Category Archives: Knowledge

Knowledge

Zaid Hamid and TTP: Two sides of the same coin

Zaid Hamid and Yousaf Kazzab share certain attributes which are universal among all cults. The Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is a cult no different from that of Zaid Hamid’s. There are many similarities between the two, and an understanding of them is important in order to estimate the danger Zaid Hamid poses to Pakistan. Understanding Zaid Hamid will also help understand the TTP so that an effective counter terrorism strategy can be developed.

Zaid Hamid just like the TTP believes that he is on a divine mission, hence all those opposing him are enemies of the Prophet (saaw) and blasphemers. They deserve limitless punishment and eternal damnation is their fate. Since TTP has suicide bombers and armed militants, the fate of their enemies is much more gruesome.

Here Zaid Hamid declares Imtiaz Alam and SAFMA enemies of Rasool Allah (saaw) because they sent him a defamation notice.

Zaid Hamid on the other hand harasses the “enemies of RasulAllah” by cyber bullying. Many prominent journalists and intellectuals including Fasi Zaka, Hamid Mir, Hafiz Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, Marvi Sirmed, Khushnood Ali khan, Najam Sethi and many more have been victims of his vicious cyber harassment. Zaid Hamid has on occasions used physical force as well. On many occasions students were badly beaten up during his programs who asked the wrong questions from him.

This is a video of Zaid Hamid defending the beating of a student who dared to ask him a question.

This is another video where senior journalist Nusrat Javed talks about another incident where thugs of Zaid Hamid started beating students when they asked a question.

Not just liberal intellectuals, TTP and Zaid Hamid also share a passionate hatred for any religious scholar who questions of them. Irrespective of school of thought, the TTP has killed hundreds of scholars like Maulana Hassan Jan, Maulvi Noor Muhammad, Mufti Sarfarz Naeemi. Zaid Hamid on the other hand calls these scholars CIA, RAW and Mossad agent or congressi Khariji. Zaid Hamid is named as the suspect in the FIR for the murder of Maulana Saeed Ahmed Jalalpuri Shaheed, a known critic who first exposed his links with the false prophet Yousaf Kazzab. Zaid Hamid also started a cyber campaign against a beralwi scholar, Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Qadri who condemned him.

Zaid Hamid named in Jalalpuri murder FIR

JUI leader Maulana Hassan Jan gunned down

Charsadda strike: Second attack targets Maulana Fazlur Rehman

Another similarity is that the TTP and Zaid Hamid both use the same techniques to put their message across. Both use Youtube propaganda videos as the main recruitment tool. If studied deeply it would be revealed to any one with a little background in psychology that both Zaid Hamid and TTP use covert hypnosis to create a cult like following. While the TTP uses those who fall in its influence as cheap canon fodder, Zaid Hamid uses them as free labor to build his internet image.

TTP and Zaid Hamid both call Pakistan’s democratic system and its constitution as kufr. They call the Judiciary kufr and reject the legitimacy of any democratically elected government. They both call for unconstitutional means to overthrow the state. While the TTP builds up its own militia for an illegitimate overthrow of the state, Zaid Hamid wants to used the Army for this purpose ( similar to Hizb ut Tahrir).

Here Zaid Hamid talks about it.


Zaid Hamid and TTP both seem to share a similar passion about Ghazwa e Hind and Army of Khurasan being prepared to help the Mahdi. TTP calls it self the Army of Khurassan while Zaid Hamid portrays himself as the leader of Ghazwa e Hind. On many occasions Zaid Hamid has also promoted the Mahdian Army from khurassan prophecies. Being the claimants to fulfilling prophecies is another hall mark of cults which both TTP and Zaid Hamid share.

A screenshot from TTP website referring to themselves as the “Mujahideen from Khurasan”

Zaid Hamid express the same ideas about khurassan as TTP

Zaid Hamid portrays himself as the leader of Ghazwa e Hind.

To conclude, both TTP and Zaid Hamid have the same thinking, both are cults which aim to cease absolute power. Both have no regard for human life or democratic values and are extremely intolerant of critical voices. Zaid Hamid’s views help promote TTP’s thought. Both are a menace to the Pakistani society and are cults which have nothing to do with Islam. Zaid Hamid is a blasphemer of Prophet Muhammad (saaw) because he potrays himself self as the reincarnation of RasulAllah (saaw) to fight the Ghazwa e Hind. While the TTP commits blasphemy by claming that only its personal dictatorship is divine Law or Shariah.

Thus the entire nation must rise up against this Fitna. The struggle against TTP can not succeed without winning the fight against Zaid Hamid because they are two sides of the same coin. We will win this battle only by our devotion to the Khatam un Nabiyeen (saaw) and by firm belief in the Finality of Prophet Muhammad (saaw) which will enable us to remain stead fast while facing this Fitna.

Isn’t this that time?

It is reported that Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – said:
How will you be if you reach a time when you will see people who do not distinguish truth from falsehood, believer from unbeliever, trustworthy from treacherous, nor ignorant from knowledgeable, and neither recognize what is right nor censure what is wrong?

Ibn Battah, Al-Ibânah Al-Kubrâ 1:188.

After reporting this narration, Imâm Ibn Battah (d. 387H) said:

To Allâh we belong and to Him we will return! We have reached that time, we have heard this and have come to know most of it and witnessed it. If a man to whom Allâh has bestowed sound reasoning looks and thinks carefully and ponders the matter of Islâm and its people and treads the rightly guided path as regards to them, it will become clear to him that most people have turned back on their heals, deviated from the correct path, and turned away from  correct proof. Many people have started to like what they used to hate, allow what they used to forbid and recognize what they used to reject. And for sure – Allâh have mercy on you – this is not the [right] character of the Muslims, nor the behaviour of those who have insight into this religion, and neither of those who believe in it and are certain about it.

Source

Deviation is in Leaving the Sunnah

Abû Bakr Al-Siddîq – Allâh be pleased with him – said:

I will not leave anything Allâh’s Messenger – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him – did, except that I will also do it; for I fear that if I were to leave any of his commands and ways I would deviate.

Al-Bukhârî, Al-Sahîh 2:386 hadîth no. 3093; Ibn Battah, Al-Ibânah article 77, and others.

Notes

After recording this narration, Ibn Battah states:

This, my brothers, is the greatest Siddîq (true believer i.e. Abû Bakr), fearing that he would fall into deviation if he were to leave any of the commandments of his Prophet – Allâh’s peace and blessings be upon him. What then is to happen in a time in which people deride their Prophet and his commandments, and compete with each other and show off in contradicting him and mock his Sunnah? We ask Allâh to protect us from slipping and to save us from evil deeds.

Source

The Hypocrites of Today

It is always good to learn something from the religion of Allah (Azza wal Jall) and strive to educate yourself in matters of His Religion (Islaam) just like we very much involve ourselves in educating with worldly knowledge. The knowledge of this world will remain here in Dunya, it is the knowledge of Islaam, that strives, motivates a person to do things he can’t even imagine and Allah helps him to achieve it. It is this knowledge that is everlasting and will assist him/her in hereafter to go through the final stages of the trial of Akhirah (Hereafter). May Allah (Azza wal Jall) take an easy reckoning from us. Ameen.

The banner of Tawheed and Islaam has always been nourished by the black ink of Scholars and red ink of Martyrs and it will continue to do so till the day of resurrection. Bi’Iznillah.

May Allah make us among those. Ameen.

These are some timely narrations collected by Muhammad Musa Nasr in his book ‘al-Munafiqun’ (p. 95-98). They are all authentic.

1 – Jubayr bin Nufayr said:

“I went to visit Abu ad-Darda’ at his home in Homs, and I found him praying at his mosque. When he sat for the tashahhud, he began seeking refuge with Allah from hypocrisy. When he finished, I went to him and asked: “May Allah Forgive you, Aba ad-Darda’! What do you have to do with hypocrisy?”

He replied: “O Allah, Your Forgiveness! (he said this three times) Nobody who feels safe from tribulation will be safe from it! By Allah, a man can be tested for a single hour and turn back on his religion.””

2 – ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr said:

“There will come a time when people will gather in their mosques, and there won’t be a single believer in them.”

3 – al-Hasan said:

“The Hour will not come until each people will be overwhelmed by their hypocrites.”

4 – Hudhayfah said:

“The hypocrites among you today are worse than the hypocrites who lived at the time of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم)!”

He was asked: “O Aba ‘Abdillah, how is this so?”

He replied: “They used to hide their hypocrisy. As for the ones today, they display it openly.”

Source

And, these were the Sahaba (Companions) of Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم) – the best generation that ever lived – and where do we stand in terms of our Nifaaq these days? Have we ever done our self-assessment in this regard and asked Allah to forgive us of our short comings and save us as well from such Nifaaq? None of us should consider ourselves safe from the disease of Nifaaq and should continuously ask Allah to make us steadfast and clean our heart from this disease.

If the Companions of Rasul Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم) were not free from such trials and tribulation; what justification do we have make ourselves carefree while we live in an age where fitan (trials) are at their peak ?

May Allah keep us all safe from such Nifaaq and Fitan and keep us steadfast.

Allahumma Ameen.

A Person Will Be With Whom He Loves

Assalamualaykm WaRahmatuAllah

المرء مع من احب

A person will be with whom he loves. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Mulla Ali Qari (RH) states that the most common understanding for this hadith is that when a man loves those who are good and pious he will be raised with them on the day of resurrection, and if he loves those who are evil and corrupt he will be raised with these people on the day of resurrection.

This can be further seen in the hadith:

المرء على دين خليله

A person is upon the religion of his friend. (Tirmidhi)

It is narrated in Bukhari, on the authority of a large number of sahaba’s that a man came up to the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wassalam) and asked

“What do you say of a man who loves a certain group of people but cannot be of them?”

To this Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wassalam) replied;

“A person will be with whom he loves”

By a certain group here the man meant those who were learned and pious that he loved these people but did not have the means to be amongst them.

Anas (RaziAllah Anhu) mentions in relation to this hadith;

“There was nothing which made us (sahaba’s) happier in this world than to hear this” (Muslim)

As they loved Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wassalam) greatly, this hadith indicated that they would be with him the hereafter.

Some scholars have stated that this is a glad tiding of a good death for those who love the pious as they will be raised amongst them on the day of resurrection.

May Allah make us from those who are resurrected with the pious on the day of reckoning. Ameen.

Source

It is the mercy of Allah (Azza wal Jall) that He lets you select the group to your liking and make you love them for the sake of Allah and even if you’ll not be able to make it towards them – In other words will not be able to make Hijrah – Allah (Azza wal Jall) because of your love and association towards them; because of them being pious and Allah fearing will make you resurrect with them. Subhan’Allah.

Has the time not come for us to recognize the Taifah-al-Mansoora and  love them for the sake of Allah Alone?

After making this clear the importance of association and love and how it can affect the Akhirah (Hereafter) of the person. I advice every Zaid Hamid supporter who defends, support, fight, live and die for him to reconsider your attitude and aptitude again. The question that should be asked without any pre-conceived ideas are.

1. How many lies of Zaid Hamid would you like to see refuted before you believe this person is a chain lier?
2. Do you want yourself to be with a lier on the Day of Judgment?
3. Do you want yourself to be with Yousuf Kazzab and cult because by defending Zaid Hamid, you defend Yousuf Kazzab as well, and even refrain from calling him Kazzab?
4. What answer will you give the Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alayhi wassalam) when you’ll found under the Banner of Kazzab?
5. Do you want yourself to be enrolled with the enemies of Allah and His Messenger (sallalahu alayhi wassalam)  on the Day of Judgement?
6. Is the Messenger of Allah (sallalahu alayhi wassalam) more dear to you or Yousuf Kazzab, Zaid Hamid cult?
.
.
.

وَمَن يُطِعِ اللّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللّهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاء وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـئِكَ رَفِيقًا

“And whoever obeys Allah and His Noble Messenger (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him) , will be with
those upon whom Allah has bestowed grace – that is, the Prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the virtuous; and what excellent companions they are!” [Nisa 4:69]

May Allah resurrect us with them and make us love the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the virtuous. Ameen.

O Muslims, Don't talk the talk; walk the walk

In this day and age, all we the Muslims do is talk, talk and talk. We talk about unity and the times of the golden era of Islam, but what do we do to emulate the great Islamic personalities of the past. We complain about the help of Allah not descending, but we also can’t be bothered to pray our 5 compulsory prayers. What we need to do is change ourselves before we complain. And also become ‘people of action’.

A life changing reminder by Sheikh Zahir Mahmood,  titled “People of action“.

Click here to download the mp3 version:
Click here to download the video and re-upload in HD:

If the video doesn’t play, click here

Etiquette of the seeker of knowledge

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alayhi wassallam) was sent to perfect morals and manners. In fact, all the Prophets before us practiced good mannerism. Many times, it is sad to see those who call themselves Muslims acting differently than everyone else.

We have been daily receiving comments and it is very sad to see that most of these comment seem to have lost a very important and salient feature of a believer, which is Good Manners and Good Character. The earlier generation of Sahaba and Salaf (pious predecessors) used to lay great importance to manners and adab. But, today it seems that our generation seems to have lost it. Just a difference of opinion or lack of support for an individual, organization can lead them end up fighting like animals; even in this regard animals might feel proud of themselves, because the manners they show during their arguments in their language, they would consider themselves better than those who during debate go par below animal level and don’t realize of it.

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr: “The Prophet never used bad language neither a ‘Fahish nor a Mutafahish. He used to say ‘The best amongst you are those who have the best manners and character.’
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 56, Number 759]

It is the hypocrites that use foul language.

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr: “The Prophet said, “Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up.

1. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays.
2. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie.
3. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous.
4. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner.”
[Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 33]

Allah (Azza wal Jall) says in the Holy Quran

“And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah likes not any arrogant boaster. [Quran, 31:18]

Insolence, or arrogance, or undue elation at our powers or capacities, is the first step to many evils.  Besides, it is unjustified.  All our gifts are from Allah Almighty. Thus, get rid of these diseases; lest it get rids of you.

Thus, seeing that importance of argument, I’d like everyone to read this and learn manners and etiquette to seek the truth and knowledge, even if someone has difference of opinion in some matter, he should maintain manners.

In conclusion, we ask those who comment on our blog to pay attention to this, because we now will not tolerate any comments that will be void of manners and adab. For further read the blog rules.

It is better to start practicing the use of words like “You think that this is not good…”, “In your humble opinion, we should…”, instead of “This is all lying and crap”, “You this and that”, etc. Also, when you speak about Scholars, speak with respect. No insulting or bashing of scholars with words like “Maulvis” and “Mullas” will be tolerated now, nor will any sort of arrogance, attitude, and sarcasm be tolerated towards Islam, Muslims and Scholars. If you want to disagree or have an argument, use manners to convey your point of view. If you don’t follow, don’t be surprised if your comments don’t make it on our blog for violating the blog rules.

Ibn al-Qayyim (Rahimu’Allah) said the following regarding manners

“…Manners have limits. When these limits are crossed, this is transgression. When they are fallen short of, this is deficiency and disgrace.

Below to educate you regarding the etiquette the seeker of knowledge should adopt. Though the below advice is for the seeker of knowledge in Deen, but we can very well consider this in our case as well, in finding the truth with sincerity and turn to Allah (Azza wal Jall) to guide us.

Question:
Allaah has blessed me by causing me to seek knowledge. What is the etiquette which you advise me to follow?

Answer:

Praise be to Allaah.

There is a certain amount of etiquette for seeking knowledge which the seeker of knowledge should follow. We will give you this advice and this etiquette for seeking knowledge; may Allaah cause you to benefit thereby.

1 – Patience

My dear brother, seeking knowledge is one of the highest of pursuits, and heights cannot be scaled except by working hard and stribing. Abu Tamaam said, addressing himself:

“Let me scale the heights that cannot be scaled, for reaching high things is difficult whilst reaching low things is easy.

You want to scale the heights without any effort, but honey cannot be gathered without beestings.”

Another poet said:

“You seek to attain glory, and those who seek to attain glory

Strive their utmost and roll up their sleeves for that purpose.

They strive hard but most of them become tired.

But those who have patience and perseverance attain the heights of the glory that they desired.

Do not think that attaining glory is as easy as eating dates;

You cannot attain glory until you swallow the bitterest medicine.”

So be patient and persevere. If jihaad requires an hour of patience, then the seeker of knowledge must be patient until the end of his life. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning)

“O you who believe! Endure and be more patient (than your enemy), and guard your territory by stationing army units permanently at the places from where the enemy can attack you, and fear Allâh, so that you may be successful.”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:200]

2 – Purity of intention in action

Adhere to purity of intention in what you do. Let your aim be to seek the Face of Allaah (i.e., the pleasure of Allaah) and the Home of the Hereafter. Beware of showing off and the love of making oneself appear to be superior to one’s peers. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever seeks knowledge in order to compete with the scholars or to prove himself superior to the ignorant or to make the people look up to him, Allaah will cause him to enter Hell.” (narrated by al-Nasaa’i, 2654; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa’i).

To sum up, you have to be pure both outwardly and inwardly from every major and minor sin.

3 – Acting upon what you know

Know that acting upon what you know is the fruit of knowledge. Whoever knows but does not act upon his knowledge is like the Jews whom Allaah likened to the ugliest things in His Book, when He said (interpretation of the meaning):

“The likeness of those who were entrusted with the (obligation of the) Tawraat (Torah) (i.e. to obey its commandments and to practise its laws), but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey which carries huge burdens of books (but understands nothing from them). How bad is the example of people who deny the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah. And Allaah guides not the people who are Zaalimoon (polytheists, wrongdoers, disbelievers)”

[al-Jumu’ah 62:5]

And whoever acts without knowledge is like the Christians, who are the “daalleen (those who have gone astray)” mentioned in Soorat al-Faatihah. With regard to the books which you should study, they are mentioned in Question # 20191; please refer to this Question as it is important.

4 – Always being aware that Allaah is watching

You must always be aware that Allaah is watching you, in secret and in the open. Your attitude towards your Lord must always be balanced between fear and hope, which for the Muslims are like the two wings of a bird. Turn to Allaah wholeheartedly and let your heart be filled with love for Him, your tongue with remembrance of Him (dhikr). Be happy and rejoice in His rulings and His wisdom.

Always call upon Allaah (du’aa’) in every sujood, asking Him to bless you and grant you beneficial knowledge, for if you are sincere towards Allaah, He will support you and help you, and will cause you to attain the level of the righteous scholars.

5 – Make the best use of time

Make the most of your youth and your whole life by learning. Do not be deceived by procrastination and wishful thinking about the future. Every hour of your life that passes cannot be replaced. Do away with whatever you can of distractions and obstacles which prevent you from striving your utmost to attain knowledge. Hence the salaf encouraged keeping away from one’s family and keeping a distance from one’s homeland, because when a person is distracted he will not be able to understand facts of knowledge and subtle issues. Allaah has not given man two hearts in his chest, and similarly it is said that knowledge will not give you a part of it until you give it your all.

6 – Be cautious

Beware of being preoccupied in the beginning with the disputes among the scholars, or among people in general, because this confuses the mind. Also beware of musannafaat , because they will waste your time and make you confused. Instead, give your all to the book which you are reading or the topic which you are studying until you become competent in it. Beware of moving from one book to another (before completing the former), for that is a sign of boredom and failure. You must pay attention to each branch of knowledge, in order of importance.

7 – Precision and focus

Strive to verify that which you want to memorize so that you are certain of it, either from a shaykh or from someone else who can help you. Then memorize it properly and continually repeat it and review at specific times each day, lest you forget what you have memorized.

8 – Studying books

After you have memorized the summarized books properly, with their commentaries, and you have understood any difficult passages in them and understood the important points, then move on to studying the detailed versions, always reviewing what you have learned and noting the valuable points, subtle issues, strange minor issues, solutions to problems and differences between similar rulings, in all branches of knowledge. Do not think little of anything useful that you learn or any basic principle that you understand; instead, hasten to note and memorize it.

Let your concern to seek knowledge be uppermost; do not be content to learn only a little when you are able to do more. Do not be content with a little of the legacy of the Prophets (may the blessings of Allaah be upon them), and do not delay learning anything that you can, or be distracted or put off by wishful thinking. Delay is a problem, and if you learn something now you can learn something else later.

Make the most of your time, when you are free and when you are busy. Make the most of your youth when your mind is fresh and you have less distractions, before you become distracted by false ambitions and the desire for worldly possessions.

You should try to obtain as many of the books you need as you can, because they are the tools of learning. Do not make getting and keeping a lot of them (without benefiting from them) the only share of knowledge that you have, and collecting them the only share of understanding that you have. You also have to use and benefit from them as much as you can.

9 – Choosing companions

Strive to choose righteous friends who are preoccupied with seeking knowledge and are of a good nature, who can help you in achieving your aim, add to the benefits you have already gained, encourage you to seek more knowledge and stop you from feeling bored and tired; friends who are religiously-committed, trustworthy and of good character, who are sincere towards Allaah and who are not merely messing about. (See Tadhkirat al-Saami’ by Ibn Jamaa’aah).

Beware of the bad companion, for he may influence you and people are like birds, they will resemble one another [i.e., “birds of a feather flock together”]. So beware of mixing with people like that, for that is a sickness, and prevention is better than cure.

10 – Finally, good manners towards the shaykh

Knowledge cannot be gained only from books; you must also have a shaykh whom you trust to open the door to knowledge and keep you from making mistakes. So you must have good manners towards him, for this is the way to success, learning and strength. So you must honour, respect and be polite to the shaykh. Observe the utmost standards of etiquette when you sit with your shaykh and speak with him. Ask questions in a proper manner and listen attentively. Be polite when studying the book with him and do not try to argue with him or compete with him. Do not initiate conversation with him or walk ahead of him or speak too much in his presence, or interrupt him or interrupt him when he is teaching. Do not pressurize him to give you an answer, and avoid asking him too many questions, especially in front of other people, for this will make you appear to be showing off and make him bored with you. Do not call him directly by his name or nickname; rather say “O my shaykh” or “O our shaykh” (Yaa shaykhi or Yaa shaykhunaa)

If you think that the shaykh has made a mistake, do not let that make him lose respect in your eyes, because that will deprive you of his knowledge. Who is there who is entirely free from error? See Hilyat Taalib al-‘Ilm by Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd

We ask Allaah to make you and us strong and steadfast, and to let us see the day when you will become one of the scholars of the Muslims and an authority in the religion of Allaah and one of the imaams of the pious. Ameen, ameen.. We hope to meet soon, and peace be upon you.

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