Bahno Ke Liye Tofa{URDU}

O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (i.e.screen themselves completely except the eyes or one eye to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever OftForgiving, Most Merciful. Soorah Al-Ahzaab 33.59

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Equality of Men and Women in all Three Levels of Islam

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

By Shaykh `Abdul Rahman `Abdul Khaliq

My brothers and sisters everywhere! Islamic law - that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sent down to His Messenger Muhammad - came to announce that women (exactly like men) are full human beings. Women (like men) are therefore required to follow the way appointed by Allah.

A woman (like a man) is therefore obligated with all three degrees of this religion: Islam (outward submission to Allah), Iman (inward faith in Allah), and Ihsan (perfection of worship of Allah).

It is thus required for every woman to testify that there is none deserving worship but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger; to pray; to give charity; to fast; and to make a pilgrimage to Allah's House if she has the means.

It is likewise required for every woman to believe in Allah, His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in Allah's decree (and that the good and evil consequences thereof are from Allah).

These are the fundamentals of Islam and Iman.

It is likewise required for every woman to worship Allah as if she sees Him. For although she cannot see Allah, she must believe that He sees whatever she does in secret and in public.

Women (exactly like men) have been commanded with these three levels of the religion (Islam, Iman, Ihsan).

Women are also obligated to enjoin good and forbid evil; to wage jihad by saying that which is truthful; and to adhere to all noble behavior, like: truthfulness, trustworthiness, courage, modesty, and self-respect.

Every Muslim woman is commanded to be steadfast in her religion and not to be negligent with her faith. It is impermissible for her - under any pressure or compulsion - to open her heart to accept the word of disbelief. Hence every Muslim woman falls under Allah's statement:

"Whose disbelieves in Allah, after he has believed - excepting him who has been compelled, and his heart is still at rest with the Faith - but whosoever's breast is expanded in unbelief, upon them shall rest anger from Allah, and there awaits them a mighty chastisement." (Qur'an 16:106)

Clearly when Islam charged women with all these duties and in all these obligations made her equal to men, the intent was to honor her and permit her to reach the highest degree of perfection of her being.

The duties that Allah has obligated humanity with are but a means to honor us. Prayer, as well as fasting, is an honor for the servant and a means to raise his rank. To adhere to Allah's straight path and the manners of Islam are, without doubt, a means to honor us and not to humiliate us as imagined by those who are ignorant of Allah and follow their desires.

Such people think and imagine that a human being who does not believe in Allah, does not uphold the trust of these duties, and does not perform what Allah has commanded him is of a higher standing than the believer who adheres to the obligations of Islam. Such an idea is ignorance and renders human beings on par with the animals.

Humans have been created to be tried by Allah and have been charged with fulfilling these duties to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and His creatures. As for animals, while they have been created by Allah, they have not been charged with this trust.

Whoever considers that a human being who does not uphold what Allah has obligated as equal to those who fulfill what Allah has obligated is like those who consider humans and animals to be equal. For this reason, Allah has said:

"Shall we treat that those who have surrendered (as Muslims) as We treat the guilty?" (Qur'an 68:35)

And He has said:

"We have crated for Hell many of the jinn and humanity; they have hearts, but understand not with them; they have eyes, but perceive not with them; and they have ears, but they hear not with them. These are like cattle; nay, rather they are further astray! Those - they are the heedless." (Qur'an 7:126)

The disbeliever in Allah is a guilty criminal, for he does not know whom He is to worship, i.e., his Creator, his Protector, his Lord, and He Who created this universe in which he lives. The disbeliever enjoys what Allah has blessed him with and yet forgets the One Who blessed and preferred him with such blessings. As for the believer, he is the honorable servant who knows His Lord and Creator, Allah, Whom he worships. He fulfills what Allah has obligated and travels upon the path that Allah has delineated for him.

Courtesy Of: Islaam.com Source: The Wisdom Behind the Islamic Laws Regarding Women
Translator: Ali Al-Timimi

What Our Sisters Can Do for Palestine

Q: The situation of our patient, struggling Palestinian sister under the tyranny of those known for treachery and deception - may Allah fight them - makes us truly sad. In fact, it is an extreme disaster for us, as their honor has been violated, their families have been destroyed, and their daughters tortured and exposed. Despite this, they continue to carry upon their shoulders the responsibility of standing on this frontline of the frontlines of Islam against the Zionist enemy. In fact, they also carry the responsibility of raising a generation - rather, generations - of sons and daughters to continue the struggle. So, what is our obligation towards these oppressed women? How can we stand by them on this front and assist them in various ways while simultaneously admitting to our major shortcomings in this? And Allah is the source of help…

A: The Muslim nation is one that is oppressed everywhere in the world, and the burden of this oppression that falls on its men falls even heavier on its women. In fact, the burden on women is generally greater, as she is prone to weakness by her nature from one direction, as well as from the pressures of family from another. So, she was not designed to withstand this subjugation, imprisonment, oppression, or long period of struggle as men are. Despite this, she is rewarded for her patience with Allah.

And our obligation is without a doubt great. Every man is obligated to realize that he has brothers there, and every woman is obligated to realize that she has sisters there. We must come to feel the reality of the brotherhood of faith and that we are like a single body, such that if one limb complains, the rest of the body rushes to heal it. So, the believers are brothers, as Allah mentioned, and our enemy is one. The one who ate the white bull today is the same one who will eat the red bull tomorrow, and the black one the day after. In fact, he might eat them all tomorrow.

So, it is not allowed for us to remain the way our enemies want us to be, and what they want is for every community to be busy only with its own problems and concerns, and to have every community busy with its desires or efforts to acquire more wealth. Our communities are of two types: one type that simply works to make more money, and another that is busy with its desires and wasting of time. Both are extremely dangerous, and distract us from paying attention to fulfilling our obligations towards our brotherhood of faith.

Our sisters are afflicted with things that make one’s body shiver in the blessed, patient, struggling land of Palestine, as well as Iraq, Afghanistan, Kashmir, the Philippines, Eritrea, Somalia, Chechnya, Bosnia, and many other regions. In fact, this oppression even takes place in countries that claim to be free. So, in France - which some refer to as the place from which light emerges and shines over the rest of the world, and Paris is the Capitol of Light, etc. - its secularism, freedom, and human rights have become so constricted despite these empty slogans. They have become constricted around a piece of cloth with which the Muslim woman covers her hair, and this proves that this nation is truly being tested in order for Allah to purify its ranks and to elevate its status.

Therefore, we are facing a test in which we must have practical solutions, and it is not enough to simply cry and grieve and be sad and pained. For example, my sisters, I advise every sister who has a job - even if both spouses work, or they have a sufficient income or job, as the obligation would be greater in such a case - to support a single Palestinian family, and to then turn to the other countries to find out how we can provide them with relief efforts, and how we can fulfill our obligation of sending them beneficial books, tapes, and efforts, as well as the hijab. There are many girls in the nearby Arab countries who would wear the hijab if only they could afford it…

Every family in this country that Allah has blessed - and we praise Allah for these blessings - should take one family or child and support it. As I mentioned, my noble sister, our sisters over there have provided the greatest examples. There does not exist a mother in the world that possesses the characteristics of resistance, defiance, and patience as the Palestinian mother does, and the Iraqi mother is on the same road, thanks to Allah and His Guidance. They are demonstrating the most amazing defiance! This is a clear confirmation that the religion of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم) is dominating and victorious, and that Allah has control over His affair except that most people do not realize this, and that the good end will be for this nation by Allah’s leave, as well as the defiance of these sisters.

The sister who is forced to give birth on the side of the road, the sister who is killed, the sister who is sacrificed - despite this, they insist on continuing to raise male and female warriors, and to remain in their lands upon their religion and faith. These realities have become manifest, thanks to Allah. And the more we remain firm upon this faith, the more the enemy will weaken and be shaken, and this enemy, or the snake’s head of this aggression, is manifested in this Zionist state. We ask Allah to destroy it and dismantle it, and to make us from those who assist in this by establishing a community of believers in this blessed land. As for those of them for whom Allah has written guidance by entering the justice of Islam or the Religion of Allah, we praise Allah that His Law and Justice encompasses them all.

I say that it is upon every one of is to exert our efforts in supporting at least one Muslim family or child, and as you know, a Muslim child can be supported with an amount of money that is not difficult for us to accumulate, thanks to Allah. It should only cost about $400 a year. I don’t say that this fulfills our obligation. Rather, it increases a little from the sparse possessions they have. So, with this, we can provide them with a higher standard of living, as well as the ability to continue memorizing the Qur’an, as those who benefit first and foremost from this are the students who memorize the Qur’an. We ask Allah to benefit them all, as He is Able to do all things…

Original Arabic: http://www.alhawali.com/index.cfm?method=home.SubContent&contentID=1449

This is a reliable, safe, and internationally renowned relief organization through which we can implement Shaykh Safar’s advice to bring relief to the Palestinians: http://www.irw.org/campaigns/palestinecrisis08

Reach into your wallet and give whatever you can, knowing full well that Allah will give you more than you can imagine for each penny that you give to your brothers and sisters!

This entry was posted on January 2, 2009 at 11:50 pm and is filed under Safar al-Hawali . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

The Wisdom behind Laws Regarding Women

By Shaykh Abdur Rahman Abdul Khaliq

The Wisdom behind the Islamic Laws Regarding Women: A treatise presented for the Fourth United Nations World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China.

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Here are the tips on 'How to be a Successful Muslim Wife'

If you don't understand any of these, I invite you to a meaningful, enlightening dialogue to dispel any doubts. Please do e-mail me. Please do not carry around with you wrong impressions. Wrong impressions can be and have been fatal.

1. Use your beauty and overtures of allurement to win the heart of your husband.

All women have the ornaments that Allah blessed them with. Use the beauty Allah - Azza wa Jal - has bestowed you with to win the heart of your husband.

2. When your husband comes home, greet him with a wonderful greeting.

Imagine your husband coming home to a clean house, an exquisitely dressed wife, a dinner prepared with care, children clean and sweet smelling, a clean bedroom - what would this do to his love for you? Now imagine what the opposite does to him.

3. Review the characteristics of the Hoor Al-Ayn and try to imitate them

The Qur'an and Sunnah describe the women in Jannah with certain characteristics. Such as the silk they wear, their large dark eyes, their singing to their husband, etc. Try it, wear silk for your husband, put Kohl in your eyes to 'enlarge' them, and sing to your husband.

4. Always wear jewelery and dress up in the house.

From the early years, little girls have adorned themselves with earrings and bracelets and worn pretty dresses - as described in the Qur'an. As a wife, continue to use the jewellery that you have and the pretty dresses for your husband.

5. Joke and play games with your husband.

A mans secret: they seek women who are light-hearted and have a sense of humour. As Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - told Jabir to marry someone who would make him laugh and he would make her laugh.

6. Thank your husband constantly for the nice things he does. Then thank him again.

This is one of the most important techniques, as the opposite is a characteristic of the women of hellfire.

7. An argument is a fire in the house. Extinguish it with a simple 'I'm sorry' even if it is not your fault.

When you fight back, you are only adding wood to the fire. Watch how sweetly an argument will end when you just say sincerely, "Look, I'm sorry. Let's be friends."

8. Always seek to please your husband, for he is your key to Jannah.

Rasul Allah - sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam - taught us that any women who dies in a state where her husband is pleased with her, shall enter Jannah. So .. please him.

9. Listen and Obey!

Obeying your husband is Fard! Your husband is the Ameer of the household. Give him that right and respect.

10. Make Dua to Allah to make your marriage and relationship successful.

All good things are from Allah. Never forget to ask Allah ta'ala for the blessing of having a successful marriage that begins in this Dunya and continues on - by the Mercy of Allah ta'ala - into Jannah.

The Mothers Of The Believers

Mothers of the Believers is a ground breaking series exploring the lives of the wives of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him). It seeks to enlighten the hearts, minds and souls of the Muslim youth in the West. It is through the wonderful examples of the Mothers of the Believers that we can achieve a correct and balanced understanding when approaching issues such as building the Islamic family, social life, working, parenting and raising children.

• Introduction
• Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (part 1)
• Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (part 2)
• Sawda bint Zama
• Aisha bint Abi Bakr (part 1)
• Aisha bint Abi Bakr (part 2)
• Hafsa bint Umar
• Hind bint Abi Umayyah (Umm Salamah)
• Zaynab bint Jahsh
• Juwayriyah bint Al-Harith & Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan
• Safiyah bint Huyy Maymunah bint Al-Harith & Conclusion

Growing Your Love

Sumayyah Meehan gives green-fingered advice for success in the garden of love.

“They are Libas (i.e. body cover or screen) for you and you are the same for them”
(Surah Al Baqarah: 187)

Entering into the union of marriage is almost like walking into an uncultivated garden. Instead of the garden being full of lush green grass and brightly coloured flowers, it is simply a plot of earth! The garden will remain so until two loving hearts start to work on it with spades, fresh soil and a variety of seeds and saplings. Like a garden, marriage can be cultivated to produce the most gorgeous blossoms through good intentions and tender loving care!

Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an:

"And among His signs is this, that He created for you wives that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect.” (Surah Al Rum: 21)

Plant the Seeds

When Muslim couples enter into marriage, they begin their married life not knowing much about each other. Many couples make the mistake of simply getting down to the business of married life – cooking, cleaning and earning a wage. The situation itself is so daunting and scary that couples often avoid the vital communication that they need to start their marriage off on the right foot. Communication is the only way to plant the seeds of love in each other’s hearts and eventually those seeds will grow into the strongest force of love to cement the union permanently. Both husband and wife should strive to find out everything about their spouse, even the most miniscule details like the name of the bully who terrorized them in school or what their most embarrassing moment was. The tiny details, as you learn them, are the very ‘fabric’ of the person you have chosen to share your life with. It is through those life experiences that they have come to be the person who they are today.

Remove the Weeds

Like a garden, there is no doubt that marriage is hard work. When two people, no matter how much love they share, are in a confined space together day in and day out, it is only logical that they will have disagreements from time to time. Those disagreements can be about silly things, like who left the cap off the toothpaste, or more serious matters like disciplining children. Regardless of the source, anger and discontentment in marriage (the unwelcome weeds that often sprout up in your otherwise pristine garden!) are to be taken seriously as quite often that can overwhelm a couple, so much so that one or both parties may decide to dissolve the union. Communication, again, is the best way to deal with those pesky marital disagreements. Couples must sit down in the beginning of their marriage and decide how they will handle each other when tempers flare. Will dishes be smashed? Will names and insults be thrown off of razor-sharp tongues? Couples who have been married for years can also sit down and redefine the way they argue. The aim of any argument should be that both viewpoints are expressed in a calm manner. Then the couple should come to a compromise so that both sides feel they have gained minor victories. Marriage is not a dictatorship where one spouse rules over the other. Rather marriage is a partnership where spouses unite for the sake of their families and more importantly for the sake of Allah.

Water Every Day

Like any garden, the seeds of love you worked so hard to plant need daily ‘watering’. Without water, the seeds will never grow and existing blooms will shrivel and, eventually, die. The sort of watering that is required in marriage are actions that will build your spouse up rather than tear them down. For example, being grateful to your spouse and showing good manners are excellent ways to increase the love between you. Always remembering to say “Thank You” and showing respect when it is needed will go a long way to make your garden grow. Other ways might include adding a bit of romance to your marriage. Send your spouse a bouquet of flowers at work or fill their pockets with a bunch of heart-shaped candies (preferably not ones that will melt!) with a loving message attached. Being proactive and showering your garden with the vitality of good deeds will result in the success every gardener dreams about!

Don’t forget the Fertilizer!

Unfortunately, even if you try everything to make your marital garden grow, it may only result in a few meager buds sprouting through the Earth. In this eventuality, one or both couples need to take immediate action (the fertilizer) to preserve the union of their marriage. Contacting the Wali, a local Imam, or even a Muslim marriage counselor can help couples move past the obstacles that are preventing them from achieving marital bliss and harmony. There is no shame in reaching out for help when a marriage is in distress. All measures must be taken to keep marriages intact, as divorce should always be seen as a last resort.

Lasting love and happiness in a marriage are not things that can be achieved instantaneously. Just like a garden, love needs to be cultivated and cared for lovingly with gentle hands, a kind word and an open heart. So go on, plant the seeds of marital bliss today and insha Allah, you too will enjoy a life filled with the beauty and satisfaction of a blossoming love affair with your spouse.