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May 19, 2024
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Question
I have one doubt, for which I cannot find an appropriate answer. Why do we pray in this manner, with the takbeer, prostration and standing? Is it not sufficient for us to sit and recite Qur’an, and call upon Allah in supplication (du‘aa’) instead of that? Why is it done in this manner and in this way?
Answer
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
You should understand – may Allah guide you – that the foundation of our religion is the obligation to hear and obey, and not to think that we can suggest alternatives to what Allah has prescribed, just as we trust the word of the doctor and do not object to it; rather we hear and obey, and if he says take this medicine after dinner, we do not say, Why not before dinner?
Or if the doctor says, Take seven drops, we do not say: Why not five drops? Rather we listen to what the doctor says, even if it involves putting up with the bitter taste of the medicine, or the high cost of treatment, and so on, despite the fact that he is a human being and does not possess the power to heal, and he may be right or wrong, and he may get it wrong more often than he gets it right.
What is required of us is that our submission to Islamic teachings should be greater than that, for they are revealed from One Who is most wise, most praiseworthy, all-knowing and all-aware, and “He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned” [al-Anbiya’ 21:23].
Faith cannot be sound without complete submission to Allah and His Messenger. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning).
“But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission”
[an-Nisa’ 4:65]
“The only statement of the [true] believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, ‘We hear and we obey.’ And those are the successful”
[an-Noor 24:51]
“The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], ‘We make no distinction between any of His messengers.’ And they say, "We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination." [al-Baqarah 2:285].
As-Sa‘di said:
{This response on the part of the believers includes everything that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) brought, namely the Qur’an and Sunnah, and they listened to him with acceptance and submission.} End quote.
Secondly
Whoever reflects upon these verses will realize that the religion is based on acceptance, humility and submission to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. How can he not submit to Him, may He be glorified, in all things and in all his affairs, both religious and worldly, when he believes in Him as his Lord, Creator, Guide, Provider and Controller?
How can he not submit to His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he believes in him as his Prophet who was sent by his Lord?
If a person follows this path of questioning, it is not far-fetched to assume that it will ultimately lead him to heresy, because you are saying: Why can’t the prayer be simply reciting Qur’an and offering supplication? Then someone else will come and say: What is the reason for offering supplication; isn’t the Qur’an enough? Then a third person will come along and say: Why pray at all? Isn’t it sufficient to say Laa ilaaha illa Allah (there is no god but Allah)? And you could say something similar with regard to zakaah, fasting, Hajj and all the other rulings of Islam, and the ultimate outcome would be rejection of the rulings of Islam, and heresy.
Thirdly:
Prayer has been enjoined in this manner, which is the best and most perfect possible manner, so as to attain true servitude to Allah and humility before Him, and to know the pleasure of conversing with Him. So the individual faces towards the qiblah, and stands with humility before Allah, with his head lowered, then he bows to Allah in humility, then he shows even more humility to Allah by prostrating.
Look at a detailed description of how the prayer is done, from the takbeer to the tasleem [that is, from beginning to end], and reflect upon the actions and words, given by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) in his book as-Salaah.
We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to guide us and to make prayer a source of comfort for us.
And Allah knows best.
A source close to the legislative circles in Ankara confirmed yesterday, Saturday, that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has a stronger position to win the presidential elections.
"His position is stronger because it offers tangible achievements and prospects for development," the source told "TASS" agency, noting that it has become clear that "undecided voters tend to vote for Erdogan, because the opposition's arguments do not appeal to them."
The source also indicated that the possibility of large-scale demonstrations or clashes in Turkey after the elections and the loss of one of the political parties will be negligible.
"It is not expected that the loss of the opposition or the current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will lead to any mass demonstrations or negative consequences," he said.
The source considered that the possibility of local protests exists, especially if the opposition loses, as this will cause a high level of tension in society, and people may try to express their dissatisfaction in this way. The source continued that if there is a risk of an increase in tension and protest actions, they will be effectively thwarted.
Likewise, the source ruled out that Erdogan's loss would lead his supporters to take to the streets, pointing out that the reaction of the voters to the loss of the ruling Justice and Development Party's candidates in the Istanbul and Ankara municipal elections is evidence of this, as winning the leadership of these cities for Erdogan is very important, but the heads of Opposition municipalities won it, and there was no "destabilizing reaction".
Only 3 candidates are running in the presidential race in Turkey, Erdogan, Kilicdaroglu, and Sinan Ogan, after Muharram Ince withdrew his candidacy request on Thursday.
Islamophobia is a 'neo-colonial project' - scholar
May 09, 2023The US rhetoric on its so-called war on terror is responsible for the global proliferation of anti-Muslim sentiments, a respected scholar and author has said, terming the growing religious hatred against the community as a “neo-colonial project”.
Prof Khaled Ali Beydoun’s recently published book The New Crusades: Islamophobia and the Global War on Muslims has been hailed as a pathbreaking study on the subject for its minute examination of the issue.
“Islamophobia is a tool and a weapon used by the US to advance its global power and to seize coveted natural resources such as oil in Iraq,” says Prof Beydoun, a faculty at Wayne State University Law School in the US. He was speaking to Anadolu Agency exclusively.
“I chose the title because the term ‘crusade’ is used to describe the historical conflict between Islam and Christianity,” he says. “...When the war on terror was launched 21 years ago, then US President George Bush called it a ‘crusade’. So I drew on these two events to give the title to the book.”
Beydoun says that besides extensive research for the book, he interviewed people exposed to anti-Muslim hatred in many countries such as India, China, France and Canada.
While writing the book, he aimed to understand the feelings and thoughts of the Muslim community struggling for existence in different countries.
He says that anti-Muslim sentiment is not the same in every country. “Islamophobia is not experienced by Muslims in a similar way. It really depends on where they are, which country they live in, what their identity is. The Islamophobia that Uyghur Muslims experience is strikingly different from the one that we experience.”
‘Hotbed of Islamophobia’
Drawing on his observations based on interviews he conducted in European countries, Beydoun says that “Europe has become a hotbed of Muslim hostility for many reasons”.
“As Muslims practice their religion, as women wear headscarves, as men wear white robes and grow beards, as they go to mosques, it’s easy for Europeans to discriminate against them on religious grounds.”
He also points out that Muslims feel like they are being watched by “big brother”, as in dystopian novels. “Muslims struggle with this as victims of destructive policies such as surveillance, and the privacy of individuals is often violated due to suspicion of terrorism.”
He adds that discrimination against Muslims is at an all-time high.
“When I apply for a job, and they see on my CV that my name is Khaled Ali Beydoun, employers might think twice about hiring me as opposed to someone called Edward Smith,” he says.
“If it’s a Muslim woman who wears a headscarf to a job interview, she is discriminated against because of her appearance.”
About 1 in 5 Asian Americans hide their heritage from non-Asians, some out of fear, report says
May 09, 2023An estimated 1 in 5 Asian Americans in the US have hidden details about their heritage from people who are not Asian, a new report shows.
Some of the details that Asian Americans choose not to share include ethnic food or clothing as well as cultural and religious practices, the Pew Research Center said in the report released Monday.
“Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to understand the rich diversity of people of Asian origin or ancestry living in the United States and their views of identity. The study is part of the Center’s multiyear, comprehensive, in-depth quantitative and qualitative research effort focused on the nation’s Asian population,” the report said.
The research was conducted in the wake of a recent rise in attacks against Asian Americans, including during the Covid-19 pandemic amid misinformation and misplaced aggression about the origins of the virus.
Reported hate crimes against Asians in 16 of the nation’s largest cities and counties rose 164% in 2021, according to a study from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State University San Bernardino. And a 2022 report from Pew found about a third of Asian Americans reported changing their daily routine due to concerns of racially motivated violence.
The new survey is based on a sample of 7,006 adults in the US who identify as Asian, either alone or in combination with other races or Hispanic ethnicity. Respondents were interviewed between July 5, 2022, and January 27 of this year.
When asked why they had hidden some aspects of their culture, Asian Americans mentioned a number of reasons from “fear of being embarrassed to wanting to avoid awkward questions or having to explain themselves, and even concern of potential discrimination,” the Pew report said.
Their responses also varied based on their age, ethnicity and place of birth. About 30% of Asians born in the US have hidden their culture, compared with 15% of Asian immigrants, the report shows.
Younger Asian adults were more likely to hide their culture. About 39% of Asians of ages 18 to 29 said they have done it, compared with 5% of Asians who are 65 and older, the report says.
About 25% of Korean adults surveyed said they have hidden part of their heritage from people who are not Asian, while 20% of Indian adults, 19% of Chinese, 18% of Vietnamese, 16% of Filipino and 14% of Japanese adults said they have done the same.
The survey includes several findings that highlight the diversity among Asian identity in the US.
About half of respondents said they often describe themselves by ethnic labels, such as Filipino, Korean or Chinese, which reflect their family origins, the report says.
Respondents indicated their friendships vary depending on where they were born. Overall, half of Asian Americans said all or most of their friends in the US are Asian but only 38% of those who were born in the US said the same.
An elderly Australian went to a mosque to complain about ‘loud noises’ during prayers. However, he converted back to Islam after conversing with the Muslims present in the mosque.
The heartwarming incident was captured on footage and showed the man declaring his new faith in English and Arabic before breaking down in tears.
Haj Hussain Goss, an active Muslim preacher in Australia, shared the clip on his Facebook account, writing: “Welcome to Islam our brother on this day of Eid. This brother came this morning for Eid to complain about the noise and went home as a Muslim. Allah is great.”
Hassan said at the beginning of the clip that an old man named Brian, who lived in a nursing home near the Gold Coast mosque, came to him complaining about the loud sound of Eid prayers that blasted over the speakers. Hassan then sat with Brian for 10 to 15 minutes, during which he talked to him.
Brian became convinced of the faith after an encounter with the preacher, making a voluntary decision to convert to Islam. (Agencies)
Immigration to a Majority Non-Muslim Country First of all, we’d like to clarify that there is not a one-and-only ruling on living in non-Muslim countries for all Muslims. If a Muslim can practice his or her faith freely and there is no fear for his or her family to be tempted, then there is nothing wrong in doing so. Having said this, if you see that you would be able to exert every possible effort to surround your family with good and righteous friends and there is no fear of being tempted, then there is nothing wrong of travelling to non-Muslim countries.
Elaborating on the issue of living a majority non-Muslim countries, we’d like to furnish you with the following fatwa issued by the prominent Muslim scholar Sheikh Muhammad Iqbal Nadvi, director and imam of Al-Falah Islamic Center, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, who states, “Scholars look into this issue from various perspectives and the bottom line is the ability to practice Islam and make da`wah (Arabic for: inviting others to Islam).
If Muslims are free to practice their own faith and even invite others to join the same faith, then their presence in such countries is needed and sometimes mandatory. the second perspective is when Muslims are free to practice Islam but face some difficulties in making da`wah, then it is permissible to live in those countries.
So, there is no one ruling for all Muslims living in non-Muslim countries. the ideal situation is when Muslim practices his or her own faith and at the same time lives as a good citizen in his or her own country, sharing the beautiful teachings of Islam with other people. Almighty Allah says: [O My servants who believe! Truly, spacious is My Earth: therefore, serve you Me, (and Me alone)] (Al-`Ankabut 29:56). So, all the earth belongs to Allah, so we should worship Allah wherever we are.” Moreover, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, President of the Fiqh Council of North America, adds: “A Muslim can live in any place and in any country. However, there are some basic Islamic rules about migration:
“A Muslim can live in any place and in any country. However, there are some basic Islamic rules about migration:
- It is Haram for a Muslim to live in or to migrate to a place where he cannot practice his/her religion, unless one is very weak and has no other way. Almighty Allah says, “Lo! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they wrong themselves, (the angels) will ask: In what were ye engaged? They will say: We were oppressed in the land. (The angels) will say: Was not Allah’s earth spacious that ye could have migrated therein? As for such, their habitation will be hell, an evil journey’s end…” (An-Nisa’: 97) It is obligatory upon Muslims to live in and to migrate to those lands where they can freely practice their religion.
- It is not recommended for Muslims to migrate to the lands where their and their next generations’ religion might be at risk, unless they make every effort to safeguard their own religion and the religion of their next generations. Without such efforts it will be Makruh (reprehensible) [and in some cases even Haram] to migrate to such lands.
- It is permissible for Muslims to migrate to the lands where they feel confident that they can practice their religion freely and they can raise their children under the Islamic principles. It is, however, better for Muslims to live in Muslim lands where they can live under Islamic laws to govern their personal as well as collective lives.
- It is highly recommended for Muslims to migrate to those lands where they feel they can practice Islam and can spread the message of Islam. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, sent many Sahabah (his Companions) to different areas to spread Islam and to teach Islam. After the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, many Sahabah left Madinah and went to different lands to live there and to teach Islam to the people of those lands. It is due to their efforts and the efforts of many Muslims after them that Islam spread in many lands. This is also our duty and we must make every effort to convey the message of Allah to the whole world.”
Source: Islamonline
Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a fresh discovery of a new oil reserve in the country's eastern region.
“I'd like to share some fresh good news. We have discovered oil reserves with a production capacity of 100,000 barrels per day in Cudi and Gabar,” the president said on Tuesday at an opening ceremony of the Karapinar solar power plant and other newly-completed projects in central Konya province.
Saying that the newly-found petroleum near Sirnak province "has a high-quality structure," Erdogan further stressed that "Türkiye will no longer depend on others for energy but rather become an energy exporter."
The oil discovered at a depth of 2,600 meters (8,530 feet) will be extracted "with 100 wells and will meet one-tenth of our daily use."
Erdogan also announced that the petroleum well in Gabar is named after a young music teacher, Aybuke Yalcin, who was killed in a PKK terror attack in 2017 in southeastern Türkiye.
Yalcin, 22, succumbed to her wounds after a brazen attack targeting the car of the Kozluk region mayor in the Batman province on June 9, 2017. She was travelling in a minibus that was part of the convoy.
“Our new field, the Martyr Aybuke Yalcin-1 Well, will hopefully provide more oil than produced around the whole country,” he added.
Regarding Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, Erdogan said the country will be able to meet 10 percent of its energy needs from the plant and announced that a second nuclear power plant may be built in Sinop.
Pledging to remove terror from Türkiye's agenda, Erdogan said the country will overcome all obstacles that prevent Türkiye from placing the riches of the country at the disposal of the nation.
In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.
Since the start of 2023, the United States has averaged more than one mass shooting per day. The Gun Violence Archive, a nonprofit group that tracks gun violence using police reports, government sources, news coverage, and other public data, counted 106 mass shootings in 2023 as of March 9—a period of 68 days.
No official, universal definition of what constitutes a mass shooting currently exists. Groups define it differently based on the number of victims, whether they are killed or injured, whether the shooting occurs in a public or private space, and whether the shooter targets victims. The Gun Violence Archive defines it as an event in which at least four people were killed or injured.
The lack of a consistent definition creates opportunities for people to interpret the data differently, making it difficult for lawmakers to establish a set of agreed-upon facts upon which to address the issue of gun control.
For example, using a much narrower definition of a mass shooting, security specialists who drafted a 2013 congressional report identified just 78 mass shooting events between 1983 and 2012. This figure starkly contrasts the GVA’s findings for 2014, which determined 273 mass shootings had occurred that year alone.
As to more recent figures, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 647 mass shootings in the U.S. in 2022. Compared to this time last year, mass shootings in 2023 are outpacing last year’s rate. In Louisiana alone, there have been 8 mass shootings so far this year. Two of those took place in Shreveport.
Stacker cited data from the Gun Violence Archive to visualize the scope of mass shootings thus far in 2023. Data is as of March 7, 2023.
Mass shootings have happened in gun-friendly states—and some stricter ones
Several of the states where mass shootings have occurred this year are those that don’t require gun owners to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon. However, some of the most high-profile mass shootings of this year, like those in Half Moon Bay and Monterey Park, California, and Washington D.C., happened in states with stricter gun laws.
Gun violence in the U.S. is a complex problem with many contributing factors beyond state laws. A 2022 study from Everytown for Gun Safety comparing state laws to rates of gun violence, however, shows a correlation between the two. States with the most restrictions on gun users also have the lowest rates of gun-related deaths, while states with fewer regulations have a higher death rate from guns.
At 120 firearms per 100 residents, the U.S. is the only country in the world with more civilian-owned guns than people, according to the 2018 Small Arms Survey.
Mass shootings take place in nearly every type of public and private space
This year, shooters have attacked people at college campuses, cultural celebrations, gas stations, private residences, downtowns, and even on highways.
The deadliest single event to date remains the Jan 21. shooting in Monterey Park, California, where a gunman killed 11 people and wounded nine others at a dance hall in an Asian American community during a Lunar New Year celebration.
Nine mass shooting incidents occurred between Feb. 17 and Feb. 19—the most of any weekend in 2023. That weekend, nine children were shot at a gas station in Georgia, six people were shot on I-57 in Chicago, leaving one toddler dead, and five people, including one 4-year-old, were shot at a parade in New Orleans.
Firearms are the leading cause of death in people under the age of 24 years in the U.S., according to a study published in the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics in December 2022.
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Source: ktalnews
Personal development as it relates to Muslims
April 30, 2023Islam is a complete way of life and nothing has been left out of it. Through the Quran, the Hadith, the sunnah of the prophet, and the way of the Taabieen Muslims have a complete roadmap to life. Personal development is not left out and we see it in various ayahs of the Quran. This means it has been a part of Islam since the time of the Rasuul, the time of the revelation of the Quran.
Personal development has become in recent times a topic of great interest all around the world. By definition, it’s any activity that you consciously undergo to improve and grow yourself. Personal development as it relates to Muslims is an integral part of us and our Islamic heritage. The need to improve and grow ourselves is found in different ayahs of the Quran
The 1st revelation to the prophet Muhammad Is ‘Read’ this shows the importance of seeking knowledge in Islam and the general consequence of knowledge is the development of the mind which can then lead to the development of other areas of a person’s life.
Muslims are an ummah and not an entity therefore the development of one will lead to the development of others. Personal development happens in all spheres of our lives from the way we speak, eat, work to the way we interact with others.
Some ayahs that speak to this include:
“Always speak the truth. Shun words that are deceitful and ostentatious.” (Quran-22:30)
“Talk straight, to the point, without any ambiguity or deception.” (Quran-33:70)
“Choose the best words to speak and say them in the best possible way.” (Quran-17:53, 2:83)
Allah has told us that
Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves
Al-Ra’d 13:11
This clearly tells us that we need to improve ourselves so that Allah will bring about a change in our condition. Therefore developing and growing ourselves, seeking for improvement, and applying the new knowledge is necessary to get the desired result.
Prophet Muhammad was a living example of personal growth and has left lessons for us in the Hadith and his sunnah.
In a Hadith that says:
Prophet (PBUH) said: “None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”
This clearly shows us the importance of caring for not just ourselves but for others around us. This makes us improve ourselves by not being selfish, caring for others, and loving others.
In another Hadith that goes
On the authority of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “My beloved companion (Prophet Muhammad) has commanded me with seven: he commanded me to love the poor and become near to them; he commanded me to look at the one below me (in material wealth) and to not look at the one above me; he commanded me to maintain blood relations even if (those relatives) turn away; he commanded me to not ask anything from anyone (as a favor); he commanded me to tell the truth even if it is bitter; he commanded me to not fear in the path of Allah those who blame and vilify; he commanded me to increase in saying ‘there is no power and might except from Allah’ for they are the words from a treasure kept beneath the throne of The Beneficent.”
Subhanallah this Hadith covers loving, taking care of those who are poor, and relating with them. To be grateful and content by looking at those who have less than we do. To keep ties of kinship with our relatives. To be content, not to look for favors from others. To be truthful always, We should be fearless when on the path of Allah, To increase dua to Allah glorifying Him and affirming that all power is from Allah and Allah alone.
This covers different aspects of self-improvement. Alhamdulillah
There are so many other hadiths that teach us about self-development, it is important that we read them and apply them.
The Muslim ummah is the best of people as Allah has told us so we have to live up to that by doing our bit to see that we become the best and lead the society as leaders.
Allah says
“You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. “
(Surah Al Imran Ayah 110)
We as an Ummah should live by this, seek improvement and self-development so we can improve ourselves individually and then collectively as an ummah. This will consequently lead to the development of society as a whole bi idhniAllah.
The Quran and Sunnah are life manuals for us Muslims, we should therefore read, understand and apply. May Allah make it easy for us all. Ameen.
