Thanks be to Allah, the
Lord of the worlds. Peace and prayers be upon the
most honorable of all messengers Mohammad; and all his folks, companions, and
followers to the day they are all summoned together.
Slaves of Allah: fear
Allah the way He ought to be feared. Remember Him in your privacy, and in your
calls to Him. Allah says: {Ye, believers, fear Allah His true fear. And do not
die except when you being Muslims}
This sun that rises
every day from the east and sets down at west carries a message that this life
is not an everlasting one, but one which emerges and perishes. Those new moons
are born just like infants, slowly grows. Just as it reaches its peak, it
starts diminishing to nothing. This is very similar to the human age or life.
One day after the next
and one year after the next pass by. When a year starts, one thinks the end of
that year is so far, yet it passes in the blink of an eye. Just as young
people look at the end of their age as being so far and yet suddenly death
shall approach unexpectedly. Man always dreams for longer life, and death
always seems to destroy this dream.
These days we say good
bye to a passing year and we welcome a new approaching one. Abo-Darda’a
(ÃÈæÇáÏÑÏÇÁ) said: “Son of Adam, you consist of days, when a day goes by, it
is part of you has gone”. Abo-Hazim (ÃÈæÍÇÒã) said: “I am surprised by some
who work for a place they are departing from daily. And they forget to build a
place they are departing to daily.”. How can one be happy if his day is
eating away in his month; and his month is eating away in his year; and his
year is eating away in his life time. How could one be happy if his present
time leads to his time of death, and one whose living leads to his death.
Ebn-Abbas (ÅÈä ÚÈøÇÓ) said: “How can we be happy when we know death is
following us from behind; and graves are ahead of us, and we are at an
appointment with the day of resurrection, over hell is the path we shall
cross; and between the hands of Allah we shall stand?”. This worldly life has
scored an arrow into our hearts, and took over a the most part of our hearts.
All we worry about in our day and our night is How much we make? How can we
make more? If we are given an appointment to gain more in this life, we
approach it early, happy, with anticipation and nothing remains in our heart
for the life after. While if the Azzan is called out, how many we see in the
road responding to it in the same enthusiasm? The prophet (PPUH) advised Omar
once saying: “Be in this life like a stranger or a passer by.”
Mu-aad ben Jabal (ãÚÇÐ
Èä ÌÈá) at his death bed said: “Allah, you know I didn’t like lingering in
this life because the rivers and gardens in it, but I used to love lingering
on for the staying up at night, and for the fasting thirst in the hot days,
and for the crowding with the scholars in the learning circles.”
The daily pressures of
life have made it difficult for the slave to look at oneself. One is almost in
a constant race with this life for more and better things. Saeed ben Masood
(ÓÚíÏ Èä ãÓÚæÏ) said: “if you see a man with his worldly life is on the
increase; and his life after is on the diminishing; and he is happy with that;
then he is a fool and betrayed one and he does not feel it.” Muhammed ben
Wasee (ãÎãÏ Èä æÇÓÚ) said: “Wouldn’t you be surprised if in paradise you see a
man who cries?, What is more surprising than that is seeing a man in this life
who laughs and he does not know where he will end up. ”
Omar ben Khattab said:
“bring your self to an account before you are brought to an account. And
weight it up before you are weighed up.”. Malik ben-Dinar (ãÇáß Èä ÏíäÇÑ)
said: “God blesses some slave who says to himself ‘didn’t you do this? and
didn’t you do that?’ then he gave out to him self, then limits him self with
the limits in Allah’s book. And he leads him self”
Do not trivialise any of
your sins, for it may be considered big by Allah.
Bringing oneself to an
account must produce feeling sorry for committing a sin and a change to good.
Let us question our selves: Have I fulfilled Allah’s rights? Have I fulfilled
peoples rights? Have I done my prayers in it time? In a group? Fulfilled all
it conditions, requirements and in its deserving peaceful submissiveness? Are
tears shed in fear of Allah? Remember an eye cried in fear of Allah will not
enter hellfire. Are you still persistent in abandoning Fajr prayer? Are you
still forgetful about reciting Allah’s book? The sunnah or Nafilah prayers
which are a sign of belief and the rout to the love of the Rahman? What was it
that bothered you in this year passed? Was it some tasty meal, or some nice
outfit or some moment of pleasure or some money gained, OR was it living for
Allah, finding roads leading to his satisfaction and his gardens?
Were you in the past a
person of good words and recommended actions? Or where you evil hurting
others. Well, that is all a past; it can not be brought back. Though you can
repent and ask for forgiveness.
How about your new
approaching year? You are in control. Start it off with a great encouragement,
and energetic intentions. Make Allah’s rights as your priorities. Obey him and
do not disobey any of his commands, thank him not a denying of his blessings,
remember him at all times.
Give your parents their
deserving rights, in love caring and kindness. Give your spouse’s his or her
rights. Give your children’s rights, your relatives and neighbors. Do not
repel or expel the widows, the poor and the orphans.
Remind your self with
the fact that in this life days will go to past, its peak, beauty and
pleasures are going are diminishing and will not last. Remind your self of the
ever lasting pleasures in the paradise.
Use your health while
you have it; before your sickness be an obstacle, and use your life before
your death approaches. Use your riches before you become poor. And use your
youth before your old age.
Assalam Alaikum -
The Islamic greeting, literately means: Peace
be with you. Used when approaching or leaving. When used during approaching
it will be like saying: I bring no harm to you . and when said during
leaving somebody it will mean: No harm will come to you after I leave.
Aya (or Ayah):
is a verse of the Koran.
It also means a miracle or a sign from God.
Arafa (or Arafah or Arafat):
is a mountain
outside the city of Mecca
that represents the climax of the Hajj worship. All doing
Hajj must stay at this location on the same
day.
Badr
- The place of the first significant battle between the Muslims and the
pagans of the Quraish. It is located in Saudi Arabia.
Caliph
- A Muslim ruler. See:
(Khalifa)
Dajjal
- Antichrist or the False Massiah.
Dawah
- The proliferation of Islamic teachings through word and deed.
Deen (Din)
- Religion or way of life.
Duaa:
a prayer in the form of
talking to Allah;
praising him and asking him for help.
Fatwa
- Legal verdict given based on the Qur'an (Koran) and the Sunnah which are
the recorded sayings and deeds of Muhammad.
Ferdose:
is the highest level of
the all the gardens of Eden or paradise.
Fiqh
- Religious law.
Hadeeth:
is something reported
that the messenger have said. It includes all the speeches and ceremonies he gave.
It is usually narrated or told by one
of his companions. There is a list of hadeeths approximately 14000 that are
reported and checked to be genuine. No
more hadeeths are acceptably added to this list.
Hajar -
The Black Stone set into the corner of the
Ka'aba in Mecca. It is said to be a stone from Heaven.
Hajj -
The pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place in
the last month of the Islamic calendar. One of the five pillars of Islam.
Hasana or hasanas:
is the reward for a good deed. a hasana is a point or a merit for a good deed.
Hadith
- The sayings and not deeds of the prophet Muhammad recorded by his
followers. Considered authoritative and perfect.
Hajj: is
the worship of pilgrimage.
Hijra (or
Hejrah):
the event of the immigration of the messenger from Mekkah to Madina. This
event marks the start of the Islamic calendar. the Islamic calendar has 12
months based on the lunar cycle, each is 29.5 days. Hijra is also used as a
name for the Islamic dating system.
Ibadah -
Worship. All the words and deeds with which
Allah is pleased. These deeds could be prayer and charity.
Iblis - (Ibleese):
On of Satan's names.
Ibn (Ebn): the son of. Used
by Arabs as part of an individual's name. Example: Ali whose father is Omar
or the son of Omar, would be called: Ali Ibn
Omar.
Imam
(or Emam)- The leader for a prayer. In the Shiaa sect, an Imam is the individual who has the religious authority.
Iman:
belief or faith
Injil (Enjeel) -
The Bible. The book inspired to Jesus for the
Christians.
Islam
- Submission, the religion of all the
prophets of Allah culminating in Muhammad.
Jannah -
The heavenly garden, Paradise. The place of
the faithful in the afterlife.
Jihad:
is striving in the
line
of Allah in many forms. Includes a very wide scope varying from improving
oneself to fighting a defensive war in protection
of Allah's word. The greatest Jihad is the
fight one's self against temptations.
It also means "holy war."
Jinn
-
Supernatural, invisible beings race of
beings, below angels. They were made from fire. Like humans, there amongst
them are the faithful and the non beleivers and Jinn shall be judged on
Judgment Day.
Ka'aba:
A cube shaped building in
Mecca containing a stone laid there by Abraham and Ishmael. Some say
Ka'aba was first built by Adam, and some say by
Abraham. It is the holiest place for Muslims. It is where all Muslims face in their daily prayers.
Ka'aba also makes a major part of the pilgrimage
in a ritual known as Tawaf.
Khalifa:
is the Muslim ruler. Head of the Islamic empire. Exact translation:
"Successor".
Khutbah -
A sermon given in a Mosque, usually on Friday.
Kufr -
Denial or Disbelief. A term Muslims use for
anyone who denies existence of Allah or the prophecy of Muhammed.
Koran
- Also spelled Qur'an. The holy book
of Islam revealed to Muhammad by Allah through the Archangel Gabriel. Koran
literally means "the recital." It is the final revelation of Allah given to
the prophet Muhammad. It consists of 114 surahs (or chapters.)
Madinah - (Medinah): A city in the
Arabian
peninsula
(in the country known now as Saudi Arabia). A city where the messenger had to
immigrate to.
Then it was called Yathrib.
Masjid -
A
center for Muslim activity. It is referred to as a mosque.
Masiah -
A
sin, or a sinful act
Mecca or Makkah:
is
the holiest city for Muslims. It contains the Ka'aba mosque with the famous
black cubical shape. Mecca is the birth place of the messenger (PPBU).
Mosque - A Muslim
house of worship.
Muhajir -
(Muhajireen)
Immigrant, one who leaves his home town due to lack of religious freedom. It
was first used to describe early Muslims immigrating from Mecca to Median
and Ethiopia.
Muhammad -
the final messenger and
prophet of God whose message abrogated all previous revelations. He
received the Koran through the angel Gabriel over a 23 year period. Born in
Mecca and died in Medina at the age of 63. His full name: Muhammad
ibn Abd-Allah
Muslim
- One who holds faith to the religion of
Islam.
Nafilah:
a voluntary prayer other
than the five obligatory prayers; performed at any time.
Nasara -
Christians. Nasrani:
A Christian individual. Nasraniah:
Christianity.
Ommah:
is the Arabic word for a
nation. It usually refers to
the Islamic nation unless otherwise specified.
Paradise -
Another word for heaven. A
garden of bliss, fruits, rivers and all forms of pleasures imaginable and
imaginable. No suffering, disease or death. Service is provided by angels.
All live in it an ever lasting youthful life. Promised by Almighty
Allah to all faithful, true Jews, true Christians and True Muslims. Paradise
is one of two places every person will go to, either Paradise or Hellfire.
PPBU
(P.B.U.H.) :
Peace and Prayers Be
Upon him. A statement Muslims use any time they mention the name of the
messenger or make a reference to him.
Qadar -
Fate. Preordainment is the teaching that all
things, good and bad, are preordained to occur.
Qadr - (night of Qadr):
The night when the first
revelation of the Koran took place. Most likely it happened during one of the
last ten nights of the month of Ramadan. Or when the Koran was brought down to
the nearest heaven in one go, and from there it was brought down in bits and
few verses at a time over a period of 23 years. This night is considered the
holiest night for Muslims with tremendous advantages.
Qibla -
The direction which Muslims turn for daily
prayers, towards Mecca.
Quraish -
An ancient Arab tribe to which the messenger
Muhammad belonged.
Ramadan -
The ninth month of the Islamic calendar which
is the month of the fast. The holiest month in the Muslim colander.
Salat -
Prayers. Generally it covers all forms of
worship, but more specifically refers to the Muslim rituals which is
performed to worship Allah five times daily.
Shiaa:
A sect of Islam that teaches that a religion
leader (Imam) should be the political ruler and must be direct descendants
of the messenger (PPBU). Therefore, disapproving of all Muslim leaders who
ruled After the messenger (PPBU) except Ali, the messenger's grandson.
Shirk -
Associating another god with Allah. Or associating anyone or anything with
Allah. Or using anyone or anything as a medium to Allah. The opposite of
Monotheism or Tawheed.
Siam or Soam-
Fasting
Sunni:
is a the title of those Muslims who are suppose to be following the life
style of the messenger. This differentiates them from the Shiaa of Iran.
Sunna (Sunnah):
Is how the Messenger PPBU lived, what he did or said. It includes the way he
dressed, ate, drank, prayed, interacted with other people and fought.
Basically, sunnah is the life style of the messenger PPBU. It is considered
the second source of legislation in Islamic laws and it is considered to be an
important reference to be used for concluding arguments and disputes.
It is also a title give to the main stream Muslims who make 90% if all
Muslims.
Surah -
A
chapter of the Koran.
Tawaf:
part of the pilgrimage (Hajj)
ritual. It involves walking round the Ka'aba Mosque in anti-clock wise
direction a number of seven circles.
Tauhid - Tawheed -
Monotheism, in Islam is the teaching that
there is only one God who alone is worthy of worship. The first requirement
of becoming a Muslim. It is included in the testimony of faith for new
Muslims when declaring that God is one: (No God but Allah)
Taqwah -
Proper fear and veneration of Allah. A divine spark that enables the person
to understand God.
Taurat: The old
Testaments and scriptures of Mosa.
Ummah -
the word means: a Nation. Usually refers to
the Islamic nation unless otherwise stated.
Umrah - (Amrah):
A mini hajj. A Minor form of pilgrimage to
Mecca. Unlike Hajj which can only be done on the 12th month of the Islamic
year, Umrah can be performed at any time.
Wathoo (wadoo): a washing up ritual
done by Muslims before each of the five daily prayers known as ablution.
Zaboor -
The
Psalms
Zakat -
The
third pillar of Islam. Alms giving, charity that is given to the poor.
