Task of Messengers and Prophets
Written by: SK.
Translated by Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa
26
Rabee-al-Thani 1429H
02
May
2008AC
All thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the
worlds. Peace and prayers be upon the most honored of all prophets and
messengers, and upon all his family and companions, and those that follow him.
We are
still discussing the topic of understanding Allah’s religion through the that
incident when Gabriel came asking the messenger (PPBU) about Islam, about
faith and perfection. As a result we talked about the testimony of “No God but
Allah”. We explained what it meant, its reality, its benefits and its
conditions. Now we enter the second dimension of Islam, that is: the testimony
that “Mohammad is the messenger of Allah”. Before talking about this testimony
today’s talk is given as an introduction. Today talk is about the task of
prophets and messengers. Today’s talk can be summarized into the following
three points:
First: The origin of enmity between Adam
and Satan.
Second: The beginnings of polytheism or
associating others with Allah (Sherk).
Third: The task of prophets and
messenger.
First: The origin of enmity between Adam
and Satan.
When
Allah created Adam and blew the spirit into him. Allah ordered His angels to
kneel before Adam. Ibleese, was one of the Jinn and it was not one of the
angels. He did not kneel before Adam. He refused due to vanity, envy and
tyranny. His punishment was the exclusion from Allah’s mercy. He became the
target of Allah’s curse. He became even more tyrant and more hateful towards
Adam and Adam’s offspring (or Mankind). He asked Allah to be given a chance
until the day of resurrection and he swore or took an oath to misguide all
Allah’s slaves of mankind, or Adam’s offspring. He would do that through
misguiding them from the truth, and from the path of deliverance and
salvation, so they would not worship Allah and they would not believe in Allah
as the sole and only God. He pledged to use all possible methods to block them
from good and make them to love evil. Allah putting an end to the powers of
the Jinn over the faithful said: {He said: My Lord, because You have put me in
error, I will surely make attractive to them (meaning mankind) on earth, and I
will mislead them all. Except, among them, Your chosen servants.} Al-Hijr
15:39-40.
The second point: The beginnings of
polytheism or associating others with Allah (Sherk).
Satan was
continuously at Adam (PBU) and his offspring, with whispering, temptation and
misguidance, until he became the reason for bringing down Adam from paradise.
He was also the reason for the son of Adam to kill his brother. As if that
wasn’t enough, as time passed with Adam’s offspring, and as prophecies became
distanced, he started making polytheism be attractive to people. He was
tempting them; and he achieved what he wanted. Waddan (æóÏøÇð),
Suwa’an (ÓõæóÇÚÇð),
Yagoothan (íóÛõæËó), Yao’ookan (íóÚõæÞó)
and Nasran (äóÓúÑósÇ),
all these were names of good God fearing men from the people of Noah (PBU).
But, after they died Satan inspired their people to build statues in their
memories. And time went by, they started worshipping them and offering
sacrifices to them instead of to Allah alone.
The third point: The task of prophets and
messengers.
No one deservingly likes being praised as
Allah does. He praises Himself as the messenger said: {it is for that He sent
down the book and sent the messengers.}
Allah
sent the messengers to emphasize the argument and the evidence upon his slaves
of mankind; so they would have no excuses. All these sent messages are
blessings and mercies from Allah to all His creations. The need of the slaves
for such messages is above all needs. In fact mankind need those messages from
Allah; is more necessary to them than food, drink and medicine. For the worst
that could happen if there is a lack of food or drink or medicine is the harm
of the body, while these messages have life for the hearts and faith. These
messages are necessary for the wellbeing of the slave in his worldly life and
the life after. As there is no wellbeing for mankind in the life after except
by following and adhering to those messages, it is also the case that the
message is also necessary for the wellbeing of mankind in his worldly life
living.
To each
nation Allah; sent a messenger. They were all sent with the same religion, and
that is Islam. The entire religion is to be purely and sincerely for Allah.
Dedicating the singularity to Him alone (May He be praised). Never to worship
anyone or anything else other than Him. Allah says: {And We sent not before
you any messenger except that We revealed to him that, there is no God by I,
so worship Me} Al-Anbiaa 21:25. The messenger said: {Prophets are brethrens,
they have many different mothers, but their religion is the one and the same}.
Messengers kept on coming to their people calling upon them to hold on to the
one god; and to give up polytheism. This continued up to Moses and Jesus. In
their scriptures there was the glad tiding of the coming of the prophet
Muhammad (PPBU).
And after
Jesus (PBU) was lifted up, and as time lingered on for mankind before the
revelation and sending of the messenger Mohammad (PPBU); Ebleese worked hard
on people. He misguided people far off the righteous path. He had them trapped
into disbelief, polytheism, and becoming astray and misguided in so many ways,
with the exception of the few and far between.
After this introduction, next Friday, God
welling, we shall talk about the prophet of mercy Mohammad (PPBU) and the
testimonies
we
should bear towards him
or on his behalf.
We
ask Allah to give us knowledge which will be of benefit, and a good
accepted deed. And all thanks be to Allah.
Notes:
-
Adhan
- The call to prayer.
-
Ansar (or Al-Ansar):
The inhabitants of the city of Al-Medina that received and supported the
messenger (PPBU) when he immigrated from Mekkah in the very early years of
Islam.
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.
