Mum, I've decided I want to follow Allaah

Western women are turning to Islam in rapidly increasing numbers. Kay Jardine discovers why they are so keen to become Muslims.

Bullying, depression, and insomnia made Kimberley McCrindle's teenage years particularly difficult. Taunts from classmates about her weight and how she looked left the 19-year-old student feeling like she didn't really fit in, and always searching for something that would make her feel happy, that would make her feel she belonged.

McCrindle, from a family of atheists, did not encounter religion until she began religious studies at high school in Penicuik, when her new interest prompted her to start going to her local church on Sundays. But the peace and happiness McCrindle was looking for eluded her until she started college in Edinburgh, where she made friends with some Muslim people and discovered Islam.

"I was looking for peace," she says. "I'd had a rough past. My teenage years weren't great: I was bullied at school, people called me fat and ugly, and I was looking for something to make me happy. I tried to go to church once a week but I wouldn't class myself a Christian; I was just interested. But it wasn't for me, I didn't feel in peace there.

"When you walk into a mosque you feel really peaceful. Praying five times a day is really focused. It gives you a purpose in your life. The Quran is like a guide to help you: when you read it, it makes you feel better."

McCrindle became a Muslim three years ago and is now known by her married Arabic name, Tasnim Salih. She is one of a rapidly increasing number of British women turning to Islam, thought to be the fastest growing religion in the world. Although there are no official figures on the subject, there is no doubt that the number of reverts is on the rise and the majority are women, according to Nicole Bourque, a senior lecturer in social anthropology at Glasgow University and an expert in conversion to Islam in Britain.

"There are people reverting all the time," she says. "I would estimate that there are probably around 200 reverts to Islam in Glasgow alone, but that's just a rough estimate. The data is difficult to acquire." Other estimates put the Glasgow figure closer to 500.

The appeal of Islam to liberated western women is difficult for many to understand, largely because of the widespread perception in the west that it treats women badly!

A forthcoming documentary, Mum I'm a Muslim, addresses this very issue by talking to converts in Sheffield about their experiences. At a preview in Glasgow, I asked a group of reverts from Glasgow and Edinburgh what motivated them to change every aspect of their lives, including their names, to become Muslim.

For 27-year-old Bahiya Malik, or Lucy Norris to her parents, it's difficult to explain. Bahiya, who lives in Edinburgh, her twin sister, Victoria, and their brother, Matthew, grew up as practising Christians in a rural area in the West Midlands, where they attended Sunday school in the little church at the top of their road. As they got older, the three stopped going to church and seven years ago, at the age of 20, both Bahiya and her sister converted to Islam - six months after their brother.

"Maybe all through our teenage years we hadn't been that happy. I can't really say what it was. I don't know if we felt there was something missing or that we didn't fit in. We were a little bit shy and we weren't really outgoing sort of people," she says. At the time, Bahiya was two years into a media and television course in Edinburgh but was feeling uninspired. After around six months of learning about Islam, Bahiya realised that living her life according to the rules of Islam was what would make her happy and, during an emotional visit to a mosque in London, made her declaration of faith.

"I think it's something you feel in your heart, this pull," she says. "You can't really put it into words. It's like your heart speaking, something you feel inside and you know it's for you. Allaah has chosen this for you, it's out of your power."

Women who turn to Islam are aware of the widespread western perception that they are oppressed and discriminated against, but insist that the depiction is a false image. For many it is a spiritual journey, which, far from repressing them, improves their social status and gives them new rights.

"You seem to be really looked after," says Tasnim. "As a Muslim woman, Muslim men really respect you; they do everything for you. You're highly thought of and protected." Bahiya says: "I feel that because you cover yourself up you're not seen as a sex symbol, and because people can't judge you on your appearance, they have to judge you as a human being. That's quite liberating."

As an act of modesty, many Muslim women don't wear make up outside the home and it is often a part of their old life that new female converts are happy to discard because of the liberating feeling that comes from knowing their appearance doesn't matter. They resist being shown as they were before their conversion.

Hafsa Hashmi, who lives in Glasgow, converted to Islam 24 years ago and felt life outside Islam was like having to "keep up with the Joneses". Under Islam, however, she says: "Your aim is not for this life, your aim is for the afterlife. To some people that sounds pretty horrific: they can't think about death, but in Islam belief in the afterlife is one of its main features, because you know if you're doing the right thing you've got a better life to come. So why go for all the material things?"

Reverting to Islam usually means a complete change of lifestyle for those who take the plunge, including a different diet, often a new Arabic name, and your time revolving around the five daily Islamic prayers. In the workplace, some people organize with their employer a room where they can have some peace and quiet to pray. Wherever they are in the world, all Muslims face in the direction of the Kab'aa, or the Holy House in Makkah, during prayer.

For female reverts, the experience can also involve a quite dramatic change in appearance. Islam provides that women must dress modestly. The hijaab, or the head scarf, is a particular focal point and can be a tricky area for new Muslim women to deal with. Tasnim wore the hijaab straight away, although she found wearing it in public scary at first because she felt people were looking at her. She was then forced to take it off when she was out because of some of the comments directed at her.

"People would shout, 'Go back home to your own country'. I had someone spit at me once when I was standing at the bus stop at college!" Now, though, she wears it all the time and says: "People don't say anything to me now and I feel more confident about wearing it." Bahiya was happy wearing the hijaab from the beginning, but her parents found it quite difficult. She says her sister, her brother, and herself were lucky because their parents were "quite good" about their conversion.

For others, however, families are not always so accepting, often because they know little about the religion and why their loved ones want to follow it. For Tasnim, telling her parents, who are atheist, was nerve-wracking. "They thought I was going through a phase at first but they realised when I started wearing the hijab that I was serious. They started getting angry when I began to talk about getting married. They weren't too pleased that I'd met someone older than me, who was Muslim as well, and a different nationality."

While Tasnim and her mother are still close and enjoy a good relationship, they tend not to talk about her faith much. She and her father no longer speak. For Hafsa, telling her parents 24 years ago was perhaps even more difficult because converting to Islam then was anything but a common occurrence. The reactions of her parents were totally opposite. "I think my mother felt that I was only becoming a Muslim because of who I was marrying, but that wasn't the case because I had been introduced to Islam about four years previously although I didn't revert until I got married. It took her practically her whole life to get over it. When we got married, my mum said, 'If you're happy, I'm happy', but obviously she wasn't. My dad said it and he meant it, that was the difference between them."

Tasnim has been married to Sabir, who is Sudanese, for two years, and says she has never been happier. "I met my husband at college and it seemed like the right thing to do. I was teaching him English and he was talking to me about Islam, and we just fell in love," she says. Bahiya's husband, Sharafuddin, is also a convert, formerly known as Cameron. They have two children, aged two and four.

For Tasnim, Bahiya, and Hafsa, life revolves around the five daily prayers, they cannot eat certain foods, or drink alcohol. But the women say they miss nothing from the days before they converted to Islam. "Islam is enough for me," says Bahiya. "You don't need anything else once you've found it!"

Becoming Muslim has provided Tasnim with the happiness and belonging she was looking for. "It's a complete change in your attitude, behaviour, and the way you think," she says. "I'm now more confident, happy and satisfied. I've achieved the fulfilment I was looking for."

Important note to learn and read quran online

 The important note from learning Quran blog the main duty of every Muslim to learn Holy Quran recitation to build our life according to Islam and enhance the knowledge through learning quran online because Holy Quran teacher us the way of life and is the last testimony and is a book of ALLAH; live quran reciters  from top quran reciter online   also you and your kids can read quran online as well and very easy way plz support us by spreading the word of Allah

End of the note

Important note to learn and read quran online

 The important note from learning Quran blog the main duty of every Muslim to learn Holy Quran recitation to build our life according to Islam and enhance the knowledge through learning quran online because Holy Quran teacher us the way of life and is the last testimony and is a book of ALLAH; live quran reciters  from top quran reciter online   also you and your kids can read quran online as well and very easy way plz support us by spreading the word of Allah

End of the note

The amazing Quran -V

The Quran continues to beat the odds

All of the examples so far given, concerning the various angles from which one can approach the Quran, have undoubtedly been subjective in nature; however there does exist another angle, among others, which is objective and whose basis is mathematical. It is surprising how authentic the Quran becomes when one assembles what might be referred to as a list of good guesses.

Mathematically, it can be explained using guessing and prediction examples. For instance, if a person has two choices (i.e., one is right, and one is wrong), and he closes his eyes and makes a choice, then half of the time (i.e., one time out of two) he will be right. Basically, he has a one in two chance, for he could pick the wrong choice, or he could pick the right choice. Now if the same person has two situations like that (i.e., he could be right or wrong about situation number one, and he could be right or wrong about situation number two), and he closes his eyes and guesses, then he will only be right one fourth of the time (i.e., one time out of four). He now has a one in four chance because now there are three ways for him to be wrong and only one way for him to be right.

In simple terms, he could make the wrong choice in situation number one and then make the wrong choice in situation number two; or he could make the wrong choice in situation number one and then make the right choice in situation number two; or he could make the right choice in situation number one and then make the wrong choice in situation number two; or he could make the right choice in situation number one and then make the right choice in situation number two. Of course, the only instance in which he could be totally right is the last scenario where he could guess correctly in both situations. The odds of his guessing completely correctly have become greater because the number of situations for him to guess in have increased; and the mathematical equation representing such a scenario is 1/2 x 1/2 (i.e., one time out of two for the first situation multiplied by one time out of two for the second situation).

Continuing on with the example, if the same person now has three situations in which to make blind guesses, then he will only be right one eighth of the time (i.e., one time out of eight or 1/2 X 1/2 X 1/2). Again, the odds of choosing the correct choice in all three situations have decreased his chances of being completely correct to only one time in eight. It must be understood that as the number of situations increase, the chances of being right decrease, for the two phenomena are inversely proportional.

Now applying this example to the situations in the Quran, if one draws up a list of all of the subjects about which the Quran has made correct statements, it becomes very clear that it is highly unlikely that they were all just correct blind guesses. Indeed, the subjects discussed in the Quran are numerous, and thus the odds of someone just making lucky guesses about all of them become practically nil. If there are a million ways for the Quran to be wrong, yet each time it is right, then it is unlikely that someone was guessing. The following three examples of subjects about which the Quran has made correct statements collectively illustrate how the Quran continues to beat the odds.

In the 16th chapter, the Quran mentions that the female bee leaves its home to gather food (16:68-69). Now, a person might guess on that, saying: "The bee that you see flying around - it could be male, or it could be female. I think I will guess female." Certainly, he has a one in two chance of being right. So it happens that the Quran is right. But it also happens that this was not what most people believed at the time when the Quran was revealed. Can you tell the difference between a male and a female bee? Well, it takes a specialist to do that, but it has been discovered that the male bee never leaves his home to gather food. However, in Shakespeare's play, Henry the Fourth, some of the characters discuss bees and mention that the bees are soldiers and have a king. That is what people thought in Shakespeare's time - that the bees that one sees flying around are male bees and that they go home and answer to a king. However, that is not true at all. The fact is that they are females, and they answer to a queen. Yet it took modern scientific investigations in the last 300 years to discover that this is the case.

So, back to the list of good guesses, concerning the topic of bees, the Quran had a 50/50 chance of being right, and the odds were one in two. In addition to the subject of bees, the Quran also discusses the sun and the manner in which it travels through space. Again, a person can guess on that subject. When the sun moves through space, there are two options: it can travel just as a stone would travel if one threw it, or it can move of its own accord. The Quran states the latter - that it moves as a result of its own motion. To do such, the Quran uses a form of the word sabaha to describe the sun's movement through space.

In order to properly provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the implications of this Arabic verb, the following example is given. If a man is in water and the verb sabaha is applied in reference to his movement, it can be understood that he is swimming, moving of his own accord and not as a result of a direct force applied to him. Thus when this verb is used in reference to the sun's movement through space, it in no way implies that the sun is flying uncontrollably through space as a result of being hurled or the like. It simply means that the sun is turning and rotating as it travels. Now, this is what the Quran affirms, but was it an easy thing to discover?

Can any common man tell that the sun is turning? Only in modern times was the equipment made available to project the image of the sun onto a tabletop so that one could look at it without being blinded. And through this process it was discovered that not only are there three spots on the sun but that these spots move once every 25 days. This movement is referred to as the rotation of the sun around its axis and conclusively proves that, as the Quran stated 1400 years ago, the sun does, indeed turn as it travels through space. And returning once again to the subject of good guess, the odds of guessing correctly about both subjects - the sex of bees and the movement of the sun - are one in four!

Returning one final time to the subject of good guesses for the purpose of the present example, the odds that someone guessed correctly about all the two aforementioned subjects - the sex of bees and the movement of the sun!

Certainly, one could continue on and on with this example, drawing up longer and longer list of good guesses; and of course, the odds would become higher and higher with each increase of subjects about which one could guess. But what no one can deny is the following: the odds that Mohammed an illiterate, guessed correctly about thousands and thousands of subjects, never once making a mistake, are so high that any theory of his authorship of the Quran must be completely dismissed - even by the most hostile enemies of Islam!

Indeed, the Quran expects this kind of challenge. Undoubtedly, if one said to someone upon entering a foreign land: "I know your father. I have met him," probably the man from that land would doubt the newcomer's word, saying: "You have just come here. How could you know my father?" As a result, he would question him: "Tell me, is my father tall, short, dark, fair? What is he like?" Of course, if the visitor continued answering all of the questions correctly, the skeptic would have no choice but to say: "I guess you do know my father. I don't know how you know him, but I guess you do!"

The situation is the same with the Quran. It states that it originates from the One Who created everything. So everyone has the right to say: "Convince me! If the author of this book really originated life and everything in the heavens and on the earth, then He should know about this, about that, and so on." And inevitably, after researching the Quran, everyone will discover the same truths. Additionally, we all know something for sure: we do not all have to be experts to verify what the Quran affirms. One's faith grows as one continues to check and confirm the truths contained in the Quran. And one is supposed to do so all of his life. May God (Allaah) guide everyone close to the truth.

In conclusion I ask you to consider with care the following. Allaah Says (what means): “But they say, “Why are not signs sent down to him from his Lord?” Say, “The signs are only with Allaah, and I am only a clear warner. And is it not sufficient for them that We revealed to you the Book [i.e. the Qur’an] which is recited to them? Indeed in that is a mercy and reminder for a people who believe.” [Quran 29:50-51]

 

Important note to learn and online quran recitation

 

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran online and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to quran. and plz do spread the true knowledge as much as you and Allah knows best listen quran online of the top online quran reciter with English and Urdu translation for quran teacher live

 

The Prophet’s Compassion for Children

The Prophet’s Compassion for Children

Children are a great blessing from Allah. With their tender hearts, children can be molded into righteous people only with a positive and tender approach. Islam considers children to be an amanah (trust) given to the family and says it is fard (obligatory) for the family to raise a child in a righteous manner. One should not favor one child over another. In Islam, both male and female children should be treated equally and should be loved and cherished. The children have certain rights over their parents; it is the family’s obligation to shelter, feed, clothe, educate, support, nurture, and love them.

In today’s world many parents are so immersed in worldly life that they forget to pay attention to their children. Many parents think that providing financial support for their child is enough. The fact is, financial support alone doesn’t fulfill a parent’s duty towards their child. One can only win a child’s heart through love and a gentle attitude. It is the child’s right to be loved and cherished.

I remember that, as a child, I yearned for the attention of my family, but being in a joint family—my family and my uncle’s family lived together and a few other cousins stayed with us as their parents were working abroad—did not give me the opportunity to experience the kind of attention I expected. My parents felt that they should not express their love for their children in front of others, as people might think they were favoring us. As a child (and even now), I heard people saying “We need not to express our love to prove that it is there, it is enough to have a loving heart.” But the fact is that only when one expresses love to a child will the child feel more confident and stronger. Children have the capacity to easily distinguish when there is a difference in the attitude of the adults. Whether an adult shows or does not show love will have a significant impact on a child. Hence, we adults have to be conscious with our behavior in the child’s presence and be constantly aware of the emotions we project to our children.

Nowadays, we see people have become hardhearted so that their attitude towards children is unpleasant. There are some who show much partiality toward one gender, and there are some who don’t treat others’ children with the same kindness or affection which they show to their own children. It is common to see even people who claim that they act on the Qur’an and Sunnah showing less interest in playing with their children or giving them the due attention or expression of love.

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the model for the whole of humankind. His attitude towards children was always compassionate and merciful. Being fond of children, Prophet Muhammad showed great interest in playing with them. His involvement in children’s games shows us the great importance in playing with our children. He would have fun with the children who had come back from Abyssinia and tried to speak in Abyssinian with them. It was his practice to give lifts on his camel to children when he returned from journeys.

Prophet Muhammad never held back his love for the children and always expressed his fondness to them. In one hadith Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:

I went along with Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) at a time during the day but he did not talk to me and I did not talk to him until he reached the market of Banu Qainuqa`. He came back to the tent of Fatimah and said, “Is the little chap (meaning Al-Hasan) there?” We were under the impression that his mother had detained him in order to bathe him and dress him and garland him with sweet garland. Not much time had passed that he (Al-Hasan) came running until both of them embraced each other, thereupon Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “O Allah, I love him; love him and love one who loves him.” (Muslim)

Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), the servant of the Prophet, had another recollection:

I never saw anyone who was more compassionate towards children than Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). His son Ibrahim was in the care of a wet nurse in the hills around Madinah. He would go there, and we would go with him, and he would enter the house, pick up his son and kiss him, then come back. (Muslim)

The Prophet’s love for children was not restricted to his children and grandchildren. The scope of his mercy and affection embraced all children, and he showed the same interest and gentleness to his Companion’s children. The following hadith narrated by Usamah ibn Zaid (may Allah be pleased with him) shows this humane aspect of the Prophet’s personality:

Allah’s Messenger used to put me on (one of) his thighs and put Al-Hasan ibn `Ali on his other thigh, and then embrace us and say, “O Allah! Please be merciful to them, as I am merciful to them.” (Bukhari)

Some people who were not able to understand the power of expressing love to children wondered why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) played with children and took such an interest in them. Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him),

Allah’s Messenger kissed Al-Hasan ibn `Ali while Al-Aqra` ibn Habis At-Tamim was sitting with him . Al-Aqra` said, “I have ten children and have never kissed one of them.” The Prophet cast a look at him and said, “Whoever is not merciful to others will not be treated mercifully.” (Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet was always concerned about everyone’s thought and feeling. The following hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) proves his thoughtful character:

The Prophet said, “(It happens that) I start the prayer intending to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I shorten the prayer because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother’s passions.” (Al-Bukhari)

The Prophet was always patient and considerate with children and took great pain not to hurt their tender feelings.

Narrated Abu Qatadah: “The Messenger of Allah came towards us while carrying Umamah the daughter of Abi Al-`As (Prophet’s granddaughter) over his shoulder. He prayed, and when he wanted to bow, he put her down, and when he stood up he lifted her up.” (Al-Bukhari)

In a another hadith,

Narrated Umm Khalid: I (the daughter of Khalid ibn Said) went to Allah’s Messenger with my father and I was wearing a yellow shirt. Allah’s Messenger said, “Sanah, Sanah!” (`Abdullah, the narrator, said that sanah meant “good” in the Ethiopian language). I then started playing with the seal of prophethood (between the Prophet’s shoulders) and my father rebuked me harshly for that. Allah’s Messenger said, “Leave her.” The Prophet, then, invoked Allah to grant her a long life thrice. (Al-Bukhari)

In another narration we see the Prophet’s tolerance towards children.

Narrated `A’ishah: The Prophet took a child in his lap … and then the child urinated on him, so he asked for water and poured it over the place of the urine. (Al-Bukhari)

Finally I would like to add another saying of the Prophet that proves that Muslims should be conscious to treat their sons and daughters justly:

“Fear Allah and treat your children [small or grown] fairly (with equal justice).” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

From all the above hadith we see Prophet Muhammad’s attitude toward children is an example for the whole human race that shows how to treat them and cherish them at all times.

listening to Quran read-quranonline.com learn Quran to read Tajweed from live holy Quran tutor with beauty of recitation by the top Reciter of world the holy Quran must to read with the rule of Tajweed which is the way and the kids will know that how to read and learn Quran in proper way of (Recitation) we teach Quran online visit for further information. learningquranonline.com

Harry Who?

Harry Who? An Islamic Analysis of the Harry Potter Phenomenon

Magic is an old human practice. It is sometimes defined as deception by showing something to an audience, which is contrary to reality. Magic is listed as the third major sin after Shirk and Murder, according to Adh-Dhahabi in his book 'Al-Kaba'ir' The Major Sins.

In the light of the above definition, Islam considers magic to be an act of blasphemy. Allah says:

They followed what the Shayâtin (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaimân (Solomon). Sulaimân did not disbelieve, but the Shayâtin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Hârût and Mârût, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, "We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)." And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allâh's Leave. And they learn that which harms them and profits them not. And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold their own selves, if they but knew. (Qur'an 2:102)

In my quest to get a better understanding of those that read or watch things related to magic, I was quite surprised to find more Christians addressing this issue than Muslims. In fact I couldn't find one article regarding this issue. And with the recent release of the Harry Potter film, I'm even more driven to find a clear answer. Oh, I've heard the argument: "Harry Potter is wonderful, it encourages kids to read!"

Certainly, reading is important. Allah says:

Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists)

Has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood).

Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,

Who has taught (the writing) by the pen.

(Qur'an 96 1-4)

But do you really think that Harry Potter is the kind of reading Allah had in mind?

The Prophet tells us that witchcraft, sorcery, and magic are evil. He (peace be upon him) said, "There are three who will not enter paradise: one who is addicted to wine, one who breaks ties of relationship, and one who believes in magic." (Ahmad)



And Allah's Apostle said, "Avoid the Mubiqat, i.e., shirk and witchcraft." (Bukhari)

Imaginary (or virtual) experiences and well-written fantasies can affect the mind and memories as much, if not more, than actual experiences. Designed to stir feelings and produce strong emotional responses, a well-planned myth with likeable characters can be far more memorable than the less exciting daily reality, especially when reinforced through books, toys and games as well as movies. It is no wonder Harry Potter fans have been counting the days to see the sorcery, magic, potions and spells.

Our children need good, moral characters to identify with. When they have been accustomed to reading and now seeing this fantasy we must ask ourselves as their protectors and educators if these are the types of role models we want for them.

Allah says:

O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allâh, but do that which they are commanded. (Qur'an 66:6)

Allah reminds us of our short existence in this life and the need to choose good over evil:

The life of this world is but play and pastime, but if you believe (in the Oneness of Allâh Islâmic Monotheism), and fear Allâh, and avoid evil, He will grant you your wages, and will not ask you your wealth. (Qur'an 47:36)

By overexposing our children to the Harry Potter kind of material we run the risk that they may lose their natural aversion for the devious spirits represented by the creatures and symbols in these stories. Caught up in the exciting story, they absorb the suggested values and store the fascinating images in their minds, making the forbidden world of the occult seem more normal.

 

 

Professor Snape, a teacher at Hogwarts Academy in the Harry Potter film.

Fun fantasies and strategic entertainment have a special way of altering values, compromising beliefs and changing behavior in adults as well as in children. This learning process has been named "edutainment" a favored way to educate and entertain at the same time, for example Sesame Street. Its power to influence beliefs and behavior is illustrated by today's marketing firms; which spend billions on entertaining ads that touch emotions, ignore the facts, and yet motivate people to buy the product.

This Harry Potter 'ideology' is a good example. It comes complete with trading cards, computer and other wizardly games, clothes, action figures and cuddly dolls as well as audio cassettes that could keep the child's minds focused on the occult all day and into night. What's next, a Ouiji Board?

Teach your children Allah's Truths and train them to see reality through the teachings of Allah and His Prophet (peace be upon him) and not through the world's perspective. To succeed, we must be ever-conscious of their surroundings. Is it possible to shield them from contrary values, I'm sure it's not, however it is possible to offer them clear understandings of these things in light of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Once they have learned to love what Allah loves and hate what Allah hates, and to see life from His Words, they will demonstrate their wisdom by choosing to say "no" to Harry Potter and the like.

All right, so you've finished reading this editorial and you see things differently. All this time you've allowed your kids to read and view material related to magic, what do you do now to stop it?

Every family is different and therefore our approach to this matter will differ. You may need to cut it out completely and sit with your children to explain the situation in detail. We can only be accountable for what we know and our intentional acts. Being a Muslim means always learning. We are always growing and changing our views in order to meet the needs of our Faith at any age.

May Allah guide me and forgive me for anything that was said unintentionally, and in any respect not in accordance with Allah and His teachings. He is The All-Knower, and The Merciful.

listening to Quran read-quranonline.com learn Quran to read Tajweed from live holy Quran tutor with beauty of recitation by the top Reciter of world the holy Quran must to read with the rule of Tajweed which is the way and the kids will know that how to read and learn Quran in proper way of (Recitation) we teach Quran online visit for further information. learningquranonline.com

Our Children: Our Future

 

"Your wealth and your children are only a trial, while with Allah there is a tremendous reward."

(Quran 64:15)

 

by Umm Khadijah



A Believing man or woman continues to be tested in person, property and children in order he or she may meet Allah (SWT) free from sin. The patience and gratefulness we have for all difficulties in this life determine the amount of reward and forgiveness we will receive. The one for whom Allah intends good encounters afflictions to get it. (Bukhari)

In general, the priorities of many parents today for their children include wealth, material comforts, a good education, a good job and to have a happy marriage. There is nothing wrong with accepting the wealth and comfort of what Allah has granted us, but we must remember why we are here.

Despite the difficulties raising children, one must keep in mind that as with wealth, they are a treasure from Allah and the way you raise them, they could lead to your success or failure in the hereafter.

One cannot underestimate the importance of instilling strong Eman in our children. Strong belief in Allah will deter them from wrongdoings. Natural instinct often tells us when something is not right. Knowledge determines right from wrong and in how to react to problems gives children confidence to teach others and defend themselves.

We should never presume that our children will learn from the good examples of their parents only. In the modern world, parents only spend a limited amount of time with their children; society, other Muslims and the general non-Muslim community all instil values and their ideologies into our children, influencing their behaviour Eg. TV, schools, friends, neighbours. A welleducated parent is better able to guide their children. It is so important for parents to make time to teach our children quran, salaat and give them knowledge of our deen.

We need instil pride in our glorious history and give our children confidence from the historical examples to learn from.

Prophets and their family give us rich examples to follow. The modern day void of historical knowledge leads to our kids following modern day heroes, teaching children all the wrong principles and values.

Children now days will face many more hardships than ever before with such a changing world. How can we expect them to defend and follow Islam if they don’t really understand the how’s and why’s? Consistency is the key with everything.

Children love to know what is expected of them and what they can and cannot do. An important part of discipline includes setting down the ground rules that the parents feel comfortable with. It is so much easier to accept and learn from being corrected when you are told why things should have been handled a different way and given examples of how to act. Through being patient, showing compassion and mercy we hope our children will treat us the same way when we become old and rely on them to look after us.

There are many ways to raise children to love and fear Allah, thus learning the differences between right and wrong. One of my favourites is lots and lots of praise and encouragement for good behaviour, making them self-confident and happy to continue to behave well. This has to be reinforced by parents giving warnings for bad behaviour and then placing the child in an isolated spot to think about what they have done for a short period of time (2 minutes for every year of the child) and then apologize to you for what they did wrong. This calmly shows our blessed children without yelling or hitting, what is acceptable behaviour, the difference between right and wrong and respect & reasoning are the key to solving misunderstandings.

Remember, children love attention and affection shown in a positive way.

 

listening to Quran read-quranonline.com learn Quran to read Tajweed from live holy Quran tutor with beauty of recitation by the top Reciter of world the holy Quran must to read with the rule of Tajweed which is the way and the kids will know that how to read and learn Quran in proper way of (Recitation) we teach Quran online visit for further information. learningquranonline.com

Worldly Things (Wealth and Children)

Worldly Things

"The
love of desires has been made beautiful to people such as women,
sons, piled up mounds of gold and silver, branded horses, cattle
and farm land. Those are the provisions of this life and with Allah
is the best place of return."

[Qur'an Al
'Imran: 14]

Allah
created in us a love for the worldly things mentioned in the verse.
The love for them and the pleasure we experience is from Allah and
is the nature with which He created us. It is only becoming obsessed
with them at the expense of remembrance and obedience of Allah,
which is from Shaitaan. Thus, we must balance between these allowed
pleasures, staying away from the haraam pleasures and maintaining
our obedience to Allah and remembrance of Him in our lives. Allah
said:

"Say:
Who has forbidden the Allah's beautiful things, which he has brought
forth for His slaves and the wholesome types of sustenance? Say:
They are for those who believe in the life of this world, exclusively
on the day of Qiyama. In this way, we explain the signs in detail
for a people who know."

[Al-A'raaf: 32]

Allah
created all of these items of pleasure and enjoyment "for His
slaves". We know from other verses that the good things of
Allah will be had by believers and by non-believers in this life,
but Allah's statement the he brought these things forth "for
His slaves" means that they are the ones mainly intended and
they are the ones who rightfully enjoy the provision of Allah Most
High. Furthermore, they will be the only ones to enjoy them in the
hereafter where they will be rewarded with every kind of provision
"of like nature" to what they enjoyed in this earth but
infinitely better and perfect in every way. On the other hand, although
the disbelievers will partake of these things in this life, they
do not do so rightfully and will see none of it in the hereafter.

Even
a believer can lose rightful ownership of worldly things in his
physical possession through sin and disobedience as in the famous
hadith about the traveller about which the Prophet said: "...his
food was haraam, his drink was haraam, his mount was haraam...".
Even those things in his possession at the moment were haraam
to him because of his sin and forbidden transactions he was involved
in.

Likewise,
in the verses about interest, Allah first states the absolute lack
of any benefit from the haraam by saying:

"Allah
obliterates interest and compounds charity and Allah does not love
those extreme in disbelief, extreme in sin."

[Al-Baqarah: 276]

After
ordering us to repent from dealing in interest, cease all involvement
in it and forgo any that may be "owed" to us under the
haraam contracts, Allah informs us that if one fails to
repent and do all of this, all of his wealth is no longer rightfully
his:

"So,
if you fail to do so, then be informed of war from Allah and His
Prophet. If you repent, your base capital is yours. You will not
oppress nor be oppressed."

[Al-Baqarah: 279]

We
understand from Allah's statement: {If you repent, your base
capital is yours.} that, absent this repentance, not only is
the interest component haraam to you but so is all of your
wealth including that not involved in interest transactions - until
you repent and fulfill all of the requirements of repentance.

So,
the things of this life are ni'ma (goodness) from Allah and, by
putting in our nature love for them, Allah has granted us this pleasure.
But it is important to remember that He also put them there as a
test to see which of us can enjoy them but keep love of Allah and
remembrance of Him above all and which of us will become obsessed
with the worldly things and forgetful of Allah. Allah said:

"We
have surely made all that is on the Earth a beatification of it
that we may test which of you are best in deeds."

[Al-Kahf: 7]

Wealth,
sons and all of the things that people compete in and love by nature
are the beautification of this life. They will disappear and the
only thing which will remain is our deeds. Allah said:

"Wealth
and sons are the beautification of the life of this world and that
which remains, the good deeds are better before Allah in reward
and better in hope."

[Al-Kahf: 46]

Good
deeds are the only thing we can take with us and which can help
us in the hereafter. Worldly things will disappear and cannot -
in themselves - help us before Allah. This does not mean that they
are "opposites" or exclusive of each other. It is a common
deviation to feel that all things "worldly" are opposite
and cannot mix with all things "spiritual". The worldly
things can be used to worship and obey Allah or they can make one
forget Allah and be used to disobey Him. The Prophet said:

"Whoever
has three daughters and is patient with them, feeds them, give them
drink and clothes them in the best manner will find them to be a
shield from the fire on the day of Qiyama." Narrated
by Ahmed and it is sahih.

Shunning
the world or all things "worldly" or the belief that "world"
and "religion" are opposites and mutually exclusive is
an innovation (bid'a) started by the Christians. After mentioning
the prophethood of Isa (Peace be upon Him), Allah said:

"And
we placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and
mercy but asceticism was their innovation. We did not prescribe
it for them other than seeking the pleasure of Allah but they did
not take care of that as they should have. We gave those believed
among them their reward but many of them were corrupt."

[Al-Hadeed: 27]

Wealth
does not equal disobedience - it can be used for obedience or used
in disobedience. A Muslim should enjoy the halaal which Allah gives
him/her and use it in obedience. A Muslim should not even conceal
it from others. The Prophet said: "Whoever has wealth should
let its effects be seen." At-Tabarani and it is Sahih.

Wealth
and children should be used as vehicles for worshipping Allah Most
High - by raising good Muslim children, having money in order to
pay Zakat or for extra spending in the path of Allah or to help
others, etc. In this way, worldly things can increase our remembrance
of Allah rather than distract us from it. Allah said:

"O
you who believe, do not let your wealth or your children distract
you from the remembrance of Allah.

As for those who do this, they are indeed the losers."

[Al-Munafiqoon: 9]

The
love which Allah placed in our hearts for each other - and especially
of a man for his wife necessitates an urge to obey their demands
and to please them even if displeasing Allah Most High. In this
context, Allah described dependents as enemies saying:

"O
you who believe, surely among your wives and your children is an
enemy to you, so beware of them. And, if you overlook, forbear and
forgive, surely Allah is the Forgiving, the Merciful."

[At-Taghaabun: 14]

An
"enemy" is one who either intends harm or in some way
poses a threat to one's well being. Wives and children may pose
a threat, not because of any intention of harm on their part but
because of some desires for things displeasing to Allah Most High
and because of the love of the man for them and his desire to please
them. The fist half of this verse may make a man think that he should
be harsh with his wife and children in order to protect himself
from this danger. The second half makes it clear that this is not
the case and that he should be forgiving, forbearing and compassionate
with them and hope for the same from Allah Most High.

This
is why Allah established the hierarchy of the Muslim family: the
father as amir who although he should consult his wife
in many issues, has the final word whenever he chooses to use that
option - as long as it is not disobedience to Allah. The children
must obey both of their parents and show them the respect that Allah
has ordered them to show. This is not just during childhood, but
for their entire life. The Prophet said: "You and everything
you own belong to your father."

Destruction
of this hierarchy is one of the signs of Qiyama, which
has been mentioned in various hadith. The Prophet mentioned among
the signs that "a female slave will give birth to her master".
This means that a female slave (of Allah) will give birth to
a child do devoid of respect and disobedience for his/her parents
that the child will be as the "master" of the mother who
gave birth to them! The Prophet also mentioned the obedience of
a husband to his wife as one of the signs of the end.

O
Allah! Show us the truth as the truth and grant us the following
of it

And
show us falsehood as falsehood and grant us staying distant from
it

listening to Quran read-quranonline.com learn Quran to read Tajweed from live holy Quran tutor with beauty of recitation by the top Reciter of world the holy Quran must to read with the rule of Tajweed which is the way and the kids will know that how to read and learn Quran in proper way of (Recitation) we teach Quran online visit for further information. learningquranonline.com

Children's Character

Children's Character

Many people are concerned
about their children’s unstable characters and the effects of
luxury on their personalities. How can we introduce strength and
honour into our children’s characters?

 

 

Answer (by Sheikh Munaajid)

 

Praise be to Allah.

 

The issue referred to in the question
is one of the most serious problems in raising children nowadays.
Some of the Islamic solutions to this problem and ways of instilling
strength and honour in our children’s character are listed below:

Takniyyah (using the kunya or
patronymic in addressing children)

Calling a young boy "Abu Foolaan"
("Father of so-and-so") or a young girl "Umm Foolaan"
("Mother of so-and-so") will make the child feel more
responsible and grown up, so he will become more mature and will
feel above normal childishness. The Prophet (Peace & Blessings
of Allaah be upon Him) used to give kunyas to children. Anas (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said:

"The Prophet (Peace &
Blessings of Allah be upon Him) was the best of people in attitude
and manners. I had a brother whom people used to call Abu ‘Umayr.
I think he was just past the age of weaning, and whenever he came
along the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) would
say to him, ‘O Abu ‘Umayr, what did the nughayr do (Ya Abaa ‘Umayr
ma fa’ala al-nuhgayr)?’" (The nughayr was a small bird
with which he used to play). (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5735).

Umm Khaalid bint Khaalid reported
that the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) was
given some clothes, among which was a small black garment made of
silk, known as a khameesah. He said, "Who do you think I
should give this to?" The people were silent, then he said,
"Bring me Umm Khaalid" and she was carried to him
(which indicates that she was very young). He picked up the garment
and put it on her, saying, "Enjoy it until it wears out."
There was a green or yellow spot on it, and he said, "O
Umm Khaalid, this is sanaah" – sanaah means "beautiful"
in Ethiopian. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5375).

According to another report also
narrated by al-Bukhaari: "He looked at the khameesah and
pointed to it, saying, ‘O Umm Khaalid, this is sanaa, O Umm Khaalid,
this is sanaa." Sanaa in Ethiopian means beautiful. (Reported
by al-Bukhaari, 5397).

Taking them to gatherings and
letting them sit with grown-ups

This will increase their understanding
and wisdom, and make them try to imitate adults, as well as keeping
them from spending too much time on games and entertainment. The
Sahaabah used to bring their children with them when they went and
sat with the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him).
One of the stories that describe this was narrated by Mu’aawiyah
ibn Qurrah from his father, who said: "The Prophet (Peace
& Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) used to sit with a group
of his Companions. One man had his little son with him; he would
bring him from behind and make him sit in front of him…"
(Reported by al-Nisaa’i and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ahkaam
al-Janaa’iz).

Talking to them about the heroic
deeds of earlier and subsequent generations, Islamic battles and
Muslim victories

This will encourage them to be brave,
which is one of the most important parts of being strong and honourable.
Al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam had two children, one of whom was present
at some of the battles, and the other of whom used to play with
the old battle scars on his father’s shoulder. This was reported
by ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr, who said that the Companions of the Messenger
of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said to al-Zubayr
on the day of Yarmook, "Will you go and attack, and we will
go with you?" He said, "If I attacked, you would
be lying." They said, "No, we will do (as we promised)."
So he launched an attack (against the Romans), penetrating their
ranks and passing straight through, but no one was with him. Then
he turned around and came back, and the Romans seized the reins
of his horse and wounded him twice in the shoulder. Between these
two new wounds was a scar from a wound he had received at Badr.
‘Urwah said, "When I was little, I used to play by putting
my fingers in those scars." ‘Urwah said, " ‘Abdullaah
ibn al-Zubayr was with him on that day. He was ten years old. He
(al-Zubayr) put him on a horse and entrusted him to the care of
another man." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3678).

Commenting on this hadeeth, Ibn Hijr
(may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Al-Zubayr felt that his
son ‘Abdullaah was brave and chivalrous, so he put him on a horse,
but he feared that he might attempt to do more than he was able,
so he put another man with him so that he could feel that he was
safe from the attacks of the Romans should he become distracted
by the fighting." Ibn al-Mubaarak reported from Hishaam ibn
‘Urwah from his father from ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Zubayr that he was
with his father on the day of Yarmook, and when the mushrikoon ran
away, he attacked and started killing their wounded, i.e., he finished
off every wounded soldier whom he found. This indicates that he
was strong and brave from childhood.

Teaching them good manners

Among the manners that should be
taught are those described in the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah
from the Prophet  (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him):
"The young should greet the old, the passerby should greet
one who is sitting, and the small group should greet the larger
group." (Al-Bukhaari, 5736).

Giving them the praise and respect
they deserve in front of others

This is made clear by the following
hadeeth: Sahl ibn Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) said that
the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) was brought
a cup and he drank from it. There was a boy, the youngest of all
the people, on his right and some elders on his left. He said, "O
young boy, will you allow me to give this to these elders?"
The boy said, "I will not give away my share of your blessings
to anyone, O Messenger of Allah," so he gave the cup to
him. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2180)

Teaching them manly sports

- such as archery, swimming and horse
riding.

Avoiding humilating them, especially
in front of others

 

 

Never belittling their ideas, and
encouraging them to take part.

 

Consulting them and asking for
their opinions

Giving them responsibilities in
accordance with their age and abilities

Teaching them to be brave as appropriate
– including how to speak in public

Making sure their clothes are
modest and protecting them from inappropriate clothing,
hairstyles, movements and ways
of walking

Making sure that boys do not wear
silk, as this is only for women

Avoiding extravagance, luxury,
laziness and idleness

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with
him) said: "Get used to a rough life, for luxury does not
last forever."

Avoiding entertainment or pastime
gatherings, singing, music and other wastes of time, because these
go against strength, honour and seriousness

These are some of the ways and means
which will increase strength and honour, and protect our children.

 

Allah is the One Who guides to the Straight Path.

listening to Quran read-quranonline.com learn Quran to read Tajweed from live holy Quran tutor with beauty of recitation by the top Reciter of world the holy Quran must to read with the rule of Tajweed which is the way and the kids will know that how to read and learn Quran in proper way of (Recitation) we teach Quran online visit for further information. learningquranonline.com

The World of Jinn and Its Secrets (Q & A)

The World of Jinn and Its Secrets (Q&A)

Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, a prominent Muslim lecturer and author, who states:

“Allah Almighty has created certain creatures, some of them are known to us and some of them are not.

In his capacity as Allah’s vicegerent on earth, man is ordained by Allah to worship Him Alone without partners. Consequently, we should not get absorbed in stories about jinn, as it is not a form of worship.

The Qur’an and Sunnah indicate that jinn exist, and that there is a purpose for their existence in this life, which is to worship Allah Alone with no partner or associate. Allah Almighty says: “And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans, except they should worship Me (Alone).” (Adh-Dhariyat: 56)

Scholars are in disagreement over the difference between jinn and demons. Some of them say that the word jinn goes far to encompass the jinn as well as the demons. The word also includes believing and unbelieving jinn. Allah Almighty says, “And among us there are righteous folk and among us there are far from that. We are sects having different rules.” (Al-Jinn: 11) “And there are among us some who have surrendered (to Allah) and there are among us some who are unjust. And whoso hath surrendered to Allah, such have taken the right path purposefully.” (Al-Jinn: 14)

However, the word demon or shaytan is used to refer to the unbelieving ones among the jinn. Allah Almighty says, “…and the devil was ever an ingrate to his Lord.‏” (Al-Isra’: 27)

The world of the jinn is an independent and separate world with its own distinct nature and features that are hidden from the world of humans. Jinns and humans have things in common, such as the ability to understand and choose between good and evil. The word jinn comes from the Arabic root meaning “hidden from sight”. Allah Almighty says: “… Verily he (shaytan) and his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe see you from where you cannot see them…” (Al-A`raf: 27)

Allah has told us in His Book the essence from which the jinn were created. He says: “And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame o fire.” (Al-Hijr : 27) `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you.” (Reported by Muslim)

Types of jinn

Allah has created different types of jinn. Among them are some who can take on different forms such as dogs and snakes; some who are like flying winds with wings; and some who can travel and rest. Abu Tha`labah al-Khushni says that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “The jinn are of three types: a type that has wings and they fly through the air; a type that looks like snakes and dogs; and a type that stops for a rest then resumes its journey.” (Reported by At-Tahawi in Mushkil Al-’Athar)

The jinn and the sons of Adam

Every individual among the sons of Adam has a jinn who has been appointed to be his constant companion (qarin). Ibn Mas`ud reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says: ‘There is not one of you who does not have a jinn appointed to be his constant companion.’ They said, ‘And you too, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said, ‘Me too, but Allah has helped me and he has submitted, so that he only helps me to do good.’” (Reported by Muslim)

Their powers

Allah has given jinn powers that he has not given to humans. Allah has told us about some of their powers such as the ability to move and travel quickly. One of the jinn guaranteed to Prophet Sulayman (Solomon, peace and blessings be upon him) that he would bring the throne of the Queen of Yemen to Jerusalem in a moment, faster than the time needed for someone to get up from where he was sitting. Allah Almighty says: “A stalwart of the Jinn said: I will bring it thee before thou canst rise from thy place. Lo! I verily am strong and trusty for such work. One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: I will bring it thee before thy gaze returneth unto thee. And when he saw it set in his presence, (Solomon said) This is of the bounty of my Lord. That He may try me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful. Whosoever giveth thanks he only giveth thanks for (the good of) his own soul: and whosoever is ungrateful (is ungrateful only to his own soul’s hurt). For lo! My Lord is Absolute in independence, Bountiful.” (An-Naml: 39-40)

‏The food and drink of jinn

Ibn Mas`ud reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: “There came to me an inviter on behalf of the Jinn and I went along with him and recited to them the Qur’an.” He (the narrator) said: The Prophet then went along with us and showed us their traces and traces of their embers. The Jinn asked the Prophet about their provision and he said: “Every bone on which the name of Allah is recited is your provision. The time it will fall in your hand it would be covered with flesh, and (you can have) all the droppings as food for your animals.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “So do not use (these things) for cleaning yourselves (after relieving oneself), for they are the food and provision of your brothers (Jinn).” (Reported by Muslim)

The believing jinn may eat any bone on which the name of Allah has been mentioned, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did not permit them to have anything on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned – those are for the unbelieving jinn.

The beasts of the jinn

According to the Hadith reported by Ibn Mas`ud, that we have quoted above, the jinn asked the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) for provision, and he said to them: “…and (you can have) all the droppings as food for your animals.”

The dwelling-places of the jinn

The jinn live where we do live on this earth. They are mostly to be found in ruins and unclean places like bathrooms, dunghills, garbage dumps and graveyards. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us to take precautions when entering such places, by reciting the adhkar (mentioning Allah’s Name) prescribed by Islam.

One of these are reported by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) who says: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the toilet, he would say, ‘Allahumma inni a`udhu bika min al-khubuthi wal-khaba’ith (O Allah, I seek Refuge with You from all offensive and wicked things [evil deeds and evil spirits]).’”

Some jinns are Muslims and some are non-Muslims

Allah tells us that some of the jinn said “And there are among us some who have surrendered (to Allah) and there are among us some who are unjust. And whoso hath surrendered to Allah, such have taken the right path purposefully.‏” (Al-Jinn: 14)

Protection from harm of jinn

Because jinn can see us while we cannot see them, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us many ways to protect ourselves from their harm. They are seeking refuge of Allah from the accursed shaytan, reciting surat Al-Falaq and surat An-Nas, and reciting the words taught by Allah in the Qur’an. Allah Almighty says, “And say: My Lord! I seek refuge in Thee from suggestions of the evil ones. And I seek refuge in Thee, my Lord, lest they be present with me.” (Al-Mu’minun: 97-98)

Saying Bismillah (in the Name of Allah) before entering one’s home, eating or drinking, and having intercourse will keep Satan from entering the house or partaking with a person in his food, drink and sexual activity. Similarly, mentioning the name of Allah before entering the toilet or taking off one’s clothes will prevent the jinn from seeing a person in a state of undress or harming him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of be upon him) says: “To put a barrier that will prevent the jinn from seeing the `awrah of the sons of Adam, let any one of you say ‘Bismillah’ when entering the toilet.” (Reported by At-Tirmidhi)

Strength of faith and religion in general will also prevent jinn from harming a person, so much so that if they were to fight, the one who has faith would win. Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: “A man from among the Companions of Muhammad met a man from among the jinn. They wrestled, and the human knocked down the jinn. The human said to him, ‘You look small and skinny to me, and your forearms look like the front paws of a dog. Do all the jinn look like this, or only you?’ He said, ‘No, by Allah, among them I am strong, but let us wrestle again, and if you defeat me I will teach you something that will do you good.’ The human said, ‘Fine.’ He said, ‘Recite (the verse): “Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedeth with Him save by His leave? He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save what He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.” (Al-Baqarah: 255) The human said, ‘Fine.’ He said, ‘You will never recite this in your house but the shaytan will come out of it like a donkey breaking wind, and he will never come back in until the next morning.’” (Reported by Ad-Darami)

 

Waswaas - Insinuating thoughts from Shaytaan

Waswaas - Insinuating thoughts from Shaytaan

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said

“The Shaytaan may come to any one of you and say, ‘Who created Allah?’ If any one of you experiences this, let him say, ‘Aamantu billaahi wa rasoolih (I believe in Allah and His Messenger),’ and that will drive him away.” (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1657). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan may come to any one of you and ask, ‘Who created the heaven?’ and he will say, ‘Allah’ The Shaytaan will say, ‘Who created the earth?’ and he will say, ‘Allah’ Then the Shaytaan will say, ‘Who created Allah?’ If any one of you experiences this, let him say, ‘Aamantu billaahi wa rasoolih.’” (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1656).



The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Shaytaan may come to any one of you, and say, ‘Who created such-and-such? Who created such-and-such?’ until he asks, ‘Who created your Lord?’ If this happens to anyone, let him seek refuge with Allah and let him stop these thoughts.” (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7993).



The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever experiences anything of this waswaas, let him say three times, ‘‘Aamantu billaahi wa rasoolih,’ and that will drive (the Shaytaan) away.” (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 6587).



The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The people will nearly ask too many questions, so that one of them may say, ‘Allah created all of creation, but who created Allah?’ If they say this, then say: ‘Allah is the One, Allah is the Self-Sufficient Master. He begets not, nor was He begotten; and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him’ [al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4, interpretation of the meaning], and spit (drily) to your left three times, and seek refuge with Allah from the Shaytaan.” (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 8182).



The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Think about the signs of Allah, do not think about Allah (Himself).” (Saheeh al-Jaami’, 2975)



From these texts we may summarize the following six ways of overcoming these insinuating thoughts:



The person who is experiencing such ideas (waswaas) should say,



“Aamantu billaahi wa rasoolih (I believe in Allah and His Messenger).”



He should seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytaan, and say three times, “A’oodhu billaahi’l-Samee’ il-‘Aleem min al-Shaytaan il-rajeem, min hamzihi wa nafkhihi wa nafathih (I seek refuge with Allah, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from the accursed Shaytaan, and from his slander and evil insinuations).”



He should spit (drily) to his left three times.



He should stop thinking about whatever it is that is on his mind, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Let him stop.” This is an important tactic, because continuing to allow the Shaytaan to influence one in this way can only make it worse. The Muslim must stop these thoughts, as much as he is able, and keep his mind busy with something useful and beneficial.



He should recite Soorat al-Ikhlaas (Qul huwa Allaahu ahad), because it describes attributes of the Most Merciful and is considered to be equivalent to one-third of the Qur’aan. Reciting this great soorah will guarantee an end to these insinuating thoughts.



He should think about the creation and blessings of Allah, not about His nature, because his weak human mind can never comprehend the nature of Allah Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):



“… and they will never compass anything of His Knowledge” [Ta-Ha 20:110]

O' Allah protect us from all kinds of evil and evil deeds.!

Ameen