Opening of the Red Sea

When Prophet Musa stood in front of the Red Sea, a tyrant and his army approached from behind. Some of those in Musa's midst began to divide. Looking ahead, those people saw only defeat:

"And when the two bodies saw each other, the people of Moses said: 'We are sure to be overtaken.'"(Qur'an, 26:61).

But Musa had different eyes. His eyes were spiritual eyes that saw through the illusions of worldly hardship and defeat. He saw through. With a heart connected to the Most High, looking at the same seemingly impossible situation, Musa saw only God:

"(Moses) said: 'By no means! My Lord is with me! He will guide me through!'"
(Qur'an, 26:61-62)

And indeed Allah did just that:

"Then We told Moses by inspiration: 'Strike the sea with thy rod.' So it divided, and each separate part became like the huge, firm mass of a mountain. And We made the other party approach thither. We delivered Moses and all who were with him; But We drowned the others." (Qur'an, 26: 63-66).

Today in Egypt, we are standing in front of a Red Sea. Today in Egypt, a tyrant and his army are at our back. Today, there are some who see only defeat. But, there are others whose eyes are looking through the blockade to the path and the hope beyond it. Today in Egypt, there are some who - even with a tyrant at their back - are saying:

إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ
"Indeed my Lord is with me, He will guide me through."

"Indeed my Lord is with me, He will guide me through."

One might wonder why, at such a critical time in history, we would retell an ancient story. Why would something that happened thousands of years ago be relevant today? The reason is that it is not just a story. Nor is it ancient. It is an everlasting sign and a lesson for all time. In the very next ayah, Allah says:

"Verily in this is a Sign: but most of them do not believe." (26:67)

It is a sign of the Reality of God and the secrets of this world. It is a sign that tyranny never wins and that obstacles are only illusions, created to test us, train us, and purify us. But most of all it is a sign of where success comes from. And it is a vision of what that success, against all odds-at a time we think we're trapped, defeated, and powerless-really looks like.

Some might ask why, if we are indeed on the side of God, does victory not come easily? Some might wonder why God doesn't just give the righteous victory without immense struggle and sacrifice. The answer to this question is also given by God. He tells us:

"And We did not send a prophet in a town but We overtook its people with distress and affliction in order that they might humble themselves (reach a state of tadaru')." (Qur'an, 7:94)

Here, Allah says that the purpose of the affliction is to reach a state of tadaru. Tadaru is humility before God - but it is not just humility. To understand the concept of tadaru, imagine yourself in the middle of an ocean. Imagine that you are all alone on a boat. Imagine that a huge storm comes and the waves become mountains surrounding you. Now imagine turning to God at that point and asking for His help. In what state of need, awe, dependency and utter humility would you be in? That is tadaru. Allah says that He creates conditions of hardship in order to grant us that gift. God does not need to make things hard for us. He creates those situations in order to allow us to reach a state of closeness to Him, which otherwise we'd be unlikely to reach.

That priceless state of humility, nearness and utter dependence on God is what the Egyptian people have been blessed with today. Allahu akbar - God is great. But Allah mentions another purpose for these hardships and struggles. He says:

"And We divided them throughout the earth into different groups. Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise. And We tested them with good [times] and bad that perhaps they would return [to obedience]." (Qur'an, 7:168).

In Surat ali-Imran, Allah tells us:

"If a wound hath touched you, be sure a similar wound hath touched the others. Such days (of varying fortunes) We give to men and men by turns: that Allah may know those that believe, and that He may take to Himself from your ranks Martyr-witnesses (to Truth). And Allah loveth not those that do wrong. Allah's object also is to purify those that are true in Faith and to deprive of blessing Those that resist Faith. Did ye think that ye would enter Heaven without Allah testing those of you who fought hard (In His Cause) and remained steadfast?" (Qur'an, 3:140-142).

Here, Allah describes the purpose of hardship as being tamhees. Tamhees is the same word used to describe the heating and purifying of gold. Without heating it up, gold is precious metal-but it's full of impurities. By performing tamhees, a process of heating, the impurities are removed from gold. This is what God also does with the believers. Through hardships, believers are purified-just like gold.

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And so too are the Egyptians being purified. Only days before the uprising, the world had considered the Egyptian youth a lost cause. We believed they had lost their direction and their purpose. We believed that they had chosen to live their lives on the streets, catcalling girls, or at internet cafes smoking hookah. Through this hardship, the Egyptian youth have been brought back from the dead.

Now, these youth are standing on the streets in defiance of tyranny, on their knees praying, and with their hands facing the sky, calling on their Lord. The same people who just days before barely prayed, stand today in front of military tanks to bow down to their Creator. Only days before the uprising, the tensions between Egyptian Muslims and Christians had grown to an all-time high. Today the Christians and Muslims stand side by side in defense of each other and their country. The same people who did not trust each other the day before their 'heating,' have come together as brothers and sisters, as one body, to defend their streets, their homes, and their neighborhoods. And through this hardship, a person who only days before lived for his cell phone, sheesha, and cigarettes, has become willing to sacrifice his own life to give freedom to his people.

Allah tells us in the Qur'an:

"Say: 'Who is it that sustains you (in life) from the sky and from the earth? Or who is it that has power over hearing and sight? And who is it that brings out the living from the dead and the dead from the living? And who is it that rules and regulates all affairs?' They will soon say, '(Allah)'. Say, 'Will you not then show piety (to Him)?'" (Qur'an, 10:31)

It is Allah who brings the living out of the dead. He has brought us back from the dead. Don't think for a moment that a single moment of this is not happening with a purpose-a deep, profound and beautiful, liberating purpose. For decades the Egyptian people have lived a life of fear. But when you let fear control you, you are a slave. Allah has liberated the Egyptian people from this slavery, by making them face-and overcome-their greatest fear. Allah has liberated the Egyptian people by allowing them to look their oppressor in the eye and tell him, and the whole world, that they will no longer live in fear. And so whether Mubarak stays or goes, lives or dies-it doesn't really matter. The Egyptian people have already been liberated.

They have been liberated.

Hosni Mubarak is irrelevant. He is nothing but a tool-a tool by which God carries out His plan for the Egyptian people and for the entire Ummah. A tool to carry out His plan to purify, beatify and liberate the Egyptian people and the Ummah. And whether we are in Egypt today or not is unimportant. Egypt is just one limb of our body. The purification of Egypt is a purification of the whole body of our Ummah. It is the purification of you and me. It is our chance to ask ourselves to what are we attached. What are we afraid of? What are we striving for? What do we stand for? And where are we going?

When a body is in a deep, deep slumber-a coma-it is only out of His infinite mercy that He sends us a wakeup call. It is only from His infinite mercy that He sends to us life where there was once only death. We were heedless, so He sent us a sign. We were asleep, so he woke us up. We worshiped this life, and preferred our material possessions to the liberation of a soul attached to, and afraid of nothing but Him-so He freed us.

How many people will experience something like this in their lifetime? How many people will experience the opening of a Sea, the humbling of a tyrant? Shouldn't we ask ourselves why we were chosen to see it? Shouldn't we ask ourselves what we were intended to learn, change, transform? Because if we think for a moment this is all just about the people of Egypt, then we have desperately missed the point. We were asleep, and Allah chose to wake us.

We were dead and Allah wants to give us life.

We were conditioned to believe that our enemy was outside of ourselves. That he had power over us. This is also an illusion. The enemy is inside of us. All external enemies are only manifestations of our own diseases. And so if we want to conquer those enemies, we must first conquer the enemy inside ourselves. This is why the Qur'an tells us:
"Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they first change
We must first conquer greed, selfishness, shirk, ultimate fear, love, hope and dependence on anything other than Allah. We must conquer hubb ad-dunya (love of dunya)-the root of all our diseases, and all our oppression. Before we can defeat the Pharaohs in our lives, we must defeat the Pharaoh inside ourselves. So the fight in Egypt is a fight for liberation. Yes. But liberation from what? Who is truly oppressed? Are you and I free? What is true oppression? Ibn Taymiyyah answers this question when he says: "The one who is (truly) imprisoned is the one whose heart is imprisoned from Allah and the captivated one is the one whose desires have enslaved him." (Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Wabil)

When you are free inside, you will never allow anyone to take away your freedom. And when you have inner freedom, you can look through tyrants and thugs to the Lord of the tyrants and thugs. When you are free inside, you become unenslaveable, because you can only enslave a person with attachments. You can only threaten a person who is afraid of loss. You only have power over someone when they need or want something that you have the ability to take away. But there is only one thing which no person has the power to take away from you: God.

And so when we fight to free Egypt, on a grander and realer scale it is a fight to also free ourselves. It is a fight to free ourselves of the tyranny of our own nafs and desires. A fight to free ourselves from our own false attachments and dependencies, from all that controls us, from all that we worship-other than Him. It is a fight to free us from our own slavery. Whether we are slaves to the American dollar, to our own desires, to status, to wealth, or to fear-the purification of Egypt is a purification of us all.

That is why the formula for true success given to us in the Qur'an consists of two elements: Sabr (patience, perseverance) and Taqwa (God consciousness):

"O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear God (alone) that you may be successful." (Qur'an 3:200).

So if we watch Egypt today as if it is only a spectacle happening outside of ourselves, without cleaning, examining, and really changing ourselves and our lives, then we have missed it's purpose.

After all, it isn't every day that a sea is opened before our very eyes.

Yasmin Mogahed holds a B.S. in Psychology and a Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications. She is an internationally published journalist and an independent media consultant based in North Carolina.

Sociology lessons from surah Yusuf

Moon- Mother, Sun - father, stars- brothers.
Moon takes the light from the sun, more effect of the father in the more, the more the effect of the mother.
The sun warmth and protection, moon serenity, tranquility beautiful, the stars are around the mother.

moon tries to be the sun, or vice versa? you get a lunar/ solar eclipse! The stars are no-where to be seen- its the children that suffer the most.

for those who ponder deliberate, and study.al fa la takilun, afala tadhkirun.

poem

27.05.05 We came into this world alone and we will end it in lonliness. Truth is no longer spoken on the lips, just lies and deception. Trust is no longer to be found, and rarely a sincere heart. The already dead are remembered, as those living carry on in a state of unconsciousness. What is love and what is it for? Only the true heart for the True Being is all that remains of the flesh and bones and mind and emotions. What way will it all end and will that time become our salvation from this pain, or will it just be a continuation? but this time filled with greater torment, but this time for eternity, no foreseeable end and the knowledge learnt, confirms this. Allah take me at a time when my sabr can no longer proceed, with the pre-requisite that You will be pleased to meet my soul as I return to You once again. Even the love I thought was for You alone, seems to be somewhat flawed, Astaghfirullah wana toubu 'ilaik. The needy are abused for their vulnerability, please do no push them aside also. I need strength from You; please come to the aid of Your trying servant. There is no-one but You, so please have rahmah on the weak soul. Worthless. Helpless. Alone. True happiness does not lie in this life, I realise now. And this is the only way we will realise Your Greatness, Allahu Akbar.

Wealth

Richness is not found in wealth, as wealth can diminish. Nor can it be found in beauty, for beauty fades with age. Its found in good character & kind hearts. So treat people in such a way & live amongst them in such a manner that when you die they make du'a for you & when you are alive they benefit from you & they thank Allah Most High...

The Carpenter

A highly skilled carpenter who had grown old was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.

The employer was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter agreed to this proposal but made sure that this will be his last project. Being in a mood to retire, the carpenter was not paying much attention to building this house. His heart was not in his work. He resorted to poor workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the job was done, the carpenter called his employer and showed him the house. The employer handed over some papers and the front door key to the carpenter and said "This is your house, my gift to you."

The carpenter was in a shock! What a shame! If he had only known that he was building his own house, he would have made it better than any other house that he ever built!

Our situation can be compared to this carpenter. Allah Ta'la has sent us to this world to build our homes in paradise by obeying His commands.
Now,
we have to decide how well we wish to build the homes where we will live forever.

Lecture notes.30.05.05

Death is the destroyer of pleasure; Remember death during calamity- the burden will lighten.
The highest rate of suicide is in the Western world; The kaafir do not realise the reason for creation and think it is the end. True agony begins then.

Hadith: 'Be in this life as a stranger' - this is the key to success.
"Everything will perish and die, except His face." [Qur'an]
"Kulli nafsin dhaa-ikatul mawt": Every soul shall taste death.

'And when the trumprt is blown, there will be no kinship between them'. Everyone will save their own soul first.

Uthmaan ibn Affan said the grave is the first stage of the akhira; if it is easy there will be ease after it. But if it is difficult, what will follow is difficulty. He would become emotional when hearing of the grave, but unmoved by a talk on heaven/ hell.

For a believer the angel of death will sit at the head and say 'O peaceful, good and righteous soul, come out with pleasure and forgiveness from your Lord.'
For the disbeliever the angels will descend with dark faces and reprimand him at the critical moment he fears his destiny. 'Come out O evil soul to anger and punishment. The soul will then be dragged out of the body.

Innalillahi mauti wal sakharaat- Verily, death is painful.

The Lighter Side in Hadith

Since Islam is defined as way of life the scope of Islam and life should be fully convergent. As Islam is based on human nature, it also fully takes into account that nature, in its entire dimension. As a reflection of many different types of extremities among us as Muslims, some have divorced Islam in search of their jest and fun. Others, due to their "love" for Islam, have purified Islam and their life from any humorous dimension: So, no fun or humor.

The latter group is petrified by a reminder from the Prophet Muhammad , "O followers of Muhammad! By Allah, if you knew what I know, you would weep much and laugh little." [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, #627]

The unintended impact of this Hadith has been that we forgot to have a sense of humor altogether. Indeed, the more religious we are, the less we laugh. On top of this, I have observed that the more religious and scholarly Muslims are, their faces are stiffer, even when they have their pictures taken. Life is more than just weeping and crying. There might be some proportionality, but there is plenty of lighter dimension of life as well. So, go ahead, cry a little, laugh a little.

The Prophet usually had a very friendly, inviting disposition. He smiled, and laughed as situations "naturally" warranted. Just like he did not try to artificially induce tears in his eyes, he did not suppress his laugh during situations that were humorous.

Those Hadith that indicate Prophet's smile or laugh are very special to me, as those Hadith lightens me up when I need a little lift. Those Hadith also brightens my day every so often.

1. The Prophet used to smile, rather than laugh ...

He generally used to smile rather than laugh Aisha, wife of the Messenger of Allah said: I never saw the Messenger of Allah laugh fully to such an extent that I could see his uvula. He would only smile, ... [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #5079] [Note: Whether he smiled or laugh depended on the situation as illustrated by the Hadiths quoted below.]

2. The Prophet's smile and companions' laughing sessions ...

Narrated Jabir ibn Samurah: Simak ibn Harb asked Jabir ibn Samurah, "Did you sit in the company of the Messenger of Allah?" He said: Yes, very often. He (the Prophet) used to sit at the place where he observed the morning or dawn prayer till the sun rose or when it had risen; he would stand, and they (his Companions) would talk about matters (pertaining to the days) of ignorance, and they would laugh (on these matters) while (the Prophet) only smiled. [Sahih Muslim, #1413]

3. Go ahead make your dear ones feel good!

Narrated Hadhrat Fatima , The Prophet told me something secretly (during his fatal illness) and I laughed. [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, Chapter 68 on smiling and laughing]

4. You should be jestful with your family!

Narrated Ibn Mas'ud: "Mix with the people on the condition that your Deen is not jeopardized, and be jestful with the family." [Sahih al-Bukhari, Chapter 81 on "To be cheerful with the people"]

5. The Prophet used to laugh too; sometimes till his front teeth were exposed...

Hadhrat Abu Dhar reported that the Prophet said: "I know the last of inhabitants of Paradise to enter it and the last of the inhabitants of Hell to come out it. He is a man who would be brought on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said: Present his minor sins to him, and withhold from him his serious sins. Then the minor sins would be placed before him, and it would be said: On such and such day you did so and so and on such and such day you did so and so. He would say: Yes. It will not be possible for him to deny, while he would be afraid lest serious sins should be presented before him. It would be said to him: In place of every evil deed you will have good deed. He will (then) say: My Lord! I have done things that I do not see here." I indeed saw the Mesenger of Allah laugh till his front teeth were exposed. [Sahih Muslim, Vol. 1, #365]

6. Sometimes laughing is just not right...

Narrated Aisha: Some young men from the Quraysh visited Aisha as she was in Mina and they (audience) were laughing. She said: What makes you laugh? They said: Such and such person stumbled against the rope of the tent and he was about to break his neck or lose his eyes. She said: Don't laugh for I heard Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) saying: If a Muslim runs a thorn or (gets into trouble) severe than this, there is assured for him (a higher) rank and his sins are obliterated. [Sahih Muslim, #6237]

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7. The Prophet's kiddy talk!

Narrated Anas bin Malik , The Prophet used to mix with us to the extent that he would say to a younger brother of mine (he had a bird called Umair), "O father of Umair! What did do the Nughair (a kind of bird)?" [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, #150]

8. Asking the Prophet for a camel

Anas said: A man came to the Prophet and said: O Apostle of Allah! give me a mount. The Prophet said: We shall give you a she-camel's child to ride on. He said: What shall I do with a she-camel's child? The Prophet replied: Do any others than she-camels give birth to camels?" [Sunan Abu Dawood; Vol. 3, # 4980; also #4981; #4982]

9. The tale of a stubborn animal...

Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib: Ali ibn Rabi'ah said: I was present with Ali while an animal was brought to him to ride. When he put his foot in the stirrup, he said: "In the name of Allah." Then when he sat on its back, he said: "Praise be to Allah." He then said: "Glory be to Him Who has made this subservient to us, for we had not the strength, and to our Lord do we return." He then said: "Praise be to Allah (thrice); Allah is Most Great (thrice): glory be to Thee, I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for only Thou forgivest sins." He then laughed. He was asked: At what did you laugh? He replied: I saw the Apostle of Allah do as I have done, and laugh after that. I asked: Apostle of Allah , at what are you laughing? He replied: Your Lord, Most High, is pleased with His servant when he says: "Forgive me my sins." He knows that no one forgives sins except Him. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 2, #2596]

10. What is there to laugh about a good use of Qur'anic logic ...?

Amr ibn al-As said: I had a sexual dream on a cold night in the battle of Dhat al-Salasil. I was afraid, if I washed/bathed I would die. I, therefore, performed Tayammum and led my companions in the dawn prayer. They mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah, He said: 'Amr, you led your companions in prayer, while you were sexually defiled? I informed him of the cause which impeded me from taking a bath. And I said: I heard Allah say: "Do not kill yourself, verily Allah is merciful to you." The Messenger of Allah laughed and did not say anything. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 1, #334]

11. The laugh at the case of an unyielding hapless chap ...

A man broke his fast (intentionally) during Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah commanded him to emancipate a slave or fast for two months, or feed sixty poor men. He said: I cannot provide. The Apostle said: Sit down. Thereafter, a huge basket of dates was brought to the Messenger of Allah. He said: Take this and give it as sadaqah. He said: O Messenger of Allah, there is no one poorer than I. The Messenger of Allah thereupon laughed so that his canine teeth became visible and said: Eat it yourself. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 2, #2386]

12. A Dollyy conversation and a hearty laugh!...

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: When the Apostle of Allah arrived after the expedition to Tabuk or Khaybar (the narrator is doubtful), the draught raised an end of a curtain which was hung in front of her store-room, revealing some dolls which belonged to her.

He asked: What is this? She replied: My dolls. Among them he saw a horse with wings made of rags, and asked: What is this I see among them? She replied: A horse. He asked: What is this that it has on it? She replied: Two wings. He asked: A horse with two wings? She replied: Have you not heard that Solomon had horses with wings? She said: Thereupon the Apostle of Allah laughed so heartily that I could see his molar teeth. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4914]

13. A drunken tale ...

Ibn Abbas said: The Prophet did not prescribe any punishment for drinking wine. Ibn Abbas said: A man who had drunk wine and become intoxicated was found staggering on the road, so he was taken to the Prophet . When he was opposite Al-Abbas' house, he escaped, and going in to Al-Abbas, he grasped hold of him. When that was mentioned to the Prophet , he laughed and said: Did he do that? and he gave no command regarding him. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4461]

14. A pillow talk...

Adi bin Hatim said: When the verse 'Until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread' was revealed, I took a white rope and a black rope, and placed them beneath my pillow; and then I looked at them, but they were not clear to my. So I mentioned it to the Apostle of Allah. He laughed and said: Your pillow is so broad and lengthy; that (what is being referred to) is blackness of night and whiteness of day." [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 2, #2342]

15. Troublesome thoughts?

Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas: AbuZumayl said: I asked Ibn Abbas, saying: What is that I find in my breast? He asked: What is it? I replied: I swear by Allah, I cannot speak about it. He asked me: Is it something doubtful? and he laughed. He then said: No one could escape that, until Allah, the exalted, revealed: "If thou went in doubt as to what we have revealed unto thee, and ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee." He said: If you find something in your heart, say: He is the first and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent, and He has full knowledge of all things. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #5091]

16. A joyous dream....

Prophet's dream of a sea voyage and a women's request Anas bin Malik said: Umm Haram, daughter of Milhan, sister of Umm Sulaim, narrated to me that the Apostle of Allah took a midday nap with them. He then awoke laughing. She said: I asked: O the Messenger of Allah , what made you laugh? He replied: I saw some people who were sailing in the midst of the sea like kings on thrones. She said: I said: O the Messenger of Allah, beseech Allah that He may put me among them. He replied: You will be among them. She said: He then slep and awoke laughing. She said: I asked: O the Messenger of Allah, what made you laugh? He replied as he said in the first reply. She said: I said: the Messenger of Allah, beseech Allah that He may put me amongst them. He replied: You will be among the first. Then Ubadah b. al-Samit married her and sailed on the sea on an expedition, and took her with him. When he returned, a riding animal was brought near her to ride, but it threw her down. He neck was broken and she died. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 2, #2484]

17. Sneaking up on little Anas as a party spoiler...

Anas said: The Apostle of Allah was one of the best men in character. One day he sent me to do something, and I said: I swear by Allah that I will not go. But in my heart I felt that I should go to do what the the Messenger of Allah had commanded me; so I went out and came upon boys whe were playing in the street. All of a sudden the Messenger of Allah, who had come from behind, caught me by the back of the neck, and when I looked at him he was laughing. He said: Go where I ordered you, little Anas. I replied: Yes, I am going, the Messenger of Allah! Anas said: I swear by Allah, I served him for seven or nine years, and he never said to me about a thing which I had done: why did you do such and such? nor about a thing which I left: why did you not do such and such? [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4755]

18. A subtle practical humor?

The Prophet smiled at a son's resemblance to his father Abu Rimthah said: I went to the Prophet with my father. The Apostle of Allah then asked my father: Is this your son? He replied: Yes, by the Lord of the Ka'bah. He again said: Is it true? He said: I bear witness to it. the Messenger of Allah then smiled for my resemblance with my father, and for the fact that my father took an oath upon me. He then said: He will not bring evil on you, nor will you bring evil on him. The the Messenger of Allah recited the verse: "No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another." [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4480]

19. No laughing mater! The unusual command to make parents laugh...

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: A man came to the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: I came to you to take the oath of allegiance to you on emigration, and I left my parents weeping. He (the Prophet) said: Return to them and make them laugh as you made them weep. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 2, #2522]

20. A romantic giggle?

Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Apostle of Allah married me .... When we came to Medina, some women came. According to Bishr's version: Umm Ruman came to me when I was swinging. They took me, made me prepared and decorated me. I was then brought to the Apostle of Allah , and he took up cohabitation with me..... She (Umm Ruman) halted me at the door, and I burst into laughter. [ Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, # 4915]

21. A sneaky retaliation to the jestful Prophet

Narrated Usayd ibn Hudayr,: AbdurRahman ibn AbuLayla, quoting Usayd ibn Hudayr, a man of the Ansar, said that while he was given to jesting and was talking to the people and making them laugh, the Prophet poked him under the ribs with a stick. He said: Let me take retaliation. He said: Take retaliation. He said: You are wearing a shirt but I am not. The Prophet then raised his shirt and the man embraced him and began to kiss his side. Then he said: This is what I wanted, Apostle of Allah! [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #5205]

22. Laughing teeth?

Narrated Abbas ibn Mirdas: The Apostle of Allah laughed AbuBakr or Umar said to him: May Allah make your teeth laugh! He then mentioned the tradition. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #5215]

23. A Playful suggestion from the Prophet?

Narrated Jabir: My father died and left behind seven or nine daughters, and I married a woman. The Prophet said, "Did you get married, O Jabir?" I replied, "Yes." He asked, "Is she a virgin or a matron?" I replied, "She is a matron." He said, "Why didn't you marry a virgin girl so that you might play with her and she with you (or, you might make her laugh and she make you laugh)?" I said, "My father died, leaving seven or nine girls (orphans) and I did not like to bring a young girl like them, so I married a woman who can look after them." He said, "May Allah bestow His Blessing on you." [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, #396]

24. O Allah! Are you joking?

Narrated 'Abdullah: The Prophet said, "I know the person who will be the last to come out of the (Hell) Fire, and the last to enter Paradise. He will be a man who will come out of the (Hell) Fire crawling, and Allah will say to him, 'Go and enter Paradise.' He will go to it, but he will imagine that it had been filled, and then he will return and say, 'O Lord, I have found it full.' Allah will say, 'Go and enter Paradise, and you will have what equals the world and ten times as much (or, you will have as much as ten times the like of the world).' On that, the man will say, 'Do you mock at me (or laugh at me) though You are the King?" I saw Allah's Apostle (while saying that) smiling that his premolar teeth became visible. It is said that will be the lowest in degree amongst the people of Paradise. [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, #575]

25. An entertaining donkey at the Prophet's service?

Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab: During the lifetime of the Prophet there was a man called 'Abdullah whose nickname was Donkey, and he used to make Allah's Apostle laugh. The Prophet lashed him because of drinking (alcohol). And one-day he was brought to the Prophet on the same charge and was lashed. On that, a man among the people said, "O Allah, curse him ! How frequently he has been brought (to the Prophet on such a charge)!" The Prophet said, "Do not curse him, for by Allah, I know for he loves Allah and His Apostle." [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, #771]

26. A Wholesome joke!

Awf b. Malik al-Ashja'(note: he was a rather robust person) said: I came to the Apostle of Allah at the expedition to Tabuk when he was in a SMALL skin tent. I gave him a salutation and he returned it, saying: Come in. I asked: The whole of me, Apostle of Allah? He replied: The whole of you. So I entered. [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4982]

27. Prophetic fun - What am I saying?

Anas said: A man came to the Prophet and said: Apostle of Allah! give me a mount. The Prophet said: We shall give you a she-camel's child to ride on. He said: What shall I do with a she-camel's child? The Prophet replied: Do any others than she-camels give birth to camels? [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4980]

28. "Two ears" address!

Anas said: The Prophet addressed me as: O you with the two ears! [Sunan Abu Dawood, Vol. 3, #4984]

29. Prophet's GLASSY talk!

Narrated Anas bin Malik : The Prophet came to some of his wives among whom there was Um Sulaim, and said, "May Allah be merciful to you, O Camel-driver! Drive the camels slowly, as they are carrying glass vessels (comparing women due to their tenderness and vulnerability)!" Abu Qalaba said, "The Prophet said a sentence which, had anyone of you said it, you would have admonished him for it." [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, #170] [Of course, not every one has a sense of humor!]

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30. The Prophet's DUSTY talk!

Narrated Sahl bin Sa'd: There was no name dearer to Ali than his nickname Abu Turab (the father of dust). He used to feel happy whenever he was called by this name. Once Allah's Apostle came to the house of Fatima but did not find Ali in the house. So he asked, "Where is your cousin?" She replied, "There was something (a quarrel) between me and him whereupon he got angry with me and went out without having a midday nap in my house." Allah's Apostle asked a person to look for him. That person came, and said, "O Allah's Apostle! He is sleeping in the mosque." So Allah's Apostle went there and found him lying. His upper body cover had fallen off to one side of his body and so he was covered with DUST. Allah's Apostle started cleaning the dust from him, saying, "Get up, O Abu Turab! Get up, Abu Turab!" [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 8, #297]

31. Brotherly exchange of words!

Narrated 'Uqba bin Al-Harith: I saw Abu Bakr carrying Al-Hasan and saying, "Let my father be sacrificed for you; you resemble the Prophet and not 'Ali," while 'Ali was laughing at this. [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 5, 93]

32. The tale of a wonderful host!

Narrated Abu Huraira: A man came to the Prophet. The Prophet sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing except water. Then Allah's Apostle said, "Who will take this (person) or entertain him as a guest?" An Ansar man said, "I." So he took him to his wife and said to her, "Entertain generously the guest of Allah's Apostle " She said, "We have got nothing except the meals of my children." He said, "Prepare your meal, light your lamp and let your children sleep if they ask for supper." So she prepared her meal, lighted her lamp and made her children sleep, and then stood up pretending to mend her lamp, but she put it off. Then both of them pretended to be eating, but they really went to bed hungry. In the morning the Ansari went to Allah's Apostle who said, "Tonight Allah laughed or wondered at your action." Then Allah revealed "But give them (emigrants) preference over themselves even though they were in need of that And whosoever is saved from the covetousness Such are they who will be successful." (59.9) [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 5. #142]

NOW, assuming that laugh and sense of humor go together, does even Allah have a sense of humor? He is going to laugh or is He going to have the last laugh? Allah is going to laugh? Come on now! A blasphemous statement? Don't take my word for it; read the next Hadith yourself!

33. Does Allah have a sense of humor?

Narrated Abu Huraira: The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" He replied, "Do you have any doubt in seeing the full moon on a clear (not cloudy) night?" They replied, "No, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Do you have any doubt in seeing the sun when there are no clouds?" They replied in the negative. He said, "You will see Allah (your Lord) in the same way. On the Day of Resurrection, people will be gathered and He will order the people to follow what they used to worship. So some of them will follow the sun, some will follow the moon, and some will follow other deities; and only this nation (Muslims) will be left with its hypocrites. Allah will come to them and say, 'I am Your Lord.' They will say, 'We shall stay in this place till our Lord comes to us and when our Lord will come, we will recognize Him. Then Allah will come to them again and say, 'I am your Lord.' They will say, 'You are our Lord.' Allah will call them, and As-Sirat (a bridge) will be laid across Hell and I (Muhammad) shall be the first amongst the Apostles to cross it with my followers. Nobody except the Apostles will then be able to speak and they will be saying then, 'O Allah! Save us. O Allah Save us.'

There will be hooks like the thorns of Sa'dan in Hell. Have you seen the thorns of Sa'dan?" The people said, "Yes." He said, "These hooks will be like the thorns of Sa'dan but nobody except Allah knows their greatness in size and these will entangle the people according to their deeds; some of them will fall and stay in Hell forever; others will receive punishment (torn into small pieces) and will get out of Hell, till when Allah intends mercy on whomever He likes amongst the people of Hell, He will order the angels to take out of Hell those who worshipped none but Him alone. The angels will take them out by recognizing them from the traces of prostrations, for Allah has forbidden the (Hell) fire to eat away those traces. So they will come out of the Fire, it will eat away from the whole of the human body except the marks of the prostrations.

At that time they will come out of the Fire as mere skeletons. The Water of Life will be poured on them and as a result they will grow like the seeds growing on the bank of flowing water. Then when Allah had finished from the Judgments amongst his creations, one man will be left between Hell and Paradise and he will be the last man from the people of Hell to enter paradise. He will be facing Hell, and will say, 'O Allah! Turn my face from the fire as its wind has dried me and its steam has burnt me.' Allah will ask him, "Will you ask for anything more in case this favor is granted to you?' He will say, "No by Your (Honor) Power!" And he will give to his Lord (Allah) what he will of the pledges and the covenants. Allah will then turn his face from the Fire. When he will face Paradise and will see its charm, he will remain quiet as long as Allah will. He then will say, 'O my Lord! Let me go to the gate of Paradise.' Allah will ask him, 'Didn't you give pledges and make covenants (to the effect) that you would not ask for anything more than what you requested at first?' He will say, 'O my Lord! Do not make me the most wretched, amongst Your creatures.' Allah will say, 'If this request is granted, will you then ask for anything else?' He will say, 'No! By Your Power! I shall not ask for anything else.' Then he will give to his Lord what He will of the pledges and the covenants.

Allah will then let him go to the gate of Paradise. On reaching then and seeing its life, charm, and pleasure, he will remain quiet as long as Allah wills and then will say, 'O my Lord ! Let me enter Paradise.' Allah will say, May Allah be merciful unto you, O son of Adam! How treacherous you are! Haven't you made covenants and given pledges that you will not ask for anything more that what you have been given?' He will say, 'O my Lord! Do not make me the most wretched amongst Your creatures.' So Allah will laugh and allow him to enter Paradise and will ask him to request as much as he likes. He will do so till all his desires have been fulfilled . Then Allah will say, 'Request more of such and such things.' Allah will remind him and when all his desires and wishes; have been fulfilled, Allah will say "All this is granted to you and a similar amount besides." Abu Said Al-Khudri, said to Abu Huraira, 'Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'That is for you and ten times more like it.' "Abu Huraira said, "I do not remember from Allah's Apostle except (his saying), 'All this is granted to you and a similar amount besides." Abu Sahd said, "I heard him saying, 'That is for you and ten times more the like of it." [Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol. 1, #770]

Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq is currently the Head of Centre for Islamic Finance at Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF). He can be reached at farooqm59gmail.com.

Homepage: http://www.globalwebpost.com/farooqm