A Muslim’s Fascinating and Disturbing Encounter with the Vikings

By :Abu Zakariya

In 921, an Arabian nobleman, Ahmad ibn Fadlan, set out on a diplomatic mission from Baghdad to the Vikings on the Volga River, known as the “Rus.” They were Nordic Vikings who had set out on voyages of trade and plunder. Ibn Fadlan was sent by the caliph in Baghdad to explore the newly conquered areas under Islamic rule.

The account of Ibn Fadlan—a distinguished and refined Islamic scholar representing the upper echelons of Islamic society—is both fascinating and disturbing. It is particularly fascinating because it reveals to us the very apparent superiority of Islam and Muslims at the time. However, it is also very telling as to how the roles have now been reversed, and it imparts some very valuable lessons that can be gleaned from history.

The work itself reveals Ibn Fadlan as a keen and fair observer. His tone is neutral, and he does not try to color the account in any biased way. One could even say that it comes off as a bit humorous sometimes due to the awkwardness of such a cultured man having to endure the company of people as low and savage as the Vikings.

Alimahs, Zalimahs, and Lazymas

Female Muslim Scholars: Past vs. Present (Alimahs, Zalimahs, and Lazymas)

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

My wife is an ‘alimah.

For the major part of my life I had assumed that her humility, respect, patience, tolerance, love, piety, attachment to the Qur’an, the quality of her khidmah towards myself and my parents, her wonderful rearing of our children, the support she gave me and the great advice and guidance that she offered when it was needed was all a result of her studies in becoming an ‘alimah.

It was only much later on in life that I realised my monumental mistake and profound error.

Open Your Eyes!

 In this world there are many performers who work as magicians. Before a mesmerized audience, they can seemingly pull rabbits out of hats, coins from behind peoples’ ears, as well as seemingly make objects disappear. However, the reality is that there is no actual magic in the act – it is a simple case of misdirection and manipulation, also known as sleight of hand.

Through hours and hours of practice, the performer has mastered the art of manipulating the audience, by drawing their attention in one particular direction, while on the opposite side, he is subtly carrying out his trick, unnoticed. In essence, through distracting the audience, he deceives them and makes them believe that which is unreal and untrue. Hence, if the method of the trick is thereafter revealed, it will seem so simple and obvious, and each person will think to himself, “If only I had opened my eyes to what was really going on!”

Strangled by Sin

 Sayyiduna ‘Uqbah bin ‘Aamir (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that he heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) mention, “Indeed, the example of the one who commits sins, and thereafter carries out good deeds, is like the example of a man on whom there was tight armour which was strangling him. Thereafter, he carried out a good deed, so one ring (from the chainmail armour) opened, and thereafter he carried out another good deed, so another ring opened, (and he continued carrying out good deeds) until it came off (and fell) to the ground.” (Musnad Ahmad #17307)

In the above hadeeth, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) resembled the person who leads a life of sin, but thereafter changes his life and carries out righteous deeds, to a person who was wearing tight armour which made him feel very uncomfortable on account of being tight and squeezing his neck, but thereafter, one-by-one, the links in the armour opened, gradually becoming more and more comfortable, until the entire armour fell off, giving him complete relief.

Six Powerful Questions

 ‘Ubaid bin ‘Umair (rahimahullah) was among the senior Tabi‘een who lived in Makkah Mukarramah. He had the blessed opportunity of learning from the likes of Sayyiduna ‘Umar, Sayyiduna ‘Ali, Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) amongst many others. Such was his greatness that Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) would even attend his gathering. (Siyaru Aa’laamin Nubalaa vol. 4, pg. 156)

On one occasion, a very beautiful woman of Makkah Mukarramah was admiring herself in the mirror and asked her husband, “Do you feel that there is a man who will see this (beautiful) face and not be tempted by it?” He replied, “Yes.” When she enquired who that person was, he answered, “‘Ubaid bin ‘Umair.” The woman thus requested her husband for permission to entice ‘Ubaid (rahimahullah). Her husband agreed and she set off with this shameless intention.

The Basis for Gender Separation in Islam

It was a common practice in Arab society before the advent of Islam for men and women to sit together and have casual conversations. This was not considered a vice nor looked upon as a cause for suspicion.[1]

Imam Mujahid (d. 104 AH) said:

“Women would go out and walk intermingling with men, this was the display of the former times of ignorance,”[2] referring to the ayah: “and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance.” [33:33]

This practice continued into the early stages of Islam. Women believers were initially neither obliged to cover or conceal themselves from men, nor were they prohibited from intermingling or conversing with them.[3]

It was in the month of Dhūl Qʿadah in the 5th year of Hijrah, when the verses of hijab were revealed[4] that these pre-Islamic practices came to an end.

How British Colonialism killed 100 million Indians in 40 years

From :Al Jazeera

Recent years have seen a resurgence in nostalgia for the British empire. High-profile books such as Niall Ferguson’s Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World, and Bruce Gilley’s The Last Imperialist, have claimed that British colonialism brought prosperity and development to India and other colonies. Two years ago, a YouGov poll found that 32 percent of people in Britain are actively proud of the nation’s colonial history.

This rosy picture of colonialism conflicts dramatically with the historical record. According to research by the economic historian Robert C Allen, extreme poverty in India increased under British rule, from 23 percent in 1810 to more than 50 percent in the mid-20th century. Real wages declined during the British colonial period, reaching a nadir in the 19th century, while famines became more frequent and more deadly. Far from benefitting the Indian people, colonialism was a human tragedy with few parallels in recorded history.

40 Hadith Establishing the Finality of Prophethood (and the Lie of Qadiyanism)

By:Mufti Abdullah Moolla

The Ahādīth covering the topic of ‘Finality of Nubuwwah’, i.e., Khatm An-Nubuwwah, are Mutawātir.

This means that they have been narrated by many of the Sahābah radiyallāhu ‘anhum, the Tābi’ūn, and those after them in every age and in every generation in large numbers. Mutawātir further entails that the narrators are so many that it would be impossible for all of them to collude together to lie.

The Muslim Ummah, therefore, believes that a Mutawātir Hadīth is a manifest truth and they have firm faith in it, just as they have with the Noble Qur’ān. Moreover, the Ahādīth on Khatm An-Nubuwwah are all congruent in meaning. Hence, some reports are Mutawātir and then all the other reports of lower grading all have the same meaning. When this is the case, it can be safely concluded that all the Ahādīth establishing the Khatm An-Nubuwwah are Mutawātir.

Islam and Homosexuality

There are several challenges that are facing Muslims which were not even an issue a generation or two back. One of the most serious of these is that of the LGBTQ movement or homosexuality. There is a need to have this conversation because the lines are being blurred. Kids in Maktabs innocently ask, “What is the problem with a Muslim being gay?”

The general rule when faced with these confusing matters is to ask oneself, “What have I signed up for when I claimed to be Muslim, and acknowledged Allah Ta’ala as my Lord, God and Creator?” In Surah Shura of the Noble Quran (42:10), Allah Ta’ala gives us an important principle, that any issue of confusion should be referred to Allah Ta’ala for a decision, “And in anything over which you disagree, its ruling is (to be referred) to Allah.” To get this, we need to ask the Ulama who will give us the ruling from the Noble Quran and the sublime Hadith.

Marriage Survival Kit

Do not demand your rights. Discharge your obligations!

Keep smiling. It is act of charity!

Express praise and gratitude. All human beings share the same basic needs: To feel appreciated, respected and loved!

Never compare your spouse with others. The grass always looks greener on the other side!

Never bring up past problems that were resolved. They only cloud the future!

Betraying Bedroom Secrets

Imagine confiding in your best friend and revealing your deepest, darkest secret to her. However, to your utter dismay and horror, she then proceeds to broadcast your secret to all of society! How would you feel and what would your reaction be?

In all probability, you would feel mortified (extremely embarrassed) and would regard your ‘friend’ to be a backstabber. You would never again trust her and would be reluctant to even remain friends with her.

In this regard, one of the most important and serious secrets and trusts which should never ever be betrayed or revealed is the secret and trust of “bedroom secrets”.

The Map of Marriage

 Any intelligent person undertaking a very long journey – through a route which he has not travelled before – will ensure that he makes adequate preparations before he departs. He will seek advice and directions and will make enquiries regarding the road and what to expect. After making all the appropriate preparations and taking all the necessary advice and directions, he will most likely carry a GPS to guide him along the way and prevent him from taking any wrong turns.

Marriage is also a journey. However, the journey of marriage is meant to last a lifetime. It takes one through different terrains and past various sceneries. While it may generally be smooth sailing, like a luxury car on an open freeway, there are sometimes the odd and unexpected gravel patches. While the route may mainly usher one past gardens, rivers, waterfalls and rolling seas, it does also sometimes lead one through dry and quiet deserts. If the traveller keeps his eye on the road and focuses on his destination, he will insha-Allah safely pass through all the hills and valleys as well as gardens and deserts.

Complain to Allah​

“The kids are driving me up the wall!”... “I’ve got the most terrible migraine! It feels as if my head is splitting!”...

We all have our portion of problems in life. Whether it’s a toddler with a tantrum, unreasonable in-laws or nosy neighbours, peoples’ problems and challenges span all spheres of life. Moreover, problems do not make an appointment or give us ‘advance notice’ before stopping by – they arrive out of the blue and stay as long as they wish.

Being human, it is natural for us to be emotionally affected by circumstances. Depending on the nature of the problem, we may feel depressed, angered or even humiliated. In some instances, we may turn to someone and confide in them to seek advice. However, in other instances, many of us turn to our husbands and complain to them in order to ‘off-load’ and receive some sympathy.

Bring out the Best in Him

No matter how hard this material world may try, it will never ever be perfect. Even if you fly first-class, you may have a person snoring nearby, spoiling your serenity. Even if you install the best bathroom fittings, they cannot give you water when the municipality decides to cut-off the mains. Even if the best of food is prepared, you don’t always have the appetite for it, and so on.

The point is that nothing in this material world will be perfect. Rather, you win some and you lose some. Everything will have its pros and cons. The trick is to avoid the cons while enjoying the pros. For example, if a person is stuck with a chipped mug, then instead of cutting his lip over and over on the chipped portion, he will turn the mug the other way and drink from the intact portion. Similarly, if he has a couch that is sagging on one side, then instead of collapsing into the sagging section, he will avoid it and sit on the other side.

The Furnace of Love​

Iron is a substance renowned for its strength and resilience. Hence, iron, in its various alloys (a form where it is mixed with another metal) is used extensively in the building industry, especially to support concrete slabs, reinforce foundations, etc. However, have we ever wondered how iron is shaped? After all, we find it available in a multitude of sizes and shapes!

The answer is that for iron to be shaped, it must be heated in a furnace. Once the iron is red-hot, it softens to some extent, becoming malleable (easily shaped without breaking) and accommodating. It is then easy for the blacksmith to mould the metal into the shape he desires. 

What Will Become of Her?

 There were many men who would not drink coffee, yet after a few years of marriage, they became regular coffee consumers. Likewise, there were many women who had never drank a sip of tea, yet after a few years of marriage, they became regular tea drinkers.

There are many other examples that illustrate the manner in which one spouse’s ways, tendencies and habits rub off onto the other. It can be as simple as taste in food, or a little more involved such as developing punctuality and fastidiousness. Nevertheless, the point is evident – spouses have a profound effect on one another, to the point of even altering their habits and ways.

What do I Want in a Spouse?

Allah Ta‘ala, through His infinite power, has created humankind with such variety that despite the people on earth numbering more than seven billion, every person is completely unique. Be it in physical appearance, or in habits and tendencies, or in societal status and nobility, or even in intelligence and understanding – no two people are completely alike. Allah Ta‘ala, in His limitless wisdom, has given different people different proportions of beauty, strength, wealth, intelligence, honour, etc.

Nevertheless, when a person is looking to get married and settle down, then there are many qualities and traits that one will seek in a spouse. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) explained that generally people look at four qualities when considering a spouse. These four qualities are wealth, societal status, beauty and Deen. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then urged us to ensure that we marry a pious spouse, as from all the various qualities, it is the quality of Deen and piety that is the most important. (Saheeh Bukhaari #5090)

Nikaah – A Fortress from Fitnah

Allah Ta‘ala is the Creator of man, and Allah Ta‘ala understands man the best. Allah Ta‘ala knows all the needs of man, from the biggest and most obvious need, to the smallest and most subtle of needs, and out of His infinite mercy and grace, Allah Ta‘ala has provided for all of man’s needs.

For example, man has the need for food and drink. If man does not eat and drink, he will suffer starvation and dehydration, ultimately leading to his death. Hence, Allah Ta‘ala has provided man with various types of food and drink through which he can fulfill his need. However, when Allah Ta‘ala is most pure, then He made Islam a Deen of purity, and He made Jannah the abode of those who are pure. Hence, when fulfilling his needs, man cannot consume anything and everything, according to his wishes and desires, but may only consume that which is pure and halaal.

“He is Your Jannah or Jahannam”

 For every department in this world to function smoothly, be it a business, an educational institute or even a government, it requires a figure of authority. If everyone is equal in every respect, there would be no order and system. In the similar manner, for every home to function smoothly and harmoniously, Allah Ta‘ala has given the husband the position of being the head of the household. He has also tasked him with extra responsibilities. Whilst the husband has been repeatedly commanded to be kind and good to his wife, it is the wife’s duty to be obedient to him (within the limits of sharee‘ah). In this lies her peace of mind and the smooth functioning of her home.

On one occasion, the aunt of Sayyiduna Husain bin Mihsan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) came to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to discuss a certain need that she had. After she had discussed her need with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked her, “Do you have a husband?” When she replied in the affirmative, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked her, “How is your relationship with him? (i.e. is he pleased or displeased with you?)” She replied, “I make every effort (to please him) – except in regard to those things which I cannot manage.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then advised her saying, “Ensure that you continue to examine your relationship with him (at all times), as he is your Jannah or your Jahannam (i.e. pleasing him will cause you to enter Jannah, while displeasing him will cause you to enter Jahannam).” (Musnad Ahmad #27352)

Salvaging the Situation

 Every cook, no matter how accomplished and proficient, will inevitably, at some point, find themselves facing a culinary disaster. Even the best baker will make a mistake, and confusing icing sugar for baking powder will undoubtedly lead to an unforgettable flop.

However, an adept cook and baker knows that even an outstanding flop can often be salvaged in some way or another. Too much salt in the food? – add potatoes. Too spicy? – add some yoghurt. Gravy too thin? – add some maizena. Similarly, a flopped cake can easily be transformed into a trifle with the aid of some custard and jelly.

In essence, if one knows the right ingredients, one can salvage a bad situation and find some way to turn the inedible into something at least moderately appetizing.