Finding a Home in Islam

Shaheed "Damian" Williams grew up Christian and pursued fame as a rapper before becoming a Muslim. The days of Damian Williams running with his fellow rappers, pursuing fame, women and a hip-hop image are over. The 26-year-old turned in baggy jeans for long robes around the house. He sports a curly beard and is studying Arabic with his wife so they can read the Qur'an together.

Williams, who now goes by Shaheed, is a convert to Islam, a religion that has brought a sense of truth and direction the Christianity of his youth and reviews of other religions didn't provide, he said.

Now, he speaks periodically at the Muslim Community Center in north Wichita as one of an estimated 5,000 Muslims in the Wichita area.

His discovery of Islam started with his childhood comic book collection, he said.

A fan of the "X-Men," Williams learned of the character "Thor," the god of thunder from Norse mythology.

It expanded his view of the world and religions beyond his Sunday school and youth group upbringing at St. Paul AME Church in Wichita.

When he was in high school, a member told him about an Old Testament verse that prohibited eating pork. It surprised Williams and made him more curious about the Bible. Later, he found verses about honoring the Sabbath, which he also didn't think Christians observed.

By mid-high school, he told his father he would no longer go to church. He was an agnostic.
His passion became the Flatland Brigade, a local group of about eight rappers, who performed at parties.

There was drinking, carousing and talk of pimping. The lifestyle smacked of arrogance, he said.

"I despise that behavior," he said. "That's not being a man. They think it's being in a gang or having a gun or going to prison or mistreating a woman."

Williams' older brother told him about the Nation of Islam, a controversial movement of some African-American Muslims. Williams never joined.

A fellow rapper who had converted to orthodox Islam talked to Williams about the faith.

Williams began to study Islam seriously and was soon persuaded by its teaching that there is one God to whom he could pray without a mediator.

He admired the closeness among brothers and sisters of Islam despite their national and cultural differences.

It was a religion of structure that he knew he needed. It taught obedience and submission to God, Almighty, and His law.

And he was persuaded by Islam's teaching that people ought to be accountable to God, Almighty, for their actions. The Christian idea of Christ bearing sins on people's behalf, he said, weakened personal accountability.

"There's no free ride," he said of Islam, unlike Christianity's teachings on grace and sin.

For weeks, Williams' friend would ask if he was ready to accept Islam. Finally, in 1996, at age 19, Williams met with an imam, a Muslim leader.

After speaking with him, Williams recited the "shahada," a statement of faith that is the first step in accepting Islam:

"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."

The room full of men now became a room of brothers who came up one by one to hug and congratulate him.

He took a bath when he returned home as is customary for new converts. Still, it would take another three years, he said, before his new faith took hold of his life.

"I just got fed up with feeling regret with the way my life was going," he said. "You never know which day is going to be your last."

He listened to more sermons on tape, read books and attended services at the mosque, sometimes staying there overnight to pray and meditate.

As a Muslim, he knew promiscuity was wrong and wanted to marry and start a family. He followed traditional Islamic customs in seeking out a wife.

He spoke with several women about marriage, including a former co-worker, Nicole Childers, who was often at parties where he rapped.

She had also converted to Islam from Christianity the year after he had.

He proposed to her on a Tuesday and on Saturday they were married. She had accepted his dowry of 200 dollars, a silver necklace that said "Allah" on it and fragrant oil, among other gifts.

During the five-minute ceremony, no rings were exchanged. She stood in a room nearby within earshot of the imam and her future husband.

Today, they have three children, ages 3, 2 and six months. Williams works as a water meter reader for the city of Wichita.

The hip-hop life is gone. A bookcase full of Islamic teachings and the Qur'an are his focus these days.

"To me, Islam has the answer to racism, discrimination, feminism, abortion, high murder rates and drug selling," he said, "because it's trying to show human beings how to live their lives right."-- The Wichita Eagle

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How a Former Lutheran Archbishop Embraced Islam

**Martin John Mwaipopo***

It was December 23, 1986, two days away from Christmas, when Arch Bishop Martin John Mwaipopo, announced to his congregation that he was leaving Christianity for Islam. The congregation was paralysed with shock on hearing the news, so much so, that his administrator got up from his seat, closed the door and windows, and declared to the church members that the Bishop's mind had become unhinged, that is, he had gone mad.

How could he not think and say so, when only a few minutes earlier, the man had taken out his music instruments and sang so movingly for the church members? Little did they know that inside the Bishop's heart lay a decision that would blow their minds, and that the entertainment was only a farewell party.

But the congregant's reaction was equally shocking! They called the police to take the "mad" man away. He was kept in the cells until midnight when Sheikh Ahmed Sheik, the man who initiated him into Islam came to bail him out.

That incident was only a mild beginning of shocks in store for him. Al Qalam reporter, Simphiwe Sesanti, spoke to the Tanzanian born former Lutheran Arch Bishop Martin John Mwaipopo, who on embracing Islam came to be known as Al Hajj Abu Bakr John Mwaipopo.

Credit must go to the Zimbabwean brother, Sufyan Sabelo, for provoking this writer's curiosity, after listening to Mwaipopo's talk at the Wyebank Islamic Centre, Durban.
Sufyan is not sensationalist, but that night he must have heard something - he just could not stop talking about the man. Who would not be hooked after hearing that an Arch Bishop, who had not only obtained a BA and Masters degree, but a doctorate as well, in Divinity, had later turned to Islam? And since foreign qualifications matter so much to you, a man who had obtained a diploma in Church Administration in England and the latter degrees in Berlin, Germany - a man, who, before becoming a Muslim, had been the World Council of Churches' General Secretary for Eastern Africa - covering Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, and parts of Ethiopia and Somalia.

In the Council of Churches, he rubbed shoulders with the present chairman of the South African Human Rights Commission Barney Pityana and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission 's chairman, Bishop Desmond Tutu.

It is a story of a man who was born 61 years ago, on February 22 in Bukabo, an area that shares its borders with Uganda. Two years, after his birth, his family had him baptised, and five years later, watched him with pride being an alter boy. Seeing him assisting the church minister, preparing the "body and blood" of Christ , filled the Mwaipopos with pride, and filled Mwaipopo Senior with ideas for his son's future.

"When I was in a boarding school, later, my father wrote to me, stating he wanted me to become a priest. In each and every letter he wrote this", recalls Abu Bakr. But he had his own ideas about his life, which was joining the police force. But at the age of 25, Mwaipopo gave in to his father's will. Unlike in Europe where children can do as they will after age 21 , in Africa , children are taught to honour their parent's will above their own.

"My son, before I close my eyes (die), I would be glad if you could become a priest", that's how father told son, and that's how the son was moved, a move that saw him going to England in 1964, to do a diploma in Church Administration, and a year later to Germany to do a B.A degree. On returning, a year later, he was made acting Bishop.

Later, he went back to do Masters. " All this time, I was just doing things, without questioning. It was when he began to do his doctorate, that he started questioning things. "I started wondering … there is Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, each different religions claiming to be the true religion. What is the truth? I wanted the truth", says Mwaipopo. So began his search, until he reduced it to the "major" four religions. He got himself a copy of the Qur'an, and guess what?

"When I opened the Qur'an , the first verses I came across were, "Say : He is Allah, The One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begeteteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him?" (Surah Ikhlas), he recalls.

That was when the seeds of Islam, unknown to him, were first sown. It was then that he discovered that the Qur'an was the only scripture book that had been untampered with, by human beings since its revelation. "And in concluding my doctoral thesis I said so. I didn't care whether they give me my doctorate or not - that was the truth, and I was looking for the truth.”

 While in that state of mind he called his "beloved" Professor Van Burger.

"I closed the door, looked him in the eye and asked him 'of all religions in the world, which is true', I asked.

'Islam', he responded.

 'Why then are you not a Muslim?', I asked again.

He said to me "'One, I hate Arabs, and two, do you see all this luxuries that I have? Do you think that I would give it all up for Islam?'. When I thought about his answer, I thought about my own situation, too", recalls Mwaipopo.

 His mission, his cars - all these appeared in his imagination. No, he could not embrace Islam, and for one good year, he put it off his mind. But then dreams haunted him, the verses of the Qur'an kept on appearing, people clad in white kept on coming, "especially on Fridays", until he could take it no more.

So, on December 22, he officially embraced Islam. These dreams that guided him - were they not due to the "superstitious" nature of the Africans? "No, I don't believe that all dreams are bad. There are those that guide you in the right direction and those which don't, and these ones, in particular, guided me in the right direction, to Islam", he tells us.

Consequently, the church stripped him of his house and his car. His wife could not take it, she packed her clothes, took her children and left, despite Mwaipopo's assurances that she was not obliged to become a Muslim.

When he went to his parents, they, too, had heard the story. "My father told me to denounce Islam and my mother said she did not "want to hear any nonsense from me", remember Mwaipopo. He was on his own! Asked how he now feels towards his parents, he says that he has forgiven them, in fact found time to reconcile with his father before he departed to the world yonder.

"They were just old people who did not know. They could not even read the Bible…all they knew was what they had heard the priest reading", he states. After asking to stay for one night, the following day, he began his journey to where his family had originally come from, Kyela, near the borders between Tanzania and Malawi.
His parents had settled in Kilosa, Morogoro. During his journey, he was stranded in Busale by one family that was selling home brewed beer. It was there that he met his future wife, a Catholic Nun, by the name of Sister Gertrude Kibweya, now known as Sister Zainab. It was with her that he travelled to Kyela, where the old man, who had given him shelter the previous night had told him that that's where he would find other Muslims.

But before that, in the morning of that day he had made the call to prayer (azaan), something which made the villagers come out, asking his host why he was keeping a "mad" man. "It was the Nun who explained that I was not mad but a Muslim", he says. It was the same Nun who later helped Mwaipopo pay his medical fees at the Anglican Mission Hospital, when he had become terribly sick, thanks to the conversation he had had with her.

The story goes that he had asked her why she was wearing a rosary, to which she responded that it was because Christ was hanged on it. "But, say, someone had killed your father with a gun, would you go around carrying a gun on your chest?"

Mmmhhh. That set the Nun thinking, her mind "challenged", and when the former Bishop proposed marriage to the Nun later, the answer was "yes".

Secretly, they married, and four weeks later, she wrote a letter to her authorities, informing them of her leave. When the old man who had given him shelter, (the Nun's uncle) heard about the marriage, when they arrived at his house, they were advised to leave the house, because "the old man was loading his gun", and the Nun's father was enraged, "wild like a lion".

From the Bishop's mansion, Mwaipopo went to live in a self built mud house. From earning a living as the World Council of Churches' General Secretary for Eastern Africa, he began earning a living as a wood cutter and tilling some people's lands. When not doing that he was preaching Islam publicly. This led to a series of short term imprisonments for preaching blasphemy against Christianity.

While on hajj in 1988, tragedy struck. His house was bombed, and consequently, his infant triplets were killed. "A bishop, whose mother and my own mother were children of the same father, was involved in the plot', recalls Mwaipopo. He says instead of demoralising him, it did the opposite, as the numbers of people embracing Islam, increased, this including his father in law.

In 1992, he was arrested for 10 months, along with 70 followers, charged with treason. This was after some pork shops, against which he had spoken, were bombed. He did speak against them, he admits, saying that constitutionally, since 1913, there was a law against bars, clubs and pork shops in Dar es Salaam, Tanga, Mafia, Lindi and Kigoma.

Fortunately for him, he was acquitted, and immediately thereafter, he fled to Zambia, exile, after he was advised that there was a plot to kill him.

He says that that very day he was released, police came to re-arrest him. And guess what? "The women said no ways! They said that they would resist my arrest physically against the police. It was also the women who helped me cross the borders unnoticed. They clothed me in the women's fashion!", according to Mwaipopo. And that is one of the reasons that make him admire women.
"Women must be given a high place, they must be given good education in Islam. Otherwise how would she understand why a man marries more than one wife…It was my wife, Zainab, who proposed that I should marry my second wife, Shela, (her friend), when she had to go for Islamic studies abroad", it's the bishop who says so. Yah?

To the Muslims, Al Hajj Abu Bakr Mwaipopo's message is, "There is war against Islam…Flood the world with literature. Right now, Muslims are made to feel ashamed to be regarded as fundamentalists. Muslims must stop their individualistic tendencies. They must be collective.

You have to defend your neighbour if you want to be safe", he states, also urging Muslims to be courageous, citing the Islamic Propagation Centre International's Ahmed Deedat. "That man is not learned, but look at the way he has propagated Islam."

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How Leopold Weiss, Austrian Statesman, Journalist, and Author, Became Muslim

Muhammad Asad, Leopold Weiss, was born in Livow, Austria (later Poland) in 1900, and at the age of 22 made his visit to the Middle East. He later became an outstanding foreign correspondent for the Franfurtur Zeitung, and after his conversion to Islam travelled and worked throughout the Muslim world, from North Africa to as far East as Afghanistan.

After years of devoted study he became one of the leading Muslim scholars of our age. After the establishment of Pakistan, he was appointed the Director of the Department of Islamic Reconstruction, West Punjab and later on became Pakistan's Alternate Representative at the United Nations. Muhammad Asad's two important books are: Islam at the Crossroads and Road to Mecca. He also produced a monthly journal Arafat. At present he is working upon an English translation of the Holy Qur'an. [Asad completed his translation and has passed away. -MSA-USC]

 In 1922 I left my native country, Austria, to travel through Africa and Asia as a Special Correspondent to some of the leading Continental newspapers, and spent from that year onward nearly the whole of my time in the Islamic East. My interest in the nations with which I came into contact was in the beginning that of an outsider only. I saw before me a social order and an outlook on life fundamentally different from the European; and from the very first there grew in me a sympathy for the more tranquil -- I should rather say: more mechanised mode of living in Europe.
This sympathy gradually led me to an investigation of the reasons for such a difference, and I became interested in the religious teachings of the Muslims. At the time in question, that interest was not strong enough to draw me into the fold of Islam, but it opened to me a new vista of a progressive human society, of real brotherly feeling. The reality, however, of presentday Muslim life appeared to be very far from the ideal possibilities given in the religious teachings of Islam.

Whatever, in Islam, had been progress and movement, had turned, among the Muslims, into indolence and stagnation; whatever there had been of generosity and readiness for self-sacrifice, had become, among the present-day Muslims, perverted into narrow-mindedness and love of an easy life.

Prompted by this discovery and puzzled by the obvious incongruency between Once and Now, I tried to approach the problem before me from a more intimate point of view: that is, I tried to imagine myself as being within the circle of Islam. It was a purely intellectual experiment; and it revealed to me, within a very short time, the right solution. I realised that the one and only reason for the social and cultural decay of the Muslims consisted in the fact that they had gradually ceased to follow the teachings of Islam in spirit.

Islam was still there; but it was a body without soul. The very element which once had stood for the strength of the Muslim world was now responsible for its weakness: Islamic society had been built, from the very outset, on religious foundations alone, and the weakening of the foundations has necessarily weakened the cultural structure – and possibly might cause its ultimate disappearance.

The more I understood how concrete and how immensely practical the teachings of Islam are, the more eager became my questioning as to why the Muslims had abandoned their full application to real life. I discussed this problem with many thinking Mulsims in almost all the countries between the Libyan Desert and the Pamirs, between the Bosphorus and the Arabian Sea. It almost became an obsession which ultimately overshadowed all my other intellectual interests in the world of Islam.

The questioning steadily grew in emphasis – until I, a non-Muslim, talked to Muslims as if I were to defend Islam from their negligence and indolence. The progress was imperceptible to me, until one day – it was in autumn 1925, in the mountains of Afghanistan – a young provincial Governor said to me: "But you are a Muslim, only you don't know it yourself." I was struck by these words and remained silent. But when I came back to Europe once again, in 1926, I saw that the only logical consequence of my attitude was to embrace Islam.

So much about the circumstances of my becoming a Muslim. Since then I was asked, time and again: "Why did you embrace Islam ? What was it that attracted you particularly ?" -- and I must confess: I don't know of any satisfactory answer. It was not any particular teaching that attracted me, but the whole wonderful, inexplicably coherent structure of moral teaching and practical life programme. I could not say, even now, which aspect of it appeals to me more than any other.

 Islam appears to me like a perfect work of architecture.

 All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other: nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking, with the result of an absolute balance and solid composure. Probably this feeling that everything in the teachings and postulates of Islam is "in its proper place," has created the strongest impression on me. There might have been, along with it, other impressions also which today it is difficult for me to analyse. After all, it was a matter of love; and love is composed of many things; of our desires and our loneliness, of our high aims and our shortcomings, of our strength and our weakness. So it was in my case. Islam came over me like a robber who enters a house by night; but, unlike a robber, it entered to remain for good.

Ever since then I endeavoured to learn as much as I could about Islam. I studied the Qur'an and the Traditions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him); I studied the language of Islam and its history, and a good deal of what has been written about it and against it. I spent over five years in the Hijaz and Najd, mostly in al-Madinah, so that I might experience something of the original surroundings in which this religion was preached by the Arabian Prophet.

 As the Hijaz is the meeting centre of Muslims from many countries, I was able to compare most of the different religious and social views prevalent in the Islamic world in our days. Those studies and comparisons created in me the firm conviction that Islam, as a spiritual and social phenomenon, is still in spite of all the drawbacks caused by the deficiencies of the Muslims, by far the greatest driving force mankind has ever experienced; and all my interest became, since then, centred around the problem of its regeneration.

 From "Islam, Our Choice

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How Rene Guenon Discovered Islam

Rene Guenon; Sheikh Abdul Wahid Yahya was a well-known French Scholar, writer, philosopher and mystic. He was born on the 15th November, 1886 to a well off Catholic family of France. His father was an engineer of repute. So, Rene Guenon was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He got his early education from Blois. From his childhood, he was an extra-ordinary intelligent and made distinction amongst his classmates. He got his Bachelor's degree with distinction and joined the University of Paris where he studied mathematics for about two years.

During his study, he did not restrict his activities to formal education only but started searching for the 'Ultimate Truth', because he was not satisfied with his ancestral religion; Christianity. He did not accept the so called Christian dogmas and rituals. Consequently, he had not only a thorough and deep comparative study of religions, but also he held discussions and had meetings with thinkers and philosophers of fame.

Even then, his thirst for Truth was not quenched. Due to this spiritual journey and mental chaos, he left the university even though his education was incomplete. This state of affairs lasted up to 1909. In the meantime, he met two 'Reverts to Islam' who were not only well acquainted with Islam, but also competent in sociology.

The first of these two scholars was Sheikh Abdul Haq, formerly Schamrino of French origin. He was a scholar of repute and edited a magazine namely 'Al-Tareeq". The Christian name was Iavon Gustav. After his reversion to Islam, he learned Arabic and had full command over it. He used to contribute articles to 'Ansari' magazine which was being published from Egypt.

In 1909, Rene Guenon started a magazine entitled "Al-Maarifat" (Knowledge of God) with the collaboration of these scholars. Discussions, discourses and critical articles relating to comparative study of different religions were published in this comparative study of different religions were published in this journal, which covered Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

This journal remained active for about four years and ceased publication in 1912, the year in which Rene Guenon entered the fold of Islam. He took the Islamic name Abdul Wahid Yahya. His 'Reversion to Islam' was the result of his own continuous search for Truth coupled with the cooperation and guidance of Sheikh Abdul Haq and Sheikh Abdur Rahman Elish El-Kebir (El-Alim El-Maliki School of Thought in Egypt), a mystic and competent in Islamic Jurisprudence. As a token of respect, Rene Guenon dedicated his book: "Symbolism of the Cross" to the venerated memory of Sheikh Abudur Rahman who gave him the first idea of the book.

In February 1930, Rene Guenon went to Cairo and settled there permanently. Before his departure to Cairo, his father, mother and wife died, so he left for Cairo with a heavy heart. In 1937, Rene Guenon married Karima Bint Abdur Rahman, which proved a sort of solace and comfort for him. He dedicated the rest of his life for the cause of Islam and Muslims. It is note-worthy that through his writings and personnel contacts a large number of European scholars embraced Islam. Among his disciples who entered the fold of Islam is Sheikh Isa Nuruddin, formerly Frithjof Schuon. (Born 1907). He is a well known Professor of philosophy and is regarded an authority on 'comparative study of Religions'. He has written a number of books.

The following books have won fame for him: Islam and the perennial philosophy, Understanding Islam, Dimensions of Islam, in the Tracks of Buddhism, Spiritual Perspectives of the Self, Genosis: divine Wisdom, Stations of Wisdom, In the face of Absolute, Survey of Metaphysics and Esotericism, To have a Center, Christianity: Islam.

Then comes the name of a great mystic Abu Bakr Sirajuddin, formerly Martin Lings, who has full command over English and Arabic and is considered as a specialist on mysticism.

He is not only a religious scholar but also a poet and translator of repute His writings include: Muhammad: his life based on the earliest sources; The Qur'an; Catalogue of an exhibition of Qur'an manuscripts at the British Library; The Qur'anic Art of Calligraphy and Illuminations; What is Sufism? A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century; The Secret of Shakespeare. Commenting on the life of Prophet Muhammad, Prof. Hamid Dabashi of Temple University writes: "In Reading Lings and Muhammad", we detect an alchemical effect in his narration and composition which so evenly combines scholarly accuracy with poetic passion. Lings is a scholar-poet. His life of the Prophet is a biographical 'qasida "poem". It is a historical ghazal (a type of poetry); a spiritual triumph; it is a majestic display of impassioned scholarship". This book was awarded the first prize of 5,000 dollars - by two-day 8th International Seerat Conference held in Islamabad… This book was adjudged as the best work in English in the biography of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) published in 1983.

Titus Burchhardt is another scholar who embraced Islam after being inspired and impressed by Rene Guenon. He has made a thorough research on Ancient Civilization and written a marvelous book on mysticism. His book "On 'Chemistry" is regarded the best one on this subject. He is a multi-linguist and has full power over German, English, French, Swiss, Arabic and Persian Languages.
His books include; Sacred Art in East and West; Moorish Culture in Spain; Art of Islam; and Al-Karim Al-Jili's De l' Homme Universal; extraits du liver al-Insan al Kamil.

In addition to the above-mentioned scholars, there are a lot of other personalities who entered the fold of Islam under the persuasion and guidance of Rene Guenon and are busy in the propagation and preaching of Islam in Europe and America.

Rene Guenon breathed his last on 7^th January, 1951 at the age of 65. His death was mourned throughout the world. He had devoted his life for the cause of Islam. He wrote countless articles and numerous books. East and West; Reign of Quantity; The Crisis of the Modern World; Symbolism of the Cross, and The Multiple States of Being are his best writings.

[(Excerpted from: Why Islam is Our Only Choice, By: Muhammad Haneef Shahid]

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Jewish American Converts to Islam

Joseph Cohen moved from the United States to Israel as a devout Jew in 1998, but within three years he had converted to Islam and become Yosef Mohammed Khatib, a supporter of the militant Hamas, according to a report broadcast Thursday on Israel TV.

Now he refuses to say the word Israel, choosing instead to call the area "Palestine." His four children study the Quran, the Muslim holy book, instead of the Torah, its Jewish counterpart.

It was while living in the desert town of Netivot that Khatib met a sheik from the United Arab Emirates through an Internet chat about Israel. Khatib said he spent hours corresponding with the sheik, discussing theology. Gradually he began to see Judaism as racist and turned toward Islam after reading the Quran, he told Channel 10 TV. The report did not say where he lived in the United States or give his age.

Last year he told his wife, Luna, also a devout Jew from the United States, that he wanted to convert to Islam.

"I said, `Listen, I love you very much ... and I have to be honest with you,'" Khatib said in the TV interview. "I read the Quran and I agree with everything it says in the Quran, and if I continue saying that I'm a religious Jew, I would be a liar."

The family converted together and moved from Netivot to an Arab neighborhood in east Jerusalem. The children went from being top in their classes on Judaism studies to being well-versed in Islam, he said.

Instead of supporting the Israeli Orthodox Jewish political party Shas, Khatib now supports the radical Islamic Hamas and believes an Islamic state should be set up where Israel and the Palestinian areas are now located.

He praised Hamas for setting up social services for Palestinians but dodged questions about the other side of the Islamic group - suicide bombings and other attacks against Israelis. The United States has declared Hamas a terror group.

Khatib differed from most Israelis and Americans in his views about Osama bin Laden, the top suspect in the Sept. 11 terror attacks in New York and Washington.

"I think that he's number one, Muslim number one," Khatib said with a strong New York accent about bin Laden. "But I don't think that he's responsible for the World Trade Center (attacks)."

Wearing the white skullcap and robes of a religious Muslim, Khatib denied his Jewish past, insisting that he is 100 percent Muslim. He made a parody of a blessing that observant Jews say every morning, in which they thank God for not making them gentiles.

"Blessed are Thou, Lord Our God," Khatib began in the traditional Jewish blessing, but ended it with, "for not making me a Jew."

Following note from Muslim Quran online Blog

The first lesson to be learned by all Muslims is the importance of the Reading Quran Online. All Muslim should learn holy Quran online  is the Book of Allah All mighty. Every word which the quran reciter recites or he read quran is the word of Allah it is mentioned in Quran in Arabic that it is the guidance which has come from Allah. That is why we as Muslim say it is the Holy Book. We should  learn quran and focus on quran teaching thought by the quran tutor to the students and the tutor should arrange the kids quran lessons in such an easy manner so they can understand it easily and make there quran recitation online as beautiful as he could and teach them that the words of Koran were sent by Allah to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) through the angel Jibraeel. And further more elaborate wile reading quran with teaching them the quran tafseer and the tajweed quran with its rules let then do quran memorization in the proper manner We as Muslim should respect the teachings of Quran and in every other manner when we are reading it or when we listen to Quran wake up Muslims and spread the word of Islam to

End of the note by quran education

The Rights of the New Born Baby in Islam

 

In all communities around the world the birth of a child is considered a blessing and ceremonies are held to celebrate this event. Besides being a natural expression of joy, it also serves a special purpose, that is, making it known in a suitable and dignified manner, that the father has accepted the child as his own and that there is no doubt or suspicion concerning this matter. It shuts the door to any mischief that could arise in the future. As soon as your child is born, they are under attack from Satan. The Prophet said,

"When any human being is born, Satan pinches the body with his two fingers, except 'Isa, the son of Maryam, whom Satan tried to pinch but failed, for he touched the placenta instead".

Sahih Bukhari 4:506

This is why the child cries at birth; Satan never leaves his enemy without harming it. To protect the faith and Islam of the newborn baby, who is now under attack by mankind's greatest enemy, the Messenger of Allah taught us about various things that we can do. Some are well known others not so well known.

The following brief points are intended to remind all people of what the Prophet did when a child was born.

Saying the Adhan

Abu Raf'I relates that, "I saw the Prophet saying the adhan of salah in the ear of his grandson, Hasan, when the child was born to his daughter Fatima".

This Hadeeth is found in Musnad Ahmad, and authenticated by Shaikh Abdul Qadit 'Arnoot.

Tahneek

When a child was born to one of the families of the Sahaba (the Companions of the Prophet) they would take it to the Prophet so that he would bless it, and apply the pulp of a date, chewed by him, to its palate. This 'tahneek' as it is known in 'Arabic', was to keep the child safe from evil. Therefore, similarly when a child is born into a Muslim family, it should be taken to a virtuous, pious person, so that this person may supplicate for the child and perform the tahneek. Tahneek is among those Sunan whose practice has become rare.

Aisha (RA) narrates that "the people used to bring their newborn children to the Prophet and he would bless them and perform the tahneek"

Sahih Muslim 1:560

Aqeeqah & shaving the head

The Aqeeqah ceremony essentially consists of two acts: the shaving of the hair from the head of a newborn baby, and the sacrifice of an animal (these were also characteristic features of Millat-u-Ibrahim, the religion of the Prophet Ibrahim).

The hair on the child's head is shaven and its weight in silver is given as charity. An animal is then sacrificed as a mark of celebration and distributed amongst friends, family, the poor and a portion is kept for ones own consumption.

Ali (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah slaughtered a goat on the occasion of Hasan's birth, the son of Fatimha (RA) and Ali (RA) and said "Oh Fatimah! Shave the head of Hasan and pay silver equal to the weight of the hair as charity".

Sahih Sunan at-Tirmithee 2:1226

It is reported by Abdullah bin al-As that the Prophet said, "To whomsoever a child is born and he wants to perform a sacrifice of Aqeeqah on behalf of it, he should sacrifice two goats for a boy and one goat for a girl".

Sunan Abu Dawood 2:2836

It is reported by Buraydah (RA) "During the age of ignorance, when a child was born to anyone of us, we used to slaughter a goat and smear the child with its blood. Later, after the dawn of Islam, our practice became (on the advice of the Prophet) that we sacrifice a goat of Aqeeqah on the seventh day after the birth of the child, shave the head of the infant and apply saffron on it".

Sunan Abu Dawood 2:2137

 

Tasmiyah (naming the child)

It is from the teachings of the Messenger of Allah, that each member of the family be given a good name. Those who ask Allah to give them children should also ask Allah to make these children among the followers of the Prophet Muhammad and adherents to his Sunnah. It is an obligation upon the parents that their child be given a good name. Some Ahadeeth indicate that the child is to be named on the seventh day along with Aqeeqah. However, the Prophet also named children on the day of their birth, as proven by other narrations. There is no harm if the child is named before the seventh day, but if the naming has not been done, and then the child should be named on the seventh day.

Naming a child with a beautiful and honourable name is very important. The Prophet always chose names with good and beautiful meanings, even telling people to change their names if they had unpleasant meanings.

Narrated by Abu Musa (RA)" a son was born to me and I took him to the Prophet who named him Ibrahim, did tahneek for him with a date, invoked Allah's blessing upon him and returned him to me.

Sahih Bukhari 7:376

Ibn Umar (RA) reported that Allah's Messenger said that "the names dearest to Allah are Abdullah and Abdur-Rahman."

Sahih Muslim 3:5315

Abu Wahab al-Jushamee (RA) who was the Companion of the Prophet reported him as saying", call yourselves by the names of the Prophets. The names dearest to Allah are Abdulla and Abdur Rahman, the truest are Harith (ploughman) and Hammam (energetic) and the worst are Harb (war) and Murrah (bitter)".

Sunan Abu Dawood 3: 4140

Narrated Abu Hurayrah (RA). Allah's Apostle said, "the most awful name in Allah's sight on the Day of Resurrection will be that of a man calling himself Malik Al-Amlaak. (king of kings)".

Sahih Bukhari 8:224.

Ibn Umar (RA) reported that Allah's Messenger changed the name of Aasiyah (disobedient) and said "You are Jameelah (good and beautiful).

Sahih Muslim 3:5332 & 4747

(This name should not to be confused with Asiya, the Muslim wife of the Pharaoh)… see Islamic glossary

Usaman Ibn Akhdari (RA) said, a man called Asram (harsh, severe, cut off) was among those who came to the Apostle of Allah. The Apostle of Allah said "what is your name?" he replied "Asram" He said "no, you are Zu'rah". (which means, has been taken or derived from crop, or to sow seed).

Sunan Abu Dawood 3:4144

Khitan - Circumcision

Narrated Abu Hurayah (RA), I heard the Prophet saying "five practices are characteristic of the Fitrah: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, cutting the moustache short, clipping the nails and depleting the hair of the armpits".

Sahih Bukhari 7:779

Allah says in the Qur'an

"Then we have inspired you (O Muhammad) follow the religion of Ibrahim, the true in faith and he was not from polytheists"

Surah An-Nahl 16:123

listening to Quran read-quranonline.com learn Quran to read Tajweed from live holy Quran tutor with beauty of recitation by the top Reciter of world the holy Quran must to read with the rule of Tajweed which is the way and the kids will know that how to read and learn Quran in proper way of (Recitation) we teach Quran online visit for further information. learningquranonline.com

In this verse, the Prophet and his Ummah are commanded to follow the religion if Ibrahim, therefore it is known that circumcision is from the religion of Ibrahim.

Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim have related that.

Abu Hurayah (RA) said that Allah's Messenger said, "Ibrahim did his circumcision with an adze (hand tool with a steel cutting blade) at the age of eighty".

Sahih Bukhari 4:575. Sahih Muslim 4:5844

 

Preparing for Motherhood (A Self-Quiz)

Preparing for Motherhood (A Self-Quiz)

by Dr. Aisha Hamdan

To acquaint future mothers with issues they should know as they enter the phase of motherhood it is one of the most joyous times in a woman's life and also one of the most trying: The anticipation and excitement of the first newborn baby in the family.



You have purchased a crib, clothes, baby equipment; you have picked out names for the baby; and you have most definitely discussed the gender,predicting whether it will be a boy or a girl (or you may have already found out!)



But are you really ready for this new trial in life? Are you prepared with the appropriate Islamic, psychological, and medical knowledge? Take this short quiz and find out how much you already know and how much you may need to find out!

 

Questions ( See under for answers)

 

1) Which of the following are rights of a newborn child?



A. to be given a righteous and suitable name.



B. to have confirmation of lineage.



C. to be raised in Islam from the time of birth.



D. A & C.



E. all of the above.

2) Which of the following is NOT a Sunnah of the Prophet (SAWS), with regard to newborns?



A. circumcision of both males and females.



B. aqiqah (slaughtering of sheep).



C. tahneek ( rubbing chewed dates inside the newborn's mouth.



D. shaving the baby's head.



E. saying Athan (call of Prayer) in the baby's right ear.

3) From an Islamic perspective, breast-feeding a newborn is considered?



A. Recommended.



B. Obligatory.



C. Important.



D. up to the discretion of the mother.

4) In Islam, circumcision:



A. is a Sunnah act.



B. is an act of Fitrah.



C. permits proper cleanliness for acts of worship.



D. A, B, and D.



E. all of the above.

5) If a woman's post-natal bleeding (nifas) stops before the end of the 40- days period, she should:



A. wait until the 40 days end, perform ghusl, (shower) and then resume her prayers.



B. perform ghusl upon cessation of bleeding and then resume her prayers and other rituals



C. make wudhu and do her prayers; it is not necessary to perform ghusl after nifas.



D. do what she feels is appropriate.

6) The benefits of breast-feeding for the mother include all of the following except:



A. helps the uterus to contract, reducing bleeding.



B. facilitates weight loss.



C. protects against breast cancer and osteoporosis.



D. delays menstruation.



E. protects against heart disease.

7) In general, you should expect that everything will go as planned for the labor, birth and the first few months with the baby?



A. true.



B. false.

8) Research has found that the fetus 'hears' what is going on around her, so it is a good idea to read Qur'an during pregnancy so that the baby can begin to 'learn' early on.



A. true.



B. false.

9) Yasmine's baby seems to cry often. She is concerned that she may spoil the baby by holding her and trying to comfort her. Can a baby be spoiled?



A. True.



B. False.

10) Crying is the baby's way of



A. communicating his or her needs.



B. irritating the mother.



C. clearing his throat and chest.



D. indicating fear of something.

 

Answers





1) E. All of the above.



2) A. Circumcision is only required for males. The Prophet (saws), neither encouraged nor prohibited it for females. He specified that if it is performed optionally on females only a very small portions should be removed so as to avoid harm to the baby and her natural development.



3) B. Breast-feeding is an obligatory right of the baby as confirmed by the following Qur'anic verse: 'The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire to complete the term of suckling.? (Qur'an 2: 233). This means that a woman needs to suckle her baby from birth for as long as she can, with a maximum period of two years. When a mother understands the immense benefits of this gift for herself and her child, she will not even question it. Without this understanding, one should still not question Allah?s Wisdom and Mercy.



4) F. All of the above. The Prophet (saws), said: 'Five practices are part of the Fitrah: circumcision, shaving the pubic hair, clipping the nails, shortening the mustache and pulling the underarm hair.(Bukhari and Muslim). There is no fixed time for circumcision, but it should be done before the boy reaches puberty. It is preferable to perform it during the first days after the boy's birth. Circumcision allows for proper cleanliness as required for praying and other rituals.



5) B. Once a woman's postpartum bleeding stops, she should perform ghusl and begin praying. If the bleeding re-appears, she should stop praying and wait until it clears. She would then need to perform ghusl again before resumption of prayers. She should not wait until the 40 days have elapsed. If the 40 days pass and she is still bleeding, she would need to begin praying again, making wudhu before each prayer.



6) E. Breast-feeding has all of these effects and more, but there has been no evidence to show that it reduces the risk of heart disease.



7) B. False. In general, you should not expect anything for these events since they can be unpredictable. Pregnancies, child-births, and babies vary from woman to woman, and even for one woman, from pregnancy to pregnancy. Do not anticipate that they will transpire as stated in the books or that you will have the same experience as your friend. Enjoy the experience that you do have and be prepared for any challenges.



8) A. True. Although this may seem unusual, there is evidence to support the fact that fetuses do 'hear' sounds while in utero! They measure this by the movement of the baby and by changes in the heartbeat. After birth, babies prefer sounds that they were exposed to during the fetal stage. So, read Qur'an for both yourself and the baby!



9) B. A baby cannot be spoiled. They have needs that should be met, such as food and comfort and love. The best thing you can do for your baby is to provide all of these without being concerned about spoiling; enjoy the time that you do have with him or her. The care that you give establishes a strong bond between you and the baby and helps to facilitate healthy psychological and spiritual development.



10) A. Crying is the initial way that babies communicate, letting parents know that they need food, comfort, and stimulation. The nature of the cry can help guide the parents toward its cause, with various cries having different meanin

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Advice for the New Mother

 

The coming of a first new baby is a time of excitement and every Muslim mother-to-be eagerly awaits the arrival of this special gift. It is easy to find the latest advice and useful practical tips and information about what to expect of the early weeks of motherhood on a day to day basis from Western books, but because they are bereft of the guidance of Islam, they contain little advice for Muslim Women when it comes coping spiritually with the coming of a baby. Every baby is different and some first time mothers find things quite easy and smooth. But nearly all will have moments when they struggle to reorganize their lives and many have a very trying time if their baby suffers from colic or has trouble settling down or if the birth was complicated and long. There are many things Muslim women can do to make this time as smooth as possible and increase their Eamaan.

Welcome your child in the correct Islamic manner

There are many sunnahs relating to the newborn:

· The Adhan being recited to the child soon after the birth so that it is the first thing the child hears.

· Tahneek: rubbing a small piece of softened date or something sweet on the palate of the newborn.

· Shaving the hair of the newborn on the seventh day and giving the value of its weight in silver to charity.

· Announce the good news of the birth to family and friends and you will see that everyone is happy when they hear of the birth of a new Muslim child!

· The Aqeeqah is a strong Sunnah and many scholars regard it as an obligation upon the parents and it is the slaughtering of two sheep or goats for a boy and one sheep or goat for a girl preferably on the seventh day. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said:

“The Aqeeqah is a right (upon you). (Slaughter) for a boy two compatible sheep, and for a girl: one”. (Ahmad and others.)[i]

Although many people send money to poor Muslim countries for the Aqeeqah, this important Sunnah should be revived in the societies we live in as well. By having the Aqeeqah in your locality, by eating of the meat yourself and having your friends and family and other Muslims gather and take part in this joyous occasion or in distributing the meat to them there are many benefits: First of all this is the way the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) practiced it. The sense of identity of the Muslim community as well as Muslim children will increase, people will know that there is a new addition to the Ummah and will pray for your child insha Allah and you will be able to enjoy this occasion and perhaps meet family and friends who you may not be able to see so often now that you are a busy mother.

· A good name is one of the rights of the child. Good names are those which are known to be pleasing to Allah and approved by His Messenger or acceptable to the scholars of Islam. Recommended names are those that show servitude to Allah: Abdullah, Abdurrahman etc. The names of the Prophets and Sahabah and the pious people before us will also have a good effect on the childs psyche. She will want to be like Mariam (‘alaihas Salaam) and he will want to be like ‘Umar (Radi Allahu ‘anhu) if you give them those names insha Allah. And the child will have a role model in their name and love to hear the story of a person in the past with their name. Make sure the name has a good meaning, don’t just name it because it sounds good. There have been some people especially from amongst the non-Arabs who have named their children names that sound good but have a bad or improper meaning for a Muslim. That name will have an effect on the character of that child and will follow that child for life. One name that we came across amongst some children was a Muslim girl called: Ilaaha! Meaning ‘goddess’! We seek refuge in Allah from such names.

· Circumcision: If you have a son, get him circumcised on the seventh day or as soon as you can so as not to cause the child discomfort. It’s good to get a personal recommendation when looking for a Doctor and the procedure is a very easy one and local anesthetic is usually used. Usually healing takes a week or two.

Du’a and other worships

A common statement made by some sisters who are mothers is “I don’t get any time to do ‘Ibaadah”. This is a misconception amongst us because we don’t realize that even the every day tasks that we do as Muslims become Worships if they are accompanied with a good intention. So, perhaps you are spending most of your time caring for your baby and even after the post-partum bleeding period you may not be able to pray as many superogaratory prayers or teach Qur’an or do other praiseworthy acts that you used to do. But remember, the job that you are doing is one, which Allah has ordained for you, and a very important and rewardable one if you do it mindfully and for the sake of Allah. You are bringing up the future worshippers of Allah, the future scholars or Mujaahideen or teachers or leaders: the future Ummah!

Although you will not be performing Salaah as you are in your Post natal bleeding period, this is a time you need to call on Allah regularly and using His names and attributes, call on Him sincerely, ask Him to make easy anything you may be finding difficult. Make du'a for your child for the du’a of the mother for her child is answered as occurs in the hadeeth:

“There are three supplications that are answered – there being no doubt about it: the supplication of the oppressed, the supplication of the traveler and the supplication of the parent for his child.” [ii]

Some du’as you can make for your child are as follows:

The du’a that the Prophet used to make for Hasan and Hussain which was also the du’a that the Prophet Ibrahim (alaihis salaam) used to make for Ismaeel and Ishaaq was:

“U’eedhukumaa bi kalimaat illaahi-ttaamah, min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli ‘ainin laamma” [iii]

“I seek refuge for you with Allah’s complete words from every Devil and harmful creature and from every envious eye”

And the du’a of Mariam’s mother (alaihas Salaam) to Allah:

“Innee u’eedhu haa bika wa dhurreeyyatuhaa minashaitaanir-rajeem”

“I seek Your protection for her and her progeny from Shaitan, the outcast.” (Surah Aal-‘Imran 3:36)

Suratul Fatihah, Aayatul Kursee and the last three Surah’s of the Qur’an can also be recited for seeking protection.

You may be awake in the night feeding your child for long stretches, so take this opportunity to make du’a and make adhkaar while feeding. Du’a and Dhikr are in and of themselves ‘Ibaadah. Allah has given us many ways of worshipping him for all different situations. You could revise the Surahs you have memorized[iv] or just listen to Qur’an recitation and contemplate on the meaning. Getting your baby used to having the Qur’an recited to him will insha Allah be beneficial and have an effect on him. Or get some cassettes with talks on them to listen to as this can have a very positive effect on you especially if the talks are inspirational like the Stories of the Prophets or Sahabah.

Breastfeeding

With your baby’s arrival, the first part of his Rizq or provision arrived too and that is breast milk! Allah Subhanahu wa ta’aala ordained breastfeeding for humans and many animals and people have been breastfeeding from the beginning of their existence.

Allah’s Messengers too were breast-fed. Allah inspired Musa’s mother to put her baby Musa in a basket in the river to save him from Pharaoh’s killing decree, Pharaoh’s family found him and wanted to keep him and looked everywhere for a wet-nurse to breastfeed him and Allah caused Musa to refuse to be breast-fed by any woman except his own mother.

The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam in his childhood, suckled from his mother Aminah, Thuwaybah – a slave girl of his uncle Abu Lahab, Umm Ayman and Halimah as-Sa’diyyah.[v]

The Prophet’s Sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam children too were breastfed. His son Ibrahim had a wet-nurse as occurs in a hadeeth and when his son passed away he was only 1 year and 10 months old so there were two months of suckling left for him so the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam said as narrated by Al-Bara (bin Azib):

The Prophet, after the death of his son Ibrahim, said, "There is a wet-nurse for him (i.e. Ibrahim) in Paradise."[vi]

It is only in modern times that the wide use of artificial forms of baby-feeding, cow’s and goat’s milk formulas, have been used and that women have left their homes in pursuit of careers which make them leave the superior role that Allah has given them and pulled them away from the home to serve others and leave their own families.

Allah Subhanahu wa ta’aala tells us the recommended time of suckling a child in the Qur’an:

“And the mothers are to suckle their infants for two years, for those who wish to complete the suckling” (Surah Baqarah 2:233)

“We have enjoined upon the human being to treat his parents kindly. His mother bore him with weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years.” (Surah Luqman 31:14)

Look at the importance of breastfeeding! Our Creator even mentions it in the Qur’an a number of times! Breastfeeding is widely acknowledged now as being the best food for babies. It provides everything your baby needs: it is clean and sterilized, the right temperature, it’s fresh, it’s easily digested, contains antibodies and anti-allergens and is designed by Allah perfectly for your baby’s needs. As a result, breast fed babies have better immune systems, and less infections. But that is not all. Scientists agree that babies gain many psychological and emotional benefits through breastfeeding too. Some scholars say that the good characteristics of the mother are transferred to the child through breastfeeding. The child feels ultimate comfort and security through being so close to his mother and their special bond is strengthened, so much so that in Islaam if a non-related woman breastfeeds a child she becomes a foster mother to him and her children are foster sisters and brothers to him who he cannot marry! As the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said as is related in a number of Ahadeeth:

”Indeed, Allah has prohibited (marriage) among suckling relatives, as He has prohibited it among birth (or blood) relatives” [vii]

What more proof do we need of the bond that is created through breast-feeding?

It is permissible with the parent’s joint agreement to have a child breastfed by another woman and that wet-nurse is entitled to a wage. It was the custom at the time of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) to be breastfed by other women, which strengthened relationships and made more mahram men for women etc. This also took the strain off one woman if she was finding it difficult.

In Islaam, unless there is a legitimate excuse, the mother is required to breastfeed her baby. It is an obligation upon both parents – the mother provides the milk and the father provides the material support for the mother even if they are divorced.[viii] If a parent thinks there is a need to wean the baby before the end of two years it is permissible after consultation and joint agreement.

In the West, although breastfeeding is regarded as the best way to feed a child, still, some health professionals do not hesitate to advise women to give their babies formula milk top ups or to part breast feed- part bottle feed, even without a serious reason. And unfortunately many Muslim Women take this up too. Ofcourse if there is a serious reason then this is unavoidable (although reviving the tradition of other women feeding our children would be very useful in this case). But all too often our sisters are talked into bottle-feeding for convenience reasons or because a baby’s weight is not picking up as quickly as the chart says it should. However many women have found that even if it seems difficult at first, if they persevere, breastfeeding becomes easier. Yes you may have some discomfort early on and it is physically demanding at times because as the mother, you alone must wake up often and feed you baby whereas with bottle-feeding someone else can do it for you. But we must ask ourselves: Why has Allah given the mother such an honoured and lofty status in Islam? Why does she have so many rights upon her children, even more than the father in many cases? Is it not because of the sacrifices she made? The pain she endured? The nights she stayed awake?

Your new baby has just come from a very secure environment where all his needs were being met and he was so close to you and now he is suddenly in this very sensuous world where he may be feeling hunger, thirst, seperation, pain for the first time. He needs you and that closeness, nourishment and security that suckling gives him.

As Sheikh Suhaib Hasan so aptly puts:

“…the child should be suckled for the first two years of his life, instead of being given powdered milk which has been stored in tins for months. Few adults would abandon fresh fruit and vegetables for stale, tinned foods, yet they are quite happy to feed nothing but tinned milk and foods to their infants. Secondly, just as the mother’s blood in the womb passes nutrients and her emotions through to the blood of her child, so her milk also passes her characteristics and emotions to her child while she is suckling him, causing him to feel immense comfort and confidence.” [ix]

The scholars of the past too knew the importance of breast milk and the following is just a snippet of Ibn ul Qayyim’s advice regarding breastfeeding:

“Babies should only be fed the (mother’s) milk until their teeth appear. Their stomach and digestive system (in the early months) are incapable of handling (solid) food. When the babies teeth come out, its stomach becomes strong and ready for food. Indeed, Allah delays the growth of teeth until the baby needs the food. This is from His wisdom and kindness, and out of mercy toward the mother and her breast’s nipples, so that the baby would not bite them with its teeth.

The babies should be given solid food in a gradual manner, starting with soft foods, such as wet bread, (animal) milk, yoghurt, meat broth…

The parents should not be too disturbed by the baby’s crying and screaming, especially when it is hungry for milk. That crying benefits the baby tremendously, training its limbs, widening its intestines, broadening its chest…

The complete breast-feeding term is two years. This is a right for the baby – if it needs it and cannot do without it…” [x]

Patience & Gratitude

Whenever there are difficult patches in our lives we should remember Allah’s saying, the meaning of which is:

“Indeed after every hardship is ease, Indeed after every hardship is ease” (Surah ash-Sharh (94), aayah 6)

No pain afflicts a Muslim except that some of his sins are forgiven due to it. If things happened in labour, which you didn’t like, discuss with your husband how you could avoid those things in the future. But try not to over analyse things. Simply think of solutions and seek advice and seek Allah’s aid and move on. Deal with any major problems you can highlight to the hospital or nursing staff, but move on. We should remember to count the blessings in our situation and we will find that even though this testing time seems difficult to us - there will always be people who are being tested more than us and our situation is still much better than that of many.

If your labour was particularly difficult, think about Mariam (‘alaihas Salaam) and how she was all alone through childbirth, no hospital and facilities, no husband, no books telling her what to expect, no family support -and on top of that the fear of being falsely accused by her people and given a bad reputation. Allah tells us in the Qur’an, the meaning of which is:

“So she conceived him (‘Eesa) and she retired with him to a remote place.

And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: she said: “Oh! Would that I had died before this! Would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!”

But (a voice) cried to her from beneath her saying: “Grieve not! For your Lord has provided a water stream under you. And shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: ‘Verily I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.’”

Then she brought him (the baby Eesa) to her people, carrying him. They said: “Oh Mariam! Indeed you have brought a mighty strange thing!” (Surah Maryam: aayaat 22-27)

She had no one but Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to help her and of course He was enough for her.

Reflect on this: if labour pains are so difficult to bear, then how is it that we sin and do not fear Allah’s punishment which is more bitter and longer lasting? Should we not now think twice before we sin?

There are probably women in our own families who had much less than we do, less information, facilities and support all round. So we must be thankful. You will see that insha Allah, within weeks or months you will be physically healed and will become a lot more organized. Allah has made us able to adapt to changes over time, so we must trust in Him and ask Him to help us overcome any weaknesses we think we may have.

Slow down & Prioritise

You may feel that there are many things to do and balance in the early days…but if you prioritise and really think about what is important and what can wait, you will achieve a lot more insha Allah. You may have to totally concentrate on your baby and her needs and devote your time completely to her feeding and other needs. Allah has made doing this easier for us Alhamdulillah by lifting the obligation of praying at this time so that we can devote our time to our baby’s needs. So for a short time, leave the less important things and concentrate on the job at hand and soon, you will be able to balance more things insha Allah.

Sleep when your baby sleeps and leave the things such as cleaning till you are on your feet a bit more, or ask friends and family to help.

When things settle down more, you can write down the most important things that need to be done and try and do them throughout the day.

Seek help and advice and do your research

Find out about Islamic rulings regarding any issues you face. There is no shortage of information in our times Alhamdulillah. And it is very advisable for sisters to be informed about childbirth, pain relief options and their implications etc. It is also useful to read up about breastfeeding and what to expect of your baby in the first weeks and months of life. If you get the things you think you’ll need before the birth of your baby then insha Allah this will save you and your husband a lot of running around afterwards.

You may need to be shown how to breast-feed correctly. So seek help from the women in your family and your Muslim sisters or even the midwife. Sometimes this is the only way to learn how to do it properly and avoid pain and problems later.

Getting advice from our mothers and friends who are mothers is very important because they usually have tips and advice that books cannot teach us. Many sisters like to stay with their mothers in the early weeks. This way they can get as much help and advice as possible and the whole family can spend quality time with the baby! In the past and in many cultures today, extended families live together which can make things easier.

Being around good people will have a good impact on your mood and Emaan.

The Internet has many medical websites or websites with parent and baby information, which you could look up instantly if you need advice or information quickly about any issues that come up.

Be mindful of your husband’s rights

Books by non-Muslims and magazines are always giving women excuses to behave badly! Hormones are blamed for everything unreasonable a woman does. Hormones and other pressures do have an effect and the good husband will realize this and also be understanding. But Islam teaches us Sabr – Patience and perseverance in the face of adversity and trying situations. So even at this time when you should put your needs and the needs of your baby first, your husband’s rights should not be neglected. The coming of your child is a happy time for him too and one of changes and insha Allah your husband will be helping you as much as he can and this will be a time for your family unit to grow even closer insha Allah. Perhaps he can take time off work at this stage. Seek his help and explain to him how you feel so that he can help you as much as possible and make du’a for him. Things that seem obvious to you may not be to him so explain, so that he can empathize. Enjoy your time with your new family and insha Allah, you will see that very soon as things settle down you will get more organized and your day will have more structure insha Allah and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without the precious little one in your lives.

It’s obvious but you must discuss and consult with him any decisions that need to be made. Remember to be thankful to your husband for all the help and support he will have given you through childbirth and before that. Unthankfulness is one of the bad traits that often surface in women at times of pressure, so look at this as your test.

Your good behaviour towards your husband will not go unrewarded insha Allah. Remember the hadeeth, in which Asmaa bint Yazeed ibn as Sakan (radiallahu anha) came to the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) and said:

“Oh Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you. I have come to you on behalf of the women. We have believed in you. We do not go out and we remain in your homes. We are your source of physical pleasure. We carry your children. A man goes out to pray jumu’ah and jamaa’ah and follows the janazah. And if you go out fo Hajj, or ‘Umrah, or Jihaad, we look after your wealth. We wash your clothing. We raise your children. Shall we not share in the reward?”

The Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) turned to his companions and said: “Have you ever heard anything a woman has said better than what she has said?”

Then he said to her: “Understand oh woman, and inform the other women. Indeed a woman’s perfection of her relationship with her husband, her seeking his pleasure, and doing that which he approves of is equivalent to all of that.” Asmaa left exclaiming “La ilaaha illa Allah!”[xi]

Enjoy your baby



Enjoying the company of your child is also a blessing from Allah. Look at the story of Musa’s mother in the Qur’an and see how the separation of mother and child is such a test. It is one of the most moving stories mentioned in the Qur’an. Her son is born in the year when Pharaoh has decreed the killing of every newborn son of Bani Isra’eel. She knows that soon Pharaoh’s men will come and kill her child. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says, the meaning of which is:

“So we sent this inspiration to the mother of Musa: ‘Suckle your child, but when you fear for him, then cast him into the river and fear not, nor grieve. Verily! We shall bring him back to you and shall make him one of our Messengers.”

Then the household of Pharaoh picked him up, that he might become for them an enemy and a cause of grief. For indeed, Pharaoh, Haman and all their men were sinners.

And the wife of Pharaoh said: A comfort of the eye for me and for you. Kill him not, perhaps he may be of benefit to us, or we may adopt him as a son.” And they perceived not (what they were doing)!

And the heart of the mother of Musa became empty. She was very near to disclosing his case, had we not strengthened her heart, so that she might remain a firm believer.

And she said to Musa’s sister: “Follow him.” So she watched him from a far place secretly, while they perceived not.

And We had already forbidden other foster suckling mothers for him, until she (Musa’s sister) said: “Shall I direct you to a household who will rear him for you, and will look after him in a good manner?”

Thus did We restore him to his mother, that her eye might be comforted, that she might not grieve and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true: but most of them know not.” (Surah Al-Qasas, aayaat 7-13)

Look how much Allah cared for this great mother, He knew her pain and her feelings and He returned her child to her in the most unexpected way, so we must realize that Allah is All-Hearing All-Merciful, He knows the plight of the caller when he calls and remember how Allah has helped mothers throughout the ages and how He mentions many mothers in the Qur’an: Mariam and her mother, Musa’s mother, Ishaaq’s mother Sara, the mother of Yahya. (‘alaihimus salaam).

So enjoy your new baby’s company because these days will pass- never to return. At the different stages of our lives: the beginning of parenthood and at every stage, we will find lessons to reflect upon, signs from Allah that make us thankful and in awe of Him. From the development of your baby throughout the nine months and in seeing him grow and flower every single day there are signs for you and we can see how helpless we too were and how Alhamdulillah Allah gave us parents and allowed us to grow. There are so many lessons and benefits for us if only we look and think. Remember that Allah the Almighty is more merciful to us than the mother is to her child, and He is Arham urRaahimeem (The Most Merciful of those who have mercy), so draw near to Him and make Him the One upon whom you place your trust.

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[i] Verified to be authentic by al-Albani (Sahih ul-Jami no. 4133, and ‘Irwa ul-Ghalil no. 1166)

[ii] Reported by Ibn Majah (No.1270) and others and its isnaad is ‘hasan’ as occurs in saheehul jaami’ (No.3033)

[iii] Recorded by Ahmad, verified by al-Albani as being aunthentic (as-Sahih no.1048)

[iv] Scholars have stated that it is permissible for the Menstruating woman to recite of the Qur’an and even to hold books with Qur’anic aayat in them or books which have tafseer in them but not the Mushaf. (Book containing only the Qur’an as the majority of its contents.) This is so that they may not forget the Surahs which they have memorised. See Islamic Fataawa Regarding Women (Pgs 86- 89 Sheikh Bin Baaz’s fataawa)

[v] Recorded by Ibn Hibban, Abu Dawud and others from ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far. Verified to be hasan by adh-Dhahabee and others.

[vi] Al-Bukhari: Volume 4, Book 54, Number 477:

[vii] Recorded by al-Bukhari, Muslim and others.

[viii] See the book “Our Precious Sprouts” (Aflaadhu Akbaadina) by Muhammad al-Jibaly. Pg 153-161 for a dicussion on Breastfeeding and issues related to it.

[ix] Raising children in Islam, Suhaib Hasan, Al-Qur’an Society

[x] Tuhfatul Mawdood 140-145 (See Muhammad al-Jibaly’s book “Our Precious Sprouts” (Aflaadhu Akbaadina) pg 161)

[xi] Adh-Dhahabee related in Siyar A'laam An-Nubalaa

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