1: Surah Fatiha: a) Allah omnipotent and omniscient. Allah is the most merciful. All praise is for him.

Allah is Master of all (even the Day of Judgment). He is the one from whom we ask for guidance. Gods graciousness and mercy, that he is master of the worlds (known and unknown) as well as master of the Day of Judgment. He should be asked for help (e.g. he gives guidance which stops them from going astray). He gives which they must follow (Quran and Sunnah). b) Allah is omnipotent and omniscient. He is the lord of the Worlds. Allah rules over the whole universe. According to Holy Quran the Holy Quran: Allah, He is the only God so worship Him. (21:25)All that is in the heavens and earths belongs to Allah. (112:5) these teachings show the relationship between God and humans. Muslims should obey Gods will. Although this can be difficult, God is there to help when He is asked. His guidance is there for humans to follow, which is mainly shown in the Quran and Sunnah. 2: ) Surah Al Ikhlas ( 112:1-4 ) a) Tawhid Allah is the One and Only. Unique in all attributes. Allah does not need anybody to worship. His power does not depend upon our worship. Nobody can harm him. Allah is omnipotent and omniscient. He does not have any partners or family. This short surah, the Qur'an is capable of giving a clear concept of Allah, and at the same time removing any human-like qualities attributed to Him. Allah is the One, the Singular, Who has no peer, no assistant, no rival, no equal and none comparable to Him. This word (Al-Ahad) cannot be used for anyone in affirmation except Allah the Mighty and Majestic, because He is perfect in all of His attributes and actions. Allah As-Samad) "this means the One Who all of the creation depends upon for their needs and their requests." b) Tawhid, omnipotence and omniscience. No partners. According to the Holy Quran: There is no God but He. (2:255) No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god with him. (23:91) The Concept of Tawheed has been explained in Surah al-Ikhlaas by separating and purging it from Shirk (associating others with Almighty God, polytheism and idolatry). Pagan or idolaters asked: "Oh Muhammed! Tell us the geneology of Your Lord", whereupon God revealed this surah The answer to the question that how does this surah contains comprehensively the knowledge of Tawheed and its principles which form the essence of the belief in Almighty God. God's command "He is God, the One" negates partnership with Him in every sense, whether it concerns His Self, Attributes or His Deeds. It also demonstrates the distinctiveness of God in His perfection, magnificence and majesty. As it is said in Holy Quran, He is fully aware of what the eyes cannot see, and everything that the minds conceal. 40: 19. 3: Surah Shura: ( 42:4-5 ) a) Allah is the only creator of everything. Signs of Allah are in the creation and position of the Heavens and the Earth. Angels celebrate his praise and ask for forgiveness of all. Heavens shake with the fear of God. He Omnipotent and Omniscient . He is Most merciful and oftforgiving.

b) This surah teaches Allah is most merciful and most forgiving. Angels pray for the forgiveness of all creatures .This Surah tells us about Tawhid, Omnipotence and Omniscience of Allah. According to the Holy Quran, His are all things, in the Heavens and on earth. But my mercy extends to all things. (7:156) If anyone does evil or wrongs his own soul, but afterwards seeks Allahs forgiveness, he will find Allah oft-forgiving, Most merciful. (4:110) 4) Surah Anaam: (6:101-103) a) Only creator of everything. Allah is alone, with no partners or shareholders; He is unique in existence, authority and knowledge. He is omnipotent and omniscient. He is only one to be worshiped. Everything depends upon his will. Allah cannot be visualized and is beyond understanding b) Allah cant be visualized and is beyond understanding. Allah Does not have any partners. He is omnipotent and omniscient. According to the Holy Quran, And there is none like unto Him (112:4) To Him is due the primal origin of Heavens and the Earth. (2:117)

5) Surah Al Alaq Surah 96.1-5 a) This passage is about God as Creator and Teacher. Gods control of all things Hes created, including mankind, and that He is the one who teaches mankind. Allah is creator of Man and gave him Knowledge. God teaches humans through revealed knowledge (through books). , The passage is started with Iqra! (Read) which indicates to human why Knowledge is important for them because through Knowledge theyll be able to differentiate between right and wrong. b) These teachings also help Muslims to see the relationship between God and man. God has power to teach and show right path because He is all powerful He is able to create humans. After creation, He shows care for his creatures by sending revealed scriptures so they are not left on their own. Knowledge is a link between man and God, thats why Allah taught men the use of Pen so that he should not only be able to read but he should also write and preserve the Knowledge for the coming generation. According to Quran, We have sent down to you a scripture containing your message. Do you not understand? 21:10. 6) Surah Baqrah (2:21-22) a) This passage talks about tawhid (oneness) and emphasises that God is the Creator of Everything. Allah has created for the benefit of mankind guidance (Through His revealed Books and Prophets), fertile earth, shade and water from sky. It also suggests that Mankind should not commit the greatest sin of associating partners/rivals with God, for He is the only Creator and Sustainer. According to Quran, To Him belongs everything in the heavens and everything on earth. Absolutely, GOD is the Most Rich, Most Praiseworthy. 22:64. b) This Surah shows the relationship between God and His creation. The whole mankind, heaven and the earth are sight of Allah and they are serving the humanity. Now, it is the duty of man to worship Him and praise Him. They can also see this from the guidance that came before them from prophets. Therefore, humans should acknowledge who their sustenance has come from as He is the only creator of everything. We should acknowledge the countless bounties of Allah and praise Him as Quran says Praise be to GOD, Lord of the universe. 1 : 2. 7) Ayat Al Kursi (2:255) a) This passage describes the concept of Tawheed (oneness of Allah). It tells a basic description of Allah as e.g. Creator or Lord. Allah is all powerful according to Quran He is fully aware of what the eyes cannot see, and everything that the minds conceal. 40:19. Allah is perfect, unique and matchless and this makes Him Supreme. Allah is the omnipotence and omniscience b) This Surah tells about Allah attributes which are unique e.g. Allah as unsleeping. The word Kursi refers to the Throne of Allah Most High. This is because another name for throne is Kursi.Allah controls every thing .He is above all human need and weakness as Quran says, He is the only One who controls life and death. To have anything done, He simply says to it, "Be," and it is. 40:68.The true aspect of Allahs perfection lies not only in the fact that creation will finish but also in the endless existence of Allah, the Most Mighty and Most Majestic. Allah is the one who is establishes on His Own, Self-Subsisting, by Whom all things subsist. Allah is absolutely free of any need from all creation. He is Self-subsisting. He needs not food or drink, for He is the One Who feeds but is not fed. He needs not a supporter, nor a helper, nor a deputy, nor an advisor. He is established in perfection by Himself.. 8) Surah Nas (114:1-6) a) Allah provides Refuge from the wickedness of those who tempt others. In this surah,, refuge is sought with Allah through His attributes which are directly related to man. As a result, the appeal of the surah is more effective. Which invoke Allahs mercy. These are three attributes from the attributes of the Lord, the Mighty and Majestic. They are Lordship, Sovereignty and Divinity. Thus, He is the Lord of everything, the King of everything and the God of everything. This (the whisperer) is the devil that is assigned to man. This devil will go to any lengths to confuse and confound man. The only person who is safe is He Whom Allah protects. b) This surah refers to the power of God. This surah addresses to the Prophet (s) to seek Allahs protection against the evil effect of magic spell cast on him by his enemies. Allah has the power to undo all evil forces created by Satan. According to Quran When the devil whispers to you any whisper, seek refuge in GOD; He is Hearer, Omniscient. 7:200. it is also mention in Quran Say,

"No one can protect me from GOD, nor can I find any other refuge beside Him. 72:22.This surah is the dual of Surah Falaq, there is no essential difference between the central themes of the two. 9) Surah Al Kauthar (108:1-3) a) In this surah Allah promises special favors and rewards to His chosen people (prophetic messengers) who offered regular prayers and sacrificed in the way of Allah. Allah warned those who insulted Prophet and Islam. Those people (enemies of Prophet) will be forgotten. b) Al-Kausar is the name of a fountain in Jannah (Paradise). Almighty Allah has given the Prophet (s) this fountain. Al-Kausar means "The Abundance". Surah al-Kausar tells us that Almighty Allah gave the Prophet (s) good things in abundance and excellences to which there are no limit. This Surah tells us about our Muhammads (s) high status. Some leaders of the Quraish made fun of the Holy Prophet (s) when his young son, Hazrat Qasim (RA), passed away saying that he no longer had any sons to carry on his name and that he would be forgotten after he passes away. Allah promises with this Surah that the memory of the Prophet (s) would continue forever and that all those who are his enemies will be forgotten. As it is stated in Holy Quran And worship your Lord, in order to attain certainty.15: 99. 10) Surah Al Duha (93:1-11) a) 'The brightness of the forenoon' may signify the rise and progress of Islam. 'The Night' may signify the prolonged period of the decline of Islam. Prophet(s) devotions at night and activities in the day, all bear out that God was with him .Every moment of the Holy Prophet's life was better than the one preceding it. Allah helped the Prophet (s) when there was no one to help him even when he was Orphan. Allah revealed to him the Law which guided him to the desired goal. He was hidden from the eyes of the world and God discovered him and chose him for the task of leading men to Him. Verses 7, 8 and 9; speak of God's favors on the Holy Prophet and in verses. 10; 11 and 12 he is enjoined to show his gratitude by doing similar favours to his fellow-beings. The commandment applies equally to his followers. b) After the first two or three Chapters had been revealed, Revelation stopped to come to the Holy Prophet for some time. The present Surah is among those Chapters which were revealed soon after Revelation had started coming again. The Surah embodies a great prophecy that every morrow of the Holy Prophet will be better than his yesterday and this process will continue till his cause will meet with complete success. The prophecy was remarkably fulfilled by the mounting triumphs of the Holy Prophet. As Quran says about Holy Prophet ( s ) "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets; and Allah has full knowledge of all things." (33:41) 11) Surah Fussilat (41.37-39) a). In this Surah ,attention having been called to the Signs or Evidences of Allah's working on the earth, within ourselves;" "an appeal is made to our own inner conscience, in the name of the Lord of heaven and earth;" "act up to the truth of Revelation;" "turn to spiritual Realities." b) Here Allah reminds His Creation of His power, and that He is the One Who has no equal, and He is Able to do all things. Allah says do not associate anything in worship with Him, for your worship of Him will be of no benefit to you if you worship others alongside Him, because He does not forgive the association of others in worship with Him . He be exalted, knows who denies Allahs signs, Names and attributes, and He will punish them for that on the Day of Judgment. According to Holy Quran, Those who disobey GOD and His messenger incur the fire of Hell, 72:23 12) Surah Zilzal (99: 1-8) a) In the verses of Surah Zilzal cited above, the earth has been personified. This personification of the earth is sustained throughout this short surah. The earth is shaken and throws up its burdens, it will declare its tidings: For that thy Lord will have given it inspiration. The word used with reference to the earth here in (99:5) ordinarily means inspiration, the message put into the mind or heart by Allah. (Ali, 654). Thus the earth is presented as a living creature and the message is put into its mind or heart by Allah. In this Surah Allah say, O mankind! Have Taqwa (fear) of your Lord. This surah narrates the sign and events of the Day of Judgment. The whole earth will experience all manner of internal as well as external commotions and upheavals. The

earth will throw out its treasures because God had commanded her to do so, the word Auha meaning; he commanded (Aqrab). Every action done in secret by men will come to light whether it is good or bad and they will be judge according to their actions and deeds in worldly life. b) This surah refers to the Day of Judgment which one of the fundamental belief of Muslims. Allah is the creator of this universe and it is created with His will and it will end with Will. That Day will start with the blow of Trumpet by angel Israfil and will cause great shaking of earth. .This surah deals with many subjects belonging to the supersensory realm such as faith in one God, the angels, doomsday and resurrection, heaven and hell. Every human will get reward and punishment according to his action. as it is mention in Holy Quran They are dead, not alive, and they have no idea how or when they will be resurrected. 16:21. 13) .Surah Baqrah ( 2: 30-37 ) a) This surah describes some attributes of Allah e.g. Allah is Creator, All knowing, His knowledge and wisdom is beyond the comprehension of mankind. Allah created Adam and taught him Knowledge than Adam got superiority over all the angels. All the Angels bowed down before the Adam except Iblis . Iblis disobeyed Allah. Iblis was cursed by Allan and expelled. Adam and his wife started living in paradise. Later on, Iblis lured Adam and Eve. They both transgress the limits defined by Allah. So Adam and Eve were sent down to earth. Adam learnt from his mistake and appealed for Mercy and forgiveness from Allah. Finally, Allah granted pardon to Adam because Allah is the most Merciful. Allah gave Adam the challenge and responsibility of world life. b) That the khaleefah refers to our father Adam, upon him and our Prophet be peace and Blessings, because he was the khaleefah of Allah on His earth appointed to implement His laws. This also indicates that Iblis is the greatest enemy of Mankind who was not ready to accept the high status of Man. This surah also makes this fact clear that Allah is the most merciful who doors are always open for forgiveness and we should protect ourselves form our greatest enemy Iblis as Quran says, . Say, "No one can protect me from GOD, nor can I find any other refuge beside Him. 72:22

14) Surah Al Maida (5:110) a) This Surah describes the special favor Of Allah on Jesus who spoke the words of wisdom and piety in childhood. This sort of speaking by Jesus reflected great credit on his mother (Marry), who, herself being a wise and pious lady, brought him up as a wise and pious child. Allah reminds the Jesus of his miraculous birth, his ability to speak in infancy, treat the leper and the blind and give him life to the non-living. Jesus also received the divine wisdom from book of Torah and Gospel. This shows Allah is all powerful and Allah is the one who can grant these miraculous powers to Jesus. Allah prepared him to face the opposition of Israel. Jesus played his part by showing Allah miracles to those people but they called it magic. b) Muslims belief that Jesus is a messenger of Allah as it is mentioned in the Quran. Indeed, those who disbelieve in God and His messengers and wish to discriminate between God and His messengers and say, We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and wish to adopt a way in between those are the disbelievers (Surah an-Nisaa, 4:150-152).This surah also teaches us about the miraculous powers of Jesus which Allah granted him to face the opposition of Israel and Allah is the one who granted many favurs to Jesus and his mother Marry because they were believer of Allah and belivers will get the favour of Allah in this worldly life and Hereafter. Prophet Muhammad Presents his Brother Jesus to Mankind as Quran says, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus...the son of Mary; distinguished in this world and the Hereafter. (Surah Aali Imraan, 3:45

15)Surah Anaam: ( 6: 75-79 ) a) The verse means that God granted Abraham the knowledge of, and an insight into, the natural laws that work in the universe, and of the all-pervading Divine power and control. Allah has given

wisdom to Abraham. So he first assumed the star to be his Lord and. when it disappeared. he hastened to declare, I like not those that set. Similar was the case with the setting of the moon and the sun. Of the sun he used the word "greater" or "greatest" ironically in order to taunt his people for their folly. This clearly shows that by the line of arguments he adopted Abraham intended gradually to draw his people to God. A simple glance over vv. 80-82 makes it crystal clear that Abraham not only possessed firm faith in God but also had a deep knowledge of Divine attributes. b) This Surah teaches opposition to the Prophets by the disbelievers appears to be not quite unnatural, since only those people seek Allah who possesses some natural kinship with spiritual matters, for the spiritually-deaf cannot hear the Voice of Allah. They see Sign after Sign and yet continue to repeat parrot like that no Sign has been shown to them. The Surah exposes the falsity of polytheistic doctrines by means of an argument which the Abraham had with his people; and then mention is made of the favors and blessings which Allah bestowed upon him and his descendants because they strove (struggled) hard to establish truth in the world. Allah has created sings of His existence for believers so that they should learn from these signs and follow the true and One Almighty Allah. Holy Quran says, O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of Allah's signs, that they may take heed. 7:26. 1: Surah Fatiha: a) Allah omnipotent and omniscient. Allah the most merciful. All praise is for him. Master of all (even the Day of Judgment). He is the one from whom we ask for guidance. b) Allah is omnipotent and omniscient. He is the lord of the Worlds. Rules over the whole universe. References from the Holy Quran: Allah, He is the only God so worship Him. (21:25) All that is in the heavens and earths belongs to Allah. (112:5) 2: Surah Ikhlas: a) Tawhid Allah is the One and Only. Unique in all attributes. Allah does not need anybodys worship. His power does not depend upon our worship. Nobody can harm him. Allah is omnipotent and omniscient. He does not have any partner or family. b) Tawhid, omnipotence and omniscience. No partners. References from the Holy Quran: There is no God but He. (2:255) No son did Allah beget, nor is there any god with him. (23:91) 3: Surah Shura: a) Only creator of everything. Signs of Allah in the creation and position of the Heavens and the Earth. Angels celebrate his praise and ask for forgiveness of all. Heavens shake with the fear of God Omnipotent and Omniscient Most merciful and oft-forgiving. b) Allah is most merciful and most forgiving Angels pray for the forgiveness of all creatures

Tawhid, Omnipotence and Omniscience of Allah. References from the Holy Quran: His are all things, in the Heavens and on earth.? But my mercy extends to all things. (7:156) If anyone does evil or wrongs his own soul, but afterwards seeks Allah?s forgiveness, he will find Allah oft-forgiving, Most merciful. (4:110) 4) Surah Ana'am: a) Only creator of everything. Allah is alone, with no partners or shareholders, He is unique in existence, authority and knowledge Omnipotent and Omniscient. Only one to be worshiped. Everything depends upon his will. Cannot be visualized and is beyond understanding b) Allah cant be visualized and is beyond understanding. Does not have any partners. He is omnipotent and omniscient References from the Holy Quran: And there is none like unto Him (112:4) To Him is due the primal origin of Heavens and the Earth. (2:117) Surah Al-Kausar 108: 1-3 (a) The theme of this surah is Allahs promise and reassurance for his prophet in times of hardships and opposition by their people. Allah has promised special favors and rewards for those offering regular prayers and he also warned those engaged in insulting and ridiculing special servants of Allah. This shows Allahs special care of His prophet in the time of hardships. (b) Allah extended His consolation to the holy Prophet Pbuh who felt dejected after being mocked by the makkans over the death of his second son. Allah promised abundance of spiritual children in the form millions of his followers. Another promise is the destruction of Prophets enemies. This way Allah shows his concerns over the condition of Holy Prophet Pbuh who was worried at the moment. Allah has also revealed surah al-duha in another similar condition to console him against insulted behavior of enemy over an unusual delay in receiving revelations. Surah al-alaq (a) These verses are the part of the first ever revelation sent to the last messenger of Allah. It mentions two of Allahs most important attributes: His creating man and the bestowing knowledge upon him. Allah has perfected man through various certain stages of development and finally enabled him to read and write with the help of pen. (b) These verses remind us the exclusive favor of Allah by creating Adam and then granting him the faculty of knowledge that raised his status even above angles. This superiority of Adam was due to knowledge and the faculty of mind awarded by Allah. Human ability of holding and making use of pen are supportive evidence in this regards. In some other verses of the Quran Allah said And He (Allah) taught Adam the names of all the things (2:31). This refers to Allahs great reward to Adam and his progeny. The mention of knowledge and pen together in the passage conveys to us the link between the two and their importance for all humans. Hadis 1 'Religion is sincerity. We said: 'To whom? The Prophet [pbuh] said: 'To Allah, his book, his messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and to their common people. a) This hadis embraces all aspects of faith. Sincerity to Allah and His messenger means that ones heart should be cleansed from all impurities with regard to belief in Allah and the knowledge

of his book must be spread and acquired as well as carried out faithfully. Holy Prophet [pbuh] must be loved with perfect sincerity of heart and should be obeyed and followed in all affairs of life. The leaders of rulers of Muslims must be provided with full support and co-operation but if they get detracted, they should be rightly advised. Then, fellow beings must be honored and their rights should be uplifted and every possible service must be extended to them. b) Muslims must show sincerity to Allah by submitting their will to the will of Allah. they must acquire the knowledge of Holy Quran and spread it out in the society wherever possible. Similarly, the Sunnah of the Prophet [pbuh] must be sincerely practiced and considered as a guideline next to the Holy Quran. Full support must be extended towards the leaders of the Muslims in such a way that they must feel comfortable in ruling the state. The Holy Prophet said: ''Who so obeys my commander, obeys me and whoso disobeys the commander disobeys me.'' The same goes to the common people, any possible service or help possible should be extended towards them and their dignity should be preserved. Hadis 2 None of you believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself. a)This hadis emphasizes fraternity and brotherhood. Muslim brotherhood has been established by Allah Himself and therefore, it is binding upon all Muslims to be cooperative and kind to each other. The life of a Muslim revolves around the pillars of faith and cannot acquire perfection unless there is mutual love and co-operation among the believers. The words ' none of you believes ' do not imply a negation of faith. Rather, they suggest an imperfection of faith. b) if Muslims want to attain the true state of faith ,it is essential for them to be free from selfishness. They should be genuinely interested in the welfare of the welfare of their brothers and desire for them all the good things, advantages and benefits they desire for themselves and dislike for them all the conditions and circumstances they do not like for themselves. Holy Prophet [pbuh] said about superior faith: '' That you desire for others what you desire for yourself and do not desire for others what you do not desire for yourself.'' Hadis 3 Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent,and Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbour,and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest. a) The messenger of Allah, in his saying, has laid down certain cardinal disciplines for a true believer. Unless belief expresses itself practically, it remains but a pretension. Teachings of the Holy Prophet pbuh aim at inculcating and developing the feelings of generosity and kindness in our day to day interaction with others. True belief is associated with kindness in attitude. According to several other sayings of the Holy Prophet, demonstration of true belief has to be practiced through action. b) A faithful believer ought to be a source of comfort to his neighbours and should project generosity and hospitality towards all human beings giving preference to other Muslim brethren. The Quran commands its followers to be kind and polite in speech. And speak kindly to mankind (2:83) Neighbors and guest are important components of the Muslim society and showing them generosity would strengthen the bonds of love and fraternity. Allah enjoins upon us in surah alMaun, certain duties signifying the importance of being good to neighbors. Hadis 4

A man asked the messenger of Allah [pbuh] :Do you think that if i perform obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan ,treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat as forbidden that which is forbidden and do nothing further, I shall enter paradise? He said: Yes. a) Amongst the five pillars upon which Islam stands, after Shahadah, The two mentioned above are those which are obligatory for each and every Muslim. This hadith highlights the principles upon which is based eligibility for Paradise. We believe that without the establishment of Salah and observance of the Sawn, it is impossible to avoid Hellfire. Another thing that is mentioned is the adherence to the Halal and avoiding the Haram. If Islamic teachings are followed, i.e. only the lawful is acted upon and the prohibited is shunned, the path to Jannah becomes clear and sure. b) Salat and Sawm both aim at promoting self-discipline and complete submission to Allahs command. The Quran elaborates the objective of fasting in these words: O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed to you so that you may learn self restraint (2:183) A Muslim is not merely ordered to pray individually, but to establish prayer, meaning to bond collectively with the community through the daily prayers and also through celebrating Ramadan. These together, prepare the believers to observe patience, perseverance and avoid Haram so as to achieve the objectives. Thus such a conduct in life would pave the way to Paradise. Hadis 5 Every persons every joint must perform a charity every day the sun comes up: to act justly between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting up his belongings onto it is a charity; every step you take to prayers is a charity; and removing a harmful thing from the road is a charity. a) Sadqa means any act of kindness towards fellow humans for the sake of achieving Allahs pleasure. All good deeds are charity and shall be rewarded by Allah. The Holy Prophet is stressing here that every one of us must perform good deeds each day. As in the examples given by the Holy Prophet, all joints and organs of the body working for goodness perform acts of charity; b) This hadith emphasizes that a Muslim must spend each day of his or her life doing acts of kindness. Charity, help and assistance in any form make the linchpin of the Islamic teachings. Such acts assume the status of Sadqah.The criterion of faith and the sign of a true believer is that he should try to do as much good as he can for his fellow beings. the Holy Prophet said that, '' Even a smile is a charity ''

THE BLESSED COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET

The Companions of Gods Messenger constitute the first pure and blessed channel through which the Quran and the Sunna were transmitted to later generations. God is the All-Trustworthy and Inspirer of Trust; the angel Gabriel is also trustworthy. The Quran describes the angel as trustworthy and as one, obeyed and having power (al-Takwir, 20.21). As everybody knows, the Prophet Muhammad was renowned, first of all, for his trustworthiness. Having been revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad through the Archangel Gabriel, the Quran was entrusted to the Companions, who memorized it, recorded it and transmitted it to the following generations. This blessed community was the living embodiment of almost all laudable virtues and sought nothing but the good pleasure of God; they absorbed, besides the Quran, the Sunna of the Prophet and lived disciplined lives strictly in accordance with the example of the Prophet, and represented and transmitted it without any disloyalty to it. Scholars are agreed upon the definition of Companionship by Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani: A

Companion is the believer who saw and heard Gods Messenger at least once and died as a believer. It goes without saying that the Companions are not equal to each other in rank or greatness. Some of them believed in Gods Messenger at the very outset of his mission, and conversions continued until his saying farewell to the world. The Quran grades them according to precedence in belief and according to conversion before the conquest of Makka and after it (al-Tawba, 9.100; al-Hadid, 57.10). The same gradation was also made by Gods Messenger himself. For example, he reproached Khalid for offending Ammar, saying: Do not trouble my Companions! In the same way, he frowned at Umar, when he annoyed Abu Bakr, and said: Should you not leave my Companions to me? Abu Bakr believed in me at a time when all of you denied me. Abu Bakr knelt down and explained: O Messenger of God! It was my fault! The Companions were divided into twelve ranks by Hakim al-Nisaburi. This division was made according to the chronological order and some groups are also included in others. It was accepted by the majority of scholars: 1. The four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, namely Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and the rest of the ten to whom Paradise was promised while alive. They are Zubayr ibn al-Awwam, Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, Talha ibn Ubayd Allah, Sad ibn Abi Waqqas and Said ibn Zayd, may God be pleased with them all. 2. Those who believed prior to Umars conversion and frequently gathered together secretly in the house of Arqam to listen to Gods Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings. 3. Those who migrated to Abyssinia. 4. The Helpers (Ansar) who were present at the first ceremony of taking the oath of allegiance to Gods Messsenger at al-Aqaba. 5. The Helpers who took the oath of allegiance to the Messenger at al-Aqaba, the following year. 6. The first Emigrants who joined Gods Messenger before his arrival in Madina during the Emigration. 7. The Companions who participated in the Battle of Badr. 8. Those who emigrated to Madina during the period between the Battle of Badr and the Treaty of Hudaybiya. 9. The Companions who took the oath of allegiance to Gods Messenger under a tree during the expedition of Hudaybiya. 10. Those who converted and emigrated to Madina after the Treaty of Hudaybiya. 11. Those who became Muslims after the conquest of Makka. 12. The children who saw Gods Messenger either during the conquest of Makka or during the Farewell Pilgrimage, or in any other place and on different occasions. Jihad The literal meaning of Jihad is struggle or effort, and it means much more than holy war. Muslims use the word Jihad to describe three different kinds of struggle: A believer's internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible The struggle to build a good Muslim society Holy war: the struggle to defend Islam, with force if necessary Many modern writers claim that the main meaning of Jihad is the internal spiritual struggle, and this is accepted by many Muslims. However there are so many references to Jihad as a military struggle in Islamic writings that it is incorrect to claim that the interpretation of Jihad as holy war is wrong. Jihad and the Prophet The internal Jihad is the one that the Prophet (pbuh) is said to have called the greater Jihad. But the quotation in which the Prophet says this is regarded as coming from an unreliable source by some scholars. They regard the use of Jihad to mean holy war as the more important. The internal Jihad Learning the Qur'an by heart is considered engaging in Greater Jihad The phrase internal Jihad or greater Jihad refers to the efforts of a believer to live their Muslim faith as well as possible. All religious people want to live their lives in the way that will please their God.

So Muslims make a great effort to live as Allah has instructed them; following the rules of the faith, being devoted to Allah, doing everything they can to help other people. For most people, living God's way is quite a struggle. God sets high standards, and believers have to fight with their own selfish desires to live up to them, no matter how much they love God. The five Pillars of Islam as Jihad The five Pillars of Islam form an exercise of Jihad in this sense, since a Muslim gets closer to Allah by performing them. Other ways in which a Muslim engages in the 'greater Jihad' could include: Learning the Qur'an by heart, or engage in other religious study. Overcoming things such as anger, greed, hatred, pride, or malice. Giving up smoking. Cleaning the floor of the mosque. Taking part in Muslim community activities. Working for social justice. Forgiving someone who has hurt them. The Greater Jihad controversy The Prophet is said to have called the internal Jihad the "greater Jihad". On his return from a battle, the Prophet said: "We are finished with the lesser jihad; now we are starting the greater jihad." He explained to his followers that fighting against an outer enemy is the lesser jihad and fighting against one's self is the greater jihad (holy war). This quotation is regarded as unreliable by some scholars. They regard the use of jihad as meaning 'holy war' as the more important. However the quotation has been very influential among some Muslims, particularly Sufis. Holy war When Muslims, or their faith or territory are under attack, Islam permits (some say directs) the believer to wage military war to protect them. However Islamic (shariah) law sets very strict rules for the conduct of such a war. In recent years the most common meaning of Jihad has been Holy War.And there is a long tradition of Jihad being used to mean a military struggle to benefit Islam. the overwhelming majority of classical theologians, jurists, and traditionalists [i.e. Hadith experts] ... understood the obligation of jihad in a military sense. What can justify Jihad? There are a number of reasons, but the Qur'an is clear that self-defence is always the underlying cause. Self-defence Strengthening Islam Protecting the freedom of Muslims to practise their faith Protecting Muslims against oppression, which could include overthrowing a tyrannical ruler Punishing an enemy who breaks an oath Putting right a wrong What a Jihad is not A war is not a Jihad if the intention is to: Force people to convert to Islam Conquer other nations to colonise them Take territory for economic gain Settle disputes Demonstrate a leader's power Although the Prophet engaged in military action on a number of occasions, these were battles to survive, rather than conquest, and took place at a time when fighting between tribes was common. The rules of Jihad In recent years the most common meaning of Jihad has been Holy War A military Jihad has to obey very strict rules in order to be legitimate. The opponent must always have started the fighting. It must not be fought to gain territory.

It must be launched by a religious leader. It must be fought to bring about good - something that Allah will approve of. Every other way of solving the problem must be tried before resorting to war. Innocent people should not be killed. Women, children, or old people should not be killed or hurt. Women must not be raped. Enemies must be treated with justice. Wounded enemy soldiers must be treated in exactly the same way as one's own soldiers. The war must stop as soon as the enemy asks for peace. Property must not be damaged. Poisoning wells is forbidden. The modern analogy would be chemical or biological warfare. The Qur'an on Jihad The Qur'an has many passages about fighting. Some of them advocate peace, while some are very warlike. The Bible, the Jewish and Christian scripture, shows a similar variety of attitudes to war. Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors. To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged;and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid. Therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (Guarantees of) peace, then Allah Hath opened no way for you (to war against them). But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is One that heareth and knoweth (all things).

Biographical account of all the wives of the Holy prophet

Hazrat Khadija: Hazrat Khadija also known by the name of Tahira was daughter of Khawalid bin Asad and Fatima bint Zaidah. She was twice widowed. She married Holy Prophet (pbuh) in the age of 40and Holy Prophet (pbuh) was 25 years old. She died in the age of 65. She bore to Holy Prophet (pbuh) 2 sons and 4 daughters. Holy Prophet (pbuh) did not marry as long she was alive. She was first convert to Islam. She suffered hard ships and persecutions. She gave Holy Prophet (pbuh) moral support when Holy Prophet (pbuh) received first revelation and financial support by placing her wealth at his disposal. She was a pure and pious lady. She used to help poors. Hazrat Sawdah: She was the second wife of Holy Prophet (pbuh) after Hazrat Khadija. She was once divorced. She needed protection from her family which was against her. Holy Prophet (pbuh) married her to give her protection. She died in the 22 year of hijrat. She was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi. She had narrated 5 traditions. She was early converts of Islam. Her dwelling and Hazrat Aishas were first the first to be built in the mosque. She loved Holy Prophet (pbuh) so much that at his last illness she did not went for hajj or umrah. She also gave her turn when Holy Prophet (pbuh) met every wife in the favour of Hazrat Aisha. Holy Prophet referred to her as the most generous and charitable of his wifes. She was pious and god fearing. She got up before dawn for prayers and indulges in them till sun rise. Hazrat Aisha: She was daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr. Holy prophet married her before migration to Madinah. She was 10 at the marriage but it was solemnized at attaining maturity. They married 10 years after holy prophet received first revelation. At Holy Prophet (pbuh) death she was 25 years old. She spent rest 48 years as a widow. After the death of Holy Prophet (pbuh) she preached and propagated the message of holy Quran and Hadis. She got more allowance than other wives because of her knowledge. She used to convey decisions on religious matters even during the days of first 3 khalifas. She is ranked amongst prominent companions of Holy Prophet (pbuh). She had memorized 2 thousand, 200

and 10 traditions. Holy Prophet (pbuh) was buried in her apartment. She often used to purchase slaves and free them. She was known by the title of Humaira and Umm e Abdullah. She was a pious and god fearing lady. She fasted very often and was particular about the pilgrimage. Hazrat Hafsa: Hazrat hafsa was daughter of second Khalifa, Hazrat Umar bin Khattab. She was born 5 year before prophet hood. She was once widowed. Holy prophet married her to strengthen ties with Hazrat Umar and his tribe. Hazrat Hafsa died in the month of Shaban 45 A.H and is buried in jannat-ul-baqi. She was rank second to Hazrat Aisha for desire for knowledge. She has narrated about 60 traditions. She was the custodian of the original copy of the holy Quran compiled by Zaid bin Sabit. She was an extremely religious lady, known for her devotion to prayer and fasting. She gave her property to poor and needy. Hazrat Zainab bint Khuzimah: She was the daughter of Khuwalid bin Abdullah. She was once divorced and was poor. Many people proposed her but she rejected them. Holy Prophet (pbuh) married her in the month of Ramzan, 3A.H. she died after 3 months and is buried in jannat-ul-baqi. She was 30 year old when she died. Holy Prophet (pbuh) led her funeral prayers. She used to help poor for which she was called Umm ul Masakin. She was a very kind lady. No poor returned empty handed from her house. She had no match in benevolence and generosity. Hazrat Umm e Salmah: She was the daughter of Hazrat Abu Umayyah. She belonged to house of makzoom a tribe of quraish. Her father was leader of tribe. They were rich and wealthy people. She was once widowed. She was married to Holy Prophet (pbuh) in the end of Shawwal, 4 A.H. She was 84 at the time of her death, and as such she was born 9 years before Nubuwwat. Her funeral was led by Hazrat Abu Hurairah and she was buried in jannat-ul-baqi. She was the first woman to migrate to Madinah. She was second to Aisha in learning. She narrated 378 Ahadis. Her style of recitation was identical to Holy Prophet (pbuh). She was modest and generous. She led simple and pious life. She had intense love for Holy Prophet (pbuh). Hazrat Zainab bint Jash: She was the Prophet Mohammads (pbuh) first cousin. She was daughter of Umaima bint Abdul Muttalib. She was first given in marriage by the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) to his adopted son Hazrat Zaid bin Hazrat. When Hazrat Zaid divorced her, she was married to the Prophet Mohammad by command of Allah, as mentioned in Surah Al Ahzab This took place in 5 A.H., at that time she was 35. She was born 17 years before Nubuwwat. She died in 20 and Umar led the funeral service. She was 53 at the time of her death. Her house was used for extension for Holy Prophet (pbuh) mosque. She was the first to meet Holy Prophet (pbuh) in heaven. She was pious and generous lady. She used to help poors. Hazrat Jawariyah bint Haris: She was a war captive and was distributed to another person but she did not want to go with him and she told this to Holy Prophet (pbuh). So he proposed her to marry him so he could pay ransom to him. Hazrat Jawariyah agreed and they married. As a result many war captives were set free. She died in age of 65 during reign of muawiya and buried in jannat-ul-baqi. She was a woman of great learning and she quoted many traditions. She was a woman of religious mind and spent most of her time in prayers. Hazrat Umm-e-Habibah: She was daughter of Abu Sufyan. She was once widowed. She was married to Holy Prophet (pbuh) to save her from her father who was enemy of Islam. She died in the age of seventy three. She narrated 65 traditions. She wanted to help besieged people when Hazrat Usman was besieged in 35A.H in his house but she couldnt. She migrated to another for the sake of Islam and suffered many hardships.

She was a staunch believer in tenets of Islam. She was a devoted and loving wife of Holy Prophet (pbuh). Hazrat Safiyah: She was born in madinah and belonged to a Jewish tribe of banu nazir. She was divorced woman. She was captive of Khyber war. This made a great impact on the Jews, with the result that many accepted Islam. Safiyah died in 50 A.H, in the age of 60 and was buried in Jannat-ulBaqi. She wanted to help besieged people when Hazrat Usman was besieged in 35A.H in his house but she couldnt. She has quoted a number of traditions. She was a wise and intelligent woman. She was generous and kind hearted. Hazrat Maimunah bint Haris: She belonged to the tribe of Quraish. She was sister-in-law of Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib. She was once divorced and widowed. She married Holy Prophet (pbuh) in 7A.H. She died in 51A.H at the age of 73 and was buried in Jannat-ul-Baqi. She was found of freeing slaves and of advising Muslim women. Holy Prophet (pbuh) called her a symbol of goodness. 46 traditions are quoted from her. She was very pious and humble. She was also very learned. Hazrat Maria Qibtia: She came from a respectable and wealthy family. She was a present from the Chief of Egypt. She embraced Islam before reaching Madinah. Later Holy Prophet (pbuh) married her. She passed away 5 years after her son passed away and is buried in Jannat-ul Baqi. She gave birth to the Holy Prophets son, Ibrahim by which she rose in esteem and position among other wives. She was second lady after Hazrat Khadija to have son. She was respected by first two Khalifas of Islam and got pension. She was pious and religious minded. She was a kindhearted and charitable woman.

A Summary of What The Pilgrims Do In Hajj

1 The pilgrim should enter ihraam on the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah from Makkah or its environs within the sanctuary. When entering ihraam for Hajj he should do what he did when entering ihraam for Umrah: ghusl (full ablution), putting on perfume and praying. He should form the intention of entering ihraam for Hajj and recite the Talbiyah. The Talbiyah for Hajj is the same as the Talbiyah for Umrah, except that one should say here Labbayka hajjan (Here I am for Hajj) instead of Labbayka umratan (Here I am for Umrah). If he fears that some obstacle may prevent him from completing Hajj, he should stipulate a condition and say: If something prevents me (from completing Hajj) I will exit ihraam at the point where I am prevented (from continuing). If he is not afraid of any obstacle then he does not need to stipulate any condition. 2 Then he should go to Mina and stay there overnight, and offer five prayers there: Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr. 3 When the sun rises on the ninth day he should proceed to Arafah and pray Zuhr and Asr together there, shortened, at the time of Zuhr. Then he should strive in duaa, dhikr and prayers for forgiveness until the sun sets. 4 When the sun sets, he should proceed to Muzdalifah and pray Maghrib and Isha there when he arrives. Then he should stay there overnight until he prays Fajr, and remember Him and call upon Him until just before sunrise. 5 Then he should move on to Mina to stone Jamrat al-Aqabah which is the last pillar that is

closest to Makkah, throwing seven pebbles one after another, each one approximately the size of a date stone, saying takbeer (Allaahu akbar) with each throw. 6 Then he should slaughter the hadiy (sacrificial animal), namely a sheep or one-seventh of a camel or one-seventh of a cow. 7 Then he should shave his head if he is male; women should cut their hair but not shave it, taking off the length of a fingertip from all parts of their hair. 8 Then he should go to Makkah and perform the tawaaf of Hajj. 9 Then he should go back to Mina and stay there for those nights, namely the nights of the eleventh and twelfth of Dhul-Hijjah, and stone the three Jamaraat (stone pillars) after the sun has passed its zenith, throwing seven pebbles, one after another, at each, starting with the smallest pillar which is the one that is furthest away from Makkah, then the middle pillar. He should recite duaa after both, then he should stone Jamrat al-Aqabah, after which there is no duaa. 10 When he has finished stoning the pillars on the twelfth of Dhul-Hijjah, if he wishes he may hasten and leave Mina, and if he wishes he may delay (his departure) and stay there on the night of the thirteenth and stone the three Jamaraat after the sun passes its zenith. It is better to delay and stay longer, but it is not obligatory unless the sun sets on the twelfth and one is still in Mina, in which case it becomes obligatory to stay until one stones the three jamaraat after the sun passes its zenith. But if the sun sets on the twelfth day and a person is still in Mina but not by choice, such as if he had packed his bags and got into the bus or truck, but was delayed because of overcrowding and traffic jams, then he does not have to stay, because his staying until after sunset was involuntary. 11 Once those days are over and the pilgrim wants to leave, he must not leave until he has performed the farewell tawaaf, going around the Kabah seven times. Women who are menstruating or bleeding following childbirth d o not have to do this farewell tawaaf. 12 If the pilgrim is performing a voluntary Hajj on behalf of another person, whether a relative or otherwise, then he has to have done Hajj for himself before that. There is no difference in the way he performs Hajj apart from the intention, i.e., he should form the intention of performing this Hajj on behalf of that person, mentioning him by name in the Talbiyah and saying, Labbayk an [fulaan] (Here I am on behalf of [So and so]). Then when he says duaa during the rituals he should pray for himself and for the person on whose behalf he is performing Hajj. With regard to the types of Hajj, there are three: tamattu, qiraan and ifraad. Tamattu is when the pilgrim enters ihraam for Umrah during the months of Hajj (which are Shawwaal, Dhul-Qadah and the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah) and performs Umrah and exits ihraam, then he enters ihraam again for Hajj from Makkah or its environs on the day of alTarwiyah (the eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah) in the same year as his Umrah. Qiraan is when the pilgrim enters ihraam for Umrah and Hajj together, and does not exit ihraam until the day of Sacrifice, or he enters ihraam for Umrah then includes Hajj with it before he starts his tawaaf. Ifraad is when the pilgrim enters ihraam for Hajj from the meeqaat or from Makkah if he resides there or in a place that is closer than the meeqaat, and remains in ihraam until the Day of Sacrifice if he has a hadiy with him. If he does not have a hadiy with him, it is prescribed for him to cancel his Hajj and make it Umrah, so he should perform tawaaf and saai, then cut his hair and exit ihraam, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told those who entered ihraam for Hajj but did not have a hadiy with them to do. This applies to the pilgrim doing qiraan, if he does not have a hadiy with him; it is prescribed for him to cancel his qiraan and make

it Umrah, for the reason mentioned. The best kind of Hajj is tamattu for the one who has not brought a hadiy with him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told his companions to do that and insisted that they should do that.

Hazrat Ali as Khalifa

Ali's Caliphate (an Overview) Ali accepted the caliphate very reluctantly. Usmans murder and the events surrounding it were a symptom, and also became a cause, of civil strife on a large scale. Ali felt that the tragic situation was mainly due to inept governors. He therefore dismissed all the governors who had been appointed by Usman and appointed new ones. All the governors excepting Muawiya, the governor of Syria, submitted to his orders. Muawiya declined to obey until Usmans blood was avenged. The Prophet's widow 'Aaishah also took the position that Ali should first bring the murderers to trial. Due to the chaotic conditions during the last days of Usman it was very difficult to establish the identity of the murderers, and Ali refused to punish anyone whose guilt was not lawfully proved. Thus a battle between the army of Ali and the supporters of 'Aaishah took place. 'Aaishah later realized her error of judgment and never forgave herself for it. The situation in Hijaz (the part of Arabia in which Mecca and Medina are located) became so troubled that Ali moved his capital to Iraq. Muawiya now openly rebelled against Ali and a fierce battle was fought between their armies. This battle was inconclusive, and Ali had to accept the de facto government of Muawiya in Syria. However, even though the era of Ali's caliphate was marred by civil strife, he nevertheless introduced a number of reforms, particularly in the levying and collecting of revenues. It was the fortieth year of Hijra. A fanatical group called Kharijites, consisting of people who had broken away from Ali due to his compromise with Muawiya, claimed that neither Ali, the Caliph, nor Muawiya, the ruler of Syria, nor Amr bin al-Aas, the ruler of Egypt, were worthy of rule. In fact, they went so far as to say that the true caliphate came to an end with 'Umar and that Muslims should live without any ruler over them except God. They vowed to kill all three rulers, and assassins were dispatched in three directions. The assassins who were deputed to kill Muawiya and Amr did not succeed and were captured and executed, but Ibn-e-Muljim, the assassin who was commissioned to kill Ali, accomplished his task. One morning when Ali was absorbed in prayer in a mosque, Ibn-e-Muljim stabbed him with a poisoned sword. On the 20th of Ramadan, 40 A.H. died the last of the Rightly Guided Caliphs of Islam. May God Most High be pleased with them and grant to them His eternal reward. Conclusion With the death of Ali, the first and most notable phase in the history of Muslim peoples came to an end. All through this period it had been the Book of God and the practices of His Messenger that is, the Qur'an and the Sunnah - which had guided the leaders and the led, set the standards of their moral conduct and inspired their actions. It was the time when the ruler and the ruled, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, were uniformly subject to the Divine Law. It was an epoch of freedom and equality, of God-consciousness and humility, of social justice which recognized no privileges, and of an impartial law which accepted no pressure groups or vested interests. After Ali, Muawiya assumed the caliphate and thereafter the caliphate became hereditary, passing from one king to another. Some important points of the Khilafat of Hazrat Ali The revolt in Ali army The exhortations of Ali had no effect. About 20,000 men of Iraq let by Zaid b Hasan, and Mustur bin Fidki openly revolted and laid down their arms. The rebels approached Ali, and calling him no longer their Caliph, but simply Ali, declared "Ali you are appealing to the sword, and they are

appealing to the Quran. Let the issue of the caliphate be deferred to the judgment of God's Book". They adopted a hostile attitude, and warned Ali that if he did not submit to their demand, he would meet the same fate as had befallen his predecessor, Usman. Heartbroken at the treachery of his men, Ali exclaimed with great grief, "Alas, you are deserting me at the critical time of need. Go and join the Syrian coalition against God and His Apostle." The rebels did not rest content with their own revolt. A large section of the army under Ashtar was still fighting, and they were having an upper hand. The rebels demanded that orders should be issued recalling Ashtar from the battlefield. The rebels went to the extent of reproaching Ali. He was accused of being an accomplice in the murder of Usman. He was accused of fighting against the Syrians to quench his thirst for self-aggrandizement. Ali threatened them with grave consequences and they threatened him in turn. The pressure of the rebels increased and Ali feeling helpless had to recall Ashtar from the front. Ashtar returned reluctantly. Ashtar upbraided them as traitors, hypocrites and villains. In return they reviled him. Because of this revolt in his army, Ali had to suspend action against the Syrians, and thus the victory which was in immediate sight, evaded him. Henceforward misfortune was to stalk the steps of Ali. Causes of the helplessness of Ali The accounts of what happened at Siffin which have come down to us give no clue as to what was the cause of rebellion against Ali when victory was almost in sight. It is not plausible that this sudden development took place at the display of the leaves of the Holy Quran on their lances by the Syrians. Obviously it was the culmination of some deep set conspiracy. The exact extent of such conspiracy remains a mystery, but it appears that the treachery of most of the army chiefs of Ali was because of the bribery by Muawiyah. The army that Ali had brought to Siffin was more a motley crowd than a disciplined force, and this lack of discipline was its greatest weakness. It also appears that there was a good deal of jealousy among the Generals of the army of Ali. When Ali appointed Ashas as a General his appointment was opposed by Malik Ashtar who was the Commander-in-Chief of the forces of Ali, and these differences between the two Generals persisted during the course of the war. Ali believed in the truth of his cause to such an extent that he did not sponsor any propaganda to support such cause. On the other hand Muawiyah was a past master in making propaganda, and in this respect he outwitted Ali. Ali's reaction to the Arbitration decision The arbitration decision came as a great shock to Ali. Ali had hoped that as the umpires were to take the decision in accordance with the injunctions of the Holy Quran, they would act with a due sense of justice and fair play. The decision that was taken was neither just nor fair. It was taken in the spirit of the old Arab traditions of the age of Ignorance and was repugnant to Islamic values. The umpires were supposed to judge the relative merits of Ali and Muawiyah in the light of Islamic values and then choose one out of the two. The umpires did nothing of the sort. Abu Musa the umpire of Ali had some bias against Ali because Ali had deposed him from the governorship of Kufa, and hence wittingly or unwittingly he acted against the interests of Ali. Ali had been duly elected as the Caliph by the authorized electorate and Abu Musa had no authority to depose Ali. 'Amr b Al-6Aas the umpire of Muawiyah was a clever man, and taking advantage of the weakness in the stand of Abu Musa, he manipulated victory for Muawiyah. Ali could not accept the decision, and the only option left with him was to renew the war against Muawiyah who had manipulated to win power through underhand means. Ali accordingly gave call for arms and exhorted the people to join the war for the vindication of the truth and the suppression of falsehood. The people responded enthusiastically to the call, and soon an army of 65,000 strong was assembled. The Kharijites After the Battle of Siffin the Kharijites had separated from the community and camped at Harura a few miles from Kufa. Their stand was that Ali had made a mistake in accepting the arbitration of men Ali was asked by them to lead them to war against Muawiyah. Ali had tried to conciliate them, and assured of them that he would lead them to war in case the decision of the umpires was against the injunctions of Islam. Some sort of conciliation was brought about between Ali and the Kharijites, and most of the Kharijites returned to Kufa. The Kharijites were a restive and over sensitive people of the extremist type. The Kharijites slipped from Kufa one by one, established a settlement at Nahrawan, a few miles to the east of the Tigris near Madain. The Kharijites from Basra and elsewhere in Iraq also migrated to Nahrawan Here the Kharijites gathered in strength.

They elected an Amir of their own. They were very meticulous in observing prayers and following other injunctions of Islam. They aspired to live sinless lives. They declared that they were not interested in the affairs of this world, and that they had sold their lives to win paradise in the next world. Where a Kharijite picked up a date under a date tree and ate it he subsequently cut his right hand himself on the ground that the eating of the date without purchasing it from the owner amounted to a theft. On the other hand when any Muslim indulged in any controversy with them, they invariably killed him. They held that no one except themselves was a Muslim, and it devolved on them to get rid of such people who did not agree with them. They let loose a reign of terror in the countryside and created a problem of law and order for the administration. When the Kharijites of Basra migrated to Nahrawan they met in the way some Muslims including Abdullah the son of an eminent companion Khabab. The Kharijites killed him as well as the woman who accompanied him.

Some Qualities of Holy Prophet that make him Model of Excellence

Honesty: The Holy Prophet, prior to his being raised to Prophethood, made a journey to Syria on behalf of Khadija who subsequently became his wife. This journey, more than ever before made his honesty and efficiency clear. His honesty and reliability became so well known that he received the epithet of Muhammad, the trust-worthy. People entrusted their valuables to him for safe custody. Even after his being raised to Prophethood despite all their hostility to him, the Quraysh continued to deposit their valuables with him, for safe keeping. That is why at the time of his migration to Madina he left behind Imam Ali for a few days to return the deposits to their original owners. Combat with Tyranny: During the pre-Islamic period a pact was concluded by the victims of cruelty and tyranny with a view to make common efforts for the protection of the oppressed against the unjust tyrants. This pact which is known as "Hilful Fuzul" was arranged in the house of Abdullah ibn Jad'in in Makkah by certain important personalities of the time. Later during the period of his Prophethood, the Holy Prophet often mentioned this pact and said that he was still willing to participate in a similar pact and not to violate its provisions. Family Behaviour: He was kind to his family. To his wives he was never harsh. The Makkans (people of Mekkah) were not generally familiar with such a good behaviour. He tolerated the stinging remarks of some of his wives, though they were resented by others. He emphatically counseled his followers to be kind to their wives for, as he often remarked, men and women both had good and bad traits. Man must not take into consideration only the unpleasant habits of his wife and divorce her for that reason. If he disliked some qualities of his wife, she must be possessing some other qualities which he liked. Thus the whole thing was balanced. The Holy Prophet was extremely affectionate to his children and grand-children and showed love and tenderness to them. He loved them, seated them on his lap, put them on his shoulders and kissed them. All this was contrary to the custom and usage of the Arabs of those days. Treatment of Slaves: He was extraordinarily kind to the slaves. He told people that the slaves were their brothers. He said: "Give them of the same food of which you eat yourselves, and provide them with the same kind of clothes as you put on yourselves. Do not force them to do jobs which are too difficult for them. Share with them their jobs and help them in the performance of them. Do not call them slaves, for all men are the bondsmen of Allah, who is the real Master of everyone. Call your male slaves young man and your female slaves young woman."

Islam gives to the slaves all possible facilities leading to their complete liberation. The Holy Prophet described the slave-trading as the worst occupation and said that those who traded in human beings were the worst people in the sight of Allah. Cleanliness and Use of Perfume: The Holy Prophet was greatly interested in cleanliness and was fond of the use of perfume. He urged his friends and followers also to keep their body and house clean and perfumed. He especially exhorted them to have bath and use perfume on Fridays so that bad odor might not cause inconvenience to the congregation. Social Behaviour: In his social life the Holy Prophet was always kind, cheerful and courteous to the people, took a lead in greeting all, including the children and the slaves. He did not stretch his feet in front of anyone and did not recline in the presence of others. In his company all sat in a circular form, and none had any distinct place or position. He was watchful of his companions and if he did not see anyone of them for two or three days, he inquired about him. If anyone of them was ill, he went to see him and if anyone had any trouble, he made every effort to solve his problem. In a gathering he did not address or pay attention to any one individual, but equally attended to all. He did not like that he should be sitting and others be serving him. He personally took part in all that was to be done. He used to say that Allah hates to see a man who considered himself to be superior to others. Soft as well as Tough: In his personal matters the Holy Prophet was soft, sympathetic and tolerant. His tolerance on many historical occasions was one of the reasons of his success. But in the matters of principle where a question of public interest or of law was involved, he was tough and never showed any leniency. At the time of the conquest of Makkah and his victory over the Quraysh he overlooked all the wrongs which they had committed against him over a period of 23 years and declared general amnesty. He accepted the apology of the murderer of his well-beloved uncle, Hamzah. But on that very occasion he punished a woman of Banu Makhzum, who had committed theft. This woman belonged to a very respectable family, who regarded the enforcement of a punishment against her as a great insult to them. They persistently requested the Holy Prophet to pardon her. Some prominent companions of the Holy Prophet also interceded on her behalf. But the Holy Prophet said angrily that the Divine law could not be suspended for the sake of any individual. In the evening on that day he delivered a speech. Worship: He devoted a part of every night, sometimes half of it and sometimes one third or two thirds of it, to worship and adoration. Though his whole day was preoccupied, especially during his stay at Madina, he never curtailed the time of his worship. He found complete satisfaction in his worship and communication with his Lord. His worship was an expression of love and gratitude and was not motivated by a desire of securing paradise or by a fear of Hell. One day one of his wives asked him why after all he was so devoted to his worship? His reply was: "Should I not be thankful to my Lord?" He fasted very often. In addition of fasting during the whole month of Ramazan and a part of the month of Sha'ban, he kept fast every other day. He always passed the last 10 days of the month of Ramazan in seclusion in the mosque, where he devoted his whole time to worship. Nevertheless, he told others that it was enough to observe fast for three days every month. He used to say that each one should carry out the acts of worship according to one's capacity and should not exert oneself more than one can bear, for such an exertion has an adverse effect. He was against monastic life, escape from worldly involvement and renunciation of family life. Some of his companions had expressed an intention to lead a monastic life, but he censured and reproved them. He used to say: "Your body, your wife, your children and your friends all have a claim on you and you must fulfil your obligations". Austerity and Simple Living:

Simple living was one of the principles of his life. He took simple food; wore simple clothes and travelled in a simple manner. He slept mostly on a mat, set on bare ground and milked his goat with his own hands. He mounted saddle-less animals and did not like anybody to walk by his side while he was riding. His staple food mostly comprised barley bread and dates. He mended his shoes and patched his clothes with his own hands. Though he led a simple life, he did not advocate the philosophy of asceticism, and believed that it was necessary to spend money for the good of society and other lawful purposes. He used to say: "What a nice thing wealth is, if obtained through legal means by a man who knows how to spend it". He also said: "Wealth is a good aid to piety". Resolution and Perseverance: He had a wonderful willpower which permeated among his companions also. The total period of his Prophethood was entirely a lesson in resolution and perseverance. In his lifetime several times the conditions so developed that no hope was apparently left, but he never allowed the idea of failure to enter his mind, nor was his conviction of his final success ever shaken for a moment. Leadership, Administration and Consultation: Though his companions carried out every order of his without any hesitation and repeatedly said that they had an unflinching faith in him and were willing even to plunge themselves into a river or a fire if he ordered them to do so, he never adopted any dictatorial methods. In regard to the matters about which he had received no specific instructions from Allah, he consulted his companions and respected their views, and thus helped them develop their personality. On the occasion of the Battle of Badr he left the questions of taking military action against the enemy, choosing the camping ground, and as to how the prisoners of war should be dealt with, to the advice of his companions. On the occasion of Uhud he made consultation as to whether the Muslim troops should fight from within the city of Madina or should go out of the city. He consulted his companions on the occasion of the Battles of Ahzab and Tabuk also. The kindness and tolerance of the Holy Prophet, his anxiety to seek the forgiveness of the sins of his community, his giving importance to his companions and his consultations with them were the main factors which contributed to the wonderful and great influence that he exercised over his companions. Regularity and Orderliness: All his actions were governed by regularity and orderliness. He worked according to a well drawn time-table, and urged others also to do likewise. His companions under his influence were fully disciplined. Even when he considered it necessary not to disclose certain decisions lest the enemy should get an inkling of them, his companions carried out his orders without any argument. For example, once he said that they would move the next day. Next day all those who were ordered proceeded with him without knowing the final destination of which they came to know only in the last moments. Sometimes he ordered some people to move in certain direction, gave a letter to their commander and said that he should open it on reaching such and such point and act according to the instructions given in it. They acted accordingly. Before reaching that particular point they did not know what was their destination and for what purpose they were going. In this way he kept the enemy and his spies in the dark and often took them unawares. Capacity to Listen to Criticism and Dislike of Flattery and Undue Compliments: Sometimes he had to face the criticism of his companions, but without being harsh to them, he explained his decision and gained their agreement and concurrence. He absolutely disliked flattery and undue compliments. He used to say: "Throw dust on the face of the flatterers". He liked solid work. He was in the habit of doing things correctly and firmly. When Sa'd ibn Mu'az died and was laid in his grave, the Holy Prophet with his own hands placed the bricks and stones in their right place on the grave and made them firm. He said: "I know that before long all this will be mined, but I like things to be done correctly and efficiently". Fight Against Weak Points:

He did not exploit the weak points and the ignorance of his people. On the other hand he tried to rectify their weaknesses and acquainted them with what they did not know. The day his 17 months old son expired, by chance the sun was eclipsed. People said that the solar eclipse was due to the calamity suffered by the Holy Prophet. He did not keep quiet in the face of this silly notion, but ascended the pulpit and said: "Men! the moon and the sun are the two signs of Allah. They are not eclipsed on account of the death of anybody". Possession of the Necessary Qualities of Leadership: He had the maximum qualities of leadership such as the sense of knowing men, firmness, determination, boldness, having no fear of the possible consequences of a necessary action, foresight, capacity of bearing criticism, recognition of the ability of others, delegation of powers to others in accordance with their ability, flexibility in his personal matters, rigidity in regard to the matters of principle, giving importance to others, promotion of their intellectual, emotional and practical talents, refraining from despotism, not demanding blind obedience, modesty and humility, simplicity and contentment, dignity and elevation of manners and great interest in organizing human resources. He used to say: "If three persons of you travel together, choose one of you as your leader and commander". At Madina he organized a special secretariat, and appointed a group of persons for performing specific job. There were scribes of revelation who wrote the Holy Quran. Some people were entrusted with the job of drafting and writing special letters. Some recorded the deeds of legal transactions. Some others were made responsible to keep financial records. Still some others were responsible for drafting agreements and treaties. All these details are recorded in the books of history such as Tarikh by Ibn Wazih, al-Ya'qubi, at-Tanbih wal Ishraf by Mas'udi, Mu'jam alBuldan by al-Bilazari and at-Tabaqat by Ibn Sa'd. Method of Preaching: He took active interest in the propagation of Islam. Once he went to Taif for this purpose. During the Hajj season he used to call upon various tribes and convey the message of Islam to them. Once he sent Imam Ali and on another occasion Mu'az bin Jabal to Yemen for preaching. Before going to Madina himself he sent there Mus'ab bin Umayr to preach Islam. He sent a good number of his companions to Ethiopia. Besides escaping from the persecution of the Makkans, they propagated Islam there and paved the way for the acceptance of Islam by the Negus, the king of Ethiopia and 50% of the population of that country. In the sixth year of migration he wrote letters to the heads of a number of States in the various parts of the world and intimated them about his Prophethood. About hundred letters which he wrote to various personalities are still extant.

Why did The Holy Prophet marry several times? The Quran, in Surah Nisa, chapter 4 verse 3, states that a Muslim is allowed to marry a maximum of only four wives. Another verse in the Quran makes Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) an exception to this rule. In Surah Ahzab chapter 33 verse 52: It is not lawful for thee (to marry more) women after this, nor to change them for (other) wives, even though their beauty attract thee, except any thy right hand should possess (as hand maidens) and Allah doth watch over all things . [Al-Quran 33:52] This verse clearly gives Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) the permission to keep all his previous wives but prohibits him to marry any more women except those which his right hand possessed i.e. slave girls. The Prophet (pbuh) was allowed to keep all his previous wives because no one was allowed to marry the Prophets wives (ra) after they were divorced or widowed as they were ummulmomineen (mother of the believers). People falsely accuse the Prophet (pbuh) of being hypersexual (Maaz-Allah), because he had

eleven wives. If you read the life history of the Prophet (pbuh), only two of his marriages one with Khadija (ra), and the other, with Ayesha (ra) were marriages in the normal course. All his other marriages were contracted as a necessity and were based on various considerations. The first marriage of the Prophet (pbuh) took place when he was 25 years of age and he married Khadija (ra) who was twice widowed, and was 40 years old. If the Prophet (pbuh) was hypersexual, why would he marry a woman who was 15 years older than him and already twice widowed? Until his first wife, Khadija (ra) was alive, he never took a second wife. Khadija (ra) expired when the Prophet (pbuh) was 50 years age and only after this, did he marry the others. If he married eleven wives for sexual reasons, he should have had multiple wives during his youth. Contrary to this, history tells us that all his marriages with his remaining ten wives took place when he was between the age of 53 and 59 years. All his wives (ra) were between the age of 36 to 50 years, except for two wives (ra). His reputation had spread far and wide, not only in Arabia, but also in the neighboring countries. Could he not have easily got younger and lovelier girls to marry? Most of his marriages were for political gain and for the spread of Islaam. In Arabia, no one could carry on the work of reform and upliftment unless he belonged to, or was related to some specific and respectable tribe. Thus, in the interest of his mission, the Prophet (pbuh) needed inter-tribal relationships. He wanted to weld the quarreling tribal and clannish factions into one Muslim ummah, as brethren in faith (Ikhwan fid-din). For instance, his wife Juwayreeyah (ra) belonged to the Banu Mustaliq clan, which was very powerful. The entire clan was a bitter enemy of Islam from the start, and they were finally suppressed by military action. When the Prophet (pbuh) married Juwayreeyah (ra), the Muslims released all their prisoners, saying that they could not keep the prophets relatives in bondage. It was due to this marriage that the whole clan of Banu Mustaliq accepted Islam and became peaceful and obedient to the laws of the new Islaamic state. Maymunah (ra) also came from a very powerful and recalcitrant clan from Najd and was the sister of the wife of the chief of the clan in those days. It was this clan which had brutally murdered seventy members of an Islaamic missionary deputation. The Prophets (pbuh) marriage with Maymunah (ra) changed the whole atmosphere and Najd accepted Madinahs authority under the leadership of the Prophet (pbuh). Umm Habibah (ra) was the daughter of the Quraysh chief, Abu Sufyan. It was after the Prophets (pbuh) marriage to Umm Habibah, that Abu Sufyan never fought against the Prophet (pbuh). This marriage was largely responsible for the conquest of Makkah. Furthermore, Umm Habibah was first married to a certain Ubaydullah and emigrated with him to Abyssinia, where Ubaydullah became a Christian and a drunkard. Excessive consumption of wine killed him since it was a double shock to her that her husband had become a Christian and later died, she was badly in need of solace. Safiyyah (ra) was the daughter of a very prominent Jewish chief, Huyyah ibn Aktab. In consideration of her family status, she could not be merged into an ordinary household. So the Prophet (pbuh) himself married her. After this marriage, the Jews did not dare to revive their opposition to the Prophet (pbuh) and his mission. In the case of Hafsah (ra), it was the Prophets (pbuh) desire to bind in relationship with those of his great companions (sahabah) who were his advisers and who were trained for future leadership. He had married Abu Bakrs (ra) daughter, married two of his own daughters to Uthman (ra) and one to Ali (ra). Umar (ra) could not be kept outside this wide circle of relationship. By marrying Umars daughter Hafsah (ra), the Prophet (pbuh) forged a strong bond

of relationship within the Islamic movement thus strengthening the pillars of the ummah. The Prophet (pbuh) had married his first cousin, Zaynab (ra), to his freed slave, Zayd ibn Haritha (ra), whom he had adopted as his son. This marriage of Zaynab (ra) with Zayd (ra) was intended to break the family and social barriers, but the marriage did not prove to be successful and ended in divorce. When the Prophet (pbuh) saw that Zaynab (ra) was left alone, he felt his responsibility in the matter. He also had to break another convention, according to which an adopted son became a real son. This difficult problem was solved by the Prophets (pbuh) marriage to Zaynab (ra) (as mentioned in the Quran, in Surah Ahzab, chapter no 33 verse 37) to annul that preIslamic conception and promulgate an Islamic law instead. Another lady Zaynab (ra), Umm al Masakin (mother of the poor and helpless), daughter of Khuzayma ibn Al-Haith, belonged to the Hawazin clan. Her husband was killed in the battle of Uhud. To rescue her from widowhood, the Prophet (pbuh) took her as his wife. After the revelation of the verse in Surah Ahzab, chapter 33 verse 52, the Prophet (pbuh) only married Mary the Copt who was a slave girl sent as a present by the Christian Muqauqas of Egypt. Since the Christian Chieftain of Egypt sent Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) a slave girl as a present, he could not refuse this gift as a refusal would have disturbed the political alliance. He could not keep her as a slave girl, since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) preached that slaves should be freed. The only option left with him was to marry her, since the Quran gave him the permission to do so. Later on she became the mother of Ibrahim (ra) who died in his infancy.