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Bismi Allah

(In the Name of Allah)

Part–6(ii) of 11

By Abul Kasem (e-mail address: nirribilli@gmail.com) October 13, 2006 [color=RED][i][A note of caution: The contents of this essay might offend some readers.][/i][/color]

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Allah is Amorphous-(ii)

Allah is right in front of you, when you pray

Since Allah could be anywhere at any time, even at multiple places, it is certainly possible for Him to witness prayers offered by each and every Muslim on earth. In fact, Allah claims that He watches a Muslim whenever he prays. Here are a few ahadith to demonstrate Allah’s hide–and–seek game with His slaves. When you pray, Allah is in front of you, so do not spit in front of Him…(Sahih Bukhari, 1.12.720) [quote] [i]Volume 1, Book 12, Number 720:[/i] Narrated Ibn 'Umar: The Prophet saw expectoration in the direction of the Qibla of the mosque while he was leading the prayer, and scratched it off. After finishing the prayer, he said, "Whenever any of you is in prayer he should know that Allah is in front of him. So none should spit in front of him in the prayer." [/quote] While praying, you cannot spit in front of you because Allah is right in front of you…(Sahih Muslim, 4.1116) [quote] [i]Book 004, Number 1116: [/i] Abdullah b. Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) saw spittle on the wall towards Qibla, and scratched it away and then turning to the people said: When any one of you prays, he must not spit in front of him, for Allah is in front of him when he is engaged in prayer. [/quote] When in prayer you are in intimate conversation with Allah, so do not spit in front of you or at your right but spit at your left side and under your foot…(Sahih Muslim, 4.1123) [quote] [i]Book 004, Number 1123:[/i] Anas b. Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: When any one of you is engaged in prayer, he is holding intimate conversation with his Lord, so none of you must spit in front of him, or towards his right side, but towards his left side under his foot. [/quote] Sunaan ibn Majah contains another, almost similar hadith. When you pray, Allah is right in front of you; so do not spit in front…(Sunaan Ibn Majah 1.763) [quote] [i]Sunaan Ibn Majah, Vol.I, Hadith Number 763[/i] ‘Abdullah b. ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said, “Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw some expectorated matter on (the wall of the qibla of the mosque, while he was saying prayer leading the people. So, he rubbed it off (and thereafter he said as he concluded the prayer:(Sic) Verily when anyone of you is in the state of prayer, Allah is in front of his face. Thus, none of you should ever spit out sputum in front of his face during prayer. [/quote]

The invisible Allah watches His slaves

Allah might be amorphous but He never fails to watch Islamic prayers. He is a meticulous observer. Previously, we noted how Allah stands right in front of a Muslim when he offers his prayer. But there is more to Allah’s constant watching. He is like the Big Brother character depicted by George Orwell in his famous satire, Nineteen Eighty Four.’ Just like this ‘big brother’ who is rarely seen in public but is always present almost everywhere, Allah also watches every Muslim wherever he goes, even though Allah Himself had admitted that he is shapeless, so cannot be seen by human eyes. On one occasion Muhammad even claimed that he had an appointment with Allah, so he was late for a Morning Prayer congregation. Let us read a few ahadith on Allah’s ubiquitous nature. Almighty Allah really loves those Muslims who remain awake to offer the late night prayer. Here is a hadith which tells us about Allah’s bias for the night watcher, insomniacs. Allah is nearest to the person who prays during the later part of night…(Tirmidhi, 364, 366) [quote] [i]Sunaan Tirmidhi, Number 364[/i] Narrated Amr ibn Abasah Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: Allah is nearest to His servant in midst of the later part of the night and if you are able to be amongst those who remember Allah at that hour, do so. Transmitted by Tirmidhi and he said: This is a hasan sahih gharib hadith. [/quote] [quote] [i]Sunaan Tirmidhi, Number 366[/i] Narrated AbuUmamah Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was asked: Which supplication is listened to (most readily) by Allah? He replied (one which is made in the) later part of the night, and at the end of the obligatory prayers. Transmitted by Tirmidhi. (Tirmidhi hadith 364, 366 quoted from ALIM CD ROM) [/quote] Those who perform hajj and umra are people who have come to visit Allah…(Tirmidhi, 800) [quote] [i]Sunaan Tirmidhi, Number 800[/i] Narrated AbuHurayrah The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Those who perform the hajj and those who perform the umrah are people who have come to visit Allah. If they supplicate Him He will respond to them, and if they ask Him for forgiveness He will forgive them." Ibn Majah transmitted it. (Tirmidhi hadith 800 quoted from ALIM CD ROM) [/quote] We now know for certain that the major objective of Hajj is to see (feel) Allah when He takes His temporary residence at Kaba. Muhammad had an appointment with Allah, during a conclave; Allah touched Muhammad’s chest…(Tirmidhi, 245) [quote] [i]Sunaan Tirmidhi, Number 245[/i] Narrated Mu'adh ibn Jabal Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) was detained one morning from observing the dawn prayer (in congregation) along with us till the sun had almost appeared on the horizon. He then came out hurriedly and Iqamah for prayer was observed and he conducted it (prayer) in brief form. When he had concluded the prayer by saying As-salamu alaykum wa Rahmatullah, he called out to us saying: Remain in your places as you were. Then turning to us he said: I am going to tell you what detained me from you (on account of which I could not join you in the prayer) in the morning. I got up in the night and performed ablution and observed the prayer as had been ordained for me. I dozed in my prayer till I was overcome by (sleep) and lo, I found myself in the presence of my Lord, the Blessed and the Glorious, in the best form. He said: Muhammad! I said: At Thy service, my Lord. He said: What these highest angels contend about? I said: I do not know. He repeated it thrice. He said: Then I saw Him put His Palms between my shoulder blades till I felt the coldness of His fingers between the two sides of my chest. Then everything was illuminated for me and I could recognize everything. He said: Muhammad! I said: At Thy service, my Lord. He said: What do these high angels contend about? I said: In regard to expiations. He said: What are these? I said: Going on foot to join congregational prayers, sitting in the mosques after the prayers, performing ablution well despite difficulties. He again said: Then what do they contend? I said: In regard to the ranks. He said: What are these? I said: Providing of food, speaking gently, observing the prayer when the people are asleep. He again said to me: Beg (Your Lord) and say: O Allah, I beg of Thee (power) to do good deeds, and abandon abominable deeds, to love the poor, that Thou forgive me and show mercy to me and when Thou intendst (Sic) to put people to trial Thou causes me to die unblemished and I beg of Thee Thy love and the love of one who loves Thee and the love for the deed which brings me near to Thy love. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: It is a truth, so learn it and teach it. Transmitted by Ahmad, Tirmidhi who said: This is a hasan sahih hadith and I asked Muhammad ibn Isma'il about this hadith and he said: It is a sahih hadith. (Tirmidhi hadith 245 quoted from ALIM CD ROM). [/quote]

Eclipses are signs of Allah

Allah’s fascination with the moon knows no bound. In part–3 we discovered the compelling reason why Allah is so much obsessed with the moon. It was because long before Muhammad was born, Allah actually, was the moon god of the pagans. There are irrefutable epigraphic evidences to support this fact. However, Muhammad wanted to change the history of the pagans of Mecca. He wanted his version of Allah. His Allah became not a moon god but the only God who must be obeyed by all. Even with such a pine for monotheism, Muhammad could not shake off his pagan origin. When an eclipse engulfed the sun, the pagans were afraid and enquired Muhammad about Allah and His power.Muhammad quietly answered that the eclipse was really the sign of Allah—confirming that the pagans were correct all along. Let us read this hadith from Sahih Bukhari. The eclipses are the signs of Allah...(Sahih Bukhari, 2. 18. 152) [quote] [i]Volume 2, Book 18, Number 152: [/i] Narrated Ibn 'Umar: The Prophet said, "The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of the death or life (i.e. birth) of someone but they are two signs amongst the signs of Allah. When you see them offer the prayer." [/quote] There are a number of ahadith in Sahih Bukhari on this event. Please read other ahadith here (Sahih Bukhari, [url=http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/018.sbt.html]2.18.151, 153, 154, 157)[/url].

Allah is shapeless, Gabriel is not

Muhammad was smart and skilfully nifty to play the duality concept of Allah—the two exactly opposite natures of Allah: His anthropomorphic personality and His amorphous disposition. However, much smarter was Muhammad’s great oratory to convince the rabble that Allah’s Archangel Gabriel was indeed anthropomorphic, though, with the capability to metamorphose at will into a physical form—into any form he desired. At one time Allah sent Gabriel with six hundred wings; at other times Gabriel came to meet Muhammad in his real form. In many ahadith we read that Gabriel, taking the form of human beings, especially in the form of Dhiya al–Kalbi, a handsome young man of Mecca had consulted Muhammad. Let us read the following ahadith. Muhammad saw Gabriel having six hundred wings…(Sahih Bukhari, 4.54.455) [quote] [i]Volume 4, Book 54, Number 455: [/i] Narrated Abu Ishaq-Ash-Shaibani: I asked Zir bin Hubaish regarding the Statement of Allah: "And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or (even) nearer; So did (Allah) convey The Inspiration to His slave (Gabriel) and then he (Gabriel) Conveyed (that to Muhammad). (53.9-10) On that, Zir said, "Ibn Mas'ud informed us that the Prophet had seen Gabriel having 600 wings." [/quote] Muhammad did not see his Lord (Allah), he only saw Gabriel in his genuine shape covering the whole horizon…(Sahih Bukhari, 4.54.457). [quote] [i]Volume 4, Book 54, Number 457:[/i] Narrated Aisha: Whoever claimed that (the Prophet) Muhammad saw his Lord, is committing a great fault, for he only saw Gabriel in his genuine shape in which he was created covering the whole horizon. [/quote] Muhammad told Umm Salama that Gabriel met him in the form of Dhiya...4.56.827 [quote] [i]Volume 4, Book 56, Number 827: [/i] Narrated Abu Uthman: I got the news that Gabriel came to the Prophet while Um Salama was present. Gabriel started talking (to the Prophet and then left. The Prophet said to Um Salama, "(Do you know) who it was?" (or a similar question). She said, "It was Dihya (a handsome person amongst the companions of the Prophet )." Later on Um Salama said, "By Allah! I thought he was none but Dihya, till I heard the Prophet talking about Gabriel in his sermon." (The Sub-narrator asked Abu 'Uthman, "From where have you heard this narration?" He replied, "From Usama bin Zaid."). [/quote]

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To be continued in Part-6 (iii)…