The Morals of Our Master the Prophet

People of wisdom state:May Allahu ta'ala bless us all with the good manners of our Islamic superiors! In this context, Hadrat Shah-i Naqshband stated, "Anyone lacking in good manners cannot win Allahu ta'ala's pleasure." "It is my Lord who disciplined me," said our Master the Prophet. When our blessed mother Hadrat 'Aisha was asked how the morals of our Prophet were, she replied, "His morals are the morals of the Qur'an al-karim." That is, his life and words were interpretations and explanations of it. His every action was in conformity with our Lord's pleasure. Therefore, with his every action and every saying, our Master the Prophet was like a clear, understandable, and readily accessible book teaching the commandments of our religion. In the same way, the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnah, his inheritors, became a perfect spiritual guide [murshid al-kamil] each as they fully adapted themselves to him.

Learning Islam correctly is possible only through the suhba of a perfect guide [through being in his presence and listening to his spiritual discourses] or reading such a person's book, for perfect guides are like a clear, understandable book, too. However, false ones who pretend to be true spiritual guides are like a corrupt book, which leads humans to perdition. All reliable religious books are for us to learn Islam. Well, did the Blessed Companions read any books to learn their religion? There was no need for them to do so because the clear book, that is, our Master the Prophet, was before them. He was such a book that those with him were not only learning their religion from him by seeing him but also making progress on the path of Sufism. In other words, they were obtaining the lights and outpourings flowing from the heart of Allah's Messenger.

Our Master the Prophet declared, "My Companions are like the stars in the sky. Whomsoever you follow, you will attain salvation. He who loves them does so because he loves me. And he who bears hostility toward them bears hostility toward me."
Islamic superiors stated:
"Those who have not read Maktubat by Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani cannot realize the high status of the Blessed Companions. And those who fail to realize their high status will also fail to realize the high status of our Master the Prophet. No books can educate people about the manners to be observed toward the Blessed Companions, as the book Maktubat can. Only such people who know Hadrat Imam Rabbani and read Maktubat eagerly can get themselves well acquainted with the proper manners to be shown toward the Blessed Companions, with their superiority, and with their merit."

The justice of Allahu ta’âlâ

Question: Because what God does is contrary to my reason, I do not believe in Him. God is testing us by force. For example, if I go to school and pass the examinations, I will graduate and receive a diploma. If I do not go to school, I will not graduate. Here I have a choice: I will attend school, or I will not attend it. However, when I was born and when I was put the examination of servitude, I was not asked anything regarding it. If I had been asked, I would in no way have taken it. I may have preferred to be an animal or soil. Is it compatible with justice that I was created without being asked and then I will be called to account? How can such a god be just?

ANSWER
The justice of Allahu ta’âlâ is unlike the justice among human beings. As it is wrongly likened to the justice among humans, the matter cannot be settled.

The justice among humans means to act within the limits of laws and regulations established by someone predominant or a ruler in order to govern a country. And injustice means to go beyond these laws.

Allahu ta’âlâ, who created everything out of nothing, is the Ruler of rulers, the true Owner and the only Creator of everything. He does not have a commander or an owner above Him to hold Him liable to some laws. For this reason, one cannot say, “Allah’s such and such deed is not compatible with justice.”
“To use what is one’s own property” is another definition of justice. And injustice means to trespass on other’s property or possessions.

Since Allahu ta’âlâ is the Creator of the universe and all that is in it, since there is no Creator other than He, since nobody possesses anything, whatever our Rabb does is not an act of trespassing on other’s property or possessions. Concerning the deeds of Allahu ta’âlâ, it cannot be said, “They are incompatible with justice.” He can make a formerly unlawful thing lawful later, and vice versa. Everything belongs to Him, and He can use it at will. No one has any rights to question Him.

If Allahu ta’âlâ had willed, He could have created you to be a cat or a dog. Then would you have had the right to ask the reason why He had created you to be an animal? We buy, for example, sugar at the grocer’s. Some people use this sugar in tea while some others use it to make dessert and eat it. Does sugar have a right to say anything? Can sugar question people why some people use it in tea and why others use it to make dessert? Since sugar is mine, I can use it at will. Nobody has any rights to ask why I have used it in dessert.

Everything, living or lifeless, animals or humans, belongs to Allah. He can use them as He wishes. No one can ask anything. It is He, too, who has bestowed the faculty of speech upon us. He is the Possessor of sovereignty. He, alone, is the Creator of everything from nothing. He says that He will put those who do such and such deeds into Hell and that He will put those who do such and such deeds in Paradise. So He has put us to the test. He will send those who pass the test to Paradise, but He will send those who fail the test to Hell. In fact, He could have put whomever He wills in Hell and whomever He wills in Paradise without testing them at all. It cannot be said to be incompatible with justice because all things are His. If Allahu ta’âlâ put all the created in Hell, it would not be injustice, either. But He, out of His mercy, has declared that He will put those who do such and such deeds in Paradise, which is a favor. If He put us in Hell, could we say anything? Could we raise an objection? Even if we raised an objection, were there anything to be gained?

Some passages from the answer given by Sayyid ‘Abdulhakîm Arwâsî to an atheist are as follows:

by Sayyid ‘Abdulhakîm Arwâsî

As you have not come out of nonexistence to this world of existence by yourself, so you cannot go there by yourself. Your eyes, your ears, your other organs, all the roads you will pass, all the places you will be, in short, all the members and systems connected with your body and soul, all of them, are Allahu ta’âlâ’s possessions and creatures. You cannot misappropriate anything from Him! He sees, knows, hears, and every moment He keeps in existence everything that exists. Even for a moment, He is never unaware of the state of all things, nor does He ever fail to control all of them. He does not let anybody steal His property. He is never incapable of punishing those who disobey His commands.

The purport of a hadîth-i qudsî is as follows:
(If [all of] your ancestors and descendants, the young and the old, the alive and the dead, human beings and genies were like My most devoted, Most obedient human creature, My greatness would not be increased. Conversely, if you all were like My enemy, who opposes Me and despises My prophets, My greatness would not ever decrease. Allahu ta’âlâ is free from needing you; He needs none of you. As for you, in order that you might exist and keep on existing and everything you do, you always need Him.) [Muslim]

Operating the machine of your body, He hands it over to you so that you may use and utilize it conveniently. He does all these things not because He needs you, your will, or help, but to make you happy by giving you a distinguished position and authority among His creatures. If instead of leaving it your hands, your feet, and all your limbs, which you can use according to your wish, He used them without you knowing it, as is the case with the beating of your heart and the circulation of your blood, if He controlled you by force, with reflex actions, with paralyzed hand or feet, if each of your actions were a vibration, what could you do?

Do you think of your state before and after you were born?
Where were you, in what were you, during the creation of this globe, on which you live, eat and drink, go about, amuse and divert yourself? On this planet, you have discovered the means that are remedies for your diseases and the ways of defending yourself against the attacks of your enemies and the harms of wild and poisonous animals. Where were you while the stones and soil of this globe were being baked on fires in the ovens of creation and while its water and air were being distilled in the chemistry laboratories of the Omnipotence? Have you ever thought: Where were you while the lands, which you claim to be yours today, were gliding away from the seas, while mountains, rivers, plateaus and hills were being laid down? Where and how were you while, with Allahu ta’âlâ’s omnipotence, the salty waters of the seas evaporated and formed clouds in the sky, while the rains, falling from those clouds, took substances [of nourishment prepared by lightning and waves of power and energy in the sky] into the motes of burnt, dried soil, and while these substances, stirred, vibrated and nourished the cells of life?

The Importance of Enjoining What Is Good

People of wisdom state:In the time of Yusha 'alaihis-salam, Allahu ta'ala destroyed a tribe that consisted of forty thousand pious Muslims and sixty thousand disobedient, sinful Muslims. The angels asked Him, "O our Lord! We will destroy the disobedient ones, but what will we do to the abids [those who worship much]?" Allahu ta'ala answered, "Destroy them, too!" The angels wondered the reason behind this and asked Him about it. Thereupon, Allahu ta'ala said, "[The reason why this is so is that] they did not call evil whom I called evil. They ate and drank with the evil doers and befriended them. They did not enjoin them to do what was good [amr bil ma'ruf]. While they were heading for the Fire, they made no effort to rescue them from it, nor did they convey my religion. They did not even make a grimace. Then destroy them all."
So we should strive to save not only ourselves but also our families, people around us, communities we live in, and the company we keep. Saving people means conveying the religion of our Lord to them correctly. However, the real savior is Allahu ta'ala; we are only trying to be a means, an instrument. Guidance is from Allahu ta'ala.

Allahu ta'ala has sent human beings to the earth so that they should worship Him, and He said, "I created humans and genies so that they should worship Me alone." That is, it means "I created them so that they should know Me, accept Me as their Lord, and obey what I say" because He states that He has put the whole universe at their service. Whatever exists on the earth and in the heavens is for the benefit of humans. The human, who is so honored and esteemed, becomes utterly contemptible if he forgets what he was created for.

If any part of the body has a minor wound, the whole body suffers and falls ill. Similarly, we are one Ummah. One Ummah means one body. How can a person save himself on his own? Just as a person is composed of cells, so a community, like cells, is composed of individuals. If adversities that befall Muslims living in any country do not sadden us, it is that there is something wrong with us. If we are not deeply moved by the terrible conditions those Muslims are in and by the sufferings they are going through, there is a defect in our faith.

If there is a person at a gathering whom Allahu ta'ala is pleased with, He forgives them all for the sake of that person. Allahu ta'ala is so merciful that He, when people of the same path and faith come to His presence, does not select the good ones and reject the others. In the Hereafter people will be with whomever they kept company in the world. Therefore, what should be done is to be with good people and to be among them.

May Allahu ta'ala always make us encounter good people and enable us to do good deeds! May He bless us with the lot of being in the company of virtuous people and attaining their association! May He protect us against the evils of enemies, of our nafses, and of devils!

What Is Islam?

People of wisdom state:Our Master the Prophet orders that one should speak to people according to their levels of understanding. As a matter of fact, when a Bedouin said to him, "Explain to me what Islam is. If I find it logical and reasonable, I will believe," our Master the Prophet replied, "This religion is based on two things: (1) to respect and to like all the commandments of Allahu ta'ala and (2) to feel pity for and to show mercy to all His creation."
Once upon a time, a man went to a city largely populated by Christians and stayed there for a while. Some time later, five or six people he had contact with came up to him. One of them was an atheist and the others were Christians. They said to him:

"We like you very much. We believe that your good moral qualities, sweet tongue, and smiling face come from your religion. Now give us information about Islam. We want to hear the Islamic religion from your lips. What is the Islamic religion?" He gave them the following answer:

"Islam is divided into two parts: faith [iman] and practice. Faith is to believe in Allah, angels, holy books, prophets, the life after death, and divine decree and preordainment. These principles exist in both Christianity and Judaism, though being different. We, for instance, cannot be Muslims if we do not believe in the prophethood of Musa 'alaihis-salam and 'Isa 'alaihis-salam."
"Why? They are not your prophets," they objected.

"All prophets are the prophets of Muslims as well because a person who does not believe that all prophets are the prophets of Allah cannot be a Muslim. If you, too, believe in all prophets including Muhammad 'alaihis-salam and the religion brought by him, all of you will become Muslims," he replied.

"How can it be? We eat pork," they asked.

"It is a matter pertaining to practice, and eating it is forbidden. The one who commits a forbidden deed does not go out of the fold of Islam," he clarified.

"In addition to it, we drink wine," they added.

"Similarly, it is a matter pertaining to practice, and drinking it is forbidden. There are also Muslims who consume alcoholic drinks. However, faith is different from practice. What matters is to have faith."
Thereupon, the atheist rushed forward excitedly and exclaimed:

"It has been understood. There is no need for you to explain it further."

"Yes, what I have told you is all about our religion," he said.

All of them were greatly surprised and looked at one another's faces. With this astonishment, they went out. However, the atheist came in again a bit later and stated:

"I am astonished by what you told us."

"Why are you astonished?" he asked.

"Our knowledge about Islam was quite different. Could you explain this religion to us again, please?"

After that man explained it once more, the atheist wrote down the Word of Testimony word by word and went out. Taking his friends along, he came to the presence of that man 10 or 15 minutes later and said, "I declare in public that I have become a Muslim." Then he recited, "Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allah wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan 'abduhoo wa rasooluhoo," thus taking a step toward eternal felicity.

How should Allah be loved and feared?

Question: How should Allah be loved and feared?

ANSWERJust as love is of different kinds, so is fear. The love of Allah is different from the love of parents, children, a wife, and the nature. Likewise, the fear of Allah is a far cry from the fear of enemies. It is declared in the Qur’ân al-karîm, “Fear Allah as He should be feared” (Sûrat-u Âl-i ‘Imrân, 102).
The fear felt for Allah the way He wants is termed taqwâ. Taqwâ is to believe in Allah, to love Him, to be a servant to Him, that is, to observe His commandments and prohibitions. It is not taqwâ to fear enemies, for enemies are not believed in. Nor do they have the authority to put people in Hell or Paradise. One fears enemies only because they may do harm. Then there is a world of difference between these two types of fear. Again, it is declared, “If you have believed, do not fear them [enemies], but fear Me” (Sûrat-u Âl-i ‘Imrân, 175).
A lover is afraid of upsetting his or her beloved in any way. Not only we must love our Rabb much, who has created us from nothing and has conferred various favors upon us, but also we must be very much afraid of losing this love. As a matter of fact, the Qur’ân al-karîm purports:
(Fear Allah! Know that Allah’s torment is extremely severe.) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 196]

(Fear Allah, so that you can attain to salvation.) [Sûrat-ul-Mâ’ida, 100]

Fearing Allah should not be supposed like fearing a cruel person. It is the fear combined with reverence and love. In poems which lovers wrote to their darlings there are many couplets telling about similar fear in them. A lover who regards his darling much higher than himself does not deem himself worthy of this love and explains his feelings in such a fear.

Certainly, the fear of Allah is out of the question for disbelievers. As for the Believers, they must love Allah greatly and be very much afraid of becoming a disbeliever so that they can get the taste of îmân. A hadîth-i sharîf declares:
(A person who loves Allah and His Messenger more than everything else, who loves only those whom Allah loves, and who is afraid of becoming a disbeliever more than he is afraid of being burnt in fire relishes îmân.) [Bukhârî]

Most of the scandals and crimes arise mainly from lack of chastity. Most people cannot refrain themselves from indulging in the things of the wrong path even though they may know the result of being unchaste. The remedy that can lead them to right path in the face of this strong feeling is an educational and ethical matter. Religion means ethics. A person who fears Allah cannot be unchaste. Consequently, it must be our primary duty to try to teach our children the fear of Allah.

In order to fear Allahu ta’âlâ, one should know Him very well. To know Allahu ta’âlâ well, we must learn His grandness and attributes. To fear Allah is a matter of knowledge, work, and effort. It will not emanate from a vacuum.

The wings taking people to happinessFear of Allah and love of Allah are like two wings taking people to salvation and happiness. Our master the Prophet said:
(If a person fears Allah, everything fears him. If he does not fear Allah, he fears everything.) [Abushshaikh]

(The wisest of you is the one who fears Allah most and who observes commandments and prohibitions best.) [Ibni Muhbar]

(The extent of a person’s intellect will be evident in the extent of his fear of Allah.) [I. Mâwardî]

A Believer who obeys Allahu ta’âlâ’s commandments loves his Rabb immensely. It is purported in the Qur’ân al-karîm:

(The Believers’ love of Allah is very strong.) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 165]

(A Believer is such that his heart feels fear when the name of Allah is mentioned.) [Sûrat-ul-Anfal, 2; Sûrat-ul-Hajj, 35]

It is not possible for people to love or fear what they do not know. Those who love Allah much and know Him well fear Him very much. Since the one who knows Him best is our master the Prophet, he is certainly the one who fears Him most. As a matter of fact, he stated:
(It is I who, among you, fear Allah most.) [Bukhârî]

After prophets, people who know Allahu ta’âlâ best are savants, who are prophets’ inheritors, and those who are close to them. It is purported in the Qur’ân al-karîm:
(Only ‘ulamâ’ fear Allah among His servants.) [Sûrat-u Fâtir, 28]

(Those who obey Allah and His Messenger and those who fear Allah and guard themselves against violating His commands are the ones that will be saved on the Day of Judgement.) [Sûrat-un-Nûr, 52]

When our master the Prophet was asked concerning the people mentioned in the sixtieth verse of Mu’minun Sûra that reads (in English) “Their hearts beat with fear as they will return to their Rabb” whether they are thieves or fornicators, he answered:
(They are the ones who perform namâz, who fast, and who give zakât. And they fear whether their acts of worship have been accepted.) [Tirmudhî]

The fear of Allah is highly useful for sustenance as well. Our master the Prophet declared, “The sustenance of a person whose capital is the fear of Allah comes to him without trading or capital,” and then recited [the second and third verses of Talaq Sûra, which purport] “Whoever fears Allah, He grants a way out for him and sends him sustenance from places which he does not expect.” (Tabarânî)

The fear of Allah is a great blessing that makes people attain endless bliss. It is purported in âyât (verses):
(There are two Paradises for the person who fears his Rabb.) [Sûrat-ur-Rahman, 46]

(He who fears Allah receives warning.) [Sûrat-ul-A’lâ, 10]

(Fear only Me.) [Sûrat-ul-Baqara, 40]

(Do not fear human beings but fear Me.) [Sûrat-ul-Mâ’ida, 44]

Furthermore, it is declared in ahâdîth:
(The sins of a person whose heart shivers with the fear of Allah fall off just like leaves falling off a tree.) [Bayhaqî]

(He who remembers his sins and cries over them will enter Paradise without any questioning.) [I. Ghazâlî]

(He who weeps out of the fear of Allah will not enter Hell.) [Nasâî]

(If you feared Allah thoroughly, you would attain knowledge that does not contain ignorance.) [Ibni Sunnî]

The love of Allah is one of the conditions of îmân. The following ahâdîth declare:
(Îmân is to love Allah and His Messenger more than everything else.) [I. Ahmad]

(You will not be considered to have îmân unless Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to you than everything else.) [Bukhârî]

How should we behave during namaz?

How should we behave during namaz? the answer is in this article:

Those who steal from their own namâz

What a great blessing it is when the heart is with Allahu ta’âlâ and the body, together with all the limbs, is embellished with doing the rules of the Sharî’at [Islam]. Recently, most people have been slack in performing namâz. They have been slighting the tumânînat and the ta’dîl-i arkân. For this reason, I have to warn you, my beloved ones, about this matter. Listen well! Our Prophet “sall-Allahu alaihi wa sallam” declared: “The worst thief is the person who steals from his own namâz.” When he was asked, “O Rasûlallah! How can a person steal from his own namâz?” he said, “By not doing the rukû and sajda of the namâz properly.”
At some other time he declared: “Allahu ta’âlâ does not accept the namâz of a person who does not bring his waist into its proper position and remain so for a while in rukû and sajda.” Once, upon seeing a person not doing the rukû and the sajda properly while performing namâz, our Prophet said, “Are you not afraid you may die in some other religion than Hadrat Muhammad’s dîn because you perform your prayers of namâz in this manner?” Once again, he said, “When performing namâz, if you do not straighten up your body completely after the rukû’, if your each limb does not rest at its position for a while when you are standing, your namâz will not be complete.” Once again, he said, “Unless you sit upright between the two sajdas your namâz will remain incomplete.”
One day, upon seeing someone not observing the rules and rukns [five of the fards of the namâz are inside the namâz. Each of these five fards is also called “a rukn”] of namâz, not standing upright after the ruku’ and not sitting between the sajdas, our Prophet said, “If you go on performing your namâzes in this manner, on the Day of Resurrection you will not be said to be of my Ummat.” At some other time he said, “If you go on in this manner and die, you shall not have died in the religion of Muhammad (alaihissalâm).”
Abû Hurayra (radiy-Allahu ’anh) says, “The person who has performed all namâzes for sixty years but whose namâz has never been accepted is the person who has not done the ruku’ and sajda properly.”

It is said in the book Awsât by Tabarânî that if a Believer performs his namâz beautifully and does its ruku’ and sajda properly, the namâz will become happy and will be full of nûr. Angels will take the namâz up to heavens. The namâz will pronounce a benediction on the person who has performed it and will say, “As you have protected me against being defective, may Allahu ta’âlâ protect you.” If the namâz is not performed well, it will become black. Angels will snub that namâz and will not take it up to the heavens. The namâz will curse the person who has performed it and will say, “As you have wasted me and put me into a bad position, may Allahu ta’âlâ waste you.” Then, we should try to perform our namâzes properly, observe the ta’dîl-i arkân, do the ruku’, the sajda, the qawma and the jalsa well. Also, we should warn others if we see them do these defectively. We should help our brothers-in-Islam perform namâz properly. We should be an example in observing the ta’dîl-i arkân and the tumânînat. Most Muslims have been depriving themselves of the honour of doing this. This blessing has already been lost. It is very important to revivify this good deed. Our Prophet declared: “He who resuscitates any one of my forgotten sunnats will be given the thawâb of a hundred martyrs.” (Maktûbât, Second Volume, 69th Letter)

The fards that are inside the namâz (rukns)

1- Tahrîma (takbîr of iftitâh): It means to say Allahu akbar when beginning namâz, and it is fard. No other word to replace it is acceptable. This takbîr of iftitâh is one of the conditions of namâz. It is not a rukn. If the takbîr is said too long, like “AAAllahu” in the beginning or “akbaar” at the end, namâz will not be accepted. If you utter the word “akbar” before the imâm does (when performing namâz in jamâ’at), your namâz will not have started.

2- Qiyâm:Qiyâm is the first of the five rukns of namâz. It means standing. When standing, the two feet must be four times a finger’s width apart from each other. Those who are too ill to stand, or who will feel dizzy or have a headache or toothache or pain at some other part of their body or cannot control their urination or wind breaking or bleeding when they stand, or who fear that their enemy may see (and harm) them or their possessions may be stolen when they stand, or whose fast will break or speech will be slurred or awrat parts will open when they stand, perform namâz sitting. Also, if you are ill and infer from your own experiences or are told by a specialized Muslim doctor that standing will make your illness worse or delay your healing, you perform namâz sitting. But the doctor who tells you should not be a fâsiq person committing sins or harâms frankly. Such people may sit on the floor in a manner that comes easy to them; cross legged, or knees drawn up with arms folded round the legs or in any other manner. People incapable of sitting in that manner on their own does so with someone else’s help. For the ruku’ they bend forward a little. For the sajda they put their head on the ground.

3- Qirâat:Qirâat is to read (recite) orally. Reading (or reciting) only as loud as one can hear is called khafî. It is called jahrî, that is, loud if it is audible by one’s company. It is fard to say an âyat [a verse of the Qur’ân al-karîm] of the Qur’ân while standing at every rak’at of sunnats and of the witr and at two rak’ats of the fard when performing namâz individually. It brings more thawâb to say a short sûra [a chapter of the Qur’ân al-karîm]. As qirâat, it is wâjib to say the sûra of Fâtiha at these parts of namâzes and to say also a sûra or three âyats at every rak’ât of sunnats and of witr prayer and at two rak’ats of the fard. In the fard [namâzes that are obligatory], it is wâjib or sunnat to say the Fâtiha and the (other) sûra at the first two rak’ats. Additionally, it is wâjib to say the Fâtiha before the sûra. Furthermore, it is wâjib to say the Fâtiha once at every rak’at. If one of these five wâjibs is forgotten, it is necessary to make sajda-i sahw. According to some more dependable information, at the third and fourth rak’ats of the fard, it is sunnat for the imâm as well as for a person who performs namâz individually to say the Fâtiha. It will be all right whether one says the additional sûra, too, or says nothing. When making the qirâat, it is not permissible to recite translations of the Qur’ân. In the other three Madhhabs, it is fard to say the Fâtiha in every namâz and in every rak’at.

4- Ruku’:Ruku’ is to bend forward at the waist, and it is fard. After the sûra, you bend for the ruku’ saying the takbîr [Allahu akbar]. In the ruku’ men open their fingers and put them on their knees. They keep their back and head level. In the ruku’ you say “Subhâna rabbiyal-azîm” at least thrice. If the imâm raises his head before you have said it three times, you must raise your head, too. In the ruku’ your arms and legs must be straight. Women do not open their fingers. They do not keep their head and back level, or their arms and legs straight. It is sunnat for the imâm as well as for people who are performing namâz by themselves to say “Sami’ allahu liman hamidah” while straightening up from the ruku’. The jamâ’at does not say it. Right after saying it, people who is performing namâz by themselves, and the jamâ’at, upon hearing the imâm recite it, must say “Rab’banâ lakal hamd,” and stand upright.

5- Sajda:Sajda is to prostrate. While kneeling down for the sajda saying “Allahu akbar,” put first the right knee and then the left knee, followed by the right and left hands, on the flor (or on the ground if it is performed outdoors). Finally, the nose and the forehead bones are put on the ground. Women also should keep their forehead uncovered during namâz. In the sajda, fingers must be closed, pointing towards the qibla in line with the ears, and the head must be between hands. It is fard that the forehead be touching on something clean, such as a stone, some earth, wood, cloth, and it is said (by savants) that it is wâjib to put the nose down, too. It is not permissible to put only the nose on the ground without an ‘udhr [good excuse]. It is makrûh to put only the forehead on the ground. In the sajda you must say “Subhâna rabbiyal-a’lâ” at least thrice. It is either fard or wâjib to put two feet or at least one toe of each foot on the ground. There are also some savants who say that it is sunnat. That is, if two feet are not put on the ground, namâz will either not be valid or it will become makrûh. If, during the sajda, the forehead, nose, or feet are raised from the ground for a short while, it will cause no harm.

In the sajda, it is sunnat to bend the toes and turn them towards the qibla. Men must keep their arms and thighs away from their abdomen. It is sunnat to place the hands and the knees on the ground. It is sunnat to keep the heels a four-finger-width away from each other in the qiyâm, but in the ruku’, qawma [standing upright after the ruku’] and sajda, they must be kept together. For doing this, when bending for the rukû, the heel of the left foot is brought near the right foot (but this applies to men; women do not join their feet together). They are separated again when standing up for the qiyâm after the sajda.

Sajda is done for Allahu ta’alâ only. It is performed towards the direction of Ka’ba, but not for the Ka’ba. One who makes sajda for the Ka’ba becomes a disbeliever.

6- Qada-i-âkhira:It is to sit as long as it takes you to say the prayer “Attahiyyâtu” in the last rak’at. When sitting, men put their left foot flat on the ground with its toes pointing towards the right. They sit on this foot. The right foot should be upright, with the toes touching the ground and pointing towards the qibla. It is sunnat to sit in this manner. Women sit by “tawarruk.” That is, they sit with their buttocks on the ground. Their thighs should be close to each other. Their feet should jut out from their right.

It is written in Durr-ul-mukhtâr:
“You do not make a sign with your fingers while sitting. The fatwâ says so.”

To observe the ta’dîl-i arkân

Ta’dîl-i arkân means remaining motionless for a while after becoming calm at five places in namâz, namely, at ruku’, at two sajdas, at qawma, and at jalsa. According to Imâm-i Abû Yûsuf, it breaks namâz to omit the ta’dîl-i arkân deliberately. However, according to the Tarafayn, that is, Imâm-i A’zam and Imâm-i Muhammad, even if it does not break namâz, it is wâjib to perform that namâz again as you have omitted the wâjib deliberately. If you omit it as a result of forgetfulness, then it is necessary to make the sajda-i sahw [two sajdas done as soon as namâz is over in order to have some errors that may have been done while performing namâz forgiven].

In the book Ethics of Islam, some of the disastrous consequences of not observing the ta’dîl-i arkân are listed as follows:

1- It causes poverty.
2- You are canonically discredited as a witness.
3- The place you have performed namâz will testify against you in the Hereafter.
4- It results in dying without îmân [faith].
5- You will have been the thief of your namâz.
6- Your namâz will be thrown back at your face like an old cloth.
7- It deprives you of Allahu ta’âlâ’s Mercy.
8- It causes the thawâb of your other acts of worship to perish.
9- You will have acted as a trigger for religiously ignorant people to omit the ta’dîl-i arkân. In this respect, religious men’s sinning brings about much more torment. [For example, if a man of religion performs namâz without wearing a headgear, this act of his is more offensive when compared with others’ because he will turn out to be a role model for religiously ignorant people.]
10- You will incur Allah’s Wrath.
11- You will please Satan.
12- You will become distant from Paradise but close to Hell.
13- You will have behaved cruelly towards yourself.
14- You will hurt the angels on your right and left.
15- You will upset our Master, the Prophet “sall-Allahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.”
16- You will have a detrimental effect on all creatures. Because, on account of your sin, it may not rain or may rain out of season, thus doing more harm than good.

Remaining motionless for a while after becoming calm at ruku’, sajda, qawma, and jalsa is termed ta’dîl-i arkân. For example, when you bend for the ruku’, you must not straighten up directly. The situation is the same with the qawma. That is, when you straighten up from the ruku’, you must remain upright for a while. It is also as such in between the two sajdas. These are called ta’dîl-i arkân. Recitation (the certain tasbîhs) is not an impediment to your remaining motionless. When we say the tasbîhs (in the ruku’ and sajda) three times, automatically, we will have waited; there is no need to wait further. In the qawma, when we say “Rabbanâ lakal hamd,” we will have waited, too. 

Why did she become Muslim? Mrs. FATMA KAZUE - (Japanese)

After the Second World War I observed a growing indifference towards our religion. The Japanese people were gradually taking to the American life style. This life style lessens people's religious consciousness and turns them into machinery. And people who have been turned into machines, in turn, suffer from profound dissatisfaction. I felt the same dissatisfaction. There was a vacuum in my soul. I was not pleased about that life style. Yet, what was missing I did not know.
 

I visited a Muslim who was in Tokyo for a short stay. I very much admired his religious ideas and the way he prayed. I began to ask him various questions. The answers he gave not only pleased me, but also filled the vacuum in my soul. He said that there was one Creator, that that Creator had prescribed the modes of life we had to lead to attain peace and salvation, and that he was leading a life compatible with the commandments of that Creator. His words impressed me so deeply that I told him that I wanted to accept his religion, and thus I became a Muslim under his guide. After becoming a Muslim I began to feel in my heart how great a happiness it was to live in a spiritual mood so close to the Creator. My life style changed and I attained peace.
 

An attentive look at the way Muslims greet one another would suffice to realize the fact that Islam is a true religion. We only say 'good morning' or 'good night' to one another and just walk by. Instead of these dull and materialistic greetings, Muslims say to one another, "As-salamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu," which means, "May peace and salvation and the rahmat [Compassion, mercy] and barakat [Abundance, blessing.] of Allahu ta'ala be on you." Could a more beautiful way of well-wishing or greeting be conceived? My Muslim friend gave me plenty of valuable information about Muslims' credal tenets, about the essentials of Islam, and about the ways of worship. These things were extremely logical and humanistic. I saw and believed that Islam is a religion whereby a cleanly, simple, logical and peaceful life is possible. Living in peace and happiness, both individually and socially, requires a full adaptation to this religion. For this reason, having attained peace and salvation myself, I have been doing my best to persuade all the members of my family, my friends and acquaintances to become blessed with Islam.

from the book: WHY DID THEY BECOME MUSLIMS?

Why did she become Muslim? LADY ZAYNAB EVELYN COMBOLD - (G.B.)

I am frequently asked why I became a Muslim. I am the daughter of a renowned family, and my husband also is well-known and rich. To those who ask me why I became a Muslim, I reply that I do not know for certain when the light of Islam rose in my soul. It seems to me as if I have been a Muslim forever. This is not something strange at all. For Islam is a natural and true religion. Every child is born as a Muslim. If it is left to itself, it will choose Islam, none else. As a European writer observes, "Islam is the religion of people with common sense."
 
If you made a comparative study of all religions, you would immediately see that Islam is the most perfect, the most natural, and the most logical. Owing to Islam, many complicated problems of the world are solved easily and mankind attains peace and tranquility. Islam always rejects the dogma that human beings are born sinful and that they have to expiate for it in the world. Muslims believe in Allah, who is one. In their eyes, Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad Mustafa 'salawatullahi ta'ala 'alaihim ajmain' are human beings like us. Allahu ta'ala has chosen them as Prophets to guide people to the right way. For doing penance, for asking for forgiveness, or for praying, there is no one between Allahu ta'ala and the born slave. We can supplicate Allahu ta'ala on our own any time, and we are responsible only for what we have done.

The word 'Islam' means both 'to surrender oneself to Allahu ta'ala' and 'to have belief in Muhammad 'alaihis-salam'. 'Muslim' means 'a person who lives in peace and happiness with all beings.' Islam is based on two fundamental facts:
 

1) That Allahu ta'ala is one, and that Muhammad 'alaihis-salam' is the final Prophet He has sent.
 

2) That humanity should be entirely freed from superstitions and unfounded dogmas. The Hajj, one of the (five) tenets of Islam, has a great impact on people. What other religion contains a form of worship as sublime as Islam's pilgrimage, which brings together hundreds of thousands of Muslims from all four corners of the world regardless of their classes, races, countries, colors and rank positions, and makes them put on the (uniformal garb called) Ihram and prostrate themselves with one accord before Allahu ta'ala? It is a certain fact that Muslims' worshiping together at these blessed places where the great Prophet 'sall-Allahu ta'ala 'alaihi wa sallam' announced Islam, struggled against Islam's enemies, exerted himself with great determination and firmness, will attach them to one another with stronger affections, whereby they will try to find solutions for one another's problems, and they will once again take an oath to cooperate along the way shown by Allahu ta'ala. Another use of the Hajj is that thereby Muslims all over the world meet one another, know one another's problems, and teach their personal experiences to one another. All Muslims assemble at the place whereto they turn their faces during their worships at home, and, all in one mass, one body in the presence of Allahu ta'ala, they surrender themselves to Him.

Seeing the Hajj once would suffice as an evidence to prove the greatness of Islam. Here is Islam, and I have been enjoying the pleasure and satisfaction of having entered this great religion. 


from the book: WHY DID THEY BECOME MUSLIMS?

The philomel of soul is ever-desirous of the rose;
Don't you ever presume fighting others is its real cause!

Ceaselessly it hovers round it, like a moth,
looking for a shelter where they could enjoy some repose.

 

I now know that the lovely rose has told none of its secret,
It always yearns for the philomel, like a budding rose.

 

From strangers that nymph has hidden her cheeks;

Unrequited love puts up with the thorn, never gets the rose.

Infatuated, the poor lover paces the road to his beloved;
Craving for the sweetheart, the lover himself dissolves.

Why did she become Muslim? Mrs. MAVISH B. JOLLY - (G.B.)

I was born as a Christian in Britain. I was baptized, and I was raised with an education based on learning what is written in today's copies of the Bible. As I was a child, whenever I went to the church I was deeply impressed by the various lights, the candles burning on the pulpit, the music, the smells of incense, and the monks in magnificent attirements. The prayers that I listened to without understanding their meanings would make me shiver. I think I was a devoted Christian. In the course of time, however, as I reached higher levels of education, some questions began to rise in my mind. I began to find some faults in Christianity, in which I had held a full belief until that time. As days went by, I noticed an increase in my doubts. I developed a gradual apathy towards Christianity. Eventually I ended up in a state of denial of all religions. That splendid sight of the church, which had been at one time the center of my infantile admiration, was now gone, like a phantom. By the time I graduated from the school, I was an atheist in the full sense of the term. It did not take me long, however, to realize that believing nothing would hollow the human soul, leaving perpetual mood of despair and weakness. The human being definitely needed some power that would provide him refuge. Consequently, I began to study other religions.

I began with Buddhism. I minutely examined the essentials which they called 'Eight Paths'. These eight essentials contained deep philosophy and beautiful pieces of advice. Yet there was not a certain right way that they showed, nor did they provide the information that would help you choose the right way.

This time I began to examine Magianism. While running away from trinity, I encountered a religion of many deities. Furthermore, that religion was too full with myths and superstitions to be accepted as a religion.

Then I began to study Judaism. It was not an entirely new religion for me, for the former section of the Bible, the Old Testament, was at the same time a part of the Judaic book Torah. Judaism could not satisfy me, either. Yes, Jews believed in one God, which I approved entirely. But it was all that; they denied all the other religious facts, and the Judaic religion, let alone being a guide, had been turned into a cult of various complicated forms of worship and rites.

One of my friends recommended that I practice spiritualism. "Taking messages from the spirits of the dead will stand for a religion," he said. That would not satisfy me at all. For it took me only a short while to realize that spiritualism consisted in a manner of self-hypnotism and could therefore by no means be nutritive to the human soul.

The Second World War had ended, and I was working in an office. Yet my soul was still yearning for a religion. One day I saw an ad in a newspaper. It announced a "Conference on the divinity of Jesus (Isa 'alaihis-salam')," and added that people from other religions would be admitted. The conference revived my deeply-rooted interest. For in that conference they were going to discuss Isa's 'alaihis-salam' being the son of God. I attended the conference, and met a Muslim there. The answers that that Muslim gave to my questions were so beautiful and so logical that I decided to study Islam, which had never occurred to me before. I began to read the Qur'an al-karim, the Holy Book of Muslims. To my astonishment, the rules stated in this book were by far superior to the statements made by most of the well-known statesmen of the twentieth century, which aroused strong feelings of admiration and adulation in me. These statements were quite above the human linguistic capacity. So I would no longer believe the lies that "the Islamic religion is a concoction. The Qur'an al-karim is a fable," with which they had been dosing us for years. The Qur'an al-karim could not be a concocted book. Statements in that acme of perfection could be made only by a being above the human race.

I was still hesitant, though. I spoke with some British women who had embraced Islam. I asked them to help me. They recommended some books to me. Among those books were 'Mohammad and Christ', which compared Muhammad 'sall-Allahu ta'ala 'alaihi wa sallam' with Isa 'alaihis-salam', and 'The Religion of Islam', which described the Islamic religion. Another book, namely 'The Sources of Christianity, explained in an extremely clear manner that most of the Christian acts of worship were the continuation of the rites that had been performed by primitive people, and that today's Christianity is in actual fact an idolatrous religion.

I should avow that I felt bored when I read the Qur'an al-karim for the first time. For it contained so many reiterations. It should be known that the Qur'an al-karim is a book that impresses and penetrates the human soul slowly. To understand the Qur'an al-karim well and to attach yourself to it, you have to read it a number of times. So, the more I read this holy book, the more strongly did I become attached to it, so much so that I could not go to sleep without reading it every night. What impressed me most was the fact that the Qur'an al-karim was a perfect guide for mankind. The Qur'an al-karim did not contain anything that a person could not understand. Muslims looked on their Prophet as a human being like themselves. According to Muslims, the only aspect that made prophets different from other people was that their intellectual and moral levels were very high, they were sinless and faultless. They had by no means any proximity to divinity. The Islamic religion declared that no prophet would come after Muhammad 'alaihis-salam'. I objected to that. "Why should there be no other prophet," I asked. My Muslim friend's explanation was as follows: "The Qur'an al-karim, the Holy Book of Muslims, teaches people all the elements of beautiful moral quality that a person should need, all the religious essentials, the path that will guide one to the approval of Allahu ta'ala, and all the necessaries required for attaining peace and salvation in this world and the next."

The veracity of these statements gets demonstrative evidence from the fact that the essentials in the Qur'an al-karim, which are still the same as they were fourteen centuries ago, are perfectly consistent with today's life-styles and today's scientific levels. Yet I was still demurring. For we were now in 1954; fourteen centuries later, that is. I wondered if there was not an iota of obsolescence in Islam that would make at least one of the principles communicated by Muhammad 'alaihis-salam', who was born in 571, inconsistent with today's conditions? I embarked on an assiduous quest for mistakes in Islam. My efforts to find fault in Islam despite the fact that my soul had already attained a complete belief in Islam, -so much so that the verity of the Islamic religion was like a live picture in front of my eyes-, should no doubt have been rooted in the vilifications of Islam iterated by priests for the purpose of imposing into our infant minds the idea that Islam was a very defective, inferior and heretical religion.

The first file to rake around in was polygamy. Here, I had found an important loophole. How come a man could marry four women (at the same time)? When I asked about that, my Muslim friend, whom I have mentioned earlier, explained the matter as follows: "The Islamic religion appeared in a society where a man could cohabit with as many women as he liked without any official responsibility towards them. With a view to restoring the woman into her proper place in society, the Islamic religion pared down the number of women that a man could marry, and stipulated that he should support the women, mete out justice among them, and pay them (the canonically prescribed) alimony in the event of a divorce. Furthermore, if a woman had no one to support her, she could join a family as a member, not as a slave, of the family. Moreover, marrying four women was not a religious commandment enjoined on men. It was a permission with provisos. Marrying more than one women was forbidden for men who would not be able to fulfill the stipulations. It was for this reason that many a man had only one wife. Marrying up to four women was a kind of tolerance." On the other hand, the Mormons in America compelled every male member to marry several women. My Muslim friend asked, "I wonder if the British men cohabit with only one woman?" I confessed in embarrassment, "Today all European men enter into relations with various women both before marriage and even after they get married." Then the words of my Muslim friend reminded me of the story of a young woman who had lost her husband in the war and had been looking for a man to entrust herself to. The Second World War had ended, and a programme called 'Dear Sir' on a British radio announced the following request of poor young woman: "I am a young woman. I lost my husband in the war. I have no one to care for me now. I need protection. I am ready to be the second wife of a good natured man and to carry his first wife on my head. All I want is to put an end to this loneliness."

This shows that the Islamic polygamy is intended to satisfy a need. It is only a permission, not a commandment. And today, when unemployment and poverty are making the rounds over the entire world, there is next to no place left where it is practiced. These thoughts completely eradicated the possibility that I would any longer look on polygamy as a fault in Islam.

Then, with the presumption of having found another defect, I asked my Muslim friend, "How can the five daily prayers be adjusted to our life-styles today? Wouldn't so many prayers be too much?" He smiled, and asked me, "Sometimes I hear you playing the piano. Are you interested in music?" "Very much," was my answer. "All right. Do you practice daily?" "Of course. As soon as I am back home from work, I play the piano at least two hours every day." Upon this, my Muslim friend said, "Why do you find it too much to pray five times daily, which would take you only half an hour or forty-five minutes in all? As you might lose your proficiency in playing the piano if you did not have practice, likewise the less one thinks of Allahu or thanks Him for His blessings by prostrating himself, the farther away will the way leading to Him become. On the other hand, praying daily means making progress step by step in the right way of Allahu ta'ala." He was so right!

There was no obstacle to my accepting Islam now. I embraced the Islamic religion with all my soul and conscience. As you see I did not choose it at first sight and without thinking at all; on the contrary, I became a Muslim after examining Islam minutely, looking for the possible faults in it and finding their answers, and reaching the conclusion that it is an immaculate religion. Now I boast about being a Muslim.

from the book: WHY DID THEY BECOME MUSLIMS?

Why did she become Muslim? Mrs. MES' DA STEINMANN - (G.B.)

There is not a single other religion to equal Islam in its simple comprehensibility or in its reassuring smoothness. Islam is the one and only one religion which infuses a sense of peace and tranquillity into the human soul, blesses man with a life of contentment, and guides him to eternal happiness and salvation after death.

Man is one of the various creatures of Allahu ta'ala. Naturally, there is some connection between him and the other creatures. Allahu ta'ala created man in the most perfect form. What gives him this singular virtue is the soul that he possesses. Man's soul continuously endeavors to take him up to higher and higher levels. And the only source to feed the soul is religion.

What kind of a connection is there between man and the Almighty Being who creates him? No doubt, religion explains this. I studied the statements made about religion by various scholars. The following are a few examples:

(Paraphrased) from Carlyle's work 'On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History':

"A person's religion is his heart's belief, and it is, therefore, his most prominent characteristic. Religion is such that it goes directly into one's heart. It adjusts one's activities in the world. It shows the way one should follow and determines one's destination."

(Paraphrased) from Chesterton's book 'If One Should Think':

"Religion expresses the most sublime fact which a person obtains concerning his and others' existence."

(Paraphrased) from Ambroce Bierce's work 'The Satan's Dictionary':

"Religion is a source that teach people what they do not know and which infuses both fear and hope into them."

(Paraphrased) from Edmunde Burke's book 'The French Revolution':

"The common commandment of all true religions is to obey the commandments of Allahu ta'ala, to be respectful of his canon, and thereby to be closer to His love."

(Paraphrased) from Swedenborg's work 'Doctrine of Life':

"Religion means doing good. The essence of religion is goodness."

(Paraphrased) from James Harrington's book 'The Ocean':

"Everybody has more or less some connection with religion, whether as a source of fear or as a means of consolation."

Everybody in the world encounters various situations which they do not know, cannot understand, and cannot explain. It is only religion that explains to them and which infuses into them a sense of definite belief and trust.

Why do I believe that Islam is the most perfect of the world's religions and that it is the true religion? Let me explain:

First of all, the Islamic religion states that there is no god besides the one Allah, who is great, that He is not begotten and does not beget, either, and that there is not another creator like Him. There is not another religion to explain the existence, the unity, and the grandeur of Allahu ta'ala in the magnificence worthy of Him. The fourth ayat of Hud sura purports, "[O my born slaves], your return shall be to Me, alone. Allah is Almighty." The fifty-fifth ayat of Isra Sura purports, "Allahu ta'ala has the best knowledge of the celestial and the terrestrial creatures." Moreover, many chapters of Qur'an al-karim state that "He is the only creator," that "He is everlasting," that "He is eternal," that "He is omniscient," that "He is the absolute judge who makes the truest decision," that "He is the greatest helper," that "He is the Creator, who is the most compassionate," and that "He is the most magnanimous forgiver." I could not explain how strongly a person is attracted towards Allahu ta'ala, how he melts before Him, and how he surrenders himself to His Grace, as he reads these lines. Allahu ta'ala declares, as is purported in the seventeenth ayat of Hadid Sura, "Know ye (all) that Allahu ta'ala giveth life to the earth [with rains] after its death [with drought]. [Likewise, He gives life to dead hearts with dhikr and tilawat]. Already We have shown the signs plainly to you, that ye may learn wisdom." The Nas Sura purports, "[O Muhammad 'sall-Allahu 'alaihi wa sallam'!] Say: I seek refuge with my Owner, the Cherisher of mankind, the King (or Ruler) of mankind, the Judge of mankind, (who sends them what they need and protects them against horrors), from the mischief of the whisperer (of evil), who withdraws after his whisper), -(the same) who whispers into the hearts of mankind,- among Jinns and among Men."


When a person reads these exalted statements, how could it ever be possible for him not to believe in that great Creator and not to seek refuge in Him? Aren't all these enough for a person to bask in the consciousness of a merciful creator who will protect him as long as he lives, and thus to abide by the right way?

Islam plainly states that it is the most genuine religion and that it has accumulated in itself all the correct aspects of those religions previous to it. It says that all the rules written in the Qur'an al-karim, Islam's Holy Book, are plain, clear, logical principles intelligible to everyone. These are extremely true facts. Indeed, if we really wish to establish a consistent relationship between Allahu ta'ala and the born slave, to unite the corporeal and spiritual components in harmony with each other, and to maintain peace both in this world and in the Hereafter, it is indispensably incumbent on us to accept the Islamic religion. Our spiritual and physical progress depends only and only on Islam's support.

Christianity busies itself only with spirituality and conscience and overloads every individual Christian with spiritual and conscientious burdens far beyond the human capacity. Christianity prejudges man as a sinful creature and demands from him preposterous expiations he could never understand. The Islamic religion, on the other hand, is based on mere love. A very deep research into Christianity carried on by a group of highly competent scientists might finally find a tiny particle of love of Allah among the plethora of heavy burdens only after an arduous ransack in the people's various moods. And then the group would sit and lament over the fact that that tiny particle of love has been lost for good in today's Christianity, which is awash in superstitions. Coleridge states in one of his books, "It is a reality that a person who loves Christianity very much becomes gradually alienated from Christianity and begins to love the church more, and at the end he loves himself the best." On the other hand, Islam commands us to respect and love Allahu ta'ala, to obey His commandments only, and at the same time to use our own reason and logic. Christianity still contains some truth. In Islam, on the other hand, everything rests on truth. In the Qur'an al-karim, Allahu ta'ala addresses to all His born slaves, regardless of their races and colors, as is purported in the hundred and eighth ayat of Yunus Sura, "Say, O mankind! Truth hath come to you from your Rabb (Allah). He who hath taken the right path hath done so only for his own good, and he who hath lapsed into aberration hath inflicted a loss only on himself. I am not your guardian." After reading all these facts and fully comprehending the tenor of the Qur'an al-karim, I saw that Islam contained the truest answers to my queries, and I willingly became a Muslim. Islam showed me the right way and heartened me. The only way of attaining peace and comfort in the world and salvation in the Hereafter is to embrace Islam.

from the book: WHY DID THEY BECOME MUSLIMS?

Why did she become Muslim? Mrs. AMINA MOSLER - (German)

Why did I become a Muslim?


My son was asking me various questions, and I was unable to answer them. When he asked me, for instance, "Mummy, why are there three gods?" I was at a loss as to what to say because I myself did not believe in trinity, and yet I could not find another answer to convince him. Eventually, it was sometime during the year 1346 [C.E. 1928], and my son had reached a maturer age, when, one day, my son came to me, his eyes welling up with tears. He begged, "Mummy, I have been studying Islam. They believe in one creator. Their religion is the truest one. So I have decided to become a Muslim. Join me!" Upon his request, I, too, began to study the Islamic religion. I went to the Berlin mosque. The imam of the mosque gave me a cordial welcome and told me the essentials of Islam. As he spoke, I saw how right and logical his words were. Like my son, I, too, began to believe in the fact that Islam was the truest religion. First of all, Islam rejected trinity, which I had never been able to understand or accept since my youth. After examining Islam thoroughly, I realized the absurdity of such things as redemption, looking on the pope as an innocent being never prone to sin, baptism and many other rites of the same sort, I rejected all these falsities and embraced Islam.

All my ancestors were fanatical Catholics. I was raised in a Catholic monastery. I grew up totally under Christian education. Yet this sheer religious education that I had received helped me to choose the true religion that would guide me to Allahu ta'ala. For, all the good things that I had been taught throughout my education I found not in Christianity, but in Islam. I am so lucky to have accepted Islam.

Today I am a grandmother. I am so happy because my grandchild has been born as a Muslim. I know that Allahu ta'ala will always guide those people whom He has brought to the right way.

from the book: WHY DID THEY BECOME MUSLIMS?

Why did she become Muslim? Mrs. CECILLA CANNOLY [Rashida] - (Austrian)

Why did I become a Muslim?


Let me tell you sincerely that I became a Muslim without even noticing it myself. For, at a very young age I had already completely lost my confidence in Christianity and had begun to feel apathy towards the Christian religion. I was curious about many religious facts. I was disinclined to believe blindly the creed they were trying to teach me. Why were there three gods? Why had we all come to this world sinful, and why did we have to expiate it? Why could we invoke Allahu ta'ala only through a priest? And what were the meanings of all these various signs that we were being shown and the miracles that we were being told?

Whenever I asked these questions to the teaching priests, they would become angry and answer, "You cannot inquire about the inner natures of the church's teachings. They are secret. All you have to do is to believe them." And this was another thing that I would never understand. How could one believe something whose essence one did not know? However, in those days I did not dare divulge these thoughts of mine. I am sure that many of today's so-called Christians are of the same opinion as I was; they do not believe most of the religious teachings imposed on them, yet they are afraid to disclose it.

The older I became the farther away did I feel from Christianity, finally breaking away from the church once and for all and beginning to wonder whether there was a religion that taught "to worship one single God." My entire conscience and heart told me that there was only one God. Then, when I looked around, the events showed me how meaningless the unintelligible miracles that priests had been trying to teach us, and the absurd stories of saints they had been telling us, were. Didn't everything on the earth, human beings, beasts, forests, mountains, seas, trees, flowers indicate that a great Creator had created them? Wasn't a newly born baby a miracle in itself? On the other hand, the church was striving to indoctrinate the people with the preposterous belief that every newly born baby was a wretched, sinful creature. No, this was impossible, a lie. Every newly born child was an innocent slave, a creature of Allahu ta'ala. It was a miracle, and I believed only in Allah and in the miracles He created.

Nothing in the world was inherently sinful, dirty, or ugly. I was of this opinion, when one day my daughter came home with a book written about Islam. My daughter and I sat together and read the book with great attention. O my Allah, the book said exactly as I had been thinking. Islam announced that there is one Allah and informed that people are born as innocent creatures. Until that time I had been entirely ignorant of Islam. In schools Islam was an object of derision. We had been taught that that religion was false and absurd and infused one with sloth, and that Muslims would go to Hell. Upon reading the book, I was plunged into thoughts. To acquire more detailed information about Islam, I visited Muslims living in my town. The Muslims I found opened my eyes. The answers they gave to my questions were so logical that I began to believe that Islam was not a concocted religion as our priests had been asserting, but a true religion of Allahu ta'ala. My daughter and I read many other books written about Islam, were fully convinced as to its sublimeness and veracity, and eventually embraced Islam, both of us. I adopted the name 'Rashida', and my daughter chose 'Mahmuda' as her new name.

As for the second question that you ask me: "What aspect of Islam do you like best?" Here is my answer:

What I like best about Islam is the nature of its prayers. In Christianity prayers are said in order to ask for worldly blessings such as wealth, position and honor from Allahu ta'ala through Isa 'alaihis-salam'. Muslims, in contrast, express their gratitude to Allahu ta'ala and they know that as long as they abide by their religion and obey the commandments of Allahu ta'ala, Allahu ta'ala will give them whatever they need without them asking for it.
from the book: WHY DID THEY BECOME MUSLIMS?

Right of wife - What is the way to get on well with our wives?

He who wants his wife to have beautiful morals should himself have beautiful morals first! In the Qur’ân al-karîm, it is declared that calamities striking people are caused by their sins. Thus, he who observes the commandments and prohibitions of our religion gets on well with his wife.

Hadrat Fudayl bin Iyâd declares:
“By means of my wife’s bad temper, I used to understand if I made something religiously inappropriate. If I made repentance for that thing immediately, the bad temper of my wife would disappear as well. This way, I would realize that my repentance was accepted.”

Hadrat ’Aliyy-ul-Havâs’ wife had been cross with him. His wife would use a separate cruse and a separate cup in order to oppose her husband. One day, because Hadrat ‘Aliyy-ul-Havâs had mistakenly drunk water from his wife’s cruse, she immediately broke the cruse. Hadrat did not even say “Why did you break the cruse?” and he behaved as if nothing had happened.

Nûraddîn Shûnî Effendi, the neighbor of Hadrat ’Uthmân al-Khattâb, tells: One night, I went out and saw a person covered with an old straw mat sleeping and said to him “Who are you? Why are you sleeping here?” He said: “O my neighbor, I am ‘Uthmân al-Khattâb. I went out to the street because my son’s mother expelled me from the house and I decided to sleep here until she calms down.”

Bad-tempered wife
Hadrat Ibn-i Ab-il-Hamâyil-i Sawrî’s wife was bad-tempered. She used to rail and not give him a break. On the other hand, that pious person would always be patient. Again one day, he escaped from the bad temper of his wife by flying. His wife looked from behind and said “Look at him, he thinks he will be saved from me by flying.” Since it is not possible for people like us to fly, we should try to stay away from any disputes and quarrels. We should not make an attempt to prove that we are right!

It is declared in hadîth-i sharîfs:
(Let not any Mu’min [Believer] get angry with his wife! If she has bad habits, she also has good habits.) [Muslim]

(Woman is weak. Defeat her weakness by keeping silent! Try not to see her faults at home!) [Ibn-i Lâl]

(The most superior of Muslims in terms of îmân [belief] is he who has the most beautiful morals, who treats his wife in the best, in the most gracious way.) [Tirmudhî]

(The best, the most beneficial of Muslims is he who is the best, the most beneficial towards his wife. Among you, I am the one who is the best, the most auspicious, the most beneficial towards his wife.) [Nasa’î]

(The salâts [ritual prayers] and fasts of those who do not observe the rights of their wives and children will not be acceptable.) [Murshid-un-nisâ]

(Namâzes [ritual prayers] and any good deeds of a woman will be unacceptable until her husband is contented.) [Tabarânî]

“Namâzes will be unacceptable” means that she will get clear of debt but will not earn the great thawâbs to be gained by performing namâz. It does not mean that her namâz will be wasted. If a woman’s husband is not contented with her, she will enter Paradise after suffering the punishment of her sin. Only kâfirs [disbelievers] cannot enter Paradise. Muslims will enter Paradise in the end even if they have many sins. It is purported in the Qur’ân al-karîm:
(Good women obey Allah and observe the rights of their husbands. When their husbands are absent, they guard their honor and property with the help of Allah.) [Sûrat-un-Nisâ 34]

When a man comes home, he should greet his wife, ask how she is and share her sadness and happiness because she is the one who is hopeless of others, his friend accustomed to him, the fellow sufferer, who makes him happy, raises his children and satisfies his needs. It is declared in hadîth-i sharîfs:
(On Doomsday, I will be the enemy of him who hits his wife unrighteously. He who hits his wife will be rebellious towards Allah and His Messenger.) [R. Nâsihîn]

(Do not torture your wives! They are entrusted to you by Allahu ta’âlâ. Be mild towards them and do favors!) [Muslim]

(The thawâb [blessing] of emancipating a slave is written in the deed-book of him who looks at his wife with a smiling face.) [R. Nâsihîn]

(Allahu ta’âlâ loves him who gets on well with his wife and banters with her and He increases their sustenance.) [I. Lâl]

What are the rights of a man on his wife?

A man, too, has many rights on his wife. A woman should get on well with her husband. It is declared in a hadîth-i sharîf:

(The jihâd [holy war] of a woman is to get on well with her husband.) [Tabarânî]

A woman used to welcome her husband and try to attain the contentment of him by saying beautiful words. Because of this behavior of hers, our Master the Prophet declared to her husband:
(Tell your wife, she has acquired half the blessings of a martyr!) [Shir’a]

It is easier for women to enter Paradise compared to men. A hadîth-i sharîf purports:
(If a woman performs the five daily prayers, fasts, protects herself from the nâ-mahram [not one of the eighteen men whom the Sharî’at has prescribed as a woman’s close relatives] and obeys her husband, she enters Paradise.) [Ibni Hibbân]

There is no fear for a woman who has attained the consent of her husband. Two hadîth-i sharîfs purport:
(A woman who dies with she having attained the consent of her husband enters Paradise.) [Tirmudhî]

(If a woman shows love for her husband, bears child and does not sleep until she reconciles her husband when she gets angry or when her husband gets angry with her, she is for Paradise.) [Tabarânî]

Jewelry is permissible for women. A woman should not put her husband into a difficult situation for buying jewelry and must not show her jewelry to the nâ-mahram [not one of the eighteen men whom the Sharî’at has prescribed as a woman’s close relatives]! If women observe these, their jewelry does not prevent them from entering Paradise. A hadîth-i sharîf purports:
(I saw that women were few in number in Paradise. I asked for the reason. They said: “Gold and jewelry kept them busy.”) [I. Ahmad]

She should be cheerful towards her husband, show her love and should not hurt him with her tongue. It is declared in a hadîth-i sharîf:
(On Doomsday, Allahu ta’âlâ makes the tongue of a woman who tortures her husband with her tongue 70 arshins long [an arshin is half a meter] and wraps it around her neck. In addition, He puts a woman who gives bad looks to her husband in such a situation that her head is cut off and her body is cut into pieces.) [Shir’a]

She should not be ungrateful to her husband by saying (You didn’t give me anything!) Two hadîth-i sharîfs purport:
(If they were not ungrateful to their husbands, those who performed namâz [ritual prayer] would immediately enter Paradise.) [Shir’a]

(I saw that women constituted the majority of the dwellers of Hell. The reason is that they curse frequently and are ungrateful to their husbands.) [Bukhârî]

If she did a favor for her husband, she should not taunt him with that. She should not hurt her husband for such things as food and dressing and should not demand from him what he cannot afford! She should keep her husband’s glory, try to attain his consent and try to please him in every deed! It is purported in a hadîth-i sharîf:
(The rights of a man on his wife are just like my rights on you. Therefore, she who does not observe the rights of her husband will have failed to observe the rights of Allahu ta’âlâ.) [Shir’a]

A woman should not hurt her husband.
(One day, Hadrat Fâtima came crying before her father. Rasûlullah [the Messenger of Allah] declared:
- O Fâtima, why are you crying?
- Alî got angry with me because of a word of mine which I said unintentionally. I apologized to him but I am crying since I hurt him.
- O my daughter, don’t you know, the consent of Allahu ta’âlâ is conditioned on the consent of husband. How lucky for a woman who always seeks the consent of her husband and with whom her husband is contented. The most superior act of worship for a woman is to obey her husband. When a man is contented with his wife, that woman earns the right to enter Paradise from any door she wants. A woman who hurts her husband will be under the curse of Allahu ta’âlâ until she makes him contented.) [R. Nâsihîn]

Observing the rights of her husband causes a woman to earn thawâbs [blessings] as if she made jihâd [holy war]. It is declared in hadîth-i sharîfs:
(Observing the rights of husband is just like making jihâd in the way of Allah.) [Tabarânî]

(A woman cannot perform supererogatory fast without her husband’s permission. If she does so, she will have remained hungry and thirsty; she cannot earn any thawâb. She cannot get out from home without her husband’s permission. If she does so, the angels in the sky curse her until she comes back home.) [Tabarânî]

(If a man calls his wife for his need, let her answer his need immediately, even if she is around a tandoor!) [Tirmudhî]

(If a man calls his wife to his bed and she refuses to come, the angels will curse her till morning.) [Bukhârî]

(Without her husband’s permission, a woman cannot spend her own property, either.) [Tabarânî]

(If a woman gets out from home without permission, everything on which the sun and the moon rise curses her until her husband is contented.) [Daylamî]

(A woman cannot let anyone [including her mother, father and siblings] in the house and cannot perform supererogatory prayers without her husband’s permission.) [Tabarânî]

(Prevent your wives from ornamenting themselves! The women of Banî Isrâîl [sons of Israel] were cursed because they ornamented themselves and walked to the masjid [the place where they worshipped] arrogantly.) [Ibn-i Mâja]

(Namâzes [ritual prayers] and any good deeds of a woman will be unacceptable until her husband is contented.) [Tabarânî]

The spouses should get on well with each other and try to attain each other’s consent.

What else could they want?

Ibrahim ibn Ad’ham (quddisa sirruh) was asked, “Allahu ta’ala declares, ‘O My human creatures! Ask Me! I will accept, I will give’ However, we ask but He does not give?” Hadrat Ibrahim said:

“You entreat Allahu ta’ala, but you do not obey Him. You know His Prophet (sall-Allahu ta’ala ’alaihi wa salam), but you do not follow him. You read the Qur’an al-karim, but you do not follow the way it shows. You utilize Allahu ta’ala’s blessings, but you do not thank Him. You know that Paradise is for those who worship, but you do not make preparations for it. You know that He has created Hell for the disobedient, but you do not fear it. You see what happened to your fathers and grandfathers, but you do not take warning. You do not see your own defects, and you search for defects in others. Such people must be thankful because it does not rain stones on them, because they do not sink into the earth, and because it does not rain fire from the sky! What else could they want? Would not this suffice as a recompense for their prayers?”

Earning Rewards in Every Breath

People of wisdom state:Our religious superiors said, "Allah bas, baaqi hawas," which means, "Allah exists. All the rest is vain. He is sufficient for us, so there is no need for any other thing." How splendid it is!

What a great felicity it is to live, to establish a business, and to get married according to our religion! If one does not adhere to Islam, then the nafs gets into the act immediately. Living by the desires of the nafs is a calamity both in the world and in the Hereafter. It incurs divine wrath every moment.

There is no harm within the circle of Islam, and there is no benefit outside of this circle. Comfort and tranquility are possible for people only if they remain within this circle. Trouble and problems come up if they go beyond it. They enter and exit this circle many times. But a new problem crops up with every exit. Therefore, in order for us to stay within this circle all the time, our Master the Prophet prescribed us to supplicate as follows, "Allaahumma yaa muqallib al-quloob, thabbit qalbee 'alaa deenik," which means, "O my Lord, the Turner of hearts! Keep my heart firm on Your religion." In other words, it means, "Keep it within the circle of Islam."

The more a person does his every action by our religion, the better the result he will get. The more he goes far from it, the more he will suffer. When he chooses a job or a spouse, starts working, or gets married and he does not do them in accordance with his nafs's wishes but in accordance with Islam, he will constantly earn rewards [thawab] all his life in every inhalation and exhalation. For example, at the time a student starts school, if he intends, "O my Lord, I will insha-Allah help Your religion by means of the job I will be doing when I finish this school. I will earn money through lawful ways, give zakat, and spend my money on good causes. I will protect myself and my household from forbidden things," he will always get rewards until he finishes his school, nay, the rest of his life. Just as each mile on a road takes us to our destinations, so he unceasingly attains rewards simply because he has joined the true path and started the activity that our Lord is pleased with. Continuing on this true path brings him closer to the destination, that is, the pleasure of Allah. If a person begins any activity with such an intention, he will move and cover ground toward our Lord's pleasure. In the end, he will achieve his aim.

When a person gets on a vehicle to go on pilgrimage to Mecca, he receives rewards every hour and every minute, that is, throughout the journey, for his intention is to reach there. The case is the same with worldly affairs, too. If a person starts an activity for the sake of Allah and goes on doing it in conformity with the rules of Islam, the outcome of it will be good.