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In recent times a plethora of misconceptions, misrepresentation and myths have been forged about Islam
and Muslims. Many western influentials from politicians, policymakers to judges have taken it upon
themselves to undermine the Islamic beliefs, values and rules so to make it palatable to their
egotistic minds and the secular liberal thoughts.

This blog is dedicated:-

1. To argue the point for Islam in its belief and systems and to refute the misconceptions.
2. To expose the weakness and contradictions of all forms of secularism.

21 Aug 2009

Ramadhan Mubarak!

To our visitors

Ramadhan Mubarak to you and your family & friends

From everyone in Stand4islam Team

During this Ramadhan do not let the sweetness of our deeds vansh into the night, leaving only emptiness. When one contemplates the texts on fasting, its wisdom and goals in Shariah, and looks at the reality of the Muslim communities, one realizes a wide gap between the reality and our obligations. Remember that Ramadhan is a bounty that Allah blessed His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and increase their piety (Taqwa). Allah (swt) said: "O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious." [Surah Al-Baqarah (2): Ayah 183].

Goals of Fasting

Achieving Taqwa: is one of the most important wisdom of fasting. Fasting brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach and mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently would overcome these two desires more easily. This deter against committing abominations and sins and assist in controlling life leading to Taqwa.

Strengthening willpower and acquiring patience: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam called Ramadhan the month of patience as it increases one's will power to control his desire and the selfishness of his soul. This training allows him to be strong in following Allah's commands. The most important being to carry the Message and propel it forward. The person trains himself to be patient in obeying Allah (swt) by stopping at the limits set by Allah (swt) both by way of action and abstention. Allah (swt) said: "These are the limits set by Allah, so approach them not." [Suarh Al-Baqarah (2): Ayah 187]

Fasting is pure worship: The fact that he is abstaining from food and drink both in public and in secret shows his honest faith and strong love of Allah (swt), and his knowledge and feeling that Allah (swt) is all-knowing of everything. For this reason Allah (swt) has made the reward for fasting greater than for any other type of worship. Allah (swt) said in the hadith Qudsi: "Every deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards], the good deed by ten of its like, up to seven hundreds, up to whatever Allah wills, except fasting, it is for Me and I will reward it. He abandons his desire and his food for My sake..." (Related by Muslim) lbn al-Qayyim (ra) said: "...And people may see that a person is not eating in front of them, but the fact that he is really abandoning his food and his desire for the sake of Allah is a thing that nobody can find out about, and that is the essence of fasting." (Zaad al-Ma'ad 2/29).

Relieving Muslims from life's distractions: Eating, drinking, and socializing all distract a person and weaken ties with Allah. It is by the Mercy of Allah (swt) that Muslims are ordered to fast so as not to be bothered by the intrusion of these activities. Nor by the thought about them nor the anticipation for them when devoting themselves to the all types of worship Either reading the Qur'an, offering additional prayer or making I'tikaf. For this reason the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting is a shield, and a secure fortress against Hell fire" (Related by Ahmad).

Discovering Allah's Blessings: A person experiences the hardship of the poor. He should then be thankful to Allah (swt) Who has blessed him with His bounty while others are deprived. This should make him more sympathetic and willing to share this bounty. The poor rediscovers that fasting helps a person be more devoted to worship. More able to concentrate and meditate. He should then be able of this devotion all year long, a blessing he should thank Allah for.

Acquiring strength and endurance:It has been discovered that depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its defense and endurance mechanism. This in turn this protects the body from certain diseases.

Remember that fasting is not only dependent on abstentions: Many believe that fasting consist only of certain abstentions, forgetting that Allah (swt) established certain acts of worship with fasting.

Among which are:

Qiyamul-layl: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Whoever performed the night prayer during Ramadhan out of belief and anticipating Allah's rewards, will be forgiven his previous sins."(Related by Muslim).

Performing Umrah: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "An Umrah during Ramadhan is like a Hajj with me." (Related by al-Hakim).

Offering Iftar (meal) to those who fasted: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person has the same reward as him, except that the reward of the fasting person will not be diminished." (Related by Ahmad).

Reading and completing the Qur'an: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting and [reading] Qur'an will intercede for the person: fasting will say: O Lord I forbade him eating and drinking so let me intercede for him, and the Qur'an will say: I deprived him from his night sleep so let me intercede for him," he then said: "So they will intercede." (Related by Ahmad). The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to recite the whole Qur'an to Angel Jibreel each Ramadhan.

Giving in charity: Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam was the most generous among people, and he was more generous during the month of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim).

I`tikaaf: which is to confine oneself in the masjid for prayer and invocation leaving the worldly activities. Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to perforrn I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim). It is surprising that many people have abandoned I'tikaf though the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam never abandoned it from the time he arrived to Madinah until he died.

Supplication: In the verses dealing with fasting, Allah (swt) said: "And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then answer them, I am indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me." [Surah Al-Baqarah (2): Ayah 186]. This is an encouragement for the fasting person to increase his invocation. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Three invocations will be answered: The invocation of the fasting person, the invocation of the oppressed, and the invocation of the traveler." (Related by Muslim).

Repentance: Ramadhan is the time of repentance and return to Allah (swt), for it is a time when the devils are chained, and when many people are saved from hell fire every night by the grace of Allah (swt).

Applying oneself in all good deeds in the last ten days of Ramadhan: Aysha radhiallabu anha said: "When the last ten days come, he sallallahu alayhe wa sallam would pray most of the night and wake his family, and apply himself, and tighten up his loincloth.", and she also said: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to strive in the last days of Ramadhan more than he did during the other days." (Related by Muslim).

Abstaining from vain talk: Sins decrease the reward of fasting although they do not annul it. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting is not [only] abstaining from eating and drinking, but abstaining from vain and obscene talk, so if someone insulted you or wronged you say: I am fasting." (Related by al-Hakim) and he also said: 'Whoever does not abandon lying, then Allah does not need him to abandon his food and drink." (Related by al-Bukhari).

[Extracted from Al-Jumuah Magazine, Vol 8, Issue 9]
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“Islam represented the greatest military power on earth…It was the foremost economic power in the world…It had achieved the highest level so far in human history, in the arts and sciences of civilization...Islam in contrast created a world civilization, poly-ethnic, multiracial, international, one might even say intercontinental.”





[Bernard Lewis, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Orientalist and Historian, 2001]





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[Carly Fiorina, ex-CEO of Hewlett-Packard, 2001]





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[Lothrop Stoddard, Ph.D (Harvard), American political theorist and historian, 1932]





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[Jared Diamond, UCLA sociologist and Author, 1997]



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[Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb, Professor at Harvard University, 1932]





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[Edmund Burke, British Statesman and Philosopher, 1789]





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[Richard W. Bulliet, Professor of History and Author, 2004]





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"Praise be to the beneficent God for his mercy towards me! Kings of the earth, to whom his [the Caliph’s] magnificence and power are known, bring gifts to him, conciliating his favour by costly presents, such as the king of the Germans, the king of the Gebalim, the king of Constantinople, and others. All their gifts pass through my hands, and I am charged with making gifts in return. (Let my lips express praise to the God in heaven who so far extends his loving kindness towards me without any merit of my own, but in the fullness of his mercies.) I always ask the ambassadors of these monarchs about our brethren the Jews, the remnant of the captivity, whether they have heard anything concerning the deliverance of those who have pined in bondage and had found no rest."





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