9 Great Benefits of reciting the Holy Quran

 9 Great Benefits of reciting the Holy Quran

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9 Great Benefits of reciting the Holy Quran

Indeed to reflect on Allah’s verses is a form of worship that will draw one close to Allah Most High. This reflection is not a reckless and wandering one, rather it includes a study of the classical tafseer of the verses being pondered over, as this would fulfill Ibnul-Qayyim’s great advice, “Such as reflecting over a book which a person has memorized and he expounds it so that he may understand what its author intends by it.”

Indeed the Book of Allah is not a book like any other, it is the timeless Speech of Allah, not a created thing, the study guide for life and death and what comes after. Therefore it deserves a more careful study than anyone else’s speech. It necessitates that its reader return to the early narrations of those who witnessed its revelation and heard its explanation by the one deputed by Allah to rehearse and explain His Words to humanity (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). For if one would try to ponder over the meanings of the verses without having done this study, then surely the filth of the time that he lives in and his ignorance of the correct application and understanding that the early Muslims had would cause him to understand some things not intended by Allah Most High, and therefore he would go astray, thinking to be worshipping Allah. So every sincere Muslim who hopes to earn Allah’s Love breciting and reflecting over Allah’s Book, then let him hold tight to the meanings explained by the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and those taught by the companions and their immediate followers, and the early scholars of Islam.

So dear brother and sister Muslim! Know that reciting and pondering over the Book of Allah, devoting your time regularly to its study and implementation has tremendous benefits in this life and the Next, so let us now look to just a few of them to attach ourselves more firmly to Allah’s Majestic Words. Each benefit stands as enough of an encouragement to shun any laziness we have and dedicate ourselves to the Qur’an.

1 - Reading and reflecting over the Qur’an fulfils an Islamic duty.

Indeed the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) summarized this Religion with his statement: “The Religion is naseehah (sincerity)!” So then Tameem ibn Aws, may Allah be pleased with him, then said, “We asked, ‘To whom?’” He said: “To Allah, HIS BOOK, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and their common folk.” [Muslim] The sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah includes its regular recitation, learning the rules of tajweed and reciting it beautifully, learning about its tafseer and the reasons for its revelation, affirming that it is the Truth, the perfect Speech of Allah and not part of the creation, honoring it and defending it, abiding by the orders and prohibitions found in it, teaching it and calling to it. [See Jaami’ul-’Uloom wal-Hikam of Ibn Rajab Al-Hambalee] So by reading and reflecting over the Qur’an, one fulfills an obligation and is rewarded for that. Upon fulfilling this obligation, the Qur’an then becomes a proof for him on the Day of Judgment! And that is our second benefit we will take by embracing this Noble Book...

2 - The Qur’an will be a proof for us on the Day of Judgment.

This is due to the statement of the Messenger: “And the Qur’an is a proof for you or against you.” [Muslim] So one of two things will occur with this proof, the Book of Allah. It will either be in your favor, a proof for you on the Day when you will need every single good deed, or it will be something standing against you, the very Speech of your Creator, a proof against you! Who could be saved from the terrors of that Day if Allah’s own Speech is against him?!?! Think carefully, dear Muslim brother or sister, about your position with the Qur’an! Are you neglecting it, contradicting it, being heedless of its orders and prohibitions, are you thinking deeply over it?! Will it be on your side on the Day of Judgment.?! O Allah! We ask you, by Your Glorious Speech and the rest of your beautiful Names and Attributes, to make the Qur’an a proof for us! O Allah! Don’t make the Qur’an a proof against us on that Day, and save us from the hellfire! For if Allah makes the Qur’an a proof in our favour on that Day, then it would also be an intercessor for us, when NO intercession will take place except by His Permission.

3 - The Qur’an will intercede for us on the Day of Judgment.

The proof: Aboo Umaamah relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Read the Qur’an, for verily it will come on the Day of Standing as an intercessor for its companions.” [Muslim]

4 - Your status in this life will be raised.

In Saheeh Muslim, we find a lovely story, about how a man from the people of Jannah, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, understood this principle. Some men came to question him during his khilaafah about the leadership of Makkah, they asked, “Who do you use to govern Makkah?” He said, “Ibn Abzaa.” They asked, “And who is Ibn Abzaa?” Umar replied, “A freed slave from those we freed.” They remarked, “You left a freed slave in charge of the people of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)!?!?” So he answered them, “Verily he is a reader of the Book of Allah and is knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven’t you heard the statement of your Messenger: “Verily Allah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it.”

5 - You will be from the best of the people.

‘Uthmaan, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The best of you are the ones who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others” [Al-Bukhari]

6 - There are ten rewards for each letter you recite from the Qur’an.

As an authentic hadith in At-Tirmithee proves: “Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward. And that reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that “Alif, Laam, Meem” is a letter, rather I am saying that “Alif” is a letter, “laam” is a letter and “meem” is a letter.” So increase your recitation of the Qur’an to gain these merits, and to gain the following merit as well.

7 - The reciters of the Qur’an will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels.

‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, relates that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Verily the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, he will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels. And as for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have TWICE that reward.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

So dear brother or sister Muslim, do not let the Shaytaan give you false excuses, such as “I am not an ‘Arab,” or “Its not my language.” This hadith is a firm proof against these whisperings. Dedicate yourself to the Book of Allah, whether you are an ‘Arab or not! The excuses have been eliminated and the pathway has been cleared for you to embrace the Book of Allah without holding back or offering excuses! And surely you will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study circle for the Qur’an once you hear the last and perhaps greatest benefits of reading and contemplating over the Qur’an...

8 - Your position in Paradise is determined by the amount of Qur’an you memorize in this life!

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-’Aas heard the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: Read and elevate (through the levels of the Paradise) and beautify your voice as you used to do when you were in the dunyaa! For verily, your position in the Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!” [Aboo Daawood and At-Tirmithee, saheeh]

9 - The Qur’an will lead you to Paradise!

The Prophet said: “The Qur’an is an intercessor, something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [An authentic hadith found in At-Tabaraanee, on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood]

Know, dear brother or sister, that these nine benefits from the many benefits available can only be attained by a sincere commitment to the Book of Allah, not by a person’s mere statement, “I love the Qur’an, it’s beautiful.” Rather the heart must be sincerely attached to Allah’s Book and the limbs and tongue will follow in this attachment. You must know that we only mentioned a few of the numerous benefits of reading and reflecting over the Qur’an. There are many benefits that await your reading in the Qur’an and books of hadith, like the chapter of the Qur’an that will argue on your behalf in the grave, and that it is a physical healing, a source of rest and relaxation for your heart, among many other things. And Allah knows best.
(Taken from Look 4 Islam)

The Most Concise Definition of God:

The Most Concise Definition of God:

The most concise definition of God in Islam is given in the four verses of Surah Ikhlas which is Chapter 112 of the Qur’an: "Say: He is Allah,  The One and Only. "Allah, the Eternal, Absolute. "He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him."                          [Al-Qur’an 112:1-4] The word ‘Assamad’ is difficult to translate. It means ‘absolute existence’, which can be attributed only to Allah (swt), all other existence being temporal or conditional. It also means that Allah (swt) is not dependant on any person or thing, but all persons and things are dependant on Him.

Surah Ikhlas - the touchstone of theology:

Surah Ikhlas (Chapter 112) of the Glorious Qur’an, is the touchstone of theology. ‘Theo’ in Greek means God and ‘logy’ means study. Thus Theology means study of God and to Muslims this four line definition of Almighty God serves as the touchstone of the study of God. Any candidate to divinity must be subjected to this ‘acid test’. Since the attributes of Allah given in this chapter are unique, false gods and pretenders to divinity can be easily dismissed using these verses.

What does Islam say about ‘god-men’?

India is often called the land of ‘god-men’. This is due to the abundance of so-called spiritual masters in India. Many of these ‘babas’ and ‘saints’ have a large following in many countries. Islam abhors deification of any human being. To understand the Islamic stand towards such pretenders to divinity, let us analyze one such ‘god-man’, Osho Rajneesh.

Let us put this candidate, ‘Bhagwan’ Rajneesh, to the test of Surah Ikhlas, the touchstone of theology:

i)	The first criterion is "Say, He is Allah, one and only". Is Rajneesh one and only? No! Rajneesh was one among the multitude of ‘spiritual teachers’ produced by India. Some disciples of Rajneesh might still hold that Rajneesh is one and only.
ii)	The second criterion is, ‘Allah is absolute and eternal’. We know from Rajneesh’s biography that he was suffering from diabetes, asthma, and chronic backache. He alleged that the U.S. Government gave him slow poison in prison. Imagine Almighty God being poisoned! Rajneesh was thus, neither absolute nor eternal.
iii)	The third criterion is ‘He begets not, nor is He begotten’. We know that Rajneesh was born in Jabalpur in India and had a mother as well as a father who later became his disciples.
In May 1981 he went to U.S.A. and established a town called ‘Rajneeshpuram’. He later fell foul of the West and was finally arrested and asked to leave the country. He came back to India and started a commune in Pune which is now known as the ‘Osho’ commune. He died in 1990. The followers of Osho Rajneesh believe that he is Almighty God. At the ‘Osho commune’ in Pune one can find the following epitaph on his tombstone: "Osho – never born, never died; only visited the planet Earth between 11th December 1931 to 19th January 1990." They forget to mention that he was not granted visa for 21 countries of the world. Can a person ever imagine ‘God’ visiting the earth, and requiring a visa to enter a country! The Archbishop of Greece said that if Rajneesh had not been deported, they would have burnt his house and those of his disciples.
(iv)	The fourth test, which is the most stringent is, "There is none like unto Him". The moment you can imagine or compare ‘God’ to anything, then he (the candidate to divinity) is not God. It is not possible to conjure up a mental picture of the One True God. We know that Rajneesh was a human being, having two eyes, two ears, a nose, a mouth and a white flowing beard. Photographs and posters of Rajneesh are available in plenty. The moment you can imagine or draw a mental picture of an entity, then that entity is not God.
Many are tempted to make anthropomorphic comparisons of God. Take for instance, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous body builder and Hollywood actor, who won the title of ‘Mr. Universe’, the strongest man in the world. Let us suppose that someone says that Almighty God is a thousand times stronger than Arnold Schwarzenegger. The moment you can compare any entity to God, whether the comparison is to Schwarzenegger or to King Kong, whether it is a thousand times or a million times stronger, it fails the Qur’anic criterion, "There is none like unto Him". Thus, the ‘acid test’ cannot be passed by anyone except the One True God. The following verse of the Glorious Qur’an conveys a similar message: "No vision can grasp Him But His grasp is over All vision: He is  Above all comprehension, Yet is acquainted with all things."                 [Al-Qur’an 6:103]
By what name do we call God?
The Muslims prefer calling the Supreme Creator, Allah, instead of by the English word ‘God’. The Arabic word, ‘Allah’, is pure and unique, unlike the English word ‘God’, which can be played around with.
If you add ‘s’ to the word God, it becomes ‘Gods’, that is the plural of God. Allah is one and singular, there is no plural of Allah. If you add ‘dess’ to the word God, it becomes ‘Goddess’ that is a female God. There is nothing like male Allah or female Allah. Allah has no gender. If you add the word ‘father’ to ‘God’ it becomes ‘God-father’. God-father means someone who is a guardian. There is no word like ‘Allah-Abba’ or ‘Allah-father’. If you add the word ‘mother’ to ‘God’, it becomes ‘God-mother’. There is nothing like ‘Allah-Ammi’, or ‘Allah-mother’ in Islam. Allah is a unique word. If you prefix tin before the word God, it becomes tin-God i.e., fake God. Allah is a unique word, which does not conjure up any mental picture nor can it be played around with. Therefore the Muslims prefer using the Arabic word ‘Allah’ for the Almighty. Sometimes, however, while speaking to the non-Muslims we may have to use the inappropriate word God, for Allah. Since the intended audience of this article is general in nature, consisting of both Muslims as well as non-Muslims, I have used the word God instead of Allah in several places in this article.
God does not become a human being:

God does not take human form:

Some may argue that God does not become a human being but only takes a human form. If God only takes a human form but does not become a human being, He should not possess any human qualities. We know that all the ‘God-men’, have human qualities and failings. They have all the human needs such as the need to eat, sleep, etc. The worship of God in human form is therefore a logical fallacy and should be abhorred in all its forms and manifestations. That is the reason why the Qur’an speaks against all forms of anthropomorphism. The Glorious Qur’an says in the following verse: "There is nothing whatever like unto Him."                     [Al-Qur’an 42:11]

God does not perform ungodly acts:

The attributes of Almighty God preclude any evil since God is the source of justice, mercy and truth. God can never be thought of as doing an ungodly act. Hence we cannot imagine God telling a lie, being unjust, making a mistake, forgetting things, or having any such human failings. Similarly God can do injustice if He chooses to, but He will never do it because being unjust is an ungodly act. The Qur’an says: "Allah is never unjust In the least degree." [Al-Qur’an 4:40] God can be unjust if He chooses to be so, but the moment God does injustice, He ceases to be God.

God does not make mistakes

God can make mistakes if He wants to, but He does not make mistakes because making a mistake is an ungodly act. The Qur’an says: "…my Lord never errs."   [Holy Qur’an 20:52] The moment God makes a mistake, he ceases to be God.

God does not forget

God can forget if He wants to. But God does not forget anything because forgetting is an ungodly act, which reeks of human limitations and failings. The Qur’an says: "…my Lord never errs, nor forgets." [Al-Qur’an 20:52]

God only performs Godly acts: The Islamic concept of God is that God has power over all things. The Qur’an says in several places (Al -Qur’an 2:106; 2:109; 2:284; 3:29; 16:77; and 35:1): "For verily Allah has power over all things" Further, the Glorious Qur’an says: "Allah is the doer of all that He intends." [Al-Qur’an 85:16] We must keep in mind that Allah intends only Godly acts and not ungodly acts. PHILOSOPHY OF ANTHROPOMORPHISM Many religions at some point believe, directly or indirectly, in the philosophy of anthropomorphism i.e. God becoming a human. Their contention is that Almighty God is so pure and holy that He is unaware of the hardships, shortcomings and feelings of human beings. In order to set the rules for human beings, He came down to earth as a human. This deceptive logic has fooled countless millions through the ages. Let us now analyze this argument and see if it stands to reason. The Creator prepares the instruction manual: Suppose I manufacture a video cassette recorder (VCR). Do I have to become a VCR to know what is good or what is bad for the VCR? What do I do? I write an instruction manual: "In order to watch a video cassette, insert the cassette and press the play button. In order to stop, press the stop button. If you want to fast forward press the FF button. Do not drop it from a height or it will get damaged. Do not immerse it in water or it will get spoilt". I write an instruction manual that lists the various do’s and don’ts for the machine. Holy Qur’an is the instruction manual for the human being: Similarly, our Lord and Creator Allah (swt) need not take human form to know what is good or bad for the human being. He chooses to reveal the instruction manual. The last and final instruction manual of the human beings is the Glorious Qur’an. The ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ for the human beings are mentioned in the Qur’an. If you allow me to compare human beings with machines, I would say humans are more complicated than the most complex machines in the world. Even the most advanced computers, which are extremely complex, are pale in comparison to the myriad physical, psychological, genetic and social factors that affect individual and collective human life. The more advanced the machine, greater is the need for its instruction manual. By the same logic, don’t human beings require an instruction manual by which to govern their own lives? Allah chooses Messengers: Allah (swt) need not come down personally for giving the instruction manual. He chooses a man amongst men to deliver the message and communicates with him at a higher level through the medium of revelations. Such chosen men are called messengers and prophets of God. Some people are ‘blind’ and ‘deaf’: Despite the absurdity of the philosophy of anthropomorphism, followers of many religions believe in and preach it to others. Is it not an insult to human intelligence and to the Creator who gave us this intelligence? Such people are truly ‘deaf’ and ‘blind’ despite the faculty of hearing and sight given to them by Allah. The Qur’an says: "Deaf, dumb, and blind,  They will not return (to the path)."            [Al-Qur’an 2:18] The Bible gives a similar message in the Gospel of Matthew: "Seeing they see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand."                  [The Bible, Matthew 13:13] A similar message is also given in the Hindu Scriptures in the Rigveda. "There maybe someone who sees the words and yet indeed does not see them; may be another one who hears these words but indeed does not hear them." 1                    [Rigveda 10:71:4] All these scriptures are telling their readers that though the things are made so clear yet many people divert away from the truth. Attributes of God: To Allah belong the most beautiful names: The Qur’an says: "Say: Call upon Allah, or Call upon Rahman: By whatever name you call Upon Him, (it is well): For to Him belong The Most Beautiful Names."           [Al-Qur’an 17:110] A similar message regarding the beautiful names of Allah (swt) is repeated in the Qur’an in Surah Al-A’raf (7:180), in Surah Taha (20:8) and in Surah Al-Hashr (59:24). The Qur’an gives no less than ninety-nine different attributes to Almighty Allah. The Qur’an refers to Allah as Ar-Rahman (Most Gracious), Ar-Raheem (Most Merciful) and Al-Hakeem (All Wise) among many other names. You can call Allah by any name but that name should be beautiful and should not conjure up a mental picture. Each attribute of God is unique and possessed by Him alone: Not only does God possess unique attributes, but also each attribute of Almighty God is sufficient to identify Him. I shall clarify this point in detail. Let us take an example of a famous personality, say Neil Armstrong. Neil Armstrong is an astronaut. The attribute of being an astronaut possessed by Neil Armstrong is correct but not unique to Neil Armstrong alone. So when one asks, who is an astronaut? The answer is, there are hundreds of people in the world who are astronauts. Neil Armstrong is an American. The attribute of being American possessed by Neil Armstrong is correct but not sufficient to identify him. So when one asks, who is an American? The answer is, there are millions of people who are American. To identify the person uniquely we must look for a unique attribute possessed by none except that person. For example, Neil Armstrong was the first human to set foot on the moon. So when one asks, who was the first man to set foot on the moon, the answer is only one, i.e. Neil Armstrong. Similarly the attribute of Almighty God should be unique. If I say God is the constructor of buildings, it is possible and true, but it is not unique. Thousands of people can construct a building. But each attribute of Allah is unique and points to none but Allah. For example, God is the creator of the universe. If someone asks who is the creator of the universe, the answer is only one, i.e. Almighty God is the Ultimate Creator. Similarly, following are some of the many unique attributes possessed by none other than the Creator of the universe, Almighty Allah: "Ar-Raheem", the Most Merciful "Ar-Rahman", the Most Gracious "Al-Hakeem", the Most Wise So when one asks, "Who is ‘Ar-Raheem’, (the Most Merciful)?", there can only be one answer: "Almighty Allah".

One attribute of God should not contradict with other attributes:

Besides the attribute being unique, it should not contradict other attributes. To continue with the earlier example, suppose somebody says that Neil Armstrong is an American astronaut who was the first human to set foot on the moon and was an Indian. The attribute possessed by Neil Armstrong of being the first man to set foot on the moon, is correct. But its associated quality of being an Indian, is false. Similarly if someone says that God is the Creator of the Universe and has one head, two hands, two feet, etc., the attribute (Creator of the Universe) is correct but the associated quality (in the form of human being) is wrong and false.

All attributes should point to the one and same God:

Since there is only one God, all the attributes should point to one and the same God. To say that Neil Armstrong was an American astronaut who first set foot on the moon, but he was born in 1971 is wrong. Both these unique qualities belong to one and the same person, i.e. Neil Armstrong. Similarly to say that the Creator of the universe is one God and the Cherisher is another God is absurd because God possesses all these attributes combined together.

Unity of God: Some polytheists argue by saying that the existence of more than one God is not illogical. Let us point out to them that if there were more than one God, they would dispute with one another, each god trying to fulfill his will against the will of the other gods. This can be seen in the mythology of the polytheistic and pantheistic religions. If a ‘God’ is defeated or unable to defeat the others, he is surely not the one true God. Also popular among polytheistic religions is the idea of many Gods, each having different responsibilities. Each one would be responsible for a part of man’s existence e.g. a Sun-God, a Rain-God, etc. This indicates that one ‘God’ is incompetent of certain acts and moreover he is also ignorant of the other Gods’ powers, duties, functions and responsibilities. There cannot be an ignorant and incapable God. If there were more than one God it would surely lead to confusion, disorder, chaos and destruction in the universe. But the universe is in complete harmony. The Glorious Qur’an says: "If there were, in the heavens And the earth, other gods Besides Allah, there would Have been confusion in both! But glory to Allah, The Lord of the Throne: (High is He) above What they attribute to Him!"               [Al-Qur’an 21:22] If there were more than one God, they would have taken away what they created. The Qur’an says: "No son did Allah beget, Nor is there any god Along with Him: (if there were  Many gods), behold, each god Would have taken away What he had created, And some would have Lorded it over others! Glory to Allah! (He is free) From the (sort of) things They attribute to Him!" [Al-Qur’an 23:91] Thus the existence of one True, Unique, Supreme, Almighty God, is the only logical concept of God.

TAWHEED: Definition and Categories: Islam believes in ‘Tawheed’ which is not merely monotheism i.e. belief in one God, but much more. Tawheedliterally means ‘unification’ i.e. ‘asserting oneness’ and is derived from the Arabic verb ‘Wahhada’ which means to unite, unify or consolidate. Tawheed can be divided into three categories. 1. Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah 2. Tawheed al-Asmaa-was-Sifaat 3. Tawheed al-Ibaadah.

A.	Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah (maintaining the unity of Lordship)
The first category is ‘Tawheed ar-Ruboobeeyah’. ‘Ruboobeeyah’ is derived from the root verb "Rabb" meaning Lord, Sustainer and Cherisher. Therefore ‘Tawheed-ar-Ruboobeeyah’ means maintaining the unity of Lordship. This category is based on the fundamental concept that Allah (swt) alone caused all things to exist when there was nothing. He created or originated all that exists out of nothing. He alone is the sole Creator, Cherisher, and Sustainer of the complete universe and all between it, without any need from it or for it.
B.	Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat (maintaining the unity of Allah’s name and attributes):
The second category is ‘Tawheed al Asmaa was Sifaat’ which means maintaining the unity of Allah’s name and attributes. This category is divided into five aspects:

(i)	Allah should be referred to as described by Him and His Prophet
	Allah must be referred to according to the manner in which He and His prophet have described Him without explaining His names and attributes by giving them meanings other than their obvious meanings.
(ii)	Allah must be referred to as He has referred to Himself
	Allah must be referred to without giving Him any new names or attributes. For example Allah may not be given the name Al-Ghaadib (the Angry One), despite the fact that He has said that He gets angry, because neither Allah nor His messenger have used this name.
(iii)	Allah is referred to without giving Him the attributes of His creation
	In a reference to God, we should strictly abstain from giving Him the attributes of those whom He has created. For instance in the Bible, God is portrayed as repenting for His bad thoughts in the same way as humans do when they realise their errors. This is completely against the principle of Tawheed. God does not commit any mistakes or errors and therefore never needs to repent. The key principle when dealing with Allah’s attributes is given in the Qur’an in Surah Ash-Shura: "There is nothing Whatever like unto Him, And He is the One That hears and sees (all things)."          [Al-Qur’an 42:11] Hearing and seeing are human faculties. However, when attributed to the Divine Being they are without comparison, in their perfection, unlike when associated with humans who require ears, eyes, etc. and who are limited in their sight and hearing in terms of space, time, capacity, etc.
(iv)	God’s creation should not be given any of His attributes
	To refer to a human with the attribute of God is also against the principle of Tawheed. For example, referring to a person as one who has no beginning or end (eternal).
(v)	Allah’s name cannot be given to His creatures
	Some Divine names in the indefinite form, like ‘Raoof’ or ‘Raheem’ are permissible names for men as Allah has used them for Prophets; but ‘Ar-Raoof’ (the Most Pious) and Ar-Raheem (the most Merciful) can only be used if prefixed by ‘Abd’ meaning ‘slave of’ or ‘servant of’ i.e. ’Abdur-Raoof’ or ‘Abdur-Raheem’. Similarly ‘Abdur-Rasool’ (slave of the Messenger) or ‘Abdun-Nabee’ (slave of the Prophet) are forbidden.

C.	Tawheed al-Ibaadah (maintaining the unity of worship):

(i)	Definition and meaning of ‘Ibadaah’:
	‘Tawheed al-Ibaadah’ means maintaining the unity of worship or ‘Ibaadah’. Ibaadah is derived from Arabic word ‘Abd’ meaning slave or servant. Thus Ibaadah means servitude and worship.
(ii)	All three categories to be followed simultaneously.
	Only believing in the first two categories of Tawheed without implementing Tawheed-al-Ibaadah is useless. The Qur’an gives the examples of ‘Mushrikeens’ (idolaters) of the Prophet’s time who confirmed the first two aspects of Tawheed. It is mentioned in the Qur’an: "Say: ‘Who is it that Sustains you (in life) From the sky and from the earth? Or who is it that  Has power over hearing And sight? And who Is it that brings out The living from the dead And the dead from the living? And who is it that Rules and regulates all affairs?’ They will soon say, ‘Allah’. Say, ‘Will you not then Show piety (to Him)?’ "             [Al-Qur’an 10:31] A similar example is repeated in Surah Zukhruf of the Glorious Qur’an: "If thou ask them, Who Created them, they will Certainly say, ‘Allah’: how Then are they deluded Away (from the Truth)?"             [Al-Qur’an 43:87] The pagan Meccans knew that Allah (swt) was their Creator, Sustainer, Lord and Master. Yet they were not Muslims because they also worshipped other gods besides Allah. Allah (swt) categorised them as ‘Kuffaar’ (disbelievers) and ‘Mushrikeen’ (idol worshippers and those who associate partners with God). "And most of them Believe not in Allah Without associating (others As partners) with Him!"                [Al-Qur’an 12:106] Thus ‘Tawheed al-Ibaadah’ i.e. maintaining the unity of worship is the most important aspect ofTawheed. Allah (swt) alone deserves worship and He alone can grant benefit to man for his worship.

SHIRK:
A.   Definition:The omission of any of the above mentioned categories of  tawheed or deficiency in the fulfillment of any criteria of  Tawheed is referred to as 'shirk'.(Please note that the Arabic word 'Shirk' has the same sound as in the English word 'ship' and not as in the English word 'shirk',which means 'to evade' ‘Shirk’ literally means sharing or associating partners. In Islamic terms it means associating partners with Allah and is equivalent to idolatry.
B.	Shirk is the greatest sin that Allah will never forgive:
	The Qur’an describes the greatest sin in Surah Al-Nisa’: "Allah forgives not That partners should be set up With Him; but He forgives Anything else, to whom He pleases; to set up Partners with Allah Is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed."        [Al-Qur’an 4:48] The same message is repeated in Surah Al-Nisa’: "Allah forgives not (The sin of) joining other gods With Him; but He forgives Whom He pleases other sins Than this: one who joins Other gods with Allah, Has strayed far, far away (From the Right)."           [Al-Qur’an 4:116]
C.	Shirk leads to hell fire:
	The Qur’an says in Surah Ma’idah: "They do blaspheme who say: ‘Allah is Christ the son Of Mary.’ But said Christ: ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord And your Lord’. Whoever joins other gods with Allah –  Allah will forbid him the Garden, and the Fire Will be his abode. There will for the wrongdoers Be no one to help."                 [Al-Qur’an 5:72]
D.	Worship and Obedience to none but Allah:
	The Qur’an mentions in Surah Ali-’Imran: Say: "O people of the Book!  Come To common terms  As between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; That we associate no partners with Him; That we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah." If then they turn back, Say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) Are Muslims (bowing to Allah’s Will)."               [Al-Qur’an 3:64] The Glorious Qur’an says: "And if all the trees on earth were pens And the Ocean (were ink), with seven Oceans behind it To add to its (supply), yet would not the Words Of Allah be exhausted (In the writing): for Allah Is Exalted in power, Full of Wisdom."                            [Al-Qur’an 31:27] Our analysis of Concept of God in various Religion shows that monotheism is an integral part of every major religion of the world. However, it is unfortunate that some adherents of these religions violate the teachings of their own scriptures and have set up partners to Almighty God. An analysis of the scriptures of various religions, reveals that all scriptures exhort mankind to believe in, and submit to One God. All these scriptures condemn the association of partners to God, or the worship of God in the form of images. The Glorious Qur’an says: "O men! Here is A parable set forth! Listen to it! Those On whom, besides Allah, You call, cannot create (Even) a fly, if they all Met together for the purpose! And if the fly should snatch Away anything from them, They would have no power To release it from the fly. Feeble are those who petition And those whom they petition!"               [Al-Qur’an 22:73] The basis of religion is the acceptance of Divine guidance. A rejection of this guidance has serious implications for society. While we have made great strides in science and technology, true peace still eludes us. All ‘isms’ have failed to provide the much vaunted deliverance. The scriptures of all major religions exhort mankind to follow that which is good and eschew that which is evil. All scriptures remind mankind that good will not go unrewarded and evil will not go unpunished! The question we need to address is, which of these scriptures provides us with the correct ‘instruction manual’ that we need to regulate our individual and collective lives? I hope and pray that Allah guides all of us towards the Truth (Aameen).

As per Najar

AS PER NAJAR:-

A hen can Supply the necessary heat for an egg to be hatched, but the chick has to come out on its own will. Only if the chick has the necessary will, vigour and motivation will it comeout.No hen can supply these qualities. This inbuilt motivation is the most characteristic attribute (and natural too) of a living creature. It is the root cause by which this entire world functions.
Only people who have this motivation, interest and ‘eagerness to acheive’ make this world a better place. If we can realize this ‘inbuilt strength’ which is naturally present in us (a gift from nature), our victory is guaranteed. We will win every challenge; every battle. This winning strategy has been adopted in the various developed countries. India needs this strategy now.Indian; especially the younger generation have to realize their inbuilt potential, this can be achieved by self motivation.

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Najar

places of historical and archaeological significance

The Kashmir region abounds in places of historical and archaeological significance, important among which are : 

Hazratbal Shrine 
The Hazratbal Shrine, which is situated on the left bank of the famous Dal Lake in Srinagar. This unmatched reverence is anchored in the love and respect for the Prophet Mohammad(peace be upon him), whose Moi-e-Muqqadas, (the sacred hair) is preserved here. The shirne is known by many names including Hazrathbal , Assar-e-Sharief, madinat-us-Sani,Dargah Sharief and Dargah.Sadiq Khan,laid out a garden here and constructed a palacial building,Ishrat mahal or Pleasure House, in 1623. The construction of the present marble structure was started by the Muslim Aquaf Trust headed by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1968 and completed in 1979.The Moi-e-Muqqadas is displayed on various occasions related with the life of the Prophet and his four holy companions. 

Shankarcharya Temple 
It is located at 1100ft.above surface level of the main city on the Shankaracharya hill, also known as Takht-e-Suleiman. The shiva temple, as Kalhana belives, was constructed by Raja Gopadatya in 371 B.C.and as such is the oldest shirne in Kashmir. Dogra ruler,Maharaja Gulab Singh, constructed stone stairs upto the temple. In 1925,the temple was electrifed. The temple, besides a prominent religious place of Hindus, is of great archaeological importance. The temple commands a magnificient panoramic view of the Srinagar city. 

Khanqah-e-Moulla 
The shrine of Shah-e-Hamdan or Khanqah-e-Moulla is one of the oldest muslim shrines in kashmir situated on the bank of the river Jhelum in the old city. 

Jamia Masjid 
It is one of the oldest and the most spacious of all the mosques in Kashmir, situated in the heart of the city.The foundation of the mosque, an architectural wonder was laid by Sultan Sikander in 1398 A.D.The area of the mosque is 384ftX381ft. spacious enough for over thirty thousand people to offer prayers at a time. 

Badshuhnun Dumat 
The tomb of the mother of Sultan Zain-Ul-Abideen(1420-70) popularly known as Badshah is a splendid representative piece of the Shahmiri architecture. The monument,situated on the right bank of the river Jehlum near Zaina Kadal is the only one of its kind in and around kashmir which, compared to the wooden structures of the shahmiri period,is a wholly brick structure. 

Hari Parbat Fort 
Another historical monument of Srinagar is the Hari Parbat Fort constructed by the Afghan Governer,Atta Mohammad Khan(1808-10),on the top of the Hari Parbat or Koh-e-Maraan hill. The architecture of the Fort is similar to that of the forts in Central Asia. 

Khir Bhawani Temple 
Situated at Tullamula in the Srinagar district,is an important hindu shrine.The temple is associated with the hindu goddess,Ragnya Devi.An annual festival is held here on Jesht Ashtami(May-June) when hindus visit the place in large numbers to offer prayers and seek the blessings of the diety. In addition ,there are umpteen places of religious importance in Srinagar. 

Mattan 
The temples of Mattan are located midway between Anantnag and Pahalgam. There is a Shiva Temple in the centre of a deep pond. 

Martand 
This is a significant Archaelogical site. Its impressive Architecture reveals the glorious past of the area. All that remains of the temple is a central rectangular building surrounded by a court and rectangular colonnade. 

About Jamia Masjid

The Jama Masjid of Srinagar is situated at Nowhatta, in the middle of the old city. An important mosque in Srinagar, it was built by Sultan Sikandar in 1400 AD. Later, the son of Sultan Sikandar, Zain-ul-Abidin got the mosque extended. The attractions of the Jama Masjid of Srinagar, Kashmir include beautiful Indo-Saracenic architecture, a magnificent courtyard and 370 wooden pillars. Another feature of the mosque is the peace and tranquility inside it, standing out against the hustle of the old bazaars around it. Thousands of Muslims assemble at the mosque every Friday to offer their prayers. 

Jamia Masjid is known as one of the sacred shrines of Islamic followers. Be it the holiness or the constructional elegance, Jamia Masjid is quite unparalleled in every aspect. Comprised of 370 pillars of wood, Jamia Masjid symbolizes one of the best architectural specimen which survived the ravages of time ever since it was constructed in the valley of Jammu & Kashmir. 
While looking into the origin and construction of Jamia Masjid, the name of Maharaja Pratap Singh comes several times as it was during his Kingdom that the maintenance and repair works of the Mosque was carried out. Pratap Singh enthusiastically encouraged the re-construction of Jamia Masjid many a time and even offered financial assistance too.

About Aali Masjid

Aali Masjid

The Aali Masjid is the second largest mosque in Srinagar City after Jamia Masjid. It was constructed in 1471 AD, during the rule of Sultan Hassan Shah. The conservation of the Mosque was the follow-up of the Cultural Resource Mapping of the Srinagar city undertaken by the INTACH, Jammu and Kashmir Chapter. Given the widespread vandalism of the region’s built heritage, especially of religious buildings like mosques, shrines, khanqahs etc; the Chapter realised the need for undertaking the conservation of a religious building as a model to impress on how traditional buildings can be preserved, restored or conserved sympathetically. The Mosque is one of the best examples of the vernacular wooden architecture of Kashmir and has a rich historical background. The history of the mosque corresponds to four distinct political periods, the Sultanate, Mughals, Afghans and the Dogra period. The last known renovation to the Mosque was undertaken during the Dogra rule. While undertaking the conservation works on site, all the necessary conservation principles were adhered to. Lying derelict for many years, the conservation plan proposed the restoration of the building to its original usage – to serve as a mosque. The philosophy of intervention ensured minimum intervention in order to maintain the historic integrity of the building. The philosophy of conservation adopted for the restoration of the mosque is as follows: Minimum intervention to the fabric of the building Reversible interventions wherever possible Maintenance of traditional form of architecture with regard to material, construction techniques and other details. Oral conversations with the local community was undertaken to develop better understanding of the changes to the building fabric during various repair and renovation processes. The project was implemented with active participation of local craftsmen, masons and contractor. Following the immense success of this project, the pool of craftsmen and skilled labour thus created is also being employed for other conservation works being undertaken by INTACH, Jammu and Kashmir Chapter in Kashmir. Najar 9697321959

About Charar-e-Sharif Shrine

Charar-e-Sharief is located on the way to Yusmarg, 40 kilometers from Srinagar. Charar-i-sharief is probably one of the most ancient of shrines which stands tall in the valley of Jammu & Kashmir. Inheriting a heritage of about 600 years old, Charar-i-sharief was built to pay homage to one of the holy saints of Sufism - Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani. Also referred as Hazrat Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali, Charar-i-sharief has went through many a tumultuous times. During the war of Indian and Pakistani Army, the shrine was badly devastated. However, through the diligent efforts of the local governing authorities Charar-i-sharief was again reconstructed. Then there was a militant attack on the shrine in the year 1995 due to which a major portion of Charar-i-sharief was broken. This was also repaired in due time. The historic tales behind Charar-i-sharief narrates an array of interesting anecdotes. The mention of Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noorani who took birth in 1377 is all-pervasive in the saga of the origin of Charar-i-sharief. Called by the name of Sahazanand or Nund Reshi, Noor-ud-Din Noorani propounded the significance of Rishism in the valley of Jammu & Kashmir centuries ago. During his entire life, Noor-ud-Din Noorani spread the message of tolerance, vegetarianism and communal peace among the local people of the valley.
On the occasion of his death in 1438, it is believed that as much as nine lakh followers came to Charar-i-sharief to pay their homage to Noor-ud-Din Noorani. Preserving the remains of Noor-ud-Din Noorani, Charar-i-sharief today is regarded as one of the holiest of places of Muslim sect. A great philosopher who had a mastery over poetry and verses, Noor-ud-Din Noorani was also known by several names such as Alamdar-e-Kashmir, Sheikh-ul-Alam and Sarkhel-e-Rishiya, among others. 


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Najar
9697321959