Act that can nullify your fast

Among the boundaries that Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala has set and clarified is that of fasting. This is one of the pillars of Islam. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala made very clear when fasting starts and when it ends, both in terms of the month in which it starts and in terms of what time of the day each individual fast is to start and end. Allah said regarding this month: “... So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan, i.e. is present at his home), he must fast that month” (Al-Baqarah: 185).

Also, in a Hadith of the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) he said: “If you see it then fast and if you see it then break your fast (meaning mark that as the end of the month). If you could not see it because of clouds then count of the month as having thirty days”.

‘It’ here is referring to the crescent. Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala says which translates as: “... So now have sexual relationships with them (your wives) and seek that which Allah has ordained for you (offspring), and eat and drink until the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread (darkness of night)” (Al-Baqarah: 187)

Then we are to continue fasting until the following nightfall. Once you distinguish that it is dawn either by actually seeing it if you were outside in the open, or by hearing the Adhan, which is the call for prayer, that indicates dawn, then the time of fasting has started. This will end at the following sunset. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said to his companions, may Allah be pleased with them: “Bilal calls the Adhan while it is still dark so (continue to) eat and drink until you hear the Adhan of Ibn Umm Makhtum, for he does not call the Adhan until it is dawn”.

He (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) also said: “When the night comes from this side (and he pointed towards the east) and when the day or the light leaves from this side (and he pointed towards the west) and the sun sets then the fasting person can break his fast”.

O people! Be aware that there are seven categories of actions, which will nullify your fast:

Number One: Having sexual intercourse with his/her spouse. This is one of the worst ways of deliberately terminating one’s fast. If this occurs then one must pay a Kafarah, or expiation. Indeed this incurs a very harsh penalty if this sin was to have taken place during the daytime in the month of Ramadan by someone upon whom it was obligatory to fast. The punishment is that they must release a slave; if they do not find one then they must fast consecutively for two months. If they are unable to do this then they must feed sixty poor persons.

Number Two: Deliberate discharge of sperm. This may occur due to kissing, touching, hugging, masturbating (which is forbidden even when not fasting) or any other means. If however this occurs during one’s sleep then it does not nullify the fast. This is because the sleeping person has no control of his body and therefore could not have deliberately done this.

Number Three: Eating and/or drinking. This is allowing food or drink go to reach one’s stomach irrespective of whether it is Halal (permissible) or Haram (forbidden). It is also irrespective of whether it has entered through one’s mouth or nose. Regarding this the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: ‘Exaggerate in performing the Wudhu’ and putting the water in your nose unless you are fasting’. This is proof of the fact that anything that enters through the nose is akin to something entering through the mouth. On the other hand, smelling things do not break ones fast as this does not result in anything entering the stomach.

Number Four: Anything having the same effect as eating and/or drinking. This can be by means of needles, drops or supplements as long as it has nutritional value. On the other hand if these do not have any nutritional value then using them would not affect your fast in any way.

Number Five: Drawing out blood and Hijamah (cupping). Hijamah is something that is done by means of needles or razors to make holes in the skin in order to get bad blood out of the body. The Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “The one who gets the blood out of his body and the one doing this for him have both broken their fast”.

If however one takes or draws blood out of his body to analyse it for sicknesses, then this is something that does not break the fast because it is something that has a negligible effect on the body, unlike the effect that Hijamah would have. Also, if one has a nosebleed or bleeding due to extracting a tooth, then this will not affect the fast, as this is unintentional and uncontrollable. One should take care not to swallow any blood in these cases though as this is impermissible whether one is fasting or not. Opening a wound to expel pus from a wound, even if this results in a discharge of blood, will also not affect the fast.

In the case of a fasting person having blood taken from his body in order to donate it to a needy donor, this is something that would break the fast as it involves an excessive amount of blood, just as Hijamah does. Therefore, it is not permissible for fasting persons to have blood taken from them and to donate it to others unless the benefactor is in a critical condition and cannot wait until sunset. In this case, it is permissible for the donor to have a certain amount of blood extracted from him due to necessity. The donor may eat and drink that day but must make up a days fasting in the future due to this day – which counts as a missed fast.

Number Six: Intentionally vomiting. Intentionally vomiting will nullify one’s fast. If one were to vomit unintentionally then this would not nullify the fast because the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “He who vomits unwillingly does not have to make up for it (his fast), but he who vomits intentionally must make up for it”.

The six categories of actions that I have mentioned so far that would nullify one’s fast would only do so if one were to knowingly and willingly do them. If one were to commit these acts due to forgetfulness or ignorance then they are not held responsible and do not need to make them up.

The proof for this is the saying of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala: “...And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend” (Al-Ahzab: 5)

Imam Bukhari narrated an authentic tradition from Asma bint Abu Bakr (Radhiyallahu Anha) where she said: ‘During the time of the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) we broke our fast on a cloudy day (thinking that it was sunset) but then the sun came out (and so we realised that we had ended our fast too early)’.

She did not state that the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) commanded them to make up for this day and had it been that he (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) had commanded this, and then she surely would have mentioned it. This is because Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala would not let a ruling that is an obligation pass without clarifying it.

So, once a person has committed such a mistake and realizes that it is still daytime, he must immediately refrain from eating or drinking. If he were to continue eating or drinking then his fast would be nullified. Nothing nullifies or breaks the fasting if done in a state of forgetfulness because Allah says which translates as: “Our Lord! Do not punish us if we forget or fall in to a mistake” (Al-Baqarah: 286).

Also, the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) said: “He or she who forgot that they were fasting and then eat and drink, then let him or her continue their fasting because it is Allah Subhanahu wa Taala who gave them that food and drink”.

But if they were to remember or are reminded that they are fasting, then they must immediately stop eating or drinking. If they were to continue then their fast would be nullified. If they are reminded whilst food or drink is in their mouth, then they must spit out the contents of their mouth as swallowing will nullify their fast.

If one sees a fasting person eating or drinking in a state of forgetfulness, then they must remind that person. This is an example of enjoining good and righteousness.

It does not nullify one’s fast if something was to happen forcefully, such as dust entering the stomach, or if a small quantity of water were to enter the stomach due to a mistake made during Wudhu. This may happen for example by gargling or snorting water too violently.

Number Seven: menstrual or post-natal bleeding. This is where blood is discharged by a woman as part of the menstrual period or during the time immediately following pregnancy. As soon as this blood is discharged, even if it was just one second before sunset, then that days’ fasting is rendered null and void. If a woman were to get the feeling in her body that the blood is about to come out, but it does not actually do so until sunset or later, then this is not a problem and her fast is still intact. A fasting person can use mascara; perfume, eye or ear drops and apply medicine to their wounds. However they cannot smell or inhale the vapour that emanates from some perfumes and incense, as this will reach their stomach.

A fasting person can cool themselves by rinsing their bodies with water or wetting their clothes. It is reported that Imam Malik (Radhiyallahu Anhu) narrated from some of the companions of the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) that they said: “We saw the Prophet (Salla Allahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) pouring water on his head due to the intense heat and thirst (that he was suffering from) while he was fasting”.

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (Radhiyallahu Anhu) used to wet his garments and wear them whilst fasting. It is also permissible for the fasting person to use the Miswak, or   tooth-stick, at any time of the day, whether it is at the beginning, middle, or end of the day. In fact it is the Sunnah to use it. It is better to use the Miswak at the time of Salah, Wudhu, when waking up from sleep and when first entering one’s house.

It is also the Sunnah of the Prophet (Radhiyallahu Anhu) that a fasting person breaks his fast with Ruthab, which is type of ripe date. If this is unavailable then one should use dates and failing this then one should use water. Otherwise, one should eat or drink anything, which is permissible as soon as the sun sets.

If one happens to be in a place with no food or drink at sunset then he must intend to break his fast in his heart and should not suck his finger, as some people do.

O believers! Protect your Siyyam, or fasting, and do not indulge in disputed arguments, sleeping with your wives, telling lies and giving false testimony. This is because for those who do not abstain from lying and giving false testimony, Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala has no need of them to abstain from food and drinks.

O believers! Perform Salah at its due time in congregation. Exert more effort in performing optional Salah and in the remembrance of Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala. Recite more of the Qur’an, give more in charity, abstain from the prohibited things that Allah Subhanahu Wa Taala commanded you to stay away from, such as Namimah, or backbiting.

Broadly speaking, Namimah means to cheat, lie or curse and includes all forms of false speech. If someone were to curse you or attempt to dispute with you, then you should say ‘Indeed I am fasting, I am fasting’, thereby avoiding such problems.

Stay away from listening to music on the radio or anywhere else because fasting is a shield with which people prevent themselves from sinning and by which they rescue themselves from the hellfire. We must not commit sins or neglect our obligations while fasting because this will dramatically reduce our reward.

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become conscious of Allah”. (Al-Baqarah: 183)

SOURCE:http://www.alminbar.com/khutbaheng/501.htm

#Inheritance of #children

In Islam, there are three categories of children: legal, biological and those that are both legal and biological. By legal, we mean children that result from a marriage approved by the Shari'ah. Thus for a man, only his children that are both legal and biological are considered his children and by extension, his heirs; while for a woman, the simple act of giving birth to a child (biological) makes them (mother and child) rightful heirs of one another. A few illustrations will elucidate this.

a) The #Muslim children of a Muslim couple who married legally will inherit from their parents and vice-versa. Supposing any of the children happens to be a non-Muslim, he will neither inherit from them nor will they inherit from him due to difference of religion which is an impediment to inheritance.

At this point let’s spell out what difference of religion really mean. Some scholars are of the view that each religion should be taken on its face-value while others argue that there are two religions only: Islam and others. Therefore, if we take a hypothetical family consisting of a Muslim father, Christian mother and Jewish child for example, based on the first opinion, none of them will inherit from one another, while the second view gives the mother and the child the right to inherit from each other. How they do that is left to them.

b) A Muslim man is permitted to marry a pious, reserved and religious Christian or Jewish woman. The children that result from such a marriage will inherit from the man and vice-versa if they are Muslims. Assuming the children decide to follow the religion of their mother, they will inherit from her only and vice-versa.

c) The children of a Muslim man who marries a woman that is neither a Christian nor a Jew such as a Buddhist, a Zoroastrian or an atheist will not inherit from him since they are not his legal children even though they may be his biological children. Why? Such marriage is not recognised by Shari’ah, hence it’s void. The children will inherit from their mother only and vice-versa. And if they are Muslims, they will also not inherit from her due to difference of religion.

d) A Muslim woman is not allowed to marry a non-Muslim man even if he is a pious, reserved and religious Christian or Jew. If the marriage takes place its void. But the children will inherit from her (and she will inherit from them) because she is their biological mother IF THEY ARE MUSLIMS, otherwise the difference of religion condition will set in and bar them from inheriting from one another.

e) If a man and woman fornicates, (Allah forbids), and a child is born as a result, whether or not they get married afterwards, the man is the biological father but NOT the legal father of the child but the woman is both the biological and legal mother. Hence such a child will inherit from his mother ONLY and vice-versa.

This is evident from a Hadith narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As who said: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) decided regarding one who was treated as a member of a family after the death of his father, to whom he was attributed when the heirs said he was one of them, that if he was the child of a slave-woman whom the father owned when he had intercourse with her, he was included among those who sought his inclusion, but received none of the inheritance which was previously divided; he, however, received his portion of the inheritance which had not already been divided; but if the father to whom he was attributed had disowned him, he was not joined to the heirs. If he was a child of a slave-woman whom the father did not possess or of a free woman with whom he had illicit intercourse, he was not joined to the heirs and did not inherit even if the one to whom he was attributed is the one who claimed paternity, since he was a child of fornication whether his mother was free or a slave.”#Abu Dawud Collection.

The rulings in (c), (d) and (e) above do not imply that Islam condones any of these acts. The perpetrators are to be duly punished according to Shari’ah. We are interested in the inheritance of innocent children that are products of these unfortunate incidences.

f) A child will in addition inherit from his mother only after li’an (cursing for adultery) which happens when a man denies the paternity of his wife’s pregnancy and they end up swearing and cursing themselves. The Hadith of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As above confirms this: “…but if the father to whom he was attributed had disowned him, he was not joined to the heirs…”

g) An adopted child will not inherit from his adoptive parents and vice-versa due to lack of biological relationship between them. But they can make a will in his/her favour which must not exceed 1/3 of their estates.

h) In-vitro fertilisation: This is the process of fertilising an egg with sperm in an artificial environment such as test-tube. A child produced using this method is popularly called “test tube baby.”

The procedure involves stimulation of the woman with injected medications to develop multiple follicles (egg-containing structures) in the ovaries. Thereafter, a trans-vaginal ultrasound-guided procedure is performed to remove the eggs from the follicles which are fertilized in the laboratory with her partner’s sperm. The embryos are finally placed in the woman’s uterus where they will hopefully implant and develop to result in a live birth.

            According to Sheikh ‘Abd-Allaah al-Jibreen as cited by Sheikh Muhammad Al-Munajjid, in-vitro fertilization is permissible in Islam if certain conditions are fulfilled. They are:

1. That there is a real need for that. A delay of one or two years in having children is not an excuse for the couple to pursue this or similar methods. Rather they should be patient, for Allah may grant them a way out soon without them doing anything that is haram. 
2. The woman should not uncover her ‘awrah before men when there are female staffs available. 
3. It is not permissible for the husband to masturbate; rather he may be intimate with his wife without penetration, and produce semen in this manner. 
4. The woman’s eggs and man’s sperm should not be kept in a freezer for later use, or another appointment, and there should not be any delay in placing them in the woman’s uterus. Rather that should be done immediately without any delay, lest they be mixed with others or be used for other people. 
5. The sperm must come from the husband and the egg from the wife, and be implanted in the wife’s uterus. Anything else is not permissible at all.
6. There should be complete trust in the doctors who are doing this procedure. 

As far as inheritance is concerned, the most important condition is (v). This does not imply that others are not important as well. When (v) is fulfilled, the child will inherit from both the father and mother and vice-versa. However, if there happens to be a mix-up such that another man’s sperm was used to fertilise the wife’s egg, the child will inherit from the mother only. Conversely, if the husband’s sperm was used to fertilise another woman’s egg, the child will inherit from the father only. In a situation whereby the sperm and egg of others were used, there will be no inheritance between the child and his “so-called” parents because they are no-more-than adoptive parents. Note that even if the child develops in the wife’s womb, so long as it’s not her egg, the biological connection that will necessitate inheritance between them is missing.
 
Son1. If he is the only heir, he inherits the whole estate of his deceased father or mother.
2. When other heirs are inheriting along with him, he becomes a residuary i.e. takes whatever remains after other heirs have gotten their shares.
3. Two or more sons share equally the whole estate if they are the only heirs.
4. Two or more sons share equally the residue of the estate when other heirs are present.

Daughter1. If a deceased has only one surviving daughter, she inherits half (½) of the estate irrespective of whether she is the only heir or not.
2. Two or more daughters share equally two-third (2/3) of the estate whether or not they are the only heirs.

One may be tempted to ask: what happens to the remaining ½ of the estate when a daughter is the only heir or the remaining 1/3 of the estate when two or more daughters are the only heirs? In other words, what is the ruling when available heirs do not exhaust the estate? Jurists differed on this. The various opinions are:

a) The residue goes to the bait-ul-mal (public treasury) because no heir should receive more than what Allah has prescribed for him/her.
b) The public treasury has been misused; therefore the heirs should redistribute the residue among themselves based on the initial sharing formula. This is technically called Radd.
c) The residue should be given to the cognates (relations whose connection to the deceased is traceable through the mother or female line) who are traditionally non-heirs.
Radd (reduction of base number) and inheritance of cognates are not covered in this website, thus they are included in Further Reading.

Son(s) and daughter(s)
In a situation whereby the deceased leaves behind a combination of sons and daughters in whatever form (i.e. son and daughter, son and daughters, sons and daughter or sons and daughters), they share the whole estate if they are the only heirs in a ratio of 2 to 1. Meaning that, a son is given twice the share of a daughter. But if other heirs (that are not excluded by them) are present, they [son(s) and daughter(s)] become residuaries in the sense that they will share the left-over or residue after other heirs have received their shares in the same ratio of 2 to 1. Allah says in the Qur'an:

“Allah commands you as regards your children’s (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females…” Qur’an 4:11 

Non-Muslims and Muslims who do not understand their religion argue that Islam is unjust to women in terms of inheritance. If not, why should it grant the male twice the share of the female even though they are children of the same parents? Answering this question, Hojjat al-Islam Mahdi Hadavi Tehrani says, “… Islam’s position on inheritance is in reality to the benefit of the woman. In the Age of Ignorance (Jahiliyya), the daughters and wives of the deceased were deprived of inheritance and all the wealth of the deceased went to his sons. Islam, however, came and annulled the laws of the ignorant times and made women amongst the inheritors of the deceased. From its inception, Islam gave women independence in ownership and monetary matters, this being a matter that has only but recently entered the laws of European nations. Even though apparently the inheritance of a man is double that of a woman, when we probe into the matter more thoroughly, we find that the inheritance of a woman is two times that of a man. The responsibilities that have been placed on the shoulders of men necessitates that they spend half of their income on women. Any given man is obligated to spend money on his spouse’s home, clothes, food, and other expenses, while the cost of living of himself and his children are on his shoulders. This responsibility of upkeep is to such an extent that even if a woman’s social position necessitates her having a servant and she herself does not have the means to pay for such a person, the salary of the aforementioned servant is upon her husband. These responsibilities are on the shoulders of men, whereas we see that women are exempted from paying any living expenses, including their own – whether clothes or food. Therefore and in all practicality, it is (the) woman who has more of a portion of wealth than (the) man…”

“… Consider, for example, that the sum total of all the wealth of the world is 30 billion pounds. Say that this wealth was distributed by means of inheritance between men and women. From this amount of money, 20 billion pounds went to men and 10 billion went to women. Since women do not have to spend on themselves, they can save that 10 billion and become partners with the men in the remaining 20 billion (since the portion of men is spent on women and children). So, half of the portion of men, which is 10 billion pounds goes to women. When we add this amount to the portion that the women saved from before, their sum total becomes 20 billion pounds…”

“…In the end, it is possible for us to say that if it is true that the expenses of the woman are upon the shoulders of the man, then what use does woman have in hoarding a large amount of wealth? We can answer by saying that the dowry and inheritance of the woman is like a savings that is for her future, in case she separates from her spouse or her spouse dies. It is so she can lead a comfortable and respected life in case such events happen. But the reason that the expenses of the woman is upon the man is so that she can, without any sort of mental anxiety, raise good and pious children. In this way the family, which is the cornerstone of society, will be filled with warmth and love…”

Grandson(s) and granddaughter(s)
In the absence of a deceased's son(s) and daughter(s), his/her grandson(s) and granddaughter(s) through son(s) will “jump” and inherit all the rights and privileges of the substantive son(s) and daughter(s) respectively. Therefore,

1. A grandson inherits the whole estate if he is the only heir or becomes a residuary in the presence of other heirs.
2. Two or more grandsons share equally the whole estate if they are the only heirs or share equally the residue if other heirs are present.
3. A granddaughter takes ½ of the estate, while two or more granddaughters share equally 2/3 of the estate in the presence or absence of other heirs.
4. A combination of grandson(s) and granddaughter(s) in whatever form share the whole estate if they are the only heirs or share the residue when other heirs exist in the ratio of 2 to 1, i.e. each grandson takes twice the share of each granddaughter.

Daughter(s) and granddaughter(s) 
Note that even though a granddaughter through a son acts like a daughter in the absence of her father, this right is limited in the presence of an actual daughter, because the maximum share of daughters, granddaughters or a combination of daughters and granddaughters is 2/3 of the estate. Thus, whenever daughter(s) and granddaughter(s) are inheriting together, the former get their full shares while the latter distribute the residue of 2/3 equally if any. As a result,

1. One daughter, one granddaughter: Daughter gets ½; granddaughter gets 1/6, making 2/3.
2. One daughter, two or more granddaughters: Daughter gets ½; granddaughters share 1/6 equally.
3. More than one daughter, any number of granddaughters: Daughters share 2/3 equally; granddaughters get nothing.

This is the application of rules 2 and 3 of exclusion i.e. a daughter does not exclude grandchildren [children of her late brother(s)] and two or more daughters exclude strictly granddaughters respectively.

Daughter(s) and grandson(s)
We know that sons and daughters share the whole estate or its residue in a ratio of 2 to 1. In the absence of a son, the grandson through son will “jump” and replace him but he does not have the same “power” as the son if he is inheriting together with substantive daughter(s). He takes the residue after the daughter(s) and other heirs if present have received their shares. Thus,

1. One daughter, one grandson: Daughter receives ½; grandson receives the residue. Residue here means ½ in the absence of other heirs or whatever is left when other heirs are present and have gotten their shares.
2. One daughter, more than one grandson: Daughter gets ½; grandsons share residue equally.
3. More than one daughter, one grandson: Daughters share 2/3 equally; grandson is given the residue.
4. Two or more daughters, two or more grandsons: Daughters receive and share 2/3 proportionately; grandsons share the residue equally.

Daughter(s), grandson(s) and granddaughter(s)
As mentioned earlier, grandson(s) and granddaughter(s) divide the whole estate or its residue in a ratio of 2 to 1. But when inheriting along with substantive daughter(s), they will share the residue of the estate after the daughter(s) and other heirs (if present) have received their shares. Hence,

1. A daughter, grandson(s), and granddaughter(s): Daughter receives ½; grandson(s) and granddaughter(s) share the residue in a ratio of 2 to 1.
2. Two or more daughters, grandson(s) and granddaughter(s): Daughters gets 2/3 which they will share equally; grandson(s) and granddaughter(s) share the residue in a ratio of 2 to 1.

This is the application of rule 4 of exclusion which says that two or more daughters do not exclude grandchildren comprising of at least a grandson.

Son(s) and grandchildren
A son, sons or combination of son(s) and daughter(s) will inherit the whole estate or the whole residue; therefore there will be no any leftover for grandchildren to inherit from. This means that grandchildren get nothing. Recall rule 1 of exclusion: a son excludes all grandchildren.  

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

What Every Muslim Should Know About Christmas

Al-Hamdulillah, All praise be to Allah alone, for making us Muslims and bestowing us the Deen of Islam to distinguish right and wrong. The holiday season is upon us again, and the ugly head of Satan is rising again to inspire people to indulge in innovation and shirk. What proceeds is an analytical view of Christmas and appropriate Muslim conduct during the Christmas season. Any belief system or ritual (Christmas or otherwise) in any religion should satisfy each of the following criteria to be labeled as authentic: 1. It should have its evidence from the scriptures or from the authentic sayings of the Messenger. 2. The Messenger himself and his companions should practice and propagate it. 3. The Scripture or the Messenger's sayings in which this belief system is present should be preserved from alterations or perishment. Does Christmas have Biblical Evidence? The word 'Christmas' is not even present in the entire Bible. The Bible has closed lips on the entire feast of Christmas with one exception, the decoration of tree. Fortunately, for the Christians, the Bible does has a word or two to say on the decoration of the Christmas tree, but unfortunately for them, their own Bible criticizes the use of decorating tree: "The customs of the people are worthless, they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel, they adore it with silver and gold, they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter" (Jeremiah 10:3,4). Pre-Christian pagans superstitiously believed that the evergreen tree has special power of protection. In fact, the use of Christmas tree began in the 17th century, in Strasbourg, France and from there it spread to Germany, Britain and then to the U.S. "Tree worship was a common feature of religion among the Teutonic and Scandinavian peoples of northern Europe before their conversion to Christianity…German settlers brought the Christmas tree custom to the American colonies in the 17th century. By the 19th century its use was quite widespread". (Compton's Encyclopedia, 1998 Edition) Was Jesus Born on Dec. 25th? Neither the date 25th Dec. nor any other date on Jesus' birth is mentioned in the Bible. Not until the year 530 C.E., that a monk, Dionysus Exigus, fixed the date of the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25th. "He wrongly dated the birth of Christ according to the Roman system (i.e., 754 years after the founding of Rome) as Dec. 25, 753". (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 ed.) This date was chosen perhaps in keeping with the holidays already indoctrinated into pagans. Roman pagans celebrated Dec. 25th as the birth of their 'god' of light, Mithra. "In the 2nd century A..D., it (Mithraism) was more general in the Roman Empire than Christianity, to which it bore many similarities" (The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia, 1995 ed.) "The reason why Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25 remains uncertain, but most probably the reason is that early Christians wished the date to coincide with the pagan Roman festival marking the "birthday of the unconquered sun" (natalis solis invicti); this festival celebrated the winter solstice, when the days again begin to lengthen and the sun begins to climb higher in the sky". (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 Ed.) Other pagan 'gods' born on Dec. 25th are: Hercules, the son of Zeus (Greeks) Bacchus, god of wind, (Romans),Adenis god of Greeks Freyr the Greek-Roman god. What about Santa Claus? Once again the word 'Santa Claus' appears no where in the bible. However Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) was a real person, bishop, who was born 300 years after Jesus (pbuh). According to legend he was extremely kind and went out at night to distribute presents to the needy. After his death on the 6th of Dec., school boys in Europe celebrated a feast day every year on the anniversary of his death. Queen Victoria later changed the celebration date from Dec. 6th to Dec. 24th eve. Thus Christmas is an innovation (bidah) in their religion, associating it with Santa Claus, and changing the original date of death anniversary of Saint Nicholas are further deviations. Did Jesus or his companions celebrated Christmas? Of course not. If Jesus meant his 'Ummah' to celebrate Christmas, he would have practiced it himself and enjoined it on his followers. Even the 'supposed pseudo-companions' of Jesus (and not the companions of Jesus mentioned in the Quran who called themselves as Muslims) mentioned in the bible made many innovations in their religion, but celebrating Christmas was not their endeavor. "In fact, the church did not observe a festival for the celebration of the event until the 4th century" (Grolier's Encyclopedia). Even if Christianity passed the above two test, they still have to prove that their Bible have remained unaltered since its revelation. A whole separate article could be written on this topic. We'll mention three brief points, insha Allah. (1) Bible, unlike our Quran, was not written down during Jesus' lifetime and no evidence of it ever being memorized. (2) The oldest bible (Codex Siniticas) in possession of Christendom is only from the 4th century C.E. (3) verses are missing or added as to the Bible throughout the centuries. Compare different Bible versions (eg. compare the King James Version with Revised Standard Version. For verse: 1 John 5:7, this verse is missing in Revised Standard Version published in 1952). How unfortunate and pitiful: parts of the original Bible has been lost. Part surviving has been corrupted and the corrupted parts has been misinterpreted. How should Muslims React to Christmas? Being the custodians of Truth and the 'Best Ummah created for mankind" and "witnesses unto Mankind", we Muslims just can't stay still as the society around us is entrapped by Satan. Enjoining good and forbidding evil should be our theme. The foremost thing to realize is that Christmas is a big innovation which is leading a big part of humanity to shirk (associating partners with God). Christianity has transgressed the limits set by Allah; therefore showing happiness and joy on Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Good Friday is like shaking hands with Satan and telling him to carry on the good work. Remember Allah commandment to us in the Quran: "Help you one another in virtue and righteousness, but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah, verily Allah is severe in punishment". (Quran, 5:2) Therefore, a Muslim can't enjoin in any aspect of Christmas in the disguise that Jesus is our Prophet too, we are just honoring him by celebrating Christmas. We should recognize the bidah of Christmas and the Prophet's warning that all bidah should be rejected. Therefore, accepting Christmas invitations, attending Christmas parties, buying small plastic Christmas trees to please the kids (some Muslims actually do) should be avoided. By greeting Christians with 'merry Christmas' we are legitimizing Christmas, by driving out on Christmas eve to witness the decoration of houses, we are appreciating bidah with our eyes, by placing our kids on the laps of Santa in the malls we are handing them in the hands of a fiend, by closing our Islamic Schools or shops during Christmas we are giving it our silent approval, by selling Christmas items in our shops, we are strengthening the pillars of Kufr. By purchasing for children books with Christmas themes ('The Night before Christmas'), by watching Christmas movies and by giving holidays to our regular Islamic schools or weekend schools, we are passing them a misguided message. Indeed Islam came to tear down the pillars of kufr and replace them with the pillars of Islam. Armed with facts on Christmas and eloquent words of Islam, the door of Dawah to the Christians should be wisely open. When the Christians see us restraining from observing Christmas, they will curiously ask us for the reason. This opportunity should be used by each single Muslim to discuss Islam and invite non-Muslims to Islam. It is highly recommended for all Muslims to carry brochures on Islam with them to pass on to non-Muslim classmates, co-workers, neighbors etc. after discussing Islam. Free brochures on various topics on Islam can be obtained by calling 1-718-658-1199 (for U.S. and Canadian residents). Writing articles in campus and local newspapers on 'Jesus (pbuh) in Islam', conducting soup kitchens in impoverished neighborhoods, clothing drives in schools and college campuses for the needy etc. are some proper modes of conduct during the Christmas holiday season. Thus the hearts and minds of non-Muslims should be exposed to the beautiful message of Islam. Truth comes, falsehood disappears; Islam came, now shirk must clear. Sabeel Ahmed October 1997.

Muslim Pray For The Nation

you owe your self the duty to be somewhere on the 5th of January

Etiquette of Jumah

Etiquettes of attending Jummah Khutbah

The Friday prayer (Juma’ah Salat) is very important for each Muslim, because it is their weekly Salat and it is a blessing that Allah bestowed on the people of Muhammad (SAW).

Importance of Coming to Jummah (Surah Jummah)

O ye who believe! When the call is proclaimed to prayer on Friday (the Day of Assembly), hasten earnestly to the Remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and traffic): That is best for you if ye but knew!  (62:9)

Coming to Jummah is and should be a priority for each and every one of us. Whether we have work, class or other things, try your best to see how to accommodate around it. Most of the time it will work.  Don’t give yourself any excuses.

The Prophet (SAW) said, “The five daily prayers, and praying one Friday prayer and the next, and the fasting of Ramadan, result in the expiation of the sins committed between them, so long as major sins are avoided.” This does not, however, mean that the Muslims should come to the Masjid only on Fridays, neglecting it at other times. This does not mean either that Muslims should indulge in sins at will, thinking that they will be forgiven anyhow.

Now let’s talk about some etiquette:

1. Coming early

Rasulallah (Pbuh) said: “On the day of Jummah, the angels stand at the entrance of that Masjid in which Jummah salaat is to be offered. They write down the name of the person who enters the Masjid first, and thereafter the name of the person who follows, and they continue doing this. The person who entered first will receive the reward of sacrificing a camel in the path of Allah; the one who followed him will get the reward of sacrificing a cow, thereafter a chicken, thereafter the reward of giving an egg as charity in the path of Allah. Once the khutbah commences, the angels close the register and begin listening to the khutbah. “ (Bukhari and Muslim)

This should encourage us to go early to the Masjid on Friday for salat.  All of us go early to the marketplace to trade. Why then do we not do the same with Friday prayers, which benefit our salvation and help us to attain paradise? Abu Talib Al-Macci said, “The first innovation (bida’ah) in Islam was not going early to the Masjid on Fridays.” Ghazali adds, “Why do Muslims not feel ashamed that the Jews and Christians go early for worship on Saturdays and Sundays?”

2. Cleaning up

Narrated 'Abdullah bin Umar:  Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) said, "Anyone of you attending the Friday (prayers) should take a bath."  Narrated Abu Said: I testify that Allah's Apostle said, "The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male Muslim who has attained the age of puberty and (also) the cleaning of his teeth with Siwak, and the using of perfume if it is available”  (Bukhari)

3. Arriving on Time

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "When it is a Friday, the angels stand at the gate of the mosque and keep on writing the names of the persons coming to the mosque in succession according to their arrivals. The example of the one who enters the mosque in the earliest hour is that of one offering a camel (in sacrifice). The one coming next is like one offering a cow and then a ram and then a chicken and then an egg respectively. When the Imam comes out (for Jumua prayer) they (i.e. angels) fold their papers and listen to the Khutba."

Prophet SAW forbade people from going over worshippers’ shoulders when trying to reach the front rows; and forbade us from interrupting prayers in any form. He also asked us to sit in the front-most rows to show the intention of sincerity, the need for knowledge, and show humility for Allah.  Coming to khutbah early will help us avoid this situation and earn the extra rewards.

4. Going to Prayer calmly

Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah's Apostles (p.b.u.h) saying, "If the prayer started do not run for it but just walk for it calmly and pray whatever you get, and complete whatever is missed".  So in case you are running late do NOT rush and create distraction for others by running into the prayer.

5. Praying 2 Rakats

Narrated Jabir bin 'Abdullah: A person entered the mosque while the Prophet was delivering the Khutba on a Friday. The Prophet said to him, "Have you prayed?" The man replied in the negative. The Prophet said, "Get up and pray two Rakat."  It’s best to come early and pray 2 rakat allowing you to enter a state of worship and attentiveness.

6. Listen attentively

Concentrating and internalizing the message of the khutbah for this is the entire purpose of the gathering.   Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle (p.b.u.h) said, "When the Imam is delivering the Khutba, and you ask your companion to keep quiet and listen, then no doubt you have done an evil act."

So even talking to others to make them quite is not allowed showing you the importance of paying attention and listening to the khatib.  Not playing with the carpet or its designs or text messaging or checking the internet on the phones. Any distraction as small as this can nullify your prayer.  Knowing that the khutbah is part of the prayer and so respecting it the same way one respects their conversation with Allah.

7. Meet and Greet

Your asked to stand with one another. Shoulder to shoulder and feet to feet. Symbolically bringing you together to people you may or may not know. Greet them after prayers. Get to know them and invite them to attend in the future.

8. Reflection and Introspection

Reinforcement of message, many things you might already know, but as you hear them again the messages are reinforced and refreshed in your memory.

Secondly it’s a time to weekly recalibrate yourself. If you learnt something this week, and you apply it then assess where you stand the week after. After hearing Allah’s message it should recalibrate you to everything your doing.  Third, share and discuss the positive things you have learnt with family and friends. This will make you remember what you learnt but you will receive ajar for sharing it with others.

9. To make du'aa

At the time the Imaam sits in the middle of the khutbah. For it may be then special time of Friday and one should not miss this time in which du'aa is accepted.

10. Recite Surat Al-Kahf

It is very rewarding to recite Surat Al-Kahf on Fridays before the salat. The Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever reads Surat Al-Kahf on Fridays, there will be a bright light to shine for him between the two Fridays.”

source:http://youthofummah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=68%3Akhutbah7&catid=27%3Akhutbahs&Itemid=44

COMPILATION OF THE QURAN

The Written Compilation of Revelation Although the preservation of the Quran depended mainly on the memory of the Companions the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) had made special arrangements to have the Quran committed to writing as well. Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) relates: I used to write down the words of revelation for the Prophet. When revelation came to him, he would feel intense heat and drops of perspiration would start rolling down his body like pearls. When this state would cease, I would present him with a shoulder-bone or a piece of cloth and begin to write what he would dictate to me. I would not finish writing before feeling that my leg was about to break from (the weight) of copying down the Quran, to the extent that I would tell myself that I would never be able to walk on my leg again. When I was finished, he would say: ‘Read’. I would read it back to him. If there was a shortcoming, he would rectify it. Then he would present it to the people. (Majma‘ al-Zawa’id from Tabarani 1:156) Besides Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him), there were also numerous other Companions who carried out the duty of committing wahi to writing. Some of them who deserve special mention are Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, ‘Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam, Mu‘awiyah, Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Thabit ibn al-Qays, and Aban ibn Sa‘id. (Fath al-Bari 9:18, Zad al-Ma‘ad 1:30) Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that it was the blessed practice of the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) that soon after the revelation of a certain portion of the Quran he would pointedly instruct the scribe to write it in a specific surah after a specific verse. (Ibid.) Since paper was a scarce commodity in Arabia, the Quranic verses were primarily written down on stone slabs, parchments of leather, date branches, pieces of bamboo, tree leaves, and animal bones. However, at times, pieces of paper were also used. (Fath al-Bari 9:11, ‘Umdat al-Qari 20:17) During the time of the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace), a copy of the Quran had been arranged to be written under his supervision, although not in the form of a book but in separate parchments. It was also the practice of some Companions to make copies of Quranic verses and keep them for personal recollection. This practice was common from the very early prophetic period. For example, even before Sayyiduna ‘Umar, an early Muslim, had embraced Islam, his sister and brother-in-law had in their possession verses of the Quran which they had written and kept in manuscript form. (Daraqutni, Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, Zad al-Ma‘ad 1:186-187) Preservation in the Era of Abu Bakr The copies of Quran prepared during the time of the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) were written on different kinds of materials. Some verses were written on leather, some on leaves of trees, some on bones etc… Copies of the whole Quran were very few in number. Some Companions possessed only one surah while some had five or ten surahs and some had only a few verses. Some had verses with explanatory notes also written with them. It was for this reason that Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) thought it necessary during his period of caliphate that all the scattered portions of the Holy Quran should be collected and preserved. The motives and methods behind the great task have been described by Zayd ibn Thabit as such: One day, soon after the battle of Yamamah, Abu Bakr sent for me. When I came to meet him, ‘Umar was present there. Abu Bakr said to me, “Umar has just informed me that a large number of huffaz (those who had learnt the Quran by heart) have been martyred in the Battle of Yamamah. If the huffaz continue to meet martyrdom in this manner I am afraid a large portion of the Quran may become extinct. Hence, I propose that you undertake the task of the collection of the Quran from different places. I told ‘Umar, ‘How can I do what the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) himself did not do?’ ‘Umar replied, ‘By Allah! It is for nothing but good,’ and he continued to repeat this statement until the light of its truth dawned upon me as well, and now my opinion is the same as ‘Umar’s.” After that Abu Bakr said to me, “You are young and sensible. We have no lack of trust in you. You had also been a regular scribe of revelation during the time of the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace). So search then for all the verses of the Quran and collect them together.” By Allah! Carrying a mountain on their orders would have been a lighter burden for me than collecting the Quran. I asked him, “How is it that you have undertaken a task that was not done by the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) himself?” Abu Bakr said, “By Allah! It is but good,” and he kept on repeating these words until Allah gave me insight to adopt the same opinion held by Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. Consequently, I started searching for the verses of the Quran and it was from the branches of date-palms, slabs of stones, and the memory of the people that I finally collected the Quran.”(Sahih al-Bukhari with Fath al-Bari 9:8-11) At this point, while we are dealing with the process of the collection of the Quran, we should have a clear perception of the method used by Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him). As mentioned earlier, he was himself a hafiz of the Quran. Therefore, he could have written down the whole Quran from memory. Additionally, there were hundreds of huffaz present at that time. The Quran could have still been inscribed by entrusting the duty to a select group from them. Also, the copies of the Quran committed to writing during the times of the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) could have been used by Sayyiduna Zayd to make his copy of the Quran. But he, guided by his caution and concern, did not limit himself to any one of these many methods. On the contrary, by using all these methods simultaneously, he did not allow any verse to be included in his master copy of the Quran unless he received written and verbal testimonies proving its uninterrupted succession. The verses that the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) had arranged to be written under his supervision were preserved by the Companions. Sayyiduna Zayd collected them together so that the new copy could be made from them. Consequently, a public proclamation was made to the effect that anyone possessing any number of written verses of the Quran should bring them over to him. When a written verse was brought to him, he would verify its authenticity by first testing its reliability against his own memory. Then, Sayyiduna ‘Umar who was also a hafiz of the Quran and is proven through reliable narrations to have been assigned by Abu Bakr to work with Zayd on the project, would test it against his own memory (Fath al-Bari 9:11). No written verse was accepted until such time that two trustworthy witnesses had testified to the fact that the particular verse was written in the presence of the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace). (al-Itqan 1:10) Lastly, the verses in writing were collated with collections that different Companions had prepared for themselves. (al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an of Zarkashi 1:238) If this functional methodology behind the collection of the Quran during the period of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) is kept in mind, it becomes perfectly simple to understand what Zayd ibn Thabit meant when he said, “I found the last verses of Surat al-Bara’ah starting from ‘certainly there has come to you a messenger from among yourselves…’ with only Abu Khudhaymah. They were not found with anyone else except him.” This should not be misunderstood to imply that no person other than Abu Khuzaymah remembered these verses or that no one else had them in writing, or even that no one other than him knew of them being part of the Quran. Rather, it implies simply that with the exception of Abu Khuzayamah, these particular verses were not found with those who had come with different written verses as they were dictated by the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace). Otherwise, as far as the fact of these verses being part of the Quran is concerned, it was known to every one through uninterrupted succession. There were hundreds of Companions who knew the whole Quran by heart and, hence, they also knew these verses. Furthermore, they were also present in written form in the complete collections of Quranic verses preserved by various Companions. Because he had taken the foregoing precautions he waited for confirmation through the third method. As for the other verses, they were verified through all the methods set by Sayyiduna Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) and were found written with many Companions, many of whom brought each verse to him. But, among those written separately under the supervision of the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace), these verses were found only with Sayyiduna Abu Khuzaymah (may Allah be pleased with him) and no one else. (al-Burhan fi ‘Ulum al-Qur’an l:234-235) In every way possible, therefore, it was with utmost care that Zayd ibn Thabit collected the Quranic verses and transcribed them in proper order on sheets of paper. (al-Itqan 1:60) However, every surah was written in separate folios. Hence, it consisted of a number of folios and in the terminology of Quranic Studies this copy was called the Umm (literally, “the mother”, meaning “the original copy”). In this master copy, the Quranic verses were arranged in accordance with the order fixed by the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace). The surahs were not arranged, however, and so every surah was written and kept separately. (al-Itqan 1:60) Additionally, all of the seven valid recitations were incorporated in this copy. (Manahil al-‘Irfan l:246-247, Tarikh al-Qur’an by Kurdi 28) The copy was also written in the Hiri script. (Tarikh al-Qur’an of ‘Abd al-Samad Sarim 43) Only those verses were included whose recitation was not abrogated. The purpose of this transcription was to prepare an organized document with the collective endorsement of the entire Ummah so that reference could be made to it when required. These folios, committed to writing on the orders of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), remained with him during his lifetime. Then they remained with ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). After the martyrdom of ‘Umar they were transferred to the custody of Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her). After the death of Hafsah, Marwan ibn al-Hakam had them burnt since the copies of Quran ordered by Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) were ready at that time and a consensus of the Ummah had already been reached to the effect that following these ‘Uthmani copies of the Quran, in script and arrangement of surahs, was now obligatory. Marwan ibn al-Hakam thought it inadvisable to let any copy which was contrary to this script and arrangement to remain in existence. (Fath al-Bari 9:16) Preservation in the Era of ‘Uthman When Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) became the Khalifah, Islam had already spread to the far-flung lands of Byzantine and Iran. People embracing Islam in the new areas would learn the Quran from Muslim soldiers or from traders from whom they had found the blessing of Islam. Also, the Quran was revealed with “Seven Recitations” and different Companions had learnt it from the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) according to different modes of recitation. Hence, every Companion taught the Quran to his disciples in accordance with the particular reading he had learnt from the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace). In this manner, variations in recitation reached distant countries. As long as the people were aware that the Quran was revealed with “Seven Recitations” these variations caused no harm. But when these variations reached far-out countries and the fact that the Quran was revealed with “Seven Recitations” could not gain due publicity, disputes among people started to occur. Some people insisted that their own reading was correct and that of others incorrect. These disputes gave rise to the danger on one hand that people might fall into the grave error of declaring recitations of the Quran that had been transmitted through uninterrupted succession as incorrect. On the other hand, there was no standard copy of the Quran anywhere in the world that could be the rallying authority for the entire Muslim nation except the one in Madinah that had been transcribed by Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him). Since other copies were written individually and there was no provision to incorporate all the seven versions of recitation in them, the only reliable method to resolve these disputes was to disseminate transcripts incorporating all the valid recitations throughout the Islamic world. Through them, Muslims could then gauge the authenticity and validity of each recitation. Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) accomplished this remarkable feat during the period of his caliphate. The details of this achievement have been transmitted to us through the account of Hudhayfah ibn Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) who was engaged in a military campaign on the Armenian-Azerbaijan front. He noticed that differences were arising among people about the correct recitation of the Quran. So, upon his return to Madinah he went straight to ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: “O Leader of the Believers! Before this nation falls prey to dissension about the Book of Allah, like the Jews and Christians, you must do something.” ‘Uthman asked, “What is the matter?” He replied, “I was on a military mission on the Armenian front where I saw that the recitation of the people of Syria, who follow that of Ubayy ibn Ka‘ab, was not known to the people of Iraq. Similarly, the people of Iraq, who follow the recitation of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, had not heard of the recitation made by the people of Syria. As a result, they call each other unbelievers.” Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had himself sensed this danger much earlier. He was informed that even in Madinah such incidents had occurred wherein someone taught the Quran according to one recitation while another teacher taught it according to a second. When the students of different teachers met together, differences would arise amongst them and sometimes it embroiled the teachers as well to the extent that they too declared each other’s readings to be incorrect. When Huzayfah ibn Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) drew his attention to this danger, ‘Uthman convened a meeting of esteemed Companions and consulted with them. He said, “I have been informed that there are people who say to each other: ‘My recitation is better than yours,’ and this may be carried to the limits of blasphemy (disbelieft). What is your opinion on this matter?” The Companions first asked ‘Uthman as to his thoughts. He said, “My opinion is that we should unite every one on one transcription so that no difference or division may occur.” The Companions approved and supported his view. Consequently, Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered the people together and addressed them by saying, You all live so close to me in Madinah and yet repudiate each other and differ with one another in respect of the recitations of the Quran. It is obvious, therefore, that those who are far away from me must be falsifying and disapproving each other much more vehemently. Therefore, let everyone join together to prepare a copy of the Quran to follow which should be obligatory for all. For this purpose, ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) sent a message to Sayyidah Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) requesting her for the manuscripts of the Quranic text prepared during the time of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and which she had in her custody. He promised that they would be returned to her after they had been copied down. She agreed and sent them to him. He then formed a group of four Companions comprising of Zayd ibn Thabit, ‘Abdullah ibn Zubayr, Sa‘id ibn al-‘Aas, and ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Harith ibn Hisham. The group was entrusted with the task of making several transcripts from the original copy compiled by Sayyiduna Abu Bakr with the surahs also arranged in sequence. Of the four, Zayd was from the Ansar while the other three were from Quraysh. Therefore, Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: If you and Zayd differ anywhere in the Quran (that is, differ as to how a certain letter should be written) write it in the language of the Quraysh because the Quran has been revealed in their language. This task was essentially entrusted to the abovementioned four distinguished persons, but subsequently other Companions also were called upon to assist them so that, according to Ibn Abi Dawud, their number rose to twelve. These included Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Kathir ibn Aflah, Malik ibn Abi ‘Amir, Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik and ‘Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them all). This group of Companions performed the following functions in connection with the transcription of Holy Quran: First, in the transcript prepared during the period of Abu Bakr the surahs were not arranged in sequence. Rather, each surah was compiled separately. This group of Companions proceeded to arrange them in their proper sequence as part of a single transcript. Second, the verses of the Quran were written to accommodate all the successive un-interrupted recitations in the script. Therefore, no dots or diacritical marks were placed on them so that they could be read in accordance with all the valid recitations. For instance, they wrote ننسرها so that it could be read as both ننشرها (nanshuruha) and ننشزها (nunshizuha) because both the recitations are correct. (Manahil al-‘Irfan 1:253-254) Third, until that time only one copy of the Holy Quran existed that was complete, authentic, standard, and collectively attested-to by the entire Ummah. They prepared several transcripts of this newly-written copy of the Quran. It is generally believed that Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had five transcripts prepared, but Abu Hatim al-Sijistani has stated that a total of seven transcripts were prepared. Of those, one was sent to Makkah and one each to Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Basra and Kufah, while one was preserved in Madinah. (Sahih al-Bukhari from Fath al-Bari 9:17) Fourth, in order for them to accomplish the task cited above, these eminent Companions kept the transcripts that were written during the time of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) before them. But, as an added precaution, they adopted the same method of preservation that was employed during the time of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). Consequently, individual transcripts preserved by different Companions were once again brought together and through a collation with these individual manuscripts that the new transcripts were prepared. This time a verse of Surat al-Ahzab, “Among the believers are men…” (33:23) was found separately written only with Khuzaymah ibn Thabit al-Ansari. As we have explained earlier, this does not imply that no one else had the verse memorized. Sayyiduna Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) states: While compiling the manuscript I did not find the verse of Surat al-Ahzab which I had heard from the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace). When we searched for it we found it with Khuzaymah ibn Thabit al-Ansari. As is apparent from the above narration, the verse was well recognized by the Companions, especially Sayyiduna Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him). Additionally, the narration does not imply that the verse was not written anywhere else since it was present in the manuscripts compiled in the era of Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and was also included in the individual manuscripts preserved by various Companions. But as was done in the era of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), this time also all the scattered documents that had been written by the Companions individually were collected together. Therefore, Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) and his associates did not transcribe any verse until they found it in those manuscripts as well. As such, other verses were found written separately with several Companions, but this verse from Surat al-Ahzab could not be obtained as a separate manuscript from anyone except Khuzaymah ibn Thabit. After having several of these standard transcripts of the Holy Quran prepared, Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had all the other manuscripts that were individually prepared by Companions burnt so that all transcripts of the Quran could become uniform in terms of script, incorporation of accepted recitations, and the sequence of surahs and leave no room for differences. The entire Ummah acknowledged this achievement of ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) with great admiration and all the Companions extended their full support for the venture. Only Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud was somewhat displeased, the reasons for which have been mentioned in the discussion on the “Seven Recitations”. Sayyiduna ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) once remarked: Say nothing about ‘Uthman except good. By Allah! Whatever he did in connection with the transcription of the Quran was done in the presence of all of us and with our advice and counsel. (Fath al-Bari 9:15) Steps Taken to Facilitate Recitation After the aforementioned achievement of Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), the Ummah reached a consensus that it is not permissible to write the text of the Holy Quran in any manner other than the one adopted by him. Consequently, from then on all transcripts of the Quran were written in accordance with this ‘Uthmani script, and the Companions and their Successors prepared and circulated copies of the Quran on a vast scale using it. But the script of these Quranic transcriptions was still free of dots and diacritical marks that made it difficult for non-Arabs to recite them freely. As Islam spread far and wide in non-Arab countries, it was felt that dots and diacritical marks should be included so that people could recite the text easily. Several steps were taken to achieve this purpose, a short history of which is given below. Inclusion of Dots It was not customary amongst early Arabs to place dots on letters. Scribes simply wrote words without any markings. Readers were so accustomed to this style that they experienced no difficulty in reading the dot-less writings and could easily distinguish between doubtful letters by reference to the context. In fact, it was often considered to be an insult to include dots in writing. The renowned historian Mada’ini has quoted someone as saying, “To include numerous dots in writing should amount to suspicion about (the comprehension of) the addressee.” ( Subh al-A‘sha by Qalqashandi 3:154) Hence the transcripts of Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) were devoid of any dots, and apart from prevalent custom, this exclusion’s primary purpose was also to incorporate all the mass-transmitted recitals in the script. Later, however, dots were placed on letters for the convenience of non-Arabs and less educated Muslims. Reports differ as to who was the first to place dots on the Quranic manuscript. Some reports claim that the feat was first accomplished by Abu ’l-Aswad al-Du’ali (al-Burhan 1:250, al-Itqan 2:171). Some say that he did it on the instructions of Sayyiduna ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Still others say that the Governor of Kufah, Ziyad bin Abi Sufyan requested him to do so (Subh al-A‘sha 3:155). There are also reports that state that ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan asked him to do it (al-Itqan 2:171). There is yet another report that Hajjaj bin Yusuf order it done with the help of Hasan al-Basri, Yahya bin Ya‘mur, and Nasr ibn ‘Asim al-Laythi (Tafsir al-Qurtubi 1:63) Some scholars believe that no concept of dots existed before the compilation of the Quranic script. But ‘Allamah Qalqashandi (arguably the most renowned researcher in the art of script and writings) refuted this claim and proved that dots had been invented long beforehand. According to one report, the inventors of the Arabic writing script were Muramar ibn Murrah, Aslam ibn Sidrah, and ‘Amir ibn Jadarah of the tribe of Bulan. Muramar invented the shapes of the letters, Aslam laid down the methods for breaking and combining the words and letters, and ‘Amir founded the dots. (Subh al-A‘sha 3:12) Yet another report claims that credit for the first utilization of dots goes to Abu Sufyan ibn Umayyah, the grandfather of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, who had learnt them from the people of Ambar (Ibid). Thus, dots were invented much earlier than the compilation of the Quranic transcripts but they were kept free of them for various reasons. Whoever placed dots on the Quranic letters was not the inventor of dots. He was simply the first person to use them in the Quranic script. Diacritical Marks In the beginning, like dots, the Quran was also free of diacritical marks (fathah, kasrah, and dammah). Historical reports differ as to who was the first to use them. Some claim they were first utilized by Abu ’l-Aswad al-Du’ali. Others give credit to Hajjaj ibn Yusuf who they say had appointed the task to Yahya bin Ya‘mur and Nasr bin ‘Asim al-Laythi (Tafsir al-Qurtubi 1:63). Keeping in view all the reports in this connection, it appears that diacritical marks were first invented by Abu ’l-Aswad al-Du’ali but these diacritical marks were different from how they exist today. Instead of the short vowel “a” (fathah), he would place a dot over the letter. For the short vowel “i” (kasrah) he would place a dot under the letter, and for the short vowel “u” (dammah) he would place a dot in front of the letter. To represent nunnation (tanwin) he would use two dots (Subh al-A‘sha 3:160). Later on, Khalil ibn Ahmad founded signs for the glottal stop (hamzah) and doubling (tashdid) (al-Itqan 2:171, Subh al-A‘sha 3:161). Afterwards, Hajjaj bin Yusuf requested Yahya bin Ya‘mur, Nasr bin ‘Asim al-Laythi, and Hasan al-Basri to place both the dots and diacritical marks on the Quranic letters. On this occasion the present forms of diacritical marks were chosen rather than the use of dots so that they would not be confused with the intrinsic dots of the letters. And Allah knows best. Ahzab and Manazil It was customary amongst the Companions and Successors to complete the recital of the entire Quran in one week. For this purpose they had fixed portions for their daily recitation. Each such portion is known as hizb or manzil (stages). In this way, the Quran was divided into seven stages, or manzils, of recitation. Sayyiduna Aws ibn Hudhayfah states that he once asked the Companions as to how the manzils of recital had been divided. They replied that the first hizb consisted of three surahs, the second of five, the third of seven, the fourth of nine, the fifth of eleven, the sixth of thirteen, and the final hizb from Surah Qaf to the end of the Quran. (al-Burhan 1:250) Ajza’ or Parts Today, the Quran is divided into thirty parts, or ajza’ (plural of juz’). This division in parts has no relationship with the meaning of the Quran. Rather, the division into thirty equal parts was meant to serve as a teaching aid for children. We may notice, therefore, that there are places where a juz’ ends with an unfinished statement. It is difficult to say with certainty as to who first introduced this division. Some people believe that during the second transcription of the Quran, ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had it written into thirty folios and, therefore, the division dates back to his time. I have not been able to find any proof for this theory in the works of earlier scholars, however. Still, ‘Allamah Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi notes that the thirty parts of the Quran have been in popular use for a long time and that they have customarily appeared in Quranic manuscripts used in schools. It would appear that the division was introduced after the era of the Companions in order to facilitate teaching. (al-Burhan 1:250, Manahil al-‘Irfan 1:402) Akhmas and A‘shar (Sets of Fives and Tens) Another sign used in Quranic transcriptions during the early centuries was the placing of the sign خ or خمس after every five verses and the sign ع or عشر after every ten versesin the margins of the manuscript. The former category of signs were called akhmas and the latter a‘shar. Holding divergent views, some of the early scholars considered these signs permissible while others held them to be reprehensible. It is difficult to say with any degree of certainty as to who introduced these signs. According to one view, Hajjaj ibn Yusuf was its inventor. Another report claims that the ‘Abbasi Khalifah Ma‘mun first ordered that they be marked (al-Burhan 1:251). Neither of these views seem to be sound, however, since the idea of a‘shar appears to have been present in the days of the Companions as well. Ibn Abi Shaybah narrates in his Musannaf that Masruq said that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud considered the placing of a‘shar signs in the Quranic script to be detestable. (Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 2:497) Ruku‘ or Section Another sign that came into use later on and is still prevalent today is the sign of the ruku‘. It is identified by the sign ع which is placed in the margin at the conclusion of a verse. Despite all my efforts, I have not been able to locate anything authentic to help identify the originator of the ruku‘ nor what period it was invented in. Some people believe that the ruku‘s were fixed during the era of Sayyiduna ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), yet no authentic proof to this claim can be found in the traditions. It can be said for certain, however, that the purpose of the ruku‘ is to determine the average number of verses which should be recited in one unit (rak‘ah) of salat. This is why it is termed a ruku‘ (lit. to bow), since it indicates the time that one should bow from the standing position during salat. In al-Fatawa al-Hindiyyah (1:94) it is mentioned: The scholars have divided the Quran into 540 ruku‘ (sections) and placed its signs on manuscripts so that the Quran can be completed on the 27th night of Ramadan in the tarawih prayer. Rumuz al-Awqaf or Stop Signs Another useful step taken to facilitate recitation and phonetically correct pronunciation (tilawah and tajwid) was to provide verses with signs to indicate pauses. These signs are known as the rumuz (signs) or ‘alamat (symbols) of awqaf (stops). Their purpose is to help a person who does not know Arabic to stop at the correct spot during recitation and thus avoid incorrectly changing the meaning of the verse. Most of these signs were first invented by ‘Allamah Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn Tayfur al-Sajawandi (al-Nashr fi ’l-Qira’at al-‘Ashr 1:225). The details of these signs are as follows: ط : An abbreviation of the word waqf mutlaq (universal stop). It implies that the statement stands completed at this point. Therefore, it is better to stop here. ج : An abbreviation of the word waqf ja’iz (permissible stop) and it implies that it is permissible to stop here. ز : An abbreviation of waqf mujawwaz (permitted stop), which implies that stopping here is permissible but that it is better not to. ص : An abbreviation of waqf murakhkhas (dispensation stop), which implies that the statement has not yet been completed but that, because the sentence has become long, this is the place to breathe and stop rather than elsewhere. (al-Minh al-Fikriyyah 63) م: An abbreviation of waqf lazim (mandatory stop), which means that if a stop is not made an outrageous distortion in the meaning of the verse is possible. Some phoneticians of the Quran have also called this type of stop a waqf wajib (obligatory stop). Note that wajib here is not a legal term and therefore does not entail sin if it is abandoned. The purpose of the term is to stress that stopping here is the most preferable of all stops. (al-Nashr 1:231) لا: An abbreviation of la taqif (lit. do not stop). It indicates that one should not stop at this sign but does not imply that stopping is completely impermissible, since there are certain places bearing this sign where stopping entails no harm and resuming from the following word is also permissible. Therefore, the correct meaning of this sign is: “If a stop is made here, it is better to go back and read over again. Initiation from the next word is not preferred. (al-Nashr 1:233) As far as the origin of these signs is concerned, it stands proven beyond doubt that they were invented by ‘Allamah Sajawandi. In addition to these, however, there are also other signs that appear in Quranic manuscripts. For instance: مع: An abbreviation of the word mu‘anaqah. This symbol is inserted at a place where a single verse has two possible explanations. According to one explanation, the stop will be made at one given place while according to another explanation the stop will be made at another place. Therefore, a stop can be made at either one of the two places, but once a stop has been made at one place it is not correct to stop at the other. However, if a stop is not made at both places it will be correct. This is also known as muqabalah. It was first pointed out by Imam Abu ’l-Fadl al-Razi. (al-Nashr, 1:237, al-Itqan 1:88) سكتة : This is a symbol for saktah (pause), which means that one should stop here by breaking the sound but not the breath. This is generally inserted at a place where assimilated reading is likely to cause an erroneous projection of meaning. وقفة : At this sign, called a waqfah, one must stop a little longer than at a saktah (pause) but ones breath should not break here as well. ق : An abbreviation of qīla ‘alayhi ’l-waqf. It means that some phoneticians of the Quran identify a stop here while others do not. قف : This symbol is the word qif which means “stop” (the imperative word-form) and is inserted where the reader may possibly think that a stop was not correct. صلى : This is an abbreviation of al-waslu awla, which means that “it is better to recite here in assimilated continuity”. صل : This is an abbreviation of qad yusalu which means that “some stop here” while others like to recite on in assimilated continuity. وقف النبي : This is marked at places where a hadith proves that the Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) stopped here while reciting. Printing the Holy Quran Before the advent of the printing press, all copies of the Quran were transcribed by hand. For this purpose, in every age there has been a large group of calligraphers whose sole purpose in life was to transcribe the Quran. The amount of hard work exerted by Muslims in writing the words of the Quran in ever better styles and the way they demonstrated their intense emotional involvement with the Great Book has a long and interesting history of its own which requires a separate work. Upon the invention of the printing press, the Quran was first printed at Hamburg in 1113 AH, a copy of which is still present in Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyyah. Later, several orientalists arranged for the publication of copies of the Quran but they were not received with much approval from the Muslim world. Mawlay ‘Uthman was the first Muslim to have a manuscript of the Quran printed in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1787 AD. Similarly, another manuscript was printed in Qazan. In 1828 AD, the Quran was printed by lithography on stone slabs in the Iranian city of Tehran. Afterwards, printed copies of the Quran became common throughout the world. (Tarikh al-Quran by Kurdi 186, ‘Ulum al-Quran by Dr. Subhi Salih with Urdu translation by Ghulam Ahmad Hariri 142)https://www.facebook.com/azeezat.yishawu