MERCY OF ALLAH FOR ALL: February 2010

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

WA ASHHADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN ABDUHU WA RASOOLUHU

And I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His Messenger
It is also a great favour of Kind and Merciful Allah for mankind that He managed to impart the essential knowledge and guidance concerning the righteous beliefs and the right way of life to mankind which cannot be obtained by himself or any other source.
There are two major reasons that Almighty Allah has managed to impart the knowledge to His slaves. Firstly, He promised Adam and Eve (be peace on them) to the guidance for their progeny. Secondly, some shortsighted, mad and fanatic people used to invent countless ways and systems of human life according to their own incomplete views and visions in all the ages. They have been presenting them before the common people. In spite of the fact that none can achieve the right perception about any thing concerning human life, because, it is impossible to acquire the whole concerned knowledge about anything. So, to counter these baseless ways and systems of life was indispensable:
It rests with Allah to show you the right way, even when there are many crooked ways. (The Holy Quran: 16:9)
To impart the holy knowledge and guidance to His slaves, Almighty Allah has sent down only one source. This is Risalah (Prophethood). Almighty Allah chose His pious slaves as His Rasool (Messengers) everywhere from within the same nation and community they belonged. Through the medium of these Rasool Allah sent down His Books with all these knowledge and appointed His Rasool to recite, explain, interpret and elucidate what was revealed in the Books, as well as to act upon according to the knowledge and guidance revealed by Almighty Allah in His Holy Books:
A Messenger is sent to every people. (The Holy Quran : 16:9)
He sent down with them the Book embodying the Truth so that it might judge among people in their disputes. (The Holy Quran : 2:213)
Muhammad (be peace on him) is the last Messenger of Allah, by whom Allah has revealed His last Holy Book ‘The Glorious Quran’:
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. (The Holy Quran : 48:29)
Say (O Muhammad):“O people! I am Allah’s Messenger to you all of Him to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth”. (The Holy Quran : 7:158)
And follow him (Muhammad) so that you may be guided a right. (The Holy Quran : 7:158)
The last Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) is the Messenger for the entire people of the world for ever till the doomsday :
We have sent you forth (O Muhammad) as nothing but mercy to people of the world. (The Holy Quran : 21 : 107)
O Prophet! We have not sent you forth but as a herald of good news and a warner for all mankind. (The Holy Quran : 34:28)
He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah. (The Holy Quran : 4:80)
Therefore, all the people are bound to believe in his Messengership and to respect and honour him (be peace on him) as the last and universal Messenger of Allah, as well as to obey him as their only leader and guide. To obey him only is, in fact, obeying and praying Almighty Allah. Because, Allah has commanded His slaves to do so.
We have sent you to mankind (O Muhammad), as a Messenger, and Allah is sufficient as a witness. He who obeys the Messenger thereby obeys Allah. (The Holy Quran:4:79-80)
(O Messenger), tell people, “If you indeed love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you and will forgive you your sins. Allah is All-Forgiving, All-compassionate.” If they turn away from this then know that Allah does not love those who refuse to obey Him and His Messenger. (The Holy Quran:3:31-32)
The continuity of the prophethood and Messengership started with the inception of the father of human beings Hazrat Adam (be peace on him) and concluded with Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him). Thus, Deen Haque (the true religion) revealed by Almighty Allah has been concluded through the medium of Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) and the blessings, bounties and grace of Allah have been completed. Moreover, Almighty Allah has announced that he would preserve the Deen Haque forever. Therefore, there is no need of any further Messenger at all:
But he (Muhammad, be peace on him) is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets. Allah has full knowledge of everything. (The Holy Quran : 33:40)
This day I have perfected for you your religion, and have bestowed upon you my bounty in full measure, and have been pleased to assign for you Islam as your religion. (The Holy Quran : 5:3)
Indeed, it is We Who have revealed it (the Holy Quran) and it is indeed We Who are its guardians. (The Holy Quran:15:9)
And Almighty Allah has revealed His last Book ‘Holy Quran’ upon His last Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) and he was appointed and delegated to educate and elucidate the Holy Quran, as well as to purify the believers and to be the ideal and active model himself in accordance with the knowledge and guidance of the Holy Quran.
We raised the Messengers earlier with clear signs and Divine Books, and We have now sent down this Reminder (the Holy Quran) upon you that you may elucidate to people the teaching that has been sent for them, and that the people may themselves reflect. (The Holy Quran: 16:44)
Indeed, there is a good example for you in the Messenger of Allah (Hazrat Muhammad), for all those who look forward to Allah and the Last Day and remember Allah much: (The Holy Quran : 33:21)
Therefore, to believe in Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) is not the believing in him till believing in the Holy Book ‘Quran’ revealed to him:
So belief in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) and in the Light (the Holy Quran) that we have sent down. Allah is fully aware of what you do. (The Holy Quran : 64:8)
It is the great mercy and blessings of Almighty Allah who has granted the great grace and good luck for the welfare and success of people in this world as well as in the hereafter by the revelation of His Holy Book ‘Quran’. The Holy Quran is a treasury of comprehensive and Omniscient knowledge, guidance and admonition. This is a luminiferous Book that covers all round knowledge and guidance. This is the only Book which leads and identify the right directions and ways of life and prohibits and protects from ill-thinking, illiteracy, sins and misdeeds. Moreover, this is the only Book in the sense that it describes its matters plainly, clearly and decisively. In short, this Book has been revealed for the human beings. It describes all the affairs related to the humans and it is the greatest mercy, blessings and prosperity for the believers who accept the knowledge of the Book and adopt the guidance of the Book sincerely:
Indeed, We have sent down for you a Book (the Holy Quran) that mentions you. Do you not understand? (The Holy Quran : 21: 10)
Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a Light (Messenger Muhammad) and a very clear Book (the Holy Quran), through which Allah shows to all (the humans), who seek to please Him, the paths leadings to safety. He brings them out of darkness by His will unto light and guides them on to the straight path. (The Holy Quran ; 5:15-16)
O mankind! Now there has come to you an exhortation from your Lord, a healing for the ailments of the hearts, and a guidance and mercy for those who believe. Tell them, (O prophet!): “Let them rejoice in Allah’s grace and mercy through which this (Book) has come to you. It is better than all the riches that they accumulate. (The Holy Quran: 10: 57-58)
Verily, this Quran guides to the way that is straight-most. To those who believe in it, and do righteous works, it gives the good news that a great reward awaits them, and warns those who do not believe in the Hereafter that we have prepared for them a grievous punishment. (The Holy Quran:17:9-10)
And We have sent down to you the Book (the Holy Quran) as an exposition of everything, a guidance, a mercy, and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves to Allah. (The Holy Quran: 16:89)
(O people!) follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and follow no masters other than Him. (The Holy Quran:7:3)
O people! fear of your Lord and dread the Day when no father will stand for his child, nor any child stand for his father. Surely, Allah’s promise is true. So let the life of this world not beguile you, nor let the deluder delude you about Allah. (The Holy Quran:31:33)
Congratulations to those people who accept the truths, then adopt them as the only aim, objective and purpose of their lives decisively, and devote their whole lives for the sake of the truths firmly. The root-cause of all the truths is Kalimah Shahadah Ashahadu Alla ilaha illa Allahu Wahdahu la Sharika lahu wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa Rasooluhu. ( I bear witness that none has the right to be Lord and to be worshipped except Allah, who is alone, who has no partner or associate and I bear witness that Muhammad (be peace on him) is His slave and His Messenger.)

ASHHADU ALLA ILAHA ILLA ALLAHU WAHDAHU LA SHARIKA LAHU

I bear witness that there is no ilah (gods or deities) except Allah. He has no partner or associate
The central facet of the Kalimah Shahadah is the denying and negation of all kinds of ilah (gods or deities) and bearing witness to one, that is ‘Allah’.
The word ‘ilah’ means the entity described and attributed as creator, lord, master, authority, sovereign, ruler , regulator etc. of the universe. And because of benefiting with the blessings, ilah is being worshiped and obeyed. In short, an ilah is that entity or existence considered with one or more attributes of Allah.
It is the eternal verities that there is no entity or existence to whom it may be recognized as ilah except Allah. Allah is ilah, really! Rather, the reality is that every existence of the universe is the creature of Allah and is looked after by Allah alone. The Quran says clearly:
Allah! There is no god but He, the Everlasting, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep seizes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what happens to them and what is after them (His creatures), what lies before them and what is hidden from them. And they will never compass any thing of His knowledge except that which He wills. His Throne (Dominion) extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High and the Most Great. (The Holy Quran : 2:255)
Verily, your ilah (Allah) is indeed one, Lord of the heavens and of the earth and all that is between them and Lord of every point of the Easts. (The Holy Quran: 37:4-5)
And your ilah (Allah) is one, there is no god but He, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. (The Holy Quran : 2:163)
There is no god except Allah. And indeed Allah is the Almighty, the All-wise. (The Holy Quran : 2 : 62)
There is no god but He (Alalh). It is He Who gives life and death. (The Holy Quran : 7 : 158)
So exalted be Allah, the True King; there is no god but He, the Lord of the Throne of Honour. (The Holy Quran : 23:116)
And He is Allah, there is no god but He, all praises and thanks be to Him in the first and in the last (in this world and in the hereafter). And for Him is the command and to Him shall you all be returned. (The Holy Quran: 28:70)
He is Allah; there is no god but He; All-knower of the hidden and open. He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. He is Allah; there is no god but He; the Sovereign Ruler; the Holy, the All-peace, the Giver of the security, the Preserver of safety (for creatures), the Almighty, the Over Powering; the Supreme. Glory to Allah, He is High above all that they associate as partner with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. All whatever is in the heavens and on the earth declares His Praises and Glory. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Wise. (The Holy Quran: 59:22-24)
There is no deity but Allah, the One, the Supreme and Irresistible. The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the Most Mighty, the Most Forgiving. (The Holy Quran : 38:65-66).
The above mentioned verses from the Holy Quran clarify that there is no ilah but Allah. Because, only Allah is the Everliving Deity, Creator of all the creatures and Provider of all the necessities to His creatures. It is He, Who manages and controls whole of the universe. He is the Lord, Master and Patron of everything. He knows all the things whether it is inside or outside. He is the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful. He is Lord and Master of all the authorities and powers. It is He Who gives life and causes death. It is He Who is Sacred, All-Mighty, Omnipotent and Peace and Security Provider. Except Allah none has any similar quality or attribute even in the least proportionate. Moreover, no one can be similar to Allah. Because, all the existence are creatures, created by Allah. And being creatures they are slaves and subjects to Allah and they are seekers of their maintenance and necessities from Allah. Then, how it may be possible to suppose anyone of them as an ilah (god). The Quran says clearly :
All the praises and thanks to Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and that is in the earth, and all praises be to Him in the hereafter, and He is the Most Wise, the All-Aware. He knows all that which goes into the earth and that which comes forth from it, and that which descends from the heaven and that which ascends to it. And He is the Most Merciful, the Most-Forgiving. (The Holy Quran : 34 :1-2)
Hence, it is obligatory for everyone to believe in oneness of Allah and to seek and invoke Him for all his necessities, sustenance and maintenance.
Truly, Allah is the most bounteous to mankind; but most people give no thanks. That is Allah, your Lord, the Creator of things; there is no god but He. (The Holy Quran : 40:61-62)
It is Allah Who has made the earth a dwelling place for you and has made the sky as a canopy, and has given you shape and made your shapes beautiful and has provided you the good things as sustenance. That is Allah, your Lord; blessed be Allah, the Lord of the universe. He is the ever living. There is no god but He; so invoke Him making you sincere devotion for Him alone. All praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the whole universe. (The Holy Quran : 40:64-65)
That is Allah, your Lord, there is no god but He, the Creator of all things. So, you worship Him alone, and He is the Guardian of all things. (The Holy Quran : 6:102)
O mankind! Remember the Grace of Allah upon you! Is there any creator, other than Allah, Who provides you sustenance out of the heavens and earth? There is no god but He. (The Holy Quran : 35:3)
And do not invoke any god beside Allah. There is no god but He. Everything will perish except He. To Him belongs the command, and to Him all of you will be brought back. (The Holy Quran : 28 : 88)
And blessed is He to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, with Him is the knowledge of Hour (Judgement); and to Him you shall be brought back. (The Holy Quran : 43:85)

Allah has imparted to His slaves about good and evil, and warned them of possible consequences. He knows all the affairs and deeds of His slaves. He has arranged good requital and rewards for His obedient and harsh and grievous punishment for rebel and disbeliever. Of course, any one who returns to the righteous ways from his earlier wrong practices, Allah will certainly pardon and forgive him and his transgressions and sins. Undoubtedly, Allah is highly Affectionate and kind to His slaves.
Verily, Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing. (The Holy Quran:2:115)
(Know) that all power belongs to Allah alone, and that Allah is severe in punishment. (The Holy Quran : 2:165)
Know well that Allah is severe in punishment and that Allah is also All-forgiving, All-compassionate. (The Holy Quran : 5:98)
Truly, Allah is full of kindness, the Most Merciful to mankind. (The Holy Quran : 2:143)

KALIMAH SHAHADAH

After believing in the truths and realities and having right and proper conception and understanding of Kalimah Tayyebah, the Kalimah Shahadah (witnessing the creed of truths) is expressed and declared sincerely, spontaneously and naturally within. That Kalimah is –
Ashhadu alla ilaha illa Allahu Wahdahu la sharika lahu wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasooluhu. (I bear witness that none has the right to be lord and to be worshipped except Allah, who is alone, who has no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad (be peace on him) is His slave and His Messenger).
Thus, after believing fully and agreeing heartily with Kalimah Shahadah, one enters into Islam and becomes a Muslim. He is associated with the party of Allah now. He is honoured with the pleasing of Allah. He receives benefits of bounties, blessings and mercy of Allah here and hereafter. Eventually he will be awarded the permanent Heaven.
Kalimah Shahadah is not a magical word or a miraculous spell that just uttering the Kalimah all the aforesaid changes are occurred automatically. Rather, the Kalimah is the key word of acceptance and adaptation of truths and beliefs revealed by Almighty Allah for the human beings and being agree to demonstrate and perform the required righteous deeds based on those beliefs. Therefore, the acceptance, adaptation of beliefs and truths and the righteous deeds are being elucidated clearly here to a certain extent, which are obligatory and inevitable to know just after recongnizing and accepting the Kalimah Shahadah.

KALIMAH

The word Kalimah in Islamic terms comprising acceptance and adoption of a faith in life-span and purpose of human existence. And that is to express and declare by words and deeds.
Thus, in human life, only two sides of ‘Kalimah’ are possible. The one side is based on the truths and certainties that is ‘Kalimah Tayyebah’. And the other side violates ‘Kalima Tayyebah, popularly known as the ‘Kalimah Khabisah’.
Kalimah Tayyebah comprises the righteous and virtuous faiths. These include acceptance and adaptation and declaration of belief in the oneness of Allah, belief in the Prophethood (Risalat) of Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) and belief in the next world which will, indisputably, come after the doomsday, where people will be rewarded or punished according to their faith and deeds. Kalimah Tayyebah is the righteous and virtuous beliefs and ideologies correlated and regulated with the human nature and the total systems of the universe so far as the human lives are concerned. Hence, when a person trusts and expresses his belief in this Kalimah orally and exhibits overtly, becomes righteous and affable in all spheres of life, stage and front. He makes good decisions. He becomes honest and appears as an ideal with the most dignified character and behaviours. He is protected from every wrong idea, ill thinking, debauchery, immodesty, impurity and wickedness. Allah offers him an opportunity to be reformed into cleanliness, sanctity, good-manner, high morality, kindness, justice, help, faithfulness, trust worthiness, nobility, affability, sympathy etc. As an outcome, he achieves ultimate success and unending blessings and bounties from Allah. In short, the humanity is grown up in its right perspective.
The Kalimah Tayyebah exists from the very beginning of life. It descended on earth with Hazrat Adam and Eve (be peace on them) and will remain intact until the doomsday happens. Needless to say, the Kalima requires any kind of amendment, revocation, omission and addition.
On the contrary, Kalimah Khabisah incorporates those systems of life which are built on the wrong and unsound beliefs, erroneous theories and unjust ideologies which resulted in infidelity, polytheism, profanity, idolatry, atheism, materialism, revolt, traitorness and disobedience. This Kalimah compels people towards the mean, condemnable and reprehensible behaviour and character and consequently, they commit injustice, cruelty, Callousness, oppression, embezzlement, usurpation, exploitation, murder etc. Hence, the human society suffers from wickedness, depravity, impurity and filth. These are very much pathetic, grievous, hazardous and risky state of affairs.
As the above mentioned distinct characteristics are against the Kalimah of truth and righteousness, the natural laws are unfavourable and unsympathetic to the Kalimah Khabisah. That is the reason, the countless kinds of Kalimah Khabisah are broken and smashed very soon after they came into being. It has neither stability nor permanency. Unfortunately, people do not care about a warning and admonition and do not adhere to the truth and righteousness. Rather, they invent their own Kalimah Khabisah and mostly suffer from its bad effects. And, subsequently, they obtain only failure, deprivation, despair, and frustration in the next world. Precisely, they make themselves liable to bear the full brunt of Allah’s anger, displeasure and punishment :
Do you not see how Allah has given the example of a good word? It is like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and whose branches reach the sky, ever yielding its fruit in every season by the leave of its Lord. Allah gives examples for mankind that they may take heed. And the example of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, wholly unable to endure. Thus, through a firm word, Allah grants firmness to the believers both in this world and in the hereafter. As for the wrong doers, Allah lets them go astray. Allah does whatever He wills.
(The Holy Quran : 14:24-27)

The Religion Islam

In the name of Allah, the most gracious and the most merciful

The Religion Islam

All praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the entire Universe and blessings and peace be on His generous Messenger Hazrat Muhammad.
The meaning of Islam is, in technical term, total submission and obedience to Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Who saves and secures His obedient believers from ruination.
The greatest and the topmost blessing and mercy of Allah to mankind is the religion Islam. Islam is a complete way and true guidance of life, which offers and invites man to accept and act upon the proper, real and natural faiths, doctrines and theories, principles and procedures and code of conduct. This is the only permanent and everlasting way of life revealed for mankind since the very beginning of its existence.
The human beings were needed the proper and natural guidance for their earthly lives. Adam, the father of humankind was the first man on earth as well as the first follower of Islam. He preached and advised his children to follow it. Since then Islam is being preached and advised to all the nations age long. It is a tragedy for the people who always declined Islam and deviated from its guidance and righteous ways presented by the Prophets and the Messengers of Allah ever. Thus, they used to be disobedient towards Allah and obeyed satan and the satanic persons. Moreover, they adopted the myths, wrong doings and sins. Allah time and again sent His Prophets and Messengers one after another. They revived Islam and its beliefs and teachings as well as rightful deeds, so that the seekers of true guidance and rightful deeds to act upon, may find out the truth and achieve the real success here and hereafter.
As the obsession with material values grew, the approach for the persuasion of knowledge and guidelines about Islam were also developed and secured. The means and mediums to communicate the knowledge to more and more nations and communities were made available and easy. Historically, the Prophets or Messengers of Allah were being sent after long intervals. One Prophet was enough for more than one nation and one community at a time. At last, Allah sent His last Messenger Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) with the religion of Islam in its proper and perfect form for the whole world and forever up to the doomsday. Therefore, it is obligatory for all the nations and communities of the world to believe in and accept Islam and follow Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) and his messages anyhow. It is the only source through which the message of Allah may be acknowledged and conveyed to mankind. Failing this, one can never receive true message, knowledge and guidance of Allah.
There is a misunderstanding and misconception amongst the people in regard to Islam and Muslims. They perceive that Islam is only for those who are born in the Muslim community accidentally. They neither come forward to understand Islam nor they have desire to accept this. True, there are, no less, so-called Muslims, whose beliefs and conducts are unfavourable, rather contrary to Islam. Moreover, they have created great obstacles and hindrances in the way to understand Islam in its right perspective. Secondly, the followers of different faiths, seeing that kind of so-called Muslims, are assumed that Islam guides them to commit such wrong doings and sins. The fact is that only relationship with the community does not make anyone Muslim. Instead, true followers are those who believe in the principles, the procedures, and conform to righteous and good deeds and act upon them according to the guidance revealed by Allah. Anyone who disagrees and refuses the above facts is not a Muslim, rather, he is a Kafir (infidel) and Mushrik (polytheist) in the eyes of Allah. Although, the people recognize him as a Muslim.
Therefore, Allah invites the people of all faiths including the Muslims to accept Islam at the same time. And to those who do not believe in Islam and its faiths and righteous deeds and do not surrender and devote themselves totally to the commands of Allah, the Holy Quran says:
Indeed, those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians and Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the last day and does righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord, on them shall be no fear , nor shall they grieve. (The Holy Quran :2:62)
Islam is a universal religion. Its blessings, bounties and auspiciousness are common to all the human beings irrespective of community, caste, creed, region and nation. Everyone may be beneficiary of the same to accept Islam and to act upon it and as a result he may be successful in his immortal life of the next world and may enter into the Heaven which will be full of bounties and comforts. Otherwise he must go to the Hell and must suffer from harsh punishments and troubles there. Everyone who comes to the temporary world must go to the next permanent world. There he will either enter into Heaven or will be thrown into the Hell for ever according to his beliefs and deeds performed here.
O, mankind! Worship and obey your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you so that you may become pious. (The Holy Quran : 2:21)
Messenger of Allah Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) declares that he has been sent as a Messenger of Allah for entire mankind:
Say (O Muhammad): “O, mankind! I am sent to you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but He. It is He Who gives both life and death. (The Holy Quran : 7:158)
Allah declares about Hazrat Muhammad (be peace on him) as well that :
And We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the whole world. (The Holy Quran : 21:107)
And the Glorious Quran, the Book of Allah has been sent for all the mankind. The Book is the proper guidance, mercy and blessings of Merciful Allah for them :
The Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and criterion (between right and wrong). (The Holy Quran : 2:185)
And We send down of the Quran that which is a healing and mercy to those who believe and it increases the evil doers in nothing but loss after loss. (The Holy Quran : 17:82)
In the coming pages, the most precious blessings of Allah – Islam, a religion of mercy and blessings for the entire humankind and its basic facts and features, are being presented for the benefit of all the people in good intentions. May Allah make this presentation useful and fruitful for the people and be established for the rightful guidance to the people. Ameen!