Mohammed

❝Allah ﷻ promised you the pleasures of the hereafter, so do not be in a hurry and seek them in this wordly life as if you are cutting plants before their harvest time, while they are much better if you wait. Likewise the pleasures of the hereafter are so much better.❞

The Terror of the Hashashin,

In the 11th century a Nazari missionary named Hassan-i Sabbah began a small community of worshipers in the mountains of Northern Persia.  A follower of a Shia Islamic group called the Isma'li, Sabbah was a very charismatic leader who organized a very large movement in a very short period of time.  To accommodate his followers his movement occupied the fortress of Alamut.  After a few decades, his followers occupied dozens of fortresses in Northern Iran.

Immediately Sabbah’s movement fell under assault as regional powers such as the Persians, the Fatimid Empire, and later the Crusaders saw them as heretics who constituted a political and military threat.  As a result, Sabbah made intense training in warfare and combat a centerpiece of his religious teachings.  His followers were trained to be elite soldiers and religious fanatics.  Despite the militaristic flavor of his movement, Sabbah knew that a well orchestrated assassination or the proper application of intimidation could achieve much more than military power.

To complement his warriors, Sabbah founded the Order of Assassins, also known as the Hashashin because they often imbibed in the drug hashish.  The assassins were required to be young, experts in hand to hand combat, religious fanatics, and also cold, calculating, and intelligent.

Over the next two centuries the Hashashin were the most feared assassins in the Middle East, Central Asia, and perhaps the known world.  Targets were typically powerful men such as political leaders, generals, religious leaders, and Crusaders.  One famous victim was the famed Egyptian Muslim leader named Saladin.  Saladin survived two attempts on his life by the Hashashin.  Throughout the rest of his life Saladin lived in terror and paranoia. In 1192 and Italian knight and nobleman named Conrad of Montferrat was elected as King of Jerusalem.  Two days later he was stabbed to death by two Hashashin dressed as Christian monks.  Most suspected that his rival, Richard the Lionheart, had hired the Hashashin to commit the deed.  Another famous victim was Prince Edward Longshanks, future King of England featured in the film “Braveheart”.  Prince Edward was badly wounded and forced to return home.  Even the mere threat of murder by the Hashashin was enough to intimidate rulers to do their bidding.  When the Seljuk Sultan Sanjar attempted to invade Hashashin territory, he awoke one morning to find a dagger with a threatening note stuck in his pillow.  He then called off the invasion.

1-Akhi - Brother

2-Ukhti - Sister

3-JazakAllah khair - May Allah give you Ajar/Sawab for your deed.

4-MashAllah - As God has willed.

5-HayakAllah - May Allah give you life.

6-BarakAllahu Feek - May Allah put baraka in what you are doing.

7- Wa feeka barakallahu - and May Allah bless you.

Without Muslims you wouldn’t have:

Coffee

Cameras

Experimental Physics

Chess

Soap

Shampoo

Perfume/spirits

Irrigation

Crank-shaft, internal combustion engine, valves, pistons

Combination locks

Architectural innovation (pointed arch -European Gothic cathedrals adopted this technique as it made the building much stronger, rose windows, dome buildings, round towers, etc.)

Surgical instruments

Anesthesia

Windmill

Treatment of Cowpox

Fountain pen

Numbering system

Algebra/Trigonometry

Modern Cryptology

3 course meal (soup, meat/fish, fruit/nuts)

Crystal glasses

Carpets

Checks

Gardens used for beauty and meditation instead of for herbs and kitchen.

University

Optics

Music

Toothbrush

Hospitals

Bathing

Quilting

Mariner’s Compass

Soft drinks

Pendulum

Braille

Cosmetics

Plastic surgery

Calligraphy

Manufacturing of paper and cloth

It was a Muslim who realized that light ENTERS our eyes, unlike the Greeks who thought we EMITTED rays, and so invented a camera from this discovery.

It was a Muslim who first tried to FLY in 852, even though it is the Wright Brothers who have taken the credit.

It was a Muslim by the name of Jabir ibn Hayyan who was known as the founder of modern Chemistry. He transformed alchemy into chemistry. He invented: distillation, purification, oxidation, evaporation, and filtration. He also discovered sulfuric and nitric acid.

It is a Muslim, by the name of Al-Jazari who is known as the father of robotics.

It was a Muslim who was the architect for Henry V’s castle.

It was a Muslim who invented hollow needles to suck cataracts from eyes, a technique still used today.

It was a Muslim who actually discovered inoculation, not Jenner and Pasteur to treat cowpox. The West just brought it over from Turkey

It was Muslims who contributed much to mathematics like Algebra and Trigonometry, which was imported over to Europe 300 years later to Fibonnaci and the rest.

It was Muslims who discovered that the Earth was round 500 years before Galileo did.

The list goes on………..

Just imagine a world without Muslims. Now I think you probably meant, JUST IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT TERRORISTS. And then I would agree, the world would definitely be a better place without those pieces of filth. But to hold a whole group responsible for the actions of a few is ignorant and racist. No one would ever expect Christians or White people to be held responsible for the acts of Timothy McVeigh (Oklahoma bombing) or Anders Breivik (Norway killing), or the gun man that shot Congresswoman Giffords in head, wounded 12 and killed 6 people, and rightly so because they had nothing to do with those incidents! Just like the rest of the 1.5 billion Muslims have nothing to do with this incident!

Sources:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/how-islamic-inventors-changed-the-world-469452.html

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-01-29/world/muslim.inventions_1_hassani-inventions-muslim?_s=PM:WORLD

An Ottoman clock: 1-Tawhid (Oneness[of God] 2-Ilm (Knowledge) 3-Irfan (Awareness) 4-Aql (Intellect) 5-Hikmah (Wisdom) 6-Insan (Human) 7-Amal (Action) 8-Adl (Justice) 9-Akhlak (Manners) 10-Umran (Prosperity) 11-Islam 12-Haq (Truth).

This is so neat!

I would like to narrate how I got married, since I’ve been getting lot of questions regarding this matter, and I hope it would clear the misconceptions that many have regarding marriages that take place in Shaam.

After two months in Shaam, I finally think about getting married because life without a Mahram is quite hard and it can cause fitnah. When I told this matter to one of my best friend, she was the happiest person because I was never interested before.

She spoke this matter to her husband. The husband told her that one of his friend is looking for a wife, and described about him to my friend. So, my friend told me about his personality and her husband told him (my husband) about mine. Initially I had a little doubt, till my friend said something that really made my heart ease and peace.

“Shams, you always tell me about your father and how much you love him. Don’t you think, this man sounds exactly like your father?”

That night, I was unable to sleep. I looked at my father’s picture and asking myself am I really ready for this. I made salatul Istikharah and put my full trust in Allāh.

For the next few days, I feel very much ease about this matter. So I spoke to my father, and he said he’s happy as long I’m.

One night, my best friend knocked my door and before I could answer her, she opened the door and jumped on me. She told me that her husband has spoken to his friend, and his friend is interested in marrying me even without looking at me. I was astonished, and I told her that, I too agreed for the marriage. She hugged me and cried and kept saying how much she’s happy with my decision. Wallahi, I felt she acted like my mother and it was an emotional night.

The next morning I was very much shocked because my friend told me that her husband and his friend will come to our house to see me. This is a sunnah practice, called ‘Nadra-Shar’eeah’ which means, to see the bride’s face before the marriage. When she told me about this matter, I was nearly fainted. I couldn’t believe it could be this soon, and I wasn’t ready at all. She comforted me and told me everything will be alright.

That afternoon, after Dhuhr prayer he came to my house. It was the most ‘scariest’ moment in my life. I begged my friend to accompany me and she did. At the backyard, I saw a man is sitting facing the opposite direction. My friend pushed me and ask me to sit on another sofa that isn’t far from him.

I made my little steps. Sat. I was trembling. Nervous. Scared. My emotions were mixed. When he noticed my arrival, he gave salam and introduced him self, so did I. Then, it was a long awkward silence. After few minutes, I flipped my Niqab. He looked at me, our eyes catches each others’. I had palpitation that is faster than the speed of light.

He smiled. And he asked a question that I shall never forget for the rest of my life.

“Can we get married today? After Asr?”

Deep inside my heart shouted, noooo. But I have no idea why I answered “Yes”.

Later I asked his permission to enter the house, our meeting ended with Salam.

On the same day, after Asr prayer, my friend, her husband, an english speaking brother and I went to the nearest internet cafe and made call to my father. Again, I spoke about this issue to him and I can hear my mother was shouting in joy at the back. Later, I passed the phone to the english-speaking brother for him to take the consent from my father, as my father is my Wali.

We went back home and everything was ready. Qadhi, two witnesses and my husband. The nikah was held at my house. The men were in the room, while the women were outside the room, but we could hear what’s going on inside. It was the simplest nikah I ever witnessed in my life. No glamorous dress, no crowds, no-nothing.

Again I was panic when the Qadhi asked me what I want as my mahr. I told my friend that I want sura al Waqiah, and she told to her husband. The husband told the qadhi. Here is the funny part. My husband is about to recite but he began to sweat profusely. He took a deep breath, again, but he couldn’t. So he said he will recite it later and handed me $200 dollar.

Why I choose Sura al Waqiah? It was the last Sura I’ve memorized before I made my Hijrah.

Anyways. The next morning, my husband and I prayed Salatul Fajr together. And he recited my mahr in that prayer. I swear, I cried.

After we finished the salah, he turned back and smiled at me. And I can feel something. Yes, I guess I just fell in love with someone - my husband!

Allāh has answered my prayer. Al Hamdulillah :)

Index of authentic information about Nawafil (Optional) Prayers:

Significance of Optional Prayers

Al-Sunan al-Rawatib (Supererogatory Prayers)

Tahiyyatul Masjid (Prayer of Greeting the Masjid)

Salat Ad Duha/Ishraq (Forenoon Prayer) 

Salat Al Istikhara (Prayer for Guidance) 

Salat Al Kusoof (Eclipse Prayer)

Salat Al Janazah (Funeral Prayer)

Salat At Taraweeh (Night Prayer in Ramadan)

Salat At Tahajjud/Qiyaam (Night Prayer)

Salat At Tawbah (Prayer of Repentance)

Salat Al ‘Eid (Prayer of Eid)

1-Akhi - Brother

2-Ukhti - Sister

3-JazakAllah khair - May Allah give you Ajar/Sawab for your deed.

4-MashAllah - As God has willed.

5-HayakAllah - May Allah give you life.

6-BarakAllahu Feek - May Allah put baraka in what you are doing.

7- Wa feeka barakallahu - and May Allah bless you.

It is reported that Abū Bakr al-Miskī was once asked “We always find a good odor emanating from you, why or how?”

He replied: “By Allāh, for years I have not used any perfume, but the reason for the good smell has to do with what I passed through. A woman once tricked me into entering her home. Then she closed and locked the door behind her, after which she began to seduce me. I became utterly bewildered as to what I should do, for I had no options before me.

I said to her: “I need to go and purify myself.”

She ordered her servant to take me to the bathroom, and when I entered it, I took faeces in my hand and wiped it all over my body.

Then I returned to her in that state. Shocked to see me like that, the woman ordered that I be removed from her home.

I left and immediately had a bath.

That very night I saw a dream; in it, it was said to me: “You have done that which no else has ever done before. I will make your smell good and pure in this world and in the hereafter.”

When I woke up, the smell of perfume was emanating from my body, and it has continued to emanate from my body until this very moment.

Khadijah binti Khuwaylid was the daughter of successful merchant of Quraysh tribe of Mecca, Khuwaylid bin Assad and Fatimah bint Zaidah. Her family was known as one of the most honored family merchant in the tribe of Mecca. Khuwaylid, with his colleague, Abdul Muthalib (known as the Prophet’s grandfather in later life), were famous as influence person in Mecca. Khadijah was good at archery, horse riding, and math, as good as her father when she was a girl. She also had a good self-defense in desert. As she grown up, she was as generous as her mother. When Khadijah was fifteen years old, Kaba was attacked by King of Abrahah and his elephant soldiers. Abdul Muthalib suggested Khadijah to lead a journey to evacuate women and kids, while he and Khuwaylid stayed in Mecca to lead a war against the king.

In her later life, Khadijah was married twice. She was married to a generous merchant named Abu Hala, and they had two children. Their marriage was last for 4 years because her husband was dead. Later, in her second marriage, she was married to Atiq, a famous nobleman in Mecca. Atiq was a gruff Arabian man, who loved to drunk, their marriage was end up in divorced.

Upon her father’s death, Khadijah took over his business. She ran the business very well, and her business was larger than any other Quraysh tribe and gained a good reputation of high quality goods and fair-dealing. She used to hire a man to sent the goods outside the city. Khadijah was working with her sister, Asma, in her business. Once, when the economics trades fell off, Khadijah decided to find a business partner she could trust. She asked Asma and discussed about it. She had a name, a son of Abdul Muthalib, Abu Thalib. He was running the business with his nephew, Muhammad. Asma was the intermediary to Abu Thalib and asked Muhammad to worked for Khadijah. Muhammad was 25 years old when he started to work for Khadijah as a business leader.

Khadijah sent him to Syiria for a business trip. Muhammad was companied by Khadijah’s personal assistant, Maysarah, and Hakim bin Hizam, her nephew. Khadijah was secretly ordered her personal assistant to supervise her new business leader, and observe the whole business. By the time they returned home, Maysarah reported to Khadijah all that had taken a place in Syiria. Khadijah was impressed by the story and started thinking of purposing marriage to Muhammad.

One night, as she wondered about her plan, purposing marriage to Muhammad, she was dreaming about a wonderful dream. She told her dream to Waraqah bin Nawfal, her cousin and also her uncle, because he was at the same age as Khuwaylid. Waraqah was blind, he has read thousand books and lack of slept during his life. He has depth knowledge about Torah (taurat) and Injil. The wonderful dream she had was indicated that the Prophet (peace be upon Him) whose had been predicted in Torah and Injil was to grace her home and she would gain from his presence in her life.

After her meeting with Waraqah, her desire to marry Muhammad (peace be upon him) became stronger. Nafisah bint Manbah, one of Khadijah’s very close friend, went to Muhammad (peace be upon Him) and asked him a very personal question, she asked why he had not got married yet. He said he did not have a financial resource. Nafisah asked if he willing to marry a beautiful lady from a noble family. He asked her who was the lady she was referred to. He learnt her identity and he said that he was willing to marry her. Khadijah was so happy.

Muhammad (peace be upon Him) was twenty-five years old and Khadijah was forty when they were married. The formal marriage proposal was brought by his two uncles, Abu Thalib and  Hamzah, approached her uncle, ‘Umar bin Assad. The proposal was officially accepted and they were married.

Their marriage was very blissful, they had six children, Qasim, ‘Abdullah, Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Khulthum, and Fatimah. It was a very happy household but Muhammad (peace be upon Him) was feeling lost. He went to Hira cave for prayer and meditation. He saw the presence of another being held his arms so tight, and ask him to read. He couldn’t do anything because he couldn’t read. The person loosen his arms, and asked him again to read, repeated three times. Then finally he read the ayah which are the first revelation of Quran, from Surah Al-‘Alaq (Surah Iqra).

“Read! In the Name of your Lord who has created (all that exists). He has created a man from a clot. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen. He has taught man that which he knew not.” (Noble Quran, 96:1-5)

The person was disappeared, and it was an awesome experience he had. He was shocked, and decided to return home sweating and shaking. He called out his wife and asked her to cover him with blanket. He told her about the creature he met in the Hira cave. Khadijah brought him to meet her cousin, Waraqah, and he told everything about the person in the cave. Waraqah immediately guessed the identity of the person was Angel of Jibril, the messenger of Allah. He added that he’d been told were true, surely it meant that her husband was the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon Him) whose had been mentioned in the earlier scriptures.  Khadijah was the first woman who accepted Islam.

Khadijah was loyal and supporting him in most of aspects of life. When the disbelievers saw Islam had gained more and more followers, they decided to declare an economic boycott of the tribe of Bani Hasyim. It was the seventh years after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared himself as the messenger of Allah. The innocent children were suffered from hunger, the adults survived by eating leaves. Khadijah who had been very wealthy, bore the hardships with the other Muslims. She was the only person who believed that he was the Prophet and the messenger of Allah (peace be upon Him), when everyone disbelieved him.

Three years before hijrah to Medina, Khadijah passed away. She died at the age of sixty-five. When she passed away, the Prophet (peace be upon Him) was so brokenhearted, at a loss of dedicated companion who stood by him during the most difficult moments during his life. Khadijah was the one and only woman he loved the most. Whenever any gifts bought to him, he sent immediately to some women who had been friends of Khadijah. Narrated from Ayshah, a favorite wife of Muhammad in his later life, whenever he talked about Khadijah, it was in terms of the highest praise, and he would talk at great length and praise her qualities, and pray for her forgiveness. Ayshah said she had never been experienced such a feeling of feminine natural jealousy for any other wife of the Prophet as she did for Khadijah

One day, when Ayshah wondered why the Prophet (peace be upon him) still missed her while Allah has blessed him a younger wife, he just answered, “I have not yet found a better wife than her. She had faith in me when everyone, even members of my own family and tribe did not believe me, and accepted that I was truly a Prophet and the messenger of Allah. She converted to Islam, spent all her wealth and worldly goods to help me spread this faith, and this too at a time when entire world seemed to has turned against me and persecuted me. And it is through her that Allah blessed me with children.”

Walaikum Assalaam Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu,

First of all masturbrabration is haram and try not to have vain casual talk with the non mehram because as you will start talking to that person may be you will indulge in zina.May be that person don’t like you, the way you like him/her. The most important even if you both like each other may be Allah has not written him/her for you. The chances of heart break is more in it. Temptation will be there that you want to talk to him but you have to suppress your desires for the sake of Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala. Make dua to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala  and always say “if it’s good for me” because we don’t know what’s good for us only Allah knows. So be patient and work on controlling your desires.

So try to avoid all the stuff that trigger your feelings like reading romantic novels or watching porn etc. When you get tempted think of the following things:

   Allah is watching you

   Angels are recording your deeds

   Punishment of the grave

   You have to answer on the day of Judgement

Temptation will always be there, throughout our life. But we have to abstain from the temptation. When you think about the desires and it gives you joy. The first thing you have to do is to repel that thought, before it becomes an action. Try to distract yourself, do something read books, talk to your family or anything that may help you to get distract from the thought. If you keep thinking about it, it will become a stronger desire and it may happen you may end in doing sin.

The other thing you can do is that when you get tempted, think about the death because it is the cutter of delights. Think about your grave, that you will alone be there and only your deeds can save you.

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:“Remember often the destroyer and cutter off of delights, which is death.” (Sunnan Trimidhi:2229)

Ask Allah for the help and try to do dhikr all the time, it will help you in shaa Allah. Recite Astaghfirullah, Durood Shareef and kalma as often you can. Desire will always be there, nafs and shaitan is our enemy and this battle will continue till our last breath. On your shortcomings repent to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala sincerely. He is the most forgiving and merciful.

Following are the dua’s for the marriage:

1.Perform your obligatory prayer and after every prayer recite this dua you will get a good husband/wife when the time’s come in shaa Allah,

“Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous.” (Quran 25:74)

 2.Rabbi inni lemaa anzalta elayya min khairin faqeer (Chapter 28, verse 24)

My Lord! I am needy of whatever good You Send down for me

So, what you have to do is after you read this verse a number of times; make sure to ask Allah (God) in a way similar to what follows:

 ”Oh Allah! You have made every living thing in pairs. The sincere, beautiful and pious pair that you have created for me, please give it to me”

It is recommended that one recites this verse at least 10times and after finishing this dua ask Allah Almighty for a spouse that is kind, beautiful, soft hearted, pious, loving and a gentle soul mate. What you want in your spouse is what you should ask but if you don’t ask for piety or kind heartedness then don’t blame anyone but yourself.

3.”Rabbana aatina fi’d dunya hasana wa fi’l aakhirati hasana wa qina `adhab an-nar.” [O Lord! Grant us good in this life, and good in the next, and save us from the torment of the Fire] (Qur’an, 2: 200). Recite this dua’ with the intention of marriage as it is included in the phrase “fi’d dunya hasana” (good in this life).

4.My Lord, do not leave me alone and You are the best of inheritors. (Surah al-Anbiya` 21:89)

I hope it will be helpful. If you need any other advice feel free to ask.

May Allah guide us all to the straight path