For nine years, since his selection by Allah for His mission, the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) had been delivering the message of Allah in Mecca and making all efforts to guide and reform his community. Excepting a few persons who had either embraced Islam or who helped him though not accepting his creed, all the rest in Mecca left no stone unturned in persecuting and deriding him and his followers. His uncle Abu Talib was one of those goodhearted people who helped him, in spife of his not entering into the fold of Islam.
The following year, on the death of Abu Talib, the Qureysh got a free hand and therefore accelerated their sinister pursuits without check and hindrance. At Taif, the second biggest town of Hijaz, there lived Banu Thaqif, a clan strong in number. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) left for Taif with the hope of winning them over to Islam, thus giving quarter to Muslims from the persecution of the Qureysh, and also establishing a base for the future propagation of Islam. On reaching Taif he visited the three chieftains of the clan separately, and placed before each of them the message of Allah, and called upon them to stand by his Prophet's (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) side. Instead of accepting his message, they refused even to listen to him and. notwithstanding the proverbial Arab hospitality. each of them treated him most contemptuously and rudely.. They plainly told him that they did not like his stay in their town. The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) had expected a civil, even a cordial treatment and due courtesy in speech from them, as they were the heads of the clan. But one of them sneered:
"Hey, Allah has made you a Prophet!"
The other exclaimed with derision:
"Could Allah not lay His hand on anyone else, beside you to make him His Prophet?"
The third one gibed at him:
"I do not want to talk to you, for if you are in fact a Prophet, then to oppose you is to invite trouble, and if you only pretend to be one, why should I talk with an impostor?"
The Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), who was a rock of steadfastness and perseverance, did not lose heart over this check from the chieftains, and tried to approach the common people; but nobody would listen to him. Instead they asked him to clear off from their own town and go wherever else he liked. When he realised that further efforts were in vain, he decided to leave the town. But they would not let him depart in peace, and set the street urchins after him to hiss, to hoot, to jeer at, and to stone him. He was so much pelted at with stones that his whole body was covered with blood, and his shoes were clogged to his feet. He left the town in this woeful plight. When he was far out of the town, and safe from the rabble, he prayed to Allah thus:
"0,my Allah! To Thee I complain of the feebleness of my strength, of my lack of resources and my being unimportant in the eyes of people. 0,Most Merciful of all those capable of showing mercy! Thou art the Lord of the weak, and Thou art my own Lord.. To whom art Thou to entrust me; to an unsympathetic foe who would sullenly frown at me, or to an alien to whom Thou hast given control over my affairs? Not in the least do I care for anything except that I may have Thy protection for myself. I seek shelter in Your light-the light which illuminates the Heavens and dispels all sorts of darkness, and which controls all affairs in this world as well as in the Hereafter. May it never be that I should incur Thy wrath, or that Thou should be displeased with me. I must remove the cause of Thy displeasure till Thou art pleased. There is no strength nor power but through Thee."
The Heavens were moved by the prayer, and Jibrail (Alayhis salaam) appeared before the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam), greeting him with Assalamu Alaikum and said:
"Allah knows all that has passed between you and these people. He has deputed an angel in charge of the mountains to be at your command." Saying this, Jibrail (Alayhis salam) ushered the angel before the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam).
The angel greeted the Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and said:
"0,Prophet of Allah! I am at your service. If you wish, I can cause the mountains overlooking this town on both sides to collide with each other, so that all the people therein would be crushed to death, or you may suggest any other punishment for them."
The merciful and noble Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam) said:
"Even if these people do not accept Islam, I do hope from Allah that there will be persons from among their progeny who would worship Allah and serve His cause."
Behold the conduct of our noble Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam], whom we profess to follow! We get so much irritated over a little trouble or a mere abuse from somebody that we keep on torturing and taking our revenge throughout our lives in every possible manner. Does it become people who claim to follow the magnanimous Prophet (Sallallaho alaihe wasallam)? Look, even after so much suffering at the hands of the Taif mob, he neither curses them nor does he work for any revenge, even when he has the full opportunity to do so.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Does Islam Allow Muslim Men To Marry Non-Muslim Women in America?
Q. I have been told that Muslim women are not allowed to marry non-Muslim men but Muslim men are permitted to marry non-Muslim women. What does Islam say?
Answer by Professor Dr. Kaukab Siddique:
Islam teaches that marriage is half the faith. Marriage is one of the most powerful means for the spread of Islam. It turns hostile communities into friends. The Qur’an used it to break up the well-established system of slavery in pre-Islamic Arabia and then in the rest of the Islamic commonwealth.
Islam does not permit a Muslim, male or female, to marry a non-Muslim, especially in countries like the U.S., China and India where Muslims are minorities.
In a fully developed Islamic state, where Islam is dominant, Muslim men are sometimes allowed to marry non-Muslim women who are chaste and follow the original teachings of Moses and Jesus, pbuh.
In America, people coming in from Arab countries have propagated the view that Muslim men are allowed to marry non-Muslim women. Not only is this an incorrect view it has seriously damaged the Islamic cause in America.
This country has become more pagan than Christian and a non-Muslim woman who comes into a Muslim home is backed by the entire power of the secular State system and the children of such a marriage are educated by a secular education system. Other than in very exceptional cases, such a marriage is very damaging.
Tens of thousands of American and African-American women have embraced Islam during the last two decades. These men who are marrying non-Muslim women are denying marriage to those women who have embraced Islam. Racism and nationalism are often involved in the Muslim male’s decision to marry non-Muslim [usually White] women.
Why have U.S. Muslims been so misled? It has to do with inability to study the Qur’an in CONTEXT and the desire to study the Qur’an WITHOUT the help of the Hadith of the Prophet, pbuh. If we were to know HOW to study Islam, such questions would not arise.
The Qur’an makes it very clear that marriage is to be based only on FAITH in ALLAH and that one of its purposes is to UNDERMINE SLAVERY. Marriage based on CLASS STRUCTURE and NATIONALISM is a clear violation of Islam. Here is what the Qur’an says:
“Do not marry women who associate others with Allah [mushrikat] until they believe. A slave woman who believes is better than one who associates others with Allah [mushrika] even though she allures you. Nor marry men who associate others with Allah [mushrikeen] until they believe: A male slave who believes is better than one who associates others with Allah [mushrik] even though he allures you. They [associaters] beckon you to the Fire but Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden [of Bliss] and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind that they may receive admonition.” [2:221]
Notice that I have written the Arabic word in brackets. It is often incorrectly translated as “disbelievers” and “idolaters” although mushrik is one who associates others with Allah.
All interpretations must end when there is a clear Hadith of the Prophet, pbuh, on the issue. He never recommended marriage with non-Muslim women. Addressing men, he makes it quite clear that Islamic integrity and faith is the requirement for marriage:
“The messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said: Women are married for 4 reasons: for wealth, for family nobility, for beauty and for Deen: You should marry for Deen, otherwise may your hands be rubbed in the dirt.” [Narrated by Abu Huraira, r.a., in the Sahih of Bukhari and the Sahih of Muslim.]
Deen is a comprehensive term for piety, knowledge and practice of Islam, and Fear of Allah.
Our Arab brothers try to take advantage of a permission granted in chapter 5 of the Qur’an to marry women from the People of the Book: These brothers [conveniently?] ignore the fact that the verse they are using was revealed after the victory of Islam when Islam had become the dominant force in Madinah: ” … [lawful unto you in marriage] are not only chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed before your time ….” [5:5]
This is a legal “permission” within a context of Islamic dominance. The Prophet, pbuh, does not recommend it. What is legal is not necessarily the best course.
And Allah knows best.
Answer by Professor Dr. Kaukab Siddique:
Islam teaches that marriage is half the faith. Marriage is one of the most powerful means for the spread of Islam. It turns hostile communities into friends. The Qur’an used it to break up the well-established system of slavery in pre-Islamic Arabia and then in the rest of the Islamic commonwealth.
Islam does not permit a Muslim, male or female, to marry a non-Muslim, especially in countries like the U.S., China and India where Muslims are minorities.
In a fully developed Islamic state, where Islam is dominant, Muslim men are sometimes allowed to marry non-Muslim women who are chaste and follow the original teachings of Moses and Jesus, pbuh.
In America, people coming in from Arab countries have propagated the view that Muslim men are allowed to marry non-Muslim women. Not only is this an incorrect view it has seriously damaged the Islamic cause in America.
This country has become more pagan than Christian and a non-Muslim woman who comes into a Muslim home is backed by the entire power of the secular State system and the children of such a marriage are educated by a secular education system. Other than in very exceptional cases, such a marriage is very damaging.
Tens of thousands of American and African-American women have embraced Islam during the last two decades. These men who are marrying non-Muslim women are denying marriage to those women who have embraced Islam. Racism and nationalism are often involved in the Muslim male’s decision to marry non-Muslim [usually White] women.
Why have U.S. Muslims been so misled? It has to do with inability to study the Qur’an in CONTEXT and the desire to study the Qur’an WITHOUT the help of the Hadith of the Prophet, pbuh. If we were to know HOW to study Islam, such questions would not arise.
The Qur’an makes it very clear that marriage is to be based only on FAITH in ALLAH and that one of its purposes is to UNDERMINE SLAVERY. Marriage based on CLASS STRUCTURE and NATIONALISM is a clear violation of Islam. Here is what the Qur’an says:
“Do not marry women who associate others with Allah [mushrikat] until they believe. A slave woman who believes is better than one who associates others with Allah [mushrika] even though she allures you. Nor marry men who associate others with Allah [mushrikeen] until they believe: A male slave who believes is better than one who associates others with Allah [mushrik] even though he allures you. They [associaters] beckon you to the Fire but Allah beckons by His Grace to the Garden [of Bliss] and forgiveness, and makes His Signs clear to mankind that they may receive admonition.” [2:221]
Notice that I have written the Arabic word in brackets. It is often incorrectly translated as “disbelievers” and “idolaters” although mushrik is one who associates others with Allah.
All interpretations must end when there is a clear Hadith of the Prophet, pbuh, on the issue. He never recommended marriage with non-Muslim women. Addressing men, he makes it quite clear that Islamic integrity and faith is the requirement for marriage:
“The messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, said: Women are married for 4 reasons: for wealth, for family nobility, for beauty and for Deen: You should marry for Deen, otherwise may your hands be rubbed in the dirt.” [Narrated by Abu Huraira, r.a., in the Sahih of Bukhari and the Sahih of Muslim.]
Deen is a comprehensive term for piety, knowledge and practice of Islam, and Fear of Allah.
Our Arab brothers try to take advantage of a permission granted in chapter 5 of the Qur’an to marry women from the People of the Book: These brothers [conveniently?] ignore the fact that the verse they are using was revealed after the victory of Islam when Islam had become the dominant force in Madinah: ” … [lawful unto you in marriage] are not only chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the People of the Book revealed before your time ….” [5:5]
This is a legal “permission” within a context of Islamic dominance. The Prophet, pbuh, does not recommend it. What is legal is not necessarily the best course.
And Allah knows best.
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