HARUN YAHYA

BLACK HOLES

The 20th century saw a great many new discoveries regarding celestial phenomena in the universe. One of these entities, which has only recently been encountered, is the Black Hole. These are formed when a star which has consumed all its fuel collapses in on itself, eventually turning into a black hole with infinite density and zero volume and an immensely powerful magnetic field. We are unable to see black holes even with the most powerful telescope, because their gravitational pull is so strong that light is unable to escape from them. However, such a collapsed star can be perceived by means of the effect it has on the surrounding area. In Surat al-Waqi'a, Allah draws attention to this matter in this way, by swearing upon the position of stars:

And I swear by the stars' positions-and that is a mighty oath if you only knew. (Qur'an, 56:75-76)

The term "black hole" was first employed in 1969 by the American physicist John Wheeler. Previously, we imagined that we were able to see all the stars. However, it later emerged that there were stars in space whose light we were unable to perceive. Because, the light of these collapsed stars disappears. Light cannot escape from a black hole because it is such a high concentration of mass in a small space. The enormous gravitation captures even the fastest particles, i.e. the photons. For example, the final stage of a typical star, three times the mass of the Sun, ends after its burning out and its implosion as a black hole of only 20 kilometres (12.5 miles) in diameter! Black holes are "black," i.e. veiled from direct observation. They nevertheless reveal themselves indirectly, by the tremendous suction which their gravitational force exerts on other heavenly bodies. As well as depictions of the Day of Judgement, the verse below may also be pointing to this scientific discovery about black holes:

When the stars are extinguished. (Qur'an, 77:8)

Moreover, stars of great mass also cause warps to be perceived in space. Black holes, however, do not just cause warps in space but also tear holes in it. That is why these collapsed stars are known as black holes. This fact may be referred to in the verse about stars, and this is another important item of information demonstrating that the Qur'an is the word of Allah:

[I swear] by Heaven and the Tariq! And what will convey to you what the Tariq is? The Star Piercing [the darkness]! (Qur'an, 86:1-3)

PULSARS: PULSATING STARS

[I swear] by Heaven and the Tariq! And what will convey to you what the Tariq is? The Star Piercing [the darkness]! (Qur'an, 86:1-3)

The word "Tariq," name of the Sura 86, comes from the root "tarq," whose basic meaning is that of striking hard enough to produce a sound, or hitting. Bearing in mind the word's possible meaning as "beating," "striking hard," our attention may be being drawn in this sura to an important scientific fact. Before analysing this information, let us look at the other words employed in the verse to describe these stars. The term "al-taariqi" in the above verse means a star that pierces the night, that pierces the darkness, born at night, piercing and moving on, beating, striking, or sharp star. Furthermore, the term "wa" draws attention to the things being sworn on-the heaven and the Tariq.

Through research carried out by Jocelyn Bell Burnell, at Cambridge University in 1967, a regular radio signal was identified. Until that time, however, it was not known that that there was a heavenly body that could be the source of regular pulse or beating rather like that of the heart. In 1967, however, astronomers stated that, as matter grows denser in the core as it revolves around its own axis, the star's magnetic field also grows stronger, and thus gives rise to a magnetic field at its poles 1 trillion times stronger than that of Earth. They realised that a body revolving so fast and with such a powerful magnetic field emits rays consisting of very powerful radio waves in a conic form at every revolution. Shortly afterwards, it was also realised that the source of these signals is the rapid revolution of neutron stars. These newly discovered neutron stars are known as "pulsars." These stars, which turn into pulsars through supernova explosions, are of the greatest mass, and are the brightest and fastest moving bodies in the universe. Some pulsars revolve 600 times a second. 1

The word "pulsar" comes from the verb to pulse. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word means to pulsate, to beat. Encarta Dictionary defines it as to beat rhythmically, to move or throb with a strong regular rhythm. Again, according to the Encarta Dictionary, the word "pulsate," which comes from the same root, means to expand and contract with a strong regular beat.

Following that discovery, it was realised that the phenomenon described in the Qur'an as "tariq," beating, bore a great similarity to the neutron stars known as pulsars.

Neutron stars form as the nuclei of super giant stars collapse. The highly compressed and dense matter, in the form of a rapidly revolving sphere, entraps and squeezes most of the star's weight and magnetic field. The powerful magnetic field created by these rapidly revolving neutron stars has been shown to cause the emission of powerful radio waves observable on Earth.

In the third verse of Surat at-Tariq the term "al-najmu al-thaaqibu," meaning piercing, moving on, or opening holes, indicates that Tariq is a bright star that pierces a hole in the darkness and moves on. The concept of the term "adraaka" in the expression "And what will convey to you what the Tariq is?" refers to comprehension. Pulsars, formed through the compression of stars several times the size of the Sun, are among those celestial bodies that are hard to comprehend. The question in the verse emphasizes how hard it is to comprehend this beating star. (Allah knows best.)

As discussed, the stars described as Tariq in the Qur'an bear a close similarity to the pulsars described in the 20th century, and may reveal to us another scientific miracle of the Qur'an.

THE STAR SIRIUS

When certain concepts mentioned in the Qur'an are studied in the light of 21st century scientific discoveries we find ourselves imparted with yet more miracles of the Qur'an. One of these is the star Sirius, mentioned in Surat an-Najm 49:

... it is He Who is the Lord of Sirius. (Qur'an, 53: 49)

The fact that the Arabic word "shi'raa," the equivalent of the star Sirius, appears only in Surat an-Najm, meaning only "star," 49 is particularly striking. Because, considering the irregularity in the movement of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, as their starting point, scientists discovered that it was actually a double star. Sirius is actually a set of two stars, known as Sirius A and Sirius B. The larger of these is Sirius A, which is also the closer to the Earth and the brightest star that can be seen with the naked eye. Sirius B, however, cannot be seen without a telescope.

The Sirius double stars orbit in ellipses about one another. The orbital period of Sirius A & B about their common centre of gravity is 49.9 years. This scientific data is today accepted with one accord by the departments of astronomy at Harvard, Ottawa and Leicester Universities.2 This information is reported as follows in various sources:

Sirius, the brightest star, is actually a twin star... Its orbit lasts 49.9 years.3

As is known, the stars Sirius-A and Sirius-B orbit each other in a double bow every 49.9 years.4

The point requiring attention here is the double, bow-shaped orbit of the two stars around one another.

However, this scientific fact, the accuracy of which was only realised in the late 20th century, was miraculously indicated in the Qur'an 1,400 years ago. When verses 49 and 9 of Surat an-Najm are read together, this miracle becomes apparent:

It is He Who is the Lord of Sirius. (Qur'an, 53: 49)

He was two bow-lengths away or even closer. (Qur'an, 53:9)

The description in Surat an-Najm 9 may also describe how these two stars approach one another in their orbits. (Allah knows best.) This scientific fact, that nobody could have known at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an, once again proves that the Qur'an is the word of Almighty Allah.

THE STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE STARS

We built seven firm layers above you. We installed a blazing lamp. (Qur'an, 78:12-13)

As we know, the only source of light in the Solar System is the Sun. With advances in technology, astronomers discovered that the Moon was not a source of light but that it merely reflects the light reaching it from the Sun. The expression "lamp" in the above verse is a translation of the Arabic word "siraaj," which most perfectly describes the Sun, the source of light and heat.

In the Qur'an Allah employs different words when referring to such celestial bodies as the Moon, the Sun and the stars. This is how the differences between the structures of the Sun and Moon are expressed in the Qur'an:

Don't you see how He created seven heavens in layers, and placed the Moon as a light in them and made the sun a blazing lamp? (Qur'an, 71:15-16)

In the above verse, the word "light" is used for the Moon ("noor" in Arabic) and the word "lamp" for the Sun ("siraaj" in Arabic.) The word used for the Moon refers to a light-reflecting, bright, motionless body. The word used for the Sun refers to a celestial body which is always burning, a constant source of heat and light.

On the other hand, the word "star" comes from the Arabic root "najama," meaning "appearing, emerging, visible." As in the verse below, stars are also referred to by the word "thaaqib," which is used for that which shines and pierces the darkness with light: self-consuming and burning:

It is the star that pierces through darkness! (Qur'an, 86:3)

We now know that the Moon does not emit its own light but reflects that reaching it from the Sun. We also know that the Sun and stars do emit their own light. These facts were revealed in the Qur'an in an age when mankind simply did not have the means to make scientific discoveries of their own accord. It was an age when peoples' knowledge of celestial bodies was severely restricted, to say the least. This further emphasises the miraculous nature of the book of Islam.

ORBITS AND THE ROTATING UNIVERSE

One of the most important reasons for the great equilibrium in the universe is the fact that celestial bodies follow specific paths. Stars, planets and satellites all rotate around their own axes and also rotate together with the system of which they are a part. The universe functions within a finely-tuned order, just like the wheels in a factory.

There are more than 100 billion galaxies in the visible universe and each small galaxy contains approximately a billion stars. Furthermore, each big galaxy contains more than a trillion.5 Many of these stars have planets and many of those planets have satellites. All these celestial bodies follow the most finely calculated paths and orbits. For millions of years, each one has been moving in its own path in flawless harmony with all the others. In addition to these, there are also a great many comets moving along in their own pre-determined paths.

In addition, the paths in the universe are not restricted to a few celestial bodies. The Solar System and even other galaxies also exhibit considerable motion around other centres. Every year, Earth, and the Solar System with it, move some 500 million km (310 million miles) from where they were the previous year. It has been calculated that even the slightest deviation from celestial bodies' paths could have drastic consequences which might spell the end of the entire system. For example, the consequences of the Earth's deviating from its course by a mere 3 mm have been described in one source as follows:

While rotating around the sun, the earth follows such an orbit that, every 18 miles, it only deviates 2.8 millimetres from a direct course. The orbit followed by the earth never changes, because even a deviation of 3 millimetres would cause catastrophic disasters: If the deviation were 2.5 mm instead of 2.8 mm, then the orbit would be very large, and all of us would freeze. If the deviation were 3.1 mm, we would be scorched to death.6

Another characteristic of heavenly bodies is that they also rotate around their own axes. The verse which reads "[I swear] by Heaven with its cyclical systems," (Qur'an, 86:11) indicates this truth. Naturally, at the time when the Qur'an was revealed, people had no telescopes with which to study bodies millions of kilometres away in space, advanced observation technology or our modern knowledge of physics and astronomy. It was therefore impossible to establish that space had "its oscillating orbits," (Qur'an, 51:7) as described in the verse. The Qur'an however, revealed at that time, provided clear information concerning that fact. This is proof that this book is indeed Allah's word.

THE SUN'S TRAJECTORY

It is stressed in the Qur'an that the Sun and Moon follow specific trajectories:

It is He Who created night and day and the Sun and Moon, each one swimming in a sphere. (Qur'an, 21:33)

The word "swim" in the above verse is expressed in Arabic by the word "sabaha" and is used to describe the movement of the Sun in space. The word means that the Sun does not move randomly through space but that it rotates around its axis and follows a course as it does so. The fact that the Sun is not fixed in position but rather follows a specific trajectory is also stated in another verse:

And the Sun runs to its resting place. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. (Qur'an, 36:38)

These facts set out in the Qur'an were only discovered by means of astronomical advances in our own time. According to astronomers' calculations, the Sun moves along a path known as the Solar Apex in the path of the star Vega at an incredible speed of 720,000 kmph (447,000 mph). In rough terms, this shows that the Sun traverses some 17.28 million km (10.74 million miles) a day. As well as the Sun itself, all the planets and satellites within its gravitational field also travel the same distance.

THE MOON'S ORBIT

And We have decreed set phases for the Moon, until it ends up looking like an old date branch. It is not for the Sun to overtake the Moon nor for the night to outstrip the day; each one is swimming in a sphere. (Qur'an, 36:39-40)

The Moon does not follow a regular orbit like the satellites of other planets. As it orbits the Earth, it sometimes moves behind it and sometimes in front. As it also moves with the Earth around the Sun, it actually follows a constant pattern resembling the letter "S" in space. This route, traced by the Moon in space, is described in the Qur'an as resembling an old date branch and does indeed resemble the twisted form of the date tree branch. Indeed, the word "urjoon" employed in the Qur'an refers to a thin and twisted date branch and is used to describe that part left after the fruit has been picked. The way that this branch is described as "old" is also most appropriate since old date branches are thinner and more twisted.

There is no doubt that it was impossible for anyone to have any knowledge about the orbit of the Moon 1,400 years ago. The way that this pattern, identified by modern technology and accumulated knowledge, was revealed in the Book is yet another scientific miracle of the Qur'an.

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Conclusion:
How Can a Sincere Person Escape Superficiality?

In the behavior and conversations characteristic of superficiality, there is a basic problem of mind and spirit. For this reason, the best way to escape superficiality is not to address and correct these individual kinds of behavior one by one-because if a person encountered a situation he had not addressed before, he would revert to superficial behavior. And problems would arise in theory and practice, because a person's thoughts and point of view are reflected in his behavior. He finds it difficult to do something he regards as unreasonable or unnecessary. However, the solution to superficiality is not the lengthy, difficult or complicated process it is thought to be. In fact, it is very easy.

The solution is to fear Allah and practice the morality of the Qur'an. Everyone who has faith in Allah and lives his life totally according to the Qur'an will be saved from superficiality. If he fears Allah as he should and behaves always and everywhere according to his conscience, he will be kept from doing superficial things. Such a person gives up following his lower self and, as Allah points out in the Qur'an, he will try to cleanse his self from wickedness:

He who purifies it has succeeded, he who covers it up has failed. (Surat ash-Shams: 9-10)

Not following the superficiality of the lower self is an important matter for a person who wants to escape from this kind of character. It is possible only by practicing the precepts of the Qur'an. The lower self is the source of deceit and wickedness and leads people to pursue empty and harmful things; in short, it is the source of much falsehood and superficiality. From it spring selfishness, pride, ambition, greed, anger and all kinds of wickedness in thought and deed. In order not to fall into superficiality and suffer harm in this world and the next, one must not follow one's lower self. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us about some advice that the Prophet Musa (as) gave to his people:

". . . You wronged yourselves by adopting the calf so turn towards your Maker and kill your own selves. That is the best thing for you in your Maker's sight . . ." (Surat al-Baqara: 54)

Those who purify their selves gain understanding and maturity and distance themselves from everything superficial. Allah tells us that human beings can gain honor only by obeying the Qur'an:

. . . We have given them their dhikr [that by which one is remembered, i.e., with praise], but they have turned away from it. (Surat al- Muminun: 71)

For this reason, Muslims who fully apply the verses of the Qur'an are noble, honorable and respectable individuals. Allah tells us that they have the highest moral character:

Do not give up and do not be downhearted. You shall be uppermost if you are believers. (Surah Al 'Imran: 139)

This is a very important matter for those who have faith; they must ponder it well and not think that the debased culture of superficiality is limited to certain areas. For example, it is typically superficial to show a different character in different situations and to act mainly to please others. Lying about an ordinary daily matter thinking it to be insignificant, not doing as much as one could to spread religious morality, noticing where an act of generosity is needed but having no desire to do it, not saying something positive when the opportunity presents itself, attempting to justify one's ego, speaking sarcastically to others, behaving immodestly . . . All these are examples of superficial behavior. Contrary to what one might think, there is no great or small superficiality. In order to escape it, a person must have the absolutely honest intention to practice religious morality and give up deceiving himself with various excuses. In the Qur'an, Allah promises this salvation and other good things to His servants:

By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission . . . (Surat al-Ma'ida: 16)

The way to escape superficiality is to practice the morality of the Qur'an-the only kind of morality that fits human nature. A person who has decided to submit his heart and spirit totally to Allah, who intends to live in a way pleasing to Him and to purify himself from any trace of superficiality, can easily escape this culture. It is not important that a person may have adopted and practiced debased culture in the past; the important thing is that person's final state and his final decision to win Allah's favor:

. . . Allah has pardoned all that took place in the past; but if anyone does it again Allah will take revenge on him. Allah is Almighty, Exactor of Revenge. (Surat al-Ma'ida: 95)

Say to those who disbelieve that if they stop, they will be forgiven what is past; but if they return to it, they have the pattern of previous peoples in the past. (Surat al-Anfal: 38)

. . . except for what may have already taken place. That is an indecent act, a loathsome thing and an evil path. (Surat an-Nisa': 22)

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The Ideal of Some Superficial People
is Simply to Live

Some people had many ideals in their youth. But they grow up, and by the time they have reached maturity, have achieved certain goals: They have finished school, established a career, married and had children. And, when they have no goals or expectations left to achieve, they lose their joie de vivre. Now they spend their time according to their situation and culture. Some sit in cafes, others by the sea; some wander around bazaars, others walk in parks. Others doze off at home, or watch television. One day is the same as the day before; each of these people is waiting for death.

When such a person opens his eyes in the morning, he thinks that this day is no different from any other. But he does not complain, as one might expect, because his goal every day is to live for another day before he dies. This state of mind is the reason for these people's quick spiritual and physical decay. Those who retire at 55 or 60 years of age are actually not very old. But their point of view is that everything good has gone away; for which reason they feel and look much older than they are. Some others of the same age look at the world in the opposite way; they are industrious and have not lost their eagerness and excitement. By comparison, they are stronger, more joyful and energetic. In the Qur'an there are verses that point out the benefit of being industrious and not wasting time doing nothing. For example:

So when you have finished, work on, and make your Lord your goal! (Surat al-Inshirah: 7-8)

That some people in superficial culture expect just to live can be seen not only among the aged and retired, but also in every segment and age group. This point of view is found partly among those who have married and had children, made a career for themselves but have no further hope of advancement. Some people go to work in the morning, come back at night, watch television and eat dinner, with nothing to achieve before they go to bed. Like some elderly people, they only want to get through that day.

It's not easy for such people to have a change or something new in their lives. They have no noble thoughts about developing themselves or benefiting their community. Such thoughts and behavior would bring change and upset the order of their lives, which is not in their best interests. They do not want anyone to interfere with the shallow, monotonous little worlds they have established for themselves.

Some who choose to live in a superficial culture rather than practice religious morality pass their days without setting themselves any goal; they are actually waiting for death. Some of them can sit in their pajamas all day before a window with the curtains wide open. Such superficial people have no goals left in their lives; their aim is just to live. They do not ask themselves what their purpose in life is. Their belief in the next world is weak, and their life far removed from religious morality. They have no goals, such as winning Allah's mercy and favor, doing good works to please Him, or prevailing in a contest of merit with other moral and conscientious believers. For this reason, they have come to this point in life and have set a most degrading and superficial ideal for themselves. They even leave their worldly ideals to one side and, in the spiritual void into which they have fallen, they abandon all their will and desires, all their work, efforts and productivity. Now they are engaged only in prolonging their lives.

Not all of them, however, have severed their connections with the world. One who goes back and forth to work every day can be in a similar monotonous void and aim only at getting through the day. Those far removed from the purposes of creation, whether or not they work and whether young or old, rich or poor, men or women, all have made this their basic goal: just to live.

But when death comes to them, their awareness becomes unclouded and they want to return to their earthly lives to do good works. These people have spent their whole lives carefree without thinking and perhaps, only the day before, they were merely trying to kill time. Ignoring the purposes of creation, they spent their lives far from Allah's service. Their only goals were to eat, sleep and look after their daily affairs.

But this is the end that these people will meet in their eternal lives:

So leave them in their glut of ignorance for a while. Do they imagine that, in the wealth and children We are hastening to them with good things? No indeed, but they have no awareness! (Surat al- Muminun: 54-56)

. . . You will see the wrongdoers saying, when they see the punishment, "Is there no way back?" You will see them as they are exposed to it, abject in their abasement, glancing around them furtively. Those who believe will say, "Truly the losers are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection." The wrongdoers are in an everlasting punishment. (Surat as-Shura: 44-45)

They will say, "Our Lord, our miserable destiny overpowered us. We were misguided people. Our Lord, remove us from it! Then if we revert again, we will definitely be wrongdoers." He will say, "Slink away into it and do not speak to Me. There was a group of My servants who said, 'Our Lord, we believe, so forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the Best of the Merciful.' But you made a mockery of them so that they made you forget to remember Me while you were laughing at them. Today I have rewarded them for being steadfast. They are the ones who are victorious." (Surat al- Muminun: 106-111)

On the Day when the Spirit and the angels stand in ranks, no one will speak, except for him who is authorized by the All-Merciful and says what is right. That will be the True Day. So whoever wills should take the way back to his Lord. We have warned you of an imminent punishment on the Day when a man will see what he has done, and the unbelievers will say, "Oh, if only I were dust!" (Surat an-Naba': 38-40)

But as for him who is given his Book behind his back, he will cry out for destruction but will be roasted in a Searing Blaze. He used to be joyful in his family. He thought that he was never going to return. But in fact his Lord was always watching him! (Surat al-Inshiqaq: 10-15)

Woe to every scorner and mocker who has amassed wealth and hoarded it! He thinks his wealth will make him live for ever. No indeed! He will be flung into the Shatterer. And what will convey to you what the Shatterer is? The kindled Fire of Allah reaching right into the heart. It is sealed in above them in towering columns. (Surat al-Humaza: 1-9)

Say: "Shall I inform you of the greatest losers in their actions?" People whose efforts in the life of this world are misguided while they suppose that they are doing good." Those are the people who reject their Lord's signs and the meeting with Him. Their actions will come to nothing and, on the Day of Resurrection, We will not assign them any weight. (Surat al-Kahf: 103-105)

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The Causes of Superficiality

The superficiality that some people display without feeling any discomfort in their consciences can be defined as a blemished, debased, degenerated culture of ignorance. Examining the behavior and thought patterns of the people who live within this debased culture, we see the serious deficiencies in their faith. Their childhood upbringing, their current environment, and the people they associate with strongly influence their adopting this debased superficiality. Taken altogether, these elements comprise a kind of culture that no sincere Muslim can ever adopt. This system shamelessly practices types of humiliating behavior unbefitting human nature and keeps its adherents from living the noble, honorable and respected life envisioned in the Qur'an. The following pages will examine why such people adopt this false Religion of Superficiality and some of the influences that keep them from living the good moral life that Allah commands.

Forgetting Allah and Favoring Others Draws People into Superficiality

As stated at the beginning of this book, the word superficiality makes most people imagine individuals who cannot speak compellingly, with weak personalities, insincere smiles and awkward behavior. However, superficiality has a far wider range. It is not only crude and insincere, but basically a moral aberration that arises when a person does not appreciate the power of Allah as he should. Therefore, anyone with such a character needs not behave in such an absurdly exaggerated manner.

The fear of losing the esteem of others, preferring to gain their affection rather than the pleasure, love, and assistance of Allah leads an individual to act superficially. Besides, when confronted by certain things that happen to him, this individual becomes panic-stricken. He complains, becomes angry, and reacts superficially because he is unmindful that these events are under Allah's control. These are all indications of superficiality.

But some people, unaware of this, think that superficiality has nothing to do with them and see themselves removed from such danger. It may lead them into error that they are careful to practice certain rules of etiquette. However, a person who acts politely in certain situations may actually be living superficiality, because superficiality is not limited to behavioral aberrations.

For example, one who attaches too much importance to decorum politeness may believe that certain events happen by chance, the others he is dealing with are separate and independent of Allah (surely Allah is beyond that) and act according to their own wills. He may never act without first considering what others may think-a way of thinking that does not justly appreciate Allah, and which is reflected by the actions, reactions and conversations of this individual. Someone unaware of the Qur'an's moral teachings may regard this behavior as wholly normal. But anyone who claims he is not superficial but who gets angry, weeps, and even becomes depressed for days when something undesired happens has a very superficial character and cannot understand the depth of faith as described in the Qur'an. A true Muslim knows that behind this behavior lies shallowness with regard to religion. Someone who knows Allah as he ought, knows the Qur'an and lives according to it, would never fall into such a state. Such untrusting behavior may indicate that an individual looks at events as separate forces, apart from Allah (surely Allah is beyond that), and does not realize that Allah is in control of everything.

As explicitly stated in the Qur'an, Allah is the One and Only god and He has infinite power:

Your god is One God. There is no god but Him, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. (Surat al-Baqara: 163)

Everything, animate and inanimate, exists according to His will. Every human must understand this truth and consider it carefully. To think otherwise and to associate His creations with Him is a great sin as revealed in the Qur'an:

Allah does not forgive anything being associated with Him but He forgives whoever He wills for anything other than that. Anyone who associates something with Allah has committed a terrible crime. (Surat an-Nisa': 48)

When we look into the Qur'an, we see that believing otherwise is one of the roots of superficiality in action and attitude. To act with the idea that any other being has the attributes of Allah brings with it artificiality in behavior, unnecessary refinement of manners, and meanness. Such an individual is given to anger, always pursuing small gains, trying to make others feel sorry for him or exaggerating his own importance. Having superior personal and moral qualities is characteristic of Muslims with nobility of spirit, who do not desire the things of this world and, in everything they do and think, turn only to Allah.

For example, if a person who is very knowledgeable assumes that his knowledge comes only from himself, his mind is superficial. This means that he has forgotten that the real possessor of all knowledge is Allah, that Allah has given him all the knowledge he has and can take it away whenever He wishes. Also, such a person does not consider that everyone, including himself, is absolutely helpless before Allah.

Another aspect of superficial thinking is that the ignorant admire such people. Their admiration is directed not only to knowledgeable individuals, but also toward attractive people, talented artists, sports figures and the wealthy. However, it is Allah Who has given them their beauty, talent, intelligence, and success. For example, when considering a person with material wealth, the important thing is not what he owns, but to realize he is a helpless servant of Allah.

Those with superficial understanding look to such people for help, forgetting that Allah is the ultimate possessor of all things, and feel an exaggerated and insincere sense of respect for these people. They ignore this truth that Allah reveals in the Qur'an:

. . . Those you worship besides Allah have no power to provide for you. So seek your provision from Allah and worship Him and give thanks to Him . . . (Surat al-'Ankabut: 17)

We are told in another verse that some individuals do not realize that Allah has given them everything they possess:

When harm touches man he calls on Us. Then when We grant him a blessing from Us he says, "I have only been given this because of my knowledge." In fact it is a trial but most of them do not know it. (Surat az-Zumar: 49)

One striking example of such a debased character provided in the Qur'an is a man called Qarun, to whom Allah gave great wealth. But instead of thanking Him, Qarun became avaricious:

Qarun was one of the people of Musa but he lorded it over them. We gave him treasures, the keys alone to which were a heavy weight for a party of strong men . . . (Surat al-Qasas: 76)

As this verse goes on to say, his people warned him about this:

. . . his people said to him, "Do not gloat. Allah does not love people who gloat." (Surat al-Qasas: 76)

But despite these warnings, be became spoiled by the gifts given to him and began to think that he deserved them:

. . . "I have only been given it because of knowledge I have . . ." (Surat al-Qasas: 78)

From this verse, we can understand that Qarun ignored Allah's generosity. In his arrogance, he claimed that his wealth came from his own abilities. Qarun's superficiality can be seen in his avarice, overindulgence and from his own words. Among Qarun's acquaintances, there were similar individuals who disregarded Allah, ignored the Afterlife and concentrated on this world. As revealed in the Qur'an, Qarun ". . . went out among his people in his finery . . . ." (Surat al-Qasas: 79). Allah tells us about the state of some of these individuals:

. . . Those who desired the life of this world said, "Oh! If only we had the same as Qarun has been given! What immense good fortune he possesses." (Surat al-Qasas: 79)

From this verse, we learn that these people admired Qarun. We can tell from their manner that they had a shallow way of thinking. We are told in another verse that devout, Allah-fearing and noble-spirited Muslims behave differently; they warn such ignorant people and remind them of the truth:

But those who had been given knowledge said, "Woe to you! Allah's reward is better for those who believe and act rightly. But only the steadfast will obtain it . . . " (Surat al-Qasas: 80)

But since superficiality prevents people from thinking deeply and seriously, these people were unaware of their own state as well as Qarun's, right up until Qarun received from Allah the torment he deserved:

We caused the Earth to swallow up both him and his house. There was no group to come to his aid, besides Allah, and he was not someone who is helped. Those who had longed to take his place the day before woke up saying, "Allah expands the provision of any of His servants He wills or restricts it. If Allah had not shown great kindness to us, we would have been swallowed up as well. Ah! Truly the disbelievers are not successful." (Surat al-Qasas: 81-82)

From these examples, we can see that the correct course of action is to acknowledge that Allah alone has all intelligence, ability, wealth and knowledge, that His wisdom is infinite; and to praise and exalt Him for His wonderful manifestations in human beings. The Qur'an tells us that nobility among people lies solely in godliness:

. . . The noblest among you in Allah's sight is the one with the most taqwa [godliness, fear of Allah] . . ." (Surat al-Hujurat: 13)

Muslims feel respect and appreciation for people only because of the good moral character they manifest. They know that only the absolute power of Allah is to be revered, that they can expect help from Him alone. This truth is revealed in the Qur'an:

They do not measure Allah with His true measure. Allah is All-Strong, Almighty. (Surat al-Hajj: 74)

Because deniers are immersed in superficial culture, they have a shallow way of thinking. They overestimate some individuals but cannot appreciate the substantial intelligence and profound ideas of others. Throughout history they have never appreciated the value of people with moral nobility, foremost the prophets. In their resentment, they have even been hateful and extremely aggressive to these blessed individuals for calling them to practice religious morality. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals the violence of their rejection:

They said, "Shu'ayb, We do not understand much of what you say and we see you are weak among us. Were it not for your clan, we would have stoned you. We do not hold you in high esteem!" (Surah Hud: 91)

They deferred to some individuals and gave them esteem they did not deserve. Yet they did not appreciate the distinctive qualities, noble personality, faithfulness and moral character of the prophet Shu'ayb (as) whom Allah loved and chose. They were just influenced and intimidated by those close to him. Because of the depravity of their denial, these people preferred to live in the debased culture of superficiality, completely divorced from moral goodness and humanity.

They Live a Life of Unawareness

The word unawareness refers to those who forget our Lord's existence, disregard the realities of death and the Hereafter, give themselves over to worldly desires and passions and as a result, do not obey Allah's sublime commands. We are told in the Qur'an that these people are content to evaluate things by their external appearance:

They know an outward aspect of the life of this world but are heedless of the Hereafter. (Surat ar-Rum: 7)

They do not consider that Allah has absolute sovereignty over all matters. A shallow way of looking at the world has become a culture for them, largely due to deficiencies in their faith. They cannot properly conceive of Allah's infinite power and sovereignty; and this failure of theirs has endowed them with an unbecoming boldness to live in this culture.

If an individual understands that Allah sees him every moment, is aware of what he does and what he thinks, and that all this is recorded in his name in Allah's presence, then fear of Allah will lead him to practice the moral teachings of the Qur'an. This will give him a special behavior and way of thinking that are easily recognized. This is a quality far removed from superficiality; it is a natural purity that resides in no culture apart from the morality of the Qur'an; and is seen in the dignity, penitence, faithfulness and conscience of the prophets. In this morality there is a definite heedfulness and awareness that leads an individual to be aware every moment of the existence of Allah and the Hereafter, and to seek His pleasure in everything he does. In every word he utters, he knows he is in Allah's presence, and he lives with this idea constantly in his mind. Such a person could not possibly (unless Allah wills the contrary) demonstrate a superficial personality's manners and expressions. He will take great pains to make sure that his choices, facial expressions, and tone of voice befit the dignity of a Muslim.

But a person lacking this awareness disregards the existence of Allah and the Hereafter for the most part of his daily life. Very often, he is literally hypnotized by his contact with others, the variety of events that happen to him, and the countless details that confront him. It never occurs to him that Allah has created these things as tests and that Allah can easily create all these details. On the contrary, he disregards Allah and concentrates merely on the details. He believes that everything that happens in his life is the result of chance, under no one's control. As a result of these unaware ideas, he thinks that human beings are absolute entities, and that their reactions result from a chain of chance occurrences. Therefore, he adjusts all his expressions, reactions, way of life and future plans in favor of his relationships with others.

A person unaware of Allah's existence and infinite power, or who is aware but sees nothing wrong with the false religion of superficiality, cannot truthfully say that he fears Allah. So it seldom occurs to him that he should make preparations for the next life. He does not hold the ideal of developing his personality and raising his morality to a level that will please Allah and be worthy of Paradise.

An Example from the Qur'an of a Person with Superficial Ideals:

The Israelites who Followed Samaritan

Allah tells in the Qur'an about the general behavior of the peoples addressed by the prophets with regard to the Divine judgments. Many of their superior moral qualities are underscored, such as their patience, determination in faith and their trust and discernment in the face of the difficulties brought against them while they were conveying the message. In one story about the Prophet Musa (as) teaching the Israelites about the religion of Allah, the Qur'an mentions a person called Samaritan who, when Musa (as) was not among the people, seized the opportunity to incite spiritual corruption among them and urge them to worship idols. He then tried to distance them from their faith.

We are told in the Qur'an that Musa (as) left his people and went up to Mount Sinai to receive a revelation from Allah:

"Why have you hurried on ahead of your people, Musa?" He [Musa] said, "They are following in my tracks. I have hurried on ahead to You, my Lord, to gain Your good pleasure." (Surah Ta Ha: 83-84)

The people did not have the Prophet Musa (as) to direct them. Samaritan seized the opportunity; the people were weak in their faith and open to suggestion, and he led them astray. They fell into strife and contention.

He [Allah] said, "We tried your people after you left and the Samaritan has misguided them." (Surah Ta Ha: 85)

While Musa (as) was receiving the revelation, he realized that his people had ceased following him. Returning to them, he reminded them of the world to come and Allah's promises to those with faith. Then he told them about the great trouble that would befall those who lost their faith in Allah's promises and the strife that would overtake them:

Musa returned to his people in anger and great sorrow. He said, "My people, did not your Lord make you a handsome promise? Did the fulfillment of the contract seem too long to you or did you want to unleash your Lord's anger upon yourselves, so you broke your promise to me?" (Surah Ta Ha: 86)

At this, those who had departed from the truth by heeding Samaritan's twisted incitements described what had happened after the departure of the Prophet Musa (as):

They said, "We did not break our promise to you of our own volition. But we were weighed down with the heavy loads of the people's jewelry and we threw them in, for that is what the Samaritan did." (Surah Ta Ha: 87)

As plainly said in this verse, Samaritan urged the people to throw their jewelry into the fire, throwing his own into the flames to prove that he was sincere. He persuaded the people with this insidious ploy. Those who were weak in faith or willpower were open to his rebellious suggestions; their moral character made them susceptible to abandoning the way of Allah, and they did not hesitate to do what Samaritan told them to. Despite the truths they had learned from Musa (as) and the miracles he had performed, they had no compunction in following the perverse suggestions of one of their own who had no power or authority. Then, using those molten ornaments, Samaritan made a statue of a calf. After that, he depicted this calf as (Allah forbid) their true deity. At the same time, in order to destroy the influence of Musa (as) over the people, he began to make some negative insinuations about him:

Then he produced a calf for them, a physical form which made a lowing sound. So they said, "This is your deity-and Musa's deity as well, but he forgot." (Surah Ta Ha: 88)

Allah reveals in the Qur'an that the idol made by Samaritan had no power; it had no strength or will to speak to them, to answer their questions or to do anything good or evil. But the people pretended not to recognize these plain facts and heeded Samaritan's call:

Could they not see that it did not reply to them and that it possessed no power to either harm or benefit them? (Surah Ta Ha: 89)

Besides Musa (as), the people also had his brother Harun (as) as a prophet among them. When Musa (as) went up Mount Sinai, he put Harun (as) in charge of them. But the people put their faith in Samaritan's calf statue and started to worship it; they did not listen to the warnings of Harun (as), even though he told them that the statue was a trial for them and that their true god was Allah, the Israelites did not listen. Although Harun (as) was a prophet, they rebelled and refused to obey him.

Harun had earlier said to them, "My people! It is just a trial for you. Your Lord is the All-Merciful, so follow me and obey my command!" (Surah Ta Ha: 90)

Later, to gain time they offered a lame excuse, such as should never be spoken to a prophet, for the evil they had done.

They said, "We will not stop devoting ourselves to it until Musa returns to us." (Surah Ta Ha: 91)

In their ignorance and lack of intelligence, they imputed power to this statue that had been crafted before their own eyes and began to bow down to it. When Musa (as) came down from Mount Sinai and rejoined his people, he asked, ". . . What do you think you were doing, Samaritan?" (Surah Taha: 95). Samaritan replied, " . . . I saw what they did not see. So I gathered up a handful from the messenger's footprints and threw it in. That is what my inner self urged me to do" (Surah Ta Ha: 96).

Samaritan knew that some among the Israelites did not have the high level of consciousness that true religion gives and were basically out for their own gain. He also knew that they were not about to give up their worldly desires and he could take advantage of these weaknesses. Finding his opportunity in the absence of the prophet, he established a way to lead them back to their idolatrous lives. As we can deduce from his words "I saw what they did not see," he presented himself as having special abilities; he wanted to satisfy his own passion for rank and position. But those who did what Samaritan said, instead of seeking Allah's favor and obeying the prophet, accommodated themselves to the direction of an opportunist with worldly aspirations. Such people have small goals and basic ideals. Their morality is such that they take no pleasure in living as they should to win Allah's favor. And at the least suggestion of worldly gain, they lose their faith.

Instead of following their prophet and waiting faithfully for the revelation of Allah, the Israelites followed the fabrications of some ill-intentioned individual and chose to pursue transient worldly gain. As we are told in the Qur'an, they did not obey Harun (as) but acted as unbelievers do toward the prophets:

Say, "Obey Allah and the messenger." Then if they turn away, Allah does not love the unbelievers. (Surah Al 'Imran: 32)

As you can see, those who pursue simple gains with no view to the Hereafter can be deceived with very superficial logic. It is no effort for them to abandon their faith. Their weak wills can be broken by the slightest suggestion. They can immediately fall into despair and be persuaded by nonsense. Their faith, not founded on the fear of Allah or a belief in the world to come, can be quickly shattered. Material things that they can see with their eyes seem more real to them than the endless blessings promised to them in the life to come. However, the blessings of Paradise that Allah has promised in the Hereafter will (Allah willing) keep their value and their beauty for eternity. About the perfect blessings of Paradise, the following is revealed in the Qur'an:

The people who guard against evil will have Gardens of Delight with their Lord. (Surat al-Qalam: 34)

Some people think that death is remote for them; they make the mistake of laying more importance on pursuing the simple material gains and worldly targets they set for themselves. But contrary to what they think, the reality of life in this world and its material goods are deceptive: ". . . The life of this world is just the enjoyment of delusion" (Surah Al 'Imran: 185). In another verse, Allah describes the real nature of these material goods that are regarded as being so valuable. ". . . Say, 'The enjoyment of this world is very brief. The Hereafter is better for those who guard against evil . . ." (Surat an-Nisa': 77).

Instead of being subject to Musa (as), the people obeyed someone like Samaritan who deceived them with material things and false words. They listened to him, hoping to make some small gain in their Earthly lives. Because of this, they fell into a state of humiliation while still in this world. Allah intends every story in the Qur'an to teach and advise those of pure minds. This story has served as a reminder of such advice for every individual from the time of Musa (as) to the present.

In this way We give you news of what has gone before and We have given you a reminder direct from Us. (Surah Ta Ha: 99)

There is instruction in their stories for people of intelligence . . . (Surah Yusuf: 111)

Anyone who takes this advice will never exchange his faith in Allah for some valueless worldly gain. He would never want to damage his faith by pursuing shallow goals or do anything that would cause him to lose the Paradise of the world to come. He determines his ideals with a view to please Allah and recoils from anything that He would not approve of. He does not adopt a way of life or a culture that would distance him from the life of Paradise. He would strenuously avoid it and wouldn't want his friends and acquaintances to live in this way either. He would be afraid of demonstrating any behavior that showed an ignorant moral character or taking the responsibility for the negative effect such behavior might have on others. As we see in the moral character of Musa (as), he makes every effort for the faith and godliness of others as well. He does not want to abandon them mired in the debased and idolatrous culture of superficiality.

There is No Place in Their Lives for High Ideals

Muslims have great hopes for the Hereafter. The most important of these is the desire to enter the Paradise that Allah has prepared for the believers. But chief of all these hopes is that Allah will be pleased with them:

Allah has promised the men and women of the believers Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever, and fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. And Allah's good pleasure is even greater . . . (Surat at-Tawba: 72)

Paradise abounds in all the blessings that the heart desires. It is the abode of endless delights where any individual who practices the morality of the Qur'an desires passionately to live and expends every effort to attain. Allah tells us in the Qur'an that the most important thing for a believer is to please Him, Whose power is infinite. With this goal in mind, a Muslim improves his moral character every moment and sets his target higher every day so that he can develop his strength of character. For this reason, a sincere Muslim never regards his development as sufficient. He never gives up trying to develop himself and change any of those personality traits, habits and behavior that he regards as wanting. He is not content to limit his personality development by worldly comparisons. He has the will to improve his character every moment, and hopes to attain the maturity pleasing to Allah. He develops himself not by worldly measures but by the measure of Paradise, and prepares himself in the hopes that he will live among people with the kind of superior morality that Allah has been pleased to award the prophets. For this reason, his goal is always high.

However, as said earlier, those unaware individuals whose faith in Allah and the Hereafter is weak usually have their hopes squeezed within four walls. Anyone living in such a culture cannot easily share the high ideals of a Muslim. Such a person's hopes are always limited by this world; he wants a nice house, a good job and family environment and standard of living. Segments of the population want only to attain these classic goals, and they work hard all their lives to attain them.

Someone who lives superficially without a good moral character may attain some or even all of these goals. Some people don't even hesitate to display the wickedness in their hearts in order to attain those. For example, a person thinking only of himself and his loved ones may act selfishly and meanly to please them. He does not think about winning Allah's favor; it is enough for him to work to satisfy his desires for worldly gain. He may never consider what return he will receive in the next world for the gains he has made in this one. However, a gain that satisfies a person's Earthly desires may cause him eternal misery in the world to come.

Anyone who ignores the infinite blessings that Allah will give to his faithful servants in the next world and limits himself to transient material satisfactions of this world is practically blind to reality. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us that the gains of this world are passing: ". . . They rejoice in the life of this world. Yet the life of this world, compared to the Hereafter, is only fleeting enjoyment" (Surat ar-Ra'd: 26). In another verse, He describes such individuals as: "… the people who trade the Hereafter for this world" (Surat al-Baqara: 86). In these words, this verse gives an important indication of how limited these people's ideals are. They ignore the infinite blessings of Paradise that Allah has prepared for His faithful servants, preferring to be content with this world's very short-lived material goods. This choice draws them into the debased culture of superficiality, to live in a shallow culture with limited ideals and as humans of low quality.

However, no one will escape the death that draws nearer and nearer. It is a great mistake to knowingly disregard the next life and limit one's goals only to his own small world. Such a way of thinking is the choice of shallow-minded individuals who cannot see the plainest facts.

In determining his worldly hopes and ideals, a person must bear in mind that one day, somewhere, he will come face to face with death. When that day comes, all his worldly plans and ideals he strove to realize will mean nothing any more. Entering the next life, he will leave everything behind. Allah tells us that, when the time of death comes, an individual will come into His presence all alone, with nothing he possessed in this world:

You have come to Us all alone just as We created you at first, leaving behind you everything We bestowed on you . . . (Surat al-An'am: 94)

For this reason, the most reasonable and right thing for a person to do is think like a Muslim and determine his Earthly ideals as a Muslim does. This is the only way a person can be saved from shallow-mindedness and from setting superficial worldly goals.

How People are Trained and Educated into This Culture

The superficial cues people take from their family environments, close friendships and social surroundings exert an important influence on the culture they live in. The process of education begins in the family and continues in school. The manner of thinking and behaving they acquire from people they associate with has a lifelong influence. If an individual raised in an ignorant society has not adopted the moral teachings of the Qur'an, the ill character acquired from his environment will remain unchanged.

Childhood observations play an important role in the acquisition of character. The culture a child learns from parents, relatives and friends deeply affects him. He remembers the good and bad things he observed in those around him during those years. Later, at a certain point, he imitates their behavior, reacting in the same way to similar occurrences and adopting the same expressions and manners. Up to a certain age, his likings, habits and behavior copy what he observes in others. Even if he is to be taught some new, useful, improved behavior, he may hesitate to follow such advice, claiming that it is not what he has learned from his mother, father or anyone else whose culture he has adopted.

Allah tells us in the Qur'an that some ignorant people insist on following the old practices of their ancestors:

They said, "No, but this is what we found our fathers doing." (Surat ash-Shu'ara': 74)

When they are told, "Follow what Allah has sent down to you," they say, "We are following what we found our fathers doing . . . " (Surat al-Baqara: 170)

However, when a person reaches the age where he is able to distinguish right from wrong and consciously adopts the Qur'an as his guide, he will realize he is surrounded by a wicked, debased culture. With his fear of Allah and his moral understanding, he cannot fit into such a culture. He could never reflect this culture in his actions and understanding and for this reason, rejects being a part of it.

No matter under what conditions he has been brought up, his level of education or his physical appearance, a sincere Muslim responds with trust and gratitude to everything that Allah sends him. No matter how ignorant the culture around him, his high moral character easily raises him above it. The difference in such an individual's appearance and behavior and his noble faith and spiritual quality are noticeable immediately. The finest examples are the prophets who have lived throughout the ages. For example, though his father was a shallow and aggressive idolater, Ibrahim (as) was an honored prophet whom Allah loved, chose as His messenger and made His friend:

. . . Allah took Ibrahim as an intimate friend. (Surat an-Nisa': 125)

Ibrahim (as) never adopted the superficial culture of his society, but completely removed himself from it. He never accepted anything they told him or taught him; his personality was faithful, honorable and powerful, and he lived his life in a way so as to win Allah's favor:

"I will separate myself from you and all you call upon besides Allah and I will call upon my Lord. It may well be that, in calling on my Lord, I will not be disappointed." (Surah Maryam: 48)

Fallacious criteria that contradict the moral values contained in the Qur'an carry weight in ignorant morality. For example, a person will regard himself as having no value if he was brought up in a bad environment according to the norms of ignorance. If he lacks the wealth or fame that is seen as so vital in societies removed from religious morality, he will develop a false sense of being oppressed and inferiority complex. Because he sees himself in this light, he will not try to seek out what is good and beautiful. Because he has no faith, he seeks out what others regard as important and disregards what is valuable in Allah's sight. As a result, he becomes weak and powerless, with little strength of will or personality. He has no response to negative ideas and suggestions that come to him. It is very easy for such a person to be influenced by negativity in his environment.

Without having the ability that faith gives to distinguish between right and wrong, a personality may be weakened by wrong information, wrong suggestions and wrong directions. This results in one who is insecure in his environment, whose behavior is shallow, with no sense of self-worth. Because of his situation, he never thinks that he should trust in Allah and be steadfast in acquiring a noble moral character. On the contrary, he becomes unable to understand or practice any other morality than the one formed by this debased culture.

But anyone living according to the moral precepts of the Qur'an thanks Allah for creating him as a Muslim. He knows that it is being a Muslim, having faith, intelligence and a godly conscience that gives a person value. None of his shortcomings leads him to act in an unseemly superficial way. On the contrary, they lead him to trust in Allah, correct his faults and shortcomings as much as he can, and behave in a way conforming to the Qur'an. Even if this person was brought up in a mean, selfish and aggressive environment, he will never react to occurrences as others do. But, as Allah says in the Qur'an, he is generous, gentle and good-natured.

. . . Those who give in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon other people . . . (Surah Al 'Imran: 134)

As we are told in the Qur'an, such people care for the needy in every situation. Instead of being overcome by anger, they forgive; and are humble in their demeanor. They never set themselves superficial goals; never forget the next world or develop ambitions that attach them to this one. They never exhibit the kind of moral behavior of those who pursue worldly gains with no care for winning Allah's favor. The change they attain in their character by making the Qur'an their guide enables them to abandon everything they learned in their life of ignorance.

The Example of the Prophet Musa (as) and Pharaoh

Musa (as) grew up in the Pharaoh's palace. Pharaoh wanted to present himself to his people as a deity (surely Allah is beyond that!); he inflicted a life of oppression on them under his cruel laws.

Some of Pharaoh's character traits are mentioned in the Qur'an. He was an arrogant individual who claimed to be a deity (surely Allah is beyond that):

Pharaoh said, "Council, I do not know of any other deity for you apart from me." (Surat al-Qasas: 38)

He continually exalted himself and belittled the people:

. . . he swayed his people and they succumbed to him . . . (Surat az-Zukhruf: 54)

From what is revealed in the Qur'an, we can also see that Pharaoh was mentally unbalanced. He desired power and wealth, and rejected the fact that Allah was the real Lord of his wealth. He was a tyrannical dictator who wanted to be extolled for his riches and material power.

Pharaoh called to his people, saying, "My people, does the kingdom of Egypt not belong to me? Do not all these rivers flow under my control? Do you not then see?" (Surat az-Zukhruf: 51)

Musa (as) was brought up in the house of someone with such a mindset. But he was completely different from the others because of his deep faith and awareness. He was a sincere believer with a superior moral character, and a moral understanding totally different from that of the surrounding community. Pharaoh and other deniers lived in moral laxity; they were praised for their possessions, were arrogant, and belittled and degraded others. They were self-satisfied, heedless, and their hopes and ideals were circumscribed by this Earthly life. Musa (as), however, was far superior with his morality and noble personality. In the Qur'an, Allah calls Musa (as) a "noble messenger": "Before them We put Pharaoh's people to the test when a noble messenger came to them" (Surat ad-Dukhan: 17). We can see that, unlike the bad moral character of Pharaoh, unique to deniers, Musa (as) had the kind of character proper to believers; he was a noble person. [For more detailed information, see Harun Yahya's, The Prophet Musa (as)]

In stories related in the Qur'an about the lives of Musa (as) and other prophets, we can see that they lived among people with very different characters and beliefs. But the lives they lived and their personalities are examples of high morality, nobility and excellence. They built an indestructible wall between themselves and the ignorant cultures others lived in. With the superior awareness their faith gave them, they remained always apart from the debased culture that the majority had fallen into. Because of his conscience, as we said above, a person with faith would never accept being a part of such a culture no matter what circumstances he was brought up under. For him, living in such a way would not seem fitting. Even if he knew that he would cause consternation among his acquaintances and lose their affections, he would never allow a single thought or action of such debased culture to adulterate his character as a Muslim.

Those who live in the debased culture of ignorance may make themselves a lot of friends in their society. They may gain material means and form friendships based on profit. They may be deceived by the large numbers of people living shallow lives, and advance friendships with such people with the idea of increasing their own gain. They may think they can obtain power and respect by conforming to the majority-even if the majority is made up of those with debased moral characters. According to the Qur'an, however, this idea is totally wrong. In the following verses, Allah tells us that real excellence and nobility come from living the moral life of faithful Muslims and making friends with them:

Do those who take the unbelievers as protectors, rather than the believers, hope to find honor with them? Honor belongs entirely to Allah. (Surat an-Nisa': 139)

. . . But all honor belongs to Allah and to His messenger and the believers . . . (Surat al-Munafiqun: 8)

For this reason, a faithful Muslim would never support this kind of moral behavior, even if it meant losing all the advantages and means at his disposal. He feels no need to conform to the situation and conditions he lives in. On the contrary, he does his best to create circumstances that will be pleasing to Allah. In return for this faithful and honorable character, Allah will reward devout Muslims both in this world and the Hereafter:

Those who believe and migrate and strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and themselves have a higher rank with Allah. They are the ones who are victorious. Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and good pleasure and Gardens where they will enjoy everlasting delight, remaining in them timelessly, forever and ever. Truly there is an immense reward with Allah. (Surat at-Tawba: 20-22)

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 8:24 PM  0 Comments

Superficiality:
A Common Culture of Ignorance

Those who rightly understand the greatness of Allah will behave with moral rectitude in everything they do. But superficiality distances a person completely from the sort of life that accords with the Qur'an. The Prophet (saas) says, "Wherever indecency and vile language enters becomes indecent" (Tirmidhi Hadiths). These words warn us that baseness and chaos rule the life of anyone in such an unaware spiritual state. The place where he lives devolves into an unhappy environment open to tension and confusion and where issues can in no way be resolved. But here, an important characteristic of superficiality comes to light: It is not wholly one-sided. Individuals who must endure the base culture of superficial people are also a part of their same unaware mindset. Members of the Religions of Superficiality immediately recognize one another and urge one another to distance themselves from the moral teachings of the Qur'an. In effect, they practically call one another to the Fire. Allah reveals this danger in the Qur'an:

. . . Such people call you to the Fire whereas Allah calls you, with His permission, to the Garden and forgiveness. He makes His signs clear to people so that hopefully they will pay heed. (Surat al-Baqara: 221)

In other verses, Allah reveals how people can lead one another astray:

Say: "Can any of your partner-deities guide to the truth?" Say: "Allah guides to the truth. Who has more right to be followed-He Who guides to the truth, or he who cannot guide unless he is guided? What is the matter with you? How do you reach your judgment?" Most of them follow nothing but conjecture. Conjecture is of no use whatsoever against the truth. Allah most certainly knows what they are doing. (Surah Yunus: 35-36)

If you obeyed most of those on Earth, they would misguide you from Allah's way. They follow nothing but conjecture. They are only guessing. (Surat al-An'am: 116)

As in most other ways, those with weak faith and sick hearts exert a negative influence on others to live by superficiality. However, it must be emphasized that these people are in fact conscious of the superficiality they live out. They very well differentiate those with whom they could never share such a debased culture. They know that by means of this debased culture, it is impossible to form a relationship with genuine Muslims. For this reason, when they come into contact with Muslims, they try their utmost to conceal their own trivial tendencies. They do not only try to hide themselves from Muslims, but also from others who seem superficial to a lesser extent. For example, such an employee may try to show his boss that he has some depth and quality to his character.

Such people display a very different personality in the company of their superficial friends. They have a distinctive way of sitting and standing; they choose different terms when they speak and a different tone of voice, assume different body language, and interpret happenings quite differently. When such a person meets public officials, he may sometimes change his personality by such lavish demonstrations of respect to the point that he becomes unrecognizable.

In the same way, such a person, who can easily engage in a superficial conversation with someone who shares his way of thinking, would avoid behaving this way when he is with devout Muslims whose moral character he recognizes. He would avoid the shallow expressions of this culture, pointless and unhelpful chitchat, and making his points with exaggerated facial expressions. However his sudden change reveals a very important fact apart from his basic superficiality he actually lives in his soul. That is, these people deliberately and willingly choose their superficial culture and choose to live in the unaware environment it creates. In this matter they shroud their consciences and feel no sense of discomfort, even though they know that Allah sees what they have become by acting as this debased culture demands, and that He witnesses their every moment.

However, this is a weak culture that one can easily get free of, with a genuine intention. A person who decides to live only the moral life of a Muslim can decisively abandon the unawareness that this culture brings. By embracing moral qualities pleasing to Allah and appropriate for life in the next world, a person can go on living as a sincere Muslim with a good moral character. He can stand as an example for others in this regard and may expect a fine reward from Allah.

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Superficial People Live Lives far Removed
from the Purposes of Creation

A Muslim realizes the beauty of the morality pleasing to Allah and appropriate to Paradise, and aims to live by it. However, some people are unaware of such a goal. They do not feel the inner desire to attain the moral qualities pleasing to Allah. They think it's enough if they attain a level of morality and personal qualities generally acceptable to others, that will let them survive in this world, keep them from being lonely, establish friendships and reach the worldly goals they desire. Allah has revealed the kind of moral behavior that pleases Him; but these people's narrow goals prevent them from caring about trying to win Allah's favor and mercy and attain Paradise. They prefer to be among those who strive for the ordinary, the mediocre. Worldly goals are enough for them.

However, the basic purpose of human creation is quite different, and of a higher order than these worldly ambitions. Allah reveals us in the Qur'an what this purpose is: "[He] created death and life to test which of you is best in action . . ." (Surat al-Mulk: 2). In another verse, He asks this question of those who are unaware of this purpose and choose to live a shallow, superficial life:

Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you would not return to Us? (Surat al-Muminun: 115)

During their time of testing in this world, humans are responsible for seeking Allah's favor in everything they think and do, acting according to their conscience, leading a good moral life and doing good deeds. In spite of this evident truth, as we said earlier, many live without regard for the purpose of creation and establish other superficial goals for themselves. Though these goals differ in every culture and segment of society, none of them in fact is directed purely toward serving Allah and winning His favor.

They want to graduate from good schools, attend the university of their choice, have good marriages with beautiful healthy children, endow their children with a good future, rise to high positions in their career, make good investments, buy a comfortable house, a late-model car and a summer home, have fashionable clothes for themselves and their children, and travel.

Most superficial people live for these goals only. But none of them is the purpose for which humans find themselves in this world. And these worldly things should not be made into goals or ideals; each one is merely a means to an end. Clearly, a person is in this world not to graduate from a good school or to rise in his or her career. Of course, these things are all blessings from Allah and there is no harm in enjoying them. But in the pursuit of these temporary goals, it is a mistake for anyone to disregard Allah and the Hereafter. It is also commendable to be knowledgeable and have a good education, however it's not the goal of life to become an intellectual hoping to please others, while disregarding Allah and the life to come. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us that this is not the purpose of His creation:

We did not create heaven and Earth and everything in between them as a game. If We had desired to have some amusement, We would have derived it from Our Presence, but We did not do that. (Surat al-Anbiya': 16-17)

The world is not a place of games and entertainment, but an arena in which to serve Allah and work toward the Hereafter. The ideals of those who cannot grasp this truth are so trivial and fleeting that, even if they attained all their worldly goals, they would realize their loss when the angels of death came for them. Imagine a person who has become an expert in his field and become a world-famous professor. He has children and grandchildren; he has bequeathed them a good standard of living. But he has disregarded Allah and not lived the kind of moral life that pleases Him. Such a person may have worked hard for years, but he has nothing that counts toward the world to come, where he will live forever.

As pointed out in the Qur'an, such a person has left behind everything that is good: ". . . You dissipated the good things you had in your worldly life and enjoyed yourself in it. . . ." (Surat al-Ahqaf: 20). Compared to eternity, the 60 or perhaps 70 years that he has lived are of no value. The Prophet (saas) describes the folly of such people:

"He is the man of wisdom and of consciousness who makes his lower self a slave [to Allah] and engages in good deeds for the life after death. The one who fails to prevail over his lower self is the man who fails to guard his lower self from the prohibited deeds. And then he asks for forgiveness from Allah." (Ibn Majah)

Those who persist in this error see the world too simply: only as a place where they can fulfill their desires and passions. As they live to satisfy their egos, they have no inclination to become esteemed, build a strong faith or possess the superior moral qualities that prophets had. They have no real desire to be closer to Allah and, as a result, their behavior doesn't display the maturity and moderation of a Muslim nor the nobility that arises from these qualities. Rather, they seem totally unaware of Allah's existence and the closeness of death. They disregard the fact that Allah sees them and knows what they are doing. However, no matter where one glances, he sees evidence of Allah's existence.

Clearly, everything that exists has been created by Allah's infinite power. A person needs only to consider the workings of his own body in order to arrive at faith. As revealed in the Qur'an, Allah has given humans "the best of forms" endowing their bodies with many excellent systems. To come to faith, it is enough for a person to gaze up into the heavens. In the Qur'an, Allah says:

Have they not looked at the sky above them: how We structured it and made it beautiful and how there are no fissures in it? And the Earth: how We stretched it out and cast firmly embedded mountains onto it and caused luxuriant plants of every kind to grow in it, an instruction and a reminder for every penitent human being. And We sent down blessed water from the sky and made gardens grow by it and grain for harvesting and soaring date-palms with layered spathes, as provision for Our servants; by it We brought a dead land to life. That is how the Emergence will take place. (Surah Qaf: 6-11)

From the cells that make up our bodies to the planets in the universe, everything proclaims the supreme power of Allah. He is the Lord and Creator of the heavens and the Earth and everything in between. No matter where we turn our gaze, we see His works. An ant walking over the ground, a bird flying through the air, each day's sunrise, sweet-smelling flowers, a huge ship sailing on the sea, gently falling rain-all these things announce the existence of Allah the Almighty.

Most shallow minds perceive this marvelous, perfect creation that prevails the whole universe, but they do not use their consciences to ponder deeply about it. They never ask who created the delicate balances that maintain every aspect of the universe, the flawless interrelation of its systems, the countless blessings of good things around them. They never even ask who created them or for what purpose everything was created. As revealed in the Qur'an:

How many signs there are in the heavens and Earth! Yet they pass them by, turning away from them. (Surah Yusuf: 105)

They disregard the fact that Allah in His infinite power and wisdom created everything, both animate and inanimate, in the universe. If they considered these things, they would realize that they are responsible for living the kind of moral life that is pleasing to Him. But instead, they prefer to live in their own superficial worlds striving for ordinary and transient goals.

However, every human has been created to be Allah's servant. To disregard this basic purpose and seek other ideals leads people to a debased and superficial way of life. Allah has created humans so that they can become superior and noble only if they serve Him. We are told in the Qur'an that Allah created human beings, that He knows what is good for them and what will bring them honor and respect: "Does He Who created not then know? . . . " (Surat al-Mulk: 14). Therefore, Allah has chosen for humans the religion of Islam as the way of life most befitting their nature. Allah reveals this truth in the Qur'an:

So set your face firmly towards the Religion, as a pure natural believer, Allah's natural pattern on which He made humanity. There is no changing Allah's creation. That is the true Religion but most people do not know it. (Surat ar-Rum: 30)

Elsewhere in the Qur'an, Allah reveals that He is pleased with the religion of Islam for His servants:

. . . Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My blessing upon you and I am pleased with Islam as a religion for you. . . (Surat al-Ma'ida: 3)

Religion teaches humans the kind of moral behavior that pleases Allah. Every other way of life conflicts with human creation. This truth lies at the root of the superficiality of those who embrace different ideals and live apart from religious morality. They cast aside the way of life that Allah has chosen for them and live according to the shallowness of their own minds. Such individuals cannot rescue themselves from superficiality or from the debased culture that then inevitably reflects in their thoughts and behavior. Even if they try to present themselves as apart from this culture with various mind games and false personalities, it will be of no use because superficiality can never be hidden, no matter what personality one pretends. This debased attitude is unavoidably reflected in a person's conversation, behavior and, most importantly, in his way of thinking. This is no ordinary behavioral aberration that can be hidden and covered up, as is usually believed.

Therefore, anyone who fears Allah and is careful to avoid Hell must not try to deceive himself or those around him by pretending to be religious, but live an authentically religious life. Even if being religious conflicts with a person's ego and with worldly gain, he must never compromise on the moral teachings of the Qur'an.

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 10:30 AM  0 Comments

Introduction

When we think of a superficial person as understood by most people, generally we imagine an individual ignorant of the rules of etiquette; one who is uneducated, uninformed, immoderate and who often does not know how to behave in certain situations. But what this book will dwell on is not the kind of superficiality as generally understood; we will discuss, in terms of religious morality, how superficiality can become a spiritual state. The superficiality we will examine here is much deeper, more radical: a sickness that is more serious than commonly understood. And, unless Allah wills otherwise, it is a great danger that can draw a person into Hell.

We will discuss the superficiality that infects a person's behavior and thinking when he does not expand his spirit according to the moral teaching of the Qur'an and is unwilling to draw closer to Allah and seek His favor. This superficiality manifests itself when a person has only a weak grasp of Allah's infinite power, of the purposes that lie behind events that transpire in the world at large, and of the true meaning of life. There is a total difference between moral character of a true Muslim, who comprehends Allah's existence and mighty power, and the character, personality and behavior of a superficial person who thinks too little, if at all. Muslims have nobility of spirit, high personal qualities and a deep understanding, whereas superficial individuals are debased by the weakness of their character.

Superficiality-an aberration in behavior, thinking and speaking-stems from a basic inner poverty that, for some individuals, becomes a way of life. But when we speak of superficiality, we must not get the wrong impression. Natural, unpremeditated behavior is not superficial; being natural has its own appealing beauty and integrity. Therefore, avoiding superficiality does not mean restricting spontaneity. Superficiality is quite something different; it comes not from the natural expression of intimacy but from a closed consciousness that remains unaware of compulsive, negative, and trivial behavior that goes against religious morality. In ignorant societies, some individuals think that avoiding superficiality entails a false show of sobriety and dignity. But these individuals have another behavioral aberration at least as false and compulsive as superficiality; they think that dignity requires coolness, officiousness, haughtiness and artificial refinement in behavior. However, the way to avoid superficiality is not through false dignity, but only through the moral teachings of the Qur'an.

Many people see superficiality as an inevitable fact of life. Regarding it as normal, they are not made uncomfortable by either their own or others' behavior in this regard. On the contrary, they urge this unseemly behavior on one another and feel obliged to practice the same superficial behavior that everyone else does. So conditioned are they in this regard that superficiality-with its ways of speaking and thinking and its particular codes of behavior-actually becomes a sort of false religion.

However, superficiality is a major behavioral aberration that prevents any individual from living a good moral life, developing a quality personality and thinking admirable thoughts. Anyone who adopts this false "Religion of Superficiality" can never practice true religious morality, even if he claims to be religious. He may claim that he is a Muslim and believes in Allah, but so long as he is not saved from this superficial sickness, he cannot practice the moral teachings of the Qur'an in any valid sense. In this regard, the Qur'an tells us about the shallow and superficial moral understanding of a group of individuals: a group of Bedouins who lived in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saas). The following chapters will examine the superficial behavior and way of thinking of these Bedouins in the light of the Qur'an. Allah reveals that they were different from real Muslims and that faith had not really taken root in their hearts:

The desert Arabs say, "We believe." Say: "You do not believe." Say rather, "We have become Muslim," for faith has not yet entered into your hearts. (Surat al-Hujurat: 14)

True Muslims who fashion their behavior purely according to the moral teachings of the Qur'an avoid shallow behavior and superficial thinking because they lead a moral life that Allah has chosen for them and that is most befitting their nature. Everything they do, say and think reflects their depth of noble spirit. Muslims judge everything on the basis of the Qur'an and, for this reason,-by relying on what Allah reveals in the Qur'an-they are keenly able to discern superficiality. Individuals who live a superficial life see no great danger in it. And as long as they think that superficiality is a fact of life, they cannot become aware of the harm it does them. Yet superficiality is a debased and blemished culture, totally removed from the morality and understanding of the Qur'an; and it prevents an individual from living the life of a Muslim.

Some people call themselves religious, even though they are far removed from practicing religious morality. This book examines every aspect of the debased culture into which these people have fallen-and offers a solution.

Never forget, those who live debased by superficiality are still responsible for their lives. Such people who live far from the Qur'an and the subtleties of its moral teaching, pursuing superficial ideals, do not consider that they will be held accountable for their lives. And when they see the angels of death coming to take their souls, they will awaken up to the profound error that they have been living. But this awakening comes too late. This is because the purpose of human creation is for them to live their lives practicing a morality that is pleasing to Allah, and the worst possible time for them to realize that purpose is at the moment of death when this life is about to be left behind.

Allah tells us of the reward in the world to come that awaits those who do not renounce superficiality in this world and fail to submit to the true moral teachings of the Qur'an:

Those who did evil used to laugh at those who believed. When they passed by them, they would wink at one another. When they returned to their families, they would make a joke of them. When they saw them, they would say, "Those people are misguided." But they were not sent as guardians over them. So today those who believe are laughing at the disbelievers, on couches, gazing in wonder. Have the disbelievers been rewarded for what they did? (Surat al-Mutaffifin: 29-36)

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 10:22 AM  0 Comments

Description of the Prophet and On Celebrating the Prophet's Birthday (pbuh) (2 audio CD set) Shaykh Hamza Yusuf

Publisher: Alhambra Productions (2004)
Voice: Shaykh Hamza Yusuf Hanson
Media: Audio CD (2)
Total running time: 120 mins.

To Buy this CD Visit : http://onlineislamicstore.com


Love (mahabba) for people arises from three characteristics: 1) their physical outward beauty,2) their inward beautiful character, and 3) the good or the sacrifice they do for us. To increase and maintain his love for the Prophet Muhammad,s,Sayyidina Hassan (the Prophet's grandson) sought descriptions of all three of these aspects of the Prophet because he ?wanted something to hold on to. Adding his own commentary to these intimate descriptions, Shaykh Hamza, with his usual eloquence, passionately relates what Sayyidina Hassan gathered about the Beloved of Allah,s.Shaykh Hamza says, If you knew what the Prophet did for you, you would fall in love with him and explains that mahabba grows like a seed. For those who desire to fall in love with the Beloved of Allah, this talk is for them.

On Celebrating The Prophet's Birthday One of the calamities of religions is when the Messenger becomes exalted over the One who sent him. We do not believe the Prophet Muhammad is divine. We have been given the gift of understanding the Messenger in relation to the One who sent him.

Prophet Muhammad (sws) is central to teachings of Islam. You cannot exalt the Creator without exalting His Messenger, and you cannot exalt His Message without exalting His Messenger. We are commanded by God to magnify the Prophet s.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf eloquently explains why we must celebrate the Prophet every day of our lives. He also adds at the end an elucidating explanation of how Muslims should emulate the behavior the Prophet Muhammad s had during trying times, reminding us that Prophet (s) taught, The believer is one from whose evil humanity is safe and that he was sent only as a mercy to everyone.

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 7:03 AM  0 Comments

Sayyidah Aminah (Alayhas-Salaam) ( Mother of Prophet Muhammad ) (s)related that just before her confinement her whole body trembled for a very short time, and after that she saw the house excessively illuminated, so that fright and terror overcame her, and she felt a white bird rubbing its wings against her. When her apprehensions vanished she felt very thirsty; then an extremely white beverage was given her, which she imagined was milk, but drinking thereof she found it more sweet than honey. After that she beheld a number of women of tall stature, whom she considered to be maidens of the Beni A'bd Munaf. She took confidence in them and wondered whence they had come, but they calmed her mind. Hereon she saw a piece of long white brocade, and heard the allocation: 'Keep her concealed from the eyes of people.' She perceived a company of men, standing in the air with vases of silver in their hands. Then perspiration was dripping from her which had the odor of musk, and she exclaimed: 'I wish A'bd-ul-Muttalleb were here!' She beheld, as it were, the whole world ina blaze of light; a legion of birds with emerald beaks and ruby wings had entered the house, and the Lord Most High having raised the veils, she bodily saw the eastern and western regions of the world. On the roof of the Ka'bah and in other places banners had been erected, and many shocks were felt in the house without seeing movers. The moment Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) was born he prostrated himself in adoration, and raised his head towards the sky, as if in the act of supplication and prayer. All of a sudden a hand appeared from above, which covered and snatched him up into a cloud out of sight, and the words were heard:
'Receive him in the series of prophets, invest him with the robe of honor of the orthodox religion, show him to his ancestor Ibrahim, and take him to the ocean that the inhabitants of the sea may know that in his time unbelief and idolatry will be abolished.' After that, upon a folded woolen cloth, and piece of silk was spread under him for a couch. He had keys in his hands, and a voice was heard saying: 'This is Muhammad, who holds in his hands the keys of prophecy, victory, and confirmation.' After a short time another cloud descended, which was more luminous than the first, from which the neighing of horses and flapping the wings of birds was heard, and when Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) had for a long time remained concealed from the sight of his mother, she heard a voice saying: 'Take him round the earth! Present him to the saints among genii and men,' and exclaiming: 'Endow him with the purity of Adam, with the strength of Nuh( Noah ), with the friendship of Ebrahim ( Abraham), with the nature of Eshaq( Issac), with the eloquence of Esma'il( Ishmael ), with the glad tidings of Ya'qub( Jacob), with the beauty of Yusuf, with the voice of Daud( David), with the abstinence of Yahia( John the Baptist), and with the kindness of I'sa( Jesus).

Immerse him into the sea of the morals of the prophets and the inspired messengers.' A considerable time afterwards she again beheld him with a piece of white silk in his hand, and the water of (Divine?) succour distilling from him, and heard a voice saying: 'Muhammad having the whole world in his grasp, every creature will obey and revere him.'

It was also related of Aminah (Alayhas-Salaam) that after the presence and disappearance of Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) she saw three men, whose countenances were shining like the sun. One of these three individuals had in one hand a silver pitcher, exhaling the odor of musk; in the other a dish of emerald, with two handles of mother-of-pearl, and at the same time the following expressions were heard from the other would: 'As he has selected the Ka'bah, we have there made the Qiblah and his habitation.' The third man held a piece of white silk in his hand, which contained his (Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) seal. Then the holder of the dish placed Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) into it, poured water on him, and washed him seven times. These three men then kissed his feet. He who held the piece of silk was the gardener of paradise; he wrapped him into a piece of silk, perfumed him with very fragrant musk, and took him under his wings. When he again took him out from beneath his wings, he spoke many words to Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim), which his mother could not understand. He also pronounced an incantation over him, rubbing his hand over the back and head of the infant, saying: 'O Muhammad! glad tidings to thee, for the sciences of the prophets have been deposited in thy heart. Thou hast become the most learned and valiant among them. the keys of paradise are in thy hands, and awe of thee has so taken hold of the hearts of men that, hearing only thy voice, they will be subject to fear and trembling.' Suddenly a man appeared, who placed his mouth on the infant, in the same way as a bird feeds its little one, and Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) asked with his finger for more. Then this man said: 'O Muhammad! glad tidings to thee, for every good quality has been bestowed upon thee.' Then he rubbed oil on his head and face, combed his hair inserted collyrium into his eyes, and, taking him up in his arms, removed him out of sight.

At that time Aminah became much distressed, amazed, and said: 'Where are my people? It seems that they have become annihilated in this emergency, from the labour of parturition, and no one comes near me!' At that time the same man (whose countenance shone like the moon, and who smelt like musk) brought back Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim), and said: 'I have carried him about the earth, and have presented him also to Adam, who took him on his breast, pronounced a blessing upon him, and
said: 'O Lord tidings to thee! Whoever firmly adheres to thy religion and obeys thee will be resuscitated in thy company on the day of Judgment!' At that time Abd-ul-Muttalleb entered, and Aminah informed him of everything that had taken place. He, in turn, said: 'This night I was engaged in prayer in the house of the Ka'bah, and I suddenly perceived that it inclined itself towards the place of Ebrahim, again recovered its former position, and exclaimed: "Allah is greatest! O Lord Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim), purify me of the idolaters!" I also beheld Habal, the chief idol, prostrate on its face, and heard the announcement: "Aminah has given birth to a son, over whom a Divine cloud has alighted, and a plate has been brought from the Sanctum in which to wash him. Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) will lead out the people from darkness into the light of guidance. He will obtain a mission, and will be a shining light. He will be an apostle, inviting and addressing all mankind. O ye angels! witness that we have presented to him the keys of the treasuries of prophecy. Rejoice ye, therefore at his nativity!" A'bd-ul-Muttalleb further said to Aminah (Alayhas-Salaam) that on hearing these words, his tongue became benumbed in his palate, and that he thought he had been dreaming. But on rubbing his hands over his eyes he found himself awake, and proceeded from the gate of the Bani Shaibah towards Battha. He beheld Safa exalted adn Merva abased, and heard a voice exclaiming: 'O Prince of the Qoraish! why do I see thee in fear and trembling?' Then he went to the house of Aminah to see Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim), but when he reached the door he saw thereon a white bird with spead wings, the light whereof illuminated the mountains around Mekkah. Over the house there was a white cloud, which hindered him from entering. He therefore sat down awhile, and said to himself: "I wonder whether I was awake or asleep when I saw all these things?' The odour of musk issuing from the house was so strong that he could not enter it; at last, however, he mustered courage, went in, and found her in the condition above described.

It is related that when A'bd-ul-Muttalleb entered the house and shook the rung of the door, Aminah replied in a feeble voice, and said: 'Open quickly, for my heart is well nigh breaking!' When she let him in he could not see the holy light of prophecy on her countenance, and, ready to tear his garments, exclaimed: 'Woe to me! Where has that light from they face departed to? For I cannot see it!' She replied that she had been delivered of a child, and informed him of everything in detail that had happened on the occasion. But he retorted that he disbelieved her allegation, as he perceived no traces of child-birth upon her. Aminah continued: 'By Allah! I speak the truth, and the white bird which thou hast seen is quarreling with me when I gave milk to Muhammad (Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim), and desires to suckle him alone.' A'bd-ul-Muttalleb exclaimed: 'Then show me the new-born infant.' But she rejoined: 'Alas! how could thou see him, since a man had brought a dish of emerald and washed him therein, and told me not to show my babe to anyone during three days?' He continued 'Show him to me, or else on of us two must die at my hands.' When she perceived how incensed A'bd-ul-Muttalleb was, she directed him to a certain house, and told him that he would there find the child, swaddled in woolen cloth. But when he entered and wished to behold the world-adoring beauty of the lord of creatures, he perceived a man of terrible aspect approaching him with a sabre, and exclaiming: 'Return! for no one can see him until all the angels have finished their visits!' Hearon A'bd-ul-Muttalleb began to tremble, and wished to leave the house. When, however, he departed he bacame mute, and it is said that he was unabel to utter a single word during seven days.

It is related that the excellent Fattimah (Radhi Allahu Ta'ala Anhaa) said: 'I was present with Aminah on the night of her confinement, and beheld stares moving towards us as if about to fall on the ground.' After the birth had taken place, a light detached itself from Aminah which illuminated the apartment in such a manner that I could see nothing except brightness.

It is related of Shafai, the mother of A'bd-ur-rahman, who was the midwife of Aminah, and when Muhammad the elect--Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim--was born, the exclamation 'May the Lord have mercy on thee!' was heard, and the horizon was so lit up from east to west that she was able to perceive several castles of Syria. But all the strange things witnessed by Shafai on that night are recorded in chronicles.

There was also a tradition that on the day after the birth of his prophetic lorship, the Jewish priests asked A'bd-ul-Muttalleb whether an infant had been born in his tribe during the past night, and that he replied: 'There is a case of pregnancy among us, but I cannot tell whether the birth has taken place or not.' They continued: 'We have found in the Torathah that last night, was the nativity of the prince of former and latter times in the sacred valley, which will become the place of pilgrimage to Arabs and the foreigners; and verily that high banner and shinning light has entered existence last night.' Hereon A'bd-ul-Muttalleb dispatched someone to Aminah to make inquiries, and she replied: 'Last night I gave birth to an infant, circumcised, with his umbilical string cut, looking as if he had been washed of the impurities adhering to infants. A light shone from him which illuminated the world, as I had seen in my sleep. He came to the ground without my feeling any pain or distress, and pointed with his finger to the heaven; whereon I received the injunction from avove to keep him concealed for three days.' When this news was brought to A'bd-ul-Muttalleb, the Jewish U'lama exclaimed: 'God is great! the prediction of the Torathah has been fulfilled!' Hereon A'bd-ul-Muttalleb entered the house, renewed his inquiries, obtained the same information, sat down in a room to receive the congratulations of his friends, and slaughtered several camels for the purpose of feasting his guests. Being asked what name his grandson was to receive, he said: 'Muhammad.' And being told that none of his ancestors bore that name, he replied: 'I wanted him to be praised in heaven and earth.' After three days he went to the house of Aminah, took possession of the lord of prophecy, carried him to the Ka'bah, and, prostrating him in front of it, on the palms of his hands said:

Verses: Praise be to Allah, who gave me
This nice and handsome boy;
I take refuge in the house with buttresses
Against the followers of Satan,
Against the evils of sorcerers,
Against envious disturbers and rebels.

After reciting these verses A'bd-ul-Muttalleb took the lord of prophecy back to Aminah's house, recommended him to her care, and said: 'A high destiny is in store for this child.'

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 7:41 AM  0 Comments

In fine, the chief of created beings, the mediator of existing creatures, and bestwoer of the essence of individuality, Muhammad (saws) the chosen was born of Aminah, the Daughter of A'bd Munaf Zohri, during the year of the elephant, at the end of the eighty-second of the Alexandrian era, and manifested his word-adorning countenance to the denizens of the earth.

The following are some of the miraculous events of that night, which became to everybody as plain as daylight: The disappearance of the water from the lake Sadah; the overflowing of the river Samavah, which is one of the watercourses of Syria, and had been dry during one thousand years. But possibly when the water of the lake Sadah was absorbed by the earth, it bubbled forth again in the Wadi Samavah, as Shekh Kamal-ud-din, that model of piety-may his secret be sanctified- has said:

Distich: The Greek dug a mine in the country of Beran, And again came out in the country of Khojand.

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 7:28 AM  0 Comments

True Man

If you wish to draw near to God, you must seek God in the hearts of others. You should speak well of all, whether present or absent. If you seek to be a light to guide others, then, like the sun, you must show the same face to all. To bring joy to a single heart is better than to build many shrines for worship, and to enslave one soul by kindness is worth more than the setting free of a thousand slaves.

The true man of God sits in the midst of his fellowmen, and rises up and cats and sleeps and buys and sells and gives and takes in the bazaars, and marries and has social intercourse with others, and yet is never for one moment forgetful of God.

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 1:09 AM  0 Comments

A Great Wisdom

There is great wisdom in acting for God’s sake and refusing to act for any other reason. Once Ali (may God be pleased with him) was fighting on the battlefield with one of the most powerful champions of the enemy. He finally managed to strike the warrior’s sword from his hand and knock the man to the ground. As he raised his sword to take the enemy’s life, the man looked up and spat in Ali’s face. The Muslim warrior stopped and sheathed his sword. The fallen man said, “I don’t understand. You were about to kill me and yet after I spit at you, you spare my life. Why?”

Ali replied, “Before, I was going to take your life in battling for God’s sake. When you spat at me, it enraged me. Had I killed you then, I would have been a murderer, for I would have struck in anger, for personal reasons. I will fight for God, but I will not murder for my ego.”

The fallen warrior was so deeply impressed he became a Muslim.

Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak, Love is the Wine

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 1:06 AM  0 Comments

A Great Wisdom

There is great wisdom in acting for God’s sake and refusing to act for any other reason. Once Ali (may God be pleased with him) was fighting on the battlefield with one of the most powerful champions of the enemy. He finally managed to strike the warrior’s sword from his hand and knock the man to the ground. As he raised his sword to take the enemy’s life, the man looked up and spat in Ali’s face. The Muslim warrior stopped and sheathed his sword. The fallen man said, “I don’t understand. You were about to kill me and yet after I spit at you, you spare my life. Why?”

Ali replied, “Before, I was going to take your life in battling for God’s sake. When you spat at me, it enraged me. Had I killed you then, I would have been a murderer, for I would have struck in anger, for personal reasons. I will fight for God, but I will not murder for my ego.”

The fallen warrior was so deeply impressed he became a Muslim.

Sheikh Muzaffer Ozak, Love is the Wine

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 1:02 AM  0 Comments

Narrated 'Aisha:

The Prophet sent (an army unit) under the command of a man who used to lead his companions in the prayers and would finish his recitation with (the Sura 112): 'Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, the One." ' Quran(112.1) When they returned (from the battle), they mentioned that to the Prophet. He said (to them), "Ask him why he does so." They asked him and he said, "I do so because it mentions the qualities of the Beneficent and I love to recite it (in my prayer)." The Prophet; said (to them), "Tell him that Allah loves him"

Sahi Bukari

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 1:16 PM  0 Comments

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

A man heard another man reciting (in the prayers): 'Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, the One." Quran(112.1) And he recited it repeatedly.

When it was morning, he went to the Prophet Muhammad (s) and informed him about that as if he considered that the recitation of that Sura by itself was not enough.

Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, it is equal to one-third of the Quran."

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 12:59 PM  0 Comments

Narrated 'Aisha:

The Prophet sent (an army unit) under the command of a man who used to lead his companions in the prayers and would finish his recitation with (the Sura 112): 'Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, the One." ' Quran(112.1) When they returned (from the battle), they mentioned that to the Prophet. He said (to them), "Ask him why he does so." They asked him and he said, "I do so because it mentions the qualities of the Beneficent and I love to recite it (in my prayer)." The Prophet; said (to them), "Tell him that Allah loves him"

Sahi Bukari

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 12:55 PM  0 Comments

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

A man heard another man reciting (in the prayers): 'Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, the One." Quran(112.1) And he recited it repeatedly.

When it was morning, he went to the Prophet Muhammad (s) and informed him about that as if he considered that the recitation of that Sura by itself was not enough.

Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, it is equal to one-third of the Quran."

# posted by abdul raheem syed ( Sufi786) : 12:48 PM  0 Comments