Issue 20 Vol. XXII, No. 27 in this issue Letters to the Editor............................... 2 Islam Makes Inroads in Italy..................... 3 Britain’s Prime Minister Praises Islam........ 4 Barbri Demolisher Accepts Islam................ 4 The Most Beautiful Names of Allah......... 5 Death is Coming......................................6 Al-Banna’s Letter to a Muslim Student.... .7 Women in Islam- From Skirts to Abayas..... 9 How I Embraced Islam............................. 11 The Quran & Science- The Mosquito.......14 Benefits of Sujud...................................... 15 The Origin of Arabic Numerals................ 15 Stories of the Sahaba- Omar (RA)............16 Sayings of the Prophet............................ 18 Islamic Dietary Laws- Honey....................19 Kid’s Corner- True Story. .......................20 Cook’s Corner- Ruz Bukhari...................21 This is Islam............................................21 The Stranger.........................................23 The Islamic Bulletin Published by the Islamic Community of Northern California A Non-Profit Corporation P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186 E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Website: http://www.islamicbulletin.org Dear Readers, Welcome to the latest edition of The Islamic Bulletin. We would like to thank you for your loyal support over the years. We hope you enjoy our modest efforts to spread the Word of Allah through this newsletter. In this issue, we have many interesting articles. There is an article on the growth of Islam in Italy, and one on Britain’s Prime Minister’s praise about the beauty of Islam. There is a story about a man from India who converted to Islam after participating in the destruction of a Masjid. We are very excited to publish the 99 Names of Allah. You should try to read them every day. Of course, if you were to memorize the 99 names in Arabic it would be even easier to remember and recite them every day. “A Letter to a Muslim Student,” which was written more than 50 years ago, yet still equally relevant and moving today, is one of our favorite articles in this issue. In “How I Embraced Islam,” a Southern woman tells about her moving story that led her to Islam and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Also inside this issue, read “Death Is Coming” and learn to cook Ruz Bukhari, a traditional main dish in Hadramout, South Yemen, plus much more. In recent months, people have inquired about the origins of The Islamic Bulletin. Here is a brief history of the publication: The first Islamic Bulletin, 14 pages long, was published in 1991. It was a simple, stapled newsletter. The graphics for that first issue were put on with tape. We made only 200 copies of the original issue. By the second issue, although we had printed 400, we still did not have enough for all of the people who wanted it! In only a few years, the Bulletin exploded in popularity, with a vast number of people responding positively. Now, almost 10 years later, we print 15,000 copies of each issue, which barely meets the demand. Our readers, around the country and globe, are excited and appreciate the information on Islam which we provide, and the nonpolitical message of faith and unity we try to communicate. With all of this success comes a lot of work, however. Not only do we face purchase, production, printing, mailing, and postage expenses for the Bulletin, but we also provide Qurans and Islamic literature to prison inmates and to the ever increasing number of new converts. We currently send this Bulletin to approximately 3,000 men and women incarcerated in American jails who have asked for our assistance in learning about Allah and the message of the Holy Prophet (pbuh). The Islamic Bulletin is completely self-supporting. We do not receive any grants or funding except from you, our readers; nor do we take any commercial ads in order to retain the purity of the publication. With this in mind, we are putting out a very strong appeal for your help. We need volunteers! The Bulletin takes a lot of love, devotion, attention, and work to produce. We ask that you share some of your energy, enthusiasm, and creativity with us. There are numerous things to do; from proofreading and helping with mailings, to assisting us with our Web Site. With your help, Insh’Allah, the Bulletin can grow to be even more successful and reach more people. Always feel free to contact us with your suggestions, and we thank those who have expressed enjoyment in this publication, we thank you. Please remember us in your prayers and Duha (supplications) and may Allah accept and strengthen us all in our continuing efforts.
Asalamu Alaikum, Dear Editor: I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy reading the Islamic Bulletin. I have been following it now for a couple of years. I would like to relate to you a very interesting experience I had while traveling from Oregon to California. I, along with six other Muslim brothers, left out home in Corvallis, Oregon to attend an Islamic meeting in California. While passing Oakland, California, our van broke down near a limousine rental place. Two of the people working at the limo place saw us stranded with the hood of our van raised. Although it was a Saturday night, the busiest night in the limousine business, these two men offered to drive us in their limo, without charge, to our destination. We asked to be driven to the nearest Mosque. Because we were unfamiliar with the Bay Area, we took out the ‘List of Mosques Sheet’ I had saved from your last edition of the Islamic Bulletin. The nearest mosque to us happened to be the Oakland Islamic Center on 31st Street and Telegraph. On our drive to the Masjid, we began to speak about Islam to the two men. They both said that they were Seventh Day Adventist and very happy with their religion. We then thanked the men for driving us and gifted them with a container of honey. When we arrived at the Masjid, the two men still refused to charge us. A Bayan (talk) was being given inside the Masjid, so we invited the two men to listen to the talk. Although one was a bit hesitant because he wanted to return to work, the other agreed to attend and convinced his buddy to join him and only ‘listen’. After the talk (Bayan) was over the two men were so touched by the lecture and happy with Islam and the prophet Muhammed (saw), that they accepted Islam. So not only were we blessed with participating in them becoming Muslim, but we were fortunate enough to find a mechanic at the Masjid who fixed our van. Mohamed Awad Corvallis, Oregon Asalamu Alaikum, Dear Editor: May Allah reward all those responsible for this interesting, informative publication. I found the articles thought provoking and stimulating. I do feel compelled to respond to the somewhat offensive letter by the brother on Hijab in your last issue. I spent a lot of time trying to respond in a way that will not Insha Allah create further conflict. The brother is right in reminding sisters of their need to cover. However, this letter is symptomatic of the gross over preoccupation of the Muslim Community at large men and women with this issue of Hijab. Hijab is a crucial aspect of our deen. It is necessary for fulfilling our duty to Allah, for our self-protection, for feeling proud to be Muslim this is undeniable. But surely, it is the “Inner Hijab” of both men and women that is of primary importance. You know, following all the other teachings of the Quran and Sunnah, being a kindhearted person, helping the needy, performing dawah you remember? Letters To The Editor Need to contact us? Web Address: www.islamicbulletin.org E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Editor, Islamic Bulletin P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186, USA Ultimately, we are all only answerable to Allah for any of our actions. It really does not concern anyone else, especially not a stranger as this brother is to the women he mentions. The brother is being lighthearted and playful which is fine. I too very playfully do wonder how this well meaning brother is able to have studied “insufficient hijab” to such a level that he has actually invented categories: ‘yoyo hijab’, ‘saran wrap’ etc. Yet he is still able to continue to keep his gaze lowered as Allah commands. I don’t wish to turn this into a gender battle but isn’t it funny how you hardly ever read articles on how Muslim men should lower their gaze? Yet this is as important a part of “Hijab” as any headscarf or jilbab you can buy. But on a very serious note, as your editorial points out, Hijab like so many other issues is a personal, spiritual journey. We are all at different stages on that journey. It is not easy to live in a non-Muslim country and walk around looking very different to the mainstream population. Muslims do face many different kinds of harassment because of the way they dress. No one puts on a scarf and says “Yippee, here I go can’t wait to look different from everyone around me.” It may take weeks, months, or years of coming to some kind of inner peace with what Allah has asked of us and what Society demands. Again, this is true of many of Allah’s commandments, so why obsess about Hijab? Who are we to judge anyone’s level of faith or commitment to Islam? Where are we finding the time to do this when our Ummah is in such disgraceful disarray, and Muslims are being persecuted across the globe? Is Hijab to be the only identity for a Muslim woman? If I have said anything to offend, I apologize. Allah alone knows best. Shereen Hussain I am a Muslim Woman by Jenn Zaghloul I am a Muslim woman Feel free to ask me why When I walk I walk with dignity When I speak I do not lie. I am a Muslim woman Not all of me you’ll see But what you should appreciate Is that the choice I make is free. I’m not plagued with depression I’m neither cheated nor abused I don’t envy other women And I’m certainly not confused. Note, I speak perfect English Et un petit peu de Francais aussi I’m majoring in Linguistics So you need not speak slowly. I run my own small business Every cent I earn is mine I drive my Chevy to school & work And no, that’s not a crime! You often stare as I walk by You don’t understand my veil But peace and power I have found As I am equal to any male! I am a Muslim woman So please don’t pity me For God has guided me to truth And now I’m finally free!
PALERMO, Sicily Italy- In this very Catholic country, there have always been other religions: a sprinkling of Waldensian Protestants in the north, traces of Islam in Sicily, well-established but small Jewish neighborhoods in Rome, Venice, and other big cities. But for the first time in centuries, a minority religion is set to become a major player in Italy’s future. Fueled largely by immigration from North Africa, the Middle East, and Albania, Islam is now the second-largest faith in what is still a nation that is 94 percent Catholic. Italy’s demographic changes provide a modern challenge, not only for these two world religions, but also for this nation positioned at the crossroads of continents, faith, and history. With the growth has come some tension, most recently when some Catholic-Muslim marriages ended in widely reported battles over custody and religious education of the children. The Italian Bishops Council responded by issuing a public warning against marriages between the two religions, citing “too much distance in culture”. But that reaction has drawn scorn from people like Amina Donatella Samina. Born in Rome, raised nominally Catholic, Samina has been a practicing Muslim since 1993, four years after marrying her Moroccan husband at city hall. “The church has a history of trying to destroy all that is different from it,” said Samina, who wore a white and blue scarf on her head as she sipped a cappuccino at Rome’s Caffe Doria. Citing the eighth-century arrival of the first Muslims in Sicily, the mother of three said her newfound faith has only enhanced her connection to her native Mediterranean identity. “We’re in the middle of everything here: Arab, Spanish, French, Slav. We need to overcome these narrow views so many have about who is Italian.” A walk around Palermo offers support for her views. Several Catholic churches look suspiciously like mosques, having been transformed into churches when Christians retook Sicily in the year 991, after two centuries of Tunisian rule left a lasting Islamic stamp on the island. Over the past millennium, however, the religious life of Italy and its islands has been the domain of the Catholic Church. “For hundreds of years, Italy has been based around one dominant religion,” said Maria Macioti, a sociology professor who has studied immigration in Italy for more than 20 years. “We’re not very accustomed to having another significant religious presence here.” There are now nearly 1 million Muslims in this country of 57 million. Though still smaller than the Islamic presence in other Western European countries, the number has doubled in just 10 years. Twenty eight years ago, Rosario Pasquini (Danilo) was a heavy smoker, drank more whisky than was good for him and led what he now describes as a nightmare existence, tormented by the stress of having to succeed in his job as a lawyer in the busy northern city of Milan. Pasquini, born in Fiume in 1934, graduated from the University of Milan in 1957 and became a Muslim in 1974. Now in his 60s, Pasquini calls himself Abdurrahman. He leads the Friday Prayer at the Mosque of Il Misericordioso and is a teacher of Arabic and Islamic culture. He is also the author of L’Islam Credo, Pilastri, Vertice e Perfezione and Muhammad, L’Inviato di Dio. Abdurrahman still lives in Milan, but he has traded his lawyer’s briefcase for something that gives him more satisfaction. He is now editor of a newspaper called “Il Messagero del Islam”, (The Messenger of Islam) an eight page tabloid written for the growing numbers of Italians who, like the former lawyer himself, decided to convert to the Muslim faith. “Every day, people come in wanting to know more about Islam and the conversion process,” said Abdurrahman, who edits his newspaper from an office at Milan’s Islamic Center. “Yesterday it was one, today there were two. They come from all over, from different classes and backgrounds, and they all have different reasons for doing it.” Abdurrahman himself received support and understanding from his own family. He says, “They took the view that I was old enough to make my mind up for myself, and let me get on with it. In fact, my mother, who is 93 years old and has remained a Catholic, recently said to me: ‘I Praise Allah, because if you had continued to live the way you did before you converted, you would be dead by now.’” He continues, “At the time I was prey to a terrible mental stress, brought on by the competitiveness that is so prevalent in our type of society. After a long period of searching, I finally arrived at Islam which says that no one except God has the right to judge and dominate other men. This is what I was looking for. For me it represented a liberation from a society which believes itself to be free, but which instead forces its members to bow under the yoke of many, many different demands.” Like many converts, Abdurrahman embraced his new faith whole heartily. He learned Arabic so he could read the Quran and participate in mosque life without having to rely on translations. His command of the language has become so good that he now teaches it. The former lawyer’s interpretation of the Muslim faith is strict and unyielding. As well as announcements of births, marriages and conversions, his Muslim newspaper carries advice on how Italian converts should behave. One of the factors that contributed to his conversion was a meeting that developed into a strong friendship with Jordanian born, Ali Abu Shwaima, then a medical student, now the director of the Milan Islamic Center. Shwaima’s wife is also Italian. Like Pasquini, she decided to convert to Islam and changed her name from Paola Moretti to Khadija, after the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) first wife. Today, she recalls with some amusement the first time she ventured out into the streets wearing a veil. That was 28 years ago, when Italians were far less used to seeing Muslims than they are now. “I felt everyone’s eyes on me. It was rather embarrassing,” she said. “I could hear the other women in the supermarket whispering things like, ‘who is she, a nun?’ Or ‘Maybe she belongs to some sect.’ But that kind of attitude no longer bothers me, she said. I’m sure of the choice I made. It certainly wasn’t easy at the beginning, when I made my conversion. But wearing the veil is a duty for women. I couldn’t accept one part of the Quran and not the other.” Guiuseppina, now known as Fatima, was a Roman Catholic nun, studying theology and living in a convent in Modena in central Italy. She began reading the Quran, and as her interest grew she started having doubts about her own religion and vocation. She took to visiting the Islamic Center in Milan, and finally after a great deal of soul searching, she renounced her vows and converted to Islam. Today, she is married to a fellow Muslim. Daniela was born in Sicily and became a convert nine years ago, when she married an Egyptian. She willingly obeys all the rules of her new faith. “When I go out, I always wear a scarf over my head and I keep my legs and arms covered,” she said. “A woman should keep all parts of feminine beauty covered, because only her husband has the right to see them. It seems perfectly right to me.” In spite of her acceptance of what other Western Women might see as limitations, Daniela claims her relationship with her husband is one of absolute equality. Franco Leccesi, who prefers to be known as Omar, claims the precise rules laid down by Islam help a person gain greater self discipline, which in turn leads to physical and spiritual improvement. Looking back to the old days before he converted seven years ago, he said: “I always used to try to impose my own self discipline, but it never lasted very long,” added the 42 year Neapolitan artist, “but in the past six years I’ve noticed a dramatic improvement in myself. If you pray five times a day it also forces you to break off from the daily treadmill. It makes you stop and reflect and prevents you from becoming an automation, who lives his life mechanically. One thing that strikes me very deeply is the dramatic difference between old people in many Muslim countries, and those in the West.” he added. “There, the elderly are often far more lucid and energetic, right up until old age, they often have remarkable physical and mental powers in comparison with people of the same age over In Catholic Italy, Islam Makes Inroads
over here. It’s largely due to the lifestyle they learn from childhood, which enables them to eliminate stress and to do without the kind of things that poison our systems. We westerns have lost so much of the spiritual dimension of our lives. It’s as though we’ve fallen into a deep sleep. We’re living in a world that is so empty- it’s very frightening to contemplate.” Like most Italians, Leccesi was brought up a Roman Catholic, but for years he felt that something was missing from his life. He says, “When I read the Bible, I totally agreed with everything it said, but I saw that practice was very different from the theory. People didn’t behave in a way that did (the bible) justice”, he said. A series of visits to the Naples mosques, together with the Italian friend who had already converted to the Islamic faith, convinced Leccesi that becoming a Muslimwould give himwhat he defines as “the something extra” that he was looking for. His friends were skeptical at first. “It was quite hard at the beginning. People were upset because it seemed such a strange thing to do. To them, it was a step into the unknown. Some of my more intelligent friends looked at me with a sort of admiration, even though they still thought I was a bit crazy,” said Leccesi. His wife found the decision hard to accept at first. For a start, she had to get used to calling the man she married as Franco by his new name of Omar. “Now, she sometimes calls me Franco and sometimes Omar, though I really don’t mind which,” said Leccesi. “You can’t force people to believe the things you do, and I’ve never tried with her, but even she is showing more interest than she once did. You could now describe her as a sympathizer.” More to the point, Muslims account for 36.5 percent of the 1.5 million immigrants in Italy and Islam has overtaken Catholicism, at 27.4 percent, as the largest religious group among newcomers. Perhaps here more than elsewhere, the crossover questions of immigration and religion are vexing a nation where St. Peter’s Basilica and Europe’s largest mosque are just a city bus ride apart. Magdi Allam, who covers immigration and Muslim issues for the newspaper La Repubblica, said Italy has a wide mix of Muslims that mirrors the diversity of the faith around the world: There are some 10,000 Italian-born converts, a largely moderate flock from Morocco, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, and vast numbers of arrivals from Albania. The Muslim community has not received official government recognition - bestowed on an array of smaller faiths, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, and Buddhists - that would guarantee state-approved religious education, finance mosques and associations, and legalize Muslim marriage rites. The government grants official recognition to other religions under a 1984 modification of the Concordat, an agreement between the Italian state and the Vatican signed in 1929 to give special status to Roman Catholicism. Native-born converts, the foreign embassies of Morocco and Saudi Arabia - whose royal family largely financed the building of the mammoth mosque in Rome - and other Muslim groups have been bickering for more than two years over who will negotiate the terms of the agreement. Once these differences are resolved, the Italian brand of Islam can play a major role in the religion’s future across the globe, said Hamza Roberto Piccardo, who has been a Muslim since 1984. “In no country in Europe has there been such a rapid growth,” said Piccardo, adding that the number of mosques and Islamic cultural centers has gone from 12 to 400 in the past 16 years. “Italy is the bridge between Africa, the Middle East, and Europe that make for a particular kind of Islam here.” But as the presence expands, so does the possibility for conflict. Piccardo said “Islamaphobia” is part of a Western penchant to find new enemies in the post-Cold War world. But Piccardo concedes that Italy’s history raises the stakes. “The idea of Christianity is dominant here,” said Piccardo, who concurs with the church’s effort to dissuade intermarriage. “We are a family: Jews, Christians and Muslims; the problems within a family are always more difficult.” Tony Blair Calls on Britain to Reach Out for More Understanding of Islam ”There is a lot of misunderstanding about Islam. It is a deeply reflective, peaceful, a very beautiful religious faith,” stated British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in an interview with The Muslim News, a United Kingdom based newspaper. The Prime Minister stated that he “owns two copies of the Quran and carries one with him whenever he can,” a habit he picked up from Chelsea Clinton. He also expressed his respect for Islam by saying that he “draws inspiration from it. If you read the Qur’an, it is so clear, the concept of love and fellowship as the guiding spirits of humanity.” The public statements made by the Prime Minister illustrating his appreciation of Islam, and his call for the necessity of Britain to “ reach out and build greater understanding of what Islam is and means and the values that underpin it,” are an illustration of the growing recognition of Islam. Mr. Blair also predicted that there would be more Muslim Members of Parliament in the next election. In fact he said that he would be, “very surprised if the Labour Party didn’t have any Muslim candidates standing in winnable seats in the next election.” This interview with The Muslim News and Mr. Blair’s words of praise came after Britain sent the first ever official, British Hajj Delegation to offer consular assistance to British pilgrims. Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, who was nominated by Blair and became the first ever Muslim in the House of Lords, headed the Hajj Delegation. “The acknowledgment by the British government of its Muslim citizens is greatly appreciated and respected by the American Muslim community. We look for the increased inclusion of Muslims in public affairs and a more proactive role in society,” states Aly Abuzaakouk, Executive Director of the American Muslim Council. Demolisher of Babri Masjid Accepts Islam Ayodhya, India - Shive Prasad is a resident of Faisabad, where Ayodhya is situated. He was given the responsibility to guide four thousand Kar Sevak in the demolition of the Babri mosque.It was he who trained four thousand people on how to carry out the demolition. His whole family was actively involved in demolishing the Babri Masjid. Soon after the demolition of the mosque, Shive Prasad felt a depression in his heart. He had no peace of mind. He felt that he had committed a great sin. This event took place eight years ago. On Dec. 6, 1999 the same Shive Prasad was seeking forgiveness from Allah for his cruel act seven years back. He was fasting (non-obligatory) and regretting the act with tears and was seeking forgiveness from Allah in his prayers. Yes! Shive Prasad has embraced Islam. He has changed his name to Mohammed Mustafa. In 1997, he went to the city of Sharjah in order to seek employment. But even at work his mind was restless. On Dec. 4, 1998 as he was walking along the streets of Sharjah, he happened to hear a speech in Hindi before the Friday prayer held in a mosque. When he heard the speech, he felt something was different. He wanted to listen to the complete speech. The message about Allah created a revolution in his mind. He continued to listen to such speeches thereafter. The revolution in his heart was completed. (All praise be to God!) He has forfeited the ignorance and chosen the righteous path. When Shive Prasad embraced Islam, he was driven out by his upset family members. Now, he is praying to God that his family member will choose the righteous path as he did. Mohammed Mustafa has received continuous threats to be killed if he returns to India. But Mohammed Mustafa says firmly that he will never turn away from Islam- the righteous path even if death comes his way. Having learnt 17 Surahs in the Holy Qur’an, he is anxious to complete the learning of the entire Quran. Mustafa’s ambition is to become a true Islamic preacher and bring more people to Islam. If Allah wishes, Mustafa’s ambition will be fulfilled. The very same hands which demolished the Babri Masjid will build it up again, InshAllah.
The Most Beautiful Names of Allah The first part of the Muslim confession of faith (the shahada) is the basis for the concept of God in Islam. The Muslim bears witness that: “There is no god but God”, or “no divinity but the (one) Divinity”. The revealed Scripture of Islam, the Qur’an, is like a vast commentary on this simple statement, drawing from it all its implications for human life and thought. This conception of the Deity is strictly monotheistic and unitarian. God alone has absolute being, totally independent and totally self-sufficient. Whatever exists or ever could exist does so by His will. He has no “partner” either in creating the universe or in maintaining it in existence. The Qur’an tells us: “Say: He is Allah, The One, Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him”. (Quran 112: 1-4) It tells us also that: “Verily, when He intends a thing to be, He but says into it -Be!; and it is.” (Quran 36:82) He is Al-Ahad, The One, absolute unity. This is in sharp contrast to the Christian conception of the Trinity, The One cannot be divided, nor can it be diminished or “humanized” by incarnation in any created form. God does not become His own creature, in fact He does not “become” anything; He is. To sum up: the God of Islam is transcendent, the All-Powerful and All-knowing Creator and Lawgiver; though at the same time infinitely merciful, generous and forgiving. Man, His creature and His servant, stands before Him without intermediary or intercessor, meeting Him through prayer during this brief life on earth and meeting Him face-to-face when life is over. In Islam, God does not embody Himself in any human being or make Himself accessible through idols and images. But he does make Himself accessible through His revealed Names. We, in our small way, can exemplify these qualities and attributes in our daily lives. Inspired and aided by the Most Merciful we can showmercy. Inspired and aided by the One who creates Guidance we can guide our fellowmen and women. Through His Light our lives may be illuminated. What we cannot hope to exemplify fully is His Perfection, but we can love it wholeheartedly. We love those who are kind to us, and God is Kindness itself. We love generosity when it is directed towards us, and He is The Generous. We are irresistibly drawn towards beauty, and He is the source of all Beauty. Above all, we love Perfection, and we seek it in vain in this imperfect world. We find it in God, who is alone perfect, and the Quran tells us that “the believers are strong in their love of God”. At the end of the road, sign-posted by the divine Names, the Muslim rejoices in an overwhelming love for the One who awaits us at journey’s end. An explanation of the meanings of the 99 divine attributes of God which the Prophet (SAW) said, “Allah has 99 names, one 100 minus one. The one who enumerates them enters Paradise.” 1. Allah God, The One other than whom There is no God 2. Ar-Rahman The Most Merciful 3. Ar-Rahim The Most Compassionate 4. Al-Malik The Sovereign Supreme 5. Al-Quddus The Most Holy One 6. As-Salam The Sound One with whom all salvation rests 7. Al-Mu’min The Giver of Faith, Safety, and Security 8. Al-Muhaymin The Protector and Guardian 9. Al-Aziz The Incomparable and Unparalleled One 10. Al-Jabbar The Compeller 11. Al-Mutakabbir The One Supreme in Pride and Greatness 12. Al-Khaliq The Creator 13. Al-Bari The Executive and The Maker 14. Al-Musawwir The Fashioner 15. Al-Ghaffar The Very Forgiving One 16. Al-Qahhar The Dominating One 17. Al-Wahhab The Giver of All 18. Ar-Razzaq The One Who Provides All Sustenance 19. Al-Fattah The Opener 20. Al-Alim The Omniscient One 21. Al-Qabid The One Who Takes Away 22. Al-Basit The One Who Gives Abundantly 23. Al-Khafid The Abaser 24. Ar-Rafi’ The Exalter 25. Al-Mu’izz The One Who Raises to Honor 26. Al-Mudhill The One Who Humiliates 27. As-Sami The Hearing of All 28. Al-Basir The Seer of All 29. Al-Hakam The Arbiter Supreme (Judge) 30. Al-Adl The Just One 31. Al-Latif The Subtle 32. Al-Khabir The All-Aware 33. Al-Halim The Forbearing 34. Al-Adim The Magnificent 35. Al-Ghafur The Forgiver and Hider of Faults 36. Ash-Shakur The Rewarder of Thankfulness 37. Al-’Aliyy The Highest 38. Al-Kabir The Truly Grand One 39. Al-Hafid The Preserver 40. Al-Muqit The Nourisher and The Watcher 41. Al-Hasib The Accounter 42. Al-Jalil The Mighty 43. Al-Karim The Generous 44. Ar-Raqib The Ever Watchful over everything 45. Al-Mujib The Responder 46. Al-Wasi The All- Comprehending 47. Al-Hakim The Perfect Wise 48. Al-Wadud The Loving One 49. Al-Majid The Majestic One 50. Al-Ba’ith The Resurrector 51. Ash-Shahid The Witness 52. Al-Haqq The Ultimate Truth 53. Al-Wakil The Ultimate Trustee 54. Al-Qawiyy The Possessor of All Strength 55. Al-Matin The Firm One 56. Al-’Waliyy The Governor 57. Al-Hamid The Ultimately Praiseworthy One 58. Al-Muhsi The Absolute Reckoner 59. Al-Muhyi The Giver of Life 60. Al-Mubdi The Originator 61. Al-Muid The Restorer 62. Al-Mumit The Taker of Life 63. Al-Hayy The Ever-Living 64. Al-Qayyum The Self-Existing One 65. Al-Waahid He Who is Uniquely One 66. Al-Maajid The Glorified One 67. Al-Wajid The Founder Who Has No Needs 68. As-Samad The Satisfier of All needs 69. Al-Qadir The All-Powerful 70. Al-Muqtadir The Bestower of Power upon Things 71. Al-Muqaddim The One Who Causes Advancement 72. Al-Mu’akhkhir The One Who Causes Retardation 73. Al-Awwal The First 74. Al-Akhir The Last 75. Ad-Dahir The Manifest One 76. Al-Batin The Hidden One 77. Al-Wali He Who has Charge Over All 78. Al-Muta’ali The Highly Exalted One 79. Al-Barr The Beneficent One 80. At-Tawwab He Who Accepts Repentance 81. Al-Muntaqim The Avenger 82. Al-’Afuww The Forgiver 83. Ar-Ra’uf The Most Compassionate 84. Malik Al-Mulk The Owner of All 85. Dhul-Jalal Wal-ikram Lord of Majesty and Bounty 86. Al-Muqsit The Upholder of Equity 87. Al-Jami The Gatherer 88. Al-Ghani The Independently Rich 89. Al-Mughni The Enriching One 90. Al-Mani The Preventer of Harm 91. Ad-Darr The Creator of The Harmful 92. An-Nafi The Creator of Good 93. An-Nur The Light 94. Al-Hadi The One who creates Guidance 95. Al-Badi’a The Originator of Creation 96. Al-Baqi The Everlasting One 97. Al-Warith The Ultimate Inheritor 98. Ar-Rashid The Righteous Teacher 99. As-Sabur The Patient One
It was early in the morning at four, When death knocked my bedroom door, Who is there? The sleeping one cried. I’m Izrael, let me inside. At once, the man began to shiver, As one sweating in deadly fever, He shouted to his sleeping wife, Don’t let him take away my life. Please go away, O Angel of Death! Leave me alone, I’m not ready yet. My family on me depends, Give me a chance, O please prepense! The angel knocked again and again, Friend! I’ll take your life without a pain, This your soul Allah requires, I come not with my own desire. Bewildered, the man began to cry, O Angel I’m so afraid to die, I’ll give you gold and be your slave, Don’t send me to the unlit grave. Let me in, O Friend! The Angel said, Open the door, get up from your bed. If you do not allow me in, I will walk through it, like a jinn. The man held a gun in his right hand, Ready to defy the Angel’s stand. I’ll point my gun, towards your head, You dare come in, I’ll shoot you dead. By now the Angel was in the room, Saying, O Friend! prepare for you doom. Foolish man, Angels never die, Put down your gun and do not sigh. Why are you afraid! Tell me O man, To die according to Allah’s plan? Come smile at me, do not be grim, Be Happy to return to Him. O Angel! I bow my head in shame, I had no time to take Allah’s Name. From morning till dusk, I made my wealth, Not even caring for my health. Allah’s command I never obeyed Nor five times a day I ever prayed. A Ramadan came and a Ramadan went, But no time had I to repent. The Hajj was already obligatory on me, But I would not part with my money. All charities I did ignore, Taking usury more and more. Sometimes I sipped my favorite wine, With flirting women I sat to dine. O Angel! I appeal to you, Spare my life for a year or two. The Laws of Quran I will obey, I’ll begin my prayers this very day. My Fast and Hajj, I will complete, And keep away from self conceit. I will refrain from usury, And give all my wealth to charity, Wine and wenches I will detest, Allah’s oneness I will attest. We Angels do what Allah demands, We cannot go against His commands. Death is ordained for everyone, Father, mother, daughter or son. I’m afraid this moment is your last, Now be reminded, of your past! I do understand your fears, But it is now too late for tears. You lived in this world, 2 score and more, Never did you, your people adore. Your parents, you did not obey, Hungry beggars, you turned away. Your two ill-gotten, female offspring, In night-clubs, for livelihood they sing. You ignored the Prayer call Azan, Nor did you read the Holy Quran. Breaking promises all your life, Backbiting friends, and causing strife. From hoarded goods, profits you made, And your poor workers, you underpaid. Horses and cards were your leisure, Moneymaking was your pleasure. You ate vitamins and grew more fat, With the very sick, you never sat. A pint of blood you never gave, Which could a little baby save. O Human, you have done enough wrong, You bought good properties for a song. When the farmers appealed to you, You did not have mercy, tis true. Paradise for you? I cannot tell, Undoubtedly you will dwell in hell. There is no time for you to repent, I’ll take your soul for which I am sent. The ending however, is very sad, Eventually the man became mad With a cry, he jumped out of bed, And suddenly, he fell down dead. O Reader! Take moral from here, You never know, your end may be near Change your living and make amends For heaven, on your deeds depends. Death is Coming
Al-Banna’s Letter to a Muslim Student LETTER TO A MUSLIM STUDENT is the English translation of a letter that Hasan al-Banna, (1906-1949), born in Egypt into a family of scholars, wrote to a student who was studying in the West with his wife. The sincere advice contained in this letter is drawn from the perennial values and ethos of Islam. It reminds the addressee, and indeed all Muslims, that the first and foremost goal in a Muslim’s life is to please God and live in accordance with His sacred law. Also, it brings home that studying ought not to be an end in itself or for seeking material gain; a Muslim ought to excel in his or her study in order to work for Islam and benefit humanity. My brother in Islam (whom may Allah guard and protect): I praise Allah for there is no god but Him. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad, who was sent as a mercy to all of humanity, upon his family, Companions and on all those who hold fast to the Shari’a1, until the Day of Judgement. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you when you travel with a proper intention and a noble purpose, and when you return with a sound endeavor and to a dedicated cause. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you as you serve Islam with the finest fruits of science and the best of knowledge. Dearest brother, you will be amongst people you have not known before and characters you are not accustomed to. In you they will see the example of a Muslim. So make sure they see in you the best example and the finest image, in order for them to understand that the word ‘Muslim’ embodies virtue and nobility. With you is a precious trust, that is your righteous wife, appreciate this. Towards her be a trustworthy companion. Provide her with comfort and happiness. Share with her felicity, without being careless in acquiring your rights and negligent in performing your duties. Read these few words that are borne out by my love and sincerity for you, as an elder brother expressing for his brother and sister the best wishes and the happiest life. 1. O my brother, excel in your observance of Allah (swt)2 in all your dealings. Understand that He (swt) keeps watch over you, sees you and encompasses all that is of concern to you wherever you are. He knows the treachery of your eyes and all that your heart conceals. Strive not to let Allah (swt) see you, except that He is pleased with you. Do not be unmindful in your observance of the One (glorified and exalted is He), otherwise Satan will infiltrate you and you will be overcome by the whispers of your whims and desires. Believe, my dearest brother, that whenever a heart is conscious of Allah’s observance, it will never be approached by Satan. However, once it departs from Allah’s awareness, evil will be attracted to it and it will be inhabited by whims and desires. So, consolidate your heart with the observance of Allah and in vigil seek refuge from your surroundings and do not be among the unmindful. 2. Perform the obligatory duties which Allah has enjoined upon you, at their appointed times. Do not neglect them by relying on performing them at a later time, because you are busy with work or resorting to other excuses for justification. This is a deception of your own self and of your own whims: And follow not desire that it beguile you from the way of Allah (Quran 38:26) Understand also my dearest brother that no one draws nearer to Allah with anything more beloved to Him than performing the obligatory duties as stated in the hadith of al-Bukhari3. So be aware not to neglect your obligatory duties or feel lazy in performing them; they are Allah’s right over you. Be steadfast in prayer and perfect your fast. If you are in a state of complete inability to fast, then according to the saying of Allah (swt) you have a remission: ... For those who are capable of fasting with difficulty (but still do not fast) there is a redemption: feeding a needy man for each day missed. Whoever, voluntarily, does more good than is required, will find it is better for him; and that you should fast is better for you, if you only knew. (Quran 2:184) But be aware not to take this verse as an excuse for falling short. Fasting with hardship in the homeland of the West will earn you a valuable reward and be an asset to your account; it is pleasing to your Lord and righteous to yourself. So do not attempt to break the fast, unless you are unable to complete it. I need not advise you, any further, towards your obligatory duties, after all they are your capital. Can you imagine one who has wasted his capital, what will his state be amongst tomorrow’s profit makers? 3. Spend whatever time you can in performing supererogatory works as duties of obedience. Perform the Sunna prayers. Increase your appeal for forgiveness and the praising of your Glorified Lord. Remember, that one’s supplication, during travel or in expatriation4, will be answered; hence, increase your supplication in secret and in humility. Continue your remembrance of Allah (swt). The Prophet (saw)5 advised ‘Ali (ra) to continuously dampen his tongue in the remembrance of Allah6. Do not abandon that path which leads you to nothing but duties and obedience, they are like an investment that multiply rewards. The remembrance of Allah amongst the unmindful nations is like a shining light. So make use of this time, for it is a season to harvest the rewards of the Hereafter, only for those who wish to seize the opportunities and benefit from such seasons. 4. Increase your recitation of the Glorious Quran with understanding and deliberation. It is a healing for the soul and a comfort to the heart. Designate from it a portion to read at the beginning of the day and a portion to read at the end of it, hence the best beginning and the best end. 5. In the delights of life and pleasures of the world, you will see that which inclines the heart, impresses the mind, attracts the eye and bewilders those whose spirits are weak. Do not let these seduce you away from virtue and cause you to forget the Hereafter: Do not turn your eyes covetously towards the embellishments of worldly life that We have bestowed upon various kinds of people to test them. But the clean provision bestowed upon you by your Lord is better and more enduring. Enjoin Prayer on your household, and do keep observing it We do not ask you for any worldly provision; rather: it is We Who provide you. The ultimate end is for piety. (Quran 20:131-2) Be aware my dearest brother that in the sight of Allah (swt) all these pleasures weigh not even the wing of a gnat and lead neither to honor nor virtue. They are nothing but the manifestations of whims and pitfalls of seduction. So be careful not to let Satan deceive you, otherwise you will plunge into the abyss of sin and corruption. Always remember the words of Allah (swt): Men are naturally tempted by the lure of women, children, treasures of gold and silver, horses of mark, cattle, and plantations. These are the enjoyments in the life of this world; but with Allah lies a goodly abode to return to. (Quran 3:14) The Book of Allah recites these facts day and night. So do not be amongst those who favor the worldly life over the Hereafter, or amongst those deceived by the outward appearance of things without considering their essence. All pleasures brought by contemporary civilization will result in nothing other than pain - A pain that will overwhelm their enticement and remove their sweetness. So avoid the worldly aspects of these people; do not let it take over your command and deceive you, if you are to be among the successors. 6. Dearest brother, what Allah has made Haram (unlawful) for us, those people consider it as Halal (lawful) for them. Hence, when they commit a Haram (unlawful) act, they will neither feel ashamed nor will they refrain from perpetrating it. You should neither agree with their whims nor mix with them in their sins. Otherwise, you will not be relieved from having to answer before Allah (swt) and it will not hold as an excuse on the Day of Judgement. 7. Do not take their women for company, and do not let there develop between you and them, any special friendship or any
emotional relationship. If this kind of socializing is a sin for those other than you, then it is a sin twice as great for you and you know well the meaning of this. Although you are known to us to be one that is trustworthy and decent, I have mentioned this to you, to caution you against the downfalls of sins so that your feet may never slip. And in your chastity let there be content and in your dignity let there be adequacy. 8. As for alcohol, do not approach it. And do not use the climate as an excuse, because when Allah made it Haram (unlawful), He had full knowledge about all types of climate but did not exclude one country from another or one nation from another from this prohibition. Allah (swt) made it forbidden with neither doubt nor exception. So be aware not to let it occupy a part of your abdomen, otherwise it will remain as a black spot on its pure skin. Be determined as much as possible before the first drink. Because once your mind is concealed by it, you will follow it by the second and third drink, whereby you will have fallen into a pit, difficult to escape from and will have incriminated yourself and others. Then, even if you expiated this sin with repentance, you would still not match your original purity and superb credibility. 9. Do not taste anything in those restaurants which serve Haram (unlawful) food, like pork and dead meat. In that which is Halal (lawful) you have a substitute and enough for contentment. So do not taste the Haram (unlawful) and do not let your flesh grow on it, otherwise fire is what it deserves. Allah (swt) has prohibited that which is impure: ... He enjoins upon them what is good and forbids them what is evil ... (Quran 7:157) So leave that which is bad for that which is good. 10. As for casinos, night-clubs, and other such places of vanity, your time is far too precious to be wasted in them. I have looked into the saying, ‘time is made of gold’, and I do not approve of it. Time is far more precious than gold, for time is life. Is it not true that your life is nothing but a few hours and you never know when they will end? Dearest brother, be stringent with your time and do not spend it except in that which is significant, and acquire pleasure in that which is lawful. In the heavens there is calmness and on the earth there is beauty. In the gardens there is freshness and in you there is a sign. In the sea there is might and in the air there is nourishment. Take from all this comfort for your soul and recovery for your mind. And do not waste your time by being unmindful, this will shield you from good and lead you to evil. 11. Be critical, with insight, and be just and well acquainted with people. Do not let your goodness draw you to forget their bad, and their bad hurt you to forget their goodness. Rather, study them as would a researcher and an examiner7. Encompass with knowledge all of their affairs, and then with an eye of insight, scrutinize it all. Present back the good that you find to your people and nation, and return with it victorious and supported. Other than that, throw it back on them and do not come back until you have dusted off your hands and emptied your mind of it all. You will find there a group of people dishonoring your Prophet (saw), faulting your Quran and disgracing your people. Do not sit with such people, until they turn to a different theme, even if it is necessary for you to enter into a dialogue with them8. Argue with them in the best manner. Explain to them the good that you know and avoid controversies that lead to hatred and sedition (fitna). Lo! You (O Muhammad) guide not whom you love, but Allah guides whom He will. And He is best aware of those who walk aright. (Quran 28:56) Dearest brother, be aware that calling the people through practical example is far better than calling them through speech9. It is far more fruitful and beneficial to use your commendable character, the perfection of yourself and your straight manner to defend and call them to your religion and nation. Whenever an opportunity arises for you to deliver a speech or a lecture at one of their meeting places or societies, prepare yourself for it. Choose that which will not stir disorder and that which will not offend integrity10. Do not be apprehended by their stance, because Allah’s aid is with those who are sincere. Be positive and do not insult other people’s beliefs instead, elucidate to them their innate goodness and reveal to them our beliefs. By doing so, you will have adequately promoted awareness and incentive. Finally, and there is still so much for me to say and I would have loved to continue this advice with you, yet my concern is that if I prolong this discourse any more, you may forget most of what I have said; for over speaking does distract one from what is being said. For both of you then, may Allah raise you to be the best of the successors and may His safety accompany you. May He protect both of you and return you in goodness, as is wished by those who are sincere. I entrust to Allah your religion, your obligations and the outcome of your actions. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you. Amin. Hasan Al-Banna Footnotes: 1. Islamic Law (Jurisprudence). 2. Glorified and exalted is He. 3. On the authority of Abu Huraira (ra), who reports that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: Allah (swt) said: ‘Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.’ (Bukhari) 4. On the authority of Abu Huraira (ra), who reports that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘Three kinds of prayers are to be granted without an iota of doubt: the prayer of an oppressed person, the prayer of a traveler and the prayer of a father for his son.’ (Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi) 5. May the blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad (saw). 6. On the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Busr (ra) it is reported that a man requested the Prophet (saw): ‘O messenger of Allah. The Islamic edicts appear to me a bit too much, so kindly tell me something (lighter and easier) which I should hold fast to.’ He (saw) answered: ‘Let your tongue remain busy constantly with the remembrance of Allah.’ (Tirmidhi) 7. On the authority of Abu Huraira (ra) who reports that the Prophet of Allah (saw) said: ‘People are like mines of gold and silver. Those of them who are best before Islam are best in Islam, if they understand; and the spirits are like gathering armies, among those who are similar in qualities, they get mixed up with each other and those who are not, they drift away from each other.’ (Bukhari and Muslim) 8. Allah has enjoined upon you in the Book that when you hear the signs of Allah being rejected and scoffed at, you will not sit with them until they engage in some other talk, or else you will become like them. Know well, Allah will gather the hypocrites and the unbelievers in Hell all together. (Quran 4:140) 9. O you who believe! Why say you that which you do not? It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say that which you do not. (Quran 61:2-3) 10. ‘All ibn Abi Talib (ra) said: ‘Speak to the people about that which they can comprehend, otherwise you run the risk of making people disbelieve in God and His Messenger.’ (Bukhari) According to ‘Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘Whenever you speak to the people of something their mind cannot comprehend, it could lead some of them towards Fitna (disbelief or doubt).’ (Muslim)
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