FAQ in the category of Life

1 Did the age of girls start to be counted after puberty in ancient Arabs?

Darun-Nadwa was the name of the meeting place where the Qurayshi tribe discussed and decided on important issues.

Qusayy (d. 480), who is considered the ancestor of the Quraysh tribe, united the clans of the Quraysh tribe when he took over the task of looking after the Kaaba and administering Makkah as a result of his struggle with the Khuza’a tribe. He placed the Makkans, who had previously lived in tents, in Makkah and its surroundings, with the Kaaba as the center, enabling them to live in dwellings.

In the meantime, he left the religious duties held by some Arab tribes to them, as he saw them as religious traditions that should not be changed. He took over the duties of sidana, hijaba, siqaya, rifada, nadwa and liwa related to the Kaaba, hajj and administration of Makkah.

He had the meeting place called “Darun-Nadwa” built to the north of the Kaaba, behind the place where circumambulation started, and had its door opened towards the Kaaba in 440 AD.

“Darun-Nadwa” was essentially a council of nobles. The leaders of the Quraysh tribes in Makkah above the age of forty could attend this assembly, where all kinds of war and peace decisions were made, opinions were determined, wedding ceremonies and shirt-wearing ceremonies for young girls who reached puberty were held.

According to Ibn Ishaq, before Qusayy had Darun-Nadwa built, those meetings were held in his house. Qurayshis were so devoted to him that wedding ceremonies used to be held in his house and any event that happened to them was discussed there; decisions to wage wars against other tribes were also made there. Clothing the girls who reached puberty in shirts was also done in his house; the part of the shirt that should be left open was torn there and put on the girl; then the girl would be taken home and dressed in a normal way. (1)

The person who led that ceremony was called “muhayyid” (2). (3) The meaning of this ceremony was as follows:

This girl entered puberty; anyone who wanted to marry her could marry her. That ceremony was held in the presence of everyone. (4)

To sum up, it can be said that there was a custom in the ancient Arabs that a ceremony was held for a girl who entered puberty and that girls were known by their age after menstruation. (5)

References:

1) Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 1/77; DIA, Daru’n-nedve item.
2) Muhayyid: It means the person who performs the hayd (menstruation) ceremony. This title was given to Abdiddar, one of the sons of Qusayy, for performing this ceremony. For more information, see Azraqi, Akhbaru Makkah (History of Makkah), p. 113-114.
3) Ibn Hisham, 1/77-78; Azraqi, Akhbaru Makkah (History of Makkah), p. 113-114; Balazuri, Futuhul-Buldan, (Translated by Mustafa Fayda), Siyer Yayınları, Istanbul 2013, p. 58.
4) Muhammed Hamidullah, İslam Müesseselerine Giriş, (Transl. İhsan Süreyya Sırma), Beyan Yayınları, Istanbul 2013, p. 42.
5) see Musa Jarullah, Hatun, p. 81, Kitabiyat Yay. Transl. Mehmet Görmez.

2 In our time, stress is mentioned too often. What can be the main source of stress?
3 What is the Wisdom behind making Wudu before going to bed and What are its Scientific Benefits?

It is sunnah to make wudu before going to bed.

In a hadith, the Prophet said to Bara b. Azib,

“When you want to go to bed to sleep, make wudu as you would for the prayer, then lie on your right side…” (Bukhari, h.no: 6311; Ibn Hajar, Fathul-Bari, 11/109)

There are material and spiritual benefits of making wudu before sleeping. Some of them are as follows:

- Man can die while he is asleep as well as while he is awake. Having wudu, which is a weapon of a believer, means to attain Allah by girding oneself with the weapon of belief and Islam if one dies while sleeping.

- According to what Ibn Abbas reports, people are revived by their position in their death. The soul of a person who dies having wudu goes to the Gathering Place in a spiritually clean state.

- Preparing for death and pulling oneself together is a kind of spiritual cleanliness made with the consciousness of belief and worshipping.

This cleanliness is much more important than bodily cleanliness.

- Some prayers and dhikrs are also advised in this hadith, which orders wudu.

The sleep of a person who cleans himself, prays and makes dhikr is like a kind of worshipping. The dreams that he sees usually come true; Satan cannot play tricks on this person.

From this point of view, it is possible to say that wudu makes sleeping efficient.

- “Wudu” (ablution), which is an Arabic word, lexically means cleanliness.

It is important for man to clean the organs of wudu, which are dirtied by various reasons during the day, and to go to bed in a clean state in terms of both cleanliness of the body and the bed.

This action is notable in terms of preventive medicine.

- A perfect wudu is related to mouth, nose and tooth cleanliness along with the cleanliness of the known wudu organs.

In terms of health, it is a known fact how important it is to wash the mouth, nose and teeth when one goes to bed and gets up (as in tahajjud prayer and morning prayer).

The meticulousness of the people who take care of their health in washing these organs though they do not make wudu and perform prayers is another proof of how important making wudu while going to bed is. (cf. Ibn Hajar, ibid)

- According to a narration, the Prophet said,

"If a person sleeps without washing his dirty hands and something (an illness) happens to him, he should condemn himself only." (For this hadith, which exists in all Kutub as-Sitta books except Nasai, see Naylul-Awtar, 8/188)

From the expression of this sound hadith, it is also possible to understand how important "making wudu before sleeping" is in terms of health.

The full text of the related hadith is as follows:

“When you want to go to bed, make wuduas you would for prayer;then, lie on your right side and say,

اَللّٰهُمَّ أَسْلَمْتُ نَفْسِى إِلَيْكَ وَوَجَّهْتُ وَجْهِى إِلَيْكَ وَفَوَّضْتُ أَمْرِى إِلَيْكَ وَأَلْجَأْتُ ظَهْرِى إِلَيْكَ، رَغْبَةً وَرَهْبَةً إِلَيْكَ، لَامَلْجَأَ وَلَا مَنْجَا مِنْكَ إِلاَّ إِلَيْكَ. اٰمَنْتُ بِكِتَابِكَ الَّذِى أَنْزَلْتَ وَنَبِيِّكَ الَّذِى أَرْسَلْتَ

“O Allah! I have submitted myself to You, I have turned my face to You, committed my affairs to You, and depend on You for protection out of desire for You and out of fear of You. There is no refuge and no place of safety from You but with You. I believed in the Book You have revealed, and in the Prophet You have sent.” If you say it and sleep and if you die that night, you will die on the religion of Islam. Let them be your last words before you sleep.” (Bukhari, Daawat, 7)

Another hadith regarding the issue is as follows:

"A person who has difficulty in sleeping should make wudu before going to bed and read the following supplication:

اَللّٰهُمَّ غَارَتِ النُّجُومُ وَهَدَأَتِ الْعُيُونُ وَاَنْتَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ الَّذِى لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ   يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ اِهْدِ لَيْلِى وَاَنِمْ عَيْنَيَّ

“O Allah, stars have set, eyes have rested; You alone are the Ever-Alive, and the Self-Subsisting Source of all beings; neither slumber nor sleep overtakes You. Make my night comforting for me, and bring sleep unto my eyes.” Then, he should read Muawwizatayn (chapters of al-Falaq and an-Nas) and sleep." (see Haysami, 10/178)

4 I do not want to live. Allah did not ask me when He created me. Why does He force me to live?

We have to accept that it is not normal to get tired of living. That most people strive to live and survive is the clearest evidence of it.

Then, the fact that you are annoyed by the world life and want to commit suicide cannot be explained by normal psychology. Even if you do not accept it, you need to see a good psychiatrist and undergo a treatment. 

You want Allah, who does not leave ants without a prince, or bees without a queen, to leave man, whom He elevated to the rank of vicegerency of the earth, unattended. Can it be possible?

You say "Allah did not ask me when He created me." Is it logical at all? You did not exist before Allah created you; why should He ask you? Nothing is said to a non-existent being; why should he be asked?

We should not forget that Allah does not ask us when He creates us and when he kills us. It is contrary to the character, nature, honor and dignity of man, who is weak, miserable and in need of Allah in every aspect, even only to imagine something like that.

A person who has some intelligence will accept that it is very ugly and useless for a shepherd to criticize Avicenna regarding wisdom, the president regarding politics and a general regarding military strategy, for a mouse to compete with man and an ignorant person to question Socrates regarding philosophy.

It is illogical to evaluate and to oppose the endless wisdom of Allah, who is the Creator of the universe and who has endless knowledge, power and wisdom, with man's insufficient intelligence.

We should not forget that it is the best choice to kiss the hand that you cannot bend and to surrender to it. Then, we need to kiss Allah's hand of mercy and wisdom so that He will be pleased with us.

We should know very well that Allah will not change the material and spiritual, the religious and scientific system for the sake of our objections, which are not even as effective as the wing of a mosquito. 

As Badiuzzaman Said Nursi puts it, "Whoever criticizes Divine Determining is striking his head against an anvil on which it will break, and whoever objects to Divine Mercy will himself be deprived of it” “Hell demands people just as Paradise demands people.”

Then, everybody needs to save his own ship. Death is very close to us; it might come tomorrow or earlier; it can save us from the heavy responsibilities of life. For believers, death is like a discharge certificate. It is a ticket to Paradise. We need to show some more patience. Life is very short. There is no need to make it shorter by committing suicide.

The following words that Badiuzzaman Said Nursi said for sick people and that are valid for all of us show that the test of the world is not easy:

“Impatient sick person! The fact that those who come to this world continuously depart, and the young grow old, and man perpetually revolves amid death and separation testifies that he did not come to this world to enjoy himself and receive pleasure.

This means that man did not come to this world in order to live in fine manner and pass his life in ease and pleasure. Rather, possessing vast capital, he came here to work and do trade for an eternal, everlasting life.

The capital given to man is his lifetime. Had there been no illness, good health and well-being would have caused heedlessness, for they show the world to be pleasant and make the hereafter forgotten. They do not want death and the grave to be thought of; they cause the capital of life to be wasted on trifles.

Whereas illness suddenly opens the eyes, it says to the body: 'You are not immortal. You have not been left to your own devices. You have a duty. Give up your pride, think of the One Who created you. Know that you will enter the grave, so prepare yourself for it!'

Thus, from this point of view, illness is an admonishing guide and advisor that never deceives. It should not be complained about in this respect, indeed, should be thanked for. And if it is not too severe, patience should be sought to endure it.” (Lem'alar (Flashes), 206-207)

We ask our Lord, who has endless mercy, not to leave us on our own and to lead us to the good and the right, to the way to Paradise, to protect us from the evil of the soul and Satan and to cure all of our material and spiritual illnesses. Amin!

Click for more information:

Is one asked if he wanted to be created and tested?

5 What are the most important hadiths that can guide our daily life?

Actually, every hadith guides our lives.  In this regard, we should benefit from relevant hadiths and verses in every issue (which is) related with our life.

We want to share a recommendation of Abu Dawud, which is one of the Kutub as- Sittah books, since we cannot quote all of the important hadiths that guide our lives.

Ibn al-Arabi stated the following about Abu Dawud's book named "Sunan":

“If a person knows the Qur'an and Abu Dawud's Sunan, it means that the person has obtained the beginning of the religious issues.” (1)

Abu Dawud, who became distinguished with his knowledge, personality and his book called “Sunan” in the period when he lived, states the following in an evaluation attributed to him (2):

Among all of these hadiths, only four of them are sufficient for a wise person;

1. "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions." Sahih al-Bukhari (3)

2. "Part of a person’s goodness in Islam is his leaving alone that which does not concern him" (4)

3. "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself." (5)

4. "Both legal and illegal things are evident but in between them there are doubtful things and most of the people have no knowledge about them. So whoever saves himself from these doubtful things saves his religion and his honor.  And whoever indulges in these doubtful things is like a shepherd who grazes (his animals) near the Hima (private pasture) of someone else and at any moment he is liable to get in it. (O people!) Beware! Every king has a Hima and the Hima of Allah on the earth is His illegal (forbidden) things. Beware! There is a piece of flesh in the body if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good but if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart." (6)

Shah Waliullah Dehlawi states the following about these four hadiths;

"...In order to perform prayers properly, the first hadith is sufficient.
- In order to prevent the precious life from being wasted, the second hadith is sufficient.
- To protect the rights of relatives, friends and neighbours is mentioned in the third hadith.
- The hesitations and doubts that can occur due to differences of evidences or disagreements of scholars are settled by the fourth hadith.

Thus, these four hadiths become like a master and a teacher in the eye of a wise person." (7)

These four hadiths, which Abu Dawud determined as "the essence of Islam" according to us, surround almost all fields of a Muslim's life.

The hadith "The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions" narrated by 'Umar bin Al-Khattab is the first hadith of Bukhari’'s book called 'Sahih', which is regarded as one of the soundest hadith resources. It should not be a coincidence that this hadith is mentioned right at the beginning of the book by Bukhari. Probably, Bukhari is giving a serious message to reader with the very first hadith:

"Have a sound intention in this deed of reading, which you have just started, and in all of the other actions and deeds in your life!" A few centuries later, Imam Nawawi also joined this message in his precious work called "Riyadhus-Salihin" and he included the hadith on 'intention' as the first hadith in his work.

In fact, the second hadith indicates gradualism together with the first hadith: The first step before deed- action is the soundness of the intention while the second step is the quality of the deed.

A Muslim person should observe quality in his deeds-actions based on this second step. He should give importance to content and quality in his preferences, and he should act in compliance with the principle of “being useful-being significant” according to the hadith.

The third hadith prevents “egoism” namely “selfishness”, which is perhaps one of the most important character problems of today. Surely, the reflections of this character problem on the social life are not pleasant.

The society which consist of people who say 'always to me', and who live with the philosophy 'the snake which does not touch me', who do not want things for each other, and who cannot share each other’s pain by heart are probably the clearest examples of these reflections.

Although there are different opinions and views related to the content of the hadith, the fourth hadith determines the attitude of Muslims in the face of problems by indicating the ease of practicing Islam clearly.

The formula of practicing Islam is given in the hadith clearly as keeping away from the issues about which there is no clear information and views.

It is also stated in the hadith that a person who keeps a way from this unclear field protects his religion and honor and it is stated that a person who enters this field is  likened to a shepherd who grazes his sheep around this forbidden land.

There is no doubt that every hadith that is known to come from our Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a sound way is very important for us. These hadiths include different topics, and each of them addresses one aspect of our lives.

In addition to this, as Abu Dawud points out, some hadiths contain more practical and concise prophetic wisdoms about understanding Islam and telling people about Islam. From this point of view, these four hadiths fulfill a very important duty of determining a Muslims' life philosophy individually and socially.

In order to attain a result, it is a very important step for the Islamic community to listen to and act in accordance with these four hadiths in order to reach the point that is desired or aimed.

Footnotes:

1) Shah Waliyullah Dahlawi, Bustunul-Muhaddithin, translated by Koçkuzu, A. Osman, 195.
2) Ibnul-Athir, al-Jazari, Jamiul-Usul fi Ahadithir-Rasul, I, 190; Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Jamiul-Ulum wall-Hikam, I, 10; Dahlawi, ibid, 194.
3) Bukhari, Badul-Wahy, 1; Muslim, Imarah, 155; Abu Dawud, Talaq, 11.
4) Ibn Majah, Fitan, 12; Tirmidhi, Zuhd, 11.
5) Bukhari, Iman, 7; Muslim, Iman, 71.
6) Bukhari, Iman 39, Buyu 2; Muslim, Musaqat 107; Abu Davud, Buyu 3.
7) Dahlawi, ibid, 194.

6 What are the negative effects of computer games and the internet on children? How can we eliminate these effects? Can you evaluate the issue in terms of the hereafter of the child?

What are the negative effects of computer games and the internet on children? How can we eliminate these effects? Can you evaluate the issue in terms of the hereafter of the child?  

"He suddenly stood up and started to shout. He reacted too strongly because he could not kill the man who shot at him. He tried again. He sat down and stood up repeatedly, and tried to kill the person against him. He harmed his opponent seriously. When his opponent fell down drenched in blood, he burst into laughter. The incidents continued. He fought to death and did his best to harm his enemies. He did not stop playing though his mother called him several times. He was so engaged in the game that he was thinking of nothing but the game."

Similar incidents often occur in homes and internet cafes nowadays. Children and young people spend most of their time playing games on the computer. Parents allow computers because they think,''It is necessary to keep up with peers, innovations and technology; it will help my child in his/her studies.'' However, children generally use the computer to play games. Using the computer may start with a good intention but it deviates from the purpose in the course of time. 'Using computers without control", which is the common complaint of parents, is a very difficult problem to solve even for specialists. 

How do computer games affect the subconscious of children and their lives in the future? Can games that could affect children positively be presented in a healthy way on the computer?

Computer games can be dealt with in two categories. Firstly, games that can be a means of developing skills, understanding life and inculcating moral values;secondly, games that do not enrich imagination, do not contribute to the world of thought, and that encourage violence and immorality.  

The positive effect of games on the mental, bodily and spiritual development of the child depends on the content of the game and the amount of time spent playing games. This amount of time must not be very much or very little. It is possible to establish a balance regarding the issue by educating the child about using time efficiently. Children who spend their time doing unnecessary things can do the same thing when they grow up. To sum up, it is necessary to teach the child the importance of time one way or another. 

Time spent unnecessarily in front of a computer screen causes children and young people to be inactivated.  This increases stress in children. This inactivity causes accumulation of energy in especially active children and affects their behavior negatively.  Discharging the energy from the body through sportive activities is helpful in terms of growth, development and learning to share. Exercise also helps to release growth hormone.  Besides, time spent in front of a computer screen deprives children and young people of taking part in cultural activities like useful games, studying, sports, etc.

Most parents complain that their children cannot express themselves well and that they cannot communicate clearly with others. When you ask your child a question, you get either a very short or a predictable answer. Time spent playing computer games has an important effect on it. We see that violence in computer games is increasing day by day. Game industry regards everything permissible in order to attract children. Images and videos that are not suitable for their age cause the subconscious of the children to be shaped. Anxiety, fear, inclination to violence, sudden outbursts and regarding violence ordinary occur in children who are exposed to videos and images containing violence for a long time. The reactions of the children who watch violent films and play violent games change in time; they use more violence against their friends and the people around. They push and kick people when a slight disagreement occurs. Anxiety and sleeping disorders occur in children who are affected by harmful videos and images; their personal is affected negatively.  

The anomalies mentioned above are seen more frequently in preschool children since the causes and effects of the behavior involving five senses are not questioned by them. The following incidents can be given as examples regarding the issue: "A 3,5-year old child who used to watch violent films practiced what he saw on TV and stabbed his brother to death. A child who thought he was a cartoon film hero jumped off the seventh floor with the intention of flying. In France, a child who could not be successful in computer games developed epilepsy." Unfortunately, we often hear about similar incidents. We need to provide our children with useful alternative games in order to fill the subconscious of our children with positive qualities like goodness, doing favors, compassion, charity and altruism. 

Harmful games prevent children from learning their national culture hence causing cultural erosion. In those games, cultural values of foreign nations are often used; symbols of different faiths are placed in the subconscious of children and our children are affected by them without noticing them. Through these games, Islam is presented like a boogeyman and Muslims are shown like terrorists and targets to be hit. 

The children who became computer game addicts are alienated from their environment. These children, who have difficulty in finding friends, become prisoners of computers and are isolated from the community. From then on, the only friend of the child is the computer; even if the child spends some time with his friends, he cannot get rid of the feeling of loneliness.  Parents need to provide their children with activities appropriate for their development and to balance the time spent for computer games.

The bad characters shown in many computer games play a negative role in the formation of the child's personality . The messages given in these kinds of games like trying to be strong and powerful, ignoring lives of others, killing in order to live, despising moral values, ignoring feelings of others, not appreciating the people around and categorizing people affect the personality of the child negatively. 

Games affect attention and learning too. The images changing frequently on the computer screen cause the child to be distracted, triggering lack of concentration. Besides, too much light might cause epileptic seizures in children.

In conclusion, computer games cause children to tend to regard everything in life as a game, to daydream  all the time, to be mentally busy with the theme of the game even after the game, to convey this theme to the games with his friends and to his attitudes, and to reduce his family relationships and the time he spends with his family.

It is not possible to ignore the benefits of computers, which is a reality of this age. What is ideal is to benefit from the positive aspects of computers and to be protected from its negative effects. It is necessary to establish a balance between the time allocated for real games for the child's development and for virtual games.   Games

- in which children can take part actively,
- that pedagogues and counselors recommend
- that enable the child to develop a consciousness of history and adopt his own cultural values,
- that support attention and development of reasoning,
- that enables the child to develop qualities like sharing, team spirit, charity, altruism, honesty and diligence,
- that arouse curiosity, facilitate learning and enable a child to love learning,
- that are possible to play with the parents,
- that enables the child to obtain the consciousness of duty and responsibility,
- that develop the ability to imagine, think and invent

need to be preferred.

When the organs like the eyes, ears, etc, which are among the important bounties given to man by the Creator, are kept busy only for entertainment in front of the computer screen, it means they are be used contrary to their purpose of creation. Therefore, the vital responsibility of the parents is to ensure that their children use their faculties like seeing, hearing, feeling and reasoning properly and positively.

7 Why does Allah give people so much hardship like torture, cruelty, brutality, disability, blindness and rape?

Answer 1:

“That which is on earth we have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them - as to which of them are best in conduct. Verily what is on earth we shall make but as dust and dry soil (without growth or herbage)." (al-Kahf, 7-8)

As it is stated in the verses above and similar verses, the world is exactly a testing place. This is a complete test. The deeds and outcomes we evaluate originate from this environment of testing. In this environment of testing, a believer or an unbeliever is not given a privileged position. Sad things and joyful things exist together.

What is bad is not the possibility of doing bad deeds but doing bad deeds itself. For instance, a person’s being fair and just is understood when he has the opportunity to be cruel and to oppress but he does not do so.

Therefore, in a world where only opportunities to do good deeds are present, doing good deeds is not regarded as something valuable. When we consider all of the grades of good and beautiful, honesty and justice, it is clear that there will also be the opposites of them. The point that needs to be judged at this point is people’s misusing their ability to do endless good deeds, and doing bad deeds instead.

There are so many good and charitable servants of Allah. The existence of these good servants in terms of quality is also the cause of the creation of this world of testing. In other words, many people make themselves bad in this test, and many people display the good things in themselves thanks to this test.

However, Allah states that with His mercy He will grant boons that will please in their eternal life those who are oppressed and wronged in this test

What we need to do is to surrender to the divine mercy and to wait for the great day of religion. On this great day, the one who is punished will be punished fully and the one who is rewarded will be rewarded fully.

This worldly life may be a short life but since that person denies his Lord, who is eternal, his denial necessitates eternal punishment. Similarly, in this short life, a person who accepts and believes in his Lord attains eternal mercy.

Answer 2:

Man was created in a nature that tends to develop and change like a nucleus and an egg; his rank is not fixed like angels and animals. The conditions, circumstances and situations that will trigger and activate this development in man were necessary.

The development of an egg that is a candidate to be a bird and a seed that is a candidate to be a tree cannot develop everywhere and in all circumstances. The egg needs to remain under a chicken or an environment like that of a chicken.  

A seed needs the environment under the soil. Otherwise, they will rot and be destroyed.

Can it be regarded as a torture for a seed to be thrown into the ground, buried in the darkness, to crack as a result of being given water so that it will be transformed into a tree and to have the blessings such as leaves, flowers, fruits, tastes, smells and colors? No sane person can say that it is wrong for the seed and that it is not in compliance with wisdom and mercy.

So, a suitable environment is required for a seed to be a tree,

Similarly, there is a need for an environment so that man will reveal the ores in his nature. This environment is the life in the world. Man’s nature, which could not develop in Paradise, was sent to the world, which has the conditions that will enable him to develop.

Such an environment was necessary for man to show which one of the positive or negative features potentially placed in his nature he would prefer. Otherwise, the ranks of human beings would be fixed like those of the angels and animals; They would not have the ability to ascend and descend.

It is clear what a great blessing and mercy is for man to be buried in the earth so that these great and endless blessings will be revealed.

8 Why is the protection of life so important?

Islam, which gives the right to live to all human beings without discrimination, does not only take measures to prevent the violations against this right but also renders it a duty of the community to ensure minimum life conditions and basic needs with the system of mutual assistance and solidarity.

Man –whether a believer or not- is Allah’s slave and a nice entrusted being. Therefore, he has honor and he deserves respect. It is the basic understanding of Islam not to discriminate among people in terms of being humans and to regard them as beings having equal rights, duties and values.

Value of Man

Man has a special, honorable place among created beings. What makes man honorable among other beings must be the divine spirit Allah breathed into him while creating him. The following is stated in the Quran regarding the issue:

الذي احسن كل شيئ خلقه و بدا خلق الانسنان من طين * ثم جعل نسله من سلالة من ماء مهين*

ثم سويه و نفخ فيه من روحهه

“He Who has made everything which He has created most good: He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay, And made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised: But He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit...” (as-Sajda, 32/7-9)

Thanks to this spirit man has in him, he is superior to angels and he is the vicegerent of Allah on earth. That man is the vicegerent of Allah is stated as follows in the Quran:

اذ قال ربك للملائكة اني جاعل في الارض خليفة و

“Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: ‘I will create a vicegerent on earth.’...” (al-Baqara, 2/30)

Allah granted man honor and value by making him the vicegerent on earth. With this property, man will obey the decrees of the holy books sent down through prophets and the natural laws in the universe; and he will apply them; he will benefit from the endless boons of the Creator, worship and thank Him. This is the purpose of the creation of man.To sum up, the duty of man as the vicegerent is to act in accordance with Allah’s will and to be happy. Allah Almighty wants this; He sent prophets and holy books for this purpose.

Allah Almighty, who is the creator of the realms, created everything in the best form. (see as-Sajda, 32/7) Allah, who is the best creator, (see al-Muminun, 23/14) created the first man in the best form and all human beings in the best form and perfectly. Allah states the following for man in the Quran:

لقد خلقنا الانسان في احسن تقويم

“We have indeed created man in the best of molds.” (at-Tin, 95/4).

Indeed, man is the most beautiful creature. The phrase “ahsani taqwim” (the best mold) mentioned in the verse includes all kinds of material and spiritual beauties. The straightness of his height, the uniqueness of his posture, having mind, intellect and thought, having the ability to speak and write, having the ability of art, the property of being able to discriminate between the beautiful and the ugly, the good and the bad, etc. are some of those beauties. (1)

According to the Islamic belief, man is equipped with perfect mental, bodily, ethical and spiritual abilities and faculties. He is born in a clean form with the ability to elevate materially and spiritually. Man, who is created with these abilities, can ascend to climaxes. He has such an honor.  Hz. Ali uttered the following nice poem for man:

"You have the cure in you but you are not aware
You have the problem in you but you cannot see
You think you are something small
But the biggest realm is wrapped in you."(2)

Sheikh Ghalib, the great poet, expresses Islam’s understanding of man as follows:

"Look at your personality in a nice way; you are the essence of the realm,
You are man, who is the pupil of the eye of the beings." (3)

Erzurumlu İbrahim Hakkı states the following in his work called Marifetnâme:

“Human body is the small realm and human spirit is the big realm. The like of everything created in the realm exists in human body. Human body and spirit is a sample of the whole realm.” (4)

Thus, he emphasized the value of man.

Allah states the value He gave man as follows in verse 70 of the chapter of al-Isra:

و لقد كرمنا بني ادم و حملناهم في البر و البحر و رزقناهم من الطيبات و فضلناهم على كثيرممن خلقنا تفضيلا

“We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favors, above a great part of our creation.”

Importance Given to Human Life

Great importance is given to security of life, in other words, right to live, in Islam and it is stated that human life is untouchable. 

In Islam, “protection of life” has the most important place among the basic values called “religious necessities”. Furthermore, it is possible to say that these five basic principles, which are listed as the protection of the religion, life, mind, lineage and property, are related to the protection of life directly or indirectly.  

In some cases, the protection of life comes before the protection of religion, which is in the first place, in the list of those values. As a matter of fact, the practices like the permission of committing some forbidden deeds to save human life, and the obligation of committing those forbidden deeds in some cases emphasize the importance given to human life.

Precautions in order to Protect Human life

The religion of Islam puts the right to live, which is the most natural right of man, under the guarantee of law and imposes some material and spiritual sanctions in order to ensure full respect to the right to live. We can list them as follows:

Material Sanctions

When man’s being sent to the world is narrated, the opposition of angels stating that man will cause mischief and shed blood on earth is mentioned. (see al-Baqara, 2/30)

Indeed, after a while, the first shedding of blood occurred due to the hatred and jealousy between Hz. Adam’s two sons. The incident is narrated with similar expressions in the Old Testament too. (see Genesis, 4/1-8; al-Maida, 5/27-31)

It is stated in the Quran that killing a person is a serious crime like killing all people and that to save a person’s life is a lofty and valuable act like saving all people:

انه من قتل نفسا بغير نفس او فساد في الارض فكانما قتل الناس جميعا و من احياها فكانما احيا الناس جميعا

“...If any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people...” (al-Maida, 5/32)

In the religion of Islam, retaliation (qisas) is essential related to the crimes of killing and wounding people.

There are many verses and hadiths regarding the issue. As a matter of fact, The following is stated in the Quran:

يا ايها الذين امنوا كتب عليكم القصاص في القتلى الحر بالحر والعبد بالعبد والانثى بالانثى فمن عفي له من اخيه شيئ فااباع بالمعروف و اداء اليه باحسان ذالك تخفيف من ربكم  و رحمة فمن اعتدى بعد ذلك فله عذاب اليم

“O ye who believe! The law of equality is prescribed to you in cases of murder: the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the woman for the woman. But if any remission is made by the brother of the slain, then grant any reasonable demand, and compensate him with handsome gratitude, this is a concession and a Mercy from your Lord. After this whoever exceeds the limits shall be in grave penalty.” (al-Baqara, 2/178)

و لا تقتلوا النفس التي حرم الله الا بالحق و من قتل مظلوما فقد جعلنا لوليه سلطانا فلا يسرف في القتل انه كان منصورا

“Nor take life - which Allah has made sacred - except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, we have given his heir authority (to demand qisas or to forgive): but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life; for he is helped (by the Law).” (al-Isra, 17/33)

Many words and practices of the Prophet (pbuh) (5) are regarded as evidence that punishment by retaliation is legitimate. The Messenger of Allah stated the following regarding the issue:

و من قتل عمدا فهو قود

“... The penalty for a person who kills deliberately is qisas (retaliation). ”(6)

The imposition of punitive sanctions against the unjust attacks at the security of the lives of people, in other words, rights of living of the people are arrangements made in accordance with the importance given to the safety of people.

In addition, the principle of punishing a murderer by the state, and after an objective and fair trial, not by the relatives of the person who was murdered is adopted.

All this is an expression of the importance given to the protection human life from a different viewpoint.

Even during the state of war, the right of killing the enemy is very limited in Islam; the killing of those who do not actually participate in the war like women, children, clerics and elderly men is forbidden; and the right of living of the prisoners of war is protected.

It is clear that the cases of actual state of war, execution of the sentence and legitimate defense are excluded from this prohibition.

Spiritual Sanctions

Along with worldly sanctions like qisas and diyah (blood money), there are also some spiritual (otherworldly) sanctions for killing a person in the religion of Islam.

It is stated in the Quran that killing people without a legal reason will bring about Allah’s wrath and curse and hence a very severe spiritual responsibility:

و من يقتل مؤمنا متعمدا فجزاؤه جهنم خالدا فيها و غضب الله عليه و لعنه و اعد له عذابا عظيما

“If a man kills a believer intentionally, his recompense is Hell, to abide therein (For ever): And the wrath and the curse of Allah are upon him, and a dreadful penalty is prepared for him.” (an-Nisa, 4/93)

The Prophet (pbuh) addressed all Muslims as follows in the Farewell Sermon:

فان دماءكم و اموالكم و اعراضكم عليكم حرام كحرمة يومكم هذا في بلدكم هذا في شهركم هذا...

“Just as this day, this month and this city is sacred, so too are your lives,  property and honor sacred; they are protected from all kinds of violation; that is, they are under the responsibility of the community and the guarantee of law…”(7)

Thus, he stated that man’s right to live was untouchable.

He stated the following in another hadith:

اجتنبواالسبع الموبقات  ..... و قتل النفس التي حرم الله الا بالحق....

“Avoid seven destructive things…. One of them is to kill a person that Allah renders haram except for justified cases….” (8)          

The Property of the Right to Live According to Islam

The religion of Islam regards the life of every person, no matter what his belief, color, race and social status is, as an untouchable value and tries to prevent all kinds of attacks on and dangers to human life in the most effective way.

Therefore, Islam does not give people the right to commit suicide, which means to end one’s own life, and regards it among major sins; it states that such a person will be punished severely in the hereafter just because of committing suicide no matter what his belief and deeds are.  

To sum up:

Man, who is equipped with perfect mental, bodily, ethical and spiritual faculties and abilities, is born in a clean state and suitable for all kinds of material and spiritual elevations.

In our religion, great importance is given to man’s security of life, in other words, the right to live, and it is stated that human life is untouchable. Some material and spiritual sanctions have been imposed in order to ensure full respect to the right to live.

As a result of the principle of “the protection of life”, which is one of the basic purposes of the religion of Islam, it is strictly forbidden for a person both to kill another person unjustly and to commit suicide.

for more information please click on the links given below;

What are the five sacred things Allah entrusted to man?

Will you explain the basic values that Islam orders to be protected?

Footnotes:

1) Hamdi Yazır; Hak Dini Kur’an Dili, VII,.5025. Eser Publications,  İstanbul, 1971.
2) Yazır, VIII, 5936.
3) Abdülbâki Gölpınarlı; Şeyh Galip Divanından Seçmeler, p.10. İstanbul, 1971.
4) Erzurumlu İbrahim Hakkı; Marifetnâme,  p. 97. Sadeleştiren, M. Fuad Başar, İstanbul, 1984.
5) For instance, see Bukhari, Diyat, 6, 8, VIII, 38;  Muslim, Qasama, 6, II, 1302-1303.
6) Ibn Majah, Diyat, 8, II, 880.
7) Bukhari, Ilm, 37, I, 35; Muslim, Hajj, 147, I,, 889.
8) Bukhari, Wasaya, 23, III, 195; Muslim, Iman, 144, I, 91.

(Şükrü ÖZBUĞDAY, Member of the High Board of Religious Affairs)

9 Is working at night not contrary to the verse of the Quran as well as to human nature?

It is a general rule or state for daytime to be arranged as working and night to be arranged as resting and sleeping time; one can work at night if it is necessary for individuals or a community; it is permissible to sleep and rest during daytime; there is no verse or hadith which forbids it.

Author:

Hayrettin Karaman (Prof. Dr.)

10 Is it possible for man to live without a religion?

The existence of irreligious people show that man can live without a religion. However, a community cannot live without religion as a whole.

It can be said that the feeling of religion, that is, the feeling of worshipping a transcendent being who has endless power over all beings exists in the nature of man. There is nobody who is not under the influence of this feeling. Therefore, those who do not find the true God find wrong gods. They start to worship the sun, moon, stars, stones, trees, etc. This is also a kind of religion.

“Then seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has, knowing (him as such), left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who, then, will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn guidance)? Will ye not then receive admonition?” (al-Jasiya, 45/23) The verse above shows that the people with no religion take their own desires as their god like idolaters and the members of other wrong religions hence they have the religion of irreligiousness.

When man's life since his existence on the earth is viewed, it will be seen that he never lived without a religion. The studies of anthropology, psychology and sociology have proved this fact. No nation with absolutely no religion has been found in the studies of human history; when any race or community was studied, it was seen that there was a religion and the idea of a god though simple and wrong there.

Man, who has material and spiritual elements like the spirit and body, has struggled to maintain his material existence on the one hand, and worshipped the sun, the moon and stars in the sky, the fire, animals and some beings he regarded as holy on earth in order to satisfy his feeling of belief, which is his spiritual food, on the other hand. This absolute unity of faith seen in the people who were of different races, eras and countries and who did not know one another proves that the idea of religion is universal and belief in Allah is an inborn characteristic. (see Ay, Mehmet Emin, Çocuklarımıza Allah’ı Nasıl Anlatalım, p. 13-14, Timaş Publications, İstanbul, 1994)

The verse “To every people (was sent) a Messenger” (Yunus, 10/47) in the Quran points out that communities cannot live without religions and prophets. In addition, the Quranic verses narrating the quest of the creator by Hz. Ibrahim (Abraham) and finding Him (see 6/76-79; 21/58-67; 26/70-82) show clearly man's need of religion and that he can know Allah through the spiritual feelings in his nature.

Having probably seen that the feeling of religion is an indispensible characteristic, Plutarch, a Greek ethicist, states the following: “Travel throughout the world; you will find places without walls, literature, law and wealth but you will not be able to find places without temples and gods.” Accordingly, the need to be attached to a temple and god is seen as a common characteristics existing in the nature of man. (Mürsel, Safa,  Bediüzzaman Said Nursi ve Devlet Felsefesi, p. 90- 91, Yeni Asya Publications, İstanbul, 1980)

Attracting attention to the fact that communities cannot live without religion, Mehmet Akif Ersoy, the poet, expresses the necessity of religion socially in the following lines:

“Five or ten irreligious people appear in all communities.
It is normal but an irreligious nation is impossible.
The individuals of which nation has no feeling of religion?
Look at the biggest nations; their religion is stronger than anything.” (Safahat (Third Book), Hakkın Sesleri, p. 258, 9 May 1329/1913)

As man looks at this nature and think, he will realize that he will not be able to live idly. Even the most irreligious people need to take refuge. For, man is weak; therefore, he needs to take refuge in a power that will protect him from endless enemies and meet his needs. Besides, he wants to satisfy the desire of eternity in his heart. The only one that can satisfy all of his needs is Allah, the Omnipotent.

11 I am so tired of life; what should I do?

Unlike bodily disorders, the causes of spiritual distress may not be the same in everyone. They can be different for each person; it can vary from person to person.

For example, the cause of diseases such as diabetes, kidney failure and cancer can be the same or similar for everyone in general while boredom, “world-weariness” and depression, etc. can vary from person to person. For, any spiritual distress is closely related to the person's age, gender, profession, marital status, personality structure, education, financial condition, faith, childhood, traumatic events he underwent and family structure. 

In addition, whether this feeling, which you describe as "boredom" and "exhaustion”, occurs all the time or from time to time changes many things in terms of diagnosis.

Therefore, it is not possible to tell the exact cause of this state of boredom that you feel without knowing you closely. In this case, it is also difficult to give a specific prescription.

However, we will focus on possible general causes and suggestions for solutions to the feelings of boredom and exhaustion that people can sometimes feel. Insallah, it will be useful to you as well.

The main causes of boredom

By nature, man is a being equipped with very sensitive faculties and emotions.

Also “By nature man is extremely weak, yet everything touches him, and saddens and grieves him. Also he is utterly lacking in power, yet the calamities and enemies that afflict him are extremely numerous. Also he is extremely wanting, yet his needs are indeed many. Also he is lazy and incapable, yet life’s responsibilities are most burdensome. Also his humanity has connected him to the rest of the universe, yet the decline and disappearance of the things he loves and with which he is familiar continually pains him. Also his reason shows him exalted aims and lasting fruits, yet his hand is short, his life brief, his power slight, and his patience little.”

Thus, the struggle of a weak human being with the life of the world sometimes consumes his energy in terms of spirit and physique. The person feels emotionally and physically that he or she is experiencing a burnout syndrome; his or her interest in working, traveling and other blessings of life diminishes, and he or she loses his or her motivation.

Along with his weakness, man is also a very sensitive being.

Because of this sensitivity, man is very concerned with his environment and events; and this can cause him to feel spiritually tired and exhausted. People who are particularly sensitive and compassionate sometimes feel compelled to grapple with material and spiritual problems more than usual or try to help everyone's problems. During this process, they naturally become tired and exhausted.

In addition, man is a social being.

His creator coded him in a way to live with someone from the opposite gender in the community, to share life and every beauty together. Therefore, people who are single, divorced or separated, or those whose spouses have died may also experience boredom and inability to enjoy life.

For people who do not believe in Allah and the Day of Judgement or who have a weak faith, life and living are meaningless. For them, life has no meaning after a certain point of satisfaction.  Thus, life that is meaningless gives people boredom and exhaustion.

For these reasons and similar ones, if no solution to the problem of boredom and exhaustion is found, emotions become chronic and permanent. In this case, indifference to events, boredom and escaping from people begin. It also becomes difficult for a person to act to change their condition. The person who is in this mood becomes skeptical of himself and assumes attitudes and thoughts that will evaluate him negatively.

Remedies and solutions

For the solution, first of all, it is important for the person to make sense of the spiritual situation in a spiritual point of view and to look at life through a new perspective.

In addition, it is beneficial for him to be included in religious, cultural and social activities that will add meaning to his life as they add new excitements and color to life.

In addition, he or she needs to rest a bit and get rid of her responsibilities and spiritual burdens.

To give emotions and thoughts a suitable direction appropriate for creation and to eb able transforming the distress into an opportunity for the purpose of life

As long as it is not continuous, the state of boredom experienced in a certain period of life is actually something that can happen to everybody. For, a person has a very rich treasure of feelings but Allah has not limited these feelings. Since man is not a robot, he cannot fix his emotions. Besides, since he is in the world of testing, he can be blown to the left and right with the whispers of the soul and the devil.

Whatever the reason, when feelings are experienced at the extreme level, it can also cause a variety of spiritual problems by capturing the mind from time to time and enslaving the person. However, Allah has drawn the framework of being a peaceful person by introducing certain measures about how much to be happy and sad or to love, and to get angry for what. The way to achieve this is to train the feelings as He showed them and turn them into behavior in a nice way.

In the same way, man, who is created to maintain the moderate way in everything, finds peace by directing his thoughts and feelings in the face of events and phenomena that seem negative about him and his environment.

To do this, it is necessary to look at the misfortunes and troubles through the window of destiny. For, as the world is not unattended, the events that happen to man and his close environment are not the events that happen without wisdom, without reason, and by chance. The duty of a believer is to see the trace, mercy, affection, compassion and justice of fate behind the events and to show patience.

A calamity that happens to a person is to make him think and repent of his own mistake and sin, and to try to be closer to Allah, his Creator.

For this reason, even if some problems seemingly aggravate the burden of life, it is actually an opportunity to gain eternal life, to be closer to Him, and to gain his consent. For, in such times, the desire of man toward the pleasures and sins of the world decreases; thus, he remains in a purer state spiritually. That makes him close to Allah.

The story of Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him) is a good example of it. The people of Nineveh did not obey him and left him alone; those on the ship that he embarked regarded him as sinful and threw him into the sea, and the fish swallowed him. In other words, he was both abandoned, thrown and swallowed, just as the events swallow us in our lives, people leave us alone, and our soul throws us into the sea of sin. However, this event is also the salvation of Prophet Yunus (Jonah). He prayed to Allah with complete surrender because he felt his incapability, weakness and impotence. Allah accepted his prayer and took him to the shore safely, and gave mercy and faith to the hearts of the people of Nineveh and guided them.

As it is seen, although the story of Yunus seems like a distressing and boring event at first glance, it turns into beauties about him, leading to mercy and compassion. Our task is to make an effort to use this opportunity as a better occasion through prayers and taking refuge in Allah.

The remorse that is felt after sins and big mistakes should not turn into a punishment for the person.

Another point to note here is as follows:

People feel severely guilty when they commit a sin or make a big mistake. They want to relax their conscience by punishing themselves with the guidance of the subconscious. This punishment can sometimes be in the form of condemning themselves to unhappiness, sometimes in the form of turning away from the blessings of life.

In short, the boredom that one feels may also be a punishment that he or she has inflicted on himself or herself.

However, the punishment that the person will impose on himself will not cause his sin to be forgiven in any way because it is only Allah who forgives sins. The feeling of regret and conscientious discomfort given to man in the face of sins is an invitation sent by Allah to the servants, an invitation to be close to him and take refuge in Him. After seeing his own fault and deficiency related to sins and mistakes, that is, after taking some responsibility, looking at the share of fate for the rest and trying to be closer to Allah will comfort the person much better.

Carl Gustav Jung, who is a healthy and religious psychiatrist, says: “The happiest moments in my life are the moments of contact with my inner world.” That is, my penitence, my repentance and seeking refuge in Allah.

It is normal and perhaps good that the pleasures taken from worship are reduced at this stage.

It is normal that the pleasures taken from worship are reduced at this stage because there is a freezing of emotions here; they need time to open up and warm up.

In addition, it should not be forgotten that not takin pleasure from worship, even if it is spiritual, is more suitable for sincerity because the pleasures of worship serve as encouragement for the soul. Therefore, some Islamic scholars considered the pleasures taken from worship as risky.

The important thing is that you do not allow Satan to take advantage of this situation and to make you suffer from delusions. Indeed, some of the saints of Allah experienced the state of freezing of these feelings called “spiritual constipation” from time to time, and patiently sought refuge in Allah much more.

To make our life meaningful by thinking of the purpose of life and turning every situation we encounter into profit.

One reason that bothers modern man and makes him feel tired of life is that he cannot fully realize the meaning of life. According to him, the purpose of being in this world is only to enjoy the beauties and pleasures of world life. It makes no sense to live when the person cannot have them for various reasons because if he is here to enjoy and have fun, there is no point in living without them. This thought makes him feel tired of life.

What a believer has to do about it is to question the purpose of his life again.

This purpose is doing things that will gain man the consent of Allah and to strive to be a perfect person as the Qur'an shows. The state of boredom and exhaustion is a test suitable for this purpose and is an occasion to gain His consent.

If the person is fully aware of this purpose, no hardness in the world will break his enthusiasm; on the contrary, he will endeavor to earn his eternal life with greater effort.

Such a person knows that nothing he has done will be wasted, and he will receive the reward in the hereafter. When life becomes a field of the hereafter for him then, he will look for ways to turn every form into an opportunity and send more supplies to his or her hereafter.

That is when life, its misfortunes, beauties, in short, everything will be more meaningful. What is meaningful does not make people bored ...

In this context, if your work seems monotonous or boring, it is normal to give you boredom because they do not mean much to you. To overcome this, if it is not possible to change your job, it is possible to solve this problem with manual skills, new professions and occupations by participating in various personal development courses that will make sense to you.

Again, in this context, you can make your life even more meaningful by working with social aid organizations, helping students and the poor, giving people good and useful information, and focusing on your prayers.

When you turn back and look back on such a day, it will make you more peaceful to see your mortal life pass in a profitable way for the Hereafter.

During the day, do your best to have friendly chats and conversations with family members or friends. Chatting with close friends is among the things that relax the soul and gives dynamism.

Play sports. What people give up first when they are busy is sports whereas regular sports make it easier to deal with stress. Even when you take a short walk, you will immediately see the benefits; the next day your body will be more fit and your soul will relax.

12 What do you advise for involuntary resentment against Allah?

That is a reality that many people can face.

- The real harmful misfortune is the misfortune that hits our belief, Islam and ethics. It is necessary to take refuge in Allah from such misfortunes and cry over them. (see Tirmidhi, Daawat: 79)

However, the misfortunes that are not related to the religion are not really misfortunes. Some of them are Allah’s warnings; some are atonement for sins; others like diseases are Allah’s compliment and cleanliness. (see Bukhari, Iman: 39, Muslim, Birr: 52)

Therefore, even if a misfortune is hard to bear, man should show patience by thinking about this aspect since its result will be good.

It is probable that the misfortunes we suffer are atonement for some mistakes we made in the past. Therefore, misfortunes might continue until the atonement is complete.

- Dua (supplication) is a deed of worship and it has a time like other deeds of worship. Problems and misfortunes are times of dua. It is necessary to spend those times by praying to Allah. We should know that the time for that dua continues until those misfortunes end.

- A person should resent himself and his own soul. It does not fit a slave to resent Allah – God forbid – and it will increase misfortunes.

After this short explanation, we think it will be useful to pay attention to the following points:

1) One should think as follows: “This is my qadar predestined for me by Allah. I should show consent to my qadar in order to pass this test. For, it is not possible for me to turn the corner by showing resentment and by opposing. In that case, I should save my hereafter by showing patience in the face of this test (which will probably end soon) of the world instead of risking both this world and the hereafter.” This is the requirement of common sense.

2) “There is never mercilessness and injustice in Allah’s qadar because Allah, who is the owner of qadar, is Rahman (All Merciful) and Rahim (All Compassionate), Adil (Just) and Hakim (perfectly Wise). He may have wanted to forgive my sins and to elevate my rank in Paradise with this test. Then, I should show consent to qadar in order to get rid of grief and religious loss.”

3) We are often asked “to rely on Allah” in the Quran. Tawakkul means to rely on Allah, to surrender to Him and to believe that He is a deity that does good things in all aspects:

“Belief necessitates affirmation of Divine unity, affirmation of Divine unity necessitates submission to God, submission to God necessitates reliance on God, and reliance on God necessarily leads to happiness in this world and the next.” (Nursi, Sözler, p. 314)

The principle “He who believes in qadar gets rid of grief” is an expression of this fact.

4) As it is indicated above, we should not forget that to disobey Allah due to the current problems and to resent Him will not eliminate that problem; on the contrary, it will increase it. The following statement of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi who indicates this fact, is remarkable:

“Whoever criticizes divine determining is striking his head against an anvil on which it will break, and whoever objects to divine mercy will himself be deprived of it.” (Mektubat, p. 266)

5) To have the hope of getting rid of problems and to think that Allah will show a way of salvation is a way of thinking that relieves man and makes him gain the consent of Allah.

“Ask from Allah. Allah likes those who ask from Him. The most virtuous deed of worship is to expect the problems to be over (by thinking that they will end and by expecting from Allah).” (Tirmidhi, Daawat, 115)

We should not ignore the advice in the hadith above.

6) To despair of Allah’s infinite mercy – God forbid – means to enter a very dangerous path. For, Satan causes man to have bad thoughts about Allah and act disrespectfully from this window of despair. A person who thinks Allah will not show him mercy any more is ready to fall into the traps of Satan. It should not be forgotten that despair is a thought that does not comply with belief. This fact is underlined in the verse below.

“…Never give up hope of Allah´s Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah´s Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith.” (Yusuf, 12/87)

7) Enthusiasm is the opposite of despair. What disrupts enthusiasm is despair.  Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states the following regarding the issue in summary:

“Life is an activity and movement. Enthusiasm is its mount. When our effort enters the square of life struggle by riding enthusiasm, it encounters despair/hopelessness, which is a severe enemy, first. It demoralizes enthusiasm. Use the sword of لاَ تَقْنَطُوا [That is, Allah’s command meaning “Despair not of the Mercy of Allah” (az-Zumar, 39/53)] against the enemy (and kill the enemy called despair)." (Münazarat, p. 95)

8) Man has no right to complain about the problems that he encounters due to the following reasons:  

a) Human body is a model on which Allah’s names and attributes become manifest. The meanings and decrees of Allah’s names and attributes are different from one another; therefore, their manifestations will become different on human body. For instance, Allah’s name Shafi makes an illness necessary to show itself on human body and man becomes ill; cure is asked from the name Shafi (Healer). The name Mumit (Taker of Life) makes it necessary for the body to die when its time is due and kills it. The name Musawwir (Shaper of Beauty) wants to be seen with the reality of description on human body and gives a shape to all organs.  

When those names become manifest, the human body is exposed to activities and changes all the time. That is, it undergoes some hardships and trouble. However, Allah has already paid man for those hardships by giving him boons like existence, life, spirit, humanity, Islam and belief. That is, man has no right to complain since he has received the pay for working as a kind of model. It is like the case of a tailor who hires a model to fit the clothes he makes and gives the model some trouble by making him/her sit, stand, bend, etc. The model has no right to say to the tailor, “Why do you give trouble by making me sit and stand?” For, the duty of the model is to act according to the orders of the tailor.

b) There are many talents and abilities given to man in life; they are like seeds that have not developed and grown. A seed undergoes several stages to become a tree; it is placed in the ground, watered, pruned, etc. If it does not undergo those stages, it cannot develop, grow and be a tree. Similarly, if man is not exposed to the difficulties and hardships of life, he cannot develop his abilities in life. If man does not undergo any difficulties and suffer any illnesses and if he leads a comfortable and stable life, he cannot be a mature person. Let us clarify the issue with an example:

Think of a rough stone. If this stone is given to a master, he will start to sculpt it with his hard and cutting tools. The stone will be broken during sculpting. It would feel sad and cry if it were conscious. However, after certain stages and processes, that rough stone becomes a wonderful and perfect work of art. If that stone had not been sculped by that master and had not undergone those stages and processes, it would have remained as a rough and valueless stone. The rough stone’s being transformed into a priceless work of art is thanks to those hardships and stages of being sculpted.   

Man is like that rough stone. He reaches a perfect rank and the degree of the vicegerent of the earth in his lifespan thanks to the hard training and education given by Allah. That is, the way for man to be perfect is through the illnesses, misfortunes, grief, actions and tests existing in life. If man does not pass through those tests and processes, his life will be at a rough and simple level as if it has not been lived, which virtually means non-existent.  

c) Man was sent to this world to worship, not to rest and to pursue pleasures. There are two kinds of worship. One of them is positive and the other is negative. Positive worship is the commands and prohibitions informed by Allah. Negative worship is the misfortunes and problems that man encounters in life. If man shows patience in the face of those misfortunes and problems, and relies on Allah, he will transform his life into a source of thawab and worship. Since the purpose of man’s coming to this world is worship, those misfortunes and problems become opportunities for him and strengthen his purpose of coming to this world. Since hypocrisy and show off do not penetrate into negative worship, it becomes sincere worship. However, positive worship always has the risk of hypocrisy and show off. Those misfortunes are a means of maturation and source of thawab for man. (see Nursi, Lem'alar, İkinci Lem'a)

13 I have many questions in my head, my heart is not satisfied. What should I do?

First of all, thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings with us.

From what you say, we understand that the emotions you feel and the thoughts and doubts that come to your mind made you very tired, uncomfortable, and even battered you. This is actually a situation that every person can experience from time to time. I hope that just as millions of people got rid of it, you will get rid of it InshaAllah.

1. Man’s questioning his own existence is the necessity of being a thinking creature. Do not worry too much.

As a necessity of being a human, you question yourself, your existence and hence your religious thoughts. This situation is not unique to you because from the day humanity existed, people rightly asked themselves the questions like: "Who am I, Where did I come from, Where am I going, Is there life after death?" In addition, sometimes the questions that confuse you can engage people’s attention.

One reason for it is the curiosity of finding and knowing oneself, his environment and his creator that the Supreme Creator has put into man.

It is an opportunity for a person to develop spiritually and to elevate his position in the sight of Allah.

The best example of it is seen in the Prophet Abraham. The Prophet Abraham (a.s) lived among a pagan people. His contemplation of the existence of God, who is the owner of everything and does not resemble creatures, is described as follows: “When the night covered him (Abraham) over, He saw a star: He said: "This is my Lord." But when it set, He said: "I love not those that set." (Later) When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said: "This is my Lord." But when the moon set, He said: "unless my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray." When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: "This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all)." But when the sun set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah. Surely, I have turned myself with devotion and in a most upright manner to Him Who originated the heavens and the earth. I have never been of the polytheists.” (Surah al-Anam, 6/76-79)

If you regard your inquiries within this framework and at the same time if you consider it as the labor pains of guidance that will rise in your heart, InshaAllah you will have a more peaceful life and a stronger faith than many people. For, these questions that come to mind are actually given for the development and progress of human beings as a necessity of the testing in the world.

2. The fact that these questions cause you trouble and harass you is because they are delusions (waswasa).

Delusions are doubts that the devil whispers to the human heart. Just as there is a conflict between demons and angels in the universe, this conflict continues in the small circle of the human heart, too.

Therefore, the words that come to your mind are not actually yours, they are the words of Satan. You fight the devil with your faith. The clearest proof of it is that you are uncomfortable with those ideas. For, one's own words do not bother him. So, Satan wants you to think that his delusions are your own thoughts; do not fall into this trap.

The best way to get rid of it is to know that those ideas that come to mind are from the devil, and they should not be taken seriously; you should not focus on them. Because “The more importance they are given, the more they grow. If you give them no importance, they die away. If you see them as big, they grow bigger. If you see them as small, they grow smaller. If you fear them, they swell and make you ill. If you do not fear them, they are light and remain hidden. If you do not know their true nature, they persist and become established. While if you do know them and recognize them, they disappear.” (The Words, Twenty-First Word)

Also, whenever a delusion comes to your mind, say, “A’udhu billahi min ash Shaytanir Rajim” (I seek Allah’s protection/refuge/shelter from Satan, the Accursed one) and dismiss them. We are sure you will be very relieved this way.

3. First, focus on solving your personal and family problems.

As far as we understand, the reason you are going through this process a little more painfully than other people is because of your other problems.

These problems seem to have negatively affected your emotions. The negative, pessimistic feelings that arise have also negatively shaped your thoughts in the same direction. In other words, one of the reasons for confusion in religious matters is your personal or family problems. Inshallah as you solve your problems gradually, your feelings and your thoughts will be normalized.

Therefore, focus on solving your other problems first, without being occupied with religious inquiries. For your seemingly psychological problems, you also need to talk for a long time with someone who is an expert or with people you trust.

Because they could not fully understand you in a few conversations, you felt incomprehensible. Be patient and follow the advice of your psychiatrist or psychologist.

4. Talking and explaining yourself will be very beneficial to you.

You say that you went to the psychiatrist but then quit seeing the psychiatrist. Please keep in mind that the problems you have did not occur in a month or two; similarly, it is not possible to solve the whole thing in a short time. You need a long process for that because not sharing your feelings, emotions with anyone can lead you to get lost in your thoughts. The best thing is to talk to a specialist and be patient.

If you cannot do that, you can share your feelings and thoughts with someone you trust. If it is not possible, put your feelings and thoughts on paper. You will see that over time they will become clear and bring you the peace of mind.

5. Read the Quran, hadith, tafsir…

The Almighty Creator, who created us, says that He sent down the Quran to heal people. That is why patients who are disturbed by even the slightest noise listen to the Quran for hours and relax. You can also listen to the Quran from those who recite it properly.

Reading the life and hadiths our Prophet (pbuh), who is the living Quran, with the explanations of the hadiths and trying to lead a proper life based on them will relieve you considerably.

In addition, we strongly recommend that you read the tafsirs of the Quran. We think that reading the Risale-i Nur, one of the tafsirs of the Quran that focuses on this century, will help you to answer the questions you have in mind.

By Allah's leave, you will see that you will get rid of all doubts and troubles in time. We especially recommend that you start to read Risale-i Nur by reading the 21st Word, which tells about delusion (waswasa).

By the way, never neglect to be very sensitive about avoiding sins, to perform worship in a timely and decent manner.

Seek refuge in Allah and seek His help.

14 Is life a distilled essence of the universe?

- That life is a distilled essence of the universe can be explained as follows:    

The creation of the universe, its various parts being formed like that, shows –in terms of wisdom- that it is a system that paves the way for the conditions of life to form and life to exist.

For instance, as it is indicated in the Quran, the last stage in the creation of the universe is the creation of the conditions of life on earth - in terms of its being suitable for the conditions of life and living of humans.

As Badiuzzaman Said Nursi puts it,

“The earth was spread out and became suitable for human beings to live after the heavens were straightened and arranged; thus, the earth was created after the heavens.” (İşarat-ül İ'caz, p. 188)

Allah, who does everything based on wisdom, regarded the principle of gradualism and development as sunnatullah and created the parts of the universe in the form of overlapping circles that pave the way for each other based on this principle.  

The arrangement of the various parts and organs of the universe in a way that will produce life within this system of creation enabled “life to form as anessence distilled from the universe”.

“Yes, just as life is the distilled essence of the universe; and consciousness and sense perception are distilled from life and are the essence of life; and intelligence too is distilled from consciousness and sense perception and is the essence of consciousness; and spirit is the pure, unsullied substance of life, its stable and autonomous essence.” (Sözler, p. 109-110)

It is possible to see the hierarchic, wise system of creation from the statement above.

- Life is an essence distilled from the universe in the material filed; similarly, it is a factor in the spiritual field that paves the way for thanks to be distilled, which is Allah’s real purpose in creating the universe.   

“Indeed, just as the All-Wise Quran shows thanks to be the result of creation; so the universe, which is a mighty Quran, shows the most important result of the world’s creation to be thanks.

For if the universe is observed carefully, it is seen from the way it is arranged that everything results in thanks; each looks to thanks to an extent and is turned towards it.

It is as though thanks is the most important fruit of the tree of creation, and gratitude is the most elevated product of the factory of the universe.

The reason for this is as follows:We see in the creation of the world that its beings are arranged as though in a circle with life as its central point. All beings look to life, and serve life, and produce the necessities of life.

That is to say, the One who created the universe chose life from it, giving it preference.

We see that He created the animal kingdom in the form of a circle and placed man at its center. Simply, He centered the aims intended from animate beings on man, gathering all living creatures around him and subjugating them to him. He made them serve him and him dominant over them.

That is to say, the Glorious Creator chose man from among living beings, and willed and decreed this position for him in the world.” (Mektubat, p. 364)

It means living beings are in the center of the circle of the universe and conscious human life is at the center of the circle of the living beings. 

Human life is the essence of the essences distilled from many filters.

15 How were diseases cured during the era of the Prophet and the companions? Will you give information about preventive medicine?

- It is not possible to say that there were modern surgical operations at that time. The methods of treatment that were in the foreground then were cupping, honey sherbet and branding with fire (cauterization). There are sound narrations showing that the Prophet (pbuh) used cauterization but there are also narrations showing that he did not like it and that he even prohibited it. (see Majmauz-Zawaid, 5/91, 97) As a matter of fact, the following hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) exists in Sahih Bukhari: “Healing is in three things: A gulp of honey, cupping, and branding with fire (cauterizing). However, I do not like cauterization.” (Bukhari, Tibb, 3-4). Cauterization is a method of treatment used among Arabs for a long time but it gives a lot of pain to the patient. Therefore, the following statement is famous among Arabs: “Cauterization is the last method of treatment.” (see Ibn Hajar, the explanation of the hadith in question) Treatment with cauterization is advised in some hadiths and its practice is seen in some other hadiths but it is forbidden in some hadiths. Scholars interpret it as follows: "Since it is a method of treatment that causes suffering, that is dangerous and that necessitates skill, one should not resort to it unless he has to and unless he finds a qualified person to do it."

When the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was wounded in the Battle of Uhud, they first washed the wound with water; when Hz. Fatima saw that bleeding did not stop, she burned a piece of mat and placed it on the wound; then, bleeding stopped. (Bukhari, Tibb, 27)

Surgical operation is regarded as one of the indispensable and highly effective means of treatment today. Since this method was not probably used in treatment in the Arab community and in neighboring nations of that time, it is not mentioned positively or negatively in the hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh). However, it is stated in the narrations that the tonsils of the children suffering from throat infection used to be removed with a finger enwrapped in a piece cloth for treatment and that the Prophet intervened in this; he recommended using aloeswood, which is a method of using throat drops. It is not possible to prohibit the method of surgery acting upon that incident. It is stated that the chest of the Prophet was opened in the chapter of al-Inshirah; it is also stated in the narrations that the chest of the Prophet was miraculously opened several times, that the inside was cleaned and sutured, and that even the traces of sutures were evident. (İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-i Sitte Tercüme ve Şerhi, Akçağ Yayınları: 11/378- 397)

- It is possible to divide the importance the Prophet gives to health into two as preventive medicine and treatment. We see that preventive medicine includes cleaning, healthy and halal nutrition, halal sports and entertainment, timely and adequate rest, fulfilling worship properly and on time, invoking Allah and avoiding haram things. We see that the following principles are advised related to treatment: It is Allah who sends illness and cure. Allah created a cure for every illness. Cure should be sought in case of illness. Various treatment methods to be used for cure are reported as methods such as diet, bloodletting, cauterization, surgery, medication, change of place, ruqyah (protective or healing words), praying to Allah, reinforcing spirituality, patience, experiences of non-Muslims. (ibid, 11/389)

Every word and practice of the Prophet (pbuh) was followed by all Muslims, especially the Companions; they tried to make them a way of living. Practices related to daily life were evaluated almost in the same way. It is possible to come across the traces of this understanding in many resources of hadith that were written afterwards. As a matter of fact, along with the special chapters related to Tibb an-Nabawi (Prophetic Medicine), separate books were written regarding the issue. Prophetic Medicine literature was formed. Abu Nuaym al-Isfahani’s book called at-Tibb an-Nabawi is one of the oldest and original books of resource in this subject.

The recommendations of drugs and methods of treatment presented in those books in the light of hadiths are important in that they reflect the medicine of the Era of the Prophet and the Companions. However, the most important one is that “preventive medicine” comes first in the protection of health.

Dr. Mustafa Dönmez studied Abu Nuaym and his book called at-Tibb an-Nabawi and showed the importance the Prophet (pbuh) gave to preventive medicine. The advice of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the issue can be summarized as follows:

Fasting, tahajjud prayer, protection of health during journeys, elimination of the troubles that may arise during journeys, balanced nutrition, hygiene, protection from cold, sitting in scenic places, living in healthy homes and towns, traveling, avoiding traveling in bad climatic conditions, keeping away from places with epidemic diseases, avoiding staying in the sun a lot, lowering the body temperature in very hot weather, choosing suitable times for regular sleep, avoiding harmful foods, eating honey and citrus to stay healthy, using specially prepared paste to strengthen the body, avoiding foods that are unknown and are not appealing to appetite, removing some harms caused by food with drinks, using senna for diarrhea, using snuff and mouth medication regularly, having cupping done periodically, taking foods with high nutritional value in case of a decrease in body resistance, benefits of having a bath in curative public baths, benefits of vomiting in diarrheal disorders, eating ajwah dates against poisoning, using perfume, applying kohl on the eyes, paying attention to hair care and cleanliness of clothes, looking at the scenery that will relax the eyes and choosing colors of clothes.

It is remarkable that the Prophet (pbuh) gives examples related to his own practices about health in the hadiths in order to encourage people to do good deeds and to avoid bad deeds. Those measures correspond exactly to the principle “protecting health is better than taking drugs” emphasized by modern medicine (Dr. Mustafa Dönmez, Ebû Nuaym ve Et-Tıbbu’n-Nebevî İsimli Eseri Üzerine Uludağ Üniversitesi İlâhiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, Volume: 16, Issue: 1, 2007 p. 321 ff)

The main cause of diseases is indicated as extreme distress in the narrations. (see Abu Nuaym, at-Tibb an-Nabawi, I/315) Some material and spiritual methods of treatment are advised in order to eliminate extreme distress and stress. When the diseases of that period and the forms of medication and treatment are taken into consideration, it is seen that the methods of treatment and the medical materials are relatively limited. It is remarkable that not even one method of treatment is advised for some illnesses and that measures of preventive medicine are advised instead. (ibid)

We also advise you to read the following article regarding the issue:

Preventive Medicine in the Quran

The aim of preventive medicine called "hygiene" is to protect people against diseases. The main principle of protection against diseases is “cleanliness”. It is Islam that gave preventive medicine to humanity in its real sense. Muslims taught the Europe of the Middle Ages about toilet and bath.

The plague epidemic that broke out in 542 in the West and caused the death of millions of people lasted for forty years since its nature was not known. After that about twenty-five plague epidemics occurred in Europe until 1862, decreasing the population of Europe to half. On the other hand the Prophet (pbuh)said, "If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a country, do not go there; but if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place." (Bukhari, Tibb 30; Muslim, Salam 92)

The method of "quarantine", which the European doctors were able to discover hundreds of years later, had been put forward by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh).

Islamic medicine (the decrees introduced by the Quran and hadiths) gives more importance to protection from diseases than treating them; therefore, hygiene and preventive medicine play an important role in both theoretical and practical evaluations. (S. Hossein Nasr, İslâm ve İlim, (translated by İlhan Kutluer), İst.1989, p.164.) In fact, protection of health exists in all medical systems. However, there is no other system that emphasizes it so consciously and insistently. That is the ultimate goal of modern medicine. Despite the existence of so many technical facilities, the nature of many diseases is not known and new diseases called "diseases of civilization" are added to them. Ill people must definitely be treated but the main goal must be to eliminate the causes of diseases. With the principles it has introduced, the religion of Islam orders cleanliness, which is the basic principle of struggling against diseases: "Allah loveth those who make themselves pure." (at-Tawba, 108) "Cleanliness is half of belief." (Muslim, Taharah 1)

The decrees related to preventive medicine in the Quran and hadiths can be listed under the following headings:

1. Protection from Infectious Diseases.

2. Avoiding Harmful Foods and Drinks.

3. Body Cleanliness and Body Health.

4. Protecting the Body Health with Balanced Nutrition.

Not only did the Quran provide Muslims with religious, moral, civil, military, penal and political laws but also taught them the most perfect hygiene laws ever known. In fact, we can say that the Quran aims to protect and preserve the human species and their well-being with the decrees it has introduced not only in fields related to preventive medicine but also in all other fields.

For, Islam and its supreme book, the Quran, address man in the first place and target man with everything. For this reason, the Quran wants people to be protected from all kinds of physical and mental illnesses and introduces sound and fundamental principles in this regard. These sound and fundamental principles introduced by the Quran primarily protect man from physical and spiritual illnesses, but when he gets sick, it shows man the ways and methods of treatment related to the illnesses. With the principles and rules the Quran introduced in the field of preventive medicine, it addressed not only the people living in the era when it was sent down but also in all ages; the value and nature of the many principles and rules it imposed could be understood only after centuries as the information in this field increased.

As a matter of fact, detailed information is given in the Quran related to clothing, sleep, body and skin cleanliness in various aspects, rules related to food and beverage, attitudes toward dwellings, dead people and homes; in addition, there are important rules in many issues related to hygiene.
(Opitz Karl, Die Medizin im Koran, Kur'ân'da Tabâbet, (translated by Feridun Nafiz Uzluk), Ankara 1971, p. 45.)

People are advised not to go to extremes and follow a moderate way; they are ordered to act moderately especially related to eating and drinking. God Almighty states the following regarding the issue: "Eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters." (al-A'raf, 31)

Describing extravagance (waste) as the reason for harms and illnesses, Mustafa al-Maraghi states that God Almighty orders people to eat and drink clean things and not to waste by excess in a way that will harm their health. (al- Maraghi, Ahmad Mustafa, Tafsirul-Maraghi, Beirut 1974, VIII,133.) The Quran prohibits approaching women in their menstruation and puerperal periods. (al-Baqara, 222) It explains in a decent and medically wise way that intercourse during menstruation is absolutely harmful. The science of medicine imposed the same thing due to the same reason. (Dr. Fritz Kahn, Tenasül Hayatımız, (translated by Dr. Feridun Frik), Cemil Cahit Cem, Ist.,1971, p. 75.)

The most important issue of medicine today is "preventive medicine". Preventive medicine introduces the rules and principles that protect people when they are healthy and do not make them ill. Vaccination is an important means of it. The first one of the basic principles put forward by preventive medicine, the first preventive measure to be taken by healthy people, is to prevent infection and to give importance to cleanliness and food. The Quran brought these principles 1400 years ago.

We can briefly explain the decrees of preventive medicine in the Quran and hadiths, which we have listed above, as follows:

1. Protection from Infectious Diseases

The religion of Islam and its supreme book, the Quran, introduced some preliminary preventive measures and ordered the implementation of these measures in order to ensure the protection and survival of human beings and human species. The principle of preventiveness and deterrence is the first one of the preliminary measures introduced by the Quran. According to this principle, the Quran strictly forbids extramarital intercourses and the roads leading to such intercourses, introducing measures in this regard.

As in the past, there are some infectious diseases that are dangerous for humans and human species today. Among these infectious diseases, the most common ones have been venereal diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chancroid and AIDS, which is a disease that threatens all humanity now. That the most important factor in the transmission of these diseases is the extramarital intercourses and homosexuality shows everyone the wisdom behind Islam's determined and serious attitude towards these deeds. (İbrahim Canan, Hadis Ansiklopedisi., Akçağ yay., XI, 383.)

The religion of Islam prohibits prostitution due to this reason too along with some other religious reasons and closes the ways leading to prostitution. For this reason, God Almighty states the following:

"Come not nigh to shameful deeds. Whether open or secret." (al-An'am, 151), "Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil." (al-Isra, 32)

The harm caused by fornication in the social structure is very deep and very dangerous. The first and absolute condition of the social system and social structure is family and generation. Fornication is the strongest cause that destroys these two elements and hence the social system. In order to maintain the social system and to protect individuals from these disasters by which they may be hit, the Quran prohibits extramarital affairs, which form the source of venereal diseases and other infectious diseases, and blocks all kinds of prostitution with the order "do not approach", protecting human generations from this disaster.

The Quran's method to prevent fornication and extramarital sexual intercourses is to close the roads leading to fornication and to introduce preventive measures. The Quran regards looking at those who are forbidden to look at as the first way leading to fornication, and orders men first (an-Nur, 30) and women after that (an-Nur, 31) not to look at the people and places that are forbidden to look. Thus, by forbidding looking, which is described as the first way leading to fornication, the Quran forbids the other ways leading to fornication such as smiling, speaking, meeting and remaining alone and fornication itself. (Celal Kırca, Kur'an-ı Kerim'de Fen Bilimleri, p. 235-237)

It is necessary to be careful about the cleanliness of foods and drinks in order to be protected infectious diseases in particular. There are clear decrees in the Quran regarding the issue: "This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you." (al-Maida, 5), "O ye who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you." (al-Baqara, 172), "O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, Lawful and good." (al-Baqara, 168).

2. Avoiding Harmful Foods and Drinks

We can regard the harams introduced by our religion as a part of preventive medicine. The harms of alcoholic drinks, drugs, carrion, blood, and pork in terms of health are issues that are known by everyone.

3. Body Cleanliness and Body Health

Cleanliness is one of the most important issues to which both medicine and preventive medicine (hygiene) give importance and pay attention. Undoubtedly, cleaning the body is in the first place among the types of cleaning. Islam dealt with the issue of cleaning the body, which modern medicine emphasizes today, both in terms of bodily and spiritual cleanliness and health many centuries ago, introducing serious principles and decrees in this regard. These principles include precautions regarding preventive medicine and aim to protect human health. We will examine this issue under two headings:

a. Material Cleanliness:

The fact that Islam accepts material cleanliness as an indispensable condition for some deeds of worship and even the key to prayer (salah) clearly expresses how important material cleanliness is. For example, the key to prayer, which is accepted as the pillar of the religion, is cleaning the body.

b. Cleanliness of the Body

Islam has rendered cleaning one of the conditions of belief. The prerequisite for the acceptance of worship is material and spiritual cleanliness; cleanliness is also a condition of the perfection in belief. The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith "Cleanliness is half of belief." (Muslim, Taharah, 1) The cleanliness whose importance is mentioned here is cleanliness in general. In other words, both material and spiritual cleanliness are included. (İbrahim Canan, İslâm'da Çevre Sağlığı, Istanbul 1986, p.66)

Cleanliness of the body is divided into two: cleanliness from najasah (material cleanliness), and cleanliness from hadath (spiritual cleanliness).

Taharah (Cleanliness) from Hadath: Hadath is a state of virtual impurity that prevents a person from performing certain kinds of worship. Cleanliness is also divided into two as major hadath and minor hadath.

a. Major hadath: the states necessitating ghusl like janabah (after sexual intercourse and wet dream), menstruation and puerperium.

b. Minor hadath: things necessitating wudu like urinating, having a bowel movement and other things that invalidate wudu.

Accordingly, cleanliness from hadath means to be cleaned from the state of "hadath" by making ghusl or wudu, which is a type of cleaning whose spiritual aspect is weighted. In the Quran, wudu is ordered (al-Maida, 6) and attraction is drawn to the role of water in material cleaning. As it is known, prayer means entering into the presence of Allah. Both spiritual and bodily preparation are necessary in order to enter into His presence. Wudu is the prerequisite for this spiritual and especially physical preparation. (Sayyid Qutub, Fi Zilalil-Quran, Beirut 1980, II, 849) Ghusl is ordered after the states of janabah, menstruation and puerperium; in addition, the Prophet ordered Muslims to make ghusl at least once a week. (Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad I,304) "O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say,- nor in a state of ceremonial impurity (Except when travelling on the road), until after washing your whole body." (an-Nisa, 43) "They ask thee concerning women´s courses. Say: They are a hurt and a pollution: So keep away from women in their courses, and do not approach them until they are clean." (al-Baqara, 222)

Taharah (Cleanliness) from Najasah: Material dirt and impurities are called "najasah".  It means the material dirt that smears man’s body, clothes and the place where he prays. It is necessary to eliminate that dirt for the validity of the prayer (salah). Thus, cleanliness from najasah means cleaning the substances regarded najis (dirty) by the religion on the body or clothes. For instance, blood, sperm and urine or the clothes smeared by them are dirty. Cleaning such clothes is taharah (cleanliness).

ab. Cleaning the hands.

ac. Cleaning the mouth and the nose.

ad. Other advice related to cleanliness:

    1. Natural Cleanliness.

    2. Cleanliness of the Clothes.

    3. Cleanliness of the Place.

    4. Cleanliness of Water.

b. Spiritual Cleanliness:

It is wrong to limit cleaning only to material cleaning because "cleanliness of the heart", "cleanliness of the soul", "good intentions" and "high ethics" are as important as, even more important than, cleanliness of the body. Islam stipulates balance between man’s spiritual and material aspects as it does in everything. Therefore, it is impossible to distinguish between material and spiritual cleanliness in Islam. In most cases, spiritual and immaterial cleanliness is predominant, but we generally see them intertwined.

In the Quran, in the verses where cleaning is mentioned, not only cleanliness from material impurity but also the following aspects of cleanliness are meant:

a. Cleanliness in the sense of the cleanliness of the heart is mentioned as follows:  "... That makes for greater purity for your hearts and for theirs." (al-Ahzab, 53)

b. Cleanliness from prostitution and fornication: "... Drive out the followers of Lut from your city: these are indeed men who want to be clean and pure." (an-Naml, 56)

c. Cleanliness to protect goods from being dirtied by haram: " Of their goods, take alms, that so thou mightest purify and sanctify them.", (at-Tawba, 103)

d. Cleanliness from the impurity of idolatry and telling lies: "O Messenger! Let not those grieve thee, who race each other into unbelief: (whether it be) among those who say "We believe" with their lips but whose hearts have no faith; or it be among the Jews,- men who will listen to any lie,- will listen even to others who have never so much as come to thee. They change the words from their (right) times and places: they say, ‘If ye are given this, take it, but if not, beware!’ If any one´s trial is intended by Allah, thou hast no authority in the least for him against Allah. For such - it is not Allah´s will to purify their hearts. For them there is disgrace in this world, and in the Hereafter a heavy punishment." (al-Maida, 41) "O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque." (at-Tawba, 28) Spiritual cleanliness is mentioned in the verses above and in similar ones.

4. Protecting the Body Health with Balanced Nutrition

One of the most important issues of preventive medicine is nutrition. It is one of the primary duties of preventive medicine to protect health by taking enough and balanced nutrients and to prevent diseases that may occur in the body by doing so.

The best measure to prevent many diseases is healthy nutrition. Undernutrition and malnutrition do not lead to a major disease directly, but there are cases of disorders, weakness and low spirits caused by them. It is necessary to distinguish between hunger and malnutrition. There is little or no food in hunger. It occurs during great famines, wars, siege, migration, etc., causing mass nutritional diseases. (Zeki Râgıp Yalım, Vücut Bakımı, Ankara 1944, p. 2)

Since one of the main aims of the religion of Islam is to protect human health, its great book, the Quran, indicates some remarkable signs regarding the issue and asks people to think deeply about them. (Jawhari, Tantawi, al-Jawahir fi Tafsiril-Quran, Egypt 1350/1931(I-XXVI), I,241-243.)

The Quran, which touches on remarkable points related to food and food types, which are essential in nutrition, mentions high-protein foods such as meat, fish and milk, which contain necessary and very useful things for the growth, strengthening and repair of the human body, and whose importance are understood better in this age, vegetable and fruits such as dates, grapes, wheat, pomegranate, garlic, gherkin, onions, lentils, figs and olives and draws our attention to these foods. Mentioning vegetable oil and healing honey, the Quran indicates the importance of honey, in particular, in treatment. (Afzalur Rahman, Hz. Muhammed (s.a.s.), Sîret Ans., I,342)

The Quran also mentions the elements the necessary additional elements too: "Then let man look at his food, (and how We provide it): For that We pour forth water in abundance, And We split the earth in fragments, And produce therein corn, And Grapes and nutritious plants, And Olives and Dates, And enclosed Gardens, dense with lofty trees, And fruits and fodder,- For use and convenience to you and your cattle." (Abasa, 24-32) (Afzalur-Rahman, ibid, I,343)

Those food items mentioned in the Quran are foods that include protein, carbohydrates and fats, which are essential for human health. Those food items are mentioned in the Quran in order to draw the attention to them and to indicate the need for them. Nutritionists in this age also state the same thing because issues such as food selection, their effects on health, harms of overnutrition or malnutrition have an important place in nutrition.

Tantawi Jawhari states in the interpretation of the verse 61 of the chapter of al-Baqara in particular that the vegetables mentioned in that verse are of great importance in terms of medicine, especially preventive medicine, and mentions the importance of those foods in human health. (Jawhari, ibid, I, 78)

God Almighty states the following about honey, which is used as medication in medicine and has an important place in nutrition: "And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men´s) habitations; Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought." (an-Nahl, 68-69)

When we look at the Quran, we see balanced nutrition. The most important elements of nourishment in nutrition are proteins: We see the following verses in the Quran: "And he hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf." (Hud, 69) "Then he turned quickly to his household, brought out a fatted calf, And placed it before them. He said, ‘Will ye not eat?’" (adh- Dhariyat, 26-27) Besides, the Quran mentions poultry as flesh that is desired: "... And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire..." (al-Waqia, 21). We see the following related to the superiority of proteins to other food items in the chapter of al-A’raf: "We sent down to them manna and quails, (saying): ‘Eat of the good things We have provided for you.’" (al-A'raf, 160) However, ungrateful people wanted Allah to change those good foods with inferior ones: "And remember ye said: ‘O Moses! we cannot endure one kind of food (always); so beseech thy Lord for us to produce for us of what the earth groweth, -its pot-herbs, and cucumbers, Its garlic, lentils, and onions.’ He said: ‘Will ye exchange the better for the worse?’" (al-Baqara, 61). That statement clearly indicates the superiority of proteins to other vegetables.

We also see that fish is mentioned as a type of protein: "It is He Who has made the sea subject, that ye may eat thereof flesh that is fresh and tender, and that ye may extract therefrom ornaments to wear." (an-Nahl, 14). We see the following statement in the chapter of Fatir: "Yet from each (kind of water) do ye eat flesh fresh and tender." (Fatir, 12)

The importance of fresh milk is expressed as follows: "And in cattle (too) ye have an instructive example: from within their bodies We produce (milk) for you to drink; there are, in them, (besides), numerous (other) benefits for you; and of their (meat) ye eat." (al-Mu'minun, 21). The following is stated in the chapter of an-Nahl: "And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it." (an-Nahl, 66)

Vegetables and fruits such as dates and grapes, wheat, pomegranate, garlic, onions, lentils, figs and olives and honey are also mentioned in the Quran. In short, we should state that all nutritional elements that are curative for humans and balanced nutrition are included in the Quran. (Polat Has, Peygamberimiz'den (s.a.s.) Günümüze Beslenme, İzmir 1991, T.Ö.V. yayınları, p. 15–17)

a. Food Items and Nutrition:

All kinds of food that living beings take by way of mouth in order to survive are called "nutrients". Nutrition means to take the elements that are necessary for human growth, development, and healthy and productive living for a long time and to use them in the body. (Ayşe Baysal, Beslenme, (pbuh) .4)

The energy needed for the growth of children, the functioning of the organs, the renewal of aging cells, and carrying out daily activities are always provided through nutrients and nutrition.

Let us deal briefly with excessive and unbalanced nutrition, and inadequate and unbalanced nutrition here.

aa. excessive and unbalanced nutrition:

Balanced and moderate eating is as important as the food that is eaten in nutrition. Unbalanced nutrition through eating excessively will lead to obesity. In fact, every extra kilo loaded on the body's natural weight means a load on the basic organs.

The following is stated in the Quran regarding the issue: (Kulu washrabu wa la tusrifu, innahu la yuhibbul musrifin) "Eat and drink: But waste not by excess." (al-A'raf, 31).

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following: "The human does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath." (Tirmidhi, Zuhd 47; Ibn Majah, Atima 50).

Interpreting the verse "Eat and drink: But waste not by excess" in the best way, the Messenger of Allah states the following:

"What I fear most about my ummah is being pot-bellied, sleeping a lot and laziness." (Jamiussaghir, I,190) This hadith states that a Muslim has to eat moderately and in a balanced way and that not to eat and drink excessively is a necessity of being a Muslim.  

ab. inadequate and unbalanced nutrition:

We can say that "adequate and balanced nutrition is the basis of health" since there will be problems in the growth, development and normal functioning of the body in cases of inadequate and unbalanced nutrition. Inadequate and unbalanced nutrition is the direct cause of many diseases (beriberi, pellagra, scorpion, marasmus, xerophthalmia, rickets, etc.); in addition, it causes many other diseases (like measles, whooping cough, tuberculosis and diarrhea) to settle in the body easily and to become severe. Social imbalances are common in societies where undernutrition prevails.

The Quran states the following regarding undernutrition: "O ye who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you." (al-Maida, 87) It is necessary for man to benefit from all kinds of nutrients Allah has rendered halal in order to have a sufficient and balanced diet. Medical problems occur when some foods are abandoned due to a variety of reasons and considerations.

Allah wants us to eat all kinds of halal and clean food items and criticizes those who do not eat certain food items: "Make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you." (al-Maida, 87) It is necessary to benefit from all kinds of food items in order to have a really good and balanced diet.

Being overweight by overeating or being very weak by eating very little or inadequately are equally harmful to human health. Islam and its supreme book, the Quran, command us to take all kinds of foods adequately and in a balanced way, protecting people from both conditions and ensuring human health in terms of nutrition.

Conclusion

In terms of its content and the subjects it includes, the Quran orders religious practices, improves ethics and guides people. Many different issues are also mentioned in the Quran, whose nature is summarized in this way above. One of them is the issues related to hygiene, that is, preventive medicine, which concerns everyone closely.

Islamic medicine, whose source is based on the Quran and hadiths, gives more importance to protection from diseases than treating them. The issue called hygiene or preventive medicine, that is, the protection of health, exists in all medical systems. However, there is no other system that emphasizes it so consciously and insistently. That is the ultimate goal of modern medicine. Despite the existence of so many technical facilities, the nature of many diseases is not known and new diseases called "diseases of civilization" are added to them. Ill people must definitely be treated but the main goal must be to eliminate the causes of diseases. With the principles it has introduced, the religion of Islam orders the following:

1. Protection from Infectious Diseases
2. Avoiding Harmful Food and Drinks
3. Protecting Body Cleaning and Body Health, and
4. Protecting Body Health with Balanced Nutrition.

As we have tried to explain in this short article, it is very important that the book of a religion addressing all the human beings up to the end of the world mention those issues. The structure that forms the basis of Islamic medicine is healthy people and healthy society. A society consisting of people who are healthy in terms of spirit and body is one of the goals that are pursued. It is essential to eliminate all dangers that threaten human health.

16 What should I do about my narcissistic brother?

We understand that you are in serious trouble because of your brother with narcissistic personality disorder. You are face to face with a difficult test. May our Lord always be your helper and increase your patience and endurance!

Try to Understand him

First, try to understand him because being a narcissist is not a personal choice of your brother.

Disturbing negative behavior of your brother toward you and your mother is a health problem just like other physical and mental illnesses. The root of this ailment lies in your brother’s childhood.

In particular, factors such as negative relationship between the parents, faulty child education, conditional love or lack of love toward the child or excessive praise probably led to narcissistic personality disorder in the future.

Narcissists cannot understand how they behave toward their environment because of this unhealthy condition they brought from their childhood. In addition, they are not fully aware of how their disturbing behavior can make the other person feel.

In addition, they often use many manipulation tactics without even realizing because they have a great sense of self; they regard themselves as superior to you and other people. They may believe that they should be treated better than other people.

Worse still, they do not have the ability to make up for their mistakes, apologize and repair them. Due to this lack of empathy and insight, they constantly have problems in their family relationships; they can put both themselves and their family members in a difficult situation.

As you can see, your brother is not the only one that is guilty …

Do not Get Angry with him; Approach him with Compassion

If you approach your brother from this point of view, he will not change much, but his negative effects on you will decrease because you will always look at him with pity, not with anger. It might lessen his anger a bit.

What can you do to have fewer problems with your brother?

Although it is difficult for your brother to go to therapy because narcissists do not believe that anyone can be better than them, the healthiest way is to seek help from a psychotherapist who is a specialist.

If you do not have such an opportunity, we recommend you the following:

- Never shout at your brother; do not enter into a discussion. If you are right in the discussion, he will likely be angry with or even resentful toward you. It is better not to discuss and to remain silent.

- However, do not be introverted, remaining silent. Introversion and withdrawal during a discussion, like reacting with anger, cause the narcissist to become more defensive and increase the dose of criticism.

- Control your anger toward your brother. Your angry behavior will make him even more aggressive

- The thing that narcissists are most uncomfortable with is being blamed. When they are blamed, they lose control. Instead of speaking in an accusatory way, express your own feelings. Speak openly and honestly about your feelings, and the pain you experienced.

You can say:

“Right now, I feel that you are belittling me and my mother. I feel very bad; I think we are worth nothing in your eyes.” You can express your feelings with a sentence like that:

For example, you can also say, “We feel bad and very upset when you are so rude to us. I feel so worthless when you act like that.”

- Although narcissists have a very high ego, their greatest fear is the feeling of worthlessness. Because of this, they overreact to words and behaviors that make them feel worthless. You can sometimes make a sentence that emphasizes how valuable he is: “You are precious to us; we do not want to upset you.”.

- Appreciate and reward your brother’s positive behavior toward you. They make promises that they will not keep to achieve their goals. Therefore, do not trust his promises. Just appreciate his behavior.

- Despite all this, do not expect a quick change from your brother; otherwise, you will be disappointed. It is not easy to change him; and it is quite difficult for him to change even if he wants to.

- Do your part; treat him compassionately and pray.

May Allah be your helper!

17 Is the father’s earning halal for his child?

If the father’s earning is haram, his children can meet their needs from his earning as a necessity until they find a way of making their living. If they have a relative whose earning is halal, he can meet their needs; or, if they earn halal money, they will stop using their father’s haram earning.

18 Is it a sin to say the mistakes of a person to his face or to talk behind his back? Is there a hadith related to condemnation?

It is not permissible to say the mistakes of people to their faces in a way to offend them and in the presence of others and to condemn them because of it. To mention them behind a person’s back is a bigger sin since it is regarded as backbiting.   

The following statement is included in our resources as a hadith: "If a person shames his brother for a sin, he shall not die until he himself commits it." (Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 53, no: 2507; Bayhaqi, Shuabul-Iman, 5/315, no: 2778; see Kashful-Khafa, 2/265)

19 What is the reason for today’s Muslims’ falling behind other societies?

The reason for this is the Muslims’ moving away from the Qur’an and Sunnah gradually in the last few centuries.

When the Muslims get on the true track shown by Allah, things change, will change and will have changed.

Especially in the last two centuries, ignoring salah (prayer), worshipping and halal-haram balance, not giving importance to the Islamic union and breaking it, not doing enough research on scientific issues despite the encouragement by the Qur’an and Sunnah caused the Muslim World to fall behind.

We can understand this issue more clearly with a few verses in the Qur’an;

“But after them there followed a posterity who missed prayers and followed after lusts soon, then, will they face Destruction” (Maryam 59)

“For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him: They guard him by command of Allah. Allah does not change a people´s lot unless they change what is in their hearts. But when (once) Allah willeth a people´s punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect.” (ar-Rad 11)

“And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves…” (Aal-i Imran 103)

As for technology and exact sciences, the Quran states all the time, especially in the stories of prophets, creation of the universe, plants, insects, stars, in the sun and the moon, in the rain, and in the birth and the growth of man, that there is an infinite number of evidences showing the existence of Allah; and the Quran encourages people to do research by addressing them all the time as follows: “Do you not reason? Do you not contemplate? Do you not consider? Do not you think?”

In the last two centuries, the Islamic community did not only give up reasoning in the face of Allah’s clear commands, ignore  and look on scientific and technological developments but also imitated the west blindly and “copied and pasted”, not the appropriate and useful aspects, but the useless aspects of the west that are totally contrary to Islam, causing the community to fall into its current servile position.

Allah’s mercy is limitless. And in this existing realm before the hereafter, Allah’s mercy reaches both believers and unbelievers.

For example:

If a Muslim did not sow or water his field and prayed only with words, he would harvest nothing. However, if an unbeliever sowed and watered his field and took care of the plants well, he would probably harvest crops without even praying with words.

Or, if a Muslim said that he did not recognize the law of gravity, which Allah created in the world, and jumped down from the third floor, he would crash.

We can generalize this example related to everything.

Allah has two books:

One of them is the Quran, which arises from Allah’s attribute of kalam (speech) and the other is the book of the Universe, which arises from His attribute of qudrah (power). If we act in accordance with the Quran, we will find peace in this universe and in afterlife since we will also have acted in accordance with the book of the universe.

However, if we act in accordance with the book of the universe only, that is, with causes, we may live comfortably in this world, but we will ruin our eternal happiness in the hereafter.

Most of the Muslims have neglected almost both books for the last two centuries; they have ruined their lives in this world and risked their lives in the hereafter.

On the other hand, science and technology should not be like those in the west. Any knowledge and science without the knowledge of Allah, which means knowing that Allah is behind the scenes in every incident and event, in everything, due to His wisdom, will not be real knowledge and science.

Without the knowledge and fear of Allah, aberrations and heresies that exist today will occur.

You can invent atomic bombs as well as MR Device with the same radiation.

You would go to the Mars to find water by spending billions of dollars, but you would not spend only one-millionth of that budget on the poor in Africa who need clean, potable water…

For, if you do not know Allah, you will not have any concerns for the afterlife.

However, we should not forget that if we say “There is no sun” by closing our eyes, we will just ridicule ourselves; and the tragical ending will be inevitable.

In conclusion, we observe with our own eyes in many places, especially in our country, Turkey, that a significant change started in the positive way with the increase of the people who believe in “Allah” and obey His orders.

What changed in our country, which was in debt and poverty, to increase the income level 3 or 4 times in only 20 years? What changed to enable us to host 4 million refugees like Ansar? How come we have been taking firm steps along the way of being one of the countries with the most sophisticated defense industry? How did we manage to leap forward so much in the fields of helicopters, aircrafts, ships, automobiles, smart phones, computers, medical equipment, medicine and hospitals? Is it possible to realize them in only 20 years?

As Allah states,

“Do you not reason? Do you not contemplate?
Do you not consider? Do not you think?”  

Of course, we started to act in accordance with causes and we started to obey Allah’s orders more than before. Therefore, divine help started to come abundantly because Allah is the promiser and He never breaks His promise.

Be hopeful!

Phoenix is going to rise from the ashes and the Islamic unity will be established as it is necessary if we work with an increasing effort and regard the consent of Allah superior to any earthly thing by doing our best.

We should work in the legitimate (halal) circle as if we shall not die and should hold fast to the prayers and orders of Allah, that is His rope, as if we will die tomorrow.

20 They say sneezing is from Allah and yawning is from Satan; can you explain why?

Sneezing usually helps the body to become lighter, more relaxed, more vigorous, to get rid of some germs and to be healthy. It is a good thing and a blessing. Therefore, Allah is praised while sneezing. The act of sneezing is attributed to Allah because it is a blessing.

As for yawning, it is usually a sign indicating that the body is heavy, slack and inclined to laziness.

The reason why yawning is attributed to Satan may be this: Satan invites people to their bodily desires and wishes, such as eating too much, drinking too much and sleeping too much. They are the things that cause yawning. With that statement, man is warned against such wastefulness.

Therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a narration:

“Allah likes sneezing and dislikes yawning. So, if one of you sneezes and then praises Allah, it is a duty for every Muslim who hears him to say ‘yarhamukallah’ (May Allah be merciful to you). However, as regards yawning, it is from Satan. So, one must try his best to stop it in prayer and to avoid saying ‘Ha’ while yawning. It is from Satan; it means Satan is laughing at him.” [Bukhari, Adab 125, 128, Bad’ul-Khalq 11; Muslim, Zuhd 56, (2994); Abu Dawud, Adab 97, (5028); Tirmidhi, Salah 273, (370), Adab 7, (2747, 2748)]

Khattabi states the following: “The meaning of the expressions attributed to Allah, such as liking and disliking, depends on the cause of sneezing and yawning. This is because sneezing is due to the lightness of the body, the opening of the pores and lack of satiety. It is the opposite of yawning because it stems from the body’s being full, and also from the heaviness caused by eating too much and mixed food. The former state gives enthusiasm for worship. The latter state, on the contrary, leads to heedlessness.”

The command to restrain oneself while yawning does not mean that it lies in one’s power to stop yawning because once yawning occurs, it cannot be stopped completely. Therefore, the stopping means to prevent the yawning from happening naturally, and to minimize the body movements to result from it. In the hadith mentioned above, the phrase “in prayer” is used but in some narrations, the phrase “in prayer” does not exist; The phrase “If one of you yawns...” shows that it is general. The following is stated in a narration: “If one of you yawns, let him put his hand over his mouth and not allow the sound of ‘ha’ when he yawns because Satan laughs at him.”

Yawning is from Satan because Satan loves it. Satan loves everything that makes man heedless, reduces his good deeds, and interrupts his prayers. Besides, yawning is a state that is usually caused by eating too much. Overeating is also the work of Satan. Turbushti makes the following explanation: “It is attributed to Satan because Satan likes to intervene in mandub deeds such as the peace that the servant will feel before Allah and the pleasure that he will derive from his ecstatic supplication.” (see Ibn Hajar the explanation of the hadith in question; İbrahim Canan, Kütüb-i Sitte Tercüme ve Şerhi, 10/196-7)

21 What should I do to find a good job?

We are in a world of testing. Our Lord states the following:

Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, “We believe”, and that they will not be tested?

We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. (al-Ankabut, 29/2, 3)

We should always be conscious that we are always tested whether it is about a job suitable for us or other issues, and we should always consider those who are in a more difficult situation than us; we should be grateful and be patient.

In the meantime, we should definitely act in accordance with causes.

You work hard to earn halal money in line with Allah’s consent. The cost may seem heavy to you and you may be depressed financially and spiritually, but if our Lord shows you the future reward of your determination for a moment, you may want this state to continue.

Yes causes. We should question them, both from your viewpoint and from the viewpoint of employers:

- Do you apply for the right jobs?

- If you were an employer, in what position would you employ yourself?

- Could it be more appropriate to start with a job where you can gain some experience and show yourself?

- Is it possible for you to be more flexible and change some of your criteria other than Islamic criteria?

- It is really annoying to look for a job when you are unemployed. If you start a temporary job, you may find a better job.

- Unexpected opportunities may occur in your temporary job.

Ask yourself the questions above and similar ones frankly and without prejudice both to open your horizon and to make right decisions.

Continue the five daily prayers and supplications.

Inshallah, our Lord will open good doors for you. However, we should not forget that this test will end and others will begin...

What matters is to continue to give correct answers to the test questions.

22 Is something like being tested with ease in question?

We are tested through hardship, trouble, poverty illness and death as well as abundance, welfare, health, large family, children and similar blessings.

What we need to do at least is to show patience in times of hardship and to thank Allah in times of welfare.

What we need to do ideally is to thank Allah under all circumstances because all circumstances are transient and they are predestined by Allah.  

We should not forget that the test of wealth is harder than the test of poverty because the reckoning of few things or nothing is relatively easy but the reckoning of every blessing will be hard.

We can imagine a questioning like this:

“O my slave!

I gave you money; what did you do with it?

I gave you health; what did you do with it?

I gave you children; how did you raise them?

I gave you knowledge; how did you use it?

I gave you courage; for whom did you use it?...”

As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a verse:

“Then, shall ye be questioned that Day about the joy (ye indulged in!).” (at-Takathur, 102/8)

23 Does it befit a Muslim to say let sleeping dogs lie?

There is no definite information about who uttered the saying "Let sleeping dogs lie” first.

The person who utters this statesmen means the following:

“If I am fine and safe, it does not matter if the whole world is in trouble. If I am full, it does not matter if my neighbor starves. If a serial killer kills a lot of people and does not disturb me, I will not feel sad.” As far as we understand, this saying is used in the sense above.

As for the question, “Why does a Muslim use this saying?”, we know that this saying does not befit a Muslim, a believer. It does not comply with the consciousness of belief. It is unthinkable for a person who knows the statement of the Prophet “He who sleeps with full stomach when his neighbor is hungry is not one of us” and other similar verses and hadiths to utter that statement.

Some Muslims utter that statement due to some reasons like weakness of belief and ignorance.

To sum up, that statement is definitely contrary to the humane and Islamic virtues like solidarity, altruism and empathy.

24 What is universal life? What is man’s original homeland?

Universal life is the life that becomes manifest in all realms, visible and invisible, the world and the hereafter, realm of similitude and visible realm. A subtle and fine meaning of this universal life becomes manifest even in the tablets of qadar:

Life has a manifestation on qadar, which surrounds the past and the future, too. Life is not limited with time and space only. Life has a kind of manifestation on every realm and every creature. However, the quality of those manifestations occurs based on the quality of each realm. That is, life that is manifest in material realms are not the same as life that is manifest on the tablets of qadar in terms of quality.

Life in the seed is subtle and fine but is dense and material in the tree and its trunk, which come from the seed. That is, the types of manifestation of life in terms of density and subtleness are different.

The seed is like the concretized form of the tablets of qadar in the material realm. Life becomes manifest in the seed, which is concretized qadar, in a subtle and fine form; similarly, there are subtle and fine manifestations of life in qadar whose quality we cannot know.

Since there is a manifestation of life in qadar, creatures have a kind of life in their states in qadar before coming into being. That is, the beings come to the material world from the living tablets of qadar. Therefore, the bodies of the beings based on knowledge in qadar are essential and original and their material and bodily forms are their copies. When the beings were non-existent in terms of body, they existed in the knowledge of Allah alive.

The original homeland of man is Paradise.

Some tafsir scholars state that Hz. Adam was created on earth in a different dimension; some other tafsir scholars state that he was created in the other realm, in Paradise. Those who say Hz. Adam was created on earth show the following verse as evidence for their view:   

 "From the (earth) did We create you, and into it shall We return you, and from it shall We bring you out once again." (Taha, 20/55)

The others act upon the following verse

"Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves" (al-Baqara, 2/36).

They think Paradise must be somewhere outside the world since it is a place where innocent people live and they interpret the verse as follows: Man’s nature was taken from the earth. However, Hz. Adam was created in Paradise. Man will die and return to soil; then, he will be resurrected.  

It is stated in some narrations in Bukhari, Muslim and Ahmad b. Hanbal’s Musnad that Hz. Adam was created in Paradise. That our origin is Paradise, that we desire it in our conscience and that we want an eternal homeland confirm it.

Accordingly, man’s original homeland is Paradise. In fact, the real origin of everything that man desires is Paradise

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states the following in the Twentieth Letter:  

“Then most decidedly and most certainly, that All-Powerful One of Glory, that All-Wise One of Perfection, that All-Merciful One of Beauty, will carry out His promise; He will open the gate to eternal bliss; He will admit you, O people of faith, to Paradise, which was the original home of your forefather Adam.”

Thus, he states that Paradise, to which we will go, is the original home of our forefather Adam, from where he was sent away.

Therefore, the places where we live and this world cannot be our original home. We have been seeking our original home since our father Adam and our mother Hawwa (Eve) were sent to this world. Our test is to be able to go to our original homeland again. We do not have a test that makes us accept this temporary homeland real homeland and make decrees based on it.

25 I feel reluctant related to the worldly affairs. How can I get rid of it? How can I carry out the religious and worldly affairs in a balanced way?

Helping one another is one of the most essential principles dominant in the universe. This principle is settled among people too; it led people to living together. Consequently, family and community appeared. Helping one another exists in the family, which is the smallest building block of the community, too. Since family consists of individuals that can work and that do not work, the sustenance of those who do not work are obtained by the head of the family.  The religion of Islam renders it wajib for the head of the family to obtain sustenance for his household.1

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) states the following in a hadith:

"It is enough as a sin for a person to neglect the people whose sustenance he has to obtain."2

Thus, he attracts attention to that responsibility.

Our religion does not only give the duty of obtaining sustenance to people but it also encourages them to do it by indicating the reward of that duty. The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith:

"What a man spends for himself, his family, children and servant is sadaqah for him."3

He indicates this issue in the hadith above.

The Prophet states the following in another hadith:

"Of the money you spend as a contribution in Allah's path, or to set free a slave, or as a sadaqah given to a needy, or to support your family, the one yielding the greatest reward is what you spend on your family."4

Thus, he states how rewarding the money spent for the livelihood of the family is.

It is stated in the following hadith that a believer who works like that is in the way of Allah:

"If a man works for his small child, he is in the way of Allah. If he works for his old parents, he is in the way of Allah. If he works for his family, he is in the way of Allah."5

In order to receive the rewards mentioned above and for the worldly works to be regarded as worship, it is necessary for a person not to act negligently and lazily in his personal deeds of worship. It is among the glad tidings given by the Prophet that if daily prayers are performed, the time period between two daily prayers will be regarded as worship and that the sins committed between them will be forgiven.6

As a matter of fact, Badiuzzaman said Nursi, one of the tafsir scholars of this age, told the workers and officials who visited him that their work would be regarded as worship under certain circumstances.

He said the following to the workers who worked in the sugar factory:

"If you perform fard prayers, all of your working in the factory will be regarded as worship. For, you fulfill a holy duty that meets an essential need of people."

He also told the railway workers that if they performed fards and avoided major sins, their working would be regarded as worship and encouraged them to work. Once, he gave the following advice to electricity workers:

"This electricity is very useful for the whole nation. Perform fard prayers in order to receive your share from its reward. If you do so, all of your working will be regarded as an otherworldly trade and worship."7

In that case, if man performs the fard deeds of worship and avoids sins, his remaining working and rest will be times full of reward. However, if a person abandons his duty of worshipping because of his ambition and thinking that he will earn less money, "all the fruits of his effort will be restricted to only a worldly, unimportant, and unproductive livelihood."8 That is, it cannot be more than a simple and worldly effort.

It is a deficient consideration to regard only to work for the livelihood of one’s family as worshipping. For, a person who neglects Allah’s orders and does not avoid sins will not be able to get rid of sins and harams. This consideration is a deception of Satan and leads a person to destruction.

Footnotes:

1. al-Baqara, 233;
2. Ibn Majah, Tijarah: 1.
3. Ibn Majah, Tijarah: 1.
4. Muslim, Zakah: 39.
5. Tabarani, 2: 60.
6. Ibn Majah, Iqamah: 79.
7. Tarihçe-i Hayat, p. 406.
8. Sözler (Words), p. 253.

26 Is it permissible to go to the toilet while adhan is being called?

It is permissible to go to the toilet while adhan is being called if it is necessary to go or if a person wants to prepare for wudu. In fact, when a person is in the toilet, he fulfils one of the obligatory parts of the prayer, i.e., taharah from najasah (cleanliness from impurity). A natural need is met there.

To sum up, when call to prayer is being called, one should stop, listen to the call to prayer, and go to the mosque if he can or perform the prayer where he is.

(Mehmed Paksu, Aileye Özel Fetvalar)

27 What kind of questions are encouraged and/or discouraged in Islam?

First of all, we should state that the person who asked the question “How does a person resurrect after death?” in the verse asked it not to learn, but to challenge. Although the expression is in the form of a question, it is not really a question; it is a rebellion, denial and challenge.

No Muslim ever asks questions with this intention:

- He asks to learn and to understand the wisdom.
- He asks in order to find answers to the questions coming from his soul, Satan or others.
- He asks to persuade his mind and to satisfy his heart.
- He asks to strengthen his belief.
- He asks to understand what Allah and His Messenger (pbuh) are pleased with.
- He asks for the happiness of the world and the hereafter.
- He asks because he has not understood.
...

Thus, there is no harm in asking questions like the ones above and related to similar issues; on the contrary, it is necessary to ask them so that one can find the answers and learn the ways of being a better Muslim.

We advise you to evaluate all the issues in your question according to those criteria.

So, we do not focus on why and how people ask but focus on the question and answer it; we try to understand and help them.

In addition, we do not have the right to question the intentions of the people who ask questions; our duty is to answer the questions.

As a matter of fact, the relevant question in the verse was answered in the verse following it:

“And he makes comparisons for Us, and forgets his own (origin and) Creation: He says, ‘Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that)?’

Say, ‘He will give them life Who created them for the first time! for He is Well-versed in every kind of creation.’” (Yasin, 78-79)

So, we think that it is not appropriate to impose a limit so that people will ask or not ask about this or that.

28 Is there a prayer to be said before entering and while leaving the toilet?

Before entering the toilet, it is mustahab to say audhu… bismillah… and the following prayer, if one knows it:

اَللَّهُمَّ اِنِّى اَعُوذُبِكَ مِنَ الْخُبْثِ وَالْخَبآءِثِ

“Allahumma inni audhu bika minal khubthi wal khabaith.”

“O Allah! I seek protection in you from the male and female unclean spirits.” (Bukhari, Daawat, 54)

It is necessary to enter the toilet with the left foot and exit with the right foot. One should not urinate while standing, should not speak and eat anything in the toilet.

The following prayer is said while leaving the toilet:

اَلْحَمْدُ ِللهِ الَّذِى اَذْهَبَ عَنِّى اْلاَذَى وَعَافَاني

“Alhamdu lillahi’lladhi adhhaba anni’l-aza wa afani. (Praise be to Allah, who relieved me from the suffering and gave me health.)” (Ibn Majah, Taharah 10)

The Prophet (pbuh) would sometimes say, غُفْرَانَكَ يَٓا رَبّ / Ghufranaka ya Rab” while leaving the toilet, thanking the Divine grace for such blessings of relief. (see Zadul-Maad, 2/387)

One should enter the toilet and bathroom with the left foot and leave with the right foot. One should enter places such as houses and mosques with the right foot and leave with the left foot.

29 What would you advise me to do to make Islamic life and prayers permanent in my life?

I would like to talk to you based on some basic rules today. They might or might not provide sufficient answers to your questions; it is up to you to decide.

However, those rules have to be known in any case; they must not be forgotten. One of them is as follows:
"If you cannot do/fulfill all of something, you do not have to abandon all of it." It is a true rule.

You want to fulfill something as a whole; you want to practice it fully. However, there are difficulties and even some impossibilities about it. Either you are not spiritually ready for it, or conditions outside you are not suitable. What should you do in that case?

If you cannot do fully what you want to do, should you abandon it completely, or do as much as you can do and wait for the possibilities and conditions for the things that you cannot do?

The rule states the following: If you cannot do/fulfill all of something, you do not have to abandon all of it. Do and practice as much as you can. Be determined and try to seek opportunities to do and practice what you have not been able to do.

You want to find a way out of the difficulties and impossibilities you are in; you are looking for a remedy and your purpose is to live and practice Islam.  

I would like to attract your attention to a point that will expand your reasoning.

Common criteria of verses and hadiths:

Thawabs eliminate sins; good deeds destroy evil deeds.
Suppose that you had to commit a sin without wishing to do so due to the pressure of your soul or the environment or for some other reasons. Does it mean the end of everything? Is there no way out?

In our opinion, not everything has been ruined; not all hopes have been abandoned; there is a way out; there is some hope.
The verses and hadiths regarding the issue are as follows:  

"…For, those things that are good remove those that are evil..." (Hud, 11/114)

A person who repents from sin is like one who did not sin.

In that case, increase your worship, your thawabs your good deeds and service due to the sins you are exposed to involuntarily; thus, your thawabs will outweigh your sins.

It is possible that the thawabs that you have earned will be more than and outweigh the sins you have been exposed to; and the glad tiding given by the verse will be valid for you. You will win even when you are in a position to lose.

What we say is not a permission to commit sins; it gives hope to those who are about to fall into despair and abandon hope.

What I have seen throughout my life has never been all or none. Things start incompletely, but over time, they are completed and even reach perfection.  

All religious issues are like that. Do not overrate things; do not say I cannot do all of them; so, I will not try any of them. Do whatever you can and wait for the desire, enthusiasm and opportunity that Allah will grant you for the things that you cannot do.

You can lose everything, but not your hope! For, he who loses his hopes loses everything.

"Say: ‘O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah. for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’" (az-Zumar, 39/53)

30 Is there a hadith stating that Allah has not created any instrument more valuable than intellect/mind?

The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following:

“What keeps man upright is his mind. He who has no mind has no religion.” (Jamius-Saghir, 4: 528 (H. No:6159)

Thus, he stated that responsibility was dependent on the mind. Therefore, scholars said, “Sound naql (verses and hadith) does not contradict clear mind.” Every virtue has a principle and every good manner has a source. The principle of virtues and the source of good manners in man are the mind, which Allah made a principle for the religion and a pole/pillar for the world.

The following is stated in a hadith reported by Anas: “Somebody praised a person in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) asked, ‘How is the mind of that person?’ The Companions answered: ‘O Messenger of Allah! We are talking about the good deeds and worship of that man but you are asking about his mind.’ The Prophet (pbuh) said,

‘People make bigger mistakes with their stupidity than sinners. The degrees of people on the Day of Judgment are based on their minds.' (Ihyau Ulum, Ghazali, 1/211) Man has not obtained anything like mind, which leads him to guidance and saves him from disasters. Have you not heard that when sinners are thrown into Hell, they will regret by saying, ‘Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire.’? (al-Mulk, 67/10)" [Mawardi, Abul-Hasan Ali bin Muhammad, Adabud-Din wad-Dunya (Beirut-Lebanon, 1979), p. 2]”

Once, Hz. Aisha asked the Prophet (pbuh):

“O Messenger of Allah! With what do people obtain superiority in the world?” The Prophet (pbuh) answered:

“With mind/intellect.” Hz. Aisha asked:

“Is the value of everybody not measured by their deeds?” The Prophet (pbuh) answered:

“O Aisha! Can they do anything more than their minds? They worship based on the mind Allah has given them. Then, they are rewarded based on their deeds.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/213)

It is reported from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah said,

“Everything has an instrument. The instrument of the believer is the mind. Everything has a mount. The mount of a person is the mind. Everything has a pillar. The pillar of the religion is the mind. Every tribe has a support. The support of worship is the mind. Every tribe has an inviter. What invites the scholar to worship is the mind. Everything has a repairer. The repairer of the hereafter is the mind. Everybody has a work that will be unforgettable. The work of a veracious person is the mind. Every traveler has a tent. The tent of the believer is the mind.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/213)

He also said,

“The most intelligent one among you is the one that fears Allah the most. The best one among you is the one who obeys Allah’s orders and prohibitions even if he has few nafilah deeds of worship.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/214)

Due to this importance of the mind, the Prophet (pbuh) said,

“Allah has not created anything more valuable than the mind.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/217)

Yes, the mind is more valuable than Paradise because nobody will give his mind to take Paradise. 

Hz. Ali said,

“Three things make man honorable and dignified. They are intellect, religion and knowledge.” (see Mawardi, Adabud-Din wad-Dunya, p. 4, 11)

According to Ghazali the mind is an instrument like the eye. The eye needs to be made alive with the knowledge called “divine aid” and helped by the sun called “divine revelation” to see. The mind that is deprived of aid and religion is not perfect mind. Amir bin Qays stated the following: “If your intellect prevents you from religiously inappropriate words and deeds, you are really intelligent.” As a matter of fact, Hz. Umar, Ubayy bin Ka’ab and Abu Hurayra entered into the presence of the Prophet (pbuh) and asked,  

“O Messenger of Allah! Who is the scholar with the most knowledge among people?” The Messenger of Allah answered:

“The one who is the most intelligent.” They asked again,

“Who is the one who worships the most?” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

“The one who is the most intelligent.” They asked again,

“Who is the most virtuous one among people?” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

“The one who is the most intelligent” They asked,

“O Messenger of Allah! Is the intelligent person not the one who is benevolent, generous, who speaks well and is respectable?” The Prophet (pbuh) said,

“What you mention is related to the world. The hereafter belongs to muttaqis (those who fear Allah and who are pious). The most intelligent person is the person who is muttaqi.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/217)

He also said,

“The intelligent person is definitely the one who believes in Allah, approves His Messenger and makes his deeds in compliance with Islam by obeying Allah and His Messenger.” (ibid, 1/218)

The mind has three levels: The first one is: Ifrat (excessiveness); the second one is Tafrit (negligence/laxity). The desired one is Wasat (moderation). “Jarbaza (gift of the gab)” emerges from ifrat and “Hamaqat (stupidity)” emerges from tafrit. The real mind is the level of “Hikmah (wisdom)”, which is the moderate level of the mind; “it knows the truth as truth and follows it; it knows the wrong as wrong and avoids it.” (İşaratü’l-İcaz, 29)

The Prophet said,

 "The intelligent person is the one who controls his soul and gets ready for the eternal life after death." (Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 31)

31 What is the measure in the dialogue between men and women in the social environment?

While meeting and talking to men and women who do not cover the parts of their bodies that are to be covered, one must talk to them as little as it is necessary; then, it is necessary to move away from them; if it is not possible, one must not look at them or talk to them.

It is permissible to talk in moderation and to be together in a social environment with those who abide by hijab; every Muslim must control his own situation; if he does not fall into sin when he looks at the permissible parts of the body, speaks and is in the same environment, he can continue but if he falls into sin, he must avoid them when it is not necessary.

32 What is the reason why Friday is regarded as a blessed day?

The virtue of Friday can be seen in the following hadith:

“The most virtuous / superior of the days on which the sun rises is Friday because Adam was created on that day, placed in Paradise on that day and taken out of Paradise on that day.” (see Muslim, 854; Nasai, 3/89; Ibn Kathir, 1/2328)

Since Adam’s being taken out of Paradise means that he was placed on the earth and made the vicegerent of the earth, it is a great blessing in this respect.

In other words, Friday is a great feast day for human beings because it is the day when humanity was first created, placed in Paradise and made the vicegerent of the earth.

According to what is understood from various hadiths, Friday was determined as the day of weekly worship for Jews and Christians before but they fell into dispute about it and Jews adopted Saturday and Christians adopted Sunday for weekly meeting and worship. Allah enabled Muslims to have Friday as the day of weekly worship and to attain the truth regarding the issue. (Muslim, “Jumu’a”, 19-23)

Thus, Friday was chosen as the day of weekly worship in congregation and it is clearly stated in several narrations that it is a day of eid (feast). (Bayhaqi, Sunan, 3/243; Ibn Qayyim, Zadul-Maad, 1/369)

The Prophet (pbuh) expressed the specialty of that day with the hadith above. Allah stated that He would allow His slaves to visit Him in Paradise on “yawmul-mazid” corresponding to Friday in the world (Ibn Qayyim, I, 369-372, 408-410), and he informed us in another hadith that the prayers said at a certain time (time of answering) on Friday would be accepted.

Various views were put forward about the exact time of answering like the period from zawal time to the start of the Friday prayer, from imam’s ascending the pulpit to the start or end of the Friday prayer, from adhan to the end of Friday prayer, from dawn to sunrise and from the afternoon prayer to sunset. Based on the hadith of the Prophet “I knew it but I was made forget it afterwards like the night of Qadr (Power).” (Hakim, Mustadrak, 1/279), it is stated that the time of answering was kept a secret so that people would worship Allah all day on Friday like ism al-a’zam (the greatest name) of Allah being kept secret among His beautiful names and the night of Qadr (Power) being kept secret among the last ten days of Ramadan.

It is stated that the sins of a person who cleans himself on Friday, goes to mosque, listens to the sermon and performs Friday prayer between that Friday and the next Friday will be forgiven (Bukhari, Jumu’a 6, 19) and that the heart of a person who abandons Friday prayer (continuously) for three Fridays on account of slackness will be sealed. (Abu Dawud, Salah, 204)

When the day of Arafah is on Friday, hajj, which is the greatest congregational deed of worship that brings together Muslims from all around the world, is called “hajj al-akbar” (the greatest hajj).

Due to those properties, the following things are regarded as sunnah to do in addition to Friday prayer, which is fard, on Friday, which is very important as individuals and the community in terms of Muslims:

To make ghusl (it is fard according to some scholars), to shorten the mustache, to trim nails, to do other bodily cleaning, to clean teeth with a miswak or brush, to wear nice clothes, to go to the mosque early, to read the chapter of al-Kahf, to clean the mosque and to make it smell nice, to read the chapters of as-Sajdah and ad-Dahr in the morning prayer, to read the chapters of al-Jumua and al-Munafiqun or al-Ala and al-Ghashiya in Friday prayer, to say prayers and make dhikr a lot, to utter salawat for the Prophet.

33 Is it permissible to wear garments that reach below the ankles?

Yes; If there is no intention of pride, boasting and showing off, they can wear such garments.

Whether men or women, the clothes people wear should not sweep the ground; among its many drawbacks is the fact that clothes can be contaminated with dirt and germs.

34 Will you explain the formation process of the baby narrated in the chapter of al-Mu'minun?

"Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed; Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!" (al-Mu'minun, 23/12-14)

The word "sulala" in verse 12 translated as "a quintessence (of clay)" lexically means "something removed from another thing"; it is understood that it is used for the organic and inorganic substances and food that exist in soil and are useful for the formation of the human body. For, the formation of the elements that ensure reproduction in the man and woman (sperm and egg) depends on nutrition. In that case, the origin of not only the first man but all people is soil. 

After the sperm of the man inseminates the egg in the uterus duct of the woman, this first substance of man enters the uterus, which is described as "firmly fixed" place in the verse. The inseminated cell (zygote) is meant by the word nutfah (sperm) in that stage. It can be observed through the electron microscope today that some extensions from this cell cling to the endometrium of the uterus and remain like that for one or two days. 

This clinging state of the cell on the wall of the uterus is called alaqa (congealed blood) -in accordance with its lexical meaning. The embryo, which continues its development in the uterus, is first transformed into a shapeless piece similar to flesh – which is called mudghah in the verse –  and bones form in the course of time; the bones are covered with muscle, veins and nerves and then with flesh; thus, the formation of the human body is completed.

In the verses above, the biological creation and formation of every human being beginning from the stage of food taken from the plants growing in soil and hence soil to its being covered in bones and flesh in the uterus and having a full body is summarized. Thus, on the one hand, man is simple soil in terms of the origin of his body but on the other hand, he is a being with a metaphysical aspect thanks to the faculties like senses and mind that Allah has bestowed upon him.

Man, who is regarded as the most developed living being both biologically and psychologically, is the greatest work of Allah in the world as far as we know; therefore, after the sentences that summarize the creation stages of man, the sublime creator virtually boasts of His most beautiful work by saying, "So blessed be Allah, the best to create". This is an expression of the great value the Quran gives to man. (Kur’an Yolu Tefsiri: IV/52-53)