The Sins of The Youth

What is listed are sins certainly not limited to youth. Each point is interrelated sins that either weakens faith (eeman) or comes from weak faith. Some stem from others while others lead to something worse. Possessing any of them makes change necessary because to continue doing them may lead to worse sin, hypocrisy, and disbelief. It may not seem like it, but even we, as young as we are, could face death at any moment. Do we want to meet Allah in a sorry moral condition ? One step forward correction is recognizing one's fault and setting out to do the opposite.

A second step is honestly seeking Allah's help and asking His forgiveness. There have been people who commit terrible sins and Allah has guided and forgive them after true repentance and struggle with themselves. Certainly we can too.

Look at ourself and ask ourself if we do any of the following :

• Lie to and disobey parents.
• Raise your voice to or abuse parents or other family members.
• Disregard the advice of parents.
• Disrespect adults.
• Break your promises.
• Insult the opposite sex.
• Freely mix the opposite sex by flirting or looking lustfully at them Backbite and gossip.
• Look at bad movies and listen to music, especially sexually explicit types or that have a lot of profanity.
• Use profanity Lie or steal.
• Devise ways to avoid anything Islamic.
• Spend your money on what is forbidden (haram).
• Think mostly of yourself and little of others.
• Do as little as you can to assist in the home.
• Put minimum effort into schoolwork.
• Imitate, respect or love the ways and manners of disbelievers.
• Act hard with Muslims and easy with disbelievers.
• Smoke or do drugs.
• Mostly keep company with weak and sinful Muslims or disbelievers.
• Waste a lot of time and never study the deen (religion).
• Find it easy to do wrong and difficult to do right.
• Hate to be reminded of religious duties.
• Feel little or no sense of shame or modesty.
• Hate proper hijab (veil).
• Do not enjoy listening to the Quran.
• Only try to learn Arabic or how to recite the Quran if pressured.
• Do not go to Masjid (Mosque) or consistently go to late for prayer (for males) when there is no obstacle to doing so regularly and on time.
• Dislike going to prayers or concentrate little in them and hurry to get them over with.
• Rarely give charity or gifts.
• Avoid the company of striving Muslims.
• Rarely or never make extra (sunnah) prayers.
• Read anything else other than the Quraan or authentic hadeeth (messages from the Prophet) that is of little or no value or haram.
• Read the Quraan or Hadeeth only if forced to attend circles of Islamic knowledge only if forced and pay little attention.
• When you do Never give thanks, seek forgiveness from Allah nor seek refuge from doing wrong.
• Do not use the faulty logic that I am young so I want to enjoy as much as I can before I get old and I will ask forgiveness before I die !

Such people almost never change on their own. They usually get worse because sins become a part of their character that they can no more rid themselves of than they could the noses on their faces. Being good or right according to Islam has absolutely no importance in their lives. Almost anything else is more important than their religion and they couldnt care less about how Allah sees them. They may even be ashamed to be Muslim! This is a sure sign that they are headed for the worst fate if they dont change.

You are a Muslim and you must not take a defeated attitude or think that your sins affect you only. When the Muslims complain of their position or situation it is because there are too many of them who take the attitude that Islam is not the number one concern in their lives and it is not important to follow or that its for ˜old people. Are you a part of the problem or part of the solution ? Practicing Islam to the fullest is a cause for great inner joy, satisfaction and happiness and totally eliminates the desire or need for any other means to feel good, better or best.

May Allah help you to be the kind of youth that all Muslims can be proud of and not ashamed of or whom they disdain. We pray that you are a boon and not a burden to Islam and the Muslims. This can only occur if you are first a youth that Allah taala is pleased with.

Avoid Hypocrisy Strengthen Your Faith Depend On Allah Make Your Islam Real.

by Sheikh Feiz Muhammad.

Examples of the Contradictions in the Bible

Example of Contradictions 1

• And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred' horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen ... (2 Samuel 8:4)(KJV)
• And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand' horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen ... (1 Chronicles 18:4)(KJV)

Example of Contradictions 2

• So Gad came to David and told him, and said unto him, Shall seven' years of famine come unto thee in thy land ? or wilt thou flee three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee ? ... (2 Samuel 24:13) (KJV)
• So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Choose thee. Either three' years of famine; or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies overtaketh thee .. (1 Chronicles 21:11,12) (KJV)

Example of Contradictions 3

• ...It held two thousand baths. (1 Kings 7:26)
• ...It held three thousand baths. (2 Chronicles 4:5)

Example of Contradictions 4

• And Solomon had forty' thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. (1 Kings 4:26) (KJV)
• And Solomon had four thoushand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousan horsemen ... (2 Chronicles 9:25) (KJV)

Example of Contradictions 5

• Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months ... (2 Kings 24:8) (KJV)
• Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem ... (2 Chronicles 36:9) (KJV)

Example of Contradictions 6

• If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. (John 5:31)
• ...Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid ... (John 8:14)

Example of Contradictions 7

• Leaving that place, Jesus  withdrew to region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me ! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession." (Matthew 15:21,22)
• Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre ... a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. (Mark 7:24-26)

Example of Contradictions 8

• ... Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins ... they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field.. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter's field ... (Matthew 27:5-10)
• With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field: there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out ... it is written in the book of Psalms, "May his place be deserted; let there be no-one to dwell in it ... (Acts 1:18-20)

Example of Contradictions 9

• And Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. (Matthew 1:16)
• ... He (Jesus) was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli (Luke 3:23)

Note : please refer to (Matthew 1:1-16) and (Luke 3:23-34) for 24 more contradictions in  the names of Josephs grandfathers.

Example of Contradictions 10

• For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the son of Man will be three days and three nights in the hearth of the earth. (Matthew 12:40) - Jesus (pbuh) will be burried for 3 days and 3 nights.
• he asked for Jesus' body, then he took it down wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no-one had yet been laid, it was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. (Luke 23:52-54) After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week ... He (Jesus) is not here; he has risen... (Matthew 28:1,6) - Jesus (pbuh) was burried for 1 day and 2 nights.

Example of Contradictions 11

• These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff- no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sand but not an extra tunic. (Mark 6:8,9)
• He told them "Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. (Luke 9:3). These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: ... take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff ... (Matthew 10:5-10)

Example of Contradictions 12

• ...a centurion came to him, asking for held. "Lord" he said, "my sservant lies at home praralysed and in terrible suffering." Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. (Matthew 8:5-8) - The centurion himself asked Jesus for help!
• ...the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserver to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed (Luke 7:6,7) - The centurion did not meet Jesus but asked him for help through intermediaries.

The above are just few examples of the contradictions in the Bible. Dr. Muhammad Ali Alkhuli, in his book "A Comparison Between the Four Gospels", presented hundreds of contradictions in the New Testament and commented :

Remember that I am giving here mere examples of contradictions in the NT (New Testament) ... One may argue that these are minor points of disagreement. In answer to this argument, I would emphasize that with God's word, we do not expect neither minor nor major contradictions because GOD IS THE PERFECT, THE ALL-KNOWING. Contradictions in the NT prove that the NT cannot be God's word. (Dar Alfalah, 1998, p41)

Source : Christianity and Islam, According to The Bible and The Qur'an by Naser Al-Moghamis (Page 99-102)

Why is Prophet Jesus called (son of) God ?

• Is it because he was born without a father ? Then Adam was created without a father or mother, Eve was created without a mother and according to the Bible, "Melchizedek" is without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life. (Hebrews 7:13)
• Is it because he gave life to the dead ? Then Elisha did more than that. According to the Bible, Elisha gave life to the dead (2 Kings 4:32-35) and when a man's body was thrown into Elisha's tomb, the body touched Elisha's bones and the man came to life and stood up on his feet. (2 Kings 13:21)
• Is it because Jesus (pbuh) is called in the Bible "the son of God" ? Then, according to the Bible, God has many sons and daughters, and a wife also (Glorified is He, and High Exalted above that !) :

This is what the Lord says : Israel is my firstborn son (Exodus 4:22)

The Lord saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters. (Deuteronomy 32:19)

...he (Jesus) began to teach them, saying:...Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:2,9)

You adulterous wife ! You prefer strangers to your own husband (God) ! (Ezekiel 16:2-32)

What then made people believe in the divinity of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) ?

The Jewish literature is full of metaphors. They speak and write in a metaphorical language to make the description more powerful. Prophet Jesus (pbuh), Prophet Jacob (pbuh) and many other righteous people were called the sons of God to emphasize their strong belief in God. They even called Jerusalem "the wife of God" to emphasize God's love for it. The following verses in the Bible clarify the meaning of "son of God" :

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God - children born not natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God (John 1:12,13)

The concept of the Divine Sonship of Prophet Jesus (pbuh) may well have resulted from the misunderstanding of the Jewish way of speaking and writing coupled with the effect of pagan concepts at that time about sexual relations between gods and women.

Prophet Jesus (pbuh) never claimed divinity or equality with Allah. On the contrary, he emphasized his humanity and confirmed that he was just a Messenger of Allah :

• Prophet Jesus (pbuh) confirmed the Oneness of Allah
  "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one". (Mark 12:29)

• Prophet Jesus (pbuh) confirmed that he was a Messenger of Allah
  Jesus answered, "My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me". (John 7:16)
  But Jesus said to them, "Only in his home town and in his own house is a prophet withour honour". (Matthew 13:57)

• Prophet Jesus (pbuh) used to pray to his God and our God
  ...he (Jesus) said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." ...Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed... (Matthew 26:36,39)
  During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7)

• Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was a servant of Allah
  Here is my servant (Jesus) whom I have chosen ... (Matthew 12:18)
  
  
• Prophet Jesus (pbuh) confirmed his humanity and denied divinity
  By my self I can do nothing... (John 5:30)
  No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Matthew 24:36)
  Jesus said, ".. I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God". (John 20:17)
  [Peter said:] Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you... (Acts 2:22)

• Prophet Jesus (pbuh) attributed his miracles to Allah
  ...I drive out demons by the finger of God... (Luke 11:20)
  ...Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me." (John 11:41)

• Prophet Jesus (pbuh) refused to be called 'good', let alone being called 'God' !
  A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life ?" "Why do you call me good ?" Jesus answered. "No one good-except God alone". (Luke 18:18,19)

From the book "Christianity and Islam According to The Bible and The Qur'an" by Naser Al-Moghamis.

Ten Things I Like About Islam

1. Women are equal to men. We were liberated from being sexual objects, slaves and property that men could pass around as they pleased. When Islam came, we were freed and judged on our intellect, not on our physical aspects. We were encouraged to gain knowledge, read, write; we could join the army (something unheard of in the western world until recently), we could own property, and live as 1st class citizens alongside men. The tales we hear of wife-beatings in Islam are not true - Islam prohibits men from beating their wives and stresses on the importance of being the best to your family.

2. How tolerant and merciful the religion is to poor people (2.5% of a Muslim's savings is given to charity), to people who are not Muslims (religious freedom, which is why Jews sought sanctuary in Muslim lands when they were being persecuted in Europe), and to those who have sinned but sought repentance.It preaches peace and equality. Unfortunately some people have distorted the image of Islam by committing heinous acts but this does not come from the true teachings of Islam. Islam was not spread by the sword- it was spread through sincere dialogues, role models and good manners.

3. How as Muslims it is essential to believe in all the Prophets that came before the Prophet Muhammad, including Jesus, Moses, Noah, and Abraham. We also believe that the Bible and Torah were sent from God.

4. How I can connect to my God on a personal level 5 times a day through prayer and then I can supplicate to Him in any language I want. I don't have to go someone of a higher religious level to talk to God on my behalf.

5. If I sin, I can repent and erase that sin by doing a good deed. 

6. The hijab, or head scarf. It covers and protects my modesty- it was my choice to wear it, no one forced me to do it. I felt liberated from the patriarchal system that feeds on uncovering women. And it also shows my commitment to God - that I submit to Him by wearing it.

7. We are all equal in front of God - regardless of race, colour, language, background, social status, country of origin, etc.

8. How it is a monotheistic religion - we believe in One God (the Creator of the universe) and we do not attribute any partners to Him. We do not compare Him to a human's life, so he has no mother, partner or son. 

9. We do not worship the Prophet Muhammad or any of the prophets. We deeply respect them and hope to follow in their footsteps to reach Paradise. We remember that it is God that created them to deliver these divine messages.

10. That it's a religion that basically teaches you to live a decent, civilized life and be a successful human being by being good to others, no matter who they are or what their religion is; by helping others and being a good participant in your community, being a good role model in your society, it teaches us good manners and good morals and values so we can be ideal humans while we're on earth.

Source : 10 Things I Like About Islam by UniqueIslam on Flickr.

What Does the Word 'Islam' Mean ?

The word 'Islam' means the conscious and peaceful obedience and submission to the Will of the only true God, 'Allah'. All religions were named either after their founders or after nations or tribes e.g. Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianianity, while the name 'Islam' is not associated with any person, tribe or nation but was given by Allah in the Quran :

This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you and have choosen for you Islam as your religion. (Quran 5:3)

The word 'Muslim' is a description; anyone who submits himself to Allah's Will and obeys Him is a Muslim.

All the Prophets were Muslims because they obeyed Allah and submitted themselves to His Will. Furthermore, the true followers and companions of those prophets were Muslims :

The when Jesus came to know of their disbelief, he said: "Who will be my helpers is Allah's cause ?" The disciples said "We are the helpers of Allah (i.e. we will strive in His cause); we believe in Allah, and bear witness that we are Muslims (i.e. we submit to Allah). Our Lord ! We believe in what You have sent down and we follow the Messenger (Jesus) so write us down among those who bear witness." (Quran, 3:52, 53)

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said : "Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all people to Jesus - the son of Mary. The Prophets are paternal brothers, their mothers are different, but their religion is ONE (Islamic Monotheism". (Bukhari)

According to the book "Christianity and Islam, According to the Bible and the Quran" by Naser Al-Moghamis.

Did God Become Man ?

The question which remains is Did God become Man ? Logically speaking, the answer is no, because the concept of God becoming man contradicts the basic meaning of the term "God". People commonly say that God is able to do all things; whatever He wants to do, He can do. In the Bible of Christians it is said, "...through God all things are possible (Matthew, 19:26; Mark 10: 27, 14: 36)."

The Qur'aan of Muslims states,

Indeed, Allah (God) is able to do all things. [Quran 2:20]

and the Hindu scriptures carry texts of similar meanings.

All the major religious texts contain general expressions regarding the basic concept of God's ominpotence. He is Greater than all things, and through Him all things are possible. If this general concept is to be translated into practical terms, one has to first identify and understand the basic attributes of God. Most societies perceive God as an eternal being without beginning or end. If, on the basis that God is able to do all things, and it was asked whether God could die, what would be the answer ? since the dying part of "all things" can it be said, "If He wants to" Of course this cannot be said.

So, there is a problem here. God is defined as being ever-living, without end, and dying means "coming to an end". Consequently, to ask if He can die is actually a nonsensical question. It is self-contradictory. Similarly, to ask whether God can be born, is also absurd because God has already been defined as eternal, having no beginning. Being born means having a beginning, coming into existence after not existing. In this same vein, atheist philosopher enjoy asking theists : "Can God create a stone too heavy for Him to lift ?" If the theist says yes, it means that God can create something greater than himself. And if he says no, it means that God is unable to do all things.

Therefore, the term "all things" in the phrase "God is able to do all things" excludes the absurdities. It cannot include things that contradict His divine attributes; things that would make Him less than God, like, forgetting, sleeping, repenting, growing, eating, etc. Instead, it includes only "all things" that are consistent with Him being God. This is what the statement "God is able to do all things" means. It cannot be understood in the absolute sense, it must be qualified.

The claim that GOD BECAME MAN is also an absurdity. It is not befitting of God to take on human characteristics because it means that the Creator has become His creation. However, the creation is a product of the creative act of the Creator. If the creator became His creation, it would mean that the Creator created Himself, which is an obvious absurdity. To be created, He would first have to not exist, and, if He did not exist, how could He then create ? Furthermore, if He were created, it would mean that He had a beginning, which also has contradicts His being eternal. By definition creation is in need of a creator. For created beings to exist they must have creator to bring them into existence. God cannot need a creator because God is the creator. Thus, there is an obvious contradiction in terms. The claim that God became his creation implies that He would need a creator, which is a ludicrous concept. It contradicts the fundamental concept of God being uncreated, needing no creator and being the Creator.

According to the book "Did God Become Man" by Dr.A.Bilal Philips

Why Music and Musical Instruments forbidden in Islam ?

Ibn Masood r.a used to swear by Allah S.W.T that the verse :

And of mankind is he who purchases idle talk [i.e. music, singing, etc.] to mislead [men] from the Path of Allah... (Qur'an 31:6)

referred to singing (Tafseer ibn Katheer, 6/333), Abu 'Amir and Abu Malik al-Ashari r.a reported that the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W said :

Among my ummah will be people who will make permissible liberalism (Al-heera), silk (Al-hareer), alcohol (Al-khamr) and musical instrument (ma'azif)..(Bukhari: see Fath al-Bari, 10/51).

Anas r.a reported that the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W said :

In this ummah (people), there will be punishments of earth-quakes, showers of stones and deformity (transformation into animals); when the people will be involved in drinking khamr (intoxicants), listen to female singer and play musical instrument."

The Prophet Muhammad S.A.W forbade the "koobah" (a kind of drum), and described the flute as the voice of the immoral fool. The early scholars such as Imam Ahmad, (may Allah have mercy on him), stated that musical instrument such as the 'ood (lute), tanboor (a long-necked stringed instrument), reed flute, rabab (rebec) (stringed instrument resembling a fiddle) and cymbal are haram (forbidden). There is no doubt that modern violin, qanoon (stringed musical instrument resembling a zither), organ, piano, guitar, etc, are also included in the Prophet's prohibition of musical instruments, because their effect and impact is greater than that of the ancient instruments mentioned in some hadiths. They are even more intoxicating than alcohol, as scholar such as Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned. Hence, the prohibition and the sin involved are greater when the music is accompanied by singing in the voices of female singers, and is even worse when the lyrics speak of love and describe physical beauty. Some scholars said that singing paves the way for zina (adultery and fornication), and that it makes hypocrisy grow in the hearth. Generally speaking, music and singin form one of the greates temptations of our times.

What is very difficult is the fact that music is nowadays a part of so many things, such as clock, doorbells, children's toys, computers, telephones, etc., and avoiding it takes a great deal of determination in which Allah S.W.T is only source of help.

Source : Forbidden matters in Islam some people take lightly by Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid.

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