In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful.

True believers

Written by: Sk Abd-Razzag Taher Farih

Translated by: Dr. Faheem Bukhatwa

07 April 2017

10 Rajab 1438.

Dearly beloved,

Allah says: {They only are the (true) believers whose hearts feel fear when Allah is mentioned, and when revelations of Allah are recited unto them their faith increases, and who into their Lord they trust; (2) Who establish prayers and spend of that We have bestowed onto them. (3) Those are the true believers. For them are grades (of honour) with their Lord, and pardon, and a bountiful provision. (4).} 8:2-4. Those verses list or specify the characteristics which identify true believers; whose faith is complete and who are a good example for Muslims. And the first of those characters is that a true believer’s heart will tremble when Allah is mentioned, meaning his heart will have respect for and fear of Allah; so he would do what Allah commands; and refrain from what Allah warns against. Sufian Al-Thawri reported As-Suddi interpreting those verses saying: “A man is about to commit a sin, when he is told: “Fear Allah”, then his heart becomes fearful”. God-fearing is one of the characteristics of a true believer. God-fearing protects a believer from falling into the wrath and anger of Allah. For whosoever fears Allah, he will not disobey Allah. And it is for that; the Almighty, the Most Forgiving says: {But for him who fears the status of his Lord or the standing before his Lord, there are two gardens} 55-46. Allah also says: {But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord

and restrained his soul from lust, (40) for certain, the Garden will be his home. (41)} 79:40-41.

The second character of a true believer is the increase of faith, and what the individual feels within himself and within those round him. That is those who have faith, their hearts relax and get reassured with the mentioning of Allah. They become more faithful when Allah’s verses are recited. Recitation; accompanied with contemplation and thoughts; lead to acting upon it. That is because the beauty and sweetness of Quran is felt each time verses are listened to or recited by the individual. The believer gets elevated as he listens or recites verses of the Quran.

The third character for such a believer is putting his or her trust into Allah. This is one of the greatest and most important characteristic of a believer. Entrust can only be accepted if it was directed at Allah alone without including anyone or anything else with Him. Ebn-Katheer said in explaining the verse: To seek safety and refuge with Him, they seek no one else but Him, and they expect protection with Him, and they ask for support from Him alone, and they reach out to Him alone. And they are certain in the knowledge that only what He wishes shall be, and what He does not wish shall not be. And they know that He alone is the capable of acting in the entire creation, and there is no prevention or changing of His decree or decision. And that He is fast at evaluation. Saeed Ebn Jubair said that “entrusting into Allah sums up faith in its entirety”.

The forth character of a true believer is performing the daily prayers. Prayers represent the food for the soul; without which a person would lose his balance, and would be torn by sickness, problems and worries. One would lose his true happiness and becomes with the losers on the day of resurrection. It is absolutely vital in order for a Muslim to be a true believer is to perform the daily prayers in the manner which satisfies Allah.

The fifth character of a true believer mentioned in this verse is that the believer is to spend from what Allah has bestowed upon him. For the riches he has; are Allah’s riches, and all the money is Allah’s money. Spending from that is a sign of true faith.

A man once asked Al-Hassan Al-Basri, he said: Are you a believer? He said: Faith is of two types. If you are asking me about having faith into Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers and Paradise and Hellfire, the resurrection and judgment then; yes; I am a believer. But, if you are asking me about what Allah says about true believers in His book: {They only are the (true) believers whose hearts feel fear when Allah is mentioned, and when revelations of Allah are recited unto them they increase their faith, and who into their Lord they trust; (2) Who establish prayers and spend of that We have bestowed onto them. (3) Those are the true believers.} 8:2-3. He said: By Allah, I don’t know if I am one of those or not.

Let us embody those characteristics. Let us respond to Allah’s call and His messenger; when Allah says: { O you who believe! Obey or respond to Allah, and the messenger when He calls you to that which will give you life, and know that Allah comes in between a man and his own heart, and that He; is to Whom you will be returned.} 8:24.

I say this and I ask Allah’s forgiveness for you and I and for all Muslims from all sins. Do ask His forgiveness, He is the most Forgiving, the most Merciful.

Notes:

Adhan - The call to prayer.

Ahmad (Ahmed)- Another name for the messenger Muhammad (PPBU).

Allah - The Arabic word for "god." It is often used as a name for God in Islam.

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.

Faheem Bukhatwa, my email address is : faheemfb@gmail.com