Friday, December 13, 2013

Belief in the Unseen


... it is a guidance for the righteous,
Who believe in the unseen...1

TO BELIEVE IN THE 'UNSEEN' is a fundamental constituent of the Muslim faith as mentioned in the verse quoted above. But as has been well demonstrated in the previous chapter, the Quran is a book of reason and rationality which roundly condemns coercion or threat in any form to change human ideas. Thus to interpret this verse to indicate that it promotes blind faith by requiring man to believe in the 'unseen' would stand counter to this Quranic emphasis. Quite to the contrary, to believe in the spurious without evidence and solid justification is what the Quran attributes to the non-believers. It further condemns them for attempting to change the views of the believers by sheer brutality. What then, does the phrase 'Belief in the Unseen' mean? This is the important question which needs to be fully addressed.

One must make an in-depth study of this phrase as a specific term coined by the Quran. The failure to grasp its true meaning may result in serious consequences as happened in the medieval ages during the scholastic debates between different Muslim schools of thought. Some rigid and uncompromising Muslim scholars disallow the use of rationality altogether in matters of faith. They state that the revealed truth by itself is all-sufficient and as such it should be accepted without any rational investigation. Others who oppose this view quote many Quranic verses requiring everyone to abide invariably by the dictates of reason at every stage of decision making and give priority to rationality over blind faith.

But what is faith? How can one have faith without satisfying one's sense of inquiry? Is it not a reality that the majority of common people belonging to all religions believe without actually comprehending the meaning of their belief? They just happen to believe and that is all there is to it.
This is the dilemma which necessarily requires one to address the issue of faith versus reason, and the need to determine the nature of their interrelationship becomes all the more important. As this question is sufficiently covered in the chapter entitled European Philosophy, we shall endeavour not to unnecessarily repeat what has already been covered therein. What is left therefore is to acquire a more elaborate understanding of the term 'unseen'.

To begin with, let us point out that the lack of knowledge about things does not necessarily mean that they do not exist. They may exist, but lie hidden behind the veil of the unknown. Later, either through the course of human investigation or through the agency of Divine revelation, they emerge from the realm of the unseen to that of the seen.

The term 'unseen' in its wider application is employed to cover everything which is not directly visible or audible. Likewise it also covers all that is not directly accessible through other human sensory faculties. In this respect we may also define the unseen as a domain which covers all forms of existence which lie beyond the direct access of the five senses. The things which belong to this category do not remain permanently inaccessible. They are inaccessible only with reference to a given period in time.

All hidden knowledge of perceivable things, whether it pertains to the past, the present or the future, lies within the scope of this category. In other words, we are required to believe in the existence of things which are not known at a given point in time, but do exist and may become known at another point in time. This belief cannot be dubbed as blind faith. The Quran does not require the believers to have faith in anything which is not supported by irrefutable arguments. Hence the unseen covers only such things as may become accessible through the instruments of reason, rationality and deductive logic. The point to be noted here is that the unseen as defined, though not directly perceivable by the senses, is yet verifiable. The rationale of this Quranic injunction is fully supported by human experience.

http://www.alislam.org/library/books/revelation/part_4_section_3.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9ETfdgFhL8#t=512

Hookah the Horrible: the Haram?

Smoking Hookah (aka nargileh, argeelah, narjile, goza, water pipe, sheesha) has become fashionable among educated professionals and college kids in the United States. Smoking has always been a disease of the poor and uneducated, however, Hookah seems to be transcending these bounds. For some reason, hookah smoking has been able to make it out of the ghettos of uneducated Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt and make it to America's university campii. Why are educated, intelligent young people taking up this habit? Is it peer pressure, mental illness, or just a fad?
It's been estimated that 43% of cigarettes in the US are consumed by people with mental illness. Experts feel that smoking leads to depression, and depression leads to smoking. So are these kids using Hookah to help their mental illness?
A study on young people in the United Arab Emirates found that 69% of hookah smokers had a college education, while 23% had a high school education. Are they just ignoring the facts? Or do they not care? Do they have mental health disease?


Further, the myth about smokers losing weight  has been demystified. A recent study has shown that teenagers that smoke are more likely to be obese adults. Probably because if they are making bad choices as teens, they will likely make bad choices as adults. Further, they have an oral addiction. They constantly need to be putting things in their mouth.











Hookah the Horrible: the Haram?

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Kybalion


There is no portion of the occult teachings possessed by the world which have been so closely guarded as the fragments of the Hermetic Teachings which have come down to us over the tens of centuries which have elapsed since the lifetime of its great founder, Hermes Trismegistus, the "scribe of the gods," who dwelt in old Egypt in the days when the present race of men was in its infancy. Contemporary with Abraham, and, if the legends be true, an instructor of that venerable sage, Hermes was, and is, the Great Central Sun of Occultism, whose rays have served to illumine the countless teachings which have been promulgated since his time. All the fundamental and basic teachings embedded in the esoteric teachings of every race may be traced back to Hermes. Even the most ancient teachings of India undoubtedly have their roots in the original Hermetic Teachings.


The Kybalion

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Beloved








Brothers, my peace is in my aloneness.
My Beloved is alone with me there, always.
I have found nothing in all the worlds
That could match His love,
This love that harrows the sands of my desert.
If I come to die of desire
And my Beloved is still not satisfied,
I would live in eternal despair.
To abandon all that He has fashioned
And hold in the palm of my hand
Certain proof that He loves me—
That is the name and the goal of my search.
Rabi´a al-Adawiyya, translation by Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut – ‘Perfume of the Desert’
~~


O Lord,
If tomorrow on Judgment Day
You send me to Hell,
I will tell such a secret
That Hell will race from me
Until it is a thousand years away.
O Lord,
Whatever share of this world
You could give to me,
Give it to Your enemies;
Whatever share of the next world
You want to give to me,
Give it to Your friends.
You are enough for me.
O Lord,
If I worship You
From fear of Hell, burn me in Hell.
O Lord,
If I worship You
From hope of Paradise, bar me from its gates.
But if I worship You for Yourself alone
Then grace me forever the splendor of Your Face.
Rabi´a al-Adawiyya, translation by Andrew Harvey and Eryk Hanut – ‘Perfume of the Desert’

The Story

The Story


A group of bandits once infested the mountains, waiting for passing caravans to rob. A king who lived in a nearby city gathered the best of his soldiers and sent them to the mountains to find the robbers. The soldiers found their hiding places, and waited for the bandits to fall asleep. With nightfall, the robbers fell asleep one by one. In the middle of the night the soldiers attacked, captured them, and brought them back to court.

The king ordered all to be executed. There was a very young man among these thieves, and the king’s minister, taking pity on this youth, asked the king to spare him. Perhaps such a young man could be exposed to a good environment, brought up in a good family, and given teachers to help him to grow to be a better man.

The king warned his minister that the boy was a thief, that such was his identity, despite his youth. But the minister begged to be allowed to try. So the king set the boy free and gave the minister the responsibility of educating the boy. Time passed, and in a few years, the boy began associating with unfit friends, stealing, and eventually killing none other than the son of the minister, running away from the city and joining another group of bandits.

Moral of the Story
Rain is delicate and pure. It pours gracefully upon both field and desert, The field grows flowers, and the desert-thorns

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Islamic Methods for Getting Rid of Negative Energy


Islam has several practices that can help its followers dispel negative energy. By clearing the mind, body and spirit of negative energies, Muslims are free to follow the balanced life that has been laid out for them in spiritual texts like the Koran. Many Islamic techniques for dispelling negative energy can be useful to anyone of any faith.



Islamic Methods for Getting Rid of Negative Energy | eHow

Saturday, September 14, 2013

GHAZALI ON JIHAD AL-NAFS


GHAZALI ON JIHAD AL-NAFS [FIGHTING THE EGO]

Translated from the following parts of 'Ihya' `Ulum al-Din' [The Revival of the Religious Sciences]:
a)Definitions at the beginning of the book "Kitab sharh `aja'ib al-qalb" [Book of the Explanation of the Mysteries of the Heart]

b)Section entitled: "The Soldiers of the Heart" in the same book

c)Section entitled: "Shaytan's domination over the heart through whispering [al-waswas]" in the same book

d)Section entitled: "Proofs..." from the book "Kitab riadat al-nafs wa tahdhib al-akhlaq wa mu`alajat amrad al-qalb" [Book of the training of the ego and the disciplining of manners and the healing of the heart's diseases]

a) Meaning of nafs: It has two meanings. First, it means the powers of anger and sexual appetite in a human being... and this is the usage mostly found among the people of tasawwuf [sufis], who take "nafs" as the comprehensive word for all the evil attributes of a person.

That is why they say: one must certainly do battle with the ego and break it (la budda min mujahadat al-nafs wa kasriha), as is referred to in the hadith: A`da `aduwwuka nafsuka al-lati bayna janibayk [Your worst enemy is your nafs which lies between your flanks. Al-`Iraqi says it is in Bayhaqi on the authority of Ibn `Abbas and its chain of transmission contains Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Ghazwan, one of the forgers].

The second meaning of nafs is the soul, the human being in reality, his self and his person. However, it is described differently according to its different states. If it assumes calmness under command and has removed from itself the disturbance caused by the onslaught of passion, it is called "the satisfied soul" (al-nafs al-mutma'inna)... In its first meaning the nafs does not envisage its return to God because it has kept itself far from Him: such a nafs is from the party of shaytan.

However, when it does not achieve calmness, yet sets itself against the love of passions and objects to it, it is called "the self-accusing soul" (al-nafs al-lawwama), because it rebukes its owner for his neglect in the worship of his master... If it gives up all protest and surrenders itself in total obedience to the call of passions and shaytan, it is named "the soul that enjoins evil" (al-nafs al-ammara bi al-su')... which could be taken to refer to the ego in its first meaning.

b) God has armed soldiers which He has placed in the hearts and the souls and others of His worlds, and none knows their true nature and actual number except He... [He proceeds to explain that the limbs of the body, the five senses, will, instinct, and the emotive and intellective powers are among those soldiers.]

Know that the two soldiers of anger and sexual passion can be guided by the heart completely... or on the other hand disobey and rebel against it completely, until they enslave it. Therein lies the death of the heart and the termination of its journey towards eternal happiness. The heart has other soldiers: knowledge (`ilm), wisdom (hikma) and reflection (tafakkur) whose help it seeks by right, for they are the Party of God against the other two who belong to the party of shaytan...

God says: "Have you seen the one who chooseth for his god his own lust?" (25:43) and "He followed his own lust. Therefor his likeness is as the likeness of a dog; if thou attackest him he panteth with his tongue out, and if thou leavest him he panteth with his tongue out" (7:176) and about the person who controlled the passion of his ego God says: "But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust, Lo! The garden will be his home" (79:40-41).

Know that the body is like a town and the intellect of the mature human being is like a king ruling that town. All the forces of the external and internal senses he can muster are like his soldiers and his aides. The ego that enjoins evil (nafs ammara), that is, lust and anger, is like an enemy that challenges him in his kingdom and strives to slaughter his people.

The body thus becomes like a garrison-town or sea-outpost, and the soul like its custodian posted in it. If he fights against his enemies and defeats them and compels them to do what he likes, he will be praised when he returns to God's presence, as God said: "Those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who strive with their wealth and lives a rank above the sedentary" (4:95).

c) The thoughts that stir one's desire are of two kinds... praiseworthy, and that is called "inspiration" (ilham), and blameworthy, and that is called "whispering" (waswasa)... The heart is owned mutually by a shaytan and an angel... The angel stands for a creature which God has created for the overflowing of benefit, the bestowal of knowledge, the unveiling of truth, the promise of reward, and the ordering of the good... The shaytan stands for a creature whose business is to be against all this... Waswasa against ilham, shaytan against angel, success (tawfiq) against disappointment (khidhlan).

The Prophet (s) said: "There are two impulses in the soul, one from an angel which calls towards good and confirms truth; whoever finds this let him know it is from God and praise Him. Another impulse comes from the enemy which leads to doubt and denies truth and forbids good; whoever finds this, let him seek refuge in God from the accursed devil." Then he recited the verse: "The devil shows you fear of poverty and enjoins evil upon you" (2:268) [Tirmidhi: hasan; Nisa'i; `Iraqi did not weaken it].


Hasan al-Basri said: "Two thoughts roam over the soul, one from God, one from the enemy. God shows mercy on a servant who settles at the thought that comes from Him. He embraces the thought that comes from God, while he fights against the one from his enemy. To illustrate the heart's mutual attraction between these two powers the Prophet (s) said: "The heart of a believer lies between two fingers of the Merciful" [Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah]... The fingers stand for upheaval and hesitation in the heart... If man follows the dictates of anger and appetite, the dominion of shaytan appears in him through idle passions [hawa] and his heart becomes the nesting-place and container of shaytan, who feeds on hawa.

If he does battle with his passions and does not let them dominate his nafs, imitating in this the character of the angels, at that time his heart becomes the resting-place of angels and they alight upon it...
The Prophet (s) said: "There is none among you in whom there is not a devil" They said: "Even in you, O Messenger of God?!" He said: "Even in me, but God helped me to overcome him and he has submitted to me, so he doesn't order anything except good" [Muslim]... The mutual repelling of the soldiers of the angels and the devils is constant in the battle over the heart, until the heart is conquered by one of the two sides which sets up its nation and settles there... And most hearts have been seized by the soldiers of shaytan, who fill them with the whispers that call one to love this passing world and disregard the next.


d) The Prophet (s) said: al-mujahidu man jahada nafsahu fi ta`at Allah `azza wa jall [The fighter against unbelief is he who fights against his ego in obeying God; Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, Tabarani, Hakim, etc.]... Sufyan al-Thawri said: "I never dealt with anything stronger against me than my own ego; it was one time with me, and one time against me"... Yahya ibn Mu`adh al-Razi said: "Fight against your ego with the four swords of training: eat little, sleep little, speak little, and be patient when people harm you... Then the ego will walk the paths of obedience, like a fleeing horseman in the field of battle."













GHAZALI ON JIHAD AL-NAFS

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

The Hereafter- Ma’ad


Death

No Other Source of Knowledge Except Revelation
The root of 'Ma'aad' is 'Aud' which means to return or to come back. As on the Day of Resurrection souls will be made to return to their bodies, it is called Ma'aad.
'Ma'aad' is one of the principles of the Holy religion of Islam and to have faith in it is absolutely essential or obligatory and it is that everyone will, after his death, become alive again and will get reward or punishment according to his belief and deeds.
'Ma'aad' which begins with death and then passes through grave and then Barzakh and then Qiyamat-e-Kubra (the great resurrection) and ends with either paradise or hell cannot be comprehended by the apparent senses and even though the occurring of the original 'Ma'aad' or Resurrection is proved by logic or brain (the details of which will be discussed later on), it is impossible for one to ponder in solitude over it and to understand what will happen after death, and through which stages one will have to pass. For understanding this, there is no way except to rely on and take help from Revelation because man wherever he is, his power of understanding cannot cross the limits of his world. For example, it is impossible for a baby in the womb to get the idea of the outside world and to fathom its vastness. Similarly it is also beyond his powers to understand the endlessness of the space and to know about the things therein. Likewise, the man who lives in this world like a captive of matter and nature cannot have the ability to understand the Aalam-e-Malakoot (the world of angels and spirits) which is hidden from him. To reach that state will be possible only after getting freedom from this material world. In short, a man who is living in this material world, can never be able to know the details of the world after death, unless he puts faith and trust in the truths made known by the Creator of this Universe.

The Hereafter- Ma’ad

Thursday, July 4, 2013

The Book of Sufi Chivalry (Kitab al-Futuwwah) by Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Sulami

The Idea of Chivalry - Futuwwa



Chivalry has often been associated with romanticised notions of the Christian Knight - a white knight, shining, who upholds to a strict moral code but never insists on others adopting this disciplined way of life. But Islamic scholars to developed their own tradition regarding chivalry. It follows a principle that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf commented on in the work of the great Maliki jurist and Sufi master Ahmed Zarruq who wrote his famous ''Principles of Sufism'':

''They have been the strictest adherents to the sacred law, but they have a wonderful principle: that is be hard on yourself and be gentle with other people.

We live in a world of insecurity - and sadly so called religious people suffer the same insecurities. As Imam Suhaib Webb mentions - people often think the strictest opinion is the best opinion - and true our Prophet PBUH has mentioned about taking the stricter opinion - but no one has ever said that you should force this opinion down on other people's throats. If you want to adopt it then subhunallah - perhaps your example and actions can inspire others to adopt this opinion after seeing the spiritual effect it has on your personality. But as Imam Webb narrates a saying from Sufyan al Thawri - the job of the jurist is to make life easy for the people - not to make it difficult.

If you want to take the difficult path then by all means take it - but don't boast about it, brag about it or make others feel small about not taking the stricter opinion.

The Sufis - the real masters of the Way who were well versed in fiqh and tasawwuf knew this. Imam Al Ghazali's Ihya is frequently commented as taking an extremely strict approach to spirituality and fiqh that requires strong discipline - but the beauty of Imam Ghazali's approach is that he does not force anyone to take this approach.

Imam Malik has said in a famous saying that:

''"He who practices Tasawwuf without learning Sacred Law corrupts his faith, while he who learns Sacred Law without practicing Tasawwuf corrupts himself. Only he who combines the two proves true."''


The fact of the matter is that the Sufi path is a private one - it is not about public exhibition or showing people how religious you are. In fact Imam Al Ghazali has spoken of the virtues of anonymity and keeping a low religious profile for the sake of spiritual excellence. 

Real Sufism adds a powerful psychological and spiritual dimension that complements the legal moralism of the fiqh. As Imam Malik says, we need to combine both. Fiqh is meant to be easy - to alleviate hardships of the people - but if you wish to take a harder path to be closer to God then the Sufis have a Way to complement the Fiqh. 

In light of this I present it you the ''The Book of Sufi Chivalry - Kitab al-Futuwwa''

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32979118/T...sayn-al-Sulami

The description:

''Chivalry is the way of the Sufis. For the dervish, it means generosity extended to self-denial; the giving of one’s life for the sake of a friend.

THE BOOK OF SUFI CHIVALRY, an important text by al-Sulami, a Sufi saint and scholar, translated here for the first time into the English language, has been used since the tenth century as a guide to right behavior, and proposes to lead man to consciousness and perfection.

The spiritual masters whose sayings the text records are addressing their disciples, taking into account their shortcomings and potentials. The teachings bear the imprint of the masters themselves, and are related to the levels of sanctity that they attained. The multiplicity of the points of view expressed by their words and actions, is focussed on one central notion, (in Arabic: Futuwwah) that of "heroic generosity", based on the example of the Prophet Muhammad and his descendants, who were its true expression.

Written with the help of teaching tales and quotations from the Koran and Hadith, THE BOOK OF SUFI CHIVALRY reveals the true meaning of compassion, love, friendship, generosity, hospitality and the right actions associated with these virtues as a means to individual spiritual development. Addressing the reader directly with the aim of leading him towards perfection, the text provides the aspirant of today with living guidance on the path of Sufism.''

And truly God knows best...

Monday, July 1, 2013

Sleep from an Islamic perspective




There are numerous Muslim sleep traditions that Muslims try to follow in order to be in accordance with the practice of the Prophet (pbuh) (Sunnah).

Early bedtime and early wake up time

Muhammad (pbuh) encouraged his companions not to be involved in any activity after Isha prayer (darkness prayer, which is around 1.5-2 hours after sunset). The Prophet (pbuh) said, “One should not sleep before the night prayer, nor have discussions after it” [SB 574]. Additionally, Muslims are required to wake up for Fajr prayer, which is about one hour before sunrise. The Prophet did not sleep after Fajr prayer.[
The following popper user interface control may not be accessible. Tab to the next button to revert the control to an accessible version.
Destroy user interface control] In addition, the Prophet (pbuh) told his companions that early morning work is blessed by Allāh.

Perform ablution (wudoo) before going to bed and supplicate

It is reported in Sahih Muslim (SM) that one of the companions said that the Prophet (pbuh) told him, “Whenever you go to bed, perform ablution like that for the prayer, and lie on your right side” [SM 2710]. And then he asked him to say the night prayers before sleep.

Dusting and cleaning the bed before sleeping

It has been reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “When any one of you goes to bed, he should take hold of the hem of his lower garment and then should clean (his bed) with the help of that and then should recite the name of Allāh” [SM 271].

Sleep position

In Islamic culture, some sleep positions are encouraged while others are discouraged based on the practice (Sunnah) and recommendations of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Thus, many Muslims sleep on their right side, particularly, in the initial part of sleep. Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Whenever you go to bed, perform ablution like that for the prayer, and lie on your right side” [SM 2710). In description of the sleep of the Prophet (pbuh), a Hadith states, “When the Prophet (pbuh) wants to go to sleep, he puts his right hand under his cheek” [SM 2713]. Modern scientific studies have suggested a beneficial effect of right lateral decubitus position on the heart. In particular, one study assessed the autonomic effect of three sleep positions (supine, left lateral decubitus, and right lateral decubitus) in healthy subjects using spectral heart rate variability analysis.[
The following popper user interface control may not be accessible. Tab to the next button to revert the control to an accessible version.
Destroy user interface control] The results indicated that cardiac vagal activity was greatest when subjects were in the right lateral decubitus position. In addition, an animal study indicated that vagal stimulation has an antiarrhythmic effect.[
The following popper user interface control may not be accessible. Tab to the next button to revert the control to an accessible version.
Destroy user interface control] Several studies have demonstrated that the recumbent position affects autonomic nervous system activity in patients with congestive heart failure, and that there is attenuation of the sympathetic tone when subjects are in the right lateral decubitus position.[
The following popper user interface control may not be accessible. Tab to the next button to revert the control to an accessible version.
Destroy user interface control
The following popper user interface control may not be accessible. Tab to the next button to revert the control to an accessible version.
Destroy user interface control] Muslims tend to dislike sleeping in the prone position, and this is discouraged in the Islamic literature, even for infants. The Prophet (pbuh) told a man who was lying on his stomach, “Allāh and his Prophet dislike this position” [Sunan Al-Tirmdhi 2768]. Modern medical studies have concluded that infants who sleep in the prone position have a seven-fold increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). This has led to “back to sleep” campaigns in Britain (1991) and in the United States (1994).[
The following popper user interface control may not be accessible. Tab to the next button to revert the control to an accessible version.
Destroy user interface control]

Turning off light before sleep

It is narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Put out lamps when you go to bed, shut the doors, and cover water and food containers” [SB 5301]. This may correspond with current scientific understanding that it is important to maintain a dark environment during sleep so as not to disrupt the circadian rhythm.

Yawning

Yawning is an unacceptable behavior for Muslims, especially in public places. If yawning occurs, the yawner is instructed to cover his mouth with his hand. The Prophet said, “Yawning is from Satan. If you are about to yawn, you should try to stop it as much as possible. If you yawn, Satan will laugh” [SB 3115].












Sleep from an Islamic perspective

The Reason why Time is Speeding Up

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Shabaan


Imam Ibn Majah states: 

It is narrated by Ali (Radi allahu unho) that the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] stated; “ when it is the 15th night of Shabaan, do Qiyaam in the night, and fast in the morning, and ask for forgiveness. Because on that night Allah calls: ‘Is there anyone who is asking for forgiveness so that I can forgive them, who is in distress that I may relieve his distress, is there anyone who needs (rizq) food that I may give it to him.’ And this continues till the morning.” [Ibn Majah chapter Salaah]

Imam Tirmidhi writes:

Aisha Radi Allahu unha said: “On this night the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] went to Jannat-ul-Baqee to make du’a, I followed him. The Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] said to me: Allah puts His attention towards the first Heaven, and forgives the sins of the people, even if they were equivalent to the hairs of the goats of Bunn Qalb. (A tribe who at the time had a lot of goats)
[ Tirmidhi , Kitab-us-Siyaam]

Imam Bukhari has objected upon one narrator but this is compensated by the fact that Ibn Maja has narrated it with different narrations (chains).

Allama Dhahabi, and Hafidhh Ibn Kathir quoted from Hafidhh Abu Zurah that only 30 Hadith in Ibn Majah are weak. [Tadhkaratul- Hufaadh by Hafidhh Dha'ha'bi and Tareek Ibn Kathir biography Ibn Majah

Some other people have stated that more than 30 Hadith are da’eef, (weak) but the narrations we have are not amongst those 30, that is why these Hadith can be used to support the validity of 15th Shabaan night.

Even Imam Tirmidhi’s narration is weak but this does not belittle the subject, when it concerns its merits and excellence - since weak narrations are still acceptable. However, we would like to ask those people who are so against the Mid Shabaan, wether they have even a weak hadith to disprove the prayers on the 15th of Shabaan? In reality they have no narration against the 15th night of Shabaan. If there are any they should prove it. Those who are against the 15th night of Shabaan usually say ‘Why do you celebrate the 15th night of Shabaan?’ The answer is why do all of the Saudi Arabian scholars celebrate Laila-tul-Qadar on the 27th of Ramadan in Haramain (Makkah and Madinah). ‘Did the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] and his companions' celebrate the Laila-tul-Qadar on the 27th of Ramadan?’ The answer is no, they did not. So if this is permitted the 15th night of Shabaan is also permitted as well.

The Ahl-Sunnah say this is a permissible act, but it is not a Sunnah. There is enough proof that if the majority of the Muslims consider it to be good then it is sufficient. As the Prophet [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] stated: The thing that group of a Muslims says is good, it is accepted to Allah.
[ “Mishkat chapter Ihtisaam”]

Two great followers of Ibn Taymiyah and Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Al Najdi, are Hafidhh Abdullah Rawpari and Thanaa’ullah Amritsari, both state that to worship on the 15th night of Shabaan is not Bid’ah and the person 
who does Ibada (Worship) on this night will obtain reward for it. The narrations concerning this night are weak but this does not matter since weak Ahadith are acceptable for virtuous actions.
[Fatawa Ahl-e-Hadith by Hafidhh Rawpari and Fatawa Thanaa’iya by Thana’ullah Amritsari, chapter on fasting]

Hafidhh Ibn Tayymiya writes:

The excellency regarding the 15th of Shabaan is an area of dispute between the Scholars, some of them say that there is no significance of this night, but Imam Ahmed recognises the excellency of this night, our other Hanbli Scholars also agree with Imam Ahmed. There are Ahadith on this night being significant, some of them are from Sunnan (Tirmizy, Ibn Majah) and the other Ahdeeth books as well
[Iqtidah Siratul Mustaqeem page 203 by Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyah]

The people who reject the significance of this night argue that the holy Qur’an was not revealed on this night so that is why there is no significance of this night It is true that the Holy Qur’an was revealed in Ramadan, but the significance is because the Ahadeeth that tells us bout the reward one will get if he/She worshipped on15th night of Shabaan. We pray to Allah if everything stated is correct eccept it, but if there is any mistake may Allah forgive us. (Amin)

Makkah Haram Fajar Prayers











Makkah Haram Fajar Prayers

Friday, May 10, 2013

RAJAB (virtues & optional ibadat for sunni muslims)




lahumma baa-rik-lanaa fee-rajaba wa sha'baana wa bal-lig-naa shah-ra ramadhaana.'
'O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Shabaan blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadhan.'
Rajab Allah's month The Holy Month of Rajab has Started
Fast 1st Friday night (Thursday night in Islam) Night of wishes laylat al-ragha'ib is 9th June 2011
Brief Ibaadah - Schedule dates that need to be observed for max barakah
note: Read 30 rakah on 1st 15th and 30th of Rajab pray 10 rakat nafil namaz in 2 rakat salam. In each rakat after Alhamdo pray Surah Kaferoon 3 times and Surah Ikhlas (kulhuwalla) 3 times each has its dua
1- Fast -1st day of Rajab have Ghusl- bath for cleansing all sins - pray 10 rakat nafil namaz in 2 rakat salam. In each rakat after Alhamdo pray Surah Kaferoon 3 times and Surah Ikhlas (kulhuwalla) 3 times. After completing the namaz -
Dua for 1st Rajab: "La Ilaha illallaho wahdahu la sharika lahu lahul-mulko walahul-hamdo yoh-yi wa yo mito wahuwa hay-yil-la yamuto biyaaadie-hil -khair wahuwa ala kulle shai-een kadir, Allahumma la man-a. le maa aat-taa, wa la mua-tiya, le maa man-aata, wa layunfeo zuljadde min-kal jaddo.

2- Fast 1st Friday night (Thursday night in Islam) Night of wishes laylat al-ragha'ib -
In the evening between Maghrib and `Isha, perform 12 units (Rak'at) of prayer, in two's (i.e. two at a time). In each unit recite: 3 times Sura-al-Qadr & then 12 times (Qul huwallahu) followed with dua - read below full details

3-Fast -15th day of Rajab Ghusl- bath -for cleansing all sins- pray 10 rakah like 1st and with Dua : "Illahan-wahedan, ahadan samadan wa faradaow wa witran lam yattakhiz sahebataow wa la waladan."

4- Fast -27th Mi'raj Night much ibdaah to do

5- Fast -30th day of Rajab Ghusl- bath -for cleansing all sins - Pray 10 rakah like 1st day t with Dua - ast day of Rajab: "Allahumma sallai ala Sayidina Mohammadiuw wa all hittaherin, wa la hawla kuwwata ilia billa-hil Aliyil Azim. "
After reciting the above 30 rakah, pray for whatever your requirements. Insha-Allah these will be answered, and on the day of resurrection, there will be 70 trenches between you and Hell and each of these trenches will be so wide it would take 500 years to cross one. In addition each rakat has the reward of 1000 rakats.

Everyday read 'Allahumma baa-rik-lanaa fee-rajaba wa sha'baana wa bal-lig-naa shah-ra ramadhaana.see top for arabic 'O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Shabaan blessed for us, and let us reach the month of Ramadhan.'
Dua of Wali Abbas will be added read 3 times a day Arabic prescribed by Shaykh Nazim Ali Haqqani to read
Dua of Wali Abbas will be added read 3 times a day English and translieration prescribed by Shaykh Nazim Ali Haqqani
Reference to Fasting in Rajab -If someone has fasted for three days during the sacred months, on a Thursday, a Friday and a Saturday, Allah will credit him with the worshipful service [ibadah] of 900 years!
Fasting in Rajab ones drinks from a River of Paradise called Rajab Only for those who observed fasting in Rajab also a palace for Only those whose frequntly fasted in Rajab.
Grave punishment will be stopped if one fasts only day of Rajab
In order to enter Ramadhaan in the best possible manner, one has to prepare himself in the months of Rajab and Shabaan. It has been said that Rajab is the month to sow seeds (good actions), Shabaan is the month in which we should water those seeds (with tears of sorrow) and Ramadhaan is the month in which we reap the harvest.

Excerpts from Al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq Vol.3 by Master of Sufis Shaykh ‘Abdul Qadir Jilani
The First Day and Night of the First Friday of Rajab
As for the night of the first Friday of the month of Rajab or its first night, both known as the "Night of wishes" (laylat al-ragha'ib) during which is performed the salat al-ragha'ib.
(please note: Thursday Night in Islam is actually Friday,we start from Maghrib & finish at maghrib the following night so- the whole of Friday thus starts is -Thursday night to Friday night, the day is Asr to Asr there is no concept in Islam that the day starts at 12.00am this is a western non-muslim belief or understanding. Fajr then is our 3rd prayer beginning of the day. The text is translated into english without footnotes. Which can be found in the book version, also Sunday is our First day in Islam not Monday - Wusta footnote found at bottom)
How To Perform The Prayer Fast on the first Thursday of Rajab.
........" It is most important, however, that none of you should neglect the First Friday in Rajab, for it is the night that the angels call the Night of [the Granting of] Wishes [Lailat ar-Ragha'ib]. This is because, by the time the first third of the night has elapsed, there will not be a single angel still at large in the heavens, nor in any region of the earth bar one. They will all be gathered together in the Ka'ba and the area immediately surrounding it. Allah (Exalted is He) will condescend to notice that they have assembled there, and He will say: "My angels, ask Me for whatever you wish!" Their response to this will be: "Our Lord, the request we wish to make is that You grant forgiveness to those who faithfully keep the fast in Rajab," whereupon Allah (Exalted is He) will tell them: "That I have already done!"
Then Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
" No one will go unrewarded if he fasts during the daytime on Thursday, the first Thursday in Rajab.
In the evening between Maghrib and `Isha, perform 12 units (Rak'at) of prayer, in two's (i.e. two at a time). In each unit recite: Once Sura-al-Fateha; three times Sura-al-Qadr; and 12 times Sura-al-Tawhid (Qul huwallahu).
After the 12 units (rakats) are over, recite 70 times:
Salawat (while sitting) : "Allahumma Salli `Ala Muhammad, Annabiyyil Ummiyyi, Wa `Ala Aalihi"
Tasbih (in Sajdah): "Subbuhun Quddusun, Rabbul Mala`ikati Warruh"
All-Glorious, All-Holy,n Lord of the Angels and of the Spirit!
Istighfar (while sitting): "Rabbigh-Fir, War-ham, Watajawaz `Amma Ta'alamu, Innaka antal `aliyyul A`a-zam"
My Lord, forgive and have mercy m pardon that which You well know, for You are the Mighty, the Supreme
Tasbih (again in Sajdah): "Subbuhun Quddusun, Rabbul Mala'ikati Warruh"
All-Glorious, All-Holy,n Lord of the Angels and of the Spirit!
Then seek your needs, they will be granted, Inshallah.


The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) once said:
If someone keeps the fast on the 27th day of Rajab, he will be credited with the same reward as that which is earned by fasting for sixty months.
It was on the 27th day of Rajab, we are told, that Gabriel first came down to invest the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) with his Messengership [Risala].
According to this next report, likewise conveyed to us by Sheikh Hibatu'llah, Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) once said:
Rajab contains a very special day and a very special night. If someone fasts during that day, and keeps vigil throughout that night, he will be entitled to a reward like the one that would be earned by a person who fasted for a hundred years, and who keeps vigil throughout all the nights in that period.
The reference must be to the 27th of Rajab, that being the day on which our Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was first dispatched to embark upon his mission.
Sheikh Hibatu'llah (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has informed us on good traditional authority, Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) once said:
Rajab is one of the sacred months and its days are inscribed on the sixth gate of Heaven. So, if a man has fasted during one day of this month, and if he has kept his fast completely clean through obedient devotion [taqwa] to Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He), the heavenly gate will acquire the faculty of speech, and the day itself will also acquire the faculty of speech, and the two of them will say: "O Lord, forgive him!" But if he has failed to make his fast complete through obedient devotion to Allah (Exalted is He), they will make no such plea for him to be forgiven. They will say, or he will be told by some other voice: "Your own lower self [nafs] has betrayed you!"
Rajab Allah's month The Holy Month of Rajab.








RAJAB (virtues & optional ibadat for sunni muslims)

Sunday, March 17, 2013

The Beginnings of Man / Adams Creation

To David Livingstone,

This is a letter to try and show you evidences that in Quran, what is mentioned byGod as Al Jinn, are in fact nothing more than mortal men who live and die on Earth. Infact I believe Al Jinn is simply the title given to the race of men who descended fromIblis (Satan) by God. Al Jinn as it is found in Quran is simply the antithesis to Al Insanwhich is the God given name of the bloodline of Adam. Two races of men are identified by God in Quran.

One is Al Insan or the bloodline descendants of Adam and the other isAl Jinn or the bloodline descendants of Iblis. Adam was the father of a black race whileIblis may have been the father of a white race. It is this race of Al Jinn which I believenow make up the few blood families that are attempting to govern the planet and who areindeed worshipers of the devil.I will now attempt to support my above claims by using evidence as found inQuran and Bible as well as from historical facts I have come across.

I do not wish to dwell too much on contrasts of skin tones between these two proposed races, as I have read some of your works, and understand that you are familiar with these ideas. Instead Iwill focus more on scriptural evidence that Al Jinn as described in Quran are merely a race of men on Earth who are descended from their first father Iblis (Satan). Let's startfrom the beginning...


In Al Quran we find the most detailed story of the origin's of Adam, so it is herethat I will begin.Before mankind as we are familiar with, existed on this physical Earth there wasan episode taking place in the metaphysical world. This very important event isdetailed here in Al Quran:
Al Hijra – The Valley 15:28-31

And when your Lord said to the angels:Surely I am going to create a mortal of the essence of
black mud
fashioned in shape. So when I have made him complete and breathed intohim of My spirit, fall down making obeisance to him. So the angels madeobeisance, all of them together, But Iblis (did it not); he refused to bewith those who made obeisance.

The above episode is very significant to understanding not only man's beginnings but also his condition for a number of reasons. First there is the mention of Adamscreation, his form and spirit (the highlighting of black mud will be touched on later)and perhaps of even more importance is the reaction of the personality called Ibliswhen he was asked make obeisance to Adam. The telling of Iblis' disobedience at thistime of Adams creation is repeated six more times in Quran at 2:34, 7:11, 17:61,18:50, 20:116 and 38:74.


This important moment in mans early metaphysical beginnings is not representedas completely in the Bible, however we do find some agreement between Bible andQuran regarding the metaphoric description of the creation of Adams form and spiritas seen here:
Genesis 2:7

And the LORD God formed man [of] the DUST
of the ground,and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a livingsoul.
Because both the Old and New Testaments have undergone so much tampering, itis difficult to rely solely on it's written word to completely understand such events,however above we see that both Bible and Quran confer that Adam was first made toform from an Earthly substance and then a spirit was metaphorically breathed intohim, by God, to give this empty form life.

What is missing from Biblical text is theevent of Iblis (Satan's) initial disobedience and refusal to make obeisance to Adam,and it is this single action that plays a crucial role in understanding mans currentcondition on Earth. In fact the entire New Testament is almost silent on the mentionof the personality of Satan and this personality is non-existent in Old Testamentduring any mention of Adams creation.

Satan as a personality only plays a key role inmuch of the book of Job and a little in Zacharia. Further, the word devil or thecharacter devil is completely absent from the Old Testament and it only takes on astrong supporting role in many writings attributed to Paul in the New Testament.Also, the New Testament is completely mute on the subject of Adams creation.

What needs to be addressed now is the question of who this Iblis character is, but before I do that I want to show what the result was of his initial disobedience andnarrate this story a little further. This is what happened after Iblis initially disobeyedHim and refused to make obeisance to the newly created Adam.


Al Hijra – The Valley 15:32-41

He said: O Iblis! what excuse have you thatyou are not with those who make obeisance? He said: I am not such thatI should make obeisance to a mortal whom Thou hast created of theessence of
black mud fashioned in shape. He said: Then get out of it, forsurely you are driven away: And surely on you is curse until the day of  judgment. He said: My Lord! then respite me till the time when they areraised. He said: So surely you are of the respited ones Till the period of the time made known. He said:

My Lord! because Thou hast made life evil to me, I will certainly make (evil) fair-seeming to them on earth, and Iwill certainly cause them all to deviate Except Thy servants from amongthem, the devoted ones.

He said: This is a right way with Me:

Following the story we see that it was Iblis' arrogance which made him think he was superior to this created thing of black mud and refuse to prostrate, and we also see that his punishment for this disobedience was banishment. What is more important to note is Iblis' appeal and promise that he makes after God proclaims his banishment. Here Iblis first asks for respite, which is granted, then again out of arrogance and proclaiming it was God's fault for making him evil and doing such a thing, he promises to do everything in his power to divert the sons of Adam (them) from God's straight path. This is very significant, as we will see later on, in understanding our present condition on Earth. The above scenario is also repeated a number of times in Quran. Now before I continue this narrative I want to turn my attention to the character of Iblis and ask the simple questions..


Who and what is Iblis?

The answer to what Iblis is or was is very simple and quite clearly stated in thefollowing verse from Quran:
Al Kahf – The Cave 18:50
And (remember) when We said unto the angels:Fall prostrate before Adam, and they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He was of the jinn,...
Above we see that this personality of Iblis is described as a Jinn, and in the following verse we see mention of the creation of Jinn.
Al Hijra – The Valley 15:27
And the Jinn race, We had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind.

We can see that this Jinn race which Iblis was one of, was created before Adam and the creation process of the Jinn involved a scorching wind. Contrary to popular  belief, the Jinn were not made from fire but from an intense heat as is seen below in anumber of different translations of the same above verse:

And the Jinn , We created him from before from (the) fire's burningwind .

As We fashioned jinns before from intense radiated heat.

And the jinn, We created afore time from the smokeless flame of fire.

and the jinn before (the human being) of smokeless fire.

These Jinn are described as being created from an intense heat or a smokeless fire.Of course fire must produce smoke but heat can exist without the presence of fire,such as we find in the process of baking with an oven, and it is this scorching wind or intense heat that played a role in the metaphysical creation of the Jinn as described inQuran. I will touch more on this creation process later as well as the differences between the metaphysical and physical worlds and there respective conditions but now I want to explore more of who Iblis was.

We now know that Iblis is identified as a Jinn or of the race of Jinn but it is alsoimportant to understand him as a unique and single personality and not an abstractconcept or idea. In all seven occurrences of the narration of Iblis' refusal to makeobeisance to Adam, the Arabic word 'Ibleesa' is used by God in Quran to identify this rebellious personality.

Iblis is in fact the proper name of this personality as given byGod, much the same way that Adam was the proper name of the first man that Godcreated from black mud or clay. Much confusion arises when other English words areused to describe this personality such as Satan or Devil, but as I will show, Quranmakes a distinction between these titles and makes clear that although Iblis is often identified as Satan or the Devil, his proper God given name was Iblis, and it is he who played the part of antagonist in the telling of Adams creation in Quran.

The next chapter in the story of Iblis disobedience and Adams creation takes placein what is often called paradise or Eden, but before I continue on to that, I want to tryand make clear the Quranic definitions of Satan and Devil, as we already know that Iblis was a single free willed personality who was present during Adams creation inthe metaphysical world.


Satan and The Devil

The confusion that exists today regarding the meanings of the words Satan and Devil and where they came from has also led to confusion as to the identity of the character Iblis who appears in Quran. Iblis is often considered to be Satan by many Muslims and in fact many translators of Quran have substituted the Arabic Ibleesa (the God given name of Iblis) with the English word Satan but this has only compounded the problem.

The Arabic word identified with Satan is 'shaitan' and the etymology of this word is still not definitely known. It is often thought that it may derive from a Northwest Semitic root śṭn, meaning 'to be hostile' or 'to accuse' but inorder to find out what it means according to God in Quran, we have to turn to Quran itself to give us the explanation.

In most instances that the Arabic word 'shaitan' appears in Quran it is translated as the English word 'devil' or 'devils', and sometimes it is simply translated as the common English equivalent 'Satan'. In fact, many translators just leave the word alone and translate it using the transliteration of the Arabic word.

However it is in the following verse from Quran that God gives us a clear meaning of the word 'shaitan'.Below are four different translations of the same verse using the different English versions of the Arabic word 'shaitan'. I have added the word shaitan in brackets to show where it appears in the original Arabic


Al An'am – The Livestock 6:112
Thus have We appointed unto everyprophet an adversary – (shaitan) devils
of humankind and jinn who inspire in one another plausible discourse through guile.That is how We have made for each apostle opponents, the (shaitan) satans
among men and jinns, who inspire one another with deceitful talk And thus did We make for every prophet an enemy, the Shaitans from among men and jinn, some of them suggesting to others varnished falsehood to deceive (them),Likewise did We make for every Messenger an enemy,- (shaitan)
evil ones among men and jinns, inspiring each other with flowery discourses by way of deception.

It is clear that the Arabic word shaitan is intended to be an adjective describing the qualities of a given group or individual and is not a proper noun, name or title.Satan is not any single individual nor the name of any particular personality. Based  on the above verse we can see that both Humans and Jinns can earn the descriptive title of Satan based on their actions to deceive.

In fact the Arabic form of the word shaitan may fall into the category of being what I call a 'uniquely Quranic word'. That is, it may be absent in pre-Islamic literature and first appeared in its form and context with the revelation of Quran, thus making it difficult to translate. This is why many translators simply refuse to translate it and instead use the transliteration of the Arabic word. This is also true for the Arabic word Jinn.

This word is also never translated because it has no pre-Islamic history in its form and context within the semitic languages, in other words there is no English equivalent. There are other such unique Quranic words but I wont go into detail regarding them now. In fact this phenomenon of uniquely Quranic words is something that has been unscrutinized by Islamic scholars even today and more research must be done on this subject. (I will later touch on the etymology of the word Jinn.


Understanding that this phenomenon does exist in Quran, we once again must turn to Quran itself to try and understand the meaning of such words. Though the word 'shaitan' may harbor meaning from the semitic root śṭn, I also feel there is evidence that it may be a contraction of two other Arabic words and this theory has been put forth by other scholars. Below is one scholars idea of the origins of the word 'shaitan'. These scanned images are from a book which covered a debate between a Sunni Muslim and a Muslim of a more reformist persuasion. The debate was about the identity of the Jinn.


The above reference breaks down the word 'shaitan' and shows how it can be formed by a contraction of the Arabic words 'Shay' and 'Tiyn' which would mean 'a thing of clay' in English. It also mentions that this was the physical state of Iblis, who was a Jinn, when he came to Earth. This makes perfect sense when we consider the conditions of a physical existence that we live out on this Earth and a metaphysical existence that was inhabited by both Iblis and Adam before they came to Earth. I will touch more on the differences between physical and metaphysical planes later. But now is the perfect time to continue the narration of what happened after Iblis had disobeyed God and was banished or cursed by God.


Tragedy In Paradise

Continuing the narration starting with Adams creation, Iblis' disobedience and his subsequent banishment, the story then jumps forward and relates to Adams dwelling in Janna, the Arabic word for paradise, or as the Bible calls it, Eden. Below is one of the three narrations in Quran that tell of this episode in mans early existence.

Al A'araf – The Purgatory 7:19 – 25 "Adam, reside with your mate in the paradise, and eat from wherever you please; but do not approach this tree or you will be of the wicked." But the devil whispered to them, to reveal their bodies which was hidden from them; and he said, "Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree except that you would become angels, or you would be immortals." He swore to them: "I am giving good advice." So he misled them with deception; and when they tasted the tree, their bodies became apparent to them, and they rushed to cover themselves with the leaves of the paradise; and their Lord called to them: "Did I not forbid you from that tree, and tell you that the devil is your clear enemy?" 

They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves and if You do not forgive us and have mercy on us, then we will be of the losers!" He said, "Descend as enemies to one another; on earth you will have residence and provisions until the appointed time." He said, "On it you will live, on it you will die, and from it you will be brought out."

The Arabic word for paradise is Janna which is also known as Eden and sometimes referred to as heaven. This was the place where the above episode took place between Adam his wife and Satan or Iblis. This is also the same place where the righteous are promised to dwell in the afterlife. Where this place actually exists is unclear to many, myself included, but notice how in this part of the story Iblis is no longer mentioned as Iblees by God but is instead described as a 'shaitan', thing of clay. 

The above translation translates it as devil. It seems to argue that perhaps Janna does exist in a place where certain aspects of physical laws still apply. It may be a place that exists between the physical Earth and the place where Adams metaphysical creation and Iblis' insubordination occurred. A place where consciousness exists in physical form but the ruling law of cause and effect as we know it on Earth are substantially different. Concepts of contrasting planes of physical and metaphysical existence will be touched on later. What I want to focus on now is the consequences for all three of the main characters in the above story after Adam and his wife had eaten from the tree.


After Adam made the mistake of listening to Iblis, all three characters were commanded to descend or go down to Al Ard which is Arabic for the Earth. So not only was Adam and his wife condemned to live out a temporal life on planet Earth but so too was Iblis or the shaitan. Further God proclaims that they will be enemies of one another for 'an appointed time' and on this Earth they will all live and die.

Iblis was a Jinn, and although his metaphysical creation describes the use of intense heat in fashioning his form, this is absolutely no evidence of Jinn being invisible, supernatural or spooky. In fact, as he was sent to earth along with Adam, Iblis too was now bound by the universal physical laws that govern our temporal existence on this Earth. Iblis, like Adam, lived here and eventually died here and while here, maintained his consciousness and personality inside a mortal physical body. 

Using the mention of Iblis the Jinn being formed from intense heat and claiming invisibility, is the same as saying, because Adam was fashioned from mud, he must have been sticky and malleable.
Later, I will give definitive proof from Quran, that Quran never mentions the race of Al Jinn as invisible spooks but instead tells us that they are simply mortal men. But first it is important that I show some evidence of the differences between the metaphysical and physical worlds and the rules that govern them.


The Physical and Metaphysical Worlds

In Al Quran there appears to be mentioned three distinct planes of existence. 'Al Ard', the Earth, 'Janna', Paradise and the unnamed plane where episodes such as Adams creation, Iblis' rejection and a series of other events occurred, some of which may or may not be relevant to my topic but might be touched on later in this letter. I will first try to break down each plane of existence from the perspective of Quran.

1. Al Ard – This Arabic word is found about 462 times in Quran it is almost always translated as Earth. That is it is usually used in Quran as the name of our planet, this physical rotating sphere we live upon. Below is a scan from a Quranic dictionary showing the various meanings of this word.ii

This Earth is our physical abode. It is on this stage where the continuing dramas of our lives are played out as a consequence to actions that occurred in the episodes I mentioned before about Adam and Iblis. This Earthly realm is a separate realm from both Janna or Paradise and the unnamed realm where Iblis' initial act of disobedience occurred. 

In this earthly realm we are not only bound by the physical laws of cause and effect but a number of other universal physical laws that exist such as the law of gravity. It is also a law that we are physical beings in this plane which is why when Iblis came here along with Adam, he too, even as a Jinn, had to comply with these laws of physicality. 

Further, it is this earthly realm that we witness everyday and which we can measure and observe to not only understand and comprehend its laws but also use our physical minds and intellect to bend these laws. This does not however hold true for Janna or the unnamed realm which exists in a state we can not observe or measure and therefor can not comprehend with our physical minds. This distinctive difference will play a big part in supporting my argument as I will explain later on.


Among many reformist Muslims today, there is the idea that Janna is not a separate realm and that it existed as a physical place on Earth but I will show how this idea is false. The verses in question which fuels this idea appear in Al A'araf – The Purgatory 7:19 – 25, which I have written above. In that verse we first learn that Adam, his wife and Iblis the shaitan are in this place of Janna or paradise. 

Then later on it is narrated that all three were then commanded to descend or go down to Al Ard or the Earth. Indeed from the context of the verse we can see that they are two separate places, but are they two separate planes of existence? The truth of this is quite plainly explained in Quran
First of all, Janna, as it is used in Quran, not only represents the place where Adam and his wife resided and were duped by the shaitan but it is also used to refer to the place that all righteous people will abide forever after the last day. This place is most commonly referred to as heaven in the western world. Below is an example of this second use.


Al Baqarah – The Cow 2:82 As for those who believe, and lead a righteous life, they will be the dwellers of Paradise (Janna); they abide in it forever.

Al Nisa – The Women 4:124 As for those who lead a righteous life, male or female, while believing, they enter Paradise (Janna); without the slightest injustice.


We can clearly see that Janna is also the final destiny of the righteous after the final judgment. If this is true and Janna is indeed a place in the earthly realm, would we not be able to see it and observe it? Would we not be able to now travel to it to witness it and comprehend this place of final destination for the righteous? It is obvious that Janna is indeed a different plane of existence from Al Ard and therefore would most likely be governed by different universal laws. And if Janna is a different plane of existence then we have no way of comprehending it with our physical minds and human understanding. Below God gives evidence to this fact.

Muhammad 47:15 The allegory of Paradise (Janna) that is promised for the righteous is this: it has rivers of unpolluted water, and rivers of fresh milk, and rivers of wine-delicious for the drinkers and rivers of strained honey. They have all kinds of fruits therein, and forgiveness from their Lord. (Are they better) or those who abide forever in the hellfire, and drink hellish water that tears up their intestines? 

We can see that God must use an allegory and not a literal description of this place when explaining it to us because we cannot comprehend it with our mortal minds. Janna is clearly a completely different plane of existence from Al Ard following different governing laws. So different, that we must approach its concept in the form of allegories.


God also explains to us further about His use of allegories in Quran and it is this explanation which will also give further evidence to support my claim that Al Jinn are nothing more than a mortal race of men while on Earth.

Ali' Imran – The Amramites 3:7 He sent down to you this scripture containing straight forward verses which constitute the essence of the scripture as well as multiple meaning or allegorical verses. Those who harbor doubts in their hearts will pursue the multiple-meaning verses to create confusion, and to extricate a certain meaning. None knows the true meaning there of except GOD and those well founded in knowledge. They say, "We believe in this-all of it comes from our Lord." Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.