Samouni Street

The story of 4 kids of the extended Samouni family in Gaza. 
By animated drawings they express what happened to them
and their family during operation 'Cast Lead'. 

''Firsts'' in Islam

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.



Question

Do you know who is a Sahabiرضى الله عنه ?

Answer

Sahabiرضى الله عنه is the one who saw Nabiصلى الله عليه وسلم or attended
his noble company as a Muslim and died as a Muslim.

Questions

1. Who from amongst the adult companions of Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم ,
was the first to accept Islam?

2. From amongst the children, who was the first to accept Islam?

3. From amongst the slaves, who was the first to accept Islam?

4. From amongst the women, who was the first to accept Islam?

5. Who was the very first to accept Islam from amongst the entire
creation?

6. Which Sahabiرضى الله عنه was the first to create a sea-fleet and to
develop NAVAL- power in Islam?

7. Who was the first officially-appointed and independent judge 
in Islam?

8. Who was the first to attach a door to his house in Makkatul-
Mukarramah?

9.Which Sahabiرضى الله عنه was the first to be buried at Kufa (A
city in Iraq)?

10. Who was the first male to be martyred in Islam?

11. Who was the first female to be martyred in Islam?

12. Which Sahabiرضى الله عنه was the first to be buried in the cemetery
of Madina-tul-Munawwarah, Jannat-ul-Baqee?

13. Who was the first Sahabiرضى الله عنه to be named ''Muhammad'' 
after Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم ?

14. Who shot the first arrow in Islam? In the battle of ''UHUD''
he killed three mushrikeen (polytheists) with one arrow?

15. By whom was the first prison built in Islam?

16. Who was the first child to be born to the Muhajireen
(emigrants) in Madina-tul-Munawwarah?

17. Which Sahabiرضى الله عنه was the first to be born to the Ansaar
(Medinites) in Madinah?

18. Who was the first teacher of Islam sent to Madinah-tul-Munawwarah
by Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم ?

19. By whom was the first Masjid built in Islam at Quba?

20. Who was the first Sahabiرضى الله عنه to be martyred in the
battle of ''BADR''?

21. In which Sahabi'sرضى الله عنه mouth did Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم first
apply his blessed saliva?

22. Which two Sahabisرضى الله عنهما were the first to accept Islam from
the Ansaar?

23. Who was the first horseman in Islam?

24. Which couple was the first to emigrate in the path of Allah Ta'ala to
Abyssinia after the prophet Lutعليه السلام?

25. Who was the first Sahabiرضى الله عنه to greet Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم
with the Muslim code of greeting ''Assalamu-Alaikum''?

26. Who was the first Sahabiرضى الله عنه to light a lamp in Masjid-e-Nabawi?

When Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم saw this lamp, he exclaimed in exuberance
''If I had a daughter, I would have given her hand in marriage to you!''

27. Which Sahabiرضى الله عنه was the first to accept Islam from Rome?

He dearly wished to personally migrate to Madina-tul-Munawwarah 
with Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم, but due to some reasons he could not.
However he was the first to migrate after Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم. 

28. Which Sahabiرضى الله عنه was the first to raise his sword for
the cause of Allah Ta'ala when the rumour had spread that
Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم had been taken captive by the Quraish?

29. Who was the first Sahabiرضى الله عنه to recite the Qur'an aloud 
to the Quraish?

30. Who was the first Sahabiرضى الله عنه who pledged allegiance to 
fight until death, when the Muslims were barred from entering
Makkah-tul-Mukarramah on the occasion of ''Hudybiyah''?

31. The wives of Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم once asked him ''Who
 from amongst us will join you First?''

Rasulullahصللى الله عليه وسلم replied '' The one with the longest hands''.
Saudahرضى الله عنها had the longest hands but she was not the first to
pass away after Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم.

Then only did they realize that Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم meant the 
one who spends the most in charity! What was her name?

32. He was the first in Islam to compile a book on Ahadith called
''Sadiqah'' in the time of Rasulullahصلى الله عليه وسلم?

33. Who was that Sahabiرضى الله عنه who pioneered the first raid in
Islam on the Kuffar after the Muslims had been granted permission
to defend themselves?

34. Who was the first to call out Azaan in the Kaabah?

35. Who was the first woman of this Ummat to memorize the
entire Qur'an?

36. He was the first to introduce the tradition of performing Salah
before being executed. What was his name?


Did you know that Ibn Abbas'sرضى الله عنهما Mother was the 
First to drape the Kaabah with a cloth?

Answers

1. Abu Bakr رضى الله عنه
2. Ali bin Abu Talibرضى الله عنه
3. Zaid bin Harisaرضى الله عنه
4. Khadija-tul-Kubra رضى الله عنها
5. Khadija-tul-Kubraرضى الله عنها
6. Muawiyaرضى الله عنه
7.Zaid bin sabitرضى الله عنه
8. Suhail bin Amrرضى الله عنه
9. Khabbah bin Al-Aratرضى الله عنه
10. Haarisرضى الله عنه
11. Sumayyaرضى الله عنها 
12. Usman bin Mazoonرضى الله عنه
13. Muhammad bin Hatib Al-Jumahiرضى الله عنه
14. Saad bin Abi Waqqasرضى الله عنه
15. Ali bin Abi Talibرضى الله عنه
16. Abdullah bin Zubairرضى الله عنه
17. Numan bin Basheerرضى الله عنه
18. Mus'ab bin Umairرضى الله عنه
19. Ammar bin Yasirرضى الله عنهما
20. Umair bin Al-Humamرضى الله عنه
21. Abdullah bin Zubairرضى الله عنهما
22. Maaz bin Harisرضى الله عنه
      Rafi bin Malikرضى الله عنه
23. Miqdad bin Aswadرضى الله عنه
24. Usman and Ruqayyaرضى الله عنهما
25. Abu Zar Ghifariرضى الله عنه
26. Tameem-e-Dariرضى الله عنه
27. Sohaib-e-Roomiرضى الله عنه
28. Abu Abdullah Zubairرضى الله عنه
       Zubair Al-Awamرضى الله عنه
29. Abdullah ibn Masoodرضى الله عنه
30. Abu Sinan Al-Asadyرضى الله عنه
31. Zainabرضى الله عنها
32. Abdullah ibn Amr bin Al Aasرضى الله عنهما
33. Abdullah ibn Jahashرضى الله عنه
34. Bilalرضى الله عنه
35. Aisha Siddiqaرضى الله عنها
36. Khubaibرضى الله عنه

How well do you know the Sahaba?
Compiled by 
Maulana Khalid Dhorat

My Egyptian Village

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Introduction

Egypt, also know as Misr in Arabic, 
is quite unlike any other Muslim
country. For almost five thousand
years there has been an unbroken
historical record of people
inhabiting this land on
the banks of River Nile.

It is along this ribbon of blue,
amidst a bright yellow desert
landscape that the village of 
Al-Khayriyyah is located.
This is the home of 
'Abd al-Kareem, an extremely
gentle Egyptian boy who is
 very keen to show you around
 his village.


Since the time of the Companion of the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم 
'Amr ibn al-'Asرضى الله عنه, Egypt has been a Muslim
Country. Important Islamic dynasties, such as  the Tulinid, Fatimid,
Ayyubid, Mamluk and Ottaman, all once ruled this land. Kingdoms,
sultanates and empires rose and fell but the River Nile never ceased
flowing nor did the hard-working people of the countryside- Fellahin -
cease tilling the fertile fields along its banks.

Al-khayriyyah is a village of fellahin. Their lives have changed little
over the years which has helped them preserve many old Islamic 
traditions and practices.

Now turn the page and let 'Abd al-Kareem introduce you to his 
colourful Egyptian World.

To you all my Salaams.

Luqman Nagy


1. History of My Village 

My name is 'Abd al-Kareem and
I am a Muslim, al-Hamdulillah.
I live in a beautiful Egyptian Village. 
My village is called Al- Khayriyyah,
because the people who first lived
here were ''charitable'' - they always
offered aid or Khayr to those in need.
''Welcome to my village!'' or as we 
say in Arabic, ''ahlan wa sahlan
wa marhaban fee baytee.''

As you can see, my village is not
far from the ancient step pyramid 
of Zoser at Saqqara, the oldest of 
all Egyptian pyramids. We live on the
banks of the deep and wide Nile River.
  
We read in our history books that my country was called the ''gift of the Nile''
 by the ancient Greeks. Egypt is a desert country, but al-Hamdulillah, 
because of the Nile River, farmers for thousands of years have been 
able to grow wheat and  other crops to support its population.

My father owns a herd of water buffalo (or gamoosa in Arabic). These 
animals resemble big horned cows. They love to eat all the wonderful
fresh green grass that grows in the fields near our village. As a result,
water buffalo grow very large. My father sells buffalo milk to the city
where it is used to make delicious white feta cheese. In late afternoon,
the buffalo like to cool themselves in the canal near the river. We 
sometimes jumps in and help scrub them down!

My father tells me that Al-Khayriyyah is a very old village. He says that 
perhaps people from our village provided workforce for the construction
of Zoser's step pyramid almost 5,000 years ago. This imposing and
magnificent structure had a great influence on our lives. We used to sit 
and play in its shade, and often wondered what life had been like so many
years ago.

Today, we speak Arabic, but a form of the ancient Egyptian language is still
used by the Copts, or Egyptian Christians, in their church services. There 
are some Coptic villages in the southern part of Egypt.

Everyone in our village owns a vegetable garden. The fertile soil, the bountiful
water supply and the hot Egyptian sun all help produce incredibly large 
sweet carrots and huge white heads of cauliflower, my favourite! 
Masha'Allah - even the dates in our village are unusually large. You can see
some of our date trees just behind the village houses. Al-Hamdulillah, we
believe that Allah has truly blessed our home-land - Misr.

Islamic Village Stories
Written & Illustrated by
Luqman Nagy

 

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.



Eid Mubarak to all my young Readers!

A Road to Hajj - China

A road to Hajj - China

Part 2

Road to Hajj - Japan

This is a documentary on a few Japanese Muslims who are preparing to
go for hajj. It is a series of documentaries made by Al Jazeera. It very
interesting to see how people in other parts of the world prepare for Hajj.

Do you know of any of your relatives going for hajj this year? maybe
you can ask them how they are preparing for hajj? 
Part 2

The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم ' Letter

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم
In the Name of Allah,
the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.



Allah Ta;ala sent Prophet Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم  as a mercy
to all mankind. The message of Islam was meant for all people :
Arabs, Africans, Persians, Romans and Turks etc. During his
lifetime, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم invited young and old, friend
and foe, to the religion of peace, Din al-haq al-Islam.

After the Treaty of Hudaybiyah in 626 CE, more and more people
in Arabia were embracing Islam and travelling to Madinah to pledge
allegiance to the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم. Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم
spoke to his Companions in Madinah :

O, people! Allah has sent me as the one
who is compassionate to mankind and 
as the prophet to the world.
Therefore, preach (the message of Islam)
on my behalf; Allah will have 
mercy upon you....

The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم, therefore, decided to send Companions
with letters to powerful rulers of his day such as the emperors of
Byzantium and Persia, and the King of Ethiopia. Three of these letters
of invitation to Islam have been preserved to this day.

The story of Heraclius  is an interesting one. He was the ruler of the
vast Byzantine Empire, the true superpower of his day. His capital
was the beautiful city of Constantinople (present day Istanbul,Turkey).

In 628 CE, Heraclius and his army had defeated in battle the second
superpower of his day, the Persian Empire of Khusraw II.

Heraclius was in Homs (Syria) when he received the Prophet'sصلى الله عليه وسلم
letter from his Companion Dihyah ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi رضى الله عنه . The
contents of the letter read as follows :

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
This letter is from Muhammad, the slave of Allah
and His messenger to Heraclius, the ruler of the 
Byzantines. Peace be upon him who follows the
right path. Furthermore, I invite you to Islam and 
if you become a Muslim, you will be safe, and Allah
will double your reward, but if you reject this 
invitation to Islam, you will be committing a sin by
misguiding your subjects. And I recite to you
Allah's statement :

''O people of scriptures (Jews and Christians)!
Come to a word common to you and us that we
associate no partners with Him and that none 
of us shall take others as lords besides Allah.
Then if they turn away, say : Bear witness that
we are Muslims.'' (Surah 3: 64)

The letter was written on parchment and was
stamped with the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم's
seal : Muhammad Rasul Allah.

After reading this letter, Heraclius sent soldiers to search the land 
for someone from the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم's tribe. At the time
Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraysh, was on a trading mission
in Gaza, Palestine. Sahih Bukhari discusses the meeting that took
place between Abu Sufyan, still a bitter enemy of the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم
and the emperor Helaclius.

Heraclius asked many questions about the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم's
character. Abu Sufyan could not deny that the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم
was an honest man who ordered his followers to pray, speak the
truth and keep good relations with family members. Abu Sufyan
added: ''By Allah! had I not been afraid of my companions labeling
me a liar, I would not have spoken the truth about the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم.

Heraclius truly believed that Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم was the Prophet
of Allah and said to his own people :

O, Byzantines ! If success is your desire and
if you seek right guidance and want your empire
to remain, then give your pledge of allegiance to
this Prophet (i.e. embrace Islam).

On hearing this, the Byzantines became very annoyed and angry.
Heraclius now understood his own people's deep-seated hatred
of Islam and that he, as their emperor, could not become a Muslim.

Heraclius left Syria for his capital, Constantinople. As he rode north,
he glanced back and said ; ''Farewell for the last time, O land of Syria!''
Hearaclius knew that Islam would soon become the religion of
al balad al-sham (present-day Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon).

In his lifetime, the Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم 's invitation to Din al-haq-Islam
was accepted by just one ruler : the wise Nagus of Ethiopia, al-Hamdulillah.
After a few years, however, the once mighty empires of Heraclius and
khusraw II along with Egypt all become Muslim lands, Masha'Allah. 

Tell Me About Islamic History