Ibn Rajab concludes that if the person truly realizes and understands the above, "he will know that the bounty that comes from Allah to a believer due to his trials is greater than the bounty that comes from Allah during his times of ease." ... [Continue Reading]
Speaking about Allah without Knowledge
Al-Qurtubee in his tafseer, talks about such people who say when they read the Qur'an, in my mind this comes to my mind, or my heart tells me this. He concludes those who read the Qur'an and say, "ask your heart" or "my heart tells me," and so forth, they are speaking about Allah without knowledge ('ilm). Which, as we will talk about, one of the greatest sins that we could commit, and that they are actually from zanaadiqa; those who have nothing to do with Islam. ... [Continue Reading]
A Religion of Natural Bridges
I was once asked to give a talk on building bridges between Islam and a certain Asian religion. My reply was that there was no need for such building because the bridges are already there; they are natural components of the Islamic religion. I said this because the divine message which Prophet Muhammad was asked to convey, is a message to all human beings. It is not a message to this or that group of people at this or that particular geographical location or historical moment. The Prophet is ... [Continue Reading]
Prophethood in Islam
Prophethood is not unknown to heavenly revealed religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, however, it has a special status and significance. According to Islam, God created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and the purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what God wants him to do? Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus God has chosen from ... [Continue Reading]
Belief in Angels
In common folklore, angels are thought of as good forces of nature, hologram images, or illusions. Western iconography sometimes depicts angels as fat cherubic babies or handsome young men or women with a halo surrounding their head. In Islamic doctrine, they are real created beings who will eventually suffer death, but are generally hidden from our senses. They are not divine or semi-divine, and they are not God’s associates running different districts of the universe. Also, they are not ... [Continue Reading]
The Finality of Prophethood
What is meant here by “the inclusiveness of Islam” is that fact that Islam is for all times and places. Regardless of who a person may be or where he may be, Islam should be his religion and his way of life. This is just as much true for those who lived during the lifetime of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, or those who will live in 2525 (if God wills that there shall be such a year). The correct understanding of this point revolves around a number of issues. The ... [Continue Reading]