365. The fertilized egg.

In these verses (22:5, 23:14, 40:67, 75:38, 96:2) of the Quran, we find it talking about the initial stages of the development in the human embryo. The words Alaq, and Alaqatth are used in the Quran. These words have many meanings for them.

A blood clot, in a hanging position, intertwining with each other are the meanings for this word.

We cannot take the meaning ‘A blood clot’ because there is no such thing as a blood clot in a human embryo, and neither can we take the meaning as ‘hanging’, because the initial stages of a human can only be a thing and not a description of position. When describing the initial stages of man the Almighty terms it as ‘Nuthfa,’ and the later mentions it as Alaqath on further development. The word ‘Nuthfa’ refers to the sperm in the seminal fluid, and the sperm alone is not enough to develop into an embryo, there is a need for an human egg that has to be fertilized to be developed into an embryo.

The second stage is the product resulting from the egg being fertilized by the sperm.

It can be clearly understood that this fertilized product is what is termed as Alaq. Though the term Alaq has several meanings, it is used to mean ‘intertwining’ in most places.

We cannot find a more appropriate word to describe the fusing of the sperm and the egg than ‘intertwining.’

This is the reason we have made use of the word Alaq, wherever we come across the word fertilized egg, the meaning of which is the resultant product of fusion (i.e) fertilized egg.

364. Forgiving those who slandered against him.

The incident that affected Prophet Muhammad most in his life is the stigma on his wife Ayesha (RA). 

A person by the name of Misdah played a prominent role in the despicable act. He was under the care of Ayesha’s (RA) father Abu Bakr (RA). 

After discovering the slander against Ayesha (RA) was false, he (Abu Bakr) swore in the name of the Creator that he would never ever entertain Misdah. His conscience did not allow him to help those who slandered against his daughter. 

Book Bukhari: 2661, 4141, 4750, 6679. 

But in verse 24:22 of the Quran we find, the help rendered to those who slandered against Prophet Muhammad’s wife Ayesha (RA) not be stopped, though sworn under the name God, not be implemented. If the Quran happened to be the making of Prophet Muhammad, one can never imagine to find a verse asking to forgive persons who slandered against his wife, thereby making him lose peace of mind and subjecting him to psychological torture for days together. At the least the prophet would have kept quiet on Abu Bakr’s vow not to help Misdah.

This verse is another evidence to prove the Quran is the word of God. 

363. Does touching woman renders a man out of Wudu (Ablution).

In this verse (5:6) of the Quran we find the phrase ‘Or, you have contacted women and do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it’, (Tayammum). 

Contact with women implies touching as well as having sexual intercourse with them.Hence there are differences of opinion among the scholars to identify the correct meaning.

The scholars who attribute the meaning ‘touch’ have made a law stating that either the man touches a woman, or a woman touches a man they are out of Wudu and both need to perform it again. This is a misconception.

In this verse of the Quran the word ‘touch’ is used to denote sex, as can be seen Prophet Muhammad touched his wife when in Wudu and there was no requirement for him to do Wudu again.

When Prophet Muhammad use to worship while I am asleep, he would nudge me in my legs with his fingers indicating insufficient space to prostrate, and I would fold my legs, and I will again stretch my leg after he finishes prostration. There were no lamps glowing those days. This was conveyed by Ayesha (RA)  

Book:Bukhari 513, 519, 1209 

If it was believed Wudu is annulled by mere touching of woman, Prophet Muhammad would not have touched his wife’s legs while worship.

On a particular night I could not find Prophet Muhammad by the bedside and when I fumbled I the darkness I felt his legs.

Book: Muslim 839 

Had the word in the verse been set to denote ‘touch’ Prophet Muhmmad would have discontinued his worship and performed Wudu again.

Hence the meaning of the word touch in this verse, needs to be concluded as meaning sexual intercourse on the basis of the above quoted hadiths.

362. Quran on Mehraj.

Prophet Muhammad undertook a space journey and returned to earth in one night. There are numerous hadiths declaring the same. 

But from verse 17:1 of the Quran we come to know that Prophet Muhammad was taken on a trip from Makkah to Jerusalem on a particular night, and there is no information about him being taken on a space journey from there. Some argue based on this fact, the space journey of Prophet Muhammad did not take place because of it not being mentioned in the Quran.

We have already made clear in point No;263, his concept is wrong. 

The verses 53:5 to 53:18 of the Quran vindicate the journey did take place.

Verses 53:5 to 53:12 of the Quran talk of Archangel Jibril meeting Prophet Muhammad for the first time. These verses talk of archangel Jibril meeting Prophet Muhammad with the divine message was to be delivered to the prophet. 

The verses 53:13 to 53:18 of the Quran talk about another meeting between archangel Jibril and Prophet Muhammad that took place in Paradise at the Sidratul Muntaha.

If it is stated in the Quran the meeting between archangel Jibril and Prophet Muhammad took place in Paradise, it can be possible only if the prophet has been taken up to Paradise. Because this verse conveys Sidratul Muntaha is in the vicinity of Paradise. It is possible for the meeting between archangel Jibril and Prophet Muhammad to take place in Paradise at Sidratul Muntaha only on the prophet being taken there.

The hadiths that talk about Mehraj are in accordance with the verses of the Quran that reveal Prophet Muhammad being taken up to Sidrat Ul Muntaha and not against them.

These verses of the Quran are clear evidence of proof to people who deny the space journey Mehraj by Prophet Muhammad.

For more details on this subject please refer to explanation points 263, 267, 315. 

361. When does the day begin?

Prophet Muhammad has explained the middle worship of the five times worship mentioned in this verse (2:238) is the (Asr) worship.

Citing this, some have started to argue the beginning of the day starts in the day time. 

Their argument is: 

Considering night starts after sunset, the first of the five times worship according to them is Maghrib and the middle one of the five times worship is the Fajr worship. But Prophet Muhammad has referred to the Asr time worship as the middle one of the five times worship incumbent upon every Muslim. But these people argue Asr worship can be considered as the middle one of the five times worship only if the beginning of the day starts in the morning, because according to them the day starts with the previous day's sunset.

Right from the time of Prophet Muhammad till now it has been accepted by Muslims, the beginning of the day starts with the sunset of the previous day, but these people on the basis of prophet Muhammad declaring Asr worship as the middle one of the five times worship argue, beginning of the day starts in at the Fajr worship.

Things that have been accepted without any difference of opinion are being denied by these people. They should come forward to prove beyond doubt their point of view. The cited verse does not contain the view expressed by these people. The word middle in Arabic expressed as ‘Ustha’ can be used to refer to many things with different meanings. The ‘middle’ worship of the five times worship does not refer only to the position in a number series, it also refers to the quality and specialty of an expression.

The word ‘mid’ worship in verse 2:239 of the Quran is used to refer to ‘something special’. This is made clear by the scholar Hafiz Ibn Hajr, in the book Fath Ul Baari an explanation of Bukhari hadiths, who excels in hadith explanations 

Quranic verses and hadiths stand evidence to the claim of Hafiz Ibn Hajr. We come to understand from verses 68:28, 2:43, just like other words from the root word ‘al Ustha’ mean ‘in the center’ it also has a meaning ‘the best’ or the ‘specialized one’.

Night time worship was made mandatory. And after this mandatory worship, the first daytime worship was Fajr. Some scholars say, as per the series of mandatory worships ‘Asr’ falls as the ‘mid’ worship

Both these evidence do not contradict any other stances taken already there.

But the invention by these people, that ‘Maghrib’ is the starting of the day, goes against much established evidence. 

There are many evidences to prove that Maghrib was considered the beginning of the day during the the time of Prophet Muhammad. 

Narrates Abdullah bin Unais (RA). 

We were discussing amongst ourselves who should approach Prophet Muhammad regarding the night of Lail-at-Ul Qadr. This took place in the morning of the 21^st day of Ramadan, I started from here, and reached the congregation of Maghrib worship with Prophet Muhammad. I told the prophet that I was being sent by the Banu Salama clan to know about the night of the Qadr. The prophet asked me, which of the night is now. I replied, it is the 22^nd night of Ramadhan.To this the prophet replied, this is that night of the Qadr. and then he returned later to say the next 23rd night is also the night of Qadr.

Book: Abu Dawood 1171. 

What does this hadith convey?

Abdullah bin Unais starts from his place in the morning and joins Prophet Muhammad at the maghrib congregation worship. If the beginning of the day was was Subhu, he should have termed that day’s Maghrib as the 21^st of Ramadhan, whereas he says it is the 22^nd of Ramadhan,and Prophet Muhammad also endorses it. From this incident it could be understood the beginning of the day starts at the Maghrib time without doubt.

If the Maghrib that follows the 21^st Subhu is called the 21^st Maghrib, then the beginning of the day can be taken as Subhu. But in this hadith, it is made known through the conversation this person from the Abu Salama clan had with Prophet Muhammad, the 21^st Subhu is followed by the Maghrib of the 22^nd. Hence it needs to be understood that the change of the date in the Islamic calendar takes place in the Maghrib of each day.

Let’s take a look at another hadith. 

It was the habit of Prophet Muhammad a in the habit of soaking palm dates in water and drink it the next day. Ibn Abbas narrates the following hadith.

We will soak the dates in water on Monday nights for Prophet Muhammad. He will drink that water on Mondays and till the Asr time on Tuesdays.

Book: Muslim 4083 

This hadith talks about Prophet Muhammad drinking the dates-soaked water on Monday night and on Monday day time.

This is clear evidence to prove the beginning of the day according to the Islamic Calendar is the maghrib time. If the start of the day is Subhu it would have been mentioned in this hadith, but it has been said the daytime that follows suit a Monday night is also called Monday morning, and it remains that even after the advent of Subhu the day has not changed. It can be known from the following hadith also that the day starts from the Maghrib time. 

Prophet Muhammad used to observe ithikaf during the middle ten days of the month of Ramadhan. While thus observing a particular year, on the 21^st night of Ramadhan, as usual he used to exit from ithikaf in the daytime of the continuing night. He said, whoever observed ithikaf along with me may continue to observe the same also for the last ten days of the Ramadhan month. That night was pointed out to me later and made to be forgotten. I had a vision that I was made to prostrate in slush and water, hence one of the odd days in the last ten days of Ramadhan is the night of Qadr, look for it in one one of the odd nights of the last ten days of the month of Ramadhan. That night it rained and water was dripping through the thatched roof of the masjid. On the 21^st day that continued from the night, I could Prophet Muhammad’s fore head covered with slush and water.

Bukhari 2027 

In this hadith we find the mention of the day light morning continued from the 21^st night of Ramadhan as the 21^st day of Ramadhan morning. From this we understand the night of 21^st of Ramadhan continues as the morning of 21^st Ramadhan and not as the morning of the subsequent 22^nd of Ramadhan. Hence we come to clearly know the subsequent morning of the night continuing is part of the same night and denominated as the same day, and not as the morning of the next day.

The same hadith also mentions Prophet Muhammad advised the people on the 21^st night of Ramadhan, at the end of which it rained, and water dripped from the thatched roof of the masjid where worship took place, and also when slush and water was seen in the forehead of Prophet Muhammad.

This phrase mentions, because of the overnight rain on the 21^st day of Ramadhan, the fore head of the prophet was seen covered with slush and water in the subsequent morning. Here we come to understand the day that follows the night of the 21^st day of Ramadhan remained the 21^st morning. The date (21^st day of Ramadhan) continues to remain as the 21^st morning without any change from the maghrib of the 21^st day of Ramadhan, even after the arrival of Subuhu. This remains clear evidence to prove the day begins at maghrib of each day.

If, as per these people's contention the day begins at Subhu, this comrade of the Prophet Muhammad would have mentioned the day that born after the 21^st night as the 22^nd morning, but we find him mentioning it as the 21^st morning. From this incident we come to clearly understand the beginning of the day is the previous night. Moreover, it needs to be taken note, the mention of Prophet Muhammad’s habit of exiting the ithikaf on that particular morning. Had there been a concept the day begins at the daybreak sunlight morning; it would have been mentioned as the prophet exited ithikaf the next morning, and not as ‘he exited ithikaf on that morning’. This proves without doubt, the day begins the previous night. 

Let us look into another hadith; 

Said Prophet Muhammad, every Thursday evening on Friday night, the deeds of all the descendants of Adam will be submitted to Almighty God, at that time Allah will refuse to accept the deeds of those who have broken their family relationships.

Narrator: Abu Huraira (RA)

Books: Ahmad 9883, Al Adab Ul Mufrath 61, Shuabul Ul Iman 7966 

What does this hadith convey? If it was mentioned as Thursday night followed Thursday evening, it would lead to a conclusion that the day did not change from Thursday to Friday maintaining the day break as the beginning of the next day, but here we see it mentioned as Friday night. 

There are numerous evidences to prove that even after the time of Prophet Muhammad and during the time of his comrades the same principle was followed.

When I visited Abu Bakr (RA), he asked me about the number of pieces of cloths were used as shroud to cover Prophet Muhammad. I replied by saying we made a shroud consisting of three pieces of immaculate white color clothes without pockets or a turban. On my reply Abu Bakr (RA) asked me as to when did Prophet Muhammad depart this world? to this I replied the prophet departed this world on a Monday. He asked me what day it was at that time? I replied it was a Monday. On my reply he said ‘I guess my death will take place by tonight,’ and started looking at the clothes he was wearing in his sick bed which had stains of saffron, and spoke asking me to remove those stains and use the same along with two other cloths to make a shroud to cover his dead body. I replied to him by asking whether he wanted me to make use of old clothes for his shroud. He replied by saying the living deserve more of new clothes than the dead, and the old clothes are more appropriately used in blood stains and puss that ooze from the dead. Later he died on Tuesday night and was interred before day break.

Narrator: Ayesha (RA) 

Book: Bukhari 1384 

Abu Bakr (RA) desired death on a Monday since Prophet Muhammad died on Monday, and believed he would die before night fall. But he died after nightfall, and Ayisha (RA) mentions it as Tuesday night and not Monday night.

If the night that arrives after a Monday day light is called Monday night, it can be considered as there is no change in the day till day break the next day, and a change in name takes place only during the next daybreak. But the night that arrives after daylight on Monday is mentioned as Tuesday night in this hadith, which makes us understand that immediately after sunset the day ends for Monday, and Tuesday starts its beginning.

Let’s look at another message: 

Abdullah bin Masood (RA) would rise and say on Thursday evening /Friday night, ‘the best of the true words is that of the Almighty.’

Narrator: Bilat bin Isma.

Book: Dharmi 209 

In this message it is conveyed, what follows Thursday evening is Friday night. (i.e) Maghrib is the time when the day passes on from one to the next. This is the principle that is being practiced since the days of comrades of Prophet Muhammad.

Ayesha (RA) narrates:

Do not undertake a journey, after you are on a Friday night till the Jumma time worship is over.

Book: Musan nab Ibn Abi.

Sahiba 5114 

If it is contended the beginning of the day starts in the morning of each day, then the day that follows Friday night has to be Saturday morning, but here Ayesha (RA) mentioning Jumma worship as a criterion for not to embark on a journey until it is over, proves the continuation of the night as the day.

This message stands proof to the fact that the day does not start at Subhu. 

There is numerous evidence like this to prove Maghrib is the beginning of each day.

It is better to determine the beginning of the day on the basis of facts available regarding day and date than based on the meaning of the word ‘mid time worship’ that has multiple meanings. 

360. The Iddah of the pregnant.

Verse 2:234 of the Quran says women who lose their husbands should refrain from re-marriage for a period called as (Iddah) of four months and ten days. Please refer to point No;69 regarding the explanation of this verse.

This verse 65:4 of the Quran explains the various steps to be followed by the widowed woman. When the woman is carrying the child of the deceased man, she is not allowed to remarry until the baby is born, this period of time she remains without being remarried is known as Iddah for the pregnant woman whose husband has passed away. 

If the woman happens to deliver the baby on the day of the death of the husband the stipulation of remaining in Iddah does not apply to her.

If the woman carries the child of the dead husband during her first month of her pregnancy, she needs to wait eight or nine months for her re-marriage.

We can come to understand these stipulations from this verse (65:4) of the Quran.

Please refer to points 69, 404, 424 to know more about Iddah. 

359. On whom is fighting a war mandatory?

Terrorism plays a very important role when criticizing Islam. The critics of Islam cite verses of the Quran that exhorts people to wage war against enemies, and misinterpret the verses as a license to kill non-Muslims. And some misguided Muslims who involve themselves in terrorist activities cite these verses to support their actions.

The reason for this state of affairs is the lack of knowledge about what war is. 

Though the commandments in the Quran are directed towards Muslims at large, there are some commandments directed exclusively towards the rulers regarding rules and duties by them.

The duties assigned to governments cannot be carried out by individuals 

The punishments to be awarded, such as severing of the hand for stealing, hundred lashes of whipping for adultery, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth etc... is mentioned     in the Quran. These laws cannot be put into practice by any individual Muslim or a group of Muslims. Only an Islamic government can implement them. The verses of the Quran regarding war are duties to be shouldered by the Islamic governments, and not by individual Muslims or a group of Muslims. There is evidence found in the Quran regarding the same.

Verse 4:75 of the Quran says “And what is [the matter] with you that you not fight in the cause of Allah and [for] the oppressed among men, woman, and children who say, “Our Lord, take us out of this city of oppressive people and appoint us from Yourself a protector and appoint for us from Yourself a helper?”

Here in this verse the oppressed refers to Muslims of that time, who were subjected to untold miseries in Makkah. They were subjected to torments, they wished they would leave the place to save their lives and belongings.

Still, the Quran did not command them to wage a war against them, but it questions the government of Prophet Muhammad why not fight on their behalf.

Had there been a mandate that the oppressed and victims can wage a war they would have been commanded to do so, but from this verse it can be noted that war is a subject that has to be handled by a government and not by an individual or a group of people.

Verse (8:60) of the Quran talks of getting ready with various armaments, a single person or a group which is a minority cannot carry out this task, and only the government has the ability to do it. When there is an Islamic government, and there exists all reasons to wage a war, and still the government does not have adequate facilities it is not incumbent upon it to start a war. 

Verse (8:65) of the Quran talks about the existence of an earlier requirement of 1/10^th of the strength of the enemy forces to go to war. 

Later on it was declared taking into consideration the weakness of the people, through verse (8:66) the requirement that half the strength of the enemy forces is good enough, and anything less would require the Muslims to be submissive.

When there is a stipulation that waging war is not necessary, if the strength of Muslims is not half that of the enemy, how is war mandatory on the minority?

Because there will be a huge loss to the community, did God prescribe patience and not war. No one could have undergone troubles, tortures, and torments like Prophet Muhammad did while in Makkah, he did not mobilize a force, but maintained patience. He started to get ready for a war only after establishing a government in Madina. 

If the Muslims could understand this, the other people will turn their attention towards Islam. 

To know more about Islamic views on terrorism, Jihad etc, please refer points 53, 54, 55, 76, 89, 197, 198, 199, 203, 359.

358. Prophecy regarding victory in ‘Battle of Badr’.

Let’s look into what this verse (8:7) conveys.

The merchant caravans from Makkah used to pass through the territories of Madina ruled by Prophet Muhammad, who as a ruler of a country decided to safeguard its boundaries and stop intrusions by others especially those who banished Muslims from their native land after denuding them of all their belongings and rights.

Hence as a head of the nation he decided to arrest the intrusions, by ordering the goods of the intruding caravans to be confiscated. At this juncture, the news of a caravan of one of the wealthiest merchants of Makkah Abu Suffian fully loaded with goods passing through Madina reached Prophet Muhammad.

Hence he led a force of people to intercept the caravan and confiscate the goods carried by them.

The news of Prophet Muhammad leading a group to intercept his caravan reached Abu Sufiyaan, who in turn called for reinforcements from Makkah to assist in saving his caravan.

After his call for reinforcements, a massive group of about one thousand people started from Makkah towards Madina.

The comrades of Prophet Muhammad were in a quandary whether to fight the incoming force of a thousand fighters or intercept the caravan. Most of the comrades taking into consideration the poorer strength of their group in encountering a massive group of one thousand enemies preferred to intercept the caravan, because of less bloodshed as well as the resultant booty. But Prophet Muhammad chose to encounter the enemies at a place called as Badr and tasted a great victory. This is the incident mentioned in this verse (8:7) of the Quran: 

[Remember Oh believers], when Allah promised one of the two groups- that it would be yours-and you wished that the unarmed one would be yours. But Allah intended to establish the truth by His words and to eliminate the disbelievers. Allah says in this verse, to ponder over the promise He gave, about they triumphing over one of the two groups

This verse of the Quran conveys about the promise by Allah already made to them regarding their victory over either the caravan or the group that came in as reinforcement.

Here Allah reminds them of His earlier promise to them, and there is also an underlying message here which says the prophet of Islam will receive messages from Allah in forms other than the Quran.

This verse of the Quran speaks of a promise made by God, but such a declaration cannot be found anywhere in the Quran. Allah says in the Quran about a promise made by Him, but it cannot be found in the Quran, it is found in the hadiths. 

This verse of the Quran stands proof that divine messages from Almighty reaches Prophet Muhammad in ways other than as Quranic revelation.

To know more about obeying the commandments of the Almighty and following the guidance of Prophet Muhammad please refer to points 18, 36, 39, 50, 55, 56, 57, 60, 67, 72, 105, 125, 127, 128, 132, 154, 164, 184, 244, 255, 256, 258, 286, 318, 350, 352, 430.