THE FIRST SON OF ABRAHAM

THE FIRST SON OF

ABRAHAM

By Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

From the historical and theological points of view Abraham is acknowledged as the Father of the three accepted revealed religions, i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Judaism and Christianity came through the lineage of Isaac and Islam through Ishmael.

There is no doubt of the fact that Father Abraham was a righteous person. In the Bible his righteousness is recognized, as it says that he is at present, dwelling in Paradise. An example of where he is, can be found in the incident involving the poor pious man. The Bible records this as follows:

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. (Lk.16:22)

Father Abraham was a wealthy missionary. He travelled extensively as far as Egypt preaching and teaching the people that there is only One Creator of the universe and no creature can be compared with Him.

As he carried on his mission he was all the time concerned about the important fact that there should be someone to carry on his mission when he will no longer be able to do so. He used to pray all the time to the Lord to bless him with a righteous son. This prayer of his is recorded in the Holy Qur’an in the following verse:

O my Lord; kindly bestow on me a righteous son. So We gave him the good news of a boy ready to suffer and forbear. (37:100-101)

This good news is also recorded in the Bible as follows:

What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation. (Gen.21:17-18)

According to what is recorded in the Bible, Ishmael is the first legitimate son of Abraham. Ishmael was born when Sarah, his wife requested him to have her slave Hagar, as, it can be possible that they can have children through her. This request was made, and permission given to her husband, after it was established that she could not have children.

The Bible records about this in the following verses:

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife bare him no children; and she had a hand-maid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai  said unto Abram; Behold now, the Lord restrained me from bearing; I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived……………And Hagar bare Abram a son; and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. (Gen.16:1-16)

Abraham lived with Sarah and Hagar for ten years in Canaan, and he never had anything to do with the hand-maid of his wife. It was only when she gave him permission to take her as a wife, that he agreed with the request.

Both the Bible and the Qur’an recognize Ishmael as the first son of Abraham. In the Qur’an, Allah says:

Tell them about the guests of Abraham; when they entered his presence, and said; Peace. He said; We feel afraid of you. They said: Fear not. We give you the glad tidings of a son endowed with wisdom. (15:51-53)

From what is contained in the two Holy Books, the first son of Abraham is Ishmael. He was the answer to the old man’s prayer, as, he used to beg the Lord daily to bless him with a son that will be able to persevere with patience.

It is unfortunate that Christianity does not recognize him, as he is not connected to the Israelites in any way. It is also unfortunate that they accuse that pious, old man who was taken to Paradise, after his death, of being a victim of lust, while he lived on earth.

REMINDERS

 In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

REMINDERS

By Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

In addition to making available guidance in both written and practical ways, in the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (pboh); Allah made it known to Believers that He continues to be connected with them; and continues to bless the righteous in special ways. He says in the Holy Qur’an the following:

O you who believe; be mindful of your duty to Allah, and put faith in His Messenger. He will give you two fold of His Mercy; and will appoint for you a light wherein you shall walk; and will forgive you. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (57:28)

If one is blessed to walk in a light given to him by his Lord, it will become easier and more pleasant for him to meet his Master on the Day of Judgment.

In contrast to the receipt of blessings from the Lord, there are those who neglect their duties towards Him. They are negligent, careless and arrogant. For such people Allah says that He appoints a Satan to be a companion for each one of them. This Satan will make the evil look beautiful and attractive to the person; he will be so deceived that he will believe that his actions are actions of piety. Allah says:

And he whose sight is dim to remembrance of the Beneficent; We assign unto him a devil, who becomes his friend. (43:36)

Such deceived persons believe that they are very pious and are better than others.

We all need the Mercy and Love from our Lord. This we can have if we show humility and sincere submission. Remember the Prophet (pboh), the beloved of Allah, never said or did anything of his own desire, but demonstrated the way of a true slave.

May Allah bless all of us with true guidance and a light with which we will walk through the earth for the rest of the journey.

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This message was sent to mwl1.articles@blogger.com by drwaffiem@gmail.com

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THE TRUE REPRESENTATIVE OF ALLAH

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

THE TRUE REPRESENTATIVE

OF ALLAH

When Allah announced to the angels that He will be sending a representative on the earth, they did not know what His plan was. They taught that Adam would not be able to shoulder such a sacred responsibility, due to human weaknesses. They said:

Will You place therein one who will make mischief and shed blood? (2:30)

The angels did not know that from Adam's progeny there was to come one who was to reflect the Light of the Lord so perfectly, that he would be called the full moon. And as we know that the light of the full moon is reflected light from the sun.

Because Prophet Muhammad (pboh) was to come from the progeny of Adam, Allah forgave Adam the sin he committed out of forgetfulness. In a Tradition it is recorded that Allah said:

Adam, I have pardoned you and your wife for Muhammad's sake.

No creature has the capacity to comprehend the extent of knowledge and wisdom of the Lord. He made this known to the Angels when they became confused and amazed that the representative of the Lord on the earth was to be a creature called man who is made from clay. So Allah said to them:

Verily, I know that which you do not know. (2:30)

What the angels did not know was that Allah was making man a unique and special creature; as He was putting in man a special creation of light with the capacity to penetrate the cells of the physical body and making it possible for man to reflect the Light of the Lord here on the earth.

Every divinely appointed Messenger was given knowledge of the one who was to be the best representative of the Lord on the earth long before they were sent down to their respective people. Allah took a covenant from them that they believe in his coming and that they will help his mission. This incident is recorded in the Holy Qur'an in the following verse:

Behold, Allah took a Covenant of the Prophets, saying: I gave you a Book and Wisdom, then comes to you a Messenger confirming what is with you. Do you believe in him and render him help? Allah said: Do you agree and take this My Covenant as binding on you? They said: We agree. He said: then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses. (3:81)

The question that may come to one's mind is: What makes Prophet Muhammad (pboh) special?

In order to understand the status of his personality in the entire universe, one must know three important things about him. These are:

1.      Allah says about Himself that He loves purity. Because of this He says:

Allah loves those who make themselves pure. (9:108)

Wrongdoing is a form of impurity. As a result, Allah does not love any form of it. Wrongdoers are removed from near to the Lord, e.g. Satan was expelled from the Garden.

Also shirk is a form of impurity. Allah says that the mushriqs are impure. As a result they are prohibited from entering Makkah. Even believers are required to purify themselves when they are to read the Words of Allah.

Prophet Muhammad (pboh) never committed any wrong. He allowed himself to be guided by the Lord in every matter. Allah says about him:

He (Prophet Muhammad) never said or did anything on the basis of his lust or desire. (53:3)

Because he was pure and clean morally and spiritually he was invited to meet with the Lord in the night of the Miraj. There was no impure barrier between him and his Lord.

As he is our model, we need to make every effort to cleanse ourselves by seeking repentance and doing good. That is the Straight Way.

1.     The soul of the Prophet (pboh) was very bright and shining. This was because of his righteousness. Allah says about the righteous the following:

Those who believe and do not clothe their belief with wrongdoing.(6:82)

Because of the brightness of his body and soul, he is given the title in the Holy Qur'an as the "lamp that gives light". Allah says:

As the one who invites to Allah by His leave; and as a Lamp spreading light. (33:46)

He was called the full moon by the people of Madinah when he was entering the City, and he did not object to being called by that name.

Because he was the only human being that is the beloved of Allah, if we should follow him Allah will love us. Allah says:

Say (O Muhammad), if you want to love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you. (3:31)

Allah tells us that He has conferred a great favor on the believers by sending to them a Messenger who is Prophet Muhammad (pboh). He says:

Allah has conferred a great favor on the believers by sending to them a Messenger from among themselves. (3:164)

1. Prophet Muhammad (pboh) has been the best representative of Allah on the earth. He practiced all the Sunnah of Allah. Man as the Lord's representative is also required to.  Allah says:

The practice (Sunnah) of Allah which He did in the past (remains constant). No change will you find in the practice of Allah (48:23)

Because the Prophet (pboh) did everything on the basis of Divine Guidance, Allah says that His (Allah's) hands are on the hands of the Prophet's hands. The Qur'an tells us about this as follows:

It is not you who slew them; it was Allah . When you threw (a handful of dust)it was not your act but Allah's; in order that He might confer on the Believers a gracious benefit from Himself; for Allah is He Who hears and knows all things. (8:17)

Allah gave to the human beings the capacity to represent Him in the physical world by cultivating and culturing His Divine Attributes in their lives, and by keeping their souls free from all forms of stains, so that it can be like a clean mirror reflecting the Lord’s Light as the Prophet (pboh) did.

THE MISSION OF MAN

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

THE MISSION OF MAN

By Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

When the earth was perfected Allah announced that He was to appoint a Khaleefa, i.e. His representative, or a creature capable of behaving like Him on the earth. So, in order to demonstrate something of His Greatness He created man from a piece of clay, and caused each one from man’s progeny to grow out from him as a microscopic grain of sand. He says:

O mankind, if you are in doubt concerning the Resurrection, then lo! We created you from dust, then from a drop of seed, then from a clot, then from a little lump of flesh shapely and shapeless. (22:5)

Each and every one of us began the journey of life as a tiny grain of sand, and one day, we will return to the earth where only that original grain of sand will be preserved, and one day it will again grow out of the earth. Allah tells us about this in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an. He says:

From it (i.e. the earth) We created you; in it will We return you; and from it We will cause you to grow out a second time.

Allah has bestowed on man a special favor, i.e. man, a finite creature, can behave in some ways like the Creator here on the earth. He tells us about this in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an. He says:

The nature of Allah is the nature He has given to man. There is no change in the Habit of God; that is the Upright Way, but a lot of people cannot understand. (30:30)

Every human being has the capacity and capability of behaving like the Lord in some ways. He can manifest something of the Divine Attributes in his physical interaction with others. For example, he can show love, kindness, mercy, forgiveness, generosity, etc. to others as the Lord is bestowing on him/her, and all creatures.

This mission of representation is inherited and is supposed to be passed on to our inheritors. Allah says:

We made you heirs in the land after them (i.e. the generations before you) to see how you would behave. (10:14)

Every single individual is required to acquaint himself regarding the purpose for which he was sent in this world and the ways and means necessary to enable us all to manifest true representation. Perhaps it is because we are required to behave like our Lord as much as possible that He says:

If Allah were to take mankind to task for all the wrong he does there would not be a single person left on the earth.

As representative of the Lord here on the earth we are required to keep in mind the fact that nothing in the universe resembles Him. He says:

No creature can ever be like Him. (112:4)

In order for man to be able to reflect something of the Light of the Lord here on the earth, Allah created a non-physical element called the Ruh and placed it in the heart of every human being.

Because the soul is non physical, no one can have knowledge of it on the basis of reason and logic. About it Allah says:

And they will question you about the soul, say: it is from the Command from the Lord; and We have not given you something of the knowledge of it except a little.

The soul is a special creation of light that is placed in the heart of every human being. It has the capability of accessing the Light of the Lord through the Holy Prophet (pboh) and reflecting it on the earth. Perhaps, this is a reason why Allah says:

And the Light of the Lord shall spread all over the earth.

Allah made this easy for us to understand by showing to us how the moon which is really a hard black rock, but it has the capacity of reflecting the light of the sun on a full moon night. So too, man can reflect the light of the Lord as it is coming to us through the Prophet (pboh), when we keep our souls clean, bright and shining.

Allah made the way of doing so possible for us to understand by sending the Prophet (pboh) as the Universal Model for mankind. He says:

And We have not sent you O Muhammad but as a universal model for mankind.

The Prophet (pboh) is known as the full moon, and the Straight Path. His soul is pure, bright and shining light, as he: Never said or did anything based on his own lust, ego or desire. As a result Allah says:

Tell them O Muhammad; if you want to manifest love for Allah, follow me, Allah will love you.

The Markaz Al Ihsaan is making every effort to enlighten and sensitize Muslims regarding the purpose of life and the ways and means of realizing and manifesting true representation of the Lord here on the earth.

We pray to Allah to enable us to do what is required to fulfill our goal, and to pass on the correct legacy of true representation to our inheritors.

ALLAH’S GREATNESS

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

ALLAH’S GREATNESS

One of the ways of realizing something of the greatness of the Lord is to reflect upon how we came into existence. He tells us about in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an. He says:

O mankind, if you have doubt about resurrection, know that verily, We created you out of dust, then out of a sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh partly formed and partly unformed. (22:5)

Allah is Infinite, and all creatures are finite; so the All-Wise Lord selected to make a tiny, microscopic grain of sand be His Representative here on the earth. No wonder why the angels were surprised when this was told to them.

Man has been blessed with the capacity to represent the Lord in two dimensions; viz. physically and spiritually.

Although the Lord is not a physical being, He has made known to us the way He connects with His creatures. This He calls His Divine Attributes (His Beautiful Names). This connection He calls His Habits, and they will never change. He says:

The Nature of Allah is the nature He has bestowed on mankind. There is no change in the Habit of Allah. That is the Upright Way but a lot of people cannot understand. (30:30)

We are all supposed to behave like our Lord here on the earth. We interact with our fellow human beings on the basis of the qualities contained in the Attributes of the Lord. For example, we are supposed to show kindness and compassion, must be able to forgive, etc. When we do so we are really representing our Lord, because we are behaving like Him.

Every human being can behave like the Lord in two ways, one is to manifest something of the Divine Attributes in our daily physical activities, and the other is to keep our souls polished, bright and shining.

In order to keep it clean and bright we are required to uphold the permissible and avoid the prohibited. The prohibited things are unclean and produce stains on our souls. Allah says:

Nay but that which they have earned is rust upon their hearts. (83:14)

We must always keep in mind the important fact concerning our great enemy, Satan. He decorates the physical things that are prohibited to make them look attractive, and he works on one’s desires and emotion to entice that person to do the wrong.

Let us all make a genuine effort to submit humbly to the Lord by upholding the permissible and avoiding the prohibited. In that way we will have no need to fear or grieve.

HUMBLE SUBMISSION

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

ZIKR LESSON

HUMBLE SUBMISSION

All creatures belong to the Creator. He has power over all things, and is the Being Who is responsible for bringing things into existence from nothing. The life span of each creature is fixed, and, except for man, none will be resurrected.

Islam teaches that Allah gave man some special blessings, and made his personality different, in that it comprises a physical as well as a non physical dimension. Allah gave to man a special mission that is to reflect His light on the earth, just as the moon reflects the light of the sun.

In addition to that non physical blessing, man has been given the responsibility of manifesting the Divine Attributes of the Lord here on the earth. Perhaps this is one reason why He says in His Holy Words the following:

The nature of Allah is the nature He has put in man.

Even though man has been specially blessed, he is required to submit humbly to the Lord’s directives; whether he is able to understand the wisdom in upholding the permissible and avoiding the prohibited or not. Muslims are taught to say:

We hear and we obey, our Lord; to You is our returning.

Every single human being is equal in the sight of the Lord; and each person has the capacity and capability of representing Him here on the earth. The best representation will be the one that lives the most honorable life according to the Islamic definition of what true honor is. That person will also be able to ascend high up on the way back to the Lord.

Prophet Muhammad (pboh) was able to tech his companions to live a life of humility and submission. They were taught to give preference to Allah and His Rasool in all matters. It was common among them to reply to any question or other forms of inquiries posed before them to say:

Allah and His Rasool know best.

Muslims willingness to humbly submit to Allah and to accept with full conviction the Traditions of the Messenger was in direct contrast to the attitude of people of the times of the other Messengers that were sent to them. Take for example the Israelites in the time of Moses never benefitted from the Message he gave to them; neither did they, later on listened to the Message from Jesus. They were too arrogant to humbly submit to the Lord. As a result they suffered and are still suffering.

In contrast to willing and humble submission to Allah’s guidance a person can display arrogance. Satan was the first one to disobey the Lord due to the fact that his arrogance did not allow him to humble himself before Adam. He taught that if he was physically superior to Adam, there was no need to prostrate before him. As a result he became cursed eternally.

So a person can choose to be humble and obedient to the Commands of the Lord; or display arrogance and rebellion. But each person will be responsible for the choice that he or she makes.

Islamic way of life clearly displays one important thing, and that is to utilize our limited time, resources and potentials to earn for us the best of both worlds. Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (pboh) to demonstrate to us how this is possible, and now it is left to the individual to fulfill the missions for which he is sent; and benefit from what the Lord has provided for the righteous in the next life.

THE TRUE BELIEVER

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

THE TRUE BELIEVER

BY Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

Allah says in the Holy Qur’an about the true believers the following:

Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those who are with him are:

• Strong against unbelievers.
• Compassionate with one another.
• Persistent and consistent with prayer.
• Aspiring to get the pleasure of Allah.
• Their devotion to the Lord in Sijdah will become visible on their foreheads.
• This has been a universal principle; as it was the same message contained in the Torah and the Injeel.

The Principle of true and sincere submission increases with constant practice. It is not that a person is godly at the time of need, and after that he goes back to the giving of preferences to material matters, and less attention to the Creator.

Allah likens true devotion to Him in a parable contained in the same verse. He says:

(A true believer) is like a seed which sends forth its blade, then makes it strong; it then becomes thich, and it stands on its own stem, (filling) the sowers with wonders and delight. (48:29)

It is necessary for us to understand that the non believers will never be happy with the believers and their Islamic practices. Allah says:

It fills the unbelievers with rage at them. (48:29)

The same way they displayed anger with Moses and Jesus when these Messengers invited to believe in Allah and the Last Day.

LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE

By Maulana Dr. Waffie Mohammed

Muslims are the best people from among the human beings because they recognize that only Allah is the Lord and Master of the entire creation. Nothing can be compared with Him as no creature can ever be like the Creator.

Muslims have hope in benefitting from the Lord’s compassion and mercy because they strive to please Him by doing what He has commanded them to do; and avoiding what He has prohibited.

Muslims know that by so doing they have hopes of meeting their Lord on the Day of Judgment. This is because He tells us in the Holy Qur’an the following:

Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner. (18:110)

To make every effort to please the Lord will bring great rewards for all those who go along that Path. One benefit for so doing will result in the opportunity of “holding the Hand of Allah”; and going into Paradise.

Allah says:

Whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy Hand Hold that never breaks. (2:256)

Prophet Muhammad (pboh), our Leader who is also the Universal Model was able to connect directly to the Lord on the night of the Miraj. He achieved this blessing while he was still in this world, because he was free from all sins. (sins form barriers between a person and the Lord.)

If we should follow him, we may not be able to do so in this life, but will experience Allah’s closeness to us, after Judgment, when we would be forgiven for our sins.

As opposed to the aspiration of holding the hand of Allah, there are those who follow the ways of Satan. About them Allah says:

Of those who reject Faith, their patrons are the Taghut (evil) ones. From light they will lead them on to the dept of darkness.They will be the companions of the Fire to dwell therein forever. (2:257)

A Muslim should make every effort not associate with evil, and must not be the friends of those who do so. Allah says:

When you see men engaged in vain discourse about Our Signs, turn away from them, unless they change the subject. If Satan should cause you to forget, then, after recollection, do not sit in the company of those who do wrong. (6:68)

In conclusion we are to be to be reminded that good removes evil, and good and evil are not equal. As a result the both of them cannot mix, and we cannot compromise by harboring both of them in our hearts at one and the same time. Perhaps this is a reason why Allah says:

 Allah has not made for any man two hearts in one body. (33:4)

This means that you cannot accommodate good and evil at one and the same time.

Every believer should try to get as close to the Prophet (pboh) as possible if he or she has desires of getting close to Allah.