Part 17

Bilal Philips has some further insight into this question:

husband but he cannot be in [physical] contact with you." This demonstrates that the marriage is suspended. It is neither a full marriage nor are the two completely separated. Unfortunately, though, this author was not able to trace this story through any other sources besides this reference. 106 Ali Abu Lauz, compiler, Answers to Common Questions from New Muslims (Ann Arbor, MI: IANA, 1995), pp. 22-23. 85

New Muslims, unaware of the Islamic naming system107, often adopt Arabic names in the chaotic European style... In fact, those of African descent often erase even their family names on the basis that these names are remnants from the days of slavery. That is, those of their ancestors who were slaves usually adopted the family name of their slave masters and it was the slave masters' name which was handed down from generation to generation. Hence, an individual who may have been called Clive Baron Williams while his father's name was George Herbert Williams may, upon entering Islaam, rename himself Faisal 'Umar Nkruma Mahdi. However, his name according to the Islamic naming system should have been Faisal George Williams, that is, Faisal the son of George Williams. Whether "Williams" was the name of his ancestors' plantation owner or not is of no consequence. Since his father's name was George Williams, he is, according to the Islamic naming system, the son of George Williams… The practice among new Muslims of deleting their family names has frequently created deep resentment among their nonMuslim families which could have been easily avoided if the Islamic naming system had been adopted. Actually, the new Muslim is under no obligation to change even his or her "Christian name" unless it contains an un-lslamic meaning. Thus, the given name Clive, which means cliff-dweller need not have been changed whereas "Dennis" (Fr. Denys), a variation of Dionysius which means He of Dionysus (the Greek god of wine and fertility who was worshipped with orgiastic rites), would have to be changed… However, it is perfectly acceptable for a Muslim, whether a recent convert or not, to change his or her first name. It was the Prophet's practice to change peoples first names if they were too assuming, negative or un-lslamic. One of the Prophet's wives was originally named Barrah (pious) and he changed it to Zaynab as Allaah had said in the Qur'aan, "Do not claim piety for yourselves for He knows best who is Godfearing."(53:32)… However, Allaah's messenger never changed the names of people's fathers, no matter how un-lslamic they may have been… Thus, it can be concluded that erasing one's family name is against both the letter and the spirit of Islamic law. The father's first and last name should be retained and if the father is unknown, the mother's first and last name should follow the Muslim's given or chosen name.108 107 The Islamic naming system that he is referring to is wherein the person is known as, "So and so the son of so and so." After that, a tribal or regional name may also be added. 108 Bilal Philips, Tafseer of surah al-Hujuraat (Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 1988), pp. 120-122. 86

The Fruits of Becoming a Muslim

Earlier many of the important features of Islam were presented. Before concluding this chapter, the author would like to emphasize some of the important fruits that are bestowed upon a Muslim due to his conversion and following attachment to Islam.

It is important to note and appreciate that all of the benefits of Islam accrue to the human. It is solely for his own benefit that Allah has provided His guidance to humankind. Allah, Himself, is not in need of humankind's worship. He is free of all needs but in His Mercy He has shown humankind the proper mode of behavior to meet His approval. Thus, He says, "Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his ownself. And whoever goes astray, then he goes astray to his own loss. No one laden with burdens can bear another's burden" (17:15). In addi on, those who reject Islam are only harming themselves. Allah says, "Truly! Allah wrongs not mankind in aught; but mankind wrong themselves" (10:44).

(A) Knowing Allah, the individual's God, Lord and Creator

The greatest benefit of becoming a Muslim and growing in Islam is that the individual is able to truly know Allah. The believer knows Allah not in some vague, dry, philosophical sense. Instead, for example, the believer knows Allah in detail via His Names and Attributes, the knowledge of which Allah has graciously provided in the Quran and Sunnah. Every one of Allah's names should lead a person to greater love of Allah as well as greater fear of Him, accompanied by attempting to get closer to Him with those great attributes by performing righteous deeds.109

Ibn Taymiyyah noted, "Whoever knows the names of Allah and their meanings, believing in them, will have a more complete faith than the one who does not know them but just believes in them in general."110 Ibn Saadi 109 Ibn al-Qayyim noted that every one of Allah's names obligates a specific form of worship from the human in response to that name and attribute of Allah. See Muhammad ibn al-Qayyim, Miftaah Daar al-Sa'adah (Beirut: Daar al-Fikr, n.d.), vol. 2, p. 90. 110 Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah, Majmoo Fatawaa Shaikh al-Islaam ibn Taimiya (Collected by Abdul Rahmaan Qaasim and his son Muhammad, no publica on informa on given), vol. 7, p. 234. Also 87

also noted, "Whenever a person's knowledge of Allah's beautiful names and attributes increases, his faith also increases and his certainty is further strengthened."111 If one has a good knowledge of Allah's names and attributes, one will then have an opening to understanding what takes place in this creation. This fact was beautifully expressed by ibn al-Qayyim when he said, "Whoever knows Allah, knows everything other than Him. Whoever is ignorant of his Lord is even more ignorant of everything other than Him."112

Indeed, the effect of this knowledge should be so great that a true understanding of those names and living according to their implications should lead one directly to Allah's pleasure and paradise. In fact, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) clearly told this Muslim nation, "Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. Whoever memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise."113

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) described the type of transformation that takes place when the individual really knows Allah and has thereby truly tasted the sweetness of faith. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "[There are] three characteristics that if a person has them, he has tasted the sweetness of faith: that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else; that he loves a person and he only loves him for the sake of Allah; and that he hates to return to unbelief in the same way that he hates to be thrown into the Fire."114

see Fauz bint Abdul Lateef al-Kurdi, Tahqeeq al-Uboodiyyah bi-Ma'rifah al-Asmaa wa al-Sifaat (Riyadh: Daar Taibah, 1421 A.H.), p. 163. 111 Quoted in al-Kurdi, p. 164. 112 Ibn al-Qayyim, Madaarij al-Saalikeen bain Manaazil Iyyaaka Na'budu wa Iyyaaka Nasta'een (Beirut: Daar al-Kitaab al-Arabi, n.d.), vol. 3, p. 351. 113 Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. The above is Muhammad Muhsin Khan's translation of the hadith. He also added the following footnote, "Memorizing Allah's Names means to believe in those Qualities of Allah derived from those Names and should be accompanied by good deeds which Allah's Names inspire us to do. Just knowing Allah's Names by heart will not make a vicious man enter Paradise. Therefore, the word 'memorized' in the Hadith means to behave in accordance with the implications of Allah's Names." Muhammad Muhsin Khan, The Translation of the Meanings of Sahih al-Bukhari (Riyadh: Darussalam Publishers and Distributors, 1997), vol. 9, p. 296. 114 Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim. 88

There is still another further very important and fascinating aspect. This is an aspect that some seem to overlook although Allah has mentioned it in various places in the Quran. This Islam engenders in the human a special type of relationship with his Creator and God. It is a relationship which, as Allah Himself describes it, leads the individual to be pleased with his Lord. In other words, the person develops an appreciation of Allah. Allah becomes dear to Him. The individual becomes pleased with Allah because he begins to understand the beauty, excellence and perfection of Allah and all that Allah wills. It becomes no longer a matter of submitting to the One who deserves such submission and obedience. It becomes a matter of appreciating who Allah is, what Allah has decreed, what Allah has commanded and what Allah will do to the humans.

The individual realizes that he can experience nothing but pleasure with Allah. Islam, thus, allows the person to truly understand and appreciate his Lord and Creator, such that he becomes very happy with his Lord, leading him in turn to want to become pleasing as well to his Lord. Thus, Allah says, for example: "And the first to embrace Islam of the Emigrants and the Helpers and also those who followed them exactly (in Faith). Allah is well-pleased with them as they are well-pleased with Him. He has prepared for them Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success" (9:100); Allah will say: 'This is a Day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise) - they shall abide therein forever. Allah is pleased with them and they with Him. That is the great success (Paradise)'" (5:119); (see also 58:22 and 98:8).

Allah says, "Whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, and whoever follows My Guidance, there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve" (2:38). Allah has emphasized these words when He said, "But if, as is sure, there comes to you guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery. But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment. He will say, 'O my Lord! Why have You raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)?' (Allah) will say, 'Thus did you, when

Our Signs came to you, disregard them, so will you, this day, be disregarded'" (20:123-127).

God is an individual's Creator. In addition, it is the knowledge of Him and the relationship with Him that the soul is seeking. Hence, without this relationship, sorrow will enter into a person's life. On the other hand, knowing Allah and establishing the proper relationship with Him will bring about true happiness.

Throughout history, scholars and pious people have tried to express the joy and contentment that enters into their hearts via knowing their Lord. A famous scholar of Islam, Ibn Taymiyyah, attempted to express the joy that he felt from his faith in Allah and the deeds he performed. He once said, "In this world there is a Paradise that whoever does not enter it will not enter the Paradise in the Hereafter." He also said, "What can my enemies do to me? Certainly, my paradise and garden are in my chest."115 In fact, ibn al-Qayyim, Ibn Taymiyyah's closest student who would visit him often in the citadel prison, stated,

Allah knows that I have never seen anyone having a better life than him. [This was true] even though he was in straitened circumstances and not living in luxuries and comforts. On the contrary, he was on the opposite extreme. Even though he faced imprisonment, torture and threats, he still had the most pleasurable life among the people, with the most relaxed feelings, strongest in heart and happiest of all of them. The experiencing of joy could be seen on his face. Whenever we were very fearful, feeling bad expectations and felt the earth constricting upon us, we would come to him and we only needed to see him and listen to his words that all of those emotions would leave us. Instead, we would be filled with rest, strength, certainty and tranquility. Exalted be the One who allows His servant to witness His Paradise before he meets Him.116