Hadith about satellites

The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) said about one of the signs of the end of times is that " The dishes (atbaq) will communicate continuously and people will sever their family ties. " (Tabarani, in the chapter Kitab al Fitan). This saying is originally in Arabic.

Commentary on the miracle in this hadith is based on shaykh Hamza Yusuf:

In Algeria and North Africa in Africa, in Arabic, the satellite dish is called "Tabaq" (singular), "Atbaq (plural). The tabaq is a concaved dish and so it makes sense that the Arabs used this word for the satellite. The Prophet used the same word Atbaq for predicting satellites. He also used the modern Arabic word for satellite communications, he said "tuwasal al-atbaq. Thus he said "The dishes will communicate continuously and people will sever their family ties." In other words people will stay at home to watch tv and not visit their relatives or neighbours.

Notes:
1) Shaykh Hamza Yusuf's comments can be found at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLjqXHu2jRI

2) The other word for satellites used in the east is "Sahn". This is an incorrect word for the satellite because a Sahn is a flat dish, and so doesn't apply to satellites.

Challenge to all atheists, Christians, Buddhists and Hindus

This post is a challenge to all who reject Islam.
Muslims claim that Islam has many proofs that show that Islam is from God. I will just bring one proof, and I challenge anyone on it. If the challenge can't be met, then they should realise that Islam is from God.
If you go back 15 centuries and are in a desert, where there's no communication technology, no phones etc. And the Prophet Muhammed (1) claims to be sent from God and says that " “The Hour will not come until the time when a man will leave his home, and his shoes or whip or stick will tell what is happening to his family.” (Ahmad).
Who would've thought that inanimate things like shoes will talk? How can anyone even think of such a thing when there's nothing to compare to? They had already accused him of being mad and crazy. Why would he say such a thing when people would laugh at him more and again accuse him of being mad?
And now, 15 centuries, later, Nike and Google have made talking shoes. Here's the Nike one shown at the end of this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj2Rokz99U8
Another business (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21443206) made shoes that act as mobiles too.
Show me any other person more than 10 centuries ago who made a prophecy as clear and accurate as this.

1) Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam (means "peace be upon him")

What is "True Islam" and does it need to be modernised?

Many people wonder about "what is the true Islam?", "does Islam need modernising?", "has the Islam we have been given and passed down been patriarchal and misogynistic?" and so on.
There have been many discussions and writings on this topic, and my aim is not to summarise them or include them all here but to point to one Sahih (authentic) hadith and then relate it to the questions mentioned above. The hadith of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) states:
"From every succeeding generation its upright folk shall carry this knowledge in turn. They shall repeal from it the distortions of the extremists (tahrif al-ghalin), the (mis)interpretations of the ignorant (ta'wil al-jahilin), and the pretenses of the liars (intihal al-mubtilin)." (see the discussion on grading and references in Note 1 below).
If a person reflects on the above mentioned hadith, the following will be realised:
a) True Islam will be present in every generation. It will never be absent from even one generation.
b) There will be scholars representing true Islam and they will openly refute misguidance and misguided sects. Thus the true Islam will be open and victorious.
c) If you come across a sect or belief claiming to be the "true Islam" but that belief or sect did not exist in every generation, and the scholars holding its views did not "repeal the distortions etc" and were not prominent,, then it is not the true Islam. For example some "feminists" claim that Islamic scholarship was misogynistic and this led to misogynistic interpretations of Islam dominating for centuries. Thus these feminists claim to reinterpret the Qur'an, hadiths and Islam in "progressive/feminist/women-friendly" ways. Ask the feminists "Did these interpretations that the feminists bring exist in every generation of Islamic history?". If these interpretations did not exist in every generation, then know that it they are false. The same question should be asked of other modernist "Islamic" movements and even of the "Salafi" movement. For example you will never find in every generation of Islamic history a scholar saying "inheritance laws should be divided equally because the context has changed". Nor will you find in every generation a "Salafi" scholar or a "feminist" scholar.

d) Islam does not need to be "changed" or "modernised" or "progressed" or made "gender equal", because the true Islam is the Islam that has been followed for centuries. 

In conclusion one will find that the Ahlus Sunnah  existed in every generation of Islamic history and were always prominent and dominant. 

I hope the above answers the questions above.

Notes:

1) Sheikh GF Haddad wrote the following:

"This hadith is narrated from the Companion Ibrahim b. `Abd al-Rahman al-`Adhari from the Prophet (upon him blessings and peace).

"From every succeeding generation its upright folk shall carry this knowledge in turn. They shall repeal from it the distortions of the extremists (tahrif al-ghalin), the (mis)interpretations of the ignorant (ta'wil al-jahilin), and the pretenses of the liars (intihal al-mubtilin)."

عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْعَذَرِىِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم: يَرِثُ هَذَا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ كُلِّ خَلَفٍ عُدُولُهُ يَنْفُونَ عَنْهُ تَأْوِيلَ الْجَاهِلِينَ وَانْتِحَالَ الْمُبْطِلِينَ وَتَحْرِيفَ الْغَالِينَ

It is a fair hadith graded hasan gharib sahih by al-`Ala'i in Bughyat al-Multamis (p. 14=p. 34-35) and sahih according to Imam Ahmad (as narrated by al-Khallal in his `Ilal per al-Khatib in Sharaf As-hab al-Hadith p. 29), Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in the introduction to his Tamhid -- as cited by Ibn Kathir in al-Bidaya wal-Nihaya (1993 Turath ed. 10:371) and al-San`ani in Thamarat al-Nazar (p. 144) -- and Ibn al-Wazir in al-`Awasim min al-Qawasim (1:312) and al-Rawd al-Basim (1:21-23) but da`if mu`dal cf. al-Daraqutni in Ibn al-Mulaqqin, al-Muqni` (1:246); `Abd al-Haqq al-Ishbili in al-Ahkam al-Wusta (1:121); Ibn Kathir in al-Ba`ith al-Hathith; al-`Iraqi in al-Taqyid (p. 116), al-Bulqini in Mahasin al-Istilah (p. 219), and al-Sakhawi's long discussion in Fath al-Mughith (2:14-17). Ibn al-Qattan discussed it in his Wahm wal-Iham (3:37-41 §691) as did Abu Ghudda in Khams Rasa'il fi `Ulum al-Hadith (p. 133-141 marginalia to Ibn `Abd al-Barr's discussion) and al-Zabidi devoted to it his monograph al-Rawd al-Mu'talif fi Takhrij Hadith Yahmilu Hadha al-`Ilma min Kulli Khalaf.

Narrated:

[1] from Abu Hurayra by al-Tabarani in Musnad al-Shamiyyin (1:344) with two chains, one of which is fair, and by al-Khatib in Sharaf As-hab al-Hadith (p. 28 §52) and al-Jami` (1991 ed. 1:193 §137=1983 ed. 1:128) with a very weak chain because of Maslama ibn `Ali;

[2] from Abu Umama by al-`Uqayli in the introduction to his Du`afa' (1:9) with a weak chain;

[3] from Usama b. Zayd by al-Khatib in Sharaf (p. 28 §53);

[4] from Abu Hurayra and `Abd Allah b. `Umar by al-Bazzar (Mukhtasar 1:122 §86), Tammam al-Razi (Fawa'id 1:350), Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid (1:59), and al-`Uqayli in al-Du`afa' (1:10) -- the latter two stating "ibn `Amr" -- with very weak chains because of `Umar b. Khalid who is discarded as a narrator (matruk) as indicated by al-Haythami (1:140);

[5] from `Abd Allah b. Mas`ud -- the first sentence only, and with "inherit" instead of "carry" -- by al-Khatib, Sharaf (p. 28 §54);

[6] mursal from the Tabi`i Abu `Abd al-Rahman Ibrahim b. `Abd al-Rahman al-`Adhari by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra (10:209 §20685-20686) and Shu`ab al-Iman (10:209), Ibn `Abd al-Barr in al-Tamhid (1:59), Ibn Abi Hatim in al-Jarh wal-Ta`dil (2:17), Ibn Hibban in al-Thiqat (4:10), and al-Khatib, Sharaf (p. 28-29 §52-56) where the latter narrates that Imam Ahmad declared it sound (sahih), a grading faulted by Yahya b. Sa`id al-Qattan as cited by Ibn `Adi in al-Kamil (1:153) from al-Khallal's `Ilal. Ibn `Adi then cites a chain of trustworthy narrators for it. Al-Dhahabi in Mizan al-I`tidal (1:45 §137) states that Ma`an ibn Rifa`a -- who reports from al-`Udhri -- is not reliable (Ibn Hajar grades him layyin, Taqrib §6747) but in al-Mughni (2:308 §6309) states that Ibn al-Madini declared him trustworthy, as did Ahmad (cf. al-Khatib, Sharaf p. 29 §56). Al-`Iraqi in al-Taqyid wal-Idah (p. 116) and al-Tabsira (1:298) said: "This narration is missing al least two sub-narrators (mu`dal) or missing the Companion-link (mursal). And this Ibrahim, who related it without naming the Companion, is not known to relate any narration other than this."

[7] From a number of other Companions -- Abu al-Darda', `Alī b. Abi Talib, Jabir b. Samura, and Mu`adh b. Jabal -- all through weak chains as stated by Abu Nu`aym followed by al-`Iraqi and al-Qari in al-Mirqat (1994 ed. 1:509 §248) cf. al-Arna'ut. in Sharh Mushkil al-Aathaar (10:18 §3884).

In view of al-Tabarani's fair chain, Ibn `Adi's chain of reliable transmitters, Ahmad and Ibn `Abd al-Barr's gradings of sahih, al-`Ala'ī's similar grading, the number of Companions related to narrate it, and the widespread use of this narration among the hadith Masters, the correct grading appears to be at the very least that of "fair" (hasan), and Allah knows best."

Raw milk example

Udderly Controversial



NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., May 3 – Mrs Khan does what many may consider irresponsible parenting.



Every morning, she whips out three glasses from her cupboard and fills them to the top with unpasteurized milk.



One glass is for her, and the other two are for her 3- and 4-year-old daughters.
It is the only milk her youngest daughter, Zahrah, is able to tolerate.
“If she drinks regular, pasteurized milk, she throws up,” said Khan. “She can’t keep any of that stuff down.”

Unpasteurized milk, also known as raw milk, has been a topic of debate for some time now.
Because it is illegal for sale in New Jersey, many New Jersey residents, like Khan, go out
of their way to travel to New York or Pennsylvania where unpasteurized milk is permitted to be sold.



Proponents of raw milk praise it for its nutritional benefits, while adversaries warn it may be infested with harmful bacteria.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declared anything containing unpasteurized milk unsafe to consume.
“Raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks to you and your family,” said the FDA.

The FDA cited a study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which founded that between 1993 and 2006, more than 1,500 people in the U.S. became sick from drinking raw milk or eating cheese made from raw milk.

“That kind of makes me unsure about raw milk,” said Rutgers University junior Alyson Escalona. “I don’t think I would want to take the risk.”
            But any food can make you sick, argues a soil scientist at Rutgers University, Dr. Joseph Heckman.
            “There is no food that is perfectly safe,” said Heckman. “The assumption is made that the pasteurization process is done to guarantee safety, but the fact is, well-recorded in scientific record, that people have gotten sick and died from pasteurized milk.”

In 2007, as reported by the Journal of American Medical Association, three men in Massachusetts died from Listeria which came from pasteurized milk.



There was an outbreak in the 1980s, as well, in which over 160,000 became sick with salmonella from pasteurized milk. Since then, there have been at least 40 outbreaks caused by pasteurized milk over the decades , said Heckman.



That is not to say that some individuals do not get sick from raw milk, but it is a fact that
the numbers of individuals getting sick due to raw milk consumption have not been as high as the numbers of individuals getting sick from the consumption of pasteurized milk, said Heckman.
           It might also be noteworthy to add in that no one has ever died of drinking raw milk in the last few decades, either.
“Sometimes people do get sick by raw milk but it has to do with how it is produced,” said
Heckman. “If it is carefully produced, it has a pretty darn good safety record.”



Pasteurization, applauded as one the greatest achievements by the food industry, was
essential in the 18th century when the U.S. did not have the safety procedures and the technology to ensure the production of safe milk



“Pasteurization was developed as a solution for an old problem that we have moved far
beyond,” said Heckman. “At one time there were cows that were sickly, people milking by hand,
sneezing in milk buckets, and there was no refrigeration.”



Mechanical milkers, refrigeration, good sanitary practices, and knowing how to check for
pathogens have been advancements in the public health arena to ensure the production of clean
milk.



            If raw milk, intended for human consumption, is just as safe as pasteurized milk, why
then single out raw milk and the risks associated with it?

“Because they want to make money off of your fears,” said Rumana Abbasi.

Abbasi, a N.J. resident, has been purchasing raw milk from New York since December 2012.



“Raw milk is as safe as pasteurized milk if the farmer produces it carefully,” said Abbasi.
“And it’s better for you, too.”



Studies have shown benefits in raw milk, such preventing asthma and allergies, that cannot be found in pasteurized milk.
Khan claims her youngest daughter used to suffer from eczema, but it went away after switching to raw milk.
“Zahrah’s eczema went away with raw milk. That is to say, raw milk caused her eczema to go away,” said Khan. “I firmly believe that.”



            Khan says she won’t be turning back to pasteurized milk anytime soon, and will continue to make those drives out-of-state every week to get raw milk.



But that brings up a larger issue: how long will New Jersey residents continue going to other states to buy raw milk?



Should we not be allowed to choose the foods we wish to consume?



Many nations, and many states within the U.S., give people the choice of buying pasteurized milk or raw milk, but not New Jersey.



Heckman  hopes for Jersey residents to one day be given the choice to buy pasteurized milk or raw milk, without having to go to great lengths such as driving out-of-state every weekend.



“I’m not an advocate for raw milk,” said Heckman. “I’m an advocate for informed choice. I just want people to have the choice and I want them to make a well-informed choice.”

(Written by a friend)

Prophet Muhammed in Bible Song of Songs? (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam)

So I asked Ali Ataie about the mentioned of the word Prophet Muhammed (sallallahu alaihi 

wa sallam) in the Bible,  Song of Songs (sometimes called "Song of Solomon") and his rebuttal to the popular Christian arguments, and he said:

"The Song of Songs is a lyrical poem, and prophecy in embedded in poetry is quite often elliptical - in other words, there are strong indications or "echoes," to use Imam Shabbir Aly's word in lyrical poetry or prose. 

The text is not going to explicitly say, "The name of my beloved in Muhammad." Just like Psalm 20:6 - which gives an indication about the name of the Messiah "hoshiy'a Adonai Mashikho" (The Lord saves his Messiah); "hoshiy'a" is related the Yeshu'a (the saved one). 

With this in mind, Roger Alysworth identified Jesus as the object of Song 5:16 in his book, "He is altogether lovely: Discovering Jesus in the Song of Solomon." Alysworth (Pres. of Illinois Baptist Assoc) - knows how prophecy works. Unfortunately, he has misapplied it. Prophecy according to Origen contains MULTIPLE levels of meaning (exoteric and esoteric). Isaiah 7:14, for example, is claimed by Matthew to be about Jesus - but Immanuel was born in Isaiah 8? - BUT the esoteric meaning is the coming Messiah (as Matthew would say). So it "echoes" the Prophet's name -the rest of the passage describes him quite succinctly (Song 5:10-15). -"v'kollo machamadim" (All of him is praiseworthy). - All of him is Muhammad - b/c that's his name!

By the way, Song of Songs 5:16 is the ONLY occurrence of MACHAMADIM in the Hebrew Bible - the other passages that contain the word have different forms in Hebrew (pronominal suffixes, etc)."

To see how the word "Machamad" (that's how the letters are spelt in English. its not how its pronounced) is pronounced like "Muhammed", see the Rabbi read it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm3sZfPwv1g

Telecommunications in hadith

Abū Sa'id (RA) related a long hadith, in part of which the Holy Prophet Muhammed (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said:

"By Him in Whose hand is my soul, the Hour will not come until wild creatures talk to men, and a man speaks to the end of his whip and the straps of his sandals (shoes), and his thigh will tell him about what happened to his family after he left".[ Aħmad, Musnad (3:84 and 85). Ħākim, Mustadrak (4:467).)

“A man speaks to the end of his whip,” could indicate that people will speak into something with a cord like speaking into a telephone. Students of physics experiment by oscillating a string to see the resultant waveforms. Also, when one shakes a whip it creates a waveform down the length of the whip. The Prophet could be showing through the motion of the whip that people in the Last Days will discover a technology using waveforms by which they will speak. This transmission using wavelengths includes all kinds of communications whether radio, television, or satellite. One’s cellular telephone in his pocket next to “his thigh will tell him about what happened to his family after he left.”

.

In fact Nike has made shoes that speak to people. (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980CE7D7123FF932A35752C1A9609C8B63)

Travelling to space and the Qur'an

"[I swear by] the moon when it is full, you will mount up stage by stage! What is the matter with them, that they have no faith?" (Qur'an, 84:18-20)

So I asked Mufti Muhammed Sajaad about this verse, and whether it predicts space travel, and he said:

"Regarding whether it is possible to take the meaning of the verse in al-Inshiqaq for space-travel, I believe you can, because one of the classical interpretations of this verse is that is referring to the (Holy) Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam) ascending but the meaning of it applying to humans generally seems stronger because the sura starts explicitly addressing all humans (al-Insan).
 
Ibn Kathir says:
وقال ابن أبي حاتم: حدثنا أبو سعيد الأشج، حدثنا أبو أسامة عن إسماعيل عن الشعبي: { لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقاً عَن طَبقٍ } قال: لتركبن يا محمد سماء بعد سماء. وهكذا روي عن ابن مسعود ومسروق وأبي العالية: { طَبَقاً عَن طَبقٍ }: سماء بعد سماء (قلت): يعنون: ليلة الإسراء؟ "