Reblogged from Audio-Islam.com:

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

All praise is due to Allaah, and may prayers of blessing and peace be upon the Messenger of Allaah, and upon his family, his companions, and whoever follows his guidance. Thus to proceed:Indeed it has been broadcasted, and circulated in the media from the broadcasts, newspapers, and internet sites, that the Pope of the Vatican, Benedict the 16th, has verbally attacked Islaam and the Messenger of Allaah, Muhammad (‘alayhis-salaatu was-salaam). He has described Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), and his message as being evil and harsh thinking! And this is a matter that is amazing, startling, and contradictory to logic, intelligence, and the reality of the pure Islaam. That is the Islaam that Allaah used to bring humanity out of the darkness and into the light, and out of the injustice of the religions and into the justice of Islaam, which is even testified to by the intelligent people of its enemies. I will not prolong in praising Islaam and the Messenger of Islaam, for indeed the world has been filled with such praise, and the libraries are overflowing with it. Therefore, I will summarize by saying:Verily Muhammad is really and truly the Messenger of Allaah. Allaah sent him as a mercy to all the creation. He sent him as a bearer of glad tidings, as a warner, and as a caller to Allaah, and as an illuminating source of light.

So this is ‘Eesaa freeing himself of the beliefs (‘Aqeedah) of the Christians, and their false belief regarding him and his mother, that they are two deities besides Allaah. And he will make it clear before Allaah that he did not command the people except with what His Lord commanded him with. “Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.” So Allaah is his Lord, and the Lord of all the people. And it is impossible that ‘Eesaa (Jesus) would claim for himself or his mother godship or divinity, or that he would command the people to associate partners with Allaah (i.e. worship anything other than Allaah).Therefore, if you all reject what this message contains of realities, and you dispute and argue regarding that, then verily I call you all to invoke the curse of Allaah, just as Allaah commanded His truthful and trustworthy Messenger (Muhammad) to do. Allaah said to him (Muhammad – sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), “Then whoever disputes with you concerning him ['Eesaa (Jesus)] after (all this) knowledge that has come to you, [i.e. 'Eesaa (Jesus)] being a slave of Allâh, and having no share in Divinity) say: (O Muhammad) “Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves – then we pray and invoke (sincerely) the Curse of Allâh upon those who lie.” [Aal ‘Imraan:61]

And for myself, and for every Muslim there is a good example in that, with Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) (i.e. the Prophet Muhammad did this before us regarding the lies of the Christians.). And may peace be upon whoever follows the right guidance.

Written by Ash-Shaikh Rabee’ bin Haadee ‘Umayr Al-Madkhalee
Sha’baan 24, 1427 Hijri
Source: http://www.rabee.net/show_des.aspx?pid=3&id=198
Translated by Aqeel Walker

Ibn Qayyim also wrote a famous qasidah, entitled Ayobbad al-Maseeh Fi Naqd al-Nasraniyyah (O Christ-Worshippers! In Refuting Christianity):

اعباد المسيح لنا سؤال….نريد جوابه ممن و عاه

O Christ-worshippers! We want an answer to our question [from your wise ones],
إذا مات الإله بصنع قوم….أماتوه فما هذا الإله

If the Lord was murdered by some people’s act, what kind of god is this?
وهل أرضاه ما نالوه منه….فبشراهم إذا نلوا رضاه

We wonder! Was He pleased by what they did to Him?
If yes, blessed be they, they achieved His pleasure,
وإن الذي فعلوه فيه….فقؤتهم إذا أوهت قواه

But if He was discontented, this means their power had subjugated Him! 

وهل بقي الوجود بلا إله….سميع يستجيب لمن دعاه

Was the whole entity left without a Sustainer, so who answered the prayers?
وهل خلت الطباق السبع لما….ثوى تحت التراب وقد علاه

Were the heavens vacated, when He laid under the ground somewhere?
وهل خلت العوالم من إله….يدبر ها وقد سمرت يداه

Were all the worlds left without a God, to manage while His hands were nailed?
وكيف تخلت الأملاك عنه….بنصرهم وقد سمعوا بكاه

Why did not the angels help Him, when they heard him while he wailed? 

وكيف أطاقت الخشبات حمل الإله….الحق شد على قفاه

How could the rods stand to bear the True Lord when He was fastened,
وكيف دنا الحديد إليه حتى….يخالطه ويلحقه أذاه

How could the irons reached Him and [had] His body pinned?
وكيف تمكنت أيدي عداه….وطالت حيث قد صفعوا قفاه

How could His enemies hands reach Him and slap His rear,
وهل عاد المسيح إلى حياة….أم المحيي له ربٌ سواه

And was Christ revived by himself, or was the Reviver another god? 

ويا عجبا لقبر ضم رباً….وأغجب منه بطن قد حواه

What a sight it was, a grave that enclosed a god,
Stranger still is the belly that confined Him!
أقام هناك تسعا من شهور….لدى الظلمات من حيض غذاه

He stayed there for nine months in utter darkness, fed by blood!
وشق الفرج مولودا صغيرا….ضعيفا فاتحا للثدى فاه

Then he got out of the womb as a small baby,
Weak and gasping to be breast-fed!
ويأكل ثم يشرب ثم ياتي….بلازم ذاك هل هذا إله

He ate and drank, and did what that naturally resulted,
Is this [what you call] a god?
تعالى الله عن إفك النصارى….سيسأل كلهم عما افتراه

High Exalted be Allah above the lies of Christians,
All of them will be held accountable for their libels! 

أعباد الصليب لأي معنى….يعظم او يقبَه رماه

O Cross-worshippers! For what reason is this exalted
and blame [is cast upon those] who reject it?
وهل تقضى العقول بغير كسر….وإحراق له ولمن بغاه

Is it not logical to break and burn it, along with the one who innovated it?
إذا ركب الإله عليه كرها….وقد شدت لتسمير يداه

Since the Lord was crucified on it, and his hands were fastened to it?
فذاك المركب الملعون حقا….فدسه لا تبسه إذا تراه

That is really a cursed cross to carry,
So discard it, do not kiss it! 

يهان عليه رب الخلق طرًا….وتعبده فإنك من عداه

The Lord was abused on it, and you adore it?
So [it is clear that] you are one of His enemies!
فإن عظمته من أخل أن قد….حوى رب العباد وقد علاه

If you extol it because it carried the Lord of the Worlds,
وقد فقد الصليب فإن رأينا….له شكلا تذكرنا سناه

Why don’t you prostrate yourself and worship graves,
فهلا للقبور سجدت طرًا….لضم القبر ربَك في حشاه

Since the grave contained your god in it? 

فيا عبد المسيح فق فهذا….بدايته وهذا منتهاه

So Christ-worshipper, open your eyes,
This is the Beginning and this is the End.

Source: http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmessages.cfm?Forum=%208&Topic=8194

Related Links:

• The likeness of Jesus is as of Adam
• Biblical evidence of Jesus being a servant of God and having no share in Divinity
• The Status of Jesus in Islam
• Sincere Advice to Every Christian
• Moses, Jesus & Muhammad, Three Men One Message – Video

The Status of the Woman before Islaam:

What is meant “before Islaam” here is the period known as Jaahiliyyah (Days of Ignorance), which the Arabs used to live in specifically and the people of the whole world in general. This was when the people did not have any Messengers amongst them and they were void of any guidance. And as is stated in the hadeeth, “Allaah looked at them – both Arabs and Non-Arabs – and hated them, except for some remnants from the People of the Book (who stayed upon the true message).” 

In most cases, the woman of this time period lived under critical conditions – especially those in the Arab societies, where they used to hate it when a girl was born. So amongst the Arabs were those who would bury their daughter while she was still alive until she died below the earth. And amongst them were those who let them live only to find a life of humiliation and degradation. Allaah says: “And when news of the birth of a female child was brought to any of them, his face would become dark and filled with grief. He hides himself from the people because of the evil that he has been informed of. Shall he keep her with dishonor or bury her in the earth? Certainly, evil is their decision.” [Surah An-Nahl: 58-59]

And Allaah says: “And when the female child who was buried in the ground will be questioned – for what sin was she killed?” [Surah At-Takweer: 8-9]

The word maw’oodah refers to the baby girl that was buried alive and left to die inside the earth. And if she was spared from being buried alive and allowed to live, then indeed she found herself living a life of degradation. This is since she was not allowed to inherit any portion of her relative’s estate no matter how much money he had and regardless of if she was suffering from poverty and dire need. The reason for this is because they would make the inheritance specific for men in exclusion of women. In fact, she would be distributed as part of her deceased husband’s estate, just as his money would be distributed in inheritance!

And there would be found a score of women living under one man, since they would not put any limits to the number of wives they could marry. So they wouldn’t show any concern for what occurred to the women as a result of that, such as living under cramped conditions, inconveniences and injustice.

The Status of the Woman after Islaam: 

But when Islaam came, it uplifted these injustices from the woman and returned her honor and self-esteem in humanity back to her. Allaah says: “O mankind, indeed We created you from a male and a female.” [Surah Al-Hujuraat: 13]

So Allaah mentions that she is the partner of man in the origin of humanity and likewise, she is partners with man in terms of being rewarded or punished for actions performed. Allaah says:“Whoever does good deeds, – whether male or female – while he or she is a true believer, to him We will give a good life and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do.” [Surah An-Nahl: 97]

Allaah says: “So that Allaah may punish the male and female hypocrites and the male and female polytheists.” [Surah Al-Ahzaab: 73]

And Allaah made it forbidden to consider a woman as a possession to be inherited from her dead husband’s estate, as He says: “O you who believe, you are forbidden to inherit women against their will.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 19]

So Allaah gave her independence in her individuality, such that she became one who can inherit as opposed to an object of inheritance. And Allaah gave the woman a right in the inheritance of her relative’s wealth. Allaah says: “There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by their parents and close relatives, whether the property be small or large – a legal share.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 7]

And Allaah says: “Allaah commands you as regards your children’s inheritance: to the male a portion equal to that of two females. If there are only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 11]

And this goes as well for the other texts that state a woman can inherit whether she be a mother, a daughter, a sister or a wife.

In the area of marital affairs, Allaah limited a husband to marrying the maximum of four wives, on the condition that he treats all of his wives fairly and equally according to his ability. And He obligated to the husbands to live with them in kindness, as He says: “And live with them honorably.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 19]

And He made the dowry her right and He commanded that it be given to her in full except for that which she permits from her own good will. Allaah says: “And give to the women their dowry with a good heart. But if they, out of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it and enjoy it without any fear of harm.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 4]

And Allaah made her the caretaker, commanding good and forbidding evil in the household of her husband – and the leader over her children. The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “A woman is the guardian of her husband’s household and she will be asked (on the Day of Judgement) concerning those under her care.” Also, Allaah made it obligatory for the husband to spend on her and to clothe her in a good manner.

What the Enemies of Islaam and their Offshoots want today from their stripping the Woman of her Honor and rights: 

Indeed the enemies of Islaam – rather the enemies of humanity – today, from the disbelievers, hypocrites and those who have a disease in their hearts are enraged about what the Muslim woman has achieved from honor, glory and chastity in Islaam. This is because the enemies of Islaam from the disbelievers, hypocrites and those who have a disease in their hearts – they want from the woman that she serve as a trap by which they can lure and catch those with weak Eemaan and those who have perverted natures, after having fulfilled their depraved desires from her. Allaah says: “But those who follow their lusts wish that you should deviate tremendously away.” [Surah An-Nisaa: 27]

And those who have a disease in their hearts among the Muslims want the woman to be a cheap commodity exhibiting herself to those people of lustful desires and devilish inclinations. They want her to serve as an open commodity before their eyes so that they may find entertainment in her beautiful appearance or perhaps they may make her do something far worse than that.

This is why they expend great efforts in trying to make the woman go out of her home so that she can participate with men in their jobs – working side by side with them. Or that she can serve and tend to men as a nurse in the hospital or a flight attendant on an airplane or a teacher or professor in mixed non-segregated schools Or that she be an actress in the theatres or a singer or a broadcaster on the various forms of media – exposing her face and enticing men by her voice and appearance.

And the immoral magazines have taken pictures of young girls that are looking provocative and naked as a means for promoting and marketing their magazines. And some businessmen and companies have taken these pictures also as a means for promoting their product, such that they place these pictures in their advertisements and exhibits.

These evil actions are meant to distract the woman from her real and true duty, which is in the home. And this forces the husbands to hire female servants to raise their children and take care of the affairs of their households, which results in much mischief and great evil.

However, we don’t restrict a woman from working outside of her home, so long as she abides by the following guidelines:

1. She must have a need for doing this work or the community she lives in requires her to do this job, such that there cannot be found any man that can do the job.

2. She should do this after fulfilling the job she has at home, which is her primary job.

3. This job must be in an environment of women only, such as her teaching women (only) or doctoring and nursing female patients. And her work must be separate from men.

4. Likewise, there is nothing that restricts her from learning the affairs of her Religion – in fact she is obligated to do this. And there is nothing preventing her from teaching about the aspects of her Religion, so long as there is a need for that and her teaching is held in an environment of (only) women. And there is no harm in her attending classes in a masjid and so on, while being consistent in that and segregated from men. This can be seen from the women in the beginning of Islaam (i.e. the Sahaabiyaat), in that they would work and study and attend the masaajid.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SalafyInk

Related Links:

• The Reality of Hijaab, The Muslim Woman’s Dress
• Common Misconceptions about Islam
• Misconceptions about women in Islaam: Why two women witnesses?

Secularity, reality and danger

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

The word “Secularity” – (Al-`Ilmâniyya) in the Arabic language – is a term that has absolutely no relation with the word “Science” (`Ilm) or its derivations. From the political point of view, secularity means “Irreligious power” (i.e. religion should not be involved in power). It is commonly defined in many Islamic books as “The separation of religion from the state”. However, this meaning is limited and does not state the reality of secularity, which involves the individual and the behavior that have no relation with the state. This is why we can express it differently in a more conformable way to the reality of secularity, which is “The establishment of an irreligious life”. Regardless the fact that secularity, whose doctrine and philosophy emerged under the protection of the western civilization, was influenced by the falsified Christianity^[1] and socialism, the irreligious secularity is a worldly ideology aiming at isolating the religious influence on life. It calls to set up life on material basis in its different domains: political, economical, social, ethic, judicial and others, also on the bases of the absolute worldly knowledge, under the power of reason and experimentation, taking into consideration interest, by adapting the principle of utilitarianism over all the domains of life, in power, politics and ethics based on the Machiavellian principle “The end justifies the means”. Thus, far from the religious recommendations and prohibitions which are restricted in the individual’s mind and do not go with them beyond his personal and private relation between him and his Lord. Furthermore, he is not allowed to express himself, but only in matters of religious rituals and ceremonies, which consist of weddings, festivals, funerals and others.

Secularity, which is based on the materialistic tendency, is soon emanated from the irreligious doctrine, whose utmost aim is fighting religion and removing it from all fields of the public life, in addition to excluding people of religion and its protectors and limiting their influence by isolating them from educational domains, institutions and scientific institutes, and preventing religious knowledge. So, its highest aim is to establish a state and a society where religion is confined to the individual level, and make people of the Islamic society feel brotherhood in state, regardless the fact that they are not brothers in religion.

Nevertheless, the truth is not really perceived by those who divide secularity, on the one hand, into atheistic one, which radically denies the existence of the Creator and does not at all recognize something in matter of religion, and on the other hand, into non-atheistic secularity that believes, theoretically, in the Creator but rejects any relation between Allah عز وجل and the men’s life. It calls to isolate religion from the world and life, and rejects, explicitly or implicitly, the legislation of Allah. Because atheism is the nature of secularity in all its forms since atheism is to depart and to deviate from Allah’s religion and legislation including all leaning or tendency towards religion. This is what essentially leads to incredulity in Allah, the association to Him in what is illicit, transgress something forbidden by Him, and leave any of the recommendations of Allah^[2].

Besides, the origin of atheism is all what contains the association to Allah in His general Lordship, and denying Allah’s Names, attributes or Acts.

The predication of secularity represents a huge danger to the religion of Islam and to Muslims, and the majority of the Muslims are not aware of its reality because it disguises behind different masks such as patriotism, socialism, nationalism, and others. As well as, it hides behind destructive theories like Freudianism, Darwinism, or Evolutionism^[3] and others. Its partisans pretend relying on attested scientific arguments whereas they are just weak, deficient and specious arguments rejected by reason and reality:

﴿كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [العنكبوت: 41].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾As the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and most surely the frailest of the houses is the spider’s house did they but know﴿ [Al-`Ankabût (The Spider): 41].

Especially, the one that gives the appearance of a partisan to the religion in order to confuse and to lead ordinary Muslims astray. In fact, it does not prevent the pilgrimage and prayer in the mosques. On the contrary, it contributes in their construction, it takes part in celebrations and festivals, it offers rewards and gifts for the imams and those who learn the Koran by heart, and show neither struggle nor antagonism against religion but with very fervent attempts to restrict religion in mosques and isolate it from the domains of life.

Among the aspects and domains of secularization which are kept off from religion:

- Politics and power, the adaptation of secularization in these fields is apparent and not hidden from the observers.

- Secularization of teaching and its methods, a fact not refuted by those who are reasonable.

- Secularization of economy and financial structures, clearly known by experts.

- Civic, social and ethic laws are undoubtedly secularized.

In fact, secularism makes of the spiritual values negative ones. In this manner, it makes the way free to the spread of atheism, westernization, libertinism and ethic anarchy. It calls for the women’s liberation according to the western style that does not condemn illegal relations between the two sexes. This is what helps to open widely the doors to shameful practices that, consequently, lead to the destruction of the family’s existence and to its disunion. Thus, with such practices, generations are formed with an irreligious education, in a society where neither an impediment or a religious barrier nor a voice of a living consciousness exist, which are substituted by agitations of worldly passions like interest, covetousness, the struggle for life, and other material hopes regardless of spiritual values.

It is this kind of secularity that is spread in the Muslim and Arab world, through the effect of colonialism and the campaigns of Christianization and evangelization. Also, because of the improvidence of our compatriots, deluded with illusions, who brandished its slogan, and executed the plans of those who have drawn them and supported them to confuse ordinary people with specious arguments and pretensions of extreme disorientation that founded their predication, which consists of:

- Slandering the Noble Quran and making the prophecy doubtful.

- Pretending that the revelation is inactive and unable to adapt itself with civilisation, and Europe progressed only after getting rid of religion.

- Pretending that Islam neglects the pursuit of the evolution of life, calls for repression, and persecutes the freedom of thought.

- Pretending that Islamic religion has already completed its aims and remains in it only a set of rituals and spiritual practices.

- Pretending that the Arabic language lacks or takes a long time to adapt itself with science and progress, and it is unable to pursuit civilization and development process. However, even if Arabic is the official language in Muslim countries, but still it is marginalized in the majority of administrative institutions, in universities and medical fields, especially in North African countries where the French language has replaced it and really becomes the practiced language of speaking and of communication. Nevertheless, the Arabic language has gradually regressed and loses ground according to plans already prepared and studied after knowing that Arabic is the language of the Quran and the key of the revelation sciences.

- Pretending that the revelation has already been practically applied at the level of politics, power, and in other domains. Because, they pretend that the Islamic jurisprudence draws its prescriptions from the Roman law.

- Pretending the harshness of the revelation in its retributions such as: lex talionis, amputation, being stoned to death, flagellation … and decide on retributions that are more appropriate by taking irreligious laws and methods from the West, by imitation, which are considered more clement and more lenient.

Eventually, these are the set of pretensions that secularists rely on, who work in order to interrupt the revelation of Allah عز وجل by different means such as personalities, magazines, journalism, and other plans. In addition to this, they want to separate the authentic religion from the social life, and reduce it in the narrowest limits and domains according to the leanings and practices of the West who aims at breaking the commandments of Islam and releasing it from all its obligations and values. Besides, they want to alter the Muslim identity, cut them off from their religion, and lose their loyalty to it and membership to their community through the alliance to the West full of hatred, and by interchanging the values, notions, terms and authentic Islamic conceptions with western ones, in a manner that the lifestyle will be changed to that of the West, and by changing the way of thinking and acting so that it suits the thinking and deeds of the West. They also aim at changing the ethical and social behavior with the allegation that it is a modernization of the legislative, juridical and penal systems; and this in a manner that goes with the civilizational way, by imitating the western systems and legislations, all this under the banner of development and renewal.

Many individuals of the Islamic nation were deeply influenced by secularity, and this is obvious in the fields of institutions, power, Sharia, jurisprudence and education. This influence is due to what was spread of ambiguities around Islam, its language, Quran and Prophet, as we previously mentioned.

Many social and political institutions were influenced by these pernicious notions and proceeded to develop their countries by focusing on secularizing the state, whether under the guise of nationalism, socialism, patriotism or others. As for the other institutions with Islamic tendency, they are also influenced by secularity – save those whom Allah Has protected by His mercy – they have of religion a limited conception since they restrict it to its civilizational aspect.

Islam, religion and state rejects categorically this duality, which consists of making a strong barrier between the material and the spiritual world; it is considered an apostasy. Moreover, Islam, within its sane and pure nature, its correct dogma and morality, does not accept the spread of the western social evils such as atheism, libertinism, ethic anarchy, and other vices, ideological and moral impurities which bring the destruction of the doctrine’s unity, the family and the society existence.

In fact, Islam commands to Muslim to be entirely to Allah in all domains of life: his deeds, his words, and his behaviors. His life as well as his death belongs to the Allah عز وجل:

_{﴿قُلْ إِنَّ صَلاَتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي للهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ * لاَ شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَاْ أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ}﴾  [الأنعام: 162-163].

The meaning of the verse:

﴾Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم): “Verily, my Salât (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allâh, the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinns and all that exists) He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims﴿ [Al-An`âm (The Cattle): 162-163].

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, his Family, his Companions and Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.