The last words of the Prophet

Praise be to Allaah.

The last words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – before he bade farewell to this world – were: “O Allaah, (with) the higher companions”. This is the title that al-Bukhaari gave to a chapter in Kitaab al-Maghaazi in his Saheeh: “The last words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)”, where he quoted the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: When the Prophet was healthy, he used to say, “No soul of a Prophet is taken until he has been shown his place in Paradise and then he is given the choice.” When death approached him while his head was on my thigh, he became unconscious and then recovered consciousness. 

He then looked at the ceiling of the house and said, “O Allaah! (with) the highest companions." I said (to myself), “He is not going to choose (to stay with) us.” Then I understood what he meant when he said that to us when he was healthy. The last words he spoke were, "O Allaah! (with) the highest companions.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4463; Muslim, 2444.

There is a report narrated by Ahmad (1691) from the hadeeth of Abu ‘Ubaydah, who said that the last words that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) spoke were, “Expel the Jews of the Hijaaz and Najraan from the Arabian Peninsula, and know that the most evil of people are those who took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.” 

Number of sons and daughters of the Prophet

Praise be to Allaah.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had both sons and daughters, the first of whom was al-Qaasim, from whom he took his kunya Abu’l-Qaasim. He died in childhood, and it was said that he lived until he was old enough to ride. 

Then came Zaynab, and it was said that she was older than al-Qaasim; then Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthoom and Faatimah. It was said concerning each of them that she was older than her two sisters. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that Ruqayyah was the oldest of the three and that Umm Kulthoom was the youngest. Then ‘Abd-Allaah was born to him. There is some dispute as to whether he was born after his Prophethood began or before. Some scholars said that he was born after his Prophethood began. 

There is also some dispute as to whether he was al-Tayyib or al-Taahir, or whether they were other children; the correct view is that these were nicknames given to him; and Allaah knows best. These children were all born from Khadeejah and he had no children from any other wife. Then Ibraaheem was born to him from his concubine Maariyah al-Qibtiyyah in 8 AH. (Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/103).

The Characteristics of Muhamad Rasul Allah

RasulAllah was a Mercy to all Mankind

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) said: the Prophet was asked to curse the infidels. He said, "I have not been sent to curse people but as a mercy to all mankind." (Muslim)

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that she once asked the Holy Prophet 'Did you face a day severer than the day of the battle of Uhud? 'He answered:

'Yes I have experienced such things at the hands of your people and such a day was the day of Aqabah. On this day I presented myself to Abdi lail bin Abd Kulal and offered him Islam, but he failed to make any responce to what I had offered to him. I therefore, left with a heavy heart and depressed.

I felt some relieft only when I reached Qarn Sa'alib. Here I looked up and saw a cloud covering me. In this cloud I saw Angel Jibril who called me and said: Allah, the Most High, has heard what your people have said to you and the response to your offer. Allah has now sent the Angel of the Mountains to you to carry out your orders to do what you might like to be done to them.

Then the Angel of the Mountains addressed me greeting with Salam and then said: 'Muhammad! Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) has heard what your people have said to you. I am the Angel of the Mountains and my Lord has sent me to you to carry out your orders. What do you want now to be done? If you like I may crush them between the two mountains encircling the city of Makka. The Prophet replied: (I do not want their destruction) I am still hopeful that Allah will make some of their children (good Muslims) who would worship Allah, the One, without associating anybody with Him. (Bukhari and Muslim).

Identity of the Dajjal

Along with the prophecy about the appearance of the Dajjal, the Messenger of Allah has left us some definite signs and symbols by which his Ummah or people can correctly identify and consequently be resistant to it and fight the impostor. In this chapter, the Hadis of the Messenger of Allah regarding the identity of the Dajjal will be put forward to get a clearer picture of the situation.

 Seen in this light, it is a very pertinent and important point regarding the Dajjal mainly because if the actual character of the Dajjal is not manifest before us, then the magnitude of the dangers represented by it cannot be accurately comprehended either. It is quite similar to an enemy disguised amongst us as a friend; therefore the harm it can cause us is enormous. It may be that this is why the Messenger of Allah has left us so many details wherewith the Dajjal can be identified.

 However, he has also added that it is only true Mo'mens who will be able to correctly identify the Impostor, even if they are illiterate, while on the other hand, even highly educated persons will miss the 'Kafer' written on the forehead of the Dajjal.

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The Story of Adam | The First Man and Modern Science

In Islam, there is no conflict between faith in God and modern scientific knowledge. Indeed, for many centuries during the Middle Ages, Muslims led the world in scientific inquiry and exploration. The Quran itself, revealed around 14 centuries ago, is filled with facts and imagery that are supported by modern scientific findings. Three of those will be mentioned here. Of them, the development of language and mitrochondrial Eve (genetics) are relatively new areas of scientific research.

The Quran instructs Muslims to “contemplate the wonders of creation” (Quran 3:191)

One of the items for contemplation is the statement:

“Truly, I am going to create man from clay...” (Quran 38:71)

Indeed, many elements present in the earth are also contained in the human body. The most critical component to land-based life is the top soil; that thin layer of dark, organically rich soil in which plants spread out their roots. It is in this thin, vital layer of soil that microorganisms convert raw resources, the minerals that constitute the basic clay of this topsoil, and make them available to the myriad forms of life around and above them.

Minerals are inorganic elements that originate in the earth which the body cannot make. They play important roles in various bodily functions and are necessary to sustain life and maintain optimal health, and thus are essential nutrients.[1] These minerals cannot be man made; they cannot be produced in a laboratory nor can they be manufactured in a factory

With cells consisting of 65-90% water by weight, water, or H2O, makes up most of the human body. Therefore most of a human body’s mass is oxygen. Carbon, the basic unit for organic molecules, comes in second. 99% of the mass of the human body is made up of just six elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus.[2]

The Story of Adam | Life on Earth

Adam and Eve left Paradise and began their life on earth. God had prepared them in many ways. He gave them the experience of struggling against the whisperings and schemes of Satan. He taught Adam the names of everything and instructed him in its properties and usefulness. Adam took up his position as caretaker of the earth and Prophet of God.

Adam, the first Prophet of God was responsible for teaching his wife and offspring how to worship God and seek His forgiveness. Adam established the laws of God and set about trying to support his family and learning to subdue and care for the earth. His task was to perpetuate, cultivate, construct and populate; he was to raise children who would live according to God’s instructions and care for and improve the earth.

Adam’s First Four Children

Adam and Eve’s first children, Cain and his sister, were twins,; Abel and his sister, another set of twins, soon followed. Adam and his family lived in peace and harmony. Cain ploughed the earth while Abel raised livestock. Time passed and the occasion came for the sons of Adam to marry. A group of the companions of Prophet Muhammad including Ibn Abbas and Ibn Masud related that inter-marriage of the male of one pregnancy with the female of another had been the practice among Adam’s children. Therefore we know that God’s plan to fill the earth included each of Adam’s sons marrying the twin sister of the other.

It seems that beauty has played a part in the attraction of men and women since the beginning. Cain was not pleased with the partner chosen for him. Cain began to envy his brother and refused to obey the command of his father and, in doing so, he disobeyed God. God created man with both good and bad tendencies, and the struggle to over come our baser instincts is part of His test for us.

God commanded that each son was to offer a sacrifice. His judgement would favour the son whose offer was the most acceptable. Cain offered his worst grain, but Abel offered his best livestock. God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, so Cain became enraged, threatening to kill his brother.

The Story of Adam | The Descent

Islam rejects the Christian concept of original sin and the notion that all humans are born sinners due to the actions of Adam. God says in the Quran:

“And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden.” (Quran 35:18)

Every human being is responsible for his or her actions and is born pure and free from sin. Adam and Eve committed a mistake, they repented sincerely and God in His infinite wisdom forgave them.

“Then they both ate of that tree, and so their private parts appeared to them, and they began to stick on themselves the leaves from Paradise for their covering. Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, so he went astray. Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness and gave him guidance.” (Quran 20:121-122)

Mankind has a long history of committing mistakes and forgetting. Even so, how was it possible for Adam to have committed such a mistake? The reality was that Adam did not have any experience with the whisperings and ploys of Satan. Adam had seen the arrogance of Satan when he refused to follow the commands of God; he knew that Satan was his enemy but had no familiarity with how to resist Satan’s tricks and schemes. The Prophet Muhammad told us:

“Knowing something is not the same as seeing it.” (Saheeh Muslim)

God said:

“So he (Satan) misled them with deception.” (Quran 7:22)

The Creation of Eve and the Role of Satan

Adam opened his eyes and looked into the beautiful face of a woman gazing down at him. Adam was surprised and asked the woman why she had been created. She revealed that she was to ease his loneliness and bring tranquillity to him. The Angels questioned Adam. They knew that Adam possessed knowledge of things they did not know about and the knowledge mankind would need to occupy the earth. They said ‘who is this?’ and Adam replied ‘this is Eve’.

Eve is Hawwa in Arabic; it comes from the root word hay, meaning living. Eve is also an English variant of the old Hebrew word Havva, also deriving from hay. Adam informed the Angels that Eve was so named because she was made from a part of him and he, Adam, was a living being.

Both Jewish and Christian traditions also maintain that Eve was created from Adam’s rib, although in a literal translation of the Jewish tradition, rib is sometimes referred to as side.

“And God said: ‘O Mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam) and from Him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women.’” (Quran 4:1)

The Story of Adam | The First Man

Islam provides us with the astonishing details of the creation of Adam[1]. Both Christian and Jewish traditions are remarkably similar yet importantly different to the Quran. The Book of Genesis describes Adam as being made from “the dust of the earth,” and in the Talmud, Adam is described as being kneaded from mud.

And God said to the angels:

“‘Verily, I am going to place mankind generations after generations on earth.’ They said: ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.’ God said: ‘I know that which you do not know.’” (Quran 2:30)

So begins the story of Adam, the first man, the first human being. God created Adam from a handful of soil containing portions from all its varieties on Earth. Angels were sent to earth to collect the soil that was to become Adam. It was red, white, brown, and black; it was soft and malleable, hard and gritty; it came from the mountains and the valleys; from infertile deserts and lush fertile plains and all the natural varieties in between. The descendants of Adam were destined to be as diverse as the handful of soil from which their ancestor was created; all have different appearances, attributes and qualities.

Soil or Clay?

Throughout the Quran, the soil used to create Adam is referred to by many names, and from this we are able to understand some of the methodology of his creation. Each name for soil is used at a different stage of Adam’s creation. Soil, taken from the earth, is referred to as soil; God also refers to it as clay. When it is mixed with water it becomes mud, when it is left to stand the water content reduces and it becomes sticky clay (or mud). If it is again left for some time it begins to smell, and the colour becomes darker – black, smooth clay. It was from this substance that God moulded the form of Adam. His soulless body was left to dry, and it became what is known in the Quran as sounding clay. Adam was moulded from something akin to potter’s clay. When it is rapped it produces a ringing sound.[2]

The spirit of Zakat

The spirit of Zakat

By Dr Aboobakar Thwahir

Zakat is the most powerful tool for social justice and poverty alleviation. Islam had it compulsory on all Muslims who have balance of money in cash or kind after one year and after all expenditures are met. Ramadan is the best month for taking stock of the wealth and distribute amongst the deserving people as prescribed in the Qur’aan:

"By no means shall you attain goodness (piety, righteousness and paradise) unless you spend (in the cause of Allah) of which you love; and whatever good you spend, Allah knows it well". (3:92)

"Take (give out) alms from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it…" (9:103)

"O, you who believe! Spend of that with which We have provided for you, before a Day comes when there will be no bargaining, nor friendship, not intercession. And is the disbelievers, who are wrong doers" (2:254)

"And there are those who hoard gold and silver, and do not spend it in the way of Allah, announce to them a most grievous penalty (when) on the day of Qiyamath heat will be produced out of that wealth in the fire of jahannam, then with it they will be branded on their foreheads and their flanks and backs. (It will be aid to them) This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves, taste then the treasure that you had been hoarding" (9:34)

"This is the book (Al Quran) whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al Muttaqoon (pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained), who believe in the gaib (unseen) and perform salah (iqamat salah) and spend out of what we have provided for them (give zakat, spend on themselves, their parents, wife and children and also give charity to the poor and also in the cause of Islam) (2:3-4)

The Brilliance of the Minarets

In the name of Allah, The Merciful to the believers and non-believers in this world and to the believers only in the next world. Praise be to Allah the Lord of the worlds. To Him belong the endowments, generosities, and proper commendations. May Allah raise the rank of Prophet Muhammad and his pure and kind Al and Companions, and protect his nation from that which he fears for it.

Thereafter; the knowledge of the Religion is among the best of the acts of obedience; and it is the most worthy of allocating the precious time it takes to acquire it. This is especially so because at-Tirmidhiyy related that the Prophet, , said: <>

The greatest of all knowledge is that of the fundamentals of the creed. This is why the Messenger of Allah taught it to the Companions prior to teaching them the rules of the Religion. In his book, Misbah az-Zujajah, al-Busiriyy classified as sahih what Ibn Majah related that Jundub Ibn ^Abdullah, may Allah raise his rank, said: "We were with the Prophet of Allah, , as young men. We learned the matters of the belief before we learned the Qur'an. Then we learned the Qur'an which added to our belief."

Reciting Qur'an for the dead

This article was copied from Darulfatwa, Islamic High Council of Australia:

Question- Assalamualaikum, Inshallah i would like to know the ruling with proof from the sunnah or the Quran regarding reading the Quran for the dead. Usually s ome Imams read some Quran and also remind the dead person on (who is you lord what is your book what is you faith) while the dead person is in the grave but before he is covered with soil. And also after the dead is buried they gather at the house and read the fatiha and cook food for the guest's. I have been told different opinion's and don't really know which is right. I have been told that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not do it so we should not do it as this is innovation (bida). Inshallah if you can clear this up for me it would help clear a lot of confusion between people. Jazzakallahu Khairan Wassalam

Your Brother in Islam

Answer:

Praise be to Allah the Lord of the worlds and may Allah raise the rank of our dear Prophet Muhammad.

Wa- `Alaykum As-Salam wa-Rahmatullahi wa-Barakatuhu.

The following shall clear up all the confusion and answer all your questions :

Firstly, regarding the reading of the Qur'an, it is a rewardable deed with the right intention and with the proper articulation of the Arabic letters, even if it were upon the Muslim dead. Imam An-Nawawiyy (d. 676 H.) said in his book Al-AdhKar: “It has been reported to us through Sunan al-Bayhaqiyy with a chain of narration classified as hasan, that Ibn `Umar regarded the recitation of the beginning of Surat Al-Baqarah and its ending upon the grave of a newly buried Muslim as a mustahab (likeable) matter”. He also said: “Ash-Shafi`iyy and his companions in his madhhab said that it is a mustahab (likeable) matter to recite some of the Qur'an upon the grave of a Muslim, and they added that if the Qur'an was recited in its entirety then that would also be a rewardable matter”.

Imam Ahmad and other scholars also relayed the same ruling. Imam Al-Qadi Abul Fadl `Iyad said something to that effect in his commentary book to Sahih Muslim when explaining the hadith of the female slave in which the Prophet, peace be upon him, said about two recently buried Muslims, after he split a moist palm branch into two and fixed the two branches over the graves: “We hope that any punishment will be eased while the branches are still moist”. Specifically, Al-Qadi `Iyad said: “Scholars deduced from this hadith that it is likeable (mustahab) to read the Qur'an upon the dead, because if punishment could be eased by the tasbih (glorifying Allah) of the branches which are objects, then given the priority of the Qur'an, its recitation upon the dead would be likeable”. This ruling was also conveyed from him and it was agreed upon by Al-Abiyy in his explanation book to Sahih Muslim. Another piece of evidence testifying to the benefiting of the dead Muslim from the Qur’anic recitation of another is the hadith narrated by Ma`qal bin Yasar in which the Prophet peace be upon him says: “Recite the verses of Surat Yasin upon your dead” (narrated by Abu Dawud, An-Nasa’iyy and Ibn Majah, who classified it as a Sahih hadith).

Islamic Knowledge for Beginners

The most important articles of Islam are the following 5 matters:

Professing and believing no one is God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah

Prayer

Zakah

Fasting

Hajj.

Professing (with the tongue) and believing (in the heart) that no one is God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; This is a prerequisite to become a Muslim and to have one’s deeds accepted by God. The belief in the truth of Islam is the same regardless of one’s color of the skin, gender, amount of wealth accumulated, place of residence, family, or friends.

Prayer, five times each day, is required by all Muslim mukallaf (Mukallaf in this context means sane and pubescent.).

Zakah is paying a certain portion of one's money (Money in this context includes 

property, possessions, and wealth.) to specific types of people with certain conditions.

 This provides for the poor Muslims and those whose needs are not being met within the Muslim community.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is an obligation on all Muslims who have reached puberty and who are physically able to fast. This helps the Muslim to feel what the poor feel, and in this way one remembers to care for those less fortunate than oneself. Fasting also disciplines the Muslim and brings Muslims together--uniting them by a common, shared experience.

Hajj, pilgrimage as defined by Islam, is the journey to the Ka^bah to perform, at a specific period of the year, certain actions in Makkah and its vicinity. It is required at least once during the lifetime of each Muslim mukallaf if he is able. During Hajj, all Muslims leave their worldly possessions and perform the same religious obligations in the same way as those Muslims with them and those Muslims who performed Hajj before them.

Collected From:http://www.aicp.org/islamic-information-mainmenu-42/51-basic-islamic-information-for-beginners/525-islamic-knowledge-for-beginners

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Islam for Beginners

Islam originates from the root word 'salama' which means getting free of inward evils. The derivatives are many, such as peace, submission, surrender, survival, health and safe reconciliation. Hence, a Muslim is one, who submits to none except the Will of the Creator, Who fashioned the human beings as the most excellent form of creation, and endowed them with the power called brains.

As our analysis proved in 'Towards Peace', Prophet Moses never described his teachings as Judaism, nor did Prophet Jesus choose the word Christianity for his message, or for that matter Buddha and others, named their mission as Buddhism and etc. Therefore, it is an erroneous notion to think that Islam originated a mere fourteen centuries ago, all of a sudden, in the deserts of Arabia. But as facts testify, Islam, or submission to the Almighty's Will and a healthy way of survival, was the message preached by all prophets. However with the revelation to Prophet Muhammad (saw), the word Islam became a proper name for the true path, and came to acquire added significance.

Thus, it is not without reason, that Islam is often referred to as the 'Natural Religion' because its dynamism has withstood the test of time, and its tenets perfectly blend with, and have scientifically catered to the needs of the human race in every time and era.

Islam for Beginners: ISLAMIC PRINCIPLES

The starting point of Islam is the testimony (Shahada): There is no god but Allah (La Ilaha Ill-Allah). This wondrous phrase indicates the pinnacle of human intellect and will power, because Islam is not the paying of mere lip service out of fear of superstition, but a firm conviction in the Omnipotence of the Creator. It means that man is responsible to the Creator alone for his acts and deeds, and how he passes the transitionary lifespan. It means that everything in this universe is subordinate to the power of the Creator, who fashioned the universe out of naught and made the human race as the finest form of life. It also means that the human kind and human mind is far superior to all man-made objects or other creatures, and even the powers of nature, whom retarded minds had worshipped as deities. Lastly it means that one who professes this testimony realizing its deep meanings is in firm control of his own will power, which if not properly harnessed by intellect and ration, destroys the human itself.

How to Wake up for Fajr?

How do you wake up for fajr? And I don’t mean wake up for a day or two, but how do you keep waking up for fajr, constantly, everyday, without fail.

There’s loads & loads of websites online giving you tips and advice on how to wake up early. But our focus is not on worldly tips (which should be taken by all means, part of tying the camel ), our focus is on the spiritual means.

My dear brothers/sisters, every day when you read Surat Al-Fatiha, at least 17 times a day, you recite the verse “You Alone we Worship, and You Alone we Seek Help from”: You want to worship Allah? “Yes!” You need His help then. You want to wake up for Fajr? “Yes please!” Guess what, you need Allah. You cannot, I repeat, cannot, wake up for fajr without Allah’s help. Now ask yourself the question, what can I do to show Allah that I truly and utterly want to wake up for fajr?!

Have you ever had days when you’re about to go to sleep, and you have this deep feeling that you’ll definitely wake up for fajr? And have you ever had days when you know for certain that you’ll oversleep? Imagine the two scenarios, which I’m sure some of us have gone through:

Scenario 1:

Tips to wake up for Fajr

In the Qur’an, Allah Most High says:

“So establish the Prayer after the declining of the sun [from its zenith, for Dhuhr and then Asr] to the dusk of night [Maghrib and then ‘Isha] and the [Quranic]recitation of Fajr [prayer]. Indeed, the [Quranic] recitation of Fajr is witnessed.” [al-Quran 17:78]

The meaning of witnessed here means that both the angels of [previous] night and the angels of the [new] morning intently listen to the Fajr prayer being recited aloud because of its great status and virtue. [al-Suyuti, Tafsir al-Jalalayn]

The Messenger of Allah (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) has said:

“Whoever performs the Prayer before the rising of the sun [Fajr] and before its setting [‘Asr], will not enter the Hell.” [Muslim]

and

“Whoever prays the two cooler prayer times (i.e., Fajr and `Asr) will enter Paradise.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Ibn ‘Allan comments on that Fajr and ‘Asr were specified since they are two times when one can easily miss the prayer: whether they are lost in sleep during Fajr, or engrossed in trade and work at ‘Asr. It is understood that the one who prays these two, usually prays all five daily prayers.

Daily Dua's for Du Azhan,Travelling,Drinking Water

Dua of Azhan

Recite following Dua after Azhan Completes

Allahumma rabba hazihid daawatit tammati wasswalatil qaaimati aati muhammadanil vaswila-ta walfadhilata waddarajatar raffia vaba ath-hu- maqaamam mahmudanillazhi va-attah warzhukna shafa atahu yaumal qiyaamati innaka la tukh liful mi-aad.

Dua of Travelling

Sunnat Tarika of Safar

Read Three times SubhanAllah

Three times Alhamdulillah

Then read this dua: Subhanallazhi sakhkharalana hazha wama kunna lahu mukrineen wa innaa ila rabbina lamun Qalibun.

Dua of Mosque (Masjid)

Dua before entering the mosque

Enter with your right leg And then recite this dua: Allahummaf tahli abwaba rahmatik

Introduction to Ahadith

It goes without saying that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has left us with two powerful sources for the improvement of the individual, the society and for the nations, those are: the Holy Quran and ahadith. The Quran was revealed to the Last Messenger (peace be upon him) through the angel Gabriel. The ahadith show us the diversities a single person can have, and the ways these diversities may be used to produce an optimal performance, where the performance is exemplary for future generations. This was one of the main tasks of the Last Messenger (peace be upon him), to guide humanity on the right path.

Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a son, a husband, a father, an advisor, a warrior, a leader, a judge and most important of all, he was the Seal of the Prophets - the last messenger of Allah. A man with such a character and such a vast field of responsibility is indeed deserving of biographical study, and through the ages, biographical researches have been carried out. 

The collection of ahadith is the result of these researchers. The study of ahadith is a science itself. To mention some branches within the study of ahadith, there is the science of Asma'ul Rijal (the science of study of the life-history of 500,000 narrators), the science of Mustalih al-Hadith (the science of classifying a hadith as authentic or weak), the science of Gharib al-hadith (the study of the linguistic origins of the difficult words used in ahadith). 

I have mentioned only three different sciences though this list can extend to over 100. This again indicates the immense importance of ahadith and the importance of understanding them.

The main source of ahadith can be found in six sahihs (NOTE C) These six sahihs are:

Sahih al-Bukhari

(d. 256 A.H. = 870 C.E.)

Sahih Muslim

(d. 261 A.H. = 875 C.E.)

Sunan Ibn Majah

(d. 273 A.H. = 887 C.E.)

Sunan Abu Dawud

(d. 275 A.H. = 888 C.E.)

Jami al-Tirmidhi

(d. 279 A.H. = 892 C.E.)

Sunan al-Nisai

(d. 303 A.H. = 915 C.E.)

A.H. = After Hegira C.E. = Christian Era

The Islam Message

In or about the year 570 the child who would be named Muhammad and who would become the Prophet of one of the world's great religions, Islam, was born into a family belonging to a clan of Quraysh, the ruling tribe of Mecca, a city in the Hijaz region of northwestern Arabia.

Originally the site of the Ka'bah, a shrine of ancient origins, Mecca had with the decline of southern Arabia (see Chapter l ) become an important center of sixth-century trade with such powers as the Sassanians, Byzantines, and Ethiopians. As a result the city was dominated by powerful merchant families among whom the men of Quraysh were preeminent.

Muhammad's father, 'Abd Allah ibn'Abd al-Muttalib, died before the boy was born; his mother, Aminah, died when he was six. The orphan was consigned to the care of his grandfather, the head of the clan of Hashim. After the death of his grandfather, Muhammad was raised by his uncle, Abu Talib. As was customary, Muhammad as a child was sent to live for a year or two with a Bedouin family. This custom, followed until recently by noble families of Mecca, Medina, Tayif, and other towns of the Hijaz, had important implications for Muhammad. In addition to enduring the hardships of desert life, he acquired a taste for the rich language so loved by the Arabs, whose speech was their proudest art, and learned the patience and forbearance of the herdsmen, whose life of solitude he first shared and then came to understand and appreciate.

Zamzam Water Facts: What is Zamzam?

Zamzam is the name of the well that provides the water to billions of people, have thirstily drunk from throughout history, especially during the Hajj pilgrimage.

Zamzam is linked to some of the most important personalities in world history: the Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) and Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), as well as Ismail's mother Hajira (may Allah be pleased with her).

According to Islamic tradition, Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.) rebuilt the Bait-ul-Allah (House of Allah) at the site of the well, a building which had been originally constructed by Prophet Adam (a.s.), and today is called the Kaaba (Qiblah), a building towards which all Muslims around the world face in prayer, five times each day. Zamzam well is located approximately 20 meters east of the Kaaba. Zamzam well is located in Makkah, which is the heart of the Hajj pilgrimage. Zamzam well is 35 meters deep and topped by an elegant dome. The miracle water of Zamzam is still flowing until today. Subhanallah!

"The difference between Zamzam water and other (city water) was in the quantity of calcium and magnesium salts. The content of these was slightly higher in Zamzam water. This may be why this water refreshes tired Hajis, but more significantly, the water contains fluorides that have an effective germicidal action."

"This well has never dried up. On the contrary, it has always fulfilled the demand for water. It has always maintained the same salt composition and taste ever since it came into existence. Its potability has always been universally recognized as pilgrims from all over the world visit the Kaabah every year for Hajj and Umrah, but have never complained about it. Instead, they have always enjoyed the water that refreshes them. Water tastes different at different places. Zamzam water's appeal has always been universal. This water has never been chemically treated or chlorinated as is the case with water pumped into the cities. Biological growth and vegetation usually take place in most wells. This makes the water unpalatable owing to the growth of algae causing taste and odor problems."

How the Zamzam came into being?