ISLAM - Religion of All Prophets

ISLAM

The Religion of All Prophets

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ١

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

ISLAM is not a new religion but the final culmination and fulfillment of the same basic truth that ALLAH (God) revealed through all His prophets to every people. As there is only ONE GOD, there is only One Religion. Islam is the preserved pure religion of all prophets sent by ALLAH (GOD). Islam means complete submission and obedience to Allah (God). The prophets of Islam include Adam, Idris (Enoch), Nuh (Noah), Hud (Heber), Saleh (Methuselah), Lut (Lot), Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Shu'aib (Jethro), Ayyub (Job), Dhulkifl (Ezekiel), Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Dawud (David), Sulayman (Solomon), Ilyas (Elias) and many more.

Therefore, all prophets were indeed MUSLIMS because they were true submitter to the will of ALLAH, the Creator. "Truly, the religion with Allah (God) is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy after knowledge had come to them. 

إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمُ ۗ وَمَا ٱخْتَلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَهُمُ ٱلْعِلْمُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَمَن يَكْفُرْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ ١٩

"And whoever disbelieves in the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, then surely, Allah is Swift in calling to account." 

[The Noble Quran Surah Ali Imran-3-19: 

وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمِ دِينًۭا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ ٨٥

 "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers."

 The Noble Quran Surah Ali Imran -3: 85

مَا كَانَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّۭا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّۭا وَلَـٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًۭا مُّسْلِمًۭا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ٦٧

(1)"Prophet Abraham AS was MUSLIM "Ibrahim (Abraham) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanifa (Islamic Monotheism - to worship none but Allah Alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikun (the disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, idolaters, polytheists, pagans, etc.)"

 The Noble Quran Surah Ali Imran - 3: 67

 

وَوَصَّىٰ بِهَآ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَـٰبَنِىَّ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰ لَكُمُ ٱلدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ ١٣٢

"And this (submission to Allah, Islam) was enjoined by Ibrahim (Abraham) upon his sons and by Ya'qub (Jacob)(saying), "O my sons! Allah has chosen for you the (true) religion, then die not except in the Faith of Islâm (as Muslims - Islamic Monotheism)."

   The Noble Quran Surah Al Baqarah :  2:132  

۞ رَبِّ قَدْ ءَاتَيْتَنِى مِنَ ٱلْمُلْكِ وَعَلَّمْتَنِى مِن تَأْوِيلِ ٱلْأَحَادِيثِ ۚ فَاطِرَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ أَنتَ وَلِىِّۦ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ ۖ تَوَفَّنِى مُسْلِمًۭا وَأَلْحِقْنِى بِٱلصَّـٰلِحِينَ 

(2) Prophet Joseph (Nabi Yusof AS) was MUSLIM Joseph said: "My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me something of the interpretation of dreams - the (Only) Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my Wali (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, God, Lord) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous." 

  The Noble Quran Surah Yusof -  12-101 

أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنۢ بَعْدِى قَالُوا۟ نَعْبُدُ إِلَـٰهَكَ وَإِلَـٰهَ ءَابَآئِكَ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ إِلَـٰهًۭا وَٰحِدًۭا وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ ١٣٣

(3) Prophet Jacob (Nabi Ya'qub AS) and his sons were MUSLIMS "Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qub (Jacob)? When he said unto his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We shall worship your Ilah (God - Allah), the Ilah (God) of your fathers, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), One Ilah (God), and to Him we submit (in Islam, Muslims)."

 The Noble Quran Surah Al Baqarah 2:133 

۞ فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْكُفْرَ قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىٓ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۖ قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنصَارُ ٱللَّهِ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ ٥٢

 (4) Prophet Jesus (Nabi Isa AS) and his disciples were MUSLIMS "Then when 'Isa (Jesus) came to know of their disbelief, he said: "Who will be my helpers in Allah's Cause?" Al-Hawariun (the disciples) said: "We are the helpers of Allah; we believe in Allah and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah)." 

The Noble Quran Surah Al Imran 3:52

وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى ٱلْحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ ١١١

 "And when I (Allah) revealed to Al-Hawarieen (the disciples)(of 'Isa (Jesus)) to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: "We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims." 

The Noble Quran Surah Al Maidah - 5:111 

بَلْ نَقْذِفُ بِٱلْحَقِّ عَلَى ٱلْبَـٰطِلِ فَيَدْمَغُهُۥ فَإِذَا هُوَ زَاهِقٌۭ ۚ وَلَكُمُ ٱلْوَيْلُ مِمَّا تَصِفُونَ ١٨

وَلَهُۥ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَمَنْ عِندَهُۥ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِۦ وَلَا يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ ١٩

ALLAH (God) Almighty says in the Noble Quran: "Nay, We (Allah) fling (send down) the truth (this Quran) against the falsehood (disbelief), so it destroys it, and behold, it (falsehood) is vanished. And woe to you for that (lie) which you ascribe (to Allah by uttering that Allah has a son)."  "To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and on earth. And those who are near Him (i.e. the angels) are not too proud to worship Him, nor are they weary (of His worship)." 

The Noble Quran Surah Al Ambiya - 21:18-19

Islam and Muslims The word “Islam” is an Arabic word that means “submission to the will of God”. This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word “salam”, which means “peace”. As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him.

 The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails wilful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! 

 So, even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim. Continuity of the Message Islam is not a new religion because “submission to the will of God”, i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. For this reason, Islam is the true “natural religion”, and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of God’s prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of God’s prophets, which include Abraham (Ibrahim AS), Noah (Nuh AS), Moses (Musa AS), Jesus (Isa AS), and Prophet Muhammad SAW, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad SAW was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the final Prophet of Islam. 

 By revealing His final message to Prophet Muhammad SAW, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, Allah SWT finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham AS, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets. Sufficient is it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham because both the Bible and the Quran portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were “Muslims”, i.e. those who submitted to God’s will, and they preached “Islam”, i.e. submission to the will of Almighty God. 

 The Oneness of God The foundation of the Islamic faith is the belief in the Oneness of Almighty God - the God of Abraham, Noah, Moses, and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in One God is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfills the natural inclination of the soul. As such, Islam’s concept of God is straightforward, unambiguous, and easy to understand. Islam teaches that the hearts, minds, and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation and that God’s revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas. As such, Islam teaches that even though God cannot be fully comprehended and grasped by our finite human minds, Allah SWT also does not expect us to accept absurd or demonstrably false beliefs about Him. 

 According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty God is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with God, and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of God means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for God and that He alone deserves such titles as “Lord” and “Saviour”. Some religions, even though they believe in “One God”, do not make all of their worship and prayers for Him alone. 

 Also, they also give the title of “Lord” to beings that are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and un-changing - even according to their own scriptures. Suffice it to say that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that “God is One”, they must actualize this belief by proper conduct. In short, in the Islamic concept of God, which is completely based on Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity - God is God and man is man. Since God is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is transcendent above His creation - the Creator and the creature never mix. 

 Islam teaches that God has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, and human weaknesses, and beyond anything that human beings can imagine. The Quran teaches that the signs and proofs of God’s wisdom, power, and existence are evident in the world around us. As such, God calls on man to ponder over the creation in order to build a better understanding of his Creator. Muslims believe that God is Loving, Compassionate, and Merciful and that He is concerned with the daily affairs of human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes. 

 Some religions and philosophies portray God as just an impersonal “Higher Power” who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of each individual human. Other religions tend to give God human qualities and teach that He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something - or even everything. In Islam, however, Almighty God has clarified the truth by letting mankind know that He is “Compassionate”, “Merciful”, “Loving” and the “Answer er of Prayers”. But He has also emphasised strongly that “there is nothing like unto Him”, and that He is high above time, space, and His creation. 

 Finally, it should be mentioned that the God that Muslims worship is the same God that Jews and Christians worship - because there is only one God. It is unfortunate that some people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians, and that “Allah” is just the “god of the Arabs”. This myth, which has been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word “Allah” is simply the Arabic name for Almighty God. It is the same word for God that is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. 

 However, it should be clarified that even though Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christians, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other religions - mainly because it is based completely on Divine Revelation from God. For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that God is a Trinity, not only because the Quran rejects it, but also because if this was God’s true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus, and all of the other prophets. 

 The Quran The Arabic word “Al-Quran” literally means “the recitation”. When used in regards to Islam, the word Quran means God’s final message to mankind, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad SAW. The Quran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal word of God - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Quran has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language. The Quran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is known to be inimitable in its style, form, and spiritual impact. 

 God’s final revelation to mankind, the Quran, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad SAW over a period of 23 years. The Quran, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn’t something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Quran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad SAW. 

 The entire Quran was also completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad SAW, and numerous companions of the Prophet Muhammad SAW memorized the entire Quran word-for-word as it was revealed. So, unlike other scriptures, the Quran was always in the hands of the common believers; it was always thought to be God’s word and, due to widespread memorization, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to the teachings of the Quran - it is a universal scripture addressed to all of mankind, and not addressed only to a particular tribe or “chosen people”. 

 The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God’s revelation in the Quran focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Oneness of God and framing their lives around the guidance that He has sent. Additionally, the Quran contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses, and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. 

 In modern times where so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and “political correctness”, the Quranic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Quran is the book of guidance par excellence. The Prophet Muhammad SAW, unlike the founders of many religions, the final prophet of Islam is a real documented and historical figure. Prophet Muhammad SAW lived in the full light of history, and the most minute details of his life are known. Not only do Muslims have the complete text of God’s words that were revealed to Muhammad, but they have also preserved his sayings and teachings in what is called “hadeeth” literature. 

 This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad SAW was only a man chosen by God and that he is not divine in any way. In order to avoid the misguided wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad SAW taught Muslims to refer to him as “God’s Messenger and His Slave”. The mission of the last and final prophet of God was to simply teach that “there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God”, as well as to be a living example of God’s revelation. In simple terms, God sent the revelation to Prophet Muhammad SAW, who in turn taught it, preached it, lived it, and put it into practice. In this way, Prophet Muhammad SAW was more than just a “prophet” 

In the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. Prophet Muhammad SAW was a man who lived a humble life in the service of God and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior, and judge. For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to God, because Muhammad not only showed us how to deal with our fellow human beings but more importantly, showed us how to relate to and worship God; worship Him in the only way pleasing to Him. 

 Like other prophets, Prophet Muhammad SAW faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission. However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well. The results of his mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of the most backward and remote places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Prophet Muhammad SAW, Islam had spread from Spain to China. The Prophet Muhammad SAW was the greatest of all of God’s prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because it was he who was chosen to bear the last revelation which would come to humanity from God, one suitable for all places, times, and people, everlasting and unchanging until the Last Day. 

 The Islamic Way of Life In the Holy Quran, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islam encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance with His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. 

 The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience, and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free will, and the measure of one’s faith is one’s deeds and actions. 

 However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently “corrupt” or in need of repair. This is why the avenue of repentance is always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islam teaches that only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. 

Additionally, the Holy Quran, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about life in the hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they are capable of. Sufficient is it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life of the hereafter is the key to leading a well-balanced and moral life. 

 Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic, and immoral. Islam for a Better Life Islam teaches that true happiness can only be obtained by living a life full of God-consciousness and being satisfied with what God has given us. Additionally, true “freedom” is freedom from being controlled by our basic human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider “freedom” to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition. 

 The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life. In addition to being members of the human brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance, and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty God, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that one feels as a Muslim frees a person from the many worries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome. It builds self-discipline and self-control through regular prayer and fasting and frees human beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic, and national prejudices. By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousness of Him, a person’s true human dignity is realized. Courtesy / http://www.islam-guide.com/copyright-2.htm A Brief Introduction to Islam By Daniel Masters, Abdur Rahman Squires, and I. Kaka

THE MUSLIM LOVE FOR RAMADHAN

Understanding Ramadhan - The Last 10 Days

Today is the 20th of Ramadan. But tonight will be the 21st night, You see, the day in the Islamic calendar begins at sundown instead of midnight. The last ten nights, especially the odd nights – the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th and the 29th are the most auspicious nights of the month of Ramadan.
Muslims believe, according to what is in the Qur’an, that the first verses were sent down to the Prophet Muhammad in one of these (odd) nights. That night is called the Night of Power (Layl-at-al-Qadr).We don’t know what date that night falls on but instead we are asked to search for it through worship. Some scholars believe that it is the 27th night, but that is their opinion and I personally don’t take that seriously.

The Qur’an says (in chapter 97), that worshiping in the Night of Power is better than worshiping for a thousand months (approx. 83 years and 4 months). And any act of worship performed in this night solely to please God will be accepted and all prayers will be answered.
Muslims are thus encouraged to work harder in these nights than the rest of the year. Everybody does their part differently. Some stand in worship all night and some put more effort into reading the Qur’an but all ask and pray for their wants and desires to be fulfilled.

Mosques in the Saudi Arabia hold long prayers in the last ten nights of Ramadan. They usually start at 1:30 AM and finish at around 3:30 AM. With these extra prayers they also aim to complete the recitation of the Qur’an which began at the start of the month. I miss those days !
In India the nights are more quieter, as people prefer to worship privately in their homes. Except on the 27th, when every mosque in the country aims to finish the Qur’an that very night. The atmosphere is very festive in the mosque that night with lots of people and a ton of food ! And it lasts all night until dawn.I try to avoid these kinds of festivities because I believe that all odd nights are supposed to be given equal attention. Who can guarantee that the Night of Power will fall only on the 27th?

In the world though, it depends on which country ethnic group forms the majority in a mosque or what the majority agrees on doing. And not everybody is able to stay up all night – there’s work and school in the morning to think of !

The completion of the Qur’an is an emotional moment everywhere. It’s coupled with prayers for the community and the world at large for security, stability, sympathy, harmony and kindness.

Towards An Outstanding Ramadan

"Syaum" or fasting in the month of Ramadhan is one of the main pillar in Islam. Allah SWT bestowed to the believers the precious gift - The month of Ramadhan. This month will continue to come until the end of the universe. Ramadhan the month full with "baraqah", a month full with overwhelming rewards, month of repentant and so with being a month of showing maximum gratitude to Allah SWT.

An easy understanding of Islamic way of life with regards to performing the "syaum" of a Muslim.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): The greatest leader of all times.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): The greatest leader of all times.

• His Leadership Qualities

Drawing on my analysis of the Sirah (Prophet’s Biography), and integrating the work of multiple researchers worldwide, most notably that of John Adair—the world’s first Professor of leadership, who wrote on the Leadership of Prophet Muhammad in 2011, I identified a comprehensive list of over fifty Prophetic leadership qualities.

I then critically reviewed these to seek the top ten. After extensive filtering, merging and examining the list against Sirah (Prophet’s Biography) based evidence, I arrived at eleven qualities, and concluded each of these eleven was vital, and hence would form my definitive list. That list is as follows:

1. Integrity and Trust — built a reputation for honesty and truthfulness; role modeled.

2. Vision — a strategic mind offering vision and direction through inspiration.

3. Courage — showed incredible bravery and confidence in the face of adversity.

4. Competence — was effective, reliable and made an impact.

5. Fairness — was just and meritocratic in dealings including with non-Muslims.

6. Decisiveness — would not sit on the fence, but consider options then make a clear decision.

7. Servant-leadership — led by example; faced hardship with the people; action not just words.

8. Wisdom — able to make considered judgments drawing on knowledge and long-term view.

9. Patience — showed deep resilience, forgiveness and ability to go all the way.

10. Compassion and Warmth — radiated heart, affection, appreciation and gentleness.

11. Emotional and Spiritual intelligence — able to inspire hope; give people purpose and meaning.

My beloved and respected people, it is not difficult to find an abundance of examples of the above qualities in the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). His integrity was established from a young age given his consistent display of honesty and truthfulness in his dealings with everyone. During the dispute of the Hajarul-Aswad (The Blackstone), when the young Muhammad (PBUH) walked in, the Makkan leaders declared ‘Al-Amin has arrived’ and accepted him as their solution provider.

His strategic vision was apparent during the treaty of Hudaibiyyah when he framed an agreement with the Makkans which his followers felt disappointed in the short term, but which saw Makkah conquered in the long term.

His courage was apparent during every battle and every challenging period faced by his people. Once at night during the Madinan period, the companions were awoken by a frightening loud noise. As they cautiously stepped out of their homes to see what was going on, they saw it was an out-of-control horse, but luckily someone brave had swiftly come out and brought the horse under control. It was none other than the courageous, beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

He embodied the Qur’anic framework of Al-Qawi Wal-Amin. Hence strong, competent and able, while being trustworthy. Today we find that sometimes good people aren’t the most competent, while the most competent aren’t always being good. The Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) role modelled the need to be both. He was known to be an able communicator who had the gift of ‘Jawami’ul-Kalim’—a poetic way with words, enabling him to say much with only a few words. He was an expert swordsman, with excellent equestrian skills but also had day-to-day practical skills from construction to sewing.

He was scrupulously fair, and just, such that during a dispute leadership between a believer and a Jewish person who had been framed, he gave a verdict in favour of the Jewish person in light of the evidence. He similarly declined to give leadership roles to companions whom he felt would not be sufficiently just in their leadership. He was a focused decision-maker who moved to action soon after his mind was made. He was an advocate of consulting (Shurah) and drew on the expertise of those around him. Then he would decide and act. Once as he was making defence preparations and putting on his armour for a military expedition, a companion came to question the plans in relation to the military move. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) knew when the time for discussion and when the time for action was. He said to the companion, when a Prophet puts his chainmail on there is no turning back.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once said:

“The leader of a people is their servant.”He demonstrated this throughout his life from personally building his Mosque to partaking in digging during the battle of the Trench (Khandaq). He was not a self-serving leader but in service of a higher cause. This was accompanied by humility and living a simple life. He didn’t have a thrown and sat among his people as one of them, such that when foreign visitors came, they could not immediately tell from a gathering who the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was.

He was wise but practical at the same time. Once a Bedouin came to the Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and when the call of nature came he began urinating within the Mosque and prayer area. Naturally, this infuriated the other worshippers and companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who started marching towards him in anger. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) intervened, not only by stopping the possibility of the Bedouin getting beaten up, but also by telling the worshippers to let the Bedouin finish urinating!

He (PBUH) recognised that this was not an act of aggression but rather the simple Bedouin did not know about the etiquettes of the Mosque and needed to be taught. This was the wisdom of the great teacher — the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who proceeded to counsel the foolhardy Bedouin.

One of the most apparent qualities of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was his incredible patience. For thirteen years he endured abuse and persecution at the hands of his fellow Makkans, including the times when his companions were tortured and in some cases killed. Even the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) wasn’t spared from having animal entrails thrown at him as he prayed. One of his most perilous moments was in Ta’if when the people and their children stoned the beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) until he was bleeding extensively.

Yet he had to remain patient and resilient through the suffering while painfully seeing his beloved followers grossly mistreated. His internal strength and patience, gave his followers strength and patience until Allah gave them some ease. Compassion and love were in abundance in the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who sought to reflect the compassion of the divine.

Once, an elderly neighbour who would regularly throw rubbish in the pathway of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) fell ill. In seeing this, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not celebrate this situation but rather showed care and compassion by going to visit the old woman and preparing food for her.

Emotional intelligence is about the regulation of one’s emotions and those of others, to harness good relationships. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught that even ‘smiling was charity.’ Hence he taught me to project positive emotions hence keeping oneself happy and making others happy as well. Spiritual intelligence is the next level from the emotional realm. It is about directing oneself and inspiring others towards a purposeful end. It’s about leveraging the power of values to create meaningfulness and seeking to make a difference.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) always warned against living life in a meaningless fashion and called for followers to be great people. Once when an Arab chief called Thumamah Ibn Uthal was captured and set for execution on account of his murder of countless Muslims, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) surprised him with hospitality and leniency instead. In the process, he (PBUH) repeatedly enquired into Thumamah’s heart, asking him to open up and say something. Thumamah felt the power of the Prophet’s (PBUH) presence and heart. He could sense the presence of the great man (PBUH) and his heart. 

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) then released Thumamah unconditionally, but Thumamah found himself warming to the divine purpose and immediately made his declaration of faith without much being said between them. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was less concerned with winning arguments and more concerned with winning hearts. This is what Spiritual intelligence is about. The eleven Prophetic leadership qualities are authentic, timeless and universal. They mattered in the past, are needed today and will continue to matter in the future In Shaa Allah.

These qualities relate to the wider Islamic notion of character development and spiritual development, something of critical importance for leaders and the key to mitigating corruption and other pitfalls of power. It is no wonder, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“The best of you are those best in character.”

Imam Al-Ghazali — a master of character development, who deeply understood Prophetic leadership, recognised the need to set an example as a leader. He said in his famous advice to leaders:

“If a leader is upright… his officials will be upright, but if he is dishonest, negligent, and comfort-seeking… the officers implementing his policies will soon become slothful and corrupt.”

• Battle of Hunain: Authentic Leadership in Action

One of the most remarkable events in the Sirah (Prophet’s Biography) is found in the famous battle of Hunain. It is an event that Professor John Adair notes as being an impressive example of managing multiple stakeholder demands with integrity. Hunain was a difficult and challenging occasion in which the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) showed great judgement, astute leadership and arguably all of the eleven leadership qualities in one event. As the saying goes:“Leadership is like a tea bag, you don’t know how good it is until it’s in hot water.”

In the hot water of Hunain, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) demonstrated why he was the greatest of leaders. After the peaceful liberation of Makkah, some neighbouring tribes became enraged at the growth and success of the emergent Muslim community. The Bani Hawazin in particular set out on the warpath in an attempt to destroy the Muslims. The battleground was the valley of Hunain, near Ta’if where some 12,000 Muslims would meet some 4,000 enemies. In outnumbering the enemy for once (in contrast to Badr where Muslims were outnumbered yet won) many among the ranks felt overconfident, complacent and thinking it would be an easy battle.

However, as the Muslims set up camp, they faced a surprise ambush, as the enemy charged forth earlier than expected, leading many of the Muslim soldiers to flee, leaving the courageous Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in danger as he (PBUH) continued to stand his ground before the oncoming attack.

As the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his steadfast companions called the fleeing Muslims to return and stand with the Prophet (PBUH), the Muslims eventually regained control and overcame the Bani Hawazin. The lesson to be learnt for those who fled was revealed in Surah Tawbah reminding us of the need to both take preparation and rely on Allah, and not to assume victory solely based on worldly and numeric considerations, but to invoke the metaphysical world and seek the help of Allah as only He can grant success. It is also the case that one can only be deserving of Allah’s help and blessing if one is of good character and is Al-Amin (Trustworthy).

The great leadership of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) becomes even more apparent when observing the way he managed different stakeholders and emotions despite being in the difficult environment of the battlefield. For example, it emerged that one of the captives was Shaima Bint Halimah — the long-lost foster sister of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who happened to get caught up in the battle. Her claim of relation was not initially believed but she asked to see the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and he agreed, but when she came forth he did not recognise her until she showed him a bite mark he left on her arm when he was a child. 

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) then welcomed her warmly and laid down his cloak so they could both sit and catch up — a wonderful example of warmth, patience and emotional intelligence in the midst of the harshness of war. Another defining moment was when the defeated and captured Bani Hawazins pleaded for mercy from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This was difficult for the Prophet to grant as his soldiers had an established right to the spoils of war which included booty and captives. However, as Professor John Adair notes, he creatively found a win-win approach (Covey concept) by calling upon his men and asking for volunteers to come forward in public and forgo their rights (Ihsan concept).

The opportunity to exchange booty for honour by being recognised by the Prophet before their peers was too good an offer to resist for many, hence allowing the Prophet to grant clemency to those who pleaded. To others he offered camels and goats in exchange for captives, leaving stakeholders satisfied — a great example of wisdom, integrity and fairness.

However, there remained one group — some of his closest companions from amongst the Ansar who felt they had missed out completely — gaining little by way of honour or booty. This slight discontentment reached the Prophet, and rather than ignoring the feelings of his people, as some leaders do, he went to find them and ask them about how they felt and why.

The hesitant companions eventually expressed how they felt they had missed out while others gained much, even though they had sacrificed the most. This is where the spiritual intelligence and vision of the Prophet really showed, as he reminded them that while others went home with goats and camels, they the Ansar are the favoured ones who get to take Allah and His Messenger home! The companions wept at this great realisation and felt embarrassed at their earlier feeling of discontentment.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) thus applied almost all the eleven qualities in this one event, and solved immense challenges with incredible integrity.• Good Leadership and Respectful Pluralism in Today’s World

The eleven Prophetic leadership qualities listed above make for an incredibly good and worthy leader no doubt. Indeed embodying even half of them would make one stand out in today’s leadership vacuum. But cultivating these qualities is not easy, which is why true leadership is ultimately hard won.

Hence I return to the issue of character as outlined in my Lincoln quote at the beginning, and note that this is man’s greatest frontier. Man’s greatness or grotesqueness depends acutely on their character and qualities.

While the aforementioned leadership qualities have strong references in Islamic tradition they are also universal in nature, hence making it globally applicable and useful to any leader, Muslim or Non-Muslim.

In today’s plural, multicultural and multi-faith environment, universality is gold dust. And there is a desperate need for people to be able to offer leadership across beliefs and boundaries. Muslims need to be able to act as ethical beacons in society, living up to the Prophetic (and universal) values. They need to be inclusive and able to serve causes that benefit wider society not just Muslims.

It has often been asked ‘where is the Muslim Mandela?’ It is indeed a pertinent question. In Mandela we see one who embodied many of the Prophetic leadership qualities, yet we struggle to find Muslim leaders today who have even some of these qualities. This is of course not just a Muslim problem as the world in general has not replaced Mandela with an equal.Muslims believe that there will never again be a leader like the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), but there is nothing to say there cannot be another great leader like Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman or Ali. There is hence certainly no reason why there cannot be another Mandela, if we find it in ourselves to be great people. Let us embody the leadership example of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and let the eleven qualities unlock your talent. Now the world is waiting for you.

Dear brothers and sisters, the childish actions and behaviours of the French President Emmanuel Macron and his desperate colleagues, pandering to the worst racist and Islamophobic impulses of their society, have seen them encourage defamation and attacks on the personality of the Leader of all Creation, our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to provoke and antagonise their already disenfranchised Muslim community as a scapegoat.

So this year we have another debate: how do we effectively respond to the attacks against the supreme position of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from his jealous enemies?

The entire Muslim Ummah has responded in various ways, from boycotting French goods to statesmen issuing harsh rebukes. Politicians, activists, scholars and Da’awah organisations have gone into overdrive in defending the Best of Creation, the greatest leader of all times, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and calling out the desperate hypocrisy of the French state.

This reconfirms that we need to look at the disputes that we inherited from classical fiqh or aqidah debates differently, in light of the current challenges against the core of our aqidah: the personality and greatness of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

• Make this an international week to reintroduce the beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

This is why I propose that instead of debating over the means of celebrating the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birth, we do something more constructive and fruitful for propagation of his Sunnah. Let us spend this whole week, as an Ummah, reintroducing him to ourselves and the rest of the world. Let us reintroduce the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to the world in a way which is desperately needed today, which might be different from previous centuries: a specific, tailored diagnosis. We need to utilise all available modern communications means in recognising and familiarising ourselves and others with his beauty, greatness, eminence, values, character, and achievements, in a contextualised way for today’s world, Peace be upon him.

The world today is in desperate need of recognising the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad in building communities and nations. The world needs his Sunnah of laying the foundations for a just economic system. The world is in need of his Sunnah in nurturing and reforming people. We are in need of his Sunnah in a politics infused with ethics and morality, unlike that which is widespread today. We need to familiarise ourselves with his Sunnah in wartime and during peace. We need his Sunnah in creating curricula for education. We need to know his Sunnah in the preservation of the ecosystem, as stewards (Khulafah) of the world, not dominators and exploiters. We need his Sunnah in law and order.

The list goes on, of the areas of this magnificent model, Muhammad (PBUH) whose divinely-inspired guidance is there for the taking once again to cure the widespread injustices and disasters that have resulted from being far away from it over the last century or two. Allah Almighty says:

“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honoured him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him – it is those who will be the successful.” [Qur’an, 7:157]

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene’s Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.

This Jumu’ah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Rabi’ul Awwal 13, 1442 AH (October 30, 2020).

Father neglecting his family, and going out with group of Tableegh

There are several cases of men who are heads of families abandoning their homes and going out for number of days and months for what they term as Jihad.

Abandoning your responsibilities at home without adequate care for your family is nothing but ignorance and a lack of understanding of a man’s responsibilities and the duties towards his family that Allaah has enjoined upon him.One of the greatest rights enjoined by wives in children is that the head of the family should spend on them. Indeed, this is one of the greatest acts of worship and devotion to Allaah that a person can do. Spending on them covers their food, drink, clothing and shelter, and taking care of them including providing everything that a wife and children need to ensure their good health and physical well being is act of striving in the way of Allaah.

Allaah has told us that men are the ones who spend on women, and so they have the status of being qawwaamoon (maintainers and protectors) and of excelling over them, because they spend on them when they give them the mahr (dowry) and maintenance.

“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means…”[Suratul Nisa’ 4:34]

The fact that this spending is obligatory is indicated by the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the consensus of the scholars and of all wise people.

“Fear Allaah with regard to women, for they are your prisoners. You have taken them as a trust from Allaah, and they are permissible for you through the word of Allaah, and they have the right to be given provision and clothing by you on a reasonable basis.” (Reported by Muslim, 8/183).‘Umar ibn al-Ahwas (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say during his Farewell Pilgrimage:

“Verily, you have rights over your women, and your women have rights over you. As for your rights over your women, they are that they should not allow anyone to sit on your beds whom you dislike, or allow anyone into your houses whom you dislike. Verily, their rights over you are that you should treat them well with regard to their clothing and food.”(Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 1163, and Ibn Maajah, 1851).It was reported that Wahb said: “A freed slave of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said to him, ‘I want to go and spend this month there in Jerusalem.’ He said, ‘Have you left enough for your family to live on during this month?’

He said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Then go back to your family and leave them what they need, for I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying: “It is enough sin for a man not to give food to the one whom he is supposed to feed.”’”

(Reported by Ahmad, 2/160; Abu Dawood, 1692).

“It is enough sin for a man to withhold food from the one whom he is supposed to feed.”Allaah will ask everyone who has been given responsibility about whatever he was responsible for, until He asks a man about his family.” (Reported by Ibn Hibaan).

The foregoing indicates that it is obligatory for a man to spend on his family and to take care of their interests. Many hadeeth narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) demonstrate the virtue of this action and show that it is a righteous action in the sight of Allaah. Abu Mas’ood al-Ansaari (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When the Muslim spends on his family with the hope of earning reward, this is an act of charity for him.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1/136).

Spending on one’s family is obligatory according to scholarly consensus. Islam called it sadaqah (charity) lest people think that they are doing it as a duty for which there is no reward, because they knew how much reward there is in giving charity, so that they will not give charity to others until they have given enough to their families. This was to encourage them to give priority to the charity that is obligatory before they give voluntary charity.”

Sa’d ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him: “Whatever you spend on your family, you will be rewarded for it, even the mouthful which you lift up and place in your wife’s mouth.”

(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3/164, and Musl im, 1628).

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A dinar that you spend in the way of Allaah, a dinar that you spend to free a slave, a dinar that you give to the poor, and a dinar that you spend on your family – the greatest of these is the one that you spend on your family. “ (reported by Muslim, 2/692).Ka’b ibn ‘Ujarah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “A man passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and his Companions were impressed by the man’s strength and energy. They said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, if only this was for the sake of Allaah!’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘If he goes out to work for the sake of his young children, he is striving for the sake of Allaah; if he goes out to work for the sake of his aged parents, he is striving for the sake of Allaah; if he goes out to work to keep himself from having to beg, he is striving for the sake of Allaah; but if he goes out to work for the purposes of showing off and boasting, then he is striving in the way of the Shaytaan.”

It is not permissible for a Muslim to neglect his family even if he claims that he is travelling for the purpose of worship and righteous deeds, because neglecting one’s family and failing to spend on them is haraam. We have quoted above the advice given by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr to the one who wanted to stay in Jerusalem: he had to make arrangements for his family’s provision first. So you have to advise your father of the things we have said in this reply, and explain the matter to him politely and kindly. If you can fill the gap left by your father’s negligence by spending some of your own money on your family as much as you can, you will get a great reward, in sha Allaah. We ask Allaah to put all our affairs right. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

By Imam Murtadha Gusau