Benefits of Becoming a Muslim

Benefits of Becoming a Muslim

1. As far as the Creator (whose proper name is Allah) is concerned, you will be able to identify Him and get to know Him, His role and your relationship to His names, you will be able to communicate with Him any time, 24 hours a day, throughout the whole year. As a result of this category, you will be able to know your origin, your roots and the wisdom as to why you are on this planet. You will be able to have good answers to the questions why, how, when, where, what and other philosophical questions.
2. As a result of the first benefit, your loyalty, allegiance, and obedience will be to the Creator himself. You will transcend yourself from all types of allegiance for this world. This means that if there is a conflict of interest between your boss, your job, your government, your system or any worldly relationship with the Creator, you will undoubtedly put your trust in Allah, the Creator of the universe. You will follow Him before you follow anyone else.
3. As a result of the second benefit, you will be able to acquire peace, harmony, tranquility and happiness within yourself, with your family, with people of the world, with the environment and with the universe. One has to remember that the source of peace is Allah, and one of his beautiful names is that He is The Peace.
4. As an endorsement to the third benefit, you will get rid of the extra electrostatic charges from your brain and the central nervous system by performing the daily Salah. Through Salah, you are to prostrate by putting your forehead to the floor; and as such are grounding yourself, and you are discharging these extra charges into the ground. As a result of this act, you will get rid of many of the neurological diseases from your body.
5. As a result of the fourth benefit, you will acquire a pleasant personality. You will be friendly and amicable. You would not need to drink alcohol, to use drugs or to get involved in vulgarity or immorality.
6. Through the experience of fasting in Islam, you will be able to have self-control, self-restraint, self-discipline, self-education, self-evaluation, and self-obedience to Allah the Creator. You undoubtedly will be able to improve health, personality, character, and behavior.
7. As a result of the sixth benefit, you will be able to control your lusts, selfishness, desires, greed, ego, and conceitedness.
8. Another side reaction of the sixth and seventh benefits is that you will be generous and hospitable; you will try to purify yourself and your mistakes by sharing your happiness and your wealth with those who are less fortunate than you. Your rewards will manifold, compounded daily until the Day of Judgment.
9. By performing pilgrimage to Makkah, you will transcend yourself from being nationalistic, sectarian, or denominational into being universal. You will be part and an essential constituent of the rainbow of Islam. You will be also part of the brotherhood of Islam with those who already submitted themselves to the Creator. At the same time, you will get rid of any inferiority or superiority complexes. You will also find yourself in synchrony and harmony with all the prophets and messengers of Allah since the creation of Adam and Eve until the last final messenger to mankind, prophet Muhammad (pbuh). While in Makkah, you will be able to visit the places of revelation of the Quran as well as the places visited by prophet Abraham and members of his family such as Hagar and Ishmael. You will visit the place where the first astronauts, Adam and Eve landed on earth.
10. In becoming a Muslim, you will do your best to stop all types of exploitations in all their forms: economic, biological, mental, spiritual, psychological, political, etc.. You will also work to liberate people and give them freedom of worship, freedom of speech, and freedom of expression. You will be a leader and help lead people to peace, tranquility and happiness.
11. In accepting Islam, you will help to reduce all types of social ills in the society: juvenile delinquency, child abuse, domestic abuse, incest, homosexuality, sexual promiscuity, premarital relationships, extramarital relationships, and other vices.
12. As a result of the eleventh benefit, you will reduce and eliminate venereal diseases, AIDS, and other diseases of similar nature in the society.
13. Finally, when you die, you will die at peace. You will have a happy life in the grave and later, eternal happiness. Angels at the time of death will comfort you. They will also show you your place in paradise. On the Day of Judgment, you will be able to see and meet all the prophets and messengers of God to mankind including Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. You will be able to see and meet any and all of your friends and relatives. You will live an eternal life of bliss in paradise.

Reflections:

The benefits mentioned above and many more cannot be purchased with money anywhere in the world. No one is to sell them to you or to advertise them on TV. You have to take the initiative yourself and try to acquire them by accepting Islam first and then by practicing its teachings. You should be honest with yourself, sincere, and truthful to the Creator. You should try wholeheartedly to practice what you believe, regardless of whether someone else is good or not While seeking happiness is a must, it should not be measured with other people's standards or with material gains. Happiness is from its potential to its kinetic forms. People around you should feel your happiness as well as benefit from you.

Are you ready to accept this challenge today? Remember, tomorrow may not come, and it will be too late?
By: Ahmad H. Sakr, Ph.D
Source: www.islamdoor.com

Selecting a Marriage Partner

Marriage is recommended for partners who share a common way of life. The matrimonial partners should be able to fulfill their purpose of creation as defined by Allah. They should be able to effectively carry out their responsibility as care-takers (Khalifah) of earth. They should share the common goal of building a well-integrated Muslim community and be able to work harmoniously towards it.

Criteria for Selecting a Marriage Partner

Normally the criteria for selecting matrimonial mates are many: wealth, beauty, rank, character, congeniality, compatibility, religion, etc. The Quran enjoins Muslims to select partners who are good and pure (Tayyib).

"Women of purity are for men of purity, and men of purity are for women of purity."(Quran 24:26)

Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) recommended Muslims to select those partners who are best in religion (Deen) and character.

"A woman may be married for four reasons: for her property, for her rank, for her beauty, and for her religion (and character), so marry the one who is best in the religion and character and prosper." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) assured the bounty of Allah to those who wish to get married and live a pure and clean life.

"Three groups of people Allah obliged Himself to help them: Mujahid in the cause of Allah, a worker to pay his debt, and the one who wants to marry to live a chaste life." (Tirmidhi)

Freedom to Choose a Marriage Partner

Islam has given freedom of choice to those who wish to get married. The mutual choice of the would-be-spouses is given the highest consideration:

"Do not prevent them from marrying their husbands when they agree between themselves in a lawful manner." (Quran 2:232)

The process of mate selection should be a function of a healthy balance between the freedom of choice of the would-be-spouses and consideration of the influence and consent of the parents/guardians.

The freedom of choice of those who wish to get married should not preclude the influence and consent of the parents/guardians nor should the parents/guardians ignore the wishes and consent of the would be spouses.

Falling in love is not a pre-condition for marriage in Islam. However, for the purpose of selecting an appropriate mate, the would-be-spouses are allowed to see and/or talk to each other.

Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) recommended:

"When one of you seeks a woman in marriage, and then if he is able to have a look at whom he wishes to marry, let him do so." (Abu Dawood)

The would-be-spouse are allowed to see each other for matrimonial purposes under the direct supervision of their mahram relatives. This provision is expected to be conceived and executed with piety and modesty.

Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) instructed:

"No man has the right to be in the privacy with a woman who is not lawful for him. Satan is their third party unless there is a mahram." (Ahmad)

The would-be-spouses residing in non-Muslim societies are recommended to enter into a pre-nuptial commitment to safeguard Islamic values and Muslim personal law.

By: Mohammad Mazhar Hussaini
Source: soundvision.com

Life With the TV

Not everything that comes through TV is bad. However, because the average child between two and 11 years old watches over 27 hours of poorly supervised television per week; because the only thing that kids do more than watch television is sleep, and because most parents are unaware of the indecent liberties that television takes with our children, you must control this 19 inch Shaitan, as a friend of mine calls it.

1) Halal (permissible) and Haram (forbidden) on TV: TV programs include stirring documentaries about history, science, and nature as well as excellent dramatizations of classics. It also includes a lot of Haram in terms of violence, sex, antifamily and anti-Islamic values in cartoons, sitcoms, talk shows and films. It's the job of parents to observe Halal and Haram on TV programs and guide their children. One rule you can use when teaching your kids the right and wrong of television is the following: if it's Haram to do then, it's Haram to watch.

2) TV Rules for Children: A carefully programmed TV can be a beneficial ally! Set clear rules for your children on how much TV they can watch, when they can watch it, and which shows are permitted. Then stick to your policy no matter how many tears and voices protest. You are the boss. You can unplug the television whenever you want to.

3) Don't Just Allow "Watching TV": Allow children to watch a particular program which you have approved, not just "watch TV."

4) No Channel Surfing: Channel surfing usually means watching the worst of the shows which are on at any given moment. More stops at sex and violence scenes.

5) Homework First: Insist that homework and chores be done before TV is turned on. (No this is not considered child abuse, not at least in Illinois where I live.) Only one in ten parents require children to do homework first at this moment.

6) Watch Together: Watch TV with your children. It will be lots of fun. You might have some topics to talk about later. You may share some laughter as well. If you cannot watch with them all the time, at least do it occasionally.

7) Talk to Children about the Programs: Talking to your children about the programs they watched or you watched together will give you an opportunity to debrief them about the rights and wrongs in them.

8) Never Use TV as Babysitter: No matter what, don't just train your little Muslim to become an avid TV watcher by letting TV calm him down when he is crying or when you want to do something else other than attend to the baby. Also make this rule clear to the babysitters you hire as well. If you have no choice but to subject you child to a daycare center, choose one which does not use TV as its control mechanism. Seventy percent of daycare centers use TV during a typical day.

9) A Smaller Screen is Better: A small-sized TV is better than a larger size TV. The larger size encourages worse watching habits.

10) One TV is Better than Two: One TV placed in the living room will help you keep an eye on what is being watched. A TV in your child's bedroom is the worst thing. It is not that you don't trust your children. It is the TV which you don't trust. The average household in America has 2.24 TVs in their homes and 54 percent of kids in America have a TV in their bedrooms.

11) No Cable Channels: With a few exceptions, cable provides more of the bad TV and adult-oriented programming. I was staying at a pious Muslim's home as the TV brought a rush of his kids in the room I was staying in. To my astonishment, they ignored their "uncle's" presence and protest as they intensely watched a hot nude sex scene on some cable channel. Recently in Florida, during the daytime, a cable company showed adult programs.

12) Encourage Commercial-Free Channels: Public Television and other Commercial Free TV have more informative programs. It is estimated that the average child sees 20,000 commercials per year. Unlike adults, who often mute out commercials, or who get up and make a mad dash for the bathroom during the 60 to 180 seconds, children like TV ads. They like to be told what to lobby for...and lobby they do.

13) VCR Gives Parents More Control: VCR gives you control of TV time and programs. Many parents use the VCR more than television programs broadcast scheduled times. Balance your TV consumption with videos of good programming offered by Muslims and non-Muslims. This will be more in your control and will contribute to the learning process of children. Some of the good video programs could be as good as anything on TV. Adam's World for children ages two to nine is one such video series. Tens of thousands of children learn and have fun with Adam and Aneesah.

One day, I noticed Sister Lonnie Ali (Champion Muhammad Ali's wife) had ordered another set of Adam's World. Since I knew they had a complete set of Adam's World, I asked why she was buying another one. She told me that Asad (their son) had watched Adam's World so many times that all the tapes were worn out. She said he must have watched each tape more than 100 times. His game at one point was to say the dialogue before Adam said it.

14) TV Off Days: Some Muslims keep TV off all Ramadan. Every year there is a campaign called TV Turn Off Week, which encourages people to not watch TV for at least a week. You may want to do the same for very personal reasons. Television can affect young children in adverse ways: aggressive behavior, difficulty falling asleep, nightmares and an insatiable appetite for advertised products. If your kids are showing signs of this nature, eliminating TV for a week or so may help.

15) More Family Activities: TV takes away family time. Poorly managed television wastes opportunities for kids to learn how to relate to other people - including their parents and siblings. And relating with their families is a desire of today's youth. In a nationwide, ethnically balanced survey of 750 ten to sixteen-year-olds, "three-quarters said that if they had a choice between watching TV or spending time with their families, they'd opt for family time."

16) Buy a Movie Camera: Yes you read it correctly. Instead of children being subject to TV, give them the tools to control TV. Empower them with technology. Give them a gift of a video camera. Consumer Reports has a lot of recommendations for good camcorders. Let your kids write a script, shoot a video, edit it on their computer, and put it back on VCR or incorporate it in a multimedia production (and send a copy to Sound Vision. That little producer might have more talent than you think.)

17) Plan Your Time: If you develop the habit of developing a personal plan, children are likely to follow you in the considerate use of their time. By developing a plan for using your time, you will learn to place TV time in proper proportion to other things in life which you want to achieve.

18) Start a TV Journal: To make good use of TV programs, ask children to write a report about it. Have them answer questions like: who were the characters? What was the plot? What was good? What was bad? What did the program try to promote? Let them be the critic instead of simply being lost to agenda of television producers.

19) Fight bad TV programs: Always protest wrong types of things inserted by producers in what you and your children watch. If you don't protest and pursue the matter, they will learn that they can get away with this and will do more of it, not less. Call toll-free to record your dislike of a program: 1-800-TV-COUNTS (operated by the Parents' Television Council, a family oriented, non-Muslim group).

20) Stick to Your Guns: Your children will resist all rule-making efforts to limit their TV time and program selection. Discuss your reasoning with them, but stick to your guns. This is a decision about their growing up as Muslims. More than 4,000 studies have proven that the behavior of children is affected by their TV watching habits. You cannot let false images and wrong ideals distort the future of your children. You must help tomorrow's Muslims today by being reasonable, but firm. If you don't control TV, TV will control you, your pocket, your children, and your worldview.

21) Children Follow You: The bottom line principle of parenting is that children follow you. If you are a couch potato, and fail to practice what you preach, don't expect your rules to have any value. Watch what you are watching if you want anyone to follow your rules about TV. Whether you give prime time to your family or to TV will determine the future direction of your life and your children's life.

"O ye who believe! Why do you preach something you are not practicing? It is of most distasteful in the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not" (Quran: 61:2-3).

By: Abdul Malik Mujahid
Source: soundvision.com

The Hadith of the day

Abu Mu sa Al-Ash`ari (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "When Allah intends to show mercy to a people, He collects their Prophet before them and makes him a herald to happiness for them in the Hereafter; and when He intends to destroy a people, He punishes them while their Prophet is alive, and destroys them while he is alive and watches them and makes him witness their destruction because they disbelieved in him and disobeyed his commands".

[Muslim].
Commentary:  This Hadith tells us about a Divine law in respect of Prophets, which is meant to deter people from opposing the Prophet (PBUH) and commands us to follow his footsteps, so that we can benefit from his intercession on the Day of Resurrection.

The Hadith of the day

Jarir bin `Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

I made my covenant with Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on the observance of Salat, payment of  Zakat, and giving counsel to Muslim.''

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:  This Hadith emphasizes the importance of goodwill to all the Muslims to the extent that the Prophet (PBUH) would require his Companions to vow for their goodwill giving counsel to each other in the same way as he did in the case of most important obligations like Salat and Zakat.

Visiting the Islamic Society of Boston

Photo by Josh Kuchinsky

The Islamic Society of Boston (ISB) is both a mosque and a cultural center for Muslims in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Formed in 1981, the ISB came about when Muslims new to Boston felt the need to gather together on a regular basis to preserve their Islamic identity and observe their beliefs and obligations as Muslims. The ISB began meeting in a hall reserved at MIT for five daily prayer times, the Friday prayers, and the weekly seminar classes. As time went on, more Muslims found out about the ISB, and a new meeting place was needed. That location ended up being in the suburb of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Muslim community in that area embraced the new venture and transformed it into the current ISB. 

Photo by Josh Kuchinsky

Getting There:
If you are planning a trip to the ISB, located at 204 Prospect Street in Cambridge, MA, you might wish to avoid Fridays which are really busy due to Friday prayers. To get specific directions or to learn more about various programs at the ISB, call (617) 876-3556.
Hotel rooms in Boston can be booked via Boston Hotels. If you need a cheap flight to Boston, visit www.CheapHotels.org.
The History of the ISB and the ISBCC

Photo by Josh Kuchinsky

The ISB was founded in 1981 by Muslim students as a joint project of Muslim Student Associations at Harvard University, Boston University, MIT, Northeastern University, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Suffolk University and Tufts University. The ISB purchased a Cambridge building as a community center in 1991, and in 1993 a second location was acquired and renovation began. In 1994, the ISB opened a second location as a Mosque, as well as purchasing a rental property to provide supplemental income for the annual operating expenses of the ISB. 
The Islamic Society of Boston is a cultural landmark and continues to grow into a cultural center that is the largest Islamic center in New England and the second largest on the East Coast. The 70,000 square foot building stands proudly on Malcolm X Boulevard in Boston. In addition to the Mosque, the ISBCC plans to house a school by the year 2013, as well as a library, an interfaith center, an exhibition area and a morgue. Many in the community are actively involved in the fundraising efforts to see this project come to fruition. To date, there has been $13.7 million raised for the $15.5 million project, so fundraising efforts continue. 
Due to the two-decade effort to build the ISBCC, Muslims in the area, the Roxbury community, the city of Boston and the leaders of other faith groups have come together more than they had in previous years. For example, more than 250 leaders of different faiths attended an Interfaith Solidarity Event to support the building of the ISBCC.

Source: www.CheapHotels.org

The Marriage Season and the Key to a Successful Relationship

June is the most popular month for marriages in America. As June approaches, many who are planning to marry enter the final stages of their preparations. These preparations normally include buying dresses, finalizing banquet hall arrangements, making catering arrangements, and other matters. In light of June's arrival, I want to draw everyone's attention to the most important aspect of marriage, which is learning how the relationship is going to be successful.

In the midst of all the excitement, future couples forget about the next stage of their life and pay very little attention to how they are going to actually live with their spouse and deal with any conflicts that will inevitably arise. It is incredibly important for future couples to learn their responsibilities in marriage. Islam teaches a man how to become a good husband and it teaches a woman how to become a good wife.

It is imperative for future couples to either take some classes on marriage and its duties, or to read some good books on this subject with the intention of practicing upon the knowledge they learn. Often we hear that the divorce rate in America is soaring, but we forget that the divorce rate in Muslim families is also very high. Unfortunately, many Muslim marriages are failing, and the cause in most cases is ignorance.

Ignorance of the beautiful teachings of our beloved Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam) has been detrimental to the marriages of many brothers and sisters. An unpleasant relationship among couples is too common to mention, in direct contrast to the Qur'anic emphasis on passion, love and mercy (Mawaddah) in marriage. The husband refuses to be a better person because of his need to prove his manhood, and the wife refuses to be a better person because she often feels that being nice towards her husband means she is inferior and subjugated.


Islam teaches the husband to be a balanced man and teaches the wife to be a balanced woman. Education is the foundation of a successful marriage, but the goal cannot be reached by merely fulfilling the rights of each other. Rather, it requires both to go the extra mile. We have the best example in the life and Seerah of our beloved Prophet (sallAllahu alayhi wa sallam). He always treated his wives with more than they deserved as their right, and he said: "The best among you are those who are the best to their wives, and I am the best to my wives."

Future couples must learn these beautiful teachings before they reach the day of their marriage and they must continue to learn thereafter. In the absence of sound knowledge, we often manifest certain hopes in each other that, if left unfulfilled, can prove disastrous to a marriage. The right knowledge will give us a proper understanding of what to expect, how to build on the positives in each marriage, and will certainly promote love, compassion and tranquility between husband and wife.

Some Masjids and websites offer courses for those wishing to marry. If one can get access to such courses, they will certainly benefit from such an opportunity, Insha'Allah.

May Allah place blessings in our marriages and make them into a source of peace and comfort, Aameen.

Mufti Ikram ul Haq is the president of Fatwa Center of America (www.askamufti.com).

The Hadith of the day

On the authority of Abu Malik Al-Harith bin Asim Al-Ashari said that the messenger of Allah said:

"Purity is half of faith. alhamdu-lillah [Praise be to Allah] fills the scales, and subhana-Allah [How far is Allah from every imperfection] and alhamdu-lillah [Praise be to Allah] fill that which is between heaven and earth. Prayer is light; charity is a proof; patience is illumination; and the Quran is an argument for or against you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or bringing about its ruin."

  Related by Muslim

This-world and That-world

Your answer is correct. But now tell me: What is the nature of that-world? And, what is the meaning of being a failure in the Heareafter? What does it mean to be successful and honoured there?

We need not delay ourselves working out the answer to the first question, for it has already been given by the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him: ‘This-world is the cultivating ground of the Hereafter’.

This-world and the Hereafter are not two separate entities, but a continuous process. This process begins in this-world and ends in the Hereafter. The relationship between the two is the same as that between cultivation and crop. You plough the land, sow the seeds, irrigate and tend field till such time as the crop is ready. When you have reaped the harvest, you feed yourselves it throughout the year.

You will naturally reap whatever you have sown in the land. If nothing is sown, nothing will grow. Whatever mistakes and errors you make in the course of ploughing, sowing irrigating and tending your fields, the effect will become apparent at the time of reaping the crop. But if you have carried out all the necessary preparations properly, you will get your reward at the time of reaping.

This is exactly the position in respect of this-world and that-world. This-world is like ground to be tilled. Man has been sent into this field for the purpose of raising a crop for himself by his own efforts and hard work. He has been allotted specific time---from birth till death---to do this task. Whatever type of crop he sows will be reaped in his life beyond the grave, and that produce will be the mainstay of his life in the Hereafter.

If you have sown good seed in the field of this-world throughout your lives and have nourished it with water and careful supervision, you will find the fruits of your labours ready in the next life in the shape of beautiful gardens. You will be able to live happily on the fruits of the garden you have cultivated so assiduously throughout your earthly lives; you will not need to do any further hard work. This is Paradise, this is the success, the state of gratification in the Hereafter.

In contrast to this, if you sow thorns and grow bitter and poisonous plants during your lives on earth, you will reap a similar crop in the next life. You will not be given a second chance to grow a good crop and will have no choice but to sustain yourselves on the bad crop. You will have to lie on the bed of thorns which you have nurtured, and eat

The bitter, poisonous fruits you have grown. This is what is meant by being wretched and unsuccessful in the Hereafter.

Let us be Muslims - Part I
By:   Maulana Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi

The Hadith of the day

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection:

Where are those who love one another through My glory? Today I shall give them shade in My shade, it being a day when there is no shade but My shade.

It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Malik).

THE MESSAGE

In or about the year 570 the child who would be named Muhammad and who would become the Prophet of one of the world's great religions, Islam, was born into a family belonging to a clan of Quraysh, the ruling tribe of Mecca, a city in the Hijaz region of northwestern Arabia.
Originally the site of the Ka'bah, a shrine of ancient origins, Mecca had with the decline of southern Arabia (see Chapter l ) become an important center of sixth-century trade with such powers as the Sassanians, Byzantines, and Ethiopians. As a result the city was dominated by powerful merchant families among whom the men of Quraysh were preeminent.
Muhammad's father, 'Abd Allah ibn'Abd al-Muttalib, died before the boy was born; his mother, Aminah, died when he was six. The orphan was consigned to the care of his grandfather, the head of the clan of Hashim. After the death of his grandfather, Muhammad was raised by his uncle, Abu Talib. As was customary, Muhammad as a child was sent to live for a year or two with a Bedouin family. This custom, followed until recently by noble families of Mecca, Medina, Tayif, and other towns of the Hijaz, had important implications for Muhammad. In addition to enduring the hardships of desert life, he acquired a taste for the rich language so loved by the Arabs, whose speech was their proudest art, and learned the patience and forbearance of the herdsmen, whose life of solitude he first shared and then came to understand and appreciate.
About the year 590, Muhammad, then in his twenties, entered the service of a widow named Khadijah as a merchant actively engaged with trading caravans to the north. Sometime later Muhammad married Khadijah, by whom he had two sons - who did not survive - and four daughters.
During this period of his life Muhammad traveled widely. Then, in his forties he began to retire to meditate in a cave on Mount Hira outside of Mecca, where the first of the great events of Islam took place. One day, as he sat in the cave, he heard a voice, later identified as that of the Angel Gabriel, which ordered him to:
Recite: In the name of thy Lord who created, Created man from a clot of blood.
Three times Muhammad pleaded his inability to do so, but each time the command was repeated. Finally, Muhammad recited the words of what are now the first five verses of the 96th surah or chapter of the Quran - words which proclaim God the Creator of man and the Source of all knowledge.
At first Muhammad divulged his experience only to his wife and his immediate circle. But as more revelations enjoined him to proclaim the oneness of God universally, his following grew, at first among the poor and the slaves, but later also among the most prominent men of Mecca. The revelations he received at this time and those he did so later are all incorporated in the Quran, the Scripture of Islam.
Photo: The sun rises over Jabal al-Rahmah, the Mount of Mercy, where Muhammad in his farewell sermon told the assembled Muslims, "I have delivered God's message to you and left you with a clear command: the Book of God and the practice of His Prophet. If you hold fast to this you will never go astray."
Not everyone accepted God's message transmitted through Muhammad. Even in his own clan there were those who rejected his teachings, and many merchants actively opposed the message. The opposition, however, merely served to sharpen Muhammad's sense of mission and his understanding of exactly how Islam differed from paganism. The belief in the unity of God was paramount in Islam; from this all else followed. The verses of the Quran stress God's uniqueness, warn those who deny it of impending punishment, and proclaim His unbounded compassion to those who submit to His will. They affirm the Last Judgment, when God, the Judge, will weigh in the balance the faith and works of each man, rewarding the faithful and punishing the transgressor. Because the Quran rejected polytheism and emphasized man's moral responsibility, in powerful images, it presented a grave challenge to the worldly Meccans. 

WWW.ISLAMICITY.COM

The Hadith of the day

On the authority of son of Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), among the sayings he related from his Lord (glorified and exalted be He) is that He said:

Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones. Then He explained it [by saying that] he who has intended a good deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds to seven hundred times, or many times over. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed.

It was related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

The Significance Of Life After Death

A little reflection should help us to see that the question of life after death is not merely a philosophical question; it is deeply and intimately related to our everyday life. In fact our moral attitude depends entirely upon this question. If a person is of the view that the life of this world is the only life and that there is no life of any kind after that, he must develop a particular type of moral attitude. A radically different kind of attitude and approach is bound to result if he believes that this life is to be followed by another life where one will have to render account of all one’s acts in this world and, that one’s ultimate fate in the Hereafter will depend upon one’s conduct in worldly life. Let us try to understand this through a simple example. A person undertakes journey from Lahore to Karachi on the assumption that he is traveling to his final destination, where he will be beyond the reach of the police that could haul him up for an offence, and the jurisdiction of the courts of justice that could bring him to book. Another person undertakes the same journey knowing that it is only the first stage of a longer journey which will carry him, beyond Karachi, to a land overseas which is ruled by the same sovereign as that of Pakistan. He also know that the court of that sovereign has complete secret dossiers of his activities in Pakistan and that this record will be fully examined there in order to decide what position and treatment he deserves by virtue of his past performance. Now, it should be easy to realize how different the conduct of these two travelers of the same train will be. The former will prepare himself only for the journey up to Karachi, whereas the latter will keep in view also the requirements of the further stages of the long journey. The former will assume that all the gains that he can possibly make, or all the losses or harms that he might suffer, will be confined to the journey up to Karachi, and that will be the end of it. The latter, on the other hand, will know that the real gains or losses of the journey will be realized in its last stages and not in the first. The former will keep in view only those results of his actions as are likely to manifest themselves up to the time that he reaches Karachi; the latter’s visit will extend to the long term results likely to unfold themselves in the distant overseas lands where his journey will eventually take him.

Now it is obvious that this difference between the approaches and attitudes of the two travelers results directly from their view of the nature of their journey and its end. Similarly, a person’s views in regard to life after death have a decisive influence upon his moral conduct in this world. The direction of every step that he takes in his practical life will depend upon whether he treats this worldly life as the first and last stage of life, or whether he also has in view the Hereafter and consequences of his conduct in this world or the next one. He will move in one direction in the first instance, and in exactly the opposite direction in the other instance.

From this I should be clear that the question of life after death is not merely a fruitless intellectual or philosophical exercise but a question that intimately concerns and vitally affects our everyday life. There is, therefore no justification for any skepticism in this matter. Any attitude that is determined by skepticism in regard to the Hereafter could not in effect be any different from the one based on a definite rejection of the idea of a life after death. We are, therefore, obliged to make up our minds whether there is a life after death or not. If science can not help us here, we must seek the aid of rational thinking and logical reasoning.

Life after Death
By:   Maulana Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi

PRAYER

Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Quran, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language. Because shalat is transliterated from arabic word, so it has multiple english spellings such as salat, salah, sholat, sholah or shalah.Some peoples also called shalat as namaz
Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.

A translation of the Call to Prayer is:

God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)!
Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God.

The light of the Quran

So far as logical reasoning is concerned, it only indicates that such a world ‘ought to be’. But as to the question whether such a world does in fact exist, neither reason nor knowledge can give us a categorical answer. And it is here that the qur’an helps us. It assures us that the world that our nature as well as our reason demand shall be a reality one day. The present system of the Universe, which was created in accordance with physical laws, will be demolished at one stroke; and it will be replaced by another world where the earth, the heavens and all other things will be essentially different from what they are here. God Almighty will then resurrect all the men who were born from the beginning of creation down to its end, and will make all of them appear before Himself at one time. The records of all the deeds of individuals, communities, and mankind at large, will be there without the slightest error or omission. Also there will be complete reports of the effects and consequences of all human actions in the material world; and all the generations of men affected by them will be present in the witness box. Every particle affected in any way by the deeds or words of men will tell its own story. And the limbs, the ears, the eyes and all other parts of the human body will stand witness how they were used or abused in life. On the basis of this unimpeachable evidence and those complete records. Allah, the Supreme Sovereign of the Universe, will decided each case with perfect justice and pronounce the reward or penalty as the case may be. The reward as well as the punishment will be of a magnitude that cannot even be estimated by the limited standards of the material world. The standards of times and space, and weights and measurements, and the natural laws, will be essentially different from those prevailing in the present world. The virtues whose beneficent effect extend over several centuries in this world will be fully rewarded there, and neither death nor illness nor old age will be able to cut short the enjoyments of the reward. On the other hand, the evil deeds whose effects and consequences blight the lives of millions in this world for hundreds of years will be punished fully, and neither death nor coma will be able to relieve the pain and distress of the sufferer.

If the existing system of the Universe with its present natural laws is a possibility and a reality,why should another world with a different set of natural laws be regarded as an impossibility?

Life after Death
By:   Maulana Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi

The Hadith of the day

Abdullah bin `Umar (May allah be pleased with them) reported:

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) took hold of my shoulders and said, "Be in the world like a stranger or a wayfarer".
Ibn `Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) used to say: "When you survive till the evening, do not expect to live until the morning; and when you survive until the morning, do not expect to live until the evening; (do good deeds) when you are in good health before you fall sick, and (do good deeds) as long as you are alive before death strikes".

[Al-Bukhari].
Commentary: A person who will consider this world as a temporary stage, will certainly not like that his clothes be entangled in thorny bushes of this world. The greatest fault of man is that he does not understand this status of the world. In spite of the fact that he is not sure of a moment's life here, he occupies himself in amassing goods and riches which would last for a hundred years.
   Riyad-us-Saliheen (471)

The Hadith of the day

Abu Musa (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Allah, the Exalted, stretches His Hand during the night so that those who commit sins by day may repent, and He stretches His Hand in the day so that those who commit sins by night may repent. He keeps doing so until the sun rises from the West".

[Muslim].
Commentary:  This Hadith has been mentioned before.
Allah's stretching of His Hands is one of His Attributes, and as Muslims we have to believe in this without reasoning, as is the case with His other Attributes. This has been the stand of our pious predecessors (As-Salaf-us-Salih). The process of acceptance of penitence by Allah will continue until the Day of Resurrection when the sun will rise from the West and repenting or accepting Islam will not avail. Therefore, one should not make any delay in penitence.
We must add here that, we must not name or qualify Allah except with what He or His Messenger (PBUH) has named or qualified Him; without changing them or ignoring them completely or twisting the meanings or giving resemblance to any created things:
"The Most Gracious (Allah) rose over the (Mighty) Throne". (20:5) above the seventh heaven; and He only descends to the first (nearest) heaven during the day of `Arafah (Hajj, i.e., the 9th Dhul-Hijjah) and also during the last third part of every night, as mentioned by the Prophet (PBUH), but He is with us by His Knowledge only, not in His essence (Bi Dhatihi): "There is nothing like Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer". (42:11)


Riyad-us-Saliheen 437

Knowledge and Actions

The two things which separate Muslims and Kafirs are, therefore, knowledge and actions. That is, you must first know who your Master is, what His orders are, how to follow His wishes, which deeds please Him and which displease Him. When these things are known, the second step is to make yourselves true slaves of your Master by giving up your own wishes in deference to what He desires.

If your heart desires to do a certain act and your Master’s order is against it, you should carry out that order. If something seems good to you but your Master says that it is bad, you must accept it as bad. And if something else seems bad but your Master says it is good, then you must accept it as good. If you think a certain action will be harmful but your Master says that it must be done, then done, then done it must indeed be, even though it may entail you in loss of life or property. Similarly, if you expect to benefit from a certain action but your Master forbids it, you must refrain from it even though it might have brought all the worldly treasures.

This is the knowledge and actions by which Muslims become true servants of Allah, on whom He bestows His mercy and whom He rewards with honour and dignity. Conversely, Kafirs, since they do not possess this knowledge, are Allah’s disobedient slaves and are denied His blessings.

Now, in all fairness, tell me: if you call yourselves Muslims but in fact are as ignorant and disobedient as a Kafir, can you in reality be superior to the latter merely on the strength of bearing different names, wearing different clothes and eating different foods? Can you on this basis be entitled to the blessings of God in this world and in the Hereafter? Islam is not a race or family in which membership is automatically passed on from father to son. A high caste priest’s son will not command respect in the eyes of God, if he does wrong deeds, just because he is born into a priestly home; nor will He look down on the son of a low caste family, disregarding his good deeds, simply because of his birth.

On this point God has explicitly stated in His Book: ‘Indeed the noblest among you in the sight of God is the most God-fearing of you’ (Al-Hujurat 49:13). That is, the more you know God and the more you obey His commandments, the more honourable you are in His sight, Ibrahim was into the home of an idolator, but he came to know God and obeyed Him. That is why God made him Imam (leader) of the whole world. The son of Nuh was born into a prophet’s home but he did not understand God and disobeyed Him. Despite his high family connection, God so punished him that the punishment became an object lesson for the world.

Understand, therefore, thoroughly that whatever differences there are in the sight of Allah between man and man depend entirely on the state of their knowledge and actions. Both in this world and the Hereafter, God’s blessing is reserved for those who recognize Him, accept the right path shown by Him, and carry out His commandments. Those who do not do these things, whether their names are Abdullah and Abdur Rahman or Kartar Singh, Smith or Robertson, are identical in the sight of God. They are unworthy of His blessings.

Let us be Muslims - Part I
By:   Maulana Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi

No Islam Without Knowledge

Islam, therefore, consists, firstly, of knowledge and, secondly, of putting that knowledge into practice. A man can be white and have no knowledge; because he is born white he will remain so. Similarly, an Englishman will remain an Englishman though he may have no knowledge, because he has been born an Englishman. But no man becomes truly a Muslim without knowing the meaning of Islam, because he becomes a Muslim not through birth but through knowledge. Unless you come to know the basic and necessary teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be on him, how can you believe in him, have faith in him, and how can you act according to what he taught? And if you do not have faith in him knowingly and consciously, as fully as you can, how can you become true Muslims?

Clearly it is impossible to become a Muslim and remain a Muslim in a state of ignorance. Being born in Muslim homes, bearing Muslim names, dressing like Muslims and calling yourselves Muslims is not enough to make you Muslims; true Muslims know what Islam stands for and believe in it with full consciousness.

The real difference between a Kafir (who does not accept God’s guidance and is ungrateful to Him) and a Muslim is not that of a name, that one is called Smith or Ram Lal and the other Abdullah. No one is a Kafir or a Muslim simply because of his name. Nor does the real difference lie in the fact that one wears a necktie and the other a turban. The real difference is that of knowledge. A Kafir does not understand God’s relationship to him and his relationship to God. As he does not know the will of God he cannot know the right path to follow in his life. If a Muslim, too, grows up ignorant of God’s will, what ground can there be to continue calling him a Muslim rather than a Kafir?

Let us be Muslims - Part I
By:   Maulana Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi

The Hadith of the day

Abis bin Rabi`ah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

I saw `Umar bin Al-Khattab(May Allah be pleased with him) kissing the Black Stone (Al-Hajar Al-Aswad) and saying: "I know that you are just a stone and that you can neither do any harm nor give benefit. Had I not seen Messenger of Allah (PBUH) kissing you, I would not have kissed you".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary:

1. The statement of `Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) quoted in this Hadith is highly significant in the sense that he wanted to make it absolutely clear to the illiterate and ignorant that Al-Hajar Al-Aswad (Black Stone of the Ka`bah) is not kissed for because stones are venerated in Islam, as was the practice in pre-Islamic period. What he wanted to emphasize was that kissing the Black Stone was in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH).
2.  Obedience of the Prophet (PBUH) in every affair is a must, whether one understands the wisdom behind it or not. By analogy, kissing of the Black Stone, some people think it is permissible to kiss and show respect to the tombs of saints. But this is not valid reason because kissing the Black Stone is an `Ibadah (act of worship), or a part of it, and every `Ibadah is Tauqifiyah (prescribed by Allah and the Prophet (PBUH)) and it can neither be increased nor diminished, nor can it be graded as something else.

The Hadith of the day

Abu Hurairah (May allah be pleased with him) reported:

Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "The world is the believer's prison and the infidel's Jannah".

[Muslim].
Commentary:  As compared with the pleasures and luxuries, which are in store for a true believer in Jannah in the Hereafter, this world is a prison; and against the ceaseless torture that awaits the Kuffar (disbelievers) in Hell, this world is a Jannah for them. It can also mean that the way a Muslim saves himself in life from lusts and desires and leads a pious life with fear of Allah, this world is a prison for him because he is fettered in the chains of rules and regulations, while a Kafir (disbeliever) is free from all kinds of restrictions and is completely given to lusts and desires, and this is how this world is a Jannah for him. The purpose of this Hadith is to induce Muslims for the preparation of Al-akhirah (the Hereafter) and prevent them from unlawful luxuries of this world.


Riyad-us-Saliheen 470

Verse(s) from Al-Quran

" Say: He is Allah, the One; the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him." ( Al-Qur'an 112:1-4)

Islamic Concept Of Life

The chief characteristic of the Islamic concept of life is that it does not admit a conflict, nay not even a significant separation between life-spiritual and life-mundane. It does not confine itself merely in/purifying the spiritual and the moral life of man in the limited sense of the word. Its domain extends to the entire gamut of life.It wants to mould individual  life as well as the social order in healthy patterns, So that the Kingdom of God may really be established on the earth and so that peace, contentment and well-being may fill the world as waters fill the oceans. The Islamic way of life is based on this unique approach to life and a peculiar concept of man's place in the universe. That is why it is necessary that before we proceed to discuss the moral, social, political and  economic systems of Islamic concept of life.
                    There are certain basic postulates which should be understood and appreciated at the very outset. These postulates are as follows.

ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE

Syed Abul A'Ala Mawdudi

The Hadith of the day

On the authority of Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:

Your Lord delights at a shepherd who, on the peak of a mountain crag, gives the call to prayer and prays. Then Allah (glorified and exalted be He) say: Look at this servant of Mine, he gives the call to prayer and performs the prayers; he is in awe of Me. I have forgiven My servant [his sins] and have admitted him to Paradise.

It was related by an-Nasa'i with a good chain of authorities.

SERVICE TO PARENTS

Hadrat Sharfuddin was revered as a man of great piety (May Allah’s Mercy be upon him). He respected his father and mother very much. He always obeyed them and showed his ever-readiness to be on attendance on them. It so happened that one day when he was yet a small child, his mother was resting on a bedstead and suddenly felt thirsty. She told her son: “My beloved son! I am feeling thirsty. Please get me a glass (katora) of water. “He ran to fetch some water. By the time he returned with a cup of water, he found his mother asleep. He was in a fix as to what to do then! If he awakened her she would be disturbed. He therefore thought it proper not to wake her up. With the cup of water in hand, he stood by her, thinking that any moment she might wake up and ask for water. At last his mother, woke up from sleep, and, to her amazement, saw her beloved son waiting with the glass of water in hand, all the night through.

The mother asked; “My son! Have you been waiting all this while?”

Yes dear Mother! I have been waiting, so that the moment you wake up I may offer you water you asked for, “the son replied.

His mother was immensely pleased when she heard the reply. She prayed unto Allah for the welfare of her noble son. Accordingly he grew in moral stature to be a great saint, in his later life.

EXERCISES
1. Narrate this story in your own words.
2. What services do you render to your father and mother?

TO GREET

The answer to the Islamic salutation,’Assalam O Alaikum’ [peace be with (or upon) you] is, Wa Alaikum As-Salam’ [and with you (be) the peace, too]. Such mutual greeting begets love. Hadrat Abdullah, the son of the great Caliph, Hadrat Umar, was well aware of this fact. He used to observe that the Apostle of Allah greeted every big and small person he came across. He used to greet even the children whom he met on the way while they played about happily. How could Hadrat Abdullah miss the thing which the prophet (pbuh) was doing habitually? He too showed his utmost zeal in greeting others.

So much was Hadrat Abdullah impressed by the winsome mode of greeting of the Holy prophet (pbuh) that in later life he made it his practice to go to the bazaar, only to find an opportunity to greet people. He greeted every shop-keeper, every destitute person and every passerby whom he came across on the way.

One day a person asked him:
“Hadrat! Every day you come to the bazaar, but, you do not buy anything, nor you sit anywhere. Why do you come out at all, if one could know?

He said:”I come out only to greet the people.”

According to Hadrat Abdullah, visiting bazaar merely for the sake of greeting people was in no way less important than any purposeful visit to bazaar to make purchases.

He said: “I come out only to greet the people.”

According to Hadrat Abdullah, visiting bazaar merely for the sake of greeting people was in no way less important than any purposeful visit to bazaar.

EXERCISES
What was the purpose of Hadrat Abdullah in going to bazaar?
What are the virtues of greetings?
What are the etiquettes of greetings in Islam?

Modesty

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), was but a child when a portion of the wall of the Ka’ba gave way. People were busy in rebuilding it. Children too were engaged in this job. They were carrying rocks over their shoulders and setting them in the wall. After a while, when their shoulders, started paining, each one of them removed the cloth over his waist, coiled it and placed it over his shoulders as a cushion. Thus they continued to carry the stones over their shoulders.

The Holy Prophet (pbuh) too carried the stones over his shoulders. And his shoulders too began to ache. His uncle, who was seeing the hardship his nephew under went, said to him, “Myson! You too unite your waist-cloth and coil it over your shoulders, so that the burden be less painful”.

In compliance with the advice of his uncle, the beloved prophet (p.b.u.h.) wanted to divest his waist-cloth, but was too modest to bear his nakedness. So sensitive was he in this matter that he swooned the moment he was bout to loosen his garment in accordance with his uncles advice. On observing his extreme bashfulness, the uncle regretted the plain caused to the Holy Prophet by his unscrupulous advice.

EXERCISES
1. Why were the boys carrying the stones?
2. What did the people do when their shoulders were aching?
3. What happened when the uncle gave some orders to the Holy Prophet?

The Hadith of the day

Al-Agharr bin Yasar Al-Muzani (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Turn you people in repentance to Allah and beg pardon of  Him. I turn to Him in repentance a hundred times a day".
[Muslim].

খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মে নারীর মর্যাদা ও অবস্থান

খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মে নারীর অবস্থান যীশু নজরত শহর থেকে খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মের শিক্ষা শুরু করেন। খ্রীষ্টীয় ১ম শতাব্দীতে এটি শুরু হলেও প্রাতিষ্ঠানিক কাঠামোতে রুপ নেয় সেন্টপলের দিক নির্দশনায়। প্রাক-পলিন যুগে নারীর অবস্থা ভাল ছিল। আস্তে আস্তে খ্রীষ্টান ধর্মের তাত্বিক উন্নতির সাথে সাথে নারীদের জীবনে কঠোরতা ও শোচনীয অবস্থা হতে থাকে। সাধারণত কোন ধর্মের উদ্ভব হয় বিশেষ অলৌকিক ব্যক্তির মাধ্যমে। খ্রীষ্ট ধর্ম ও এর ব্যতিক্রম নয়। আর এ ধর্ম ঐ সমাজে প্রচলিত নিয়ম-নীতিকে চ্যালেঞ্জ করে। ফলে খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মের নারীর ব্যাপক পরিবর্তন হয়। একদিকে যেমন সাহসিকতার ফলে নারী ক্রুশবিদ্ধ হয়েছেন, আবার প্রথম নারী ইভ এর উত্তরাধিকারী হিসেবে আবার পাপের মধ্যে নিমজ্জিত হযেছেন। নারীকে সকল পাপের কারণ বলে এদেরকে বলা হয় Women (woe to men)। খ্রীষ্টীয় ৬ষ্ঠ শতাব্দীতে জেরুজালেমের পাদ্রীদের মধ্যে এক ধর্মীয় কাউন্সিলে নারীদের নিয়ে এক আলোচনার কেন্দ্রবিন্দু ছিল-নারীদের আত্মা আছে কিনা এবং তারা মানব জাতির অর্ন্তভূক্ত কি না? এতে অনেকে রায় পেশ করেছিল যে, নারীর প্রাণ থাকলেও আত্মা নেই। তাই সে মানুষ নয়। আবার কেউ বলেন- নারীকে যদিও মানব সীমার বাইরে ফেলা যায় না, তবুও সে সকল দোষের কারণ। আবার প্রাচীন ধর্ম চর্চার ক্ষেত্রে নারীর নেতৃত্ব বেশী পরিলক্ষিত হয়। ফলে সার্বিকভাবে খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মের নারীর অবস্থা বর্ণনা করা কঠিন। নারীর অধিকার সম্পর্কেও খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মে বিভিন্ন ব্যাখ্যা আছে। কেউ বলে খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মে নারীর সমান অধিকার দেয়া হয়েছে। আবার কেউ বলেন- দেয়া হয়নি। যাই হোক খ্রীষ্ট সমাজে নারীরা সবচেয়ে বেশি নির্যাতিত হয়েছে। বেশি ভাগ সমাজ তাদেরকে শয়তান বলে চিহ্নিত করা হয়েছে। পিতৃতান্ত্রিক সমাজ ব্যবস্থার জন্য তৎকালীন নারীদের প্রতি এরূপ দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি ছিল বলে অনুমান করা হয়। এরপর নারীদের সুসংবাদ দেওয়া হয়। বাইবেলে নতুন মঙ্গল সমাচারে নারীদেরকে সকর মুক্তির মূল বলে আখ্যায়িত করা হয়। খ্রীষ্টান নারীবাদী লেখক আর্থার বলেন- খ্রীষ্টান নারীদের চরম উপেক্ষা ও অবহেলার ফলে দিনে দিনে তা এমন ঘটনায মোড় নিতে থাকে যে, তৎকালীন খ্রীষ্টান সমাজের নারীর অবস্থান ছিল এরুপ: * ইতিহাসে নারীরা মূলত সম্পূর্ণ অনুপস্থিত। * নারীদেরকে চার্চের নেতাগণ তাদের মতো করে উপস্থাপন করতেন। * নারীদের কে উপস্থাপন করা হয় পিতৃতান্ত্রিক দৃষ্টিভঙ্গিতে। * নারীরা সাধারণত খারাপ বলে চিহ্নিত, তবে কিছু নারীকে ভাল বলে ব্যাখ্যা করা হয। * চার্চের লিপিবদ্ধ ইতিহাসে নারীর ইতিহাসে খারাপ বলে উল্লেখ করা হয়। খ্রীষ্টান ধর্মের গোড়াপন্থি পাদ্রীদের মনগড়া বিধান নারীদের জীবন পর্যদুস্থ করে তোলে। এক সময় খ্রীষ্ট সমাজে শান্তির দূত হিসাবে পৃথিবীতে আসেন লুথার ও ক্যালভিন। এ দুই মহান সংস্কারকের ফলে খ্রীষ্ট ধর্ম প্রোটেস্টান ও ক্যাথলিক এ দুই ভাগে ভাগ হয়ে যায। আকস্মিকভাগে বিভক্ত এ ধর্মের সামাজিক ও রাজনৈতিক জীবনে আসে আমূল পরিবর্তন। তাদের জীবনের সকল ক্ষেত্রের ধারনার ও মূল্যবোধের সীমা নির্ধারণ করে পূন:নির্ধারণ করা হয়। পরিবর্তিত ও পরিমার্জিত এ সীমায় পরিবার বিশেষত নারীদের প্রতি দৃষ্টি নিবন্ধিত করে ভিন্ন মাত্রায়। লুথার এবং ক্যালভিন মনে করেন- নারীরা পুরুষের অধিনস্থ সৃস্টিকর্তার আদেশ-নির্দেশের ফলে। তবে তারা আধ্যাত্মিক দিক থেকে পুরুষের সমান। নারী-পুরুষ উভয়ই ঈশ্বরের প্রতিকৃতিতে সৃষ্টি নারী-পুরুষ উভয়ই ঈশ্বরের প্রতিকৃতিতে তৈরি বলে উভয়ই ঈশ্বরকে জানতে ও ভালবাসতে পারে। নর-নারীর মানব মর্যাদা একই। নারীর মর্যাদার ক্ষেত্রে প্রৈরিতিক পত্রে পোপ ২য় জন পল লিখেছেন-“সৃষ্টির বর্ণনার এই অংশের মধ্যে একটি নৃতাত্বিক সত্য নিহিত আছে: সমস্ত দৃশ্যমান সৃষ্টির মধ্যে মানুষ হল শ্রেষ্ঠ মানব জাতি। সৃষ্টির সময়ই নর-নারী হিসাবে তাদের আহ্বান ও প্রকৃতি লাভ করেছে। আর তারা সকল সৃষ্টির উপরে স্থান পেয়েছে। নর-নারী হিসাবে তারা উভয়ই সমান মর্যাদা লাভ করেছে। তারা উভয়ই ঈশ্বরের প্রতিকৃতিতে সৃষ্টি” (২য় জন পল নারীর মর্যাদা-৬)। নারী যেমন পুরুষকে সেবা করবে তেমনি পুরষের উচিৎ নারীদের সেবা ও সাহায্য করা এবং পূর্ণতা দান করা। নারী ও পুরুষের মিলন মূলত ঈশ্বরের নিজেরই মিলন। ঈশ্বর নিজেই এ মিলনের উৎস ও লক্ষ্য। নারীর দুটি বিশেষ বৈশিষ্ট্য খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মে নারীকে উপস্থাপন করা হয় সম্পূর্ণ ভিন্ন আঙ্গিকে। বস্তুত নারীর মধ্যে দুটি বৈশিষ্ট্য বিদ্যমান। খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মের গোড়াপন্থিদের দৃষ্টিভঙ্গি নারীরা সকল পাপের মূল। তারা ইভের উত্তরসুরী হিসাবে আদি পাপের কারণ। আবার খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মের উদারপন্থী প্রোটেষ্টান ও বর্তমানে সার্বিক খ্রীষ্টানদের সার্বজনীন মতবাদ- মাতা মারীয়াই সকল পাপের পরিত্রাণকারী যিশুর জন্মদাত্রী। সে হিসাবে নারীই সকল পাপের পরিত্রাণকারী। প্রথম নারী ইভ অনেক খ্রীষ্টান ইভকে দেখেন পাপের উৎস হিসেবে। সে কারণে নারী জাতী সকলেই পাপের অংশীদার। আদিপুস্তকে অর্থাৎ পুরাতন বাইবেলে এ মানব সৃষ্টি ও পতনের মূলে নারীকেই দায়ী করা হয়। সেখানে বলা হয় ইভই প্রথম শয়তানের প্ররোচনায় নিষিদ্ধ ফল খায় এবং আদমকে খাওয়ায়। এভাবেই পৃথিবীর প্রথম পাপের উৎপত্তি ও মানব জাতীর পতন হয় (আদি: ৩:১-৭)। কিন্তু এটি একটি ভ্রান্ত ধারনা, কারণ আদম সেচ্ছায় নিষিদ্ধ ফল খায়। তাই প্রথম ভাগিদার নর-নারী উভয়। পরিত্রাণকারী মাতা মারীয়া যে নারীর মধ্য দিয়ে পৃথিবীতে প্রথম পাপ প্রবেশ করেছিল সেই নারীর মাধ্যমেই মানুষের পরিত্রাণের প্রথম ভবিষ্যত বাণী করা হয়েছিল।” আমি তোমার ও নারীর জাতীর মধ্যে এক শত্রুতা গড়ে তুলব, শত্রুতা গড়ে তুলব তোমার বংশ ও নারীর বংশের মধ্যে; সে তোমার মস্তক চুম্বন করবে, আর তুমি তার পদ দংশন করবে”(আদি: ৩:১৫) পরিত্রাণের ইতিহাসে ইভ এবং মারীয়া উভয়ই গুরুত্বপূর্ণ। উভয়ই নারী এবং দুটি স্বরুপ। একজনের মধ্য দিয়ে পাপ যেমন পৃথিবীতে প্রবেশ করেছিল, তেমনি অন্যজনের মধ্য দিয়ে ঈশ্বরের দয়া ও ক্ষমা এ পৃথিবীতে নেমে এসেছিল। অর্থাৎ সৃষ্টির সময় ঈশ্বর নারীর মধ্য যে আদিরুপ দিয়েছিলেন, আদিপাপের দ্বারা ইভ তা হারিয়ে ফেলে। পূনরায সে আদিরুপ মারীয়ার মধ্যে প্রতিষ্ঠা পেয়েছে। মারীয়াই হচ্ছে নতুন ইভ তার মধ্য দিয়ে মানব পরিত্রাণ কার্য সূচিত হয়েছিল। নারীর মধ্যে যেমন ইভ আছে তেমনি মারীয়াও আছে। নারীর মধ্যে শুধু ইভকে দেখা যুক্তিযুক্ত নয়। যদি আমরা নারীর মধ্যে মারীয়াকে দেখতে ব্যর্থ হই তবে তা হবে মানব ইতিহাসে বিশেষত নারীর প্রতি অন্যায় অবিচার। মঙ্গল সমাচারে নারী খ্রীষ্ট ধর্মে নারীরে মর্যাদা অনুধাবন করা যায় নতুন নিয়মে বিভিন্ন মঙ্গল সমাচারে তাদের বর্ণনায়। নজরতে যিশু সঙ্গে অনেক নারীরই সাক্ষাৎ হয়েছিল। তার জীবদ্দশায় খ্রীষ্ট নারীর মর্যাদা উন্নতি করার প্রয়াস চালিয়েছিলেন। মঙ্গল সমাচারে বর্ণীত নারীদের মধ্যে সর্বশ্রেষ্ঠ হলেন মারীয়া। যিশুর মা মারীয়া যিনি কুমারী ও যোসেফের জগদত্তাবধু। স্বর্গদূত তার কাদে এসে বললেন: প্রনাম তোমায়! পরম আশিস ধন্য তুমি। প্রভু তোমায় সাথে আছেন। তুমি গর্ভধারন করে একটি পুত্র সন্তান জন্ম দেবে যার নাম রাখবে যিশু। যিশু প্রকৃত ঈশ্বর ও বিবি মারীয়া যিশুকে জন্ম দিয়ে হলেন ঈশ্বরের জননী। কুমারী হলেন মুক্তিদাতার জননী। ভূষিত হলেন মার্তৃত্বেও মহিমায়। সামাজিক জীবনে নারী সমাজ জীবনে নারীরা শুধু ভোগের সামগ্রী নয়। নারী হচ্ছে মা, কন্যা, বোন, স্ত্রী ও পরম আত্মীয়। তারা ভালবাসার উৎস। কোমলতা ও বাৎসল্যের প্রতীক। সমাজে তারা যথাযথ মর্যাদার অধিকারী। বিবাহ ও পরিবারে নারীদের স্থান ও মর্যাদা সমুন্নত করতে যিশু পূর্ববর্তী মোসীয় বিধানের নতুন ও সঠিক ব্যাখ্যা সবার কাছে তুলে ধরেন-“আপনাদের হৃদয় পাষাণ ছিল বলেই মোসী সেদিন স্ত্রীকে ত্যাগ করার অনুমতি আপনাদের দিয়ে গেছেন। আদিতে কিন্তু এমনটি ছিল না”। (মথি: ২৯:৮) যিশু পিতরের শ্বাশুড়ীসহ অনেক অসুস্থ নারীকে সুস্থতা দান করেছেন। অসুস্থ স্ত্রীলোকটি যিশুর পোশাক স্পর্শ করেই সুস্থ হয়েছেন। (মার্ক:৫:২৭) যিশু জাইরুসের কন্যাকে পুনরায় জীবিত করে তুলেছিলেন- “খুকী,আমি তোমাকে বলছি, উঠ”। (মার্ক:৫:৪১) যিশুর উপমা কাহিনীতে স্ত্রীলোকদের কথা উল্লেখ আছে। যিশু স্ত্রীলোকদের সম্বোধন করেন-“আব্রাহামের কন্যা বলে”। (লুক:১৩:১৬) যারা ব্যভিচারী ও পাপীষ্ঠা বলে ঘৃণীত ছিল যিশু তাদের প্রতিও সদয় আচারণ করেছেন। যিশুর মঙ্গল সমাচারের উপমাতে বিধাব নারীও উপস্থিত। নারীর মর্যাদা ও গুরুত্ব যিশুর কাছে এতই বেশি ছিল যে, যিশুর অন্তীম মুহূর্তেও তার ক্রশের তলায় ছিল নারীগণ। এমনকি তাকে সমাহিত করে নারীরাই। আবার তার পূনরুত্থানের সাক্ষী সেই নারীরাই। বর্তমানে প্রৈরিতিক সেবা কাজ ও মিশনারী কাজে পুরুষের চেয়ে নারীর অংশগ্রহণ এখন সেকথারই যথেষ্ট প্রমাণ। নারীর মাতৃত্ব মাতৃত্ব হল বিবাহে নারী ও পুরুষের মিলনের অবসম্ভাবী ফল। শাস্ত্রে বলা হয়-“তারা দুজন একই হবে”। (আদি:২:২৪) বিবাহ ইংরেজী Marriage যা ল্যাটিন শব্দ Matrimony থেকে এসেছে। যার অর্থ মা বিষয়ক। আর বিবাহে সন্তান জন্মদানের ভূমিকা বাবার চেয়ে মায়ের ভূমিকা বেশি। একজন নারী ছাড়া একটি নতুন জীবনের জন্ম ও লালন-পালন সম্ভব নয়। ঈশ্বর নারীকে মাতৃত্বের জন্য সৃষ্টি করেছেন। আর মাতৃত্ব নারীর দায়িত্বও বটে। নারীর কুমারীত্ব খ্রীষ্টের শিক্ষায় নারীর মাতৃত্ব আর কুমারীত্বের লাভের সম্পর্কযুক্ত। কুমারীর কৌমর্য মাতৃত্বের মতই ঈশ্বরের দান। কৌমর্য লালন শুধু বিয়ে করে থাকা নয় বরং কৌমর্য স্বর্গরাজ্যের জন্য একটি জীবন-যাপন পদ্ধতি। কুমারী নারী ঈশ্বরকে তথা খ্রীষ্টকে তার ভার্যা হিসেবে গ্রহণ করে। তাকে ভালবাসে ও সেবা করে। পরিশেষে আমরা বলতে পারি নারীত্ব ঈশ্বরের পরিকল্পনা ও দান। যা মানব জাতীর জন্য ঈশ্বরের একটি অনন্য সাধারণ উপহার। সামাজিক প্রকৃতি দৈহিক গঠন ও আধ্যাত্মিক প্রকৃতি সব কিছুই ঈশ্বরের পরিকল্পনা। নারী ঈশ্বরেরই প্রতিমূর্তি আর মর্যাদার দিক থেকে পুরুষের সমান। দূর্ভাগ্যবশত: পরিবেশের দ্বারা শর্তাবদ্ধ করে রাখে, যা নারীর প্রগতির পথে বাধা হয়ে দাঁড়িয়েছে। ফলে তাদের মর্যাদা অস্বীকার করা হয়েছে এবং অধিকার সমূহের ভূল ব্যাখ্যা দেয়া হয়েছে। তবে মঙ্গল সমাচারে নারীর মর্যাদা অত্যন্ত উন্নত। নারীর প্রকৃত মানবীয় মর্যাদার বিষয় সর্বদাই সচেতন এবং নিরলসভাবে মন্ডলী শিক্ষা দিয়ে থাকে। লেখকঃ ৪র্থ বর্ষ, বিশ্বধর্ম ও সংস্কৃতি বিভাগ, ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় E-mail : omarwrdu@gmail.com

http://www.sonarbangladesh.com/articles/MdOmarFaruk

Malcolm X (May 19, 1925-February 21, 1965)

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska. As a young man, Malcolm was known as Detroit Red and became a street hustler involved in petty larceny, gambling and narcotics.

After serving seven years in prison for a burglary conviction. Malcolm entered a period of self-enlightenment. During this time, Malcolm's brother Reginald would visit and discuss his recent conversion to the Muslim religion. Reginald belonged to the religious organization the Nation of Islam (NOI).

In 1952, after his release from prison, Malcolm went to meet Elijah Muhammad in Chicago. It was soon after this that he changed his surname to "X". Malcolm explained the name by saying, The "X" is meant to symbolize the rejection of "slave-names" and the absence of an inherited African name to take its place.

Intelligent and articulate, Malcolm was appointed as a minister and national spokesman for the Nation of Islam. Elijah Muhammad also charged him with establishing new mosques in cities such as Detroit, Michigan and Harlem, New York. Malcolm utilized newspaper columns, as well as radio and television to communicate the NOI’s message across the United States. His charisma, drive and conviction attracted an astounding number of new members. Malcolm was largely credited with increasing membership in the NOI from 500 in 1952 to 30,000 in 1963.

Malcolm's faith was dealt a crushing blow at the height of the civil rights movement in 1963. He learned that his mentor and leader, Elijah Muhammad, was secretly having relations with as many as six women within the Nation of Islam organization. As if that were not enough, Malcolm found out that some of these relationships had resulted in children.

Since joining the NOI, Malcolm had strictly adhered to the teachings of Muhammad – which included remaining celibate until his marriage to Betty Shabazz in 1958. Malcolm refused Muhammad's request to help cover up the affairs and subsequent children. He was deeply hurt by the deception of Muhammad, whom he had considered a living prophet. Malcolm also felt guilty about the masses he had led to join the NOI, which he now felt was a fraudulent organization built on too many lies to ignore.

Shortly after his shocking discovery, Malcolm received criticism for a comment he made regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. "[Kennedy] never foresaw that the chickens would come home to roost so soon," said Malcolm. After the statement, Elijah Muhammad "silenced" Malcolm for 90 days. Malcolm, however, suspected he was silenced for another reason.

In March 1964, Malcolm terminated his relationship with the NOI. Unable to look past Muhammad’s deception, Malcolm decided to found his own religious organization, the Muslim Mosque, Inc.

That same year, Malcolm went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The trip proved life altering. For the first time, Malcolm shared his thoughts and beliefs with different cultures, and found the response to be overwhelmingly positive. In accepting Islam, Malcolm took the Muslim name of Al-Hajj Malik Al-Shabazz.

When he returned, Malcolm said he had met "blonde-haired, blued-eyed men I could call my brothers." He returned to the United States with a new outlook on integration and a new hope for the future. This time when Malcolm spoke, instead of just preaching to African-Americans, he had a message for all races.

After Malcolm resigned his position in the Nation of Islam and renounced Elijah Muhammad, relations between the two had become increasingly volatile. FBI informants working undercover in the NOI warned officials that Malcolm had been marked for assassination. (One undercover officer had even been ordered to help plant a bomb in Malcolm’s car).

After repeated attempts on his life, Malcolm rarely traveled anywhere without bodyguards. On February 14, 1965 the home where Malcolm, Betty and their four daughters lived in East Elmhurst, New York was firebombed. Luckily, the family escaped physical injury.

One week later, however, Malcolm’s enemies were successful in their ruthless attempt. At a speaking engagement in the Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965 three gunmen rushed Malcolm onstage. They shot him 15 times at close range. Malcolm X, at just 39, was pronounced dead on arrival at New York's Columbia Presbyterian Hospital.

Malcolm's assassins, Talmadge Hayer, Norman 3X Butler and Thomas 15X Johnson were convicted of first-degree murder in March 1966. The three men were all members of the Nation of Islam.

The legacy of Malcolm X has moved through generations as the subject of numerous documentaries, books and movies. A tremendous resurgence of interest in Malcolm’s life and accomplishments occurred in 1992 when director Spike Lee released the acclaimed movie, Malcolm X. The film received Oscar nominations for Best Actor (Denzel Washington) and Best Costume Design.

Sources: The Official Website of Malcolm X and Wikpedia.

The Hadith of the day

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah does not look at your figures, nor at your attire but He looks at your hearts and accomplishments".
[Muslim].


Commentary:  This Hadith highlights the importance of sincerity and good intention. It is, therefore, essential that every noble action should be based on these two virtues; and heart should be free from  all such things that destroy noble deeds. Hypocrisy, ostentation, greed for wealth, riches and other wordly things fall in the category of such evils. Since the true condition of heart is known to Allah alone, the true position of one's actions will be known on the Day of  Resurrection when one will be requited for them by Alah. In this world, one will be treated according to his apparent condition while his insight will be left to Allah.

Riyad-us-Saliheen 7

The Hadith of the day

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (PBUH) said: "O Allah, there is no true life but the life of the Hereafter".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: The saying of the Prophet (PBUH) quoted in this Hadith relates to two different occasions.
Firstly, to the Ghazwah of Al-Khandaq (the battle of the Trench) when Muslims were engaged in digging the trench under very difficult circumstances. It was intended to impress upon them the need for patience and boost their morale. They were made to understand that they should not be perplexed by the strenuous period they were passing through because these were transitory and temporary phases of life after which lay the everlasting life, the real life that was not only permanent but also full of perpetual luxuries.
Secondly, to the occasion of Hajjat-ul-Wada` (last Hajj performed by the Prophet (PBUH)) when he saw around him a large crowd of Muslims. Then he warned them against becoming proud or overjoyed by their strength and power. The grandeur and majesty being witnessed by them would come to an end. The real life was of Al-'akhirah (Hereafter) and they should do their utmost to reform it.
   Riyad-us-Saliheen (460)

রজব মাসের ফজিলত

নিশ্চয় আল্লাহ তায়ালার নিকট গণনার মাস ১২টি। এতে কম-বেশি করার ক্ষমতা কারো নেই। এই মাসগুলোর ধারাবাহিকতা নির্ধারিত করা হয়েছে আকাশ ও জমিন সৃষ্টি করার পর। (আল কুরআন : সুরা তওবা)।
মাহে রজব আরবী বর্ষের ৭ম মাস।  বায়হাকী শরীফে আনাস ইবনে মালেক (রা.) থেকে বর্ণিত, তিনি বলেন, রসূল (স.) যখন মাহে রজবের নব চন্দ্র দেখতেন, তখন তিনি বলতেন-আল্লাহুম্মা বারিক লানা ফী রজাবা ওয়াশাবানা ওয়া বাললিগনা শাহরি রামাজান।’ অর্থ হচ্ছে, হে আল্লাহ আমাদের প্রতি রজব ও শাবান মাসকে বরকতস্বরূপ দান করুন এবং রমজান পর্যন্ত পৌঁছে দিন। হাদীসে পাকে মাহে রজবের বহু ফজিলত ও আমলের কথা বর্ণিত আছে। তার মধ্যে এখানে কিছু বাণী তুলে ধরা হল।
হযরত আবু সাঈদ খুদরী (রা.) বলেন, রসূল (স.) বলেছেন, মাহে রজব আল্লাহ তায়ালার প্রিয় মাস। যে ব্যক্তি মাহে রজবকে সম্মান প্রদর্শন করবে, আল্লাহ তায়ালা তাকে দুনিয়া ও আখিরাতে সম্মানিত করবেন।
 রসুল (স.) বলেছেন, হে আমার সাথীগণ! জিব্রাইল (আ.) আমাকে মাহে রজবের ফজিলত ও আমল সম্পর্কে বলেছেন, রজবের ইবাদত মুমিন ব্যক্তি ব্যতীত কোন মুশরিকের ভাগ্যে হয় না।
রসূল (স.) বলেছেন, মাহে রজব আল্লাহর মাস। মাহে শাবান আমার মাস। আর মাহে রমজান আমার ও আমার উম্মতের মাস। একদা মহানবী (স.) কোন এক কবরের পাশ দিয়ে যাওয়ার সময় তিনি মনে করলেন কবরবাসীকে আযাব দেয়া হচ্ছে। মহানবী (স.) বললেন, সে যদি রজব মাসে একটি রোযাও রাখতো, তাহলে তাকে এত কষ্ট দেয়া হতো না।
মাহে রজবের ২৬ তারিখ দিবাগত রাত একটি অধিক পুণ্যময় রাত। এই রাতটিকে আরবীতে লাইলাতুল মেরাজ বলা হয়। এ রাতের গুরুত্ব, তাত্পর্য, ফজিলত ও বরকত অনেক বেশি।
আল কোরআনের ১৫ পারা সুরা বনী ইসরাঈলে এ রাতের যে ঐতিহাসিক ঘটনা তুলে ধরা হয়েছে তা মহানবী হযরত মুহাম্মদ (স.)-এর মেরাজ নামে বিশ্ব ইতিহাসে সুপরিচিত। এই রাতে প্রিয় নবী (স.) আল্লাহ তায়ালার আদেশক্রমে মক্কা শরীফ থেকে বাইতুল মোকাদ্দাস-ঊর্ধ্বাকাশে, আরোহণ করে আল্লাহ তায়ালার অধ্যাদেশ প্রাপ্ত হন।
ইবনে মাসউদ (রা.) বলেন, মেরাজের রাতে আল্লাহ তায়ালা মহানবী (স.) কে মহানেয়ামত দান করেন। ১। উম্মতের জন্য মেরাজস্বরূপ ৫ ওয়াক্ত নামাজ।
আর সুরা বণী ইসরাইলে ১৪টি অধ্যাদেশাবলী। মূলত রজব মাস হলো রমজানের প্রস্তুতির মাস। এই মাস হতেই রসূল (স.) রমজানের প্রস্তুতি গ্রহণ করতেন। যার ফলে ইবাদত ও বন্দেগীও বেশি করতেন। সেজন্য তাঁর উম্মত হিসেবে আমাদেরও উচিত এখন থেকে হূদয় কন্দরে পবিত্র রমজানুল মোবারকের একটি আবহ তৈরি করা এবং আল্লাহর প্রিয় বান্দা হওয়ার জন্য ইবাদত বন্দেগীও বেশি বেশি করা। আল্লাহ সুবহানাহু ওয়াতায়ালা আমাদেরকে সেই তাওফীক দান করুন, আমীন।

মাওলানা আবুল হোসাইন পাটওয়ারী
ইত্তেফাক
বৃহস্পতি, ৯ জুন ২০১১, ২৬ জ্যৈষ্ঠ ১৪১৮

কেয়ামতের ছোট ও বড় আলামত

কেয়ামত এর আরবী অন্য একটি শব্দ হলো আসসাআহ যার অর্থ হলো সমস্ত মাখলুকাতের জীবনের শেষ সময়। যখন জগতের সবকিছু ভেঙ্গে লণ্ডভণ্ড হয়ে যাবে। আসসাআহ-এর ব্যাপারে কুরআনুল করিম ও হাদিসে রাসূলে অনেকভাবে বর্ণনা করা হয়েছে। যেমন পবিত্র কুরআনে সূরা আরাফের ১৮৭ নং আয়াতে আল্লাহপাক বলেন, আপনাকে জিজ্ঞেস করে কেয়ামত কখন অনুষ্ঠিত হবে? আপনি বলে দিন এর খবর তো আমার পালনকর্তার কাছেই রয়েছে। তিনিই তো অনাবৃত করে দেখাবেন নির্ধারিত সময়ে।
কেয়ামতের প্রাথমিক আলামতসমূহ
 কেয়াতের ছোট ছোট আলামতগুলোর অন্যতম হলো-
১।        এমন কিছু ঘটনা ঘটবে যা পূর্বে কখনো ঘটেনি এবং ঘটার কোন ধারণাই ছিল না।
২।        অমুসলিমদের হাতে প্রচুর পরিমাণে খনিজ সম্পদ আহরিত হবে।
৩।        মানুষ তার বাসস্থানকে শিল্প কারুকার্জ দিয়ে সুশোভিত করাকে গুরুত্ব দিবে।
৪।        জমিনের অংশসমূহ নিকটবর্তী হয়ে যাবে।
৫।        শিক্ষায় বিপ্লব ঘটে যাবে কিন্তু দ্বীনি শিক্ষা সম্পর্কে অজ্ঞ থেকে যাবে।
৬।        মহিলারা অশ্লীলতায় ডুবে যাবে। মহিলাদের সৌন্দর্য চর্চা কেন্দ্রের ব্যাপক বিস্তার ঘটবে।
৭।        মহিলারা পুরুষের আকৃতি ধারণ করবে আর পুরুষ মহিলার আকৃতি ধারণ করবে।
৮।        কিছু মুসলমান মদ পান করবে অন্য নামে।
৯।        মানুষের মধ্যে সুদের ব্যাপক বিস্তার হয়ে যাবে।
১০। অভিনন্দন ও অভিবাদন মানুষের কাছে অভিশাপ হয়ে যাবে।
১১। জমিনের বিভিন্ন অংশে ব্যাপক বিধ্বংসী ভূমিকম্প সংঘটিত হবে।
১২।      হঠাত্ মৃতের সংখ্যা বেড়ে যাবে আর হত্যা গুম বৃদ্ধি পাবে।
১৩। মানুষ কথায় সুন্দর হবে, আর কাজে অসুন্দর হবে।
১৪।      কন্যা সন্তানরা তার মায়ের শাসনে থাকবে এবং মায়ের অনুকরণীয় হবে।
১৫। বেপর্দা  ব্যক্তিরাই সমাজের নেতৃত্ব দিবে।
১৬। সমাজের নিকৃষ্ট এবং রাখাল শ্রেণীর লোকেরা সুউচ্চ প্রাসাদ নির্মাণ করবে।
১৭।     জগতের লোকেরা সুউচ্চ টাওয়ার নির্মাণে একে অপরে প্রতিযোগিতা করবে।
১৮। মানুষ তার সন্তানের চাইতে কুকুর লালন পালনকে বেশি প্রাধান্য দিবে।
১৯। নারীরা চুলের খোপা মাথার ওপরে এমনভাবে বাঁধবে যেন উটের পিঠের উঁচু জায়গার মতো দেখাবে।
২০।     দুনিয়ার যোগাযোগ ব্যবস্থা অতিদ্রুত ও সহজ হয়ে যাবে।
২১।      কাল বা সময় তাড়াতাড়ি ফুরিয়ে যাবে।
২২।     দাসী ও সমাজের নিকৃষ্ট মেয়েরা যে সন্তান জন্ম দেবে সে সমাজের অন্যতম নেতা হবে।
২৩।     অবৈধ জারজ সন্তানের সংখ্যা বৃদ্ধি পাবে ।
২৪। সমাজে সম্মানিত কুলীন ভদ্রলোকগুলো কোণঠাসা হয়ে যাবে আর নিকৃষ্ট অসম্মানী লোকগুলো বেপরোয়া সাহসী হবে।
২৫।  বড়কে সম্মান করবে না। ছোটকে স্নেহ করবে না।
২৬। সমাজে নেতা নেতৃত্ব বেড়ে যাবে বিশ্বস্ততা কমে যাবে।
২৭।     উলঙ্গ আর বেহায়াপনার প্রতিযোগিতায় নারীরা ব্যাপকভাবে সম্পৃক্ত হবে।
২৮। জেনা ব্যাভিচার আর মদপান বেড়ে যাবে।
২৯। প্রকৃত আত্মীয়দের ছেড়ে বন্ধু-বান্ধবদের আতিথেয়তা বেড়ে যাবে।
৩০। সমাজে ফাসাদ দুর্নীতি ব্যাপক আকার ধারণ করবে।
মুসলিম শরিফে বর্ণিত, হযরত হুযাইফ বিন উসাইদ আল গিফারি (রা.) বলেন, আমরা যখন কোন বিষয়ে আমাদের মধ্যে আলোচনায় রত ছিলাম তখন রাসুল (স.) আমাদের নিকট আগমন করলেন এবং বললেন তোমরা কি বিষয়ে আলোচনা করছো। তারা জবাবে বলল, আমরা কেয়ামত সম্পর্কে আলোচনা করছি। রাসুল (স.) তখন বলেন, কেয়ামত ততক্ষণ পর্যন্ত সংঘটিত হবে না যতক্ষণ না এই আলামতগুলো দেখতে পাবে। সেগুলো হলো:(১) দুখান বা ধোয়ার উদগীরণ হবে ২) দাজ্জালের আবির্ভাব ৩) দাব্বাতু মিনাল আরদ ৪) পশ্চিম দিক থেকে সূর্য উদিত হওয়া। ৫) ঈসা ইবনে মারইয়ামের অবতরণ ৬) ইয়াজুজ মাজুজের প্রকাশ ৭) পরপর তিনটি চন্দ্রগ্রহণ পৃথিবীর পশ্চিম অংশে ও পূর্ব অংশে আর ৮) আরব উপদ্বীপে ৯) ইয়ামেনের ভূমি থেকে আগুন বের হবে। যা মানুষকে তাড়িয়ে নিয়ে একত্রিত করবে। ১০) পশ্চিম দিক থেকে সূর্যের উদয় ও পূর্বদিকে অস্তগমন।
সংক্ষিপ্তাকারে কেয়ামতের বড় আলামতসমূহের আলোচনা:
১) দুখান-যার অর্থ ধোয়া বা ছাই- এই ধুয়া শেষ যুগে আসবে যা আবহাওয়াকে গভীরভাবে দূষিত করবে। যার প্রভাবে মুমিনগণ সর্দি ও কাশিতে ভুগবে। আর কাফেরগণ নেশাগ্রস্ত হয়ে তার নাক, কান ও পশ্চাদ দিয়ে বের হবে। এর প্রভাব ৪০ দিন-রাত পর্যন্ত স্থায়ী হবে। যেমন আল্লাহ রাব্বুল আলামিন পবিত্র কুরআনে বলেছেন, অতএব আপনি সেই দিনের অপেক্ষা করুন যখন আকাশ ধুয়ায় ছেয়ে যাবে যা মানুষকে ঘিরে ফেলবে, এটা যন্ত্রণাদায়ক শাস্তি। (সুরা দুখান আয়াত-১০-১১)। রাসুল (স.) দুখান সম্পর্কে বলেন, এটা হলো এমন এক ধুয়া যা পূর্ব থেকে পশ্চিম পর্যন্ত আচ্ছন্ন করে ফেলবে যার স্থিতিকাল হবে ৪০ দিন-রাত।
(২) দাজ্জালের আবির্ভাবঃ- সহি বুখারি ও মুসলিম শরিফের বর্ণনায় তার প্রকার সময় স্থিতি ও শেষ সম্পর্কে বর্ণনা করে বলা হয়েছে। দাজ্জালের পরিচয় সম্পর্কে হজরত আনাস (রা.) থেকে বর্ণিত রাসুল (স.) বলেন: দাজ্জালের চক্ষুসমূহ হবে টেঁরা দুই চোখের মাঝখানে আরবিতে কাফের লেখা থাকবে যা সকল শিক্ষিত অশিক্ষিত মুসলমানগণ পড়তে পারবে। আর তার শরীর হবে মোটা তার কাছে আগুন থাকবে পানিরূপে আর পানি থাকবে আগুনরূপে। রাসুল (স.) তার প্রকাশের স্থান সম্পর্কে বলেন, মাসিহে দাজ্জাল বের হবে শাম ও ইরাকের মাঝখান থেকে। সে দুনিয়ায় অবস্থান করবে ৪০ দিন যার একদিন হবে এক বত্সরের সমান আরো একদিন হবে এক মাসের সমান, আরো একদিন হবে এক সপ্তাহের সমান, আর বাকি দিনগুলো হবে আমাদের দিনগুলোরই মতো। সে আল্লাহর জমিনে ফাসাদের প্রসারণ ঘটাবে এবং তাকে আল্লাহ এমন কিছু অলৌকিক শক্তি দেবেন যা দেখে কাফের, ফাসেক এবং মোনাফেকরা বিভ্রান্ত হয়ে যাবে। আর মুসলমানগণ ইমানের ওপর অটল থাকবে কেননা মুমেনগণ মুজেজা আর এই অলৌকিকতার মাঝে পার্থক্য করতে পারবে। দাজ্জালের শেষ সময়ে ঈসা ইবনে মারইয়াম প্রকাশ পাবে। তার একটি কাজ হবে এই দাজ্জালকে বাবে লুদে হত্যা করা। রাসূল (স.) সব সময় এই দাজ্জালের ফিতনা থেকে আল্লাহর নিকট আশ্রয় চাইতেন।
৩। দাব্বাতু মিনাল আরদঃ  এই দাব্বাতুল আরদ মানুষের মাঝে ফাসাদের সময় শেষ যুগে বের হবে। আল্লাহর আদেশ ছেড়ে সত্য দ্বীনকে পরিবর্তন করে দিবে। যার ব্যাপারে মানুষেরা বলাবলি শুরু করবে। হাদিসের ভাষায় তার শরীর হবে ৬০ গজ লম্বা, তার থাকবে চারটি পা, দুইটি ডানা ও পালক। এটি বের হবে মসজিদে হারামের নিকটবর্তী সাফা পাহাড়ের নিচ থেকে, যে আরবিতে কথা বলবে। এটি. তিনদিন বের হবে, মানুষ দেখবে কেউ বের হবে না।
৪। ঈসা ইবনে মারইয়ামের অবতরণ: হাদিস শরিফে ঈসা (আ.)-এর অবতরণ কেয়ামতের আলামতের অন্যতম। ঈসা (আ.) পূর্ব দামেস্কের কেন্দ্রীয় মসজিদের মিনারে অবতীর্ণ হবেন। তিনি এসে কোন নুতন ধর্মের বা দাওয়াতের বা নবুয়তের দিকে ডাকবেন না বরং তিনি মুসলমানদের ইমামের পিছনে সময় মতো নামাজ পড়বেন। ক্রুশসমূহকে ভেঙ্গে ফেলবেন, এই কথার বাস্তবতায় যে, তিনি হত্যা বা ক্রুশবিদ্ধ হন নাই। বরং আল্লাহ তাকে উঠিয়ে নিয়েছেন এবং তিনি শূকরকে হত্যা করবেন, মদ ফেলে দেবেন এগুলো হারাম হওয়ার কারণে। ঈসা (আ.) দাজ্জালকে খুঁজতে খুঁজতে বাবে লুদের নিকট পেয়ে তাকে হত্যা করবেন।
৫। ইয়াজুজ মাজুজের আত্মপ্রকাশ সর্বশেষ চেষ্টায় দুটি বাঁধকে দুর্বল করে ভেঙ্গে বের হয়ে আসতে সক্ষম হবে এবং তারা দুনিয়াতে প্রচণ্ড রকমের ফ্যাসাদে ভরপুর করবে। দুনিয়ার সকল স্থানে ফাসাদের বিস্তৃতি ঘটাবে। তার পা হবে লম্বা, সাগর দিয়ে হেঁটে যাওয়ার সময় সকল পানি শুষে নিবে।

মো.এনামুল হক
ইত্তেফাক
বৃহস্পতি, ৯ জুন ২০১১, ২৬ জ্যৈষ্ঠ ১৪১৮
 চেয়ারম্যান, বাংলাদেশ এরাবিক ল্যাঙ্গুয়েজ সোসাইটি, ঢাকা।