Tag: Islam

Quote from Abu Al-‘Aliyah about Salat of Allah.

Does Allah pray? – Addressing a common Missionary argument.

So I just spent the last 2 weeks preparing a 85 plus powerpoint lecture about the subject of “Does Allah pray?” And in it I approach the topic from almost every angle possible. But in reality the only reason I’m doing this is because our Missionary friends don’t really understand the concept of the Salaf and the weight to which the statements of the first 3 generations hold on our religion. But in all honesty any Muslim with a mustard seed of knowledge will know that this one quote will destroy the argument that the Salat of Allah means anything other than that Allah mentioning the person in high regard.

So the narration I’m about to present is from a man named:

أبو العالية: رفيع بن مهران

Abu al-’Aaliyah Rafeea’h bin Mahraan.

So who is Abu al-’Aaliyah?

He is a scholar of Islam who learned under the companions of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). He was born during the lifetime of the prophet Muhammad (saws) but since he was young he didn’t manage to become Muslim until the Califate of Abu Bakr.

So he’s considered from the التابعين Tabi’een, meaning those that met the companions of the prophet Muhammad (saws). And this isn’t just an average person, this man met everyone from the great companions for example:

قال أبو عمرو الداني : أخذ أبو العالية القراءة عرضا عن أبي ، وزيد ، وابن عباس.

“It is narrated from Abu ‘Amro ad-Daani: Abu Al-’Aaliyah took his recitation (of the Quran) from Ubai (ibn Ka’ib), and Zaid, and Ibn Abaas.

عن حفصة بنت سيرين ، قالت : قال لي أبو العالية : قرأت القرآن على عمر – رضي الله عنه- ثلاث مرار

It was narrated from Hafsah bint Sireen who said: Abu Al-’Aaliyah told me: “I recited the Quran to ‘Umar (ra) three times.

قال أبو بكر بن أبي داود : وليس أحد بعد الصحابة أعلم بالقرآن من أبي العالية

Abu Bakr ibn Abi Dawud said: There is no one after the Sahabah more knowledgeable about the Quran than Abu Al-’Aaliyah.

Suffice it to say Abu Al-’Aaliyah is the most credible source of Tafsir for the Quran after a direct quote from either the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) or the companions. So what does he says about the verse?

عن أبي العالية في قوله: (إن الله وملائكته يصلون على النبي)

It was narrated from Abu al-’Aaliyah about the verse:

قال : صلاة الله – عز وجل عليه – ثناؤه عليه،

For which he said: Allah’s Salat (means) speaking highly of him.

وصلاة الملائكة عليه الدعاء، ( أي يدعون للناس ويستغفرون لهم )

And the Salat of the Angels is that they make Du’ah for him.
(Meaning they pray and (ask Allah) to forgive them.)

الألباني( صحيح ) أنظر: فضل الصلاة على النبي [1 / 79 ].

[And this narration was authenticated by Shaykh Al-Albani as Saheeh]

Now let me be honest, this is a mic drop type of quote. If a person cannot understand the weight of this statement, then there is no hope for them. They simply don’t understand how religion and narrations work. So you’re better off first teaching them the fundamentals of Hadeeth, and the status of the Sahabah before you touch upon these subjects.

Hope this helps everyone who faces this argument in the future. And inshallah I should be releasing my first lecture in about a week, so be on the look out for that as well.

Jizak Allah Khair.

Does Allah Pray? Part 1

Missionaries have began presenting a new lie against Islam claiming that the Salat mentioned in verse 33:56 is the same type of Salat that Muslims do (Which translates as Prayer in english.) In this video I break down the Missionaries argument and provide the quickest answer to this doubt. A quote from the famous 2nd generation Islamic Scholar (Tabi’ee) Abu Al-Aliyah. If you’d like the full quote you can get it from our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/simplyseerah…

The Real Origins of Terrorism – Part 1

Breaking the Moral High-ground, and Exposing the Propaganda War Machine. This is a new series written and produced by Simply Seerah which will go through the history of how the Philosophy of Terrorism was introduced into the Muslim world in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Story of Khubaib (ra) – Proof Muslims are NOT allowed to Kill Women and Children

Bismillah_FullWith all the horrible scenes we see today of Secular Arab Tyrants and Islamic Extremists throughout the Middle East killing innocent people in the thousands, it isn’t surprising that Non-Muslims in the west would believe that the people’s religion might have a role in these atrocities.  Especially when you see how many Terrorist organizations in the region are taking advantage of ignorance people and using their faith to further their cause and to garner support for their unquenchable thirst for power.

Yet in this ever changing world, with so many cultures and religions interconnecting and mingling on a day to day bases, it isn’t acceptable that we still find people today that are so quick to form an opinion or reach a conclusion about another faith without having done the proper research.  Especially in this day in age where we have quick access to so much knowledge and have a sea of credible information at our fingertips.

So with that said I would like today to cover the ever popular topic of Muslims being permitted to kill women and children.  This sadly has become a very common talking point with many Right Wingers and Islamaphobes alike who – for the most part – have essentially reached their conclusions based upon the recent actions of a handful of Muslims, and not the Islamic Texts or the Historic application thereof.  Now even though you might get some Senator or Pastor that could quote you a Quranic verse here and there which talkis about “Fighting the Infidels,” rarely will you ever find them presenting a historic example where the Muslims applied their particular interpretation of those verses.  That is simply because – for the most part – they do not exist.

Take for instance the oft-parroted phrase that Muslims believe you “Either Gotta Covert to Islam or be Killed!” (usually said with the Southern accent.)  Now to the ignorant scared Christian American these people might seem like they know what they are talking about, but for the well informed Muslim, we know very well that these people don’t have any clue what they’re talking about.  And just because someone can site a Quranic verse or Hadeeth here and there that doesn’t make them an Islamic Expert, nor makes them qualified to come and make accusations against a faith of 1.7 Billion people. There are 5 year old Muslim children today mind you that can recitethe whole Quran front and back in Arabic.  Are we now going to allow them to host conferences about Islam and speak to thousands of police officers and military personnel about the threat of Terrorism?

So now that I have made my point the ridiculousness of the whole Western Islamaphobia fiasco, let me get to the crux of this article.  I wanted to present to you a very nice story which happened during the time of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  A story which will help shed light or help refute a very common claim made by Islamaphobes and Extremists Zionists that falsely claim that Muslims are allowed to kill women and children in Islam.

To refute this I wish to share with you the story of the Famous companion Khubaib (ra).

Our story begins in the second year after the prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) migration (which is about 624 CE).  At that time a delegation had come to Medina and requested from the prophet (pbuh) to send with them a number of knowledgeable Muslims to teach them about Islam.  The prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gladly obliged, and sent with the delegation 70 of the Most knowledgeable Muslims in Medina.  Little did they know though, but the delegation were intending on killing every single one of the sent with them. And so when the Muslims reached an area called “The well of Rajee’,” these criminals decided to carry out their horrible plan.  Everyone of the 70 Muslims were killed except for two individuals.  One was known as Zaid and there other was the hero of our story Khubaib.

The two prisoners were then taken back to Meccah where they were sold to families o that wished to extract revenge against the Muslims.  Khubaib was  sold to the Al-Harith tribe, whose leader was killed by Khubaib during the battle of Badr.  After purchasing Khubaib, he was then taken and held in one of the houses of the Al-Harith tribe to was as the men make preparations for his execution.  Having realized that his death was close at hand,  Khubaib asked his captors if they would lend him a razor and allow him to clean himself up before he was to die.  One of the daughters of Al-Harith then brought him her razor and left him alone so Khubaib could prepare himself.

razor

After some time had passed the women who had brought Khubaib the razor suddenly noticed her child was missing and began to frantically search him.  Then, remembering that the prisoner in the other room had a razor she panicked and went racing up to see if her son was there.  As she raced into the room  she was stopped in her tracks as she looked in horror at her child that was now sitting happily on the lap of Khubaib while he proceeded to shave.  Apparently the child had managed to crawl up the stairs all by himself and entered the room where the prisoner was being held.

As  she stood there frozen in terror, Khubaib looked and noticed the woman standing some a distance away.  It didn’t take him long to see that the woman was completely distraught and in a panic.  And so after realizing what she was thinking, Khubaib quickly reassured her saying:

“Are you afraid that I would actually kill him?  By God I would never do such a thing.”

He then let the child return back to his now relieved and grateful mother.  Khubaib was to be crucified a short time later, but even after his death that women always spoke highly of him to others saying how he was the most upright prisoner she had every met.

This my friends is the founders of Islam.  These were the type of righteous men who stood side by side with the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and through the sheer magnificence of their character lead thousands of people to Islam.  They were not petty thieves or people who murdered innocent people out of revenge.  They were servants of God and men at service to the people.  They fought wars only when it was necessary, and always extended an arm of mercy and peace to those who were willing reciprocate.

Now take that example and compare it to the character of Terrorists we know of today.  Imagine if one of those characters you saw on News were in the same situation of Khubaib and ask yourselves,  “would they do the same thing?”  If not, then you know that those men and the Muslims who lived during the time of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) are not one and the same.  They are following something completely different than what was being taught to those Muslims at the time of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

It’s time we stop blaming Islam and Muslims for the crimes of a handful of individuals who just so happen to be of the same faith.  Every religion, race and people have their criminals and nutcases.  Muslims are no different.  But know, our History and the forefathers of our religion are the people Muslims exemplify, not these criminals today that have hijacked our faith and stained our reputation.

The source of the story can be found on Page 1128: Volume 2 of “The Noble life of the Prophet” (peace be upon him) by Dr. ‘Ali Muhammad As-Sallaabee.
You can download the book free from here:  The Noble Life of the Prophet
Or you can purchase the 3 volume set here: Amazon Link

Forgiveness vs. Retaliation in Islam

Bismillah_Full

Islam is a religion that takes into account the nature of humankind; after all, the One who created us knows us best.  We were not created perfect, we make mistakes, we forget, we sin, we fall prey to our emotions and hormones, and our sense of justice may not be as finely tuned as we might desire or think.  Thus the doctrines of Islam, the two main sources of jurisprudence, the Quran and the Sunnah (sometimes called the authentic traditions of Prophet Muhammad), set out for us the guidelines under which the law is applied.  Unlike modern secular societies there is no separation between religion and state.  For the Islamic society to function, the laws of God must be applied.

Islam repeats the Torah or Old Testament’s eye for an eye principle and uses both capital and corporal punishment for many crimes.  However what is often overlooked is that the Quran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad call for forgiveness instead of retaliation. Islam and its legal principles support forgiveness and peaceful arrangements between all parties.  The second of three categories of crime in Islamic law is Qisas.  Islamically qisas means the law of retaliation, however it is derived from the root qess meaning to track down the effect or trace of something, it may also be defined as tracking the footsteps of an enemy.

“…punish with an equivalent of that with which you were harmed. But if you are patient – it is better for those who are patient.” (Quran 16:126)

“And We ordained for them therein a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds is legal retribution.  But if anyone remits the retaliation by way of charity, it shall be for him an expiation. And whosoever does not judge by that which God has revealed, such are the wrongdoers.” (Quran 5:45)

Qisas is specifically for murder or serious assault.  Whenever a person causes physical harm or death to another, the injured or a representative of the deceased has the right to retaliation.  In crimes covered under the laws of Qisas the victim or his representative have three options, to insist upon the punishment, accept monetary recompense, or forgive the offender. Forgiveness is even able to avert the death penalty.[1]  Quran urges forgiveness and mercy even in the direst of circumstances.

“And there is (a saving of) life for you in Al-Qisas, O men of understanding, that you may become pious.” (Quran 2:179)

As mentioned above the law of retaliation or qisas refers to a particular set of crimes that may be lawfully punished in the same way and to the same degree. In the case of serious assault for example, the victim has the right to choose an eye for an eye, an ear for an ear or a leg for a leg. Qisas also allows for the victim or his representative to choose a different outcome. He may accept compensation also known as blood money or in Arabic, diya. Payment of the diya is calculated on a scale proportionate to the degree of incapacity or injury caused. On the other hand the victim or his representative may also choose to forgive, and despite the legality of all three choices, Quran makes it clear that the better option is to choose to forgive.  In Islam reconciliation is always preferable to retaliation.

“…but whosoever forgives and makes amends, his reward is upon God.” (Quran 42: 40)

A renowned psychologist once said that without forgiveness life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation.  No matter which of the three outcomes the victim chooses the aim is to put an end to the cycle of retribution and retaliation, and not let the repercussions of the crime persist and damage the Islamic community. In other words, qisas limits the consequences.  The victim’s need for justice is satisfied while preventing unnecessary harm to the perpetrator.

The combination of diya and forgiveness produces a powerful material and spiritual inducement to forgo retribution.  When the victim has the right to choose, in many cases he chooses to forgive because God’s reward is more desirable then any earthly benefit, or the fleeting pleasure of seeing earthly punishment inflicted.

Prophet Muhammad consistently chose forgiveness over retaliation. His behaviour is the best example of forgiveness and compassion.  The crimes against him were often vile and demeaning yet he took God’s words literally and chose kindness over anger.  He had the power and means to retaliate yet the harsher the crime against him the more lenient he became.

“Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from the ignorant.” (Quran 7:199)

In this article we have examined the law of qisas and discovered that forgiveness is the best course of action.  Nevertheless God knows the human need for justice in this world and thus He has provided us with a method of retaliation that is fair and just.  However, throughout the Quran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad we are told that forgiveness is better and in the next article we will discover why.  Do you not wish to be forgiven by God?

“Let them forgive and overlook: do you not wish that God should forgive you? For God is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 24:22)

“But if someone is steadfast and forgives, that is the most resolute course to follow.” (Quran 42:43)

[Taken from: IslamReligion.com]

How Ibn Taymiyyah addressed the Heads of State – By Sheikh Muhammad Mousa Al-Shareef

There are two extreme groups when it comes to how Muslims are to deal with the Heads of State. We should not go into extremes either way. Instead we should call out the wrongs when it is done by whoever is committing the action. And we should also pray and hope the best for our Leaders and fellow Muslims.

What this story shows is that even the most Oppressive Rulers in History respected men who spoke the truth and advised them properly. And the fact of the matter is that the best of Rulers were those who placed around them men who would advise them and told them the truth even when it was bitter.

The Story of Amro Ibn Luhai – By Sheikh Nabeel Al-Awadhi

This Video is about the Origins of the Arabs and how Paganism was first introduced into the Arabian Peninsula. It is a more detailed version of the story presented in one of our 3D videos. It can also be used as a referral to show that we are presenting material from reputable scholars. Continue reading The Story of Amro Ibn Luhai – By Sheikh Nabeel Al-Awadhi