ALLAH
Allah is the proper name of God, however, we know Him generally through His attributes. These attributes describe how Allah manifests Himself to us. God’s attributes are innumerable since human intellect cannot possibly comprehend every aspect of the Supreme Being. A Hadith of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) makes mention of Ninety Nine names of Allah commonly known as al- Asmaul Husna, the Most Names. In the Holy Quran we read: “And to Allah alone belong all perfect attributes. So call Him by these. And leave alone those who deviate from the right way with respect to His Attributes.” (7:181).
“Allah – there is no God but He, the Living, the Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining. Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that will intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them; and they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He pleases. His knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth; and the care of them burdens Him not; and He is the High, the Great.” (2:256)
Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is a lustrous niche, wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a glittering star. It is lit from blessed tree – an olive – neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would well-nigh glow forth even though fire touched it not. Light upon light! Allah guides to His light whomsoever He will. And Allah sets forth parables to men and Allah know all things full well. This light is now lit in houses with regard to which Allah has ordained that they be exalted and that His name be remembered in them, Therein is He glorified in the mornings and the evenings (24:36-37)
“He is Allah, and there is no God beside Him, the Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is Gracious, the Merciful. He is Allah, and there is no God beside Him, the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace, the Best over of Security, the Protector, the Mighty, the Subduer, the Exalted. Holy is Allah far above that which they associate with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner. His are the most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Him, and He is the Mighty the Wise.(59: 23-25)
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The Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)
A prophet means a messenger of God to mankind. The mission of a prophet’s life is to spread the Word of God. The total number of such prophets are one hundred twenty four thousand. The Prophet of Islam (Peace be upon him) was the last messenger of God to the whole world.
The Holy Prophet was born in Arabia in 571 A. D. He was named Muhammad (Peace be upon him). The Arabs were a race of wild tribes. They led a cruel life. They buried their newly-born daughters. They ill-treated women, orphans and slaves. They worshiped Idols. They were addicted to wine, adultery gambling, and bloody quarrels.
The Holy Prophet was sent by God to set these bad people right. He hated their cruel ways. He worked hard to reform them. He changed their habits and manners by his own shining example. He taught them to speak the truth, to show mercy to the poor and the sufferers to respect women and to be kind to children.
At the age of forty, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had revelations. By dint of this high character, nobility of mind, his truthfulness and broad humanity he gained some disciples. He began his great missionary work and started preaching the gospel of God. His followers grew from day to day. The Holy Prophet was called Sadiq (Truthful) and Ameen (Trustee) even by his enemies because of his honesty and straight-forwardness.
The Prophet married a widow Khadija by name who embraced Islam and stood by the Holy Prophet throughout her life.
The old idol-worshipers tried their best to harm and tease him. They wanted even to kill him. The Prophet fled to Madina in the company of Hazrat Abu Bakar, This day of exodus marks the dawn of the Islamic Hijra (Exodus).
Madina became the center of the Islamic activity of the Prophet. He gained many followers there. He mobilized them into a small army. He challenged several hundred of thousands of his enemies with the help of that small band and inflicted defeat after defeat upon them. At Last the Holy Prophet entered Makkah as a victor. He showed grace and mercy to all the Makkans and proclaimed general amnesty. Thus he set a shining example of humanity and high mindedness before the world.
The Prophet taught his followers a simple code of life. He wanted them to live peacefully, serve others, speak the truth and help the needy. His life is a living source of inspirations to the world.
Lives of great men all remind us.
We can make our lives sublime.
And departing leave behind us.
Foot prints on the sands of time.
No life – history of any man has such an inspiring record of the day-to-day events as the simple but stirring story of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
