Fw: [AllahoAkbarGroup] Stealing in Prayer

-------Original Message-------   From: Adil ibn Manzoor Khan Date: 24-01-2012 12:36:42 AM Subject: [AllahoAkbarGroup] Stealing in Prayer                                             In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate   "May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"   Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.      Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'Ala Rasulillah As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu       "Stealing in Prayer"   Lack of composure in Prayer Taken from  Prohibitions that are taken too lightly - English Translation Book by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid     One of the worst forms of theft or cheating is cheating in prayer. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The worst type of thief is the one who steals from his prayer." The people asked, "O Messenger of Allaah, how can a person steal from his prayer?" He said: "By not doing rukoo' and sujood properly." (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 5/310; see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 997).   This lack of composure and failure to pause in rukoo and sujood and to stand up straight after rukoo or sit up properly between sujoods may be observed in many of those who pray, and hardly any mosque is free of examples of people who do not have the proper composure in prayer. Correct composure is one of the pillars of prayer, without which prayer is invalid.   This is a serious matter. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "A mans prayer is not good enough until his back is straight in rukoo and sujood." (Reported by Abu Dawud, 1/533; see also Saheeh al-Jaami', 7224).     Abu Abdullaah al-Ashari reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his Companions in prayer, then he sat with a group of them. A man came in and started to pray, but made his movements rapid like a chicken pecking the ground.   The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do you see this? Whoever dies having done this has died outside of the community of Muhammad, and his prayer is like a crow pecking blood. The person who bows then pecks in his sujood is like a hungry man who eats no more than one or two dates - what good will that do him?" (Reported by Ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh 1/332; see also al-Albaani, Sifat Salaat al-Nabi (The Prophet's Prayer described), 131).   Zayd ibn Wahb said: "Hudhayfah saw a man who was not performing rukoo and sujood properly. He said: You have not prayed, and if you were to die, you would die on a way other than that revealed by Allaah to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, see al-Fath, 2/274).   Once a person is aware of this ruling, if he fails to perform prayer with the proper composure, he should repeat it and repent to Allaah for what is past; he does not need to repeat all of his previous prayers, as is indicated by the hadeeth "Repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed."      Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications.     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveIslam_LiveIslam/   . __,_._,___

Fw: [AllahoAkbarGroup] The Marriage Process in Islam

-------Original Message-------   From: Adil ibn Manzoor Khan Date: 21-01-2012 11:54:29 PM Subject: [AllahoAkbarGroup] The Marriage Process in Islam     In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate   "May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"   Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.      Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'Ala Rasulillah As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu   The Marriage Process in Islam By Shaad Ahmed Before Marrying Selecting a Spouse The first thing we should look for when marrying is how committed the person is to Islam. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "A woman is normally sought as a wife for her wealth, beauty, nobility, or religiousness (adherence to Islam), but choose a religious woman and you will prosper." (Muslim) And he said, "A woman is married for four things, I.e., her wealth, her family status, her beauty and her religion. You should marry the religious woman (otherwise) you will be a loser."(Bukhari) And he said, "The whole world is a provision, and the best object of benefit of the world is the pious woman." (Muslim) The same holds true when looking for a husband, as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "When someone with whose religion and character you are satisfied asks to marry your daughter, comply with his request. If you do not do so, there will be corruption and great evil on earth." (Tirmidhi) Of course, both parties have to agree to marry one another and they can not be forced to marry one another. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "A woman whom has been previously married has more right concerning herself than her guardian, and a virgins consent must be asked about herself…" (Bukhari and Muslim) Rules of Al-Khutbah (Request to marry a woman and the acceptance of the proposal) The man has permission to see her face before agreeing to marry as the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Go and look at her (the woman you are considering marrying) because this will help your time together to be strengthened." (Ahmad) After a man and woman have agreed to marry, they have to remember that the man is still not her mahram (men prohibited to her, including her father, brothers, sons, maternal and paternal uncles, and nephews). This means they can not still deal with one another as partners in any way (such as shaking hands, gazing at one another, being alone together, going out together, etc.), or go out with one another as we see people in the west doing. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him not have a private audience with a woman without her mahram." (Ahmad) The Wedding Ceremony (Nikaah) Components 1 – Consent: Aishah (R) asked Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) if womem must be asked for their permission of marriage. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) replied, "Yes." She said, The virgin is asked for her permission but she gets shy.  Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Her silence is her permission." (Bukhari and Muslim) 2 – The Wallee (Woman's Guardian): Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "There is no nikaah except with a wallee." (Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi) 3 – Two Witnesses: Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "There is no marriage except with a wallee and trustworthy witnesses." (Sahih - Bayhaqee) Also, "There is no marriage except with a wallee and two witnesses." (Sahih Al-Jaami') 4 – The Mahr (Dowry): Allah says (what means): "And give to the women their dowry with a good heart, but if they out of their own good pleasure remit any part of it to you, take it and enjoy it without fear of any harm." (Al-Nisa 4:4) The mahr can be of any amount, Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Look for one even if it was an iron ring." (Bukhari and Muslim) The woman is not obliged to give the man anything at the time of the wedding, as is done in some cultures. Acts to be Avoided We should be careful to not act as the disbelievers do regarding their mixing of men and women, wearing tuxedos and white wedding gowns, exchanging rings, kissing in public, etc. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Whoever resembles a people is one of them." (Abu Dawood) After the Wedding Supporting Ones Wife The man is responsible for providing for his wife, as Allah says (what means), "Let the wealthy man spend according to his means; and let the man whose provisions are restricted spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah does not burden a soul beyond what He has given it, and Allah will grant ease after a hardship." (Al-Talaq 65:7) Islam even gives women the right to take secretly money from their husbands if the husbands are not providing for them. Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, came to Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, Abu Sufyan is a stingy man and does not give me and my children enough provisions except when I take something from him with out his knowledge." Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "Take what is reasonably sufficient for you and your children." (Bukhari and Muslim) Educating Ones Family Since the man has put in the position of providing for his family, he must also provide them with the proper Islamic education to keep them from the hellfire. Allah says (what means), "O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is men and stones (that were worshipped), over it are appointed angels stern and severe, who disobey not the Commands they receive from Allah, but do that which they are commanded." (Al-Tahrim 66:6) Both the husband and wife should make sure their home is a place where Allah is remembered and His Commandments are reflected and acted upon. Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "The similitude of a home in which Allah is remembered and a home in which He is not is like the living and the dead." (Muslim) The Wife Obeying Her Husband A woman must obey her husband as long as he does not tell her to perform any haraam (unlawful) acts. Allah says (what means), "…the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in absence what Allah would have then guard." (Al-Nisa 4:34) Kind Treatment To Ones Wife Just because Allah has given men a position of authority does not give them the right to abuse it. They have to treat their wives in the best manner. Allah says (what means), "Live with them honorably." (Al-Nisa 4:19) Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) said, "The believer with the most complete faith is the one with the best character, and the best of them are those whom treat their women the best." (Tirmidhi) We can see from the seerah (biography) of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi was sallam) that he would help his wives with housework and would engage in games with them as well. Source : http://www.shawuniversitymosque.org/matri/view_article.php?article_id=7     Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications.     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveIslam_LiveIslam/   . __,_._,___

Shopping Culture

Fw: [AllahoAkbarGroup] Are You Gossip Guy or Girl ?

-------Original Message-------   From: Adil ibn Manzoor Khan Date: 01/14/12 23:20:00 Subject: [AllahoAkbarGroup] Are You Gossip Guy or Girl ?     In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate   "May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"   Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.      Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'Ala Rasulillah As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu    Let's face it, we live in a society that promotes, distributes, and thrives on gossip. It fuels our economy, provides us a seemingly endless supply of fodder for conversation, and can liven up even the most boring workplace—listen in on the crowd around your office water cooler next time they gather. Every single day there are endless and often up-to-the-minute reports all over the Internet, on TV and radio, in newspapers, magazines and "gossip columns" that specifically detail the private affairs of people throughout the world. In the literal sense, the famous idiom, "one man's meat is another man's poison," fits perfectly with the Islamic view of gossiping or backbiting.  The Quran states, "O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, for some suspicions are a sin.  Do not spy on one another, nor backbite one another.  Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother?  Nay, you would abhor it, [so similarly, avoid backbiting]. And fear God. Indeed, God is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful"(49:12).  The mere thought of eating dead human flesh can make even the most intrepid person sick to their stomach.  Yet despite that and the fact that many of us have heard this verse multiple times, gossiping is still a common problem in our community. Contrary to what those who wish to marginalize women may say, the fact is that both men and women have the nature to gossip. The proof of that is in the verse quoted above wherein God addresses the believers, which includes both men and women.  Moreover, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "O assembly of those who have believed with their tongues, but into whose hearts faith has not yet reached! Do not backbite the Muslims, nor seek out their secrets! For, whoever seeks out the faults of his brother, God will seek out his secrets.  And, whoever has his secrets sought out by God, God will disgrace him, even [if he hides] in the depths of his house."[1] And in another tradition, "Beware of backbiting, for backbiting is more serious than adultery.  A man may commit adultery, and drink [wine], and then repent, and God will forgive him.  But, the backbiter will not be forgiven by God until his companion [the one whom he backbit] forgives him."[2] In addition to the act itself, the actual desire to "seek out faults" in others is also a disease that needs to be remedied. Such a person never stops to ask him/herself, "Why do I have this desire to know someone else private business?" "How does that knowledge benefit/effect me?" "How would I feel if the details of my life were suddenly made public without my knowledge?" It makes no difference whether you are the one who initiates it or the one who listens to it; to gossip or engage someone else who gossips makes you an active participant. The only way to absolve yourself of the sin is to object verbally or in your heart if you are afraid.  The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever averts [an attack] from the honor of his brother, God will avert the fire from his face on the Day of Arising."[3] If you are unable to say something then at the very least you should try to change the subject to something of virtue instead. It is also important to note that there is a difference between gossip that is based on truth and that which is unverified.  The distinction is made clear in the hadith: "[Backbiting is] mentioning your brother with something about him that he dislikes [being spoken about]." Someone asked [the Prophet], "How about if my brother contains that [characteristic which I am mentioning]?" And he replied, "If he possesses that which you mention, then you have indeed backbit him. And, if he does not contain that which you say, then you have slandered him."[4] For obvious reasons, to slander someone is a worse offense because not only have you spoken ill of them behind their back but you have also lied doing so. Both backbiting and slandering are reprehensible acts that can manifest in different forms and sometimes unknowingly.  Refer to the list below to find out if you are engaging in either form of gossip: You Are a Gossiper if You… Revel in being the one to "break the news" when you discover something private about someone else. Lack emotional empathy upon hearing of a scandal in someones family, marriage, work, etc, and immediately become preoccupied with sharing the information with others. Eavesdrop in on private conversations, especially when you suspect something is amiss. Feel vengeful and take pleasure in peoples downfalls and shortcomings. Are judgmental and can find something wrong in just about anyone if you have reason not to like them. Lack the courage to stop someone else from gossiping and eventually join in. Are afraid you wont  be accepted by your friends if you dont gossip with them. Disparage others to make yourself look better. Enjoy mocking or ridiculing others to be praised for your humor. Deliberately pry for personal information when talking to others but purposely withhold private information about yourself. Delude yourself to think that everyone is out to get you so you live by the motto, "Get them before they get you." Try to disguise gossip as "sharing" about someones "problem" to seek advice or to pray for them. Don't have many true friends; in fact you have a high turn-over rate with friends. Have a tendency to cut people out of your life and as a result have enemies. Are a serial gossiper and as soon as one conversation is over you move on to the next. Attend social events and mock people for what they're wearing, how they walk, talk, dance, etc. Mock someones possessions, such as the model car they drive, or the furniture/decor in their house, etc. Make fun of peoples pictures and updates on Facebook/MySpace/Twitter. And FYI, it doesnt make it okay to gossip and then say, "Well, its not really gossip because if so-and-so were here I would say it to them in their face!"  This is an absolute cop-out and in no way justifies or absolves you of blame. It's also worth mentioning that there are circumstances that require us to disclose information about others but are not considered gossiping, as in the examples below: It is NOT gossip if one is afraid for their safety due to abuse, oppression, or any other harm at the hands of another person and is compelled to get help. In fact, in this case it's not just permissible but necessary for them to reach out to a qualified person who can help, such as a counselor, therapist, social worker, law enforcement agent or local imam/scholar.  It is NOT gossip if one wishes to warn a friend or family member about a potential business partner or suitor for marriage whom they know to be deceitful, untrustworthy or of questionable character.  It is NOT gossip if one is seeking a legal ruling from a scholar and must disclose pertinent details. An example would be if a person says to a scholar, "My husband/wife has done such-and-such to me. What can I do about it?" On the authority of Aishah: Hind, the wife of Abu Sufyan, said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), "Abu Sufyan is a miserly man, and he is not giving me what would suffice me and my child, unless I take from him without his knowing."  He said, "Take what suffices you and your child according to common usage."[5] It is NOT gossip if one is trying to prevent a potentially harmful or evil act from happening and has no other ulterior motive but to help.  An example would be if a teenager was planning a risky late night trip to a precarious location without his parent's permission. In such a case it would be wise to inform the teenager's parents of his plan and let them handle it. The Negative Social and Spiritual Implications of Gossip: Gossip can permanently ruin friendships and tear families apart Gossip compromises your principles of trust and loyalty Gossip discredits your reputation Gossip distances you from God So, next time you feel inclined to "share" something about someone or engage another person who is gossiping remember the verse in the Quran: "[Successful are] those who shun vain talk" (23:3). [1] Abu Dawud [2] Al-Suyuti, Al-Jami` as-Saghir [3] Al-Tirmidhi [4] Al-Muslim [5] Al-Bukhari & Al-Muslim http://muslimvillage.com/     Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications.     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveIslam_LiveIslam/     . __,_._,___

Bin Dekhe ka Sauda

Khwab men

Fw: [AllahoAkbarGroup] Preventing the Girlfriend - Boyfriend Relationship

-------Original Message-------   From: Adil ibn Manzoor Khan Date: 07-01-2012 12:49:52 AM Subject: [AllahoAkbarGroup] Preventing the Girlfriend - Boyfriend Relationship     In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate   "May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"   Praise be to Allaah, we seek His help and His forgiveness. We seek refuge with Allaah from the evil of our own souls and from our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides will never be led astray, and whomsoever Allaah leaves astray, no one can guide. I bear witness that there is no god but Allaah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.      Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'Ala Rasulillah As-Salaam Alaikum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakatuhu   Preventing the Girlfriend - Boyfriend Relationship By Amatullah Islam Zina (fornication) has become a commonplace occurrence within the Muslim Youth community, and the Muslim girls and boys have sadly fallen prey to the snares of Western society. You may wonder how can such a situation occur when most Muslim parents virtually put their children under 'lock and key'. The answer is that although most parents are strict where their children are concerned, they do not take the time to talk and explain to them about the seriousness of Zina. Instead, they give a Fatwa of "no boyfriend" when their daughters reach puberty. The following article highlights ways in which we can teach our children to shun this corrupt act. In Islam, there is no such thing as a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship. You are either married or you are not. This is what we have to ingrain into our children at the early stage. We should not wait for them to come to us when they are teenagers to ask about girlfriend-boyfriend relationship. At this late stage, even if we forbid them to have such a relationship, how certain are we that they will obey us if they are smitten by someone? Hence, it is important that we teach our children that the only time a girl or boy can have a relationship with a non-mehram is when they are married! Furthermore, if a girl or boy enters into a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship then he/she is entering into a pre-marital relationship. At the teenage level, we should not be shy to teach them the severity of pre-marital relationship. We need to make them understand that that pre-marital relationships are like the extra-marital relationships, or what is commonly known as adultery or 'an affair'. It ruins the community by corrupting the people. It unleashes desires that, once allowed free-reign, will destroy families. We can quote to them the examples of illegitimate and abandoned children, broken homes, abortions, sexual diseases - the list goes on. We should also point out to them the punishment for sexual relationships outside of marriage: Ibn Masoud (r.a.a) related that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, "The blood of a Muslim may not be legally split other than in one of three instances: the married person who commits adultery, a life for a life, and one who forsakes his religion and abandons the community." [Bukhari and Muslim]. In other words, the married person who commits adultery is to be killed by stoning to death [Muslim]. But what about the unmarried person who has sexual relationships? Rest assured that this person will not go unpunished - he or she is to be caned or whipped one hundred times [Muslim]. Even in the Hereafter, the punishment is severe: the Prophet (s.a.w) saw adulterers, men and women, in a baking oven in Hellfire [Bukhari]. At this stage your teenage child may say that girlfriend-boyfriend relationships need not go as far as the sexual act; that they can control themselves and simply enjoy each others company. To counter this, you say that it is a fact when a girl and a boy are alone together, their sexual desires awaken and before they know it, they will be doing things that are not permissible . The reason for this is because Shaytaan will be the third person with them [Ahmad] and he will whisper and tempt them with the forbidden. This is why Islam shuns all avenues leading to corruption of the mind, body and soul. Something else we must teach them is to restrain their desires. We can do so by giving them examples of the rewards for doing so, such as the person who controls his lust will be among people who Allah bestows mercy upon: Abu Hurairah (r.a.a) narrated that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said that among the seven persons whom Allah will shade in His Shade on the Day (of Judgement) when there is no shade except His Shade, is a man who is tempted by a beautiful woman and refuses to respond for fear of Allah. [Bukhari and Muslim]. Below are more points on how to help your child, at an early age, to be chaste so that when he/she is older, he/she can avoid getting into a girlfriend-boyfriend relationship. First, you must talk and explain to them these things when they are young, then when they are older, you make sure that it is put into practice. You must teach him or her to: 1. Not to freely mix with the opposite sex. 2. Not to look at the opposite sex. This is done by lowering or averting their eyes as Allah tells us: "Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and to protect their private parts. That is purer for them. Verily Allah is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and protect their private parts..." [24:30-31] Furthermore, Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said, "...do not let a second look follow the first. The first look is allowed to you but not the second." [Ahmad, Abu Dawood, at-Tirmidhi]. What this means is that the first look is by accident. If this happens then do not take a second look. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) also said that the eyes also commit adultery by looking at someone with lust. [Bukhari] 3. For girls, teach them not to make their voices seductive or sweet in front of non-mehram. This is done by lowering the voice and not flirting. As Allah tells the wives of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) "...do not be too pleasant of speech, lest one in whose heart there is a disease should feel desire for you..." [33:32] 4. Last but not least, teach them to wear appropriate clothing so as not to draw attention to themselves. That is, girls should wear Hijabs and loose clothing while boys should also wear loose clothing, not the tight jeans/pants. It is sad that, often, parents allow their children to wear the so called fashion clothing which, in most cases, do not meet the requirement of acceptable Islamic dress code. What is even sadder is to see Muslim mothers covering themselves properly walking with their uncovered teenage daughters and sons. It is important that we start teaching our children the need to feel modesty, especially around the opposite sex. If we instill this into them at an early age then, InshaAllah, whenever they are near the vicinity of the opposite sex, they will feel shy and, therefore, will not act inappropriately. It is also important that we keep the communication channels open with our children so that we can talk and explain to them things, and they can ask us questions, without any party feeling embarrassed. Then, when they are older, and with help from us, they will begin to understand why it is that there cannot be a thing called 'the girlfriend-boyfriend relationship'. Taken from "Al-Aqsa" magazine, September 1999 issue #60, Calgary, Alberta http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?167203-Preventing-the-Girlfriend-Boyfriend-Relationship Read More.... Ruling on taking boyfriends or girlfriends http://islamqa.info/en/ref/1114   Permission is granted to circulate among private individuals and groups, to post on Internet sites and to publish in full text and subject title in not-for-profit publications.     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveIslam_LiveIslam/ __._,_.___     . __,_._,___

Fw: [AllahoAkbarGroup] True Anecdotes | A Wise Old Woman

-------Original Message-------   From: Irfan Edhi Date: 03-01-2012 1:43:25 PM Subject: [AllahoAkbarGroup] True Anecdotes | A Wise Old Woman     A scholar once saw an old lady operating her spinning wheel and asked her, "Lady! You've been spinning that wheel your entire life. Have you ever taken any time to learn about Your Lord?" The woman replied, "I see everything through this wheel of mine." "Then tell me, is Allah present or not?" "Allah is present, every moment, every day, every night – all the time."   "But what's your proof of this?" "This very wheel of mine!" "How so?" The woman explained, "As long as I'm here running the wheel, it continues to spin in motion. Once I stop, it stops. So, if the wheel is in need of someone to keep it moving, why shouldn't the Earth, the Heavens, the Sun and the Moon be in need of someone to keep them moving? When I stop my work, the wheel stops spinning, but until now, we've never seen anything in our Universe stop moving. This is how I know that the One Who keeps our world in order is present and is always present." The scholar was happy with this answer but continued, "Okay, but how do you know that the One who controls the Universe is one and not two?" The woman replied, "The answer is again in my wheel! It only spins in the direction I tell it to. If someone wanted to assist me in spinning it, the wheel's motion would become inconsistent and it wouldn't work properly. And, if my assistant spun it in a different direction, the wheel would either stop spinning or break. This doesn't happen when I use it alone, and this is how I know that if there was another controller of the Universe besides Allah , there would be no uniformity in the day and night cycle or anything else. So, the controller of the Heavens and the Earth can only be one." [Seerat as-Saliheen, Page 3] Lesson: The world itself is proof that our Creator is one, but only those of insight see this. ——— Extracted from Stories Of The Prophets (Partial Translation of Sacchi Hikayaat) Urdu: Maulānā Abun-Nūr Muhammad Bashīr | English: Omar Sayed __._,_.___   . __,_._,___