This is a series of experiences of Fatima (Who is a fictional character) which will come via e-mail. This is just my way of bringing to notice certain issues and sharing my views and views of others. I hope I am able to achieve my aim of bringing things into perspective. So, Lets not waste time and start getting to know her shall we?
Fatimas life
Salaam alaikum sisters, I am Fatima, just got married a few months back. Like every other girl it’s a total change. I am still continuing my graduation, in a co-ed college.
I come from a very religious family; actually I wouldn’t call it religious or even give a ‘very’ adjective. I come form a MUSLIM family. The way EVERY family who’s Muslim should be. But sadly, that’s not the case is it?!
Anyway, coming back to my life, since the wedding I’ve been facing allot of new and innovative things!. One of the first highlights was the “religious boy” label I came across,
when people were looking for suitors for their daughters. And I uncovered rather weird ideologies.
It’s really funny; everyone is having their own notion of “religious boy/girl”. And today I’m going to focus on this very idea. I will now site some very interesting examples:
For one who doesn’t even pray, a person who prays even one prayer a day is “very very religious”
For the one who prays; a person who fasts in Ramadan or just fasts the Sunnah fasts but misses his Ramadan fasts is “super religious”.
Some people are labeled as ’religious’ just because they give charity or do some good deed that is outwardly, even they are not even familiar with the Islamic laws. And they are sadly the most eligible bachelors in the community!
And the saddest is that person who doesn’t do anything and is regarded as the “best possible religious person” because every year in Muharram he’s the one standing outside the masjid/center when the majlis is going on smoking cigarettes or chit chatting with his buddies posing on bikes. Just because he’s a seasonal Muslim, whose face is seen only every Muharram (not jumah, not for aamaal, nothing) just Muharram He is great!!. Hurry get him married to a pretty girl who is praying and doing hijab and fulfilling all her duties because he is religious!
I’m sure you’re all aware of this ideology. Yes you may have the love of Ahlul bayt in your heart, but what’s that love without practicing what the loved one fought and died for?
Who are we kidding?; I am sadly surrounded by people who’ve made their own rules, their own ideologies, their own classifications of right and wrong as though the only duty of Allah was to create you. They don’t understand the responsibility of freewill.
It’s so difficult, back in my home someone if was specified as “very religious” would be a learned scholar, or mujtahid, or a student or ex of the hawza in Iran or something along those lines.
In Islam when considering someone for wedding, the first thing to look for is Iman. Iman doesn’t mean seasonal Iman; it means ‘Hardcore jihadi Muslim of today’s world Iman’.
Who is doing everything that he should and more, & most importantly STRIVING for better.
It pisses me off royally to see parents getting carried away listening to things like these regarding a potential son-in-law and getting their daughters married to them. They for some reason will not look beyond their own little circle of family. When Allah mentions is the Quran:
“O mankind! We have created you male and female, and have made you nations and tribes, that you may know one another [not that on account of this you may boast of being superior to others]. Certainly, the noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the most God‑fearing among you ....”(49:13)
Here, people are so scared of the bad that would come if they married into another, new family that they’d stick to their impossible and unislamic rules and dwell in the crappiness of it all.
This particular marriage issue I’ve been getting acquainted to allot because the wedding season is just round the corner. And this is in the air I breathe.
All this is just a gist of how I feel about these issues, more is coming! Allot more. This is only the beginning! ;)
Let me know if you’ve come across similar or any new ideologies regarding this matter. I would love to know what happens in other families, and countries etc.
This is Fatima signing off for the day! Take care,
KH
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Prophet Adam (as)
Prophet Adam (AS)
Prophet Adam (as) is the first human being and the first prophet of Allah. This alone stands as a vital reason for us to know him, and understand his existence, and purpose.
Prophet Adam (as) is the father of the human race. The entire being comes from him.
A man went to visit the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) one day. The prophet said "I have received news that you have a new baby", the man said "that is correct, messenger of Allah, he was born yesterday".
The prophet replied "this baby who was born yesterday, who does he look like, who does he resemble, does he resemble you or does he resemble his mother?” The man said "messenger of Allah, he will resemble one of the two. He will either resemble me or he will resemble his mother. Isn't that the way?
The prophet said:-
“No, do not say that. If the sperm falls into the womb, Allah (S.W.T) brings forth every characteristic between it and between Adam". (Meaning the embryo will inherit characteristics from as far back as Adam (PBUH)).
http://www.al-islam.org/about/contributions/humanreproduction.html
Description of the Creation of Adam
Allah collected from hard, soft, sweet and sour earth, clay which He dripped in water till it got pure, and kneaded it with moisture till it became gluey. From it He carved an image with curves, joints, limbs and segments. He solidified it till it dried up for a fixed time and a known duration. Then He blew into it out of His Spirit whereupon it took the pattern of a human being with mind that governs him, intelligence which he makes use of, limbs that serve him, organs that change his position, sagacity that differentiates between truth and untruth, tastes and smells, colours and species. He is a mixture of clays of different colours, cohesive materials, divergent contradictories and differing properties like heat, cold, softness and hardness.
Then Allah asked the angels to fulfill His promise with them and to accomplish the pledge of His injunction to them by acknowledging Him through prostration to Him and submission to His honored position. So Allah said:
"Be prostrate towards Adam and they prostrated except Iblis (Satan)." (Qur'an, 2:34; 7:11; 17:61; 18:50; 20:116)
Self-importance withheld him and vice overcame him. So that he took pride in his own creation with fire and treated contemptuously the creation of clay. So Allah allowed him time in order to let him fully deserve His wrath, and to complete (man's) test and to fulfill the promise (He had made to Satan). Thus, He said:
"Verily you have been allowed time till the known Day." (Qur'an, 15:38; 38:81)
Thereafter, Allah inhabited Adam (p.b.u.h.) in a house where He made his life pleasant and his stay safe, and He cautioned him of Iblis and his enmity. Then his enemy (Iblis) envied his abiding in Paradise and his contacts with the virtuous. So he changed his conviction into wavering and determination into weakness. He thus converted his happiness into fear and his prestige into shame. Then Allah offered to Adam (p.b.u.h.) the chance to repent, taught him words of His Mercy, promised him return to His Paradise and sent him down to the place of trial and procreation of progeny.
(Nahj Al balagha sermon 1)
http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/1.htm
There are certain aspects of the life of Prophet Adam and certain issues we need to be aware of. Many topics would arise out of this education, which would help us further in increasing our knowledge of Islam. This would give us the capability of relating topics and incidents to one another when proving a point. As Muslims it’s our duty to know our prophets, and be able to answer doubts of people of the books.
The main topics I’ve tried to cover in this document are:
1. Misconception of Hawwa (Eve) being made out of Prophet Adams (as) rib.
2. Proving Prophet Adams (as) infallibility.
3. Hawwa was not the reason behind the fruit eating.
4. The story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain).
5. Nabi Adams appointment of a successor and importance of successor ship.
1. Misconception of Hawwa (Eve) being made out of Prophet Adams rib
One of the subjects explained in the Qur'an is that of the creation of man and woman. The Qur'an has not observed silence in this respect. It has left no opportunity to the philosophical meddlers to invent their own philosophy for the rules concerning man and woman, and to describe them as being based on Islam's contemptuous attitude towards the fair sex. Islam has itself given its views regarding woman.
To know the views of Islam on woman, we should see what the Qur'an says about her innate character. Other religions also have referred to this question, but it is the Qur'an alone which in a number of verses expressly says that woman has been created of the species of man, and both man and woman have the same innate character. While referring to Adam it says: He (Allah) made all of you from one being, and from that being He made its mate. (Surah an-Nisa, 4: 1)
With regard to mankind in general, it says: He made your mate from among you. (Surah an-Nisa, Surah Ali Imran and Surah Rum).
Unlike some other religious books, there is no mention in the Qur'an that woman has been created of some inferior material, or that she has any parasitic and leftist aspect. Islam does not support the notion of the people who suppose that the spouse of Adam was created of his left ribs. Islam has no contemptuous view of woman in regard to her nature and innate character.
http://www.al-islam.org/womanrights/4.htm
Another issue is the woman who is believed to have been created from Adam's rib. This is the result of a wrong translation of the Arabic word 'rib' into Persian. In Arabic and Hebrew 'rib' has an additional meaning which is 'nature.' Thus, instead of "Eve was created from Adam's nature," it came to mean "Eve was created from Adam's rib."
A great man like Nietzsche believed that man and woman were two different creatures. By and by they evolved and came to resemble each other. So they are thought of as two different races. Mind you that even those philosophers and scientists who believe that Adam and Eve are of the same race have always despised the female's nature. However, the position of the Qur'an is that man and woman are of the same nature.
http://www.al-islam.org/beliefs/philosophy/manandislam.html
2. Proving Prophet Adams (as) infallibility.
It is important for one to accept the fact that the people Allah chooses to guide us have to be infallible in order to execute their duties.
Understanding Infallibility
Definition of infallibility by Allama Tabatabai: ‘Presence of a quality in a person that prevents him from committing any impermissible act such as a sin is an infallible person.’
Infallibility is nothing difficult for us human beings also to attain. The area of infallibility is the point. Sheikh Safdar Razi in his lecture explains it beautifully. It is all about being consciously aware of the presence of Allah or anyone you fear. When one aware of the consequences of his actions and also that Allah is watching they will automatically refrain from committing any sin.
As ordinary human beings it is very difficult to reach that level of infallible realization. Now, if Allah was to choose any ordinary person to lead his ummah towards Him, then that person would undoubtedly fail. Hence, we come to an understanding that these people (prophets and the aimma) Allah chose were out of the ordinary.
Quran on Infallibility:
“Satan then said to God, 'By Your might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your chosen servants among them [the messengers and imams].'” (38:82)
Notice Iblis mentions EXCEPT the chosen servants. That logically means that there ARE certain people chosen by Allah, who can’t be mislead by shaitan.
So who could these people be? They have to be out of the ordinary. They would hence, HAVE to be the prophets and the aimma. They are the only people who were chosen by Allah to carry on their duties to lead and spread the word of Allah.
Logically speaking, how could we follow one who mistakes, or is susceptible to sinning? It’s beyond the intellect of the man to be calling someone as the messenger/ representative of Allah on earth, when he mistakes. This is relevant in the Qur’an when Allah says:
“I swear by the star when it goes down.
Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray;
Nor does he speak out of desire. (Surah Najm, 53:1-3)”
Hence, proving that the prophets don’t speak out of their own desire, they lead by example, they are not just delivering books, or a message, they in a way are the message. Leading by examples and following Allah’s orders they are what Islam is about. The prophets have their importance because of that too, they don’t preach anything via words, actions out of their own desire.
Since, the infallibility aspect of the prophets and aimma- the chosen people of Allah is clear. There remains no doubt as to Prophet Adam (AS) being a sinner, and being sent down to earth as a punishment of his sin. Allah says in the Holy Quran BEFORE He created Adam:
“And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a khalif, they said: What! wilt Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness? He said: Surely I know what you do not know.” (Surah Baqara 2:30)
One can notice that Prophet Adam (AS) was going to be created as a khalifa on earth. That was the purpose even before his creation. So, to say he was banished from heavens because he sinned eating the fruit is unjustifiable.
Also, when the angels reacted to this announcement, Allah told them that He knows what they don’t. This signifies that there was a reason behind the creation of Adam. The mankind was an intended to be living on earth and submitting to Allah.
Another thing to note is that he was not just going to be the first human on earth but KHALIFA (leader), which signifies his need to be infallible. For, Allah would not want us to be lead by anyone but the best example of his creation.
Note: When we say prophets and the Aimma are infallible, we are not comparing them to Allah in anyway; this infallibility is a relative infallibility on earth. Just like any other characteristic comparison made between two people. There is no comparison to Allah in any attribute. He is what instills these characteristics in certain people, and that is the essence of this infallibility as well.
For example, Prophet Muhammad (AS) was known as ‘sadiq’ and ‘ameen’ that did not mean he’s more sadiq and ameen than Allah. It was a relative comparison between normal human beings and the Prophet of Allah. Allah can’t be compared to in any circumstance.
Links to lectures that focus on this particular topic of infallibility of the Nabi Adam (AS) and the “sin” of eating the fruit are mentioned in the foot notes.
3. Hawwa was not the reason behind the fruit eating.
There is another contemptuous theory which was current in the past, and has left some undesirable traces in the world literature. According to it, woman is the cause of all sins. Her very existence stimulates evil. Woman is a little devil. It is said that woman has had a hand in every sin and every offence committed by man. Men themselves are free from sin; it is the women who drag them to it. It is also said that the Devil cannot have direct access to men. It is through women that he lures them. He prompts woman with wicked suggestions, and woman in turn prompts man. Adam was thrown out of Paradise because of a woman. The Devil misled Eve, and it was Eve who misled Adam.
The Qur'an has narrated the story of Paradise, but it says nowhere that the Devil or the Serpent misled Eve and Eve misled Adam. It neither blames Eve nor exonerates her.
The Qur'an says: We said to Adam: 'Take residence in Paradise.' both you and your Spouse, and eat the fruits thereof, freely wherever you wish and go not near that tree else you become wrongdoers. (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:35). It puts the pro. nouns in the dual form. It also says: Then the Satan made a suggestion to them (both). Then he led them (both) on with guile. He swore to them (both): I am a sincere adviser to you (both). Surah al-A'raf, (7: 20 - 21)
Thus the Qur'an vehemently opposed the false notion which was current after the time of its revelation, and the echoes of which still resound in various parts of the world, It absolved woman from the charge that she was the prompter of sin, and herself a little devil.
Another contemptuous theory which has existed concerns woman's spiritual position. It was asserted that woman could not enter Paradise. She could not cover the spiritual and divine stages. She could not reach such a stage of proximity to God as man could. But the Qur'an, in a number of passages, has expressly said that the reward of the Hereafter and the proximity to Allah are not linked with sex. They depend on faith and deeds, and there is no difference between man and woman in this respect. In the Qur'an, side by side with every great and saintly man, a great and saintly woman has been mentioned. It has glorified the wives of Adam and Abraham and the mothers of Moses and Jesus. If it has mentioned the wives of Noah and Lot as unworthy of their husbands, it has not ignored the wife of the Pharaoh, and has mentioned her as a great woman who was in the hands of a wicked man. The Qur'an in its stories has maintained a sort of balance. Its heroes are both men and women.
http://www.al-islam.org/womanrights/4.htm
4. The story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain).
Allah narrates the story of the two sons of Prophet Adam in Surah Maida (5:27-30)
27. And relate to them the story of the two sons of Adam with truth when they both offered an offering, but it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other. He said: I will most certainly slay you. (The other) said: Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil).
28. If you will stretch forth your hand towards me to slay me, I am not one to stretch forth my hand towards you to slay you surely I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds:
29. Surely I wish that you should bear the sin committed against me and your own sin, and so you would be of the inmates of the fire, and this is the recompense of the unjust.
30. Then his mind facilitated to him the slaying of his brother so he slew him; then he became one of the losers.
From the above verses we get an idea of the incident of sacrifice that led to the murder of Qabil by his brother Habil.
Note: is that even though they were the sons of a prophet one of them was not obedient to Allah. This shows that there is no rule that a prophet’s child is always sincere and pure in his actions. We will further find these similarities in other stories of the prophets and the Aimma.
5. Nabi Adams appointment of a successor
“From his (Adam's) progeny Allah chose prophets and took their pledge for his revelation and for carrying His message as their trust. In course of time many people perverted Allah's trust with them and ignored His position and took compeers along with Him. Satan turned them away from knowing Him and kept them aloof from His worship. Then Allah sent His Messengers and series of His prophets towards them to get them to fulfill the pledges of His creation, to recall to them His bounties, to exhort them by preaching, to unveil before them the hidden virtues of wisdom and show them the signs of His Omnipotence namely the sky which is raised over them, the earth that is placed beneath them, means of living that sustain them, deaths that make them die, ailments that turn them old and incidents that successively betake them.”
Nahj Al balagha sermon 1 (Allah chooses His Prophets)
http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/1.htm
Note: From the above sermon, we come to know the existence of other religions that came out of the prophets of Allah. Along the course of history we will notice many such instances where, the people disobey the command of Allah, and don’t take the chosen ones as the leaders to follow. This led to false beliefs and religions.
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
"We did send messengers before thee, and appointed for them wives and
Children: And it was never the part of a messenger to bring a Sign
Except as Allah permitted (or commanded). For each period is an
Appointment. [13:38]"
From the above ayah one can derive these important points:
1. Whoever was a prophet was chosen by Allah and it was always through the permission of Allah that these appointments were made.
2. The fact that it was an appointment shows the importance of a leader being chosen by Allah. (And not be elected/chosen by fallible human beings)
3. There is an appointment of a leader for every period, hence, never leaving the ummah alone without guidance.
“O children of Adam! There shall come to you Apostles from among yourselves, rehearsing my signs to you; and whoso shall fear God and do good works, no fear shall be upon them, neither shall they be put to grief.” 7:35
"And We assigned from among them some Imams (Leaders) who guide by Our Authority since they were patient and believed firmly in Our Signs.
(Qur'an 32:24)
Allah chooses His Prophets
“Allah never allowed His creation to remain without a Prophet deputized by Him, or a book sent down from Him or a binding argument or a standing plea. These Messengers were such that they did not feel little because of smallness of their number or of largeness of the number of their falsifiers. Among them was either a predecessor who would name the one to follow or the follower who had been introduced by the predecessor.” Nahj Al balagha, Sermon 1
http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/1.htm
The same concept applied even after Prophet Muhammad, he appointed who would lead after him and this has continued through all of the aimma till the present.
The Holy Prophet: “Whomsoever I am The Maula, (Lord, Master), This ALI is his Maula”.
http://www.al-islam.org/masoom/bios/infal.htm
So whom did Prophet Adam appoint as prophet after him?
Answer, Prophet Shais (Seth).
Prophet Adam (as) is the first human being and the first prophet of Allah. This alone stands as a vital reason for us to know him, and understand his existence, and purpose.
Prophet Adam (as) is the father of the human race. The entire being comes from him.
A man went to visit the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) one day. The prophet said "I have received news that you have a new baby", the man said "that is correct, messenger of Allah, he was born yesterday".
The prophet replied "this baby who was born yesterday, who does he look like, who does he resemble, does he resemble you or does he resemble his mother?” The man said "messenger of Allah, he will resemble one of the two. He will either resemble me or he will resemble his mother. Isn't that the way?
The prophet said:-
“No, do not say that. If the sperm falls into the womb, Allah (S.W.T) brings forth every characteristic between it and between Adam". (Meaning the embryo will inherit characteristics from as far back as Adam (PBUH)).
http://www.al-islam.org/about/contributions/humanreproduction.html
Description of the Creation of Adam
Allah collected from hard, soft, sweet and sour earth, clay which He dripped in water till it got pure, and kneaded it with moisture till it became gluey. From it He carved an image with curves, joints, limbs and segments. He solidified it till it dried up for a fixed time and a known duration. Then He blew into it out of His Spirit whereupon it took the pattern of a human being with mind that governs him, intelligence which he makes use of, limbs that serve him, organs that change his position, sagacity that differentiates between truth and untruth, tastes and smells, colours and species. He is a mixture of clays of different colours, cohesive materials, divergent contradictories and differing properties like heat, cold, softness and hardness.
Then Allah asked the angels to fulfill His promise with them and to accomplish the pledge of His injunction to them by acknowledging Him through prostration to Him and submission to His honored position. So Allah said:
"Be prostrate towards Adam and they prostrated except Iblis (Satan)." (Qur'an, 2:34; 7:11; 17:61; 18:50; 20:116)
Self-importance withheld him and vice overcame him. So that he took pride in his own creation with fire and treated contemptuously the creation of clay. So Allah allowed him time in order to let him fully deserve His wrath, and to complete (man's) test and to fulfill the promise (He had made to Satan). Thus, He said:
"Verily you have been allowed time till the known Day." (Qur'an, 15:38; 38:81)
Thereafter, Allah inhabited Adam (p.b.u.h.) in a house where He made his life pleasant and his stay safe, and He cautioned him of Iblis and his enmity. Then his enemy (Iblis) envied his abiding in Paradise and his contacts with the virtuous. So he changed his conviction into wavering and determination into weakness. He thus converted his happiness into fear and his prestige into shame. Then Allah offered to Adam (p.b.u.h.) the chance to repent, taught him words of His Mercy, promised him return to His Paradise and sent him down to the place of trial and procreation of progeny.
(Nahj Al balagha sermon 1)
http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/1.htm
There are certain aspects of the life of Prophet Adam and certain issues we need to be aware of. Many topics would arise out of this education, which would help us further in increasing our knowledge of Islam. This would give us the capability of relating topics and incidents to one another when proving a point. As Muslims it’s our duty to know our prophets, and be able to answer doubts of people of the books.
The main topics I’ve tried to cover in this document are:
1. Misconception of Hawwa (Eve) being made out of Prophet Adams (as) rib.
2. Proving Prophet Adams (as) infallibility.
3. Hawwa was not the reason behind the fruit eating.
4. The story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain).
5. Nabi Adams appointment of a successor and importance of successor ship.
1. Misconception of Hawwa (Eve) being made out of Prophet Adams rib
One of the subjects explained in the Qur'an is that of the creation of man and woman. The Qur'an has not observed silence in this respect. It has left no opportunity to the philosophical meddlers to invent their own philosophy for the rules concerning man and woman, and to describe them as being based on Islam's contemptuous attitude towards the fair sex. Islam has itself given its views regarding woman.
To know the views of Islam on woman, we should see what the Qur'an says about her innate character. Other religions also have referred to this question, but it is the Qur'an alone which in a number of verses expressly says that woman has been created of the species of man, and both man and woman have the same innate character. While referring to Adam it says: He (Allah) made all of you from one being, and from that being He made its mate. (Surah an-Nisa, 4: 1)
With regard to mankind in general, it says: He made your mate from among you. (Surah an-Nisa, Surah Ali Imran and Surah Rum).
Unlike some other religious books, there is no mention in the Qur'an that woman has been created of some inferior material, or that she has any parasitic and leftist aspect. Islam does not support the notion of the people who suppose that the spouse of Adam was created of his left ribs. Islam has no contemptuous view of woman in regard to her nature and innate character.
http://www.al-islam.org/womanrights/4.htm
Another issue is the woman who is believed to have been created from Adam's rib. This is the result of a wrong translation of the Arabic word 'rib' into Persian. In Arabic and Hebrew 'rib' has an additional meaning which is 'nature.' Thus, instead of "Eve was created from Adam's nature," it came to mean "Eve was created from Adam's rib."
A great man like Nietzsche believed that man and woman were two different creatures. By and by they evolved and came to resemble each other. So they are thought of as two different races. Mind you that even those philosophers and scientists who believe that Adam and Eve are of the same race have always despised the female's nature. However, the position of the Qur'an is that man and woman are of the same nature.
http://www.al-islam.org/beliefs/philosophy/manandislam.html
2. Proving Prophet Adams (as) infallibility.
It is important for one to accept the fact that the people Allah chooses to guide us have to be infallible in order to execute their duties.
Understanding Infallibility
Definition of infallibility by Allama Tabatabai: ‘Presence of a quality in a person that prevents him from committing any impermissible act such as a sin is an infallible person.’
Infallibility is nothing difficult for us human beings also to attain. The area of infallibility is the point. Sheikh Safdar Razi in his lecture explains it beautifully. It is all about being consciously aware of the presence of Allah or anyone you fear. When one aware of the consequences of his actions and also that Allah is watching they will automatically refrain from committing any sin.
As ordinary human beings it is very difficult to reach that level of infallible realization. Now, if Allah was to choose any ordinary person to lead his ummah towards Him, then that person would undoubtedly fail. Hence, we come to an understanding that these people (prophets and the aimma) Allah chose were out of the ordinary.
Quran on Infallibility:
“Satan then said to God, 'By Your might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your chosen servants among them [the messengers and imams].'” (38:82)
Notice Iblis mentions EXCEPT the chosen servants. That logically means that there ARE certain people chosen by Allah, who can’t be mislead by shaitan.
So who could these people be? They have to be out of the ordinary. They would hence, HAVE to be the prophets and the aimma. They are the only people who were chosen by Allah to carry on their duties to lead and spread the word of Allah.
Logically speaking, how could we follow one who mistakes, or is susceptible to sinning? It’s beyond the intellect of the man to be calling someone as the messenger/ representative of Allah on earth, when he mistakes. This is relevant in the Qur’an when Allah says:
“I swear by the star when it goes down.
Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray;
Nor does he speak out of desire. (Surah Najm, 53:1-3)”
Hence, proving that the prophets don’t speak out of their own desire, they lead by example, they are not just delivering books, or a message, they in a way are the message. Leading by examples and following Allah’s orders they are what Islam is about. The prophets have their importance because of that too, they don’t preach anything via words, actions out of their own desire.
Since, the infallibility aspect of the prophets and aimma- the chosen people of Allah is clear. There remains no doubt as to Prophet Adam (AS) being a sinner, and being sent down to earth as a punishment of his sin. Allah says in the Holy Quran BEFORE He created Adam:
“And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a khalif, they said: What! wilt Thou place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy holiness? He said: Surely I know what you do not know.” (Surah Baqara 2:30)
One can notice that Prophet Adam (AS) was going to be created as a khalifa on earth. That was the purpose even before his creation. So, to say he was banished from heavens because he sinned eating the fruit is unjustifiable.
Also, when the angels reacted to this announcement, Allah told them that He knows what they don’t. This signifies that there was a reason behind the creation of Adam. The mankind was an intended to be living on earth and submitting to Allah.
Another thing to note is that he was not just going to be the first human on earth but KHALIFA (leader), which signifies his need to be infallible. For, Allah would not want us to be lead by anyone but the best example of his creation.
Note: When we say prophets and the Aimma are infallible, we are not comparing them to Allah in anyway; this infallibility is a relative infallibility on earth. Just like any other characteristic comparison made between two people. There is no comparison to Allah in any attribute. He is what instills these characteristics in certain people, and that is the essence of this infallibility as well.
For example, Prophet Muhammad (AS) was known as ‘sadiq’ and ‘ameen’ that did not mean he’s more sadiq and ameen than Allah. It was a relative comparison between normal human beings and the Prophet of Allah. Allah can’t be compared to in any circumstance.
Links to lectures that focus on this particular topic of infallibility of the Nabi Adam (AS) and the “sin” of eating the fruit are mentioned in the foot notes.
3. Hawwa was not the reason behind the fruit eating.
There is another contemptuous theory which was current in the past, and has left some undesirable traces in the world literature. According to it, woman is the cause of all sins. Her very existence stimulates evil. Woman is a little devil. It is said that woman has had a hand in every sin and every offence committed by man. Men themselves are free from sin; it is the women who drag them to it. It is also said that the Devil cannot have direct access to men. It is through women that he lures them. He prompts woman with wicked suggestions, and woman in turn prompts man. Adam was thrown out of Paradise because of a woman. The Devil misled Eve, and it was Eve who misled Adam.
The Qur'an has narrated the story of Paradise, but it says nowhere that the Devil or the Serpent misled Eve and Eve misled Adam. It neither blames Eve nor exonerates her.
The Qur'an says: We said to Adam: 'Take residence in Paradise.' both you and your Spouse, and eat the fruits thereof, freely wherever you wish and go not near that tree else you become wrongdoers. (Surah al-Baqarah, 2:35). It puts the pro. nouns in the dual form. It also says: Then the Satan made a suggestion to them (both). Then he led them (both) on with guile. He swore to them (both): I am a sincere adviser to you (both). Surah al-A'raf, (7: 20 - 21)
Thus the Qur'an vehemently opposed the false notion which was current after the time of its revelation, and the echoes of which still resound in various parts of the world, It absolved woman from the charge that she was the prompter of sin, and herself a little devil.
Another contemptuous theory which has existed concerns woman's spiritual position. It was asserted that woman could not enter Paradise. She could not cover the spiritual and divine stages. She could not reach such a stage of proximity to God as man could. But the Qur'an, in a number of passages, has expressly said that the reward of the Hereafter and the proximity to Allah are not linked with sex. They depend on faith and deeds, and there is no difference between man and woman in this respect. In the Qur'an, side by side with every great and saintly man, a great and saintly woman has been mentioned. It has glorified the wives of Adam and Abraham and the mothers of Moses and Jesus. If it has mentioned the wives of Noah and Lot as unworthy of their husbands, it has not ignored the wife of the Pharaoh, and has mentioned her as a great woman who was in the hands of a wicked man. The Qur'an in its stories has maintained a sort of balance. Its heroes are both men and women.
http://www.al-islam.org/womanrights/4.htm
4. The story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain).
Allah narrates the story of the two sons of Prophet Adam in Surah Maida (5:27-30)
27. And relate to them the story of the two sons of Adam with truth when they both offered an offering, but it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other. He said: I will most certainly slay you. (The other) said: Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil).
28. If you will stretch forth your hand towards me to slay me, I am not one to stretch forth my hand towards you to slay you surely I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds:
29. Surely I wish that you should bear the sin committed against me and your own sin, and so you would be of the inmates of the fire, and this is the recompense of the unjust.
30. Then his mind facilitated to him the slaying of his brother so he slew him; then he became one of the losers.
From the above verses we get an idea of the incident of sacrifice that led to the murder of Qabil by his brother Habil.
Note: is that even though they were the sons of a prophet one of them was not obedient to Allah. This shows that there is no rule that a prophet’s child is always sincere and pure in his actions. We will further find these similarities in other stories of the prophets and the Aimma.
5. Nabi Adams appointment of a successor
“From his (Adam's) progeny Allah chose prophets and took their pledge for his revelation and for carrying His message as their trust. In course of time many people perverted Allah's trust with them and ignored His position and took compeers along with Him. Satan turned them away from knowing Him and kept them aloof from His worship. Then Allah sent His Messengers and series of His prophets towards them to get them to fulfill the pledges of His creation, to recall to them His bounties, to exhort them by preaching, to unveil before them the hidden virtues of wisdom and show them the signs of His Omnipotence namely the sky which is raised over them, the earth that is placed beneath them, means of living that sustain them, deaths that make them die, ailments that turn them old and incidents that successively betake them.”
Nahj Al balagha sermon 1 (Allah chooses His Prophets)
http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/1.htm
Note: From the above sermon, we come to know the existence of other religions that came out of the prophets of Allah. Along the course of history we will notice many such instances where, the people disobey the command of Allah, and don’t take the chosen ones as the leaders to follow. This led to false beliefs and religions.
Allah says in the Holy Quran:
"We did send messengers before thee, and appointed for them wives and
Children: And it was never the part of a messenger to bring a Sign
Except as Allah permitted (or commanded). For each period is an
Appointment. [13:38]"
From the above ayah one can derive these important points:
1. Whoever was a prophet was chosen by Allah and it was always through the permission of Allah that these appointments were made.
2. The fact that it was an appointment shows the importance of a leader being chosen by Allah. (And not be elected/chosen by fallible human beings)
3. There is an appointment of a leader for every period, hence, never leaving the ummah alone without guidance.
“O children of Adam! There shall come to you Apostles from among yourselves, rehearsing my signs to you; and whoso shall fear God and do good works, no fear shall be upon them, neither shall they be put to grief.” 7:35
"And We assigned from among them some Imams (Leaders) who guide by Our Authority since they were patient and believed firmly in Our Signs.
(Qur'an 32:24)
Allah chooses His Prophets
“Allah never allowed His creation to remain without a Prophet deputized by Him, or a book sent down from Him or a binding argument or a standing plea. These Messengers were such that they did not feel little because of smallness of their number or of largeness of the number of their falsifiers. Among them was either a predecessor who would name the one to follow or the follower who had been introduced by the predecessor.” Nahj Al balagha, Sermon 1
http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul/1.htm
The same concept applied even after Prophet Muhammad, he appointed who would lead after him and this has continued through all of the aimma till the present.
The Holy Prophet: “Whomsoever I am The Maula, (Lord, Master), This ALI is his Maula”.
http://www.al-islam.org/masoom/bios/infal.htm
So whom did Prophet Adam appoint as prophet after him?
Answer, Prophet Shais (Seth).
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Knowing our prophets
Knowing Our Prophets-Intro
Who are the prophets?
Prophets are individuals who received Divine revelation and guidance to lead humanity towards righteousness and recognition of God.
Since the inception of history, God sent numerous prophets and messengers to mankind. The messages of the prophets were of two types: regional or universal. While the local prophets were sent with specific messages to specific groups of people; the universal prophets were sent with messages and books for mankind and these were limited to five:
• The Book of Abraham, sometimes referred as the Booklet (LXXXVII:19).
• The Psalms given to David (IV:63 and XVII:55).
• The Torah granted to Moses (II:87, III:3 & 4, VI:91 & 154).
• The Evangel or the Gospel revealed to Jesus (V:46).
• The Quran revealed to Muhammad.
These Prophets are called the "ulu l-azm" prophets meaning those of great constancy.
Allah cannot be seen, He cannot appear Himself before human beings to give them His law. So how does He communicate to the people?
Allah appointed some chosen people to represent Him on the earth. That Viceregent of Allah is called "Prophet." As a mirror has a bright side to receive light and another side to reflect that light, so a Prophet has the highest spiritual purity which enables him to receive the divine message and a human body which enables him to communicate that message to his fellow human beings.
The purpose of Prophet hood is two-fold: First to bring people nearer to Allah and the Second to bring peace and happiness in the world.
How many prophets?
The total number of prophets that God sent to humanity was 124,000, and although they were sent to nearly all civilizations, the Quran only mentions twenty-five of them by name. The first of them was Prophet Adam, the father of humanity, and the last of them was Prophet Muhammad, the seal of the prophets.
Age of the prophets
Allot of the prophets had a life of more than 100 yrs. They lived and also had children till late, some had sons who took over prophet hood after them on the command of Allah whilst some had prophets in their latter generations.
Infallibility
A unique characteristic of all the prophets and messengers is that they were infallible. They committed no sins. To demonstrate the validity of this concept is to consider that humanity needed prophets and messengers to set an exemplary structured lifestyle to emulate and follow. If they had committed errors, then people might be obliged to exemplify and excuse their errors, thus making the prophets and messengers untrustworthy.
Infallibility means protection from error in teaching doctrine of faith and morals and is defined as a spiritual grace from God that enables a person to abstain from sins by his own free will. The power of infallibility and immunity from sins does not make a person incapable of committing mistakes; rather, he or she refrains from transgression by his or her own power and will, due to realizing the consequences of their actions.
Infallibility is essential since the mission of the prophets and messengers was not only to convey Divine scriptures from God, but also to guide humanity toward the right path [God]. Therefore, prophets and messengers had to be role models and perfect examples for humanity. The mention of infallibility is stated thirteen times in the Quran, and one such example is when God said to Satan, “Certainly you shall have no authority over My servants except those who follow you and go astray.” (15:42) In another instance in the Quran we read, “Satan then said to God, 'By Your might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your chosen servants among them [the messengers and imams].'” (38:82)
When we look at the example of Prophet Muhammad, we see that he never committed any sin, nor was he ever harsh to any person or animal! God has stated in the Quran, “And by the mercy of Allah you dealt with them [people] gently, and had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from you.” (3:158)
Suppose that there is a man who, just like ourselves commits or can commit sins or wrongs, and then such a man claims that he has been sent by Allah as a Prophet to lead people on the right path. Naturally, the people cannot believe that what he says is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; because his every word is liable to be wrong. So he cannot command unreserved respect and indubitable obedience from his people. Therefore, to carry out the mission of Allah, it was necessary that the Prophets be infallible and sinless
*Hence, logically also one can conclude that infallibility is a very important aspect of the leaders of Islam. And one can’t doubt the power of Allah in granting it to those He has chosen to convey His message and to lead the ummah.*
Unfortunately, many distorted stories and images about God's prophets exist. For example, stories in the present-day version of the Old Testament accuse Prophet David of adultery with Baath-Sheba; Prophet Noah of being drunk; Prophet Lot of having committed incest; and Prophet Moses of committing adultery! Islam adamantly opposes such unethical and immoral writings that have been attributed to the prophets of God. Shias (followers of the Prophet and Ahlul-bayt) believe in infallibility. However, not all Ahl-Sunnah schools subscribe to this belief.
Powers
The Prophets were given miracles as their credentials. Miracles, according -to our belief, are such performances which are not impossible, but which cannot be done without apparatus, medicine or practice. But the Prophet performs them without any practice and without any machinery. Curing the blind persons or lepers is not impossible. But Jesus Christ cured them without any medicine, and that was his miracle. Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) had innumerable miracles, but his greatest living miracle is the Qur'an.
Prophets all had a hard time
Another belief of the Muslims is that God preordained all of the prophets; but at the same time, they had to strive for prophethood. The foremost example of the vocational test that prophets had to endure is told in the life of Prophet Abraham, the father of all prophets.
References:
http://www.al-islam.org/begin/intro/rahim.html#3
http://www.al-islam.org/islam_rizvi/
http://www.al-islam.org/discovering-islam/
http://www.dartabligh.org/prophets/familytree.html
Who are the prophets?
Prophets are individuals who received Divine revelation and guidance to lead humanity towards righteousness and recognition of God.
Since the inception of history, God sent numerous prophets and messengers to mankind. The messages of the prophets were of two types: regional or universal. While the local prophets were sent with specific messages to specific groups of people; the universal prophets were sent with messages and books for mankind and these were limited to five:
• The Book of Abraham, sometimes referred as the Booklet (LXXXVII:19).
• The Psalms given to David (IV:63 and XVII:55).
• The Torah granted to Moses (II:87, III:3 & 4, VI:91 & 154).
• The Evangel or the Gospel revealed to Jesus (V:46).
• The Quran revealed to Muhammad.
These Prophets are called the "ulu l-azm" prophets meaning those of great constancy.
Allah cannot be seen, He cannot appear Himself before human beings to give them His law. So how does He communicate to the people?
Allah appointed some chosen people to represent Him on the earth. That Viceregent of Allah is called "Prophet." As a mirror has a bright side to receive light and another side to reflect that light, so a Prophet has the highest spiritual purity which enables him to receive the divine message and a human body which enables him to communicate that message to his fellow human beings.
The purpose of Prophet hood is two-fold: First to bring people nearer to Allah and the Second to bring peace and happiness in the world.
How many prophets?
The total number of prophets that God sent to humanity was 124,000, and although they were sent to nearly all civilizations, the Quran only mentions twenty-five of them by name. The first of them was Prophet Adam, the father of humanity, and the last of them was Prophet Muhammad, the seal of the prophets.
Age of the prophets
Allot of the prophets had a life of more than 100 yrs. They lived and also had children till late, some had sons who took over prophet hood after them on the command of Allah whilst some had prophets in their latter generations.
Infallibility
A unique characteristic of all the prophets and messengers is that they were infallible. They committed no sins. To demonstrate the validity of this concept is to consider that humanity needed prophets and messengers to set an exemplary structured lifestyle to emulate and follow. If they had committed errors, then people might be obliged to exemplify and excuse their errors, thus making the prophets and messengers untrustworthy.
Infallibility means protection from error in teaching doctrine of faith and morals and is defined as a spiritual grace from God that enables a person to abstain from sins by his own free will. The power of infallibility and immunity from sins does not make a person incapable of committing mistakes; rather, he or she refrains from transgression by his or her own power and will, due to realizing the consequences of their actions.
Infallibility is essential since the mission of the prophets and messengers was not only to convey Divine scriptures from God, but also to guide humanity toward the right path [God]. Therefore, prophets and messengers had to be role models and perfect examples for humanity. The mention of infallibility is stated thirteen times in the Quran, and one such example is when God said to Satan, “Certainly you shall have no authority over My servants except those who follow you and go astray.” (15:42) In another instance in the Quran we read, “Satan then said to God, 'By Your might, then I will surely mislead them all, except Your chosen servants among them [the messengers and imams].'” (38:82)
When we look at the example of Prophet Muhammad, we see that he never committed any sin, nor was he ever harsh to any person or animal! God has stated in the Quran, “And by the mercy of Allah you dealt with them [people] gently, and had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from you.” (3:158)
Suppose that there is a man who, just like ourselves commits or can commit sins or wrongs, and then such a man claims that he has been sent by Allah as a Prophet to lead people on the right path. Naturally, the people cannot believe that what he says is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; because his every word is liable to be wrong. So he cannot command unreserved respect and indubitable obedience from his people. Therefore, to carry out the mission of Allah, it was necessary that the Prophets be infallible and sinless
*Hence, logically also one can conclude that infallibility is a very important aspect of the leaders of Islam. And one can’t doubt the power of Allah in granting it to those He has chosen to convey His message and to lead the ummah.*
Unfortunately, many distorted stories and images about God's prophets exist. For example, stories in the present-day version of the Old Testament accuse Prophet David of adultery with Baath-Sheba; Prophet Noah of being drunk; Prophet Lot of having committed incest; and Prophet Moses of committing adultery! Islam adamantly opposes such unethical and immoral writings that have been attributed to the prophets of God. Shias (followers of the Prophet and Ahlul-bayt) believe in infallibility. However, not all Ahl-Sunnah schools subscribe to this belief.
Powers
The Prophets were given miracles as their credentials. Miracles, according -to our belief, are such performances which are not impossible, but which cannot be done without apparatus, medicine or practice. But the Prophet performs them without any practice and without any machinery. Curing the blind persons or lepers is not impossible. But Jesus Christ cured them without any medicine, and that was his miracle. Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) had innumerable miracles, but his greatest living miracle is the Qur'an.
Prophets all had a hard time
Another belief of the Muslims is that God preordained all of the prophets; but at the same time, they had to strive for prophethood. The foremost example of the vocational test that prophets had to endure is told in the life of Prophet Abraham, the father of all prophets.
References:
http://www.al-islam.org/begin/intro/rahim.html#3
http://www.al-islam.org/islam_rizvi/
http://www.al-islam.org/discovering-islam/
http://www.dartabligh.org/prophets/familytree.html
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