Question: Dear scholars, I really need your advice! Here in Bangladesh, people always celebrate the 15th night of the month of Sha`ban, which they call “the Night of Shabe-e-Barat”. What do you think of such a practice? Please enlighten me on this issue.

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All thanks and praise are due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner, We really appreciate the confidence you place in us and the great interest you show in understanding the teachings of Islam.

In the hadith reported by Imam At-Tabarani, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said: “Truly, there are nafahat (blessed seasons or days) in which your Lord vouchsafes plentiful mercy. So, make sure that you make the best use of such seasons!” A true believer should purify himself from the fleshly inclinations and the earthly desires and make his aspirations so high and beseech Allah for mercy in such blessed seasons which witness the abundant mercy of Allah. One point here to be stressed is that a true Muslim should consider his whole life a long-term season of obedience so as to show gratitude to the everlasting blessing of Allah.

Responding to the question, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, president of the Fiqh Council of North America , states,

The month of Sha`ban is the eighth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. The fifteenth night of this month is known as laylatul-bara’ah (the Night of Innocence) or laylat un-nisfe min Sha`ban (the Middle Night of Sha`ban) in the Arab world. In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Afghanistan, etc., it is known as shab-e-barat. Some people believe that in surat Ad-Dukhan (44:3-4) there is a reference to this night as Allah says, (We sent it (the Qur’an) down during a blessed night. We are truly Warners. In that night is made distinct every affair of wisdom.) But the night referred to here cannot be a Sha`ban night because it is said here clearly that the Qur’an was revealed in this night. We know from the surat Al-Qadr (97) that the Qur’an was revealed in the Night of Qadr and we also know from the Qur’an (Al-Baqarah 2:185) that the Qur’an was revealed in the month of Ramadan. So it is obvious that the night of the revelation of the Qur’an was in Ramadan, not Sha`ban, and that it was laylat ul-qadr (the Night of Power) not shab-e-barat.

Some people also say that in the 2nd year of Hijrah, the direction of the Qiblah was changed from Jerusalem to the Ka`bah in Makkah on the 15th day of Sha`ban. This report is also not confirmed by authentic hadiths. According to most of the exegetes, the Qur’an has not mentioned anything about the Sha`ban night.

There are some hadiths that speak about the Middle of Sha`ban and its night. However, the scholars of hadith say that most of the hadiths concerning this night are not authentic. They are weak (da`if) according to the criteria of the narrators and scholars of Hadith. Imam Al-Mundhiri (died in 656 A.H.) in his famous book At-Targhib wat-Tarhib (vol. 2, pp. 116-120) reported fourteen hadiths on the subject of this night. The following points can be summarized from those hadiths:

1. The month of Sha`ban is a great month.

2. In this month Allah takes the account of His creation.

3. Because this month occurs between two other important months, viz. Rajab and Ramadan, many people do not pay enough attention to it.

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) loved to fast during this month. He used to fast most of the month of Sha`ban.

5. After sunset on the night of Middle of Sha`ban, Allah in His great mercy and kindness turns towards His creation and asks, “Is there anyone who would seek My forgiveness and I forgive him (or her)? Is there anyone who is in need to ask Me and I provide for his (or her) needs. Is there anyone who is in pain and seeks My help and I help him (or her)? Is there…? Is there…?” until the time of Dawn.”

6. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is said to have recommended prayers during this night and fasting during the following day.

7. It reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit the Muslim cemetery on this evening and he used to pray for the deceased Muslims.

These are the things that we learn from some hadiths about the significance of this night. However, there are many practices and customs common in some Muslim countries, such as making a sweet dish, setting off fireworks, etc. These things have no meaning and no reference in hadiths. There are also some superstitious beliefs about this night. For example, some people believe that the spirits of the deceased visit their relatives during this night. Some believe that there is a special tree in Heaven upon whose leaves are the names of all human beings, and whatever leaves drop during this night, those people are destined to die in this year. Some think that the decisions about the life and death of people are made during this night. All these beliefs and superstitions do not belong to the authentic teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

We must try to follow the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah of the blessed Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is our duty as Muslims to take advantage of all good occasions to revive our faith, to purify our souls, and to increase our love and devotion to Allah (glory be to Him), but we must follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). We must not do anything in our celebrations that is against his teachings.

Allah Almighty knows best.

Source: Onislam.net

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The events in this post are based on two Quranic verses of Surah Al-Baqara and Ibn Kathir’s writings. Harut and Marut (mentioned in the Quran in Surah Al-Baqarah) were two angels who are known to be behind bringing black magic to this world. Quran clarifies the misunderstanding related to their role.

They are mentioned in connection with the events that took place during the time of Prophet Solomon / Sulaiman (alaihis salam) the wise prophet and king, who came after Prophet Moses / Musa (alaihis salam). Allah’s revelation in the Quran about Sulaiman (alaihis salam) also clears the misconceptions that the Jews had about him that he was “just a sorcerer or idolator who was carried by the wind.”

Prophet Sulaiman’s powers

Allah had bestowed Prophet Sulaiman (alaihis salam) with certain powers over mankind, Jinn and all other living creatures. Satan wanted to deprive him of this power. One day, as it was his practice, before going to answer the call of nature, Sulaiman (alaihis salam) gave his ring to a woman called Al-Jaradah. Satan took advantage of this opportunity, came in the form of Sulaiman, and took the ring from her and put the ring on. As Allah had decreed to bless the holder of the ring to have many powers, all mankind, the jinn and devils submitted to Satan. Later, when Sulaiman came seeking his ring from the woman, she accused him of being an imposter. Prophet Sulaiman endured this with patience as he knew that this was a test from Allah the Almighty.

How black magic and fortunetelling became widespread?

With Satan having new powers, the devils were now free to do whatever they wished. It was at this time that they wrote books of black magic and buried them underneath the throne of Prophet Sulaiman (alaihis salam). Black magic and fortune telling came to the earth through these devils who (after having the new powers) would eavesdrop on the descending angels about matters decreed in the Heavens. The devils would then come down to inspire the soothsayers with it, and the latter would add to it many lies of their own. People would then believe them and regard them as trustworthy. The people started writing down these matters and the word spread among the Children of Israel that the Jinn knew the unseen.

Later, when Allah restored to Prophet Sulaiman (alaihis salam) his kingdom, and all those who had strayed away came to follow the straight path once again, Allah the Almighty informed Sulaiman (alaihis salam) about the magic that had become commonplace among his people. This then drove Sulaiman to quickly seize and gather all these writings and put them in a chest and bury them under his throne. All the devils who tried to even approach the chest were burned alive. Prophet Sulaiman took an even harder stance declaring that he would behead anyone who claimed that the devils knew the unseen.

Asif was Sulaiman’s scribe. He knew the Greatest Name of Allah and used to write what he was ordered to by Sulaiman and then bury it underneath the throne. After Sulaiman’s death, a devil came in the form of a human being to the people and said: “I will lead you to an everlasting treasure that will never run out.” He was referring to the writings of Prophet Sulaiman that were buried under the chest. The Satan led the people to dig under Sulaiman’s throne. To provide credibility to his word he also offered to be killed if he was not correct in his claims. After the people dug out all the writings, the devil told them that it was these writings that had given Prophet Sulaiman power over mankind, the Jinn and the birds. The devils altered these books by adding magical and blasphemous writings. The devils wrote about different types of sorcery meant to fulfill different desires.

For example, the devils wrote about how people could get some wishes fulfilled by standing facing the sun and saying some words, and how they could get other wishes fulfilled by standing with their back to the sun and repeating some other words. They wrote this in a book and sealed it with a ring bearing the inscription found on Sulaiman’s ring and titled it with: “This is what has been written by Asif Ibn Barkhiya by the order of King Sulaiman Ibn Dawud: from the treasures of knowledge.” Then, they buried it under Sulaiman’s throne.

It was rumored and circulated that Sulaiman had been a sorcerer. Satan established himself as an orator and said: “O people! Sulaiman was not a prophet; he was only a sorcerer! Go and seek his sorcery in his dwellings and luggage.” And he led them to the buried “treasure”. The people said: “By Allah! Sulaiman was a sorcerer who subjected us through his magic.” But the believers from among them said: “Nay, he was a faithful Prophet.”

Quran’s verses and explanation on the reality of black magic

During Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.S.) time, the Jews kept these writings and disputed the prophet (s) regarding them. They would ask Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.S.) about matters from the Torah. They said: “Muhammad confounds the truth with falsehood: he puts Sulaiman with the prophets while he was just a sorcerer who was carried by the wind.” When they asked him about sorcery, Allah the Almighty revealed to the prophet (s) the following verses:

They followed what the Shayatin (devils) gave out (falsely of the magic) in the lifetime of Sulaiman (Solomon). Sulaiman did not disbelieve, but the Shayatin (devils) disbelieved, teaching men magic and such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels, Harut and Marut, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) till they had said, “We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).” And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between man and his wife, but they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah’s Leave. And they learn that which harms them and profits them not. And indeed they knew that the buyers of it (magic) would have no share in the Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold their ownselves, if they but knew.

· And if they had believed, and guarded themselves from evil and kept their duty to Allah, far better would have been the reward from their Lord, if they but knew!

Quran (Surah Al-Baqara, Verses 102-103)

Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.S) informed the Jews of this narration and they left defeated and humiliated. Regarding the angels Harut and Marut mentioned in the verses, Ibn ‘Abbas (May Allah be pleased with him) elaborated that: “The angels Harut and Marut used to warn anyone who came to them to learn magic and would say to him: “We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us).” They knew what is good, what is bad, what is belief and what is disbelief and thus they knew that magic was associated with disbelief. Ibn ‘Abbas continued: “However, if they could not dissuade the person, they would tell him to go to a particular place to learn magic.

Allah the Almighty says:

“…And from these (angels) people learn that by which they cause separation between man and his wife,…” (Al-Baqarah, 2:102).

i.e., the people learned from Harut and Marut the magic by which they would cause separation between man and his wife though the man and wife might have affinity and affection for each other. Separation between them is caused by the cunning of the devils as transmitted in Imam Muslim’s Sahih from the Hadith narrated by Jabir Ibn ‘Abdullah as said by the Prophet (S.A.W.S.): “Iblis places his throne upon water; he then sends detachments (for creating dissension); the nearer to him in rank are those who are most notorious in creating dissension. One of them comes and says: “I did so and so.” And he says: “You have done nothing.” Then one amongst them comes and says: “I did not spare so and so until I sowed the seed of discord between a husband and a wife.” Satan goes near him and says: “You have done well.” Al-A’mash said: “He then embraces him.”

The dissension between a husband and wife can be created through magic by the devil making each of them imagine something bad — a view, or manner, etc. – about the other. Allah the Almighty says:

“But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah’s Leave” (Al-Baqarah, 2:102).

The lesson from the story is that magic is for real and Allah has provided Satan certain powers to harm mankind,especially those who believe in Allah and His message of truth. To prevent us from Satan’s plans and mischief, Allah has also provided us with many verses and adhkar that we can find in the Quran and Hadith. We should, therefore, be regular in reciting those Azkar to avoid getting in the traps of Satan all satanic activities.

Source: Ibn Kathir Stories

The post How black magic started – The history and story of Harut, Marut, Prophet Sulaiman, and the devils appeared first on Muslim Blog.

Shahada sounds rather exotic, but to an ordinary Islamic, it is simply speaking an acceptance of Allah and believing that totally without doubt, even though the person involved has not ever seen Him. It also affirms the belief that Muhammed Sallalahu-alayhi-wasalam is the only person who has seen Allah and has been chosen as Allah’s spokesperson on Earth. Thereby, any message from Muhammed Sallalahu-alayhi-wasalam is one directly from Allah.

In order to reinforce this belief into their own soul and minds, prayers are said five times per day, praising both Allah and Mohammed Sallalahu-alayhi-wasalam. The declaration as it reads is: There is no god but God and Muhammed Sallalahu-alayhi-wasalam is the messenger of God. These are the two alone, although Mary and Jesus are revered also. But Allah is One, and not a trinity such as Christianity would have it.

However Shahada is much more than just belief. It is also the creed by which Muslims live and exist. Although there are five pillars of Islam each is equally as important as each other and therefore forms the whole of the right to existence and being of an individual person. The Emperor Akbar declared it on his coins too: There is none worthy of worship but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God.

The main point that Shahada tries to impart is the Oneness of God or Allah, and the acceptance of Muhammed Sallalahu-alayhi-wasalam as His prophet and deliverer of messages. It is similar to Christianity in this thought, but Christianity refutes the existence of Muhammed Sallalahu-alayhi-wasalam and takes Jesus and The Holy Ghost as their Hands of God. In both Christianity and Islamic religion, Mary is not a key player, but she is very revered all the same. Jesus is taken as God’s Son but His role is a little less than Muhammed’s Sallalahu-alayhi-wasalam in the scheme of things with Islamics.

The post What Is the Meaning of Shahada in Islamic Belief? appeared first on Muslim Blog.

Sins are classified into two categories, the major sins and the minor sins. It is easy to abstain from major sins because we know them and we will never like to go near them, but to abstain from minor sins is the real issue because sometimes we do not even know if we have committed sins and we do not even repent due to our ignorance.
According to scholars, 80 percent of all the acts we do come neither into the category of reward nor into the category of punishment. They are called mutahab. Since the topic is about major sins so will concentrate on them only.

Major sins are those acts which will be replaced with great deal of punishment not only in this world, but in hereafter as well. Below are given few of major sin;

1: Shirk

Shirk or ascribing partners with ALLAH is that sin which will never be pardoned because when a person commits shirk, he associates partners with ALLAH and goes beyond the concept of oneness of ALLAH. With the passage of time, humanity lost itself into the matters of worldly affairs and forgot the message of ALLAH and who their GOD was. Shirk comes with suspicions. When a person is suspicious that something might not hurt him or cause him any other damage he starts to seek ways to get rid of it, by sometimes praying it and sometimes praying others against it. This shows the weakness of iman.

4:48. Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases, and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.

2: To not call Kafir, a Kafir

It is another big sin to call a kafir a Muslim or a right person. A kafir is one who does not believe in ALLAH. Thus a kafir is not be made friend nor he should be taken as kin. In Quran, ALLAH swt even told us to disown even the parents who are kafirs because living with a kafir wil weakens the iman of a Muslim. But this must not be confused with dawah. To do dawah means to invite others towards Islam. But making friends with kafirs or taking them as relatives’ means that you do not care for the honor of ALLAH and thus you commit a grave sin.

3: Blasphemy

Though blasphemy is not even considered as a minor sin today, but it is a major sin., and those who made fun of Muhammad s.a.w.w in the life time of Muhammad s.a.w.w and even after Him, most of them were killed for this. To love and respect Muhammad s.a.w.w is the most important thing for every Muslim to do. If we cannot listen a bad word about our own parents, how could we make our ears listen to the filth against our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.w?

4: Renouncing Islam

Apostasy is another major sin and in most cases apostates are killed no matter if one comes up with thousands of explanations. It is written in Quran and explained from sahih hadith that those apostates who renounce Islam for the sake of some rewards or to defame Islam, they should be killed. These people become a danger for the imans of even other people and sometimes we see them given protection by non Muslims and their filthy works are rewarded by them. Slamn rushdi, taslima nasrin and some others are the prominent apostates who instead of clearing their misconceptions relied on their personal opinions about Islam and they are still under protection of non Muslims.

5: Innovation

To innovate new things in Islam and to reject few things from Islam and hadith as well as from Quran is another major sin. The innovators are the people who change the shariat according to their damned wishes and while doing so, they do not understand for a second that they have not only ruined their own imans but they have ruined their follower’s iman as well. Today we see many innovators misleading people and people too follow them blindly.

6: Rejection of hadith

Rejection of sunnah and only believing in Quran is also a major sin. Muhammad s.a.w.w predicted about such people who will reject hadith. Also, it is against the orders of ALLAH to obey Him and to obey His Messenger s.a.w.w. such people are excluded from the folds of Islam.

7: Murder

Murder is a grave sin which is condemned in Islam is very clear words. Quran says that one who kills an innocent has killed a whole humanity. Thus Quran condemns it and does not restricts unjust killing to Muslim but also to non Muslims. Such a person is punished in this world and he will be on the mercy of ALLAH In this matter in the hereafter too.

8: Suspicions

Suspicions are the human perceptions about the things he sees. These perceptions made him sometimes to disbelief and sometimes to harm other. Thus false perceptions and suspicions without any reason are restricted in Islam. They have no ground in Islam and they are always baseless.

9: lies and back biting

Lies and backbiting also come under major sins. Lies can never be hidden and backbiting is as if somebody eats his dead brother’s meat which is degusting. When a person lies he cuts his good deeds and when a person backbites, he gives a part of his good deeds to the person about whom he backbite and takes his sins as reward. Backbiting is to tell a truth (a negative thing) about a person in his absence.

10: Jadu-magic

Magic is a grave sin and it comes under shirk. Magic is a knowledge which is to invoke evil jins and devils for fulfilling a purpose. The magician might not even know that he is committing a sin, but he actually calls upon jins instead of Allah and that too to harm other. Magic was never used for good from the day first. It was always taken as an easy source to sow the seed of hatred between people thus magic is not only a shirk but also a sin of discomforting others because of one’s evil desires.

The post 10 Major Sins according to Islam appeared first on Muslim Blog.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise until sundown abstaining form eating food, drinking and having sexual relations. There are many reasons why Muslims fast during  Ramadan.

• Fasting in Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, constituting one of the most important spiritual practices designed to empower a human being in overcoming the self  and transcending the ego, the one true veil between a human being and his or her Creator.
• The purpose of the fast is to help develop self-restraint, self-purification, God- consciousness, compassion, the spirit of caring and sharing, the love of humanity and the love of God.
• By fasting in Ramadan, we develop the holy qualities of empathy and compassion, becoming more aware of our intrinsic connection and oneness with all human beings  regardless of borders or labels that create artificial separation among the citizens of  the human race.
• Fasting indoctrinates us in patience, unselfishness, and gratitude. When we fast we  feel the pains of deprivation and hunger, and learn how to endure it patiently.
• Fasting in Ramadan enables us to master the art of mature adaptability and Time- Management. We can easily understand this point when we realize that fasting makes  people change the entire course of their daily life.
• Fasting elevates the human spirit and increases our awareness of God. It strengthens our will-power as we learn to rise above our lower desires.
• It cultivates in us the principle of sincere Love, because when we observe Fasting, we do it out of deep love for God. And a person, who loves God, truly is a person who knows what love is and why everyone on this Earth should be loved and treated justly, for the sake of God.
• In the month of Ramadan, many Muslims try to avoid watching TV, listening to music, and some other leisure activities, which spares them more time and energy to be spent on more productive activities such as intense study of Islam, voluntary prayers, social and humanitarian causes, and a quality time with the family, to name a few.
• One of the greatest benefits of fasting in Ramadan is renewing solidarity and cultivating relationships with one’s family and community. Only one who observes fasting in Ramadan can truly know the beauty and joy of breaking fast with others, celebrating the gift of life daily for thirty days with loved ones.
• Fasting has numerous, scientifically proven, benefits for our physical health and mental well-being. The time, length and nature of the Islamic Fast all contribute to its overall positive effect. Fasting in Ramadan keeps the body healthy and youthful (provided one does not overindulge when breaking fast).
• Fasting makes us realize how dependent our lives are on things that we often take for granted, such as food and water. It makes us think about our dependence on God and God’s mercy and justice.
• Fasting inculcates a spirit of tolerance in man to face unpleasant conditions and situations without making his fellow-being the victim of his wrath on account of his adverse conditions, such as deprivation of his basic needs of life, which constitutes the common cause of dissension among men.
• Fasting affords lessons in punctuality through man’s strict adherence to various time schedules in the observance of fasts and offering of prayers.
• Fasting enforces in man rigid discipline mental, spiritual and physical a trait of  character which forms an essential ingredient to success in human life.

The opportunity to observe fasting in Ramadan is a gift from God, allowing us to grow and develop as human beings, enabling us to become more compassionate, caring, kind and grateful.

By observing fasting in Ramadan, a Muslim has a profound and unique opportunity to become more peaceful, present and spiritual — the very goal of Islam.

The post Ramadan- Reasons for Fasting appeared first on Muslim Blog.

War and Terrorism, The events of 9/11, London and Madrid bombings, daily bombings in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq
have led Islam to being regarded as being a violent religion in the western world. The reason why
non-believers think Islam is a synonym for terrorism is because many terrorists have turned out to be
Muslims, they are attacking Muslim populated regions and have made their violent plans in Islamic
countries and live there.

In reality, these terrorists have no rights to be called Muslims. They are just violent creatures
who are using Islam as an excuse to create violence around the globe and trying to put hatred for
Islam in many people’s hearts. They call this act of terrorism ‘Jihad’ that means fighting in the way of
Allah Subhana Wa Taallah to them. But in reality the word Jihad means struggling and perfecting inner
personality according to the Holy Quran and Sunnah teachings.

War and Terrorism, Islam is a religion of peace, love and hope.

But today around the world Muslims are treated very badly where they are settled in minority
populations. Non-believers abuse them in public; they say sarcasm about Islam and taunt them at every
step of their life. Muslim trade has declined and is going to lose. The western world has discouraged
trade with Muslim businessmen and has broken many deals and partnerships.

All these terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, Tahreek-e-Taliban and many other extremist groups
have created a very bad image of Islam around the world. In reality, Islam doesn’t promote violence;
if one has any doubts about this religion then they can read the Holy Quran which is available in many
languages. The Quran will help remove all doubts about religion Islam.

Prophet Muhammad Sallalaho Alayhi Wasalam was the last prophet of this religion; he completed the teachings of Islam and declared it as a universal religion complete for every living thing. Prophet Muhammad Sallalaho Alayhi Wasalam
himself said not to kill any child, woman, sick or elderly people, not to chop down fruitful trees, or kill
any animals except for sheep, cow and camels for food.

Islam brings the message of peace and brotherhood. In Holy Quran, it is mentioned to be polite
with Muslims and non-Muslims. Muslims can invite non-believers to the religion Islam but can’t force
them, in fact should leave those people in peace who love their religion. It is a real fact that war is not
solution of any dispute in the world. It is important to solve the disputes by table talk and discussion.

The post Islamic view on war and Terrorism – The classical Islamic perspective appeared first on Muslim Blog.

Failing an exam is one of the worst nightmares anyone could have. According to research and studies, the number of failing students is getting higher and higher every day. There was a time when there used to be a competition among students of one class all wanting to acquire higher marks than one another and passing out with good grades. Mainly gone are those days; these days students only study the important contexts of the syllabuses to pass an exam and some are born geniuses.

The reasons why the majority of students are failing exams are stress, depression, pressure from parents or guardians, competition and comparison. These days’ parents and teachers put a lot of pressure on a student’s mind, which in the end makes them stressful and prone to nervousness. They fail the exams even when they know the answer. With the new technology coming up everyday many students have moved away from studies and are wasting their precious time with these gadgets. There are some students who don’t study year round but only when the last couple of months are left for the annual exams.

This article will highlight tips for passing exams and acquiring good grades. The first tip is to begin with the name of Allah Subhana Wa Tallah. Recite Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem. It will not only bless you and your work but provide help to be focused. Being attentive from the very first day of the year would help a lot. A student should concentrate harder on lectures from the beginning. Note each and everything dictated by the teacher and copy the things written on the board as they are exactly. After going home from school, college or institution the student should revise what was explained in the day’s lecture and then make notes neatly in a notebook. If the student keeps up with this pace for the first day then they will do very well in exams. For revision, these notes will help a lot.

The second tip is highlighting every important thing from the textbook and then solving the answers at the end. This will help student in comprehending the text and then giving the explanation later on. The third tip is to solve past papers and questions every day.

The fourth tip for the students is to maintain a daily diary.

This diary can mark the timings for specific things and activities; it will keep the routine running and will not keep the student in stress. It will also help in examinations. The students should work hard to achieve the targets in their life. The passing of exams is not sufficient to progress in life instead; students should participate in all positive activities.

Last but not the least; recite “Rab e Zidni ilmaa” lot of times throughout the day. This is a combination of very powerful words and helps in getting success, increases memory and enhances learning abilities.

The post Students’ failure in exams – Tips for passing an Exam appeared first on Muslim Blog.

Magic and sorcery have been seen by true Islams as advice by devils or demons and no one should indulge in any of this type of future-telling or advice. Allah and the Prophet Muhammad are the only ones who have true access to this knowledge and so they are the only ones who should be consulted on it. Allah has the answers to every problem and so should be the one to be consulted for any desire or trouble, not anyone else. However, this is not to say that magic shows are disallowed in Muslim countries, if they can prove they are only for entertainment and not for anything else.

The Prophet Abu Hurairah warned people against seven things in the world, of which magic was one of them. Whatever people consult or whomever they visit to learn these things is considered a rejection of Allah in a very bad sense, and punishment will strike these misguided people. Even the lighter forms of future-telling such as reading the stars for a person or telling their life from their palms is also forbidden. Anyone who indulges themselves with magic by visiting a witch or a soothsayer is punished by Allah by having his or her prayers ignored for forty days.

Even those who believe in it but do not practice magic are considered sinners. Magic is thought to be concerned with powers given by Satan, even though many practitioners of magic try not to bring harm to others by thoughts, deeds or other means. There is always the way down into the forbidden arts, which are considered the blackest imaginable. Many acts of absolute atrocity are committed against men, women and children and animals in the guise of magic and the lunatics who strive to make it acceptable to the world.

Magic, simple or complex, is simply seen as haraam or forbidden. It is a temptation to Man to ask of others rather than Allah for answers, future-seeing and other things, including temptation into lust, eating wrongly, consuming alcohol, all of which are forbidden in the Muslim faith. Some practitioners of the dark arts desecrate graves, eat pork and drink blood, all very wrong occupations to a Muslim and attributed to Satan, as well they should be in any country.

To a Muslim, competence in magic can only be attributed to Satan, not Allah, and, as such, it is thought the person may obtain greater powers than Allah. To a true believer this cannot be, as the only Power is Allah, and He has not given permission for this to be so. Many things are attributed to witches, warlocks and others in a Muslim country, and they will be lucky to escape with their lives if they are uncovered. Allah’s punishment is not usually very pleasant for any practitioner of the so-called dark arts.

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Quran is the manual for every human on this planet and Sunnah is the practice of each and every word in Quran. The followers of true Islam or Deen follow both Quran and Sunnah to achieve the pleasures and rewards here and life hereafter.

The biggest reward for any human can be his or her God whom he or she worships is pleased and this is exactly what one can do if follows the teachings mentioned in Quran. From marriage to education, from lap to grave every topic and subject is covered in the Holy Book Quran. So, the only need is to study and implement as well as learn the teachings of real Islam by following the Sunnah of Holy Prophet.

It is our perception and thoughts by the help of which we perceive things. We just stick to what we hear and what we see, rather than coming to a conclusion after a thorough research. That is a dilemma that needs to be overcome sooner or later if we want to live in a peaceful society that wants to progress.

The quest to find the truth should always be there and the thirst to find out the hidden facts should never be settled with anything. This quest is like an ignition that makes the body and soul going and ultimately it leads to the cognition of truth i-e knowing the truthful information. This cognitive framework related to the discovery of the truth can indeed be called as Islam. Truth always makes your life sound and so does Islam, which has nothing, but truth.

Islam is a complete code of conduct and has all the golden principles of living a happy and peaceful life. Exploring the principles and applying them to the daily life is the main issue. Islam provides us with the guidelines relating to every aspect of life like law, economics, banking and the list goes on and on. In short, Islam has the guidance for us in every walk of life, and it is up to us that how we respond to that.

Certainly, many of the European and Asian countries that have stepped on the road of development, have shaped their model according to the ideals of Islam and because of that, they have touched the heights of success. Following the principles of Islam, one can be rest assured that he is on the right track, and as the teachings of Islam have no hidden entity involved in it, anyone can look into the things to believe himself.

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Management is defined as the process of integrating resources and tasks towards the achievement of stated organizational goals. Time is one of these important resources that need proper management. Other resources may include human resource, machinery, etc. management can also be defined as the process of getting things done effectively and efficiently through and with other people. The term process used means a series of actions or a method of operation to achieve the stated goals. Management is a continuous process and many but inter-related activities are performed by the managers to achieve the stated goals.

Muslim managers like other managers lead organizations and the concept of time management is very important to them for their success in such institutions. An organization is usually defined as a group of people with formally assigned roles, working together to achieve stated goals. A manager is a person who organizes, leads and controls and the leads the work of others to achieve the organizational goals.

The Muslim managers have a responsibility to ensure efficiency in using time by the workers in a cost saving way and efficiency in making the right decisions and successful implementation of the same in view of time management. Efficiency in the use of time is viewed in light of the ability to make the best use of the available time in the process of achieving the organizational goals. This can be achieved through proper leadership and directives on the tasks and sub-tasks to accomplished by the workers in the firm.

A Muslim manager must equally have the general skills for proper management to ensure that the employees manage time well.  He has to seek internal and external information about issues that can improve on the time management which finally have a bearing on the achievement of the organizational goals. He also has to be good at transmitting information internally that is obtained from either internal or external sources on ways of improving on the management of time. He should also seek the public opinion on some of the best ways of management of time. He also has the obligation to ensure that enough resources are allocated to activities and accessories that can help effect the management of time in the organization to ensure easier achievement of the organizational goals.

Time wasters which are a common problem to most of the organizations should be avoided at all costs. Any unsuitable utilization of time should be avoided and other time wasters ignored. The managers can equally control the time wasters by: defining the objectives and defining tasks, arranging priorities, organizing the office, controlling unnecessary interruptions and efforts and application of the effective skills of communication. Finally the Muslim managers have a great responsibility in ensuring that there is proper management in the utilisation of time in their organizations to ensure achievement of the organizational goals since this is a command from the most high God himself as spelt in the holy Quraan.

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The concept of time management is highlighted by the holy Quraan in several verses. There is need to examine the subject of time management and the Islamic view point of the same for the good of Muslim faithful and the world at large.  Success of any manager relies on how he uses time. Optimizing the use of time is usually said to determine the difference between success and failure. It is always acknowledged that those who care about the total time they have make great achievements in their lives but those who don’t always believe that the time they have is too little.

For the sake of time of management the following times occur in our day to day lives: creative time ( time spent on the process of planning, analysis and thinking for the future), preparatory time (this is the time for preparation that precedes the actual start of the work), productive time (this is the actual time spent in the actual execution of the tasks planned at the preparatory and creative stages) and the overhead time which is the time spent by the managers on the secondary activities touching on the future and success of the organization and its relationship with the environment and the society at large. An effective manager of time is one who knows how to utilize the above times effectively and efficiently as brought out in the holy Quraan.

The Quraan considers time as a basic blessing from God and should therefore be managed well. It describes time as the span of life, the extent of man’s existence and the platform of his usefulness, survival and gain. This affirms the fact a man who doesn’t manage his time is one that has no proper meaning to live.

Another critical concept of time in the Muslim faith is that the acts of worship ar allocated specific time and should be well managed. This aspect brings out the need for proper time management in Islam the Quraanic view of the same. The five daily prayers are very important and time for such should be well observed. The prayers always enable Muslim faithful to reinforce their bonds with the most high God daily. Proper management of such time is therefore very important in an Islamic perspective.

The observation of fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan is an activity that requires proper time management. The beginning and end of that event is usually gauged by observing the size of the resent of the moon. The time is very key in the Islam calendar and must be well observed in line with the Islamic perspective. Other activities such as going on pilgrimage to Mecca are equally important times to properly observe.

Management of all these times properly makes a Muslim life more fruitful and productive. There is therefore for Muslims all over the world to examine the need for proper time and the Islamic perspective of the same from the Quraan.

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