Gog Magog use ‘power’ to oppress

 

An Islamic View of Gog Magog in the Modern World

 

 

They use ‘power’ to oppress (Qur’an)

Surah al-Kahf of the Qur’an has provided us with a description of how power was used when it was founded on faith (in Allah Most High). Dhul Qarnain possessed faith in Allah Most High to such an extent that Allah established his rule on Earth and bestowed on him the means to achieve whatever objective he chose to pursue. Allah Most High even spoke to him and addressed him by name while offering him a choice of using power to punish or to use in a manner which was kind and gracious. His choice and response (see al-Kahf, 18:87-8 above) was unambiguously based on values and integrity. 

 

Dhul Qarnain’s use of power was again described in Surah al-Kahf in a second instance where he encountered a people “for whom We (Allah) had provided no cover other than that (i.e. naturally provided).” His response was to respect their human rights and to unconditionally recognize the precedence of such rights over all other interests regardless of their primitive way of life and regardless of even such strategic interests as the acquisition of territory, mining for diamonds and gold, extracting (Caspian) oil resources, etc. He left them as they were.  

 

But the use of the name ‘Dhul Qarnain’ (i.e. he who possesses two horns, or he of two ages) in Surah al-Kahf indicated, in our opinion, the existence of ‘two’ ages, one described in the Surah, and another to which the Surah implicitly directed attention. The second age that was to come, in consequence of which the term ‘Dhul Qarnain’ (i.e. pertaining to two ages) was divinely used in the Surah, would emerge when Gog and Magog were released by divine decree. The world would then witness power founded on godlessness rather than faith in Allah Most High. Power would then be used in a manner completely opposite to that of Dhul Qarnain. 

 

Instead of power being used to punish the oppressor, it would rather be used to oppress and target those who have faith (in Allah Most High) and whose conduct is righteous. The world would then witness war on ‘Islam’ in particular, and on the ‘religious way of life’ in general. Secondly, those who possess power would not care a fig-leaf for human rights. Instead, they would exterminate and oppress even the weakest of human beings (who live a primitive way of life) like cockroaches as they unjustly seize control of territory or resources such as diamonds, gold, oil, water, etc. 

 

Gog and Magog would be people whose profile of conduct is anarchical, aggressive and oppressive.

 

Source

to be continued . . . .

 

HIS FIDELITY Muhammad the Greatest

HIS FIDELITY 

IT IS A BOUNDLESS FAVOUR. HE NEVER FORGOT THIS GOOD KADIJAH. LONG AFTERWARDS, AYESHA HIS YOUNG FAVOURITE WIFE, A WOMAN WHO INDEED DISTINGUISHED HERSELF AMONG THE MOSLEMS, BY ALL MANNER OF QUALITIES, THROUGH HER WHOLE LONG LIFE; THIS YOUNG BRILLIANT AYESHA WAS, ONE DAY, QUESTIONING HIM. 'NOW AM NOT I BETTER THAN KADIJAH? SHE WAS A WIDOW; OLD, AND HAD LOST HER LOOKS: YOU LOVE ME BETTER THAN YOU DID HER?' 'NO, BY ALLAH!' ANSWERED MAHOMET: 'NO, BY ALLAH! SHE BELIEVED IN ME WHEN NONE ELSE WOULD BELIEVE. IN THE WHOLE WORLD I HAD BUT ONE FRIEND, AND SHE WAS THAT!... 

Heros and Hero-Worship, p. 76

 It would have been easier to repel the temptation of the devil than to succumb to the ego of a young, loving, brilliant and beautiful wife like lady Ayesha Siddiqa. Why not let her hear the soft soothing balm of flattery-, it will not harm anyone. Even the soul of Bibi Khadija, the mother of the Faithful, would look light-heartedly at the ruse. There is no shamming, no innocent "white lies" with Muhammad (pbuh). Traits of this kind show us the genuine man, brother of us all, brought visible through fourteen centuries, - - - the veritable son of our common mother. 

Source

To Be Continued....

The Way to Salvation - KINDNESS

KINDNESS

A prophetic saying further elaborates this in these words:

‘He who is devoid of kindness is devoid of all good’.

A higher stage of ‘twasi bil-haqq’ is that of calling people to Allah, enjoining good and forbidding evil. A true Muslim should give clothing to the ill-clad, food to the hungry and drink to the thirsty. But the greatest benefit he can render to his fellow beings is to turn them back from moral and spiritual bankruptcy and guide them to the straight path of the Quran and Sunnah. 

In one’s life journey to the ultimate goal, the duty of each Muslim is to catch hold of the hand of one who goes astray from the straight path of Islam and to guide him aright. Mutual counsel gives life to actions and fosters a healthy spirit among the individuals.

At a still higher stage, ‘twasi bil-haqq’ adopts the form of testifying to the truth and veracity of Islam (Shahadat-ihaqq) exalting the truth from Allah over all man-made ideologies (E’Ia-e-Kallmatillah), and establishing Islam both in the individual and social aspects of life (Iqamat-i-Din). The testimony to the truth may be by the tongue of a true preacher or the pen of a devoted scholar, or by the life of a man devoted to service. The highest and most revered form of this testimony is presented by a Muslim who leaves his house and family to fight the enemy for the cause of Allah (Jehad-fi-Sabilillah). Endurance is the greatest solace of a true Muslim while going through all the trials on account of ‘twasi bil-haqq’. Especially in the higher stages, mutual teaching and exhorting to constancy become so essential that ‘twasi-bis-sabr’ has been mentioned separately to highlight the collective and cooperative character of Muslim society.

It is no doubt difficult for all and sundry to attain the above mentioned highest stages of belief or ‘Iman’, righteous deeds, mutual exhortation of truth and mutual exhortation of patience and endurance. But if a man’s inner personality has not been corroded by some spiritual or moral ailment, it is almost certain that a healthy and potent seed of religious belief will flourish into wholesome and balanced branches of righteous actions, exhortation to truth and constancy.

It is surely excusable if a lay Muslim, who has very little knowledge of the fundamentals of Islam and performs the well known basic duties of ‘Shariah’ (Islamic code of law), confines himself to ‘twasi bil-marhama’ i.e., doing himself acts of kindness and compassion and advising others to the same, which is just the threshold of ‘twasi bil-Haqq’. But those who embark on rigorous spiritual exercises like repeated recitation of a religious formula called ‘Zikr’ to attain deeper and richer states of faith and belief, those who engage themselves in devotional prayers and ‘mustahabbat’ (some thing additional to what is obligatory of ‘farz’) but pay little attention to the more obligatory duty of ‘twasi-biI-haqq’ are seriously misguided in their attitude. Lives of these people are mostly either totally devoid of the essential religious duty of ‘twasi bll-haqq’ or they exhibit just a vestige of it in the form of occasional brief sermon or sporadic moralizing advice. This state of affairs is certainly wrong and needs to be rectified immediately.

In this connection a story reported by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) puts the urgency of this duty in very bold relief. He mentioned an extremely pious old man whom the angels testified that he never indulged in sin even for as long as the blink of an eye, but who never angered or got moved at the sight of people breaking the commands of God. Despite all his piety and life-long spiritual observances, Allah ordered the angels to destroy him first and then the entire community.

On the other hand, it should also be clearly understood that it is equally dangerous to aspire and struggle for the highest stages of ‘twasi bil-haqq’ through activities geared to establishing an Islamic order of society, but taking meager interest in spiritual devotions and performing only those prayers which are obligatory (farz), and attenuate faith to a mere theological belief without realizing its deeper meaning and cultivating it inwardly. All types of unbalanced attitudes and life-styles within these two extremes are misconceived and possibly dangerous.

Source: The Way to Salvation (Book by Dr Israr Ahmed)

Eid ul Adha 1435H

The Way to Salvation -

The Way to Salvation

In the Light of

Surah A1-Asr

By

Dr. Israr Ahmad

Translated by

Dr. Absar Ahmad &

Dr. Sanaullah Ansari

Revised by

Iqbal Ahmad Siddiqui

Shoba Samo Basr

Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an

 The Way to Salvation by Dr. Israr Ahmad In the Light of Surah Al-Asr:

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

1.   By (the Token of) Time (through the Ages),

2.   Verily Men are In a state of loss,

3.   Except those who have Faith,

        And do righteous deeds,

 And join together

        In the mutual teaching

        Of Truth, and of

 Patience and Constancy.

FOREWORD

 This booklet includes two papers on the same topic. The first one was published in the monthly ‘MEESAQ’ Lahore in 1966. The second is a speech which was delivered before a gathering of the staff and senior students of Aitchison College, Lahore (Pakistan). The speech was taped by the Principal, and was transcribed later. It appeared in the monthly ‘MEESAQ’ of June, 1973. The Principal of Aitchison College also published it and distributed it freely. I pray that these sincere efforts of the former Principal of Aitchison College may be accepted by Allah, and may He shower His blessings on him in this world and in the Hereafter. Both the articles are now being published together by Markazi Anjuman Khuddamul Quran, Lahore. As the topic of both articles is the same, naturally there might be some repetition. It might be asked, what was the necessity of publishing both of them. In this connection it may be pointed out that the style and standard of both differ in many respects. The first one is a written document in which, leaving aside the mental horizon of readers, the thoughts have been expressed smoothly and fluently in a particular style of writing and in a special linguistic tone.

The second article is basically a speech and its style portrays the sense of the spoken discourse and the language used is comparatively simpler. In this way the combination of these two articles, it is hoped, has enhanced its utility and efficacy.

Secondly, when studied seriously, it would become clear that wherever something has been repeated, it has also brought out a new point and there are many important items, which are either in the first one and absent in the other and vice versa. Both these articles are based on the sole aim, that is: to explain to Muslims the correct doctrine of eternal salvation and deliverance, and the practical demands of the Islamic faith. For this objective, I have compiled a selected course of the Holy Quran, the starting point of which is Surah AI-’Asr. If Allah so wishes and gives us the means, we intend to bring out the entire course in the form of such booklets for our readers.

Dr. lsrar Ahmad,

Founder President,

Markazi Anjuman Khuddamul Quran,

Lahore 

Source: The Way to Salvation (Book by Dr Israr Ahmed)

Muhammad - The Messenger of God

Source- Muhammad The Prophet of Islam by Prof.K.S.Ramakrishna Rao

80% Quran Words in Urdu - Group - 16

for English version Click Here!

Universal Thankfulness

ATTRIBUTES OF ALLAH

Q.   Name the various perfect Attributes of Al-lah?

  They are:

                                                              i.      Oneness;

                                                           ii.      Eternity or Self-existence;

                                                         iii.      Life;

                                                          iv.      Omnipotence;

                                                            v.      Omniscience;

                                                          vi.      Free will;

                                                       vii.      Knowledge;

                                                     viii.      Sight;

                                                          ix.      Speech;

                                                            x.      Creation;

                                                          xi.      Bringing into existence, etc.

Q.   What do we mean by Oneness as an Attribute?

  It means being One. It is a unique prerogative of Al-lah to be One in person as well as in Attributes. Faith in Oneness means faith in the Oneness of Al-lah.

Q.   What do we mean by the Attribute of Eternity or Self-existence?

  Eternity means being eternal with no beginning and no end. Self-existence means to be existent in one’s own right.

Q.   What do we mean by something being eternal?

  An Eternal Being is both azali and abadi. Azali means is what has no beginning and abadi means what is without end. Al-lah is both azali and abadi. This is what we mean by the term “Eternal”.

Q.   What do we mean by “Life” in this context?

  The Attribute means to be living. Thus, Al-lah is alive. The Attribute of “Life” is inalienable from Him.

Q.   What do we mean by the term Attribute of “Power”?

  The Attribute of Power in this context means the power to create, sustain, destroy and resurrect the universe.

Q.   What does the Attribute of “Knowledge” mean?

  It means that Al-lah is the knower of all things. Nothing big or small is outside his knowledge. He has knowledge of the smallest particle. He knows everything from before it comes into being and after it has disappeared. He knows full well and sees clearly how an ant moves its feet in a dark night. Whatever transpires inside a man is too evident to Him. Knowledge of the Unseen is the special Attribute of  Al-lah.

Q.   What is Free Will (Iradah)?

  Free will means doing things of one’s own will. It means that Al-lah creates whatever He wills and destroys whatever He desires. All things in the world flow from His might. Nothing in the universe is beyond His power. He is not helpless in anything.

Q.   What do the Attributes of Hearing and Seeing imply?

  They mean that Al-lah hears and sees everything. But He does not have ears and eyes like His creation. Nor have His ears and eyes of any shape. He hears the lowest of sounds and sees the smallest of objects. All things, far and near, bright or dark are equally evident to Him.

Q.   What do we mean by the Attribute of Speech?

  The Attribute signifies power to speak and talk. This Attribute is also inherent in Al-lah. He has however no tongue like us.

Q.   How can Al-lah talk if he has no tongue?

  We, the creatures will be unable to talk without tongue. This is because the entire creation bound by the law of cause and effect. But Al-lah, because He is not dependent on anything for any purpose, does not need the tongue to do the speaking. If even He were in need of the tongue to speak, He would not be Al-lah the Self-existent.

Q.   What do we mean by the Attribute of Creation?

  It means that it is Al-lah who creates things and brings them into being. This Attribute is also the exclusive prerogative of Al-lah.

Q.   Are there any other Attributes of Al-lah?

  Yes, He has other Attriutes too e.g., the Attributes of causing death; bringing into life; giving food, honour, dishonour, etc. All His Attributes are eternal. They neither admit of increase and decrease nor of change.