Laylat al-Qadr

Laylat al-Qadr

Laylat al-Qadr (also known as the Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures) is to be found in the last ten odd nights of Ramadan. There is no history in the Qur'an as to when the specific date is.Therefore in the Sunni communities of all the Islamic countries, the Laylat al-Qadar is found to be on the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Revelation of the Qur'an

Laylat al-Qadr comemorates the anniversary of the night Muslims believe the revelation of the Qur'an started. In fact, Muslims believe that the revelation occurred in two phases, with the first phase being the revelation in its entirety on Laylat Al-Qadr to Gabriel in the lowest heaven, and then the subsequent verse-by-verse revelation to Prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel.

Customs

Muslims often pray extra prayers on this day, particularly the night prayer. They awake, pray, and hope God will give them anything they may desire on this night. They occupy themselves with the remembrance of God, performing voluntary prayers and studying the Qur'an, day and night, apart from the obligatory prayers which they perform with the congregation

In the Qur'an

We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power:
And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission, on every errand:
Peace!...This until the rise of morn!
—Sura 97 (Al-Qadr), āyāt 1-5

Sourat Hud

Hud and his people in the Qur'an

The following Sourah is about the prophet Hud and His people ʿĀd. The presentaion includes the text in Arabic and its translation in English.


Click here to know more about the story of Ad and the prophet Hud.

11 Surah Hud (Hud)

View more presentations from AVICENNE

ʿĀd People

The Qur'an mentioned the story of the prohet Hud and his people ʿĀd (or Aad.)  This people is believed to have lived in Ancient Arabia. The eleventh chapter of the Qur'an, Hud, is named after the prohet sent to ʿĀd. According to the Qur'an ʿĀd people lived in Arabia. In the 1980s there was the discovery of what is thought to be Ubar, mentioned in the Qur'an as Iram, which is believed to have been the capital of ʿĀd. This was discovered in the area near eastern Yemen and western Oman.

Historical context

Hud is said too have been fourth in generation from Noah, his father being Uz, who was the son of Aram, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah. Although Hud, at times, is identified with Eber of the Old Testament, his true Biblical identity remains uncertain. Hud is believed to have lived in Arabia before even the coming of Ishmael and Hagar.

The story of Aad People

The people of ʿĀd were extremely powerful and wealthy and they built countless buildings and monuments to show their power. However, the ʿĀd people became arrogant and forsook God and began to adopt idols for worship, including three idols named Samd, Samud and Hara.
Hud, even in childhood, remained consistent in prayer to God. It is related through exegesis that Hud's mother, a pious woman who had seen great visions at her son's birth, was the only person who encouraged Hud in his worship. Thus, the Lord raised up Hud as a prophet for the ʿĀd people.

When Hud started preaching and invited his people to the worship of only the true God and when he told them to repent for their past sins and ask for mercy and forgiveness, the ʿĀd people began to revile him and wickedly began to mock God's message.After a log time of preaching, the majority of Hud's people refused to pay any notice to his teachings and they kept ignoring and mocking all he said. As their aggression, arrogance and idolatry deepened, God, after plenty of warning, sent a thunderous storm to finish the wicked people of ʿĀd once and for all through a destructive storm.

The verses of the story

We sent to the people of 'Ad their brother Hud, who said: "O my people, worship God; you have no other god but He. (As for the idols,) you are only inventing lies.
O my people, I ask no recompense of you for it: My reward is with Him who created me. Will you not, therefore, understand?
O my people, beg your Lord to forgive you, and turn to Him in repentance. He will send down rain in torrents for you from the skies, and give you added strength. So do not turn away from Him as sinners."
They said: "O Hud, you have come to us with no proofs. We shall not abandon our gods because you say so, nor believe in you.
All we can say is that some of our gods have smitten you with evil." He replied:" I call God to witness, and you be witness too, that I am clear of what you associate (in your affairs)
Apart from Him. Contrive against me as much as you like, and give me no respite.
I place my trust in God who is my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature that moves on the earth who is not held by the forelock firmly by Him. Verily the way of my Lord is straight.
If you turn away, then (remember) I have delivered to you the message I was sent with. My Lord will put other people in your place, and you will not be able to prevail against Him. Indeed my Lord keeps a watch over all things."
—Qur'an, sura 11 (Hud), ayah 50-57[7]

So when they saw it as a cloud advancing towards their valleys, they said: "This is just a passing cloud that will bring us rain." "No. It is what you were trying to hasten: The wind which carries the grievous punishment!
It will destroy everything at the bidding of its Lord." So in the morning there was nothing but their empty dwellings to be seen. That is how We requite the sinners.
—Qur'an, sura 46 (Al-Ahqaf), ayah 24-25

Ramadan

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 to 30 days. In this month Muslims fast during the daylight hours, refraining from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. It is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Allah) and to offer more prayer than usual.

Date

Compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time.

Hilāl (the crescent) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.

There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to see the moon (Hilāl = the crescent) with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe. More recently however, some Muslims try to use astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.

Revelation of the Qur'an

Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. That was in Laylat al-Qadr (also called the Night of Power, the Night of Destiny, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures)

In surah Al-Qadr Allah clearly states:

"Surely We revealed it (the Holy Quran) on the grand night. And what will make you comprehend what the grand night. The grand night is better than a thousand months. The angels and Gabriel descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair, Peace! It is till the break of the morning." Holy Quran (97:1-5)

Fasting in other religions

Before Islam, fasting was part and parcel of other religions such as Judaism and Christianity.

"O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint," Al-Baqara (The Cow) 2:183

Who is permitted not to fast?

Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.
In the Qur'an:

(Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.
Al-Baqara (The Cow) 2:184

Is Jesus God for muslims?

Jesus Christ and Islam

Is Jesus God f? What's his position in the islamic beliefs? How is he viewed by Muslims?

While Christians traditionally believe that Jesus of Nazareth was born of a virgin, performed miracles, founded the Church, rose from death, and ascended into heaven, from which he will return and while the majority of Christians worship Jesus as the incarnation of God the Son, one of three divine persons of a Trinity, in Islam, Jesus is respected and valued in a high place like any other prophet. But he is not considered to be the Son of God or God incarnate. Here are some basic islamic beliefs about Jesus in Islam.

• Jesus Christ is considered to be a Messenger of God and the Messiah who was sent to guide the Children of Israel with a new scripture,  Gospel. 
• The Qur'an (Koran), considered by Muslims to be God's final and authoritative revelation to mankind, mentions Jesus twenty-five times.
• The Qur'an states that Jesus was born to Mary as the result of virginal conception, a miraculous event which occurred by the decree of Allah. 
• To aid in his ministry to the Jewish people, Jesus was given the ability to perform miracles, all by the permission of God rather than of his own power. 
• According to the popular opinion and Muslim traditions, Jesus was not crucified but instead, he was raised up by God unto the heavens. This "raising" is understood to mean through bodily ascension. However, the Qur'an speaks of Jesus' death in Sura Al Imran 3:54 in the original Arabic (tawaffa = Cause to die). See also Sura 5:117.
• Islam rejects the Christian view that Jesus was God incarnate or the son of God, that he was ever crucified or resurrected, or that he ever atoned for the sins of mankind.
  
• The Qur'an says that Jesus himself never claimed any divinity, and it furthermore indicates that Jesus will deny having ever claimed divinity at the Last Judgment, and God will vindicate him. 
• The Qur'an emphasizes that Jesus was a mortal human being who, like all other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God's message. Islamic texts forbid the association of partners with God, emphasizing a strict notion of monotheism.
  

More on Jesus in Islam On Wikipedia

Twelve Olympians

The Twelve Olympians

The ancient Greeks had a list of twelve deities who were the principal gods and godesses of the Greek pantheon. They were called Olympian because they resided in Mount Olympus. These Twelve Olympians had a prominent role in the Greek mytholgy. The Twelve Olympians gained their supremacy in the world of gods after Zeus led his siblings to victory in war with the Titans.

The following is a list of the Twelve Olympians: gods and goddesses

The list of gods and goddesses

Deity	Description
Aphrodite	Goddess of love and beauty. Although married to Hephaestus she had many lovers, most notably Ares. She was depicted as a beautiful woman usually accompanied by her son Eros. Her symbols include the rose, scallop shell, and myrtle wreath. Her sacred animal is the dove.
Apollo	God of music, healing, plague, prophecies, poetry, and archery; associated with light, truth and the sun. He is Artemis's twin brother and Hermes elder brother, and son of Zeus and Leto. He was depicted as a handsome, beardless youth with long hair and various attributes including a laurel wreath, bow and quiver, raven, and lyre. Apollo's sacred animal are red cattle.
Ares	God of war, bloodlust, violence, manly courage, and civil order. The son of Zeus and Hera, he was depicted as either a mature, bearded warrior dressed in battle arms, or a nude beardless youth with helm and spear. His attributes are golden armour and a bronze-tipped spear. His sacred animals are the vulture, venomous snakes, alligators, and dogs.
Athena	Goddess of wisdom, warfare, battle strategy, heroic endeavour, handicrafts and reason. The daughter of Zeus and Metis, she was born from Zeus's head fully-formed and armoured. She was depicted crowned with a crested helm, armed with shield (Aegis), which holds Medusa's head to paralyze her enemies who looked at it and a spear.. Her symbols include the aegis and the olive tree. She is commonly shown accompanied by her sacred animal, the snowy owl.
Demeter	Goddess of fertility, agriculture, horticulture, grain and harvest. Demeter is a daughter of Cronus and Rhea and sister of Zeus, by whom she bore Persephone. She was depicted as a mature woman, often crowned and holding sheafs of wheat and a torch. Her symbols are the Cornucopia (horn of plenty), wheat-ears, the winged serpent and the lotus staff. Her sacred animals are pigs and snakes.
Dionysus	God of wine, parties and festivals, madness, civilization, drunkenness and pleasure. He was depicted in art as either an older bearded god or a pretty effeminate, long-haired youth. His attributes include the thyrsus (a pinecone-tipped staff), drinking cup, grape vine, and a crown of ivy. Animals sacred to him include dolphins, serpents, tigers, panthers, and donkeys. A later addition to the Olympians, in some accounts he replaced Hestia.
Hades or Pluto	King of the Underworld and god of the dead and the hidden wealth of the Earth. His consort is Persephone and his attributes are the key of Hades, the Helm of Darkness, and the three-headed dog, Cerberus. The screech owl was sacred to him. Despite being the son of Cronus and Rhea and the elder brother of Zeus, as a chthonic god he is only rarely listed among the Olympians. The name Pluto became more common in the Classical period with the mystery religions and Athenian literature.
Hephaestus	Crippled god of fire, metalworking, stonemasonry, sculpture and volcanism. The son of Hera by parthenogenesis, he is the smith of the gods and the husband of the adulterous Aphrodite. He was usually depicted as a bearded man holding hammer and tongs—the tools of a smith—and riding a donkey. His symbols are the hammer, tongs, and anvil. His sacred animals are the donkey, the guard dog and the crane. When he was born, he was thrown off of Mount Olympus by Hera as he was considered ugly.
Hera	Queen of marriage, women, childbirth, heirs, kings and empires. She is daughter of Cronus and Rhea. She was usually depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a crown and veil and holding a royal, lotus-tipped staff. Her sacred animals are the heifer, the lion, the peacock, and the cuckoo.
Hermes	God of travel, messengers, trade, thievery, cunning wiles, language, writing, diplomacy, athletics, and animal husbandry. He is the messenger of the gods, a psychopomp who leads the souls of the dead into Hades' realm, and the son of Zeus and Maia. He was depicted either as a handsome and athletic beardless youth, or as an older bearded man. His attributes include the herald's wand or caduceus, winged sandals, and a traveler's cap. His sacred animals are the tortoise, the ram, and the hawk.
Artemis	Virgin goddess of the hearth, home and cooking. She is a daughter of Rhea and Cronus and sister of Zeus. She was depicted as a modestly veiled woman, whose symbols are the hearth and kettle.
Poseidon	God of the sea, rivers, floods, droughts, storms, earthquakes, and horses; known as the "Earth Shaker" or "Storm Bringer". He is a son of Cronus and Rhea and brother to Zeus and Hades.
Zeus	King of the gods and ruler of Mount Olympus; god of the sky and thunder. Youngest child of the Titans Cronus and Rhea

Hermes

God of travel, messengers, trade, thievery, cunning wiles, language, writing, diplomacy, athletics, and animal husbandry. He is the messenger of the gods, a psychopomp who leads the souls of the dead into Hades' realm, and the son of Zeus and Maia. He was depicted either as a handsome and athletic beardless youth, or as an older bearded man. His attributes include the herald's wand or caduceus, winged sandals, and a traveler's cap. His sacred animals are the tortoise, the ram, and the hawk.

Hermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and additionally a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and wit, of literature and poets, of athletics and sports, of weights and measures, of invention, and of commerce in general.
Besides, Hermes is a messenger from the gods to humans, sharing this role with Iris. An interpreter who bridges the boundaries with strangers is a hermeneus. Hermes gives us our word "hermeneutics", the study and theory of interpretation. In Greek a lucky find was a hermaion. Hermes delivered messages from Olympus to the mortal world. He wears shoes with wings on them and uses them to fly freely between the mortal and immortal world. Hermes was the second youngest of the Olympian gods, being born before Dionysus.

In the fully-developed Olympian pantheon, Hermes was the son of Zeus and the Pleiade Maia, a daughter of the Titan Atlas. Hermes' symbols were the rooster and the tortoise, and he can be recognized by his purse or pouch, winged sandals, winged cap, and the herald's staff, the kerykeion. The night he was born he slipped away from Maia and stole his elder brother Apollo's cattle.*

More on Hermes on wikipedia