The Quran on Human Embryonic Development

SOURCE

In the Holy Quran, God speaks about the stages of man’s embryonic development:

We created man from an extract of clay. Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed substance)... 1 (Quran, 23:12-14)

Literally, the Arabic word alaqah has three meanings: (1) leech, (2) suspended thing, and (3) blood clot.

In comparing a leech to an embryo in the alaqah stage, we find similarity between the two as we can see in figure 1. Also, the embryo at this stage obtains nourishment from the blood of the mother, similar to the leech, which feeds on the blood of others.

Figure 1: Drawings illustrating the similarities in appearance between a leech and a human embryo at the alaqah stage. (Leech drawing from Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, p. 37, modified from Integrated Principles of Zoology, Hickman and others. Embryo drawing from The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 73.)

The second meaning of the word alaqah is “suspended thing.” This is what we can see in figures 2 and 3, the suspension of the embryo, during the alaqah stage, in the womb of the mother.

Figure 2: We can see in this diagram the suspension of an embryo during the alaqah stage in the womb (uterus) of the mother. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 66.)

Figure 3: In this photomicrograph, we can see the suspension of an embryo (marked B) during the alaqah stage (about 15 days old) in the womb of the mother. The actual size of the embryo is about 0.6 mm. (The Developing Human, Moore, 3rd ed., p. 66, from Histology, Leeson and Leeson.)

The third meaning of the word alaqah is “blood clot.” We find that the external appearance of the embryo and its sacs during the alaqah stage is similar to that of a blood clot. This is due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo during this stage4 (see figure 4). Also during this stage, the blood in the embryo does not circulate until the end of the third week. Thus, the embryo at this stage is like a clot of blood.

Figure 4: Diagram of the primitive cardiovascular system in an embryo during the alaqah stage. The external appearance of the embryo and its sacs is similar to that of a blood clot, due to the presence of relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo. (The Developing Human, Moore, 5th ed., p. 65.)

So the three meanings of the word alaqah correspond accurately to the descriptions of the embryo at the alaqah stage.

The next stage mentioned in the verse is the mudghah stage. The Arabic word mudghah means “chewed substance.” If one were to take a piece of gum and chew it in his or her mouth and then compare it with an embryo at the mudghah stage, we would conclude that the embryo at the mudghah stage acquires the appearance of a chewed substance. This is because of the somites at the back of the embryo that “somewhat resemble teethmarks in a chewed substance.” (see figures 5 and 6).

Figure 5: Photograph of an embryo at the mudghah stage (28 days old). The embryo at this stage acquires the appearance of a chewed substance, because the somites at the back of the embryo somewhat resemble teeth marks in a chewed substance. The actual size of the embryo is 4 mm. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 82, from Professor Hideo Nishimura, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.)

Figure 6: When comparing the appearance of an embryo at the mudghah stage with a piece of gum that has been chewed, we find similarity between the two.
A) Drawing of an embryo at the mudghah stage. We can see here the somites at the back of the embryo that look like teeth marks. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 79.)
B) Photograph of a piece of gum that has been chewed.

How could (Prophet) Muhammad have possibly known all this 1400 years ago, when scientists have only recently discovered this using advanced equipment and powerful microscopes which did not exist at that time? Hamm and Leeuwenhoek were the first scientists to observe human sperm cells (spermatozoa) using an improved microscope in 1677 (more than 1000 years after Muhammad

). They mistakenly thought that the sperm cell contained a miniature preformed human being that grew when it was deposited in the female genital tract. Professor Emeritus Keith L. Moore is one of the world’s most prominent scientists in the fields of anatomy and embryology and is the author of the book entitled The Developing Human, which has been translated into eight languages. This book is a scientific reference work and was chosen by a special committee in the United States as the best book authored by one person. Dr. Keith Moore is Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. There, he was Associate Dean of Basic Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine and for 8 years was the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy. In 1984, he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. He has directed many international associations, such as the Canadian and American Association of Anatomists and the Council of the Union of Biological Sciences.

In 1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Professor Moore said: “It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quran about human development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God (Allah S.W.T.), because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God. (Allah S.W.T.)

Consequently, Professor Moore was asked the following question: “Does this mean that you believe that the Quran is the word of God? (Allah S.W.T.)” He replied: “I find no difficulty in accepting this.”

During one conference, Professor Moore stated: “....Because the staging of human embryos is complex, owing to the continuous process of change during development, it is proposed that a new system of classification could be developed using the terms mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah (what Muhammad said, did, or approved of). The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and conforms with present embryological knowledge. The intensive studies of the Quran and hadeeth (reliably transmitted reports by the Prophet Muhammad’s companions of what he said, did, or approved of) in the last four years have revealed a system for classifying human embryos that is amazing since it was recorded in the seventh century A.D. Although Aristotle, the founder of the science of embryology, realized that chick embryos developed in stages from his studies of hen’s eggs in the fourth century B.C., he did not give any details about these stages. As far as it is known from the history of embryology, little was known about the staging and classification of human embryos until the twentieth century. For this reason, the descriptions of the human embryo in the Quran cannot be based on scientific knowledge in the seventh century. The only reasonable conclusion is: these descriptions were revealed to Muhammad from God (Allah SWT). He could not have known such details because he was an illiterate man with absolutely no scientific training.”
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Footnotes:

(1) Please note that what is between these special brackets (...) in this web site is only a translation of the meaning of the Quran. It is not the Quran itself, which is in Arabic.

(2) The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 8.

(3) Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, p. 36.

(4) Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, pp. 37-38.

(5) The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 65.

(6) The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 8.

(7) The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 9.

(8) Note: The occupations of all the scientists mentioned in this web site were last updated in 1997.

(9) The reference for this saying is This is the Truth (videotape). For a copy of this videotape, please visit this page.

(10) This is the Truth (videotape).

(11) This is the Truth (videotape). For a copy, see footnote no. 9.

Can a Machine Issue Islamic Fatwas?

http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=7&id=11493

17/01/2008
By Mona Madkour

Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- A controversial new electronic device could revolutionize the field of Islamic jurisprudence and allegedly issue more accurate Shariah fatwas [religious edicts]. The device, currently in production in France, will be known as the 'Electronic Mufti' and will depend on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to issue opinions on contemporary Muslim affairs and matters.

Asharq Al-Awsat met with the only Arab participating in the production of this machine, Engineer Dr. Anas Fawzi, who hails from Egypt and is a communications expert who is part of the team based in France.

He describes the device as "a very large capacity computer on which all the information that is relevant to a given [historical] figure is uploaded; everything that has been mentioned in history books or chronicled documents that indicate his/her responses and attitudes towards all positions adopted in his/her life. Through a process that relies on AI, the computer then simulates responses based on the available data so that the answers are the expected response that the person in question would give if they were alive," said Dr. Fawzi.

"The device deduces the expected response through consulting thousands of examples that have been uploaded on to the machine, pertaining to that person whilst taking into account their reactions so that it may relate the expected response in accordance with their personality as created by the Artificial Intelligence apparatus," explained Dr. Fawzi.

Regarding the team working to implement this project, Dr. Fawzi said that the creation of this machine is undertaken by a group of French scientists and that it is not available to the public.

He added, "Despite the success of research over the past decades, [AI] is still incapable of fully knowing and familiarizing itself with the human mind's operations. There are also considerable attempts being made to make AI machines 'translate' human emotions and reactions from sadness to joy and compassion, among other human feelings."

In terms of the nationalities of the scientists and their fields of specialization, Dr. Fawzi said, "Scientists who have invented this device [electronic mufti] hail from various different nations. I am honoured to be part of this unprecedented scientific achievement. Through my work and residence in France for many long years, I am proud to be working with an exemplary large team where dozens of specializations abound."

In terms of implementing this technology and benefitting from it in the realm of Islam and fatwas, Dr. Fawzi said, "Although a team has assembled and uploaded all the information that is available about the Prophet Mohammed in [canonical] Islamic history books, the holy Quran and what is known about his life through Sunnah," he acknowledges that it would be highly controversial – if not downright contentious – to implement this.

Notwithstanding, he revealed, "I have consulted with several Islamic scholars and clerics in elevated positions – there is no need to mention their names so as to avoid stirring up public opinion – however, they have assured me that such a device is not 'haram' [prohibited by Islam]. But there are fears and scepticism regarding misuse and causing any misrepresentation or defamation to the figure of the Prophet. There are also fears in terms of Arab and Islamic public opinion and their acceptance of a machine such as this."

Dr. Fawzi expressed his aspiration to supervise over a team that could be headed by a group of Islamic clerics who would be directly responsible for all the religious edicts that can be sent to anyone anywhere in the world via email or through mobile phones or even using telephones so that questions may be posed directly.

Regarding the views of various Islamic scholars and clerics about this device, the Egyptian Awqaf [Religious Endowments] Ministry's First Undersecretary for Preaching Affairs, Dr. Shawqi Abdel Latif said with regards to the concept of 'simulating' the figure of the Prophet of Islam to serve the Islamic religion in accordance with special conditions: "the idea is a noble one if indeed it calls for Muslim unity in matters of religion in light of the satellite [channel] wars that the Muslim endure, in addition to the incapability of the relevant bodies of formulating and setting forth ideas in the interest of Muslims. However, I strongly stress that there is no machine or human mind capable of simulating the figure of the Prophet regardless of their knowledge or immensely advanced technological capabilities."

He also added that, "God Almighty blessed the Prophet and chose him and you cannot transcend over the rest of the creatures to be like him; the true differentiating factor here is Revelation. The incorrect interpretation of the Quranic verse 'Say: I am only a mortal like you' (Surat al Kahf 18:110) does not in any way mean that there is any similitude between us and the Prophet or between him and any famous figure that the machine can simulate."

Dr. Abdel Latif continued to say that, "If they wanted to apply this machine's capabilities to Islam then the sole condition would be that it serve the implementation of Islamic Shariah and unite the religions fatwas [religious edicts] and ijtihad [independent Islamic interpretation]. This can be achieved through the formation of an Al-Azhar religious committee that could attribute what has been issued by the machine to be in accordance with Islamic Shariah – not according to what the Prophet has said."

As for Dr. Mustafa al Swahili, professor at Al-Azhar University, he totally rejects the concept behind this machine and said, "I am in complete agreement that Islam is a glorious science and that it invites interpretation – so long as it does not violate the religion. I believe a device such as this will create confusion among the people since no matter how advanced science is; it will still have limitations because simulation is limited and does not yield full answers."

However, Dr. al Swahili stressed the importance of seeking knowledge and confirmed that it is an Islamic duty to always seek and further knowledge.

TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING THE QUR'AN

ORIGINAL SOURCE

By Amanullah Vadakkangara

The Qur'an is the most sacred Book in the world. It is the uncreated word of Allah, given as the greatest blessing to the whole mankind through the last Messenger Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). We all know that Allah the Almighty, being the Creator, Protector and Sustainer of the universe has taken the responsibility of giving guidance to the people. For this purpose He has sent Messengers to all places in all times with glad tidings for the good doers and severe warnings of punishment to those who reject the divine Message.

Allah has revealed divine books and pages of instructions to several prophets. But all the prophets before Mohammad (pbuh) were sent to a particular time and to a particular community. Their messages were confined to their respective areas. That is why the books revealed to them are not found now in the original form, though some copies with enough additions and omissions are kept with some communities and they consider it divine still today.

A sincere attempt to see the actual conditions of these scripts reveals that Allah has sent Taurat to Moosa (Moses), Injeel to Isa (Jesus) and Zaboor to Dawood (David) - peace be on them - before the prophethood of Mohammad (pbuh). Originally all these were from Allah with divine instructions to their community. But by the passage of time the followers of those books misinterpreted the verses and made their own words in the book so as to suit and safeguard their interests.

But the case of the Qur'an is entirely different. Since Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) has been sent to the whole mankind till the Day of Judgment and since he is the Last Messenger to the universe, Allah made the Holy Qur'an the last of His divine revelation and He Himself took up the responsibility of protecting it from all possible malpractices and misintrepretations. Thus we can see that the Qur'an is the most widely read Book in the whole world.

It is noteworthy that even after 14 centuries the Revelation exists in its original form without being affected even by a single change to any of its letters. Allah says: "Surely We have sent down the Qur'an and will protect it". This is very much clear and everybody will agree to this fact. It is wonderful to note that millions of people are reciting this Holy Book everyday knowingly or unknowingly the meanings of its contents.

The Qur'an contains 114 Suras (chapters) of unequal length. These Suras were revealed occasionally and were given parts by parts to the Prophet and hence it took 23 years to complete it. Scholars say that this was done with a purpose.

First, the Prophet (pbuh) was unlettered and he had to learn the revealed parts by heart. So Allah revealed His messages to him part by part to ease his memorisation. Most of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) were also unlettered. So this would help them also to learn by heart portion by portion. Secondly, the Prophet was moulding a typical Islamic society strictly with spiritual code and conduct throughout their life. So timely instructions and practical solutions to their problems had to be given. Allah wanted to convince them of the situations and give directions on the spot.

So we see several verses were revealed on several occasions and this in turn shows the miracle of this Holy Book. When the disbelievers highlighted this as a defect for a Holy Book, the Qur'an replied to them in Suratul Furqan. Allah explains this: "Those who reject Faith say: Why is not the Qur'an revealed to him all at once? Thus (is it revealed), that We may strengthen thy heart hereby, and We Rehearsed it to thee in slow, well­arranged stages, gradually".

Three reasons are given for the gradual revelation of the Qur'an: (1) "To strengthen thy heart": the tremendous task of winning the Arab nation, and, through them, the whole world, to Islam, required superhuman patience, constancy, and firmness, and these qualities were strengthened by the gradual promulgation of solutions to each difficulty as it arose. (2) "Slow, well­arranged stages": though the stages were gradual, as the occasion demanded from time to time, in the course of 23 years, the whole emerged, when completed, as a well­arranged scheme of spiritual instruction, as we have seen in following the arrangement of the Suras. (3) Questions put and answers given.

Divine knowledge is a fathomless ocean. But glimpses of it can be obtained by any individual sincerely searching for the Truth. Their progress will be in grades. If they ask questions, and answers are then furnished to them, they are more likely to apprehend the Truth, as they have already explored the part of the territory in which they are interested.

In the same way, when concrete questions arise by the logic of events, and they are answered not only for the occasion, but from a general standpoint, the teaching has a far greater chance of penetrating the human intelligence and taking shape in practical conduct. And this is the usual way of instruction in the Qur'an.

"(It is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts from time to time), in order that thou mightest recite it to men at intervals: We have revealed it by stages" (Sura Al Isra: 106). The marvel is that these parts, revealed at different times and in different circumstances, should fit together so closely and consistently as they do. All revelation is progressive. Each of them marked a stage in the world's spiritual history. Man's mind does not take in more than his spiritual state will have prepared him for God's revelation comes as a light to illuminate our difficulties and show us the way in actual situations that arise.

The Suras of the Qur'an are divided into two: Makki Suras and Madani Suras. Those Suras which were revealed to the Prophet in his Makkan period is termed as Makkan Suras and the Suras revealed to him in Madina are known as Madani Suras. The Suras which were revealed in the early Makkan period were mainly concentrating on the following three points.

1. Directives were given to the Prophet (peace be upon him) on how he should prepare himself for his great mission and how he should begin working for the fulfilment of his task.

2. A fundamental knowledge of reality was furnished and misconceptions commonly held by people in that regard - misconceptions which gave rise to wrong orientation in life - were removed.

3. People were exhorted to adopt the right attitude toward life. Moreover, the Qur'an also elucidated those fundamental principles which, if followed, lead to man's success and happiness.

In keeping with the character of the mission at this stage the early revelations generally consisted of short verses, couched in language of uncommon grace and power, and clothed in a literary style suited to the taste and temperament of the people to whom they were originally addressed, and whose hearts they were meant to penetrate. The rhythm, melody and vitality of these verses drew rapt attention, and such was their stylistic grace and charm that people began to recite them involuntarily.

This early stage lasted for four or five years, during which period the following reactions to the Prophet's message manifested themselves:

1. A few people responded to the call and agreed to join the Ummat (community) committed, of its own volition, to submit to the Will of God.

2. Many people reacted with hostility, either from ignorance or egotism, or because of chauvinistic attachment to the way of life of their forefathers.

3. The call of the Prophet, however, did not remain confined to Makkah or to the Quraysh. It began to meet with favourable response beyond the borders of that city and among other tribes.

The next stage of the mission was marked by a hard, vigorous struggle between the Islamic movement and the age­old Jahiliyah traditions of Arabia. Not only were the Makkans and the Quraysh bent upon preserving their inherited way of life, they were also firmly resolved to suppress the new movement by force. They stopped at nothing in the pursuit of this objective. They resorted to false propaganda; they spread doubt and suspicion and used subtle, malinsinuations to sow distrust in people's minds. They tried to prevent people from listening to the message of the Prophet. They perpetrated savage cruelties on those who embraced Islam. They subjected them to economic and social boycott, and persecuted them to such an extent that on two occasions a number of them were forced to leave home and emigrate to Abyssinia, and finally they had to emigrate en masse to Madina.

Despite the strong and growing resistance, enmity and opposition, the Islamic movement continued to spread to all nooks and corners of the Arabian Peninsula and during the Prophet's long and arduous struggle God continued to inspire him with revelations possessing at once the smooth, natural flow of a river, the violent force of a flood and the overpowering effect of a fierce fire.

These messages instructed the believers in their basic duties, inculcated in them a sense of community and belonging, exhorted them to piety, moral excellence and purity of character, taught them how to preach the true faith, sustained their spirit by promises of success and Paradise in the Hereafter, aroused them to struggle in the cause of God with patience, fortitude andhigh spirits, and filled their hearts with such zeal and enthusiasm that they were prepared to endure every sacrifice, brave every hardship and face every adversity.

At the same time, those either bent on opposition, or who had deviated from the right way, or who had immersed themselves in frivolity and wickedness, were warned by having their attentions called to the tragic ends of nations with whose fates they were familiar. They were asked to draw lessons from the ruins of those localities through which they passed every day in the course of their wanderings.

Evidence for the unity of God and for the existence of the After­life was pointed to in signs visible to their own eyes and within the range of their ordinary experience. The weaknesses inherent in polytheism, the vanity of man's ambition to become independent even of God, the folly of denying the After­life, the perversity of blind adherence to the ways of one's ancestors regardless of right or wrong, were all fully elucidated with the help of arguments cogent enough to penetrate the minds and hearts of the audience.

Moreover every misgiving was removed, a reasonable answer was provided to every objection, all confusion and perplexity was cleared up, and ignorance was besieged from all sides till its irrationality was totally exposed. Along with all this went the warning of the wrath of God. The people were reminded of the horrors of Doomsday and the tormenting punishment of Hell. They were also censured for their moral corruption, for their erroneous ways of life, for their clinging to the ways of ignorance, for their opposition to Truth and their persecution of the believers. Furthermore, these messages enunciated those fundamental principles of morality and collective life on which all sound and healthy civilizations enjoying God's approval had always rested.

This stage was unfolded in several phases. In each phase, the preaching of the message assumed ever wider proportions, as the struggle for the cause of Islam and opposition to it became increasingly intense and severe, and as the believers encountered people of varying outlooks and beliefs. All these factors had the effect of increasing the variety of the topics treated in the messages revealed during this period. Such, in brief, was the situation forming the background to the Makkan Suras of the Qur'an.

Even after 13 years of relentless efforts the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions found Makkah unfavourable to continue their mission and were forced to migrate to Madina. During this stage, circumstances changed drastically. The Muslim community succeeded in establishing a fully­fledged state; its creatives of the ancient ignorance of Arabia. The community also encountered followers of the former prophets, i.e. Jews and Christians. An additional problem was that hypocrites began to join the fold of the Muslim community; their machinations needed to be resisted.

After a severe struggle, lasting ten years, the Islamic movement reached a high point of achievement when the entire Arabian peninsula came under its way and the door was open to worldwide preaching and reform. This stage, like the preceding one, passed through various phases each of which had its peculiar problems and demands.

It was in the context of these problems that God continued to reveal messages to the Prophet. At times these messages were couched in the form of fiery speeches; at other times they were characterised by the grandeur and stateliness of majestic proclamations and ordinances. At times they had the air of instructions from a teacher; at others the style of preaching of a reformer. These messages explained how a healthy society, state and civilization could be established and the principles on which the various aspects of human life should be based.

They also dealt with matters directly related to the specific problems facing the Muslims. For example, how should they deal with the hypocrites (who were harming the Muslim community from within) and with the non­Muslims who were living under the care of the Muslim Society? How should they relate to the People of the Book? What treatment should be meted out to those with whom the Muslims were at war, and how should they deal with those with whom the Muslims were at war, and how should they deal with those with whom them were bound by treaties and agreements? How should the believers, as a community, prepare to discharge their obligations as vicegerents of the Lord of the Universe?

Through the Qur'an the Muslims were guided in questions like these, were instructed and trained, made aware of their weaknesses, urged to risk their lives and property for the cause of God, taught the code of morality they should observe in all circumstances of life - in times of victory and defeat, ease and distress, prosperity and adversity, peace and security, peril and danger.

In short, they were being trained to serve as the successors of the mission of the Prophet, with the task of carrying on the message of Islam and bringing about reform in human life. The Qur'an also addressed itself to those outside the fold of Islam, to the People of the Book, the hypocrites, the unbelievers, the polytheists. Each group was addressed according to its own particular circumstances and attitudes. Sometimes the Qur'an invited them to the true faith with tenderness and delicacy; on other occasions, it rebuked and severely admonished them. It also warned them against, and threatened them with, punishment from God. It attempted to make them take heed by drawing their attention to instructive historical events. In short, people were left with no valid reason for refusing the call of the Prophet.

Such, briefly, is the background to the Madani Suras of the Qur'an (Tafheemul Qur'an, Syed Abul A'la Maudoodi, Part 1, P­17).

As we have already noted in our earlier articles it was in a Ramadan the revelation of the Holy Qur'an was started. It is vivid clear in the history that the social conditions of the sixth century Arabia was deplorable and people led a barbarian life of immoralities. They didn't follow any ethics or never considered values. Their life was concerned mainly in what is called three w's viz. war, wine and women. Even before the prophethood Mohammad (pbuh) hated such acts and spent time in the cave of Hira involved in deep mediation. It was on this time the Angel Jibreel appeared before him with the first message. There he was given the first five verses from the Suratul Alaq.

Guidance for the mankind

When we think about the revelation of the Holy Qur'an it comes to our mind, that Allah, the Creator, Evolver, Sustainer and Cherisher of all the creatures had considered Himself as His responsibility to guide the mankind to the right direction before they come before Him for judgement. Unless and until enough instructions are not given regarding how to live on the earth there is no meaning in assembling the people, judging their deeds and dividing them into Paradise or Hell.

Allah is All­wise All­knowing and all seeing so He took as a practice of sending messengers to all people with glad tidings to those who move along with the right path, obeying the commands of the Creator and His Messenger and warning of severe punishment to those who reject the appeal of the prophets and go astray. We know that Allah's providence encompasses not only the entire physical side of human beings but it also furnishes with the means of spiritual sustenance to enable them to attain the Ideal of becoming his vicegerents on earth. Prophets were sent for this purpose.

It should also be noted that man has unlimited and ever increasing problems in this world. He himself is not able to overcome it or find any suitable solution for it. That is why Allah gave clear­cut instruction since His first creation. He ordained "When there comes to you a guidance from Me, then whosoever follows My guidance, no fear shall be on them, nor shall they grieve. And those who choose disbelief and belie Our Signs, these be the Companions of Fire, in that they abide for ever." (Sura Al­Baqara: 38­39).

From these verses we can understand that it is not for man to prescribe the way of life which his fellow human beings should follow. In his double capacity as the subject and vicegerent of God, man is required to follow the way of life prescribed by his Lord and there are only two means of access to this way, either by direct revelation from God or by following one to whom God has revealed guidance. Resorting to any other means in quest of salvation is not only fundamentally wrong but tantamount to rebellion.

Since the chain of prophethood is closed with the sending of Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as a mercy and guidance to the all world there are no chances left over for anybody to reject his teachings in the way of right direction. It was on this account the Prophet (pbuh) said, "I have left two things with you, so long as you behold that you will not go astray. They are the Book of Allah and the Sunna of the Prophet."

From the approach of the Qur'an we can see that all prophets were sent down with the same message of emancipating people from the worship of the creatures and leading them to the worship of the God, the Creator.

The following Qur'anic lessons deserve special mentioning in this regard.

1. All nations of the world were provided with spiritual guidance through their Prophets: And every community had its warner
And for each community there was a messenger


2. These prophets were all human beings, as human beings only could serve as perfect models to and reformers of mankind: And nothing prevents men from believing when the guidance comes to them except that they say: Does God raise up a human being as a messenger? Say: Had there been in the earth angels walking therein as settlers, surely We would have caused to come down upon them from above an angel as a messenger.
And We sent not before thee except men whom We gave Our command. Therefore ask ye of the People of the Book if you know not. And We gave them not bodies not taking food and they were not exempt from death.


3. All these prophets were sinless: It is not attributable to a prophet that he should act unfaithfully.


4. They were all given books for the guidance of their people: Then God sends His Prophets (Anbiya), bearers of glad tidings and so warners, and He sends with them the Book with the truth.
Surely We have sent Our messengers (Rusul) with clear proofs and We have sent down with them the Book and the balance that mankind may keep up justice.


5. Only some among them were mentioned by name but there were many more whose names were not mentioned: And there are messengers We have related to thee ere this and messengers We have not related to thee.


6. Belief in the prophets of all nations is an essential article of a Muslim's faith and forms the basis of the brotherhood of all nations:

7. And who believe in what has been sent to thee and what was sent before thee.

We should understand that the Holy Qur'an is the most important blessing from Allah to the mankind. Allah has offered reward for reciting this Holy Book even without knowing the meaning. When we recite, learn and memorise it Allah will give countless rewards and blessings for us by this act of virtue. The Prophet (pbuh) has said, the best among you are those who learn Qur'an and teaches it.

The Qur'an says: Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have knowledge, to high ranks and God is well acquainted with all you do (Suratul Mujadala ­ II). It come in a hadith that "One who is skilled in the Qur'an is associated with the noble, upright recording angels; and he who falters when reciting the Qur'an and finds it difficult for him will get double reward from Allah.

It is also a known hadith that the Prophet (pbuh) advised his companions "Recite the Qur'an, for on the Day of Resurrection it will come as an intercessor for those who recite it. See the translations of some of the Hadiths shedding light on the significance of the recitation, memorisation and learning the Holy Qur'an.

1. If anyone recites a letter of the Holy Qur'an he will be credited with a good deed and a good deed gets a tenfold reward, ten sins are forgiven and he is raised ten ranks high. I do not say that ALM are one letter, but alif is a letter, lam is a letter and mim is a letter.

2. "On the Day of Judgment it will be said to the People of Qur'an: Go on reciting the Qur'an and continue ascending the storeys of paradise and in measure you had been reading in worldly life, your final abode will be where you reach at the time of the last verse of your recitation."

3. Those who act up on the injunctions of the Holy Qur'an are the favourites and friends of Allah.

4. On the Day of Resurrection the Holy Qur'an will appear in the guise of a lean human being and will say, "Do you recognise me?" The Holy Qur'an will say, "I am your companion, the Holy Qur'an, who kept you thirsty in the scorching heat and awake at night.

Every trader expects to be benefited from his articles of trade and today you are under the shade of your all kinds of articles of trade. Then he will be given kingship in his right hand and the warrant of permission for entry into Paradise in his left hand. He will be made to wear the crown of respect and dignity. His parents will be made to wear two silky robes.

The worldly people did not attach any importance to them. They will ask, "Why they have been made to wear this dress?" They will be told that your son obtained knowledge of the Holy Qur'an. Then his son will be asked to start recitation of the Holy Qur'an, and for every Verse (ayat) read by the child, the status of the parents will be raised to the next higher grade of the Paradise (Jannat) till the recitation of the Holy Qur'an is completed.

5. Allah will honour with this (Qur'an) some people and disgrace some people.

6. Allah says: Whoever engaged in recitation of the Qur'an and in remembering Me, I will give him the best I will give for those who ask Me. The greatness of the words of Allah over other words is the greatness of Allah over the creatures.

7. Whoever recite the Qur'an and work accordingly Allah will adorn his father with a throne in the Day of Judgment, which will be brighter than the sun in the world. What you think about the one who follow Qur'an?

8. You read Qur'an because Allah will not punish the heart filled with Qur'an. The Qur'an is a feast of Allah whoever enter there is secured. Whoever loves it can have the good news (of Paradise).

But those who areblessed with an opportunity to learn Qur'an and memorise it should stand for the cause of Allah with a sincere intention of getting his reward. When one does this for worldly publicity and approval he will not be eligible for any reward from Allah rather he will be thrown to the Hell for punishment. The Prophet (pbuh) says in this regard.

"The first person to be judged on the Day of Resurrection will be a man who died as a martyr. He will be brought forward, and after Allah has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, "What did you do to show gratitude for it? The man will reply, I fought for Thy cause till I was martyred. Allah will say, You lie. You fought that people might call you courageous, and they have done so. Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell.

Next a man who has acquired and taught knowledge and read the Qur'an will be brought forward, and after Allah has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, What did you do to show gratitude for it? The man will reply, I acquired and taught knowledge and read the Qur'an for Thy sake. Allah will say, You lie. You acquired knowledge that people might call you learned, and you read the Qur'an that they might call you a reader, and they have done so. Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on his face and thrown into Hell.

Next a man whom Allah has made affluent and whom He has given all kinds of property will be brought forward, and after Allah has reminded him of the favour He showed him and the man acknowledges it, He will ask, What did you do to show gratitude for it? The man will reply, I have not neglected to give liberally for Thy sake to all the causes approved by Thee for this purpose. Allah will say, You lie. You did it that people might call you generous, and they have done so. Command will then be issued about him, and he will be dragged on is face and thrown into Hell. (Muslim transmitted it).

After acquiring the knowledge of this Holy Book of Allah, We must protect it and practice it throughout life. Because Allah's Messenger (pbuh) has said. One who obtains the knowledge of the Qur'an and afterwards neglects it will meet the same fate of the one who passes away the timings of the obligatory prayers in sleep.

Abdullah Ibn Umar reports from the Prophet (pbuh). The Prophet said "May I tell you a practice by which you will become a permanent reciter of the Holy Qur'an. I submitted: Why not? O Messenger of Allah! I always intend to seek piety and virtue, where upon the Prophet said: Fast the most superior type of fasting that is the fasting of Prophet Dawood (pbuh). He was the greatest worshipper. Recite the whole Qur'an in one month's time. I said, I can do more than that. Then the Prophet said. Then finish it in ten days. I said I can do more than that. There the Prophet said then finish the recitation of the whole Qur'an in seven days, and do not finish it less than this period.

These hadiths are sufficient guidelines for us in recitation of the Holy Qur'an. When we spend the holy month of Ramadan, that is the month of Qur'an - in recitation of the Holy Qur'an we must see that we follow it strictly abiding by the rules and regulations of recitation as the companion of the Prophet (pbuh) reported from the Prophet: Allah has asked me to recite the Holy Qur'an in a clear and distinct manner.

May Allah help us all to learn more and more about this sacred Book of Guidance and to strengthen our relation with it so that it may come to recommend for us in the Day of Judgment.

Here is an open challenge

THE Qur'an is a unique Book of divine guidance. Anybody blessed with a common sense of understanding can see that this a revealed book from the Creator. Actually the scholars who allege that Mohammad (peace be upon him) was the author of the Qur'an claim something which is humanly impossible. Could any person of the sixth century CE utter such scientific truths as the Qur'an contains? Could he describe the evolution of the embryo inside the uterus so accurately as we find it in modern science?

Secondly, is it logical to believe that Mohammad (pbuh), who up to the age of 40 was marked only for his honesty and integrity, began all of a sudden the authorship of a book matchless in literary merit and the equivalent of which the whole legion of the Arab poets and orators of highest calibre could not produce? And lastly, is it justified to say that Mohammad (pbuh) who was known as AL­AMEEN (The Trustworthy) in his society and who is still admired by the non­Muslim scholars for his honesty and integrity, came forth with a false claim and on that falsehood could train thousands of men of character, integrity and honesty, who were able to establish the best human society on the surface of the earth?

Surely, any sincere and unbiased searcher of truth will come to believe that the Qur'an is the revealed Book of Allah. Allah has answered to the allegations of the disbelievers of Makkah with an open challenge to bring a book similar to that of Qur'an with the help and co­operation of all people: see the following verses of the Qur'an challenging whosoever came forward to spread that the Qur'an is the creation of Mohammad.

First, Allah asked them to bring a similar book in the following verses.

Or do they say, "he fabricated the (Message)"? Nay, they have no faith! Let them then produce a recital like unto it, if (it be) they speak the Truth! (Sura Tur: 33­34).

"Say: If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support." (Sura Bani Israil: 88).

When they were not able to respond to this challenge by presenting a book similar to the Qur'an Allah challenged them by demanding to bring ten chapters.

"Or they may say, he forged it. Say, Bring ye then ten Suras forged, like unto it, and call (to your aid) whomsoever ye can, other than Allah! if ye speak the truth!" (Sura Hud: 13).

When they failed to face even this challenge Allah asked them to bring a single Sura similar to that of Qur'an.

This Qur'an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book - wherein there is no doubt - from the Lord of the Worlds. Or do they say, "He forged it"? Say: "Bring then a Sura like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, besides Allah, if it be ye speak the truth!" (Sura Yunus: 37­38).

In Suratul Baqara Allah repeats this challenge and finally gives a strong warning to those who disbelieve deliberately even after realising the truth. And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your doubts are true. But if ye cannot - and of a surety ye cannot - then fear the Fire whose fuel is men and stones and which is prepared for those who reject Faith. (Sura Baqara: 23­24).

It should be noted that the Arabs of the pre­Islamic period were masters of literature and got excellent command over the language. So Allah sent the Prophet to them with an unchallengeable book of literary significance apart from its moral and ethical values. But though they were well versed in the literary styles and usages of Arabic language they could not effectively face the challenge of the Qur'an to bring even a single Sura similar to the Qur'an.

Thus Qur'an proved its divinity beyond doubt and invited them all to believe in it. But unfortunately most of them turned from it for safeguarding their vested interests. It was also clear that when the great men of letters failed to bring a similar chapter how an illiterate person like Mohammad can make it?

The Qur'an is the greatest miracle given to the Prophet (pbuh). Everybody can realise that an unlettered person like Mohammad can never make such a great Book either by himself or with the help of others. Its style, approach, names of Suras, all are unique and attractive. Nobody can say that whether it is a prose style or a poetry style. It is mixed with all noble examples for mankind. Apart from its literary excellence, it is a healing and mercy to the people.

Allah says: We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss." (Sura Bani Israil: 82)

In the Suratul Kahf Allah says: (He has made it) straight, (and clear) in order that He may warn (the godless) of a terrible punishment from Him and that He may give glad tidings to the believers who work righteous deeds, that they shall have a goodly reward. (Al Kahf: 2)

In Sura Al Luqman Allah says: These are verses of the wise Book, a Guide and Mercy to the Doers of Good.

On the basis of this observation we may proclaim that the Qur'an is a guidance, Mercy and Healing to the burning problems of man. But it should be understood that the guidance of the Qur'an will not get except to those who possess within themselves some qualities which the Qur'an has pointed out in the beginning of the Suratul Baqara.

Allah says: This is the Book of Allah, there is no doubt in it, it is a guidance for the pious, for those who believe in the existence of that which is beyond the reach of human perception, who establish Prayer and spend out of what We have provided them, who believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you, and have firm faith in the Hereafter. Such people are on true guidance from their Lord; such are the truly successful. (Sura Baqara 2­5).

These verses clearly prove that while the Book is potentially for all only those who possess certain qualities can benefit from it. The first such quality is piety: those who want to benefit should be disposed to distinguish between good and evil and to shun evil and do good. Those who lead an animal existence, who never stop to consider whether their actions are either good or bad, who cynically follow the prevailing winds, who are helplessly tossed about by the animal desires that dominate their minds, such persons are altogether incapable of deriving any benefit from the guidance embodied in the Qur'an.

This is the second prerequisite for deriving benefit from the Qur'an. The Arabic wordGhayb signifies the verities which are hidden from man's senses and which are beyond the scope of man's ordinary observation and experience, for example the existence and attributes of God, the angels, the process of revelation, Paradise, hell and so on, Belief in the Ghayb means having faith in such matters, based on an absolute confidence in the Messengers of God and despite the fact that it is impossible to experience them.

According to this verse, Qur'anic guidance can prove helpful only to those prepared to affirm the truths of the suprasensory realm. People who make their belief in these questions conditional upon sensory perception of the object of belief, and who are not prepared even to consider the possibility of the existence of things that cannot be weighed or measured, cannot profit from this Book.

This is the third requirement. It is pointed out that those to whom belief means merely the pronouncement of a formula, who think that a mere verbal confession of faith is enough and that it makes no practical demands on them, can derive no guidance from the Qur'an. To benefit from the Qur'an it is essential that a man's decision to believe should be followed immediately by practical obedience to God.

Prayer is the first and continuing sign of practical obedience. No mothan a few hours can pass after a man has embraced Islam than the Mu'adhdhin calls to Prayer and it becomes evident whether or not the profession of faith has been genuine. Moreover, the Mu'adhdhin calls to Prayer five times every day and whenever a man fails to respond to his call it becomes clear that he has transgressed the bounds of practical obedience. An abandonment of Prayer amounts to an abandonment of obedience. Obviously, if a man is not prepared to follow the directives of his guide, it is immaterial whether or not true guidance is available to him.

It should also be noted that the expression 'establishment of Prayer' has a wider meaning than mere performance of Prayer. It means that the system of Prayer should be organised on a collective basis. If there is a person in a locality who prays individually but no arrangements are made for congregational Prayer, it cannot be claimed that Prayer is established in that locality.

This, the fourth prerequisite for a person to benefit from the Qur'an, demands that the person concerned should neither be niggardly nor a worshipper of money. On the contrary, he should be willing to pay the claims on his property of both God and man, and should not flinch from making financial sacrifices for the sake of his convictions.

The fifth requirement is that one should believe in the Books revealed by God to His Prophets in the various ages and regions of the world, in the Book revealed to Mohammad (pbuh) as well as in those revealed to the other prophets who preceded him. The door of the Qur'an is closed to all those who do not consider it necessary for man to receive guidance from God. It is also closed to those whom, even if they believe in the need for such guidance, do not consider it necessary to seek it through the channel of revelation and prophethood, but would rather weave their own set of ideas and concepts and regards them as equivalent to Divine Guidance.

Belief in the After­life is the sixth and last requirement. The term Al­Akhirah embraces a whole set of ideas:

1) The man is not an irresponsible being, but is answerable to God for all his conduct in this world;

2) That the present order of the world is not timeless, but will come to an end at an appointed hour known only to God;

3) That when this world comes to an end God will bring into being another world in which He will resurrect, at one and the same moment, all the human beings ever born on earth. He will gather them together, examine their conduct and grant each one just reward for his actions;

4) That those who are accounted good in God's judgment will be sent to Heaven, and those judged by Him as evil­doers will be consigned to Hell;

5) That the real measure of success and failure is not one's prosperity in the present life, but one's success or failure according to God's judgement in the Next. (Tafheemul Qur'an [Vol I, Page­48] by Syed Abul A'la Maududi).

The same idea is expressed in a different way in Sura Luqman also. All these remind us that whoever turn to Allah without prejudices and with a clear mind of truth searching and following he can find Allah, the most magnanimous and the most merciful helping him to know the reality of his life by all ways and means. I think what Syed Abdul A'la Maududi - the famous Islamic scholar of this century - wrote in the introduction of his Qur'an translation is highly relevant in this context:

The Qur'an is a Book to which innumerable people turn for innumerable purposes. It is difficult to offer advice appropriate to all. The readers to whom this work is addressed are those who are concerned to acquire a serious understanding of the Book, and who seek the guidance it has to offer in relation to the various problems of life. For such people we have a few suggestions to make, and we shall offer some explanations in the hope of facilitating them study of the Qur'an.

Anyone who really wishes to understand the Qur'an, irrespective of whether or not he believes in it, must divest his mind, as far as possible, of every preconceived notion, bias and prejudice, in order to embark upon his study with an open mind. Anyone who begins to study the Qur'an with a set of preconceived ideas is likely to read those very ideas into the Book. No book can be profitably studied with this kind of attitude, let alone the Qur'an which refuses to open its treasure­house to such readers.

For those who want only a superficial acquaintance with the doctrines of the Qur'an one reading is perhaps sufficient. For those who want to fathom its depths several readings are not even enough. These people need to study the Qur'an over and over again, taking notes of everything that strikes them as significant. Those who are willing to study the Qur'an in this manner should do so at least twice to begin with, so as to obtain a broad grasp of the system of beliefs and practical prescriptions that it offers.

In this preliminary survey, they should try to gain an overall perspective of the Qur'an and to grasp the basic ideas which it expounds, and the system of life that it seeks to build on the basis of those ideas. If, during the course of this study, anything agitates the mind of the reader, he should note down the point concerned and patiently persevere with his study. He is likely to find that, as he proceeds, the difficulties are resolved. (When a problem has been solved, it is advisable to note down the solution alongside the problem). Experience suggests that any problems still unsolved after a first reading of the Qur'an are likely to be resolved by a careful second reading.

As far as Muslims are concerned it is their compulsory duty to learn the Qur'an and follow it as their constitution of life. Because once they have accepted Allah as their Lord and Mohammad as the last Messenger of Allah it become necessary for them to live on the basis of the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and Sunna of the Prophet, or else there is a strong warning from Allah.

Allah says: Who so judges not by that which Allah hath revealed, such are unbelievers. (Sura Al­Maeda: 44). In Suratul Baqara Allah says: Lo, those who hide aught of scripture which Allah hath revealed, and purchase a small gain therewith, they eat in to their bellies nothing else than fire. (Al Baqara: 174)

So we must keep on asking Allah to help us to know more and more about this Holy Book and live in the way which He has selected for the true believers.

AL-ALLAMAH TUAN GURU HAJI MAHMUD NASRI OTHMANI

AL-ALLAMAH TUAN GURU HAJI MAHMUD NASRI OTHMANI




Dilahirkan pada 13 Safar 1316 / 14 Julai 1898
di Kampung Alor Besar, Kota Sarang Semut, Kedah.

Pulang ke Rahmatullah pada 28 Safar 1400 / 16 Januari 1980
Dilahirkan dan kembali ke Rahmatullah pada hari Rabu

Pengenalan

Nama Tuan Guru Sheikh Mahmud Nasri bukanlah nama yang asing di kalangan masyarakat negeri Kedah dan Seberang Perai. Beliau dikenali sebagai seorang ulama, tuan guru dan pengasas Pondok Lanai Negeri Kedah Darul Aman yang dikenali sebagai Madrasah Misbahul Salam. Selain itu, beliau juga menjadi guru agama di surau-surau dan masjid-masjid yang menjemput beliau mengajar kitab-kitab dalam bidang tauhid, feqah , usuluddin, tasauf dan lain-lain. Isterinya juga mengajar Al-Quran dan kitab-kitab asas fardhu ain. Tuan Guru Sheikh Mahmud banyak memenuhi masa lapangnya dengan beruzlah bersendirian bagi mendekatkan dirinya kepada Allah S.W.T.

Silsilah Keturunan

Keturunan bapa : Haji Mahmud Nasri Othmani bin Haji Othman bin Haji Senik bin Haji Wan Hashim bin Haji Wan Abdul Wahab.

Datuknya ialah Allahyarham Assyahid Tok Nik Had keturunan Tok Mekong Awang Hitam, seorang hulubalang melayu yang syahid dipancung oleh tentera siam ketika sedang menunaikan solat di pinggir medan perang mempertahankan Pattany sekitar tahun 1730M.

Keturunan ibu : Haji Mahmud Nasri bin Hajjah Kamaliah binti Haji Saman bin Haji Abd Samad (Tok Fakeh) bin Hashim bin Wan Abdul Wahab.

Haji Mahmud adalah cicit kepada penghulu kampung Bera Pattany. Semasa kejatuhan Pattany, Wan Hashim (anak kepada AsSyahid Tok Nik Had (Tok Mekong Awang Hitam) telah berpindah ke Negeri Kelantan. Bapanya Haji Othman dilahirkan di Kampung Kuala Lengkung, kawasan bendang padi di pendalaman Kampong Belimbing dalam Jajahan Pasir Mas. Haji Othman dibesarkan dan dididik oleh datuknya dengan pelajaran agama dan kemudiannya di Pondok. Setelah dewasa, Haji Othman dibawa oleh datonya ke Negeri Kedah dan dijodohkan dengan ibunya (Hajjah Kamaliah) bagi merapatkan semula pertalian keluarga keturunannya.

Hasil perkongsian hidup itu, ibubapanya telah dikurniakan Allah SWT dengan 10 orang anak iaitu Ismail, Mahmud Nasri, Saat, Ahmad, Aisyah , Salmah, Cik, Zainab, Rokiah, dan Huduh.

Pengajian Agama

Haji Othman dan Hajjah Kamaliah yang mempunyai pendidikan agama yang baik telah membesar dan mendidik Haji Mahmud. Pada usia 7 tahun, Haji Mahmud telah khatam Al-Qu’ran dan beliau diserahkan kepada seorang guru Al-Quran yang mahir (berasal dari Pattany tetapi telah menetap di Kedah selama 5 tahun) iaitu Pak Ngah Idris untuk mempelajari Al-Quran dan pendidikan agama secara lebih mendalam. Ketika itu, pengajian Islam merupakan pelajaran utama untuk orang Melayu Malaya dan ramai anak-anak watan telah berjaya melanjutkan pelajaran ke Makkatul Mukarramah.

Pada usia 12 tahun, beliau telah berguru pula dengan Tuan Guru Haji Ismail (Tok Chik Dol) di Pondok Gajah Mati, Pendang, Kedah selama 3 tahun. Tidak lama kemudian, beliau telah berguru dengan Tuan Guru Haji Yaakob Kemelong Sik Kedah, seorang ulamak yang masyhur ketika itu.

Selepas itu, beliau telah berhijrah ke Kelantan (bersama kakandanya Ismail) pada usia 18 tahun dan berguru pula dengan seorang lagi ulama terkenal iaitu Tuan Guru Haji Wan Ahmad bin Wan Abdul Halim (Tok Padang Jelapang).Pondok Jelapang juga ketika itu merupakan pusat pengajian yang terkenal. Pada usia 21 tahun, Haji Mahmud masih meneruskan pelajarannya dengan Haji Wan Ahmad tetapi di Pondok Pasir Mas Salor.

Semasa di Pondok Pasir Mas Salor inilah, Haji Mahmud mengenali seorang lagi Ulama Terkemuka iaitu Al-Allamah Syeikh Yusuf Kenali (Tok Kenali)

Akhirnya Haji Mahmud telah berguru dengan Tok Kenali.

Perguruan dengan Tok Kenali

Tok Kenali adalah seorang tokoh ulama yang menguasai banyak bidang ilmu agama. Beliau juga merupakan murid kesayangan Al-Allamah Tuan Guru Syeikh Wan Ahmad bin Muhammad Zin Mustafa Al-Fathoni.

Tok Kenali rata-rata dikenali di Kelantan ketika itu sebagai seorang ‘keramat’ dan ‘wali’ di samping seorang ilmuwan yang bertanggungjawab di atas penerbitan Majalah Pengasuh, Majlis Agama Islam Kelantan.

Di sinilah Tok Kenali telah mengajar Syeikh Mahmud ‘rahsia shatar’ (titik perbezaan antara hak-hak hamba dengan Allah SWT) dan ‘amalan khalifah pusaka wali agama Islam’ bagi melayakkan manusia menjadi Khalifah dalam ertikata sebenar di muka bumi dan tahu membezakan antara ar-risalah (yang dikurniakan kepada Para Rasul) dan an-nubuwah (yang dikurniakan kepada Para Anbia) serta mengikuti sunnah/contoh/teladan.

Dengan adanya hak-hak kehambaan kepada Allah SWT semata-mata barulah seseorang manusia yang digelar Khalifah itu dapat mentadbir dan memakmurkan seluruh isi alam ciptaan Allah SWT.

Tok Kenali juga telah mengarahkan Syeikh Mahmud untuk mempelajari langkahan hulubalang (Jabat dll)/Silat Khalifah dengan Tuan Guru Haji Muhammad Taib (rakan kepada Datuk Perdana Nik Mahmud) di Kota Bharu. Syeikh Mahmud juga telah menerima amalan aurad dengan ayah kepada Haji Taib iaitu Al-Allamah Tuan Guru Haji Abdul Rahman Pattany (juga dikenali sebagai Tuan Guru Haji Abdul Rahman Jabat/Tengku Abdul Rahman Tok Tama) Tok Kenali telah menjelaskan antara lain tujuan mempelajari langkahan hulubalang dan amalan aurad ini ialah untuk mempertahankan agama, keluarga, bangsa dan negara dari sebarang bentuk penjajahan/serangan luar.

Akhirnya Tok Kenali telah mengijazahkan Amalan Khalifah Pusaka Wali Agama Islam kepada Syeikh Mahmud Nasri Osman.

Sebelum kembali ke Kedah pada usia 27 tahun (bersama sahabat-sahabatnya Tuan Guru Haji Othman Yunusi dan Tuan Guru Haji Abdul Aziz Ibrahim) Tok Kenali telah mendoakan Syeikh Mahmud dan berwasiat :

“Di mana ada rimba di situ tempatmu, di mana kamu duduk, hendaklah mendirikan madrasah, kamu jangan tinggal madrasah”.

Pulang Ke Kedah

Syeikh Mahmud Nasri Othmani telah pulang ke kampung halamannya dan tinggal bersama keluarganya. Tidak lama selepas itu, beliau kembali semula ke Pondok Gajah Mati dan tinggal di sana. Beliau telah dikunjungi oleh Tuan Guru Syeikh Othman Jalaluddin (Lebai Salam Penanti) untuk ke Madrasah Manabil Ulum Penanti Bukit Mertajam bagi guru ganti kepada Tuan Guru Syeikh Othman sementara anaknya Haji Muthalib pulang dari Makkatul Mukarramah.

Berkhidmat Di Penanti

Syeikh Mahmud berkhidmat di Madrasah Manabil Ulum Penanti Bukit Mertajam selama setahun sehingga anak Tuan Guru Syeikh Othman iaitu Setelah itu Tuan Guru Haji Muthalib pulang mengambilalih tugasnya sebagaimana pesanan ayahandanya.

Berkhidmat dan berhijrah ke Lenggong

Syeikh Mahmud Nasri kemudiannya dijemput pula oleh saudara sepupunya iaitu Tuan Imam Haji Yusuf Haji Ibrahim, Imam Masjid Lenggong Perak untuk mengajar agama. Imam Haji Yusuf merupakan murid kepada Tuan Guru Haji Abdul Malik bin Haji Hasan Pondok Sungai Pinang.

Syeikh Mahmud telah berhijrah/bermukim di Lenggong selama 2 tahun. Sepanjang tempoh itu, beliau mengajar tauhid, feqah, tasauf di masjid dan surau-surau yang terdekat. Pada usia 31 tahun, beliau kemudiannya berkahwin dengan anak saudara sepupunya Tuan Imam Haji Yusuf yang bernama Azizah. Isterinya merupakan seorang guru Al-Qur’an dan Fardhu Ain dan merupakan murid kepada bapanya sendiri dan bapa saudaranya iaitu Haji Ahmad (Pak Chu Mat Kelantan – murid kepada Tuan Guru Haji Abdullah Senik, Pondok Padang, Pasir Mas Kelantan) yang juga telah berhijrah dan menetap di Lenggong.

Selain Pak Chu Mat, Imam Haji Yusuf iaitu mertua Syeikh Mahmud juga telah berhijrah ke Lenggong selepas Hulu Perak, Kelantan dan Pahang telah dibuka dengan selamatnya oleh Tuan Guru Syeikh Abdul Rahman Jabat. Sebelum pembukaan, kawasan ini amat digeruni orang kerana ‘permainan raja orang asli’ yang mempunyai amalan memuja binatang-binatang buas bagi mengganggu sesiapa sahaja yang mencerobohi kawasan-kawasan yang ‘dijaga’ oleh mereka.

Kisah pembukaan ini telah meninggalkan kesan sejarah di hulu Perak, Kelantan dan Pahang menerusi lambang Gajah Putih iaitu tunggangan Tengku Abdul Rahman Tok Tama atau Sheikh Abdul Rahman Jabat.

Kembali Ke Kedah

Tiada berapa lama selepas perkahwinan beliau, Syeikh Mahmud merasakan amanat gurunya Tok Kenali belum dapat dilaksanakan. Pada tahun 1932 M, dia telah kembali ke Kedah dengan hasrat untuk membuka pondoknya di kawasan rimba yang baru diterokai di mana penduduknya tidak mempunyai guru yang boeh mengajar mereka tentang ilmu-ilmu agama.

Membuka Madrasah Misbahus Salam.

Pada 12 Rabi’ul awal 1351 H bersamaan 15 Ogos1932 M, Syeikh Mahmud telah berhijrah ke Kampung Lanai, Baling, Kedah Darul Aman; selaras dengan amanat Tok Kenali; Kampung Lanai merupakan suatu kawasan yang asalnya rimba yang belum diterokai dan hanya didiami oleh beberapa keluarga sahaja.

Semasa itu, penduduk Lanai mengerjakan solat Jumaat dengan berjalan-kaki sejauh 15km di Masjid Kampung Padang. Syeikh Mahmud telah berbincang dengan penduduk setempat seterusnya mencapai kata persetujuan untuk membuka Madrasah Misbahul Salam bagi digunakan sebagai tempat solat dan mempelajari agama.

Madrasah ini akhirnya menjadi terkenal dan semakin ramailah orang berhijrah ke Kampung Lanai untuk mempelajari agama dengan Syeikh Mahmud Nasri Osmani, murid kepada Ulama Terkemuka Asia Tenggara iaitu Al-Allamah Syeikh/Maulana Muhammad Yusuf Al-Kenali Al-Kelantani (Tok Kenali) Akhirnya Madrasah Misbahus Salam telah dipindahkan ke Caruk Salang, 3 km dari tapak asal.

Titah DYMM Sultan Badlishah

Selepas hampir tamat zaman pemerintahan Jepun, komunis cuba mengambilalih pentadbiran dengan menangkap Syed Abu Bakar dan Tuan Adam, DO Baling dan Residennya dan dibawa ke Kampung Dalam Wang Bawah Gunung, Baling dengan diikat seluruh badan mereka untuk ditanam dalam satu lubang secara hidup-hidup.

Syeikh Mahmud Nasri Osmani telah diminta oleh Tuan Guru Syeikh Yahya Taha, Kg. Pisang, Kupang (bapa mertua Tuan Guru Haji Umar Zuhdi) atas titah DYMM Sultan Badlishah untuk mengetuai operasi menyelamatkan Syed Abu Bakar dan Tuan Adam yang ditangkap bagi memaksa DYMM Sultan Badlishah menyerah diri kepada komunis.

Syeikh Mahmud Nasri dibantu oleh Tuan Haji Ahmad Bok Bak dan Tuan Haji Daud Bongor. Mereka telah pergi tanpa menggunakan sebarang senjata. Dengan Izin Allah, komunis seramai 600 orang yang diketuai oleh Chin Peng menjadi seperti terpukau dan melihat sahaja malah membenarkan Syeikh Mahmud dan rakan-rakannya membawa keluar Syed Abu Bakar/Tuan Adam sehingga jarak 40 meter. Komunis tiba-tiba menembak pasukan penyelamat selama 30 minit tetapi sekali lagi dengan izin Allah SWT, tidak ada satu pun peluru yang mengena mereka.

Tuan Guru Haji Mahmud Nasri Othmani dan rakan-rakannya telah menyerahkan Syed Abu Bakar dan Tuan Adam kepada DYMM Tuanku Sultan Badlishah dan Tuan Guru Haji Yahya Taha di Kampung Caruk Bembam, Kupang. Tempat penyerahan inilah hari ini telah didirikan Sekolah Menengah Syed Abu Bakar, Baling sempena nama Syed Abu Bakar.

Perasmian Madrasah Misbahul Falah

Pembukaan semula Madarasah Misbahul Falah telah disempurnakan pada tahun 1957 setelah terjadinya kesepakatan di antara Tuan Haji Abu Bakar dan menantunya Tuan Guru Haji Omar Zuhdi Solih, Tuan Guru Haji Mahmud Nasri Othmani dan penduduk tempatan.

Tuan Guru Haji Omar Zuhdi Solih adalah anak kelahiran Kelantan yang berasal dari Pengkalan Chepa, Kota Bharu. Beliau merupakan anak murid kepada Tuan Guru Haji Yahya Taha Kampung Pisang yang kemudiannya telah melanjutkan pelajaran ke Makkatul Mukarramah. Semasa di Mekah, Tuan Guru Haji Umar Zuhdi telah berguru kepada beberapa orang ulama terkenal seperti Tuan Guru Syeikh Wan Ismail bin Wan Abdul Qadir (Pak Da’el), Syeikh Mukhtar Abdul Malik Kudri Al-Makki, Syeikh Abdul Qadir bin Abdul Muthalib Al-Mandili dan Sheikh Muhammad Daud Sulaiman Al-Kelantani Al-Makki.

Sekembalinya beliau dari Makkatul Mukarramah bersama isteri dan anak-anaknya, Tuan Guru Haji Umar berhasrat untuk menyebarkan ilmu pengetahuan agama yang dipelajarinya kepada anak-anak bangsanya. Atas kehendak bapanya, Tuan Guru Hj Umar Zuhdi mengambil keputusan untuk menetap di Banggol Berangan, Lanai, Kupang, Kedah dan bersama-sama membuka semula pondok Madrasah Misbahul Falah.

Atas mengenang jasa Tuan Guru Haji Mahmud Nasri Othmani dan rakan-rakannya menyelamatkan Syed Abu Bakar dan Tuan Adam, DYMM Sultan Badlishah telah berkenan merancang untuk berangkat merasmikan Misbahul Falah. Namun, hasrat baginda tidak kesampaian kerana telah mangkat pada hari berkenaan Majlis kenduri untuk menyambut baginda telah bertukar menjadi majlis tahlil untuk Almarhum DYMM Baginda dan akhirnya Madrasah Misbahul Falah telah dirasmikan sendiri oleh Tuan Guru Haji Umar Zuhdi Solih.

Madrasah Misbahul Falah terus berkembang mengikut manhaj yang telah disediakan oleh Tuan Guru Haji Omar Zuhdi sendiri, mengikut system pengajian Nizhomi dan Umumi.Sistem pengajian nizhomi adalah system pengajian kelas bermula tahun I’dadi hingga ke thanawi dan sistem pengajian umumi adalah pengajian kitab-kitab torah dari kulit ke kulit.Sistem pengajian nizhomi dan umumi mendapat sambutan yang hangat di kalangan masyarakat yang dahagakan ilmu pengetahuan agama dan suasana ini berjalan baik sehingga ke hari ini. Tuan Guru Sheikh Mahmud Nasri Osmani pula mendirikan sebuah madrasah dengan mengekalkan nama madrasah Misbahus Salam di rumahnya berhampiran dengan madrasah tersebut.Beliau membantu mengajar kitab-kitab torah secara umumi kepada pelajar-pelajar Madrasah Misbahul Falah yang gemar menuntut ilmu dengannya.

Gerak Seni Silat Abjad.

Gerak Seni Silat Abjad telah diasaskan oleh Tuan Guru Sheikh Mahmud Nasri Osmani adalah sebagai menggantikan nama ilmu dan amalan yang asal diterima daripada gurunya Sheikh Yusuf Kenali dan menerima latihan daripada gurunya Sheikh Muhammad Taib bin Tuan Guru Sheikh Abdul Rahman Jabat. Nama asal ialah Amalan Khalifah Pusaka Wali.

Syeikh Mahmud Nasri memperkenalkan Gerak Seni Silat Abjad ini ialah kerana pada masa itu beliau melihat kedudukan umat Melayu Islam terumbang-ambing selepas peristiwa 13 Mei, 1969. Ketika itu lahirlah berbagai-bagai unsur-unsur syirik, khurafat dan bidaah berlaku berleluasa dalam masyarakat melayu. Lalu beliau berhasrat untuk membersihkan amalan-amalan karut yang tiada dalam ajaran agama.

Amanat Al-Allamah Syeikh Mahmud Nasri Osmani :

Banyak barang tiruan dalam pasaran,
Barang asli dalam rumah ahli,
Dapat beza dalam majlis tandingan,
Datang benar hancur binasa yang bathil,
Benar tetap benar, bathil tetap bathil,
Datanglah kepada kami jika mahu barang yang asli,
Tiada menjadi korban pengorbanan,
Tiada dimahkotakan pahlawan,
Nafsu tujuh rupa tujuh terbit,
Taulannya di luar atas rupanya baik atau jahat,
Tiap-tiap bergerak ditanya guru asal,
Dosa pahala dikira melaluinya,
Tiada guru syaitan mengaku jadi guru,
Ahli sufi palsu berbagai ragam ratib jampian,
Lumrah insan kalah memakai menang membeli.
----------------------------------

AL-FATIHAH

HEALTH AND NUTRITION OF THE PROPHET

SOURCE

Health and Nutrition of The Prophet:
Prophetic Sayings & Modern "Discoveries" - By Karima Burns (MH, ND)

A tradition states,

“There are no new ideas, just new people to discover them."

It is, in fact, amazing to find how many "modern discoveries" have already been written about in the Qur’an or Hadith.

There are a number of words of advice and nutritional habits of the prophet (SAWS) that have substantial support in recent scientific literature. Among this advice is that we should eat whole foods, we should combine foods properly, we should eat foods in their seasons, and we should not drink with meals.

In Sahih Bukhari, a number of examples can be found showing how carefully the prophet combined foods. One hadith relates,

"A man from among the Companions of the Prophet (PBUH) said, ‘The Prophet (SAW) forbade (mixing) unripe dates and dried dates, and (mixing) raisins and dried dates. Aisha, Ummul Mu'minun, related that, "The Apostle of Allah (SAW) used to eat melon with fresh dates, and he used to say, ‘The heat of the one is broken by the coolness of the other, and the coolness of the one by the heat of the other.’ He was also said to have never combined fish and milk.

Modern science supports these habits by informing us that the combination of foods we eat and the order in which we eat them are very important factors in health. "Recently," it has been found that foods require different digestive processes in the body; thus, they are most easily digested when combined properly. Modern scientists say that improper food combinations can cause a person to inadequately digest their food, which can create imbalances in PH levels, improper absorption of nutrients, constipation or other digestive troubles. Dr. Ted Morter, in Your Health... Your Choice, advises us to not eat fresh fruit with any other food, even dried fruit, since it is a pre-digested food that moves straight through the stomach and into the intestines. When it is eaten with any other food, it ferments itself and anything else that is in the stomach.

The second advice given by Dr. Morter in his book is that we should start each meal off with something raw. The reason is that raw foods contain the enzymes we need to digest our food. His third rule of food combining is to avoid mixing protein and starches. We may eat starches with vegetables or vegetables with meat, but we should do our best to avoid combining starches and proteins. The reason is that proteins and starches require completely different environments for digestion. Proteins need a more acidic environment while carbohydrates and starches can be digested much more quickly. When a person combines them, neither food has the ideal environment. Furthermore, a protein meal takes up to five hours for the body to digest so it should be the last meal of the day when your body is not digesting other foods as well.

Improper food combining will not cause a person to become immediately sick, but it will prevent what they are eating from being digested and utilized to the best of its ability, which means they will need to eat more food to get additional nutrients.

Modern allergists also advise against improper food combining and tell us that many combinations can create synergistic allergic reactions. In the book The Whole Way to Allergy Relief and Prevention, Dr. Krohn advises us not to combine milk with chocolate, mint, or fish; corn and bananas; beef and yeast; eggs and apples; or cola and chocolate.

The hadith provide numerous examples of the respect the prophet had for the purity and value of water, and relate that he did not drink while eating a meal. Sahih Bukhari relates that, "The Apostle of Allah (SAW) came out from the valley of a mountain... there were some dried dates on a shield before us. We called him and he ate with us. He did not touch water.” Experts in the field of food combining inform us that water impedes the digestive process in the stomach when eaten within a half hour of a meal.

The Qur’an (2:168) advises us,

"Ye People, eat of what is on earth, lawful and wholesome." In the time of the prophet, the choices of food were simply related to whether a food was halal or haram.

However, in modern times we have many more choices.

Many people have difficulty understanding what "whole" foods are because so few people actually eat whole foods. As few as two hundred years ago, everyone consumed whole foods because they did not have processed foods as an option. In 1940, about 80% of the nation consumed whole foods. Abram Hoffer, MD, and Morton Walker, DPM, report in their book, Putting it all Together: The New Orthomolecular Nutrition, that today, only 25% of the population actually eat "whole foods." A whole food is merely a food that has retained its original constituents. An apple is a whole food and applesauce made from fresh apples at home in a grinder is a whole food. However, applesauce ground and cooked by machines, and then separated to create a better texture and supplemented with sugar and color is not a whole food. Wheat Berries are a whole food; therefore, flour made from pure ground wheat berries containing bran is a whole food. Flour made by removing the bran and germ, and then bleaching the final product (white flour) is not a whole food.

Even some popular "health food" items fall into the category of processed partial foods rather than whole foods. This list includes rice cakes, granola bars, pretzels, turkey and tofu hot dogs, whole grain cereals, and frozen juices. These so called "health foods" are only a fraction more nutritious than their mainstream processed counterparts.

It is important to eat whole foods (grains, vegetables and fruits) because they contain all the nutrients that we need to thrive as human beings in their natural form. The more we change them from their original state, the less benefit we get from them. With new vitamins and minerals being discovered every year, it is increasingly obvious that Allah’s "Mother Nature" is way ahead of us, and we are not qualified to duplicate His process through our efforts to "enrich" processed foods in laboratories. Bernard Jensen, in his book, Chemistry of Man says, "Natural foods contain all the vitamins that have been and will be discovered."

This apparent fact should make it obvious that the only way we can guarantee we are getting all of our nutrients is to get them from whole foods. Attempting to build our health any other way is to merely make an educated guess. Furthermore, it does not make sense to eat devitalized foods, and then spend time and money buying vitamins and supplements, and following various health programs. In fact, processed foods actually have the ability to leech nutrients from the system. E. Cheraskin, in his book Diet and Disease, reports that laboratory tests indicate that processed foods do not have enough vitamins and minerals to help in their own assimilation. Pasta, for instance, does not have sufficient amounts of vitamins, enzymes or even fiber to aid in the digestive process.

Manufacturers claim their products contain high nutritious value, but they can only claim that by adding synthetic vitamins and minerals that are not useful to the human body to them. The elements that comprise organic minerals are loosely held together so that when they enter the body, they can easily be assimilated. However, the constituent parts of inorganic minerals are held together by bonds that are so tight that the body cannot easily break them apart; therefore, we rarely benefit from their consumption.

The Qur’an (20:81) also advises us to,

"Eat of the good things We have provided for your sustenance, but commit no excess therein."

The Prophet himself was always known to eat fruits and vegetables grown in the region in which he lived and in season (Al-Akili, Medicine of the Prophet). Donald Lepore, a nutritionist and author of the book The Ultimate Healing System, has found in his allergy relief therapies that,

"God did not permit foods that are antagonistic to man’s existence to be grown in the area of consumption."

We can often avoid most of our problems by simply eating foods that are grown nearby and in season. Bernard Jensen, in his book Chemistry of Man, reports that unripe or imported produce, often found in grocery stores, is lacking in natural sodium among other things. Furthermore, he has found that the chemistry of barley, for instance, warms the blood and is thus appropriate for winter months, but is not as advisable as a regular summer food unless there is a "cold" illness involved.

As you read through Qur’an and the Hadith, and compare them to modern scientific "discoveries," you will find again and again that Qur’anic and prophetic wisdoms are being rediscovered. This is, perhaps, one of the best reasons to refer to Qur’an and the Hadith as not only the starting point for all knowledge, but as a "double-check" system for what we find in secular literature as well.

JABIR IBN HAIYAN - THE MUSLIM ALCHEMIST (REVISITED)

ORIGINAL SOURCE LINK

Jabir Ibn Haiyan, the alchemist Geber of the Middle Ages, is generally known as the father of chemistry. Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan, sometimes called al-Harrani and al-Sufi, was the son of the druggist (Attar). The precise date of his birth is the subject of some discussion, but it is established that he practised medicine and alchemy in Kufa around 776 C.E. He is reported to have studied under Imam Ja'far Sadiq and the Ummayed prince Khalid Ibn Yazid. In his early days, he practised medicine and was under the patronage of the Barmaki Vizir during the Abbssid Caliphate of Haroon al-Rashid. He shared some of the effects of the downfall of the Barmakis and was placed under house arrest in Kufa, where he died in 803 C.E.

Jabir's major contribution was in the field of chemistry. He introduced experimental investigation into alchemy, which rapidly changed its character into modern chemistry. On the ruins of his well-known laboratory remained after centuries, but his fame rests on over 100 monumental treatises, of which 22 relate to chemistry and alchemy. His contribution of fundamental importance to chemistry includes perfection of scientific techniques such as crystalization, distillation, calcination, sublimation and evaporation and development of several instruments for the same. The fact of early development of chemistry as a distinct branch of science by the Arabs, instead of the earlier vague ideas, is well-established and the very name chemistry is derived from the Arabic word al-Kimya, which was studied and developed extensively by the Muslim scientists.

Perhaps Jabir's major practical achievement was the discovery of mineral and others acids, which he prepared for the first time in his alembic (Anbique). Apart from several contributions of basic nature to alchemy, involving largely the preparation of new compounds and development of chemical methods, he also developed a number of applied chemical processes, thus becoming a pioneer in the field of applied science. His achievements in this field include preparation of various metals, development of steel, dyeing of cloth and tanning of leather, varnishing of water-proof cloth, use of manganese dioxide in glass-making, prevention of rusting, letterring in gold, identification of paints, greases, etc. During the course of these practical endeavours, he also developed aqua regia to dissolve gold. The alembic is his great invention, which made easy and systematic the process of distillation. Jabir laid great stress on experimentation and accuracy in his work.

Based on their properties, he has described three distinct types of substances. First, spirits i.e. those which vaporise on heating, like camphor, arsenic and ammonium chloride; secondly, metals, for example, gold, silver, lead, copper, iron, and thirdly, the category of compounds which can be converted into powders. He thus paved the way for such later classification as metals, non-metals and volatile substances.

Although known as an alchemist, he did not seem to have seriously pursued the preparation of noble metals as an alchemist; instead he devoted his effort to the development of basic chemical methods and study of mechanisms of chemical reactions in themselves and thus helped evolve chemistry as a science from the legends of alchemy. He emphasised that, in chemical reactions, definite quantities of various substances are involved and thus can be said to have paved the way for the law of constant proportions.

A large number of books are included in his corpus. Apart from chemistry, he also contributed to other sciences such as medicine and astronomy. His books on chemistry, including his Kitab-al-Kimya, and Kitab al-Sab'een were translated into Latin and various European languages. These translations were popular in Europe for several centuries and have influenced the evolution of modern chemistry. Several technical terms devised by Jabir, such as alkali, are today found in various European languages and have become part of scientific vocabulary. Only a few of his books have been edited and published, while several others preserved in Arabic have yet to be annotated and published.



MORE INFO HERE

THE AWLIYA'S KASHF (UNVEILING) OF THE UNSEEN

By Fareeduddin Owaisi - The Habaib / Ba Alawi Tariqa (Reprinted with permission)

Kashf or unveiling consists, according to al-Sharif al-Jurjani's definition in his Kitab al-ta`rifat, in "apprehending beyond the veil of ordinary phenomena, whether by vision or experience, the meanings and realities that pertain to the unseen." It is a kind of intuitive knowledge or discovery that typifies Allah's Friends, whose rank Allah extols with the affirmation:

Lo! Verily the friends of Allah are those on whom fear comes not, nor do they grieve (10:62).

Many sayings of the Prophet mention the various types and ranks of the saints, as Suyuti has shown in his collection of these sayings in his fatwa already mentioned entitled: al-Khabar al-dall `ala wujud al-qutb wa al-awtad wa al-nujaba' wa al-abdal or "The reports that indicate the existence of the Pole, the Pillars, the Leaders, and the Substitutes" in his Hawi li al-fatawi. These and other types of perfected individuals form the khawass or elite of the pious, whom Allah also calls the siddiqin (saints, literally "Most Truthful Ones") and ranks directly after the Prophets and before the Martyrs in the verse:

Whoso obey Allah and the Messenger, they are with those unto whom Allas has shown favor, of the Prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they! (4:69)

Their position in relation to Allah on the Day of Judgment is even described as an object of desire for the Prophets in the following sound hadith of the Prophet related by `Umar and others. This is the narration of Abu Malik al-Ash`ari from the Musnad of Imam Ahmad:

When the Prophet finished his prayer he turned to face the people and said: "O people! Listen to this, understand it, and know it. Allah has servants who are neither Prophets nor martyrs and whom the Prophets and martyrs yearn to be like, due to their seat and proximity in relation to Allah."

One of the beduin Arabs who came from among the most isolated of people twisted his hand at the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah! People from humankind who are neither Prophets nor martyrs and yet the Prophets and the martyrs yearn to be like them due to their seat and proximity in relation to Allah?! Describe them for us!"

The Prophet's face showed delight at the Beduin's question and he said:

"They are of the strangers from this and that place. They frequent this or that tribe without belonging to them. They do not have family connections among themselves. They love one another for Allah's sake. They are of pure intent towards one another. On the Day of Resurrection Allah will place for them pedestals of light upon which He will make them sit, and He will turn their faces and clothes into light. On the Day of Resurrection the people will be terrified but not those. They are Allah's Friends upon whom fear comes not, nor do they grieve."30

Another famous description of the characteristics of awliya was given by Sayyidina `Ali, as related by Ibn al-Jawzi in the chapter devoted to him in Sifat al-safwa:

They are the fewest in number, but the greatest in rank before Allah. Through them Allah preserves His proofs until they bequeath it to those like them (before passing on) and plant it firmly in their hearts. By them knowledge has taken by assault the reality of things, so that they found easy what those given to comfort found hard, and found intimacy in what the ignorant found desolate. They accompanied the world with bodies whose spirits were attached to the highest regard (al-mahall al-a`la). Ah, ah! how one yearns to see them!

The knowledge of the awliya' may attain higher levels than that of any other knowledge of humankind and jinn including in certain cases even the knowledge of Prophets. The preternatural knowledge or powers which Allah bestows on some of His friends (awliya') who are not Prophets have a firm basis in the Qur'an: for example, the wali who was with Prophet Sulayman and brought him the throne of Balqis faster than the blink of an eye. He was characterized as "one who had knowledge of the Book" as Allah stated:

One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: I will bring it thee (O Sulayman) before thy gaze returneth unto thee... (27:40)

and this is Prophet Sulayman's scribe Asif ibn Barkhya according to the Tafsir Ibn `Abbas and the majority of the scholars, i.e. a non-Prophet human being:

"One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture": i.e. an angel... or Jibril... or al-Khidr or Asif ibn Barkhya Sulayman's scribe, which is the most correct, and the jumhur (majority) agrees upon it...31

Similarly, al-Khidr -- although considered by many to be a Prophet -- possessed knowledge which Prophet Musa did not have and he is characterized as "one of Our slaves, unto whom We had given mercy from Us, and had taught knowledge from Our presence" (18:66).

However, the greatest of Allah's Friends are those of the Community of the Seal of Prophets, and it is in this sense that Abu Yazid al-Bistami's declaration must be understood whereby "We have crossed an ocean on the shores of which stood the Prophets." That is: the awliya' of the Community of the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace upon him, have inherited from him a knowledge and a position which the Prophets of Banu Isra'il yearned to attain. This is established by the hadith of Abu Malik al-Ash`ari we have just cited, and yet this does not contradict the fact that the Prophets are by far Allah's elect in creation, as Imam Tahawi's article of faith makes clear:

We do not prefer any of the saintly men of the Community over any of the Prophets but rather we say that any one of the Prophets is better than all the awliya' put together.

TENGKU MAHMOOD MAHYIDDEEN

http://www.angkasa.coop/pelancar/index.php?p=aug011-2007

Tokoh Ulung Pejuang Negeri Kelantan

Nama Tokoh : Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen Ibni Almarhum
Tengku Abd. Kadir Kamaruddeen
Tarikh Lahir : 30 Oktober 1908
Tempat Lahir: Istana Chabang Tiga, Wilayah Pattani
Tarikh Meninggal : 12 Februari 1954

LATAR BELAKANG Tokoh Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen merupakan anakanda Sultan Pattani yang terakhir, iaitu Almarhum Tengku Abdul Kadir Kamaruddeen. Bondanya adalah rakyat negeri Kelantan bernama Cik Maimunah. Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen dilahirkan semasa kerajaan Siam dan pihak Inggeris sedang hangat berebutkan negeri Pattani pada 30 Oktober 1908. Beliau dibesarkan oleh ibu tiri selepas ibunya meninggal pada ketika beliau berusia empat tahun. Apabila memasuki alam persekolahan, beliau dihantar ke negeri Kelantan dan memulakan hidup baru di sana.

Beliau memulakan alam persekolahan dengan memasuki Sekolah Majlis Agama Islam Kelantan pada usia tujuh tahun. Lima tahun kemudian, ayahandanya menghantar beliau ke kota raya Bangkok (1920) untuk memasuki Royal Assumption College. Bagaimanapun Tengku Mahmood hanya berada kira-kira tiga tahun sahaja di Bangkok akibat masalah politik yang timbul antara ayahandanya dengan kerajaan Siam. Ekoran itu, Tengku Mahmood dihantar pula ke Government English School di Pulau Pinang pada tahun 1923. Sebagai seorang pelajar yang pintar, Tengku Mahmood kemudiannya menyertai sekolah elit iaitu Penang Free School pada tahun 1926 dan lulus Senior Cambridge dua tahun kemudian. Disebabkan kecemerlangannya itu, beliau telah ditawarkan biasiswa pengajian perubatan di King Edward VII Medical College, Singapura. Bagaimanapun Tengku Mahmood telah menyerahkan tawaran itu kepada seorang rakannya yang miskin berbangsa Cina dan beliau sendiri mengambil keputusan kembali ke pangkuan keluarga di Kelantan. Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen telah mendirikan rumah tangga dengan adinda Sultan Kelantan iaitu Tengku Zainab pada tahun 1930.

Sejak awal tahun 1930-an, Tengku Mahmood mula aktif bergiat dalam bidang kemasyarakatan. Sifat prihatin dan peka serta ketajaman fikirannya telah membuatkan kerajaan negeri pada masa itu tertarik dengan kebolehan beliau. Bermula detik itulah beliau diamanahkan memegang jawatan sebagai Nazir Sekolah-Sekolah Melayu Kelantan pada tahun 1933 dan Penguasa Pelajaran Kelantan pada tahun 1938.

Tengku Mahmood kemudiannya telah berjuang bersungguh-sungguh membangunkan sistem pelajaran moden di Kelantan. Beliau berhasrat memastikan anak-anak jati negeri itu tidak ketinggalan dalam pelbagai aspek kehidupan. Dari tahun 1933 – 1941, beliau telah bertanggungjawab menubuhkan sebuah sekolah aliran Inggeris pertama di Kelantan (Maktab Sultan Ismail – 1936) dan sebuah lagi sekolah aliran Inggeris khusus untuk anak-anak perempuan (Zainab English School – 1937).

Bagaimanapun, usaha Tengku Mahmood terhenti apabila Tanah Melayu diserang oleh Jepun pada 8 Disember 1941. Namun, sebagai seorang individu yang berjiwa pejuang, Tengku Mahmood telah menukar arah perjuangannya. Dengan semangat patriotisme yang tinggi, beliau telah mengepalai sekumpulan pemuda Melayu berperang secara berdepan dengan tentera Jepun yang mendarat di pantai Sabak. Keberanian beliau berperang secara berdepan menentang tentera Jepun, pada hal beliau bukannya askar kerajaan telah mengundang rasa hormat yang teramat tinggi dari pihak Inggeris dan masyarakat setempat.

Bermula saat itu, tumpuan Tengku Mahmood mula terarah untuk mempertahankan maruah negara daripada ancaman penjajah. Beliau sanggup meninggalkan keluarga, harta dan pangkat demi berjuang untuk negara. Tengku Mahmood terlibat aktif menyusun serta mengumpul belia-belia Melayu di luar negara bagi menyertai gerila Force 136 yang dipimpinnya. Angkatan Force 136 yang berpusat di India itu adalah kumpulan yang bertanggungjawab menyusup masuk ke Tanah Melayu bagi menjalankan tugas-tugas risikan semasa perang dengan Jepun.

Sememangnya kehidupan Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen tidak pernah sunyi dengan perjuangan. Setelah Jepun menyerah kalah, beliau terlibat pula dalam peristiwa penentangan terhadap Malayan Union. Malah, banyak lagi peristiwa besar yang berlaku dalam usaha beliau membebaskan tanah air daripada penjajah sama ada di Tanah Melayu mahupun di wilayah Pattani. Malangnya, beliau tidak sempat melihat usahanya berjaya apabila meninggal dunia pada 12 Februari 1954, dua tahun sebelum rombongan Tengku Abd. Rahman ke London untuk menuntut kemerdekaan. Kematian beliau dalam usia 40-an menimbulkan pelbagai spekulasi. Ini kerana pada waktu itu ramai tokoh pejuang dan pemikir negara yang mati pada usia muda dan kebanyakan mereka mati diracun.

Sehingga hari ini, memang sukar untuk mencari pengganti tokoh seperti Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen. Beliau walaupun berketurunan raja tetapi berjiwa rakyat. Malah, kesanggupan beliau menggugurkan gelaran ‘Tengku’ (1 Ogos 1946) pada dirinya adalah bukti betapa beliau seorang yang amat merendah diri. Gabenor Malayan Union, Sir Edward Gent, pada 19 November 1946 telah menyanjung Tengku Mahmood dengan berkata :

“Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen seorang tokoh perjuangan Melayu yang bijak, berwibawa dan disenangi ramai. Beliau amat menyintai kedamaian dan kesejahteraan hidup. Walaupun ketika menghadapi kesulitan dan berdukacita, namun senyuman sentiasa terukir di wajahnya.”

SUMBANGAN TOKOH
Pembela Masyarakat Semasa berniaga, beliau banyak melihat penderitaan rakyat. Oleh itu, beliau mula berfikir dan merancang bagi memastikan nasib rakyat dapat dibela. Beliau juga sedih dengan nasib anak-anak gadis yang berkahwin muda, masalah bidan yang kurang cekap serta masalah banyaknya kelahiran bayi yang tidak cukup bulan dan kadar kematian yang tinggi. Beliau menjadikan isu ini perkara pokok dalam menegur sikap Inggeris.
Pembaharuan Pelajaran Masyarakat Beliau diminta untuk menjawat jawatan dalam khidmat awam kerana pemikiran yang tajam dan kritis serta ilmu pengetahuan yang tinggi. Beliau mula menjawat jawatan sebagai Pemangku Nazir Sekolah-Sekolah Melayu Negeri Kelantan. Azam beliau ketika itu untuk membekalkan masyarakat Melayu dengan ilmu pengetahuan yang moden tanpa mengetepikan sistem pelajaran sedia kala.
Pejuang Bahasa Melayu Diberi kepercayaan untuk menjadi Yang Dipertua Pertubuhan Dewan Bahasa Melayu. Matlamat pertubuhan itu adalah untuk memperjuangkan martabat Bahasa Melayu dan menghidupkan ciri-ciri kebudayaan Melayu.
Mengubah Pemikiran Masyarakat Beliau berusaha keras menyedarkan masyarakat betapa pentingnya ilmu pengetahuan moden kepada seluruh rakyat tidak mengira lelaki mahupun perempuan.
Aktif Dalam Badan Sukarelawan Dan NGO Beliau menjadi Pesuruhjaya Pengakap Kelantan dan membawa Pengakap Kelantan ke Jambori Pengakap terbesar di Melbourne, Australia; Ketua Pertubuhan pertama St. John Ambulance Brigade cawangan Kelantan; dan berpangkat Sarjan dalam tentera sukarelawan Kelantan.
Mendirikan Sekolah Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen mendirikan sekolah aliran Inggeris pertama di Kelantan pada tahun 1936, iaitu Sekolah Sultan Ismail / Ismail College. Pada tahun 1937, sekolah aliran Inggeris khusus untuk pelajar perempuan ditubuhkan oleh beliau iaitu Zainab English School, kini Sekolah Menengah Zainab.
Ahli Politik Beliau menjadi Yang Dipertua GEMPAR, iaitu pertubuhan yang merancang membawa Pattani menyertai Tanah Melayu; dan dilantik sebagai Ahli Majlis Mesyuarat Persekutuan mewakili Kelantan. Bertanding menentang Datok Onn dalam perebutan jawatan Yang Dipertua UMNO. Tengku Mahmood Mahyiddeen dilantik menjadi Ahli Jawatankuasa Badan Penasihat Hal-Ehwal Pelajaran Kerajaan Tanah Melayu.
Pejuang Kemerdekaan Beliau bertempur dalam serangan pertama tentera Jepun di Tanah Melayu di Kota Bharu, memimpin barisan anak-anak Melayu dalam pasukan Sukarelawan Kelantan (Kelantan Volunteer Force) dan menyertai pasukan Force 136, selain terlibat dalam usaha menentang Malayan Union.

PENGIKTIRAFAN

Menerima Bintang Kehormat Most Excellent Order Of The British Empire / M.B.E.
Menerima Anugerah Kelas II Bintang Kebesaran Kerajaan Kelantan Al-Muhammadi, Darjah Paduka Mahkota Kelantan (DPMK) yang membawa gelaran Dato’.

- AZLAN MOHAMED
Pegawai Pelajaran