Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

ASSALAMWALEKUM.

May Allah blessed all of you for doing a wonderful work for Islam. My questions are :

1. How the number 786 is related to Bismillah Hir Rahmanir Raheem and how the number originated?

2. Who are the People of the Book and why are they called so?

3. When there is a beggar begging for money, should we help him/her without knowing his/her religion or the money should be given to muslim man and woman?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

786 and charity to non muslims

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Q-1: How the number 786 is related to Bismillah Hir Rahmanir Raheem and how the number originated?

There is absolutely no significance or importance or reverence of numbers like 786 in Islam! They should be treated like numbers just like all the other numbers!

Some ignorant people have from themselves assigned a number to each alphabet of the Arabic language, and then they conveniently add up the numbers given in a word or a phrase of their liking; and substitute the word, term or phrase with the sum of the numbers!

Apparently if one adds up these self-assigned and fixed numbers to the Arabic alphabets of ‘Bismillah ar Rahmaan ar-Raheem’, the total sum comes up as 786! This is a ridiculous formula some people have invented themselves, and it has absolutely no basis or relevance in Islam.

To substitute this beautiful and blessed phrase ‘Bismillah ar-Rahmaan ar-Raheem’, with a mere number is nothing more than ignorance and mis-guidance! ; and the believers must abstain from it.

Just imagine if someone calls you or me by a number, and not by our name!!! Or if someone says a phrase using the sum of its numbers; would it make any sense? Similarly numbers like 786, 110, or 52, or whatever, have no meaning and no relevance in the deen of Islam. These system of fixing each Arabic alphabet with a particular number is found mainly in the Indian Subcontinent; the rest of the believers of the world do not even know this (fake) science exists!

Q-2: Who are the People of the Book and why are they called so?

Allah Subhanah has divided mankind into two main categories:

1. Those who believe

2. Those who do not believe.

Then the Lord, in His Perfect and Absolute Wisdom, has sub-divided the disbelievers into two further categories:

1. The People of the Book
2. The pagans and disbelievers in general.

The People of the Book are those amongst mankind who profess belief in one or more amongst the several Revealed Books of Allah Subhanah, but have disbelieved or denied the Last and Final Revelation of their Lord Creator, the Glorious Quran. Amongst the surviving beliefs, those who profess their belief in the Jewish or Christian religion are referred to by the Lord as the People of the Book in His Glorious Quran.

Q-3: When there is a beggar begging for money, should we help him/her without knowing his/her religion or the money should be given to muslim man and woman?

Islam absolutely encourages the believers to help and be kind and just with our non-muslim brethren for they are indeed our brothers and sisters in humanity. Helping or giving charity to another human being, regardless of whether he is a believer or a disbeliever, is an extremely meritorious deed in the Sight of Allah Subhanah; and if the deed was done with the intention to seek the Pleasure and Good Will of the Lord Most High, they will have their reward from the Lord Most Gracious on an Inevitable Day.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 21 Surah Anbiyaa verse 47:

47 We shall set up Scales of Justice for the Day of Judgment so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least. And if there be (a deed no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it (to account): and enough are We to take account.

There are several examples in the authentic traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws) whereby he encouraged the believers to give charity (Sadaqah) to their fellow human beings in need, regardless of whether they were believers or disbelievers.

Sahih Muslim Hadith 6466 Narrated by Jarir ibn Abdullah

Some disbelieving desert Arabs clad in woolen clothes came to Allah's Messenger (saws). He (saws) saw them in a sad plight as they had been hard pressed by need. The Prophet (saws) exhorted the believers to give charity, but they showed some reluctance until (signs of) anger could be seen on his face. Then someone from the Ansar came with a purse containing silver. Then came another person and then other people followed them in succession until signs of happiness could be seen on his (sacred) face. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘He who introduced some good practice in Islam , which was followed after him (by people), will be assured of a reward like those who followed it, without their rewards being diminished in any respect. And he who introduced some evil practice in Islam, which was followed subsequently (by others), he will be required to bear the burden like that of those who followed this (evil practice) without theirs being diminished in any respect.’

Beloved brother in Islam, helping and giving charity to any who is poor and needy, regardless of their belief, is absolutely encouraged in Islam and such a deed will earn its doer a tremendous reward from their Lord Creator on the Day of Judgment.

Leave alone earning rewards from Allah for helping and giving charity to a fellow human being, the Messenger of Allah (saws) guided the believers to be kind and help even the animate creatures of Allah Subhanah….for they too are a creation of Allah and if one helps them for the sake of Allah, they will have a reward for their kindness and mercy even towards the animals in the Majestic Presence of their Lord Most High.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: "While a man was walking along a road, he became very thirsty and found a well. He lowered himself into the well, drank, and came out. Then [he saw] a dog protruding its tongue out with thirst. The man said: 'This dog has become exhausted from thirst in the same way as I.' He lowered himself into the well again and filled his shoe with water. Then he took the dog by the mouth until he had raised himself. He gave the dog some water to drink. He thanked Allah, and [his sins were] forgiven." They asked: "O Messenger of Allah (saws), is there a reward for us in our animals?" He (saws) said: "There is a reward in (helping) every living thing."

Related by al-Bukhari and Muslim.

One may give monetary help to any poor and needy amongst mankind, regardless of their belief, from their voluntary charity funds like ‘Sadaqa’; but the annual obligatory charity of ‘zakah’ can only be distributed amongst the believers.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan