The Majority of muslims do not
live in the middle East. The most populous muslim country is Indonesia, the 4th
largest country in the world with 184 million muslims There are more muslims in
India than the combined population of Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Palestine and the
whole of the Arabian Peninsula. The following English words are borrowed from
Arabic: Algebra, Zero, Cotton, Sofa, Rice, Candy, Safron, Balcony. And even 'alchohol'
derives from Arabic : al-kuhl meaning powder. These are just a few mentioned
here. The first treatise on smallpox and measles was written by Abu Bakr alrazi
(c.864-925,known to Europe as Rhazes). (Due to this) Inoculation agianst
smallpox became a common practise in muslim lands. Despite this , Scientific
text book credit the invention of a smallpox vaccine to Edward Jenner.(1749-1823).
Early Oxbridge students studied books written by muslims on mathematics,
medicine, chemistry, optics and astronomy. Adelard of Bath (a city in the UK)
was a leading scholar of the middle ages. what made him famous was translating
the word of muslim scientists from Arabic to latin! The 1860 city records of
Cardiff (UK) show a masjid in operation in a converted building at 2 Glynrhondda
St. Yemani sea men on their trips between Aden (in Yemen) and Cardiff founded
this masjid. The first purpose built masjid is claimed to be in Woking (South of
England) with money provided by the ruler of Bhopal, in India (the Shah Jehan
masjid was built in 1889). The Islamic calender is based on the phases of the
moon, with it being approximately 11 days shorter than the 365 days of the year
in the Julien calender. Hence, the dates of our festivals move through the year.
The grand doors of our prophets (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) masjid in Medina
weigh 2 and half tonnes each! Enormous quantities of "sag wood" was gathered
from all over the world and shipped to the united kingdom to be dryed in
computerised furnaces (the traditional drying process would have taken many
years!). Even then , it took 5 months to dry the wood! the wood was then shipped
to Barcelona (Spain), Where the main body of the doors where made. And finally
the French even paid their little part, as the brass ornamentation was carried
out in the city of Roi (France). Next time you visit the holy masjid, keep this
entire in mind! The Zam Zam well came into existance at the time of prophets
Ibrahim and Ismail (alayhum salam). It then "dissapeared" for nearly 26
centuries (2600 years) due to the certain events and was rediscovered and dug by
the grandfather of our beloved prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). The location
of the well was revealed to him in a dream. It was only in 1932 the Kiswah
(cloth of the Ka'bah) was wholly made by Saudis (citizens of Saudi Arabia). The
roof top of our prophet's (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) masjid in Madina is
disigned to be strong enough to carry addtional floors in the future. The black
stone (as it is known), Cannot really be described in full, because the parts we
touch with our hands and "Kiss" , are eight small pieces, the biggest of which
is the size of a date. Adam (alayhis salam) was 30 Ziraa tall. Ziraa is a
measurement and one Ziraa is approximately half a metre. Islam - The Easy Way #fullpost{display:none;}
One of the terms used by the Qur'an during the early Makkan period to describe
Islam was Al-Yusraa, or 'The Easy Way'. This is simply because Islam was, and is
the natural way of life. Indeed, whatever is natural for human beings should be
easy for them in every way, hence cause them to gravitate towards it easily, and
consequently bring harmony, peace and tranquillity to their lives. Since the
Qur'an is the book upon which the Islamic way of life is built, then the Qur'an
has to be easy to understand and follow-it is 'The Easy Way'.This view that
Islam is easy to understand and practice, is one which is derived from the
primary sources of Islam. In the Qur'an, Allah comforts us by continuously
reassuring us that He desires for us ease not hardship, despite the seemingly
formidable trials and tribulations that we may sometimes face. He says: "God
desires ease for you, and desires not hardship" [2: 185]; "Truly with hardship
comes ease' [94: 6];"God will assuredly appoint, after difficulty; easiness"
[65: 7]; 'Whoso fears God, God will appoint for him, of His command, easiness"
[65: 4]; "We shall speak to him, of our command, easiness" [18: 88];"God desires
to lighten things for you, for the human being has been created weak" [94: 28].
In addition to the Quran, the Hadith literature is also replete with references
exhorting us to adopt a balanced and simple approach to life. Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu
alayhi wasalam) has advised us: 'This Deen or way of life is easy But if anyone
overdoes it, it gets the better of him. So keep to the right course, approximate
to perfection, rejoice, and ask for help in the mornings, the evenings, and some
of the latter part of the night'[Sahih al-Bukhari].The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi
wasalam) has also praised those who adopt a moderate approach to 'ibadah or
worship. Ibadab, he said, should be done with freshness of heart, not an
exhausting routine carried out in spite of fatigue.'Do those deeds which you can
do easily, as Allah will not get tired [of giving rewards] till you get bored
and tired [of performing good deeds! ... and the most beloved deed to Allah is
the one which is done regularly even if it is little'[Sahih al-Bukhari]. Islam
is not Complex Islam is not a way of life that is complex or difficult. Rather
it is the human being who practises Islam who often makes it difficult-and then,
complexity overtakes him so that eventually he is unable to cope with even the
simplest of tasks. That it is possible for every person to understand and
practice Islam is assured by the following three principles: Firstly, the basic
beliefs contain no mystery and are therefore easy to comprehend. Every tenet in
Islam is subject to analysis and inquiry. Moreover, Islam does not present
stumbling blocks to the mind. Islam does not present concepts or ideas which the
intellect cannot grasp. Even the simplest of minds can understand its basic
beliefs. It is therefore not surprising that its beliefs are universal.
Secondly, the most important and stringent obligations ordained upon Muslims are
easy to undertake. That is, the duties and obligations laid down by Allah have
been graded. And, it is the wisdom of Allah that the greater the importance He
has attached to any act, the easier it is for everyone to accomplish it. Thus,
for example, the five daily Salat (Prayers) and Sawm (fasting) during the month
of Ramadan are compulsory upon everyone, since they are within every-one 5 reach
to accomplish. Zakat (almsgiving) and Hajj (pilgrimage), on the other hand,
though fundamental pillars of Islam, are not compulsory upon everyone. If it
were made compulsory upon everyone, then those who did not possess the financial
means would be unable to carry out these duties. In such cases, it would not
have been possible for everyone to practice Islam in all its facets. Therefore,
these duties are obligatory only upon those who have the means to do so.
Thirdly, there are provisions for derogation when it is genuinely not possible
for someone to fulfil an obligation. For instance, if a person is genuinely
unable to stand up and pray, then he is permitted to sit down or even lie down
and pray. Similarly, if there is no water available to perform the wudu or
ablution before prayer, then one can make tayammum, which is a simple dry
ablution performed by using clean earth or dust. Therefore, even when there
appear to be difficulties, if one looks closely at the Shari'ah or Islamic legal
code as a whole, one will find so many rules relating to derogation that enable
one to practice Islam very easily-and this is the case regardless of the
problem: political, economic or simply personal. Indeed, throughout the Quran
various provisions have been made to ease things for travellers, for the sick,
for pregnant or nursing women, for the old and for the poor, for on no soul does
Allah place a burden greater than it can bear [7: 42] and 'He has chosen you,
and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion' [22: 78].Therefore, as long
as one possesses the basic tools-a sound knowledge of what is stated in the
Shari'ah regarding a particular matter and an awareness of the responsibility
for ones own actions-a person may decide for himself when to derogate from the
standard. Thus, although according to the Shari'ah it is haram (or unlawful) to
eat pork, if someone is on the brink of starvation and the only food available
is this pork, then one can decide for oneself whether and when to consume this
haram meat in order to survive, and thereby derogate from the standard. Of
course, this does not make the pork halal or lawful, but neither will one be
punished for committing a haram or prohibited act, so long as it is necessary
for one's essential well being as a Muslim. The Path of Moderation Moderation
which leads to balance, is a fundamental and distinguishing feature of Islam.
Allah tells us: "We have made you a nation justly balanced" [2: 143].
Additionally, when the Quranic verse "As to monasticism which they themselves
invented, We did not prescribe any of it for them" [57: 27] was revealed, the
Prophet Muhammad commented: 'Do not overburden yourselves, lest you perish.
People [before you] overburdened themselves and perished. Their remains are
found in hermitages and monasteries'[Musnad of Abu Ya'la].In other words,
excesses may eventually develop into large problems and even become a threat to
the well being and security of the Muslim community. Indeed, the Prophet always
resisted any tendency towards religious excessiveness. He once said to his close
Companion Abdullali ibn 'Amr: 'Have I heard tight that you fast everyday and
stand in prayer all night?' Abdullah replied, 'Yes, 0 Messenger of God: The
Prophet said, 'Do not do that. Fast, as well as, eat and drink. Stand in prayer,
as well as, sleep. This is because your body has a right upon you, your eyes
have a right upon you, your wife has a right upon you, and your guest has a
right upon you [Sahih al-Bukhari, Muslim]. Abiding by the will of Allah requires
that we seek and maintain a delicate balance between the various obligations
that demand our attention; between our obligations to Allah, our obligations
towards others and our obligations towards ourselves. Moreover, whenever the
Prophet had to choose between two options, he always chose the easier, unless it
was explicitly forbidden (Bukhari). Maintaining a Joyful Disposition Allah wants
us to enjoy ourselves not only in the Hereafter but also in this world. Allah
tells us in the Quran to pray for both "the good in this world and the good in
the Hereafter"[2: 201]. Additionally the Quran speaks extensively about the
enjoyment of life: 'O children of Adam! Wear your beautiful apparel at every
time and place of prayer Eat and drink but waste not by excess, for Allah loves
not wasters. Say: 'who has forbidden the beautiful gifts of Allah which He has
produced for His servants and the things clean and pure which He has provided
for sustenance' (7:30-301). And again, 'O you who believe! Make not unlawful the
good things Allah has made lawful to you. But commit no excess, for Allah does
not like those given to excess. Eat of the things which Allah has provided you,
lawful and good, but fear Allah, in whom you believe'(4: 86-88). Surprising as
it may seem to some of us, the Prophet not only accepted jokes; he also told
them himself He was cheerful and possessed an easygoing character He was always
smiling at his Companions and enjoyed their conversations. He also possessed a
very keen sense of humour. But, his jokes were more of a philosophical nature,
never inappropriate and always true. For example, once an old lady went to the
Prophet and asked whether after her death she would enter Paradise or not. To
this the Prophet replied, 'No old woman would enter heaven'. On hearing this,
the woman was naturally very sad. 'Then, what is the reward for them?' she
asked. The Prophet relieved her anxiety by saying, 'All old people will be made
young before they enter Paradise.' Relaxing your Mind From the analysis above,
it should be clear that Islam does not expect of any individual that he should
spend all his leisure time in the mosque or at home and should listen to nothing
but recitation of the Quran, or for that matter, be engaged in exclusively
'religious' pursuits. Rather, it recognises that we are human beings, so that,
as we eat and drink, and also need to relax and enjoy our-selves. Relaxation is
not at odds with piety and dignity. The Prophet prayed and engaged in worship
more than anyone, but he also enjoyed good things, smiled and joked. Indeed, in
his prayers he would beseech Allah for the good things of this world.Relaxing
the mind also has the additional benefit of resting and rejuvenating the body so
that when we eventually return to fulfil out various obligations, we will be
more focused and ready All ibn Abu Talib once said: 'Minds get tired, so do
bodies, so treat them with humour' and 'Refresh your minds from time to time,
for a tired mind becomes blind'. Another Companion of the Prophet, Abu Darda
said: 'I entertain my heart with something trivial in order to make it stronger
in the service of the truth'. As we have highlighted before, the approach of the
Prophet to life's activities was always a balanced one. As devoted as he was in
his personal worship, he was quick to indicate to his followers that the path of
Islam is the way of moderation. Thus, when he heard that one of his attendants
was continuously fasting during the day and spending the entire night in prayer,
he remarked: 'In every deed [of action] there is a peak followed by lassitude.
He who, in his lassitude, follows my Sunnah [the part of moderation] is on the
right path, but he who, in his lassitude, follows another [guidance] has [erred
and] gone astray [from the straight path Allah has revealed]' (al Bazzaz) Making
Islam Easy for Others In sharing the message of Islam with people the Prophet
was advised in the Quran: 'It is part of the mercy of Allah that you deal gently
with them~ If you were severe or hardhearted, they would have broken away from
you' [3: 159]. Thus, when the Prophet sent his Companions Mu'adh and Abu Musa to
teach Islam to the people of Yemen, he gave them the following advice:
'Facilitate [religious matters to people] and do not make [things] difficult.
Obey each other and do not differ [amongst yourselves].'[Sahih al-Bukhari &
Muslim]. On other occasions he also said: 'This Deen or way of life is easy';
'Make it easy, don't make it difficult; 'Let people rejoice in being Muslims and
not run away from it' and 'Cheerfulness towards other people, even a smile is a
sadaqah or charity to be rewarded by Allah'. Moreover, a person-in seeking to
purify himself and further develop his God-consciousness-may choose to place
greater demands of worship upon himself, but this in no way means that he has
the right to impose or force the same on others, and thereby, unconsciously
alienate them from Islam. The Prophet exemplified this in his own life because
he used to prolong the Salat whenever he was alone, but he would shorten it
whenever he led others in Salah. Regarding this he said: 'Whoever among you
leads the people in Salat, he should shorten it, for amongst them are the weak,
the old, and the one who has business to attend to. And if anyone among you
performs Salat alone, he may then prolong [Salat] as much as he wishes' [Sahih
al-Bukhari].Similarly, 'Umar Ibn al Khattab emphasised that creating unnecessary
difficulties for people may well have the effect of leading them away from
Allah, rather than making them better Muslims. He advised: 'Do not make Allah
hateful to His servants by leading people in Salat and so prolonging it that
they come to hate what they are doing' Ease versus Hardship To say, however,
that Islam is easy and not 'difficult', is not to imply that Muslims will not
face 'hardship'-and here the two terms must be distinguished. Indeed, although
Islam is easy to understand and practice, the whole purpose of the trial is to
make manifest the degree to which an individual is steadfast (and hence sincere)
in his submission to Allah- and this is precisely what is indicated by the
Qur'anic verse: "And We will most certainly test you with something of fear and
hunger, and loss of possessions and lives and crops" [2: 155]. Notwithstanding
these trials however, we can find ease in this world and the next. But, this
will be so only if we are firm in our faith in Allah and follow the course
prescribed by Islam, as He Himself has declared: 'But give good news to those
who are patient, who, when a calamity strikes them, say: 'Indeed we belong to
God and indeed to Him we shall be returning: They are those on whom are
blessings from their Sustainer, and mercy-and those, they are the
rightly-guided.[2: 155-157].