WHY SUNNAH

True love demands that you do everything, as your beloved would like to see it. To please Allah and His beloved Rasulullah an earnest and sincere effort must be made to carry out as much as possible of the revealed teachings, and not follow the whims, fancies and fantasies of misguided men, and misleading Shaytaan.

May Allah grant us all the towfeeq, strength of conforming and courage to practice Islam as taught by Rasulullah and uphold his divine way. --Aameen.

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Say (O. Muhammad) if you wish to love Allah, follow me; Allah will surely love you'. Al-Qur'an.

ISLAM

RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE:

INTRODUCTION

“ Oars alone can ne’er prevail to reach the distant coast : the breath of heaven must swell the sail, Or all the toil is lost”

Divine knowledge, as far as man is concerned, is unlimited. Constant effort is necessary to keep our knowledge square with the march of time… ( See Note 2404- in Surah 18)..

Relief cannot come through embracing false beliefs and deviant tenets. Hence this humble effort in promoting the correct Aqeedah in accordance with the BOOK and the authentic SUNNAH among the Muslims at least on few subjects so as to understand it rightly and completely, free from redundancy and blemishes.

Not an Islam of myths in its doctrines; of B:id’a (heresy) in devotions, negativity in morals, inactivity, imitation and fanaticism to one school of Fiqh over another.

48:29 - Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah; and those who are with him are strong against Unbelievers (but) compassionate amongst each other. Thou wilt see them bow and prostrate themselves (in prayer) seeking Grace from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. On their faces are their marks (being) the traces of their prostration. This is their similitude in the Torah; and their similitude in the Gospel is: like a seed which sends forth its blade then makes it strong; it then becomes thick and it stands on its own stem (filling) the sowers with wonder and delight. As a result, it fills the Unbelievers with rage at them. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deeds Forgiveness and a great Reward.

See Note 4917 in (48:29)

“ Since support is for believers and by believers, they do not descend from heaven; but they rise from the ground. They are not wild plants that grow without human efforts, grow in no direction, and bear fruit without attention. Yet it is a plant that needs truthful and patient farmers to look after throughout the phases of growth by watering , fertilising and using pesticides till it stands straight on its stalk and yields its food with Allah’s permission.”

6:162 - Say: "Truly my prayer and my service of sacrifice my life and my death are (all) for Allah the Cherisher of the Worlds:

See:

(74.49) Note: 5805

it is strange that men should not heed a plain warning, but go on as if they were thoughtless and obstinate asses stampeding from a lion. Instead of heeding the warning, they try to avoid it. They are frightened at Allah's Word.

(72:13 ) - Note: 5737

Possibly, from this world's standards, it may be that a believer suffers for his Faith. He may be laughed at, persecuted, and actually hurt, "in mind, body, or estate". But he is not perturbed. He takes it all cheerfully, because he knows that when his full account is made up-real gain against apparent loss,-he is a gainer rather than a loser. And his Faith tells him that Allah is a just God, and will never allow him to suffer any injustice, or permit the account of his merit to appear one whit shorter than it is. (72.13)

(73:20) – Note: 5777

This emphasizes the need of Allah's Grace. Whatever good we do, our own merits are comparatively small. Allah's Grace must lift us up and blot out our shortcomings. Even in piety there may be an arrogance which may become a sin. We should always seek Allah's Mercy in all humility. (73.20)

(72:14) – Note: 5738

Any one who responds to true Guidance, and submits his will to Allah, finds that he makes rapid progress in the path of right conduct and right life. He gets more and more assurance that his destination is the Garden of Bliss. (72.14)

96:13 - Seest thou if he denies (Truth) and turns away? 6212

6212 The usual trick of the ungodly is to refuse to face Truth. If they are placed in a corner, they deny what is obvious to reasonable men, and turn their backs. (96.13)

40:19 - (Allah) knows of (the tricks) that deceive with the eyes and all that hearts (of men) conceal. 4383 4384

4383 Men may be taken in by tricks that deceive with the eyes, but Allah's perfect knowledge penetrates through all mysteries

16:88 - Those who reject Allah and hinder (men) from the path of Allah for them will We add Penalty to Penalty; for that they used to spread mischief.

See Note 4362 of 40:5

Whenever a great or vital Truth is proclaimed and renewed, there are always shallow minds that are ready to dispute about it! And what petty and vain arguments they advance! They think they can discredit or condemn the Truth in this way, or render "of none effect" Allah's Plan. But they are mistaken. If they seem to succeed for a time, that is merely their trial. They may try to plan and plot against Allah's men. But their plots will fail in the long run. They will themselves be caught in their own snares. And then, how terrible will be their Punishment! (40.5)

6:159 - As for those who divide their religion and break up into sects thou hast no part in them in the least: their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did. 985

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 1.98 Narrated by
Abu Huraira

…..And 'Umar bin 'Abdul 'Aziz wrote to Abu Bakr bin Hazm, "Look for the knowledge of Hadith and get it written, as I am afraid that religious knowledge will vanish and the religious learned men will pass away (die). Do not accept anything save the Hadiths of the Prophet. Circulate knowledge and teach the ignorant, for knowledge does not vanish except when it is kept secretly (to oneself)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 1.100 Narrated by
Abdullah bin Amr bin Al As

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray."

IN THE YEAR 1999 - OVER 10 EMINENT ISLAMIC SCHOLARS HAVE DIED ! Viz: Sheik bin Baaz (Grand Mufti – Saudi Arabia), Sheik Ali Tanthavi (Islamic Literature – Syria); Sheik Aththiyya Salim (Medina Grand Mufti – Editor of many Tafseers); Sheik Manna al Kaththan ( Quranic Science Education – Egypt); Sheik Albani ( Scholar in Hadhis from Albania); Dr. Mustapha al Zarka ( Islamic Ecinomy, modern Islamic Law- Egypt); Sheik Jaad al Huq – Chancellor Al Azhar – Egypt); Sheik Mohamed al Ghazzali (visited SriLanka- author of several Islamic books - Egypt; Sheik al-Sharavi – Tafseer Mufasser – Egypt – visited Sri Lanka); Sheik Abdul Sathah Abu Gudda – Specialist in Hadhis – Syria; Sheik Umar -Specialist in Hadhis ( his whole family) in – Nigeria; etc…

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 9.187 Narrated by
Abdullah

The Prophet said, "Near the establishment of the Hour, there will be the days of Al-Harj, and the religious knowledge will be taken away (vanish, i.e. by the death of religious scholars) and general ignorance will spread." Abu Musa said, "Al-Harj, in the Ethiopian language, means killing," Ibn Mas'ud added: I heard Allah's Apostle saying, (It will be) from among the most wicked people who will be living at the time when the Hour will be established."

Sahih Muslim Hadith
Hadith 4721 Narrated by
Uqbah ibn Amir

: The Hour shall come only when the worst type of people are left on the earth. They will be worse than the people of pre-Islamic days. They will receive whatever they ask of Allah. : A group of people from my Ummah will continue to fight in obedience to the Command of Allah, remaining dominant over their enemies. Those who oppose them shall not do them any harm. They will remain in this condition until the Hour overtakes them. Then Allah will raise a wind which will be fragrant like musk and whose touch will be like the touch of silk; (but) it will cause the death of all (faithful) persons, not leaving behind a single person with an iota of faith in his heart. Then only the worst of men will remain to be overwhelmed by the Hour.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 8.590 Narrated by
Uqba bin Amir

Once the Prophet went out and offered the funeral prayers for the martyrs of Uhud, and then went to the pulpit and said, "XXX, I am not afraid that you will worship others besides Allah after me, but I am afraid that you will strive and struggle against each other over these treasures of the world."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith
Hadith 4.803 Narrated by
Hudhaifa bin Al Yaman

"There will be some people who will lead (people) according to principles other than my tradition. You will see their actions and disapprove of them." I said, "Will there be any evil after that good?" He said, "Yes, there will be some people who will invite others to the doors of Hell, and whoever accepts their invitation to it will be thrown in it (by them)." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Describe those people to us." He said, "They will belong to us and speak our language." I asked, "What do you order me to do if such a thing should take place in my life?" He said, "Adhere to the group of Muslims and their Chief." I asked, "If there is neither a group (of Muslims) nor a chief (what shall I do)?" He said, "Keep away from all those different sects, even if you had to bite (i.e. eat) the root of a tree, till you meet Allah while you are still in that state."

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith
Hadith 171 Narrated by
Abdullah ibn Amr

Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: There will befall my Ummah exactly (all those) evils which befell the people of Isra'il, so much so that if there was one amongst them who openly committed fornication with his mother there will be among my Ummah one who will do that, and if the people of Isra'il were fragmented into seventy-two sects my Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three sects. All of them will be in Hell Fire except one sect. They (the Companions) said: Allah's Messenger, which is that? Whereupon he said: It is one to which I and my companions belong.

Transmitted by Tirmidhi.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood
Hadith 4329 Narrated by
Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As

When we were around the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him), he mentioned the period of commotion (fitnah) saying: When you see the people that their covenants have been impaired, (the fulfilling of) the guarantees becomes rare, and they become thus (interwining his fingers). I then got up and said: What should I do at that time, may Allah make me ransom for you? He replied: Keep to your house, control your tongue, accept what you approve, abandon what you disapprove, attend to your own affairs, and leave alone the affairs of the generality.

6:108 - Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides Allah lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did. 936

936 A man's actual personal religion depends upon many things, -his personal psychology, the background of his life, his hidden or repressed feelings, tendencies, or history (which psychoanalysis tries to unravel), his hereditary dispositions or antipathies, and all the subtle influences of his education and his environment. The task before the man of God is: (1) to use any of these which can subserve the higher ends, (2) to purify such as have been misused, (3) to introduce new ideas and modes of looking at things, and (4) to combat what is wrong and cannot be mended: all for the purpose of leading to the truth and gradually letting in spiritual light where there was darkness before. If that is not done with discretion and the skill of a spiritual Teacher, there may be not only a reaction of obstinacy, but an unseemly show of dishonour to the true God and His Truth, and doubts would spread among the weaker brethren whose faith is shallow and infirm. What happens to individuals is true collectively of nations or groups of people. They think in their self-obsession that their own ideas are right. God in His infinite compassion bears with them, and asks those who have purer ideas of faith not to vilify the weaknesses of their neighbours, lest the neighbours in their turn vilify the real truth and make matters even worse than before. In so far as there is active evil, He will deal with it in His own way. Of course the righteous man must not hide his light under a bushel, or compromise with evil, or refuse to establish right living where he has the power to do so. (6.108)

937 If the Unbelievers are merely obstinate, nothing will convince them. There is no story more full of miracles than the story of Jesus. Yet in that same story we are told that Jesus said: "A wicked adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the Prophet Jonas":

938 Where there is sheer obstinacy and ridicule of faith, the result will be that such a sinner's heart will be hardened and his eyes will be sealed, so that he cannot even see the things visible to ordinary mortals. The sinner gathers impetus in his descent towards wrong. (6.110)

939 Cf. ii. 15. God's grace is always ready to help human weakness or ignorance and to accept repentance and give forgiveness. But where the sinner is in actual rebellion, he will be given none, and it will be his own fault if he wanders about distractedly, without any certain hope or refuge. (6.110)

6:104 - "Now have come to you from your Lord proofs to open your eyes: if any will see it will be for (the good of) his own soul; if any will be blind it will be to his own (harm): I am not (here) to watch over your doings." 932

923 Produced: ansha-a= made you grow, increase, develop, reach maturity: another of the processes of creation. This supplements n. 120 to ii. 916 and n. 916 to vi. 94. It is one of the wonders of God's Creation, that from one person we have grown to be so many, and each individual has so many faculties and capacities, and yet we are all one. In the next verse we have the allegory of grapes and other fruits: all grapes may be similar to look at, yet each variety has a distinctive flavour and other distinctive qualities, and each individual grape may have its own special qualities. So for man. (6.98)

924 In the sojourn of this life we must respond to God's hand in fashioning us, by making full use of all our faculties, and we must get ready for our departure into the Life that will be eternal. (6.98)

925 Our allegory now brings us to maturity, the fruit, the harvest, the vintage. Through the seed we came up from nothingness to life; we lived our daily life of rest and work and passed the mile-stones of time; we had the spiritual experience of traversing through vast spaces in the spiritual world, guiding our course through the star of Faith; we grew; and now for the harvest or the vintage! How satisfied the grower must be when the golden grain is harvested in heaps or in vintage gathered! So will man if he has produced the fruits of Faith! (6.99)

926 Each fruit- whether it is grapes, or olives, or pomegranates, -looks alike in its species, and yet each variety may be different in flavour, consistency, shape, size, colour, juice or oil contents, proportion of seed to fruit, etc. In each variety, individuals may be different and yet equally valuable! (6.99)

May Allah, Praised and Exalted be He, guide us to His Way, and may He, Praised and Exalted be He, make us eligible for His pleasure, and may He, Praised and Exalted be He, make us worthy of carrying the message of His religion, and worthy of being the followers of His Prophet Mohammed, Peace and Blessing be upon him.