A few weeks ago a friend told me of this elderly man who used to constantly gamble. Apparently this old gambling man lives by the belief that children, more particularly his son, has no right to question his father about his habit. This is wrong on so many levels. Yes Islam teaches us to respect our elders & parents, however Islam also tells us to stand up for Haqq & rightfulness. Enjoining good & forbidding evil.

Anyway, the story below sheds some light on these type of situations. At the end of the day, Islamic duties & rights take precedence over all other rights & laws.

Ali Makes a Decision

Prophet Muhammad (s) had grown up in the home of his uncle Abu Talib after his parents and his grandfather had died. Abu Talib had looked after him lovingly and taken care that he got a good education and was trained to be a businessman.

But Abu Talib was not rich, and he had many children. When the Prophet Muhammad had grown up and had he and his wife Khadija had their own business, they accepted Abu Talibs youngest son Ali into their family. Thus Ali grew up with the Prophet’s own children and soon started to learn the things that would be important for his future profession. At the age of twelve, he nearly was a little businessman himself.

One evening, Ali came home and found the Prophet (s) and Khadija standing there in silence, facing the Kaaba and quietly whispering words. After a while, they bowed down, then they stood straight again, then they knelt down, putting their foreheads on the ground twice, then they stood up again. Ali was amazed and watched them how they repeated the same actions several times. Finally they said a greeting to the right and to the left, and Ali asked, “What are you doing?” “We have been praying,” Khadija replied.

Now Ali knew very well that people prayed in different ways. Most people in his home city Maccah frayed to carved idols that they had put up at the Ka’bah, and they also sacrificed animals to them. The Jewish merchants used to assemble on Sabbath to recite long prayers in Hebrew and to read from a scroll. In a similar way, Uncle Waraqa who had become a Christian prayed to the One invisible God, and he read books in strange languages and could tell many stories from the past. But Ali had never seen this kind of prayer. He felt attracted by it and asked, “Why do you pray like that?”

“You remember last Ramadan when we lived in a tent in the desert, don’t you?” said Khadijah. Well, this was something Ali would never forget. For the children it was always some kind of vacation to get out of the hot and dusty citiy for a couple of weeks and live in the desert like the Bedouins. But last time, something had happened the adults never talked about even though it must have been very impressive for them. Ali sensed that it had to do with this kind of prayer. He nodded.

The Prophet Muhammad (s) then told him about his experience in Ramadan. He had walked out into the desert quite some distance away from the family camp. There he had sat down in a cave in order to think. Maccah was a rich city, but there was a lot of injustice and selfishness. Many of the rich merchants misused their power in order to oppress and to deceive the poor. Some men in certain influential families even believed that their gods had chosen them and given them special rights. Muhammad and his friends had often tried to protect the poor and to help them to get their rights. Once, during an epidemics, Khadija had opened a hospital for people who did not have enough money to pay a doctor. And even the children had often shared their food with the orphans. But all this seemed so little when most inhabitants of the city only thought of themselves.

So the Prophet Muhammad (s) had been sitting and thinking when an angel had talked to him and gave him a message from God. He had been very shaken because it is a great responsibility to bring God’s message to the people. But the angel had also taught him to remember, in prayer, that God does not leave His sincere servants to themselves. “This is when we started to pray like this,” the Prophet (s) finished his story. “Whben we stand, we remember the words of God’s message. And we do not only thank Him with words but bow and prostrate with all our body. We also remember former messengers of God and ask for blessings and peace for them. And finally we give the whole world, right and left, a greeting of peace.”

Ali had listened thoughtfully. Wouldn’t it be great if people listened to God’s message and be honest, friendly and helpful to each other instead of thinking only of themselves; if the rich shared their wealth with the poor and deal justly; if peope didn’t have to be afraid because they always remembered that God is there to protect us?

Ali said, “Tomorrow I will ask my father if he agrees that I become a servant of God like you.”

In this night, Ali lay awake for a long time. What if his father would not permit him to be a servant of God? Perhaps he would say that a servant of God cannot be a successful businessman. Uncle Waraqa was an example of a servant of God who lived like a poor man and fasted much and had no wife and no children. But Muhammad was a servant of God and a businessman at the same time, even one who was known for his honesty and generosity all over the city. Finally he was overtaken by sleep.

Next morning, Ali said, “I have thought about it. God did not ask my father when He created me. So I think I do nor have to ask my father when I want to be God’s servant.”

The famous story of the first Muazzin & one of the greatest muslims ever, Bilal ibn Rabah.. His coming to Islam and his high status amongst the Sahabah is testament that race, color & creed mean nothing in Islam and the famous words in Mohammed’s (peace be upon him) Last Sermon included:

All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over a black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.

Onward with the story of Bilal ibn Rabah!:

Bilal was the slave of a rich man in Maccah. He had never had a chance to know his home in Africa because he had been kidnapped and sold into slavery as a child, and he could not remember the long journey to Maccah so that he could never try to find out what had happened to his parents, brothers and sisters, and friends. He had quickly learned to speak Arabic well, except that there were a few sounds that he would never be able to pronounce properly. Living with his rich master, he did have enough to eat and clothes to wear, but being a slave, he also had to work hard and could not leave the city without his master’s permission. Besides, a slave could not get married or own money without his master’s permission, and when he was beaten by his master he could not accuse him in a court of justice.

In the course of time, Bilal had got used to the life im Maccah and his work. He ran errands for his master and helped loading and unloading the camels when goods arrived or were dispatched. In the evening, he met the friends he had found among the slaves. Then they sat together at the fire and told each other experiences and stories they remembered from their childhood or from their jouney to Maccah, or what they had heard at their work during the day.

One night, one of the slaves told a great news. He had heard that Muhammad, a merchant who was known all over the city for his honesty, sincerity and generosity, had told his friends and relatives of a wonderful experience and that he was supposed to teach people a message from God. “Just imagine,” said the slave, “Muhammad says that there is only one God, and we needn’t be scared of other visible or invisible beings. He also says that God commands people to be just.” “That would be nice,” retorted another slave, “but the rich and powerful are not going to listen anyway. They always want to keep everything to themselves and grab every opportunity to rule.” “That’s right,” said the first one. “The rich men already started to ridicule the new message. But Muhammad says that God will sit for judgement in the end, and then the good and just people will be rewarded and the bad and unjust ones will be punished. All people in the world will be made to stand before His judgement seat, and even the dead will be raised up for it.”

This night, Bilal went home thoughtfully. All slaves knew Muhammad. He had always taken the side of the poor and oppressed. When he married the merchant’s widow Khadijah fifteen years ago, they both had released all their male and females slaves, and Muhammad had adopted one of them, Zayd, as his son. Bilal also remembered that he had heard people talk about God when he was a child, and the wise men and women of his people had often said that good actions are rewarded and bad actions are punished and that there will be a new life after death.

Already the next evening and full of hope, Bilal went to visit Zaid who looked rather happy and was not proud at all even though he was a free man living in a big merchant’s house, and even though everybody callede him “Zaid, the son of Muhammad”. He could tell Bilal even more than what he had heard from his fellow slave the night before, and he also told him that whoever wanted was welcome to learn from Muhammad.

As soon as Bilal had finished his next day’s work, he went to the Prophet’s house. Quite a crowd of people had already assembled there, and Bilal was glad to discover Zaid among them. There were also other male and female slaves, freedmen as well as men and women, girls and boys. And then the Prophet (s) came and taught his message. Afterwards they sat and talked in a kind and friendly manner, and finally they all prayed together.

From now on Bilal went to the Prophet’s house whenever he could. He learned a lot and prayed together with the others and found many new friends. He also took his friends there. In these gatherings, no difference between slaves and free people was felt. All enjoyed the same respect, and Muhammad taught that all human beings are brothers and sisters in God’s creation.

One day, however, Bilal’s master heard about these visits. He was outraged and called Bilal to account, shouting, “Your mind is just full of useless ideas, and you neglect your work.” “I go to see Muhammad only after my work is done,” Bilal defended himself. His master did know that, but he did not want to be contradicted by a slave. “I am going to show you who is the master,” he shouted. “I demand that you swear at once and by all the gods that you will never go there again.” “I am not going to swear by any gods,” Bilal replied quietly. “There is only one God to whom we are responsible.” Furiously his master got hold a stick and started beating him until he got tired. “Swear by all gods,” he commanded again, but Bilal replied, “There is only one God.”

The master grabbed Bilal and took him to an open space in the desert outside the city. He tied his hands and feet, threw him down into the sand and put a large stone on his chest so that he could hardly breethe. “You will stay here like that until you deny your God and Muhammad,” he said. “There is only one God,” Bilal replied.

By mid-day when the sun had become hot and Bilal nearly fainted from thirst and lack of air, his master returned and asked, “Did you think it over?” Bilal was hardly able to speak, but he said, “One! One!”

In this moment, Abu Bakr came by, a wealthy merchant and one of the Prophet’s close friends. He saw how Bilal was tortured by his master and asked him to leave him alone. “That’s none of your business,” the master replied, “he is my slave, and I can do with him what I want.” The same would have been the verdict of a judge in case Abu Bakr had started a quarrel with Bilal’s master.Quickly Abu Bakr thought of something to help Bilal, and he said, “I want to buy this slave. What do you want for him?” “Do you want to pay good money for this good-for-nothing?” the master grumbled, but at last his greed took over. He bartered with Abu Bakr for a while, then he handed Bilal over to him and went home with his money.

Abu Bakr took Bilal home. He and his family looked after him until he had recovered. Then Abu Bakr said to him, “God’s messenger (s) does not want human beings to be slaves. He wants them to be free servants of God. Therefore I am going to write a document of emancipation for you so that people know and respect you as a free man.”

Once, a person was verbally abusing Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was curiously watching with a smile. After taking much abuse quietly, Abu Bakr responded to a few of his comments.

At this, the Prophet exhibited his disapproval, got up and left. Abu Bakr caught up with the Prophet and wondered, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, he was abusing me and you remained sitting. When I responded to him, you disapproved and got up.’ The Messenger of Allaah responded,
‘There was an angel with you responding to him. When you responded to him, Satan took his place.’

He then said ..‘O Abu Bakr, there are three solid truths: If a person is wronged and he forbears it (without seeking revenge) just for the sake of Allaah almighty, Allaah will honour him and give him the upper hand with His help; if a person opens a door of giving gifts for cementing relationships with relatives, Allaah will give him abundance; and, if a person opens a door of seeking charity for himself to increase his wealth, Allaah will further reduce his wealth.’
Reported from Abu Huraira in Mishkaah and Musnad Ahmad

The Islamic calendar is based on lunar months, which begin when a thin new crescent Moon is actually sighted in the western sky after sunset within a day or so after the New Moon. Hence, the month is either 29 days or 30 days. There are 12 months in an Islamic year, which is either 354 days long or 355 days long, compared to (Gregorian) civil calendar year of 365 or 366 days. Since the Islamic Lunar year has 12 lunar months, it is on an average, 11 days shorter than the (Gregorian) civil year, the Islamic year shifts earlier in each civil year by about 11 days. The 12 months of the Islamic calendar are:Muharram
Safar
Rabi’ al-Awwal
Rabi’ al-Thaani
Jumada al-Ooola (also known as Jumada al-Awwal)
Jumada al-Ukhra (also known as Jumada al-Thaani)
Rajab
Sha’ban
Ramadan
Shawwal
Dhu al-Qa’dah
Dhu al-Hijjah

The Islamic (Hijri) calendar year is usually abbreviated A.H. in Western languages from the latinized “Anno Hegirae” or more commonly known as “After Hijrah.”

It was during the Messenger Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) last pilgrimage in the 10th year of Hijrah (10th year of his migration from Makkah to Medinah), that the decision to introduce a purely lunar Islamic Calendar was made.

Although, the Islamic calendar was introduced in the Christian Era of 632 AD by the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him), the beginning of the Islamic era for the count of Islamic years was considered and discussed during 639 AD, the time of the 4th year of the Caliphate of Umar(R.A.) who declared that the most important event in establishing the roots of Islam in Madinah is Hijrah (Messenger’s migration from Makkah), therefore let it become the epoch of the era which happened in 622 AD. The actual starting date for the Islamic Calendar was chosen (on the basis of purely lunar years, counting backwards) to be the first day of the first month (1st Muharram) of the year of the Hijrah. However, the era between 1st year to 10th year of the Hijrah was not following this Islamic Calendar; instead the prevailing practices of various kinds of intercalation was followed in Arabia at that time. Different tribes we! re following different intercalations, so there was no uniform calendar. Accordingly, first day of Muharram, 1 A.H. as practiced in Arabia corresponded either April 18 or May 18, 622 C.E. (Julian calendar). However, if one wants a theoretical starting date for Islamic calendar (on the basis of purely lunar months without intercalation, counting backwards) then the first day of the first month i.e. 1st Muharram, 1 A.H. corresponds to July 16, 622 C.E.

The earliest date of Islamic calendar for which a Julian calendar date is exactly known is 9th Dhu al-Hijjah, 10 AH, which corresponds to March 6, 632 C.E. (Friday), when the Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed his last and farewell pilgrimage to Makkah.
Source: By Khalid Shaukat (moonsighting.com)
To Add:

The Arabs in that era named their years after major events, eg. Year of the Elephant, Year of Badr, etc. Problems arose when the muslim population starting growing rapidly. One could promise to pay a debt in (eg) Shabaan, but not specify what year. Could be Shabaan this year, next year, ten years from now! Hence Umar bin Khattaab’s call for a uniform structured calender.