Islamic Character

Essentials of Islamic Character: Each culture has its own perception of human being, and each culture distinguishes individuals character belonging to it with common characteristics shared by all of them. The Islamic character is formed according to the teachings of Islam and does not take the correct outward appearance unless the individual has developed an Islamic way of thinking based on Islams directives. In this, all individuals are equal whether a creative scientist, a knowledgeable, intellectual, a layperson or even an electrician. The Believing Character: Belief is the primary and most important aspect in developing the Islamic character as it provides the correct answer to persistent fundamental question. The positive consequences of belief on the personality are: 1. 2. 3. Unity of perception Peace of mind and happiness Self-judgment

The Essence of Belief: To state with the tongue, endorse with the heart (mind) and act on the principles The Pillars of Belief: The six principles of belief in Allah, the Angels, the Revealed books, Allahs Messengers, the Day of Judgment and Providence in its goodness and trials. Allah Almighty says: The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, as do the faithful. They all believe in God, His angels, His scriptures and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messengers, they say, we hear and obey. Grant us Your forgiveness, our Lord. To You we all return! (Al Baqarah:285) In Hadith, Omar Bin al-Khattab (MABPWH) said: One day we were in the company of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), when a man joined us, he was dressed in bright white clothes, with dark black hair and no signs of travelling on him. Unknown to anyone of us, he sat just opposite to the Prophet that their knees touched, he put his hands on the Prophets thighs and said: O Muhammad, tell me about Islam. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Islam is to pronounce that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah, to pray consistently, to give Zakat, to fast the month of Ramadan and to perform the pilgrimage to Makkah, if you have the means to do it. The man said: Verily, you tell the truth. We wonder about the man, how he asked the Prophet (PBUH) and endorses him in the same time, The man said Then tell me about belief. The Prophet (PBUH) said: That you belief in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the last Day and providence in its goodness and trial. The man said: Verily, you tell the truth. The man said: Tell me about
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distinction in Islam. The Prophet (PBUH) said: that you pray to Allah as if you see him, because if you do not see Him, He sees you. The man said: Then tell me about the time of Day of Judgment. The Prophet (PBUH) said: The slave women will give birth to her mistress and you will see them bare footed, naked, helpless shepherds competing in erecting tall buildings. Then the man left, Omar (MABPWH) waited a while, then the Prophet (PBUH) said: O Omar, do you know whom my questioner was? Omar (MABPWH) said: Allah and His Messenger know better. The Prophet (PBUH) said: It was Jibrael (the archangel); He came amongst you to teach you your religion. From the preceding Hadith we learn about the grades of religious belief in Islam, namely: Declaration of Islam Beliefs Distinction (ihsan) with worship

Monotheistic Belief in Allah: 1. Monotheistic Belief in Allahs Lordship:

This is the form belief where there is only Allah who is the Creator, Provider, the Giver of life and death, the Sustainer of all His creation, and He has no partner a. Substantiation of Monotheistic belief in Allahs Lordship: Allahs Almighty saying: All praise in due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds (Al Fatiha: 2), and that is Allah, your Lord; blessed then is Allah, the Lord of the worlds (Ghafir: 64) We have to appreciate that monotheistic belief in Lordship alone is not sufficient if we do not sincerely and exclusively pray to Allah, thus confirming that only Allah is worthy of worship. The infidels of Quraysh (Makkahs influential tribe) were monotheists in a way as they acknowledged Allahs Lordship over creation, but this belief did not deter them from praying to other Gods represented by idols, [and if you ask them, who created the heavens and the earth and made sun and the moon subservient, they will certainly say, Allah, Whence are they then turned away?] Ankaboot: 61. [And if you should ask them, who created them, they would certainly say: Allah, Whence are they then turned back?]Al-Zukhruf:87 1. Monotheistic Belief in the worship of Allah:

This is having the firm belief in the worship of Allah, and only Allah, some of the profs for this: Allah Almighty says: Thee (alone) we worship; Thee alone we ask for help (Al-Fatiha:5), and Say, It is God I serve, dedicating my worship entirely to Him Al Zumar:14

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1.

Monotheistic Belief in Allahs name and attributes:

This is the firm belief in Allahs names and attributes revealed in the Quran and Hadith, and affirming the same without any modifications, conditioning on depiction, some of the proofs for this: Allah Almighty say: Most Gracious, Most Merciful (Al Fatiha: 3) and Say, I am only a human being, like you, to whom it has been revealed that your God is One. Anyone who fears to meet his Lord should do good deeds and give no one a share in the worship due to his Lord. (Al-Isra:110) 2. The belief in the names and attributes of Allah is based on two principles: a. Exaltation of the Creator from similarity with His creation b. Belief in what Allah and His prophet (PBUH) have described Allah in a manner befitting His Perfection and Glory without attempting visualize the manner of description. Almighty Allah says: [Theres nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that Hears and Sees (all things)] Al Shoura: 11 In the Holy Quran, Surat al-Fatiha and Surat al-Ikhlas have included the three types of belief described above as well as surat Mariam, [Lord of the heavens and of the earth and of all that is between them; so worship Him, and be constant and patient in His worship; knowest thou of any who is worthy of the same Name as He?] Mariam:65 The evidence for the division of belief in the three types discussed above lies in deduction as explained by Imam Shanqiti. This evidence was also presented in the writing of earlier scholars like Ibn Manda, Ibn Jarir and Al Tabari and it was confirmed by Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim and by Al-Zubaidi in his work titled Taj al-Aroos. The method of deduction was applied to scriptures in a manner similar to the work of Grammar scholars in dividing the words spoken by Arabs into nouns, verbs and articles. Some scholars have divided monotheistic belief into two types: First Monotheistic belief in knowledge and verification Second: Monotheistic belief in requirements and intention According to this division monotheistic belief in Allahs Lordship and His names and His description is of first type, while belief in Allah as the only God to worship is of the second type. Belief in Angels: We believe in Allahs Angels and that they are described in the Quran, [Nay! They are honored servants They do not precede Him in speech and (only) according to his commandment do they act] Al Ambiya:26,27 We believe they are creations of Allah in perpetual prayer and obedience,[ Surely those who are with your Lord are not too proud to serve him, and they declare His glory and prostrate in humility before Him] Al-Araf:206
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Angels are normally invisible to humans, but may become visible, if Allah ordains, to special persons as when Jibrael (The archangel Gabriel) was seen in his true form by the Prophet (PBUH) twice and when he materialized in human form to Mariam (AS) (Mary) and to the Prophet (PBUH) as narrated in the Hadith, Angels work: Angels carry out work assigned to them such as: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Jebreel is entrusted with conveying the message of Allah to the Prophets. Mikael is entrusted with rain and plants Israfeel is entrusted with blowing the horn on the Day of Judgment Izrael is entrusted with withdrawing souls at death. Malik is the guardian of Hell Redhwan is the guardian of heaven.

Angels are in numbers more than what can be counted, it is said that the heavenly erected house (said to be the counter image of Kabah in heavens) is visited daily by 70,000 Angels who never return to it again. Belief in the Revealed Books: Muslims believe without any doubt that Allah has revealed to each one of His messengers a book that bears testimony to all the world of the truthfulness of their missions, [Certainly We sent Our messengers with clear arguments, and sent down with them the Book and the balance that men may conduct themselves with equality] Al Hadeed:25

The number of these books is only known to Allah as we do not know the number of all His messengers, [And (we sent) messengers We have mentioned to you before and messengers we have not mentioned to you] Al Nissa:164 Some of these books have been mentioned briefly in the Holy Quran and some have been discussed in more detail. Muslims believe in all these books and what Allah has revealed to us about them whether in detail or in general form. Some of these books are: 1. Al Torah, which was revealed to Moses (AS) and its the greatest among the books of the children of Israel. [Surely We revealed the Torah in which was guidance and light; with it
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the prophets who submitted themselves (to Allah) judged (matters) for those who were Jews, and the master of divine knowledge and the priests, because they were required to guard (part) of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses thereof] Surah Al Maeda:44 2. Al-Enjeel, which has revealed to Jesus (AS), confirming and completing the Torah,[and We gave him the Enjeel in which was guidance and light, and verifying what was before it of Torah and a guidance and an admonition for those who guard (against evil)] Surah Al Maeda: 46 3. Al-Zaboor, which was revealed to Dawood(AS), [and to David We gave the Psalm] Al-Nissa:163 4. Suhuf Ebrahim, which was revealed to Ibrahim (PBUH), [The scriptures of Ibrahim and Musa] Al Ala:19 5. The Holy Quran, which was revealed to the last of the prophets, Muhammad (PBUH), [Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong) AlBaqara:185 The Holy Quran takes precedence over all the previous books and it is preserved for eternity as decreed by Allah, [Surely We Have revealed the Remember and We will most surely be its guardian] (Al-Hejr:9) Muslims believe that all what is contained in these books in their original revelation is the truth and guidance for humanity, but that the revelation before the Quran suffered from omissions, additions and alterations that fundamentally change the message contained in them, [Of those who are Jews (there are those who) after words from their places] AlNisaa:46 [Say: Who revealed the Book which Musa brought, a light and a guidance to men, which you make into scattered writings which you show while you conceal much?] Belief in the Messengers of Allah: Muslims believe that Allah has sent messengers to humanity, [(We sent) messengers as the givers of good news and as warners, so that people should not have a plea against Allah after the (coming of) messengers; And Allah is Mighty, wise] Al-Nisaa:165 The first being Noah (PBUH) and the last being Muhammad (PBUH), [Surely We have revealed to you as We revealed to Nuh, and the prophets after him] (Al Nisaa:163) [But he is the Messenger of Allah and the Last of the prophets] (Al-Ahzab:40)

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A large number of messengers has been sent and they may be divided into two groups: 1. A group that has been mentioned in the Quran in detail and they number 25 of these only five are exalted ones, [He has made plain to you of the religion what he enjoined upon Nuh and that which We have revealed to you and that which We enjoined upon Ibrahim and Musa and Isa that keep to obedience and be not divided therein; hard to the unbelievers is that which you call them to; Allah chooses for himself whom He pleases, and guides to himself him who turns (to Him), frequently ] (Ash-Shoora:13) 2. A group that was not mentioned in detail but was referred to in general, And (We sent) messenger We have mentioned to you before and messengers We have not mentioned to you (Al-Nisaa:164) In this regard it is essential for Muslims to: 1. Believe in all Messengers and what was revealed to them by Allah and to follow the last of the Prophets, Muhammad (PBUH), and to live according to the religious law or Shareeah 2. Believe that the call of Messengers have a common origin and that is the call of monotheistic belief in Allah, We sent a messenger to every community, saying, Worship God and shun false gods.(Al-Nahl:36) 3. Believe that the Messengers are humans created by Allah to convey His messages, Their messenger said to them: We are nothing but mortals like yourselves, but Allah bestows (His) favors on whom He pleases of His servants (Ibrahim:11)

Belief in the Day of Judgment: Muslims believe in the Last Day or the Day of Judgment, the day for which there is no day after and believe in the resurrection that is the bringing back to life of the dead, by Allah, after the angel Israfeel blows the second blow, then it shall be blown again, then lo! They shall stand up awaiting (Az-Zumar:68) The belief in the day of Judgment also includes what the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has informed us about after death experiences like: the graves ordeal, its reward and punishment and records as well as the records of human acts. Heavy and light good deeds balances on the Day of Judgment: Then he whose balance of good deeds will be found heavy will be in a life of good pleasure and satisfaction (Al Quriah:6) Besides that the Intercession, the basin, the straight path, leading to Paradise or Hell and every verse revealed in the Holy Quran or a statement of the Sunnah (The Prophets Tradition) PBUH, regarding that day.

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Belief in the fate and Providence: This is the firm belief that every goodness and trial in this world is ordained and imposed by Allah. The Levels of fate and Providence: 1. Knowledge, as we belief that Allah is All-Knowing 2. Destiny, all what happens to the Day of Judgment is predestined by Allah 3. Will, as nothing happens or exists in this universe without Allahs will 4. Creation, Allah Almighty says: the Creator of all things, do worship Him (Al Anam:102) Muslims believe that humans have choices and capabilities that are bounded by Allahs will, for this they will be judged for what they say, do and believe. But this should not lead a Muslim to disregard cause and effect as these are all parts of fate and providence. The Worshipping Islamic Character: True Muslims believe that both their worship of Allah and their behaviour are strongly linked. They do not consider prayers as simple physical movements to be performed day and night, the Muslims' prayer exhorts him do virtuous deeds and avoid vice. Consider the following Quran verses: "What has brought you into hell?* they shall say: We were not of those who prayed * And we used not to feed the poor" (Al Muddather 74:42-44) Thus feeding of destitute people is a consequence of prayers, similarly other forms of worship like fasting is not only abstaining from food and drink as much as it is an exercise in self discipline . One hadith states t h a t "whoever does not leave perjury, it is meaningless for him to leave his food and drink in fasting". A Muslim's worship of Allah develops in him a deep sense of belonging to Islam, one can see the effect of this in his behaviour, in his dealings and speech even in his happiness and sadness and sharing the same with other fellow humans. The real appreciation of worship makes the Muslim a true representative of the religion of Islam and not just a person with a Muslim name in his identity card. Islam has described a balanced and moderate path to be followed in worship that does not necessary impair other human earthly activities. Below we will elaborate on the meaning of worship, its types, benefits, principles and conditions : The meaning of Worship in Language : To worship Allah, is to submit in humility and to follow His command. Ibn Manzoor states that "the meaning of worship is to submit and supplicate in humility, and to obey" . Al Farra' says "the meaning of worship in language is obedience with
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submission. Ibn Al Anbari states that: if a person worships his God, he submits to him and follows his orders", while AlZubaidi opines that "the basis of worship is humility and submission". Other scholars state that "submission is acceptance of what Allah ordains, while worship is doing what pleases Allah" The meaning of Worship in Religious Law: Ibn Al Qayyem stated that "Submission embraces four echelons of expression by the tongue and the heart, and deeds by the heart and bodily faculties. Expression o f the heart is the belief in what Allah has communicated through His messengers (AS) about Himself, His names, His descriptions, His deeds and the angels. Expression of the tongue is the articulation of the heart's expressions of belief including the call to Allah's, verbally opposing wrong creeds, remembrance of Allah in mantras and delivering his orders. Deeds of the heart comprise of loving Allah, depending on Him, Fearing him, patience and sincerity in following his orders and avoiding what He forbade, to make Allah's enemies ones own enemies, to submit in humility to him and other such deeds of the heart. The deeds of the bodily faculties are such actions as regular prayers, hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), Jihad (holy war), etc. Types of Servitude (Worship): Servitude can be divided into two classes, general and exclusive:

a. General servitude is the slavery of coercion and subjugation and this includes a l l creation whether possessing free will like humans or not, the good and the bad, the believer and the infidel. b. Exclusive servitude is the slavery to Allah, based on conviction, obedience and love. This servitude is exclusive to worshipers of Allah, who have answered His call through his messengers. The Muslim Family: The family has utmost importance in a Muslim Society and the Quran and Sunnah have left no occasion on emphasizing this fact The Muslim and his Children: Children are the fruit of marital life and a surety for the continuation of life, if they grow up righteously, live as believers; their good deeds are added to their parents balances on the Day of Judgment. And if they die young, their mediation is accepted for their parents. The parents have to provide the right environment for the children to grow by being good themselves before they are conceived by selecting the right spouse. The Prophet (PBUH) said: a woman is worthy of her marriage for her wealth, beauty or kin, but the pious one is better for who seeks happiness

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The rights that should be given to children from their parents are: The Azan (call to prayers): Softly reciting the azan (call to prayers) in their right ears after their birth. Giving them a good name: Giving the child a good name on the day of birth or after seven days. Sacrificing on behalf of the child: Sacrificing a sheep and distributing it on the poor, family and friends. It is preferred that one sheep is sacrificed for a female and two for a male. Insuring the availability of good nutrition for the child: Natural nutrition through breastfeeding. In case the mother is able to breastfeed, alternatives like a foster mother or commercially prepared milk maybe used. It is important to ensure that the foster mothers food or the milk preparations are made from halal and pure ingredients. Providing Maintenance: It is the duty of father to provide maintenance for family until a male child can support himself and a female gets married. It is important to note here that Islam emphasized the equality in providing for males and females. Neglecting females is considered a grave sin reminiscent of pre-Islamic (jahelia) behaviour. Upbringing and education: Parents are entrusted with proper upbringing of children according to the tenants of Islam. It is the duty of the parents to gradually introduce to the children the principles of their religion from belief to rituals, worship and dealings. The children have to be taught how to stay clean and pure and how to perform ablutions and prayers. Equality between children: Al Nu'man Bin Bishr narrated that his father came to the Prophet (PBUH) and told him: I have gifted one of my sons a slave. The Prophet (PBUH) said, And did you give all your children similarly?. The man said no, the Prophet (PBUH) said Fear Allah and equate between your children. Take your gift back Parents Rights in Islam: Whatever a person can do, he cannot repay his parents, mother or father. Islam considered pleasing the parents like pleasing Allah and displeasing parents is like displeasing Allah. Service of parents is a passage to paradise and their neglect is a passage to hell. These meanings are amply illustrated in many verses of the Quran and hadith. Good behaviour towards the parents have been second only to belief and worshipping Him, there is no greater benefactor to a person after Allah but his parents

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Many Quranic verses and hadith covers this fact:

Allah said: [And worship Allah and do not associate anything with him and be good to the parents] (Al Nisa:36)

Abdullah Bin Omar narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said: Be good to your parents, then your children will be good to you, and be chaste to yourself, your women will be chaste Also Abu Huraira (MABPWH) narrates that a man came to the Prophet and asked: to whom do I owe the most courteous companionship? The Prophet said: To your mother. The man said: Then to whom? and the Prophet (PBUH) replied: To your mother. Then the man said: Then to whom? and the Prophet (PBUH) affirmed again: to your mother. The man said:Then to whom? and the Prophet (PBUH) replied: To your father

This is indicative for the great appreciation and love that is due to the mother. Al-Qurtubi said: This Hadith indicates that mothers love is three times as that of the father but the cause of difficulty of pregnancy, as well as the delivery and the breast-feeding (lactation).

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Seeking parents permission to go on Jihad (Holy war): Abdullah bin Omar narrates that a man came to the Prophet (PBUH) seeking permission to go on Jihad, the Prophet (PBUH) asked: Are you parents alive? Hearing an affirmation the Prophet (PBUH) said: It is better that your effort goes for the welfare of your parents This hadith confirms that when Jihad is not compulsory, taking care of parents becomes more important than Jihad which becomes compulsory in a few cases as: 1. When an enemy attacks the Muslim country 2. When the Muslim requires additional forces for defending the country or if chosen specifically by the leader Showing consideration for parents after death: After their death, a Muslim can continue to show consideration to his parents by prayers and supplications to Allah for their forgiveness, acceptance in Paradise, salvation from Hell and deliverance from punishment in the grave. Allah said: [O my Lord Bestow your mercy on them, as they brought me up(when I was) little] Al-Isra:24

The Prophet (PBUH) said: If the son of Adam dies, his good deeds stop but for three matters: charitable trusts, used knowledge and good offspring praying to Allah and his favour

Fulfilling departed parents wills, and maintaining the relationships with relatives, friends and beneficiaries: Abi Burda (MAPBWH) narrates: I once visited Madinah and Abdullah bin Umar visited me. He said: Do you know why I visit you? I said, No, he said: I heard the Prophet PBUH say: If anyone would like to reach out to his parents after their death, he can reach out to their kin, and our fathers had a good relationship, so I came to you A Muslim with his kindred of blood and Relatives Rights in Islam: Kith and Kin: This word denotes kindred of blood and relatives whether they could be heirs or not and whether their relatives within prohibited degree of marriage or not. Maintaining good relationships with near of kin and relatives is a virtuous act for which a Muslim is rewarded by Allah, and similarly serving these relationships is a grave sin, Allah said: And give to the near of kin his due and (to) the needy and the wayfarer, and do not squander wastefully Al-Isra:26 Also Allah said: And those who break the covenant of Allah after its confirmation and cut as under that which Allah has ordered to be joined and make mischief in the land; (as for) those, upon them shall be curse and they shall have the evil (issue) of the abode Al Rad:25.
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Anas (MABPWH) narrates that the Prophet PBUH said: Those who would like to enhance their wealth and to be well, remember death, should maintain good relations with their kin. It is plausible that maintaining good relations with kin contributes to a healthy stress-free life with sharing and cooperation in good and bad times. This can actually translate into net material gains. In addition, a person with a good relation network in bound to leave behind more persons to remember him after death and pray in his favour. Aisha (MABPWH) narrates that the Prophet (PBUH) said: Kin relationships are personified in a hanging, at the Throne of Allah that proclaims: those who keep me will be looked after by Allah, and those who break me will be disregarded by Allah Abdullah bin Amr Bin al Aas (MABPWH) narrates that the Prophet (AS) said: The reward will not be for just maintaining kin relationships, but it will be for those who re-establish a relation after a break. Abu Huraira (MABPWH) narrates that the Prophet PBUH said: The good deeds of every human are examined every Thursday and none is recorded for those who break their kin relationships.

The Pillars of Islam

1Islam is testifying that there is no true god except Allah, and that Mohammad- peace be upon him- is the messenger of Allah. 2Performing the payers. 345Paying the poor due (obligatory) charity. Observing the fast of the month of Ramadan. Performing the pilgrimage to Makkah for whom can afford it.

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The Pillars of Faith (What is Belief?) 123456Belief in Allah. His Angels. His Books. His Messengers. Belief in the Last Day. And belief in the Divine preordainment and its good and evil consequences.

The Perfection It is to worship Allah as though you see Him. Although you do not see Him, He sees you.

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The Exegesis of Surat al-Fatiha Opening: Outline: This is the first Surah in the Quran in terms of arrangement and not revelation. In other words, the Fatiha Opening was not the first surah that was revealed. It is a Makkan surah, i.e., it was revealed in Makka. The main focus of this surah is tawhid. It affirms faith, worship, seeking help, and supplication. It is made up of seven ayat whose major focus is to verify that Allah is worthy of worship, praise, and reliance upon, enjoys all the hallmarks of perfection, is Master of this world and the Hereafter, and that He is the Creator. It is called the Opening because it opens the Quran, i.e., it is the starting surah of the Quran. It is also called the mother or core of the Quran. The Opening is the only surah that it is compulsory to read in every prayer said by a Muslim whether during the five compulsory daily prayers or during the optional ones. In fact, no prayer, according to Muslim scholars, is accepted without reciting the Opening. According to Muslim commentators, the Opening embodies the whole Quran. It is regarded as a kind of supplication and it starts off with an expression in praise of Allah praise be to Allah which signifies total submission to Him and that Allah alone is worthy of praise. The reason why this surah represents the essence of the Quran is that it summarizes the major concepts of Islam: the belief in the Oneness of Allah and in His attributes. It encourages Muslims to beg from no one but Allah and to free themselves from slavery to man and be attached to their Lord alone. It highlights deanthropomorphism that no one is associated with Allah, no one is equal or similar to Him, and that one must worship Him faithfully and sincerely. This surah seems to be divided into two equal parts: the first part concerns Allah and His attributes while the second part is about man and his need for his Lord.

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4.2.1.2 Themes In spite of the brevity of this surah, it contains a number of important and varied themes such as: 1- praise: In acknowledgement of the infinite bounties of Allah. This signifies obedience on the part of the Muslim who acknowledges that Allah alone should be praised for everything. 2- Tawhid: Believe in Allah alone, the lord of the universe. 3-Iman: Trust in Allah the lord of the Universe, in His angels, books, messengers, the decree of good and evil, and in the last Day. It also signifies the oneness of Allah. 4- Mercy: The two attributes Most Gracious, Most Merciful refer to Allahs mercy; it is a reminder to the Muslim that Allahs mercy is comprehensive; it is everywhere and at all time. It also signifies that Allah is merciful rather than vengeful and that His mercy precedes his vengeance. 5-The Day of Judgement: This is an essential part of the Muslims Iman that is also supplemented by the belief that Allah alone will be the Master on the Day of Judgement. 6-Obligation and dependence: This refers to worshipping no other deity but Allah and that everyone is dependent on Him and helpless without Him. This also signifies seeking refuge with Him. It also refers to the reciprocal link between man and Allah: worshipping Allah comes first before help from Allah is bestowed on man. 7- Guidance: Asking Allah for guidance on the straight path of those on whom He bestowed His grace; this path leads to success in this life and in the Hereafter. Surah One Hundred and Twelve: Purity/Sincerity Outline This surah belongs to the Makkan period and contains 4 ayat whose major focus is tawhid. The title word does not occur in an ayah of the surah but is derived from the overall meaning of the surah. This surah highlights the tawhid and nature of Allah. It stresses pure faith in one and only one eternal Allah who is free of all needs, Who has no son, father, mother or partner and on Whom everyone and everything depends. Themes
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Allah's unity: Keep your faith pure and believe in Allah who is one, eternal and does not have a son or a partner. Surah One Hundred and Thirteen: The Dawn Outline This surah belongs to the Makkan period and contains 5 ayat whose focus is seeking refuge in Allah from every evil creature. The title word occurs in 1 ayah. The surah urges the believers to seek refuge in Allah form evil creatures, evil plot and the envy of people. Themes Refuge: Protect yourself from external evil and the plotting of others by seeking refuge in Allah for He is the One Who can shield you. Trust: To have complete and unconditional trust in Allah alone. Envy: Avoid envying others because it is an evil and wrongdoing.

Surah One Hundred and Fourteen: Mankind Outline This surah belongs to the Makkan period and contains 6 ayat whose focus is seeking refuge in Allah from the evil Shaytan. The cue-word of the surah occurs in several ayat of the surah including ayah 1. The surah urges the believers to seek refuge in Allah from mischief of Shaytan, the archenemy of all mankind. It also tells us that Allah is the Lord, the King and the Cherisher of all mankind. We are told that Shaytan whispers in our chests to undermine our faith and make us unable to differentiate between right and wrong. Themes Refuge: Protect yourself from Shaytan, your archenemy, by seeking refuge in Allah for He is able to shield you from Shaytan's mischief. Trust: Put your total trust in Allah alone. Whisper: Shaytan whispered in our chests to make us blind to the truth and follow him. Belief and disbelief: Those who disbelief are responsible for the consequence of their disbelief and those who do right actions are preparing themselves for Allahs reward and the Hereafter.

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Surah Thirty One: Luqman Outline This surah belongs to the Makkan period and contains 34 ayats whose main focus is tawhid. The surah derives its title from mention of Luqman, a spiritual and wise man, mentioned in ayat 12. The surah provides a pattern of wisdom and moral law through the advice given by Luqman to his son. Luqmans subtle thoughts point to the one true God (See themes below) The Surah starts off with a statement describing the Quran as a wise book which provides guidance and mercy to the doers of good; This is followed by description of doers of good: they establish prayer, pay the Zakat, are certain of the Hereafter, are successful, hold on to guidance, and will have gardens of bliss. A description of the disbelievers is that: They prefer to engage in idol talk rather than talk about valuable pragmatic matters relating to Allah, try to mislead others from the path of Allah, mock the revelation, are arrogant, and will face a shameful doom. The surah also makes a brief reference to the rising from the dead through a statement about Allahs omnipotence: the creation of all mankind and the rising from the dead of All mankind are as simple as the creation and rising from the dead of a single person. The surah appeals to the mankind to be Allah-conscious, to dread the Day of Judgement, not to be deluded by worldly life, and not to be deluded by ones own wrong thoughts about Allah which undervalue and underestimates Him. Were also told of Allahs unique creative power and omnipotence: Allah creates the heavens without pillars, he places firm mountains on the earth, he disperses all kind of animals throughout the earth, He sends down rain from the sky, he harnesses whatever is in the heavens and on earth for the benefit of mankind, he bestows upon people infinite bounties, he merges the night into the day and the day into the night, He regulates the sun and the moon, and He knows what is in the wombs. Themes: Behavioural Law: It is for peoples own good to abide by the behavioural law which is

a part of Allahs Law:

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o o o o o o o o o o

Do not associate anything in your worship of Allah because association or false Look after and show gratitude to your parents Show gratitude to your Lord If your parents force you to associate anything in your worship of Allah, do not obey If you do a minute of good deed Allah appreciates it and you will be rewarded for it Establish the prayer Bear patiently whatever may afflict you Do not sneer at other people Do not walk insolently and be moderate in your pace when you walk Lower your voice when you talk Delusion: Do not let the present life deceive you. It is only glitter while the hereafter

worship is a serious wrong-doing

them but you should keep good company with both of them.

is the real eternal life to which one should look forward. Hardship and Ease: Remember Allah and show Him your gratitude whether you are

enjoying ease or experiencing hardship Submission or rejection: If you submit yourself to the worship of Allah it is for your

own good but if you choose to reject faith, you are driving yourself into severe suffering. Do not dispute about Allah: Avoid any argument about Allah if you are not armed

with knowledge, guidance, and ability to refer to the Quran.

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The Holy Quran

Definition of the Holy Quran: Scholars of Arabic lexicography have different opinions about the origin of the word Quran, and it suffice to say here that the word Quran is derived from the verbal noun ( reading), as it has appeared in the Quran structure1: ( . ) "We shall make sure of its safe collection and recitation. When We have recited it, repeat the recitation" ( al-qiyamah: 17-18.)\

Further, the first surah revealed to Prophet Muhammad starts with the word "read". As an Islamic term, Quran could be defined as follows: "The speech or the words of Allah, sent down upon the last Prophet Muhammad, through the archangel Gabriel, in its precise meaning and precise wording, transmitted to us by numerous persons (tawatur), both verbally and in writing, inimitable and unique, protected by Allah from corruption". The Most Significant names of the Holy Quran: The Holy Quran has many names, which were sorted by scholars in independent classifications. These various names indicate the noble status of the Holy Qur'an. Quran: The revelation from Allah to the Prophet Muhammad is referred to - in the Quran itself - by the name Quran (recitation) see: 1. Kitab (scripture, see Q 21:10). 2. Furqan (criterion, see Q 25: 1). 3. Tanzil (sent down, see Q 26: 192). 4. Dhikr (reminder, see Q 15:

1

Hussein Abdul-Raof, Quran Translation Discourse, Teture and Exegesis, (Surry: Curzon Press, 2001),

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Other references to the Quran are by such words as nur (light), huda (guidance), rahma (mercy), majid (glorious), mubarak (blessed), bashir (announcer), nadhir (warner), etc. All these names reflect one of the various aspects of the revealed word of Allah.

The Content of al-Quran: The Qur'an is divided into 114 surahs (chapters) of different lengths, content, and

containing differing admonitions. Each surah is made up of a number of statements. Each statement is known as an ayah (verse). The total number of ayahs is 6,218 ayahs, with 77,437 words and 321,000 letters.2 The shortest chapter consists of three verses and the longest consists of 286 verses (excluding Bismillah). The Quran was revealed in two different periods of the Prophets life, in Makkah and

in al-Madinah. The contents of the Quran are not classified subject-wise. The verses on various topics

appear in unexpected places, and no particular order can be ascertained in the sequence of its text. Furthermore, the arrangement of the Holy Quran is unique in terms of logical coherence of the content of each surah and thematic interrelation with the subsequent Surahs. The content of the Qur'an is numerous which can be grouped as follows: 1 Aqidah: (belief) covering belief in the oneness of Allah, His angels, Revealed Books, Prophets, the Day of Judgement, and His Decree. Two third of the Holy Qur'an deals with such issues and the rest deals with the following issues: 2 3 4 Akhlaq (Ethics and Moral Behaviour). Ibadah (Rituals). Mu'amalat (Transactions) and Family law.

Characteristics of al-Quran: There are several characteristics of Quran, among them are: mankind. It is the actual Word of Allah, not created but revealed for the benefit of all

Hussein Abdul-Raof, The Quran Outlined, Theme and Text, (London: Ta-Ha Publishers, 2001), p.vi.

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It is a theoretical and a practical Book, not only moralizing but also defining

specifically the permissible and the forbidden. It is complete and comprehensive. The Almighty says: "Nothing have We

omitted from the Book." (6.38) In another place we read: "And We have sent down to thee the Book

explaining all things." (16.89) Allah has perfected His religion for all mankind with the revelation of this

Book. He says: "This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." (5.3) It is Allah's eternal miracle revealed to the Prophet Muhammad for all

succeeding generations. In response to those who doubt the authorship of the Qur'an, Allah Almighty has challenged the most articulate Arabs to produce something similar to al-Quran. The Quran says: "Say, if the whole of mankind and jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof; even if they backed-up each other with help and support." (17.88) Allah Almighty has taken upon Himself the duty of preserving the Qur'an

forever in its entirety, as He says: "We have without doubt sent down the Message, and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)." (15.9) It has been preserved, both in memory and in writing, that the Arabic text

we have today is identical to the text as it was revealed to the Prophet. Not even a single letter has yielded to corruption during the passage of the centuries. Therefore, it will remain forever by the will of Allah. It is a confirmation of previous scriptures & a watcher over them. Almighty

Allah describes the Qur'an (And unto thee have We revealed the Scripture with the truth, confirming whatever Scripture was before it, and a watcher over it) [AlMa`idah: 48], which means that what is contained in the Quran is more deserving to be followed because it is the final image of the Divine Revelation. It abrogates all of the contradictory legislation of the previous Scriptures that had lasted for limited periods of time and for certain nations. As for the final image, it is the one which is in
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line with the human natural instinct and consistent with the Prophet's mission in general and with the extension of time & place. The Written Compilation of the Quran: The uniqueness of the Holy Quran in comparison to the previous revealed books is that it was protected by Allah from being altered or corrupted, and therefore, it was preserved both orally and in a written form. The written phase went through three stages. The first stage was during the Prophet's life time (609-632 C.E) when the process of memorizing the Holy text was common amongst the Companions. Furthermore, the Prophet had, during twenty-three years of revelation, more than thirty scribes who used to write the revelation once it was revealed to him. They wrote the whole text in fragments of sheets made from animal skin, stones, animal bones and pieces of wood taken from palm trees. The Second Stage was during the Era of the First Rightly Guided Caliph Abu Bakr alSiddiq (632-634 C.E>.): During this era, the first copy of the Holy Quran was introduced in one volume for two main reasons: 1-The revelation to the Prophet has ended by his death and therefore the final shape of the whole Quran was well known to the Muslim Ummah. 2-Many Companions who used to memorize the Quran had died in the Battle of Yamamah, and there was a fear of more deaths among the Companions could result in a partial or a complete loss of the Holy text. The rightly guided Caliph Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was convinced by the Companion Umar 1 to engage in the process of collecting the Holy Quran in one single volume. Zaid bin Thabit, a young, clever, and knowledgeable Companion who used to memorize the Holy Quran and was the scribe of the Prophet was ordered by the Caliph Abu Bakr to join Umar 1 in this great process. Before Abu Barks death, the Holy Quran was collected in one volume and thus protected as it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. M. M. al-Asmaa summarises the work of Abu Baker as follows: "His contribution, we can summarise, was to collect all first-hand Quran fragments, then scattered about Medina, and arrange for their transcription into a master volume. At the conclusion of Aids effort all suras and verses therein were properly arranged, most likely
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in the battles to come which

penned using the prevalent Amanita script and spelling conventions ( ) as he was a native son of Medina".3 The Third Stage of the Writing Compilation of the Holy Quran During the Era of the Third Rightly Guided Caliph Othman (644-656 C.E.): The third and the last stage of compilation of the Holy Quran took place during this era. Uthman ordered the recompilation of the Holy Quran and this resulted in a standard copy known as Mushaf of Uthman. Uthman's efforts took place after the conquest of Armenia in central Asia. Many Muslims from various countries met during this conquest, when they used to recite the Holy Quran, they had different dialects and therefore they criticized each other's way of reading. Reading the Holy Quran in various ways and dialects were allowed during the Prophet's life. Uthman feared that if he did not organize the accepted readings of the Holy text this would lead to confusion among Muslims as had happened with the people of the book (i.e. the Christians and the Jews). Therefore, Uthman ordered a committee of four Companions, among them Zaid bin Thabit, to rewrite the Quranic text according to the authentic readings which were narrated in multiple channels (mutawater) from the Prophet. Uthman sent six similar copies to be distributed in the main Islamic centres such as Makkah, Madina, Basra, Kufa, Damascus, and Yemen and he sent a reciter with every copy. "Each of these scholars recited to the people of his respective city in the manner he had learned it through authenticated, multiple channels going back to the Prophet, insofar as these channels lay in complete agreement with each other and fit in the Mushaf's consonantal skeleton. Any mode of recitation arriving through a single channel (or containing verses that had been abrogated during the Prophet's lifetime) was discarded. Dispatching reciters with the Mushafs meant limiting the possibilities that were compatible with the consonantal script to only those that enjoyed authenticated and multiple backing Sending a scholar with every Mushaf was, therefore, elucidating that proper recitation was dependent on the learning through direct contact with teachers whose transmission channels reached to the Prophet, not simply a product of script or spelling conventions4.

3

M. M. al-Azami, The History of the Qur'anic Text, from Revelation to Comilation, A Comparative Study with the Old and New Testament, (Leicester: UK Islamic Academy, 2003) pp.84-5. 4 M. M. al-Azami, The History of the Qur'anic Text, from Revelation to Comilation, A Comparative Study with the Old and New Testament, p.95.

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By accomplishing this task, Uthman did a great and a paramount service for the Muslim nation as he confined them to the accepted and allowed readings of the Holy Quran. This action by Uthman eradicated any confusion which could arise between Muslims. Therefore, Muslims nowadays refer to the Quran as Uthman's Mushaf. M. M. al-Azami summarized Uthman's efforts in the following statements: " Uthman's main purpose was to eliminate all occasion for disputes in recitation; sending a Mushaf by itself, or with a reciter at liberty to device any reading, was contrary to the unity Uthman sought to establish within the populace. The existence of total unity in the Quranic texts throughout the world for fourteen centuries, between all countries and all divergent Muslim sects, is proof enough of Uthman's unparalleled success in gathering all Muslims upon a single text. Furthermore, The span of fourteen centuries` has not been able to corrupt or dent the skeletal text of this Mushaf. Truly a manifestation of the Holy Qur'an's miraculous nature".5 Nevertheless, as it had been explained above, it is totally mistaken to think that Uthman's written compilation was the first written compilation of the Holy Quran. In addition, Muslim scholars are almost unanimous that the Uthman's Mushaf spelling conventions is compulsory upon all Muslims to adhere to. For this reason, it is not allowed to print a copy of the Holy Qur'an without taking into consideration Uthman's Mushaf spelling conventions. Thus it is not allowed to print a copy of the Holy Qur'an according to modern spelling conventions. Translations Of The Holy- Quran Into Other Languages: The translation of the meanings of the Holy Quran has become one of the main concerns for Muslims as it helps to convey the message of Islam to other languages of the world. The translation of the meanings of the holy Quran into English language has also been considered highly important as English nowadays is regarded as one of the most important languages of the world.

What is the meaning of translation? It is rendering the meaning of a text into another language in the way that the author intended the text.

Ibid., p.95, p.107.

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Is the translation of the Holy text permissible? Yes it is permissible therefore we take the view, then, that translations of the Holy Quran should be designated as translations of the Meanings of the Quran in English (or in whatever other language) rather than being called a translation of the Quran: this is because calling such a product a translation of the Quran implies that most of the possible meanings of the text are being presented to the reader, while this is not in fact the case. I take the following view regarding some of the conditions circumscribing the translator. He should be a Muslim; non-Muslims are prohibited under Islamic Law from doing it, for we have ample evidence from experience that every non-Muslim who has embarked on this task has fallen into error.

The history of Quran translation into European languages (into English in particular): Praise be to Allah that the Meanings of the Holy Quran have now been translated into most of the worlds languages. Amongst those languages are the European ones. It was the Europeans who produced the first translation of the Quran into Latin. This was, however, an ugly, distorted translation done at the instigation and under the supervision of the monk Pierre le Venerable, the Abbot of Cluny Monastery in southern France. That was in August 1143, and the one who did the translation was an English monk named Robert de Ketton. Theodor Bibliander printed Kettons translation in Basle, and this was to serve as the basis for other European translations.

English translation by non-Muslims: The first English translation of the Holy Quran was that of Alexander Ross in London in 1649. A Scot by birth, he was chaplain to King Charles I. His translation was itself a crib of the French one done by Andre Du Reyer, which contained major distortions of the meanings of the Quran. There are many translations done by Orientalists to mention one of the best Orientalists's translations of the holy Quran is Arthur J. Arberrys translation, The Koran Interpreted, came out in 1955. Translation by Muslims: From the start of the twentieth century Muslims who were zealous for their faith and particularly Indian Muslims who had a fine command of English as a result of living under British colonialism set about the task of translating the meanings of the Holy Quran with the aim of acquainting non-Muslims with a correct version of Islam and of refuting the false allegations against Islam that had been propagated by the previous translations done by non37

Muslims. There was furthermore a need for such translations on the part of those Muslims who did not know Arabic. The most important of these translations are the following: The first significant translation produced by a British Muslim was that of

Muhammad Marmaduke William Pickthall, in London in 1930, under the title The Meaning of the Glorious Quran. Born the son of a priest in 1875, Pickthall was an orphan before going to school, becoming a clerk and then wandering through the Islamic world. He subsequently returned to London in 1917 in order to announce there the fact that he had embraced Islam, and he called himself Muhammad. He would pray with people in London and preach to them on Fridays. Pickthall later spent 15 years living in India and acting as the editor of an Islamic journal in both Bombay and Hyderabad. There it was that he began translating the Quran, and continued with this task from 1919 to 1928. He published his translation in London in 1930, and then in New York in 1931. Pickthalls translation is considered one of the sound ones. The translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali6 , done in Lahore 1934-7, under the

title The Holy Quran: Translation and Commentary. Miraculous Aspects of Quran: The miracle (inimitability) is a fact contrary to general rules, opposed to the normal course of events, with a cause that escapes human comprehension and this fact is also a challenge to anyone who doubts it. Miracles, whether they are material or spiritual in character, are not of human origin, for they fall exclusively within God's domain and competence. Allah Almighty has sent a prophet to every nation as a warner and a bearer of glad tidings.

(24: ) "We have sent you with the Truth as a bearer of good news and warning every community has been sent a warner." (35:24).
Different Prophet of Allah have different miracles. The greatest miracles of Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. is the Holy Quran. All other Prophets' books are not part of their miracles

Abdullah Yusuf Ali belongs to the Batiniyya sect that is known as the Buhra of the Dawoodis.

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Kinds of Quran miracles: The first type of miracles: The linguistic inimitability of al-Quran: This is evident in the high standard of language and linguistic expression of al-Quran Pickthall described the Holy Book, 'the very sounds of which move men to tears and ecstasy' The Second type of miracles: Miraculous Nature of Telling Unseen News: 1.Unseen Past: Quran included the tales of former people, the news about the previous centuries, the extinct nations. 2. Unseen Present: such as the betrayal of the hypocrites and their intentions, and the sayings of some of them secretly to their custodians.

3. Unseen Future: The Quran told us about certain people who will die while they are still unbelievers, for example, Abi Lahab and his wife. Romans Empire will be defeated (al-Rum 1-5) ( 3) ( 2) ( 1) (5) ( 4) 1. Alif Lam Mim 2. The Byzantines have been defeated 3. in (their) nearest land. They will reverse their defeat with a victory 4. in a few years time God is in command, first and last. On that day, the believers will rejoice 5. At Gods help. He helps whoever He pleases: He is the Mighty, the Merciful.

The third type of miracles: Legislative Miraculous Nature 1. Its Comprehensiveness & Satisfaction of Human Needs e.g prohibition of pork alcohol. 2. Its Unlimited Conceptual Ability.

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The scientific Miraculous Nature Almighty Allah says to explain the difference between the Muslim and the infidel: (And who Allah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam; and who He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky ) . Through discovery, that whoever goes upwards high in the sky his breast will be narrow and his breathe will be disturbed. Another example is:

( 13) (14 13 ( )14) ) Then We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male and female sexual discharge) (and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman). Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made bones out of that little lump of flesh, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators. The second source of Islam: The Prophet Tradition (Sunnah) Truthfulness leads to right action Lying leads to corruption Remember Allah in prosperity He will remember you in adversity If my slave comes to me walking I go to Him running Paradise lies under the feet of mothers The best of you are those who treat their wives with great kindness

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The definition of Sunnah (Hadith) The statements, deeds (actions) or acknowledgments of the tradition of the Prophet (PBUH) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Sound Hadith (sahih) Approved hadith (hasan) Weak hadith Forged Hadith Sanad: The chain of narrators who transmitted the hadith Matn: The text or the body of the hadith

Hadith: On the authority of Abu Huraira (MABPWH) who said: the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Part of someones being a good Muslim is his leaving alone that which does not concern him. A good Hadith which was related by at-Tirmidhi and others in this form Hadith: On the authority of Abu Hamzah Anas ibn Malik (MABPWH), the servant of the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that the Prophet (May the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: None of you (truly) believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself. It was related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim. The Sunnah: Its meaning: The Sunnah is a general name to what was reported to the Prophet (PBUH) to be his speech, deed, decision, and attribute, in matters related to inspiration and legislation, because some of his speech or deeds belong to his daily life, thus, not all of his speech or deeds regarded as Sunnah. Most of the Sunnah go to his speech, there are many books which conveyed the Prophets sayings (account), they mainly explain the Quran or add other rules or complete the whole Message of Islam as we will see in its importance. As for his deeds, they were also reported to us in Sunnah books and in the books of the Prophets biography, mostly they give the Prophets application to Islamic principles and duties, particularly those which are not
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detailed in the Quran , another important thing related to his deeds that the Prophet (PBUH) symbolizes the model for all Muslims to follow and imitate him. An example for these deeds that he performed prayer, then he said: Perform prayer as you have seen me performing it,1 also he practiced Pilgrimage deeds, then he said: Take Pilgrimage deeds from me,2 which means to imitate and follow him in such deeds, because both prayer and pilgrimage were not explained in details in the Quran, as they are practical deeds. Pertaining to his decisions, they can be quite regarded if something happened before the Prophet (PBUH), then he keeps silent, this means that he agreed on it, because if this thing is not recommended, then the Prophet cannot be silent, he must correct that thing or at least comment on it that it is unlawful. Examples for this sort are plenty, here are some of them: The Prophet agrees for Habashi (Ethiopians) to play in the mosque, and that he allowed Aishah to look at them, another example that when the Prophet went to relax after the Battle of Ahzab, Gabriel came to him asking: the angels did not put their weapons yet, and Allah ordering you to go to Bani Qurayzah (To punish them because of their bad effect during the battle), after that the Prophet ordered his Companions to go to bani Qurayzah saying: None of you perform Asr (afternoon prayer) till he reaches bani Qurayzah, but when the time of Asr prayer came some of the companions intended to pray and prepared themselves for the prayer, the others reminded them with what the Prophet has said, after that they told the prophet about this dispute which happened between them, his answer was nothing but silence, he didnt comment on any of the parties, which means he agreed on two things: on their difference and on their reasoning. His silent approvals on different issues meant that he is not opposing or minding what he saw, heard or knew of the actions or sayings of his Companions. As for his attributes, we mostly mean those related to original creation, thus we can say that the Prophet was so kind, generous, shy, strong, etc Among what was related regarding his attributes: His face radiant with a bright glow, not too thin or too fat, elegant and handsome. His eyes had a deep black hue with long eyelashes. His voice was pleasant and his neck long. He had a thick beard. His long black eyebrows were beautifully arched and connected to each other. In silence, he remains dignified, commanding utmost awe and respect. When he spoke his speech was brilliant. Of all people he was the most handsome and the most pleasant, even when approaching from the distance, in person, he was unique and most admirable. Graced with eloquent logic, his speech was moderate. His logical arguments were well organized as if they were string of gems. He was neither too tall nor too short, but exactly in between. Among three, he appeared the most radiant and most vibrant. He had companions who affectionately honoured him. When he spoke, they listened to him attentively. When he gave orders, they were quick to execute them; they rallied around him guarding him. He never frowned or spoke furiously. His companions also described his habits and behaviours with people. Once Anas reported: I served the Prophet (PBUH) for ten years. Never once did he express any bit of
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displeasure nor did he ever ask: Why did you do it? For something I did or: Why didnt you do it? For something I didnt do. We should direct attention that the word (Sunnah) has different meanings according to its main use. The meaning stated above belongs to the sources of Islam. Bit in Islamic jurisprudence, it means one of the main (5) rules which were put to classify the deeds legislations: (wajib (obligated), Sunnah or Mandub(encouraged), Mubah(lawful), Makruh(not encouraged), haram(forbidden)). Its importance and position from the Qurn: We can clarify the importance of Sunnah according to the following points: 1. That it is second source of Islam (after the Quran), it is another kind of inspiration, the Prophet says: I have been given the Quran and with it another inspiration, meaning the Sunnah. Also Allah says: Your companion (Muhammad) has neither gone astray nor has erred. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire, (53/2-3), which means that he speaks what is revealed upon him. Accordingly we realize the importance of Sunnah, that it is the other part of inspiration. In this regards we can add what Allah says: What the apostle gives to you, take it, and what he prohibits you [from taking] , you shall abstain therefore(59/7), this means that we should fully obey the messenger, he has the full authority by Allah, thats because he does not speak his own words. 2. That it confirms the Quranic rules, when Allah mentions any ruled of directions for His slaves, then it may be confirmed by the Prophet, one example for this being that Allah says (4/59) : O you who belief! Obey Allah and the Messenger and those of you who are in authority, and at the same time the Messenger says: who obeys me then he obeyed Allah, and who disobeys me he disobeyed Allah, and who obeys the Amir (who is in authority) he obeyed me and who disobeyed the Amir, he disobeyed me.1 3. That it completes the Quran by giving additional rules, because not all legislations were mentioned in the Quran, for example: the rules which detailed the forbidden kinds of woman not to be married (Verse:4/23), there is no mentioning for the combination between the women and her aunt, the Prophet clarified that this combination is forbidden. The same thing can be said for forbidding the meat of donkeys, forbidding gold rings for men, or wearing silk by men, and that women after menstruation should act what they missed of fasting days but not the prayers, etc. 4. That it explains the Quran by detailing rules or removing obscurity among verses, for instance the prayer was mentioned in the Quran in general words, but the Sunnah detailed it, the same can be said for giving alms and come deeds of pilgrimage. Its History and writing: We should bear in minds that the companions were prohibited to write down the Prophets sayings for the sake of preserving in the Quran i.e. to avoid any doubt about it that there is a mixture between both of them. This matter continued even after the Prophets death, therefore, the Sunnah was memorized by the companions in whole, some memorized
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many accounts, and some memorized just a few, this matter depends on their interest and their company to the Prophet, because they became Muslims in different times. Meanwhile, some scholars say that this prohibition was at the beginning of Islam and after distinguishing between Quran and Sunnah style, then the Prophet allowed some of his companions to write down the Sunnah texts, but also we should note that this happened to a few companions, the official order was prohibition. At the beginning of the second century (A.H.), and during the reign of the Caliph Umar bin Abdul- Aziz. The official writing of Sunnah occurred, this writing was needed to save Sunnah from forgetting or from lying about the Prophet by claiming accounts and then attributing them to the Prophet , this happened by different people and for many reasons. There are many aspects for ordering Sunnah while collecting it and writing it down, those are the most important aspects of ordering it: 1. The ordering of Sunnah according to subjects, i.e. that the author collects accounts which refer to one subject in one unit or under one title. Also this way was in two categories: a. Books which collect accounts regarding all Islamic subjects, in Arabic we call them ( Al-Jami), such as, Al Jami al-Sahih by Imam al-Bukhari, which is known as: Sahih alBukhari, and al-Jami al Sahih by Imam Muslim, which is also known as: Sahih Muslim, and Jamial-Tirmidhi. b. Books which collect accounts related to special subjects, i.e. not a general one, such as those books known as: al-Sunan, for instance: Sunan Abi Dawud, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan al-Darimi. 2. The ordering of Sunnah according to the Companion who related the account, those books known as (al-Masanid), such as Musnad al-imam Ahmad, Musnad al-Bazzar, Musnad Abi ya'la As for the kinds of Sunnah according to its authentication, it is divided mainly into two kinds: 1. The successive accounts (mutawatir), which were related in every step of the chain by many scholars who are quite recommended in their honesty and memorization, such accounts described as definite evidence, i.e. no one allowed to disobey it, in authenticity it looks like the holy Quran. 2. The individual accounts (akhbar al ahad), which are not successive or definite, it has different sorts according to the reliability of the people of the chain (sanad). The important sorts under it are: a. The sound (sahih) account, were all narrators in the chain are rooted in both: honesty and memorization. b. The weal (daf) account, where we find one or more of the Narrators in less step of memorization or honesty. c. The fabricated (mawdu) account, which was put to be the Prophets words but actually it, is a lie. It is worth mentioning that weak or fabricated accounts are not valid as evidences for legislation at all.
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Actually there is another kind of classification to accounts related by the Prophet or his Companions and their Successors, we call the account which ends by the companion saying: The Prophet said..., this kind is called (marfu), to mean that the companion ascribes the words to the Prophet himself. But if the Companion ascribes the words to himself, i.e. not to the Prophet, then we call the account (mawquf), to mean it is the Companions words, but if its subject was related to unseen things, i.e. matters which has no way to know them, then this accounts is regarded as the (marfu) And if the account was the Successors words, i.e. the Successor does not ascribe it to the Companion, then it is called (maqtu). All these sorts must be subjected to the science of (al-jarh wa al-tadil), which deals with the narrators case whether he is reliable or not, then we can judge the account is accepted or not. It is important to know that not all accounts are in the same step of authenticity.

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