Bismillah


http://www.sparklywater.co.uk/flash/everwonder.html

Salaam,


recently there was the shab e mi'raj.


How did everyone celebrate it [img]style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img]


It's an important day for all Muslims

<b>In the Jamia Hafza Madrassa (religious school) in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, hundreds of girls are taking their exams.</b>





<i> omg ! look at the cute little girl....good on her for joining it... [img]style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]</i>


But although they are taught subjects like maths and geography, they are not tested on them. Their exams are only on matters relating to Islam.


<b>Many of the 2,000 girls here are draped in black from head to toe. Others cover their hair with brightly coloured scarves. </b>


But now, some groups ideologically close to the brand of austere Islam preached by the Taleban appear to be changing their strategy. Islamic clerics in Pakistan are expanding the number of madrassas for girls. (omg ! I wanna join the madrassa too [img]style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img] )


Gul Shaida, an earnest-looking young woman in black, who has been studying at the madrassa for five years, told me she enjoyed her studies.


<b>"I want to read and what I want I can find here," she said. "After I graduate I want to teach all over the world and I want to tell the world what is Islam and what is Muslim." </b> (that's the spirit sis :bigok: )


The madrassa teachers claim the girls diplomas are equivalent to a master's degree, and that they can go to other more secular institutions.


The teachers were eager to show me the computer room. With five computers, they have one for every 400 girls.


When I ask if they have access to the internet, the teachers laugh. "No, that is not possible for us," says Binte Rafiq.


"[We teach them] just only how to shut down the computer, and how to start it. Basic IT." (some funding would do good)


They seem to have concluded that what they teach a girl, she will teach her children. And many parents are keen to send their daughters to madrassas because they offer free lessons, food and lodging.


Others, however, send their children there because they do not want them to lose their Islamic identity.


For the girls learning to recite the Koran at the Jamia Hafza Madrassa, there seems little risk of that.

Salaam,


I wanna be a good Muslim NOT just by my thoughts and theories (as iam naturally good in theories [img]style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img][img]style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif[/img] ).


I've tried a bit but i don't find myself getting up with a determination to perform Salaat (I know I know I am such a sinner). I am REALLY ashamed of myself because of it ! [img]style_emoticons/default/sad.gif[/img][img]style_emoticons/default/mad.gif[/img]


One of our very close relatives died a month ago ! It had a BIG impact on my life, I do think of death more often & wanna be a Muslim & do whatever it takes to be included among the blessed people (as it[s every Muslims' dream [img]style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img] ).


Salaat is the biggest problem for me so far !


Can anyone tell me ways that I can be regular in prayers....because I've heard that when u die, u r questioned abnout ur Salat the FIRST thing !


Any comments & help will be appreciated [img]style_emoticons/default/wub.gif[/img][img]style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]

Hey mate


you keep ranting about my work that I compose, why not getting constructive and add your 2 cents, or even better why not ignoring it if it annoys that much?, what is strange that you did not even welcome me as a new member, LOL


Well I'm NOT a writer rather an observor like you, but the difference is I document the observations and link it to together. In fact I will be stupid to write it again while it is already written by respected humans. Wel,l here is something that I have written using my own words, hope you can add your 2 cents to it:


<b><i>By Ahmed Bahgat </i></b>


<b>A</b>
ll branches of science prove that there is an amazing system that controls the whole universe, its basics is physic laws that do not change, who created this amazing system that is controlling every single atom in the universe, who designed, created then perfected this amazing system?, is it a god or a mere blind coincident


The atheists and enemy of God due to their failure and due to the veil on their hearts, eyes and ears, say life is a coincident, thinking that coincidence is a mathematical scientific rule which does not need a lot of researches, lately especially within the 20 century a few other scientists using the same concept of the mathematical coincidence to prove to the those ignorant fellow scientists that their concept is flawed and simply can not happen


To explain the mathematical coincidence concept, imagine you have a bag with 100 balls, 99 are black and one ball is white, shake the bag very well to mix the 100 balls, what do you think the chance of pulling the white ball first randomly?, sure it 1 to 100. What the chance then if we want to make 2 tries and in each try we pull the white ball first?, the chance will become 1 to 10000, and if we want to pull the white ball 3 consecutive times first without mistakes, our chance will become 1 to a million, and as we go increase the successful tries of pulling the white ball first, the chance will be almost zero


Another example, if we bring 10 play cards numbered from 1 to 10 then we mix them together and try to pull card no 1, the chance here is 1 to 10 , but if we want to pull card 1 first then card 2 second from another group of ten cards, it will be 1 to 100, and if we want to pull the cards in the right order from card one to card 10 from different groups of ten cards then we will end up with this chance 1 to 10 billion, i.e. 1 to 10,000,000,000, the amazing fact is not the 1 to 10 billion chance, rather the time needed to achieve the required result of pulling 10 cards in the order of 1 to 10 while each card pulled is one card out of ten


The funny point is this, imagine I was successful to pull the 10 cards in order from my first try, I’m 100% sure that everyone will accuse me of cheating, possibly by marking the cards for example


Let’s apply that mathematical coincidence theory “the theory of probability” on a protein cell, the fundamental tissue in any living organs, the result will be shocking:


There are 40,000 atoms in one protein cell, categorised under 5 elements, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen and Sulphur. We know that all the chemical elements are 92 elements, thus the possibility for these 5 elements to coincidently combine to compose a single protein cell can be calculated and this will lead to the knowledge of the required amount of matter to be in continues random mixing to create the single protein cell, a Swiss mathematician calculated the probability to compose a single protein cell as 1 : 10 to the exponent of 160, it will look like this


1 / 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000


this number has no name yet, believe me guys, also the same Swiss mathematician found that the required matter for the random and continuos mixing of the 92 elements will be more than the size of the universe millions of times and the required time to produce this chance of composing a single protein cell is 10 to the exponent of 243 year, and it will look like this:


100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Years


Again this number has no name yet, in fact this is far longer than the age of the universe by billions and billions of years


All this to produce a single protein cell that the microscope hardly sees it


What about the protoplasm that is the smallest kind of life?


And how long it needs to produce the complex life of all living plants?


And how long it needs to produce the more complex life of all living animals?


And finally And how long it needs to produce the most complex life of humans?


The above fact is shocking and is unimaginable by any human because this concept of creation suggested by the enemy of God, is nothing but a joke, and it results to its own failure and firmly concluding that life came to existence by coincidence is an absolute impossible and there will be no escape but to admit that God created everything we see or we do not see yet


It is God Who is the only One created the protein cell, in addition to giving it the secret of life which no scientist managed to crack yet, He is also the only One capable of combining all these protein cells in billions to create the plants, the animals and the humans, Allah the Almighty stated in His guidance message:


<b></b>



“For to anything which We have willed, We but say the word, ‘Be’, and it is.”


<i>[The Quran ; 16:40]</i>


<b></b>



إِنَّمَا قَوْلُنَا لِشَيْءٍ إِذَا أَرَدْنَاهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ (40)





<b></b>



“It is He Who begins (the process of) creation; then repeats it; and for Him it is most easy. To Him belongs the loftiest similitude (we can think of) in the heavens and the earth: for He is Exalted in Might, full of wisdom.”


<i>[The Quran ; 30:27]</i>


<b> </b>



وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَهُ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ (27)





<b></b>



“Allah is the Creator of l things, and He is the Guardian and Disposer of all affairs.”


<i>[The Quran ; 39:62]</i>


<b></b>



اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيلٌ (62)





It is so obvious that this coincidence theory is a collapsible one, in fact all the science discovered in the twenty century was the main reason for the collapse of this ignorant theory of coincidence, if we look at Darwin in his theory of evolution that humans are the descendants of monkeys, we will see that science proved that our protein cell structure is totally different to the monkeys, in fact most historical data shows that humans like us appeared all of a sudden on earth about 8000 to 10,000 years ago, in addition, the required time for the intelligent life to evolve will be far more than the age of the universe, and this alone is enough for Darwin theory to collapse and die


Dr Edward Luther “Biology Professor, Uni of San Francisco” stated: The natural election which represent the mechanical force for evolving can not create any thing, and all it is, a mere way for living organs to stay alive or die, and this is achieved by the reproduction between different types of living organs, however the living organs that has a complex structures must be the result of inheritance laws from their equivalent preceding living organs, this inheritance laws are not random and do not follow the coincidence concept as many atheist wrongly believe, there is no escape from admitting that there is wisdom and full control over all these creatures and the system law that they live within it, it is impossible to say there is a creature without a creator.


Allah the Almighty said in his guidance message to humanity:


<b></b>



(12) “And certainly We created man of an extract of clay,”


(13) “Then We made him a small seed in a firm resting-place,”


(14) “Then We made the seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made (in) the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation, so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators.”


(15) “Then after that you will most surely die.”


<i>[The Quran ; 23:12-15]</i>


<b> </b>



وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ (12)


ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ (13)


ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ (14)


ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ (15)





Allah the Almighty also said:


<b></b>



(6) “This is the Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Mighty the Merciful,”


(7) “Who made good everything that He has created, and He began the creation of man from dust.”


(8)”Then He made his progeny of an extract, of water held in light estimation.”


(9)”Then He made him complete and breathed into him of His spirit, and made for you the ears and the eyes and the hearts; little is it that you give thanks.”





<i>[The Quran ; 32:6-9]</i>


<b> </b>



ذَلِكَ عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ (6)


الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنسَانِ مِن طِينٍ (7)


ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ (8)


ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُونَ (9)





If we look into the human body we will see plenty of clear evidences and amazing systems that conclude humans can not be the creation of coincidence, rather the invention of a supreme very intelligent being that is capable of planning, designing and implementing at once, this being must be God, for example:


1) The cells of our human bodies always in divide for the human body to grow or to compensate for the dead cells expect the nerve cells, as if the nerve cells starts to divide, a horrific consequence will happen, we will loose our memory


2) If we look at the muscles in the human body we will find that the strongest muscle is the uterus muscle in women, this is needed to help delivering the baby out, next will be the heart muscle, the organ that is working hard day and night to circulate the blood all over the body in a path that will circulate the whole earth if put the blood veins connected in serious and for about 100 years the heart continue working restless, sure we need the muscle heart to be strong


3) The living cell has a very strange matter called protoplasm, inside it there are very minute bodies that carry all the inheritance code called chromosomes, the chromosomes number has a specific total in all living plants and living animals, in humans chromosomes are 46 chromosomes, and when our cells start to divide from one cell to two cells then to four cells, every new cell must have these 46 chromosomes, if it does not then the human will be something else other than human, however there are cells in the human body that only have 23 chromosomes and when it divides the new cells will have 23 chromosomes, it will make sense to know that these cells are the cells within the sperms and eggs, then when a sperm combine an egg to produce a new human life the chromosomes numbers will be balanced back to 46 and the new life is created


4) It is known when we have an injury we start bleeding, however soon after the blood will start becoming thicker and thicker until it turns to solid status and blocks further bleeding, if this does not happen, the human will bleed to death,


5) The human stomach represent a self contained very advanced chemical laboratory, which automatically produce chemical substances in more quantities than any human laboratory ever produced, the stomach automatically start analysing the entering food, then it starts classifying the different food and grouping it in different groups , then breaks it down and start to supply it to every human cell from the billions of cells and according to their needs, i.e. what bones, nails, muscles, hair, eyes, …etc need, the stomach also has a built in system to counter bacteria, rotten food and attacking viruses, what a system that is for just the stomach!


6) The human ear has very unique properties that left scientist amazed, its complexity in analysing the received frequencies accurately then sending it as an electric current via the nerves to a specific spot in the human brain that makes humans hear from the quietest sounds to the most noisiest sounds, but the amazing fact is this, the human ear does not respond to frequencies outside the range 20 to 20,000 frequency/second, this is actually very important for us to enjoy quietness otherwise we will go nuts hearing every frequency outside this range set by God, not set by coincident


7) The human eye is also very complicated, it has a crystallin lens that reflect an image on the retina using the eye muscles, the light pass through a small opening in the front of the eye called cornea, and between the cornea and the crystalline lens sits the Iris which has a small opening, the Iris can be of different colour from a human to another, the small opening in the Iris can narrow or widen according to the light strength, if the light is very bright the Iris opening will narrow to prevent damage to the Retina and vice verse. The Retina where the image is reflected is composed from few layers, the inner layer is composed from cones and cylinders shape tiny bodies that can be 125 million cylinders and 7 million cones where all of these bodies are perfectly and symmetrically arranged within the layer, scientists believe that the cylinder shape bodies are sensitive to the white colour, while the cone shape bodies are grouped in three groups that can sense red, green or blue each., the eye also does not respond to wave lengths outside a specific range similar to the ear


If I keep writing about the impossibly coincident facts about the human body that yet the scientist and doctors know very little about it, I will run out of papers and patience, let me say this, if it was a probability of 1 to 10 billion to withdrew 10 cards in a the order of 1 to 10, how will the probability be for the human body to coordinate all these systems together while evolving its self?


And when looking at the animals and the plants kingdoms we will discover zillions of facts that can not be coincident, however we have no room here for this discussion, but it is just another impossibility for the same coincident to happen to all these vast varieties of animals and plants in regard to the natural election concept, and regarding the internal and external composite of their matter and their different organs that works in amazing harmony and perfect cooperation for life to continue between all living things.


It is so ridiculous to believe that a pile of bricks, steel, timber, glass and cement when bombed randomly, that pile will become a beautiful house, a creator has to design then create the house from these elements, i.e. building the house can not happen coincidently


Despite scientists have discovered many facts about the human body and its elements, science never discovered the secret of life, the soul is the secret of life and is one of the great secrets in the universe, we can feel it but we do not know what it is, despite the matter existing in our bodies, the soul is totally different thing that we do not know but we know that it the soul will leave the body one day, Allah has told us about the soul in his Quran:


<b></b>



“And they ask you about the soul. Say: The soul is one of the commands of my Lord, and you are not given aught of knowledge but a little”


<i>[The Quran ; 17:85]</i>


<b></b>



وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الرُّوحِ قُلِ الرُّوحُ مِنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّي وَمَا أُوتِيتُم مِّن الْعِلْمِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً (85)





Surly the theory of coincidence failed to explain the secret of life exactly as the whole science discoveries so far failed to do the same, this lead to, the most respected scientist conceding the existing of our God, God has challenged those people who deny His existence or worship another self made gods to even try to create a fly while the fly that the real God created annoy them the least:


<b></b>



(73)“O people! a parable is set forth, therefore listen to it: surely those whom you call upon besides Allah cannot create fly, though they should all gather for it, and should the fly snatch away anything from them, they could not take it back from i weak are the invoker and the invoked”


(74)” They have not estimated Allah with the estimation that is due to Him; most surely Allah is Strong, Mighty.”


<i>[The Quran ; 22:73-74]</i>


<b></b>



يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ ضُرِبَ مَثَلٌ فَاسْتَمِعُوا لَهُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ لَن يَخْلُقُوا ذُبَابًا وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا لَهُ وَإِن يَسْلُبْهُمُ الذُّبَابُ شَيْئًا لَّا يَسْتَنقِذُوهُ مِنْهُ ضَعُفَ الطَّالِبُ وَالْمَطْلُوبُ (73)


مَا قَدَرُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ (74)





Indeed life with all its variety on planet earth was created for a divine reason , planet earth itself was very well prepared to suit the existence of life, as many of the essential needs for life was forced upon earth for it to exit, God Almighty stated:


<b></b>



(20) “On the earth are signs for those of assured Faith,”


(21) “As also in your own selves: Will ye not then see?”





<i>[The Quran ; 51:20-21]</i>


<b></b>



وَفِي الْأَرْضِ آيَاتٌ لِّلْمُوقِنِينَ (20)


وَفِي أَنفُسِكُمْ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ (21)





Thanks for reading

<b>Why did GOD end His message with Muhammad and not with Jesus? </b>



<b>B</b>
ecause we Muslims believe that Jesus peace be upon him was GOD's Messenger to the people of Israel. We also believe that Jesus had the entire truth from GOD Almighty and was capable to reveal it all to his people, but they were not capable enough to receive it !. They were hard in their hearts, hard in their heads and had so much problems among themselves. That is why they tried to crucify Jesus on the cross. For this reason Jesus had predicted for the "spirit of truth and the most praised" (Ahmed or Muhammad in Arabic) to come after him and to reveal what hasn't been revealed yet to all of mankind.


Previous revelations have been corrupted and deprived of their spiritual value by their followers' vain controversies and disputes. It was possible to settle such disputes under the flag, but Allah's Plan was to revive and rejuvenate His Message through Islam, amongst a newer and younger people, unhampered by the burden of age-old prejudices.


There is always in human affairs the conflict between the old and the new, the worn out system of our ancestors, and the fresh living spring of Allah's inspiration fitting in with new times and new surroundings. The advocates of the former look upon this latter not only with intellectual doubt but with moral suspicion, as did the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) upon Islam, with its fresh outlook and vigorous realistic way of looking at things.


Jesus (peace be upon him) taught a lot about how to treat others and how to worship God, but Muhammad (peace be upon him) brought a much bigger message about how to live!.


Jesus (peace be upon him) taught the basic message of mixing Justice with Love and Passiveness. He revealed the Golden Rule, that we are to love our neighbours as ourselves. One question only remain unanswered: How should we love our neighbour? What does the love of neighbour require in this complicated world in which human interests can cross and tangle like pressure hoses on the loose? The completeness of this teaching was left to another Teacher. Through Muhammad peace be upon him, God answered this final question and systemized the laws of morality. The glory of Islam consists in having embodied the beautiful sentiment of Jesus and the absolute justice of Moses (peace be upon the both of them) into definite laws."


The Arabs were fresh, and ready for a Prophet. Sending another Prophet to the Jews after Jesus peace be upon him would have been useless, because Jesus peace be upon him said:


<b></b>



"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”


<i>[Matthew 23:37]</i>


Here respondent is asked to speak for or on behalf of God. Whereas in fact no one possess the power and ability to speak for God, not even His messengers and prophets beside what they were commanded to speak by Almighty God. However, we have other means to seek the answer of this question. That is in form of Torah (OT) and NT and the Final Revelation of God The Quran. Muslims believes that Torah (original does not exist, beside the adulterated version) was revealed to Moses (peace be upon him) this belief is also shared by Jews and Christians. Muslims also believes that Injeel (original does exist at all) was inspired to Jesus, that Jews don't believe at all and Christians don't possess "Injeel" (Gospel) (Period). The last one is The Quran (the perfect and true word of God) IS IN EXISTENCE IN ITS ORIGINAL FORM.


Before drawing any conclusion one must look at the facts about the true mission of Jesus' (peace be upon him) according to The Quran and bible.


<b>The Quran defines the mission of Jesus (peace be upon him), as follows:</b>


a.. To confirm (the laws) that already existed even before his arrival, from the Torah (in the Old Testament) ;


<b>” And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, said: "O Children of Israel! I am the messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Law (which came) before me, and giving Glad Tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name shall be Ahmad." But when he came to them with Clear Signs, they said, ‘this is evident sorcery!’" </b>



<i>[The Quran ; 61:6]</i>


b.. To give the good news (the gospel) of the arrival of a messenger, who comes after him, whose name will be 'Ahmad' (another name of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).


Same verse above <i> [The Quran 61:6)</i>


c.. To teach the Children of Israel, unto whom he was sent, matters of wisdom.


<b>” When Jesus came with Clear Signs, he said: "Now have I come to you with Wisdom, and in order to make clear to you some of the (points) on which ye dispute: therefore fear Allah and obey me.”</b>



<i>[The Quran ; 43:63]</i>


d.. To clarify certain matters in which they (Jews) differed


Same verse above <i>[The Quran ; 43:63]</i>


e.. And to legitimize certain things that were earlier banned for them.


<b>” And (I come) confirming that which was before me of the Torah, and to make lawful some of that which was forbidden unto you. I come unto you with a sign from your Lord, so keep your duty to Allah and obey me.” </b>



<i>[The Quran ; 3:50]</i>


<b>Jesus (peace be upon him) upheld the laws that existed in those days in the Torah, the book of laws given to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), except for:</b>


a.. Clarifying certain matters in which the Children of Israel differed, which Jesus necessarily had to; and


b.. and legitimizing certain things, by the command of Allah, those were earlier banned for them by Allah as a punishment for their misdeeds. Jesus (peace be upon him) says in the Bible:


<b></b>



"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."


<i>[Matthew 5:17]</i>


Therefore, Jesus (peace be upon him) brought no new religion. Jesus believed in One God and preached God's unity. Jesus was a messenger of God and he did not claim to be anything else. Jesus has said, addressing The Lord:


<b></b>



"... that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent."


<i>[John 17:3]</i>


<b>In other words, Jesus says to the Lord: You are the only true God and You have sent me, i.e. I am Your messenger. Since all the people did not believe in him, those who did not believe in him as another prophet and messenger of God were "disbelievers in Jesus Christ" and those who believed in him could be called "Christians". Therefore, true " Christians " would be those, who:</b>


a.. Believe in One God.


b.. Believe in Jesus Christ as a messenger of God.


c.. Accept and implement the laws that already existed in the Torah.


d.. Follow the matters of wisdom taught by Jesus.


e.. Look to The Prophet, (Prophet Muhammed), who was foretold by Jesus, to guide them on all matters, as per the gospel - the good news - brought by him.


There have been many prophets of God who were sent without any book or revelation. Jesus was sent to people of Israel or Jews like Moses (peace be upon them). Contrary to that Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) was sent to mankind, which was God's plan since Adam. From Adam to Muhammed (peace be upon them) message has been the same. Let us look into some more facts:


The Quran teaches us that all the prophets and messengers sent by Allah were mortal men and His slaves, like all people. Muslims have not deviated from the Islamic teaching that Muhammad (peace be upon him) too is a slave of Allah and His messenger. Muslims testify this fact at least nine times during their five daily prayers and without uttering this fact, the prayers are incomplete and unacceptable.


Likewise, The Quran teaches us that Jesus (peace be upon him) too was a slave of Allah and His messenger. Allah says in the The Quran about Jesus (peace be upon him):


<b></b>



"He is nothing but a slave on whom We bestowed favor, and We made him a pattern for the Children of Israel."


<i>[The Quran ; 43:59]</i>


Jesus (peace be upon him) indeed is a slave of Allah. His various utterances and actions manifest the truth. Jesus (peace be upon him) confirms in:


<b></b>



" I can of mine own self do nothing."


<i>[John 5:30]</i>


Someone, who can of his own self do nothing, is a slave. But his special position among slaves like us is that he was a messenger of Allah.


I Timothy 2:5 calls Jesus:


<b></b>



".... the man Christ Jesus."





It is said in Bible,:


<b></b>



" Jesus of Nazareth ... was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people."


<i>[Luke 24:19]</i>


In spite of these clear teachings of Bible that he was a man and a prophet, Jesus is often sought to be projected as god.


Jesus says:


<b></b>



7. [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,


9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men.


<i>[Matthew 15:7 & 15:9]</i>


Jesus is quoted in The Quran:


<b></b>



"And when Jesus said: O children of Israel! Indeed I am messenger of Allah unto you..."


<i>[The Quran ; 61:6]</i>


Jesus was a messenger of Allah unto the children of Israel.


Let us see how Bible quotes the same words of Jesus (peace be upon him):


<b></b>



" I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. "


<i>[Matthew 15:24]</i>


<b>In simpler words: Jesus says that he was sent (he is a messenger) only unto the house of Israel.</b>


And who sent him?


There are many (15 verses) of the Bible, Jesus the same:


<i>(John 5:30, 5:36, 5:37, 6:39, 6:44, 6:57, 8:16, 8:18, 8:29, 8:42, 12:49, 14:24, 17:21, 17:25, 20:21]</i>


<b>the Father sent him, or in other words, he is a messenger of The God.</b>


Jesus (peace be upon him) has clearly said that he was not sent but unto the house of Israel. On the contrary, Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Islam, God's religion in its entirety, given through him is meant for the whole of mankind. Allah tells Muhammed (peace be upon him)) in The Quran we read:


<b></b>



"And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) but as a bringer of good tidings and a Warner unto all mankind; but most of mankind know not."


<i>[The Quran ; 34:28]</i>


Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) brought the perfect book The Quran which is a miracle itself with complete ceremonial laws and laws of life. See the contrast between bible (OT & NT combined) and The Quran:


Bible(s) (OT & NT) are not filled with intelligence, justice, purity, honesty, mercy and the spirit of liberty?



<b>BUT THE QURAN DOES.READING IS BELIEVING!</b>


Bible(s) (OT & NT) are not opposed to strife and war, to slavery and lust, to ignorance, credulity and superstition?



<b>BUT THE QURAN DOES.READING IS BELIEVING!</b>


Bible(s) (OT & NT) does not develop the brain and civilize the heart?



<b>BUT THE QURAN DOES.READING IS BELIEVING!</b>


Bible's (OT & NT)) morality is not the highest, the purest?



<b>BUT THE QURAN'S MORALITY IS *THE HIGHEST AND PUREST.READ YOURSELF TO FIND OUT!</b>


Bible(s) (OT with very smaller degree. NT, not at all) does not have laws and regulations for the control of conduct to be just, wise, perfect, and perfectly adapted to the accomplishment of the ends desired?



<b>BUT THE QURAN DOES.READING IS BELIEVING!"</b>


Thanks Everyone


Ahmed

<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">Polygamy for Prophets Allowed as a Special Privilege:</b></span>


The fact that only Muhammad is accused of polygamy is rather surprising, since this is a privilege enjoyed by Prophets before him, their wives and concubines came in great numbers too! The Torah, the Bible, and the Quran tell of some of them, the rest are not mentioned so we don't know, but among the ones who were polygamous, According to the Old Testament, we can count Prophets: Ibrahim “the friend of God” (Abraham), Ya'qoub (Jacob), Dawoud (David), and Solaiman (Solomon). The Scriptures talk of Polygamy as a "favor" bestowed upon them from The Lord:


<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>First Kings 11:1-3 indicates that King Solomon had 700 hundred wives and 300 hundred concubines!</b></span>


"In sealing treaties in ancient days, it was customary for a lesser king to give his daughter in marriage to the greater king. Every time a new treaty was sealed, Solomon ended up with yet another wife. These wives were considered "tokens of friendship" and "sealed" the relationship between the two kings."



<i>[Reasoning from the Scriptures- on 1 Kings]</i>



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>Scripture indicates that David also acquired wives and concubines, David's blessings, including his wives, were given to him as a result of God's favor</b></span>


" (2 Sam. 5:12-13; 12:8; D&C 132:39). Scriptural records say that the Lord did command some of his ancient saints to practice plural marriage. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- among others (D. & C. 132) -- conformed to this ennobling and exalting principle; the whole history of ancient Israel was one in which plurality of wives was a divinely accepted and approved order of matrimony. Those who entered this order at the Lord's command, and who kept the laws and conditions appertaining to it, have gained for themselves eternal exaltation in the highest heaven of the celestial world. In the early days of this dispensation, as part of the promised restitution of all things, the Lord revealed the principle of plural marriage to the Prophet. Later the Prophet and leading brethren were commanded to enter into the practice, which they did in all virtue and purity of heart."



<i>[Mormon Doctrine of Plural Marriage, p. 578]</i>



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>The dictionary of the Bible states that an ordinary man can marry 4 wives</b></span>


"Polygamy meets us as a fact: e.g. Abraham, Jacob, the Judges, David, Solomon… In Deutronomy 17:17, the King is warned not to mutiply wives; later regulations fixed the number at eighteen for a king and four for an ordinary man"



<i>[Dictionary of the Bible (James Hasting, Editor), Revised Edition, Charles Scribner’s Sons, N. Y., 1963, p. 624]</i>



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>The philosophy behind the legalization of polygamy is explained in the Encyclopaedia Biblica</b></span>


"The man who owns his wife as a chattel can on the same principle own as many as he pleases that is to say, as many as he can afford to buy an keep…The Talmusidts fotmulate the rule that no Jew may have more than 4 wives, kings may have at most 18"



<i>[Encyclopaedia Biblica (Rev. T.K. Cheyene and J.S. Black, Editors), The Macmillan Co., London, 1902 vol. 3, p. 2946]</i>



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>It was the only of the beginning of the eleventh Century! (about 4 centuries after the advent of Islam) that polygamy was expressly prohibited in Judaism according to Westermarck</b></span>


"Among European Jews polygamy was still practiced during the middle ages, and among Jews living in the Muhammadan countries, it occurs even to this day. An express prohibition of it was not pronounced until the convening of Rabbinical Synod at Worms, in the beginning of the eleventh century. This prohibition was originally made for the Jews living in Germany and Northern France, but it was successively adopted in all European countries. Nevertheless the Jewish marriage Code retained many provisions which originated at a time when polygamy was still legally in existence"



<i>[Westermarck, Edward A., The History of Human Marriage, (5th Edition Rewritten), Macmillan and Co., London 1925 vol III, p 42-43 ]</i>



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b> In Christianity, the history of Polygamy is evident as explained by Westermarck, the noted authority on the history of human marriage</b></span>


"As of the Old Testament is a vital part of the Christian faith, it cannot be disregarded in this discussion. It was concerning the Old Testament laws and the Old Testament Prophets that Jesus said plainly that he came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but rather to fulfil. In addition, there is no passage in the New Testament that clearly prohibits polygamy. This was the understanding of the early Church Fathers and for several centuries in the Christian era."



"Considering that monogamy prevailed as the only legitimate form of marriage in Greece and Rome, it cannot be said that Christianity introduced obligatory monogamy in the Western World. Indeed, although the New Testament assumes monogamy as the normal or ideal form of marriage, it does not expressly prohibit monogamy, expect in the case of a bishop and a deacon. It has been argued that it was not necessary for the first Christian teachers to condemn polygamy because monogamy was the universal rule among peoples whose midst it was preached; but this is certainly not true of the Jews, who still both permitted and practiced polygamy at the beginning of the Christian era."



"Some of the Fathers accused the Jewish Rabbis of sensuality, but no Council of the Church in the earliest centuries opposed polygamy, and no onstacle was put in the way of its practise by kings in countries where it had occurred in the times of paganism. In the middle of the sixth century Diarmait, King of Ireland, had two queens and two concubines. Polygamy was frequently practised by the Merovingian kings. Charles the Great had two wives and many concubines; and one of his laws seems to imply that polygamy was not unknown even among priests. In later times Philip of Hesse and Frederick William II of Prussia contracted bigamous marriages with the sanction of the Lutheran clergy, Luther himself approved of the bigamy with considerable tolerations. It had not been forbidden by God; even Abraham, who was “perfect Christian,” had two wives. It is true that God had allowed such marriages to certain men of the Old Testament only in particular circumstances, and if a Christian wanted to follow their example he had to show that the circumstances were similar in his case; but polygamy was undoubtedly preferable to divorce. In 1650, soon after the Peace of Westphalia, when the population had been greatly reduced by the Thirty Years’ War, the Frankish Kreistag at Nuremberg passed the resolution that thenceforth every man should be allowed to marry two women. Certain sects of Christians have even advocated polygamy with much fervor. In 1531 the Anabaptists openly preached at Munster that he who wants to be a true Christian must have several wives. And the Mormons as all the world knows, regard polygamy as a divine institution."


<i>[Westermarck, Edward A., The History of Human Marriage, (5th Edition Rewritten), Macmillan and Co., London 1925 vol III, p 50-51 ]</i>



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b> It should be inferred from the above discussion that recognition and practice of polygamy in Judaism and Christianity is the reason for permitting it in Islam.</b></span>


The qualified permission to practise polygamy in Islam is based upon God’s revelation (The Quran). For an exposition of some of the situations that may justify the practice of polygamy.



If polygamy is immoral, then these other leading figures in the Biblical traditions are immoral, In this case, there would be no sanctity attached to the Bible, its Prophets, or its teachings! No sincere Jew, Christian, or Muslims would regard God’s chosen messengers as immoral persons!





<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b> In Christianity Women were despised and blamed for the Corruption based on Eve's supposed submission to the Devil and her subsequent encouragement to Adam to eat from the forbidden tree</b></span>


Some Christian scholars of the past even interpreted as sex itself, The following are statements of canonized saints of Christianity concerning women:



"Woman is the daughter of falsehood, a sentinel of Hell, the enemy of peace; through her Adam lost paradise"



<i>[ St. John Damascene ] </i>



"Woman is the instrument which the Devil uses to gain possession of our souls"



<i>[ St. Cyprian ] </i>



"Woman is the arm of the Devil, her voice is hissing of the serpent"



<i>[ St. Anthony ] </i>



"Woman has the poison of an asp, .the malice of a dragon"



<i>[ Gregory the Great ] </i>



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>The preponderance of females in the world is an established fact</b></span>


The death-rate at birth is much higher for boys and women on the whole live longer than men; not to mention, the large number of men who die daily in various wars around the world. Thus, although the ratio may vary from country to country the results are still the same; women outnumber men, here is some statistics:



Russia:
46.1% men
53.9% women
- 1970 census



UK:
48.55% men
51.45% women
- 1971 census



USA:
48.8% men
51.2% women
- 1971 census



Brazil:
49.73% men
50.27% women
- 1970 census



<i>[ The New Encyclopedia Britannica, (USA; Encyclopedia Britanica Inc., 15th edition, 1976), vol. 17, pp. 34,270,244 ]</i>



This apparent imbalance has been further aggravated in the West by the alarming increase in homosexual within society. Hence there are more females competing for a diminishing number of males. Consequently, there will always remain a large segment of women unable to fullfill their sexual and psychological needs through a legitimate means in monogamous societies, unless they engage with another woman, become a public property, sleep with a married man or become a mistress with no rights or marry a married man.



A strong family structure is an absolute requirement for a strong and healthy society. And, the only way that the family can remain strong and society cater to the needs of its male and female members is through the Islamic form of marriage of which polygamy is a part


<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">Islam didn't Invent Polygamy; it Only Regulated it -- in Favour of Women!</b></span>





From the above accounts, we can clearly see that Prophets -including Muhammad- were allowed to be more polygamous than their followers, not just for carnal reasons, but for a lot of political and religious reasons pertaining to their Call. Consequently, it is groundless to wonder why Muslims can't marry 12 wives like their prophet, just as it is to wonder why Jews and Christians can't marry 700 like theirs! Islam didn't invent polygamy, Islam only made polygamy more humane, instituting equal rights for all wives. And even so, Muslim women are not forced to accept this, and may put a condition against it in their marriage contract.


<b><span></span></b>


The Quran is the only Holy Book that actually says 'Marry only one'.





Images of "sheikhs with harems" are not consistent with Islam, as in fact, the general rule in Islam is monogamy not polygamy:


<b>"If you fear that you shall not be able deal justly with the orphans then marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one."</b>



<i> [The Quran ; Al-Nissa:3]</i>






Polygamy in Islam is not recommended; it's only permitted under certain guidelines. Permission to practice polygamy is not associated with mere satisfaction of passion. It is rather associated with compassion toward widows and orphans.


Before the Quran was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygamy and many men had hundreds of wives. Islam put an upper limit of four wives, permitting a man to marry more than once, only on the condition that he deals justly with all of them. Yet the same verse points out:


<b></b>



"Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women"


<i>[The Quran ; Al-Nissa:129]</i>






Therefore polygamy in Islam is not a rule but an exception.


<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">Why is The Exception of Polygamy Allowed in Islam?</b></span>


The exception is made for many reasons, but let's note a couple here, addressing the concern that Muhammad "had intercourse outside of wedlock":



1. The verse which allows polygamy was revealed after the battle of Uhud in which many Muslims were killed, leaving widows and orphans for hom due care was incumbent upon the Muslim survivors


As we discussed before in Western society, it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple extra-marital affairs; women in this case are degraded to mere sex objects with absolutely no rights, they're usually on the losing end of such liaisons. The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one wife, so women can retain their lawful rights and lead an honourable, dignified and respectable life.


2. If every adult American man got married to only one woman as well considering the preponderance of females discuused earier , there would still be more than 25 million females in U.S.A who would not be able to get husbands, at least considering that -according to latest statistics- 10% of the American population is gay! That's close to 30 million people!


Thus the only three options for a woman who cannot find a husband is either to: <span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%;"></span>


I. marry a married man


II. have an afair with a married man "A mistress"


III. become a public property - A prostitute


Islam gives women the honorable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the second and the third. At least one of the reasons Islam has permitted limited polygamy, is to protect the modesty of women!



<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">Islam's Sraightforward Aproach in Problem Solving</b></span>


In Islam, problems are supposed to be faced and solved - not ignored! So, rather than requiring hypocritical compliance, Islam provides legitimate and clean solutions to the problems of individuals and societies. There is no doubt that the second wife legally married and treated kindly is better off than a mistress without any legal rights. Through practical example, Prophet Muhammad as the guide of Muslims has set the applicable rules for this aspect of human relations in order not to leave anything for speculation.



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>Stages of The Prophet's Married Life:</b></span>





First, let's remember that Prophet Muhammad lead a life supported only by the bare minimum of necessities, his wives were not idly wasting away the hours in a luxurious harem -as portrayed in western movies- but they lead a life of labor and sacrifice, while he was mostly busy away from home overseeing his numerous duties as a Prophet. So, obviously lust was not a factor as he wasn't even at home most of the time. Further, most of his marriages occurred when lust is not a major factor in any man's life



When the Prophet passed away, he left nine wives behind. This has become a main target of the Christian and Jewish writers. They say that plurality of marriage (polygamy) in itself points to avidity and to yielding to lust and desire, and the Prophet was not content with four wives which had been allowed to his Ummah but exceeded even that limit and married nine women.


It is necessary to point out that this is not such a simple matter to be dismissed in a sentence that he was inordinately fond of women, so much so that he married nine wives. The fact is that he had married each one of his wives for some particular reason due to particular circumstances.


His first marriage was with Khadijah. He lived with her alone for twenty-five years. It was the prime time of his youth and constitutes two-thirds of his married life.


Then he married Sawdah bint Zam'ah whose husband had expired during the second migration to Abyssinia. Sawdah was a believing lady who had migrated on account of her faith. Her father and brother were among the most bitter enemies of Islam. If she were left to return to them, they would have tortured and tormented her, as they were doing with other believing men and women, oppressing and killing them, forcing them to renounce their faith.


At the same time, he married 'Ayishah bint Abu Bakr, who was then a six-year old child. She came to the Prophet's house some time after the migration to Medina. will extend on this marriage later


Then he emigrated to Medina and began spreading the word of Allah. Thereafter, he married 9 women, all of them widows or divorcees and one slave that was given to him, all old or middle-aged. This continued for about eight years. It was only then that he was prohibited by the Almighty from marrying any woman besides those whom he had already married. Obviously, these happenings cannot be explained by his love for women because both his early life and the later period contradict such an assumption.


Just look at a man with a passion for women who is infatuated with a carnal desire, enamored by female companionship, with a sensual lust for them. You will find him attracted to their adornment, spending his time in pursuit of beauty, infatuated with coquetry and flirtation and craving for youth, tender age, and fresh complexion. But these peculiarities are conspicuously absent in the Prophet's life. He married widows after having married a virgin, old-aged ladies after having married young girls. Then he offered his wives a choice to give them a good provision and allow them to depart gracefully, i.e. divorce them if they desired this world and its adornment. Alternatively, they should renounce the world and abstain from adornments and embellishments if they desired Allah and His Prophet and the latter abode. Look at this verse of the Quran:


<b></b>



"O Prophet! Say to your wives: If you desire this world's life and its ornature then come, l will give you a provision and allow you to depart a graceful departure. And if you desire Allah and His Messenger and the latter abode, then surely Allah has prepared for the doers of good from among you a ,mighty reward."


<i>[ The Quran ; Al-Ahzab:28-29 ]</i>



<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>To summarize the prophet married life:</b></span>






1. He remained single until age 25. He had a reputation as the Honest One.


2. From age 25 to 50 he was faithful to only one wife: Khadija, who bore all his children except one. She was 15 years older than him, with children from two previous marriages. She had actually asked him to marry her -through a friend- after experiencing his exemplary manners and honesty while in her employment. She was his greatest ally when he received The Call at age 40 until she died when he was 50 years old. He remained in love with her until he died and often talked of his life with her with great nostalgia.


3. Between ages 50-52 he remained unmarried and mourning his late beloved wife. He lived alone with his daughters.


4. Between ages 53-60 he married all his other wives for many noble reasons. It's unimaginable for a man to suddenly turn lustful at this age, especially as he was constantly traveling, with bloodthirsty enemies on his heels.


5. At age 60, Allah revealed to him an aya preventing him from marrying anymore until he died, which was at age 63 years old. The Quran says what means:


<b></b>



"It is not lawful for you (to marry other) women after this, nor to change them for other wives"


<i> [The Quran ; Al-Ahzab: 52]</i>



<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">Reasons for The Prophet's Marriages:</b></span>


We can categorize all his marriages under two aspects of his personality:



I- Muhammad the man: who needed a loving wife, children and a stable home, so he married Khadija and remained with only her for 25 years until she died


II- Muhammad the Prophet: who married the other wives for reasons pertaining to his duty to deliver The Message to the world. Those particular women were carefully selected not just haphazardly "acquired" for carnal reasons as suggested but in order to give them protection and safeguard their dignity. Here are some of the reasons for which Muhammad married:


1. To pass on Islam to the next generations as a practical legacy: Prophet Muhammad is the only prophet without any privacy, and with a meticulously preserved tradition in speech and actions in all minute details of his public and private life. Preserved in the sharp minds of his wives and his companions, those narrations comprise the "daily life manual" for Muslims to follow until the end of time. The fact that Islam was spread on the shoulders of women and preserved in their hearts is a great honour to the females of this Ummah. The books of authentic Hadith attribute more than 3000 narrations and Prophetic traditions to his wives alone


2. To cement the relations of the budding nation: In a tribal society, it was customary to seal treaties through marrying into tribes. Muhammad's closest Companions later became the 4 Caliphs who lead Islam at the critical stage after his death, he was married to the daughters of two of them (Aisha daughter of Abu Bakr, and Hafsa daughter of Omar) and the other two married his daughters (Othman married two daughters successively: Roqaiya and Zainab, and Ali married Fatimah)


3. To Teach Muslims compassion with women, not just the young and beautiful maidens, but more so the weak and the destitute widows, divorcees, orphans and elderly women. Islam teaches that women are to be respected, protected, and cared for by their men folk, they're not to be cast out to face a harsh life alone, while able men around them just pitying them and doing nothing to help, or worse: using their weakness to take them as mistresses!


4. To offer a practical role model to Muslims until the end of time: Although many believing women often approached Muhammad offering him themselves in marriage, he politely turned down their offers. Most of his wives after the death of Khadija were old, devoid of beauty, and previously married, except A'isha, who was the only young virgin. He married from other nations and religions; some were the daughters of his worst enemies, and his marriage to one woman has won all her nation into Islam. Regardless of his neutral feelings towards many of them, he was a model example of equal justice and kindness to them all, and he would never discriminate among them.


<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b>A few known facts detailing the prophet marriages</b></span>



1. Sawdah bint Zam'ah's marriage Zainab bint Khuzaymah's husband, 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh (a cousin of the Prophet), was martyred during the battle of Uhud (as stated above). This was the second time she became a widow. She was one of the most generous ladies even in the era of ignorance, so much so that she was called "Mother of the poor". Now she was facing hard times. The Prophet, by marrying her, preserved her prestige and dignity. She passed away in the life-time of the Prophet. Year of marriage: 3 A.H.


2. Ummu Salamah, whose actual name was Hind, was married to 'Abdullah Abu Salamah (another cousin of the Prophet who was also his foster brother). Abu Salamah and his wife were among the first to migrate to Abyssinia. She had renounced worldly pleasures and was highly distinguished for her piety and wisdom. When her husband died, she was very advanced in age and had many orphaned children. That is why the Prophet married her. Year of marriage 4 A.H.


3. Hafsah bint 'Umar ibn al-Khattab was married to him after her husband Khunays ibn Hudhayfah was martyred during the battle of Badr, leaving her a widow. Year of marriage 4 A.H.


4. To set free the slaves: His marriage with Juwayriyyah, i.e. Barrah daughter of al-Harith (chief of Banu al-Mustaliq) was performed in 5 A.H. after the battle of Banu al-Mustaliq. The Muslims had arrested two hundred of their families. Juwayriyyah was a widow, and the Prophet married her after emancipating her. The Muslims said: These are now the relatives of the Messenger of Allah by marriage; they should not be held captive. So they freed all of them. Impressed by this nobility, the whole tribe of Banu al-Mustaliq entered into the fold of Islam. It was a very large tribe, and this generosity of the Muslims as well as the conversion of that tribe had a great impact throughout Arabia.


5. To forge friendly relations: Some marriages were entered into in the hope of establishing friendly relationships with some tribes in order to blunt their enmity towards Islam.


Ummu Habibah, i.e. Ramlah daughter of Abu Sufyan, was married to 'Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh and had emigrated with them to Abyssinia in the second migration. While there, 'Ubaydullah was converted to Christianity, but she remained steadfastly on Islam and separated from him. Her father, Abu Sufyan, was in those days raising one army after another in order to annihilate the Muslims. The Prophet married her and afforded protection to her although the hope of any change in Abu Sufyan's attitude did not materialize.


6. Safiyyah was the daughter of Huyaiy ibn Akhtab, (Jewish) chief of Banu an-Nadhir Her husband was killed in the battle of Khaybar, and her father sided with Banu Qurayzah. She was among the captives of Khaybar. The Prophet chose her for himself and married her after emancipating her in 7 A.H. This marriage protected her from humiliation and established a link with the Jews.


7. To establish and implement important laws: The case of Zainab bint Jahsh is its only example. She was a cousin of the Prophet (daughter of his paternal aunt, and sister of 'Abdullah ibn Jahsh, the first husband of Zainab bint Khuzaymah). She was a widow. Islam had annulled class differences and declared that a family's tribe, wealth, or social status are not the criteria of distinction. Every Muslim is equal. While announcing it, the Prophet, in the same sitting, gave his three relative ladies in marriage to persons of "low" birth or status. It was done in order to practically demonstrate the Islamic equality, which up to that moment, was only a theoretical p nciple. Among them, Zainab bint Jahsh was given in marriage to Zayd ibn Harithah, an Arab slave whom the Prophet had freed and adopted as son. People called him Zayd ibn Muhammad. This marriage soon turned sour. Zainab could not overlook that she was a granddaughter of 'AbdulMuttalib, and that Zayd was an ex-slave. No matter how much the Prophet advised them, she did not change her behavior, so finally Zayd divorced her.


In the midst of the continuing social reforms, the Quran had declared that adoption was not recognized in Islam, that the sons should be affiliated to their actual fathers. Allah says:


<b>"Allah has not made for any man two hearts in his breast, nor has He made your wives whom you declare (to be your mothers) as your (real) mothers, nor has He made those whom you call (as your sons) your (real) sons. These are (mere) words of your mouths, and Allah speaks the truth and He guides unto the (right) way. Call them after their fathers; this is more just with Allah, but if you know not their fathers, then they are your brethren in faith and your friends."</b>



<i> [ The Quran ; Al-Ahzab:4-5 ]</i>







After this admonition, people started calling him "Zayd ibn Harithah". But there was a need to put this new system in effect in such a way as to leave no room for doubt or ambiguity. Allah, therefore, ordered the Prophet to marry Zainab bint Jahsh, the divorcee of Zayd ibn Harithah. The Quran explains:


<b>".... But when Zayd had concluded his concern with her (i.e. divorced her) We joined her in wedlock as your wife so that there should be no difficulty for the believers concerning the wives of their adopted sons when they have concluded their concerns with them, and the command ofAllah shall be carried out."</b>



<i> [ The Quran ; Al-Ahzab:37 ] </i>







In this manner, both marriages of Zainab bint Jahsh served to enforce two very important social ethics. Some non-Muslim writers have claimed that the Prophet had fallen in love with Zainab's beauty and that this was why Zayd divorced her.


Such writers are blind to the fact that Zainab at that time was in her fifties. Why did not Muhamaad fall in love with her when she was still a maiden and he himself was young? Consider this question especially in view of the fact that Zainab was a close relative of the Prophet, and that there was no system of hijab at that time, and, in any case, relatives usually know about each other's beauty or ugliness.


One of his wives was Maymunah whose name was Barrah bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyyah. When her second husband died in the 7th year of Hijrah, she came to the Prophet and "gifted" herself to him if he would accept her. She only desired the honor of being called the wife of the Prophet. The Prophet waited for the divine guidance in her regard. Permission was granted to him from his Lord as we read in verse of the Quran which says:


<b></b>



"O Prophet! Certainly we have made lawful unto you ... a believing woman if she gifts herself unto the Prophet; if the Prophet desires to marry her, (it is) especially for thee (O Prophet!) rcjher than for the rest of the believers."


<i>[ Quran, Al-Ahzab:50 ] </i>



<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">Who are The Prophet's Wives?</b></span>





Prophet Muhammad married 12 wives along his life, when he died he had 9 wives, they have a very special status in the hearts of Muslims as the "Mothers of the Believers" as the Quran instructs, and they're the source of a great amount of wisdom which they learnt while living close to such a great man.


The prophet wives names are:


Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, Sawdah bint Zam'ah, A'ishah bint Abi Bakr, Hafsah bint Omar ibn Al-Khattab, Zaynab bint Khuzaymah, Umm Salama, Zaynab bint Jahsh, Juwayriah bint Al-Harith, Umm Habibah, Safiah bint Hoyay ibn Akhtab, Maymunah bint Al-Harith, Maria the Copt.


You can find a lot of beautiful stories on the Internet


<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">Can We Consider His Marriage to A'isha a Case of "Child Molestation" ?</b></span>





To answer the speculation, let's continue our objective trip into the past: obviously when traveling back in time 1400 years to examine a lifestyle we never witnessed, it is unfair to apply our present day standards, so let's listen to the experts: Proved by authentic historical records, the social traditions of the time and place -regardless of religion- considered Arab females as "women" as soon as their menstrual cycles began, the custom was to give daughters in marriage at that age. This was practiced by all dwellers in Arabia before Islam: Pagans, disbelievers, Jews and others. It's a fact that female menstruation in hot climates starts much earlier than in cold climates, so females in Arabia matured as early as 8 or 9, they also aged earlier than other women.


It's a neglected fact that before she was married to Muhammad, A'isha was already engaged to an infidel; Jubair Ibn Mus'ab Ibn Ady! Her fiancé had already broken the engagement on the basis of religious difference. So her father -Abu Bakr- agreed to give her hand in marriage to The Prophet.


<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">The Great Wisdom in Selecting A'isha in Particular as a Young Wife</b></span>





A'isha came from a house famous for learning and memorizing great quantities of knowledge: her father was a live encyclopedia of Arab tribal pedigrees and poetry. She inherited his ability, and in her young, intelligent, receptive mind, she preserved a precious portion of Islam she learnt during 7 years of marriage, for 47 years after the death of The Prophet and she taught thousands of men worldwide their religion as she has learnt it firsthand from the Prophet. To our present day, she is considered among the most prominent Islamic scholars and she holds extremely high esteem in the hearts of all Muslims as such and as "the beloved of the Prophet", who often mentioned her as the human he loved the most on the face of this earth, and with her, he built a model Muslim home for Muslims to strive to imitate forever.


<b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;">Was Maria the Copt a Slave, a Concubine, or a Wife of the Prophet?</b></span>





Slavery already existed long before Islam. It's a system whereby a human captured in wars or kidnapped could be sold as a "possession" - that term applied to both genders not to women only. In some cultures slaves were considered subhuman and treated brutally: In Europe for example, Romans threw Christian slaves to the lions while the public cheered, female salves were thought to have "no souls" and tortured mercilessly, slaves lived in degrading conditions, and both genders were forced to offer sexual favors to their masters, and as "possessions", they had no choice, no will, and no rights.


Islam recognized the human rights of slaves and encouraged setting them free. It prohibited adultery, homosexuality, and prevented forcing female slaves into sexual acts against their will. Islam encouraged educating them, setting them free, then legally marrying them and giving them their moral and financial rights. The reward for this -as mentioned in prophetic tradition- is eternal residence in Paradise.


Maria was not a "concubine" she was a slave owned by Egypt's Christian governor, who offered her and her sister Serine -among other presents- as a "gift of good will" to The Prophet in reply to his envoys inviting him to Islam. On her way from Egypt to Madinah she was curious to learn about "her new master", and listened to his companions talk about him. As a result, she became Muslim before meeting Muhammad. Scholars' opinions vary of her status afterwards; here is the opinion I support:


One of the prominent Muslim scholars, Sheikh Abdul Majid Subh states:


"Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, instead of taking concubines, entered into lawful marriages based on reason and wisdom. Maria the Copt was given to him as a present, but rather than taking her as a concubine, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, married her. Thus elevating her status by marriage".


<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"><b> Women's Rights in Islam Surpass Modern Systems</b></span>





If women in the Muslim World today don't have their rights, it is not because Islam didn't give them to them. Alien traditions have overshadowed the teachings of Islam, either through ignorance or the impact of Colonialization. Most of the so-called "modern reforms" in the status of women appeared after the West abandoned religion for secularism. Those in the West who claim to follow the "Judeo-Christian tradition" really follow the values of Western liberalism.


In England and America less than fifty years ago, a woman could not buy a house or car without the co-signature of a male "guardian"! In Contrast, Islamic Law guaranteed rights to women over 1400 years ago that were unheard of in the West until the 1900s:


Numerous verses of the Quran state that men and women are equal in the sight of Allah; the only thing that distinguishes people in His sight is their level of God-consciousness.


Islam teaches that a woman is a full-person under the law, and is the spiritual equal of a male. Women have the right to own property, operate a business and receive equal pay for equal work. Women are allowed total control of their wealth, they cannot be married against their will and they are allowed to keep their own name when married. They have the right to inherit property and to have their marriage dissolved in the case of neglect or mistreatment. Islam does not consider woman an "evil temptress", and thus does not blame woman for the "original sin". Women in Islam participate in all forms of worship that men participate in.


Prophet Muhammad's mission stopped many of the horrible practices against women that were present in the society of his time. He actually harnessed the unrestricted polygamy of the Arabs of the time, and put many laws in place to protect the well being of women. On his Farewell Sermon just days before his death, he summarized the teachings of Islam to the believers in a final farewell ... his last words were: "Be kind to women!" and He repeated this twice


<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%;"> <b>The final say</b></span>


It is fair to say that polygamy may be harmful in many respects. Islam, however does not regard polygamy as a substitute for monogamy. Realizing its disadvantages Islam allows it under strict conditions and when no better alternative is available. This is actually consistent with the general rule of Islam ”The Lesser of two evils”. This means that if a harm is certain, and if there is no way to avert such harm unless some other harm is done, then it is better to cause the lesser harm in order to avoid the greater. It is like a captain who gets rid of the ship’s fright in order to save the lives of the sailors.



This vitality, flexibility and far-sightedness of the teachings of Islam cannot be possibly attributed to any human or group of humans, including Mohammed himself. Its secret simply lies in its Divine Source, God Most High, who knows in entirety what human needs and problems are.


Humans can reject guidance of God, become their own God, and establish his own standards of morality. Ultimately, however, they may discover the mirage that alluded them, a few honest questions left:


<span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%;"></span>


1. What is the situation in countries which banned polygamy?


2. Do they really enjoy sincere and faithful ”monogamy”?


3. What is the degree of cohesion of the family?


4. Is there any significant number of mistresses, ”sweethearts”


5. Is there any significant number of illegitimate children?


6. How observant are men and women of the strict ”monogamous” relationship?


7. Are infidelity and secet extramarital sexual relationships more moral than the legitimate, legally-protected husband-wife relationships, even under polygamy if there is a pressing need for it?, which of the two situation is best for women?





<b>After all, Islam, by its very nature, is a universal religion which is revealed by God to guide people in all places at all times, this guidance can hardly be secured by avoiding issues and problems which are real, even as they are relevant to human life on earth with its diversity. Hypocrisy, apology, or burying one’s head in the sand are hardly realistic means of achieving righteous human life. They are not effective in achieving moral upliftment either</b>



Thanks for reading

Bismillah


Peace all


John was discussing with me on another thread whether or not the Muslim woman is free compared to the women of the West.


To me she is not for many reasons.


Ok let us see how this discussion will go

AssalamuAlaikum -I just underwent aneye operation.only then i realised the value of Allahs blessing showerd on us which we take it for granted.We see so many deformed people around us still how many of us pause a mt to thank Allah for the favours He had given us? w e cry when we r denied of something, but howmany of us realise and thank Allah for the blessing of His?Allah the Mighty has given us the organs of the body as Amanath to see ,hear ,speak& do amal according to His wishes.still howoften we misuse it, enjoy doing the what Allah has forbidden?When the time comes for us t o return isn,t it our duty to return the amanath in pure condition? what ans can we give Him of the ni,amaths He has bestowed on us?when compared with the blessing of His, the misfortune we face is nothing at all.Dunya is the place where u do Amals .Ahira is where u get the results.right Amals in Dunya best result in Ahira .wrong Amals in Dunya worst results in Ahira. which do we select?May the Almighty lead us in right path.

<b>Quranic Accuracy Vs. Biblical Error: The Kings & Pharaohs Of Egypt</b>



<b>1. Introduction</b>



This paper proposes to investigate the usage of the titles "<b>King</b>" and "<b>Pharaoh</b>" during the time of Abraham(P), Joseph(P) and Moses(P) as used in both the Bible and the Quran.


For all kings, the contemporaries of Abraham(P), Joseph(P) and Moses(P), the Bible uses the term "<b>Pharaoh</b>" to address the kings of Egypt. The Quran however differs from the Bible: the sovereign of Egypt who was a contemporary of Joseph(P) is named "<b>King</b>" (Arabic, <b>Malik</b>); whereas the Bible has named him "<b>Pharaoh</b>". As for the king who ruled during the time of Moses(P) the Quran repeatedly calls him "<b>Pharaoh</b>" (Arabic, <b>Fir'awn</b>).


These differences in detail between the Biblical and Quranic narrations appear to have great significance as will be discussed in this paper.


<b>2. Biblical Usage Of The Word "Pharaoh"</b>



Some examples of the usage of the word <b>Pharaoh</b> are presented below, and are taken from the stories of Abraham(P), Joseph(P) and Moses.


<b>2.1 Pharaoh During The Time Of Abraham</b>


According to the book of Genesis, the king who was a contemporary of Abraham was called <b>Pharaoh</b>, and this title is used six times in <b>Genesis 12:10-20</b>. Three examples are illustrated below:


<b></b>



“But the Lord inflicted serious diseases on Pharaoh and his house hold because of Abram's wife Sarai.”


<i>[Genesis ; 12:17]</i>


<b></b>



“So Pharaoh summoned Abram. "What have you done to me?" he said. "Why didn't you tell me she was your wife?"


<i>[Genesis ; 12:18]</i>


<b></b>



“Then Pharaoh gave orders about Abram to his men, and they sent him on his way, with his wife and everything he had.”


<i>[Genesis ; 12:20]</i>


<b>2.2 Pharaoh During The Time Of Joseph</b>


According to the book of Genesis, the king who ruled Egypt in Joseph's time was also referred to as <b>Pharaoh</b>. The king is addressed as <b>Pharaoh</b> ninety times[2]. The following examples are take from <b>Genesis 41</b>:


<b></b>



“So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh.”


<i>[Genesis ; 41:14]</i>


<b></b>



“Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, "The dreams of Pharaoh are one and the same. God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do."


<i>[Genesis ; 41:25]</i>


<b></b>



“Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh's presence and travelled throughout Egypt.”


<i>[Genesis ; 41:46]</i>


<b>2.3 Pharaoh During The Time Of Moses</b>


According to the book of Exodus, the king who ruled Egypt in Moses' time was also referred to as <b>Pharaoh</b>. He is addressed as <b>Pharaoh</b> 128 times[3]. Three examples are illustrated below:


<b></b>



“When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian... “


<i>[Exodus ; 2:15]</i>


<b></b>



“Then the Lord said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet."


<i>[Exodus ; 7:1]</i>


<b></b>



“When Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry land.”


<i>[ Exodus ; 15:19]</i>


Thus, for all kings, the contemporaries of Abraham(P), Joseph(P) and Moses(P), the Bible uses the term "<b>Pharaoh</b>" to address the kings of Egypt.


<b>3. Quranic Usage Of The Words "King" & "Pharaoh" </b>



Some examples of the usage of the words <b>King</b> and <b>Pharaoh</b> are presented below, and are taken from the stories of Joseph(P) and Moses(P) . No such usage is to be found in the Quranic story of Abraham:


<b>3.1 King Of Egypt During The Time Of Joseph</b>


The sovereign who ruled Egypt during Joseph's day is named "<b>King</b>" (Arabic, <b>Malik</b>); whereas the Bible has named him "<b>Pharaoh</b>". The Quran never once addresses this monarch as "<b>Pharaoh</b>"


Two examples of the usage of the word <b>King</b> from the story of Joseph( are illustrated below. The Arabic word for King, <b>Malik</b>, is underlined in red in the Arabic text:





<b></b>



“The king (of Egypt) said: "I do see (in a vision) seven fat cows, whom seven lean ones devour, and seven green ears of corn, and seven (others) withered. O ye chiefs! expound to me my vision, if it be that ye can interpret visions."


<i>[The Quran ; 12:43]</i>





<b></b>



“They said: "We miss the great beaker of the king; for him who produces it, is (the reward of) a camel-load; I will be bound by it."


<i>[The Quran ; 12:72]</i>


Further examples of the usage of the word <b>King</b> during the time of Joseph can be found in the Surah Yusuf. See: <b>12:43, 12:50, 12:54, 12:72, 12:76</b>


<b>3.2 Pharaoh During The Time Of Moses</b>


As for the king who ruled during the time of Moses(P), the Quran repeatedly calls him <b>Pharaoh</b> (Arabic, <b>Fir'awn</b>). Two examples of the usage of the word <b>Pharaoh</b> during the time of Moses are illustrated below. The Arabic word for <b>Pharaoh</b>, <b>Fir'awn</b>, is underlined in red in the Arabic text:





<b></b>



“Moses said: "O Pharaoh! I am a messenger from the Lord of the Worlds."


<i>[Quran 7:104]</i>





<b></b>



“Then after them sent We Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his chiefs with Our Signs. But they were arrogant: they were a people in sin.”


<i>[The Quran ; 10:75]</i>


Further examples of the usage of the word "<b>Pharaoh</b>" during the time of Moses can be found in the following verses:


<b>7:104-137, 8:52, 8:54, 10:75-90, 11:97, 14:6, 20:24, 20:43, 20:56, 20:60, 20:78, 23:46, 26:10-66, 27:12, 28:3-42, 29:39, 38:12, 40:24-46, 43:46-85, 44:17, 44:31, 50:13, 51:38-40, 54:41-42, 66:11, 69:9, 73:15-16, 79:17-25, 85:18</b>





According to modern linguist research the word "<b>Pharaoh</b>" comes from the Egyptian <b>Per-aa</b>, meaning Great House and originally referred to the palace rather than the king himself. The word was used by the writers of the Old Testament and has since become a widely adopted title for all the Kings of Egypt. However, the Egyptians did not call their ruler "<b>Pharaoh</b>" until the 18th Dynasty <b>(c.1552 - 1295 BC)</b>.


In the language of the hieroglyphs, "<b>Pharaoh</b>" was first used to refer to the king during the reign of Amenhophis IV <b>(c.1352-1338 BC)</b>. We know that such a designation was correct in the time of Moses but the use of the word <b>Pharaoh</b> in the story of Joseph( is an <b>anachronism</b>, as under the rule of the Hyksos there was no "<b>Pharaoh.</b>" Similarly, the events related in <b>Genesis 12</b> concerning Abraham <b>(c. 2300 BC)</b> could not have occurred in a time when the sovereign of Egypt was called Pharaoh, and this exposes yet another anachronism. In several chapters of Genesis we find the same error. The biblical writers composed their texts under the influences of the knowledge of their time, when the king of Egypt was usually designated as "Pharaoh". The <b><i>Interpreter's Dictionary Of The Bible</i></b>
explains the reasons of such discrepancies with modern knowledge:


<i></i>


The frank attitude toward the stories about Egypt in Genesis and Exodus is that folk memory had retained the essentials of great Hebrew experience but had later clothed that memory with some details imperfectly recollected and some circumstantial details borrowed from later times and conditions.


The situation is entirely different in the Quran. We find it mentioned the Egyptian king who was a contemporary of Joseph. For him the Quran uses the title "<b>King</b>" (Arabic, <b>Malik</b>); he is never once addressed as <b>Pharaoh</b>. As for the king who ruled during the time of Moses, the Quran repeatedly calls him <b>Pharaoh</b> (Arabic, <b>Fir'awn</b>).


<b>These facts that mentioned above were unknown at the time of the Quranic Revelation.</b>



<b>At the time of the Quranic Revelation, the only source of knowledge of the religious past was the Bible. From the time of the Old Testament to the Quran, the only document mankind possessed on these ancient stories was the Bible itself. Furthermore, the knowledge of the Old Egyptian hieroglyphs had been totally forgotten, and no one could read them until the 19th century AD.</b>


These facts must be reflected upon, especially in the face of unfounded allegations that are usually made against the Prophet Muhammad,"the author of the Quran, who largely copied the Bible."


If there was no human knowledge in existence at the time, then from where did the Prophet Muhammad(P) obtain this information? If human factors are unable to account for the changes in the narrations which affected their meaning with regard to modern knowledge, another explanation has be accepted: the Quran is a Revelation from Allah, and that Muhammad(P) is his final Prophet.


<b></b>



“And thus (it is) that We have sent down the Book to thee. So the People of the Book believe therein, as also do some of these (pagan Arabs): and none but Unbelievers reject our signs.”


”And thou (Muhammad) wast not (able) to recite a Book before this (Book came), nor art thou (able) to transcribe it with thy right hand: In that case, indeed, would the talkers of vanities have doubted.”


”Nay, here are Signs self-evident in the hearts of those endowed with knowledge: and none but the unjust reject Our Signs.”


“Yet they say: "Why are not Signs sent down to him from his Lord?" Say: "The signs are indeed with God: and I am indeed a clear Warner."


”And is it not enough for them that we have sent down to thee the Book which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in it is Mercy and a Reminder to those who believe.”


”Say: ‘Enough is God for a witness between me and you: He knows what is in the heavens and on earth. And it is those who believe in vanities and reject God, that will perish (in the end).’"


<i>[Quran 29:47-52]</i>


Allah knows best.


Thanks for reading