#stand with umar khalid

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Conquest of Makkah and Afterwards

The Battle of Hunayn: Part 2

(8th year of the Migration, 5 Shawwal Saturday / AD 630, January 27)

They Arrive at Hunayn

It was Tuesday, 11th of the month of Shawwal.

The Messenger of God and his army arrived at the valley of Hunayn, which had many slopes and descents, narrow passes and hidden ways.

At dawn, he arranged his army in ranks. He gave the flags and the standards to their bearers.

Hazrat Ali had the standard of the Muhajir Muslims; Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas and Hazrat Umar had their flags. Hubab b. Mundhir and Usayd b. Khudayr had the standards of Ansar Muslims.

Sons of Sulaym under the command of Khalid b. Walid formed the vanguards of the Islamic army.

The Messenger of God acted very cautiously. He was on his horse, Duldul. He had put on two armored shirts; there was a cap on his head and a helmet.

The Messenger of God, who feared the Creator more than everybody and who worshipped Him more than everybody, obeyed the material laws of God Almighty in daily life called “Adatullah” more than everybody and observed those rules very carefully. He showed his situation against the enemy very clearly. Though he was under the protection of God and was helped by God, he put on two armored shirts when people put on only one and he had a cap and a helmet on his head.  

First Clash

It was the time of dawn.

The Prophet ordered his army to go down the valley of Hunayn in order to take the enemy by surprise. The vanguards under the command of Khalid went down the valley first; they were unaware of the plans and movements of the enemy. They were attacked by the arrows of the enemy that had ambushed in two places overlooking the valley. The attack of the arrows astonished the mujahids in the narrow valley, which was not suitable for military maneuvers. It was still dark, which made things harder for them. The vanguards had to retreat; after them, the new Makkan Muslims who had voluntarily joined the army started to retreat. The retreat was about to turn into a defeat.

The situation was very delicate; the scene was very painful.

There were only about one hundred mujahids around the Messenger of God. The enemy was coming toward them with their twenty thousand soldiers. The Prophet called out, “O people! Where are you going? Come toward me! I am Messenger of God! I am Muhammad b. Ab­dullah.”

The battlefield was like Doomsday. The camels were hitting each other; the horses were neighing and causing a lot of tumult and fear.

The Messenger of God was sitting on Duldul like a statue of bravery though everybody was retreating and running away and the enemy forces were coming toward him like a flood. He did not move back even one step; he had no signs of fear; he was full of courage, hope and strength. Only that hero of the heroes could stand bravely against the enemy that consisted of twenty thousand soldiers in this tumult.  

The Hatred and Enmity in the Hearts are Revealed

When the Islamic army faced such an unexpected defeat, some Qurayshis started to utter bad words.

Abu Sufyan b. Harb said, “This defeat cannot be stopped.”

Safwan b. Umayya had not become a Muslim yet. However, he did not like what Abu Sufyan said. He said to Abu Sufyan, “May soil and stones fill your mouth!

Meanwhile, Safwan b. Umayya came and said to him, “Good news! The spell has been broken today; it has lost its effect.” Safwan b. Umayya said to him,

“Shut up! May God tear your mouth! I prefer a Qurayshi to rule over me than a Hawazin.”

Suhayl b. Amr said, “Muhammad and his Companions can never recover and fight again.”

Abu Jahl’s son Ikrima, who had just become a Muslim, said, “It is not appropriate to talk like that!” He added,  

“God has control over everything. Muhammad cannot do anything. If the war is against him today, it will definitely be in favor of him tomorrow.”

Suhayl was surprised when he heard what Ikrima said, “You used to say just the opposite.”

Ikrima said,

“By God, we used to insist on things that were not appropriate. We did not think very well; we kept on worshipping some stones that could neither harm nor help us.”

God Almighty Protects His Prophet from an Assassination

During this defeat, some of the Qurayshis that had not become Muslims yet thought about killing the Prophet. Shay­ba b. Uthman was one of them.

His father was killed during the Battle of Uhud; he was full of the feelings of revenge and hatred. He drew his sword. He wanted to approach the Prophet from the right side of the Prophet. He saw that Hazrat Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, was standing there with his sword shining in his hand. He thought, “I cannot approach him while his uncle is there.” Then, he moved to the left side of the Prophet. He wanted to attack from that direction. However, he saw that Abu Sufyan b. Harith, the Prophet’s cousin was standing there. He thought, “His cousin will help him.” This time, he wanted to approach the Prophet from behind. He approached him and wanted to lift his sword. There was nothing that could prevent him from hitting the Prophet. Just then, a blaze of fire appeared between him and the Prophet. Shayba shivered and felt scared. He thought the blaze was going to scorch him. He closed his eyes due to his fear and moved back. Only then did he realize that the Prophet was protected by God.  

While he was moving back, the Messenger of God turned toward him smiling and said, “O Shayba! Come here!”

Shayba, who had dared to kill the Prophet a minute ago, was shivering and shaking in fear. He went to the Prophet, who put his blessed hand on his chest and prayed: “O God! Remove all of the delusions of Satan from him.”

All of a sudden, the feelings of revenge and hatred in his heart disappeared and were replaced by belief and love of the Prophet. Shayba described that moment as follows: “By God, before he removed his hand from my chest, there was nobody more beloved to me from him.”

Then, the Prophet said, “O Shayba! Come on, fight the unbelievers!”

Shayba said,

“I fought in front of the Messenger of God with my sword. I wanted to protect him with my soul and everything. If my father had been alive and appeared in front of me, I would definitely have killed him with my sword.”

Thus, a person who once said, “I will not be subject to Muhammad even if all Arabs and non-Arabs become subject to him” could not resist the attraction of the light the Messenger of God brought and embraced Islam.

[thealladeen]

I think it is time to wake up to reality and write stories that matter. I think it is time that I realize that life is not about the fantasy world.

Aazadi is a very big term. People flow towards the flourished, it is time that I flow towards the truth.

Thank you @Umar Khalid and other for being so bold, for standing up for the truth and for not accepting the truth serve on the table with a silver cutlery. Thank you for seeing beyond the naqab. We owe you one.

[indizombie]

Umar Khalid has undergone the pains of those who fronted the tyrant on the battlefield. A life attempt, sedition, and prolonged jail for standing up to the principles upon which the nation was constructed. Umar’s incarceration presents to us the dilemma of a nation-state —whether it is to serve the people or genuflect to certain interests.

Suraj Yengde, ‘Umar Khalid’s jail stint and the deficit of truth’, Indian Express

[comparatist]

Photo Courtesy: Pinterest.

It’s a shame that Umar Khalid has been arrested in a framed fiasco by the police while saffron hatemongers like Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur and Rambhakt Gopal who openly called for genocide and open fired in Shaheenbagh respectively are roaming scotfree. Komal Sharma, the woman from ABVP who could be identified vandalising the properties of her own University and harming other students who don't go by her ideological position and were peacefully protesting against fees hike, also escaped punishment. It seems like the laws of this country are specifically modified to put the marginalized behind the bars when they raise their voice against mistreatment. What connections can a man have with a planned pogrom against his own community? Umar Khalid and other student activists have been repeatedly targeted for their religious origin, for long. Islamophobia isn't a new thing in this country and now that the bigoted indoctrination has its personifications in the positions of power, the saffron fundamentalism has been unleashing itself at the oppressed section in the highest order.

How farcical is it to say that Umar Khalid burned his own home(I will say it for the umpteenth time, whatever happened in Delhi was not a riot but a planned pogrom against Muslims!) when all the man spoke for was Constitutional rights?

'Hum Nafrat ka jawab nafrat se nehi denge

Hum nafrat ka jawab pyar se denge

Agar wo danda uthayenge

Toh hum tiranga lehrayenge'

were his words approximately from a speech, and a sane person will see no cases of seditious element here. Also this time, the tricolor won't be used to defend a rapist for sure but to uphold the unity in diversity of India.

Raise your voice against the framing of Anti CAA dissenters as rioters by the state machinery!

Demand the unconditional release of Umar Khalid!

The questioning students/teachers/democratic voices can't be muted!

[questionsonislam]

How should we understand the command of Islam ‘Kill the one who deserts Islam’?

Man of tabligh (conveying the message of Islam) is anguished; he becomes very sorrowful when people go astray and disobey Allah by transgressing His commands. Conversion from Islam distresses him terribly; when he becomes desperate in the name of tabligh, he becomes infuriated and suffers palpitations. When, in the Quran, our Prophet is addressed as: "It may be thou frettest thy soul with grief, that they do not become Believers"(ash-Shuara, 26/3), the anguish of the Messenger of Allah and his mood originating from that anguish is described. As a matter of fact, that mood is and should be present in each man of tabligh.

Conversion (irtidad) means deserting the religion. The murtad is the person who denies all of the holy things that he had believed before. That person is regarded to have betrayed Islam, in a sense. A person who betrays once can always betray. Therefore, according to some scholars the murtad has no right to live. However, according to the form our fiqh scholars systematized, first, the murtad is informed about the issue that caused his conversion in detail. He is followed and observed for a while and he is tried to be persuaded about the issues that he feels doubtful. If none of those efforts turn out to be fruitless and it becomes clear that that person is a malignant tumor, a source of trouble, his punishment is executed. However, no believer can be indifferent to the conversion of someone from Islam. The concept of humanism of Islam is contrary to it. Every believer who hears about the case feels sorry and anguished about the conversion. However, the anguish of man of tabligh is deeper than that of everybody else because the guidance of people is the aim of his existence.

Here is the mood of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) when he hears about what Kalid b. Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) has done. Hazrat Khalid carries out an execution by hurrying about the principles of the religion regarding conversion. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) hears it, he becomes very sorry; he prays to God Almighty by raising his hands and says: "O Allah! I take refuge in you from what Khalid has done.

That sensitivity of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is seen in the same form in the people around him. For instance, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asks someone coming from Yamama whether there was anything serious there or not. The man says there is nothing serious or important except someone who has converted from Islam. Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stands up excitedly and asks, “What did you do to him?” When the man says,”we killed him”, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sighs just as the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did and says to the man, "Should you have not imprisoned him and waited for a while? Then, he raises his hands and prays to Allah as follows: "O Allah! I swear that I was not there when those people did it. I also swear that I did not like what they did when I heard about it."

[saltstudying]

I'm so fucking angry. I'm angry and sad and disappointed and I feel fucking helpless and hopeless. In this country being a Muslim is a crime. Stand With Umar Khalid. Stand with every muslim, every dalit, every woman, every academic, every activist, every democratic thinker who suffered because of the UAPA. 

Here’s a reminder if you need it. Pessimism is a tool of the facists. It’s a tool of white supremacy, of brahminism, of hindutva, and of BJP and their fucking intolerance. Inquilaab Zindabad. 

If you need someone to talk to about this, feel free to message me. 

[sweetness-of-faith]

In giving advice to his companions, the noble Prophet, peace be on him, once said: "Learn the Quran from four persons: Abdullah ibn Masud, Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah, Ubayy ibn Kab and Muadh ibn Jabal."

We have read about three of these companions before. But who was this fourth companion in whom the Prophet had so much confidence that he considered him a hujjah or competent authority to teach the Quran and be a source of reference for it?

Salim was a slave and when he accepted Islam he was adopted as a son by a Muslim who was formerly a leading nobleman of the Quraysh. When the practice of adoption (in which the adopted person was called the son of his adopted father) was banned, Salim simply became a brother, a companion and a mawla (protected person) of the one who had adopted him, Abu Hudhayfah ibn Utbah. 

Through the blessings of Islam, Salim rose to a position of high esteem among the Muslims by virtue of his noble conduct and his piety. Both Salim and Abu Hudhayfah accepted Islam early.

Abu Hudhayfah himself did so in the face of bitter opposition from his father, the notorious Utbah ibn Rabi'ah who was particularly virulent in his attacks against the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his companions.

When the miraculous sign of the Quran was revealed abolishing adoption, people like Zayd and Salim had to change their names. Zayd who was known as Zayd ibn Muhammad had to be called after his own natural father. 

Henceforth he was known as Zayd ibn Harithah. Salim however did not know the name of his father. Indeed he did not know who his father was. However he remained under the protection of Abu Hudhayfah and so came to be known as Salim Mawla Abi Hudhayfah.

In abolishing the practice of adoption, Islam wanted to emphasize the bonds and responsibilities of natural kinship. However, no relationship was greater or stronger than the bond of Islam and the ties of faith which was the basis of brotherhood. 

The early Muslims understood this very well. There was nobody dearer to anyone of them after Allah and His Messenger than their brethren in faith. We have seen how the Ansar of Madinah welcomed and accepted the Muhajirin from Makkah and shared with them their homes and their wealth and their hearts. 

This same spirit of brotherhood we see in the relationship between the Quraysh aristocrat, Abu Hudhayfah, and the despised and lowly slave, Salim. They remained to the very end of their lives something more than brothers; they died together, one body beside the other one soul with the other. 

Such was the unique greatness of Islam. Ethnic background and social standing had no worth in the sight of Allah. Only faith and taqwa mattered as the miraculous signs of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet emphasized over and over again:

"The most honorable of you in the sight of Allah, is the most Allah-fearing of you," says the Quran.

"No Arab has an advantage over a non-Arab except in taqwa (piety)," taught the noble Prophet who also said: "The son of a white woman has no advantage over the son of a black woman except in taqwa."

In the new and just society rounded by Islam, Abu Hudhayfah found honor for himself in protecting the one who was a slave. In this new and rightly-guided society rounded by Islam, which destroyed unjust class divisions and false social distinctions Salim found himself, through his honesty, his faith and his willingness to sacrifice, in the front line of the believers. 

He was the "imam" of the Muhajirin from Makkah to Madinah, leading them in Salat in the masjid at Quba which was built by the blessed hands of the Prophet himself. 

He became a competent authority in the Book of Allah so much so that the Prophet recommended that the Muslims learn the Quran from him. Salim was even further blessed and enjoyed a high estimation in the eyes of the Prophet, peace be on him, who said of him.

"Praise be to Allah Who has made among my Ummah such as you."

Even his fellow Muslim brothers used to call him "Salim min as-Salihin - Salim one of the righteous". The story of Salim is like the story of Bilal and that of tens of other slaves and poor persons whom Islam raised from slavery and degradation and 'made them, in the society of guidance and justice - imams, leaders and military commanders.

Salim's personality was shaped by Islamic virtues. One of these was his outspokenness when he felt it was his duty to speak out especially when a wrong was committed.

A well-known incident to illustrate this occurred after the liberation of Makkah. The Prophet sent some of his companions to the villages and tribes around the city. 

He specified that they were being sent as du'at to invite people to Islam and not as fighters. Khalid ibn al-Walid was one of those sent out. During the mission however, to settle an old score from the days of Jahiliyyah, he fought with and killed a man even though the man testified that he was now a Muslim.

Accompanying Khalid on this mission was Salim and others. As soon as Salim saw what Khalid had done he went up to him and reprimanded him listing the mistakes he had committed. 

Khalid, the great leader and military commander both during the days of Jahiliyyah and now in Islam, was silent for once. Khalid then tried to defend himself with increasing fervor. But Salim stood his ground and stuck to his view that Khalid had committed a grave error. 

Salim did not look upon Khalid then as an abject slave would look upon a powerful Makkan nobleman. Not at all. Islam had placed them on an equal footing. 

It was justice and truth that had to be defended. He did not look upon him as a leader whose mistakes were to be covered up or justified but rather as an equal partner in carrying out a responsibility and an obligation. 

Neither did he come out in opposition to Khalid out of prejudice or passion but out of sincere advice and mutual self-criticism which Islam has hallowed. Such mutual sincerity was repeatedly emphasized by the Prophet himself when he said:

"Ad-dinu an-Nasihah. Ad-din u an-Nasihah. Ad-din u an-Nasihah." "Religion is sincere advice. Religion is sincere advice. Religion is sincere advice."

When the Prophet heard what Khalid had done, he was deeply grieved and made long and fervent supplication to his Nurturing Master. "O Master," he said, "I am innocent before you of what Khalid has done." And he asked: "Did anyone reprimand him?"

The Prophet's anger subsided somewhat when he was told: "Yes, Salim reprimanded him and opposed him." Salim lived close to the Prophet and the believers. 

He was never slow or reluctant in his worship nor did he miss any campaign. In particular, the strong brotherly relationship which existed between him and Abu Hudhayfah grew with the passing days.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed away to his Master. Abu Bakr assumed responsibility for the affairs of Muslims and immediately had to face the conspiracies of the apostates which resulted in the terrible battle of Yamamah.

Among the Muslim forces which made their way to the central heartlands of Arabia was Salim and his "brother", Abu Hudhayfah. At the beginning of the battle, the Muslim forces suffered major reverses. 

The Muslims fought as individuals and so the strength that comes from solidarity was initially absent. But Khalid ibn al-Walid regrouped the Muslim forces anew and managed to achieve an amazing coordination.

Abu Hudhayfah and Salim embraced each other and made a vow to seek martyrdom in the path of the religion of Truth and thus attain felicity in the hereafter. 

Yamamah was their tryst with destiny. To spur on the Muslims Abu Hudhayfah shouted: "Yaa ahl al-Quran - O people of the Quran! Adorn the Quran with your deeds," as his sword flashed through the army of Musaylamah the imposter like a whirlwind. Salim in his turn shouted:

"What a wretched bearer of the Quran am I, if the Muslims are attacked from my direction. Far be it from you, O Salim!”. With renewed courage he plunged into the battle. 

When the standard-bearer of the Muhajirin, Zayd ibn al-Khattab, fell. Salim bore aloft the flag and continued fighting. His right hand was then severed and he held the standard aloft with his left hand while reciting aloud the miraculous sign of the glorious Quran:

"How many a Prophet fought in Allah's way and with him (fought) large bands of godly men! But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allah's way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast." 

What an inspiring miraculous sign for such an occasion! And what a fitting epitaph for someone who had dedicated his life for the sake of Islam! A wave of apostates then overwhelmed Salim and he fell. 

Some life remained with him until the battle came to an end with the death of Musaylamah. When the Muslims went about searching for their victims and their martyrs, they found Salim in the last throes of death. 

As his life-blood ebbed away he asked them: "What has happened to Abu Hudhayfah?" "He has been martyred," came the reply. "Then put me to lie next to him," said Salim.

"He is close to you, Salim. He was martyred in this same place." Salim smiled a last faint smile and spoke no more. Both men had realized what they had hoped for. 

Together they entered Islam. Together they lived. And together they were martyred. Salim, that great believer passed away to his Master. Of him, the great Umar ibn al-Khattab spoke as he lay dying: "If Salim were alive, I would have appointed him my successor."

[suhyla]

جنة

You stand before 8 towering gates, made of gold and pearls. You're told to enter the first gate, the gate of Salah for always making your prayers your biggest priority. Or from the door of dhikr for always keeping your lips moist with the name of Allah. Or the door of imaan, for your firm belief in Allah and for always putting your trust in Him.

As you approach the gate, it opens and you find Angel Jibreel smiling at you. He calls out your name to announce your arrival, and immediately a group of people in silken robes before you start cheering.

You're shocked as you see the amount of men and women that hurry towards you. You've never seen them before, but somehow you know exactly who they are.

"Finally, finally!" They say.

Maryam عليها السلام beats the others and attacks you with a giant hug. Umar ibn al Khattab is next, and he grabs you by your arms and congratulates you for never losing sight of your akhirah.

Abu Bakr, Ali, and Uthman hug you and clap you on your back, and you don't realize the tears streaming down your face until you find prophets Ibrahim, Musa, Esa, and Yunus lined up to kiss your forehead. They tell you they heard the angels singing your praise because of your duaas for others in the dunya.

Yusuf عليه السلام squeezes your hand with a knowing smile, and tells you he's proud of you for not giving in to the temptations of this world.

A man calls out يا بنتي، يا بنتي , my daughter my daughter! And you smile as Adam عليه السلام takes you into his arms, telling you that today you've made him a proud father.

You feel someone throw their arms around your neck and you laugh as Bilal tells everyone to back off, that someone wants to meet you.

He takes you through the crowd, and you smile at all the people that have come to welcome you.

Suddenly, he calls out, "She's here! She's here!"

Then, the most beautiful man you've ever laid eyes upon turns around. And the warmth in his eyes alone is enough to make you cry.

Rasullulah turns around, giving you his full attention. He knows your name and he opens his arms, and the next thing you know you're sobbing out of joy because he tells you he's been waiting for you to arrive. Because after everything he's been through in this dunya, he still looks at you and calls you strong.

Imagine coming home to a palace as wide as the earth and being told your friends had matching palaces right next door. You take year long trips along rivers of honey and wine, and teach the prophets and sahaba how you used to have fun in this world.

I want you to imagine braiding Fatima's hair and drinking from the Messengers' hands.

Imagine teaching Aisha about water slides and having her teach you how to shoot an arrow.

Imagine racing with the Prophet's daughters' down miles of emerald trees, and then lying down in khadija's lap when you get tired.

Imagine playing pranks with Amr ibn al Aas and Khalid ibn al Waleed and hiding behind the Prophet as the Sahaba run after you.

And then after all this, Allah calls out, "Oh people of Jannah, are you pleased?"

"Yes, oh Allah!" You all call out. "You've given us all we want and more!"

And for His most beloved servants, Allah will lift His veil of light, and allow us to see Him and all His beauty with nothing in between us.

"Shall I give you more?" He asks.

"Yes, ya Allah! Increase us, increase us!"

And we will be among the people whom he calls upon in surah al Fajr saying,

"يا ايتهندا النفس المطمئنة ارجعي إلى ربك راضية مرضية فادخلي في عبادي وادخلي جنتي "

Oh comforted soul, return to your Lord happy and pleased. Enter among my servants and enter into my paradise.

Let this be what keeps you going every day. I ask Allah to make us among the people of Paradise.

- via @itsuhyla on Instagram :)

[dailytafsirofquran]

TEFSIR ibn KATHIR

Surah Tur

Revealed in Makkah

The Virtues of Surat At-Tur

Malik narrated that Jubayr bin Mut`im said,

"I heard the Prophet reciting Surah At-Tur while praying

Maghrib. Surely, I have never heard a more beautiful voice or recitation than his recitation.''

This Hadith is recorded in the Two Sahihs using a chain of narration that includes Malik.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Umm Salamah said,

"I complained of being ill to the Messenger of Allah, and he said,

Perform Tawaf (of the Ka`bah) behind the crowd, while you are riding.

So, I performed Tawaf while the Messenger of Allah was praying beside the House, reciting At-Tur.''

Surah Tur Ayah 1-16

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

1. By the Tur,

2. And the Book inscribed,

3. In parchment unrolled.

4. And by Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur.

5. And the roof raised high.

6. And by the sea that is Masjur.

7. Verily, the torment of your Lord will surely come to pass.

8. There is none that can avert it.

9. On the Day when Tamur the heaven Mawr,

10. And Tasir the mountains Sayr.

11. Then woe that Day to those who denied.

12. Those who were, in their falsehood, playing.

13. The Day when they will be pushed down by force to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing.

14. This is the Fire which you used to deny.

15. Is this magic or do you not see?

16. Enter therein and whether you are patient of it or impatient of it, it is all the same. You are only being requited for what you used to do.

Allah swears that the Coming of Torment is Near

Allah swears,

By the Tur, Allah swears by His creation, a testimony to His great ability, that His torment will surely befall His enemies; they will have no way of escaping it.

At-Tur is the mount that has trees, similar to the mount where Allah spoke to Musa, while Musa was on it, and the mount on which Allah started the Prophethood of `Isa. A mount that does not have trees is called Jabal, not Tur.

Allah said,

And by the Book inscribed, it is said that it means Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz, (the Preserved Table).

It is also said that is refers to the divinely revealed inscribed Books that people recite, and this is why Allah said,

In parchment unrolled. And by Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur. In the Two Sahihs it is confirmed that the Messenger of Allah said in the Hadith about Al-Isra', after ascending to the seventh heaven:

Then, I was taken to Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur. It is visited every day by seventy thousand angels who will not come back to visit it again.

The angels worship Allah in Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur and perform Tawaf around it just as the people of the earth perform Tawaf around the Ka`bah. Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur is the Ka`bah of those who reside in the seventh heaven.

During the Isra' journey, the Prophet saw Ibrahim Al-Khalil, who was reclining with his back on Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur. It was Ibrahim who built the Ka`bah on earth, and surely, the reward is compatible with the action.

Al-Bayt Al-Ma`mur is parallel to the Ka`bah; every heaven has its own house of worship, which is also the direction of prayer for its residents. The house that is located in the lower heaven, is called Bayt Al-`Izzah. And Allah knows best.

The statement of Allah the Exalted, And by the roof raised high.

Sufyan Ath-Thawri, Shu`bah, and Abu Al-Ahwas, all narrated from Simak, from Khalid bin Ar`arah, from Ali bin Abi Talib:

“Meaning the heaven.”

Sufyan added, "Then `Ali recited,

And We have made the heaven a roof, safe and well-guarded. Yet they turn away from its signs. (21:32)''

Similar was said by Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Ibn Jurayj, Ibn Zayd and preferred by Ibn Jarir.

The statement of Allah the Exalted, And by the sea that is Masjur.

The majority say it refers to the oceans of the earth.

Masjur, means, the sea will be kindled with fire on the Day of Resurrection just as Allah said in another Ayah,

And when the seas become as blazing fire (81:6)

i.e., it will be kindled with fire and become a raging fire that surrounds the people in the gathering area, this was reported by Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib from Ali bin Abi Talib.

It was also reported from Ibn Abbas, and it is the view of Sa`id bin Jubayr, Mujahid, Abdullah bin Ubayd bin Umayr and others.

Qatadah said, "Masjur is the `filled sea.'''

Ibn Jarir preferred this explanation saying, "The sea is not lit with fire now, so it is filled.''

Allah's statement;

Verily, the torment of your Lord will surely come to pass. contains the subject of the vow, indicating that His torment will surely strike the disbelievers, as Allah stated in another Ayah;

There is none that can avert it. indicating that when Allah decides to send the torment upon them, none can prevent it or stop it from striking them.

Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Ad-Dunya recorded that Jafar bin Zayd Al-`Abdi said,

"One night, in Al-Madinah, Umar went out investigating the welfare of Muslims and passed by the house of a man who was standing in voluntary prayer. Umar stood quietly, listening to his recitation; the man was reciting, (By At-Tur), until he reached the Ayah,

(Verily, the torment of your Lord will surely come to pass. There is none that can avert it).

Umar said, `By the Lord of the Ka`bah, this is a true vow.' Umar dismounted his donkey and sat next to a wall for a while. He then went back to his house and fell ill for a month. During his illness, the people would visit him, not knowing what caused his illness.''

May Allah be pleased with Umar.

Describing the Day of Torment, the Day of Resurrection

Allah said;

On the Day when Tamur the heaven Mawr, Ibn Abbas and Qatadah said: "Shaking violently.''

Also from Ibn Abbas, "Split.'' Mujahid said: "Spin violently.''

Ad-Dahhak commented on the Ayah, saying,

"The earth will violently spin and move by the command of Allah, and its areas will violently move towards each other.''

This was preferred by Ibn Jarir, because of the meaning of the word, Mawra, which denotes meanings of spinning and shaking.

Allah said,

And Tasir the mountains will Sayr. will fade away and become scattered particles of dust blown away by the wind, Then woe that Day to those who denied, woe to them that Day as a result of Allah's torment, punishment and affliction that He will direct at them, Those who were in their falsehood, playing.

meaning, they live in this life in falsehood and make the religion the subject of their mockery and jest,

The Day when they will be pushed down by force, meaning, they will be violently driven and shoved, to the fire of Hell, with a horrible, forceful pushing.

Mujahid, Ash-Sha`bi, Muhammad bin Ka`b, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi and Ath-Thawri said that this Ayah means, "They will be violently shoved into the Fire.''

Allah said,

This is the Fire, which you used to deny.

meaning, the angels of punishment will say these words to them, while admonishing and chastising them,

Is this magic or do you not see?

Enter therein, meaning, enter the Fire, `which will encircle you from every direction,'

and whether you are patient of it or impatient of it, it is all the same.

`whether you endure its torment and afflictions or not, you will never avert it or be saved from it,'

You are only being requited for what you used to do. and surely, Allah is never unjust with anyone.

Most certainly, Allah recompenses each according to their deeds.

[julaibib]

Can you tell me about Khalid Al-Walid ?

His story is a rather perplexing one. He was the deadly enemy of Muslims in the Battle of Uhud and the deadly enemy of the enemies of Islam in the remaining Muslim battles.

One day, he sat alone in deep thought concerning that new religion that was gaining momentum and gaining ground every day. He wished that Allah, the All-Knower of what is hidden and unseen, would guide him to the right path. His blessed heart was revived by the glad tidings of certainty. Therefore, he said to himself, ‘By Allah, it is crystal clear now. This man is indeed a Prophet, so how long shall I procrastinate. By Allah, I will go and submit myself to Islam.’

he said : I hoped to find an escort, and I ran into Uthman Ibn Talhah and when I told him about my intention, he agreed to escort me. We travelled shortly before daybreak and as we reached the plain, we ran into Amr Ibn Al-Aas.After we had exchanged greetings, he asked us about our destination, and when we told him, it turned out that he himself was going to the same place to submit himself to Islam. The three of us arrived at Medina on the first day of Safar in the eighth year. As soon as I laid my eyes on the Prophet SAW, I said, ‘Peace be upon the Prophet,’ so he greeted me with a bright face. Immediately, I submitted myself to Islam and bore witness to the truth. Finally, the Prophet SAW said, ‘I knew that you have an open mind and I prayed that it would lead you to safety.’ I took my oath of allegiance to the Prophet SAW then asked him, ‘Please ask Allah’s forgiveness for me for all the wrongdoings I have committed to hinder men from the path of Allah.’ The Prophet SAW said, ‘Islam erases all the wrongdoings committed before it.’ Yet I pleaded with him, ‘Please pray for me. Finally, he supplicated Allah, ‘O Allah, forgive Khalid for all the wrongdoings he committed before he embraced lslam.’ Then Amr Ibn Al-Aas and Uthman Ibn Talhah stepped forward and submitted themselves to Islam and gave their oath of allegiance to the Prophet SAW.

Khalid was always near the Prophet SAW. He devoted his excellent abilities to the service of the religion he firmly believed in and devoted his life to. After the glorious Prophet had died and Abu Bakr RA became the caliph, the sly and treacherous cyclone of those who apostatized from Islam shrouded the new religion with its deafening roar and devastating outbreak. Abu Bakr quickly chose the hero of the battlefields and man of the hour, namely Abu Sulaiman, The Sword of Allah, Khalid Ibn Al-Walid. It is true that Abu Bakr himself was at the head of the first army that fought against the apostates; nevertheless, he saved Khalid for the decisive day and Khalid was truly the mastermind and inspired hero of the last crucial battle that was considered the most dangerous of all the apostasy battles.

Upon arriving in Iraq, the first thing that Khalid did was to dispatch messages to every governor and deputy who ruled the provinces and cities of Iraq in the name of the emperor.

Khalid’s scouts whom he planted everywhere warned him against the enormity of the armies that were organized by the commanders of Persia in Iraq. As usual, Khalid did not waste much time. Therefore, he flung his soldiers against the falsehood of disbelief so as to devastate it.

Victory followed him wherever he went, from Al-Ubullah, to As-Sadir, An-Najaf, Al-Hirah, Al- Anbaar then Al-Kaadhimiyah. The glad tidings of Khalid’s arrival blew like a fresh breeze wherever he went to usher in Islam. The weak and oppressed people found sanctuary in the new religion that saved them from the occupation and oppression of the Persians.

When the Roman emperor heard the news of the mobilization of these armies, he advised his ministers and commanders to make peace with the Muslims to avoid inevitable defeat. However, his ministers and commanders insisted on fighting and maintained, ‘By our Lord, we will make Abu Bakr’s hair stand on end before his horses breed in our land.’ Consequently, they mobilized an army estimated at 240,000 warriors.

The Muslim commanders dispatched this terrifying news to Abu Bakr, who pledged, ‘By Allah, I will rid them of their doubts through Khalid.’ Thus, the antidote of their evil suggestions of mutiny, aggression, and disbelief, namely Khalid Ibn Al-Walid, was ordered to go on an expedition to Syria, where he was to command the Muslim armies.

Khalid promptly acted upon his orders and left Iraq under Al- Muthannaa Ibn Harithah’s supervision and marched with his troops until they reached the Muslim headquarters in Syria. His ingenuity enabled him to organize the Muslim armies and coordinate their different positions in no time. Shortly before the outbreak of war, he addressed his warriors after he had praised and thanked Allah, saying, ‘This is Allah’s day. On this day, we must not give way to pride not let injustice overrule. I advise you to purify your jihad and your deeds for Allah. Let us take turns in command. Let each and every one of us take over the command for a day.’

Khalid was commanding the Muslim army in this bloody and crucial war and wresting victory out of the claws of the Romans with admirable master strokes, the new caliph, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab RA, Commander of the Faithful, dispatched a message to him in which he saluted the Muslim army and announced the sad news of Abu Bakr’s death. Then he ordered Khalid to give up his command to Abu Ubaidah Ibn Al-Jarrah. Khalid read the message and supplicated Allah to have mercy on Abu Bakr and bestow His guidance on Umar. Then he strictly ordered the messenger not to tell anyone about the purport of the message and not to leave his place or communicate with anyone.

Then Khalid resumed his command of the combat and concealed the news of Abu Bakr’s death and Umar’s orders until they had achieved victory. Finally, the hour of victory came and the Romans were defeated.

On the day of Khalid’s death, Umar cried excessively. Later, people learned that his grief was not only caused by his personal loss, but also by the loss of his last chance to return the command to Khalid now that people were no longer infatuated with him. The reasons behind his dismissal were now gone. Only this time, unfortunately, the man was gone too.

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): The Conquest of Makkah and Afterwards

The Battle of Hunayn: Part 1

(8th year of the Migration, 5 Shawwal Saturday / AD 630, January 27)

With the conquest of Makkah, almost all of the Qurayshis became Muslims. The conquest affected the tribes that were the allies of the Qurayshis; they started to have nice feelings about Islam and Muslims, and showed interest in Islam. This interest was regarded as a sign that they would be allies of the Messenger of God.

However, there were some tribes that were deprived of this interest: The tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif were the leaders of them. They were known to be the fierce enemies of the Prophet and Muslims. Though many Arab tribes became loyal to the Messenger of God, they could not end their enmity. They deceived themselves because they were the strongest tribes of that region and assumed groundless pride.

When the Messenger of God conquered Makkah and became allies with the Qurayshis and many other tribes, Hawazin and Thaqif tribes decided to make preparations and attack Makkah. Their aim was to attack Makkah suddenly before the Prophet could attack them.

The leaders of both tribes expressed their intention when they talked to each other. They said, “There is nothing that can prevent Muhammad from attacking us. What is appropriate for us is to attack him before he attacks us.”

As a matter of fact, they formed an army consisting of twenty thousand soldiers under the command of Malik b. Awf, the leader of Hawazins, with the participation of the people from the tribes around. Malik b. Awf, their commander, made all of the women, children and sheep join the army so that the soldiers would fight bravely and would not run away.  

The enemy army consisting of twenty thousand people settled in a place called Awtas together with the women, children and animals.

The Prophet is Informed about the Situation

When the Messenger of God heard that Hawazin and Thaqif tribes came together in order to attack the Islamic land, he immediately sent Abdullah b. Abi Hadrad to the enemy so that he would gather some information.

Abdullah wondered among the enemy soldiers in disguise for a few days and collected necessary information. He heard Malik b. Awf, the commander of the army, say the following to the other commanders:

“This will be the last fight of Muhammad. The people that he has fought up to now were people unaware of fighting. That is why, he defeated them.

When it is dawn, line your animals, women and children behind you. Then line your soldiers.

When you see the Muslims, you will attack them.

Break the sheaths of your swords and attack at once like one single man. Know it very well that victory belongs to the party that attacks first!”

After collecting this information, Abdullah returned to Makkah and informed the Prophet about what he had heard.

The Prophet Prepares the Army

When the Messenger of God was informed that a big army had been prepared against him, he acted very fast to attack them in the place where they had settled.

Meanwhile, he said to Safwan b. Umayya, who had a lot of weapons and armor but who had not become a Muslim yet, “O Abu Umayy­a! We will go and fight the enemy tomorrow. Lend your weapons to us.”

Safwan said, “O Muhammad! Do you want to take them by force and not give them back?”

The Prophet said, “No... I want to borrow them; I will pay for the ones that will be broken and that will get lost.”

Thereupon, Safwan gave him armor for one hundred people and weapons that will be enough for them; he also undertook the duty of carrying them to the place of fighting upon the request of the Prophet.

The Prophet appointed Attab b. Asid, who was a young man aged twenty, as the governor of Makkah on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He also appointed Muadh b. Jabal to teach Islam and the Quran in the city.

The Islamic Army Leaves Makkah

It was the fifth of the month of Shawwal in the 8th year of the Migration.

The Islamic army consisting of twelve thousand soldiers under the command of the Messenger of God set off from Makkah toward the place where the enemy army had settled. Two thousand soldiers were Makkans. There were also about eighty polytheists in the army. Many notables of the Quraysh were among these eighty people. They wanted to see which party would win and to get some booty.

The Prophet had not led such a big army before. However, he knew that the number of the soldiers was not enough for the victory. He knew that it was God Almighty who granted victory and who caused defeat and that man was obliged to make perfect preparations that will enable him to gain victory. Therefore, he did not show any traces of pride though he was leading such a big and magnificent army.  

However, some mujahids who trusted in the number of the soldiers said,

“We will not be defeated due to insufficient number of soldiers today.”

However, they had defeated many armies that were more crowded than them and that had more weapons than them several times with the help of God. The Victory of Badr was a very clear example. The Battle of Khandaq and Muta were visible examples. However, they talked as if the only element to bring victory was the number of soldiers.

Naturally, the Messenger of God did not like what they said and showed it through his attitude.

They Arrive at Hunayn

It was Tuesday, 11th of the month of Shawwal.

The Messenger of God and his army arrived at the valley of Hunayn, which had many slopes and descents, narrow passes and hidden ways.

At dawn, he arranged his army in ranks. He gave the flags and the standards to their bearers.

Hazrat Ali had the standard of the Muhajir Muslims; Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas and Hazrat Umar had their flags. Hubab b. Mundhir and Usayd b. Khudayr had the standards of Ansar Muslims.

Sons of Sulaym under the command of Khalid b. Walid formed the vanguards of the Islamic army.

The Messenger of God acted very cautiously. He was on his horse, Duldul. He had put on two armored shirts; there was a cap on his head and a helmet.

The Messenger of God, who feared the Creator more than everybody and who worshipped Him more than everybody, obeyed the material laws of God Almighty in daily life called “Adatullah” more than everybody and observed those rules very carefully. He showed his situation against the enemy very clearly. Though he was under the protection of God and was helped by God, he put on two armored shirts when people put on only one and he had a cap and a helmet on his head.  

First Clash

It was the time of dawn.

The Prophet ordered his army to go down the valley of Hunayn in order to take the enemy by surprise. The vanguards under the command of Khalid went down the valley first; they were unaware of the plans and movements of the enemy. They were attacked by the arrows of the enemy that had ambushed in two places overlooking the valley. The attack of the arrows astonished the mujahids in the narrow valley, which was not suitable for military maneuvers. It was still dark, which made things harder for them. The vanguards had to retreat; after them, the new Makkan Muslims who had voluntarily joined the army started to retreat. The retreat was about to turn into a defeat.

The situation was very delicate; the scene was very painful.

There were only about one hundred mujahids around the Messenger of God. The enemy was coming toward them with their twenty thousand soldiers. The Prophet called out, “O people! Where are you going? Come toward me! I am Messenger of God! I am Muhammad b. Ab­dullah.”

The battlefield was like Doomsday. The camels were hitting each other; the horses were neighing and causing a lot of tumult and fear.

The Messenger of God was sitting on Duldul like a statue of bravery though everybody was retreating and running away and the enemy forces were coming toward him like a flood. He did not move back even one step; he had no signs of fear; he was full of courage, hope and strength. Only that hero of the heroes could stand bravely against the enemy that consisted of twenty thousand soldiers in this tumult.  

The Hatred and Enmity in the Hearts are Revealed

When the Islamic army faced such an unexpected defeat, some Qurayshis started to utter bad words.

Abu Sufyan b. Harb said, “This defeat cannot be stopped.”

Safwan b. Umayya had not become a Muslim yet. However, he did not like what Abu Sufyan said. He said to Abu Sufyan, “May soil and stones fill your mouth!

Meanwhile, Safwan b. Umayya came and said to him, “Good news! The spell has been broken today; it has lost its effect.” Safwan b. Umayya said to him,

“Shut up! May God tear your mouth! I prefer a Qurayshi to rule over me than a Hawazin.”

Suhayl b. Amr said, “Muhammad and his Companions can never recover and fight again.”

Abu Jahl’s son Ikrima, who had just become a Muslim, said, “It is not appropriate to talk like that!” He added,  

“God has control over everything. Muhammad cannot do anything. If the war is against him today, it will definitely be in favor of him tomorrow.”

Suhayl was surprised when he heard what Ikrima said, “You used to say just the opposite.”

Ikrima said,

“By God, we used to insist on things that were not appropriate. We did not think very well; we kept on worshipping some stones that could neither harm nor help us.”

God Almighty Protects His Prophet from an Assassination

During this defeat, some of the Qurayshis that had not become Muslims yet thought about killing the Prophet. Shay­ba b. Uthman was one of them.

His father was killed during the Battle of Uhud; he was full of the feelings of revenge and hatred. He drew his sword. He wanted to approach the Prophet from the right side of the Prophet. He saw that Hazrat Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, was standing there with his sword shining in his hand. He thought, “I cannot approach him while his uncle is there.” Then, he moved to the left side of the Prophet. He wanted to attack from that direction. However, he saw that Abu Sufyan b. Harith, the Prophet’s cousin was standing there. He thought, “His cousin will help him.” This time, he wanted to approach the Prophet from behind. He approached him and wanted to lift his sword. There was nothing that could prevent him from hitting the Prophet. Just then, a blaze of fire appeared between him and the Prophet. Shayba shivered and felt scared. He thought the blaze was going to scorch him. He closed his eyes due to his fear and moved back. Only then did he realize that the Prophet was protected by God.  

While he was moving back, the Messenger of God turned toward him smiling and said, “O Shayba! Come here!”

Shayba, who had dared to kill the Prophet a minute ago, was shivering and shaking in fear. He went to the Prophet, who put his blessed hand on his chest and prayed: “O God! Remove all of the delusions of Satan from him.”

All of a sudden, the feelings of revenge and hatred in his heart disappeared and were replaced by belief and love of the Prophet. Shayba described that moment as follows: “By God, before he removed his hand from my chest, there was nobody more beloved to me from him.”

Then, the Prophet said, “O Shayba! Come on, fight the unbelievers!”

Shayba said,

“I fought in front of the Messenger of God with my sword. I wanted to protect him with my soul and everything. If my father had been alive and appeared in front of me, I would definitely have killed him with my sword.”

Thus, a person who once said, “I will not be subject to Muhammad even if all Arabs and non-Arabs become subject to him” could not resist the attraction of the light the Messenger of God brought and embraced Islam.

The Islamic Army Gathers Strength Again

When the Messenger of God, who had been left with only a handful of mujahids, saw that the enemy was coming toward them like a flood, he wanted to spur Duldul, his horse, and fight them; however, Abbas was holding the reins and Abu Sufyan b. Harith was holding the stirrup of Duldul and trying to prevent the Prophet.

During this tumult, the Messenger of God said to his uncle Abbas, who was holding the reins of Duldul, “O Abbas! Call out this, ‘O Ansar! O Companions who paid allegiance to the Messenger of God under Samura tree! Where are you?’” Abbas called out in a strong voice.

The strong voice resonated through the valley. The mujahids who were running away stopped. After the dawn, it was getting bright; similarly, the mujahids came to their senses by getting rid of the fear that covered their hearts. It dawned on them; they said, “Where are we going? Who are we leaving the Messenger of God to?”

They looked as if they had woken up from a deep sleep. They remembered their promise to the Messenger of God and started to come to their senses. The feet that were running away started to run toward the Prophet, who was like a statue of courage in this tumult. The same thing had happened during the Battle of Uhud, too. The courage, strength and perseverance of the Messenger of God had prevented the Islamic army from a worse situation.

The mujahids that surrounded the Prophet drew their swords and started to attack the enmy. The clangs of the swords were accompanied by the takbir sounds of the mujahids. The enemy soldiers were terrified and frightened all of a sudden.

Heroic Companions like Hazrat Uthman, Hazrat Ali and Abu Dujana fought in front of the Messenger of God by using their bodies as shields for the Messenger of God. Hazrat Ali discouraged the enemy soldiers with his agility and courage.

During this most severe moment of the fighting, the Messenger of God stood up on the stirrups of Duldul and said, “Now, the oven has heated; the war has become hot!” Then he looked at the terrifying scene and called out, “I am the Messenger of God. This is no lie!”

With those words, he stated that prophethood and telling lies would not be together and that he believed in the help promised by God. This call was the harbinger of victory, which was the reward of patience and perseverance.

Meanwhile, Hazrat Ali and Abu Dujana killed one of the standard-bearers of the enemy. When Hawazins saw that their standard-bearer was killed, they started to feel scared.

[wisdomrays]

Everything is from Him

Divine protection and the failure of conspiracies

When the life of the Pride of Humanity is studied, Divine help and protection can clearly be observed. The polytheists were trying to destroy their hope by lying in wait for him and other believers at every corner. They wanted to fall upon them and inflict various torments—even hoping to kill some of them. However, the hopes of the blessed Prophet were never shaken. 

The polytheists of Mecca also devised various plots against the Prince of the Prophets, as it is stated in the Qur’an:

 “And (recall, O Messenger,) how those who disbelieve schemed against you to take you captive, or kill you, or drive you away (from Mecca). Thus were they scheming, but God put His will into effect (and brought their scheme to nothing)” (al-Anfal 8:30).

When the humble abode of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, was surrounded by assassins and there seemed to be no possible way out, the same Divine providence occurred as happened during the Battle of Uhud, when he was losing blood after his blessed cheek was wounded and his blessed tooth was broken. It would have been impossible to find a way out of any of these instances from a perspective of causality. However, God Almighty saved His beloved Messenger. When his home was under siege, God let him walk through the antagonists comfortably and then let him cover more than 400 km without anybody catching him. Even the skillful Suraqa ibn Malik, who traced and caught up with the blessed Prophet, came to his knees and diverted the other chasers.

In fact, with a careful look, it is possible to see similar scenes of Divine providence in the lives of all of those who struggled on the path of God. Eminent persons such as Tariq ibn Ziyad and Uqba ibn Nafi are examples to this. As it is known, Uqba ibn Nafi conquered the whole of North Africa; he rode his horse until the Atlantic Ocean and then said, “My God, had this dark sea not appeared before me, I would take your exalted name to the worlds beyond seas.” When the examplary lives of these wonderful persons are viewed, it is seen that the bestowals they were granted were realized would seem improbable when viewed through the lens of causality.

One out of a million probability

As for the volunteers of education in our time, they adopted the message of Jalaluddin Rumi, who said, “A candle does not lose anything from its own light by lighting another,” and set forth to the four corners of the world in order to light up the entire world with their hands. By God’s permission and grace, they were welcome in the lands they traveled to. Like the services carried out in earlier periods, those in our time also constitute a phenomenon that is only possible through the confluence of many different circumstances. For example, concerning the first opening to the former Soviet Republics, the necessary conditions were the disintegration of one of the superpowers of that period, the presence of qualified young teachers and tutors at that time, and their volunteering to go to places they would have had difficulty finding on a map, in spite of the difficulties that awaited them. Most of them were new graduates and many of them likely wanted to stay in their homelands. Homesickness is hard. However, although those young men and women were in the prime of their lives, they overcame their misgivings and fears, and they went without any panic or hesitation to these new lands, many of which were countries whose traditions, customs, and languages they did not understand.

Similarly, it should not be forgotten that the parents of those newly graduated devoted souls expected things from them. How did those volunteers of education, who had devoted their lives to making others live, soften their parents and convince them? How did these parents agree to be separated from their children?

Also, some of these self-sacrificing people were engaged and they had to leave behind the person they were engaged to. Both those who went away and those who stayed behind felt longing and grief, but they didn’t let these feelings serve as obstacles to the services they needed to carry out. By saying, “This is what our people and humanity expect from us,” they made a moving sacrifice. Thinking about these altogether, it is almost impossible for these probabilities to be realized simultaneously, except through Divine grace.

In addition, the necessary causes for these good activities rendered for the sake of humanity were not limited to these. There was also the need for self-sacrificing benefactors who believed in the correctness and necessity of these educational services. Finding those benefactors, convincing them, and asking them to voluntarily finance these needs was a difficult task.

It is God who grants these accomplishments!

Actually, ascribing every good deed and achievement to God is an issue given special care in Muslim belief and ethics. For example, adhering to this consideration, Umar ibn al-Khattab removed the army commander Khalid ibn al-Walid during a very critical battle at Yarmuk. At this war, which ended the Roman rule in Syria and maintained Muslim dominance, the enemy forces were some 7 or 8 times greater than Muslims. With God’s permission, the Muslims were victorious in the end. The strategies applied by the commander, Khalid ibn al-Walid, who was a military genius, together with his courage and valor were appreciated by all.

In spite of such an ongoing battle, the Caliph Umar took the commander from duty and the famous Khalid was humbly standing before the caliph. He was a great commander who had crushed the Sassanid Empire and was then defeating the Romans. The blessed caliph Abu Bakr said, “no mother has given birth to a son like Khalid.” As a Western commentator remarked, commanders like Hannibal can only beg for assistance from Khalid.

Although he was a person of such standing, he was an ordinary member of the army who humbly stood before the caliph to be taken from duty. When Khalid came before the caliph—may my soul be sacrificed for both—Umar ibn al-Khattab told him, “Khalid, you know that I love you very much. But people are ascribing the victories gained to your person. But I know that it is God Almighty who actually grants these to us. I am anxious for you to become a myth. This is why I have discharged you from command.”

In that situation, Khalid ibn al-Walid crowned his greatness with dizzying modesty and came under the command of Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah who had been a soldier under his command; from then on, until the end of his life, he served as a brilliant soldier.

In short, it should never be forgotten that any issue cannot be realized without Divine power and help. Every good thing happens only by God’s permission, help, and custody. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the activities realized so far as a result of God Almighty’s custody and as a manifestation of His help and support. At the same time, these should trigger our feelings of praise and gratitude to Him, so that the blessings we have received so far will continue with our thankfulness. Otherwise, if we attribute the achievements made—may God forbid!—to ourselves, then God leaves us with our own limited power, strength, and will. This would be a breach of this blessed trust, which we have inherited from very sincere hands. Upholding the truths of the Qur’an in this universe as they deserve can only be possible by remaining faithful to the truth of Divine unity, believing that it is not possible for even a leaf to move without His help, and leading our lives by remaining true to this belief.

[basicsofislam]

PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH)’s BIOGRAPHY : The Battle of Hunayn.1

(8th year of the Migration, 5 Shawwal Saturday / AD 630, January 27)

With the conquest of Makkah, almost all of the Qurayshis became Muslims. The conquest affected the tribes that were the allies of the Qurayshis; they started to have nice feelings about Islam and Muslims, and showed interest in Islam. This interest was regarded as a sign that they would be allies of the Messenger of God.

However, there were some tribes that were deprived of this interest: The tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif were the leaders of them. They were known to be the fierce enemies of the Prophet and Muslims. Though many Arab tribes became loyal to the Messenger of God, they could not end their enmity. They deceived themselves because they were the strongest tribes of that region and assumed groundless pride.

When the Messenger of God conquered Makkah and became allies with the Qurayshis and many other tribes, Hawazin and Thaqif tribes decided to make preparations and attack Makkah. Their aim was to attack Makkah suddenly before the Prophet could attack them.

The leaders of both tribes expressed their intention when they talked to each other. They said, “There is nothing that can prevent Muhammad from attacking us. What is appropriate for us is to attack him before he attacks us.”[ Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, Vol. 2, p. 149. ]

As a matter of fact, they formed an army consisting of twenty thousand soldiers under the command of Malik b. Awf, the leader of Hawazins, with the participation of the people from the tribes around. Malik b. Awf, their commander, made all of the women, children and sheep join the army so that the soldiers would fight bravely and would not run away.  

The enemy army consisting of twenty thousand people settled in a place called Awtas together with the women, children and animals.[ Ibn Hisham, Sirah, Vol. 4, p. 80; Tabari, Tarikh, Vol. 3, p. 126. ]

The Prophet is Informed about the Situation

When the Messenger of God heard that Hawazin and Thaqif tribes came together in order to attack the Islamic land, he immediately sent Abdullah b. Abi Hadrad to the enemy so that he would gather some information.

Abdullah wondered among the enemy soldiers in disguise for a few days and collected necessary information. He heard Malik b. Awf, the commander of the army, say the following to the other commanders:

“This will be the last fight of Muhammad. The people that he has fought up to now were people unaware of fighting. That is why, he defeated them.

When it is dawn, line your animals, women and children behind you. Then line your soldiers.

When you see the Muslims, you will attack them.

Break the sheaths of your swords and attack at once like one single man. Know it very well that victory belongs to the party that attacks first!”

After collecting this information, Abdullah returned to Makkah and informed the Prophet about what he had heard.

The Prophet Prepares the Army

When the Messenger of God was informed that a big army had been prepared against him, he acted very fast to attack them in the place where they had settled.

Meanwhile, he said to Safwan b. Umayya, who had a lot of weapons and armor but who had not become a Muslim yet, “O Abu Umayy­a! We will go and fight the enemy tomorrow. Lend your weapons to us.”

Safwan said, “O Muhammad! Do you want to take them by force and not give them back?”

The Prophet said, “No... I want to borrow them; I will pay for the ones that will be broken and that will get lost.”

Thereupon, Safwan gave him armor for one hundred people and weapons that will be enough for them; he also undertook the duty of carrying them to the place of fighting upon the request of the Prophet.[ Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 4, p. 83; Tabari, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 127. ]

The Prophet appointed Attab b. Asid, who was a young man aged twenty, as the governor of Makkah on the day of the conquest of Makkah. He also appointed Muadh b. Jabal to teach Islam and the Quran in the city.[ Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 4, p. 83; Tabari, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 127. ]

The Islamic Army Leaves Makkah

It was the fifth of the month of Shawwal in the 8th year of the Migration.

The Islamic army consisting of twelve thousand soldiers under the command of the Messenger of God set off from Makkah toward the place where the enemy army had settled. Two thousand soldiers were Makkans. There were also about eighty polytheists in the army. Many notables of the Quraysh were among these eighty people. They wanted to see which party would win and to get some booty.

The Prophet had not led such a big army before. However, he knew that the number of the soldiers was not enough for the victory. He knew that it was God Almighty who granted victory and who caused defeat and that man was obliged to make perfect preparations that will enable him to gain victory. Therefore, he did not show any traces of pride though he was leading such a big and magnificent army.  

However, some mujahids who trusted in the number of the soldiers said,

“We will not be defeated due to insufficient number of soldiers today.”[ Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 4, p. 87. ]

However, they had defeated many armies that were more crowded than them and that had more weapons than them several times with the help of God. The Victory of Badr was a very clear example. The Battle of Khandaq and Muta were visible examples. However, they talked as if the only element to bring victory was the number of soldiers.

Naturally, the Messenger of God did not like what they said and showed it through his attitude.

They Arrive at Hunayn

It was Tuesday, 11th of the month of Shawwal.

The Messenger of God and his army arrived at the valley of Hunayn, which had many slopes and descents, narrow passes and hidden ways.

At dawn, he arranged his army in ranks. He gave the flags and the standards to their bearers.

Hazrat Ali had the standard of the Muhajir Muslims; Sa’d b. Abi Waqqas and Hazrat Umar had their flags. Hubab b. Mundhir and Usayd b. Khudayr had the standards of Ansar Muslims.

Sons of Sulaym under the command of Khalid b. Walid formed the vanguards of the Islamic army.

The Messenger of God acted very cautiously. He was on his horse, Duldul. He had put on two armored shirts; there was a cap on his head and a helmet.[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 150. ]

The Messenger of God, who feared the Creator more than everybody and who worshipped Him more than everybody, obeyed the material laws of God Almighty in daily life called “Adatullah” more than everybody and observed those rules very carefully. He showed his situation against the enemy very clearly. Though he was under the protection of God and was helped by God, he put on two armored shirts when people put on only one and he had a cap and a helmet on his head.  

First Clash

It was the time of dawn.

The Prophet ordered his army to go down the valley of Hunayn in order to take the enemy by surprise. The vanguards under the command of Khalid went down the valley first; they were unaware of the plans and movements of the enemy. They were attacked by the arrows of the enemy that had ambushed in two places overlooking the valley. The attack of the arrows astonished the mujahids in the narrow valley, which was not suitable for military maneuvers. It was still dark, which made things harder for them. The vanguards had to retreat; after them, the new Makkan Muslims who had voluntarily joined the army started to retreat. The retreat was about to turn into a defeat.

The situation was very delicate; the scene was very painful.

There were only about one hundred mujahids around the Messenger of God. The enemy was coming toward them with their twenty thousand soldiers. The Prophet called out, “O people! Where are you going? Come toward me! I am Messenger of God! I am Muhammad b. Ab­dullah.”

The battlefield was like Doomsday. The camels were hitting each other; the horses were neighing and causing a lot of tumult and fear.

The Messenger of God was sitting on Duldul like a statue of bravery though everybody was retreating and running away and the enemy forces were coming toward him like a flood. He did not move back even one step; he had no signs of fear; he was full of courage, hope and strength. Only that hero of the heroes could stand bravely against the enemy that consisted of twenty thousand soldiers in this tumult.  

The Hatred and Enmity in the Hearts are Revealed

When the Islamic army faced such an unexpected defeat, some Qurayshis started to utter bad words.

Abu Sufyan b. Harb said, “This defeat cannot be stopped.”

Safwan b. Umayya had not become a Muslim yet. However, he did not like what Abu Sufyan said. He said to Abu Sufyan, “May soil and stones fill your mouth!

Meanwhile, Safwan b. Umayya came and said to him, “Good news! The spell has been broken today; it has lost its effect.” Safwan b. Umayya said to him,

“Shut up! May God tear your mouth! I prefer a Qurayshi to rule over me than a Hawazin.”

Suhayl b. Amr said, “Muhammad and his Companions can never recover and fight again.”

Abu Jahl’s son Ikrima, who had just become a Muslim, said, “It is not appropriate to talk like that!” He added,  

“God has control over everything. Muhammad cannot do anything. If the war is against him today, it will definitely be in favor of him tomorrow.”

Suhayl was surprised when he heard what Ikrima said, “You used to say just the opposite.”

Ikrima said,

“By God, we used to insist on things that were not appropriate. We did not think very well; we kept on worshipping some stones that could neither harm nor help us.”[ Halabi, Insanu’l-Uyun, Vol. 3, p. 70. ]

God Almighty Protects His Prophet from an Assassination

During this defeat, some of the Qurayshis that had not become Muslims yet thought about killing the Prophet. Shay­ba b. Uthman was one of them.

His father was killed during the Battle of Uhud; he was full of the feelings of revenge and hatred. He drew his sword. He wanted to approach the Prophet from the right side of the Prophet. He saw that Hazrat Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, was standing there with his sword shining in his hand. He thought, “I cannot approach him while his uncle is there.” Then, he moved to the left side of the Prophet. He wanted to attack from that direction. However, he saw that Abu Sufyan b. Harith, the Prophet’s cousin was standing there. He thought, “His cousin will help him.” This time, he wanted to approach the Prophet from behind. He approached him and wanted to lift his sword. There was nothing that could prevent him from hitting the Prophet. Just then, a blaze of fire appeared between him and the Prophet. Shayba shivered and felt scared. He thought the blaze was going to scorch him. He closed his eyes due to his fear and moved back. Only then did he realize that the Prophet was protected by God.  

While he was moving back, the Messenger of God turned toward him smiling and said, “O Shayba! Come here!”

Shayba, who had dared to kill the Prophet a minute ago, was shivering and shaking in fear. He went to the Prophet, who put his blessed hand on his chest and prayed: “O God! Remove all of the delusions of Satan from him.”

All of a sudden, the feelings of revenge and hatred in his heart disappeared and were replaced by belief and love of the Prophet. Shayba described that moment as follows: “By God, before he removed his hand from my chest, there was nobody more beloved to me from him.”

Then, the Prophet said, “O Shayba! Come on, fight the unbelievers!”

Shayba said,

“I fought in front of the Messenger of God with my sword. I wanted to protect him with my soul and everything. If my father had been alive and appeared in front of me, I would definitely have killed him with my sword.”[ Ibn Qayyim, Zadu’l-Maad, Vol. 2, p. 208; Ibn Sayyid, Uyunu’l-Athar, Vol. 2, p. 191. ]

Thus, a person who once said, “I will not be subject to Muhammad even if all Arabs and non-Arabs become subject to him” could not resist the attraction of the light the Messenger of God brought and embraced Islam.

The Islamic Army Gathers Strength Again

When the Messenger of God, who had been left with only a handful of mujahids, saw that the enemy was coming toward them like a flood, he wanted to spur Duldul, his horse, and fight them; however, Abbas was holding the reins and Abu Sufyan b. Harith was holding the stirrup of Duldul and trying to prevent the Prophet.

During this tumult, the Messenger of God said to his uncle Abbas, who was holding the reins of Duldul, “O Abbas! Call out this, ‘O Ansar! O Companions who paid allegiance to the Messenger of God under Samura tree! Where are you?’” Abbas called out in a strong voice.[ Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 4, p. 87; Tabari, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 128. ]

The strong voice resonated through the valley. The mujahids who were running away stopped. After the dawn, it was getting bright; similarly, the mujahids came to their senses by getting rid of the fear that covered their hearts. It dawned on them; they said, “Where are we going? Who are we leaving the Messenger of God to?”

They looked as if they had woken up from a deep sleep. They remembered their promise to the Messenger of God and started to come to their senses. The feet that were running away started to run toward the Prophet, who was like a statue of courage in this tumult. The same thing had happened during the Battle of Uhud, too. The courage, strength and perseverance of the Messenger of God had prevented the Islamic army from a worse situation.

The mujahids that surrounded the Prophet drew their swords and started to attack the enmy. The clangs of the swords were accompanied by the takbir sounds of the mujahids. The enemy soldiers were terrified and frightened all of a sudden.

Heroic Companions like Hazrat Uthman, Hazrat Ali and Abu Dujana fought in front of the Messenger of God by using their bodies as shields for the Messenger of God. Hazrat Ali discouraged the enemy soldiers with his agility and courage.

During this most severe moment of the fighting, the Messenger of God stood up on the stirrups of Duldul and said, “Now, the oven has heated; the war has become hot!”[ Ibn Hisham, ibid, Vol. 4, p. 87; Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 151; Tabari, ibid, Vol. 3, p. 129. ]Then he looked at the terrifying scene and called out, “I am the Messenger of God. This is no lie!”[ Ibn Sa’d, ibid, Vol. 2, p. 151. ]

With those words, he stated that prophethood and telling lies would not be together and that he believed in the help promised by God. This call was the harbinger of victory, which was the reward of patience and perseverance.

Meanwhile, Hazrat Ali and Abu Dujana killed one of the standard-bearers of the enemy. When Hawazins saw that their standard-bearer was killed, they started to feel scared.

[comparatist]

Photo: Pinterest

Umar Khalid had told a news source(probably newslaundry) that lies would be spreaded on his name and the police would be soon knocking his door. After the Delhi(Dalli)Police claims of Umar having connections to the Delhi riots, there are certain things that need to be pointed out:

1. It was not a riot. It was a planned pogrom against Muslims.

2. Women were raped(rescue teams had contraceptives in their relief list), children were burned alive(a baby died inside a burning house despite the mother crying a begging to let her take the baby out), shot alive, men were in no better position.

3. The people who were shouting Goli maaro saalon ko and were demolishing numerous mosques and putting the saffron flag upon the demolished structures were not in their sane mind but were intoxicated by bloodlust. There's also a news of water bottles being provided to these hatemongers in the pre-riot situation with certain chemicals which had stopped the functioning of rationality in their brain.

4. The police were seen breaking cameras(there are ample amount of videos in the public domain) and helping the rioters by shooting Muslim people themselves. The survivors of the Delhi pogrom had later shared their horror stories to the Karwaan-e-Mohabbat team where they saw the agents of state machinery acting upon their bigoted indoctrination.

5. Let's just be honest! When Narendra Modi said, 'the rioters can be identified by their clothes', what do you think he meant? He and his agents have already otherised and marginalised the Muslims and have been demonising them since long. The arrests of Umar Khalid and other activists regarding the planned massacre in Delhi is nothing but an execution of his words. Here lies the question. Umar has been arrested and framed as a rioter for his religion. The pogrom was against Muslims. There are videos and news of mosques getting demolished and people with saffron flags attacking the dilapidated structures. So, how does the whole 'Umar Khalid conspired in the Delhi riots' thing seriously work?

6. Delhi Police claims that the massacre(i will not call it a riot) is a part of a mudslinging campaign against the Prime Minister by the Anti CAA protesters who organised the riot in the wake of Trump's visit in India. Ha matlab camera todne wala video bhi ap hi ka hai, jhooth v ap hi bolo!

Umar spoke about the Constitutional Rights for 'All'. This 'All' extends to the marginalized sections too. This 'All' includes the Muslims too. We all have seen how the Delhi Police is capable of doing nothing to Ram Bhakt Gopal and other men who tried to disrupt the Shaheenbagh sit-in by open firing there. We all know what the Delhi Police did to the site and the paintings after Shaheenbagh sit-in had to be stopped due the the viral pandemic. The target is of shutting up the democratic voices. The hate speeches of Kapil Mishra, Anurag Thakur are there, the identification of Komal Sharma has been done! Still they are roaming scotfree. There’s no tomorrow, there’s no new dawn if you don't raise your voice today!

[umarfarooqzahoor]

The cryptocurrency show “Social Knockout” is making history – Umar Farooq Zahoor

The fact is nothing new is that Dubai is a hub of events. Whether a summit or a Dubai shopping festival, Dubai is always standing in the front row to encourage such programs. It is already mid-year of 2021, and almost half of the summit and events has already made the new headline, and some are preparing to make some exciting headline. Dubai celebrated the cryptocurrency event Social Knockout on 30 July 2021 at Coca-Cola Arena among the crowd of summits and events. With the commencement of the Social Knockout in Coca-Cola Arena, a new history has been written.

The concept of cryptocurrency is entirely new but gained immense popularity. And Social Knockout is the world’s first cryptocurrency event that has become one of the most successful and unforgettable programs for boxing fans, the city's royal family, and a thousand fans of social influencers. To those who don’t have any idea what social knockout is and are still confused. Here is the answer. As you all, know social media has become a robust platform from where the multiple numbers of sensations are rising. Social knockout is a program that brings out the social media platform sensation altogether and lets them battle in the ring.

The leading entrepreneurs such as Sheikh Umar Farooq Zahoor encourage such events because an event like social knockout helps to inspire and uplift the hidden talents. The event started according to the scheduled time, 7 pm, and the entire program was broadcasted live. Celebrities from different countries have performed in the show. The audiences enjoyed the song of one of the leading Indian Rapper Guru Randhawa , and Rapper Julius Dubose was also seen performing in the event.  

With the audience's demand, artist Boogie with Da Hoodie and singer Joseph Antonio Cartagena known as Fat Joe has dazzled the evening with their delightful performance.  Sheikh Umar Farooq Zahoor and many other celebrities have enjoyed the entire program from the VIP lounge. The performances and the ecstasy level also increased to another level with the influencer combat between Kagimu Versus Aminoc, Mohamad Khalid and 3Bidaanetc. The boxing combat between the YouTubers has seen quite a rise.

Umar Farooq Zahoor said, UAE added a new chapter in history with the Social Knockout, The first-ever cryptocurrency event has set a benchmark. It was a great way to initiate the transaction of cryptocurrency in an Event.

[abuaisha95]

The True Meaning of Neutrality

What is true "neutrality"? Well it can be two things. It can be a person who maintains his stance by keeping his head in the sand or it can be done by keeping a balanced view of a conflict. One thing people mistakenly view as neutrality is the "neutrality" of Abu Khalid Al Suri which really wasn't neutral. Those who researched know that he was responsible for leaking confidential documents to the mainstream media like Al Jazeera. He also died guarding the Western-backed factions as they sieged IS soldiers. Umar Al Shishani already warned that nothing would stand between them and saving their brethren, thus Abu Khalid knew the consequences of his actions. I don't support the killing of Abu Khalid as much as I don't support aimless killing of IS soldiers, but we have to realise Abu Khalid wasn't a "victim" of the Fitnah but rather a "partaker" if not a "reason" the Fitnah happened. This post isn't an endorsement for any forms of illegal activities or violence and the intention is only to clarify the true meaning of "neutrality" which to some means I agree with 99% of their narrative but I am reluctant to join due to the issue of obedience.