The Islamic Bulletin Newsletter Issue No. 1

The Islamic Bulletin Vol. I, No. 1 First Issue February 1991 in this issue Virtues Of teh Quran. ............................ 2 Sincerity (Ikhlas)...................................... 3 Teachings Of the Prophet (SAW)............ 4 How I Embraced Islam............................. 5 Stories Of The Sahabah.......................... 6 The Prophet Adam (AS)........................... 7 The Kids Corner. ....................................... 9 Quran & Science ....................................... 10 answers to The Kids Corner................. 11 Women In Islam.......................................... 12 Paradise Lies At the feet of your mother........ 12 Islamic Dietary Laws. .............................. 13 The Islamic Bulletin Published by the Islamic Community of Northern California A Non-Profit Corporation P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186 E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Website: http://www.islamicbulletin.org Welcome to the Islamic Bulletin! Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam: We are proud to present our first issue of the Islamic Bulletin. There is a great need for Islamic information in the San Francisco Bay Area. With everything happening in the world today, we need to be constantly reminded about the importance of religion. Each issue of the Islamic Bulletin will include religious articles, Islamic events, letters to the editor, news, and other features. We will also include a game or activity for the children. Our next issue will of course cover the month of Ramadan. The group of writers for the Islamic Bulletin voluntarily gather to write the articles and will include sections from the Hadith and the Qur’an. If any person would like to submit his/her article for publication, please send it to: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 410186, San Francisco, CA 94141-0186. We welcome all religious articles and information on upcoming Islamic events in the San Francisco Bay Area. We also welcome letters to the editor and suggestions and/or comments on how to make the Islamic Bulletin a better publication. The Islamic Bulletin is distributed free to members of the Islamic Center of San Francisco. We welcome new members and participation in the Masjid is greatly encouraged. The Islamic Center offers two types of memberships, an Individual Membership for a fee of $10.00 or a Family Membership for a fee of $20.00. The Individual Membership entitles a single voting right and the Family Membership entitles two voting rights. Please make checks payable to The Islamic Center of San Francisco, Membership Department, 400 Crescent Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94110. Looking forward to celebrating more years together. The Islamic Bulletin Staff

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 2 The benefit of reciting the Quran are numerous, but the most important aspect is our relationship with Allah through His revelation. Now is the ideal time to get ourselves and the children to do it. We access the meaning of the Quran not by understanding by our intellect but by being moved by the beautiful aural recitation, which can penetrate our hearts when no logic or argument can. Being able to recite it fluently, beautifully and correctly can enhance our faith especially during the month of Ramadan. The beauty of the vocal experience is not about mere sound we project, but the continuous trial we undertake to perfect Allah’s revelation in our voices. Hazrat Uthma (raa) narrates that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “The best amongst you is he who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.” The Qur’an is the basis of the religion of Islam, and on the preservation and propagation of the Qur’an depends the very existence of this faith. The virtue of learning and teaching the Qur’an is self-evident and does not need further elucidation. There are various degrees of excellence. The highest is to learn the Qur’an along with its meanings and purport, and the least is to lean its words only. The hadith mentioned above is supported also by another saying of the Prophet (pbuh) as reported by Hazrat Sa’id ibni-Salim (raa): “If a person who has acquired the knowledge of the Holy Qur’an considers another person who has been gifted with something else to be more fortunate than himself, he has shown disrespect to the blessings of The Almighty bestowed on him on account of his learning the Qur’an.” It is evident that since the Qur’an, being the Almighty’s Word, is superior to all other discourses as mentioned in some of the ahadith quoted later. Sahl Tastari (raa) says that the proof of love for The Almighty is the existence of love for The Almighty’s Word in one’s heart. The prophet (SAW) said: “Read the Qur’an, for it will come as an intercessor for its The Virtues Of The Quran reciters on the Day of Resurrection.’’(M) “Whoever recites a letter from the Book of Allah, he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a ten-fold reward. I do not say that Alif-Lam-Mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lam is a letter and Mim is a letter.’’ (T) “It will be said to the companion of the Quran: Read and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in dunya! For verily, your position in Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!” (Ab & T) “The one who is proficient in the recitation of the Qur’an will be with the honourable and obedient scribes (angels) and he who recites the Qur’an and finds it difficult to recite, doing his best to recite it in the best way possible, will have a double reward.’’ (B & M) Important Reminder The verses of the Holy Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet have been printed for the benefit of our readers. You are asked to ensure their sanctity. Therefore, they should be disposed of in the proper Islamic manner. Abbreviations Used Subhana Wa Tahala (SWT) - May Allah (God) be glorified and exalted Sallallahou alayhi wasallam (SAW); (or Alayhi Salam) AS; Peace Be Upon Him PBUH; = in Arabic these salutations are called Salawat - (Urdu: Durood)- this expression follows specifically after saying the name of the last prophet of Islam, Mohammad (Muhammed) R.A.; R.A.A. - Allah was pleased with him/her Allahu Yarhamu - May Allah pardon and forgive him Bukhari, Muslim, Sahih, Abu Dawoud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah are the names of the transmiters of the Prophet’s (pbuh) Hadith and Sunnah (words and lifestyle.) Need to contact us? Web Address: www.islamicbulletin.org E-Mail: info@islamicbulletin.org Editor, Islamic Bulletin P.O. Box 410186 San Francisco, CA 94141-0186, USA

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 3 Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope. (Quran 18:46) On Sincerity (Ikhlas), Selfishness and Intentions Behind All Action and Matters - Open or Secret: Allah The Exalted, said: And they are ordained naught else than to serve The Almighty, keeping religion pure for him, and man by nature upright and to establish worship and to pay the poor-dues. That is true religion. (Qur’an 98:5) Their flesh and their blood reach not Almighty, but the devotion from you reacheth Him. (Qur’an 22:37) Say (O Mohammed): Whether ye hide that which is in your breast or reveal it, Almighty knoweth it. (Qur’an 3:30) Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Umar (raa) has related that he heard the Prophet (pbuh) recount the following: “Three men on a journey were forced to take shelter in a cave when they were overtaken by a sever storm. A rock slipped down from the mountain and blocked the cave’s entrance. One of the men said: The only way for deliverance left is to beseech The Almighty in the name of some virtuous deed. Thereupon one of them supplicated: ‘O Lord, my parents are very old and I offer them their nightly drink of milk before I offer any to my children and the other members in the family. One day I came home very late and by the time I returned home, my parents had already gone to sleep. I milked the animals and brought their nightly drink to them, but I didn’t want to disturb their sleep. At the same time, I didn’t want anyone else in the family to drink the milk till after the parents had their drink. Thus I awaited their awakening till the flush of dawn, while the children cried out of hunger at my feet. When they woke up, they had their drink. O Lord, if I did this thing seeking only Thy pleasure, then do Thou relieve us of the distress wrought upon us by this rock.’ Thereupon, the rock moved a little but not enough to let them pass out. Then the second man supplicated: ‘O Lord, I have a cousin whom I loved more passionately than any man loves a woman. I tried to seduce her but she would have none of me, till in a season of great hardship due to famine, she approached me (for help) and I gave her one hundred and twenty dinars on condition that she would have sexual intercourse with me. She agreed, and when we got together and I was just going to have intercourse with her, she pleaded: Fear Almighty, and do not break the seal unlawfully; whereupon I moved away from her, despite the fact that I desired her the most; and I let her keep the money I had given her. O Lord, if I did this thing seeking only Thy pleasure, do Thou move the distress in which we find ourselves.’ Again, the rock moved a little but not enough to let them pass out. Then the third man supplicated, ‘O Lord, I hired some laborers and paid them their dues, but one of them left leaving behind what was due to him. I invested it in the business and the business prospered greatly. After quite some time, the laborer came back to me asking for his wages. I said to him: All that you see is yours; camels, cattle, goats and slaves. The laborer thought that I was joking with him. When I assured him that it was all his, he took all of it sparing nothing. O Lord, if I did this seeking only Thy pleasure, do Thou relieve us of our distress in which we find ourselves.’ The rock moved away, and all the three come out of the cave safe and sound.” (Bukhari and Muslim) Sincerity - ikhlas

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 4 Teachings of the Prophet saw Morals and Good Manners Truthfulness and Justice The Holy Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) has said: “My Ummah will keep flourishing as long as it retains the following three characteristics - (1) they speak the truth when they talk; (2) they administer justice when they decide the affairs of the people; and (3) they are merciful on weaklings when request for a mercy is made.” (All agreed - Abu Ya’la) Restraint The Holy Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) has said: “No deed of a man will be of any avail if he does not possess the following three characteristics - (1) he does not indulge in sexual immorality; (2) he forbears if some foolhard attacks him; (3) he deals with people gentlemanly.” (Tabarani) Trustfulness Trustworthiness vs. Falsehood, and Breach of Trust Hadrat Abdullah bin Masud (raa) has reported the Holy Prophet (pbuh) saying, “Adhere to truth, for truth leads to good deeds and good deeds lead to Paradise. If a man continues to speak the truth and makes truth his object, he will be recorded in Allah’s presence as eminently truthful. Avoid falsehood, for falsehood lead to wickedness and the wickedness leads to Hell; and if a man continues to speak falsehood and makes falsehood his object, he will be recorded in Allah’s presence as a great liar. (Bukhari - Muslim - Mishkat) Patience Hadrat Abu Hurairah (raa) has reported the Holy Prophet (pbuh) as saying, “Shall I not guide you to something for which Allah blots out sins and raises men’s ranks?” When his hearers expressed their desire that he should tell them he said, “Performing complete ablution although circumstances make it difficult, traveling far to mosques, and looking expectantly to the next time of prayer after the prayers have been said. That is the defense of the frontier.” Note: ‘Defense and the Frontier’ are meant in spiritual sense, as a defense against infidelity and wrongdoing. (Muslim - Tirmizi) Hadrat Ibn Abbas (raa) has related that the Holy Prophet (saw) said, “There are four things such that if one gets them one gets the good of this world as well as of the hereafter. These things are: (1) a heart that is thankful, (2) a tongue that remembers Allah constantly, (3) a person who is patient in the face of hardships and (4) a wife who does not willingly misappropriate her husband’s trust and his belongings as well as her body. (Baihaqi - Muslim) A human mind is never blank. Sometimes conditions are agreeable and at other times disagreeable. In the former case, he has been advised to be thankful, while in the latter, he should be patient. It means that thankfulness and patience are to be the regular features of a man’s everyday life. Never forget this aspect of human life and then see for yourself how peaceful your life becomes. Gratitude Hadrat Abu Hurairah (raa) has reported the Holy Prophet (SAW)as saying, “When one of you looks at someone who is superior to him in property and appearance, he should also look at someone who is inferior to him.” (Bukhari and Muslim) A version by Muslim states, “Look at those who are less fortunate than yourself and do not look at others whom you think are superior to you, for that is more liable to keep you from despising Allah’s favor to you.” Hadrat Suhaib (raa) has reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “It is remarkable that everything turns out well for a believer while that applies only to a believer. If happiness befalls him, he thanks and it turns out well for him; and if misfortune befalls him, he shows endurance and it turns out well for him.” (Muslim) Contentment and Self Satisfaction

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 5 Hadrat Abu Said al-Khudri (raa) is reported to have said that some of the Ansar begged from the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and he gave them something. The later begged from him again and he gave them something so that what he had was exhausted. He then said, “What I have, I shall never store away from you, but Allah will strengthen the abstinence of him who abstains, will give a competence to him who is satisfied, and will strengthen the endurance of him who shows endurance. No one has been given a better or more ample gift than endurance.” (Mishkat) Frugality Hadrat Anas (raa) and a few others have reported that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) had said, “Moderation in expenditure is half one’s livelihood” (this means that one should speak with caution and deliberation). Silence Hadrat Imran bin Husain (raa) reported that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said, “It is most excellent in Allah’s sight for a man to maintain silence than to engage in worship for sixty years.” (Mishkat) Kindness and Stone Heartedness Hadrat Jarir bin Abdullah (raa) reported that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said, “Allah will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.” How I Embraced Islam A prominent Hindu personality, Acharya Mahant Dr. Saroopji Maharaj embraced Islam under the auspices of Maulana Abul Hassan Ali Nadvi. Saroopji’s Islamic name is Dr. Islamul-Haq. He embraced Islam with his wife and daughter. Listed below is an excerpt from Dr. IslamulHaq’s interview with the Indian publication, Islamic Voice. Q: How do you feel after declaring your entry into Islam? A: It is an infinite favor of The Almighty upon me that He has blessed me with this invaluable wealth of the true Faith that is Islam. I feel that I am one of the most successful and fortunate persons in the world. While groping in the darkness of disbelief, I was regarded as ‘Bhagwan’ (God), whereas in this new world of light, I have attained my rightful status of ‘man’. Q: You have been very close to the Hindu trend of thought. Do you think that they are scared of the Muslims? A: The Hindu society in India is not scared of the Muslims. It rather fears Islam for its exalted merits as compared with the deficient and weak religious tenets of Hinduism. Islam’s greatness consists in the fact that it liberates man from the shackles of color, feature, race, clan, language, land, riches, class, rank, and status. Islam provides lasting and firm entity. Islam calls men to bow down before The One and Only One Almighty. That is why they dread the might of Islam which liberates man from every sort of slavery and bondage, except the aspect of subservience to The Almighty. Islam is free from all the man-made formalities and rituals. Q: Did you ever admit the greatness of Islam even before embracing it? A: In early 1981, Acharya Vinoba Bhave (translator of the Holy Qur’an in Hindi language) invited me to his Ash-

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 6 ram to deliver lectures. One of those present on the occasion was Dada Dharm Adhikari. He posed an intriguing question: “Swamiji, you have studied many religions of the world. Which one do you find the best for man?” I replied: “Islam.” “But”, he said, “Islam is a very much tied up religion.” I replied: “The very one that is considered free, ties down man to continual slavery. Man is in need of a religion that has remained ‘tied-up’, a religion that keeps man under restraints in this world life, but sets him free in the world hereafter. In my opinion, it is Islam alone that qualifies to be the best religion.” Q: As a soldier of Islam, what message would you like to convey to the Muslims of the world? A: It is my solemn request to the Muslim world that they should constantly keep in view and fulfill the conditions laid down by the Holy Prophet (pbuh) for walking across the river of this world so as to reach safely its other side. If they make the slightest deviation, they are bound to drown themselves in the river, never to be rescued. There is still time for the Muslims to concentrate their vision on the right point. If they act so, they shall, Almighty willing, be crowned with success in all that they do. Stories of the sahabah The Martyrdom of Sahabah Anas bin Nadhr (R.A.A.) Anas bin Nadhr (raa) was one of the Sahabahs who had missed the great campaign of Badr. He very much regretted to have missed the honor of participating in the first and the most illustrious battle for Islam. He longed for a chance wherein he could make amends for Badr. He did not have to wait for long. The battle of Uhud came about in the following year. He joined the army with the most determined zeal. Despite heavy odds, the Muslims were gaining the upper hand, when some people made a blunder and the Muslims had to suffer a reverse. The Prophet (pbuh) had posted a band of fifty archers to guard a pass in the rear against the enemy cavalry. They had definite instructions not to move from their positions until further orders from him. But when the Archers saw the Muslims gaining victory and the enemy in full flight, they left their positions believing that the battle was over and it was time to join in the pursuit and get on to the booty. The leader of the band tried his utmost to check them by reminding them of the Prophet’s command and he also tried to solicit them to stay on, but no more than ten archers listened to him, while the others argued that the orders were given by the Prophet (pbuh) only for the duration of the actual fight. The enemy cavalry then noticed the unguarded pass in the rear, made a flank movement and forced a passage through it. The Muslims who were pre-occupied with the booty were caught unguarded. In such a state of affairs Anas (raa) saw Sa’ad bin Ma’az (raa) passing in front of him. He shouted to him: “O, Sa’ad! Where are you going? By Alllah! I smell the fragrance of Paradise coming from Mount Uhud.” Saying this, he threw himself into the very thick of the enemy and fought till he met his martyrdom. After the battle, it was found that his body had been mauled and mutilated to such an extent that only his sister could identify him and that barely from the finger tips. No less than eighty wounds of arrows and swords were counted on his body. Those who strive in the Path of The Almighty with sincerity and devotion taste the pleasure of Paradise even in this world. This tradition has a number of advantages. Among these, one is to seek Allah’s mercy and help during trials and tribulations and to make one’s good and pious deed as an agent for securing the same; another point is the high merit of service to parents. The importance and virtues of chastity, fulfillment of pledge, return of trust and fair consideration in dealings are also among good deeds of great merit according to this tradition. Finally, the sincerity and honesty are of equal importance. In short, according to Islamic incentive for all good work should only be the compliance of Allah’s Orders without the anticipation for any worldly gains, in term of ostentation, publicity or monetary gains.

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 7 Adam is an Arabic word for ‘man’. He was the progenitor of human race. He is reckoned to be the first Prophet by the Muslims. He was also the first man whom Allah had created from the elements of clay. The Holy Qur’an affirms: “O mankind! Surely We created you from dust.” (Qur’an 30:20) The gradual process of man’s physical development has been referred to in the following verses of the Holy Qur’an: “He began the creation of man from dust. Then He made his progeny of an extract of water held in light esteem. Then he made him complete and breathed into him of His spirit and made for you ears and eyes and heart.” (Qur’an 32:7-9) According to the latest scientific research, the man has been created from clay with all its elements and their inherent properties. It is discovered by a chemical analysis of the human body that a defect occurs in its normal functioning when the quality of any of these elements gets diminished. In such case vitamins are used to supplement the deficiency and restore normal health. The Creation of Prophet Adam: Before the creation of mortal, Allah directed all the angels to assemble. Thousands upon thousands of angels (created from light) and Jinns (created from fire) gathered in groups. They bowed respectfully in the presence of Allah. The Creator of the universe declared that He intended to create the man. The angels and Iblis (Satan) disapproved the idea and pointed out that human beings would cause disorder on the earth. They would make mischief and shed blood indiscriminately. The Holy Qur’an gives a description of this even in the following verses: “And when your Lord said to the angels: I am about to appoint a vicegerent in the earth. They said: Will you place therein such as will cause disorder in it or shed blood? We celebrate your praise and extol your holy names. He answered: I know what you know not.” (Quran 2:30) Angels were asked to make Obeisance to Adam: Allah taught Adam the names of all things and inculcated into his mind the knowledge of their properties. The Holy Qur’an says: “And He taught Adam the names of all things; then presenting them to the angels, He said: Tell Me the names of these if you are right.” (Quran 2:31) The angels did not know their names and said: “Glory be to You. We have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Surely, You are the Knowing, the Wise.” (Quran 2:32) After that, Allah questioned Adam in the presence of all angels about the names of different objects. He gave correct answers. On the basis of this superiority, Allah asked all the angels to bow as a mark of respect to Adam who was created so miraculously. The Holy Qur’an affirms: “O angels! Fall down making obeisance to Adam.” (Quran 15:29) Angels Prostrated but Iblis (Satan) Refused: When the angels heard the commandment of Allah, they all complied without hesitation. They bowed with respect and admiration to the new creation and that was Adam. However, Iblis (Satan) did not surrender on various pretexts and stood still. They Holy Qur’an says: “And when We said to the angels: Make obeisance to Adam, they did obeisance, not so Iblis, he refused and was haughty and he was of the rejecter.” (Quran 2:34) Challenge of Iblis: Iblis disobeyed Allah and became defiant. He arrogantly refused to accept the authority of a creature who was made of rubbish. Iblis thought himself superior to human being. The Prophet Adam ((AS)

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 8 As a result, Allah expelled Satan from the Garden of Bliss and deprived him of all Divine favors. Satan requested Allah to allow him to exist until the Day of Judgment. “I would bring most of the descendants of Adam under my sway. I would lead them astray from the Right Path.” Allah gave him respite. The conversation between God and Iblis has been narrated in the Holy Qur’an as follows: “Iblis said: Give me respite till the Resurrection Day. Allah said: Be you among those who are given respite. He said: I will certainly lie in wait for them on Your Straight Path. Then I will assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left, not will You find most of them grateful.” (Quran 7:14-18) Devil is, in fact, an evil spirit which tempts the man to indulge in sins. It invites the heart to do bad deeds and disobey Allah. It tries to weaken our sense of morality but if we are spiritually too strong to yield to its temptations, we become immune from all sins. Those who follow the Commandments of Allah, invite God’s grace to protect them. On the other hand, those who deliberately follow the wrong way, are responsible because they put themselves into the hands of Evil Spirit. Hawwa (Eve) Created: In order to remove the lonesomeness of Adam, a female mate named Hawwa (Eve) was created. The Prophet Adam (A.S.) and his wife Hawwa were given a place in the Garden (of Bliss) to reside. The Holy Qur’an affirms: “And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the Garden (of Bliss) and eat therefrom wherever you will; approach not this tree, lest you should be among the wrong-doers.” (Quran 7:20) Trial of Prophet Adam: The Prophet Adam (A.S.) and his wife Eve continued enjoying each others company and carefully avoiding that specific prohibited tree. Iblis became very jealous when he saw the favors of Allah on the Prophet Adam (A.S.) and began to devise ways and means to humiliate them. He kept on making evil suggestions to the couple in a sneaky way. He tried to persuade them to approach the prohibited tree. One day, Iblis sympathetically said to them: “Your Lord has only forbidden you this tree lest you should become angels or immortals, and he swore to them saying: Surely, I am a sincere counselor unto you. So he beguiled them by deceit.” (Quran 7:22) On healing this both, Prophet Adam (A.S.) and Eve, became curious. They started wondering as to why Allah did not want them to approach the specific tree. This temptation gradually became stronger, but Allah guided them aright and warned them not to be taken in by the evil suggestions of Iblis. The Holy Qur’an says: “Then We said: O Adam! Verily, this Iblis is an enemy to you and your wife, so let him not get you both out of the Garden so that you are landed in misery.” (Quran 20:117) The Prophet Adam (A.S.) and his wife used to live happily in the Garden of Bliss. They were endowed with the knowledge to discriminate between good and evil. They were also warned of the power of evil. They overpowered all sorts of evil temptations at first and tried hard to ward off the influence of Satan. But he made numerous attempts to misguide them off and on. Finally, Satan succeeded in his mission and made them approach that specific tree. Instantly, evil consequences appeared. The Holy Qur’an says: “When they both tasted of the tree, their private parts became manifest to each other and they both began to cover themselves with the leaves of the trees (in the garden), and their Lord called them saying: Did I not forbid you both from that tree and tell you that Satan was your avowed enemy. They said: Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your mercy, we shall surely be of the losers.” (Quran 7:23-24) The Prophet Adam (A.S.) and Hawwa Feel Penitence: The Prophet Adam (A.S.) and Eve followed the temptations of Iblis and were deprived of the heavenly bliss. They were,

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 9 however, overflooded with grief. They requested Allah to forgive them. Allah, the Most Merciful accepted their repentance and chose them for His mercy. At the same time, He dispelled them from the Garden of Bliss. They became ordinary people. They had to live like us for only a certain span of life on this earth. They would be recreated again to be judged for their actions on the Day of Judgment. Allah gives Directions: They lived for many years. Allah sent directions and guidance to the Prophet Adam (A.S.). He taught others about the religion of Allah. He advised his descendants to do good and avoid evil. He told the people to act upon Allah’s Commandments and follow His guidance. It would serve the purpose of shield to do away with the attacks of the devil. Allah says: “Whoso shall follow My Guidance, on them shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who will disbelieve and treat Our Signs as lies, they shall be the inmates of the fire and they shall abide therein.” (Quran 2:39-40) The Kids Corner Q: 1. What are the pillars of faith? Q: 2. If you were reciting the Qur'an out loud then someone started praying near you, what should you do? Q: 3. What should you do when you see that the Imam has already started the obligatory prayer? Q: 4. If a Muslim made two Ruku's in a single Rak'ah, should he repeat his Salah or prostrate for forgetfulness? See page 11 for the Quiz answers

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 10 Quran And Science The Qur’an, the holy book in Islam, is not a book of science; yet, it talks about so many different areas of material things in a very scientific way that leaves an everlasting miracle and a permanent challenge to the thinking humans. Such references are hard to include in such a short article; however, a good sample of them are included in this article. The translation from Arabic to English makes those verses loose some of their strength when some words have to be translated to the closest words. The human embryology subject is one of the most amazing parts in the Qur’an. A verse in Surah Al-Zumar says: “The Almighty makes you in the wombs of your mothers in stages, one after another, within three veils of darkness.” This matches with what Dr. Keith Moore from Canada says that a 20 week fetus in the uterus is surrounded by three veils of darkness: the abdominal wall, the uterine wall and the aminochorionic membrane. Another verse in Surah Al-Muminoun says: “The Almighty made you from a drop of sperm into a leech-like structure which changed into a chewed-like substance that then took the shape of a bone and was clothed with flesh.” Dr. Keith Moore says that a 24 day human embryo looks exactly like a leech or a bloodsucker. At 28 days, several parts of bead-like somites start to appear on the embryo to make it look like the chewed substance. A saying of the Prophet also states this: “Not from all the fluid is the offspring created” while a verse in Surah Al-Insan says: “Verily, We created the human being from mixture of germinal drop.” Another verse in Surah Al-Muminoun shows that the bone material is formed before the flesh: “Then We clothed the bones with flesh.” Many more verses provide detailed description of the development of the embryo that needs advanced knowledge of the human embryology to appreciate. The expansion of a universe, a recent discovery of modern science that was first suggested by the general theory of relativity and is backed up by physics in the examination of the galactic spectrum; the regular movement towards the red section of their spectrum may be explained by the distancing of our galaxy from another. Thus the size of the universe is constantly increasing. This verse in another Surah says: “The Heaven, We have built it with power. Verily, We are expanding it.” Concerning the moon, the sun, and the night, the Holy Qur’an says in Surah Al-Anbiyaa: “(The Almighty is) The One who created the night, the day, the sun, the moon. Each one is traveling in an orbit with its own motion.” Another verse in Surah Yaseen says: “The sun must not catch up the moon, nor does the night outstrip the day. Each one is traveling in an orbit with its own motion.” The Qur’an also tells the difference between the sun and the moon. The sun is called “Sirjan

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 11 Wahaja” which means a “blazing lamp”, while the moon is called “Noor” and “Muneer” which means “light” and “gives light.” The difference between the star and the planets is also mentioned in the Holy Qur’an in so many places. The Holy Qur’an gives information in so many places about many points that have to do with the creation of the universe like the existence of six periods for the creation in general, the interlocking of the stages in the creation of the heavens and the earth, the creation of the universe out of an initially unique mass forming a block that subsequently split up, the plurality of the heavens and of the earth, and the existence of an intermediary creation between the heavens and the earth. An example for the above is this verse in Surah Al-Anbiyaa: “Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together, then we clove them asunder.” This separation process resulted in the formation of the multiple worlds mentioned in so many places in the Qur’an. There are so many verses that talk about the seas and the water cycle.An amazing one in Surah Al-Furqan says: “(Almighty) is The One who has let free the two seas, one is agreeable and sweet, and the other salty and bitter. He placed a barrier between them, a partition that is forbidden to pass.” Another one in Surah Al-Rahman says: “He has loosed the two seas. They meet together. Between them there is a barrier which they do not transgress. Out of them come pearls and corals.” Another one mentions the under-surface waves in the high seas. It is good to mention here that Mohammad (pbuh), who lived in the desert 1400 years ago, never rode the sea, which makes it hard to believe that this book was written by a human and must be a Revelation from Allah. The electricity in the atmosphere and the consequence of this, i.e. lighting and hail, are referred to in many verses. This one in Surah Al-Noor says: “Have you not seen that Almighty makes the clouds move gently, then joins them together, then makes them a heap. And then you see raindrops issuing from within it. He sends down from the sky mountains of hail. He strikes therewith whom He wills and He turns it away from whom He wills. The flashing of its lightning almost snatches away the sights.” It is good to mention that recent scientists say that hail falls from clouds that have the shape of mountains. Concerning the animal milk, the Holy Qur’an describes how and where the milk is formed inside the animal. This verse from Surah Al-Nahl says: “Verily, there is food for thought in your cattle. From what is in their bellies, among their excrement and blood. We make you drink pure milk, easy for drinkers to imbibe.” Many other areas are mentioned in the Holy Qur’an and are open for interested scientists in those areas to do research on them. There is no need for the scientist to be a Muslim to benefit from these hints in the Qur’an. One verse in Surah Fussilat says: “We will show them Our signs in the horizons and inside themselves until it is shown for them that it is the truth.” When doing that, however, one should keep in mind that this book came to us 1400 years ago in the desert. Muslims and non-Muslim claim that Mohammed (pbuh) who was illiterate, wrote it. Mohammed (pbuh) had no telescopes or microscopes to do that kind of research nor did he ride the seas to check the barrier between the salty and sweet waters. Whosoever does any scientific research on verses from the Holy Qur’an that relate to his research can decide for himself which side to support. Q: 1. What are the pillars of faith? A: Belief in The Almighty, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, The Last Day and The Pre-measurement of good and evil. Q: 2. If you were reciting the Qur'an out loud then someone started praying near you, what should you do? A: Recite Softly Q: 3. What should you do when you see that the Imam has already started the obligatory prayer? A: You should join the Jama'ah (Congregation) and not pray Tahiyyat-ul-Masjid. Q: 4. If a Muslim made two Ruku's in a single Rak'ah, should he repeat his Salah or prostrate for forgetfulness? A: Repeat his Prayer The Kids Corner answers from page 9

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 12 Women In Islam The Story of Asma bint Abu Bakr Asma-bint Abu Bakr (raa) was the daughter of Abu Bakr (raa), mother of Abdullah bin Zubair (raa) and the step-sister of Aisha (raa). She is one of the most famous women of her time. She was the eighteenth person to embrace Islam. She was twenty-seven years old at the time of Hijrat. After the migration from Mecca, when the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr (raa) reached Madinah safely, they sent Zaid (raa) and some other Sahabahs to bring their families from Mecca. Asma (raa) came to Madinah with Abu Bakr’s family. When she reached Quba, she gave birth to Abdullah bin Zubair (raa), the first Muslim baby born since Hijrat. Asma (raa) says: “When I was married to Zubair, he had neither money nor property of any kind. He had only one camel for carrying water and one horse. I would bring fodder for the animals and date-stones to feed them in lieu of grass, bring water from the well, mend bucket myself when needed and attend to other domestic duties.Attending to the horse was the most difficult of all jobs. I was not good at baking and therefore, after kneading the flour, I would take it to the Ansar women in my neighborhood, who would bake the bread for me. When we arrived in Madinah, the Prophet (saw) allotted a piece of land to Zubair (raa) about two miles away from the town. I would bring date stones from there on my head. One day when I was coming in this fashion, I met the Prophet (saw) with a group of Ansar in the way. The Prophet (saw) stopped his camel. I quite well understood that he intended to give me a lift. I felt shy of accompanying him, and I also remembered that Zubair (raa) was also very sensitive in such matters. The Prophet (saw) understood my hesitation and left me alone. When I reached home, I narrated the story to Zubair (raa) and told him that, due to my own shyness and his sensitiveness, I did not avail of the offer of the Prophet (saw). At this Zubair (raa) said, ‘By Allah, I am more sensitive about your carrying the load over such a long distance but I cannot help it.” (In fact, Sahabah remained occupied striving in the Allah’s Path and all other such jobs had to be done by their womenfolk.) Sometime later, Abu Bakr (raa) transferred to us a servant that the Prophet (pbuh) had given him. I was thus relieved of attending to the horse, which had been really hard for me. The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said in a famous narration: ’Paradise lies at the feet of your mother’ [Musnad Ahmad, Sunan An-Nasâ’i, Sunan Ibn Mâjah] In this well-loved hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said, “Paradise lies at the feet of mothers.” This means that we gain admission to Jannah (Heaven) through the treatment we give to our mothers. We can also be denied admission through mistreatment of mothers. It is said that no person will ever be granted access to Paradise if his mother died while angry with him. Now, obviously, there are many other factors that determine whether or not a person will ever see Jannah. This hadith simply shows the importance of being kind to our mothers. When you have been blessed with a loving, nurturing mom, you should celebrate her every day. Do not wait for a circle on your calendar. A true mother is a divine gift and should be treated as such year-round. paradise lies at the feet of your mother

The Islamic Bulletin Volume I No. 1 Page 13 Al-Halal (The Lawful) Halal is the Arabic word which, in general, means ‘allowed’ or ‘lawful’. Most diets and foods are considered to be Halal unless they are specified in the Holy Qur’an or Hadith as otherwise. Human beings cannot change the unlawful (Haram) into Halal (lawful). It is also unlawful to make the Halal (lawful) into Haram (unlawful). Al-Haram (The Unlawful) Haram is the Arabic word which, in general, means ‘prohibited’ or ‘unlawful’. In Islam, Haram foods are meant to be unlawful. They are: pork and its byproducts, alcohol, meat of dead animals, meat of the animals slaughtered in the name other than The Almighty, blood, any intoxicating drugs, etc. If a Muslim uses any of these Haram products, he would be committing a sin. In some exceptional cases, a Muslim may use the Haram foods. It is permissible if they are consumed by mistake or if he is in danger. If there is no other food available except the Haram, then it is permissible to use it to survive onl Read The Labels The law requires that food manufacturers provide ingredient information on the food labels. That makes our job easier. All we need is to read the labels carefully. To be sure, ingredient labels are not the most readable part of many food packages, and they may not always contain sufficient information to determine the Halal status of a product. But reading food ingredient labels is the first essential step in that direction. As you read the labels, especially look for the following ingredients. They deserve a hard look: A Partial List of Haram Ingredients: Bacon: A side of a pig meat (pork) after removal of the spare ribs and after being cured dry or pickled. Cholesterol: A type of fat always of animal origin. If extracted Zabiha animal, it is Halal. Di-glyceride: Emulsifier. If of animal origin, it should be avoided till the animal source is known. Islamic Dietary Laws Gelatin: Usually of animal origin, mostly from pig. If the gelatin source is plant then it is Halal. Mono-Glycerides: If the source is animal origin, then it is Haram. Glyceryl: It could be from an animal source, plant or synthetic Glycerol-Stearate origin. If the source is animal, it is Haram. Hormones: Usually animal hormones are used to human beings. Find out the source before passing a judgment. Lard: Fat from swine, particularly found in the abdominal cavity. This is totally Haram to be used! Pepsin: A digestive enzyme of the gastric juices usually extracted from pig’s stomach. Absolutely Haram! Renin Rennet: A protein enzyme used in the preparation of cheese for curdling the milk. If the source is a Zabiha animal, then it is Halal. Animal Shortening: Fat and oils of animal origin. Lard Shortening: A purified internal fat from the abdomen of pig. Vegetable Shortening: Fat and oils of plant origin. As long as the word ‘pure’ or ‘100%’ is not used with vegetable shortening, there is no guarantee that the animal fats are not added to the extent of 5 - 15%. NOTE: Labels do not usually say whether of animal or plant origin. Inquiries can be made by simply writing to the food companies.

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