Race to Jannah - 6 Group E: Names of Allah

Allah is the Lord of the worlds and our Creator. He is one and there is no god other than Him. Only He is worthy of being worshipped. He is different from His creations in every way. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. He has the best and the perfect attributes. He has the most beautiful names (Al-Araf: 7-180). In Arabic, the names are called “Al-Asmaaul Husna”. We should call on Him by these names. Prophet Muhammad (S) has said that Allah has ninety nine names, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise (Bukhari and Muslim).

Let’s memorize the following names of Allah, understand them, and reflect their meanings in our daily activities.

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Sl Name Translit. Meaning Explanation He who wills continuous Ar-Rahmaan The Beneficent goodness and mercy for ُ◌ ﱠاﻟر ْﺣﻣن 1 all His creations َ He who acts with extreme 2 Ar-Raheem The Merciful kindness ُ◌ ﱠاﻟر ِﺣﯾم The Supreme Lord who The Eternal Al-Malik has the complete ْ 3 Lord ُ◌اﻟﻣ ِﻠك dominion َ The One who is pure from Al-Qudduus The Most Holy ْ 4 any imperfection ُ◌اﻟﻘُ ﱡدوس The One who is the The Provider of 5 As-Salaam source and provider of Peace ُ◌ ﱠاﻟﺳﻼَم peace The One who brings -Al-Khaaliq The Creator everything from non ُ◌ ْاﻟ َﺧ ِﺎﻟﻖ 6 existence to existence The Forgiver who forgives The Great Al-Ghaffaar the sins of His slaves time ْ 7 Forgiver ُ◌اﻟﻐَﻔﱠﺎر and time again The Mighty The Strong and Defeater Al-Azeez ْ 8 One who cannot be defeated ُ◌اﻟﻌَ ِزﯾز The Total The Sustainer and 9 Ar-Razzaaq Provider Provider ُ◌ ﱠاﻟر ﱠزاق The Knowledgeable One The All- Al-A’leem from Whose knowledge ْ 10 Knowing One ُ◌اَﻟﻌ ِﻠﯾْم nothing is absent َ The Hearer One who hears all things by His 11 As-Samee’ The All-Hearer eternal hearing without an ُ◌ ﱠاﻟﺳ ِﻣﯾﻊ ear, instrument or organ The All-Aware The One who knows the Al-Khabeer ْ 12 One truth of things ُ◌اﻟ َﺧﺑِﯾر

Page: 2 The Most High who is The completely different from 13 Al-Aliyy Magnificent the attributes of the ّ◌ ُ◌ ْاﻟﻌ ِﻠﻲ One َ creations The One that nothing The All- Al-Jabbaar happens in His Dominion ْ 14 powerful One ُ◌اﻟ َﺟﺑﱠﺎر except that which He wills The One who is clear from The Dominant Al-Mutakabbir the attributes of the ْ 15 One ُ◌اﻟ ُﻣﺗَ َﻛﺑِّر creatures The Dominant One who The All- has the perfect power and Al-Qahhaar ْ 16 Prevailing One is not unable over ُ◌اﻟﻘَ ﱠﮭﺎر anything The One who is Generous The Supreme Al-Wahhab in giving plenty without ْ 17 Bestower ُ◌اﻟو ﱠھﺎب any return َ The All-Noticing One who sees all things by His Al-Baseer The All-Seeing eternal seeing without a ُ◌ ْاﻟﺑﺻﯾر 18 pupil or any other َ ِ instrument The The Grateful One who Ash-Shakoor Acknowledging gives a lot of reward for a ُ◌ ﱠاﻟﺷ ُﻛور 19 One little obedience The Forbearing One who The Clement delays (and even forgives) Al-Haleem ْ 20 One the punishment for those ُ◌اﻟ َﺣ ِﻠﯾم who deserve it

Page: 3 Race to Jannah - 6 Group E: Books of Allah

1. What are the names of the major holy books? Who were they sent to?

• Quran sent to Prophet Muhammad (S) • Injil (Gospel) sent to Prophet Isa (A) • Tawrat (Torah) sent to Prophet Musa (A) • Zabur sent to Prophet Dawud (A)

2. In which language is the Quran?

Arabic

3. Which angel brought the Quran to Rasulullah (S)?

Angel Jibreel

4. How long did it take to complete sending down the Quran?

23 years

5. When was the Quran sent down for the first time?

Quran was sent down for the first time in Laylatul Qadr in Ramadan

6. How many Juzz is the Quran divided into?

30

7. What is the meaning of the word Quran?

The word 'Quran' is derived from the root "qara'a" which means “to read” or “to recite”. The meaning of Quran is "reading or reciting".

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8. What is the language of Tawrat?

Hebrew

9. What is a person called who memorizes the entire Quran?

Hafiz

10. What is the greatest ayah of the Quran? Mention some virtues of this ayah.

Ayatul Kursi (Ayah 255 of Surah Baqarah) is the greatest ayah of the Quran. Some of its virtues according to Hadith are - 1) If one recites Ayatul Kursi when lies down in bed, a protector is appointed for him from Allah and no shaytaan (devil) will come near to him until morning comes. 2) Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi immediately after each prescribed prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death. 3) Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi, it will protect him from Jinn.

11. Importance of reciting Quran

Prophet (S) said, "The believer who recites the Qur'aan is like a citrus fruit - its fragrance is pleasing and its taste is sweet. The believer who does not recite the Qur'aan is like a dry date - it has no fragrance but its taste is sweet. The hypocrite who recites the Qur'aan is like a basil - its fragrance is sweet, but its taste is bitter. The hypocrite who does not recite the Qur'aan is like a colocynth - it has no smell, and its taste is bitter" (Muslim) In addition, the Prophet (S) said: "It will be said to the companion of the Qur'aan after he has entered Paradise, 'Recite, and rise!' For every verse he recites he will rise one level (in Paradise), until he recites the last verse with him (i.e., in his memory)." (Aboo Dawood)

Page: 5 12. Importance of trying to understand Quran

A. The Quran will be a proof for us on the Day of judgement B. The Quran will intercede for us on the Day of judgement C. There are 10 rewards for each letter we recite from the Quran D. The Quran will lead us to paradise E. Reading of the translation of the Quran is extremely important because every Muslim has to know the essential commands and requirements of Allah F. Quran is the only way to honor and morality, and it’s the duty of all Muslims to find this way. So understanding the Book of Allah is better than just reciting Quran The Prophet (S) said “Whoever recites the Quran, learns it and acts upon it, will be given a crown of light to wear on the Day of Judgement, and its light will be like the light of the sun.”

13. Who was the only woman whose name is mentioned in Quran?

Maryam

14. How many surahs are in the Quran? How are the surahs divided?

114 surahs. They are divided in two parts: A. Makki surah- revealed to Prophet Muhammad (S) before migration from Makkah B. Madani surah- revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s) after migration to Madinah

15. Name the prophet whose name is most mentioned in the Quran?

Prophet Musa (A): 136 times

16. Name the Surah without Bismillah

Surah At Tawba

Page: 6 17. Name the Surah with Bismillah twice

Surah Naml

18. Name the surahs having the titles named after different Prophets

A. Surah Yunus B. Surah Hud C. Surah Yusuf D. Surah Ibrahim E. Surah Nuh F. Surah Muhammad

19. Name of Makkah mentioned in Quran

A. Bakkah B. Al-Bayt Al-`Atiq (the Ancient House) C. Al-Bayt Al-Haram (the Sacred House) D. Al-Balad Al-Amin (the City of Safety) E. Al-Ma'mun (Security) F. Umm Rahm (Mother of Mercy) G. Umm Al-Qura (Mother of the Towns)

20. Who is the only male companion mentioned by name in Quran?

Zaid Ibn Harith (R)

21. How many prophets and messengers are mentioned in Quran?

25 prophets and messengers. They are - 1) Adam, 2) Idris (Enoch), 3) Nuh (Noah), 4) Hud (Heber), 5) Saleh (Shelah), 6) Ibrahim (Abraham), 7) Lut (Lot), 8) Ismail (Ishmael), 9) Ishaq (Issac), 10) Yaqub (Jacobb), 11) Yusuf (Joseph), 12) Ayyub (Job), 13) Shoaib (Jethro), 14) Musa (Moses), 15) Harun (Aaron), 16) Julkifl (Ezekiel), 17) Dawud (David), 18) Sulaiman (Solomon), 19) Ilyas (Elijah), 20) Al-yasa (Elisha), 21) Yunus (Jonah), 22)

Page: 7 Zakariya (Zacharias), 23) Yahya (John), 24) Isa (Jesus), and 25) Muhammad (S).

22. In which surah of Quran the proper name “Allah” is mentioned in its each and every verse?

Surah Al Mujadalah

23. Names of Quran with meaning

A. Al-Furqan (the distinguisher between right and wrong), B. Kitabullah (the book of Allah), C. Kalamullah (the words of Allah), D. Tajkirah (reminder), E. Zikr (reminder) and F. Kitab (scripture), G. Tanjeel (revelation), H. Huda (hidayah), etc.

24. Surah named after animals

A. Al-Baqarah [2] - The Cow B. Al-An'am [6] - The grazing livestock: (i.e. camels, cattle, sheep and goats) C. An-Nahl [16] - The Bee D. An-Naml [27] - The Ants E. Al-'Ankaboot [29] - The Spider F. Al-Feel [105] - The Elephant

25. Mention a hadith regarding importance of memorizing Quran

It was narrated from ‘Aa’ishah R) that the Prophet (S) said: “The one who recites the Quran and learns it by heart, will be with the noble righteous scribes (in Heaven) and the one who exerts himself to learn the Quran by heart and recites it with great difficulty, will have a double reward.”

Page: 8 Whoever memorizes the Quran and acts upon it, Allah will reward him and honour him greatly for that.

Some of the rewards of memorizing the Quran are - A. The best of people is the one who learns the Quran and teaches it. B. Memorizing Quran will keep a person close to the guidance from Allah and reciting it will increase his iman. C. It gives the great opportunity to be one of Allah's means in protecting the Quran.

Page: 9 Race to Jannah - 6 Group E: Pillars of Islam

1. How many pillars does Islam have? What are they?

The Messenger of Allah (S) said: Islam has been built on five [pillars]: A. Testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, B. Establishing the salaah (prayer), C. Paying the zakah (obligatory charity), D. Making the Hajj (pilgrimage) to the House, and E. Fasting in Ramadan. (Bukhari and Muslim) In brief, the five pillars of Islam are - i) Shahadah, ii) Salah, iii) Zakah, iv) Hajj and v) Sawm.

2. Who is the Creator of the universe?

Allah

3. Which direction do Muslims face while offering salah?

Towards the holy city Makkah

4. How many times Muslims have to pray? Name them with time.

5 times a day: A. Fajr- Before sunrise B. Dhuhr- Mid-day Prayer C. Asr- When the sun turns orange D. Maghrib - after sunset E. Isha - the night prayer

5. Name four prominent angels and their duties assigned by Allah.

A. Jibreel (Gabriel) the Trustworthy, who is entrusted with conveying revelation to the messengers of Allah the Almighty B. Mikaa’eel who is entrusted with rainfall C. Israafeel who is commissioned to blow the Trumpet on the Day of Judgment

Page: 10 D. The Angel of Death, who is assigned the task of taking the souls of man at death

6. Before performing salat, we clean ourselves with water. What is the name of the process called?

Wudoo

7. In which month do all Muslims fast?

Ramadan

8. During hajj, men wear a special cloth. What is the color of the cloth?

White

9. Where do Muslims go for hajj?

Makkah

10. During hajj, we remember the teachings of a prophet. Which Prophet do we remember?

Prophet Ibrahim (A)

11. Who can get Zakat money that we pay?

A. The poor (fuqara) - this refers to someone who has no income B. The needy (masakin) - this is someone who, for instance, may have a job, a house and a car, but their income is below the minimum requirement C. Employees of the Zakah - the group of people who are social services workers who go into the community to evaluate who is faqeer and miskeen D. Sympathizers - the people who might enter or who have already entered Islam E. To free slaves F. For those who are in debt

Page: 11 G. Fee sabeelillah (for the cause of Allah) - this can be anything for the love of Allah (e.g., paying for the studies of a poor student, defending Muslims who are under attack, etc.) H. To assist poor travelers

12. What is the percentage of Zakah on muslims?

Zakah is giving 2.5% of one’s savings (if it is equal to nisaab after 1 year of possession) to the poor and needy.

13. What is the name of meal we eat to break our fasting and start our fasting in Ramadan?

● The meal that we eat to break our fast: Iftar ● The meal that we eat to start our fast: Suhoor

14. What is the term used to describe seven times encircling the Kabah during Hajj?

Tawaf

15. What is Akhirah?

The life in hereafter. The real success or failure of one’s life is the success and failure of afterlife. We will get the result of our deeds in the hereafter. The life in hereafter will be everlasting.

16. Benefits of performing Salah

Few benefits of salah- 1. Obeying Allah 2. Remembering Allah 3. Being close to Allah 4. Getting our sins forgiven 5. To be a better Muslim. The Prophet (S) said: "The first matter that the slave will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad." The Messenger of Allah (S) said: "Allah has obligated five prayers. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions, prays them in their proper times, completes their bows, prostrations and khushu, has a promise from Allah that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do that has no

Page: 12 promise from Allah. He may either forgive him or punish him." (Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’I) 17. Importance of fasting Abu Huraira related that the Prophet (S) said: Whoever fasts during Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. Whoever prays during the nights in Ramadan with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. And he who passes Lailat al-Qadr in prayer with faith and seeking his reward from Allah will have his past sins forgiven. (Bukhari, Muslim)

18. Importance of Ramadan

● Holy Quran was first revealed in the month of Ramadan. ● Fasting in the month of Ramadan is the fourth Pillar of Islam. ● Fasting helps to attain Taqwa (performing of actions which please Allah and abstaining from those actions that displease Him). ● Ramadan is the month of Quran. It is highly recommended in the Ramadan to read and study the Holy Quran and to share with others. ● The Night of Decree or The Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) is in this month, which is better than a thousand months. ● In this Holy month, the gates of Paradise are opened, gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained up. ● Umra’h (shorter/minor pilgrimage) in Ramadan is equivalent to Hajj (major pilgrimage). ● It is said in an authentic Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that fasting in the Ramadan sincerely out of faith and in the hope of reward, we will be forgiven all our previous sins, provided the major sins are not committed.

19. What are the things we must do before salah?

Fard tasks include: i) cleanliness of body, ii) cleanliness of garments, iii) cleanliness of place, iv) covering of required parts of the body ('satr'), v) ascertaining the right time for a prayer, vi) facing the Ka'ba, vii) having the intention to offer the salah in the mind.

Page: 13 20. Write some of the pillars of the salah.

A pillar of salah is a compulsory task and it can never be waived. The pillars include: i) qiyam or standing during obligatory prayers if one is able to do so, ii) the opening takbeer (saying “Allaahu akbar”), iii) reciting al- Faatihah, iv) Rukoo’ (bowing), v) Sujood (prostration), vi) sitting at the end of salah and reciting tashahhud, vii) ending salah by saying salam, etc.

21. Write some actions that break salah if you do them during the salah

Most common actions to break salah include: 1) Speaking intentionally or unintentionally 2) Laughing out loud 3) Eating or drinking 4) Unnecessary movements etc.

22. Compulsory surah to read in salah

Surah Fatiha

23. What are the four obligatory parts of wudoo?

In order: i) Washing the face completely once, ii) Washing the arms up to the elbows once, iii) Wiping the head once, and iv) Washing the feet up to ankles once.

24. At which times, salah is forbidden to perform?

There are three times at which the Messenger of Allaah (S) forbade us to pray: i) when the sun has clearly started to rise until it is fully risen, ii) when it is directly overhead at midday until it has passed its zenith, and iii) when the sun starts to set until it has fully set. [Muslim]

25. Why is voluntary (sunnah) salah important?

Sunnah salah will help to make up any lacking in five obligatory salah. Prophet (S) said - "If anything is lacking from his obligatory prayers (in the Day of Judgement), the Lord will say, ‘Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary prayers, and make up the shortfall in his obligatory prayers from that.’ ” [al-Nasaa’i & al-Tirmidhi]

Page: 14 Prophet (S) also said: "Whoever performs twelve rak'ahs of prayers along with fard prayers, Allah will build a house for him in Paradise. They are as follows: two rak'ahs before fajr (morning prayer), four rak'ahs before zuhr (noon prayer) and two rak'ahs after it, two rak'ahs after maghrib (evening prayer) and two rak'ahs after isha (night prayer)."(Tirmidhi, Nasai’)

Page: 15 Race to Jannah - 6 Group E: Life of Prophet Muhammad (S)

1. Who was the last prophet in Islam? What is the meaning of his name?

Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (S). The meaning of Muhammad is Praiseworthy.

2. What were Prophet Muhammad’s (S) parents’ names?

● Father : Abdullah ● Mother: Amina

3. Who was the Prophet’s nursing mother? Why was it important for the Prophet to be raised in the desert?

Halimah binte Sa'adia from Banu Sad Bedouins was his nursing mother. She lived in the Arabian desert.

A few importance of the Prophet being raised in the desert are: A. They wanted the child to be raised in a pure and healthy environment B. Even though life in Makkah was very tough, they wanted to raise their child in a harder environment so they become accustomed and can adapt easily to the difficulties of Makkah C. The child being raised in the desert amongst certain tribes was able to learn pure Arabic. And the most famous tribe was the Banu Sa'ad ibn Bukr and it was this tribe that took care of the Prophet (S)

4. Who took care of the Prophet (S) after his mother's death? What do you know about that person's love for Prophet Muhammad (S)?

His grandfather Abdul Muttalib. It's said that Abdul Muttalib would have a raised platform connected to the Ka'bah. So around Asr time when the shade would come, this platform is where that shade would be. And he would sit and discuss the affairs of the Quraysh. This is the platform equal to the King's throne so no-one sits on it. Not even his sons or grandsons. And its recorded that once the Prophet (S) came running and jumped onto the platform. His uncles pulled him back down and Abdul Muttalib stopped them and said "leave him, he is allowed to be on the platform". So out of all

Page: 16 his grandchildren Abdul Muttalib allowed the Prophet (S) to sit on the platform with him.

5. Who became the guardian of young Muhammad (S) after his grandfather passed away? Did that person accept Islam? Why?

Uncle Abu Talib. He did not accept Islam. Though he provided a lot of support for the Prophet (S), he rejected Islam because of his pride and arrogance of his legacy. He did not want to leave his father's religion as he was afraid of people's criticism.

6. When did the Prophet migrate from Makkah to Madinah? Who was with him? Where was our Prophet (S) and his companion hiding before embarking on the actual journey of Hijrah?

The Prophet (S) migrated from Makkah to Madinah on 13th year of dawah with Abu Bakr (R). They were hiding in cave Sawr.

7. How old was Prophet Muhammad (S) when he passed away?

63 years old

8. What was the name of Prophet Muhammad’s (S) first wife?

Khadeejah (R)

9. What are the names of Prophet Muhammad given by his community people?

Al Amin (the trustworthy), Al Sadiq (the truthful)

10. What is the name of the cave where the first few verses of the Quran were sent down? How many verses were sent down? What is the meaning of the verses?

Cave Hira. The first revelation revealed to the Prophet was the first 5 verses of Surah Al-Alaq. The angel Jibreel brought it down to the Prophet. The meaning of first 5 verses of surah Alaq: “Read in the name of your Lord, Who has created man, out of a clinging clot: And read, The Lord is

Page: 17 Most Bountiful,-Who taught (the use of) the pen,-Taught man what he did not know.” [Surah Al-Alaq verse: 1-5] (Allah did not order to pray Salah, or pay Zakah in the very beginning of revelation; He ordered to read. So we can see the importance of reading or learning, right?)

11. What is the name of the first battle fought by Rasulullah (S)?

Battle of Badr

12. What was the name of the famous peace treaty signed near Makkah in 629 C.E.?

Treaty of Hudaibiyah

13. In which year did Rasulallah (S) conquer Makkah? What did he do in regards to the disbelievers after the victory?

630 CE. He forgave most of them.

14. Write down names of Prophet Muhammad’s children

Qasim, Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, Fatimah, Abd-Allah and Ibrahim.

15. In which battle did Prophet Muhammad’s (S) have only 313 men to fight against Quraish?

Battle of badr, the first battle between believers and non- believers

16. After becoming prophet, how long did he live in Makkah before he migrated to Madinah?

13 years

17. What is the significance of “the year of elephants”?

● This is the year when Abraha, the king of Yemen attacked Kabah. He had a huge army with elephants and was destroyed by pebbles dropped by small birds. It is mentioned in the Quran in Surah Al- Fil. ● Also, this is the year when Prophet Muhammad (S) was born.

Page: 18 18. Name the first Muslims.

● First female: Khadijah Binte Khuwaylid, ● First man: Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, ● First child: Ali ibn Abu Talib, ● First freed slave: Zaid bin Harith. Then through Abu Bakr the following were converted- 1. Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas 2. Uthman ibn Affan 3. Zubayr ibn al-Awam 4. Abdur Rahman bin Awf.

19. How old was Muhammad (S) when he became a prophet?

40 years

20. Write some importance of learning Seerah

Importance of learning seerah include: ● It helps us to increase our love for the Messenger (S):If we know him we will love him and it will increase with our knowledge about him. ● Seerah helps us to better understand the Quran: As Prophet (S) followed the Quran throughout his life and explained it. ● Perfect role model : learning seerah can help us to follow Prophet(S) in our life as a role model ● It can be source of optimism in our own lives : seerah helps to raise our Iman during difficult times ● It can be seen as a method for the revival of the Ummah ● Prophet’s life as a miracle, his own life and times, how he revolutionized Arabia, and how he changed the entire world from where he came – from a humble origin, a shepherd in Makkah, and what happened with the message he came with. Immediately he became a leader within 20 years. ● It is an obligation upon all of us

21. Famous battles in Prophet’s lifetime ● Battle of Badr ● Battle of Uhud ● Battle of The Trench ● Battle of Hunayn ● Expedition to Tabuk ● Battle of Khaybar, etc.

Page: 19 22. Why should we follow the Prophet (S)?

● Allah says: “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.” (Quran 33:21) ● Allah also says: “Whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad PBUH) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it), and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment. “(Quran, 59:7) ● Prophet (S) said: ‘Pay attention to my sunnah (way) and the way of the Rightly-guided Khaleefahs after me, adhere to it and hold fast to it.’” (Saheeh Abi Dawud, Kitaab al-Sunnah).

23. What did Khadijah say when she saw the Prophet in distress after the first revelation to console prophet?

Khadijah (R) wrapped him in a blanket, comforted him and said, "You have nothing to fear. Have a rest and calm down. God will not let you suffer any humiliation, because you are kind to your kinsfolk, you speak the truth, you help those in need, you are generous to your guests, and you support every just cause."

24. Give the names of the Mothers of the Believers (Ummahatul Mu'minin).

1) Khadijah bint Khuwailid (R) 2) Sawda bint Zam'a (R) 3) A'isha bint Abu Bakr (R) 4) Hafsa bint 'Umar (R) 5) Zainab bint Khuzaima (R) 6) Ummu Salama Hind bint Abi Umaiya (R) 7) Zainab bint Jahsh (R) 8) Juwairiya bint al-Harith (R) 9) Ummu Habiba Ramla bint Abu Sufyan (R) 10) Safiyya bint Huyayy (R) 11) Maimuna bint al-Harith (R) 12) Maria al-Qibtiyya (R)

25. What was the first Masjid built by rasulullah(S)?

Masjid e Quba

Page: 20 Race to Jannah - 6 Group E: Life of Prophet Musa (A)

Prophet Yaqub (A) was the son of Prophet Ishaq (A) and the grandson of Prophet Ibrahim (A). Yaqub (A) was also known as ‘Israil’. So, his children and their descendants were known as ‘Bani Israil’ or the ‘Children of Israil’. They were living in Egypt for a long time.

At one time, the Children of Israil came under the rule of Pharaoh, who enslaved and humiliated them. He forced them to do many unpleasant jobs and treated them very badly. In addition, he used to kill their sons but let their daughters live.

During such a tyrannical and unjust time, Prophet Musa (A) was born in Egypt. His father’s name was Imran. Allah willed that the baby Musa (A) should be brought up in the house of Pharaoh. So, Allah inspired his mother to put the baby in a box and throw him into the river. The box was later picked up by the family of Pharaoh. His wife Asiyah rejoiced over the baby and forbade Pharaoh’s people to kill him. So, Musa (A) was being brought up without any harm touching him by the will of Allah.

When Musa (A) grew up and attained his full strength, he had to leave Egypt due to an unfortunate incident. He went to Madyan (Midian), a place east of egypt, married the daughter of a nobleman, and stayed there for a few years. One night when he was travelling with his family, Allah singled him out to al-Toor (Mount Sinai) and gave him Prophethood. Allah sent revelation to him and blessed him with wisdom, right judgement of affairs and knowledge of Islamic monotheism. Musa (A) was tasked to call the Children of Israel to worship Allah alone. Allah also sent his brother, Harun [Aron] (A), with him as his support.

In addition, Allah blessed Musa (A) with some miracles. Musa’s (A) stick could turn into a fast-moving snake and his hand would glow and shine. After receiving these miracles, He and his brother, went to see the Pharaoh in Egypt. They invited him to believe in and fear Allah, as he had transgressed all bounds in oppression and corruption.

Page: 21 The Pharaoh asked Musa (A) for a sign to prove that he was speaking the truth. The Prophet (A) showed his miracles. But the Pharaoh and his people accused him of sorcery. Then they gathered the people together on a feast day, brought the expert sorcerers and offered them a great reward to defeat Musa (A). The sorcerers threw down their sticks and ropes, and displayed a great magic. However, Allah supported Musa (A) against them and exposed the falsehood of the sorcerers. The sorcerers realized that Musa (A) was a messenger of Allah. So, they believed in Allah who is the Lord of Musa (A), Harun (A) and everything in the worlds.

Seeing the sorcerers becoming Muslims, the Pharaoh got very angry and started torturing them. But they bore their ‘shahada’ (witness) with patience and paid no heed to his threats or torture. Eventually, they were martyred by the people of the Pharaoh.

Then, the Pharaoh and his people started killing the sons of the Children of Israel, and letting their women live. The Pharaoh also wanted to kill Musa (A). The Prophet (A) urged the Children to have patience. In addition, he continued to call Pharaoh and his people, preaching in a good manner. But it only made them more arrogant and caused them to oppress and persecute the believers even more. So, Musa (A) prayed against the Pharaoh and his people, and Allah punished them with drought, famine, failure of the harvest and other kinds of afflictions, so that they might return to their senses. But they did not submit to Allah, rather they persisted in their evil deeds and transgression.

When the transgression of the Pharaoh intensified, Allah commanded Musa (A) and the Children of Israel to leave Egypt in secret. When the Pharaoh found out, he gathered a great army to catch Musa (A) and his people before they could reach Palestine. The Pharaoh and his troops set out, leaving behind them gardens and wealth. They caught up with Musa (A) and his people at sunrise, on the shores of the Red Sea. However, Allah saved Musa (A) and his people, and drowned the Pharaoh and his troops.

Page: 22 Thus, the Pharaoh and his troops were destroyed. When he was drowning, he believed in Allah, but Allah did not accept it. Allah has preserved his body to be a lesson for us. The punishment of the Pharaoh and his people in this world was drowning in the sea, and in the Hereafter they will get a painful torment.

The Children of Israel witnessed several miracles of Musa (A), including their being saved and the destruction of their enemy. These miracles were sufficient to remove the last traces of idolatry from their hearts. However, some of them still returned to idolatry sometimes, and Musa (A) was faced with great difficulties in bringing them back to the worship of Allah alone.

Allah favoured the Children of Israel above all other people for a long time. He sent many Prophets and Messengers (A) from among them. He also provided them with good things including food from the heaven. However, many of them were ungrateful for those blessings and did not appreciate Allah’s graces. They persisted in their corruption, transgression and deviation. The Prophets (A) who were sent to them tried to bring them back to the straight path. However, some of them believed and some disbelieved until Allah sent Prophet Isa (A) to them.

Key Lessons ● Prophet Muhammad (S), Prophet Musa (A) and Prophet Isa (A) - all of them were the descendants of Prophet Ibrahim (A).

● Allah has commanded us to invite people to the oneness of Allah. We should ask for Allah’s blessings and use our knowledge, wisdom and the best words to give dawah.

● There were and will always be tyrant, oppressor and bad people. We must not be hopeless nor scared. Rather, we should seek help from Allah and ask for His forgiveness.

Page: 23 ● If Allah wishes, no one on earth can cause any harm to us. Allah is the Creator of everything. He knows everything and he has the ultimate control over anything.

● Falsehood and lies cannot defeat or even overshadow the truth. The truth came from Allah through His Prophets and Messengers (A). Prophet Muhammad (S) is the final Messenger who received Quran as the final revelation, which is the ultimate truth for humanity till the last day.

● We must be steadfast in our belief. Allah has sent us to this earth, and all of us will surely return to Him one day. The only success for us is if we can return with firm belief and good deeds.

● We must always be grateful to Allah for the infinite blessings He has provided us. We must avoid arrogance and haughtiness. We also should appreciate Allah’s graciousness and beg for His forgiveness although we commit sins and transgress every moment.

May Allah help us learn from the story of Prophet Musa (A), ameen!

Page: 24 Race to Jannah - 6 Group E: Muslim Inventions that Changed the World

1. University

Universities have come a long way in delivering knowledge and shaping young minds. Because so many different types of universities exist in various shapes and form, it is hard to put an exact number on universities currently providing education across the world. In Canada, as of 2016 there are 96 universities and 1.8 million students are enrolled.

In Islam gaining knowledge has special importance, urging Muslims to seek and reflect on knowledge. Historians claim that 1st University known was built in 841 by a young princess called Fatima al-Firhi known to be as pious and devout Muslim. She founded the first degree-granting university in Fez, Morocco. Her Sister Miriam founded an adjacent mosque and together the complex became the al-Qarawiyyin Mosque and University.

Fatima al Firhi, wanted to build a learning center for her community in Fez. She was well educated and had received a large inheritance from her father, a wealthy businessman, which she vowed to spend on building the mosque/university. Al Qarwiyyin soon developed into a place of religious teaching and political discussion and soon extended its education curriculum to include various subjects including natural sciences and earned its name as the 1st University known in history.

AL Qarawiyyin began providing education in astronomy, Quran and theology, law rhetoric, prose, logic, arithmetic and was known to be well equipped with astronomical and time calculating instruments. The university gained popularity and soon the university had to introduce a rigorous selection process, much like today to accommodate the overwhelming number of applicants that wanted to be a part of this institution. The university not only took in look in local students but also took in international students.

Page: 25 Included in the facilities at the University were financial scholarships as part of the educational package. Students were not required to pay fees and were given monthly allowances for food and accommodation. All the university expenses were borne by endowments by royal families. The university also had a large library which received many books from personal collection.

The idea of such type of mosque/university took off across the muslim lands and famous mosque/University were established spreading across Cordoba and Toledo to which Muslim as well as Christian students from across the world. It is these universities that initiated ideas like higher level education, entrance exams, challenging finals, degree certificates, study circles, international students and grants, collegiate courses, prizes for proficiency and competitions.

Al Qarwiyyin University Library, Fez, Morocco

Page: 26 2. Optics

The human eye is one of the most amazing organs of the human body. Good eyesight allows a person to look at his surroundings, conduct daily activities and allows a person to live a healthy life. How the eyes work, was actually explained by Abu ʿAli al-Ḥasan ibn al-Ḥasan ibn al-Haytham (c. 965 – c. 1040) an Arab mathematician, astronomer, and physicist of the Islamic Golden Age who was also known as Alhazen.

Ibn al Haytham was born in Basra, Iraq where he spent most of his productive period in the Fatimid capital of Cairo and earned his living authoring various treatises and tutoring members of the nobilities.

Ibn al Haytham made significant contributions to the principles of optics and visual perception. His most influential work is his Kitab al-Manaẓir or "Book of Optics", written during 1011–1021. Ibn al-Haytham was the first to explain that vision occurs when light bounces on an object and then is directed to one's eyes. This theory helped disprove the faulty theory that eyes functioned by remitting light.

He was also an early proponent of the concept that a hypothesis must be proved by experiments based on confirmable procedures or mathematical evidence—hence understanding the scientific method five centuries before Renaissance scientists. This was unusual for his time because physics had until that time been considered like philosophy, without experiment. He also wrote on philosophy, theology and medicine.

According to biographers, Ibn Haytham wrote more than 200 works on a wide range of subjects. Nearly half of his surviving works are on mathematics, 23 of them are on astronomy, and 14 of them are on optics, with a few on other subjects. Famous historian George Sarton in his book, History of Science claimed Ibn al Haytham to the greatest Musim Physicist and student of optics of all times.

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Cover page of the Latin translation of Kitab al-Manaẓir

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