Here you will learn about Islamic truths, myths and misconceptions as well as a growing level of Islamic education taken from reliable sources.  Be free to comment, suggest or ask questions.

Ask yourself these questions:

Are you ready to die?
If you died today, where do you think you’ll be – Paradise or Hellfire?
Do you have more good deeds than bad?
Would anyone have a claim against you?
Have you oppressed anyone, not given someone their rights, backbit someone?

Are you prepared for the consequences of having disease in your heart?
Do you think you’ll answer your questions right (the answers will be 
coming from your heart, not your mind)?

When you think about dying, you worry about how the children will 
manage, how your husband will manage with the home, but how about how 
you will manage?
Worrying about them will not be your concern in your grave.

Have you done anything worthy of Allah’s mercy-
Any good deed to be granted Paradise for (by Allah’s mercy)?

What if this test you may be going through right now is the only chance 
you have for gaining Allah’s Pleasure, Forgiveness, and Mercy? – You 
have to succeed in it.

What if when you die, you realize there is no iman in your heart?
Are you doing anything about that now?

Prepare for death, Your Hereafter.

Live like you want to go to Jannah.

Quilts are made up of small pieces of material sewn together

Just as bits and pieces of material can be turned into a beautiful work of art in a quilt, so can bits and pieces of knowledge be woven into who we are, shaping our character into a beautiful person whom Allah will be pleased with.

The Bits & Pieces page contains a random set of posts which are either hadith, fatwas or other general education items about Islam for those who are interested in learning more in small bites at a time. All references are give where possible.  Main topics will be highlighted for ease in skimming if possible.  I hope that you enjoy the short topics provided and gain benefit from them.

Treatment of slaves and servants

(1) General teachings of the Prophet (S.A.W.)

Slavery was a common practice in Arabia , and almost all over the world, before the time of Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W.). Victorious nations of the time considered the people captured by them, in battle, as a “commodity” – not as human beings – and used them mercilessly for their own advantage.

The beloved Prophet of Islam (S.A.W.) urged and encouraged the people to free the slaves, by declaring the freeing of slaves an act of highest virtue and an act by which sins are forgiven.  On the other hand he enjoined on all not to drive them like animals.  He explained that their basic needs, like food and clothing, should be taken care of in a deserving manner.

He, in fact, constantly warned the Muslims that they will be called to account, in the hereafter, if they failed in their duty to be just and merciful to the slaves and servants.  He emphasized this to such an extent that it is reported by Ali (.R.A.) that the last words, spoken by the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), (at the time of his death) were, “Observe salaah (the prayers), Observe salaah And fearAllah with regards to your slaves and servants.”

This shows the importance that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) attached to their rights – that he even stressed its significance upon his followers at the time of his departure from this world.

History tells that the entire course of the lives of slaves and servants was transformed, as a result of these teachings, and their human dignity was restored to them.

Many of them rose to be great scholars and leaders holding high posts of office.  Eventually the whole world was influenced by this guidance and slavery became a thing of the past.

(2) Kind and merciful treatment

It is related by Abu Hurairah (R.A.) that Rasulullah (S.A.W.) said, “Food and dress are the right of the slave and he should not be assigned to task which may be beyond his capacity.”

These points constitute the fundamental rights of slaves and servants- that one should fulfill their basic need for food and clothing in kindness and should be merciful in assigning any work to them.

In another hadeeth, the Prophet (S.A.W.) is reported to have said, “They are your brothers (the slaves and servants).  Allah has placed them under your authority.  So he who has a brother under him should feed him and clothe him as he himself does, and should not take from him any work that is beyond his power. lf he does tell him to do such work then he should also join in it – (and help him).”

 

Here the slaves and servants have been declared to be the brothers of their masters, and therefore deserve treatment like brothers – are not both of them, servant and master, the children of Adam, after all!

In yet another striking hadeeth, Prophet (S.A.W.) said, “When your slave or servant prepares food for you and lays it for you – while he has suffered the inconvenience of heat and smoke when cooking-you should ask him to sit down and share the meal.  If the food is in a small quantity (and cannot suffice) at least give him a morsel or two there from (at least a little).”

(3) Policy of forgiveness

Furthermore Rasuluilah (S.A.W.) constantly emphasized the need to adopt a policy of forgiveness with servants-This is very clear from the hadeeth narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (R.A.) that once a person came to the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) and asked “O Prophet of Allah!  To what extent should we forgive the mistakes and faults of our slaves and servants?” The Prophet (S.A.W.) remained silent whereupon the man repeated this question.  The Prophet (S.A.W.) again, remnained silent and when the man asked for a third time, he replied “Seventy times a day.”

Evidently the figure, seventy, does not denote the exact number here but a servant should be forgiven even if he makes a mistakes often.  “Forgiving” in this Hadeeth means that the punishment should not be inflicted on servants in a spirit of vengeance.  But there is no harm, however, if they are taken to task with politeness in view of their correction – which would actually be for their own good.

Note:- On the occassion of this incident, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) remained silent when the question was asked for the first two times – this should be for the reason that he wanted the questioner to realise the redundancy of his enquiry.  To forgive the mistakes of one’s servants is an act of virtue which makes one deserving ofDivine mercy, hence one should always be prepared to excuse their faults – as much as possible.

(4) Revenge and account to be taken for cruel treatment to slaves and servants.

Abu Hurairah (R.A.) relates that he heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) say “Whoever beats the slave or servant unjustly, revenge will be taken from him on the Day of Judgement.”

Abu Mas’ood (R.A.) narrates that “Once I was beating my slave when I heard a voice behind – (saying)” Oh Abu Mas’ood!  Remember that Allah has a greater power and authority over you than you have over the poor slave” I turned around and saw that it was the Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) whereupon I said “Oh Prophet of Allah – he is now free for the sake of Allah (I have set him free).” The Prophet (S.A.W.) observed that “Be informed that had you not done so (i.e. set him free) you would be consumed in the fire of Hell!”

 

(5) Loyalty of slaves and servants to their masters

Whilst enjoining the masters to be fair and generous in their treatment of the slaves and servants, The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) also emphasized upon the slaves and servants their duty to remain faithful to their masters.
The Prophet (S.A.W.) is reported to have said, “it is a matter of great success and good fortune for a slave or servant that Allah raises him from this world (gives him death) in a state that he is a worshipper of the Creator and he is loyal to his master.”

In another hadeeth related by abdullah ibn Umar (R.A.), the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said, “When a slave or servant is faithful to his master and also worships his Creator, he is deserving of a double reward (in the hereafter).”

The principal feature of The Holy Prophet’s teachings is that he urges each class and individual to fulfil the rights of others with a full sense of responsibility and consider it a source of good fortune in both the worlds.  He, thus, enjoins upon the masters to fear Allah in respect of their slaves and servants, (by treating them fairly and kindly) and he enjoins upon the slaves and servants to be loyal and sincere to their masters.

http://www.sunnipath.com/Library/

ONE NIGHT, shortly after his return to Medina , the Prophet(pbuh) woke up at midnight and asked his servant ’Abd Allah to saddle his mule. They then left the house and went to the Baqi al-Gharqad, the burial ground of the Muslims. There the Prophet (pbuh) stood in the front of the graves and, as though he could see the Muslims buried in them, spoke to them and prayed over them. Later, ‘Abd Allah reported, ‘The Prophet (pbuh) told me that he was ordered to pray for the dead and that I was to go with him.’

After the Prophet (pbuh) had prayed he turned to `Abd Allah and said, `I can choose between all the riches of this world, a long life and then Paradise, or meeting my Lord and entering Paradise now.’ `Abd Allah begged him to choose a long, rich life, followed by Paradise , but the Prophet (pbuh) told him that he had already chosen to meet his Lord now rather than remain in the world.

The following morning the Prophet (pbuh) awoke with a terrible headache, but despite this he had led the prayers at the mosque. From what he said afterwards to the people assembled there, they understood that his death was near. The Prophet (pbuh) praised his best friend, Abu Bakr, who had begun to weep, and told everyone that he knew they would all meet again at a pool in Paradise . He added, however that although he was sure they would always worship Allah alone, he feared that the pleasures of the world would attract them, and they would begin to compete with one another for material possessions, forgetting spiritual things.

Soon after the Prophet (pbuh) requested that he be moved to the room of A’isha, one of his wives. As the days passed his fever grew worse, until one day he was so ill that he could not even get to the mosque, which was next to where A’isha lived. The Prophet (pbuh) told A’isha to tell the Muslims to let Abu Bakr, her father, lead the prayer, which made them very sad for this was the first time anyone had taken the Prophet’s place.

By Javeria Aqeel

Sadness, grief, misery and sorrow are feelings which are a part and parcel of this life. When we look around us we see poverty and suffering, death and catastrophes and even in personal lives there is grief and sadness and setbacks and failures, loss of loved ones and heartache.

In short this life is full of problems and is not as perfect as we want it to be.  These problems, tests and trials of this world may lead someone to think that God is unkind. People usually say what kind of a God lets people die in a tsunami or why God did this to us when we dont like this and that.

However this is not the case at all. God is not unkind. This world is like an exam for each one of us. Just like we give exams in schools and colleges – we may find the exam hard and difficult but that does not mean that the examiner is unkind. The exam is just to test our skills and abilities to award us accordingly. We need to pass many exams to become successful in this world and to have a good career and a job.

Similarly, this entire life is a test- so we will have to work really hard just like we work hard to pass our school exams or to get any degree and we will have to be patient as Allah says in the Quran:

“Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidingsto those who patiently persevere,” (Quran 2:155)

Even the wealth and possessions given to a person are a trial for him or her. If some one is rich that does not at all mean that Allah is happy with such a person and therefore has bestowed him with wealth.

“And know that your possessions and your children are a test…” Quran 8:28

Also even our friends and family and people around us may be a test for us. Their injustice or hatered or their bad behaviour towards us may be a test for us as well to see if we are steadfast and patient.

Allah subhanawata says:

 “And we have appointed some of you a test for others. Will you be patient?” (Quran 25:20)

Similarly while giving the exam we are not awarded immediately for our correct answers and we are not punished for our wrong answers there and then. We need to wait for the exam to be over and for the papers to be checked and the result to be announced.In the same fashion, this life is an exam – but we dont know when the exam will get over. As soon as we die our exam would be over and we will have to wait for the result which will be announced on the day of Judgement.

Allah says: “Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial. To Us must ye return.”(Quran21:35)

When we are faced with difficulties, problems, sorrow and grief in this world we should realize that this is only a temporary passing phase where Allah is testing us to see if we still are thankful to Him and if we still obey Him.  This does not mean that Allah is unkind. We must remember that He is our examiner. If we do not like the questions in our college exam – does that mean we should give up and leave the paper and start hating the examiner? NO not at all.

We should persevere and be patient and continue asking for Allahs help and mercy and do our best to solve that difficult question.  Allah says that those who when faced with difficulties and problems lose heart and quit will be the worst losers in this world as well as the hereafter.

 “There are among men some who serve Allah, as it were, on the verge: if good befalls them, they are, therewith, well content; but if a trial comes to them, they turn on their faces: they lose both this world and the Hereafter: that is loss for all to see!”

(Quran 22:11)

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