Black Africa was backwards and the pit of darkness
The Dark Ages were the lowest point in man’s history
Columbus discovered an America inhabited with uncivilized savages

History is often told from the perspective of the conqueror:

Ancient maps depicting exaggerated sizes of the European continent; stories told from a Euro-centric perspective; significant chunks in timeliness distorted or removed entirely to cover up empowering truths.

The time is long overdue for the Muslim Ummah to reclaim history.

The timely discovery of a shocking untold story finally unravels
in AlMaghrib Institute’s unparalleled double-weekend seminar

Western Sunrise

Islamic History in Africa, Al-Andalus, and the Americas
Taught by world-renowned scholar
Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick

The world will never look the same as you uncover its secrets thought to have long been lost.

Africa is a treasure cove embedded with scholarly tribes and ilm-powered cities. Expand your knowledge on:

• The roots of Africa and its name
• Africa’s first encounter with Islam
• The role of Africans as Sahaba of Rasoolullah (salla Allahu alayhi wassalam)
• The extensive advancements of Islamic scholarship as result of African tribes and schools
• The importance and history of major cities like Timbuktu and Qayrawaan
• Heroes of Africa who sought to it that Islam remains pure upon the Quran and Sunnah
• The various movements and eras Africa witnessed among the Muslims

“Timbuktu’s thousands of manuscripts and its deep legacy destroy racist notions of Black inferiority and educational backwardness. Timbuktu gives solid proof of a powerful African past and an unbroken chain of African scholarship.”
Andalus (today’s Spain) bred heroes in the face of oppression and became the epitome for advanced civilizations. While Europe was left in the Dark Ages, the light was shining on Islam’s Golden Age. Enrich your history with facts on:

• The fall of the tyrannical rule of the Visigoth
• The spread of justice and land reform under the light of Islam
• Successful openings (futoohaat) of major cities in Spain
• Establishments of amazing complexes of palaces and gardens like Madinat-az-Zahra
• Treatment of Christians and Jews under the Muslim rule
• Muslim advancements in language, arts, and sciences that brought Europe out of the darkness
• The causes and lessons of the eminent fall of a 700-year empire

“At its height around 1000 A.D., Cordoba had over 200,000 houses, 600 mosques, 900 public baths, 50 hospitals, and several large markets that catered for all branches of trade and commerce, including 15,000 weavers! The streets were lit for 10 miles in any direction, an innovation that took London and Paris 700 years to achieve!”

America’s history often starts with the discovery of Columbus; yet little is told of the rich Islamic history of the Americas both before and after the accidental arrival of Columbus. Enlighten yourself with facts on:

• Muslim naval explorations into the Atlantic
• Ancient maps and atlases of the Americas accurately drawn by Muslim cartographers
• Discovery of 8th Century artefacts and coins in the Caribbean
• Genealogical and linguistic evidences linking American natives to Muslim Africans
• Role of Muslims in saving Islam in the hearts of slaves
• Role of Muslims in the resistance of slavery and return to Africa

“One of the leading forces in the resistance to slavery was the Muslim population who by the very nature of their faith were independent and unwilling to submit to oppression.”
Enroll Now!

Dr. Abdullah Hakim Quick, with his extensive research and specialization on the topic, will take you on an adventurous journey of untold stories studied from a Makkah-centric perspective. Re-establish the bond with your noble ancestry and reconnect with those who walked these Western lands so long ago.
“When I was very young, little kid in a Masjid in Winnipeg, the uncles gathered the youth together for a lecture from this vising speaker from Toronto. I loved his lecture, and I was so impressed that he was using names and terms that I, as a kid, was familiar with. (come to think of it, that may be the first time I was exposed to that style, it became my style years later). It was sh.Abdullah Hakim Quick.”

- Shaykh Muhammad Alshareef

Why even study history? Truly understanding where we come from and the achievements of Muslims before us strengthens our resolve in the face of global and individual trials and tribulations. Extracting lessons with a learned teacher from our very rich history paves the road for fruitful future for our Ummah, inshaAllah.

The footprints in the sand once washed away by the sea will reappear once again at the dawn of the

Western Sunrise

Enroll Now!

Dr. Abdullah talks about the course

February 19-21 & 27-28

Fridays: 7pm-10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am-8pm

In the words of Imam AlNawawi himself,

“every person wishing to attain the Hereafter should know these hadeeth because of the important matters they contain and the directions they give in respect of all forms of obedience, this being obvious to anyone who has reflected upon it.”

Sit Awhile With Excellence

Have you ever felt that your burning desire to gain Islamic knowledge is belittled by the sheer volume of all that you think you need to master? 

Are you sitting beside yourself, thinking that you’ll never make a dent in it all?

Can you think of a situation where you tried to enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong?  Were you then asked to prove your point?  Did you then struggle to find a hadeeth to support your claim?  Were you at a loss for words?

Imam Bukhari?  Imam Muslim?  A hadeeth scholar you are not, but by Allah, do you wish you were? 

Has the inability to articulate the proofs left you with an unsure speaking voice?  Have you let a dawah opportunity pass because you’ve questioned your abilities?

Do you feel the burden on your shoulders? Does it break your heart?

This seminar will relieve you from your pain and give you an umbrella for when you stand in the rain!

What if, after just two weekends, you could feel your shoulders straighten, the air of confidence lifting you higher? 

What if, after just two weekends, you could feel the joy of attaining crucial understanding of all the main concepts of your faith?

What if, after just two weekends, you could attain comprehensive awareness of the one hadeeth compilation that could potentially address every religious matter you’ll ever want or need to talk about?

AlMaghrib Institute is Overjoyed to Bring You:

Sacred Scrolls: 

40 Hadeeth Nawawi

A double-weekend degree seminar

Enroll Online NOW!

December 18-20 & 26-27

Fridays: 7pm-10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am-8pm

The clarity you’ve been searching for.
Is found in the Qur’an. Unlock the blessings.

At the time the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad sal Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, Arabia was a relatively unknown and desolate place. Yet, within 23 short years, the entire region was transformed – from barren to Blessed; the land of the Arabs became the land of the Qur’an – a fountain of knowledge and light, forming a civilization that would be unmatched in its social, economic and political success. Miraculous.

What was it that sparked this revolution?

“It was the Qur’an”.

But what of us? What place does the Qur’an occupy in our lives and hearts? Has the Qur’an benefited us the way it should?

A Book which We have sent down, full of blessings, so that they may ponder over its verses, and that men of understanding may remember [38:29]

Allah subhanahu wa ta’la describes the Believers as being unique because they ponder over what has been Revealed.

Wouldn’t you love to have this characteristic as well?

Taking a theme-based approach to the Qur’an will allow you to develop a relationship with the Word of Allah that transcends the barriers Shaytan places in your path. You will look at the Qur’an less as a ‘book’, and more as a manual to your life – as a set of guidelines that shapes your actions, and conditions your thoughts. You will find yourself amazed, pondering at the beauty of what you are reading – the Best of Speech, the Word of Allah.

Dear Seeker of Knowledge,

Take a moment to reflect upon the role the Qur’an plays in your life. Compare your priorities with the priorities Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala has set. Do you know what these priorities are? Are you falling short?
There is more to the Qur’an then reading it half-heartedly, or flipping through its pages in Ramadan. The Qur’an was revealed to be understood and lived! Has not the time come for the hearts of the Believers to be affected by this Reminder?

The time has come brothers and sisters, to stop wishing…and start living.

“the purpose of tafseer is to elaborate the principles which the Qur’an came to clarify….”

The time has come for you understand what Allah aza wa jal is telling you…

• About TAWHEED and the Concept of God.

• About who determines the LAWS that govern your life

• About the people of the past and what we can LEARN from them.

• About ETHICS and Social Responsibility and how the Qur’an has the potential to completely TRANSFORM your community and the entire world!

Understand the Qur’an the way it was meant to be understood. The knowledge is here, are you willing to seize it?

Live theMiracle…

Introducing AlMaghrib Institute’s brand new DOUBLE-WEEKEND-DEGREE Seminar Heavenly Hues: Thematic Tafseer.

We all agree that the Qur’an is a message to Mankind, but what is at the heart of this message? What is Allah telling us? Heavenly Hues: Thematic Tafseer will not only allow you to understand the reason for the Qur’an’s revelation, it will pinpoint the most important aspects of this message by analyzing verses based on their overarching themes. You will come away from this seminar understanding the objective of the Qur’an and the role it plays in defining your life. 

Thematic Tafseer is the “Qur’anic science which interprets different issues and themes in view of the Qur’anic objectives through the study of one Surah or more; or through multiple Ayat.”

Finally! Solidify your understanding of the most powerful text in the world, verse by verse, chapter by chapter – and watch as your life and heart are transformed.

What’s at Stake? The cost of not knowing…

This seminar will give you TWO-WEEKENDS of in-depth study on the  major subjects and themes discussed in the Qur’an, the historical development of the science of exegesis (tafseer), and a specific look at what the Qur’an says on issues such as the purpose of life, the economic and political laws that govern a community, the stories of the people of the past, the role of women, and moral and ethical code of the Believers. What better way to increase your knowledge than to study the Word of Allah?

“then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon (their) hearts? [47:24]

Don’t be of those who leave behind the Qur’an!

By Attending this Seminar you will:

• Finally understandwhy the Qu’ranisthe greatest miracle given to mankind.
• Understand the evolution of Tafseer and how the scholars of the past have studied the major themes of the Qur’an
• Have knowledge on the types and the sources of Qur’anic tafseer
• Learn the major themes of the Qur’an along with an explanation of importance of each theme.
• Be able to speak to others about the Qur’an with knowledge and confidence.

3 Reasons you CANNOT afford to miss this seminar:

1. Time is not on your side. If you’re busy now, chances are you’ll be busy later. Do not put your Deen on the backburner waiting for a more ‘convenient’ time to learn about Islam. Do not delay because there will come a Day when simply ‘not knowing’ is no longer an option.

2. Enter the EMANRUSH Zone. Take active steps to increase your knowledge of Allah by understanding His Book. There is no greater EmanRush. “And We have sent down the Book to you as an explanation for everything, a guidance, a mercy and glad tidings for Muslims”  [16:89]

3. Unparalleled Islamic knowledge, in ENGLISH! Nowhere else will you find high quality, engaging instructors who have the knowledge and ability to transmit traditional Islamic works to an English-speaking audience without the loss of depth or impact.

What is Allah telling you?
Empower yourself. Know the Answer.

Click Here to Enroll Now

PS: Studies on Tafseer of the Qur’an, and specialized studies such as Thematic Tafseer are virtually unavailable to an English speaking audience. This seminar is taught by Shaykh Yaser Birjas, a Madinah University graduate and Valedictorian of the Class of ’96. Shaykh Yaser Birjas also teaches: The Code Evolved: Evolution of Fiqh, Code of Scholars: Usool al-Fiqh, and Love Notes: Marriage and Family Life for AlMaghrib Institute.

PPS: This is it, this is the moment where you can choose to remain in a state of ignorance of your life’s purpose or choose the path that will lead to ultimate success. The choice is yours. What will you choose?

To learn more  about the speaker – Read this

Jummah: July 31st @ Muslim Center of New York in Flushing

Mental notes on the kutbah

Praise be to Allah.

Ramadan is just around the corner. It is a special month, a long-awaited month. Sometimes we do not even understand for ourselves the desire for this month. What makes this month so special? It is linked directly with the Qur’an and the Qur’an says so itself, mentioned several times, and he recites the ayah that says Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed, I believe it is [2:185]

How do we gain that peace and tranquility during Ramadan? Through the taqwa of Allah. The taqwa of Allah. To achieve taqwa is to pursue and practice what is pleasing to Allah and, more over, is to avoid what is displeasing to Allah. There are 3 points in establishing a link with the Qur’an.

1. Learn Arabic. It doesn’t matter if you’re a native non-Arab speaker, that is not an excuse. Where there’s a will waAllahi there’s a way. This will also help your salah, will elaborate on this later.***

2. Recitation. Give the Qur’an it’s due right

A. Speed. When we have a plate with delicious food some of us eat it so swiftly just because the food is delicious, i.e. we don’t even really get to taste it and it’s gone before we know it. Others will eat it slowly, cherishing the flavor of every morsel. This is a direct analogy being made to recitation of the Qur’an.

B. When asked about how the Messenger of Allah (saw) would recite the Qur’an Umm Salamah (ra) said that he would recite ayah by ayah, in another hadith narrated by someone else they said similarly and that he would pause. When you’re reading/reciting the Qur’an and come across something about Jannah/pleasurable pause and pray to Allah for it. Similarly when you come across something about the Hellfire, punishment, or some warning pause and seek protection in Allah from it.

C. Beautification.

All around the world cultures have become integral with their own forms of music, one can’t help but keep in mind/heart some of the songs and when we play these back we try to emulate those sounds, voices, even though the lyrics are for the most part in vain and even detrimental. The Qur’an, the divine, true words of/from Allah is most deserving of beautification of the voice that comes from your heart.

Shares 2 hadiths. One says that the Messenger of Allah (saw) told us to beautify our voice when reciting the Qur’an and then mentions a similar hadith from Sahih Bukhari that is very strong, i.e. “He/she who does not beautify their voice [when reciting the Qur'an] is not from us [Ummat Muhammad]” Some might say, “But Shaykh, my voice is not beautiful.” With proper tajweed (uloom ul tajweed, I forget where in the kutbah he mentioned it earlier) by necessity (reciting from your heart) mashAllah your recitation will be beautiful.

D. Knowledge & Understanding. Try and learn what the Qur’an is really trying to tell you, the depth behind the words, the context, its rulings, application and so on. ***This will help you in your salah. When you do not know the Arabic or the meaning behind the words the ritualistic aspect of salaah is greater than the recitation of the Qur’an. With knowledge of these things comes focus.

3. The purpose, function of knowledge is action. Don’t just learn about the Qur’an, learn from it, apply it, use it to better yourself, your life, and so on.

In closing the Messenger of Allah (saw) said the best amongst us are the Qaris. Today that term is used for those who recite the Qur’an (with some level of mastery over at least 1 Qira’at I’m guessing). But the Prophetic usage was for someone who memorized the Qur’an, recites it, knows & understands it, and teaches it. There is a hadith that on the Day of Resurrection Allah will tell us, “Read! And ascend.” There will be a staircase and for every ayah we recite we will take a step forward. So if you only know 5 ayah you will ascend 5 steps. And Allahu Alim maybe if you recite as slowly as Qari Abdul Basit you’ll take 10 instead, and maybe if you recite it quickly you’ll only take 2. But if you know the entire Qur’an you can’t fathom how far you will go in comparison.

When the end comes none of us know if it will be a happy one. May Allah make us of those who do not get an unhappy ending, may Allah make us of those with the highest ascension.

Want more by this instructor ?  Watch this

Please post your comments below or share with others HERE

Jummah073109_ShaykhShpendimNadzaku.mp3

With Shaykh Shpendim Nadzaku

July 31 – August 2 & 7-9, 2009
Fridays: 7pm-10pm
Sat & Sun: 10am-8pm

St. John’s University:
Bent Hall – 1st Fl Auditorium
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
(Closest Entries “Union Turnpike & 174/175th St)

Directions & Map: Directions

For full Details please visit http://forums.almaghrib.org/showthread.php?t=35766

• SATURDAY: First part after Fajr (6:30am – 7:30am)**
• SATURDAY: Second part (8:30pm – 10:00pm)

• SUNDAY: First part after Fajr (6:30am – 8:00am)
• SUNDAY: Second part (8:30pm – 10:00pm)

All sessions will be held on PalTalk in the room titled “Route 114 Study Session.”

You can go to PalTalk.com to download the program. 

Recordings

Week 1:     Download 1          Download 2

Radiance of Iman

Fundamentals of Faith 201

A comprehensive study on Jinns, Angels, Messengers, Divine Books, Day of Judgment & Al-Qadr

March 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th, only 4 Fridays: 7:00 – 10:00 P.M. @ JMC

Email: info@Almamoor.org

“All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again.”

[Bukhari]

By Imâm an-Nawawî rahimahullâh
From ‘Life of the Messenger’

The Messenger of Allâh possesses many manifest miracles and signs demonstrating [his veracity], reaching thousands and they are well known.

From amongst them was the Qur’ân, the manifest and clear miracle and brilliant proof, falsehood cannot approach it from before it or behind it. It is a revelation from One Who is All-Wise and Praiseworthy. It incapacitated the most eloquent of people in the most eloquent of times to produce a single chapter than would be comparable to it, even if the whole of creation were to gather for that purpose. Allâh, the Exalted says,

It challenged them to this despite their large numbers, their eloquence and their severe enmity, and it challenges them to this day.

As for the other miracles, it is not possible to enumerate them all due to their huge number and renewing and increasing nature. I will mention some examples:

The splitting of the moon, water flowing from between his fingers, increasing the quantity of food and water, the glorification of the food, the palm tree yearning for him, stones greeting him, the talking of the poisoned leg [of roasted sheep], trees walking towards him, two trees that were far apart coming together and then parting again, the barren [and therefore dry] sheep giving milk, his returning the eye of Qatâdah bin an-Nu’mân to its place with his hand after it had slipped out, his splitting lightly into the eye of ‘Alî when it had become inflamed and its being cured almost immediately, his wiping the leg of ‘Abdullâh bin ‘Atîq whereupon he was immediately cured.

His informing of the places of death of the polytheists on the Day of Badr saying, ‘this is the place of such-and-such a person.’ His informing of his killing Ubayy ibn Khalaf, that a group of his nation would traverse an ocean and Umm Harâm would be amongst them and this occurred. That all was drawn together for him of the ends of the earth and displayed to him would be opened for his nation, that the treasures of Chosroes would be spend by his nation in the Way of Allâh, the Mighty and Magnificent. That he feared for his nation that they would be tempted by the wealth and allurement of this world and that the treasures of the Persians and Romans would be ours and that Surâqah bin Mâlik would wear the trousers of Chosroes.

He informed us that Hasan bin ‘Alî would reconcile between two large warring parties of Muslims, that Sa’d bin Abû Waqqâs would live such that nations would benefit by him and others would be harmed. That an-Najâshî had died on this particular day while he was in Ethiopia and that al-Aswad al-Ansî had been killed on this particular day while he was in Yemen.

That the Muslims would fight the Turks who were described as having small eyes, wide faces and small, chiselled noses and that Yemen, Syria and Irâq would be conquered by the Muslims.

He informed us that the Muslims would comprise three armies, an army in Syria, an army in Yemen and an army in Irâq. That they would conquer Egypt, a land whose [unit of land measurement] was the Qîrât, they they should deal with their people well for they have protection [being Copts] and ties of kinship [through Hajar]. That Awais al-Qarnî would come to you from the auxiliaries of Yemen, he would be affected with leprosy and it would be healed except for the space of a dirham, and he indeed arrived during the rule of ‘Umar.

He informed us that a group of his nation would always be upon the truth and that mankind would become many in number and that the Ansâr would diminish in number and that the Ansâr would not be given their due [with regards distribution of wealth and leadership]. That mankind would keep on asking questions until they would say, “Allâh created the creation …” [Referring to the hadîth, "the people will continue asking until they say, 'this is Allâh who created everything ... but who created Allâh?' " Reported by al-Bukhârî [no.7296] and Muslim [no.136]]

He informed us that Ruwayfî’ bin Thâbit would live a long life, that ‘Ammâr bin Yâsir would be killed by the transgressing group, that this nation shall divide into sects and that they would fight each other.

He informed us that a fire would emanate from the land of Hijâz and the likes of this. All of this occurred exactly as he, sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said it would.

He said to Thâbit bin Qays,

“You will live being praised … and you will die as a martyr.”

and he lived being praised and was martyred at al-Yamâmah. He said about ‘Uthmân,

“He would afflicted by a severe trial.” [The meaning of severe trial is his being imprisoned in his house and his being killed by transgressors.]

He said about a person amongst the Muslims who had just fought a severe fight that,

“He would be from amongst the denizens of the Fire.”

and later he committed suicide. Wâbisah bin Ma’bad came to him in order to ask him about righteousness and sin upon which he asked,

He said to ‘Alî, az-Zubair and al-Miqdâd,

They found her there but she initially denied having the book and then took it our from within her braids.

He said to Abû Hurayrah, when Satan had stolen some dates, “indeed he shall return … “ and he did.

He said to his wives, “The most prolific of you in giving charity will be the quickest of you to join me,” and it was so. [Zaynab bint Jahsh radiallâhu 'anhâ was the most prolific of them in giving charity and was the first to die. Refer to Muslim [no.2452].]

He said to ‘Abdullâh bin Sallâm, “You will remain upon Islâm until you die.”

He supplicated for Anas that his wealth and sons increase and that he should live a long life and it was so. He lived for more than one hundred years and not one of the Ansâr was richer than he and one hundred and twenty of his children had been buried before the arrival of al-Hajjâj [to Basrah]. This is detailed further in Sahîh al-Bukhârî [no.1982] and others.

He sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam supplicated that Islâm be strengthened through ‘Umar bin al-Khattab or Abû Jahl, and Allâh strengthened it through ‘Umar radiallâhu ‘anhu. He supplicated against Surâqah bin Mâlik and the feet of his horse sank into the earth and he was thrown off, he called out asking for safe conduct and was granted it, then he asked the Prophet to make a supplication for him.

He supplicated that Allâh remove feeling the bitter cold and heat from ‘Alî and so never did he feel cold or hot. He supplicated for Hudhayfah, the night that he sent him to spy on the Confederates, that he not feel the cold and he did not until he had returned. He supplicated for ibn ‘Abbâs that Allâh grant him understanding of the religion and it was so. He supplicated against ‘Utaybah bin Abû Lahab that Allâh cause a dog from amongst His dogs to overcome him and he was killed by a lion at az-Zarqâ’.

He sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam supplicated for the descent of rain when they asked him to at the time of drought, there was not a single cloud in the sky, then when he had supplicated, the clouds gathered like mountains and it rained until the next Friday. It rained so much they they had to come back and ask him to supplicated and stop the rain, so he supplicated and the rain stopped and they out into the glaring sun.

He supplicated for Abû Talhah and his wife, Umm Sulaym, that he bless them in the night they had spent together and she became pregnant and gave birth to ‘Adullâh. He had nine children and all of them were scholars.

He sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam supplicated for the mother of Abû Hurayrah radiallâhu ‘anhu that she be guided and Abû Hurayrah left to find her performing the ritual bath because she had accepted Islâm. He supplicated for Umm Qays bint Muhsin, the sister of ‘Ukkasha, that she live a long life and we do not know of another woman who lived as long as she did. This was reported by an-Nasâ’î in the chapter concerning washing the deceased.

On the Day of Hunain he threw a handful of dirt at the disbelievers and said, “May the faces be disfigured,” and Allâh, the Exalted, vanquished them, filling their eyes with dirt. He once went out to one hundred of the Quraysh who were waiting to do something horrible to him and he put dirt on their head and went on his way without their seeing him.

* [This is the woman with whom Hasîb al-Balta'ah radiallâhu 'anhu sent a letter to the people of Mecca in order to inform them of the plans of the Messenger of Allâh sallallâhu 'alayhi wa sallam to fight them. It was concerning this that the first verses of Sûrah Mumtahinah were revealed. The garden of Khâkh is a place falling between Mecca and Madînah. Refer to Bukhârî [no.3983] and Muslim [no.2494] and Tafsîr ibn Kathîr [4/344].]

Because of the high esteem in which noble descent was held among Quraysh, we find that among the things which Quraysh accused the Prophet (ra) of, his descent is not mentioned, because his origins were well known among them. They accused him of many things that they made up, but this issue was not mentioned at all.

2. He grew up an orphan, for his father ‘Abdullah died when his mother was only two months pregnant with him. When he reached the age of six, his mother Aaminah died too, so at a very early age he (HI) felt the bitterness of being deprived of his parents’ love and compassion. After that, he was looked after by his grandfather ‘Abdul-Muttalib, but he died when the Prophet (SAWS) was eight years old. Then he was looked after by his paternal uncle Abu Taalib, until he grew up and became strong and mature. The Qur’an refers to his being an orphan when it says:

3. The Messenger of Allah (SAWS) spent the first four years of his life in the desert, among Bani Sa’d, so he grew up strong and healthy, eloquent and brave, able to ride horses well at an early age. His talents flourished in the peace and fresh air of the desert.

4. His intelligence was apparent at an early age and could be seen in his features, which aroused the love of all those who saw him. When he was a young boy, the Messenger came and sat on his grandfather’s bed. When he (‘Abdul-Muttalib) sat on it, no one among his children (i.e., the paternal uncles of the Prophet) would sit on it with him. So his paternal uncles tried to make him move, but ‘Abdul-Muttalib said, “Leave my son alone, for by Allah he has a future.”

5. When he was a young man, the Prophet (SAWS) tended the sheep of the people of Makkah in return for a few pennies. It was narrated that he (SAWS) said:

Then when he reached the age of twenty-five, he worked for Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid, doing business with her money in return for a salary that she paid him.

6. When he was a young man, he did not join his Makkan peers in their idle leisure pursuits. Allah protected him from that. The books of Seerah state that when he was a young man, he heard singing in one of the houses of Makkah where a wedding party was taking place. He wanted to go to the party, but Allah caused him to fall asleep, and he was only woken up by the heat of the sun. He did not join his people in worshipping idols, he never ate the meat of any animals that were sacrificed to them, he never drank wine, he never gambled, and he never uttered foul speech or bad language.

7. He was known for his wisdom and sound reasoning. The incident when he put the Black Stone back in its place in the Ka’bah is indicative of that. The Ka’bah had been damaged by a flood which caused cracks in its walls, so the people of Makkah decided to knock it down and rebuild it. So they did that, but when they reached the place where the Black Stone was to go, a fierce dispute erupted as to who would have the honour of putting the Black Stone in place. Each tribe wanted to have this honour. The dispute reached the point where they were threatening to fight one another, then they agreed that the first person to come in through the gate of Bani Shaybah should judge amongst them. That person was the Messenger of Allah (SAWS), and when they saw him, they said, “This is Al-Ameen (the trustworthy), we will accept his judgement.” When they told him about that, he solved the problem in a manner that was approved of by all parties. He spread out his cloak, then he picked up the Stone and put it on his cloak. Then he told them that each tribe should take hold of one edge of the cloak and lift it up. When the Stone reached its place, he took it and put it there with his own hand, and they all approved of that. By means of his wisdom, Allah protected the blood of the Arabs from being shed in a feud that only Allah, the Exalted, the Almighty, knows its extent.

8. The Prophet (SAWS) was known among his people for being trustworthy and honest since his youth. He was well known among them for treating people kindly, keeping promises, living an upright life and having a good reputation. This is what made Khadeejah (RA) employ him to engage in trade using her money in the caravan that went to the city of Busra in Syria every year, and made her pay him double what she paid anyone from among her own people. When he came back to Makkah and her slave Maysarah told her how trustworthy and sincere he was, and she saw the great profits that had been made on that trip, she paid him double the sum that she had promised. She also wanted to marry him, and he agreed to marry her even though he was fifteen years younger than her. The best testimony to his good attitude before Prophethood is the fact that Khadeejah said to him when the revelation first came to him in the cave of Hiraa’ and he began trembling,

9. He traveled twice outside Makkah. The first time was with his paternal uncle Abu Taalib when he was twelve years old, and the second time was when he was twenty-five, when he went to engage in trade on Khadeejah’s behalf, with her money. Both trips were to the city of Busra. On both occasions he heard the talk of the merchants and saw the towns of the lands through which he traveled, and the customs of their people.

10. A few years before his Prophethood, Allah made him like to go out to the cave of Hiraa’ — which is a mountain on the north-west side of Makkah, close to the city — where he would stay alone for a month — during the month of Ramadaan — and think about the signs of Allah’s creation and the greatness of His power. He continued to do this until the Revelation came to him with the Qur’an.

LESSONS TO BE LEARNED

A researcher may learn the following lessons from studying the events described above:1. That the more highly-regarded a daa ‘iyah or social reformer is among his people, the more likely the people will listen to him. People usually look down on callers and reformers if they are of humble origins or modest background. But if there comes to them one whose noble birth or whose family’s social status they cannot deny, they will not be able to say anything about him but lies and fabrications which they will take as an excuse not to listen to him or heed his call. Hence, the first thing that Heraclius asked Abu Sufyaan, after the Prophet (SAWS) had sent a letter to Heraclius calling him and his people to Islam, was: “What is his lineage amongst you?” Abu Sufyaan answered, although at that time he was still a mushrik, “He is one of the noblest of us in lineage.” When Heraclius had finished questioning Abu Sufyaan and had listened to his answers, he explained to him why he had asked him these questions about Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (SAWS). Heraclius said:

It is true that Islam does not give any weight to nobility of descent when it comes to deeds, but this does not mean that there is no connection between noble descent and noble deeds. The higher a person’s status, the more chance there is of success, as the Prophet (SAWS) said according to a saheeh hadith:

2. If the daa ‘iyah goes through the pain of being an orphan or suffering hardship when he is young, that will make him more sensitive to noble humane feelings., and he will be filled with compassion and mercy towards the orphans, the poor and persecuted; he will strive harder to be just to these groups and show mercy and compassion towards them. Every daa ‘iyah needs a large amount of noble humane emotions that will make him feel the pain of the weak and wretched. There is nothing better than suffering in his own life to give him the feelings of the orphans, poor and needy.

3. The closer the daa ‘iyah s lifestyle is to the fitrah (nature), and the further away he is from a complex lifestyle, the more pure, and strong will be his mind, body and soul, and the more sound is his speech and thinking. Hence, it was not by chance that Allah chose the Arabs to bring the message of Islam, because, in comparison to the neighbouring civilized nations, they were purer in spirit, sounder in thinking, more proper in morals, and more able to endure the hardships of war for the sake of Allah and spreading His message throughout the world.

4. No one is qualified to lead the da ‘wah except one who is intelligent and alert. So those of low or average intelligence are the least deserving of leading the intellectual reform or spiritual movement. Rather, it is one of the laws of life that no one who is dull-witted or confused in his thinking or hold weird views will be able to lead in any field of life with any degree of success. If by chance or circumstance such a person attains a position of leadership, he will quickly falter and his people will shun him, after his actions demonstrate his stupidity, oddness or confused thinking.

5. The daa ‘iyah must be able to depend on himself to earn a living, or have a decent source of income, without begging or humiliating himself in any way.

Sincere and noble daa ‘iyahs do not accept to live on people’s charity and gifts. What respect can they have from their people if they humiliate themselves by begging and asking from people, even if they do not do that openly? If we find a person who claims to be a daa’iyah accumulating wealth from people through all kinds of deceit, then we may be certain that he has no self-respect, so how must his people and his neighbours view a person who accepts humiliation for himself? How can he call people to noble characteristics and conduct, and confront false and corrupt rulers, and fight evil and immorality, and spread the noble spirit of righteousness among the ummah?

6. If the daa ‘iyah is righteous during his youth and has lived a good life, this is more likely to bring him success in his efforts to call people to Allah, reform their morals and fight evil. For there will be no one who can criticize his personal conduct before he began his da ‘wah work. We often see that when people undertake da ‘wah (call, preaching) and reform efforts, especially in the field of moral reform, one of the most off-putting factors is when people remember their immoral past and previous bad behaviour. This ill-spent past may make people doubt the sincerity of such daa ‘iyahs, who may be accused of hiding behind the reform effort for ulterior motives, or of not starting to call for reform until they had had their fill of the pleasures of life, and because of their circumstances or their age they no longer had any hope of continuing to have the worldly gains, wealth, fame or status that they previously enjoyed But in the case of the daa ‘iyah who was righteous during his youth, he can continue to hold his head high with a clear conscience. The enemies of reform will not find any way to criticize him for his recent or more distant past; they will not find in his past any grounds for exposing him or calling people to look down on him.

Yes, Allah accepts the repentance of the one who repents to Him sincerely, and He erases his past evil deeds with his present good deeds, but this does not benefit the daa ‘iyah who wants to succeed in his da ‘wah, who could have hoped for greater success if he had a better past and a better reputation.

7. If the daa ‘iyah has the experience of travel, living with the masses and becoming familiar with the people’s customs, circumstances and problems, this will have a great impact on the success of his da ‘wah. Those who interact with people through books and articles without mixing with people of different backgrounds are doomed to failure in their calls for reform. The people will not listen to them or respond to their call, because they will see that they know nothing about their circumstances and their problems. Whoever wants to bring about reform among religious people has to mix with them in their mosques, gatherings and meetings. Whoever wants to bring about reform among the workers and peasants has to mix with them in their villages and factories, eat with them in their houses, and speak to them in their meetings. Whoever wants to reform the people’s interactions with one another has to mix with them in their marketplaces, shops, factories, clubs and gatherings. Whoever wants to reform politics must mix with politicians and get to know their organizations, listen to their speeches, read their manifestoes and agendas, then get used to the environment in which they operate, their cultural background and the aims which they are striving to reach, so that he will know how to address them without putting them off, and how to aim his reform efforts, so that they will not resist him because of personal dislike or emotional reasons.

So the daa’iyah must have some experience of life and some knowledge of people’s affairs, so that he will be able to fulfil the command of Allah:

How wonderful is the advice to,

8. The daa ‘iyah who wants to call people to Allah should spend time alone every now and then, when his soul may make contact with Allah and he can keep away from all the things that may upset him such as bad attitudes, the stress of life and disturbances around him. During such times of solitude, he should take stock of himself and see if he has fallen short in doing good, or deviated in any way, or failed to follow the wisest course, or made a mistake in his method or way, or indulged in arguments with some people to such an extent that he forgot to remember Allah and feel close to Him, remember the Hereafter with its Paradise and its Hell, together with death and its suffering and agonies. Hence tahajjud and qiyaam al-layl (prayers at night) were made obligatory for the Prophet (0), and they are mustahabbat (recommended) for others. Those who should be most eager to perform these nafl prayers are the daa ‘iyahs who seek to call people to Allah and His shari’ah and Paradise.

Solitude, tahajjud and standing to worship Allah in the depths of the night bring joy which no one knows except those whom Allah honours with these acts of worship. Ibraheem ibn Adham (may Allah have mercy on him) used to say after doing these prayers, “We are experiencing joy which if the kings were aware of it, they would fight us for it.”

It is sufficient for us to note the words that Allah addressed to the Messenger of Allah (saws):

Extracted from “ The Life of Prophet Muhammad: Highlights and Lessons” Published by International Islamic Publishing House

Source:islaam.net

Bismillah ..
On December 27th 2008, an attacked was launched on Gaza that
has resulted chaos and destruction for those living in the area until the current date.

Tayybah’s charitree team presents: “Wiping the Tears”

Our goal: To collect at least $25,000 to donate towards easing the hardship on our brothers and sisters, 20 dollars a day.
Mu’aadh bin Jabal (RadiAllahu ‘Ahu) related from the Messenger of Allah (sallahAllahu aleyhi wasalam): “Sadaqah extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire.” [Ahmad, Tirmidhi]