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strangers
amatullah
12/17/02 at 22:44:33
[slm]
what would you say the best article on strangeness in islam is? it is for a non-Muslim who is wondering if it is acceptable in Islam to dress different. I would like to talk about how islam IS for the strangers in this life.
May Allah reward you
Re: strangers
an
12/18/02 at 09:03:39
[slm]
sis, what do you mean by "dress differently"?

Wassalam.
Re: strangers
amatullah
12/18/02 at 11:52:16
[wlm]

I am not sure myself, the person asked if it is true or not that you can't be a muslim and pray with muslims if you have a tattoo or that you dress differently.

I explained about the tattoos and about the clothes i want to say that we live within islamic limits but anything inside is open to individuality and personal taste,etc

I then want to say that we are strangers in this life as muslims.
I just don't know what article would be best to attach here.

I ask Allah not to deprive those who help the rewards if this person becomes a Muslim.
Re: strangers
A_Stranger
12/18/02 at 13:19:05
[slm]

Strangers...you don't necessarily hafta show 'em an article...just explain to 'em that Islaam is a way of a life that never changes. It is a way of life where we must follow the Law of Allaah and Allaah's Law never changes. Its eternal. Unlike man-made law; and in today's society, people are following man-made law so much so, that its the *norm* to follow a law of someone who's someday gonna die, that to follow the Law of your Creator. So when Muslims follow the Law of Allaah [for eg,  flogging the adulter (is it flogging, or stoning to death? i always confuse the two..)], yeah, so when Muslims live according to the Shariah [ie. Allaah's Law], they're seen as weirdos and strangers.

...erm ok, I just read that and I ain't really getting to the point...so once I find the article, I'll post it here inshaAllaah.

=P

Peace.
Re: strangers
A_Stranger
12/18/02 at 14:00:00
alright,  [slm] ,

Here's an introduction to the Ghurabaah` [Strangers]:

======================================

Al-Ghurabaa` - The Strangers

The concept of Ghurbah - Strangeness:

The Arabic word “Ghurabaa`”, is the plural of the word “Ghareeb” which is a derivative of the word “Gharaba” – which means, “to go away, depart, absent o.s., withdraw (from), leave (s.o., s.th.)”. The word “Ghareeb” means, “strange, foreign, alien, extraneous” (see Hans Wehr Dictionary).

It has been reported from the Messenger of Allah SAW, which has been authenticated by al-‘Allaamah al-Muhaddith al-Albaani in his Sahih al-Jami’ as-Sagheer – that he SAW said:

“Indeed Islaam began as something strange. And it will return as something strange the way it began. So give glad tidings to the strangers”.

Indeed this is the promise of the Messenger of Allah SAW who...

“... does not speak from his desire. It is only a Revelation revealed...” (Q. 53:3-4).

This Hadeeth from the blessed tongue of Muhammad SAW shows us the true nature of the Islaamic revival. The Islaamic revival that took place over 1400 years from now in the Arabian Peninsula had this nature of “strangeness” and indeed, the revival we are witnessing in our time also has the very same nature. This is so because the history is the proof that the people who rejected faith in Allah and disobeyed Him usually outnumbered those who were loyal to Allah and His Messenger SAW. Those who confirmed to the oneness of Allah were always in the minority and thus became the “Strangers” in the community for going against the current of the society they were living in.

Sheikh Jamaalud-Deen Zarabozo outlines this in “The Friday Prayer Part III” p.62:

“Allah says in the Quran,

‘And most of the mankind would not believe even if you desire it eagerly’ (Yusuf 103).

Allah also says,

‘But most of Mankind refuses [the truth and accepts nothing] but disbelief’ (al-Isra 89)

In yet another verse, Allah states,

‘Indeed we have brought the truth to you but most of them have a hatred for the truth’ (al-Zukhruf 78).

In these verses and, in fact, in numerous other places in the Quran, Allah has told us that the majority of mankind refuses to follow the truth. Indeed, a hadith in Sahih Muslim describes that all of mankind, nine hundred and ninety nine out of every one thousand will be in the Hellfire.

This means that the true believers will always be in minority. As they look around themselves they will see the majority of mankind turning their backs on the teachings and guidance of Allah. They prefer disbelief and disobedience to faith and obedience to Allah.

The believer will look like a stranger in their midst. His beliefs, actions and way of life will be completely different from theirs. The disbelievers may even do their best to make him feel like a stranger, someone who does not belong, someone with strange ideas and practices. They may be ridiculed. Psychological pressures may be put upon them. The media may attack them and so forth.”

"Indeed Islaam began as something Strange..."

This strangeness is not something new with this Ummah in particular, rather it existed amongst all the others Prophets and Messengers before Muhammad SAW. From amongst them was the great messenger, Nooh, who gave Da’wah to his people for 950 years and they rejected and mocked him. Lut gave da’wah to his people but the Kuffaar in response mocked him and tried to exile him and attacked his honour. Ibraaheem called his people to Allah by which he went against the norm of his community and consequently stepped on people’s feet, for which he was persecuted, and thrown into the fire. Moosa also called the Fir’awn and his people to worship Allah alone, where the former rejected his call from the first day and was destroyed, and the latter ones, in the absence of Moosa began to worship a calf besides Allah. ‘Isa ibnu Maryam called the people to worship Allah alone and he had to pay the price just like his predecessors, by being persecuted and mocked by his own people, so Allah raised him up and he is alive until this day of ours and will return before the Day of Judgment.

Then how may one forget the most noble of the sons of Adam – Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah – may Allah’s Salaah and Salaam be upon him. His entire biography from the beginning till the end shows us how he stood up with the call of Tawheed on the methodology of the Prophets who went before him. How his own people turned against him and mocked him and how this “truthful” and “trustworthy” person was overnight labeled as a magician, a poet, a mad man, ‘the one who seeks power’ and so on. So the Muslims in the early stages were in a state of “Ghurbah” – Strangeness, as the Messenger of Allah SAW said,

"Indeed Islaam began as something strange...".

"... and it will return as something strange the way it began..."

This indicates that the return of Islaam is a fact and that it must take the same route and methodology, and must go through the same phases of difficulties and hardship that the early Muslims went through. This is why Imaam Maalik – May Allah have mercy upon him – said that the latter part of this Ummah will not be corrected except by what corrected its earliest part. Therefore it is inevitable that this path of Islaamic revival must consist of firm faith in all that Allah has sent down. Likewise it is inevitable that the Muslims will have to go through hardship, endless struggle, persecution, exile and all that the first part of this Ummah went through due to their correct faith.

So we noticed the decline of Islaam as the time went until the Muslims were left without Khilaafah, and Kufr and Shirk began to creep into the Muslim ranks in its various forms, from grave worshipping to secularism. The people of innovations and desires were at last set free to spread their diseases throughout the Muslim lands. The aggressive Kuffaar invaded Muslim lands and enforced their religion of Kufr over the Muslim people. Even when they left, they installed a person with a Muslim name who implemented the same Kufr as his predecessors. This caused Islaam to nearly fade away from the lives of the Muslims.

In the midst of this calamity, Allah raised amongst this Ummah various personalities amongst the scholars, the du’aat (those who call to Islaam), intellectuals, thinkers, authors and the Mujaahideen in order to help and aid His Deen. The appearance of these personalities is not something new in this century; rather these people appeared through out the Islaamic history. It is the promise of Allah, by the tongue of His Messenger SAW, that there will always be a party amongst this Ummah, which will hold the flag of Tawheed high up, as the Prophet SAW said:

“There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah being apparent on the truth, those who forsake them will not be able to harm them.”
(Muslim).

They will cure this Ummah of the diseases and corruption and will act as shields against foreign beliefs, ideologies and innovations that steal away the beauty of Islaam. These people are indeed very few in number, so consequently they will become the victims of strangeness. As the Prophet SAW said about them that they are...

“Those who are righteous when the people have become corrupt.”
(Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan and others. Sahih by supporting evidences, see "The Friday Prayer" by Jamalud-Deen Zarabozo)

Or in another narration:

“A small group of pious people in a large group of evil people. Those who disobey them are more than those who obey them.”
(Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan and others. Hasan, see "The Friday Prayer" by Jamalud-Deen Zarabozo)

Today by the grace of Allah we can see the return of Islaam in front of our very eyes, by the return of the youth to Islaam and Jihaad. Many of us who started practicing this Deen most probably went through the early stages of strangeness. When a person merely begins to take interest in Islaam, and the materialistic society around him/her begins to view this person as a stranger. When this interest leads a person to increase his knowledge in Islaam, this person becomes more of a stranger by actually spending some of the time reading so-called ‘religious’ books, where as the time could have been spent reading some fiction-novel. Then this individual puts the knowledge to practice by making Wudoo and establishing Salaah five times a day, giving Zakaah, fasting in Ramadhaan and making Hajj. If this person is a brother then he grows a beard and if this is a sister, then she wears the Islaamic Hijaab and thus becomes even more of a stranger in her own household! Then this person takes on the duty of spreading the Message of the Messengers on his/her shoulders, by either speaking to the lost sheep of this Ummah on one-to-one basis, writing articles or giving lectures. Thus becoming a stranger amongst those practicing Muslims who practice the basics of Islaam but do not take the responsibility of taking it to others. Then this person goes a step further and devotes his/her life either seeking knowledge of Islaam, or living his entire life on a mountain in some trench writing the history of Islaam with his blood. This person becomes even more of a stranger amongst those practicing Muslims who take this message to others, but could not devote their lives to seeking knowledge or making Jihaad in His way.

These are the strangers who are the torchbearers of Tawheed, those who restore the honour of this Ummah and bring back to her the peace and security she once enjoyed.

These are the strangers who were given the glad tidings of the Paradise, as in the last part of the Hadeeth the Prophet SAW said:

“So Toobah for the Ghurabaa`”.

“...So Tooba for the Ghurabaa`”

The word “Tooba” is the name of a tree in Paradise that is promised to the strangers in this world. Regarding the word “Tooba”, Sheikh Jamaalud-Deen Zarabozo said the following in his work, “The Friday Prayer Part III” p. 66.

“The Prophet SAW has given the glad tidings of a tree in Paradise for those who have to live as strangers because the people are deviating from the teachings of the Quran and sunnah. What is the characteristic of this tree in Paradise? The Prophet SAW explained that also when he said,

“Tuba is a tree in Paradise. The time it takes to transverse it is one hundred years. The clothing of the inhabitants of Paradise are taken from its sheaths.”
[Sh. Al-Albaani called it Hasan in Silsila al-Ahadeeth as-Sahihah, v. 4 p. 639]

This glad tiding of the tree of Tuba for the strangers should make us all wish, strive and aspire to be from among the strangers in this time in which Islam has truly become strange again.”

May Allah make us from the strangers in this world and the inheritors of Tooba in the Hereafter – Ameen.

===============================

[url]http://www.as-sahwah.com/[/url]
Re: strangers
A_Stranger
12/18/02 at 14:06:35
As-salaamu 'alaykum,
Wanna know [i]who[/i] exactly the Ghurabaah` are? Read this excellent article:

=================================

Who are the Ghurabaa` - The Strangers?

Besides the Hadeeth mentioned in the “Ghurabaa`” article about the strangers, the Messenger of Allah SAW made mention of these people in various other aHadeeth that help us complete the picture of these people.

al-Firqatun-Naajiyah:

The Prophet SAW described them as “al-Firqatun-Naajiyah”, meaning – [u]The Saved Sect[/u], when he said:

"Indeed before you from the people of the book, they were divided into 72 sects, and that this Ummah will divide into 73 sects. 72 in the Hellfire and one in the Paradise, and that is al-Jamaa’ah (the Group)”
[i](hadeeth is authentic, see al-Amru bil-Ittibaa’ with the Tahqeeq of Mashhoor Hasan p.47)[/i]

In another narration he SAW said:

“They are those who are upon what I am upon today and my companions”
[i](The Hadeeth is Hasan due to many witness, see A’laam as-Sunnah al-Manshoorah by Ta’leeq of ash-Shalabi p.195)[/i]

So the Prophet SAW taught us that this Jamaa’ah, which will be the saved sect is upon what he SAW is upon and his companions. Therefore, this must be the first criterion for those who claim to be the saved sect that they should be upon what the first generation was upon in belief and in actions, in morals and in manners, outwardly and inwardly.

Some people claim that since the Prophet SAW used the word “Jamaa’ah” (i.e. the Group, the main body, the community), the saved sect then must be the majority of the Muslims. This belief is incorrect due to various reasons and from them are:

1.                  It contradicts the Ahadeeth of Ghurbah – the strangeness. Because the reason why the saved sect will be strange is due to lack of its adherents in the first place. As the Prophet SAW said:

“A small group of pious people in a large group of evil people. Those who disobey them are more than those who obey them.”
[i](Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan and others. Hasan, see "The Friday Prayer" by Jamalud-Deen Zarabozo)[/i]

2.                  The majority of the people can be on the straight path at a time, as well as become deviated from the straight path at another time. As is the case with the Prophet SAW at the end of his life, followed by the four righteous Khulafa`. The adherents to Ahlus-Sunnah back then were in the majority. But by the time of Imaam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, the majority under the influence of the government became astray by being the adherents of the Mu’tazili philosophy, and those who held on to the Sunnah became few.

Similarly, we know that Sufyaan ath-Thawree said to Yoosuf al-Asbaat:

“O Yoosuf! If you hear of a person from the east that he is a person of Sunnah, then send him Salaam. And if you hear of another from the west who is a person of Sunnah, then send him Salaam, for Ahlus-Sunnah have become few!”

[i](Talbees Iblees by Ibnul-Jawzi p.17 Daarul-Kitaab al-‘Arabi)[/i]

3.                  Another criterion of being form the saved group is, as the Prophet SAW said:

“They are those who are upon what I am upon today and my companions”
[i](The Hadeeth is Hasan due to many witness, see A’laam as-Sunnah al-Manshoorah by Ta’leeq of ash-Shalabi p.195)[/i]

Therefore the “Jamaa’ah” is, what is in accordance with the Qur`aan and the Sunnah, and not the trend of the people. This is why Ibn Mas’ood said:

“al-Jamaa’ah (the group) is what is in accordance with the truth, even if you were to be alone!”

[i](See A’lam as-Sunnah al-Manshoorah p.195)[/i]

at-Taa`ifatul-Mansoorah:

In many other narrations, he SAW described them as “at-Taa`ifatul-Mansoorah”, meaning – [u]The Victorious Group[/u], as in the Hadeeth of the Prophet SAW:

“There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah being apparent on the truth, those who forsake them will not be able to harm them.”
(Muslim).

“There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah being apparent (and over-powering), until the decree of Allah comes to them while they are apparent”
(Bukhaari & Muslim).

In another narration the Prophet SAW describes them as those who establish the order of Allah when he said:

“There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah, establishing the order of Allah. Those who forsake them or oppose them will not be able to harm them, until the decree of Allah comes and they are apparent (and over powering) upon the people”
(Bukhaari and Muslim).

In a different narration he SAW describes them as those who fight for the truth (i.e. the Mujaahideen):

“This Deen will never depart from being established, so long as there is a band from the Muslims fighting for it, until the hour is established.”
(Muslim).

“There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah fighting upon the truth, over-powering until the day of resurrection.”
(Muslim).

“There will never seize to exist a band from my Ummah, fighting for the decree of Allah over-powering their enemy, they will not be harmed by those who oppose them, until the hour approaches them and they are upon it (i.e. fighting for the truth)”
(Muslim).

“There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah fighting upon the truth, over-powering those who are hostile to them, until the last of them fights al-Maseeh ad-Dajjaal (the false christ)”
(al-Haakim called it Saheeh (4/450), and adh-Dhahabi agreed).

In one narration the Prophet SAW indicated where this group would be found when he SAW said:

“There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah upon the Deen, apparent over their enemy and over-powering. They will not be harmed by those who oppose them, except what afflicts them from hardship, until the order of Allah approaches them and they are like that (i.e. steadfast on the truth). They said: O Messenger of Allah! Where are they? He replied: They are at Bait al-Maqdis and on the outskirts of Bait al-Maqdis.”
(Ahmad).

The points to note in all these narrations are the following:

·                     There will not be a time when this Ummah will live a day without this group. As the Prophet SAW said in all the narrations mentioned above:

“There will never seize to exist a group from my Ummah...”

Therefore this necessitates that no matter what state the Muslims might be in, whether they are strong or weak, elevated above all other nations or in a state of humiliation, at-Taa`ifa al-Mansoorah will not seize to exist and its non-existence only signifies the Day of Judgement.

·                     This Taa`ifah (party) will be:

[color=Green]1.                  Apparent upon the truth.

2.                  Apparent upon the people with evidences and proofs.

3.                  Establishing the order of Allah.

4.                  Over-powering their enemies and those hostile to them.

5.                  Fighting for the truth.
[/color]

·                     There will be many people condemning them (not necessarily them condemning everyone else, as we witness nowadays!), speaking ill of them, backbiting and slandering them. But none of this will be able to harm them in the least. They will continue to be apparent on the truth, apparent over the people with un-refutable evidences and proofs as well as the sword, establishing the order of Allah and making Jihaad in His path regardless of what the people say.

·                     Lastly, the Prophet SAW confirms the continuity of this group “until the hour is established”. Meaning when these people disappear, Tawheed will disappear. When Tawheed of Allah disappears from this earth, indeed that is the moment when every soul will be brought to its account.

Therefore the Prophet SAW described this faction from amongst the Ummah with different names and different qualities. Some times they are mentioned to be the ‘Ghurabaa`’, sometimes they were mentioned to be ‘al-Firqatun-Naajiyah’ and sometimes they were mentioned to be ‘at-Taa`ifatul-Mansoorah’. All these names point towards one faction out of those 73 factions, which has been promised Paradise. This is why Sheikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah begins his Aqeedatul-Waasitiyah by saying: ‘As for what follows: This is the belief of al-Firqatin-Naajiyatil-Mansoorah (The saved and the victorious sect)...’. Likewise we find al-‘Allaama Haafidh bin Ahmad al-Hakamee authoring a book under the title: ‘A’laam as-Sunnatil-Manshoorah li I’tiqaadit-Taafi`fatin-Naajiyatil-Mansoorah’.

So who are the Ghurabaa`?

This question is raised when one looks at the various factions of the Ummah and finds each one of them claiming to be the saved and the victorious group. Nowadays, particularly when the Muslims have been divided even more by partisanship, we find people pointing at particular groups or parties and claiming them to be the saved and the victorious groqp.

One should understand that claiming a particular individual or a party to be the saved and the victorious group means testifying for them Paradise and nullifying from them the Hellfire. This goes against one of the principles of Ahlus-Sunnah, which states that we do not testify Paradise or Hellfire for anyone. Therefore it is incorrect to say that a particular individual is from the Firqatin-Naajiyatil-Mansoorah or a particular group of people with certain name for that matter. However, it could be said that such and such people or a group is more deserving to be from Firqatin-Naajiyatil-Mansoorah or by describing a group of people in general, who posses one of the qualities of Firqatin-Naajiyatil-Mansoorah.

For example Imaam al-Bukhaari said in his “Saheeh” concerning the saved sect that, “They are the people of knowledge”.

Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, “If they are not Ahlul-Hadeeth, then I do not know who they are”. This statement was further clarified by al-Qaadhi ‘Ayaadh when he said “Ahmad meant Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah and those who believe in the madhhab of Ahlul-Hadeeth”.

Similarly it has been reported from Ahmad Ibn Hanbal that when he was asked about this group he replied: “They are the people of west (Syria). For verily they are the ones who are fighting against the Romans. Anyone who fights against the Mushrikeen is upon the truth.”

Likewise Sheikhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah opined that the Mujaahideen are the most deserving of people to be including in the victorious group when he said: "As for the group in Syria and Egypt and their likes, then they are in this time fighting for the Deen of Islaam. So they are the most deserving of the people to enter the victorious group, which was mentioned by the Prophet SAW with his statement in the beneficial authentic aHadeeth: ‘There will never seize to exist a group in my Ummah, apparent upon the truth. They will not be harmed by those who oppose them, nor those who forsake them, until the hour is established’, and in the narration of Muslim, ‘The people of the west (Syria) will never seize...’"

[i](Majmoo’ al-Fataawa v.28 p.531)[/i]

Therefore, it should be concluded that those belonging to the madhhab of Ahlus-Sunnah in statements and actions, inwardly and outwardly, as well as those who are engaged in Jihaad in our time, are indeed from the saved and the victorious group, be they from different groups and parties, from different geographical places at different times. From this we know that this group is not necessarily an organised group of people operating in a certain part of the world, rather they are individuals spread out across the globe. Amongst them are the ‘Ulamaa`, the Mujaahideen, the Du’aat (callers to Islaam), those who command the good and forbid the evil, wherever they may be.

This is why Imaam an-Nawawi said in his Sharh of Saheeh Muslim pv.13 p.67: "It is possible that this group is divided amongst the different categories of the believers. So from amongst them are the brave ones who are fighting. From amongst them are the Fuqahaa` (Islaamic Jurists). From amongst them are the Muhaddithoon (specialists in Hadeeth). From amongst them are the Zuhhaad (those who abstain from extravagance), and those who command the good and forbid the evil, and from them are people belonging to other categories from good. And it is not necessary that they should be all together, rather they can be separated over different regions of the earth".

Is ‘Aqeedah alone the criterion for one to be from the saved sect?

Some people unfortunately, who emphasise on ‘Aqeedah too much and leave out actions, morals and manners assuming that belief is the only criterion for one to be from the saved sect. Therefore according to their argument, anyone with the correct beliefs is automatically from the saved sect regardless of his deeds, and likewise anyone with the incorrect creed is doomed to the Hellfire and there is no chance of that person being from the saved sect even if his good actions were numerous. This is just a false assumption and is nothing but merely a reflection of a disease in their own beliefs called al-Irjaa` (to separate actions from Imaan).

Rather the true picture is that some Muslims are more deserving of being from the saved sect than others are, due to their beliefs or/and actions. So if a Muslim doesn’t have many righteous deeds but has the correct creed, the latter might over weight the former and thus he may become from the saved sect. Likewise, if a person carries some bid’ah (which does not amount to Kufr) in his beliefs but has numerous good deeds to out weight his corrupt creed then this person may also become from the saved sect.

This is because the criterion for one to be from the saved sect is not belief alone. Rather it is Imaan, which according to the Qur`aan, the Sunnah and the Ijmaa’ of the Salaf is, statements and actions, inwardly and outwardly.

This is why Sheikh Ibn Baaz – Raheemahullah – said in ‘Words of Advice Regarding Da’wah’ p.50, concerning the saved sect: “All of these aHadeeth teach us that the saved sect from this Ummah are those who adhere to the ‘aqeedah, speech and actions (i.e. Imaan) of the Messenger of Allah SAW and his Companions, radiyallaahu ‘anhum”

Since the Muslims differ from each other in their level of Imaan, so the one with the highest Imaan (which is belief, speech and action) is more deserving of being from the saved sect.

Similarly the Du’aat and those who command the good and forbid the evil may be more deserving to be from the saved sect than the average Muslim. The scholars and the Mujaahideen might be more deserving than the previous category and similarly the scholars who are Mujaahideen might be more deserving than the former.

And Allah knows best.

============================

[url]http://www.as-sahwah.com[/url]
NS
12/18/02 at 14:07:32
A_Stranger
Re: strangers
Sarah
01/11/03 at 20:22:39
Jazakallahu Khayran, i enjoyed reading these articles.


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