Bilal ibn Rabah (#Unbreakable) - Omar Suleiman

Legend in Lifetime: Magical Urdu storyteller Mohiuddin Nawab wants his stories to be translated in English and Hindi

(C) By INDSCRIBE

Mohiuddin Nawab, who rules over Urdu story world, is a true legend.

He is the man who has authored Devta, the most voluminous and longest running novel ever written in any language, and that runs into more than 50 volumes.

He is also the man whose stories are published in almost every monthly [digests] in Urdu and are awaited by millions of readers, in India & Pakistan.

Also, publishers in India, print and sell his novels, of course, without copyright [and no royalty]. His novels and stories are awaited by a large number of readers. On blogs the entire novels are copied and uploaded by fans.

The octogenarian writer who is known for his unique writing style, finds tales from the people around us and then writes extraordinary stories about ordinary men. He is a cult following. While his stories exhilarate you, at the same time they also have a social message and expose the hollowness of our society.

Nawab sahab lives in Karachi in Pakistan. There is little doubt that he is an inimitable writer and generations have loved him. Still, there is a very sad aspect. Perhaps, it can happen only in the East, that such a major writer hasn�t got the due regard from so-called �literary world�.

Is it because his writings�though no less incisive than the leading litterateurs, mostly got published in popular magazines [digests] that have huge circulation, and not to literary magazines. Isn�t it an irony? It is an honour to be able to have a brief chat with the famous author who has been writing for the last 55 years.

Interview with Mohiuddin Nawab

*Nawab Sahab, first tell us about your childhood and how you were drawn towards writing stories?

Mohiuddin Nawab: I was born in Kharagpur in West Bengal. The year was 1930. I was interested in listening to stories when I was a kid. I also enjoyed narrating tales. Rest, it is life that has taught me. I consider me a student till date. I guess it was my destiny to become a writer.

*How many stories you have written so far?

Mohinuddin Nawab: Frankly, I never kept an account of the number of stories wrote. But I believe that I had more stories to tell than most authors. Devta is undoubtedly the longest story written in any language in the world.

*We wonder, how you can write so much. Once it was commonly known that you dictated and recorded your stories.

Mohinuddin Nawab: It depends on the mood. Sometimes I write and t here are times when I use the tape-recorder. These days, I am also using computer.

*Your stories show your deep insight about the society. There is also a message in them. How do you get so many experiences about people and their lives, which help you form such strong characters?

Mohiuddin Nawab: From books, I gather information about the world around. I study people and try to understand their psychology, their actions. The effort to get into the person�s mind, helps me create the stories.

*How did you plan writing �Devta�?

Mohiuddin Nawab: Every person�s brain works differently. I thought that it would make the diverse kind of human minds play through my pen. Emotions like love, hate, treachery and all other passions come out of human mind. I successfully wrote this long story for a period of 33 years.

*Who inspired you as a writer?

Mohiuddin Nawab: I learnt from my predecessors. Learning is a constant process. Sometimes, a child says something that astonishes you and makes you ponder over it.

*Do you write poetry also?

Mohiuddin Nawab: Sometimes I do write couplets.

*Any message for young generation?

Mohiuddin Nawab: I wish that youth would devote more time towards reading. Excessive use of mobile phone hampers their creativity. I hope that the youngsters would read  books as they are a true friend and have a treasure of knowledge.

[These are excerpts from a long interview, which is soon going to be published.]

Islam and Science Quotes

Holy Quran Is indeed the best book on the planet sent by creator himself for the mankind to find the right path and spent life in a good way. There are more than 1000 verses in Holy Quran which talks about science. there are hundreds of Scientific facts in Holy Quran which are found In last few decades but Holy Quran has mentioned them centuries ago.

I am sharing Some Islamic Quotes related to science below:

Begging From Islamic Point of View

Begging has become such a profession now a days that beggars are found every where. No signal, no street and no market is free of them. Even though, begging is not much of a problem itself, beggars are. This contagion has spread so much that today kids and elderly people are also found begging.

According to some independent reports and sources, the beggars that are found today are not all the needy and poor. Most of them have taken this activity as a profession. Some beggars earn daily thousand plus money daily only from begging. According to some sources, seeing the profitability in this profession, some selfish people are now using their elderly parents and orphan relatives to beg. This is such a sad down fall of a society. No culture and civilization likes begging. In most advanced countries, poors are given allowance so that they don't spread their hand in front of others. But still, beggars emerge.

Islam does not appreciate begging. Begging is such a thing that it erases all self respect from a man. It is very difficult once to beg and to spread hand before others, but once the empty hand receives money, then it becomes habit. According to the psychologists, begging becomes more of a need then just a source of earning. Many a people were discovered who begged not because they were poor but because of their strange psychological satisfaction. Whatever the case maybe, begging is not a thing to be promoted. It is not liked in islam and it has no place in an islamic society.

Apart from the greed of money which is caused by begging, it has other curses and disadvantages. Beggars are mostly found involved in illegitimate and criminal activities. Thus, a society where such a thing prevails, overall environment of the society is compromised. The beggars are never contented and they have no self concept. So they beg. Allah swt say in Quran;

[002:273] (Charity is most appropriate) for those who are impoverished because they are (engaged and engrossed) in the cause of Allah, and are restricted (in their ability to earn). They cannot travel and move about in the world (in search of livelihood). Because of their modesty, those who are ignorant (of their circumstances), consider them well to do. You can recognize them by their features. They do not entreat and beg people for help. Allah is indeed very well Aware of anything you spend (in His cause).

Thus, those who ask Allah for help and those who seek help from people have a very clear difference in their personality traits. The people who ask Allah will never ask anyone else. They do not even show others of their circumstances. Prophet Muhammad pbuh said about those who are content at what they have;

Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 76, Number 477:

Narrated Abu Said:

Some people from the Ansar asked Allah's Apostle (to give them something) and he gave to everyone of them, who asked him, until all that he had was finished. When everything was finished and he had spent all that was in his hand, he said to them, '"(Know) that if I have any wealth, I will not withhold it from you (to keep for somebody else); And (know) that he who refrains from begging others (or doing prohibited deeds), Allah will make him contented and not in need of others; and he who remains patient, Allah will bestow patience upon him, and he who is satisfied with what he has, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And there is no gift better and vast (you may be given) than patience." 

this explains that begging is a moral challenge that a society faces. It promotes greed and further moral degradation. Today, women and men and children are not the only beggars, but one can find men in disguise of women on signals and roads. They do this to beg. This moral challenge has to be faced. And for this, every Muslim needs to contribute. Giving charity and alms is a very good solution to keep people from such things. Remember, in the times of hazrat Usman r.a., the economic conditions of the muslim society were so improved that he r.a. Used to find people who deserve charity. This was achieved with the purity of intentions. When a society is pure, the overall result will be no less than purity. 

Illuminati, the satanic cult

There are many secret societies and cults that exist today. Some of them are linked to few hundred years history while some are quit old. Some of them are merged into different groups. All these secret societies and cults have one thing in common. They all worship no God. They all are the followers of satan and they openly admit it. These cults are shunned and many attempts have been made to wipe them out or ban them. But they exist even today due to the fact that they have been helped by the powerful people across the globe.

One of the most known and notorious cult is Illuminati. This has quite a history. It is said that Illuminati is a mixture of two or three cults. This cult has its roots and strong relations with Judaism. Even though Jews do not like to associate themselves with such a group or cult but still some independent research since a decade or more has proven that Judaism is actually linked with Illuminati. The research has resulted in concrete proofs that Illuminati worships Satan.

This cult has its members from across the globe. The reason for this is that once when a person joins it, it will shower on him all the fame and wealth. And almost every person who is part of Illuminati is a well known and powerful person. The research showed that after J F Kennedy, all the US presidents have been part of Illuminati. The other western countries' top politicians are also the members, queen Elisabeth has been known to be part of this cult. All the most popular Hollywood starts and production companies are also run by Illuminati. Disney, the most favorite of all children and elders is serving Illuminati since its very start. Illuminati has influenced not only Hollywood but many other entertainment industries are also part of Illuminati.

Why is this such a big cult and why cannot it be controlled or stopped is a question that every one wants to know. The answer is simple. Once, the one who trades his loyalty to satan, he cannot leave this group. Once, the person gets into Illuminati, he is showered with so much success and fame that he ends up hungry for more. In past, many people have tried to leave this satanic cult, but almost all of them ended up dead. The most famous Illuminati murder so far is the murder of Princes Diana. It is said that she wanted free of the clutches of the satanism but she could not. Rumors has that she was going to reveal something which was to be kept secret. The US president JF Kennedy was also murdered for opposing secret cults.

How this cult works? This cult is based on satanism. Basically, satan is not their god, he is the one who can fulfil all their needs if they say that there is no God. So, since the very start, illuminati has been trying to erase the concept of God from the world. This is simple, satan had said that he will lead the human race astray, what can be more astray then believing in no God. To achieve this, there is several tricks that have been revealed over the years. First, there are some symbols and signs which are place to mark the things that belong to satan. Secondly, there is a system or a mechanism which is observed to summon demons and satans. The famous jewish kabalah is the magic which is used to do this. No matter how hard Jews deny it, it is the truth that kabalah is nothing but magic, which is intended to summon demons because jews believe that prophet Suleman a.s. Used to rule with the help of devils. This has been made clear in Quran that Jews are liars. Anyway, kabalah is that main system which has rituals and codes. Some sources also claim that human sacrifice and illicit sex is also a part of these satanic rituals. While some go to the extent of drinking human blood. Allahualam. There is averse in Quran that speaks about the worship of jinn as;

[034:041]They will say, �Exalted are You! You are our Patron and not they.� In fact, they used to worship the jinn (i.e. the devil and not Us). Most of them believed (and followed) the jinn. 

The attack of this cult goes by this way. Since, this cult does not believe in existence of any god, so to promote and propagate this theory, they use media. And they have presented life and a one way, once happening phenomenon which is meant to be for fun only. Secondly, the mind manipulation is done through provision of free means to sex and other illicit activities. We all know that any such thing will keep a muslim far far away from the mercy of Allah swt.  Third thing in the wiping of religions. All those religions which has opposed this system are the enemies. And wiping them out is necessary for satanism. There are may and more about Illuminati. But one thing which has been proven is that it is Jewish and it is against God. 

Devil Whispers

Satan whispers in our hearts, evil thoughts. These thoughts make us worry about the unnecessary things unnecessarily. Sometimes, we feel uncomfortable for a certain happening. Some times certain people worry us. Some times when something is not happening, it worries us. Basically, almost everything which is not happening up to our expectations worry us. And this is where satan falls in.

Al-Quran [007:200] When the devil whispers to you any whisper, seek refuge in GOD; He is Hearer, Omniscient.

some times, it so happens that certain things happen one after another. Mostly, if one unfavorable event occurs, it is likely to result in another unfavorable event. Now satan will jump in and start manipulating the mind that such and such thing happened due to bad luck. Similarly, some times, it is said that our prayers are not begin answered because Allah swt is not happy with us. In short, this concept of bad luck or ill luck is attributed to all the unfavorable events. Now let us see if this phenomenon actually exists or not.

There is no concept of bad luck in islam. In fact, the word bad cannot be attributed to luck. Luck, or fate is our life time in this world. It is base don two things. One that is written by Allah swt and one that we make by ourselves. Since, we are given free choice to decide about the life pattern, then we cannot just use the word bad to what we do ourselves. And the other part is written by Allah swt and He cannot write anything bad. But satan makes us see the events of life as if they have happened as they were written before hand. This is why people visit fake scholars and healers and some times they fall into the trap of magicians and tricksters just to rectify the errors in their fate.

Secondly, satan like to create doubts in our hearts and minds about the worship we do. The most common form of these doubts in the doubts we have during namaz. Mostly, we find ourselves thinking about all the problems during namaz. And also, some times, we solves most troubled situations during namaz. Some times, some thing around us capture our attention in namaz and we do loose our concentration. Now, namaz is the worship that needs concentration. We should know what we are reciting in namaz. We should be aware of how we are standing before Allah. But due to these doubts, we do not keep ourselves honest with our salah any more. This is again satan who does not want us to be near to Allah swt.

Sometimes, people are found worried about their iman. They no longer pray and no longer do good because they say they are sinful. This thought makes them go far, instead of going near to Allah swt. Despite of the rule of law that whoever sins and then repents will be forgiven, satan manipulates the hearts by weakening the iman that a sinful soul should not stand before Allah. Thus, dragging the person far far away.

All these evil whispers of satan are nothing but a trick to keep humans away from the remembrance and mercy of Allah swt. Since all the satanic traps are known to Allah swt, and satan has no power over anything, so Allah swt has told us the way out of it in the following verse of Quran;

[023:097] Say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the whispers of the devils.

Satan is the evil, the source of all the evil and the source of all the wrong. We are not created on evil. Our creation is the positive one while the satan is;

[114:005] �The one who (breathes doubts and) whispers in the hearts of mankind.� 

Animal Dissection In View of Islam

Islam is very strict about treating animals. They live and breath and they feel just like us. They and we share the same world, but our lives are very different. But still some things are common. And among those common things is the happiness and sadness. Animals feel pain, they feel good.

One of the most important issue in animal rights is raised with respect to the animal dissection. Animal dissection is very common in medical sciences. At earlier as well as at advanced stages, different animals are dissected for the purpose of study. Now, keeping in mind the rights of animals as prescribed in islam, it is a big question mark. Dissection of animals means their death for no reason. So, many students hesitate before doing dissection of animals.

According to different schools of thought, this issue is dealt with differently. Their point of views is presented as below;

1: The maliki school of thought says that animal dissection is makrooh. This poitn fo view is held by some hanbali's and shafi's as well. For the reference, see al-Tamheed (15/178); Sharh al-�Umdah by Ibn Taymiyah (3/148).

2: According to hanbali, shafi and hanafi schools of thought, including ibn hazam, this is a haram act. Because killing of an innocent creature which has caused any one no harm is haram. This view is also favored by ibn tymiyah. For the reference, please see Mushkil al-Athaar by al-Tahhaawi (2/35); al-Majmoo� (9/29); al-Mughni (9/338); al-Muhalla (7/225); al-Fataawa al-Kubra (2/139).

these schools of thought maintain this view based on the narration given below;

Report narrated from �Abd al-Rahmaan ibn �Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which a doctor asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about using frogs in medicine, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade killing them.
Abu Dawood (5269), classed as saheeh by al-Nawawi in al-Majmoo� (9/34).

According to the scholars, unjust animal slaughter is not permissible at all. But if the animal killing is meant for strictly the knowledge purpose, then it is permissible. But due measures are must to be taken in this regard. Those animals, that are to be dissected, they should be anesthetized properly before dissection and it is made sure that they do not wake up during the operation. Because that would be extreme pain for them to bear. Secondly, after the dissection and learning process is done, the animals must be killed immediately to spare them for the pain.

One thing should be kept in mind, the animals that are slaughtered to get the fur or that are killed just for fun, such things are not permissible. Killing an animal for fulfilling selfish interests , like making bags, shoes and coats is not appreciated. Just think about those lives like you think about your own. You would never liked ot be subject of a brutal science surgery where the chances of success are too limited. Similarly, subjecting animals to such brutal operations is also not a thing to call for.  

Rights of Animals in Islam

Every living being has right to live freely. No one can cause harm to no one. Just like we humans have rights and we are very serious and careful about them, animals also have rights. And no one can deprive them of their rights.

Just like us, animals and birds breath and feel emotions. They feel pain and happiness. They feel the change in the environment. And they do not like to be imprisoned. And just like us, animals and birds like love and care. Even though they are not as smart as we are, but they still have a life and they want to lead their life without any hurt or trouble.

Those who like to keep animals and birds as pets, they must ensure that their pets are comfortable. Keeping them hungry or tieing them unnecessarily is very wrong and such a thing is not permissible in islam, in fact, there is a sahih hadith which tells us that a women was sent to hell just because of her un-human treatment to her cat. The hadith is mentioned as follows;

Narrated by Ibn Umar, who said that the Prophet (pbuh) said: �A woman was punished because of a cat which she detained until it died of starvation, because she did not feed it or let it go and eat of the vermin of the earth.� Agreed upon.

Therefore, if one likes to keep animals or birds as pets, he should take good care of them. Feeding them with proper food, and making them drink water as per their requirements and keeping them safe from extreme weathers is important. If they fell ill, the owners are required to take them to animal doctors.

Scholars say that it is permissible to keep dogs to guard the houses and properties as well. But they should not be entered in the houses. As for the bird that are put in cages, scholars differ on this. Some prominent scholars say that it is permissible to keep the birds in cages. As many people keep birds because of their colors and sweet voices. Their sweet melodies and colors sooth and relax people. So it is permissible to keep them but with care. While their other group of scholars say that the birds that are kept in cages do not sing, instead they cry and long for freedom. So it is nor permissible to keep them in cages or lock animals. The other point of view is that keeping birds in cages is a luxury. And Islam does not like luxuries.

Whatever the case may be, animals and birds are living beings. Whether we keep them as pets or they live in wild, we should never intend them any harm. And if we find any person who does such a thing to them, then it is our duty to prevent them from such insane people. Providing them with food and rescuing them is an act of good deed. And all good deeds earn reward. Since animals and birds cannot express their trouble in words, so feeling for them and taking care of them is the act of mercy on our part. And every act of mercy is returned with mercy. 

Killing in The Name of Religion

In past 10+ years, most of the Muslim world has seen destruction and unrest. Some of the countries were invaded while some were busy fighting internally. Some countries where Muslims are a minority are under attack. In short, the last decade has brought us unrest and chaos.

One of the many things that happened to the muslims is the killing of others in the name of islam. Many muslims and few non muslims have been targeted and killed. Since the American invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, this kill game has started. There has sprouted many unknown and virtually insignificant groups of name sake muslims, who would some times kill women and children and some times they would prepare suiciders and those suiciders would kill others in mass numbers.

The Question here is, does islam asks us to do this? The answer is no. In fact the day this all started, people from different walks of life started to say it was wrong. Scholars also played their part and denounced all those who kill others in the name of islam.

Killings for the religion's sake is not only limited to islam, as the world believes. This has a very long history. Jews and Christians are known to kill those who ever opposed them. In fact, jews are mentioned in Quran and thy are condemned for killing their prophets. So, jews have a very long history. Christians also have their share in the history in this regard. They used to kill even those who would make some scientific breakthrough. Even today, christians are killing muslims of central african republic, a remote and small insignificant place in africa. Jews are killing muslims in palestine since israel was forcefully implanted on world's map. Christian militia is known for the killing of Muslims with the help of Israel.

But does this all can be done in Islam? The answer is no. Islam does not allow any such activity whatsoever. In fact, killing that is done for other than the just purpose is totally forbidden. Allah swt say in Quran;

[005:032] On account of this, WE prescribed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killed a person - unless it be for killing a person or for creating disorder in the land - it shall be as if he killed all mankind; and whoso saved a life, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. And our Messengers came to them with clear Signs, Yet even after that, many of them commit excesses in the land.

Islam has a very clear stance on this. We cannot go and kill any one because we are in disagreement with some one else. And we cannot take a life because we are told to do so. Taking a life for any unjust purpose will earn hell. If islam has no such history, then why is it being made a history of Islam? This is the real point of concern.

The need of the hour is to look for the black sheep. In every time, there were low life black sheep among muslims who worshipped glory and wealth. Khilafah ended because of such people. One reason of Muslim down fall is only because of such people. The reason why there is so much unrest, killing and chaos in the land is because of these few. What can the rest of us do? The rest of us can disassociate ourselves from these people. The agenda of the west is to wipe islam. And this is popularly known as new world order. This new world order cannot see islam in the world. And one way to do this is to re-write the peaceful history of Islam into barbarianism and killing. This is what is being done here.

Need of the hour is to know that Islam does not allow anyone to kill any innocent soul. We need to unit and we need to break free from the clutches of the new world order. This is the only way we all can survive. 

Cloning as described in Quran

Islam is the religion of science, logic and reasoning. No matter how the non muslim world sees it, the the truth is that the amount of information presented in Quran, about past, present and future is immense and perfectly accurate. There has been proven many scientific facts that were actually present in Quran. And many scientific facts were able to be proved only because of the information given in Quran. Before going to the actual topic, first read the verse of Quran given below;

[Satan said: ]�I will lead them astray and fill them with false hopes. I will command them and they will cut off cattle�s ears. I will command them and they will change Allah�s creation.� Anyone who takes satan as his protector in place of Allah has clearly lost everything.� (Surat an-Nisa�, 119)

this noble verse tells us the promise of satan which he made to lead us astray and far from the mercy of Allah. Satan first said that he will fill humans with false hopes. One might think what hopes are false hopes. The answer is, anything that is wrong, that is meant to do wrong and that results in wrong is the falsehood. To hope for such a thing is a false hope. Today, we see that humans want to run away from this world. They want to know what other places are like this world. Now, this is the building of a false hope because we are sent here. This is the place suitable for us and this is the only place we will ever reside freely.

Secondly, satan said that he will command humans to change Allah's creation by cutting the cattle's ear. This is a very strange thing to say. Cutting cattle's ear means nothing. In old times, cutting cattle's ears might have been associated with a pagan ritual. It might be thought as a way of marking animals. But it is the today's constant research, which has told us what actually it meant. For almost a century now, some humans wanted to recreate themselves. Just like we recreate a copy of a document, some people wanted to recreate their own copies. So, after a lot of unsuccessful experiments, the first clon was created. This was dolly, a sheep. And then this thing was extended.

Similarly, there are successful gender changing operations going on in the world every day.

Basically, anything that is made outside the natural cycle, is a wrong and faulty creation. The success of cloning is not the success at all. In fact it is just what satan said. Allah swt let it happen because this is the proof of faulty nature of creations when humans try to do the God's job. Now let us see what are the problems in the clons.

Clons are created by taking the cells from the ears of cattle. There is no other part of body that can produce those cells. Only the cells in the ear can last longer and only they can generate themselves. Thus, the cattle's ears are cut to get those cells. Hence, the cutting of the cattle's ears. Next comes the clon. The flaw that one can never expect the science to correct is the age of the being. When the cells are taken from the ears, their DNA is coded for every information. The age is one such information. Then the diseases and the problems in the different parts of body. In fact, the DNA contains everything about the body of the living being. Now, a living thing created from the cells of the same being cannot be the same. One thing, the newly created being is not one day old, but it is of the same age as its actual being. So, dolly was exactly of the same age as was it's actual.

Secondly, the clon, no matter how carefully created, will never be healthy. It is because of the information in the DNA. This is why, the clons have enlarged organs. And they die earlier. They do not live without troubles.

Thus, the prophecy of Quran about the alteration of creation is right. And if it is coming from satan, we should never doubt about its harmful  nature. Creation is Allah's work. We are all His creations and we should be happy with it.

Free Will and Predestination

Free will means to do thing out of own choice without any external pressure to choose a particular entry. Take this life as a big programming manual. You are the one who will accountable for your life. Whatever commands you write will make your program run one way or other. So just like a programmer, who chooses a particular set of instructions for his program, we are all free o make choices to do what we like to do at particular times.

We are created as crown of creatures because of the knowledge we are given and because of the free will that we have. Still, there is a concept in islam, the core concept which makes people doubt about this free will thing. That core concept is the pre-destination. Or the pre-determined set of events. Again, think about a computer game with known levels. Every time when you win a level, another level appears, with more upgrades and more and more skills. But think about the way you complete it. It may be that you choose to complete one objective before you want to complete the other objective within the same level. This is upto your will. But you are limited to the level completion.

Just like this game example, our life is a set of pre determined events and free will choices. Allah swt say in Quran;

�Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine Preordainments of all things before their creation as written in the Book of Decrees ___ Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz)� [54:49]

And

�No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz) before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allaah� [57:22].

Prophet Muhammad pbuh said on this topic;

�Allah decided the decrees of creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth. He said: And His Throne is above the water.� Muslim (2653).

The verses and the hadith indicated that all the information is already coded in a book much prior to the creation. Then the verses given below indicate a very different thing;

�And say: �The truth is from your Lord.� Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve� [18:29] 

�Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful� [76:3]

This is what non believers most often raise as objection. But they fail to understand that one simple thing, which they also do in their lives. It is the choice limitation. We are all free to choose within our controllable life events. But somethings are beyond our control. Just like a new life. We cannot create a new life if it is not the will of Allah. Similarly, we cannot make a person end his life if it is not his end.

If we read surah kahaf, the mystry Is solved. This surah of Quran contains the meeting of hazrat musa a.s. And hazrat khizar a.s. Hazrat khizar a.s. Was given the knowledge which hazrat musa a.s. Could not comprehend. And that was the knowledge about the predestination of the things and living beings. Every even had a wisdom behind it. The control is always in Allah's hand. Just like a game, we can choose to complete a level whatever way we want, but we cannot jump ahead without following an order. This is why a game looks so amazing. Same rule should be applied to life. Life only becomes good if we do not try to mess with it. 

The Slaves of Evil Desires

below are the words of satan as reported in Quran. When satan was casted out, he went furious with jealousy and rage. He promised that he will never miss an opportunity of misleading slaves of Allah. He promised that he will make humans, the slaves of their own desires. And those desires will be vain and evil. The verse mentioned above says that satan wants us to change the very nature of the things as created by Allah swt.

[004:119]�I will definitely mislead them. I will certainly stir up vain and wanton desires in them. I will command them and they will split the ears of the cattle (a common practice of the idol worshipers). I will persuade them, and they will change and corrupt the nature (of the order) of things that Allah has created.� Whoever takes Shaitan as his master instead of Allah, has indeed incurred a severe and significant loss! 

Well, satan is keeping his promise. He is bent to lead us to vain desires and wrong ways. Today, people are changing what they dont like. They have damaged the nature to the extent that there is no coming back in most cases. Many animals are extinct not because they died of natural causes, but because they died to fulfil the vain desires of men. In another place, Allah swt say;

[004:120] Shaitan holds out false promises to his followers, and arouses in them the wanton and vain desires. The promise of Shaitan is nothing but chicanery a deception.

This is the message of Allah swt for those who do not understand and keep on doing bad things. It is nothing but the deception of satan. And what is the deception of satan? Satan makes things look good and purposeful in our eyes. We do not see any harm in committing sins as far as we have not done it. Satan will fill our minds with thousands of excuses. When a sin is committed, only then many of us realize that it was a mistake. But those who do not realise it, they will realise it eventually on the day of judgement. Satan, on that day, will say that only Allah is his lord and that he never forcefully put any one in the wrong path. That day, the evil doers will see how they were deceived. This proves that satan is not a friend. He is the worst example of hypocrisy. What should be done , then? The answer is given in the following verse;

[017:019]  Provided he is a believer, anyone who desires (the rewards of) the afterlife and strives effectively for it, will discover that his efforts have found acceptance. 

Thus, the key is in striving for the good. None of us is perfect. We can never be angels. But what we can be is, good. This is why Allah swt say that if only we strive keeping in view the hereafter, then our deeds will be accepted. Prophet Muhammad pbuh said that �actions are judged by intentions.� so, if our intentions are good, they will be accepted. But If our actions are good and intentions are wrong, they will be rejected.

Those who take Allah swt as their friend will have Him not only in this world but He will be their friend and supporter in the hereafter as well. Remember, Allah swt is our lord. He created us and He knows all that we do not know. It is said that the company of a person suggests his character. If a person takes satan for friend, his character will eventually reflect that. But if a person takes Allah swt for his friend, then his character will reflect that. Allah swt say in glorious Quran;

[041:031] �We are your friends in the life of this world, as well as in the afterlife. There, you shall have anything your heart desires. There, whatever you ask for will be yours!� 

To have what we want, we must do what we should. 

Adultery In View Of Islam

Adultery is included in one of the biggest sins. We all know what adultery is, but most of us do not know that adultery does not specifically mean to have illegal physical relations with a non mehram. It is not limited to a physical contact. It has a much broader meaning. There are many things /acts which come under adultery. And a shocking fact is that they are done by us. Knowingly and sometimes unknowingly.

Prophet Muhammad pbuh said;

Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 77, Number 609:

Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:

I did not see anything so resembling minor sins as what Abu Huraira said from the Prophet, who said, "Allah has written for the son of Adam his inevitable share of adultery whether he is aware of it or not: The adultery of the eye is the looking (at something which is sinful to look at), and the adultery of the tongue is to utter (what it is unlawful to utter), and the inner-self wishes and longs for (adultery) and the private parts turn that into reality or refrain from submitting to the temptation."

We always have choices. Its not that we cannot choose. We can do something and we can abstain from it as per our wishes. The job of satan is to present this duniya as a wonderland and to present the sins as fun filled acts. While, the job of our conscience is to protect us from the tricks of satan. Thus, we are given the free will which is backed by our conscience.

The seeing of an unlawful thing will either make us hate that thing or we will want to do that. It is again up to us. Why we should not see a wrong thing is because of our curious nature. Yes, we are born with the curious nature. We want to know. The proof is the story of adam pbuh and eve. Eve did not want to eat that forbidden fruit but it was satan who implanted doubt in her heart.

Compelled by the curiosity to know why the fruit was forbidden, adam and eve tasted it. Who knows what that fruit contained, but what we know is that Allah swt forbade them to go near that particular tree. It was their free will that led them there. Same is the case with all of us. This energy to know is always there in all of us. Now we can either channelise it in good way or bad way it up to us. Similarly, hearing a wrong word can make us hear more. Uttering a wrong word might make us say more. So there is a warning giver inside us.

Allah swt say in holy Quran;

[017:032] And do not even wander close to extra marital sex. Indeed, adultery is a way of decadence.

Thus, it is an act of disgrace and dishonor. Every sin is preferred to be done in secrecy while every good deed will be done without fear. So, whatever we cannot share with people out of the fear of disrespect is wrong. It is wrong in the eyes of Allah. And He sees us every where. Prophet Muhammad pbuh said;

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 18, Number 154:

Narrated 'Aisha :

�. The Prophet then said, "O followers of Muhammad! By Allah! There is none who has more ghaira (self-respect) than Allah as He has forbidden that His slaves, male or female commit adultery (illegal sexual intercourse). O followers of Muhammad! By Allah! If you knew that which I know you would laugh little and weep much.

Such matters are always dealt with only one emotion. Ghairah. If ghairah is such an important matter for us, then imagine the ghairah of Allah swt. If we cannot want us to be disgraced or if we do not want ourselves to be with disgraced, then Allah swt is our creator. How can we make Him know about such things that people do. The punishment of adultery in islam is stoning to death. But there is a sahih tradition that suggests that if an adulterer does not receive the punishment and repents, then Allah is the forgiver.  Prophet Muhammad pbuh said;

Bukhari, Volume 2, Book 23, Number 329:

Narrated Abu Dhar:

Allah's Apostle said, "Someone came to me from my Lord and gave me the news (or good tidings) that if any of my followers dies worshiping none (in any way) along with Allah, he will enter Paradise." I asked, "Even if he committed illegal sexual intercourse (adultery) and theft?" He replied, "Even if he committed illegal sexual intercourse (adultery) and theft".

Thus, every sin has an eraser called repentance. If one really repents, then there is Allah mercy for him. It is again the matter of choice. We we have both choices all the time.

An Introduction to Hadith

For myself really I need to watch this series.

Was Hazrat Fatima (rta) Murdered?

Many Shia 'brothers and sisters' take issue with me loving the Sahaba (rta) and all the Righteous Caliphs (as most Muslims do Alhamdulilah) they especially dont like me posting episodes of the recent Farouk Omar serial. One of the most common accusations levelled at our beloved caliph is the one below which I think the brother has answered very well indeed. :)

Question: According to the Shia school of thought, Hazrat Umar (rta) is responsible of the death of Hazrat Fatima (rta), the daughter of the Messenger of God. They explain it further by claiming that when Hazrat Ali (rta) refused to do bay�at (pledge allegiance to) at the hands of Hazrat Abu Bakr (rta), Hazrat Umar (rta) stormed the house of Hazrat Ali (rta) with several soldiers and during the struggle to enter the house Fatima (rta) got injured and lost her unborn child and later after few months she passed away. I want to know how true this is and what is the background of the story? If Hzarat �Umar (rta) has anything to do with the death or injury of Fatima (rta) then what is the status of Hazrat �Umar (rta) in Islam in regards to this. Your prompt reply shall be highly appreciated. Please note that one quick response would be that the narratives are not reliable. But I am looking for a detained response on the issue. Whey the narratives then are acceptable to shia and unacceptable to the sunnis?

Answer: To be able to accuse a Companion of the Prophet (sws) and in deed any person of a crime as serious as murder (let alone murdering the beloved daughter of the Prophet) one needs to have relevant and reliable evidences. We try to examine the available evidences here:     I.        Evidence in Mainstream Sources "The accusation here is: The suspect (Umar) burned the door to the house of the victim (Fatima) and pushed it on the victim, which resulted in the miscarriage of her expected child." Now let us look at one of the popular sources of evidence of this sort, one that is brought forward occasionally by Shia brothers: Tarikh Al-Tabari: It is recorded that Umar threatened to set the house of Fatima on fire. There is no mention that he actually did that. Further more, the hadith is not reliable. It is narrated via Muhammad Ibn Hamid Ibn Hayyan. This is a very unreliable narrator. In the book of Tahzib Al-Tahzib we read that Bukhari says: There are concerns about his narrations. An-Nasayee says: Not reliable, has been reported that he was a liar. Al-Joozajani says: Not reliable. Al-Razi says: I have 5000 ahadith from him and will not narrate even one of them. Saleh Ibn Muhammad Al-Asadi says: I Haven't seen any one bolder to Allah Ta'Ala than him. He used to collect ahadith and forge them together. I haven't seen any one cleverer than him and Sulayman Al-Shazekuni in lying. Baihaqi says: The Imam of Hadith, Ibne Khuzayma does not narrate from him. Based on the above we can safely conclude that the above evidence (in Tabari) is both insufficient and unreliable. Moreover when we look further in the book of Tabari we find ahadith that conflict with the above story. Only few pages after the above record we read the following two: �         Abu Sufian asked Ali to give him his hand for Bay'at and Ali shouted at him and said we had agreed on Abu Bakr. �         When hearing about the Bay'at in Saqifa, Ali came out of his house while he was not dressed properly only to rush in doing bayat with Abu Bakr. Please note that here I am not arguing that the above two records are reliable. All I am saying is that an unbiased mind should take all these into consideration and test all of them before any attempts for ruling a judgment. It is not a rational approach to ignore the rest of the records in books like Tabari and only rely on those parts that suit our belief and even then without any attempts to test the reliability of what they are quoting. I have examined a number of other sources that are usually referred to by Shia brothers (e.g. Al-Imama wa Al-Syasah, Al Iqd Al-Farid, Qurra Al-Ayn Fi Tafzil Al-Shaykhayn). In none of them have I found a record that fulfils the following conditions: �         Clearly suggesting that Umar actually burned the door or pushed the door on Fatima (RA). �         Having reliable chains of narrators (in fact the majority of these sources do not even have a chain of narrator) �         Not accompanying with conflicting records. Based on the above I can say that there is no evidence in the mainstream sources that can support the accusation. I am more than happy to examine any other sources that might be put forward.  II.        Evidence in Shia Sources It is one of the basic rules of judgement that evidences for an accusation should not be taken from the sources of those who have accused. Having said that, and while appreciating that there are records in support of the accusation in some of the Shia sources, I would like to point out that it is very strange that in some of the more popular and old Shia sources there are no mention of the incident. For instance the book Al-Irshad by Mufid: According to the Shia brothers the book is one of the very reliable sources of history not only because of its author (who is one of the gurus of Shia) but also because of the closeness of the time of writing the book to the time of the presence of Shia Imams. In his book, when it came to naming the children of Ali, (RA) initially we find no mention of the name of the miscarried infant (Muhsin). Mufid then says: "and in Shia there are some who say Fatima miscarried a male infant after the Prophet, who had been given a name by the Prophet, and that is Muhsin. So based on the saying of these people the children of Amir Almo'menin (Ali) will be 18 and God knows best" (Irshad p. 336 by Mufid) It is interesting that Mufid is not approving the miscarriage and attributes the story to some of Shia. It is also interesting that even here there is no mention of the alleged attack on Fatima (RA). This is while the book of Irshad is dedicated to narrate the important incidents of the life of Shia Imams, including Ali (RA). In Kafi, one of the four main books of Shi'ism there is again no mention of the incident in the chapter on life of Fatima. It merely says that Fatima was angry with Umar without any references to any attacks taken place. In Kashf Al-Qumah another classical book of Shi'ism again we read that there are differences of opinion about Muhsin and that some of Shia consider him to be the son of Ali from Fatima who died because of miscarriage. Again no mention of the incident itself. Among the Shia scholars, we have Allamah Fadhlullah who is famous for putting a question mark on the incident and calling it unlikely because of the conflicting records and also based on rationality. He was denounced severely by other Shia scholars for his opinion. Based on the above I think no judge can conclude that the Shia sources can provide us with satisfactory evidence.  III. Rationality Being disappointed in finding hard evidence to rule against the suspect, let us now turn to rationality: Ali according to Shia was the bravest of Arabs. In the Shia book Nahj Al-Balaqah we read that he has said something to the effect that he was not afraid of anything when it comes to protecting the right. I find it very strange that such an incident could take place without Ali trying to protect his wife (the daughter of the Prophet). We fail to find anything about such natural reaction by Ali. Later we find no attempts by Ali or any of the other companions or people closed to Ali's family to bring Umar to justice. Not only this, we even find Ali give the name of "Umar" to one of his children. I do not want to claim that Ali named his son after Umar the second Khalifa. I am well aware of the answer given by our Shia brothers implying that the naming was not after Umar the second Khalifa. However I find it very strange that someone like Ali could give the name of the murderer of his wife (the daughter of the Prophet) to his son. Ali was from the same family as the Prophet. It is narrated that the Prophet never wanted to see the face of Wahshi the killer of his uncle Hamzah even when Wahshi embraced Islam. This is a very serious issue. Today you find no Shia with the name Umar. The other two sons of Ali, Uthman and Abu Bakr were present in Karbala with Husayn and were brutally martyred in protecting their brother. Yet when you go to the mourning ceremonies of Shia brothers you will hear the story of all the Ahl Albayt of Husayn except Uthman and Abu Bakr merely because of their name. This attitude of Shia about names is very understandable and acceptable if one holds the same view that Shia hold for these companions. One wonders why Ali's attitude was not as would have been expected from any human being. How many people do we know who are happy to give the name of the murderer of their wife to their son? Any one who is slightly familiar with the culture of Arab will appreciate that this is even stranger for an Arab. To see the further complication, we will be amazed to find that according to records in Shia books Ali gave her daughter Umme Kulthom to Umar as his wife (although some Shia brothers make some arguments to deny this). So here we have the husband of the victim not only calling his son with the name of the murderer of his wife but also giving his daughter to the murderer of his wife! It is also very strange to think that such a huge crime has been taken place, and (not only Ali, but) none of the companions of the Prophet (sws) ever bothers to complain about it and to bring the sinner to the justice. I think it is safe to conclude that even rationality does not support the accusation. Now all I discussed above was in a generic form, trying to forget the personality of Umar. I think a Muslim who wants to be closer to Allah Ta'ala and have better Taqwa should even have more cautious and fear in accusing a close companion of the Prophet (sws) of such incident. Let us not forget that we are advised in the Qur'an to pray that Allah cleanse our hearts from any bad feelings about the early immigrants (i.e. Muhajerin) and Helpers (i.e. Ansar). This of course does not mean that we cannot academically challenge views or actions of any of them but at least we should be fair enough by basing our criticism on sound evidence. I can guarantee we would not criticise an ordinary man in our time of a crime as simple as theft with evidences as irrelevant and as unreliable as the ones mentioned above.

Author: Abdullah Rahim Source:

How media turned Nitish Kumar from hero to villain within months!

Just refresh your memory and you will recall how Nitish Kumar was the darling of media, till just a few months ago.

Whenever there was a mention of the Bihar chief minister, the word 'Sushasan' or 'Good Governance' was used to describe his achievements.

It was routinely said that he had brought a turnaround in Bihar, from the era of Lalu Prasad Yadav's 'jungle raj'.

After Lalu was ousted from the power by the JDU-BJP combine, Nitish Kumar was seen as a true leader, a man who was changing Bihar.

It was said that crime rate had come down in Bihar, development was again visible and the mafia had been brought under control. The backward Bihar was now a progressive state, we were told.

Those who don't live in the State, obviously, have no idea about the ground realities, and are dependent on media to understand the 'change'.

In fact, there was so much positive news about Bihar, that we even heard how advertisements were being given to newspapers, in order to get good coverage. Negative stories were not being reported at all.  If it was happening, it wasn't good either.

Remember how Forbesganj firing was totally blacked out from media. Now within the last few months, ever since, he had a fallout with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Nitish Kumar is no longer the 'Vikas Purush'. All positive coverage has gone away.

No longer, we hear the word 'Sushasan Kumar'. In fact, there are reports now that the law-and-order situation is bad. Really! The 63-year-old leader who comes from the JP movement, just like his bete noire RJD's Lalu Yadav, is now miffed with media.

In a function, a bitter Nitish Kumar asked the photographer that why was he taking the photographs, when they won't be published them in the newspaper.This is in sharp contrast to the earlier situation when Nitish Kumar got excessive coverage.

In fact, a section was uncomfortable, and felt that due to huge money in the form of Ads, the TV channels and newspaper in Bihar, have 'sold themselves out'. [media bhi business hai bhai]

Now JDU leaders rue that the media no longer gives them coverage as it is in the hands of BJP. In India, media is largely independent, despite the political affiliations of the owners of the media houses.

Lot of people outside Bihar wonder how it is happening so fast. What is the true picture? Something is surely amiss here.

With Mukesh Ambani's growing stakes in media houses, it is suspected that there is growing influence of owners on journalists.

In news rooms, there is a clear order that stories against BJP's future PM wouldn't be telecast. But to say, that Nitish Kumar has been blacked out just because his opposition to Narendra Modi and the JDU's severing ties with BJP in Bihar, is almost unbelievable. Is it that the media has been swept away by the 'Modi wave'?

For eight years, he was doing everything right. Even eight months ago, he was doing great. He was looked at as a statesman and was positioned as the future Prime Minister. However, it is a fact that Nitish Kumar is no longer a favourite among media men.

How this 'hero' to 'zero' transition took place! It is not a great mystery. But the change in coverage does have impact on people who don't belong to Bihar and live outside the state. Without firsthand experience or information about whether things are improving or they have worsened, they are at loss to understand such a transformation in media views.

What's the reality. And the mystery behind the change in image! Just a few more months and we will know.

Great social reformers series-Part 1: Revolutionary roaming saint Baba Gadge Maharaj

By Indscribe 

Gadge Baba [1876-1956] was one of the greatest social reformers, who dedicated his life for public service and set up 31 schools, orphanages, educational institutes and shelter homes for destitute.

While the reformist leader who was bestowed the title of Saint in his lifetime, is a household name in Maharashtra, ironically, his life and works don't find much space in the text books outside the State.

Gadge Baba*, who was born in second part of the nineteenth century, built schools, hospitals, hostels, orphanages, homes for women and elderly, dharam-shalas and animal shelters across Maharashtra, all by collecting donations, but never constructed a room for himself.

The mendicant went village to village, with the food pan on his head and broom in his hand. Upon reaching the place, he would start cleaning the roads and drains. This inspired the people to become self-reliant. The money handed over to him by villagers, was used for setting up institutions.

He also performed the 'kirtan' and recited Sant Kabir's couplets [dohas] during his discourses.Either he stayed in verandahs or under the shade of tree. An old and crumpled sheet, an earthen pot [which he wore on his head and used it as bowl to eat] and a piece of wood--that was all he had in the name of possessions.

The wandering Saint came to be known as Gadge Baba, because he carried the earthen pot [in Marathi, term for pot is Gadge].

He attacked untouchability through his teachings. An associate of Dr BR Ambedkar, he played an important role in social awakening in Maharashtra, especially, among backwards, Dalits and the poor.

A rationalist, he dedicated himself to the larger public good, urging the poor and persecuted to educate their children. For Gadge Maharaj, religion was all about serving the humanity and uplift of the oppressed, especially, the handicapped, the destitute.

Rural masses thronged to hear him. The public preacher also spread awareness regarding sanitation and for keeping environment clean. He emphasised on feeding the hungry and serving the society. A saint in Bhakti tradition, he was respected by all sections of the society.

For almost 50 years, he kept moving in the vast region, spreading awareness in the society and condemning the social ills. He established 12 dharam-shalas at different places, some as big as the one in Nasik which can accommodate 500 persons. So that the poor don't have to worry about their stay while visiting other places and pilgrimage spots.

Gadge Baba had a humble background. His real name was Debuji. He was born in Amravati. After his father's death, he had spent the early years of his life at his maternal grandfather's place.

Though he had no formal education, he had the missionary zeal and conviction to bring about change in the society.

Throughout his life, he remained active, spreading awareness to tackle the existing social evils, the prejudices, the regressive beliefs and the superstitious traditions.

He was against the casteist discrimination and also opposed touching feet of the saints. Further, he was a strong crusader against illiteracy.

When Bal Gangadhar Tilak opposed the representation of entry of lower castes into legislatures, Gadge Baba, had opposed it and challenged Tilak from the same dais. He left behind a rich legacy that will inspire generations. He is fondly and respectfully termed as Rashtra-sant.

Almost a contemporary of Gandhi, he passed away in 1956. His contribution towards the Indian society and educating the masses, is truly astonishing. The Amravati University was named as Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University in his memory.

[pronunciation: Gaad-ge/????? / ?????????? ????? ????]
[In the first photograph, you can see the food pan on his head]

Links:
1. Folk hero Sant Shri Gadge Maharaj
2. The reformer saint who was crusader against superstitions

The Truth About Islam And Female Circumcision/FGM

I was very disappointed to watch a video from Shaikh Haitham Al-Haddad in which he insists female circumcision is Sunnah and wajib. He mentioned ahadith, but does not elaborate on the fact that they are 'weak' he also mentions any form of female circumcision is illegal in the UK, but then does not tell people to refrain from it in fact encourages it by repeatedly saying its Sunnah. This is highly irresponsible.

Most of all at the end of the video he admits he hasn't done all his research and cannot discuss the degrees of female circumcision or some of its alleged 'benefits'. This makes the video a farce.

I used to respect  this scholar for his pro-voting/political participation stance but now this and his alleged statement  �a man should not be questioned why he hit his wife, because this is something between them" has left me so depressed. It seems more and more men in our community are enemies of our women and advocates of patriarchy. 

I would urge everyone to read this excellent article from my brothers and sisters at the Asharis Assemble blog. It is by far best resource/explanation about female circumcision/FGM from an Islamic perspective I have ever come across.  As is the video posted at the top.

I hope other scholars and community leaders try to educate Shaikh Haitham or at least convince him to be more responsible and compassionate. He has done our community a lot of harm.

No man has the right to mutilate a woman, and to use our faith as justification is a grave sin and error. A woman is more than capable of thinking and acting for herself. I worry that Haitham Al-Haddad has many followers and they will be swayed to hurt their daughters. 

Indeed he is undoing the good work of activist such as Fahma Mohamed.