Doubts about what the Qur’aan says about ‘Eesa (peace be upon him)

 

How can you expect non-Muslims to believe what your Book says about ‘Eesa, and to reject the story of his crucifixion and deny that he is the son of God, when the Bible affirms these things?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

We may be repeating ourselves here if we point out that the
Gospels, or the Bible, of which we are speaking, that is extant among the
people nowadays, is something other than that which was revealed from
Allaah to His slave and Messenger ‘Eesa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of Mary –
peace be upon him). With regard to what was revealed from Allaah, no one's
faith is valid if he disbelieves in it or in any part of it. We have
warned against that in question no.
47516. 

But for reasons of divine wisdom, that book continued to be
distorted and misinterpreted from ancient times until its divine origin was
lost and disappeared. All that the people have in their hands now is no more
than a mixture of the darkness of shirk and trinity with the glimmer of the
light of Tawheed, an accumulation of lies and distortions mixed with the
remnants of the truth and knowledge of the Prophets. 

Now, after so many centuries of tampering, it is impossible
for anyone to be certain whether any part of the Bible is true or false,
unless it is checked in the light of the truth that confirms that which went
before, the divine light of which has not been extinguished by the darkness
of ignorance and whims and desires, and whose pure truthfulness has not been
contaminated with even a single lie or mistake. That can be nothing other
than the Holy Qur’aan which Allaah has guaranteed to preserve, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, We, it is We Who
have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We will guard it
(from corruption)”

[al-Hijr 15:9] 

Even though one of the greatest Christian scholars and
defenders of the Bible, namely Norton, tried to defend the Bible against the
criticism of Ackharn the German, he was forced to admit that distinguishing
truth from lies nowadays is very difficult. 

From this we reach the matter asked about in the question. We
say that whoever does not believe in the Qur’aan will never have any valid
book in which to believe, and whoever casts aspersions upon the truthfulness
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the
validity of the Islamic religion, will not be able to offer any proof that
the religion which he follows is valid. 

The point is that whoever casts aspersions upon the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the things that he said
about his Prophethood and the Revelation that he received from heaven, even
though miracles happened at his hands that confirmed the veracity of what he
said, and all his life he continued to challenge his enemies to produce the
like of the Book which he attributed to the revelation of his Lord, and even
challenged mankind and the jinn together to cooperate and produce something
like this Qur’aan, as Allaah said: 

“Say: “If the mankind and the jinn were together to
produce the like of this Qur’aan, they could not produce the like thereof,
even if they helped one another”

[al-Isra’ 17:88] 

But they were not able
to do that and produce anything like it, throughout history and until now,
in spite of the numerous enemies who opposed him and wished that they could
prove that he was lying. But there is no way they can do that! 

Moreover, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) continued to prevail over his enemies and they were unable to
prove him wrong. They were never able to prove that he was lying in anything
he said, even in the regular kind of talk that people engage in amongst
themselves, let alone telling lies about his Lord Who had sent him.  

I wonder, if they reject all that evidence, how they could
have any evidence of the soundness of the idea of “divine inspiration” which
forms the foundation of their belief in their books, in spite of the fact
that they do not claim that the Gospel was revealed to Jesus, or that he
wrote it or dictated it, or even that the Gospels were written during his
lifetime! 

Moreover, there is no sound evidence concerning the
personalities of the four men who wrote the Gospels: who they were, how they
lived their lives, and whether what they wrote came from divine revelation
or divine inspiration, as they claim, or it was only their own ideas or what
was inspired to them by their devils. Horn, one of the greatest exegetes of
the Bible, says: “If it is said that the Bible was revealed from God, that
does not mean that every single word or phrase of it is inspired by God.
Rather we know from the statements of those who wrote the Bible, from the
differences in their styles, that they were permitted to write according to
their own natures, customs and understanding. It is unimaginable that they
could have been inspired in everything they described or in every ruling
they stated.” 

The Encyclopaedia Britannica refers to the different
opinions among Christian scholars and researchers concerning the matter of
divine inspiration and whether every phrase of the Bible is divinely
inspired or not. Then it comments on that in one article (19/20) where it
says: “Those who say that every phrase is divinely inspired cannot prove
their claims with any ease.” 

We say: and they cannot do so even with difficulty! 

There are dozens of places where the Gospels contradict one
another, and dozens of historical errors and false prophecies that never
materialized. Frederick Grant stated that “The New Testament is not
homogeneous because it is a compilation of scattered elements. It does not
represent a single point of view or style from beginning to end, rather it
represents different points of view. 

The American Encyclopaedia states that there is a
serious problem that results from the contradictions that appear in
different places throughout the fourth Gospel and the three synoptic
Gospels. The differences between them are so great that if you accept the
synoptic Gospels as sound and correct, this will lead to the conclusion that
the Gospel of John is not sound. 

It is worth noting that the Gospel of John is the one which
focuses the most on their doctrine of trinity; indeed they admit that it was
written to establish this doctrine, which the other three Gospels failed to
do, and to put an end to the dispute concerning this matter. 

The Catholic Church, which strongly adheres to the idea of
divine inspiration as the origin of the Bible, confirmed that in a meeting
of the Vatican in 1869-1870. But a century later it revised its opinion and
admitted, in Vatican II (1962-1965) that these books contain a great deal of
defects and some falsehoods, according to what was reported by the French
Catholic researcher Dr Maurice Bucaille, who later became a Muslim. 

Moreover, if a person disbelieves in any of the miracles of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or any aspects
of his life story that point to his truthfulness, how can he prove the
miracles of these so-called apostles who wrote the Gospels, or prove that
their claim to divine inspiration is correct? 

For them, the idea of divine inspiration is correct on the
basis of what is written in the Bible, and the miracles mentioned therein,
and the Bible is sound and correct because it is divinely inspired! 

Thus their evidence ends in a vicious circle, as was
mentioned in the Encyclopaedia by some researchers: “So the Bible is
sound because it is divinely inspired and their inspiration is proven
because the Bible testifies to that!” 

If a person disbelieves in the Qur’aan, which was transmitted
by means of tawaatur (a process in which something is narrated from so many
by so many that it is inconceivable that they could all agree upon a lie),
throughout the Muslim world, east and west, generation after generation, by
memory and in writing, with no variant copies and no contradictions, how can
he prove the Gospels to be sound or rely on them, when there is no shred of
evidence, not even a hint, that they existed any earlier than two hundred
years after the death of Christ, according to what Norton quoted from
Ackharn the German? Then there were the calamities that befell the
Christians in the fourth century CE, when their churches were destroyed and
their books were burned, which makes one lose confidence in any of their
books that appeared after that. When did they appear and in whose possession
were they during that period of persecution and hiding? How did they reach
us?… There are many questions about this problem as was expressed in the
Encyclopaedia Britannica where it says: 

“We have no certain knowledge of the way in which the
canonical soundness of these four Gospels was established, nor where or when
this decision was made.” 

With regard to not knowing who translated it from the
language in which it was originally written, how reliable his knowledge was
and how qualified he was for this task, and how we can be certain that he
translated it in the proper manner, that is a whole other issue! 

For more details on what we have mentioned in summary in this
answer, please see: Izhaar al-Haq by Shaykh Rahmat-Allaah al-Hindi.
And Munaazarah bayna al-Islam wa’l-Nasraaniyyah by Shaykh Muhammad
Jameel Ghaazi et al. 

May Allaah guide us and you to the Straight Path.

 

Why are there so many earthquakes?

 

Many countries have had earthquakes,
such as Turkey, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan, etc. Does this mean anything (from an Islamic point
of view)?

Praise be to Allaah.

Praise be to Allaah, and peace and blessings be upon the
Messenger of Allaah, and upon his family, companions, and those who follow his guidance.

Allaah is the All-Wise, All-Knowing in all that He wills and decrees,
and He is the All-Wise, All-Knowing in all that He legislates and commands. He creates and
decrees whatever signs He wills, to frighten His slaves and remind them of their
obligations and duties towards Him, and to warn them against associating anything in
worship with Him, going against His commands and doing that which He has forbidden. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We sent not the signs except to warn” [al-Israa’
17:59]

“We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own
selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Qur’aan) is the truth. Is it
not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?”
[Fussilat 41:53]

“Say: ‘He has power to send torment on you from above or from
under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the
violence of one another.’” [al-An’aam 6:65]

Al-Bukhaari narrated in his Saheeh from Jaabir ibn
‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that when the aayah (interpretation of
the meaning) “Say: ‘He has power to send torment on you from above”
was revealed, the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “A’oodhu
bi wajhika (I seek refuge in Your Face”; “or from under your feet”,
he said, “A’oodhu bi wajhika (I seek refuge in Your Face).” (Saheeh
al-Bukhaari, 5/193).

(Abu’l-Shaykh al-Isbahaani narrated from Mujaahid concerning the Tafseer
of this aayah, “Say: ‘He has power to send torment on you from above”:
(this means) al-Sayhah (the shout or tumult), stones and strong wind; “or
from under your feet”, (means) earthquakes and being swallowed up by the earth.)

Undoubtedly the earthquakes that are happening these
days are among the signs which Allaah uses to frighten His slaves. All the earthquakes and
other things which happen and cause harm and injury to people are because of shirk
and sins, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):

“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what
your hands have earned. And He pardons much” [al-Shoora 42:30]

“Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah, but whatever of
evil befalls you, is from yourself” [al-Nisaa’ 4:79]

And Allaah said concerning the nations of the past:

“So We punished each (of them) for his sins, of them were some
on whom We sent Haasib (a violent wind with shower of stones) [as on the people of Loot
(Lot)], and of them were some who were overtaken by As-Saihah [torment — awful cry,
(as Thamood or Shu‘ayb’s people)], and of them were some whom We caused the
earth to swallow [as Qaaroon (Korah)], and of them were some whom We drowned [as the
people of Nooh (Noah), or Fir‘aun (Pharaoh) and his people]. It was not Allaah Who
wronged them, but they wronged themselves” [al-‘Ankaboot 29:40]

What Muslims and others who are accountable and of sound mind must do
is repent to Allaah, adhere firmly to His Religion and avoid all that He has forbidden of Shirk
and sin, so that they may be safe and attain salvation from all evils in this world and
the next, and so that Allaah will ward off from them all harm, and bless them with all
good. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwaa
(piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the
earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they
used to earn (polytheism and crimes).” [al-A’raaf 7:96]

And Allaah says concerning the People of the Book (interpretation of
the meaning):

“And if only they had acted according to the Tawraah (Torah),
the Injeel (Gospel), and what has (now) been sent down to them from their Lord (the
Qur’ân), they would surely, have gotten provision from above them and from
underneath their feet” [al-Maa’idah 5:66].

And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the
coming of Our punishment by night while they were asleep? Or, did the people
of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while
they were playing? Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allaah? None
feels secure from the Plan of Allaah except the people who are the losers.”
[al-A’raaf 7:97-99]

Al-‘Allaamah Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Allaah sometimes gives the earth permission to breathe, which is when major
earthquakes happen; this makes people feel scared, so they repent, give up sins, pray to
Allaah and feel regret [for their sins]. When there had been an earthquake, some of the
Salaf said: your Lord is warning you. When Madeenah was struck by an earthquake,
‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with you) addressed the people and said:
if there is another earthquake, I will not stay here with you.”

And there are many similar reportes from the Salaf.

Our response when there is an earthquake or some other sign such as an
eclipse, strong winds or floods, should be to hasten to repent to Allaah and pray to Him
for safety, and to remember Him much and seek His forgiveness, as the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said when there was an eclipse: “If you see anything
like that, hasten to remember Him, call on Him and seek His forgiveness.” (Part
of an agreed-upon hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari (2/30) and Muslim (2/628)).

It is also mustahabb (recommended, encouraged) to
show compassion to the poor and needy, and to give charity to them, because the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Show mercy, you will be shown mercy.” (Narrated by
Imaam Ahmad, 2/165)

“Those who are merciful will be shown mercy by the
Most Merciful. Have mercy on those who are on earth, and the One Who is in heaven will
show mercy to you.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood (13/285), al-Tirmidhi (6/43)).

“Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown
mercy.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5/75), Muslim (4/1809)).

It was reported that when there was an earthquake,
‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez (may Allaah have mercy on him) would write to his
governors telling them to give in charity.

One of the things which will help to keep people safe and sound is if
the authorities impose an immediate crack-down on the foolish elements in society, forcing
them to behave and applying the laws of sharee’ah to them, enjoining what is good and
forbidding what is evil. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“The believers, men and women, are Awliyaa’ (helpers,
supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people)
Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid
(people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam
has forbidden); they perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and give the Zakaah, and obey
Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah will have His Mercy on them. Surely, Allaah is
All-Mighty, All-Wise” [al-Tawbah 9:71]

“Verily, Allaah will help those who help His (Cause). Truly,
Allaah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.  Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them
power in the land, (they) enjoin Iqamat-as-Salaah [i.e. to perform the
five compulsory congregational Salaah (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakaah
and they enjoin Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to
do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islam has forbidden)
[i.e. they make the Qur’aan as the law of their country in all the spheres of life].
And with Allaah rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures).” [al-Hajj 22:40-41]

“And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will
make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from
(sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will
suffice him.” [al-Talaaq 65:2-3]

And there are many aayaat on this topic.

The Prophet (
peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Whoever meets the need of his brother, Allaah will meet his needs.” (Agreed
upon; al-Bukhaari, 3/98; Muslim, 4/1996).

And he (
peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Whoever relieves a believer of some of the distress of this world, Allaah will
relieve him of some of the distress of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever makes things
easier for one who is suffering hardship, Allaah will make things easier for him in this
world and in the Hereafter. Whoever conceals a Muslim’s faults, Allaah will conceal
his faults in this world and in the Hereafter. Allaah will help a person so long as he
helps his brother.” (Narrated by Muslim, 4/2074). And there are
many ahaadeeth on this topic.

Allaah is the One Whom we ask to reform the affairs of all the Muslims
and to bless them with proper understanding of Islam and help them to adhere steadfastly
to it and repent to Allaah from all their sins. We ask Him to reform all those who are in
authority over the Muslims’ affairs and to support the Truth and eradicate falsehood
through them, and to help them to rule the people according to the laws of sharee’ah,
and to protect them and all the Muslims from misguidance and temptation and the tricks of
the Shaytaan, for He is Able to do all that.

May the blessings and peace of Allaah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and
upon his family and companions, and those who follow them in truth until the Day of
Resurrection.

Who moved the Ka’bah to where it is now?

 

Who moved the kab'ah to where it is now?

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

The Ka’bah was not in one place and then
moved, rather it was built in the place where it is now, and it has not been moved from that time. The scholars differed as to who built the
Ka’bah. It was said that it was the angels, or Adam (peace be upon him), or Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) – the latter is the correct view. 

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And (remember) when Ibraaheem (Abraham)
and (his son) Ismaa’eel (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah), (saying), ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service)
from us. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower’”

[al-Baqarah 2:127] 

It was narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: I said, “O Messenger of Allaah, which mosque was built first on earth?” He said, “Al-Masjid al-Haraam.” I said, “Then
which?” He said, “Al-Masjid al-Aqsa.” I asked, “How much time was between them?” He said, “Forty years. So wherever you are when the time for
prayer comes, then pray.” 

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3186; Muslim, 520. 

The scholars of the Standing Committee said: 

The Holy Ka’bah is the qiblah of the Muslims
towards which they face in every prayer, in obedience to the command of Allaah, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, We have seen the turning of your
(Muhammad’s) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the
direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction”

[al-Baqarah 2:144] 

It is also the place where they perform the
rituals of Hajj and ‘Umrah, by circumambulating it, in obedience to the command of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“and circumambulate the Ancient House (the
Ka‘bah at Makkah)”

[al-Hajj 22:29] 

And in obedience to what Allaah has prescribed on the lips of His Messenger Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).  

It was built by Ibraaheem al-Khaleel and his son Ismaa’eel (peace be upon them both) as Allaah
tells us (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And (remember) when Ibraaheem (Abraham)
and (his son) Ismaa’eel (Ishmael) were raising the foundations of the House (the Ka‘bah at Makkah), (saying), ‘Our Lord! Accept (this service)
from us. Verily, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knower’”

[al-Baqarah 2:127] 

And it has been renovated several times since
then. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Baaz, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Razzaaq ‘Afeefi, Shaykh
‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Qa’ood. 

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah,
6/310 

And Allaah knows best.

A Christian asks about the nature and definition of the soul

 

With regard to Islam, what is the soul? For
instance, who created the soul, and what limitations does it have?

Praise be to Allaah.

Allaah is the Creator of all things, and the soul is
something that has been created just like everything else. The knowledge about its true
essence is something that belongs exclusively to Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted.
Allaah has kept this knowledge exclusively to Himself, as is stated in the hadeeth of
‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “Whilst
I was with the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on a farm, and he was
resting on a palm branch stripped of its leaves, the Jews passed by, and some of them said
to others, ‘Ask him about the soul.’ Some of them said, ‘What urges you to
ask him about it?’ Others of them said, ‘Don’t ask him in case he says
something you dislike.’ But they said, ‘Ask him,’ so they asked him about
the soul. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kept quiet and did not
respond to them, and I knew that he was receiving Revelation, so I stayed where I was.
When the Revelation of the aayah was complete, he said (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And
they ask you [O Muhammad] concerning the rooh [the spirit]. Say: ‘The rooh: it is one
of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you
(mankind) have been given only a little.’ [al-Isra’ 17:85]” (Reported
by al-Bukhaari). The rooh (soul or spirit) has been described by
Allaah in His Book and by the Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in
his Sunnah, and various verbs and adjectives have been used in conjunction with the word
‘rooh’, such as seizing or grasping, taking (as in death), it may be
fettered or shrouded, it comes and goes, it goes up and comes down, it may be pulled out
like a hair being pulled out of dough… It is obligatory (in Islam) to believe in
these attributes which are narrated in the “two Revelations” (i.e., the
Qur’aan and Sunnah), and also to realize that the soul is not like the body.

Allaah created Adam and breathed the soul into him, as is stated in the
Qur’aan and in the hadeeth of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him): “When Allaah created Adam and breathed the soul into him, he sneezed and said
‘Al-hamdu-Lillah (Praise be to Allaah).’ He praised Allaah by His
permission. Then his Lord said to him, ‘May Allaah have mercy on you, O Adam. Go to
those angels, to a group of them who are sitting, and say, ‘As-salaamu
‘alaykum (peace be upon you).’ They said, ‘Wa ‘alayka al-salaam
wa rahmat-Allaah (and upon you be peace and the Mercy of Allaah).’ Then he went
back to his Lord, who said, ‘This is your greeting and the greeting of your
descendants amongst themselves.’” (Reported and classed as hasan by
al-Tirmidhi. Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3290).

Allaah sends the angel to breathe the soul into the
foetus as was reported by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood, who said: “The Messenger
of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), who is the most truthful (of human
beings) and his being truthful (is a fact) told us: ‘The constituents of one of you
is gathered in his mother’s womb for forty days, then it becomes a clot of blood
within another period of forty days. Then it becomes a lump of flesh, and forty days
later, Allaah sends His angel to it to breathe into it the soul. The angel comes with
instructions concerning four things, so the angel writes down his livelihood, his death,
his deeds and whether he will doomed or blessed.” (Reported by Muslim, 1528).

The soul of the deceased is taken from the ends of the
toes towards the top of the body, and when it reaches the throat, the death rattle sounds
in the throat of the person who is about to die, and his eyes glaze over and roll upwards.
Um Salamah said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) entered upon Abu Salamah (after he had died) and his eyes were open, so he closed
them then said, ‘When the soul is taken, the eyes follow it.’” (Reported
by Muslim, 1528).

The soul is met by the angels. The Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The angels met the soul of a man from among
the people who came before you, and said, ‘Did you do anything good?’ He said,
'I used to tell my employees to postpone collection of payment or to let off anyone who
was in difficulty.’ So it was said, ‘Let him off.’” (Reported
by al-Bukhaari, 1935).

The soul is taken up to heaven by two angels after it is
taken (i.e., after a person dies), as was reported in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah who
said: “When the soul of the believer is taken, it is met by two angels who take it
up…” (The narrator said: then he mentioned its good fragrance and scent of
musk). The people of heaven say, ‘A good soul that has come from earth, may Allaah
bless you and the body in which you used to dwell. Then they take it up to its Lord, may
He be glorified and exalted, then He says, ‘Roam with it until the end of the
world.’ When the disbeliever’s soul comes out… (the narrator mentioned its
putrid smell and curses). The people of heaven say, ‘An evil soul that has come from
earth,’ then it is said, ‘Roam with it until the end of the world.’ Abu
Hurayrah said: then the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
put a piece of cloth over his nose, like this. (Reported by Muslim, 5119).

More information about how the soul comes out (at death)
was reported in the hadeeth of Imaam Ahmad (may Allaah have mercy on him) from
al-Bara’ ibn ‘Aazib who said: “We went out with the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) for the funeral of a man from among the Ansaar, and we
reached the grave whilst it was still being dug. The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) sat down and we sat down around him, and it was as if we
had birds on our heads. In his hand was a stick with which he was scratching in the earth.
He raised his head and said, ‘Seek refuge with Allaah from the punishment of the
grave,’ two or three times. Then he said, ‘Verily, when the believing slave is
about to depart this world and enter the Hereafter, there come down to him angels from
heaven with white faces, as if their faces are the sun. They bring with them one of the
shrouds of Paradise and some of the perfume of Paradise. They sit with him as far as the
eye can see. Then the Angel of Death (peace be upon him) comes to him and sits by his head
and says, ‘O pure soul, come out to the forgiveness and pleasure of Allaah.’
Then his soul comes flowing out like a drop of water flowing from a cup. Then he takes the
soul, and no sooner does he seize it but they take it and place it in that shroud and
perfume. Then out of it comes the most excellent fragrance of musk to be found on the face
of the earth. Then they ascend with it and they do not pass by any group of angels but the
angels ask, ‘Who is this pure soul?’ and they reply, ‘It is So and so the
son of So and so’ – using the best names by which he was known on earth. Then
they bring it to the lowest heaven, and ask for it to be opened, and it is opened for him.
Those who are of high rank in each heaven accompany it until they approach the next
heaven, and so it goes until it reaches the seventh heaven. Then Allaah, may He be
glorified and exalted, says: ‘Record the book of My slave in ‘Illiyoon (the
highest heaven) and take him back to the earth, for I created them from it, and I shall
return them to it, then I shall take them out from it again.’ Then his soul is
returned to his body and two angels come and make him sit up, and ask him, ‘Who is
your Lord.’ He says, ‘Allaah.’ They ask, ‘What is your religion?’
He says, ‘My religion is Islam.’ They ask, ‘Who is this man that was sent
amongst you?’ He says, ‘He is the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him.’ They ask him, ‘What knowledge do you have?’ He says,
'I read the Book of Allaah and I believed in it.’ Then a voice will call out from
heaven, ‘My slave has spoken the truth. Prepare for him a bed from Paradise and give
him clothes from Paradise, and open for him a door to Paradise.’ And he will feel its
breeze and smell its fragrance, and his grave will be widened for him as far as his eye
can see. Then a man with a handsome face, beautiful clothes and a pleasant fragrance will
come to him and say, ‘Good news! This is the day that you were promised.’ He
will say, ‘Who are you? You face looks as if it brings good news.’ He will say,
'I am your good deeds.’ (The deceased) will say, ‘O Lord, let the Hour come so
that I may see my family and my wealth again.’

When the disbelieving slave is about to depart this world and enter the
Hereafter, there come down to him angels from heaven with black faces, bringing with them
sackcloth. They sit with him as far as the eye can see. Then the Angel of Death comes to
him and sits by his head and says, ‘O evil soul, come out to the wrath and anger of
Allaah.’ Then his soul disperses in his body and is dragged out like a skewer being
pulled out of wet wool. Then he takes the soul, and no sooner does he seize it but they
take it and place it in that sackcloth. Then out of it comes the most putrid stench of
rotten flesh to be found on the face of the earth. Then they ascend with it and they do
not pass by any group of angels but the angels ask, ‘Who is this evil soul?’ and
they reply, ‘It is So and so the son of So and so’ – using the worst names
by which he was known on earth. Then they bring it to the lowest heaven, and ask for it to
be opened, and it is not opened for him.” Then the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited (interpretation of the meaning): “…
For them the gates of heaven will not be opened, and they will not enter Paradise until
the camel goes through the eye of the needle” [al-A’raaf 7:40]. Then he
said, “Then Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says: ‘Record the book of
My slave in Sijjeen (the lowest Hell) in the lowest earth. Then his soul is cast
down.” Then he recited (interpretation of the meaning): “… and whoever
assigns partners to Allaah, it is as if he had fallen from the sky, and the birds had
snatched him, or the wind had thrown him to a far off place.” [al-Hajj 22:31]. He
said, “Then his soul is returned to his body and two angels come and make him sit up,
and ask him, ‘Who is your Lord.’ He says, ‘Oh, oh, I don’t know.’
They ask, ‘What is your religion?’ He says, ‘Oh, oh, I don’t
know.’ They ask, ‘Who is this man that was sent amongst you?’ He says,
‘Oh, oh, I don’t know.’ Then a voice will call out from heaven, ‘He is
lying. Prepare for him a bed from Hell and open for him a door to Hell.’ And he will
feel its hot winds and smell its stench, and his grave will be constricted for him until
his ribs interlock. Then a man with an ugly face, ugly clothes and a horrible stench will
come to him and say, ‘Bad news! This is the day that you were warned about.’ He
will say, ‘Who are you? You face looks as if it brings bad news.’ He will say,
'I am your evil deeds.’ (The deceased) will say, ‘O Lord, do not let the Hour
come!’” (Musnad al-Imaam Ahmad, 17803; this is a saheeh hadeeth).

At the end of time, Allaah will send a wind which will
take the soul of every believer, as was reported in the hadeeth of al-Nawwaas ibn
Sam’aan, who said: “The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) mentioned … (the coming of the Dajjaal [Antichrist] and the descent of
‘Eesa [Jesus], peace be upon him, and the good life and happiness of mankind at the
time of Jesus and afterwards). He said, ‘And whilst the people are living like that,
Allaah will send a good wind which will seize them under the armpits and will take the
soul of every believer and every Muslim. The evil people will remain and they will behave
like donkeys, then the Hour will come upon them.’” (Reported by Muslim,
5228).

When people sleep (and sleep is the “lesser
death”), the soul is taken, but not completely, so the sleeper is still alive. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is Allaah Who takes away the souls at
the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep, He keeps those (souls)
for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed. Verily, in this
are signs for a people who think deeply.” [al-Zumar 39:42]

The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
advised the Muslim, when he lies down to sleep, to say: “Bismika Rabbee
wada’tu janbi wa bika arfa’uhu wa in amsakta nafsi farhamhaa wa in arsaltahaa
fahfazhaa bimaa tuhfaz bihi ‘ibaadika al-saaliheen ( In Your name, my Lord, I lie
down, and in Your name I rise. If You should take my soul then have mercy on it, and if
You should return my soul then protect it as You protect Your righteous slaves).”
When the Muslim wakes up, he should say, “Al-hamdu Lillaah alladhi ‘aafaani
fi jasadi wa radda ‘alayya roohi wa adhina li bi dhikrihi (Praise be to Allaah
Who has restored to me my health and returned my soul and has allowed me to remember Him
).” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 3323’ He said, a hasan hadeeth).

These are a few of the aayaat and saheeh ahaadeeth which describe the
soul. Maybe you will find in them information that will guide you to the way of truth, the
Religion of Islam. Thank you for your question.

Are sperm alive or do they have no soul?

 

If the soul is breathed into the embryo
after four months, are we to understand that the sperm which joins with the woman’s
egg, from which the embryo is formed, has no soul, or what?

Praise be to Allaah.

Both the sperm and the ovum are alive in a sense which, if they are
free from defects, prepares each of them to join with the other, if Allaah wills and
decrees it to happen. When that happens, if Allaah wills it, the embryo is formed and is
also alive in a manner that suits it and prepares it to grow and develop, moving through
the known stages. When the soul is breathed into it, it becomes alive in another sense, by
the permission of Allaah, the Subtle One, the Aware. No matter how a man tries, even if he
is a highly-skilled doctor, he can never comprehend all the secrets and stages of
development of pregnancy. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):

“Allaah knows what every female bears, and by how much the
wombs fall short (of their time or number) or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due)
proportion. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High.”
[al-Ra’d 13:8-9]

“Verily, Allaah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He
sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs…” [Luqmaan 31:34]

(Fataawa Islamiyyah li’l-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 488).

Life is of varying kinds, and each being is alive in a
manner that suits it by the power of Allaah. So plants are alive in a manner that suits
them, sperm is alive in a manner that suits it, and man is alive in a manner that suits
him, and so on. Allaah is the Creator of all this, and He has made water the basis of
every living thing, as He says in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):

“Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the
earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from
water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” [al-Anbiya’ 21:30]

And Allaah knows best.

The meaning of the hadeeth “Souls are like conscripted soldiers”

 

A'ushu mina Eshaytan errajim
Bismi Allahi Errahman Errahiim
Assalam Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuh
Dear Imam
I am a revert and my homepage is at : …………..
I have found the Haadith below and i have asked an Uztazah about it. I
send you her answer.
I am very troubled about the Haadith and the answer I received concerning
what this Haadith really means.
Please, could you tell me more about this matter and if there are other
Haadiths confirming it?
Jazakallahkhairan
May Allah Taalah reward you for your efforts in His Deen
 <<Sahih Muslim Hadith 6376 (the Alim CD for WINDOWS)
Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: Souls are troops collected
together and those who familiarised with each other (in the heaven from where these come)
would have affinity with one another (in the world) and those amongst them who opposed
each other (in the Heaven) would also be divergent (in the world).
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah the hadith doesn't say "humans were alive
before being born". Only the souls were in heaven.
This heaven is not the one people with good deeds go to in the hereafter.
It is somewhere that we do not know. It's in the Lohmahfuz....only Allah knows. In simple
words this place is like a "bank" where the souls created by Allah were placed.
So when a woman is pregnant, at the point where Allah gives the soul to the creation in
the womb, He will take one of these souls. So, there were good and bad souls. Let say, the
bad soul is given to the creation, the baby is born and become a bad person. However, this
grown up person can have a change in his/her destiny due to his/her deeds in his life.
This is where the du'a plays a major role. The du'a and the inten

Praise be to Allaah.

Imaam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him)
reported in his Saheeh that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying:
‘Souls are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize, they get along with,
and those whom they do not recognize, they will not get along with.’” (Saheeh
al-Bukhaari, Kitaab Ahaadeeth al-Anbiyaa’, Baab al-Arwaah junood mujannadah).

Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his
commentary on the hadeeth: “Concerning the phrase ‘Souls are like conscripted
soldiers…’ al-Khattaabi said: ‘This may refer to their similarity as
regards good or evil, righteousness or corruption. Good people are inclined towards other
good people, and evil people are similarly inclined towards other evil people. Souls feel
affinity with others according to the nature in which they were created, good or evil. If
souls’ natures are similar, they will get along, otherwise they will not be on good
terms with one another. It could be that what is being referred to is the beginning of
creation in the realm of the unseen when, it is reported, souls were created before
bodies, and used to meet one another and express their pessimism about the future. When
souls have entered bodies (come to the physical realm) they may recognize one another from
the past, and may be on friendly terms or otherwise based on that past experience.”

Someone else said: “What it means is that when souls are created,
they are made in two parts, and when the bodies in which the souls reside meet in this
world, they either get along together or do not, based on the way in which these souls are
created in this world.”

I say that this is not contradicted by the fact that some people who do
not like one another at first may get along well later on, because the hadeeth is probably
speaking about the moment of first meeting, which has to do with the original creation and
nothing else. If they dislike one another at first but later come to like one another, it
is because of something new, a new quality that makes them love one another after the
initial dislike, such as a kaafir becoming a Muslim or a sinner being reformed.

The phrase “conscripted soldiers” refers to different types
or classifications, or groups brought together. Ibn al-Jawzi said: “What we learn
from this hadeeth is that when a person finds that he feels dislike towards someone who is
known to be virtuous or righteous, he should try to find out the reason for that so that
he can make the effort to rid himself of something undesirable. The opposite (if a person
finds himself liking someone who is known to be evil) also applies.” Al-Qurtubi said:
“Although they are all souls, they differ in different ways, so a person will feel an
affinity with souls of one kind, and will get along with them because of the special
quality that they have in common. So we notice that people of all types will get along
with those with whom they share an affinity, and will keep away from those who are of
other types. [“Birds of a feather flock together” – Translator]. We may
also note that within any given group or type, people may get along with some and dislike
others, and this is in accordance with issues or qualities that form the basis of love or
hate.”

We have narrated a mawsool report in Sunan Abi Ya’laa, at
the beginning of which is the story narrated from ‘Amrah bint ‘Abd al-Rahmaan,
who said: “There was a woman in Makkah who liked to joke, and she came and stayed
with a woman in Madeenah who was like her. When ‘Aa’ishah heard about this, she
said, ‘My beloved spoke the truth. I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) saying…’ and mentioned a similar hadeeth.”

The hadeeth was also narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh, 4773.
Al-Nawawi said: “With regard to the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), ‘Souls are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize,
they get along with, and those whom they do not recognize, they will not get along
with’, the scholars said that the meaning is groups gathered together, or different
types. As for them getting along, this happens because of something in common between them
that Allaah has created. It was said that they are similar attributes that Allaah has
created in them, or that they were created in a group and then dispersed in their bodies,
so people who have similar characteristics will like one another, and those who do not
have similar characteristics will not like one another. Al-Khattaabi and others said: this
getting along with one another has to do with what Allaah decreed from the outset about
the ultimate destiny of souls, whether they will be among the blessed [in Paradise] or the
doomed [in Hell]. Souls are of two opposing kinds, and when they meet in this physical
world, they will either love or hate one another depending on the way they were created.
Good souls will be inclined towards other good souls, and evil souls will be inclined
towards other evil souls. And Allaah knows best.

She became Muslim recently and feels anxious about the future

 

I am a muslim convert. I try to prey veryday and read quran,but I have always full of worries about future like something bad thing may happen to me etc.,especially at night. Can you pleases tell me what to do?.

Praise be to Allaah.
 

 

Firstly: 

We congratulate you for this great blessing that Allaah has
bestowed upon you, which is the blessing of entering Islam and finding
enjoyment praying and reading Qur’aan. 

Secondly: 

You should try hard to offer the obligatory prayers at the
right times as defined in sharee’ah. There are five prayers each day and
night. Prayer represents connection and conversation between a person and
his Lord. It is the most important pillar and obligatory duty of Islam after
the Shahaadatayn (twin testimony of faith), and it brings light to a person
in this life and in his grave in the Hereafter. 

You should also strive to offer naafil (supererogatory)
prayers after doing the obligatory prayers, for Allaah says in the hadeeth
qudsi: “My slave does not draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me
than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him,
and My slave continues to draw near to Me with
supererogatory works so that I shall love him.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6502. 

Thirdly: 

The anxiety and fear that you are feeling about the future
are things that happen to some people when they first become committed in
their adherence to Islam. Perhaps the reason for that is that the Shaytaan
is annoyed by the person’s beginning to follow true guidance and the path of
Mercy, so he tried to divert him from that, and he whispers to him doubts
about Allaah that are not appropriate, in order to cause him grief and
worry. This – praise be to Allaah – will not harm the believer. Hence the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, when some of
his companions complained to him about the waswasah (whisperings from the
Shaytaan) that they were encountering: “Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most
Great, Allaah is Most Great. Praise be to Allaah Who has reduced his (the
Shaytaan’s) plots to mere whispers.” Narrated by Ahmad (2097) and Abu Dawood
(4448); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. A
similar hadeeth is to be found in al-Saheehayn. 

You should read Qur’aan a great deal and remember Allaah
(dhikr), for no one ever protects himself against the Shaytaan with anything
like remembrance of Allaah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, especially the dhikrs that are narrated for
specific times and occasions, such as the dhikrs for morning and evening,
for sleeping and waking, for going out of the house and coming in. You
should also cleanse the house of anything that may prevent the angels coming
in, such as dogs and images. 

Remember that the future is in the hand of Allaah and that
whatever Allaah has decreed will come to pass. Your fear and anxiety about
it will not change it at all. So keep busy with things that will benefit you
and think well of Allaah, for Allaah is as His slave thinks He is, as He
says in the hadeeth qudsi: “I am as My slave thinks I am. I am with him when
he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to
himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he
makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of
him in an assembly better than it.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7066;
Muslim, 2675). Ahmad (16059) narrated with a saheeh isnaad: “I am as My
slave thinks I am, so let him think of Me as he wishes.” 

So think that Allaah will honour you, have mercy on you and
give you happiness in this world and in the Hereafter, because He loves His
righteous slaves, and honours His pious slaves. You – praise be to Allaah –
are new in Islam and have few sins to your record. So be assured of a life
of tranquillity, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female —
while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him
We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful
provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the
best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)”

[al-Nahl 16:97] 

We ask Allaah to guide you and give you
strength, and to take away the fear and anxiety that you are experiencing. 

And Allaah knows best.