Divine Plan - Islam is your Birthright

Mankind and the universe were not created by accident or chance, but according to the plan of the Creator, who is known as Allah (lit.: the one God) in Islam. The Qur'an states that it is the duty of all individuals to learn about Allah and to live according to His will. As we cannot accomplish this be ourselves, Allah has sent messengers and prophets to guide humanity All of these chosen individuals have brought the same message and have served as examples to their people of how Allah desires all human beings to live. Through these selected people, we have been told why mankind was created, what will happen to us after death, and what Allah expects of us. But most importantly, we have been told that Allah is unique - He has no partners, no sons or daughters, and no competitors, as so many other man-made religious systems have postulated. This message always remains the same, whereas the laws laid down for a particular might show some slight differences.
Muhammad, the last of Allah's prophets, was sent to present Allah's revelation in its final form and for the last time. This was necessary because the message delivered by the previous prophets and messengers had been corrupted or distorted by their followers. They had been mixed with philosophical speculations, superstitions, myths, and neglect. Therefore, Islam is not a new religion-it is a restatement of the original religion of Allah in its purest form and is designed to provide humanity with the uncorrupted message of Allah.
Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission and obedience to Allah. It also means "peace," for it brings peace of mind as well as peace on the individual and the social levels.

The Five Pillars of Islam

In Islam, the term "worship" covers any action that one does in accordance with the will of Allah. It can be mental, physical, spoken, or otherwise. All such actions will be rewarded.
There are five acts of worship that are so fundamental that the Prophet grouped them together as the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim is expected to fulfill these obligations. They are:

(i) The Declaration of Monotheism

Recognizing and acknowledging the monotheistic nature of Allah stands at the core of Islam. This consists of a public affirmation that "there is no god but Allah (God), and Muhammad is His Messenger." One cannot be a Muslim until he states this fact in the presence of Muslim witnesses.

(ii) Prayers

A Muslim must perform the five daily prayers. These must be performed at specific times, corresponding roughly with dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. The prayers can be made in any clean place, but it is preferable to pray them with others in a mosque, for this communal undertaking acts as a reminder that all Muslims are equal. When many people are praying together, it becomes clear that color, economic status, social position, and all other artificial distinctions have no importance to Allah, for all Muslims are commanded to stand together, shoulder to shoulder, and prostrate themselves before Him. There are no exceptions. Prayers also elevated the individual to a higher level of morality, purifies his heart, and helps him to resist his desire to engage in forbidden activities.

(iii) Fasting the Month of Ramadhan

Every year during the Muslim month of Ramadhan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. While this gives the body a much needed rest and improves ones health by getting rid of excess weight, it also increases ones commitment to Allah, develops his social conscience, and reminds him of how the less fortunate live every day In addition, it strengthens one's patience, self-restraint, will power, and sincerity.

(iv) Charity (Zakat)

Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above a certain specified minimum must pay an annual amount of 2.5% to the poor and needy This action purifies one's accrued wealth, fosters the quality of sacrifice, and rids him of selfishness and greed. It also helps to reduce resentment and envy between a society's poor and rich classes.

(v) Pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj)

Hajj is an act of worship that is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, provided that one is physically and financially able to do so. During this time, Muslims meet from all corners of the world in an international congregation for the sole purpose of responding to the call of Allah. It also reminds the participants that all Muslims are equal, irrespective of their geographical, cultural, or racial origins.

The Articles of Faith

All Muslims believe in:

The oneness of Allah. Allah has no partner, son, daughter, helper, or competitor. There is nothing that even remotely resembles Him, for He is unique.

All of the messengers and prophets of Allah. The Qur'an states that each people has received revelation from Allah in its own tongue so that all individuals know what is required of them. The Qur'an mentions twenty-five of them by name, among them Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, John, Jesus, and Muhammad. There are, however, many others who are not named. Muhammad, the last prophet, was sent with a universal message meant for all of humanity The message revealed through him is the Qur'an, which is Allah's final presentation of the original revelation received by mankind in its purest form. A Muslim must accept all of Allah's prophets and messengers as legitimate, for denial of one means denial of all. For western readers who are not convinced that Muhammad is a prophet of Allah, proof of this claim can be found in the Bible (Deut. 18:15-18, 33:2-3; Isaiah 29:12; Songs of Solomon 5:16; John 14:1516, 16:12-14) as well as in the biographical accounts of Muhammad's life, which was lived in full view of his contemporaries.
The original messages revealed through Allah's various prophets and messengers. The purest of these is the Qur'an, for it was recorded during the lifetime of the Prophet and under his direct supervision. The revelations mentioned in the Qur'an as having been received by other prophets, such as the Suhuf of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Zubur (Psalms) of David, and the Injil (Bible) of Jesus, have all been either lost or corrupted.
The existence of angels as part of the unseen world. They are spiritual beings who have no need for food, drink, or sleep.
The Day of Judgment. The Qur'an teaches that life is a test for each individual, for everyone must choose whether he will or will not follow the commands of Allah. On this day, a person will be resurrected and asked to account for what he did while he was alive. Those with good records will be rewarded and enter paradise, while those with bad records will be punished by being sent to hell. This belief develops within the individual an awareness of Allah's presence and a desire to obey His laws sincerely and voluntarily.
A Muslim believes that nothing happens without the knowledge and permission of Allah. While we may not understand why certain things happens, it is part of the divine plan for our lives.

Muslims: The Moderate Nation

Islam does not divide life into "spiritual" and "secular" realms. As all of life is thus unified and interconnected, Islam avoids the dangers of the extreme ritualism, secularism, or materialism that is found in other civilizations. Activities are not classified as belonging to the state or the individual, religion or daily life, but as belonging to Allah alone, Who has provided guidelines for individuals. These are to be followed in every aspect of their lives: individual, social, governmental, political, economical, spiritual, and otherwise Reflecting this moderation, the Qur'an has entitled the Muslims the "moderate nation".

Sources of Islamic Teaching

The Islamic way of life is based on the teachings and laws found in the Qur'an and the example (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Qur'an is the word of Allah and was revealed in potions to Muhammad, via the Angel Gabriel, over a twenty-three year period. Each portion was recorded in writing by his official scribes and memorized by thousands of his followers. After his death, the written collection was given to Abu Bakr, the first caliph, who oversaw its collection into one volume. The third caliph, 'Uthman, prepared several copies and sent them to different Muslim territories. Ever since that time, the same version has been used by Muslims. The wording, order, and language have never been altered in the slightest manner. No other book claiming to be a divine revelation can make this claim, and no one has ever been able to refute the claim of the Qur'an to complete authenticity.
The Sunnah consists of the teachings, sayings, and actions of Prophet Muhammad. This information was meticulously reported and collected by his Companions. It is essentially an elaboration of the Qur'anic verses that shows how they are to be implemented in one's daily life.

Islam: The Religion of Equality

Islam recognizes no man-made artificial distinctions based on color, tribe, race, nationality, or otherwise. As all people come from the original couple-Adam and Eve-they are all one family and therefore equal before God. What distinguishes people from each other is their commitment to Islam: "The most honored in the sight of Allah is (he who is) most righteous." [Al-Qur'an 3:86]

Islam is your Birthright

Islam states clearly that everyone is born a Muslim and is therefore monotheistic by nature. We read in the Qur'an that humanity has been created with the natural disposition towards the unity of God. This is to be expected, for Allah, who has breathed His spirit into each of us, is Himself the example of perfect unity. In the words of the Prophet Muhammad: "Every person is born with the innate religious faith (to submit to God Almighty)." Thus when an individual accepts Islam, he is not turning his back on any prior revelation but rather is returning to the original and true revelation of Allah and to his own nature as a creation of Allah. This being the case, Islam is your birthright - other religious or ideological systems are either corruptions our outright denials of Islam.

Criteria for Truth

How do you know if your belief system is true? Take a moment to look at the following list.

• Are the teachings of your belief system rational? Do they conform to the norms of human reason and intellect?
• Is the creator of your belief system perfect? Allah, the creator of Islam, is ... Does your belief system contain superstitions or myths? Islam presents humanity with only true knowledge.
• Can your belief system withstand the discoveries and claims of modern science? Islam can and does.
• How accurate are your belief system's prophecies and predications? Islam's are always completely accurate.
• Could a person have devised your belief system? No one has ever been able to imitate the Qur'an, although many have tried over the centuries.

Islam is not a new religion founded by Muhammad, but a final restatement of the original revelation that has been conveyed to humanity by messengers and prophets sent by Allah for that very purpose: "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion" [Al-Qur'an 5:3] As the Qur'an is the final revelation and Muhammad is the final prophet, humanity is obligated to accept it: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost all spiritual good." [Al-Qur'an 3:86]
  
THE CHOICE IS YOURS TO MAKE !!!

Nasheed

Anasheed (Arabic: singular نشيد nashīd, plural أناشيد Anāshīd,^{[citation needed]} meaning: "chants"; also spelt Nasyid in Malaysia and Indonesia; Turkish: ilahi; Urdu: naat‎), is Islamic vocal music that is either sung a cappella or accompanied by percussion instruments such as the daf. In general, Islamic anasheed does not contain lamellaphone instruments, string instruments, or wind and brass instruments, although digital remastering – either to mimic percussion instruments or create overtones – is permitted. This is because some Muslim scholars interpret Islam as prohibiting the use of musical instruments except for some basic percussion.
Anasheeds are popular throughout the Islamic world. The material and lyrics of anasheed usually make reference to Islamic beliefs, history, and religion, as well as current events.^[1]
Some Ulama argue that the use of musical instruments is implicitly prohibited in the Ahadith. The founders of all four of the major madhabs – schools of thought in Islam – as well as many other prominent scholars, have debated the legitimacy and use of musical instruments. One such example of the scholars' opinions is of the famous Muslim scholar, Abu Hanifa, according to whose madhab, the Hanafi madhab, if a person is known to listen to such forbidden musical instruments, their testimony is not to be accepted. Another Islamic scholar, Ibn Taymiyyah, once said that music is like alcohol to the soul.^[2] A majority of Muslim scholars traditionally have held that at least some music with some of its instruments are Haraam: sinful by the hadith, as well as by tradition.^{[citation needed]} There are, of course, those who reject such claims, citing revealed scriptures, earlier prophets, and the example of Mohammed in the appreciation of the musical arts. ^[3]

Contents

• 1 Prohibition in the Qur’an
• 2 Prohibition in the Hadith
• 3 Prohibition in Islamic tradition
• 4 Modern interpretations
• 5 See also
• 6 References
• 7 External links
• 8 Further reading

Prohibition in the Qur’an

It is stated in the Qur'an that

“

And of mankind is he who purchases Lahw al-Hadeeth to mislead (men) from the Path of Allâh without knowledge, and takes it (Verses of the Qur'ân) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire).[4]

”

Some of the closest companions of Muhammad, namely Abdullah ibn Abbas and Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, state in their Tafsirs (commentaries on the Qur'an) that “Lahw al-Hadeeth” mentioned in the above verse of Qur'an “.. is singing”.^{[citation needed]} In particular, it is reported that Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud used to "swear by Allah and say that idle talk is singing."^[5]
This definition of Law al-Hadeeth is applicable to all sorts of singing like Salam, Qawwali, Marsia, etc.
In addition to this basic evidence, both Sunni and Shi'ite scholars cite several other passages from the Qu'ran as evidence for the prohibition of musical instruments.^{[citation needed]}

Prohibition in the Hadith

According to the authentic collection of Sunni Islam, Muhammad said that musical instruments are sinful:
“Narrated Abu 'Amir or Abu Malik Al-Ash'ari (a companion of Muhammad) that he heard the Prophet saying, "From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful”.^[6] However, the isnad of this hadith includes Hisham ibn Ammar, who is not considered trustworthy.^[7]

Prohibition in Islamic tradition

Apart from the evidence that Sunni scholars draw out from the Qur'an and Hadith, many Islamic Sunni scholars throughout Muslim history have agreed that every type of music and musical instruments is Haraam. These scholars include the four Sunni imams, namely Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.^[8]

A new generation of nasheed artists use a wide variety of musical instruments in their art. A lot of new nasheed artist are non-Arabs and sing in different languages, like English or Turkish. Some of the nasheed bands are Native Deen, Outlandish and Raihan. Other well-known artists are Yusuf Islam – formerly known as Cat Stevens – Ahmed Bukhatir, Sami Yusuf, Junaid Jamshed, Maher Zain, Mesut Kurtis, Dawud Wharnsby, Zain Bhikha, Hafiz Mizan, Kamal Uddin, Labbayk Nasheeds. The only female Islamic pop English singer, and many others. As for Arabic nasheed artists – or Munshids –, some of the well known are Abu Mazen, Abu Rateb, Abu Al joud, Abu Dujanah, Abdulfattah Owainat, and many others. Some of the well known Arabic nasheed bands are Al Rawabi, Al I'atisam, Al Baraa', Al Wa'ad and many others.
Appealing to a significant Muslim crowd and also leading to performance of such artists at Islamic orientated festivals (such as Milad), conferences, concerts and shows, including ISNA, Celebrate Eid, and Young Muslims. Other artists and organisations such as Nasheedbay promote an instrument-free stance with anasheed, differing from the current trends of the increasing usage of instruments in anasheed.

References

1. Sufism Today: Heritage and Tradition in the Global Community – Catharina Raudvere, Leif Stenberg - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-01-06.
2. AhmadJibril.com Archived version
3. http://www.shahbazcenter.org/is-music-haram.htm
4. Qur'an, Chapter 31(Lugman): Verse 6.
5. "Muslim Creed." The Daar of Islamic Heritage. 2008-01-03. Retrieved on 2008-09-25. Archived 2009-10-25.
6. Shahih al-Bukhari Volume 7, Book 69, Number 494v: English translation of this hadith here [1].
7. "Islamic Revival: Q&A: Shari' rule on songs, music, singing & instruments?". Islamicsystem.blogspot.com. 2012-04-23. Retrieved 2014-01-06.
8. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid. "Ruling on so-called “Islamic” songs with musical instruments. Islam Question & Answer. Retrieved on 2008-09-25.

Beautify our heart for our Lord

From 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud radiallahu 'anhu who said that the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, "No one will enter Paradise who has an atom's weight of pride in his heart." A man said, "What if a man likes his clothes to look good and his shoes to look good?" He said, "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty. Pride means denying the truth and looking down on people." [Related by Muslim #131]
The phrase "Allah is beautiful and loves beauty," includes the beautiful clothing which was asked about in the same hadith. It is included by way of generalization, meaning that beauty in all things is what is meant here. In Sahih Muslim, it says, "Allah is good and only accepts that which is good." [Muslim #1686]
In Sunan at-Tirmidhi it says, "Allah loves to see the effects of His blessing on His slave.'' [#2963. At-Tirmidhi said it was hasan sahih] It was reported that Abul-Ahwas al-Jashami said the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam saw him wearing old, tattered clothes, and asked him, "Do you have any wealth?" I said, "Yes." He said, "What kind of wealth?" I said, "All that Allah has given me of camels and sheep." He said, "Then show the generous blessings that He has given you." [Sahih: Related by Ahmad #15323, at-Tirmidhi #1929 and an-Nisa'i #5128]
Allah, may He be glorified, loves the effects of His blessings to His slave to be made manifest, for this is part of the beauty that He loves, and that is part of the gratitude for His blessings which forms an inner beauty (beauty of character). Allah loves to see the external beauty of His slaves which reflects His blessings on them, and the inner beauty of their gratitude to Him for those blessings. Because He loves beauty, He sends down on His slaves clothes and adornments with which they may make their outward appearance beautiful and He gives them taqwa which makes their inner characters beautiful. Allah says:

"O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the raiment of righteousness, that is better." [Al-Qur'an 7:26]

And He says, speaking of the people of Paradise:

" … and He gave them Nadratan (a light of beauty) and joy. And their recompense shall be Paradise and silken garments, because they were patient." [Al-Qur'an 76:11-12]

Their faces will be made beautiful with the nadrah (light of beauty), their innermost being with joy and their bodies with silken garments. Just as Allah loves beauty in words, deeds, garments and outward appearance, so He hates ugliness in words, deeds, garments and outward appearance. He hates ugliness and its people, and loves beauty and its people. But two groups are misguided with regard to this issue: a group who say that everything that He has created is beautiful, so He loves all that He has created and we should love all that He has created and not hate anything. They say: whoever realizes that all that exists comes from Him will see that it is beautiful … these people have no sense of jealousy for the sake of Allah or hatred and enmity for the sake of Allah, or denouncing what is evil (munkar), or jihad (struggle) for the sake of Allah, or adhering His limits. They regard the beauty of images, male or female, as being part of the beauty that Allah loves, and seek to worship Allah through immoral acts. Some of them may even go so far as to claim that the One Whom they worship is manifested or incarnated in those images.
The second group, on the other hand, say that Allah condemns the beauty of images, forms and outward appearances. Allah says about the munafiqun (hypocrites):

"And when you look at them, their bodies please you … " [Al-Qur'an 63:4]

"And how many a generation have We destroyed before them. Who were better in wealth, goods and outward appearance?" [Al-Qur'an 19:54]

In Sahih Muslim it is reported that the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said, "Allah does not look at your outward appearance and your wealth, rather He looks at your hearts and deeds." [Related by Muslim #1356]
According to another hadith, "Shabbiness is part of faith." [Sahih: Related by Ibn Majah #4108, Abu Dawud #3630] Allah condemns those who are extravagant, which applies to extravagance in clothing as well as in food and drink.
In order to settle this dispute, we may say that beauty in clothing and outward appearance is of three types, one of which is commendable, one is blameworthy and one of which is neither. The kind of beauty which is to be commended is that which is done for the sake of Allah, to help one to obey Allah and fulfill His commands, such as when the Prophet sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam made himself look beautiful (i.e. handsome) when meeting the delegations that came to him. This is like wearing armour or battle-dress when fighting, or wearing silk and showing off (in front of the enemy). This is commendable because it is done to make the word of Allah supreme and to support His religion and annoy His enemies. The blameworthy kind of beauty is that which is done for the sake of this world, for reasons of power, false pride and showing off, or to fulfill some (selfish) desires. This also includes cases where beauty is an end in itself for a person and is all he cares about. Many people have no other concern in life. As for the kind of beauty which is neither commendable nor blameworthy, it is that which has nothing to do with either of the two purposes mentioned above (i.e., it is neither for the sake of Allah nor for the sake of worldly purposes).
The hadith under discussion refers to two important principles, knowledge and behaviour. Allah is to be acknowledged for beauty that bears no resemblance to anything else, and He is to be worshipped by means of the beauty which He loves in words, deeds and attitudes. He loves His slaves to beautify their tongues with the truth, to beautify their hearts with sincere devotion (ikhlas), love, repentance and trust in Him, to beautify their faculties with obedience, and to beautify their bodies by showing His blessings upon them in their clothing and by keeping them pure and free of any filth, dirt or impurity, by removing the hairs which should be removed, by circumcision, and by clipping the nails. Thus they recognize Allah through these qualities of beauty and seek to draw close to Him through beautiful words, deeds and attitudes. They acknowledge Him for the beauty which is His attribute and they worship Him through the beauty which He has prescribed and His religion. The hadeeth combines these two principles of knowledge and behaviour.
(s) Al-Fawa'id (1/185)