Tujuh Dasawarsa Sudah Berlalu.

Tujuh dasawarsa,
sudah berlalu pergi,
bunyi bedilan dan ledakan fosforus putih sudah biasa,
esak tangis mu sudah kering,
diseka waktu yang berlalu.

kau terduduk hiba,
mengenang kesepian saudara saudara mu,
sangat sedikit keprihatinan mereka atas nasibmu,
sedang sepatutnya mereka juga tahu,
betapa besar ganjarannya melaksana suatu misi jihad,
disisi Yang Maha Melihat.

tapi kau sedikitpun tidak menyalahkan takdir,
kau tahu Allah memilih bangsa mu,
berjuang dan tidak kenal erti mengalah,
walau bersimbah darah mempertahan bumi anbiya.

Sabarlah saudara ku,
tetaplah berjuang bulatkan tekadmu,
tidak tersia amaliah istisyahadiahmu itu,
tidak tersia lontaran kerikil disertai teriakan takbir Allahu Akbar,
bukankah Dia Maha Melihat,
Maha Mendengar?

kau sungguh bertuah sebenarnya,
diberi ujian maha dahsyat bukan sembarang,
yang membutuhkan pengorbanan tahap tertinggi,
dan memahami hikmah disebalik dugaan duniawi.

sedang kami disini ,
entah apa yang kami kerjakan sejak bangun pagi,
hingga ke dinihari,
kami adalah dari kalangan orang orang yang rugi,
kerana tidak diberi peluang sebegini,
tidak pula merebut kesempatan berbuat bakti.


Mohamad Azhaari Shah.
25 Jun 2011.
Jeram, Kuala Selangor.

BookLog : List To Buy Books

BookLog : List to buy books as of 8th June 2011.

8th June, saya sekali lagi ke Popular bookstore. Ini lah buku yang dalam list to buy saya, insya Allah. Selain tu, saya juga sempat membeli novel Persuasion dan Pride and Prejudice. Kedua duanya tulisan Jane Austen. Satu lagi buku adalah buku Tales from Shakespeare. Pada 16th June pula saya membeli buku Terapi Duka tulisan Dr. Aidh Al Qarni.

Seperti saya janjikan sebelum ini, ini lah short list to buy books yang sempat saya jot down dan short list pada 8th June.


1. Putera Lembah Bakkah
Galeri Ilmu
RM13.00

2. Quranic Law of Attraction
PTS
RM13.90

3. Facebook : Sebelah Syurga Sebelah Neraka
Al Hidayah Publication
RM14.00

4. Kisah Kisah Inspirasi Para Muallaf Dunia
Al Hidayah Publication
RM15.00

5. Rahsia Baitul Maqdis Palestine
Al Hidayah Publication
RM15.00

6. Pembaharuan Pemikiran Islam
RD NETWORK
RM15.00

7. Perang Dunia Ke-3
PTS
RM16.00

8. Taktik & Strategi Berpolitik Gaya Khulafa Rasyidin
PTS
RM16.00

9. Ilmuwan Nusantara
PTS
RM18.00

10. Tales from Shakespeare
RM22.00

11. Transformasi Fikah Semasa
RM22.50

12. Minda Tertawan Intelektual Rausyan
SIRD
RM23.00

13. TEKNIK MENINGKATKAN DAYA INGATAN
RM23.50

14. Secangkir Teh Pengubat Letih
Galeri Ilmu
RM25.00

15. Keajaiban Kekayaan Dengan Bersabar dan Bersyukur
Ibn Qayyim Al Jauzi
Jasmin
RM25.00

16. Salahudin Ayubi Penakluk Jerusalem
Abdul Talib Latip
PTS
RM26.90

17. UMAR B AL KHATTAB : THE CONQUEROR
YAMANI ANGLE
RM29.80

18. The Choice : Dialog Islam & Christian
Ahmad Deedat
Kharisma Publication
RM29.00

19. Sherlock Holmes
RM29.90

20. Mari Kita Terbang Ke Syurga
Al Hidayah Publication
RM30.00

21. Baldatun Thoyyibah : Pelita di Dalam Kaca
RM30.00

22. TANDA TANDA ORANG MUNAFIK DALAM AL QURAN
Al Hidayah Publication
RM30.00

23. Yakjuj & Makjuj
Muhammad Alexander
PTS
RM31.50

24. Singkatnya Usia Umat Islam Kedatangan
Imam Mahdi dan Munculnya Dajjal
Al Hidayah Publication
RM35.00

25. Jane Austen Selected Works : Pride and Prejudice & Sense and Sensibility
RM35.90

26. Sengsara Kem Kamunting Kisah Hidup Dalam Penjara ISA
SIRD
RM38.00

27. Anda Bertanya Ustaz Menjawab Mengenai Solat
PTS
RM40.00

28. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Worldsworth Edition
RM49.90

29. Genghis Khan
Bantam Books
RM49.90

30. Imam Imam Yang Benar
Abdul Latip Talib
PTS
RM55.00

30. QUANTUM ASMAUL HUSNA
Al Hidayah Publication
RM55.00

31. Good To Great
Jim Collins
RM79.90

32. The 100 Ranking of The Most Influenced Persons In History
Michael H. Hart
RM89.90

33. You Can't Lead With Your Feet On The Desk
Ed Fuller
RM95.80

34. Blue Ocean Strategy
Harvard Business Review Press
RM119.00

35. Biografi Tun Abdul Razak
PENERBIT UKM
RM120.00


SECOND LIST


The Age Of the Warriors : Selected Essays
Robert Fisk
RM44.90

A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE : THE MEMOIRS OF TUN DR MAHATHIR MOHAMAD
RM100.00

CONFIDENCE BOOSTERS : 10 STEPS TO BEATING SELF-DOUBT
RM17.00

100 GREATEST WONDERS OF THE WORLD : THE MOST INCREDIBLE PLACES ON EARTH
RM25.90

IDEA PENDIDIKAN BERKESAN AL GHAZALI DAN KONFUCIUS
RM35.00

ADA APA DENGAN BUKU
RM19.90

TENGGELAMNYA KAPAL VAN DER WIJCK
RM23.00


1. Eden in the East: The Drowned Continent of
Southeast Asia
Stephen Oppenheimer
London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 1999
RM110.00.

2. Khalid Al Walid The Sword of Allah.
3. Michael Jackson (history).
4. Riyadatus Shalihin by Imam Nawawi.
5. The Man In The White Suit (The Stig)
6. Yakjuj dan Makjuj.
7. Iskandar Adalah Alexander.
8. Warren Buffett


*The list may not be final.

From the Humble Servant of The Lord .. Mohamad Azhaari Shah Sulaiman

Extinction of dinosaurs 'led to mammals growing 1000 times bigger'

Mammals grew in size 1000-fold after being left a food bonanza by the extinction of the dinosaurs, research has shown.
From their origins as small shrew-like animals, some became enormously large - and the same pattern was seen all over the world.
They included giants such as Indricotherium, a hornless rhinoceros relative from Eurasia that stood 18 feet high and would have dwarfed an African elephant.

The largest land mammals that ever lived, Indricotherium and Deinotherium, which would have towered over the living African elephant (front)

Dr Jessica Theodor, from the University of Calgary in Canada, one of the study's authors, said: 'Basically, the dinosaurs disappear and all of a sudden there is nobody else eating the vegetation.
'That's an open food source and mammals start going for it, and it's more efficient to be a herbivore when you're big.'
The research, which looked at the fossil record of mammals around the world, showed that after the dinosaurs disappeared 65 million years ago ecosystems did not take long to re-adjust.

 

An African elephant would have been dwarfed by prehistoric mammals

'Within 25 million years the system is reset to a new maximum for the animals that are there in terms of body size,' said Dr Theodor. 'That's actually a pretty short timeframe, geologically speaking. That's really rapid evolution.'
When mammals shared the Earth with the dinosaurs they grew no heavier than about 10 kilograms, said the researchers.
But after the dinosaurs' exit they quickly exploded in size to a maximum of 17 tonnes.
'Nobody has ever demonstrated that this pattern is really there,' said Dr Theodor, one of 20 researchers from around the world who worked on the study. 'People have talked about it but nobody has ever gone back and done the math.
'We went through every time period and said OK, for this group of mammals what's the biggest one? And then we estimated its body mass.'
The scientists gathered data on Perissodactyla, odd-toed ungulates such as rhinos and horses, Proboscidea, which included elephants, mammoths and mastodons, Xenarthra, the anteaters, tree sloths and armadillos, as well a number of other extinct groups.
The results showed that mammals in colder climates grew the most since bigger animals are better at conserving heat.
The research appears today in the journal Science.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1333215/Extinction-dinosaurs-led-mammals-growing-1000-times-bigger-eat-extra-food.html


From the Humble Servant of The Lord .. Mohamad Azhaari Shah Sulaiman

Gambar Serangan di Pearl Harbor

Gambar Serangan di Pearl Harbor

Pada pagi 7 Disember 1941, pasukan kapal terbang dan kapal selam kerdil tentera laut Imperial Jepun di bawah pemerintahan Timbalan Laksamana Chuichi Nagumo, melancarkan serangan mengejut ke atas tentera laut Amerika Syarikat berpengkalan di Pearl Harbor, dan terhadap Kor Tentera Udara Darat "Army Air Corps" dan lapangan terbang Marin berhampiran di Oahu, Jajahan Hawai'i, sekarang ini dikenali sebagai Negeri Hawaii. Serangan ini telah dikenali sebagai Pengeboman Pearl Harbor dan Pertempuran Pearl Harbor tetapi, paling biasanya, Serangan ke atas Pearl Harbor atau secara ringkas Pearl Harbor.



Pada 26 November 1941 angkatan merangkumi enam kapal induk diperintah oleh Laksamana Madya Chuichi Nagumo. Jepun meninggalkan Teluk Hitokappu di Kepulauan Kuril dan menuju ke Pearl Harbor tanpa melakukan sebarang perhubungan melalui radio.


Pada pagi 7 Disember 1941, kapal terbang angkatan tersebut mengebom kesemua pengkalan tentera Amerika Syarikat di kepulauan Hawai (terbesar merupakan pengkalan udara tentera darat Amerika Syarikat di pengkalan udara Tentera Udara Hickam), dan kebanyakan kapal yang berlabuh di pelabuhan Pearl, termasuk "Barisan Kapal Tempur". Hampir kesemua kapal terbang Amerika dimusnahkan di atas tanah; hanya beberapa pejuang berjaya berlepas dan bertempur. Dua belas kapal perang dan kapal lain ditenggelamkan atau rosak., 188 kapal terbang dimusnahkan, 155 telah rosak dan 2,403 Amerika kehilangan nyawa mereka. Kapal perang USS Arizona meletup dan tenggelam menyebabkan 1,100 orang kehilangan nyawa, hampir separuh daripada orang Amerika yang mati. Badan kapal kekal menjadi tugu peringatan kepada mereka yang terkorban pada hari itu, kebanyakan mereka kekal di dalam kapal tersebut.




Matlamat serangan pada Pearl Harbor adalah untuk melumpuhkan tentera laut Amerika Syarikat di Pasifik, walaupun untuk sementara. Laksamana Isoroku Yamamoto sendiri menyatakan bahawa serangan yang berjaya sekalipun hanya memberikan setahun dua kebebasan bertindak. Jepun telah terbabit dalam perperangan dengan China selama beberapa tahun (bermula pada tahun 1937) dan telah merampas Manchuria beberapa tahun sebelumnya.























dalam jangka masa panjang serangan ke atas Pearl Harbor merupakan malapetaka strategik bagi Jepun. Malah Laksamana Yamamoto, yang mencetuskan idea menyerang Pearl Harbor, telah meramalkan bahawa sungguhpun dengan kejayaan menyerang Angkatan Amerika Syarikat tidak akan dan tidak mampu memenangi perperangan dengan Amerika Syarikat, kerana keupayaan pengeluaran Amerika terlalu besar. Salah satu matlamat Jepun adalah untuk memusnahkan tiga kapal induk Amerika Syarikat yang diletakkan di Pasifik, tetapi tiada ketika serangan berlaku — Enterprise dalam perjalanan pulang, Lexington telah berlayar keluar beberapa hari sebelumnya, dan Saratoga berada di San Diego selepas pengubah-suaian di Limbungan Tentera Laut Puget Sound. Merosakkan kebanyakan kapal perang Amerika Syarikat dari bertugas, dianggap secara meluas— oleh tentera laut dan pemerhati sejagat —sebagai kejayaan cemerlang bagi pihak Jepun

http://ajaibbenar.blogspot.com/2010/04/gambar-serangan-di-pearl-harbor.html


From the Humble Servant of The Lord .. Mohamad Azhaari Shah Sulaiman

Gaza Penduduk Paling Sehat di Dunia

Seorang wartawan yang baru beberapa bulan bekerja di salah satu majalah terkenal di negera Arab menjelaskan bahwa Gaza adalah pusat kesehatan terbesar (The Biggest Health Center) di dunia. Ceritanya bermula ketika sekretaris pimpinan redaksi (Pemred) majalah itu memberitahukan bahwa wartawan bernama Sa’id itu harus segera menghadap sang Pemred. Dengan hati gembira, wartawan yang masih muda dan enerjik tersebut segera menghadap pimpinannya.





Sa’id diterima dengan sangat hangat oleh pimpinannya sambil berkata : Selamat datang wartawan muda…. Terbukti keberadaan Anda yang tidak begitu lama di Gaza telah membuktikan pada kami bahwa Anda adalah wartawan yang tangguh dan serius. Saya mewakili pimpinan media ini mengucapkan banyak terima kasih..






Sebagai imbalannya, saya memutuskan Anda menulis laporan utama untuk terbitan pekan depan terkait dengan blokade terhadap Gaza yang dilakukan oleh Yahudi dan pemerintah Mesir. Sa’idpun menjawab dengan penuh semangat : Terima kasih pak atas kepercayaan yang diberikan kepada saya. Semoga saya bisa melaksanakan tugas mulia ini dengan baik dan maksimal. Tema Gaza ini memang menjadi konsentrasi saya sejak saya diterima bekerja di majalah ini.







Sa’id melanjutkan ungkapan kegembiraannya : Saya akan tulis semua hal terkait dengan Gaza secara detail karana saat ini hati kaum Muslimin sedunia memang sedang terluka dan bersedih melihat blokade terhadap Gaza.







Sambil menganggukkan kepala, sang Pemred berucap; Anda benar, Anda benar… lalu Sa’id berkata : Saya akan mulai segera dan akan buat tulisan-tulisan yang akan menggema ke seluruh penjuru dunia, insya Allah…Barakallahu fika ya akhi… (semoga Allah memberkahimu saudaraku), ucap sang Pemred tadi. Namun, sebelum Anda mulai menulis, ada beberapa catatan kecil yang perlu Anda perhatikan. Sai’id segera beratanya : Apakah catatan kecil itu pak?
Lalu sang Pemred meneruskan: Andakan tahu bahwa majalah kita ini tidak didukung oleh tokoh-tokoh besar di negeri ini. Maksudnya? Kata Sai’d, sambil menyela perkataan pimpinannya itu. Maksudnya, tulisan Anda jangan sampai menyinggung pemerintahan Arab yang terlibat memblokade Gaza dengan penuh semangat dan begitu aktif.. Semoga Allah meridhai Anda..Kita tidak mau bermasalah dengan para inteligen negera-negara Arab yang ikut memblokade Gaza… Bisa-bisa kita dituduh merusak hubungan persaudaraan antar negara-negara Arab, kata Pemred itu..






Sambil melepaskan nafas panjangnya, Sai’d menjawab : Yaach… Oke pak. Saya akan jaga catatan itu, kendati saya melihat hubungan persaudaraan negara-negara Arab tidak akan bisa dirusak oleh siapapun…Lalu sang Pemred meneruskan arahannya :
Barakallhu fik… Tapi, ada catatan kecil lagi yang tak kalah pentingnya yang perlu Anda ingat. Apa itu? Jawab Sa’id… Andakan tahu bahwa distribusi majalah kita bukan hanya di negera-negara Arab, akan tetapi juga di negara-negara Eropa dan Amerika. Kita tidak mau dituduh mendukung terorisme sehingga majalah kita dilarang beredar di sana. Sebab itu, dalam tulisan nanti, Anda jangan sama sekali menyinggung perlawanan bangsa Palestina terhadap Israel dan hak mereka untuk memerangi penjajah Yahudi… Kita tidak mau menghadapi banyak masalah…Nanti kita dituduh mendukung teroris. Oke? Semoga Allah meridhai Anda. Kata Pemred majalah tersebut.







Mendengar keterangan pimpinannya, Sa’id menjawab : Baik pak! Padahal dalam hatinya berkata : Sadis amat Pemred ini, mau membela Gaza, tapi tidak boleh ini dan tidak boleh itu? Dalam hatinya ia berkata : Aku tidak mengerti bagaimana cara membela masyarakat Gaza yang tak punya senjata menghadapi pasukan teroris Israel yang dilengkapi dengan berbagai senjata canggih itu?
Sa’id mengira ceramah Pemrednya selesai. Tiba-tiba ia dikagetkan lagi dengan ungkapannya : Kita tidak boleh menyinggung oarng-rang kaya Arab dan bagaimana mereka menghabiskan uang mereka jutaan dolar AS untuk pesta kembang api, pesta artis, penyanyi di saat penduduk Gaza mati kelaparan. Andakan tahu sumber pendapatan majalah kita dari iklan. Bila orang-orang kaya itu tersinggung dan marah pada majalah kita, kita tidak akan mendapatkan iklan mereka.. Anda mengerti kan? Kita belum siap kelaparan seperti penduduk Gaza. Oke?







Mendengar ungkapan terakhir itu, Said tidak bisa lagi menyembunyikan marahnya, lalu ia berkata. Oke Bos… Masih ada perintah lain? Tanya Sa’id. Sebenarnya tidak ada lagi. Saya sebenarnya tidak mau banyak menasehati Anda… Ingat ya! Jangan bicara soal anak-anak Gaza yang sedang berjuang menghadapi kematian karena kelaparan dan serangan berbagai penyakit. Anda tahukan bahwa media Arab sibuk mengurusi kontes kecantikan hewan ternak. Sedangkan media Barat sibuk pula meliput anjing yang ditemukan pasukan Amerika di Irak, bahkan mereka meminta agar pemerintah Barack Obama meberikan suaka poltik agar anjing tersebut bisa masuk dan menjadi warga negara Amerika.. Masalah ini juga jangan Anda singgung. Nanti organisasi penyayang hewan dunia bisa marah kepada kita. Mengerti? Kata Pemred itu kepada Sa’id.


Di muka Said memancar warna kemerahan pertanda marahnya sudah memuncak. Namun, karena Sai’id seorang yang taat ibadah, ia bisa menahan marahnya. Lalu ia memuji Allah sambil berkata : Subhanallah… Apalagi perintahnya Bos? Bosnya dengan tenang menjawab : Tidak ada lagi, hanya itu saja, bagi saya sudah cukup. Lalu Sa’id menimpali perkataan bosnya : bapak yakin tidak ada lagi perintah lain? Kitakan tidak ingin orang lain marah karena tulisan kita kan?







Mendengar pertanyaan itu, sang Pemred ingat lagi masalah lain yang tak boleh disinggung sambil berkata : Oh ya, karena Anda ingatkan saya, saya masih punya larangan lain yakni, terkait dengan dialog antar agama yang akan diadakan di Negara kita bebrapa hari lagi. Kita tidak mau dituduh oleh para promotornya sebagai penghalang acara tersebut. Sebab itu, Anda jangan sama sekali menyinggung kaum Yahudi dan penindasan mereka terhadap bangsa Palestina serta penghinaan mereka terhadap tempat suci kaum Muslimin. Nanti para penggagas dan pendukung dialog antar agama bisa marah pada majalah kita loh!. Dengan suara keras, Sa’id menjawab : OKE BOOOSS?


Akhirnyanya Sa’id keluar dari ruangan pimpinannya dalam keadaan marah besar karena dia ditugaskan menulis tentang kenyataan yang ada di Gaza, akan tetapi dengan seribu satu pantangan…Namun Sa’id tidak kehabisan akal, karena ia seorang wartawan cerdas. Tanpa melanggar perintah bosnya, ia menulis laporan utama terkait Gaza dan keesokan harinya ia serahkan hasil tulisannya itu kepada pimpinannya agar dikoreksi sebelum diturunkan. Isi tulisannya ialah :







Gaza adalah The Biggest Health Center and NO.1 di dunia. Penduduknya menghabiskan hari-hari mereka dengan sangat bahagia setelah memutuskan untuk mengikuti nasehat para ahli kesehatan moderen agar tidak mengkonsumsi makanan yang menyebabkan kolesterol tinggi, tekanan darah naik, dan kegemukan. Demikian pula, mereka berhasil menghindari faktor-faktor yang menyebabkan terjadinya pencemaran lingkungan yang disebabkan bahan bakar minyak dan zat kimia lainnya. Untuk itu, mereka menerapkan olah raga berjalan kaki yang sangat bermanfaat bagi kesehatan tubuh dan akal, khususnya bagi para manula, orang cacat, orang sakit dan para wanita hamil.
Adapun rumah sakit dan tempat-tempat pelayanan kesehatan sudah ditutup, karena sudah terbukti dan tidak perlu diragukan bahwa obat-obat tradisional alias moderen adalah penyebab munculnya berbagai penyakit dan membunuh daya imunitas tubuh. Sebab itu, para penduduk Gaza kembali mengkonsumsi obat-obatan yang terbuat dari daun kayu dan rumput-rumputan atau apa yang disebut dengan alami atau herbal karena mengikuti petuah atau metode pengobatan kuno, atau konsep, back to nature.






Sebab itu, penduduk Gaza menjadi orang-orang yang kuat dan sehat sehingga mampu menggali terowonngan sepanjang belasan kilometer, pemberani, dan seakan tidak mempan senjata canggih, kendati dihujani dengan white phosphor lebih dari 1.5 juta kg. Karena itu pulalah semua penduduk Gaza, laki-laki, wanita dan anak-anak banyak mengucapkan terima kasih pada pemerintah yang ikut memblokade mereka. Boikot dan blokade itu telah menyebabkan mereka menemukan jalan hidup (life style) yang sehat wal afiat dan jauh dari godaan peradaban yang merusak kesehatan, baik fisik maupun akal.
Yang lebih utama, mereka meminta pada Allah agar Allah memberikan kesempatan pada para pemimpin negera yang ikut memblokade Gaza, isteri-isteri dan anak-anak mereka agar dapat kesempatan menerapkan pola hidup sehat seperti yang mereka lakukan sejak beberapa tahun belakangan.






Demikian juga, penduduk Gaza berterima kasih pada pemerintahan Israel yang dengan terpaksa menugaskan ribuan pasukannya untuk mengontrol dan meyakini tidak sampainya bantuan dan bahan-bahan yang berbahaya – seperti yang dijelaskan sebelumnya- ke Gaza. Semoga blokade itu mejadi faktor kebaikan yang banyak bagi Gaza dalam segala hal dan turunnya pertolongan dari Allah.
Amin yaa Robb.… (fj/zadalebad.com)


eramuslim.com

http://qalamv.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/gaza-penduduk-paling-sehat-di-dunia/


From the Humble Servant of The Lord .. Mohamad Azhaari Shah Sulaiman

 

Idolatry in our age

S'hirk',the word used for idolatry in Arabic means "partnership/association".

 

In the Qur'an, to practise idolatry is to associate any other being, any other person, or concept with God, considering them to be equal to God, and to act upon this unsound belief.

 

In translations of the Qur'an, idolatry is explained as "associating a partner with God". It is expressed thus: "having another god besides God", or "worshipping another god besides God".

 

In its broadest sense, idolatry is to adhere to principles and values, or pursue a life style other than is consistent with the teachings and moral values of the Qur'an. Someone adopting such principles simply sets up the person laying down these principles as a partner to God. This person may be anyone; his father, grandfather, an ancestor he may so exalt the society he is a member of, the founders of an ideology, a philosophy or its followers. In this broad sense of idolatry, someone adhering to a different way of living other than the Qur'an, simply practices idolatry. He may call himself an atheist, Christian, or Jew. He may even appear to be a Muslim, performing his regular prayers, fasting and obeying the laws of Islam. Nevertheless, anyone harboring a thought or judgment opposing the Qur'an is a mere idolater; by such a stance he simply manifests his acceptance of the existence of a ruler other than God.

 

Idolatry does not essentially require an absolute denial of the existence of God. Rather, the majority of the idolaters avoid explicitly accepting such an attribute or "title". Never scrupulous in conduct, they deceive themselves throughout their lives. On the Day of Judgment, they still reject being involved in idolatry. The stance they adopt is explained in the following verse:

 

One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us): "Where are the partners whom you (invented and) talked about?" There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: "By God, our Lord, we were not those who associated other gods with God."Behold! How they lie against their own souls ! But the (lie) which they invented will leave them in the lurch. (al-Ana'am, 22-24)

 

An idolater does not necessarily have to make "declarations". You will certainly never hear a statement like this: "I hereby take this divine being as a god besides God and I swear an oath of loyalty to him." Idolatry resides primarily, in the heart and is then disclosed through word and deed. From the standpoint of the Qur'an, having a preference for a being other than God underlies it. Giving preference to the will of some person over the Will of God, for instance, fear of other people rather than fear of God, or an attachment to some person rather than to Him are examples of idolatry described in the Qur'an.

 

From the foregoing, it is clear that idolatry is the diversion of the feeling of "love" from God to other beings. The strong attachment formed to idols is explained in the following verse:

 

Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides God, as equal (with God): They love them as they should love God. But those of the Faith are overflowing in their love for God. If only the unrighteous could see, behold, they would see the penalty: that to God belongs all power, and God will sternly enforce the penalty. (Surah Al-Baqara, 2:165)

 

This verse makes it clear that "love" given to the wrong people lays the basis for "worshipping others than God" as well as idolatry. Unlike believers, unbelievers can never maintain an intimate relation with their Creator. They love either themselves or others, or both; they share out their love among their fathers, sons, brothers, wives, husbands, lovers, the people they are surrounded by, and so on. As well as for people, unbelievers feel attachment for non-living things, or rather concepts like money, possessions, houses, cars, status, prestige, etc.

 

The superior and gorgeous properties of all living things and non-living things alike, are mere reflections of the infinite attributes of God. The unique possessor of these features is God and therefore the only One worthy of loyalty, devotion and love. Feeling an attachment then for anything other than God is mere association of partners with God.

 

In another verse, in the words of prophet Abraham, it is asserted that unbelievers leave God and strengthen the bond with their idols:

 

And he said: "You have taken (for worship) idols besides God, out of mutual love and regard between yourselves in this life; but on the Day of Judgment you shall disown and curse each other: and your abode will be the Fire, and you shall have none to help you." (Al-Ankaboot, 25)

 

Passion for women is the most striking example of ascribing partners to God in terms of love. The woman in question can be anyone-a spouse, a girl friend, or even a woman to whom one is platonically attracted. In consequence, if the love felt for a woman makes a man drift apart from God, makes him see a woman as equal to or at a higher level than God, then this is explicitly "ascribing partners to God." Such a mentality, assumed to be innocent behavior in society, has serious consequences, however, in the presence of God:

 

(The Pagans), leaving Him, call but upon female deities: they call but upon Satan the persistent rebel! (An-Nisa, 117)

 

This point of view also holds true for women. This type of love, unacceptable in the presence of God, is however encouraged in modern societies under the "innocent" rubrics of "love", "romanticism" or "dating." The indoctrination of romanticism- especially targeting young people-has devastating effects upon new generations. This is surely a great hindrance to the healthy development of the youthful mind and consciousness. As a result of this indoctrination, generations devoid of understanding, come into being. In such circumstances, the members of society live in a total unawareness of the purpose of their existence on Earth, and the exigencies of their religion and faith. Such people simply cling to an ignorant way of living and lead their lives without knowing what love of God or fear of God really means.

 

Another reason for the individual to drift into shirk is fear. Just like love, fear should be felt only for God. One who feels or shows fear for created beings simply attributes individual might to them. This is idolatry, pure and simple.

 

God has said:

 

"Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just One God: then fear Me (and Me alone)." To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth, and to Him is duty due always: then will you fear other than God? (An-Nahl, 51-52)

 

Unbelievers go in great fear of other people. This is narrated in the Qur'an:

 

...When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! A section of them feared men as - or even more than - they should have feared God. They said: "Our Lord! Why have you ordered us to fight? Could you not grant us a brief respite?"... (An-Nisa, 77)

 

Apart from the feelings of love and fear, there are other attitudes leading man to idolatry.

 

The basis of idolatry is the preference for a person, or a thing over God, for instance, to prefer somebody's approval to God's, to fear somebody as one fears God or to love him as one loves God…Or to do for an idol what he doesn't do for God, or to make a sacrifice which he does not do for God's approval.

 

Given the foregoing arguments, it would be a shallow interpretation indeed to define idolatry as the worship of statues. This is surely an argument used by unbelievers to justify their stance. According to their explanation, idolatry ceased when the idols in the Ka'ba were broken at the time the message of Islam was communicated. If this argument were true, then the hundreds of verses warning believers against idolatry, and providing a detailed explanation about it, would have relevance only to a few primitive tribes in our day-a piece of a reasoning quite contradictory to the essence of the Qur'an. Furthermore from the Qur'an which will prevail until the Day of Judgement we understand that, in every age, pagans lived together side by side with believers. The related verse follows:

 

Strongest among men in enmity to the believers you will find the Jews and Pagans... (Al-Maeda, 82)

 

Turn back in repentance to God, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and do not be among those who associate other gods with God Turn to Him, be careful of your duty to Him, be steadfast in prayer and do not be of the polytheists, who split up their religion, and become (mere) sects, each party rejoicing in its own beliefs! (Ar-Rum, 31-32)

 

As the verses suggest, one of the most significant characteristics of polytheistic societies is their approach to true religion; they reject some commandments of the religion revealed by God and hence form divisions within the religion. The members of these divisions assume themselves to be on the right path and fight with one another. However, it should be kept in mind that even a minor diversion from the Qur'an is an addition or alteration to what God has revealed, and consequently a source of polytheism.

 

In the verses below it is stated that no deed of the pagans is accepted by God; even their prayers and worship:

 

But it has already been revealed to you, as it was to those who went before you, "If you were to associate other gods with God, truly fruitless would your work in life be," and you would surely be in the ranks of those who lose all spiritual good". (Az-Zumar, 65)

 

Out of what God has produced in abundance in tilth and in cattle, they assigned Him a share: they say, according to their fancies: "This is for God, and this for our partners!" But the share of their "partners" does not reach God, whilst the share of God reaches their "partners" ! Evil and unjust is their judgement! (Al-Anaam, 136)

 

A believer may commit various sins. However, behind these sins, there is no question of a revolt or a similar intention or act against God. What makes idolatry different from other sins is that, in contrast to the other sins, idolatry assigns another god besides God and invents a lie against Him. Thus idolatry is the greatest sin. It is in a way a manifestation of disrespect to God.

 

Accordingly, God mentions in the Qur'an that He will forgive any sin except idolatry:

 

God does not forgive those who set up partners with Him; but He forgive to whom He pleases; for anything else; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. (An-Nisa, 48)

 

God does not forgive the sin of associating other gods with Him; but He forgives whom He pleases for sins other than this: one who associates other gods with God, has strayed far, far away (from the right). (An-Nisa, 116)

 

Therefore in many verses of the Qur'an, God warns believers against idolatry and deters them from this greatest sin. The Qur'an explains idolatry in detail:

 

O you who believe! Truly, the Pagans are unclean... (At-Tawba, 28)

Being true in faith to God, and never assigning partners to Him: if anyone assigns partners to God, it is as if he had fallen from heaven and been snatched up by birds, or the wind had swooped (like a bird on its prey) and carried him off to far-distant place. (Al-Hajj, 31)

Turn back in repentance to God, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and do not be among those who associate other gods with God. (Ar- Rum, 30)

Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! Serve no other deity besides God: for false worship is indeed the greatest wrong-doing." (Luqman, 13)

Say: "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your God is one God: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him do what is right, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner." (Al-Kahf, 110)

 

Anything, living or non-living, which the pagans assign as partners to God by no means possess any divine attributes.

 

God states in the Qur'an that these partners can neither harm them nor profit them (Jonah, 18), cannot create anything (Jonah, 34, Al-Araf, 191), they cannot help anyone, not even themselves (Al-Araf, 192), and cannot lead to the righteous way (Jonah, 35). Despite their all being inherently weak, these "partners with God" are set up by pagans. The main reason for such an attitude is the fact that God bestows some of His attributes upon these beings.

 

The authority, sovereignty, supremacy, and prosperity a person possesses, for instance, truly belong to God. As a trial, God grants some of his attributes to some people in this life. Attributing all the power, possessions, etc. to a person's personality, and thus showing fear for him, would be merely associating partners with God. That person is neither a divine being nor someone who possesses the power to attain anything by himself. At this point, we hardly need mention that these are only imaginary beings one creates in one's own mind. In the Qur'an it is described thus:

 

Behold! Truly to God belong all creatures, in the heavens and on earth. What do they follow who worship as His "partners" other than God? They follow nothing but fancy, and they do nothing but lie. (Jonah, 66)

 

A person who worships someone other than God will live to regret his delay in understanding that those partners had no virtues whatsoever. Those partners, whom they preferred to God in this life, will lead them to a great grief in the Hereafter. Those partners are also the main reasons why pagans take God, Who has the sole power, honor, and glory, and Who is also the only One to be taken as the Protector, as their enemy. On the Day of Judgment , their fate will be as narrated in the following verses:

 

One day shall We gather them all together. Then we shall say to the idolaters, "To your place! You and those you associated with us as 'partners'. We shall separate them, and their "partners" will say: "It was not us that you worshipped! God is sufficient for a witness between us and you: we certainly knew nothing of your worship of us!" There every soul will prove the fruits of the deeds it sent before it: they will be brought back to God their rightful Lord, and their invented falsehoods will leave them in the lurch. (Jonah 28-30)

 

Then they will be asked: "Where are the deities to which you gave part-worship in derogation of God?" They will reply: "They have left us in the lurch: Nay, we did not invoke of old, anything that had real existence." Thus God leaves the unbelievers to stray. (Al-Ghafir 73-74)

 

The Qur'an defines the end of the pagans as follows:

 

But when they saw Our punishment, they said: "We believe in God, the one God and we reject the partners we used to associate with Him." But their professing the faith when they actually saw Our punishment was not going to profit them. Such has been God's way of dealing with His servants from the most ancient times. And so the rejecters of God perished utterly! (Al-Ghafir, 84-85)

Jul 03, 2005



http://us1.harunyahya.com/Detail/T/EDCRFV/productId/3424/IDOLATRY_IN_OUR_AGE


From the Humble Servant of The Lord .. Mohamad Azhaari Shah Sulaiman

Idolatry in our age

 

Idolatry in our age

S'hirk',the word used for idolatry in Arabic means "partnership/association".

 

In the Qur'an, to practise idolatry is to associate any other being, any other person, or concept with God, considering them to be equal to God, and to act upon this unsound belief.

 

In translations of the Qur'an, idolatry is explained as "associating a partner with God". It is expressed thus: "having another god besides God", or "worshipping another god besides God".

 

In its broadest sense, idolatry is to adhere to principles and values, or pursue a life style other than is consistent with the teachings and moral values of the Qur'an. Someone adopting such principles simply sets up the person laying down these principles as a partner to God. This person may be anyone; his father, grandfather, an ancestor he may so exalt the society he is a member of, the founders of an ideology, a philosophy or its followers. In this broad sense of idolatry, someone adhering to a different way of living other than the Qur'an, simply practices idolatry. He may call himself an atheist, Christian, or Jew. He may even appear to be a Muslim, performing his regular prayers, fasting and obeying the laws of Islam. Nevertheless, anyone harboring a thought or judgment opposing the Qur'an is a mere idolater; by such a stance he simply manifests his acceptance of the existence of a ruler other than God.

 

Idolatry does not essentially require an absolute denial of the existence of God. Rather, the majority of the idolaters avoid explicitly accepting such an attribute or "title". Never scrupulous in conduct, they deceive themselves throughout their lives. On the Day of Judgment, they still reject being involved in idolatry. The stance they adopt is explained in the following verse:

 

One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us): "Where are the partners whom you (invented and) talked about?" There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: "By God, our Lord, we were not those who associated other gods with God."Behold! How they lie against their own souls ! But the (lie) which they invented will leave them in the lurch. (al-Ana'am, 22-24)

 

An idolater does not necessarily have to make "declarations". You will certainly never hear a statement like this: "I hereby take this divine being as a god besides God and I swear an oath of loyalty to him." Idolatry resides primarily, in the heart and is then disclosed through word and deed. From the standpoint of the Qur'an, having a preference for a being other than God underlies it. Giving preference to the will of some person over the Will of God, for instance, fear of other people rather than fear of God, or an attachment to some person rather than to Him are examples of idolatry described in the Qur'an.

 

From the foregoing, it is clear that idolatry is the diversion of the feeling of "love" from God to other beings. The strong attachment formed to idols is explained in the following verse:

 

Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides God, as equal (with God): They love them as they should love God. But those of the Faith are overflowing in their love for God. If only the unrighteous could see, behold, they would see the penalty: that to God belongs all power, and God will sternly enforce the penalty. (Surah Al-Baqara, 2:165)

 

This verse makes it clear that "love" given to the wrong people lays the basis for "worshipping others than God" as well as idolatry. Unlike believers, unbelievers can never maintain an intimate relation with their Creator. They love either themselves or others, or both; they share out their love among their fathers, sons, brothers, wives, husbands, lovers, the people they are surrounded by, and so on. As well as for people, unbelievers feel attachment for non-living things, or rather concepts like money, possessions, houses, cars, status, prestige, etc.

 

The superior and gorgeous properties of all living things and non-living things alike, are mere reflections of the infinite attributes of God. The unique possessor of these features is God and therefore the only One worthy of loyalty, devotion and love. Feeling an attachment then for anything other than God is mere association of partners with God.

 

In another verse, in the words of prophet Abraham, it is asserted that unbelievers leave God and strengthen the bond with their idols:

 

And he said: "You have taken (for worship) idols besides God, out of mutual love and regard between yourselves in this life; but on the Day of Judgment you shall disown and curse each other: and your abode will be the Fire, and you shall have none to help you." (Al-Ankaboot, 25)

 

Passion for women is the most striking example of ascribing partners to God in terms of love. The woman in question can be anyone-a spouse, a girl friend, or even a woman to whom one is platonically attracted. In consequence, if the love felt for a woman makes a man drift apart from God, makes him see a woman as equal to or at a higher level than God, then this is explicitly "ascribing partners to God." Such a mentality, assumed to be innocent behavior in society, has serious consequences, however, in the presence of God:

 

(The Pagans), leaving Him, call but upon female deities: they call but upon Satan the persistent rebel! (An-Nisa, 117)

 

This point of view also holds true for women. This type of love, unacceptable in the presence of God, is however encouraged in modern societies under the "innocent" rubrics of "love", "romanticism" or "dating." The indoctrination of romanticism- especially targeting young people-has devastating effects upon new generations. This is surely a great hindrance to the healthy development of the youthful mind and consciousness. As a result of this indoctrination, generations devoid of understanding, come into being. In such circumstances, the members of society live in a total unawareness of the purpose of their existence on Earth, and the exigencies of their religion and faith. Such people simply cling to an ignorant way of living and lead their lives without knowing what love of God or fear of God really means.

 

Another reason for the individual to drift into shirk is fear. Just like love, fear should be felt only for God. One who feels or shows fear for created beings simply attributes individual might to them. This is idolatry, pure and simple.

 

God has said:

 

"Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just One God: then fear Me (and Me alone)." To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth, and to Him is duty due always: then will you fear other than God? (An-Nahl, 51-52)

 

Unbelievers go in great fear of other people. This is narrated in the Qur'an:

 

...When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! A section of them feared men as - or even more than - they should have feared God. They said: "Our Lord! Why have you ordered us to fight? Could you not grant us a brief respite?"... (An-Nisa, 77)

 

Apart from the feelings of love and fear, there are other attitudes leading man to idolatry.

 

The basis of idolatry is the preference for a person, or a thing over God, for instance, to prefer somebody's approval to God's, to fear somebody as one fears God or to love him as one loves God…Or to do for an idol what he doesn't do for God, or to make a sacrifice which he does not do for God's approval.

 

Given the foregoing arguments, it would be a shallow interpretation indeed to define idolatry as the worship of statues. This is surely an argument used by unbelievers to justify their stance. According to their explanation, idolatry ceased when the idols in the Ka'ba were broken at the time the message of Islam was communicated. If this argument were true, then the hundreds of verses warning believers against idolatry, and providing a detailed explanation about it, would have relevance only to a few primitive tribes in our day-a piece of a reasoning quite contradictory to the essence of the Qur'an. Furthermore from the Qur'an which will prevail until the Day of Judgement we understand that, in every age, pagans lived together side by side with believers. The related verse follows:

 

Strongest among men in enmity to the believers you will find the Jews and Pagans... (Al-Maeda, 82)

 

Turn back in repentance to God, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and do not be among those who associate other gods with God Turn to Him, be careful of your duty to Him, be steadfast in prayer and do not be of the polytheists, who split up their religion, and become (mere) sects, each party rejoicing in its own beliefs! (Ar-Rum, 31-32)

 

As the verses suggest, one of the most significant characteristics of polytheistic societies is their approach to true religion; they reject some commandments of the religion revealed by God and hence form divisions within the religion. The members of these divisions assume themselves to be on the right path and fight with one another. However, it should be kept in mind that even a minor diversion from the Qur'an is an addition or alteration to what God has revealed, and consequently a source of polytheism.

 

In the verses below it is stated that no deed of the pagans is accepted by God; even their prayers and worship:

 

But it has already been revealed to you, as it was to those who went before you, "If you were to associate other gods with God, truly fruitless would your work in life be," and you would surely be in the ranks of those who lose all spiritual good". (Az-Zumar, 65)

 

Out of what God has produced in abundance in tilth and in cattle, they assigned Him a share: they say, according to their fancies: "This is for God, and this for our partners!" But the share of their "partners" does not reach God, whilst the share of God reaches their "partners" ! Evil and unjust is their judgement! (Al-Anaam, 136)

 

A believer may commit various sins. However, behind these sins, there is no question of a revolt or a similar intention or act against God. What makes idolatry different from other sins is that, in contrast to the other sins, idolatry assigns another god besides God and invents a lie against Him. Thus idolatry is the greatest sin. It is in a way a manifestation of disrespect to God.

 

Accordingly, God mentions in the Qur'an that He will forgive any sin except idolatry:

 

God does not forgive those who set up partners with Him; but He forgive to whom He pleases; for anything else; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. (An-Nisa, 48)

 

God does not forgive the sin of associating other gods with Him; but He forgives whom He pleases for sins other than this: one who associates other gods with God, has strayed far, far away (from the right). (An-Nisa, 116)

 

Therefore in many verses of the Qur'an, God warns believers against idolatry and deters them from this greatest sin. The Qur'an explains idolatry in detail:

 

O you who believe! Truly, the Pagans are unclean... (At-Tawba, 28)

Being true in faith to God, and never assigning partners to Him: if anyone assigns partners to God, it is as if he had fallen from heaven and been snatched up by birds, or the wind had swooped (like a bird on its prey) and carried him off to far-distant place. (Al-Hajj, 31)

Turn back in repentance to God, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and do not be among those who associate other gods with God. (Ar- Rum, 30)

Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! Serve no other deity besides God: for false worship is indeed the greatest wrong-doing." (Luqman, 13)

Say: "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your God is one God: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him do what is right, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner." (Al-Kahf, 110)

 

Anything, living or non-living, which the pagans assign as partners to God by no means possess any divine attributes.

 

God states in the Qur'an that these partners can neither harm them nor profit them (Jonah, 18), cannot create anything (Jonah, 34, Al-Araf, 191), they cannot help anyone, not even themselves (Al-Araf, 192), and cannot lead to the righteous way (Jonah, 35). Despite their all being inherently weak, these "partners with God" are set up by pagans. The main reason for such an attitude is the fact that God bestows some of His attributes upon these beings.

 

The authority, sovereignty, supremacy, and prosperity a person possesses, for instance, truly belong to God. As a trial, God grants some of his attributes to some people in this life. Attributing all the power, possessions, etc. to a person's personality, and thus showing fear for him, would be merely associating partners with God. That person is neither a divine being nor someone who possesses the power to attain anything by himself. At this point, we hardly need mention that these are only imaginary beings one creates in one's own mind. In the Qur'an it is described thus:

 

Behold! Truly to God belong all creatures, in the heavens and on earth. What do they follow who worship as His "partners" other than God? They follow nothing but fancy, and they do nothing but lie. (Jonah, 66)

 

A person who worships someone other than God will live to regret his delay in understanding that those partners had no virtues whatsoever. Those partners, whom they preferred to God in this life, will lead them to a great grief in the Hereafter. Those partners are also the main reasons why pagans take God, Who has the sole power, honor, and glory, and Who is also the only One to be taken as the Protector, as their enemy. On the Day of Judgment , their fate will be as narrated in the following verses:

 

One day shall We gather them all together. Then we shall say to the idolaters, "To your place! You and those you associated with us as 'partners'. We shall separate them, and their "partners" will say: "It was not us that you worshipped! God is sufficient for a witness between us and you: we certainly knew nothing of your worship of us!" There every soul will prove the fruits of the deeds it sent before it: they will be brought back to God their rightful Lord, and their invented falsehoods will leave them in the lurch. (Jonah 28-30)

 

Then they will be asked: "Where are the deities to which you gave part-worship in derogation of God?" They will reply: "They have left us in the lurch: Nay, we did not invoke of old, anything that had real existence." Thus God leaves the unbelievers to stray. (Al-Ghafir 73-74)

 

The Qur'an defines the end of the pagans as follows:

 

But when they saw Our punishment, they said: "We believe in God, the one God and we reject the partners we used to associate with Him." But their professing the faith when they actually saw Our punishment was not going to profit them. Such has been God's way of dealing with His servants from the most ancient times. And so the rejecters of God perished utterly! (Al-Ghafir, 84-85)

Jul 03, 2005



http://us1.harunyahya.com/Detail/T/EDCRFV/productId/3424/IDOLATRY_IN_OUR_AGE


From the Humble Servant of The Lord .. Mohamad Azhaari Shah Sulaiman

 

Idolatry in our age

S'hirk',the word used for idolatry in Arabic means "partnership/association".

 

In the Qur'an, to practise idolatry is to associate any other being, any other person, or concept with God, considering them to be equal to God, and to act upon this unsound belief.

 

In translations of the Qur'an, idolatry is explained as "associating a partner with God". It is expressed thus: "having another god besides God", or "worshipping another god besides God".

 

In its broadest sense, idolatry is to adhere to principles and values, or pursue a life style other than is consistent with the teachings and moral values of the Qur'an. Someone adopting such principles simply sets up the person laying down these principles as a partner to God. This person may be anyone; his father, grandfather, an ancestor he may so exalt the society he is a member of, the founders of an ideology, a philosophy or its followers. In this broad sense of idolatry, someone adhering to a different way of living other than the Qur'an, simply practices idolatry. He may call himself an atheist, Christian, or Jew. He may even appear to be a Muslim, performing his regular prayers, fasting and obeying the laws of Islam. Nevertheless, anyone harboring a thought or judgment opposing the Qur'an is a mere idolater; by such a stance he simply manifests his acceptance of the existence of a ruler other than God.

 

Idolatry does not essentially require an absolute denial of the existence of God. Rather, the majority of the idolaters avoid explicitly accepting such an attribute or "title". Never scrupulous in conduct, they deceive themselves throughout their lives. On the Day of Judgment, they still reject being involved in idolatry. The stance they adopt is explained in the following verse:

 

One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us): "Where are the partners whom you (invented and) talked about?" There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: "By God, our Lord, we were not those who associated other gods with God."Behold! How they lie against their own souls ! But the (lie) which they invented will leave them in the lurch. (al-Ana'am, 22-24)

 

An idolater does not necessarily have to make "declarations". You will certainly never hear a statement like this: "I hereby take this divine being as a god besides God and I swear an oath of loyalty to him." Idolatry resides primarily, in the heart and is then disclosed through word and deed. From the standpoint of the Qur'an, having a preference for a being other than God underlies it. Giving preference to the will of some person over the Will of God, for instance, fear of other people rather than fear of God, or an attachment to some person rather than to Him are examples of idolatry described in the Qur'an.

 

From the foregoing, it is clear that idolatry is the diversion of the feeling of "love" from God to other beings. The strong attachment formed to idols is explained in the following verse:

 

Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides God, as equal (with God): They love them as they should love God. But those of the Faith are overflowing in their love for God. If only the unrighteous could see, behold, they would see the penalty: that to God belongs all power, and God will sternly enforce the penalty. (Surah Al-Baqara, 2:165)

 

This verse makes it clear that "love" given to the wrong people lays the basis for "worshipping others than God" as well as idolatry. Unlike believers, unbelievers can never maintain an intimate relation with their Creator. They love either themselves or others, or both; they share out their love among their fathers, sons, brothers, wives, husbands, lovers, the people they are surrounded by, and so on. As well as for people, unbelievers feel attachment for non-living things, or rather concepts like money, possessions, houses, cars, status, prestige, etc.

 

The superior and gorgeous properties of all living things and non-living things alike, are mere reflections of the infinite attributes of God. The unique possessor of these features is God and therefore the only One worthy of loyalty, devotion and love. Feeling an attachment then for anything other than God is mere association of partners with God.

 

In another verse, in the words of prophet Abraham, it is asserted that unbelievers leave God and strengthen the bond with their idols:

 

And he said: "You have taken (for worship) idols besides God, out of mutual love and regard between yourselves in this life; but on the Day of Judgment you shall disown and curse each other: and your abode will be the Fire, and you shall have none to help you." (Al-Ankaboot, 25)

 

Passion for women is the most striking example of ascribing partners to God in terms of love. The woman in question can be anyone-a spouse, a girl friend, or even a woman to whom one is platonically attracted. In consequence, if the love felt for a woman makes a man drift apart from God, makes him see a woman as equal to or at a higher level than God, then this is explicitly "ascribing partners to God." Such a mentality, assumed to be innocent behavior in society, has serious consequences, however, in the presence of God:

 

(The Pagans), leaving Him, call but upon female deities: they call but upon Satan the persistent rebel! (An-Nisa, 117)

 

This point of view also holds true for women. This type of love, unacceptable in the presence of God, is however encouraged in modern societies under the "innocent" rubrics of "love", "romanticism" or "dating." The indoctrination of romanticism- especially targeting young people-has devastating effects upon new generations. This is surely a great hindrance to the healthy development of the youthful mind and consciousness. As a result of this indoctrination, generations devoid of understanding, come into being. In such circumstances, the members of society live in a total unawareness of the purpose of their existence on Earth, and the exigencies of their religion and faith. Such people simply cling to an ignorant way of living and lead their lives without knowing what love of God or fear of God really means.

 

Another reason for the individual to drift into shirk is fear. Just like love, fear should be felt only for God. One who feels or shows fear for created beings simply attributes individual might to them. This is idolatry, pure and simple.

 

God has said:

 

"Take not (for worship) two gods: for He is just One God: then fear Me (and Me alone)." To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth, and to Him is duty due always: then will you fear other than God? (An-Nahl, 51-52)

 

Unbelievers go in great fear of other people. This is narrated in the Qur'an:

 

...When (at length) the order for fighting was issued to them, behold! A section of them feared men as - or even more than - they should have feared God. They said: "Our Lord! Why have you ordered us to fight? Could you not grant us a brief respite?"... (An-Nisa, 77)

 

Apart from the feelings of love and fear, there are other attitudes leading man to idolatry.

 

The basis of idolatry is the preference for a person, or a thing over God, for instance, to prefer somebody's approval to God's, to fear somebody as one fears God or to love him as one loves God…Or to do for an idol what he doesn't do for God, or to make a sacrifice which he does not do for God's approval.

 

Given the foregoing arguments, it would be a shallow interpretation indeed to define idolatry as the worship of statues. This is surely an argument used by unbelievers to justify their stance. According to their explanation, idolatry ceased when the idols in the Ka'ba were broken at the time the message of Islam was communicated. If this argument were true, then the hundreds of verses warning believers against idolatry, and providing a detailed explanation about it, would have relevance only to a few primitive tribes in our day-a piece of a reasoning quite contradictory to the essence of the Qur'an. Furthermore from the Qur'an which will prevail until the Day of Judgement we understand that, in every age, pagans lived together side by side with believers. The related verse follows:

 

Strongest among men in enmity to the believers you will find the Jews and Pagans... (Al-Maeda, 82)

 

Turn back in repentance to God, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and do not be among those who associate other gods with God Turn to Him, be careful of your duty to Him, be steadfast in prayer and do not be of the polytheists, who split up their religion, and become (mere) sects, each party rejoicing in its own beliefs! (Ar-Rum, 31-32)

 

As the verses suggest, one of the most significant characteristics of polytheistic societies is their approach to true religion; they reject some commandments of the religion revealed by God and hence form divisions within the religion. The members of these divisions assume themselves to be on the right path and fight with one another. However, it should be kept in mind that even a minor diversion from the Qur'an is an addition or alteration to what God has revealed, and consequently a source of polytheism.

 

In the verses below it is stated that no deed of the pagans is accepted by God; even their prayers and worship:

 

But it has already been revealed to you, as it was to those who went before you, "If you were to associate other gods with God, truly fruitless would your work in life be," and you would surely be in the ranks of those who lose all spiritual good". (Az-Zumar, 65)

 

Out of what God has produced in abundance in tilth and in cattle, they assigned Him a share: they say, according to their fancies: "This is for God, and this for our partners!" But the share of their "partners" does not reach God, whilst the share of God reaches their "partners" ! Evil and unjust is their judgement! (Al-Anaam, 136)

 

A believer may commit various sins. However, behind these sins, there is no question of a revolt or a similar intention or act against God. What makes idolatry different from other sins is that, in contrast to the other sins, idolatry assigns another god besides God and invents a lie against Him. Thus idolatry is the greatest sin. It is in a way a manifestation of disrespect to God.

 

Accordingly, God mentions in the Qur'an that He will forgive any sin except idolatry:

 

God does not forgive those who set up partners with Him; but He forgive to whom He pleases; for anything else; to set up partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. (An-Nisa, 48)

 

God does not forgive the sin of associating other gods with Him; but He forgives whom He pleases for sins other than this: one who associates other gods with God, has strayed far, far away (from the right). (An-Nisa, 116)

 

Therefore in many verses of the Qur'an, God warns believers against idolatry and deters them from this greatest sin. The Qur'an explains idolatry in detail:

 

O you who believe! Truly, the Pagans are unclean... (At-Tawba, 28)

Being true in faith to God, and never assigning partners to Him: if anyone assigns partners to God, it is as if he had fallen from heaven and been snatched up by birds, or the wind had swooped (like a bird on its prey) and carried him off to far-distant place. (Al-Hajj, 31)

Turn back in repentance to God, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and do not be among those who associate other gods with God. (Ar- Rum, 30)

Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! Serve no other deity besides God: for false worship is indeed the greatest wrong-doing." (Luqman, 13)

Say: "I am but a man like yourselves, (but) the inspiration has come to me, that your God is one God: whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him do what is right, and, in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner." (Al-Kahf, 110)

 

Anything, living or non-living, which the pagans assign as partners to God by no means possess any divine attributes.

 

God states in the Qur'an that these partners can neither harm them nor profit them (Jonah, 18), cannot create anything (Jonah, 34, Al-Araf, 191), they cannot help anyone, not even themselves (Al-Araf, 192), and cannot lead to the righteous way (Jonah, 35). Despite their all being inherently weak, these "partners with God" are set up by pagans. The main reason for such an attitude is the fact that God bestows some of His attributes upon these beings.

 

The authority, sovereignty, supremacy, and prosperity a person possesses, for instance, truly belong to God. As a trial, God grants some of his attributes to some people in this life. Attributing all the power, possessions, etc. to a person's personality, and thus showing fear for him, would be merely associating partners with God. That person is neither a divine being nor someone who possesses the power to attain anything by himself. At this point, we hardly need mention that these are only imaginary beings one creates in one's own mind. In the Qur'an it is described thus:

 

Behold! Truly to God belong all creatures, in the heavens and on earth. What do they follow who worship as His "partners" other than God? They follow nothing but fancy, and they do nothing but lie. (Jonah, 66)

 

A person who worships someone other than God will live to regret his delay in understanding that those partners had no virtues whatsoever. Those partners, whom they preferred to God in this life, will lead them to a great grief in the Hereafter. Those partners are also the main reasons why pagans take God, Who has the sole power, honor, and glory, and Who is also the only One to be taken as the Protector, as their enemy. On the Day of Judgment , their fate will be as narrated in the following verses:

 

One day shall We gather them all together. Then we shall say to the idolaters, "To your place! You and those you associated with us as 'partners'. We shall separate them, and their "partners" will say: "It was not us that you worshipped! God is sufficient for a witness between us and you: we certainly knew nothing of your worship of us!" There every soul will prove the fruits of the deeds it sent before it: they will be brought back to God their rightful Lord, and their invented falsehoods will leave them in the lurch. (Jonah 28-30)

 

Then they will be asked: "Where are the deities to which you gave part-worship in derogation of God?" They will reply: "They have left us in the lurch: Nay, we did not invoke of old, anything that had real existence." Thus God leaves the unbelievers to stray. (Al-Ghafir 73-74)

 

The Qur'an defines the end of the pagans as follows:

 

But when they saw Our punishment, they said: "We believe in God, the one God and we reject the partners we used to associate with Him." But their professing the faith when they actually saw Our punishment was not going to profit them. Such has been God's way of dealing with His servants from the most ancient times. And so the rejecters of God perished utterly! (Al-Ghafir, 84-85)

Jul 03, 2005



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From the Humble Servant of The Lord .. Mohamad Azhaari Shah Sulaiman

It is unacceptable not to speak of the system of the Mahdi when the activities of the system of the dajjal are talked about every day

It is unacceptable not to speak of the system of the Mahdi when the activities of the system of the dajjal are talked about every day

According to the information in the hadiths, the second coming of the Prophet Jesus (as), the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and the coming of the dajjal will all take place at the same time.

The Hijri 1400s are the time of Hazrat Mahdi (as). Our Prophet (saas) said that Hazrat Mahdi (as) would begin work in Hijri 1400. The dajjal, the negative power opposed to the system of the Mahdi will also be at work as of Hijri 1400:

A most significant event has taken place at the beginning of every century since the world was created. AT THE BEGINNING OF ONE CENTURY [Hijri 1400] THE DAJJAL WILL APPEAR AND Jesus (as), son of Maryam will descend to Earth and make him ineffective. (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 90)

The system of the dajjal and the Mahdi are around in the present day, one active as a negative force and the other positive. It is therefore essential that the systems of the dajjal and the Mahdi be kept on the agenda. The conflicts, fighting, anarchy and terror everywhere in the world are proof that the system of the dajjal is in charge. The activities and work of the system of the dajjal are described every day in the newspapers and on the television. Everyone hears about the cruel activities of the system of the dajjal that inflict suffering every day and the scourges it causes. It is essential, when propaganda for the activities of the negative force is being made every day, for the activities of the positive force, the system of the Mahdi, to be described every day. It is unacceptable not to mention the system of the Mahdi while the system of the dajjal is active and at work every day. It is unacceptable to say, “I don’t want to hear about the system of the Mahdi, don’t tell me.” That is equivalent to saying, “let the oppression of the system of the dajjal continue, it is no concern of ours.” It is equivalent to saying, “Let the blood of Muslims be spilled, let terror escalate, let our soldiers and police be martyred, let there be conflicts, it is no concern of ours.” The more intense the system of the dajjal, the more intensely the system of the Mahdi must be kept on the agenda. The system of the dajjal has begun escalating, but the system of the Mahdi is growing in the same way.
 

The Dajjal Incites Anarchy and Terror

The increasing violence in the world, the torture, anarchy, wars, conflicts, slaughter, oppression and state and organized terror all show that the dajjal is at work and directing this corruption. The dajjal is now literally showing off with its power, working day and night. It is unacceptable, when the system of the dajjal is so active, shedding blood across the world, inflicting terror on Turkey, not to concentrate on the force that is opposed to it, the system of the Mahdi, and that will put an end to the system of the dajjal. The system of the Mahdi that opposes the system of the dajjal must be maintained on the agenda.

It is revealed in hadiths how there will be a rise in death and disorder, how these will wrack the whole world, when the system of the dajjal is at work:

(At that time) There will be much CORRUPTION, DISORDER AND REBELLION, and people will KILL ONE ANOTHER. People will take their own lives and the world will be filled with sorrow. The accursed dajjal will appear at such a troubled time... (Ash-Sharani, Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 482)

 The system of the dajjal is the reason for:

Translation of the clippings:

Another police station targeted We are all Mehmet Tensions over three martyrs in hatay A dangerous escalation Another martyr falls victim to mines in dağlıca... The fires keep burning

  

An11-year-old student attacked his school with a gun The crisis will be hugely damaging to the world He pulled out the fingernails of a 4-year-old child The global financial crisis is a divine warning Gags of thieves are springing up everywhere The world is wracked by terror He killed his daughter to avoid paying alimony

 

Occupying Bulgarian troops are also persecuting the Afghan people Slaughter in Palestine China has massacred 5,000 people in East Turkestan 87 thousand Chechens have been slaughtered Iraq is weeping Iraqis are facing poverty and starvation First torture, then slaughter – Iraq: Another word for savagery Baghdad is burning

  

Hostility toward Islam is at a peak Myanmar is oppressing Christians

 

 Some of the hadiths that reveal how the dajjal will shed blood and inflict scourges read:

At a time when the world will be in utter confusion and disorder, when murders and tribulation appears... when roads will be cut, when some attack some others... (Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 454)

  

He said: “The Day of Judgment will draw nigh, good deeds will be lacking, people will adopt excessive parsimony and greed, and there will be much turmoil.” The companions asked, “What is turmoil?” “Killing, killing!” replied the Prophet (saas). (Bukhari, Vol. 13, p. 6023)

In the Qur’an, Allah has revealed the existence of people who create confusion and damage order, who organize evil and who constantly seek to incite war. In one verse it is stated that: 
 

... … Each time they kindle the fire of war, Allah extinguishes it. They rush about the earth corrupting it. Allah does not love corrupters. (Surat Al-Ma’ida, 64)

The dajjal is the leading representative of this immorality. He uses violence, terror and anarchy as weapons of oppression in order to create greater bloodshed. In other hadiths it is reported that killing will increase in the End Times, and that wars incited by the dajjal will lay waste all places:

There is no place in which the dajjal will not vanquish armies.. (Muslim, Vol. 8, p. 500)

 The tactics employed by the dajjal to spread anarchy and terror

In his works, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi explained the tactics employed by the dajjal to spread anarchy and terror. Bediuzzaman tells us that:

The great dajjal will prepare the way for ANARCHY and Gog and Magog by damaging the unificatory elements that manage the social lives of Christians through the indoctrination of satan and eliminating the stipulations of Christianity…By seeking to eradicate one eternal part of the law of Muhammad (Qur’anic moral values imparted by the Prophet (saas)) using earthly desires and satanic deceptions, he will seek to dissolve such radiant chains as respect and compassion by leaving people at the mercy of obstinate, drunken and random earthly desires; HE WILL PRODUCE AN INTENSE ANARCHY BY CREATING A COMPULSORY AND OPPRESSIVE FREEDOM for people to attack one another in the swamp of their earthly passions, AT THAT TIME THOSE PEOPLE CAN NOT BE TAKEN UNDER CONTROL BY MEANS OF ANY OTHER WAY OTHER THAN A SEVERE OPPRESSION..(Rays of Light, p. 592)

Bediuzzaman describes how the dajjal will achieve this objective:

1. By causing people to follow their earthly desires

.. By seeking to eradicate one eternal part of the law of Muhammad (Qur’anic moral values imparted by the Prophet (saas)) using earthly desires and satanic deceptions …

As the Master indicates, the dajjal will cause people to turn away from implementing religious moral values. He will inculcate the idea of following their earthy desires rather than their consciences.

 

2. By eliminating respect and compassion among people

...By damaging the physical and spiritual unificatory elements of human life and dissolving such radiant chains as respect and compassion by leaving people at the mercy of obstinate, drunken and random desires.

The devotion, willingness to assist others, affection, compassion, love and modesty, elements of the moral values commanded by Allah are factors that strengthen people physically and spiritually, bind them together, and establish order and solidarity in society. The dajjal will damage this order by means of indoctrination that eliminates these elements. The Master is indicating this here.

 

3. By keeping people under pressure

...He will produce an intense anarchy by creating a compulsory and oppressive freedom for people to assault one another in the swamp of earthly passions, at that time those people can not be taken under control by any means of any other way other than a severe oppression…  

In these words, the Master is noting that in an earthly climate established by the dajjal people will imagine themselves to be free, but that he will actually keep them under pressure and control. In the system inculcated by the dajjal most people think they lead so-called modern and free lives by following their lower-selves. Their tastes, amusements, conversation and even clothing and the food they eat represent the same conception in line with the life style to which they are directed. The dajjal’s aim is thus to leave society ignorant and unable to think, reflect or evaluate. Because it is a very easy matter to lead the ignorant. In addition, in this system based on earthly desires people are led not by their mind and conscience, but by desires and passions, which results in terrible confusion.


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From the Humble Servant of The Lord .. Mohamad Azhaari Shah Sulaiman