Bribery

This is the closest picture taken of Pharaoh

Ramesses II

Here's the story of France with Pharaoh Ramesses When Francisco Mitra became the president of France in 1981 France requested from the Egyptian government to host the mummy of Pharaoh

For the purpose of running laboratory and archeological examinations on the mummy of the most notorious dictator ever lived on earth Upon arrival, a very royal attendants were there including the French president himself and all ministers who bowed in honor for the mummy When the ceremony ended, the mummy was carried to a specially-designed section at the Archeology Centre
of France Were it started to be tested by the greatest French archeological and anatomical scientists in order to discover more about such a great mummy The scientists were headed by Professor Maurice Bucaille Scientists were trying to restore the mummy while Professor Maurice was mainly concerned with how did this mummy die! The final report of the scientists was released late at night which states that the remaining salt in the mummy is an overt evidence that it was drawn in the sea, and the body was rescued very shortly where it was immediately embalmed to be saved An amazing thing was still confusing Professor Maurice is that how could this body possibly be safer than any other mummy despite being taken out of the sea up until this time Professor Maurice was writing his final report on what he thought would be a new discovery about saving Pharaoh's body immediately after his death and embalming it And there, someone whispered to him that Muslims claim to know something about the drowning of this mummy Yet the Professor firmly denied such thing saying that it's impossible to discover this without the development of science and without using his high-tech and complicated laboratories and computers.

To his surprise, he was told that Muslims believe in a book called "Quran" and this Quran narrates the story of Pharaoh's drowning and ensures the safety of his body after his death as to be a Sign to mankind. The Professor couldn't believe his own ears and started to wonder:

How can a book existed 1400 years ago speak about the mummy that was only found 200 years ago, in 1898??!!

How can that be possible while the ancient Egyptian heritage was discovered only a few decades ago and no one knew about it before??!!

The Professor sat down pondering on what he was told about the book of Muslims while his Holy Book narrates only the drowning of Pharaoh without saying anything about his body

"Is it possible that this mummy in front of me is the one who was chasing Moses??!!"

"Is it possible that Muhammad knew this 1400 years ago??!!"

The Professor couldn't sleep that night till they brought him the Old Testament where he read: "the sea drowned Pharaoh and his army, no one else was left alive" He was surprised that the Holy Book didn't mention about the destiny of the body and that it will be saved When the scientists were done with the mummy, France retuned it to Egypt, but Professor Maurice couldn't rest for a moment since he was told that Muslims know about the safety of the body. So, he decided to travel and meet anatomy Muslim scientists and there he spoke about his discovery of the safety of the mummy after its
death in the sea and so on.

One of the Muslim scientists stood up and simply opened the Quran and pointed to the Professor at one verse:

"This day shall be save you in your body, that you may be a Sign to those who come after you! But verily, many among mankind are neglectful of Our Signs" (Quran 10:92)

The Professor was struck when he read that and immediately stood in front of the crowd and said loudly: "I believe in Islam, I believe in Quran"

Then he went back to France with a different face he traveled with.

In France, he dedicated 10 years investigating the scientific discoveries and comparing them with the Quran and trying to come up with one scientific contradiction with the Quran. Finally he quoted one verse from the Quran to be his conclusion:

"No falsehood can approach it (this book) from before or behind it: it is sent down by One Full of Wisdom, Worthy of all praise" (Quran 41:42)

As a result of all years of his research, Professor Maurice wrote a book that shook all Europe, especially the scientists there "Quran, Torah, Bible and Science: A Study of the Holy Books in the Light of Modern Science"

All copies were sold out at a very short time

I personally visited the Cairo Museum where the mummy is preserved and there you get astonished at the scenery of thousands of people from all over the world visiting the place everyday , unfortunately, many of the tourists there would think: "Woow, look at that! Amazing!!

So nice to see people of all times!! Without realizing the intended lesson that Allah has kept this body a Sign to all mankind of anyone who denies Allah and His messengers.

*********************************************************************************************************************

Maurice Bucaille reversion to Islam after Pharoah discovery

By the Editors

Rupee News, 5 November 2010

Was Abraham a myth? Is Ishmael, and Hagar and Zam Zam and Kaaba and the Final Messenger also a myth?

The Exodus is proven to be correct. Moses passed the sea of Aqaba to Arabia to Mount Jabl Al Lawz (Mt. Sinai) where he received the Torah. Pharaoh’s body was found in this sea.

Maurice Bucaille was born to a French parent and, like his family, he grew up a Christian. When he ended his secondary education, he joined Faculty of Medicine, France University. He excelled at medicine until he obtained a BSc degree and worked hard until he rose to fame, becoming the most renowned and cleverest surgeon ever in modern France, but a story happened to change his
life completely.

His story with the Pharaoh Mummy:-

France is known for its unique interest in archeology and heritage. When French Socialist President François Mitterrand assumed power in 1981, France asked Egypt, late in the eighties, for the mummy of Egypt’s pharaoh so that it would conduct a string of monumental and processing experiments. Actually the body of Egypt’s most notorious tyrant was transferred to France, and,
strangely, the French president and his ministers as well as senior officials in the country lined up near the plane carrying the pharaoh’s body and bowed down to him as if he were still alive! After the ceremonies of the royal –like reception to Egypt’s pharaoh were over, the tyrant’s mummy was carried nearly in the same red carpet reception way he received. Then the mummy was transferred to a special wing at the French Monuments Center, and renowned archaeologists, surgeons and anatomists started to conduct a study on this mummy in an attempt to delve into its mysteries.

The senior surgeon and the scientist in charge of the study on this mummy of the pharaoh was Professor Maurice Bucaille. While the professors were busy making restoration to the mummy, their head (Maurice Bucaille) was thinking otherwise. He was trying to discover how this pharaoh died when, late at night, he concluded his final analysis. The remains of the salt stuck in his body was a shining evidence that he had drowned and that his body was retrieved from the sea swiftly after he drowned; it was also obvious that they rushed to mummify his body so that his body would remain intact!! But
he (i.e. Maurice Bucaille) puzzled over a question: How did this body- to the exclusion of other mummified bodies of other ancient Egyptians- remain that intact although it was recovered from the sea?” He asked himself.

Maurice Bucaille was busy conducting a final report while thinking as to whether the pharaoh’s body was recovered from the sea and mummified immediately after he drowned. But one of his company whispered in his ear, saying” There is no need to rush about this issue, since the Muslims say that this pharaoh did drown”. At first, he vehemently rejected this say and did not believe it, citing that such a discovery would be reached only through sophisticated, modern and accurate computers. Another one accompanying him surprised him more when he told him that the Muslims’ Qu’ran in which they believe narrates the story that says he drowned and that his body remained intact even after he drowned. He got more surprised and kept on asking” Where did the Muslims’ Qu’ran quote these data from while the mummy was not discovered until 1898 AD, i.e. about 200 years only, given that the Qu’ran has been recited by Muslims for over 1400 years, and given also that until a few decades ago the entire mankind including Muslims did not know that the ancient Egyptians had mummified their pharaohs.

Maurice Bucaille stayed up all this night gazing at Pharaoh’s body, thinking deeply of what his fellow researcher told him about the Muslims’ Qu’ran explicitly establishing that this body was recovered after drowning, while the Christians’ Gospel (Matthew and Luka) narrated only the story of pharaoh when he was chasing Messenger Moses( pbuh) without mentioning the fate of his body at all. “Is it believable that Mohamed (pbuh) knew about this over one thousand years ago while I have only just known it ?!” he said to himself.

Maurice spent a sleepless night, and asked for a version of the Torah. He devoted part of his time to reading the Exodus in the Torah which read, “And the water turned to drown the military tools and horses of Pharaoh’s army, chasing all of them until it left nobody”. But this text only furthered Bucaille’s astonishment; since even Torah did not narrate that the body was recovered and remained intact due to the processing and restoration which it did undergo.

France sent back the mummy to Egypt in a splendid glass coffin. But , since he knew about the story circulated by Muslims on the intactness of this body, he decided to pack his baggage and travel to Saudi Arabia where a medical conference happened to be held with a galaxy of Muslim anatomists attending. There, told them about his discovery, i.e. that Pharaoh’s body was kept intact even after he drowned. One of the conferees opened the Quran and read out the verse in which Allah, SWT, said, ”So today We will (safely) deliver you with your body that you may be a sign to the ones succeeding
you; and surely many among mankind are indeed heedless of Our signs.” (Yunus, ayah 92).

In his excitement, he stood before the attendants and loudly said, “I have converted to Islam and believed in this Qu’ran”

Bucaille’s Achievements

Back to France, Maurice Bucaille completely changed and spent ten years only busy conducting a study as to how far the recently scientific facts match that mentioned in the Holy Qu’ran, trying to reassure himself that the Qu’ran has never contradicted with any single scientific fact, so that he eventually came up with the conclusion that Allah, SWT, said of the Qu’ran, “Untruth does not come up to it before (Literally: between its two hands) it nor from behind it; a successive sending down from (One) Ever-Wise, Ever-Praiseworthy.

These years which French Maurice spent conducting this study did bear fruit, after which he came up with a earth shaking book on the Holy Qu’ran which jolted the entire Western states, with the title of the book reading,” The Bible, The Qu’ran and Science, The Holy Scriptures Examined In The Light Of Modern Knowledge”.

All of a sudden, the book sold out , and even hundreds of thousands of it were translated from French to Arabic, English, Indonesian, Persian, Turkish and German, extending to include nearly all East and West bookstores; one has come to see it with any Egyptian, Moroccan or Gulf person in the US.

Mad Reactions

Some of the Jewish and Christian Clergy, out of malicious hatred, have come to counter the facts which the book established. However, what they wrote was nothing but a futile debate and desperate attempts through devilish suggestions. One of them, by name of Dr. William Campbell, authored a book titled, “Qu’ran and Holy Scripture, in the Light of History and Science” . In this book of his, he wandered and wandered but in the end he failed to achieve anything. More surprisingly, a Western scholar kept on reading the book authored by Bucaille in an attempt to counter it, and by the time he
ended it, he had converted to Islam and openly uttered the two parts of the Shahadah!

In the preface of his book, Maurice Bucaille said,” These scientific areas which Qu’ran established to the exclusion of other Scriptures filled me with deep surprise early on, since it never struck my mind to see such a large amount of scientific issues in such a variable and accurate way that they are a mirror image of what has recently been discovered in a book which has existed for more than 13 centuries!!

He also said, ”First, I studied the Holy Qu’ran in a subjective and unbiased way, in an attempt to find by myself that the Qu’ran texts and the givens of the modern science match and do not conflict. Before this study, I earlier knew, through the translated versions of the Qu’ran, that the Qu’ran stated so many natural phenomena. Thanks to the in -depth study of the Arabic text , I managed to gather a list of scientific signs in the Qu’ran, after which I realized that the Qu’ran contains no refutable ayahs, nor did I see scientific ayahs in the Qu’ran which contradict with the recently discovered facts. In the same subjective and unbiased way of research, I scrutinized the Old Testament and Holy Scriptures. Concerning the Old Testament, I needed not go further after I read the Exodus and found no harmony between its texts and the decided scientific givens in our age. Concerning the Holy Scriptures, one can easily read a text in Matthew Gospel which is in stark contrast with that in Luca, and that the latter presents us with matters which does not absolutely go with the modern science as to Man’s life on earth.”

Dr. Maurice Bucaille also said, “Anyone who reads the Qu’ran for the first time sees a book which abounds with accurate and easy –to- understand scientific subjects. While one fails to find any contradiction or errors in the Qu’ran, the current Torah abounds with fatal scientist errors. This prompts us to say that if the author of this Qu’ran was a human, then how did he write about facts which never belonged to his age?!”

His book, The Bible, The Qu’ran and Science, The Holy Scriptures Examined In The Light Of Modern Knowledge, was such a marvelous piece of writing that, in the year 1988, the French Academy awarded him its prize in history.

http://rupeenews.com/2010/11/05/maurice-bucaille-reversion-to-islam-after-pharoah-discovery/

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#20441

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Thu Mar 8, 2012 9:06 am
Subject: The Ideal Muslim

adammohomedsait@...

Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

Each one of us, in good faith, sincerely believe we are good Muslims. Some of us may also believe that we are very good Muslims, based on our understanding (that may be limited or faulty) of how a Muslim should be, in his interactions with his parents, his wife, his children, his friends (Muslims as well as non-Muslims), in short, with society. What a Muslim should project to the rest of mankind may be another matter. Some parts of the ideal Muslim may be there in each of us, in varying degrees, and it is necessary to learn what is expected by Allah from us. The essence of Islam should permeate our thoughts (and actions), and we should be perceived by the rest of mankind as indeed the best of Allah's creation.

The attached book, The Ideal Muslim, gives us the information we require on how we should conduct our lives, and you will find it very useful. I will, Insha Allah, send you all next week The Ideal Muslimah, a similar work for the Muslim woman, which will deal with specific matters relating to her, and together, these two books will help us in better understanding what Islam expects of us.

Please save this book and read it at leisure. Please also share this with all your people so they too may benefit from the wisdom contained in it.

The following are the books/booklets sent you previously. If you have not received all, let me know, and I will re-send you what you want:

The Fundamentals of Tawheed

Are we Forced or do we have Free Will

Eeman and its Components

Exposing Shaytan

Faith in the Angels

Four Foundations of Shirk

How do we Believe in the LAST DAY

Islamic Principles for the Muslim's Attitude during Fitan

The Day of Resurrection in light of soorah an-naba

The Modernists and the Hadeeth Rejectors

The Ruling Concerning Mawlid

What you must believe about your Creator

Worldly Difficulties- Reality, Causes and Benefits

Q & A on Islamic Matters- Vol. 1, 2, 3 & 4

Ibn Kathir's Stories of the Prophets

Salvation through Repentance

Death and Resurrection

A Code for Everyday Living by Imam Bukhari

Warning against Usury Transactions by Shaikh Ibn Baz

The Evil of Craving for Wealth and Status

Forbidden Business Transactions in Islam

Dealing with Worries and Stress

The Bible The Quran and Science

ADAM MOHOMED SAIT

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The Ideal Muslim.pdf

#20442

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Thu Mar 8, 2012 1:42 pm
Subject: Judging Somebody ? Too Soon or Not?

adammohomedsait@...

Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu all my friends

Today's mail has two articles. The first describes something most of us are guilty of in our day to day lives, and is something we need to introspect seriously on, for continuing it will do us no good; on the contrary it could land us in hot water (and blazing fire too) on the Day of Reckoning. The second needs to be widely publicized as non-Muslims need to be aware of the viewpoint of conscientious Muslim women (some at least) on the hijab they adopt. Their constant refrain is that the Muslim women are subjugated by their men, and they have no say in what they are being forced to do. Occasionally a voice is raised by the accused, and this voice not only needs to be heard, but shouted from the rooftops, not as a matter of blind propaganda, but to educate the West that they may not be always right, as they sanctimoniously assume they are.

Please do your part in sharing this matter with non-Muslims as well as your Muslim brothers/sisters.

Wassalam. Adam.

Judging Somebody ? Too Soon or Not?

By Farheen Naaz

The moment we lay our eyes on someone we end up judging them, in both, a good way and a bad way. Each person�s perception is different, but in general an individual judges or has wayward opinions about another with regards to his/her overall appearance, way of talking, clothing, walk, way of expressing, job, qualification, place of stay and other such things. Often we end up forming opinions without even knowing the person personally, for example, the other day I went to a jewellery shop with some friends and while we were waiting to be attended to, we overheard another customer asking the sales person in a heavily accented tone for latest and happening designs. Now in most parts of my city such a tone is regarded with someone trying to show-off, don�t ask me why! And well, sometimes looks really odd among all desis (but no reason to deem the person as air-headed). So, back on track, someone from the group started commenting on her accent which led to a pretty ugly (not literally) conversation, ranging from how she talked to the way she dressed! (May Allah forgive!)

What I�m trying to put across here is how we fall into the trap of satan ignoring our own faults and concentrating on forming opinions about others mercilessly. We don�t flinch or wince even once before doing so. But when you imagine someone who doesn�t even know you commenting or opinionating about you, your blood boils!

When you don�t/wouldn�t want someone to do that to you, why do you end up doing the same for someone else?

Leave alone our feelings and whims for a few minutes and let us look at what Islam has to offer us on this issue of judging others mercilessly.

One of the ninety-nine names of Allah is �Al-Haleem� which translates to �The Clement� meaning, Allah subhaana wa ta'aala is not quick in judgment. Allah gives all his servants time. He is patient and waits to see His servants return to Him even if it is after leading a sinful life.

There is a beautiful hadith which elaborates this attribute of Allah subhaana wa ta'aala showing us mortals how merciful He is when it comes to recording our bad deeds. Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported that the messenger of Allah sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said, �The angel of the left raises (and holds) his pen for six hours from the Muslim servant of Allah who has wronged or committed a mistake. So if he regrets and seeks Allah�s forgiveness from it, he (the angel) returns it back, and if that�s not the case then it is written as one� [ Mu�kam al Kabeer, Hasan according to Albani]

The mercy and greatness of Allah is beyond words once you know this Hadith. How often do we admonish a person as soon as s/he does something wrong? 99.99999% of the time it is always done! Not a second is spared after something wrong has been done! We need to take heed from this Hadith. How can we judge someone and form ill opinions about them (whether we know or don�t know them) when Allah Himself isn�t doing so before giving grace repentance time for a believer and repentance time for everybody which lasts until before you die! Are we so perfect to know the status of the heart of any individual and categorize them as good or bad?

One more hadith which I�d like to mention is:

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam said: "One who helped someone in a trouble in this world, Allah will help him in his trouble in the Hereafter and one who keeps the faults of a Muslim secret in this world, Allah will keep his faults in the Hereafter and Allah remains in the help of the (Muslim) man until he is in the help of his brother."

The next time we do something or even think of doing something like forming opinions or commenting on someone without knowing the truth of their life, I pray to Allah that we are reminded of the beautiful haidth mentioned and the mercy, greatness, forgiveness of Allahsubhaana wa ta'aala. Ameen.

*****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

In light of the recent bans being pushed by France, Syria etc, I felt a strong need, as a one of the women being targeted, to speak up,

Below is an article that I have compiled, and I pray to Allah Ta'ala that He use it anywhere, and anyhow to englighten whomever He wills.

A VOICE BEHIND A VEIL

By Khadijah Natalie Arbee

I am a muslim women. I wear the niqaab (face veil).

I�m one of those to whom the new law in France would apply. I�m one of the ones being discussed by politicians, human rights groups and the media.

I�m one of those whom many feel the need to liberate.

I�m one of those you may think is oppressed.

I�m one of those many of you detest the sight of...

I�m one of those whom you may believe is uneducated; one of the ones you may think has no voice.

But I do. So let me speak.

I am not Arab, Asian or even African. I am Australian. No, not �first generation�, �second generation�, or an immigrant. On my mother�s side, I�m of French-Canadian descent, and on my father�s side; British. I grew up as a Christian, and attended church occasionally. I was in the school swim team, and district netball team. I holidayed with my family in the summer on the Gold Coast, and I�m educated. I have a university degree.

When I was 18 years of age I was introduced to Islam. I studied it, and accepted it a year and a half later. By the time I reached 20, I was wearing the headscarf, and after I married I donned the niqaab.

Because of my husband? No.

My husband did not want me to wear it, although his mother and sister do, and out of respect for his wishes I didn�t do so for two years. But I wanted to, and eventually did, and knowing it to be in line with our religion, my husband knew he had no authority to prevent me, and he now greatly admires my strength.

Then, I wore it because of my father? No. He�s a catholic.

Because of my brother? Nope, haven�t got one.

My uncle? He�s an atheist.

Then because of my son? My eldest is only 8 years old. Then why??

Because I want to, that�s why.

And seeing as though my niqaab does not hurt anyone, that should be sufficient reason for all of you liberals of a liberal society; I should be able to finish my discussion right here. But although it may be so for any other style of dress, it isn�t enough when it comes to niqaab for some reason. You want more. So I will continue.

What makes me want to then? Two things: Faith and experience.

Faith? Yeah, faith. Faith in my Creator , faith in His decisions, faith in Islam. A deep faith. Many wander at the faith of Muslims, at their conviction and their commitment. It�s a faith, that if you are not Muslim, is hard to explain or describe. The scripture of Islam, the Qur�an has scientific miracles in it, such that have captivated scientists globally, leading many to accept Islam. Moreover, the Qur�an has not been changed in over a thousand years, since it was revealed; not one letter moved from its place. I dare say there isn�t a religious scripture like it, and this lends a clue as to the root of such faith.

In the Qur�an, Allah Ta'ala tells us to cover ourselves, �so as to be known, but not molested�. So our covering is a protection; a liberation.

Protection? you ask. Liberation? From what?

This is where I move on to my second reason for veiling. Like I said, I grew up in a Western secular society, in true Western secular style. I dressed secular, lived secular, and enjoyed all the �liberties� of such a society. Did I feel liberated, free? Suffice to say, we were taught we were, so I never thought to think otherwise. It wasn�t until I became Muslim, and started covering , that I really felt liberated, and realised , before that I wasn�t.

Yet, time and time again we hear it said that we Muslim women are forced to veil, are oppressed; treated by our men folk as nothing more than �objects.� And that niqaab, burqa, hijab; whatever term you use, is a form of �imprisonment�.

But what about the imprisonment of anxiety and depression?

What about the imprisonment of anorexia and bulimia?

What about the imprisonment of frequent rigorous exercise routines?

What about the imprisonment of always feeling the need to look like the super-model on the cover of Cosmo, or the pop-singer in the music video?

What about the slavery to fashion?

What about the entrapment of jealousy??

How many women waste their hard-earned money, destroy their physical and mental health, expose their bodies to vulnerability, abuse and extortion in order to...... in order to what??

In order to gain approval and praise. Who�s approval and praise? Men�s.

And yes, it seems even other women too. So it seems non-Muslim women are not only slaves to men, but slaves to society as a whole.

Before you scream your disagreement, which many of you may do as a knee-jerk reaction to being told you�re also oppressed , stop and think. Look around you, contemplate society today, and its values, its aspirations, its goals, its direction, its past-times, its hobbies....

What good has it done for women to doff more and more clothing?

What good has it done for images of uncovered made-up women to be plastered on every billboard and magazine, on the TV, in the movies, and on the net?

Has it really brought any good for women?

The women in the images may aptly feel good about themselves for a while, but what does it mean for every other women?

Women who look upon these images usually become anxious, jealous, unsure and critical of themselves, or all of these things. Many men who view them will become aroused, or even unhappy, less satisfied with the partners they already have. What can, and does this lead to?

Cheating, dumping, chastisement, and even harassment of other women, and even children by, men who cannot find a legitimate outlet for their constant arousal. And yes, I can hear some of you; �then the men must control themselves!� Frankly speaking that argument is well spent, not to mention futile, as most men are, inherently, only able to react to that, the same way a hungry lion would react if thrown a juicy piece of steak, and told not to eat it....

Do the uncovered women captured in these images and industries, or parading around, realise or even care how many young girls are starving, purging and stressing themselves trying to mirror their image? No.

It seems they even take perverse pleasure in it. One barely-dressed singer even boldly and crudely sung recently, �Don�t you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?�

What?!

What is this women and her ilk saying??

What are they implying??

What are they doing to their sisters in humanity??!

So many poor girls, eroding themselves physically and mentally as they watch with jealousy and anxiety their partners ogle singers like this. Have the same thing occur to these women, these �idols�; have their partners swoon over another similarly attired, and witness their reaction! And when their daughters are molested by men they themselves, or women like them, have aroused, will they reflect?

Will they act?

Will society act?

Yeah, we see it reacting: ban the burqa!

It just amazes me how many women especially, despise my choice of dress. Yet, would they rather their husband�s secretary to be dressed like me or otherwise?

Would they rather the waitress serving the table at their anniversary dinner, be dressed like me or otherwise?

Is it me and my sisters who are turning their husband�s head, or attracting their boyfriends??

Is it me and my sisters who have led their daughters to anorexia, or their sons to pornography?

Is it me and my sisters whose bodies and faces solicit their husband�s/boyfriend�s attention on every corner? Is it me and my sisters who have aroused that man to rape or harass their sisters?

Whose mode of �dress� is truly oppressive and harmful to women??

So now I�ve spoken, and although I am one, I speak on behalf of hundreds. I�ve explained to you that the majority of us have chosen this mode of dress, especially in the West. I have told you that we love it, we want it, and I�ve exemplified for you the inherent good in it. I�ve discussed here the issue of niqaab based on the suggestion that it is oppressive, or harmful to society, as this is the main reason stated by the French for the ban. When it comes to other issues of security and communication, then please see

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/11/veiled-threats/

for an excellent refutation of these arguments.

So to those of you who really are so concerned about �liberating� me, then you will listen to what I have said, and let me and my sisters be.

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#20443

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Thu Mar 8, 2012 4:05 pm
Subject: The Criterion between the Friends of Allah and the Friends of Shaytan

adammohomedsait@...

The Criterion Between The Friends of Allah & The Friends of Shaytan.pdf

Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

Last week I had sent you a good booklet by Ibn Taymiyyah, Enjoining Right and Forbidding Wrong. This week too you get another booklet by Ibn Taymiyyah (also translated by Salim Abdallah ibn Morgan) on the friends of Allah and the friends of Shaytan.

The title says it all, and you will find the matter contained in the book of interest.

Please save this booklet and read it at leisure. Please also share this with all your people so they too may benefit from the wisdom contained in it.

The following are the books/booklets sent you previously. If you have not received all, let me know, and I will re-send you what you want:

Dealing with Worries and Stress

The Bible The Quran and Science

The Ideal Muslim

The Ideal Muslimah

Common Questions about Islam

Islam is your Birthright

The Sealed Nectar

Major Sins

In Pursuit of Allah's Pleasure

Guarding the Tongue

The End of Times and the Mahdi

Developing Khushoo in prayer

40 Recommendations for the Muslim Home

Fortress of the Muslim

Life and Death

Imam Nawawi's 40 Hadith

Nullifiers of Islam

Ibn Kathir's Stories of the Quran

On Knowledge by Shaikh Ibn Baz

Seventy ways to earn reward from Allah

In the Early Hours

The Evils of the Tongue

Why do we pray

Prophet Muhammad- His Life, Manners and Characteristics

Islam and Women + Quran in Excel

30 Examples from the Life of the Prophet

The Lawful and the Prohibited in Islam

The Prophet's Methods for correcting peoples' mistakes

Adhering to the Sunnah

Celebrating the Birthday of the Prophet

How to become Muslim

How to taste the true beauty of Salah

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam

Common Questions asked by non-Muslims

Is Allah One or Three?

Is the Trinity Doctrine Divinely Inspired?

Advice to participants of the Tableeghi Jamaat

Things to do when a person is dying

Ways to show off that we need to avoid

On Signs of the Last Day and on Gog and Magog

Knowing Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Belief in the Angels and its effect on the life of the Ummah

Patience and gratitude

The Authentic Creed by Shaikh Ibn Baz

Duas for the Morning, Evening, and After Prayers

Enjoining Right and Forbidding Wrong

ADAM MOHOMED SAIT

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#20444

From: ram puniyani <ram.puniyani@...>
Date: Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:33 am
Subject: Terror Acts Investigation and RSS ISP II March 2012

jhang45

Terror Acts� Investigations and RSS

�

Ram Puniyani

�

Supreme Court slammed the RSS Sarsanghchalak, Dr. Mohan Bhagwat for stating that Karakre had told him that he was under tremendous pressure to nail the RSS in unsolved cases of terror acts like, Malegaon, Ajmer, Samjhauta Express blast (Feb 28, 2012). As per the Chief of RSS, he knew Karkare well and Karkare had solicited his cooperation for solving these cases, and in the context of that had told him about the pressures being put on him.

�

One knows that Karkare was under pressure during that time. One also knows that the investigations in the acts of terror were leading nowhere and after every blast number of young Muslim boys were arrested, the blame was put on some affiliate of Lashkar, Al Qaeda etc. After Karkare took over as the chief of Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad, the things started moving. The turning point was the meticulous investigation by Karkare�s team which led to the unearthing of the motor cycle used in the Malegaon blast, the motor cycle belonged to Sadhvi Pragya Sing Thakur, the ex ABVP (RSS affiliate) activist, and the leads took the ATS to the whole set of terror group, which were called later as Saffron terrorism by the Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram.

�

These investigations led Karkare to Swami Dayanand Pandey, Lt Col. Prasad Shrikant Purohit, Swami Aseemanand, Indresh Kumar, Sunil Joshi, Kasangra and the number of those close to the RSS or close to RSS affiliates. The implication of this was very clear.

�

Once this Hindutva network got exposed the acts of terror which were occurring at regular intervals in front of mosques and other places, where Muslims congregate for prayers came to a halt. As such it was ironical that the blasts were focussed to kill the Muslims and after every act again Muslims were arrested. With the Rajasthan ATS joining the process of investigation the evidence against these Hindutva elements became further clear.

�

The confession of Swami Aseemanand in presence of the magistrate gave the full details of the modus operandi of these acts of terror. The people involved in these acts believed that they are doing these dastardly acts to avenge the Muslim terrorists and that these acts aimed to pave the way for Hindu Rashtra. Swami Aseemanand, the VHP leader working in Gujarat, who was the architect of Shabri Kumbh Mela was the key figure in these blasts in many ways. In the statement given by him in presence of the magistrate he confessed that their group was involved in these activities.

�

Since then more and more beans have been spilling from the Sangh stable, the latest one being that of involvement of Kamal Chauhan in Samjhauta blast. Chauhan has been labelled as the disgruntled element by his parent organization, RSS. This again is the standard ploy by RSS. Most of those who are caught doing these acts of murders or blasts are claimed to have left the organization some time ago or if possible their association with RSS combine is put under the wraps.

�

One recalls that there was a time when nobody believed that RSS associates can be part of these acts of terror. RSS claims they do not believe in violence. Their claims have come to be exposed one after the other. Now their claim is that they are being implicated by the ruling party to appease the minorities; or that those being charged for acts of terror are clean people and are deliberately being implicated in terrorist acts. Going by the expose after expose, the RSS at one level is trying to disassociate from these terror accused, on the other is propagating that they are accused but not guilty and on yet another level claiming that the investigation authorities have been pressurized to nail the RSS cohorts.

�

This defence is very weak. The statement of RSS Chief is coming at a time when Karkare has already become a martyr for the cause of defending the country. There is no way he can confirm or deny what the patriarch of Sangh Combine is saying. But yes there are some clues which can tell as to what is the truth.

�

Lets recall that Sadhvi Pragya Thakur was caught for her alleged role in Malegaon blast, none other than Lal Krishna Advani went to the Prime Minister to complain about the torture of Pragya Singh Thakur and demanded investigation into Thakur's torture. At the same time another Hindutva leader Bal Thakre condemned Karkare, calling him anti National and wrote in his mouth piece Saamna that �we spit on his face�! Another Hindutva warrior Narendra Modi called Karkare as Deshdrohi (anti National). Incidentally both these, Thackeray and Modi, are hailed as �Emperors of Hindu hearts�. Later Modi called Karkare as a great patriot after his death. Modi went to the extent of offering one crore Rupees to Karate�s widow, which she gracefully refused.

�

On the contrary Congress leader Digvijay Singh claimed that Karkare had called him on the night of 26/11, the day Mumbai was attacked by Kasab and gang, and said that there is a tremendous pressure on him from the Right wing. Digvijay Singh also showed the press clipping to that effect and pointed out that BSNL, Bhopal cannot give the records of the conversation between him and Karkare as the matter was more than a year old at that time, and BSNL does not keep record beyond a year.

�

There is another source which tells us the direction from which Karkare was being pressurized. Julio Ribeiro, one amongst the police of officer of highest integrity in the country, in his obituary to Karkare (Times of India, Mumbai Edition 28^th�Nov 2010) pointed out that there was a direct insinuation into the work of Karkare, who was intimidated by Advani and other Hindutva gang. Karkare sought solace and advice from his senior Ribeiro, Ribeiro confirmed that Karkare was being harassed and intimidated by the associates of Advani-Modi and company. Ribeiro advised his junior colleague to carry on with his work irrespective of the pressures. "He came to me because he was looking for someone to hold his hand," Ribeiro told IANS on phone from Mumbai while stressing that Karkare was not a man to be politically influenced.

�

While this is what the truth is, one can see the motive behind Bhagwat�s statement in the face of so many of his cabal either charged or in jail. In an earlier event Bhagwat�s predecessor K. Sudarshan had also played a similar game. During the investigation of Babri demolition, when the role of RSS combine was coming more and more to surface, Sudarshan said that he heard Gandhian �Nirmala Didi saying that there was a blast inside the mosque which demolished the mosque. Fortunately Didi was alive that time to deny something being said in her name.

�

So there is some pattern in the statements of RSS chiefs!

�

#20445

From: ram puniyani <ram.puniyani@...>
Date: Sun Mar 25, 2012 1:04 pm
Subject: Fwd: Anna Hazare Upsurge

jhang45

Anna Hazare Upsurge : A Critical Appraisal

Editors : Asghar Ali Engineer l Ram Puniyani

ISBN 978-81-8235-108-0

Price : Rs. 160.00 (Paper Back)
Rs. 320.00 (Hard Bound)

List of Contributors

Zoya Hasan * Neena Vyas & Vidya Subrahmaniam * Yoginder Sikand * A. Faizur Rahman * Uday Mehta * Rohini Hensman * Anand Teltumbde * Mukul Sharma * Shekhar Gupta * Asghar Ali Engineer * Praful Bidwai * J. Sri Raman * K. N. Panikkar * Sagarika Ghose * Akhtarul Wasey * Sadiq Naqvi * Prabhat Patnaik * Harsh Mander * Sukhadeo Thorat * Kanti Bajpai * Govind Talwalkar * Soumitro Das * Ram Puniyani * Amita Baviskar * Kancha Ilaiah * John Dayal * Happymon Jacob * Nilottpal Basu * Arvind Rajagopal * Sashi Kumar * Jyotirmaya Sharma * Bhanwar Megwanshi * Akash Bisht * Hartosh Singh Bal * Arvind Kejriwal * Medha Patkar * Prashant Bhushan * Anna Hazare * Aruna Roy

Contents

Part � I : The Janlokpal Bill

�� 1.�� Parliament is for People� Zoya Hasan
�� 2.�� Anna Hazare Stir: What It Has Achieved and What it Has Not�Neena Vyas & Vidya Subrahmaniam
�� 3.�� Bahujan� Lokpal Bill Makes New Demands � Yoginder Sikand
�� 4.�� Jan Lokpal Bill: A Critique � A. Faizur Rahman

Part � II : Anna: Theme Essays

�� 5.�� Anna Phenomenon: Paradox of Indian Reality� � Uday Mehta
�� 6.�� What is the Real Goal of the Anna Movement� � Rohini Hensman
�� 7.�� The Neoliberal Revolution�� Anand Teltumbde

Part � III : Anna and the Team: Background

�� 8.�� The Making of an Authority: Anna Hazare in Ralegan�Siddhi� � Mukul Sharma
�� 9.�� The Unholy Cow�� Shekhar Gupta

Part � IV : Second Gandhi: Second Freedom Movement?

�� 10.�� Is Anna Hazare the New Gandhi?�� Asghar Ali Engineer
�� 11.�� Gandhian Fa�ade �� Praful Bidwai
�� 12.�� Anna Hazare: Tragedy to Farce� � J. Sri Raman

Part � V : Interviews

�� 13.�� Jan Lokpal: An Alternative View �� K. N. Panikkar
�� 14.�� Jan Lokpal Bill is Very Regressive: Arundhati Roy�� Sagarika Ghose
�� 15.�� Communalism is Bigger Issue for Muslims: Akhtarul Wasey �� Sadiq Naqvi

Part � VI : Nature of Movement

�� 16.�� Fuzzy Movement � � Prabhat Patnaik
�� 17.�� Why I didn�t Go to Jantar Mantar�� Harsh Mander
�� 18.�� Ambedkar�s Way & Anna Hazare�s Methods�� Sukhadeo Thorat
�� 19.�� Born Again Patriot � An Anti-Corruption Movement and The Rise of Illiberalism �� Kanti Bajpai
�� 20.�� The Ayatollah in Waiting �� Govind Talwalkar
�� 21.�� Hardly a Revolution �� Soumitro Das
�� 22.�� Anna Upsurge and The Social Movements�� Ram Puniyani
�� 23.�� A Tale of Two Movements �� Amita Baviskar
�� 24.�� Anna�s Social Fascism�� Kancha Ilaiah
�� 25.�� Enough!�Mr. Hazare �� John Dayal
�� 26.�� Please Don�t Call It A Revolution �� Happymon Jacob

Part � VII : Role of Media

�� 27.�� Media�s Misplaced Triumphalism�� Nilottpal Basu
�� 28.�� Visibility as a Trap in the Anna Hazare Campaign�� Arvind Rajagopal
�� 29.�� A Feral Media Orchestrates Anti-Corruption Campaign �� Sashi Kumar

Part � IX : Communal Undertones

�� 30.�� India: Anna is the Icon of Banal Hindutva�� Jyotirmaya Sharma
�� 31.�� The Communal Character of Anna Hazare�s Movement � � Bhanwar Megwanshi
�� 32.�� Anna Hazare�s RSS �� Akash Bisht
�� 33.�� Why the Sangh Loves Anna �� Hartosh Singh Bal

Annexures : Team Anna�s Version

�We stand where we had Started on the Lokpal Bill�: Interview �� Arvind Kejriwal

What Matters is the Cause: Interview�� Medha Patkar

Anna Personality Cult should be Avoided�� Prashant Bhushan

Appendices : Summary of Draft Bills

Government Draft Bill

Jan LokPal Bill � Summary and Guide to India�s Civil Society Anti-Corruption Bill
Deserves Our Support� � Anna Hazare

Lokpal Bill: Aruna Roy and NCPRI�s Suggestions�� Aruna Roy

Published by

Sahitya Upkram
E mail : sahitya_upkram@...
Phone : 09654732174, 09350809192

1 of 1 Photo(s)

anna hazarey.jpg

#20446

From: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2012 1:43 pm
Subject: File - Jobs Corner

InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com

Hello Friends,

You can use this facility in the IFDC page for announcing Job vacancies or
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Moderator

#20447

From: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sun Apr 1, 2012 1:43 pm
Subject: File - IFDC Message

InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com

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#20448

From: ram puniyani <ram.puniyani@...>
Date: Mon Apr 2, 2012 10:43 am
Subject: Bridges of Harmony ISP I April 2012

jhang45

Bridges for Harmony

�

Ram Puniyani

�

Life is full of paradoxes, and not all of them are intriguing. Some of them give a pleasant cozy feeling too. Recently (25 March, 2012) people saw the Pakistan� Deputy Attorney General, Muhammad Khurshid Khan, Polishing the shoes of devotees in Gurudwara Rakab Ganj Delhi. This work is part of�Seva�(service) in Gurudwaras. This particular tradition is part of Sikh Gurudwaras.��Kurdhid was doing this to atone the sins of Taliban�s that have tormented the Sikhs in many ways. He also was doing it to heal the wonds of minorities who have suffered the violence. Taliban�s had abducted three Sikhs, had demanded ransom and one of the Sikhs was killed. Khurshid felt the Taliban�s have done something inhuman, which is against Islam. Pained by this he started this mission of bring peace and amity amongst religious communities.

�

One is sure there may be enough conservative, fanatic elements who will criticize this humane and touching gesture on the part of Khurshid. One knows that Taliban�s with their particular version of Islam, which got a boost in the indoctrination of Madrassasas set up in Pakistan by US to counter the Russian occupation of Afghanistan, is the extreme intolerant variety of Islam, something is against the basic tenets of that religion. Same Taliban�s had destroyed the Bamiyan Buddha statues, they had also imposed Jazia on Sikhs and had also come up to implement with the color code for dress for people according to their religion. South Asia has been in the grip of sectarian violence where minorities in each of these countries has been the major victim of politics in the name of religion, a politics which takes cover under the identity of religion and spreads hatred against the �others� the one�s belonging to other religions.

�

This politics also accentuates the divides amongst the followers of same religion as it also breaks them in to further narrow sects. Surely, while Christians and Hindus nave been a major victim of violence in Pakistan the smaller sects of Islam, Ahmadiays, Kadiyanis have also faced the wrath of dominant sections of society. In India during the rise of the communal violence during last three decades while Muslims and Christians, the religious minorities, have faced the major brunt of sectarian violence; at the same times dalits and Adivisis have also been a substantial victim of the violence.

�

The politics in the name of religion operates on the foundation of identity of religion and undermines the moral values of that religion. It constructs a history where the Kings of a particular religion become the �icons� of that religious community, while the kings belonging to other religion become the villains of the piece. The interactive culture of the communities is undermined in these narratives and the religious communities are made to stand against each other as the opposite parties. The reality is that the amity of people had been more along economic lines, the landlords on one side the laboring masses on the other. While the �clergy� stood at the service of the affluent ruling class, the saints expressed the sigh of the oppressed sections of society. The Landlords�Kings allied and fought with each other for the sake of power and wealth while the laboring masses interacted with each other, rubbing shoulders while visiting the sufi dargahs, or paying respect to saints of the genre of Kabir, cutting across religions.

�

The colonialists were more interested in plundering the South Asia, which as a continent came under British rule in the main. The British promoted the declining sections of landlords and Kings, recognizing them as �representative� of their religious community. This laid the foundation of Communal politics, Muslim League on one side and Hindu Mahsabha and RSS on the other. These communal streams picked up the version of History, centered on the religion of the kings and tried to preserve their vested interests in the language of religion. This interpretation looks down on the syncretic traditions of people who found as much solace with the likes of Bule Shah or Nizamuddin Auliya as with Ramdev Baba Pir or Satya Pir as with Dadu, Raidas or Tukaram.

�

The highest point of success of British policy of �divide and rule� was the partition of the country or rather carving out of Pakistan in the name of religion, while the remaining part upheld the values of freedom movement to come up as a secular democratic nation. Overall, the major culture and traditions of South Asia, India-Pakistan-Bangla Desh are mixed one�s the syncretism of their religious tradition being its high point. During last three decades the sectarianism has surged due to many a local factors which have been further boosted by the rise of Global Emperor, US, who devised the religious language, demonized Islam to quench its hunger for oil. The result has been the wounds of partition, the wounds of communal strife of the past which were slightly cooling down have been exacerbated and the communal forces have become stronger in all the South Asian Countries. These communal forces have at one level similar value, opposition to democracy and abolition of human rights of weaker sections of society. At surface they present it as a battle against the �other religious community�.

�

In this dismal scenario, it is people like Khurshid who are braving it out and despite the sure opposition from fundamentalist forces are keeping the torch of amity alive. While Talibans, Zia Ul Haque and RSS type formations have been on rampage, the forces like those presented by Khurshid are also silently singing the songs of peace. The efforts in this direction have been slowly but surely percolating and trying to appeal to the humane aspects of community living. These elements know that while at one level the victim groups have to get their rights by their struggle against injustices, they also know that the progress of society is possible only by overcoming the sectarian divides which try to trample our democratic values. Democratic ethos are the base on which the struggle for human rights and better society is possible in the short and long run. All the efforts which bring communities together for interaction, celebration are building the bridges which not only will overcome the sectarianism but with lay the foundations on which peace with justice will be possible. Three Cheers for the likes of Muhammad Khurshid Khan!��

#20449

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:30 pm
Subject: Daughters, a matter of pride

adammohomedsait@...

O you who believe! Fear Allah and keep your duty to Him. And let every person look to what he has sent forth for tomorrow, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what you do (Surah Al- Hashr: 18).

Daughters, a matter of pride

By ARAB NEWS
Published:Jun 30, 2011 22:48 Updated: Jun 30, 2011 22:48

Bringing up children with proper care is the primary duty of Muslim parents. Parents should not distinguish in a discriminatory manner between their male and female children when bringing them up. However, the fact remains that girls in many Muslim communities are the victims of their parents’ bias against them.

If parents have any right to be biased, it should be in favor of girls. Almighty Allah mentioned girls first before mentioning boys while referring to His sovereign control over the universe and creation of human beings in the chapter Al-Shura (Poets).

“To God belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills (and plans). He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offspring) upon whom He wills. Or He bestows both males and females, and He leaves barren whom He wills: for He is full of Knowledge and Power.” (Verses 49 & 50)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), has clearly demonstrated that a girl is not a matter of humiliation to a family. On the other hand, she is a matter of pride. A man who brings up his daughters in a proper way will be among those who have the honor of standing close to the Prophet (pbuh) on the Day of Judgment.

“Anas bin Malik reported Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying, ‘He, who brought up two girls properly till they grew up, he and I would come (together) (very closely) on the Day of Resurrection, and he interlaced his fingers (for explaining the point of nearness between him and that person).’” (Al-Bukhari)

In spite of such clear texts, a considerable section of Muslims in many parts of the world believe that spending money on the proper upbringing of girls, including educating them, is a waste of money.

It is also unfortunate to note that mothers in many Muslim societies, apart from aborting a female fetus, are reluctant to feed their girls properly. On the contrary, the parents struggle hard to feed their boys. Parents are also not keen to take sick girls to hospitals as they do with their sons. But this kind of discrimination between boys and girls is a gross injustice and a violation of the teachings of Islam.

In an incident narrated by Mother of Believers Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) the spiritual benefits of feeding and taking care of girl children are unequivocally clear.
“Ayesha reported: A poor woman came to me along with her two daughters. I gave her three dates. She gave a date to each of them and then she took up one date and brought that to her mouth in order to eat that, but her daughters expressed a desire to eat it. She then divided the date that she intended to eat between them. This action of the woman impressed me and I mentioned what she did to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). Thereupon he said: Verily Allah has assured Paradise for her, because of (this act) of her, or He has rescued her from hellfire.” (Al-Bukhari)
This Hadith shows how important girls are to parents, particularly as a means to escape the hellfire.

The sayings of the Prophet should be the only guideline for any Muslim community in any part of the world. There is no justification for any Muslim community to be influenced by any other cultural sentiments that drive people to neglect and abuse girls.
In fact the model for the relationship between a father and daughter should be the sayings of the Prophet (pbuh).

The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Fatima is a part of me, so whoever angers her angers me.” (Al-Bukhari & Muslim)

Media reports such as girls being married off and then tortured by their husbands and in-laws at tender age or young girls being discriminated against by parents show a growing tendency of girls’ abuse prevalent in some Muslim countries.

***********************************************************

Amazing Admonition From Yunus Bin Ubayd to Those Complaining About Poverty and Hardship!

Ghassaan bin al-Mufaddal al-Ghulaabee said:

Some of our associates narrated to me that a man came to Yunus bin Ubayd (d. 139H) and complained of the hardship he was going through in his livelihood and of his anxiety because of it. So he said (to him), "Would you be happy to give up your eyesight for a hundred thousand (dinars, dirhams)?" He said, "No." He said, "Then what about your hearing?" He said, "No." He said, "Then what about your tongue?" He said, "No." He said, "Then what about your aql (intellect)?" He said, "No, [not] for any wants, needs." Then he reminded him of the favours of Allaah upon him after which he, Yunus, said, "I see that you have hundreds of thousands of (dinars, dirhams) yet you are complaining of need!
Al-Siyar of al-Dhahabi (6/292). And the meaning here is that since you have placed such monetary worth on your faculties granted to you by Allaah, then you can't be that destitute like what you are claiming, and in reality, Allaah's favours and bounties upon your are abundant by your own self-admission.

OUR RABB [Cherisher and Sustainer] BESTOW ON US MERCY FROM YOURSELF AND FACILETATE FOR US OUR AFFAIRS IN THE RIGHT WAY. Ameen.

*************************************************

The importance of calling people towards Allah.

1379. Sahl bin Sa`d (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said to `Ali (May Allah be pleased with him), "By Allah, if a single person is guided by Allah through you, it will be better for you than a whole lot of red camels.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: "Better for you than red camels'' is an allegory for every thing that is better than anything else. Red camels used to be precious in Arabia, and their reference here is to highlight the value of guidance. Thus, this Hadith brings into prominence the importance of calling people towards Allah. But before calling others to the path of Allah, one must himself know it, and for this purpose, the knowledge of the Qur'an and Hadith is essential because one cannot provide any guidance in this respect without this knowledge.
Ref.: Imam Al-Nawawi's Riyad-us-Saliheen # 1379.

1 of 1 Photo(s)

#20450

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 1:56 am
Subject: Bribery

adammohomedsait@...

Bribery

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

رَبِّ اشْرَحْ لِي صَدْرِي ; وَيَسِّرْ لِي أَمْرِي ; وَاحْلُلْ عُقْدَةً مِنْ لِسَانِي ; يَفْقَهُوا قَوْلِي

Bribery means giving money to someone through whom a person takes something which he / she has no right to. For example: bribing a judge to get verdict in favour (wrongfully), or bribing an official to give him preference over others or to get other favours like allotment of a contract etc.

Bribery is a big sin in Islam. Allah says:

وَلا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُوا بِهَا إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُوا فَرِيقاً مِنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالإِثْمِ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

"And eat up not one another's property unjustly, nor give bribery to the rulers that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully."

(Aayah No. 188, Surah Al-Baqarah, Chapter No. 2, Holy Qur'an).

We see that bribery is clearly prohibited by Allah. One thing to highlight in this glorious verse of Holy Qur'an is that two different messages can be inferred upon from here. One is that Allah prohibits us from eating property of others sinfully. Second is the prohibition of giving bribe to the rulers. And when bribery comes into play, eating another's right is bound to come into effect.

Bribery is one of the biggest culprits creating havoc among the society, especially in the countries of Indian sub-continent (i.e. India, Pakistan etc.). Everyone is ready to offer bribe to get his / her work done. And almost all working in positions that matter, if not all, are always waiting to get their share of bribe from the public. It goes from bottom to top; a peon is seen taking bribe, and so is a Manager. The levels and amounts of bribery may differ according to the position held by the taker, but the filthy act is deep embedded among the people, irrespective of religion.

Small examples show our approach in this matter. These examples can be observed in routine works of almost all the offices (particularly government offices). Have a look:

1. We are in a long queue, several places behind, and we simply offer few bucks to some mediators who can get our work done earlier than others who spend their time lining up.

2. There comes an announcement from government regarding a housing scheme where homes are to be allotted to the common public, based on a draw. However, majority of the people tend to get the allotment in their favour wrongfully, without going through the hassles of draw. How? By bribing the officials involved in it.

3. Candidates are ready to pay ample amount of money to get a particular job, irrespective of the fact that they are qualified for it or not; and a qualified deserving candidate ends up on losing side.

4. Electoral processes nowadays (be it of smaller positions or bigger ones) are not spared.

5. Admissions to educational institutions are easier for people who have money, courtesy bribery.

6. Businesses prosper on bribes.

The list can go on and on. What to talk about others, our Muslim fellows are equally a part of this corrupt system. To add to the woes of corruption, bribery has found its way into the affairs of administration related to Hajj pilgrimage. There has been a recent incident about a government official (probably a minister) in Pakistan being sacked from his position because of his involvement in misappropriating funds from the Hajj pilgrims, giving and taking money as a favour to some. What a shame?

Who is a bigger sinner: the taker or the giver?

I had been in discussion with my friends on this subject many times. Some of the Muslims put forward an excuse that because we are asked to give so we give. Therefore, according to them it is the taker who is doing a sin.

True, the one who takes bribe is doing a big sin. But the giver is also responsible. Let me quote a hadith or two in this context.

Abdullah bin Amr (RA) narrated: Allah's Messenger (PBUH) cursed the one who bribes and the one who takes bribe.

(Hadith No. 1337, Chapters on Judgements, Jami' At-Tirmidhi, Vol. 3).

In another narration,

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrated: Allah's Messenger (PBUH) cursed the one who bribes and the one who takes a bribe for judgement.

(Hadith No. 1336, Chapters on Judgement, Jami' At-Tirmidhi, Vol. 3).

If we go back to the verse of Holy Qur'an mentioned at the start of our discussion and read the two ahadith mentioned above, we can see that both the giver and the taker of bribe are sinners, although Allah is more specifically ordering not to give bribery i.e. addressing the giver.

Some of the Muslims who enjoy being a part of this filthy sin put forward one stupid excuse in their defense. These are those who are in influential positions and are busy minting money through bribery. They say that it is not haraam to take bribery from Non-Muslims. What a mockery? I feel pity for people who put forward such false excuses to act like an ostrich (an ostrich has a tendency of hiding her face in her feathers and feeling that now no one can see her since she cannot see anyone). Please get out of this disillusion. Islam does not allow any Muslim to eat property of any Non-Muslim unjustly. Islam does not allow any Muslim to oppress any Non-Muslim. Refer to following verse of Holy Qur'an:

لا يَنْهَاكُمْ اللَّهُ عَنْ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُمْ مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ أَنْ تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ

"Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity."

(Aayah No. 8, Surah Al-Mumtahanah, Chapter No. 60, Holy Qur'an).

This aayah tells us that we have to deal justly even with Non-Muslims. Therefore, all earnings accumulated through bribery in such a manner are haraam.

And the sin of bribery is not limited to the giver and taker only; in fact every person who is linked to any such deal, like a middleman or a mediator, is also involved in this sin.

When gifts turn into bribery (and / or Riba')

Islam advocates exchange of gifts among the fellow Muslims. Giving and taking of gifts may involve some persons who are placed in high influential positions. But the gifts should not be confused with bribery. Both are totally different. Gifts are encouraged in Islam, whereas bribery is prohibited in Islam. However, there is one case where gifts take shape of bribe (or even Riba'). Following verse of Holy Qur'an tells us about it:

وَمَا آتَيْتُمْ مِنْ رِباً لِيَرْبُوَا فِي أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ فَلا يَرْبُوا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ

"And that which you give in Riba' (the gifts), in order that it may increase from other people's property, has no increase with Allah."

(Aayah No. 39, Surah Ar-Rūm, Chapter No. 30, Holy Qur'an).

This aayah gives a similar message like the one mentioned in the start (Aayah No. 188, Surah Al-Baqarah). There Allah orders us not to bribe the rulers to eat up property of others unjustly. The aayah mentioned above supports it by telling us that if we give gifts to the rulers (or higher officials etc.) in order to get their undue favours with an intention of getting part of others' property unjustly, then such a gift is Riba'.

One exception

We have talked about the sin of bribery giver. We have talked about sin of bribery taker. However, there is one exception for the one who gives bribe in one particular case. It is allowed to give bribe if a person is not able to attain his / her rights in any other normal way. If a person is deprived of his rights, there is no harm on his part to give the bribe he is asked for in order to get his rights. In such a case, the sin is totally on the taker, the receiver. However, this is the last resort to be adopted by a Muslim.

There is a unanimous consensus among all the scholars of all school of thoughts on this exception.

Concluding Remarks

All of us know that bribery is a big sin, either way, giving or taking. Still the attachment to the worldly things is so deep and strong that it doesn't allow us to look beyond. Give a thought to what are the after-effects of bribery. The more bribery gets prevalent, the bigger becomes the gap between the rich and poor. People get a taste of blood and gradually start living on haraam earnings. They become complacent towards the responsibilities of their duties. Corruption gets deep rooted. One who pays a hefty sum (as a bribe) to get a government position tends to get back his money and more from others, and it goes on and on. To sum it up, it leads to a series of wrong-doings. This spreads and maligns the society at a rate much faster than what cancer does to the body of a victim.

Remember, it is not correct on part of a Muslim to be a part of bribery system. It is prohibited for a Muslim to take bribe, to give bribe and to be a mediator in any of the deals based on bribery.

Stay away from this sin. If we cannot stop this sin then at least we can do our part by not being a part of it in any manner.

Get up. Do the needful. Clean yourself.

Remove this malignancy from the society.

And Allah knows best.

May Allah forgive me if I am wrong and guide us to the right path�Ameen.

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُون َ ; وَسَلامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ ; وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

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#20451

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Thu Mar 29, 2012 3:35 pm
Subject: The True Message of Jesus Christ

adammohomedsait@...

The True message of the Jesus Christ [pdf] - by Bilal Philips.pdf

Assalam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu

There are differences between Christianity and Islam on certain matters. Foremost among them is the status of Prophet Isa (Jesus to the Christians). While Muslims look at him as a great prophet of Allah, the Christians view him as the Son of God, which the Quran strongly refutes, and which even the Bible does not actually state.

The attached book (The True Message of Jesus Christ) is by Bilal Philips, the author of 2 books I have previously sent you all (The Fundamentals of Tawheed and Salvation through Repentance), and I am sure you will find it informative.

Please save this booklet and read it at leisure. Please also share this with all your people so they too may benefit from the wisdom contained in it.

The following are the books/booklets sent you previously. If you have not received all, let me know, and I will re-send you what you want:

Dealing with Worries and Stress

The Bible The Quran and Science

The Ideal Muslim

The Ideal Muslimah

Common Questions about Islam

Islam is your Birthright

The Sealed Nectar

Major Sins

In Pursuit of Allah's Pleasure

Guarding the Tongue

The End of Times and the Mahdi

Developing Khushoo in prayer

40 Recommendations for the Muslim Home

Fortress of the Muslim

Life and Death

Imam Nawawi's 40 Hadith

Nullifiers of Islam

Ibn Kathir's Stories of the Quran

On Knowledge by Shaikh Ibn Baz

Seventy ways to earn reward from Allah

In the Early Hours

The Evils of the Tongue

Why do we pray

Prophet Muhammad- His Life, Manners and Characteristics

Islam and Women + Quran in Excel

ADAM MOHOMED SAIT

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#20452

From: Anne Doucette <anne.doucette@...>
Date: Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:47 pm
Subject: Letter 6 - Memory

littleonebef...

One more after this and I will have fulfilled two of�my Lenten commitments this year (yay!). This one seems kind of neat so I'm sharing it with more people. This was so not my idea by the way, any of it...

�

"Do this in memory of me." Jesus Christ

�

Jesus,

Just a little less than 2000 years ago you died upon a cross for the sins of the world. A little over 2000 years ago you were born as a human person.

�

That is not the only reason Easter is special to us though.� This week, one of our class readings invited us to reflect on - as an example of theological reflection - why do you follow Jesus? The answer to that question is deceptively simple: because God said to, because I was able to hear Him say it, because I was already doing it.

�

When I was 14, I had my only genuinely supernatural sense-input experience, ever.

�

I was praying next to my bed and then I was not by my bed anymore. In fact, I was no longer in my body. I was in a place of golden light, and I was golden light, in light and 'spoke' to 'God' in light. The first thing I 'asked' (that is, willed to know) was if the Bible was true. The explanation/answer to my question about the Bible was in the form of light against a dark background, a sine wave pattern without beginning or end, and this meant that the Bible was a true and accurate expression of how God appeared throughout time, at some points very clearly when people were doing good things and at other points very narrow when He was simply allowing people to continue to exist by His grace. I can rely on the Bible to learn more about Him and also to correct my impressions when they go astray.

�

Next, I asked God about you, Jesus, because just as I had heard that the Bible was true I had heard that you were the Son of God. I wanted to know if this was true. And he showed me the answer very simply, again like golden light, except that this was darker golden light, because all the golden light, or the essence of it was gathered into one finite space. He explained to me that you were indeed His Son and that meant that you were everything that God is in finite form, as an actual human being. He told me that I could believe what the Bible said about you and that if I lived as you did this would be the way to live a life pleasing to Him, a life that would make Him happy.

�

And then, Jesus, I saw what it meant - really - to live as you did. I was able to see this, to know how to please the Father, because I was already doing it, trying to follow your commands as they had been conveyed to me, was laying down my life to earnestly and sacrificially seek God's will. Therefore my being is able to comprehend this information, to contain it within myself. As you did, and do. And I saw how the Father gave everything that He is to you, without reservation and expectation, and how you did the same for him, and he did the same for you, infinitely. When you do this, Jesus, for one another, it is like multiplying and ordering infinity. Everything exploded and I knew this was the essence of the place where we were talking, what made it possible for me to talk, this infinite power coupled with infinite restraint.

�

And then, I asked God if my job could be to bring Glory to God, and He said yes, that could be my job forever. So that's my job forever.

�

Last but not least I wanted to never lose him, Jesus, to never lose the Father. So He explained to me with golden light again, like the Bible, that my life would be like that ribbon of light, with some parts broad where all would be clear and other parts that would be just a tiny thread when I mess up big time or when the weight of what I have to deal with obscures everything from my sight. That thread could never be severed because� I'm always in eternity with Him because I left Him only out of love for everyone, and therefore can never be separate from Him and therefore when my time here on earth is finished I will be with Him again, like that, forever.

�

Then that was it. I was back in my room. I went to bed. After that a lot of things changed, as you know, Jesus, but I'm trying to keep this as short as possible. Most relevant to the Easter issue is that the next day was Saturday and we were going over a friend's house. She was a Christian and had invited us to church before, but this time I said yes, so we went with her the next day. It was Easter Sunday, which I know because the pastor said so during the sermon.

�

I bring this up as a prologue to re-playing the pertinent clip from this short film in slow motion, to really consider WHY I follow you.

�

When the Father showed you to me, and explained that you were in fact His Son, you are everything he is in finite form. That concludes the public part, and then my experience� shifts, into the part I understand in my own way, because God begins to talk directly to me, to me-as-distinct-from-you, what I should do in my particular life as� you did things in your particular life.

�

You gave your life to Him, Jesus, upon a cross, when finding yourself in possession of all that it means to be God, you offered that back to Him.

�

Pause and feel the sweet scent. In that place I have no body and no emotions and no feelings as such, but if I could describe it, it would be a sweet savory scent, a perfect and holy offering, eternally to the Father. You did what you always do, Jesus. You imitated the Father's complete sacrifice of Himself, when He gave all that He infinitely is to you, not counting His own divinity something to be grasped, but to be shared.

�

And then, you give all that it means to be God back to Him. There are not enough words or time in all eternity, to capture that eternal moment. I could pause forever in it. And in a way, I always am and have.

�

But since we can, let's hit play again and put some clothes on it, and order this down into finite existence, because we can do that too.

�

God the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, has chosen to create the entire universe. All of existence, Jesus. Every thing that ever has or will exist. Just think. Of the beauty of a sunrise, of a newborn baby, a new sentient life with its own innate value, and there are literally billions even as of right now, at this point in linear time. That is a tiny way of viewing the gift. We could also pause there forever, at that moment when a particular physical expression of life comes into being.

�

Speed it up a little bit more, and see the love expressed in more mature and discrete forms. Think about the context in which I viewed all of these things, because the Father used nothing that I was not already on some level aware of, like the Bible, human beings, and light. Think of how that dignifies and transcends the Gospel I'd heard prior to that time, the almost incidental baptism I received at the Methodist church. Think how even this being the Triduum, the day most Christians celebrate your death and resurrection with most particular attention, even that is part of what makes it all just a little more apparently special.

�

Precisely because it is not exactly new. You were� not just an innocent baby murdered in a crib, as others were by Herod. You were a grown man, and God, not a literal sheep but a human person going LIKE a lamb to slaughter. These details matter. The story is different than it would be without those details, procured from linear time.

�

Let it begin to move into the ultra-fast speed which is linear time as we know it.

�

Look at me, now, at the Lord's little one, his baby girl, 2,000 years later, deciding whether to share this long narrative with others, as I have already shared it with you. Look at me struggling in my daily life with how to deal with co-workers, parishioners, my own vocation, 'forgetting' to clean my room, realizing I really need to get some sleep eventually.

�

Hi. :)

�

As always, Jesus, I offer all of that I am and have to the Father for His glory, as is only right and just. And as always He accepts the gift, and if He really loves me He helps me to make it a little bit better before He gives it back to me, with interest, to give back to Him, to give back to me, to give back to Him. No matter what I do, it is an act of love. It may be misguided, but that is my reason for being here.

�

Now, look again, at how the universe is recreated at every instant of time in every place, because that is how it is.

�

Spirit transcends matter and can therefore be at work in linear time before what occasions its activity, but just because something has already happened - or has not happened yet - that does not mean we do not need to work to merit it, to be the reason why it happened or will one day happen for us. And the fact is, whatever direction that event may appear in linear time (past or future) is largely irrelevant to spirit, except maybe for a certain aesthetic quality. And I'm getting to like aesthetics, like Easter for example, and like wanting the enemy forever removed from linear time and the ability to affect anyone in any way ever again, for another example.

�

We all live, in all time, because of your sacrifice, as a direct result of it. But we do not necessarily participate in a salvific way, personally, if we do not in some sense eventually accept it as thinking people.

�

Now, this is why I follow you, first and foremost Jesus, because everything does in the order of time. You pre-exist time, so I must follow you to the extent that I exist in time.� That said, I consciously follow you because the Father told me to, because He loves His baby girl and wants to see her safe and beautiful and loved in her own way. This is the sense in which I eternally follow you, if you follow me. So to speak.

�

There. As per your request, I have articulated to the best of my ability your love for the Father and his for you, and what it means for me to follow you both, to do so to the best of my ability, by the Father's abundant grace to me and using the social and intellectual tools now available to me as of 2012. I wonder what next year will look like.

�

Love you!

Anne

#20453

From: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sun Apr 15, 2012 2:28 pm
Subject: File - Jobs Corner

InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com

Hello Friends,

You can use this facility in the IFDC page for announcing Job vacancies or
details of those who are seeking a Job. visit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InterfaithDialogueCenter/grouplets/subscriptions

Moderator

#20454

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Mon Apr 23, 2012 10:00 am
Subject: Noah's Ark Found!

adammohomedsait@...

http://beforeitsnews.com/story/2044/569/Shocking_Discovery:_Noahs_Ark_Found.html

Located 6,375 feet above sea level.

Why is this not a BIG story?

I'm often amazed at our lack of knowledge about history. Ordinary people are hungry for this information, yet the organizations responsible to disseminate these facts seem to have an agenda to keep us in the dark. This is especially true when it comes to our ancient human history.

I won't hold you in suspense with this article: The Ark of Noah has been found. It's real. I'll describe the evidence in some detail and end with the historical and religious implications.

How it was discovered

In 1959, Turkish army captain Llhan Durupinar discovered an unusual shape while examining aerial photographs of his country. The smooth shape, larger than a football field, stood out from the rough and rocky terrain at an altitude of 6,300 feet near the Turkish border with Iran.

Capt. Durupinar was familiar with the biblical accounts of the Ark and its association with Mount Ararat in Turkey, but he was reluctant to jump to any conclusions. The region was very remote, yet it was inhabited with small villages. No previous reports of an object this odd had been made before. So he forwarded the photographic negative to a famous aerial photography expert named Dr. Brandenburger, at Ohio State University.

Brandenburger was responsible for discovering the Cuban missile bases during the Kennedy era from reconnaissance photos, and after carefully studying the photo, he concluded: "I have no doubt at all, that this object is a ship. In my entire career, I have never seen an object like this on a stereo photo."

In 1960 the picture [above] was published in LIFE magazine under the heading of Noahs Ark? That same year a group of Americans accompanied Capt. Durupinar to the site for a day and a half. They were expecting to find artifacts on the surface or something that would be unquestionably related to a ship of some kind. They did some digging in the area but found nothing conclusive and announced to the anxiously waiting world that it appeared to be a natural formation.

Most of the global media turned away from the find and it became a non-story.

In 1977 Ron Wyatt visited the site. Obtaining official permission, Ron and others conducted more thorough research over a period of several years. They used metal detection surveys, subsurface radar scans, and chemical analysis -- real science -- and their findings were startling. The evidence was undeniable. This was the Ark of Noah.

#1 -- the Visual Evidence

The first part of the survey was to examine the object and take its measurements. The shape looked like hull of a ship. One end was pointed as you would expect from bow [below: D] and the opposite end was blunt like a stern. The distance from bow to stern was 515 feet, or exactly 300 Egyptian cubits. The average width was 50 cubits. These were the exact measurements mentioned in the Bible.

On the starboard side (right) near the stern there were four vertical bulges protruding from the mud [B], at regular intervals, that were determined to be the "ribs" of the hull [see below]. Opposite to these, on the port side, a single rib [A] protrudes from the mud. You can see its curved shape very clearly. Surrounding it are more ribs, still largely buried in the mud, but visible upon close examination.

Remember that this object, if it is the Ark, is extremely old. The wood has been petrified. Organic matter has been replaced by minerals from the earth. Only the shapes and traces of the original wood remain. Perhaps this is why the expedition in 1960 was disappointed. They anticipated finding and retrieving chucks of wood, long since eroded.

From the position of the object in the middle of an obvious mudflow, it is obvious that the object slid down more than a mile from its original location. Geologists believe it was originally over 1000 feet higher in the mountain and encased in a shell of hardened mud. They think that an earthquake in 1948 cracked the mud shell and revealed the structure. This is confirmed by stories from the surrounding vallagers who tell of its "sudden appearance" around that time.

Biblical accounts of the Ark describe it as having as many as six levels. The assumed shape of the Ark seems consistent with the bulge [C] in the middle of the object. In fact, as we will soon learn, radar scans of the structure suggest that this bulge is the collapsed debris of these levels.

Although most people think of the Ark as being rectangular, that only applies to the top decks. The sleek shape of the hull is necessary to enable the huge ship to remain stable in the water and survive tremendous waves.

Path of the Ark (Boat)

noahs ark landing heaven wall near mount ararat

According to some sites this is the direction of the flow down the mountain. So I made up a image from google earth showing the direction this may have taken. This mountain is called "Walls of Heaven". The landing point at the top has had some significant ancient evidence found. (If you have more information about the original landing site, before it's current day resting place, feel free to comment at the bottom)

#2 -- Ground Penetrating Radar

The human eye needs to see reflected light to recognize an object. To visualize what remains below the earth, scientists use microwaves which can penetrate the ground and bounce back when they hit something solid. This technique is commonly used to locate oil and other minerals. Called Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), the apparatus us made from an antenna that transmits, then listens to receive the "echo" and prints the result on a piece of paper. The delay and strength of this echo tell the geologists how solid and at what depth the objects are under the earth.

The team of geologists didn't scan the entire object. Instead, they marked out lines that crossed the object with yellow tape. Then they dragged the antenna (about the size of a lawnmower) over the lines and watched the output on the paper recorder. When they got a strong "hit" -- meaning there was something solid underneath -- they would record the position on the tape [above]. Later, when they made a map of the object, the tape and the location of the "hits" they realized that there was indeed a structure underneath the mud.

"This data does not represent natural geology. These are man made structures. These reflections are appearing too periodic... too periodic to be random in that type of natural pace." -- Ron Wyatt of SIR Imaging team

The radar cans revealed this structure [above] under the mud. The symmetry and logical placement of these objects shows that this is unmistakably a man made structure, most likely the Ark of Noah.

#3 -- Artifacts retrieved from the Ark

Using the GPR, Ron Wyatt discovered an open cavity on the starboard side. He used an improvised drill to make core sample inside this cavity and retrieved several very interesting objects. Below you can see the artifacts which were sent for laboratory analysis. On the left is the bore hole [see below], followed by what turned out to be petrified animal dung, then a petrified antler and lastly a piece of cat hair.

Even more amazing artifacts were found

Perhaps the most significant find from the Ark itself is a piece of petrified wood. When this was first found it appeared to be a large beam. But upon closer examination it is actually three pieces of plank that have been laminated together with some kind of organic glue! This is the same technology used in modern plywood. Lamination makes the total strength of the wood much greater than the combined strength of the pieces. This suggests a knowledge of construction far beyond anything we knew existed in the ancient world.

Tests by Galbraith Labs in Knoxville, Tennessee, showed the sample to contain over 0.7% organic carbon, consistent with fossilized wood. The specimen was once living matter.

Examination reveals the glue oozed from the layers. The outside of the wood appears to have been coated with bitumen.

Even more surprising were laboratory analyses which not only revealed that the petrified wood contained carbon (proving it was once wood) but there were iron nails [above right] embedded in the wood!

In Genesis 6:14, God told Noah to "make yourself an ark of gopher wood."

"Gopher wood" is a misreading and scribal error. "Kopher" wood is correct and means wood (any wood) that is covered with Kopher. Kopher is bitumen. In the Genesis text (6:14), the context is clear. The GPR wood used, (a scribal error) is to be covered in KPR. G and K in Hebrew are so similar that inexperienced Hebrew "scholars," such as those translating the King James Version of the Bible, could have been prone to such errors, indeed, they made many such errors.

Acts 7: 45 & Hebrews 4: 8 are classic examples of such scribal errors.

gpr = "g," as in gopher, k pr = "k,"as in kopher Pictured right is a simple visual comparison of the letters.

We like to imagine that humanity evolved in a neat sequence of eras, each named after the technology that was discovered. We have the Stone Age (where man developed arrows and stone tools), the Bronze Age (where metals were combined and heated to make tools and household items) and lastly the Iron Age (where iron and steel objects were made by heating iron ore and adding other material -- like charcoal -- to strengthen it). The Iron Age is usually placed at 1200-1000 BC, yet we have iron nails being used in this extremely old construction

But wait... there's more!

The most surprising find was discovered with sensitive metal detectors. The team located several strong "hits" that, when dug up, revealed large disc shaped rivets. From simple observation of the metal it was possible to see where the rivet had been hammered after being inserted through a hole [below].

If rivets being used in ancient construction doesn't impress you, this surely will.

An analysis of the metal used to make the rivets revealed that they were a combination of iron (8.38%), aluminum (8.35%) and titanium (1.59%). Remember these trace metals have survived petrification and so do not indicate the exact content in the original material. (see Report from Galbraith Labs)

We know the aluminum was incorporated in the metallic mixture because it does not exist in metallic form in nature. This implies an extremely advanced knowledge of metallurgy and engineering. Characteristics of an iron-aluminum alloy have been investigated in The Russian Chemical Bulletin (2005) and reveal that this alloy forms a thin film of aluminum oxide which protects the material from rust and corrosion. The addition of titanium would provide added strength. This seems to have worked. The rivets have survived from antiquity!

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#20455

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Mon Apr 23, 2012 3:44 am
Subject: The Pillars of Islam

adammohomedsait@...

We hope that you can explain the pillars of Islam for us.

Praise be to Allaah.

Islam is based on five pillars which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has explained for us, when he said: “Islam is built upon five [pillars]: the testimony that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; establishing regular prayer (salaah); paying the zakaah; Hajj (pilgrimage) and fasting Ramadaan.” (Agreed upon; narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 8)

Islam is both belief and laws, in which Allaah and His Messenger have told us what is halaal and what is haraam, morals and good manners, acts of worship and how to interact with people, rights and duties, and scenes of the resurrection. When Allaah completed this religion, He chose it to be the way of life for all of mankind until the Hour begins:

“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion

[al-Maa'idah 5:3 – interpretation of the meaning]

These are the pillars of Islam and the principles upon which it is based:

The first pillar: al-Shahaadatayn (the twin testimony of faith)

This means that a person believes that Allaah alone is the Lord, Sovereign and Controller, the Creator and Provider. He affirms all His most beautiful names and the sublime attributes that Allaah has affirmed for Himself or that His Prophet affirmed for Him. He believes that Allaah alone, and no one else, is the Only One Who is deserving of worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything.

Such is Allaah, your Lord! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs or Guardian) over all things”[al-An’aam 6:101-102]

And he believes that Allaah sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and revealed to him the Qur’aan, and commanded him to convey this religion to all of mankind. He believes that loving Allaah and His Messenger and obeying them are duties which are obligatory upon all of mankind, and that love of Allaah can only be realized by following His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):

“Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’aan and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:31 – interpretation of the meaning]

The second pillar: salaah (prayer)

The Muslim believes that Allaah has enjoined upon every sane adult Muslim five prayers each day and night, which he does in a state of purity, standing before his Lord, every day in a state of purity and humility, thanking his Lord for His blessings, asking Him of His bounty, seeking His forgiveness for his sins, asking Him for Paradise and seeking refuge in Him from Hell.

The five obligatory prayers which are required day and night are Fajr (early morning, before dawn), Zuhr (mid-day, just after noon), ‘Asr (mid afternoon), Maghrib (just after sunset) and ‘Ishaa’ (at night, after dark has fallen). There are also Sunnah prayers such as Qiyaam al-Layl (prayer at night), Taraweeh prayers, two rak’ahs of Duha prayer, etc.

Prayer, whether it is fard or naafil, represents a sincere turning towards Allaah alone in all one's affairs. Allaah has commanded all the believers to guard strictly the observance of the prayers, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Guard strictly (five obligatory) As‑Salawaat (the prayers) especially the middle Salaah (i.e. the best prayer ‑ ‘Asr). And stand before Allaah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salaah (prayers)]”[al-Baqarah 2:238]

The five daily prayers are obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman, night and day:

“Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours”[al-Nisaa’ 4:103 – interpretation of the meaning]

The one who abandons prayer has no share in Islam. Whoever neglects it deliberately is a kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“(And remain always) turning in repentance to Him (only), and be afraid and dutiful to Him; and perform As‑Salaah (Iqaamat‑as‑Salaah) and be not of Al‑Mushrikoon (the polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah)[al-Room 30:31]

Islam is based on co-operation, brotherhood and love, and Allaah has prescribed coming together for these prayers and others, in order to attain these virtues. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Prayer in congregation is twenty-seven times better than prayer offered alone.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 650)

Prayer helps the believer at times of hardship and calamity. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And seek help in patience and As-Salaah (the prayer) and truly, it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khaashi‘oon [i.e. the true believers in Allaah — those who obey Allaah with full submission, fear much from His punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise) and in His Warnings (Hell)].[al-Baqarah 2:45]

The five daily prayers wipe out sins, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not think that if there was a river at the door of any one of you, and he were to bathe in it five times each day, would there by any dirt left on him?” They said, “No dirt would be left on him at all.” He said, “That is the likeness of the five daily prayers, by means of which Allaah erases sin.”

Prayer in the mosque is a means of entering Paradise. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever comes and goes to the mosque, Allaah will prepare for him a house in Paradise for each time he comes and goes.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 669)

Prayer brings the slave and his Creator together. It was the delight of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Whenever any matter grieved him, he would turn to prayer and converse with his Lord and call upon Him, seeking His forgiveness and asking Him of His bounty.

Prayer done with proper humility and fear of Allaah brings the Muslim closer to his Lord, and keeps him from doing evil, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Recite (O Muhammad) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur’aan), and perform As‑Salaah (Iqaamat‑as‑Salaah). Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) prevents from Al‑Fahsha’ (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al‑Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed)”[al-‘Ankaboot 29:45]

The third pillar: zakaah (poor due, charity tax)

Just asAllaah has created people with different colours, attitudes and levels of knowledge, so too their deeds and provision vary. He has made some of them rich and some poor, to test the rich as to whether they show gratitude, and to test the poor as to whether they are patient. Because the believers are a brotherhood, and brotherhood is based on compassion, kindness, love and mercy, Allaah has enjoined upon the Muslims zakaah which is taken from the rich and given to the poor. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and invoke Allaah for them. Verily, your invocations are a source of security for them”[al-Tawbah 9:103]

Zakaah purifies and cleanses wealth, and purifies the soul from stinginess and miserliness. It strengthens the love between the rich and poor, takes away hatred, makes security prevail and brings happiness to the ummah happy.

Allaah has made the payment of zakaah obligatory upon everyone who owns the nisaab (minimum amount) for one year. The rate of zakaah on gold, silver, other metals and trade goods is one quarter of ten percent. On agricultural produce and fruits the amount is one-tenth if it is irrigated (by artificial means), and one-half of one-tenth if it is not irrigated (by artificial means, i.e., it is watered by rainfall or other natural means). Concerning an’aam animals (i.e., sheep, goats, cattle and camels) the details are explained in the books of fiqh… Whoever pays zakaah, Allaah expiates his sins thereby, and blesses his wealth, and stores up for him a great reward. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and give Zakaah, and whatever of good (deeds that Allaah loves) you send forth for yourselves before you, you shall find it with Allaah. Certainly, Allaah is All-Seer of what you do”[al-Baqarah 2:110]

Withholding zakaah brings disasters and evils upon the ummah. Allaah has threatened those who withhold it with a painful torment on the Day of Resurrection. He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the way of Allaah (i.e. Allaah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism). And those who hoard up gold and silver (Al‑Kanz: the money, the Zakaah of which has not been paid) and spend them not in the way of Allaah, announce unto them a painful torment.

On the Day when that (Al‑Kanz: money, gold and silver, the Zakaah of which has not been paid) will be heated in the fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them:) ‘This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard’”

[al-Tawbah 9:34-35]

Concealing one’s zakaah is better than paying it openly in front of people, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“If you disclose your Sadaqaat (almsgiving), it is well; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, that is better for you. (Allaah) will expiate you some of your sins. And Allaah is Well-Acquainted with what you do [al-Baqarah 2:271]

When a Muslim pays his zakaah, it is not permissible for him to give it to anyone except those whom Allaah mentions in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and Al‑Masaakeen (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allaah’s Cause (i.e. for Mujahidoon — those fighting in a holy battle), and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allaah. And Allaah is All-Knower, All-Wise”[al-Tawbah 9:60]

The fourth pillar: sawm (fasting) in Ramadaan

Fasting means abstaining from things which break the fast, such as food, drink and intercourse, from sunrise until sunset, with the intention of fasting.

The relationship of patience to faith is like that of the head to the body. Allaah has enjoined upon this ummah fasting for one month of the year, in order to draw closer to Allaah, to avoid that which Allaah has forbidden, to get used to being patient, to bring the nafs (self) under control, to compete in generosity and to demonstrate co-operation and mutual compassion. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”[al-Baqarah 2:183]

The month of Ramadaan is a great month, in which Allaah revealed the Qur’aan. The reward for good deeds, acts of charity and acts of worship are multiplied in this month. In it is Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months. The gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the shayaateen (devils) are tied up.

Allaah has made fasting the month of Ramadaan obligatory upon every sane, adult Muslim, male and female alike, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“The month of Ramadaan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadaan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him” [al-Baqarah 2:185]

There is a great reward with Allaah for fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every action of the son of Adam is multiplied, each good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allaah said, ‘Except for fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for he gives up his desire and food for My sake.’” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Siyaam)

The fifth pillar: Hajj (pilgrimage)

Allaah has given the Muslims a Qiblah (direction of prayer) which they face when they pray (salaah) and offer supplications (du’aa’), wherever they may be. This qiblah is the Ancient House (the Ka’bah) in Makkah al-Mukarramah:

“so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction [al-Baqarah 2:144 – interpretation of the meaning]

Because the Muslims scattered all over the world, and Islam calls people to be united and get to know one another, just as it calls them to co-operate in righteousness and piety, to recommend one another to the truth, to call people to Allaah and to venerate the rituals of Allaah – hence Allaah has made it obligatory for every sane, adult Muslim who has the means, to visit His Ancient House, to circumambulate it and to perform all the rituals of Hajj as explained by Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allaah], then Allaah stands not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)” [Aal Imraan 3:97]

Hajj is an occasion on which the unity of the Muslims, their strength and pride, are made manifest. For the Lord is One, the Book is one, the Messenger is one, the ummah is one, their worship is one and their clothing is one.

Hajj has its own etiquette and conditions which the Muslims must observe, such as restraining their tongues, hearing and sight from all that Allaah has forbidden, being sincere in their intentions, using money from good sources (for Hajj), fostering the best attitude, and avoiding everything that could invalidate the Hajj, such as sexual relations, sin or arguing unjustly, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihraam), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj. And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allaah knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding!”[al-Baqarah 3:197]

If the Muslim does Hajj correctly, in the manner prescribed and sincerely for the sake of Allaah, it will be an expiation for his sins. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does Hajj for the sake of Allaah, and does not have sexual relations or commit sins, will come back like the day his mother bore him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 15210)

From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuawyjri

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From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:33 pm
Subject: Hajj: its virtues and benefits

adammohomedsait@...

O Allah guide me and my family upon the path that leads to Jannah.

Hajj: its virtues and benefits

Praise be to Allaah and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allaah.

This is a brief discussion of Hajj – its virtues, benefits and a little about its rulings.

1. When Hajj was prescribed

According to the correct view, Hajj was made obligatory in 9AH, the year of the Delegations (al-Wufood), in which Soorat Aal ‘Imraanwas revealed, in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka’bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence).” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:97]

2. The ruling on Hajj

Hajj is a fareedah (obligatory duty), one of the pillars of Islam. The evidence (daleel) for this is the aayah mentioned above, and there is also evidence in the Sunnah which indicates the same thing.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Islam is built upon five (pillars): testifying that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah, establishing regular prayer, paying zakaah, Hajj and fasting Ramadaan.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 8; Muslim, 16).

3. Is Hajj obligatory straight away?

Yes, it should be done straight away. The evidence for this is the aayah referred to above. This (doing things straight away) is the guiding principle concerning the commands of sharee’ah. The evidence in the Sunnah which indicates this is as follows:

a.      Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave a sermon (khutbah) and said: “O people, Allaah has enjoined Hajj upon you so do Hajj.”(Narrated by Muslim, 1337).

b.      Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever wants to go for Hajj, let him hasten to do it, because he may fall ill or some other problems may arise.”(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 1732, without the phrase “because he may…”’ also narrated by Ibn Maajah, 2883 and Ahmad, 1836).

According to a report narrated by Ahmad “Hasten to do Hajj –i.e., the obligatory Hajj – for none of you knows what may happen to him.”

These two reports strengthen one another. (SeeIrwaa’ al-Ghaleel by al-Albaani, 4/168).

The Shaafa’is say that Hajj may be delayed, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) delayed his Hajj until 10 AH. But the answer to this is as follows:

a.   He only delayed it for one year, but they say it may be delayed indefinitely!
b.   He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wanted to purify the House (the Ka’bah) of the Mushrikeen and those who performed Hajj naked.
c.    He was kept busy with the delegations who had started to come to Madeenah one after another to announce their Islam.
(See al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 7/17, 18)

4. It is obligatory to do Hajj once in one's lifetime

Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave a sermon (khutbah) and said: “O people, Allaah has enjoined Hajj upon you so do Hajj.” A man said, Is it every year, O Messenger of Allaah? He remained silent until the man had said it three times, then he said, “If I say yes, it will become obligatory and you will not be able to do it.” Then he said, “Do not push me to tell you more than what I have left you with, for those who came before you were destroyed because they asked too many questions and argued with their Prophets. If I command you to do a thing, do as much of it as you can, and if I forbid you to do something, then avoid it.” (Narrated by Muslim, 1337)

5. The virtues of Hajj

There are many ahaadeeth which speak of the virtues of Hajj, including the following:

a.      From Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked which deed is best. He said, “Belief in Allaah and His Messenger.” He was asked, then what? He said, “Jihaad for the sake of Allaah.” He was asked, then what? He said, “An accepted Hajj.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 26; Muslim, 83).

An accepted Hajj means:

1.   It must be paid for with halaal money
2.   One should keep away from evil, sin and unjust disputes during Hajj.
3.   One should observe all the rituals according to the Sunnah.
4.   One should not show off by doing Hajj; it should be purely and sincerely for the sake of Allaah.
5.   One should not follow it with acts of disobedience and sin.

a.      Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever does Hajj for the sake of Allaah and does not have sexual relations (with his wife), commit sin, or dispute unjustly during the Hajj, will come back like the day his mother gave birth to him. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1449; Muslim, 1350)

b.      Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “ ‘Umrah is an expiation for the time between it and the previous ‘Umrah, and an accepted hajj has no less a reward than Paradise.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1683; Muslim, 1349).

c.      ‘Aa’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: I said, O Messenger of Allaah, can we not go out on campaigns and fight in jihaad with you? He said, “But the best and most beautiful of jihaad is Hajj, an accepted pilgrimage.” ‘Aa’ishah said, I never stopped going for Hajj after I heard that from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1762).

d.      ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Hajj wipes out whatever (sins) came before it.”(Narrated by Muslim, 121).

e.      ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Keep on doing Hajj and ‘Umrah, for they eliminate poverty and sin just as the bellows eliminate impurities from iron and gold and silver.”(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 810; al-Nasaa’i, 2631. The hadeeth was classed assaheeh by al-Albaani – may Allaah have mercy on him – in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1200).

f.      Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The one who fights for the sake of Allaah and the pilgrim who goes for Hajj or ‘Umrah are all guests of Allaah. He called them and they responded; they ask of Him and He will give them.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 2893. The hadeeth is hasan and was classed as such by Shaykh al-Albaani in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 1820).

6. The benefits of Hajj

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“That they may witness things that are of benefit to them” [al-Hajj 22:28]

The benefits are both worldly and religious (spiritual).

With regard to the religious benefits, the one who goes for Hajj earns the pleasure of his Lord, and comes back with all his sins forgiven. He also earns the immense reward which he cannot earn anywhere else than in these places. One prayer in al-Masjid al-Haraam, for example, is equal to a hundred thousand prayers elsewhere, and Tawaaf and Saa’ee cannot be done anywhere except in these places.
Other benefits include meeting other Muslims and discussing their circumstances, and meeting scholars, learning from them and asking them about one’s problems.
Worldly benefits include trade and business, and other kinds of earnings that have to do with Hajj.

7. The ruling on Hajj and its spiritual effects on a person

There are many virtues of the rituals of Hajj, and much wisdom behind them. Whoever is blessed with proper understanding of them is blessed with much goodness. For example:

a.   When a person travels to carry out the rituals of Hajj, he is reminded of his journey to Allaah and the Hereafter. When he travels, he leaves behind his dear friends, wife, children and homeland, and the journey to the Hereafter is like that.

b.   The one who goes on this journey equips himself with enough provision to help him reach the sacred land, so let him remember that for his journey to his Lord, he needs to have sufficient provision to help him get there safely. Concerning this, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwaa (piety, righteousness, etc.).” [al-Baqarah 2:197]

c.    Travelling is a kind of torment, and the same is true of the journey to the Hereafter, only much more so. Ahead of man there is his dying, death, the grave, the gathering, the accounting, the scales and al-Siraat, followed by either Paradise or Hell. The blessed one will be the one whom Allaah saves.

d.   When the pilgrim puts on the two garments of his ihraam, he cannot help but be reminded of the shroud in which he will be wrapped [after he dies]. This prompts him to give up disobedience and sin. Just as he has given up his regular clothing [for Hajj], so he has to give up sin. Just as he has put on two clean, white garments, he has to make his heart clean and white [pure], and keep his faculties clean and pure, uncontaminated by the stain of sin and disobedience.

e.   When he says “Labbayk Allaahumma labbayk” at the Meeqaat[station of entering ihraam], he means that he has responded to his Lord, so how can he insist on still sinning and not respond to his Lord’s call to give it up? When he says “Labbayk Allaahumma labbayk”, he means, “I am responding to Your prohibition of it and this is the time I am giving it up.”

f.     When he gives up haraam things during his ihraam, and keeps himself busy with the talbiyah and dhikr, this shows him how the Muslim should be. He trains himself to give up some things which in principle are halaal, but Allaah has forbidden them to him at this time [during his ihraam], so how can he violate the prohibitions of Allaah by doing things which are haraam at all times and in all places?

g.   When he enters the Sacred House of Allaah, which Allaah has made a sanctuary for mankind, he remembers the sanctuary of the Day of Resurrection, which no one can reach without striving hard and making a concerted effort. The greatest thing which will keep a person safe on the Day of Resurrection is Tawheed and avoiding Shirk (associating others with Allaah). Concerning this, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their Belief with Zulm (wrong, i.e. by worshipping others besides Allaah), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided.” [al-An’aam 6:81].

Kissing the Black Stone, which is the first ritual to be undertaken, teaches the visitor to honour the Sunnah and not to oppose the laws of Allaah with his feeble reasoning. He recognizes that there is wisdom and goodness behind the laws and rituals which Allaah has prescribed for mankind, and he trains himself to submit himself totally to his Lord, may He be exalted. Concerning this, ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, after he kissed the Black Stone: “I know that you are only a stone and that you can neither benefit nor harm. If I had not seen the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kiss you, I would not have kissed you.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1520; Muslim, 1720).

h.   When he does Tawaaf, he is reminded of his father Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), who built the House to be a place of resort for mankind and a place of safety, and that he called them to perform pilgrimage to this House. And our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also called them to perform pilgrimage to this House. Moosa, Yoonus and ‘Eesaa (peace be upon them) also performed pilgrimage to this House. This House was a symbol and a meeting place for these Prophets; how could it be otherwise, when Allaah had commanded Ibraheem (peace be upon him) to build it and venerate it?

i.       When he drinks the water of Zamzam, he is reminded of the blessing which Allaah has bestowed upon mankind in the form of this blessed water, from which millions of people have drunk throughout the long ages, but it has never dried up. He is encouraged to make du’aa’ when he drinks it by the hadeeth which has been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)” “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 3062; Ahmad, 14435. This is a hasan hadeeth; classed as hasan by Ibn al-Qayyim – may Allaah have mercy on him – in Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/320).

j.     When he does al-Saa’ee, running between al-Safaa’ and al-Marwah, he is reminded of the trial endured by Haajir, the mother of Ismaa’eel and the wife of al-Khaleel [Ibraaheem] (peace be upon him), and how she ran back and forth between al-Safaa’ and al-Marwah, searching for water which would save her from what she was suffering, and especially so that she could give her little son – Ismaa’eel – water to drink. Since this woman was patient in the face of this adversity and turned to her Lord, this teaches man that doing this is better and more appropriate. When a man remembers the struggle and patience of this woman, it makes it easier for him to bear his own problems, and a woman who is of her own kind will find her problems easier to bear.

k.    The standing (wuqoof) in ‘Arafaah reminds the pilgrim of the throngs of people on the Day of Gathering. If the pilgrim feels tired from being in a crowd of thousands, how will it be in the crowds of barefoot, naked, uncircumcised people, standing for fifty thousand years?

l.     When he throws the pebbles at the Jamaraat, the Muslim trains himself to obey Allaah unquestioningly. Even if he does not understand the reason and wisdom behind this throwing (ramy), and cannot make the connection between rulings and their purpose, this is a manifestation of complete submission (‘uboodiyyah) to Allaah.

m. When he slaughters his sacrifice (hady), he is reminded of the great event when our father Ibraaheem submitted to the command of Allaah to sacrifice his only son Ismaa’eel, after he had grown up and become a help to him. He is also reminded that there is no room for emotions which go against the commands and prohibitions of Allaah. This teaches him to respond to what Allaah commands, as Ismaa’eel said (interpretation of the meaning): “ ‘O my father! Do that which you are commanded. In shaa Allaah (if Allaah wills), you will find me of al-saabireen (the patient ones).’” [al-Saaffaat 37:102].

n.   When he comes out of his ihraam and things that had been forbidden to him once again become permissible, this teaches him about the consequences of patience and that after hardship comes ease. The one who responds to the call of Allaah will have joy and happiness, and this joy cannot be known by anyone except those who have tasted the sweetness of obedience, such as the joy felt by the one who fasts when he breaks his fast, or by the one who prays Qiyaam during the last part of the night, after he has finished praying.

o.      When he has finished performing all the rituals of Hajj as they were prescribed by Allaah and in the manner that Allaah loves, he has the hope that his Lord will forgive him all his sins, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) promised in the hadeeth, “Whoever does Hajj for the sake of Allaah and does not have sexual relations (with his wife), commit sin, or dispute unjustly during the hajj, will come back like the day his mother gave birth to him. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1449; Muslim, 1350).This invites him to start a new page in his life, free of sin.

p.   When he comes back to his wife and children, and experiences the joy of meeting them again, this reminds him of the greater joy of meeting them in Paradise. This also teaches him that the greatest loss is losing oneself and one’s family on the Day of Resurrection, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):“The losers are those who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Verily, that will be a manifest loss!” [al-Zumar 39:15].

We ask Allaah to help us to obey Him and to reach His House and to do all that He has enjoined upon us. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

http://islamqa.info/en/ref/books/60

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#20457

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:22 pm
Subject: Weighty Rewards for Few yet Tremendous Statements

adammohomedsait@...

The secret of a happy life is giving Allah (SWT) the first priority to every decision and the first place in your heart.

Weighty Rewards for Few yet

Tremendous Statements

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma-ba'd

The Excellence of the Four Statements, by
Abdur-Razaaq bin Abdul-Muhsin al-Badr (hafidhahumullaah Ta'aala)

Excerpts:
"1- So from the excellence of these words is that they are the most beloved speech to Allaah. Imam Muslim collected in his book from the hadeeth of Sumrah bin Jundab - Radi Allaahu anhu - who said that the Messenger of Allaah - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - said: The most beloved speech to Allaah consists of four, there is no harm with which one you begin: Subhana Allaahi, wal Hamdu lillaahi, wa La illaah ila Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar.'[Saheeh Muslim]"

"3– From their excellence is, what is mentioned in 'Musnad' of Imam Ahmad and 'Shu'ab al-Eeman' by Bayhaqi with a good Isnaad from Assim bin Bahdalah from Abu Salih from Umm Hani bint Abu Talib who said: The Messenger of Allaah walked past me so I said: 'Indeed I have become old and weak – or something similar to this – then he ordered me with an action which I should do while I am sitting. He - sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam - said:

Say Subhana Allaah one hundred times, indeed it is equivalent to freeing one hundred slaves from the offspring of Isma'eel.

And say Al-Hamdulillaah one hundred times, it is the equivalent to one hundred horses saddled with reins ready to carry a person in the path of Allaah.

And say Allaahu akbar one hundred times, since it is the equivalent to one hundred camels slaughtered for the sake of Allaah.

And say La illaah ila Allaah one hundred times. Ibn Khalf (the narrator from Aasim) said: I think he said: It fills what is between the heavens and the earth and on that day no one will have an action raised except the one who came with the like of it.'[Al-Musnad & Shu'ab al-Eemaan]

Al-Mundhari said: Ahmad collected it with a Hasan Isnad[Targheeb wa Tarheeb (2/409)]and the 'allaama al-Albaani declared its Isnad Hasan.[Silsilah Saheehah (3/303)]

Reflect upon this great reward, which is a result of these words. So whoever says Subhana Allaah hundred times then it is the equivalent to freeing a hundred slaves from the sons of Isma'eel, the offspring of Isma'eel was mentioned specifically because they are the noblest of the Arabs in lineage. Whoever says Al-Hamdulillaah a hundred times then he will have the reward as the one who gave charity of one hundred horses saddled and reined ready to carry the Mujahideen in the path of Allaah. Whoever says Allaahu Akbar a hundred times then he will have the reward as the one who spends camels slaughtered for the sake of Allaah. Whoever said La illaah ila Allaaha hundred times then it fills what is between the heavens and the earth and no one's action is raised except if one comes with what was mentioned."

Source: http://followingthesunnah.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/part-one-the-excellence-of-the-four-statements// Part 2

Related Links: Salafiyyah Kuwait's Abandoned Sunan Section, plus many other Abandoned Sunan ----> http://www.salafitalk.com/threads/700-Salafiyyah-Kuwait-s-Abandoned-Sunan-Section-plus-many-other-Abandoned-Sunan

Four Rak'ah equivalent to lailatul Qadr! ----> http://ah-sp.com/2011/12/06/four-rakah-equivalent-to-lailatul-qadr/

Walk to Jumu'ah, fulfill these conditions for Hefty Reward -----> http://www.salafitalk.com/threads/679-Walk-to-Jumu-ah-fulfill-these-conditions-for-Hefty-Reward

Tremendous Virtues-----> http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmes...11&Topic=11846

Tremendous Virtue and Benefit of Seeking Forgiveness for the Believers ----> http://ah-sp.com/2011/11/25/from-the-benefits-of-seeking-forgiveness-for-the-believers/

**********************************************

Forgiveness for Sins Even Though they are like the Foam of the Sea

Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever says, ‘Subhan Allaahi Wa bihamdihi, [Allah is free from imperfection and His is the praise]. One hundred times a day, will be forgiven all his sins even if they were as much as the foam of the sea.

(Bukhari, Book #75, Hadith #414)

Related by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak who said it's sahih, as such it is mentioned in at-Targhib, and Ad-Dhahabi agrees upon its authenticity. Also narrated by at-Tabarani.

Whoever Does not Supplicate to Allaah, then Allaah is Angry with him

Taken from Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah
By Shaykh Muhadith Nasir as-Sunnah Muhammad Nasir- Deen Al-Albaani
Translated by Abbas Abu Yahya

No. 2654 - From Abu Hurairah from the Messenger-sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam-: ‘Whoever does not supplicate (make Dua’) to Allaah, then Allaah is angry with him.’

Collected by Bukhari in ‘Adab al-Mufrad’, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim, Ahmad, Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Bayhaqi in ‘ash-Shawba’ and by Tabaraani. Albani declared it Hasan.

Shaykh Albaani brought a supporting hadeeth from an-Nu’maan –RadhiAllaahu anhu, the wording of which was:
‘Dua’ is worship’ then the Messenger-sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam-: recited: << And your Lord said: ‘Call on Me, (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness,] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!>>

Collected by the collectors of the Sunnan and by other than them. Ibn Hibban, al-Hakim and Dhahabi authenticated it, as well as others. It is researched in ‘Ahkaam al-Janaiz’, ‘Saheeh Abi Dawood’ and in ‘Rowda alNadeer’.

Shaykh Albaani comments: ‘And there is no doubt that staying away from Allaah’s -Ta’ala- worship due to arrogance and not making Dua’ to Him necessitates Allaah’s anger upon the one who does not make Dua’ to Him. This hadeeth [of Nu’maan] is a strong support for the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah due its meaning and not from its chain.

Some of the ignorant Soofis have neglected these Ahadeeth or have pretended to neglect them. They claim that making Dua’ to Allaah is inappropriate behaviour with Allaah, they have become affected with an Israeeli narration: ‘His knowledge of my condition spares me from asking from Him.’ So they were ignorant that when the slave of Allaah makes Dua’ to His Lord – Ta’ala- it is not the case that the slave of Allaah is informing Allaah –Subhanahu wa Ta’ala – his need of Him << He knows what is kept secret and that which is yet more hidden. >> rather it is the act of actualization of the Uboodeeyah of Allaah (servitude of worship) and the slave of Allaah’s need of Him and his own impoverishment.

[Taken from ‘Silsilah Ahadeeth As-Saheehah’ vol.6 Hadeeth no. 2654 p.323-326]

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#20458

From: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:48 pm
Subject: File - Jobs Corner

InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com

Hello Friends,

You can use this facility in the IFDC page for announcing Job vacancies or
details of those who are seeking a Job. visit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InterfaithDialogueCenter/grouplets/subscriptions

Moderator

#20459

From: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tue May 1, 2012 1:40 pm
Subject: File - IFDC Message

InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com

Dear IFDC friends,

Please post good articles on different religions and articles that shed light
into the concepts of each religion on different aspects of life. You may also
send useful other e-mails aimed for general knowledge, health and science,
serious or interesting news articles you would like to share with others,
current issues and your opinion on them, moral stories and even comics etc. The
purpose of this group is to create understanding between religions and cultures,
and create love, peace, harmony and brotherly affections between the followers
of different religious groups by exchanging the teachings of each religion on
all aspects of life. Let us be like the bricks of a strong wall, and be together
to oppose all the injustice in the World towards humanity regardless of the
faith of the ones who commits it.

No insults or criticisms aiming to hurt the feelings of anyone are allowed.
Sincere inquiries to know will be encouraged. All messages are moderated and
will be approved only if it meets all the expected standards and morality.
Please invite your friends to the group. They can subscribe by sending an e-mail
to the following address:
InterfaithDialogueCenter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

or visit and join the group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InterfaithDialogueCenter

Group email address for posting your articles, messages and responses is:
InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com

If you want to upload any files in the group website, please write to or send
the file to:
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You can also visit the group to read the uploaded files in Files section and
links to other reading meaterials in the Links section:
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May God bless us all.

Moderator
IFDC

Disclaimer:
The opinion of any individual member does not reflect the collective opinion of
the list or that of the List Moderator or that of the service provider. The List
Moderator does not accept responsibility for the posting of any single member.

#20460

From: "enghusen" <enghusen@...>
Date: Mon May 7, 2012 4:35 am
Subject: RE: [IFDC] File - IFDC Message

abo7abdullah

Let me ask a question.

What is faith? (No historical definitions plz).

Regards…..

AboAbdullah

From: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com [mailto:InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 01 May, 2012 05:40 PM
To: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [IFDC] File - IFDC Message

Dear IFDC friends,

Please post good articles on different religions and articles that shed light into the concepts of each religion on different aspects of life. You may also send useful other e-mails aimed for general knowledge, health and science, serious or interesting news articles you would like to share with others, current issues and your opinion on them, moral stories and even comics etc. The purpose of this group is to create understanding between religions and cultures, and create love, peace, harmony and brotherly affections between the followers of different religious groups by exchanging the teachings of each religion on all aspects of life. Let us be like the bricks of a strong wall, and be together to oppose all the injustice in the World towards humanity regardless of the faith of the ones who commits it.

No insults or criticisms aiming to hurt the feelings of anyone are allowed. Sincere inquiries to know will be encouraged. All messages are moderated and will be approved only if it meets all the expected standards and morality.
Please invite your friends to the group. They can subscribe by sending an e-mail to the following address:
InterfaithDialogueCenter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

or visit and join the group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InterfaithDialogueCenter

Group email address for posting your articles, messages and responses is:
InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com

If you want to upload any files in the group website, please write to or send the file to:
InterfaithDialogueCenter-owner@yahoogroups.com

You can also visit the group to read the uploaded files in Files section and links to other reading meaterials in the Links section:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InterfaithDialogueCenter

May God bless us all.

Moderator
IFDC

Disclaimer:
The opinion of any individual member does not reflect the collective opinion of the list or that of the List Moderator or that of the service provider. The List Moderator does not accept responsibility for the posting of any single member.

#20461

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Sat May 5, 2012 3:27 pm
Subject: The Miracle and Challenge of the Quran

adammohomedsait@...

Stressed? Depressed? Thinking what to do but not getting any way out?”Bear with patience whatever befalls you”- (Quran 31:17). “Never lose hope in the Mercy of Allah”- (Quran 39:53). “Verily, along every hardship comes relief”- (Quran 94:6).

The Miracle and Challenge of the Quran

"We shall show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it will become clear to them that it is the Truth. Does it not suffice that your Lord is Witness over all things?"
Qur'an:41:53.

Muslims are taught that throughout the ages, Allah Almighty has sent a prophet to every nation as a warner and a bearer of glad tidings.

"Verily! We have sent you (O Muhammad) with the Truth, a bearer of glad tidings and a warner; and there is not a nation but a warner has passed among them." Qur'an 35:24.

Each Prophet was wisely selected by Allah in order to be the best person for the job. He was then provided by Allah with miracles as proof of his truthfulness and his message. These miracles were wisely selected by Allah in order to be in the same field as that which these people excelled in so that they could fully comprehend the magnitude of these miracles.

For instance, the people during the time of Moses excelled at magical trickery. Their rulers used to surround themselves with the most powerful of these wizards as a sign of power. This is why Allah made the miracles of Moses (as) similar to their magical trickery (changing a stick into a snake, parting of the sea... etc.) but of a much greater magnitude than anything they could ever hope to accomplish. For they were not tricks, but actual physical miracles.

The people at the time of the Prophet Jesus (as) excelled in matters of medicine. For this reason, his miracles were of a medical nature (raising of the dead, healing of the blind...etc.), but of a degree that they could never hope to imitate. Similarly, one of the major miracles of Islam was a new and unheard-of type of literature similar to the Bedouin's poetry but far beyond anything they could ever hope to match. Although they did indeed try. This new literature was called "The Qur'an."

The Arabic language, as can be attested to by any of it's scholars, is a very rich and powerful language. The Bedouin people of the Arabian desert were, in general, illiterate people of very little scientific knowledge. The thing that set them apart, however, was their mastery of poetry. Spending their days as they did in the desert watching their sheep graze got quite boring. They alleviated their boredom by continually composing and refining poetry. They would spend entire years composing and refining their poetry in anticipation of a yearly face-down of the poetic compositions of their peers from all over the country. The fact that they were illiterate forced them to also train themselves in the memorisation of works of literature to such an extent that they were able to memorise complete works from a single recitation. Even in matters of leadership, one of the major criteria for selecting the leaders of the various Bedouin tribes was the individual's prowess in literary composition and memorisation.
The Arabian Bedouins took great pains to make their poetry as compact and picturesque as humanly possible, constantly expanding the language along the way. A single word could convey complete pictures. The Qur'an, however, has put even these great efforts to shame. You will notice that when a Muslim translates a verse of the Qur'an he usually does not say "the Qur'an says so and so" but rather "An approximation of the meaning of what the Qur'an says is so and so." You really need to know the language to comprehend this.

In the English language, we find that the words: "mustang," "colt," "mare," "pony," "stallion," "bronco"... etc. all refer to the same thing; a horse. Each one of these words conveys a slightly different mental picture. The mental picture we get when we hear the word "colt" is slightly different than the picture we get if we hear the word "mare." In a similar manner, the Arabic language progressed in such a fashion as to make it possible to convey such mental pictures in as concise and picturesque a format as possible. It is not at all uncommon to find over three hundred words that refer to the same thing in the Arabic language. Each one of these words gives a slightly different picture than the others.

Many centuries of this constant refinement eventually lead to a very complex and rich vocabulary. It was for this very reason that Allah Almighty placed the primary miracle of Muhammad (saws) in the Qur'an. You see, if you want someone to believe in your miracle, you should present your miracle in the same field as that which that person excels in. If I am a computer programmer, and I go to a Chemist and challenge him to write a better computer program than myself, then this will not be much of a competition. But if I challenge a computer programmer to the same test then this will be a true test of my abilities. It will also be possible for my opponent to truly comprehend the magnitude of what I have accomplished.

When Muhammad (saws))first became the prophet of Islam, he presented his people with a challenge: "compose a literary work on a par with this Qur'an that I have brought you and you will prove that I am a liar." They could not. The Qur'an continued to reduce it's challenge until the challenge finally became: "compose only a single verse comparable to this Qur'an and you will have won." They still could not. This in addition to the fairness, justice, and logic of the Qur'an eventually won them over and slowly more and more people became Muslims.

"Well then, if the Koran were his own [Muhammad's] composition other men could rival it. Let them produce ten verses like it. If they could not (and it is obvious that they could not), then let them accept the Koran as an outstanding evidential miracle" (Mohammedanism, H. A. R. Gibb, Oxford University Press, p. 42)

"From the literary point of view, the Koran is regarded as a specimen of purest Arabic, written in half poetry, half prose. It has been said that in some cases grammarians have adopted their rules to agree with certain expressions used in it, and though several attempts have been made to produce a work equal to it as far as elegant writing is concerned, none yet has succeeded". (Glimpses of the Holy Qur'an, Muhammad Azizullah, Crescent Publications, pp. 104-105)

Many claims have been made against Muhammad (saws) in that day and this. Among them are the claims that he was a lunatic, a liar, or deceived by the devil. If Muhammad (saws) was a lunatic or a liar then we have to wonder how all of his prophesies came true?. Further, if he was a deceived by Satan then we are faced with another problem. For we know that all Muslims are taught that when reading the Qur'an to first begin with the words "I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the accursed one." and then follow this up with the words "In the name of Allah, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful" So, we have to wonder if Satan would "inspire" a man to teach mankind to seek refuge in God from Satan? Indeed this is the exact same accusation which was made against Jesus (as). Let us read how Jesus responded to this claim:

"But some of them (the Jews) said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub (Satan) the chief of the devils. And others, tempting [him], sought of him a sign from heaven. But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house [divided] against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub." The Bible: Luke 11:15-18

It has been the case throughout the ages that with all previous Prophets, their miracle was separate from their book. Although we may claim that we have the "Torah" of Moses, still, it is not possible now to bring Moses' (as) staff and see it perform miracles as it did in his time. Similarly it is not possible today to see Jesus (as) raise the dead as he did so many centuries ago. However, since the message of Islam was the final message of God to mankind, therefore, the book of Islam itself was made the main miracle of Islam. It was also promised to renew it's challenge to mankind throughout the ages.

What does this mean? Nowadays, the number of people who can appreciate the literary content of the Qur'an has dwindled and this challenge no longer has the same impact it did fourteen hundred years ago. However, as we have seen in the verse quoted at the beginning of this chapter, Allah Almighty has promised to continually renew the challenge of the Qur'an throughout the ages. So how will it be renewed?

Recently, a new field of study has opened up to scholars. People nowadays are fascinated with science. This is the age of technology and scientific discovery. For this reason, mankind has begun to study the religious scriptures of humanity from a scientific point of view in order to challenge the scientific claims made in these scriptures. Many works have been published on this topic.

As mentioned previously, Muhammad (saws) lived among tribes of illiterate Bedouins. He himself was also illiterate. These people used to live extremely simple lives. Most of them were Nomads who travelled from place to place depending on where they could find grass for their sheep to graze. When Muhammad (saws) brought them the Qur'an, the believers found in the Qur'an the command to go out, seek knowledge, and to learn, learn, learn. A few centuries later, once the Islamic nation became firmly established, Muslims began to fulfil this command of the Qur'an and this resulted in one of the greatest explosions of scientific advancement mankind has ever seen. All of this was going on during a period that the West calls "The Dark Ages," wherein the scientists of the West were being persecuted and killed as sorcerers wizards and witches. During this period, Muslim scholars introduced into the world such things as:

* Mathematical evolution of spherical mirrors
* Rectilinear motion of light and use of lenses
* Refraction angle variations
* Magnifying effects of the plano convex lens
* Introduced the concept of elliptical shape of cosmological bodies
* Study of the Centre of Gravity as applied to balance
* Measurement of specific weights of bodies
* Rule of algebraic equations
* Solutions to quadratic and Cubic equations
* Work on square roots, squares, theory of numbers, solution of the fractional numbers
* Solutions of equations of cubic order
* Wrote on conic geometry elaborating the solution of algebraic equations
* Determined the Trinomial Equation
* Avicenna's "Canon of Medicine." He is know as the Prince of Physicians to the West
* Wrote the first description of several drugs and diseases as meningitis.
* Treatment of Physiological shocks
* Expertise in psychosomatic medicine and psychology
* Al Biruni mentions 56 ( fifty six ) manuscripts on pharmacology
* Credited for identifying Small Pox and its treatment
* Use of alcohol as an antiseptic
* Use of mercury as a purgative for the first time
* First to describe the circulation of blood.
* "Holy Abbas" was, after Rhazes, the most outstanding Physician. His works were authoritative till the works of ibn Sina appeared
* Writings on Cosmology, Astrology, Music, Science of numbers and letters
* Proved that the earth is smaller than the sun but larger than the moon.
* Final authorities on Chemistry for many Centuries
* Classified metals into three classifications
* Laid the basis of the Acid Base theory
* Distillation, calcination, crystallisation, the discovery of many acids
* Cultivation of Gold - is a continuation of Jabir's work
* Theory of Oscillatory motion of equinoxes
* Addition of ninth sphere to the eight Ptolematic astronomy
* Discovered the increase of the suns apogee
* Gravitational force
* Responsible for the discovery motion of the solar apsides
* wrote ' On the Science of Stars '
* Determination of latitudes and longitudes
* Determination of geodetic measurements
* Described the motion of the planets
* Solved the problems of spherical trigonometry
* First to study the isometric oscillatory motion of a pendulum
* Invented the instrument ' Sahifah "
* Responsible for the proof of the motion of the apogee of the sun with respect to the fixed stars.
* authorities on the theory of the system of homocentric spheres
* Prepared a calendar that was more accurate than the Gregorian one in use today.
and much, much more.

All of this began with a single illiterate Bedouin Arab from the desert fourteen hundred years ago. The book that was brought into the world by such a man, cries out to be studied from a scientific aspect.

"So ask the People of Knowledge if you do not know" Qur'an:21:7

************************************************

Pillars of Islaam

Jibreel said: “Oh, Muhammad! Tell me about Islaam.” The Messenger of Allaah replied: “Islaam is:

1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah (i.e. that Allaah sent him to convey His Religion to mankind).

2. To establish prayer (i.e. to implement prayer with all its pillars, with repose and humility).

3. To pay zakaah. (If a Muslim owns more than 85 gms. of gold or its equivalent in money, he must pay 2.5% of it after one year. Other forms of wealth and property have their own set amounts to be paid upon them).

4. To fast the month of Ramadhaan (i.e. to abstain from food drink and sexual relations and all manner of sins from dawn until dusk).

5. And to make pilgrimage (Hajj) to the House (of Allaah, in Makkah) if you have the means to do so.” (Narrated by Muslim)

Pillars of Eemaan

Jibreel said: “Then tell me about eemaan.” Allaah’s Messenger replied: “Eemaan is to believe in:

1. Allaah [i.e. to believe firmly that Allaah is the Creator, Who alone has the right to be worshiped and that He has Names and Attributes which befit His Majesty and He does not resemble His {creation - There is nothing like Him (Soorah Ash-Shooraa }42:11)].

2. His angels (i.e. that they are created from light and that they implement the Commands of Allaah and that we do not see them).

3. His Books (i.e. the Tauraah, the Injeel, the Zaboor and the Qur`aan which abrogates all previous Revelations).

4. His Messengers (the first of whom was Nooh) and the last of whom was Muhammad

5. The Last Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection when all of mankind will be held to account).

6. And to believe in Al-Qadar, the good and the bad of it (i.e. to accept all that Allaah ordains for us, at the same time undertaking the necessary action to achieve our objectives).” (Narrated by Muslim)

Is it permissible to wear clothing on which are written Islamic phrases?

Are we allowed to wear t-shirts having statements on them related to Islam i.e. Islam is the religion of peace, choose Islam, Al QURAN the final message of God etc.
Praise be to Allaah.
It does not seem to us that there is any reason not to allow wearing clothing on which are written phrases that promote virtue and good characteristics, or which praise Islam and its rulings and laws.
But one should pay attention to two things with regard to this writing:
1. The phrases should not include the name of Allah. We have drawn attention to this matter in the answer to question no. 1047.
2. It should not be worn by women; rather it should only be for men whose tradition is to wear these types of clothing. The reason why we said that it is not permissible for women to wear these kind of garments is because the aim behind them is to attract attention so that the words may be read, and because they are usually colourful. And it is not appropriate for these to be attributes of women's clothing, as we have explained in the answer to question no. 6991.
For more information, please see the answer to question no. 13240.
And Allah knows best.

Islam Q&A

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#20462

From: Brian Goff <brigoff@...>
Date: Wed May 9, 2012 1:09 am
Subject: Look who's irrational now...

brgoff10

This is an interesting article about how not believing in God leaves people more susceptible to other irrational beliefs.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html

Wall Street Journal Online
Look Who's Irrational Now
By MOLLIE ZIEGLER HEMINGWAY

"You can't be a rational person six days of the week and put on a suit and make rational decisions and go to work and, on one day of the week, go to a building and think you're drinking the blood of a 2,000-year-old space god," comedian and atheist Bill Maher said earlier this year on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien."

On the "Saturday Night Live" season debut last week, homeschooling families were portrayed as fundamentalists with bad haircuts who fear biology. Actor Matt Damon recently disparaged Sarah Palin by referring to a transparently fake email that claimed she believed that dinosaurs were Satan's lizards. And according to prominent atheists like Richard Dawkins, traditional religious belief is "dangerously irrational." From Hollywood to the academy, nonbelievers are convinced that a decline in traditional religious belief would lead to a smarter, more scientifically literate and even more civilized populace.

The reality is that the New Atheist campaign, by discouraging religion, won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings. Far from it: It might actually encourage new levels of mass superstition. And that's not a conclusion to take on faith -- it's what the empirical data tell us.
"What Americans Really Believe," a comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that traditional Christian religion greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of astrology. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience than evangelical Christians.

The Gallup Organization, under contract to Baylor's Institute for Studies of Religion, asked American adults a series of questions to gauge credulity. Do dreams foretell the future? Did ancient advanced civilizations such as Atlantis exist? Can places be haunted? Is it possible to communicate with the dead? Will creatures like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster someday be discovered by science?

The answers were added up to create an index of belief in occult and the paranormal. While 31% of people who never worship expressed strong belief in these things, only 8% of people who attend a house of worship more than once a week did.

Even among Christians, there were disparities. While 36% of those belonging to the United Church of Christ, Sen. Barack Obama's former denomination, expressed strong beliefs in the paranormal, only 14% of those belonging to the Assemblies of God, Sarah Palin's former denomination, did. In fact, the more traditional and evangelical the respondent, the less likely he was to believe in, for instance, the possibility of communicating with people who are dead.

This is not a new finding. In his 1983 book "The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener," skeptic and science writer Martin Gardner cited the decline of traditional religious belief among the better educated as one of the causes for an increase in pseudoscience, cults and superstition. He referenced a 1980 study published in the magazine Skeptical Inquirer that showed irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born-again Christian college students were the least likely.

Surprisingly, while increased church attendance and membership in a conservative denomination has a powerful negative effect on paranormal beliefs, higher education doesn't. Two years ago two professors published another study in Skeptical Inquirer showing that, while less than one-quarter of college freshmen surveyed expressed a general belief in such superstitions as ghosts, psychic healing, haunted houses, demonic possession, clairvoyance and witches, the figure jumped to 31% of college seniors and 34% of graduate students.

We can't even count on self-described atheists to be strict rationalists. According to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life's monumental "U.S. Religious Landscape Survey" that was issued in June, 21% of self-proclaimed atheists believe in either a personal God or an impersonal force. Ten percent of atheists pray at least weekly and 12% believe in heaven.

On Oct. 3, Mr. Maher debuts "Religulous," his documentary that attacks religious belief. He talks to Hasidic scholars, Jews for Jesus, Muslims, polygamists, Satanists, creationists, and even Rael -- prophet of the Raelians -- before telling viewers: "The plain fact is religion must die for man to live."
But it turns out that the late-night comic is no icon of rationality himself. In fact, he is a fervent advocate of pseudoscience. The night before his performance on Conan O'Brien, Mr. Maher told David Letterman -- a quintuple bypass survivor -- to stop taking the pills that his doctor had prescribed for him. He proudly stated that he didn't accept Western medicine. On his HBO show in 2005, Mr. Maher said: "I don't believe in vaccination. . . . Another theory that I think is flawed, that we go by the Louis Pasteur [germ] theory." He has told CNN's Larry King that he won't take aspirin because he believes it is lethal and that he doesn't even believe the Salk vaccine eradicated polio.

Anti-religionists such as Mr. Maher bring to mind the assertion of G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown character that all atheists, secularists, humanists and rationalists are susceptible to superstition: "It's the first effect of not believing in God that you lose your common sense, and can't see things as they are."

Ms. Hemingway is a writer in Washington.

#20463

From: Siraj <ksiraaj@...>
Date: Wed May 9, 2012 6:04 pm
Subject: Re: [IFDC] File - IFDC Message

ksiraaj

Can we say?

Technically speaking it is religion

Literally belief in the unseen i.e. things not perceivable through our senses, but reasoning!

Peace

Siraj

From: enghusen <enghusen@...>
To: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, May 7, 2012 7:35 AM
Subject: RE: [IFDC] File - IFDC Message

Let me ask a question.

What is faith? (No historical definitions plz).

Regards…..

AboAbdullah

From: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com [mailto:InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 01 May, 2012 05:40 PM
To: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [IFDC] File - IFDC Message

Dear IFDC friends,

Please post good articles on different religions and articles that shed light into the concepts of each religion on different aspects of life. You may also send useful other e-mails aimed for general knowledge, health and science, serious or interesting news articles you would like to share with others, current issues and your opinion on them, moral stories and even comics etc. The purpose of this group is to create understanding between religions and cultures, and create love, peace, harmony and brotherly affections between the followers of different religious groups by exchanging the teachings of each religion on all aspects of life. Let us be like the bricks of a strong wall, and be together to oppose all the injustice in the World towards humanity regardless of the faith of the ones who commits it.

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#20464

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Sat Apr 21, 2012 3:23 am
Subject: Atheism is a greater sin than shirk

adammohomedsait@...

Which is a greater sin: Atheism or polytheism?

Praise be to Allaah.Atheism, in modern terminology, means denying the Creator altogether, denying that He exists and not acknowledging Him, may He be glorified and exalted. The universe and everything in it, according to their claims, came about purely by chance. This is a strange view which is contrary to sound human nature, reason and logic, and is contrary to simple logic and indisputable facts.

As for shirk (polytheism or associating others with Allah), it implies belief in Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and affirmation of Him, but it also includes belief in a partner to Allah in His creation, who creates or grants provision or brings benefit or wards off harm. This is shirk al-ruboobiyyah (ascribing partners to Allah in His Lordship). Or it means belief in a partner to whom some kind of worship is devoted as an act of love and veneration, as it is devoted to that person or thing as it should to devoted to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. This is shirk al-‘ibaadah (associating others with Allah in worship). By studying these two deviations, we may see that each of them involves sin and evil which tells us that they are bad and we see how Allah described them as being like dumb animals.

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Have you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) seen him who has taken as his ilaah (god) his own vain desire? Would you then be a Wakeel (a disposer of his affairs or a watcher) over him? Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle nay, they are even farther astray from the Path (i.e. even worse than cattle)” [al-Furqaan 25:43-44]

“And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the truth). They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones” [al-A’raaf 7:179].

Nevertheless, the atheist who denies the existence of Allah and rejects His Messengers and disbelieves in the Last Day, is in a greater state of kufr and his beliefs are more reprehensible than the one who believes in Allah and the Hereafter, but he associates something of His creation with Him. The former is stubborn and arrogant to an extent that can not be imagined or accepted by sound human nature. Such a person would transgress every sacred limit and fall into every sin; his worldview would be distorted to an inconceivable level. Yet many scholars who discussed the issue of atheism doubted that this has deep roots in the hearts of the atheists, and they affirmed that the atheist is only professing atheism outwardly; deep down he believes in one God.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said a great deal which indicates that this group of atheists who deny and reject the existence of God are in a worse state of kufr than the mushrikeen who associate partners with Him. We will quote a little of what we have come across:

He (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Kufr (disbelief) means not believing in Allah and His Messengers, whether it involves rejecting or it consists of doubt and uncertainty about the issue or ignoring the issue altogether, out of envy or arrogance or following whims and desires that divert a person from following the Message. However, the kaafir who rejects and disbelieves is in a state of greater kufr, although the one who rejects and denies out of envy, even though he believes that the Messengers brought the message of truth, is also in a state of kufr. End quote. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 17/291

He also said:

The one who denies the Hereafter but believes that this universe is created is described by Allah as a kaafir. The one who denies it and says that this universe existed from eternity is a worse kaafir in the sight of Allah, may He be exalted. End quote. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 17/291

He said (may Allah have mercy on him) refuting those who deny the Divine attributes:

(Denying the Divine attributes) implies complete denial which reaches the point that says: There is nothing that must exist and cannot have not existed. If he believes that and says: I do not affirm either existence or non-existence, then the answer to that is: Suppose you state that verbally and in your heart you do not believe either of the two; rather you turn away from knowing Allah and worshipping and remembering Him, so you never remember Him, worship Him, call upon Him, put your hope in Him or fear Him; (in that case) your denial of Him is worse than that of Iblees who (at least) acknowledged Him. End quote. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 5/356.

And he (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

The arrogant one is the one who does not acknowledge Allah outwardly, like Pharaoh. He is in a worse state of kufr than them (meaning the mushrik Arabs). Iblees, who enjoins all of that and loves it and is too arrogant to worship his Lord and obey him, is in a worse state of kufr than them (the mushrikeen), even though he was aware of the existence and might of Allah, just as Pharaoh was also aware of the existence of Allah. End quote. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 7/633

He also said:

The view of the philosophers -- those who say that the universe is eternal and that it is dependent on that which inevitably must exist -- came from the minds and hearts of those who worshipped heavenly bodies and made images of them on Earth, such as Aristotle and his followers. This view is worse kufr and is more misguided than that of the Arab mushrikeen who believed that Allah created the heavens and the earth and everything between them in six days by His will and power, but they attribute falsely without knowledge sons and daughters to Him (cf. al-An’am 6:100) and joined others in worship with Allaah, for which He had sent no authority (cf. Aal ‘Imraan 3:151). Similarly, the permissive people, who do not believe in any command or prohibition at all and refer to the Divine will and decree as an excuse for their evil deeds, are worse off than the Jews, Christians and Arab mushrikeen, because even though the latter are kaafirs, they still believe in some kind of command and prohibition, and the promise and warning (i.e., the Hereafter), but they had partners with Allaah (false gods) who instituted for them a religion which Allaah had not ordained (cf. al-Shoora 42:21), unlike the permissive people who ignore all laws altogether. They are only pleased with whatever suits their whims and desires, and they get angry on the basis of their whims and desires; they do not get pleased for the sake of Allah, or angry for the sake of Allah, or love for the sake of Allah, or hate for the sake of Allah; they do not enjoin that which Allah has enjoined and they do not forbid that which Allah has forbidden, unless that suits their whims and desires, in which case they do it for that purpose and not as an act of obedience to their Lord. Hence they do not denounce what takes place of kufr, evil doing and sin unless it goes against their whims and desires, in which case they will denounce it, prompted by their devilish nature and not prompted by sharee’ah and love of Allah. Hence the devils plunge them deeper into error, and they never stop short (cf. al-A’raaf 7:202), and the devils may show themselves to them and address them and help them with some of their whims and desires, as the devils used to do with the mushrikeen who worshipped idols. End quote. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 8/457-458.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah be pleased with him) said: It is shirk to worship something other than Allah completely; that may be called shirk or kufr. Whoever turns away from Allah altogether and directs his worship to something other than Allah, such as trees, rocks, idols, the jinn or some of the dead, those whom they call awliya’ (“saints”), worshipping them or praying to them or fasting for them, and forgetting Allah altogether -- and this is the worst kind of kufr and shirk. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound.

The same applies to denying the existence of Allah and saying that there is no God and life is material, like the Communists and atheists who deny the existence of Allah. These are the worst disbelievers among mankind, the most astray, the most involved in shirk and the most misguided. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound. End quote. Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 4/32-33

He also said (may Allah have mercy on him):

Meat slaughtered by Communists is haraam and is like the meat of the Magians and idol worshippers; in fact their meat is even more haraam, because their degree of kufr is greater due to their atheism and denial of the Creator (may He be glorified and exalted) and His Messenger, and other kinds of kufr. End quote. Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 23/30

And Allah knows best.

Islam Q&A

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#20465

From: "Adam Mohomed Sait" <adammohomedsait@...>
Date: Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:02 pm
Subject: The Beauty and Eloquence of the Qur'an

adammohomedsait@...

Allah accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and repent soon afterwards; to them Allah will turn in mercy. For Allah is full of knowledge and Wisdom- (Quran 4:17)

The Beauty and Eloquence of the

Qur'an

Munir Munshey

The first audiences of the Qur’an were the desert-dwellers of Arabia, who were proud of their language skills. Their material possessions were meager, but their language was far in advance of their culture. They earned their livelihood by trading and took many trips abroad to buy and sell goods. Their long journeys across the desert provided them the time to ponder about nature, and the order of the nature of things. They were very meticulous in their choice of words, and very specific in their speech. They adored oratory and diction, and effective communication. They were skillful in the articulation of finer thoughts, and quite adroit in their expression of ideas. Words were their wares, and eloquence was their fetish and forte. Communicating finer thoughts in the finest form was their obsession. Composing poetry and prose was their passion. They vied each other in their ability to be fluent and eloquent. They produced elegant literature of high quality, even though the subjects they chose were mostly petty and profane. They squandered their skills in embellishing the tales of their tryst, their amorous exploits and adventures, the exaggerated and boastful accounts of their valor in warfare, and the virtues of their wine and women. Their written literature was scanty, but they had a prolific memory and committed thousands of quotes, anecdotes and poems to memory. Their literature was passed along to subsequent generations by oral traditions. So proud were they of their diction and eloquence that they declared themselves to be the masters of the language, and others to be deprived of the faculty of speech. Compared to theirs, other languages were merely the crude communications of inarticulate mute men. They referred to all non-Arabs as ‘Ajums’, those suffering from a speech impediment.

When the Arabs first heard the Qur’an, they were awe-struck by its eloquence and listened in amazement. Never before in their life had they heard such a stunning and stately sermon. Their instincts convinced them that such a noble and august discourse could only be a divine diction, not a human creation. It was far more sublime and solemn than all their literature put together. The Qur’an proclaimed that it is not a man-made composition, and challenged its audience to present any composition that matches its style and elegance. It declared that humans would fail to produce a single composition to match its caliber, even if they joined hands and converged and coordinated their efforts. It threw the gauntlet,

And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a Surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful (Qur’an 2:23)

          The expert composers of Arabia heard the dare, but could not come up with an answer. Compared to the Qur’an their literary endeavors appeared clumsy and childish. They felt like they were inexperienced novices, the talentless tyros. The distinguished and prolific poets seemed immature and puerile. The vociferous and verbose orators found themselves at a loss for words. They were humbled and humiliated by the heavenly harangue. The masters of the Arabic language failed to find any flaw or lapse in the language of the Qur’an. They acknowledged defeat and expressed their inability to match the matchless. Many were so mesmerized by its message that they embraced Islam right there and then. The internal evidence of the Qur’an is enough to dispel doubts. The conscious mind lauds the excellent and eloquent discourse, while the subconscious is convinced that a human could not have composed it. The choice and arrangement of its words are coded to convey a subtle and subliminal message, “These are not the words of a poet or a mystic, nor are they the words of a sage or a soothsayer. This is the communiqué from the Creator, the Lord and Master of the universe.”

           Man is the subject of the Quran. It narrates the story of man as an integral whole, and it describes all the stages of man’s journey to his ultimate destination-- birth, life, death, resurrection, the judgment of his deeds and depending upon the judgment, heaven or hell. In this temporal and physical world, the observation and experience of man is restricted to his birth, the trials and tribulations of his life and his death. His five senses do not enable him to perceive an existence beyond the confines of this physical world. The eyes do not see light emanating from the other world, and the ears do not detect sounds from the other side. The hands cannot feel, the nose cannot smell, and the tongue cannot taste anything that is not of this world. The mind therefore fails to perceive the presence of the world beyond. So scanty is his knowledge about the other world, or the laws that prevail there, that he can barely bring himself to believe in its existence. Yet, intuitively he knows that there does exist the other world. Unless the two worlds are considered together, the purpose of life and the presence of man on earth would remain an enigma. The eloquence of human narration is limited to matters that man can observe in this world. The writers and poets do not create in a vacuum. They benefit from the experiences of others and build upon their imagination and insight. The masterpieces of the previous writers, poets and philosophers inspire others to think further and rise higher. Newcomers ride on the shoulders of the veterans. Regardless of the language he speaks or the culture he belongs to, man will never acquire independent knowledge of the life to come. Forced to rely upon conjectures, he can hardly converse coherently, much less eloquently, about matters past the grave. When it comes to events of the other world, the poets, writers and philosophers do not have any masterpieces of the past to inspire them. Human narration about the other world that can compare with the artistic and masterly eloquence of the Qur’an is nonexistent in any language.

           The great beyond lies past the borders of death. Resurrection, the judgment of deeds, and heaven and hell are events scheduled to take place there. Fluently and poignantly, and with an aura of confidence, the Qur’an describes these events in detail. It narrates with the knowledge of certainty. It discusses the events of the other world with the same ease and eloquence as the events of this world. Ever since it was first revealed, the Qur’an has seen fourteen centuries, but not an answer to its challenge. Its diction and eloquence remain unsurpassed, not only in Arabic but also in all languages of the world. The challenge still stands. Man will never be able to match its literary quality. Every passing day increases the validity and the credibility of its claim that the Almighty is its author.

Poetry owes its lure and luster to lies and fiction. The poet lets his imagination run wild, and roams about unbridled beyond the realm of reality. The more he indulges his imagination, the prettier is his poem. The further he flies into the land of fancy, the more fanciful and fabulous is his fiction. Truth is an early casualty of his excursion into the land of fantasy. Phrases are his toys and fiction is his field of play. Words are his tools, and his workshop is the beauty parlor, where simple becomes sensual and sensational, and plain facts are dressed up to appear pretty and presentable. Beautiful and befitting words are his profession, and he aims to spark and kindle the imagination of his audience. He plans to plunge his listeners into an arena of illusion, the unreal and ethereal world.

Exaggeration is the specialty of the poet, his special calling. Even a simple simile for a poet is a flight of fancy. He stretches the truth to a fault, till it becomes a lie. With a little embellishment, he turns a bland and blase event into a tantalizing and titillating tale. If the truth is not to his liking, he proceeds to dilute and dampen the effect of the fact. If the fact does not fit his fancy, he mixes it with a lavish measure of myth, and throws the fact out of focus. With words, he can knit a shield to deflect the fact. Thus, he trivializes the truth. He will twist and turn the words, and tug at the truth till it yields the meaning he desires. He covers the truth with layers of interpretations, until the truth becomes a stranger. With deft and adept use of words, he can baptize a fiction as well as fictionalize a fact. He circulates lies by wrapping them with layers of known and irrefutable facts. He lends credence and respect to baseless assumptions by surrounding them with accepted and respected facts. Falsehood thus becomes fortified and unassailable. Poetic text is the priority of a poet and his talent consists of fanciful phrases, not truth. Poetry pleases the aesthetic and tickles the intellect, but truth it is not. About the poets, the Qur’an says:

And the poets - [only] the deviators follow them; Do you not see that in every valley they roam And that they say what they do not do? - (Qur’an 26: 224-226)

And We did not give Prophet Muhammad, knowledge of poetry, nor is it befitting for him. It is not but a message and a clear Qur'an. (Qur’an 36: 69)

[That] indeed, the Qur'an is the word of a noble Messenger. And it is not the word of a poet; little do you believe. Nor the word of a soothsayer; little do you remember. [It is] a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. (Qur’an 69: 40-43)

The Quran did not excel over all other literature just because its author was better and it was adjudged the best of the masterpieces. It was not because other classics were good, while it was better. The difference between it and the work of the poets, writers and philosophers is not only that of degree or quality, but also that of character and class. It did not stop down to the earthy model of distortion and dishonesty. Rather, it aggrandized and sanitized the standards of literature, and introduced it to a new height. It imposed a tougher requirement for literary standard and demanded absolute honesty and accuracy. It refused to espouse fiction and the art of fictionalizing facts, and spurned exaggeration. It did not win by using the ways and means of the other literary works.

The literary giants know the rules of grammar and diction. Yet, they cannot comply with the rule laid down by the Qur’an. They are handicapped because their expertise is of no avail without falsehood and fiction. If exaggeration was to be edited out of their work, they would not be left with much of their work. They cannot imagine poetry without a modicum of lies and embellishment. Thus the Qur’an unfettered the facts and liberated the truth from the clutches of its captors - the poets, the writers and the philosophers of the past, present and the future. It exposed their craftiness. When it comes to matters pertaining to this world, they do know the facts but do not always choose to be honest and accurate. However, when it comes to matters past the grave, they are actually the charlatans relying on guesses and conjectures.

And most of them follow not except assumption. Indeed, assumption avails not against the truth at all. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of what they do. (Qur’an 10: 36)

And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah. They follow not except assumption, and they are not but falsifying. (Qur’an 6: 116)

The Qur’an defied the accepted norms of literature and achieved eloquence and eminence without resorting to exaggeration of any sort. Because of that, every literary classic created in any period of history and in any language of the world, would fall in a class lower than that of the Qur’an. It has a unique character all its own. It lays down facts plainly, and meticulously adheres to accurate narration. Even when it quotes a parable, the comparison is never misleading and it does not twist or bend the truth. The words and phrases it uses bring out the unadulterated truth. It is sworn to tell nothing but the truth. Precision is its priority, and all of its text can be accepted literally. Scientific treatise should be that exact. Its adherence to accuracy when it comes to matters pertaining to this world infuses faith and confidence into its believers. They become convinced that the events scheduled to occur beyond death are also depicted with the same accuracy and precision, and without exaggeration. The reason the Qur’an has remained matchless in substance and style is because it is the absolute truth. About itself, it says:

These are the verses of Allah which We recite to you, [O Muhammad], in truth. And indeed, you are from among the messengers (Qur’an 2:252)

He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel. (Qur’an 3:3)

Alif, Lam, Meem, Ra. These are the verses of the Book; and what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, but most of the people do not believe. (Qur’an 13:1)

***********************************************************

Pearls of Wisdom of the Salaf

It was related from Al-Marroodhee that he asked (Al-Imaam) Ahmad:

How are you today (lit. How is your morning)?

He replied:

How can one’s day be while he is required by his Lord to perform obligatory acts of worship?

(How can one’s day be while) his Prophet is calling him to practice the Sunnah?

(How can one’s day be while) two angels are requiring from him to correct his deeds?

(How can one’s day be while) his nafs urges him to follow its desires?

(How can one’s day be while) Iblees is beckoning him to commit all types of indecent, evil deeds?

(How can one’s day be while) the Angel of Death is observing him (waiting) to take his soul?

(How can one’s day be while) his dependants are asking him to provide them with maintenance?

Taken from Siyaar A'laamin Nubalaa by Al-Imaam adh-Dhahaabee; volume 11/227

Translated by Dawud Adib

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#20466

From: "Yehuda Stolov" <yehuda@...>
Date: Wed May 9, 2012 12:51 pm
Subject: The Holy Land - Eilat Interfaith Encounter group in three encounters, Januar-March 2012

y_stolov

iea-announcements-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

(עברית וערבית אחר האנגלית – اللغة العربية والعبرية تتبع اللغة الانجليزية- Hebrew & Arabic follow English )

The Holy Land – in Judaism, Islam and Christianity

Monday, January 2^nd: The Land of Israel in Judaism/ Rabbi Shaish

According to the Jewish faith, the Land of Israel was promised to our fathers, between "the Egypt Stream", between the Euphrates River and between "the big sea" and the desert and between Lebanon and the Negev.

God tells Abraham to leave his land and start building something new. He promises him that the land will be given to his descendants (sounds like both Isaac and Ishmael). Verses in Deuteronomy 8 explain that all God's commandments in the desert should be realized in the Land of Israel, promised to our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This land was chosen by God for that purpose of keeping the commandments. It is a theological perception that if the religion is not kept – destruction comes.

During prayers Jews face the Land of Israel and Jerusalem. Jews were always considered strangers due to their praying towards Jerusalem. In the prayer we request that God will free the Nation of Israel, assemble them in the Land and bring the Divine Presence back to it.

Herzel, who lived secular life, arrived at Paris as a journalist at the time of the Dreyfus Trial. He was surprised to discover that the French condemn Dreyfus for being a Jew, even 100 years after the declaration of human rights. This led Herzel to write "The State of the Jews".

The Land in the Druze tradition/ Hamudi

· According to the Druze faith, the borderlines of the land are from the Nile to the Euphrates – the borders of the "Greater Israel". The Israeli flag represents this: the two blue stripes are the two rivers and the Star of David between them represents the Jewish Nation.

· The Druze claim to have a share in both the Nation of Israel and its Land. This claim is based on the Druze faith in reincarnation and the sources of their souls from the seven sons of Jacob from Rachel and Leah (excluding Dina and Ruben).

Thursday, February 16^th: The Holy Land in the Koran/ Shlomo Alon

Muhammad was born in 570 and died in 632. The Koran was collected from fragments from 644 and consolidated until nearly 1000. The Koran is composed of 114 Suras (=chapters). The first is the opening chapter, recited a lot in prayer and during mourning, and the other 113 chapters are ordered according to their length – from the longest to the shortest. The Koran was translated to many languages, including into Hebrew.

The Holy Land and Jerusalem are not mentioned in the Koran (therefore the conflict is not religious, but political).

There are, however, several places where the Koran implicitly refers to the Land. Here are a few examples:

Sura 105 – The Elephant: talks about the year of the elephant, year 57o in which Muhammad was born and the attempt to concur Mecca. Muhammad rode an animal with human head to the Wall in Jerusalem, where he ascended to Heaven for 40 days. During this journey Muhammad had conversations with Moses.

Sura 17 – The Night Journey: blesses God for taking care of Muhammad His messenger, who arrived from the Holy Mosque in Medina to the "Mosque in the end" – meaning Al Aqsa Mosque.

Sura 2 – The Heifer, verse 58: God told the Sons of Israel to enter [the land] through Jericho.

Sura 7 – The Heights, verse 137: "We made the people who were considered weak inheritors of the eastern parts and the western parts of the land which we have blessed. Thus your Lord's good promise to the Children of Israel was fulfilled."

Sura 5 – The Table, verse 21: Moses says: "Oh my people! Enter the holy land which God has assigned to you. Do not turn back, or you will be the losers".

Sura 21 – The Prophets, verse 71: "And we saved him and Lot to the land which We have blessed for all people." Most commentators interpret as referring to the Holy Land but some interpret as referring to Mecca.

March 22^nd: The Holy Land in Christianity/ Slavomir

The Land is the historical location of Jesus. It became a religious place after Helena, mother of the emperor Constantine, visits it and builds three basilicas, including the Church of the Holy Sepulcher which has the shape of a cross.

The land became for the Christians a holy place and a destination for pilgrimage, which was challenging in some periods. In the 11^th century the Crusades began with goal to concur the sites which are holy for Christians. On their way they killed many people, including Jews. Later Saladin promised to keep the site of the land which are holy for Christians from being destroyed.

Nowadays there is a strong desire of Christians to make pilgrimage to the Holy land in order to visit the many holy sites in it. For example: the Sea of Galilee where Jesus walked on the water, the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem etc.

The Holy Land symbolizes the holy place, which can promote the coming of the Messiah. In the past there was the desire to control the Holy Land but this is not the case today.

Many Christians support the Jews, some out of the purpose that the Jews will accept Jesus.

In the Catholic Church there is no significance to the direction of prayer, although in the past it was towards east where Heaven is. Many Catholics visit the Holy Land but only as holy to Christians, with no connection to its being the Land of Israel.

Reported: Keren Bar

יום שני יד' בטבת תשע"ב 02/01/12

המפגש: אצל ברברה באוירה חגיגית של חג המולד

נושא: ארץ ישראל בדתות השונות: ביהדות, באיסלם ובנצרות.

א"י ביהדות/הרב שיש

מקימי א"י היו בעלי זהות לאומית ברורה בלי קשר לדת, אלא מתוך כוונה ציונית מלאה להקמת מדינה ליהודים כעם בעל זהות נפרדת ולכן צריכה להיות להם טריטוריה משלהם.

האנגלים הרימו את הכפפה והציעו את תכנית אוגנדה, לעומת אנשי הברון שהציעו להקים מדינה בדרום ארגנטינה. בפועל תוכניות אלו נדחו ע"י רוב היהודים. הרצל הביע פליאתו על כך שהיהודים מרוסיה היו בין המתנגדים, למרות היותם נתונים לפרעות ולפוגרומים נוראיים.

א"י המובטחת

א"י לפי האמונה היהודית זו הארץ שהובטחה לאבותינו לפי הגבולות הבאים: מנחל מצרים עד הפרת (נחל מצרים הוא ואדי שמצוי דרומה לאל-עריש), מהים הגדול עד המדבר ומארץ הלבנון ועד הנגב.

התורה ניתנה במדבר בארץ ובמקום ללא שייכות מיוחדת לאף אחד. ההוכחה לכך היא שהיהודים מעולם לא קידשו את הר סיני או את מדבר סיני בכלל. הים הגדול זה הים התיכון, ארץ הלבנון זה אזור צור וצידון אשר בצפון, בגבול המזרחי בפרת זה מטורקיה לכיוון עירק ועד המפרץ הפרסי. רוב החוקרים טוענים שהכוונה היא למקורות הפרת.

אלוהים אומר לאברם לעזוב את הארץ ולהתחיל לבנות משהו חדש ומבטיח לו שהארץ מובטחת לו ולזרעו (משמע ליצחק ולישמעאל).

הפסוקים בספר דברים פרק ח מסבירים שכל מה שאלוהים אומר לעם במדבר הם צריכים לעשות זאת בארץ. הכוונה היא לארץ ישראל שהובטחה לאבותינו לאברהם, ליצחק וליעקב.

א"י המערבית נחשבת לדרגה גבוהה יותר מאשר א"י המזרחית. מהכתוב בדברים א"י היא המקום שאלוהים בחר להם כדי לשמור על תורתו ולקיים מצוותיו. זו ראייה תיאולוגית שאם לא ישמרו את דתו יבוא חורבן והרס.

בנימין זאב הרצל שחי כחילוני היגיע לפריז כעיתונאי בדיוק בזמן משפט דרייפוס. הרצל הופתע לגלות את הצרפתים שמגנים את דרייפוס על היותו יהודי וזאת 100 שנים כבר לאחר הצהרת זכויות האדם. בסופו של המשפט דרייפוס הואשם כבוגד וכך כל היהודים. מאורע זה היה הסיבה שהובילה את הרצל לכתיבת הספר: "מדינת היהודים".

בעת התפילות העמידה מכוונת לעבר כיוון ציון אשר היא ירושלים שבארץ ישראל. היהודים תמיד נחשבו לזרים שמתפללים לכיוון ירושלים שבא"י.

בתפילה אנו מבקשים:
תקע בשופר גדול לחרותנו ושא נס לקבץ גלויותינו וקבצנו יחד מארבע כנפות הארץ לארצנו ברוך אתה השם מקבץ נדחי עמו ישראל.
ותחזינה עינינו בשובך לציון ברחמים. ברוך אתה ה', המחזיר שכינתו לציון.

א"י בדת הדרוזית/חמודי

· לפי הדת הדרוזית גבולות הארץ הם מהנילוס ועד הפרת-אלה גבולות א"י השלמה. דגל ישראל מסמל את גבולות המדינה כאשר שני הפסים הכחולים הם מהנילוס עד הפרת ומגן הדוד אשר ביניהם מייצג את העם היהודי החי בגבולות אלה.

· הדרוזים טוענים שיש להם חלק בעם ישראל ובארץ. טענה זו מבוססת על אמונתם בגלגול נשמות. לפי טענה זו באחד הגילגולים הם היו עם ישראל לא כיהודים אלא כשיבעת בני יעקב מלאה ומרחל (למעט דינה וראובן).

יום חמישי כ"ג בשבט תשע"ג , 16/02/12

מפגש בינדתי בבית הרב שיש

נושא: ארץ ישראל באיסלם / מר שלמה אלון

ארץ ישראל בקוראן/מר שלמה אלון

הקוראן נחשב לספר הקדוש למוסלמים.

מוחמד לפי המסורת המוסלמית נפטר ב-632, אחרי שלושה חליפים, שושלות וממלכות. מוחמד נולד ב-570.

ספר הקוראן עצמו נכתב או נכון יותר נאסף החל מ-644, כלומר כ-12 שנה לאחר מות מוחמד. ספר הקוראן הורכב מחומרים שנמצאו ונאספו מעצים ואבנים, חלקם בעיר מדינה- העיר אליה היגר מוחמד עם תומכיו ב-16/07/622, אך מסתבר שהנבואות החלו עוד קודם לכן. הטקסט הקוראני התגבש בהדרגה ועד כמעט שנת 1000, לא היה נוסח אחיד של הקוראן אלא מספר גירסאות שונות: גירסת המיינסטרים שהיא גירסת הסונים וגירסת השיעים.

התרגום הראשון לקוראן נעשה ע"י פרופסור ריבלין אביו של יו"ר הכנסת, כיום יש תרגום חדיש יותר של אורי רובין. המהדורה המתורגמת של רובין נחשבת לטובה ביותר, כי היא כוללת גם מפתח עניינים והערות שוליים.

ארץ ישראל לא ניזכרת כלל בקוראן וכמוה גם ירושלים, שלא מופיעה שם כלל וכלל, לעומת זאת ירושלים מופיעה בתנ"ך ובתפילות היהודים.

מוחמד חי בחצי האי-ערב. הוא נולד בעיר מכה שהייתה עיר של סוחרים. רוב תושבי מכה עסקו בעבודת אלילים-כעבה- עבודה פאגנית .חצי האי-ערב כלל קבוצות לא מעטות של יהודים ונוצרים. ליהודים הייתה נוכחות מסיבית באזור הדרום-בתימן.

חשוב לציין שכל נבואותיו של מוחמד היו מונותיאיסטיות ועסקו באמונה שבאל אחד. לכן הוא יצא כנגד הסוחרים שעבדו אלילים ועשו טקסים פאגניים רבים, בטענתו שיש לעבוד אל אחד ויחיד, בלתי נראה שמצוי בשמים. הייתה תקופה שבה מוחמד חש תסכול רב בשל העדר נבואות ואלה גרמו לו לחששות כבדים.

ב-622 מוחמד קיבל קריאה מאנשי מדינה שיבוא לארח להם חברה. כך יצא שמוחמד ביחד עם קבוצה מהגרים ממכה עולים למדינה. קבוצה זו נחשבת למייסדי האיסלם.

במדינה היו 3 קבוצות: מייסדי האיסלם-אל מוהג'רין, אנסאר- אלה שקלטו אותם והיהודים.

ספר הקוראן מורכב מ-114 פרקים שנאספו ונערכו לספר הקוראן. הפרק הראשון הוא פרק הפתיחה, שנאמר בתפילה ובאבל וכל שאר 113 הפרקים ערוכים לפי אורכם- מהפרק הארוך ביותר עד לפרק הקצר ביותר. כל פרק בקוראן נקרא "סורה". הקוראן שנאסף תורגם לשפות רבות וגם לעברית.

מקומה של ארץ ישראל באיסלם אינו ויכוח דתי, אלא פוליטי, מפני שישראל לא מוזכרת במפורש בקוראן, אבל יש רמזים המרמזים על ישראל ועל קיומה המוחשי והממשי. לצורך המחשה הרי מספר דוגמאות:

סורת הפיל- פרק הפיל מס' 105

"בשם האל הרחמן והרחום

הלוא ראית מה עול ריבונך לבעלי הפיל

הן שם את מזימתם לאל

ולהכות ציפורים שלח מעל לרוגמם בעיני גוויל

ועשה אותם כמוץ נאכל"

הפרק מדבר על סיפור היסטורי של שנת הפיל, שהיא שנת 570 בה נולד מוחמד ועל ניסיון הכיבוש של מכה. אלוהים שנמצא למעלה שולח ציפורים מיוחדות שפוגעות באבנים קטנות באנשי הפיל שהופכים להיות כמוץ-כמו קש. עיניו של מוחמד נשואות היו לארץ ישראל- הוא עלה במסע לילי על גבה של חיה בעלת ראש אדם וגוף של חיה ונסע עד לכותל ושם עלה לשמיים למשך 40 יום. אחת הטענות היא שבמהלך המסע הזה מוחמד ניהל שיחות עם משה רבנו ולכן זה נחשב המסע ממכה לירושלים למסע לימודי והוא מסתיים בכך שעם הגיעו של מוחמד לכותל בירושלים הוא עולה השמיימה ל-40 יום.

סורת המסע הלילי- פרק 17

"ישתבח שמו של המסיע את עבדו בלילה

מהמסגד הקדוש אל המסגד הקיצון

אשר נָתַנו ברכתו על סביבותיו,

למען נַראה לו את אותותינו"

בפרק זה מברכים את האל על שדאג שמוחמד שליחו שמגיע מהמסגד הקדוש מדינה אל המסגד בקצה-הכוונה למסגד אל אקצה, אשר בירושלים. עוד נאמר שם שנתנו למשה את הספר והכוונה היא לספר התורה ששימש כמקור והדרכה לבני ישראל ויורה להם כיצד לנהוג. אין לסמוך על אחרים זולתו, כלומר ספר התורה הוא הקובע והוא המדריך. אתם צאצאי אלה אשר נסעו עם נח, כלומר צאצאי דור נוח, שהיה עבד מרוח טובה. בפרק זה יש קשר לירושלים ולתורה, אך לא נאמר מפורשות.

בפסוק 104 "אמרנו לבני ישראל שבו בארץ", כלומר לאחר היציאה ממצרים שיתמקמו בישראל. אחרי שפרעה טבע בים (פרעה נחשב לאיש רע מאוד, כמוהו גם קורח והמן, שנחשבים לרשעים מאוד)

יש סברה לפיה מוחמד מתייעץ עם משה רבנו לגבי מספר התפילות שעל המוסלמים להתפלל מידי יום, כשמוחמד חושב על 30 תפילות ליום, משה רבנו מבטל זאת בטענה שליהודים קשה לעמוד ב-3 תפילות ליום וכך מתפשר מוחמד על 5 תפילות ליום.

סורה 2 אל באקרה- פרק שני הפרה

כידוע הפרה האדומה ביהדות מעוררת שאלות ותהיות רבות.

בפסוק 58 "אמרנו לבני ישראל הכנסו אל העיר הזאת..." לפי הפרשנות של המוסלמים זה להיכנס לארץ ישראל דרך ירושלים, או דרך יריחו.

סורה 4 – פרק הנשים

בפסוק 154-"הרמנו את ההר ואמרנו להם הכנסו משתחווים בשער...", כלומר התורה כאילו נכפתה על ישראל. ,הר כגיגית", כלומר היה לחץ גדול לקבלת התורה. הכניסה לארץ צריכה להיות בהכנעה ולכן יש להשתחוות ואח"כ "אמרנו להם אל תחללו את השבת"

סורה 1- פרק הפתיחה

בפסוק 6-"נחנו בדרך ישרים, דרכם של אלה אשר נטית להם חסד, לא של אלה שכעסו עליהם ולא של אלה הטועים"

אלה שכעסו עליהם הם היהודים, המפרשים טוענים שהיהודים היו מעצבנים.

מוחמד מגיע לאל מדינה בתקווה גדולה מאוד, כשהרוב שם יהודים מונותיאיסטים ולו יש תקווה גדולה מאודלגייס את כולם כתומכיו שלו. תחילה מבטיח מוחמד להתפלל לכיוון ירושלים ולצום ב-10 בחודש הראשון, הוא גם מדבר על מה אסור ומה מותר לאכול וטוען שהוא הנביא האחרון שמביא תורתו ודתו של האל. לכן נראה שהיו יהודים שמצאו לנכון להתאסלם בגלל הדמיון והיו כאלה שיצאו כנגדו והם: קוריזה ונאדיר.

מעניין לראות שב-1904 כאשר טשרניחובסקי , כתב על פרעות קישינייב הוא קישר זאת למה שקרה במאה ה-7 בחצי האי-ערב ליהודי קוריזה.

בסופו של דבר לא הייתה הבנה בין מוחמד ליהודים, אלא מלחמה קשה שבסופו של דבר הביאה לכך, שיום צום אחד הפך לחודש והוא חודש הראמדן, ירושלים הפכה למכה וכך התעצם הסכסוך והחריף על רקע דתי.

סורה 7 סורת אל אעראף– פרק 7 ממרום החומה

בפסוק 137-"הנחלנו לבני העם שנרדפו את מזרחה ואת מערבה של הארץ והתקיים במלואו דברו הטוב של ריבונך על בני ישראל"

לדברי הפרשנים המזרח זה סוריה וארץ ישראל, ומערב זה מצרים.

סורה 5- סורת השולחן הערוך- פרק 5

פרק זה עוסק במה כשר למאכל ומה טמא למאכל אדם.

בפסוק 21- משה אומר: "בני ישראל עמי היכנסו אל הארץ הקדושה אשר כתב לכם אלוקים ואל תיסוגו לאחור פן תלכו לאבדון" כאן בעצם מתחיל סיפור 12 המרגלים בקוראן.

סורה 21- סורת הנביאים- פרק 21

פסוק 71-"ומילטנו אותו ואת לוט אל הארץ אשר נתנו את ברכתנו בה" - רוב הפרשנים טוענים שהכוונה לאברהם וללוט ולארץ ישראל שהיא ארץ הקודש, אך יש הטוענים שהכוונה היא למכה. אבל ידוע שלוט לא היה במכה, ולגבי אברהם זה לא כ"כ ברור.

פסוק 81-"ולשלמה נתנו את הרוח הסוערת למען תישוב על-פי דברו אל הארץ אשר נתנו את ברכתנו בה", לפי המסורת בית המקדש הוקם בירושלים שבנה שלמה המלך.

אברהם וישמעאל-אברהם משגר את הגר וישמעאל ובמותו של אברהם , ישמעאל ויצחק קוברים אותו במערת המכפלה. על כך יש מדרש שאומר שאברהם ביקר את בנו ישמעאל אחת לשנה, כאשר הוא רכוב על חמור מבלי לרדת מהחמור, כדי שלא יתפתה ללכת אל הגר ויבגוד בשרה אמנו. מדרש נוסף לפיו לאברהם נולדו שישה ילדים מאשה בשם קטורה וכידוע קטורה היא הגר, אם ישמעאל.

הקוראן נחשב כעונש ליהודים על חטאם וכן כל מה שהובטח להם כעם נבחר לא התקיים ומופר כעונש על שחטאו, ואם כך הדבר הרי שאנו לא צריכים להיות כאן בישראל.

ב-637 שוחררה ירושלים ע"י החליף עומאר, כחלק מהכיבושים העצומים של האיסלם ומאז קיימת איבה עמוקה וקשה בין הסונים לשיעים ועד היום.

לסיכום- בקוראן לא מופיעה ירושלים, לא ישראל ולא פלשתין.

22 במרץ 2012, כח' אדר תשע"ב

מפגש בינדתי בבית קולין פורטר המארח

נושא: ארץ ישראל בנצרות ע"י סלבומיר

נוכחים: מזל קציר, הרב שמואל שיש ופנינה אשתו, ברברה, מלכה וגדי לוין, קרן בר, סלבומיר וקולין פורטר.

ארץ ישראל מהווה מקום היסטורי שקשור לישוע ולהגעתו של המשיח, כי ישוע שהה בירושלים כחצי שנה.

מקומות מקודשים רבים שהיו בישראל נהרסו ואבדו כמעט כליל לאחר תקופת בר-כוכבא.

ארץ ישראל קיבלה משמעות מקודשת ודתית לנוצרים מיד לאחר שהלנה, אמו של הקיסר קונסטנטיניוס ביקרה בארץ. ביקורה היה זרז לנוצרים רבים שבנו בישראל מקומות קדושים. הלנה עצמה בנתה בישראל 3 בזיליקות, כולל את כנסיית הקבר, שצורתה כצורת צלב.

ישראל הייתה לנוצרים מקום קדוש אליו עשו עלייה לרגל, ועל כך יש תעוד מיומנים שנכתבו ע"י אנשים שביקרו כאן וכתבו זאת. היומנים כוללים סיפורים מרגשים המתארים את העלייה לרגל, ביניהם גם סיפורים של נזירים שביקרו בישראל, במסגרת העלייה לרגל.

הנצרות באותה העת הייתה בשלטון של שבטים, כי רומא הייתה בבעיות גדולות מאוד. נראה גם שלאחר הפרסים האושר של הנצרות לא החזיק כ"כ. אח"כ החלה העלייה של מוחמד ותלמידיו. במאה העשירית מוחמד חליף חכים דרש להרוס בישראל את כל המקומות שהיו קדושים לנוצרים. באותה העת מרכז הנצרות חזרה למרכז רומא, שבה היה האפיפיור אורבן השני, שנתן את הטון העיקרי בחזרה לנצרות. כהמשך לכך במאה ה-11 החלו מסעי הצלב לארץ ישראל במטרה לכבוש את האתרים הקדושים לנוצרים מידי המוסלמים שהשתלטו עליהים. אלה שנטלו חלק במסעי הצלב נקראו צלבנים, אשר בדרכם טבחו והרגו אנשים רבים, ביניהם גם יהודים שהיו בישראל בעת ההיא. כך החל שלטון ממלכת הצלבנים בארץ ישראל.

עומאר סלאח אדין הבטיח לנוצרים לשמור על כל המקומות הקדושים לנצרות בישראל, כדי שלא יהרסו.

בכל העולם יש היום תשוקה חזקה ורצון עז של הנוצרים לחזור ולעשות עלייה לרגל לישראל, כדי לבקר במקומות הקדושים בה לנצרות. ארץ ישראל נחשבת לארץ הקודש בגלל המקומות הקדושים הרבים שבה ולכן יש את הרצון העז לבקר בה. הרי ידוע לכל שישו הילך על מי הכינרת שבטבריה, בנצרת יש את כנסיית הבשורה ובירושלים יש את כנסיית הקבר, שנחשבת למקום צליבתו של ישו ושם גם מצויה מערת קבורתו של ישו, ויש עוד מקומות רבים שמקודשים לנצרות בישראל.

תפילת "אבינו שבשמיים" היא תפילה נוצרית מיוחדת וחשובה מאוד לכל הזרמים שבנצרות, לאורתודוכסים, לארמנים ולקתולים, שלפעמים ניכרים ביניהם חילוקי דעות ואי הסכמות. כך נראה שבכנסיית הקבר בירושלים, ובכנסיית המולד היא בית-לחם, אשר בבית לחם יש נוצרים משלושת הזרמים הדתיים: אורתודוכסים, ארמנים וקתולים, אשר מחזיקים בניהול הכנסיות וביניהם יש אי הסכמות לגבי אופן הניהול, מה שיוצר מריבות בנוגע לאופן ההתנהלות. לרוב זה קורה לפני חג המולד ולפני חג האור.

ארץ ישראל בעצם מסמלת את המקום הקדוש, באמצעותה ניתן לקדם את ביאת המשיח. בעבר בתקופה ההיסטורית של האימפריה הרומית הייתה תשוקה של שליטה בישראל שהיא ארץ הקודש, אבל היום אין זה כך וברור לנוצרים שישראל כמדינה לכל דבר, שייכת ליהודים ואין להם בעיה עם זה.

יש תמיכה גדולה בקרב הנוצרים ליהודים, כך בכנסיות הפרוטסטנטיות יש כבוד רב לעם ישראל שהוא העם היהודי. נראה שגם האוונגליסטים תומכים בישראל מתוך מגמה שהיהודים יתנצרו. יש גם קהילות נוצריות רבות שמאוד אוהדים ותומכים בישראל ובעם היהודי.

בין הקהילות שאוהדות את ישראל יש קהילה נוצרית אחת שחבריה מתפללים עם טליתות, הם מדליקים נרות שבת, תוקעים בשופר, צמים ביום הכיפורים וטוענים שהם יהודים, מתוך מגמה ורצון עז שהיהודים יאמינו גם בישו- כאילו כולנו אחים.

בכנסייה הקתולית אין משמעות מיוחדת לכיוון התפילה, על אף שבעבר הכיוון היה למזרח בגלל גן העדן.

בארץ ישראל מבקרים קתולים רבים כאל ארץ הקודש, בלי כל קשר להיותה ארץ ישראל, אלא רק לצורך ביקור במקומות הקדושים לנצרות . סיורים אלה כרגיל הם במימון פוליטי ומכוון מטרת על לארץ הקודש ולא יותר. ארץ ישראל מבחינתם של הקתולים היא רק בהקשר של ארץ הקודש ולא יותר מכך.

בכנסיות רבות אוספים כסף כתרומת למען ארץ הקודש ויש אידאליזציה של ארץ הקודש, כי נוצרים בעולם כולו כאשר הם חושבים על ישראל, אזי הקונוטציה הישירה היא לארץ הקודש.

מעל הכינרת נבנה "דומוס גלילאה-בית הגליל", שהוא בי"ס לכמרים שמשקיף לכינרת ולהר האושר. הקמת בי"ס זה נועדה להעמקת הקשר בין הנצרות ליהדות, תוך ציון כל המקומות הקדושים לנצרות בארץ ישראל, היא ארץ הקודש. במקום זה מתקיימת פעילות פתוחה ומזמינה גם ליהודים, שמבקרים במקום, כמו שירת "שמע ישראל" בלחן ובניגון מיוחד.

הפרנצ'סקנים בישראל היו מוגנים גם כאשר פגעו בעבר בכמרים ובנוצרים, הם נשארו מוגנים, וזאת בגלל התחייבות של החליף המוסלמי לארכיבישוף הפרנצ'סקני לשמור עליהם ולהגן על שלומם. תפקידם של הפרנצ'סקנים היה שמירה על המקומות הקדושים לנצרות בארץ ישראל והם עשו זאת עד למאה ה-19 בערך. כיום המצב הוא כזה שיש כוהני דת פרנצ'סקנים בכל המקומות הקדושים לנצרות בארץ ישראל.

לנוצרים הנישלטים ע"י הבישוף קשה להבין את העובדה שלכל רב יהודי בית כנסת משלו, שאותו הוא מנהל, וזה יוצר קושי.

דיווחה: קרן בר

يوم الاثنين فبراير 02.1.2012

اللقاء: كان لدب بربارة بجو احتفالي بعيد الميلاد

الموضوع: أرض إسرائيل في الديانات المختلفة : اليهودية الاسلامية والمسيحية

إسرائيل باليهودية / الحاخام شايش

مؤسسي ارض اسرائيل كانوا اصحاب هوية وطنية واضحة بغض النظر عن الدين, ولكن من ناحية صهيونية كاملة لإقامة دولة لليهود كشعب ذات هوية منفصلة، وبالتالي يجب أن يكون لهم ارض خاص بهم.

اختار البريطانيين نقد لاذع وقدموا الاجندة، بالمقارنة مع رجال البارون الذين اقترحوا اقامة دولة في جنوب الأرجنتين. في الواقع رفضت هذه الخطط من قبل معظم اليهود. هرتسل استغرب له أن اليهود الروس كانوا من بين المعارضين، على الرغم من البيانات التي يجري الشغب والمذابح الرهيبة.

وعد أرض إسرائيل

إسرائيل وفقا لاعتقاد اليهود أن الأرض وعدت لآباءنا حسب الحدود التالية: نهر مصر إلى نهر الفرات (نهر مصر، موجود في جنوب الوادى - العريش)، البحر الكبير إلى الصحراء ومن لبنان الى صحراء النقب.

أعطيت التوراة في الصحراء بأرض ومكان غير خاص باحد . والدليل على ذلك هو ان اليهود ولا مرة كرسوا جبل سيناء أو صحراء سيناء. البحر الكبير هو البحر الأبيض المتوسط، أرض لبنان هي منطقة من صور وصيدا في الحدود الشمالية والشرقية في نهر الفرات من تركيا نحو العراق أن منطقة الخليج الفارسي. معظم الباحثين يرون أن الفكرة هي أن مصادر من نهر الفرات.

الله طلب من أبرام مغادرة البلاد والبدء في بناء شيء جديد واعد له ولذريته أرض الميعاد (أي إسحاق وإسماعيل).
الآيات في سفر تثنية الاشتراع، الفصل الثامن يوضح ان ما يقوله الله للناس في الصحراء ينبغي لهم أن يفعلوا ذلك في هذا البلد. والقصد من ذلك هو اسرائيل وعدت لأبائنا إبراهيم وإسحق ويعقوب.
وتعتبر اسرائيل الضفة مستوى أعلى من اسرائيل الشرقية. من الاشياء المكتوبة بان إسرائيل هي المكان الذي اختاره الله لهم للحفاظ على التوراة والعمل على وصاياه. هذه الرؤية اللاهوتية التي لن تبقي اذا لم يحافظوا على دينه فسيأتي الخراب والدمار.
ثيودور هرتسل، الذي عاش كصحفي علماني جاء إلى باريس خلال قضية دريفوس. فوجئ هرتسل اكتشف بان الفرنسيين يحمون دريفوس وهو رجل يهودي، وأنه بعد 100 سنة على الإعلان العالمي لحقوق الإنسان. في نهاية المحاكمة حكم دريفوس بانه خائنا وهكذا كل اليهود. وكان هذا الحدث السبب الذي دفع هرتسل إلى تأليف كتاب: "دولة يهودية".

في وقت الصلاة يتوجوا نحو صهيون التى هي القدس في اسرائيل. دائما كان يعتبروا اجانب يصلون نحو أرض القدس من إسرائيل.

في صلاواتنا نطلب:
فجر في قرن أكبر من اجل حريتنا في جمع المنفيين لدينا ومعجزة سا والتسول على امتداد أنحاء متفرقة من البلاد لبلدنا طوبى لك، والله يجمع تفريق شعبه إسرائيل.
العيون تشهد عودة إلى صهيون مع رحمة. مبارك أنت، الذي يعود وجوده إلى صهيون.

اسرائيل بالديانة الدورزية / الملاك
• وفقا للديانة الدورزية حدود البلاد هي من النيل إلى الفرات - تلك الحدود ارض اسرائيل .العلم الاسرائيلي يرمز لحدود البلاد حيت الخطيين الازرق هم من النيل إلى الفرات، ونجمة داود التي بينهما تمثل الشعب اليهودي الذين يعيشون داخل هذه الحدود.
• الدروز يدعون ان لديهم بعض من الشعب في إسرائيل وفي البلاد . ويستند هذا الزعم على القول بتناسخ الأرواح. وفقا لهذه الحجة في واحدة من التحولات كانوا مع اسرائيل ليس كيهود ، ولكن كسبعة ابناء يعقوب، وليا وراحيل (باستثناء دينة وروبن).

لقاء بين الديانات في بيت الحاخام شيش

الموضوع : دولة اسرائيل في الاسلام \ السيد شلومو الون

المشاركين: مازل ودامني كتسير, شلومو ومريم الون, بربرا, فنينا والحاخام شيش, سرجي, كوخابا امفلاو, كارن بار وكولين

يعتبر القران كتاب مقدس للمسلمين.

الاسلام الفوندومانتليستي يطالب بالرجوع الى المصادر, اي العودة الى الايام القديمة.

ترجمة القران لاول مرة تمت على يد البروفسور ريفلين ابيف رئيس الكينست, واليوم يوجد ترجمة حديثة اكثر لاوري روبن. وطبعة روبن تعتبر من افضل الترجمات لانه يتضمن فهرس وملاحظات.

توفي النبي محمد (ص) في سنة 632 وفقا للاسلام, اي بعد 12 سنة من موت النبي محمد (ص) تم جمع القران في المدينة, وهي المدينة التى هاجر اليها سيدنا محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم مع اتباعه في سنة 622, ولكن تبين بان النبؤءات بدأت قبل ذلك.

ولد محمد سنة 570.

اخذ القران بالتطورتدريجيا حتى عام 1000 تقريبا, لم يكن هناك نسخة موحدة للقران الكريم ولكن كان عدد نسخ من الاصدارات المختلفة: سني وشيعي. في القران لم يذكر دولة اسرائيل ولا حتى اورشليم, ولكن اورشليم ذكرت في التوراة وفي الصلاة اليهودية.

عاش سيدنا محمد عليه الصلاة والسلام في شبه الجزيرة العربية في السعودية – ولد في مكة المكرمة بلد التجار. اغلبية سكانها كانوا يعبدون الوثنية في ذلك الوقت .

الحج كان يشمل الطوف حول الكعبة والحجر الاسود الموجد في الكعبة.

في الجزيرة العربية كان بعض القبائل اليهودية والمسيحية . وكان توجد اليهود بكثرة في جنوب اليمن.

والجدير بالذكر بان كل نبوءات سيدنا محمد عليه الصلاة والسلام كانت تهدف الى الايمان بالله عقيدة التوحيد في اله واحد. فهو بعكس التجار الذين كانوا يعبدون الاصنام وعملوا طقوس وثنية كثيرة, حسب رسالة سيدنا محمد (ص ) ان هناك الله واحد ويجب علينا عبادته وطاعته. في فترة من الفترات شعر سيدنا محمد بالاحباط بسب عدم وجود النبوءات مما سببت له قلقا شديدا.

في سنة 622 دعوي الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام الى المدينة لاستقبال جماعة, فخرج الرسول مع اتباعه من المهاجرين من مكة الى المدينة. وهذه المجموعة تعتبر مؤسسة للاسلام.

في المدينة كان ثلاثة مجموعات: مؤسسي الاسلام المهاجرين, الانصار وهؤلاء الذين استقبلوهم واليهود.

يتألق كتاب القرأن من 114 سورة قرآنية حيث جمعت ووضعت في كتاب القران. السورة الاولى من القران هي الفاتحة, والتى تقرأ في كل صلاة وفي الجنازة واما باقي السور 113 منظمة فهي مختلفة من ناحية الطول والقصر ومرتبة من السورة الطويلة الى القصيرة كل فصل تسمى في القران "سورة". بعد جمع القران ترجم الى عدة لغات ومن ضمنها العبرية.

مكانة دولة اسرائيل في الاسلام ليس جدل ديني, وانما سياسي, لانه دولة اسرائيل لم يتم ذكرها بشكل صريح في القران الكريم, ولكن هناك ادلة تشير الى وجود اسرائيل وقيامها الحقيقي والملموس. ومن اجل الايضاح هنالك عدة امثلة:

سورة الفيل وهي رقم 105 :

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِأَصْحَابِ الْفِيلِ(1) أَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ كَيْدَهُمْ فِي تَضْلِيلٍ(2) وَأَرْسَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ طَيْرًا أَبَابِيلَ(3) تَرْمِيهِم بِحِجَارَةٍ مِّن سِجِّيلٍ(4) فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍ(5)

في هذه السورة يتحدث عن قصة تاريخية من عام الفيل, سنة 570 والتى فيها ولد النبي محمد عليه الصلاة والسلام واحتلال مكة. الله بعث طيور خاصة القت حجارة صغيرة على اصحاب الفيل حيث اصبحوا مثل القش من هذه الحجارة, وعيون محمد كانت تنظر الى دولة اسرائيل حيث عرج اليها في الليل على ظهر حيوان غريب له راس انسان وجسم حيوان ووصل حتى حائط المبكا ومن هناك ارتفع الى السماء لمدة 40 يوم, هناك ادعاء بان ا لنبي في خلاله رحلته هذه تحدث مع سيدنا موس عليه السلام, لذلك اعتبرت هذه الرحلة من مكة الى القدس رحلة دراسية .

سورة الإسراء - رقمها 17
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

في هذه السورة يبارك الله محمد رسوله بان يأتي من مسجد الحرام في المدينة الى مسجد الاقصى المبارك في القدس, ويقال ان هناك اتينا موس كتاب التوراة الذيتم استخدامه كمصدر تنوير وارشاد للشعب الاسرائيلي ويظهر لهم كيفية التصرف. وان لا نعتمد على اخرين لان التوراة هو الذي يقرر وهو الحاسم . أنتم أحفاد أولئك الذين سافروا مع نوح، المتحدرين من جيل نوح، وكان يعمل في روح طيبة. في هذا السورة هناك صلة بين القدس والتوراة، الا انه لم يذكر بشكل مباشر. وفي الاية 104 "، وقال لإسرائيل في الأرض"، أي بعد خروجه من مصر واقامتهم في مكان في اسرائيل.وبعد غرق فرعون في البحر (واعتبر فرعون انسان سيء جدا، وكذلك قارون وهامان، الذين يعتبرون هم ايضا سيئان جدا).
ويعتقد ان النبي محمد عليه السلام كان يتشاور مع النبي موسى عليه السلام في موضوع عدد الصلوات التي يصليها المسلمون كل يوم، عندما فكر سيدنا محمد عليه السلام بـ - 30 ركعة في اليوم، واصفا إياه موسى بالقول إن اليهود يصلون 3 صلوات ثابتة فطالب النبي الله بتخفيق الصلوات الى 5 صلاوات.

سورة البقرة رقمها 2 في القران

كما نعلم البقرة الحمراء لدى اليهود تثير العديد من التساؤلات والاستفسارات.

الاية 58 وامرنا بني اسرائيل ان ادخلوا هذه المدينة......" وحسب التفسير في الاسلام المقصود هنا دولة اسرائيل عن طريق القدس او اريحا.

سورة النساء رقم 4

الاية رقم 154
وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَهُمُ الطُّورَ بِمِيثَاقِهِمْ وَقُلْنَا لَهُمُ ادْخُلُواْ الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ لاَ تَعْدُواْ فِي السَّبْتِ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا
أي ان التوراة فرضت على اسرائيل. ، جبل الأفكار "، كان ضغط كبيرا لقبول التوراة. يجب أن يكون الدخول إلى إسرائيل بكل تواضع، وينبغي أن تنحني ومن ثم" قلنا لهم لا انتهاك 'السبت"

وهناك امثلة ايضا في سورة الفاتحة الاية 6

سورة الاعراف الاية 137

سورة المائدة الاية 21

سورة الانبياء الاية 71 +81

ويعتبر القرآن عقابا لليهود لخطاياهم وعلى كل ما وعدوا به كشعب مختار ولم يكن وانتهك كعقوبة بانهم اخطؤا ، وإذا كان هذا هو الحال فإننا لا ينبغي أن نكون هنا في اسرائيل.
في سنة 637 حررت مدينة القدس على يد الخليقة عمر بن الخطاب, كجزء من الفتوحات الاسلامية العظمى ، ومنذ ذلك الوقت يوجد نزاع عميق وصعب بين السنة والشيعة حتى اليوم.
في ملخص – لم يذكر في القرآن القدس، اسرائيل ولا فلسطين.

22 بمارس ,2012

لقاء بين الاديان ببيت كولين فورتر المضيفة

موضوع: أرض اسرائيل في الديانة المسيحية من قبل سلافومير

المشاركين: مازل كتسير, الحاحام شموئيل شيش وزوجته فنينا, بربرا. مالكة وغادي لفين, كارن بار , سلافومير وكولين فورتر.

تعتبر دولة اسرائيل مكان تاريخي له صلة مع اليسوع ووصول المسيح,لان اليسوع بقي في القدس لمدة ستة شهور.

العديد من الاماكن المقدسة في اسرائيل دمرت وفقدت تماما بعد فترة بار كوخبا.

.حصلت دولت اسرائيل على الاهمية المقدسة والدينية لدى المسيحيين تماما بعد زيارة هيلانة , ام الامبراطور كوستنتينوس للبلاد.. زيارتها كانت حافزا لكثير من المسيحيين الذين بنوا اماكن مقدسة. هيلينا نفسها بنت في اسرائيل ثلاثة كاتدرائيات ، بما في ذلك كنيسة القيامة، وهي على شكل صليب.

دولة اسرائيل كانت مكان مقدس للمسيحيين حيث كانوا يحجوا اليه , حيث يوجد وثائق وادلة مكتوبة من قبل الماهرين الذين زاروا هنا وكتبوها. اليوميات تشمل قصص مؤثرة تصف الحج, ومن بينها قصص عن الرهبان الذين زاروا اسرائيل خلال الحج.

في نفس الفترة كانت المسيحية في سلطة القبائل, لان روما كانت في مشاكل كبيرة جدا. وعلى ما يبدوا بعد الفرس سعادة المسيحيين لم تصمد كثيرا.ثم بدأ ظهور محمد (ص )وتلاميذه. في القرن العاشر طلب محمد من الخليفة تدمير كل الاماكن المسيحية في اسرائيل . في ذلك الوقت عادوا المركز المسيحي مرة اخرى الى روما, حيث كان البابا اوربان الثاني, الذي سمح للمسيحيين بالعودة الى روما. استمرار لهذا في القرن الحادي عشر بدأت الحروب الصلبيية حملاتها للاستيلاء على الاماكن المقدسة المسيحية التى كانت تحت سيطرة المسلمين. أولئك الذين شاركوا في الحملات الصليبية سميوا بالصليبيون, حيثوا ذبحوا وقتلوا في طريقهم الكثير من الناس, بما في ذلك يهود كانوا في اسرائيل في ذلك الوقت. وهكذا بدأ حكم المملكة الصليبية في اسرائيل.

وعد عمر صلاح الدين بالمحافظة على الاماكن المقدسة للمسيحيين في اسرائيل, كي لا تدمر.

في جميع انحاء العالم يوجد اليوم رغبة قوية من قبل المسيحيين للعودة والحج الى اسرائيل لزيارة الاماكن المسيحية المقدسة , حيث تعتبر ارض اسرائيل ارض مقدسة بسبب العديد من الاماكن المقدسة الموجودة فيها ولذلك هنالك رغبة في زيارتها. ومن المعروف ان اليسوع مشى على مياه بحيرة طبريا, وفي الناصرة موجود كنيسة البشارة, وفي القدس كنيسة القيامة والتى تعتبر مكان صلب المسيح ويوجد ايضا كهف دفن السيد المسيح, ولا تزال هناك العديد من الاماكن المقدسة في اسرائيل.

صلاة "أبانا" هي صلاة خاصة بالمسيحين ومهمة جدا لجميع الطوائف المختلفة، والأرثوذكس، والأرمن والكاثوليك، وأحيانا يوجد بينهم خلافات كبيرة وعدم اتفاق.وهذا ما نراه في كنيسة القيامة بالقدس ، وفي كنيسة المهد في - بيت لحم، حيث يوجد في بيت لحم مسيحيين من الطوائف الثلاث: الأرثوذكس، الارمن والكاثوليك وهم يتموا بإدارة الكنيسة الا ان هناك خلافات حول كيفية الإدارة، وهذا يؤدي لخلق خلافات حول كيفية الإدارة. وهذا يحدث عادة قبل عيد الميلاد وقبل عيد الانوار .

في الواقع ارض اسرائيل ترمز لماكن مقدس, والتى يمكن ان تعزز مجئ المسيح. في الماضي في فترة التاريخ الامبراطورية الرومانية السابقة كان هناك رغبة لسيطرة على اسرائيل لانها ارض مقدسة, ولكن اليوم هذا غير واضح للمسيحيين بان اسرائيل هي دولة في جميع النواحي, تنتمي لليهود وليس لديهم مشكلة في ذلك.

هناك دعم كبير بيم المسيحيين واليهود, حيث في الكنائس البروتستانتينية لديها احترام كبير للشعب الاسرائيلي اي الشعب اليهودي. يبدو ان الانجيليين يدعمون اسرائيل من منطلق بان اليهود سوق يعنقون الديانة المسيحية. وهناك العديد من المجتمعات المسيحية التى تشجع وتؤيد اسرائيل والشعب اليهودي.

من بين المجتمعات التى تشجع اسرائيل هناك طائفة مسيحية واحدة حيث يقوم افرادها بالصلاة مع شالات, ويضيؤن الشموع في يوم السبت, ويستخدمون البوق, يصمون في يوم الغفران وذلك بهدف الرغبة في ان اليهود يأمنوا بالمسيح – جمعينا اخوة.
الكنيسة الكاثوليكية لا معنى خاصا للصلاة، على الرغم من أن في الماضي الاتجاه كان نحو الشرق من اجل الجنة.

يزور اسرائيل العديد من الكاثوليك باعتبار انها اراضي مقدسة، بغض النظر عن كونها أرض إسرائيل، ولكن فقط لزيارة الأماكن المقدسة المسيحية. ويتم تمويل هذه الجولات سياسيا بغرض ان اسرائيل مقدسة وليس اكثر من ذلك. أرض إسرائيل من وجهة نظر الكاثوليك فقط في سياق الأراضي المقدسة ولا أكثر من ذلك.

في كثير من الكنائس تجمع التبرعات من المال من أجل الأرض المقدسة، ويوجد مثالية في الأرض المقدسة، لان المسيحيين في جميع أنحاء العالم يفكرون في إسرائيل، وهذه دلالة مباشرة لمقدسية إسرائيل.

فوق بحيرة طبريا تم بناء "دوموس غاليليو – بيت الجليل ", وهو مدرسة للرهبان يطل على بحيرة طبريا وجبل التطويبات. بناء هذه المدرسة من اجل تعميق العلاقة بين المسيحيين واليهود، مشيرا إلى جميع الأماكن المقدسة المسيحية في إسرائيل، هي اراضي مقدسة. في هذا المكان تقام نشطات مفتوحة ترحب باليهود ايضا ، الذين يزورون المكان، مثل أغنية "إسمع يا إسرائيل" بلحن عزف مميز .

الفرنسيسكاني كانوا محميين حتى عندما اضروا بالكهنة وبالمسيحيين, وبقيوا محميين, وذلك بسبب التزام الخليفة المسلم عمر للاسقف الفرنسيسكاني بحمايتهم ويأمن لهم الامان. كانت وظيفة الفرنسيسكان المحافظة على الاماكن المقدسة المسيحية في ارض اسرائيل وفعلوا ذلك حتى القرن الـ - 19 . اليوم الوضع كذلك يوجد شيئ من هذا القبيل كهنة دين فرنسيسكان في كل الاماكن المقدسة للمسيحيين في ارض اسرائيل .

المسيحيون الذين كانوا مسيطر عليهم من قبل الاسقف كان من الصعب فهم ان لكل حاخام يهودي يوجد كنيس , يديره بنفسه , والذي يؤدي الى صعوبة.

تقرير: كارن بار

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#20467

From: Kunju Mon <monkunju@...>
Date: Thu May 10, 2012 6:21 pm
Subject: What does the Qur�an have to say?

monkunju@...

What does the Qur�an have to say?

This should be important to know for all who are concerned with humanity and peace in this world, torn apart by strife, hatred and violence. It should be important whether one believes that the Qur�an is the Word of God or not.

To know what the Qur�an says is important because the Qur�an has made a deep and abiding impact on the course of human civilisation and history in many fundamental ways; because it has been inspiring, shaping, governing and directing countless human lives over the ages, since it first appeared fourteen hundred years ago.

And it still does.

The Qur�an, among all other books believed to be divine, is the only book which itself claims, and is believed by its followers to be literally the word of God.

Those who first heard it from the lips of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) had absolutely no doubt that, through him, God was speaking to them. It totally transformed them; it quickened their hearts, ir reshaped their minds; it made their eyes overflow with tears and their bodies tremble with awe, it changed them into new individuals, as well as a new society and polity; it led them to be leaders of mankind and founders of a rich and flowing civilisation.

More significantly, what a remarkable testimony it is to the unique power of the Qur�an that, in an age when God has been made irrelevant to human existence and concerns, millions and millions of human beings- as much as one fifth of the human race- still cling tenaciously to the book which they believe with certainty to be the Word of God, as the only blueprint for a bright, progressive, post modern future.
It is still the supreme source of inspiration, guidance and comfort in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural lives, it still influences and shapes their way of thinking and conduct, both private and public, in innumerable ways.

To know what it says is therefore not only important for better inter- human understanding and amity, but it may be crucial for the destiny of mankind too.

However, everyone cannot venture to read the whole of the Qur�an, though its length is less than that of the New Testament.
Yet everyone should have the opportunity to taste the delicious fruits in the garden of the Qur�an.

[Khurram Murad, The Quranic Treasures]

�All praise be to God alone,
the Lord of all the worlds,
the All-Merciful, the Ever Mercy-giving,
the Master of the Day of Judgement.
You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.
Guide us on the Straight Path,
The path of whom You have blessed, not of those who incur You anger,
Nor of those who go astray.�
(al-Fatihah 1: 1-7)

�Will they not, then, try to understand this Qur�an?
Had it come from anyone other than God, they would have found in it many an inner contradiction.�
(al-Nisa 4:82)

�Blessed is He in whose hands is the Kingdom- who is powerful over everything- who has created death and life, so that He might test you as to which among you [proves that he] is good in conduct.�
(al-Mulk 67: 1-2)

�Say: The Truth has come from your Lord. Let him who will, believe it, and let him who will, reject it.�
(al-Kahf 18: 29)

�Whosoever chooses to follow guidance, follows it for his own good; whosoever goes astray, goes astray to his own loss.�
(al-Isra� 17: 15)

[And God said to Adam] �Get you all down out of it; yet there shall most certainly come to you guidance from Me, and those who follow My guidance need have no fear, and neither shall they grieve.�
(al-Baqarah 2: 38)

�Surely We have sent you [O Muhammad] with the Truth, as a herald of good tidings and a warner, for there were never a people without a warner having come among them.�
(al-Fatir 35: 24)

�We have sent you to the entire mankind to give them good tidings, and warn them; but most people do not understand this.�
(Saba� 34: 28)

�The Jews say, �The Christians have no valid grounds�; the Christians say, �The Jews have no valid grounds�; and both quote the Book [of God]. So do those who have no knowledge [of the Book] speak like them. But it is God who will decide between them on the Day of Ressurection about all on which they differ.�
(al-Baqarah 2: 113)

�Whosoever holds fast to God, he has been guided onto the Straight Path.�
(al-Imran 3: 101)

�Say: He is God, the One and Unique;
God, the Eternal source and support
Of everything;
He begets not, and neither is He begotten;
And none is His equal.�
(al-Ikhlas 112: 1-4)

�It is He who accepts repentance from His servants, and pardons bad deeds, and knows all that you do. And He answers those who have faith and do righteous deeds, and gives them- out of His bounty- far more.�
(al-Shura 42: 25-6)

�The true servants of the Most Merciful are those who behave gently and with humility on earth, and whenever the foolish quarrel with them, they reply with [words of] peace.�
(al-Furqan 25: 63)

�Turn not your cheek away from people in scorn and pride, and walk not on earth haughtily; for God does not love anyone who acts proudly and boastfully. Be modest in your bearing and lower your voice; for the ugliest sound is the donkey�s braying.�
(Luqman 31: 18-19)

[Successful are the believers]�who are faithful to their trusts and to their promises.�
(al-Mu�minun 23:8)

�And be true to every promise- for, verily you willl be called to account for every promise which you have made.�
(al-Isra 17: 34)

�Indeed, We sent Our messengers with evident truth, and We sent down with them the Book and the balance (of right and wrong), so that people might behave [with each other] with justice.�
(al-Hadid 57: 25)

�Never let your enmity for anyone lead you into the sin of deviating from justice. Always be just: that is closest to being God-fearing.�
(al-Ma�idah 5:8)

�Do you know the one who denies the (Day of) Judgement? It is he who pushes the orphan away, and urges not to feed the needy. Woe, then unto those praying ones, who are heedless of their prayers, who want to be seen and praised, and refuse (to give) even little things in charity.�
(al Ma�un 107: 1-7)

�The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto; but if a person forgives and makes peace, his reward rests with God; He loves not those who do wrong.�
(al-Shura 42: 40)

�Good and evil can never be equal. Repel (evil) with that which is better, and see how, then, someone between whom and you was enmity shall become a true friend. Yet none is given such goodness except those who are patient; none is give this but the most fortunate.�
(al-Fussilat 41: 34-5)

�Your Lord has decreed that you shall serve none but Him, and do good to your parents. Should one or both of them reach old age with you, never say �Ugh� to them, nor scold either of them; but speak to them kindly and respectfully, spread over them the wings of humility and mercy, and say, �My Lord, have mercy upon them, as they raised me up when I was little.�
(al-Isra 17: 23- 4)

�Women have rights (over against men) equal to the rights (they owe men) � but men have precedence over them.�
(al-Baqarah 2: 228)

�Verily, that which is with God is the best for you, if you but knew it: all that which is with you is bound to end, whereas all that which is with God is everlasting.�
(al-Nahl 16: 95-6)

�The parable of those who spend their wealth in the way of God is that of a grain, out of which grow seven ears, in every ear a hundred grains.�
(al-Baqarah 2: 261)

�The flesh of sacrificial animals does not reach God and neither their blood; but only godliness from you reaches Him.�
(al-Hajj 22: 37)

�And they say, �None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.� These are their wishful beliefs. Say, �Produce your evidence if what you say is true!�
Nay, whosoever surrenders his whole being unto God, and is a doer of good, shall have his reward from his Lord; on them shall be no fear, neither shall they sorrow.�
(al-Baqarah 2: 111-12)

#20468

From: ram puniyani <ram.puniyani@...>
Date: Fri May 11, 2012 2:18 pm
Subject: All India Secular Forum Monthly Newsletter

jhang45

Please find attached Monthly Newsletter of All India Secular Forum.

Best wishes

Ram Puniyani

2 of 2 File(s)

SAN-May-2012-new-1.docx

SAN-May-2012-new-1.pdf

#20469

From: InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com
Date: Sun May 13, 2012 1:55 pm
Subject: File - Jobs Corner

InterfaithDialogueCenter@yahoogroups.com

Hello Friends,

You can use this facility in the IFDC page for announcing Job vacancies or
details of those who are seeking a Job. visit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InterfaithDialogueCenter/grouplets/subscriptions

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