My Only Wish!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-_A2ReZddc&feature=related
Sisterhood and Hijab!
"Help one another in al-Birr and at-Taqwaa (virtue, righteousness) but do not help one another in sin and transgression." [Soorah al-Maaidah (5): 2]
A good sister is more than a good friend. She is a companion in this dunya, in this world. She gives naseehah (advice), shares her knowledge, keeps contact with her sisters in Islaam, does ibaadah (worship of Allaah) together with her sisters in Islaam.. she protects the honour of her sisters in faith, she controls her tongue and does not spread rumours nor talks behind the back of her sisters. She is a trustworthy friend, a beloved sister.
Sisterhood is a beautiful bond between muslimaat. Simplest way to spread love between us is to spread salaam as Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, has said,
"By the One in Whose hand in my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something that if you do it, you will love one another? Spread salam amongst yourselves." [Muslim]
He, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, has also said: "Do not think little of any good deed, even if it is just greeting your brother with a cheerful countenance." [Sahih Muslim]
Oh Muslimaat, be sisters.. uphold the ties of sisterhood
Hijaab is...
an Act of Obedience
Modesty
Purity
a Shield
Righteousness
Eemaan (faith, belief)
Bashfulness
A good sister is more than a good friend. She is a companion in this dunya, in this world. She gives naseehah (advice), shares her knowledge, keeps contact with her sisters in Islaam, does ibaadah (worship of Allaah) together with her sisters in Islaam.. she protects the honour of her sisters in faith, she controls her tongue and does not spread rumours nor talks behind the back of her sisters. She is a trustworthy friend, a beloved sister.
Sisterhood is a beautiful bond between muslimaat. Simplest way to spread love between us is to spread salaam as Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, has said,
"By the One in Whose hand in my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something that if you do it, you will love one another? Spread salam amongst yourselves." [Muslim]
He, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, has also said: "Do not think little of any good deed, even if it is just greeting your brother with a cheerful countenance." [Sahih Muslim]
Oh Muslimaat, be sisters.. uphold the ties of sisterhood
Hijaab is...
an Act of Obedience
Modesty
Purity
a Shield
Righteousness
Eemaan (faith, belief)
Bashfulness
The Voting for Sharia in Somalia
The Somali parliament has voted unanimously for the implementation of Sharia which is seen as good news by many in the Muslim world - and it is - as it reflects the desire of the Somali people to live by the laws of Allah.
However there are some issues that need to be highlighted. First, there is a fundamental problem with the procedure in which the decision was made. The law of Allah should not be voted over. To give the people the choice whether to apply Sharia or not reflects a fundamental problem in the understanding of Tawhid.
Allah says: But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you, [O Muhammad] judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full] submission. [al Nisa 65]
So people cannot be believers until they submit to the law of Allah and accept it without any reservations. The Islamic government exists to impose Sharia rather than submit it to a vote. Therefore a government that declares that it will accept the results of a vote for Sharia, even if the results are not to implement it, is by necessity a non-Islamic government.
Second, the Sharif government is using its application of Sharia to convince the other resistance groups to lay down their arms and join the government. But from a Sharia point of view the objectives of the Jihad in Somalia have not been achieved yet and therefore the Jihad of these groups needs to carry on. Yes, the implementation of Sharia is the most important of these objectives, however, the Sharif government cannot be seen as a valid government for three main reasons. The first: Just as it applied Sharia by a vote it could dismantle Sharia by a vote. They have not implemented Sharia as a matter of principle but because it is the will of the people and therefore the Sharif government is closer to being a democratic government than it being an Islamic one. Second: The Sharif government is still allowing the existence of a foreign invading force represented in the forces of the African Union. The Jihad in Somalia should carry on until the last AU soldier leaves the country and any forces that side with the AU -including the Sharif government- become legitimate targets. And third: The Sharif government is basing its foreign relations with the outside world on a nationalistic basis rather that an Islamic one. The support it receives from the US, the EU and the UN is a reflection of it being a tool to advance the imperialistic interests of the West and to eradicate the strong Jihad movement in the country.
Therefore, even though it is good news for the ummah that Sharia will be implemented again in Somalia but we should not see this as an end to the struggle to establish an Islamic state and community and to free the country from foreign intervention and corruption.
Posted ( by Anwar alAwlaki) in Imam Anwar's Blog on April-20-2009
However there are some issues that need to be highlighted. First, there is a fundamental problem with the procedure in which the decision was made. The law of Allah should not be voted over. To give the people the choice whether to apply Sharia or not reflects a fundamental problem in the understanding of Tawhid.
Allah says: But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you, [O Muhammad] judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full] submission. [al Nisa 65]
So people cannot be believers until they submit to the law of Allah and accept it without any reservations. The Islamic government exists to impose Sharia rather than submit it to a vote. Therefore a government that declares that it will accept the results of a vote for Sharia, even if the results are not to implement it, is by necessity a non-Islamic government.
Second, the Sharif government is using its application of Sharia to convince the other resistance groups to lay down their arms and join the government. But from a Sharia point of view the objectives of the Jihad in Somalia have not been achieved yet and therefore the Jihad of these groups needs to carry on. Yes, the implementation of Sharia is the most important of these objectives, however, the Sharif government cannot be seen as a valid government for three main reasons. The first: Just as it applied Sharia by a vote it could dismantle Sharia by a vote. They have not implemented Sharia as a matter of principle but because it is the will of the people and therefore the Sharif government is closer to being a democratic government than it being an Islamic one. Second: The Sharif government is still allowing the existence of a foreign invading force represented in the forces of the African Union. The Jihad in Somalia should carry on until the last AU soldier leaves the country and any forces that side with the AU -including the Sharif government- become legitimate targets. And third: The Sharif government is basing its foreign relations with the outside world on a nationalistic basis rather that an Islamic one. The support it receives from the US, the EU and the UN is a reflection of it being a tool to advance the imperialistic interests of the West and to eradicate the strong Jihad movement in the country.
Therefore, even though it is good news for the ummah that Sharia will be implemented again in Somalia but we should not see this as an end to the struggle to establish an Islamic state and community and to free the country from foreign intervention and corruption.
Posted ( by Anwar alAwlaki) in Imam Anwar's Blog on April-20-2009
Words to My Muslim Sister
My Dear Sister,
Know that you are man's sister and half of humanity. You are a mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grand daughter or grand mother. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said, what translated means, "Women are, indeed, men's partners." [Abu Dawood]. You are a member of the great nation of Islam, the best nation ever produced for mankind. No other nation on earth has more great men, leaders and conquerors than this nation. It is the nation of guidance and the straight religion, and it leads humanity to righteousness and truth. It transforms people from worshippers of slaves to worshippers of the Lord of slaves, from life's pressures to the pleasures of the Life after, and from the injustice of other religions to the justice of Islam.
Your ancestors, great women of Islam, were one of the main reasons for this great nation to take this great place among all nations. Allah, Who granted Islam to this nation, made a high place for Muslim women, and decreed that they share in the responsibilities of enjoining truth, forbidding evil and raising the flag of Islam. He said, what translated means, "The believers, men and women, are loyalists of one another, they enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, they offer their prayers perfectly and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will leave His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. [9:71]
Allah has given Muslim women what they can bear of orders and duties. He is the God Who knows His creation, "Should He not know what He created? And He is the Most Kind, All-Aware (of everything). [67:14].
My dear sister, you are called upon today to truly become an active member of the Muslim nation, strive to establish victory for Allah's Word, implement the Quran and help build the generation of Iman.
What Do Your Enemies Want From You?
There are those who want to distract you from doing your duty. They want to distract you from meeting your noble obligation, that is, to defend the religion of Allah and raise His Word high. Those enemies use many methods:
First: They distract you from what Allah created you to perform of worship, belief and Da'wah (propagating Islam). They use this worldly life as their bait: Jewellery stores, fashions that originate in non-Muslim countries, new models all the time, desires raised, hunger that can never be satisfied, pleasures and competition for them and endless ways for joy. Allah did not create us for this. Indulging in these matters is usually accompanied by wasting time and money and igniting enmity and competition between the rich and the poor.
Second: They ignite enmity between you and man. To those sinners, you are a daughter that is put down, a humiliated mother, an abused wife and an oppressed sister! Men are always unjust, hypocrites, dictators, freedom- preventers and suppressers, according to them. There is a fabricated war that those evil ones are starting for no reason other than to direct you to rebel against your father, be arrogant with your brother and disobedient to your husband. They do not call for justice, mercy and unity. They call for hatred, arrogance and destruction.
Third: They do not stop at their call for rebellion against parents, brothers and husbands, rather, they plot against Islam. They call upon you to rebel against the obligations of Islam and the decrees of the All-Knowing King. Islam, to them, is unjust and Islamic laws are imperfect and restrictive. They call upon you, day and night, to rebel and insist on the disobedience of this religion. They try to rid you of your religion. They try to rid you of comfort and safety under generous parenthood, happy marriage and good brotherly relations.
Those devils portray piety and honor as chains on freedom. To them, Hijab does not cover the head, but also covers the mind; prayer, fasting and Zakat are a waste of time and effort; and obedience to husbands is slavery and a retum to the stone age. They distorted all facts and changed all truths, all to serve their evil goals.
Dear Sister,
The goals that your enemies and the enemies of your religion are seeking to achieve are well known. They want you to be available for them to fulfill their evil desires whenever they wish. They want you to be a mistress that has no honor. They want you to be found everywhere, on roads and in places of sin, without honor, religion or manners. They seek for you only what they want you to do. The Western world has gone through this all. Women of the West are the part of society that is facing injustice and dishonor. They strive to please men who keep changing partners and seek pleasures but with no responsibility and no consideration of the evil consequences of their sinful actions.
O Muslim sister, read and know about those women who discarded shyness and honor and followed their desires, what was the result of their deeds? Was their end honorable and desirable, or was it a shameful and hated end?
Advice For My Sister In Islam
Be proud of your religion and the religion of your ancestors. Be a good example for your sons and daughters and sincere in your belonging to this mighty nation. Know that honor is an honor to all wise people, and that adultery is dishonorable to all nations, even if some called it freedom. Know that adultery is also done with the eyes by seeing, with the ears by listening, and with the mouth by kissing, as was mentioned in a Hadith related by Imam Muslim. Your happiness is in being an obedient and believing daughter, a loyal and generous wife and a pious and merciful mother. Know that prayer is the cornerstone of Islam. Fasting one day, for the sake of Allah, takes your face seventy years away from Hellfire, as the Hadith, related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, states. Charity is a major cause for gaining forgiveness and for repentance to be accepted. Those women who are showing parts of their bodies to men, will not enter Paradise or smell its fragrance and are cursed, as in the Hadith related by Imam Muslim. Hijab is an honor and protection for you. Hijab must be modest in color and not exotic, wide and thick and not revealing, different from the dress of non-Muslim women and men.
My Dear Sister,
These are words from the heart. These are words of good and sincere advice. Beware of the loyalists of Satan who want to lead you astray. Be a slave of Allah, righteous and decendent of righteous women and know your role in building this great nation. Perform your duty and do not be a cause for destruction. Be a maker of righteous generation that will lead mankind, again, to what is right and proper, to the great religion of Islam.
Courtesy of Kalamullah
Know that you are man's sister and half of humanity. You are a mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, grand daughter or grand mother. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam said, what translated means, "Women are, indeed, men's partners." [Abu Dawood]. You are a member of the great nation of Islam, the best nation ever produced for mankind. No other nation on earth has more great men, leaders and conquerors than this nation. It is the nation of guidance and the straight religion, and it leads humanity to righteousness and truth. It transforms people from worshippers of slaves to worshippers of the Lord of slaves, from life's pressures to the pleasures of the Life after, and from the injustice of other religions to the justice of Islam.
Your ancestors, great women of Islam, were one of the main reasons for this great nation to take this great place among all nations. Allah, Who granted Islam to this nation, made a high place for Muslim women, and decreed that they share in the responsibilities of enjoining truth, forbidding evil and raising the flag of Islam. He said, what translated means, "The believers, men and women, are loyalists of one another, they enjoin righteousness and forbid evil, they offer their prayers perfectly and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will leave His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. [9:71]
Allah has given Muslim women what they can bear of orders and duties. He is the God Who knows His creation, "Should He not know what He created? And He is the Most Kind, All-Aware (of everything). [67:14].
My dear sister, you are called upon today to truly become an active member of the Muslim nation, strive to establish victory for Allah's Word, implement the Quran and help build the generation of Iman.
What Do Your Enemies Want From You?
There are those who want to distract you from doing your duty. They want to distract you from meeting your noble obligation, that is, to defend the religion of Allah and raise His Word high. Those enemies use many methods:
First: They distract you from what Allah created you to perform of worship, belief and Da'wah (propagating Islam). They use this worldly life as their bait: Jewellery stores, fashions that originate in non-Muslim countries, new models all the time, desires raised, hunger that can never be satisfied, pleasures and competition for them and endless ways for joy. Allah did not create us for this. Indulging in these matters is usually accompanied by wasting time and money and igniting enmity and competition between the rich and the poor.
Second: They ignite enmity between you and man. To those sinners, you are a daughter that is put down, a humiliated mother, an abused wife and an oppressed sister! Men are always unjust, hypocrites, dictators, freedom- preventers and suppressers, according to them. There is a fabricated war that those evil ones are starting for no reason other than to direct you to rebel against your father, be arrogant with your brother and disobedient to your husband. They do not call for justice, mercy and unity. They call for hatred, arrogance and destruction.
Third: They do not stop at their call for rebellion against parents, brothers and husbands, rather, they plot against Islam. They call upon you to rebel against the obligations of Islam and the decrees of the All-Knowing King. Islam, to them, is unjust and Islamic laws are imperfect and restrictive. They call upon you, day and night, to rebel and insist on the disobedience of this religion. They try to rid you of your religion. They try to rid you of comfort and safety under generous parenthood, happy marriage and good brotherly relations.
Those devils portray piety and honor as chains on freedom. To them, Hijab does not cover the head, but also covers the mind; prayer, fasting and Zakat are a waste of time and effort; and obedience to husbands is slavery and a retum to the stone age. They distorted all facts and changed all truths, all to serve their evil goals.
Dear Sister,
The goals that your enemies and the enemies of your religion are seeking to achieve are well known. They want you to be available for them to fulfill their evil desires whenever they wish. They want you to be a mistress that has no honor. They want you to be found everywhere, on roads and in places of sin, without honor, religion or manners. They seek for you only what they want you to do. The Western world has gone through this all. Women of the West are the part of society that is facing injustice and dishonor. They strive to please men who keep changing partners and seek pleasures but with no responsibility and no consideration of the evil consequences of their sinful actions.
O Muslim sister, read and know about those women who discarded shyness and honor and followed their desires, what was the result of their deeds? Was their end honorable and desirable, or was it a shameful and hated end?
Advice For My Sister In Islam
Be proud of your religion and the religion of your ancestors. Be a good example for your sons and daughters and sincere in your belonging to this mighty nation. Know that honor is an honor to all wise people, and that adultery is dishonorable to all nations, even if some called it freedom. Know that adultery is also done with the eyes by seeing, with the ears by listening, and with the mouth by kissing, as was mentioned in a Hadith related by Imam Muslim. Your happiness is in being an obedient and believing daughter, a loyal and generous wife and a pious and merciful mother. Know that prayer is the cornerstone of Islam. Fasting one day, for the sake of Allah, takes your face seventy years away from Hellfire, as the Hadith, related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, states. Charity is a major cause for gaining forgiveness and for repentance to be accepted. Those women who are showing parts of their bodies to men, will not enter Paradise or smell its fragrance and are cursed, as in the Hadith related by Imam Muslim. Hijab is an honor and protection for you. Hijab must be modest in color and not exotic, wide and thick and not revealing, different from the dress of non-Muslim women and men.
My Dear Sister,
These are words from the heart. These are words of good and sincere advice. Beware of the loyalists of Satan who want to lead you astray. Be a slave of Allah, righteous and decendent of righteous women and know your role in building this great nation. Perform your duty and do not be a cause for destruction. Be a maker of righteous generation that will lead mankind, again, to what is right and proper, to the great religion of Islam.
Courtesy of Kalamullah
When the sky is split asunder?
When the sky is split asunder, obeying its Sustainer, as in truth it must, and when the earth is leveled and casts forth whatever is in it and becomes utterly void, obeying its Sustainer, as in truth it must, O man - you [that] have, verily, been toiling towards your Sustainer in painful toil - then shall you meet Him!
Quran (84:1-6)
Quran (84:1-6)
Wheres my money gone?
Wheres my money gone?
..Is what you may be asking when you give money feesabililah [for the sake of Allah] for charity. Many a time, you’re sitting there thinking, I just gave my money, now wheres my reward. Humans want immediate results. But know Oh Muslims, for those who are patient, you shall have every single penny you ever spent feesabililah paid back not only in full, but also many times over insha’Allah.
مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً وَاللّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
Allah [subhanahu wa ta3la] says in Surah Baqarah, verse 245: Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? And it is Allah that decreases or increases (your provisions), and unto Him you shall return.
Imagine that, the best investment in the world, guaranteed returns and profit. You dont need to be the best business person in the world to make a deal with Allah SWT…*smiles*
..Is what you may be asking when you give money feesabililah [for the sake of Allah] for charity. Many a time, you’re sitting there thinking, I just gave my money, now wheres my reward. Humans want immediate results. But know Oh Muslims, for those who are patient, you shall have every single penny you ever spent feesabililah paid back not only in full, but also many times over insha’Allah.
مَّن ذَا الَّذِي يُقْرِضُ اللّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَاعِفَهُ لَهُ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً وَاللّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْسُطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ
Allah [subhanahu wa ta3la] says in Surah Baqarah, verse 245: Who is he that will lend to Allah a goodly loan so that He may multiply it to him many times? And it is Allah that decreases or increases (your provisions), and unto Him you shall return.
Imagine that, the best investment in the world, guaranteed returns and profit. You dont need to be the best business person in the world to make a deal with Allah SWT…*smiles*
The Sunnah, the Better
Well everyone knows the importance of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah [salAllahu alayhi wa salam] and how we as Muslims, we follow the Quran and the Sunnah. But how many of us truly try to implement the Sunnah?
The Messenger of Allah [salAllahu alayhi wa salam] said in his last sermon: I leave behind me two things. You will never go astray if you hold fast to them: The Qur’an and my Sunnah.
Even in our daily lives, we can do the most simple of actions, actions that every single one of us do, and every human does but if we do it with the right intention to please Allah and to follow the sunnah in these actions we can get rewarded insha’Allah. Simple everday actions such a saying the correct duas and eating with right hand, entering with right foot etc. subhanAllah Allah [aza wajal] has made the religion and the sunnah so beautiful *smile s
Its already written
Sometimes when things aren’t going to plan and when we have this life vision in front of us and have our life planned. Suddenly it gets turned on its head and you’re left thinking “eh how did that happen?” *scratch* Then we should know that as much as we plan, Allah [aza wajal] has already planned it for us..
Abdullah bin. ‘Amr al-’As [radiAllahu anhu] reported: I heard Allah’s Messenger [salAllahu alayhi wa salam] as saying:
Allah ordained the matters of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water [saheeh Muslim]
subhanAllah a whole 50,000 years. Not even 50,000 years from now but a big fat five zero thousand years before creation. When suddenly a gift comes from the sky and you thought there was no way out, and Allah [aza wajal] blesses you with something you could only dream of then it was in your qadr. And if things dont work out as you wished then dont worry about it, sit back, relax and know that its already written *smiles*
This way to Jannah
Say we are on a journey and the tomtom stops working and we become lost, what a relief it is when someone comes up to us and not only offers to help but directs us to the correct path. Going through the journey of life, if we go out and seek knowledge, Allah will direct us to the correct path..
Abu Darda [radiAllahu anhu] narrated that the Messenger of Allah [salaAllahu alayhi wa salam] said:
He who treads a path in search of knowledge Allaah will direct him to tread a path from the paths of Paradise. The Angels lower their wings for the student of knowledge in approval of what he does.
Knowledge of Islam with sincerity to Allah no doubt leads to jannah. If we feel we are lost in life, do the first step which is to seek knowledge of the deen and Allah [aza wajal] will direct us to tread a path to jannah *smiles*
Abu Darda [radiAllahu anhu] narrated that the Messenger of Allah [salaAllahu alayhi wa salam] said:
He who treads a path in search of knowledge Allaah will direct him to tread a path from the paths of Paradise. The Angels lower their wings for the student of knowledge in approval of what he does.
Knowledge of Islam with sincerity to Allah no doubt leads to jannah. If we feel we are lost in life, do the first step which is to seek knowledge of the deen and Allah [aza wajal] will direct us to tread a path to jannah *smiles*
The Best Deal Ever
As Muslims it seems to be in our blood to always find a bargain, not that its a bad thing but we always seem to be searching for them buy one get one free offers and the reduced prices stickers. While we think of getting a good deal in this dunya, how many of us think about getting a good deal in the akhirah.
Allah [subhanahu wa ta3la] says in Surah Baqarah, verse 254:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ
O ye who believe! Spend out of (the bounties) We have provided for you, before the Day comes when no bargaining (will avail you)..
To get a good deal in the akhirah is simple. Allah aza wajal] tells us over and over again that if we spend the money (that he bestowed upon us in the first place) for his sake; then he will repay us in the akhirah. Its like a special offer where you get 100% money back guarantee plus you get the product plus you get extras, offer ends on the day of judgement or death, whichever comes first. On that day there will be no bargaining, no good deals, no searching for a good price or even offering a good deal even if its a mountain worth of gold. Forget buy one get one free, forget 50% discount or clearance sales, the deal with Allah [aza wajal] is the best deal ever *smiles*
Allah [subhanahu wa ta3la] says in Surah Baqarah, verse 254:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ أَنفِقُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ يَوْمٌ لاَّ بَيْعٌ فِيهِ
O ye who believe! Spend out of (the bounties) We have provided for you, before the Day comes when no bargaining (will avail you)..
To get a good deal in the akhirah is simple. Allah aza wajal] tells us over and over again that if we spend the money (that he bestowed upon us in the first place) for his sake; then he will repay us in the akhirah. Its like a special offer where you get 100% money back guarantee plus you get the product plus you get extras, offer ends on the day of judgement or death, whichever comes first. On that day there will be no bargaining, no good deals, no searching for a good price or even offering a good deal even if its a mountain worth of gold. Forget buy one get one free, forget 50% discount or clearance sales, the deal with Allah [aza wajal] is the best deal ever *smiles*
Adam in the Qur'an
The creation of Adam, as told in the Qur'an:
We will discuss the creation of Adam (AS) in three Ayahs (verses) only, (from Ayah 30 to a small part of Ayah 33 of Surat al-Baqara (second Surah in the Qur’an) since these Ayahs form the core of our existence.
The story of Adam (AS) is mentioned 25 times in 25 Ayahs of the Qur'ِِan with the same meaning. This same story is told with different portrayals, which indicates the miraculous nature, beauty of style and wording, and precision of meaning in the Qur'an. You will never become weary of these 25 times and this is the beauty of the Qur'an originating from Allah (SWT).
The first time Adam's story is mentioned is in Surat al-Baqara, it is rather the first story narrated in the Qur'an on the second page.
You might wonder why this is the first story in the Qur'an? It is because it holds within it the mystery of existence until the Day of Judgment. Anything we might need to live a pure, clean, righteous and happy life in this world and the hereafter is there inside; so we should know Adam's story.
You will find that, in these Ayahs, the story of Adam (AS) deals with everything that occurs in our life and also deals with what spoils it. The story of Adam (AS) is the archetype that should remain strong in our minds so as to determine the path we take in this life. Let us start with Ayah 30. In this Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.’” (TMQ, 2: 30)[1]. Let us start with the word ‘when.’ There is no superfluous word in the Qur'an and this word makes us visualize the event. The word ‘said’ gives a feeling of the ancient past and the word ‘when’ makes it real as if you are watching it right now.
"Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth," (TMQ, 2:30). or what could also be translated as “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” Do you think Allah (SWT) is consulting His angels about whether to create Adam (AS) or not? Allah (SWT) forbid! He is going to create Adam (AS) and is only telling His angels that they are going to play a role in these peoples’ lives, so they should know about them. This is a splendid illustration; Allah (SWT) never calls anyone to account without making things clear for him first. Allah (SWT) could say, “Oh, my angels! Prostrate yourselves before Adam (AS).” They will obey, but Allah (SWT) wanted to begin life on earth by informing the angels about it.
Business Management Science today tells us that in order to convince and maximize interaction with employees, we should not start by giving orders, but rather we should meet with them and start explaining our plan.
This Ayah deals with the period that precedes the creation of Adam (AS). Adam (AS) was originally created to descend down to earth not to stay in the Jannah (paradise), and he was created from the material of the earth to live on it. That is why he was called 'Adam' which might be derived from the Arabic verb ‘adama’ i.e. to make permanent.
You might ask yourself, “If Adam (AS) was created to live on earth, why did he live in the Jannah first?” Well, he had to go through life in heaven before earth, because it is his final home. The Jannah is Adam's (AS) homeland, and you realize that your father is originally from the Jannah. As a poet said, “Salute the Garden of Eden, it is our homeland and in it is our campsite.” I wonder whether there will be a day when we return home and end this exile we live in.
Thank Allah (SWT) for starting our existence in the Jannah. Among the first things that our father saw were fruits, rivers, and the palaces of the Jannah. Do you understand now why he experienced life in the Jannah at first, before earth?
Adam (AS) was sent down to earth on a mission but his original home that he will return to is the Jannah.
You might wonder again and say, “Why did Satan whisper to Adam (AS) and make him eat from the tree, and therefore disobey Allah (SWT) so that this whole story would happen? Weren’t we descending down to earth anyway?”
I tell you, Allah (SWT) wanted to give us an example of how Satan seduces man to commit sin, and how mankind can repent.
When we were children we were taught mathematical theorems like Pythagoras Theorem and we were then given some sample exercises to apply the theory, and if we made a mistake we could refer back to the rules. Allah (SWT) wanted to give us an already solved exercise. Whenever we find ourselves unable to act, we just need to look at that solved exercise: the story of Adam (AS).
Do you see how Satan deceived Adam (AS)? In the same way he deceives us over and over again.
Look at the story of the forbidden tree. It is just like the glass of wine, adultery, or any type of temptation. The forbidden tree recurs thousands of times in our lives; Satan's style, repentance, and Allah's forgiveness all recur thousands of times in our lives.
Do you realize now why the repetition occurs 25 times? Some tendentious and obstinate people say that the Qur'an is full of repetitions. Yes, it is; and that is intended for those who do not understand the concept from one reading, so it is repeated for them to understand; and for those who forget the story of their origin, it is therefore repeated for them.
The aim of this story, with its examples of sin, and repentance, is that when you are resurrected for account on the Day of Judgment, you will not say, “Oh, Allah, I was never informed!” No, the already solved example is here in front of you. Allah (SWT) will not let us say, “Oh Allah, I was not informed, I did not know.” Each and every one of us was given his chance and a version of this experience.
Why did Allah (SWT) create earth in the first place?
We needed to descend to earth because, as human beings, part of our makeup is that we do not realize the value of things unless we strive to get them; and if we get something easily we do not place much value on it, we then tend to give it away easily and will not be able to appreciate the magnificent blessing we have.
We see this example in ourselves and our relatives; your father has emigrated, struggled for 20 years in the Gulf, for example. Then you bought a car, took a ride and crashed it. You would not be as sad as your father would be. If you had been the one who bought it, not him, you would have taken care of it and felt the blessing of having it.
Allah (SWT) wanted us to go down to earth so that we may long to return to the Jannah, realizing its value. Therefore, only believers lived on earth. Why? Because they were the ones who longed for the Jannah; and those who did not, would pass by the hell. They are the ones who, with great difficulty, resist committing a sin when they could have easily done it because they want to please Allah (SWT), whom they cannot see; besides, they want to go to the Jannah.
I ask you by Allah (SWT), if you worked hard in this world, fasted Mondays and Thursdays while the weather was very hot, prayed in the mosque when it was bitter cold, obeyed Allah (SWT) and resisted sins, where would your position be when the doors of the Jannah are being opened? You would enter running and saying, “Is this the Jannah I worked for all my 60 years?” Do you see how delightful this is? This is also Allah's blessing upon us, that He created us with this nature so that we are able to love the Jannah more.
Imagine if you obeyed Allah (SWT) for 20 years and then met Him, what would that moment be like?
Imagine that you are walking along a street, you are tempted to take an unlawful glance; just say to yourself, “No, Allah can see me; I cannot disobey Him while He sees me.” You are about to take forbidden money; say, “I cannot, Allah (SWT) sees me and is watching me right now.” In Surat al-Alaq, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Knows he not that Allah does see (what he does)?” (TMQ, 96: 14), but you do not see Him.
Imagine the Day of Judgment when Allah (SWT) calls out, “Oh my servants! Oh inhabitants of the Jannah! Where are my servants who obeyed me without seeing me? Today is the day of abundance, so ask Me for whatever you want.”
They agree on one thing only; and that is, “Oh Allah, be satisfied with us.”
He says then, “I would never have granted you my Jannah if I were not satisfied with you, but ask Me for something else.” They all agree on another thing; “Let us see Your face so we can look upon it.” His veils then falls down-the 60 years of obedience will seem to be a blessing and joy-and you will see Allah (SWT), so they will see Allah. Nothing they were ever granted since their birth will be as dear to them as the pleasure of looking at Allah's noble face. There will be a long conversation between Allah (SWT) and each one of them. Allah (SWT) will then say to each one, “Oh my servant, I am satisfied with you, but are you satisfied with Me?” Surely the deprived ones are those who did not know Allah (SWT) in this world. The servant then feels ashamed and says, “Of course I am satisfied with you, My Lord.” Allah (SWT) then says, “Do you remember that certain sin which you committed?” The servant says, “Haven't you pardoned me for it?” Allah (SWT) says, “Yes I did, and with my forgiveness for what you did in your first life, you reached this place.”
Do you now understand why we came to this world?
We came so that we could know Allah (SWT); obey Him without seeing Him. Because when we obey Allah (SWT) without seeing Him and long for the Jannah without seeing it, we reach perfection of faith and sincerity, and we are then counted among the people of the Jannah.
You will see Allah (SWT) in the Jannah as long as you obeyed Him without seeing Him in this world.
The Prophet (SAWS[2]) was once asked, "Who has the highest rank in the Jannah?" He answered, "It is he who will see Allah (SWT) in the morning and at night."[3] Our ranks in the Jannah, as far as seeing Allah (SWT), vary according to our obedience to Him without having seen Him in this worldly life.
We reach now the translated phrase, "generations after generations on earth” (TMQ, 2:30) or “a vicegerent on earth.” The meaning of this phrase is that Allah (SWT) created Adam (AS) and his children to be responsible for this earth, and to live a life of obedience. Therefore, Allah (SWT) said, [paraphrased in meaning] “Oh Adam, go down to earth, I will let you and your children live on it generations after generations. You will be My vicegerent on earth and I will subject angels, animals, wind, seas, mountains, and the whole universe to you. Oh Adam, go down and manage the world in a satisfactory way.”
Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and spend of that whereof He has made you trustees." (TMQ, 57:7) Keep this trust and employ it in obeying Me. I want the whole world to worship Me. You, children of Adam, are responsible for that.
You must keep this Ayah always foremost in your mind. "O Dawud (David)! Verily! We have placed you as a successor on the earth; so judge you between men in truth (and justice) (TMQ, 38:26). We call Abu-Baker (RA) a Caliph (successor of Prophet Muhammad), because he was a successor of the trust left by Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). When you have children, people say, “you now have successors,” which means you have got someone to pass on your name and property. This is on the personal level only.
Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Truly, We did offer al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah’s Torment). But man bore it.” (TMQ, 33:72). You are a successor or a vicegerent in this world.
The most important question to ask yourself is: Why have I been created? The ancient civilizations and philosophies had view points about the purpose of our creation.
1. Plato said that God created the universe then He forgot about it. That is why people are fighting and killing one another. Allah (SWT) answers that in what can be translated as, “…and your Lord is never forgetful…" (TMQ, 19:64).
2. Marx said, “God wanted to be amused so he created people to watch them playing and killing one another.” Allah (SWT) answers that in what can be translated as, “Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us? So Exalted be Allah, the True King.” (TMQ, 23:115-116).
3. If we ask people in the streets why they have been created. Do you think they would know the answer or would they only repeat things they memorized without understanding?
4. The well-known American Lebanese poet Ilia Abu-Maddi said in his famous poem ‘Attalasim’
“I came not knowing from where, but I came.
And I saw a pathway in front of me, so I walked.
And I will remain walking, whether I want this or not.
How did I come? I do not know.
How did I see my pathway? I do not know.”
These words do not imply atheism, but they are a sign of misunderstanding. ecause of that, the story of Adam (AS) was mentioned in the first two pages in Surat al-Baqara. The repetition of the story was also necessary. Thus, have you been created only to eat, drink, get married, have children and die?
Is it possible that Allah (SWT) has created this beautiful universe, raised the skies, and made the sun rises in precision for such a purpose? Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day.” (TMQ, 36: 40). In addition, Allah (SWT) sent angels who descend from the heavens to surround us. There are two angels; one on the right and another on the left of each one of us all the time. Allah (SWT) sent divine books from the heavens and sent messengers. Can all that be only for food, drink, marriage and death?
We have been created for two purposes:
Firstly, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).” (TMQ, 51: 56). On the individual level, you need to be obedient to Allah (SWT). You can continue to live your life the way you wish, have fun and go out with your friends. There are youth who are afraid of becoming religious because they think that they will be depressed and deprived, as if they are in a jail. This is not true. What you need to do is to have an intention for every action in your life, and this is how you fulfill the worship in every minute of your life.
Why are you going to have children? Just to enjoy and play with them. No, instead say: I will raise a child who will, after ten years, be someone who prostrate and worship Allah (SWT); someone who will memorize the Holy Qur’an and be like Salah-Uddin (Saladin-the great Muslim leader); someone who will be religious and will do more for Islam than what I was able to do when I was young. With this intention, each moment you spend with your children you will receive thawab (a reward from Allah (SWT)). The time which the mother spends in cooking or cleaning after her children, and the money which the father earns for his family, all this will be counted as hassanat (good deeds) for both of them. This is how they implement the previous Ayah.
You can worship Allah (SWT) in every moment in your life. Omar Ibn Abdul-Aziz (a great Muslim caliph) has never taken any step without having an intention. Once a man asked him to accompany him to visit someone, he said, “Wait a moment for me to review my intention.”
If you want to play soccer and take a reward from Allah (SWT), every drop of sweat can be counted as a good deed with this intention, “I am young and I have energy, which can be used in a sin. My Lord, I will go to play soccer with my friends to use this energy to prevent myself from disobeying you and to get back home tired.” With this intention, whenever you run to catch the ball you will take reward. The intention alone can turn all your life into worship even if you are not in the mosque.
You work to earn money. Try to make the intention of your work to be making Muslims excel in their work, become successful in life and push Islam forward to be supreme. With such an intention, you receive reward for each moment of your work.
You study because your father told you so. Try to study with the intention of achieving success and distinction that may do something good for Islam. With such an intention, you receive reward every time you hold your pen.
Following this method, we can all worship Allah (SWT) by intention and change our habits into worship. Proper intention can change the habit to worship. Ibnul-Qayem said, “Each breath and each drop of sweat released in this life without being for the sake of Allah (SWT) will become a regret and remorse on the Day of Judgment.” Allah (SWT) has created us to remember Him for 24 hours everyday, not only during the five prayers.
Secondly, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” or “Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.” (TMQ, 2:30). This Ayah means that we are created also to fix this universe. The first question you will be asked on the Day of Judgment, “What did you do in life? What did you add?”
The first thing you will be asked about is the praying. This question is related to the worship. However, you will be asked about your belief before your worship. When asked, many youth would say, “I do not know, I just fasted.” No, this is a wrong answer.
Instead you should say that your existence in life was for two reasons:
1. To worship Allah (SWT) every moment in your life and feel the enjoyment on the personal level
2. To spread goodness around you and guide people to Allah (SWT).
The Prophet (SAWS) said in a Good Hadith, “Enjoin good and forbid evil otherwise Allah (SWT) will punish you then you pray to Him, but He will not respond to you.[4]”
If you asked a man, “Does your wife pray?” Do your children pray? He may say, “It is none of my business, the important thing is that they eat and drink.”
Be a vicegerent, but “… and argue with them in a way that is better,” (TMQ, 16:125), and be gentle when you guide people to Allah (SWT). Each one of us is a vicegerent in the place where Allah (SWT) has placed him. Do not say, “Am I the one who will fix the whole universe?” Not necessarily, but you can fix your area, your neighbor, your sister.
Sheikh al-Sha’rawy (the great Egyptian scholar) said, “Man has forsaken the truth of his existence over the course of history and forgot that he is a vicegerent on earth.”
Now the population on earth is six billion. How many of them believe in Allah (SWT)? How many are disbelievers? How many do not believe in anything and are lost?
Every night ask yourself what are you going to say to Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment? Were you a vicegerent or not?
Ibrahim Ibn-Adham, who was one of the great good successors, did not begin his life being obedient but he was playing with horses. He had no aim but riding his horse and go hunting, like many youth nowadays. He was very rich. Once, while he was on his horse, an old man came and held the bridle of his horse and said to him a few words that turned his life upside down. Concentrate and try to hear them with your mind and heart. “O Ibrahim, is this why you were created for or by this you were commanded?” Ibrahim said, “After I heard these words, I spent the night thinking is this why I was created for or by this was I commanded? Only then I knew my Lord and returned to Allah (SWT). It was my day of birth when I understood the meaning of the Ayah which can be translated as, “I will create a vicegerent on earth.”(TMQ, 2:30).
During the reign of Caliph Abu–Bakr As-Sidiq (RA), there was a horse race in a city in Palestine. Bilal (RA), one of the companions of the prophet (SAWS), was in this city at that time. During the race, Bilal (RA) was standing away when he saw a young man passing next to him. He was very busy by the race, and asked him, “Who won?” Bilal (RA) said, “The nearest to Allah (SWT).” The youth said, “I am asking you about the race (of the horses).” Bilal said, “And I am guiding you to the goodness.”
Ibn–Taymiyah (a successor) said, “The people of this life are pitiful, they left the life without knowing the best thing in life. Then he was asked, “What is the best thing in life?” He said, “Knowing Allah, fulfilling the commands of Allah (SWT), pleasing Allah, and guiding people to His way.”
Abdul-Qader al-Kilany (a successor) said, “Whenever I guide someone to Allah (SWT), my soul becomes satisfied and I feel that I do not need food or drink anymore.”
Let us continue the ayah where Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “They said, ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood,-While we glorify You we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.’" (TMQ, 2:30). The angels said that because they were afraid that they fell short in their duties to Allah (SWT), and that Allah (SWT) wanted to substitute or exchange them.
Is any obedient servant of Allah (SWT) afraid of being substituted or exchanged? You should be afraid that you may get lost after Allah (SWT) has guided you. Substitution occurs at the moment you feel pride because of your obedience. Whenever you think the Hijab (cover for hair for women), prayers in mosque or attending religious lecture and crying out of being emotionally affected, these are the epic of obedience. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And if you turn away (from Islam and the obedience to Allah), He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.” (TMQ, 47:38).
Abu-Bakr (RA) said, “Even if one of my feet is in the Jannah and the other one is out, I am firm, and obedient to You My Lord.”
How did the angels know that man is going to make mischief and shed blood? The earth, before Adam (AS), was ruled by Jinn who made great mischief. They shed blood, killed each other, and created havoc. As a result, Allah (SWT) sent down angels in order to dismiss Jinn from earth and confine them to sea islands. Since that time, the Jinn have been dwelling in the sea islands. This is how the angels knew before the creation what is going to happen.
There is another beautiful remark. Did you notice Allah's mercy when he let the angels converse with Him? Some parents bring up their children on the assumption that they know everything, while their children know nothing; and that children should do what their parents order them without even thinking. You should teach your children how to engage in discussions. We should learn from this Ayah the word “they said.” They did not say their opinion out of opposition. Some men, without citing reasons, order their wives not to leave the house in a very oppressive way. There is also a known Hadith which says, “Consult them, and then do the opposite.” This Hadith is weak. Imagine when your wife tells you her view point regarding something then you tell her, “You think so? I will do the opposite.” This is not a proper way; you should consult her.
Another remark regarding the following part of the Ayah which can be translated as, "…we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You" (TMQ, 2: 30). In pertinence to this Ayah, the Prophet (SAWS) narrates that while on al-Mi'raj (the Prophet’s ascension to the seventh Heaven), he heard a voice in the sky coming from all directions, saying, "Glorified be Allah the Exalted, the Most High." After a short while he heard, "Glorified be Allah, the Incomparably Great." They were the angels glorifying Allah (SWT). You see? Allah (SWT) does not need us, so glorify Him. The Prophet (SAWS) says, "He who says, ‘Glorified be Allah, and all praise is due to Him,’ a hundred times in a day, all his sins are forgiven, even if they are as much as sea foam.”[5] Therefore, you should glorify Allah (SWT) as much as you can.
Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "I know that which you do not know" (TMQ, 2: 30). It is true that there will be human beings who will shed blood and kill each other; but, on the other hand, there will be true believers; prophets; messengers; martyrs and honest people. A young man, who remains submissive to Allah (SWT) amidst abundant sins and turmoil, is dearer to Allah (SWT) than an earth full of disbelievers and sinners. Allah (SWT) created the universe for you. Think before you disobey Him; for He knows everything, and you know nothing. You are the one meant by this Ayah. You see how dear you are to Allah (SWT)?
In the next Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as "And He taught Adam all the names (of everything)" (TMQ, 2:31). This Ayah refers to the names of in-animate bodies, animals, plants, angels, and means of technology…etc, for example, the sea contains fish and the fishnet should be thrown in the sea in a certain way to catch fish. Then, you should rub two stones together to produce fire, so that you can grill fish and eat it. This seed is called ‘wheat.’ You can plant it in the soil until the rain falls and the seed grows to be a plant.
Adam (AS) was not just a pious man; he was also knowledgeable in the matters of the universe. Allah (SWT) taught him the names because He destined him to be a vicegerent on earth. Accordingly, he should be experienced in earthly matters. How could he be a vicegerent on earth if he was a failure?
Do you want to be a vicegerent on earth? You might say, “I pray regularly, I am even the Imam of the mosque, but I am not successful in my studies.” Subsequently, you are a failure. Even more, you are a sinner; since you did not fulfill the requirements of becoming a vicegerent. In order to undertake this responsibility, you should have two things, religion and knowledge.
Religion without knowledge amounts to failure. Knowledge without religion amounts to sin and disobedience. Religion and knowledge should go together. A housewife who prays and does her housework, but is concerned more with attending Qur'an lessons does not understand her role quite well. Her role as a vicegerent is to succeed at home first. It was not proper for Adam (AS) to inhabit the earth before learning. We want a successful Muslim. Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) says, "I am not cunning, but the cunning can not deceive me." We want a successful Muslim who studies not only to pass the exam but also to be useful to Islam. Do you see the value of education and knowledge in Islam? In spite of the first Ayah, "And He taught Adam all the names (of everything)" (TMQ, 2:31), 50% of our nation is illiterate, and our youths are not cultured. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an what can be translated as, "Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge." (TMQ, 58:11). He who fails in his studies and does not want to succeed is a sinner. The Hadith says, "He who follows a path in which he seeks knowledge, Allah (SWT) facilitates for him a path to the Jannah."[6] Allah (SWT), His angels and the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its burrow and the whale, bless those who teach people goodness.”[7] Do you see the value of knowledge?
In the next Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "…then He showed them to the angels and said, 'Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful." (TMQ, 2: 31). The angels know only about religion; they have nothing to do with worldly affairs. "They (angels) said, 'Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us'" (TMQ, 2:32). Then Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “He said,’ O Adam! Inform them of their names.’” (TMQ, 2:33). Hence, Adam (AS) named this and that, he explained how this plant is irrigated this way; and how food is obtained that way. The angels were amazed, therefore Allah (SWT) told them what can be translated as, “Did I not tell you…” (TMQ, 2:33) (i.e. that there is a human being who is going to be a believer and at the same time experienced in worldly affairs?)
It is as if the world was created for the believers who master both worldly and religious affairs. You have to be keen on making your own imprint on life: religion; knowledge; reforming people and society. What have you added to life? Mustafa Sadeq ar-Raf'ie says, "If you do not add something to life, then you are redundant."
The angels rendered that their job is only Allah’s worship. Hence, Allah (SWT) calls on Adam (AS) (since he is a worshipper like all of you, but he has experience in worldly affairs and he knows good and evil) and ordered the angels to prostrate before him. Did you notice when the prostration occurred? It occurred after Adam (AS) had mastered both religion and worldly affairs. If you, as well, master both religion and worldly affairs, you deserve angels to prostrate before you, for you will be similar to Adam (AS) when the angels prostrated before him.
Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "We said to the angels, ' Prostrate yourselves before Adam.'" (TMQ, 2:34). Did all the angels prostrate before Adam (AS)? Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together." (TMQ, 15:30). It was an honoring ceremony for Adam (AS). Is it acceptable to prostrate before someone other than Allah (SWT)? No, they prostrated before Allah (SWT). Adam (AS) was only the Kiblah (prayer direction). They did not worship Adam (AS); this prostration was only for showing respect and submission to him. The angels are subjected to us if we master both religion and worldly affairs. You might wonder, “Could I be better than the angels?” Yes, and you are going to be even more privileged to Allah (SWT) since both the earth and the heaven might not know Allah's stature, but the believer is the best one to know His stature. You see how much has Allah (SWT) honored humans? Why, then, do we degrade ourselves?
The following are the forms of honoring Adam (AS):
1. He was created from dust and water – the cleanest and purest elements.
2. Allah (SWT) formed him with His divine hands. "…What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands" ( TMQ, 38:75).
3. Allah (SWT) gave him a breath of His soul, "so, when I have fashioned him completely and breathed into him (Adam) the soul which I created for him…" (TMQ, 15:29).
4. All the angels prostrated to him.
5. Satan was kicked out of the Jannah because he refused to prostrate to Adam (AS).
6. Allah (SWT) subjected the angels to Adam (AS).
7. The universe was created to be utilized by Adam (AS).
8. Allah (SWT) taught Adam (AS) all the names.
Glorified be Allah (SWT).
Surat at-Tin is a wonderful Surah which makes you sense how Allah (SWT) honors you. "By the fig, and the olive. By Mount Sinai. By this city of security (Makkah). Verily, We created man in the best stature (mould).Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low." (TMQ, 95:1-5).
Here, Allah (SWT) swears by three things:
1. The figs and the olives.
2. Mount Sinai (where Allah (SWT) spoke to Moses).
3. The holy city (Makkah).
Figs and olives, here, are only symbolic to the place which is known by its figs and olives (Palestine). They are not meant for themselves. Do you see the oath? What is the relation between figs and olives (Palestine), Mount Sinai, “…take off your shoes; you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa" (TMQ, 20:12), the holy city (Makkah) and between creating Man in the best form? These places are the holiest spots on earth. Allah (SWT) is swearing by the holiest places on earth that He has created Man in the best form. There is the holiness of Makkah, the holiness of al-Tour Mountain, and the holiness of Palestine, then Allah (SWT) states that He has created us in the best honored form. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low." (TMQ, 95:5). When man, who was created in the best form, commits sins, he is lowered to the worst rank, "Save those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds. Then they shall have a reward without end (Paradise)." (TMQ, 95:6).
Let us look at these Ahadith in order to see how much you were honored by Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) says in a Hadith Qudsi (sacred Hadith), “… and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My refuge)….”[8]
In another Hadith, the Prophet (SAWS) said, "If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel, saying, “Allah loves so and so, O Gabriel love him,” so Gabriel would love him and then would make an announcement in the heavens, “Allah has loved so and-so therefore you should love him also,” so all the dwellers of the heavens would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth." [9]
Allah (SWT) says in another Hadith Qudsi that if a person, “ … comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.” [10] Allah (SWT) loves us so much and waits for the day when we get closer to Him, and know our aim in life. Allah (SWT) ordered the angels to prostrate to Adam (AS) because man is precious and dear to Him. Do not devaluate your stature by committing sins and forgetting about the purpose of your existence in life.
A final comment:
Consider the scope of Allah’s honor. It is a bountiful bestowing of honor, don’t you think? Compare this to Darwin’s theory which states that man started as a germ on the surface of the water. This germ then evolved into a microorganism, which in turn evolved into a frog, then to a fish, then to a monkey, and finally into a human being.
As a human soul, which do you prefer: the monkey or Adam (AS)? Why did not all animals and monkeys evolve into human beings? Look at Allah's words that can be translated as, "And indeed We have honored the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with at-Tayyibat (lawful good things), and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preferment" (TMQ, 17:70).
[1] TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah :Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.
[2] Sala-llahu Alahi Wa Salam = All Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon him.
[3] Narrated by Ibn-Omar, Sunnan at-Tirmidhi, No .2677.
[4] Narrated Hudhaifa, Sunnan at-Tirmidhi, No .2259.
4 Authentic Hadith, Narrated Abu Huraira Sahih Bukhari, No. 6042.
[6] Authentic Hadith, narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Muslim, no. 2699
6 Authentic, Strange and Good Hadith, narrated by Abu Umamah, Sunnan At-Tirmidhi, no. 2826.
[8] Authentic Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Al-Bukhari, No. 6137
[9] Authentic Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Muslim, No .2637
[10] Authentic Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Muslim, No. 2675
AmrKhaled.net
We will discuss the creation of Adam (AS) in three Ayahs (verses) only, (from Ayah 30 to a small part of Ayah 33 of Surat al-Baqara (second Surah in the Qur’an) since these Ayahs form the core of our existence.
The story of Adam (AS) is mentioned 25 times in 25 Ayahs of the Qur'ِِan with the same meaning. This same story is told with different portrayals, which indicates the miraculous nature, beauty of style and wording, and precision of meaning in the Qur'an. You will never become weary of these 25 times and this is the beauty of the Qur'an originating from Allah (SWT).
The first time Adam's story is mentioned is in Surat al-Baqara, it is rather the first story narrated in the Qur'an on the second page.
You might wonder why this is the first story in the Qur'an? It is because it holds within it the mystery of existence until the Day of Judgment. Anything we might need to live a pure, clean, righteous and happy life in this world and the hereafter is there inside; so we should know Adam's story.
You will find that, in these Ayahs, the story of Adam (AS) deals with everything that occurs in our life and also deals with what spoils it. The story of Adam (AS) is the archetype that should remain strong in our minds so as to determine the path we take in this life. Let us start with Ayah 30. In this Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels, ‘Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.’” (TMQ, 2: 30)[1]. Let us start with the word ‘when.’ There is no superfluous word in the Qur'an and this word makes us visualize the event. The word ‘said’ gives a feeling of the ancient past and the word ‘when’ makes it real as if you are watching it right now.
"Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth," (TMQ, 2:30). or what could also be translated as “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” Do you think Allah (SWT) is consulting His angels about whether to create Adam (AS) or not? Allah (SWT) forbid! He is going to create Adam (AS) and is only telling His angels that they are going to play a role in these peoples’ lives, so they should know about them. This is a splendid illustration; Allah (SWT) never calls anyone to account without making things clear for him first. Allah (SWT) could say, “Oh, my angels! Prostrate yourselves before Adam (AS).” They will obey, but Allah (SWT) wanted to begin life on earth by informing the angels about it.
Business Management Science today tells us that in order to convince and maximize interaction with employees, we should not start by giving orders, but rather we should meet with them and start explaining our plan.
This Ayah deals with the period that precedes the creation of Adam (AS). Adam (AS) was originally created to descend down to earth not to stay in the Jannah (paradise), and he was created from the material of the earth to live on it. That is why he was called 'Adam' which might be derived from the Arabic verb ‘adama’ i.e. to make permanent.
You might ask yourself, “If Adam (AS) was created to live on earth, why did he live in the Jannah first?” Well, he had to go through life in heaven before earth, because it is his final home. The Jannah is Adam's (AS) homeland, and you realize that your father is originally from the Jannah. As a poet said, “Salute the Garden of Eden, it is our homeland and in it is our campsite.” I wonder whether there will be a day when we return home and end this exile we live in.
Thank Allah (SWT) for starting our existence in the Jannah. Among the first things that our father saw were fruits, rivers, and the palaces of the Jannah. Do you understand now why he experienced life in the Jannah at first, before earth?
Adam (AS) was sent down to earth on a mission but his original home that he will return to is the Jannah.
You might wonder again and say, “Why did Satan whisper to Adam (AS) and make him eat from the tree, and therefore disobey Allah (SWT) so that this whole story would happen? Weren’t we descending down to earth anyway?”
I tell you, Allah (SWT) wanted to give us an example of how Satan seduces man to commit sin, and how mankind can repent.
When we were children we were taught mathematical theorems like Pythagoras Theorem and we were then given some sample exercises to apply the theory, and if we made a mistake we could refer back to the rules. Allah (SWT) wanted to give us an already solved exercise. Whenever we find ourselves unable to act, we just need to look at that solved exercise: the story of Adam (AS).
Do you see how Satan deceived Adam (AS)? In the same way he deceives us over and over again.
Look at the story of the forbidden tree. It is just like the glass of wine, adultery, or any type of temptation. The forbidden tree recurs thousands of times in our lives; Satan's style, repentance, and Allah's forgiveness all recur thousands of times in our lives.
Do you realize now why the repetition occurs 25 times? Some tendentious and obstinate people say that the Qur'an is full of repetitions. Yes, it is; and that is intended for those who do not understand the concept from one reading, so it is repeated for them to understand; and for those who forget the story of their origin, it is therefore repeated for them.
The aim of this story, with its examples of sin, and repentance, is that when you are resurrected for account on the Day of Judgment, you will not say, “Oh, Allah, I was never informed!” No, the already solved example is here in front of you. Allah (SWT) will not let us say, “Oh Allah, I was not informed, I did not know.” Each and every one of us was given his chance and a version of this experience.
Why did Allah (SWT) create earth in the first place?
We needed to descend to earth because, as human beings, part of our makeup is that we do not realize the value of things unless we strive to get them; and if we get something easily we do not place much value on it, we then tend to give it away easily and will not be able to appreciate the magnificent blessing we have.
We see this example in ourselves and our relatives; your father has emigrated, struggled for 20 years in the Gulf, for example. Then you bought a car, took a ride and crashed it. You would not be as sad as your father would be. If you had been the one who bought it, not him, you would have taken care of it and felt the blessing of having it.
Allah (SWT) wanted us to go down to earth so that we may long to return to the Jannah, realizing its value. Therefore, only believers lived on earth. Why? Because they were the ones who longed for the Jannah; and those who did not, would pass by the hell. They are the ones who, with great difficulty, resist committing a sin when they could have easily done it because they want to please Allah (SWT), whom they cannot see; besides, they want to go to the Jannah.
I ask you by Allah (SWT), if you worked hard in this world, fasted Mondays and Thursdays while the weather was very hot, prayed in the mosque when it was bitter cold, obeyed Allah (SWT) and resisted sins, where would your position be when the doors of the Jannah are being opened? You would enter running and saying, “Is this the Jannah I worked for all my 60 years?” Do you see how delightful this is? This is also Allah's blessing upon us, that He created us with this nature so that we are able to love the Jannah more.
Imagine if you obeyed Allah (SWT) for 20 years and then met Him, what would that moment be like?
Imagine that you are walking along a street, you are tempted to take an unlawful glance; just say to yourself, “No, Allah can see me; I cannot disobey Him while He sees me.” You are about to take forbidden money; say, “I cannot, Allah (SWT) sees me and is watching me right now.” In Surat al-Alaq, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Knows he not that Allah does see (what he does)?” (TMQ, 96: 14), but you do not see Him.
Imagine the Day of Judgment when Allah (SWT) calls out, “Oh my servants! Oh inhabitants of the Jannah! Where are my servants who obeyed me without seeing me? Today is the day of abundance, so ask Me for whatever you want.”
They agree on one thing only; and that is, “Oh Allah, be satisfied with us.”
He says then, “I would never have granted you my Jannah if I were not satisfied with you, but ask Me for something else.” They all agree on another thing; “Let us see Your face so we can look upon it.” His veils then falls down-the 60 years of obedience will seem to be a blessing and joy-and you will see Allah (SWT), so they will see Allah. Nothing they were ever granted since their birth will be as dear to them as the pleasure of looking at Allah's noble face. There will be a long conversation between Allah (SWT) and each one of them. Allah (SWT) will then say to each one, “Oh my servant, I am satisfied with you, but are you satisfied with Me?” Surely the deprived ones are those who did not know Allah (SWT) in this world. The servant then feels ashamed and says, “Of course I am satisfied with you, My Lord.” Allah (SWT) then says, “Do you remember that certain sin which you committed?” The servant says, “Haven't you pardoned me for it?” Allah (SWT) says, “Yes I did, and with my forgiveness for what you did in your first life, you reached this place.”
Do you now understand why we came to this world?
We came so that we could know Allah (SWT); obey Him without seeing Him. Because when we obey Allah (SWT) without seeing Him and long for the Jannah without seeing it, we reach perfection of faith and sincerity, and we are then counted among the people of the Jannah.
You will see Allah (SWT) in the Jannah as long as you obeyed Him without seeing Him in this world.
The Prophet (SAWS[2]) was once asked, "Who has the highest rank in the Jannah?" He answered, "It is he who will see Allah (SWT) in the morning and at night."[3] Our ranks in the Jannah, as far as seeing Allah (SWT), vary according to our obedience to Him without having seen Him in this worldly life.
We reach now the translated phrase, "generations after generations on earth” (TMQ, 2:30) or “a vicegerent on earth.” The meaning of this phrase is that Allah (SWT) created Adam (AS) and his children to be responsible for this earth, and to live a life of obedience. Therefore, Allah (SWT) said, [paraphrased in meaning] “Oh Adam, go down to earth, I will let you and your children live on it generations after generations. You will be My vicegerent on earth and I will subject angels, animals, wind, seas, mountains, and the whole universe to you. Oh Adam, go down and manage the world in a satisfactory way.”
Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Believe in Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad), and spend of that whereof He has made you trustees." (TMQ, 57:7) Keep this trust and employ it in obeying Me. I want the whole world to worship Me. You, children of Adam, are responsible for that.
You must keep this Ayah always foremost in your mind. "O Dawud (David)! Verily! We have placed you as a successor on the earth; so judge you between men in truth (and justice) (TMQ, 38:26). We call Abu-Baker (RA) a Caliph (successor of Prophet Muhammad), because he was a successor of the trust left by Prophet Muhammad (SAWS). When you have children, people say, “you now have successors,” which means you have got someone to pass on your name and property. This is on the personal level only.
Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Truly, We did offer al-Amanah (the trust or moral responsibility) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah’s Torment). But man bore it.” (TMQ, 33:72). You are a successor or a vicegerent in this world.
The most important question to ask yourself is: Why have I been created? The ancient civilizations and philosophies had view points about the purpose of our creation.
1. Plato said that God created the universe then He forgot about it. That is why people are fighting and killing one another. Allah (SWT) answers that in what can be translated as, “…and your Lord is never forgetful…" (TMQ, 19:64).
2. Marx said, “God wanted to be amused so he created people to watch them playing and killing one another.” Allah (SWT) answers that in what can be translated as, “Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us? So Exalted be Allah, the True King.” (TMQ, 23:115-116).
3. If we ask people in the streets why they have been created. Do you think they would know the answer or would they only repeat things they memorized without understanding?
4. The well-known American Lebanese poet Ilia Abu-Maddi said in his famous poem ‘Attalasim’
“I came not knowing from where, but I came.
And I saw a pathway in front of me, so I walked.
And I will remain walking, whether I want this or not.
How did I come? I do not know.
How did I see my pathway? I do not know.”
These words do not imply atheism, but they are a sign of misunderstanding. ecause of that, the story of Adam (AS) was mentioned in the first two pages in Surat al-Baqara. The repetition of the story was also necessary. Thus, have you been created only to eat, drink, get married, have children and die?
Is it possible that Allah (SWT) has created this beautiful universe, raised the skies, and made the sun rises in precision for such a purpose? Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “It is not for the sun to overtake the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day.” (TMQ, 36: 40). In addition, Allah (SWT) sent angels who descend from the heavens to surround us. There are two angels; one on the right and another on the left of each one of us all the time. Allah (SWT) sent divine books from the heavens and sent messengers. Can all that be only for food, drink, marriage and death?
We have been created for two purposes:
Firstly, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And I (Allah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).” (TMQ, 51: 56). On the individual level, you need to be obedient to Allah (SWT). You can continue to live your life the way you wish, have fun and go out with your friends. There are youth who are afraid of becoming religious because they think that they will be depressed and deprived, as if they are in a jail. This is not true. What you need to do is to have an intention for every action in your life, and this is how you fulfill the worship in every minute of your life.
Why are you going to have children? Just to enjoy and play with them. No, instead say: I will raise a child who will, after ten years, be someone who prostrate and worship Allah (SWT); someone who will memorize the Holy Qur’an and be like Salah-Uddin (Saladin-the great Muslim leader); someone who will be religious and will do more for Islam than what I was able to do when I was young. With this intention, each moment you spend with your children you will receive thawab (a reward from Allah (SWT)). The time which the mother spends in cooking or cleaning after her children, and the money which the father earns for his family, all this will be counted as hassanat (good deeds) for both of them. This is how they implement the previous Ayah.
You can worship Allah (SWT) in every moment in your life. Omar Ibn Abdul-Aziz (a great Muslim caliph) has never taken any step without having an intention. Once a man asked him to accompany him to visit someone, he said, “Wait a moment for me to review my intention.”
If you want to play soccer and take a reward from Allah (SWT), every drop of sweat can be counted as a good deed with this intention, “I am young and I have energy, which can be used in a sin. My Lord, I will go to play soccer with my friends to use this energy to prevent myself from disobeying you and to get back home tired.” With this intention, whenever you run to catch the ball you will take reward. The intention alone can turn all your life into worship even if you are not in the mosque.
You work to earn money. Try to make the intention of your work to be making Muslims excel in their work, become successful in life and push Islam forward to be supreme. With such an intention, you receive reward for each moment of your work.
You study because your father told you so. Try to study with the intention of achieving success and distinction that may do something good for Islam. With such an intention, you receive reward every time you hold your pen.
Following this method, we can all worship Allah (SWT) by intention and change our habits into worship. Proper intention can change the habit to worship. Ibnul-Qayem said, “Each breath and each drop of sweat released in this life without being for the sake of Allah (SWT) will become a regret and remorse on the Day of Judgment.” Allah (SWT) has created us to remember Him for 24 hours everyday, not only during the five prayers.
Secondly, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “I will create a vicegerent on earth.” or “Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.” (TMQ, 2:30). This Ayah means that we are created also to fix this universe. The first question you will be asked on the Day of Judgment, “What did you do in life? What did you add?”
The first thing you will be asked about is the praying. This question is related to the worship. However, you will be asked about your belief before your worship. When asked, many youth would say, “I do not know, I just fasted.” No, this is a wrong answer.
Instead you should say that your existence in life was for two reasons:
1. To worship Allah (SWT) every moment in your life and feel the enjoyment on the personal level
2. To spread goodness around you and guide people to Allah (SWT).
The Prophet (SAWS) said in a Good Hadith, “Enjoin good and forbid evil otherwise Allah (SWT) will punish you then you pray to Him, but He will not respond to you.[4]”
If you asked a man, “Does your wife pray?” Do your children pray? He may say, “It is none of my business, the important thing is that they eat and drink.”
Be a vicegerent, but “… and argue with them in a way that is better,” (TMQ, 16:125), and be gentle when you guide people to Allah (SWT). Each one of us is a vicegerent in the place where Allah (SWT) has placed him. Do not say, “Am I the one who will fix the whole universe?” Not necessarily, but you can fix your area, your neighbor, your sister.
Sheikh al-Sha’rawy (the great Egyptian scholar) said, “Man has forsaken the truth of his existence over the course of history and forgot that he is a vicegerent on earth.”
Now the population on earth is six billion. How many of them believe in Allah (SWT)? How many are disbelievers? How many do not believe in anything and are lost?
Every night ask yourself what are you going to say to Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment? Were you a vicegerent or not?
Ibrahim Ibn-Adham, who was one of the great good successors, did not begin his life being obedient but he was playing with horses. He had no aim but riding his horse and go hunting, like many youth nowadays. He was very rich. Once, while he was on his horse, an old man came and held the bridle of his horse and said to him a few words that turned his life upside down. Concentrate and try to hear them with your mind and heart. “O Ibrahim, is this why you were created for or by this you were commanded?” Ibrahim said, “After I heard these words, I spent the night thinking is this why I was created for or by this was I commanded? Only then I knew my Lord and returned to Allah (SWT). It was my day of birth when I understood the meaning of the Ayah which can be translated as, “I will create a vicegerent on earth.”(TMQ, 2:30).
During the reign of Caliph Abu–Bakr As-Sidiq (RA), there was a horse race in a city in Palestine. Bilal (RA), one of the companions of the prophet (SAWS), was in this city at that time. During the race, Bilal (RA) was standing away when he saw a young man passing next to him. He was very busy by the race, and asked him, “Who won?” Bilal (RA) said, “The nearest to Allah (SWT).” The youth said, “I am asking you about the race (of the horses).” Bilal said, “And I am guiding you to the goodness.”
Ibn–Taymiyah (a successor) said, “The people of this life are pitiful, they left the life without knowing the best thing in life. Then he was asked, “What is the best thing in life?” He said, “Knowing Allah, fulfilling the commands of Allah (SWT), pleasing Allah, and guiding people to His way.”
Abdul-Qader al-Kilany (a successor) said, “Whenever I guide someone to Allah (SWT), my soul becomes satisfied and I feel that I do not need food or drink anymore.”
Let us continue the ayah where Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “They said, ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood,-While we glorify You we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.’" (TMQ, 2:30). The angels said that because they were afraid that they fell short in their duties to Allah (SWT), and that Allah (SWT) wanted to substitute or exchange them.
Is any obedient servant of Allah (SWT) afraid of being substituted or exchanged? You should be afraid that you may get lost after Allah (SWT) has guided you. Substitution occurs at the moment you feel pride because of your obedience. Whenever you think the Hijab (cover for hair for women), prayers in mosque or attending religious lecture and crying out of being emotionally affected, these are the epic of obedience. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And if you turn away (from Islam and the obedience to Allah), He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.” (TMQ, 47:38).
Abu-Bakr (RA) said, “Even if one of my feet is in the Jannah and the other one is out, I am firm, and obedient to You My Lord.”
How did the angels know that man is going to make mischief and shed blood? The earth, before Adam (AS), was ruled by Jinn who made great mischief. They shed blood, killed each other, and created havoc. As a result, Allah (SWT) sent down angels in order to dismiss Jinn from earth and confine them to sea islands. Since that time, the Jinn have been dwelling in the sea islands. This is how the angels knew before the creation what is going to happen.
There is another beautiful remark. Did you notice Allah's mercy when he let the angels converse with Him? Some parents bring up their children on the assumption that they know everything, while their children know nothing; and that children should do what their parents order them without even thinking. You should teach your children how to engage in discussions. We should learn from this Ayah the word “they said.” They did not say their opinion out of opposition. Some men, without citing reasons, order their wives not to leave the house in a very oppressive way. There is also a known Hadith which says, “Consult them, and then do the opposite.” This Hadith is weak. Imagine when your wife tells you her view point regarding something then you tell her, “You think so? I will do the opposite.” This is not a proper way; you should consult her.
Another remark regarding the following part of the Ayah which can be translated as, "…we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You" (TMQ, 2: 30). In pertinence to this Ayah, the Prophet (SAWS) narrates that while on al-Mi'raj (the Prophet’s ascension to the seventh Heaven), he heard a voice in the sky coming from all directions, saying, "Glorified be Allah the Exalted, the Most High." After a short while he heard, "Glorified be Allah, the Incomparably Great." They were the angels glorifying Allah (SWT). You see? Allah (SWT) does not need us, so glorify Him. The Prophet (SAWS) says, "He who says, ‘Glorified be Allah, and all praise is due to Him,’ a hundred times in a day, all his sins are forgiven, even if they are as much as sea foam.”[5] Therefore, you should glorify Allah (SWT) as much as you can.
Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "I know that which you do not know" (TMQ, 2: 30). It is true that there will be human beings who will shed blood and kill each other; but, on the other hand, there will be true believers; prophets; messengers; martyrs and honest people. A young man, who remains submissive to Allah (SWT) amidst abundant sins and turmoil, is dearer to Allah (SWT) than an earth full of disbelievers and sinners. Allah (SWT) created the universe for you. Think before you disobey Him; for He knows everything, and you know nothing. You are the one meant by this Ayah. You see how dear you are to Allah (SWT)?
In the next Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as "And He taught Adam all the names (of everything)" (TMQ, 2:31). This Ayah refers to the names of in-animate bodies, animals, plants, angels, and means of technology…etc, for example, the sea contains fish and the fishnet should be thrown in the sea in a certain way to catch fish. Then, you should rub two stones together to produce fire, so that you can grill fish and eat it. This seed is called ‘wheat.’ You can plant it in the soil until the rain falls and the seed grows to be a plant.
Adam (AS) was not just a pious man; he was also knowledgeable in the matters of the universe. Allah (SWT) taught him the names because He destined him to be a vicegerent on earth. Accordingly, he should be experienced in earthly matters. How could he be a vicegerent on earth if he was a failure?
Do you want to be a vicegerent on earth? You might say, “I pray regularly, I am even the Imam of the mosque, but I am not successful in my studies.” Subsequently, you are a failure. Even more, you are a sinner; since you did not fulfill the requirements of becoming a vicegerent. In order to undertake this responsibility, you should have two things, religion and knowledge.
Religion without knowledge amounts to failure. Knowledge without religion amounts to sin and disobedience. Religion and knowledge should go together. A housewife who prays and does her housework, but is concerned more with attending Qur'an lessons does not understand her role quite well. Her role as a vicegerent is to succeed at home first. It was not proper for Adam (AS) to inhabit the earth before learning. We want a successful Muslim. Omar Ibnul-Khattab (RA) says, "I am not cunning, but the cunning can not deceive me." We want a successful Muslim who studies not only to pass the exam but also to be useful to Islam. Do you see the value of education and knowledge in Islam? In spite of the first Ayah, "And He taught Adam all the names (of everything)" (TMQ, 2:31), 50% of our nation is illiterate, and our youths are not cultured. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an what can be translated as, "Allah will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have been granted knowledge." (TMQ, 58:11). He who fails in his studies and does not want to succeed is a sinner. The Hadith says, "He who follows a path in which he seeks knowledge, Allah (SWT) facilitates for him a path to the Jannah."[6] Allah (SWT), His angels and the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its burrow and the whale, bless those who teach people goodness.”[7] Do you see the value of knowledge?
In the next Ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "…then He showed them to the angels and said, 'Tell Me the names of these if you are truthful." (TMQ, 2: 31). The angels know only about religion; they have nothing to do with worldly affairs. "They (angels) said, 'Glory be to You, we have no knowledge except what you have taught us'" (TMQ, 2:32). Then Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “He said,’ O Adam! Inform them of their names.’” (TMQ, 2:33). Hence, Adam (AS) named this and that, he explained how this plant is irrigated this way; and how food is obtained that way. The angels were amazed, therefore Allah (SWT) told them what can be translated as, “Did I not tell you…” (TMQ, 2:33) (i.e. that there is a human being who is going to be a believer and at the same time experienced in worldly affairs?)
It is as if the world was created for the believers who master both worldly and religious affairs. You have to be keen on making your own imprint on life: religion; knowledge; reforming people and society. What have you added to life? Mustafa Sadeq ar-Raf'ie says, "If you do not add something to life, then you are redundant."
The angels rendered that their job is only Allah’s worship. Hence, Allah (SWT) calls on Adam (AS) (since he is a worshipper like all of you, but he has experience in worldly affairs and he knows good and evil) and ordered the angels to prostrate before him. Did you notice when the prostration occurred? It occurred after Adam (AS) had mastered both religion and worldly affairs. If you, as well, master both religion and worldly affairs, you deserve angels to prostrate before you, for you will be similar to Adam (AS) when the angels prostrated before him.
Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "We said to the angels, ' Prostrate yourselves before Adam.'" (TMQ, 2:34). Did all the angels prostrate before Adam (AS)? Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "So the angels prostrated themselves, all of them together." (TMQ, 15:30). It was an honoring ceremony for Adam (AS). Is it acceptable to prostrate before someone other than Allah (SWT)? No, they prostrated before Allah (SWT). Adam (AS) was only the Kiblah (prayer direction). They did not worship Adam (AS); this prostration was only for showing respect and submission to him. The angels are subjected to us if we master both religion and worldly affairs. You might wonder, “Could I be better than the angels?” Yes, and you are going to be even more privileged to Allah (SWT) since both the earth and the heaven might not know Allah's stature, but the believer is the best one to know His stature. You see how much has Allah (SWT) honored humans? Why, then, do we degrade ourselves?
The following are the forms of honoring Adam (AS):
1. He was created from dust and water – the cleanest and purest elements.
2. Allah (SWT) formed him with His divine hands. "…What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands" ( TMQ, 38:75).
3. Allah (SWT) gave him a breath of His soul, "so, when I have fashioned him completely and breathed into him (Adam) the soul which I created for him…" (TMQ, 15:29).
4. All the angels prostrated to him.
5. Satan was kicked out of the Jannah because he refused to prostrate to Adam (AS).
6. Allah (SWT) subjected the angels to Adam (AS).
7. The universe was created to be utilized by Adam (AS).
8. Allah (SWT) taught Adam (AS) all the names.
Glorified be Allah (SWT).
Surat at-Tin is a wonderful Surah which makes you sense how Allah (SWT) honors you. "By the fig, and the olive. By Mount Sinai. By this city of security (Makkah). Verily, We created man in the best stature (mould).Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low." (TMQ, 95:1-5).
Here, Allah (SWT) swears by three things:
1. The figs and the olives.
2. Mount Sinai (where Allah (SWT) spoke to Moses).
3. The holy city (Makkah).
Figs and olives, here, are only symbolic to the place which is known by its figs and olives (Palestine). They are not meant for themselves. Do you see the oath? What is the relation between figs and olives (Palestine), Mount Sinai, “…take off your shoes; you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa" (TMQ, 20:12), the holy city (Makkah) and between creating Man in the best form? These places are the holiest spots on earth. Allah (SWT) is swearing by the holiest places on earth that He has created Man in the best form. There is the holiness of Makkah, the holiness of al-Tour Mountain, and the holiness of Palestine, then Allah (SWT) states that He has created us in the best honored form. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Then We reduced him to the lowest of the low." (TMQ, 95:5). When man, who was created in the best form, commits sins, he is lowered to the worst rank, "Save those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous deeds. Then they shall have a reward without end (Paradise)." (TMQ, 95:6).
Let us look at these Ahadith in order to see how much you were honored by Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) says in a Hadith Qudsi (sacred Hadith), “… and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (refuge), I will protect him; (i.e. give him My refuge)….”[8]
In another Hadith, the Prophet (SAWS) said, "If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel, saying, “Allah loves so and so, O Gabriel love him,” so Gabriel would love him and then would make an announcement in the heavens, “Allah has loved so and-so therefore you should love him also,” so all the dwellers of the heavens would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth." [9]
Allah (SWT) says in another Hadith Qudsi that if a person, “ … comes one span nearer to Me, I go one cubit nearer to him; and if he comes one cubit nearer to Me, I go a distance of two outstretched arms nearer to him; and if he comes to Me walking, I go to him running.” [10] Allah (SWT) loves us so much and waits for the day when we get closer to Him, and know our aim in life. Allah (SWT) ordered the angels to prostrate to Adam (AS) because man is precious and dear to Him. Do not devaluate your stature by committing sins and forgetting about the purpose of your existence in life.
A final comment:
Consider the scope of Allah’s honor. It is a bountiful bestowing of honor, don’t you think? Compare this to Darwin’s theory which states that man started as a germ on the surface of the water. This germ then evolved into a microorganism, which in turn evolved into a frog, then to a fish, then to a monkey, and finally into a human being.
As a human soul, which do you prefer: the monkey or Adam (AS)? Why did not all animals and monkeys evolve into human beings? Look at Allah's words that can be translated as, "And indeed We have honored the Children of Adam, and We have carried them on land and sea, and have provided them with at-Tayyibat (lawful good things), and have preferred them above many of those whom We have created with a marked preferment" (TMQ, 17:70).
[1] TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah :Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.
[2] Sala-llahu Alahi Wa Salam = All Prayers and Peace of Allah be upon him.
[3] Narrated by Ibn-Omar, Sunnan at-Tirmidhi, No .2677.
[4] Narrated Hudhaifa, Sunnan at-Tirmidhi, No .2259.
4 Authentic Hadith, Narrated Abu Huraira Sahih Bukhari, No. 6042.
[6] Authentic Hadith, narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Muslim, no. 2699
6 Authentic, Strange and Good Hadith, narrated by Abu Umamah, Sunnan At-Tirmidhi, no. 2826.
[8] Authentic Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Al-Bukhari, No. 6137
[9] Authentic Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Muslim, No .2637
[10] Authentic Hadith narrated by Abu Huraira, Sahih Muslim, No. 2675
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The Creation of Adam - Part 1
Today’s lesson is entitled “The Creation of Adam (AS)”, however it seems that I will be talking about something else, namely, the submission, humility, surrender, and capitulation between the Hands of Allah (Exalted and Glorious). But, what is the relationship between these topics?
The prominent concept that comes into my mind whenever I talk about Adam’s creation (PBUH) is the submission to Allah (SWT). Hence, your heart must essentially feel—when you listen to the process of the creation of Adam (our father)(PBUH)—how weak and needy you are between the Hands of Allah (SWT), and that you have no other God but Him (SWT). So, let us start with how Adam (PBUH) was created.
You read in the Qur’an—in different Ayat (verses)—that Adam (PBUH) was created from “dust”, “clay”, “sticky clay”, “dried clay”, “dried clay of altered mud”, or “sounding clay like the clay of pottery”, then what is the conclusion, and from which material was Adam (PBUH) created? Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Verily, the likeness of ‘Isa (Jesus) before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: “Be!” - and he was.” (TMQ, Al Imran: 59) (1).
But look at another Ayah, “(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels: 'Truly I am going to create man from clay'.” (Surat Saad: 71), then He added in another Ayah, “Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.” (TMQ, As Saffat: 11).
What does all this mean? Was he created from dust or clay? Allah (Exalted and Glorious) also says what can be translated as, “And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud.” (Surat Al Hijr: 26), then He said in another Ayah what can be translated as, “He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery.” (TMQ, Ar-Rahman: 14).
Actually, Adam (PBUH) was created from all these materials through the various stages of the process of his creation. Each stage led to the next one, until his creation was completed. So now, let us start step by step to point out why Allah (SWT) made him undergo all these stages. Adam (PBUH) passed through six stages in the course of his creation, so let us benefit from this presentation, for Allah (SWT) coveys a message to us, and teaches us a lesson in each stage.
* The First Stage: Dust
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Allah created Adam from a handful of dust taken from different lands, so the children of Adam have been created according to the composition of the land. Therefore, from mankind we have white, red, black and yellow ones; we have good and evil, ease and sorrow, and what comes in between them.” (Sahih Bukhari and At-Tirmidhi), and in another narration, he (PBUH) said “Allah the Almighty sent Gabriel onto the earth to get Him a handful of dust taken from different lands. Therefore, the children of Adam have been created according to the composition of the land.” What does this mean? The characteristics of people are different because they were created from various heaps of dust taken from all over the world; so there are red, white, and black people, and there are easy and hard-hearted, evil and good persons. This Hadith shows us that our beginning was from a heap of dust, taken from different parts of the earth. That is the reason men have different colors. People have different colors—red, black, white, yellow—like the different colors of dust, and different natures, too. A good person, who comes close to Allah (SWT), once he hears the message, is like good fertile ground. An evil person who insists on wickedness and returns to it, even if you preach to him and help him several times, is like evil land. A hardhearted person who can never feel tenderness is like hard land that is full of thorns, and a kind person whom you love easily is like smooth land.
So, we want to look back at our origin, and realize that we were nothing. We were made of dust, so Glory be to Allah who made the dust speak, think, sail on the water, go up to the sky, and explore space. Glory be to Allah who turned the dust into human beings who move on the earth.
The concept I want to emphasize is how can you--Son of Adam--disobey Allah (SWT)? How can the dust say ‘No’ to the orders of Allah? How can you commit adultery, drink wine, or refuse to pray the prayers at their prescribed times, which is the most desirable work to Allah (SWT)? How can this heap of dust, which is turned into a human being, refuse to follow the orders of Allah (SWT)? Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Be cursed (the disbelieving) man! How ungrateful he is! From what thing did He create him? From Nutfah (male and female fluids) He created him and then set him in due proportion. Then He makes the Path easy for him. Then He causes him to die and puts him in his grave. Then when it is His Will, He will resurrect him (again).” (TMQ, ‘Abasa: 17-22). Don't you feel how weak and needy you are? Actually, the aim of this lesson is to learn submission, as if I am teaching you a lesson about the value of submission to Allah (SWT); not about the stories of the prophets. This is the understanding I want you to get from it.
My brothers, we were first created from dust. Listen to the Divine Hadith (Hadith Qudsi). Allah (SWT) said, “The one who humbles himself to Me like this (and the Prophet (PBUH) lowered the palm of his hand till it reached the floor), I would elevate him as far as this (and the prophet (PBUH) kept raising his hand so high towards the sky)”.
This was about our creation from dust. How needy and weak we are! Adam (PBUH) was called ‘Adam’ because he was created from the ‘Adeem’ (the dust) of the earth. This is to make us always related to the dust, and to remember that we are from dust whenever Allah (SWT) says, “O’ sons of Adam”. We are the descendents of Adam, who is from dust. This is the first stage of our creation.
Now, do you still insist on your disobedience to the orders of Allah (SWT), even after you knew that you are from dust, and that you are made to speak by the orders of Allah (SWT)?
* The Second Stage: the Clay
The dust was soaked with water, so it became clay. (See how very poor we are!). This is the meaning of what Allah (SWT) says to the Angels and can be translated as, “(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels: “Truly I am going to create man from clay”. (TMQ, Saad: 71). Why did Allah (SWT) choose these two elements (dust and water) to start Adam’s creation (PBUH)? Why did He not choose iron, for example? This is not only to humble ourselves before Allah (SWT), but it has another beautiful meaning.
The main function of dust and water is purification, cleanliness, and bathing. There is no purification without water. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “The earth has been made for me a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum (dry ablution with dust, when water is not available).” As if Allah (SWT) wants to say to us that our origin is pure and clean, since we are created of the purest elements on the earth. So, be aware of contaminating this purity. For those people who watch forbidden and disgraceful satellite channels, or those who visit immoral sites on the internet, why do you pollute this purity inside you? By doing this, a person imagines that all women and men are wicked, and that the origin of mankind is filth. This is absolutely wrong. We are created from dust and water to realize that we are pure and clean.
Compare these meanings with the meanings of the Western civilization, which perceives Man as a ‘bad insect’. There is an international Western scholar who said, “Man is a malignant insect, which lives among the garbage of life.” Can you imagine that he said such a thing, although he is an international scholar? We must not defile the purity from which we were made.
The one who used to commit adultery contaminates the most virtuous thing in himself. The one who abuses drugs defiles the purest soul inside him. Just like a person who throws junk in the water and pollutes it, would you drink it? Man is the one who defiles himself, and pollutes the dust and the water from which he was created, so he makes people hate to deal with him and with the pure things he was created from. I hope that this meaning can convey my message to you.
I hope that everyone can realize the seriousness of becoming used to committing adultery and other similar sins. The girl who boldly allows a man to enjoy her body—even with a kiss—defiles the purity from which she was created. Take care of your origins; for your origins are composed of the most pure elements.
The dust was soaked with water, and then turned into clay.
* The Third Stage: Sticky Clay
The clay started to be more compact, until it became sticky, adhesive, and thick. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Verily, We created them of sticky clay.” (TMQ, As-Saffat: 11). What is the meaning of “sticky”? It means that it is an adhesive mixture of clay that is easy to be shaped. What is the value of this stage? It is to show the meaning that you have strength and cohesion in your creation. Sometimes, one may feel that he is alone, lost, and has no aim in life. You are created from “sticky clay”, so do not scatter yourself. The meaning of stickiness is united. When a person is far from Allah (SWT), he becomes lost and scattered. Without Allah, your heart becomes scattered, dispersed, and alone. You must get exhausted, because the entire universe goes in the direction of Allah (SWT), while you go in the opposite direction. The “sticky clay” basically means that you have cohesion and unity. Some people, who are away from Allah (SWT), feel that they are nothing, and that they have no existence as if they are mere air, while you are created from a mixture of sticky clay; you are not scattered. The clay clung together and became easy to be shaped.
* The Forth Stage: molding and shaping
At this stage, Adam (PBUH) is now sticky clay, which is easy to be shaped. Then Allah (SWT) molded him with His Hands. There is no God, but Allah (SWT). Do you feel submission and humility to Allah (SWT)? Adam (PBUH) was molded by the Hands of Allah (SWT)! Then a question might be raised; what is the evidence for this? It is in what Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “(Allah) said: “O Iblis (Satan)! What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands? Are you too proud (to fall prostrate to Adam) or are you one of the high exalted?”“ (TMQ, Saad: 75). Adam (PBUH) was created by the Hands of Allah (SWT). Do not ask how, and do not try to find either a resemblance or an embodiment of this action, but rather say, “There is nothing like Him.” The meaning itself that our father Adam (PBUH) was created by the Hands of Allah (SWT) is enough. Are you going to submit to Allah (SWT) or not?
The creatures, which are created with the noble Hands of Allah (SWT), must remain pure. Say to yourself what you would not say to Allah (SWT), who created our father with His Hands, “I am free, I will not wear a scarf, I will not pray, or I will not be kind to my parents since I am not convinced about this!”. Do you feel Allah’s (SWT) affection for you? This is the meaning; the one who creates something with his hands makes it as evidence of his love for this thing. Perceive your value to Allah (SWT); for we are dear to Allah (SWT). So how can we dare disobey Allah (SWT) after all this?
Listen to the Hadith Qudsi. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “O’ son of Adam, I created you with My Hands, and brought you up with My blessings, while you defy Me and disobey Me. If you repent afterwards, I will accept you. So where you can find a God like Me, the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving.” Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allâh” (TMQ, An-Nahl: 53). We are created by the Hands of Allah (SWT).
* The Fifth Stage: Drying the pottery clay
After these stages of creation (the dust was soaked with water and became clay, then the clay was compounded and became cohesive clay ready to be shaped, then Allah (SWT) molded it with His Hands, so it became a potter’s clay), the potter’s clay was left to dry, so its color was changed because of the influence of the winds. Look at our origin, how weak it was! How dare we to disobey Allah (SWT)? When the clay was wet, then it was exposed to the winds, its color changed and became like “dried clay of altered mud”. What is “dried clay of altered mud”? It is a kind of clay, the color of which changed to a lighter shade of black as a result of leaving it for some time to dry. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud.” (TMQ, Al Hijr: 26). This emphasizes our weakness before Allah (SWT).
* The Sixth Stage: Sounding Clay
When the clay dried, it became hollow; it had an internal cavity (the cavity of the mouth). Therefore, it became like the clay of pottery, which is hollow, dry clay that makes a sound when it is tapped. Thus, Adam (PBUH) was a figure of dry clay with an internal cavity for the soul to enter through it. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery” (TMQ, Ar-Rahman: 14). Did I not tell you that today’s lesson is called humility, resignation, and submission to Allah (SWT)?
Iblis (Satan) started to turn this body around and to hit it; then he found that it made a sound. Hence, there is no contradiction between the Ayat, for there are six stages of Adam’s (PBUH) creation: dust, clay, sticky clay, clay in the shape of a human being, dried clay of altered mud, and then sounding clay like the clay of pottery. By that time, Adam (PBUH) was a huge figure. He was left like that, while the soul had not yet been breathed into him. Why did Adam’s (PBUH) creation pass through all these stages? Was Allah (SWT) not able to say to it, ““Be!” - and it is.” (TMQ, Al Baqara: 117)? I think that the answer is easy. It is to realize how weak you are and how powerful Allah (SWT) is, to know your need for Him, and to feel that you are nothing without Him.
Did you see the miracle, which made the dust move [or come alive]? Allah (SWT) is able to do anything.
This leads us to the next stage; for Adam (PBUH), by that time, was a huge figure made of hollow clay, while the soul had not been breathed into him yet. How long did he remain a body without a soul? People said a period of time. Some Hadith narrated by Al-Tabarany on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas inform us that he remained like this for 40 days. Why did he remain like this? To emphasize your weakness.
The Prophet (PBUH) said (Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim), “When Allah molded Adam, He left him in Paradise for sometime. Our original home is Paradise, since our father was created there. We have nothing to do with this world.” When I ask you about your homeland, you tell me it is Al-Mansoura, but I tell you that your homeland is your father’s homeland. The original homeland of your father is Paradise. You are a stranger in this world, and you came to this world for a prescribed mission, which is to prove that you are a servant of Allah, and you yearn to return to your original homeland. Adam was created in Paradise, although the dust he was created from was from the earth. The first things he saw were the blessings and the fruits of Paradise. I wonder that there are some people who never ask Allah to grant them Paradise throughout their lifetimes. I wonder about young boys and girls in this world who do not put Paradise as their most important goal in life. “When Allah (SWT) shaped Adam (PBUH) in Paradise, He left him there for sometime, then He made Iblis go around him and examine him. When Iblis saw that Adam (PBUH) was hollow, he realized that he cannot resist temptation, and that he can deceive him.” (Hadith narrated by Muslim)
I present this Hadith to you because Satan tries to examine every one of us. He looked at Adam (PBUH) examined him, and thought about how to enter his body when he was hollow, until he realized that his point of weakness is that he cannot control himself in the face of temptation. Satan examines every one of us, and he makes you love your point of weakness. He can make you blind to your point of weakness for twenty years, so you may repeat the same mistake for twenty years without noticing this, because he has examined you and knows your weakest point. This point of weakness has only one solution mentioned in the Qur’an. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves…” (TMQ, Al Hijr: 42). Satan turns around you (as he did with your father [Adam]) trying to determine your point of weakness, for he actually knows the weakest point in every one of us. For example, someone may have his point of weakness in his friends, who deceive him, or in some one who introduces him to forbidden things. The only solution is to seek refuge and help from Allah (SWT), to come close to Allah (SWT), and to ask Him to save you from the deeds of Satan.
Adam (PBUH) remained in this stage for long period of time (40 years or 40 days). This is what is meant by what Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Has there not been over man a period of time, when he was not a thing worth mentioning?” (TMQ, Al-Insân: 1). Allah (SWT) directs a question to us, have we ever been something worthless, or was it Man who originated the universe? The answer to the first part is, Yes, Allah, we have been worthless for a period of time.
As I told you, Adam (PBUH) was a huge figure made of hollow clay, and was left in Paradise. Now, a great thing will happen. I would like you to try to imagine this while I am telling it to you. It is the greatest thing Allah (SWT) did; it is breathing the soul into Adam’s body (PBUH). Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me, then you fall down prostrate to him.” (TMQ, Saad: 72).
My brothers and sisters, do we notice this breath inside us? You have a Heavenly breath inside you. You were created from two pure elements; dust and water, then Allah (SWT) did not only mold you with His own Hands; but He also breathed His soul into you. In this Ayah, there are three manifestations of honor for Man. The first one is “fashioned him”, which means that Allah (SWT) formed Adam (PBUH) in the most noble shape. The second is that Allah (SWT) breathed His soul into Adam (PBUH), and the third one is that all the angels prostrated to him. Do you want a better evaluation than this? Do you believe that Allah (SWT) likes this creature? Do you still not believe that you are noble and dear to Allah (SWT)? How can He be generous to you to this great extent, while you still do not want to love Him and do not yearn for Him? How can you defile this pure breath inside you? It is a breath from Allah (SWT). Of course, it is a formless breath, and we know nothing about it, and we do not ask about it, but we, rather, leave its knowledge to Allah (SWT). It is a Divine breath from Allah (SWT). You have purity inside you, but can you imagine its value when you contaminate it? How dare you hurt this pure breath by taking drugs or smoking cigarettes? How can some youth dare to insult each other, how can you eat bad or forbidden things, how can you earn money by unlawful means? How did you not respect this great breath?
You are noble and dear to Allah (SWT). I will tell you some Hadith Qudsi, in which Allah (SWT) shows His affection for you, and His desire that you should be close to Him. I will narrate to you some of them to stir you.
Allah (SWT) said in Hadith Qudsi, “I, mankind, and Jinn are in an odd situation; I create, and they worship others. I give and they thank others. My blessings go down to them and their evils come up to Me. I kindly offer them My mercy despite that I am in no need of them. They are fighting Me with sins while they are in pitiable need of Me. Those who are praising Me, are My servants. So, whoever wants to be one of My servants just celebrate My praises. Those who obey Me, are those whom I love. And those who disobey Me, I never exclude them from My Mercy. If they repent, I grant them My love, and if they refuse to repent, I will cure their hearts by afflictions until they are purified from defects. The good deed in My accounts equals ten and more, and the evil deed in My account equals one and I forgive. I swear with My Glory and Honor, if they ask for forgiveness I'll forgive them. Whoever repents and comes to Me, I will receive him though he is far away. And whoever turns back, I will call him closely telling him, ‘O’ My slave where are you going? Do you have any other God?’”
Allah (SWT) inspired Dawud (David), “O’ Dawud, if the reluctant persons would know My yearning for their return, My desire for their repentance, and my wish for forgiving them; they would ache for Me. O’ Dawud, [if] this is my desire for the reluctant persons, then what about My affection for the willing ones?” Look to His affection for us, his generosity, and his longing for us!
1) TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.
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The prominent concept that comes into my mind whenever I talk about Adam’s creation (PBUH) is the submission to Allah (SWT). Hence, your heart must essentially feel—when you listen to the process of the creation of Adam (our father)(PBUH)—how weak and needy you are between the Hands of Allah (SWT), and that you have no other God but Him (SWT). So, let us start with how Adam (PBUH) was created.
You read in the Qur’an—in different Ayat (verses)—that Adam (PBUH) was created from “dust”, “clay”, “sticky clay”, “dried clay”, “dried clay of altered mud”, or “sounding clay like the clay of pottery”, then what is the conclusion, and from which material was Adam (PBUH) created? Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Verily, the likeness of ‘Isa (Jesus) before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: “Be!” - and he was.” (TMQ, Al Imran: 59) (1).
But look at another Ayah, “(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels: 'Truly I am going to create man from clay'.” (Surat Saad: 71), then He added in another Ayah, “Verily, We created them of a sticky clay.” (TMQ, As Saffat: 11).
What does all this mean? Was he created from dust or clay? Allah (Exalted and Glorious) also says what can be translated as, “And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud.” (Surat Al Hijr: 26), then He said in another Ayah what can be translated as, “He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery.” (TMQ, Ar-Rahman: 14).
Actually, Adam (PBUH) was created from all these materials through the various stages of the process of his creation. Each stage led to the next one, until his creation was completed. So now, let us start step by step to point out why Allah (SWT) made him undergo all these stages. Adam (PBUH) passed through six stages in the course of his creation, so let us benefit from this presentation, for Allah (SWT) coveys a message to us, and teaches us a lesson in each stage.
* The First Stage: Dust
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Allah created Adam from a handful of dust taken from different lands, so the children of Adam have been created according to the composition of the land. Therefore, from mankind we have white, red, black and yellow ones; we have good and evil, ease and sorrow, and what comes in between them.” (Sahih Bukhari and At-Tirmidhi), and in another narration, he (PBUH) said “Allah the Almighty sent Gabriel onto the earth to get Him a handful of dust taken from different lands. Therefore, the children of Adam have been created according to the composition of the land.” What does this mean? The characteristics of people are different because they were created from various heaps of dust taken from all over the world; so there are red, white, and black people, and there are easy and hard-hearted, evil and good persons. This Hadith shows us that our beginning was from a heap of dust, taken from different parts of the earth. That is the reason men have different colors. People have different colors—red, black, white, yellow—like the different colors of dust, and different natures, too. A good person, who comes close to Allah (SWT), once he hears the message, is like good fertile ground. An evil person who insists on wickedness and returns to it, even if you preach to him and help him several times, is like evil land. A hardhearted person who can never feel tenderness is like hard land that is full of thorns, and a kind person whom you love easily is like smooth land.
So, we want to look back at our origin, and realize that we were nothing. We were made of dust, so Glory be to Allah who made the dust speak, think, sail on the water, go up to the sky, and explore space. Glory be to Allah who turned the dust into human beings who move on the earth.
The concept I want to emphasize is how can you--Son of Adam--disobey Allah (SWT)? How can the dust say ‘No’ to the orders of Allah? How can you commit adultery, drink wine, or refuse to pray the prayers at their prescribed times, which is the most desirable work to Allah (SWT)? How can this heap of dust, which is turned into a human being, refuse to follow the orders of Allah (SWT)? Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Be cursed (the disbelieving) man! How ungrateful he is! From what thing did He create him? From Nutfah (male and female fluids) He created him and then set him in due proportion. Then He makes the Path easy for him. Then He causes him to die and puts him in his grave. Then when it is His Will, He will resurrect him (again).” (TMQ, ‘Abasa: 17-22). Don't you feel how weak and needy you are? Actually, the aim of this lesson is to learn submission, as if I am teaching you a lesson about the value of submission to Allah (SWT); not about the stories of the prophets. This is the understanding I want you to get from it.
My brothers, we were first created from dust. Listen to the Divine Hadith (Hadith Qudsi). Allah (SWT) said, “The one who humbles himself to Me like this (and the Prophet (PBUH) lowered the palm of his hand till it reached the floor), I would elevate him as far as this (and the prophet (PBUH) kept raising his hand so high towards the sky)”.
This was about our creation from dust. How needy and weak we are! Adam (PBUH) was called ‘Adam’ because he was created from the ‘Adeem’ (the dust) of the earth. This is to make us always related to the dust, and to remember that we are from dust whenever Allah (SWT) says, “O’ sons of Adam”. We are the descendents of Adam, who is from dust. This is the first stage of our creation.
Now, do you still insist on your disobedience to the orders of Allah (SWT), even after you knew that you are from dust, and that you are made to speak by the orders of Allah (SWT)?
* The Second Stage: the Clay
The dust was soaked with water, so it became clay. (See how very poor we are!). This is the meaning of what Allah (SWT) says to the Angels and can be translated as, “(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels: “Truly I am going to create man from clay”. (TMQ, Saad: 71). Why did Allah (SWT) choose these two elements (dust and water) to start Adam’s creation (PBUH)? Why did He not choose iron, for example? This is not only to humble ourselves before Allah (SWT), but it has another beautiful meaning.
The main function of dust and water is purification, cleanliness, and bathing. There is no purification without water. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “The earth has been made for me a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum (dry ablution with dust, when water is not available).” As if Allah (SWT) wants to say to us that our origin is pure and clean, since we are created of the purest elements on the earth. So, be aware of contaminating this purity. For those people who watch forbidden and disgraceful satellite channels, or those who visit immoral sites on the internet, why do you pollute this purity inside you? By doing this, a person imagines that all women and men are wicked, and that the origin of mankind is filth. This is absolutely wrong. We are created from dust and water to realize that we are pure and clean.
Compare these meanings with the meanings of the Western civilization, which perceives Man as a ‘bad insect’. There is an international Western scholar who said, “Man is a malignant insect, which lives among the garbage of life.” Can you imagine that he said such a thing, although he is an international scholar? We must not defile the purity from which we were made.
The one who used to commit adultery contaminates the most virtuous thing in himself. The one who abuses drugs defiles the purest soul inside him. Just like a person who throws junk in the water and pollutes it, would you drink it? Man is the one who defiles himself, and pollutes the dust and the water from which he was created, so he makes people hate to deal with him and with the pure things he was created from. I hope that this meaning can convey my message to you.
I hope that everyone can realize the seriousness of becoming used to committing adultery and other similar sins. The girl who boldly allows a man to enjoy her body—even with a kiss—defiles the purity from which she was created. Take care of your origins; for your origins are composed of the most pure elements.
The dust was soaked with water, and then turned into clay.
* The Third Stage: Sticky Clay
The clay started to be more compact, until it became sticky, adhesive, and thick. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Verily, We created them of sticky clay.” (TMQ, As-Saffat: 11). What is the meaning of “sticky”? It means that it is an adhesive mixture of clay that is easy to be shaped. What is the value of this stage? It is to show the meaning that you have strength and cohesion in your creation. Sometimes, one may feel that he is alone, lost, and has no aim in life. You are created from “sticky clay”, so do not scatter yourself. The meaning of stickiness is united. When a person is far from Allah (SWT), he becomes lost and scattered. Without Allah, your heart becomes scattered, dispersed, and alone. You must get exhausted, because the entire universe goes in the direction of Allah (SWT), while you go in the opposite direction. The “sticky clay” basically means that you have cohesion and unity. Some people, who are away from Allah (SWT), feel that they are nothing, and that they have no existence as if they are mere air, while you are created from a mixture of sticky clay; you are not scattered. The clay clung together and became easy to be shaped.
* The Forth Stage: molding and shaping
At this stage, Adam (PBUH) is now sticky clay, which is easy to be shaped. Then Allah (SWT) molded him with His Hands. There is no God, but Allah (SWT). Do you feel submission and humility to Allah (SWT)? Adam (PBUH) was molded by the Hands of Allah (SWT)! Then a question might be raised; what is the evidence for this? It is in what Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “(Allah) said: “O Iblis (Satan)! What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands? Are you too proud (to fall prostrate to Adam) or are you one of the high exalted?”“ (TMQ, Saad: 75). Adam (PBUH) was created by the Hands of Allah (SWT). Do not ask how, and do not try to find either a resemblance or an embodiment of this action, but rather say, “There is nothing like Him.” The meaning itself that our father Adam (PBUH) was created by the Hands of Allah (SWT) is enough. Are you going to submit to Allah (SWT) or not?
The creatures, which are created with the noble Hands of Allah (SWT), must remain pure. Say to yourself what you would not say to Allah (SWT), who created our father with His Hands, “I am free, I will not wear a scarf, I will not pray, or I will not be kind to my parents since I am not convinced about this!”. Do you feel Allah’s (SWT) affection for you? This is the meaning; the one who creates something with his hands makes it as evidence of his love for this thing. Perceive your value to Allah (SWT); for we are dear to Allah (SWT). So how can we dare disobey Allah (SWT) after all this?
Listen to the Hadith Qudsi. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “O’ son of Adam, I created you with My Hands, and brought you up with My blessings, while you defy Me and disobey Me. If you repent afterwards, I will accept you. So where you can find a God like Me, the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving.” Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And whatever of blessings and good things you have, it is from Allâh” (TMQ, An-Nahl: 53). We are created by the Hands of Allah (SWT).
* The Fifth Stage: Drying the pottery clay
After these stages of creation (the dust was soaked with water and became clay, then the clay was compounded and became cohesive clay ready to be shaped, then Allah (SWT) molded it with His Hands, so it became a potter’s clay), the potter’s clay was left to dry, so its color was changed because of the influence of the winds. Look at our origin, how weak it was! How dare we to disobey Allah (SWT)? When the clay was wet, then it was exposed to the winds, its color changed and became like “dried clay of altered mud”. What is “dried clay of altered mud”? It is a kind of clay, the color of which changed to a lighter shade of black as a result of leaving it for some time to dry. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud.” (TMQ, Al Hijr: 26). This emphasizes our weakness before Allah (SWT).
* The Sixth Stage: Sounding Clay
When the clay dried, it became hollow; it had an internal cavity (the cavity of the mouth). Therefore, it became like the clay of pottery, which is hollow, dry clay that makes a sound when it is tapped. Thus, Adam (PBUH) was a figure of dry clay with an internal cavity for the soul to enter through it. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery” (TMQ, Ar-Rahman: 14). Did I not tell you that today’s lesson is called humility, resignation, and submission to Allah (SWT)?
Iblis (Satan) started to turn this body around and to hit it; then he found that it made a sound. Hence, there is no contradiction between the Ayat, for there are six stages of Adam’s (PBUH) creation: dust, clay, sticky clay, clay in the shape of a human being, dried clay of altered mud, and then sounding clay like the clay of pottery. By that time, Adam (PBUH) was a huge figure. He was left like that, while the soul had not yet been breathed into him. Why did Adam’s (PBUH) creation pass through all these stages? Was Allah (SWT) not able to say to it, ““Be!” - and it is.” (TMQ, Al Baqara: 117)? I think that the answer is easy. It is to realize how weak you are and how powerful Allah (SWT) is, to know your need for Him, and to feel that you are nothing without Him.
Did you see the miracle, which made the dust move [or come alive]? Allah (SWT) is able to do anything.
This leads us to the next stage; for Adam (PBUH), by that time, was a huge figure made of hollow clay, while the soul had not been breathed into him yet. How long did he remain a body without a soul? People said a period of time. Some Hadith narrated by Al-Tabarany on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas inform us that he remained like this for 40 days. Why did he remain like this? To emphasize your weakness.
The Prophet (PBUH) said (Hadith narrated by Imam Muslim), “When Allah molded Adam, He left him in Paradise for sometime. Our original home is Paradise, since our father was created there. We have nothing to do with this world.” When I ask you about your homeland, you tell me it is Al-Mansoura, but I tell you that your homeland is your father’s homeland. The original homeland of your father is Paradise. You are a stranger in this world, and you came to this world for a prescribed mission, which is to prove that you are a servant of Allah, and you yearn to return to your original homeland. Adam was created in Paradise, although the dust he was created from was from the earth. The first things he saw were the blessings and the fruits of Paradise. I wonder that there are some people who never ask Allah to grant them Paradise throughout their lifetimes. I wonder about young boys and girls in this world who do not put Paradise as their most important goal in life. “When Allah (SWT) shaped Adam (PBUH) in Paradise, He left him there for sometime, then He made Iblis go around him and examine him. When Iblis saw that Adam (PBUH) was hollow, he realized that he cannot resist temptation, and that he can deceive him.” (Hadith narrated by Muslim)
I present this Hadith to you because Satan tries to examine every one of us. He looked at Adam (PBUH) examined him, and thought about how to enter his body when he was hollow, until he realized that his point of weakness is that he cannot control himself in the face of temptation. Satan examines every one of us, and he makes you love your point of weakness. He can make you blind to your point of weakness for twenty years, so you may repeat the same mistake for twenty years without noticing this, because he has examined you and knows your weakest point. This point of weakness has only one solution mentioned in the Qur’an. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves…” (TMQ, Al Hijr: 42). Satan turns around you (as he did with your father [Adam]) trying to determine your point of weakness, for he actually knows the weakest point in every one of us. For example, someone may have his point of weakness in his friends, who deceive him, or in some one who introduces him to forbidden things. The only solution is to seek refuge and help from Allah (SWT), to come close to Allah (SWT), and to ask Him to save you from the deeds of Satan.
Adam (PBUH) remained in this stage for long period of time (40 years or 40 days). This is what is meant by what Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Has there not been over man a period of time, when he was not a thing worth mentioning?” (TMQ, Al-Insân: 1). Allah (SWT) directs a question to us, have we ever been something worthless, or was it Man who originated the universe? The answer to the first part is, Yes, Allah, we have been worthless for a period of time.
As I told you, Adam (PBUH) was a huge figure made of hollow clay, and was left in Paradise. Now, a great thing will happen. I would like you to try to imagine this while I am telling it to you. It is the greatest thing Allah (SWT) did; it is breathing the soul into Adam’s body (PBUH). Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me, then you fall down prostrate to him.” (TMQ, Saad: 72).
My brothers and sisters, do we notice this breath inside us? You have a Heavenly breath inside you. You were created from two pure elements; dust and water, then Allah (SWT) did not only mold you with His own Hands; but He also breathed His soul into you. In this Ayah, there are three manifestations of honor for Man. The first one is “fashioned him”, which means that Allah (SWT) formed Adam (PBUH) in the most noble shape. The second is that Allah (SWT) breathed His soul into Adam (PBUH), and the third one is that all the angels prostrated to him. Do you want a better evaluation than this? Do you believe that Allah (SWT) likes this creature? Do you still not believe that you are noble and dear to Allah (SWT)? How can He be generous to you to this great extent, while you still do not want to love Him and do not yearn for Him? How can you defile this pure breath inside you? It is a breath from Allah (SWT). Of course, it is a formless breath, and we know nothing about it, and we do not ask about it, but we, rather, leave its knowledge to Allah (SWT). It is a Divine breath from Allah (SWT). You have purity inside you, but can you imagine its value when you contaminate it? How dare you hurt this pure breath by taking drugs or smoking cigarettes? How can some youth dare to insult each other, how can you eat bad or forbidden things, how can you earn money by unlawful means? How did you not respect this great breath?
You are noble and dear to Allah (SWT). I will tell you some Hadith Qudsi, in which Allah (SWT) shows His affection for you, and His desire that you should be close to Him. I will narrate to you some of them to stir you.
Allah (SWT) said in Hadith Qudsi, “I, mankind, and Jinn are in an odd situation; I create, and they worship others. I give and they thank others. My blessings go down to them and their evils come up to Me. I kindly offer them My mercy despite that I am in no need of them. They are fighting Me with sins while they are in pitiable need of Me. Those who are praising Me, are My servants. So, whoever wants to be one of My servants just celebrate My praises. Those who obey Me, are those whom I love. And those who disobey Me, I never exclude them from My Mercy. If they repent, I grant them My love, and if they refuse to repent, I will cure their hearts by afflictions until they are purified from defects. The good deed in My accounts equals ten and more, and the evil deed in My account equals one and I forgive. I swear with My Glory and Honor, if they ask for forgiveness I'll forgive them. Whoever repents and comes to Me, I will receive him though he is far away. And whoever turns back, I will call him closely telling him, ‘O’ My slave where are you going? Do you have any other God?’”
Allah (SWT) inspired Dawud (David), “O’ Dawud, if the reluctant persons would know My yearning for their return, My desire for their repentance, and my wish for forgiving them; they would ache for Me. O’ Dawud, [if] this is my desire for the reluctant persons, then what about My affection for the willing ones?” Look to His affection for us, his generosity, and his longing for us!
1) TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.
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The Creation of Adam - Part 3
We stopped last time at the prostration of all the angels to Adam (AS) except Shaytan who refused to prostrate.
Before we start there are some questions:
* Is Shaytan a jinn or an angel?
"And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ And they prostrated except Iblîs (Satan)". (TMQ, 2:34) (1).
It might be thought that Shaytan is an angel, but this is not true. The scholars have all agreed on that Shaytan is not an angel. After the creation of earth, the jinn inhabited it [entirely] until the angels drove them away to the islands and seas. Some of the jinn were evil, shedding blood and killing, while others obeyed Allah (SWT). Shaytan was one of those obedient jinn, hence, the angels took him to Heaven where he worshipped Allah (SWT) and he was completely devoted to Him; Shaytan left no place in Heaven where he did not prostrate to Allah (SWT). (Isra’iliyat) (2). However, deep inside him there was something impure, which Allah (SWT) knew well but kept it for a reason that only He knows.
Shaytan is not an angel and this can be proven in the Holy Qur’an, in Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave) through an undisputed verse, that can be translated as, “And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto Adam." So they prostrated themselves except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord.” (TMQ, 18:50).
* If Shaytan is a jinni, why was he ordered with the angels to prostrate?
Allah (SWT) ordered the angels and not the jinn, so why would Shaytan be punished for not prostrating? In fact, the order was directed to him. It is true that the order was given to the angels, but because he was in the company of the angels for a long time and he was living with them, Shaytan was also included [in this order].
When Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands" (TMQ, 38:75). Shaytan did not reply "O Allah! You did not command me". He rather replied, "I am better than he." Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?" (TMQ, 7:12), which proves that Allah (SWT) ordered him as well as He ordered the angels.
* Sometimes Allah (SWT) calls the devil "Iblis" and sometimes “Satan” (shaytan). Is he called Iblis or Satan? Or are the two names the same?
His real name is Iblis but the origin of the word "devil" (shaytan) in the Arabic language is (shaytan) that means “deviate or stray from”. Iblis deviated from Allah's (SWT) path; he strayed far from Allah's (SWT) commands, from obeying Him, from repentance and from Paradise (Jannah). This is why he is called "Shaytan". For that reason, the devil is called "Iblis" and is described as the devil "Shaytan". Hence, beware of devilish traits and of going astray from Allah's (SWT) commands, because this might lead you to carry the traits and characteristics of Shaytan.
* What is the difference between the word shayateen (devils, pl. of shaytan) and jinn?
Devils are the disobedient jinn: the disobedient, unbelieving, dissolute jinn are called shayateen. Therefore, every devil is a jinn but not every jinn is a devil.
* Why did Shaytan/Iblis refuse to prostrate to Adam (PBUH)?
His point of view is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, in Surat Al-A'raf (chapter of "The Heights"), can be translated as, "What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?" Iblis said: "I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay." (Allah) said: "(O Iblis) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced." (TMQ, 7:12-13). The reason that Allah (SWT) has mentioned is Pride or Arrogance. In the chapter of Sad, Allah—be He Exalted and Glorified—says what can be translated as, "(Allah) said: "O Iblis! What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands. Are you too proud (to fall prostrate to Adam) or are you one of the high exalted?" (Iblis) said: "I am better than he. You created me from fire, and You created him from clay." (TMQ, 38:75-76). Therefore, whenever you feel that you are excessively proud of yourself, beware of this devilish trait. Arrogance was the first sin committed since Adam's (PBUH) creation; paradise is forbidden for the Arrogant. Allah (SWT) says to Shaytan, the first creature committing that sin, what can be translated as, "get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here" (TMQ, 7:13). The Prophet (PBUH) says, "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise.” (Muslim)
Following are the types of Arrogance. Try to discern if your heart carries any type of these or not.
The first type of Arrogance is being unjust with people; holding them in contempt, and oppressing them. I am afraid that a person might treat a servant at home this way; the leader or manager might do that with his employees; or the youth with people who are less fortunate or less intelligent. Showing contempt for people and belittling their social level represents a kind of arrogance.
The second type of Arrogance is strutting around [or showing off]. For example, when a woman walks in a way that shows off her beauty, and the one who wears a suit and feels that he is better than everybody. I do not mean we should not wear suits. The Prophet (PBUH) says, "Allah is beautiful and admires beauty" (Muslim). Hence, you can wear whatever you like but do not show off and think that people are lower than you. The Prophet (PBUH) says, "A man strutted around, wearing his long robe, and admiring himself a lot, and Allah caused the earth to sink with him, thus such the man is in torture until the Day of Judgment” (Bukhari, Muslim)
The third type of Arrogance is refusing to accept any advice and refusing to get back to the right path even if you know the way to it. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "And when it is said to him, "Fear Allah", he is led by arrogance to (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest!" (TMQ, 2:206).
The fourth type of Arrogance is the love of having people humiliated and making them submit. Some husbands treat their wives this way and humiliate them. The Prophet (PBUH) says that such people have their places in Hell.
The fifth type of Arrogance is to stop praying. If one says, "I want to pray but I cannot", this is the major proof of his Pride. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!" (TMQ, 40:60). The person who demands nothing from Allah (SWT), and who stays one week without raising his hands asking Allah (SWT) to grant him what he needs is proud and arrogant.
Let’s go back to Shaytan’s excessive pride, which led him to think ignorantly. He says, addressing Allah (SWT), what can be translated as, "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom You did create from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape.” (TMQ, 15:33). His point of view is that fire is stronger and higher in status than clay, so how is it possible that the stronger and higher prostrates to the weaker and the lower? His pride rendered him blind in front of the truth. The nature of fire is burning, while the nature of clay is goodness, blessing and feeding people. The nature of fire is violence and recklessness, while the nature of clay is firmness and stability. Although the fire has some benefits, there is evil inherent within. As for clay; it cannot bear evil since it is full of benefits. Can you see how Allah (SWT) has been so generous in our creation? Sometimes we do exactly as Shaytan did with regard to this point and we misunderstand while making comparisons. For example, we leave boys and girls to mix freely as they want, because if we separate them they will be repressed and they will miss each other. Sometimes we follow the Shaytan and start thinking that we can leave the boys and girls to have free relations with each other so they won’t have any suppression later on. This is the way we think sometimes, right? Nevertheless, you have to avoid this devilish thinking and realize the consequences. Notice what happened in the West, where lust is everywhere and open to everyone, until people started heading into perversions. Limiting the relationships between boys and girls to marriage helps to maintain the pure instinct, which in turn keeps the human desire burning after marriage rather than destroying it before marriage and corrupting man.
Back to Shaytan when he says what can be translated as, "You have created me" (TMQ, 38:76). Here he admitted Allah’s (SWT) creation. In another verse he swears by Allah’s (SWT) glory "by Your glory" as he admits Allah's (SWT) glory and in a third verse that can be translated as, "Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected" (TMQ, 7:14). Thus, Shaytan did not deny that Allah (SWT) is the Creator but his problem was being disobedient (Allah (SWT) is our God, but has no right to say “do that” and “don’t do that”). He considered that obeying Allah (SWT) and His creation of us are two different issues; that Allah (SWT) has created us but we wander about in the world as we like. This is not true. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment…" (TMQ, 7:54). Thus He who creates, orders as well. Beware of falling into that mistake of separating between creation and obedience. Another verse clarifies what can be translated as, "It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision". (TMQ, 33:36).
Islam is the name of our religion, which means submission to Allah (SWT) and to his orders. Being a Muslim means being submissive to Allah (SWT). Shaytan's problem is that he has not submitted to Allah (SWT), although he is fully aware of Allah’s (SWT) glory and that Allah (SWT) is the only Creator. Is any one suffering from such a problem? The problem is not in disobeying but the problem is in saying “No” to disobedience and rejecting sins.
Has Shaytan stopped at this extent? No, but he declared war on Adam (PBUH). Read Surat Al-Araf (chapter of “The Heights”) verses 11-13, and always remember that Shaytan is your enemy. “And surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape (the noble shape of a human being); then We told the angels, "Prostrate yourselves to Adam", and they prostrated themselves, except Iblis (Satan), he refused to be of those who prostrated themselves. Allah) said: "What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?" Iblis said: "I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay." (Allah) said: "(O Iblis) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced." (TMQ, 7:11-13).
Also declare to Allah (SWT) that Shaytan is your archenemy. “Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his followers so that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.” (TMQ, 35:6).
The Holy Qur’an displays Shaytan's point of view and gives him the chance to express it freely. But Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "(O Iblis) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced." (TMQ, 7:13) The word “humiliated” (saghereen) in the verse is derived from the word “the smallest” (as-ghar) in Arabic, which is the opposite of “the biggest” (akbar) [the root form of the word “arrogant” (takkabar)]. The verse conveys that anyone who behaves arrogantly on earth is doomed to be humiliated and disgraced by Allah (SWT). Thus, if you become proud, you will be humiliated and belittled and will be crushed by people's feet on the Day of Judgment.
The verse following these verses, can be translated as, "Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected” (TMQ, 7:14), shows that he will stay alive until the Day of Judgment. This means that his enmity and hatred is directed to every human being, not only Adam (PBUH). Can you realize how much he hates the human race? He prayed to Allah (SWT) to keep him alive until the Resurrection Day. Allah (SWT) agreed and responded to his request, "You are of those given respite." (TMQ, 7:15). One of the generation following the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Don't be deceived with your vices or defects. Allah has responded to the prayers of the most evil creature (Shaytan), so wouldn't He respond to yours and accept them?"
In the next verse, Shaytan says, what can be translated as, "(Iblis) said: "Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path" (TMQ, 7:16). Do you perceive Shaytan’s rudeness in addressing Allah (SWT) when saying that Allah (SWT) has sent him astray? Allah forbid!
Some people do that; they say, “ What can I do? Allah did this to me! If Allah had rightly guided me, I would have been on the right way; I wanted to be good, but Allah has put me with the company bad friends, and so I got lost!” Beware of that impudence with Allah (SWT).
Shaytan says to Allah (SWT) that he won't go to those who always go nightclubs, but I will lie in wait for anyone who walks in Your path and I will spoil it, taking him away from that path. Thus, Shaytan saves all his efforts for the believers and does not care much about the disobedient. The more the number of believers’ increases, the more he becomes tired. Ibn al-‘Abbas said that someone came to him and told him that the Jews had claimed that Shaytan did not whisper evil to them during their prayers. Why would Shaytan whisper evil to them when their prayer is mainly false?
Hence, the more you go along the right path, the more Shaytan lurks there waiting for you. Such is the battle between you and Shaytan, and when it gets fiercer with the depth and power of your belief, he will gather his soldiers against you. Will you give up, get weak and lose the battle?
In the next verse that can be translated as, "Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones." (TMQ, 7:17). Shaytan mentions four directions (right-left-back-front) while originally there are 6 directions. He did not mention the direction where the person prostrates to Allah while praying (down below), and the direction that is opened for the prayers and set as an outlet for Allah’s (SWT) mercy to people (from above).
One of the most serious methods of misguidance that Shaytan uses is making us discontent with Allah's (SWT) grace. Allah (SWT) has warned us from this in the Holy Qur’an by saying what can be translated as, “You will not find most of them as thankful ones", because when we feel thankful to Allah (SWT) we will continue worshipping and loving Him. Shaytan tries hard to make us forget Allah's (SWT) blessings. Beware of forgetting Allah's (SWT) blessings and graces. Allah (SWT) has sent the whole chapter of Quraysh in the Holy Qur’an to show the danger of forgetting Allah's (SWT) grace: “(It is a great Grace from Allah) for the protection of the Quraysh, (We cause) the (Quraysh) caravans to set forth safely in winter and in summer, So let them worship (Allah) the Lord of this House (the Ka’ba in Makkah), (He) Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear." (TMQ, 106:1-4).
Allah (SWT) says in Surat An-Nisaa (chapter “The Women”) what can be translated as, "Allah cursed him. And he [Shaytan] said: "I will take an appointed portion of your slaves." (TMQ, 4:118). Do you see how Shaytan speaks about us? He wants us to be lost. “Verily, I will mislead them, and surely, I will arouse in them false desires” (TMQ, 4:119). He whispers evil to the youth, and beautifies sins before their eyes, like secret marriage, disobeying parents, ignoring studies, as well as luring girls to take off their Hijab on their wedding days. “…and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah." (TMQ, 4:119), like the modern hairstyles and dyes, and guys wearing earrings. “And whoever takes Shaytan as a Wali (protector or helper) instead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss. He (Shaytan) makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaytan’s promises are nothing but deceptions. The dwelling of such (people) is Hell, and they will find no way of escape from it.” (TMQ, 4:119-121).
Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al-Israa (the Night Journey) what can be translated as: "And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto Adam." They prostrated themselves except Iblis. He said: "Shall I prostrate myself to one whom You created from clay?" (Iblis) said: "See this one whom You have honored above me, if You give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!" (TMQ, 17:61-62). Can you sense Shaytan’s hatred and rudeness? The Arabic word used (ahtanekan) and translated into “seize”, came from the word (hanak) that means mouth or jaw. This means that he will put the bridle around your mouth, exactly like putting the bridle around the jaw of an animal. Has he succeeded in putting the bridle around your mouth? Have you taken the bridle off? Read the Holy Qur’an with all your heart, "(Allah) said, "Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely Hell will be the recompense of you (all) - an ample recompense." (TMQ, 17:63). Any one who accepts your bridle deserves to go to hell with the devils.
"And befool them gradually, those whom you can among them, with your voice; make assaults on them with your cavalry and your infantry; share with them wealth and children, and make promises to them." But Satan promises them nothing but deceit." (TMQ, 17:64). This verse shows the battle between Shaytan and us: he starts calling and asking his cavalry, soldiers from mankind or from jinn. It is the same voice he uses when he whispers suggestions of sexual excitement or for seeking ill-gotten gains in your ears. This is besides his sharing in your money by wasting it in useless things. As for youth, he urges them marry corrupted people and bring up devilish children. This is why you have to choose your spouse carefully so that Shaytan gets no share in your children.
Has Shaytan succeeded in carrying out his threats?
1. TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.
2. Editor’s note: Often, with the stories of the Biblical Prophets, the scholars have used Isra’iliyat—these are stories or explanations that came to us through Jews and Christians who accepted Islam. These stories are neither found in the Qur’an nor in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) but may come from the Bible or oral traditions. The Isra’iliyat are only used to add detail to the prophets’ stories if they do not contradict the Qur’an or Sunnah; cited in this text by (Isra’iliyat) or (Isr.)
AmrKhaled.net
Before we start there are some questions:
* Is Shaytan a jinn or an angel?
"And (remember) when We said to the angels: ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’ And they prostrated except Iblîs (Satan)". (TMQ, 2:34) (1).
It might be thought that Shaytan is an angel, but this is not true. The scholars have all agreed on that Shaytan is not an angel. After the creation of earth, the jinn inhabited it [entirely] until the angels drove them away to the islands and seas. Some of the jinn were evil, shedding blood and killing, while others obeyed Allah (SWT). Shaytan was one of those obedient jinn, hence, the angels took him to Heaven where he worshipped Allah (SWT) and he was completely devoted to Him; Shaytan left no place in Heaven where he did not prostrate to Allah (SWT). (Isra’iliyat) (2). However, deep inside him there was something impure, which Allah (SWT) knew well but kept it for a reason that only He knows.
Shaytan is not an angel and this can be proven in the Holy Qur’an, in Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave) through an undisputed verse, that can be translated as, “And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto Adam." So they prostrated themselves except Iblis (Satan). He was one of the jinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord.” (TMQ, 18:50).
* If Shaytan is a jinni, why was he ordered with the angels to prostrate?
Allah (SWT) ordered the angels and not the jinn, so why would Shaytan be punished for not prostrating? In fact, the order was directed to him. It is true that the order was given to the angels, but because he was in the company of the angels for a long time and he was living with them, Shaytan was also included [in this order].
When Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands" (TMQ, 38:75). Shaytan did not reply "O Allah! You did not command me". He rather replied, "I am better than he." Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?" (TMQ, 7:12), which proves that Allah (SWT) ordered him as well as He ordered the angels.
* Sometimes Allah (SWT) calls the devil "Iblis" and sometimes “Satan” (shaytan). Is he called Iblis or Satan? Or are the two names the same?
His real name is Iblis but the origin of the word "devil" (shaytan) in the Arabic language is (shaytan) that means “deviate or stray from”. Iblis deviated from Allah's (SWT) path; he strayed far from Allah's (SWT) commands, from obeying Him, from repentance and from Paradise (Jannah). This is why he is called "Shaytan". For that reason, the devil is called "Iblis" and is described as the devil "Shaytan". Hence, beware of devilish traits and of going astray from Allah's (SWT) commands, because this might lead you to carry the traits and characteristics of Shaytan.
* What is the difference between the word shayateen (devils, pl. of shaytan) and jinn?
Devils are the disobedient jinn: the disobedient, unbelieving, dissolute jinn are called shayateen. Therefore, every devil is a jinn but not every jinn is a devil.
* Why did Shaytan/Iblis refuse to prostrate to Adam (PBUH)?
His point of view is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, in Surat Al-A'raf (chapter of "The Heights"), can be translated as, "What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?" Iblis said: "I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay." (Allah) said: "(O Iblis) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced." (TMQ, 7:12-13). The reason that Allah (SWT) has mentioned is Pride or Arrogance. In the chapter of Sad, Allah—be He Exalted and Glorified—says what can be translated as, "(Allah) said: "O Iblis! What prevents you from prostrating yourself to one whom I have created with Both My Hands. Are you too proud (to fall prostrate to Adam) or are you one of the high exalted?" (Iblis) said: "I am better than he. You created me from fire, and You created him from clay." (TMQ, 38:75-76). Therefore, whenever you feel that you are excessively proud of yourself, beware of this devilish trait. Arrogance was the first sin committed since Adam's (PBUH) creation; paradise is forbidden for the Arrogant. Allah (SWT) says to Shaytan, the first creature committing that sin, what can be translated as, "get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here" (TMQ, 7:13). The Prophet (PBUH) says, "He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of pride shall not enter Paradise.” (Muslim)
Following are the types of Arrogance. Try to discern if your heart carries any type of these or not.
The first type of Arrogance is being unjust with people; holding them in contempt, and oppressing them. I am afraid that a person might treat a servant at home this way; the leader or manager might do that with his employees; or the youth with people who are less fortunate or less intelligent. Showing contempt for people and belittling their social level represents a kind of arrogance.
The second type of Arrogance is strutting around [or showing off]. For example, when a woman walks in a way that shows off her beauty, and the one who wears a suit and feels that he is better than everybody. I do not mean we should not wear suits. The Prophet (PBUH) says, "Allah is beautiful and admires beauty" (Muslim). Hence, you can wear whatever you like but do not show off and think that people are lower than you. The Prophet (PBUH) says, "A man strutted around, wearing his long robe, and admiring himself a lot, and Allah caused the earth to sink with him, thus such the man is in torture until the Day of Judgment” (Bukhari, Muslim)
The third type of Arrogance is refusing to accept any advice and refusing to get back to the right path even if you know the way to it. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "And when it is said to him, "Fear Allah", he is led by arrogance to (more) crime. So enough for him is Hell, and worst indeed is that place to rest!" (TMQ, 2:206).
The fourth type of Arrogance is the love of having people humiliated and making them submit. Some husbands treat their wives this way and humiliate them. The Prophet (PBUH) says that such people have their places in Hell.
The fifth type of Arrogance is to stop praying. If one says, "I want to pray but I cannot", this is the major proof of his Pride. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!" (TMQ, 40:60). The person who demands nothing from Allah (SWT), and who stays one week without raising his hands asking Allah (SWT) to grant him what he needs is proud and arrogant.
Let’s go back to Shaytan’s excessive pride, which led him to think ignorantly. He says, addressing Allah (SWT), what can be translated as, "I am not one to prostrate myself to man, whom You did create from sounding clay, from mud molded into shape.” (TMQ, 15:33). His point of view is that fire is stronger and higher in status than clay, so how is it possible that the stronger and higher prostrates to the weaker and the lower? His pride rendered him blind in front of the truth. The nature of fire is burning, while the nature of clay is goodness, blessing and feeding people. The nature of fire is violence and recklessness, while the nature of clay is firmness and stability. Although the fire has some benefits, there is evil inherent within. As for clay; it cannot bear evil since it is full of benefits. Can you see how Allah (SWT) has been so generous in our creation? Sometimes we do exactly as Shaytan did with regard to this point and we misunderstand while making comparisons. For example, we leave boys and girls to mix freely as they want, because if we separate them they will be repressed and they will miss each other. Sometimes we follow the Shaytan and start thinking that we can leave the boys and girls to have free relations with each other so they won’t have any suppression later on. This is the way we think sometimes, right? Nevertheless, you have to avoid this devilish thinking and realize the consequences. Notice what happened in the West, where lust is everywhere and open to everyone, until people started heading into perversions. Limiting the relationships between boys and girls to marriage helps to maintain the pure instinct, which in turn keeps the human desire burning after marriage rather than destroying it before marriage and corrupting man.
Back to Shaytan when he says what can be translated as, "You have created me" (TMQ, 38:76). Here he admitted Allah’s (SWT) creation. In another verse he swears by Allah’s (SWT) glory "by Your glory" as he admits Allah's (SWT) glory and in a third verse that can be translated as, "Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected" (TMQ, 7:14). Thus, Shaytan did not deny that Allah (SWT) is the Creator but his problem was being disobedient (Allah (SWT) is our God, but has no right to say “do that” and “don’t do that”). He considered that obeying Allah (SWT) and His creation of us are two different issues; that Allah (SWT) has created us but we wander about in the world as we like. This is not true. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment…" (TMQ, 7:54). Thus He who creates, orders as well. Beware of falling into that mistake of separating between creation and obedience. Another verse clarifies what can be translated as, "It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision". (TMQ, 33:36).
Islam is the name of our religion, which means submission to Allah (SWT) and to his orders. Being a Muslim means being submissive to Allah (SWT). Shaytan's problem is that he has not submitted to Allah (SWT), although he is fully aware of Allah’s (SWT) glory and that Allah (SWT) is the only Creator. Is any one suffering from such a problem? The problem is not in disobeying but the problem is in saying “No” to disobedience and rejecting sins.
Has Shaytan stopped at this extent? No, but he declared war on Adam (PBUH). Read Surat Al-Araf (chapter of “The Heights”) verses 11-13, and always remember that Shaytan is your enemy. “And surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape (the noble shape of a human being); then We told the angels, "Prostrate yourselves to Adam", and they prostrated themselves, except Iblis (Satan), he refused to be of those who prostrated themselves. Allah) said: "What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?" Iblis said: "I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay." (Allah) said: "(O Iblis) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced." (TMQ, 7:11-13).
Also declare to Allah (SWT) that Shaytan is your archenemy. “Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his followers so that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire.” (TMQ, 35:6).
The Holy Qur’an displays Shaytan's point of view and gives him the chance to express it freely. But Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "(O Iblis) get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out, for you are of those humiliated and disgraced." (TMQ, 7:13) The word “humiliated” (saghereen) in the verse is derived from the word “the smallest” (as-ghar) in Arabic, which is the opposite of “the biggest” (akbar) [the root form of the word “arrogant” (takkabar)]. The verse conveys that anyone who behaves arrogantly on earth is doomed to be humiliated and disgraced by Allah (SWT). Thus, if you become proud, you will be humiliated and belittled and will be crushed by people's feet on the Day of Judgment.
The verse following these verses, can be translated as, "Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected” (TMQ, 7:14), shows that he will stay alive until the Day of Judgment. This means that his enmity and hatred is directed to every human being, not only Adam (PBUH). Can you realize how much he hates the human race? He prayed to Allah (SWT) to keep him alive until the Resurrection Day. Allah (SWT) agreed and responded to his request, "You are of those given respite." (TMQ, 7:15). One of the generation following the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Don't be deceived with your vices or defects. Allah has responded to the prayers of the most evil creature (Shaytan), so wouldn't He respond to yours and accept them?"
In the next verse, Shaytan says, what can be translated as, "(Iblis) said: "Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path" (TMQ, 7:16). Do you perceive Shaytan’s rudeness in addressing Allah (SWT) when saying that Allah (SWT) has sent him astray? Allah forbid!
Some people do that; they say, “ What can I do? Allah did this to me! If Allah had rightly guided me, I would have been on the right way; I wanted to be good, but Allah has put me with the company bad friends, and so I got lost!” Beware of that impudence with Allah (SWT).
Shaytan says to Allah (SWT) that he won't go to those who always go nightclubs, but I will lie in wait for anyone who walks in Your path and I will spoil it, taking him away from that path. Thus, Shaytan saves all his efforts for the believers and does not care much about the disobedient. The more the number of believers’ increases, the more he becomes tired. Ibn al-‘Abbas said that someone came to him and told him that the Jews had claimed that Shaytan did not whisper evil to them during their prayers. Why would Shaytan whisper evil to them when their prayer is mainly false?
Hence, the more you go along the right path, the more Shaytan lurks there waiting for you. Such is the battle between you and Shaytan, and when it gets fiercer with the depth and power of your belief, he will gather his soldiers against you. Will you give up, get weak and lose the battle?
In the next verse that can be translated as, "Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, and You will not find most of them as thankful ones." (TMQ, 7:17). Shaytan mentions four directions (right-left-back-front) while originally there are 6 directions. He did not mention the direction where the person prostrates to Allah while praying (down below), and the direction that is opened for the prayers and set as an outlet for Allah’s (SWT) mercy to people (from above).
One of the most serious methods of misguidance that Shaytan uses is making us discontent with Allah's (SWT) grace. Allah (SWT) has warned us from this in the Holy Qur’an by saying what can be translated as, “You will not find most of them as thankful ones", because when we feel thankful to Allah (SWT) we will continue worshipping and loving Him. Shaytan tries hard to make us forget Allah's (SWT) blessings. Beware of forgetting Allah's (SWT) blessings and graces. Allah (SWT) has sent the whole chapter of Quraysh in the Holy Qur’an to show the danger of forgetting Allah's (SWT) grace: “(It is a great Grace from Allah) for the protection of the Quraysh, (We cause) the (Quraysh) caravans to set forth safely in winter and in summer, So let them worship (Allah) the Lord of this House (the Ka’ba in Makkah), (He) Who has fed them against hunger, and has made them safe from fear." (TMQ, 106:1-4).
Allah (SWT) says in Surat An-Nisaa (chapter “The Women”) what can be translated as, "Allah cursed him. And he [Shaytan] said: "I will take an appointed portion of your slaves." (TMQ, 4:118). Do you see how Shaytan speaks about us? He wants us to be lost. “Verily, I will mislead them, and surely, I will arouse in them false desires” (TMQ, 4:119). He whispers evil to the youth, and beautifies sins before their eyes, like secret marriage, disobeying parents, ignoring studies, as well as luring girls to take off their Hijab on their wedding days. “…and certainly, I will order them to slit the ears of cattle, and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah." (TMQ, 4:119), like the modern hairstyles and dyes, and guys wearing earrings. “And whoever takes Shaytan as a Wali (protector or helper) instead of Allah, has surely suffered a manifest loss. He (Shaytan) makes promises to them, and arouses in them false desires; and Shaytan’s promises are nothing but deceptions. The dwelling of such (people) is Hell, and they will find no way of escape from it.” (TMQ, 4:119-121).
Allah (SWT) says in Surat Al-Israa (the Night Journey) what can be translated as: "And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto Adam." They prostrated themselves except Iblis. He said: "Shall I prostrate myself to one whom You created from clay?" (Iblis) said: "See this one whom You have honored above me, if You give me respite (keep me alive) to the Day of Resurrection, I will surely seize and mislead his offspring (by sending them astray) all but a few!" (TMQ, 17:61-62). Can you sense Shaytan’s hatred and rudeness? The Arabic word used (ahtanekan) and translated into “seize”, came from the word (hanak) that means mouth or jaw. This means that he will put the bridle around your mouth, exactly like putting the bridle around the jaw of an animal. Has he succeeded in putting the bridle around your mouth? Have you taken the bridle off? Read the Holy Qur’an with all your heart, "(Allah) said, "Go, and whosoever of them follows you, surely Hell will be the recompense of you (all) - an ample recompense." (TMQ, 17:63). Any one who accepts your bridle deserves to go to hell with the devils.
"And befool them gradually, those whom you can among them, with your voice; make assaults on them with your cavalry and your infantry; share with them wealth and children, and make promises to them." But Satan promises them nothing but deceit." (TMQ, 17:64). This verse shows the battle between Shaytan and us: he starts calling and asking his cavalry, soldiers from mankind or from jinn. It is the same voice he uses when he whispers suggestions of sexual excitement or for seeking ill-gotten gains in your ears. This is besides his sharing in your money by wasting it in useless things. As for youth, he urges them marry corrupted people and bring up devilish children. This is why you have to choose your spouse carefully so that Shaytan gets no share in your children.
Has Shaytan succeeded in carrying out his threats?
1. TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.
2. Editor’s note: Often, with the stories of the Biblical Prophets, the scholars have used Isra’iliyat—these are stories or explanations that came to us through Jews and Christians who accepted Islam. These stories are neither found in the Qur’an nor in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) but may come from the Bible or oral traditions. The Isra’iliyat are only used to add detail to the prophets’ stories if they do not contradict the Qur’an or Sunnah; cited in this text by (Isra’iliyat) or (Isr.)
AmrKhaled.net
The Creation of Adam - Part 4
Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says what can be translated as, “And indeed Iblîs (Satan’s name) did prove true his thought about them: and they followed him,” (TMQ, 34:20) (1). Iblîs thought that once he pointed to Man, he (man) would respond to him at altogether, “all except a group of true believers”. (TMQ, 34:20).
You will see Iblîs on the Day of Judgment in hell, leaning on a column to be seen by all the people in hell, while delivering the most famous speech in history. “And Shaytân (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allâh promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allâh (by obeying me in the worldly life). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)’ ”. (TMQ, 14:22).
Have you felt his enmity towards you?
Shaytan has his soldiers, he makes promises [for things that we desire], and he shares in our wealth and families, and you have soldiers and fortresses more powerful than he does. You have these eleven different soldiers and fortifications:
1. Seeking refuge with Allah: Once you resort to Allah, seeking refuge from Shaytan. Allah says what can be translated as, “And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytân, then seek refuge with Allâh. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower” (TMQ, 7:200). Shaytan has no power over you since he is “the whisperer who withdraws”. Allah set “the whisperer” and "who withdraws" beside each other, because “the evil whisperer” “withdraws from his whispering to one's heart after one remembers Allah”.
2. Dhikr (remembrances) of Allah: By continuously glorifying Him, saying “Glory to Allah, the Greatest” (sobhaan Allah al-Atheem), and “Praise be to Allah” (Alhamdu lillah).
3. Reciting the Ma'audhatayn: (the last two surahs of the Qur’an: Al-Falaq and An-Naas) every morning and evening. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recommends reading them to avoid evil.
4. Reciting Ayat-al-Kursi: (the Verse of the Chair/Throne). Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2:255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Shaytan will not be able to come near you until dawn." (Bukhari) Recite it also after performing each prayer.
5. Reading Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow): Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “Shaytan cannot come near the house whose people read Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow)”. (Muslim)
6. Saying “There is no God but Allah, He who has no partner, owns everything, and to Whom we are all thankful. Allah is capable of everything; has the power to create life and death.”: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “Whoever says this 100 times daily is saved from Shaytan”. (Bukhari)
7. Ablution (wudhu): Shaytan is created from fire, which is extinguished by water.
8. Lowering one's gaze: The gaze allows a wide entrance for Shaytan.
9. Seeking the company of dutiful Muslims: Shaytan is always with the loner.
10. Prayers (salat): Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “If a man performs the Fajr (dawn) prayers and prostrates in worship, Shaytan says, “Woe to you! Man is ordered to prostrate and he did, hence his reward is Paradise. I was ordered to prostrate but I disobeyed, and my punishment is Hell”. (Sahih Muslim, 81)
11. Repentance (taubah): When Shaytan said to Allah, “I swear by Your Glory and Exaltedness to lure them”, Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, replied what means, “I swear by My Glory and Exaltedness to forgive them as long as they ask My forgiveness”.
Have you awakened to the battle and perceived the soldiers and fortresses that Allah has granted you? You are stronger and much more powerful, so don't be afraid. Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says what means, “Will you then take him (Iblîs) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? How evil is the exchange for the Zâlimûn (polytheists, and wrong-doers).” (TMQ, 18:50).
Shaytan was driven away from Paradise and it remained for Adam only. He lived alone, and so he felt lonely; he needed someone. Hawwa’ (Eve) was created from his rib while he was asleep. When he woke up, he found her beside him, he asked her:
- “Who are you?”
- “I am a woman”.
- “What's your name?”
- “Hawwa’”.
- “Why have you been created?”
- ”So that you may find repose in me”. (Isra’iliyat) (2).
Commenting on this:
• Why did she say “woman”?
Because she was created from “man”, so “woman” is part of “man”, and therefore the noun is derived from the noun “man”.
• Why was she called Hawwa’?
Because she was created from something alive (Hai in Arabic), i.e. Adam's rib.
• Why was she created while he was asleep?
So that he would not feel the pain of creation, which might cause some change in his heart toward her and prevent him from treating her tenderly.
Imam Al-Qurtubi in describing this point, “so that he would not feel the pain of her creation” says. “She was created while he was sleeping so that his heart would not change against her, because men are not dominated by emotions (affection, companionship, etc.). Hence, if he had felt the pain when she was created, he would have become annoyed with her as she had caused him pain.”
Can you imagine woman's pain while giving birth to her child? Emotions in woman dominate all other feelings, so her emotions increase with the increase of pain.
Can you appreciate the difference between man and woman?
The meaning of “to find repose in me” is to achieve reassurance and comfort on earth. Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says what means “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them” (TMQ, 30:21). So Woman was created as a symbol for repose, comfort and reassurance on earth. “Feeling reassured” refers to feeling comfortable and safe in a settled place, without which man becomes lost. Whenever Allah mentions Adam and Hawwa’, He mentions “to find repose in her”. The woman is able to make her house like Hell or make it full of comfort and safety.
Khadijah (RA) was a real comfort to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and she succeeded in achieving the target of her existence as a woman. Hence, when she died she deserved that moment when Jibril (AS) (Gabriel) descended from Heaven and told Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): "O Prophet of Allah! Give salutations to Khadija with Allah's peace. Tell her Allah heralds you with a palace made of mother-of-pearl". (Bukhari, Muslim)
Hawwa’ was created from a part of Adam. You may wonder: could she be created separately? Why was she created from Adam? Allah-be He Exalted and Glorified- says what means, "O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife…" (TMQ, 4:1). This is to make man feel that woman is part of him; therefore, Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) last advice was, "Take good care of women". (Bukhari)
Note that Adam was created from earth’s dust while Hawwa’ was created from his rib. Each of them was created from the part he or she will deal with: Adam will deal with the earth, whether as a wrestler, a farmer or a fighter, and Hawwa’ will deal with children and husbands and motherhood. Thus, Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, wanted to create everything from the origin of what it will deal with.
Furthermore, Hawwa’ was created from a crooked rib. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, "Take good care of women. Woman was created from a rib, and the most crooked part of a rib is its uppermost part. If you start to straighten it, it might be broken, and if you leave it, it keeps its crooked shape. Hence, take good care of women". (Bukhari)
Hawwa’ was created from Adam's left rib, which is crooked because the function of the left rib is to protect the heart from injury. Therefore, the heart is surrounded by a crooked rib that protects it. Being created from a crooked rib does not signify that she is bad in behavior. Emotion is the dominating dimension in women, and most of the time it dominates logic so that woman would be able to practice her tenderness and kindness. The crookedness of the rib is something natural that helps the woman to perform her job. Be careful not to tell her, "Don't be jealous or don't get worried." because this would be "breaking" her. Also, do not tell her, "don't think with your heart, think with your mind". Beware of breaking her heart, because this would be breaking her essence.
There is another meaning mentioned by Imam Al-Qurtubi:
- The Angels said to Adam: "Do you love her Adam?"
- Adam said: "Yes".
- The Angels asked Hawwa’, "Hawwa’, do you love him?"
- She answered, "No!", though deep in her heart she had more love for him than he had for her.
Al-Qurtubi comments on this saying, "If women were honest in expressing their feelings of love to their husbands, Hawwa’ would have been the first to do it".
In Surat Taha in the Holy Qur’an, Allah says what can be translated as, "And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves to Adam." They prostrated themselves (all) except Iblîs; he refused. Then We said: "O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you will be distressed. Verily, you have (a promise from Us) that you will never be hungry therein nor naked. And you (will) suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun's heat." (TMQ, 20:116-119).
This verse shows four blessings granted by Allah to Adam:
1- He would never feel hungry.
2- He would never feel thirsty.
3- He would never feel hot (the weather was not hot at all, as there was shade everywhere).
4- He would never be naked, as Allah would conceal his private parts.
When first created, Adam did not feel naked, and neither did Hawwa’. Man did not know nakedness from the first moment. Then, when was nakedness known? It was known when Adam went astray from Allah's path. The more humankind develops and strays far away from Allah’s path, the more nakedness increases.
In Surat Al-A'râf (the Heights) verse 19, Allah says what can be translated as, "And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat thereof as you both wish, but approach not this tree otherwise you both will be of the Zâlimûn (unjust and wrong-doers)." (TMQ, 7:19).
This means, "Adam you can eat whatever you want, except the fruits of this specific tree". You can also notice that Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, prepared Paradise for both Adam and Hawwa’, and not for Adam alone.
Then, how could Adam not consider this? You have many trees in your life, but you insist on one specific tree, and you don't want anything except this tree. You say to yourself, "I must drink alcohol." although there are many other drinks that are allowed to you.
Why did Adam seek from the forbidden tree? It was the same entrance that Shaytan uses with every one of us. Shaytan makes you see what you do not possess as more beautiful, more desirable and better than what you already have. This is a wicked trick played by Shaytan to make you go after the forbidden rather than the lawful and permissible, or at least he makes you hate what is permissible. For example, the husband whose wife is so beautiful and respectable and exerts all efforts to satisfy him; such a man might be attracted to another woman who might be less pretty than his wife. Shaytan makes her [the forbidden woman] more beautiful in the man's eyes despite the fact that he already has what is permitted.
Shaytan wants you to run after the forbidden or hate what you have in your hands so you will not thank Allah or be grateful to Him. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "and you will not find most of them as grateful". This is a strong method used by Satan to attack us. Adam's tree is repeated in several forms with all of us. Try to struggle against yourself even once, you will feel such a sweet feeling that you have never sensed before. You will feel your power, strong will and strength instead of being Shaytan’s captive. Get rid of Shaytan’s curb and you will feel extreme happiness+ the Angels' happiness for you+ Allah's happiness for you.
In Surat Al-A'râf (The Heights) verse 20, Allah says what can be translated as, "Then Shaytaan whispered suggestions to them both…” (TMQ, 7:20). Note Allah's choice of words "whispered", which indicates Shaytan’s insistence. Can you recognize the miraculous nature of the Holy Qur’an? “…in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts (before)” (TMQ, 7:20); Satan wants nakedness, so beware girls of exposing your body, or of allowing any man to touch you except after marriage, or allowing any man to hold your hand or kiss you. “…he (Shaytan) said, ‘Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you should become angels or become of the immortals.’ ”( TMQ, 7:20).
In Surat Taha the Shaytan said to Adam what can be translated as, "O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away?" (TMQ, 20:120). In this context Shaytan called it "Tree of Eternity". There is no tree with this name, and so Shaytan tricked them and all of us all this time.
Shaytan called atheism “creativity” or “freedom”, and called nakedness “fashion”. A young man would say, "I will not commit adultery, I will just go out with that girl and we will sit alone. I will not commit adultery, God Forbid!" In such a context the names are changed, and Shaytan starts to fix the wrong names in your mind until you yourself change.
The following verse from Surat Al-A'râf, can be translated as, "And he (Shaytân) swore by Allah to them both that he was their sincere adviser.” (TMQ, 7:21) (i.e. he falsely swore by Allah to them, which is the second sin committed after pride.) This in itself indicates that Adam did not respond directly to Shaytan, who tried more than once until he falsely swore [it was true]. However, with you, Shaytan does not need to swear to you to push you to commit sins because you respond right away. “Verily, I am one of the sincere well-wishers for you both." (TMQ, 7:21).
Adam and Hawwa’ had a pure nature; therefore, when they found Shaytan swearing by Allah, they could not imagine that there could be anyone who dares to swear by Allah falsely.
"So he misled them with deception…" (TMQ, 7:22) Shaytan started to push them gradually. Notice the beautiful Qur’anic expressions used to exemplify how Shaytan took gradual steps to humiliate them. Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified told them to keep away from the tree, but Shaytan told them to sit beside the tree. In other words, Shaytan will not suggest to you directly to drink alcohol, but will urge you to accompany someone who drinks. Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says in Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow), "Satan misled them away from it" (TMQ, 2:36).
"Then when they tasted of the tree…” (TMQ, 7:22). The word "tasted" here makes clear that just tasting the tree’s fruit angered Allah. Hence, never say, "I will just ‘taste’ sin and will not [really] do it”. “…that which was hidden from them of their shame (private parts) became manifest to them" (TMQ, 7:22). Note how all the verses focus on the same meaning—private parts and nakedness—because this is a serious issue that will drive humanity to Hell. "And they began to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise (in order to cover their shame)." (TMQ, 7:22). Adam and Hawwa’ ran to grab the leaves of the trees of Paradise to cover themselves. Do you see how shy they were? How do you dare look at nakedness through the Internet and satellite channels?
"And their Lord called out to them (saying): ‘Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you: Verily Shaytan is an open enemy unto you’" (TMQ, 7:22). Allah asked them, as He will do with us. What will your answer be when Allah calls you and asks, "Why did you do this? Why did you do that? Have not I prohibited you from doing this?"
On the Day of Judgment Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says, "O my slave! You underestimated meeting me. Have I been so insignificant to you, or have I not been watching your eyes when they were looking at the forbidden? Have I not been watching your lips when they were saying the forbidden? What mislead you from My path, my slave? What misled you from My path? O my slave! Read your book! “Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you: Verily Shaytan is an open enemy unto you” (TMQ, 7:22).
Here, at the end of my speech, I want to say that Adam and Hawwa’ were expelled from Paradise, and they didn't know what to do:
- Allah (SWT) said, "Are you running to escape from me Adam?"
- Adam replied, "No Allah, I am running because I’m ashamed of myself".
The main lessons learned from this lecture:
1. Beware of conceit.
2. Declare war against Shaytan and consider him your enemy.
3. Beware of the steps taken by Shaytan to control you, and resort to the eleven fortifications we mentioned.
Dear brother, your wife is your comfort. Dear sister, your husband is your comfort.
1) TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.
2) Editor’s note: Often, with the stories of the Biblical Prophets, the scholars have used Isra’iliyat—stories or explanations that came to us through Jews and Christians who accepted Islam. These stories are neither found in the Qur’an nor in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) but may come from the Bible or oral traditions. The Isra’iliyat are only used to add detail to the prophets’ stories if they do not contradict the Qur’an or Sunnah. They will be cited in this text by either (Isra’iliyat) or (Isr.).
AmrKhaled.net
You will see Iblîs on the Day of Judgment in hell, leaning on a column to be seen by all the people in hell, while delivering the most famous speech in history. “And Shaytân (Satan) will say when the matter has been decided: "Verily, Allâh promised you a promise of truth. And I too promised you, but I betrayed you. I had no authority over you except that I called you, and you responded to me. So blame me not, but blame yourselves. I cannot help you, nor can you help me. I deny your former act in associating me (Satan) as a partner with Allâh (by obeying me in the worldly life). Verily, there is a painful torment for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers)’ ”. (TMQ, 14:22).
Have you felt his enmity towards you?
Shaytan has his soldiers, he makes promises [for things that we desire], and he shares in our wealth and families, and you have soldiers and fortresses more powerful than he does. You have these eleven different soldiers and fortifications:
1. Seeking refuge with Allah: Once you resort to Allah, seeking refuge from Shaytan. Allah says what can be translated as, “And if an evil whisper comes to you from Shaytân, then seek refuge with Allâh. Verily, He is All-Hearer, All-Knower” (TMQ, 7:200). Shaytan has no power over you since he is “the whisperer who withdraws”. Allah set “the whisperer” and "who withdraws" beside each other, because “the evil whisperer” “withdraws from his whispering to one's heart after one remembers Allah”.
2. Dhikr (remembrances) of Allah: By continuously glorifying Him, saying “Glory to Allah, the Greatest” (sobhaan Allah al-Atheem), and “Praise be to Allah” (Alhamdu lillah).
3. Reciting the Ma'audhatayn: (the last two surahs of the Qur’an: Al-Falaq and An-Naas) every morning and evening. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) recommends reading them to avoid evil.
4. Reciting Ayat-al-Kursi: (the Verse of the Chair/Throne). Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “When you go to your bed, recite Ayat-al-Kursi, (2:255) for then there will be a guard from Allah who will protect you all night long, and Shaytan will not be able to come near you until dawn." (Bukhari) Recite it also after performing each prayer.
5. Reading Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow): Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “Shaytan cannot come near the house whose people read Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow)”. (Muslim)
6. Saying “There is no God but Allah, He who has no partner, owns everything, and to Whom we are all thankful. Allah is capable of everything; has the power to create life and death.”: Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “Whoever says this 100 times daily is saved from Shaytan”. (Bukhari)
7. Ablution (wudhu): Shaytan is created from fire, which is extinguished by water.
8. Lowering one's gaze: The gaze allows a wide entrance for Shaytan.
9. Seeking the company of dutiful Muslims: Shaytan is always with the loner.
10. Prayers (salat): Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, “If a man performs the Fajr (dawn) prayers and prostrates in worship, Shaytan says, “Woe to you! Man is ordered to prostrate and he did, hence his reward is Paradise. I was ordered to prostrate but I disobeyed, and my punishment is Hell”. (Sahih Muslim, 81)
11. Repentance (taubah): When Shaytan said to Allah, “I swear by Your Glory and Exaltedness to lure them”, Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, replied what means, “I swear by My Glory and Exaltedness to forgive them as long as they ask My forgiveness”.
Have you awakened to the battle and perceived the soldiers and fortresses that Allah has granted you? You are stronger and much more powerful, so don't be afraid. Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says what means, “Will you then take him (Iblîs) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? How evil is the exchange for the Zâlimûn (polytheists, and wrong-doers).” (TMQ, 18:50).
Shaytan was driven away from Paradise and it remained for Adam only. He lived alone, and so he felt lonely; he needed someone. Hawwa’ (Eve) was created from his rib while he was asleep. When he woke up, he found her beside him, he asked her:
- “Who are you?”
- “I am a woman”.
- “What's your name?”
- “Hawwa’”.
- “Why have you been created?”
- ”So that you may find repose in me”. (Isra’iliyat) (2).
Commenting on this:
• Why did she say “woman”?
Because she was created from “man”, so “woman” is part of “man”, and therefore the noun is derived from the noun “man”.
• Why was she called Hawwa’?
Because she was created from something alive (Hai in Arabic), i.e. Adam's rib.
• Why was she created while he was asleep?
So that he would not feel the pain of creation, which might cause some change in his heart toward her and prevent him from treating her tenderly.
Imam Al-Qurtubi in describing this point, “so that he would not feel the pain of her creation” says. “She was created while he was sleeping so that his heart would not change against her, because men are not dominated by emotions (affection, companionship, etc.). Hence, if he had felt the pain when she was created, he would have become annoyed with her as she had caused him pain.”
Can you imagine woman's pain while giving birth to her child? Emotions in woman dominate all other feelings, so her emotions increase with the increase of pain.
Can you appreciate the difference between man and woman?
The meaning of “to find repose in me” is to achieve reassurance and comfort on earth. Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says what means “And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them” (TMQ, 30:21). So Woman was created as a symbol for repose, comfort and reassurance on earth. “Feeling reassured” refers to feeling comfortable and safe in a settled place, without which man becomes lost. Whenever Allah mentions Adam and Hawwa’, He mentions “to find repose in her”. The woman is able to make her house like Hell or make it full of comfort and safety.
Khadijah (RA) was a real comfort to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and she succeeded in achieving the target of her existence as a woman. Hence, when she died she deserved that moment when Jibril (AS) (Gabriel) descended from Heaven and told Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): "O Prophet of Allah! Give salutations to Khadija with Allah's peace. Tell her Allah heralds you with a palace made of mother-of-pearl". (Bukhari, Muslim)
Hawwa’ was created from a part of Adam. You may wonder: could she be created separately? Why was she created from Adam? Allah-be He Exalted and Glorified- says what means, "O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife…" (TMQ, 4:1). This is to make man feel that woman is part of him; therefore, Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) last advice was, "Take good care of women". (Bukhari)
Note that Adam was created from earth’s dust while Hawwa’ was created from his rib. Each of them was created from the part he or she will deal with: Adam will deal with the earth, whether as a wrestler, a farmer or a fighter, and Hawwa’ will deal with children and husbands and motherhood. Thus, Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, wanted to create everything from the origin of what it will deal with.
Furthermore, Hawwa’ was created from a crooked rib. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, "Take good care of women. Woman was created from a rib, and the most crooked part of a rib is its uppermost part. If you start to straighten it, it might be broken, and if you leave it, it keeps its crooked shape. Hence, take good care of women". (Bukhari)
Hawwa’ was created from Adam's left rib, which is crooked because the function of the left rib is to protect the heart from injury. Therefore, the heart is surrounded by a crooked rib that protects it. Being created from a crooked rib does not signify that she is bad in behavior. Emotion is the dominating dimension in women, and most of the time it dominates logic so that woman would be able to practice her tenderness and kindness. The crookedness of the rib is something natural that helps the woman to perform her job. Be careful not to tell her, "Don't be jealous or don't get worried." because this would be "breaking" her. Also, do not tell her, "don't think with your heart, think with your mind". Beware of breaking her heart, because this would be breaking her essence.
There is another meaning mentioned by Imam Al-Qurtubi:
- The Angels said to Adam: "Do you love her Adam?"
- Adam said: "Yes".
- The Angels asked Hawwa’, "Hawwa’, do you love him?"
- She answered, "No!", though deep in her heart she had more love for him than he had for her.
Al-Qurtubi comments on this saying, "If women were honest in expressing their feelings of love to their husbands, Hawwa’ would have been the first to do it".
In Surat Taha in the Holy Qur’an, Allah says what can be translated as, "And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves to Adam." They prostrated themselves (all) except Iblîs; he refused. Then We said: "O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to you and to your wife. So let him not get you both out of Paradise, so that you will be distressed. Verily, you have (a promise from Us) that you will never be hungry therein nor naked. And you (will) suffer not from thirst therein nor from the sun's heat." (TMQ, 20:116-119).
This verse shows four blessings granted by Allah to Adam:
1- He would never feel hungry.
2- He would never feel thirsty.
3- He would never feel hot (the weather was not hot at all, as there was shade everywhere).
4- He would never be naked, as Allah would conceal his private parts.
When first created, Adam did not feel naked, and neither did Hawwa’. Man did not know nakedness from the first moment. Then, when was nakedness known? It was known when Adam went astray from Allah's path. The more humankind develops and strays far away from Allah’s path, the more nakedness increases.
In Surat Al-A'râf (the Heights) verse 19, Allah says what can be translated as, "And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat thereof as you both wish, but approach not this tree otherwise you both will be of the Zâlimûn (unjust and wrong-doers)." (TMQ, 7:19).
This means, "Adam you can eat whatever you want, except the fruits of this specific tree". You can also notice that Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, prepared Paradise for both Adam and Hawwa’, and not for Adam alone.
Then, how could Adam not consider this? You have many trees in your life, but you insist on one specific tree, and you don't want anything except this tree. You say to yourself, "I must drink alcohol." although there are many other drinks that are allowed to you.
Why did Adam seek from the forbidden tree? It was the same entrance that Shaytan uses with every one of us. Shaytan makes you see what you do not possess as more beautiful, more desirable and better than what you already have. This is a wicked trick played by Shaytan to make you go after the forbidden rather than the lawful and permissible, or at least he makes you hate what is permissible. For example, the husband whose wife is so beautiful and respectable and exerts all efforts to satisfy him; such a man might be attracted to another woman who might be less pretty than his wife. Shaytan makes her [the forbidden woman] more beautiful in the man's eyes despite the fact that he already has what is permitted.
Shaytan wants you to run after the forbidden or hate what you have in your hands so you will not thank Allah or be grateful to Him. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, "and you will not find most of them as grateful". This is a strong method used by Satan to attack us. Adam's tree is repeated in several forms with all of us. Try to struggle against yourself even once, you will feel such a sweet feeling that you have never sensed before. You will feel your power, strong will and strength instead of being Shaytan’s captive. Get rid of Shaytan’s curb and you will feel extreme happiness+ the Angels' happiness for you+ Allah's happiness for you.
In Surat Al-A'râf (The Heights) verse 20, Allah says what can be translated as, "Then Shaytaan whispered suggestions to them both…” (TMQ, 7:20). Note Allah's choice of words "whispered", which indicates Shaytan’s insistence. Can you recognize the miraculous nature of the Holy Qur’an? “…in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts (before)” (TMQ, 7:20); Satan wants nakedness, so beware girls of exposing your body, or of allowing any man to touch you except after marriage, or allowing any man to hold your hand or kiss you. “…he (Shaytan) said, ‘Your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you should become angels or become of the immortals.’ ”( TMQ, 7:20).
In Surat Taha the Shaytan said to Adam what can be translated as, "O Adam! Shall I lead you to the Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that will never waste away?" (TMQ, 20:120). In this context Shaytan called it "Tree of Eternity". There is no tree with this name, and so Shaytan tricked them and all of us all this time.
Shaytan called atheism “creativity” or “freedom”, and called nakedness “fashion”. A young man would say, "I will not commit adultery, I will just go out with that girl and we will sit alone. I will not commit adultery, God Forbid!" In such a context the names are changed, and Shaytan starts to fix the wrong names in your mind until you yourself change.
The following verse from Surat Al-A'râf, can be translated as, "And he (Shaytân) swore by Allah to them both that he was their sincere adviser.” (TMQ, 7:21) (i.e. he falsely swore by Allah to them, which is the second sin committed after pride.) This in itself indicates that Adam did not respond directly to Shaytan, who tried more than once until he falsely swore [it was true]. However, with you, Shaytan does not need to swear to you to push you to commit sins because you respond right away. “Verily, I am one of the sincere well-wishers for you both." (TMQ, 7:21).
Adam and Hawwa’ had a pure nature; therefore, when they found Shaytan swearing by Allah, they could not imagine that there could be anyone who dares to swear by Allah falsely.
"So he misled them with deception…" (TMQ, 7:22) Shaytan started to push them gradually. Notice the beautiful Qur’anic expressions used to exemplify how Shaytan took gradual steps to humiliate them. Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified told them to keep away from the tree, but Shaytan told them to sit beside the tree. In other words, Shaytan will not suggest to you directly to drink alcohol, but will urge you to accompany someone who drinks. Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says in Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow), "Satan misled them away from it" (TMQ, 2:36).
"Then when they tasted of the tree…” (TMQ, 7:22). The word "tasted" here makes clear that just tasting the tree’s fruit angered Allah. Hence, never say, "I will just ‘taste’ sin and will not [really] do it”. “…that which was hidden from them of their shame (private parts) became manifest to them" (TMQ, 7:22). Note how all the verses focus on the same meaning—private parts and nakedness—because this is a serious issue that will drive humanity to Hell. "And they began to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise (in order to cover their shame)." (TMQ, 7:22). Adam and Hawwa’ ran to grab the leaves of the trees of Paradise to cover themselves. Do you see how shy they were? How do you dare look at nakedness through the Internet and satellite channels?
"And their Lord called out to them (saying): ‘Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you: Verily Shaytan is an open enemy unto you’" (TMQ, 7:22). Allah asked them, as He will do with us. What will your answer be when Allah calls you and asks, "Why did you do this? Why did you do that? Have not I prohibited you from doing this?"
On the Day of Judgment Allah, be He Exalted and Glorified, says, "O my slave! You underestimated meeting me. Have I been so insignificant to you, or have I not been watching your eyes when they were looking at the forbidden? Have I not been watching your lips when they were saying the forbidden? What mislead you from My path, my slave? What misled you from My path? O my slave! Read your book! “Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you: Verily Shaytan is an open enemy unto you” (TMQ, 7:22).
Here, at the end of my speech, I want to say that Adam and Hawwa’ were expelled from Paradise, and they didn't know what to do:
- Allah (SWT) said, "Are you running to escape from me Adam?"
- Adam replied, "No Allah, I am running because I’m ashamed of myself".
The main lessons learned from this lecture:
1. Beware of conceit.
2. Declare war against Shaytan and consider him your enemy.
3. Beware of the steps taken by Shaytan to control you, and resort to the eleven fortifications we mentioned.
Dear brother, your wife is your comfort. Dear sister, your husband is your comfort.
1) TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.
2) Editor’s note: Often, with the stories of the Biblical Prophets, the scholars have used Isra’iliyat—stories or explanations that came to us through Jews and Christians who accepted Islam. These stories are neither found in the Qur’an nor in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) but may come from the Bible or oral traditions. The Isra’iliyat are only used to add detail to the prophets’ stories if they do not contradict the Qur’an or Sunnah. They will be cited in this text by either (Isra’iliyat) or (Isr.).
AmrKhaled.net
The Best Days of your life
The Best Days of your life
…at least for this year anwyay.
Allah SWT says in Surah Hajj verse 28:
لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ
That they may witness things that are of benefit to them, and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days ..
As ya all know, the 10 days of dhul hijjah are upon us, starting today. Everyone knows about Dhul Hijjah and how they are important and how Hajj was performed and for some reason millions of people just happen to all meet at the same place every year and seem to walk around a lot..
But do we all actually realise how great these days really are? These are the BEST 10 DAYS OF THE WHOLE YEAR, EVEN BETTER THAN RAMADAAN!* Out of 365 days in the year, these 10 are the best. You know how when ramadaan comes, we all feel an emaan boost and everyone suddenly becomes mr pious, well it should be like that in these 10 days to and if it doesnt feel like that, we have to recheck our emaan.
Ahmad and at-Tabarani record from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “There is no day more honorable in Allaah’s sight and no acts more beloved therein to Allaah than those in these ten days. So say tahlil (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah : Laa ilaaha illallaah), takbir (Allaah is the greatest : Allaahu Akbar) and tahmid (All praise is due to Allaah : alhumdulillaah) a lot [on those days].” [Muslim]
Just like in ramadaan we fast, pray more, read more Quran, do more good deeds in general, likewise we should also try to do that in these 10 days insha’Allah. And many of our parents give qurbani back home or whatever, but we should also try if we can t give a sacrafice feesabililah, theres a great reward in it. And also a reminder to fast on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, that would as fasting on this day wipes out our sins for 2 years, the year before and the year coming.
* these 10 days are better than the last 10 days of ramadaan but the last 10 night if ramadaan are better as they contain laylatul qadr.
…at least for this year anwyay.
Allah SWT says in Surah Hajj verse 28:
لِيَشْهَدُوا مَنَافِعَ لَهُمْ وَيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ فِي أَيَّامٍ مَّعْلُومَاتٍ
That they may witness things that are of benefit to them, and mention the Name of Allah on appointed days ..
As ya all know, the 10 days of dhul hijjah are upon us, starting today. Everyone knows about Dhul Hijjah and how they are important and how Hajj was performed and for some reason millions of people just happen to all meet at the same place every year and seem to walk around a lot..
But do we all actually realise how great these days really are? These are the BEST 10 DAYS OF THE WHOLE YEAR, EVEN BETTER THAN RAMADAAN!* Out of 365 days in the year, these 10 are the best. You know how when ramadaan comes, we all feel an emaan boost and everyone suddenly becomes mr pious, well it should be like that in these 10 days to and if it doesnt feel like that, we have to recheck our emaan.
Ahmad and at-Tabarani record from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “There is no day more honorable in Allaah’s sight and no acts more beloved therein to Allaah than those in these ten days. So say tahlil (There is no deity worthy of worship but Allaah : Laa ilaaha illallaah), takbir (Allaah is the greatest : Allaahu Akbar) and tahmid (All praise is due to Allaah : alhumdulillaah) a lot [on those days].” [Muslim]
Just like in ramadaan we fast, pray more, read more Quran, do more good deeds in general, likewise we should also try to do that in these 10 days insha’Allah. And many of our parents give qurbani back home or whatever, but we should also try if we can t give a sacrafice feesabililah, theres a great reward in it. And also a reminder to fast on the 9th of Dhul Hijjah, that would as fasting on this day wipes out our sins for 2 years, the year before and the year coming.
* these 10 days are better than the last 10 days of ramadaan but the last 10 night if ramadaan are better as they contain laylatul qadr.
