Muslim fasting involves abstaining from food and drink from dawn (the time of morning prayer) until the evening (before the time of evening prayer). A month passes, and every fasting person probably wonders whether he has achieved his goal, whether his deeds are accepted by the Almighty? Undoubtedly, Allah Almighty counts even a speck of good deed, and nothing of the perfect good will be lost. As it is said in the Koran:
“Whatever good you do, Allah knows it” (Surah Al Baqarah, The Cow, verse 215)
However, is fasting limited to physical abstinence only? What does the Quran say about the purpose of fasting? The Qur'an mentions several spiritual states that accompany (or should result from) fasting during the month of Ramadan.
Surah al-Baqarah says:
“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, just as it was prescribed for your predecessors, so perhaps you will be afraid” (Surah al-Baqarah, “The Cow”, verse 183)
The call to fear of God is heard 240 times in the Koran. These are inseparable companions - fasting and fear of God, because without the second, simply refusing to eat and drink will not elevate a person in degrees. As one hadith says, some people get nothing from prayer except fatigue, and from fasting nothing but hunger. Due to the sins they commit, their religious practice loses its strength and sincerity, which means that only the outer shell remains of it. If a believer does not fear the Almighty by “bypassing” sins, the purpose of his fast is not achieved.
Another verse says:
“In the month of Ramadan, the Qur'an was revealed - guidance for the people, clear evidence from guidance and discernment. Whoever this month finds among you must fast. And if anyone is sick or on a journey, then let him fast for the same number of days at other times. Allah desires ease for you and does not desire difficulty for you. He wants you to complete a certain number of days and glorify Allah for guiding you to the straight path." (Surah al-Baqarah, The Cow, verse 185)
Ramadan is a month of exalting the Almighty by observing His commands, renouncing sins, turning to repentance and humility before the Creator. And guidance on the straight path is a special mercy of Allah, which serves as the salvation and help of a person in this world and in the next life. The believer exalts the Creator during Ramadan with good deeds, worship and abstinence, and on the eve of the day of Breaking the Fast, as a rule, with a takbir pronounced before the holiday prayer.
The Almighty says in this verse: “...perhaps you will be grateful” (verse 185)
During Ramadan, believers more acutely understand the value of the benefits that Allah bestows on people. Although gratitude is a companion of faith, in Ramadan this connection only strengthens, more clearly revealing to the believer those mercies that are simply forgotten at other times.
Thus, these three components - fear of God, exaltation of Allah and gratitude to Him - represent the spiritual side of fasting, testifying to the sincerity and depth of faith of the fasting person. And the one who fasted with faith and hope will receive a generous reward from the Creator in the form of forgiveness and drawing closer to Him.
Hypocrites are described in the Koran as two-faced people who are non-believers, but live among believers and hide behind faith in order to achieve their goals and certain benefits. Almighty Allah reports in His Book that hypocrites bring confusion to the community of believers (muminov), are conducting secret actions in order to split their unity and brotherhood. To denote this essence of hypocrites in the Koran, the word is used in relation to them "munafik"(مُنَافِق), which comes from the root of the Arabic word "nifak"(نِفَاق), meaning “discord”, “turmoil”, “division”.
Another distinctive feature of hypocrites is that they very skillfully disguise their duplicity - their true face appears only when the community of believers faces difficulties and trials. But the munafiks are deeply mistaken when they think that they can deceive believers: with their actions they harm, first of all, themselves. Allah says in the Quran what delusion these people have plunged themselves into:
“And among the people some say: “We believe in Allah and the Last Day.” But they don't believe. They try to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive only themselves and do not know. There is illness in their hearts. May Allah increase their illness! For them is a painful punishment because they lie” (2:8-10).
These people saw with their own eyes the messengers of Allah and lived among believers, knew everything about faith, the truth of the Day of Judgment and eternal life, but despite this, they showed amazing dishonor and baseness, they turned away and committed crimes against the faith and those who believed secretly, sowing seeds of discord in the community , set the atheists against the sincere servants of Allah. All this is just a manifestation of their vice - pride and lack of fear of future retribution, which will certainly overtake them:
By what signs can one identify a munafiq?
Allah Almighty, having described many features of the munafiks in the Koran, warned believers about the need to be vigilant and wise, knowing about the existence of this wicked type of people who will exist at all times. Therefore, for a mumin who knows the Quran well, it will not be difficult to see all the signs and signs of this treacherous community acting behind the backs of the believers.
Munafiks, in whose hearts there is vice, will never be able to hide their essence from the discerning mind of a sincerely believing Muslim: no matter how much they try to hide disbelief in their hearts, they still betray themselves by behavior, manner of speech, reaction to this or that worldly test.
However, the Mumin cannot say about such a person or people: “These are truly hypocrites!”, even if all the characteristic descriptions of the Quran are present, but they are forced to build relationships with this category of people with the utmost attention and forethought. Here is just one of the many verses of the Quran, where Allah Almighty warns us about obvious signs pointing to munafiqs:
The insincerity of the behavior of the munafiks described in this verse, who strive to earn only public praise by performing actions of a demonstrative nature, undoubtedly cannot go unnoticed by the sensitive heart of a sincere believer. The Koran also states that, by the will of Allah, every munafiq will sooner or later reveal to the community his true essence in appearance, speech or deeds:
“Do those who have illness in their hearts think that Allah will not detect their malice? And if We wished, we would show them to you, and you would recognize them by their signs; and you would, of course, recognize them by the sounds of their speech. And Allah knows their deeds!” (47:29-30).
Hypocrisy is behavior that covers up insincerity and maliciousness with feigned sincerity and virtue. Hypocrites have no faith:
“And among the people some say: “We believe in Allah and the Last Day.” But they do not believe” (2:8).
Hypocrites are liars who try to deceive their Creator:
“They try to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive only themselves and do not know” (2:9).
“Verily, the hypocrites try to deceive Allah, while He deceives them! And when they get up to pray, they stand up lazy, pretending to be before people, and they remember Allah, but only a little” (4:142).
Hypocrisy is a disease of the soul:
“There is illness in their hearts. May Allah increase their illness! For them is a painful punishment because they lie” (2:10).
Those affected by this disease believe that they are on the true path:
“And when it is said to them: ‘Do not spread wickedness on earth!’ they say: ‘We are only doers of good’” (2:11).
But in reality their duplicity breeds wickedness:
"Is not it so? For they are the spreaders of wickedness, but they do not know” (2:12).
Hypocrites are stupid:
“And when they say to them: “Believe as the people have believed!” - they answer: “Shall we believe as the fools have believed?” Is not it so? Verily they are fools, but they do not know!” (2:13).
It is common for two-faced people to mock those who truly believe:
“And when they meet those who believed, they say: “We believe!” And when they remain with their devils, they say: “We are with you, after all, we are only mocking you”” (2:14).
But they do not know that Allah is mocking them:
“Allah will mock them and strengthen their delusion in which they wander blindly!” (2:15).
They prefer error to the true path:
“These are those who bought error for the right path. Their trade was not profitable, and they were not on the right path! (2:16).
Another one of them distinctive feature is demagoguery:
“And what befell you when two gatherings met was by the permission of Allah and so that He might recognize the believers and recognize those who are hypocrites. And it was said to them: “Come, fight in the path of Allah or drive away!” They said: “If we had known the battle, we would have followed you!” On that day they are closer to unbelief than to faith! They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts, but Allah knows best what they hide!” (3:166-167).
Sometimes they are sweet-tongued, but their hearts are filled with malice:
“Among the people there is one whose speech delights you in the next life, and he calls Allah to witness what is in his heart, and he is stubborn in bickering” (2:204).
Munafiks - distributors of wickedness:
“And when he turns away, he walks the earth to spread wickedness there and destroy both crops and offspring - and Allah does not love wickedness!” (2:205).
They do not accept instructions:
“And when they say to him: “Fear Allah!”, then greatness in sin seizes him. He’s had enough of Gehenna, and it’s a bad haven!” (2:206).
Their minds are clouded:
“And if good befalls them, they say: “This is from Allah,” and when bad befalls them, they say: “This is from you.” Say: “Everything is from Allah.” Why can’t these people understand the story?” (4:78).
Hypocrites are inherently untrue:
“Why are you two parties when it comes to hypocrites? Allah cast them down for what they acquired. Do you want to guide those whom Allah has led astray to the straight path? After all, if Allah has knocked down someone, you will not find a way for him!” (4:88).
They tend to reveal other people's secrets:
“And when any business comes to them, safe or dangerous, they publicize it. And if they returned him to the messenger and those who have power with them, then those who try to penetrate inside him would recognize him. And if it were not for Allah’s bounty towards you and His mercy, you would have followed Satan except for a few” (4:83).
Therefore, you should turn away from them:
“They say: “Obey!” And when they leave you, a group of them plans at night not what you say, and Allah writes down what they plan at night. Turn away from them and rely on Allah! And Allah is enough as a guarantor!” (4:81).
They are pleased by the disbelief of others:
“They would like you to be unfaithful as they were unfaithful, and you would be the same” (4:89).
In the end, God's punishment will overtake them:
“Give good news to the hypocrites that they will have a painful punishment” (4:138).
In Hell, the most terrible punishment is prepared for them:
“Verily, the hypocrites are in the lower layer of fire, and you will never find a helper for them” (4:145).
Munafiks have the audacity to mock the verses of the Holy Quran:
“Allah has already revealed to you in the scripture that when you listen to the signs of Allah, which are disbelieved and mocked, then do not sit with them until they are immersed in another story: because then you are like them. Verily, Allah will gather the hypocrites and infidels all into Hell!” (4:140).
They do not like war, but strive for the spoils of war:
“Those who are waiting to see what will happen to you if you get victory from Allah, they will say: “Were we not with you?” And if it is the fate of the infidels, they will say: “Didn’t we try to help you and didn’t protect you from the believers?” But Allah will judge you on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah will never make a way for the unbelievers against the believers!” (4:141).
These are the lost people:
“Vibrating between this (faith and unbelief), neither one nor the other. After all, if Allah leads someone astray, then you will not find a way for him!” (4:143).
At the same time, they claim that Muslims are proud:
“Here the hypocrites and those in whose hearts are sick say: “Their religion has deceived these.” And whoever relies on Allah... Verily, Allah is Great and Wise!” (8:49).
Munafiks strive for an easy life and are afraid of difficulties:
“If the direction were close and the path moderate, they would follow you. But the distance is far for them, and they will swear by Allah: “If we could, we would go out with you!” They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars” (9:42).
Most best test to identify hypocrites - war:
“May Allah forgive you! Why did you let them stay at home until it became clear to you who was telling the truth and who was a liar?” (9:43).
In the battles of Uhud and Khandak they carried out sabotage activities:
“And before they sought to cause confusion and turned things around before you, until the truth came and the command of Allah was manifested, although they hated” (9:48).
They cannot stand other people's joy and rejoice in other people's misfortunes:
“If anything good befalls you, it grieves them; and if misfortune befalls you, they say: “We took care of our business earlier!” - and walk away, rejoicing.” (9:50).
Allah does not accept their help from religion, and the reason why their help is not accepted is because of their disbelief:
“Say: Spend voluntarily or under compulsion, it will not be accepted from you! After all, you were a dissolute people.” And the only thing that prevents them from accepting their expenses is that they did not believe in Allah and His Messenger, that they come to prayer only as lazy and spend only under compulsion” (9:53-54).
Hypocrites die as unbelievers:
“Do not be fascinated by their wealth and their children. Allah wants to punish them with this in the next life; their souls will depart, and they will be disbelievers” (9:55).
And in life they are always cowardly:
“And they swear by Allah that they are from you, although they are not from you, but they are people who are afraid. If they found a refuge, a cave or a hiding place, they would hasten there” (9:56-57).
« Scientists are the heirs of the prophets"(Abu Dawud, no. 3641; Tirmidhi, no. 2682; ibn Majah, no. 223; ibn Habban, no. 88; al-Bayhaqi)
The Quran is the Speech of Allah and the greatest miracle that was given to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Every believer must be guided by it and know its dignity.
Often we seek grace when going on difficult and long journeys, or seeking spiritual treatment, while reading the Quran is a cure for all diseases and a source of abundant grace (barakat), as stated in the verses of the Holy Quran itself, by the will of Allah.
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Unfortunately, many believers do not have the Koran at home, others have it purely symbolically - the Koran is simply gathering dust on a shelf. In this article we will give some advantages of reading the Qur'an - to encourage our readers to read it.
The Koran is an intercessor before Allah and justifies the reader before Him, and the one who is guided by it (the Koran) will lead to Paradise, and the one who is not guided by it will be dragged into the fire of hell "(al-Haytham, at-Tabarani).
It is reported that once the minister of Mecca, appointed by Umar ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), came to him to resolve some issues. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: “Who did you leave in Mecca in your place?” He replied: “Abdurrahman ibn Abi Abz.” The Caliph clarified: “Did you leave a Quraish slave in your place?” To which the minister replied: “I left Abdurahman in my place, because there is no better reader of the Koran than him.” Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “ Yes, truly, Allah exalts a person with the Qur'an (reader), just as Allah humiliates a person with the Qur'an (who has given up reading the Qur'an) "(Muslim, ibn Majah, Darimi, Ahmad).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “...read it (the Koran), truly, Allah rewards for its reading, for each letter - ten rewards, I do not say that for Alif, Lam, Mim - ten rewards, but for Alif - ten, for Lam - ten, for Mim – ten (retribution) "(Hakim, Vol. 1, No. 555).
Also the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said (meaning): “...When people gather in the houses of Allah to read and study the Koran, peace of mind will descend on them and the mercy of Allah will cover them. Angels will surround them, and Allah will mention these people to those who are near him. "(Muslim, no. 2699; Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, ibn Majah).
Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “ A person who has read the Qur'an seems to have received a prophecy, with the difference that an angel does not come to him with a revelation. And whoever reads the Qur'an and believes that Allah has given someone better than this (knowledge of the Qur'an), then he (the reader) has humiliated what Allah has exalted (i.e., the Speech of Allah) "(Hakim, Tabarani).
Yazid ibn Abi Habib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “ Allah makes it easier for the parents of those who study the Qur'an to be punished, even if they were disbelievers. "(Ibn Habban. "Tinzih Shariati", volume 1, p. 293; the chain of transmitters is weak).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “ A person who recites the Koran in prayer while standing will receive one hundred rewards for each letter; he who performs prayer while sitting will receive fifty rewards for reciting each letter of the Quran; whoever reads the Koran outside of prayer will receive ten rewards for each letter; for those who listen to the reading of the Koran, wanting to receive reward, one reward is written down for each letter; for those who have completed reciting the Qur'an (in full), Allah will answer one's prayer in this world or in the next world "(Dailami. "Kanzul Umal", No. 2427).
There are many hadiths that encourage reading the Qur'an. But questions arise: do everyone who reads it receive full reward? Are there any ethical standards that you need to know when starting to read the Speech of Allah?
Yes, like any important action in the life of a believer, there are certain requirements for receiving reward from reading the Koran. For today one can often see how some do not observe basic ethics in relation to it, treating the Speech of Allah as an ordinary book!
Ethics of reading the Qur'an
2. You should take the Qur'an in your hands and put it back after reading, if possible, without turning your back to it.
3. It is forbidden to touch or carry the Quran, even the case or cloth in which it is wrapped, without ablution. It is permissible to recite the Koran by heart without ablution, but even in this case, being in ablution is the sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
4. Anyone who, according to Sharia, is obliged to perform a complete ablution of the body (after sexual intercourse, etc.), and a woman, when she is not allowed to perform namaz (during menstruation, postpartum discharge), is prohibited not only from touching the Koran, but also from reading it by heart.
6. Putting the Quran on the floor, even on a clean floor, is considered a violation of the ethics of honoring the Quran. It is better to put it on a pillow or a special stand, for this is sunnah.
8. The Koran must be placed above all other books; no other book can be placed on it.
9. If someone deliberately throws the Koran or a piece of paper with a surah or verse written on it into uncleanness, or throws dirt on the Koran, then he falls into disbelief.
10. It is forbidden to take even a piece of paper with the recording of verses of the Koran with you into the toilet and similar unclean places, as well as read them out loud there.
11. It is considered sunnah for the person reading the Quran to sit facing the Qibla. There is no sin in reading the Quran while lying down.
13. It is considered sunnah to begin reading the Quran by saying the phrase:
أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم . بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
“Auzubillahi mina-schshaitani-rrajim” (“ I resort to the help of Allah against the machinations of the damned shaitan! "), and then " Bismillahi-rrahmani-rrahim » (« In the name of Allah, Gracious in this world to everyone, and in the next world - only to believers»).
14. The one who reads it in the mosque or when waking up at night receives the greatest reward for reading the Quran.
16. It is considered sunnah to cry while reading the Quran. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Quran was revealed with sorrow, and you cry when reading it. If you can’t cry, at least pretend to cry.”
17. If, when reading the Koran, you reach the verse of sudjda (i.e., the verse of prostration), it is considered sunnah to bow to the ground. To perform it is considered sunnah both for the imam during prayer, if he has read this verse, and for the jamaat behind it. After reading the verse of prostration, the intention is pronounced for performing the prostration of reading the Koran. The imam, saying الله أكبر “Allahu Akbar,” begins to bow to the ground, the worshipers do the same after him, then the imam stands up, also saying “Allahu Akbar,” and the worshipers repeat the same after him. If a person who is not currently performing namaz hears the reading of the verse of prostration, it is advisable for him to also perform prostration. But the one performing sajda must be in a state of ritual purity, with the awrat covered (that is, those places that, according to Sharia, should be closed during prayer) and facing the Qibla. He makes the intention: “I intend to make the sunnat prostration of reading the Koran,” then, saying “Allahu Akbar,” he makes a prostration, then, again saying “Allahu Akbar,” he rises and says the greeting with the words:
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
“As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah,” turning your head to the right and left.
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19. The reading of the Koran cannot be called complete if the reader himself does not hear his own voice. But you can read the Koran silently - it depends on the intention of the reader. If there is a fear of riyaa (ostentatious, proud reading), or loud reading disturbs others, it is better to read silently. And if you are not disturbing anyone and there is no fear that reading will be ostentatious, if there is an intention to inspire yourself or others, then it is better to read aloud.
20. When reading the Qur'an with an understanding of the meaning, it is sunnah to express the corresponding feelings, one's attitude towards the verses. For example, if a verse is read where Allah is glorified, then one should glorify Him by saying “Subhanallah”; if a verse is read praising Allah, praise Him, saying “Alhamdulillah”; if the verse is about Allah’s mercy, you should ask for mercy for yourself and others; if the verse is about hellish torment for sins, then you should ask Allah to save yourself and others from such torment. This is what the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself did.
21. The greatest disrespect for the Koran should be considered the actions of those who, without delving into the true meaning of its verses, try to interpret them superficially, according to their own understanding, following translations into Russian and other languages. An inaccurate rendering of the meaning of the Koran misleads people, and such a person, hiding behind the lofty words of following and calling others to the Koran, actually opposes Islam, as do the Wahhabis and others. About such people, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Those who interpret the Koran according to their own understanding, let them prepare a place for themselves in the fire of Hell” (At-Tirmidhi, Abu Daud and an-Nasai).
If there is a pause while reading the Quran, then before starting to read again, you should say “Auzu billahi mina-shaytani-rrajim” and brush your teeth and gums with a siwak.
23. If you burp or yawn while reading, you should stop. After exiting this state, reading should continue.
24. It is not recommended to read the Koran while dozing, as there is a high probability of making mistakes.
25. It is considered sunnah to listen to the recitation of the Qur'an carefully.
27. The reader of the Qur'an should be as concentrated as if he were quietly talking in a whisper with Allah, being sure that he is in front of Him and reading His Word.
29. The reader of the Qur'an should not pronounce other words during the reading process unless absolutely necessary; he should not laugh or play with his fingers - he should sit quietly and respectfully.
34. It is considered sunnah if there is a good reciter of the Quran in a group of people gathered, ask him to read some part out loud and listen to him.
35. When reading verses from the Koran that speak about unbelievers, where they express their delusions and incorrect thoughts about Allah, they should be read in a hushed voice, this is the sunnah.
36. When they finish reading a verse from the Koran,
All rights reserved. All rights reserved. رة الأحزاب . 33:الاية
the meaning of which is: “ Verily, Allah and His angels bless the Prophet, bless you too and greet him! ", it is considered sunnah to bless and greet the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
37. Upon completion of reading the Qur'an, one should say:
صدق الله العظيم وبلغ رسوله الكريم . اللهم انفعنا به و بارك لنا فيه والحمد لله رب العالمين و استغفر الله الحى القيوم
« SadakAllahul-azim va ballyaga rasulyukhul-karim. Allahumma-nfana bihi wa barik lyana fihi wal-hamdu lillahi rabbil alamina wa astaghfirullahal-hayyal-qayyuma " (“The truth was spoken by the Great Allah and the noble Prophet brought it to the people. O Allah, grant us the benefit and grace of reading the Qur’an. All praise is to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and to You I turn to ask for forgiveness of sins, O Ever Living and Remaining Forever !")
38. It is an urgent sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to recite a supplication (dua) after completing the reading of the Quran. Allah accepts such a prayer and answers it. It is considered an equally important sunnah to arrange a meeting (majlis) after completing the reading of the Koran with the participation of all family members, relatives and friends. You should sincerely, for a long time and with all your heart ask Allah for the blessings of both worlds not only for yourself, but also for your parents, household members, relatives, loved ones, friends and for all Muslims, ask Allah to exalt Islam and guide Muslim rulers to the Path truth.
May Allah help us and accept our reading of the Quran.
So says the Koran
The relationship between Judaism and Islam is even more controversial and confusing than the relationship between Judaism and Christianity.
On the one hand, being a consistent monotheistic teaching, Islam is undoubtedly much closer to Judaism than Christianity. And the religious precepts of Islam themselves, its customs and traditions, both in letter and spirit, are unusually close to Judaism. However, Jews, of course, will never be able to accept Islam’s attempts to revise Sacred history and, in fact, to displace, “replace” Judaism, depriving Jews of the right to be considered God’s chosen people.
For example, according to the Koranic legend, God really ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son, but Abraham did not place Isaac on the altar, as stated in the Torah written two and a half thousand years before the Koran, but... the progenitor of the Arab people, Ishmael. And this replacement changes everything: after all, the very eternity of the Jewish people and their special relationship with the Almighty, according to the text of the Torah and all Jewish theology, is built precisely on the sacrifice of Isaac!
And what are the statements of the Koran that not only Ibrahim (that is, Abraham), but also Ishak (Ishak, Isaac), Yaqub (Yaakov, Jacob), as well as Yusuf (Yosef), Musa (Moshe, Moses) and all subsequent Jewish prophets were not Jews (although many of them, including Abraham, call themselves Jews in the text of the Torah and other books of the Tanakh!), but were so-called “Hanifs”, that is, people without nationality and a specific religion, who simply believed in the One God, Allah. The purpose of these manipulations, which look completely ridiculous given the huge time gap in the emergence of Islam and Judaism, is quite clear: the founder of the new world religion, the Prophet Muhammad, needed to belittle the role of the Jews at all costs and exalt the role of the Arabs in world history.
The very commonality of customs and religious views of Jews and Arabs can be explained by the genetic, geographical and other proximity of two peoples, descended from a common ancestor - Abraham-Ibrahim, who left similar historical traditions and legends for their descendants, and are extremely close in their very way of life.
However, in addition to this, Jewish sources (or rather, Jewish folklore) provide another explanation for such a close proximity of the two religions. According to one of these versions, in his youth Muhammad was going to convert to Judaism and even studied for some time in a yeshiva, but this study was not systematic, and as a result, the future founder of Islam left the yeshiva, but his (albeit incomplete) knowledge of the text of the Tanakh and midrashim, as well as parts of the Mishnah, are clearly visible in the Qur'an and hadith.
According to another, more bloodthirsty version, Muhammad, who had shown a keen interest in religious issues since his youth, begged some Jew to teach him the Bible and the Talmud, and then drowned his teacher in a well so that no one would know where he got this knowledge from.
However, most historians agree that in his youth, during his trading expeditions to Bosra and other cities of the East, the future prophet often encountered both Christians and Jews, and for some time he was especially close to the latter. In any case, his escape from Mecca to Yathrib, which was yet to become Medina (“State of the Prophet”) was largely due to the fact that a significant part of the population of Yathrib were Jews and therefore the Arabs there were much more receptive to the preaching of monotheism.
One of the truly revolutionary ideas of Muhammad that carried a huge humanistic charge was his proclamation of the principle of tolerance towards all monotheistic religions. Yes, of course, Islam was proclaimed the highest and ideal form of monotheism, but at the same time, Judaism and Christianity were also recognized as having the right to exist. Moreover, their very emergence was declared pleasing to Allah and was a manifestation of His will, since the laws of each of these religions best suited the character and way of life of the peoples who professed them. And at the end of time, when, according to Islam (as well as Judaism and Christianity) the day of the Last Judgment comes, each of the three great prophets - Musa (Moshe-Moses), Isa (Jesus-Yeshua) and Muhammad - will judge exclusively adherents of his teaching and hold them accountable for violating those commandments that were prescribed by God specifically to the adherents of the religion he founded.
The similarity of the basic principles of Islam and Judaism, as already mentioned, is sometimes truly striking. Just like Judaism, Islam claims that there are certain instructions of the Creator of the world that should be strictly followed, since only such behavior provides a person with “safety under the shadow of God” both in earthly life and after death - for everything that offers Allah is good to man.
These commandments include food prohibitions:
“Believers! Eat from the good food that we provide for you, and thank God if you worship him. He forbade you to eat carrion, blood, pork and anything that was slaughtered in the name of others and not Allah. But whoever is forced to eat such food, without being self-willed or wicked, will have no sin: God is forgiving and merciful.” (Quran, 2:172–173).
“Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the meat of pigs, and anything over which the name of Allah was not pronounced (or that was not slaughtered for the sake of Allah), or that was strangled, or beaten to death, or died by falling, or stabbed with horns, or torn up by a predator , unless you have time to slaughter it, and what is slaughtered on stone altars (or for idols), as well as divination by arrows. All this is wickedness..." (Surah Meal, 5:3).
At first glance, these prohibitions are surprisingly reminiscent of those listed in the Acts of the Apostles, except perhaps for the addition of a ban on pork, which can be attributed to the “Middle Eastern flavor” of Islam. However, further analysis shows that in fact the dietary laws of Islam are still much closer to Judaism than to Christianity.
Let's start with the fact that the oral Islamic tradition significantly expands the list of animals prohibited for food, dividing them all into “vicious” and “immaculate”, and the food itself is divided into two categories - “halal” (which corresponds to the Jewish concept of “kosher”) and “ haram” (that is, “tref”, non-kosher; the meaning of this word is again clear to every Jew, since the word “herem”, which comes from the same root, in Hebrew means “boycott”, “anathema”).
According to the canons of Islam, the category of “halal” includes the meat of almost all poultry and herbivores - geese, ducks, chickens, turkeys, pheasants, cows, sheep, goats, as well as horses and camels that are not kosher from a Jewish point of view. Among wild animals, Islam declares all herbivores to be allowed for food, that is, wild donkeys and hares are also forbidden to Jews.
True, a number of Islamic authorities believe that donkey and horse meat should be deleted from the list of permitted animals, but this, as the reader has already understood, does not make the concepts of “halal” and “kosher” completely identical in the field of permitted animals.
These concepts do not coincide in relation to fish and the so-called “seafood”. If Judaism, as has been written more than once on the pages of this book, considers all types of crustaceans, mollusks and other marine life to be non-kosher, and fish, in order to be declared kosher, must have fins and scales, then Islam declares all inhabitants of the sea “halal” , that is, allowed for food, and base this permission on the words of the Prophet Muhammad that “the water of it (the sea - P.L. ) is completely pure, and everything that has died in it is permitted.”
But the lists of prohibited animals in Islam and Judaism actually coincide. Islam categorically prohibits eating the meat of wild animals that have fangs and feed on carrion, that is, tiger, wolf, fox, bear, hyena, etc. It is forbidden to eat, that is, “haram,” and the meat of wild animals that eat carrion and carrion birds - all types of falcons, hawks, crows, kites, owls, vultures, eagles, etc.
It is also prohibited, as noted in the Great Islamic Scientific Encyclopedia, to eat the meat of “nasty animals,” which include all types of mice and rats, moles, hedgehogs, fleas and all types of beetles, that is, all those living creatures that Judaism also declares prohibited for food.
It is also important that the ritual of slaughtering animals allowed for food in Islam and Judaism are also similar, and in a number of details they completely coincide. According to the canons of Islam, the meat of birds or animals is only allowed for food when it is slaughtered by cutting the cervical arteries, esophagus and respiratory tract (that is, by the Jewish “shechita” method) and with the mention of the name of the Almighty (“Bismilahi Allahu akbar!”). At the same time, Islamic laws do not require the strict inspection of meat and the identification of hidden defects and diseases of the animal, which, in accordance with Jewish laws, can lead to the declaration of fresh slaughter as unfit for food.
As for the slaughterer, from the point of view of Islam, this role can be played by a representative of any monotheistic religion (Islam, Christianity or Judaism), who is familiar with the technique of such slaughter and is of sound mind. Desirable conditions for slaughter in accordance with the requirements of Islam include carrying it out during the daytime and so that the animal lies on its left side, with its muzzle turned towards Mecca.
Just like Judaism, Islam requires that, if possible, all the blood from the meat be drained onto the ground before it begins to be cut up for cooking, but it allows the consumption of the blood that remains in the meat after this drain and which the Jews remove from the meat with using salt.
Thus, it is easy to see that in the case of Islam the same rule applies as in the case of Christianity. Food processed and prepared in accordance with Jewish Law falls under the Muslim definition of “halal”, that is, it is clearly permitted and suitable for Muslim consumption. And at the same time, food that bears the “halal” sign is by no means automatically allowed to be eaten by a Jew.
As for the meat of a kosher animal slaughtered according to Muslim rites, although this method of slaughter is indeed almost identical to the Jewish “shechita,” Jews cannot consider such meat kosher. And not only because the slaughter was carried out by a non-Jew, but also because Muslim slaughterers do not attach the same importance to the sharpness of the knife that Jews do, and therefore, in practice, the slaughter of an animal by a Muslim may not be as painless as required by Jewish tradition.
This commonality of dietary requirements of the two religions has determined, firstly, that it is Muslims in the United States and various European countries that have been the main consumers of Israeli products labeled “kosher” in recent decades, and secondly, the fact that in the same United States and In European countries, Arabs and Jews often act as a united front, defending their right to the ritual slaughter of animals and the opportunity to comply with the dietary requirements of their religion.
Thus, in the state of Virginia, through the joint efforts of Jewish and Muslim clergy, a law was passed prohibiting the labeling of “halal” and “kosher” on products that do not comply with the requirements of Islam and Judaism, and thus put an end to the activities of a number of fraudulent enterprises that introduced mislead its consumers.
It is curious that the explanations given by Jewish and Islamic theologians for food prohibitions are also similar: both are convinced that food forbidden by God negatively affects, first of all, the human soul and the manifestations of such a “polluted”, “vicious” soul in his everyday behavior .
It is on this basis that Mirza Tahir Ahmad, head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Frankfurt am Main, said several years ago that the rise of homosexuality in the West may be linked to a sharp increase in pork consumption, which has caused understandable outrage among German gays and lesbians.
At the same time, Islam, to a much greater extent than Judaism, insists on the thesis that food forbidden by God is harmful, first of all, to physical health a person, and even if it does not cause obvious damage immediately after taking it, it is in any case a “slow-acting poison.” And therefore, it is worth observing these prohibitions, at least for the sake of caring for one’s own health, since “The health of a believer is more pleasing to Allah than his illness and weakness.”
This text is an introductory fragment. From the book Classic Islam: Encyclopedia author Korolev Kirill Mikhailovich From the book How to Write Persuasively [The Art of Argumentation in Scientific and Popular Science Works] by Graff GeraldDetermining Who Says What (Chapter 5) X states that ____. According to what both X and Y say, ____. Politicians, according to X, should ____. Most athletes will tell you that ____. However, I believe that ____. X may not understand that I agree with ____. But still ____ -
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From the book How to Survive and Win in Afghanistan [Combat Experience of GRU Spetsnaz] author Balenko Sergey Viktorovich“It is better to say a kind word and forgive than to give alms with reproach” (Quran, 2: 263).
“Allah does not like it when people slander loudly, unless it is done by the one who has been oppressed.” (Quran, 4: 148).
“Say: O my Lord, increase my scientific knowledge!” (Quran, 20: 114).
“Don’t tell your parents that you’re tired of them and don’t yell at them; speak to them politely and gently, lowering the wings of mercy over them, and ask: “Oh my Lord, have mercy on them, they showed mercy to me by raising me when I was small!” (Quran, 17:23).
“A person will not say a word without the angels Rakib and Atid next to him (writing down his words)» (Quran, 50: 18).
“Tell My servants to speak kindly; indeed, Satan is sowing discord among them.” (Quran, 17:53). This sacred verse encourages us to treat each other sensitively, choosing the best words.
“Silence means intelligence and trust in Allah, but there are few who are silent.” (Hadith* narrated by Daylami and Bayhaki).
*Hadith - words spoken by the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.s.)
“Whoever preserves his tongue and genitals, I guarantee Paradise.” (Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari).
“Isn’t it language that throws people to the bottom of hell?” (At-Tirmidhi and Hakim).
“The faith of a servant will not be true until the heart has the truth, and the heart will not be on the right path without the truth on the tongue.” (at-Tirmidhi).
“Man makes most mistakes with his tongue” (at-Tabrani and Baykhaki).
“The easiest worship is silence and good behavior” (ibn Abi ad-Dunya).
“May Allah be merciful to those who acquired treasure with a kind word and were saved by silence.” (Baykhaki and ibn Abi ad-Dunya).
Prophet Suleiman said: “If speech were silver, then silence would be gold.”
“Keep your tongue from evil, and thereby you will be saved from Satan” (at-Tabarani).
“A believer’s tongue follows his heart (he thinks before speaking)“But a hypocrite’s tongue precedes his heart.” (Haraichi).
"The beauty of Islam lies in the renunciation of the useless" (at-Tirmidhi).
“Happy is the man who gives away more wealth than is necessary and does not engage in unnecessary talk.” (Baikhaki).
“One person says a word with which Allah is pleased and does not attach much importance to it. Because of this word, a person can gain the pleasure of Allah on the Day of Judgment. Another says a word that will cause the wrath of Allah, and does not attach much importance to it, but because of this he may fall under the wrath of Allah." (at-Tirmidhi).
“No group of people has gone astray after being guided by Allah to the path of truth, except after the outbreak of conflict and quarrels.” (at-Tirmidhi).
“The most hated by Allah is the one who is stubborn in argument.” (al-Bukhari).
“A kind word is also alms” (Muslim).
“Understand! The people who talk indefinitely and go to extremes have disappeared.” (hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad).
"Paradise is forbidden to foul language" (hadith reported by Ibn Abi ad-Dunya).
“If two people scold each other, they are both screaming devils attacking each other.” (hadith narrated by Abu Dawud).
“To scold a believer is impiety, to kill him is unbelief.” .
"Cursed is he who scolds his parents" (hadith narrated by Ahmad and at-Tabarani).
“To scold your parents is to scold your parents and others, and to encourage people to scold their parents.”
"The most beloved by Allah action is remembrance of Allah so that the tongue never becomes dry until the very end.” (hadith narrated by at-Tirmidhi, Hakim, ibn Majah, ibn Habban).
"A believer cannot be a curser" (hadith narrated by at-Tirmidhi).
“If one tells another that he is an unbeliever, then one of them will certainly become an unbeliever. If the one who is slandered actually believes, the one who says that the other is an unbeliever will become an unbeliever.” (hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
“Mention your dead only with kindness” (hadith narrated by Nasai).
“I joke too, but even when I joke I only tell the truth” (hadith narrated by at-Tirmidhi).
“One throws out a remark, a word, so that those around him laugh, thereby he ends up in the fire of hell at a distance greater than the Pleiades star” (hadith reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
“If anyone reproaches a brother in faith for a sin for which he has repented, that person will not die until he commits the same sin.” (hadith narrated by at-Tirmidhi).
“If a person who even performs namaz, observes fasting and claims to be a Muslim has three shortcomings: he speaks a lie, violates an agreement, does not live up to trust, then he is a hypocrite.” (hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim."
"Falsehood is one of the doors of hypocrisy" (narrated by Ibn Adiyun).
“On the Day of Judgment, Allah will not look at a merchant who swears a false oath.” (hadith narrated by Muslim).
“Bring people together, even if it means lying” (hadith narrated by at-Tabarani).
“There are seventy-two types of usury. The smallest of them (by sinfulness) like committing adultery with your mother. Backbiting, talking behind the back of a brother in faith, defaming him, is the greatest usury.” .
“A person who, in the absence of his brother in faith, protects from slander, Allah frees him from hell.” (hadith narrated by Ahmad and at-Tabarani).
“The atonement for slander can be a prayer for forgiveness of the sins of the one about whom you slandered.” (narrated by Ibn Abi ad-Dunya).
"A gossiper will not enter Paradise" (Hadith narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim).
“The hypocrite will rise on Judgment Day with two fiery faces” (hadith reported by at-Tabarani).
Imam al-Ghazali (may his soul be holy!) said: "It may be four types: 1) only harmful; 2) only useful; 3) mixed, in which there is both benefit and harm; 4) one from which there is neither benefit nor harm.
It is necessary to refuse speech that only brings harm, just as it is necessary to refuse speech that brings both benefit and harm, for the harm exceeds the benefit. You should also give up speech, which is neither useful nor harmful, since it wastes time. You should only have conversations that only bring benefits.”
One day the kings of India, China, Rome and Persia met. One of the kings said: “I never grieved for what was unsaid, but grieved only for what was said.” The second said: “The spoken word rules over me.” The third said: “I am surprised at the speaker; if the speech turns against him, it will harm him, and if it does not harm, it will not bring any benefit.” The fourth said: “It is easier for me to reject an unspoken word than a spoken one.”
The Koran says:
لَا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ نَجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ (النساء، 114)
Meaning: “For the most part, only speech that calls for the distribution of alms, for kindness and reconciliation of people brings benefit” (Quran, 4: 114).
May Allah give us the strength to abandon useless speech and conduct only useful conversations! Amine.