Islamic History: Expand your Definition

Bismillah...

When did Islamic history begin? Most people would probably say that Islamic history started with the birth of the Prophet Muhammad (saws), or with the beginning of the Quran's revelation, but Prophet Muhammad (saws) wasn't the founder of Islam, despite what your ninth grade global history textbook may have led you to believe. Muhammad (saws) was the FINAL messenger of God, the last in a long line of prophets teaching, living, and experiencing Islam. So you might be better off saying that Islamic history begins with the first prophet, Adam (as). After all, he was the first Muslim, right? Well, he was the first Muslim PERSON, but not the first Muslim. The angels existed before Adam (as), and there were even jinns worshipping Allah. We too often forget that humans are not the only Muslims. The plants, the animals, the mountains, the sky, all of creation is Muslim, all of creation worships and submits to Allah. So I guess you could say that Islamic history began at the moment of creation, because as long as there has been creation, there has been Islam. So learn about the Prophet (saws) and his companions, but also spend time learning what you can about the prophets that came before, Moses, Jesus, Abraham, David, Solomon (as). And don't just study the prophets. Learn about everything, from the beginning, from the formation of the planets and the stars, to the rise and fall of civilizations, to what's happening here and now, because all of history is Islamic history. Wassalaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullah.

Why So Many Religions?

What of I told you that all the religions in the world originated from a single way of life sent by God to humanity over and over throughout the ages? What if I told you that, over time, people altered and changed what they had been originally taught by the prophets, creating new religions that were partly from God and partly from man.  What if I told you that that original way of life was Islam? See, Islam is not a new religion by any means. God has been sending prophets to teach it to us for as long as there have been people. However, just because God sends a prophet doesn't mean everything is guaranteed to go perfectly. For one, not all people accepted the prophets that were sent to them. Other times, prophets were accepted by their people, but after time went by, changes crept into the religion. Whether by a deliberate attempt to alter the teachings or through a sincere but misguided effort to do good, or even by knowledge simply being lost or forgotten or confused over time, parts of the religion were discarded and new foreign practices were added in, to the point that this was no longer the same religion. Even if new prophets were sent to correct these deviations, they may not have been believed by their people. Most of the major religions in the world today probably originated, at least in part, from a true prophet of God teaching this simple message of submission to God, the message of Islam. However, as changes and deviations occurred, and outside influences became dominant, over time it became so different, so removed from the original that new religions were formed. So when we look at the religions of the world today, we don't say all religions are all wrong except for Islam. Rather, we recognize the truth that exists in all religions from their origins, but see that Islam is the full truth, the universal message of God, and the only way to truly and completely live for God on His terms.

What are Prophets?

As we discussed in previous post, being a Muslim means living your life according to God's will, but we were left with the question, how can we know what God wants from us? Well, at the very least everyone is born with what we call fitra, sort of like your conscience or an innate morality. We all have a natural sense of right and wrong and an inclination towards the divine, but that alone isn't enough to provide sound, comprehensive guidance for every aspect of our lives. That's where prophets come in. So what exactly is a prophet? It's a valid question. Even those who have an understanding of religion are often fuzzy on exactly what it means to be a prophet. Thankfully, Islam provides the necessary clarification. Simply put, prophets are people chosen by God to communicate with humanity on His behalf. Prophets teach us how to live the way God wants us to live and call us back to God's path when we have gone astray. God communicates with his Prophets through divine revelation. Since the beginning of humanity, every society on earth has received prophets who delivered the message of submission to God, and throughout history there have been thousands upon thousands prophets, including many well known prophets mentioned in the Bible, such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, peace be upon them. Among the Prophets there are a some who have the special title of Messenger. Messengers are the prophets who bring new revealed scriptures. While the basic message of Islam is always the same, each new messenger brings a divinely updated version of the message tailored to the time and the place. Prophets who are not messengers simply remind us to follow what we have already been sent and correct us where necessary, which leads us into another question: If God sent all of these prophets always teaching the same way of life, why are there so many religions? You'll just have to wait until next time to find out inshaAllah. For this time, thanks for reading. Peace be upon you. Assalaamu alaikum. 

Islam is like water

Bismillah...


I think Islam is like water. Everyone in the world needs it. There are sources of it all around the earth. It's a little different everywhere you go. It's natural.


Some people have polluted their water supply to the point that it causes them harm, but they drink it anyway. Some people have no water at all. These people I want to help. I will do what I can to provide them with clean water to drink.


Some people are so obsessed with making water "pure" that they distill it to the point that all of the natural minerals are gone and it has no flavor. They insist that this how water is supposed to be, but in reality, water is never naturally like this.


Others want to import their water from overseas. They insist that this water is the best water and they force it on their children, when in reality that water is no better than others. In fact, the local water may even be cleaner.


Some think it doesn't matter what we drink, that we should just relax and drink from the tap like everybody else, when in reality that water has chemicals that we should be smart enough to avoid.


My advice? Don't be too strict or too loose, but take moderate approach. Don't limit yourself to only a certain kind of water, but be open to new sources, and don't obsess over its purity, but definitely put it through a filter. Most of all, remember that water is a blessing from the Divine, so be thankful that you have it and share it with those who need it.






(PS- Click the photo)

Who is a Muslim?

When most people picture a Muslim, they don't picture somebody who looks like me. I mean, let's be honest. If I asked you what does a Muslim look like, there's a good chance that your first thoughts would be: tan skin, long beard, frowning face, funny hat. While that might be the popular image of a Muslim, it's far from accurate. In reality, Muslims come in all colors shapes and sizes. A Muslim is just someone who believes in and practices Islam, someone who does their best every day to live the way God wants them to live. That's it. Anyone can be a Muslim. You don't have to be Arab or Pakistani or have a name like Ahmed or Hamza. Muslims are from all over. We come from places like Malaysia and Ecuador and Ireland and America. We have names like Priya and Lisa and Minkailu and Peter. Some of us are raised in Muslim families, and some of us embrace Islam later in life. Yet even with such diversity, all Muslims around the world are part of one Ummah, or community, and we see each other as brothers and sisters in Islam. There are over a billion Muslims on earth, but if any two meet each other, they will exchange the same greeting: assalaamu 'alaikum (peace be upon you). Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, with new people becoming Muslim daily, and I can attest to this, as I get messages every week from people telling me that they're falling in love with Islam and that they want to become Muslim. So why are so many people looking to embrace Islam as a way of life? Well, you'll just have to continue following this series to find out. Thanks for reading, and until next time, peace be upon you. Assalaamu 'alaikum.

"Which Do You Love Best?"

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful.

The messenger  of Allah (saws) was such an amazing individual, it was impossible for him to say anything except the truth. He was asked by his wife Aisha (raa), "Which of your wives do you love best?" Now, if you know much about the life of the Prophet (saws), then you know how much he loved Aisha. He once said to his daughter Fatima (raa), "Don't you love what I love?" She responded, "Yes." He said, "Then love Aisha." He had an incredibly strong love for Aisha, and yet when she asked him,  "Which of your wives do you love best?" what did he say (saws)? He said, "Khadijah." Who was Khadijah? Khadijah was his first wife. She was the one he was married to for years before he even became the messenger of Allah (saws). She was the one who comforted and consoled him on the night of his first revelation from the Divine, when he ran to her crying in a state of fear and shock, saying to her, "cover me up." She was the first to believe in him and accept Islam. So when Aisha (raa) asked him, "Which of your wives do you love best?" he (saws) said, "Khadijah." And Aisha (raa) said, Why do you love Khadijah better? She's long dead, and I'm younger..." and this and that, and the Prophet (saws) became upset, and he said, "Khadijah was with me when everybody had abandoned me. She gave me wealth and supported me…" Subhanallah, think about this. What normal man would say that to the wife that he was going to be living with now, about the previous wife. You'd except him to say, no I prefer you. But the Prophet (saws) was not a normal man. She asked him, and he told her the truth. This was the exceptional character of the messenger of Allah (saws).

"And indeed, you [O Muhammad] are of tremendous character" (Qur'an 68:4)

What is Islam?

While most religions are named after a person or a group of people, the word Islam actually describes the spiritual state of the believer. The word Islam means Submission, Submission to the will of God, and a Muslim is a person who strives to live in a state of Islam, to live life in a way that is pleasing to God. If you think about it, that's pretty much the goal of all religions, which is interesting, because Islam is seen by Muslims as being the original religion given by God to humanity.

Islam is understood to be the natural state of human existence. At birth, we are in a completely pure and natural state, aware of God and in sync with God's will. This innate nature we possess is known as our Fitra. This is why, according to Islamic belief, we are all born as Muslims. Though we learn a particular tradition as we grow up, that Fitra remains within us. Whether we call it our conscience, or moral intuition, it's the reason we all know deep down that God exists, that we recognize basic right and wrong. For this reason, when someone who was not raised as a Muslim decides to embrace Islam, they are referred to not as a convert but as a revert, because they are returning the natural state in which they were born, recognizing and embracing their Fitra.

Islam is not a part-time religion, something you do once a week or only on holidays. Islam is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Islam influences everything we do, every choice we make, the way we interact with others, even the way we appreciate the world around us. So Islam is much more than just a religion. It is a complete deen, which is an Arabic word often translated as religion, but which truly means "way of life."

Now you might be asking yourself, "If Islam is Submission to God's will, how can I know that I'm living my life the way God wants me to live?" InshaAllah, God willing, we'll address that in the upcoming post on "Prophets."


"This day I have perfected for you your religion, completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion."
(Qur'an 5:3)

What do Muslims believe about God?

While most religions share a belief in God, there are differences in terms of belief ABOUT God. Some religions teach that God is One, but that there are many lesser gods that are all manifestations of the One God. Some teach that God is One, but He is divided into parts. Some teach that God is One, but He is IN everything or He IS everything. Some religions teach that God is One, but you need to go through intermediaries, such as idols, saints, or priests, to reach Him. Islam is different. In Islam, we believe that God is One. No buts. No exceptions. There is only One God, One Owner of everything, and none has the right to be worshiped but Him. This believe in the Oneness of God is called Tawhid, which comes from the word "Wahid," meaning "One."

Of course, this is not the only thing Muslims believe about God. There are many important characteristics or attributes that belong to Allah, more than I can mention here . We actually have what is called the 99 names of Allah, a list of descriptive titles belonging to God. For example, Allah is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Eternal, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, the Peace, the Light, the Guide, the First, the Last, the Almighty, the Forgiving, the Loving, the One. There are two attributes, however, that should be discussed in greater detail, namely "the Just" and "the Merciful," because understanding how these two names compliment each other will allow for a clearer and deeper understanding of Islam in general.  Allah is Just and Fair, so we know that Allah will never place a burden on anyone more than they can handle, that whatever we do in life, good or bad, we will be held responsible for it, and that nothing will be missed or ignored or left out. Everything will be taken into account. At the same time, the Mercy of Allah is unimaginably vast. There are actually two names of Allah in Arabic that contain the word Rahma, or  Mercy. They are Al Rahman and Al Raheem, and they can be roughly translated as the Most Merciful and the Ever-Merciful. So even if we do wrong, even if we make mistakes, even if we mess up again and again and again, Allah in His Mercy is always ready to forgive us and give us another chance. All we have to do is ask. Simple.

Of course, we're only scratching the surface here, but keep studying Islam, keep praying and thinking, keep contemplating the world around you,  and you will continue to learn more and more about Allah.

"Say, 'O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah . Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.'"

(Qur'an 39:53)

Who is God?

As Muslims, we understand that there is no god but God, and there is nothing that compares to Him. He is the Creator, and He is not, nor does He ever become, part of His creation.

We often hear people say, "I don't know if I really believe in God, but I do believe in a Higher Power." Many people hesitate to say "God" because, for them, the word conjures the image of an old man with a long white beard and robe, floating on a cloud. You've probably seen this guy in renaissance art. This Zeus looking character is NOT God. God is not an old man or a young man or a spirit or a ball of energy or a statue or any physical thing. He is the Eternal Creator and Sustainer of everything that exists, He is One with no partner, He has power over all things, and none has the right to be worshipped but Him. Doesn't that make a lot more sense?

"In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Ever-Merciful

Say, 'He is Allah, One,
Allah, the Self-Sufficient Eternal Refuge.
He does not beget and He is not born,
and there is nothing comparable to Him.'”

(Qur'an 112:1-4)

Why do Muslims use the name Allah for God?

Only a relatively small percentage of Muslims speak Arabic as their first language, yet Muslims around the world use the same word for God: Allah. But why? Why not just use the word for God in our own languages? One reason is that, since the Quran was revealed in Arabic, and Arabic is used by Muslims multiple times a day in prayer, the word has something of a unifying quality for Muslims. No matter where we're from, no matter what language we speak, Allah is one word we can all understand. While there is nothing wrong with using other words for God, most Muslims are accustomed to using the word Allah, and many prefer to use the word Allah over the word for God in their own language. However, a deeper reason that many cite is the unique quality of the word Allah. Look at English word God. We spell it with a capital G and it means the One True God, but make it a lower case g and it could be referring to Zeus, Ganesh, Thor, or anything that people worship. Since capitalization does not come across in speech, there is no way to distinguish between God and... god. If you add an s it becomes gods plural, and it can become male or female, god or goddess. In contrast, the Arabic words for god and God are two different words. Lowercase god is ilah and capital God is Allah, so when you say Allah there is no confusion. On top of that, the word Allah is unlike most Arabic words in that it cannot be made plural nor take gender. So when you say "Allah" there is no doubt that you are talking not about one of many gods, but about the One and Only God, not a man or a woman but the Creator of men and women, capital G-o-d, God.


"And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them."
-Qur'an 7:180

Who is Allah?

Some people mistakenly think that Allah is the "god of the Muslims," and a few even like to claim that Allah is an Arabian moon god, but the word Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Every language has a word for God, and Arabic is no exception. If you have any doubt, you can check an Arabic translation of the Bible, you will find that it uses the word Allah. In fact, since Arabic is a Semitic language like Hebrew, the language of the Torah, and Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus (pbuh), you'll find that the words for God in those languages, El in Hebrew and Alaha in Aramaic, are very similar to the word Allah. This just goes to show that Allah is the same One God, the Creator of the Universe, loved and worshiped by all of God's prophets.


"He is Allah , the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner;
to Him belong the best names."
-Qur'an 59:24

Dawah Opportunities: Thanksgiving

Assalaamu 'alaikum sisters and brothers. It's that time again! If you live in the US then you know Thanksgiving is only a few days away.  And what's the best thing about thanksgiving? Turkey dinner? Nope. Pumpkin pie? Nope. I'm talking about opportunities for dawah!

Huh? What? How is Thanksgiving a dawah opportunity?


Well, Thanksgiving is all about giving what? Thanks! And who loves to be thankful? Muslims! So take the opportunity to start a conversation about being thankful, and by doing so, share Islam! Like this...

Steve: Hey Abdullah! How's it going?
Abdullah: Hey Steve! Happy Thanksgiving!
Steve: Uh Thanksgiving isn't for another few days.
Abdullah: Not for me. I'm Muslim. In Islam, every day is Thanksgiving!
Steve: What do you mean? You eat roast turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy every day? That's not very healthy bro.
Abdullah: Well, maybe not that part. Just the part about giving thanks.
Steve: Oh yeah. I forgot about that part.
Abdullah: I think a lot of people do.
Steve: Who are we even thanking anyway?
Abdullah: Well, as Muslims, we believe it's important to always give thanks, to your friends, your family, definitely your parents, and above all, to God.
Steve: Oh. Wait, this might sound like a dumb question but... Muslims believe in God? I thought you believed in "Allah."
Abdullah: Haha that's not a dumb question. Actually, Allah is the Arabic word for God. It's the same God though. The Creator of the Universe.
Steve: Oooh ok that makes sense actually.
Abdullah: What do you say we continue this conversation over some pumpkin pie and masala chai?
Steve: That sounds great!

See? You just have to get the conversation started, and it's so easy! And I'll make it even easier inshaAllah. I have a video called "Thanksgiving & Islam: Who Are We Thanking?" If you share it on your Facebook wall with all of your friends, and they share it, and so on, inshaAllah it'll reach so many people and we can ALL share in the hasanat! I even have a picture to promote the video which you can use as your default pic on Facebook during this holiday time inshaAllah. Now go do the dawah inshaAllah!


Assalaamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.



Every day is a day to give thanks. Share your AHL moments at ahlmoments.com. Remember Allah. Then remember us.

Hey! I know you! You're that Dawah Addict guy!

Bismillah,

Assalaamu 'alaikum! So, if you like the videos on the Dawah Addict channel, here's some news you'll like insha'Allah. I've started  a new, second channel! It's called "That Dawah Addict Guy" and insha'Allah it's going to allow me to post more videos and more different kinds of videos. Want to know more? Just watch the video insha'Allah!

AHL Moments

Assalaamu alaikum guys and gals!


So, I'm very excited. Ask me why. Oh, why, you ask? It's because I just created a brand new website called AHL Moments, and it's already becoming a hit, AHL!


So what's it all about, you ask? Well, with the growth in popularity of "FMyLife.com" and similar sites, I find people constantly complaining about the difficult situations they face, highlighting the negative and ignoring the positive. Not only do they emphasize their misfortunes, but they conclude with FML (which stands for "F My Life"). Seriously, do we even think about how messed up that is? Do we ever take a second and think, "How does this constant expression of negativity effect my outlook on life?" I wanted to provide people with an alternative to FML, an outlet to express their frustrations, as well as their happiness, in a way that's actually uplifting, rather than detrimental, to their emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being. That's how AHL was born.


As you might have guessed, AHL stands for alhamdulillah (Al-Hamdu-Lillah) which for those who don't know means "Thankful Praise belongs to God" in Arabic. While it comes from the Islamic tradition, the phrase can be used by anyone, whether you're Jewish, or Christian, or if you don't really have a set religion. What is unique about this phrase is that it is meant to be used in response to both pleasing and displeasing circumstances in our lives, the idea being that, whether things are going well or not so well, I will stay positive and ALWAYS give thanks and praise to the Creator.


The Prophet Muhammad (saws) is reported to have said, "Wondrous are the affairs of the believer. There is good for him in every affair, and that is only so for the believer. When something pleasing happens, he is thankful, and that is good for him. When something displeasing happens, he is patient, and that is good for him." So when you live your life with AHL on your mind, good is good and bad is good, and you can begin to look at every moment as an opportunity to remember God, to be thankful, and to be patient, and God is the ultimate goal.


So please help by sharing www.ahlmoments.com with your friends. If you'd like to share your own story on the site, check out the Submit a Moment page. Just follow the quick and easy instructions and you'll be on your way insha'Allah!


Jazakum Allahu khair for your help in bringing this site to the world. I'm very excited about it's growth so far AHL and I look forward to seeing what we can do with it together, insha'Allah.

Simple Sadaqa - Charity: Water

Assalaamu 'alaikum people everywhere!

I just posted a new video offering a simple opportunity for some incredible sadaqa. Insha'Allah please check out the video, share it with everyone you know, and participate as much as you can. Jazakum Allahu khair.

mycharitywater.org/simplesadaqa

Simple Sadaqa - Charity: Water

Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salaatu wa Salaam 'ala rasoolullah
(In the name of Allah, Praise belongs to Allah, and Prayers and Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah)


"Sadaqa extinguishes sin as water extinguishes fire."
-Prophet Muhammad (saws)

Assalaamu 'alaikum! Peace be upon you!

Sadaqa (Charity) is one of the easiest and most fundamental ways of worshipping the Creator. Sometimes charity can seem complicated, or only accessible to those who can pledge large amounts, but in reality, it is so simple.

I've started a 90-day campaign with an organization called Charity: Water to raise $7000 to provide clean drinking water to the people in Ethiopia whose suffering is completely unnecessary. You have the opportunity to help save lives, and we know that whoever saves one life, it's like saving all of humanity.

Give whatever you can, big or small, to help people get the most basic of necessities: water.

We're not talking about buying a bunch of Poland Spring. We're talking about digging wells. That means continuous, sustainable water for communities in Northern Ethiopia who need it badly. That means women NOT having to walk for miles just to collect dirty polluted water to drink. Next time you turn on your faucet, let it be a reminder to you. If you can't donate a lot, donate a little. If you wish you could donate more, you can help by asking others to donate. Do the most you can insha'Allah.

100% of your donation funds drilling equipment that will bring clean water to people in Ethiopia. In addition, Charity: Water will track our donations through GPS so we can see exactly how and where our money is being used. Go to http://mycharitywater.org/simplesadaqa to learn more and to donate.

This is such an incredible organization and I urge you to participate insha'Allah, and to encourage everyone you know to do so as well. Even if you can't give much yourself, you can go to your family, friends, coworkers, classmates, neighbors, even strangers, and ask them to contribute to this cause. Send everyone you know to http://mycharitywater.org/simplesadaqa.

Sadaqa. It's so simple.

Why is Salah SO Important?

In the name of Allah, Praise belongs to Allah, and Blessings and Peace be upon the messenger of Allah...

In the Qur’an, Allah says,

“Indeed, I am Allah. There is nothing worthy of worship except Me, so worship Me and establish the Salah for My remembrance.” (Quran 20:14)

These are the words that Allah spoke to Musa (as), to Moses, and Allah reminds us of them again in the Qur’an. There is no doubt that the Salah, the established formal daily prayer, has always been a fundamental part of Allah’s religion, even before the last messenger Muhammad (saws). Allah says elsewhere in the Qur’an,

“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], "Worship Allah and avoid false gods." (Quran 16:36)

So why is the Salah so important? It’s simple. The Salah is so important because it is the precise way that Allah has instructed us to worship Him, and because worshipping Allah is the purpose of our creation, as Allah says,

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Qur’an 51:56)

In a video titled Prayer in Islam, I explained that in Islam there are different types of prayer, or different actions that are commonly translated as prayer, and that, aside from the Salah, the established daily prayer, there is also dua, the act of calling on Allah in prayer at any time or place, and dhikr, remembrance and continuous contemplation of Allah, and all these things are considered “prayer.” What’s interesting is that the Salah itself is in many ways an established form of dua and dhikr, calling on Allah and remembering Allah.

The importance of the Salah can also be understood though the ways in which the Salah benefits us.

It’s reported that the Prophet Muhammad (saws) was speaking to his companions, and he asked them, “If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any dirt left on him?” The companions said, “No dirt would remain on him at all.” The Prophet (saws) then said, “That is like the five daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

Subhanallah, think about the amazing mercy of Allah, that he gives us five prayers throughout the day, every single day, with which we can be purified of our sins.

The messenger of Allah (saws) is also reported to have said, "Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions, prays them in their proper times, completes their bows, prostrations and khushu' (total concentration and spiritual connection) has a promise from Allah that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do that has no promise from Allah. He may either forgive him or punish him." [Recorded by Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’I and others. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol. 1, p. 616.]

Really think about that! If you maintain your prayers and pray them the way they’re meant to be prayed, Allah is giving you a guarantee of forgiveness! Who can give a better guarantee than Allah?

And not only does the Salah remove the sins you have, but it also protects you from further sins! In the Qur’an, Allah says,

“Indeed, the Salah keeps one from the great sins and evil deeds” (Quran 29:45)

Just think, at any given time during the course of the day, you either just finished praying or you are going to pray soon. That consistent routine of prayer continuously boosts your level of taqwa, conciousness of Allah. Since you’re always mindful of Allah, you’re aware that He sees everything you do, you’re less likely to commit sins.

According to Allah’s messenger (saws), the Salah is the most virtuous deed anyone can perform, and that’s why it’s so important to keep the prayer. Just as performing the Salah can be of tremendous benefit, neglecting the Salah can cause us tremendous harm.

As the Prophet (saws) informed us,

“The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the Salah. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad.”
[Recorded by al-Tabarani. According to al-Albani, it is Sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol.1, p. 503.]

So insha’Allah now that you truly understand the importance of the Salah, you can take the next step by perfecting your Salah. That can mean different things for different people. If you are inconsistent with your prayers, it could mean disciplining yourself to pray them every day in their time. If you always find yourself praying at the last minute, it could mean making an effort to pray as soon as the prayer comes in. If you have trouble focusing in your Salah, it could mean studying the meanings of what you are saying in prayer and concentrating on it more deeply while in prayer. If you are a new Muslim, it could mean beginning to learn and practice the Salah, and make it part of your regular routine. Whatever our individual cases may be, I hope and pray that we can all remember why Salah is so important to us and to stay motivated to always improve. Until next time, Assalaamu ‘alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

Starting Fresh

I've had this blog for about two years, but I haven't done much with it. Recently, I've been planning some changes and improvements  for the YouTube channel and associated sites, and insha'Allah I'm starting here on the blog. In general, I'd like to be more active in sharing knowledge, and insha'Allah I think the text blog, requiring far less time and work than the channel, will help me to get more out more often.

So insha'Allah here's what you can expect to start seeing from this blog:
-New original blog posts
-Videos converted into blog form
-Blog post that may later be converted into videos (giving you the first look at new material)
-Updates and news about the channel
-Campaigns, contests, and projects from Dawah Addict

and of course all new videos as they come out.

Jazakum Allahu khair to everybody for reading, and make sure to share this page, as well as the channel itself.

Salaam,
Peter

Burger King Religion

Imagine you walked into you job on Monday, and said to your boss,

“Hey listen, I know how you always like for me to get all of the work done that you give me to do, you have the whole work routine for us, but I was thinking that, instead, I would take care of some things that I need to take care of, some work I have to do, for myself, maybe do some texting, watch like five videos on YouTube, then I thought I would take a two hour lunch over at Fridays, I’m meeting some friends, and I mean, since I’ll be out that long anyway, I figure I’ll just stay out and hit the beach. I really gotta work on my tan. That’s not a problem, right?”

How do you think that would go over? Probably not to well. Would your boss accept your personalized work routine? Of course not. Would you still expect to get paid at the end of the day? Don’t count on it. See, when I it’s presented like this, it’s not hard to understand. So why, when it comes to religion, do people think that they can make up whatever religion they want, picking and choosing what THEY want to follow and what THEY want to ignore, and then think that at the end of their life, God will accept this from them? Does that make any sense?

In the Qur’an, Allah is very clear on this point:

“And whoever seeks a way of life other than Islam (Submission to Allah’s will on His terms), it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers.”

Qur’an 3:85

I’ve heard people say things like, “God doesn’t care if you pray five times a day. You can just pray whenever you want,” or “God wont mind if you come out drinking.” Oh really? Who gave YOU the authority to speak on God’s behalf? Do you have any proof to back that up? In the Qur’an, Allah says,

“Say: The things that my Lord has forbidden are shameful deeds, whether done openly or in secret, and sin, and unjust oppression, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know.”

Qur’an 7:33

We are certainly in no position to say that we know what Allah wants based on nothing but a guess, and we are not in a position to decide what is right and what is wrong. Some people think they should follow their own way of life, thinking, “I know what is best for me.” Do you think you know better than Allah? Doesn’t the Creator know what He created? Allah knows what’s best for you, and for me, and for everybody. Allah is giving you something that will benefit you; that will bring you peace and real satisfaction in this life and the next. Unfortunately, a lot of people actually hold themselves back from following Allah because of their own wants and desires.

See, these days, everybody wants Burger King Religion. Burger King Religion? You know, “Have it your way.” It’s all about what I want, what I get out of the deal. People are busy thinking, “how can my religion serve me?” When they should be asking, “how can I serve my Creator?”

Allah says:

“And I did not create the jinns and humankind except to serve Me.”

Qur’an 51:56

Allah created you, and gave you everything you have in your life, not just your XBOX 360 and your iPhone, but the parents who raised you, the food you eat, the bed you sleep in, and the air you breathe. After all that, don’t you think you owe it to Allah to follow the way of life that He has also created for you? Doesn’t Allah deserve to be worshipped, the way He wants to be worshipped?

This is part of the beauty of Islam; that Allah has made a perfect way of life for us, in that we can worship him constantly, but we don’t have to sit in a corner praying day and night. You don’t have to stop living your life to be a Muslim. Allah does not wish difficulty upon us. This is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur’an.

“Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.”

Qur’an 2:185

“Allah does not want to place you in difficulty”

Qur’an 5:6

Worship in Islam is not limited to prayer and fasting, but extends into every part of life. Everyday things like working hard to support your family, being kind to your parents, and even a smile can be worship. As long as you live your life, as Allah wants you to live, everything you do for the sake of Allah is a way of serving your Creator.

If this all makes sense to you, if it sounds right, and if you’re thinking, “You know, I might want this way of life for myself,” then I invite you to enter Islam, submission to Allah’s will on His terms, putting what He wants before what you want.

That’s it for this time. Make sure you subscribe to the YouTube Channel and stay tuned for more Dawah Addict videos coming soon insha’Allah. Thanks for reading, and watching. Peace! Assalaamu ‘alaikum.

Dawah advice to sister from Tumblr...

heey man, I really need ur advise and help. My friend has shown an interest in Islam and I really want her to help her. She's being more open minded just because she is curious about Islam. She is a bit fixed about her ideas and she asked me once why n how do u trust a man ! she just asked me to recommend a bio of the prophet and I gave her a book I've read it's called The Sealed Nectar. My thing is that I don't want to be pushy or anything n can u advise me ?

Assalaamu ‘alaikum sister,

Ok so awesome question. I actually LOVE answering this one, but you have to make sure that when you explain it to her, insha’Allah she understands it. When someone says something like that, something we agree with, that you shouldn’t just follow a human being, give her due recognition. Something like, “Exactly! That’s the whole point of Islam, that we believe that you SHOULDN’T just follow a human being. You’re starting to sound like a Muslim!” (I find it’s sometimes good to throw semi-kidding suggestions like that in there, but consider your audience insha’Allah.)

This was actually some thing that, for me, was like an epiphany before I became Muslim. For a long time I was into the whole “anti-organized religion” mindset, and I wouldn’t even consider an established faith because I saw them all as “man-made.” I felt, as many do, that I should instead follow what was in my heart, what I felt was right, until it hit me: all I was doing was making my own personal man-made religion. Who was I to think I was a shining exception to all of humanity, who I had deemed unworthy to dictate religion? It was partly through the realization of my own hypocrisy that I decided to give religion a second chance, because I realized that my own custom religion would be just as false as any other religion invented by people. I accepted that the only possible way to follow the right religion was if it was a God-made religion, and I decided to see if any such religion existed. Alhamdulillah I found that religion in Islam.

So insha’Allah try explaining that to her, in the best and most considerate way you can. Confirm her previous statement by saying something like, “So basically, you feel that we shouldn’t follow any religion made up by human beings, right?” Insha’Allah she will agree to that principle, and then you can explain that a religion is nothing more than a way of life, that we all have a religion that we follow, and that if we make up our religion for ourselves, then we would be guilty of following a religion made by human beings (ie ourselves).

Explain that as Muslims, we believe that Muhammad (saws) is the messenger of God, and so we are not following teachings that he made up, but rather the teachings that he is conveying from God through revelation. Explain that this is how religion is supposed to work, and that all the prophets (name a few) taught the same thing, but it was only when people started to put their own ideas and teachings in, and take away things they didn’t agree with, that the God-made religion was transformed into a man-made religion.

I think introducing her to the Prophet (saws) is a great idea. If she understands who he was, what he taught, and how he lived, insha’Allah it might make her feel more comfortable with him, and with the message he brought. Just make sure that what you give her to read is digestible. In other words, make sure it’s something that someone without a familiarity with Islam would be able to understand and connect to. I know there’s a book by Tariq Ramadan called “In The Footsteps of The Prophet” that might be something she would like. It discusses the seerah by issue rather than in chronological order, telling stories here and there to illustrate their lessons. It’s also very well written masha’Allah. Overall though, as always, be conscious of your audience, and make sure not to overwhelm her.

If she still has some reservations about “following a man,” the issue might be that she would prefer something more “miraculous” or “supernatural” then a human being to convey God’s message to humanity. If this is the case, then this is nothing new. The people at the time of the Prophet (saws) made similar requests, and Allah actually answered them in the Qur’an.

People would criticize the Prophet (saws), asking why Allah would send a mere man instead of sending an Angel, or appearing Himself to the people.

“Those who do not fear to meet Us say, ‘Why are the angels not sent down to us?’ or ‘Why can we not see our Lord?’ Assuredly, they think too highly of themselves and they are uttering a gross insult.” (Qur’an 25:21)

Allah explains clearly in the Qur’an why we were sent human beings as messengers. First, he reminds us that this has always been the case, and that all of the messengers to humanity were always people like us.

“And even before you [Muhammad], We only ever sent men whom We inspired, so ask people who know the Scripture if you [disbelievers] do not know. We did not give them bodies that ate no food, nor were they immortal.” (Qur’an 21:7-8)

Allah explains that we are given messengers from among us, who are like us, and that an angel would only make sense as a messenger if earth were populated with angles rather than people.

“Nothing kept these people from believing, when guidance came to them, except that they said, ‘How could Allah have sent a human being as a messenger?’ Say, ‘If there were angels walking around, living on earth, We would have sent them an angel from Heaven as a messenger.’” (Qur’an 17:94-95)

Think about it. Our messenger is like us, from among us, and so we are able to relate to him, to his experiences, and we can seek to emulate his character and actions. He is the perfect example of a human being. He not only conveys the message, but demonstrates it’s application.

“Allah has been truly gracious to the believers in sending them a Messenger from among their own, to recite His revelations to them, to make them grow in purity, and to teach them the Scripture and wisdom- before that they were clearly astray.” (Qur’an 3:164)

In addition, if Allah had sent an angel down from heaven, or appeared to us Himself, or in some other way revealed the unseen, then it would be like if you were taking a test in school, and the teacher started reviewing the answers while everyone still had their papers! It doesn’t work like that. You don’t get to see the answers until after the test is over, and once the answers are read out loud, it’s too late to fill them in. In the same way, we can’t see the unseen until after we die. This life is a test for us, and we have to show that we will make a sincere effort to seek the truth and follow it. If Allah were to reveal the unseen to us now, then there would be no test. So once you see any part of the unseen world, time is up, and your chance to believe is over.

“They say, ‘Why was an angel not sent down to him?’ But had We sent down an angel, their judgement would have come at once with no respite given. Indeed, if We had sent an angel as messenger, We would still have sent him in the form of a man, so increasing their confusion.” (Qur’an 6:8-9)

Insha’Allah I hope this will help you out in your conversation with your friend, and insha’Allah maybe it will also help others who get into similar situations with dawah. You know, this might just have to be made into a video… insha’Allah.

Salaam :-)