SEASONSALI

Allaah Has Combined All of Medicine (at-Tibb) in Half a Verse of the Qur’aan

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:38:14 +0000

All praise is due to Allaah and may the prayers and salutations be upon His Messenger, to proceed:

Allaah the Most High said, “…And eat and drink and be not excessive (therein)…” (al-A’raaf 7:31)

Ibn Katheer commented upon this verse:

One of the Salaf said: Allaah has combined the entirety of medicine (at-tibb) in half a verse, “And eat and drink and be not excessive…”

Al-Qurtubi commented upon this verse, after mentioning that excessive eating is makrooh (disliked), he mentions the benefits of eating little:

… In eating little there are many benefits. From them that a man becomes of sounder body, of better memory, purer in understanding, (requiring) less sleep, and lighter in (his) soul…

Then he mentioned the harms of eating excessively:

… and in eating much there is the overstuffing of the stomach and putrefaction of undigested food, and from this the variety of diseases are produced, and thus he requires treatment more than what the one who eats little requires. Some of the physicians said, “The greatest treatment (dawaa’) is (appropriate) estimation of (one’s) food (intake).” And the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) has explained this meaning sufficiently and completely which does away with the speech of the physicians, so he said, “The son of Aadam does not fill a container worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Aadam to take enough morsels of food to keep his back straight (keep him able-bodied). And if it is necessary, then a third for his food, a third for his drink, and a third for his breath.”…

Then a little later al-Qurtubi says:

And it is mentioned that (the caliph) ar-Rasheed used to have a shrewd Christian physician who said to Alee bin Hasan, “There is not in your Book (the Qur’aan) anything of the knowledge of medicine, and knowledge of is of two types, knowledge of the religions and knowledge of the bodies.” So he said to him, “Allaah has combined all of medicine in half a verse in our Book.” So he said, “What is it?” He said, “The saying of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic: And eat and drink and be not excessive.”…

And Imaam ad-Dhahabi in his book “at-Tibb an-Nabawi” (p. 34-35) says:

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “The son of Aadam does not fill a container worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Aadam to take enough morsels of food to keep his back straight (keep him able-bodied). And if it is necessary, then a third for his food, a third for his drink, and a third for his breath.” This was reported by an-Nasaa’ee and at-Tirmidhee, who said, “Hasan Saheeh” … and this is one from the aspects of preserving health.Alee bin Hasan said: “And Allah, the Sublime and Exalted has combined the whole of medicine in (just) half a verse, so He, the Most High said, “And eat and drink and be not excessive…”

He is Alee bin al-Hasan bin Shaqeeq bin Muhammad bin Deenar bin Mush’ab, Abu Abdur-Rahman al-’Eedee al-Marwazi (d. 215H), the Imaam, the Haafidh, the Shaykh of Khurasaan, he came to Baghdad and narrated from the likes of Ibrahim bin Tahman, Abdullaah Ibn al-Mubaarak, Sufyaan bin Uyainah and others, and Ahmad bin Hanbal, Yahya bin Ma’een and others narrated from him, and his ahaadeeth are in the Six Books. He was a haafidh of a great amount of knowledge, and a haafidh of many books, including the Tawraat and Injeel and he debated the Jews and Christians. His biography can be found in all the major books of Rijaal.

And you can refer to an earlier article on the same subject, from the words of Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, as well as this article from the speech of Ibn al-Qayyim.

Source : http://www.healthymuslim.com/articles/fnkaf-allaah-has-combined-all-of-medicine-at-tibb-in-half-a-verse-of-the-quraan.cfm

The greatest of prophets, Islam was his only goal

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:56:03 +0000

Amid the confusion, the chaos and the pain
A man emerged and Muhammad was his name
And walking with nothing but Allah as his aid
And the mark of a prophet between his shoulder blades
In a cave in mount hira, the revelation came
Read o Muhammad, read in Allah’s name
May the blessings of Allah be on al-mustafaa (the selected one)
None besides him could have been al-mujtabaa (the chosen one)

Muhammad, peace be upon his soul
The greatest of prophets, Islam was his only goal
Muhammad, salla Allahu ‘ alayhi wa sallam
From among all the prophets, Muhammad was the last
As his was a mission of the greatest task
There was only moral degeneration
People clung to idol adoration
For all nations, he was al-mukhtaar (the preferred one)
So was he praised by Allah, al-ghaffaar
The bearer of glad tidings, al-basheer
Leading into light, as-seeraj-al-muneer (lamp of Radiance)

In handling the wicked, he had the best of skill
He pacified with tolerance and goodwill
The best of morals he aimed to attain
All he accomplished through suffering and pain
Reviving imaan as almuthakkir (the reminder)
He is known in the qur’aan as al-mud-dath-thir (covered up)
Only he was given the honour of miraaj
Unique was this glory to Muhammad asseeraj (the lamp)

He was ad daee ill Allah hil azheem
All hadi elaa seerauteem mustakeem
His mission complete, his held in great esteem
Allah praised him as bil-khuluqil azeem
May the blessings of Allah be on mustafaa
None besides him could have been al-mujtabaa
So perfect were his morals, so justly did he rule
Darkness had vanished and the word was full of noor

Balagha lula bikamalihi
Kashafa dduja bijamalihi
Hasunat jami u khisalihi
Sallu alayhi wa alihi

Muhammad, peace be upon his soul,
The greatest of Prophets, Islam was his only goal.

Parent’s Wish

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:16:38 +0000

Muslims Have Got Talent!

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:48:27 +0000

By: Sajid Iqbal

Now what makes the likes of Einstein, Aristotle, Socrates and Plato special? Why does history remember Malcolm X, Martin Luther King and Gandhi? What was so great about Muhammad Ali, Pele, Maradona and Imran Khan?

It was down to one thing. TALENT.

It’s talent that makes you a great thinker and philosopher. It’s talent that makes you a revolutionary leader and great orator. It’s talent that makes you the greatest footballer or boxer that every youngster looks up to.

Talent is what improves the world, changes the world, entertains the world, amazes the world… and you know what, we all have it. We won’t all be courageous and charismatic Muslim individuals remembered the world over, but we all do have something that we’re good at, that we’re gifted in, better than others at.

So what we should all do is make the best of what Allah (swt) has blessed us with, we should have hope, dreams, be ambitious and then work hard to achieve them. It’s up to us. Allah (swt) has blessed us with the tools, now it’s up to us how we use them and what we make with them.’

What’s stopping me or you from being the next Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali or Einstein? What’s stopping me or you from being the next big thinker, leader, writer, footballer or great orator? Why can’t you be the next councillor or MP? Why can’t you be the next scientist or lawyer? Why can’t you be the next premier league footballer? If you have a passion for teaching, have always wanted to be a writer then why can’t you go ahead and fulfil those ambitions?

Don’t let anything stop you. If it’s halal then go for it! Make something of yourself.

If you have the talent and ambition, and are prepared to work very hard then the world is your oyster. All you need to do is recognise your talent, believe in yourself, put in loads of commitment and effort and you can perfect your talent. Whether you’re 15 or in your mid 20’s or 30’s. Whether it’s Maths, English or Science. Writing or speaking. Organising or leading. Politics or sport. Youth work or social care. Religious sciences or poetry. Fashion or graphic design… TALENT IS TALENT.

Use your talent to make a name for yourself. Make a difference. Use your talent to bring success in your life. Use your talent to make changes in your community. Use your talent to create role models in your community. Use your talent to break taboos in your community. Use your talent to give others hope. Use your talent to give a good image and representation of Islam. Use your talent to tackle the real issues facing the Muslim community.

If others can do it, then why can’t you?

If Amir Khan can become World Boxing Champion then why can’t you if that is your dream?
If Shabana Mahmood and Yasmin Qureshi can become Britain’s first female Muslim MPs then why can’t you? If Salma Yaqoob, a practising Muslim sister who wears hijab, can become a councillor, stand to be elected for MP and represent Muslims on every platform including the BBC’s Question Time – then why can’t you? If Hamza Roberts – a brother who I used to see on the bus everyday on the way to work – is now a nationally recognised Nasheed singer, sharing stages with the likes of Sami Yusuf and Zain Bhika – then why can’t you?

One reason why some in the Muslim community don’t do anything with their talent is due to culture or lack of support from parents and family. One example from many is that if your son has special football talent then why isn’t he given support and encouragement to explore that talent and join a professional football club? Instead he is told to get a ‘proper job’ or ends up in a takeaway or a dead-end family business!

This is a tragedy! I look at my son and say if he has the talent then why can’t he be the next Rooney, Hamza Yusuf or Prime Minister of the UK? Talent should be encouraged, supported and developed – only then can it be properly implemented!

So what’s your talent? More importantly, what are you gonna do about it?

Be stuck in a dead end job or do something about your talent? Spend all your life dreaming what you could have been or done, or spend your life putting your talent in practise at the highest level?

Anything is possible if we want it to be. A few years ago the thought of a black President in the USA was laughable, but look how quickly things have changed. We need to build our skills and talent so that when the opportunity comes in our life we are ready, so that we can take that moment and make the most of it.

You got a degree but you’re working in a takeaway? Why? You’re a computer whizz kid but you’re doing taxi’s? Why? You’re a fantastic writer or a prolific athlete but you’re working in a factory? Why? If you have a degree, are a computer whizz kid, are a fantastic writer or a prolific athlete and so on, then don’t let yourself get stuck in a dead-end, unskilled job that doesn’t showcase your talent. You have talent so why are you wasting it?

It’s never too late to do something about your talent. So what if you’re 25, 33 or 41? If you really wanna make something out of life and you have some talent then all you need to do is firstly to make that decision to do something about it; whether it means going back to college or uni or speaking to a careers advisor or specialist, and then follow that path to perfect and use that talent, it might change your life for the better and give you the opportunities you’d never dreamed about.

The Muslim community needs MPs, leaders, orators, architectures, scientists, writers, scholars, sportsmen, producers & directors, doctors, midwives… and much much more. The Muslim community needs living role models. Only by perfecting your talent and living as a practising Muslim will you get true success in this life.

Only then will we see real leaders and workers in our mosques. Only then we will start seeing unity in the Muslim community. Only then will we be able to fully cater for the needs of the Muslim community, especially the youth. Only then will we be able to stand up and speak against oppression and corruption. Only then will we be able to react properly when Islam or the Prophet is insulted.

Only then will we be able to produce high calibre individuals who can represent Muslims and Islam well in the media.

Making the most of your talent

The key is put in massive amount of effort because without hard work and effort your talent will be wasted. You need to always develop your talent and skills and never be shy to ask for help or advice to enhance your talent. Don’t let your talent go to your head and don’t let age put you off. Always remember talent is from Allah (swt). Finally, take every opportunity given to you to take your talent to the highest possible level.

Now tell me again – what’s your talent and what are you going to do with it?

TheRevivalEditor

Source : http://www.therevival.co.uk/

12 Favorite foods of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and Their advantages.

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:31:11 +0000

1. Barley:
Good in fever, while use in a soup form.

2. Dates:
The Prophet (SAW) said that a house without dates has no food. It should also be eaten at the time of childbirth.

3. Figs:
It is a fruit from paradise and a cure for piles.

4. Grapes:
The Prophet (SAW) was very fond of grapes – it purifies the blood, provides vigour and health, strengthens the kidneys and clears the bowels.

5. Honey:
Considered the best remedy for diarrhoea when mixed in hot water. It is the food of foods, drink of drinks and drug of drugs. It is used for creating appetite, strengthening the stomach, eliminating phlegm; as a meat preservative, hair conditioner, eye soother and mouthwash. It is extremely beneficial in the morning in warm water.

6. Melon:
The Prophet (SAW) said: ‘None of your women who are pregnant and eat of water melon will fail to produce off spring that is good in countenance and good in character.’

7. Milk:
The Prophet (SAW) said that 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.

8. Mushroom:
The Prophet (SAW) said that mushroom is a good cure for the eyes; it also serves as a form of birth control and arrests paralysis.

9. Olive Oil
Excellent treatment for skin and hair, delays old age, and treats inflammation of the stomach.

10. Pomegranate:
The Prophet (SAW) said it cleanses you of Satan and evil aspirations for 40 days.

11. Vinegar:
A food Prophet Muhammad (SAW) used to eat with olive oil. [That's now a fashion in elite Italian Restaurants]

12. Water:
The Prophet (SAW) said the best drink in this world is water, when you are thirsty drink it by sips and not gulps, gulping produces sickness of the liver.

Source: Pakistan Daily

http://www.whymuhammad.com/fr/contents.aspx?aid=5640

Advice to Husbands, From a Husband – By: Sherif Mohammed

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:47:32 +0000

We live in societies where there is an overload of “what a woman must do for her husband”. The information in itself is Islamc but it turns harmful when it is not balanced with information about what a husband must and can do for his wife – men forget, society lets them and society consists of both men and women. Such lingo and talk need a more important and prominent place in our daily lives.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Advice to Husbands, From a Husband
By: Sherif MohammedI start my advice to the couples by talking about World War II, The British military and the Egyptian desert! One of the most decisive battles of WWII was the battle of El Alamein, which took place at El Alamein in Northern Egypt on the summer of 1942. It is well known that the Germans had occupied North Africa and advanced into Egypt. They were hoping to take control of the Suez Canal, then occupy the oil fields in Iraq and Iran, then attack the Soviet Union from the south, etc. The British were determined never to let any of that happen, so they summoned their best soldier, General Bernard Montgomery and mustered an enormous force to stop the German relentless advance. It was a big battle. The German dreams were shattered, the British won, and so many soldiers died and were buried in the desert of El Alamein.

What concerns us here is not what happened next to the British or the Germans. What concerns us now is that after the war, the families of the soldiers who died in El Alamein came to visit their graves. Some of them left few words inscribed on the tombstones of their loved ones buried there. School children in Egypt sometimes go on trips to the site of the battle of El Alamein and read the words written on the different tombstones. Among these are the words inscribed by a young English woman who came to visit her husband’s grave. She wrote: “To the world, you were just a soldier. But to me, you were the whole world”

By getting married you are not just getting a wife, you are getting your whole world. From now until the rest of your days your wife will be your partner, your companion, and your best friend. She will share your moments, your days, and your years. She will share your joys and sorrows, your successes and failures, your dreams and your fears. When you are ill, she will take the best care of you; when you need help, she will do all she can for you; when you have a secret, she will keep it; when you need advice, she will give you the best advice. She will always be with you. When you wake up in the morning the first thing your eyes will see will be her. During the day, she will be with you, if for a moment she is not with you, physically, she will be thinking of you, praying for you with all her heart, mind, and soul. When you go to sleep at night, the last thing your eyes will see will be her; and when you are asleep you will still see her in your dreams. In short, she will be your whole world and you will be her whole world.

The best description that I personally have ever read describing the closeness of the spouses to each other, is the Quranic verse which says: “They are your garments and you are their garments”

Indeed, spouses are like garments to each other because they provide one another with the protection, the comfort, the cover, the support, and the adornment that garments provide to humans. Just imagine a journey in the winter of Alaska without garments! Our spouses provide us with the same level of comfort and protection, cover and support in the journey of our lives on this earth as garments would do in the Alaska journey.

The relationship between the spouses is the most amazing of all human relations: the amount of love and affection, intimacy and closeness, mercy and compassion, peace and tranquility that fills the hearts of the spouses is simply inexplicable. The only rational explanation for these most amazing of all human feelings is that: it is an act of God. Only God Almighty in His infinite power, boundless mercy, and great wisdom can create and ingrain these amazing feelings in the hearts of the spouses. In fact, God is reminding those who search for His signs in the universe, that these feelings in the hearts of the spouses are among the signs that should guide humans to His existence.

As He says in the Quran: “And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect.”

But the human heart is not a static entity, it is very dynamic. Feelings can and do change with time. Love may wither and fade away. The marital bond might weaken if not properly cared for. Happiness in marriage cannot be taken for granted; continuous happiness requires constant iving from both sides. For the tree of marital love to remain alive and keep growing, the soil has to be sustained, maintained, and nurtured. Therefore, here are a few tips on how to keep the tree growing:

In our world, we live a hectic life surrounded by tight schedules and bombarded by deadlines. For couples, this means that you might not find anytime to spend together, alone away from the endless work commitments. You must never allow this to happen. Try to periodically secure some time for do some special activities alone away from the rest of the world. Remember that our Prophet Muhammad (saws) had found the time to go out to the desert and race with his wife Aisha (ra). She outstripped him but later after she had gained some weight, he outstripped her.

Do go out with her regularly and frequently to do all sorts of activities: go to the mall, visit family and friends, go to the mosque, have picnics, etc. Remember that the Prophet (saws) took his wife to watch the young Ethiopians playing and dancing their folk dances.

Always keep some romance in your life. Modern life has almost transformed us into robots or high tech machines without emotions. Show of emotions is necessary to keep the marital bond away from rusting and disintegrating. Remember, that you will be rewarded by God for any emotions you show to your wife. As the Prophet (saws) said:

“One would be rewarded for anything that he does seeking the pleasure of God even the food that he puts in the mouth of his wife”. Never underestimate the importance of seemingly little things as putting food in your wife’s mouth, opening the car’s door for her, etc. Remember that the Prophet (saws) used to extend his knee to his wife to help her ride her camel…Try to always find some time for both of you to pray together.

Strengthening the bond between you and God is the best guarantee that your own marital bond would always remain strong. Having peace with God will always result in having more peace at home. Remember that the Prophet (saws) gave glad tidings for those couples who wake up at night to pray together. The Prophet (saws) even urged the spouse who rises up first to wake the other spouse up even by throwing cold water on his/her face.

Always try your best to be good to your wife by words and by deeds. Talk to her, smile to her, seek her advice, ask for her opinion, spend quality time with her and always remember that the Prophet (saws) said “the best of you are those who are best to their wives”

Finally, it is common that spouses vow to love and honor their spouses until death do them part. I do believe that this vow is good or even great, but not enough! It is not enough that you love your wife. You have to love what she loves as well. Her family, her loved ones must also become your loved ones. Don’t be like my colleague who was unhappy about his wife’s parents coming to visit for few weeks. He candidly said to her “I don’t like your parents.” Naturally she angrily looked at him straight in the eye and said ” I don’t like yours either!”

Also, it is not enough that you love her until death do you part. Love should never end and we do believe there is life after death where those who did righteousness in this world will be joined by their spouses and offspring. The best example in this regard is the Prophet (saws) whose love for Khadija (ra) his wife of 25 years, extended to include all those she loved and continued even after her death. It was many years after her death and he never forgot her and whenever a goat was slaughtered in his house he would send parts of it to Khadija’s friends and whenever he felt that the visitor on the door might be Khadija’s sister Hala, he would pray saying “O Allah let it be Hala.”

Love your wife and love what your wife loves not only until death but until you be together again in the next life Insha-Allah.

http://www.themodernreligion.com/women/w_advicehusband.html

Oldest handwritten copy of Quran in China restored

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:02:25 +0000

“Seek knowledge even as far as China.” – Saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

by Wang Daiyu

I cam across the following some time ago but did not get a get a chance to post it until now that is.

China restores oldest handwritten copy of QuranXINING — Chinese experts have restored a 700-year-old handwritten copy of the Quran, the sacred book of Islam, in northwest China’s Qinghai Province.

The 867-page, two-volume set, the oldest known in China, is written in Arabic and stored in the Jiezi mosque in Xunhua County. The restoration work was done by experts from the Nanjing Museum.

The Quran was brought to China when the Salar ethnic group moved east from Maracanda, the ancient name of Samarkand in Uzbekistan, about 700 years ago. Experts believe it was written between the eighth and the 13th century.

“This copy was handwritten by Arabian Muslims, while other ancient copies in China where written by Chinese Muslim,” said Ma Weimin, deputy director of the Qinghai Provincial Cultural Heritage Bureau, adding that the copy is a valuable research tool for the study of the origin and history of the Salar ethnic group.

The books had to be repaired and restored as they had seriously deteriorated and were in danger of rotting, said Ma.

Xi Sancai, director of the cultural relics preservation technique research institute with the Nanjing Museum in east China’s Jiangsu Province, and his colleagues undertook the restoration job.

The restoration began with a scientific analysis of the paper and ink,cleaning and removing mildew, and mended damaged pages by using the most advanced technologies.

The restored Quran will be preserved in a special box where the temperature and humidity are fixed and ultraviolet rays and harmful gas are kept out.

Source : http://islaminchina.wordpress.com/

Imaam Al-Shaafi’ee on the Importance of Learning Medicine

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:33:36 +0000

by abuiyaad,

Imaam al-Dhahabi wrote in Al-Tibb al-Nabawi(Dar Ihyaa al-Uloom, Beirut, pp. 228-229):

Chapter: Regarding the Encouragement of Teaching medicineHis (alayhis salaatu was-salaam’s) saying, “Allaah did not send down a disease except that it has a cure” has already preceded. We say: This (hadeeth) necessitates the mobilization the people’s [lofty] concerns [for medicine] and incitement of (their) determinations to learn medicine. And it has already preceded that medicine is a skill. Imaam al-Shaafi’ee said, “I don’t know of a knowledge more noble than medicine after the halaal and haraam.” And he used to be concerned (and grieved) over what the Muslims had neglected of medicine, and he would say, “They have neglected one third of knowledge and have entrusted it to the Jews and Christians.” And he used to say, “Indeed the Ahl al-Kitaab have dominated us with respect to medicine.” And al-Shaafi’ee, alongside his greatness in the knowledge of the Sharee’ah, and his great skill in Arabic was also insightful in medicine. The writer (i.e. al-Dhahabi) says: And I have seen our Shaykh, Shaykh Ibraaheem al-Raqiyy to be insightful in medicine, and likewise our Shaykh, Shaykh Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah, and Shaykh Imaad al-Din al-Waasitee (rahimahullaau ta’aalaa) [were insightful in medicine]. Hippocrates and others have said, “Medicine is inspired by Allaah,” and Hippocrates is the chief of this discipline. His school of thought regarding it is the sound, correct school of thought. He was followed therein by Galen who is the leading scholar of this discipline as well, and both of them are venerated a great deal by the physicians.

There are some nice benefits from this quote, from them:

That a Muslim should strive to educate himself about that in which his health and well-being lies and to be familiar with the foundations of medicine. A great starting point for this is to get a good basic grounding in biochemistry and nutrition. This ought to become common knowledge.
That the great Scholars of Islaam were insightful and knowledgeable of medicine, and from them Aa’ishah (radiallaahu anhaa), and likewise al-Shaafi’ee, Ibn Taymiyyah and others.
That there were from the Muslim scholars who grieved at the fact that the Muslims were not at the forefront of medicineand had left this discipline to others, being reliant on them with respect to it.
That Muslim Scholars acknowledge that the correct and sound madhhab (school of thought) with respect to medicine (as in its basic foundations) can be found in the teachings of Hippocrates and Galen.
Following on from the last point, that the core principle of medicine is founded upon healthy-eating and a healthy life-style, and as the saying goes, “food is medicine and medicine is food.” The nature of one’s diet and lifestyle also determines the type and nature of the diseases that one succumbs to. Simple natural, wholesome diets (offering wholesome nutrition) suited to locality and environment lead to simple diseases which are short-lived and resolve easily, and which can be treated with the simplest of (natural) medicines. Complex diets consisting of refined foods and what in reality cannot even be said to be food, not providing the required nutritional intake the body needs for it to function properly at the biochemical level, lead to complex, chronic (long-term) diseases, requiring complex interventions. Precaution in diet is the foundation of all medicine, and this is what all nations and civilizations and cultures affirmed (through centuries of experience), and each of them developed their own forms of Natural medicineupon this basic foundation.
Refer also to Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali’s commentary on the hadeeth of Miqdaam (see this article), and also this article from Ibn al-Qayyim.

Source : http://www.healthymuslim.com

What Do Others Say About Him?

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:13:21 +0000

Before We Begin our “A to Z of Muhammad” – Let’s See What 12 Famous People Have Said About Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) Throughout the Centuries…

His complete biography has been authenticated and circulated amongst scholars around the world starting while he was still alive and continuing up until today. One of the first examples we quote from is from the Encyclopedia Britannica, as it confirms:

(Regarding Muhammad) “… a mass of detail in the early sources shows that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were likewise honest and upright men.”

[Vol. 12]

Another impressive tribute to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him is in the very well written work of Michael H. Hart, “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History.” He states that the most influential person in all history was Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, with Jesus second. Examine his actual words:

“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level.”

[Michael H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York: Hart Publishing Company, Inc., 1978, page. 33.]

According to the Quran, Prophet Muhammad was the most excellent example for all of humanity. Even non-Muslim historians recognize him to be one of the most successful personalities in history. Read what the Reverend R. Bosworth-Smith wrote in “Mohammed & Mohammedanism” in 1946:

“Head of the state as well as the Church, he was Caesar and Pope in one; but, he was pope without the pope’s claims, and Caesar without the legions of Caesar, without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue. If ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by a Right Divine, it was Mohammad, for he had all the power without instruments and without its support. He cared not for dressing of power. The simplicity of his private life was in keeping with his public life.”

While we are reviewing statements from famous non-Muslims about Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, consider this:

“Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?”

[Lamartine, HISTOIRE DE LA TURQUIE, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp. 276-277.]

And then we read what George Bernard Shaw, a famous writer and non-Muslim says:

“He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness.”

[The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936]

Then we found that K. S. Ramakrishna Rao, an Indian (Hindu) professor of Philosophy, in his booklet “Muhammad the Prophet of Islam” calls him the “perfect model for human life.” Professor 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.”

What should we think about our prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, when someone with the worldly status such as Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, says in ‘Young India’:

“I wanted to know the best of one who holds today undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind… I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet’s biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life.”

English author Thomas Carlyle in his ‘Heroes and Hero Worship’, was simply amazed:

“How one man single handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades.”

And Diwan Chand Sharma wrote in “The Prophets of the East”:

“Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him”

[D.C. Sharma, The Prophets of the East, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12]

Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, 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.

Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, Sarojini Naidu says:

“It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: ‘God Alone is Great’… I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother.”

[S. Naidu, Ideals of Islam, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169]

In the words of Professor Hurgronje:

“The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations.” He continues, “the fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations.”

Edward Gibbon and Simon Ockley, on the profession of ISLAM, writes in “History of the Saracen Empires”:

“I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD’ is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion.”

[History of the Saracen Empires, London, 1870, p. 54]

EWolfgang Goethe, perhaps the greatest European poet ever, wrote about Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. He said:

“He is a prophet and not a poet and therefore his Koran is to be seen as Divine Law and not as a book of a human being, made for education or entertainment.”

[Noten und Abhandlungen zum Weststlichen Dvan, WA I, 7, 32]

[Please continue to chapter 5 - "What Do Muslims Say?"]

Source : http://www.prophetofislam.com/what_do_others_say.php

Life of this world and the hereafter

S.E.A.Mohamed Ali. "nidurali" — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 03:29:36 +0000

Belief in the life in the hereafter – after a person’s death and also at the end of this world – is one of the six tenets of a Muslim’s faith (the others being belief in Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His prophets and messengers, and Qada wal-Qadr or the Divine decree). Allah provides us the complete picture of our existence in this verse in the Quran:

“Seeing that you were dead and He gave you life. Then He will give you death, then again will bring you to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then unto Him you will return” (Quran, Sura Al-Baqarah: 28).

The verses make it clear that this life constitutes the first part of our journey following which we will die and then will be resurrected (in the hereafter), and depending on our performance in this life we will get due rewards or punishment.

How does this life compare with the hereafter?

We know from our observations and also from the revelations to the prophets that our time in this life is limited. We have at best a few years and then we will move on to a world about which the Quran provides numerous references. Allah has repeatedly reminded us in the Quran (a fact that has been further clarified by the Prophet (S.A.W.S.) as well) that the value of this life compared to the hereafter is very miniscule. Consider some of the verses of the Quran on this topic:

“…Are you pleased with the life of this world rather than the hereafter? But little is the enjoyment of the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter” (Quran, Al-Tawbah: 38).

“…as compared with the life of the hereafter, the life of this world is nothing but a brief passing enjoyment” (Quran, Ar-Rad: 26).

“And the life of this world is nothing but play and amusement. But far better is the house in the hereafter for those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious). Will you not then understand?” (Quran, Al-An’aam: 32)

So, by likening this life to a brief passing enjoyment, play, amusement and a deception, Allah the All Knowing has clearly put the matter regarding the hereafter in perspective for us to ponder over and reflect. He cautions us not to get carried away by the charms of this life because in comparison with the hereafter, this life has quite a limited span. And as we go through facing the life’s challenges as well as its attractions, we have to ensure that we do not deviate from the straight path. Be it the diversion of temptations, or problems and sufferings, we should always be wary of not having our minds fall prey to manmade philosophies, but rather should adhere to the straight path chalked out by Allah (also referred to as Sirat-ul-Mustaqeem in Surah Al-Fatihah.)

The Prophet (S. A. W. S.), too, clarified the value of this life in relation to the hereafter. He said, “The life of this world compared to the hereafter is as if one of you were to put his finger in the ocean and take it out again then compare the water that remains on his finger to the water that remains in the ocean” [Sahîh Muslim (2858)].

Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (S. A. W. S.) took me by the shoulder and said: “Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveler/wayfarer.”

What is the value that we tend to give to this life?

Knowing the limited time that we have in this life, giving it anything more than its due proportion, therefore, wouldn’t be prudent. But we also know that Allah has made this life a test and adorned it with enough temptations and attractions to make the weak among us get diverted and deceived. To such people, Allah warns us in the Quran in the following words:

“Let not then this present life deceive you” (Quran, Surah Fatir: 5).

But the reality is that the attractions of this life do blind us from seeing the big picture that includes our impending departure from this life and then resurrecting in the next eternal life. Fearing that our means of sustenance in this life are indispensable, we make the mistake of turning means into goals. We run after wealth believing it to buy and secure our present and the future. Thus we become obsessed with gaining benefits, pleasures and comforts and in doing so we go after acquiring more power and authority. We vie and compete with others in pursuit of these and lose sight of the hereafter. Allah reflects this situation in the following verses:

· “The mutual rivalry (for piling up of worldly things) diverts you,

Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die)” (Quran, Surah At-Takathur: 1 – 2).

He also says:

“Nay! If you knew with a sure knowledge (the end result of piling up, you would not have been occupied yourselves in worldly things)” (Quran, Surah, At-Takathur: 5).

What is the price we pay for going overboard?

Focusing on the present life with lack of consideration for the hereafter can push us to the edges of narcissism or something called “the entitlement syndrome”, by which psychologists refer to a state where one feels that one is rightfully entitled to the fulfillment of one’s wishes and desires, and is entitled to enjoy all that life can offer. Confronted with the reality of limited time in this life, therefore, and to acquire and enjoy this life’s resources, we plant the seeds of greed and dissatisfaction within us that in turn lead to injustice, deprivation of the rights of people, to the misuse of power and authority, and so on.

The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) expressed his concern for our Imaan when he said:

“By Allah, it is not poverty that I fear for you, but I fear that this world will be spread out in front of you as it was spread out in front of those before you, and then you will vie for it as they vied for it, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them” [Riyad as-Salihin (The Meadows of the Righteous) by Imam Nawawi].

The price that we pay for going overboard in our quest for the best that this world can offer is that we become part of a cut-throat culture where material success is a measure of a person’s worth, and failure in worldly acquisitions is regarded as a matter of shame and humiliation. Enamored by this life, people become heedless of Allah, the hereafter, the moral bounds and moral responsibilities, the rights of others, and of their own obligations to render those rights. They strive to acquire more at any cost and become wholly oblivious to their end. About such people Allah (SWT) says:

Those are they who have bought the life of this world at the price of the hereafter (Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah: 86).

But then Allah, the Most Benevolent, gives people what they yearn for and whatever they work for as He also says this:

“As for those who care for (no more than) the life of this world and its bounties – We shall repay them in full for all that they did in this(life), and they shall not be deprived of their just due therein” (Hud 11:15).

Allah, therefore, lets those who are eager to lose themselves in this world remain content with it, but also warns that they’re buying these pleasures at the price of the hereafter.

Abu ‘Abbas Sahl ibn Sa’d as-Sa’idi said, “A man came to the Prophet, (S. A. W. S.), and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, show me an action for which Allah will love me and for which people will love me if I do it. He said, “Do with little of this world and Allah will love you, and do with little of what belongs to other people and people will love you” [Ibn Majah].

What is the price we pay for not giving this life its due share?

However, we do have to give this life its due share. We have to live it; we cannot escape from it, nor can we ignore the real challenges it poses. Moreover, Islam does not expect us to withdraw ourselves from the world. Allah tells us in the Quran:

“But seek, with that (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the home of the hereafter, and forget not your portion of lawful enjoyment in this world; and do good as Allah has been good to you, and seek not mischief in the land. Verily, Allah likes not the Mufsidun (those who commit great crimes and sins, oppressors, tyrants, mischief-makers, corrupters)” (Quran, Surah Al-Qasas: 77).

We see from the life of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) that he was an active and successful merchant before being chosen as a prophet. During his life of prophethood, he had family and dealt with worldly affairs like any fully-engaged human being. We, too, are supposed to lead life, utilizing all the resources Allah Most Gracious has bestowed on us. Accordingly, we need to educate ourselves in worldly matters and to use that knowledge to lead a good life and also to help prevent injustices and exploitation of humanity at large.

The life and example of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) should make it clear as to how we should engage ourselves in the activities of this life. No one should withdraw from life forgetting his responsibilities. Hakim ibn Hizam narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: “The upper hand is better than the lower hand, (i.e., he who gives charity is better than him who takes it)… And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient” (Bukhari, Vol. 2, Hadith 508).

How can we strike the right balance?

The obligation to live this life while providing for ourselves and our families effectively and by ensuring that we are not violating others’ rights does create internal conflicts that must be managed accordingly. We ought to adopt attitudes where our actions strike the right balance between any competing and conflicting situations. We need to remind ourselves that by respecting the tenets of halal (lawful) and haram (unlawful) as laid out by Allah, we can lead a life where we can make the most of this life while our hearts are always conscious of, and devoted to, Allah and the hereafter. He says in the Quran:

O you who believe (in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism)! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with, and be grateful to Allah, if it is indeed He Whom you worship (Quran, Surah Jumaah: 172).

We can thus lead fulfilling lives by bringing more Islam into our lives. For example, we can become wise in our interactions and dealings with each other, fulfill our trusts and duties toward each other, be patient in adverse circumstances with an unwavering Faith in Allah, become thankful to Allah for His blessings and show gratitude to people as well for what we get from them, earn our livelihood through lawful means, and so on. Let’s remember that when we live our lives according to what Islam teaches us, we not only live fulfilling lives, we are also pleasing Allah and thus contributing toward credits that will count in the hereafter.

However, while living this life none of these should take precedence over Allah’s Commands and none of these should divert us from our real purpose of life. The desire to attain the Favor of Allah (SWT) should supersede all other considerations. Allah says in the Quran:

Nay, you prefer the life of this world;
Although the hereafter is better and more lasting.
Verily! This is in the former Scriptures,
The Scriptures of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Moosa (Moses) (Quran, Surah Al-Aala: 16 – 19).

Let’s make the following Dua part of our daily worship in which we ask Allah to give us the good in this life and the hereafter!

Source : http://www.iqrasense.com/