Islamic Studies Grade 07

Islamic
Studies
Grade7
Given the dire need for Islamic studies material in
schools incorporating the subject in English,
Darussalam has endeavoured to publish an Islamic
Studies series covering all the grades, from grade
one through grade twelve.
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© Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, 2009

King Fahd National library Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Abdul aziz, Moulavi
Islamic Studies - grade 7 Moulavi Abdul aziz - Riyadh 2009
240p : 29cm ISBN : 978-9960-500-20-1
1-lslam 2-lslam- General principles 1-T itle
210 de 1430/3523
L.D. No. 1 430/3523 ISBN : 978-9960-500-20-1
Supervised by:
Abdul Malik Mujahid
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All praise belongs to Allah; we praise Him and seek His help
and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our own
selves and from our sinful deeds. Whomever Allah guides, there is
none to misguide him; and whomever He leads astray, none can
guide him. We bear witness that there is no god worthy of
worship except Allah, alone, and we bear witness that
Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. We pray to Allah the
Almighty to bestow His peace and blessings upon Prophet
Muhammad, upon his good and pure family, as well as upon all
the noble companions and those who follow them in
righteousness until the Day of Judgement.
Given the dire need for Islamic studies material in schools
incorporating the subject in English, Darussalam has
endeavoured to publish an Islamic Studies series covering all the
grades, from grade one through grade twelve.
The present series covers all areas of Islamic studies: tafseer,
hadeeth, tawheed, fiqh, seerah, and general etiquette relating to

different areas and situations. Given the importance of authentic
Islamic knowledge, every effort has been made to ensure that the
material presented in the series is authentic. Also, given the
importance of Arabic Islamic terms, most of the terms are
presented in their original Arabic script, along with the
transliteration and the translation of their meanings. This also
applies to supplications which have to be memorised in their
Arabic version. The aim here is to help the reader read the original
text and understand its meaning. Each lesson is followed by
exercises covering questions about the lesson.
One striking feature in the series is the colourful artwork
used in it that certainly appeals to children. This is certainly bound
to attract the young readers' attention, stimulate them, amuse
them as well as educate them.

The series aims to acquaint the student with the teachings
of Islam in every aspect: beliefs, practices and moral conduct. The
series, with its unique features, certainly fills a gap in this area
which has long been partially neglected.
The present breathtaking work was initiated by an expert
in the field of education, Maulvi Abdul Aziz, MA. English literature,
who held different posts in the field including that of Senior
Administrative Officer in the Department of Private Education,
Ministry of Education, Dubai, UAE, from 1982 to 2002.
The current project also owes its existence in its present
form to a number of people who made informative suggestions,
particularly AI-Arabee Ben Razzouq, College of Languages and
Translation, Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University, Riyadh, who
undertook the painstaking task of checking the authenticity of
the material presented in the series, proofreading the text as well
as adding references to certain quotations from the Qur'an and
the hadeeth. Special thanks also go to Sheikh Abdui-Qawiy
Luqman, AI-Madeenah University graduate, for his interesting
suggestions and to Mr. Zulfiqar Mahmood who conscientiously
applied his expertise in the field of graphic design to produce the
series in a superb shape.
We pray to Almighty Allah to reward our endeavours and
to make the present series abundantly beneficial to students in all
stages of education as well as to any one who reads them.
Abdul Malik Mujahid

Jumaada ai-Ukhra, 1430 AH.
June 2009.
Chapter Page,
01. Allah's Greatness and Power 01
02. Attributes of Allah 06
03. Prophets of Allah 10
04. Prophet Muhammad �� The Last Prophet 16
OS. Surat an�Naba' (The Great News) 22
06. Prophet Yoosuf �� 27
08. Prephet Yoosuf �� 38
10. Surat an�Naazi'aat (Those that pull out) 47
15. Surat 'Abasa (He Frowned) 75
16. Keeping Promises 79
17. Aa'ishah bint Abu Bakr as�Siddeeq � 82
18. Prophet Muhammad� 91
19. Prophet Muhammad � 96
20. Surat al�lnshiqaaq 102
22. Prophet Muhammad·� 111
25. Surat at�Takweer 127

Chapter CONTENTS Page=�
27. Prophet Muhammad 1i 140
29. Surat al�Infitaar (The Cleaving Asunder) 157
30. Playing Fair 161
31. Al�Ma'moom: The Person Following the Imaam 164
32. The Two 'Eed Prayers (Salaat�uVEedayn) 171
33. Zaynab�: The Daughter of Allah's Messenger� 176
34. Patience (Sabr) 182
35. Surat al�Mutaffifeen (Those who Give Less) 188
36. Ruqayyah�: The Daughter of Allah's Messenger� 193
37. Du'aa' (Supplication) 195
38. At�Tayammum � The Symbolic Ablution (Using Earth for Purification) 202
39. Surat al�Burooj (The Great Stars) 206
40. Al�Qasr: Shortening the Prayers 212
41. Salaat�ul Jumu'ah (The Friday Prayer) 218
42. Islam and the World of Sciences 226
43. Surat at�Taariq (The Night Comer) 232
44. Gheebah (Backbiting) . 236

Allah's Greatness and Power
There is no god but Allah, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of all that exists .
Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him . To Him belongs whatever is in the
heavens and the earth . He is the Most High, the Most Great.
The disbelievers do not esteem Allah with the esteem that is due to Him,
and the whole earth will be but His Handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the
heavens will be folded up in His Right Hand . Glory be to Him and Exalted is He
above that which they associate with H i m .
H i s knowledge i s all-inclusive a n d H i s power i s limitless . H e i s the Creator. H e
created the heavens and the earth in six days . H e makes the night cover the
day, which pursues it swiftly. He also created the sun and the moon and the
stars, all governed by laws under His
commands .
He alone is to be praised because He
alone is the Lord of the worlds . He created
the entire universe according to a proper
order and a wise plan . He brought forth the
heavenly domain and beautified it with stars
and created man in the best form .
The Creation as Evidence for Allah

The proof that Allah alone is worthy of
worship is that He is the One who created
the heavens and the earth and all that is in
them and between them . Therefore, He
Who created them without any partner
should be the Only One to be worshipped .
Truly, in the creation of the heavens
and the earth, and in the alternation of night
and day, and in the ships which sail in the
sea with that which profits people, and in
the water which Allah sends down from the
Allah's Greatness and Power ••••
sky, and in the change of the winds and the clouds pressed into service
between the heavens and the earth - ore indeed signs for people who
understand .
The world is a limitless festival of mysteries, splendour and beauty. The
heavens and the earth, the planets, the stars and the galaxies are floating along
their decreed orbits in space. The cycle of day and night and the alternation of
light and darkness have moved the hearts and souls of people everywhere . For
a believing heart, it is a daily marvel to behold, a constant reminder of Allah's
greatness and glory.
I ndeed, it is very difficult to
appreciate the significance of
the verse "the vessels that sail
across the sea with what is
useful to mankind" (Surat
ai-Baqarah: 1 64) unless one
travels by sea . A ship seems like
a dot in the ocean; it is hit by
waves from all sides and is
surrounded by an incredible
world of endless blue ! Those
who have experienced sea travel know that in the middle of the ocean one is
entirely at the mercy of Allah and that it is only with Allah's Will and Command
that one can be brought to the safety of the shore. The water which Allah sends
down from the sky gives life to the earth after it has been lifeless and causes all
sorts of creatures to multiply on it. In fact, these are signs that deserve our
attention, reflection and intelligent study. They ore all manifestations of Allah's
supreme power and limitless mercy.
Allah is One and Only

Allah is One and Only. Nothing resembles Him . He is in no way limited by
time or place . Nothing in the entire u niverse affects Him in any way. He is
Ever-living and sustains all that exists . M inds cannot perceive Him, nor can
imaginations picture Him . His greatness and glory can be known through the
intellect and reflection in whatever He has created .
•••• Allah's Greatness and Power
He is the Lord Who creates and provides sustenance. He gives life and
causes death, alters the day and night and raises people to high grades and
degrades others who deserve such degradation . Whatever He wills definitely
occurs exactly as He wishes it to be. He sees everything and hears everything all
at the same time. He has knowledge of everything, whether secret or open . He
is the Supreme Lord and Master in this world and in the hereafter.
He has power over
everything, and His
mercy extends to
everyone and
everything . His
bounties reach every
living creature . He
forgives the sins of
those who turn to Him
and answers the
prayers of those who
pray to Him. He gives
sustenance to the
needy and knowledge to the ignorant. He guides the perplexed, feeds the
hungry, gives drink to the thirsty, clothes the naked and relieves the distress of the
distressed .
He has given us all that we want of Him, and even if we try to count the
favours He has bestowed upon us we will not be able to number them . He
shelters us, accepts our repentance, supports the wronged and punishes the
oppressors and the tyrants . He gives security to the fearfuL honours whomever
He Wills and brings disgrace upon whomever He Wills. He is the Ever free from
want. He spends by day and night and nothing diminishes His unlimited
treasures ! All the affairs of the universe and beyond go according to His Decree
and Will .
He Alone is the Lord and Master who truly deserves to be worshipped . He
has no partners whatsoever. He is our Lord and the Lord of everything . He is the
Lord of the heavens, the lord of the earth and the Lord of the Great Throne. It is
He who causes the grain and date-stone to sprout. He brings forth the living from
---....,...
.__ .,
Allah's Greatness and Power ••••
the dead and the dead from the living . He is the Revealer of the Tawraat, the
lnjeel and the Qurlan ! He is the First there is nothing before Him; He is the Last,
there is nothing after Him; He is the Manifest, there is nothing beyond H i m . H is
army is never defeated; H is promise is never broken; and the wealth of the
wealthy will in no way protect them from Him.
There is no one to withhold what He g ives and no one to give what He withholds .
There is no one to lead astray whomever He guides or guide whomever He leads
astray. There is no one to bring near what He holds far and no one to hold far
what He brings near. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds!
•.•• Allah's Greatness and Power
A. Answer these questions.
l . Why should we praise Allah?
2. Mention a few signs of Allah's greatness .
3. Mention some of the many gifts Almighty Allah has given to mankind .
B. Think-up
l. Does Allah lead people astray?

2. The sun, the moon, the day and the night ore great signs that testify to
AIIOh1S greatness . Why do you think many people do not regard them as
such a lthough they see them everyday?
Attributes of Allah
Allah is Supremely Great. He commands and forbids. He creates and

provides . He gives life and causes death . He elevates and abases . He causes
the night to pass into the day and causes the day to pass into the night and
knows full well all that. is in our hearts .
Indeed, whatever Almighty Allah wills comes into being in the manner He
wills it. H is orders and H is decrees are fulfilled in the heavens, in the farthest
reaches of the earth and beneath it, in the seas, the skies and in every part of
the universe . He originates whatever He wills and causes to die whatever He wills.
H is knowledge encompasses everything . He keeps account of every single
thing .
A l m i g h ty
Allah has the most
beautiful names
and the loftiest
attributes . We must
affi rm and believe
in all H is attributes
without distorting
their obvious
meaning, claiming
that they mean
something other
than that which is
reported in the Qurlan or the Sunnah, denying their meaning altogether or
likening them to any of those of H is creatures . Allah says, "There is nothing like
H i m ; and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. " (Surat Ash-Shooraa, 42: 1 1 ) He also
says, "And all the most beautiful names belong to Allah , so call on Him by
them . " (Surat AI-A'raat, 7 : 1 80)
•••• Attributes of Allah
His hearing encompasses all voices, yet these voices do not blend into one
another. He hears every single voice. He hears and understands all the various
tongues, which are distinct in their countless supplications . One supplication
does not distract Him from another. The countless petitions of His creatures do
not confuse H i m .
H is Sight envelops everything . He sees absolutely everything . The hidden for
Him is visible, and the secret for Him is open . He knows what is secret and what
is even more hidden . He knows what is in a person's mind and conceived in his
heart even when it is not uttered by his lips. He knows the treachery of the eyes
and what the breasts concea l .
To Allah belong the creation and the command . To H i m alone belong this
world and the next. In His Hand is all good and to Him return all affairs . His power
and mercy encompass all things . His Grace extends to every living thing . He is
the Truth, and that which people call upon other than H i m is certainly falsehood .
He forgives sins, relieves troubles and removes woes and affl ictions . He can
do whatever He likes easily and He is in no need of anything . No vision can grasp
Him, but He grasps all vision s, and His is the creation and the command .
He rewards those who do good deeds, helps the oppressed and humbles
the arrogant and haughty. He steadies those who stumble and gives safety from
fear. Neither slumber, nor sleep seizes Him. To Him belongs all that is in the
heavens and the earth .
He is independent of all creatures. He is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy.
Whatever He has g iven since creation has not diminished anything in the least
of what He possesses. The whole earth will be but His handful on the Day of
Resurrection, and
the heavens will be
rolled up in H is Right
Hand . Glory be to
Him and Exalted is
He above that which
they associate with
Him .
Attributes of Allah ••••
' If the first of mankind, the lost of them, the human of them and the jinn of
them were as pious as the most pious heart of any man of them, that would not
increase Allah Is Kingdom in anything . If the first of mankind, the lost of them, the
human of them and the jinn of them were as wicked as the most wicked heart
of any man of them, that would not decrease H is Kingdom in anything . If the first
of mankind, the lost of them, the human of them and the jinn of them were to
rise up in one place and make a request of Him, and were He to give everyone
what he requested, that would not decrease what He has, anymore than a
needle decrease the sea if it is put into it and then token out of it.
If all the trees on earth, from the beginning to the end of existence, were
pens and the oceans were ink, with seven other oceans swelling it thereafter, the
words of Allah would not be exhausted .
Glorified and Exalted is Allah ! He is the most worthy to be invoked,
worshipped and praised . He is the first to be thanked . He is the most Generous
of those who give and the most Compassionate of those who hove power. He
is the Noblest. He is the Most Just. He is unique without on equa l . He is eternally
existent without children or a mote .
Everything will perish except Him . Every kingdom will come to on end
except H is Kingdom . Every sheltering shade except H is will be withdrawn . When
He is obeyed, He is Grateful; when He is disobeyed, He overlooks and excuses
sins .
Therefore, we should fear none but Allah, rely on none but Allah and hope
for no onels mercy except for H is mercy.
•••. Attributes of Allah
A. Answer these questions.
l . What do we mean by attributes? How many attributes does Allah have?
2. When we offer our five daily prayers, do we i n any way add to Allah's
Sovereignty?
B. Think-up
l . When we learn about the attributes of Allah, we get to know H im in a better

way just as we understand a person better when we learn more about his
qualities . From the lesson, what quality of Allah really comforts you and gives
you peace of mind?
2. Mention ten of Allah1S Names .
Oneness of Allah- The Tawheed
The most important and basic
belief about Allah in Islam is tawheed
- the Oneness of Allah . Belief in Allah
is the foundation of Islam. It is the
bedrock of a M uslim's faith.
Allah is One - Unique. He is the
All-Powerful, the Susto iner of the entire
universe. In His Hands ore the life and
death of all creatures . He is the
Sovereign. He is the Lawgiver. He is the Just All-forgiving, All-Merciful . He is with us
in H is infi nite Knowledge wherever we may be . He is the All-Knowing, All-Seeing,
and All-Hearing . The Oneness of Allah forms the basis of all other Islamic beliefs,
attitudes, practices and rules . A Muslim should worship none but Allah . He should
not associate anything or anyone with Him in worship. He should hove absolute
trust in Him and love and fear none more than Him .
Indeed, tawheed - the belief in the Oneness of Allah - permeates every
walk of a believer's life, and it is for this reason that Almighty Allah sent prophets
and messengers to call people to the worship of Allah alone, the only Lord and
Moster.
Prophethood
Allah's revelation is the source of all guidance for man . Man must surrender
to the Divine guidance, as ultimate and final . It is man's duty to love and serve
Allah . He should submit to His Will . Obviously, no one con do this if Allah does not
let humans know what His Will is! How is man's life to be guided then? How con
man decide whether or not on action is right or wrong?
•••• Prophets of Allah
Allah i s Merciful
Surely, Allah is Most Merciful . He revealed His Will to human beings through
H is Prophets and Messengers to take them out of darkness into light. It should be
borne in mind that belief in the reality of divine revelation (wahee) and,
consequently, the Prophethood of Muhammad ( � ) is the main pillar of Islam.
The Qur'an says, "And i t i s not for a n y h u m a n being that Allah should speak
to him except by revelation or from behind a veil , or by sending a Messenger
(i.e . an angel) and revealing by His permission what He pleases. Indeed , He is
Most High and Wise. " (Surat ash-Shooraa, 4 2 : 5 1 )
Thus, the message Allah revealed to H is Prophets and Messengers is the
channel of communication between Allah and mankind . A message (risaalah)
communicated to a Messenger of Allah is a revelation or wahee.
Allah in His mercy sent many prophets (anbiwaa', sing . nabee) and
messengers (rusul, sing . rasool) to guide and
lead humanity to success in this world as
well as in the life to come.
The Qur'an says, "And We have
already sent messengers before you .
�� Among them a re those [whose
stories] We have related to you and
-among them are those [whose stories
We have not related to you . " (Surat Ghaafir, 40: 7 8)
"And [We sent] messengers about whom We have revealed [their stories]
to you before and messengers about whom We have not related to you ."
(Surat an-Nisaa', 4 : 1 64) .
The Qur'an also states that He sent a messenger to every people : "And for
every nation is a messenger . " (Surat Yoonus, l 0 : 47) It further states that it is said
that Allah did not send any messenger who did not speak the language of the
people who were entrusted to him : "And We did not send a messenger except
with the language of his people in order that he may make [the message]
clear for them . " (Surat lbraaheem, 1 4 : 4)
The Hadeeth tells us that-from the first Prophet, Adam ( �\ ), down to Allah's
Messenger Muhammad ( � )-Allah sent l 24, 000 prophets, of whom 3 1 3
received new commands, or books .
;;
==:::;��)--
Prophets of Allah ••••
The Words Rasool and Nabee

The Qur' on uses the words rasool and nobee to refer to the Prophets and
Messengers . The word rasool , as well as its plural form rusul , occurs more than
200 times and means the one who is sent' or 10 messenger'. Less common but
frequent is the word nabee, which means �someone who brings news' and
occurs about 50 times in the Qur'on .
The word nabee in the Qur'on, however, does not mean 'one who gives
news about the future' but rather 'one who gives news from Allah' . He comes
from Allah to worn against evil and to give good news to mankind . Thus, the
words 'giver of good news' (basheer) and 'warner' (nadheer) frequently appear
in the Qur'on .
Rasool means messenger, one sent by Allah to mankind, a lthough this word
is sometimes used to refer to the Angel of Revelation (Jibreel �� ), whom Allah
sent to His Prophets and Messengers. In fact, Muslim scholars hove mode a
distinction between the two words, saying that a nabee means a messenger
without a low (Sharee1ah) and without a book revealed to him, while a rasool
means one with a low and a revealed book. Thus we con a lso define the
difference further: every rasool is a nabee, but not every nabee is a rasool .
The Qur'on clearly and firmly demands of the believers to believe in all the
Prophets and Messengers and the books revealed to them without making a
distinction among them . The Qur'on mentions books revealed to lbrooheem
( �� ) and specifies the Tawraah, the Zaboor of Doowood ( �� ), the lnjeel and
the Qur'on as revealed books . Aodom (�1) was the first of the prophets, and he
and others - Nooh, Hood, Soolih, lbrooheem, Yo'qoob, Yoosuf, Moosoo,
Doowood, Suloymoon,
'Eosoo and Muhammad
(peace and blessings be
upon them all), to mention
only a few of them - were all
human beings chosen by
Allah and were given the
some message: that Allah is
One and that He alone is to
be worshipped .
•• • • Prophets of Allah
Allah refers to all these prophets as Muslims because all of them followed
the Right Path and were His true ahd faithful servants, to Whose Will they
submitted in all the affairs of their life . Every M uslim is required to believe in all the
prophets of Allah and respect them . Rejection of one of them is like rejection of
them all. In fact rejection of one is enough to take one outside the fold of Islam .
Prophets played very influential and important roles throughout history in
delivering the Message of Allah . They all brought the same message, calling
people to worship none but Allah, not to associate partners with Allah in worship,
completely submit to Allah's WilL offer salaah, pay zakaat, lead a moral life
according to the D ivine Guidance, prepare for the Day of Resurrection when
everyone will stand before Allah to be judged for the deeds done in this life .
The stories of Allah's Prophets and Messengers form a significant portion of
the Qur'an, but the Qur'an does not tell the stories of all of them . In fact there
are twenty-five prophets and messengers mentioned by name in the Qur'an .
Prophets and Messengers were human beings chosen by Allah to receive
His Message and deliver it to human beings . In fact they were not only the
bearers of the divine message, but they also showed how the message was to
be interpreted in practical life . They were the models, or examples, to be
followed . It is the Prophets' example that inspires a living faith in the heart of his
followers and brings about a real change in their lives . That is why the Noble
Qur'an lays special stress on the fact that prophets and messengers were men .
The reformation of man is thus entrusted to man .
The Qur'an argues, "Say, 'Had there been upon the earth angels walking
about as settlers , We would have sent down to them from the heaven a n a ngel
[as] a messenger. "' (Surat al-lsraa', 1 7 : 95) The Qur'an, however, not only
establishes the fact that prophets have appeared in all nations; it goes further
and renders it obligatory that a Muslim should believe in all those prophets.
[
Prophets of Allah ••••
A. Fill in the blanks.
l. The most basic belief in Islam is ----
2. The Qur'an talks about only prophets and messengers, but we
know from the hadeeth that there is a total of of prophets
and messengers.
3. Rejection of one prophet i s __________ _____
4. Prophets and messengers showed how to translate the divine message into
B. Answer these questions.
l. How does Allah let human beings know His Will?
2. Explain the Arabic word wahee .

•••• Prophets of Allah
3. What is the difference between the words nabee and rasool.
4. Why did Allah send human prophets and messengers?
C. Think-up
We know that there were prophets who were not given any book. What did
they call people to? What guidance did they have?
The Seal of all the Prophets
Prophethood came to an end with
Muhammad ( � L whom Allah made the
'seal of all
the Prophets' (khaatam
an-nabiween) and by whom the religion
( deen) was completed and perfected . It was
to Muhammad ( � ) that the words of Allah were
finally revealed through Angel Jibreel ( �� ) over a
twenty-three years, from the age of forty to sixty-three, when he passed away.
The Qur'an states, "Today, I have perfected your religion for you,
completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your
religion ." (Surat a/-Maa'idah, 5:3)
This verse set, as it were, a seal on the message of the Qur'an . It was
revealed at 'Arafaat in the afternoon of Friday, the 9th of Dhui-Hijjah, 1 0 AH,
eighty-one or eighty-two days before the death of the Prophet ( � ) . No verse
whatsoever was revealed after this verse . This clearly points to the fact that
Almighty Allah has perfected the faith and bestowed the full measure of His
blessings upon the believers. Our total submission to Allah (Islam) is accepted as
the true basis, or the basic law, of the deen . This self-expression should find
expression not only in belief in Allah, but also in obedience to H is commands .
Indeed, this verse represents the greatest favour of Allah on the Ummah
(the M uslim community) of the Prophet Muhammad ( � ), for He has perfected
their religion for them and so they do not need any way of life other than Islam .
Allah sent Prophet Muhammad ( � ) as His Last Messenger to all mankind .
Muslims do not need any additions, deletions or changes in their religion; Allah
has completed it for them .
---<� 1 6
•••• Prophet Muhammad� - The Last Prophet
One day a Jew came to 'Umar ibn ai-Khattaab ( � ) and said,

"Commander of the believers ! There is a verse in your Holy Book, which is recited
by all of you M uslims. Had it been revealed to us, we would have taken the day
on which it was revealed as a day of celebration ." 'Umar ( � ) asked, "What
verse is it?" The Jew replied, "Today, I have perfected your religion for you ,
completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your
religion . " 'Umar ( � ) then said, "No doubt about it at all. We know where and
when this verse was revealed . It was a F riday. The Prophet ( ?il was standing at
'Arafaat (the 9th day of Dhui-Hijjah) . " (ai-Bukhaaree, Muslim, at-Tirmidhee and
an-Nasaa'ee)
The Seal of the Prophets

M uhammad ( � ) was the last of the Prophets . He is the seal (khaatam) of
all the Prophets. Just as a seal marks the end of a document or conclusion of a
thing, the message revealed to Muhammad ( � ), the Qur'an, was the
culmination and the end of all divine revelations. Because Prophet Muhammad
(� ) is the seal of the prophets, the Qur'an represents the culminating point of all ·
the revelations and offers the final and perfect straight path to success in this life
and eternal bliss in the life to come.
The Qur'an has a universal applicability. This means that its teachings are
suitable and useful everywhere in the world and at all times . Its text is
incorruptible because Almighty Allah has taken it upon Himself to protect it. The
Qurlan says, " Indeed , We have sent the Reminder (i . e . the Qur'an) , and We will
assuredly guard it. " (Surat ai-Hijr, 1 5 : 9)
r====l 7::�
:: f---
Prophet Muhammad� - The Last Prophet ••••
The Qur'an is the record of all the words and messages exactly as
conveyed to the Prophet ( �) by Allah and arranged by the Prophet ( �) himself
under the guidance of Allah . The finality of the Prophethood in Allah's Messenger
( � ) rests on the clear words of the Qur'an and the sayings of the Prophet ( � )
himself.
Hadeeth on the Finality of the Prophet ( � )

The hadeeth is also clear on this point. The meaning of khaatam
an-nabiyyeen (seal of prophets) was thus explained by Allah's Messenger ( � ) :
"My example and the example of the prophets before me is like that of a man
who has built a house and he made it very good and very beautiful with the
exception of one stone in the corner; so people began to go round it and to
wonder at it and say, 'Why has the stone not been placed?'" The Prophet ( � )
said, "I am this stone and I am the Last of the Prophets ." (AI-Bukhaaree)
This hadeeth in which the Prophet ( � ) speaks of himself as the last of the
messengers makes it very clear that no prophet would appear after him.
The appearance of Allah's Messenger ( � ) made the institution of
Prophethood universal . The day of a national prophet was over, and one last
prophet was ra ised for all nations, for all ages, for all peoples of whatever tribe,
colour, language or place!
Islam, the_ F inal Religion

Muhammad ( � ) is the last of the messengers
sent by Allah to mankind; therefore, Islam itself is
the final religion . Islam draws together in itself all the
essential aspects of truth about Allah and man's
life on earth and the life to come. It is thus a final
synthesis of all revealed Truth . Similarly, Allah's
Messenger ( �) draws together in himself all truth
about man in the various aspects of his life. He is
the whole true man in whom all human virtues and
aspects are in perfect balance . The Prophets m ission and Islam, being the final
message, have in it not only the fragrance of the end, but a lso that of the
beginning .
--{c[ 1 8
The Qur'an speaks of Aadam ( � \) as the first man and first prophet and
also states that it is with Prophet Muhammad (� ) that Prophethood comes to a
close .
Allah's Messenger ( � ) is the seal of all the prophets . He is the universal and
final messenger of Allah to all mankind whom he leads from darkness into light.
Indeed, he is Allah's favour on those who believe in him and in what he brought.
He is Allah's favour even to the People of the Book, who may yet come to
believe in him. (see Surat ai-Maa'idah, 5 : 1 9)
He is the man whom Almighty Allah created with a character eminent as

the standard for mankind . He is the perfect man and an excellent model for
every Muslim, male or female, young or old . He brought to us the Qur'an exactly
as it was revealed to him by Allah . His own life was the perfect interpretation of
the Noble Qur'an . Through his fantastic teachings and marvellous example, he
has shown us the right and true practice of Islam and Islamic virtues . He is a
perfect model not merely for one generation but for all generations, not merely
for a time but for all time. May Allah1S peace and blessings be on him.
19 �>1---
Prophet Muhammad� - The Last Prophet ••••
The Qur'an was revealed over a period of ------ years .
2. _____ was the first prophet and _______ was the last.
3. The Prophet's life was the perfect interpretation of the ------
B. Answer the following questions.
1. Why is Prophet M uhammad ( � ) called khaatam an-nabiween?
2. When was the third verse of Surat a/-Maa'idah (surah 5) revealed? What is
the significance of this verse?
--� 20
3. What aspects are included in man's surrender to Allah?
4. The Prophet ( �) is not sent only for the Arabs. Explain.
C. Think-up
What is the basic difference between Prophet Muhammad ( � ) and the

other prophets?
2ll)r----
Surat an-Naba' is a late Makkan surah . Its theme is the continuation of
human life after bodily death; that is to say, resurrection and Allah's ultimate
judgment. Its title is derived from the word naba', which appears in the second
verse .
The surah consists of forty verses.

The Makkans found the idea of a final resurrection day difficult to believe .
"How could dry bones come alive again? " they argued . The surah, therefore,
draws attention to Allah's supreme power, the True God and Lord who created
the earth and the seven heavens . He had no difficulty in creating us in the first
place, and He will have no difficulty at all in recomposing the elements of our
body and once again giving us life. The resurrection of the body will come
about through the supreme power of Almighty Allah .
1. The surah begins with a statement of the awesome news of the Day of
Judgment and a warning to people of its certainty. (verses 1 -5)
2. The certainty of the Day of Rising is then argued by asserting Allah's
absolute Power over His vast and purposeful creation . (verses 6-1 6)
s. This follows the graphic description of the misfortune of the evildoers on
that day when they will be cast into the Hellfire where they will remain for
countless ages . (verses 1 7 -30)
4. The fate of these evildoers is then contrasted with the happiness and joy
awaiting the right-doers in the Gardens of Paradise . (verses 3 1 -36)
s. The surah ends with another assertion of Allah's absolute Power over
everything and every being . This life is a test; those who pass it will be richly
rewarded, and those who fail the test will regret it bitterly. They will wish at
that moment that they could turn into dust so that they could escape the
doom of punishment in Hellfire. (verses 3 7-40)
----1� 22
•••• Surat an-Naba' (The Great News)
In the Nome of Allah, the Most Kind, the Most Merciful .

1. What ore they asking one another about?
2. About the great news?
3. On which they so utterly
disagree?
4. No ! Indeed, they will soon know!
s. Again, no ! Indeed, they will
soon know!
s. Hove We not mode the earth a
resting-place,
7. And the mountains as pegs?
a. And We hove created you in
pairs,
9. And hove mode your sleep [a
means] for rest;
1 0. And We mode the night as a covering [through its darkness];
1 1. And We mode the day for earning a living;
1 2. And We built above you seven strong [heavens];
1 3. And We placed therein a lamp full of blazing splendour.
1 4. And We sent down, from the wind-driven clouds, waters pouring in
abundance,
:: )---
2 3::�
===
Surat an-Naba' (The Great News) • • ••
1 5. So that We may bring forth gra ins and plants,

1 6. And gardens thick with foliage.
1 7. Surely, the Day of Decision has a set time,
1 8. The day when the Horn will be blown and you will come forth in huge
crowds;
1 9. And the heaven will be opened as if there were gates in it;
20. And the mountains will vanish as if they were a mirage .
21. Surely, Hell has been lying in wait,
22. For the transgressors, a place of return,
23. In which they will remain for ages, [unending] .
24. Neither coolness will they taste in it nor any drink,
25. Except boiling water and foul fluids;
26. A suitable punishment!
21. Indeed, they did not expect that their deeds would be counted,
28. And they called Our verses lies and denied them,
29. But We have recorded everything in a Book;
30. So taste [the penalty]; and We will not increase you in anything but
suffering .
31. Indeed, for the righteous there i s triumph,
32. Gardens and grapevines,
33. And young maidens of similar age,
34. And an over-flowing cup,
35. No vain talk will they hear therein nor any lie:
36. A reward from your Lord, a gift in accordance with His own reckoning .
37. The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, the
Most Merciful . They will not have the power to speak to Him,
38. On the day when the Spirit (Jibreel �I ) and the angels will stand in rows;
they will not except for one whom the Most Merciful will permit; and will say
only what is right.
39. That will be the Day of Ultimate Truth . Whoever wills, then, let him take to his
Lord a (way of) return .
40. Truly, We have warned you of a punishment near at hand on the day when
a person will clearly see what his hands have sent ahead, and the
disbeliever will say, 'Oh ! I wish that I were mere dust!'
---<C[ 24
•••• Sural an-Naba' (The Great News)
The question as to whether there is life after death has preoccupied man
throughout the ages . Death and resurrection ore twin stages of a positive
re-creation of the entire human personality - and this is the Qur'onic view of the
life to come . The world has continued its course throughout the ages, but this will
not go on forever. The day will come when this world will end . Of that day and
hour no one knows, not even the angels. It is Allah's secret. Indeed, Islam
teaches us that all people will rise again. This is the truth revealed by Allah many
times in the Glorious Qur'on .
Allah has placed firm mountains o n earth to keep it stable . H e has created
the heavens, the sun and the moon . This illustrates Allah's supreme power and
creativeness . Is not He who has created the universe equally able to resurrect
and re-create man in whatever form He deems necessary?
The overwhelming evidence of purpose and plan in all observable objects

of nature points to the existence of a Creator Who has not created anything or
anyone in this world without meaning and purpose. He will one day pronounce
H is Judgment on all human beings' willingness or unwillingness to live up to the
standards of morality mode clear to them through Divine revelation which Allah's
Messengers mode clear to them .
25 �f.--
Sural an-Naba' (The Great News) ••••
A. Answer the following questions.
1. Where does the surah get its name?
2. What is the theme of Surat an-Naba'?
3. What does the surah draw attention to?
4. This world will come to an end . Does anyone know when?
s. What misfortune will the disbelievers suffer on the Day of Judgment?
6. What joys await the right-doers in Paradise?
B. Memorisation
Learn Surat an-Naba' by heart.

-�� 26
The Most Beautiful of Stories
Surat Yoosuf deals with the whole story of the Prophet Yoosuf ( �� ) . The
Qur'an describes it as the most beautiful of stories (ahsan-u/-qasas) . It relates it in
the best manner and the finest linguistic form . Indeed, it contains wisdom,
wonderful signs and valuable lessons.
Yoosuf was the son of Yalqoob, who was the son of ls-haaq who in turn was
the son of l braaheem ( �� ) . They were all prophets . Yoosuf ( �� ) was the
grandson of Prophet lbraaheem ( �� ).
Prophet Yoosuf ( ��) is mentioned twice outside Surat Yoosuf ( �� ) (the
twelfth surah of the Qur'anL once in Surat ai-An'aam and another time in Surat
Ghaafir.
The Qur'an uses the story of Yoosuf ( �\) primarily as an illustration of Allah's
unfathomable directions of people's affairs-an echo of Allah1S statement: "It
may well be that you hate a thing while it is good for you , and it may well be
that you love a thing while it may be bad for you ; Allah knows, but you do not
know . " (Surat ai-Baqarah, 2 : 2 1 6)
The whole of this surah might be described as a series of variations on the
major theme that the judgment rests with none but Alla h .
Yoosuf's Wonderful Dream

Yoosuf ( �� ) was a very handsome and intelligent young boy. Prophet
Ya'qoob had twelve sons, to whom all Jewish tribes trace their origin. Benjamin
was Yoosuf's full brother-both being sons of Ya'qoob's wife who had
died-whereas the other ten were only his half-brothers . Prophet Ya'qoob ( �\ )
loved them dearly, but he loved Yoosuf ( W\ ) and Benjamin more than any of
his other sons.
Prophet Voosuf �� ( 1 ) ••••
One night Yoosuf ( �1) had

a wonderful dream; he saw ·
eleven stars, the sun and the

moon all bowing down to him.
He was quite amazed by this
drea m . Young Yoosuf went to
his father Ya'qoob and told
him about it. Ya'qoob was a
Prophet and so he did not fail
to understand the meaning of
his son's dream of future
greatness, with the eleven
stars symbolizing his brothers,
and the sun and the moon his parents . Ya'qoob at once realized the deeper
meanings of his son's dream .
H e said, "Allah has blessed you, Yoosuf. Something great will happen to
you . This dream brings the good news that you will be given knowledge and
Prophethood . Allah blessed your grandfather ls-haaq . He blessed your great
grandfather lbraaheem and He will bless the family of Ya'qoob ."
Being a prophet Ya'qoob ( �\ ) knew about human nature . He knew how
Satan could confuse and misguide people . He said, "Do not tell any of your
brothers about your drea m . They will envy you and become your enemies ." This
is a reference to Yoosuf's ten half-brothers . Ya'qoob ( �� ) understood that Allah
was choosing Yoosuf ( �� ) to be a prophet. He feared that his half-brothers
would envy him because he knew that Satan is to man a manifest enemy. Satan
clearly showed his enmity against mankind through what he did to Aadam
( �� )and Hawwaa' ( �1;J.I� L and so he would certainly do his best to mislead
Yoosuf's half-brothers, stir up envy among them and incite them to resort to
treachery.
Ya'qoob ( �\ ) was well aware that the stepbrothers were jealous of Yoosuf
( �\ ) . H e was also aware that they lacked the scruples of righteous people and
that they would not hesitate to use any means possible to harm Yoosuf ( �\ ) and
to achieve their selfish aims. Ya'qoob, therefore, thought it necessary to warn
Yoosuf ( �� ) about them .
•••• Prophet Voosuf �� ( 1 )
The stepbrothers were jealous of Yoosuf ( �\) and Benjamin and were very
bitter. They would say, "Why does our father love Yoosuf more than us? Why does
he not love us as much, when we are young and strong?" The stepbrothers were
selfish and very quarrelsome. They often told lies and deceived their father.
Yoosuf ( �\ ) and His Brothers

The brothers of Yoosuf ( �\ ) became jealous of him . In the heat of their
jealousy, they gathered and consulted each other as to what to do with Yoosuf
( �\ ) . They discussed whether to kill him or cast him away to a land from which
he might never return, so that they could get all the attention and love of their
father. They also said to one another that they would repent of this ugly sin of
theirs. When they agreed to this idea one of them said, "No, do not kill Yoosuf.
Cast him into the bottom of the well. He will be picked up by a passing caravan.
II
The Qur'an uses the words 'ghayaabat-il-jubb' (in the dark depths of the
well) . The word 'jubb' refers to a desert well simply c ut through the earth or
through rock and not cased with stone .
When the stepbrothers all agreed about this opinion, they went to their
father and requested him to send their brother Yoosuf (�\) with them . They
pretended that they only wanted that he would play around and enjoy himself.
They concealed their intention, but Allah knew it well .
They said to their father, "Father, Why d o you not trust us regarding Yoosuf?
We are indeed his well-wishers. Let him go out with us tomorrow that he may
enjoy himself and play, and we will surely look after him.
II
Ya'qoob (�\) answered, "Look, it grieves me indeed to think that you might
take him with you, lest the wolf devour him at a moment when you are heedless
of him . 11
They said, "Never! How can the wolf eat him while we are there? How could
it eat him when we are strong young men?//
In the end, Ya'qoob gave Yoosuf (�1) permission to go with them .
Prophet Yoosuf �� ( 1 ) ••••
Exercises
1. Prophet Ya'qoob ( �� ) had ____ sons .
2. Prophet Ya'qoob ( �\ ) loved more than his other sons.
3. Yoosuf's half-brothers were quarrelsome and very . They often
told ---
4. Ya'qoob was afraid that a ____ would devour Yoosuf ( �� ) .
1. Why does the Qur'an call the story of Prophet Yoosuf (�1) 'ahsan-ul-qasas?'
2. What good news did Yoosuf's dream bring?
3. . Why did Ya'qoob ( �\ ) advise Yoosuf ( �\ ) to keep his dream a secret?

• .a • • Prophet Voosuf �� ( 1 )
4. Describe Yoosuf's dream and its meaning .
s. How did Yoosuf's half-brothers decide to get rid of him?
s. What excuse did Yoosuf's half-brothers give to Ya'qoob to let him go with
them?
C. Match
A B
1 Yoosuf's full brother a ghaayabat-il-jubb
2 Man's enemy b Benjamin
3 The dark depths of the well c Prophet Yoosuf ( �� )
4 The most beautiful of stories d . Satan
e Surat Yoosuf
I n the Wilderness
The stepbrothers
were very happy when
Ya ' qoob ( �� ) gave
Yoosuf ( �� ) permission
to go with them . They
took him with them to the
wilderness and selected
a dreadful place for the
wicked deed . As
planned, when they arrived at the place, they threw Yoosuf into the dark well .
The well apparently did not contain enough water to drown Yoosuf but was
deep enough to hide him from sight.
Yoosuf ( �� ) was alone in the deep dark well, but Almighty Allah in His
infinite Mercy inspired him, "Do not be sad, and do not be afraid, for Allah is with
you . Something great will happen to you . Your brothers will come before you
one day and you will tell them what they did ." Yoosuf felt confident that Allah
would rescue him .
After they had thrown Yoosuf (�1) into the welL they got together and said,
"What shall we tell our father?" One of them said, "Our father said that he feared
a wolf might eat him, and
so we will tell him that he is
right because a wolf has
indeed eaten him . " One of
the brothers asked, "What
proof will we have for this?"
The others answered,
"Blood will provide the
proof." The brothers caught
�
•••• Prophet Voosuf �1 ( 2 )
a ram and killed it. Then they dipped Yoosuf's shirt in its blood . They were very
pleased with themselves . They said, "Now our father will certainly believe us."
So they went back to their father at night weeping for their brother. They
c hose the nighttime so that it could be easier for them to deceive their father.
They said to him, "We went racing with one another and left Yoosuf behind
with our thi ngs . A wolf came i n our a bsence and ate him, and that is why we
could not do a nythi ng to save h i m . " Then they showed him his shirt with fa lse
blood on it.
The grief-stricken father looked at the bloodstained shirt and said, "This is
just a false story. It is clearly a trick, and I am not prepared to believe what you
have said . But what cannot be cured must be endured . This is a story you have
made up. As for me patience in hardship is most goodly in the sight of Allah . It
is to Allah alone that I pray to give me strength to bear the misfortune which you
have described to me ."
Ya ' qoob ( �� ) did not believe the tale of the wolf. He knew his sons' envy
of Yoosuf ( �\), so he at once realized that they must have done harm to Yoosuf
( �� ) and was not quite convinced that Yoosuf was really dead . He was sad
indeed but had patience . On the other hand, the brothers were happy. They
said to one another, "Well ! We have got rid of him now." But they did not know
that Alm ighty Allah was watching over young Yoosuf.
It so happened that after
the ten brothers had gone
back home, leaving young
Yoosuf ( �� ) in the dark well,
there came a caravan . Yoosuf
was all alone in the well . He
had neither slept nor eaten
anything for long . The caravan
was a group of men heading
towards Egypt. They were thirsty
and looking for water. When
they saw the well, they sent a man to bring some water for them . The man
came to the well and lowered the bucket. When he pulled the bucket, he saw
a boy sitting in it. Surprised, the man called out, "Good news ! Here is a boy."
Prophet Yoosuf �� (2) ••••
They said that they would sell him . The people hid Yoosuf among their
merchandise until they had travelled out of the area . When they got to Egypt,
they stood in the market shouting, "Who will buy this boy? Who will buy this boy?"
The person who bought Yoosuf ( �\ ) was a/-Azeez of Egypt. I n fact, he
bought him for only a few handfuls of silver coins. The Qur'an does not mention
his name or position, but it points out that he was a nobleman and a high
official . The word ai-Azeez means 'mighty and highly esteemed' . It is a title,
meaning overlord .
The merchants who sold Yoosuf did not recognize his great worth . AI-Azeez
took him to his palace and told his wife, "Treat Yoosuf well . Be kind to him . He
may prove useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son . "
AI-Azeez was in charge of the treasury of the king of Egypt. He was
c h i Id Iess and thus spoke of adopting Yoosuf; because of his
knowledge of men, he had perceived that Yoosuf
was a trustworthy person . Thus Allah
established Yoosuf in the land . He
provided him with a dwelling in the
household of the minister.
Allah has full power over H is
Affairs, but many people do not
understand this . I ndeed, when He wants to
make something happen, He creates means for it
and then guides people towards these means. Whatever
Allah wills to happen does indeed come to happen . Yoosuf's
brothers willed one thing; Allah willed something else, but only what Allah
willed occurred .
'
For a better understanding of the story of Prophet Yo qoob and Yoosuf, let
us bear a few facts in time.
'
Prophet Yo qoob was settled in the valley of Hebron, presently called
oi-Khaleel, in Palestine. Both Prophet lbrooheem ( �� ) and his son ls-haaq (�\ )
'
had lived there before him. Moreover, Ya qoob ( �� ) had some of his property
in Shechem, presently known as Nablus. The dynasty of Hyksos Kings ruled Egypt
at that time . Memphis was then the capital of Egypt. Today its ruins ore to be
found some fourteen m iles to the south of Cairo .
•••• Prophet Voosuf �1 (2)
Yoosuf ( �I) arrived there when h e was about seventeen o r eighteen years
old . He remained in the house of the Egyptian chief officials for two or three
years and then spent some eight or nine years in prison (Allah Knows best ! ) . At
the age of thirty, he took control of the government in Egypt and continued to
rule effectively for eighty years .
In the ninth or tenth year of his rule, Yoosuf ( �� ) sent word to his father
'
Yo qoob to migrate, along with his entire family from Palestine to Egypt.
In the next few lessons, you will learn more about him in detail, inshaa
Allah .
Prophet Voosuf �� (2) • • ••
A. Complete the sentences.
1. Yoosuf's brothers threw h i m into a ----
2.
'
"Now our father will ----
us . "
3. was watching over Yoosuf in the dark well .
4. The caravan was heading towards ------
5. bought Yoosuf ( �1).
6. Prophet Ya ' qoob ( �� ) was settled in -----

, present-day
ai-Khaleel in Palestine.
B. State whether these statements are true (T) or false (F) .
1. Yoosuf drowned in the well . --
2. Yoosuf's brothers dropped his shirt in the blood of a wolf. ---
3. va �qoob ( �I) believed his son's story. ___
4. The name of the man who bought Yoosuf was ai-Azeez. ___
5. Yoosuf ( WI ) ruled Egypt for eighty years . ___
C. Answer the following questions.
1. What kind of a well into which Yoosuf's brothers threw him?

•••• Prophet Voosuf �� (2)
2. How did his stepbrothers cover up their wicked act?
3. What did Yo ' qoob do when he heard what had happened to Yoos�f
( �\ )?
4. How did Yoosuf ( �\) come out of the well?
s. What did the caravan do with Yoosuf ( �� )?
s. What does the word ai-Azeez mean?

Yoosuf ( �I ) in the Palace of AI-Azeez
So it was the will of Allah that Yoosuf ( �I ) found himself into the household
of a high-ranking government official . A prophet's son found himself serving in a
minister's household . Mysterious i ndeed ore the ways of Allah !
In the palace of ai-Azeez, Yoosuf ( �I ) hod all the facilities to learn the art
of run ning a state and becoming a high-ranking official himself. Allah's plans
never foil although man foils to understand the real purpose of His Wil l . Yoosuf,
on the one hand, got the palace to live in and, on the other hand, he was
getting an excellent training, which only princes could get in royal palaces !
A Severe Test
Yoosuf ( �� ) lived in the house of ai-Azeez for quite some time when he
faced a very severe test. He respected and was exceptionally faithful to
ai-Azeez who had token him to his home. AI-Azeez was not on arrogant type of
royal chiefs; rather he was a decent honourable person. Even at that young
age, Yoosuf ( �� ) was very conscious of Allah and well-known for his excellent
character. Allah says, "Thus did We establish Yoosuf in the land , that We m ight
teach him the u nderstanding of the inner meanings of happenings . " (Surat
Yoosuf, 1 2 : 2 1 ) Allah taught him the interpretation of dreams, which foretell future
events, in order to prepare for these events and work for their implementation
before they occur.
While in the house of a/-Azeez, Yoosuf ( �I) continued to uphold and follow
the religious beliefs and traditions of his forefathers, as well as their belief in Allah
the Almighty. He preserved his personal virtues and upright conduct, and a
good and sincere relationship had developed between him and ai-Azeez.
Being accepted i nto the royal family and treated as a son, however, did
not stop the wife of ai-Azeez from deserving to win Yoosuf's emotional and
personal attention . She pursued him for the satisfaction of her pleasures . She
began to attempt to snare him, but Yoosuf ( �� ) was beyond temptation . He
•• •• Prophet Yoosuf �1 (3)
soon realized the honour he hod inherited from his forefathers and the trust
placed in him by ai-Azeez, the master of the household . He mode up his mind
that under no circumstances could he betray them .
Yoosuf ( �� ) was a very handsome youth . He was a descendant of the
Prophets, and so his Lord kept him away from shameful acts . He saved him from
the wiles of a woman . The wife of ai-Azeez wonted Yoosuf to do something
which did not befit his personality a nd position . She was a woman of high
society, the wife of a powerful government official, beautiful and youthful . But
Allah protected Yoosuf from committing indecency.
One day when her husband was away, she put on her most beautiful
clothes, bolted the doors and invited Yoosuf to herself. Yoosuf ( �� ) was
shocked . He said, "I seek Allah's protection . Woe to me if I do something bod . I
cannot even think of doing
such on evil thing . My Lord
never allows the wrongdoers
to prosper." Faith triumphed
over temptation . Yoosuf ( �� )
turned away, quickly making
his way to the door. The
Egyptian chief's wife ron after
him : As she tried to catch him,
she grabbed his shirt from
behind and accidentally tore
it as he dashed from her
towards the door.
As soon as the door opened, her husband appeared at the scene. He
hod by chance returned home much before time. This mode the wicked
woman extremely nervous . She hod been found in a very ugly situation by her
own husband . She was quite aware that it was she who hod mode advances
towards Yoosuf. She quickly mode up a false story in order to hide her offence .
Pretending to be innocent, she put a straight question to her puzzled husband,
"What punishment do you propose for a man who has on evil intention towards
your wife?" Without waiting for on answer, she provided a solution, "Prison is the
only place which suits such a wrongdoer or a painful punishment."
Yoosuf ( �\ ) was in a state of shock. He quietly said only one thing, "No! In
fact, she was forcing me to do the shameful thing; and I did not agree to do it. "
Prophet Voosuf �� (3) ••••
By the Will of Allah there appeared on the scene a relative of the wife of
ai-Azeez. He knew everything about the character of the woman. He at once
understood the whole thing and very wisely said to ai-Azeez, "If his shirt is torn
from the front, then her tale is true and he is a liar; but if it is torn from the back,
then she must have told a lie and he is speaking the truth ."
When ai-Azeez sow that his shirt was torn from the back, he said to his wife,
"It is one of your snares . Your snares are great indeed . "
The analysis of the whole matter by a man of their own household made
things quite plain to ai-Azeez. He turned to Yoosuf ( ;%§\ ) and asked him, "Yoosuf,
forget all about what has happened . " And to the woman he said, "Ask
forgiveness for your sin, for you are the one who was at fault." Yoosuf was a man
of chastity and d ignity.
Although people in Egypt worshipped idols at that time, they knew that the
one who forgives sins or punishes for it is Allah . That is why her husband asked her
to seek forgiveness from Allah .
The Qur'an says, "Thus was it that We might avert from him all evil and
indecency . " ( 1 2 : 24) Allah wanted to keep Yoosuf, to whom He had to entrust
Prophethood, free from every evil and i ndecency.
The situation in which Yoosuf was placed was in fact an important part of
his moral training . In order to enable Yoosuf to attain the highest degree of purity
and excellence, it was a n essential part of Allah's Plan to test him and to expose
him to such temptation.
I n this test, Yoosuf ( �\ ) showed his willpower and piety to the optimum so
as to subdue his sensual desires once and for all .
Allah kept him free from obscenity and saved him from the wiles of
women . Indeed, those who follow his example in this regard will be amply
rewarded . Allah's Messenger ( ri ) said, "There are seven [types of] people whom
Allah will cover with His Shade on the Day [of Judgment] when there will be no
other shade except His Shade : a just ruler; a youth who grows up in the worship
of Allah, Glorious is He; a man whose heart is attached to the mosque; two men
who love each other for the sake of Allah, they meet and depart for His sake; a
man whom a woman of stun ning beauty and high position seduces but he
says, 'I fear Allah'; a man who gives charity and conceals it so that his left hand
does not know what his right hand gives in charity; and a man who remembers
Allah in solitude and tears well up in his eyes. " (ai-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
•••• Prophet Voosuf �1 ( 3 )
Exercises
1. Yoosuf ( �1 ) continued to uphold and follow the _____ of his
forefathers .
2. Yoosuf ( �\ ) was beyond temptation because he had preserved his
----�-- and -------

3. Allah protected Yoosuf ( �� ) from committing ____
4. Yoosuf ( �\ ) was a man of ______ and ____
1. Where d i d Yoosuf ( �� ) find himself after being sold?
2. What kind of dreams could Yoosuf ( �\ ) interpret?
3. What wise analysis did the relative of the wife of a/-Azeez make?
4. Why did ai-Azeez ask his wife to seek forgiveness from Allah even though
they worshipped idols?
s. Why do you think Allah tested Yoosuf with temptation?
s. Which seven people will Allah shade on the Day of Judgment?
C. Think-up
Allah does everything for a purpose. Why do you think Allah made ai-Azeez
buy Yoosuf ( �I )?
Assembly of Women
The Egyptian chief's wife persisted in claiming her innocence, but the
rumours spread outside her household . She could no longer hide her passion for
Yoosuf. She continued to seek justification for her behaviour. Soon the ugly
incident became the talk of the town . It became a favourite topic with women
and men . They would say, "Very strange ! Amazing ! The wife of ai-Azeez is madly
in love with a slave . "
She argued with women who blamed her, "If you were in my position, you
would have done exactly what I did !"
I n the city, the women were saying, "The wife of this nobleman is trying to
seduce her slave boy. Her love for him has pierced her heart. We see her
indeed in obvious error." When the wife of ai-Azeez heard of their malicious talk,
she invited them and prepared for them a luxurious mea l . She wanted to show
to the women of the city that Yoosuf was a slave boy of a different personality.
He was not like other slave boys they knew about.
She invited them all to her house for a meal and prepared a sumptuous
feast. With the feast, she had also provided each one of them with fruit and
desserts, which could only be eaten by cutting them with sharp knives . Sn sile
provided each one of them with a knife for the purpose . She had already
prepared Yoosuf ( �� ) for this occasion with a magnificent dress, which only
increased his gracefulness .
Yoosuf ( �� ) was at that time in the prime of his youth . She asked him to
appear before the assembled women, and so he did . When they saw him they
found him exalted and they stood up in awe. They never thought of a human
being to be so handsome . They were so deeply taken that they lost the feeling
of their existence. They were totally enthralled with his charm and taken by how
handsome he looked
that they unconsciously
cut their hands with the
knives they were holding .
They exclaimed, "This is
no mortal huma n . This is a
gracious angel ." The
women's emotions ran
high . At last, with fury and
frustration, she admitted,
"I seduced him but he
remained chaste . This,
then, is he about whom you have been blaming me. Now if he does not do
what I bid him, he will most certainly be imprisoned and humiliated". Now the
other women advised Yoosuf to listen a nd obey what his mistress desired from
him .
But Yoosuf ( �� ) rejected it altogether. He prayed, "My Lord ! I prefer
imprisonment to that which they invite me. If You do not turn away their guile
from me, I may be caught in their snare and become one of the ignorant."
It is remarkable to note that despite such extraordinary control and such
amazing resistance to temptation, there is no trace of pride in Yoosuf ( �\ ) . He
never boasted that by dint of his righteousness he was able to overcome the
temptation, which faced him . He never displayed any feeling of self-praise . He
never bragged at remaining firm in the face of temptation . On the contrary, he
humbly implored Allah the Almighty to help him overcome those temptations.
This was in fact the most sensitive stage in Yoosuf's training .
The situation gives an idea of the moral fall of upper classes of Egyptian
society of those days . This goes to show that there is nothi ng so new about the
promiscuous behaviour, which characterizes the social life of Europe and
America today. Centuries ago more or less the same situation prevailed in Egypt
as it is prevailing in our so-called enlightened times .
Almighty Allah granted Yoosuf's prayer and averted their guile from him .
Surely, He alone is All-Heari ng, All-Knowing . It is very important to realize that
according to the Qur'an, Yoosuf ( �\ ) was imprisoned not because his master
�
•••• Prophet Yoosuf �� (4)
believed him to be guil1y. He was imprisoned because, in his weakness,

ai-Azeez wanted to reduce the intensi1y of the feelings of his wife . Being entirely
submissive to her, he behaved like a riding-camel whose reins she had in her
hands .
The imprisonment of Yoosuf ( �1 ) under such circumstances was his moral
victory. On the other hand, it was the defect of the corrupt upper class Egyptia n
socie1y. Everyone in the ci1y had now become familiar with Yoosuf's name.
People came to know that Yoosuf was not just a physically attractive young
man; he was also possessed of nobili1y, firmness of character a nd elegance of
behaviour. At the time of his imprisonment, Yoosuf ( �� ) was barely twen1y-one
years old .
This proves that if a person resolves to remain pure and chaste, Allah the
Almigh1y certainly comes to his help. Allah listened to the prayer of Yoosuf ( �� )
and saved him from the advances of the corrupt woman .
AI-Azeez decided it was better to send Yoosuf to prison. He knew that
Yoosuf was innocent, but even then Yoosuf ( �� ) went to prison.
Prophet Yoosuf �� (4) ••••
A. State whether these statements are true (T) or false (F) .
1. The whole town was talking about ai-Azeez' wife's incident. --
2. The women were totally enthralled with Yoosuf's charm . ---
3. Yoosuf ( �\ ) gave in to his mistress . --
B. Answer the fol lowing questions.
1. How did ai-Azeez's wife decide to justify her behaviour?
2. Was Yoosuf (�1 ) imprisoned because h e was guilty of immoral behaviour?

If not, then why?
3. What did Yoosuf's imprisonment signify?

This surah, which consists of forty-six verses, was revealed in Mokkoh and
tokes its nome from the word an-Naazi'aat, which occurs in the first verse . The
theme of this surah is also resurrection and judgment. It begins with a series of
oaths. Allah swears by any of His own creation . According to the scholars of the
Qur'on, it is appropriate for Allah to swear by anything from His Creation . It is,
however, not appropriate for men to swear by anything except by Allah . He is
Supremely Great. Nothing in the universe is equal to Him. This means swearing by
any of His creatures will be considered on oct of shirk-setting partners with Allah.
The oath in the first five verses of this surah, according to most of the Qur'onic
scholars, is by Allah's angels that
corry out different tasks : Those
who violently extract the souls of
the disbelievers, roughly tearing
their souls from their bodies at
the moment of their deaths;
those that gently pull out the
souls of the believers; those that
speed about to execute Allah's
commands; and those that
arrange all matters according to
Allah's decree, in total obedience to their Creator.
The middle section of the surah mentions port of the story of Prophet
Moosoo ( �� ) with the arrogant Pharaoh who stubbornly refused to follow
Moosoo's advice and submit his will to the Lord of the lords, Allah the Almighty.
Rother, he arrogantly turned away from Alloh·s clear signs with which He sent
Moosoo ( �� ) to him and blatantly claimed that he was 'the lord, most high' . Then
it shows the severe punishment he received in this life by having him drown in
humiliation in the Red Sea and the eternal punishment that awaits him in the
hereafter. The story provides a good lesson for all the arrogant people who turn
away from the truth .
Surat an-Naazi'aat ••••
Verse twenty-five speaks of two major transgressions Pharaoh committed/

apart from the horrible treatment and bondage to which he subjugated his
people . The first transgression
refers to his saying to his people/
//
"I am your most exalted lord . The
second transgression refers to his
saying/ "0 chiefs/ I have not
known you to have a god other
than me.11 (Surat ai-Qasas l 2 8 : 38)
The last part of the surah
speaks of the Last Hour. Indeed/
No one can identify the exact
date and time of the Day of
Resurrection/ for its knowledge rests only with Almighty Allah . This part also shows
/
us that the earthbound nature of man s concept of time will lose all its meaning
in the context of the ultimate reality of the hereafter. On that Day/ it will seem to
them as if they had lived in this world no longer than one evening or one
morning !
•••• Surat an-Naazi'aat
In the Name of Allah, the Most Kind, the Most Merciful
1. By those [angels] who harshly pull out [the souls of the disbelievers and the
wicked],
2. And by those [angels] who gently take out [the souls of the righteous believers],
3. And by those [angels1 who glide serenely,
4. And by those [angels] who race one another in a race [to deliver the believers'
souls to Paradise],
s. And by those [angels] who arrange [each] matter to do the command of their
Lord, you, the disbelievers, will be called to account!
6. On the day when the first blast [of the Horn] will make [the earth and the
mountains] shake [violently and every one will die],
7. And the second blast will follow it, [and everyone will be resurrected];
a . [Some] hearts that day will shake with fear and anxiety,
9. And their (i .e. the disbelievers') eyes will be downcast!
1 0. They [mockingly] say, "Are we going to be restored to our former state of life,
1 1 . Even after we are crumbled bones?"
1 2 . They also say, "It would then be a return with loss!"
1 3. Indeed, there will be one great blast only,
1 4. And at once they will be woken up to be present in the open plain!

Surat an-Naazraat t:�[l, • • • .
1 5. Has the story of Moosaa reached you,
1 6. When his Lord called him in the sacred valley of Tuwaa?
1 7. "Go to Pharaoh; truly, he has transgressed all bounds [in crimes and acts of
disbelief],
1 8. And say to him, 'Would you like to be purified?
1 9. And that I guide you to your Lord, so that you may become heedful of Him?'"
20. Then he showed him the Great Sign,
2 1 . But he denied it and d isobeyed,
22. He then turned his back, striving [against Allah],
23. Then he gathered [his people] together and called out,
24. Saying to them, "I am your most exalted lord ."
25. So Allah seized him with punishment for his last and first [transgression];
2 6 . Surely, in this is a lesson for whoever fears [Allah] .
27. Are you more difficult to create than the heaven which He has created?
28. He raised it high and perfected it;
29. And He has made dark its night and brought forth its light of day;
30. And after that He spread the earth;
3 1 . And He brought forth from it its water and its pastures,
32. And He made the mountains stand firm,
3 3 . As a means of livelihood for you and your animals.
34. But when the Overwhelming Calamity (i.e. Day of Judgment) comes to pass,
35. The day when man will clearly remember what he has striven for,
36. And Hell-fire will be made apparent in full view for [every] one who sees;
37. Then for those who have transgressed all bounds [in sins and acts of disbelief],
38. And preferred the life of this world [by following evil lusts and desires],
39. The blazing Fire will truly be their abode.
4o. But as for those who feared standing before their Lord, and held back their
i nner selves from base desires,

4 1 . Paradise will truly be their abode,
42. They ask you about the Last Hour, "When will it come to pass?"
43. But you have no knowledge to say a nything about it;
44. For to your Lord belongs [the knowledge] of its term;
45. You are but sent to warn those who fear it;
46. The Day they see it, it will be as if they had remained [in this world] for an
afternoon or its morning !

•••• Surat an-Naazi'aat
Exercises
1. I s it right for Allah to swear by what H e created? Why?
2. To Whom do the verses 'by those who pluck out harshly, and those who
draw out gently' refer?
3. What is the main function of every Prophet as we see from the lesson?
4. What picture does the surah portray of the Lost Day?

Surat an-Naazi'aat mm • • • •
s. What lesson con we learn from the terrible fate of Pharaoh?
s. What ore the signs that Moosoo ( &:ft\1 ) presented to Pharaoh?
B. Memorisation
Learn surat an-Naazi'aat by heart.

Prophet Yoosuf �� (5)
Yoosuf's Imprisonment
It occurred now to
ai-Azeez and his household
- even after they hod seen
all the signs of Yoosuf's
innocence - that they
should imprison him for a
time. People would thus stop spreading rumours, and the wife of ai-Azeez would
also remain away from Yoosuf ( �� ) . They imprisoned him even though he was
on innocent man . It was, however, something decreed by Allah . Allah wonted
to protect him from their evil .
Now two young men who worked for the king happened to go to prison at
the some time as Yoosuf ( �� ); they were both imprisoned for unspecified
offences. When they met Yoosuf ( �� ) in prison, they were impressed by his
manners and righteousness, his acts and deeds, and by his prayers.
One day the cupbearer and the baker come to Yoosuf ( �� ) and
requested him to tell them the meanings of strange dreams they both hod
dreamt in the some night.
As for the cupbearer, he sow that there were three vines Ioden with ripe
gropes . He took them and pressed them into the king's cup and then offered
him to drink. The baker dreamt that there was a basket of bread on his head .
Birds of prey come and ate the pieces of bread from the basket.
They both told their dreams to Yoosuf (�\ ) and asked for on interpretation
and said to him, "We see you ore a righteous man . "
The prison inmates knew that Yoosuf was a noble young man with great
knowledge and a merciful heart. They loved and respected him .
_ 3 >>�
_5_ .......
Prophet Yoosuf �� ( 5) ••••
Yoosuf ( �� ) knew the meaning of dreams. He was a Prophet of Allah .

Yoosuf ( �� ) said to himself, "Need has brought these two men to me. The
person in need is more open and humble. The person in need listens and
obeys . If I teach these men now, they will surely listen ."
Yoosuf ( �� ) wonted to avail himself of this opportunity to guide his
fellow-prisoners towards the true Faith . So, while promising that he would explain
their dreams, he asked them to listen first to a short discourse on the Oneness of
Allah .
The Discourse on the Oneness of Allah in Prison

l'
In Yoosuf's time, people worshipped things other than Allah .
They worshipped various so-called lords, or rather --
false gods: the lord of the earth, the lord of the
sea, the lord of the c rops, the lord of the rain !
Yoosuf ( �I) would hear all this nonsense
and would feel very annoyed by the
ignorance of the people . He wonted to call
people to the worship of Allah a lone.
Allah wonted that the message of the
worship of One Allah should also reach the
prison inmates . Did they not deseNe Allah's
Mercy? Are the prison i nmates not slaves of Allah?
Are they not children of Aodom ( �1 ), too? Yoosuf ( �1 )
was free and brave in spirit, even in prison . He was generous and open-hearted .
The Prophets of Allah proclaim the truth everywhere. The truth is a blessing and
the Prophets ore generous with the blessings of Allah in every place .
He said to the cupbearer and the baker, "I will tell you about the
interpretation of your dreams before the arrival of the food that is sent to you .
This knowledge is port of what I hove been taught by my Lord . " The two men sot
down calmly. They were prepared to wait and listened patiently. Yoosuf began
to pronounce to them the warning of the Oneness of Allah - the tawheed. This
d iscourse is at the very heart of the story. It stands out as one of the best
exposition of the Oneness of Allah in the Qurlo n . From this we learn that if
someone is really keen to preach the truth, call people to the Oneness of Allah
�<<r---5-
4-
•••• Prophet Yoosuf �� ( 5)
and also has wisdom, he can make use of scores of different opportunities and
direct the subject of conversation to his fundamental message.
The Warning of Tawheed

Yoosuf ( i:1f§\ ) said, "This is part of what my Lord has taught me. Allah does
not give His knowledge to everyone . He does not give His knowledge to
idol-worshippers . I have
abandoned the path of
people who do not believe
in Allah or in the hereafter,
and I have followed the
religion of my father
l braaheem, and ls-haaq
and Ya {qoob . It is not for us
to associate anything with
Allah. This is of Allah's grace
upon us and upon
mankind, but most of the people are not grateful ."
Here Yoosuf ( �� ) paused and asked them, "My fellow prisoners ! Are
diverse lords better or Allah the One, the All-Powerful? What you worship other
than Him are mere names which you have invented, you and your fathers, to
which Allah has sent down no authority. Judgment as to what is right and what
is wrong rests with Allah alone . He has commanded that you should worship no
one but Him. This is the ever-true faith but most of the people do not know it. And
now, my fellow prisoners, I will tell you the meanings of your dreams. As for one
of you, he will once again give the king wine to drink; but as for the other, he will
be crucified, and birds will eat from his head. The matter, on which you have
asked me to enlighten you, has been decreed ."
The two men were later released . The first returned to the king and
became his cupbearer once again, while the other one was crucified .
Yoosuf ( �� ) told the cupbearer whom he believed was going to be set
free, "Mention me to your lord . " But Satan made him forget what Yoosuf had
asked him to do, and so he remained in prison for a few more years, where he
continued to call the prison inmates to Allah .
s -}}�
--s-
A. State whether these statements

are true (T) or false (F) .
1. Yoosuf was imprisoned unjustly. --
2. The two young men were imprisoned at the same time as Yoosuf ( �\ ) . __
3. Allah does not give His knowledge to idol-worshippers . ---
1. What dreams d i d the two prison inmates have? What interpretation did
Yoosuf ( �� ) give for them?
2. The Prophets of Allah preach the truth everywhere . How did Prophet Yoosuf
( �� ) preach in the prison?
3. What did Yoosuf ( �I) ask the cupbearer to do? Did he obey Yoosuf ( �1 )?
�<< 56
The King's Dream
One day there was great
excitement a nd confusion in
the king's palace. The king
had a strange dream . He
saw seven fat cows eating
seven lean ones, and seven
green ears of grain next to
seven others that were
withered . The king was
puzzled by this strange dream and asked his courtiers what it meant. They said,
"These are confused dreams, and we do not know the interpretation of such
dreams." The king, however, was not satisfied . He wanted to know the real
meaning of his drea m .
It was at this moment that the king's cupbearer remembered Yoosuf ( 8'6§1 ),
whom he had totally forgotten . Once the cupbearer was out of the prison, he
became so immersed in the life outside that he forgot the innocent man left
behind in the prison. The cupbearer recalled how Yoosuf had helped him by
interpreting his dream in prison and he said to the king, "I will tell you the
interpretation of your dream; just send me to Yoosuf in prison." The cupbearer
mentioned that Yoosuf had rightly interpreted his own dream as well as the
dream of his fellow prisoner during the period of his imprisonment. He sought the
king's permission to go and see Yoosuf to ask him about the true meaning of the
king's drea m .
Eager to find someone to help him, the king allowed his cupbearer to visit
the prison immediately.
The cupbearer then went to the prison and asked Yoosuf about the
meaning of the king's dream . Yoosuf (�1) was noble a nd generous . He was kind
7 __,)}�
_5_
_
and thoughtful to Allah's creatures . It is really amazing he did not even complain
to the cupbearer for having forgotten him for such a long time . He not only
explained to him the meaning of the dream, but a lso explained what should be
done about it. He said, "You should plant your crops for seven years, working
hard, and leave the grains you harvest in the ear except a little which you eat.
After that a famine will strike the country and last for seven years . After that, help
will come, and the people will have plenty. The verdure and prosperity would
follow the famine as a result of rai nfalL a nd the rise in the water level in the river
Nile. When the land receives enough rainfall, there will be luxurious growth of oil
seeds and fruits, both juicy and dry. Also the cattle wil l yield more milk as a result
of the good quality of fodder available to them ."
Yoosuf ( �� ) did not confine himself to interpreting the king's drea m . He
also suggested to him to take precautions against the famine during the years
of prosperity, the steps that ought to be taken to store the grain . Moreover,
Yoosuf foretold that days of famine would be followed by those of prosperity. He
foretold this even though there was no hint of it in the king's drea m . This showed
the understanding and wisdom Almighty Allah granted him . The cupbearer went
to the king and told him the meaning of his dreams.
The King Sends for Yoosuf ( �� )

When the king heard all that he felt very happy. He said, "Who told you the
meaning of the dream? Who is this nobleman who has given us such good
advice? He has not only interpreted my dream but also shown us what to do to
amend the situation ." The cupbearer said, "He is Yoosuf. He is the truthful Yoosuf.
He is the one who told me that I would become a cupbearer to my lord, the
king ."
The king became very eager to see Yoosuf and sent for him . In fact, he
wanted to include Yoosuf within his private circle of distinctive people .
Yoosuf ( �� ) Asks for an Inquiry into his Case

The messenger came to Yoosuf and gave him the king's orders. But Yoosuf
was not prepared to leave the prison in this way. He refused to go to see the king
before his innocence was established and he was completely cleared of the
offence for which he had been wrongly accused and imprisoned .
�<< 58
He insisted that before his release the king of Egypt should thoroughly
ascertain what had occasioned his imprisonment. Yoosuf was proud and firm .
He was intelligent and wise . He did not want people to say, "look! This is Yoosuf.
Until yesterday he was i n prison . He was unfaithful to ai-Azeez." Not many people
in his place could have been so . If they had been in prison, as Yoosuf had been
for many years, and then a messenger had come to announce to them their
freedom, they would have rushed to leave the prison. But Yoosuf told the king's
messenger, "Before I leave prison, I want an inquiry i nto my case . Go back to
your master and ask him about the case of the women who had cut their
hands . Surely my Lord has full knowledge of their guile ."
Hence, before Yoosuf was freed, it was necessary to establish beyond
doubt that he was innocent. Yoosuf had not committed any offence. The real
culprits were the high officials of the state . It is they who had made him suffer the
imprisonment unjustly. H is character was pure. Their own ladies were guilty of
moral corruption .
The way Yoosuf ( �� ) made this demand
clearly shows that the Egyptians knew well
about the whole incident, which had taken
place in the banquet hall of ai-Azeets wife . It
is important to note that while making this
demand, Yoosuf referred to the ladies
present at the feast and did not make any
mention of ai-Azeeis wife. This is further proof of Yoosuf's dignified
character. For although ai-Azeels wife had attempted to seduce him, her
husband had been very kind to Yoosuf ( �� ) . Yoosuf, therefore, acted with
remarkable sensitivity. He did not want that ai-Azeets name and his honour to
be subjected to any slur.
The king then sent for the women and asked them, "What is the matter with
you when you sought to seduce Yoosuf against his will?" They replied, "Allah forbid,
we found no evil in him ." The wife of ai-Azeez said, "Now the truth has come to
light. It was I who sought to tempt him . He is indeed the truthful . " This established
the moral authority of Yoosuf among the Egyptian royal society and the general
public . The inquiry made by the king proved that Yoosuf ( �� ) was innocent, so
Yoosuf left the prison an innocent man . The king received him with honour.
9 --.>>�
--5-
Prophet Voosuf �� ( 6) •.•.
Yoosuf ( �� ) as the Ruler in Charge of Egypt's Grain Storehouses

The king chose Yoosuf ( �� ) for his own service. The king said, "You ore this
day a man of established position, fully trusted by us." The king considered
Yoosuf worthy of every position of responsibility. Yoosuf said, "Place me in charge
of the treasures of the land . I om a good keeper and know my task well . "
The king and his council were fully convinced that Yoosuf was the most
appropriate person to administer the affairs of Egypt.
The council agreed to hand over power to him . Yoosuf was handed total
control of the Egyptian Empire. He enjoyed absolute authority over the affairs of
Egypt. Thus did Allah establish Yoosuf in the land and so he hod the freedom
and authority wherever he pleased .
Yoosuf ( �\) knew full well that some people were not trustworthy in the land
and that hey cheated a lot. They did not fear Allah. The common people could
never benefit from Egypt's groin storehouses unless a guardian with knowledge
took charge of them . Yoosuf was honest and hod knowledge . He took charge
of the groin storehouses of the land . The people were relieved and praised
Allah .
Now it was his job to ensure that enough food was being stored for the dry
years to come. This was a huge responsibility but Yoosuf was a Prophet. His trust
in Allah was deep . He worked hard . Soon the storehouses overflowed with corn
and other groins by the time the seven years of good harvest and prosperity hod
passed .
The seven years foretold by the king's dream fi nally arrived . The land
become dry and dusty. The ground crocked under the scorching heat. The
plants and greenery withered and dried .
The famine was not confined to Egypt; rather it swept well beyond it to
reach Syria, Palestine and
Mesopotamia, whose inhabitants were
forced to travel all the way to the more
affluent land of Egypt in search of food .
Thanks to the wise measures adopted
by Yoosuf ( �� ), Egypt hod plenty of
groin despite the severe conditions,
which prevailed in the region .
�<< 60
•••• Prophet Voosuf �1 (6)
A. Give reasons for the following statements.
1. The king was worried and troubled .
2. The cupbearer asked the king's permission to go and see Yoosuf ( �� ).
3. Yoosuf ( �� ) refused to leave the prison until his innocence was

established .
1. What did the king see in a dream one day?
2. Why didn't the cupbearer tell the king about Yoosuf ( �� )?
_ 1 __,}}�
_6_
/
3. How did Yoosuf ( �� ) interpret the king s dream?
4. How did the king react when the cupbearer told him what Yoosuf had
said?
s. How do you know that Yoosuf ( �I ) had a dignified character?
e. What job did the king entrust Yoosuf ( �I ) with?
7. Was Egypt badly affected by the famine that Yoosuf ( �� ) had foretold?
�<< 62
Yoosuf's Brothers Come to Egypt
There was famine in Egypt and the nearby regions . The people of Palestine
heard that there was a merciful man in Egypt generous and noble, in charge
of the grain-houses of the land, someone to whom people could go and get
food . This prompted people in neighbouring countries to turn to Egypt to obtain
food . It was this need to purchase food which occasioned Yoosuf's brothers to
travel from Palestine to Egypt. Prophet Ya'qoob ( �1 ) sent his older sons to Egypt
with money to buy food . Benjamin remained with his father because Ya'qoob
loved him dearly. He did not want to be separated from him .
Yoosuf's brothers set out to meet the nobleman of Egypt. They did not
know that he was their own brother, Yoosuf. They thought that Yoosuf died soon
after they had thrown him into the dark welL way out in the wilderness . Yoosuf's
brothers came and went to him . He knew them but they did not recognize him
at all . He now recalled how they had thrown him into the well in an attempt to
kill him and how Almighty Allah saved him. He did not soy anything to them
because he did not want them to feel humiliated .
That his brothers did not recognize him d id not cause him any surprise,
either. For when they cast him into the well, Yoosuf was about seventeen years
old, but now he was around thirty-eight and of course many changes had
taken place after such a long time. Besides, it never occurred to Yoosuf's
brothers that their brother, whom they had got rid of, would ever survive to
become a powerful ruler of such a great country as Egypt.
��
Prophet Voosuf �� ( 7 ) ••••
Yoosuf ( �� ) and his Brothers

Yoosuf's brothers came to Egypt and presented themselves before him.
When they entered in his presence, he inquired about their family and their
numbers . They told him that they were twelve brothers, that one of them had
disappeared and one of them was left at home. Yoosuf ( �� ) gave each one
of them one camel-load of food . After he had provided them with their
provisions, he said to them, "When you come here next time, bring me that
brother of yours from your father's side ." It would seem that Yoosuf ( �\ ) used to
allot to foreign grain buyers one camel-load per person .
Yoosuf ( �1 ) tried both means of persuasion : he emphasized the fact that
he had been a good host to them and took special care of them; he also
threatened that if they did not bring their brother the next time, they would not
have any food at all. So they promised that they would do their utmost to fulfil
his wishes by bringing their brother to him next time.
Yoosuf ( �I ) then commanded his servants that when they packed up their
share of load, they should return their merchandise, which they had brought to
buy their provisions. Hence they put them back in their loads secretly. Yoosuf
probably put the goods back in their loads because he wanted his brothers to
return when they found the goods in their own land . Other opinions state that he
felt disgusted to take money from his own brothers for their food .
The Brothers Return Home

The brothers returned home with their provisions. They said to their father
that they would be deprived of any provision the following year unless they took
their brother Benjamin with them to Egypt. If they did not take him with them,
there would be no point going there .
Ya'qoob ( �1 ) said, "Should I entrust him to you as I entrusted his brother to
you before? Allah is the best of Guardians, and He is the Most Merciful of those
who show mercy." When they opened their saddlebags, they
discovered that their merchandize had
been returned to them . They said,
"Father! What more can we desire? Our
merchandize has been returned to us .
We will get more food for our family,
and we will take care of our brother."
Ya'qoob answered, " I will never send him with you unless you give me a
pledge in Allah's Name that you will surely bring him back to me unless you are
rendered helpless ."
When they had mode their pledge, he said, "Allah is the Guardian and
Witness over all we say." Then he added, "My sons ! Do not enter Egypt together
through one gate, but enter through different gates, for I cannot save you from
the will of Allah; true decision lies only with Allah; in Him I put my trust and in Him
should all those who have faith put their trust."
After Yoosuf's disappearance, Ya'qoob ( �� ) did not let Benjamin go out
with any of his brothers, for he saw Yoosuf in him and comforted himself for losing
Yoosuf. In fact Ya'qoob ( �� ) found he had to send Benjamin with his other
brothers to Egypt due to the severe need for provision . Had this not been the
case, he would not have sent him with them at all. Ya'qoob stressed, "It is,
however, the Will of Allah, which prevails and rules . He does whatever He wants . "
Yoosuf ( �� ) Meets his Brother Benjamin

When the brothers returned to Egypt to buy more provisions, they entered
through different gates as their father had advised them to do.
When Yoosuf ( �\ ) saw Benjamin, he was very happy, took him aside from
the others and told him that he was his brother Yoosuf. Benjamin felt very happy,
too, for he believed that Yoosuf had died many years before . Yoosuf had him
stay in his house and told him not to reveal this secret to his brothers at this stage .
He comforted him for their brothers' ill-treatment of him. Yoosuf remembered his
father, mother and his childhood . He wanted Benjamin to stay with him so that
he could see him and talk to him everyday. But how could he make that
happen? Benjamin was going back soon . His brothers had made a pledge in
the Name of Allah that they would never agree to leave him in Egypt. How could
Yoosuf keep Benjamin with him for no reason? This would indeed be a great
injustice.
Yoosuf ( �\) thought of a plan to keep Benjamin with him in Egypt. After he
supplied his brothers with their provisions, he ordered some of his servants to
place the precious king's drinking-cup in Benjamin1S bag . He did not want
anyone to know about it but Almighty Allah knew what was in Yoosuf's mind and
what he actually wanted .
�-6-
s ....,})�
Then someone announced that the drinking-cup was missing . As nobody

had been near it except Ya'qoob's sons, they were accused of theft. The
brothers were surprised . They asked, "What is it that you have lost?" They said,
"We have lost the king's cup. Whoever brings it back will have a camel load of
provisions in return ."
The brothers replied, "By Allah ! You know that we have not come to create
trouble in the land and that we are not thieves ." The servants asked, "What then
will be the penalty of the thief if you are liars?" The brothers said, "The penalty
should be that he in whose saddlebag it is found should be held as a
bondsman for the
crime. That is how
we punish the
wrongdoers ."
When the
cup was found in
Benj a m i n's
saddlebag, the
brothers were
shocked . But they
were without
shame when they
said, "If he stole,
his brother did
steal before." Yoosuf heard this lie but remained silent. He did not become
angry because he was noble and patient.
Now Benjamin appeared to be guilty of theft, and under the law of the
land, Yoosuf ( �� ) was entitled to claim him as his slave, and thus keep him in
his house . The brothers appealed to Yoosut "0 ai-Azeez! H is father is very old, so
take one of us in his place . We see that you are one of those who do good ."
Yoosuf said, "Allah forbid that we should take anyone except the one in
whose possession we found our goods; if we did so, we would be unjust."
So Benjamin stayed behind with Yoosuf (�\) . The two brothers were happy.
Yoosuf (�I ) had been very alone for a long time without seeing any of his family.
Allah had now sent Benjamin to him.
�<< 66

are true (T) or false (F).
1. Yoosufs brothers recognized him . __
2. Yoosufs younger brother's name was Benjamin . __
3. The discovery of the cup was Allah's way of helping Yoosuf.
4. Yoosuf ( �� ) exchanged Benjamin for another brother. __
B. Complete these sentences.
1. Yoosufs brothers lived in -----
2. Yoosuf ( �\ ) kept quiet in front of his brothers because he did not want to
----
them .
3. Yoosuf ( �� ) allowed ______ per person as provisions.
4. Ya'qoob asked his sons to enter Egypt from gates.
5. Yoosuf placed a ____ in Benjamin's camel pack as a present.
1. Which places were affected by the famine?
_
7 __,))�
_6_
Prophet Yoosuf �� ( 7) ••••
2. What made Yoosuf's brothers travel to Egypt?
3. How did Yoosuf ( �� ) return their merchandise?
4. Why did Yoosuf ( �� ) return their merchandise?
s. What alternatives did Yoosuf ( �� ) have for keeping Benjamin with him?
�<< 68
Yoosuf's Brothers Consult One Another
The brothers were extremely confused . How could they return to their
father without Benjamin? They went aside to consult one another. They had lost
all hope to win Benjamin back. The eldest of them said, "Do you not remember
that your father bound you by a solemn pledge before Allah concerning
Benjamin? So I will not leave this land until my father gives me permission or Allah
passes judgment in my favour by securing the release of my brother, for Allah is
the best of the judges ." He then told them to go and tell their father what had
actually happened, "Return to your father and say, 'Father! Your son has stolen;
we bear witness to what we know, and we do not know the Unseen . They found
the king's drinking-cup in Benjamin's bag . Although we gave our pledge, we did
not know that he would steal . You can ask the people of the town where we
have been and the caravan in which we returned . We are telling the truth . '"
Yoosuf's Brothers Return to Ya'qoob ( �I )

The brothers returned to Ya'qoob ( �� ) . The oldest of them remained in
Egypt as he did not have the courage to face his father. When they told him
what had happened, he exclaimed, "No, but you have yourselves contrived a
story good enough for you . As for me, patience in adversity is most fitting for me.
Allah may well bring them all back to me. Allah alone is all-Knowing, truly Wise ! "
Ya'qoob ( �� ) knew full well that Allah was testing him and was certain of
Allah1S relief.
9 ....>>�
_6_
_ .�
Ya'qoob Remembers Yoosuf

Yo'qoob ( �\ ) turned away from them and said, "0 my sorrow for Yoosuf!"
Although Ya � qoob was now deprived of three of his sons, his grief for Yoosuf was
most acute . He lost his sight because of the sorrow he was compressing and not
complaining to anyone at all. So great was his pain and grief indeed !
When his sons sow the suffering of their father, they said, "By Allah ! You will
not cease to remember Yoosuf until you ruin your health or until you die of grief."
He said, "I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah, and I know from
Allah what you do not know. Allah will soon provide me with relief from my
suffering . Yoosuf hod a dream and that dream has to come true. He must be
olive and must be somewhere high in rank. My sons ! Go and inquire about
Yoosuf and his brother, and do not give up hope in Allah's Mercy. Truly, no one
despairs of Allah's Mercy except those who do not hove faith . " Yo'qoob then
sent his sons bock to Egypt to look for Yoosuf and Benjamin and try hard to bring
them bock home .
The Secret Revealed

The brothers arrived in Egypt for the third time. They went to Yoosuf and
said, "0 of- �zeez! A hard time has hit us and our family, and we hove brought
poor capitol, so give us corn in full measure and be charitable to us ."
Yoosuf ( �� ) felt compassion, pity and mercy for his father and brothers .
He could no longer tolerate to listen to his own brothers, sons of Prophets,
complaining about their poverty and hardship to one of the kings . He could no
longer conceal the truth and remain away from his father.
He said to them, "Do you remember what you did to Yoosuf and his
brother in your ignorance?" The brothers knew that this was a secret known only
to them and to Yoosuf. They soon realized that the a/-Azeez was no one else but
their own brother Yoosuf. They could not hold their surprise and exclaimed, "Are
you indeed Yoosuf?"
He replied, "Yes, I om Yoosuf and this is my brother Benjamin . Allah has
been good to us by gathering us together after being separated all this time .
Indeed, whoever fears Allah and is patient, Allah does not allow the reword of
such people to go to waste . "
�<< 70
They said, "By Allah ! Allah has preferred you above us ." They confessed
their wrongs and sins, but as Yoosuf's heart was very kind he simply said, "Let no
blame be on you this day. May Allah forgive you, for He is the Most Merciful of
the merciful . Now go bock and toke this shirt of mine and loy it over my father's
face and he will recover his sight. Then come bock to me with all your family."
The secret was now mode known .
Ya'qoob ( �� ) Comes to Egypt

As the caravan in which Yo'qoob's sons were travelling was on its way bock
to Palestine, Yo'qoob ( �� ) said to the people around him, "Indeed I feel the
smell of Yoosuf. I soy so although you may think I om senile because of old
age ." They said, "Surely, you ore still in your some old wondering illusion . "
This indicates the extraordinary faculties possessed by Allah i s Prophets . The
caravan hod just set out from Egypt carrying Yoosuf's shirt. And yet even though
Yo'qoob ( �\ ) was hundreds of miles away, he could feel the smell of his dearest
son Yoosuf ( �� ) . F rom this we also learn that these faculties were not the
Prophets� personal achievements. Rother, they were special gifts which Almighty
Allah hod bestowed upon them .
When the bearer of the good news come, he placed the shirt over
Yo'qoob's face and his vision immediately returned . He then asked them, "Didn't
I tell you that I know from Allah what you do not know?"
They said, "Our father, ask forgiveness for us for our wrong actions, for we
hove indeed been sinners." He said, "I will ask my Lord to forgive you . Surely, He
is All-Forgiving, AII-Merciful . "
r::;::;:------�m.---..-
Then Yoosuf' s
parents as well his
brothers and their
families journeyed to
Egypt and Yoosuf
received them warmly.
Their happiness was
great. It was a
memorable and a great
day in Egypt.
1 --,>>�
--7-
They all fell down prostrate before Yoosut who said, "This is the
interpretation of my dream of old . My Lord has made it come true." Yoosuf
praised Allah greatly. He was deeply grateful to Him.
It is worth mentioning here that the practice of prostrating before men of
authority was allowed in the law of Aadam ( �� ) until the law of Prophet Eesaa
( �1 ), but was later prohibited in the Islamic Law.
A Happy Ending
Although Yoosuf ( �� ) was a powerful ruler, this did not distract him from
showing gratefulness to Almighty Allah and being dutiful to Him . He
remembered Allah, worshipped Him, carried out H is commands and gave
j udgment according to His Wil l .
The fulfilment of Yoosufs dream consisted in the high dignity, which Allah
had now bestowed upon him and in the fact that his parents and brothers had
come to Egypt for his sake .
The main theme of Surat Yoosuf is that judgment as to what is to happen
rests with none but Allah .
Yoosuf ( �\ ) humbly prayed, "My Lord ! You have indeed given me some
power and taught me something of the interpretations of dreams - 0 You
Creator of the heavens and the earth ! You are my Protector in this world and in
the hereafter. Make me die a Muslim, and join me with the righteous."
�<< 72
•••• Prophet Yoosuf �� (8)

are true (T) or false (F).
t Yoosuf's brothers did not repent of their sin . __
2. Yo'qoob's ability to find Yoosuf's smell from afar was his personal
achievement.
3. Yoosuf's high authority did not distract him from remembering Allah . __
B. Answer the following questions
1. Why d i d Yo'qoob's eldest son remain in Egypt?
2. What did his sons soy when they sow Yo'qoob ( �\) grieving for Yoosuf?
3. Yoosuf waited for the right time to reveal his identity to his brothers . When
was it?
_ 3 __,)}�
_7_
4. How was Ya'qoob's blindness restored?
s. What is the main theme of Prophet Yoosuf's story?
@{{ 74
This surah was revealed in Makkah early in the Prophefs mission and
consists of forty-two verses . It takes its name from the word 'abasa with which the
surah begins.
One day the Prophet ( � ) was engrossed in a conversation with some of
the most influential chieftains of pagan Makkans, hoping to convince them to
accept Isla m . At that crucial moment a blind man among his noble
companions whose name was 'Abdullah ibn Umm Maktoom, who had
accepted Islam earlier, came with a request for a repetition of explanation of
certain earlier passage of the Qur'an . Annoyed by this interruption of what he
then regarded as a more important endeavour, the Prophet ( � ) frowned and
turned away from the blind man .
The Prophet ( � ) was immediately, there and then, reproved by the first
ten verses of the surah . Later on, the Prophet ( � ) would greet Ibn Umm
Maktoom with these words of humility: "Welcome to him regarding whom my
Lord has rebuked me."
For study purposes, the surah may be divided into four broad sections.
1. Verses 1 - 1 0: These verses were revealed concerning 'Abdullah i b n Umm

Maktoom who came to the Prophet ( � ) to learn from him some of what
Allah had taught him.
2. Verses 1 1 - 1 6 : This section stresses that the Qurlan is a reminder to those
who truly wish to be reminded .
3. Verses 1 7-32: This section reproaches man for his arrogant rejection of the
truth in spite of enjoying countless bounties Almighty Allah has given him .
4. Verses 32-42: This section repeats the warning of the Day of Resurrection
and contrasts the happy end of the righteous bel ievers with that of the evil
disbelievers .
_
5
7_
_ __,))�
Surat 'Abasa ••••
In the Nome of Allah, the Most Kind, the Most Merciful
1. He frowned and turned away

2. Because a blind man approached him!
3. And how would you know? He might perhaps hove grown in purity,
4. Or yet he remembers, and the reminder would benefit him?
5. As for h i m who regards himself self-sufficient ( i . e . who does not feel the
need of Allah's Guidance),
6. To h i m you give your whole attention,
7. Although you ore not accountable if he does not purify himself;
8. But a s for h i m who comes to you full of eagerness [for knowledge],
9. While h e fears [Allah],
1 0. To him you pay no attention !
11. No, indeed, it is a reminder,
1 2. So whoever wills may remember it
1 3. [It is recorded] in honoured sheets,
1 4. Lofty and purified,
1 5. In the hands of messenger angels,
1 6. Noble and most virtuous
1 7. Destroyed man is ! How ungrateful h e is!
1 8. [Does he ever consider] from what thing He created him?
1 9. From a drop of sperm He created him;
20 . Then He eased the way for him;
�<< 76
•••• Surat 'Abasa
21 . Then He causes him to die and brings him to the grave;
22. Then, when He Wills, He will bring him again to life .
23 . No, surely, he has not fulfilled what He has /
commanded him.
24. Let man, then, consider his food;
25. We pour down water in abundance,
26. Then We split the earth [with
sprouts)t
27. And We cause grain to grow out
of it
28. And vines and edible plants,
29. And olive trees and
· date-palms,
30. And gardens dense with
foliage,
31 . And fruits and pastures,
32. For you and for your cattle to
enjoy.
33. But when the Deafening Blast
comes,
34. That day everyone will flee from his
brother,
35. And from his mother and father,
36. And from his spouse and children;
37. For every man, that day, will have enough worries to
make him forget everyone else .
38. Some faces on that day will be shining,
39. Laughing, joyous at the good news .
40. And some faces on that day will be covered with dust
41 . Veiled in darkness;
42. These will be the disbelievers, the wicked ones.
_
_7_
7 __...})�
Surat 'Abasa ••••
1. Who d i d the Prophet ( ?j ) frown at? Why?
2. What happened when the Prophet ( :i ) frowned at Ibn Umm Moktoom?
3. What ore some of the bounties Almighty Allah has bestowed upon us to
enjoy?
4. Will man remember his relatives on the Day of Resurrection? Why?
5. What will the end of both the righteous and the evildoers be?
B. Memorisation
Learn this surah by heart.
�<< 78
It is very i mportant to be truthful and to keep promises . Nobody believes a
liar, and no one likes to trust a person who breaks his promises .
Allah the Almighty says, "0 you who believe, fulfil all your obligations. "
(Surat ai-Maa'idah, 5 : 1 )
The obligations this verse speaks of include promises, covenants and

oaths.
"Let them fulfil their vows which they have made." (Surat at-Hajj 2 2 : 29)
"Be true to your bond with Allah whenever you make a

pledge, and do not break your oaths after
having confirmed them . " (Surat an-Nahl,
1 6:91 )
Allah Most High is true to His Promise .
"Surely, Allah never fails to fulfil H is

promise." (Surat Aal 'lmraan 3 : 9)
"Who could be more faithful to his covenant than

Allah?" (Surat at-Tawbah, 9 : 1 1 1 )
A believer's word, therefore, is a bond . A Muslim must keep his promise .

Whatever promise he makes, whatever word he gives, and whatever
agreement into which he enters, he should abide by it faithfully and sincerely.
An ocean may change its course, a mountain may move its place, but a
Musli m should not fail to fulfil his promise.
79 D
Keeping Promises ••••
Allah's Messenger ( � ) hated lies . He was prepared to accept misers and

cowards as believers but he refused to regard a liar as a true Muslim. Liars were
classed in the same category as promise-breakers and hypocrites .
AI-Bukhaaree relates on the authority of Ibn Mas'ood ( � ) that the Prophet

( � ) said, "On the Day of Judgment every deceitful man will bear a banner,
and it will be said, 'Behold the deceit of so-and-so !'"
The Prophet ( � ) also said, "Whoever possesses these four [characteristics]

will be a pure hypocrite; and whoever possesses one of them characteristics of
hypocrisy until he gives it up: When he is entrusted with something, he betrays
the trust; when he speaks, he tells a lie; when he makes a covenant he proves
treacherous; and when he quarrels, he uses foul language. " (AI-Bukhaaree and
Muslim)
The Prophet ( � ) also said, "Give what you hold i n trust back to the person
who has entrusted you with it and do not betray anyone, even if he has
betrayed you ." (At-Tirmidhee)
Hence, be truthful and keep your promises . If you tell your mother that you
will be back from the game at ten o'clock, be home on time! If you offer to
clean the garage for your father, do the job and keep working until you finish it.
When your parents see from all these kinds of little acts that you are
developing a sense of responsibility and that you can be trusted; they will be
willing to give you some of the priyileges you are asking for.
It is easy to see, then, why keeping promises makes you bigger than
yourselt older than your age . Keeping promises is truly a personality building
characteristic .
•.•. Keeping Promises
1. What does Allah mean when He says "Fulfil all your obligations"?
2. What are the four characteristics of a hypocrite?
3. What benefits does keeping of promises have?
B. Fill in the blanks
1. The Prophet ( � ) accepted a s believers ------ and ------ , but

not -------
2. Liars are classed in the category of and
3. Keeping promises is truly a ------
81 �
1A01ishoh ( � ) was the daughter of Abu Bokr os-Siddeeq ( � L the Prophet's
closest friend and the first rightly-guided caliph after the death of the Prophet
( � ) . She was born in Mokkoh eight or nine years before the Hijrah . Her mother
was called Umm Roomoon.
1A01ishoh ( � ) was known as as-siddeeqah and was, like all of the Prophetls
wives, addressed as the Mother of the Believers . Her own kunyah (on honorific of
paternity) was Umm Abdulloo h . She hod no children of her own, and her kunyah
was based on the nome of her sister Asmoo's son, Abdullooh . She used to soy
that ever since she recognized her parents, she hod known them to be Muslims.
Her Childhood
Great people reveal their greatness in their behaviour and manners even
in their childhood . 1A01ishoh's manners were excellent. Children ore generally
fond of toys and games, and so was 1A01ishoh ( � ) . She would collect the girls
of her age in the neighbourhood and ploy with them . If the Prophet ( � )
happened to pass by their merry group, they would hide their ploy. She was
particularly fond of toys .
One of her toys was a horse with two wings . The Prophet ( � ) asked her
once what it was. She replied it was a horse . He said that horses did not hove
wings, but she retorted that Prophet Suloymoon hod winged horses . This reply
which was a clear sign of her sharp intelligence mode the Prophet ( � ) smile.
Marriage
The Prophets first wife was Khodeejoh bint Khuwwoylid ( � ) . She lived with
him for twenty-five years until her death at the age of sixty-five . The Prophet ( � )
was then fifty years of age. She remained deeply devoted to him and morally
supported him throughout her life. Her death, about three years before the
Hijrah so deeply affected him that his companions always referred to that year
as 'the year of grief' .
•••• Aa•ishah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq ( � )
Khadeejah ( � ) was indeed a worthy wife, and even though the Prophet
( ri ) was fifteen years younger than her, he never thought of marrying another
woman as long as she was alive. He used to say about Khadeejah ( � ), "She
had faith in me when everyone else, including members of my family and tribe,
rejected me; she accepted that I was truly a prophet and a messenger of Allah;
she embraced Islam and supported me with whatever she had when other
people denied everything to me; and it is through her that Allah blessed me with
children ."
In fact, all the Prophetls children were born of Khadeejah ( � ), with the
exception of l braaheem, whose mother was Maariya h . The Prophet ( ri ) held
Khadeejah in high esteem in her lifetime, and his love for her remained
undiminished even after her death .
After Khadeejah1S death, the Prophet ( ri ) married Sawdah bint Zam1ah
( � ) , widow of a companion, as-Sakraan ibn 1Amr, and then, three years later,
after the Battle of Badr, he married 1Aa1ishah ( l$, ) .
During the years of her married life, 1Aa1ishah made the Prophet ( ri ) very
happy. In return, she found all the happiness and satisfaction which a woman
would expect from. her marriage.
1Aa1ishah ( l$, ) stayed with her parents for three
years, after the marriage ceremony, of which two
years and three months were spent in Makkah and
nine months in Madeenah after the Hijrah . When
the Muslims were all settled in Madeenah, Abu
Bakr reminded the Prophet ( ri ) to take his bride
1Ad ishah home . 1Aa1ishah herself stated that her
dowry (mohr) was of the value of 500 dirhams
(fifty dinars)1 • The Prophet ( ri ) had no money to
pay at that time, but Abu Bakr offered to give
him a loan, which the Prophet ( ri ) accepted
and sent to 1Aa1ishah ( � ) .
1 The va lue of a dinar of that time is approximately 4 . 25 grams of gold today. See Dr. M u hammad
Rawwas Qalaji and Dr. Haamid Saadiq Qunnaibi, Dictionary of Islamic Legal Terminology, p . 2 1 2 .
83
Aa•ishah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq ( �ob ) ••••
A Word a bout Mohr

When a Muslim woman is married, Islam requires the bridegroom to give
her a dowry, or mohr, which may be of any agreed value. It is a gift from the
bridegroom to the bride and it becomes entirely hers . The term mohr cannot be
adequately translated into E nglish since the E nglish language has no equivalent
for it. Hence the Arabic word mohr does not mean dowry. Oxford Advanced
Learner's Dictionary of Current English has the following entry on the word,
'property or money brought by a bride to her husband when they marry.' The
mohr is something entirely different. Mohr is on obligation . The mohr is given by
the bridegroom to his bride . Without mohr marriage is not valid .
The Prophet's Dream before his Marriage to

'Aa'ishah
Before his marriage to 'Ao'ishoh, the Prophet
( � ) hod a dream in which on angel brought
him a female covered in silk and told him that
she was his wife . When he unveiled the face, he
saw 'Ao'ishoh ( � ) . In another tradition, Jibreel (J%.§1)
showed him 'Ao'ishoh's picture on a piece of silk and
told him, "This is your wife in this world and in the
hereafter." ( Soheeh Ibn Hibboon)
Education and U pbringing

'Ao'ishoh's real upbringing started after her marriage . She started learning
to read and write and soon she could recite the Qur'on . Aport from religious
learning, 'Aa'ishoh ( � ) acquired proficiency in history and literature from her
father.
She learnt quite a few things about medicine as well . In fact she acquired
about medical knowledge from the so many physicians of Arabia who visited
the Prophet ( � ) . She had learnt descriptions of various diseases and their
remedies from them .
She learnt about Islam from the Prophet ( � ) himself almost doily, and she
would give weekly d iscourses to women who used to assemble at her house for
the purpose .
•••• Aa•ishah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq ( � )
1A01ishah's Contribution i n the F ield of Knowledge
1A01ishoh ( � ) played a major role in the life of
the Prophet ( � ) . Her main contribution was in
the area of religious knowledge. She
preserved for the Ummah (the Muslim
Community) a good proportion of the
wisdom of the Prophet ( � ) . I n so doing,
she become one of Islam's leading jurists .
Many prominent and learned
companions of the Prophet ( � ) sought
knowledge from her. She narrated many
ahaadeeth from the Prophet ( � ) . She hod on excellent grasp of the Qurl on
and its meanings.
More than perhaps anyone else, she kept a record of a great deal of the
private life of the Prophet ( � ) . She witnessed and participated in a number of
bottles, alongside the Prophet ( � ) . Prominent among them were the Bottles of
Uhud and Bonu oi-Mustoliq .
1A01ishoh's love for charity and her preference of a simple life-style i s a
source of pride and inspiration to Muslim women of all generations . She
shunned the pomp and show of this world .
1A01ishoh's greatest merit loy in her unfailing; unselfish devotion to the
Prophet ( � ) as a Muslim and as a wife . She was intelligent enough to
appreciate the greatest honour and advantages Allah accorded to her in the
role of the wife of the Prophet ( � ) and Mother of the Faithful .
The Family Life of 1A01ishah ( � )

1A01ishoh hod a small apa rtment like so many others around the Prophet's
� ) Mosque and its door opened in its courtyard . The Prophet ( � ) used to
enter the mosque through this
door. The household
effects comprised of a
bed, a mot a pillow,
a water pitcher and
a bowl .
85 •
Aa'ishah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq ( �� ) ••••
Not much had to be done for running the house . 1Aa1ishah ( � ) once said
that at one time they passed three consecutive months without kindling a
cooking fire in the house / because there was nothing to be cooked . They lived
only on the 'two black ones/ (al-aswadayn ) : dates and water. Later on/ after the
death of the Prophet ( � ) � when life became much more comfortable / she
would find tears come to her eyes every time a good meal was prepared for
her. She would be reminded of the austere life of the Prophet ( � ) when he
often had to go hungry for two or three days consecutively. The Prophet ( � )
had to resort to borrowing very often/ quite often in order to secure food
provisions . Sometimes the borrowed money was used to prepare for jihad/ to
buy armour or horses .
So hard-pressed were the believers in the initial period that the Prophet
( � ) had to borrow some money for his marriage with 1Aa1ishah . Abu H urayrah
( � L a close companion of the Prophet ( � ) said that he was one day driven
�
/
by the pangs of hunger to Allah s Messenger ( � ) to seek his help . On seeing
that Abu Hurayrah ( � ) had two stones around his waist the Prophet ( � ) lifted
his mantle/ and Abu Hurayrah saw three stones around his waist.
The simplicity of the life of the Prophet ( � ) should not be considered as
the result of his limited financial resources . Even when those resources became
plentifuL the Prophet ( � ) never changed the austere style of living . That was
the Prophefs style / by willing choice from which he never departed . It was the
style of the Prophet ( � ) and not the pompous/ spending style of emperors and
princes . He himself took part in the building of the Mosque. No emperor or
minister would join in manual labour. The sight of the Prophet ( � ) carrying earth
and bricks had a very strong emotional effect on a Muslim . He rushed to relieve
him/ and offered to carry the load . The Prophet ( � ) said graciously/ "No! No !
/
You are not in greater need of Allah s Mercy than L but you can take another
// /
load/ if you like! This is illustrative of the Prophet s lifestyle .
One day Umar i b n ai-Khattaab ( � ) came into the house of the Prophet
( � ) and found him lying on a simple bed which left marks on his body. This sight
moved Umar ( � ) so much that he asked him/ "I think of Caesar and Chosroes
sitting on thrones of gold/ wearing silk. You are the Messenger of Allah/ yet you
//
ore sleeping here/ on a simple bed ! The Prophet ( � ) replied/ "0 Umor! Are you
not satisfied that they have this world and we have the nextT
86
•••• Aa'ishah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq ( �� )
I n fact, the Prophet ( � ) had consciously chosen an austere way of life .
Despite the simplicity of his life, the Prophet's homes were happy and full of
pleasure and delight. They were full of love and happiness .
1Aa1ishah ( " ) was one of the most loved and respected Mothers of the
·
Faithful as well as the most cherished wife of the Prophet ( � ) . She played the
role of a teacher, jurist, judge, leader and even a military commander!
1Aa1ishah ( � ) played a unique and vital role in the history of Islam . She is
reported to have narrated more than two thousand, two hundred and ten of the
Prophets ahaadeeth and was the most learned person in the sciences of the
Qurlan . She was also the most knowledgeable person in distinguishing between
haloaf and haraam-the lawful and the unlawful .
1Aa1ishah ( � ) died when she was sixty-six years old and was buried in
ai-Baqeel graveyard in Madeenah.
87 ·�&
Aa'ishah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq ( v:� ) ••••
A. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.
1. 1Aa1ishah's mother was and her father was -----
2. Her kunyah was ----
3. 1Aa1ishah stayed with her parents for years after the marriage
ceremony.
4. 1Aa1ishah's major contribution was in the area of _________
s. 1Aa1ishah is the most widely quoted person on the traditions of the Prophet
( � ) , with ahaadeerth to her credit.
B. Explain the fol lowing Arabic terms.
1. kunyah
2. mohr
3. ummah
•••• Aa'ishah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq ( � )
c. Answer the following questions.
1. What was 1Aa1ishah's mohr?
2. How was 1Aa1ishah shown to the Prophet ( � ) in his dream?
3. Write a few words on 1Aa1ishah's education?
4. What was 1Aa1ishah's greatest merit?
5. What would 1Aa1ishah and the Prophet ( � ) eat when there was nothing to
be cooked in the house?
89 it
Aa'ishah bint Abu Bakr as-Siddeeq ( � ) 11 11 11 11
s. Was the austere life of the Prophet ( � ) a result of limited financial

resources? What then?
7. How do we know that 1Aa1ishah will also be the Prophet's wife in the
hereafter?
a. Try to find out what the Arabic word 10S-siddeeqah' means.
� 90
Hijra h (The Emigration)
Allah's Messenger ( � ) stayed in the cove
in Mount Thawr along with Abu Bakr ( � ) . Having
been baffled and exasperated when the news
of their escape was confirmed, the Quroysh
offered a price of 1 00 camels to anyone who
would capture them . After three nights, when the
hue and c ry hod diminished, {Abdullaoh ibn
Urayqit the man they hod hired as a guide
brought them their camels along . Asmao', Abu
Bakr1S daughter, also provided them with
provisions they needed for the journey. She tied
such provisions up in a bundle of her waistband
after tearing it into two parts, and that is how she came to be known as
dhaat-un-nitaaqayn (the one with the two waistbands) . The Prophet ( � L Abu
Bokr ( � ) and {Aamir ibn Furoyhah deported, and their guide, {Abdullaah ibn
Urayqit led them on hardly ever trodden ways along the coastal route .
After they had left, a group of the Quraysh, including Abu JahL came and
stood at Abu Bakr's door. Asmaa' went out to answer the door, and they asked,
"Where is your father, 0 daughter of Abu Bakr?" When she replied that she did
not know, Abu JahL an evil and rough man, slapped her so severely that one of
her earrings was sent flying in the air. Then they left. The Prophet ( � ) anu Abu
Bakr set off and travelled fast by day and night until midday. Abu Bakr strained
his eyes to see some shade where they could toke shelter. He sow a rock and
they hurried down to it. There was a shady spot underneath the rock. Abu Bakr
( � ) cleaned the ground, spread his mantle for the Prophet ( � ) to lie on and
then he went off in search of food . He came across a herdsman and he asked
him for some milk. Then he took it to the Prophet ( � ), cooled it with some water
and waited till the Prophet ( � ) woke up and quenched his thirst. Then they left
again, their pursuers were still after them .
��9 1�.
Prophet M u hammad ·� ( 1 ) ••••
The Story of Umm Ma'bad AI-Khuzaa'iyah

On their way, they passed by Umm
Mo { bod, daughter of Ko { b of the
Bonu Ko { b ibn Khuzoo {oh, a tribe
that lived in the neighbourhood of
Mokkoh . Weary and exhausted,
the Prophet ( � ) and his
companions wonted to refresh
themselves with some food and
milk. The gracious lady told them
that she hod no food for them as they
hod suffered a severe drought. The Prophet
( ;I ) then noticed a goat at the side of her tent and asked, "What about that
goat, Umm Mo ' bod?" She replied, "It is a goat that was left over from the goats
after the drought." "Does it give milk?" he asked . "No, it is too dried up for that,"
she replied . With her permission, the Prophet ( ;I ) stroked its udder, reciting
Allah's nome over it. To their great joy, milk poured out in copious flow. He fi lled
a large vessel with milk and gave it to the lady to drink first, and then he shored
what was left with his companions . Before he left, he milked the goat, filled the
conta iner and gave it to Umm Ma ' bod .
The Story of Suraaqah

The Prophet ( ;1 ) and his party hod hardly gone for when there appeared
on the horizon a horseman galloping at full speed towards them . Possibly the
incident took place on the second day after the Prophet ( ;1 ) and his
companions left the cove . The horseman was Surooqoh ibn Moolik who hod
learnt of the Prophet's whereabouts from a traveller. Anxious to get the prize of a
hundred camels, Surooqah stole out of Mokkah. When he was in sight of the
Prophet ( ;I ) and his companions, his horse stumbled twice and he fel l on the
ground, but he persisted in his hot pursuit.
As he drew still nearer, his horse stumbled so badly that its fore hooves sank
deep in the sand and he fell on the ground again . Surooqoh was very
frightened, as it become clear to him that the Prophet ( ;I ) and his party were
protected from him by Divine Power. He called out loudly, naming himself and
•••• Prophet Muhammad � ( 1 )
swearing that he intended no harm . The Prophet ( � ) and his companions
waited for him . When he came up to them,
they requested him not to disclose their
whereabouts to the Quraysh . The
Prophet ( � ) forgave him and
confirmed this with a token written on
a piece of parchment. Suraaqah
departed in peace, pledging that
he would keep his pledge . Suraaqah
used the document as a token at the
time of the conquest of Makkah to gain
access to the Prophet ( � ) and declare
his acceptance of Isla m .
What does the story of Suraaqah teach M usIims?
Muslims believe that nothing can take place in the universe against the will of
Allah. Indeed, Allah the Almighty has power over everything . The laws of the
universe operate according to His Will . Only He has the power over them and
can cause them to stop as He wills. He can also cause any law of the universe
to operate where it normally does not. This results in what is called 'miracles' .
In planning his risky journey, the Prophet ( � ) left nothing to chance. He
planned it with great care. He did all that was possible to ensure his safety and
that of his companions . When he had done all that, he moved with complete
trust in Allah . This is the true Islamic attitude which Muslims should adopt in their
lives .
93 �
Prophet Muhammad � ( 1 ) ••••
1. The Quraysh set up the reward of ------

for anyone who
would find and return the Prophet ( � ) and Abu Bakr ( � ) .
2. _____ accompanied Abu Bakr and the Prophet ( � ) on the way
to Madeenah .
3. The Prophet ( � ) performed the miracle on the goat of Umm Ma ' bad in
the Name of ----
4. In planning for his journey, the Prophet ( � ) left nothing to _____
1. Why did Asmaa' come to b e called 'the one with the two waistbands'?
2. What explanation did Umm Ma ' bad give for not being hospitable to his
guests - the Prophet ( � ) and his companions?
3. What obstacles had Allah placed in Suraaqah's way to protect the

Prophet ( � ) from him?
tl 94
4. What did Suraaqah ask of the Prophet ( � ) ? What did he do with it?
s. What does the incident of Suraaqah teach Muslims?
6. What lesson do M uslims learn in the way the Prophet ( 71 ) planned his
migration?
C. Think-up
F rom previous knowledge, why do you think the Prophet ( 71 ) stayed in

Mount Thawr?
9 s tt
Allah's Messenger ( � ) arrives in Madeenah
Finally, after an eight-day
journey, the Prophet ( � ) arrived at
Qubaa', on the eighth of Rabee'
a/-Awwal. Qubaa' lies at a
distance of two m iles ( 3 . 2 km)
away from Madeenah. It was
generally taken as a locality of
Madeenah and was largely
inhabited by Banu 'Amr ibn 'Awf
who had already accepted Isla m .
A few days before the
departure of the Prophet ( � ) from Makkah, the news of his arrival in Madeenah
had spread . Crowds came flocking out of Madeenah . Everyday, they would
eagerly wait for his appearance since the early morning and would only be
forced to return, rather disappointed, by the unbearable heat of the midday
sun .
One day, after people had long gone back to their homes, a Jew, who
had caught a glimpse of three travellers winding their way to Madeenah,
shouted at the top of his voice, 0 people of Arabia ! The person you have
"
eagerly been waiting for has come !"

Having heard this call, the believers rushed out of their homes, and waves
of joy and happiness gripped the whole atmosphere of Qubaa' . They were
overjoyed at the safe arrival of the Prophet ( � ) and his companions. It was the
best thing they had ever witnessed . People came streaming forth and vied with
one another to invite the noble visitor to their homes .
Anas ibn Maalik ai-Ansaaree ( � ), a boy at the time, says, "I saw Allah's
Messenger ( � ) the day he entered Madeenah . I have not seen a more radiant
day than when he came to us in Madeenah . "
96
•••. Prophet Muhammad ?i (2)
Among the Companions who hurried to meet the Prophet ( � ) in Qubaa'
were the muhaajiroon who had reached Madeenah before the Prophet ( � ) .
Ali ibn Abee Taalib ( � ) caught up with the Prophet ( � ) in Qubaa' and stayed
with him in the house of Kulthoom ibn ui-Hidm . It must have taken him some
days to reach Qubaa'; since he stayed in Makkah for three days after the
Prophet ( � ) had left. Scholars differ as to the exact duration of the Prophet's
stay in Qubaa', but ai-Bukhaaree in an authentic hadeeth says his stay there
lasted fourteen days . Allah's Messenger founded a mosque in Qubaa' during his
stay there-the very fi rst mosque in Isla m .
The Qurlan highly commends this first mosque because it was built o n the
foundation of piety and fear of Allah :
"Indeed , the mosque that was founded on piety from the first day is
worthier for you to stand therein ; in it are men who love to purify themselves,
and Allah loves those who purify themselves. " (Surat at-Tawbah, 9 : 1 08)
The hypocrites, later on, established another mosque with the intention of
dividing the Muslim Community. The Qurlan forbade the Prophet ( � ) to pray
in the mosque built by the hypocrites . The mosque was termed Mosjid
adh-Dhiraar, the mosque of discord .
The Prophet's short stay in Qubaa' was a very pleasant one, full of joy and
happiness . For the first time in over thi rteen years, he felt safe and unthreatened .
The Prophet ( � ) enters the City and the House of Abu Ayyoob
On the fourteenth day, after their arrival at the southern suburb of
Madeenah, the Prophet ( � ) set out from Qubaa' to the centre of the city. It
was a F riday. At noon, he stopped among the Banu Saleem, where he offered
the Jumu'ah prayer.
As the procession pressed on,
leading personalities from the city came
forward and asked the Prophet ( � ) to
stay in their midst. But the Prophet ( ·� )
politely apologized, saying that his
famous she-camel, ai-Qaswaa', was
commanded by Allah and that his
home would be wherever it stopped .
��9�7�1&
Prophet Muhammad � (2) ••••
When the procession reached the houses of Banu ai-Haarith, a large

company of their men halted it and warmly invited the Prophet ( � ) to remain
with them . The Prophet ( � ) refused as before and made a polite apology.
Almost everyone had rushed to welcome the Prophet ( � ) . The whole city
participated in the joyful procession, which extended for almost two miles ;
Women stood on balconies . Children climbed rooftops and trees to catch a
glimpse of the Prophet ( � ) .
The procession reached the quarters of Banu an-Najjaar, the maternal

uncles of the Prophet ( � ), and first of all the quarters of 'Adi ibn an-Najjaar, a
sub-clan of Banu an-Najjaar. Here too, the Prophet ( � ) was invited to stay, on
behalf of all. Again the Prophet ( � ) made his apology and the procession
moved on.
When they reached the quarters of Banu Maalik, another sub-clan of Banu
an-Najjaar, ai-Qaswaa' halted in the m iddle of a large and open plot of land
and knelt down . This is the very place where the Prophet's Mosque stands today.
The nearest house was that of Abu Awoob ai-Ansaaree, who came forward and
warmly invited the Prophet ( � ), pointing to his two-storey house, which was only
a few meters away.
Allah's Messenger ( � ) accepted the invitation .
house. A neighbour, the celebrated As ' aad ibn

Zurarah, came forward and led ai-Qaswaa'
into the courtyard of his house to take care of
her for the Prophet ( � ) . Thus, the problem of
the Prophet's stay in Madeenah was settled
without creating any feeling of favour
or disfavour amongst the various Drinking
Well
clans of Madeenah .
The Prophet ( � ) and his Companion, Abu
Bakr, occupied the ground floor of Abu Awoob's Wad i B uthan
house. Abu Awoob ( � ) and his wife occupied * This is the very place Abu Ayyoob's
house where the Prophet's Mosque
the upper floor - not without embarrassment stands today.
for them . They considered it disrespectful . He

disliked being above, with the Prophet ( � ) Qu baa' Mosque
-��9 8��
•• • • Prophet Muhammad � (2)
beneath him . Abu Awoob ( � ) expressed his embarrassment to the Prophet
( � ) who dismissed it with a gentle smile/ saying/ "0 Abu Awoob ! The ground
floor is more convenient for us and for our guests and visitors .��
There was in fact a flood of guests and visitors . The women of Banu
an-Najjaar were anxious to catch a glimpse of the Prophet ( � ) . Those who were
/
unable to see him when he entered the city flocked to Abu Awoob s dwelling .
/
Their passionate curiosity and excitement was really great. Abu Awoob s house
was/ obviously/ the centre of all the attention and emotion that the Prophets
presence attracted . It remained so for the full seven months of his stay. The
house was a lso honoured by being/ for seven months/ the centre of revelations
to the Prophet ( � ) .
Abu· Awoob ( � ) and his wife were very delighted with their guests . As is
the Arabian custom/ the duties of hospitality were shared with neighbours. Each
evening/ three or four neighbours would come with dinner in their hands . They
were anxious to serve their Prophet ( � ) .
Only two anxious moments marred the contentment of their host. The first
was when an earthen pot of water broke and a great deal of water spilled onto
/
the floor of the upper storey of Abu Awoob s home . Afraid that it might leak
below/ Abu Awoob used the whole of his bed sheet in an attempt to soak up
the water. Then he went down to the Prophet ( � ) and requested yet again that
/
he move to the upper floor. Seeing that he was distraught Allah s Messenger
( � ) agreed .
The second anxious moment came when the Prophet ( � ) returned the
food that had been prepared for him untouched . Abu Awoob ( � ) rushed
/
upstairs/ deeply disturbed . He asked/ "0 Allah s Messenger ( � ) ! Did you not like
our food tonightT The Prophet ( � ) explained/ "No/ Abu Awoob/ but I found in
it the strong smell of garlic and onion . You may eat it if you wish . I speak to one
/
to whom you do not speak/ referring to Angel Jibreel ( �� ) .
Abu Awoob and his wife never served him these vegetables again . They
would prepare his evening meal and send it to him . If he returned it and there
were any morsels left they would try to see where his fingers had touched it and
would then eat that part/ hoping to be blessed by it.
99
A. State if these statements are true or false.
1. The people of Quboo' were still d isbelievers .
2. The arrival of the Prophet ( � ) was the best thing that the people of
Modeenoh hod ever witnessed .
3. The Prophet's camel was under the command of Allah .
B. Give reasons for the following.
1. The Prophet ( :1 ) stayed on the ground floor.
2. Abu Ayyoob asked the Prophet ( :1 ) to stay on the upper floor.
1. When did the Prophet ( � ) arrive at Quboo', and how long did h e stay
there?
• 1 00
• • • ,. Prophet Muhammad � (2)
2. How do you know that the people were anxiously waiting for the Prophet
( � )?
3. Why was the hypocrites' mosque called 'Masjid adh-Dhirar'?
4. Where was the first Jumu'ah prayer offered?
s. In whose house did the Prophet ( � ) stay, and for how long?
D. Think-up
What reword does one get for praying in Qubaa' Mosque, which is the first
mosque in Islam?
1 01 Q)
(The Splitting Asunder)
This surah was revealed in Makkah and consists of twenty-five verses. In
fact, its was revealed after surat al-lnfitaar (surah eighty-two) . The main theme
of this surah is the Day of Resurrection .
This surah may be d ivided into four sections .

1. It begins with a graphic description
of the coming of the Last Hour (verses 1 -5) .
2. People are reminded of their own

condition on the Day of Judgment. They will
either be given their records of deeds in their right
hands and thus will be happy, or in their left hands
behind their backs and will be doomed .
The verse, "0 mankind, you are indeed toiling
towards your Lord in painful toil-a sure returning"
means whatever deed you do you will meet
Allah with, whether it is good or bad . People
are tested in this world . Angel Jibreel ( �\ ) once
said to the Prophet ( �L " 0 Muhammad , live
how you wish , for truly you will die; love whomever you wish, for surely
you will leave them; and do whatever you wish, for certainly you will
meet it (i.e. your deed) . " (verses 6- 1 5) .
3. An oath by the twilight, the night and the moon is followed by the
assertion that man goes through different conditions in this life and after
death .
� 1 02
•••• Surat al-lnshiqaaq
Verse 1 9 is significant. "Surely you are bound to move onward from
stage to stage. " This means from one state to another state, which is an
unceasing progression . Manis existence is not stationary. He must progress
from the state of the living to that of the dead/ and from the state of the
death to a new state of life in the next world . His onward movement will not
cease at the moment of his bodily death . It will be followed by a
changeover into another state of being in the next world (verses 1 6- 1 9) .
4. (Verses 20-25) mark the end of the surah . The surah ends with a
warning of punishment to those who reject the faith and stubbornly refuse
to heed the Qurlan and gives good news to the people of faith who will
enjoy an unending reward .
1. When the s ky i s split asunder/

2. Obeying its Lord/ as in truth it must;
3. And when the earth is levelled/
4. And throws out whatever is in it and becomes utterly empty/
s. Obeying its Lord/ as in truth it must;
s. 0 mankind ! You are indeed toiling towards your Lord in painful toil; then
you will meet Him !
Then for him who is given his record in his right hand/
��1�03�&)
7.
Sural al-lnshiqaaq ••.•
8. He will surely be called to account with an easy accounting/

9. And he will return to his family joyfully.
1 0. But for him who will be given his record behind his back/
1 1. He will surely pray for utter destruction/
1 2. And he will enter the blazing fire;
1 3. Indeed/ he once lived among his family joyfully/
1 4. Indeed/ he thought that he would never have to return [to his Lord] .
1 5. Why not? For his Lord was always watching over him !
1 6. No/ but I swear by the ruddy glow of sunset
1 7. And by the night and what it envelops [in its darkness]r
1 8. And by the moon/ as it grows to its fullness/
1 9. You are bound to move onward from stage to stage .
20. What is the matter with them that they do not believe/
21. And when the Qurlan i s recited to them/ they d o not fall down in
prostration?
22. No/ but they who ore bent on denying the truth reject it/
23. Yet Allah has knowledge of what they conceal .
24. So give them good news of a painful punishment
25. Except such of them who believe and do good; for theirs will be a reward
that will never fai l .
•••• Surat al-lnshiqaaq
1. What i s the main theme of the surah?
2. Explain the meaning of "toiling towards your Lord in painful toil . "
3. Explain : "Surely you are bound to move onward from stage to stage . "
B. Memorisation
1 05 �
Building the Prophet's Mosque
Immediately after his arrival at the house of Abu
Awoob, the Prophet's attention turned to the large
and central plot of land, where his she-camel
ai-Qaswaa' had knelt down . He inquired about the
land and was told that it belonged to two orphan
boys of Banu Maalik an-Najjaar, Sahl and
Suhayl, sons of 'Amr, who were under the
guardianship of As 'ad ibn Zuraarah ( � ) .
When the Prophet ( � ) revealed his
intention of building a mosque there,
As 'ad declared his readiness to get
the land . The Prophet ( � ) sent for
the two orphans who owned the plot of land, which was used for drying dates .
He asked them to name the price for it so that a mosque could be built. Allah's
Messenger ( � ) made an offer of money to them but they replied, "No, we will
give it to you, Messenger of Allah ." But he refused and bought it from them
instead, and then built a mosque on it.
Within a few days of the arrival of the Prophet ( � ) at the house of Abu
Awoob ai-Ansaaree, the construction of the mosque was started
enthusiastically. The Prophet ( � ) himself took an active part in it. The fi rst job
was to level the ground, clear it of weeds, thorny shrubs, palm-trees, rubbish as
well as some old graves of the polytheists who lived in Yathrib, the old name of
the city of Madeenah . Then the construction of the mosque and the two
apartments for the Prophet's wives began . One apartment was meant for
Sawdah ( � ) and the other for 'Aa'ishah ( � ) .
The mosque that the Prophet ( � ) and his companions built in Madeenah
stood at the same spot as the green-domed Great Mosque of the present time.
The present mosque was enlarged and remodelled many times by successive
•••• Prophet Muhammad � (3)
Musli m caliphs. Originally the Prophet's private apartments lay outside the
mosque and their doors opened onto the courtyard of the mosque. The
arrangement was later modified and these apartments were incorporated in
the mosque. The Prophet ( � ) is buried in 'Ai'shah1S apartment with Abu Bakr and
Umar ( � ) alongside him. The most recent enlargements were effected by King
Fahd ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez.
The Prophet's Mosque

Allah's Messenger ( � ) himself contributed, alongside other Muslims, in the
building work by carrying adobe bricks and stones . As the Muslims worked, they
recited the poetic verses,
0 Allah, there is no worthy living except that of the hereafter;
So forgive the Ansaar and Muhaajiroon.
The Companions worked hard . 'Ammaar ibn Yaasir distinguished himself
by his excessive zeal and hard work in carrying building materials to the site. The
Prophet ( � ) saw him carrying twice the normal load .
The original structure, which the Prophet ( � ) himself designed, was quite
simple. The foundation of the mosque was about two meters deep and made
with stones. The walls were made with grey mud bricks. It was a square building,
about 65 meters each way. The roof
was supported on pillars made from
the trunks of date-palm trees and
branches of the same. The ceiling was made
of stal ks of the branches of date-palm trees,
which did not prevent rain leaking through.
The roof covered a small portion of
the · mosque. The rest was an open
unroofed courtyard . It was enclosed
by a short, grey mud-bricked wall, no
higher than a man !
No specific flooring or carpeting was used . A few mats were laid down,
which did not cover the whole area . Most of the ground was made of dry rubble
and sand . Many worshippers prayed on the bare area . There were three doors,
one in the east, one in the west and the third in the south .
Prophet Muha mmad � (3) ••••
The roofed portion of the mosque hod a little platform, raised a little above
the ground, which was called as-Suffah . Students of Islam who were very poor
and without homes of their own lived there continuously. They devoted their
entire lives and energies to the study of the Qurlon and practices of the Prophet
( � ) . Their main job was to spread the message of Islam .
The qiblah was mode towards Jerusalem, as Muslims were still facing it in
their prayers .
The mosque was a simple building indeed . Not that the Muslims were
unable to put up a much grander structure; rather it was the Prophet's desire that
it should be a most simple building . The private apartments built for the Prophet's
personal residence were also simple . Similar material as the mosque was used
to build the two apartments for the Prophet's wives and the roofing was of
date-palm branches . They consisted of one Iorge room for each of his two
wives .
This was the Prophet's style of living . He never deported from it. F ive times
everyday, Allah's Messenger ( � ) mode himself available in the mosque. He
led the prayers and recited the Qur'on . H is voice was naturaL deep, clear, sweet
and eloquent. His sermons were very short, but they left a deep impression on
the minds and hearts of his listeners .
The Prophet's Mosque has the most glorious place and significance in the
history of Islam .
The Minbar in the Prophet's Mosque

When fi rst built the Prophet's Mosque hod no minbar from
which to address the congregation . He would speak while
leaning against a palm-tree in the wall next to the qiblah near
where he prayed .
Eventually he began to use a minbar. As he moved over
towards it to make his address from it and passed by that tree
trunk, it mooned like a love-lorne camel because it hod
always heard his speeches given near it. The Prophetls
companions heard the trunk make a sound like that . of a
camel . And so the Prophet ( � ) returned to it and hugged it
until it settled down, just like a baby, and become quiet.
A. Complete these sentences.
1. The land where the Prophet's Mosque stands today initially belonged to
2. Earlier on, the land was used for ------
3. Madeenah was earlier called -----
4. The Prophet ( � ) is buried in apartment.
s. Initially, the qiblah of the Prophetls Mosque was towards ______
1. Before building the mosque, what was the first job to be done?
2. What is the as-suffah? What was its purpose?

4. Before the minbarl from where did the Prophet ( � ) deliver his sermon?
/
s. What lesson do we learn from the tree trunk s reaction?
The Prophet's Family leaves Makkah
Some days after settling in Abu Ayyoob's house, the Prophet ( � ) began
to think about his family in Makkah . He sent Zayd ibn Haarithah, his close and
trustworthy companion, to Makkah to bring them . There were his wife Sawdah,
and his two daughters Faatimah and Umm Kulthoom . Zayd ( � ) was
accompanied by Abu Raafi' in order to assist him . Zayd was given a handsome
amount of five hundred dirhams to meet the expenses of the journey. He was
also entrusted with bringing back Abu Bakr's family, as well as his own family,
likewise left behind in Makka h .
Zayd's family was never apart from the Prophets . Zayd, his wife Barakah
and their son Usaamah were bound to the Prophet ( � ) by the strongest ties of
mutual affection . Zayd was called hibbu rasoolillaah 1the much beloved
companion of Allah1S Messenger� . Likewise, his son Usaamah ( .t� ) was called
hibbu rasoolillaah wabnu hibbihi (the much beloved companion of Allah1S
Messenger and the son of his much beloved companion) . Barakah, better
known as Umm
Aymon, was the
Prophet's nurse and
governess . Her son
Ayman (from her
former husband other
than Zayd) had been
his childhood mate.
Thus, the house of Zayd
was in every sense part
of the Prophet's own .
Zayd and Abu Raafi' travelled safely and reached Makka h . They met no
hostility or opposition on their way from the Quraysh when Zayd reached
Makkah. Only a few weeks had passed since the emigration, the hijrah . Both of
them achieved their purpose and left the city of Makkah quietly.
===rrtle
With them was Sowdoh, the Prophet's wife . Allah's Messenger ( � ) hod
married Sowdoh bint Zom 'oh ( � ) after the death of his celebrated wife
Khodeejoh ( � ) . Sowdoh was one of the early M usli m s who migrated twice to
Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia) . Her husband was one of the pioneering
Muslims who, after his return from Abyssinia, died in Mokkoh. Marrying her was a
way of honouring her sacrifice, on early hijrah to Abyssinia, and in appreciation
of her role in the early days of his mission . Hoving married her in Mokkoh after the
death of Khodeejoh ( �� L she remained his sole wife for almost four years until
his marriage with 'Ao'ishoh ( � ) was consummated, some seven or eight
months after his migration .
Then there was Footimoh, the beloved daughter of the Prophet ( � ) . Also
there was Umm Kulthoom ( � ) . Her non-Muslim husband was the son of Abu
Lohob who hod instigated him to divorce her. Her husband, therefore, hod
divorced Umm Kulthoom in order to hurt the Prophet ( � ). She was living in her
father's house at the time of the hijrah .
Zoynob ( � L the third daughter of the Prophet ( � L was left behind with
her non-Muslim husband, ol-'Aas ibn or -Robee ' . She reached Modeenoh after
the Bottle of Badr.
Ruqowoh ( � L the fourth daughter of the Prophet ( � ), was still in
Abyssinia with her husband 'Uthmoon ibn 'Affoon, who hod migrated there with
her. He later become the third rightly-guided Caliph, succeeding 'Umor ( � ) .
Of Abu Bokr's family, there were his wife Umm Roomoon, his children
'Ao'ishoh, Asmoo' and 'Abdullooh, and his cousin and son-in-law, Tolhoh, with
his wife, Umm Kulthoom, another daughter of Abu Bokr ( � ) . Along with these
was also Zoyd's family.
So it was a Iorge group that set out towards Modeenoh, the new secure
place for the Muslims. Upon their arrival there, Sowdoh ( � ) and the Prophets
daughters joined him in Abu Awoob's house. They stayed there not for long as
the building of the mosque and apartments were well underway.
Abu Bokr's family joined him in As-Sunh . He hod settled there after a short
stay at the house of Abu Awoob ( � ) . Zoyd ( � ) and his family settled in the
neighbourhood of the Prophet ( � ) because of their intimate relationship with
the Prophet's household .
After the arrival of these people, the Prophet ( � ) moved to his newly-built
apartment. Allah's Messenger built apa rtments around his mosque, which would
be the dwellings for himself and his family. After the death of the Prophet's wives,
all these apartments were added to the mosque, except for the apartment of
'Aa'ishah ( � ). _
The Prophet ( � ) Marries 'Aa ' ishah ( � )

After the completion of the Prophets Mosque and the private dwellings
attached to it, there was a cause for celebration in the marriage of the Prophet .
( � ) to 'Aa'ishah ( � ), who was remarkably mature for her age and possessed
� \
extraordinary intellectual and other qualities .
\
An important factor in the Prophet's
( � ) marriage to 'Aa'ishah was his close ___)
��L _
relationship with Abu Bakr ( � ) . It is

natural that the Prophet ( � ) should
have wished to be joined with him
through marriage to 'Aa'ishah .
The Prophet ( � ) had, however,
married 'Aa'ishah in Shawwal in the tenth year
after the beginning of his Prophethood, after the
death of Khadeejah ( � ), about three years before the migration to Madeenah .
H e consummated the marriage i n Shawwal, seven o r eight months after the
migration .
1. went along with Zayd ( � ) to Makkah to help him .
2. The special name given to Zayd ( � ) was ______ and
Usaamah's was ------
3. The Prophet ( � ) had actually married rAa'ishah in the _____ year of
Prophethood .
1. Who d id the Prophet ( � ) send to Makkah and for what purpose?
2. Why did the Prophet ( � ) marry Sawdah ( � )?
3. Why did Umm Kulthoom ( � ) live in the Prophets house?
4. How did the Prophets marriage to 'Aa'ishah ( � ) affect his friendship with
Abu Bakr ( � )?
Ties of Brotherhood
With many Muslim emigrants without means of livelihood, Allah's
Messenger ( � ) laid the obligation of supporting them on the Helpers - the
ansaar, the Muslims of Madeenah . To each muhaajir the Prophet ( � ) assigned
a Muslim from the ansaar to act as his brother in faith .
This brotherhood provided a far stronger bond ��.....,.. .
::
�- ....�
...
than the relationship of blood . In most
cases, the brothers consisted of one
from the muhaajiroon and one from
the ansaar. The only exception to
this form was the Prophet ( � )
himself and members of his
household . The Prophet ( � ) took Ali
( � ) as his brother, and Hamzah
and Zayd ibn Haarithah were made
brothers . All these four were of course
emigrants .
One of the most remarkable
examples of solidarity among new Muslims is that
between Sa 'd ibn ar-Rabee ' and his new brother, 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf.
Sa 'd was a very rich man . He had two wives . Upon becoming a brother to .
'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf, Sold offered, without hesitation, to divide his whole
wealth equally with him . He even offered to d ivorce one of his wives so that
'Abdur-Rahmaan m ight marry her if he so desired . The open-handedness of
Sa 'd ibn ar-Rabee ' was matched by the selflessness of 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn
'Awf, who politely refused to take advantage of the goodwil l of his new brother.
'Abdur-Rahmaan said, "May Allah bless both your family and your wealth . Show
me the way to the market."
The main market was located in the Jewish quarter of Banu Qaynuqaa { .
'Abdur-Rahmaan went there and began to trade. He made some profit from
�
Prophet M uhammad � (5) ••••
cottage cheese and fat. After a short time, he not only managed to support
himself but also to raise enough money to get married . The Prophet ( � ) sow
him a few days later with traces of yellow perfume and asked him about them .
'Abdur-Rohmoon replied, "I married a woman from among the ansaar." The
Prophet ( ti ) inquired, "How much dowry (mohr) did you pay her?" He replied,
"I paid gold equal to the weight of a dote-stone ." The Prophet ( � ) said to him,
"Give a wedding banquet even with only a sheep !"
The presence of 'Abdur-Rohmoon in the market was in a way on early sign
of changes that were going to toke place in Madeenoh . Until now, the Jews of
Bonu Qoynuqoo hod obviously enjoyed a virtual monopoly in trade and crofts
t
in the city of Modeenoh .

Allah's Messenger ( ;I ) was the brother and friend of all M uslims without .
exception . It is remarkable to note that he carefully avoided taking a formal
brother from any clan of the Ansaar. The establishment of brotherhood was not
simply a short-term solution to deal with on immediate financial crisis . It was a
major and permanent feature of the new social order.
The Prophet ( � ) shored his free time, his private apartment and his own
food with his companions. He particularly shored his meagre meals with the forty
or fifty members of the brotherhood of ah/us-suffah inviting them to his house
almost every day. According to the Qurlon,
the brotherhood among M uslims is a
permanent basis for social development in
Islam .
The Prophet ( ;I ) said, "The believers
ore to one another like a building whose ports
support one another." (oi-Bukhooree and
Muslim) This mutual cooperation in all phases
of life is a fundamental requirement of Isla m .
He also said, "You will not enter Paradise
until you hove faith; and you will not hove faith
until you love one another." (Muslim)
"Hove mercy on those who ore on earth,
and the One who is in heaven will hove mercy
on you . " (ot-Tirmidhee)
"He is not a Faithful who eats his fill while his neighbour remains hungry by
his side . �� (ai-Baihaquee) The Prophet ( � ) often stressed the social aspect of
mutual help and cooperation .
1 A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim . He neither oppresses him, nor
hands him over [to his enemy] . Whoever fulfi ls the needs of his brother, Allah will
fulfil his needs on the Day of Judgment; whoever removes the troubles of his
brother, Allah will remove one of his troubles on the Day of Judgment; and
whoever covers up the faults of his brother, Allah will cover up his faults on the
Day of Judgment. �� (ai-Bukhaaree and M uslim)
"The believers-in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy-are
just like one body: if one of its parts is afflicted, the whole body suffers from
sleeplessness and fever.// (ai-Bukhaaree and M uslim)
"No one is a true believer unless he loves for his [Muslim] brother what he
loves for himself.// (ai-Bukhaaree and M uslim)
Is it not our duty then, with over fourteen centuries of historical experience
at our disposal, to rectify the shameful negligence and translate the Prophet's
noble teachings into reality?
A. Answer these questions
1. How d i d the Prophet ( � ) ensure the comfortable stay of the muhaajiroon
in Madeenah?
2. Who were the ansaar and the muhaajiroon?
3. Who did the Prophet ( � ) associate himself with? Why?
4. What lesson of Muslim brotherhood did you learn from the prophetic
sayings?
•••• Prophet Muhammad ;i (5)
B. Think-up
1. D o you think the bond between the emigrants and the helpers was only for
that time? How can we Muslim brothers and sisters rekindle this bond in the
present-day Islamic world?
2. Who are ahlus-suffah mentioned in the lesson?

Some Major Developments in Madeenah
Although the five doily prayers were prescribed in Mokkoh, they were only
fully implemented in their congregational form after the Hijrah . The command
to perform these five doily prayers was received by the Prophet ( � ) during the
Mi'raaj. Now that M uslims were safe and secure in Modeenoh, all the
congregational prayers began to be offered as commanded by Alla h . To
perform this duty was at once the main concern as well as the greatest pleasure
of the Prophet ( � ) and the believers. The Prophet's Mosque was built for this
reason .
The Adhaan
The Prophet ( � ) d isliked the way the Jews and the Christians used horns
and bells to announce their calls to prayer. Then Allah honoured the Muslims
with the adhaan . Until then, the Prophet ( � ) continued for sometime, the
practice of calling Muslims by sending someone into the streets of Modeenoh,
calling at the top of his voice "as-sa/aatu jaami'ah" to prompt people to come
to the mosque and perform the obligatory prayers in congregation .
Since the times of prayers in the early days of Islam in Modeenoh were not
announced, Muslims would come to the mosque and
wait for the prayers so as not to miss them . The Prophet
( � ) wondered how to tell the people that it was time
for the prayers . He discussed this with his companions .
At first two ideas were put forward : that of blowing a
horn as the Jews did, and that of using a bell as was
the practice of the Christians .
Then, one day, a companion by the nome of
,Abdullooh ibn Zoyd come and told the Prophet ( � )
of a dream he hod the night before . He hod seen the
method of adhaan in his dream . The Prophet ( � )
confirmed it accepted his dream as authentic and
prescribed it for the Muslims. He chose Bilaal ibn Rabaah ( � ) to call the
adhaan . He was the mu'adh-dhin of the Prophet ( � ) and the Prophet ( � )
chose him because of the suitable qualities of his voice .
The Hypocrites (the Munaafiqoon)

Islam spread throughout Madeenah and some of the
rabbis and Jewish scholars also embraced Islam. These
included a learned rabbi called rAbdullaah ibn Salaam . His
acceptance of Islam annoyed other Jews. The Jews envied
Islam but at the same time they were also frightened of it.
Hence a group of hypocrites emerged .
Who is a Munaafiq, or a Hypocrite?

A munaafiq, or hypocrite, is someone who reveals belief but hides
disbelief. A munaafiq is literally someone who constantly shifts his ground so that
it is very hard to lay one's hand on him.
The Qurlan refers to the hypocrites as 'propped up pieces of wood' and
'those in whose hearts is a disease' . Hypocrites were not known to exist during the
Makkan period of Isla m . They emerged in Madeenah When the victory of Islam
was quite clear.
The term munaafiq was used by the Qur'an and Muslims to designate
some of the most dangerous of their enemies. They were people with a
fundamental weakness of character. They lacked the ability to take a stand .
They were really opposed to the Prophet ( � ) and the Truth, but they chose not
to make themselves known so as to destroy Islam and the Muslims from within .
Their leader in Madeenah was {Abdullaah ibn Ubaw. He was an important
figure in Madeenah before the Prophet ( � ) arrived there . Almost to the end of
his life, he was jealous of the Prophet ( � ) and had a grudge against him. He
was previously recognized by the people of Madeenah as their most
outstanding leader. He, therefore, never forgave the Prophet ( � ) for having
overshadowed him . His people now were turning to Islam . He and others like him
who were greedy for power became enemies of Islam while others became
secret hypocrites . In fact Almighty Allah had revealed to His Prophet ( � ) the
identity of all the hypocrites of Madeenah . The Prophet ( � ) disclosed this
information to Hudhayfah ibn ai-Yamaan ( � ) and told him to keep it a secret.
�
The Hypocrites will continue to Exist

It is important to note that the munafiqoon, or hypocrites, will continue to
exist until the Day of Judgment. The munafiqoon are actually of two types :
(l ) Those hypocrites who commit an-nifaaq al-akbaar (the greater form

of hypocrisy) by expressing belief and concealing disbelief.
(2) Those who merely commit an-nifaaq al-asghar (the lesser form of
hypocrisy) Which relates to actions. They are believers but they do things
which the Prophet ( � ) considered acts of hypocrisy.
The Prophet ( � ) mentioned some clear signs of hypocrites so we can

avoid them, for they may lead to the greater nifaaq mentioned above . He said,
"Whoever possesses these four [characteristics] will be a pure hypocrite; and
whoever possesses one of them possesses one characteristic of hypocrisy until
he gives it up: When he is entrusted with something, he betrays the trust; when
he speaks, he tells a lie; when he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous;
and when he quarrels, he uses foul language. " (AI-Bukhaaree)
Cha nge of the Qiblah

Before his call to Prophethood, and during the early Makkan period of his
mission, Allah's Messenger and his com munity used to pray before the southern
wall of the Ka 'bah towards the north so as to face both the Ka 'bah and
Jerusalem . After the Hijrah to Madeenah, the Prophet ( � ) continued to pray
northwards, with only Jerusalem as his qiblah (direction of prayer) . He and his
community with him prayed facing a/-Masjid ai-Aqsaa (the Farthest Mosque in
Jerusalem) for about sixteen or
seventeen months after he came
to Madeenah, just as the Jews
used to do. The Prophet ( � )
hoped, anticipated and waited
for a new qiblah . He actually
desired to face the Ka 'bah in
Makkah in his prayers.
The Qur' an tells us that the Prophet ( � ) had long been seeking the
change of the qiblah but waited for Allah1S command, and Almighty Allah soon
revealed to him the direction of the qiblah . (Read about this in detail in Surat
ai-Baqarah, 2 : 1 42- 1 50) . With the announcement of the change of the qiblah,
the Prophet ( ii ) and the Muslims rejoiced greatly. They felt relieved and
honoured . The Ka'bah was always regarded as the first House ever dedicated to
Allah the One .
The Jews were displeased and offended when M uslims started facing the
Ka 'bah in Makkah to perform their prayers. They regarded the change of qiblah
as unacceptable, but Muslims did so out of obedience to Allah and His
Messenger. It became the qiblah of the Muslims for all time to come . Wherever
they are in the world, Muslims turn their faces towards it when they offer their
prayers .
The Fast of Ramadhaan

Fasting the month of Ramadhaan was made obligatory in the second
year of the Hijrah with the revelation of the these verses :
"0 you who believe! Fasting is

prescribed for you as it was prescribed
for those before you , so that you may
become heedful (of your Lord) . " (Surat
ai-Baqarah, 2 : 1 83)
When the Prophet ( ii ) came to

Madeenah, he found the Jews fasting the Day of
'Aashuraa'. When he learnt from the Jews that it was the
day on which Allah saved Prophet Moosaa ( &;§\ ) and his followers from their
enemy, he commanded the believers to observe it saying that the M uslims
were more worthy of Prophet Moosaa ( &;§\ ) than the Jews .
The fasting of Ramadhaan and the changing of the qiblah both were
prescribed in the second year of the Hijrah, but before the Battle of Badr took
place. Zakaat was also prescribed at approximately the same time.
The Congregational Prayers in the Prophet's Mosque

The Muslims found great joy and comfort in performing the five daily
prayers led by the Prophet ( � ) . They hastened to the mosque upon hearing
the adhaan . Most often the adhaan was called by Bilaal and sometimes it was
called by rAbdullaah ibn Umm Maktoom, the blind companion of the Prophet
( � L for whose sake Almighty Allah rebu ked the Prophet ( � ) and revealed
Surat 'Abasa. Bilaal ( � ) had a sweet and melodious voice.
The Prophet ( � ) often talked to his noble companions after the five daily
prayers . In fact his talks were a source of great solace and comfort for them .
They intently listened to the new revelations of the Qurlan and tal ked of things
happening around them . They often exchanged their views concerning the
movements of the Quraysh and their evil designs against Islam .
The Prophet ( � ) used these assemblies to issue commands . He disclosed
in them plans and new measures of coping with the changing situations in and
around Madeenah . The new emigrants continued to arrive in Madeenah in
small groups throughout the period preceding the Battle of Badr. The mosque
was the place where they met the Muslims.
The Prophet ( 1j ) personally led the congregational prayers . He
demanded that all believing men should, whenever possible, attend them .
Their reward, he said, is twenty-seven times better than that of prayers
performed alone . An old, blind Muslim living some distance away from the
mosque once sought the Prophet's permission to allow him to perform the dawn
and night prayers at home. The Prophet ( � ) asked him, "Do you hear the
adhaan?" "Yes/' answered the man . "Then respond to the call of the prayer/'
declared the Prophet ( � ) . He then added, "Even if you had to arrive at the
mosque crawling, it is better for you ."
It is remarkable to note that every Muslim, who was not sick or travelling,
would normally attend all the five daily congregational prayers in the mosque.
••••• Prophet Muhammad � (6)
1. The performance of the five daily prayers i n congregation began only
after the Hijrah . __
2. The Prophet ( � ) saw the manner of calling the adhaan in his drea m .
3. There were no hypocrites during the Makkan period of Isla m . __
4. The Jews rejoiced when the qiblah of the Muslims changed towards the
Ka'bah in Makka h . --
5. Ramadhaan was made obligatory in 3 A H . __
s. The Prophets Mosque was a meeting point for all Muslims. --
B. Fill in the blanks.
1. ___ ibn ____ ( �-k> ) was the first mu'adh-dhin of the
Prophet ( �) .
2. The leader of the hypocrites in Madeenah was
------
ibn ---
3. The first qiblah was towards -------
4. Prayer in congregation is ______

times more rewarding .
Prophet Muhammad � (6) •••••
C. Answer the fol lowing questions.
1. Before the adhaan how did the Prophet ( � ) call the people to prayer?
I
2. Explain the term munaafiq.
3. What are the two kinds of hypocrites?
4. According to the hadeeth what are the four characteristics of a

I
hypocrite?
s. Who do you think was the enemy of Moosaa ( �� ) and his people/ and
how did Almighty Allah save them?
6. What do you think the phrase "as-salaatu jaami'ah" means?

(The Wrapping)
This surah offers a universal overturning . The sky,
the seas, the mountains and the normal order of life
will be one day pulled away, and the deepest
secrets within it will be made bare ! This surah was
revealed very early in Makkah . It takes its nome from
the fact in the first verse that the sun will be wrapped
up in darkness (kuwwirat); the term takweer is
derived from it.
The surah consists of twenty-nine verses and
may be divided into three sections dealing with the
following major themes :
1. The first section (verses l - 1 4) is a graphic picture of the major,

frightening events that will take place in the universe on the Lost Day. The
surah lists twelve events that will accompany the Resurrection . Verse eight
in this section speaks of the question that will be asked to the infant girls
who were buried alive, which was a heinous crime committed by Arabs in
the pre-Islamic era, known as Jaahiliwah, the days of ignorance before
the coming of Isla m .
This refers to the barbaric custom of burying female infants alive for
fear of shame or poverty. The custom was fairly widespread in pre-Islamic
Arabia . Arabs used to kill their baby girls in an extremely cruel way by
burying them alive .
Surat at-Takweer ••••
On the Day of Judgment the female infants who were buried olive
will be asked what sin they hod committed that hod caused them to be
murdered . This question will be a means of frightening their murderer and
shows the terrible punishment awaiting them for committing such a major
crime.
2. The second section (verses 1 5- 1 8) consists of the major signs by

which Almighty Allah swears to establish the important facts mentioned in
the next section : the stars which disappear during the day and sweep
across the sky at night, the night which covers the people and the down
as it breathes away the darkness of the night.
3. The third and the lost section (verses 1 9- 29) contain the truth that the
Qur1an was revealed by Allah through Angel Jibreel (�� ) to the Prophet
( � ) who was not a possessed man; for indeed Jib reel ( �� ) brought him
the message from Allah, in the form in which Almighty Allah created him,
with six hundred wings in the clear horizon . This was the first sighting which
took place in Mokkoh . The surah ends with a warning of a dreadful
punishment in the afterlife to those who do not believe in the Day of
Resurrection, the Qurlan and the Prophethood of M uhammad ( � ),
clearly stating that the Qurlon is a reminder for all mankind for whoever
seeks true guidance; but the will to be guided is not left to mankind; for
whoever wishes to be guided will certainly be guided, and whoever wishes
to go astray will certainly be misguided, all in according to the will of Allah
the Almighty.
•••• Surat at-Takweer
1. When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness],

2. And when the stars fai L dispersing,
3. And when the mountains are moved,
4. And when the full-term she-camels, about to give birth, are left
unattended,
5. And when the wild beasts are gathered together,
6. And when the seas boil over,
7. And when the souls are joined with their bodies,
8. And when the female [infant] who was buried alive made to ask,
9. For what crime she had been killed,
1 0. And when the scrolls [of people's deeds] are laid open,
11. And when the heaven is stripped off and taken away from its place,
1 2. And when Hell-fire is set ablaze,
1 3. And when Paradise is brought into view;
1 4. (On that Day) every human being will come to know what he has
prepared for himself.
1 5. But no! I swear by the receding stars,
1 6. Those that run [their courses] and disappear,
1 7. And by the night a s it closes in,

1 8. And by the dawn as it brightens,
1 9. [That], indeed, this is the Word [brought by] a most honourable messenger,
20. Owner of power and has a place of honour with the Lord of the Throne,
21 . [He is] obeyed there [in the heavens] and trustworthy.
22. And your companion is not a madman,
23. And he has already seen him in the clear horizon,
24. And he does not withhold knowledge of the unseen,
25. And it is not the word of a devil, expelled [from the heavens] .
26. So where are you going?
27. It is not but a reminder to the worlds,
28. To those of you who would like to take the right course;
29. But you shall not will except as Allah, the Lord of the worlds, wills.
• • • • Surat at-Takweer
1. How does the surah get its nome?
2. F rom the surah, what twelve events of the Resurrection Day do you know?
3. Why did the pre-Islamic Arabia bury girls olive? How will Allah exercise
justice?
4. Give the meaning of verse 2 3 : 'He sow him without any doubt on the
clear horizon' .
s. What do you know about the 1Unseen1, mentioned in verse 24?
6. What do you think verse 26 exactly means?
B. Think-up
1. What does the expression lmost honourable messenger� in verse 1 9 refer

to?
2. What does the expression 1this is the Word' in the some verse refer to?
3. What does the expression 'your companion in verse 22 refer to?

I
4. What do the pronouns 1he1 and 1him1 in verse 23 refer to?
C. Memorisation
Learn Surat at-Takweer by heart

26
The Constitution of the State of Madeenah

One very important event which is worth mentioning was a pact that the
Prophet ( � ) had drawn up for the inhabitants of Madeenah, including the Jews
and the polytheists . This pact included a number of terms and conditions . The
main condition was that, in case of an attac k on Madeenah launched by
outsiders, the people of Madeenah as a whole would
against the enemies. Another condition was that the
Madeenah would not provide refuge to the
Quraysh of Makkah or their allies . All kinds of
fighting and bloodshed would be treated as
forbidden in the territory of Madeenah . All the
people of Madeenah were bound to help the
oppressed .
The pact, which consisted of about thirty terms
conditions, was signed by all the tribes of Madeenah .
constitution of the new state that the Prophet ( :i ) founded i n Madeenah is
preseNed for us, totally intact. The document is called Saheefat
a/ Madeenah the Document of Madeenah . This document brought all the
- -
people of Madeenah, Muslims, Jews and disbelievers, under the general

authority of the Prophet ( :i ) and under his supreme command .
The Saheefah increased the solidarity of the people of Madeenah against
the pagan Quraysh of Makkah. The pact stated that all people are equal before
the law and that absolute ownership is Allah's Alone . M uslims performed their
prayers, paid zakaat, enjoined virtue and forbade evil and worshipped Allah
alone . They had the Qur'an to recite and learn and follow its teachings .
The Jews had their separate community life . They had their synagogues
and rabbis . They had separate religious courts and the corrupt Torah . But all
people of Madeenah, Muslims or otherwise, were under the general authority of
the Prophet ( :i ) .
1 33
Prophet Muhammad � ( 7) •••.
The Prophet ( � ) made a huge effort to bring various tribes around

Madeenah into the fold of this pact. The purpose of the Prophet ( � ) behind this
pact was to create an atmosphere of peace and order.
The Formation of the M uslim Army

The Makkan period before the Hijrah was a period of passive, peaceful
resistance on the part of the Muslims . They bore the abuse and persecution of
the Quraysh with patience and steadfastness. The Quraysh opposed Isla m . They
persecuted Muslims and did all in their power to prevent the faith from taking
root. This phase lasted for the thirteen years of the Prophet's stay in Makkah. The
Muslims never ventured to fight back. They had no permission given by the
Qur'an or the Prophet ( � ) to fight back even in self-defence.
It is important, however, to note that Muslims remained firm and steadfast
in their faith . They never failed to assert the Oneness of Allah and that
Muhammad ( � ) is His Messenger to mankind . They considered idol-worship as
senseless . The reason behind the Prophet's peaceful resistance during the
Makkan period is not difficult to understand . M uslims were a small minority of
men, women and children .
The Prophet ( � ) wanted to share Allah's message with the rest. His
followers stood for peace and looked for opportunities to spread the message
of the Qur'an . They even refused to retaliate against the violence of the
Quraysh . They needed time to be better understood . Hence, the permission to
fight back in self-defence was not given by the Qur'an . Many Muslims without
clan protection were given permission to i mmigrate to Abyssinia . But this phase
of Islam ended with the conclusion of the second Pledge of (Aqabah .
The Permission to F ight

Shortly afterwards, a little before the Hijrah, the permission to fight back in
self-defence was revealed :
"Permission to fight is g iven to those against whom war is being
wrongfully waged , and truly Allah has indeed the power to give them
victory. [They are] those who have been driven from their homes
without right for no other reason than their saying, 'Our Lord is Allah . "'
(Surat a! Hajj, 2 2 : 39-4 1 )
1 34
Muslims had been wronged, maltreated and
unjustly persecuted by the Quraysh over thi rteen
years . At the end of this period they were forced �
fr _,._
to leave their homes, families and property in � t
Makkah . This is the clear justification for the ll•
permission granted to them to fight back. They were
persecuted by the Quraysh only because they said that Allah ( ( (
Alone is their Lord .
The remainder of verse 40 of Surat a/ Hajj further reads, "For if Allah had
not enabled people to defend themselves against one another, monasteries
and churches and synagogues and mosques, i n which Allah's Name is
plentifully mentioned , would surely have been destroyed. And Allah will most
certainly support those who support [His cause] . Indeed, Allah is Powerful and
Exalted in Might."
This verse clearly implies that Allah's help will be extended to Muslims only
if they strive vigorously to repel the oppressors and support H is cause . Their first
priority would then be to observe the prescribed prayers, give zakaat and
establish justice . In sum, the Qur'an gave permission to fight in self-defence.
In several places in the Qur'an, Allah's Messenger ( � ) is reminded that it
is not part of his mission as Prophet to compel people to become M uslims. He
is repeatedly told that he has no control or authority over the minds and hearts
of people . Only Allah has such control and authority. The Prophet's mission is that
of a caller to the Truth, not a warrior. Islam strictly forbids offensive wars waged
to force people to change their religion .
The Formation of a n Army of People of

The Prophet ( � ) had settled now
The Islamic state had emerged . It obviously
created a new situation . Until now the
dominance of the Quraysh had remained
unchallenged . With the settlement of the
Prophet ( � ) and the Muhaajiroon in Madeenah,
the dominance of the Quraysh was
undermined . The Quraysh were frightened .
Tension also rose inside Madeenah .
1 35
Prophet Muhammad � (7) •••.
The authority of 'Abdullaah ibn Ubaw ibn Abee Salool, the head of hypocrites,
was also undermined . 'Abdullaah ibn Ubayy's dream of becoming the king of
Madeenah, for which all preparations were made, was shattered .
Tension rose most particularly in Makkah . I ndeed, tension rose in the whole
of Arabia . The situation further worsened through the actions of the Muslims
themselves who were determi ned to uproot the Quraysh from their place of
leadership and dominance .
After the arrival of the Prophet ( � ) in Madeenah, the believers became
its m ightiest power. The peace pact (the Pact of Madeenah) had made all the
people of Madeenah recognize the strength and supremacy of Islam . They all
had signed it as a token of their acceptance of the authority of the Muslims .
'Abdullaah ibn Ubaw harboured malice against the Prophet ( :1 ) from the
day he arrived in Madeenah . The idolaters among the tribes of ai-Aws and
ai-Khazraj were still under the influence of 'Abdullaah ibn Ubaw. When the
Quraysh of Makkah found out that the Prophet ( � ) and his companions had
settled down peacefully in Madeenah, they felt terribly upset. They shot their first
arrow at Islam and the Muslims. They wrote a letter to 'Abdullaah ibn Ubaw and
the idolaters of Madeenah, warning them against providing shelter to the
Prophet ( � ) and the Muhaajiroon . They asked them to expel Muslims from
Madeenah . If they failed to do so, they should remain prepared to face an
attack on Madeenah, resulting in the killing of their men and the capture of their
women .
A state of war existed between the Quraysh and the Muslims. The pagan
Quraysh had seized the properties of the Muslims in Makkah. In fact, they were
using their trade benefits for waging a war against the Muslims in Madeenah .
The Prophet ( ti ) soon decided to put economic pressure o n the Makkans
whose trade caravans passed through the territory of Madeenah when going to
the north or returning from there . The prosperity of the Makkans depended on
these trade caravans.
1 36
The Army of the People of Madeenah
Since Muslims were few in number in Madeenah, there was no other
alternative but to make it obligatory upon each one of them to join the war in
defence of the city against the attack of the Quraysh . Thus the Muslims' army
was formed . Allah's Messenger ( � ) himself took the position of its supreme
commander. He personally participated in many campaigns . He personally led
as many as nine military expeditions against rebellious Bedouin Arabs . During
those expeditions, he endured the hardships of any ordinary soldier. He walked,
rode the few camels or horses available and looked after his personal
belongings himself. Each warrior bore his own military expenses . There was no
question of wages or salaries.
The Muslim soldiers were fighting to establish justice, fight oppression and
gain the Pleasure of Allah . They were fighting to earn Paradise in the hereafter.
In fact, fighting for the sake of Allah was an honour for them . They fought for
religious freedom and to fulfil the commandments of Allah . They never fought
for material gains. Indeed, they were perhaps the first people to organize their
military efforts in the form of people's army in which everyone participated .
1 37
~
Exercises
~
A. Complete the following.
1. Muslims were unjustly persecuted for more than ----

years .
2. All people of Madeenah, Muslims and non-Muslims, came under the
authority of -------
3. The Muslim soldiers never fought for ----

rather they fought for
1. What i s Saheefat ai-Madeenah? Mention a few of the terms and

conditions it contained .
2. Muslims suffered a lot at the hands of the Quraysh pagans. When were
they given permission to fight them back?
1 38
•• • • Prophet Muhammad � (7)
3. When do you think Allah's help and support is guaranteed?
4. What feelings of 'Abdullaah ibn Ubayy led to tension in Madeenah?
s. What type of people formed the Muslim army?
s. What difficulties did the Prophet ( � ) face in his expeditions?
1 39
Expeditions and the Battle of Badr
Those M uslims who were forced to
immigrate to Madeenah had left all their
belongings behind in Makkah . These had been
seized by their enemies - the pagan Quraysh .
The Quraysh felt defeated in the wake of the Prophet's safe departure to
Madeenah . They were filled with an acute sense of shameful defeat and were
thirsty for death and destruction to the Prophet ( � ) and his companions . The
rage of revenge had taken them by storm . They put aside their petty differences
and discord and rose to the occasion as one body-their single purpose was to
punish the followers of Islam .
There lay a distance of about 450 kms between Makkah and Madeenah .
The Quraysh began to prepare carefully to attack Madeenah . Allah's Messenger
( ·� ) was aware of the situation . He knew well that a state of war existed between
Makkah and Madeenah . The idol-worshippers of Makkah wanted to destroy the
newly-established Islamic state . Permission for defensive war had already
come. The Quraysh levied a tax on all Makkans and invested the money
collected in trade and so it had grown into a large sum to fund the fighting .
It was the mission of the Prophet ( � ) to spread the message of Isla m . The
Prophet ( � ) and his companions felt that if the Quraysh wanted the freedom
to trade in safety, travel to Syria and return to Makkah through trade routes
passing through Madeenah, then the M uslims also must have the freedom to
believe in Allah, to follow His Messenger and spread His message . It was,
therefore, thought that the best and the only way to get the Quraysh understand
this was to attack what was most important to them : their trade caravans-their
lifeline.
1 40
•••• P�ophet Muhammad � (8)
The Prophet's I ntelligence Service
The Prophet ( � ) developed a disciplined and an elegant intelligence
seNice. He had men bringing him prompt and accurate reports of the
movements and plans of the Quraysh and the Bedouin Arabs around
Madeenah .
Expeditions and Forays

Shortly after his arrival in Madeenah, the Prophet ( � ) began sending out
expeditions (organized journeys with a particular aim) and forays (sudden
attacks) against the enemies . Their real objective was not to gain booty. They
were partially at least, for military suNeys, in particular, about the Quraysh and
the Bedouins around Madeenah . The Prophets strategy was not only to assess
the enemy, but also to assess his own fighting force.
He attached great importance to the use of intelligence and preparation
in warfare . Practically speaking, these expeditions were movements through
which Muslims learnt a great deal about their enemies . At the same time, these
military efforts enhanced M uslims� fighting capabilities and enriched their
knowledge about the surrounding areas. It appears that most of these
campaigns were meant to g ive the Quraysh a hard time and so to compel
them to give open battle.
It was in a way an attempt to force the snake to come out of its hole and
kill it. The Prophet ( � ) understood that the position of the Muslim community in
Madeenah could never become secure unless the Quraysh were made to
realize, by means of a crushing defeat, that an entirely new period had begun
in the history of their country.
Expeditions and Forays before the Battle of Badr

The sequence of the expeditions up to the
Battle of Badr was as follows :
1. The first expedition took place barely six months

after the Prophets arrival in Madeenah . It was the
expedition of Sayf-ui-Bahr, a place on the seacoast.
It took place in Ramadhaan l AH . Thirty Emigrants
1 41
(Muhaajiroon) took part in it. Hamzah ibn 'Abd ai-Muttalib was the
commander. The objective was a large Makkan caravan, led by Abu Jah l .
I t was accompanied by 3 0 0 men, o n its way home to Makkah from Syria .
Before M uslims were able to attack the caravan, Majdee i bn 'Amr
intervened between the two hostile groups and prevented them from
fighting . Majdee ibn 'Amr was the chief of the Juhaynah tribe. He had
friendly relations with both M uslims and the Quraysh .
2. The expedition led by ( Ubaydah ibn ai-Haarith in Shawwal, l A . H . Sixty
Muhaajiroon took part in it. They surprised a body of 200 Makkans under
the command of Abu Sufyaan . No actual fighting took place; only a few
arrow-shots were exchanged .
3. The expedition of Sa ' d ibn Abee Waqqaas to Kharraar, which took place
in Dhul Qa'dah, l AH . Kharraar was a place of wel ls between ai-Juhfah
and Makka h . A Makkan caravan was due to pass there, and it was the
intention of the Muslims to intercept it. Sa ( d and his men went on foot,
travelling by night and hiding during the day. But when Sa ' d reached
Kharraar at the head of his twenty men, the caravan had already passed
the place. As Sa ' d had been ordered by the Prophet ( � ) not to go further
than Kharraar, he could do nothing but return to Madeenah .
4. The expedition of Abwaa' or Waddaan . This was the first expedition which
the Prophet ( � ) led in person . He left Madeenah in Safar, 2 AH , at the
head of seventy men, mostly Muhaajiroon . They intended to surprise a
caravan of Quraysh between Abwaa' and Waddaan, about three days
south of Madeenah on the way to Makkah . There he encountered the
hostile tribe of Banu Dhamrah and concluded a treaty with them .
According to this treaty, the Banu Dhamrah undertook never again to help
any enemy of the Muslims. Again, no fighting between the Muslims and
the Quraysh took place this time . The Prophet ( � ) returned to Madeenah
after an absence of fifteen days .
s. In Rabee' ai-Awwal, 2 AH, the Prophet ( � ) personally led an expedition
to Buwaat in the country of the tribe of Juhaynah . The target was a Makkan
caravan which was led by Umayyah ibn Khalaf. The caravan consisted of
2500 camels and was accompanied by l 00 armed men . But the
caravan escaped from the Muslims, and so the Prophet ( � ) returned to
Madeenah without fighting .
1 42
• • • • Prophet Muhammad ·� (8)
6. In Rabee' a/-Awwal, 2 AH, the Prophet ( � ) led an expedition against the
Bedouin chief Karz ibn Jaabir ai-Fihree who raided the grazing grounds on
the outskirts of Madeenah and robbed some cattle belonging to the
M uslims. The Prophet ( � ) pursued him at the head of seventy men as far
as Safwaan, a valley near Badr. But Karz ibn Jaabir managed to escape .
Historians call this chase the first Badr expedition . Shortly afterwards,
however, Karz embraced Islam and distinguished himself in several
expeditions .
7. The expedition of Dhul- { Ushayrah. This took place in Jumadaa ai-Aakhirah,
2 AH . The Prophet ( � ) himself was in command . He intended to intercept
the great caravan under Abu Sufyaan on its way to Syria, but when they
reached the place called { Ushayrah, they were informed that the Quraysh
had already passed a few days before . It was the same caravan which
became about three months later, on its return journey, the cause of the
Battle of Badr.
a. In Rajab, 2 AH , the Prophet ( � ) sent twelve of the Muhaajiroon under the
command of 'Abdullaah ibn Jahsh ai-Asadee to Nakhla h . The Prophet
( � ) gave him a letter with the instructions that he was not to read it until
he had journeyed for two days, and then to act according to the
instructions contained in it but not to force his companions to follow his
orders . They had the order to report the movements of the Quraysh and
gather information about their plans, but not to engage in fighting .
On their way they came across a trade caravan belonging to the Quraysh
and made a surprise attack on it. They killed one person and captured the rest
along with their belongings to Madeenah . They did this at a time when the
month of Rajab was approaching its end and Sha'baan was about to begin. It
was, therefore, unsure whether the attack was actually carried out in one of the
sacred months1 , that is Rajab, or not. But the Quraysh and the Jews who were
secretly in league with them, as well as the hypocrites made great play of this
incident and used it as a weapon in their propaganda campaign against the
1
The sacred months during which all fighting is deemed utterly wrong are Muharram, Rajab, Dhu/-Qa'dah and
Dhui-Hijjah .
1 43
Muslims. They pointed out the contradiction between the claims of the Muslims
to true religion on the one hand, and their not hesitating to shed blood in a
sacred month, on the other.
Verse 2 1 7 of Surat a/-Baqarah was revealed to the Prophet ( � ) in
response to these baseless objections . The essence of what is said in this verse
is that fighting during the sacred months is without doubt an evil act. It points out
that those people who had continually subjected their kith and kin to untold
wrong for thirteen years merely because they believed in Allah had no right
whatsoever to make such objections . In fact it was the d isbelievers who had
declared war against the Muslims, and not the other way around . They
obstructed the spread of Islam, spared no effort to turn people away from the
worship of Allah the Almighty, resorted to persecution and oppression and
refused to believe in Allah or respect the Sacred Mosque. With this record of
mischief and misconduct it was not for them to raise such an outcry at a minor
ambush, and especially the incident had taken place without the approval of
the Prophet ( � ) . The whole incident was the result of an irresponsible act on the
part of some members of the Muslim community. The verse clearly stated that
the behaviour of the polytheists in the whole process was in fact much more
heinous and far serious than the act carried out by some Muslims .
Upon their return to Madeenah with booty and the prisoners, these people
went to visit the Prophet ( � ), and he expressly pointed out to them that he had
not permitted them to fight. He refused to take anything of what they had
seized . Muslims, in generaL a lso severely scolded the people responsible for this
incident and in fact nobody in Madeenah applauded what they had done .
After the revelation of verse 2 1 7 of Surat ai-Baqarah, the Prophet ( � ) took
possession of the caravan and the two prisoners . Later he released them and
paid the blood-money to the guardian of the person who was unintentionally
killed .
The smear campaign launched by the Quraysh against the Prophet
( � ) and his companions, making use of the fighting that took place in one of
the four sacred months, soon died down after the Qur'an had put the whole
issue in its proper light!
• 1 44
Exercises
A. Complete the following.
1. The Prophet's intelligence service brought h i m news about the plans of
------
and ------
2. The four sacred months ore
------
and -------
3. Oppression and transgression ore worse and more serious in Allah's sight
than ------
1. What happened to the belongings Muslims hod left behind in Mokkoh

when they immigrated to Modeenoh?
2. How did the Quroysh collect funds for the war?
1 4s D
Prophet Muhammad � (8) • • •.
/
3. What was the Prophet s purpose behind attacking the Quraysh trade
caravans?
4. What was the outcome of the expedition of 'Sayf-ui-Bah(?
s. What was the first Badr expedition?
s. Fighting in the sacred months is forbidden . What is the exception?
1 46
The Decisive Battle of Badr
In the second year of the Hijrah, during the month of Ramadhaan, the
Muslims came up against the hostile Quraysh in the Battle of Badr. This battle
proved a turning point in the destiny of Islam, and indeed in the destiny of the
entire human race . It was the first major armed conflict between the forces of
Islam and the polytheists .
In the month of Sha'baan 2 AH, M uslims in Madeenah learnt that a great
Makkan trade caravan, which had gone to Syria some months earlier under the
leadership of Abu Sufyaan, had started on its return journey and that it would be
passing Madeenah a few weeks later. In view of the state of open war between
Muslims and the Makkan Quraysh since the emigration of the Muslims to
Madeenah, the Prophet ( � ) informed his companions that he intended to
attack the caravan as soon as it approached Madeenah . Rumours of this plan
reached Abu Sufyaan while he and the caravan were still in Syria . The weeks that
must elapse before they would reach the area of danger gave Abu Sufyaan an
opportunity to send a fast-riding courier to Makkah with an urgent request for
help . The caravan consisted of about one
thousand camels laden with valuable
merchandise . It was, however,
accompanied by only about forty armed
men .
Upon receiving Abu Sufyaan's
message, the Quraysh assembled a
powerful army under the leadership of the
Prophets most bitter enemy, Abu Jahl . This
army set out northwards to the rescue of the
carava n . The caravan had, in the meantime, changed its traditional route. I n
fact it suddenly changed its direction towards the coastlands in order to put as
much distance as possible between itself and Madeenah .
Prophet M u ha mmad � (9) • • • •
The Prophet ( � ) Made his Plans Known

Contrary to his c ustom, the Prophet ( � ) hod, on this particular occasion,
mode his plan known so long in advance. This suggests that the intended attock
on the caravan was only a move to deceive the enerny. His real objective from
the very outset hod been on encounter with the Quroysh army.
As pointed out earlier, a state of war existed between the Quroysh of
Mokkoh and the Muslim Community of Modeenoh . So for, however, no decisive
encounter hod token place, and the M uslims were living under the constant
threat of a Quroysh invasion .
It was necessary to infl ict a decisive defeat on the Quroysh in order to
secure a measure of safety for the Muslim community of Modeenoh . The
Prophet's announcement weeks ahead of the impending attock gave Abu
Sufyoon time to alert his compatriots in Mokko h . This induced the Mokkon
pagans to dispatch a considerable force towards Modeenoh .
The Makkan Army

The Quroysh army consisted of about
one thousand warriors armed to the teeth,
seven hundred camels and over one hundred ; �� "' '!!. l\$ '1• ' ,. � 1\'l'l>"�
/ � ,. . .
� ' " '
\
horses. The army arrived at the volley of Bodr,
• •
approximately one hundred and fifty kilometres
southwest of Modeenoh . The army expected
to meet Abu Sufyoon there, unaware that in
the meantime he hod token the coastal route.
The Muslim Warriors

At the some time the Prophet ( � ) marched out of Modeenoh at the
head of about three hundred and thirteen Muslims, all of them very poorly
armed . They hod only seventy camels and one or two horses between them .
The Prophet's companions hod been under the trade
caravan and its weak escort. But when, on the 1 7th (or,
according to some authorities, 1 9th or 2 1 st) of Ramadhaan,
they come face to face with a powerful Quroysh force more
than thrice their number, they held a council of war.
The Council of War
The Prophet ( � ) gathered his men around him to find out what they
wanted to do. First Abu Bakr and ' Umar from among the Muhaajiroon stood up
and expressed the Muhaajiroonls intention to obey the Prophet ( )'
AI-Miqdaad ibn 'Amr, one of the Muhaajiroon, a lso stood up and said,
"Messenger of Allah ! Proceed where Allah directs you to, for we are with you . We
will not say as the Children of Israel said to Moosaa, ' Go, you and your Lord, and
fight; and we will stay here,' Rather, we will say, ' Go, you and your Lord, and
fight; and we will fight with you,"' The Prophet's face lit up with joy upon hearing
these words, but he wanted to hear the opinion of the Ansaar (the Helpers)
because he d ! d not want to force them into doing something they might not
want to do.
The army of the Quraysh consisted of young and strong men, and all were
wearing armours. The Muslims were, on the other hand, weak and tired, and
most of them d id not even possess simple weapons . Some of them had swords,
but no bows or arrows . Others possessed spears but no swords .
The decision to attack the Quraysh army could not be taken without
making sure of the opinion of the Ansaar. So far no help had been taken from
them in military expeditions . This was thus the first occasion when it would be
decided as to how far the Ansaar would go in order to fulfil the pledge to
support Islam which they had made at the time of pledging their loyalty to the
Prophet ( � ) .
Sa 'd ibn M u ' aadh ( • ) , one of the leaders of the Ansaar got up and said,
"By Allah ! I feel you want us (i . e . the Ansaar) to speak." When the Prophet ( � )
answered in the affirmative, Sa 'd then said, "We believe in you and we swear
before all men that what you have brought is the truth . We have given you our
word and agreement to hear and obey. Messenger of Allah ! Do as you wish. By
the One Who has sent you with the truth, if you were to take us to the sea and
plunge into it, none of us will remain behind . We will not mind if you confront the
enemy with us tomorrow. We are experienced in warfare and we are trustworthy
in combat. We hope that Allah will show you through our hands those deeds of
valour which please your eyes . So lead us to the battlefield in the name of
Allah . "
Prophet M u ha m mad ri (9) • • • •
Their number hardly exceeded 3 1 3 . There was an acute shortage of

weapons . They were not well-equippeed/ nor adequately prepared . They had
only two horses belonging to az-Zubayr ibn a i-'Awwaam and ai-Miqdaad ibn
ai-Aswad. Thay also only had seventy camels/ one for two or three men who
took it in turns to ride.
In the meantime/ Abu Sufyaan had learnt where the Muslims were
camped . He had changed the course of the caravan and had quickly taken it
out of their reach . He had sent word to Quraysh telling them that the caravan
was safe and that they should return to Makkah/ but the leaders of the Quraysh
were proud and stubborn men . They refused to return as they had made up
their minds to show everyone how powerful they were by destroying the Muslims .
G reat Bad r
Expedition
(The Day of Criterion, the day
}
when the two forces met.)
0 ,_____.
17 Ramadan 2 AH Swordsmen
�
Well of Badr
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"And Allah has already made
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Polytheists Fighting According to the Method of

Attack and Retreat The Site of
Badr
M uslims take u p Positions

There was a valley at Badr / and there were wells on the side nearest
Madeenah . The Prophet ( � ) and his companions reached the water of Badr
fi rst. They arrived there at night. It was there that M uslims took up their positions/
facing the valley with the wells behind them . The Quraysh meanwhile placed
themselves on the other side of the valley. Muslims then dug the ground/ filled it
with water from one of the wells and made a barrier around it. Then they
destroyed all the other wells. In this way/ they had enough drinking water for
themselves/ while the pagan Makkans would have to cross the valley and face
the Muslims in order to get water.
• .• • Prophet Muhammad � (9)
J ihaad and Martyrdom
When the Muslims went to Badr, a sixteen-year old boy called t Umayr ibn
Abee Waqqaas came out. He was afraid that the Prophet ( � ) would not
accept him because he was too young to fight. He avoided being seen but his
elder brother Sa ' d ibn Abee Waqqaas saw him and asked him, "What are you
up to?" "I was afraid that the Prophet ( � ) would send me back when I want to
go out. It might be that Allah will grant me martyrdom," he replied .
This was indeed the case . The Prophet ( � ) wanted to send him back
because he was too young to fight. t Umayr began to cry and his tears moved
the heart of the Prophet ( � ) and then he allowed him to join the battle . t Umayr
( � ) was martyred during the campaign .
Preparations for the Battle

A shelter was built for the Prophet ( � ) on a small hill overlooking the
battlefield . He went down to the battlefield and began to point with his hand,
saying, "So-and-so will die here tomorrow, if Allah wills. So-and-so will perish here
tomorrow, if Allah wills . " Later on, none of those people died any further than
where he had pointed out.
The Night before the Battle

It was the night of Friday, the 1 7th Ramadhaan . Allah sent down a blessing
on the believers by making them enjoy a sound and refreshing sleep, after their
long, wearisome march . Allah says, "[Remember] when He caused slumber to
overcome you-as an assurance from Him-and He sent down water from
the sky by which to purify you and remove from you the evil [suggestions] of
Satan and to make steadfast your hearts and plant firmly thereby your feet. "
(Surat ai-Anfaal, 8 : 1 1 ) The rainfall prevented the disbelievers from advancing . It
was a mercy from Allah for the Muslim fighters, for it made the ground smooth
and the sand fi rm . This blessing strengthened their hearts and increased their
self-confidence. The rain, however, had been heavier on the side of the
Quraysh, making the ground loose and the movement rather difficult.
The Battle of Badr-A Severe Test

In the morning, the Quraysh advanced in their detachments, and the two
groups took up positions for the battle . Allah's Messenger ( � ) prayed, "0 Allah !
The conceited and haughty Quraysh are already here defying You and belying
Your Messenger. 0 Alla h ! I am waiting for Your victory which You have promised
me. I beseech You, 0 Allah, to defeat them ."
He then organized the ronks and returned to his shelter and prayed for
Allahls help. He called out to his Lord, "0 Allah ! I appeal to Your covenant and
Your promise. 0 Allah ! If you have willed our defeat, You will be worshipped no
more." He raised his hands towards the sky until his cloak fell off his shoulders.
Abu Bakr ( � ) put it back on his shoulders and comforted him saying, "Allah will
suffice you . He will surely fulfil what He has promised you ."
The Battle of Bodr was a severe test for all Muslims. The faith of the
Muhaajiroon was truly tested in the battle, for they were lined up against their
own kith and kin, having to cross swords with their fathers, sons, uncles or brothers
if any of them happened to be in the Quraysh army.
The Battle
On the morning of Friday, the 1 7th Ramadhaan, 2 AH, the two armies
advanced and drew closer to each other. At first the battle began in single
combat. Three of the most important men of the Quraysh then came forward
and gave out a challenge for single combat. The Prophet ( � ) sent out 'Ali,
Hamzah and � Ubaydah i bn ai-Haarith to face them . It was not long before 'Ali
and Hamzah killed their
opponents . As for
�ubaydah, he had
wounded his enemy but
was wounded himself, so
his two companions killed
the wounded Makkan and carried Ubaydah back to the safety of the M uslim
�
ronks . He died a martyr. To 'Ali ibn Abee Taalib belongs the supreme honour of
having delivered the first sword stroke in the most momentous battle of Islam
when he opened the fight in a single combat with ai-Waleed ibn � utbah .
The F ighting Breaks out
After this, the two armies attacked each other, and the fighting broke out
all around . The sky was fi lled with arrows . The M uslim army held its ground against
the great army of the Quraysh .
Allah's Messenger ( � ) recited the verse, "And be quick for forgiveness
from your Lord and for Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth . " (Surat
Aal 'lmraan, 3 : 1 33 ) The Muslim soldiers were steadfast and constantly
remembered Allah . The Prophet ( � ) fought fiercely. In fact, he fought with the
enemy closely and no one was braver than him on that decisive day.
The Muslim army won the victory. They routed the Makkan army and killed
most of their leaders . Among the leading Makkans who were killed were Abu
Jahl and Umawah ibn Khalaf. When Abu Jahl was killed, Allah's Messenger ( � )
said, "This is the Pharaoh of this nation ."
Seeing that their leaders were nearly all slain, the remainder of the Quraysh
retreated . The effect of their defeat could never be again erased from their
minds. For Muslims the Battle of Badr was a turning point.
A Clear Victory
When the Muslims� victory over the pagans became clear, the Prophet
( � ) remarked, "Allah is Supremely Great! Praise belongs to Allah Who is true to
His Promise, helped His slave and defeated the parties Alone." He then ordered
the Quraysh dead to be thrown into a well . Then he stood over it and said, "0
people of the wel l ! Did you find what Allah promised you to be true? I have surely
found that what my Lord promised me is true !"
Seventy leaders of the Quraysh were
killed and another seventy were taken
captives on the Day of Badr. Six Muslims of the
Muhaajiroon and about eight of the Ansaar
were martyred .
The Prophet � ) sent word to
Madeenah to give its people the good news
of the victory. He then gathered up the spoils
of war and divided them equally among the
fighters after taking one-fifth of it.
The Prophet ( � ) gave orders that the seventy Mokkon prisoners should be
treated well until their relatives from among the Quroysh come to fetch them .
Captives as Teachers
The Prophet ( � ) pardoned the captives and accepted ransom from
them . t Umor ibn oi-Khottoob ( � ) was of the opinion that the captives should
be killed in revenge for their post misdeeds, and in particular for their
persecution of the Muslims before their migration to Modeenoh .
Abu Bokr ( � ), on the other hand, pleaded for forgiveness and a release
of the prisoners against ransom . He supported his request with the argument
that such on oct of mercy might induce some of them to realize the truth of
Islam. The Prophet ( � ) adopted the course of action advocated by Abu Bokr
( � ) and released the captives in return for taking ransom.
AI- 'Abboos ibn {Abd oi-Muttolib, the Prophers uncle, was also token
prisoner by the Muslims in the Bottle of Bodr. Some of the Ansaar asked the
Prophet's permission to forego the ransom due to them from oi- 'Abboos. The
Prophet ( � ) answered, "By Alla h ! You will not remit a single dirham thereof." Thus
the Prophet ( � ) refused to entertain the ideo that his uncle ol- 'Abba as should
be given a favourable treatment.
The Prophet ( � ), however, was gracious to those who hod nothing with
which to ransom themselves . He allowed them to earn their freedom by
teaching the children of the Ansaar to read and write . Each prisoner taught ten
Muslims. Zoyd ibn Thoobit ( � ) was one of those who learnt in this way from the
prisoners of Bodr.
Some of the captives were released without ransom. Among the captives
was Abui- 'Aos ibn or-Robee t , the son-in-law of the Messenger of Allah, the
husband of his daughter Zoynob. She sent her necklace as a ransom of her
husband . The Prophet ( � ) observed the necklace and said to his companions,
"If you think it proper, then send the necklace bock to Zoynob, for it was a gift
from her mother Khodeejoh . " The companions were pleased to accept it. They
released Abui-'Aos at once. Then Abui- 'Aos returned to Mokkoh and accepted
Islam four years after this event.
••.. Prophet Muhammad � (9)
~
Exercises
A. State if these statements are true (T) or false (F).
1. The Quroysh caravan was led by Abu Joh l . __
2. The caravan took a detour. --
3. As soon as the armies met they attacked each other. __
4. The Bottle of Bodr was the first armed confl ict between the Muslims and
the polytheists . __
s. The Quroysh war prisoners were ransomed . __
B. Give reasons
1. The Prophet ( 1i ) wonted to fight a war with the Quroysh .
2. The Quroysh did not retreat even though the caravan was safe .
3. The Prophet ( � ) held a council of war.

Prophet Muhammad ·;:i (9) ••••
4. The Muslims slept peacefully on the eve of the battle.
1. When did the Battle of Badr take place?
2. Was the Muslim army any match for the Makkan army? Why?
3. Why did the Prophet ( � ) pray in the way he did before the battle?
4. How was the Battle of Badr a decisive victory for the Muslims?
s. What became of the Quraysh war prisoners who had no means to ransom
themselves?
The major theme of this surah is the
Day of Resurrection and the Judgment.
Allah's Messenger ( � ) is reported to
hove said, "He who desires to see the
Day of Resurrection as though he is
seeing it with his own eyes should recite
surat at-Takweer, surat al-lnfitaar, and
surat al-lnshiqaaq. " (ot-Tirmidhee) In
other words, these surahs offer a graphic,
accurate and a realistic view of what that
dreadful day will be like !
This surah was revealed in Mokkoh and consists of nineteen verses . I t may
be divided into four ports .
1. The first port (verses 1 -5) is a graphic picture of the major upheavals in the
universe and in nature on the Day of Resurrection : when the world as
known to us will come to on end and the ultimate reality of the hereafter
will begin .
2. The second port (verses 6-8) reproaches mankind for turning away from
Allah and not showing gratitude towards Him for the countless favours and
bounties He has bestowed on them .
3. The third section (verses 9-1 2) addresses those who do not believe in the
Lost Day and informs mankind in general that Allah the Almighty has set up
angels over them who constantly watch and record their words and
deeds .
4. The fourth and final section (verses 1 3- 1 9) contrasts the happiness of the
righteous in Paradise with the torment of the wicked in Hell-fire. The surah
ends with the assertion of Allah's Absolute Command on the Day of
Judgment.
=======:;:;:;:
Surat al-lnfitaar ••••
1. When the sky i s cleft asunder,

2. And when the stars have fallen and scattered,
3. And when the seas burst forth,
4. And when the graves are overturned, [bringing out their contents],
5. Every human being will then know what he has sent forward and what he
has left behind [of good and bad deeds] .
6. 0 mankind ! What has lured you away from your Lord, the Most Generous,
7. Who created you and shaped you in perfect proportion,
8. In whatever form He willed He put you together?
9. No, but you deny the Judgment,
1 0. But, surely, there are ever-watchful guardians over you,
1 1. Noble, recording [your deeds],
1 2. Aware of whatever you do!
1 3. Indeed, the righteous will be in bliss,
1 4. And the wicked will be in Hell-fire .
1 5. They will enter it on the Day of Judgment,
1 6. And they will not be able to evade it.
1 7. And what will make you know what the Day of Judgment will be?
1 8. And once again : What will make you know what that the Day of Judgment
will be?
1 9. [It is] the day when no person will be of the least avail to another person,
and the Absolute Command on that day will be [wholly] with Allah !
•••• Surat al-lnfitaar
Exercises
A. Fill in the blanks .
1. Anyone who wishes to 'see' the Judgment Day should recite surah
-------
, surat -------
and surat -------
2. Verses l -5 represent a graphic picture of the major _______ in
the universe and in nature on the ------
3. Verses l 3- 1 6 contrast the ------

of the righteous in Paradise
with the of the wicked in Hell-fire .
1. What does the word 'infitaar' mean?
2. What is the major theme of this surah?

Suraf al-lnfifaar ••••
3. What is the duty of the two angels Almighty Allah has set up over each one
of us? Which verses tal k about this?
C. Memorisation

The expression 'fair play' contains so
much of meaning in it. To play fair with
others is to leave their honour, their
reputation, and their property in good
state. Some people cause others great
harm and grief; for example, because
they are so careless in the way they talk
about others . They are so careless about
truthfulness, so indifferent and insensitive
to the rights of others . You would feel sick,
for instance, if your reputation were at the
mercy of their sharp and uncontrolled
tongues . Then again, there are people who refuse to
play fair with the property rights of others . They refuse to play fair with their
responsibilities and obligations. Your name and your possessions, hard-earned
and perhaps badly needed, are not safe with such people . Public funds are not
safe with them either.
Allah1S Messenger ( � ) once came upon a stack of food . When he
inserted his hand and his fingers reached something moist, he asked its owner,
��what is this, 0 food-merchant?�� 11lt has been affected by the weather,
Messenger of Allah,11 replied the food-merchant. Then the Prophet ( � ) said,
11Then why donlt you put it on top of the stack so that people can see it? He who
deceives us is not of us . 11 (ai-Bukhaaree)
He also once said, 11By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, if we appoint a man
to a task with which Allah has charged us and he embezzles anything at all then
surely he will bear it on his back on the Day of Resurrection, grunting if it be a
camel, lowing if a cow and bleating if a sheep . 11 (AI-Bukhaaree) Then he raised
his hands heavenwards and said, 110 Allah ! Have I spoken aright?11 This he
repeated twice or thrice .
Playing Fair • •••
Do these things happen in our societies? Are there people who do not
hesitate to lie? Let us be realistic . There ore . This is so because some people ore
inclined to be greedy, selfish and scornful of other people1S rights .
A good Muslim, therefore, must not a llow himself to toke things even i f they
ore of a low value; otherwise, he may in no time at all develop into an expert
thief. If a youngster practises stealing things from the cupboard or holding bock
change, for instance, he wil l soon become on expert in breaking windows,
pulling down fences, cheating in school and filling his pockets with unpaid
merchandise and articles .
When he becomes a man, what will prevent him from robbing a bonk,
falsifying documents, cheating his employer by wasting time, neglecting work or
damaging property? Or if he becomes an employer himself, he may defraud
his workers by not paying them a just wage, using false weights and measures,
adulterating food and other products for sole and overcharg ing customers in
order to make excessive profits .
Allah's Messenger ( � ) said, "He who deceives us is not of us."
( ai-Bukhaoree)
Indeed, Islam forbids every type of dishonest dealings, such as cheating,
unj ustly keeping what belongs to others and accepting bribes, to mention but a
few examples. The Prophet ( � ) once cursed both the bribe-giver and the
bribe-taker and even the person who acts as an intermediary between them .
If a Muslim finds lost goods, he must return them to their rightful owners. He
must also repair damage he may hove unjustly done to the property of others,
or at least pay the a mount of damage as for as he is able.
If hard times come our way, Allah's help and the example of our Prophet
( � ) should be our support and strength to bear trials courageously and
patiently. Remember that one of the very best ways to ensure your future
happiness is to form a habit of never being idle. Major achievements always
result from productive work. Nothing good in life con be produced as a result of
laziness and slothfulness . By getting into the habit of working hard and honestly,
you will certainly gain much happiness and a promising future. Right now the
most important work in your life is schoolwork. Your future depends on your high
school record . So concentrate on your studies despite all the fascinating
activities going about you . Study hard now and you will not be one of the many
unfortunate ones who mourn the years and precious time they have wasted : 111f
II
only I had taken heed !
•••• Playing Fair
Exercises
Answer these questions.
1. What does 'to play fair' mean?
2. From the lesson, mention a few things that unfair people play around with .
3. Wily should we be wary of taking things even though they may be of a low
value?
4. How can a Muslim ensure his future happiness?

A/-Ma•moom : The Person Following the lmaam
If there is only an individual present (one molmoom) � the molmoom must

station himself to the right of the prayer leader (lmoom) ; he must not stand
behind him or on his left.
If they are a congregation Uamaa'ah)� that is to say/ if
there is more than one molmoom/ they should stand behind
the imaam . Hence/ if the male followers are two or more/
they stand behind the imaam . If the group is made up of
men and women/ the men stand behind the imaam while
the women stand behind the men . If there is only one man
and one woman/ the man stands beside the imaam on his
right while the woma n stands behind them .
The molmoom is not allowed to pray alone behi nd a
row; otherwise/ his prayer will not be valid
Following the /maam

It is obligatory upon the molmoom to follow the imaam . He must spare no
effort to ensure that every single action of his in the prayer is subsequent to that
of the imaam . He is not allowed to precede the imaam . It is disliked of him to
perform any pillar of the prayer simultaneously with the imaam . If he precedes
the imaam in takbeerat-ul-lhraam l he has to repeat it; otherwise his prayer
becomes invalid . His prayer also becomes invalid if he says the tasleem before
the imaam .
/
Allah s Messenger ( � ) said/ 11The prayer leader (lmoom) has been
appointed for no other purpose than to set an example for the congregation to
follow. Do not therefore/ differ with him . So when he pronounces the takbeer
/
(the declaration of Allah s Supreme Greatness) / you must then pronounce the
takbeer. When he bows down/ you must then bow down . When he says
�� :&\ � sami'allaahu limon hamidah (Allah hears [and accepts] th,e
praise of those who praise Him) � you must then say �� .J �.) f.+ll l
0 ..... ..... OJ' ...
Allaahumma Rabbanaa wa lakal-hamd (0 Allah/ our Lord/ to You is the praise) .

•••• AI-Ma'moom
When he prostrates himself, you must then prostrate
yourselves . And if he performs the prayer in a sitting
position, you must all remain seated throughout the
prayer. 11 (ai-Bukhaaree)
Therefore, the malmoom must
not prostrate before the imaam
prostrates himself or at the same time
as the imaam does so . When the
imaam raises his head, he must then
raise his head, but he must not raise it
before the imaam raises his or at the same time as the imaam does so .
Allah's Messenger ( � ) said, 11Does any one of you not fear that Allah may
turn his head into the head of a donkey, or his body into that of a donkey if he
raises his head before the imaam does so?ll (ai-Bukhaaree and M uslim)
All members of the congregation must therefore neither do any oct in the
prayer before nor at the same time as the imaam does so . Rather, they must
wait for the imaam to say, 'AIIaahu Akbar (Allah is Most Great) and the sound of
his voice can no longer be heard . Then, and only then, should they pronounce
the takbeer (onels saying 'AIIaahu Akbar) . The prayer is not a trivia l matter. It
deserves our serious attention . So it sometimes happens that, as soon as the
imaam starts to pronounce the takbeer, some people behind him say the
takbeer at the same time as he does, thereby committing a serious mistake . It
is not correct for them to start pronouncing the takbeer until the imaam has
finished saying 'AIIaahu Akbar' and the sound of his voice can no longer be
heard . The same thing must be done with the rest of the prayer.
Latecomers' Prayer
If someone arrives when the congregation Uamaa'ah) has already been
established and finds a gap in the row, he should fi ll it up and complete the row.
If there is no gap in the row, he must station himself together with one of
the other worshippers to form a new row. In other words, he should station
himself adequately in the row to be counted as a member of the congregation .
At that point, he should steady himself, formulate the intention to pray behind
the imaam, pronounce the takbeerat-ul-lhraam and then join the imaam at
whatever stage of the prayer he may be .
AI-Ma•moom ••••
If he enters the mosque at the stage when the imaam is already in the
bowing position (rukoO'), he should pronounce two takbeers (with a brief breath
between the two), one of them for the purpose of entering the prayer
(takbeerat-ul-lhraam) and the other in connection with the act of bowing
(rukoO') .
Thus, if he joins a rak'ah before the imaam rises from rukoO', he should
count that rak'ah as his first. However, if he joins the imaam after he has already
risen from rukoO' (bowing), then he should not include that rak'ah in his counting,
but start counting from the next rak'ah .
A. M issing the First Rak'ah of the Fajr Prayer

If the latecomer has missed only the first rak'ah of the Fajr prayer with the
imaam, he should not pronounce the tas/eem (Assalaamu 10iaykum wa
rahmatullaah) with the imaam . Rather, he should rise and perform the rak'ah he
has missed, reciting Surat a/-Faatihah and any other surah . He should then
proceed to complete the rak'ah, sit for the tashahhud and end the prayer with
the tasleem as is usual. The rak'ah he has caught up with the imaam is
considered his first.
B. The Person who misses the first a n d the second Rak'ahs of a four-Rak'ah
Prayer (Dhuhr, 1Asr or 1/shaa)
In this situation, the latecomer has offered the third and the fourth rak'ahs
with the imaam . When the imoam completes his prayer with the tas/eem, the
latecomer should not pronounce the tasleem . He should instead rise, saying
•••• AI-Ma•moom
Allaahu Akbar, and then perform the rak'ahs he has missed, the first and the
second (with Surat ai-Faaihah and another surah), sit in the process for the
tashahhud and end his prayer with the tasleem as is usual . According to some
jurists, his last two rak'ahs with the imaam will be counted as his first and second
rak'ahs, so there is no need for him to recite any part of the Glorious Qurlan
along after Surat ai-Faatihah .
C. The Person who misses the first three Rak'ahs of a four-Rak'ah Prayer
(Dhuhr, 'Asr or 1/shaa)
In this situation, the latecomer has performed only the fourth rak'ah with
the imaam . When the imaam completes his prayer with the tasleem
(Assalaamu 1alaykum wa rahmatullaah) , the latecomer should not say the
tasleem . Instead he should rise, pronounce the takbeer and perform rak'ah
number one in which he recites Surat ai-Faatihah and another surah . Since he
has now offered two rak'ahs (the fourth and the first) , he should now sit for the
middle tashahhud. After that he should rise, saying Allaahu Akbar and then
perform rak'ah number two (with Surat ai-Faatihah and another surah, and then
rak'ah number three with Surat ai-Faatihah only) . He should then proceed to
complete his prayer as is usual .
According to the statement mentioned before, some jurists maintain that
in this situation the fourth rak'ah of the latecomer offered with the imaam would
be his first rak'ah, and then after the imaam's tasleem, he should start his
second rak'ah . Thus, he does no have to recite any surah in his last two rak'ahs
he performs individually, except for Surat a/-Faatihah .
D. M issing the fi rst two Rak'ahs of the Maghrib Prayer

In this situation, the latecomer has performed only one rak'ah (the third
one) with the imaam . He has, therefore, missed the fi rst two rak'ahs of the
Maghrib prayer. When the imaam completes the prayer by pronouncing the
tasleem, the latecomer should instead rise, say the takbeer and perform the first
rak'ah with Surat ai-Faatihah and another surah, and in the process, he should
sit for the middle tashahhud. He will have now completed two rak'ahs of the
Maghrib prayer. After the tashahhud, he should rise and complete the last
rak'ah with Surat a/-Faatihah only and end his prayer in the usual manner by
pronouncing the tasleem .
AI-Ma'moom ••••
E. I f the latecomer enters the mosque when the imaam is already

pronouncing the final tashahhud - that is to say, when the performance
of that particular prayer is within a few moments of being completed
If the late arrival enters the mosque at the stage where the imaam is
already pronouncing the final tashahhud, his recommended course is to
formulate the intention and station himself in the row so that he will still be in time
to share the merit of the congregation Uamaa'ah) prayer. Then when the
imaam concludes the prayer with the salutations (tasleem)t the latecomer rises
and performs a complete prayer by himself.
Abu Hurayrah ( � ) narrated that the Messenger of Allah ( � ) said,
��whoever performs ablution perfectly welL and then goes to the mosque, and
finds that the people have already finished the prayer [in congregation], Allah
will write for him the reward like that for the one who attended and prayed in
congregation . The reward of those who have prayed in congregation will not be
decreased in the least. (an-Nasaalee : Hadeeth no . 856) .
•••• AI-Ma'moom
1. The molmoom may choose to pray alone behind the row . ____
2. A single molmoom may stand on the left of the imaam . ___
3. The molmoom is allowed to say the takbeer at the same time as the
imaam does so . --
4. A latecomer should fill any gap he sees in the row. __
s. If a person joins the congregation in rukoo·, he should count that unit of
prayer as his first rak1ah . --
B. Answer the fol lowing question
. 1. I f a person prays behind the imaam but wants to complete his missed
rak'ah, how should he do it? Give a brief and genera l answer that will serve
for all the five daily prayers .
AI-Ma•moom ••••
2. What is the meaning of these words?
a. tasleem
b. takbeer
c. imaam
d. ma'moom : -----
C. Activity
How will a family which consists of a father / a mother one son and two
daughters stand behind the imaam, given that the imaam in this case is
the father himself?
The months in the Islamic calendar ore calculated according to the
movement of the moon . Therefore, each month has 29 or 30 days, and the
Islamic year is shorter than the solar year by eleven days . For this reason, the
Muslim festivals come eleven days earlier each year and thus move round the
solar calendar.
The Main Islamic Festivals

Islam has two main festivals: 'Eed-ui-Fitr and 'Eed-ui-Adh-haa. The two
festivals (al- 'eedayn) ore the festival of fast-breaking at the end of the month of
Ramadhaan ( 'Eed-ui-FitrL and the Festival of sacrifice
( 'Eed-ui-Adh-haa) on l Qth of Dhui-Hijjah.
Sa!aat-ul- 'eedayn was prescribed in the fi rst year
after the Prophetls migration to Modeenoh (Hijrah) .
Ruling
The status of the two 'eed prayers :
'Eed-ui-Fitr and 'Eed-ui-Adh-haa ore,
therefore, a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah
mu'akkadah) to such a degree that it is
necessary. Allah's Messenger ( ;I ) performed it
regularly and he commanded it. He even \��-;;= ------lo...l..---l
commanded women and children to attend the
'eed prayers, for they ore some of the symbols of Islam and on
expression of piety and true belief.
Its Time
Its time begins after sunrise, when the sun rises over the horizon about the
height of a spear. It is more virtuous that the 'Eed-ui-Adh-haa prayer be offered
at the first port of its time to enable people to slaughter their sacrifices, and the
'Eed-ui-Fitr prayer to be performed at its slightly later time to enable people to
give Zakaat-ui-Fitr, because Allah's Messenger ( � ) used to do so .
The Two 1Eed Prayers • • • •
Required Etiquette
1. Taking a bath and wearing perfume as well as the best clothes.
2. Eating before leaving for the 'Eed-ui-Fitr prayeL and eating from the liver
of the sacrificial animal after the 'Eed-ui-Adh-haa prayer. This was the
practice of the Prophet ( � ).
3. Saying the takbeer. This begins on the eve of the two 'eeds . For
'Eed-ui-Adh-haa it lasts until the time of the 'Asr prayer on the thirteenth of
Dhui-Hijjah . These days (i.e. 1 1 th, 1 2th and 1 3th of Dhui-Hijjah) ore called the
days of tashreeq. As for 'Eed-ui-Fitr, the recitation of takbeer ends when
the imaam appears for the 'eed prayer. The wording of the takbeer is:
�\ �j Y.S� :&1 'Y.S� :&1j :& \ �j 4..lj � '_;.St :&1 '_;.St :&1
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar; faa ilaaha illal/aahu wallaahu akbar;
Allaahu akbaru wa lillaahil-hamd
Allah is Most Great; Allah is Most Great; there is no god worthy of worship
except Allah , and Allah is Most Great; Allah is Most Great and all pra ise
belongs to Allah.
4. Going to the place of the 'eed prayer (musallaa) via one route and
returning by another route, as was the Prophetls practice.
s. The 'eed prayer should be performed in an open place outside the city,
as long as there is no reason or excuse to do otherwise, like heavy rain, for
instance.
J 0 ;;;;
Congratulating one another by saying, �j � :& \ �

.... - .....
s.
taqabbal-allaahu minnaa wa minkum

May Allah accept our [good deeds] and yours
7. There is no harm in ample eating and drinking and entertaining oneself
lawfully. Allah's Messenger ( � ) said, 11The days of tashreeq are days of
eating, drinking and remembering Allah the Almighty. ( Muslim) Anas ibnII
Maalik ( � ) said, 11When the Prophet ( � ) came to Madeenah and found

that [people there] had two special days of celebrations, he said, 1AIIah
has given you two days better than them : the Day of Fitr a nd the Day of
Adh-haa. I ll ( an-Nasaa' ee)
•••• The Two 1Eed Prayers
Furthermore, when Abu Bakr ( � ) scolded two girls for singing on the day
of 'eed, the Prophet ( � ) said to him, 110 Abu Bakr! Every people have their ' eed,
and this day is our 'eed. 111 (AI-Bukhaaree)
How to perform the 'Eed Prayer

The imaam leads the worshippers and performs two rak'ahs without
adhaan or iqaamah . In the first rak'ah he says the takbeer seven times, after the
takbeerat-ul-ihraam, and the people follow him in that. Then he recites Surat
ai-Faatihah and Surat-ui-A 'Iaa (Surah 8 7 ) in an audible voice. In the second
rak'ah, he says the takbeer five times, after the takbeer
for the second rak'ah .
With each takbeer, the imaam as
well as those praying behind him raise
their hands to the lobes of their ears .
Then the imaam recites Surat
ai-Faatihah and Surat ai-Ghaashiyah
(Surah 88) or Surat ash-Shams (Surah 9 1 L
in an audible voice.
After concluding the salah by
reciting the tasleem on both sides, the
imaam stands up to deliver the sermon,
with a light sitting between the two parts .
In the sermon, he admonishes the
believers and reminds them, reciting the takbeer throughout the sermon . If :: is
the Fitr prayer, he urges the people to adhere to paying Zakaat-ui-Fitr and
explains its rulings and conditions . If it is the Adh-haa prayer, he urges them to
slaughter the sacrificial animals and explains to them its details.
If someone misses the salaat-ul-'eedayn, he should perform four rak'ahs
instead. Abdullah ibn Mas 'ood ( � ) says, ��whoever misses the ' eed Prayer, let
him perform four rak'ahs . As for him who catches any part of it even the last
sitting, he should stand after the imaam says the tasleem and complete the two
rak'ahs .
1. The Islamic or lunar year is ______ days shorter than the solar
year.
2. Islam has ----- main festivals.
3. Salaat-ul- 'eedayn is an expression of and
4. The Prophet ( � ) used to eat ---- odd number of dates before he
went for the 'Eed-u/-Adh-haa prayer.
5. There is neither adhaan nor ------ for Salaat-ul- 'eedayn .
B. Find the right endings.
A 8
1 Salaat-ul- 'eedayn was Is best performed in the open air.

2 Sunnah mu'akkadah means prescribed in the first year of the
Hljrah .
3 The tashreeq days musallaa
4 Salaat-ul- 'eedayn is a confirmed Sunnah .
5 Salaat-ul- 'eedayn refer to l l th/ l 2th and 1 3th days of
Dhui-Hljjah .
consists of two rak'ahs .
•••• The Two 1Eed Prayers
1. When i s the Salaat-ul- 'eedayn performed?
2. Write a brief note on the sermon delivered on the 'eed day.
D. Reference to Context
"0 Abu Bakr! Every people hove their 'eed, and this day is our 'eed. "
Zaynab was the eldest of the daughters of the Prophet ( � ) . Her mother
was Khadeejah ( � ) . She was the first of the daughters of the Prophet ( � ) to get
married . The Prophet ( � ) married her off to Abui-1Aas ibn or -Rabee l before
Prophethood . Abui-1A OS1S mother was Haalah bint Khuwwaylid, the sister of
Khadeejah ( � ) Thus Abui-1Aas was a nephew of Khadeejah . His real name is
.
uncertain. According to scholars, it was most probably Laqeet. Zaynab

became Muslim as soon as the Prophet ( � ) announced his Prophethood, but
Abui-1Aas refused to accept Isla m .
According to Islamic teachings, a Musli m woman cannot b e married to a
non-Muslim man . But such mixed families continued to exist in the early Makkan
period of Islam . The Prophet ( � ) had no political authority in Makkah before
Hijrah (migration to Madeenah) . He was, in particular,
unable to separate women who had accepted Islam
from their unbelieving husbands. Hence, Zaynab ( �k> )
continued to live with her husband Abui-1Aas. Strong
bonds of affection bound them .
Abui-1Aas was among the few most prominent
Makkans who belonged to the clan of 1Abd Shams from
his father's side, a clan known for nobility of birth and
good upbringing . He was also blessed with almost
everything that one could hope for-good looks, wealth
and fine manners.
Like her mother Khadeejah, Zaynab was also
blessed with a warm character. She possessed a sense of
sound, independent judgment. She was a woman of boundless affection and
tenderness .
Zaynab's marriage to Abui-1Aas took place before the beginning of
revelation . Later, however, after the announcement of the Prophet's mission
and the Quraysh were anxious to do everything to hurt the Prophet ( � ), they
tried to persuade Abui-1Aas to divorce Zaynab. But Abui-1Aas firmly refused to
•••• Zaynab ( � )
divorce her. The Prophet ( � ) was naturally moved and impressed by this manly
spirit. This increased his affection for Abui-1Aas . Zaynab and Abui-1Aas had two
children : Ali and Umaamah. Ali died when he was still a child, while Umaamah
grew up and later married Ali ibn Abee Taalib ( � ) after the death of Faatimah
( ��b ) .
The Battle of Bad� and Abui-1Aas
Abui-1Aas participated in the Battle of Badr on the
side of the disbelievers . He was taken captive by
Abdullaah ibn az-Zubayr. Abdullaah was a prominent
companion of the Prophet ( � ) who was killed in the
Battle of Uhud . When the Makkans sent its delegation to R
negotiate the ransom of their prisoners, Zaynab, the
Prophet's daughter, sent valuables for the ransom for {g1
Abui-1Aas. She sent a necklace that her mother Khadeejah had given her as a
bridal gift. When the Prophet ( � ) saw it his heart moved towards her a great
dea l . He said to his companions, "if you think it appropriate to set the prisoner
free on her behaiL and also to return to her that which belongs to her, do so ." So
they set Abui-1Aas free and returned to Zaynab what belonged to her. Zaynab
( � ) was still in Makkah at the time. The Prophet ( � ), however, asked Abui-1Aas
that he be separated from Zaynab because he was still a disbeliever.
Zaynab's Emigration to Madeenah

Abui-1A as, still a disbeliever and hostile to Islam,
never hesitated to honour the Prophet's desire .
The journey of Zaynab from Makkah took place
roughly a month after the Battle of Badr. Allah's Messenger
( � ) sent Zayd ibn Haarithah, his freed slave, and one of his
companions from among the Ansaar to go out and bring
her. They travelled and halted at Ya'laL some 1 20 km north
of Makkah. Meanwhile, Zaynab began to prepare for the
journey in complete secrecy. She was the daughter of the Messenger
of Allah . She knew the value of secrecy when a crucial task was being handled .
Of course, the Quraysh were watching . The Quraysh were not willing to allow the
Prophet ( � ) to have the chance of getting reunited with his daughter. Hence,
Zaynab had to plan her departure from Makkah very carefully.
Zaynab ( � ) ••••
The Qu raysh Horsemen in Hot Pursuit

When everything was ready, Kinoonoh ibn or-Robee1, Zoynob's
brother-in-law, decided it was safe to leave Mokkoh with her in brood daylight.
There was no need to wait until night fell, he thought.
Once Zoynob ( � ) was inside a howdah of a camel,
nobody would realize that it was her, he calculated . But he was
proven totally wrong . Soon, the Quroysh horsemen were in hot
pursuit. They ca u ght up with Zoynob and her guide in a
place not for from Mokkoh . One of the chasers, called
Hobboor ibn oi-Aswod, threatened Zoynob with a spear.
The camel was frightened . It jerked violently and Zoynob,
who was pregnant, fell so heavily on the ground that her
unborn child was killed . In this way, Zoynob's skilful handling
of the situation, all her patient, secret preparations come
to nothing due to the thoughtless action of her
brother-in-law. Kinoonoh, however, managed to push bock
the attackers and guarded Zoynob against any further injury.
Soon a group of the Quroysh elders arrived on the scene . They rebuked
Kinoonoh for the way he tried to deport from Mokkoh. The Quroysh hod suffered
heavy casualties in the recent Bottle at Bodr. How could the Quroysh allow him
to toke her in brood daylight? It would be considered a sign of cowardice on the
port of the Quroysh .
Then Abu Sufyoon assured Zoynob and her brother-in-law that they would,
after all, be permitted to leave Mokkoh, but that they hod to leave secretly at
night. Abu Sufyoon hod then been acting as the chief of the Quroysh, after the
death of Abu Johl and other Quroysh leaders. A few days later, when things were
quieter and settled, Zoynob was allowed to leave for Modeenoh as promised .
She arrived safely at Modeenoh and was reunited with her father, the Messenger
of Allah ( � ) .
Consequences of this I ncident

When the news of the ill-treatment of Zoynob reached Modeenoh, the
Messenger of Allah ( � ) and the Muslims were horrified and enraged . Such on
oct against a woman is hateful to the M uslim as well as the Arab mind . The
Prophet ( � ) dispatched a military detachment commanding his men to
capture the two attackers, especially Hobboor and put them to death .
•••• Zaynab ( � )
The sympathy for Zaynab was far-reaching ! Many poets, Muslims as well as
non-Mulims, expressed their disli ke and hate at the episode. Even Hind bint
1Utbah, wife of Abu Sufyaan, composed a couplet criticizing the offenders of
Zaynab and describing them as cowards who had failed to prove their bravery
on the battlefield at Badr.
The Arabs consider an assault against women as utter cowardice, entirely

hateful to their sense of chivalry. The whole incident, therefore, did much to
bring disgrace and shame on the Quraysh in the sight of the Arabs . The incident,
however, improved the favourable attitude of Zaynab's husband, Abui-�A as, in
the eyes of the Muslims.
Abui-1Aas Captured again

Abui-1Aas lived in Makkah, separated from his wife Zaynab. Shortly before
the conquest of Makkah, in the year 8 AH, he went to Syria to cart merchandise
for sale . After he had finished his trade and was on his way back, he came
across one of the Prophet's campaigning troops . Abui-1Aas was travelling with
the trade caravan on its way back from Syria . The party of the Muslims was under
the command of Zayd ibn Haarithah ( � ) . They attacked the caravan, seized
goods and took some of the caravan's male prisoner, but Abui-1Aas escaped .
They could not overtake him.
The party returned to Madeenah with the booty. Abui-1Aas came at night
and entered the dwelling of Zaynab ( � ), seeking her protection . She granted
him protection as long as he was busy getting back his property. Zaynab ( �� )
extended him protection without even taking the Prophet's permission . Nobody
objected to her any more, nor even questioned it. The Prophet ( � ) , however,
said to Zaynab, "0 daughter! Treat Abui-1Aas well, but do not let him touch you,
because you are not lawful for him ."
Shortly afterwards, however, Abui-1Aas accepted Islam and was reunited
with his wife after many years of agony and separation . According to scholars,
Abui-�Aas had to pay the bride-price and marry Zaynab again ! Allah Knows best!
A. Match .
A B
_ l Zaynab a. Uthmaan ibn Affaan ( � ) .
_ 2 Zaynab1S husband b. Khadeejah bint Khuwwaylid ( � ) .

_ 3 Zaynab1S mother c. E ldest daughter of the Prophet ( :1 ) .
_ 4 Zaynab1S children d. Zaynab1S bother-in-law.
_ s Kinaanah e. Abui-1Aas .
f. Ali and Umaamah .
B. Answer the followi ng questions.
1. Abui-1Aas was related to Zaynab ( � ) in more ways than one . Discuss .
2. Write a brief note on the lineage of Abui-1Aas .
3. When Zaynab sent valuables to ransom her husband, how did the Prophet
( � ) react?
•••• Zaynab ( � )
4. Who helped Zaynab escape? What mistake did he make?
s. How were Zaynab's offenders punished?
s. When did Abui-1Aas finally accept Islam? What was its result?
Almighty Allah says about patience:
"0, you who believe! Endure with patience, outdo all others in patient
endurance, be ready, and observe your duty to Allah so that you may be
successful . " (Surat Aal-1/mraan, 3 : 200)
He also says:
"And endure patiently (0 Muhammad ( � ) ; your endurance is only by

[the Help of] Allah . " (Surat an-Nahl, 1 6 : 1 2 7)
Anas ibn Maalik ( � ) narrated that the Prophet ( � ) said, "Patience ought
to be exercised at the first [stroke] of grief." (ai-Bukhaaree and Muslim) .
This means that true patience for which Allah rewards is that which is
exercised on the occasion of the sharpness or vehemence when a misfortune
befalls us.
Definition of Sabr (Patience)

Sabr is an Arabic word which comes from a root meaning Ito detain,
refrain, restrain and stop1 • Patience, therefore, means to prevent oneself from
despairing and panicking, stopping one's tongue from complaining and one's
hands from striking one's face and tearing one's clothes in times of grief.
Patience is a positive psychological attitude by virtue of which we refrain
from doing what is not good . The person who has patience is the one who has
trained himself to handle difficulties successfully. Patience means to calmly
accept the trials Allah sends without complaining about His decree.
•••• Patience (Sabr)
Patience means to seek Allah's help and to complain to none but to Allah
Alone. Complaining to Allah does not contradict patience . Prophet Yalqoob
( �� ) complained of his grief and anguish to Allah Alone (See Surat Yoosuf,
1 2 : 86) . However, complaining to people, either directly or indirectly is contrary
to patience and to the noble teachings of Islam in this regard .
Patience has many other names, according to the situation . If patience
has to do with controlling one's passions, it may be called honour. If it involves
controlling one's stomach, it may be called self-control . If it involves keeping
quiet about what is not fit to disclose, it may be called discretion . If it involves
controlling one's anger, then it may be called restrai nt. If it involves refraining
from haste, it may be called graceful ness . If it involves refraining from running
away, it may be called courage . If it involves refraining from taking revenge, it
may be called forgiveness; and if it involves refraining from being tight-fisted,
then it may be called generosity
Three Kinds of Patience
1. Patience for doing righteous deeds:

This is the kind of patience that is exercised in the
course of carrying out Allah's commandments even though
they may look hard to do at times . Examples of this include
performing all the obligatory prayers on time under all
circumstances, bearing patiently while fasting during the
month of Ramadhaan and leaving the nice, warm bed in
winter to perform the fajr prayer on time.
2. Patience for avoiding evil deeds:
This is the kind of patience that is exercised in the
course of avoiding all the words and deeds that Allah does
not like even though we may like to say or do them .
Examples of this include stealing people1S property,
backbiting them, watching dirty fi lms, taking drugs and telling
lies .
3. Patience for Allah1S decrees :
This is the kind of patience that is exercised while
undergoing the effects of His decrees, which cause you
to experience all kinds of hardships and adversities, such
as losing a beloved one, falling sick a nd failing an exa m .
Patience (Sabr) ••••
Patience in the Qurlan

Allah mentions patience in the Qurl an in as many as ninety places . He
enjoins it upon the believers and makes it a condition of success and prosperity.
I n fact, He will reward those who have patience with a threefold reward :
blessings, mercy and guidance .
Allah has promised the believers His support and victory in this life and a
great reward in the hereafter, and mentions in His Glorious Book that they
deseNe this because of their patience. Allah has made patience a condition of
His love; for indeed He loves those who are firm and remain patient and
forbearing .
Patience in the Hadeeth

Allah's Messenger ( � ) once said, "How wonderful the case of a believer
is! Indeed, there is good for him in everything; and this is not the case with
anyone except that of a believer: If prosperity attends him, he expresses
gratitude [to Allah] and that is good for him; and if adversity befalls him, he
endures it patiently and that is [also] good for him ." (Muslim)
He also said, "No affliction befalls a Muslim but Allah forgives his wrong
actions because of it, even it be no more than a mere thorn ." (ai-Bukhaaree '
and Muslim) , .J
·· '
.J -
Umm Salamah ( � ) said, "I heard Allah's Messenger ( �(.))�
say, 'There is -no
-
seNant of Allah who is afflicted with some misfortune and(it"""
who says -
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innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji'oon._jAllaahumma 'jurnee fee museebatee,
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�
�
(Truly we belong to Allah and to Him we will return . 0 Allah , reward me for
patiently enduring this misfortune of mine and replace it with something
better) without Allah rewarding him and replacing his loss with something
better."' She said, "When Abu Salamah died, I said as the Messenger of Allah
( � ) had ordered me, and Allah gave me someone better than him-AIIahls
Messenger ( � ) . " i . e . as a husband.
•••• Patience (Sabr)
Allah's Messenger ( � ) entered u pon a woman and asked her, "Why are
you shivering like that?" She said, "It is because of fever/' and she began to curse
the fever. The Prophet ( � ) said, "Do not curse fever because it takes away
many wrong actions, just as the blacksmith's bellows remove dross and
impurities from iron ." (Muslim)
Allah's Messenger ( � ) said, "When someonels man dies, Allah asks the
angels, 'Did you take the soul of my slaves' child?' They reply, 'Yes .' Thereupon He
asks them, 'What did my slave say? They reply, 'He said : 0�1_) 4� ��_j � �� To
Allah we belong and to Him we will return . ' Allah says, 'Build a house for him in
Paradise and call it Bayt ai-Hamd (House of Praise) .' " (at-Tirmidhee)
A believer should regard both good fortune and misfortune as a test. Allah
tests us to enable us to see for ourselves if we are grateful for H is favours or
ungrateful . He tests us to enable us to see for ourselves if we are patient when
His favours are withdrawn . Therefore, a M uslim should be grateful to Allah if things
go well . When things turn wrong, he should keep trying patiently and put his trust
in Allah . He should not give up hope . He will pass the test if he remains patient.
He will find with Allah a great reward in the hereafter, and Allah will give him
success .
Be patient for patience will open your heart to the present moment even
if you do not like it. If you get stuck in a traffic jam, late for an appointment or
find long queues at public establishments, becoming more patient will certainly
help you relax. It will afford you a good time to breathe and give you an
opportunity to remind yourself that in the bigger scheme of things, being late is
not the end of the world . This will make you a peaceful person . You will begin to
enjoy many of the moments of life that used to frustrate you .
Patience is a quality of heart. It can be greatly deepened and enhanced
through practice. An effective way to deepen our patience is to offer the five
obligatory prayers regularly on time. Soon you will find life turning into a
classroom, and the curriculum would be salaah and patience !
Exercise patience for the sake of Allah, and Almighty Allah will certainly
give you the help you need in this world as well as blessings in the afterlife . As
Allah says, "Surely the patient wil l be paid their wages in full without
reckoning . " (Surat az-Zumar, 39 : l 0)
Nothing is hidden from Allah, especially not the burden borne by those
who suffer for His sake . Be patient with Him for a little while and you will see H is
grace and favours for years !
1. Patience ought to be exercised at -------
2. The person· who has patience is the one who has trained himself to
__
__ successfully.
3. No affliction befalls a Muslim but Allah forgives his _______
because of it.
4. The threefold reward for patience is ------
and ------
1. Explain the word 'sob( .
2. Does complaining to Allah contradict patience? What does, then?

•••• Patience ( Sabr)
3. What are the three different kinds of patience?
4. What physical/psychological benefits does patience have on us?
C. Activity
List the various names of patience and discuss, with your teacher, different
situations in which they may be exercised .
Surat ai-Mutaffife en (Those who Give Less)
This surah consists of thirty-six verses and takes its name from the term
al-mutaffifeen, which occurs in the first verse .
This surah may be divided into

four sections .
1. It opens up with a severe

warning of distress and sorrow to
those who deceive others in
commercial dealings by giving short
measures when they have to give by
measure and weight to others and
demanding full measure when they
have to receive by measure and weight from others . Thus it touches upon every
aspect of social, practical and moral relations. It applies to every individual's
rights and duties . This surah strongly warns those who practise cheating, trickery
and other evil methods when dealing with others . The first part of the surah
condemns those people who try to gain something at the cost of others. They
use double standards-one for themselves, the other for everyone else. We
observe this wicked practice among shopkeepers, grocers, traders and
businessmen, among many others . They evade taxes, use cheap materials, sell
outdated medicines, hide defects i n their products, use false advertisements
and bribe officials in order to amass money. They spend their whole lives
cheating and hoarding . They defraud their workers by not paying them a j ust
wage, use false weights and measures, adulterate food and other products for
sale, re-write expiry dates, overcharge customers and even deal i n usury (the
so-called interest) by taking unjust advantage of other people's needs in order
to make excessive profits. The Qurlon warns them, 11DO they not know that they
ore bound to be resurrected and called to account on an awesome day, the
day when mankind will stand before the Lord of all the worlds?ll (verses l -6)
&:.
�� ------
<f..=
#� ._
•••• Surat ai-Mutaffifeen
2. The second section (verses
7 - 1 7) states that the destination of
the evildoers will be in sijjeen, on
eternal prison and a painful torment.
They will be sent to Hell-fire, which is
the lowest of the low. This will be their
punishment for denying the truth of
the Qurron, refusing to believe in the Day of Resurrection, transgressing the limits
set by Allah and making fun of Alloh1S revelations . They will even be deprived of
seeing the Lord of the worlds on the Day of Judgment.
3. The third section (verses 1 8-28) states that, in contrast with the evildoers,
the righteous people will be in eternal
pleasure and gardens with great delights .
Almighty Allah then mentions that for the like
of this eternal bliss that people should
compete with one another. 111/iwoon means
Paradise; some scholars hove said that it is
located at Sidrat ai-Muntahaa, the lote tree
at the utmost boundary of the seventh
heaven beyond which no one con pass .
4. The fourth section (verses 29-36) marks

the end of the surah . It points a picture of
mockery directed at the believers by the wicked disbelievers . This description is
token directly from the real life of Mokkoh at the time of the Prophet ( � ) . The
some thing, however, has been taking place again and again throughout the
ages. This presents a contrast of attitude: the evildoers persecute the believers
and mock them while the believers stick to their attitude of tolerance and
self-respect, worshipping their Lord as much as they con, hopeful of H is mercy,
forgiveness and great reword in the hereafter. The Qurron promises the believers
that a day will surely come when they will hove the lost Iough . In the final
moment, it will be the mockers who will be mocked and the tormentors will be
tormented, but in Hell-fire and for all eternity!
Surat ai-Mutaffifeen ••••
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1. Woe to those who give less [than due],

2. Who, when they are to receive their due from other people, demand that
it be given in full,
3. But when they have to measure or weigh for others, give less than what is
due.
4. Do they not know that they are bound to be resurrected,
s. [And called to account] on an awesome day,
s. The day when mankind will stand before the Lord of all the worlds?
7. No ! Indeed, the record of the wicked is in sijjeen,
a. And what can make you understand what sijjeen is?
s. A book written clearly.
1 0. Woe, that day, to the deniers,
1 1. Who deny the Day of Reckoning !
1 2. And no one denies it except every sinful transgressor.
1 3. When our verses are recited to him, he says, 'Fables of ancient times !'
1 4. No! Rather the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were
earning (i.e. sins) .
••• Surat ai-Mutaffifeen
1 5. No! Indeed, they will be veiled from seeing their Lord on that day.
1 6. Then, surely, they will enter the blazing fire,
1 7. Then it will be said to them, 'This is the very thing which you used to deny!'
1 8. No! Indeed, the record of the righteous ones is in 111/iwoon .
1 9. And what can make you understand what 111/iwoon is?
20. A book written clearly,
21. Which i s witnessed by those brought near [to Allah] .
22. Indeed, the righteous will be in great happiness;
23. On adorned couches, gazing [pleasurably] ;
24. You will recognise in their faces the radiance of pleasure .
25. They wil l be given a sealed drink of pure wine;
26. Sealed with musk; so for that let the competitors compete .
27. And its mixture is of Tasneem;
28. A spring from which those near [to Allah] will drink.
29. Indeed, those who did evil used to laugh at those who believed .
30. And when they passed by them, they would wink at one to another [in
mockery] .
31. And when they returned to their own people, they would return jesting .
32. And when they saw them, they would say, 'These people have indeed
gone astray.'
33. But they had not been sent as guardians over them .
34. So this day those who believed will laugh at the disbelievers,
35. On adorned couches, observing .
36. Have the disbelievers [not] been rewarded [this day] for what they used to
do?
A. Answer the fol lowing questions.
1. Write the different ways in which people take advantage of others through
wrongdoing?
2. Where will the records of the righteous and the wicked be?
3. What blessings will the believers enjoy in Paradise? (Refer to verses 2 2-28)
4. Explain in your own words how the righteous will have the last laugh?
B. Memorisation

Ruqawah1S mother was Khadeejah ( � ), and
she had been married to Utbah ibn Abee Lahab
before the Prophet ( r1 ) received revelation .
However, after the Prophet ( � ) had declared his
mission after receiving revelation and when Surat
ai-Masad was revealed, Utbah's father said to him,
"Divorce Muhammad's daughter, or else all ties of relationship between us will
be broken ." So Utbah divorced Ruqawah ( � ) without even having
consummated the marriage .
Ruqawah ( � ) embraced Islam when her mother Khadeejah ( �) did and
swore allegiance to the Prophet ( � ), together with other women .
Uthmaan ibn Affaan ( � ) married her, and she immigrated twice to
Abyssinia with him. On her first migration she miscarried the child she had from
Uthmaan, but later she bore him a son whom he named Abdullah . When the
Prophet ( � ) migrated to Madeenah, she also migrated to Madeenah after her
husband . When the child Abdullah turned six years, a cock pecked his face so
severely that his face became swollen and he died . She did not bear any more
children .
Ruqawah ( � ) fell ill when the Prophet ( � ) was preparing to set out for
the Battle of Badr, so he left Uthmaan to look after her.
She died in Rarnadhaan, seventeen months after the Prophets
emigration, while the Prophet ( � ) was at Badr. Zayd ibn Haarithah ( � ) came
from Badr with the good news of the victory, and when he entered Madeenah
the people were levelling the earth over her grave.
The Prophet ( r1 ) went to her grave after he came back to Madeenah .
Faatimah ( � ) sat o n the edge of the grave of her sister, beside the Prophet
( � ), and began to weep . The Prophet ( � ) wiped the tears from her eyes with
the end of his garment.
Why had Utbah divorced Ruqawah ( � )?
2. When did Ruqawah ( � ) accept Islam?
3. When did she die?
3. Who was Ruqawah's mother?
4. What is the number of Surat ai-Masad in the Qurlan, and what is it all
about?
Du'aa' (Supplication)
Making du'aa' is one of the greatest

bounties Almighty Allah has given us.
Through it we may get anything we desire
by sincerely asking Allah for it. Of course,
there ore certain conditions that need to
be fulfi lled for du'aa' to be accepted . But
du'aa' is on oct of worship in itself that is
simple, easy and available at any time we
feel like it because Allah is ai-Haw and
a/-Qawoom : always there to listen to our
du'aa' and respond to it.
None of us, therefore, should ever despair and soy, 11 1 donlt think Allah will
answer my supplication Rother, we should be hopeful and frequently pray to
II .
Him to grant us what we wont in this life and in the hereafter.

Port of the conduct proper to supplication is the presence of the heart:
you must be attentive while you supplicate .
Another condition of supplication is that your food should be lawful . Allah's
Messenger ( � ) is reported to hove said, "Earn your livelihood lawfully so that
your supplication will be answered . Nothing is dearer to Allah than supplication . "
(ot-Tirmidhee)
Etiquette of Supplication
1. Choose a noble time for supplication, such as the Day of 1Arafaat from the
year, Romodhoon from the months, F riday from days of the week, and the lost
third of the night.
Allah's Messenger ( � ) said, ��our Lord descends each night to the earth's
heaven when there remains the final third of the night and He says, 1Who
supplicates to Me so that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me so that
I may give it to him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me so that I may forgive him?ll
(Muslim and ot-Tirmidhee)
Du'aa' (Supplication) • • ••
The Prophet ( � ) also said, 11The Lord is at His Most near to the seNant in
the middle of the final part of the night. So if you are able to be among those
who are remembering Allah at that time, then, be so . 11 (Muslim)
He also said, 11Truly in the night there is a period of time when no Muslim
man comes upon and wherein He asks Allah for something good from the
things of this world and the hereafter without his being given it and this is so
every night.11 (Muslim)
2. Take your noble state as an opportunity for supplication .

Allah's Messenger ( � ) said, "Supplication made between adhaan and
the iqaamah is never rejected ." (at-Tirmidhee)
He also said, 1The supplication of a fasting person is never rejected . 11
(at-Tirmidhee)
The prostration position (sujood) must also be
especially appropriate to receive the divine
response. The Prophet ( � ) said, "The slave
is nearest to Allah when he prostrates, so 1
make plentiful supplications at that

time." (Muslim)
The Prophet ( � ) also said,
"Truly, I have been forbidden to recite the Qurl an while bowing and prostrating .
As for bowing, glorify the Lord in it; and as for prostrating, make supplications
earnestly in it so that your supplications may be answered ." (Muslim)
3. Face the qiblah .

By facing the qiblah, a Muslim turns himself in
the direction of the very fi rst place of worship ever
built on earth - the Ka'bah . 1Abdullaah ibn
Zayd ( � ) narrated, "The Prophet ( � ) left
Madeenah to this prayer-place seeking rain.
He made a du'aa' and asked for rain, then
he faced the qiblah and turned his cloak
inside out." (ai-Bukhaaree : 6343; -
'�Ill--,
Muslim : 894)
•••• Dulaa' (Supplication)
The turning of the cloak is a unique Sunnah . It is performed at the end of
.
the rain-seeking prayer. It signifies hope and optimism that the situation will soon
change from drought to rai n . lmaam oi-Bukhooree placed this hadeeth in a
chapter titled 'Making du'aa' while facing the qiblah', showing that it forms the
etiquette of du'aa' . So a person is encouraged to turn towards the qiblah when
he wishes to make du'aa'.
4. Raise your hands .

Abu Moosoo oi-Ash t oree ( � ) narrated, "The
Prophet ( � ) mode a du'aa', and I sow him raise his
hands until I could see the whiteness of his armpits ."
(oi-Bukhooree)
Moolik ibn Yoosir ( � ) narrated that the
Prophet ( � ) said, "If you ask Allah, then ask Him
with the palms of your hands outwards, and
not with the outward position of the . hands
(i . e . with the palms facing down)." (Abu Doowood)
s. Supplicate directly and unconditionally; believe firmly in the response and

hope in it sincerely.
Supplication should be mode with humbleness, submissiveness, longing
and fear. Allah's Messenger ( � ) said, "Let not any of you soy in supplication, ' 0
(
Allah ! Forgive me if you will ! Hove mercy on me if you wil l ! '" He also said,
"Supplicate to Allah with firm conviction of H is response . Know that Allah never
answers the supplication of someone whose heart is heedless ! " (oi-Bukhooree
and ot-Tirmidhee)
s. Supplicate earnestly and repeat the supplication three times .

When the Prophet ( � ) supplicated, he would do so three times, and
when he asked Allah for something, he would do so three times . (Muslim)
One should not become impatient for the response. Allah's Messenger
( � ) said, "[The supplication of] anyone of you will be answered so long as he is
not so anxious as to complain saying, ' I hove supplicated, but my supplication
has not been answered . "' (ai-Bukhooree)
Du'aa' (Supplication) ••••
That is / not to be irritated and impatient about the delay of the answer/ as
though one had the right to be answered . There may be a certain interest and
advantage in delay; furthermore/ supplication is an act of worship and
submission / and impatience and irritation are contrary to them . Allah knows
what profits His servants better than they do.
7. Begin your supplication by praising Allah .

This is because the person who makes the du'aal is asking for forgiveness/
mercy and sustenance from his Creator. So it is proper for the supplicant to start
his du'aal with the praise and glorification of Allah Most High .
Three Wonderful Supplications

Anas ( � ) said/ 'The supplication the Prophet ( � ) most often recited was/ "
Allaahumma aatinaa fid-dunyaa hasanatan wa fil-aakhirati hasanatan wa

qinaa 'adhaaban-naar (0 Allah/ give us in this world that which is good and in
the hereafter that which is good and protect us from the punishment of the
Fire) . " (AI-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
'Aai'shah ( t;,� ) said/ "Allah's Messenger ( ·� ) used to supplicate [in these

wordsL
Allaahumma innee a'oodhu bika min sharri mao 'amiltu, wa min sharri mao
lam o'mo/ (0 Allah/ I seek refuge in you from the evil [deeds] I have done/ and
I seek refuge in You from the evil [deeds] which I have not done . ) " (Muslim)
'Alee ibn abee Taalib ( � ) narrated/ " Allah's Messenger ( � ) said to me/
'Recite
U! Jl "'
�j�j ��I f41JI

/
/
- - /
/ /
Allaahummah-dinee wa saddidnee (0 Allah/ guide me and help me do things

rightly) . " (Muslim)
•••• Du'aa' (Supplication)
The Prophet ( � ) once mentioned that when someone supplicates

Almighty Allah, one of the following will happen :
( 1 ) Allah will answer the supplicontls supplication and g ive him what he
has asked for;
( 2 ) He will prevent the supplicant from being harmed, or
( 3 ) He will reword t·he supplicant with good rewords which will be kept for
him on the Day of Judgement. Therefore, itls a win-win situation for a
believer all around .
1. ____ is the greatest bounties given to us by Allah.
2. It is important to have the presence of the while you
supplicate .
3. Allah is the nearest to His servant in the ----

of
the night.
4. Supplication is to be direct and -----
s. A Muslim should not become impatient to have his ------
answered .
1. Du'aa' never goes unanswered . What happens instead?
2. What Acts are the noble times for supplications?

•••• Du'aa' (Supplication)
3. What do you know about du'aa' in sujood?
C. Briefly mention some conditions of dU1001 •
D. Learn the three bec1utiful dulaas and use them i n your everyday life.
The Word Tayammuml
Tayammum is an Arabic word which means 'to turn to, to aim at to head
for, to intend' . The relevance of the term in the Islamic Law (shareelah) is that
when water is either not available or when its use is likely to cause harm one
should 'turn to' clean earth with the intention of offering salaah and other acts of
worship which require wudhoo . Tayammum is, therefore, a symbolic ablution . It
is a way of obtaining purification when water is not ava ilable .
Permission to Perform Tayammum

Allah the Almighty says, 11And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you
comes after answering the call of nature, or you have been in contact with
women and you find no water, perform tayammum with clean earth and
wipe over your faces and hands [with it] .11 (Surat an-Nisaa1, 4 : 43)
The Prophet ( ?j) also said, 11Pure earth is fit for purification for a Muslim even
if he does not find water for ten years . 11 (Authentic hadeeth reported by
an-Nasaa l ee and Ibn H ibbaan)
When does Tayammum become Lawful?

1. When there i s n o water after one searches for it;
2. When there is danger or one is unable to reach the place of water, and
one cannot find anyone to help one bring it;
3. When one is unable to use it due to illness; and
4. When one fears using water will make the illness worse or prolong it.
What Acts can we do with Tayammum?

We use tayammum instead of doing wudhool or taking ghusl (complete
ritual bath), for the same reasons of doing wudh001 or taking ghusl.
With tayammum, we can perform the prayers, do the tawaaf around the
Kabah and do anything else that needs to be done with wudh001 •
� 202
•••• At-Tayammum
Things that Make Tayammum Invalid

Anything that makes wudh001 invalid also makes tayammum invalid . For
example, the breaking of wind, defecation, urination, deep sleep, insanity or
losing consciousness, and touching the private ports with bore hands .
Tayammum also becomes invalid when water becomes available. If
someone has performed tayammum as a result of not finding water, for
example, this tayammum becomes invalid as soon as water becomes
available. However, if one has completed his prayer with
tayammum and then one d iscovers water, one's prayer is
valid and is not required to repeat his prayer.
How to Perform Tayammum
l . Intend to perform Tayammum without expressing this

intention .
2. Soy .J] , � 1bismillaah', which means 11ln the nome of
Alloh11 •
3. Strike the clean earth (sand, dusty stones, etc . ) gently
with the palms of you hands . You con blow on the
hands slightly to blow off any excess dust on your
palms.
4. Pass the palms of your hands over the face once .
5. Then wipe over the hands u p to the wrists once by
passing the palm of your left hand on the bock of
your right hand and then the palm of your right hand
on the bock of your left hand .
As scholars hove different opinions regarding whether

or not one con use tayammum to offer more than one
prayer as long as one does not break it it is recommended
to perform tayammum for every prayer.
203 �
Exercises
A. Fill in the blanks
l. When there is no water, a Muslim uses ------ to purify himself.
2. Tayammum is a substitute for -----
3. A Muslim always intends to perform tayammum without expressing this
4. The Prophet ( � ) said, 11Pure earth is fit for _______ for a Muslim
even if he does not find water for ten years . 11
B. Answer these questions
l. What is tayammum and what does it do?
2. What things are included in 'earth'?
�: 204
•••• At-Tayammum
3. If a person's wudh001 i s intact, h e need not perform it again for the next
prayer. But what is the ruling about tayammum?
C. Think-up
1. We know that tayammum does not physically purify us, what purpose
does it serve then?
2. Tayammum is an example of the easiness of Isla m . How?
205 �
Surat ai-Burooj was revealed in
Makkah and consists of twenty-two
verses . This surah may be divided into
six parts .
1. In the first part (verses 1 -3),

Almighty Allah swears by the sky and
the great stars; the Day of Resurrection;
the witness, which is Friday and the
witnessed, which is the Day of 1Arafah .
2. The second section (verses 4-9) refers to the story of the People of the
Ditc h . It provides information about a group of people who were among the
disbelievers . They went after those among them who believed in Allah and they
attempted to force them to give up their religion . However, the believers refused
to recant, so the disbelievers dug a ditch for them in the ground . Then they lit a
great fire in it and prepared some fuel for it in order to keep it ablaze. Then they
tried to convince the believers to leave their religion again, but they still refused
to do so, so they threw them into the blazing fire .
In fact, it was the king of the city o f Najraan in Yemen, D h u Nuwaas, who
had thrown thousands of sincere and true believers in his city into a large ditch
filled with a blazing fire, burning them alive, in an effort to force those who
refused to give up their religion to change their minds.
This story is said to have happened in the year 523 AD, some forty-eight
years before the birth of Prophet Muhammad ( � ) .
These verses conclude by mentioning that Almighty Allah has the
dominion of the heavens and the earth and that nothing is concealed from
Him .
� 206
•••• Surat ai-Burooj
3. The third section consists of two verses (verses 1 0- 1 1 ) . The Qurlan warns
'
that those who cause harm to the believers and arrogantly refuse to admit their
wrong and atone for it will, on the Day of J udgment, face a severe punishment
in Hell-fi re. Verse l l inspires the believers not to be discouraged by the hardships
and sufferings they undergo, for they are destined for ultimate success .
Compared to their everlasting reward, their worldly plight is insign ificant.
4. The fou rth section (verses 1 2- 1 6) continues to stress Allah's greatness,

absolute Command and perfect strength and power to begin the creation and
repeat it without opposition or resistance and the ability to do whatever He wills
in H is Kingdom. It also promises Allah1S love and mercy for those who believe
and do righteous deeds!
s. The fifth section (verses 1 7-20) provides two well-known illustrations of

human foolishness and arrogance, as represented by the Pharaoh of Egypt who
rejected the truth with which Allah sent Prophet Moosaa ( �� ) and the ancient
tribe of Thamood who rejected the truth with which Allah sent Prophet Saalih
( �\ ) .
Pharaoh and the tribe of Thamood did not realize, in their denial of Allah,
that Allah is ever Present and surrounding them in their denial . The arrogance of
power made them think that their power was invulnerable-the power which
cannot be harmed or damaged . Yet
their power passed away.
s. The surah ends (verses 2 1 -22) with

the assertion that the Qurlan is a glorious
revelation preserved upon a
well-guarded Tablet. This relates to
Allah's Promise that the Qurlan will never
be corrupted and will remain free of all
additions, deletions and textual
changes.
207 �
Surat ai-Burooj ••••
1. By the sky holding great stars;

2. And by the promised Day;
3. And by the witness and the witnessed;
4. Cursed were the People of the Ditch,
s. [Contain ing] a fi re fiercely burning,
6. When they sat by it
7. And they witnessed for themselves what they were doing to the believers;
a. And they persecuted them only because they believed in Allah, the
Mighty, worthy of all praise .
9. To Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; and Allah
is Witness over everythi ng
1 0. Indeed, those who persecute believing men and believing women and
then do not repent will have the torment of Hell and will have the
punishment of the burning Fire.
1 1. Surely, those who believe and do righteous deeds will have gardens
beneath which rivers flow. That is the great success .
1 2. Truly, the seizure ( i . e . punishment) of your Lord is severe and painfu l .
1 3. I ndeed, it is He Who originates [creation] and brings [it] again [to life],
1 4. And He is all-Forgiving, full of love,
� 208
1 s. Honourable Owner of the Throne,

1 6. Doer of whatever He Wills .
1 7. Hove you heard the story of the forces,
1 a. [Those of] Pharaoh ond Thomood?
1 9. Nay, but the d isbelievers still deny [the truth],
20. And Allah is behind them, surrounding them;
21. Nay, but it is a Glorious Qurl on,
22. [Inscribed] in a preserved Tablet.
209 �
Exercises
A. Fill in the blanks .
l . Dhu N uwaas was the king of -----
2. The incident of the ditch took place ____ years before the birth of the
Prophet ( � ) .
3. The people who persecute the believers and do not repent face
4. In verses l 7-20, Allah talks about two disobedient forces . They are
---- and ------
1. Where does the surah get its name?
2. What three things by which Almighty Allah swears in the first three verses?
3. To whom do the verses 4-9 refer?
� 21 0
4. Why did Dhu N uwoos kill the true believers?
s. What qualities of Almighty Allah ore mentioned in verses l 2- 1 6?
s. What does Allah wont to show by saying that the Qurlon is in a

well-guarded Tablet?
C. Think-up
What do you know about the Day of 1Arofoh?
D. Memorisation
Learn Surat ai-Burooj by heart.
21 1 �
Defin ition
Shortening the obligatory prayers (Qasr-us-Sa/aat) means to perform two
rak'ahs instead of four rak'ah for the noon prayer (sa/aat-udh-Dhuhr) , the
afternoon prayer (salaat-ul-Asr) and the late evening prayer (salaat-ul- '/shoo) ,
reciting Surat ai-Faatihah in addition to another surah of the Qurlon . There is no
shortened form of the down prayer (sa/aat-ui-Fajr), which a lways consists of two
rak'ahs, nor of the sunset prayer (salaat-ui-Maghrib), which invariably consists of
three rak'ahs .
Ruling
AI-Qasr has
been instituted by
Allah's saying, "And
when you travel in
the land, there is no
sin on you if you
shorten the prayer. " (Surat an-Nisaa', 4 : l 0 1 )
Also, when the Prophet ( � ) was asked about shortening the prayer, he
said, "It is a charitable gift that Allah has given you, so accept His charitable gift."
(oi-Bukhooree and Muslim)
Indeed, it was the Prophetls regular practice to shorten the prayers
whenever the need arose. He would do so whenever he travelled and his
companions would do the some
It is worth mentioning that when he travelled, he would start his journey in
the early morning; he used to like travelling on Thursdays . (oi-Bukhooree) He
would also order a group of three or more travelling men to appoint one of
them as their ameer (leader) during the journey.
When the Prophet ( � ) and his companions ascended a hill while
travelling, they would recite takbeer (saying : Allaahu Akbar - Allah is Supremely
.:c==
: =2==1=
2 :::;==
•••• AJ-Qasr: Shortening the Prayers
GreatL and when they went down a valley, they would glorify Allah (saying
subhaan-AIIaah - Exalted is Allah and far above is He from any imperfection ! )
The Distance in which i t i s Sunnah to

shorten the Prayers
An important question regarding qasr
is: what is the minimum travelling distance
in which the four-rak'ah prayer may be
shortened? In fact the Prophet ( � ) did not
limit the distance required for shortening
the prayers; however, after examining the
distances at which the Prophet ( � )
shortened his prayers, the majority of the companions and leading M uslim
scholars after them found that it was approximately forty 'bard', totalling
approximately forty-eight m iles or seventy-seven kilometres.
So, for anyone who travels a minimum of that distance, in other tha n
disobedience to Allah, then it is Sunnah for him to shorten his prayers as
explained above : praying the four-rak'ahs prayers - Dhuhr, 'Asr and !shoo' as
two . The traveller may shorten his prayers while he is on the road, whether he is
outward bound or making the homeward journey. (See Abu Bakr Jaabir AI
Jazaa'iree, Minhaaj of-Muslim, Vol . l , p . 458)
When to Begin and when to End a/- Qasr
The traveller begins shortening his prayers once he has passed beyond the
boundaries of his own town or village. No matter how far he travels, he continues
to shorten his prayers until he returns to his dwelling place . If he enters a town or
village along the way and intends to stay
there for four or more days, he must
perform the prayers i n fulL since his stay
will then be the same as that of a local
resident. If he intends to stay there for less
than four days, he may shorten his
prayers . If he breaks his journey in a town,
without knowing when he is going to
21 3 �
AJ-Qasr: Shortening the Prayers ••••
move on - if he has no specific intention, but says : "I may leave today, or 1 may
leave tomorrow," he may shorten his prayers - except when he prays behind a
resident imaam, in which case he should follow the imaam's prayer. When he
prays by himself, he should shorten his prayers. (Minhaaj of-Muslim, Vol . l , p .
460)
During the Conquest of Makkah, the obligatory prayers the Messenger of
Allah ( � ) performed were all of two rak'ahs only (al-qasr), but then he said to
the inhabitants of the city, "Unlike us, you must perform four rak'ahs of the
four-rak'ah prayers, for we are travellers . "
O n another occasion, when the Prophet ( ?j ) spent twenty days at
Tabook, he likewise shortened his prayers, as did his companions ( May Allah be
pleased with them all) .
I n another report, 'Abdullaah ibn ' Umar ( .::t0 ) once stayed for six months
in Azerbaijan and the obligatory four-rak'ah prayers he performed there were all
of two rak'ahs only . This is because he stayed in Azerbaijan without knowing
when he was going to move on .
The Voluntary Prayers while Travelling

When a Muslim is on a journey, he may stop praying all the voluntary
prayers, except for the two-rak'ahs Sunnah before the obligatory Fajr prayer and
al-witr. There is no good in giving them up although they are not obligatory.
He may, however, perform whatever voluntary prayers he likes while
travelling, and there is nothing wrong in doing so, for the Prophet ( � ) prayed
sa/aat-udh-dhuhaa (the forenoon prayer) while he was travelling . He would
perform the optional prayers while riding on his mount during his journeys .
This shows that the Prophet ( � ) did perform the voluntary prayers
whenever he had the chance to do so, sometimes even while he was on his
mount. Hence the majority of scholars consider offering and leaving these
prayers as equally permissible, leaving the matter entirely to the individual . He
should perform them as circumstances permit. It is preferable for a traveller who
is actually on the move to omit the Sunnah prayers, but when he comes to a holt
and is at his ease, then it is preferable to perform them . Generally speaking, it is
better for a Muslim to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ( � ) in every single act
of 'ibaadah .
� 21 4
•••• AI-Qasr: Shortening the Prayers
The Tremendous Importance of the Salaah
Prayers should, therefore, be performed at their stated times. Under no

circumstances - except for loss of consciousness - is one excused from
performing the obligatory prayers at their proper times, even if one can only
perform them sitting, lying down or by motioning with one's hands and head .
Men should pray in congregation if possible; otherwise individually. If it is not
possible to face the qiblah, one may keep the direction in which one happens
to be facing . One may even pray while seated either on the back of an animal
or on a vehicle or in a plane. If actual bowing and prostration are not possible,
they may be performed by hand signals.
215 �
Exercises
1. A four-rak'ahs prayer may be shortened to ----- rak'ahs .
2. Al-qasr is a ------- from Allah.
3. The Prophet ( � ) would begin his journeys in -------
4. He liked travelling on -------
s. A group of three or more travellers had to appoint an -------
6. If a traveller resides in a town for ------ or more days, he may not
shorten his prayers .
B. Reference to Context
"It is a charitable gift that Allah has given you, so accept H is charitable
gift."
C. Answer the fol lowing questions.
1. What i s the minimum distance after which the traveller may shorten his
prayers?
2. Who is a resident imaam? How should a traveller pray behind him?
� 216
•••• AJ-Qasr: Shortening the Prayers
3. What should a traveller do when he does not know for how long he is going
to stay in a town?
4. What are the two voluntary prayers that one must not give up?
s. What are the various positions in which one can pray while travelling?
21 7 �
The Friday Prayer is an Obligation upon Men
The Friday congregation prayer (Sa!aat-ui-Jumu ' ah) is compulsory for
men, as Almighty Allah says,
/ / / /
i�
'"/ � t �� <? � Jo�::.._
. �Y..
,..
'\ �- �' / _s }_y� \�\�r-':
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r/ 1: o:: _ � �t£"
Cl) 0��l�:;.r�r��;&�J�Jl
"0 you who believe! When the call is proclaimed for the prayer on Friday,
hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave trading aside. That is better
for you , if you did but know. " (Surat at- Jumu ' ah, 62 : 9)
The Prophet ( � ) also said, "Let some people stop avoiding attending the
Friday prayer, or Allah will stomp a seal on their hearts. Then they will become of
those who ore heedless ." (Muslim)
He also said, 11The F riday prayer in congregation is on obligatory duty upon
every Muslim except four: a slave, a woman, a child and a sick person . �� (Abu
Doowood and oi-Hookim)
Therefore, every man who is free, not sick, not travelling and does not live
for from urban areas must attend the Friday congregational prayer. He con only
absent himself from it if he has a valid excuse .
� 218
•••. Salaat-ul Jumu'ah
The Wisdom behind its Institution
Some of the reasons behind the institution of the Friday prayer are as
follows :
1. It brings together Muslims of a locality on the first day of each week in one
defi nite place . This increases the spirit of Islamic brotherhood .
2. The khutbah (sermon) is a weekly reminder about
their duties and responsibilities of the believers . I n
fact i t warns them against evil and encourages
them to do good and do their best to improve their
worldly as well as religious affairs.
3. It is above all an act of obedience to Allah's
command . The khutbah is delivered in two parts,
the khateeb (the one who delivers the khutbah)
takes a little rest by assuming a sitting posture in the
m iddle of the sermon and then resumes it. Any
issue relating to the welfare of the community may
be dealt with in the khutbah .
4. The khutbah is, therefore, for the education of the masses : to awaken
them to a general sense of duty; to lead them into the ways of their
welfare and prosperity. It is to warn them against that which is a source of
loss or ruin to them .
s. In fact the F riday sermon is the best means of education for the masses
and for maintaining the vitality of the Muslim community as a whole. By
the way, the Prophetls sermons were neither too long, nor too short, nor
tiresome . They were to the point full of vitality and appealing . The salaah
of the Prophet ( � ) was moderate, and so was his sermon .
Virtues of F riday
There are many Prophetic traditions concerning the special qualities of
Friday, the day of congregation (yawm-ul-jumu'ah ) . According to one of these
reports, Allah's Messenger ( � ) once said, "The sun has never risen, nor has it
ever set, on a day more excellent than F riday, the day of congregation . On that
day, two angels are stationed at every gate of the mosque (masjid) . They are
busy recording the names of people one by one, in order of arriva l . They make
records that read :
==2=19=:.
Salaat-ul Jumu'ah ••••
•
The first arrival is like a man who has sacrificed a she-camel .
•
The second arrival is like a man who has sacrificed a cow.
•
The third arrival is like a man who has sacrificed a sheep.
•
The fourth arrival is like a man who has sacrificed a hen .
•
The fifth arrival is like a man who has sacrificed an egg .
•
Then, when the prayer leader (imoom) stands ready, the record sheets are
folded up." (ai-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
Allah's Messenger ( � ) once said, "The best day on which the sun has ever
risen is Friday. On it Aadam ( �� ) was created; on it he was admitted into
Paradise, and on it he was expelled from it; and the Hour (as-Saa'ah) will not be
established except on Friday." ( M uslim)
Abdullah ibn Salaam ( � ) used to say, "I have identified the hour. It is the
last hour of the daytime ." - i . e . between the 'Asr and the Maghrib prayers . It is
also narrated that it is the time between when the imaam appears to deliver the
sermon until the prayer is finished .
Therefore, it is necessary to honour it, as Almighty Allah has honoured it, by
doing as many good deeds as possible and avoiding evil deeds .
Etiquette and Duties on F riday
1. Wearing clean clothes and perfume

The Prophet ( � ) said, "Each Muslim male must take a bath on F riday and
wear his best clothes; and if he has any fragrance, let him wear it." (Ahmad and
Abu Daawood)
2. Reciting Surat ai-Kahf
It is recommended to recite Surat

a/-Kahf on the preceding night or
during the day of F riday. Allah's
Messenger ( � ) said, "Whoever recites
Surat ai-Kahf on F riday, what is between the two
Fridays will be illuminated by light for him . " (ai-Haakim)
� 220
•••• Salaat-ul Jumu'ah
3. Invoking Allah1S peace and blessings upon the
Prophet ( � )
It is recommended to invoke Allah1S peace and
blessings upon the Prophet ( � ) during the night before
Friday and during the day of Jumu'ah, as the Prophet
( � ) said, "Invoke Allah's blessings upon me, many
times over, on Friday and the night [preceding it]; for
whoever does so, I will be a witness and intercessor for
him on the Day of Judgment." (ai-Bayhaqee)
4. Increasing onels supplications on F riday

One should increase onels supplications to Allah on Friday because there
is a time on this day during which Almighty Allah responds and gives whatever
good He is asked for. The Prophet ( � ) said, 11There is an hour on Friday in which
II
no Muslim asks during it except that Allah grants him whatever he asks for.
(Muslim)
s. Leaving home early to a rrive before its time

Allah's Messenger ( � ) said, ��whoever takes a bath like that taken to purify
oneself from sexual impurity on Friday, then he leaves at the earlier time, then
he is like one who offers a camel; the one who comes after that is like one who
offers a horned ram; the one who comes after that is like one who offers a cow;
the one who comes after that is like one who offers a horned ram; the one who
comes after that is like one who offers a chicken; and the one who comes after
that is like one who offers an egg . When the imaam arrives, the angels are
present to listen to the remembrance (i.e. the khutbah) . 11 (Maalik)
When a latecomer enters the mosque, he must not step over the necks of
the people already assembled in rows, nor separate between two people, nor
get someone to move from where he is sitting and then sit in his place .
He must not pass directly in front of someone who is already engaged in
prayer because the Prophet ( � ) warned against this .
As far as possible one should arrive in time and one should make an effort
to find a place close to the prayer leader and preacher (the imaam), then listen
to the sermon attentively, without speaking to anyone. If a person speaks, he is
guilty of the sin of engaging himself in vain talk.
==2=21==:.
=-
Salaat-ul Jumu1ah ••••
s. Offering two rak'ahs upon entering the mosque and before sitting down
A Muslim must perform two rak'ahs before he sits down . However, if he
enters the mosque while the imaam is delivering his sermon, he should offer two
rak'ahs briefly. The Prophet ( ti ) said, "If anyone of you enters the mosque on
F riday while the imaam is delivering the sermon, let him perform two rak'ahs and
be brief in doing so . " (Muslim)
It is recommended to perform additional rak'ahs of prayer before the start
of the sermon . The Prophet ( � ) said, "There is not a man who takes a bath on
F riday, using whatever is available for purification, then applies some oil or wears
some fragrance from his ,home, then he goes to the mosque, not separating
between two people, then he prays what is written for him to pray, then he listens
attentively to the imaam when he speaks, except that all the sins he has
committed since the preceding Friday are forgiven as long as he has not
committed a major sin ." (ai-Bukhaaree)
7. Being quiet when the imaam comes

The Prophet ( � ) said, "If you say to your companion 'Be
quiet' on Friday while the imaam is delivering the khutbah,
then you have uttered nonsense. "
(Muslim)
touches
imaam is delivering the Friday
sermon] has uttered nonsense,
and whoever utters nonsense is
considered as if he has not
attended the F riday prayer. " (Abu Daawood)
Once, while the Khateeb was giving the khutbah on the day of Jumu'ah,
a man sneezed and said a/-hamdulillaah (All praise be to Allah) . The man sitting
by his side said to him yarhamuk-AIIaah (May Allah have mercy on you) . When
Sa { eed ibn ai-Musawib was asked about this incident he told the mat:"J that he
should not have said that and said to him, "Don't do it again." (Muwatta' lmaam
Maalik)
� 222
a. Not engaging in buying and selling once the call to the Friday prayer
has been announced
Almighty Allah says, When the call is proclaimed for the prayer on
..
Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave trading aside."

(Surat a/- Jumu'ah, 62 : 9)
The Friday prayer (sa/aat-ui-Jumu 'ah) consists of two rak'ahs . They ore
performed immediately after the sermon behind the prayer leader. If someone
misses it he must perform the noon prayer (Dhuhr) instead .
The regular noon prayer (salaat-udh-DhuhrL which is one of the five
prayers, on the other days of the week, is replaced by the sa/aat-u/-Jumu'ah
consisting of two rak'ahs .
I n the course of its performance, it is Sunnah of the Prophet ( � ) to recite
the Qur'on in on audible voice .
Catching a Rak'ah or Part of it

If someone comes late for the Friday prayer and catches one rak'ah of
salaat-u/-Jumu'ah, he should odd the rak'ah he has missed after the imaam
recites the tasleem, and he is of course liable for the reword of the prayer. Allah's
Messenger ( � ) said, "Whoever catches a rak'ah, he has actually caught the
whole prayer." (oi-Bukhooree and Muslim)
The Sunnah prayers after Salaat-ui-Jumu 'ah

It was the Prophetls practice to pray two rak'ahs in his house and four
rak'ahs in the mosque after performing salaat-ui-Jumu'ah .
223 �
Exercises
A. State whether these statements are
true (T) or false (F).
1. Friday has a large number of virtues . __
2. The F riday prayer is an obligatory duty on women . --
3. Invoking Allah's peace and blessings upon the Prophet ( � ) on F riday
entails his intercession . --
4. One should increase one's supplications on F riday. --
5. It is permissible to step over people's necks carefully to reach an empty
spot. __
6. We must never pass directly in front of someone who is engaged in prayer.
7. It is okay to leave off the two-rak'ahs of tahiwat-ul-masjid if the sermon has
already begun. --
1. Who are exempted from the obligation of the Friday prayer?
2. What do you know about du'aa being accepted on Friday?
� 224
3. According to the Prophet ( � ) , what are the five distinctive features of
Friday?
4. Why is cleanliness on F ridays stressed?
s. One must not engage in vain talk during the khutbah . Explai n .
e. How many rak'ahs does the F riday prayer consist of? What about the one
who misses the F riday prayer in congregation?
C. Think-up
One can only absent oneself from attending the Friday prayer if one has
a valid excuse . Find out about some of these valid excuses .
225 �
M uslims' Contributions to the Advancement
of Medical Sciences
The story of Islam would remain incomplete
without looking at all that it has brought to the
world, both in the past and today, in the fields of
the arts, sciences, mathematics and medicine.
Arab scholars translated scores of learned works
from Greek and Latin into Arabic. In this way the
works of such thinkers as Aristotle, Plato and Euclid,
among many others, had been preserved . The
world's early physicians, Galen and Hippocrates,
were studied by Arab doctors who brought to medical science their own
knowledge of drugs and medicines .
It is through these Arabic versions that European scholars first learnt much
about the scientific knowledge of the ancient world. In fact, Arabs not only
rendered scientific works into Arabic but also made huge contributions to them .
Many modern scientific terms, such as chemistry, zero, and rocket, among
many others, came from Arabic . What we call Arabic numerals today ( l , 2, 3,
and so on ) , were actually invented in India, but it was Muslim scholars who
worked out the full system of decimal calculation and passed it on to Europe.
Medical Research
In the field of medicine, Muslim physicians concentrated on the use of
drugs and herbs . They knew about the importance of dieting, the climate and
mental strain affecting the health of patients . Muslim doctors became experts
in treating eye diseases . Muslims also set up public hospitals with highly trained,
permanent staff, where young doctors could study and do research .
« 226
•••• Islam and the World of Sciences
There ore several verses of the Qur'on in
which medical questions of general order
ore discussed . There ore also many sayings
of the Prophet ( � ) dealing with health,
sickness, hygiene and problems pertaining to
the field of medicine. Diseases such as leprosy,
ophthalmia ore mentioned . This body of hadeeth
on medical questions was systematized by later
Muslim scholars and become known as at-Tibb
an-Nabawee, or Medicine of the Prophet ( � ) . The Prophet ( � ) once said,
11There is a remedy for every d isease, and when the remedy is applied to the
disease it is cured with the permission of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious . ��
(Muslim)
Western Europe trusted the medical knowledge of the Muslim World . In the
Middle Ages, F rance sold a very popular ointment called Blanc de Razes . It was
named after a very famous doctor and scholar called or-Roozee .
Abu Bokr or-Roozee (known in the West as Razes), who come from near
Tehran in Iron, wrote on almost every aspect of medicine. He died
in 3 1 3 AH/925 AD . Ar-Roozee wrote the earliest book we hove
about infectious diseases in which he set out very clearly the
differences between measles and smallpox.
Ar-Roozee also wrote two other books, which
hod been translated into Latin and become the
main textbooks for medical students in Western
Europe in the Middle Ages . Altogether or-Roozee
hod written 1 7 5 books . Besides his medical works
and the books on mathematics and philosophy,
he experimented and wrote on chemistry and
many other sciences . Among numerous medical
works, or-Roozee's most important was AI-Haawee
(The Comprehensive Book), on enormous medical
encyclopaedia originally in twenty volumes, of which ten
hove survived .
227 �
Islam and the World of Sciences ••••
AI-Birunee also wrote on a wide variety of

scientific subjects . His most important
contributions as a scientist were his keen
--��lkii'� observations of natural phenomena, rather than
theories . Sometimes called "the master/' he
become one of the best-known Muslim scientists
of his time.
The Qurl on and the Sunnah of the Prophet
( � ) hove rendered a very significant contribution
in the development of medical sciences . There
ore tomes of Arabic medical literature lying
dormont in museums and libraries which contain ideas and
knowledge on every conceivable field of medicine; from bacteriology, surgery,
physiology, gynoecology, immunology, psychology, psychiatry and
ophthalmology, which ore not only valid today but in some cases for in
advance of contemporary concepts held in the west.
The Arabs played a vital and dynamic role in medical history. Their
discoveries covered such fields as surgery where the principles of suturing
(stitches mode in sewing up a wound) and wound treatment ore still valid today.
They were the first to establish hospitals, as we know them today, with separate
words for different diseases .
It is interesting to note that the scientists in Cordova with their seventeen
libraries, one of which contained more than four hundred thousand volumes,
enjoyed luxurious baths at a time when washing the body was considered a
dangerous custom at the University of Oxford . In fact free inquiry was
considered a sin in Europe.
Consequently, great scientists were burnt olive . These include Bruno who
believed in the revolution of the earth (a theory of CopernicusL and Golileo for
their scientific beliefs . On the other hand, in Baghdad in 1 1 68 AD, there were
about sixty well-organized medical i nstitutions and the Mustonsiriyyoh Medical
College. The College hod a magnificent building, excellent furniture, a library
with rare scientific books and a vast dining hall to serve food to the students . The
hospitals hod both outdoor and indoor departments . Female nurses served the
patients.
� 228
Muslim anatomists carried out dissections
of human bodies. They held that human skull
consisted of eight bones while Galen had
thought there were only seven bones .
The scholar Burhaanuddeen wrote in
Shart-ui-Asbaab that blood contains sugar. Ar-Raazee discovered
a sour matter, acid, in the stomach. In his book Sharh Tashreeh �llll'!lQ!!'.II!!!!!'�'�a.
ai-Qaanoon, Ibn an-Nafees described pulmonary
circulation centuries before the noted English physician
William HaNey described the circulation of blood in l 628 .
His voluminous book on the art of medicine, titled ai-Kitaab
ash-Shaamil, featured sections on surgical techniques and
the obligations of surgeons to their patients.
I bn Seenaa (best known in the West as Avicenna)
explained the digestive system and he discovered that the
secretions in the mouth mixed with food and helped its
digestion long before this was known in the west. He also excelled in
bacteriology: the basis of modern medical science, which is a product of
research on germs .
Measles and smallpox were regarded by ar-Raazee as two distinct
diseases . He wrote a book on the subject. Muslims in Turkey treated smallpox
through vaccination in l 6 7 9 . The system reached Europe in the eighteenth
century through Lady Montague, wife of the British ambassador in Turkey.
Abui-Qasim az-Zakraawee discovered the cause of Spinal Cord �
paralysis due to injury to the spinal cord . Hay fever was first
described by Bahaa-ud-Dawlah in 1 50 7 , which was
discovered by the Europeans centuries later.
Tuberculosis was defined for the first time by Abul
Hasan at-Tabaree as an inflammation that not only affects
the lungs but also other parts of the body. He was the first
physician who acquainted the world with scabies, a skin
disease that makes one itch a lot.
' Najid-ud-deen as-Samarqandee discovered nephritis, an acute
inflammation of the kidneys, which is named for Richard Bright, centuries before
229 �
Islam and the World of Sciences ••••
he claimed he discovered it. As-Samarqandee also described albumen, which

causes the body to swell if it passes through urine.
The skill of surgery reached its zenith with Arab
surgeons. Abul Qaasim az-Zahraawee invented many
surgical instruments . Anaesthesia was applied by Muslim
physicians to keep the patient unconscious as long as
seven days while conducting operations . Most highly
developed was the surgery of the eye .
According to ai-Bukhaaree and Muslim, Allah's
Messenger ( � ) approved of hijaamah (cupping)
treatment, which is a method whereby polluted
blood is drained from the body. The Prophet ( � ), however, advised not to resort
to hijaamah (cupping) without proper medical advice.
The list of Muslim contributions to the world of sciences is long and very
interesting indeed ! You will, inshaa Allaah, learn more about this in the years to
come .
� 230
Exercises
1. What is the story behind the present-day Arabic numerals?
2. What is at-Tibb an-Nabawee?
3. Why d o you think Muslims were so advanced i n sciences?
B. Write a brief note on ar-Raazeels contributions to various sciences.
23 1 �
This surah was revealed in
Makkah and takes its name from
the noun at-Taariq which occurs
in the fi rst verse . The surah
consists of seventeen verses and
may be divided into three
sections, for the purpose of
study.
1. The surah opens u p with an oath by the sky and the piercing stars . It then
asserts that every soul has a watching angel set over it. (verses 1 -4)
Some scholars hold that the star has been described as at-taaqib
(piercing) because it is only seen at night and is hidden during the day.
Every human being has a guardian over him or her. The watchful guardian
records all onels motives and actions. Thus people are not left to do as
they wish without having guard ians over them who watch and record
everything they say and do. An accurate record is kept for every human
being ! On the Day of Resurrection , all human secrets will be revealed .
2. The second section (verses 5- 1 0) is a reminder to man of his origin and a

warning that on the Day of Resurrection he will stand before his Lord for
judgment when no one will be able to help him.
3. The third section (verses 1 1 - 1 7) follows with an oath that Allah has not sent
the Qurlan as a joke or amusement but that it is a decisive word . It is a
word of distinction between the truth and falsehood . The surah ends on a
warning to those who reject Allahls guidance and refuse to accept the
truth of the Qurlan and devise artful schemes to disprove the truth . Allah is
All-Powerful . He devises a yet subtler scheme to bring their artful schemes
to nothing .
� 232
•••• Surat at-Taariq (The Night Comer)
I n the Name of Allah, the Most Kind, the Most Merciful.
1. By the sky and the night comer!

2. And what will make you understand what the night comer is?
3. It is the piercing star [whose light pierces through the night],
4. There is no human being without a guardian over him or her.
5. So let man, then, look at that from which he was created .
6. He was created from a fluid, ejected .
7. Which emerges from between the backbone and the ribs .
a. Indeed, He (i.e. Allah) is well able to return him [to life] .
9. On the Day when all secrets will be laid bare,
1 0. And man will have neither strength nor helper!
1 1. By the sky which returns [rain],
1 2. And by the earth which cracks open [with the growth of plants],
1 3. Surely it (i.e. the Qurlan) is a decisive statement,
1 4. And it is no idle tale.
1 5. Indeed, they are devising an artful scheme,
1 6. And I am also devising a yet more subtle scheme.
17. So give the disbelievers a break; leave them awhile.
233 �
Exercises
A. Fill in the blanks with suitable words.
1. In the beginning of the surah, Allah takes an oath by the ----

and its
2. Allah says the Qurl an is no ----
1. Where does this surah get its name?
2. What does the noun at-Taariq mean?
3. Explain the verse 11There is no human being without a guardian over him
or her11 •
� 234
• 11 • • Surat at-Taariq (The Night Comer)
C. Think-up
Why does Almighty Allah order the Prophet ( � ) as well as his followers to
allow time for the disbelievers and leave them awhile?
D. Memorisation
Learn Surat at-Taariq by heart.
==2 3=
5 =:.
Definition of Gheebah
Allah's Messenger ( � ) defined backbiting in very clear terms . He once
asked his companions, 11DO you know what gheebah (backbiting) is?'1 They
replied, 11AIIan and His Messenger know best.11 Then he said, 11lt is talking about
your [Muslim] brother in a manner which he dislikes . �� Someone asked him, 11What
if my brother is as I say?'l The Prophet ( � ) replied, 11lf he is as you say, you hove
indulged in backbiting him; and if he is not as you say, you hove slandered him . 11
(Muslim)
Backbiting in the Qurlan
� {;:-.�(��tJ�D�l::.-;p.�.q_;i;: �.:�.q_; �
Almighty Allah says, 11And do not spy, nor backbite one another. Would
anyone of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Surely, you would
loathe it. 11 (Surat ai-Hujuraat, 49 : l 2)
Certainly, no one would like to think of such a thing as eating the flesh of
onels Muslim brother. But when this brother is dead, and his flesh is in a decaying
state, disgust is added to disgust. A Muslim is commanded to refrain from
hurting people's feelings in their presence, and he is all the more commanded
to avoid saying unpleasant things about them or mimicking them in their
absence .
Backbiting, therefore, is a horrible act. Indeed, it is as disgusting as eating
one's dead brother's flesh . The idea underlying this simile is that by engaging in
backbiting, a Muslim consumes the honour of another Muslim brother who is not
present on the occasion to protest or defend himself. Therefore, a Muslim is
expected to abhor gheeb ah in the same way as he shudders at the thought of
eating carrion .
The general intention behind talking about someone i n unkind terms in
their absence is to belittle him in the eyes of others. Islam, therefore, prohibits
Muslims from backbiting altogether.
� 236
. .. . • Gheebah (Backbiting)
Backbiting in the Hadeeth
The hadeeth related to the Prophet's mPraaj (the ascension through the
seven heavens) records a severe punishment for those who indulge in
backbiting . The relevant portion of the hadeeth reads, ��During the mPraaj
(ascension), I saw a group of people with nails of copper who were scratching
their faces and chests . I asked JibreeL �who are these people, Jibreel? He
replied, ]These are the people who are given to backbiting and disparage
people's honour. 111 (Abu Daawood)
Abdullah ibn Maslood ( � ) had thin, weak legs . Upon seeing his legs
uncovered once, some people laughed, and the Prophet ( � ) retorted, ]]By Him
in Whose Hands my soul is, they are m ightier than Mount Uhud in the sight of
Allah . (Ahmad)
II
Therefore, we should always avoid making unkind remarks about others,

which only causes distrust and enmity.
Kind people carefully avoid insulting others; that is, unjustly dishonouring
them in their presence or showing contempt for them
in their absence.
We should be fair and genuine with everyone.
We should also avoid rash judgment which consists in
considering it certain and definite that someone has
done wrong, without having a basis for such a
judgment. We should also shun rash suspicion, which
is an unfounded belief that someone has done wrong .
The general welfare of all members of society at large and the peaceful
function of society depend in large measure on whether or not members of
society speak the truth and respect one another.
Indeed, there is nothing wrong with talking about others as long as one
says only kind things about them . Complaining about your friend's faults - to
their face or behind their backs - or broadcasting their private matters to the
world will crush your friends' affection for you in no time. Remember that evil
spreads fast even faster and much more easily than good, and that not only
the backbiter is guilty but also all those who relish his speech . Therefore, if,
someone is being backbitten in a group, listeners must protest and defend the
person being backbitten and, if necessary, leave the place .
237 �
Gheebah (Backbiting) ••••
There ore, however, certain situations, which may look like backbiting, but
they do not come under the category of gheebah . These include criticising
those who openly commit acts of disobedience, such as drinking alcohol and
engaging in immoral acts; seeking the help of a judge or someone in a similar
position or authority to hove onels rights established by telling him �so-and-so has
wronged me and has done such-and-such to mel; and seeking the assistance
of those who ore able to forbid evil and help change someonels immoral
conduct.
News Travels Fast

Remember when you sit down with someone and talk about a juicy
gossip, within minutes or hours some or all of what you hove said will be said
again and again. Words travel in geometric progression . Like ripple.s in a quiet
lake, news travels fast. Remember, what you soy will be said again in different
forms . If you soy something negative, it will be for more negative after having
been said a number of times . However, if you soy something positive, it will grow
more positive; in fact, it will grow more positive through repetition . Hence, always
speak with discretion .
� 238
•••• Gheebah (Backbiting)
Exercises
A. Complete the fol lowing questions.
1. Backbiting is like eating the -----

of another Muslim brother.
2. Backbiting is far more disgusting than eating _____
3. If, in an assembly, a M uslim brother or sister is being backbitten, you should
either ------
or ------
4. We must always speak with -------
1. What i s the difference between backbiting and slandering?
2. Define backbiting .
3. What in your opinion, is the general intention behind backbiting?
239 �
Gheebah (Backbiting) ••••
4. What similes did the Prophet [ � ) use to explain the disgusting nature of
backbiting?
s. What punishment is in store for those who engage in backbiting?
s. Mention some situations where talking about others does not amount to
backbiting?
C. Think-up
1. Mariam's pen got stolen and she informed the teacher that her partner
had done it even though she had not seen her. Was what Mariam did
right? Why?
2. Do you know the funny game 'Chinese Whispers'? Can backbiting be

compared to it? How?
� 240

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Islamic

© Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, 2009

E-mail: darussalam@awalnet.net.sa, riyadh@dar-us-salam.com Website: www.dar-us-salam.com

K.S.A. Darussalam Showrooms: AUSTRALIA

none to misguide him; and whomever He leads astray, none can

guide him. We bear witness that there is no god worthy of

worship except Allah, alone, and we bear witness that

Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. We pray to Allah the

Almighty to bestow His peace and blessings upon Prophet

the noble companions and those who follow them in

righteousness until the Day of Judgement.

Given the dire need for Islamic studies material in schools

incorporating the subject in English, Darussalam has

endeavoured to publish an Islamic Studies series covering all the

grades, from grade one through grade twelve.

The present series covers all areas of Islamic studies: tafseer,

hadeeth, tawheed, fiqh, seerah, and general etiquette relating to

material presented in the series is authentic. Also, given the

importance of Arabic Islamic terms, most of the terms are

presented in their original Arabic script, along with the

transliteration and the translation of their meanings. This also

applies to supplications which have to be memorised in their

text and understand its meaning. Each lesson is followed by

exercises covering questions about the lesson.

One striking feature in the series is the colourful artwork

used in it that certainly appeals to children. This is certainly bound

to attract the young readers' attention, stimulate them, amuse

them as well as educate them.

of Islam in every aspect: beliefs, practices and moral conduct. The

which has long been partially neglected.

The present breathtaking work was initiated by an expert

in the field of education, Maulvi Abdul Aziz, MA. English literature,

who held different posts in the field including that of Senior

Administrative Officer in the Department of Private Education,

Ministry of Education, Dubai, UAE, from 1982 to 2002.

The current project also owes its existence in its present

form to a number of people who made informative suggestions,

particularly AI-Arabee Ben Razzouq, College of Languages and

Translation, Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University, Riyadh, who

undertook the painstaking task of checking the authenticity of

the material presented in the series, proofreading the text as well

as adding references to certain quotations from the Qur'an and

the hadeeth. Special thanks also go to Sheikh Abdui-Qawiy

Luqman, AI-Madeenah University graduate, for his interesting

suggestions and to Mr. Zulfiqar Mahmood who conscientiously

applied his expertise in the field of graphic design to produce the

series in a superb shape.

We pray to Almighty Allah to reward our endeavours and

to make the present series abundantly beneficial to students in all

stages of education as well as to any one who reads them.

Abdul Malik Mujahid

02. Attributes of Allah 06

03. Prophets of Allah 10

04. Prophet Muhammad �� The Last Prophet 16

OS. Surat an�Naba' (The Great News) 22

06. Prophet Yoosuf �� 27

3. Rejection of one prophet i s ______ _