Belief in Angels

 

In common folklore, angels are thought of as good forces of nature, hologram images, or illusions.  Western iconography sometimes depicts angels as fat cherubic babies or handsome young men or women with a halo surrounding their head.  In Islamic doctrine, they are real created beings who will eventually suffer death, but are generally hidden from our senses.

They are not divine or semi-divine, and they are not God’s associates running different districts of the universe.  Also, they are not objects to be worshipped or prayed to, as they do not deliver our prayers to God.  They all submit to God and carry out His commands.

In the Islamic worldview, there are no fallen angels: they are not divided into ‘good’ and ‘evil’ angels.  Human beings do not become angels after death.  Satan is not a fallen angel, but is one of the jinn, a creation of God parallel to human beings and angels.

Angels were created from light before human beings were created, and thus their graphic or symbolic representation in Islamic art is rare.  Nevertheless, they are generally beautiful beings with wings as described in Muslim scripture.

Angels form different cosmic hierarchies and orders in the sense that they are of different size, status, and merit.

The greatest of them is Gabriel.  The Prophet of Islam actually saw him in his original form.  Also, the attendants of God’s Throne are among the greatest angels.  They love the believers and beseech God to forgive them their sins.  They carry the Throne of God, about whom the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:

“I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of God who carry the Throne.  The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey.” (Abu Daud)

They do not eat or drink.  The angels do not get bored or tired of worshipping God:

“They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever slacken.” (Quran 21:20)
The Number of Angels

How many angels there are? Only God knows.  The Much-Frequented House is a sacred heavenly sanctuary above the Kaaba, the black cube in the city of Mecca.  Every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, followed by another group

• The Names of Angels
  

Muslims believe in specific angels mentioned in the Islamic sources like Jibreel (Gabriel), Mika'eel (Michael), Israfeel, Malik - the guard over Hell, and others.  Of these, only Gabriel and Michael are mentioned in the Bible.
Angelic Abilities

The angels possess great powers given to them by God.  They can take on different forms.  The Muslim scripture describes how at the moment of Jesus’ conception, God sent Gabriel to Mary in the form of a man:

“…Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.” (Quran 19:17)

Angels also visited Abraham in human form.  Similarly, angels came to Lot to deliver him from danger in the form of handsome, young men.  Gabriel used to visit Prophet Muhammad in different forms.  Sometimes, he would appear in the form of one of his handsome disciples, and sometimes in the form of a desert Bedouin.

Angels have the ability to take human forms in some circumstances involving common people.

Gabriel is God’s heavenly messenger to mankind.  He would convey the revelation from God to His human messengers.  God says:

“Say: whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by God’s will..

• Tasks of the Angels
  

Some angels are put in charge of executing God’s law in the physical world.  Michael is responsible for rain, directing it wherever God wishes.  He has helpers who assist him by the command of his Lord; they direct the winds and clouds, as God wills.  Another is responsible for blowing the Horn, which will be blown by Israafeel at the onset of the Day of Judgment.  Others are responsible for taking souls out of the bodies at the time of death: the Angel of Death and his assistants.  God says:

• “Say: the Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls, then shall you be brought back to your Lord.” (Quran 32:11)
• Then there are guardian angels responsible for protecting the believer throughout his life, at home or traveling, asleep or awake.
• Others are responsible for recording the deeds of man, good and bad.  These are known as the “honorable scribes.”
• Two angels, Munkar and Nakeer, are responsible for testing people in the grave.
• Among them are keepers of Paradise and the nineteen ‘guards’ of Hell whose leader is named ‘Malik.’
  

There are also angels responsible for breathing the soul into the fetus and writing down its provisions, life-span, actions, and whether it will be wretched or happy.

Some angels are roamers, traveling around the world in search of gatherings where God is remembered.  There are also angels constituting God’s heavenly army, standing in rows, they never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads, always worshipping God.

As we learn from above, the angels are a grandiose creation of God, varying in numbers, roles, and abilities. God is in no need of these creatures, but having knowledge and belief in them adds to the awe that one feels towards God, in that He is able to create as He wishes, for indeed the magnificence of His creation is a proof of the magnificence of the Creator.
Angels are another kind of creature created by God, known to mankind, commonly dwelling 

in the heavenly spheres. Although the Quran does not mention the time when angels were created, they are generally considered as the first creation of God. According to Tabari, the angels had been created on Wednesday,[6] while other creatures on the following days. Although not mentioned in the Quran,[7] angels are believed to be created from a luminous substance, repeatedly described as a form of light. What is probably the most famous hadith regarding their origin is reported in Sahih Muslim: "The Angels were created out of light and the Jann was created out of a mixture of fire and Adam was created out of what 

characterizes you."[8][9] Nur, the term used for the light from which the angels are created from, usually corresponds to the cold light of night or the light of the moon,[10] contrasted to nar, which corresponds to fire or the diurnal and solar light from which the angels of punishment are said to be created of.[11] Dividing angels into two groups created from different types of light is also attested by Tabari,[12] Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi,[13] Al-Jili[14] and Al-Suyuti.[15] Suyuti distinguishes in his work Al-Hay’a as-samya fi l-hay’a as-sunmya angels as created from "fire that eats, but does not drink" in opposition to devils created from "fire that drinks, but does not eat" which is also identified with the fire of the sun.[16] 

Scholars also argued that there is no distinction between nur and nar at all. Although not his conclusion,Tabari argued that both can be seen as the same substance, since both pass into each other but refer to the same thing on different degrees.[17] Asserting that both fire and light are actually the same but on different degrees can also be found by Qazwini and Ibishi.[18][19] The lack of distinction between fire and light might be explained by the fact that both are closely related morphologically and phonetically.[20] Al-Baydawi argued that light serves only as a proverb, but fire and light refers actually to the same substance.[21] Apart from light, other traditions also mention exceptions about angels created from fire, ice or water.

• Characteristics

One of the Islamic major characteristic is their lack of bodily desires; they never get tired, do not eat or drink and have no anger.[23] As with other monotheistic religions, angels are characteristics of their purity and obedience to God.[24] However, their constant loyalty, towards God, emphasized by some Quranic verses such as 16:49, does not necessarily imply impeccability,[25] and the motif of erring angels is also known to Islam.[26] Some 

scholars on the other hand, among Hasan of Basra as one of the first,[27] extend their loyalty towards God to assume general impeccability. Those who accept the possibility of erring angels, advocate that actually only the messengers among the angels are infallible,[28] since the Quran also describes angels as being tested.[29] Al-Baydawi argued, that angels only remain impeccable if they do not fall. Ibn Arabi stated that angels may err in opposing Adam as a vice-regent and fixing on their way of worshipping God to the exclusion of other creatures.

Angels are usually described in anthropomorphic forms combined with supernatural images, such as wings, being of great size, wearing heavenly clothes and great beauty.[32] Some angels are identified with specific colors, often with white, but some special angels have a distinct color, such as Gabriel being associated with the color green.[33]

The Quran says that the angels were considered to be daughters of God and worshipped in Pre-Islamic Arabia,[34] while newborn girls were often killed, which is condemned in Islam.[35] This is also mentioned concerning Al-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manāt.[36] The notion that God created the angels as females and fathered daughters is rejected in the Quran.[37]

Scholars debated whether human or angels rank higher. The prostration of angels before Adam is often seen as evidence for humans' supremacy over angels. Nevertheless, other hold angels to be superior, as being free from material deficits, such as anger and lust, Angels are free from such inferior urges and therefore superior, a position especially found among Mu'tazilites and some Asharites.[25] A similar opinion was asserted by Hasan of Basri, who argued that angels are superior to humans due to their infallibility, originally 

opposed by both Sunnis and Shias.[38] This view is based on the assumption of superiority of pure spirit against body and flesh. Contrarily argued, humans rank above angels, since for a human it is harder to be obedient and to worship God, hassling with bodily temptations, in contrast to angels, whose life is much easier and therefore their obedience is rather insignificant. Islam acknowledges a famous story about competing angels and humans in the tale of Harut and Marut, who were tested to determine, whether or not, angels would do better than humans under the same circumstances,[39] a tradition opposed by later 

scholars, such as ibn Taimiyya, but still accepted by earlier scholars, such as ibn Hanbal.[40] Some Sufi traditions argue that a human generally ranks below angels, but developed to Al-Insān al-Kāmil, he ranks above angels.[41] Comparable to another major opinion, that prophets and messengers among humans rank above angels, but the ordinary human below an angel, while the messengers among angels rank higher than prophets.[25] Maturidism generally holds that angels' and prophets' superiority and obedience derive from their virtues and insights to God's action, but not as their original purity.[42]

• Purit

Angels believed to be engaged in human affairs are closely related to Islamic purity and modesty rituals. Many hadiths, including Muwatta Imam Malik from one of the Kutub al-Sittah, talk about angels being repelled by humans' state of impurity.[43] Such angels keep a distance from humans, who polluted themselves by certain actions (such as sexual intercourse). However, angels might return to an individual as soon as the person (ritually) purified himself or herself. The absence of angels may cause several problems for the 

person. If driven away by ritual impurity, the Kiraman Katibin, who record people's actions,[44] and the Guardian angel,[45] will not perform their tasks assigned to the individual. Another hadith specifies, during the state of impurity, bad actions are still written down, but good actions are not. When a person tells a lie, angels nearly are separated from the person from the stench it emanates.[46] Angels also depart from humans when they are naked or are having a bath out of decency, but also curse people who are nude in public.

• Abstract angels

In Islamic philosophy, angels appear frequently as incorporeal creatures. Al-Kindi and Ibn Sina both define angels as simple substances, which means, they belong to the Celestial spheres comparable to Ptolemaic astronomy, endowed with life, reason, and immortality, in contrast to sublunary entities such as humans and animals, who are endowed with life, and the former also with reason, but are mortal.[47][48] Similarly Qazwini assigns the angels to 

heavenly spheres, distinguishing them from among the animals, although both are said to possess the attribute of life. Significantly, Al-Damiri includes in his zoological works, animals, humans, jinn and even demons, but not angels.[49] Such cosmological thought, maintained by scholars such as Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina, has strong resemblance with the Neo-Platonistic emanation cosmology, identifying the different angels in Islam with intellects, 

dividing the cosmos into different spheres. However, Islamic scholars repeatedly insist that all heavenly spheres as a whole form a single body and are moved by God, in contrast to Aristotelian cosmology in which God only moves the outer sphere.[47] According to ibn Sina, but differing from Al-Farabi, God is not part of the scheme of emanation. God emanated things in accordance with his will. In his Theologia Aristotelis he shows that through the manifestation of God, the intellects are aware of God and their role in the universe. Further Ibn Sina seems to distinguishes between two types of angels: One completely unrelated to matter, and another one, which exists in form of a superior kind of 

matter. The latter ones can carry messages between the heavenly spheres and the sublunary world, appearing in visions. Therefore, the higher angels dwell in higher spheres, while their subordinate angels appear in an intermediary realm. Ibn Sina's explanation might imply an attempt to consider revelation as part of the natural world.[23][50] Also Qazwini lists a lower type of angels; earthly angels as indwelling forces of nature, who keep the world in order and never deviate from their duty. Qazwini believed that the existence of these angels could be proved by reason and effects of these angels on their assigned object.

Islamic philosophy stressed that humans own angelic and demonic qualities and that the human soul is seen as a potential angel or potential demon.[52] Depending on whether the sensual soul or the rational soul develop, the human soul becomes an angel or a demon. Angels may also give inspirations opposite to the evil suggestions, called waswās, from Satan.

• In Ibn Abbas Mi'raj narrative
  

Muhammad requests Maalik to show him Hell during his heavenly journey. Miniature from The David Collection.

Muhammad encounters the Angel composed of fire and ice during his Night journey. Miniature from a copy of al-Sarai’s Nahj al-Faradis from The David Collection
Muhammad's encounter with several significant angels on his journey through the celestial spheres plays a major role in Ibn Abbas's version.[55][56] Many scholars such as Al-Tha`labi drew their exegesis upon this narrative, but it never led to an established angelology as known in Christianity. The principal angels of the heavens are called Malkuk, instead of Malak.

first heaven second heaven third heaven fourth heaven fifth heaven sixth heaven    seventh heaven

• Habib Angel of Death Maalik Salsa'il Kalqa'il Mikha'il (Archangel) Israfil
• Rooster angel Angels of death Angel with seventy heads Angels of the sun    -    Cherubim Bearers of the Throne
• Ismail (or Riḍwan) Mika'il Arina'il -   - Shamka'il fra'il

• Individual angels

Islam has no standard hierarchical organization that parallels the division into different "choirs" or spheres hypothesized and drafted by early medieval Christian theologians, but does distinguish between archangels and angels. Angels are not equal in status and consequently, they are delegated different tasks to perform.

• Archangel

Jibrā'īl/Jibrīl/Jabrīl (English: Gabriel),[58] the angel of revelation. Jibra'il is the archangel responsible for revealing the Quran to Muhammad, verse by verse. Jibra'il is the angel who communicates with all of the prophets and also descends with the blessings of God during the night of Laylat al-Qadr ("The Night of Divine Destiny (Fate)"). Jibra'il is also acknowledged as a magnificent warrior in Islamic tradition, who led an army of angels into the Battle of Badr and fought against Iblis as he tempted Jesus (Isa).[
 
Mīkāl/Mīkāʾīl/Mīkhā'īl (English: Michael),[60] the archangel of mercy, is often depicted as providing nourishment for bodies and souls while also being responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth.[61] Some scholars pointed out that Mikail is in charge of angels who carry the laws of nature.[62] According to legend, he was so shocked at the sight of hell when it was created that he never laughed again.
 
Isrāfīl (frequently associated with the Jewish and Christian angel Raphael), is the archangel who blows into the trumpet in the end time, therefore also associated with music in some traditions.Israfil is responsible for signaling the coming of Qiyamah (Judgment Day) by blowing a horn. On his association with Raphael, the historian Ali Olomi writes, "In esoteric circles, Israfil is the angel of the West, the Sun, and sometimes Thursday. Other times the angel of Jupiter Sarfayail is assigned to Thursday. The astrological overlap may hint at a parallel with the Jewish angel Seraphiel or Raphael."

'Azrā'īl/'Azrayl/Azrael, is the archangel of death. He and his subordinative angels are responsible for parting the soul from the body of the dead and will carry the believers to heaven (Illiyin) and the unbelievers to hell (Sijjin).[65][66]

Mount Paran

 

"God (his guidance) came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise."

The wilderness of Paran is where Abraham's wife Hagar and his eldest son Ishmael, the father of the Arabs, settled (Genesis 21:21) in the Arabian desert. Specifically, Makkah (Please see Map 1, page 440). Makkah is, of course, the capital of Islam in Arabia and the birthplace of Muhammad (pbuh). Indeed, it was Hagar and Ishmael themselves who transformed a barren patch of desert into what is now the capital of Islam, "Makkah." Mount Paran is the chain of mountains in that same region which the Arabs call the "Sarawat mountains."

According to J. Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible, Teman is an Oasis just North of Madinah. Muhammad (pbuh) did indeed come from Paran. About 622 AD, he and his followers were forced to migrate from Makkah (Paran) to Madinah (Teman) where he spent the rest of his prophetic life teaching it's people the guidance of God (the Qur'an).

These two cities, Makkah and Madinah, are such critical importance to a Muslims faith that every single chapter of the Qur'an is classified as either "Makkia" (revealed in Makkah) or "Madaniyyah" (revealed in Madinah).

When someone describes someone as having "come from" a certain town, this is usually interpreted as meaning that that person was born in that town. In other words, that town is this man's "home town." However, when one reads the words "God came from…," the meaning is quite different.

It is quite obvious that the verse is not implying that a given location is God's "home town." Jews, Christians, and Muslims all affirm that God Almighty is Omnipresent* and Eternal. So, if this is the case, then we can not say that God Himself "came" or "went" to a given place since that would imply that there are times and places where God's knowledge and supervision is NOT present, and thus, it is possible to hide from God since I could go to a place where God has not "come" and is not present in His knowledge.

So if God is Omnipresent (present in knowledge everywhere at the same time), then we begin to realize that it is not God "Himself" that is "coming" from a given place, rather it is God's guidance and mankind's recognition of God that is being established in a given location.

In other words, in a place where the true worship of God and the true knowledge of His message were absent, God blesses them with knowledge of Himself and His message. In this way, they become "acquainted" with God, and "meet" or "learn of" Him. In this fashion, although God Almighty was ever present in His knowledge, with them and all of His creation, they are only now beginning to comprehend His presence.

Once we understand that the people of Mount Paran and Teman are described as becoming aware of the message of God and His guidance, and we realize that Paran and Teman are to Islam what Jerusalem is to Judaism or Christianity, then we begin to see the emergence of a prophesy of the coming of the final message of God.

This is because Muhammad (pbuh) first received the prophethood of Islam in the cave of "Hira'a" located in the highest part of the mountains of Paran (see section 6.2). Jesus (pbuh) never in his life traveled to Paran nor Teman. Muhammad, however, was born in Paran, he became the prophet of Islam there, and it was the capital of the Islamic religion in that day and this. No man from Paran, throughout history, has had his praise sung in so many nations as has Muhammad (pbuh). The name "Muhammad" itself literally means in Arabic "The praised one."

Through the teachings of Muhammad, God is now being praised by over one billion Muslims around the world.

However, if we were to look more closely at this verse we would find even greater detail of this coming message. The word which has been translated here as "Holy One" is the Hebrew word "qadowsh" {kaw-doshe'} which has the multiple meaning of "sacred, holy, Holy One, saint, set apart." In this specific verse the translators judgment drove them to translate it as "Holy One" (notice the capitals), thus, they understood this verse to simply mean "God came from Teman and God came from mount Paran."

However, if this was the intended reading then why did God choose to use the word "God" in one place and "Holy One" in the other? There must be a reason for this specific wording. Actually, there is.

If we were to read Exodus 19:6 we would find that the same translators of the Bible have translated this same Hebrew word as "holy nation." In Exodus 29:31 it is translated as "holy place," and in Zec. 14:5 they translated it as "saints." Thus, we see that according to the witness of these same translators of the Bible, this verse of Habakkuk 3:3 could (or more correctly, should) be translated as "and the saint from mount Paran," or "and the holy one from mount Paran" (no capitals). This is important, why?

If we were to accept everything these Biblical translators are teaching us and to accept that the word "qadowsh" can be translated as "Holy One," or as "holy one," or as "saint," or as "holy," etc. based upon the meaning most appropriate for the chosen verse, then we realize that although it would be completely appropriate to interpret the coming of Islam from the mountains of Makkah as "the Holy One" coming from "mount Paran," still, it would be more precise to say that "the holy one" (or "the saint") came from "mount Paran." This is because Muhammad (pbuh) was born on Paran (Makkah) and first received the message of Islam in the mountains of Makkah.

So why does the first part of this verse say "God came from Teman" and not "The Holy One came from Teman"? Well, the reason for this is that Islam was indeed first revealed to Muhammad (pbuh) in Makkah, however, he and his followers remained persecuted and in constant fear of death from the pagans of Arabia while they resided in Makkah (see chapter 10). This continued for a period of thirteen years.

During this period, the Muslims were beaten, starved, tortured, and killed. This situation was hardly conducive of the Muslims openly preaching the message of God to all of mankind. For this reason, the knowledge of the persecution that one must endure upon acceptance of Islam prevented many from openly accepting it or preaching it to others.

However, this all changed in the beginning of the fourteenth year. That is when God Almighty commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to emigrate with his companions to Teman (Madinah). Although the pagans escalated their persecution of the Muslims into all-out warfare at this point, still, within the boundaries of the city of Madinah they had begun to enjoy a measure of freedom and autonomy.

This freedom manifested itself in their ability to not only preach the message of God within the city itself, but they also began to send delegations to the surrounding cities inviting them to Islam. In other words, the message of Islam did not truly begin it's "global" phase until it reached "Teman" or Madinah.

This is why the verse says "God came from Teman, and the holy one from mount Paran" In fact, just as the Christian calendar starts with the presumed date of the birth of Jesus (pbuh), so does the Islamic "Hijra" calendar start with the year in which the Muslims emigrated to Madinah.

Ramadan 'Eed Al-Fitr

 

• he Muslim’s Tasks on ‘Eed Al-Fitr - II

1- Manifesting happiness and joy on the occasion of ‘Eed: It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  her said, “Abu Bakr came to my house while two small Ansaari girls were singing beside me the stories of the Ansaar concerning the Day of Bu‘aath. They were not singers. Abu Bakr said, ‘Musical instruments.. More

• The Muslim’s Tasks on ‘Eed Al-Fitr - I
  

There are many tasks for Muslims to do on ‘Eed Al-Fitr. They are as follows: 1- Paying Zakat Al-Fitr before the ‘Eed prayer 2- Saying Takbeer on the night of the ‘Eed Allah The Almighty Says (what means):{To complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.} [Quran.. More

• Prophetic Traditions of 'Eed
  

The Muslim is obliged to pray certain prayers in congregation: the five daily prayers, the Friday prayer (Salat al-Jumu’ah), the prayers of the two ‘Eeds and during the Hajj. The purpose behind these congregational prayers it is to provide opportunities to a greater number of Muslims to attend larger congregations in an atmosphere of religious.. More

• Issues Related to the 'Eed Khutbah and Prayer
  

- Listening to the Khutbah is optional: ‘Abdullah ibn As-Saa’ib, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported that he attended the ‘Eed prayer with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and when he finished the prayer, he said: ‘Whoever wishes to leave, can leave, and whoever wishes to sit and listen to the Khutbah, can.. More

• Lantern of the Sunnah in the ‘Eeds of the Ummah - II
  

1- Eating before going out to pray on ‘Eed Al-Fitr and after the prayer on ‘Eed Al-Adh-ha: It is an act of Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) for one to eat some dates before going out to pray on ‘Eed Al-Fitr, as Anas ibn Maalik, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not go.. More

• Lantern of the Sunnah in the ‘Eeds of the Ummah - I
  

‘Eed (festival) is a happy occasion, during which one is transported to gardens of joy and delight. It is a festival of joy and happiness, as it is an opportunity for people to entertain themselves and take rest. Every nation has its own festivals, and, in Islam, we have no festivals other than the weekly festival of Friday and the annual festivals.. More

• Correct Answers to Questions about Takbeer of ‘Eed Prayer - II
  

1- One should not raise his hands with the Takbeers This is the opinion of the Maaliki scholars as stated in ‘Aqd Al-Jawaahir. They argued that there is no authentic tradition stating that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to raise his hands with the Takbeers. Maalik, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said, “One should.. More

• Correct Answers to Questions about Takbeer of ‘Eed Prayer - I

This is a series of brief answers to some questions about the extra Takbeers [the words'Allahu-Akbar '(Allah is The Most Great)] of the ‘Eed prayer: Question 1: When are Takbeers [Allahuakbar (Allah is The Most Great)] of the ‘Eed prayer said? The answer: There are two opinions regarding the timing of the Takbeers: 1- After the Istiftaaah.. More

• Rulings and Etiquette of ‘Eed - II

1- Going to the ‘Eed Prayer using one route and returning via another one, as Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah, may Allaah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to do so. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to go to the ‘Eed.. More

• Rulings and Etiquette of ‘Eed - I
  

‘Eed is the season of happiness and joy, during which the Muslims rejoice only at the bounty of their Lord, having won the blessing of completing their acts of worship and receiving the reward, given their complete confidence in His promises to forgive and reward them. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {Say, "In the Bounty of Allah and.. More

• ‘Eed: An Occasion for Worship and Showing Gratitude - II

We would like also to draw your attention to some violations that unfortunately take place on the day and night of ‘Eed. It is astonishing to see some Muslims concluding their worship with sins, while others replace the Istighfaar (asking for forgiveness) that should be made following any good deed with frivolity. These violations include the.. More

• ‘Eed: An Occasion for Worship and Showing Gratitude - I
  

Days pass by and hours lapse quickly. It seems as if it was just yesterday that we received a dear guest, but today we will bid it farewell. Just a few days ago, the crescent of the month of Ramadan appeared and today it is about to fade away. Other nations take pride in their days of celebration and festivals, giving them false attributes, exaggerated.. More
The True Meanings of 'Eed: Unity and Mercy

'Eed is a very special day which brings new meaning to our life. It is completely different from other days. Although it lasts for a short time, one may do many things in it that cannot be achieved over long years. This is out of the blessings of Allah The Almighty on people when He made the Days of 'Eed for them and made it a point of agreement among.. More

• Rulings of 'Eed Al-Fitr
  

1- Prepare yourself for the 'Eed prayer by taking a bath and wearing your best clothes. Imaam Maalik, may Allaah have mercy upon him, narrated in his Muwatta’ on the authority of Naafi', may Allaah have mercy upon him, that, “Ibn ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, used to bathe on the day of 'Eed Al-Fitr before heading to the prayer.&rdq.. More

• May You Be Among the Winners!
  

When the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, went to Madeenah, he found the people celebrating two festivals, so he said: “Allah The Almighty has given you instead of them two better days: ‘Eed Al-Fitr and ‘Eed Al-Adh-ha.” [Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa’i] These two great Islamic rites come after two seasons filled.. More

Women

 

The Fast of the Pregnant Woman During the Summer - Rules and Precautions

Pregnancy is a difficult and arduous journey that begins with good news and ends with the arrival of the new-born child that would fill the life of his parents with delight and happiness. However, this journey is very difficult during the summer season, and enduring this while fasting is even more difficult. Doctors agree that a pregnant woman who.. More
The Menstruating Woman Breaking the Fast and Making Up for It

In a Hadeeth on the authority of Mu‘aathah bint ‘Abdullah al-‘Adawiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon her, she said, “I asked ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, ‘Why does the menstruating woman make up for the missed days of fasting but not for the missed prayers?’ She said, ‘Are you a Harooriyyah.. More

• Getting The Most Out Of Ramadan
  

Ramadan is a month of blessing, mercy and forgiveness that only comes once a year. Every good deed we do is multiplied many times giving us abundant rewards for the good things we do. We would be foolish not to take advantage of this great opportunity, but many of us live such a busy life that leaves us almost no time for ourselves, let alone our Creator... Mo

• Women’s Worship During Ramadan – I

A Muslim woman should utilize the seasons which Allah has endowed with great benefit and made a source for accumulating rewards. A woman can increase her reward in Ramadan by strengthening various aspects of worship and obedience to Allah, by being keen in performing virtuous deeds and refraining from anything that could affect the rewards of her fasting.. More

• Women’s worship during Ramadan – II
  

Feeding others during Ramadan: ‘Abdullah bin Salaam, may Allaah be pleased with him, reported: “I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, saying: “O people, exchange greetings of Salaam (i.e., say: As-Salaamu `Alaykum to one another), feed people, strengthen the ties of kinship, and be in prayer when others are.. More
Your Time During Ramadan

Time is the essence of life, and man’s life is but the seconds and minutes he/she lives. Every hour we live through in this life takes us that much closer to our destiny in the Hereafter. Even though time is the most precious item in our lives (or at least it should be) and we should be guarding it with all the power we possess, it seems to be.. More
Fasting Women

We are being approached by a month of mercy, forgiveness and salvation from Hell. It is the month of fasting, praying Qiyaam (the optional night prayer) and recitation of the Quran. It is a month during which rewards are multiplied and sins are expiated. It is a month that approaches us with all the immense mercy and abundant rewards that it includes... More
Ramadan…with Baby

(Tips on making a mother’s fast last) Allah The Most High Says (what means): {To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He creates what He wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He wills males…} [Quran 42:49] A mother lode of Ramadan blessings Children are God’s gifts to whomever.. More

• A Day in Ramadan

This is a suggested program for your days during the month of Ramadan in order to help you better utilize your time in this blessed great month in a way that would get you closer to Allah Almighty. Respected sister! Your program starts before Fajr (dawn) during the last hours of the night. You should wake up, perform ablution and pray as much as Allah.. More

• Advice to Women in Ramadan

O Muslim women, O protected pearls of the Ummah (Muslim nation)! I advise you to make a sincere intention to make the most of Ramadan, and to have good expectations of Allah The Almighty regarding your efforts at being dutiful to your parents and husband, raising children, doing the housework and worshipping your Lord. Do not let your kitchen and your.. More

Women and Taraaweeh Prayer: Ramadan is distinguished over other months by the Taraaweeh prayer. Praise be to Allah The Almighty, many women and girls are keen to perform Taraaweeh prayer in the mosques. However, dear sister, if you want to have your full reward, you should observe the following points and advise your daughters and sisters

Dear Muslim sisters everywhere, I wish all goodness for every Muslim woman on earth, and I ask Allah The Almighty to make you and us all to witness the month of Ramadan, accept our acts of obedience in it, and assist us during it. I am writing this especially for you, my sister, and wish to highlight some thoughts and ideas within it that could be.. More

• I’tikaaf for Women
  

‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, mentioned that he would observe I’tikaaf (seclusion in mosque for worship) in the last ten days of Ramadan. So, she sought his consent to perform it as well and he permitted her; then, Hafsah, may Allaah be pleased.. More
Different Types of Women in Ramadan‎‎: Which One Are You? – II

Some women go to the mosque just to spend some time out of their homes or to see some of their friends and acquaintances, not for the sake of praying. Such women might turn the prayer area into a place for private conversations and their voices may be loud enough for the men to hear them.‎ ‎Some women do not know the rulings of the congregational.. More
Different Types of Women in Ramadan‎‎: Which One Are You? – I

‎‎Some women spend most of their time in Ramadan in the kitchen ‎and do not dedicate time to remembering Allah The Almighty or reciting the Quran. A woman in this category misses out on the reward of such good deeds and behaves as if the month of Ramadan is just a month for indulging in eating and drinking, not a month for fasting, praying.. More

The Wisdom Behind Prescribing Inheritance

 

Allah The Almighty has honored man in this worldly life and preferred him over many creatures, as confirmed by His Statement (which means): {And We have certainly honored the children of Aadam (Adam)

and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.}

Man has been made a successor to authority, which makes him in need of the means that guarantee his survival, maintain his succession to authority and sustain his worldly affairs.
Allah The Almighty has made property a means of sustenance, as shown in His statement (which means): 

{And do not give the weak-minded your property, which Allah has made a means of sustenance for you.}Money sustains the worldly interests of people, and it is the means by which they fulfill their requirements. Man needs it as long as he is living, and once he dies, he no longer needs it. 

Thus, it is necessary to have a successor and a new owner of his property. If the new owner is someone who is capable of taking the property by force and overpowering others, then, it would lead to mutual hatred and disputes among people, and inheritance would be subject to power struggles and strife. If, on the other hand, the property is assigned (after one's death) to cats, dogs, and domestic animals -- which is sometimes the case in some laws -- surely, the people's benefits and interests will be lost and their needs will not be met.
 
For this reason, the Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) has assigned inheritance to the deceased person's relatives so that people would rest assured of the destiny of their property, as they are naturally eager to benefit those with whom they have a strong relationship of blood, marital relation or allegiance.If a person dies and leaves property, according to the Islamic Sharee‘ah that takes into consideration  all the benefits of people, it should be distributed among his relatives with justice.

This means distributing the inheritance beginning with the closest and then the next of kin to him and so on, like the children, the father and those next to them in the degree of kinship. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.} [Quran 5:3]

The Importance of Distributing Inheritance

 

Allah, The Almighty, has determined the obligatory shares of inheritance Himself – a task which He entrusted neither to a close angel nor to a sent Prophet. He determined the share of each heir in the inheritance, 

which He showed in detail (in His Book), unlike many rulings which were mentioned in a general and brief way in the Quran. In addition, the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came to give a detailed explanation about these rulings, just like the rulings regarding the prayer, Zakah (alms) and Hajj

In relation to the obligatory shares of inheritance, the verses of inheritance were revealed in detail as shown in the beginning and end of Surat An-Nisaa’. Allah, The Almighty, calls them His limits, and promises to give a great reward to the one who abides by them and does not transgress them, and threatens to punish the one who transgresses them. He Says (what means):

{These are the limits [set by] Allah, and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted by Him to gardens [in Paradise] under which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein; and that is the great attainment. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits -- He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment.}

Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, "There are narrations that encourage learning the obligatory shares of inheritance, the most important of which are these (mentioned in verses 11-12 [in the same Chapter]).

In relation to this, it was reported by Abu Daawood and Ibn Maajah, may Allah have mercy upon them, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Three things are essential to learn, and what is beyond them is just favorably optional: a precise (Quranic) Verse, a standing Sunnah or a just prescribed obligatory share (of inheritance).”

The Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered that the obligatory shares of inheritance should be distributed among those entitled to them. He said: “Give the prescribed share of inheritance to those who are eligible for it and the remainder [of it] is for the nearest male blood relative.”

The scholars called the science of the obligatory shares (of inheritance) half of the knowledge. Ibn ‘Üyaynah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, "The science of the obligatory shares (of inheritance) is called half of the knowledge because all the people are in need of it."

Refutation of Allegations Raised about the Distribution of Inheritance in Islam

 

The enemies of Islam have been trying to find fault with the Quran through the verses of inheritance for several centuries. They allege that the Noble Quran gives the female in general, and the wife in particular, half of what it gives to the male in general and the husband in particular, thereby usurping the right of the woman and dealing with her wrongfully. In reply to this malicious allegation we say:

First:The claim that in Islam, the share given from the inheritance to a woman is less than the man, is invalid. Indeed, there are four cases in connection with inheritance where the female's share is equal to or even greater than the male's:
 
1.The first case: When the woman's share is equal to the man's, as it is in the (half) brothers and sisters from the side of the mother, each of whom takes one-sixth, whether they are male or a female, and a group (of more than two) share the third equally, in which the female's share is like the male's.
 
2.The second case: When only the female is the heir, and a cause of preventing the male from inheritance. A typical example is a man/woman who dies and leaves a daughter, a full sister, and a half-brother from the side of the father. The daughter takes half the inheritance, and the full sister the other half, and nothing is given to the half-brother from the side of the father, since he is prevented by the existence of a full sister, although he is a male and she is a female.
 
3.The third case: When a female takes more than what the male takes, such as, when a person dies and leaves a full sister or a half-sister from the side of the father; a mother, a paternal uncle or a half-brother from the side of the mother. In this case, the full sister takes half of the inheritance, the mother the third and the remaining sixth is taken by the paternal uncle or the half-brother from the side of the mother. Although in this case both the sister and the mother are females, the share of each is greater than the male's, i.e., that of the paternal uncle or the half-brother from the side of the mother.
 
4.The fourth case: When a female takes half of what the male takes; this happens in many instances, such as when the inheritors include a daughter along with a son; a son's daughter along with a son's son; a full sister along with a full brother; a half-sister from the side of the father along with a half-brother from the side of the father; the wife's share compared with the husband's: each female in those cases takes half of what the male takes.
What is the wisdom that lies behind this? Does this preference go back to gender or is there another reason lying behind the preference? In reply to these questions, let us say: This preference does not go back to gender, since there are some cases in which the female’s share of inheritance is equal to the male's, and other cases in which her share is greater than the male's, and many cases in which she prevents him from inheritance, as we have previously seen.

Whoever thinks that the shares of the male and female heirs in the Quran are established only on the basis of the difference of gender, i.e., masculinity and femininity, has indeed fallen short of understanding the Quran. That is because the Noble Quran has distributed the shares of heirs on the basis of three criteria:
The degree of kinship between the heirs -- be they males or females -- and the deceased person: The closer the relation between them, the greater the share of inheritance is, regardless of the gender of the heirs.
 
The position of the generation of heirs in the sequence of generations: The young generation, who are at the beginning of their life and getting ready to receive its burdens, have shares of inheritance that are greater than the older generations that are at the end of their life and getting ready to relieve themselves of its burdens, regardless of the gender of the heirs. The daughter of the deceased inherits more than his mother, and both are females; and the daughter inherits more than the deceased's father (i.e., her grandfather), even if she is still an infant and has not seen her father, and even if the father (i.e., her grandfather) is the source of the wealth of the son (her father), from which the daughter alone takes the half. In a similar context, the son inherits more than the father, given that both are males.
 
The financial obligation enjoined by the Islamic Sharee‘ah (legislation) upon the heir: That is the only criterion which raises the difference of gender between the male and the female. However, this difference inflicts neither oppression nor injustice upon the female. On the contrary, it may be that the opposite is true. If the heirs are equal in the degree of kinship, and the position in the sequence of generations, e.g. the deceased's children of males and females, the disparity of financial obligation often is responsible for the disparity of shares of inheritance.
 
This is why this disparity between the male and the female has not been made general to all the heirs (in all cases) in the Noble Quran, but just in some cases. The demands required of the son in life and under the system of Islam are more than those required of (the daughter who is) his sister. He is the one obliged, once he becomes mature, to spend on and maintain himself, pay the dowry to his wife, bear the marital expenditure, maintenance of children as regards education, medication, clothing, etc. but the female usually gets married and is not required to pay dowry or bear expenses, since her maintenance is obligatory for her husband.