ByBassam Zawadi
Introduction
This article is in response to Steven Carr's article at http://www.bowness.demon.co.uk/hdth.htm
Most of my responses are just merely providing links to websites that have already addressed the issue. This is just a good way of having a comprehensive article dealing with the misunderstood Hadith of Islam.
Steven said:
Hadith are stories about Muhammad. There were several collections made by Muslims. I use the greatly revered collection by al-Bukhari. Some of these stories show that Muhammad had beliefs, which are very strange to Western minds.
My Response:
Its good that the author of this article himself has said this. He said that these hadith are strange to the “Western minds”. So we can see from the very beginning that there is no proof that these hadith are not true but seem strange or cant be comprehended by certain people who come from a certain back round.
Well subjective opinions mean nothing. You cannot disprove something just because you do not agree with it.
Most of these claims are already answered, so I simply post the link where the answers are. This is just a good way of having a comprehensive article clearing up misconceptions about Islam.
Steven said:
Satan lives up your nose
Al-Bukhari Volume 4 Number 516The Prophet said, 'If anyone of you rouses from sleep and performs the ablution, he should wash his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out thrice, because Satan has stayed in the upper part of his nose all the night.'
My Response:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503547528&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaEAskTheScholar
Steven said:
Adam was 90 feet tall and spoke Arabic
Al-Bukhari Volume 4 Number 543The Prophet said, 'Allah created Adam, making him 60 cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, 'Go and greet that group of angels, and listen to their reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and the greeting (salutations of your offspring.' So, Adam said (to the angels), As-Salamu Alaikum (i.e. Peace be upon you). The angels said, 'As-salam u Alaika wa Rahmatu-l-lahi' (i.e. Peace and Allah's Mercy be upon you). Thus the angels added to Adam's salutation the expression, 'Wa Rahmatu-l-lahi,' Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adam's creation.
My Response:
While there isn’t any evidence for this yet, there also is no evidence against it. There are many possibilities.
Maybe people used to be that gigantic but when Noah’s flood came and destroyed all the people, their bodies were washed up and there is no trace for archaeological findings.
I have no proof for this, yet no one has proof against it.
Steven said:
The evil eye
Al-Bukhari Volume 7 Number 634The Prophet ordered me or somebody else to do Ruqya (if there was danger) from an evil eye.
Al-Bukhari Volume 7 Number 636The Prophet said, 'The effect of an evil eye is a fact.' And he prohibited tattooing.
My Response:
Again because this article is compiled by an atheist, he has a presupposition that “super naturalistic” forces cannot occur.
A lot of Americans happen to believe in superstition and this is not “strange to the Western mind”
To know more about the evil eye in Islam read
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503543922
Steven said:
Does a baby resemble its father or mother?
(Muhammad was asked 3 questions, to which only a prophet would know the answer, so if he got the answer wrong, then he was not a prophet. Luckily, Archangel Gabriel had just told him the answers to the questions, but it is my personal view that Gabriel was wrong)
Al-Bukhari Volume 6 Number 7'Abdullah bin Salam heard the news of the arrival of Allah's Apostle (at Medina ) while he was on a farm collecting its fruits. So he came to the Prophet and said, 'I will ask you about three things which nobody knows unless he be a prophet. Firstly, what is the first portent of the Hour? What is the first meal of the people of Paradise? And what makes a baby look like its father or mother?'. The Prophet said, 'Just now Gabriel has informed me about that.'
'Abdullah said, 'Gabriel?' The Prophet said, 'Yes.' 'Abdullah said, 'He, among the angels is the enemy of the Jews.' On that the Prophet recited this Holy Verse:-- 'Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (let him die in his fury!) for he has brought it (i.e. Qur'an) down to your heart by Allah's permission.' (2.97) Then he added, 'As for the first portent of the Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to West. And as for the first meal of the people of Paradise, it will be the caudite (i.e. extra) lobe of the fish liver. And if a man's discharge proceeded that of the woman, then the child resembles the father, and if the woman's discharge proceeded that of the man, then the child resembles the mother.'
So now we know, on the reputation of Muhammad as a prophet and by direct revelation from Gabriel, whether or not a baby will resemble its father or mother.
My Response:
Again like my previous answer, there is no evidence for it or against it.
Steven said:
Muhammad also gave commands for people to be killed
Volume 4, Number 286
'An infidel spy came to the Prophet while he was on a journey. The spy sat with the companions of the Prophet and started talking and then went away. The Prophet said (to his companions), 'Chase and kill him.' So, I killed him.' The Prophet then gave him the belongings of the killed spy (in addition to his share of the war booty).
My Response:
Death penalty for spies is commonly practiced and implemented.
http://www.fpp.co.uk/Letters/Rightwing/Idzikowski110700.html
http://www.cyberussr.com/rus/50uk-dp-sp-e.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00451/spies.htm
I recommend reading
http://www.answering-christianity.com/no_personal_revenge.htm
http://www.answering-christianity.com/islam_and_terrorism.htm,
http://www.harunyahya.com/terrorism1.php
Steven said:
Volume 7 Number 195:
A man from the tribe of Bani Aslam came to the Prophet while he was in the mosque and said, 'I have committed illegal sexual intercourse.' The Prophet turned his face to the other side. The man turned towards the side towards which the Prophet had turned his face, and gave four witnesses against himself. On that the Prophet called him and said, 'Are you insane?' (He added), 'Are you married?' The man said, 'Yes.' On that the Prophet ordered him to be stoned to the death in the Musalla (a praying place). When the stones hit him with their sharp edges and he fled, but he was caught at Al-Harra and then killed
My Response:
I discussed this issue in my article http://www.answering-christianity.com/top_ten_sharia_rebuttal.htm
Type in
4. Islam orders unmarried fornicators to be whipped and adulterers to be stoned to death.
And start reading from there.
Volume 7 Number 121 speaks for itself
The Prophet said, 'If a man Invites his wife to sleep with him and she refuses to come to him, then the angels send their curses on her till morning.'
This issue is already addressed in the following sites
http://www.islamicvoice.com/february.2003/religion.htm#dwh
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544176
http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00000520.aspx
http://sisters.islamway.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=344
Steven said:
Love Muhammad above all mankind
Muhammad said that nobody would have faith till that person loved Muhammad.
Volume 1 Number 14
The Prophet said 'None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind.'
My Response:
Read about it here http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546594
Christians believe the same regarding Jesus
Matthew 19:29 NIV And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother [ Some manuscripts mother or wife] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Luke 14:26 NIV "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
Steven said:
Women make up the majority of the people in Hell
Muhammad taught in Volume 1 Number 28 that the majority of people in Hell were women.
The Prophet said: 'I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were ungrateful.' It was asked, 'Do they disbelieve in Allah?' (or are they ungrateful to Allah?) He replied, 'They are ungrateful to their husbands and are ungrateful for the favours and the good (charitable deeds) done to them. If you have always been good (benevolent) to one of them and then she sees something in you (not of her liking), she will say, 'I have never received any good from you.'
My Response:
If the ratio of women to men here on planet earth is larger, then it is only logical that the ratio of women to men in hell would also be larger.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/implications.asp
http://www.census.gov/population/pop-profile/2000/chap20.pdf
Go to this site and check out the ratio of women to men in every country. You will see that most of them are larger. http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
The Prophet is simply stating the crime of most of the women in hell.
Read this article http://www.islamhelpline.com/view_answers.asp?QAID=1610
Steven said:
Martyrs in Battle go straight to Heaven
Volume 1 Number 35
The Prophet said, 'The person who participates in (Holy battles) in Allah's cause and nothing compels him to do so except belief in Allah and His Apostles, will be recompensed by Allah either with a reward, or booty (if he survives) or will be admitted to Paradise (if he is killed in the battle as a martyr). Had I not found it difficult for my followers, then I would not remain behind any sariya going for Jihad and I would have loved to be martyred in Allah's cause and then made alive, and then martyred and then made alive, and then again martyred in His cause.'
My Response:
What is wrong with this hadith? Indeed it is a great act (fighting for the glory of God) and it deserves a great reward.
You can read
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1123996015864&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam/AskAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE
http://www.quran-islam.org/148.html
http://www.islamworld.net/jihad.html
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503543556
http://www.allianceforsecurity.org/jihad
Steven said:
Eclipses of the Sun are signs from God to frighten Believers
Volume 2 Number 167:
The sun eclipsed and the Prophet got up, being afraid that it might be the Hour (i.e. Day of Judgement). He went to the Mosque and offered the prayer with the longest Qiyam, bowing and prostration that I had ever seen him doing. Then he said, 'These signs which Allah sends do not occur because of the life or death of somebody, but Allah makes His worshipers afraid by them. So when you see anything thereof, proceed to remember Allah, invoke Him and ask for His forgiveness.'
My Response:
Most hadith do not contain the “Allah makes his worshipers afraid of him” phrase, only a few do. However, even if the hadith is true it just simply means that God makes the worshipers afraid by making them realize that the Day of Judgment is approaching and coming near.
http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?hnum=990&doc=0&IMAGE=%DA%D1%D6+%C7%E1%CD%CF%ED%CB
Steven said:
It is very important to pray correctly
Volume 2 Number 173 :
The Prophet recited Suratan-Najm (103) at Mecca and prostrated while reciting it and those who were with him did the same except an old man who took a handful of small stones or earth and lifted it to his forehead and said, 'This is sufficient for me.' Later on, I saw him killed as a non-believer.
My Response:
The reason that person died as an unbeliever is because that person was an unbeliever! There are different opinions as to who the old man was, but he was definitely an unbeliever. He happened to be around the Prophet and the Muslims while they were praying and then he did what he did.
http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=1710
Steven said:
Camels and sheep will be resurrected and trample on people who have not paid their Zakat (charity tax)
Volume 2 Number 485:
The Prophet said, '(On the Day of Resurrection) camels will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had (in the world), and if he had not paid their Zakat (in the world) then they would tread him with their feet; and similarly, sheep will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had in the world, and if he had not paid their Zakat, then they would tread him with their hooves and would butt him with their horns.' The Prophet added, 'One of their rights is that they should be milked while water is kept in front of them.'
The Prophet added, 'I do not want anyone of you to come to me on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating. Such a person will (then) say, 'O Muhammad! (Please intercede for me,) I will say to him. 'I can't help you, for I conveyed Allah's Message to you.' Similarly, I do not want anyone of you to come to me carrying over his neck a camel that will be grunting. Such a person (then) will say 'O Muhammad! (please intercede for me).' I will say to him, 'I can't help you for I conveyed Allah's message to you.'
My Response:
Zakah is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. If someone does not pay the Zakah, it is a serious and gross sin. The punishment for not paying the Zakah is indeed great.
In America if someone does not pay their taxes they can go to jail. Does that make America unjust? In China they kill tax evaders (A New York Times article describes the context and details of one businessman who was executed in China for tax evasion (11 Mar. 2001). at http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/research/ndp/ref/?action=view&doc=chn41156e). You have to understand that these are God's laws. It is probably difficult for a non-Muslim to understand this but from the Muslim perspective it is completely justifiable. For God sake people get executed or punished for crimes against man made laws, what do you expect to happen to people that break God's laws?
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546152
http://www.allaahuakbar.net/zakaah/importance_of_zakaat.htm
http://www.muslimtv.ca/religion.php?view=zakat
Steven said:
Stoning to death for adultery
Volume 3 Number 508
The Prophet said, 'O Unais! Go to the wife of this (man) and if she confesses (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse), then stone her to death.'
My Response:
I already addressed these issues in my article http://www.answering-christianity.com/top_ten_sharia_rebuttal.htm
Steven said:
Talking camels and wolves
Volume 3 Number 517
The Prophet said, 'While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, 'I have not been created for this purpose (i.e. carrying), I have been dded, 'I, Abu Bakr and 'Umar believe in the story.' The Prophet went on, 'A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, 'Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?' 'After narrating it, the Prophet said, 'I, Abu Bakr and 'Umar too believe it.' Abu Salama (a sub-narrator) said, 'Abu Bakr and 'Umar were not present then.' (It has been written that a wolf also spoke to one of the companions of the Prophet near Medina as narrated in Fatah-al-Bari:
Narrated Unais bin 'Amr: Ahban bin Aus said, 'I was amongst my sheep. Suddenly a wolf caught a sheep and I shouted at it. The wolf sat on its tail and addressed me, saying, 'Who will look after it (i.e. the sheep) when you will be busy and not able to look after it? Do you forbid me the provision which Allah has provided me?' ' Ahban added, 'I clapped my hands and said, 'By Allah, I have never seen anything more curious and wonderful than this!' On that the wolf said, 'There is something (more curious) and wonderful than this; that is, Allah's Apostle in those palm trees, inviting people to Allah (i.e. Islam).'
My Response:
Of course this may sound silly to anti super naturalists who don’t believe in miracles, however you yet need to prove that there is no God and that God cannot allow animals to talk.
Steven said:
Death to Apostates
Volume 4 Number 260
Ali burnt some people and this news reached Ibn 'Abbas, who said, 'Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.'
Volume 4 Number 261
Eight men of the tribe of 'Ukil came to the Prophet and then they found the climate of Medina unsuitable for them. So, they said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Provide us with some milk.' Allah's Apostle said, 'I recommend that you should join the herd of camels.' So they went and drank the urine and the milk of the camels (as a medicine) till they became healthy and fat. Then they killed the shepherd and drove away the camels, and they became unbelievers after they were Muslims . When the Prophet was informed by a shouter for help, he sent some men in their pursuit, and before the sun rose high, they were brought, and he had their hands and feet cut off. Then he ordered for nails, which were heated and passed over their eyes, and whey were left in the Harra (i.e. rocky land in Medina). They asked for water, and nobody provided them with water till they died
My Response:
I already addressed the issue of apostasy in my article http://www.answering-christianity.com/top_ten_sharia_rebuttal.htm
Type in
Islam orders apostates to be killed.
And start reading from there until you see my response.
Steven said:
Where does the Sun go to at night?
Volume 4 Number 421
The Prophet asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come and so it will rise in the west. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All-Knowing."
My Response:
What the early commentators thought about this hadith was that the “movement” of the sun is it’s orbit. This is actually a miracle because the Quran mentions that the sun moves in an orbit and this is something that could not have been discovered unless by divine revelation. We have only come to know this recently.
Here is the link to read the interpretation of the hadith by the early commentators http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=5020
I recommend visiting the following links
http://www.answering-christianity.com/sun_orbit.htm
http://www.answering-christianity.com/allah_and_science.htm
http://www.sunorbit.net/
Steven said:
What will Paradise be like?
Volume 4 Number 468
Allah's Apostle said, "The first group (of people) who will enter Paradise will be (glittering) like the moon when it is full. They will not spit or blow their noses or relieve nature. Their utensils will be of gold and their combs of gold and silver; in their centers the aloe wood will be used, and their sweat will smell like musk. Everyone of them will have two wives; the marrow of the bones of the wives' legs will be seen through the flesh out of excessive beauty. They ( i.e. the people of Paradise) will neither have differences nor hatred amongst themselves; their hearts will be as if one heart and they will be glorifying Allah in the morning and in the evening."
My Response:
I just wanted to make a brief point regarding paradise in Islam.
I usually see people (Christians especially) criticizing the paradise according to Islam for mainly two reasons
1: There is nothing spiritual about it
2: Fornication and adultery is allowed there
1) Spirituality in Islamic Paradise
It is true that most of the descriptions of paradise in Islam may seem physical but we also do have spiritual pleasures.
Allah has promised the men and women of the believers Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever, and fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. And Allah's good pleasure is even greater. That is the great victory. (Sura 9, 72)
We would be in the pleasure of God. That isn’t spirituality?
Taken from http://www.harunyahya.com/paradise05.php
The most striking expression of what believers feel when they win Allah's good pleasure is that He will manifest Himself to them in a way that they can see Him. This is impossible in the world because, as the Qur'an says: "Eyesight cannot perceive Him" (Sura 6, 10) But according to the Qur'an, in the next life and in a certain way Allah will manifest Himself to His believing servants. Only Allah knows how this will happen. But we are informed in the Qur'an that the believers' "faces that Day will be radiant, gazing at their Lord" (Sura 75, 22-23) and "'Peace!' A word from a Merciful Lord" (Sura 36, 58) will be heard. Believers will be "on seats of honor in the presence of an All-Powerful King" (Sura 54, 55).
In other words, the greatest possible blessing that believers can have is the deep sense of Allah's mercy and will. By winning His good pleasure, they experience a joy and a happiness that cannot be compared with any material blessing.
Actually, it is Allah's will that gives value to Paradise's other blessings. The same blessings may exist on Earth to a certain extent, but they have no meaning for believers as long as they surpass the limits Allah established.
CONVERSATIONS IN PARADISE
They will say: "Praise be to Allah, Who has removed all sadness from us. Truly our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful: He Who has lodged us, out of His favor, in the Abode of Permanence, where no weariness or fatigue affects us." (Sura 35, 34-35)
The Qur'an contains detailed accounts of conversations among believers, to whom Allah has given an exalted position in Paradise. These conversations are important, because they provide a good example for believers in this life. The verses: "They will hear no idle talk in it, nor any call to sin. All that is said is: 'Peace! Peace!''' (Sura 56, 25-26) show the importance of avoiding empty talk. Elsewhere, the same point is expressed as:
They will hear no idle talk nor any lying there, as a recompensation from your Lord, a commensurate gift. (Sura 78, 35-36)
Isn’t all this spiritual pleasures?!
As a matter of fact the paradise according to Islam is more superior than the paradise according to the bible. Because the paradise according to the bible is only a spiritual paradise in contrast to the paradise according to Islam which is both carnal and spiritual. Human beings have both physical and spiritual needs. Therefore, the paradise according to the bible is only 50% and the paradise according to Islam is 100%, therefore making it more superior!
For more details just read the book by Harun Yahya available at http://www.harunyahya.com/paradise01.php
2) Is there fornication and adultery in the Islamic Paradise?
And those who believe and do good works. WE shall make them enter Gardens through which streams flow, to abide therein for ever; therein shall they have pure spouses, and WE shall admit them to a place of plenteous shade. (4:157)
The word here is AZWAAJ. In Arabic, it means spouse. I know there are plenty of Arab Islamic haters out there and you know Arabic, so you know what I am talking about J
Notice, the key word, SPOUSES. The houris will be our spouses. If a man has sex with his wife, is that fornication? No, of course not, she is his spouse.
So I ask you, if a man can legitimately have sex with his spouse here on earth, they why can’t a man legitimately have sex with his spouse in paradise?
Steven said:
What will Hell be like?
Volume 4 Number 487
Allah's Apostle said, "Your (ordinary) fire is one of 70 parts of the (Hell) Fire." Someone asked, "O Allah's Apostle This (ordinary) fire would have been sufficient (to torture the unbelievers)," Allah's Apostle said, "The (Hell) Fire has 69 parts more than the ordinary (worldly) fire, each part is as hot as this (worldly) fire."
My Response:
Well what kind of description are you expecting? Of course hell is a terrible place and its fire is much hotter than the fire of this earth. I do not see any problem with this hadith.
Steven said:
Questions are from Satan
Volume 4 Number 496
Allah's Apostle said, "Satan comes to one of you and says, 'Who created so-and-so? 'till he says, 'Who has created your Lord? ' So, when he inspires such a question, one should seek refuge with Allah and give up such thoughts."
My Response:
The author of this article said on top that this hadith shows that questions are from Satan. That is a false saying. Anyone can read the hadith and carefully conclude that certain kinds of questions come from Satan and not all questions, as the author seems to display. Because questions like these cause nothing but confusion and do not prove anything.
Steven said:
More about Satan
Volume 4 Number 506
The Prophet said, "When any human being is born. Satan touches him at both sides of the body with his two fingers, except Jesus, the son of Mary, whom Satan tried to touch but failed, for he touched the placenta-cover instead."
My Response:
This is in great honor to Jesus and his mother, especially to the fact that people go ahead and accuse Mary of actually committing fornication and then giving birth to Jesus. However, Allah (swt) gives this honor to both of them.
The reason why the author sees this as silly is again for the same reason why he finds all these hadith silly. He is an anti super naturalist.
Steven said:
Volume 4 Number 509
The Prophet said, "Yawning is from Satan and if anyone of you yawns, he should check his yawning as much as possible, for if anyone of you (during the act of yawning) should say: 'Ha', Satan will laugh at him."
My Response:
From http://www.answering-christianity.com/good_manners.htm
6- Yawning in Islam:
When you yawn, you must either keep your lips locked, or cover your mouth with your hand(s):
The son of Abu Said al-Khudri reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: "When one of you yawns, he should keep his mouth shut with the help of his hand, for it is the devil that enters therein. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, The Book Pertaining to Piety and Softening of Hearts (Kitab Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqa'iq), Book 042, Number 7130)"
The devil here in the Saying of our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is your act of offense to others. Many people would get offended when people yawn without covering their mouths.
The same applies to sneezing.
Yawning could be contagious http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p588.htm
The explanation of the hadith is that because yawning is a result from people who either eating too much or are lazy, satan uses this in order to preoccupy the person’s mind from obeying Allah. http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=1&Rec=6828&Tags=&Index=&Search=0&desc=-1&SID=-1&pos=&CurRecPos=&dsd=&ST=&Tag=&SP=
Taken from http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=14680#25
YawningDespite the fact that we all do it, no one seems to know exactly why we yawn. Some experts hold that, like laughing or crying, yawning is a physical response to an emotional state -- namely boredom -- or fatigue. Frequent yawning may be a sign that you need to examine your sleep schedule.
So we should all be motivated to get better sleep.
Yawning could be harmful and cause Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/handouts/tmj-diso/tmj-diso.html
You can read about yawning here http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=525353
Steven said:
Volume 4 Number 513
The Prophet said, "A good dream is from Allah, and a bad or evil dream is from Satan; so if anyone of you has a bad dream of which he gets afraid, he should spit on his left side and should seek Refuge with Allah from its evil, for then it will not harm him."
My Response:
http://www.answering-christianity.com/superstition_and_islam.htm
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546124
Steven said:
Volume 4 Number 522
The Prophet said, "When you hear the crowing of cocks, ask for Allah's Blessings for (their crowing indicates that) they have seen an angel. And when you hear the braying of donkeys, seek Refuge with Allah from Satan for (their braying indicates) that they have seen a Satan."
My Response:
Well as Muslims, we believe in the unseen. For God sake, we believe that the Quran is the word of God and that Prophet Muhammad was sent to preach the message of God. We believe in all of this, do you think we are going to have trouble believing in this hadith?
Steven said:
Volume 6 Number 577
I heard the Prophet saying, 'In the last days (of the world) there will appear young people with foolish thoughts and ideas. They will give good talks, but they will go out of Islam as an arrow goes out of its game, their faith will not exceed their throats. So, wherever you find them, kill them, for there will be a reward for their killers on the Day of Resurrection.'
My Response:
The explanation for this hadith could be found here http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=7534
I already addressed the issue of apostasy in my article http://www.answering-christianity.com/top_ten_sharia_rebuttal.htm
Type in
Islam orders apostates to be killed.
And start reading from there until you see my response.
Steven said:
No Muslim to be Judged for killing an Infidel
Volume 4 Number 283
I asked Ali, 'Do you have the knowledge of any Divine Inspiration besides what is in Allah's Book?' 'Ali replied, 'No, by Him Who splits the grain of corn and creates the soul. I don't think we have such knowledge, but we have the ability of understanding which Allah may endow a person with, so that he may understand the Qur'an, and we have what is written in this paper as well.' I asked, 'What is written in this paper?' He replied, '(The regulations of) blood-money , the freeing of captives, and the judgment that no Muslim should be killed for killing an infidel.'
My Response:
That ruling was only for a specific time.
The interpretation of the hadith could be found here http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=10300
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503545890&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaEAskTheScholar
Go to http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/notislam/misconceptions.html and read misconception number 8.
Go to http://www.themodernreligion.com/terror/terrorism_verses1.htm and read the last paragraph.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1123996015418&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam/AskAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE
Steven said:
The Remarkable Properties of Flies
Volume 4 Number 537
The Prophet said 'If a house fly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in the drink), for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for the disease.'
My Response:
Go to http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/ and then go to ‘recent site updates’, then look at ‘July 18,2005’, click on ‘Hadith Exegesis’ and then click on ‘Hadiths of the Fly (Bacteriophages)’ and read the article for yourself to actually discover that this hadith is a miracle. Their article is backed up with references.
Steven said:
Most aspects of life were dictated by Muhammad
Volume 7 Number 363
The Prophet said, 'Whoever has eaten garlic or onion should keep away from us (or should keep away from our mosque).'
My Response:
The reason for this is because after someone eats garlic or onion, he gets very bad breath.
Taken from http://www.ivillage.co.uk/health/ghealth/dental/articles/0,,181038_182813,00.html
Major culprits of temporary bad breath are onions, garlic, spicy foods, alcohol and cigarettes.
Trust me, this is from experience and almost any other Muslim could understand where this Hadith is coming from. There must have been at least one incident in a Muslim’s life where he went and prayed in the mosque and the person praying next to him has horrible breath. His bad breath being due to garlic or onion. This distracts the Muslim from his or her prayer.
It is not forbidden to eat garlic or onion at any other times, however as long as the bad breath wears away before the person goes to the mosque and pray.
“He who eats from this wicked plant, should not get close to our mosque, until its smell goes.” (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Hibban.)
Recommended to read http://www.answering-christianity.com/bad_smell.htm
Steven said:
Volume 7 Number 366
The Prophet said, 'When you eat, do not wipe your hands till you have licked it, or had it licked by somebody else.'
Volume 7 Number 534
Allah's Apostle said, 'When you drink (water), do not breath in the vessel; and when you urinate, do not touch your penis with your right hand. And when you cleanse yourself after defecation, do not use your right hand.'
My Response:
Lets look at the commentary from the book “Riyadh us- Saliheen”, hadith number 750
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (s) commanded the licking of fingers and the gleaming of the dish, saying, “You do not know in which portion the blessing lies.” [Muslim]
Commentary: This Hadith underlines the wisdom behind licking the fingers and the vessel. The eater never knows whether a blessing underlies what has been eaten by him, or the particles sticking to his fingers and vessels contain it. Those particles, therefore, should not be wasted; they should be part of food being licked. They may be invested with a blessing and proved more useful for the eater’s health and strength. Moreover, by this way he escapes the Bounty of Allah.
As for the not breathing into the vessel part of the hadith, it is recommended not to do so due to the fact that some ones breath is bad, or has due to hygienic reasons (such as breathing your bacteria into the vessel when other people could drink from it). http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=8413
Steven said:
Muhammad and/or Allah did not like dogs
Volume 7 Number 389
The Prophet said, 'Whoever keeps a (pet) dog which is neither a watch dog nor a hunting dog, will get a daily deduction of two Qirat from his good deeds.'
(Presumably it will be Allah, not Muhammad, who will do the deduction.)
My Response:
http://www.answering-christianity.com/dogs_rebuttal.htm
http://www.answering-christianity.com/animal_cruelty.htm
http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/news/s/180/180595_guide_dogs_not_haram_rules_shariah.html
Steven said:
God afflicts people
Volume 7 Number 548
Allah's Apostle said, 'If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.'
My Response:
The hadith simply means that if Allah afflicts people with trials in this life, their reward will increase in the hereafter if they remain patient. Because the trials of this life is only but a test. No one faced more trials than the Prophets themselves.
http://muslim-canada.org/health_sickness.html
Introduction
This article is in response to Steven Carr's article at http://www.bowness.demon.co.uk/hdth.htm
Most of my responses are just merely providing links to websites that have already addressed the issue. This is just a good way of having a comprehensive article dealing with the misunderstood Hadith of Islam.
Steven said:
Hadith are stories about Muhammad. There were several collections made by Muslims. I use the greatly revered collection by al-Bukhari. Some of these stories show that Muhammad had beliefs, which are very strange to Western minds.
My Response:
Its good that the author of this article himself has said this. He said that these hadith are strange to the “Western minds”. So we can see from the very beginning that there is no proof that these hadith are not true but seem strange or cant be comprehended by certain people who come from a certain back round.
Well subjective opinions mean nothing. You cannot disprove something just because you do not agree with it.
Most of these claims are already answered, so I simply post the link where the answers are. This is just a good way of having a comprehensive article clearing up misconceptions about Islam.
Steven said:
Satan lives up your nose
Al-Bukhari Volume 4 Number 516The Prophet said, 'If anyone of you rouses from sleep and performs the ablution, he should wash his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out thrice, because Satan has stayed in the upper part of his nose all the night.'
My Response:
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503547528&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaEAskTheScholar
Steven said:
Adam was 90 feet tall and spoke Arabic
Al-Bukhari Volume 4 Number 543The Prophet said, 'Allah created Adam, making him 60 cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, 'Go and greet that group of angels, and listen to their reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and the greeting (salutations of your offspring.' So, Adam said (to the angels), As-Salamu Alaikum (i.e. Peace be upon you). The angels said, 'As-salam u Alaika wa Rahmatu-l-lahi' (i.e. Peace and Allah's Mercy be upon you). Thus the angels added to Adam's salutation the expression, 'Wa Rahmatu-l-lahi,' Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adam's creation.
My Response:
While there isn’t any evidence for this yet, there also is no evidence against it. There are many possibilities.
Maybe people used to be that gigantic but when Noah’s flood came and destroyed all the people, their bodies were washed up and there is no trace for archaeological findings.
I have no proof for this, yet no one has proof against it.
Steven said:
The evil eye
Al-Bukhari Volume 7 Number 634The Prophet ordered me or somebody else to do Ruqya (if there was danger) from an evil eye.
Al-Bukhari Volume 7 Number 636The Prophet said, 'The effect of an evil eye is a fact.' And he prohibited tattooing.
My Response:
Again because this article is compiled by an atheist, he has a presupposition that “super naturalistic” forces cannot occur.
A lot of Americans happen to believe in superstition and this is not “strange to the Western mind”
To know more about the evil eye in Islam read
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503543922
Steven said:
Does a baby resemble its father or mother?
(Muhammad was asked 3 questions, to which only a prophet would know the answer, so if he got the answer wrong, then he was not a prophet. Luckily, Archangel Gabriel had just told him the answers to the questions, but it is my personal view that Gabriel was wrong)
Al-Bukhari Volume 6 Number 7'Abdullah bin Salam heard the news of the arrival of Allah's Apostle (at Medina ) while he was on a farm collecting its fruits. So he came to the Prophet and said, 'I will ask you about three things which nobody knows unless he be a prophet. Firstly, what is the first portent of the Hour? What is the first meal of the people of Paradise? And what makes a baby look like its father or mother?'. The Prophet said, 'Just now Gabriel has informed me about that.'
'Abdullah said, 'Gabriel?' The Prophet said, 'Yes.' 'Abdullah said, 'He, among the angels is the enemy of the Jews.' On that the Prophet recited this Holy Verse:-- 'Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel (let him die in his fury!) for he has brought it (i.e. Qur'an) down to your heart by Allah's permission.' (2.97) Then he added, 'As for the first portent of the Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to West. And as for the first meal of the people of Paradise, it will be the caudite (i.e. extra) lobe of the fish liver. And if a man's discharge proceeded that of the woman, then the child resembles the father, and if the woman's discharge proceeded that of the man, then the child resembles the mother.'
So now we know, on the reputation of Muhammad as a prophet and by direct revelation from Gabriel, whether or not a baby will resemble its father or mother.
My Response:
Again like my previous answer, there is no evidence for it or against it.
Steven said:
Muhammad also gave commands for people to be killed
Volume 4, Number 286
'An infidel spy came to the Prophet while he was on a journey. The spy sat with the companions of the Prophet and started talking and then went away. The Prophet said (to his companions), 'Chase and kill him.' So, I killed him.' The Prophet then gave him the belongings of the killed spy (in addition to his share of the war booty).
My Response:
Death penalty for spies is commonly practiced and implemented.
http://www.fpp.co.uk/Letters/Rightwing/Idzikowski110700.html
http://www.cyberussr.com/rus/50uk-dp-sp-e.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/04oct/00451/spies.htm
I recommend reading
http://www.answering-christianity.com/no_personal_revenge.htm
http://www.answering-christianity.com/islam_and_terrorism.htm,
http://www.harunyahya.com/terrorism1.php
Steven said:
Volume 7 Number 195:
A man from the tribe of Bani Aslam came to the Prophet while he was in the mosque and said, 'I have committed illegal sexual intercourse.' The Prophet turned his face to the other side. The man turned towards the side towards which the Prophet had turned his face, and gave four witnesses against himself. On that the Prophet called him and said, 'Are you insane?' (He added), 'Are you married?' The man said, 'Yes.' On that the Prophet ordered him to be stoned to the death in the Musalla (a praying place). When the stones hit him with their sharp edges and he fled, but he was caught at Al-Harra and then killed
My Response:
I discussed this issue in my article http://www.answering-christianity.com/top_ten_sharia_rebuttal.htm
Type in
4. Islam orders unmarried fornicators to be whipped and adulterers to be stoned to death.
And start reading from there.
Volume 7 Number 121 speaks for itself
The Prophet said, 'If a man Invites his wife to sleep with him and she refuses to come to him, then the angels send their curses on her till morning.'
This issue is already addressed in the following sites
http://www.islamicvoice.com/february.2003/religion.htm#dwh
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544176
http://www.sunnipath.com/resources/Questions/qa00000520.aspx
http://sisters.islamway.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=344
Steven said:
Love Muhammad above all mankind
Muhammad said that nobody would have faith till that person loved Muhammad.
Volume 1 Number 14
The Prophet said 'None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind.'
My Response:
Read about it here http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546594
Christians believe the same regarding Jesus
Matthew 19:29 NIV And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother [ Some manuscripts mother or wife] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.
Luke 14:26 NIV "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
Steven said:
Women make up the majority of the people in Hell
Muhammad taught in Volume 1 Number 28 that the majority of people in Hell were women.
The Prophet said: 'I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were ungrateful.' It was asked, 'Do they disbelieve in Allah?' (or are they ungrateful to Allah?) He replied, 'They are ungrateful to their husbands and are ungrateful for the favours and the good (charitable deeds) done to them. If you have always been good (benevolent) to one of them and then she sees something in you (not of her liking), she will say, 'I have never received any good from you.'
My Response:
If the ratio of women to men here on planet earth is larger, then it is only logical that the ratio of women to men in hell would also be larger.
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/implications.asp
http://www.census.gov/population/pop-profile/2000/chap20.pdf
Go to this site and check out the ratio of women to men in every country. You will see that most of them are larger. http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/
The Prophet is simply stating the crime of most of the women in hell.
Read this article http://www.islamhelpline.com/view_answers.asp?QAID=1610
Steven said:
Martyrs in Battle go straight to Heaven
Volume 1 Number 35
The Prophet said, 'The person who participates in (Holy battles) in Allah's cause and nothing compels him to do so except belief in Allah and His Apostles, will be recompensed by Allah either with a reward, or booty (if he survives) or will be admitted to Paradise (if he is killed in the battle as a martyr). Had I not found it difficult for my followers, then I would not remain behind any sariya going for Jihad and I would have loved to be martyred in Allah's cause and then made alive, and then martyred and then made alive, and then again martyred in His cause.'
My Response:
What is wrong with this hadith? Indeed it is a great act (fighting for the glory of God) and it deserves a great reward.
You can read
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1123996015864&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam/AskAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE
http://www.quran-islam.org/148.html
http://www.islamworld.net/jihad.html
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503543556
http://www.allianceforsecurity.org/jihad
Steven said:
Eclipses of the Sun are signs from God to frighten Believers
Volume 2 Number 167:
The sun eclipsed and the Prophet got up, being afraid that it might be the Hour (i.e. Day of Judgement). He went to the Mosque and offered the prayer with the longest Qiyam, bowing and prostration that I had ever seen him doing. Then he said, 'These signs which Allah sends do not occur because of the life or death of somebody, but Allah makes His worshipers afraid by them. So when you see anything thereof, proceed to remember Allah, invoke Him and ask for His forgiveness.'
My Response:
Most hadith do not contain the “Allah makes his worshipers afraid of him” phrase, only a few do. However, even if the hadith is true it just simply means that God makes the worshipers afraid by making them realize that the Day of Judgment is approaching and coming near.
http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?hnum=990&doc=0&IMAGE=%DA%D1%D6+%C7%E1%CD%CF%ED%CB
Steven said:
It is very important to pray correctly
Volume 2 Number 173 :
The Prophet recited Suratan-Najm (103) at Mecca and prostrated while reciting it and those who were with him did the same except an old man who took a handful of small stones or earth and lifted it to his forehead and said, 'This is sufficient for me.' Later on, I saw him killed as a non-believer.
My Response:
The reason that person died as an unbeliever is because that person was an unbeliever! There are different opinions as to who the old man was, but he was definitely an unbeliever. He happened to be around the Prophet and the Muslims while they were praying and then he did what he did.
http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=1710
Steven said:
Camels and sheep will be resurrected and trample on people who have not paid their Zakat (charity tax)
Volume 2 Number 485:
The Prophet said, '(On the Day of Resurrection) camels will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had (in the world), and if he had not paid their Zakat (in the world) then they would tread him with their feet; and similarly, sheep will come to their owner in the best state of health they have ever had in the world, and if he had not paid their Zakat, then they would tread him with their hooves and would butt him with their horns.' The Prophet added, 'One of their rights is that they should be milked while water is kept in front of them.'
The Prophet added, 'I do not want anyone of you to come to me on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating. Such a person will (then) say, 'O Muhammad! (Please intercede for me,) I will say to him. 'I can't help you, for I conveyed Allah's Message to you.' Similarly, I do not want anyone of you to come to me carrying over his neck a camel that will be grunting. Such a person (then) will say 'O Muhammad! (please intercede for me).' I will say to him, 'I can't help you for I conveyed Allah's message to you.'
My Response:
Zakah is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. If someone does not pay the Zakah, it is a serious and gross sin. The punishment for not paying the Zakah is indeed great.
In America if someone does not pay their taxes they can go to jail. Does that make America unjust? In China they kill tax evaders (A New York Times article describes the context and details of one businessman who was executed in China for tax evasion (11 Mar. 2001). at http://www.irb-cisr.gc.ca/en/research/ndp/ref/?action=view&doc=chn41156e). You have to understand that these are God's laws. It is probably difficult for a non-Muslim to understand this but from the Muslim perspective it is completely justifiable. For God sake people get executed or punished for crimes against man made laws, what do you expect to happen to people that break God's laws?
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546152
http://www.allaahuakbar.net/zakaah/importance_of_zakaat.htm
http://www.muslimtv.ca/religion.php?view=zakat
Steven said:
Stoning to death for adultery
Volume 3 Number 508
The Prophet said, 'O Unais! Go to the wife of this (man) and if she confesses (that she has committed illegal sexual intercourse), then stone her to death.'
My Response:
I already addressed these issues in my article http://www.answering-christianity.com/top_ten_sharia_rebuttal.htm
Steven said:
Talking camels and wolves
Volume 3 Number 517
The Prophet said, 'While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, 'I have not been created for this purpose (i.e. carrying), I have been dded, 'I, Abu Bakr and 'Umar believe in the story.' The Prophet went on, 'A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, 'Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?' 'After narrating it, the Prophet said, 'I, Abu Bakr and 'Umar too believe it.' Abu Salama (a sub-narrator) said, 'Abu Bakr and 'Umar were not present then.' (It has been written that a wolf also spoke to one of the companions of the Prophet near Medina as narrated in Fatah-al-Bari:
Narrated Unais bin 'Amr: Ahban bin Aus said, 'I was amongst my sheep. Suddenly a wolf caught a sheep and I shouted at it. The wolf sat on its tail and addressed me, saying, 'Who will look after it (i.e. the sheep) when you will be busy and not able to look after it? Do you forbid me the provision which Allah has provided me?' ' Ahban added, 'I clapped my hands and said, 'By Allah, I have never seen anything more curious and wonderful than this!' On that the wolf said, 'There is something (more curious) and wonderful than this; that is, Allah's Apostle in those palm trees, inviting people to Allah (i.e. Islam).'
My Response:
Of course this may sound silly to anti super naturalists who don’t believe in miracles, however you yet need to prove that there is no God and that God cannot allow animals to talk.
Steven said:
Death to Apostates
Volume 4 Number 260
Ali burnt some people and this news reached Ibn 'Abbas, who said, 'Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophet said, 'Don't punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophet said, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion, kill him.'
Volume 4 Number 261
Eight men of the tribe of 'Ukil came to the Prophet and then they found the climate of Medina unsuitable for them. So, they said, 'O Allah's Apostle! Provide us with some milk.' Allah's Apostle said, 'I recommend that you should join the herd of camels.' So they went and drank the urine and the milk of the camels (as a medicine) till they became healthy and fat. Then they killed the shepherd and drove away the camels, and they became unbelievers after they were Muslims . When the Prophet was informed by a shouter for help, he sent some men in their pursuit, and before the sun rose high, they were brought, and he had their hands and feet cut off. Then he ordered for nails, which were heated and passed over their eyes, and whey were left in the Harra (i.e. rocky land in Medina). They asked for water, and nobody provided them with water till they died
My Response:
I already addressed the issue of apostasy in my article http://www.answering-christianity.com/top_ten_sharia_rebuttal.htm
Type in
Islam orders apostates to be killed.
And start reading from there until you see my response.
Steven said:
Where does the Sun go to at night?
Volume 4 Number 421
The Prophet asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Apostle know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come and so it will rise in the west. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: "And the sun Runs its fixed course For a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All-Knowing."
My Response:
What the early commentators thought about this hadith was that the “movement” of the sun is it’s orbit. This is actually a miracle because the Quran mentions that the sun moves in an orbit and this is something that could not have been discovered unless by divine revelation. We have only come to know this recently.
Here is the link to read the interpretation of the hadith by the early commentators http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=5020
I recommend visiting the following links
http://www.answering-christianity.com/sun_orbit.htm
http://www.answering-christianity.com/allah_and_science.htm
http://www.sunorbit.net/
Steven said:
What will Paradise be like?
Volume 4 Number 468
Allah's Apostle said, "The first group (of people) who will enter Paradise will be (glittering) like the moon when it is full. They will not spit or blow their noses or relieve nature. Their utensils will be of gold and their combs of gold and silver; in their centers the aloe wood will be used, and their sweat will smell like musk. Everyone of them will have two wives; the marrow of the bones of the wives' legs will be seen through the flesh out of excessive beauty. They ( i.e. the people of Paradise) will neither have differences nor hatred amongst themselves; their hearts will be as if one heart and they will be glorifying Allah in the morning and in the evening."
My Response:
I just wanted to make a brief point regarding paradise in Islam.
I usually see people (Christians especially) criticizing the paradise according to Islam for mainly two reasons
1: There is nothing spiritual about it
2: Fornication and adultery is allowed there
1) Spirituality in Islamic Paradise
It is true that most of the descriptions of paradise in Islam may seem physical but we also do have spiritual pleasures.
Allah has promised the men and women of the believers Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever, and fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden. And Allah's good pleasure is even greater. That is the great victory. (Sura 9, 72)
We would be in the pleasure of God. That isn’t spirituality?
Taken from http://www.harunyahya.com/paradise05.php
The most striking expression of what believers feel when they win Allah's good pleasure is that He will manifest Himself to them in a way that they can see Him. This is impossible in the world because, as the Qur'an says: "Eyesight cannot perceive Him" (Sura 6, 10) But according to the Qur'an, in the next life and in a certain way Allah will manifest Himself to His believing servants. Only Allah knows how this will happen. But we are informed in the Qur'an that the believers' "faces that Day will be radiant, gazing at their Lord" (Sura 75, 22-23) and "'Peace!' A word from a Merciful Lord" (Sura 36, 58) will be heard. Believers will be "on seats of honor in the presence of an All-Powerful King" (Sura 54, 55).
In other words, the greatest possible blessing that believers can have is the deep sense of Allah's mercy and will. By winning His good pleasure, they experience a joy and a happiness that cannot be compared with any material blessing.
Actually, it is Allah's will that gives value to Paradise's other blessings. The same blessings may exist on Earth to a certain extent, but they have no meaning for believers as long as they surpass the limits Allah established.
CONVERSATIONS IN PARADISE
They will say: "Praise be to Allah, Who has removed all sadness from us. Truly our Lord is Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Thankful: He Who has lodged us, out of His favor, in the Abode of Permanence, where no weariness or fatigue affects us." (Sura 35, 34-35)
The Qur'an contains detailed accounts of conversations among believers, to whom Allah has given an exalted position in Paradise. These conversations are important, because they provide a good example for believers in this life. The verses: "They will hear no idle talk in it, nor any call to sin. All that is said is: 'Peace! Peace!''' (Sura 56, 25-26) show the importance of avoiding empty talk. Elsewhere, the same point is expressed as:
They will hear no idle talk nor any lying there, as a recompensation from your Lord, a commensurate gift. (Sura 78, 35-36)
Isn’t all this spiritual pleasures?!
As a matter of fact the paradise according to Islam is more superior than the paradise according to the bible. Because the paradise according to the bible is only a spiritual paradise in contrast to the paradise according to Islam which is both carnal and spiritual. Human beings have both physical and spiritual needs. Therefore, the paradise according to the bible is only 50% and the paradise according to Islam is 100%, therefore making it more superior!
For more details just read the book by Harun Yahya available at http://www.harunyahya.com/paradise01.php
2) Is there fornication and adultery in the Islamic Paradise?
And those who believe and do good works. WE shall make them enter Gardens through which streams flow, to abide therein for ever; therein shall they have pure spouses, and WE shall admit them to a place of plenteous shade. (4:157)
The word here is AZWAAJ. In Arabic, it means spouse. I know there are plenty of Arab Islamic haters out there and you know Arabic, so you know what I am talking about J
Notice, the key word, SPOUSES. The houris will be our spouses. If a man has sex with his wife, is that fornication? No, of course not, she is his spouse.
So I ask you, if a man can legitimately have sex with his spouse here on earth, they why can’t a man legitimately have sex with his spouse in paradise?
Steven said:
What will Hell be like?
Volume 4 Number 487
Allah's Apostle said, "Your (ordinary) fire is one of 70 parts of the (Hell) Fire." Someone asked, "O Allah's Apostle This (ordinary) fire would have been sufficient (to torture the unbelievers)," Allah's Apostle said, "The (Hell) Fire has 69 parts more than the ordinary (worldly) fire, each part is as hot as this (worldly) fire."
My Response:
Well what kind of description are you expecting? Of course hell is a terrible place and its fire is much hotter than the fire of this earth. I do not see any problem with this hadith.
Steven said:
Questions are from Satan
Volume 4 Number 496
Allah's Apostle said, "Satan comes to one of you and says, 'Who created so-and-so? 'till he says, 'Who has created your Lord? ' So, when he inspires such a question, one should seek refuge with Allah and give up such thoughts."
My Response:
The author of this article said on top that this hadith shows that questions are from Satan. That is a false saying. Anyone can read the hadith and carefully conclude that certain kinds of questions come from Satan and not all questions, as the author seems to display. Because questions like these cause nothing but confusion and do not prove anything.
Steven said:
More about Satan
Volume 4 Number 506
The Prophet said, "When any human being is born. Satan touches him at both sides of the body with his two fingers, except Jesus, the son of Mary, whom Satan tried to touch but failed, for he touched the placenta-cover instead."
My Response:
This is in great honor to Jesus and his mother, especially to the fact that people go ahead and accuse Mary of actually committing fornication and then giving birth to Jesus. However, Allah (swt) gives this honor to both of them.
The reason why the author sees this as silly is again for the same reason why he finds all these hadith silly. He is an anti super naturalist.
Steven said:
Volume 4 Number 509
The Prophet said, "Yawning is from Satan and if anyone of you yawns, he should check his yawning as much as possible, for if anyone of you (during the act of yawning) should say: 'Ha', Satan will laugh at him."
My Response:
From http://www.answering-christianity.com/good_manners.htm
6- Yawning in Islam:
When you yawn, you must either keep your lips locked, or cover your mouth with your hand(s):
The son of Abu Said al-Khudri reported on the authority of his father that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: "When one of you yawns, he should keep his mouth shut with the help of his hand, for it is the devil that enters therein. (Translation of Sahih Muslim, The Book Pertaining to Piety and Softening of Hearts (Kitab Al-Zuhd wa Al-Raqa'iq), Book 042, Number 7130)"
The devil here in the Saying of our beloved Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is your act of offense to others. Many people would get offended when people yawn without covering their mouths.
The same applies to sneezing.
Yawning could be contagious http://www.kidzworld.com/site/p588.htm
The explanation of the hadith is that because yawning is a result from people who either eating too much or are lazy, satan uses this in order to preoccupy the person’s mind from obeying Allah. http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=1&Rec=6828&Tags=&Index=&Search=0&desc=-1&SID=-1&pos=&CurRecPos=&dsd=&ST=&Tag=&SP=
Taken from http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=14680#25
YawningDespite the fact that we all do it, no one seems to know exactly why we yawn. Some experts hold that, like laughing or crying, yawning is a physical response to an emotional state -- namely boredom -- or fatigue. Frequent yawning may be a sign that you need to examine your sleep schedule.
So we should all be motivated to get better sleep.
Yawning could be harmful and cause Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders http://www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/handouts/tmj-diso/tmj-diso.html
You can read about yawning here http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=525353
Steven said:
Volume 4 Number 513
The Prophet said, "A good dream is from Allah, and a bad or evil dream is from Satan; so if anyone of you has a bad dream of which he gets afraid, he should spit on his left side and should seek Refuge with Allah from its evil, for then it will not harm him."
My Response:
http://www.answering-christianity.com/superstition_and_islam.htm
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503546124
Steven said:
Volume 4 Number 522
The Prophet said, "When you hear the crowing of cocks, ask for Allah's Blessings for (their crowing indicates that) they have seen an angel. And when you hear the braying of donkeys, seek Refuge with Allah from Satan for (their braying indicates) that they have seen a Satan."
My Response:
Well as Muslims, we believe in the unseen. For God sake, we believe that the Quran is the word of God and that Prophet Muhammad was sent to preach the message of God. We believe in all of this, do you think we are going to have trouble believing in this hadith?
Steven said:
Volume 6 Number 577
I heard the Prophet saying, 'In the last days (of the world) there will appear young people with foolish thoughts and ideas. They will give good talks, but they will go out of Islam as an arrow goes out of its game, their faith will not exceed their throats. So, wherever you find them, kill them, for there will be a reward for their killers on the Day of Resurrection.'
My Response:
The explanation for this hadith could be found here http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=7534
I already addressed the issue of apostasy in my article http://www.answering-christianity.com/top_ten_sharia_rebuttal.htm
Type in
Islam orders apostates to be killed.
And start reading from there until you see my response.
Steven said:
No Muslim to be Judged for killing an Infidel
Volume 4 Number 283
I asked Ali, 'Do you have the knowledge of any Divine Inspiration besides what is in Allah's Book?' 'Ali replied, 'No, by Him Who splits the grain of corn and creates the soul. I don't think we have such knowledge, but we have the ability of understanding which Allah may endow a person with, so that he may understand the Qur'an, and we have what is written in this paper as well.' I asked, 'What is written in this paper?' He replied, '(The regulations of) blood-money , the freeing of captives, and the judgment that no Muslim should be killed for killing an infidel.'
My Response:
That ruling was only for a specific time.
The interpretation of the hadith could be found here http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=10300
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503545890&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaEAskTheScholar
Go to http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/notislam/misconceptions.html and read misconception number 8.
Go to http://www.themodernreligion.com/terror/terrorism_verses1.htm and read the last paragraph.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1123996015418&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam/AskAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE
Steven said:
The Remarkable Properties of Flies
Volume 4 Number 537
The Prophet said 'If a house fly falls in the drink of anyone of you, he should dip it (in the drink), for one of its wings has a disease and the other has the cure for the disease.'
My Response:
Go to http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/ and then go to ‘recent site updates’, then look at ‘July 18,2005’, click on ‘Hadith Exegesis’ and then click on ‘Hadiths of the Fly (Bacteriophages)’ and read the article for yourself to actually discover that this hadith is a miracle. Their article is backed up with references.
Steven said:
Most aspects of life were dictated by Muhammad
Volume 7 Number 363
The Prophet said, 'Whoever has eaten garlic or onion should keep away from us (or should keep away from our mosque).'
My Response:
The reason for this is because after someone eats garlic or onion, he gets very bad breath.
Taken from http://www.ivillage.co.uk/health/ghealth/dental/articles/0,,181038_182813,00.html
Major culprits of temporary bad breath are onions, garlic, spicy foods, alcohol and cigarettes.
Trust me, this is from experience and almost any other Muslim could understand where this Hadith is coming from. There must have been at least one incident in a Muslim’s life where he went and prayed in the mosque and the person praying next to him has horrible breath. His bad breath being due to garlic or onion. This distracts the Muslim from his or her prayer.
It is not forbidden to eat garlic or onion at any other times, however as long as the bad breath wears away before the person goes to the mosque and pray.
“He who eats from this wicked plant, should not get close to our mosque, until its smell goes.” (Narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Ibn Hibban.)
Recommended to read http://www.answering-christianity.com/bad_smell.htm
Steven said:
Volume 7 Number 366
The Prophet said, 'When you eat, do not wipe your hands till you have licked it, or had it licked by somebody else.'
Volume 7 Number 534
Allah's Apostle said, 'When you drink (water), do not breath in the vessel; and when you urinate, do not touch your penis with your right hand. And when you cleanse yourself after defecation, do not use your right hand.'
My Response:
Lets look at the commentary from the book “Riyadh us- Saliheen”, hadith number 750
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (s) commanded the licking of fingers and the gleaming of the dish, saying, “You do not know in which portion the blessing lies.” [Muslim]
Commentary: This Hadith underlines the wisdom behind licking the fingers and the vessel. The eater never knows whether a blessing underlies what has been eaten by him, or the particles sticking to his fingers and vessels contain it. Those particles, therefore, should not be wasted; they should be part of food being licked. They may be invested with a blessing and proved more useful for the eater’s health and strength. Moreover, by this way he escapes the Bounty of Allah.
As for the not breathing into the vessel part of the hadith, it is recommended not to do so due to the fact that some ones breath is bad, or has due to hygienic reasons (such as breathing your bacteria into the vessel when other people could drink from it). http://hadith.al-islam.com/Display/Display.asp?Doc=0&Rec=8413
Steven said:
Muhammad and/or Allah did not like dogs
Volume 7 Number 389
The Prophet said, 'Whoever keeps a (pet) dog which is neither a watch dog nor a hunting dog, will get a daily deduction of two Qirat from his good deeds.'
(Presumably it will be Allah, not Muhammad, who will do the deduction.)
My Response:
http://www.answering-christianity.com/dogs_rebuttal.htm
http://www.answering-christianity.com/animal_cruelty.htm
http://www.theasiannews.co.uk/news/s/180/180595_guide_dogs_not_haram_rules_shariah.html
Steven said:
God afflicts people
Volume 7 Number 548
Allah's Apostle said, 'If Allah wants to do good to somebody, He afflicts him with trials.'
My Response:
The hadith simply means that if Allah afflicts people with trials in this life, their reward will increase in the hereafter if they remain patient. Because the trials of this life is only but a test. No one faced more trials than the Prophets themselves.
http://muslim-canada.org/health_sickness.html
