Read the Qur'an

Prophet

An apostle, from Classical Greek ἀπόστολος (apóstolos), meaning "one who is sent away",^[1] is a messenger and ambassador. The purpose of such "sending away" is to convey messages, and thus "messenger" is a common alternative translation.

Stages to do Jihad

Secondly: 

The idea of waging physical jihad against the kaafirs went through a number of stages, depending on the state in which the Muslim ummah was.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

“The first thing which his Lord revealed to him was to read in the name of his Lord who had created. That was the beginning of his Prophethood, where Allaah commanded him to recite to himself but He did not yet command him to convey that. Then He revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning: 

‘O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments!
Arise and warn!’

[al-Muddaththir 74:1-2]

So he became a Prophet with the word ‘Iqra (Read!) and he became a Messenger with the words, ‘O you (Muhammad) enveloped in garments…’ Then Allaah commanded him to warn his closest kinsmen, then to warn his people, then to warn the Arabs around them, then to warn all the Arabs, then to warn all of mankind. He continued to call them for over ten years from the beginning of his Prophethood, without fighting or imposing the jizyah; he was commanded to refrain, to be patient and to be forbearing.

Then permission was given to him to migrate, and permission was given to him to fight. 

Then he was commanded to fight those who fought him, and to refrain from fighting those who left him alone and did not fight him. 

Then Allaah commanded him to fight the mushrikeen so that the religion would all be for Allaah.

After jihad was enjoined upon him, the kaafirs then fell into three categories: those with whom there was a truce or peace treaty; those with whom he was at war; and those who lived under the rule and protection of the Islamic state.” 

(Zaad al-Ma’aad, 3/159) 

Thirdly: 

The ruling on physical jihad against the kaafirs is that this is an obligation on the community as a whole (fard kafaayah). 

Ibn Qudaamah said: 

“Jihaad is an obligation upon the community; if some people undertake it, the rest are relieved of the obligation.” 

What fard kafaayah means is that if it is not undertaken by enough people, then all the people are guilty of sin, but if enough people undertakes it, the rest will be relieved of blame. Initially the command is addressed to all of them, as in the case of an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn), but then in the case of fard kafaayah the obligation is dropped if enough of the people undertake to do it, unlike the case with fard ‘ayn where the obligation is not dropped if someone else does it. Jihad is a fard kafaayah, according to the majority of scholars.” 

(al-Mughni, 9/163)

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz said:  

“We have previously explained on more than one occasion that jihad is fard kafaayah, not fard ‘ayn. All Muslims are enjoined to support their brothers with their selves (i.e., physically, by joining them), or with money, weapons, da’wah and advice. If enough of them go out (to fight), the rest are freed from sin, but if none of them do that then all of them are sinners. 

The Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Africa, North Africa and elsewhere are obliged to do their utmost, and if there is a jihad in one country, the surrounding countries should hasten to help them, the closest then the next closest.  If one or two states, or three or more, manage to fulfil the obligation, then the rest are freed of responsibility. They deserve to be supported, and it is obligatory to help them against their enemies, because they are oppressed. Allaah has enjoined jihad upon all Muslims, and they must fight against the enemies of Allaah until their brothers are victorious. If they fail to do that then they are sinners, but if sufficient people undertake to do that, then the rest are absolved of sin.” 

(Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 7/335) 

Fourthly: 

Physical jihad against the kaafirs becomes obligatory in four cases, which are: 

1 – When the Muslim is present in a jihad situation.

2 – When the enemy has come and attacked a Muslim land

3 – When the ruler mobilizes the people, they must respond.

4 – When a person is needed and no one else can do the task except him.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: 

Jihad is obligatory and becomes fard ‘ayn if a person is present where fighting is going on. This is the first of the situations in which jihad becomes an individual obligation, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battlefield, never turn your backs to them.

And whoever turns his back to them on such a day — unless it be a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own), — he indeed has drawn upon himself wrath from Allaah. And his abode is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination!”

[al-Anfaal 8:16]

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said that running away on the day when the army is advancing is one of the sins that doom a person to Hell. He said: “Avoid the seven sins that doom a person to Hell…” among which he mentioned running away on the day when the army is advancing (agreed upon). But Allaah has made exceptions in two cases: 

1-     When it is a military manoeuvre, in the sense that he is leaving to bring reinforcements.

2-     When he is going to join another group, when he has been told that there is a group of Muslims elsewhere who are about to be defeated, so he goes to join them in order to strengthen their numbers. This is subject to the condition that there is no risk to the group he is in; if there is a risk to the group that he is in, then it is not permissible for him to go to the other group. In this case (jihad) is an individual obligation upon him (fard ‘ayn) and it is not permissible for him to leave.

The second situation (in which jihad becomes an individual obligation) is when a city is besieged by the enemy. Then he has to fight in defence of the city, because when the city is besieged there is no alternative but to defend it, for if the enemy is going to prevent people from leaving the city or entering it, and prevent provisions from reaching it, and other things which are well known, then in this case the people of the city are obliged to fight in order to defend their city.

The third situation is when the leader tells the people to mobilize; the leader (imam) is the highest authority in the state, but he need not necessarily be the leader of all the Muslims, because there has been no leader of all the Muslims (khaleefah) for a long time. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Listen and obey, even if you are ruled by an Abyssinian slave.” So if a man becomes a leader, then his word is to be heeded and his commands are to obeyed. 

(al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 8/10-12).

Islam Q&A

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Kinds of Jihad

Firstly: 

Jihaad is of various kinds, some of which are obligatory upon everyone who is accountable, and some are obligatory upon the community as a whole – if some people undertake them then the rest are relieved of the obligation. And some kinds of jihad are mustahabb.

• Jihad al-nafs (jihad against one’s self) and jihad al-Shaytaan (jihad against the Shaytaan) are obligatory upon everyone who is accountable. 
• Jihad against the munaafiqeen (hypocrites), kaafirs (disbelievers) and leaders of oppression and innovation is obligatory upon the community as a whole. 
• Physical jihad (i.e. fighting) against the kaafirs may become an individual obligation upon everyone who is able to do it in certain circumstances, which will be described below. 

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

Once this is understood, then jihad is of four kinds: Jihad al-nafs (jihad against one’s self), jihad al-Shaytaan (jihad against the Shaytaan), jihad against the kaafirs and jihad against the hypocrites.

• Jihad al-nafs (jihad against one’s self) is of four kinds: 

1 – Striving to learn the teachings of Islam without which one cannot attain success and happiness in this world or in the Hereafter; if this is missing then one is doomed to misery in this world and in the Hereafter. 

2 – Striving to make oneself act in accordance with what one has learned. Simply knowing without acting, even though it may not cause any harm, is not going to bring any benefit. 

3 – Striving to call others to Islam, teaching those who do not know about it. Otherwise one will be one of those who conceal that which Allaah has revealed of guidance and teaching, and it will not benefit him or save him from the punishment of Allaah. 

4 – Striving to bear patiently the difficulties involved in calling people to Allaah and the insults of people; bearing all that for the sake of Allaah.

If a person achieves all these four levels, then he will be one of the rabbaaniyyeen (learned men of religion who practise what they know and also preach to others. Cf. Aal ‘Imraan 3:79).
The salaf were agreed that the scholar does not deserve to be called a rabbaani unless he knows the truth, acts in accordance with it and teaches it to others. Whoever teaches, acts in accordance with his knowledge and has knowledge, he will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

• Jihad against the Shaytaan is of two types: 

1 – Warding off the doubts that he stirs up to undermine faith. 

2 – Striving against him to ward off the corrupt desires that he provokes.

The first jihad is followed by certainty of faith, and the second is followed by patience. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)” [al-Sajdah 32:24] 

Allaah tells us that leadership in religion is attained through patience and certainty of faith. Patience wards off desires and certainty wards off doubts.

• Jihad against the kaafirs and hypocrites is of four kinds: with the heart, the tongue, one’s wealth and oneself. Jihad against the kaafirs is more along the lines of physical fighting whereas jihad against the hypocrites is more along the lines of using words and ideas. 

Jihad against the leaders of oppression and innovation is of three kinds: 

1 – Jihad with one's hand (i.e., physical jihad, fighting) if one is able. If that is not possible then it should be with one's tongue (i.e., by speaking out). If that is not possible then it should be with one's heart (i.e., by hating the evil and feeling that it is wrong).

These are the thirteen types of jihad, and “Whoever dies without having fought or having resolved to fight has died following one of the branches of hypocrisy.” (Narrated by Muslim, 1910). 

Zaad al-Ma’aad, 3/9-11)

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: 

“Jihad is of various kinds, with one’s self, one's wealth, by making du’aa’, by teaching and guiding, by helping to do good in any way. The greatest form of jihad is jihad with one’s self (i.e., going oneself and fighting), followed by jihad with one's wealth, jihad by speaking out and guiding others. Da’wah is also part of jihad.  But going out oneself to fight in jihad is the highest form. 

(Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 7/334, 335)

Islam Q&A

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Average Age To Lose Virginity

By: Shannon Ongley

Break Studios Contributing Writer

By the time most teens enter junior high, they have wondered at one point or another, "What is the average age to lose your virginity?" It may seem, especially among guys, that everyone has had sex but you. Are you some kind of freak or is everyone else lying about having sex?  Well, rest assured that if you are still in your early teens, most people are exaggerating their sexual prowess. The average age people lose their virginity varies depending on gender and the country you live in, but other factors are negligible in their influence. For the sake of simplicity, we'll mainly focus on North American statistics.

Average Age for Women Females in the United States and Canada belong to the group with the lowest average age of sexual initiation in the world at 16.4 years of age. This doesn't, of course, mean that any girl who hasn't lost her virginity by 18 is an oddball or that a sexually experienced 14-year-old is a hussy, of course. Averages mean that there are plenty of people older and younger than the average who haven't had sex.
If you've already entered your 20s and still haven't lost your virginity, you're not entirely alone. About 21 percent of women haven't had a sexual encounter yet. The big leap occurs between the ages of 21 and 22. By age 23 over 95 percent of women have had sex. Past 30 years of age, 98 percent of women were/are married were no longer virgins, versus 90 percent of those who had never been married.

Average Age for Men Guys in North America, just like the gals, share the lowest average age for having had sex at 17 years of age. Statistically, boys will have their first sexual encounter with someone their own age or slightly younger versus females who will more likely sleep with a guy older than themselves for their first time.
By age 19 over 80 perfect of men have lost their virginity and by age 25 over 97 percent of men have had sex. After this point, the percentage of the male population that are still virgins remains relatively stable with little fluctuation after age 30. Although the number of men who are virgins by age 25 is 1 percent higher than women, they are much more likely to have had four or more partners versus a woman's average of two. So, any male virgins out there can feel free to blame those guys for why you haven't had sex yet.

International Statistics: Ranking and Average Age People Lose Their Virginity

1. United States - 16.4
2. Brazil - 16.5
3. Germany - 17.6
4. Australia - 17.9
5. Nigeria - 19.7
6. Japan - 19.7
7. Hong Kong - 20.5
8. China - 21.9
9. India - 22
10. Malaysia - 23

So, if you haven't gotten your feet wet yet, no worries. In fact, the average age when people lose their virginity has risen. From 1988 to 2002 the percentage of teens who had had sex by age 17 fell by 15 percent in boys and 6 percent among girls. Religion, family situation, education and ethnicity also play a role, but only shift the data a little in any direction. So in the end, you should do as everyone else does and not base any decisions on statistics.

 my beloved i will wait for you

Patience - Sabr

Sabr or Sabur (Arabic: صْبِرْ ṣabr‎) is the Islamic virtue of "patience" or "endurance".

Sabr is characterized as being one of the two parts of faith (the other being shukr). 

Its practice challenges, and to remain spiritually steadfast.

Patience (or forbearing) is the state of endurance under difficult circumstances, which can mean persevering in the face of delay or provocation without acting on annoyance/anger in a negative way; or exhibiting forbearance when under strain, especially when faced with longer-term difficulties. 

Patience is the level of endurance one can take before negativity. It is also used to refer to the character trait of being steadfast.

This calligraphic fragment includes verses 10-11 of the 48th chapter of the Qur'an, entitled Surat al-Fath (Victory). This surah dates from the Medinan period and contains 29 verses. It describes how triumph comes from courage, faith, and patience if the believer stays true to God: anyone who violates His [God's] oath, does so to the harm of his own soul, and anyone who fulfils what he has convenanted with God, God will soon grant him a reward (48:10).

Patience in Islam is one of the best and most valuable virtues of life. Through patience, a Muslim believes that an individual can grow closer to God and thus attain true peace. It is also stressed in Islam, that God is with those who are patient, more specifically during suffering. Some of the Quran verses about patience urge Muslims to "seek God's help with patient perseverance and prayer" (2:45) and "give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere" (2:155-157). The Quran states that Muslims should "Persevere in patience and constancy" (3:200) and "be steadfast in patience" (11:115). It notes that "No one will be granted such goodness except those who exercise patience and self-restraint, none but persons of the greatest good fortune." (41:35).

As well, the Quran states that "It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East or West. But it is righteousness to believe in God and the Last Day, And the Angels, and the Books, and the Messengers; To spend of your substance, out of love for Him, For your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; To be steadfast in prayer And give in charity; To fulfill the contracts which you have made; And to be firm and patient, in pain and adversity And throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing." Qur'an 2:177

The key figure the Qur'an uses to demonstrate patience is Job, who survived his trial by keeping his belief in God and remaining patient. The Muslim faith believes that without a good spirit while enduring, the struggle will not bear its full reward, thus, Patiently persevering, striving and going forward, despite the difficulty, is the pinnacle of behavior during challenging times. Through every difficulty, Allah promises, there will be found relief upon its conclusion. Instead of wanting to skip challenging times, and avoid them, Allah is teaching that the way to the easing, is through, the difficulty. It takes patient perseverance, or enduring with a good spirit still intact, in order to reap both the internal and external rewards of struggle.

Young Boys

Question:

Why does the Quran offer young boys to men in Paradise? 

Round about them will serve,to them, BOYS(handsome!) as pearls(!) well -guarded.52:24, 

Round about them will serve BOYS of PERPETUAL FRESHNESS(!). 52:24

...If thou seest them [young fresh boys]thou  wouldst think them scattered pearls 76:19

Homosexuality is firmly against the LAW of the Almighty Himself -especially towards young boys who 'look like pearls';so why such writings?I was stunned.Then I read poems by Muslims like Abu Newas 'Perfumed Gardens' and was shocked to read such filth about having sex with young boys and that those veiled whores or wives don't deserve attention like these fresh young boys do! "Make for smooth-faced boys and do your very best to MOUNT them for women are the mounts of devils."Abu Nuwas

PLEASE answer!

Answer:

The verses quoted are as follows:

And there will go round boy-servants of theirs, to serve them as if they were preserved pearls. Al Tor 52:24

They will be served by immortal boys... Al Waqiah 56:17

And round about them will (serve) boys of everlasting youth. If you see them, you would think them scattered pearls. Al Insan 76:19

Even a most abecedarian read of these verses will allow the reader to educe that they have nothing to do with homosexuality.  In all the quotes provided an ambiance of blissful harmony and happiness is illustrated.  In this setting there is the service of immortal boys, much like sons, who provide comfort for the patrons of Heaven.  They serve the righteous with cups filled with the tastiest drinks and fulfill their duties to wait on the people of God.  As it regards to the beauty of these servants it only relates to the exquisiteness of Heaven.  The ambiance in the hereafter is one of beauty and loveliness where no form of ugliness can exist.  The youth of these boys only relates to their eternal existence, never growing old.  Heaven is a place of incorruptible conditions.  People do not become decrepit, or enfeebled by age.  It is a place of everlasting well-being and freshness.  Hence, youth is the symbol of eternity and perpetual vigorousness.  Not in any instance in any of these verses is there a hint of homosexuality.  This is merely a projected misunderstanding on your, or whomever led you to believe this, part.

Considering that this is an Islamic site I would refrain from commenting on works that do not deal with doctrine.  However, so that I may fulfill your query I searched through "The Perfumed Garden" by Shaykh Nefwazi and could not find a remote statement such as the one you have provided.  I would recommend that you check the authenticity of the poem.  I hope that you are relieved of your shock and now appreciate a better understanding of the verses.  It should be noted that homosexual behavior is forbidden in Islam and is even mentioned in the Qur'an as being sinful.

We also (sent) Lut: He said to his people: "Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you?  For ye practise your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds."  Al A'raf 7:80-81

"Of all the creatures in the world, will ye approach males, And leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your mates? Nay, ye are a people transgressing (all limits)!"  Al Shu'ara' 26:165-166

I hope I have clarified the issue.

God knows best.