Wednesday, December 31, 2008

SYMPTOMS OF DISBELIEF

The type of things which disbelievers use are the things which are symptoms of disbelief, symptoms of denying and disbelieving the shari’at [1] and Islam, and it is wajib [2] for us to debase them. One who does or uses them becomes a disbeliever. They cannot be used unless one is threatened with death or with the cutting off of one’s limbs or some other reasons causing these results such as severe thrashing or imprisonment or the taking away of all one’s property. Also, he who does or uses one of them, which is commonly known, without knowing or as a joke in order to make people laugh, becomes a disbeliever. For example, it is kufr (disbelief) to wear (or use) things specially worn or used by priests during their worships. This is called Kufr-i hukmi. It is written in the basic books of fiqh [3] by Islamic ’alims [4] that to wear the ‘things that are peculiar to disbelievers is kufr. The enemies of Islam, in order to deceive Muslims, try to hide the fact that it is kufr to adopt the customs of the disbelievers and to celebrate their festivals. They call these customs ‘Islamic customs’ and these days ‘sacred days’. They represent the Noal (Christmas), which was introduced into Christianity by the Great Constantine, and Nawruz, which was invented by Jamshid as a national celebration; and they want Muslims to accept the same things. Young and innocent Muslims should not fall for these things. They should learn the truth by asking those sincere Muslims they trust, their relatives who perform namaz [5], and those family friends who know their religion. Today, no matter where in the world, not to know what is iman [6] and what is kufr or how to perform ’ibadats (worship) correctly is inexcusable. He who is deceived because he does not know his din will not be saved from Hell. Today, Allahu ta’ala has made His din known everywhere in the world, and He has made learning iman, the fards [7], the harams [8] and the halals [9], beautiful morals very easy. Everybody should learn as much as necessary and this is a fard. One who does not learn them is deemed to have disobeyed the fard. But a person who says there is no need to learn them or who gives no importance to them becomes a disbeliever.
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GLOSSARY
[1] Shari’at: (pl. of Shari’a) i) rules and commandments as a whole of the religion. ii) religion.
[2] wajib: (act, thing) never omitted by the Prophet, so almost as compulsory as fard and not to be omitted.
[3] fiqh: knowledge dealing with what Muslims should do and should not do; actions, a’mal, ‘ibadat.
[4] ’alim: i) scholar trained in Islamic knowledge and his contemporary science. ii) (pl. ‘ulama’) Muslim scholar.
[5] namaz: prayer that is performed five times per day in Islam.
[6] iman: faith, belief, beliefs of Islam; kalam, i’tiqad.
[7] fard: an act or thing that is commanded by Allahu ta’ala in the Qur’an al-karim.
[8] haram: an action, word or thought prohibited by Allahu ta’ala.
[9] halal: (act, thing) permitted in Islam.

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