At the end of this article I have included 3 charts and an explanatory note, as follows: 1. A Chart (Series 4) that lists the titles of the 10 Six Minute Talks with the corresponding Talk Number. These Scripts or Articles could be read or downloaded from ScribD 2. A Chart (Series 3) that lists out the series of talks that covers the subject ‘Muslim History’ or ‘Islamic History’ . This interesting subject is covered in two approaches.
One set of talks (Talk No’s 114 & 116) are an outline of what happened, and The second lot of talks (Talk No’s 117 to 119) is a description of the reaction of the Muslim world or the Muslim Populace to the changes or the social tribulations that were taking place right throughout this history. 3. A Chart (Series 2) that lists out the 16 Talks (or Episodes) under the series ‘Knowing Allah Ta’aalah or Knowing GOD’ These Scripts or Articles too could be read or downloaded from ScribD 4. Notes to these talks or to these scripts/ articles
The main objective of these talks (and therefore the scripts of these talks), is to stimulate thinking. Sensible, rational and logical thinking. So, my message, think, think & think! Be sensible, be rational and be logical.
#137 The Sujoodh Dear Friends,
This article is best read in ‘Firefox’ You may notice some ‘grey shadowy letters’ behind the Arabic letters when you use other
browsers such as ‘Chrome’. This is a new development. These shadowy letters are not there in the articles that I have uploaded earlier. Insha Allah, hoping to sort it out soon.
Swalaath or Prayer is sometimes described as a Pillar of Islam. Every Muslim is required to perform Swalaath and that too many times a day. Now if we were to watch a person performing Swalaath we realize that there is a number of rituals that that person goes through. Let me just list out a few of them. There is a ritual washing of the face and limbs, which we refer to as the Wudhzu or the ablution. Then there is a ritual facing towards Mecca and then the Swalaath proper begins. We can observe that the Muswalli or the person praying goes through a series of postures. These movements or postures have names and are known as the Qiyaam or the standing, the Ruku or the bowing, the Sujoodh or the prostration, and so on. Now this Sujoodh is something that intrigues me. I am sure that this Sujoodh must be intriguing every Muslim. Let me explain. This is really interesting! We have all heard about the story of Aadham (AS) and Iblis. Now we are told that Allah commanded Iblis to do a Sujoodh to Aadham (AS), and Iblis refused. We are then told that due to this disobedience, Iblis was condemned and thereafter Aa dham (AS) was placed on Earth where he and his descendants would live. Of course I have left out many details, but then that is the story in short. Now I know that this story has to be true. It is described in the Quran. But then at the same time I also have many questions about this story. This is natural. Every Aayath in the Quran is worded in a way that arouses curiosity that stimulates thinking and inquiry. The story surrounding Aadham (AS) and Iblis is no different. I know that learning the details is going to be absorbing and fascinating. But then the task is to unravel the story, the actual events and to be enlightened by the lessons that c an be learnt from t hese Aayaths in the Quran. Let me just read a few Aayaths from the Quran that describes this event. (7:11) We created you, then gave you a shape, then We said to the angel s, “Prostrate
yourselves before ’Ādam.” So, they all prostrated themselves, except
Iblīs (Satan). He did not join those who fell prostrate.
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Now remember, the Malaa’ikah are not being commanded to do a Sujoodh to Allah, but is being commanded to do a Sujoodh to a creation of Allah, namely Aadham (AS) All the Malaa’ikah obey this command except Iblis. So Allah asks Iblis for his explanation. This is how the Q uran describes this episode.
(7:12) Allah said, “What has prevented you from prostrating when I ordered you?”
He said, “I am better than him.
You have created me of fire,
and created him of clay.” (7:13) He said, “Then, get you down from here,
it is not for you to show arrogance here.
So, get out. You are one of the degraded.
The conversation continues and then in Aayath No 18, Allah informs us of what else He tells Iblis:
(7:18) He (Allah) said, “Get out of here, condemned, rejected. Indeed, whosoever will follow you from among them, I will fill Hell with all of you together.
Reading these Aayaths create many new questions in our mind and also answers a few. But then the answers too, open up new lines of questions! Interesting! Let me list out just a few interesting points. All the Angels do Sujoodh to Aadham (AS). Iblis refuses. We learn that Iblis has arrogance, so Allah condemns him and sends him out and tells him that if any of the descendants of Aadham (AS) follows him, then they too would be condemned to Hell.
Now does this not mean that if we too allow arrogance or ‘takabbur’ to develop within us, then we would face the same plight as Iblis? Does this also not mean that if we refuse to do Sujoodh, and this time it is not Sujoodh to a creation of Allah but to Allah Himself, then are we not doing just what Iblis did? But then remember that in this case it is a deed that is greater in disobedience, because we are refusing to do Sujoodh to Allah? Of course there are many assumptions being made by me at this stage, but I am trying to keep this explanation simple. 2
However, things do not seem to match. For example the Aayaths indicate that the Angels and Iblis can see Allah they are communicating directly with Him In our case we cannot see Allah we just have to believe in the ghaib or believe in the unseen and work out what the Aayaths are instructing. Then it becomes apparent that Ibis r efused to perform one Sujoodh whilst we may be refusing to perform many Sujoodhs every day. If we were to consider the obligatory five times Swalaath that contains a total of 1 7 Rakaaths, then since each Rakaath contains 2 Sujoodhs, it works out that many of us are refusing to perform a minimum of 34 Sajdhas a day. If disobeying one command by Allah for Sujoodh results in such severe punishment on Iblis from Allah, then what would be our plight?
Then the thought, Allah is ‘very just’, and then, ‘could just the non -observance of a ritual’ result in the maximum punishment?’ Then the thought if the sujoodh was just a ritual, would not a creature as deceitful and as arrogant as Iblis
have performed it? It is a ritual isn’t it? Again, we have the thought, could Sujoodh actually have another more all-encompassing meaning? Could it be that the ritual Sujoodh that we perform could really be just that . A ritual ! Could it also mean that this ritual Sujoodh is actually symbolizing another greater quality the quality of the real or the haqqeeqath of the Sujoodh? Could it be that there are two faces to Sujoodh? The first a ritual, a symbol of the Sujoodh, one that everyone can see, one that can be performed not only
by true Muslims and Mu’mins but also by the person pretending to be Muslim or Mu’min. Could there be another deeper quality to Sujoodh, one which would not be obvious to us but would be what Allah requires from us. It is only Allah who knows the quality or the obedience in this Sujoodh. How do we find out? So then, there is that possibility of there being tow faces to Sujoodh. One would be what we performing our Swalaath, it would be a ritual and the second one would really be the real Sujoodh, let us call it the inner Sujoodh. Now what is that? How do we find out? Again let us refer read or recite the Quran to learn – Insha Allah! The Arabic word Sujoodh is made of the three letters, the ‘Seen’ the ‘Jeem’ and the ‘Dhaal’ This triliteral root word appears 92 times in the Quran in just 4 derived forms. So there appears to be plenty of material for us to try and work out what the reality or the haqqeeqath of what this word Sujoodh really implies.
(55:5) The sun and the moon are (bound) by a (fixed) calculation.
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(55:6) And the stars and the trees both are in sujoodh (to Allah).
Now that gives us quite a lot of material to think about. The stars and the trees are in Sujoodh, and it also appears that the sun and the moon too by the fact that they are bound by some dimension are a lso in Sujoodh. Does this indicate that the Sun, the moon, the vegetation on earth and all the stars are in Sujoodh to Allah? Then where do we see the physical act or the flexion in to a physical prostration? Is it that we cannot notice it or is there some other meaning? Is it that the Sun, the Moon, the vegetation on Earth and the stars are all in sujoodh and this sujoodh is the haqqeeqath sujoodh, what we would call demonstrating the quality of sujoodh in every detail?
Now that is worth finding out, isn’t it? Let me read to you another very enlightening Aayath.
(22:18a) Have you not seen that to Allah prostrate all those in the skies and all those on the earth, and the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, the animals and many from mankind?
Now what about the rest of Mankind? The Aayath continues; let me read it phrase by phrase: (22:18b) And there are many on whom who m punishment has become due. So this indicates there are some from Mankind who deserves punishment. Which means these men are not doing sujoodh and it looks like this Sujoodh that is being referred to is the kind of Sujoodh that the other creations of Allah are doing. Then what about the Shaithaans and the Jinn? Allah continues in that Aayath. (22:18c) And the one whom Allah puts to disgrace, there is none to give him respect. Surely Allah does what He wills.
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So it is the Shaithaans who Allah has disgraced, because of their arrogance or Takabbur and thus it looks like those, even from Mankind who cultivate the quality of arrogance or takabbur are guilty of not being in Sujoodh and thus are being put to disgrace. It is a little complicated to work out, but t hen it does make sense, doesn’t it? Let us go in a little deeper. In the last Aayath t hat I read we find fi nd that the sun, the Moon, the Stars, S tars, the Mountains, the trees and the Animals, including some from Mankind are in Sujoodh to Allah. Then in Surah Rahmaan we are given an extra piece of information, we are told that: (55:5) The sun and the moon are (bound) by a (fixed) calculation.
(55:6) And the stars and the trees both are in sujoodh (to Allah).
It looks like the Sun and the moon perform the Sujoodh by just being accurate or time bound or could it be ‘setting the time’ or even ‘orchestrating time’?
It is getting interesting, isn’t it? Could it be that this Sujoodh is a sort of a gigantic synchronization of many many diverse elements all working meticulously towards set purposes and goals? To understand this better let me just list out in a few brief points; What do we get out of or from the Sun and the Moon; The Sun 1. The Sun gives us light – so we have day. 2. The Sun also provides us with energy, so through photosynthesis we get our food. 3. The Sun by rising and setting gives us the count of days The Moon 1. The Moon gives us a glow by night and since it undergoes stages, it provides us the Lunar Calendar. 2. The Moon by its gravity provides us with the Tides – the rise and fall of the sea levels. The 23.5 Degree Tilt 1. We also know that the Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 Degrees, so it is due to this tilt that we get the seasons – spring, summer autumn and winter. 2. It is due to this tilt that we have a shifting meridian of the Sun. We say that the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West, but we observe the shadows are not on an East West line. Due to this 23.5 degree tilt, over the months we notice that the shadow moves slightly to the north and then to the south. 3. Due to the interaction of the heat of the sun and coolness of other elements on Earth such as water, we get weather patterns driven by wind. So could this Sujoodh actually be referring to this great synchronization, a sort of a huge cosmic orchestra playing in perfect concert?
Brilliant isn’t it? Let us think a little deeper. 5
Let us (for example) take an Opera or a ballet. This is something we can refer to as working in synch. To me there are 4 levels; All have to work together and beautifully to be recognized as working in concert or working in synch.
Level One – Would be the conductor, giving his signals and through his body language coaxing out or signaling out the beauty of the ‘piece’ Level Two – The many musical instruments. Each one has its role to play and the musician takes his signals from the conductor and the cues from his fellow musicians to play in synch or to play ‘in concert’ Level Three - The performers on stage, again they are taking their cues from the Music and performing in beat, in rhythm, in pitch and so on to produce the beautiful opera, we could say ‘in concert’ Level Four – The audience – This is the group to whom this whole concert is being played out to.
So could ‘the sujoodh of the elements ’ that Allah is telling us are ‘in Sujoodh’, is in fact the obedience, the sensitivity to connected-change, the alertness and other factors that contribute to this great g reat synchronized performance ‘in concert’?
The Sun and the moon keep time. The Stars fall into synch by providing us with this cosmic calendar the Zodiac constellations. The trees or the vegetation grow according to the timing or schedules as displayed by the Sun and the Moon so we have the different seasons. All the trees and the animals go through a beautiful annual concert of seasons. We have a spring season, a blossoming season, a fruit season, a harvesting season, for birds a migrating season, for animals and birds a mating season – there are so many seasons and timings all working in synch with the timing as displayed by the sun and the moon.
And these same elements, which through their playing in concert or being in sujoodh, provide for us the changing winds or the weather patterns. And then due to the 23.5 Degree Tilt we get the moving shadows. Is not everything in synch, everything playing in concert? Can we not try to work out the conductor, the musical i nstruments, the players of the instruments, the performers on this stage, the audience and also pick out the signals and the cues. Is this not amazing?!!!! Is it not more amazing and covering many more dimensions than just a simple concert or an opera? Let me now read you a few Aayaths from the Quran. Listen and see if you could pick out this wonderful explanation. (See next Page)
(3:189) To Allah belongs the Kingdom of t he heavens and the earth. Allah is powerful to do everything.
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(3:190) Surely, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are signs for the people of wisdom,
(3:191) who remember Allah standing and sitting, and (lying) on their sides, and ponder on the creation of the heavens and the earth
(and say) “Our Rabb, You have not created all this in vain. We proclaim Your purity. So, save us from the punishment of Fire.
To understand this better let me read to you an Aayath that describes the purpose of the Sun and the Moon.
(10:5) He is the One who has made the sun a glow, and the moon a light, and determined for it stages, so that you may learn the number of the years, and the calculation (of time). Allah has not created all this but for a rightful purpose. He elaborates the signs for a people who understand.
(045:005)
(45:5) And in the alternation of the day and the night, and in the provision He has sent down from the sky, then has revived the earth after its death, and in changing of the winds, there are signs for a people who understand.
(046:003)
(46:3) We did not create the heavens and the earth but with true purpose and for a specified term. But those who disbelieve are averse to what they are warned of.
(016:048)
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(16:48) Have they not observed the things Allah has created, their shadows inclining from the right and the left prostrating themselves before Allah, while they are humble?
(16:49) To Allah prostrates itself whatever creature there is in the heavens and in the earth, and the angels, and they show no arrogance.
(16:50) They fear their Rabb above them and do as they are commanded. c ommanded.
There are so many more Aayaths that point out these phenomena to us. Is it not obvious that Allah has a great great plan? Should we not try to work out, again by reading His Aayaths as to what that plan i s? I think to myself, I am in the middle of this great wonderful cosmic clock that Allah has created. ‘Clock’ is a simple word, I really think of it as Allah having created ‘time’ itself. We would not understand the concept of time if there were no regular movements that we could use as some comparison. We have heard of people who have been trapped in some dark place for days or even for a few hours and they just lost track of time. They had no regular detectable movement that they could keep track of. Allah has created this Sun and Moon that gives as such a wonderful Calendar. We have the day and night just by the presence or the lack of the Sun’s presence. We have the week and the month by just tracking the phases of the moon. We have the months by tracking the zodiac signs – a great announcement right across the night sky. We have the seasons, due to the tilt of the Earth. We have so many weather patterns and seasonal animal and plant behavior. Is this not wonderful? Who is in the center of all this? You and I! We are the audience. The concert is all around us, stretching for light years and light years in every direction. There is a great message in these Signs, in this beautiful concert all around us. It is for us to work out the message and it is for us to work out as to how we could do Sujoodh to Allah. It is for us to open our eyes to open our minds – Maasha Allah! Of course we perform the ritual sujoodh sometimes more than 34 times every day, but then we must inquire we must find out what is the real sujoodh, what is the reality of Sujoodh and try to fulfill its obligations. 8
Let me once more read to you a few Quran Aayath: First an instruction that Allah gives Mariyam (AS) the mother of Easa (AS)
(3:43) O Maryam, stand in devotion to your Rabb and prostrate yourself and bow down
in Rukū‘ with those who bow.” (002:043)
(2:43) And be steadfast in Salāh (prayer), and pay Zakāh, and bow down with those
who bow down.
I sincerely pray and hope that all of you benefit from these talks as much as I benefit from preparing and then presenting these talks to you.
May Allah Ta’aalah guide us all and accept us all. Jazza Kalla Khairan. Assalamu Alaikum
Imtiaz Muhsin
Colombo Sri Lanka
[email protected] You Tube Channel - HaneefanMusliman
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APPENDIX
Series 4
The Talks Numbered 125 to 134 are a series of ‘Six Minute Talks’ presented in the month of Ramadhlaan (2013). The titles are as follows: Talk No
Talk Number & Title
Comments
125 126
The Muslim Shaithaan
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152723 http://www.scrib d.com/doc/152723750/125-The-Musl 750/125-The-Muslim im
127
How did the Prophets Earn?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152865622/127-How-Didhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/152865 622/127-How-DidProphets-Earn
128
The Swudhoor
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152866510/128-The-Swudhoor
129
Scolding’s the Prophet Received
130
Understanding Allah’s Justice
131
Arabic language of the AQL
132
Pretending to be Mu’min
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152867109/129-Scoldings-the-Prop http://www.scribd.com/doc/152867109/1 29-Scoldings-the-ProphetshetsReceived http://www.scribd.com/doc/152944005/ http://www.scribd.com/ doc/152944005/130-Understanding-Al 130-Understanding-Allah-slah-sJustice http://www.scribd.com/doc/153575145/ http://www.scribd.com/ doc/153575145/131-Arabic-The-Langu 131-Arabic-The-Languageageof-the-AQL http://www.scribd.com/doc/153575 http://www.scribd.com/doc/153575915/132-Pretending915/132-Pretending-to-Beto-Bea-Mu-min
133 134
Jinns and Insaan The Mu'min
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152865037/126-Shaithaan
http://www.scribd.com/doc/153687834/133-Jinns-and-Insaan http://www.scribd.com/doc/153688 http://www.scribd.com/doc/153688620/134-The-Mu620/134-The-Mu-min min
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Series 3 Note on Talks on History of Muslims M uslims As Muslims it is necessary that we are aware of the History of Muslims over the last 1400 years. It is necessary for us to realize the winds of change over these last 1400 years especially since Muslim Populations have been through quite some turbulent times. I have covered this vast area in 5 talks. (This is insufficient) The first two talks were on the history and the next three talks were from another viewpoint. I discuss the response of the Muslims due to the many changes that were affecting their lives their religion and thus their culture. These Talks are numbered and titled as follows: Talk No 114 116 117 118 119
Topic The History Series The Effects of 1400 Years - Part 1 Effects of 1400 years - Part 2 The ‘Muslim Response’ Series The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events surrounding the Caliphates of the Khulafaa Ur Raashidheen The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events surrounding the beginning of the Ummayyads The Religious Response of Muslims due to Events in the Period of the Muslim Empires
Date Broadcast th
Jan 25 2013 th Feb 8 2013 nd
Feb 22 2013 th
March 29 2013 th
April 5 2013
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Series 2
The Talks numbered 054 to 071 is under a series titled ‘Knowing Allah Ta’aalah or Knowing GOD’ The details of the scripts of these 16 Episodes (Talks) are as follows; Talk No
Talk Number & Title
Episode 1
054 Ilm – Knowing Allah
Episode 2
055 Rationality - The Foundation of Islam
Episode 3
056 Is Man Special?
Episode 4
057 Ar Rahmaan - The Beneficent
Episode 5
058 Nature or GOD?
Episode 6
059 Our Relationship with GOD!
Date Broadcast th Dec 9 2011 Dec 16 2011
h
th
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14
Episode 15 Episode 16
Sub Series: 060 Is this what we are created for? (Is this what we are created for? – Part 1) Sub Series: 061 What do we see on Earth (Is this what we are created for? – Part 2) Sub Series: 062 Who are WE? Where do we fit in? (Is this what we are created for? – Part 3) Sub Series: 063 Our benefits on Earth (Is this what we are created for? – Part 4) Sub Series: 066 What makes us 'Stand Out'? What makes us 'Special'? (Is this what we are created for? – Part 5) Sub Series: 067 Who is in charge? (Is this what we are created for? – Part 6) Sub Series: 068 What ALLAH Teaches Us, About Himself (Is this what we are created for? – Part 7) Sub Series: 069 Our Special Faculties How they should be used, How they should not be used! (Is this what we are created for? – Part 8) Sub Series: 070 The TWO Paths 071 Is this what we are created for? A review of Parts 1 to 8 from the Sub Series
‘Is this what we are created for?’
Dec 23 2011 t Dec 30 2011 th Jan 6 2012 th Jan 13 2012 th
Jan 20 2012
th
Jan 27 2012
rd
Feb 3 2012
Details of Picture on Cover Wellawatte Jummah Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka Parasangaswewa Mosque (a remote village) in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka Mutwal Jummah Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka The Akbar Mosque in Slave Island, Colombo, Sri Lanka Mosque in Matara, from the Southern Province of Sri Lanka Beach Mosque at Kalmunaikudi in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka A Mosque in the Kurnegala District, Sri Lanka Maradana Jummah Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka Colpetty Jummah Mosque, in Colombo, Sri Lanka The Jummah Mosque at Natpidimunnai, in the Ampara District, Sri Lanka
Feb 10 2012
th
Feb 17 2012
th
The Devatagaha Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Feb 24 2012
th
A Mosque in a rural village in the Ampara District, in Sri Lanka
nd
Mar 2 2012
The Jummah Mosque in ‘Oluvil’ a village in the Ampara District, Sri Lanka
th
Mar 9 2012
The Dhanakawewa Jummah Mosque in a remote village in the Anuradhapura District in Sri Lanka
t
Mosque at Madhavakulam in the Puttlam District, Sri Lanka
rd
A Mosque by a river in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
Mar 16 2012
Mar 23 2012
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Please Note 1. I have had the great privilege, (since Aug 2010), of presenting talks on the weekly Radio Program ‘Culture of Islam’ [Friday 5.30 to 6.00 am, Radio Sri Lanka - FM 97 .4] 2. Since these are Radio Talks, I refer to, or address the audience as ‘listeners’ 3. I am well aware that the audience to these talks would consist of people belonging to a variety of faiths. So as to make people of all faiths feel included, I very often use words and names that are common to all religions. 4. For these reasons, I use the name GOD, as well as Abraham, Moses, Jesus etc as well as the names Allah, Ibrahim (Alaihis Salaam), Moosa (Alaihis Salaam), Easa (Alaihis Salaam) etc 5. Muslims by habit usually say ‘Sallallahu Alaihiwasallam’, when the name of Prophet Muhammad
is mentioned, and ‘Alaihis Salaam' when the name of a Prophet is mentioned. However, in these series of talks I have reduced the use of these prayers & sayings to the bare minimum. 6. Muslims, also by habit, use a number of Arabic prayers or sayings, such as Alhamdulillah, Insha Allah and so on. Again, I have reduced the use of these prayers or sayings to the bare minimum. 7. Sometimes I have to write Arabic words in the English script. I have devised my own way of writing Arabic in English, as follows;
th
s
DHL
H
Gh
TH
Ss
DHZ
h
GH
SW
Information on these talks along with all download links can be found on my on my Blog (http://imtiazm.wordpress.com/) The dates or the schedules of these talks can be viewed on the Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/ImtiazMuhsin786) The Scripts of these talks can be downloaded from www.ScribD.com (http://www.scribd.com/imtiaz_muhsin_1 http://www.scribd.com/imtiaz_muhsin_1)) (www.ScribD.com Author – Imtiaz Muhsin) The audio files of these talks can be downloaded from YouTube (YouTube Channel – Imtiaz Muhsin) The YouTube Link to this talk is at
All Praise and Thanks is due to Allah and Allah alone Alhamdulillah!
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