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Chapter 4 Written by Mateen A. Khan, NJ A version of this article was first published in Al-Madania Magazine. The trek from the cave of Ḥirā’ atop Mount al-Nūr snaked down the mountainside, through the valleys, and into Makkah. Our beloved Muhammad ﷺ began to frequent the cave and stay longer each time. There, he could contemplate and connect with His Creator. When he would leave, his footsteps temporarily imprinted themselves in the path’s shifting sands. The grains took their turns kissing his feet. The few bushes reached out to him. The rocks conveyed their salām. Having now reached the fortieth year of his life, the Prophet ﷺ, already known for his notable character and miraculous events, felt a guided shifting internally. The love of Allah, the Exalted, for humanity is beyond the mind’s comprehension. He created Sayyiduna Ādam and gifted him with two unique traits, knowledge and choice, which composed humanity’s foundation. Sound belief and sincere obedience formed its structure. His progeny, however, introduced changes over time which weakened it. They added, changed, or removed divine commands. They grew further away from Him, whereas He always wished for them to choose closeness. He sent prophets and messengers to right the wrongs they had introduced out of His mercy; engineers to correct the flaws of the building of humanity. After Sayyiduna `Īsā, the structure grew increasingly unstable as people adopted attributes of polytheism and took to extremism in belief and practice. Until one day, the structure collapsed on itself, burying humanity in darkness. The greatness of humanity is not measured by its dominance over the natural world or its understanding of it. Instead, it is measured by its closeness to the Creator and the ability to act in accordance with His commands. Humanity had buried itself in its own making. Thus, they blocked the light of divine connection and the fresh air of original purpose. As mentioned previously, it was never in the Creator’s plan to leave humanity in darkness. The match had been lit, and it was time to light the lamp. Preparing the Prophet ﷺ He ﷺ is the most beloved creation of Allah, the Exalted. We have already seen how his life was full of unique events. Now, Allah imbued a sense of unrest within the Prophet ﷺ. For his part, throughout his life, the Prophet ﷺ protected himself – with the help of divine direction – from that which displeased Allah, the Exalted. He detested worshiping anything which itself depended upon the Independent (al-Ghanī), be it stone or man. When one disconnects themselves from Allah, they detach themselves from morality. As he ﷺ remained connected to Allah alone, he stayed on a path of virtue. Thus, he never lied, cheated, drank alcohol, ate meat slaughtered on a name besides Allah’s, or any other action displeasing to his Lord. However, there was that one time his humanity got the better of him. As a young shepherd, he resolved one night to attend a wedding wherein music and jāhilī merrymaking were taking place. No sooner had he arrived but sleep overtook him, and his ears muted the music. He awoke later the next day well after the event’s conclusion. The next night, he attempted the same, and his plans were similarly thwarted. Henceforth, he remained resolved to refrain from pre-Islamic rituals. Allah, the Exalted, protected him as He had protected His chosen Prophets before. After some time, he began to see pleasant and vivid dreams as if lit by the morning light. The visions would correspond with reality, i.e., they were true. He was given a taste of revelation’s embrace; a purification of the heart and soul and a preparation for what was to come. The Household The Prophet ﷺ would return from al-Nūr to his wife and household. His marriage to Sayyidah Khadījah blossomed into an impressive extended family. The mutual loyalty between him and his devoted foster mother Barakah continued as well. He ﷺ introduced Barakah to his wife as “the rest of his family.” Whereas she looked after him from birth throughout his difficult childhood, as an adult, the Prophet ﷺ began to look after her. He arranged her marriage to a man named `Ubayd, and she left the Prophet’s side for a time. She and `Ubayd had a child named Ayman by which she gained the title of Umm Ayman, the mother of Ayman. As Allah’s plan for her would have it, `Ubayd died soon after. She, then, returned to the Prophet’s grateful company and welcoming home. Years before this, the tribe of an Arab child named Zayd ibn Ḥārithah had been raided. Ripped from his parents, he was alone as an enslaved youth being transferred from home to home. His father mourned and recited poetry in his name, not knowing where he was taken. Like the Prophet Ya`qūb, he never gave up hope in finding him. Sayyiduna Zayd, like the Prophet Yūsuf, must have dearly missed the warmth of his home and father. Soon after the Prophet’s marriage, Allah, the Exalted, brought Zayd into their home. Although he entered as a slave, this family kept him as family. Around this time, the tears of Zayd’s father began to dry as he heard of the whereabouts of his son. He rushed to Makkah and located Zayd’s master ﷺ by the Ka`bah. “Free my son for money is no object.” However, the man he spoke to spoke in the language of affection and not of affluence. If Zayd wanted his freedom and family, it was his to ask, and he could return with his father. However, if he chose to stay, the Prophet ﷺ said, “By Allah, I am not one to abandon anyone who chooses me.” The father ran to his son and presented to him his freedom. Zayd replied, “I am not one to choose him over anyone else, ever.” One might imagine the father’s hurt for now he stood to lose his son for the second time. Amazingly, this was not the case for, one must conclude, he too understood Zayd’s adoration of the Prophet ﷺ. Instead of hurt and anger, he was pleased with his son’s decision and returned home content with Muhammad ﷺ as his guard. What an excellent example for every parent whose child chooses a path of prophetic learning?! Leave your child contently in their devotion to his ﷺ deen and Sharī`ah. There is no better company! For his part, the Prophet ﷺ, being one of utmost loyalty, reciprocated Zayd’s choice, freed him, and adopted him as his own son. He would affectionately say to him, “O Zayd, you are my companion. You are part of me and I am part of you. You are the most beloved of people to me.” The Prophet ﷺ loved Zayd and he loved Barakah. He would fuse these two halves of his heart together in marriage to one another. The union would result in a child, Usāmah ibn Zayd. However, the words to describe the Prophet’s love for him escape me for now. A similar thing occurred with Abū Ṭālib. He was a devoted sponsor and father-figure to his nephew ﷺ as he guided him into adulthood. He was there when no one else was. Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ reciprocated with great loyalty and concern at a time when financial hardship befell the Quraysh. The responsibility of taking care of many children weighed on Abū Ṭālib’s finances and caused him great difficulty. To lessen the burden, the Prophet ﷺ took in one of his sons, Sayyiduna `Ali ibn Abī Ṭālib. With this, `Alī also became a member of the household, and the Prophet ﷺ treated him as a son. Later, he would become the son-in-law of the Prophet ﷺ. He would be among the first to accept the Prophet’s message and among the first to pray in the name of Islam. One day, his father Abū Ṭālib, still unaware of the new religion, caught him praying in secret and confronted him about this practice. The young `Alī replied, “O my father, I have believed in Allah (alone) and His Messenger. I have affirmed what he has brought. I have prayed with him for the sake of Allah alone and have followed him.” In this instance, his love for his nephew overcame his devotion to his forefathers. He replied to his son, “In that case, he only calls you toward good. Remain dedicated to him.” He would say about the Prophet ﷺ: Did you not know our son is not denied By us, and he does not speak any falsehoods. The flawless by which the clouds are asked for rain; The refuge of orphans and the guardian of widows. Sayyiduna `Ali’s inclination towards the deen and devotion to the Prophet ﷺ were not coincidental. Rather, it stemmed from the pure nourishing soil of Muhammad ﷺ and Khadījah’s house. He was also not the only child to benefit from its nutrients. The couple had four daughters: Zaynab, Umm Kulthūm, Ruqayyah, and Fāṭimah. Each one inherited the nobility of their parents. They were the apple of their father’s eye, the coolness of his heart, and the smile on his blessed face. For countless millennia, Mount al-Nūr watched over the valley as a guard waiting patiently for their ward. It witnessed Makkah’s transition from empty desert to the home of the Ka`bah; its transformation from the visiting-place of Ibrāhīm to the birth of Muhammad ﷺ. It watched the child grow, suffer loss, and accumulate people’s endearment. Now, the stage had finally been set. Its cast, from people to angels, were all in position. The sun, moon, and heavens gazed enviously on the little Earth for what was to come. The Prophet had dreams sparking a light that lead him to isolation and reflection. Time in Ḥirā’ freed his mind from the dunya and focused it on the divine. Finally, the mountain’s perseverance paid off as the Prophet ﷺ climbed its side one more time.

Chapter 3 Written by Mateen A. Khan, NJ A version of this article was first published in Al-Madania Magazine. A stoic structure, the Ka`bah has been a silent witness to many important events. For this, it has my envy. It has stood as the base of a pillar that stretches far into the heavens; a building constructed upon divine command as a source and direction of spiritual light. Like comets, people from across Arabia have endured unforgiving empty expanses to simply circumambulate it before returning home. Even the surrounding houses stood like stationary satellites caught in its gravity. It is a Sun, and they its solar system. Decades before, the noble child Muhammad ﷺ, like the Ka`bah, began to attract many into his orbit. From family members, hermitic monks, and townsfolk to close companions, they observed his impeccable character and bore witness to it in word, deed, and life. All this well before he was proclaimed a Messenger. This chapter briefly outlines some personalities that coalesced around him before prophethood. The Uncle Abū Ṭālib After `Abdul Muṭṭalib’s burial, the eight-year-old Muhammad ﷺ and his foster mother returned to the house of his uncle, Abū Ṭālib. `Abdul Muṭṭalib did not leave this world without arrangements for his dear grandson. He instructed Abū Ṭālib, who was the full brother of `Abdullah and closest living relative, to look after the child. Obedience to his father’s last wishes and a strong blood relationship brought the child into his house. However, undying affection and fierce life-long devotion kept Abū Ṭālib attached to his beloved nephew, favoring him over his own sons. In any other household, the horns of jealousy would bludgeon hearts and destroy families. However, his ﷺ presence was such that no matter how many sought his attention, they all walked away satiated. In those days, Abū Ṭālib and his sons, `Alī, Ja`far, and `Aqīl sought his attention. In later days, it would grow to hundreds of thousands, and miraculously, none envied the other in the least. The Loyal Monks One day and a thousand miles away, the nine-year-old child ﷺ emerged with a caravan through scattered air and dust from a desert valley in the mountains near Buṣrā in Shām. The secluded monk Baḥīrah had lived there for some time among the boulders and trees as his companions. He cared little for the world or the oft-traversing caravans which sought it out. This time, however, he noted something extraordinary – those boulders and trees leaned into the path as if to reach out in yearning towards a group of travelers. Baḥīrah knew that just as these objects remember their Lord, they also long for His Emissaries. He also knew the time was close for the arrival of the last Messenger. Frantically, he searched through the group until he beheld the young boy ﷺ, shaded by a tree and a cloud with the mark of prophethood on his back. Abū Ṭālib was among the group and like most Qurayshī men, he was a trader traveling to Shām in search of profit. Before his departure, his young charge ﷺ fearing separation, came close to him – for an uncle is like a father. He had already lost too many of those. It was not an expedition for children. Despite this, Abū Ṭālib also not wanting to separate from him, relented. The two endured the desert with the caravan until they reached Baḥīrah’s locality. Enmity against prophets was a recurrent trait of the People of the Book. At the time, the Christian Romans were already searching with ill-intent. However, there have been some like Baḥīrah that protected those beloveds of Allah. “Return him home safely and protect his identity,” Baḥīrah urged Abū Ṭālib. “This is the master of the worlds. This is the messenger of the Lord of the worlds. Allah will commission him as a mercy to the worlds.” Not knowing what to make of this exactly, but not wanting to tempt fate either, the child ﷺ was sent back to the safe obscurity of Makkah. Nine years later as a business partner of his future wife, he would meet another loyal monk, Nasṭūrā. He, too, would recognize the young man ﷺ and proclaim, “This one! He is a prophet. He is the last of them.” Those episodes were just two signs in a long series of events. Allah, the Exalted, was preparing people for a predicted and long prophesized point in history. Prior to this, the Prophet Ibrāhīm requested Allah for a purifying Prophet, and the Prophet `Īsā foretold of one most praised. The most telling yet subtle sign was the tar-like coating of evil and immorality that had covered the hearts. They had become deaf to advice, ignorant of the divine, and blind to uprightness. However, Allah, the Exalted, is not One to leave man neglected. He intended to send a light, both enduring and guiding, to vaporize darkness until the world’s end. The Makkans Meanwhile, the Makkans increasingly gravitated towards the young man ﷺ. He was unlike other men that were universally tainted with Jahiliyyah maladies. For them, he was a humble and patient shepherd; a kind and noble caretaker; an honest and reliable trading partner; a strong and pure desert Arab. When he spoke, he always spoke the truth. When he was entrusted, he always fulfilled his trust. Unusually, he seemed unable to do otherwise. Thus, people made a note of it and referred to him as al-Ṣādiq and al-Amīn, the Truthful and Trustworthy. Abū Ṭālib verbalized this in a beautiful way at the occasion of the Prophet’s ﷺ marriage, “Indeed, Muhammad is such, if other Qurayshī youth were to be weighed against him, he would be greater in nobility, generosity, grace, and intelligence. Although he has little wealth – for it is a passing shade and a trust to be returned – he possesses a desire for Khadījah bint Khuwaylid and she possesses the same for him.” On another occasion, the Quraysh, as the custodians of the Ka`bah and those nearest to it, began rebuilding its dilapidated structure. Building the Ka`bah was an enviable event having only taken place a few times in the course of world history. The subtribes worked together until only the Black Stone (al-ḥajar al-aswad) remained. Egos inflamed over the right of its placement. Swords of pristine metal and hands of dripping blood were advanced by all involved. If rebuilding the Ka`bah was a tribal and a once in a millennia honor, placing the Black Stone was the ultimate privilege. For several days, the threat of a long war and hostility grew, and the air around the Ka`bah became thick. Eventually, they agreed the first to enter the sanctuary the next day would have the choice in the matter. In the morning, they raced through cool streets and settled sand only to find the innately pious 35-year-old Muhammad ﷺ already there for his morning visit. Voices went out saying, “This is Muhammad, the trustworthy (al-Amīn). We are pleased (with him). This is Muhammad, the trustworthy.” In an act of wisdom and generosity, which endeared him even further, he set the stone in a sheet to be carried by all the chiefs as he guided it gently into its resting place. The Wife Sayyidah Khadījah Among the Makkans was a Qurayshī widow, Sayyidah Khadījah. One day, she looked out anxiously over the terrain from her upper floor. Through the arid mirages and refracted air, she saw her latest business venture come into view. After her last husband died, she began to invest her wealth with trading partners. As an astute yet modest and desirable woman, she would remain in her Makkan home as they traveled and engaged on her behalf. This time, the returning venture was different. Her investment was in the hands of the highly lauded yet inexperienced Muhammad ﷺ. However, it was not the investment that concerned her, but rather, she wanted to hear about him. She had sent her slave and agent, Maysarah, to observe her business partner. Upon returning, Maysarah burst with stories of honesty, purity of faith, fortune, and supernatural events. Afterward, she was, no doubt, divinely inspired to propose marriage to the Prophet ﷺ. It was a perfect marriage of immeasurable mutual love. Together, they would form a binary star – two separate individuals about a common point acting as one – unlike any birthed by the universe. She of forty years old would prove to be a devoted wife and an embodiment of purity, intelligence, and dedication to her husband. She would bear witness to the innermost perfection of her husband as only a spouse could. He, now 25-years-old, would reciprocate a loyalty that lasted well beyond her passing. The Companion Sayyiduna Abū Bakr One day, the Ka`bah bore the brunt of a white sun’s scorch and cast a shade over an immensely important individual. Possessing a deeply inquisitive nature and extensive experience, you would have thought he had heard all that people usually speak of. However, he now sat surprised in thought with the blacks of his eyes dilated. He had just heard for the first time about a foretold prophet to come. Sayyiduna Abū Bakr was another Makkan and universally respected for his intelligent inquiries, noble traits, and acumen in trade. He was an expert in the genealogy of people and an excellent judge of character. Hence, he would often say about the Prophet ﷺ when he saw him approaching: The Trustworthy, the Chosen who calls to virtue, L ike the full moon from which the darkness flees. He distinguished himself as one who vehemently stood for the truth and inclined towards purity in belief and thought. So long before Islam, he shunned idol worship and kept his mind free of intoxication. In traits, he was much like a twin to the Prophet ﷺ. How extraordinary?! While the Prophets are preserved upon an innate purity (al-fiṭrah) and divinely protected from sin (al-`iṣmah), Sayyiduna Abū Bakr cultivated his nature without divine protection to a degree no other common man would. Hence, it comes as no surprise that a soul of such stature would befriend the noblest of creation ﷺ. He became a close companion to the Prophet ﷺ and intimately witnessed his intrinsic honesty, beautiful nature, and noble character even before his prophethood. This was a perfect companionship of immeasurable mutual benefit. The Prophet ﷺ would have a friendship he could not alone repay, and Sayyiduna Abū Bakr would be elevated to a stature no common man may claim. Indeed, the Ka`bah is worthy of every envy. It looked over the two spouses when they prayed together, shaded the two companions when they gathered, and beheld the gaze of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them all.

Chapter 2 written by Mateen A. Khan, Piscataway, NJ A version of this article was first published in Al-Madania Magazine. Barakah found herself dripping tears as she hovered over a hunched and broken child. The sky and the universe above it weighed down upon them, the world constrained and suffocating. The area in which she stood was devoid of life much like their hearts felt. A dry wind blew around a well and over a mound of dirt. It covered the grave of Āminah. The Foster Family Six years earlier, a small group was traversing the expansive desert. The dry heat ripped moisture from their faces and sand particles nestled into crevices. The weak cry of children rumbled with the wind. They found little to drink from their mothers, and their embrace only gave so much comfort in the face of their hunger. Among them was a family of three – husband, wife, and a suckling infant. Their days marked by incapacitating thirst and their nights by the sleeplessness of stomach pangs. With no other option, they trekked on with only an emaciated donkey and a dry camel. Like a stray comet traversing through the solar system, they headed towards the center of Makkah. Ḥalīmah, her husband al-Ḥārith, their child Maṣrūḥ, and others from the Banu Sa`d tribe were making an annual trip to collect some of the town’s children with whom they would return into the sandy void. Meanwhile in Makkah, the orphaned newborn Muhammad ﷺ found himself the focal point of his mother Āminah and his now nurse mother Barakah. Like the sun to its planets, they intently surrounded and attended to him. Joining in this inner orbit was his guardian and grandfather Abdul Muṭṭalib. Despite being without a father’s patronage and born into relative poverty, he was rich in loving attention. However, age-old customs meant he would soon be separated from them. The town’s people having realized long ago the harms of city-life, sent their infants into the purity of the desert. The desert, it seems, not only stripped away water, but also pollution, plagues, and immorality. It strengthened young bodies and purified minds. The Arabs, ever proud of their language, knew Bedouin life preserved it and were keen on the tongue being accustomed to it from birth. So, every year their infants would go out to live for a time with paid, foster parents and Muhammad ﷺ would be no different. Although it meant separation from their Sun, they were willing to sacrifice for him. Love both pulls and pushes away. Ḥalīmah arrived along with the other potential foster mothers and sought out her child. They darted from house to house looking for a nursing infant. However, each one of them, blinded by financial needs, overlooked the newborn in favor of one with a father who could guarantee proper compensation. After each child was paired with her foster child, Ḥalīmah remained without a match and the newborn Muhammad ﷺ, too. Not wanting to remain empty-handed and having abandoned hope for financial benefit, she returned to the house of Abdul Muṭṭalib seeking her destiny. She immediately fell in love with this child. Like his mother, she found miraculous ease accompanied him. She was able to produce milk sufficient for him and her son. The donkey became invigorated and strong. The camel became enlivened and produced plentiful milk for the family. “Wait for us. Is this the same animal you brought with you?” the others asked. When once they lagged the caravan, they now raced ahead of it. Ḥalīmah exclaimed, “By Allah! I am carrying a blessed boy upon it.” After returning home with him, their grazing land grew lush, and their sheep became plush. The now family of four found their days serene and their nights restful. The child was a cool sight for the dry, injected eyes of Banu Sa`d. They had never beheld another child like him. The child remained with his foster family for two years which marked the time of his return. They did not wish to detach from him or relinquish the goodness they came to enjoy. Their hearts mourned, “By Allah! We will never part from him while we can!” Wanting greatness for him, his foster sister, Shaymā’ composed a sincere supplication: Our Lord, keep us in Muhammad’s ﷺ presence Until I see him mature to adolescence Then, into one who is a chosen leader Crush his enemies and enviers together And grant him honor lasting forever[1] Indeed, Allah ta`āla would answer her sincere supplication in full. She would meet him much later in their lives when she would accept Islam. The entirety of Banu Sa`d, too, would find freedom in this world and the next from these couple years spent together. For the time being, duty bound, they brought him back to his mother. As it happens however, a plague broke out in Makkah around that time. Ḥalīmah capitalized on the events and urged Āminah to return the child with them for a time. “We fear he may be afflicted by the Makkan plague. Let him return until you are free of your disease.” Having finally been reunited with her beloved son, she reluctantly agreed to a second separation. Now old enough to walk and by all accounts larger and stronger than his age would suggest, he began to go out with his foster siblings into the grazing fields. Then, one day, his foster brother came running to Ḥalīmah and her husband and breathlessly said, “Two men wearing white tunics seized my Qurayshi brother! They laid him down and slashed open his chest!” Horrified, his foster parents tore across the fields and found Muhammad ﷺ standing alone, pale in color. They pulled him close crying over the trust placed in their care. He described the same events his foster brother mentioned and added that the two beings removed his heart and cleansed it of a clot. The clot was the physical representation of any Shayṭānī component found within men. Having been freed of it, his heart was returned, and his chest closed with a seal to protect it. Fearing the events that just occurred and the breaking of their trust, Ḥalīmah brought the child back to Āminah. For her part, Āminah remained calm having witnessed signs prior which allayed her fears and convinced her son had a great purpose ahead of him. This was a child who Allah Himself will look over. A Mother’s Loss Our Prophet ﷺ found himself back in the endearing embrace of his family. Two years later, Āminah, her son ﷺ, and Barakah had been visiting his maternal homeland and burial place of his father, who they had lost before his birth. His child was now six years old and more self-sufficient. Though, he still had much nurturing and education ahead. The reminder of Abdullah’s death must have brought renewed pain to his family; a wife having lost her companion, a servant her sponsor, and a child his parent. They found comfort in one another and began their journey back to Makkah. During their return, Āminah fell ill and was taken by her Rabb in a place called al-Abwā. Like her husband before, she had fulfilled her purpose in life. Now that their son ﷺ was old enough to be physically independent from his mother, his Rabb would take sole responsibility for his rearing. As she had been by Abdullah and then by Āminah, Barakah stood by our Prophet ﷺ. With a composure that would serve her through their lives, she delivered the now completely parentless child back to his grandfather. Back in Makkah, Abdul Muṭṭalib received his grandson with great grief. Henceforth, the child remained mostly by his side, a familiar fixture on his sitting mat during tribal gatherings. He would openly exclaim his affection for him, and his actions never betrayed his words. Once after having been separated longer than expected for an errand, Abdul Muṭṭalib anxiously paced around the Ka`bah pleading Allah ta`āla for his safety. Upon his grandson’s return, his heart spoke, “My child, I felt a grief over your separation, as a mother feels, that will never leave me.” From that day forth, he did not allow any separation of length. However, two years after his mother’s death, the skies again grew dark. The child ﷺ was to be separated once more from a beloved caretaker. For a grandfather is akin to a father in love and care. With his passing, he was orphaned once more. As the bier of Abdul Muṭṭalib was carried to its resting place, the eight-year-old child could be seen following it in tears. The sun set on the dusty town and a similar sight was beheld: a female of dark complexion contrasted by the white of her charge. Barakah quietly walked back with her foster son from yet another burial.

By Imam Numaan Cheema (Boston, Massachusetts) You arrive at your local masjid or musalla ahead of prayer time so you can squeeze a few extra nawāfil in to increase the dough in your bank upstairs. By raising your hands up and parallel to your head, you’re about to cut yourself from everyone and everything except The Almighty. Elated at coming early, excited to reconnect with Him, anxious to speak to Him, you raise your hands in a sweeping like motion throwing the distractions of the world behind you and suddenly you hear a flock of loud laughs preceded by: “Bro! Did you see that game last night?! Meathead1 QB2 was all over the place!” Wait What?! Did you just step into a sports bar? You remember setting your GPS to the local masjid but how did you end up stumbling over the recap of the previous Sunday’s football games? You look around for a quick minute to snap back to reality and re-affirm you’re in the intended place until you again hear last night’s red zone coverage instead of the Qur’an being hummed or narrations from the blessed hadith. Maybe you’ve been in this situation in which our places of peace, tranquility, and overall holiness have become the social hubs to discuss the latest events happening around us; mundane things such as professional sports, politics (especially those happening thousands of miles away), and other useless topics of time waste. Keeping our masājid cleansed from such distractions must be a priority of not just one feeble voiced “Uncle Ji,” but rather the collective effort of all. Distractions? Yes! Distractions. Stepping into the masjid a regular Joe comes to connect with his Rabb and breakaway from the temporary takeaways consuming his mind. When the regular Joe hears Qur’an, hadith, zikr3, or something else spiritual, his mind starts to prepare for the upcoming prayer. You’re mentally ready for the divine connection but when that flow of khushū`4 is interrupted by something else, Shaytān seizes the opportunity to start replaying last night’s games, and he strips away the much-needed sin detox. Masājid are holy and spiritually uplifting sanctuaries beautifully carved into communities all over the globe designed to help immerse the average Muslim into experiencing a glimpse of an Islamic ideal. When the average Muslim walks into any masjid worldwide, he/she hopes to taste the sweetness and serenity lying within salāh and seeks the comfort of being in a state of continuous worship, while immersing into the array of different methods of ihsān. The expectation is to be greeted by a holistic, light-like feeling completely overtaking the body transforming into a sort of an evolved ābid5 for the duration of stay. “But Imam, it’s football season! You’ve got to understand.” Excitement coming through such adrenaline-pumping sports has undoubtedly become the norm and is very enjoyable, but keep in mind everything has a place and time to be discussed, remembered, and enjoyed. As the Arabic proverb goes: الظلم وضع الشيء في غير محله Placing something where it doesn’t belong is injustice.6 The Prophet of Allah (May Allah have mercy and bless him) warned us there will come a time when people will sit in circles in the masājid with no concern except for this world. Allah has no need of them, so do not sit with them.7 So next time you or your fantasy league buddy have the urge to talk about who’s got points in a make-believe world, think again and remind yourself where you are. If you fear you might burst out of excitement, remember you don’t want to be from amongst those who the Prophet (May Allah have mercy and bless him) told to avoid. Featured image (c) rogiro _________________ 1 Typically a rather muscular person who walks around with their arms out to their side. 2 A man at the Quarterback position in football responsible for handling the football. 3 Remembrance of Allah, whether vocal or silent. 4 Islamic term for ultimate concentration, calmness, and tranquility in prayer. 5 Islamic term defining one as an excessive worshipper. 6 Al-Asalīb wa al-Itlaqāt al-`Arabiyya 7 Mustadrak al-Hākim (4/359)

By Dr. Mateen Khan (Trenton, New Jersey) We’ve all met that type of person before. Maybe even some of us are this type. That guy who’s constantly frustrated and wondering why the situation is what it is. Always angry with the women in the West, critically eyeing them as morally degraded. Longing for an era that isn’t likely to return soon. Assuming marriage as a cure-all for his problems… Then, there are those of us who are calmer, trying to keep our nafs1 clean since “the one who purifies it is successful and the one who corrupts it has failed.”2 How does a Muslim man living in a non-Muslim land where clothing is sort of—um,optional—maintain this purity of heart? While it’s true the Qur’an and Sunnah address the outlines of a woman’s dress, they are also rather explicit in what men should do when women aren’t properly covered. Allah subhānahu wa ta’āla advises us in Surah al-Nūr that if a woman doesn’t fulfill her responsibility, then a man fulfills his: قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ “O Prophet, tell the Believers to keep their eyes down.” In fact, in this particular ayah, the men are advised to keep their eyes down before the women are advised to cover themselves properly. The Prophet (Allah bless and give him peace) provided a practical demonstration near the end of his life. Once the Prophet (Allah bless and give him peace) was riding an animal with his younger cousin, Sayyiduna Al-Fadl bin al-‘Abbās (May Allah be pleased with him) sitting behind him. A young girl asked the Prophet for a verdict. After giving her the ruling, he then turned Al-Fadl’s face away because he was staring at her. Al-Fadl’s father asked, “O Messenger of Allah, why did you turn his face away?” He said, “I saw a young man and a young woman, and they were not safe from Shaytān.”3 In this situation, the Prophet (Allah bless and give him peace) didn’t direct any harsh words toward the young girl. Instead, he calmly demonstrated the proper etiquette for the men of his ummah. The scholars too outlined a mindset to keep when in these situations. Every women is a slave of Allah (some willingly and others unwillingly), belonging to Him alone. Every time a man takes a glance, it’s best he remember the Master is always watching. Finally, there are those that make comments such as, “How weak is your iman/heart/desire that you cannot control yourself if a woman isn’t dressed Islamically?” Among other things, they should ask themselves, “Do I consider myself to be above the advice of my Lord or greater than the level of my Prophet (Allah bless and give him peace)?”3 So when faced with this dilemma, there’s no need for frustration and anger. Follow the advice of our deen. Stay calm and keep your head down. _________________ 1 An Islamic term referring to the spiritual heart. 2 Qur’an 91:9-10. 3 اسْتَفْتَتْهُ جَارِيَةٌ شَابَّةٌ مِنْ خَثْعَمٍ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ أَبِي شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ قَدْ أَدْرَكَتْهُ فَرِيضَةُ اللَّهِ فِي الْحَجِّ أَفَيُجْزِئُ أَنْ أَحُجَّ عَنْهُ قَالَ ‏”‏حُجِّي عَنْ أَبِيكِ‏”‏.‏ قَالَ وَلَوَى عُنُقَ الْفَضْلِ فَقَالَ الْعَبَّاسُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لِمَ لَوَيْتَ عُنُقَ ابْنِ عَمِّكَ قَالَ ‏”رَأَيْتُ شَابًّا وَشَابَّةً فَلَمْ آمَنِ الشَّيْطَانَ عَلَيْهِمَا‏”‏‏ الترمذي 885 4 Perhaps a more relevant and humbling question would be, “What faults do I have that led me to think such a thought?” Featured image (c) Maymona

by Dr. Mateen Khan (Trenton, New Jersey) The end is near! Stop daydreaming about iftar lassis and kunafa. Grab your Qur’ans. Straighten your kufis and tighten your hijabs. Head for the closest masjid. Ramadan is coming to an end! In these last days, I thought I would remind ourselves of a few things to accomplish: I’tikāf Vacation in the masjid and receive a second, much greater vacation in the ākhirah. This sunnah mu’akkada1 was a habit of our Prophet (Allah bless and give him peace) during the last ten days of every Ramadan. Only Allah knows its reward. So great is this act that you can literally sleep2 the whole ten days and be rewarded for it. Salāt ‘ala al-Nabi (aka darūd) Is your lazy tongue just sitting there in your mouth doing nothing? Put it to work for your mutual benefit in the ākhirah. Recite darūd Ibrahīmīyyah3 or even as little as “Allāhumma salli ‘ala Muhammad” and rack up points that will take care of your needs in this world and the next. Most importantly, gain a closeness with our Prophet (Allah bless and give him peace). Tilāwah Recite the Qur’an morning and evening. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (Allah have mercy on him) said, “I saw my Rabb in a dream. I asked him, ‘O Rabb, what actions of your close ones (mutaqarribūn) bring them closest to you?’ He answered, ‘With my Qur’an, O Ahmad.’ I asked, ‘While understanding it or even without?’ He answered, ‘With or without understanding it.’”4 May Allah subhānahu wa ta’āla give us dreams like that! Qiyām The nights are short and the reward great. So stand up in salāh and call Allah subhānahu wa ta’āla. “Only those truly believe in our ayahs, who when reminded of them, fall into sajdah and praise their Rabb. Nor are they arrogant. Their sides are separated from their beds while calling upon their Rabb in fear and hope.”5 Du’āh Allah subhānahu wa ta’āla understands your language. Ask Him in whatever language you’re comfortable. Ask Him for forgiveness and guidance. Ask Him for knowledge and well-being. Ask Him for anything and everything. Don’t know what to say? Ask Him what to say. Don’t have the time to make long du’ahs? Ask Him for the time. You see where I’m going with this… These are just a few things to remember in the remainder of Ramadan. Make a daily schedule with these activities included and you will be able to accomplish them, inshā-Allāh. We can develop these habits now, continue them afterwards and benefit from them in the hereafter. May Allah subhānahu wa ta’āla give us tawfīq! 1 Sunnah mu’akkadah is an emphasized, oft-repeated practice of the Prophet (Allah bless and give him peace). 2 NOT A RECOMMENDATION 3 This is the salāt/darūd we recite near the end of the salāh. 4 Mukhtasar Minhāj al-Qāsidīn by Ibn Qudāmah. 5 Surah al-sajdah: 15-16