Assalamu aleikum,


Found some beautiful poems that I want to share with you.


ISLAM



Islam is a way of life, try it


Islam is a gift, accept it.


Islam is a journey, complete it


Islam is a struggle, fight for it.


Islam is an opportunity, take it.


Islam is not for sinners, overcome it.


Islam is not a game, don't play with it.


Islam is not a mystery, behold it.


Islam is not a for rewards, behold it.


Islam is not for the dead, live it.


Islam is a promise, fulfill it


Islam is a duty, perform it.


Islam is a treasure (the prayer), pray it.


Islam is a beautiful way of life, see it.


Islam has a message for you , hear it.


Islam is love, love it.


ALLAH KNOWS BEST



Allah knows what's best for us


so why should we complain.


We always want the sunshine


But allah knows there must be a rain


we always want the laughter and the merriment of cheer


but our hearts will lose their tenderness if we never shed a tear


allah tests us often with sufferings and with sorrows


he tests us not to punish us


but to help us meet tomorrow


for growing trees are strengthened


if they will stand the storm and sharp cut of the chisel gave the marble grace and form.


allah tests us often and for every pin he gives us


provided we're patient is followed by rich gain.


so whenever we are down and whenever we feel that everything is going wrong


it is just allah's way to make our spirit strong.


THE QURAN



A book that is full of answers


A book that makes you cry,


A book that makes you notice how much harder you can try


A book that makes you realize what true love really is


A book that gives you direction for all of life's tough biz


A book that gives you hope that someone somewhere is watching over you


A book that helps you out through all the times you're blue


A book that was revealed to our beloved prophet over a period of 23 years


once you put faith into this book you can handle worldly fears


A gift sent down from heaven


A treasure from above


Written proof tat shows us how blessed we are with allah's love.


BE THANKFUL



Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire,


if you did what would there be to look forward to?


Be thankful when you don't know something,


for it gives you the opportunity to learn.


Be thankful for the difficult times, during those you grow.


Be thankful for your limitations,


because they give you opportunities for improvement


Be thankful for each new challenge,


because it will build your strength and character.


Be thankful for your mistakes,


they will teach you valuable lessons.


Be thankful when you're tired and weary,


because it means you've made a difference.


It is easy to be thankful for the good things,


a life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.


Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.


Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.

Dear All


Man is a moral being, free to choose either good or evil, right or wrong. The basic questions are: what is good? what is evil? why good is good? why evil is evil?, These questions are the topic of ETHICS where Laws according to which OUGHT to happen are discussed. In this way ETHICS relates more to feelings than to the concrete world and incorporates instinctive behavior; within the purview of Mechanistic Theory of Life. The scale of values helps to determine which of the two goods is the higher and which the lower. Reason tells only about relative values. Ethics cannot even give a definite answer to the question as to whether there are absolute values and if so, how they can be known. It tends to define values in subjective terms, only in relation to the particular experiencing individual. It amounts to a tacit denial of an objective system of values, valid for all men at all times. Islam involves belief in objective, absolute values as moral standard. These values are given in the Holy Quran – the only source of our knowledge of the highest values on which the character development is based.


Armed with adequate knowledge of values, we can, if we want, give and act in full accord with the immutable moral order of the universe. The knowledge does not only consist in merely the recognition of a value as a value but involves a just estimate of the degree of worth possessed by it also, so that it may be compared with other values. Confronted with a situation where we are called upon to choose between two values, we can then promptly choose the higher and sacrifice the lower value for the sake of the higher. Character is strengthened by our voluntary sacrifice of a lower value to secure a higher one. When a man has to choose, for example, between life and money, he does not hesitate to throw away money and save his life. Here instinct backs his choice; but the same man may be forced to choose between life and honour. It is a cruel choice and the man may not reconcile himself to the loss of either of the two extremely precious things. Choosing the higher and sacrificing the lower value is the character development . National reconstruction and character development are intrinsically linked with Values Education whether these be through democratic values, through our system of education and curriculum at all levels: primary, secondary and tertiary. According to the Holy Quran, the five principles, are the five fundamental facts which one has to accept in order to become a Momin:


1.      100 % believe in - Eiman in Allah Almighty


2.      Believe in - Eiman in the law of Mukafat (law of Requital) and the life hereafter


3.      Believe in - Eiman in Malaika, the heavenly forces


4.      Believe in - Eiman in the revealed Books


5.      Believe in - Eiman on Messengers of Allah Almighty


Where-as;


*   To have Eiman in Allah Almighty means to have conviction in His existence, to trust His every word, to depend/trust the laws given by Him and declare that one would obey those laws.


* To have Eiman in the law of Mukafat means to have firm conviction in that law: the natural consequences of actions, and to have faith in the continuity of life after death.


*  To have Eiman in the existence of Malaika means to believe that all the heavenly forces are in operation in the universe to bring into reality the tasks/programs given to them by Allah Almighty and to have faith that all the heavenly forces have bowed before man or have been ordered to come within his reach, or man has been made capable of conquering them after doing research.


* To have Eiman in Anbiya / Messengers means that man’s intellect alone cannot safely reach the destination – this guidance has been provided in Wahi / revelation, through the chosen people called Anbiya and whatever the Creator and Sustainer of this universe wished to be given for the enrichment and growth of human personality were communicated in its most perfect form and for the very last time through Rasool Allah Muhammad peace be upon him.


Regards


Nawaz


www.parvez-video.com

Bismillah


as salam alykom dear brothers and sisters in Islam


For a week I was trying to find a hadeeth in which the Messenger said what means that at time when people are busy with wrong celebrations, drinking, dancing, committing sins, at that time when a Muslim takes a side, detaches from all that, keeps himself/herself busy with Quran and prayer shall be rewarded much.


BUt could not find the hadeeth. but at least we know we should go against what the Mushrekeen are doing. So brothers and sisters, spend the night praying and reading Quran, dont even watch TV or a movie just to confirm that we are going against what they are doing.


Let us all tonight remember Allah more, resort to Allah more, and take His sheild against the temptations around specially at this night.


let us be among a group who remembers Allah when He is at most Forgotten

The Muslims entered Sind, India, in 711 C.E., the same year they entered Spain. Their entry in India was prompted by an attempt to free the civilian Muslim hostages whose ship was taken by sea pirates in the territory of Raja Dahir, King of Sind. After diplomatic attempts failed, Hajjaj bin Yusuf, the Umayyad governor in Baghdad, dispatched a 17-year-old commander by the name Muhammad bin Qasim with a small army. Muhammad bin Qasim defeated Raja Dahir at what is now Hyderabad in Pakistan. In pursuing the remnant of Dahir's army and his son’s supporters (Indian kings), Muhammad bin Qasim fought at Nirun, Rawar, Bahrore, Brahmanabad, Aror, Dipalpur and Multan. By 713 C.E., he established his control in Sind and parts of Punjab up to the borders of Kashmir. A major part of what is now Pakistan came under Muslim control in 713 C.E. and remained so throughout the centuries until some years after the fall of the Mughal Empire in 1857.


Muhammad bin Qasim’s treatment of the Indian population was so just that when he was called back to Baghdad the civilians were greatly disheartened and gave him farewell in tears. There was a Muslim community in Malabar, southwest India as early as 618 C.E. as a result of King Chakrawati Farmas accepting Islam at the hands of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Muslim presence as rulers in India dates from 711 C.E. Since then, different Muslim rulers (Turks of Central Asia, Afghans, and the descendants of the Mongol - the Mughals) entered India, primarily fought their fellow Muslim rulers, and established their rule under various dynastic names. By the eleventh century, the Muslims had established their capital at Delhi, which remained the principal seat of power until the last ruler of Mughal Dynasty, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was deposed in 1857 by the British. A few British visitors were given permission by Akbar to stay in Eastern India more than two centuries before. The British abused that privilege, and within a few decades the British began to collaborate with Rajas and Nawabs in military expeditions against the Mughals and Muslim rulers of the east, southeast and south India. After two centuries of fighting, the British succeeded in abolishing the Mughal rule in 1857.


Muslims were a minority when they ruled major parts of India for nearly a thousand years. They were well liked generally as rulers for their justice, social and cultural values, respect for freedom to practice religion as prescribed by the religion of various communities, freedom of speech, legal system in accordance with the dictates and established norms of each religious community, public works and for establishing educational institutions. In their days as rulers, the Muslims constituted about twenty percent of India's population. Today, Indian Muslims constitute about fifteen percent of India's population, about 150 million, and they are the second largest Muslim community in the world.


The region now part of Pakistan and many other parts of India were predominantly Muslim. After the British takeover in 1857, many of these areas remained under loose control of Muslims. When the British decided to withdraw from India without a clear direction for the future of Muslims (former rulers), a political solution was reached for some of the Muslim majority areas. This resulted in the division of India and the creation of Pakistan in 1947.


Among the famous Muslims scientists, historians and travelers who visited and lived, though briefly, in India were Al-Biruni, Al-Masu'di, and Ibn Battuta. Their writings illuminate us with the Indian society and culture. Al-Biruni stayed in India for twenty years. Ibn Battuta, an Andalusian who was born in Morocco, served as a Magistrate of Delhi (1334-1341) during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Tughluk. It is conceivable that Ibn Battuta’s description of Muslim India inspired Ferdinand and Isabella who had taken over the last Muslim kingdom of Granada, Spain in 1492. That same year Columbus received the permission in the Alhambra palace (of Granada) and made his famous voyage bound for India in search of gold and spice but he landed in the Americas.

Dear Brothers, I am grateful to be here writing in this forum. I sometimes take passages from or harunyahya's books for your information.


True believers remain grateful to God even under harshest conditions. Someone looking from outside may see the diminishing of some blessings believers enjoy. However, believers, who are able to perceive the good aspect of every event and situation, see goodness in this too. For example, God states that He will test people with fear, hunger and loss of wealth or life. In such a situation, believers rejoice and feel grateful, hoping that God will reward them with the gifts of paradise in return for the steadfastness they displayed in this test. They know that God does not impose on anyone more than he can bear. The steadfastness and submission of such awareness lead them to patience and gratitude. Therefore, it is an obvious attribute of believers to show unwavering dedication and submission and God promises to expand His blessings on His grateful servants both in the life of this world and in the hereafter.


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And when your Lord announced: "If you are grateful, I will certainly give you increase, but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe."' (Surah Ibrahim: 7)

Allah indicates the purpose of man in the following verse:


<b>That which is on earth We have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them – as to which of them are best in conduct. (Surat al-Kahf: 7)</b>


In doing so, Allah expects man to remain His devoted servant all through his life. In other words, the world is a place where those who fear Allah and those who are ungrateful to Allah are distinguished from each other. The good and the evil, the perfect and the flawed are side by side in this "setting". Man is being tested in many ways. In the end, the believers will be separated from the disbelievers and attain the Paradise. In the Qur'an it is described thus: We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. (Surat al-'Ankabut: 2-3)


In order to have an understanding of the essence of this test, one needs to have a deep understanding of one's Creator whose existence and attributes are revealed in everything that exists. He is the Creator, the Possessor of infinite power, knowledge, and wisdom. He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Bestower of Forms. To Him belong the most beautiful names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, declare His glory: and He is the Exalted in might, the Wise. (Surat al-Hashr: 24)


Allah created man from clay, endowed him with many features, and bestowed many favors upon him. Nobody acquires the traits of seeing, hearing, walking or breathing by himself. Moreover, these complex systems were placed in his body in the womb before he was born and when he was without any ability to perceive the outer world.


Given all these traits, what is expected of man is to be a servant of Allah. However, as Allah makes clear in the Qur'an, the majority of people are "wrongdoers" and "ungrateful" to their Creator, for they refuse submission to Allah. They suppose that life is long and that they possess the individual strength to survive.


That is why their purpose is to "make the most of their lives while they last". They forget death and the hereafter. They endeavor to enjoy life and to attain better living standards. Allah explains the attachment of these people to this life in the following verse:


<b>As to these, they love the fleeting life, and put away behind them a day (that will be) hard. (Surat al-Insan: 27) </b>


Disbelievers endeavor to taste all the pleasures of this life. Yet, as the verse implies, life passes very quickly. This is the crucial point that the majority of people fail to remember.


Countless examples of the perfection of the creation surround man all over the world: gorgeous landscapes, millions of different kinds of plants, the blue sky, clouds heavy with rain, or the human body – a perfect organism full of complex systems. These are all breathtaking examples of creation, reflection on which provides deep insight.


Allah calls upon man to reflect on this in the following verse:


<b>The likeness of the life of the present is as the rain which We send down from the skies: by its mingling arises the produce of the earth – which provides food for men and animals: (It grows) till the earth is clad with its golden ornaments and is decked out (in beauty): the people to whom it belongs think they have all powers of disposal over it: There reaches it Our command by night or by day, and We make it like a harvest clean-mown, as if it had not flourished only the day before! Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who reflect. (Surah Yunus: 24) </b>


In this verse, it is shown that everything on this earth deemed nice and beautiful will lose its beauty one day. Moreover, they will all disappear from the surface of this earth. This is a very important point to ponder since Allah informs us that He gives such examples "for those who think". As an intelligent being, what is expected from man is to think and to take lessons from events and finally to set rational objectives for his life. "Thought" and "comprehension" are the unique traits of man; without these traits man lacks his most distinctive features and becomes lower than the animals. Animals also lead lives which are similar in many respects to human lives: they breathe, breed, and, one day, die. Animals never think why and how they are born, or that they will die one day. It is very natural that they do not engage in an effort to comprehend the real objective of this life; they are not expected to think about the purpose of their creation or about the Creator.

Dear All


To Elaborate The Concept of Governance The following example will make this process clear:


The responsibility of the Nabi / Messenger, to whom Divine Guidance was revealed, was not only to communicate his revelation, but also to establish a system of governance encompassing socio-politico-economic order in the light of the Guidance. Our Rasool / Messenger Muhammad peace be upon him has established this system, guarantying thereby complete equality of all human beings. The pursuit of individual interests was replaced by the ideal of good of the humanity at large. Oppression and exploitation were uprooted; and justice and equity prevailed. The dependence of human upon human and the subjugation of one over another were brought to an end. Every individual was assured the proper satisfaction of his/her needs. In this way they led a full life of satisfaction, peace and harmony. They did not owe obedience to any person or power, or authority except the Divine Laws enshrined in the Quran. Briefly, that system completely put an end to the rule of human over human, in any form, and with it the evil of capitalism. This system was called Deen in the Quranic terminology. This System of Governance prevailed during the time of Muhammad peace be upon him and for sometime thereafter,but when the forces of exploitation began to raise their ugly heads again. They scored their first success with the establishment of kingship – Mulookiyyat – sustained by capitalism. To ensure their survival and consolidation, these forces availed themselves of the co-operation of man who appeared in the robes of piety and spoke in the name of Allah Almighty. They posed as the interpreters of Allah’s will and thus distorted principles, injunctions, values and tenets of Deen which no longer remained a living force in the society and were reduced to soul-less beliefs, lifeless dogmas and formal, mere, rituals divorced from reason, and realities of life. They framed rules and laws to suit the purpose of monarchy, and sought to keep the common human entangled in the labyrinth of these dogmas and rituals, and the exploiters – religious as well as temporal – were left free to maintain their stranglehold upon the defrauded masses. This was the metamorphosis of Deen into Mazhab or religion, which word – by the way – does not occur anywhere in the Quran. The Quran, the Book of Allah Almighty though remained intact but was never allowed to play any part in the practical life of the Muslims at least for the last 1200 years. 


Epilogue:


So the final analysis of the things is to be kept in mind for the System of Governance is Human body develops by what the individual concerned takes, while their personality develops by what they give. And for this purpose one is required to work hard, earn and produce as much as possible, keep what is basically and essentially necessary for their own upkeep, and hand over the rest to the System of the Governance for meeting out the necessities of others in need. And this entails a System of Education to develop such persons.


Regards


Nawaz


www.parvez-video.com

http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/20...ticle04.shtml#t


<b>US Female Preacher Victim of Hate Crime: Family</b>


A library photo of Iman and her husband


By Ola Attallah, IOL Correspondent


GAZA CITY, December 26 (IslamOnline.net) - The family of a Palestinian female preacher, who was stabbed to death on December 17 in her Louisiana home in the United States, pointed the finger at religious hatred.


Ahmad Jamal Muhanna, the brother of slain Iman, told IslamOnline.net Sunday, December 26, that the grisly killing of his sister showed no sign of forced entry or robbery.


An autopsy showed Iman, who was six months pregnant with a girl, was stabbed 33 times in the upper body, and that some of those wounds were defensive.


“Whoever killed Iman did not target her person but her Da`wah activities and Islam,” said Ahmad, who lives in Gaza City.


Iman, who was 42 when she was killed, had founded the Muslim Academy in Gretna, he added.


Ahmad recalled that in the wake of the 9/11 attacks she had complained of mounting insecurity and bigotry.


“Iman, however, never caved in to religious discrimination or harassment she suffered because of her faith,” he added.


Ahmad further added that his sister was known among the Muslim community in Louisiana as an avid activist and preacher.


“She was loved by her community and non-Muslim Americans alike.”


Iman graduated from the faculty of Islamic studies in the Islamic University in Gaza and was noted for her academic excellence.


The mother of nine-year-old Ahmad also held an MA in Islamic studies from the United States.


She is the sister-in-law of Abdel Halim Al-Ashqar , one of seven candidates in the January 9 election to replace late Palestinian president Yasser Arafat.


Ongoing Probe


Ahmad said an investigation is underway to find the culprit, noting that representatives of the Muslim community gave the government one month to decipher the mystery otherwise they would hire private detectives.


They further placed a bounty on the head of the murderer, he added.


Hate crimes against Arabs and Muslims in the US increased to record levels, by 1,700% in 2001 according to crime statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


A May 2004 report released by the US Senate Office Of Research concluded that the Arab Americans and the Muslim community in the United States have taken the brunt of the Patriot Act and other federal powers applied in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.


Amnesty International further said that racial profiling by US law enforcement agencies had grown over the past three years to cover one in nine Americans, mostly targeting Muslims.


Ina LiLahi Wa Ina ILahai Ra'ja'oon


May Allah accept her as a martyr and let her soul rest in Jennah ameen.

Determination is the most significant attribute of a believer. A believer never loses his enthusiasm and devotion. He engages in his struggle only to earn the pleasure of God. That is why, no difficulty proves to be a hindrance to his endeavours. His only goal is to deserve the favour of his Lord; and he shapes his life accordingly.


God certainly puts the determination of believers to the test in various ways; either by periodically giving them trouble or making them undergo suffering. Details of the test are given in the verse below:


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We shall test you with fear and hunger, with loss of life and property and crops but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. (Al-Baqara, 155)


However, a believer with total commitment displays his patience under all circumstances. God praises this attitude of believers in the following verse:


<b>How many of the prophets fought (in God's way), and with them (fought) large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in God's way, nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And God loves those who are firm and steadfast. Their only words were: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and anything We may have done that transgressed our duty; make us firm of foot and help us against those that resist faith." (Al-Imran, 146-147)</b>


Lack of commitment, on the other hand, is not a trait attributable to believers. The following verse confirms this fact:


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Only those ask you for exemption who do not believe in God and the last day, and whose hearts are fieled with doubt, so that they waver. (Al-Tawba, 45).


Desiring the hereafter and striving for it with all their might, as well as avoidance of extravagance in daily affairs are indications of determination demonstrated by believers. Those who "strive with all their might" are thus described in the Qur'an:


<b>Those who wish for the hereafter, and strive for it with all their might and have faith- they are the ones whose endeavours are acceptable (to God). (Al-Isra, 19)</b>


<b>Determination, consequently, is a significant attribute of believers. Those who seek an "immediate gain and an easy journey" (At-Tawba, 42)</b> fail to show an unyielding determination. Believers, on the other hand, accomplish what is expected of them and display an unchanging determination until they meet their death.


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The community of Kahf, into whose hearts God put courage, (Al-Kahf, 14) sets the best example for believers in the sense of determination. Continuity in worshipping is also important in the sense of consistency. Only death puts an end to the determination of a believer. A believer is responsible for showing patience and fulfilling his pledge to God until death comes.


<b>Truly, those who plight their fealty to you do no less than plight their fealty to God: the hand of God is over their hands: then anyone who violates his oath, does so to the harm of his own soul, and anyone who fulfils his pledge to God, will soon be granted a great reward by God. (Al-Fath, 10)</b>

<b>Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators?</b>


Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Surely, they have no firm belief.


Or are the treasures of your Lord with them, or have they control over them? (At-Tur, 35-37)


The first error a prejudiced person makes is trying to evaluate religion without giving thought to Allah. Sociologists, for example, who do research on religion, can write thousands of books on how religions arose and how they affected societies sociologically. Yet, in spite of all these great academic studies, they cannot understand religion even to a minute extent when compared with those who lead their lives within the boundaries of religion.


Such people are not capable of comprehending the reality of Allah’s unity, which is the basis of religion. Anyone who decides to learn about Islam needs first to understand the existence of Allah. If he does not believe in Allah, he will simply be investigating the Qur’an and Muslims in terms of his own limited vision of life.


The Qur’an thus expresses disapproval of such people: “They disbelieve what they cannot grasp, for they have not yet seen its prophecy fulfilled.” (Yunus, 39) Islam is not a man-made ideology about which half-baked ideas and baseless conclusions can be put forth from the outside. The individual can understand what Islam is about only when he understands the existence of Allah and lives his life as enjoined in the Qur’an.


Essentially, the existence of Allah and the reality that there is no deity other than Allah are crystal clear facts. But in “the society of ignorance” where people fail to use their reasoning due to their habit of indifference and indolence, they grow blind and cannot comprehend this reality. As a matter of fact, that is the reason why they were stigmatized as a “society of ignorance” (Jahilliyah).


One of the many Qur'anic verses about pondering on the existence of Allah records the Almighty’s advice to the Prophet on how he should address the ignorant:


“<b>Say: ‘Think, you, if Allah took away your hearing and your sight, and sealed up your hearts, who - a god other than Allah - could restore them to you?’” The same verse goes on to say: “See how We explain the signs by various symbols; yet they turn aside.” (Al-Anaam, 46) </b>


A brief example can help us enrich our views and remove our innate ignorance.


Let’s assume that there is a person from whose memory everything, including the knowledge of his self-being and his body, has been wiped out. If he found himself on a place like earth, what would he feel like? He would undoubtedly be so amazed and so astonished as to lose his mind out of curiosity. The first thing he would notice would probably be his body. He would not be aware that his body in fact belonged to him in the first place, thinking of it as an external object, like the other things in the scene. Then it would be very interesting for him to be able to control his body parts and make them do what he wanted them to do. He would probably try to figure out the use of his arm by moving it up and down for a while.


He would find very suitable surroundings for his body, the reason for the existence of which would still be unknown to him. There would be safe ground to stand on, a clear image to view, beautiful fragrances to smell, various animals, a proper air temperature exactly suitable to the body, an atmosphere suitable for breathing, and thousands of other sensitive balances. Edible fruits to satisfy his hunger, pure and clear water to cool his parched throat and many more things.


For a moment, let us put ourselves in his position and reflect for a while. In a place like this, would we just go and enjoy ourselves, or be wise enough to ask ourselves some very crucial questions? Would we try to understand who we were, why we were there, what the reason for our existence was, what the reason for the existence of the present order was or, would we simply ignore these questions and be concerned with how much we enjoyed our lives? Would not the first questions come to our minds be as follows:


Who am I?


Who has created me, who has created this perfect body of mine?


Who has created this great order which surrounds me?


What does He, who created everything, want from me? What does He want to show me?


Even an individual with a weak mind would think that there is nothing more important than finding answers to these questions. Someone who pays no attention to them, preferring rather to spend his life in fulfilling his physical needs, amusing himself during the day and sleeping at nights, would undoubtedly be a creature of no understanding at all. Someone must have created his body and his surroundings, and they must have come into being all of a sudden. Once he was created, every second of the rest of his life must also have been dependent on that Superior Being, Who had initially created him. What could be more important than knowing about this Superior Being, Who obviously possesses a great power?


Let us continue with our example and assume that he reaches a city after walking through the land for a while. There are various types of people there, most of whom are pretty vulgar, ambitious and insincere. And almost nobody is thinking about his Owner or the place he is living in. Although everyone has a job, an aim or an ideology, the people of the city cannot bring good order to the city, with which everyone would be content.


Let’s assume he meets some people whom the denizens of the city dislike, and towards whom they feel rage and enmity. As to what these people are like, he sees that they are significantly different from the others in many ways. He feels that, as human beings, they are amiable reasonable, and trustworthy. They look humble and they speak in a clear, moderate and sensible manner. He can easily see that there is nothing wrong with them, so he becomes confused and has doubts as to why the citizenry think otherwise.


Let’s assume he starts a conversation with them and they tell him: “We have a different view of life and think differently from other people because we are aware that there is an Owner of this place and everything in it. We are also aware that His power is above everything and He has created this place and everything else to test and educate us until the day comes when we will leave this place. We have a book which we have received from Him, and we are leading our lives in accordance with this book.”


In such a situation, he might not be a hundred per cent sure whether these people were really telling the truth or not. But he would probably understand that what they were talking about was quite important. He would feel there was nothing more important than obtaining further information about these people at that moment, and he would be extremely curious about the book they were talking about, would he not?


The only thing that stops us from being as sensible as the person in this example is our having been on this earth for a longer period of time. We have experienced a growth process instead of coming into being as an adult all of a sudden, like the person in the story. Consequently, we have to admit that most of us are in a position similar to that of the town people in the example due to our disregard of such questions in our lives. What we should further bear in mind is that almost none of the people in this city actually thought about the questions cited above, found some consistent answers on their own, and finally turned away from the Superior Being, Who created them. In fact, most of them did not even go through these steps, but simply pushed these questions aside and stopped thinking about them, because of their “collective ignorance”.


Are we aware of the fact that the “society of ignorance” we are living in prevents us from answering those crucial questions mentioned above by keeping us occupied with questions like: “What shall I eat tonight, which dress should I wear tomorrow?” or “What is she thinking about me, what should I say to him?”? Unfortunately, this shows nothing but abysmal ignorance although we claim to be living in the “information age”.


Now, you have a chance! Think about the complete ignorance you might have been exposed to by such a “society of ignorance” and ask yourselves the following question, which so far you might not have thought over, or might have brushed aside with insufficient explanations: How did I come into existence?


In order to be able to answer this question, it would be useful to start with the physical beginning of our existence and think about that extraordinary event - “birth”.


The brief history of birth can be summarized as follows:


Sperms are produced literally ‘outside’ of a man’s body. The reason for this is the fact that sperm production can occur only in a suitable environment with a temperature of about 35 degrees Celsius, which is two degrees below the average body temperature. Male testicles are the only body parts with this temperature, as they are rightly placed outside of the body. To bring the temperature to the required level, another mechanism is activated. The skin covering the testicles shrinks when it is cold and sweats when it is hot to keep the temperature of this area stable. Approximately a thousand sperms are produced per minute, and they have a special design that eases their long journey from the man’s testicles to the woman’s egg. A sperm comprises a head, a neck and a tail by the use of which a fish-like movement towards the mother’s uterus takes place.


The head part, which carries the genetic code of the future human being, is covered with a special protective armour. The benefit of this armor is noticed at the entrance of the mother’s uterus. This place is very acidic to protect the mother from microbes and other alien particles like sperms, but by the use of this armor, most sperms manage to stay alive.


Not only sperms are ejaculated to the uterus. Semen is a mixture that consists of many other liquids. These liquids contain sugar that supplies energy to the sperms. Semen, which is a base in its chemical form, neutralizes the acidic environment at the entrance of the uterus and creates a safe environment for sperms. It also makes the environment slippery so that sperms can move along easily. Sperms make a difficult journey inside the body of the mother until they reach the egg. No matter how hard they try to survive, only a thousand sperms out of 200-300 million can make it to the egg.


In the light of this brief information, let’s try to find the answers to some questions that cross our minds: How can a sperm make itself so suitable for entry into the mother’s uterus, about which it knows nothing beforehand? How can a sperm be produced in the male body in a way that it can survive and find its way to the egg in the female uterus in spite of the protective mechanisms of the female body, about which the sperm had no previous idea? How can this happen?


Since a sperm lacks the ability to adapt itself to an unknown environment in advance, the only possible answer to these questions is that it is actually created that way.


Let’s continue with the brief story of birth:


An egg is about half the size of a salt grain. The place where an egg and a sperm meet is called the Fallopian tube. The egg secretes a special fluid that leads the sperms to the egg. As they come closer to the egg, their protective armor is melted by another fluid secreted by the egg. As a result, solvent enzyme sachets appear on the cover of the sperms’ heads. By the use of these enzymes, the sperm that is to fertilize the egg, penetrates the membrane of the egg. When the sperms surround the egg, they race one another to enter to the egg. Mostly, only one sperm fertilizes the egg and from that time on, there is no possibility for another sperm to enter it. Before fertilization, the electric charge of the sperms and the egg are opposite, therefore they attract each other. However, after the entrance of the first sperm, the electrical charge of the egg changes, acquiring a pushing effect on the rest of the sperms.


Finally, the DNA of the male present in the sperm combines with the DNA of the female. At this moment, there forms a new cell (the zygote), that is, a new human being inside the mother’s womb.


After considering this bit of information, a new question comes to our minds: How is it that an egg is prepared to welcome a sperm as if it “knew” that it would meet the sperm? How can this happen? The only possible answer to this question is that the egg is created to be suitable to the sperm by the will of a Creator who has also created the sperms and controls both the sperm and the egg.


The extraordinary nature of birth does not finish with all this. The fertilized egg clings on to the womb by its special knobbly surface. The small protuberances on the surface of the egg jut out and penetrate deep into the mother’s womb like the roots of plants in the ground. The zygote starts to develop through hormones secreted by the mother. The egg keeps receiving nutrition provided by the mother.


With time, the cells divide and grow in number by the two-four-eight-sixteen model. In the beginning, all cells that are formed by the division of old ones have the same properties as each other. Then, all of a sudden, newly formed cells somehow start differentiating, showing separate characteristics, as they are to form different organs of the fetus. The science of today still lacks the competence to give a satisfactory answer to the question of why and how exactly this differentiation of cells takes place and how they form different organs with such perfect organization.


As time passes, a drastic change takes place in the jelly-like fetus. Relatively rough bones start to form inside that soft structure, all of them surprisingly, in their proper places. What’s amazing here, is that while all the cells carry exactly the same characteristics at the beginning, through the differentiating process, some of them turn out to be eye cells sensitive to light, others become nerve cells that perceive heat while yet others form those cells that detect sound vibrations.


Finally the fetus’ construction is completed and a new baby is born into the world. At this stage, it is 100 million times bigger and 6 billion times heavier than its initial form when it was a fertilized egg.


This “brief history” mentioned above concerns us, because it is the story of how we came into being. For us, what can be more important than finding the ultimate Cause and Owner of that great, extraordinary and complex event of our existence? When we glance at this short history, we come across many other questions to which science, which is under the influence of materialism, has not yet found any answers.


But there are still many questions that need to be answered. One of these is: How can cells of the same structure start to gather in groups and form different organs of the body while they multiply?


Actually, there is no answer to these questions about birth other than accepting the presence of a Creator. It would be a great mistake to think that all of these complex operations occur on their own or by chance. How can cells agree to form “human organs”? Let’s think about this a little further. Let’s assume that there are two wise adults who come together and decide to work on an engineering project. Even between these two persons, some misunderstandings will unavoidably occur and this will put the success of the project at risk. Then, how can thousands and millions of cells work together to form an absolutely perfect organization without any mishap? Who would dare to say an answer to this question: “It may be possible by chance”? Some atheist “scientists” of today explain this marvelous occurrence as the “magic of nature”. What does this mean? Who or what is nature? Has not nature also been created?


Another attempt to answer this question might be to refer to the mother and the father—which would be meaningless. The role of parents in this event is in fact, neglible. Neither mother nor the father is aware what goes on within them in the production of gender cells, fertilization and development of fetus. The exact date of birth is unknown to mother who has no control over delivery. In spite of this, mother and father are seen as the “origin of one’s life”? But are they so?


The mother and father are very important to their child, as they play a role in his existence. On the other hand, one never, or only rarely, thinks about ones real Creator. Is not the real Creator, who has the ultimate power and control ones everything including birth, life and death, worth more love and respect? His existence is clear and the existence of any other thing without Him is not possible. No one but Allah can create anyone or any matter on his own, while He neither begets nor is begotten as is stated in the third verse of Al-Ikhlas 3.


The creation is explained in the Qur’an as follows;


<b>“We created man from a quintessence (of clay);</b>


Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed;


Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (fetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the noblest of Creators!” (Al-Mumenoon, 12-14)


This being so, it is clear that there is no difference between ourselves and that man in the story, who was “suddenly” created and become curious about who had created him and everything around him. Of course, he found himself as an adult and without any parents who gave birth to him and raised him. But now that we also know that our coming into existence can in no way be explained by parents, we can consider our situation similar to that of the man in the story.


In such a situation, the most important thing to do is to search exclusively for the truth, to listen to those who claim they have knowledge and evidence about the truth and then to think over what we have been told. Take the man in the story again. As we know, he meets some people in the city who tell him that they can make known to him the Creator Who has created himself and everything around and that there is a book from Him. What do you think he would do? Would he listen to them, or would he simply turn away from them and prefer to be involved with such ordinary, everyday questions like: “What shall I wear tonight, what shall I say to him?” that are daily repeated and will one day become meaningless when death comes to him. Which one of these two choices is the more rational, logical and conscientious? You, without doubt, know the correct answer for this man. But, what about yourself?


What leads up to the event of creation is specifically described in certain other verses of the Quran;


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“Does man think that he will be left uncontrolled, without purpose?


Was he not a drop of sperm emitted in lowly form?


Then he became a leech-like clot; then Allah made and fashioned him in due proportion. And of him He made two sexes, male and female.


Has not He, the same, the power to give life to the dead?” (Al-Qiyama, 36-40)


“Allah created you from dust; then from a sperm-drop; then He made you in pairs. No female conceives, or lays down her load, but with His knowledge. No man is long-lived, nor is a part cut off from his life, but in accordance with His Decree. All this is easy to Allah.” (Fatir, 11) The human is a being created by Allah and as a created entity, he cannot change this fact. He cannot bring any other explanation to his own existence. Since he has been created, he would not be left uncontrolled and irresponsible as emphasized


in the above verses. There is, of course, a purpose for creation. Where then will he find the answer?


There is only one answer to this question and that is in the book that Allah has sent down to him.