The Earthquake in the Non-Islamic Republic of Pakistan
"Allaah tests you through tribulation in order to refine you, just as you refine gold with fire. Amongst you are those who are left resembling pure gold – such as is a person whom Allaah has saved from evil deeds; amongst you are those who are left resembling gold of lesser quality – such is a person who falls into some degree of doubt; and amongst you are those who are left resembling black gold – such a person is one who gives in to the trial." [Recorded by Al-Bayhaqi, Shu'ab [#9924] and al-Hakim [#7878]]
A severe earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale has struck Pakistan, Kashmir and Afghanistan early Saturday morning leaving hundreds of dead and injured. Pakistan reports five hundred dead in only one district of the NW Frontier. With no exact estimates as yet, the death toll is climbing fast – most in the NW Frontier and under collapsed buildings in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other Pakistani cities.
As Muslims we are obliged to have fear and consciousness of Allaah (SWT) and ponder over events that happen around us, and at the same time to take corrective actions. Without doubt, today's devastating events are a lesson for those who take lessons and a reminder for those who remember.
It is with this in mind that we need to view the effect of the quake on Pakistan. One month after the US was attacked on September the 11th, 2001 by the Al-Qaeda organisation headed by Shaykh Usamah ibn Laaden, the United States, with support from its chief ally in the region, Pakistan, invaded Afghanistan on the 7th of October 2001 as part of its "War on Islam" campaign. The numbers of Muslim dead at the end of the invasion stood at 100,000. Pakistan had offered the Christian Crusaders (at the alter of capitalism) its help against its own Muslim brethren when it allowed its sea air and land to be used by the Americans to remove the Islamically orientated government in Kabul. Since that time, Pakistan has continued to support US efforts in the region to eliminate the Taliban militia in Afghanistan and inside Pakistan by maintaining about 80,000 troops in the tribal and adjoining areas with Afghanistan as well as maintaining an extremely shaky illegitimate and Kufr Hamid Karzai regime in Afghanistan.
Inside Pakistan itself, the apostate Musharraf continues to rule the people with laws (in the economic, political and foreign policy arenas) other than with what Allaah (SWT) has revealed. Instead of so-called Islamic groups and parties working according to the Sunnah to change the Kufr (non-Islamic) system of government along with its treacherous ruler, they have adopted the well trodden path-of-failure by choosing to share power and joining the government in its kufr and nifaaq (hypocrisy). Along side this, the people of Pakistan are also involved in wide scale Shirk (polytheism – associating partners alongside Allaah in either his names, attributes, or functions). The Shirk manifests itself at an individual level and at a political (societal) level. On an individual level there is clear cut Shirk taking place in 'Ibaadah ('Uloohiyyah) with people calling or invoking others beside Allaah (swt), regardless of whether they were pious people of the present or the past as well as the Shirk of Obedience to the rulers in disobeying what Allaah (swt) has ordered. At the societal level, we find the Shirk of ruling by man-made laws as opposed to the Sharee'ah. This then leads the society towards a path of accepting homosexual marriages (a crime in Islam) as we saw earlier this week as well as the normalizing of relationships between the enemies of Islam and Muslims, the Jews and the Zionist state of Israel.
No matter what the form of Shirk, one thing is certain, the punishment of Allaah (swt) for this crime: "And of mankind are some who take (for worship: idols, statues and ideas) others besides Allaah as rivals (to Allaah). They love them (i.e. their idols, their statues, their ideas) as they love Allaah. But those who believe love Allaah more (than anything else). If only, those who do wrong (by associating partners with Allaah) could see, when they will see the torment, that all power belongs to Allaah and that Allaah is Severe in punishment (in this world and in the hereafter)" [EMQ 2:165]
Oh Muslims of Pakistan!
Know that throughout all this time, you have been silent to the treachery of the apostate "wine-drinking" "qadiani-loving" Musharraf and his regime even when the Kufr had became apparent to you in all its forms. Is it any wonder to you then that when an event like this strikes our land that it doesn't distinguish between the good people, the people of Eemaan and Tawheed and the bad people, the people of Kufr and Shirk and Nifaaq? This is the Sunnah of Allaah (SWT). When a people (collective body) fail to stand up for the truth, fail to enjoin the good (Al-Islam) and forbid the evil (the open Haram, the manifest Kufr and Shirk), then Allaah (SWT) has told us:
"And fear the fitnah which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong (but it may afflict all the good and the bad people), and know that Allaah is severe in punishment" [8:25]
This aayah makes it clear that all those who witnessed the transgression of Musharraf and did not attempt to change it would be included in the punishment. It is high time we as an Ummah (one nation) wake up and refine ourselves through this tribulation by first reevaluating ourselves and our understanding of Al-Islam, to study the pure Tawheed, to understand the meaning of Laa ilaah ill Allaah properly, and then to manifest that 'Aqeedah in our political work and in our actions, beginning with the replacement of the Musharraf regime and the reunification of all Muslim lands under one leader.
Farouk ibn Salih al Mahmoud (Tunisia)
Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jammah
Additional sayings from the salaf(our pious predecessors) to take lessons from:
A 'Tabi came to the house of Aisha and said O mother of the believers, tell us about earthquakes, Aisha said anytime zina (fornication) becomes rife and a lot of wine is drunk, consumed, and musical instruments becomes rife, singing girls, the earth rebels against the crimes that are being committed on top of her so she shakes and causes buildings to tumble down and swallow the people up so the Tabi said how are we supposed to interpret this (i.e. natural disasters earthquakes), she said a punishment for the disbelievers and a reminder to the believers, so in these times with events like these happening around us we are supposed to take lesson as it is a sign of Allah and RETURN to our deen.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Allaah sometimes gives the earth permission to breathe, which is when major earthquakes happen; this makes people feel scared, so they repent, give up sins, pray to Allaah and feel regret [for their sins]. When there had been an earthquake, some of the Salaf said: your Lord is warning you. When Madeenah was struck by an earthquake, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) addressed the people and said: if there is another earthquake, I will not stay here with you.”
Taken from Tibyanpubs.com Enjoy! As salaamu alaikum!
Unity is Strength
WHY ARE WE SO DIVIDED?
... Because of Shirk, innovations and leaving the Sunnah
All Praise is for Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) Lord of all the creation and May His peace and Blessings be upon is last Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) and upon the Prophet's (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) family and upon the companions and on all those who follow the path of guidance until the last day.
We saw in last weeks issue that without doubt the Muslim Ummah is in a divided and fragmented state and that this division is prohibited in Islam. Rather Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has enjoined upon us to hold onto the rope of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala), which we established is the Qur'an and the Sunnah as understood by the Companions. But how did we reach this state in the first place, what causes disunity?
Shirk - Associating partners in worship with Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala)
Without doubt one of the major causes for people splitting up the religion and leaving holding on to the rope of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) is shirk. This is the grave sin of ascribing partners with Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) in worship. Today throughout the world there are numerous examples of shirk amongst the Ummah, such as those who call upon the dead in the grave. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"And invoke not besides Allah anything that will neither profit you nor hurt you, but if (in case) you did so, you shall certainly be one of the Dhal (polytheists and wrong-doers)." [Surah Yoonus 10:106]
Verily Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has created us to worship Him alone, as He (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)." [Surah adh-Dhaariyaat 51:56]
So the one who gives worship to other than Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has he not committed the most severe sin. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"Verily! Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners (in worship) with Him, but He forgives whom He wills sins other than that." [Surah an-Nisaa 4:116]
It is reported that Ibn Masood (radhi-Allaahu 'anhu) asked the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam):
"Which is the Greatest sin?" The Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said: "That you set up a rival for Allah, While He is the one who created you." [Bukhaaree]
O noble reader it will not be hidden from you that throughout the world Muslims are stooped in such practices of calling upon the dead saint in the grave, asking him to remove their difficulty whether it be Abdul Qaadir al Jeelanee or al Badawee or other people who's graves have been made places of worship. How can unity be achieved amongst the Muslims when some Muslims cannot unify their worship for Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) alone? O noble reader consider the following, how many Muslims:
Wear Amulets and charms, despite the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) saying:
"Whoever wears an amulet has committed shirk." [Ahmad]
Read astrology in magazines or go to fortune tellers, despite the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) saying:
"Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him something and believes in his words, will have his prayers rejected for forty days." [Muslim]
So while all these non-Islaamic beliefs and practices are present amongst the Muslims how can unity take place? Is not our first obligation to give da'wah to those Muslims who are stooped in these practices? Thereby calling to tawheed as all 124,000 Prophets from Aadam (alayhi-salam) to the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) did. They all began their call to the people with Tawheed - worshipping Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) alone.
Having incorrect beliefs
Another major reason for disunity is the wide range of beliefs prevalent amongst the Muslims. Despite us having the same Qur'an and the same Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), Muslims still have different beliefs. Why is this? If we all are referring back to the Qur'an and the Sunnah in every matter then why the differences. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"(And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination." [Surah an-Nisaa 4:59]
So verily O noble reader, imagine if every Muslim acted upon this ayah - would there be any differences then? NO, except maybe in the issues of fiqh, such as the prayer. But our beliefs and methodology would be one, so why is this not the case? It is because many Muslims today do not refer every issue back to Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), rather they ask their local Imaam or their parents or refer it back to their madhab.
Know O noble reader that the first thing that all the Prophets called to was the rectification of the beliefs, before calling to the Islaamic state or to Jihad, the first thing was purifying the beliefs of the Muslim. So how can we have unity while there are Muslims who believe:
That Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) is everywhere, despite Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"They fear their Lord Who is above them, and they do what they are commanded." [Surah an-Nahl 16:50]
That the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was not human and was made from light, despite Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"Say (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam): 'I am only a human being like you. It is revealed to me that your Ilaah (God worthy of being worshipped) is One Ilaah (God)." [Surah Fussilat 41:6]
That the saying of an Imaam should be acted upon over the hadeeth, despite Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"And let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah) beware, lest some Fitnah (trials i.e. shirk) should befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them." [Surah an-Noor 24:63]
That Imaan does not increase or decrease, despite the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) saying:
"Imaan has seventy odd or sixty odd branches. The most virtuous of them is the statement, 'There is none worthy of worship except Allah, and the slightest of them is to remove something harmful from the road. And hayaa is a branch of Imaan." [Bukhaaree and Muslim]
Bid'ah - Innovations in the religion
Another cause for disunity and not holding fast to the rope of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) is the occurrence of innovations in this Ummah.
Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has informed us in the Qur'an that He has completed this religion of Islam for us as He (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion." [Surah al-Maa'idah, 5:3]
Since the religion is complete how can it be that we need to add new things and ways of worship to Islam? Whatever was not part of the religion at the time of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) cannot be accepted as a part of the religion now. The Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) has warned us against adding new things to the religion when he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"Whoever Innovates in this affair of ours that which is not from it will have it rejected." [Muslim]
The people who propose unity at all costs have a saying that 'An innovation that unites us is better than a Sunnah which divides'.
SubhanAllaah look at such a statement O noble reader, innovations are grave and serious and a cause for entering the fire as he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) said:
"... and every innovation is misguidance and all misguidance is in the Hellfire." [Reported by an-Nasaa'ee (1/224)]
So if someone said to you look there is a fire over there, lets all hold hands and unify and then go in to it, you would think they were crazy! So how can we come together upon something as dangerous as innovations, such as the innovations of mystics, who practice all kinds of weird and innovated invocations, which at times involve switching off the lights or chanting one of Allah's name so that after some time what they are chanting is unrecognisable as a name of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala). Or the innovations of those who take their scholars as 'spiritual leaders' giving their allegiance to them and 'selling' themselves to these 'scholars' obeying everything they say. How O noble reader can unity occur amongst all the Muslims as long as these practices, which have nothing to do with Islam, keep occurring?
Blind following and Partisanship
This is one of the most evil of occurrences today and a major cause for disunity. Muslims are following their madhahab or their scholars over and above the Sunnah of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) despite Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"And whosoever opposes the Messenger (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers' way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination!" [Surah an-Nisaa 4:115]
When you tell Muslims that 'you should do this because it says so in the Qur'an and the Sunnah', they reply 'well that's not what it says in my madhab' or 'that's not what my Shaykh says'. SubhanAllaah, O noble reader why did Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) send us His final Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) if it was not to teach us the religion of Islam.
Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission." [Surah an-Nisaa 4:65]
No Muslim will openly say I am disobeying the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), but how many of us ask for the proof on issues of beliefs and practices and look to see what is the truth.
Another problem is the setting up of groups and parties with members, then being loyal only to that party, believing in the beliefs and aims of that party - not questioning it. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has warned against this:
"And be not of Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists). Of those who split their religion, and became sects, each group rejoicing in that which is with it." [Surah ar-Room 30:31-32]
Setting up groups is a cause for disunity and spreads hatred amongst the Muslims so that a Muslim from one group will not give salaam to a Muslim from another group just because they belong to different groups. Or a group from one masjid will not like Muslims from another masjid to come and pray in their mosque. All this stems from partisanship and it divides the Ummah. Unity will not occur whilst Muslims are in this state rather unity will occur when an end is put to partisanship (hizbiyyah) and Muslims love each other because they are all have the same aims, beliefs and practices.
The Means for Revival
Having looked at the reason why we are so divided, the question now arises as to what the means for reviving this Ummah are. Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has given us the means for the revival of this Ummah, when He (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"Verily! Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves." [Surah ar-Ra'd 13:11]
The Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) also said:
"When you involve yourselves in interest bearing business transactions, and you hold on to the tails of cows, and you are pleased with agriculture (i.e. the land) and you abandon making Jihad in the Cause of Allah, Allah will send humiliation down upon you. He will not remove it from you until you return back to your Religion." [Abu Dawood and al-Bayhaqee]
So this humiliation that Muslims are under will not be removed from us until we return back to the religion of Islam. So what is the religion of Islam if not Tawheed, having the correct Aqeedah, worshipping Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) correctly? So should we not start our revival with these issues.
So just as the condition of the Arabs during the Days of Ignorance (Jaahiliyyah) was not rectified except by the coming of their Prophet Muhammad (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) with revelation from the heavens, which aided them in this world and which will save them in the next, then know O noble reader the foundation that the Islamic revival must be built upon in this time, is nothing else but the return to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, as implemented by the noble companions.
We know from the Book of Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) that the way towards realising this revival is only one way, and it is the way which Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) has mentioned in His (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) saying:
"And verily, this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path." [Surah al-An'aam 6:153]
The Messenger of Allah (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) explained this to his Companions. Thus, one day he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) drew a straight line for them on the ground and then drew short lines on the sides of it. Then, while his (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) noble finger moved up and down the straight line, he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) recited the aforementioned verse. Then he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) pointed to the lines that were drawn on the sides of the straight line and said:
"This is the Path of Allah and these are the (other) paths. At the top of each of these (other) ways, there is a devil calling towards it." [Authentic hadeeth, graded in Dhilaal-ul-Jannah fee Takhreej-is Sunnah(16-17)]
Furthermore, Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says:
"And whosoever opposes the Messenger (Muhammad sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers' way, We shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in Hell - what an evil destination!" [Surah an-Nisaa 4:115]
In this ayah there is profound and extensive wisdom, for Allah (subhaanahu wa ta'aala), has connected the "the believers' way" to what the Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) came with. The Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) has (also) indicated this point in the hadeeth about the splitting up of the Ummah into sects. When he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) was asked concerning the saved sect, he (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) responded: "That which (adheres to what) I and my companions are upon today."
What then is the wisdom behind Allah's mentioning of "the believers' way" in this ayah? And what is the significance in the Messenger of Allah's (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) linking of his companions to himself in the previous hadeeth?
The answer is: These noble Companions (radhi-Allaahu 'anhum) were the ones who received the two revelations (i.e. the Qur'an and Sunnah) from the Messenger of Allah (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam), having that explained to them by him (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) directly, without there being any intermediary. They best knew how to implement the Sunnah, so after knowing this O noble reader can any Islaamic revival take place when the way of the Companions (radhi-Allaahu 'anhum) is abandoned and not adhered to, rather No it can not. For us to revive Islam and bring unity to the Muslims we must adopt the way and example of the Noble Companions (radhi-Allaahu 'anhum).
Imaam Maalik (rahima-hullaah) said:
"The latter part of this Ummah will not be rectified except by that which rectified its former part." [ash-Shifaa of Qaadee 'Iyyaadh, (2/676)]
So it will be clear to the reader that the only way to revive the Ummah is to return every affair of the Muslim back to the Qur'an and the Sunnah as understood and implemented by the best generation, the Companions (radhi-Allaahu 'anhum). To believe as they believed, to worship as they worshipped, to look like them, to give da'wah in the way they gave it. Then only will we be united and have a true Islaamic revival.
So dear noble brothers and sisters your Lord (subhaanahu wa ta'aala) says....
"Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allah's Reminder (this Qur'an), and that which has been revealed of the truth." [Surah al-Hadeed 57:16]
mashaAllah if you do not think the way "they" want you to think, you are labeled a "radical" walhamdulilah let us be from amongst the radicals. Wa alaikum salaam.
Iraq Shiites in campaign for foreign troop pullout
1 hour, 10 minutes ago
BAGHDAD (AFP) - Radicals within Iraq's Shiite majority community launched a petition for the withdrawal of US-led troops, which they said was drawing support from across the sectarian divide.
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Supporters of firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr, who led a bloody six-month uprising against the coalition last year, said they were aiming to secure one million signatures inside four days.
"We started this morning and so far we have had a good response, not only from Shiites -- Sunnis and Christians have also been coming to our office to show their support," said Ibrahim al-Jaberi, an official in Sadr's movement.
"We have also received more than 100 calls from Iraqis living abroad in support of our initiative," he said, adding that more than 400,000 people had signed the petition by midday (0800 GMT).
The petition, which Jaberi said would be submitted to the Iraqi government and United Nations, reads: "I hereby declare my rejection of the forces of occupation and demand their withdrawal".
In the radicals' Baghdad stronghold of Sadr City, Zayer Lafta refused a pen, insisting on applying his bloodied thumb to the petition sheet (Picture below).
"I will sign with my blood, because the country is awash with blood," the 44-year-old said.
"The departure of the occupiers will only benefit the country. Every day they are here the closer Iraq gets to its demise."
Khaled Zuwayed, 23, came with five friends to sign.
"Foreigners have not come to solve this country's problems but to make them worse. We only see car bombs and terrorist attacks," he said.
The Iraqi government asked the United Nations late last month to extend the mandate of foreign troops under Security Council Resolution 1546, despite complaints from MPs that they had not been consulted.
The resolution endorsed last year's restoration of Iraqi sovereignty as well as the continuing foreign troop presence.
Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari heads the Dawa party, a mainstream Shiite religious party, and has backed Washington's refusal to set a timetable for the withdrawal of its 140,000 troops.
Around 20 Sadr supporters won election to parliament as part of the same Shiite alliance as the prime minister, but they ran as independents and Sadr himself has remained enigmatic in his approach to mainstream politics.
With a power base concentrated among the Shiite poor, Sadr has kept up his anti-American rhetoric.
He organized a large rally in central Baghdad on the second anniversary of Saddam Hussein's overthrow in April to demand the departure of foreign troops.
Caption: An Iraqi man thumbprints with blood on a petition launched by Shiite radical leader Moqtada Sadr calling for the withdrawal of US-led forces from Iraq in Baghdad's poor Sadr City neighborhood. The petition is aimed to collect a million signatures in every Iraqi town demanding the withdrawal of multinational forces from Iraq.
A severe earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale has struck Pakistan, Kashmir and Afghanistan early Saturday morning leaving hundreds of dead and injured. Pakistan reports five hundred dead in only one district of the NW Frontier. With no exact estimates as yet, the death toll is climbing fast – most in the NW Frontier and under collapsed buildings in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and other Pakistani cities.
