In a radio talk show discussing Islam recently, the presenter asked me: "So what is the main role of a woman in Islam?" He almost certainly thought I'd say, "to procreate" or "to look after her family". I explained to him that the primary role of a woman in Islam, (which is the primary role of a man too), is to recognise, worship and obey her Creator: Allah, without any partners.
Allah tells us the purpose of our creation unequivocally in the Qur'an:
و ما خَلقتُ الْجِنَّ والإنسَ إلا لِيَعْبُدون.
"And I did not create the Jinn or Mankind, except to worship Me" (Surah 51, Aayah 56)
As Muslim women, we find ourselves juggling many roles, all facets of what a complete Muslimah should be: studying, working or raising and educating our children and homemaking. If we do all of those things with the purpose of our lives in mind, if we do them to please Allah, they too become 'Ibaadaat or Acts of Worship!
But we know that in the daily grind of our lives we can become so embroiled in the life of this world that it becomes difficult to tear ourselves away and remind ourselves of Allah. This heedlessness can lead to a kind of disconnect, which causes feelings of being overwhelmed and can even lead to depression.
So what's the cure?
Allah tells us in the Qur'an: ألا بِذكر اللهِ تطمئنّ القلوب "It is only with the remembrance of Allah that the hearts feel tranquil." (Surah 13, Aayah 28)
The cure is to re-acquaint yourself with Allah, to mention Him often, to re-acquaint yourself with His Oneness, his Tawheed and thus re-acquaint yourself with the purpose of your life.
The Oneness of Allah – Tawheed
Tawheed is an Arabic word, which literally means: "unification" (making something one) or "asserting oneness". It comes from the Arabic verb 'wahhada', which means to unite, unify or consolidate. In the Deen, when used in reference to Allah, Tawheed means the realizing and maintaining of Allah's unity in all of man's actions, which directly or indirectly relate to Him. It is to believe that Allah is One, without any partners in His dominion and His actions (Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah), that He is One, without similitude in His names and attributes (Tawheed ul-Asmaa' was-Sifaat) and that He is One without partners in His divinity and in worship (Tawheed ul-'Uloohiyyah or Tawheed ul-'Ibaadah).
These three aspects make the basis for the categories into which the Science of Tawheed has traditionally been divided. The three are inseparable and overlap each other and so missing out even one of these aspects means that the requirements of Tawheed have not been fulfilled. In other words to miss out any of the aspects of Tawheed mentioned above is tantamount to 'shirk' (which literally means 'sharing') which is associating partners with Allah or idolatry.
It became necessary for the scholars of Islam to systematically categorise the principles of Tawheed in this way, which they did by taking them from the Qur'an, Sunnah and statements of the Sahabah. As Islam spread to far-away lands and people embraced it, many of them brought aspects of their previous beliefs with them and began expressing them in writing and discussions, which was beginning to cause confusion and the pure and simple belief in Allah's Oneness was under threat. Some people were secretly working to destroy Islam because they couldn't oppose it militarily. They professed to have embraced Islam, but began spreading distorted ideas about Allah among the masses to try and tear down the first pillar of Eemaan (faith) and through that, tear down Islam itself. The job of opposing these distortions fell on the shoulders of the Muslim scholars of that time who systematically opposed the various alien philosophies and creeds by categorizing them and refuting them with principles taken from the Qur'an and the Sunnah. It was to defend Islam that the science of Tawheed appeared with its precisely defined categories and components.
Let's look at the three areas of Tawheed a little closer:
The Oneness of Allah in his Lordship (Tawheed-ur-Ruboobiyah)
This means we must single Allah out as the One who created us and created the Universe we see around us. He caused all things to exist when there was nothing and He sustains and maintains the Creation without any need from it or for it. He is the sole Lord and Sovereign of the universe and its inhabitants. The word in Arabic to describe this Creator-Sustainer quality is Ruboobiyah which comes from the word Rabb (Lord). Allah is the only real power in existence, it is He who gave all things the power to move and to change. Allah alone controls the universe and allows things to happen. He is Al-Malik (The Owner of the universe). Hence nothing happens in creation except what He allows to happen.
"And no calamity strikes except with the permission of Allah" (Surah 64, Aayah 11)
The Prophet Muhammed (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) further explained this concept of Allah's control over the universe by saying:
"Be aware that if the whole of mankind gathered together in order to do something to help you they would only be able to do something for you which Allah had already written for you. Likewise, if the whole of mankind gathered together to harm you, they would only be able to do something to harm you which Allah had already written was to happen to you". (at-Tirmidhi)
It is Allah who provides us with our food, shelter, clothing, families and friends. It is Allah who sends down His rain from the skies and sustains us.
"Allah created all things and He is the agent upon which all things depend" (Surah 39, Aayah 62)
Unfortunately today we find people relying on all sorts of good-luck charms: rabbit's feet, four-leaf clovers, wishbones, lucky numbers, astrological signs, etc., or by omens of bad luck like Friday the thirteenth, breaking mirrors, black cats, etc. They believe these things will bring them good fortune and protect them from evil, instead of relying on Allah, who is the only One who has control over all that happens. These practices have absolutely no basis in Islam, in fact the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) warned us by saying:
"Whosoever brings something new into Islam, something which does not belong to it, will have it rejected". (Bukhari)
Believing in these things is a direct violation of Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah and is an act of Shirk, because by depending on these things a person is denying that Allah alone has the power over the universe and controls it. The Qur'anic chapters, an-Naas and al-Falaq, were revealed specifically for exorcism (that is, for removing evil spells). On an occasion when a spell had been cast on him, the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) told 'Alee ibn Abi Talib to recite the two chapters and when he became ill he used to recite them on himself. (Bukhari & Muslim). He did not write them down and hang them around his neck, tie them on his arm or around his waist, nor did he tell others to do so.
The Oneness of Allah in his names and attributes (Tawheed al-Asmaa' was-Sifaat)
Allah says in the Qur'an: "Allah there is no god but He. To Him belong the most beautiful names" (Surah 20, Aayah 8)
Learning about the names and attributes of Allah and calling Him by them in our supplications can bring us closer to Allah. Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat means that we must maintain the unity of Allah's names and attributes by observing the following:
We must refer to Allah as He and the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) have described Him, without explaining away His names and attributes by twisting their meanings. For example, Allah tells us in the Qur'an that He gets angry with the disbelievers and the hypocrites (Surah 48, Aayah 6). So we must accept that anger is an attribute of His, with the qualification that His anger is not like human anger and is in a manner that befits His Majesty. Some people try to explain away its meaning by saying 'anger is a human weakness and does not befit Allah, so 'anger' must mean 'punishment' when attributed to Allah'. That is incorrect. We must accept Allah's attributes as He has stated them. The similarity between Allah's attributes and human ones is only in name and not in degree. When we refer to Allah with any of His attributes, they are to be taken in the absolute sense, without any deficiencies.
We must not give Allah any new names or attributes. For example, We can't give Allah the name al-Ghaadib (the Angry one), even though He has said that He gets angry, because neither Allah nor His Messenger have used this name. This is to prevent false descriptions of Allah.
We should not give Allah attributes of His creation. Attributes such as sleepiness, or regret are human weaknesses or needs, which are not attributes of Allah. The principle to follow when dealing with Allah's attributes is the Qur'anic formula, "There is nothing like Him and He is hearer and seer of all." (Surah 42, Aayah 11) So we say that Allah has the attributes of hearing and seeing, but they are in a way that befits His Majesty, not like our hearing and sight. What we know about the Creator is only what little He has revealed to us through His prophets. We are obliged to stay within these narrow limits because if we were to use our intellects without limit, to describe God, we would attribute false things to Him.
Humans should not be given the attributes of Allah. To say that a human being has divine attributes like absolute infallibility, knowledge of the past, the future and the unseen, the ability to change destiny and control the creation is to set up rivals who share God's unique attributes and who, become gods besides Allah.
The Oneness of Allah in his Worship (Tawheed al-'Ibaadah)
Tawheed al-'Ibadah is maintaining the unity of Allah's worship. In other words, we must direct all forms of worship only to Allah because He alone deserves worship, and He alone can grant us any benefit.
Worship must be directed only to Allah The pagan Makkans knew that Allah was their creator, sustainer, Lord and Master, as Allah tells us in the Qur'an: "If you asked them who created them, they would surely say, 'Allah' (Surah 43, Aayah 87)
In spite of the Makkans' confessions of Tawheed and their knowledge of Allah, Allah classified them as disbelievers (Kuffaar) and idolaters (Mushrikoon) because they worshipped other gods along with Allah. When the Makkans were questioned about directing their prayers to their idols, they answered, "We only worship them so that they may bring us closer to Allah."(Surah 39, Aayah 3) The idols were only used as intermediaries yet Allah called them idolaters for their practice. The fact is that there is no need for any form of intercessor or intermediary between us and Allah. Allah made directing worship to Him alone (Tawhid al-'Ibaadah) the main purpose of our creation and the essence of the message brought by all the prophets. That is why the gravest sin is to worship others instead of Allah or along with Allah (Shirk). In Suratul-Faatihah, which we recite every day in our Salaah, we say, "You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help". So if someone prays to the dead seeking their influence on the lives of the living, they have associated a partner with Allah, because worship is being shared between Allah and His creation. The Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said, in no uncertain terms, "Prayer (du'aa) is worship." And, Allah, Most Great and Glorious, said: "Those on whom you call besides Allah are only slaves like yourselves."(Surah 7, Aayah 194) So to pray to the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) or to deceased saints or to the jinn asking for help or asking them to request help from Allah is an act of Shirk. Worship ('Ibadah) in the Islamic view, includes more than just fasting, paying Zakaah, Hajj and animal sacrifices. It includes emotions like love, trust, and fear of Allah, all of which have degrees, which should only be directed to Allah. Allah has addressed these emotions and warned against excesses in them as follows: "There are among men those who take (for worship) others besides Allah as equals to Him. They love them as they should only love Allah. But those who believe have a much greater love of Allah...' (Surah 2, Aayah 165) "Do you fear them? Allah has more right to be feared if you are truly believers."(Surah 9, Aayah 13) "Put your trust in Allah if you are truly believers."( Surah 5, Aayah 23)
Allah is the Lawgiver and must be obeyed The term 'Ibaadah means total obedience and Allah is the ultimate Lawgiver, the implementation of secular legal systems not based on (Shari'ah) is an act of disbelief in the divine law and to believe that these systems are better or correct in place of Allah's laws constitutes a form of worshipping other than Allah (Shirk). Allah said in the Qur'an: "Those who do not rule by what Allah has revealed are disbelievers (Kaafiroon). "(Surah 5, Aayah 44) On one occasion, the Prophet's companion 'Adee ibn Haatim, who was a convert from Christianity, heard the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) recite the Qur'anic verse, "They have taken their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah," [ii](Surah 9, Aayah 31) so he said: 'Surely we did not worship them,' The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) turned to him and said 'Did they not make forbidden (Haraam) what Allah had made allowable (Halaal), and you all made it Haraam, and did they not make Halaal what Allah made Haraam and you all made it Halaal?' He replied, 'We certainly did.' The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) then said, 'That was your worship of them."(at-Tirmidhee)
The Path to Reviving the Ummah
When we look at the problems the Muslim Ummah is facing, we have to reflect on the fact that many Muslims are involved in what Islam would categorize as types if Shirk and Kufr. There are Muslims who call on (make du'a to) people who have passed away to help them and intercede for them. There are Muslims who give some of Allah's attributes to saints and pious people; there are Muslims who put their trust upon amulets and good-luck charms. How do we expect Allah to help us when so many of us do not fulfil His Right of being recognised as the only one who has power and dominion, the only one with the greatest Names and Attributes and the only one who deserves to be worshipped? So let us all correct ourselves and with patience and da'wah, call everyone around us to correct their relationship with Allah, so that once the most fundamental quality of a Muslim is fulfilled, then and only then, can he or she start to fulfil all of their other duties as Muslims…it is the only way to bring the Ummah back to the position that Allah promised it:
"Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds, that He will surely grant them succession upon the earth, just as He granted it to those before them, and that He will establish for them their religion which he has preferred for them and that He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their state of fear, (provided) they worship Me, not associating anything in worship with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that – then those are the defiantly disobedient." (Surah 24, Aayah 55) _________________________________________ [i] Sunan Abu Dawud, vol.1, p.387, no.1474 [ii] Soorah, 9, Aayah 31
posted
Mashaa Allah Excellent post. May Allah Azza wa Jal reward you for your intentions and may Allah allow us to ALL have pure intention with iklhas (sincerity) seeking only the pleasure of Allah Tabaraka Ta'ala.
When our intentions are pure and only for Allah Jal Jalahu sakes then NO-ONE can come and destroy our efforts, for we have done it not for wordly pleasures, or to seek the pleasure of our fellow human-beings but rather we have done it wholely and soley for the pleasure of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.
The Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wassalaam said (translated): "Rewards are based upon intentions, and everyone will be rewarded based upon his (her) intention..." Bukhari
This deen is a deen of tawheed and let us continue to learn the deedn and spread the messeage of this deen to those whom we come in contact with. You must first save yourself, then your family and then other (if you can).
Sister (and ALL other Muslims)continue to post authentic information and articles like this to show the people here the real Al-Islaam, we all have many faults, but that does not mean that we can't try to correct ourselves and our actions. We can't change what happen 5 minutes ago, but we can affect the future in a positive way.
Remember when the shaytan tries to remind you about your sins (to make you give up on yourself), Remind him about his destination i.e. the Hell-fire..He can not change his destination..however, you and I can affect and change ours, walhamdulillah.
Posts: 2342 | From: Its not where I'm from but where Im going | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic