A collection of hadith qudsiShare
Sunday, May 2, 2010 at 10:35pm | Edit Note | Delete
Hadith Qudsi 1:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
When Allah decreed the Creation He pledged Himself by writing in His book which is laid down with Him: My mercy prevails over my wrath.
It was related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 2:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah Almighty has said:
The son of Adam denied Me and he had no right to do so. And he reviled Me and he had no right to do so. As for his denying Me, it is his saying: He will not remake me as He made me at first (1) - and the initial creation [of him] is no easier for Me than remaking him. As for his reviling Me, it is his saying: Allah has taken to Himself a son, while I am the One, the Everlasting Refuge. I begot not nor was I begotten, and there is none comparable to Me.
(1) i.e., bring me back to life after death.
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by an-Nasa'i).
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Hadith Qudsi 3:
On the authority of Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhaniyy (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led the morning prayer for us at al-Hudaybiyah following rainfall during the night. When the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished, he faced the people and said to them: Do you know what your Lord has said? They said: Allah and his Messenger know best. He said: This morning one of my servants became a believer in Me and one a disbeliever. As for him who said: We have been given rain by virtue of Allah and His mercy, that one is a believer in Me, a disbeliever in the stars (2); and as for him who said: We have been given rain by such-and-such a star, that one is a disbeliever in Me, a believer in the stars.
(2) The pre-Islamic Arabs believed that rain was brought about by the movement of stars. This Hadith draws attention to the fact that whatever be the direct cause of such natural phenomena as rain, it is Allah the Almighty who is the Disposer of all things.
It is related by al-Bukhari (also by Malik and an-Nasa'i).
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Hadith Qudsi 4:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah said:
Sons of Adam inveigh against [the vicissitudes of] Time, and I am Time, in My hand is the night and the day (1).
(1) As the Almighty is the Ordainer of all things, to inveigh aginst misfortunes that are part of Time is tantamount to inveighing against Him.
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim).
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Hadith Qudsi 5:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (glorified and exalted be He) said:
I am so self-sufficient that I am in no need of having an associate. Thus he who does an action for someone else's sake as well as Mine will have that action renounced by Me to him whom he associated with Me.
It was related by Muslim (also by Ibn Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 6:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say:
The first of people against whom judgment will be pronounced on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died a martyr. He will be brought and Allah will make known to him His favours and he will recognize them. [ The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I fought for you until I died a martyr. He will say: You have lied - you did but fight that it might be said [of you]: He is courageous. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man who has studied [religious] knowledge and has taught it and who used to recite the Quran. He will be brought and Allah will make known to his His favours and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I studied [religious] knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but study [religious] knowledge that it might be said [of you]: He is learned. And you recited the Quran that it might be said [of you]: He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire. [Another] will be a man whom Allah had made rich and to whom He had given all kinds of wealth. He will be brought and Allah will make known to his His favours and he will recognize them. [The Almighty] will say: And what did you do about them? He will say: I left no path [untrodden] in which You like money to be spent without spending in it for Your sake. He will say: You have lied - you did but do so that it might be said [of you]: He is open-handed. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire.
It was related by Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasa'i).
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Hadith Qudsi 7:
On the authority of Uqbah ibn Amir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the messenger of Allah (PBUH) say:
Your Lord delights at a shepherd who, on the peak of a mountain crag, gives the call to prayer and prays. Then Allah (glorified and exalted be He) say: Look at this servant of Mine, he gives the call to prayer and performs the prayers; he is in awe of Me. I have forgiven My servant [his sins] and have admitted him to Paradise.
It was related by an-Nasa'i with a good chain of authorities.
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Hadith Qudsi 8:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH), who said:
A prayer performed by someone who has not recited the Essence of the Quran (1) during it is deficient (and he repeated the word three times), incomplete. Someone said to Abu Hurayrah: [Even though] we are behind the imam? (2) He said: Recite it to yourself, for I have heard the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be up on him) say: Allah (mighty and sublime be He), had said: I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. When the servant says: Al-hamdu lillahi rabbi l-alamin (3), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has praised Me. And when he says: Ar-rahmani r-rahim (4), Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says: My servant has extolled Me, and when he says: Maliki yawmi d-din (5), Allah says: My servant has glorified Me - and on one occasion He said: My servant has submitted to My power. And when he says: Iyyaka na budu wa iyyaka nasta in (6), He says: This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. And when he says: Ihdina s-sirata l- mustaqim, siratal ladhina an amta alayhim ghayril-maghdubi alayhim wa la d-dallin (7), He says: This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for.
(1) Surat al-Fatihah, the first surah (chapter) of the Qur'an.
(2) i.e. standing behind the imam (leader) listening to him reciting al-Fatihah.
(3) "Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds."
(4) "The Merciful, the Compassionate".
(5) "Master of the Day of Judgement".
(6) "It is You we worship and it is You we ask for help".
(7) "Guide us to the straight path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favors, not of those against whom You are angry, nor of those who are astray".
It was related by Muslim (also by Malik, at-Tirmidhi, Abu-Dawud, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 9:
On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH), who said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says:
The fist of his actions for which a servant of Allah will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayers. If they are in order, then he will have prospered and succeeded: and if they are wanting, then he will have failed and lost. If there is something defective in his obligatory prayers, the Lord (glorified and exalted be He) will say: See if My servant has any supererogatory prayers with which may be completed that which was defective in his obligatory prayers. Then the rest of his actions will be judged in like fashion.
It was related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Abu Dawud, an-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah and Ahmad).
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Hadith Qudsi 10:
On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH), who said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says:
Fasting is Mine and it I who give reward for it. [A man] gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for my sake. Fasting is like a shield, and he who fasts has two joys: a joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The change in the breath of the mouth of him who fasts is better in Allah's estimation than the smell of musk.
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 11:
On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH), who said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
Spend (on charity), O son of Adam, and I shall spend on you.
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim).
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Hadith Qudsi 12:
On the authority of Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
A man from among those who were before you was called to account. Nothing in the way of good was found for him except that he used to have dealings with people and, being well-to-do, he would order his servants to let off the man in straitened circumstances [from repaying his debt]. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said that Allah said: We are worthier than you of that (of being so generous). Let him off.
It was related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari and an-Nasa'i).
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Hadith Qudsi 13:
On the authority of Adiyy ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
I was with the Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and there came to him two men: one of them was complaining of penury (being very poor), while the other was complaining of brigandry (robbery). The Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: As for brigandry, it will be but a short time before a caravan will [be able to] go out of Mecca without a guard. As for penury, the Hour (Day of Judgement) will not arrive before one of you takes his charity around without finding anyone to accept it from him. Then (1) one of you will surely stand before Allah, there being no screed between Him and him, nor an interpreter to translate for him. Then He will say to him: Did I not bring you wealth? And he will say: Yes. Then He will say: Did I not send to you a messenger? And he will say: Yes. And he will look to his right and will see nothing but Hell-fire, then he will look to his left and will see nothing but Hell-fire, so let each of you protect himself against Hell-fire, be it with even half a date - and if he finds it not, then with a kind word.
(1) i.e. at the time of the Hour. It was related by al-Bukhari.
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Hadith Qudsi 14:
On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH), who said:
Allah (glorified and exalted be He) has supernumerary angels who rove about seeking out gatherings in which Allah's name is being invoked: they sit with them and fold their wings round each other, fillin that which is between them and between the lowest heaven. When [the people in the gathering] depart, [the angels] ascend and rise up to heaven. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h.) said: Then Allah (mighty and sublime be He) asks them - [though] He is most knowing about them: From where have you come? And they say: We have come from some servants of Yours on Earth: they were glorifying You (Subhana llah), exalting you (Allahu akbar), witnessing that there is no god but You (La ilaha illa llah), praising You (Al-Hamdu lillah), and asking [favours] of You. He says: And what do they ask of Me? They say: They ask of You Your Paradise. He says: And have they seen My Paradise? They say: No, O Lord. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Paradise! They say: And they ask protection of You. He says: From what do they ask protection of Me? They say: From Your Hell-fire, O Lord. He says: And have they seen My Hell-fire? They say: NO. He says: And how would it be were they to have seen My Hell-fire: They say: And they ask for Your forgiveness. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: Then He says: I have forgiven them and I have bestowed upon them what they have asked for,and I have granted them sanctuary from that from which they asked protection. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: They say: O Lord, among then is So-and-so, a much sinning servant, who was merely passing by and sat down with them. He (the Prophet p.b.u.h) said: And He says: And to him [too] I have given forgiveness: he who sits with such people shall not suffer.
It was related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, at-Tirmidhi, and an-Nasa'i).
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Hadith Qudsi 15:
On the authority of Abu Harayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Prophet (PBUH) said: Allah the Almighty said:
I am as My servant thinks I am (1). I am with him when he makes mention of Me. If he makes mention of Me to himself, I make mention of him to Myself; and if he makes mention of Me in an assembly, I make mention of him in an assemble better than it. And if he draws near to Me an arm's length, I draw near to him a fathom's length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.
(1) Another possible rendering of the Arabic is: "I am as My servant expects Me to be". The meaning is that forgiveness and acceptance of repentance by the Almighty is subject to His servant truly believing that He is forgiving and merciful. However, not to accompany such belief with right action would be to mock the Almighty.
It was related by al-Buhkari (also by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn-Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 16:
On the authority of son of Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), from the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), among the sayings he related from his Lord (glorified and exalted be He) is that He said:
Allah has written down the good deeds and the bad ones. Then He explained it [by saying that] he who has intended a good deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as from ten good deeds to seven hundred times, or many times over. But if he has intended a bad deed and has not done it, Allah writes it down with Himself as a full good deed, but if he has intended it and has done it, Allah writes it down as one bad deed.
It was related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
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Hadith Qudsi 17:
On the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH) is that among the sayings he relates from his Lord (may He be glorified) is that He said:
O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you, O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other that blame no one but himself.
It was related by Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 18:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) will say on the Day of Resurrection:
O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I visit You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found Me with him? O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not. He will say: O Lord, and how should I feed You when You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: Did you not know that My servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with Me? O son of Adam, I asked you to give Me to drink and you gave Me not to drink. He will say: O Lord, how should I give You to drink whin You are the Lord of the worlds? He will say: My servant So-and-so asked you to give him to drink and you gave him not to drink. Had you given him to drink you would have surely found that with Me.
It was related by Muslim.
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Hadith Qudsi 19:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
Pride is my cloak and greatness My robe, and he who competes with Me in respect of either of them I shall cast into Hell-fire.
It was related by Abu Dawud (also by Ibn Majah and Ahmad) with sound chains of authority. This Hadith also appears in Muslim in another version.
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Hadith Qudsi 20:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
The gates of Paradise will be opened on Mondays and on Thursdays, and every servant [of Allah] who associates nothing with Allah will be forgiven, except for the man who has a grudge against his brother. [About them] it will be said: Delay these two until they are reconciled; delay these two until they are reconciled.
It was related by Muslim (also by Malik and Abu Dawud).
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Hadith Qudsi 21:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said that Allah the Almighty said:
There are three (1) whose adversary I shall be on the Day of Resurrection: a man who has given his word by Me and has broken it; a man who has sold a free man (2) and has consumed the price; and a man who has hired a workman, has exacted his due in full from him and has not given him his wage.
(1) i.e. types of men.
(2) i.e. a man who has made a slave of another and has sold him.
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Ibn Majah and Ahmad ibn Hanbal).
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Hadith Qudsi 22:
On the authority of Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
Let not any one of you belittle himself. They said: O Messenger of Allah, how can any one of us belittle himself? He said: He finds a matter concerning Allah about which he should say something, and he does not say [it], so Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says to him on the Day of Resurrection: What prevented you from saying something about such-and-such and such-and-such? He say: [It was] out of fear of people. Then He says: Rather it is I whom you should more properly fear.
It was related by Ibn Majah with a sound chain of authorities.
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Hadith Qudsi 23:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah will say on the Day of Resurrection:
Where are those who love one another through My glory? Today I shall give them shade in My shade, it being a day when there is no shade but My shade.
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Malik).
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Hadith Qudsi 24:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
If Allah has loved a servant [of His] He calls Gabriel (on whom be peace) and says: I love So-and-so, therefore love him. He (the Prophet pbuh) said: So Gabriel loves him. Then he (Gabriel) calls out in heaven, saying: Allah loves So-and-so, therefore love him. And the inhabitants of heaven love him. He (the Prophet pbuh) said: Then acceptance is established for him on earth. And if Allah has abhorred a servant [of His], He calls Gabriel and says: I abhor So-and-so, therefore abhor him. So Gabriel abhors him. Then Gabriel calls out to the inhabitants of heaven: Allah abhors So-and-so, therefore abhor him. He (the Prophet pbuh) said: So they abhor him, and abhorrence is established for him on earth.
It was related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, Malik, and at-Tirmidhi).
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Hadith Qudsi 25:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
Whosoever shows enmity to someone devoted to Me, I shall be at war with him. My servant draws not near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined upon him, and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him. When I love him I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he strikes and his foot with which he walks. Were he to ask [something] of Me, I would surely give it to him, and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. I do not hesitate about anything as much as I hesitate about [seizing] the soul of My faithful servant: he hates death and I hate hurting him.
It was related by al-Bukhari.
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Hadith Qudsi 26:
On the authority of Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
Truly of those devoted to Me the one I most favour is a believer who is of meagre means and much given to prayer, who has been particular in the worship of his Lord and has obeyed Him inwardly (1), who was obscure among people and not pointed our, and whose sustenance was just sufficient to provide for him yet he bore this patiently. Then the Prophet (pbuh) rapped his hand and said: Death will have come early to him, his mourners will have been few, his estate scant.
(1) i.e. he has not been ostentatious in his obedience.
It was related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Ibn Majah). Its chain of authorities is sound.
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Hadith Qudsi 27:
On the authority of Masruq, who said:
We asked Abdullah (i.e. Ibn Masud) about this verse: And do not regard those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead, rather are they alive with their Lord, being provided for (Quran Chapter 3 Verse 169). He said: We asked about that and the Prophet (pbuh) said: Their souls are in the insides of green birds having lanterns suspended from the Throne, roaming freely in Paradise where they please, then taking shelter in those lanterns. So their Lord cast a glance at them (1) and said: Do you wish for anything? They said: What shall we wish for when we roam freely in Paradise where we please? And thus did He do to them three times. When they say that they would not be spared from being asked [again], they said: O Lord, we would like for You to put back our souls into our bodies so that we might fight for Your sake once again. And when He saw that they were not in need of anything they were let be.
(1) i.e. at those who had been killed in the cause of Allah.
It was related by Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 28:
On the authority of Jundub ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
There was amongst those before you a man who had a wound. He was in [such] anguish that he took a knife and made with it a cut in his hand, and the blood did not cease to flow till he died. Allah the Almighty said: My servant has himself forestalled Me; I have forbidden him Paradise.
It was related by al-Bukhari.
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Hadith Qudsi 29:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) says:
My faithful servant's reward from Me, if I have taken to Me his best friend from amongst the inhabitants of the world and he has then borne it patiently for My sake, shall be nothing less than Paradise.
It was related by al-Bukhari.
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Hadith Qudsi 30:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah (mighty and sublime be He) said:
If My servant likes to meet Me, I like to meet him; and if he dislikes to meet Me, I dislike to meet him. Prophetic explanation of this Sacred Hadith: He who likes to meet Allah, Allah likes to meet him; and he who dislikes to meet Allah, Allah dislikes to meet him. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: O Prophet of Allah, is it because of the dislike of death, for all of us dislike death? The Prophet (pbuh) said: It is not so, but rather it is that when the believer is given news of Allah's mercy, His approval and His Paradise, he likes to meet Allah and Allah likes to meet him; but when the unbeliever is given news of Allah's punishment and His displeasure, he dislikes to meet Allah and Allah dislikes to meet him.
It was related by al-Bukhari and Malik. The Prophetic version is related by Muslim.
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Hadith Qudsi 31:
On the authority of Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) related:
A man said: By Allah, Allah will not forgive So-and-so. At this Allah the Almighty said: Who is he who swears by Me that I will not forgive So-and-so? Verily I have forgiven So-and-so and have nullified your [own good] deeds (1) (or as he said [it]).
(1) A similar Hadith, which is given by Abu Dawud, indicates that the person referred to was a goldly man whose previous good deeds were brought to nought through presuming to declare that Allah would not forgive someone's bad deeds.
It was related by Muslim.
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Hadith Qudsi 32:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
A man sinned greatly against himself, and when death came to him he charged his sons, saying: When I have died, burn me, then crush me and scatter [my ashes] into the sea, for, by Allah, if my Lord takes possession of me, He will punish me in a manner in which He has punished no one [else]. So they did that to him. Then He said to the earth: Produce what you have taken-and there he was! And He said to him: What induced you to do what you did? He said: Being afraid of You, O my Lord (or he said: Being frightened of You) and because of that He forgave him.
It was related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 33:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (PBUH), from among the things he reports from his Lord (mighty and sublime be He), is that he said:
A servant [of Allah's] committed a sin and said: O Allah, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for them. Then he sinned again and said: O Lord, forgive me my sin. And He (glorified and exalted be He) said: My servant has committed a sin and has known that he has a Lord who forgives sins and punishes for sins. Do what you wish, for I have forgiven you.
It was related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari).
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Hadith Qudsi 34:
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: Allah the Almighty said:
O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great at it.
It was related by at-Tirmidhi (also by Ahmad ibn Hanbal). Its chain of authorities is sound.
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Hadith Qudsi 35:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He) descends each night to the earth's sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him?
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud).
In a version by Muslim the Hadith ends with the words:
And thus He continues till [the light of] dawn shines.
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Hadith Qudsi 36:
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (PBUH), who said:
The believers will gather together on the Day of Resurrection and will say: Should we not ask [someone] to intercede for us with our Lord? So they will come to Adam and will say: You are the Father of mankind; Allah created you with His hand He made His angels bow down to you and He taught you the names of everything, so intercede for us with you Lord so that He may give us relief form this place where we are. And he will say: I am not in a position [to do that] - and he will mention his wrongdoing and will feel ashamed and will say: Go to Noah, for he is the first messenger that Allah sent to the inhabitants of the earth. So they will come to him and he will say: I am not in a position [to do that] - and he will mention his having requested something of his Lord about which he had no [proper] knowledge (Quran Chapter 11 Verses 45-46), and he will feel ashamed and will say: Go to the Friend of the Merciful (Abraham). So they will come to him and he will say: I am not in a position [to do that]. Go to Moses, a servant to whom Allah talked and to whom He gave the Torah. So they will come to him and he will say: I am not in a position [to do that] - and he will mention the talking of a life other that for a life (Quran Chapter 28 Verses 15-16), and he will fell ashamed in the sight of his Lord and will say: Go to Jesus, Allah's servant and messenger, Allah's word and spirit. So they will come to him and he will say: I am not in a position [to do that]. Go to Muhammad (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), a servant to whom Allah has forgiven all his wrongdoing, past and future. So they will come to me and I shall set forth to ask permission to come to my Lord, and permission will be given, and when I shall see my Lord I shall prostrate myself. He will leave me thus for such time as it pleases Him, and then it will be said [to me]: Raise your head. Ask and it will be granted. Speak and it will be heard. Intercede and your intercession will be accepted. So I shall raise my head and praise Him with a form of praise that He will teach me. Then I shall intercede and HE will set me a limit [as to the number of people], so I shall admit them into Paradise. Then I shall return to Him, and when I shall see my Lord [I shall bow down] as before. Then I shall intercede and He will set me a limit [as to the number of people]. So I shall admit them into Paradise. Then I shall return for a third time, then a fourth, and I shall say: There remains in Hell-fire only those whom the Quran has confined and who must be there for eternity. There shall come out of Hell-fire he who has said: There is no god but Allah and who has in his heart goodness weighing a barley-corn; then there shall come out of Hell-fire he who has said: There is no god but Allah and who has in his heart goodness weighing a grain of wheat; then there shall come out of Hell-fire he who has said: There is no god but Allah and who has in his heart goodness weighing an atom.
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Majah).
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Hadith Qudsi 37:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: Allah said:
I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen and no ear has heard, not has it occurred to human heart. Thus recite if you wish (1): And no soul knows what joy for them (the inhabitants of Paradise) has been kept hidden (Quran Chapter 32 Verse 17).
(1) The words "Thus recite if you wish" are those of Abu Harayrah.
It was related by al-Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.
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Hadith Qudsi 38:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
When Allah created Paradise and Hell-fire, He sent Gabriel to Paradise, saying: Look at it and at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (pbuh) said: So he came to it and looked at it and at what Allah had prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (pbuh) said: So he returned to Him and said: By your glory, no one hears of it without entering it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by forms of hardship, and He said: Return to it and look at what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants. The Prophet (pbuh) said: So he returned to it and found that it was encompassed by forms of hardship (1). Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, I fear that no one will enter it. He said: Go to Hell-fire and look at it and what I have prepared therein for its inhabitants, and he fount that it was in layers, one above the other. Then he returned to Him and said: By Your glory, no one who hears of it will enter it. So He ordered that it be encompassed by lusts. Then He said: Return to it. And he returned to it and said: By Your glory, I am frightened that no one will escape from entering it.
(1) The Arabic word used here is "makarih", the literal meaning of which is "things that are disliked". In this context it refers to forms of religious discipline that man usually finds onerous.
It was related by Tirmidhi, who said that it was a good and sound Hadith (also by Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i).
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Hadith Qudsi 39:
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
Paradise and Hell-fire disputed together, and Hell-fire said: In me are the mighty and the haughty. Paradise said: In me are the weak and the poor. So Allah judged between them, [saying]: You are Paradise, My mercy; through you I show mercy to those I wish. And you are Hell-fire, My punishment; through you I punish those I wish, and it is incumbent upon Me that each of you shall have its fill.
It was related by Muslim (also by al-Bukhari and at-Tirmidhi).
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Hadith Qudsi 40:
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
Allah will say to the inhabitant of Paradise: O inhabitants of Paradise! They will say: O our Lord, we present ourselves and are at Your pleasure, and goodness rests in Your hands. Then He will say: Are you contented? And they will say: And how should we not be contented, O Lord, when You have given to us that which You have given to no one else of Your creation? Then He will say: Would not like Me to give you something better than that? And they will say: O Lord and what thing is better than that? And He will say: I shall cause My favour to descend upon you and thereafter shall never be displeased with you.
It was related by al-Bukhari (also by Muslim and at-Tirmidhi).
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Two ladies during the time of Musa alayhi salaam
The Trial of Mashtha and Asiyah (AS)
Two ladies in the time of Musa (AS)
The daughter of Firaun (pharoah ramses the great) had a nurse maid. The name of this nurse maid was Mashtha. There came a day when Mashtha, the nurse maid, was busy combing the hair of the daughter of Firaun. Whilst combing, the comb fell out of her hand onto the floor. In raising and lifting that comb from the floor, this maid of the daughter Firaun, uttered the following words,
"Curses be upon those who reject Allah!"
Immediately the daughter of Firaun turned to her and said,
"Do you believe in a god besides my father?!"
Mashtha, the maid said,
"My Creator, my Allah, and your Allah and your father’s Allah, and the Allah of the heaven’s and the earth, He is one Allah, no partners have He!"
Then the daughter of Firaun said,
"You dare say such a word!"
...and she entered the chambers of her father weeping and crying. (Hadith)
What happened here was in the time of Prophet Musa (AS). Amongst the era of the Israelites, there were many who had accepted an Islam in secret. They had come to him and accepted. They came and accept Islam, the true religion. They accepted the deen of Musa (AS), or Islam. They accepted it, but they remained in secret. Why did they remain in secret? I’ll quote it to you in the first ayah of the Quran. They accepted and remained in secret why???
Firaun was an oppressor!!! He slew their male children and he preserved the females alive for personal use and aggrandizement (glorification). So because he was an oppressor, they were afraid and fearful to reveal their Islam to him. Therefore they held it back. But there were many Muslims in the employ of Firaun. Many, many they were who had accepted the deen.
One of them so happened to be the youthful maid, of the daughter of Firaun who worked in the palace, in the chambers of Firaun.
Firaun with a tremendous power and strength in Egypt (the Quran says) in Surah Zukhruf 43:51-52. And Allah says:
"And Firaun proclaimed among his people. O My People! Does not the land of Egypt belong to me and I am not the possessor, the maker of the land of Egypt and these are the rivers that flow in my property, the Nile and the tributies of the Nile. I have created them. They are my property. They belong to me. There’s no god besides me. Don’t you see am I not better than Musa, who is a disgrace and can’t even express himself clearly?" (Muslimeen, you know the story of Prophet Musa, not being able to utter clearly)
Now what does Firaun? He laughs at Musa,
"This Musa is the Musa that grew up in MY palace. He is trying to bring about change and he is trying to bring about La ilaha illa Allah. Well he is a disgrace! He doesn’t even speak clearly. He doesn’t even have bracelets of gold or angels to attend to him in orderly procession (while Firaun had ALL these armies and parades)."
He (Firaun) said,
"Musa hasn’t got anything!"
In the Egypt, the mark of a man of status was (you’ll see it even now in the idols and so on) they have this golden bracelet around the neck.
"So Musa hasn’t even got any mark of being a man of honor, of status and dignity! He’s got not blue blood! And he’s got no angels or soldiers or armies parading for him!"
That is what Allah tells us. This is how Firaun was. That’s the kind of man he was. Quran tells us in Surah Mu’min 40:25:
"And when the Prophets [Prophet Musa (AS) is meant here] came to them with a troop from us, they said (O these oppressor said), ‘Slay the sons of those who have believed with him [in other words, slay the sons of those who have believed with Musa (AS)] and save their daughters alive for our use. But the strategy of the disbelievers (says Allah) was to end in vain."
We’re coming to our story now…
What did Firaun say?
"Any believer you find in my community and amongst my people, anyone you find who is believing in the deen of Musa (AS), slay their sons (with him) and save their daughters alive."
But the strategy says, all of the believers was to end in vain. Allah (SWT) also says in Surah An-Nazi’at 79:23-27. Allah says (And this Firaun, he called up a big parade on Monday, a big rally he made, and what did he say?),
"And the Firaun gathered his people and he proclaimed, ‘I am your Lord and the Supreme one.’ Therefore (says Allah), Allah chastised him with a punishment of the hereafter and also of the present life (and Allah says), verily here is an example and a lesson for him, that fear of Allah."
The story I am about to tell you. This is the theme of it, "That we must learn to respect, honor our deen and to fear Allah (SWT) all the time."
See now the fear of a maid, in the palace. See now the courage and the bravery of a simple maid, in the palace of this powerful Firaun. Imagine what I’m going to tell you now and reveal to you now, of what is courage of iman and what is bravery of quite conviction.
Here is a girl, young girl, she was a mother, yes. She’s a young girl, she comes from a very poor family. She’s working for a living. She is the comb girl and maid of the daughter of the Firaun. But when iman came into her, look at what iman did to her.
This maid’s name was Mashtha. She was the mother of two. She was the wife of Karkeel, who also had accepted the deen of Prophet Musa (AS), Islam. But Mashtha was an extrovert, meaning that she was a fearless person. Whatever she had to say, she always said it. Remember when she was picking up the comb, she said what she wanted to say. So she was an extrovert type of person. Very brave, very honorable, very courageous. And she admitted to Firaun’s daughter to believing in Allah and said that he is Lord and Creator of the worlds and of Firaun and of the heavens and of the earth.
The daughter of Firaun went and reported this girl Mashtha to her father. Firaun holds court, in other words, like a court proceedings. Firaun holds court and he summons Mashtha. Soldiers, go and bring her, chained as she is. She is brought before the justice of Firaun. She comes however smiling and laughing. And in her heart she says,
"Today is a test of my iman, today is the test of my faith. I, she tells herself, will never succumb because I am ever prepared to meet my maker. Today, let the interrogation begin. Ask me what you will, but you shall not get me to change my faith or to succumb."
So Firaun proceeds.
After establishing her faith, she says she believes in the God of Musa, in the Allah of Musa, in the unity of Allah, Allah is one. Accepting the words which she said in front of the daughter of Firaun. She repeats it bravely and courageous in front of this powerful ruler (where Allah says what his power was, in the Quran recited above). Allah also speaks of his power. He (that said),
"Everything belongs to him."
That man threatens her and he tells hers, and she in front of him, without fear of punishment, she tells him exactly the truth. Then he tells her, he says,
"Look here Mashtha leave your Allah and accept me as your Lord and Creator for who is going to save you now? If you accept me as your God I can save you and release you. But if you have a God, where’s your God? Can He save you now?"
This was his belief. And he said,
"All right Mashtha! I’ll give you a chance. Leave your God. Leave your Allah. Accept me as your Allah, as your God and I will spare your life."
Listen to her reply. Mashtha replies, she says,
"Not on your life! Not on my life! Do your worst you criminal, but me you will never convince! Not til the day of Qiyamah (day of judgment)!!!"
This is the first time where anybody has had this bravery and courage (besides Prophet Musa (AS) of course). This is the first time in the history of Egypt, when Firaun ruled, where a young girl of this kind, a servant girl, stood up in front of Firaun and bravely told him his story. This courage and conviction came from this servant girl.
So Firaun, like Shaytan, also adopted certain strategies and steps to punish people. He orders Mashtha, he orders the soldiers, to take her to the reptile den.
He had a special reptile den. If anybody who is a believer, suspected of belief is brought in front of him, he questions them. He asks them whether they are believers. If they admit they are believers, they are put into a reptile den. That is where the people are made to suffer, where there are reptiles and scorpions, and everything are kept.
So, he orders Mashtha to be taken to the reptile den, and she is told,
"O Mashtha, you will be released to these pythons, reptiles, snakes, and scorpions and they shall feed on you for two months. We warn you before we put you in there. Accept Firaun as your God and we will set you free."
And she replied to the soldiers and she told them,
"You talk of two months? To me, even if you put me in this reptile den for seventy months, that would be too little. With each day of this punishment that I have here in this reptile den, my faith will only increase without going back. Without abating one bit. No matter to what trial and test you face me or force me!"
And she laughed at them in their face!
In Sahih Bukhari there is a Hadith which says,
"The power of iman is such that once it fills the heart of a true believing Mu’min it is impossible to be removed."
Mashtha had two daughters. She’s put into the reptile den. Whatever happened there is not told to us. What period she remained in the reptile den, we don’t know. All we know that she was taken out from there by the soldiers of Firaun UNSCATHED. So, she is removed from there.
Test number two: Mashtha had two daughters. One was a five year old girl and she had a breast-feeding baby. So Firaun orders these two girls, of this young mother, the two daughters must be brought. He first says,
"Take Mashtha and strap her."
Now Firaun had a punishment torture chamber. On this chamber there was a big slab of stone. And on this stone, there were four places (four pegs) jetting out of the ground. And he had these little prongs and anybody he wanted to punish or torture was thrown onto this slab of stone and then they were pegged like a tent. Their two hands and feet were stretched like this and tied down. They were pronged to it.
So he orders Mashtha to be tied down in this matter. This was the custom which was started, this custom of torture was started by Firaun. This is what the Quran says regarding the system of torture which was introduced by Firaun. Firaun said (O to this Mashtha) in the Quran. Firaun tells her (to Mashtha and whatever believers there were) he tells her,
"Have you believed in Him, in this Allah, of Musa before I have given such permission. Verily this is a plot which you have contrived in the city to remove its inhabitants. But you shall soon know that I am the Lord and the Master and the Creator, for I will cause you, your feet and your hands to be cut off on opposite sides and cause you all to be crucified."
So this system of crucification and strapping was introduced (tells the Quran to us), by Firaun. Firaun used to strap those who he suspected of true belief in one Allah and in the deen of Musa (AS) by their hands and feet, to four sticks, fixed on the slab of stone, the torture stone, and then to torture them, torment them.
So Musa saw Mashtha was tied down and prepared for torture and torment. First her eldest five year old daughter is brought, placed over the chest of her mother and in those days the system of torture was if they wanted to kill anybody, all they did was to take a sharp knife and slit their throats, cut it off completely! This was the system of punishment. This little girl is brought, placed over the breast of her mother. And in front of her mother while her mother is looking on, her neck is cut off!
And then Mashtha is told,
"Now listen. O Mashtha get some sense into you. Accept Firaun as your Lord and your God and we will release you. Otherwise we will have to slaughter your little baby."
And she replies (as a mother only can reply),
"If you bring the whole of this world and sacrifice every daughter on my chest, I will not leave Allah, my Rubb, my Rubb."
Firaun then orders, let the baby be brought and slay it across her chest and her bosom.
Her little child is brought. He is placed on her chest. Her body, hands and feet being strapped and fastened as they were, this mother is totally helpless. And they prepare to cut the baby’s neck.
The six month old baby of Mashtha, who had only recently suckled milk from her mother and who was now undergoing the supreme test of faith and iman. The tears flow freely down this mother’s eyes and her baby and her body (the mother’s body) contorts with the emotion of heartbreak and every nerve and tissue, every fiber of her body is wreck by the passionate pain which only a mother experiences, the love which only a mother experiences for a child.
And in this tense and frightful but macabre (gruesome) moment this baby of Mashtha (AS), this six month old baby, of this mother (who should be an example to every living mother of this world) speaks out in a loud and clear tone of voice.
This little baby six month old baby, as the solider holds a knife to slaughter it and to cut off its neck; this little child in a loud voice so that everybody congregated in that chamber (hundreds of them used to congregate in that chamber to see the torture meated out by Firaun ,over those who were believers). This little child in a loud voice where everyone that is present there can hear tells his mother,
"O my beloved mother, why do you cry so? Why do you weep so? I can see Jennah is being prepared for you my mother. O mother! O mother, don’t weep so. When you get to Jennah, you will be blessed with a vision and the noor (light) of Allah. So be in peace, in peace and in peace!"
And as he says so, the neck of this child is cut off. In front of it’s mother. When this is done and these words of the child goes into the ears of the mother, tranquillity and peace descends on her. So the child is slain and on Firaun’s orders, the mother is also then slain. The mother is also, her neck is chopped off. This is what happens in this torture chamber.
But there is another lady and a true believer in the chamber, who is sitting on one side from upstairs, you can say, from her rooms and she is like watching this entire scene. You know who is that? That is the Mother of Musa (AS), if you can call her it. One was his real mother. One was his mother in the palace. She was who? Asiyah (AS).
She is watching this whole seen. She was a believer, even before Mashtha was a believer. She cannot bare it. She cannot tolerate that a girl, a servant girl, has displayed this kind of iman (faith). She cannot tolerate it, and she runs from her room. She is completely overcome with emotion. She is hysterical, and Asiyah (AS) runs down seeks Firaun. She saw this entire proceedings and was overwhelmed.
What convinced her even more to reveal her faith, was not only the courage and conviction of a maid, but what she saw by the Qadar (decree) of Allah. Of the malikahs (angels) descending from the heavens. Allah revealed to her. Allah took away the curtains from her eyes and when Mashtha was killed, Asiyah (AS) by the Qadar of Allah saw the malikahs descending from the heavens with garlands and coffin from Jennah for Mashtha. Wrapping her Ruh in these robes of Jennah and ascending they were. This was too much for her. She could bear it no longer and she became hysterical. She regarded it as contemptible to hide her faith in Allah, any longer. She went (ran about) seeking out her husband and let fly. When she met him, she let fly with these words,
"Have you become so courageous, you worst amongst mankind, you worst amongst men? You have dared to raise your finger towards Mashtha for a simple belief and you have slain her?"
Firaun turns to her and says,
"O Asiyah have you become incensed by it and angered by it? Are you also influenced by her brand of madness, by Mashtha’s brand of madness?"
She replies and she says:
"No! I am no jimun (I am not mad)! But I tell you now (for this is the first time she reveals to Firaun her iman)."
She says,
"But I warn you Firaun and I tell, my Lord, my Creator, My Rubb, My Allah, and your Lord and your Rubb and your Allah, same with Mashtha and youth, and the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth is one Allah and nobody comes near Him. He has no partnership!" (This is not in the Quran I am quoting Hadith)
Firaun was a powerful man. He was not only a genius and a very clever man, he was also a very big man. He had a very big body. He was a very powerful man. He stood up like an enraged bull. He tore her clothes and he beat her to a pulp. And then he summoned her family and her people and he said,
"Talk some sense into her."
He beat her until she was black and blue. Then he called her father, her mother, and her parents, sisters and all and he said,
"Now you talk to this woman! Talk to her and explain to her that if she does not accept me as God and if she continues and persists in belief, believing in the deen of Musa (AS), then I will destroy her!"
So the family, came together. Listen to the families words. This is nepotism. This is what we call booty, booty. They said,
"O Asiyah. Let it be. Leave well alone. But Firaun IS God. He IS All-Mighty. He IS All-Powerful on earth, and he rules as he pleases. What goes on with you? Why are you throwing such golden opportunities away? Where is your pride? Where is your honor? Where is your dignity? We are amazed at your folly and stupidity. Come to your senses, O Asiyah! We plead with you. Look at all these things which Firaun has give us, all these homes and comforts and servants and wonderful presents he has given us, and gifts he has given us. All this we must loose? Asiyah, look at you, you the queen! Everything you want, you desire, you’ve got! Are you going to kick all those wonderful material blessings and pleasures that he has given you? You’re kicking all this aside, for La ilaha illa Allah? And for the deen of Musa (AS). What’s the matter with you, have you become mad?"
And she replies. Listen to the reply of Asiyah, she says:
"Don’t waste your breath any longer, O foolish ones! What moves you, but the selfishness of pride and prejudice, and not the honor of dignity and respect. The affection for glamour and splendor moves you and not the inclination of pardon and submission to Allah, who is the Rubb and the Creator of all things. Even if Firaun were to present me with a glittering crown, the glory of which would be such, that the sun appear in front of me and he put the moon at the rear and the moon is at the rear with the sparkling stars inter-spaced between the two, I will not leave my Allah, who is my Rubb. That is my decision, that is my commitment, that is my conviction!"
This was too much for Firaun and he immediately ordered her torture to begin. So she was strapped and fastened on the SAME slab of stone on which Mashtha had just recently been crucified.
A tray of burning fire, a slab, a stone, he had a heavy stone. One was a stone below, then they placed a stone on her chest. A heavy stone was placed on her chest and on top of this stone, a huge bonfire was lit.
The system was: the top stone was a thinner slab and what happens, you light a big fire on top. The stone is a slow condenser, so it heats up slowly and then it starts burning up the body. Slowly it starts, through heat, the body burns. In other words, if you put fire to the body it will burn immediately.
So he had evolved the strict way. First the big slab of stone, on which you are laid and you are strapped up. Then he had a thin slab of stone, like a tray, which is placed which is quite heavy, which is placed on top of you, and then a huge fire is lit on top of you. The heat of the fire travels upward, but a lot of the heat goes at the bottom and it penetrates, and then starts burning you up and torturing you.
This gives him time, to try and force the believer to say that he (Firaun) is God. Once you say he is God, you are set free. So this was his system of punishment. So on Asiyah, his own wife, he does this. The stone is placed on her and a huge bonfire is lit on top of her, and he tells her,
"O Asiyah, now leave your God alone and accept me as your God, as your Rubb; or I will increase your torture!"
And she replies,
"O Firaun if you punish me, you can only torture this body of mine. But you can never touch the love which I bare for Allah. Nor lessen it in any way. O Firaun! Even if you break my body into pieces and tear it into shreds, for each drop of blood that flows out, will my love for Allah will increase the more, no matter how you batter and bruise me. Reproaching, rebuking, and reviling O Firaun, are superficial complaints, but the love for a beloved, is deep and profound. INSIDE it is unapproachable. Look at me now Firaun, blood flows from every part of my body! A fire is placed on top of me which is beginning to burn and scorch me, but the fire of irreproachable and unlimited love for Allah burns intensely and fiercely within this body!"
These are the words of Queen Asiyah. This lady of Egypt. But in the mean time word of the Queen’s discovery of faith and iman, in one true Allah, has reached Prophet Musa (AS). And Musa who had grown up in this palace, who knows every avenue, every door, every link of the palace of Firaun, he rushes to the palace. He knew the entire, he knew the severity of the test.
Which, this is why he had told Asiyah when she accepted faith at his hands, he told her don’t reveal it to Firaun otherwise he will torture you to death. But now the torture and the test has come. And he rushes in, wondering whether Asiyah could withstand and endure the pain of the torture that Firaun would meat, beat out to her.
However on arriving in the torture chamber, he finds her strapped and tied down in the sacrificial chamber. Blood streaming from cuts and abrasions, lacerations, all over her body. But a great smile of peace and contentment he finds on her face. And she sees Musa coming and she says,
"O Musa, Do you see? I have put on the mantle of departure from this world and I have put on the coat of the hereafter. Tell me, O Musa! Is my Creator satisfied, pleased and happy with me. Or is my Rubb displeased and angry with me?"
And Prophet Musa (AS) replies to her. He said:
"O Asiyah bint Muzahim (daughter of Muzahim), the malikahs of the seven heavens are awaiting you with great pleasure and Allah (SWT) looks forward to the pleasure of meeting you. Allah is pleased to meet you."
This is what the Qur’an has to say about these last, last moments. I am quoting to you from Surah At-Tahrim 66:11. Allah says:
"And Allah sets forth for those who believe the example (the parable) of the wife of Firaun, when she said: "O my Rubb, build for me a house with Thee in Jennah and deliver me from Firaun and his doings and deliver me from these unjust people."
In the heavens Allah (SWT) is indicating to the angels, the nobleness and courage of conviction of a true believing Mu’minaat and of her love for Allah, for which she is prepared to sacrifice so much of wealth, position, and status and to endure so much pain, suffering and anguish. Allah (SWT) in front of the malikahs that are gathered there who are pleading with Allah to save Asiyah, Allah (SWT) is telling them that this is ihsan (the highest level of deeds and worship),
"You see malikahs, when I created him, you said this ihsan is going to do so much public, so much evil and bloodshed in the world and commit so much sin. Do you see what quality I have given to those who believe? Look at this Asiyah, look at that Mashtha, look at this Musa, look at the courage and conviction of faith."
Allah is telling the malikahs this,
"Verily, We created man of a most excellent fabric. So Allah tells about this creation, and in the meantime in suffering and hardship and the trials and tribulations their love and fear for me (says Allah to the malikahs) increases."
Allah is holding his court. Firaun is having his court here. Allah is holding his court with the malikahs. And Allah tells them,
"In suffering and hardship and the trials and tribulations, the love of my true servants and the fear that they have for me, increases. These are the true, the sincere, the devoted, and the faithful ones. ‘O Asiyah, what do you ask for?’"
Allah asks Asiyah in those words,
"O Asiyah what do you want? What do you ask? What do you seek? And you tell me what does a faithful slave ask of Allah in these moments?"
This is what she asks. She says,
"O Allah, you are in Jennah. O Allah, build me a house in Jennah so I can be close to you and near you."
Allah (SWT) orders Gabriel to reveal to her, as her eyes closes, as she is about to die, Gabriel (AS) is ordered to reveal to Asiyah her home in Paradise, in Jennah. And seeing this, she was soon overcome with joy and peace and she passes silently out of this world…
That is the story of Asiyah (AS) and That was the story of Mashtha (AS).
Two ladies in the time of Musa (AS)
The daughter of Firaun (pharoah ramses the great) had a nurse maid. The name of this nurse maid was Mashtha. There came a day when Mashtha, the nurse maid, was busy combing the hair of the daughter of Firaun. Whilst combing, the comb fell out of her hand onto the floor. In raising and lifting that comb from the floor, this maid of the daughter Firaun, uttered the following words,
"Curses be upon those who reject Allah!"
Immediately the daughter of Firaun turned to her and said,
"Do you believe in a god besides my father?!"
Mashtha, the maid said,
"My Creator, my Allah, and your Allah and your father’s Allah, and the Allah of the heaven’s and the earth, He is one Allah, no partners have He!"
Then the daughter of Firaun said,
"You dare say such a word!"
...and she entered the chambers of her father weeping and crying. (Hadith)
What happened here was in the time of Prophet Musa (AS). Amongst the era of the Israelites, there were many who had accepted an Islam in secret. They had come to him and accepted. They came and accept Islam, the true religion. They accepted the deen of Musa (AS), or Islam. They accepted it, but they remained in secret. Why did they remain in secret? I’ll quote it to you in the first ayah of the Quran. They accepted and remained in secret why???
Firaun was an oppressor!!! He slew their male children and he preserved the females alive for personal use and aggrandizement (glorification). So because he was an oppressor, they were afraid and fearful to reveal their Islam to him. Therefore they held it back. But there were many Muslims in the employ of Firaun. Many, many they were who had accepted the deen.
One of them so happened to be the youthful maid, of the daughter of Firaun who worked in the palace, in the chambers of Firaun.
Firaun with a tremendous power and strength in Egypt (the Quran says) in Surah Zukhruf 43:51-52. And Allah says:
"And Firaun proclaimed among his people. O My People! Does not the land of Egypt belong to me and I am not the possessor, the maker of the land of Egypt and these are the rivers that flow in my property, the Nile and the tributies of the Nile. I have created them. They are my property. They belong to me. There’s no god besides me. Don’t you see am I not better than Musa, who is a disgrace and can’t even express himself clearly?" (Muslimeen, you know the story of Prophet Musa, not being able to utter clearly)
Now what does Firaun? He laughs at Musa,
"This Musa is the Musa that grew up in MY palace. He is trying to bring about change and he is trying to bring about La ilaha illa Allah. Well he is a disgrace! He doesn’t even speak clearly. He doesn’t even have bracelets of gold or angels to attend to him in orderly procession (while Firaun had ALL these armies and parades)."
He (Firaun) said,
"Musa hasn’t got anything!"
In the Egypt, the mark of a man of status was (you’ll see it even now in the idols and so on) they have this golden bracelet around the neck.
"So Musa hasn’t even got any mark of being a man of honor, of status and dignity! He’s got not blue blood! And he’s got no angels or soldiers or armies parading for him!"
That is what Allah tells us. This is how Firaun was. That’s the kind of man he was. Quran tells us in Surah Mu’min 40:25:
"And when the Prophets [Prophet Musa (AS) is meant here] came to them with a troop from us, they said (O these oppressor said), ‘Slay the sons of those who have believed with him [in other words, slay the sons of those who have believed with Musa (AS)] and save their daughters alive for our use. But the strategy of the disbelievers (says Allah) was to end in vain."
We’re coming to our story now…
What did Firaun say?
"Any believer you find in my community and amongst my people, anyone you find who is believing in the deen of Musa (AS), slay their sons (with him) and save their daughters alive."
But the strategy says, all of the believers was to end in vain. Allah (SWT) also says in Surah An-Nazi’at 79:23-27. Allah says (And this Firaun, he called up a big parade on Monday, a big rally he made, and what did he say?),
"And the Firaun gathered his people and he proclaimed, ‘I am your Lord and the Supreme one.’ Therefore (says Allah), Allah chastised him with a punishment of the hereafter and also of the present life (and Allah says), verily here is an example and a lesson for him, that fear of Allah."
The story I am about to tell you. This is the theme of it, "That we must learn to respect, honor our deen and to fear Allah (SWT) all the time."
See now the fear of a maid, in the palace. See now the courage and the bravery of a simple maid, in the palace of this powerful Firaun. Imagine what I’m going to tell you now and reveal to you now, of what is courage of iman and what is bravery of quite conviction.
Here is a girl, young girl, she was a mother, yes. She’s a young girl, she comes from a very poor family. She’s working for a living. She is the comb girl and maid of the daughter of the Firaun. But when iman came into her, look at what iman did to her.
This maid’s name was Mashtha. She was the mother of two. She was the wife of Karkeel, who also had accepted the deen of Prophet Musa (AS), Islam. But Mashtha was an extrovert, meaning that she was a fearless person. Whatever she had to say, she always said it. Remember when she was picking up the comb, she said what she wanted to say. So she was an extrovert type of person. Very brave, very honorable, very courageous. And she admitted to Firaun’s daughter to believing in Allah and said that he is Lord and Creator of the worlds and of Firaun and of the heavens and of the earth.
The daughter of Firaun went and reported this girl Mashtha to her father. Firaun holds court, in other words, like a court proceedings. Firaun holds court and he summons Mashtha. Soldiers, go and bring her, chained as she is. She is brought before the justice of Firaun. She comes however smiling and laughing. And in her heart she says,
"Today is a test of my iman, today is the test of my faith. I, she tells herself, will never succumb because I am ever prepared to meet my maker. Today, let the interrogation begin. Ask me what you will, but you shall not get me to change my faith or to succumb."
So Firaun proceeds.
After establishing her faith, she says she believes in the God of Musa, in the Allah of Musa, in the unity of Allah, Allah is one. Accepting the words which she said in front of the daughter of Firaun. She repeats it bravely and courageous in front of this powerful ruler (where Allah says what his power was, in the Quran recited above). Allah also speaks of his power. He (that said),
"Everything belongs to him."
That man threatens her and he tells hers, and she in front of him, without fear of punishment, she tells him exactly the truth. Then he tells her, he says,
"Look here Mashtha leave your Allah and accept me as your Lord and Creator for who is going to save you now? If you accept me as your God I can save you and release you. But if you have a God, where’s your God? Can He save you now?"
This was his belief. And he said,
"All right Mashtha! I’ll give you a chance. Leave your God. Leave your Allah. Accept me as your Allah, as your God and I will spare your life."
Listen to her reply. Mashtha replies, she says,
"Not on your life! Not on my life! Do your worst you criminal, but me you will never convince! Not til the day of Qiyamah (day of judgment)!!!"
This is the first time where anybody has had this bravery and courage (besides Prophet Musa (AS) of course). This is the first time in the history of Egypt, when Firaun ruled, where a young girl of this kind, a servant girl, stood up in front of Firaun and bravely told him his story. This courage and conviction came from this servant girl.
So Firaun, like Shaytan, also adopted certain strategies and steps to punish people. He orders Mashtha, he orders the soldiers, to take her to the reptile den.
He had a special reptile den. If anybody who is a believer, suspected of belief is brought in front of him, he questions them. He asks them whether they are believers. If they admit they are believers, they are put into a reptile den. That is where the people are made to suffer, where there are reptiles and scorpions, and everything are kept.
So, he orders Mashtha to be taken to the reptile den, and she is told,
"O Mashtha, you will be released to these pythons, reptiles, snakes, and scorpions and they shall feed on you for two months. We warn you before we put you in there. Accept Firaun as your God and we will set you free."
And she replied to the soldiers and she told them,
"You talk of two months? To me, even if you put me in this reptile den for seventy months, that would be too little. With each day of this punishment that I have here in this reptile den, my faith will only increase without going back. Without abating one bit. No matter to what trial and test you face me or force me!"
And she laughed at them in their face!
In Sahih Bukhari there is a Hadith which says,
"The power of iman is such that once it fills the heart of a true believing Mu’min it is impossible to be removed."
Mashtha had two daughters. She’s put into the reptile den. Whatever happened there is not told to us. What period she remained in the reptile den, we don’t know. All we know that she was taken out from there by the soldiers of Firaun UNSCATHED. So, she is removed from there.
Test number two: Mashtha had two daughters. One was a five year old girl and she had a breast-feeding baby. So Firaun orders these two girls, of this young mother, the two daughters must be brought. He first says,
"Take Mashtha and strap her."
Now Firaun had a punishment torture chamber. On this chamber there was a big slab of stone. And on this stone, there were four places (four pegs) jetting out of the ground. And he had these little prongs and anybody he wanted to punish or torture was thrown onto this slab of stone and then they were pegged like a tent. Their two hands and feet were stretched like this and tied down. They were pronged to it.
So he orders Mashtha to be tied down in this matter. This was the custom which was started, this custom of torture was started by Firaun. This is what the Quran says regarding the system of torture which was introduced by Firaun. Firaun said (O to this Mashtha) in the Quran. Firaun tells her (to Mashtha and whatever believers there were) he tells her,
"Have you believed in Him, in this Allah, of Musa before I have given such permission. Verily this is a plot which you have contrived in the city to remove its inhabitants. But you shall soon know that I am the Lord and the Master and the Creator, for I will cause you, your feet and your hands to be cut off on opposite sides and cause you all to be crucified."
So this system of crucification and strapping was introduced (tells the Quran to us), by Firaun. Firaun used to strap those who he suspected of true belief in one Allah and in the deen of Musa (AS) by their hands and feet, to four sticks, fixed on the slab of stone, the torture stone, and then to torture them, torment them.
So Musa saw Mashtha was tied down and prepared for torture and torment. First her eldest five year old daughter is brought, placed over the chest of her mother and in those days the system of torture was if they wanted to kill anybody, all they did was to take a sharp knife and slit their throats, cut it off completely! This was the system of punishment. This little girl is brought, placed over the breast of her mother. And in front of her mother while her mother is looking on, her neck is cut off!
And then Mashtha is told,
"Now listen. O Mashtha get some sense into you. Accept Firaun as your Lord and your God and we will release you. Otherwise we will have to slaughter your little baby."
And she replies (as a mother only can reply),
"If you bring the whole of this world and sacrifice every daughter on my chest, I will not leave Allah, my Rubb, my Rubb."
Firaun then orders, let the baby be brought and slay it across her chest and her bosom.
Her little child is brought. He is placed on her chest. Her body, hands and feet being strapped and fastened as they were, this mother is totally helpless. And they prepare to cut the baby’s neck.
The six month old baby of Mashtha, who had only recently suckled milk from her mother and who was now undergoing the supreme test of faith and iman. The tears flow freely down this mother’s eyes and her baby and her body (the mother’s body) contorts with the emotion of heartbreak and every nerve and tissue, every fiber of her body is wreck by the passionate pain which only a mother experiences, the love which only a mother experiences for a child.
And in this tense and frightful but macabre (gruesome) moment this baby of Mashtha (AS), this six month old baby, of this mother (who should be an example to every living mother of this world) speaks out in a loud and clear tone of voice.
This little baby six month old baby, as the solider holds a knife to slaughter it and to cut off its neck; this little child in a loud voice so that everybody congregated in that chamber (hundreds of them used to congregate in that chamber to see the torture meated out by Firaun ,over those who were believers). This little child in a loud voice where everyone that is present there can hear tells his mother,
"O my beloved mother, why do you cry so? Why do you weep so? I can see Jennah is being prepared for you my mother. O mother! O mother, don’t weep so. When you get to Jennah, you will be blessed with a vision and the noor (light) of Allah. So be in peace, in peace and in peace!"
And as he says so, the neck of this child is cut off. In front of it’s mother. When this is done and these words of the child goes into the ears of the mother, tranquillity and peace descends on her. So the child is slain and on Firaun’s orders, the mother is also then slain. The mother is also, her neck is chopped off. This is what happens in this torture chamber.
But there is another lady and a true believer in the chamber, who is sitting on one side from upstairs, you can say, from her rooms and she is like watching this entire scene. You know who is that? That is the Mother of Musa (AS), if you can call her it. One was his real mother. One was his mother in the palace. She was who? Asiyah (AS).
She is watching this whole seen. She was a believer, even before Mashtha was a believer. She cannot bare it. She cannot tolerate that a girl, a servant girl, has displayed this kind of iman (faith). She cannot tolerate it, and she runs from her room. She is completely overcome with emotion. She is hysterical, and Asiyah (AS) runs down seeks Firaun. She saw this entire proceedings and was overwhelmed.
What convinced her even more to reveal her faith, was not only the courage and conviction of a maid, but what she saw by the Qadar (decree) of Allah. Of the malikahs (angels) descending from the heavens. Allah revealed to her. Allah took away the curtains from her eyes and when Mashtha was killed, Asiyah (AS) by the Qadar of Allah saw the malikahs descending from the heavens with garlands and coffin from Jennah for Mashtha. Wrapping her Ruh in these robes of Jennah and ascending they were. This was too much for her. She could bear it no longer and she became hysterical. She regarded it as contemptible to hide her faith in Allah, any longer. She went (ran about) seeking out her husband and let fly. When she met him, she let fly with these words,
"Have you become so courageous, you worst amongst mankind, you worst amongst men? You have dared to raise your finger towards Mashtha for a simple belief and you have slain her?"
Firaun turns to her and says,
"O Asiyah have you become incensed by it and angered by it? Are you also influenced by her brand of madness, by Mashtha’s brand of madness?"
She replies and she says:
"No! I am no jimun (I am not mad)! But I tell you now (for this is the first time she reveals to Firaun her iman)."
She says,
"But I warn you Firaun and I tell, my Lord, my Creator, My Rubb, My Allah, and your Lord and your Rubb and your Allah, same with Mashtha and youth, and the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth is one Allah and nobody comes near Him. He has no partnership!" (This is not in the Quran I am quoting Hadith)
Firaun was a powerful man. He was not only a genius and a very clever man, he was also a very big man. He had a very big body. He was a very powerful man. He stood up like an enraged bull. He tore her clothes and he beat her to a pulp. And then he summoned her family and her people and he said,
"Talk some sense into her."
He beat her until she was black and blue. Then he called her father, her mother, and her parents, sisters and all and he said,
"Now you talk to this woman! Talk to her and explain to her that if she does not accept me as God and if she continues and persists in belief, believing in the deen of Musa (AS), then I will destroy her!"
So the family, came together. Listen to the families words. This is nepotism. This is what we call booty, booty. They said,
"O Asiyah. Let it be. Leave well alone. But Firaun IS God. He IS All-Mighty. He IS All-Powerful on earth, and he rules as he pleases. What goes on with you? Why are you throwing such golden opportunities away? Where is your pride? Where is your honor? Where is your dignity? We are amazed at your folly and stupidity. Come to your senses, O Asiyah! We plead with you. Look at all these things which Firaun has give us, all these homes and comforts and servants and wonderful presents he has given us, and gifts he has given us. All this we must loose? Asiyah, look at you, you the queen! Everything you want, you desire, you’ve got! Are you going to kick all those wonderful material blessings and pleasures that he has given you? You’re kicking all this aside, for La ilaha illa Allah? And for the deen of Musa (AS). What’s the matter with you, have you become mad?"
And she replies. Listen to the reply of Asiyah, she says:
"Don’t waste your breath any longer, O foolish ones! What moves you, but the selfishness of pride and prejudice, and not the honor of dignity and respect. The affection for glamour and splendor moves you and not the inclination of pardon and submission to Allah, who is the Rubb and the Creator of all things. Even if Firaun were to present me with a glittering crown, the glory of which would be such, that the sun appear in front of me and he put the moon at the rear and the moon is at the rear with the sparkling stars inter-spaced between the two, I will not leave my Allah, who is my Rubb. That is my decision, that is my commitment, that is my conviction!"
This was too much for Firaun and he immediately ordered her torture to begin. So she was strapped and fastened on the SAME slab of stone on which Mashtha had just recently been crucified.
A tray of burning fire, a slab, a stone, he had a heavy stone. One was a stone below, then they placed a stone on her chest. A heavy stone was placed on her chest and on top of this stone, a huge bonfire was lit.
The system was: the top stone was a thinner slab and what happens, you light a big fire on top. The stone is a slow condenser, so it heats up slowly and then it starts burning up the body. Slowly it starts, through heat, the body burns. In other words, if you put fire to the body it will burn immediately.
So he had evolved the strict way. First the big slab of stone, on which you are laid and you are strapped up. Then he had a thin slab of stone, like a tray, which is placed which is quite heavy, which is placed on top of you, and then a huge fire is lit on top of you. The heat of the fire travels upward, but a lot of the heat goes at the bottom and it penetrates, and then starts burning you up and torturing you.
This gives him time, to try and force the believer to say that he (Firaun) is God. Once you say he is God, you are set free. So this was his system of punishment. So on Asiyah, his own wife, he does this. The stone is placed on her and a huge bonfire is lit on top of her, and he tells her,
"O Asiyah, now leave your God alone and accept me as your God, as your Rubb; or I will increase your torture!"
And she replies,
"O Firaun if you punish me, you can only torture this body of mine. But you can never touch the love which I bare for Allah. Nor lessen it in any way. O Firaun! Even if you break my body into pieces and tear it into shreds, for each drop of blood that flows out, will my love for Allah will increase the more, no matter how you batter and bruise me. Reproaching, rebuking, and reviling O Firaun, are superficial complaints, but the love for a beloved, is deep and profound. INSIDE it is unapproachable. Look at me now Firaun, blood flows from every part of my body! A fire is placed on top of me which is beginning to burn and scorch me, but the fire of irreproachable and unlimited love for Allah burns intensely and fiercely within this body!"
These are the words of Queen Asiyah. This lady of Egypt. But in the mean time word of the Queen’s discovery of faith and iman, in one true Allah, has reached Prophet Musa (AS). And Musa who had grown up in this palace, who knows every avenue, every door, every link of the palace of Firaun, he rushes to the palace. He knew the entire, he knew the severity of the test.
Which, this is why he had told Asiyah when she accepted faith at his hands, he told her don’t reveal it to Firaun otherwise he will torture you to death. But now the torture and the test has come. And he rushes in, wondering whether Asiyah could withstand and endure the pain of the torture that Firaun would meat, beat out to her.
However on arriving in the torture chamber, he finds her strapped and tied down in the sacrificial chamber. Blood streaming from cuts and abrasions, lacerations, all over her body. But a great smile of peace and contentment he finds on her face. And she sees Musa coming and she says,
"O Musa, Do you see? I have put on the mantle of departure from this world and I have put on the coat of the hereafter. Tell me, O Musa! Is my Creator satisfied, pleased and happy with me. Or is my Rubb displeased and angry with me?"
And Prophet Musa (AS) replies to her. He said:
"O Asiyah bint Muzahim (daughter of Muzahim), the malikahs of the seven heavens are awaiting you with great pleasure and Allah (SWT) looks forward to the pleasure of meeting you. Allah is pleased to meet you."
This is what the Qur’an has to say about these last, last moments. I am quoting to you from Surah At-Tahrim 66:11. Allah says:
"And Allah sets forth for those who believe the example (the parable) of the wife of Firaun, when she said: "O my Rubb, build for me a house with Thee in Jennah and deliver me from Firaun and his doings and deliver me from these unjust people."
In the heavens Allah (SWT) is indicating to the angels, the nobleness and courage of conviction of a true believing Mu’minaat and of her love for Allah, for which she is prepared to sacrifice so much of wealth, position, and status and to endure so much pain, suffering and anguish. Allah (SWT) in front of the malikahs that are gathered there who are pleading with Allah to save Asiyah, Allah (SWT) is telling them that this is ihsan (the highest level of deeds and worship),
"You see malikahs, when I created him, you said this ihsan is going to do so much public, so much evil and bloodshed in the world and commit so much sin. Do you see what quality I have given to those who believe? Look at this Asiyah, look at that Mashtha, look at this Musa, look at the courage and conviction of faith."
Allah is telling the malikahs this,
"Verily, We created man of a most excellent fabric. So Allah tells about this creation, and in the meantime in suffering and hardship and the trials and tribulations their love and fear for me (says Allah to the malikahs) increases."
Allah is holding his court. Firaun is having his court here. Allah is holding his court with the malikahs. And Allah tells them,
"In suffering and hardship and the trials and tribulations, the love of my true servants and the fear that they have for me, increases. These are the true, the sincere, the devoted, and the faithful ones. ‘O Asiyah, what do you ask for?’"
Allah asks Asiyah in those words,
"O Asiyah what do you want? What do you ask? What do you seek? And you tell me what does a faithful slave ask of Allah in these moments?"
This is what she asks. She says,
"O Allah, you are in Jennah. O Allah, build me a house in Jennah so I can be close to you and near you."
Allah (SWT) orders Gabriel to reveal to her, as her eyes closes, as she is about to die, Gabriel (AS) is ordered to reveal to Asiyah her home in Paradise, in Jennah. And seeing this, she was soon overcome with joy and peace and she passes silently out of this world…
That is the story of Asiyah (AS) and That was the story of Mashtha (AS).
Pharoah (Ramses The Great) as mentioned in the quran
As for your question, the term Pharaoh (Firawn) is not a name of any particular person, but it is a title for the rulers of the Coptic nation. Here under is a list of titles for rulers of various parts of the world mentioned in history.
Amir al-Mu’mineen (أمير المؤمنين) - The ruler of the Muslims
Firawn (فرعون) - The ruler of the Coptics
Najashi (نجاشى) - The ruler of the Abyssinians
Kisra (كسرى) - The ruler of the Persians
Qaysar (قيصر) - The ruler of the Romans
Khaqan (خاقان) - The ruler of the Turks
‘Aziz (عزيز) - The ruler of the Egyptians
(Sharah Muslim of Nawawi 1/309 Maktaba-e-Thanvi, Deoband)
قال العلماء والنجاشى لقب لكل من ملك الحبشة وأما أصحمة فهو اسم علم لهذا الملك الصالح الذي كان في زمن النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم قال المطرز وبن خالويه وآخرون من الأئمة كلاما متداخلا حاصله أن كل من ملك المسلمين يقال له أمير المؤمنين ومن ملك الحبشة النجاشي ومن ملك الروم قيصر ومن ملك الفرس كسرى ومن ملك الترك خاقان ومن ملك القبط فرعون ومن ملك مصر العزيز ومن ملك اليمن تبع ومن ملك حمير القيل
The story of Musa (AS) and the Pharaoh is quiet lengthy and spread out in the Qur’an. We will reproduce a brief account of the story in light of the Qur’an.
The Israelites were living a life of slavery under the rule of the Pharaoh where hardship and oppression was part and parcel of their life. Once the Pharaoh saw an unusual dream for which he asked his royal wise man to interpret. They gave the meaning that a boy will be born in the family of the Israelites who will liberate them from this slavery and who will destroy the Pharaoh’s empire. Not being able to handle this devastating news, he ordered his men that all new born male children must be murdered. His men went to the Israelites’ villages and started to brutally murder all the new born male children. Musa (AS) was born at such distressing times. The mother of Musa (AS) fearing the life of her child was very perplexed on what to do. However, Allah had already destined the future of this child and had decreed that he will survive and the same Pharaoh who ordered the killing, will raise him. Allah Ta’ala describing the incident in the Qur’an says:
طسم (1) تِلْكَ آَيَاتُ الْكِتَابِ الْمُبِينِ (2) نَتْلُوا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ نَبَإِ مُوسَى وَفِرْعَوْنَ بِالْحَقِّ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ (3) إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ عَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَجَعَلَ أَهْلَهَا شِيَعًا يَسْتَضْعِفُ طَائِفَةً مِنْهُمْ يُذَبِّحُ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَيَسْتَحْيِي نِسَاءَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (4) وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ (5) وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ (6)وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى أُمِّ مُوسَى أَنْ أَرْضِعِيهِ فَإِذَا خِفْتِ عَلَيْهِ فَأَلْقِيهِ فِي الْيَمِّ وَلَا تَخَافِي وَلَا تَحْزَنِي إِنَّا رَادُّوهُ إِلَيْكِ وَجَاعِلُوهُ مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (7) فَالْتَقَطَهُ آَلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُوا خَاطِئِينَ (8)
Tā Sīn Mīm. These are verses of the clear Book. We recite to you a part of the story of Mūsā and Pharaoh with truth for a people who believe. Indeed, Pharaoh had become high-handed in the land, and had divided its people into different groups; he used to persecute a group of them, slaughtering their sons and keeping their women alive. Indeed he was one of the mischief-makers, while We intended to favor those who were held as weak in the land, and to make them leaders and make them inheritors, and give them power in the land, and to show Pharaoh, Hāmān and their armies the very thing they were fearing from them. We inspired the mother of Mūsā saying, Suckle him (Mūsā). Then once you fear about him, cast him in the river, and do not fear, and do not grieve. Surely We are going to bring him back to you and appoint him one of (Our) messengers. (Al-Qasas)
The mother upon being inspired by Allah put the child in a basket and set him off in the river. She sent her daughter to look and see what will be the fate the child. The basket went and reached the house of the Pharaoh. The wife of the Pharaoh fell in love with the child as soon as her gazed fell upon him and intended to raise the child. Allah Ta’ala continuing with the story says:
فَالْتَقَطَهُ آَلُ فِرْعَوْنَ لِيَكُونَ لَهُمْ عَدُوًّا وَحَزَنًا إِنَّ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا كَانُوا خَاطِئِينَ (8) وَقَالَتِ امْرَأَةُ فِرْعَوْنَ قُرَّةُ عَيْنٍ لِي وَلَكَ لَا تَقْتُلُوهُ عَسَى أَنْ يَنْفَعَنَا أَوْ نَتَّخِذَهُ وَلَدًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ (9) وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَى فَارِغًا إِنْ كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِي بِهِ لَوْلَا أَنْ رَبَطْنَا عَلَى قَلْبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (10) وَقَالَتْ لِأُخْتِهِ قُصِّيهِ فَبَصُرَتْ بِهِ عَنْ جُنُبٍ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ (11)
So the family of Pharaoh picked him up, so that he becomes for them an enemy and a (cause of) grief. Indeed Pharaoh, Hāmān and their armies were mistaken. And the wife of Pharaoh said, (to Pharaoh about Mūsā), He may be a delight of eye for me and you. Do not kill him. It is hoped that he will be of benefit to us, or we will adopt him as a son. And they were not aware (of what was going to happen). And the heart of the mother of Mūsā became restless; indeed she was about to disclose this (the real facts about Mūsā), had We not strengthened her heart to remain among those who have firm belief (in Allah‘s promise). She said to his sister, Keep track of him. So she watched him from a distance, while they were not aware. (Al-Qassas)
Allah had decreed that Musa (AS) will be returned to his mother. Naturally it was such that when the time came to feed the child, he would not accept milk of any woman. Upon seeing this, the sister of Musa (AS) presented herself and stated that there is a pious woman from the Israelites who might be able to breastfeed the child. Allah Ta’ala says:
وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَقَالَتْ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ (12) فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَى أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (13)
And We had already barred him (Mūsā) from (accepting) any suckling women, so she (his sister) said (to Pharaoh‘s people), Shall I point out to you a family who will nurse him for you, and they will be his well-wishers? Thus We brought him back to his mother, so that her eye might have comfort and she might not grieve, and so that she might know that Allah‘s promise is true, but most of them do not know. (Al-Qassas)
Musa (AS) grew up in the house of the Pharaoh with royal treatment until he was a strong young man. Upon reaching adulthood, Allah bestowed him with wisdom and knowledge. Allah says:
وَلَمَّا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَاسْتَوَى آَتَيْنَاهُ حُكْمًا وَعِلْمًا وَكَذَلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ (14)
And when he reached his maturity and became perfect, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. This is how We reward those who are good in their deeds. (Al-Qassas)
While growing up, he realized that he is from the Israelites and does not have any relationship to the Pharaoh or any of the Coptics. Seeing the oppression of the Coptics upon the Israelites, he had a soft heart for the Israelites and would help them out to easy their difficulties. Once upon entering the city he saw a Coptic man quarreling with an Israelite. While helping the Israelite, he clouted the Coptic. Musa (AS) was given the strength of the Prophets. The Coptic not being able to bear the clout from Musa (AS) fell dead. Realizing what had happened, Musa (AS) repented to Allah and asked his forgiveness. Allah Ta’ala says:
وَدَخَلَ الْمَدِينَةَ عَلَى حِينِ غَفْلَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا فَوَجَدَ فِيهَا رَجُلَيْنِ يَقْتَتِلَانِ هَذَا مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ وَهَذَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَاسْتَغَاثَهُ الَّذِي مِنْ شِيعَتِهِ عَلَى الَّذِي مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فَوَكَزَهُ مُوسَى فَقَضَى عَلَيْهِ قَالَ هَذَا مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ عَدُوٌّ مُضِلٌّ مُبِينٌ (15) قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَغَفَرَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ (16) قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فَلَنْ أَكُونَ ظَهِيرًا لِلْمُجْرِمِينَ (17)
Once he entered the city at a time when its people were heedless; so he found in it two men fighting each other: This one was from his own group, and that one from his enemies. So the one from his own group called him for help against the one who was from his enemies. So Mūsā gave him a blow with his fist and finished him off. (Then) He (Mūsā) said (out of remorse), ‘This is some of Satan‘s act. He is indeed a clear enemy who misleads (people).’ He said, ‘O my Lord, I have wronged myself, so forgive me.’ So He forgave him. Indeed He is the most Forgiving, Very-Merciful. He (Mūsā) said, O my Lord! As You have favored me, I will never be a supporter of the sinners. (Al-Qassas)
The news of the Coptic’s murder spread in the city but none knew who had killed him. The next day Musa (AS) again went around roaming the city and coincidently the same Israelite was quarreling with another Coptic. The Israelite was calling Musa (AS) to assist him. Musa (AS) told the Israelite that you are a mischief-maker and went to help him. The Israelite thought Musa (AS) is coming to hit him and revealed that Musa (AS) was the one who killed the Coptic the previous day. Allah Ta’ala says:
فَأَصْبَحَ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي اسْتَنْصَرَهُ بِالْأَمْسِ يَسْتَصْرِخُهُ قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَى إِنَّكَ لَغَوِيٌّ مُبِينٌ (18) فَلَمَّا أَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَبْطِشَ بِالَّذِي هُوَ عَدُوٌّ لَهُمَا قَالَ يَا مُوسَى أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَقْتُلَنِي كَمَا قَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا بِالْأَمْسِ إِنْ تُرِيدُ إِلَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ جَبَّارًا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُصْلِحِينَ (19)
Then next morning he was fearful in the city, waiting (for what comes next) when the man who sought his help the day before, shouted to him for help (again). Mūsā said to him, you are surely a clear trouble-maker. Thereafter when he intended to grasp at the one who was an enemy to both of them, he (i.e. the Israelite) said, O Mūsā, do you want to kill me as you have killed a person yesterday? Your intention is only to become a tyrant in the land, and you do not intend to be one of the peace-makers. (Al-Qassas)
Upon hearing this, the Coptic fled and informed the Pharaoh that the unknown killer of the Coptic was in fact Musa (AS). The Pharaoh passed the verdict that Musa should be captured. From the people present in the assembly of Pharaoh was a man who was a close friend of Musa. He came and informed Musa of the verdict to capture him and advised him to flee the city. Allah Ta’ala says:
وَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ يَسْعَى قَالَ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّ الْمَلَأَ يَأْتَمِرُونَ بِكَ لِيَقْتُلُوكَ فَاخْرُجْ إِنِّي لَكَ مِنَ النَّاصِحِينَ (20)
And there came a man running from the farthest part of the city. He said, ‘The chiefs are counseling each other about you, so that they kill you. So, leave (the city). I am one of your well-wishers. (Al-Qassas)
Musa (AS) acted upon his friend’s advice and left the city and proceeded toward the city of Madyan.
فَخَرَجَ مِنْهَا خَائِفًا يَتَرَقَّبُ قَالَ رَبِّ نَجِّنِي مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ (21) وَلَمَّا تَوَجَّهَ تِلْقَاءَ مَدْيَنَ قَالَ عَسَى رَبِّي أَنْ يَهْدِيَنِي سَوَاءَ السَّبِيلِ (22)
So, he went out of it (the city), looking around in a state of fear. He said, O my Lord, save me from the cruel people. When he set out towards Madyan, he said, I hope my Lord will guide me to the straight path. (Al-Qassas)
The story of Musa (AS) continues in Madyan, where he marries the daughter of Shu’ayb (AS). We will omit all the details since it is not directly related to the Pharaoh. Once, while travelling with his with his family, they got lost. At night he saw some light on the Mount Tur and proceed that maybe he might get some information or at least get some fire. Allah Ta’ala says:
فَلَمَّا قَضَى مُوسَى الْأَجَلَ وَسَارَ بِأَهْلِهِ آَنَسَ مِنْ جَانِبِ الطُّورِ نَارًا قَالَ لِأَهْلِهِ امْكُثُوا إِنِّي آَنَسْتُ نَارًا لَعَلِّي آَتِيكُمْ مِنْهَا بِخَبَرٍ أَوْ جَذْوَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَصْطَلُونَ (29)
So, when Mūsā completed the term and set forth with his wife, he noticed a fire from the direction of (the mount) Tūr, he said to his wife, ‘Stay here; I have noticed a fire. May be I bring to you some information or an ember from the fire, so that you may warm yourself. (Al-Qassas)
On the mount he received prophethood and was ordered to go to the Pharaoh and warn him about his actions and to liberate the Israelites. Almighty Allah also bestowed him with miracles as proofs to show Pharaoh and made his brother Harun (AS) also a prophet to aid him. Allah Ta’ala says:
فَلَمَّا أَتَاهَا نُودِيَ مِنْ شَاطِئِ الْوَادِ الْأَيْمَنِ فِي الْبُقْعَةِ الْمُبَارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَنْ يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (30) وَأَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَلَمَّا رَآَهَا تَهْتَزُّ كَأَنَّهَا جَانٌّ وَلَّى مُدْبِرًا وَلَمْ يُعَقِّبْ يَا مُوسَى أَقْبِلْ وَلَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الْآَمِنِينَ (31) اسْلُكْ يَدَكَ فِي جَيْبِكَ تَخْرُجْ بَيْضَاءَ مِنْ غَيْرِ سُوءٍ وَاضْمُمْ إِلَيْكَ جَنَاحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهْبِ فَذَانِكَ بُرْهَانَانِ مِنْ رَبِّكَ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَمَلَئِهِ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا قَوْمًا فَاسِقِينَ (32) قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي قَتَلْتُ مِنْهُمْ نَفْسًا فَأَخَافُ أَنْ يَقْتُلُونِ (33) وَأَخِي هَارُونُ هُوَ أَفْصَحُ مِنِّي لِسَانًا فَأَرْسِلْهُ مَعِيَ رِدْءًا يُصَدِّقُنِي إِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُكَذِّبُونِ (34) قَالَ سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخِيكَ وَنَجْعَلُ لَكُمَا سُلْطَانًا فَلَا يَصِلُونَ إِلَيْكُمَا بِآَيَاتِنَا أَنْتُمَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الْغَالِبُونَ (35)
So when he came to it, he was called by a voice coming from a side of the right valley in the blessed ground, from the tree, saying, O Mūsā, I AM ALLAH, the Lord of the worlds, and saying, Throw down your staff. So when he saw it moving as if it were a snake, he turned back in retreat, and did not look back. (Allah said to him), O Mūsā come forward and do not fear; you are one of those in peace. Insert your hand into your bosom, and it will come out white without any evil (disease), and press your arm to your side for (removing) fear. Thus these are two proofs from your Lord (sent) to Pharaoh and his chiefs. Indeed they are transgressing people. He said, My Lord, I have killed a person from them, therefore I fear that they will kill me. And my brother Hārūn is more eloquent than me in speech; so send him with me as a helper to bear me out. I am afraid, they will give the lie to me. He (Allah) said, We will strengthen your arm with your brother, and will give both of you such a power that they will have no access to you (to cause any harm) because of Our signs. You and your followers will be the victors. (Al-Qassas)
Thereafter, Musa (AS) and Harun (AS) were commanded to go to the Pharaoh and invited him towards the true religion and say to him to set free the Israelites. Upon this a dialogue took place between Musa (AS) and the Pharaoh. Allah says in the Qur’an:
فَأْتِيَا فِرْعَوْنَ فَقُولَا إِنَّا رَسُولُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (16) أَنْ أَرْسِلْ مَعَنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (17) قَالَ أَلَمْ نُرَبِّكَ فِينَا وَلِيدًا وَلَبِثْتَ فِينَا مِنْ عُمُرِكَ سِنِينَ (18) وَفَعَلْتَ فَعْلَتَكَ الَّتِي فَعَلْتَ وَأَنْتَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ (19) قَالَ فَعَلْتُهَا إِذًا وَأَنَا مِنَ الضَّالِّينَ (20) فَفَرَرْتُ مِنْكُمْ لَمَّا خِفْتُكُمْ فَوَهَبَ لِي رَبِّي حُكْمًا وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ (21) وَتِلْكَ نِعْمَةٌ تَمُنُّهَا عَلَيَّ أَنْ عَبَّدْتَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (22) قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (23) قَالَ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُوقِنِينَ (24) قَالَ لِمَنْ حَوْلَهُ أَلَا تَسْتَمِعُونَ (25) قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ آَبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ (26) قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ الَّذِي أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمَجْنُونٌ (27) قَالَ رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ (28) قَالَ لَئِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَهًا غَيْرِي لَأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ (29)
So go, both of you, to Pharaoh and say, We both are messengers of the Lord of all the worlds, (sent with the message) that you must send the children of Isrā‘īl with us. He (Pharaoh) said, Did we not nourish you among us as a child? And you remained amidst us for years, and you did the blunder you did; still you are ungrateful. He said, I did that at a time when I was mistaken. Then I fled away from you when I feared you. Thereafter my Lord granted wisdom to me, and made me one of the messengers. As for the favor with which you are obliging me, it is that you have enslaved the children of Isrā‘īl. Pharaoh said, what is the Lord of the worlds? He (Mūsā) said, Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever there is between them, if you are to believe. He (The Pharaoh) said to those around him, are you not hearing? He (Mūsā) said, Your Lord and the Lord of your early forefathers. He (Pharaoh) said, your messenger who is sent to you is a mad man indeed. He (Mūsā) said, Lord of the East and the West and whatever lies between them, if you are to understand. He (Pharaoh) said, If you adopt a God other than me, I will certainly put you to prison. (Al-Shu’ara)
Upon this Musa (AS) said what if we have brought forward clear and apparent proofs? The Pharaoh said, bring forth if you are from the truthful. Allah says:
قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكَ بِشَيْءٍ مُبِينٍ (30) قَالَ فَأْتِ بِهِ إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ (31) فَأَلْقَى عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُبِينٌ (32) وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيْضَاءُ لِلنَّاظِرِينَ (33) قَالَ لِلْمَلَإِ حَوْلَهُ إِنَّ هَذَا لَسَاحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ (34) يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُخْرِجَكُمْ مِنْ أَرْضِكُمْ بِسِحْرِهِ فَمَاذَا تَأْمُرُونَ (35) قَالُوا أَرْجِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَابْعَثْ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ (36) يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٍ (37)
He (Mūsā) said Will you (do this) even if I bring to you something evident? He said, Then bring it, if you are truthful. So, he threw down his staff, and in no time it was a serpent, clearly visible, and he drew out his hand, and right then it was a white light to the onlookers. He (Pharaoh) said to the chiefs around him, this man is certainly an expert sorcerer. He wants to expel you from your land with his sorcery. So what do you suggest? They said, Leave him and his brother alone for some time, and send heralds to the cities, so that they bring to you every highly expert sorcerer. (Al-Shu’ara)
The Pharaoh challenged Musa (AS) and decided to call upon his best sorcerers and they decided that they the challenge will be on a festival day in broad daylight.
فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّكَ بِسِحْرٍ مِثْلِهِ فَاجْعَلْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَا نُخْلِفُهُ نَحْنُ وَلَا أَنْتَ مَكَانًا سُوًى (58) قَالَ مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ الزِّينَةِ وَأَنْ يُحْشَرَ النَّاسُ ضُحًى (59)
We will, then, bring to you a similar sorcery. So, make an appointment between you and us for an even place, not to be backed out, neither by us nor by you. He (Mūsā) said, your appointment is the festival day, and the people should be assembled at forenoon. (Ta-Ha)
The festival day came and people from throughout the land had gathered to see the competition. On the day, the sorcerers approached the Pharaoh and asked that what will be in turn for us for winning the match? The Pharaoh promised them gifts and high status. Allah says:
فَجُمِعَ السَّحَرَةُ لِمِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ (38) وَقِيلَ لِلنَّاسِ هَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُجْتَمِعُونَ (39) لَعَلَّنَا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَةَ إِنْ كَانُوا هُمُ الْغَالِبِينَ (40) فَلَمَّا جَاءَ السَّحَرَةُ قَالُوا لِفِرْعَوْنَ أَئِنَّ لَنَا لَأَجْرًا إِنْ كُنَّا نَحْنُ الْغَالِبِينَ (41) قَالَ نَعَمْ وَإِنَّكُمْ إِذًا لَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ (42)
So the sorcerers were assembled for the appointed time of a known day, [26:39] and it was said to the people, would you assemble, so that we may follow the sorcerers if they are victorious? So, when the sorcerers came, they said to Pharaoh, Will there be a sure reward for us, if we are the victorious? He said, yes, and of course, you will then be among the closer ones. (Al-Shu’ara)
The match began where the sorcerers said to Musa (AS) either you go first or we will go first. Musa (AS) told them to proceed with their magic. Allah says:
قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى إِمَّا أَنْ تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ نَكُونَ نَحْنُ الْمُلْقِينَ (115) قَالَ أَلْقُوا فَلَمَّا أَلْقَوْا سَحَرُوا أَعْيُنَ النَّاسِ وَاسْتَرْهَبُوهُمْ وَجَاءُوا بِسِحْرٍ عَظِيمٍ (116) وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَلْقِ عَصَاكَ فَإِذَا هِيَ تَلْقَفُ مَا يَأْفِكُونَ (117) فَوَقَعَ الْحَقُّ وَبَطَلَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ (118) فَغُلِبُوا هُنَالِكَ وَانْقَلَبُوا صَاغِرِينَ (119)
They said, O Mūsā, would you throw (first) or are we to throw? He said, You throw. So when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people, and made them frightened, and produced great sorcery. We revealed to Mūsā, Throw your staff. Then of a sudden, it began to swallow all that they had concocted. Thus the truth prevailed, and what they were doing became a nullity. So, they were overcome then and there and turned humiliated. (Al-A’raf)
The sorcerers realized that this is no magic but something divine from Almighty Allah. They accepted his religion. The Pharaoh, shocked and displeased, threatened the sorcerers of prosecution and torture. Allah says:
وَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سَاجِدِينَ (120) قَالُوا آَمَنَّا بِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ (121) رَبِّ مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ (122) قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ آَمَنْتُمْ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ آَذَنَ لَكُمْ إِنَّ هَذَا لَمَكْرٌ مَكَرْتُمُوهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ لِتُخْرِجُوا مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ (123) لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ ثُمَّ لَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ (124) قَالُوا إِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا مُنْقَلِبُونَ (125) وَمَا تَنْقِمُ مِنَّا إِلَّا أَنْ آَمَنَّا بِآَيَاتِ رَبِّنَا لَمَّا جَاءَتْنَا رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ (126)
The sorcerers could not but fall in prostration. They said, we believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Mūsā and Hārūn. Pharaoh said, you have believed in him before my permission. Undoubtedly, this is a plot you have designed in the city, so that you may expel its people from it. Now you shall know (its end). I will cut off your hands and your legs from opposite sides. Then I will crucify you all together. They said, we have surely to return to our Lord. For what fault would you punish us except that we have believed in the signs of our Lord when they appeared to us? O our Lord, pour out patience upon us, and cause us to die as Muslims (those who submit to you.) (Al-A’raf)
The Pharaoh still did not accept and continued to reject Allah and his Prophet Musa (AS). Allah Ta’ala had granted Musa (AS) many signs. These signs were a means to break the tyranny of the Pharaoh so he may accept the One Allah and set free the Israelites. Each sign was greater than the previous sign. Whenever the Pharaoh and his men were afflicted with one of these signs, they came to Musa (AS) and asked him to supplicate to Allah to remove them from this hardship. Upon removing the sign, they use to return to their heedlessness. Allah Ta’ala says:
وَلَقَدْ أَخَذْنَا آَلَ فِرْعَوْنَ بِالسِّنِينَ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ (130) فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا لَنَا هَذِهِ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَهُ أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ (131) وَقَالُوا مَهْمَا تَأْتِنَا بِهِ مِنْ آَيَةٍ لِتَسْحَرَنَا بِهَا فَمَا نَحْنُ لَكَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ (132) فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آَيَاتٍ مُفَصَّلَاتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ (133) وَلَمَّا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِمُ الرِّجْزُ قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ بِمَا عَهِدَ عِنْدَكَ لَئِنْ كَشَفْتَ عَنَّا الرِّجْزَ لَنُؤْمِنَنَّ لَكَ وَلَنُرْسِلَنَّ مَعَكَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (134) فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْزَ إِلَى أَجَلٍ هُمْ بَالِغُوهُ إِذَا هُمْ يَنْكُثُونَ
And We seized the people of Pharaoh with years of famine and poor production of fruits, so that they may learn a lesson. When good times came to them, they said, this is our right. And if an evil touched them, they took it as an ill omen of Mūsā and those with him. Listen, their ill omen lies with Allah only, but most of them do not know. They said, whatever sign you bring to us to enchant us with, we are not going to believe in you. So We sent upon them the storm and locusts and lice and frogs and blood, as signs distinct from each other. Yet they showed arrogance, and they were a guilty people. Whenever a scourge befell them, they said, O Mūsā, pray for us to your Lord by the covenant He has made with you. If you remove the scourge from us, we will truly believe in you, and will send the children of Isrā‘īl with you. But when We removed the scourge from them for a term they had to reach, in no time they started to break their promise. (Al-A’raf)
Finally the time came when Allah revealed to Musa (AS) to take the Israelites and escape from the land of Egypt. Allah says:
وَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي إِنَّكُمْ مُتَّبَعُونَ (52) فَأَرْسَلَ فِرْعَوْنُ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ (53) إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ لَشِرْذِمَةٌ قَلِيلُونَ (54) وَإِنَّهُمْ لَنَا لَغَائِظُونَ (55) وَإِنَّا لَجَمِيعٌ حَاذِرُونَ (56) فَأَخْرَجْنَاهُمْ مِنْ جَنَّاتٍ وَعُيُونٍ (57) وَكُنُوزٍ وَمَقَامٍ كَرِيمٍ (58) كَذَلِكَ وَأَوْرَثْنَاهَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ (59) فَأَتْبَعُوهُمْ مُشْرِقِينَ (60) فَلَمَّا تَرَاءَى الْجَمْعَانِ قَالَ أَصْحَابُ مُوسَى إِنَّا لَمُدْرَكُونَ (61) قَالَ كَلَّا إِنَّ مَعِيَ رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ (62) فَأَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى مُوسَى أَنِ اضْرِبْ بِعَصَاكَ الْبَحْرَ فَانْفَلَقَ فَكَانَ كُلُّ فِرْقٍ كَالطَّوْدِ الْعَظِيمِ (63) وَأَزْلَفْنَا ثَمَّ الْآَخَرِينَ (64) وَأَنْجَيْنَا مُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَهُ أَجْمَعِينَ (65)
And We revealed to Mūsā saying, Make My servants travel at night. You will be pursued. So Pharaoh sent into the cities (his) men to muster (people) saying, these are a small band, and indeed they are enraging us, and we are a host, well-armed. Thus We expelled them (i.e. the people of Pharaoh) from gardens and springs, and from treasures and a noble abode. Thus it was. And We made the children of Isrā‘īl inherit all such things. So they (the people of Pharaoh) pursued them (the people of Mūsā) at the time of sunrise. And when the two hosts saw each other, the companions of Mūsā said, surely we are overtaken. He said, Never! Indeed with me is my Lord. He will guide me. So We revealed to Mūsā saying, Strike the sea with your staff. So it was severed apart, and each part became like a big mountain. Then We brought others close to that place. And We saved Mūsā and all those with him. (Al-=Shu’ara)
When seeing the Israelites passing the sea, the Pharaoh and his men also went into the separated sea in their pursuit. However, the sea united itself and drowned the Pharaoh and his army. The Pharaoh at the throws of death realized that his life is about to end and the unseen things of the hereafter became apparent to him. In one breath he states thrice his belief in Allah, but alas, it is too late and was doomed for eternity. Allah says:
وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ الْبَحْرَ فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ وَجُنُودُهُ بَغْيًا وَعَدْوًا حَتَّى إِذَا أَدْرَكَهُ الْغَرَقُ قَالَ آَمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آَمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ (90) آَلْآَنَ وَقَدْ عَصَيْتَ قَبْلُ وَكُنْتَ مِنَ الْمُفْسِدِينَ (91) فَالْيَوْمَ نُنَجِّيكَ بِبَدَنِكَ لِتَكُونَ لِمَنْ خَلْفَكَ آَيَةً وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ عَنْ آَيَاتِنَا لَغَافِلُونَ (92)
“And We let the children of Isrā‘īl cross the sea. So, Pharaoh and his troops chased them in transgression and hostility, until when he was about to drown, he said, I believe that there is no god but the One in whom the children of Isrā‘īl believe, and I am among those who submit to Allah. (Allah said,) is it now (that you have come to believe) while you were rebellious all along, and you were among the mischief-makers? So, today, We shall save your body, so that you may become a sign for those after you. And many of the people are heedless of Our signs.” (Yunus)
The story of the Israelites continues in the Qur’an, however the part dealing with the Pharaoh end here.
As stated before, the Qur’an is not a book of history where it takes it upon itself to discuss the names and dates of all the events. The name of the Pharaoh at the time of Musa (AS) is neither mentioned in the Qur’an nor in any narration of the Prophet (Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam). Therefore, Shari’a does not confirm or negate any name the archeologist may present.
Regarding the facts described in the Qur’an, then there are 100% true and we have firm belief in them. The archeologists of today’s time deny many aspects of the story of Musa (AS). For example, they deny the departing of the sea for which they claim there is no proof. Some archeologists even deny that the Israelites were ever in Egypt. The whole story of Musa (AS) and the Pharaoh is questionable to them since there is ‘no proof’ for it. For the Muslims, the Qur’an, the Word of Allah, is the biggest proof and all other facts and research are rejected when in contradiction with the Qur’an.
We make dua Allah safeguard our Iman, take us from this world with Iman, and on the day of Qiyamah resurrect us with those that have perfect Iman, Ameen.
For more information on the story of Musa (AS) and the Prophet you may read:
•Qasas al-Anbiya of Ibn Kathir
•Qasas al-Quran of Mawlana Muhammad Hifz al-Rahman
•Ma’arif al-Quran of Mufti Shafi
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Ehzaz Ajmeri : Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by: Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah
**The body of Fir’aun***
The Quran has explicitly recorded about what has become of the body of Fir’aun. “This day We save therein your body so that you become a sign for those who come after you. But verily, many among mankind are heedless of our signs......” (10:92).
In this verse, the God's intention of bringing the body of Pharaoh out of water rather than leaving it decaying or being eaten by the sea animals is to give a lesson to future generations.
What is amazing that when the Quran was transmitted to man by the Prophet, the bodies of all the Pharaohs were in their tombs in the Necropolis of Thebes, on the opposite side of the Nile from Luxor. At the time however, absolutely nothing was known of this fact, and it was not until the end of the nineteenth century that they were discovered there.
As the Quran states, the body of the Pharoah (Fir’aun) of the Exodus was in fact rescued: visitors may see him in the Royal Mummies Room of the Egyptian Museum, Cairo. How did the Prophet, who lived in Arabian desert came to know that the body of Fir’aun would be rescued for future generations to learn a lesson?
Marriage Cast and Compatibility
COMPATIBILITY IS ONLY BASED UPON RELIGION AND PIETY]
From the evil and reprehensible matters is that some who claim to be from Banu Haashim (i.e. claim to be a Sayyid; someone related to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's family) say that there is no kafaa'ah (marriage compatibility) between them and someone from outside of their own clan. So they do not get married outside of their clan, nor allow anyone from outside of their clan to marry them. This is a great error, a monstrous ignorance, oppression against the woman, and it is a legislation which neither Allaah nor His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam legislated or prescribed. Rather, Allaah - the Most High - said:
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and female, and have made you into nations and tribes; that you may know one another, Indeed the most noblest of you with Allaah is the one who has the most taqwaa (piety, fear, and obedience of Allaah)." [Soorah al-Hujuraat 49:13].
"Indeed the Believers are but brothers." [Soorah al-Hujuraat 49: 10].
"The Believers - men and women - are allies and protectors, one to another." [Soorah at-Tawbah 9:71].
"So their Lord accepted from them their supplication, and responded: Never will I allow to be lost the actions of any of you, be they male or female. You are one to another." [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:195].
Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Indeed there is no excellence for an arab over a non-arab, nor for a non-arab over on arab, nor for a white person over a black one, nor for a black person over a white one, except through taqwaa (piety and obedience to Allaah). The people are from Aadam, and Aadam was from earth."2
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said: "Indeed my awliyaa (friends and allies) are not the tribe of so and so. Rather my friends and allies are the muttaqoon (those who possess taqwaa) - wherever they may be."3
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "If there comes to you a person whose Religion and character are pleasing to you, then marry him (i.e. give the girl in marriage to him). If you do not do this, there will be Fitnah (trial and discord) and greet fasad (corruption) upon the earth." This was related by at-Tirmidhee and others, with a hasan isnaad (good chain of narration).4
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam married Zaynab bint Jahsh of the Quraysh (i.e. the Prophet's clan) to Zayd ibn Haarithah, his freed slave. He married Faatimah bint Qays from the Quraysh clan, to Usaamah, the son of Zayd. Bilaal ibn Rabaah, the Ethiopian married the sister of 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf of the Quraysh. So the purpose here is to explain the falsehood of those who claim that it is forbidden, or detested, for someone from the Prophet's sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's clan to marry outside of that clan or tribe. Rather, what it is obligatory in this matter is to consider only Religion as the compatibility factor. So the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam distanced Abu Taalib and Abu Lahab (his uncles) - because they were not Muslims and drew near Salmaan the Persian, Suhayb the Roman, and Bilaal the Ethiopian. This is because they possessed eemaan (faith) and piety, and they followed the Prescribed Laws and traversed the Straight Path. Thus, whosoever adopts this false and ignorant practice of barring Haashmee women from marrying from outside of their clan or tribe, will only achieve blameworthy results; such as corruption of the people, or adversely affecting the birth-rates, even though Allaah - the Most High - said:
"And marry those amongst you who are single, and the righteous from your slaves. If they be poor, Allaah will enrich them out of His Bounty, And Allaah is all-Sufficient for His creation, the all-Knowing about their state." [Soorah an-Noor 24:32].
So He commanded to marry those that are single, and to marry all other categories of Muslims - irrespective of whether they be rich or poor. Thus, since the Islaamic Sharee'ah urges and encourages the institution of marriage. So the Muslims should hasten to fulfill this command of Allaah and of His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam when he said: "O youths! Whosoever amongst you has the ability to marry, then let him do so; for it lowers the gaze and restrains the private parts. But whosoever does not have the ability then let him take to fasting; for indeed it is a shield for him." Its authenticity has been agreed upon.5 Thus, it is incumbent upon the guardians to fear Allaah concerning their guardianship, since it is an amaanah (trust and responsibility) around their necks, and Allaah will question them concerning this trust. So it is upon them to hasten in getting their daughters, sons, and sisters married, to the extent that this task has taken full effect in life, and the corruption and harms of not doing so have been minimised. And it is known that when women are prevented from getting married, or if their marriage is delayed and deferred, then this is a cause for calamities to occur, a cause for shameful moral crimes to take place, and a cause for a decline in standards of behaviour. So - O worshippers of Allaah - it is upon you to fear Allaah regarding your own selves, and with regards to the daughters, sisters, and other women whom Allaah has been placed under your charge and authority, and that the Muslims should come in order to realise the good and the happiness for the society, and to follow the path that will increase the good and lessen the crimes. And you should know that you will all be questioned and held to account about your actions, as Allaah - the Most High - said:
"By your Lord! We shall call them all to account for all that they used to do." [Soorah al-Hijr 15:92].
And Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - said:
"And to Allaah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth, that He may punish those who do evil with that which they have done; and reward those who do good with Paradise which is best." [Soorah an-Najm 53:31].
So hasten in getting your sons and daughters married, following in the footsteps of your Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and the footsteps of the noble Sahaabah (Companions) radiallaahu 'anhum, and all those who follow their path and guidance. I also advise you all not to seek excessive sums for the mahr (dowry), but rather be moderate in this, and that you strive to select pious and righteous people for marriage.
We ask Allaah to grant us the understanding of the Religion; grant us firmness upon it; and that He protects us and all the Muslims from the evil promptings of our own souls, and our evil resultant actions; and that He keeps away from us the deviating trials and discords, whether open or hidden. And We ask Allaah also to correct all those who have a position of authority over the affairs of the Muslims, and that He rectifies them. Indeed he is the One having the power to do so. And may Allaah extol and send blessings of peace upon Muhammad, and upon his Family, Companions and all those who follow them.
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1. Majmoo' Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah (3/100- 103).
2. Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (5/411). It was authenticated by Ibn Taymiyyah in Kitaabul-lqtidaa (p.69).
3. Related by al-Bukhaaree (10/351) and Muslim (no.215), from 'Amr ibn al 'Aas radiallaahu 'anhu.
4. Hasan: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no.1085), from Abu Haatim al-Muzanee and Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhumaa. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Irwaa'ul-Ghaleel (no.1868).
5. Related by al-Bukhaaree (4/106) and Muslim (no.1400), from Ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu 'anhu
From the evil and reprehensible matters is that some who claim to be from Banu Haashim (i.e. claim to be a Sayyid; someone related to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's family) say that there is no kafaa'ah (marriage compatibility) between them and someone from outside of their own clan. So they do not get married outside of their clan, nor allow anyone from outside of their clan to marry them. This is a great error, a monstrous ignorance, oppression against the woman, and it is a legislation which neither Allaah nor His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam legislated or prescribed. Rather, Allaah - the Most High - said:
"O mankind! We have created you from a male and female, and have made you into nations and tribes; that you may know one another, Indeed the most noblest of you with Allaah is the one who has the most taqwaa (piety, fear, and obedience of Allaah)." [Soorah al-Hujuraat 49:13].
"Indeed the Believers are but brothers." [Soorah al-Hujuraat 49: 10].
"The Believers - men and women - are allies and protectors, one to another." [Soorah at-Tawbah 9:71].
"So their Lord accepted from them their supplication, and responded: Never will I allow to be lost the actions of any of you, be they male or female. You are one to another." [Soorah Aal-'lmraan 3:195].
Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "Indeed there is no excellence for an arab over a non-arab, nor for a non-arab over on arab, nor for a white person over a black one, nor for a black person over a white one, except through taqwaa (piety and obedience to Allaah). The people are from Aadam, and Aadam was from earth."2
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam also said: "Indeed my awliyaa (friends and allies) are not the tribe of so and so. Rather my friends and allies are the muttaqoon (those who possess taqwaa) - wherever they may be."3
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "If there comes to you a person whose Religion and character are pleasing to you, then marry him (i.e. give the girl in marriage to him). If you do not do this, there will be Fitnah (trial and discord) and greet fasad (corruption) upon the earth." This was related by at-Tirmidhee and others, with a hasan isnaad (good chain of narration).4
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam married Zaynab bint Jahsh of the Quraysh (i.e. the Prophet's clan) to Zayd ibn Haarithah, his freed slave. He married Faatimah bint Qays from the Quraysh clan, to Usaamah, the son of Zayd. Bilaal ibn Rabaah, the Ethiopian married the sister of 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf of the Quraysh. So the purpose here is to explain the falsehood of those who claim that it is forbidden, or detested, for someone from the Prophet's sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's clan to marry outside of that clan or tribe. Rather, what it is obligatory in this matter is to consider only Religion as the compatibility factor. So the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam distanced Abu Taalib and Abu Lahab (his uncles) - because they were not Muslims and drew near Salmaan the Persian, Suhayb the Roman, and Bilaal the Ethiopian. This is because they possessed eemaan (faith) and piety, and they followed the Prescribed Laws and traversed the Straight Path. Thus, whosoever adopts this false and ignorant practice of barring Haashmee women from marrying from outside of their clan or tribe, will only achieve blameworthy results; such as corruption of the people, or adversely affecting the birth-rates, even though Allaah - the Most High - said:
"And marry those amongst you who are single, and the righteous from your slaves. If they be poor, Allaah will enrich them out of His Bounty, And Allaah is all-Sufficient for His creation, the all-Knowing about their state." [Soorah an-Noor 24:32].
So He commanded to marry those that are single, and to marry all other categories of Muslims - irrespective of whether they be rich or poor. Thus, since the Islaamic Sharee'ah urges and encourages the institution of marriage. So the Muslims should hasten to fulfill this command of Allaah and of His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam when he said: "O youths! Whosoever amongst you has the ability to marry, then let him do so; for it lowers the gaze and restrains the private parts. But whosoever does not have the ability then let him take to fasting; for indeed it is a shield for him." Its authenticity has been agreed upon.5 Thus, it is incumbent upon the guardians to fear Allaah concerning their guardianship, since it is an amaanah (trust and responsibility) around their necks, and Allaah will question them concerning this trust. So it is upon them to hasten in getting their daughters, sons, and sisters married, to the extent that this task has taken full effect in life, and the corruption and harms of not doing so have been minimised. And it is known that when women are prevented from getting married, or if their marriage is delayed and deferred, then this is a cause for calamities to occur, a cause for shameful moral crimes to take place, and a cause for a decline in standards of behaviour. So - O worshippers of Allaah - it is upon you to fear Allaah regarding your own selves, and with regards to the daughters, sisters, and other women whom Allaah has been placed under your charge and authority, and that the Muslims should come in order to realise the good and the happiness for the society, and to follow the path that will increase the good and lessen the crimes. And you should know that you will all be questioned and held to account about your actions, as Allaah - the Most High - said:
"By your Lord! We shall call them all to account for all that they used to do." [Soorah al-Hijr 15:92].
And Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - said:
"And to Allaah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth, that He may punish those who do evil with that which they have done; and reward those who do good with Paradise which is best." [Soorah an-Najm 53:31].
So hasten in getting your sons and daughters married, following in the footsteps of your Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and the footsteps of the noble Sahaabah (Companions) radiallaahu 'anhum, and all those who follow their path and guidance. I also advise you all not to seek excessive sums for the mahr (dowry), but rather be moderate in this, and that you strive to select pious and righteous people for marriage.
We ask Allaah to grant us the understanding of the Religion; grant us firmness upon it; and that He protects us and all the Muslims from the evil promptings of our own souls, and our evil resultant actions; and that He keeps away from us the deviating trials and discords, whether open or hidden. And We ask Allaah also to correct all those who have a position of authority over the affairs of the Muslims, and that He rectifies them. Indeed he is the One having the power to do so. And may Allaah extol and send blessings of peace upon Muhammad, and upon his Family, Companions and all those who follow them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Majmoo' Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah (3/100- 103).
2. Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (5/411). It was authenticated by Ibn Taymiyyah in Kitaabul-lqtidaa (p.69).
3. Related by al-Bukhaaree (10/351) and Muslim (no.215), from 'Amr ibn al 'Aas radiallaahu 'anhu.
4. Hasan: Related by at-Tirmidhee (no.1085), from Abu Haatim al-Muzanee and Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhumaa. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in Irwaa'ul-Ghaleel (no.1868).
5. Related by al-Bukhaaree (4/106) and Muslim (no.1400), from Ibn Mas'ood radiallaahu 'anhu
Ancient Egyptian Birth Control
The First Forms of Contraception
The first contraceptive methods mark much further back in history than anyone would expect; the first known forms of birth control date all the way back to 1850 B.C.E., when Egyptian women took to inserting objects and concoctions into their vagina to effectively block or kill sperm. Called pessaries, the Egyptians frequently used different concoctions made from honey and even crocodile feces as what they perceived to be effective forms of birth control.
Honey as a Contraceptive?
Although few of us would place our faith in honey as a contraceptive, the recipe for the honey concoction that the early Egyptians used was quite effective. The recipe involves the primary ingredients of acacia berries, colocynth and honey. When acacia berries are compounded, they form lactic anhydride, which is extremely similar to lactic acid, a component often used in modern contraceptive jellies. It is unclear what the colocynth ingredient may have been; however, many historians will categorize it as a plant called Citrullus colocynthis Schrad, which produces a type of bitter apple with properties that may induce abortion. The use of Citrullus colocynthis Schrad as an abortifacient is still utilized today among many Arabic women.
Are Crocodile Feces Actually Effective?
Not many of us would truly ever wish to use crocodile feces as a pessary form of contraception, and it's a good thing too, because under modern medical scrutinization, the recipe of the crocodile feces concoction does not appear to be effective in any way. In fact, according to modern medical science, the insertion of crocodile feces into the vagina is likely to increase chances of becoming pregnant. Crocodile dung is quite alkaline, and because the optimal pH level conditions to encourage pregnancy are more alkaline than the natural pH levels of the vagina, the feces would not act as an effective contraceptive. The Egyptians would have used crocodile dung likely because of the similarities between the crocodile and depictions of the Egyptian god Seth, who was associated with miscarriage and abortion in their religious beliefs.
The Egyptians were the first in what is now a multi-million dollar industry today, which, thankfully has modernized to provide several different methods of birth control from condoms to oral contraceptives, none of which include any form of animal feces.
Anciet Egyptian Medical Treatments
Raw meat was applied to wounds. This is not dissimilar to the modern practice of applying steak to a black eye. The meat treatment was often followed by the use of honey and oil. Bacteria cannot grow in honey, so this was probably an effective treatment.
The ricinus communis plant, from which we make castor oil, was well known in Ancient Egypt. It was said that a woman could make her hair grow by grinding the beans, adding some oil, and rubbing the resulting mixture on her head.
Natron, best known as the agent which removed moisture in the mummification process, was recommended as a means of drawing pus out of a boil. The exact composition of natron varied from region to region but it was a sea salt containing sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate.
Ground malachite was used as a cosmetic (it has an attractive green color) but it was also used to treat various eye diseases and for a wound "that had gone foul". While the Ancient Egyptians knew nothing about bacteria, they did recognize that malachite could cure the symptoms we today know were caused by bacteria.
A mixture of equal parts of the fat of a lion, hippopotamus, crocodile, cat, snake and ibex, was said to be a cure for baldness if rubbed in the scalp.
A mouse cooked in oil could be used to prevent hair turning gray.
A mouse roasted to a cinder and ground into a basin of milk was said to be a cure for whooping cough. The mouse was a prime ingredient in a number of remedies, but the reasoning behind this remains a mystery.
Pain Killers: The Ancient Egyptians certainly knew of the water lily and lotus, cannabis, the poppy, and the mandrake. There are hints, but no unequivocal evidence that they knew of the narcotics in each and the use to which they could be put to control pain.
Gynecology:
A Test for Fertility:
Place an onion in a woman's vagina. If the odor is present in her mouth the next day, then she is able to become pregnant.
A Test for Pregnancy:
Emmer wheat and barley seeds are moistened every day with a woman's urine. If the seeds sprout she is pregnant. If the barley sprouts first, the child will be male; if the emmer grows first the child will be female. (Modern science has shown a fair degree of accuracy in the pregnancy aspect of the test but none in the sex-determination aspect.)
New oil is smeared on the breasts and shoulders of a woman as she lies down. If in the following morning, her blood vessels are "fresh and good, none being collapsed" then she will bear children satisfactorily.
Birth Control:
Put crocodile excrement in the vagina. It is likely that this prescription refers to a hardened plug of dried crocodile dun inserted at the mouth of the uterus to block the entrance of sperm, but the papyri are unclear.
lint, moistened with a mixture of acacia, carob, and dates ground into honey, "should be placed at the mouth of the uterus."
To Prevent Breasts Sagging
Smear the breasts, belly and thighs with the blood of a woman whose menstruation has just begun.
Obstetrics:
The medical papyri are silent on the subject of a normal delivery. Presumably Egyptian physicians and pregnant women would have felt that giving birth was too normal a process to need a doctor. There is no word in Egyptian for midwife, suggesting that deliveries were assisted by whatever women happened to be in the area at the time and not by women specially trained for the task. Egyptian women gave birth while squatting on two birthing bricks. The only text we have that describes a delivery refers to the birth of a future king who had been fathered by a god. Four goddesses attended the event: one knelt at the front of the mother, while another knelt at the rear. Presumably their role was to catch the newborn infant.
To Induce Labor
The Medical Papyri contain many remedies intended to induce labor. Unfortunately it is not yet possible to identify all of the ingredients, but none that have so far been translated would have any effect on the uterus. Depending on the prescribed remedy, it could be placed in the vagina, sat upon, taken by mouth, or applied to the abdomen.
Treatment For Birth Injury
New oil should be soaked into her vagina.
Migraine
Anoint the head with the skull of a cat-fish fried in oil.
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