THE BEST

Have your ever wondered to yourself what it actually means to be the best? When we are told that this is the best or that was the greatest or this will bring the most benefit etc, have you ever thought who on Earth gave such people/editors the authority to tell us that? In an age when we have a plethora of Top 10 or Top 100 lists on everything from cars to films, from foods to places, one wonders where is that list that will really provide some benefit to us in this current short life and the next everlasting one.
Below, from a choice of hundreds of narrations from our beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) you can find 100 Ahadith, in no particular order of merit, detailing ways on exactly how to become the best, how to have the most excellent characteristics, what really will prove most beneficial for us to know, what really are the greatest things to think about and hope for and indeed, how to become the most beloved of people to our Exalted Creator, Allah (Swt).

No more subjectivity, no more empty statements; just the divine criteria of what really is the best as developed by the very best himself, Muhammad al-Mustapha (salAllahu alayhi wasalam).
Take some time out (its not short!) to read them, memorize them, and then see how many you can get done and how many of your friends and relatives you can get involved in it too.
Dont be ordinary. Dont be common. Dont be average. Dont be a chamcha. Be the best.
Sayyidina Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) told us:

1. The best of the Muslims is he from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe. (Muslim).
2. The best of people are those with the most excellent character. (at-Tabarani, Sahih).
3. The best of people are those that bring most benefit to the rest of mankind. (Daraqutni, Hasan).
4. The best of people are those who are best in fulfilling (rights). (Ibn Majah, Sahih).
5. The best of people during fitnah (trouble) is a man who takes up the reins of his horse pursuing the enemies of Allah, causing them fear yet they make him fearful too, or a man who secludes himself in the desert fulfilling the rights of Allah upon him. (Hakim, Sahih).
6. The best of mankind is my generation, then those that follow them and then those that follow them. Then there shall come a people after them who will become avaricious, who will love gluttony, and who will give witness before they are asked for it. (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
7. The best of people are those who live longest and excel in their deeds, whereas the worst of people are those who live longest and corrupt their deeds. (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
8. The best of women are those that please him (her husband) when he sees her, obeys him when she is commanded, and who does not secretly betray him with regards to herself and her money in that which he dislikes. (Ahmad, Sahih).
9. The best of women are those that please you when you see them, obey you when commended, and who safeguard themselves and your money in your absence. (Tabrani, Sahih).
10. The best of marriages are the easiest ones. (abuDawud, Sahih).
11. The best of your dates is the Borniyyu date; it expels disease yet does not contain any disease itself. (Hakim, Hasan).
12. The best of your garments are those which are white; shroud your dead in them and clothe your living with them. The best of that which you apply to your eyelids is antimony causing the eyelashes to grow and sharpening the eyesight. (Ibn Hibban, Sahih).
13. The best quality of your religion is scruulousness. (Hakim, sahih).
14. The best of your religion is that which is easiest.(Ahmad, Sahih).
15. The best of the prayer lines for men are the first rows, the worst being the final rows. The best of the prayer lines for women are the final rows and the worst are the first rows. (Muslim).
16. The best prayers for women are those performed in the most secluded parts of their houses. (Ibn khuzaymah, Sahih).
17. The best of you in Islam are those who are most excellent in character as long as you deeply understand the religion. (Ahmad, Sahih).
18. The best of you are the best of you in fulfilling (rights). (Ahmad, Sahih).
19. The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best of you to my family. (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
20. The best of you are my generation, then those that follow them and then those that follow them. Then there shall come after them a people who will betray and be untrustworthy, will give witness even though they have not been asked to, will make vows yet will not fulfill them and obesity will appear amongst them. (Sahih Al-Bukhary).
21. The best of you are those who feed others and return greetings. (abu Yala, Hasan).
22. The best of you is he from who good is anticipated and safety from his evil is assured; the worst of you is he from whom nothing good is expected and one is not safe from his evil. (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
23. The best thing mankind has been given is excellent character. (Hakim, Sahih).
24. The best of that which you treat yourself with is cupping. (Hakim, Sahih).
25. The best of journeys undertaken are to this Mosque of mind and the Ancient Hosue. (Ahmad, Sahih).
26. The best of which man can leave behind for himself are three: a righteous child who supplicates for him, an ongoing charity whose reward continues to reach him and knowledge which others benefit from after him. (Ibn Hibban, Hasan).
27. The best Mosques for women are the most secluded parts of their houses. (al-Bayhaqi, Sahih).
28. The best of the worlds women are four: Maryam bint Imran, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Fatimah bint Muhammad and Asiyah the wife of Firawn. (Ahmad, Sahih).
29. The best of days that you should perform cupping are the 17th , 19th and 21st of the month. I did not pass a single gathering of angels on the night of Isra except that they would say to me, O Muhammad, perform cupping! (Ahmad, Sahih)
30. The best day on which the Sun has risen is Friday; on it Adam was created, on it Adam was made to enter Paradise and on it he was expelled. The Hour will not be established except on Friday. (Muslim).
31. "Verily, the best of perfume for men is that which is strong in smell and light in color, and the best of perfume for women is that which is strong in color and light in smell." (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
32. "The Most beloved of religions according to Allah the Most High is the 'easy and flexible religion." (Ahmad, Hasan).
33. "The most beloved of deeds according to Allah are the continuous ones, even if they are little." (Agreed upon).
34. "The most beloved of names according to Allah are AbdAllah, 'Abdul-Rahman and Harith." (Abu Ya?la, Sahih).
35. "The most beloved of deeds according to Allah are the prayer in its right time, then to treat the parents in an excellent manner, and then Jihad in the path of Allah". (Agreed upon).
36. "The most beloved of deeds according to Allah is that you die and yet your tongue is still moist from the remembrance of Allah." (ibn Hibban, Hasan).
37. "The most beloved words according to Allah the Most High are four: SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Lailaha illallah and Allahu Akbar; there is no problem with which one you start with." (Muslim).
38. "The most beloved of speech according to Allah is when the servant says, 'Subhanallahi wa bihamdihi' (How Transcendent is Allah and we praise him!)." (Muslim).
39. "The most beloved of speech according to Allah the Most High is that which Allah chose for his Angels: Subhana Rabbi wa bihamdihi, Subhana Rabbi wa bihamdihi, Subhana Rabbi wa bihamdihi." (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
40. "The most beloved of people according to Allah is he who brings most benefit, and the most beloved of deeds according to Allah the Mighty, the Magnificent, is that you bring happiness to a fellow Muslim, or relieve him of distress, or pay off his debt or stave away hunger from him. It is more beloved to me that I walk with my brother Muslim in his time of need than I stay secluded in the mosque for a month. Whoever suppresses his fury while being able to execute it, Allah will fill his heart with satisfaction on the Day of Standing. Whoever walks with his brother Muslim in need until he establishes that for him, Allah will establish his feet firmly on the day when all feet shall slip. Indeed, bad character ruins deeds just as vinegar ruins honey." (at-Tabarani, Hasan).
41. "The most beloved of people to me is A'isha and from the men, Abu Bakr." (agreed upon).
42. "The best of people in recitation are those who when they recite, you see that they fear Allah". (al-Bayhaqi, Sahih).
43. "The best of your leaders are those that you love and they love you, you supplicate for them and they supplicate for you. The worst of your leaders are those that you hate and they hate you, you curse them and they curse you.". (Muslim).
44. "The best of you are those who are best in paying off their debts." (Tahawi, Sahih).
45. "The best of you are those with the longest lives and most excellent character." (Bazzar, Sahih).
46. "The best of you are those with the longest lives and best in action." (Hakim, Sahih).
47. "The best of you are those with the softest shoulders during prayer." (al-Bayhaqi, Hasan).
48. "The best of you are those who are best to their wives". (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
49. "The best of you are those who are best to their families." (At-Tabarani, Sahih).
50. "The best of you during the 'Period of Ignorance' are the best of you in Islam as long as they deeply understand the religion." (Bukhari).
51. "The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it." (Darimi, Sahih).
52. "The best of companions according to Allah are those who are best to their companion and the best of neighbors according to Allah are those that are best of their neighbor." (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
53. "The best of places are the Mosques and the worst of places are the markets." (at-Tabarani, Sahih).
54. "The best supplication on the Day of 'Arafat and the best thing that I and the Prophets before me ever said was, 'Lailaha illAllah wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahul-mulk wa lahul-hamd wa huwa 'ala kulli shay'in Qadir." (at-Tirmidhi, Hasan).
55. 'The best of provision is that which suffices." (Ahmad in 'Zuhd', Hasan).
56. "The best testimony is when one gives it before he is asked to do so." (Tabarani, Sahih).
57. "The best of dowries are the easiest." (Hakim, Sahih).
58. "The best of charity is that which still leaves you self-sufficient for the upper hand is better than the lower hand; start with those you are responsible for." (Tabarani, Sahih).
59. "The best of gatherings are those that are most open." (abu Dawud, Sahih).
60. "The most beloved deed according to Allah is to have faith in Allah, then to maintain the ties of kinship, and then to command to good and forbid the wrong. The most abhorrent of deeds according to Allah is to associate partners with Him, then to cut the ties of kinship". (Abu Ya'la, Hasan).
61. "The most beloved Jihad according to Allah is that a word of truth be spoken to a tyrant ruler." (At-Tabarani, Hasan).
62. "The most beloved word according to me is that which is most truthful." (Bukhari).
63. "The most beloved fast according to Allah is the fast of Dawud; he would fast every alternate day. The most beloved prayer according to Allah is the prayer of Dawud; he would sleep half the night, stand a third and then sleep for a sixth." (agreed upon).
64. "The most beloved dish according to Allah is that which most hands feed from." (Ibn Hibban, Hasan).
65. "The most beloved servant of Allah is he who is most beneficial to his dependents." (Zawa'id al-Zuhd, Hasan).
66. "The best of earnings is that of the laborer as long as he tries his best." (Ahmad, Hasan).
67. "The best of earnings is that of the laborer as long as he tries his best." (Ahmad, Hasan).
68. "The best of all deeds is the Prayer at its earliest time." (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
69. "The best of all deeds is the Prayer in its right time, to treat the Parents honorably and Jihad in the path of Allah." (at-Khatib, Sahih).

70. "The best of all deeds is that you bring happiness to your Muslim brother, pay off his debt or feed him bread." (Ibn Adiyy, Hasan).
71. "The best of faith is patience and magnanimity. " (Ahmad, Sahih)
72. "The best of days according to Allah is Friday." (alBayhaqi, Sahih).
73. "The best of Jihad is that man strives against his soul and desires." (Daylami, Sahih).
74. "The best Hajj is that with the most raised voices and flowing blood." (At-Tirmidhi, Hasan).
75. "The best of supplications is that of on the Day of 'Arafah, and the best thing that was said by myself and the Prophets before me was, La ilala illAllah wahdahu la sharika lahu." (There is nothing worthy of worship except Allah alone, He has no partners). (Malik, Hasan).
76. "The best of dinars are: the dinar spent by a man upon his dependents, the dinar spent by a man upon his horse in the path of Allah and the dinar spent by a man upon his companions in the path of Allah, the Mighty, the Magnificent. " (Muslim).
77. "The best word of remembrance is: La ilaha illAllah and the best supplication is: Alhamdulillah. " (at-Tirmidhi, Hasan).
78. "The best word of remembrance is: La ilaha illAllah and the best (_expression of giving) thanks is: Alhamdulillah. " (Baghawi, Hasan).
79. "The best of hours are those deep in the latter part of the night." (At-Tabarani, Sahih).
80. "The best of all martyrs are those who fight in the front line; they do not turn their faces away until they are killed. They will be rolling around in the highest rooms of Paradise, their Lord laughing at them-when your Lord laughs at a servant, there is no accounting for him." (Ahmad, Sahih).
81. "The best of all martyrs is he whose blood is shed and whose horse is slaughtered. " (at-Tabarani, Sahih).
82. "The best of all charity is the shade of a canopy (provided) in the path of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent, to gift ones servant in the path of Allah and to gift ones she-camel in the path of Allah." (Ahmad, Hasan).
83. "The best of all charity is that which is given to the relative that harbors enmity against you." (Ahmad, Sahih).
84. "The best of all charity is that you give it while you are healthy and desirous (of that money), hoping to become wealthy but fearing poverty. Don't delay until you are about to breathe your last and they you say, 'This is for 'so and so", would receive that." (abu Dawud, Sahih).
85. "The best of all charity is when the one with little strives to give; start with those you are responsible for". (Hakim, Sahih).
86. "The best charity is to provide water." (ibn Majah, Hasan).
87. "The best prayer after the obligatory ones is the prayer in the depth of the night, and the best fast after the month of Ramadan is the month of Allah, Muharram." (Muslim).
88. "The best prayer is the prayer of the man in his home except for the obligatory prayer." (an-Nasa'I, Sahih).
89. "The best prayer is that with the longest standing." (Muslim).
90. "The best of all prayers according to Allah is the Friday morning prayer in congregation. " (Ibn Nu'aym, Sahih).
91. "The best fast is the fast of my brother Dawud:he would fast every alternate day and he would never flee (the battlefront) when the armies would meet." (at-Tirmidhi, Sahih).
92. "The best of all fasts after Ramadan is in the month that you call Muharram." (an-Nasa'I, Sahih).
93. "The best of all worship is supplication. " (Hakim, Sahih).
94. "The best deed is the prayer in its right time and Jihad in the path of Allah." (al-Bayhaqi, Sahih).
95. "The best of the Quran is: 'Alhamdu lillahi Rabil-Alamin" . (Hakim, sahih).
96. "The best of earnings is a blessed sale and that which a man earns with his hands. (Ahmad, Sahih).
97. "The best of the Believers is the most excellent of them in character." (Ibn Majah, Sahih).
98. "The best of the Believers with respect to Islam is the one from whose hand and tongue the Muslims are safe; and the best of the Believers with respect to Iman are the most excellent of them in character; and the best of those who migrate is he who migrates from that which Allah the Most High has prohibited; and the best of Jihad is when one strives against his soul for the sake of Allah, the Might, the Magnificent. " (at-Tabarani, Sahih).
99. "The best of mankind is the believer between two honorable persons." (at-Tabarani, Sahih).
100. "The best of all days in the world are the ten days (of Dhul Hijjah). (Bazzar, Sahih).

Does the Indian Muslim today need special benefits from the Government?

The Sachar Panel Report, which is looking into the social and economic conditions of the Indian Muslims, is set to present its report to the Prime Minister this month.

The findings of the Panel have been potentially explosive so far. They suggest that Muslims are worse off than OBCs across the country and in some areas, worse off than Schedules Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Does the Indian Muslim today need special benefits from the Government?
THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION THAT COMES IN MIND OF COMMON INDIAN CITIZEN WHETHER A MUSLIMOR NON MUSLIM. READ BELOW TO KNOW THE REAL SITUATION

Total Muslim Population in India : 13.4% (Population of India is little over 1 Billion)
94.9% of Muslims in Below Poverty Line (BPL)
Muslims in Jails 35%, out of total number of inmates at state and federal prisons.
Muslims high school passed: 7.2%
Muslims enrolled in colleges: 6.5%
Muslims Graduate in Rural areas is between 0.8% to 1.3%, Muslims Graduate in Urban areas is 6.1%, just 1.2 per cent are post-graduates.
54.6% Muslims in villages and 60 per cent in urban areas, have never attended schools
Government Staff 6.4%, Police Services 3.3%, Administration services 2.2%, Foreign services 1.6% & Total labour force 10%.
Muslims in Judiciary 8% & Judges 2.7%.
60.2% Muslims who lives in rural areas do not have any land.
Just 2.1% of Muslim farmers have tractors. With 15,25,000 tractors, India ranks No.4 after US, Japan and Italy .
A mere 1% own handpumps for safe/clean drinking water...
While only 3.2 per cent of Muslims get subsidized loans, just 1.9 per cent of the community benefit from the Antyodaya Anna Yojana Scheme, a program meant to prevent starvation among the poorest of poor by providing food grains at a subsidized rate.

Some of the important observations made by the Rajinder Sachar committee:
The committee found shocking instances of discrimination against the community. These include cases of Muslims not getting loans from even nationalized banks and finding it difficult to sell or buy property.

"There is an implicit diktat that loans should not be given in specific areas dominated by Muslims because of the high probability of default", the committee observed after its visit to Rajasthan between August 22 and 24 last year.

The committee also found inadequate number of government schools in the Muslim-dominated areas contributing to the low number of Muslim boys and girls attending the schools.

THIS IS THE SITUATION OF MUSLIMS IN INDIA. SIT AND THINK TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THIS WORST SITUATION

Health Tips From the Prophet

Dr K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO, an Indian Professor of Philosophy in his booklet, "Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam," calls him the "PERFECT MODEL FOR HUMAN LIFE." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying: "The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero." God's Messenger said, "If anyone among you is secure in mind (also, among his family or in his house) in the morning, healthy in body, and has food for the day, it is as though the whole world has been brought into his possession." Prophets advice for Eating “In eating, apportion a third of your stomach to food, another third to water, and leave the last third empty. The bowl most distasteful to God is a full stomach.”What I fear concerning my community is a large paunch, oversleep, idleness and the lack of certainty.‘Cleanliness is half of faith (Iman)’.“Do not lean and eat.”“Wash both hands up to the wrists”“Do not find fault with the food.”“Remove your shoes before eating.”“When eating, sit with either both knees on the ground or one knee raised or both knees raised.”“Eat with the right hand.”“Whilst eating one should not remain completely silent" “Drink water in 3 breaths removing the utensil from the mouth after each sip . Do not drink directly from the jug or bottle. One shouldpour the contents into a glass first and then drink”"The best drink in this world and the hereafter is water, when you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps, gulping produces sickness of the liver.”"Don't eat until you are hungry." “The blessings of food lie in washing hands before and after eating.”“When a fly falls into the bowl of somebody among you, he should dip it completely in the food before taking it out. For there is disease in one of the fly’s wings and cure in the other.” (flies carry microbes. But, when it is submerged in the food with a slight touch, the tiny bag on the other wing bursts open to scatter the anti-bacteria to kill the germs it has already left. This is one of the latest discoveries in medicine.) Prophets advice for health “O Servant of God, use medicine, because God hath not created a pain without a remedy for it”. "Use of Medicine is the Decree of God"“If I bring something to you on your religion, do act according to it, and if I bring you something related to this world, then you have a better knowledge of your own earthly affairs (Maurice Bucaille in ‘Quran Bible and Science’)."“Do not neglect having your diseases treated, for God does not send a disease for which He will not send a cure except for old age.” ‘When you hear about a break of plague in any area, do not enter there and when it has broken in a land where you are, then do not run way from it (and spread elsewhere).’(Principle of quarantine)“Keep away from the leper as you do from a lion. (To prevent the spread of leprosy.)”“When a dog has licked a bowl of yours, clean it seven times, first time with earth, the other six with water.(Dogs carry microbes of certain diseases)”“If dogs were not a separate community, I would order their killing. (For they carry germs harmful to man’s health.)” Before going to sleep :- 1. One should change into some other clothes (e.g.pyjamas).2. Apply surmah in both the eyes.,3. To brush the teeth with a miswaak,4. sleep on the right hand side.5. Sleep with the right palm under the right cheek.6. Keep the knees slightly bent when sleeping.“One must cut one’s nails & hairs of the pubic region within every forty days .”“Males must wear the pants above the ankles. Females should ensure that their lower garment covers their ankles”“To announce ones arrival by coughing, greeting, etc. even though it may be your own house”(A means for avoiding any fear.)”“If it did not place an excessive burden upon my community, I would command them to clean their teeth with miswak [a tooth stick] before each of the five daily prayers.” ‘Disease’ he said, ‘is not the wrath of God, because Prophets also suffered great pains, much greater than ordinary people. Victims of epidemics like Cholera and Plague are martyrs.’ “Resort to Medicine first and then pray to God to get rid of the diseases.”Prophets medicine for health --God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, once proclaimed that ten things are intrinsically necessary for men and therefore ordered by the Prophets. Circumcision is one of them.(scientists admit that the loose fold of the skin at the end of the male sex organ is exposed and susceptible to infections and even to cancer. Therefore, millions of people are circumcised in Europe and America .)--"Khumbi (mushroom) is a part of Mann, Mann actually is from paradise, its water is a cure for the ailments of the eyes."--"A house without dates has no food - also to be eaten at the time of childbirth."--"Fig is a fruit from paradise and a cure for piles."--"None of your women who are pregnant and eat of water melon will fail to produce off spring who are good in countenance and good in character." --"Pomegranate cleanses you of Satan and evil aspirations for 40 days."--"The best drink in this world and the hereafter is water, when you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps,gulping produces sickness of the liver. "--"Have regular use of honey for keeping fit." --"Black Cumin (Hadith; Habb al-Sauda) is a remedy for every disease except death."--"milk wipes away heat from the heart just as the finger wipes away sweat from the brow. It strengthens the back, improved the brain, renews vision and drives away forgetfulness.--For loss of appetite he frequently advised to take Talbina, a preparation of Barley.--For constipation he used to recommend the use of Senna.-- Similarly, for different ailments he would advise for taking herbal drugs like Olive, Black Cumin, Chicory, Fenugreek, Ginger, Marjorum, Saffron, Vinegar, Water-Cress etc.--“Treat your eyes with kohl, for it nourishes eyes and eyelashes.”--“It is not permissible to eat any unslaughtered chicken. Such chicken will be Harmful” (Its the Scientific fact Jhatka(Blood Clotted Meat) is harmful for Human beings and more painful for the animals (SPINAL CORD disaster before death)) --“I command every woman to have Clothing such as to cover the whole body with the exception of the face and the hands. & that clothing should not be fitting that reveal the shape of the body.(not exposing the skin, is an advice given by the US Department of Health And Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.They have sponsored a campaign called "Choose Your Cover for skin", encouraging people to protect themselves from sun's UV rays and skin cancer.The campaign's section on clothing notes that "a long-sleeved shirt and long pants with a thick weave provide the best protection.) A man asked the Messenger :-‘I used to suffer from an illness, and I took alcohol for a remedy. When alcohol was banned, I went to God’s Messenger, and asked him whether I would be allowed to continue taking alcohol. No, for it(alcohol ) is not a remedy, rather it is the disease itself, God’s Messenger declared. A woman asked the Messenger :-‘O God’s Messenger, my blood does not stop; shall I abandon the prescribed prayers?’ No, you must not, for it is not the menstrual blood, it is a hemorrhage, God’s Messenger replied. Muhammad (pbuh) was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. He always described himself as, 'A Servant and Messenger of God,' and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be. (EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY in HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54)

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. The Beneficent, the Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment.Thee do we serve and Thee do we beseech for help. Keep us on the right path. The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray.[the Holy Quran- Sura # 1,Aayat 1-7] - AMEEN
"Say: we believe in God and in what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma'il: Isaac, Jacob and The Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus and the Prophets, from their Lord: We make no distinction between one and another, among them, and to God do we bow our will (in Islam)." (Qur'an, Al-Imran 3:84)
"So,verily,with every difficulty,there is relief."-[THE HOLY QURAN,094.005]
"If Allah is your protector,none can overcome you,and if He forsakes you, then who can help you? Trust Allah and have faith in His sovereign power"[Qur'an, Al-Imran, Surah 3:160]
"Faint not nor grieve for you will overcome them if you are(indeed) believers."[Qur'an, Aal -e-imraan-3, Aayat 139]
"And say "O my Lord! I seek refuge with Thee from the suggestions of the Evil Ones.And I seek refuge with Thee O my Lord! lest they should come near me." [Qur'an, AL-MUMENOON 023.097-98]
"O ye who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are true (in word and deed)." [Qur'an, Al-Tauba,009.119]
Then which of the favours of your Lord will ye deny?[THE HOLY QURAN ,AR-RAHMAN]

Is Your Iman Strong?

CHECK WHETHER YOUR IMAN IS STRONG

1) Committing sins and not feeling any guilt.
2) Having a hard heart and no desire to read the Quran.
3) Feeling too lazy to do good deeds, e.g. being late for salat
4) Neglecting the Sunnah.
5) Having mood swings, for instance being upset about petty things and bothered and irritated most of the time.
6) Not feeling anything when hearing verses from the Quran, for example when Allah warns us of punishments and His promise of glad tidings
.7) Finding difficulty in remembering Allah and making dhikr.
8) Not feeling bad when things are done against the Shariah.
9) Desiring status and wealth.
10) Being mean and miserly, i.e. not wanting to part with wealth.
11) Ordering others to do good deeds when not practising them ourselves.
12) Feeling pleased when things are not progressing for others.
13) Being concerned with whether something is haram or halal only; and not avoiding makroo (not recommended) things.
14) Making fun of people who do simple good deeds, like cleaning the mosque.
15) Not feeling concerned about the situation of Muslims.
16) Not feeling the responsibility to do something to promote Islam.
17) Being unable to deal with calamities, for instance crying and yelling in funerals.
18) Liking to argue just for the sake of arguing without any proof. 1
9) Becoming engrossed and very involved with dunya, worldly things, i.e. feeling bad only when losing something in terms of material wealth.
20) Becoming engrossed and obsessive about ourselves.

LISTED BELOW ARE WAYS TO INCREASE OUR IMAAN
1) Recite and ponder on the meanings of the Quran. Tranquility then descends and our hearts become soft. To get optimum benefit, remind yourself that Allah is speaking to you. People are described in different categories in the Quran; think of which one you find yourself in
.2) Realize the greatness of Allah. Everything is under His control. There are signs in everything we see that points us to His greatness. Everything happens according to His permission. Allah keeps track and looks after everything, even a black ant on a black rock on a black moonless night.
3) Make an effort to gain knowledge, for at least the basic things in daily life e.g. how to make wudu properly. Know the meanings behind Allah's names and attributes. People who have taqwa are those who have knowledge.
4) Attend gatherings where Allah is remembered. In such gatherings we are surrounded by angels.
5) We have to increase our good deeds. One good deed leads to another good deed. Allah will make the way easy for someone who gives charity and also make it easy for him or her to do good deeds. Good deeds must be done continuously, not in spurts.
6) We must fear the miserable end to our lives; the remembrance of death is the destroyer of pleasures. 7) Remember the different levels of akhirah, for instance when we are put in our graves, when we are judged, whether we will be in paradise or hell.
8) Make dua, realize that we need Allah. Be humble. Don't covet material things in this life.
9) Our love for Subhana Wa Ta'Ala must be shown in actions. We must hope Allah will accept our prayers, and be in constant fear that we do wrong. At night before going to sleep, we must think about what good we did during that day.
10) Realize the effects of sins and disobedience- one's imaan is increased with good deeds and our imaan is decreased by bad deeds. Everything that happens is because Allah wanted it. When calamity befalls us- it is also from Allah. It is a direct result of our disobedience to Allah.
"KEEP THIS CIRCULATING - IT WILL HELP US BECOME BETTER MUSLIMS, INSHA - ALLAH"

Is Jesus GOD?

1. Bible Says that God is NOT Man:
The Bible says: Numbers 23:19: "God is not a man…", Hosea 11:9: "...For I am God, and not man..."
Jesus is called a man many times in the Bible: John 8:40: "…a man who has told you the truth…", Acts 2:22: "Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.", Acts 17:31: "He will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom He has appointed", 1 Tim. 2:5: "…the man Christ Jesus.", God is not a man, but Jesus, may God praise him, was a man, therefore, Jesus was not God.

2. The Bible Says that God is NOT a Son of Man:
Numbers 23:19: "God is not a man...nor a son of man…"
The Bible often calls Jesus "a son of man" or "the son of man.": Matthew 12:40: "…so will the son of man be…", Matthew 16:27: "For the son of man is going to come…", Matthew 28: "…until they see the son of man coming in His kingdom.", Mark 2:10: "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority…", John 5:27: "…because He is the son of man."
In the Hebrew Scriptures, the "son of man" is also used many times speaking of people (Job 25:6; Psalm 80:17; 144:3; Ezekiel 2:1; 2:3; 2:6; 2:8; 3:1; 3:3; 3:4; 3:10; 3:17; 3:25).
Since God would not contradict Himself by first saying He is not the son of a man, then becoming a human being who was called "the son of man", he would not have done so. Remember God is not the author of confusion. Also, human beings, including Jesus, are called "son of man" specifically to distinguish them from God, who is not a "son of man" according to the Bible.

3. The Bible Says that Jesus Denied He is GOD:
Luke 18:19: Jesus spoke to a man who had called him "good," asking him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.", M atthew 19:17: And he said to him, "Why are you asking me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
Jesus did not teach people that he was God. If Jesus had been telling people that he was God, he would have complimented the man. Instead, Jesus rebuked him, denying he was good, that is, Jesus denied he was God.

4. The Bible Says that God is Greater than Jesus:
John 14:28: "My Father is greater than I.", John 10:29: "My father is greater than all."
Jesus can not be God if God is greater than him. The Christian belief that the Father and son are equal is in direct contrast to the clear words from Jesus.

5. Jesus Never Instructed His Disciples to Worship Himself or the Holy Ghost, but God and God only:
Luke 11:2: "When you pray, say Our Father which art in heaven.", John 16:23: "In that day, you shall ask me nothing. Whatsoever you ask of the Father in my name.", John 4:23: "The hour cometh and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship him."
If Jesus was God, he would have sought worship for himself. Since he didn't, instead he sought worship for God in the heavens, therefore, he was not God.

6. The Bible Says that Jesus Recognized, Prayed, & Worshipped the ONLY true GOD:
Jesus prayed to God with the words: John 17:3: "…that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." and Jesus prayed to God all night: Luke 6:12: "he continued all night in prayer to God."
…because: Matthew 20:28: Just as the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve. How did Jesus pray to God? Matthew 26:39: '…he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father…"
Even Paul said: Hebrews 5:7: "During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission."

Who was Jesus praying to when he fell on his face with loud cries and petitions? Was it himself? Was Jesus crying in tears to himself pleading to be saved from death? No man, sane or insane, prays to himself! Surely the answer must be a resounding 'No.' Jesus was praying to "the only true God." The God Jesus was the servant of, the One Who sent him. Can there be a clearer proof that Jesus was not God?

The Quran confirms that Jesus called for the worship of the Only True God: "Truly, God is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him (alone). This is the straight path." (Quran 3:51)

7. The Bible says that the disciples did not believe Jesus was GOD:
The Acts of the Apostles in the Bible details the activity of the disciples over a period of thirty years after Jesus, may God praise him, was raised to heaven. Throughout this period, they never referred to Jesus as God. For instance Peter stood up with the eleven disciples and addressed a crowd saying: Acts 2:22: "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know."
For Peter, Jesus was a servant of God (confirmed in Matthew 12:18): Acts 3:13: "The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus .", Acts 3:26: "God raised up his servant..."
When faced by opposition from the authorities, Peter said: Acts 5:29-30: "We must obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus..."
The disciples prayed to God just as they were commanded by Jesus in Luke 11:2, and considered Jesus to be God's servant, Acts 4:24: "...they raised their voices together in prayer to God. 'Sovereign Lord,' they said, 'you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.'" Acts 4:27: "...your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.", Acts 4:30: "…of Your holy servant Jesus."

This is exactly what the Quran states of Jesus: Quran 19: 30 "…I am indeed a servant of God."

8. The Bible says that Jesus was God's servant, chosen one, and beloved:
Matt. 12:18: "Behold, My servant, whom I have chosen, in whom My soul is well pleased."
Since Jesus is God's servant, Jesus can not be God.

9. The Bible says that Jesus could not Do anything by Himself:
John 5:19: "The son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his Father doing.", John 5:30: "I can of mine own self do nothing."
Jesus did not consider himself equal with God, rather he denied doing anything by himself.

10. The Bible says that God performed miracles through Jesus & Jesus was limited in what he could do:
Matt. 9:8: "But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.", Acts 2:22: "a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst." and Acts 10:38: "…he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him."
If Christ was God, the Bible would simply say that Jesus did the miracles himself without making reference to God. The fact that it was God supplying the power for the miracles shows that God is greater than Jesus.
Also, Jesus was limited in performing miracles. One time when Jesus tried to heal a blind man, the man was not healed after the first attempt, and Jesus had to try a second time (Mark 8:22-26). Once a woman was healed of her incurable bleeding. The woman came up behind him and touched his cloak, and she was immediately healed. But Jesus had no idea who touched him: Mark 5:30: "At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?'", Mark 6:5: "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them."
Quite obviously, someone with such limitations can not be God. The power of miracles was not within Jesus.

11. The Bible says that at times of weakness Angels strengthened Jesus; God, however, does NOT need to be strengthened:
Luke 22:43: "An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him [in the garden of Gethsemane].", Mk. 1:13: "Then the devil left him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him." and Mark 1:13: "And he was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to him."
Men need to be strengthened; God does not because God is All-Powerful. If Jesus had to be strengthened, he must not be God.

12. The Bible says that Jesus wanted God's will to be done, not his own:
Luke 22:42: "not my will but Yours be done.", John 5:30: "I do not seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me." and John 6:38: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me."
Are some members of the coequal Trinity subservient, and less than equal, to other members? Even though they have different wills ("I do not seek my own will"), do they obey without question the others' commands ("the will of Him who sent me")? Jesus admits to subordinating his own distinct will, yet according to the Trinitarian doctrine they should all have the same will. Should one of the triune partners have to forgo his own will in favor of the will of another member of the Trinity? Should not they all have the exact same will?

13. The Bible says Jesus regarded God's testimony as separate from his own:
Jesus regarded himself and God as two, not "one." John 8:17 and 18: "I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father.", and John 14:1: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."
If Jesus was God, He would have not have regarded God's testimony as separate from his own.

14. The Bible says that Jesus is subordinate to God:
1 Corinthians 11:3: "Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God." and 1 Corinthians 15:28: "When he has done this, then the son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all."
Since Jesus was subordinate to God, he was not God.

15. The Bible says that Jesus grew in wisdom & learning, but God is All Wise & does not (need to) learn:
Jesus grew in wisdom, but God is all wise: Psalms 147:5: "Great is our Lord and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.", and Luke 2:52: "And Jesus increased in wisdom."
God does not need to learn, but Jesus learned. Heb. 5:8: "Although he was a son, he learned obedience…"

16. The Bible says that Jesus had limited knowledge, but God's knowledge is infinite:
Mark 13:32 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the Father."
Since Jesus, may God praise him, did not know, he was not all-knowing, and therefore, he cannot be the God whose knowledge is all-encompassing.

17. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted, but God cannot be tempted:
Heb. 4:15: "tempted in every way—just as we are", and James 1:13: "for God cannot be tempted by evil"
Since God can not be tempted, but Jesus was, therefore, Jesus was not God.

18. The Bible says that Jesus teachings were from God, NOT Jesus himself:
John 7:16: "So Jesus answered them and said, "My teaching is not mine, but His who sent me."
Jesus could not have said this if he were God because the doctrine would have been his.

19. The Bible says that Jesus died, but God cannot die:
The Bible teaches that Jesus died. God cannot die. Romans 1:23 and other verses say that God is immortal. Immortal means, "not subject to death." This term applies only to God.

20. The Bible says that Jesus lived because of God:
John 6:57: "I live because of the Father."
Jesus cannot be God because he depended on God for his own existence.

21. The Bible says that Jesus' powers were given to him:
Matt 28:18: "All power is given unto me."
God is all-powerful, no one gives God His powers, otherwise He would not be God because He would be weak. Therefore, Jesus could not be God.

22. The Bible says that Jesus was taught to commanded by god:
John 8:28: "As my Father hath taught me, I speak these things,", John 12:49: "The Father, who sent me, he gave me a commandment." and John 15:10: "I have kept my Father's commandments."
No one can teach God, otherwise God cannot be All-Knowing and would owe His teacher. Since Jesus was taught and commanded by God, Jesus cannot be God himself. The teacher and the student, the commander and the commanded are not one.

23. The Bible says that God made Jesus "Lord":
Acts 2:36: "God has made this Jesus... both Lord and Christ."
"Lord" is used in many ways in the Bible, and others beside God and Jesus are called "Lord." For example:
property owners (Matt. 20:8)
heads of households (Mk 13:35)
slave owners (Matt. 10:24)
husbands (1 Pet. 3:6)
a son called his father Lord ( Matt. 21:30)
the Roman Emperor was called Lord ( Acts 25:26)
Roman authorities were called Lord ( Matt. 27:63)
"Lord" is not the same as "God." "Lord" (the Greek word is kurios) is a masculine title of respect and nobility used many times in the Bible. If Jesus were God, then for the Bible to say he was "made" Lord would make no sense.

24. The Bible says that Jesus was lower than Angels:
Hebrews 2:9: "But we do see him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus."
God, the Creator of angels, can not be lower than His own creation, but Jesus was. Therefore, Jesus was not God.

25. The Bible says that Jesus called the Father 'my God"
Matt. 27:46: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?", John 20:17: "I ascend to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God." and Rev. 3:12 "… the temple of my God… the name of my God… the city of my God… comes down out of heaven from my God."
Jesus did not think of himself as God, instead Jesus' God is the same as ours.

26. The Bible says that God cannot be seen, but Jesus was:
John 1:18: "no man has seen God at any time."

27. The Bible says twice that Jesus was accused of being God, BUT he DENIED it:
According to the Bible, on only two instances the Jews opposed Jesus on the basis that he pretended to be God or equal with God. Had Jesus, may God praise him, claimed to be God, he is likely to have been opposed on this basis more frequently. Because in these two instances, when charged, in the one case, with making himself God, and in the other, with making himself equal with God, he denied the charges. In reply to the charge of being an equal with God, he says immediately: John 5:19, 30: "The son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do"; and directly after: "I can of mine own self do nothing."
In answer to the charge of making himself God, he appeals to the Jews in substance thus: Your own Scriptures call Moses a god, and your magistrates gods; I am surely not inferior to them, yet I did not call myself God, but only the "son" of God (John 10:34-36).

This is unlikely to have been Jesus' actual response. Hastings in "The Dictionary of the Bible" says, "Whether Jesus used it of himself is doubtful." Grolier's encyclopedia, under the heading "Jesus Christ," says, "it is uncertain whether the Father/Son language (Mark 18:32; Matt. 11:25-27 par.; John passim) goes back to Jesus himself." A University of Richmond professor, Dr. Robert Alley, after considerable research into newly found ancient documents concludes that:

"....The (Biblical) passages where Jesus talks about the Son of God are later additions.... what the church said about him. Such a claim of deity for himself would not have been consistent with his entire lifestyle as we can reconstruct. For the first three decades after Jesus' death Christianity continued as a sect within Judaism. The first three decades of the existence of the church were within the synagogue. That would have been beyond belief if they (the followers) had boldly proclaimed the deity of Jesus."

Assuming Jesus did say that he was "son" of God. What did it mean? We first need to know the language of his people, the language of the Jews to whom he was speaking.

First, most people think there are no other verses that contradict or give equal divine sonship to other persons in the Old or New Testament. But according to the Bible God had quite a few "sons": Adam, [1] Jacob is God's son and firstborn, [2] Solomon [3], Ephraim [4] is God's firstborn, common people are called the sons of God. [5] All four Gospels record Jesus as saying, "Blessed are the peace-makers; they will be called sons of God."

The word "son" cannot be accepted literally because in the Bible, God apparently addresses many of his chosen servants as "son" and "sons." The Hebrews believed God is One, and had neither wife nor children in any literal sense. Therefore, it is obvious the _expression "son of God" merely meant "Servant of God"; one who, because of faithful service, was close and dear to God as a son is to his father. Christians who came from a Greek or Roman background, later misused this term. In their heritage, "son of God" signified an incarnation of a god or someone born of a physical union between male and female gods. This can be seen in Acts 14: 11-13, where we read that when Paul and Barnabas preached in a city of Turkey , pagans claimed they were gods incarnate. They called Barnabas the Roman god Zeus, and Paul the Roman god Hermes.

Furthermore, the New Testament Greek word translated as "son" are "pias" and "paida" which mean "servant," or "son in the sense of servant." These are translated to "son" in reference to Jesus and "servant" in reference to all others in some translations of the Bible. So, consistent with other verses, Jesus was merely saying that he is God's servant.
Additional Problems with Trinity

To a Christian, God had to take human form to understand temptation and human suffering, but the concept is not based on any clear words of Jesus. In contrast, God does not need to be tempted and suffer in order to be able to understand and forgive man's sins, for He is the all knowing Creator of man. This is expressed in the verse:

Exodus 3:7: "And the Lord said: 'I have surely seen the affliction of My people that are in Egypt, and I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; for I know their pains.'"

God forgave sin before Jesus' appearance, and He continues to forgive without any assistance. When a believer sins, he may come before God in sincere repentance to receive forgiveness. Indeed, the offer to humble oneself before God and be saved is made to all humankind.

Isaiah 45:21-22, cf. Jonah 3:5-10: "And there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside Me. Look to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else."

Biblically, people can receive forgiveness of sins through sincere repentance sought directly from God. This is true at all times and in all places. There has never been a need for the so-called intercessionary role Jesus plays in attaining atonement. The facts speak for themselves. There is no truth to the Christian belief that Jesus died for our sins and salvation is only through Jesus. What about the salvation of people before Jesus? Jesus' death brings neither atonement from sin, nor is it in any way a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Christians claim that in the birth of Jesus, there occurred the miracle of the incarnation of God in the form of a human being. To say that God became truly a human being invites a number of questions. Let us ask the following about the man-God Jesus. What happened to his foreskin after his circumcision (Luke 2:21)? Did it ascend to heaven, or did it decompose as with any human piece of flesh? During his lifetime what happened to his hair, nails, and blood shed from wounds? Did the cells of his body die as in ordinary human beings? If his body did not function in a truly human way, he could not be truly human as well as truly God. Yet, if his body functioned exactly in a human way, this would nullify any claim to divinity. It would be impossible for any part of God, even if incarnate, to decompose in any way and still be considered God. The everlasting, one God, in whole or in part, does not die, disintegrate, or decompose:

Malachi 3:6 "For I the Lord do not change."

Did Jesus' flesh dwell in safety after his death? Unless Jesus' body never underwent "decay" during his lifetime he could not be God, but if it did not undergo "decay" then he was not truly human.
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/35/viewall/

Questions & Answers About Islam

Q: Who is Allah, and is He the same as God?
A: When Muslims talk about God, they automatically think of Allah. Allah is the Arabic word for “The One True God”. He is the Almighty, the Creator who created the universe, mankind and all other forms of life. Allah is the sustainer of life and the One who regulates all that happens in the universe. Throughout these questions, I will refer to god as Allah and so you know who I am talking about.

Q: What is Islam, and what does the word "Islam" mean?
A: Islam is Allah’s eternal message to mankind. Islam originated with our father Adam (peace be upon him) and then the torch was passed on to other elect messengers. Islam's message was, still is and will always be the belief in and submission to the One True God alone, the Creator and the Sustainer of all things, the Exalted and the Redeemer of all things. The word Islam itself means "submission and surrendering" to Allah, wilfully obeying His commands.

Q: I heard something about the 5 pillars of Islam and the 6 pillars of faith. Could you elaborate more on these pillars?
A: You are right! Islam has two different types of pillars: The pillars of Islam and the pillars of faith in Islam. The 5 pillars of Islam are:
1. Al-Shahadatan" the testimony that there is no God but Allah and Mohammad is Messenger of Allah,
2. performing prayer (Salah),
3. giving Alms (Zakah),
4. fasting (Sawm),
5. and performing Pilgrimage (Hajj) for those who are able.

The 6 pillars of Faith in Islam are:
1. The belief in One God, Allah,
2. the belief in His Angels,
3. the belief in His Scriptures,
4. the belief in His Messengers,
5. the belief in Judgment Day.
6. and the belief in the divine decree, the good and the bad of it.

Q: Who is Mohammad?
A: Mohammad (peace be upon him) was born in Mecca 570 CE. At age forty he was elected by Allah to convey His Message to mankind. The Message is to worship Allah alone, not ascribing partners with Him. Mohammad (peace be upon him) spent the last 23 years of his life conveying God's Message to all people. Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) died at age 63 and his resting place lies in the city of Medina in Saudi Arabia. He is Allah’s final Messenger to mankind.
Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) came to re-institute Islam, the religion of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them). The following prophecy is obtained from the Bible regarding Mohammad's cometh from Arabia. In HABAKKUK 3:3 “God (Jesus) came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise." The place of Teman is the area located southeast of Palestine, and Paran is the area of Mecca in Saudi Arabia where the Holy One (Mohammad peace be upon him) came from.

Q: What is the deal with the term(s) "Mohammadeen", "Muhammedanism" or Mohammedans in Islam?
A: There are no such terms at all. Other religions have been named after their founders or after the community in which the religion was prospered. For example, Christianity has been named after Christ. Judaism after the tribe of Judah, and Buddhism after Buddha. Westerners falsely gave the name "Muhammedanism" or Mohammadeen" to Islam after Mohammad (peace be upon him) and also called his followers "Mohammedans". However the terms “Islam” and “Muslims” are actually found in the Qur’an, the final revelation of Allah. (see «27:31»), («3:19») & («22:78»).

Q: Who is Satan and what is his name in Arabic?
A: Satan is an evil being that is focussed on tempting and misguiding mankind away from the religion of Allah. His name in Arabic is Iblis and also by the name of "Shaytaan" (which means Devil). He is from the creation known as the "jinn" or as it is commonly known in English as “spirits”.

Q: Why does Satan despise humans and desire their destruction?
A: Satan was a mighty and distinguished creature that was a servant of Allah. However when Allah created Adam, Allah honoured him by commanding the angels and Satan, to prostrate to Adam as a sign of respect and not as a sign of worship. All of them prostrated to Adam except Satan, who was created with freewill and decided to disobey Allah. Allah asked him, “What made you not prostrate to Adam and disobey my commandment?” Satan replied, “I am better than Adam, you created him from clay and created me from fire.” Allah cursed Satan and Satan vowed to destroy Adam and his descendants forever.

Q: I am still confused, I thought Satan was an angel like Gabriel and he has no free will but to worship God?
A: False. If Satan was an angel, then we wouldn't have any problems with him at all. Angels are a special creation of Allah. He created angels from divine light and do not have free will in doing things but to worship God and obey his commandments. Satan, on the other hand, is a Jinn, and like mankind, Satan and the "jinnkind" have free will in their actions; free will of doing good and free will of doing bad. Ref. QURAN «(18:50)»

Q: Is it true that Adam was the first messenger of Allah?
A: Yes, Adam had the responsibility to convey Allah’s message and laws to his descendants. From the beginning, Adam's message to the first generation of mankind was to worship the One True God, Allah alone.

Q: Why did God send messengers, and why not instead communicate with us directly?
A: Allah created us, placed us on Earth and gave us this beautiful life. He gave us intellect, reason and the gift of choice. So this life is a test from Him to see which of us believes, is thankful and obedient to Him. Now if Allah revealed Himself directly to us, there would be no test as none of us would reject Him. If this was the case there would be no need for us to live on Earth, as we may as well all be living in paradise. But rather we are here – even though Allah has knowledge of all things – to see who will believe and submit to Him and who will disbelieve and reject Him.
In addition to this, if we look at the nature of Allah, He is able to do all things that are Holy and Godly. So it is not befitting for Him to come to Earth and communicate to us in this manner. An example of what I mean is, as humans we manufacture appliances for specific purposes. For example, a tape recorder is designed and manufactured by humans. Now it has never been suggested that in order to understand what is good for the tape recorder, or to communicate with it, that the manufacturer (human) should become a tape recorder himself. Rather the manufacturer publishes an instruction manual on the recorder. In this respect, human beings are also complex and we too have a Designer and a Manufacturer. So we wouldn’t expect our Designer to come to Earth as one of us to communicate to us in this manner. Rather He revealed the “instruction manual” for mankind and chose messengers, who were ideal examples to be followed and who would explain the “manual” from Allah.

Q: How many prophets and messengers did God send to mankind?
A: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us approximately 124,000 prophets and messengers were sent to mankind. The Qur’an lists 25 of the most popular ones. They are: Adam, Enoch (Idris), Noah, Hud, Salih, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Lot, Jacob (Yaqub), Joseph (Yusuf), Shu'aib, Job (Ayyob), Moses (Musa), Aaron (Haroon), Ezekiel (Dhul-Kifl), David (Dawood), Solomon (Sulaiman), Elias, Elisha (El-Yasa), Jonah (Yunus), Zechariah, John (Yahya), Jesus, and Mohammad, peace be upon them all.

Q: Are you telling me both Moses and Jesus were Muslims? If so, prove it and I would like to see something from the Bible in this regard?
A: Both Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) were Muslims, since both had conveyed the very same Message - "Submission and surrendering" to the One True God.
Here is the proof from the Bible:
Moses said: ‘"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is ONE Lord."’ (DEUTERONOMY 6:4). Approximately 1500 years later Jesus said: ‘"...The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is ONE Lord." ’(MARK 12:29).
Of course Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) came along approximately 600 years later, bringing identical message again: «"And your God is ONE God: There is no God but He" »(The QURAN 2:163)

Q: I am still confused, if Mohammad was to be God's final and most glorified Prophet, how come we don't see his name in the Bible?
A: Mohammad's name is indeed mentioned in the original Bible manuscripts. The word "Mahmad" is found in the original Hebrew manuscript and it means the "desired one", or the "glorified one". In the 15th century, exactly in 1539, "Great Bible" was the first and official English translated bible to be authorized for public use, and when the Bible was translated to the English language, many words and expressions were translated differently and sometimes omitted altogether, including the word "Mahmad" which is the name of Prophet Mohammad, (peace be upon him). Here is the verse in the Bible: ‘"And I (God) will shake all nations, and the "desire one" of all nations shall come." ’HAGGI 2:7
Also in the Bible, God is saying to Moses: ‘“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” ’(Deuteronomy 18:18-19)
Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) was similar to Moses (peace be upon him) and he was the only prophet from whose mouth the words of God were spoken (Qur’an). Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) spoke in God's name all the time. Also in Isaiah 51:4, it is said that there will be a new law for all the people. Also, in Isaiah 66:20, it was made clear that the prophet would come from the BRETHREN, not children of the Israel. (i.e. the Arabs)

Q: Are you telling me, all other religions are bogus and Islam is the only true religion?
A: Well, isn't that the case with all religions!? Every religion claims to be the right one and others are wrong. Islam is the belief in One God - Allah, the Creator of all things. Islam doesn't believe in the "middleman" fallacy as the case with many religions including Christianity. In Christianity, to be saved you have to believe in Jesus (peace be upon him) as the Son of God, and without such confession and belief in Jesus, you're most definitely going to Hellfire. Islam, on the other hand, declares that believing in One God, and that Mohammad is His messenger, and obeying God's laws and His prophet's doctrine is the only passport to Heaven.

Q: Is it really sensible that God will reward Heaven only to Muslims and punish others that can easily add up to millions or even billions of people of various religions?
A: Yes it is very sensible. If you read both the Bible and the Qur’an you will uncover that God severely punished the unbelievers and the wicked people throughout the history of mankind. That includes the people of Prophet Noah (peace be upon him), the people of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him), Lot, Moses (peace be upon them), etc... Numbers don't mean a thing in the eyes of God and that shouldn't be considered as an exception at all. Only faith counts and not numbers.

Q: But what about people in our time! We don't know anything about Islam and Mohammad! Would that be considered against us on Judgment Day?
A: Yes it will be considered against you. Before the coming of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), God vowed not to punish people or hold them responsible without sending messengers. Unlike Moses & Jesus (peace be upon him), Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) was very distinct since he was sent to all mankind with God's final message before Judgment Day. Everybody, the least, has heard of Mohammad's name. We live in the information age, and within our fingertips, using computers or TVs, we can learn just about anything including religions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also told us that everyone of us is born with a natural inclination to worship God alone, the Almighty Allah, but many factors have tendency to force a person to deviate from the right path such as: Satan's influence, Parents, Society, etc.

Q: Why can't Muslims accept the term "Son of God", even though it is in the Bible and referring to Jesus?
A: The term "Son of God" was used metaphorically speaking to those who were godly and pious men. It was never meant to be used literally as the case with Christianity toward Jesus (peace be upon him). In fact, the term "Son of God" is used all over the Bible referring to people other than Jesus, check out the following verses:
‘"…the son of Enoch, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.”’ LUKE 3:38
‘"…that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose."’ GENESIS 6:2
‘"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the LORD, Israel is My son, My firstborn."’ EXODUS 4:22
‘"…For I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn."’ JEREMIAH 31:9
‘"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God."’ ROMANS 8:14
So how come Christians don't regard those people as Gods, the way they regard Jesus (peace be upon him)?

Q: Christians believe that Jesus is the way and their Only Savior; could you give me a solid proof to indicate otherwise?
A: Yes I could, and again, it will be from the Bible. The Bible says:
‘“Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things? Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, it is truth. . Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. . I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no Savior." ’ISAIAH 43:9-11
God said, to let all nations and people gather together to bear witness to this truth (Islam), and know that I (God) have chosen my servant (Mohammad). And that He is God with none other before or after. The Chapter talks about all nations being unified under one flag (Islam). Also, in verse 11, God very clearly and categorically stated that He is the Only Savior and none else.

Q: Why Muslims don't eat Swine (Pork) meat?
A: For the same reason both Moses & Jesus (peace be upon them) refused to eat it. God commanded Muslims not to eat Swine meet. God also commanded Moses not to eat or even touch the Swine meat as in the following verses in the Bible:
‘"…and the pig, for though it divides the hoof, thus making a split hoof, it does not chew cud, it is unclean to you. You shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you."’ LEVITICUS 11:7-8

Q: But hey, we are not Jews! We are Christians governed by Grace and not Law?
A: Who said anything about the Jews? The above verses are found in the Christian Bible. Plus, we all know that God gave Moses (peace be upon him) numerous commandments and laws including the Ten Commandments, for people to obey, comply and to adhere to. Jesus (peace be upon him) came along 1500 years later to re-institute Moses' laws & commandments and that by itself is a sign that Prophets came from the same institution with the same message & guidance.
Jesus (peace be upon him) said: ‘“Think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfill."’ MATTHEW 5:17. Jesus (peace be upon him) said: ‘“If you love me, keep my commandments." ’JOHN 14:15. One of these commandments is not to eat Swine meet. I don't see Grace at all, all I see Laws and Commandments that ought to be followed.

Q: According to Muslims, God vowed to preserve the Qur’an. How come the earlier scriptures weren't persevered, and after all, they are God's words?
A: God does not promise such protection or preservation to the former scriptures as the case with the Qur’an. Every prophet was armed with special miracles to prove the authenticity of his message. Moses came to people who rely heavily on magic, so God gave him immense power through his cane. Jesus came to people who were known of strong medical abilities, so God gave him the ability to cure people and even to raise the dead. Both Prophets Moses & Jesus (pbut) were sent to specific people (sons of Israel) with the mentioned miracles and the scriptures. On the other hand, Mohammad (peace be upon him) was sent to people who were fluent in Arabic Language and its grammar. God gave him the Qur’an as his main and lasting miracle. The Qur’an is very unique in its originality and delivery, and the Arabic Language is the best to preserve such revelation. Since Mohammad (peace be upon him) is the final messenger to mankind and the Qur’an was his main miracle, God has promised to protect the Qur’an forever.
Remember, if the miracle dies, then its authenticity will most definitely die and perish. Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) had their miracles but not in their books, but rather in their actions (the power of the cane & healing), and once they're gone, it was easy for people to edit and interpolate their scriptures (Torah & Bible) to fit their own selfish desires. So far, and after 1400 years later, the Qur’an remains untouched and persevered from corruption. Muslims still believe in Mohammad's original revelation and divine message. The preservation isn't only limited to the text, but to the divine message, and to the delivery and originality.

Q: Is it true the Qur’an has scientific and medical facts?
A: Yes it is. But remember though, the Qur’an is not a scientific book. The Qur’an carries a divine message and guidance from the Almighty to all mankind. This message touches upon all aspects of human's life including science and medical aspects. When people embraced Islam, it wasn't because of the scientific facts the Qur’an brought forward, but rather because of the divine message in the belief of the One, the Almighty. People embraced Islam because Islam is a simple religion that is sensible and harmonize with the human instinct. Islam is a complete way of life that is based on fairness, equality, and purity amongst all mankind.

Q: I noticed various Islamic Sects! Could you list them for me?
A: About 84 % of Muslims are Sunni. The word Sunni is based on the word Sunnah which is an Arabic word means the Prophet's tradition. Sunnis believe in Allah as the One Creator and Mohammad is His last and final Messenger. Also, Sunnis believe in the Qur’an and Sunnah as the two main sources of Islam. There are, however, Muslim bunches who deviated from the right path of Islam such as: Shia, Baha'i, Sufi, Ahmadiya, etc. So be cautious in knowing whom you are dealing with.

Q: What is the total number of Muslims around the world?
A: 1997 Statistics shows a population of 1.78 Billion Muslim.

Q: Why do Muslims pray so much, you know, 5 times a day! Isn't belief in Allah enough?
A: Besides the fact it's a Commandment from the Almighty, the prayer (Salah) is considered to be a continuous and daily discipline for Muslims. It's true we have the belief in One God and His messenger Mohammad (peace be upon him) embedded in our hearts, but like earlier Muslims, God has prescribed Laws and Commandments for us to observe and adhere to. When we pray, we recite the Qur’an that has God's genuine words and directions. We also offer supplications and blessings to God. The line of communication between Muslims and God never slows down ever. The prayer (Salah) itself is considered a supplication to the Almighty. It is how we make our connection to God and remember him everyday. It is how we ground ourselves while at the same time elevating ourselves spiritually.

Q: I am spiritually confused! What should I do?
A: You owe it to yourself to search for the truth, and I am sure if you have an honest intention searching for the truth, God will aid you in your endeavor. Read more about Islam and weigh your options. Read more about the early revelations & messengers of God and comprehend their law & guidance that they had conveyed to their people at that time, then compare all present religions and see which one coincide with the early revelations.

Q: But I am satisfied with my own belief, so why should I pursue other religion in the first place?
A: Remember, mankind has a free will to do whatever he desires, and we are all held accountable for what we do. If you are content with your religion, then you are solely responsible for your actions & belief and no one else.

Q: How do I become a Muslim?
A: Unlike other religions, Islam doesn't have certain rituals or baptism by religious groups or individuals. All you need to do is to declare the Testimony (Shahadatan). The Testimony is: ‘"I testify that there is no God but Allah, and Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah". ’Once you establish this pure belief in your heart, then you can proceed unto the rest of the pillars of Islam. Many Islamic foundations and mosques will be able to help you getting started learning about Islam...


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Journey To Islam

In The Name Of ALLAH, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful
Those whom Allah (in His Plan) willeth to guide He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying He maketh their breast close and constricted as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth Allah (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe. {Surah: Al An’am(07); Ayah #125}

Allah’s grace that I'm blessed with deen of Allah, I’m Mohammed Umar Rao from India , I embraced Islam 6 years back at the age of 18. I wanted to share my story with you all perhaps this would make a difference for non Muslims to really think over to know what is the truth .I shared my story with 2 brothers, Alhamdulillah, they were convinced that my decision and choice is best, they started reading Qur’an and also embraced it few days back.

My Background:
I come from a middle class orthodox Brahmin family; my parents worked in private firms (Mother: Teacher, Father: Textile Engineer). My religious education was at my maternal uncle’s place, that's how I became orthodox and my whole family education was always against Muslims, which was nailed in me deeply.
I was associated with RSS for few years; I always hated Muslims to the extent that in all public functions I wanted to give high volume for music sound boxes to ensure that the Adhaan should not be heard at all. I used to go round the town visiting all temples to complete my worship everyday. I was liked, appreciated in family for being orthodox and encouraged to do more.

My Meeting with Islam:
In the summer, my mother asked me to work for a Muslim business firm, which I disagreed, because from childhood I always hated Muslims. My mother stopped forcing me on this; I worked few summers with a non-Muslim so I was able to satisfy my parents. Later, I quit that part time job because I did not like the job and started concentrating more on studies aiming for a better job. Meantime, my mother, sisters worked 2 months in part time for this Muslim brother. They were highly impressed with him.
I always hated this person because I did not like the fact that my people were praising a Muslim whom I always hated. I was pushed and insulted for not being useful to the family, so I started working for the same Muslim brother though I hated him before going. After getting in his shop I started hating more because the non Muslim employees of that shop embraced Islam, I took this challenge to teach him a lesson claiming my religion is true and from there, I started doing comparative study with whatever common sense which Allah had blessed me then.
By now, in the verge to know more about Islam, I started reading English translation of the Holy Qur’an (By: Abdullah Yousuf Ali). This changed my entire student life; I was stuck with fear, doubts, I realized the fact that whatever I’m doing is wrong, my religion is all about imaginations/myths and false stories. I had many questions, doubts like where am I heading to, what should I do? What is my duty? Why has the message of truth not reached all of us? Many questions came to my mind and my entire student life went in this hunt of truth.
I started questioning my parents, people around that who has seen God almighty to paint / make images of God, all answered me that none has seen God which is so true as it is mentioned in many places in The Qur’an. Finally, some mythological stories broke my faith down. The stories of Ganesha, Chamundeswari, Ram, Sita etc did not make sense to me. I could no longer imagine them as gods.
When I questioned my parents that Vedas are against Idol Worship and why do we still practice it, my mother scolded me saying we are supposed to do it as our forefathers did it, the next day I read a verse in the Qur’an, Al Baqarah (Chapter 2) which reads “If truth has come to you, Will you still follow footsteps of fools who went before?” and “We will not ask you about what they did, nor ask them about what you do , every soul has will get it has earned”. When I read this I was shocked to see something which I just questioned my mother last night. This ayah (verse) hit me right deep inside. I slowly stopped worshipping idols, and stopped doing Pooja (Editor’s note: A Hindu ritual for prayer), since shirk (Polytheism) is the only sin which will never be forgiven. I started practicing the teachings of Islam in secret in the beginning. There were few quotes from chapter Al Baqarah (Chapter 2) in which Allah says " There are few, who accept Islam wherever it profits them and not whole heartedly, these are hypocrites", Also chapter Al Maidah (Chapter 3) "I perfected your religion this day, I choose Islam for you, no other religion will be accepted by your Lord, Know that Allah is All wise”. I realized that for all the questions that I have in my mind, the answers are present in the Qur’an.
By grace of Allah, I started conveying message of Allah at my home with little knowledge I had, I wanted to complete my B.E meantime, conveying the truth would make it easy in the long run for me and my family, but after my final year of diploma I was pushed to wall, then the time came where I had no choice but to quit my family, my sister also embraced Islam and she joined me. We had to live out of our house for more than a year without a job, regular source of income. Alhamdulillah, Allah made our ways easy to be firm on truth.
As Allah says in the Qur’an "If they say we believe, don't you think they will be tested?" Over a period, Alhamdulillah, Allah opened doors of opportunities for us, I had quit my previous job as I was unable to perform my five times prayer, All the opportunities that came my way were from the mechanical industry which demanded that I work in shift and compromise my prayer. After quitting that job / mechanical profession for 1+ year, I did not get any job where I can perform 5 times prayer, Grace of Allah, I started working as faculty for 2000 rupees for a year and now I'm blessed with a better Job. By the Grace of Allah, Almighty Allah has chosen us, there's nothing more required.

Muhammed Umar Rao

18 ANSWERS OF THE HOLY PROPHET s.a.- MUST READ AND FORWARD

Dialogue between a traveller and the prophet (saw) A traveller once came
to the mosque to see the prophet. After greeting the prophet he was
asked where he was from. The traveller replied that he came from
very far just to get a few questions answered. Following is the dialogue
between the traveler and the prophet.

Traveler: I do not want adhaab to be written in my account.
Prophet: behave well with your parents

Traveller: I want to be known amongst people as an intelligent person.
Prophet : fear Allah always.

Traveller: I want to be counted amongst Allah's favorites.
Prophet: recite quran every morning and evening.

Traveller: I want my heart to always be enlightened. (roshan and munawer)
Prophet: never forget death.

Traveller: I never want to be away from Allah's blessing.
Prophet: always treat fellow creatures well.

Traveller: I never want to be harmed by my enemies.
Prophet: always have faith in only Allah.

Traveller: I never want to be humiliated.
Prophet: be careful of your actions.

Traveller: I wish to live long.
Prophet : always do sile rahm. (goodness towards blood relations)

Traveller: I want my sustenance to increase.
Prophet: always be in wudhoo.

Traveller: I wish to stay free of adhaab in the grave.
Prophet: always wear pure (paak) clothes.

Traveller: I never want to burn in hell.
Prophet: control your eyes and tongue.

Traveller: how do I get my sins forgiven.
Prophet: always ask forgiveness from allah with a lot of humility.

Traveller: I want people to respect me always.
Prophet: never extend your hands of need at people.

Traveller: I want to always be honored.
Prophet: never humiliate or put down anyone.

Traveller: I don't want to be squeezed by fishare qabr. (Squeezing in the grave)
Prophet: recite sura e mulk often.

Traveller: I want my wealth to increase.
Prophet: recite sura e waqia every night.

Traveller: I want to be safe and at peace on day of judgement.
Prophet: do zikr of Allah from dusk to night.

Traveller: I want to be in full attention and concentration during prayers.
Prophet: always do wudhoo with concentration and attention.

Kindly do forward to all Momineens.

Partition Between Men and Women in Mosques

ALLAH commands Muslims to refer to people of knowledge to get themselves well acquainted with the teachings of Islam as well as all aspects of life. It is perfectly Islamic to hold meetings of men and women inside the mosque, whether for prayers or for any other Islamic purpose, without separating them with a curtain, partition or wall.
If there is a concern that the lines of men and women will mix inside the mosques, then there is no harm in putting a lower barrier, only to demarcate the separate area for women. But women should not be put in a totally separate room in the mosques unless there is a shortage of space and no other proper arrangement can be done for them.
Both men and women are allowed to pray in the mosque in the Friday congregational prayer. When men and women are together in the mosque then we should have first men's lines behind the Imam, then children and then women. This is the way Muslims used to pray behind the Prophet (peace be upon him). He did not make or ask his Companions to have a curtain or wall between the lines of men and women. (See Al-Sindi's Commentary on Sunan An-Nasa'i, p. 798)
According to Shariah, it is not required to have a partition, neither of temporary nor of permanent nature, between men and women in the mosques.
It is perfectly Islamic to hold meetings of men and women inside the mosques, whether for prayers or for any other Islamic purpose, without separating them with a curtain, partition or wall.
It is, however, very important that Muslim women come to public gatherings wearing proper Islamic dress, for it is haram (forbidden) for a Muslim woman to attend a public gathering without a full Islamic dress. She must cover her hair and neck with a scarf, which should also go over her bosom. Her dress should be modest and loose enough in order not to reveal the shape of her body.
It stands to reason that partitions were introduced inside the mosques later in Islamic history. This was done, perhaps, because some women began coming to mosques without observing proper Islamic dress, or perhaps, some men wanted to discourage them from coming to mosques. During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) there was no curtain or partition in his mosque, although women used to come to the mosques almost for every prayer and for many other gatherings. It is, however, reported that they used to come to the mosques dressed up in long clothes. A'ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the believing women used to attend the dawn prayer with the Prophet (peace be upon him). They used to come wrapped up in their long garments and then they used to return to their homes after the prayer, no one could recognize them because of the darkness. (Reported by Al-Bukhari)
Jumuah means a congregation of people who are praying behind one Imam in continuous lines without any barrier or interruption. As for people who pray behind the Imam, they should either see the Imam or see those who are in front of them. There is no Jumuah when a person is in one room and his/her Imam in another room, the lines are not continuous and the people behind the Imam are also not visible, otherwise people would not have to come to the mosque for Jumuah prayer. They would stay home and pray listening to the loudspeakers from their mosque or through intercoms. They could nowadays even pray Jumuah prayer in this way in their own homes listening to the prayer broadcasts coming from Makkah and Madinah on their radios, television sets or through the Internet. But no jurists have ever allowed a Jumuah prayer in this way.
The definition of Jumuah that is given above is a general one and is applicable to both men and women. Only in the case of necessity this rule can be relaxed. For example, if the mosque was too small and people had to pray on different levels or in different rooms to accommodate every person then this would be permissible because of necessity. Muslims should not deliberately and for no reason bifurcate their congregation in their mosques.
If there is a concern that the lines of men and women will mix inside the mosques, then there is no harm in putting a lower barrier, only to demarcate the separate area for women. But women should not be put in a totally separate room in the mosques unless there is a shortage of space and no other proper arrangement can be done for them.

Muslim Nobilty in Russia A Historical Perspective

The steady territorial expansion of the Russian
Empire, which at the time extended to the regions of
Siberia, Crimea, the Caucasus and Turkestan, as well
as a number of Polish territories along the Volga and
the Urals, in effect meant that many historically
Islamic nationalities came under Russia's rule.

According to the first national Census of 1897,
approximately 14 million people out of the Nations 130
million were Moslems. The vast majority of those were
the Shiites, while in the regions of the Caucasus and
Pamir (now Tajikistan) a smaller section of Moslems
were the Sunnites. One of the most important goals of
the Imperial authorities was to establish solid
relations with the Moslem nobility, which, alongside
with the clergy and the merchants, was the leading
group of the Moslem community in Russia.

The hereditary nobility, the descendants of
Ghengisids, as well as other noble families
constituted a considerable portion of the Moslem
social elite. The relationship between the Russian
authorities and the Moslem minorities has seen the
periods of tension and strain. Although the word of
Islam and Moslem institutions were never officially
outlawed in Muskovy, the conversion into Orthodox
Christianity was generally quite welcomed. Several
hundred names of the Turkic origin are listed in the
Russian gentry statutes. The Usupovs, the Tenishevs,
the Urusovs and many others were the key figures of
the political, military and cultural history of
Russia.

In 1598 to 1605 Boris Godunov, a descendant of one
such family, became a ruling Czar of Russia. A number
of noble Tatar- Bashkir families offered their service
to the Russian Czar, while keeping their Moslem faith.
Such families were granted permission to keep their
land estates, and even received new lands. Their
service was paid from the Czar?s treasury, but
nonetheless they did not have rights to own Christian
serfs.

The 16th and 17th centuries saw the establishment of
the so-called Kasimov fiefdom, -a Moslem khanate,
located to the south of Moscow and vassal to Russia.
The governor of the Kasimov khanate had to be a Moslem
descendant of the Ghengisids; the lands were mainly
inhabited by the Tatars, who were bound by obligation
to serve to the Russian State.

In the numerous wars waged by the Muscovite State
against its adversaries, detachments of Moslem Tatars
fought side by side with the Russians. The Moslem
soldiers helped Muscovy to achieve a decisive victory
over the militia of the city of Novgorod at the river
Shelon. In 1552 the Moslem troops of Kasimov Tatars
?the loyal vassals of Moscow- joined the Orthodox
Russian soldiers in their offensive against the Tatar
kingdom of Kazan. It should be noted that the
intrinsic conflicts that followed the annexation of
the regions along the Volga, were not, by and large,
based on the Russians vs. non-Russians principle- the
position of both parties was rarely determined by the
issues of national or religious identity.

The conflicts of this troublesome period were rooted
in the confrontation between the advocates of the idea
of the multinational state and the opponents of the
single Moscow-controlled State. To illustrate the
point, one could turn to the events of the year 1612,
when the combined Kazan force, comprised of the
Russians and the Tatars, arrived in the city of
Yaroslavl to serve in militia. After the split-up that
followed, a portion of Orthodox Christians and Moslems
stayed to serve the Motherland and free Russia from
the alien yoke. Others made a choice of going on with
their rebellion, and according to the chronicle,
??great trouble and many calamities had they brought
to the land.

In 1613, when the Zemskii Sobor elected Michael
Romanov as the new Czar, the deed was signed by a
large group of individuals, with perhaps 700 members.
Among those were the seven Tatar noblemen, who spoke
for the revival of the single Russian State on behalf
of the Moslems of Russia.

The reign of Catherine the Great brought about a major
change in the state religious policy and the attitude
towards Islam in particular. On June 17, 1773 the
Empress signed a landmark decree on religious
toleration in Russia. By the terms of the Kucuc
Kaynarca peace treaty, the Russian government was
obliged to ensure the inviolability of all religious
freedoms for Moslems. Since then and up to the early
20th century Russia recognized the Ottomans right for
caliphate, or the supreme spiritual power over Sunnite
Moslems, even those under Russian authority.

In the meantime the Russian government began pursuing
the policy of incorporating the Empires Islamic gentry
into the Russian noble class. As a result of this
policy, by the end of the 19th century there were
approximately seventy thousand of Moslem hereditary
and service noblemen, which amounted to up to five
percent of the total number of gentry.

The Moslem nobility found the state military and civil
service by far the most reliable way of securing a
place among the Russian gentry class. Thus, in 1814
the gentry assembly at the city of Ufa conferred the
status of gentry to sixty-four Moslem officers who
took part in the offensive against Napoleon´s France.
By early 20th century a number of Moslem noble
families from European Russia: the Usupovs, the
Akchurins, the Gireys, the Yenikeyevs and the
Tevkelevs to name a few, - played the leading role in
the political life of the country. Many of them had
received higher education in the military and social
fields, occupied top political posts and acquired the
spirit of European cosmopolitanism.

The westernmost group of Moslem aristocracy, the
Tatars residing in the territories of the former
Poland and Lithuania, found themselves in a peculiar
situation. The Tatar gentry in Poland was deprived of
some privileges that were only available to the
Christian Polish szlachta, but nonetheless enjoyed the
right to own land allotments and serfs, whether
Christians or Moslems. Consequently, Russian
annexation of the territories of former Poland and
Lithuania in the 18th and early 19th centuries made
room for a peculiar case of conflicting legislation,
as the Russian laws forbade Moslems to have Christians
as serfs or servants.

Finally, the Russian authorities refrained from
altering the established traditions of the western
Moslem aristocracy (which amounted to perhaps 200
families.) Satisfied with the loyalty of the western
Moslem nobility, the Imperial authorities legitimized
their exceptional status with a number of decrees and
ad hoc edicts of 1840.

The Moslem nobility's position in the southern regions
of the Empire was clearly different from that in the
European parts of Russia. The society in Turkestan and
the Caucasus was heavily dependent on the norms of
common law. The network of social institutions for the
Moslem aristocracy was never established, and the
legislative basis for the nobility's corporate rights
was not yet founded as of 1917. For the most part, the
landowning and nomadic aristocrats? proprietary rights
for the land and cattle remained in force.

The southern Moslem nobility was entitled to both
civil and military service and was rewarded with
honors, decorations and rapid promotions, thereby
acquiring the service gentry status. Virtually all the
mid- and low-rank governmental positions in the
administrative units of the Caucasus, Turkestan and
the Steppe district (currently Central Asia) were
occupied by the representatives of the Islamic social
elite.

Those who were awarded with a decoration or rank that
would automatically confer the right for the
hereditary nobility, could take part in the activities
of the elective gentry organizations outside their
territories upon the respective permission.

The military service was an integral part of life for
the Moslem nobility. Dozens of Moslem officers and
generals were honored for their service in the
numerous conflicts Russia had to go through.
Thirty-three Bashkir and Tatar cavalry regiments and
the Moslems from all over Russia displayed their
courage during the offensive against Napoleonic France
in 1813-1814. In the middle of the 19th century a
detachment of noble Moslem officers was registered
among the elite escort regiment of His Majesty the
Emperor of Russia.

A number of documented decrees and instructions
display the government?s willingness to provide the
Moslem troops of the Caucasus and Crimean Life-Guards
squadron with the necessary conditions for the
religious rituals.

Such renowned Moslem generals as Alikhanov-Avarskii,
Yenikeyev, Tevkelev, Khalilov, Khan-Nakhichevanskii,
and many others, will go down to history as the true
heroes of Russia. The Moslem officers Samadbek
Mekhmandarov and Ali Aga Shikhlinskii, the heroic
defenders of Port Arthur in the course of the Japanese
war of 1904-1905, later became generals of the Russian
army. The distinguished entrepreneur, Gadzhi Zeinal
Ab-Din Tagiyev, also from Azerbaijan, started his
career as a poor apprentice.

Then he gradually worked his way up to become a
prominent oil tycoon, philanthropist and arts patron.
He was conferred a title of general and decorated with
the Empire?s most prestigious awards. In his decree of
1910 Nicholas II granted him with the privilege of
hereditary nobility. These events clearly show that
the Moslem nobility was generally favorably treated by
the Russian powers that be.

The Islamic aristocracy played a special role in the
governmental system of Russia, and actively
participated in the historic political and military
events. This page of the Russian history was turned in
1917, when the Moslem nobility, as well as the Russian
aristocracy in general, faced the challenges of the
new epoch.

By D. Arapov, PhD (Extracts from Muslim Nobilty) A
Historical perspective 14.06.20014