Who is God?

This article was originally published here. The author said it is okay to share the article  and personally, I think it is one of the author's best works.-The Chukai Insider

One of the hardest things about faith is often mistaken as being the simplest aspect.

Belief in the Oneness, Greatness and Uniqueness of God, and His right to be worshipped unconditionally and undividedly. Otherwise known as tawheed. 

As a person who was born into a Muslim family I was able to grasp this seemingly simple concept quite naturally, alhamdulillah. To a certain degree there are advantages to this but when something is handed to you on a silver platter you tend to take it for granted. I don’t know what it’s like to not believe in God but I do know what it’s like not to know who He is. I know what it’s like not to understand His importance in our lives.

I have asked myself, “The human mind sees what it wants to see. Does God really exist or do I believe in Him because that’s what I want to believe?” 

The 21st century is a time when agnosticism and atheism are becoming increasingly rampant. Some people say religion is no longer relevant in our lives because they don't address the issues that the human civilisation is facing in this era. Some say religion is the cause of problems and bloodshed in this world. I think once you look past what some of the followers of these religions do you'll realise that all religions encourage mankind to do good deeds in this world. What differs from one religion to another is the concept of God.

Imam Ahmad recorded from Ubay bin Ka'b that the idolaters said to the Prophet, "O Muhammad! Tell us the lineage of your Lord." In response, Allah swt revealed Surah Al-Ikhlas:

"Say: He is Allah, One. Allah, the Eternal, Absolute. He begets not nor was he begotten. And there is none comparable to Him." 

{Tafseer of Surah Al-Ikhlas}

Atheists claim that God doesn’t exist (Na’uzubillah min zalik - May Allah swt protect us from this harm) and that human beings invented the idea of God in their minds to comfort themselves and help them deal with bad experiences. At the same time, they can’t explain the creation of the Universe except in theoretical terms. Logically, it makes no sense to say that a Higher Power didn't create the Universe. It makes no sense that intelligent beings exist on Earth without a true purpose. A lot of people drive themselves crazy trying to figure these things out but the truth is simple.

God has taught us through Islam that He is Al-Hayy (The Eternally Living One), Al-Malik (The One with Complete Dominion), Al-Quddus (The Most Sacred), Al-Qahhar (The All-Prevailing One). He is also Al-Wakeel (The Trustee of all His creations) and unlike any of His creations, He doesn't have a beginning nor an end - Al-Qayyum. So not only is he the God of the 21st Century, he is the God of all Time - the past, present and future. 

I know it’s not easy to love and have faith in something that has no physical representation in this world. When we love a person it is usually for a myriad of reasons. For example, you may love them for their cheerful personality or for their unconditional love. You may love someone simply because they make you feel happy. Your love for these people is a result of an awareness of their physical presence and how they are a source of positivity in your life. Now, try to think of Allah swt as the source of all the blessings in your life. A loving family, a special talent, supportive friends, a kind and patient spouse. We have been blessed because He is Ar-Razzaq (The Provider), Ar-Rauf (The Compassionate), Al-Wadud (The Most Loving) and Al-Wahhab (The Generous). Often times we focus on what we don't have and that's how ingratitude creeps into our hearts. But if we focus too much on what we do have, we become arrogant towards Him and the people around us. The key to avoiding arrogance is to acknowledge God's presence in your life and that He is the Creator, Sustainer, Cherisher and Protector of the Universe and all the worlds (Rab-ul alameen).

The question is: How does one know God? I believe there are many ways to know our Creator but this is how I've personally felt Allah swt in my life.

Step #1. Have an open heart by being humble and sincere. It's no coincidence that purifying one's heart and intentions is a major part of Islam. Allah swt constantly reminds us in the Qur'an that He knows our deepest thoughts and intentions.

"And conceal your word or manifest it; surely He is Cognizant of what is in the hearts. Should He not know,  (as the one) Who created? And He is the Knower of the subtleties, the Aware." 

{Surah Al-Mulk : Ayah 13-14}

"He knows what is in the heavens and the earth, and He knows what you hide and what you manifest; and Allah is Cognizant of what is in the hearts." 

 {Surah At-Taghabun : Ayah 4}

There's nothing wrong with saying, “I have questions… I have doubts…," but you also need to say, "I need and want to find the answers to my questions.”  If you want to understand Him, reflect on His attributes. Yes God is One but He has 99 attributes and the fact that He has revealed them to us is a blessing. To be Muslim is to seek knowledge and put knowledge into practice. It doesn’t stop at praying five times a day. It doesn’t stop at saying the shahadah. It’s the journey of a lifetime and during this journey you will have to think for yourself but He will guide you along the way, inshaAllah. 

Step # 2. Study and reflect on the Qur’an. Make time for this. This is your investment for the Akhirah. Don’t just read it without trying to understand the message of the ayah or surah. I couldn’t relate to the Qur’an when I was younger because I had a teacher who taught me how to recite it but he didn’t teach me how to contemplate on it. Often times I would read the Qur’an by myself and its content wouldn’t resonate with me. This is why Qur’an tafseer lessons exist – to make the Qur’an applicable in our lives. If you have never attended a tafseer class, you owe it to yourself to go at least once and see what it does to your understanding of the Qur’an. Otherwise, there are tafseer articles online and videos on YouTube and HalalTube by knowledgeable scholars of Islam. Personal suggestion: Start with the tafseer of Surah Al-Fatihah (article / audio)

The Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be up on him) said: “Allah (mighty and sublime be He), had said: ‘I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. When the servant says: ‘Al-hamdu lillahi rabbi l-alamin’ (3), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: ‘My servant has praised Me.’ And when he says: ‘Ar-rahmani r-rahim’ (4), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: ‘My servant has extolled Me,’ and when he says: ‘Maliki yawmi d-din’ (5), Allah says: ‘My servant has glorified Me’ - and on one occasion He said: ‘My servant has submitted to My power.’ And when he says: ‘Iyyaka na budu wa iyyaka nasta in’ (6), He says: ‘This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.’ And when he says: ‘Ihdina s-sirata l- mustaqim, siratal ladhina an amta alayhim ghayril-maghdubi alayhim wa la d-dallin’ (7), He says: ‘This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.’” 

{Hadith Qudsi, Source: Sacred Hadith.com}

Step # 3. Deepen your knowledge of the concept of tawheed. Did you know the word 'tawheed' stems from the word 'wahad' which means One? Did you know that there are three categories of tawheed: Tawheed al-Ruboobiyah, Tawheed al-Ulooliyah and Tawheed Asma was Sifat? Don't be ashamed if you didn't know these things. I only learned about them today and I've been Muslim all my life (or I just don't recall learning about them in school).

Step # 4. Surround yourself with people who remind you of Him.  It is becoming increasingly challenging to be a Muslim these days. Our faith is constantly tested by our family, friends, classmates and colleagues. The society and culture we live in, basically. No matter how you see yourself - not-so-practicing Muslim, regular Muslim, etc. - if you want to know Allah you have to make sure that you make the conscious decision to be around Muslims who inspire you to become better human beings, better Muslims. Muslims who inspire the feeling of insaf (righteousness) in your heart.  They don't have to be scholars or Imams. They can be "ordinary" Muslims who strive to practice their deen to the best of their ability. Spend time with the righteous but not the self-righteous. Another personal tip: If you don't usually perform your prayers in congregation, break out of this routine one day and visit your local mosque or mussolah so you can can do so. Not only will Allah swt raise your darajah (rank) but He will also elevate your spirits, inshaAllah. A very beautiful feeling of unity, solidarity and serenity will arise in your heart because of the act of praying in congregation. This is the beauty of worshipping Al- Jami' (The Gatherer) with your fellow Muslims. 

Step # 5. Think positively of Allah swt and assume the best of Him.  Syed Qutb (may Allah have Mercy upon him) said: “The believing heart assumes the best of its Lord, and always expects the best from Him. It expects good from Him in times of ease and times of hardship, and it believes that Allah wants good for him in either situation. The secret of this is that his heart is connected to Allah, and the flow of good from Allah is never cut off. So, whenever the heart is connected to Him, it touches upon this fundamental reality and experiences it in a direct and sweet way.” [Fi Dhilal al-Qur’an] {Source: Hadithaday.org}

Now that I've shared about how I've struggled to acknowledge Allah swt in my life, I'm really interested to know how other people have come to know and understand their Creator. How have you experienced God's Presence in your life? What have you done to open up your heart to Him? Feel free to share your questions and thoughts.

Hudud is a matter of choice for Muslims

This Opinion is taken from The Star Online. 

It is a must-read if you care about your faith even you are not a Muslim. It is an essential for every Malaysian to read this. Even the Muslims themselves don't understand this issue as I may suggest by what a columnist in The Star wrote last week. In one word-shameful. This is written by Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, Member of Parliament for Kota Raja, Selangor.

I AM writing this in response to Zainah Anwar’s article “No hudud please, we are Malaysians” (Sunday Star, Oct 2), where she presented her objections to the implementation of hudud law.

I understand that she sees herself as a “modern, democratic and progressive” person and, as such, has great difficulty in understanding why there exists to this day people who are “stuck in medieval times”.

I know that her views with respect to hudud and perhaps the Islamic legal system is shared by some Muslims and this is why I am responding to her article. First, I believe a brief explanation on what hudud law is about would be relevant.

Hudud law refers to those specific crimes and their related punishment which have been categorically mentioned in the Quran. As such, there are only a few crimes which fall under the purview of hudud law. Given that these laws are directly derived from the Quran, to the Muslim who believes that the Quran is the word of God, its implementation is a matter of faith.

The crimes which cannot be charged under hudud fall under the purview of ta’zir wherein the punishment and mode of proof is open to discussion and debate.

It has also to be understood that the implementation of hudud laws is subject to very strict and stringent requirements. Due to the stringent punishments which are to be meted out, the requirements to necessitate the implementation of these laws are also equally stringent.

The case of adultery

The question of four witnesses in the case of adultery and the subsequent qazaf punishment should the accuser fail to bring forth the four witnesses is frequently scoffed at but it is an example of the strict and stringent requirements for conviction in view of the stringent punishment to be meted out. To meet the requirement of four reputable witnesses makes conviction almost impossible.

Perhaps some may then question that if it is nearly impossible to get a conviction in the case of adultery, why then the need for such a law? The answer is to maintain the status of adultery as a heinous crime in the eyes of the public. No one will then brag of having had illicit affairs in public.

The social implications of adultery is obvious for all to see. Abandoned babies, divorces and such are clearly on the increase. We speak out against the stringent punishment for adultery but who speaks out for the dead baby found in the trash bins?

The purpose of this requirement is also to ensure that such accusations are not made irresponsibly and rumours pertaining to a person’s moral uprightness are seen as something unacceptable by the general public.

The case of rape

In relation to the issue of rape, it has also to be explained, in the event some people still do not understand, that rape and adultery are two different things. The law pertaining to adultery is not applicable to rape. An accusation of adultery is made by a third party wherein the act is done by other consenting individuals.

An accusation of rape, on the other hand, is made by the victim herself, not a third party, and it is far from being consensual.

Given the situation, the requirement for the four witnesses is not relevant to rape as it is to strengthen the accusation of the third party in the case of an accusation of adultery. In the case of rape, conventional items of proof can be used such as DNA to secure a conviction.

It is to be noted that in the case of rape, many rapists get off scot free as they allege it was consensual sex. This is more so in “date rapes” or cases when the rapist is an acquaintance of the victim.

In such cases, the victim has to prove that it was not consensual. In most cases the victim and her moral integrity is then put on trial. Under the Islamic system, consensual sex is not a defence for the rapist as in effect he would be admitting to adultery. The victim would be let off as she claims rape and her involvement in the sexual act was not consensual.

There are those who would argue that an unsuspecting male would then become the victim when a woman seduces him and she then cries rape.

To that, my response would be for the male to keep his pants on at all times. This in itself would be a deterent to the occurrence of adultery as the male would always be wary since he would have no escape route open to him should she intend to entrap him.

I do not deny that in some cases, there are those who insist that rape and adultery are the same. It has to be noted that such claims have no Quranic justification and can be taken as a misinterpretation of Islamic law by individuals who do not understand the difference between the two.

If this happens, I am sure the Sisters in Islam will be able to argue out the case for differentiating between the two cases.

Pregnancy out of wedlock

Similar is the case for women who become pregnant out of wedlock. All that needs to be done is to say that she was raped or forced to have sex and that would suffice as her defence. Anyone saying otherwise should bring forth four witnesses as they are then the ones accusing her of having committed adultery.

A case in point is an incident in the time of Umar Al-Khattab when an unmarried woman was brought to him after having given birth to a child. Umar wanted to punish her but when asked by Ali, she explained what happened some 10 months before when she was forced to have sex in exchange for a drink of milk while she was dying of thirst.

Given that explanation, Ali quickly retorted that she was a victim, forced to have sex and should not therefore be punished. She was then released.

It is to be understood that the spirit behind the implementation of the law is to find the accused innocent unless the evidence and proof are so overwhelming and all requirements have been met that it cannot be opined otherwise other than guilty.

It is not to be implemented with a blood-thirsty and overzealous attitude as what some may wish to portray.

Thieves and the cutting

off of their hands

In the case of theft and the cutting off of the hand of the thief, it has to be understood that in the first place, two righteous persons need to come forward as witnesses. They must have seen the thief stealing the item with their own eyes.

At the same time, the item stolen must be above a certain value, kept in a reasonably safe location and the reasons for stealing must be other than out of necessity.

Last but not least, the victim must insist on charging the thief or thieves in court knowing full well the punishment which will be meted out in the case of a conviction.

Should the victim choose to retract all charges, after having achieved an amicable out of court agreement, then again the conviction and thereby the punishment averted.

It must be always borne in mind that the purpose of the law is to act as a serious deterrent to all “would-be perpetrators” and in so doing, reduce crime significantly. It is not the objective to maximise the number of those punished.

Theft, especially one accompanied by violence, leaves traumatised victims in its wake. Victims of snatch thieves, dragged over a few metres, suffer serious injuries. Some have died. Pregnant women have been known to suffer miscarriage and even innocent bystanders have been known to have become victims of this crime.

While conviction is difficult, due to the requirements set by the hudud, its implementation will serve as an effective deterrent. Should, through its implementation, the occurrence of crime be significantly reduced, then we must say that it has achieved its objective.

If a single hand is in the end cut off, but through it a thousand incidents are averted, and with it also a thousand traumatised victims, would one not say that the law has been a success?

It has to be reiterated that in the event a case cannot be charged under hudud, due to it not fulfilling the explicit requirements, it can then be charged under ta’zir.

In the case of theft, this includes situations where there were no witnesses to the crime but the stolen material was found in the possession of the accused, or there was only one witness instead of two. In such cases the accused, if found guilty, will still be punished but not under the laws of hudud.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that much is not known about hudud law and how it works within the bigger overall legal system, particularly by those who wish to appear as champions opposing it. What should happen is for the proponents to present their case in detail first, before it is opposed based on the points presented.

Secondly, while the punishment for hudud crimes are quite explicit, the procedures for its implementation can be discussed and so designed so as to ensure that they will not lead to an easy conviction.

Third and last, it is up to Muslims to decide whether they wish for these laws to be implemented on them.

If that is what they wish for, understanding it to be a requirement of their faith, who then is Zainah to refuse them their choice? After all, is it not said that one man’s meat is another man’s poison?

For those who like to give the impression that when hudud is implemented there will be so many people walking around without limbs and there will be not enough stones to throw, they are admitting that there are many thieves and adulterers among us who would commit these heinous crimes unashamedly in broad daylight.

If society has come to this point, don’t you think that immorality in our society has reached uncontrollable levels and that hudud is imperative? Laws are not only to punish but to be a deterrent.

Allah SWT understands the nature of His creations better than we understand ourselves. It is our faith that Allah SWT knows best.

As Assoc Prof Dr Mohd Asri puts it precisely, as Muslim you cannot go against Allah’s decree (the Quran is the word of God) but you can question the enactments and their implementation.

Sisters, if you accept the word of Allah SWT, you would be doing a great service to Islam if you can sit down with the implementers to iron out what you may perceive would be unjust in the implementation of hudud.

DR SITI MARIAH MAHMUD,

MP Kota Raja, Selangor.

Ikhlas

It is narrated on the authority of Amirul Mu'minin, Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab, radiyallahu 'anhu, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu 'alayhi wasallam, say: "Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated." [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]

Ikhlas? In between the Terawih prayers just now, there was a very short yet very significant tazkirah that I heard today. It was all about Ikhlas. 

Emergency Appeal

Emergency Appeal: East African Famine

AMATULLAH | AUGUST 13, 2011 12:26 AM

While watching the news with my mom the other day, a segment came on about the famine in East Africa. As we listened to the anchor share the stories of families coming to the refugee camps for aid, he highlighted one specific story of a father who walked for 30 days and 30 nights to save his three young sons. At one point in his journey, the children were too weak to walk so their father would carry them one by one – dropping one off at one point then going back for the other across the barren desert.

Then they shared another story of a mother. She was sitting quietly by the bedside of her child who just passed away. Her two other children passed away a few days before this baby. She sat there for hours, quietly, because she could not afford to bury her own child.

In the past 3 months, it is reported that nearly 30,000 children have died.

30,000.

Friday

A reminder to myself and  my friends. 

We face challenges and overcome it. Today's Friday khutbah or sermon was about inner peace and challenges. If you stick to your faith, Allah will help and guide you. 

Exams are just around the corner to most of my friends and me. Let us do  our best and let Allah decides what is the best for us. Don't worry about the future when we have more important things to do now; preparing for the exams. Worrying too much will bring us nowhere. Let us keep reminding ourselves and others. What friends are for if not to keep reminding us to the right path? 

Alhamdulillah, I am surrounded with good friends. -The Chukai Insider

Something to ponder upon

I have these verses and hadiths to remind myself and others. I was so distracted by one post on Facebook by my friend today who was suggesting the idea that if you don't follow what the teaching preaches you to do, then don't use Quranic verses to advice others. Isn't that suggesting that all of us are not allowed to remind ourselves and others since all of us has committed sins before which is against the teaching of Islam. My senior, Miqdad who happened to tell me so many good things (my naqib) once said that if we want to give advice or say good things to others, it is okay to do so but we must try to change ourselves too. He said it is from a hadith  but I could not look for it. So, let's take a journey to really think about what Allah SWT or Prophet Muhammad SAW told us and keep reminding each and everyone of us even though I am not perfect person to tell you so. If humans cannot not make mistakes as a precondition to advice others, then no one will ever do so except Prophet Muhammad SAW (maksum). We are not always perfect, but Allah SWT has created the world in an orderly manner. When people do mistakes, sometimes those who always do bad things will come to tell you to do good things. If you happen to be the bad person like me, let's change or hijrah and do as what we tell others to do. This idea is open for discussion if you don't agree with me. 

“Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.”

—

Quran, [13:28] “If you are thankful, I will give you more.” — Quran 14:7 “Believers are those who, when God is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their Lord” —  Quran 8:2 And be moderate (or show no arrogance) in your walking, and lower your voice [Luqmaan 31:19] Rasulullah (SAW) said, “There are two kinds of people worth     envying: someone whom Allah has made rich and who spends his money righteously, and someone whom Allah has given wisdom and who acts according to it and teaches it to others.” (Al-Bukhari) The Chukai Insider