Bismillah


as salam alykom


http://deencom.com/2005islamicexpo/

I am very interested in this topic.Much attention and efforts must be dedicated by all of us in this regard.I am ready at any time to receive your comments and reamrks on my email...zahrani_ali66@hotmail.com

Hi everyone:


I'm preparing a small powerpoint presentation on Islam, and would like to incorporate some images where possible.


Does anyone here know where or if I might find some downloadable portraits or illustrations of some of the more prominent early Muslim leaders (e.g. Muhammad, Abu Bakr, Uthman, etc.), provided they exist?


I realize that Islam in general doesn't look favorably on certain forms of illustration that may imply idolatry, although it is certainly not my intention to have things lead to that.


I've done some searches with power engines and haven't come up with much.


Thanks,


Sheerstress

18/05/2005


Ex-Guantanamo Detainee Confirms Qur’an Desecration


An Afghan ex-Guantanamo detainee confirmed on Tuesday that U.S. interrogators at the prison have repeatedly desecrated the Qur’an, which prompted a hunger strike and a U.S. apology.


In an interview on AVT Khyber television, Abdul Rahim said that abuse of the holy book was routine at Guantanamo Bay.


“Abuse of the Qur’an was done routinely particularly in the early days of detention,” Rahim said.


“They would throw the holy book on the ground, trample upon it and tell the prisoner under interrogation no one could stop them from doing that.


“The news of sacrilege sent shockwaves among the prisoners and all of us went on a hunger strike.


“We declined to participate in the interrogation and also did not eat anything for many days,” he said.


The hunger strike ended only after senior U.S. officials apologized for the desecration, Rahim added.


“All of us ended the hunger strike except for a Palestinian. It was due to our efforts and sacrifices that we restored the honour of the Qur’an,” he said.


Abdul Rahim’s statement comes after the Newsweek, the magazine that released a report saying that U.S. guards at Guantanamo abused the Qur’an, retracted its report.


In its May 9 edition, the magazine published a report describing the desecration of the Qur’an by Guantanamo interrogators, including throwing a copy of the holy book into a toilet to breaj the Muslim prisoners.


Rahim arrived back in Pakistan after he was released from Camp X-Ray last month.


He was arrested in Peshawar in 2001 and handed over to U.S. custody.


Rahim also said that Muslim detainees at Guantanamo were kept in cages like animals.


“The cages were made of steel and also the beds on which we used to sleep. At times we created lots of noise by thumping the steel cages that would disturb the Americans.”


SOURCE: AlJazeera

Sahih Muslim




Book 034, Number 6447:


'A'isha (radiallaha anha) reported Allah's Messenger (salallaho alaihi wasallam)


as saying: The most despicable amongst persons in the eye of Allah is one who


tries to fall into dispute with others (for nothing but only to display his


knowledge and power of argumentation).

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Bismillah


as salam alykom I found this on another fourm I really though I must share it with u all my dear sisters


The fact that it is a brother's thoughts makes it really something


At first I posted at banat (the girls only room) then I thought that all members must have a chance to read it.


May Allah Allow us all to benefit


================================================== ======


Living with the Illness


By Abu Muhammad


Webster’s dictionary defines a disease as an abnormal


condition of an organism or part that impairs normal


physiological functioning, especially as a result of


infection, inherent weakness, or environmental


stress-and a condition or tendency, as a society,


regarded as abnormal and harmful.


"I have been cured of that disease." Those words ring


in my ears continuously, haunting me ever since one of


my best friends in the world said them to me a couple


of years ago. This disease has caused me a lot of


anxiety in the last month or so. I think it is the


root of my recent visit to the doctor’s office with a


migraine brought on by my blood pressure being


147/110. Maybe it is not the disease, but the stress


of having to tell my wife of 13 years that I have it.


I still remember the first time I saw her. We were not


Muslims then, and for me, it was love at first sight.


Love at first sight seems to be somewhat of a myth,


but I distinctively remember seeing her for the first


time in September of 1990. I remember she was engaged


to be married to another guy; I could see the humility


in her face, in her walk, in her eyes-in spite of the


fact that she was very beautiful. I remember saying a


prayer that night. I remember saying, "God (I called


Him God back then. It wasn’t until 6 years later that


I learned His name is Allah), please, if you can send


me a woman like her, I would be truly grateful."


So it was-the supplication; from a sincere heart to my


Lord. About a year later, I met her. She and her


fiancé broke-up about a week before. Eight months


later, she and I were married-the woman of my dreams,


and she still is. This gift from my Lord was just one


of the many supplications of mine that were answered.


I have truly been blessed by Him through her-and I


mean that from the depths of my soul. I owe my


position, my strength, my achievements, my wonderful,


well-behaved, intelligent children to her presence in


my life; Alhamdulillah. Now all of that is threatened.


I have to tell her that I have the disease.


She and I have been through so much, and Allah Ta’ala


has kept us together, has kept her strong. She IS the


strongest woman I know. I feel that through her is how


Allah Ta’ala has blessed me, and my family, and


without her I will be lost. I truly believe that. When


I think of hurting her it pains me tremendously.


Sincerely, it hurts me. I am scared. I am scared of


losing her. But I do fear Allah more. I pray Allah has


mercy on us and makes it easy. You pray for us also


please.


Why me? Ya Allah, why me? The Muslim ummah today has


so few of us that are unfortunate enough to be


inflicted with this disease, and it has caused the


destruction of many families. In my humble opinion,


this destruction has occurred because those inflicted


did not take it seriously enough. The destruction is


rarely caused by the disease itself. Nevertheless, it


is very serious to me-so here I am-resorting to


expressing my thoughts, my pains, my anxiety on this


paper, instead of to the one whom I should be able to


discuss everything with. I fear that my partner, my


best friend, my foundation in this dunya will never


forgive me.


"I have been cured of that disease." (echoes)


There was another Muslim man who had a very strong


influence on my development as a Muslim. This brother,


my uncle in Islam, taught me many things, and through


his guidance, I grew and stayed focused on


Ahl-ul-Sunnah. Alhamdulillah. I remember he talked


about this disease to me once. It was the only time we


ever discussed it. It was a brief conversation that


also stuck with me, chiming in my ears since the first


days of my Shahadah in 1996. Concerning this disease


(he didn’t refer to it as a disease then), he said


that it makes the Muslims look bad in the eyes of the


people we are trying to give daw’ah to (i.e.


Americans). Another weight! Ya Allah! I don’t want to


make the Muslims look bad.


I just talked to my wife today. It is March 18, 2005,


and it has been the middle of December 2004 since I


have seen my family and held them and kissed them. I


talk to them at least twice every day on the phone. I


had a long conversation with her and I was brought to


tears while telling her how much I love her and how


much she means to me. In my heart and in my mind,


there is not a woman that can fill her shoes, or can


replace the love and respect that I have for her-the


respect as a Muslimah, as a woman, as a wife, and as a


mother. I told her all of that.


"I have been cured of that disease." (echoes)


So here I am. A Muslim man, a Muslim husband, and a


Muslim father, and I just got married again on March


21st, 2005. The disease has caught hold of me and it


will affect me the rest of my life. Why me? What makes


me think that I am so special that I can or should do


this? Why me when no one else that I know has done it?


So what Allah has made it permissible! So what it is a


Sunnah of Rasulullah (saw)! Just because it is


permissible, and just because it is a Sunnah, doesn’t


mean that I, ME of all people, should make it a part


of my life. I have heard many brothers say, "It is the


Sunnah." They would say it with no real understanding


of the concept; as if it was as easy has entering the


bathroom with the left foot. It is almost like their


excuse to practice it.


My dear brother who coined the _expression, "I have


been cured of that disease" explained to me how he


became cured. Apparently, after or during a failed


attempt to marry another lady, his wife listed some of


the things he was deficient in as a Muslim, husband,


and a father. Armed with the knowledge and


understanding that he was not the great person he


thought he was, and that he was just an average


husband (my addition), he realized that he needed to


improve himself in these aspects before he could


consider taking another wife. If he was not the


perfect Muslim man, Muslim husband, or Muslim father,


how could he possibly think he could succeed with


another wife, another family? I guess he is trying to


attain the level of the sahabah (ra). Hey, good luck


with that akh (short for akhi).


So now the question comes to me. How can I justify


marrying another woman after all my wife has been


through and done for me? How can I justify marrying


another woman after knowing all of my imperfections?


How can I justify marrying another woman while my wife


is at home raising our three sons? She teaches them


through a home-school curriculum. She does this all by


herself. She does this by herself because I am away


working in another country. Even when I was home, she


did all of the things related to the home on her


own-and this is how I repay her! I feel ungrateful. I


feel depressed. I feel sad. Now I have to deal with


this and I need Allah Ta’ala to provide me with the


strength, the patience, and the wisdom to be


successful and guide my family and now families


through the turmoil that is at hand. Is it supposed to


be like this?


"I have been cured of that disease." (echoes)


For now, I must wrestle with all of these emotions


bottled up. I feel I can’t discuss these issues with


anyone, because the disease is too taboo. I feel like


I am doing something wrong. I am afraid of being


ostracized. I am afraid of being looked at as


insensitive and cruel. I am afraid of being looked at


as an ingrate. I am afraid that my wife will be


ashamed to show her face outside again because her


husband has that disease we all fear.


I remember we (us brothers) used to talk and joke


about it frequently. We knew in our minds that the


possibility of one of us having more than one wife was


slim to none. You know non-Muslims like to joke about


it too. HaHa! "You Muslims can have 12 wives!" HaHa!


When we used to joke about it, it was always in the


parameters of Islam, and almost always ends with, "My


wife would kill me!"


I had formed my impression that Muslim men had become


so weak that they are afraid of their wives. For many


years I have seen rich Muslims in their huge mansions,


and only one wife, while there were sisters in the


same community on food stamps and welfare trying to


survive and keep their iman in check. I would cry


sometimes reflecting on their situations. I justly


concluded that this was due to the husbands being


afraid of their wives. I didn’t understand how this


could be. One of the reasons I came to Islam is


because it had all the answers to every predicament


and hardship in life. Then I learned there is a


difference between Islam and Muslims. I digress.


I think in the past, when I had made attempts at


polygyny, deep down I knew it would not come to pass.


I think that is why I probably was so stubborn about


it. I was not afraid of my wife and no one could say I


was! Now, that it is not only plausible, but Allah had


made it very, very easy for me to marry again in a


time when I truly needed it, it seems too real-almost


surreal. Financially, my wife will not know the


difference one way or the other. She won’t feel the


affects of another wife at all in that respect. I


would be married for two months before I tell her. She


might notice an increase of attention and affection


that I give to her. I think it is because now that I


have another wife, I realize even more how much I


love, respect, and appreciate her (my first wife). I


decided to wait until I go home for a visit and tell


her face-to-face. I am thinking of just giving her


this mode of _expression I am writing now as the


means.


I can’t justify my actions. Today we need


justification for doing this right? I can only say


that it has become obligatory for me to marry again.


Rasulullah (saw) said, "Young men, those of you who


can marry should marry for it lowers the gaze and


protects the private parts." (Bukhari & Muslim) I am


working in an area that is completely void of Islam


and Muslims except for the two brothers that work in


this same area, and now, the one new sister, my new


wife. Alhamdulillah. So it is the four of us in an


area with hundreds of thousands of people. Among them


all, I am the most knowledgeable in Qur’an and Sunnah.


That in itself is scary! Because I know jack! My


protection from fitnah was nil and it was becoming


increasingly difficult for me with my personality and


character. Alhamdulillah for saving me from the


Hellfire!


I wish I was more like Rasulullah (saw). Less than


that, I wish I was more like brother Yusuf or Khalid


(very good friends of mine who fear Allah


tremendously)! Hey, that is who I can talk to. I wish


my fear of Allah was such that I would become recluse


and detached from this society where I would not be in


this position.


"I have been cured of that disease." (echoes)


How would I do daw’ah, if I became a recluse? If that


happens, I am forsaking an actual obligation of Allah.


This society is in desperate need of Islam. How can I


give daw’ah if it causes me to talk to women? I found


myself in a very difficult and awkward position. Islam


has the solution to all our problems and the answers


for the problems of these people as well. Why could I


not find the solution to this problem without


contracting the disease? Of course now I can give


daw’ah in the presence of my new wife, but could I


have done something else? I heard of the, "Just give


them daw’ah material to read and let them go"


response. I don’t know if I completely agree with that


concept, but then again, I really do not know anything


about being a good Muslim. I am searching for the


answers myself, and polygyny can’t possibly be the


only solution. Could it?


So what about my wife? Is she not suffering being away


from me all this time? Does she not need companionship


while I am away? I must be a monster for doing this to


her. At least that is what I expect the Muslim sisters


to say, and some Muslim brothers-and at times, I feel


the same way about myself. All of these questions flow


through my mind continuously.


So now what do I do? I have to think about these ideas


and emotions that are stressing me and apply the


Qur’an and Sunnah. I know my wife loves me


tremendously. I know she says that she loves me so


much that she can not share me. How do I answer that?


How should I feel about that? If my wife really found


that she cannot share me because she loves me too


much, this might be an indication that she loves me


more than she loves Allah and the truth of Islam.


And Allah(swt) says regarding this:


"And of mankind are some who take for worship others


beside Allah as rivals. They love them as they love


Allah. But those who believe love Allah more than


anything else. If only, those who do wrong could see,


when they will see the torment that all power belongs


to Allah and that Allah is severe in punishment."


Surah 2, Ayah 165


and in another ayah:


"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your


wives, your kindred, the wealth that you have gained,


the commerce in which you fear a decline, and the


dwellings in which you delight…are dearer to you than


Allah and His Messenger, and Jihad in His cause then


wait until Allah brings about His Decision. And Allah


guides not the people who are the rebellious and


disobedient to Allah" Surah 9,Ayah 24


So if she found herself in such a situation, then


should she not analyze her feelings and see if this


love is a prohibited love which exceeds the limits and


is stronger to me than it is to Allah and the


Messenger and the truth of Islam?


What about the fact that this is going to be


unbearable for her? How can I expect her to handle


this situation after she has learned that I have


"betrayed" her?


Allah Ta’ala says:


"…No person shall have a burden laid on him greater


than he can bear…" (2:233)


"…Allâh does not want to place you in difficulty…"


(5:6)


"We have not sent down the Qur'ân unto you to cause


you distress," (20:2)


Rather, Allah sent the Qur’an and the Messenger (saw)


as a mercy for us:


"And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a


mercy for the 'Alamîn. " (21:107)


"…So now has come unto you a clear proof from your


Lord, and a guidance and a mercy…" (6:157)


"Certainly, We have brought to them a Book which We


have explained in detail with knowledge, - a guidance


and a mercy to a people who believe." (7:52)


The last ayah says that the Qur'an is a mercy and


guidance for those who believe-and one of the verses


in the Qur'an which is a mercy and guidance for the


believers is regarding polygyny:


"…then marry women of your choice, two or three, or


four…" (4:3)


So this verse is not an exception from the mercy which


the Qur’ân brings for the believers. How could it be


possible for polygyny to be a mercy from Allah and


unbearable and impossible to handle at the same time?


I guess it would be relevant to mention at this time


that Islam brings mercy not only to the individual


himself but for the whole of the society and it


benefits the society and helps to solve the problems


of the society as a whole. So even if polygyny was


something difficult to the individual woman it is a


way for her sisters to gain the blessing of the


marriage and the protection of the husband and it


solves the social problems in the society when the


muslim women out number the muslim men. But there I go


again, trying to justify my actions.


"I have been cured of that disease." (echoes)


More stress! Not only do I have the stress of breaking


this news to my wife, but I now have to worry about


how to bring my new wife into the country when my time


is finished here. The easiest solution of course is to


ask my wife to divorce me on paper so that I can marry


this new sister according to the civil law as well. Is


that not a slap in the face! What am I going to do? I


have to find out what the Shari’ah says about that. I


know there are varying opinions on the matter. I even


devised the plan of what to say. "If you divorce me on


paper so that I can marry this sister by civil law, we


will set the term for three years of civil law


marriage or until she can get citizenship. Then I can


divorce her on paper and marry you again for the same


amount of time so I don’t do injustice to either of


you. Or, I will just not be married to you or her by


civil law. It would make it easier for all of us.


Whichever you decide is best, is ok with me." I can


see that going over like a turd in the punchbowl! The


whole concept sounds absurd-but what can we do?


Ya Allah!


If she doesn’t accept that suggestion, the only


alternative is for all of us to move to another


country. Being US citizens, we have the advantage of


being able to travel anywhere in the world without


much hassle in obtaining visas. Alhamdulillah. But for


sure, I can not leave my new wife here in her country.


I would expect that it would not be too difficult for


her to get a visa to another "Third World Nation."


I am at lost for words and I am scared. But for now, I


am safe from the Shaytan. Alhamdulillah. At least I


can be happy for that, for now. If nothing else, let


it be said that I feared Allah more than I feared all


those other things. Pray for us!


Subhanakallahu huma wa bihamdika wa ashahadu anla


ilaha illah anta astaghfruku watubu ‘ilaik.


Note: I have used the word disease in this mode of


_expression, not only because my brother in Islam used


it, but because I began to understand that we have


begun to treat polygyny as a disease. I used it in


this artistic fashion to express my concern of the


state and direction of our Ummah, the followers of


Rasulullah (saw) and to demonstrate the gravity of our


disdain for this Sunnah. Webster’s dictionary defines


a disease as an abnormal condition of an organism or


part that impairs normal physiological functioning,


especially as a result of infection, inherent


weakness, or environmental stress-and a condition or


tendency, as a society, regarded as abnormal and


harmful. WOW!! Subhanallah! If that is not how we view


polygyny today, I can’t give a more accurate


description. We are treating a Sunnah of our beloved


Prophet (saw) and his companions (ra) like it is a


disease. I am trying to wrap my mind around that


concept. I pray that Allah Ta’ala forgives us. Ameen!

Yesterday, the khutbah at my mosque was about the word ALHAMDULILLAH... being thankful to Allah, for the bad, as well as the good. The Arabic word "Hamd" meaning "Praise" is a word used ONLY for thanking Allah... And it is just so good to be grateful to Allah for EVERYTHING. Remember that the first word of the Holy Qur'an is "ALHAMDULILLAH" ... If we can't live by that one word, how will we ever be able to live by the whole Qur'an, the Book of Allah?


Another part of the khutbah was about love. Allah gave us the love for our families (Mashallah! Nothing good like spending a good day with your family, spending time together, bonding etc. May Allah bless our families and help us all stay together in love and in harmony. Ameen.), our careers, and love for money... yes that is from Allah too! Yet, Shaitaan uses it the most to misguide us from the Path of Allah. We ARE expected to live in this world, have a career, earn money, and enjoy life in general. However, we should NEVER EVER forget that all these things are temporary. They have just been loaned to us by Allah as a "free trial". If we use these things correctly, in the way specified by Allah, and we ALWAYS remember to thank Him, then we will inshallah be able to have these things permanently in the Hereafter...

Shaykh Abdullah Quilliam


William Henry Quilliam was born in 1856, Liverpool, as the son of a watch manufacturer Robert Quilliam, and a descendant of Captain John Quilliam RN, who was First Lieutenant on HMS Victory with Nelson. He qualified as a solicitor and established the largest advocacy practice in the North. In 1882 Quilliam visited southern France to recover from overwork and crossed over to Algeria and Morocco. There he learned about Islam and at the age of 31 proclaimed himself to be Muslim.


He returned to Liverpool in 1889 to spread Islam as Sheikh Abdullah Quilliam. Converts included his sons, prominent scientists and professionals. His mother was a Methodist activist until 1893 when at the age of 63 she converted. Local Muslims gave her the title Khadijah (Mother of the Faithful). After accepting Islam, Quilliam was reported to have attended court dressed in full Turkish regalia and as travelling on a white Arab horse! Quilliam set up a prayer and meeting room with the community in Mount Vernon Street. He managed to publish three editions of The Faith of Islam which was subsequently translated into thirteen languages. Quilliam became famous throughout the Islamic world. The Sultan of Turkey made him Sheikh-Ul-Islam of Britain and his son became British Consul General in Turkey. The Sultan of Morocco made him an Alim and the Shah of Persia also appointed him as Consul. A gift of £2,500 was donated to the community by the Sultan of Afghanistan.



This was used to establish the Islamic Institute and Liverpool Mosque in Broughton Terrace, Liverpool. A hundred Muslims could pray there. The Friday Prayer sermons were both in English and Arabic. In the basement the group set up a printing press and commenced publishing The Crescent weekly and a monthly journal, The Islamic Review which was later distributed to over twenty countries worldwide. Nearly two thousand illegitimate births occurred annually in Liverpool during this period and many women turned to the Institute for help. To counter this growing problem, Quilliam founded the Medina Home to care for children and to find them foster families. The Institute also started a Muslim College with courses for Muslims and non-Muslims in arts, science and law. Teachers included Professor Haschem Wilde and Professor Nasrullah Warren. A weekly Debating and Literary Society attracted many non-Muslims. They were also invited to the Institute for prayers and sermons on Sunday.


There was singing from Quilliam's collection of hymns for English-speaking Muslims. These meetings brought a hundred and fifty non-Muslims to Islam by 1896! Quilliam continually faced opposition, arguing for everything from the right to make the public call to prayer to British interference in the Sudan. As his success increased - so did the level of harassment. The muezzin of the mosque was often pelted with snowballs, stones and dirt. Firecrackers were thrown at the mosque and glass was ground into the carpets to cut the feet of the worshippers. The Church and elements of the media in particular were quite antagonistic. On one occasion a group of local Baptists stood up in the middle of one of Abdullah Quilliam's sermons to preach in what they referred to as the "heathen temple".



The leader of the band said that Quilliam was "...a man sent by the devil to deceive you and lead you into the eternal fire where the worm dieth not" and pointing to the fez caps on the heads of the members of the congregation,


stated "and these are the regimentals worn by his soldiers." In a Christian journal, 'The Crusader', Quilliam was described as "this arch -infidel and renegade from the Christian faith" and was pronounced as proof of possession by the devil. Quilliam had the courage and the audacity to openly criticise the imperialist policies of the Government and denounced the colonisation and suppression of foreign territories:- "An American explodes a bomb in the crowded streets of Constantinople and slays innocent women and children and , because he calls himself a Christian he is extolled in England as a hero and as a patriot! An Afghan fights for his fatherland in the Khyber Pass, and because he is a Muslim he is denounced as a traitor and a rebel, and his land is to be raided and his wives and children slain. Such is the British Christian logic at the end of the 19th Century in the diamond jubilee year of the reign of the Queen Empress." The group suffered indignities because the adoption of Islam implied a rejection of Queen and country in the eyes of the wider community - especially at a time when the Empire was at loggerheads with the Ottoman Caliphate.


As well as having the ability to write authoritatively on Christianity and Judaism, Quilliam was a remarkable visionary:- "At the present time union is more than ever necessary among Muslims. The Christian powers are proposing a new crusade to shatter the Muslim powers, under the pretext that they desire to civilise the world. This is nothing but hypocrisy, but armed as they are with the resources of Western civilisation it will be impossible to resist them unless Muslims stand united as one solid phalanx." Within 30 years of this statement, the Khilafah was destroyed. Quilliam left for the East in 1908 and in his absence the Mosque and the Institute declined.



The mosque on Brougham Terrace is now the Registry for Births, Deaths and Marriages. On October 10 1997, Patricia Gordon, the granddaughter of Shaykh Abdullah Quilliam unveiled a plaque in the building to honour the founding of the oldest mosque in Britain and to celebrate the events that happened there. In an emotional address she recalled: " My greatest memory of him, is being compassionate at all times, a man of great courage and way ahead of his time, and a credit to Islam. He gave me an understanding of human emotions and frailties, in fact a catalogue of everything of everything one would wish to see in us all."


ISLAM : The Religion Of Life



Oh, Allah: lead me onward,


Nor let my footsteps fall,


While marching to the graveside,


That waiteth there for all.


Smooth thou the rugged pathway,


That lead toward the goal,


To which each pious Muslim,


Directs his heart and soul.


Protect me when in danger,


In sorrow comfort give,


Al-Hafiz, God Preserver! It is by Thee we live.


And when my life be over,


And all my race is run,


Al-Jannah be my portion Al-Latif, Gracious One!


- by Shaykh Abdullah Quilliam, published in The Crescent, December 1895.