Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Miserliness (bukhl)




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v  Miserliness (bukhl)
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Almighty Allah says in the Qur’an:
And in their wealth was appointed a due share for the beggars and the destitute (i.e. all the needy).{Chapter 51 : Verse 19}

Al-Hasan Al-Basri(Radiyallahu Anhu) was asked: “Who is going to cry more than the others on the Day of Resurrection?”
He answered: “A man on whom Allah has bestowed His Grace and who uses that for Allah’s disobedience.”

The refusal to give what is necessary either by sacred law or by virtuous merit is the essence of miserliness that is mentioned [among the diseases of the heart].

A bakhil is a miser. Bukhlun is miserliness. According to the shaykh, the refusal to give what is necessary either by sacred law or by virtuous merit is at the essence of miserliness. Thus, there are two aspects to bukhl, one that relates to the sacred law (shari'a) and the other to muru'ah (virtuous merit). Muru'ah is an important concept in Arabic, and it comes from the word for "man." Its meaning has connotations of chivalry, manhood, and virtue.
As for the necessities of sacred law, they are such things at zakat, support of one's dependents, and similar rights due to others, such as relieving one in distress.
An example of the first aspect of bukhl that is related to shari'a is failure to give zakat. If you are not giving zakat, you are bakhil by shari'a, and that bukhl is haram (forbidden). The same is true for a man who is not giving support (nafaqat) for his wife and children because men are maintainers and caretakers of women and children. If a man gets divorced, he must pay child support because that is a shari'a right of the mother of his children.
Similarly, the shari'a demands that you fulfill the rights of other people and spend on others where the need exists if you have been given the capacity to do so. Allahsubhanahu wa ta'ala says, "In their wealth there's a haq (right) to the beggar and to the one who doesn't have money and so his needs are not taken care of."
The miser is the one who does not take care of people even though he is able to do so. These examples are rel! ated to shari'a.

Examples of meritorious character are not giving people a hard time over some paltry matter or abandoning nitpicking over trivialities.
Avoiding such things is even more important for a neighbor, a relative, or a wealthy person or when hosting guests or concerning something in which such behavior is simply inappropriate, such as purchasing a shroud. The same is true for one buying a sacrificial animal or purchasing something one wants to donate to the needy.

Not being bakhil by standards of muru'ah (virtuous merit) has to do with not constricting people or making matters difficult for them. The shaykh's example of this is not giving people a hard time over some paltry, insignificant, trivial matter. For instance, if someone owes you ten dollars, and you give him a hard time over it even though you have plenty of money and have no need for it, then you are considered bakhil by the standards of muru'ah, not by shari'a. You have a right to that money by shari'a, but bymuru'ah, such an attitude is despicable. The shaykh points out that refraining from such an attitude is even more important when dealing with a neighbor or a relative.
Furthermore, it is even worse to lack virtuous merit if you are wealthy because a wealthy person should have a type of magnanimity, a generosity that allows one to say, "don't worry about it" to others.
 According to a hadith:::
A man from among those who were before you was called to account by Allah on the Day of Resurrection. No good was found in his account except that he, used to mix with people and being a rich man, used to lend money to the people and order his servants to let off the men who are unable to repay debt. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Almighty Allah  said to the angels: We are worthier than him of that generosity. So let him off (enter Paradise). ►{Narrated by Imam Muslim}
Having this kind of muru'ah is not insignificant: wealthy people are encouraged to let go of debts they really do not need paid off. If the wealthy see the indebted are having a hard time, they should just say "Bismillah. Don't worry ! about it;" such an attitude is encouraged by the shari'a also.
Similarly, if you are hosting a guest, and your guest spills something on the carpet, you should not say, "Can't you watch yourself a little bit? That's a brand new carpet I have;" saying such a thing is not showing muru'ah. On the contrary, you should try to keep them from feeling bad, saying such things as, "Don't worry about it. I love tea on my carpet. In fact, I heard a proverb that says, 'The best thing for a carpet is spilt tea.'" Obviously, this proverb makes the guest feel good when he spills tea. The point is that you do not show more concern for you carpet than for your guest.
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Friday, May 18, 2012

Quran and Science :: Moon Light is reflection of Sunlight




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v Moon Light is reflection of Sunlight
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It was believed by earlier civilizations that the moon emanates its own light. Science however now tells us that the light of the moon is reflected light.

• The light of the moon is actually a reflection of the light from the sun. So on a full moonlit night, we're actually getting sunlight that's bouncing off the moon.

However this fact was mentioned in the Qur’an 1,400 years ago in the following verse:
Most Blessed and Most Glorified is He Who made vast mansions of heavenly spheres (in the form of galaxies) in the heavenly cosmos and made (the sun) in it a (light-generating and heat-emitting) lamp and a shining moon (in the solar system).►{Chapter 25 Surah Furqan : Verse 61}


■In the above verse,the Arabic word for the sun in the Qur’an, is shams. It is also referred to as siraaj which means a ‘torch’ or as wahhaaj meaning ‘a blazing lamp’ . All descriptions are appropriate to the sun, since it generates intense heat and light by its internal combustion.

■The Arabic word for the moon is qamar and it is described in the Qur’an as muneer which is a body that gives noor i.e. reflected light. Again, the Qur’anic description matches perfectly with the true nature of the moon which does not give off light by itself and is an inactive body that reflects the light of the sun. Not once in the Qur’an, is the moon mentioned as siraaj, wahhaaj or diya nor the sun as noor or muneer.
 
■ Qur’an makes a clear distinction between the nature of sunlight and moonlight. The following verses relate to the nature of light from the sun and the moon .

He is the One Who has made the sun (a source of) light and (with that) made the moon shine, and appointed for it stages (to appear smaller or bigger) so that you might compute the number of years and the count (of time). Allah has not created (all this) but with a zero-defect strategy. (Through these cosmic realities) He expounds in detail the Signs (of His Creativity, Unicity and Might) for those who possess knowledge. ►{ Chapter 10 :Surah Yunus: Verse 5}

Do you not see that Allah has made seven heavens one upon another?
And He illuminated therein the moon and has made the sun as a lamp.
 ►{Chapter 71 Surah Nûh : Verse 15-16}

SubhanAllah!

May Almighty Allah make us from those who contemplate on His Signs as mentioned in the following verse…Ameen!

And He is the One Who made the day and the night rotate after each other for him who desires to contemplate or intends to be grateful. (There is direction and guidance in these creative powers.)
►{Chapter 25 Surah Furqan : Verse 62}