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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 Nos 114 & 116) are an outline of what happened, and The second lot of talks (Talk Nos 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 Taaalah 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.

#120 The Categories of People


Dear Friends,


As Muslims we believe in the teachings of Islam. Along with this belief we also have many unasked questions. There are certain areas of this belief that needs further explaining. Now we face some problems. To whom do we direct these questions from? How do we explain or describe these questions? How could we seek these answers? These questions are on Islam, about our Religion, about life, about death and then we have what is called the fear of the unknown, there are so many questions about what happens after our death or in other words, about our afterlife. There are literally 1,000s of questions and I have mentioned only a few of the topics under which these rather scary questions disturb us. There are many more topics, but then all are related. How do we explain these questions? How do we seek the answers? I am no different and all these questions worry me too. Being Muslim I had to turn to the Quran for the answers. When I began my research I knew that by the grace of Allah, I would be able to slowly but surely make sense out of all those thoughts that were worrying me. But then what surprises me as things become clearer is the now new question I keep asking myself, Why was all this not earlier explained to me? Anyway, let use dwell on that question on some other day, for now let us not get distracted. But then first I must describe, very briefly of course, what society instructs us, so that we could be good Muslims. This is actually the root cause of all our confusion. We are told, again and again, you could even call it a refrain that we hear right through life, You must be successful in this life and in the hereafter Though I say this is the oft repeated message within the Muslim community or society, it has to be the same oft repeated message within other societies and communities as well. I am certain that the oft repeated message or what I call the refrain of all communities or societies would be You must be successful in this life and in the hereafter The only difference between the different communities would be their theme or their method. Let me just give attention to what I have observed within the Muslim society. We are told that we must have certain beliefs, commonly referred to as the Articles of Faith: let me just list them out: 1

1. Believe in one God, that is Allah 2. Believe in all His Angels 3. Believe in the Scriptures 4. Believe in His Prophets 5. Believe in the Day of Judgment 6. Believe in the supremacy of Gods will or predestination Along with the Articles of Faith, we are also required to obey what is referred to as the Principles of Islam or the Five Pillars of Islam, which make up Muslim life, prayer, concern for the needy, self purification and the pilgrimage. Let me list them out; 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Belief Worship Charitable giving Fasting during the month of Ramadan (sauwm) The pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) at least once in a lifetime.

Now, Muslims all over the world have this mindset, that to observe all the rights of the Articles of Faith and to properly fulfill or perform the Principles of Islam, a good Muslim would be blessed or even rewarded with the resources. We use many Arabic words to describe these resources. We use the words Barakath, Nighmeth, the Fadhzl of Allah and so on. The way we interpret it, it finally boils down to Rupees & cents, (or Dollars, Euro, Yen and Riyals) to influence, to good health and the ready access to what we call the good things of life The more we have, the more we assume that Allah is favoring us and therefore it follows that He has to be pleased with us. Now whilst pronouncing this, all of us also has a niggling uncertainty in our hearts. When in meditative mode we find ourselves asking ourselves the question Is this really what Allah requires of us as Muslims? This thought bothers us. We know that if we were to spend some time thinking things out we could seek out the answers, but then we are too tempted or I can even say seduced by the materials of this world and so we keep on postponing this ever so important soul searching exercise. Anyway, returning to the refrain of the Muslims, we want to have more so that we can give more and serve more This is what we say. So all of us spend our whole lives trying to earn more and more and more. Our logic, if we believe in the Articles of Faith and perform what we refer to as the Principles of Islam all our efforts for earning and even our earnings would be considered worship and thus whilst earning for this world we are in fact earning for the hereafter. It is a neat argument isnt it? But then, could this be true? So in trying to live up to our refrain, we are ambitious for ourselves as well as ambitious for our children. We want our children to grow up to be good doctors, good lawyers, good engineers, good entrepreneurs and good leaders of society. Our argument, so that they could be good Muslims This answer troubles our conscience, but we do not take time to work out what is troubling us and then try to work out the solution. 2

Do we not think? We say that we want our children to be good doctors, good lawyers, good engineers and so on because we say that then they would in fact be good Muslims, we even say they would be serving Islam But then think again, are they pursuing their professions so as to serve Islam or are they actually serving their own selfish interests? Do we not think? Is not each of what we call these lucrative professions actually a lifelong treasure hunt? Are we not earning through the distresses of others? And then are we not deceitfully proclaiming that these are the blessings of Allah? These are our desires; these are not the realities as instructed in the Quran. Isnt it time we woke up and tried to work out the realities as outlined to us in the Quran? This is the objective of my spending time doing research in to the message or the instructions in the Quran. Let me now share with you some of the lessons that I am really enjoying whilst learning from the Quran. I hope that all of you would enjoy it too, and be stimulated or motivated enough to venture in to this demanding but satisfying field of Quran-research yourselves. The Quran is a book of guidance and when reading the Quran in contemplative mode, over and over again, you begin to recognize connections and then gradually you find yourself drawn in to categorizing the Aayaths. For example I could say that there are a number of Aayaths that describe or point out to the Quraan itself. We sometimes find the word Kithaab being used and sometimes the word Quran. So obviously we begin to think what is the difference? Another category that would contain a vast number of Aayaths would be about GOD or about Allah Himself. This would be, as I said a vast category and could easily for purposes of study and research be subdivided into many other sub categories. Still another category would be the names Allah uses to describe the different categories of people. We have descriptions of what we could refer to as good people as well as evil people Not only do we have these names or categories of good and evil people we also have descriptions of the qualities that those persons possess. Now when reading the Quran and doing research in to what it instructs I just cannot help but think, We want our children to be good doctors, good lawyers, good engineers, good entrepreneurs and good leaders of society, and so on, whilst Allah is instructing us to be Muslims, Mumins, Mukhlis and so on, and also warning us against being Kaafir, Faasiq, Mufsidh and so on. There are many descriptive names that Allah uses, but unfortunately, either because we do not know Arabic or because we have not taken the trouble to find out we think that there are only two categories of people the good and the evil, or to be blunter, the Muslim and the Kaafir. Only when we seriously get down to reading the Quran do we realize how wrong we are. We think that anyone who is not a Muslim, I think I should rephrase that, we think that anyone who does not belong to the Muslim Community is a Kaafir. 3

It would surprise many of us to learn that in some places the Quran clearly points out to us that the Kaafir is the person who calls himself Muslim but is in fact rejecting the Aayaths of Allah. Let me read a few Aayaths of the Quran to illustrate this point.

(2:8) And among men there are some who say, We believe in Allah and in the Last Day, yet they are not believers. (2:9) They try to deceive Allah and those who believe, while they are not deceiving anyone except themselves, although they are unaware of it.

Now, to me, this is a very frightening Aayath. To me anyone who says Aamannaa biLLaHi wa Bil Yauwmil Aakhir (I believe in Allah and the last day, or the day of judgment) has to be Muslim. But then Allah tells us, there are some who are not. My question, Am I one of them? How do I find out? So as I mentioned earlier, just as we think that we have to be good doctors, good lawyers, good engineers, good entrepreneurs and good leaders of society, and so on and this will help us to be good Muslims, Allah uses other names and descriptions to describe good people.Let me read some Aayaths of the Quran that point out these names. I will read it out in phrases so that the message becomes clearer: (33:35) Surely, Muslim men and Muslim women, believing men and believing women, devout men and devout women, truthful men and truthful women, patient men and patient women, humble men and humble women, and the men who give Sadaqah (charity) and the women who give Sadaqah, and the men who fast and the women who fast, and the men who guard their private parts (against evil acts) and the women who guard (theirs),

and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember (Him) for them, Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward. Here Allah tells us about the people who possess good qualities. Similarly; (23:1) Success is really attained by the believers (23:2) who concentrate their attention in humbleness when offering Salh (prayers) (23:3) and who keep themselves away from vain things, (23:4) and who are performers of Zakh ,

In these short 4 Aayaths Allah has mentioned the Muminoon, the Khaashighoon, the ghanil laGHwi mughriDHloon and the LiZZakaathi Faaghiloon Now how do we recognize these qualities and similarly how do we recognize these people? How do we identify these qualities and how do we bring them in to our lives? How could we become possessors of these praiseworthy qualities? Similarly Allah tells us about evil qualities and those who possess these evil qualities. We read in the Quran about the Dhlaaleen or the persons who go astray, the Kaafir or the persons who rejects the Signs or the Aayaths of Allah, the Mufsidheen usually translated as the mischief maker, the Faasiqeen usually translated as those who defiantly disobey or the rebels and the Khaasireen or those who are the eventual losers and so on. Now when we hear these words we think that it is very easy to recognize these persons. Surely we know those who are mischief makers or the Mufsidheen. Surely we know or we can easily recognize those who are rebellious or defiantly disobedient, the Faasiqeen, and surely we know who the Khaasireen or the eventual losers are. But then the Quran gives us very different indications. The clear message is be careful those whom we think are good may actually be those who are evil and those who we think are evil, may actually be those who are doing good. Confusing isnt it? But this message is clear. Let me, again read you a few Aayaths from the Quran that demonstrates this point.

(2:11) When it is said to them, Do not spread disorder on the earth, they say, We are but reformers.

(2:12) Beware, it is, in fact, they who spread disorder, but they do not appreciate.

(2:13) And when it is said to them, Believe as people have believed, they say, Shall we believe as the fools have believed? Beware, it is, in fact, they who are the fools, but they do not know.

(2:14) When they meet those who believe, they say, We have entered Faith; but when they are alone with their satans, they say, Indeed, we are with you; we were only mocking.

From reading just these 3 Aayaths there are so many questions that we ask. Some say we are Muswlihoon (reformers) Allah says No, they are Mufsidhoon or mischief makers So we have these questions, how do we recognize mischief? How do we differentiate mischief from reform? How do we recognize those who say they are involved in reforms but are in fact up to mischief? In the next Aayath we are told about some persons who think they have knowledge (Ilm) and that others are fools (sufaHaa). But then Allah tells us that these people who claim to have Ilm or superior knowledge are in fact the fools. So the question, Who are these Alims or these people who think that others are fools? Now when we read the Quran we find that we read these names quite often. But then how do we recognize these people? What are their diagnostic features? And most importantly Am I one of them? Again when we read the Quran we also regularly read Aayaths that describe categories of people. Let me read to you: (2:1) Alif. Lm. Mm .

(2:2) That Book has no doubt in it - a guidance for the MuththaQi,

So we ask the question, who is a MuththaQi? In the next two Aayaths, Allah lists out the characteristics of a MuththaQi.

(2:3) who believe in the Unseen, and are steadfast in Salh (prayer), and spend out of what We have provided them;

(2:4) and who believe in what has been revealed to you and what has been revealed before you; and they have faith in the Hereafter.

Now we have more questions, what does Allah mean by: 1. Yuminoona Bil ghaib Believe in the unseen 2. Wa Yuqeemoonas Swalaatha and are steadfast in Swalaath 3. Wa mimmaa Razaqnaa Hum yunfiQoon and spend out of what we have provided for them Does not everybody spend out of what God has provided? Or is Allah pointing out something special? Should we not spend time and effort to find out? Every Aayath or you could even say almost every word in the Quran stimulates questions; you could even call them reflex questions. It looks like the Quran is designed to evoke curiosity, seeking and questioning. The next Aayath describes those who possess these qualities not only as the MuthtaQi but also as the MuHthadhoon (those who are rightly guided) and the Muflihoon (those who are successful)

(2:5) It is these who are guided by their Rabb; and it is just these who are successful.

The Quran not only instructs but it also enlightens. We have many Aayaths that name the categories of people, both good and evil, and then we also have many other Aayaths that describe qualities, the qualities that the people described as belonging to each of those categories possess. I refer to these as the Ulaa-ika Aayaths and the Allazeena Aayaths The Ulaa-ika Aayaths describe the categories of people who possess these good or evil qualities. And a number of Allazzena Aayaths describe those good or evil qualities Let me read a few examples of the Ulaaika Aayaths: Allah describes a few qualities and then says: (2:157) Those are the ones upon whom there are blessings from their Rabb, and mercy as well; and those are the ones who are on the right path.

Who are these people and what are these qualities? Worth knowing isnt it? (3:113) Not all of them are alike: Among the people of the Book there are those who are steadfast; they recite the verses of Allah in the night hours, and they prostrate themselves; (3:114) they believe in Allah and the Hereafter, and bid the Fair and forbid the Unfair, and hasten towards good deeds. They are among the righteous.

In Aayath Nos 113 and 114 of Surah Aal E Imraan, Allah lists out 8 qualities and then says about those who possess these 8 qualities as Ulaaika minas Swaaliheen Worth knowing isnt it? And then we have this word Birr, usually translated to mean piety. In Aayath No 177 of S Baqarah Allah describes what Birr is and it consists of a collection of many qualities. Let me read this Aayath: (2:177) Righteousness is not (merely) that you turn your faces to the East and the West;

but righteousness is that one believes in Allah and the Last Day and the angels and the Book and the Prophets, and gives wealth, despite (his) love for it, to relatives, and to orphans, the helpless, the wayfarer, and to those who ask, and (spends) in (freeing) slaves and observes the Salh (prayers) and pays Zakahand (the act of) those who fulfill their covenant when they enter into a covenant, and, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Those are the ones who are truthful, and those are the Allah - fearing.

There are a number of qualities mentioned here and we are told that those who possess these qualities or those who persistently strive to possess these qualities are the SwaadhiQoon those who are truthful and they are also the MuththaQoon.

So Allah is describing not only good and evil qualities but is also describing or naming those who possess these qualities. Should we not find out? Is this not more important than becoming doctor, lawyer, engineer, entrepreneur or social worker? I sincerely hope 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 Taaalah guide us all and accept us all. Jazza Kalla Khairan. Assalamu Alaikum

Imtiaz Muhsin Colombo Sri Lanka crescent786@hotmail.com You Tube Channel - HaneefanMusliman

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 125 The Muslim 126 Shaithaan 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 How did the Prophets Earn? The Swudhoor Scoldings the Prophet Received Understanding Allahs Justice Arabic language of the AQL Pretending to be Mumin Jinns and Insaan The Mu'min Comments
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152723750/125-The-Muslim

http://www.scribd.com/doc/152865037/126-Shaithaan
http://www.scribd.com/doc/152865622/127-How-DidProphets-Earn

http://www.scribd.com/doc/152866510/128-The-Swudhoor http://www.scribd.com/doc/152867109/129-Scoldings-the-ProphetsReceived http://www.scribd.com/doc/152944005/130-Understanding-Allah-sJustice http://www.scribd.com/doc/153575145/131-Arabic-The-Languageof-the-AQL


http://www.scribd.com/doc/153575915/132-Pretending-to-Bea-Mu-min

http://www.scribd.com/doc/153687834/133-Jinns-and-Insaan
http://www.scribd.com/doc/153688620/134-The-Mu-min

Series 3 Note on Talks on History of Muslims


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 Jan 25th 2013 Feb 8th 2013 Feb 22nd 2013 March 29th 2013 April 5th 2013

Series 2 The Talks numbered 054 to 071 is under a series titled Knowing Allah Taaalah or Knowing GOD
The details of the scripts of these 16 Episodes (Talks) are as follows;
Talk No Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5 Episode 6 Episode 7 Talk Number & Title 054 Ilm Knowing Allah 055 Rationality - The Foundation of Islam 056 Is Man Special? 057 Ar Rahmaan - The Beneficent 058 Nature or GOD? 059 Our Relationship with GOD! 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? Date Broadcast th Dec 9 2011 Dec 16 2011
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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 The Devatagaha Mosque in Colombo, Sri Lanka A Mosque in a rural village in the Ampara District, in Sri Lanka The Jummah Mosque in Oluvil a village in the Ampara District, Sri Lanka The Dhanakawewa Jummah Mosque in a remote village in the Anuradhapura District in Sri Lanka Mosque at Madhavakulam in the Puttlam District, Sri Lanka A Mosque by a river in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka

Dec 23 2011 th Dec 30 2011 th Jan 6 2012 th Jan 13 2012 Jan 20 2012 Jan 27 2012 Feb 3 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 TH

s Ss SW

DHL DHZ

H h

Gh GH

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) (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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