Nothing Exceeds The Truth

By Imam Ibn Kathir

 

Imam Ahmad recorded from Suhayb that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:
Among the people who came before you, there was a king who had a sorcerer, and when that sorcerer became old, he said to the king, "I have become old and my time is nearly over, so please send me a boy whom I can teach magic.'' So, he sent him a boy and the sorcerer taught him magic. Whenever the boy went to the sorcerer, he sat with a monk who was on the way and listened to his speech and admired them. So, when he went to the sorcerer, he passed by the monk and sat there with him; and on visiting the sorcerer the latter would thrash him.

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You Planted This Seed, And This is Your Harvest

By Muhammad Al-Sharif

 

I was a teacher in the Qur’anic study circle at our neighborhood Masjid at the time. I would see this young boy after Maghrib prayers, you might say he was about fifteen years old. He held a pocket Qur’an and sat alone reading from it - no, he wasn’t actually reading from it, he was just trying to make it seem as if he was.
Now and again, he would shyly steal a few glances at us, curious to know what we were doing. Once in awhile, you might see him straining to make out what we were talking about.

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Religion is ease not extremism‏

By Zaki 7amid

 

Being born a Muslim does not always give you a better insight into being Muslim than outsiders think. Only if you are blessed with religious parents do you realise what a benefit it is to be a Muslim. Then again even being born Muslim into an irreligious family is an unfathomable blessing. How can you understand that Allah (the Exalted) wants you to enter paradise and thus he made you Muslim without any effort on your part?

Many or most people who become Muslim suffer for a period once they become Muslim. They can be affected by all the different groups bashing each other and look on in bemusement about the slogans people chant. It takes time to get the prayer right and it also takes time to get your head around things. In addition to that a person’s family also needs time to get used to it; some families may never be able to accept it all. Others will grow to accept that their child has chosen another religion. To be without the support of the family that supported all your life is not something easy.

When one of the companions led a prayer and made the recitation long. Some of the congregation complained to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) whose face was seen to go red. He admonished the companion who lead the prayer advising him that people have needs and he should make the prayer light.

The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, “Whoever among you leads the people in prayer should shorten it, for amongst them are the weak, the old, and the one who has business to attend to. And if anyone among you prays alone, he may then prolong it as much as he likes.” (Bukhari).

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The punishment for breaking the fast in Ramadaan with no excuse

By Muneer Khatib

 

I do not fast. Will I be punished on the Day of Resurrection?

Praise be to Allaah.

Fasting in Ramadaan is one of the pillars on which Islam is built. Allaah tells us that He has prescribed it for the believers of this ummah [nation], as He prescribed it for those who came before them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious”

[al-Baqarah 2:183]

“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him”

[al-Baqarah 2:185]

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Obama, Osama and Politics of Oil Hunger

By Zaki 7amid

 

The military operation (May 2nd 2011) which killed Osama bin Laden has raised many questions related to the deeper truths of the phenomenon of Al Qaeda, Terrorism and role of US in the region. What is obvious is that US in a neat military operation violated the air space of Pakistan; with the help of highly trained commandoes killed Osama bin Laden, the most dreaded name in the annals of terrorism, the chief of Al Qaeda. Barrack Husain Obama is in the seventh heaven for achieving a feat which US intelligence claims it was trying from many years and finally has succeeded. Obama has all the reasons to be happy as now after garnering the Noble Price for Peace he has shaped himself as the one who looks ‘strong’ and can annihilate the ‘enemies’. It should surely improve his electoral ratings.

Pakistan authorities have been caught in a strange situation. They have been claiming that Osama is not living in Pakistan; there are no terrorists in Pakistan etc. In this backdrop, lo and behold, Osama is found at the walking distance of the famous military academy of Pakistan. Pakistan as a state has been humiliated by the mighty US. US violated Pakistan’s sovereignty. US did not inform Pakistan about the military operation which it undertook on Pakistan’s land. On the top of that US is refusing to apologize for this violation of Pakistan’s air space, for using its military in another country. Now fears are rife that US may do similar things to wipe out Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. Due to Pakistan’s lie about Osama’s living in Pakistan, there are voices calling for declaring Pakistan as a terrorist state. Indian army Chief is telling loud and clear that Indian armed forces are also competent to undertake such an operation.

In the whole spectacle created around the death of Osama bin Laden, some deeper truth is being further hidden from the public eye. The fact that truth is a multilayered phenomenon is being ignored and the whole game of United States in first helping the creation of Al Qaeda, supporting Osama bin Laden with money and armaments to join the anti Russian forces is practically being pushed under the carpet. While Pakistan has to take the blame for ‘housing’ Osama, the deeper fact is that Pakistan army and ISI had mostly been hands in glove with the US policies for control over the oil wealth of the region.

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