Hijab and aurat.. the whys and hows @_@

Ah, the most controversial issue about a Muslimah: the Hijab.

Every non-Muslim woman wonders why a Muslimah covers her hair. 

Then the non-Muslim woman sees a Muslimah with the niqab: Oh, dear...










Then she walks past a Muslimah in a full niqab (eyes covered as well): Oh, my...

Lastly, she comes upon a Muslimah dressed in a burqa: Dear Lord, what oppression!










I come from two worlds. There is a clear line drawn between these two worlds of mine: the old and the new. You see, for 23 years, I was a Roman Catholic; a denomination of Christianity that holds strong to its roots, traditions and the Catholic Bible. I was raised by a mother who grew up in a Catholic convent, I attended Sunday school, was baptized at the age of 12, confirmed at the age of 16 (I think), attended Sunday mass regularly, and attended a school originally founded by priests and nuns, located right next to a Cathedral. I knew my Our Father, my Hail Mary, etc... I was not exactly a fan of Muslims (stress on the word Muslims... not Islam) but because of that, my opinions on Islam varied accordingly.

Then all that stopped and ended, much to my mother's disappointment and my family's objection. On the 8th of October 2011, I did something all my high-school friends thought was the craziest thing I have ever done; I said my shahadah in front of my friends here in the university I attend. Some didn't know until the appointed 'imam' announced and lead me through my shahadah. Some cried, some smiled... I was just bemused. 

So, given my history, I see things from two sides. I understand what a non-Muslim thinks about Muslims and Islam and I understand personally how it is being a Muslimah. 

The aspect of my change is wide, it is not just a change of heart and fashion, but also a change in mentality and how I view what goes on in the world as well. 

But since the topic I chose to share today is about the Hijab, I will stick to this. It is already a big topic but hey, I'm not Wikipedia :P

So...

The Hijab. I started wearing the hijab much earlier before I embraced Islam, say... 4 years prior to 2011? heheh... it just started out as curiosity. Since I was away from home, and for the first time in my life, I actually have Muslim friends who I feel close with. So I just thought why not? It'll be a new experience! And it was. It was not as uncomfortable as I imagined it would be and not ugly. With or without the hijab, I still felt pretty, but when I walk out the door with my hijab, it's a different kind of pretty. Something more private, something more mysterious and something more fulfilling. 

Of course, that sparked a lot of talking among my friends and other students and some teachers as well. My Christian friends (at this time I was involved with many Christian programmes) were well, they weren't hostile but they didn't agree with my actions. I remember one friend, a senior suggesting that instead of wearing a hijab, I should wear the habit instead. That sparked quite a heated conversation between us and our friendship was never the same after that. But I stood my ground for as long as I could. It finally got too much so I stopped. 

The hijab never really left me. The feelings stayed with me as I went through the roughest time my faith endured. It got so rough, to a point I refused to believe in anything. 

Then 2011 came. For the first time since I went abroad for my studies, I decided to go for a trip. A bunch of my Muslim friends were going to Egypt during our winter holidays and within one day, I convinced my other friend (a Christian Chinese) to accompany me. So, we embarked on that trip, happy and excited, oblivious to the chaos that laid awaiting us in Egypt. But when Allah has a plan for you, you sometimes go blind: in my case, I ignored the news concerning the bombing in Domodedovo the day prior to our little group's departure for that same airport, and all 9 of us ignored the news about the uprising in Tunisia and Egypt. 

Free from prying eyes and opinions, I was again free to wear my hijab. Oh, how wonderful it felt putting on my hijab as the Azhan rang in the air. And that was it, Egypt was my platform. I boarded the train and never turned back. 

A persons journey to Islam may start with intense study of different religion, some through observing a Muslim friend closely, others through instant revelation, but my journey to Islam started with one simple piece of square cloth; the Hijab

1. The hijab
2. Aurat
3. Hijab styles
4. Abaya
5. Makeup
6. Eyebrows
7. Perfume


A hijab is not just a cloth that covers ones head, hair and neck, but it covers ones treasure. You know how we women treasure our beauty. We love being beautiful, that's why the cosmetic industry is one of the most marketable and profitable industries. Every woman on this earth loves looking pretty. But beauty differ according to culture and individual. Everyone has a certain beauty about them even if others do not see it. If you have a gold bar, you don't go showing it off, do you? No. Instead, you keep it in a safe, or in the bank behind several inches of metal. So, why should a woman's beauty be any different? It is HER treasure. So, in Islam, we say, hide it. Do not be common and decrease your value by showing it to just anyone. It is for you to share with your husband. 

That's the basic idea of a hijab. The most basic. To go further deeper, the hijab also helps the men. Girls, you know how men are, and men, you know yourself. A man sees a pretty lady, and he turns to look for a second time, looks at her face, then her chest, then that nice piece of *** then the oh so sexy slim legs. WOW!! that's a hot mama right there! It's how men are programmed. It's their natural instinct. If it stops there, then that's fine, but very few men just stop there. They continue to wonder how all that feels to his touch, etc. Majority have the discipline to control that basic human urge, but still, show some pity to the poor man! 

If a woman is covered up from head to toe (not necessary in a burqa) what's there for a man to see? He can't know if she is to his liking or not. What chest to see? What *** to admire? What legs to stare at? It's all covered up, in long loose clothing. He can't see the pretty hair or the nice slim neck that's hidden under then hijab. He can't see the pretty lips curved in a smile behind the niqab. He can't see the pretty eyes sparkling behind the veil. What he can't see, he won't think about. When there's nothing for him to think about, he's not gonna have urges. Sisters, help your brothers, don't torment them with your beauty. 

Not only that, you also earn their respect. A man will not disturb a woman who is covered up. He knows that she is not to be played with. He knows that she is to be respected. He knows that her dignity is to be honoured. We women dream of the knight in shining armour, the honourable gentlemen who treats his lady with respect. Well, there he is. He respects you, he honours you, but before you ask all that from a man, you have to show that respect and protect that honour yourself! That is why a Muslimah wears her hijab. That is why a Muslimah covers her aurat. Allah gave her beauty and she obeys and covers herself. 

The hijab should be low enough to cover her chest. Why? It's obvious. 

Aurat
When speaking about the hijab, we explain the aurat. Aurat is everything that should be covered. For women, it is everything except the face and hands. The FEET is also part of the aurat!! Though many of us forget that. So, a woman can be seen in public or by non-mahrams (men she can marry) when she is covered fully, except for her hands and face. So, the niqab is not compulsory, but should a woman choose to do so, then better for her. But if a woman is still not able to bring herself to such a level, then she looses nothing. 

If a woman covers her head but wears a tight blouse or a short skirt with leggings, then her aurat is still exposed. She might as well just remove the hijab. To cover ones aurat, it is not just putting a cloth over it. The shape of the body should not be seen. You're not suppose to wrap your aurat, you're suppose to cover it. What's the point of wrapping the vase tightly with a cloth? You still know it's a vase even if you can't see it. Same with the aurat. A man can still see the shape of your ass and breasts when you wear something tight. He doesn't need to see flesh to imagine how good they look... he just needs the rough shape of it. So, a Muslimah should wear something loose. 

Hijab styles

When a Muslimah covers her aurat with loose clothing, with a hijab, what's next? How she wear those clothes! Type hijab tutorials on youtube and you will see many many different styles to tie a hijab. It is not wrong to be stylish, for a sheikh once said, better for a woman to cover herself with all the style she wants, than not to cover herself at all. Now why would a sheikh say this? Because, Islam came to men in steps. It's a step by step programme. The radical and faster a person changes, the higher risk of the person falling back as fast. But if a person changes step by step, there is time to understand. We are no longer living in the times of Muhammad s.a.w or the time of Omar or the times of the Khalifahs. "See and I will believe", that is how our psyche is. We see, then we believe. But Muhammad s.a.w is not here for us to see and hear, so it is more difficult for us to change our ways. Thus, step by step. With each step, understand.

At the first few months, I wore the hijab in different styles. Everyday was a different fashion. But slowly, slowly, my hijab got longer and less stylish. Of course, when there's a celebration, the fashionista pop's back for a short visit :P 
Why is this? Because the purpose of covering ones aurat, is to decrease attracting attention. So if your hijab is in some eye-catching colour or fashion, then it kinda defies the point. But it is still better than not wearing the hijab at all. Change takes time... this is very important especially to the Muslims!!! Muslims also need to be understanding to their new brothers and sisters whether reverting from a different religion or one starting to take back their roots in Islam. Come on too strong, and you will loose your ummah. 

Abaya

The abaya, which is the most convenient Muslimah attire to wear in order to adhere to the hows of covering ones aurat, comes most commonly in black. Why? I have no idea! But it has been black since the time of Muhammad s.a.w. and it remained that way. It is not written in the al-Quran that it MUST be black. So, it now comes in several other colours with nice pretty designs. It is not haram if you want to wear a blue abaya, or purple, or pink, or brown, but remember!!!! Remember that the point of covering your aurat is so that you don't stand out. So, if you're in Saudi Arabia, where all women walk in a sea of black (top to bottom) wearing a coloured hijab and coloured abaya, while not haram, still makes you stick out from the crowd. But if you are in Malaysia, or Indonesia, or USA, Australia, colours are the norm. So, depending where you are, dress accordingly. Always remember the purpose of covering your aurat, and you'd rarely go wrong. But of course wearing bright pink even in Malaysia will still turn heads!


Makeup
What about makeup? Well, like I said, the whole purpose of wearing a hijab and if some choose, the niqab, is to cover your aurat which in turn is to decrease attracting attention to oneself. So, striking makeup would defy the whole point. Sure, khol is not haram... I think... unless you apply it like Cleopetra, then it's better that you don't. Lipstick... guess that depends on your husband or your father. But again... remember the purpose of covering your aurat...


Eyebrows
Plucking ones eyebrows!!! heheh... This, I find funny. Because, although it is haram, I still see many women, especially those from the middle east with nicely shaped eyebrows. Here's the hadith concerning plucking of eyebrows:

Al-Bukhaari (5931) and Muslim (2125) narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “May Allaah curse the women who do tattoos and those who have them done, those who have their eyebrows plucked, and those who file their teeth for the purpose of beautification and change the creation of Allaah.”

It was stated in a Fatwa: Shaping the eyebrows by trimming, shaving or plucking their edges in order to appear beautiful, as is done by some women nowadays, is haraam because it involves changing the creation of Allaah and following the Shaytaan in his tempting of mankind to change the creation of Allaah.


Perfume
Perfume!!! This is haram. But I'm sure deodorant is fine and you can wear ALL the perfume you want when you're at home :P I'm sure your husband will love that!

Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Any woman who puts on perfume then passes by people so that they can smell her fragrance, is an adulteress.”


Allah has given every woman their own beauty. It is up to a husband to see it. We have no right to change what Allah has given us especially if its not medically related. We can enhance it with makeup, creams, etc but only in the presence of the appropriate persons. 

So, women, if you are looking for a love story, look no further. Islam has given you the most romantic, and beautiful love story there is, even better than Romeo and Juliet, as no one dies in the end. How? Your beauty is only for your husband. When you truly understand how that feels, it is definitely a very romantic feeling. 

Tales of a time long forgotten

Tales of a time long forgotten

There was a time, so long ago, it seemed a fairytale

A time long ago, where men were men and women were women
A time spoken with awe, retold countless times, 
But alas... only whispers blown away

A time where men took up arms, without fear of death
Under one call, Under one religion, Under one leader, Under one God.
No countries divided, no borders drawn
Under one flag, under one purpose, Under one cry 'Allahu Akhbar'
They fought and died, proud, fearless martyrs

A time where the beauty of a woman was not in her smile,
Nor her hair, her eyes, her face, her hands, or how much of her body she showed.
But beauty was in the Hijab she wore, the obedience behind the Niqab that hid the very lips that utter praises of her God
Beauty in the way she walked, proud but humble, beautiful though nothing could be seen, eyes lowered in obedience not oppression

The wind whispers of stories long passed,
Of princes of Islam, during the time of Khalifas
Of princesses of Islam, during the time of obedience
Stories retold, stories revisited, stories passed down...
But still... they remain stories... 

True as they may be, heroic as they may be,
Romantic as they may be, they remain stories...
Stories of bygone history...
Alas... will we let it become a myth?

Look to your left, look to your right,
Quran as your guide, Islam as your purpose, Allah as your trusty
Look at the mirror, look within
Takwa, Tawakal, Deen, Iman, Islam... all in one

The beast long asleep, is starting to stir,
It casts of its slumber, it is ready to roar,
Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Jordon, Libya, Syria...
And the one forever fighting,
Mother of all, home to all, beloved of all... Palestine

Will we only be spectators?
Ignoring the vibration of faith in our hearts,
Rippling through our body and the world?
Or will we be one of the heroes and heroins of Islam?

(Souhayla NourJannah)

Home is in a foreign land, for me...

Lights stretched out in the horizon, painting the midnight sky.
no pretty stars to adorn the night's carpet,
nor a moon to glow in the darkened globe

But the lights of the city twinkle brightly, smiling at me
voices spoke from near, voices that made me smile
a smile... a sad smile for a heart out of place...

I stand high above everyone, looking down,
Down on soft white snowy ground,
hiding footprints and whispers, hiding...

I remember a night like this once before,
quite, beautiful as this,
with voices far off, in a language I so love

I remember a night like this once before,
quite, beautiful as she is,
in a city of a country with a culture I so love

Back then, I smiled too, but a smile so different,
Back then, I smiled radiant,
I smiled for a city of a country with a culture I so love

I stood high above everyone, back then, looking down
Down on hard, sandy ground, hiding nothing
My heart longed for nothing, then,
for what was there to desire?
in a city of a country with a religion I so love

A salam, shattered the mirage,
it fled and left me standing,
standing high above everyone,
looking into eyes of one lost, saddened;
of a reflection, mirrored in a misty window

A salam, reminded me of where I am,
and of what I left behind, long ago;
standing high above everyone,
feeling out of place, everywhere,

but I remember, once upon a night long ago,
I stood high above everyone,
Smiling so radiant, heart bursting with happiness

Home is in a foreign land, for me
in a city of a country with a culture, grown of my religion...

Home is in a foreign land, for me
in a city of a country with a language, whispered in Jannah...

Home is in a foreign land, for me
in a city of a country I so love and long to be with...

It called me habibti... and I,
I whispered habibi, in return...

Hadith 2: Islam, Iman and Ihsan

 السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh 

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

A'udhu billahi minash shaitanir rajim

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم 

Bismillahir rahmanir rahim

So, today, I will be writing about the second hadith from the Nawawi collection.

عَنْ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ أَيْضًا قَالَ: " بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ، إذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعْرِ، لَا يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ، وَلَا يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ. حَتَّى جَلَسَ إلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه و سلم . فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخْذَيْهِ، 

وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الْإِسْلَامِ. 

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه و سلم الْإِسْلَامُ أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةَ، وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إنْ اسْتَطَعْت إلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا. 

قَالَ: صَدَقْت . فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ!

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الْإِيمَانِ. 

قَالَ: أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ بِاَللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ، وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ.

قَالَ: صَدَقْت. قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ الْإِحْسَانِ. 

قَالَ: أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّك تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاك. 

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ السَّاعَةِ. قَالَ: مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنْ السَّائِلِ. 

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَاتِهَا؟ قَالَ: أَنْ تَلِدَ الْأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا، وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ. ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ، فَلَبِثْنَا مَلِيًّا، 

ثُمَّ قَالَ: يَا عُمَرُ أَتَدْرِي مَنْ السَّائِلُ؟. 

‫‬قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ. 

قَالَ: فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ ". رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ [رقم:8].

A’n Omar radi Allah a’anho qal “bainama nahn jloos i’end rassol Alla (saw) dhat yaom, idh talaa’ a’alina rajolon shadeed bayad altheab, shadeed sawad al shaa’r, la yora a’alaih atharo assafar, w la yaa’rifoho minna ahad. Hatta jalasa ila annabee (saw). Fasnada rokbataeh ila rokbataeh w wadaa’ kaffaih ala fakhidaeeh, w qal: ya Mohammad akbernee a’an alislam, fqal: rasool Allah (saw), an tashhada ana la illah illa allah w an Mohammadan rasool Allah, w toqeem alsalah, w tootee alzakah, w tasoom Ramadan, w tahij albeit in istata’at ilaih sabela. Qal: sadaqt. Faa’ajebna laho yasaloho w yosaddeq. Qal: fakhbernee a’an alieeman. Qal: an toomen ba Allah w malaeekateh w kotebeh w rosoleh w alyaoom al akher khaireh w sharrih. Qal: sadaqt. Qaal fakhbernee an alihsan. Qal an taa’bod Allah kaanak trah fien lam takon tarah fienah yrak. Qal: fakhbernee a’n alsaa’ah. Qal: ma almasool a’anha biaa’lam men alsaiel. Qal: fakhbernee a’an amarateha? Qal: an talida alaamah rabbataha, w an tra alhofat alo’rat ala’alah roa’a alshai ytatawaloon albonyan. Thom intalaq. Falabethna Malian. Thom qal: ya Omar atadree man alsaeel? Qolt allah w rasooloh aa’lam. Qal: faenaho jebreel atakom yo’alemakom denakom.” Rawah Muslim

"While we were one day sitting with the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him, and none of us knew him. He sat down close by the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, rested his knee against his thighs, and said, O Muhammad! Inform me about Islam." Said the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, "Islam is that you should testify that there is no deity save Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, that you should perform salah(ritual prayer), pay the zakah, fast during Ramadan, and perform Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House (the Ka'bah at Makkah), if you can find a way to it (or find the means for making the journey to it)." Said he (the man), "You have spoken truly." We were astonished at his thus questioning him and telling him that he was right, but he went on to say, "Inform me about iman (faith)." He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, "It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects." He said, "You have spoken truly." Then he (the man) said, "Inform me about Ihsan." He (the Messenger of Allah) answered, " It is that you should serve Allah as though you could see Him, for though you cannot see Him yet He sees you." He said, "Inform me about the Hour." He (the Messenger of Allah) said, "About that the one questioned knows no more than the questioner." So he said, "Well, inform me about the signs thereof (i.e. of its coming)." Said he, "They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, that you will see the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings." Thereupon the man went off. I waited a while, and then he (the Messenger of Allah) said, "O 'Umar, do you know who that questioner was?" I replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, "That was Jibril. He came to teach you your religion." [Muslim]

Basically, while Muhammad saw was giving a sermon, a man with very black hair and very white clothes came and sat in front of Muhammad and started asking a bunch of questions. Here, normally when someone asks a question, it means that the person doesn't know the answer, but this stranger actually affirms the Prophet's saw answers, like a teacher affirming the answer of a student. Aside from the peculiar manner of the interaction between this stranger and Muhammad saw, was also the strangers appearance. He appeared clean and tidy, not exactly how someone would look like if he'd been on a journey. People then didn't have cars or trains, so when travelling, they'll be on camels, or walking and you'd NOTICE that a person has been traveling; dust in the hair, unwashed body, dust and stained clothes. But this stranger was clean and groomed. 

Why would we say he was on a journey? Because no one gathered there knew who this stranger was. Now, society in those days were completely different than ours today. Everyone knew everyone living in the same village and most likely knew each others business as well. So, since no one even knew this stranger, then definitely, he's not from around there. 

Why is this hadith important? Because it summarizes the essence and practices of a Muslim. Like the al-Fatihah is the mother of the al-Quran as it summarizes what Islam is, this hadith is the mother of the sunnah.

While the first hadith (concerning the deeds of a person) is the theory of a Muslim's life, the second hadith is the practicals of a Muslim's life, and as we will see later, the third hadith is the application of Islam in a Muslim's life. As medical students, we sit in class learning the theories, like how to perform and IV injection (1st hadith). Then we do actually do hold a syringe and practice on either a dummy or a live patient (in some cases, on each other) (2nd hadith). They in our last few years of medical school, we learn when to actually use IV injections as not all drugs are required as IV administration in all cases. If you want fast result then of course IV, if not necessary, then other ways such as IM, PO, PR (3rd hadith) 

The important thing in this hadith is the conversation between the stranger and Muhammad saw. 

The first question

What is Islam? Here, the answer enumerates the 5 pillars of Islam:

• Shahadah (الشهادة)
• Solat ( صلاة)
• Zakat (زكاة)
• Fasting during Ramadan (تَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ)
• Hajj (حج)

The shahadah is the first step to being a Muslim, and it is something that a Muslim takes to the grave. It is bearing witness to everyone and everything in this world that Allah is the one and only God, and that Muhammad saw is the messenger of Allah.

أشهد أن لا إله إلاَّ الله و أشهد أن محمد رسول الله 
Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha illallah, Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah

I bear witness that there is no God, except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

Solat or salah is the prayers a Muslim performs everyday. Here, remember that there are many different prayers for different purposes. Basically, it can be divided into two types: fard prayers, and sunnah prayers. Sunnah prayers are not compulsory, but encouraged; prayers when seeking Allah's swt help: sunnah hajat, sunnah istikharah, sunnah syukur, etc.

In the context of the hadith, Muhammad was talking about the fard prayers; the compulsory 5 prayers a day: al-fajr, al-zuhur, al-asar, al-mahgrib, and al-ishak.

Next is the zakat. Zakat is the fraction of a Muslim's earnings that has to be given to the community. There is usually a central collection (such as a bank) to which the zakat can be paid. The money collected is then distributed all around to those who requires it. Zakat is compulsory for a Muslim who is earning money. So, when I start work, I have to start paying zakat. It does not amount to much, as it is about 2.5% of my paycheck.

Fasting during ramadan. There are 12 months to a year, and 4 of those months are Holy. Ramadhan, is one of the 4 holy months in the Islamic calender. All Muslims after the age of puberty is required to fast during this Holy month. It is a time to cleanse and purity ones soul, with sacrifice of the body and its desires and the giving of sadaqa (charity). It is where, for a full month, a Muslim wakes up to take sahoor (eating before al-fajr) and breaking ones fast with iftar (eating after al-mahgrib).

The last pillar of Islam is Hajj. The 3 most holiest places in Islam is Mecca, Madinah and the al-Aqsa mosque which is located in occupied Palestine. During the time of Hajj, Muslims flock from all over the world to do pilgrimage in Mecca, where they stand before the Ka'aba which Ibrahim built. Hajj is compulsory to those who are able-bodied and who can afford.






The second question:
What is Iman? Iman in the layman's term means faith; complete faith. The answer given enumerates the six pillars of Iman.

1. faith in Allah
• Complete faith that Allah is the only God, that He is the all-knowing, the Almighty, etc
2. faith in the existence of angels
• Complete faith that Allah's servents (the angels) are there doing His biding. They do not disobey or question Allah's commands. They were made from light, and have no characteristics of a man or woman and do not procreate. No one knows how many angels there are except Allah. To name a few:
• Jibril, who served as a messenger between Allah and Muhammad (and the stranger in this hadith)
• Ridwan, who is responsible for Jannah (heaven)
• U'zrail, the angel of death, who took mud from earth when Allah created Adam
• Israfil, who is responsible for blowing the horn, signalling the coming of Qiyamah (Judgement day)
• Mikail, who provides nourishment for bodies and souls, responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth, responsible to dole out rewards to good persons in life
• Alkeram Alkatebeen, who records everything we say and do, sitting on our right and left shoulders, to whom Muslims give salam after salah. 
• Munkar and Nakir, who will ask 3 questions when we enter the grave (who is your God, what is your religion, who is your prophet)
• Malik, who is the care taker of fires of Hell
3. faith in the books of Allah
• In Islam, we recognize 4 books; the Torah (given to Musa/Moses), the Zaboor (given to Daud/David), the Injil (given to Issa/Jesus) and the al-Quran (given to Muhammad saw). Of course, the only book that we now follow is the al-Quran, as the authentic Torah, Zaboor and Injil no longer exist.        
4. faith in the prophets of Allah
• Complete faith to those whom Allah have selected to bring the word of Allah and the teachings of Islam to humankind, starting all the way from the first, Prophet Adam alaihi alsalatu wassallam till the last, Prophet Muhammad saw. 
5. faith in Qiyammah (Judgement Day)
• Belief that there is a Judgement day awaiting us, a day which will fall upon us whether we want to or not. Everyone, believers and non-believers from the beginning of time till the end of days, will be brought back to life and stand trial in front of Allah for all their deeds, bad and good. 
6. faith in Fate (Qadr)
• Complete faith that whatever happens, bad or good, according to our liking or not comes from Allah, and is the best for us, as Allah is all knowing (al-Alim)

Islam and Iman must coincide with each other, for without faith, religion becomes empty; without Iman, the 5 pillars of Islam becomes nothing but a burden and empty gestures; without Islam, then a person becomes empty of Iman as the practices of religion strengthens and builds a persons faith. 

The third question:

What is Ihsan? Ihsan here speaks about the heart; sincerity and commitment. Everything a Muslim does, pray, eat, sleep, do Hajj, etc should be done with sincerity and commitment, as though you can see Allah in front of you. If a Muslim cannot reach that level of Ihsan, then at least he/she should remember that Allah sees everything he/she does. Religion is not something to be done one day, and left the next and picked up again later. It is a commitment for life. There is no divorcing yourself from Islam. 

This is a tale of a devout Muslim

When Hatim al Asamm was asked about his prayer, he said, "When it is near the time of prayer, I perform a perfect Wudu, and go to where I am going to pray and sit down there until I become fully attentive to what I am about to do. I then stand up and pray, imagining that the Ka'ba is in front of my eyes, Jannah to my right, Hellfire to my left and the Angel of Death behind me. I imagine that it is the last prayer I am about to perform, stand up in hope (in Allah, His Jannah and rewards) and fear (from Allah's torment in Hellfire) an recite the Takbir while having full attention. I recite the Quran calmly, make Ruku' humbly, go into Sujud with Khushu. I then sit on my left leg, with the left foot laid on the floor and the right foot raised up, all the while praying with sincerity. Afterwards, I do not know (nor feel certain) if that prayer was accepted from me!

The fourth question:

What are the sign of the Qiyammah?

Muhammad saw answered, 'the one who is asked does not know anymore than the one who is asking'. It is true. No one knows when Judgement day will come. No one knows when the Dajjal will come. No one knows the second coming of Issa alaihi alsalatu wassallam. No one knows when the world will come to an end. It can come tomorrow, it can come in a month, a year, a decade, a century... 

But one thing, we know is that we are living in the times approaching the end. Some signs stated in this hadith are:

1. the destruction of morality
• 'when the slave girl gives birth to her mistress', means to show that children no longer respect nor care for their parents and they treat their parents like their slaves. We see many children now talking back to their parents, disobeying them, ill-treating them. 
2. destruction of government
• 'when the barefooted ones, the naked, the destitute, the herdsmen of the sheep (competing with each other) in raising lofty buildings', means to show that government are not given to the right or qualified people. The government of Islam, that was in the time of the khalifa's is no longer seen today. Take the Emirates; they were initially bedouins, nomads moving here and there with camels and their tents, living on trade, nomadic agriculture and herding. But because of the discovery of oil they are now rich, very rich. 'raising lofty buildings': Dubai is building taller, more luxurious buildings to promote themselves. Rich people now pay for power, if you have money, you have power, but how many of them are qualified to hold power? 

With the collapse of the khalifa system, due to Muslims ourselves, we are now in the dark ages. Luckily, most still uphold the practices of Islam, though not enough to rebuild an Islamic government, these few are the building blocks. Everything up high, must start from the bottom. So, we start with individual Muslims who are true to Islam, and build our way up, from family, to community, to town, to city, to state, to country, and so forth. So, our beacon of hope, we look now to Egypt. If Egypt holds strong, then others will follow. 

That is all, for this hadith, as it has been a long winded explanation. Stay tuned for hadith number 3... whenever I get the inspiration to write again, inshaAllah, it will be soon. 

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh 

(السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته)

Hadith 1: Deeds are only rewarded according to their intentions

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته)

So many things to talk about and so many things to tell, but as always, things proceed in small steps.

I have added into my archive of knowledge many new information that I have learned since the post about surah Al-Fatihah... but as always, I procrastinate when it comes to actually writing it... yes, yes, I'm lazy at many things and I'm a pro at procrastination. hehehe... what can I say? :P

Aheem... aheem... testing 1, 2, 3...

A'udhu billahi minash shaitanir rajim (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم). 
Bismillahir rahmanir rahim (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم)






Before I start, let me explain those two sentences. The first: A'udhu billahi minash shaitanir rajim means 'I seek shelter in Allah from the rejected Satan'. Muslims especially say this before the Bismillah when reading the Quran or before doing something, to be protected from the disturbances of Satan.

The second: Bismillahir rahmanir rahim means 'In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful'. Muslims say this before we do anything as we SHOULD do everything good in the name of Allah.

OK!!!! Lets start!!

Today I will be writing about a hadith I just learned today. I've learned quite a few hadith but I never actually remember which, just the content.

Let's start with a definition and of course an introduction.

What is the hadith? What role does it play in the lives of Muslims?

In Islam we have 3 things to guide us: first and foremost is of course the Al-Quran; then it is the hadith and the sunnah.

The Al-Quran is the words of Allah brought to us through Prophet Muhammad and later compiled into a book. Here, bare in mind that the whole Quran did not fall from the sky, instead it was given in bits and pieces. The first verse or ayath in the Quran is NOT the first ayath that Allah gave Prophet Muhammad saw. The first revelation from Allah to the Prophet is actually 5 ayath and can be found in surah Al-Alaq which for those who do not own a Quran, it is the 96th surah. To say that the Quran is compiled from the longest to the shortest surah like most will claim, is also not accurate. If you actually open the Quran and pay attention to the number of ayath in each surah, you can see that it varies. The first surah, Al-Fatihah has only 7 ayath, the next Al-Baqarah is 286, the following surahs has less and less ayath but when it comes to the 6th surah, Al-An'am, the ayath went from 120 in the 5th surah (Al-Mai'dah) to 165. So, this claim is not concrete.

The Hadith is the teachings of Prophet Muhammad saw. It is in his own words memorised by those who heard him and later on, recorded on ink and papyrus. Now, here most will say, but how do we know if they are true? Well, like the Al-Quran, the hadith was not recorded in black and white till much later and like the Quran, it was memorised. People who memorise the Quran and Hadith are not just any ordinary people and not just 1 or 2 but a number of them and these are people strong in faith and pure in actions. If one who has memorised makes a sin, he is disqualified. So that ensures the authenticity of what is memorised. And of course, they have to check with each other... not all 10 people can be wrong at the same time and at the same place. For the Hadith, you can check the authenticity as at the beginning of the hadith, it is stated who memorised the hadith and those before him, and those before him.

Eg: It is narrated on the authority of Amer, Mohammad, Issa, and Hassan, that the Messenger of Allah ( peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ................
So the one to hear the Prophet utter the words was Hassan, who memorised it and passed it to Issa, who then passed it to Mohammad, and then to Amer who was the last to memorise those words of the Prophet before it was documented on paper. 

The sunnah is everything that the Prophet Muhammad did. To eat using the right hand, to wash the ears when taking Wudu (Ablution), etc... It is something that when performed, you receive hasanah from Allah, but if neglected, no harm will happen. In short, it is not something compulsory but something encouraged.

Now back to the Hadith....

Yahya ibn Sharaf al-Nawawi was a Sunni scholar who collected and compiled the hadtih into one book. Here, bear in mind that there are many many hadiths, some not fully authenticated and some fully authenticated. So he sifted through all these hadiths, did his research for authentication and then selected those he found most important for everyday Muslims to learn. So, he compiled 40 hadiths as the basics for all Muslims.

I will explain the first... since that's the one I learned so far... hehehe

عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَبِي حَفْصٍ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ: " إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إلَيْهِ". 

رَوَاهُ إِمَامَا الْمُحَدِّثِينَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بنُ إِسْمَاعِيل بن إِبْرَاهِيم بن الْمُغِيرَة بن بَرْدِزبَه الْبُخَارِيُّ الْجُعْفِيُّ [رقم:1]، وَأَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ مُسْلِمٌ بنُ الْحَجَّاج بن مُسْلِم الْقُشَيْرِيُّ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ [رقم:1907] رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا فِي "صَحِيحَيْهِمَا" اللذِينِ هُمَا أَصَحُّ الْكُتُبِ الْمُصَنَّفَةِ


An ameer almomineen radi Allah anoh qal : same’t rasool allah salla Allah aleeh w sallam yqool:

“ innama al-a'mal bi-l-niyyat, w innma lkol imre’n ma nawa , fman kanat hejratoh ela Allah w rasoleh fhejratoh ela Allah w rasooleh, w man kanat hejratoh ledonya yoseeboha aw imra’tn  ynkehoha fhejratoh ela ma hajar eleeh”
  
Rawah Imama almohaditheen Abu Abdullah Mohammad Bin Ismail Bin Ibrahim Bin Almoghirah Albokhari, w Abu Alhusain Muslim Bin Al-hajaj Bin Muslim Al-qorashi Al-nesabory {no:1907} radi Allah a’nhoma fi “sahihema” Aldheen homa asah alkotob almosannafah.

Which translates to:

It is narrated on the authority of Amirul Mu'minin, Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: 

I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say: "Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

What's the explanation? It is as it is written in the hadith. All our actions shall be judged according to our motives. A big action which will be rewarded many hasanah may be lessened due to misplaced motives and vice versa. 

Eg:

A man donates 1 million USD to a good will charity. That is something Allah will reward with many hasanah. But unfortunately, this man only did it for press attention or a title. Due to his misplaced motives, his many hasanah for examply 100 may be reduced to 1. Since his motives were not to glorify Allah but himself, then the reward is small or it can even be nothing at all. 

A poor man with only RM10 to live on, and donates RM3 to charity, and a rich man donating RM1000. Both having good intentions, but who will receive more grace from Allah? The poor man. With great wealth and power, come greater duty and responsibility. If you donate very little of what you have be it time, money, etc, then your hasanah is less, or when standing trial in front of Allah, those hasanah may be nullified. Why? Because in term of money, by donating or giving back so little to the community, you are hording your wealth. Why? Most likely, you are chasing worldly goods. 

If you chase the riches of the world, or a man, or a woman, then by Allah's grace you will achieve them, but all that will not help you on Judgement day. So, as the hadith adviced, as you chase your worldly riches, chase it with sincere and good intentions, with motives directed to Allah. In THIS way you attain BOTH your worldly riches (InshaAllah) and you have paved your way to Jannah (Heaven). Now, isn't that a better deal? 2 for the price of 1.

This is the first hadith as it is the essential core of our actions as Muslims. If every Muslim practices this hadith, then inshaAllah, it'll be a better place in this world.

That is all for today... Signing off...

Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته)

Al-Fatihah, the mother of all surahs

So, in Islam, before we read the al-Quran, or before we say a doa, it is always better to recite the al-Fatihah first... it is known as the opening surah, or to some, the mother of all surahs.

The al-Fatihah, consists of 7 ayath, or sentences, and everything in and about the al-Quran is condensed into this 7 ayath. So, if you understand surah al-Fatihah, you will have a summary and general idea of what the al-Quran teaches and what Islam is all about. 

So what does this surah say? Well, lets see:

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيم
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious
Dengan nama Allah, Yang Maha Pengasih, Maha Penyayang

In the name of Allah: everything we say, and everything we do, we do them in the name of Allah. So if I read the Quran, or make a doa, I do it in the name of Allah. 

As we all know, Allah has 99 names, and among those many names, 2 of which are ar-Rahman (Most merciful/Maha Pengasih) and ar-Rahim (Most Gracious/Maha Penyayang). So, what does Ar-Rahman mean? Well, being the Most Merciful, Allah loves all men on earth. He provides everyone with everything they need to live. You need oxygen to breathe, so Allah provides oxygen for everyone. Everyone has a fair share of it. 

Now, what does Ar-Rahim mean? Well, Allah may care for everyone, being the provider of every living soul on earth, He especially loves Muslim, His people; men who obey His teachings and who only worship Him. 


 الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn, and all that exists)
Segala puji bagi Allah, Tuhan seluruh alam

In the Muslim society, when we give a praise or thank a person, that praise and that thanks belongs not to the person it was directed to, but it belongs to Allah. I tell a girl, that she is beautiful, and while that praise is directed at her, the person who deserves the praise is Allah, as He is the one who made her beautiful. So, when receiving a praise, a Muslim should say 'Alhamdulillah' which means, thanks be to Allah, returning the praise to Allah. 

As, all Muslims believe, Allah is the God of all that exists in this world, the natural or the super-natural. So everything on this earth belongs to Allah. 


الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
The Most Merciful, the Most Gracious
Yang Maha Pengasih dan Maha Penyayang

Again it is repeated for emphasis. Allah's trying to pound this into our stony stubborn little heads


مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ
Master of the Day of Judgement 
Pemilik hari pembalasan

As Muslim, one should always believe in the existence of Judgement day, when the whole world ceases to exist, and the dead rises from the grave. And who own the Day of Judgement? Allah! So, on that day, where the sun is so near it's just a few inches above your head, which means it's REALLY hot, everyone who walked on earth will be judged according to their conduct on earth. That is why, it is called Judgement day. So every single little, minute, atomic good deed or sin a person did on earth shall be either rewarded or punished for. 


إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ 
You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)
Hanya kepada Engkaulah kami menyembah dan hanya kepada Engkaulah kami mohon pertolongan

To be a Muslim, before even knowing how to do solat, a Muslim knows this sentence 'la ilaha illAllah' which means 'there is not God but Allah'. So, if one believes that there is no God but Allah, then it is naturally, only to Allah one worships and turns to for help. Of course, one may ask another for help, but the willingness to help comes from Allah, as He moves a persons heart to help. 


اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us to the right path
Tunjukilah kami jalan yang lurus

All human want guidance and if a person believes in religion, he wants to be in the right religion. So to each their own, yes, but for Muslim we believe that Islam is the right religion. So we pray, to Allah, to guide and keep us on that right path. 


صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا الضَّالِّينَ 
The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked (Your) anger or of those who are astray
(yaitu) jalan orang-orang yang telah Engkau beri nikmat kepadanya; bukan (jalan) mereka yang dimurkai, dah bukan (pula jalan) mereka yang sesat

Here, we, Muslims, pray that we are kept in the path of those what have earned Allah's favours (prophets, true followers of the prophets), kept away from the path of those who have angered Allah or those who are lost. Some sheikhs have the opinion that the people who have angered Allah are the Jews as Islam was brought to them and Allah helped them many times, but they still refused to believe in Allah. While, of those who are lost refer to the Christians as they believed in Issa (Jesus) and followed his teachings (which was Islam) but only to change it with the course of time. 


So.... this is the meaning of surah Al-Fatihah... from MY understanding. Caution for my readers (if there actually are any) that I am not a professor in Islam, but just someone who learns a little here and there about her new religion. So, this is what I understood, and it is only the surface. To fully understand this surah, will take basically a very long time and should be explained by a certified sheikh or professor in Islam. 

My explanation here, is just in layman's term. 

Praise be to Allah, and have a nice day!