Prayers in the Quran

 

Prayers from the Quran

Imploring God and asking His Forgiveness and Mercy is one of traits of the believers (4:106, 11:90…).  Supplication to God is a form of worship (40:60). God is the only one who can answer our prayers, and can help us.

[2:186] When My servants ask you about Me, I am always near. I answer their prayers when they pray to Me. The people shall respond to Me and believe in Me, in order to be guided.

There are many beautiful prayers in the Quran that we can reflect on and use them as a guide for our supplication to God. We list some of them below, starting with the The Key (al-Fâtehah).

[1:1-7] In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe.
Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Master of the Day of Judgment.
You alone we worship; You alone we ask for help.
Guide us in the right path:
the path of those whom You blessed; not of those who have deserved wrath, nor of the strayers.

[2:128] “Our Lord, make us submitters to You, and from our descendants let there be a community of submitters to You. Redeem us. You are the Redeemer, Most Merciful.

[2:201] “Our Lord, grant us righteousness in this world, and righteousness in the Hereafter, and spare us the retribution of Hell.”

[2:250] “Our Lord, grant us steadfastness, strengthen our foothold, and support us against the disbelieving people.”

[2:285] Forgive us, our Lord. To You is the ultimate destiny.”

[2:286] “Our Lord, do not condemn us if we forget or make mistakes. Our Lord, and protect us from blaspheming against You, like those before us have done. Our Lord, protect us from sinning until it becomes too late for us to repent. Pardon us and forgive us. You are our Lord and Master. Grant us victory over the disbelieving people.”

[3:8] “Our Lord, let not our hearts waver, now that You have guided us. Shower us with Your mercy; You are the Grantor.

[3:16] They say, “Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us our sins, and spare us the agony of the hellfire.”

[3:53] “Our Lord, we have believed in what You have sent down, and we have followed the messenger; count us among the witnesses.”

[3:147] “Our Lord, forgive us our sins, and our transgressions, strengthen our foothold, and grant us victory over the disbelievers.”

[3:191] They remember GOD while standing, sitting, and on their sides, and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth: “Our Lord, You did not create all this in vain. Be You glorified. Save us from the retribution of Hell.

[3:193] “Our Lord, we have heard a caller calling to faith and proclaiming: `You shall believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord, forgive us our transgressions, remit our sins, and let us die as righteous believers.

[3:194] “Our Lord, shower us with the blessings you promised us through Your messengers, and do not forsake us on the Day of Resurrection. You never break a promise.”

[4:75]  Why should you not fight in the cause of GOD when weak men, women, and children are imploring: “Our Lord, deliver us from this community whose people are oppressive, and be You our Lord and Master.”

[5:83] “Our Lord, we have believed, so count us among the witnesses.

[7:23] “Our Lord, we have wronged our souls, and unless You forgive us and have mercy on us, we will be losers.”

[7:89] “We would be blaspheming against GOD if we reverted to your religion after GOD has saved us from it. How could we revert back to it against the will of GOD our Lord? Our Lord’s knowledge encompasses all things. We have put our trust in GOD. Our Lord, grant us a decisive victory over our people. You are the best supporter.”

[7:126] “Our Lord, grant us steadfastness, and let us die as submitters.”

[7:155-156] You are our Lord and Master, so forgive us, shower us with Your mercy; You are the best Forgiver. “And decree for us righteousness in this world, and in the Hereafter.

[14:35] “My Lord, make this a peaceful land, and protect me and my children from worshipping idols.

[14:40-41] “My Lord, make me one who consistently observes the Contact Prayers (Salat), and also my children. Our Lord, please answer my prayers. My Lord, forgive me and my parents, and the believers, on the day when the reckoning takes place.”

[17:24] “My Lord, have mercy on my parents, for they have raised me from infancy.”

[17:80] “My Lord, admit me an honorable admittance, and let me depart an honorable departure, and grant me from You a powerful support.”

[18:10] “Our Lord, shower us with Your mercy, and bless our affairs with Your guidance.”

[23:94] “My Lord, let me not be one of the transgressing people.”

[23:109] `Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and shower us with mercy. Of all the merciful ones, You are the Most Merciful.’

[25:65] “Our Lord, spare us the agony of Hell; its retribution is horrendous.

[25:74] “Our Lord, let our spouses and children be a source of joy for us, and keep us in the forefront of the righteous.”

[26:83] “My Lord, grant me wisdom, and include me with the righteous.

[26:87] “And do not forsake me on the Day of Resurrection.”

[40:7-9] “Our Lord, Your mercy and Your knowledge encompass all things. Forgive those who repent and follow Your path, and spare them the retribution of Hell. “Our Lord, and admit them into the gardens of Eden that You promised for them and for the righteous among their parents, spouses, and children. You are the Almighty, Most Wise. “And protect them from falling in sin."

Giving Charity...Doing what is needed

I am  not sure why but lately its been placed upon my heart to do more for the poor and needy. I strive to look for opportunities to give or perform Zakat(charity) to those I come across in my daily endeavors. I give charity everyday at work since im caring for those who cant take care of themselves but regardless it has been placed upon my heart to possibly start a soup kitchen or some sort of mission towards feeding those who are hungry and homeless. I see commericals all the time on TV that speak of 1 in 4 children who go hungry from lack of nutritious food or lack of food period. Growing up I was one of those hungry children and so I can relate to what it feels like not having enough to eat or eating healthy food. I am not sure what GOD wants me to do but I am assuming its along the lines of feeding the poor and needy. I always had the thought of starting a women and children only soup kitchen or a women and children only homeless shelter. I also have thought about starting an orphanage or a foster group home for young children who no longer have parents or been abandoned. I know that I cant save the world and that I cant resolve every world social problem but I can do something to make a difference but I am not sure what it is exactly just yet but the urge and imprint on my heart seems to get bigger and sometimes I catch myself planning it all out but InshaAllah God will continue to guide me towards what he wants me to do and the purpose of these thoughts on my heart.

Baking

I love to bake.. I have spent hundreds and possibly even thousands on dollars on cookbooks and manuals on baking. The smell of fresh baked bread or the smell of brownies baking in the oven just bring a sense and scent of happiness in the home. I love to roll and knead dough and mold the dough into works of art. Baking homemade cakes and pies seem to bring smiles from my family. Im such a pathetic domestic case. I love everything that being a wife and a homemaker mean. I actually love the kitchen and the kitchen is my favorite place to spend time at home. Today as I tend to my 5 year old cousin who is here til later tonight I decided to bake some brownies and since wednesdays seem to be baking day at my house since my aunt also likes to bake a cake or something on wednesdays I have noticed and decided today was a good day for some cheer me up brownies.  

Striving for Paradise

Worshipping God and striving for paradise... thats what its alll about isn't it?? Enduring until the end in faith and good works seasoned with patience. Sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with doing the right thing and being a virtous righteous woman that sometimes I wonder how my life would be if I was not blessed with the truth ( God forgive me for that but I have to be honest). I know that I am very blessed and I recieve many blessings and testimonies of islam and the quran in doing the righteous things that I do but sometimes I just feel burnt out. Living back at home with my family doesnt always help me out either... there mormon and im muslim.. talk about polarity. I dont regret knowing the truth and I know that I have a purpose in knowing this truth but it gets lonely at times along with extra doses of christian preaching from my family. I have to remind myself that my end goal is to be granted into paradise and that if I stay faithful that I will be in gardens of bliss in the hereafter. I imagine Paradise something like the picture all lush and green and nature and almost "angelic"... Something like the Garden of Eden.. I wonder sometimes if the Garden of Eden was/is paradise. Definately worth striving for I think and so as a reminder to myself and also to those reading.... Stay on the straight path and endure to the end worshipping God all along the way for the rewards of the hereafter are paradise.

Can we fast and pray during our periods

Yes, absolutely. Nowhere in the Quran does it say that women cannot fast, pray, or worship in any other way during their menstruation. This is an innovation. We have to know that any rule telling us NOT to worship God under this or the other circumstance must be from Satan, not from God.
The verse they base this false idea about women not being able to pray or fast during menstruation is 2:222. They claim that it says that women are unclean during menstruation, and therefore cannot be allowed to pray. Let us read this verse carefully, as God tells us to (4:82), to determine if this is really what it says.

[2:222] They ask you about menstruation: say, "It is harmful; you shall avoid sexual intercourse with the women during menstruation; do not approach them until they are rid of it. Once they are rid of it, you may have intercourse with them in the manner designed by GOD. GOD loves the repenters, and He loves those who are clean."

As we see this verse is not even addressed to women. It is addressed to men. If it were to prohibit women from praying during menstruation it would have been addressed to women. This verse does not prohibit women from observing the religious duties during menstruation, but only restricts sexual intercourse during such times. The first part of this verse teaches us that it's harmful to have sexual relations during menstruation. If you ask any doctor, Muslim or not, about having intercourse during this period, he or she will tell you that it's harmful for both the man and the woman. Now let's look at the second part of this verse, which deals with the period after "they are rid of it." Then we are told, the men may have intercourse with the women "in the manner designed by God." Would God need to tell us about "the manner designed by God," if there was no other manner by which to have intercourse? No. There is another way, which is not approved by God. This is why the verse ends by saying that God "loves those who are clean."
If we haven't gotten the point by now, the next verse is quick to remind us which manner is approved. It starts by saying, "Your women are the bearers of your seed." There is only one way that a woman can bear the man’s seed. The verse continues again to remind the men that they may enjoy this privilege "as long as they maintain righteousness."

[2:223] Your women are the bearers of your seed. Thus, you may enjoy this privilege however you like, so long as you maintain righteousness. You shall observe GOD, and know that you will meet Him. Give good news to the believers.

The only circumstances that make us unclean in the eyes of God, when it comes to performing the prayers are mentioned in 5:6 and 4:43. In none of these verses does it say that menstruation is one of these circumstances. All we have to do to clean ourselves for Salat, is to perform the Wudu. However there is an incorrect understanding that menstruation nullifies ablution. But this again does not have any support in Quran. Let us study the two verses in Quran that tell us what nullifies ablution - 4:43 and 5:6.

What Nullifies Ablution

[4:43] O you who believe, do not observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) while intoxicated, so that you know what you are saying. Nor after sexual orgasm without bathing, unless you are on the road, traveling; if you are ill or traveling, or you had urinary or fecal-related excretion (such as gas), or contacted the women (sexually), and you cannot find water, you shall observe Tayammum (dry ablution) by touching clean dry soil, then wiping your faces and hands therewith. GOD is Pardoner, Forgiver.

[5:6] O you who believe, when you observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), you shall: (1) wash your faces, (2) wash your arms to the elbows, (3) wipe your heads, and (4) wash your feet to the ankles. If you were unclean due to sexual orgasm, you shall bathe. If you are ill, or traveling, or had any digestive excretion (urinary, fecal, or gas), or had (sexual) contact with the women, and you cannot find water, you shall observe the dry ablution (Tayammum) by touching clean dry soil, then rubbing your faces and hands. GOD does not wish to make the religion difficult for you; He wishes to cleanse you and to perfect His blessing upon you, that you may be appreciative.

Please note these verses are applicable to both men and women (it begins with “O you who believe,”), implying that both men and women have to just perform ablution for observing the Contact Prayers. We also learn from the above verses that to nullify ablution the excretion should be both fecal related and digestive. Accordingly, menstruation does not nullify ablution.
We must ask ourselves why can't we accept that women could observe her religious duties of praying or fasting, etc during menstruation. Is it God's laws that impose such prohibitions? Or is it a baseless prohibition instituted by religious scholars, erroneous religious laws inherited from our ancestors that has no Quranic back-up, etc. The answer we get will never have God's support. Women's menstruation is by God's design. Why should women be restricted from worshipping God during times which is exactly as designed by Him, for which she has no control?
May God guide us in His path.

Need Salat

Its been a bit hectic here in my world. My cousin Rob has really had a rough year this year so far and there were complications with his wife and daughter.They delivered chloe on wed in an emergency c-section 2 months prematurely. She crashed a few times and then they life flighted her little body to primary childrens hospital. They figured out she has an e-coli infection and they now have her stable and reduced her oxygen levels which means she is on the path to getting better. Laci the mother on the other hand has had a spiked fever and there having problems keeping her fever down. Its a bit hectic and nerve racking here since we all dont know what to really do or how to act or handle the situation. Please keep my family in your salat and dua's for there speedy recovery. All this stress has put a strain on my aunt and has her multiple sclerosis flaring up like crazy.  I have to give kudos and appreciation to the doctors and nurses at primary childrens hospital as well as the life flight teams for intermountain healthcare since they were so proffessional and competent and were on top on the ball during the most crucial moments. It will all work out according to Gods will but I am a human and I feel pain and sorrow for my family members during this trying time.

Womens dress~code in the Quran

The following is an attempt to shed light on the misconceptions regarding the dress code of women in Islam, many of which find root in the vocabulary used in the verses themselves. The meaning of the words put to use in the Quran has been effectively manipulated in order to contort the true meaning of God’s words and justify the practices of Islamic tradition.
Over the expanse of many years, numerous people with extensive backgrounds in the Arabic language have contributed to the explanations that have been collected and, finally, presented here. Therefore, the formulation of these definitions cannot be solely credited to me.
God has given us three basic rules regarding the dress code of women:
(1) the best garment is the garment of righteousness,
(2) whenever we dress, we should cover our chest (bosoms), and
(3) to lengthen our garment.
While these three simple rules may not be adequate for those who do not trust the wisdom of God’s words, the true believers know that God’s decree is absolutely enough.
Though it is within God’s full power to provide mankind with more rules regarding dress code (even to the point of graphs, designs or defining color limitations), He instead lends humanity simple terms for guidance and leaves the rest for us to decide. And ingeniously enough, these three guidelines are perfectly sufficient in giving every woman an awareness of proper decorum while protecting her right to choose her dress freely. Any addition to these basic Quranic rules may be viewed as a blatant attempt to correct God or improve on His merciful design.
Despite this, translators have deliberately added their own corrupted opinions in the verse that are based on the man-made books of Hadith and Sunna. In all likelihood, elements of their conclusions have also been derived from the traditional dress of Arab women in the days of Muhammad. As a result, these interpretations of the Quran totally differ from God’s commandments.
Yet, the greatest degree of controversy surrounds a select number of words. I will address those presently, and then continue to explain other terms prey to misinterpretation.

Misinterpreted Arabic Words In Verses Which Deals With Women Dress Code

“And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, other women, the male servants or employees whose sexual drive has been nullified, or the children who have not reached puberty. They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to God, O you believers, that you may succeed.” 24:31

Verses 24:31 and 33:59 teach us what we need to know: If you look at the Arabic word Yudnina (which means lengthening), Alaihinna (which means on their / over their), Min- jaloabiibhinna (which means dress or garment), these are the only terms used in that verse to specify the teachings of our dress code. And even more notably, Arabic words describing head, hair, eyes or veil are nowhere to be found.

Khimar / khomoorehenna

The traditional meaning has always been a cover, NOT a head cover; however, the latest innovation in translation defines it as head cover. Khimar was intentionally MADE to mean “head cover” by scholars who wished to enforce their personal understandings which, ironically, contradict God in the Quran. They passed this corrupted meaning to one another, including the scholars who re-wrote the Arabic dictionaries.
The word “khimar” comes from the root word khamara which means “to cover,” so anything that covers anything is a khimar. Wine in Arabic is called “khamra”, because it covers the brain and makes one lose his or her ability to think correctly. A curtain is a khimar because it covers a window, a tablecloth is a khimar because it covers a table, a dress is a khimar because it covers the body (any dress is considered a khimar; khimar is not limited to a head cover). A blanket can be used as a khimar, a shawl is a khimar, etc. Most of the translators, influenced by Hadith translate the word as VEIL and thus mislead most people to believe that this verse is advocating the covering of the head.
In 24:31 God is asking the women to use their cover ‘khimar’ (being a dress, a coat, a shawl, a shirt, a blouse, a scarf etc.) to cover their chest / bosoms, not their heads or their hair. If God so willed to order the women to cover their heads or their hair, nothing would have prevented Him from doing so, but God did not order the women to cover their heads or their hair.
The Arabic word for chest, “jaib” is in the verse (24:31), but the Arabic words for head, “raas” or hair, “shaar” are NOT in the verse.
The last part of the verse (24:31) translates as, “They shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies.” The details of the body can be revealed or not revealed by the dress you wear, not by your head cover.
Notice also the expression in 24:31, “They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary.”
This expression may sound confusing to many, simply because they have yet to understand the mercy of God. Again, God uses an extremely general term to give people the freedom to decide upon proper definitions of “what is necessary” in accordance with their own circumstances, respectively.
It is not up to a scholar or any particular person to define this term. Instead, God places an intentional ambiguity in the verse’s terminology in order to grant each woman a proper choice and judgment regarding her personal mode of dress. Women who act righteously will have no problem making the right decision in revealing only that “which is necessary.”

Zeenatahunna

The word “zeenatahunna” in 24:31 refers to female body parts (beauty) that can be accentuated with the exaggerated movement of the body while walking, NOT the artificial ornaments and decorations which some translators would claim the term refers to. At the end of the verse, God told the women not to strike their feet to show their “zeenatahunna.”
Striking the feet while walking can emphasize or shake certain parts of the body that do not need to be frivolously brought to attention. It is important to remember that though walking with exaggerated steps may entice targeted attention to certain curves of the body, the act does not augment the sexual appeal of the head, hair or face. They remain constant despite any unflattering movement and are not part of what God calls in this verse the hidden zeena. Furthermore, the Arabic words put to use in either verse have nothing to do with the hair, head, eyes or make-up.
In fact, there are two words in 33:59 that have been corrupted:
Regardless of the activity, the dress code described in the Quran is mandatory at all times. So whether you are at work, in the market, praying at home or at the mosque, the same commandment holds for all occasions. The veil, however, is not required in performing any Islamic ritual irrespective of time and place.
Yet, the Quran specifically recommends that one dress nicely when attending the Mosque in 7:31. There is no specific command concerning mode of dress while observing the contact prayer, however.
Traditional Muslims challenge these commands by forcing their women to cover their bodies form head to toe, just short of preventing them the ability to breathe. But if this were truly an Islamic ordinance, what need would there be for God to markedly tell women to “cover their beauty”? God could have just as simply ordered women to cover themselves from top to bottom. By incorrectly citing the word “beauty” in the verse, scholars expose the liberties that they take in skewing the true meaning of the Quran by lending their false translations to faulty logic. For by their account, it may be argued that unattractive and elderly women are to be exempt to from veiling themselves on grounds of the absence of beauty in such women. 24:31 teaches us what we need to know; there are only three words in the verse to specify female dress code.

Gilbab

This term is commonly translated as “cloth” but a blatant corruption is present in this interpretation. Cloth is only one kind of gilbab. A dress, a shirt, a skirt, a night gown, a coat —in short—any general piece of cloth may be classified as a gilbab. The meaning of the term disavows any link to gender as well; man or woman may wear a gilbab. To lead others to believe that the word carried any other meaning, unbound or restricted, is a conspiracy among the corrupters to dupe the innocent into a false opinion of the truth.
Min jaloabiibhinna talks about dress or garment in general. The key word is Yudinana. Before any explanation of this term, however, it is necessary to discuss the word “ala.”

Ala

The word ala in this verse takes on the meaning “to cover;” this becomes evident due to the particular spelling of the word, with the Arabic letter ain. In a common variation of the word, ala is spelled with the letter alif, which alters the definition of the term to mean “till.”
So, God is asking the women to use what ever garment it is to cover their chest. God is not saying to use a garment that covers you from top to chest.

Yudinana

This word originates from the term “Dana” which means “to draw near.” It can be easily understood to mean “draw near to the ground” (i.e. lengthen), but the precise measurement of length is nowhere implied. Such details are left to the individual to decide. Corruptors attempt to translate yudinana as grabbing your cloth and throwing it on top of yourself.
The Arabic words yudnina (lengthening), alaihinna (on their/over their), and min jaloabiibhinna (dress or garment), are the only terms used in the verse to specify the teachings of our dress code. In no place does one find any Arabic word describing the head, hair, eyes or veil for that matter.
In another verse relating to female dress code, interpretations of “lengthening one’s garment” fall into controversy. The failure of the clerics in providing the true meaning behind the word in the Quran, remains a chief factor in the discrepancy.

Conclusions

“O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers that they shall LENGTHEN their garments. Thus, they will be recognized and avoid being insulted. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.” (33:59)

Covering the chests with an independent piece of cloth is also veiling the bosom. Traditional Muslim women have innovated a style of dressing to cover the head without basis from Quran, namely the veil. Even though it is wrong to claim that as an Islamic dress, it is wrong even still to merge one into the other and claim that the head veil they wear must be extended to cover the bosom.
In 33:59, God sets the other regulation for the dress code for the Muslim women during the prophet’s life. In this verse, God said to the prophet to tell the women to lengthen their garments, and never said how long is the length. God could have said tell them to lengthen their garments to their ankles or to their mid-calf or to their knees, but GOD DID NOT. God knows that we will be living in different communities and have different cultures and insists that the minor details of this dress code will be left for the people of every community.
For any person, knowledgeable or not, drawing a line and making conclusions for God about the definition of modesty is merely to admit that he or she presumes to know better than God. God left it open for us (providing that they follow the three basic rules) and no one has the authority to restrict it. Additionally, the right mind can tell which attire is fitting enough to avoid insult. Only men harboring unclean perceptions of women will maintain their crude thoughts. While God commands “the believing men and women to subdue their eyes and maintain their chastity.”
Thus, the traditional Hijab is added by Sunnah, and it’s not detailed in the Quran. This make Sunnah a scripture ranked with the Quran. During the Prophet’s time, he followed only the Quran. By putting together the commands for women to dress as God intends them to, in addition to the instruction to look upon women with modesty and respect, there will be no problems afoot – God willing.

Article by sister Laleh

ARY ZAUQ TV ~ ZAIQA TV

Ok so I must admit I love that I found a website to watch all the active tv channels in the world and even though I cant understand much of what they say on the channel I love to watch ARY ZAUQ TV and also ZAIQA TV which are cooking channels from Pakistan. I included links to those channels if you want to check it out for yourselves.
http://freetvall.com/video/51MKY1AXGDWX/ARY-Zauq-Tv

http://freetvall.com/video/M8G89UMM9GY5/Zaiqa-TV

Water... A Precious Gift

I recently visited the wettest place on earth. It’s a city called Cherrapunji in India. We were all surprised to see how barren and dry it looked. Could this really be the wettest place on earth? Were we in the right place? Well, it was and we were. In a online site called extremescience.com, I read: “It’s ironic that the wettest place in the world manages to thirst for water each winter when no rain falls at all for months at a time…. People who live there frequently have to travel on foot for several kilometers to bathe and get drinking water.”
This is an area that receives perhaps 1200 centimeters (nearly 500 inches) of rain per year. But there are a couple of problems. First, they receive almost all of it during the monsoon season of about 4 to 6 months. So it pours heavily almost constantly. And secondly, the people have decimated the forests of the region so there’s nothing to hold in the moisture. As a result, it flows freely down the mountain sides in lovely waterfalls, making the valley below very lush and green, but leaving nothing behind on the hilltop.
Water is a gift from God, a very precious gift. We are all created from water (24:45, 25:54). Our bodies are over 70% water. We need water to survive—to grow our crops, to keep clean, to quench our thirst. And the water comes only from God.

[27:60] Who is the One who created the heavens and the earth? Who is the One who sends down to you from the sky water, whereby we produce gardens full of beauty―you could not possibly manufacture its trees? Is it another god with GOD? Indeed, they are people who have deviated.

[2:22] The One who made the earth habitable for you, and the sky a structure. He sends down from the sky water, to produce all kinds of fruits for your sustenance. You shall not set up idols to rival GOD, now that you know.

[41:39] Among His proofs is that you see the land still, then, as soon as we shower it with water, it vibrates with life. Surely, the One who revived it can revive the dead. He is Omnipotent.

So we need to be aware of this gift, conscious of its awesomeness, and most of all, appreciative of where it comes from. When you live in a desert climate, you become mindful of just how precious water can be. We may go months without rain; then God will send a storm, and the people and the plants will rejoice.

[42:28] He is the One who sends down the rain after they had despaired, and spreads His mercy. He is the only Master, Most Praiseworthy.

[30:48] GOD is the One who sends the winds, to stir up clouds, to be spread throughout the sky in accordance with His will. He then piles the clouds up, then you see the rain coming down therefrom. When it falls on whomever He chooses from among His servants, they rejoice.

[22:63] Do you not see that GOD sends down from the sky water that turns the land green? GOD is Sublime, Cognizant.

[32:27] Do they not realize that we drive the water to barren lands, and produce with it crops to feed their livestock, as well as themselves? Do they not see?

The system that God set up when He created the earth is truly awesome. Very simply put, moisture evaporates from the surface, joins to form clouds, and falls as rain. The atmosphere holds it all in—the guarded ceiling (21:32). But all kinds of factors have to come into play for enough rain to fall to actually make things grow. We get “virga” all the time in Tucson—the air is so dry that the rain evaporates before reaching the earth. And some places get so much rain all at once that it floods everything. But it’s all in God’s control.

[51:1-4] The blowing winds. Bearing rain. Bringing provisions. Distributing them as commanded.

[7:57] He is the One who sends the wind with good omen, as a mercy from His hands. Once they gather heavy clouds, we drive them to dead lands, and send down water therefrom, to produce with it all kinds of fruits. We thus resurrect the dead, that you may take heed.

God cautions us to be respectful of His gift of water. We turn on a tap and water flows, so we take it for granted. When that doesn’t happen for some reason, we are suddenly aware and appreciative. We need to be more aware all the time. He can remove this gift.

[23:18] We send down from the sky water, in exact measure, then we store it in the ground. Certainly, we can let it escape.

Living in the desert, we know that our water table is sinking lower and lower, just as God says in 67:30. Say, “What if your water sinks away, who will provide you with pure water?”
We need to learn from the lesson of the two men and their gardens (18:32-45). One was proud and arrogant; one was appreciative and humble. Both knew that the beauty and quality of their gardens depended on forces of nature, but only one recognized that it was God who provided those forces. Taking his wealth and status for granted, the arrogant one suffered irreparable losses when God removed the blessing of water, leaving his property barren.
God also gives us examples of what Hell will be like with either putrid water (14:16) or no water.

[7:50] The dwellers of Hell will call on the dwellers of Paradise: “Let some of your water, or some of GOD’s provisions to you flow towards us.” They will say, “GOD has forbidden them for the disbelievers.” 

Getting back to the city of Cherrapunji, the wettest place on earth, we see what can happen when we tamper with God’s perfect system for this earth. The trees put down roots which help to hold  the soil in place. The population of the area jumped from 7000 to over 100,000 in the last part of the 20th Century. They cleared away the forests without thought to how this would affect the region, and now they are paying a price. All that water falls annually, but they still have to walk miles down into the valley to bathe and to haul water back up to drink.
God uses water as an example in the Quran relating to the charitable. If we believe in God, follow His commands, worship Him alone, and give cheerfully to charity, we can be like a land lush and green, enjoying God’s provision of rain, even if it’s only in small amounts. If we disbelieve and are unappreciative as we go through life, no amount of rainfall will be sufficient. It will be like Cherrapunji where it simply pours off the side of the hill and washes away the soil, leaving a dry and barren landscape, making it hard to believe this is the wettest place on earth.

[2:264] O you who believe, do not nullify your charities by inflicting reproach and insult, like one who spends his money to show off, while disbelieving in GOD and the Last Day. His example is like a rock covered with a thin layer of soil; as soon as heavy rain falls, it washes off the soil, leaving it a useless rock. They gain nothing from their efforts. GOD does not guide disbelieving people.

[2:265] The example of those who give their money seeking GOD’s pleasure, out of sincere conviction, is that of a garden on high fertile soil; when heavy rain falls, it gives twice as much crop. If heavy rain is not available, a drizzle will suffice. GOD is Seer of everything you do.

Article by Sister Lydia

Women in Islam have rights

What do women and Islam have in common? Besides the stereotyped images that each suffers from individually, the status of women in Islam is one of the most extremely misunderstood and incorrectly portrayed things in western society. We can investigate why this is so later. First, a brief introduction to the actual status of women in Islam is in order.

Before discussing issues pertinent to the social status of women, consider the original creation of the woman as portrayed by the Quoran (the Islamic holy book) which does not subscribe to the view that Eve was created from the crooked rib of Adam and thus is of inferior status: "O humankind, be conscious of your Sustainer who has created you out of one living entity, and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women." Instead, the verse of the Quran shows that there is no superiority for one sex over the other. This sets the tone for the status of women in Islam.

The concept of gender equality in Islam is stressed by the non-superiority of either sex over the other. It came at a time when it was necessary to elevate the demeaned status of women and grant them rights equal to those of men. The equality of women in Islam is evident by the unprecedented legal rights given to them under a monotheistic religion as defined in the Quran. As one of many examples, consider the rights of women in marriage and divorce. Both men and women have equal rights to contract a marriage as well as to dissolve it. The precondition of marriage is merely the mutual agreement by both parties. And unlike Christianity, a woman in Islam can divorce her husband at any time if she feels that she has been dealt with unjustly or even if she is just unhappy with her spouse since marriage is based upon mutual responsibilities toward each other. Islam has also ensured the woman's right to remarry pending a three month refrainment period.

As for social rights, Islam has always recognized the prominent role that women play in society. They are given the freedom to pursue any profession including political positions. Both in the past and present day, women in Islamic societies have reached political heights unparalleled in the most "advanced" western nations. Even in the earliest day of Islam, Aysha, the wife of the prophet, lead an army of 30,000 soldiers. Muslim women lead two Islamic countries: Benazir Bhutto served as the prime minister of Pakistan and was a strong and remarkable leader. Turkey was also headed by a Muslim woman, Tansu Ciller, who was elected the prime minister in 1993. Here in the U.S., we still have never had a female president and the outlook doesn't look too good either.

Those are just a few of the facts. Why then is Islam portrayed as a religion that oppresses women and puts them in a position inferior to men? Part of that is certainly due to the stereotyped image of how Islamic women are portrayed in western media as an extension of Islam-bashing. A prominent example is the movie "Not Without My Daughter" in which scores of false and fictitious depictions were made of women in an Islamic country. It is also true, however, that in many so called "Islamic" countries, women are not treated according to their God-given rights. But this is not the fault of Islamic ideology but rather the misapplication or sometimes the outright denial of the ideology in these societies.

Much of the practices and laws in "Islamic" countries have deviated from or are totally unrelated to the origins of Islam. Instead many of these practices are based on cultural or traditional customs which have been injected into these societies. For example, in Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to drive by law. This rule, in a country which is supposed to derive its law from Islamic legislation, is completely an invention of the Saudi monarchy. This horrific rule as well as a host of others are residues of old pre-Islamic tribal traditions where women were not entitled to the same rights as men. As another example, in some "Islamic" countries, many civil laws remain those that were imposed upon them during European colonization. Much of the civil law that legislates personal and family matters in Egypt, for example, is directly based on old French law. As a result, an Egyptian man can divorce his wife much more easily than the reverse. Consequently, women often have to suffer long and expensive court procedures and have to prove that they were mistreated by their husbands before being granted a divorce. Often times, laws in Middle Eastern countries, which are legislated and enforced by men, only take bits and pieces of Islamic law and combine them with concocted rules based upon some cultural or foreign practices.

The status of women in Islam is one of equality and honor. Unfortunately, in the current day and age, though there are many societies in which the majority of citizens are Muslim, there are no Islamic nations.

This article was written by Noha Raghab

Joys in homemaking

I am a huge advocate for the family and home. I as a mormon revert  to Islam believe that the family is the basic and most important unit of society and if the home and family fail then I feel like our society fails. Growing up I lived with both mormon and non mormon family and there was a huge difference. My mormon family felt like there should be a parent at home when you arrive from school and that family activities have proved to be effective as well as having structure and family unity. Living with my non mormon family there was no religion or spirituality of any sort or shape. No parents at home no order no unity. Chaos and confusing reigned because no one knew what there roles or duties were inside of the home. I have seen the effects on children on both ends of the spectrum. I have seen the children who come home to a mom or dad are happier and have a better sense of right from wrong as well as better memory and brain function. They are at peace and feel safe and secure. The children who come alone to let themselves in the door are subjected to endless hours of inappropriate material on tv, radio and computers, school grades lower and brain and memory function weakens and they are often scared or fearful due to lack of a confidant or even basic safety is missing. I think there is joy in homemaking. Pride in a clean house and a healthy happy family. Clean laundry and dishes to wash show how much blessings you truly do have since you were able to wash your dirty clothes and at least you have dirty dishes to prove that you eat and have enough food to live and sustain a healthy weight. I think time is precious and housewives are not always free of alot of time but they have time to stop and smell the roses and enjoy there family and watch there children grow up. without corporate demands on there time and family.

Why Quran Alone

Dozen reasons why Muslims should follow
the Quran and nothing but the Quran

1- The Quran contains clear commands to all Muslims to follow the Quran Alone, and reject all Hadith. The Arabic word Hadith is a word used to mean all human sayings, narrations, talk, stories., etc. This command is found in numerous verses, the following are examples:

- "These are God's revelations (Quran) that We recite to you truthfully. In which Hadith other than God and His revelations (Quran) do they believe?" 45:6

- "Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed?" 6:114

- "This scripture (Quran) has been revealed to you - you shall not harbor doubt about it in your heart - that you may warn with it, and to provide a reminder for the believers. You shall all follow what is revealed to you from your Lord; do not follow any idols besides Him. Rarely do you take heed." 7:2-3

- "Among the people, there are those who uphold baseless Hadith, and thus divert others from the path of God without knowledge, and take it in vain. These have incurred a shameful retribution.

And when our revelations (Quran) are recited to the one of them, he turns away in arrogance as if he never heard them, as if his ears are deaf. Promise him a painful retribution." 31:6-7

2- The word 'Sunna' which is used in the Quran, means the way of doing things or methodology. Millions of Muslims today have been brought up to believe that all Muslims should follow the Quran and also the Sunna of the prophet Muhammad.

However, the Quran confirms that the only Sunna is the Sunna of God. No where in the Quran is there any mention of a Sunna for Muhammad!

"You will find that the Sunna of Allah is the only Sunna" (33:62....35:43.....48:23)

3- The Quran confirms that the only duty of Muhammad (or of any messenger) is to deliver God's message. Messengers are not sent to advocate their own personal teachings. They are called messengers of God because they deliver a message from God.

"The only duty of the messenger is to deliver God's message" 5:99. The same message is found in 5:92, 16:35, 16:82, 24:54, 29:18, 42:48 and 64:12.

4- God commands the believers to obey God and obey the messenger, but God also makes sure that the obedience to the messenger is linked to obeying the message he delivered and nothing else. Obeying the messenger does not mean that the messenger issued additional teachings outside of the Quran.

The confirmation that the obedience of the messenger is linked to obeying the message he delivered (the Quran) is confirmed in the following verse:

"Obey God and obey the messenger. If you shall turn away then the sole duty of the messenger is to deliver the message (the Quran)" 64:12

Note how the obedience to the messenger and the deliverance of the Quran are linked in the same verse.

5- We never read any where in the Quran words like 'Obey God and obey Muhammad' or obey Jesus, or Moses. The words always say "the messenger". This is to emphasise that what is to be obeyed is the message of the messenger and not his personal words.

6- The Quran also confirms that Muhammad was commanded not to teach any other teachings, otherwise he would incur severe punishment from God:

"It (the Quran) is a revelation from the Lord of the universe. Had he (Muhammad) uttered any other teachings, We would have grabbed him by the right, and We would have severed his Wateen (Major artery of the heart), none of you could have helped him." 69:43-47

7- Muhammad was made to swear that the only revelation he received from God was the Quran. This exposes all the allegations which claim that Muhammad received revelations from God independent of the Quran, and which is referred to as 'Hadith Al-Qudsy' (Sacred Hadith).

"Say (O Muhammad) what is of the greatest testimony? Say: God is the witness between me and you, and this Quran has been inspired to me, that I may warn you and whomever it reaches" 6:19

If the 'Hadith Al-Qudsy' was truly a revelation received by Muhammad from God (as is falsely claimed) we would expect the Quran, being fully detailed, to include such confirmation. Needless to say, nowhere in the Quran is there any indication that Muhammad received anything from God other than the Quran.

8- Prophet Muhammad himself commanded his people not to write his hadith, this is documented in the collection of 'Muslim' and other books:

"Do not write down anything from me except the Quran. Whoever writes other than that should delete it" (Ahmed Ibn Hanbal, Vol. 1, page 171 also Sahih Muslim, Book 42, Number 7147)

9- For the first 150 years to 200 years after the death of the prophet, and in accordance to his commands, the writing of his hadith was forbidden. The first one to document a comprehensive collection of hadith was Al-Bukhari, note that Al-Bukhari was born in the year 194 After Hijrah. What this means is that the fist of what is regaded as authentic hadith (sahih) to be compiled was written more than two whole centuries after the death of the prophet!

Even if we were to follow the hadith (something which is clearly prohibited in the Quran), we would still be faced with the question: how accurate can a collection of sayings documented two centuries after the death of the prophet be?

10- God commands the prophet in the Quran to say that he is infallible in the revelation he delivers, but that he may commit errors in his personal words and hadith:

"Say: If I err, I err because of my shortcomings, and if I am rightly guided it is due to the revelation I receive from my Lord" 34:50

In spite of the above confirmation of the fallibility of the prophet, together with six incidents in the Quran where the prophet was reprimanded by God for errors he committed, still the ones who idolise the prophet claim that Muhammad was infallible! The six incidents are found in 8:67-68, 9:43, 9:113-114, 33:37, 66:1 and 80:1-11.

11- The Quran confirms that for every prophet there will be enemies of human and jinn devils who will fabricate fancy sayings (hadith) and attribute them to the prophet to deceive the people:

"We have permitted the enemies of every prophet, human and jinn devils, to inspire in each other fancy sayings, in order to deceive" 6:112

God also asserts that only the disbelievers will uphold such fabrications (see 6:113).

12- Finally, the Quran contains everything the genuine believer needs for the following reasons:

A- The Quran is complete and does not need an annex:

"The word of your Lord is complete in truth and justice" 6:115

B- The Quran is not in need of an explanatory supplement since it is clear and is not ambiguous:

"A.L.R. These are the signs of the clear book" 12:1

"We have made it (the Quran) easy to understand and in your own tongue (language) may you take heed." 44:58

C- The Quran is not in need of a correction manual since it is perfect and harbours no contradictions:

"A.L.R. This is a book whose verses have been perfected" 11:1

D- The Quran is not in need of a 'details' supplement since it is fully detailed:

"Shall I seek other than God as a source of law, when He has revealed to you this book fully detailed?" 6:114
For all these reasons, all Muslims should follow the Quran, the whole Quran and nothing but the Quran.

Praise God