Apostasy and Good Deeds

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Ustadh Salman Younas unpacks the question of the deeds of an apostate who returns to Islam.

My question is on the deeds of the apostate. I know that apostasy invalidates good deeds but I want to know the opinion of the majority of scholars and maddhabs; whether they are returned to him when he repents and reverts back to Islam?

Also, when he or she does return back, is it necessary to repeat Hajj because I find it against the mercy of Allah Most High to wipe out all good deeds and keep his sins even if the apostate repents because apostasy is very easy to fall into so how can one word of kufr destroy all hard work even if one repents?

The first thing to point out is that apostasy is absolutely not a very easy state to enter into. While some people and texts may give such an erroneous and dangerous impression, scholars are quite clear that the conditions for deeming a person out of the fold are extremely stringent. When it comes to supposed acts or statements of kufr by a person, any excuse or interpretation that keeps him or her inside the fold of Islam is favored over those that do not.

As for the deeds of the apostate – someone who is shown to have decisively left the faith – there are two main positions on the issue:

  1. The deeds of the apostate who returns to Islam are not invalidated. Thus, he or she would not be required to repeat Hajj if they had already performed it before their apostasy and while Muslim.
  2. The deeds of the apostate who returns to Islam are invalidated. Thus, he or she would be required to repeat the Hajj even if they had already performed it before their apostasy while Muslim.

There is also a difference on the reward for previous acts. Some scholars stated that the rewards for the actions an apostate performed while Muslim are also nullified (and this was stated even by those who opined that such a person does not have to repeat acts the apostate did while Muslim, such as Hajj), while others stated that if he returns to Islam, he or she may continue to possess these rewards in some form. (al-Nawawi, Sharh Sahih Muslim; Ibn al-Arabi, Ahkam al-Qur’an; Ibn Abidin, Hashiya; al-Shafi‘i, Kitab al-Umm)

Salman

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

I Think I’ve Committed Apostasy. How Do I Repent?

Priorities in the Age of Apostasy & Argumentation – Sh. Ibrahim Osi-Efa (11 video extract)

Misgivings Regarding Apostasy and How to Deal with Them

Uncreated Beings Besides Allah?

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Ustadh Farid Dingle is questioned about the possibility of their being other creators besides Allah.

Are there other uncreated beings alongside Allah? Seeing as how the definition of god is the one who created the universe and creation, is it possible for there to be uncreated beings that Allah did not create? A being that created their own universe and creation. That is not regarded as god by us but regarded as god by their own creation that they have created.

I am asking this question because I have a thought going through my head that before the existence of any creation Allah had a quarrel with other uncreated things over who is more powerful. And that is why Allah has created the mankind and jinn to worship him; to prove to the other uncreated things that He is the most powerful.

I also go through thoughts that other uncreated beings alongside Allah do exist, but they all live in peace and that they all have created their own things and only the things they created regard them to be gods but not the things that the other uncreated things have created.

I know this sounds like it is against the teachings of Islam and I have tried to find anything that goes against this but I can neither find any convincing evidence against this claim or for it. The Qur’an mentions the impossibility of multiple gods in Sura al-Anbiya 21:22. But that only had to do with multiple gods creating the same thing.

My question is to do with multiple uncreated beings that create their own creation who are not regarded as god by the creation of other uncreated beings, but regarded as god by their own creation.

Please I would like for you to clear this up for me and give me an answer as soon as possible, because I am extremely confused and I need to desperately know what is the answer against this claim.

I also have other thoughts that Allah has sexual organs. I go through this thought because Allah mentions he has hands and a shin. I need to know what is the response to all of the above queries I have.

Dear questioner, I would strongly advise you to listen to this series of podcasts: Why Islam Is True.

Regarding your question, it is logically impossible that there be multiple creators because that necessitate a level of dependency in being or actions.

Were there other beings with the power to create and destroy, nothing would stop them from destroying each other, and then they wouldn’t have necessary existence. Similarly, if there were there beings with the power to create and destroy, the execution of such powers would be contingent upon the agreement of other such beings, and this would also be a dependency.

In short, the being that keeps everything in existence and keeps things the specific way everything is exists without any dependency whatsoever, and this dictates that it (He) be one.

As for His not having body parts, this also returns to His freedom of need: parts take up a certain among of space and this would entail that He needs space to exist. Verses that mention His hand or face are metaphorical. For more detail, please see Literalism and the Attributes of Allah.

Theologically, whenever anyone returns the whole of existence to one being, that being must be completely self-explainable: that it is and what is does cannot return to some other external determiner.

This is why the Big Bang cannot be the reason for the universe, Brahma, Jesus or, anything else apart from Allah as He is in the Qur’an.

Allah summarizes this beautifully in Sura al-Ikhlas 112: 1-4.

Say: It is the Allah is One, the One to Whom all else returns;
Never has He had children, nor was He ever born;
And there was [and never will be] anything equal to Him.

Again, listen to the podcasts and this will be more than clear, insha Allah.

I pray this helps.

Farid

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

A Reader on Understanding the Attributes of Allah

How to Get a Better Understanding of Tawhid?

The Power of Monotheism – Abdal Hakim Murad

Types of Thought, Blasphemy, and Sin

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Shaykh Farid Dingle is asked about the categories of thoughts and what to do when one has blasphemous thoughts or imaginings.

Question:

Assalam alaykum wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh.

I heard that there are three kind of thoughts. Intentional thoughts, innocent thoughts, and thoughts due to disease. If someone were to imagine blasphemy would he commit a major sin or minor sin?

Answer:

Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmat Allah wa barakatuh.

Dear questioner,

It is true that thoughts can be of different types and different origins.

Some thoughts may be purely divine, in that they are thoughts of the divine oneness (tawhid), or thoughts of Allah’s perfections. Others are angelic, and these are thoughts that encourage one to do good actions. Some are just neutral, like thoughts about what a word might mean or where you are going to park you car. Another group are evil thoughts, which are either demonic, such as intentions to disobey Allah or deny Him, or egotistic, such as the drive for fame and food.

Another way to categorize thoughts as well is to look at how far one has followed that thought. Some thoughts, whether good or evil, are merely passing thoughts. For example, a believer might have a passing thought to commit a sin, or that Allah doesn’t exist, and seeks refuge from the Devil and ignores it and thereby earn reward with Allah.

The next level would be to dwell on the issue, and waver back and forward about doing a good or bad act. This is a deeper level of interaction. With good deeds, one shouldn’t waver, but rather go ahead and do it even if it seems paltry.

The stage after this is resolve (hamm). Here the slave resolves, for example, to get up for the night vigil prayer (tahajjud), or resolves to steal. Allah be our refuge!

By resolving to do something good, one actually earns a reward with Allah before even doing it. Ibn Abbas narrates that the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said “Whoever resolves (hamma) to do a good deed, and then does not do it, Allah will write it down as one complete good deed. If he resolves to do a good deed and then does it, Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, will write it down between ten and seven hundred fold, or many more. If he resolves to do a bad deed and then he does not do it, Allah will write it down as one complete good deed. And if he resolves to do a bad deed and then does it, Allah will write it down as one bad deed.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

So, yes there are different levels of thoughts, and they do have different moral weights, but we are not held accountable for passing thoughts if we acknowledge those that are bad and discard them immediately.

As for the categorizing a bad thought into a major or minor sin, there is no practical benefit in it. The differentiation between major and minor sins is a purely theological debate, and only has any significance in court when the judge is looking to see who is or is not an upright witness.

If a Muslim plays with sinful thoughts, they should just seek forgiveness and that is it. They should not linger on whether or not it is a major or minor sin.

I would also be wary of visiting websites of Muslims who do not abide by traditional Sunni scholarship. We love and respect all people and all Muslims, but we should only take our religion from those who represent traditional Sunni Islam.

I pray this helps.

Farid

Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.

Having Seriously Evil Thoughts

Passing Blasphemous Thoughts Leading to Despair

Are These Thoughts Disbelief and Sinful?

Is This Proof That the Prophet Is Alive in His Grave?

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Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question: Asslamu Alaykum

“My life is a great good for you, you will relate about me and it will be related to you, and my death is a great good for you, your actions will be shown to me and if I see goodness I will praise Allah, and if I see evil I will ask forgiveness of Allah for you.” I want to know whether this is a Sahih Hadith and does this prove that Prophet Muhammad, may God’s peace and salutations be upon him, is alive in his grave?

Answer: Wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahm atullah wa barakatuh

Thank you for your question.

The hadith you mentioned is narrated by Imam al-Bazzār:

حَياتِي خير لكم وموتي خير لكم، أما حَياتِي فأسن لكم السّنَن وأشرع لكم الشَّرَائِع. وَأما موتِي فَإِن أَعمالكُم تعرض عَلّي فَمَا رَأَيْت مِنْهَا حسنا حمدت الله عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا رَأَيْت مِنْهَا سَيِّئًا استغفرت الله تَعَالَى لكم

‘My life is good for you and my death is good for you. As for my life, I set sunnas and legislate laws for you. As for my death, your deeds are presented to me; I praise Allah for the good I see of them, and ask Allah to forgive you for the bad that I see.’

Some experts considered all the narrators to be sound, whereas others disagreed (al-ʿIraqi, Mughni al-Asfar). The least that can be said of the hadith is that it is a well authenticated, ḥasan, hadith.

The Life of Prophets After Death

Yes, this narration is a strong proof for the life of the Messenger of Allah, and the other prophets (Allah bless them and grant them all peace), although the nature of their life in the Barzakh is different to what we perceive as life. Imam Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti has a work dedicated to this topic, Inbaʾ al-adhkiya bi hayat al-anbiyaʾ (Apprising the Intelligent of the Life of the Prophets).

In it he states, ‘The life of the Prophet [Muhammad] in his grave and the other prophets (Allah bess them all and grant them peace) is known to us with certainty due to many proofs and mass-transmitted (mutawatir) narrations. He then proceeds to cite various proofs such as the narration of Sahih Muslim which describes the prophet Musa praying in his grave on the night of the Isra.

And Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 to study and sit at the feet of some of the most erudite scholars of our time.

Over the following eighteen months he studied a traditional curriculum, studying with scholars such as Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh Abdurrahman Arjan, Shaykh Hussain Darwish and Shaykh Muhammad Darwish.

In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years, in Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Shama’il, and Logic with teachers such as Dr Ashraf Muneeb, Dr Salah Abu’l-Hajj, Dr Hamza al-Bakri, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Dr Mansur Abu Zina amongst others. He was also given two licences of mastery in the science of Qur’anic recital by Shakh Samir Jabr and Shaykh Yahya Qandil.

His true passion, however, arose in the presence of Shaykh Ali Hani, considered by many to be one of the foremost tafsir scholars of our time who provided him with the keys to the vast knowledge of the Quran. With Shaykh Ali, he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Qur’anic Sciences, Tafsir, Arabic Grammar, and Rhetoric.

When he finally left Jordan for the UK in 2014, Shaykh Ali gave him his distinct blessing and still recommends students in the UK to seek out Shaykh Abdul-Rahim for Quranic studies. Since his return he has trained as a therapist and has helped a number of people overcome emotional and psychosomatic issues. He is a keen promoter of emotional and mental health.

Why Did Allah Favor the Children of Israel?

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Answered by Shyakh Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Question: Asslamu Alaykum

I would like to know why Allah has favoured the Children of Israel over of all other nations. Wouldn’t it be unjust if He only provided the Book to one nation and favoured them? On the contrary, Islam is for all humanity, therefore, the question does not arise. Also, how do we know that the Jews have changed the Torah and are not on the right path?

Answer: Wa ‘alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh

Thank you for your question.

The question itself is a very good one, and it highlights the need to understand the Qurʾān in Arabic as the Arabs understood it, and to seek clarification when in doubt.

Allah can do what He wants.

Allah Most High is the absolute Master of all that exists, and therefore He can select and favour anyone He wishes with whatever He wishes. He is dealing with His own property. Yet we must remember that He is wise. Never does He give or withhold without there being some great wisdom behind the matter. Our job is to have this understanding to contextualise everything,

Were the Bani Isrāʾīl preferred over everyone else?

Allah addressed the Jews who were contemporaries of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) with the words ‘O Children of Israel, recall my blessings upon you and that I [once] favoured you above all other beings.’ (al-Baqara, 47) What the masters of Qurʾānic exegesis, such as Abū al-Suʿūd, Maḥmūd al-Alūsī, Burhan al-Dīn al-Biqāʿī and others said regarding this verse is that although Allah was speaking to the contemporaries of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) here, and the people who actually received these blessings were their ancestors. Consequently the people who were preferred over all others were those who lived in time of the prophet Moses (Allah bless him and grant him peace).

Why would Allah do such a thing? Allah was inviting them to believe in the revelation which he sent to the Prophet Muhammad, which was the natural conclusion to what all the other messengers brought. The Jews were people who had a strong sense of racial identity, so reminding them of what Allah had bestowed upon their forefathers was-in their eyes-a reminder of what they themselves had received through their lineage. They were proud of their ancestors, so a reminder of the blessings given to their ancestors should have been sufficient to want to believe in order to show thanks for that blessing.

According the early master of Arabic and authoritative exegete al-Zajjāj, the proof of this is in the very next verse when Allah said to them, ‘And [recall] when we spectacularly rescued you from the forces of Pharaoh…’ (al-Baqara, 48). Those who were rescued were the followers of the prophet Moses, not the people being addressed by the verse.

This brings us to the question ‘who was preferred over all others?’ What was deduced from the above proof was that it was the followers of the prophet Moses who had been given this rank – but it only extended to everyone before their time until them. At the time they were the Muslims who believed in Allah and His Messengers; they had been blessed with two tremendous prophets; and they were given the great Torah, which – as Allah put it – contained tremendous guidance and great light. However, they lost this rank when time after time they rebelled against Allah, and the messengers who were sent to them.

We know from sura Āl ʿImrān that our umma – from the companions and after – is the best umma because we not only believe, but we also perform the functions of the previous prophets: ‘You have always been the best nation who were produced for the service of mankind: [because] you command that good be done, prohibit the bad and believe in Allah.’ (Āl ʿImrān, 110).

This means that Allah knew that-when compared with other nations-the nation of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah bless him and give him peace) was always superior in Allah’s sight; however, up until their point in history, the followers of the Prophet Moses were the best.

Discrepancies in the Old Testament.

This is a matter which has been addressed by non-Muslims academics as well as by Muslims. You should refer to some of the works of Bart Ehrman for specific details. What we can say in brief is that we know that there were many descriptions of the Messenger of Allah in the Torah so that the Jews could recognise him when he did finally come, and we cannot find them in the modern Old Testament (Torah).

There are also historical inaccuracies, such as the ruler at the time of the prophet Joseph being referred to as ‘Pharaoh’ in the Old Testament, whereas historically it has been established that the ruling elite of the Hyksos people referred to their ruler as king – which is in accordance with the Qurʾānic narrative – and it was only the native Egyptians who referred to their ruler as Pharaoh.

Ultimately, the misguidance of the Jews contemporary to the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) stemmed from their inability to submit to Allah choosing one of the Arabs as the bearer of His final message, and not a Jew. Safiyya b. Huyayy, the Jewish convert who became the wife of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and grant him peace) narrated that once the Prophet arrived in Madina and her father and uncle – the leading rabbis of her tribe returned home dejected, her uncle asked, ‘Is he a prophet?’ Her father replied in the affirmative, and they they would fight him as long as they lived simply because he was an Arab. In short, they preferred to reject all the great favours Allah had granted them, and to suffer a terrible torment in the afterlife rather than believe in a messenger who was not of their race.

In the words of Imam al-Ṭahāwī, ‘O Allah – ally of Islam and its people – keep us firm on Islam until we meet you with it.’

Allah knows best.

May Allah bless us all with clear understanding and certainty.

[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat

Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 to study and sit at the feet of some of the most erudite scholars of our time.

Over the following eighteen months he studied a traditional curriculum, studying with scholars such as Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh Abdurrahman Arjan, Shaykh Hussain Darwish and Shaykh Muhammad Darwish.

In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years, in Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Shama’il, and Logic with teachers such as Dr Ashraf Muneeb, Dr Salah Abu’l-Hajj, Dr Hamza al-Bakri, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Dr Mansur Abu Zina amongst others. He was also given two licences of mastery in the science of Qur’anic recital by Shakh Samir Jabr and Shaykh Yahya Qandil.

His true passion, however, arose in the presence of Shaykh Ali Hani, considered by many to be one of the foremost tafsir scholars of our time who provided him with the keys to the vast knowledge of the Quran. With Shaykh Ali, he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Qur’anic Sciences, Tafsir, Arabic Grammar, and Rhetoric.

When he finally left Jordan for the UK in 2014, Shaykh Ali gave him his distinct blessing and still recommends students in the UK to seek out Shaykh Abdul-Rahim for Quranic studies. Since his return he has trained as a therapist and has helped a number of people overcome emotional and psychosomatic issues. He is a keen promoter of emotional and mental health.

Did the Prophet Use the Qur’an to Justify His Behaviour and Marriages?

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Answered by Shaykh Jamir Meah

Question: Assalam alaykum

There is a story about the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and Mariyah a coptic christian slave girl with whom he had relations while his wives did not want him to. Then revelation came down defending the Prophet’s actions. My other question is the significance of the part of the Qur’an related to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, getting married to Zayd’s wife.

Did the Prophet ﷺ use the Qur’an to justify his behaviour and marriages?

Answer: Assalam alaykum. Jazakum Allah khayr for your questions. May Allah Most High grant you to every good.

The questions you’ve asked are important and it is necessary for you to clear any concerns you have. However, they are questions that cannot be satisfactorily answered in a brief written answer, though we will cover the main points below.

It should also be noted that such questions usually come about from a lack of basic study and knowledge. There is no substitute to learning and I highly recommend that you study beginner courses in the sciences of the Seerah (Prophetic biography) and Tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis).

By studying these sciences in a systematic manner under a teacher, the answers to the questions you have will become clear, insha Allah, for the simple reason that you will understand the context of the events in the Prophet’s life ﷺ and the context of the verses of the Qur’an.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as the best of examples

The Prophet ﷺ is the best of creation. If we believe the Qur’an to be the Word of God, then we know that Allah Most High has said, “And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” [21:107], and that, “You have a good example in God’s Messenger for whosoever hopes for God and the Last Day, and remembers God oft.” [33:21].

Following the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has been the success of every rightly guided believer, from the Companions all the way down to the present day. There is no good that a believer does except that it is because of the guidance and example of the Prophet ﷺ. A basic study of the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ will make it clear to the objective reader that the Prophet was ﷺ a man of the highest character, a fact attested to by even his own enemies, who we should point out, despite their hatred for the message he came with, never questioned his character, marriages and personal conduct.

While love and human bonds are to be honored and considered in our worldly affairs, our relationship with Allah always takes precedence. There is not a thing that the Prophet ﷺ said or did that was from his own desire or whim, for Allah Most High has told us “Your companion [Muhammad] has not strayed, nor has he erred, nor does he speak from [his own] inclination.” [53:2-3].

Rather, everything that he did was done in order to guide us, and under the command of God, and he carried out the Divine Command regardless of the wishes of anyone, including wives, family members, companions or leaders. The perfection of the Prophet ﷺ lies in his absolute submission to God, not following creation.

The Prophet’s Marriages

As mentioned, the marriages and relationships of the Prophet ﷺ were never questioned during his lifetime, for the simple reason that there was nothing in them to attack. If they were problematic, as many people today like to claim, why did not anyone object to his conduct and marriages at the time? The Prophet ﷺ was verbally and physically insulted during his lifetime, yet never did the companions, women among them, nor even his enemies, in Arabia or in Rome, Persia, or Abyssinia, address these ‘issues’ with objection. Therefore, it is futile to start attacking the Prophet ﷺ on such issues in our times, more than 1400 years later.

Those who paint a picture of the Prophet ﷺ as someone driven by lust and passion are deluding themselves and others. A sincere study of the seerah would, in the very least, leave the person with the impression that Muhammad ﷺ was one of the greatest and most spiritual men to ever walk on earth, even if one ultimately rejects the message and the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ. To read the seerah and whittle down the life of the blessed Prophet ﷺ to a mere political struggle and power grab, with a lust for women on the side, is not only an abominable falsehood, but a lie to one’s own conscience.

Every marriage of the Prophet ﷺ had a reason and wisdom behind it. Some were for tribal and political rationale, other for strengthening the ties of kinship and companionship, some for other reasons. Through some of the Prophet’s marriages, large numbers of people became Muslim and pacts formed, and more importantly, like everything in the Prophet’s blessed life, each and every marriage was a form of legislation and guidance, for through it we derive the permissible and impermissible matters of the sacred law.

We should also note, that if the Prophet ﷺ really did whatever he pleased in regards to women, making up verses as he went along as an excuse, then it is valid to ask, why did he not continue to take more wives? Surely he could have claimed verses had been revealed giving permission for many other relationships?

Instead, we find the verse, “It is not lawful for thee (to marry more) women after this, nor to change them for (other) wives, even though their beauty attracts thee … And Allah doth watch over all things.” [33:52] The answer is obvious, he ﷺ did not marry from whim nor claim permission was granted whenever it suited him, rather each marriage was permitted and ordained by God, the One who sent his Prophet, and his whole life ﷺ was under God’s Command.

A second point we should note is the fact that many of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ we’re not young or virgins, but rather, they were older women, some widowed, other’s previously married. We have to ask ourselves, if a powerful leader of a nation who possesses unquestionable authority over his followers, who can have any woman he desired (and we should remember that the Prophet ﷺ was offered any woman that he desired if only he stopped spreading the message), does it make sense that such a powerful person would marry older women, widowed women, women with children?

Did any of his other wives object to his ordained marriages as just a ‘convenient’ way to act on his personal desires? If not, then why should anyone else feel they must speak out in defence of the Prophet’s wives? The Mothers of the believers were the most intelligent, scholarly, confident, and pious women of this community, who advised, spoke their minds, and expressed their concerns without censure. They really do not need defending by anyone.

You may find the last few paragraphs of the following answer useful in this regard, The Perfection of the Prophet.

Mariyah al-Qubtiyyah

The ‘incident’ with the Prophet ﷺ and Mariyah al-Qubtiyyah, and the Prophet’s wives, has been discussed in detail in a previous answer. Please read, Has the Prophet Really Been Intimate with Maryah in Hafsa’s House?

What relevance does the Quran have to the Ummah itself other than just being for Muhammad ﷺ?

The Qur’an relates to us on many levels and is for everyone. The complete beginner and the most accomplished sage will never cease to find guidance, lessons, blessings and tranquility in it. It is a direct link between every person and God. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said, “I am leaving with you two weighty things: the first is the Book of Allah, in which there is right guidance and light, so hold fast to the Book of Allah and adhere to it.” [Muslim]. In this sense, the Qur’an is an ‘inheritance’ from the Prophet ﷺ to every human being, to be benefited from and adhere to. It wasn’t revealed to Muhammad for Muhammad, it was revealed to Muhammad for the benefit of mankind.

How much a person benefits and understands, and how much they are affected through the Qur’an depends on the person’s intention and openness to it. Every line has a message to ponder on. Therefore, take your time with the Qur’an and strive to read it daily and understand its meaning. Over time, the relevance and effect of the Qur’an in your life will become apparent.

Defending Islam

It is always best that one first concentrates on one’s own faith and working on making that sound and strong. It is a mistake to try to defend the religion while harboring doubts or having less than firm conviction in the truth and veracity of the Prophet ﷺ and the Qu’ran. Therefore, I encourage you to seek out sound learning, and avoid any discussions on the religion with others. The inability to defend Islam does not mean that Islam is not perfect, it just means we have to understand it better.

May Allah guide you and us to sound knowledge and strengthen our faith until it is “so great that it becomes as a towering mountain which no doubts can shake and no illusions rock.” [The Book of Assistance]

Warmest salams,
[Shaykh] Jamir Meah

Shaykh Jamir Meah grew up in Hampstead, London. In 2007, he traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he spent nine years studying the Islamic sciences on a one-to-one basis under the foremost scholars of the Ribaat, Tarim, with a main specialization and focus on Shafi’i fiqh. In early 2016, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continues advanced studies in a range of Islamic sciences, as well as teaching. Jamir is a qualified homeopath.

How Old Was Lady Aisha When She Married the Prophet? (Video)

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Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question: Assalamu alaykum

How old was lady Aisha when she married the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him)?

Answer:  Wa’leykum Salam,

Here is a video answer by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani to this question:

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a scholar and researcher of Islamic law and Executive Director of SeekersHub Global After ten years overseas, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in the Summer of 2007. In May 2008 he founded SeekersHub Global to deal with the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge—both online and on the ground—in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He has been repeatedly listed as one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims (The Muslim500).

Can I Call the Prophet as “The Beloved of the Universe”? (Habib Umar bin Hafiz)

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Answered by  Habib Umar bin Hafiz

Question: Assalam aleykum

Some discussion has recently arisen concerning a festival slogan, “You are the Beloved of the Universe”, intending thereby the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s blessings be upon him and his folk). Some object to this, and claim this is not so since the universe includes Satan among other devils, as well as sinners, etc, or that it is, in fact, Allah who is the Beloved of the universe. How would one respond to such objections?

Answer: [Assalam alaykum]

Evil Has No Significance

Indeed, the devils and some who reject faith come out openly in enmity to God (Most High) and to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), as well as enmity toward His commands and transgression of His limits. Yet, what significance do they have in relation to the entirety of the universe? Moreover, they will eventually show reverence towards Allah and His messenger on the Day of Judgement.

The Beloved in this World and the Next

The term “beloved of universe” is thus appropriately applied to Allah and to His Chosen Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him and his folk), who will occupy the Praiseworthy Station on the Day of Judgement, where he will be praised by the first and the last. And he was loved by animals and inanimate objects as well, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him and his folk.

Translated by Mahmoud Hamed

Habib Umar bin Hafiz  is a descendant of the Prophet (upon him be Allah’s peace and blessings). Born into a family of scholars, Habib Umar, pursued the sacred sciences from a young age, including Quran, Hadith, Fiqh, ‘Aqeedah, Arabic, and Spirituality. In 1994, he established Dar al-Mustafa, an educational institute in Tarim, Yemem.

Link to the original answer

كثر لغط في الآونة الأخيرة بشأن عنوان اتخذه مهرجان بعنوان ( أنت حِبُّ الأكوان ) ويقصدون الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام . والسؤال كيف نرد على من يقول أن الرسول ليس هو حب الأكوان بحجة أن الكون يحتوى على الشياطين وإبليس والعصاة وما إلى ذلك، وأن حِب الأكوان يكون فقط لله عز وجل لا غير؟
يتظاهر الشياطين والكفار ببغض الحق عز وجل ورسوله والمعاندة لأوامره والتعدي لحدوده، ولكن ما نسبة أولئك إلى مجموع أصناف الكائنات ؟ ثم مصيرهم إلى تعظيم الله ورسوله في المعاد والقيامة ، فيصح أن يقال في الحق تعالى ( حب الأكوان ) وفي رسوله المصطفى محمد وهو عليه الصلاة والسلام في المقام المحمود يوم القيامة يحمده الأولون والآخرون وقد أحبته الجمادات والحيوانات فصلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه ومن والاه.

Why Did Prophet Muhammad Have Many Names? (Video)

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Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Question: Assalamu alaykum

Why did Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) have many names? Which is the best?

Answer:  Wa’leykum Salam,

Here is a video answer by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani to this question:

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a scholar and researcher of Islamic law and Executive Director of SeekersHub Global After ten years overseas, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in the Summer of 2007. In May 2008 he founded SeekersHub Global to deal with the urgent need to spread Islamic knowledge—both online and on the ground—in a reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible manner. He has been repeatedly listed as one of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims (The Muslim500).

Why We Shouldn’t Take Christian Miracles at Face Value

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Answered by Shaykh Jamir Meah

Question: Assalamu alaykum

I keep reading about miraculous events happening in the support of Christianity. It seems that every time Christians are down miraculous interventions come into play and they are saved. The first crusade, Joan of Arc are examples of this. My faith is wavering because of this. What can I do?

Answer: Wa’alaykum assalam. Jazakum Allah khayr for your question. There is no need to be afraid for asking such questions. One must clear doubts in order to grow firmer in the religion.

Basis of religion

The basis of religion is Divine revelation and not the temporal events of this world or historical interpretations, no matter how extraordinary the events may seem to one. To doubt one’s faith in Islam because of historical accounts is like equating the eternal facts of the Qur’an with the information found in history books and current news reports.

When one views their faith through world events, their faith is open to misgivings, but when one views world events through faith, faith is reinforced.

Win or lose, miracle or fraud, none of these temporal events have any bearing on the statement ‘There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger’.

To prefer Christianity over Islam because of the events described in the question necessarily means one rejects the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad as the final revelation and Messenger. It also entails acceptance of every other point of Christian belief, the most objectionable being the concept of the Trinity.

Historical ‘Facts’

History books are man-written, not divine revelation, and they often function as political spin doctors in literary form.

The American Historian Carl Becker stated, ‘All historical writing, even the most honest, is unconsciously subjective, since every age is bound, in spite of itself, to make the dead perform whatever tricks it finds necessary for its own peace of mind.’ [The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth Century Philosophers]

What this means is that history can be written (or re-written), and often embellished, according to the purpose it needs to serve. In other words, used as propaganda, whether for good or bad motives.

Christian historians may well claim that such events were inspired by supernatural phenomena, but they do not constitute as facts.

Time does not allow us to counter argue all the examples mentioned in the question, however, without exception, all of the examples are certainly open for critique. Critical analysis of not only historical events is needed, but also of those who recorded such events.

Even if one accepted such phenomena, we may say that if it was before Islam, such as the ‘vision’ of Constantine on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, then it does not have any bearing on Islamic history, and if after Islam, then we have the words of Allah Most High, ‘He gives victory to whom He wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful.’ [30:5].

Alexander the Great ruled a vast empire, yet he was an idol worshipper. The Anti-Christ will be given power over much of the earth and perform supernatural phenomena, yet he is the enemy of all believers.

Allah Most High has not made worldly victories or miraculous visions as the benchmark for validity of religion. Victory in this world does not equal victory in the next world. Nor do apparent or even real miracles prove anything. Who knows what Allah intends for that person through such vision or feats? In truth, scholars place little emphasis on miracles and visions.

Reading History

When reading History, it is important not to focus on singular events alone, but rather, as time unfolded, to observe what transpired in the long term.

You mentioned Joan of Arc and the Hundred Years’ War, and the vision of the Crusaders at Antioch. Even if we limit our understanding to history books, and even if the singular events were true, what does history tell us of the final outcome of these wars? Who were the ultimate victors? What happened to these people in the very end?

We should also remember, that for us, mankind’s history is not yet finished. In regards God, there is no such thing as history, for time and sequence of events do not exist for the One who created Time. Therefore, all that we require is the promise of Allah.

Miracles and Victories at the hands of Muslims

There were countless numbers of miracles performed, and victories won, in Islamic history and after the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

One only needs to read the biographies of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the lives of the great Companions and about many other expeditions, miraculous happenings, as well the unparalleled military strategists and courageous warriors that we find throughout Islamic History. Not all miracles have to be supernatural and obvious. Khalid bin Walid, Nusayba bint ka’ab, and Salahuddin al Ayyubi among others maybe particular of interest to you.

Throughout history, and to this very day, miracles happen to the saints of Allah, whether one knows about them or not, and are far more profound than simply the winning of wars and occupation of lands.

I recommend that you turn your attentions to reading Islamic History. Reading general history is very beneficial, however one must only do so if one is able to read widely, critically, and has the ability to cross-reference, as well as a firm footing in their own faith.

Until then, it would be better to take a break from reading such books. Most importantly, I would urge you to increase your daily reading of the Qur’an and its meaning.

May Allah give you firm faith in Islam and guide you to what is pleasing to Him.

Warmest salams,
[Shaykh] Jamir Meah

Shaykh Jamir Meah grew up in Hampstead, London. In 2007, he traveled to Tarim, Yemen, where he spent nine years studying the Islamic sciences on a one-to-one basis under the foremost scholars of the Ribaat, Tarim, with a main specialization and focus on Shafi’i fiqh. In early 2016, he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continues advanced studies in a range of Islamic sciences, as well as teaching. Jamir is a qualified homeopath.