Volume XXV No. 29 in this issue From The Editor’s Desk........................... 2 Rivalry For Wordily Gains...................... 3 The Purpose Of Life ............................. 4 Do You Know Who Robert Davila Is?.... 5 39 People Who Embraced Islam................ 11 Learn 30 Duas From The Quran..............13 Step-By-Step-Guide on How To Pray........15 Guide on How To Pray Make Wudu........18 EiD Takbeers...........................................15 Cook’s Corner....................................20 This Tiny Creation . ................................21 Cook’s Corner.......................................23 Kids’ Corner. .........................................24 The Sirah Of Prophet Muhammad (saw). ..26 The Prophet (saw) Last Sermon................29 I Want To Share Something Important.....31 Sayings of Abdulhamid Kishk RA..............32 The Islamic Bulletin Published by the Islamic Community of Northern California A Non-Profit Corporation P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186 E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Website: http://www.islamicbulletin.org Islamic Bulletin’s 25th Year Anniversary Join us as we celebrate our 25th Year edition of the Islamic Bulletin. At this time we would like to humbly thank our readers for making this milestone possible. When we began this awesome journey, we never imagined we would come so far. Allah (SWT) has been very generous with our publication and has blessed us every step of the way. To commemorate this wonderful and blessed event, we are very excited to share with you beautiful and inspiring stories in this special, longer edition of The Islamic Bulletin. Guaranteed to touch the hearts and minds of Muslims and non-Muslims alike everywhere is The Purpose of Life, an inspiring and wonderful excerpt from an inspirational speech by Khalid Yasin. In the account of finding the true meaning and purpose of our existence, readers are encouraged to ponder the meaning behind these amazing words from this dynamic lecturer. Another incredibly touching story is of Robert Davila, a young paraplegic man who, through the aid of a voice-activated computer, found his way to Islam while hospital-ridden. At the special request of our IB Readers who need guidance in learning how to pray, we are offering a special pull-out section entitled How-to-Perform Salat and Wudhu. Helpful to not only those brothers and sisters who may be new to Islam and in need of assistance in learning how to pray, but also very beneficial to those of us who might need a little “brushing-up” on what to say and fine-tuning of our prayer positions. What better time than now to make these changes and implement them in our everyday lives. The Sirah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is another informational pullout section in this edition (IB’s 25th year edition). Through this, we get to learn about our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) including his birth, childhood, life and family; culminating in the revelation of prophet hood and hardships of the various battles and struggles of his early years of Islam. The Sirah of the Prophet (S) concludes with how he (SAW) was able to transform warring idol-worshiping nations into peaceful, monotheism societies following the religion of Islam. On the final page of this section is the most beautiful, touching and heart-warming final sermon of our beloved Prophet (SAW). In this issue, topics include a delicious Crème Caramel in our Cooks Corner, a beautiful and economical Eid card to make a friend or loved one in our Kids Corner, and an article on the tiny creation of Allah (SWT), the mosquito, in our Quranic Science section. Concluding our anniversary edition is the touching story of Prophet Musa (AS), where he asks Allah (SWT) beautiful questions and Allah (SWT) responds that these favors are for the Ummah of Muhammad (S). Then Musa (AS) asks Allah (SWT) to please make him one of the people from the Ummah of Muhammad (S). Allah (SWT) has promised our Ummah so many special favors. Let us strive to attain those special bounties and when we do, we would have learned the purpose of life! Hoping that you find our anniversary edition memorable, please email us your feedback/suggestions on the articles in this issue. May Allah (SWT) continue to bless each and every one of us with His (SWT) blessings, may He (SWT) make us pious individuals, and may He (SWT) guide us to Sirat-ul-Mustaqueem. Ameen! The Islamic Bulletin Staff
Page 2 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXV No. 29 Asalamu Alaikum Dear Editor, I love your newsletter and the valuable information that you provide. This year I made intention to read the whole Quran. I am a new Muslim and so nervous reading it because honestly, I never did that. Could you help me achieve this task. They say aim for the sky. Pray that Allah will make ease and bless the effort. Raymond James, San Quentin, CA Asalamu Alaikum brother James, During Ramadan it is highly encouraged to read the Quran.The rewards for every letter you read in the Quran is 10. In Ramadan all good deeds are multiplied by 70 or more, so for each letter of the Qur’an you recite you will gain a minimum of 700 good deeds or more. The greater our intentions and the more sincere we are then our rewards will be multiplied even more! But for those who struggle with reciting the Qur’an they will receive double the reward of a minimum of 1400 good deeds for each letter The Quran is divided into 30 juz (parts). We have divided them for you and the readers into 30 parts (see Finish the Quran in one month) in this page to make it easy to read one juz each day of Ramadan. The Qur’an has approximately 600 pages. If you divide it on 30 days, that’s 20 pages a day. Looks difficult, but, if you divide it on the 5 prayers a day, it gets easier: *If you read 4 pages after every salah in Ramadan, then you’ve completed the Qur’an.*If you want to complete the Qur’an twice, you read 4 pages before and after every salah. Therefore by the end of it you will have Inshallah finished all of the Quran in the 30 days! May Allah accept your intention. In the pull out section of the Sirah,we have included the Prophet‘s (SAW) Last Sermon before his death. In it, the Prophet (SAW) addressed several issues: · Freedom & Justice for all · Exploitation & Monopoly · Sanctity of life, wealth, & property · Rights of others · Women’s rights & obligations · Equality of all races. The Prophet (SAW) directed his Speech to all humankind. He used the term “O People” seven times. He used the terminology “O Men” once. In the farewell address, the Prophet (SAW) did not use the terminology “O Muslims” or “O Believer). The Prophet (SAW) addressed all people regardless of their religions, colors or times. It contained advice for all future generations to come...Us! We are grateful to all the volunteers for all their help with “The Islamic Bulletin”. They wanted to remain anonymous so we ask our readers to remember them in your duas this Holy Month. May Allah grant them Jannatul Firdous (The highest level of Paradise ). Happy Ramadan, Eid Mubarak and Happy Reading!! Please pass this message to Muslims. Letters To The Editor Important Reminder The verses of the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet have been printed for the benefit of our readers. You are asked to ensure their sanctity. Therefore, they should be disposed of in the proper Islamic manner. Abbreviations Used Subhana Wa Tahala (SWT) - May Allah (God) be glorified and exalted Sallallahou alayhi wasallam (SAW); (or Alayhi Salam) AS; Peace Be Upon Him PBUH; = in Arabic these salutations are called Salawat - (Urdu: Durood)- this expression follows specifically after saying the name of the last prophet of Islam, Mohammad (Muhammed) R.A.; R.A.A. - Allah was pleased with him/her Rahimahullah or Allahu Yarhamu - May Allah pardon and forgive him Bukhari, Muslim, Sahih, Abu Dawoud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah are the names of the transmiters of the Prophet’s (pbuh) Hadith and Sunnah (words and lifestyle.) Need to contact us? Web Address: www.islamicbulletin.org E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Editor, Islamic Bulletin P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186, USA
Page 3 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXV No. 29 reported to have said, “People are asleep, until they die, then they are awake.” Death is the time they realize that their chase was pointless and what they have accumulated served as a heavy burden for which the will ultimately have to answer for. Are you caught up in the dunya? Are you just working hard for money, so you can be more well-off then that other guy? Subhanallah, people buy things they don’t want, with money they don’t have, to impress people they don’t even like! If this is you–and maybe you have a lot of this, or a little of it–remember the grave. That’s where it ends. At that point, none of this dunya stuff will matter. One ‘alim/scholar, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “if you see people racing with you for the dunya, race with them for the akhirah.” Don’t compete for a bigger house here–compete for a better house in Jannah. Compete to beat your friends and family in salah, in sadaqah, in dhikr, in Qur’an memorization and recitation, in all these good deeds. These two verses remind us that the quality that distinguishes the believer from the believer is elevating oneself above greed for worldly gains and striving instead for the everlasting reward of Allah (SWT). This type of striving allows for spiritual development and constant purification. The believer struggles in performing good deeds without receiving immediate rewards. This struggle consumes their thoughts and actions and offers them the strength and fortitude to face evil in all of its forms, whether it is the oppression that surrounds them or the oppression of their desires. The heart of the believer is awakened in hearing these verses and it is burdened by the triviality of what has occupied it. But it knows that its Creator (SWT) has promised infinite mercy and forgiveness to those who seek it. Because the ultimate pay-out comes in the Hereafter; this life is only a few days, a few years, and then it’s back to the akhirah. May Allah (SWT) make us among those who are pre-occupied with pleasing Him. May He (SWT) make our hearts filled and satisfied with loving Him above the love of anything of this life. May He (SWT) make us among those who know their purpose in this life and receive His ultimate reward in the next. Rivalry For Worldly Gains Shaikh Jamal Said My message to you this month is a discussion of two verses from Quran that you all have memorized as young children partly due to its majestic rhythm. These verses, however short, carry deep meaning and possess the power to impact the lives of even the most lost souls. Allah (SWT) states in the first verse of Surah At-Takathur , Quran 102, Any translation of the verse does not do justice to the original text but it can be roughly translated to “The want of plenty distracted you.” In the Arabic text, it is comprised of simply two words, one meaning distraction and the other abundance. Allah (SWT) employs the word “lahu” in the Quran in many instances to refer to entertainment or pre-occupation in a matter which is less deserving of attention, especially, when more pressing issues are looming ahead in the journey of life: death, the life of the grave, the Day of Judgement, the next life. This verse calls upon us to reflect deeply on which drives us to act. Our eyelids are lifted as we ask ourselves what is it that distracts us most. What is something you engross yourself in that completely captures your attention and focus to the point that you cannot for a moment distance yourself from it? Allah (SWT) identifies the cause of this distraction as “takathur,” or a want of plenty. This essentially refers to an untamed desire to have more of that which we do not have. This desire for more leads to a struggle, an exhaustive effort to try to get more of that which we do not have or might have some amount of. Let us take a moment to consider this. Are we pre-occupied with a struggle to possess a worldly matter which we do not have? Money, a house, a car, a spouse, a child? Does that want and struggle define our thoughts and actions? If we are bestowed with that worldly matter which we had sought after, are we then satisfied, or does that struggle continue? And does that struggle transform into an urge to show others what Allah (SWT) has provided us with without any power from us? At some point it causes a person to fail to fulfill their duties towards Allah, their selves, family, and Ummah. The next verse Allah (SWT) states, Allah (SWT) here says that the person en- grossed by this senseless preoccupation continues in their struggle until they have visited gravesites. The person is blinded in chasing the life of this world until they are placed in their graves without any warning or choice. Allah (SWT) uses the word visit here rather than enter because even the grave is temporary. Ali (R) was
Page 4 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXV No. 29 The Purpose Of Life Some people argue that there is no proof of any divine origin, there is no proof that there’s a God, there’s no proof that this universe has come about through any divine purpose. They say that perhaps this world came about by chance. That there was a big bang and this whole great world with all its orchestration just came together. And they argue that this life doesn’t have a definite purpose and that it cannot be proven through logic or science that there is a God, or purpose, or any divine reason behind this world. Here I would like to mention a few verses from the Quran that address this subject. “Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding, who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth, (and conclude), “Our Lord! You have not created all this without purpose, glory to You! Grant us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” [Quran 3: 190-191] In the above verses, Allah first draws attention to the creation of our own being. He (SWT) then draws attention to the heavens and the alternation of the night and the day. And then He (SWT) says to us that He has not created all of this for any foolish purpose! . My dear respected guests- I ask you one more question. When you see a bridge, a building, or an automobile, you automatically consider the person or the company that constructed it. Yet, these are just things that are manufactured by human beings. What about the human body? Think about the brain— how it analyzes, stores information, retrieves information, distinguishes and categorizes information in the millionth of a second! This is the brain that made the automobile, the rocket ship, the boats, and so on. Think about the heart-- how it pumps continuously for sixty or seventy years, taking and discharging blood throughout the body, and maintaining that steady precision throughout the life of that person. Who regulates that? Human beings? No. What about this universe? The Earth is one planet in our solar system. And our solar system is one of the systems in the Milky Way. And the Milky Way is one of the constellations in that galaxy. And there are millions of galaxies like the Milky Way. They are not colliding with each other. Did human beings set that into motion? No! For instance, let’s say you take ten marbles and number them one to ten. All the marbles are different colors. Let’s say you put them in a bag and you shake the bag. And then you close your eyes and reach inside that bag. What if I told you. “Pull out marble number one. And then pull out marble number two. And then pull out marble number three , in order.” What is the chance of your pulling out those marbles in order? Twenty-six million to one! So what’s the chance of the Heavens and the Earth being thrown together in a big bang and orchestrated like they are? What’s the likelihood of that? Think about the oceans, the fish, the insects, the birds, the plants, bacteria, the chemical elements that have not been discovered and cannot be detected even with the most sophisticated instruments. Yet, each one of them has a law which they follow. Did this happen by chance? No. The being that is deserving of praise and gratitude is God. God created all of this and maintains all of this. Therefore, God deserves praise and gratitude. Is God not worthy of praise and thanks? Is He not worthy of worship and recognition? My brothers and sisters, that is the purpose of life. I’m very honored to have this opportunity to address you. First of all I want to say that this is not a lecture. I don’t think that I’m prepared to lecture. But it’s sort of advice for myself. Just a little while ago I was where some of you are. Christian, non-Muslim, whatever - it doesn’t matter. I was not aware of Islam. And I did not understand the purpose of life! So I request you to think about what I’m saying as information and suggestions--not a lecture. It is my responsibility to address the topic: what is the purpose of our life? And to ask the question: What do you know about Islam? I mean what do you really know about Islam. Not what you’ve heard about Islam. Not what you’ve seen in the action of some Muslims. But, instead. What do you know about Islam. I would like to begin by saying that all of us have an equal responsibility. And that responsibility is to read or listen with an open heart and an open mind. In a world filled with prejudice it is very hard to find people who will think about life objectively and try to arrive at the truth and the purpose of our lives. Unfortunately, when you ask most people the question, “What is the purpose of life?” They will not tell you what they have concluded through observation or analytical reasoning. Instead, in most cases, they will tell you what is commonly presumed by others-- their father, their minister or their teacher. If I ask anyone about the purpose of eating, “Why do we eat?,” Most people will answer, in one word or another, “It’s for nutrition!” If I ask anyone why they work? They will say in order to support themselves and to provide for the needs of their family. If I ask anyone why they sleep, why they wash, why they dress, etc., they will answer, “This is a common necessity for all human beings.” Why is it, that when I ask the question, “What is the goal and the purpose of life?,” that I get so many different answers? That’s because people are confused. And rather than saying, “I don’t know,” they offer an answer that they’ve been programmed to answer. Let’s think about this. Is our purpose in this world simply to eat, sleep, dress, work, acquire material things and enjoy ourselves? Is this our purpose? Is this why we were born? Think about that question!
Page 5 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXV No. 29 Allah says in the Quran: “I have not created the jinn, the spirits, nor the human beings, for any other purpose except to worship Me.” (Quran 51: 56) This is what God Almighty said. So our purpose in this life is to worship the Creator. To surrender ourselves to the Creator, and to obey the laws that He has determined for us. In a nutshell, it means worship. This is our purpose in life. We have been created for worship. Now, on to the second half of our topic. What do you know about Islam? Not what have you heard about Islam Not what you have seen in the actions of Muslims. And remember there’s a difference between Islam and Muslims. Islam is a rule and an order. If a Muslim does not fulfill these rules and orders, he is not a good Muslim. So you cannot equate Islam and Muslims. Just like there’s a difference between a man and a father. A man has children but a father is responsible. If a man does not fulfill his responsibilities as a father, he is not a good father. We hear the terms Islam and Muslims quite often. We hear and see a lot of inaccurate, misleading, and purposeful misinformation in the media. And I have to admit that some of this misinformation and misrepresentation had been perpetuated by Muslims themselves. Yet one of every five persons in this world of some five billion people is a Muslim! One out of five people in this world is a Muslim! How is it that we don’t know something about Islam? What is it that joins so many different nations and this universal configuration into a common fraternity? What makes a brother or sister in Yemen my brother or sister when I’m from America. And what makes this brother from Eritrea my brother or sister? And what makes another brother from Indonesia my brother? And from Africa? And another one from Thailand? And from Italy, Greece, Poland, Austria, Colombia, Bolivia, China, Spain, Russia, and so forth? What makes them my brothers or sisters? We have different cultural and psychological backgrounds! What is it about Islam that automatically embraces us and joins us as a brotherhood? What are the accurate characteristics of this misunderstood way of life? Although I will now provide you with some facts, it is necessary to be open-minded and open-hearted. Facts alone do not lead to understanding, but rather a combination of tolerance, ambition, and the willingness to accept the truth when you hear it. The word ‘Islam’ means surrender, submission, and obedience to the law of Almighty God. Muslims use the Arabic term, Allah, because in Arabic there is no other expression. The word Allah cannot be applied to any created thing. The word “Allah” can only be applied to the One who is the Creator. So I’m going to use the word “Allah,” and you know whom I’m speaking about. The word ‘Islam’ is derived from the root ‘Salama.’ It means to be at peace or to have security. Therefore, a Muslim is a person who surrenders, submits, and obeys the law of Almighty God and through this submission, obtains peace and serenity. By such a definition, ‘Islam’ describes the manner and behavior of all the well-known and respected prophets and messengers of Almighty God, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Isaac, Ishmael, John the Baptist, Suleiman, Jesus the son of Mary, and Muhammad (May Allah’s peace be upon them all.) All of these prophets and messengers came from the same Almighty God with the same message. That is, to worship Almighty God and do good actions and you will fulfill the purpose of life. You will then be rewarded with an eternal life in the hereafter. If you read the scriptures carefully you will find this same, simple message from all the prophets. Not one of those prophets ever said, “I am God - worship me.” You will not find it in any of the holy books that you have - not the Bible, not the Torah, not the New Testament, not the Psalms of David. You will not find it in the speech of any prophet. We can see that by such a definition, the Arabic word describes what all the prophets did. They all came and submitted themselves to God; they all insisted that people do deeds of righteousness. Nothing more than surrender and obedience! The Ten Commandments of Moses--what was that? The speech of Abraham--what was that? The Psalms of David--what was that? The Proverbs of Solomon--what did he say? The Gospel of Jesus Christ--what did he say? What did John the Baptist say? What did Isaac and Ishmael say? What did Muhammad say? Nothing more than that! “And they have been commanded no more than this: To worship Allah, offering Him sincere devotion, being true (in faith); to establish regular prayer; and to practice regular charity; and that is the Religion Right and Straight.” [Quran 98:5] This is what Allah said. And they were ordered only to worship Allah. By the same token, it would also be appropriate here to consider both prophets and messengers as Muslims, because a ‘Muslim’ is what? The word ‘Muslim’ means, “He who surrenders himself to Almighty God, and obeys the laws of the Almighty God.” Everything that surrenders to the law of Almighty God is a Muslim! So, when a child comes out of the womb of its mother at the time that God has ordered - what is it? It’s a Muslim. Therefore, when we willfully obey Almighty God we are Muslims! Jesus Christ was a Muslim. Abraham was a Muslim. Moses was a Muslim. All the prophets were Muslims! But they came to their people and they spoke different languages. Every prophet and messenger of Almighty God brought the very same and fundamental message -- “Worship Almighty God and be sincere towards Him.” Where there is a conflict, it is a result of false assertions, fabrications, exaggerations, and personalized interpretations of alleged writers, historians, scholars, and individuals. As a Christian--before I became a Muslim--I didn’t understand how come throughout the Old Testament God is always referred to as One--the Master and Lord and King of the Universe. And in the first commandment given to Moses, He did not allow anybody to worship graven images. Throughout the Old Testament this is repeated. And then, suddenly we get four testimonies from Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Matthew who? Mark Who? Luke who? John who? Four different Gospels that were written forty-eight years apart. And none of these men, who did not collaborate with each other, none of them wrote their last name. Where in the history of men is one name accepted as documentation? Nowhere! Except in the New Testament. Then, after those four Gospels, there are fifteen more
Page 6 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXV No. 29 books written by a man who was an apostate who killed Christians, tortured Christians, and then said that he in a vision saw Jesus. And he was commissioned as an Apostle of Jesus. This is the first time that God is called a man, and the first time that God is called three, and the first time God was given a son -- how is this acceptable to Christians? The advent of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) did not bring a new religion or a way of life as some people ominously claim. On the contrary, the prophet (SAW) confirmed the life and message of all the previous prophets and messengers. The sacred scripture that Muhammad (SAW) brought is called the Quran. It means “that which is recited.” Because Muhammad (SAW) did not write the Quran. The Angel Gabriel recited the words to him! And Almighty God made his heart a receptacle of that. Is there any other book in the world that you know of that has been preserved as it was revealed without any change? Only the Quran. Don’t take my word for it! Go to the library and read what the Encyclopedia Britannica or the World Encyclopedia or any other universal encyclopedia of the world that was not written by Muslims. Read what it says about Islam, the Quran, and Muhammad (S). Read what non-Muslims say about the Quran, Islam, and Muhammad (S). That Muhammad (S) is the most profound individual in the history of humanity. That the Quran is the most incredible, the most profound piece of literature in the annals of history! Read what they say. That the Islamic way of life is categorized and so precise and dynamic! It has never changed. The sacred scripture that Muhammad (SAW) received is ‘The Quran.’ And each of the prophets and messengers also received the scripture. In the Quran, these prophets, their scripture, their story, the principle of their mission is mentioned with profound detail. Did Muhammad (S) meet them, talk with them, eat with them, and collaborate with them to write their biographies? No, of course he didn’t. In the Quran, Muhammad (S) is referred to as the messenger of Almighty God and the seal of the previous prophets -- which is the limit of his role as a human being. “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things.” [Quran 33:40] Muslims do not worship Muhammad; we’re not ‘Muhammadans.’ The people who followed Prophet Moses were not Moseans. The people who followed Prophet Jacob were not Jacobites. The people who followed Prophet Abraham were not Abrahamians. Or Davidians. So how do people call themselves ‘Christians?’ Christ did not call himself a ‘Christian,’ so why do people call themselves ‘Christians?’ Jesus Christ (PBUH) said that whatever he received from Almighty God was the word of God, and what he heard is what he said! He was a servant of the Almighty God; so we should be servants of Almighty God, too! As the final scripture and divine revelation, the Quran makes the statement, ‘‘This day have I perfected your religion and completed my favor upon you. And chose Islam as a complete way of life.’’ [Quran 5:3] So, the word Islam came through the Quran. When Islam was completed as a revelation, as a book, as an example through the Prophet Muhammad (S), it then became ‘Islam.’ So the word was new. But not the practice...not the prophet...not the order from God...not a new God...not a new revelation...but only the name, Islam. Another distinction to keep in mind is that Muhammad (S) did not come to the Arabs or to his own people exclusively. Therefore, Islam is a religion sent to all people. In the Holy Quran Allah says, “And you have not been sent, oh Muhammad, except to the all of humanity.” [Quran 21:107] Since I am making references to the Quran to support my argument, I will give some background information on the Quran. First, the Quran claims that it is the product of divine revelation. That it was sent down from Almighty God to Muhammad for inspiration. Allah says, “Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire.” “It is no less than inspiration sent down to him.” [Quran 53:3-4] If I am to convince you of the authenticity of the Quran, I must prove - one, that it was impossible for Muhammad to have manufactured such a book. Secondly, that it was equally impossible for any human agency to have created it. The Quran makes the statement, “And we created the human beings from the hanging clot that was clinging to the wall of the womb.” [Quran 23:14] “Created man from a clinging substance.” [Quran 96:2] How did the Prophet Muhammad (S) know that the embryo started out as a clot hanging and clinging to the wall of the uterus of the mother? How did he receive this knowledge, when it was just discovered forty-seven years ago? Likewise, how did he know that the oceans have a barrier between them to separate the salt and the fresh water? “And it is He Who has let free the two seas (kinds of water), one palatable and sweet, and the other salt and bitter, and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them.” [Quran 25:53] How did he know this? “It is He Who created the Night and the Day, and the sun and the moon: all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its rounded course.” [Quran 21:33]
Page 7 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXV No. 29 How did Muhammad (S) know that the sun, the moon, and the planets are all swimming in an orbit that had been ordered for them? These things were just discovered 25 or 35 years ago. How did Muhammad (S), an uneducated shepherd who was raised in the desert, how could he know something like this? How could he produce something like this? How could a man who never left the Arabian Peninsula, a man who never sailed on a ship, who lived more than 1500 years ago -- make such clear and astounding descriptions that were just recently discovered in this half of the twentieth century? Also, let me mention that the Quran has a hundred and fourteen chapters, over six thousand verses. And there were hundreds of people in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (S) who memorized this book entirely. There are millions of Muslims today who have memorized this entire book. This is the ambition of every Muslim. You’ve never met any Christian that memorized the whole Bible, because you’ve never met a Christian who even knew what the whole Bible consisted of. Because Christians have over 700 denominations, and there are approximately 39 versions of the Bible--with different books and different versions. So how could they memorize what they don’t agree about? I’m not speaking in a condemning manner. I was a Christian. I learned these things by my own investigation. Here are some more facts about the Quran. The Quran has been universally preserved without the slightest alteration of any kind in fifteen centuries. Would you agree that the Quran is profound? Many other non-Muslims came to the same conclusion. People such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Winston Churchill. Whether they accepted Islam openly, or not, they concluded there is no other literature as profound as the Quran. Now let us turn to another subject matter: the basic themes of the Quran. The supreme oneness of Almighty God, which includes His names, His attributes, the relationship between God Almighty and His creation, and how human beings should maintain that relationship. The continuity of prophets and messengers, their lives, their messages, and their overall mission. The insistence upon following the final and universal example of Muhammad (S), the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers. The Quran reminds us of the shortness of this life and calls us toward the hereafter. Life hereafter, meaning after here. After you die and you leave this earth, you are going somewhere; and you are responsible, because you have been told-- even if you have rejected it. Because the object of this life is not for you to read and discover, and after this do nothing and have no effect. You came into this life for a cause and a purpose, and it must have an effect! You cannot live without expecting to die! You cannot die without the expectancy of the grave! And you cannot expect that the grave is the end. The Quran goes to great lengths to expound upon the oceans and rivers, the trees and plants, the birds and insects, the animals, the mountains, the expansion of the heavens, the celestial bodies and the universe. And how could a shepherd boy, born in the desert, expound upon things that he was never exposed to? The most unique aspect of the Quran, however, is that it serves to confirm all the previously revealed scriptures. If, after examining the religion of Islam, you should decide to become a Muslim, you do not have to change your religion! Likewise, with your belief, your honor, your virtue, your love of Jesus Christ, your dedication to Almighty God - you don’t change that! You hold on to that! But, you make alterations where you know that the truth has been revealed to you! Islam is simple: to bear witness that there’s none to be worshiped except Almighty God. Islam is to bear witness that Almighty God is God, the only God, the only One without any partners. Islam is to acknowledge the existence of the Angels who were sent with the duty of revealing the revelations to the prophets. Islam is to acknowledge that all the prophets and messengers of Almighty God were righteous men. And that they were all sent by Almighty God acknowledging the fact that there will be a final day of judgment. Islam is to acknowledge that all good and evil has been predestined by Almighty God. Finally, Islam is to acknowledge that there will be a resurrection after death. The fundamental duties incumbent upon every Muslim are simple. In fact, there are just 5 simple rules, the so-called Five Pillars of Islam: Belief, Worship, Fasting, Alms giving, and Pilgrimage. The most important rule of Islam is to uphold the strict code of monotheism. Not to worship anything along with God. Not to say anything about God that you have no right to say. Not to say, “He has a father, a son, a daughter, a mother, an uncle, an aunt, a board of trustees.” When you bear witness, you sentence yourself to peace and paradise, or you sentence yourself to punishment. So ask yourself, “Do I bear witness that there is only one God?” Then ask yourself the next question. Do I bear witness that Muhammad is a messenger of Almighty God? If you bear witness to that, then you are a Muslim. And you don’t have to change what you were. You just have to make alterations in your thinking and practice. If you are ready to enter Islam and ready to become a Muslim, you must first declare the Shahada, which is the declaration of faith. This testimony is to declare the belief in the Oneness of God and the acceptance of Muhammad as God’s final prophet. Ash-hadu anlaa ilaaha ill-Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulu llah “Which means that you believe that there isn’t any God except the one and only true God who created everything “Allah” This is an excerpt from a lecture given by Shaykh Khalid Yasin which resulted in 43 people accepting Islam that evening. (If you would like to become Muslim or need more information on Islam, please email us at info@islamicbulletin.org The audio version and others are also available in several languages in our website at www.islamicbulletin.org. http://www.islamicbulletin.org/services/all_ebooks_p1.aspx#link2 http://www.islamicbulletin.org/services/new_muslims.htm http://www.islamicbulletin.org/services/new_muslims/carla.html
Page 8 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXV No. 29 Do You Know Who Robert Davila Is? I recently had the pleasure of reading an inspiring story about Robert Davila, a young man who lives in a small town near Fort Worth, Texas. Robert was a farmer with a genetic disorder that manifested later in life. At 20 years old, due to his genetic disorder, he became paralyzed from the neck down. Now 31 years old, Robert has been living in a nursing home for the last ten years. Sharing Robert’s room in the nursing home was another paralyzed young man who was waiting for a liver transplant. Day after day Robert and his friend would talk about God and other things. Each day Robert’s friend waited for his transplant. Finally, the day came when Robert’s friend got the call that a donor had been found. Both Robert and his friend were so happy! Sadly, however, his friend died on the operating table. When his sister came to remove her brother’s personal items from the room he shared with Robert, she gave Robert a crucifix that had belonged to her brother. “This is a reminder of your old buddy,” she said, as she hung the crucifix by Robert’s bed. To enable Robert to search the web and research information, Robert’s family bought him a voice-activated computer. He would spend hours surfing the web and learning many things. One night Robert dreamed of a man named Muhammad. In this dream, pointing at the crucifix, Muhammad said, “God did not send messengers for people to worship the messengers. God sent messengers so people could worship God. Jesus was just a man. He walked in the markets and he ate food.” Then the dream ended. Robert woke from his dream with the knowledge that Jesus was just a man. He also learned there was a man named Muhammad who told him that messengers were sent to remind people to worship God. Not knowing anything else about this man, Robert decides to google the name “Muhammad.” While researching Muhammad, Robert finds Islam and soon takes Shahada. When Robert takes Shahada, he wants to learn about the Quran. He finds a chat session and posts, “Someone needs to teach me the Quran.” He finds a brother in Egypt and they get together online to learn Arabic. Once Robert learned how to read the Arabic alphabet, he began to study how to recite the Quran. From his hospital bed, Robert memorized ten Surahs from the Quran. But this was not enough for Robert. Robert said, “I’m beginning to memorize the Quran and I’m beginning to learn about the prophet. But I need to understand the Quran.” He goggles, “How to understand the Quran.” The Google search leads Robert to bayyinah.com where he is introduced to Nouman Ali Khan. Meanwhile, oftentimes at the nursing home there was construction going on and on one occasion an Egyptian man was doing some repair work. One day, as the Egyptian man is passing by Robert’s room he hears the words of the Holy Quran: “By the token of time, through the ages, verily man is in loss.” Indeed, mankind is in loss (Quran: 103:1 -2) Hearing these Arabic verses, the repair man walks into Robert’s room and asks, “Robert, what are you listening to?” Robert answers, “Nothing, that was me.” The Egyptian says, “You’re Muslim?” and Robert answers, “Yeah, I became Muslim.” The Egyptian man is in shock and cannot believe what he has just heard. In fact, having lived so far away from a masjid and other Muslims, the Egyptian man had been struggling with his own faith. When he heard Robert reading verses from the Quran, he thought, “How does Allah guide someone in the middle of a small town in the USA, a man in a nursing home with a crucifix by his bed, a man without the ability to move?” Robert tells the Egyptian man that he discovered Islam online. Robert also tells him about the teacher he found online, Nouman Ali Khan. So the Egyptian man starts watching Nouman Khan’s videos, and says, “I hope I can meet him one day.” Robert says, “Okay, I will pray for you.” Five years later, the Egyptian friend shows up at the same Masjid as Nouman Khan. After Jumuah prayers, the Egyptian man approaches Brother Nouman and tells him the story of Robert Davila and adds, “I think Allah wants to answer Robert’s dua.” Nouman Khan, with a few other brothers, decides to visit the nursing home to meet Robert Davila. During the visit, Robert is asked to recite some Surahs and he chooses to recite Surat Al`Aşr. Those present end up in tears listening to Robert’s recitation. Such an emotional reaction was due to the fact that Robert, an American man, had learned and memorized the passage from the Quran completely on his own, without the ability to attend any kind of schooling or classes. They were humbled by what they heard and the perseverance and dedication required. What Robert had accomplished was extremely difficult, especially learning to read in Arabic on his own without a shred of support in the traditional sense because he was paraplegic. Robert’s efforts and achievement overwhelmed everyone in the room. When anyone turns to Allah, no matter the means, guidance and balance will come. Due to the nature of Robert’s paralysis, he is unable to sit in a regular wheelchair. He needs a special wheelchair that supports his neck, along with every other part of his body. Robert requires a special van to accommodate his wheelchair; one that will lock in place, so when the van drives over a bump, his spine is not further injured. One Friday, Robert requested to be taken to Jumuah prayer. The special van that Robert requires for transport was already being used on another patient that day. Determined to attend Jumuah prayers that day, Robert ignored the warnings from the nursing home and rode in a regular van. He returned from Jumuah in excruciating pain . The doctors informed Robert that he would no longer be able to sit in his wheelchair. Sadly, he
Page 9 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXV No. 29 would have to stay in bed for the next six months at least. Although Robert was confined to his bed for the next 6 months and was in excruciating pain, he couldn’t have been happier about his experience. He said, “I’ve never felt more peace in my life than when I was in the Masjid. When I can sit in my chair again, I’m going to go to Jumuah. I going to go to the masjid because I want to feel that peace again.” Some Muslims lose a little bit of health and they complain, “Why is Allah doing this to me?” Atheists argue that because of suffering, there can be no God. If anyone can say, “I don’t believe in God, if there was a God, why would I be in this position,” it would be Robert Davila. Yet, Robert’s face is full of noor and contentment. He is completely satisfied with life. When most of us might give up in the face of such a life of restriction, not being able to move, Robert has achieved a positive outlook on life, a life of peace and contentment. “You know, sometimes I wonder why Allah put me in this position. Then I say to myself, “What, am I kidding? Allah has given me so much. I’m so grateful for what he has given to me. And if this is the way he brings me to Islam, it’s all worth it, so worth it.” Robert has control of only his mouth and eyes. Still, he says, “I only find peace in the masjid.” And here we are finding every imaginable excuse not to visit the mosque. It doesn’t matter what ideology, school of thought, or what they talk about in the masjid, what fitnah may surround it, temptation, trial, sedition, civil strife, it is still Allah’s house. Go there to pray. Don’t go to talk to people, talk to Allah. Just talk to Allah. Go there and you will find peace. You will become a different person. If Allah can guide Robert Davila, Allah will guide you. Guidance is all around us. You don’t have to worry about what’s not there,there’s plenty there. Once you become sincere, Allah will open doors and give you friends and teachers that will guide you to the straight path. Allah will provide access to resources which will bring you closer and closer to him, to the truth, and a better life for you and the people around you. Robert is a reminder for all of us that there are no excuses. If Robert can learn Quran from where he is, with no Muslims around him, with nothing more than his will and dedication, then so can you. Whoever and wherever you are, if you ask, Allah will open the door. From his bed, Robert found the path to Allah. Allah has transformed his life and opened the doors to peace and happiness. Robert has become a symbol of hope and strength. Merely by paying attention to his dream, he became the catalyst for an Egyptian handy man in America to stop thinking his mosque was too far away to visit and pray. Today, Robert spreads the word of Allah through his Facebook page. Through Skype, he continues to memorize verses of the Quran. Robert is an example of how we need not fear the passing of time (Chapter 103 of the Quran). Whether we fear it too fast, or too slow, we must spend it wisely. For a man who cannot move his body, Robert embarked upon a new life, a life of peace and fulfillment he never thought possible. “Indeed, man is in loss, except those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to [follow] the truth, and enjoin one another to patience.” Ponder the man who could not move, yet traveled far to find Allah, and whose efforts to know himself brought people together to renew their faith. You know, You know what Allah did for the people of the cave? You know he guided them in where to sleep? You know he guided them on when to turn? As the sun was coming up, they turned away from it. As the sun came from the other side, they turned the other way. Allah will guide you in your sleep, when you make dua to him. He will guide you in your sleep, when you toss and turn. Can you imagine? We shouldn’t be skeptical of Allah’s guidance. We shouldn’t worry, “How will I find balance?” That’s Allah’s job. Your job is to talk to Allah. Your job is to be sincere. That is the only way you will find balance. Honestly, once you do that, once you become sincere and talk to Allah, Robert agrees. “I’ve never studied Arabic or anything like that in my life. I understand that there are some people, Muslims, who grew up in a Muslim home and they do not know Arabic. You know, it’s not hard to learn the Quran. Get online, try and don’t give up; it’s not hard! You start off thinking, “Oh it’s the hardest thing in the world for me to do. I can’t do this.” But no, it’s not! You sit there and listen and go along with the recitation. Eventually I learned the Arabic alphabet and now I can find out how to pronounce the words correctly. So when I’m reciting most of the time, I say it correctly. I know my accent is not very good, but I say it anyway. And it took me a while to learn the last ten surahs of the Quran. There are a few other surahs I’ve started to learn. For three or four months I was trying to memorize surahs from the Quran and reading, and that was it. Never did I think about understanding it because, as a non-Muslim reading, there is a lot of stuff that you don’t understand. And then I began searching for how to understand and I found Ustadh Nouman Ali Khan’s Tafseer videos, and they appeared very good. I noticed that as I was studying the surahs, I would watch the Tafseer videos. I understood the ayahs he was talking about and what was going on in the time period theses ayahs were being revealed. It helped me to understand everything so much, and then it made my iman (faith) even stronger. My cousin once asked me “Why do you believe in Islam.” He wanted a big explanation from me, and, you know, I told him, “Because I believe in the prophethood of Muhammad (saw), and I believe that his revelations were from Allah (SWT). That’s what I believe from my heart and that’s what I’m gonna follow. I just have to . . . just always have zikr of Allah (remembrance of Allah). I always ask God for forgiveness (Astaghfirullah), always praising God (Alhamdulillah). And me in this condition that I’m in, sometimes it’s not easy to stay satisfied and happy. I can’t do anything for myself and, sometimes if I ask somebody to do something, it will take them quite a long time. I was never a very patient person. But, you know, after I became Muslim, and I studied more, and read, I realized I have Sabr(patience, endurance) now. I can wait. I can calm myself down and remember when they’re taking too long, I just repeat Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, (ask for forgiveness from Allah) and eventually what I need gets done. My mother supports me in my decision. At first, well I can tell you this, I actually converted for a month. I was talking to my mom and I didn’t say anything. Then I said, “Well, what would you say if I said I was thinking about converting to Islam?” And my mother says, “Well, I wouldn’t like it.” And I said, “Well, what if I told you I’ve already converted?” [Laughs] And the first thing she said was, “So, you wanna go blow up people?” [laughs] And I said, “Oh no, no. You have the wrong idea.” Eventually, over time, as I talked to her, and gave her a Quran to read, she read some of it. She understands me and supports me. My father had a different reaction. From his experience he thought that . . . he told me, “Son, only black people are Muslims.” [laughs] I told him, “Dad, there’s over one and a half billion Muslims in the world. They’re all races and colors, everything.” Then the next time I talked to him, and I got a lot more Muslim friends on Facebook, my dad finally sat down and talked to me. He said,
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