easy guide for naw muslims 4 easy guide for naw muslims 4

[فداء الرسول]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

easy guide for naw muslims 4
المستـوي الرابـــع

توحيد الربوبية
الزواج 1
(فضائل النكاح وعقده )
الزواج 2
(المحرمات في النكاح)

من آداب العطاس
حفظ (الكوثر – الماعون – قريش - الفيل)
رد على استفسارت المسلم الجديد
المحن واختبارات بعد اعلان الاسلام

[فداء الرسول]

Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah: Belief in the Lordship of Allah
Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah means to believe that Allah alone is the Rabb (the Creator, Provider, Sustainer, etc.) He has no partner in His Dominion and Actions. Allah alone has the power to benefit or harm, the power to change destiny, and He alone is truly Self-Sufficient (As-Samad) upon whom all the creation depends, as He says: “Allah created all things and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian) of all things.”[1] “To Him belong the keys of the Heavens and the earth. He (Allah) enlarges and restricts provisions to whomever He Wills. Surely, He has Knowledge of everything.”[2]

Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah also includes the belief that Allah is Unique (One, single) and Incomparable. He has no wife nor offspring, no mother nor father. “Say, He is Allah, the One and Only. Allah, the Eternal - the Absolute: He begets not, nor is He begotten.”[3] Allah does not merge in any living or dead creature, nor anything is part of Allah. Neither living nor dead merges in the Being of Allah, nor is any creature part of Him. All creatures are created by His Order and are subservient to His Will.

ـــــــــــــــــــــ

[1] Soorah az-Zumar (39): 62.
[2] Soorah ash-Shoorah (42): 12.
[3] Soorah al-Ikhlas (112): 1-3

[فداء الرسول]

An Introduction To Muslim Family (part 1 of 2)


The family is one of the central organizing institutions of society. In Islam a family is built through marriage. Marriage is a legal arrangement in Islam, not a sacrament in the Christian sense, and is secured with a written contract. Marriage is about stability, loyalty, security, and adulthood. Marital life is marked by mercy, love, and compassion as Allah says:

“And He has placed between you love and compassion.” (Quran 30:21)

The core sentiments of family life that define the nature and meaning of this social institution are love, nurturance, and dependability where spouses find comfort in each other:

“It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he might find comfort in her.” (Quran 8:189)

“They are as a garment for you, and you are as a garment for them.” (Quran 2:187)

Purpose of Marriage

1. Sexual drive is a normal human emotion. Islam does not block it or look at it with disdain. It provides channels to satisfy sexual urges without undermining social responsibility. It does so by regulating sexuality within marriage.

2. A single person is too weak to go through this life on his own. A life partner in the form of a spouse shares the joys and burdens of life. Marriage provides the social support individuals need. Marriage provides meaning and a set of personal, intimate relationships against the backdrop of the impersonal, bureaucratized world of modern society.

3. The family is about continuity and extension. Marriage concerns raising the future generation and passing on to them the values and wisdom of the past generation.

4. Marriage safeguards lineage, controls reproduction, and ensures the socialization of children who are born within the family unit. Islam does not make the mother solely responsible for raising children; rather, it makes the father primarily responsible for them. Every child should be attributable to his biological father, so lineages do not get mixed up due to loose sexual relations in the society. Through the institution of marriage, individuals are joined together and given the social and legal sanction to perpetuate their name and traditions through their offspring.

Inter-faith Marriages

Faith is the most important denominator for a Muslim in choosing a spouse. Muslims are not allowed to marry non-Muslims. The only exception is that Muslim men are allowed to marry Jewish or Christian women with certain conditions. They are not allowed to marry any non-Muslim women, but only those who adhere to the Jewish or Christian faith. However, chastity is an important condition. Only a woman who is a virgin, divorcee, or a widow may be married.

The reason for limiting the permission for marrying people of other faiths is given men alone is essence to protect the Muslim woman’s religion. If a Muslim husband asks his wife not to dress inappropriately or not to kiss his male friends - an acceptable social practice in the West - she could comply without affecting the teachings of her religion. But a Christian husband’s request that his Muslim wife buys alcohol, serves him pork, wears tight revealing clothes, or kisses his friends would involve disobeying Allah, and therefore be destructive to her religious practice. Furthermore, Muslim men are especially discouraged from marrying Jewish or Christian women where the government is non-Muslim and the Muslims are a minority. If their marriage ends in divorce, or the husband dies, the court will usually grant custody to the mother who will raise them as non-Muslims.

Spousal Rights

Islam clearly sets out the rights and responsibilities of each spouse to maintain marital harmony. The fact is spelled out in the Quran:

“And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is well-known, but men have a degree over them.” (Quran 2:228)

In general, husbands have more rights which are due to them than the wife due to their role on the family, just as parents have more rights than their children, and leaders have more rights than the general masses, etc. A husband is in charge of the family.

Leadership however is based on mutual consultation, it is not a dictatorship. Addressing one of the issues of marital life – the weaning of a child - the Quran encourages mutual consultation:

“But if the couple desire to wean by mutual consent and consultation, then there is no blame on them.” (Quran 2:233)

The Quran encourages spouses to live in kindness and to consult each other:

“And consult together in kindness.” (Quran 65:4)

In brief, the rights of a wife over her husband are:

(1) Mahr or bridal gift given at the time of marriage from the husband.

(2) Financially maintenance, including accommodation, food, clothing, and spend on her according to what is commonly acceptable.

(3) Good behavior and kindness.

(4) Sexual intercourse.

(5) Divorce: A wife may seek divorce from a man who insists on disobeying Allah. A wife may also seek divorce due to cruel behavior and physical abuse, or non-fulfillment of her rights, or any other valid reason.

The rights of a husband over his wife are:

(1) Obedience. A husband has right over his wife that she obeys him in what he commands her as long as it is reasonably within her abilities, and does not involve Allah’s disobedience. A Muslim cannot obey anyone in a sin, let alone a husband.

(2) Husband has a right to good behavior and kindness.

(3) Sexual intercourse.

(4) Divorce

[فداء الرسول]

An Introduction To Muslim Family (part 2 of 2)



Children’s Rights

Marital bond helps solidify a family unit in which children will be cared for and raised to become socially productive adults. Families are the proper setting in which children are cared for and raised. Parents can be counted on to provide long-term care for their dependent children because of the dual imperatives of love and obligation. Childbearing is viewed as Allah’s blessing, a ‘sign’ from Him that deserves our gratitude:

“And Allah has made wives for you from among yourselves, and has given you sons and daughters from your wives, and has provided you with good things. Will they then believe in falsehood and deny the favor of Allah?” (Quran 16:72)

Wealth and children are from the ‘adornments’ of this life:

“Wealth and children are an ornament of the life of the world.” (Quran 18:46)

Abraham, the beloved slave of God, prayed to Allah for offspring:

“My Lord, grant me (a child) from among the righteous.” (Quran 37:100)

Zechariah prayed:

“Bestow upon me, out of Your grace, the gift of a successor.” (Quran 19:5)

The Quran tells us of the prayer of the righteous:

“Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes.” (Quran 25:74)

Thus, children are the product of marriage and childbearing is a major goal of Muslim marriage. Children have certain rights over their parents. First, the child must be ascribed to the biological father. A father can not deny his child. Second, a mother should breastfeed her child. If she cannot, the father has to arrange for a wet nurse or another alternative, such as bottle feeding. Third, a baby has the right on his mother that she takes care of him. Both parents are responsible for education, religious instruction, and imparting good manners to the children. Fourth, a child has the right to be treated equitably like the other children. Fifth, the child has a right to be given a good name.

End of Marriage

Both husband and wife are encouraged to deal with each other kindly and render the rights of the other to reduce conflict and sow love and affection in each other’s heart. They should be patient with each other to preserve their marriage:

“And live with them in kindness. Then if you hate them, it may be that you dislike a thing while Allah has placed abundant good in it.” (Quran 4:19)

Marriage is meant to last a lifetime. There is no concept of temporary marriage in Islam. The basis of long, lasting marriage should be affection and compatibility between spouses without which it becomes impossible. This is why Islam encourages both spouses to be kind and flexible, and try to resolve their differences through family arbitration. Modern marriages are always at risk of disruption because of a mismatch of personalities or the social forces at work that render them fragile. In case all measures to save a marriage fail, and affection is replaced by permanent animosity making marital life impossible, Islam permits separation as a last resort. Both spouses are allowed to go their own way and find a better and happier solution. The separation can take place through talaq or khul’.

Talaq is what is commonly known as divorce. Divorce in Islam is different in some respects from civil divorce. It is of two types, revocable and irrevocable. Divorce should be pronounced one time after a woman has cleaned herself from the monthly cycle before resuming sexual relations with her. In this period he pronounces the divorce by saying once, ‘I divorce you.’ After divorce a ‘waiting period’ – Idda - is prescribed in which the husband might rethink his decision, revoke his divorce, and ‘resume’ marital relationship. Separation from his wife partner might back the better memories of married life and encourage him to reconsider. Likewise, arbitration from members of both families is also prescribed to resolve the root cause of marital conflict.

“And if you fear a breach between the two, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers; if they wish for peace.” (Quran 4:35)

Within the ‘waiting period’ the husband can resume the marriage after revoking the divorce, but after the ‘waiting period’ has passed, he loses his right to revoke the divorce requiring a new marriage contract, ‘bridal gift,’ and assent of the woman for remarriage.

Khul’

A woman has the right to ask for divorce due to mistreatment or lack of financial support and, in an Islamic system, she may resort to a Muslim judge who can separate the two. Khul’ is a woman seeking divorce from her husband in lieu of returning the ‘bridal gift’ to him.

‘Waiting Period’ - Idda

Prophet Muhammad, may Allah praise him, deemed divorce in any case to be the worst of solutions, to be avoided at almost any cost. If one must divorce, the process should be carried out over a period of time known as Idda. This is both to make sure that the woman is not pregnant and, gives the man a chance to reconsider his decision, to avoid the possibility of severing a marriage because of the anger of the moment. Idda is the period of three menstrual cycles a woman has to wait before the divorce becomes final. The idda for a widow is four months and ten days.

Idda and family arbitration are two of the mechanisms within the Islamic Law to preserve the institution of marriage

[فداء الرسول]

Marriage Advise (2)



First Things to Know


One of the most useful advice, in the opinion of this author, is that a new Muslim should take Islam one piece at a time. It is a total way of life that needs time to adjust. It can take years to leave many non-Islamic behaviors, but sticking to Islam brings happiness in this life and in the one to come. Therefore, allow yourself time to grow as a Muslim and practice what you learn.

For a new Muslim, this author would advise to wait at least a year, preferably more, before thinking about getting married. Marriage is a big decision and one must allow oneself sufficient time to grow before making such a life-changing decision. Many of your views will change after entering into Islam. Marriage will set a direction for your life and determine how you identify yourself later in life. What you may find acceptable today, may not be acceptable after a few years of being a Muslim. Instead of looking to getting married right away, spend some time to not just learn, but live Islam. You would want to marry someone with the same dedication and level of application to Islam as you. That level will fluctuate in the normative years of becoming a Muslim.

Often times, a new Muslim finds himself lonely after accepting Islam, therefore, getting married too early to seek companionship usually results in a quick divorce and bitterness. People often times forget that marriage requires financial and emotional stability.

After establishing a stable base to stand on for your new religion, you can learn the details of marriage in Islam.

Finding a Muslim Life Partner

What is the purpose of your creation? It is to worship Allah and to draw close to Him. Consequently, choose a mate who will help you fulfill your purpose of creation. Do not ignore the factors in a prospective partner that will assist you in the life to come. This way, Insha-Allah, your love will be blessed.

Consider how seriously your prospective partner tries to draw close to Allah, and not just how physically attractive he or she appears. At the same time, keep in mind that certain level of physical attraction is necessary to get married. Moreover, just because someone is trying their best to be good Muslim does not mean they are faultless or even suitable for marriage. Sufficient inquiries will have to be made.

A new Muslim enters into Islam with a lot of preconceived notions and ideas that shape their outlook on how they perceive things. Western culture promotes marriage as a commitment to one person after having dated or even lived with many, knowing that one is the “right” person. The Islamic concept is much different. For example, in Islam you typically do not “fall in love” before marriage, but after marriage. In Islam, marriage is not a result of romantic love only, which brings intense love in the beginning, followed by later disappointment. In the West, as quickly as people “fall in love,” they “fall out of love!” In the West, people imagine their “honeymoon phase” will last forever. It never does. That is why, people keep hopping from one partner to another, trying to keep up the excitement.

Islam, on the other hand, sobers us to stay together when the “honeymoon phase” ends. It gives you guidelines to sustain a healthy relationship for the rest of your life. Love is definitely part of an Islamic marriage, but not the type that is shown in movies and teen romance novels. It is not sensible to destroy your life looking for romantic love that only exists in movies and novels.

Common Sense in Marriage

1. Allah warns us,

“And do not marry unbelieving women until they believe…even though she attracts you. Nor marry believing women to unbelievers until they believe…even though he attracts you. Unbelievers invite you towards the Fire...” (Quran 2:221)

The person you will live with the rest of your life will without doubt have a great influence on you. Therefore, you should ensure you have similar goals in life. The top of those goals should be seeking Allah’s pleasure. When you meet your prospective spouse, ask questions. Just because a man looks religious, does not mean he does not smoke or prays regularly on time. Similarly, if a woman appears religious does not mean she knows how to be a good Muslim wife and mother. Ask about matters that are important to you. Do not take anything for granted. Discuss finances, children, in-laws, work or study after marriage, division of chores, in short, anything that is important to you. It will help you make a decision about whether you want to marry that person or not.

Finding out about the person before marriage is not un-Islamic. Informed decision will save you from much pain and suffering later. Moreover, offer the Istikharah prayer (the prayer of Guidance).[1]

2. Do not expect major changes in a person after marriage. People change with time, and often they do not change how we expect them to or want them to change. For example, if someone has a particular personality trait like stinginess or wastefulness, it is unlikely to change quickly and easily. Getting married with false hopes is ill-advised and risky. Do not criticize someone for their physical flaws later in life. It will ruin your marriage. Be honest with others and yourself and take responsibility for your choices. A initial choice will determine how much effort you will have to put later in your marriage to lead a happy married life pleasing to your Creator.

It is also important to think carefully before bringing a child into the couple’s life. A baby should be brought into a healthy, stable marriage. Many people end up being single parents, bringing children into a dysfunctional family where there is either no dad or no mom.

3. That two people are good Muslims does not mean they will make a good couple. Compatibility is essential. It is important to choose a spouse who views and practices Islam like you. Furthermore, religion is not the only area of compatibility. Work, continuing education, socialization, city of residence, kids, and finances are also among important areas.

4. Realize what are your rights and responsibilities as a Muslim husband or wife and fulfill them to the best of your ability.

5. Lastly, it is beneficial for newcomers to Islam to search for a role model. Follow the role model in what they do according to Islam and leave the rest.


Footnotes:
[1] For more information on Istikharah, please see: Islam Question and Answer - Istikhaarah prayer (http://islamqa.info/en/ref/11981/istikhaarah)

[فداء الرسول]

Prophet (SAW)'s Prayers

When hearing someone sneeze
Say to the one who sneezes:
يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ
"May Allah have mercy on you".
The person sneezing should then reply
يَهْدِيكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَكُمْ
"May Allah keep you on hidayat (guidance) and make proper your condition.

(Mishkat, Bukhari)
If the sneezing person is a woman, the reply is with a kasrah (zer) on the kaaf.
If the sneezing person dose not recite "Alhamdulillaah" then it is not necessary to reply but if he does say so then it is waajib reply.
If the sneezing person has flu or any other difficulty which results in repeated sneezes then it is not necessary to reply after the third time.

(Mishkat)
To regard the sneeze as a bad omen: One should not take or see anything as bad omen as it is stated as being Shirk in the hadith.

(Hisnul Hasin)

[فداء الرسول]

Surat Al-Kawthar (The Abundance) - سورة الكوثر







بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم



(http://quran.com/108#0)

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Sahih International
Indeed, We have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar.



(http://quran.com/108#0)

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Sahih International
So pray to your Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone].



(http://quran.com/108#0)

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Sahih International
Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off.

[فداء الرسول]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Sahih International
Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant?


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Sahih International
Did He not make their plan into misguidance?


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Sahih International
And He sent against them birds in flocks,

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Sahih International
Striking them with stones of hard clay,

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Sahih International
And He made them like eaten straw.

[فداء الرسول]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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Sahih International
Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?




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Sahih International
For that is the one who drives away the orphan

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Sahih International
And does not encourage the feeding of the poor.

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Sahih International
So woe to those who pray

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Sahih International
[But] who are heedless of their prayer -
107:6 (http://quran.com/107/6) to top (http://quran.com/107#0)

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Sahih International
Those who make show [of their deeds]

107:7 (http://quran.com/107/7) to top (http://quran.com/107#0)

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Sahih International
And withhold [simple] assistance.

[فداء الرسول]

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

106:1 (http://quran.com/106/1) to top (http://quran.com/106#0)

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Sahih International
For the accustomed security of the Quraysh -

106:2 (http://quran.com/106/2) to top (http://quran.com/106#0)

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Sahih International
Their accustomed security [in] the caravan of winter and summer -

106:3 (http://quran.com/106/3) to top (http://quran.com/106#0)

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Sahih International
Let them worship the Lord of this House,

106:4 (http://quran.com/106/4) to top (http://quran.com/106#0)

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Sahih International
Who has fed them, [saving them] from hunger and made them safe, [saving them] from fear.

[فداء الرسول]

Trials and Tribulations after Conversion (part 1 of 2): Allah’s mercy is embedded in the difficulties of life

Converting to Islam usually counts as one of the greatest days in a person’s life. Life takes on a rosy glow, you feel bigger, better, and stronger. You feel the tingle of extreme excitement. Many of us just want to shout out loud. Some are lucky enough to be surrounded by friends and family, others convert in the privacy of their own home or even bedroom. Still others are lost, alone or homeless. But now you are a Muslim, part of a worldwide brother or sisterhood; part of a family. For many it is might be the first time they have felt a part of anything. For a fleeting moment or for a longer prelude to a new real life, everything is perfect. Sometime later, and it is different for each of us, reality sets in.

Along with the triumphs come the trials and tribulations. Of course it is a huge step, a monumental change, for not only the person accepting Islam but also his or her friends, family and colleagues. Sometimes it might feel as though everything is happening too quickly, at other times and for others, it may seem as though you cannot learn enough quickly enough and the trials and tribulations seem to be crushing your new found happiness. A person might well ask why Allah continues to test him when he has finally seen the reality of life and embraced Allah and Islam whole heartedly. In this situation it helps to understand just why a believer is afflicted with trials and tribulations, and why along with the overwhelming joy can come sadness and unexpected troubles.

Our existence here on earth is nothing more than a transient stop on the way to our eternal abode. When one truly understands and embraces all that this fact means, it shines a different light on our trials and tribulations. Imagine if you will, being in a large international airport, in transit anxiously waiting to return home. Sometimes the time passes quickly smoothly, but at other times there are delays, cancelled flights, grumpy service staff and terrible airport food. Whatever your experience, the time still passes and eventually you make it home. When you look back on that experience it seems like a small blip in an otherwise smooth journey but at that time it was huge hassle. Life on this earth is a little bit like that. Allah has clearly mentioned that this world that we long for is nothing but a place of trials and tests and not only that, in the great scheme of life it is for a very short duration.

“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones.” (Quran 2:155)

“And this life of the world is only amusement and play! Verily, the home of the Hereafter, that is the life indeed (i.e. the eternal life that will never end), if they but knew.” (Quran 29:64)

There is wisdom behind the trials and tribulations Allah tests us with, and it is comforting to know that they are not random acts of a cruel unorganised universe. Our existence is part of a well ordered world, a world that Allah created for our enjoyment. However it is a place of more than just worldly pleasures. It is here that we fulfil our true purpose that is to worship Allah, through the good times and the bad. Thus it is important to understand that Allah does not decree for a believer anything but good. What a person perceives to be bad may in fact contain much good. Prophet Muhammad, said, “How wonderful are the affairs of the believer, for they are all good. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is also good for him.”[1]

Allah tests us with the trials and tribulations of life, and if we bear these patiently we will attain a great reward. Through changing circumstances and trying times Allah tests our level of faith and ascertains our ability to be patient and wipes away some of our sins. Allah is all-loving and all-wise and knows us better than we know ourselves. We will not attain Paradise without His mercy and His mercy is manifest in the tests and trials of this life. Allah wants to reward us with life everlasting and if pain and suffering can help achieve Paradise, then trials and tribulations are a blessing. They are not unique to the newly converted, nor are they a gauge of Allah’s pleasure or displeasure. Allah knows what each person can bear and what each person needs in order to maximise their chances of a heavenly reward.

There are many ahadith that explain the reasons why we are afflicted with trials and tribulations. Prophet Muhammad said, “If God wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.”[2] He also said, “A man will be tested according to the level of his religious commitment, and the trials will keep affecting a slave of God until he is left walking on the face of the earth with no burden of sin whatsoever.”[3]

We must accept the trials and tribulations as a part of being alive, so too the joyful moments and triumphs. From the highest highs to the lowest lows, the human condition is a blessing from Allah designed uniquely for each individual person. In the following lesson we will take inspiration from the Prophets and the sahabah and learn how they reacted in the face of great trials and tribulations.


Footnotes:
[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibn Majah

[فداء الرسول]

Trials and Tribulations after Conversion (part 2 of 2)

One of the truly comforting things about Islam is knowing that everything happens by the Decree of Allah. Not a leaf falls, or a bird sings, not a baby is born or a building erected without Allah’s knowledge and permission. Allah is the creator of the universe and the author of our lives; He is responsible for the good and the bad (as we perceive it), the times of difficulty and the times of ease. It is comforting to know with certainty that our existence is part of a well-ordered world and that life is unfolding as it should; it is a concept that brings serenity and peace.

“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones.” (Quran 2:155)

The Prophets of Allah were righteous men, filled with taqwa, yet they too were faced with trials and tribulations. They faced their trials with patience and even gratitude and we are able to learn from their experiences. They were persecuted by their own communities and suffered. Prophet Noah called his people to Allah day after day, year after year for 950 years, and every day he bore their taunts and mockery until finally he could bear no more and Allah rescued Noah and the believers not only from the rising flood waters but also from the evil of the people. Prophet Joseph was abandoned by his brothers, thrown into a well, sold into slavery and spent many many years in prison. Like Noah he never let his faith in Allah waver. Their taqwa was their shield.

As human beings we suffer with trials and tribulations often in the form of sickness, illnesses and medical conditions but none more so than Prophet Job. Shaytan destroyed Job’s possessions and then his family, but Job remained patient and continued to rely on Allah. Finally Job’s health was taken from him. He was stricken with a skin disease, was in severe pain night and day and was deserted by all who knew him except his wife, who from the mercy of Allah stayed with Job even when they were penniless. At no time did Job blame Allah, and his health, wealth and family were returned to him. A full account of Job’s story can be found here.[1]

Worshipping Allah with full submission requires patience. It is easy to worship for a few days or a few weeks, but we must be consistent. Prayer at night requires patience, fasting requires patience, and living with tribulations and trials requires patience. That is why we often hear that so and so has “the patience of Job”. Prophet Muhammad himself suffered from sickness. His beloved wife Aisha said, “I never saw anybody suffering so much from sickness as Allah’s messenger”. For a believer, suffering can be a blessing. A believer knows that Allah, in His mercy, will expiate some of his sins if he remains patient. In the Sunnah we find that Prophet Muhammad said, “No Muslim is afflicted with harm because of sickness or some other inconvenience, but that Allah will remove his sins for him as a tree sheds it’s leaves”.[2]

Amongst the Sahabah were many who were severely persecuted or even killed after becoming Muslim. The uncle of Uthman wrapped Uthman in a mat of palm leaves, and lit a fire under him. When Umm Mus‘ab heard about her son’s conversion to Islam, she refused to feed him and later expelled him from his home. The slave Bilal was severely beaten by his master when the latter heard of his conversion to Islam. Sometimes a rope was put around his neck and street boys were made to drag him through the streets and up and down the hills surrounding mecca. Sometimes he was subjected to starvation, at times was even bound and made to lie on the burning sand under the crushing burden of heavy stones. Bilal survived and has the honour of being the first person to call the Muslims to prayer; his story can also be read on here.[3]

The problems and difficulties that sometimes arise after conversion to Islam are not a gauge of a person’s character or a gauge of Allah’s pleasure or displeasure. They are an extremely important part of the test that we call the life of this world. We must bear them with patience and with gratitude knowing full well that our real lives have not yet begun. Allah alone knows the complete wisdom behind why good things happen to bad people, or why bad things happen to good people. In general, whatever causes us to turn to Allah is good and we should bear it patiently and be grateful. In times of crisis, people draw closer to Allah for He is the source of all comfort and compassion. Allah wants to reward us with life everlasting and if pain and suffering can lead us to Paradise, then trials and tribulations are a blessing. Prophet Muhammad said, “If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.”[4]


Footnotes:
[1] (The Story of Prophet Job - The Religion of Islam (http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/2721/))
[2] Saheeh Al-Bukhari
[3] (Bilal Ibn Rabah (All parts) - The Religion of Islam (http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/4722/viewall/))
[4] Saheeh Al-Bukhari