim is asked to support his Muslim brother and not to disappoint or relinquish him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) maintained that the Muslims should be a means of support and help to their fellow Muslims. Abu Musa? (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “The relationship of the believer with another believer is like (the bricks of) a building, each strengthens the other.” He (peace be upon him) illustrated this by interlacing the fingers of both his hands. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Moreover, the Prophet gives orders to support the Muslim brother, even in case of his wrongfulness in which case the support is different. This is clarified by the hadith narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who reported:

“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Support your brother, whether he is an oppressor or is oppressed”. A man enquired: “O Messenger of Allah! I support him when he is oppressed, but how can I support him when he is an oppressor?” He (peace be upon him) said, “You can keep him from committing oppression. That will be your support to him”. (Al-Bukhari)

2- Right of Help

Among the rights of Islamic brotherhood is to give your Muslim brother a helping hand and stand with him until he accomplishes his matters. A Muslim person should feel that is not alone in this life but rather every Muslim everywhere is his brother who supports, helps, cares for, defends, likes, assists and looks after him.

Ibn Abu Ad-Dunya narrated from Ibn `Umar that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The most beloved of people to Allah is the one who brings most benefit to people, and the most beloved of deeds to Allah is making a Muslim happy, or relieving him of hardship, or paying off his debt, or warding off hunger from him. For me to go with my Muslim brother to meet his need is dearer to me than observing i`tikaf (seclusion) in this mosque – meaning the mosque of Madinah – for a month… Whoever goes with his Muslim brother to meet his need, Allah will make him stand firm on the Day when all feet will slip.” (At-Targhib wa At-Tarhib)

The hadith states that causing good to a Muslim brother, helping them carry out their matters, paying off their debt, relieving them of hardship, etc. are on the top of the God-pleasing deeds. Also, the most beloved ones to God are those who undertake the rights of brotherhood perfectly.

To be continued..

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Source: The-Faith.com

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Citizenship in Islam: Rights of the Muslim upon the Muslim (2/3)

In a previous article, we mentioned two of the rights of the Muslim upon his Muslim brother. We highlighted the rights of support and help that are highly confirmed by the Qur’an and Sunnah. In this article, we will explain the rights that Islam has imposed upon Muslims towards each other.

Rights of the Muslim

The Muslim is the one who protects the honor of his fellow Muslim.

Rights of the Muslim

Right of Justice

A Muslim is not allowed to oppress anyone. This is totally prohibited in Islam. Allah has repeatedly stated in the Qur’an that wrongfulness is forbidden and that He does not like the wrongdoers:

But as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards, and Allah does not like the wrongdoers. (Aal `Imran 3:57)

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted the Prophet saying among what he narrated from Allah, the Most High, that He has said, “O My slaves, I have made oppression unlawful for myself and I have made it unlawful among you, so do not oppress one another.” (Muslim)

Yet, wrongfulness, which is already prohibited, is more prohibited when it occurs between two Muslims. Ibn `Umar that the Prophet said, “A Muslim is a brother of (another) Muslim, he neither wrongs him nor does hand him over to one who does him wrong.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Right of Concealing the Faults

A Muslim should care for his Muslim brother. He should not uncover his faults, search to know them or encroach upon his brother’s privacy. He should be a means of protection of the dignity and honor of his brother. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever covers (the sin of) a Muslim, Allah will cover him (his sin) in this world and in the Hereafter.” (Ibn Majah)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against searching for others faults. Narrated Abu Barzah Al-Aslami: “The Prophet said: “O community of people, who believed by their tongue, and belief did not enter their hearts, do not back-bite Muslims, and do not search for their faults, for if anyone searches for their faults, Allah will search for his fault, and if Allah searches for the fault of anyone, He disgraces him in his house.” (Abu Dawud)

However, this does not mean letting a Muslim go ahead in committing sins where he should be advised and warned of their evil outcome.

Right of Protecting Honor

The most emphasized right of a Muslim upon the other Muslim is to preserve his honor and reputability. This right is stressed by the Prophet, and its violation is graver than anything else. Narrated Sa`id ibn Zayd: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “The most prevalent kind of usury is going to lengths in talking unjustly against a Muslim’s honor.” (Abu Dawud)

Also, the Prophet stressed that the honor of a Muslim brother must be kept untouchable and inviolable for the other Muslims. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah said: “The blood, honor and property of a Muslim is inviolable for another Muslim.” (Muslim)

In another hadith, as the Prophet gives the definition and description of a true Muslim. He (peace be upon him) maintains that the Muslim is the one who protects the honor of his fellow Muslim. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: “The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe, and the believer is the one from whom the people’s lives and wealth are safe.” (An-Nasa’i)

Right of Supplication

One of the indications of a Muslim’s love for his Muslim brother for the sake of God is to supplicate God for him, especially in his brother’s absence. This supplication is hoped to be answered by God. Abu Ad-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah said, “The supplication of a Muslim for his (Muslim) brother in his absence will certainly be answered. Every time he makes a supplication for good for his brother, the angel appointed for this particular task says: ‘Ameen! May it be for you, too’.” (Muslim)

The above hadith highlights two things: the supplication of a Muslim to his Muslim brother in his absence is certainly answered, and that the angels will respond to his supplication by saying “Ameen” and implore God to give the questioner the same thing he requested for his brother, which is expected to be answered as well.

Right of Preserving the Properties

The Prophet has maintained that it is not permissible by any means to encroach upon other’s properties, even if they are non-Muslims. However, this impermissibility becomes more established if it is between Muslims. Almighty Allah says,

O you who have believed, do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly but only (in lawful) business by mutual consent. (An-Nisaa’ 4:29)

The verse shows us that using up a Muslim’s properties is not allowable in Islam. In his Farwell Hajj, the Prophet declared in his well-known sermon as narrated by Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “Delivering the sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage on the day of Sacrifice at Mina, the Messenger of Allah said, “Verily your blood, your property and your honor are as sacred and inviolable as the sanctity of this day of yours, in this month of yours and in this town of yours. Verily! I have conveyed this message to you.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Also, the Prophet (peace be upon him) made it directly that it is a mutual right between Muslims. Abu Hurairah (peace be upon him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Every Muslim’s blood, property and honor are unlawful to be violated by another Muslim.” (Muslim)

Right of Patience

The life troubles and conflicts naturally bring about undesired situations and problems. Therefore, patience and forbearance are always required. The Prophet explains that a Muslim who mingles with people and endures their harm is better than the one who does not mix with them and does not bear the harm.

Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet said: “The believer who mixes with people and endures their harm is better than the person who does not mix with people nor endure their harm.” (Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad)

Right of Advice

Offering advice is highly appreciated in Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) made it the core of religion. On the authority of Tamim ibn Aws, “The Prophet said, “The Religion is advice.” We said, “To whom?” He (peace be upon him) said, “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.” (Muslim)

Offering advice expresses love and caring for the other and sincere desire for bringing good or removing evil from them. The Prophet made it a right of the Muslim upon his fellow Muslim. Also, Jarir narrated: “I gave pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah on the observance of prayer, payment of Zakah, and offering advice to every Muslim.” (Muslim)

                                                                                                                                                               To be continued…

Read also:

Citizenship in Islam: Rights of the Muslim upon the Muslim (1/3)

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Source: www.the-faith.com.

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For a Merciful Society: Rights of the Muslim upon the Muslim (3/3)

This is the third and last article of the series of the “Rights of the Muslim upon the Muslim”. We will continue this interesting topic about the mutual Islamic rights between Muslims and one another.

muslim

All texts of revelation have stressed good treatment, kindness and cooperation.

Right of Kind Treatment

A Muslim is always required to deal with others with high morals and pleasant manners. He should not indulge in ill actions or behaviors with other Muslims or non-Muslims. IbnMas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “A true believer is not involved in taunting, or frequently cursing (others) or in indecency or abusing.” (At-Tirmidhi)

The Prophet also warned against cursing or fighting a Muslim because these actions are contrary to the peaceful message of Islam. IbnMas`udreported: “The Messenger of Allah said, “Reviling a Muslim is fusuq (disobedience of Allah) and killing him is (tantamount to) disbelief.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Right of Good Neighborhood

All texts of revelation have stressed good treatment, kindness, cooperation, sharing happiness and sorrow, and mercifulness to neighbors. This right has been repeated in revelation to the Prophet once and once again until he thought that there will be a share of inheritance to the neighbors.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Gabriel impressed upon me (the kind treatment) towards the neighbor (so much) that I thought as if he would soon confer upon him the (right) of inheritance.” (Muslim)

Right of Visiting

The right of visiting between Muslims is most required in case of sickness or troubles. It was narrated that ‘Ali said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

‘Whoever comes to his Muslim brother and visits him (when he is sick), he is walking among the harvest of Paradise until he sits down, and when he sits down he is covered with mercy. If it is morning, seventy thousand angels will send blessing upon him until evening, and if it is evening, seventy thousand angels will send blessing upon him until morning.’” (IbnMajah)

Also, Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “The Messenger of Allah said, “A believer owes another believer five rights: responding to greetings, visiting him in illness, following his funeral, accepting his invitation, and saying ‘Yarhamuk-Allah (may Allah have mercy on you),’ when he says ‘Al-hamdu-lillah(Praise be to Allah)’ after sneezing”. (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Right of Greeting

It is an act of Sunnah and a right of the Muslim upon his Muslim brother to greet them when they meet. Abu Hurairah (peace be upon him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

“A Muslim has six duties towards other Muslims: When you meet him, you should salute him; when he invites you, accept his invitation; when he asks for your advice, give it to him; when he sneezes and praises Allah, say May Allah have mercy on you; when he is ill, visit him; and when he dies follow his funeral.” (Muslim)

Once a person asked Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him):“What (sort of) deeds in Islam that are good?” He replied, “To feed (the poor) and greet those whom you know and those whom you don’t know.” (Al-Bukhari)

Right of Accepting Invitation

It was narrated in Al-Bukhari and Muslim that Abu Hurairahsaid: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: ‘The rights of a Muslim over his fellow Muslim are five: returning greetings, visiting the sick, attending funerals, accepting invitations, and saying Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah confer His mercy on you) when he sneezes.’”

Therefore, accepting the invitation, especially in occasions like marriage celebrations, are required upon the Muslim towards his Muslim brother. Some scholars considered this as an obligation upon the Muslim in case he or she is invited, provided that the place is devoid of sins such as music.

Right of Attending Muslim Funeral

The Prophet impressively clarifies that it is a right of a Muslim, even in case he is dead, to follow his funeral until he is buried. In the aforementioned hadiths, the Prophet said:

“A Muslim has six duties towards other Muslims: When you meet him, you should salute him; when he invites you, accept his invitation; when he asks for your advice, give it to him; when he sneezes and praises Allah, say May Allah have mercy on you; when he is ill, visit him; and when he dies follow his funeral.” (Muslim)

Attending the funerals of Muslim is of great reward. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet said: “Whoever follows the funeral procession of a Muslim out of faith and in the hope of reward, then offers the funeral prayer for him and waits until he is placed in his grave, then he will have two qirats, each of which is like Mount Uhud. Whoever offers the funeral prayer for him then returns, he will have one qirat.” (Al-Bukhari)

Saying the Dhikr of Sneezing

Among the mutual rights between Muslims is to say “Yarhamuka Allah” (may Allah confer mercy upon you) in case the Muslim is sneezing. Al-Bukhari narrated from Abu Hurairahthat the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“When one of you sneezes, let him say, ‘Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah),’ and let his brother or companion say to him. ‘Yarhamuka Allah” (may Allah have mercy on you).’ If he says, ‘Yarhamuka Allah,’ then let (the sneezer) say, ‘Yahdikum Allah wayuslihubalakum (may Allah guide you and rectify your condition).’”

 

Read also:

Part 1

Part 2

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Source: www.the-faith.com

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Articles of Faith New Muslims

Jannah and Its People: How the Qur’an Depicts Them

By Dr. Ahmad Al Khalidi

While the Jannah (Paradise) dwellers will be enjoying the blessings of Allah; they will recline on thrones encrusted with gold and precious stones facing each other, and round about them perpetual boys, who will serve them with glasses and cups (filled) out of clear-flowing fountains:

Jannah and Its People: How the Qur’an Depicts Them

Allah blessed them with his forgiveness and saved them from Fire torture that penetrates into the pores of body.

And with fruits, any that they may select, And the flesh of fowls, any that(they may desire. And there will be Houris (fair ones with wide, lovely eyes), Like unto pearls well-guarded. (Al-Waqi`ah 56:20-23)

By Allah’s Mercy

The people of the Paradise will talk together and remember their previous days in this world and the reason behind the peace, pleasure, bounty and bliss endowed upon them in Paradise. They will realize the secret behind their pleasure in the Garden; it is due to their fear of Allah and being watchful and cautious of the Judgment Day in this world.

They lived in fear of meeting their Lord; they lived afraid of His punishment; they lived like that while they were living among their household in peace. Then Allah will bless them and protect them from the Hell torture that pierces body pores.

Allah (Exalted be He) will protect them from such torture as a blessing from Him as He knows their fear and piety. Allah will let them into the Garden only by His mercy; and their work is just a witness on their belief and hope in Allah’s pleasure and Garden.

Thankful to Allah

The people of the Paradise will sit together face to face and ask one another about the great bliss they enjoy and about its reason:

They will be on Thrones encrusted (with gold and precious stones), Reclining on them, facing each other. (Al-Waqi`ah 56:15-16)

They will advance to each other, engaging in mutual enquiry. (At-Tur 52:25)

They will say they have been, in this world, among their household afraid of Allah and of His torture and punishment on the Judgment Day:

They will say: “Aforetime, we were not without fear for the sake of our people”. (At-Tur 52:26)

So, Allah blessed them with his forgiveness and saved them from Fire torture that penetrates into the pores of body:

But Allah has been good to us, and has delivered us from the Penalty of the Scorching Wind. (At-Tur 52:27)

They have been, in this world, asking and beseeching Allah to refuge them from fire and let them in the Garden for He is the most Beneficent and the most Merciful to His believing slaves.

Happiness & Pleasure

People of piety and believers will be happy. Al-Sa`di (2000) says that the people of the Garden used to call unto Allah to protect them from the torture of ‘Samoom’ (very hot torture) and get them to bliss, this supplication includes the call of worship and the call of need that is to say they used to appeal to Allah with all kinds of worship and call Him at all times; so out of His mercy and promise keeping to them, He will bless them with His pleasure and Garden, and will save them from His wrath and Fire.

Truly, we used to call unto Him from of old: truly it is He, the Beneficent, the Merciful! (At-Tur 52:27)

In view of that, Muslims have to be always obedient to Allah and afraid of His anger; they should also supplicate to Allah to reward them with Paradise. They, besides, have to appeal for the Mercy of Allah (Exalted be He) in this world and also in the Next world besides their good deeds.

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Dr. Ahmad Muhammad Al khalidi is Researcher and translator, E L teacher and lecturer, an old member in the presentation to Islam committee.

 

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Family New Muslims

The Two Words I Never Was Fortunate to Say to My Mother…

Not too long ago I went to visit a friend of mine whose mother was dying of cancer. She had been battling cancer for about five years, and the news came to me that she was on her last days.

mother

My mom has been there all my life, never failed me once, never. And never once have I ever come to her and just said it…

So, I went to visit the brother, and I sat down with him, he was explaining to me that his mother is going through this state of “Sakarat Al-Mawt” conscious and then unconscious, and that the cancer was really starting to spread all over.

So, as I sat with this friend of mine and he was talking his eyes tear up. So I naturally assumed it was because his mother was dying. So I tried to comfort him and tell him that this was natural in life. He said to me, “I’m not crying because she is leaving and of course I’m upset, but this is not why I’m crying”.

I said, “then why are you upset?”

He said “I’m upset because all my life I never thanked Mother for what she’s done.”

Honestly I can’t explain what happened to me when he said these words.

“All my life I’ve never said ‘thank you’ to my mum”, he continued.

And now that she’s sitting in the next room and she’s alive but she is conscious and unconscious, and even if I spoke to her she is not going to be able to understand or comprehend the words that I’m saying.

What about You & Your Mother?

Can you, brothers and sisters, imagine that?

For those of us who are fortunate enough that their mothers are still around, how does this affect you?

My mom has been there all my life, never failed me once, never. And never once have I ever come to her and just said “Thank you”.  Can you imagine that?

Listen to the details of this pitiful story from brother Brother Mohamad Hoblos…

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Source: OnePath Network

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His Character New Muslims

How Prophet Muhammad Expressed Grief: Lessons of Faith & Humanity

 

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Human beings, the Prophet among them, had to learn how to depart, and see their loved ones depart, in silence, with discretion.

During the tenth year of Hijrah (emigration from Makkah), young Ibrahim, who was then about a year and a half old, fell seriously ill. At the very time when the religion of the One was being established all over the Peninsula, with adversity constantly diminishing and the number of conversions continuing to grow, the Prophet saw his only son about to leave life and to leave him. He visited him every day and spent hours by his side.

When the child eventually breathed his last, the Prophet took him in his arms and held him against his breast, tears streaming down his face, so deep was his sorrow.

`Abdur-Rahman ibn `Awf, his faithful Companion, was surprised by those sobs, because he thought that the Prophet had previously forbidden such expressions of grief.  At first, Muhammad could not speak; then he explained to him that he had forbidden excessive manifestations of distress, through wailing or hysterical behavior, but not the natural expression of sorrow and suffering.

Then he gave verbal expression to his grief that, in effect , became a spiritual teaching, as he declared that his tears were “signs of tenderness and mercy.” He added a comment springing from his own experience, but which was also true in every Muslim’s daily life: “He who is not merciful will not be shown mercy.” (AL-Bukhari and Muslim)

Trying Times

In the difficult moments of life, kindness, clemency, mercy, and the expressions of empathy that human beings offer one another bring them closer to the One, Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful). Through them, God reaches closer to the believer’s heart, offering the believer what the believer him- or herself has offered to a brother or sister in humanity.

The Prophet was intimately affected, and he did not hesitate to show and express his grief. He added: “The eye sheds tears, 0 Ibrahim, the heart is infinitely sad, and one must only utter what satisfies God.” (AL-Bukhari and Muslim)

God had once more tested him through his humanity and his mission. He had lost so many loved ones-Companions, his wife Khadijah, three of his daughters, and his three sons.”

His life had been crossed with tears, but he remained both gentle with his heart and firm in his mission. It was this chemistry of gentleness and firmness that satisfied the Most Near.

At the time when, in this tenth year of Hijrah, the world seemed to open up to the Prophet’s mission, Muhammad’s human fate seemed reduced to that tiny grave where Ibrahim’s body was laid, and over which he then led the funeral prayer. The Prophet was one of the eject; the Prophet remained a human being.

tears

His life had been crossed with tears, but he remained both gentle with his heart and firm in his mission.

Lessons for Life

A few hours after his return from the graveyard, an eclipse of the sun occurred. The Muslims were quick to associate the eclipse with the death of the Prophet’s child and see it as a miracle, a kind of message from God to His Prophet. But Muhammad put an end to all such interpretations, saying forcefully:

“The sun and the moon are two of God’s signs. Their light does not darken for anyone’s death.” (AL-Bukhari and Muslim)

Muhammad was thus reminding his Companions of the order of things and of the necessity to make no mistake in interpreting signs, in order to avoid lapsing into superstition.

This was, for them as well as for himself, a spiritual teaching in restraint and humility: human beings, the Prophet among them, had to learn how to depart, and see their loved ones depart, in silence, with discretion, and amid the indifference of the order of things.

The trial of faith and of humanity, which made the Prophet shed tears, consisted precisely in learning how to find, at the heart of the eternity of creation and of never-ending cycles, the strength to face the finitude of the human, sudden departures, and death.

The sign of the One’s presence at the time of a person’s death lies not in the occurrence of any miracle but rather in the permanence of the natural order, in the eternity of His creation, crossed here and there by the passage of created beings, who come and depart.

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The article is an excerpt from Dr. Tariq Ramadan’s book “In the Footsteps of the Prophet: Lessons from the Life of Muhammad, Oxford University Press (2007).

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Categories
His Character New Muslims

Muhammad: An All-time Example of Moral Conduct

For forty years Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was leading a normal life. Suddenly he became a political leader, military leader, religious leader, law maker, teacher, imam, an all-time exemplar of moral conduct and ethics.

And all of that was done within twenty three years. Impossible, right?

Now we’re studying the life of the greatest man that ever set foot on this earth, and this man is Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Muhammad was a man that came more than fourteen hundred years ago into an environment in 7th century Arabia where men were burying their daughters alive, and he stopped this evil practice and when women were being abused and prostitution was rife.

There was economic injustice and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) came and brought peace and tolerance and justice, not only to the 7th century Arabia, but to the whole world.

The desert Arabs were rude to him and he never returned their rudeness with rudeness, he smiled on their faces, he returned their bad manners with good character, he said: “keep relations with those who cut you off, and do good to people even if they harm you, and speak the truth even if it is against yourself.”

The Prophet was a living example for –not only Muslims- but all humanity to follow. Watch the video below to learn about his everyday manners in dealing with people around him…

 

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Source:  ILM 12 YouTube Channel

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FEATURED New Muslims

The Prophet’s Guidance for New Muslim Youth

Prophet Muhammad came through with the message of Islam, and his target audience, so to speak, revolved around the youth of the time.

Prophet Muhammad came through with the message of Islam, and his target audience, so to speak, revolved around the youth of the time.

By Maria Zain

For new Muslims, it is vital to read up on how Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) kept the teenagers around him in good company, enjoining them in doing good deeds. Embracing Islam can be a life-changing experience.

Some new Muslims come to Islam alone, whereas others revert together with their whole family. If a couple decides to embrace Islam and have young children, it is most likely that their children will also become Muslims. For those with older children, especially those well in their teens, the transition can be trickier.

Some teenagers may very well follow in their parents’ footsteps whole heartedly, others may embrace Islam with a certain amount of wariness and there are probably many others who would prefer not to make the change.

However for family members who decide to come to Islam and who join them on their journey in becoming observing Muslims, it is worth to note the Sunnah on how Prophet Muhammad treated the youth. This will enable the transition to become smoother and more of a positive challenge for the family as a whole.

When Prophet Muhammad was given the first revelation in the cave of Mount Hira’, it was well known that he was 40 years old. As many men at that age, he had reached a certain pinnacle of leadership qualities. Men at the age of forty are often seen running their own corporations and enterprises, have attained successful marriages and raised teenage children.

What differentiates the Prophet’s leadership qualities, though, was that an important majority of followers were at the time new Muslim youth.

In the most important mission of any man’s plight, Prophet Muhammad was commanded to change the mindset of the pagan Arabs, to do away with waylay practices, oppressive behavior, corrupted attitudes, and to embrace Islam as their comprehensive way of life.

Islamic history relays that this was a gruelling attempt at changing the culture of stone-cold pagans who were deeply rooted in their traditions. Prophet Muhammad came through with the message of Islam, and his target audience, so to speak, revolved around the youth of the time.

Anas ibn Malik (may God be pleased with him) was one of the young men who grew very close to the Prophet. Anas mentioned that the Prophet never once uttered a word of disgrace upon him, neither any other member of the youth of society. He had worked for the Prophet and grew up observing and learning through the Prophet’s actions and behavior. Anas was recognized as one of the most fluent narrators of hadiths of his time.

Prophet Muhammad had other young companions who flocked with him like feathers of a bird. He often joked with them, calling ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may God be pleased with him) ‘AbuTuraab’ (father of the dust), for sleeping on the dusty ground. He was also very close to his family members, in particular his youngest daughter Fatimah, and was known to show his affection for her in public.

On several occasions, when Fatimah entered a room where the Prophet was, he would rush over to her, take her by her hands, kiss her and offer her his seat. Fatimah was also known to reciprocate in kind. But as much as the Prophet kept affectionate and jovial relations with the youth, he continuously moulded them to be the leaders of the future.

There is no doubt that ‘A’ishah, Prophet Muhammad’s wife, rose to the ranks of leadership at a very young age and as she outlived her husband for half a century, she became a teacher like no other woman seen in history. Until this very day, Muslims around the world read of her narrations and regard her with the highest respect as one of the feistiest women of the companions. Another young wife, Hafsah, daughter of Umar, was appointed as the keeper of the Holy Qur’an, a grave responsibility for any youth. This shows that though many companions were teens during the Prophet’s lifetime, adulthood was only a stone-throw away.

 How the Prophet did it?

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was also adamant in protecting the youth in public, honoring their opinions during debates, even against the wisest of Muslims.

‘Ali once narrated that youth between the age of fourteen and twenty-one needed to be befriended – treated as friends. Do we teach the Muslim youth the same way? Do we earn their trust by befriending them, respecting their opinions and helping them through difficulty much like good friends would do? Or do we continue to berate them for their mistakes; chastise them for their ignorance; and ignore them when they are in need, with the excuse that they are just ’troubled teenagers’?

The youth face a plethora of social ills today. From drugs to prostitution, from school drop-outs to poor qualifications; from obsession with pop culture to over-indulgences in peer pressure– it can be difficult for the Muslim youth to stand by Islamic principles with so many distractions surrounding them.

As parents of the youth of this chosen religion, we have to realize that education spans further than the walls of the classroom. The youth surrounding the Prophet were continuously surrounded by adults, not by their peers. They learned hands on how to deal with business transactions, travelling for da`wah (calling to God), teaching those who were illiterate (regardless of age) and engaged in household chores the way adults would do.

The Prophet would have frowned at those who removed the autonomy of the youth in making their own decisions, partaking in society, learning from real life scenarios and exploring their own interests and strengths that will eventually help them excel as adults in the real world. The Prophet was also adamant in protecting the youth in public, honoring their opinions during debates, even against the wisest of Muslims and allowing them to join him on even the most dangerous entourages. The youth surrounding the Prophet were definitely very involved in society.

Parents nowadays should not just categorize their teens as hormonal teenagers. For new Muslims, it is vital to read up on how Prophet Muhammad kept the teenagers around him in good company, always enjoining them in doing good deeds and encouraging them gently to ward off evil.

Embracing Islam as a family may be difficult, especially with elder children in tow, but showing how well they are appreciated within the realm of Islam, reinforces individualism, independence and autonomy in making decisions. The upside of a Muslim family coming together to Islam is that parents and children can learn together and teach each other as they journey along to becoming better Muslims. Even if older children decide not to follow their parents’ choice in faith, they still need to be treated with love and respect in light of the Sunnah, as in time they may open up to the beautiful faith and its stance on the importance of the youth.

Prophet Muhammad recognized the youth as important individuals of society. They were encouraged to learn and grow by participating in business trades, much like Anas ibn Malik; scholarly discussions, much like `Ali; and negotiations across nations, much like Usamah ibn Zayd; who led the Muslim army, including men who were old enough to be his grandfathers, at the tender age of fifteen.

The female youth of the time were not excluded from such responsibility. Ruqayyah (daughter of Prophet Muhammad) co-lead the first emigration to Abyssinia during the worst chapter of oppression upon the Muslims. Asmaa’ (daughter of Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with them all) risked her life during the Prophet’s and Abu Bakr’s plight to Madinah. She could have been killed, but due to her strong upbringing based on love for and fear of God, she took it upon her duty to protect the Prophet and her father when they were being hunted down by the Quraish.

Prophet Muhammad always perused kindness and patience in dealing with youngsters, treating them with respect, valuing their opinions and allowing them autonomy to make their own decisions.

Becoming a Muslim family, together, changes a person’s mindset on how they view teenagers. Instead of individuals who are either too young to make their own decision; or individuals who should be doing homework in order to earn straight A’s that will determine their success; or individuals who should be ‘enjoying’ life through partying and gossiping about celebrities, or being obsessed about reality television stars; the youth should be encouraged to be strong and active members of society.

The youth of today do not face the challenges of the youth of the companions. But they do definitely face a whole suite of fitnah (temptations) and conflicting identities in their own right. There are plenty of ways for the youth to become active members in the community; they just need to be befriended and encouraged by adults who wish to raise them as God-fearing adults rather than allow them to be trapped in the confusion of hormonal changes.

However, this has to be done in accordance with the Sunnah. Prophet Muhammad always perused kindness and patience in dealing with youngsters, treating them with respect, valuing their opinions and allowing them autonomy to make their own decisions.

For new Muslims, it is also important for their teenagers to find comrades of a feather, regardless of age and culture. As long as the new Muslim youth find a strong sense of belonging in Islam and a thriving Muslim community, their priorities as Muslims will be set on the right track and they will be able to achieve the same glory as the youth who surrounded Prophet Muhammad in the golden years of Islam.

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Source: islammessage.com

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