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Assalamu Alaikum
Please help me to understand. I need to know the meaning of the following
Hadith:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
The Prophet said (PBUH) (that ALLAH said), "Vowing does not bring to
the son of Adam anything I have
not already written in his fate, but vowing is imposed on him by way of
fore ordainment. Through vowing I make a miser spend of his wealth"
This Hadith is from Al-Qadar. Please help me with this meaning. I have
also sent you a question asking you to please explain the meanings
of some of the Surahs and ayats that we are supposed to pray. The
reference number 2241. Is it possible for you to please answer that question.
May ALLAh guide and protect you for your kindness and help and may he
bless our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ,Wassalam. | Praise be to Allah.The hadeeth you mention was narrated by Imaam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have
mercy on him) in his Saheeh from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), who said (that Allaah said): “Vowing does not bring
to the son of Adam anything that I have not already written in his Qadar (preordainments),
but vowing is imposed on him by way of preordainment. Through vowing I make a miser spend
of his wealth.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, no. 6119)
Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on this
hadeeth:
“Ibn ‘Umar said: ‘The Prophet
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) forbade the making of vows.’ … A clear statement prohibiting
vows came in the report of al-‘Alaa’ ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan from his father
from Abu Hurayrah, recorded by Muslim in the words ‘Do not make vows,’ and in
the phrase ‘(Making vows) does not bring forward anything or delay anything [i.e., it
has no effect whatsoever],’ and in the report of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Murrah,
‘It does not change anything,’ – which is more general. A similar phrase
was reported in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah: ‘Vowing does not bring to the son of
Adam anything that I have not already written in his Qadar (preordainments)…’
Ibn al-Atheer said in al-Nihaayah: ‘The point of the hadeeth is that he told
them that this thing (making vows) does not bring any immediate benefit or turn away any
immediate harm, and it does not change what has been decreed. Thus he said, Do not make
vows, as you know that you cannot get, or turn away, anything by means of vows that Allaah
has not already decreed for you. If you make a vow then fulfill it, because whatever you
have vowed becomes obligatory for you.’ (Then Ibn Hajar quotes the opinions of a
number of scholars on the reason why making vows is prohibited): … The reason may be
that the person who makes a vow does not do so in order to draw closer to Allaah, but will
only do so if he gets what he wanted, as if this is an exchange, which corrupts his
intention to draw closer to Allaah. This interpretation is indicated by the words,
‘It does not bring any good,’ and ‘Vowing does not bring to the son of Adam
anything that I have not already written in his Qadar (preordainments).’ This is a
clear statement as to why vows should not be made. The phrase ‘it does not bring any
good’ means that the end result will be no good, and it might be too difficult to
fulfil the vow, or it might mean that (the vow) will not bring about good if it has not
been decreed for him…. Al-Nawawi said: ‘The phrase “it does not bring any
good” means that it will not stop anything that has already been decreed, as is clear
from the other reports.’ … (Then Ibn Hajar quotes from Ibn Daqeeq al-‘Eed),
saying that he described the difference between nadhr al-mujaazaah (vow of
repayment, one in which an act of worship is promised in return for a favour), which is
forbidden, and nadhr al-ibtidaa’ (vow of initiative, where one does the
promised act of worship first, without waiting to see if the favour is granted or not),
which is a pure act of worship.”
In al-Mufahhim, al-Qurtubi confirmed the idea that the ahaadeeth
forbid nadhr al-mujaazaah: ‘This refers to a situation where a man might say,
for example, “If Allaah heals this person who is sick, I will give such-and-such in
charity.” The reason why it is disliked is that he postpones doing the act of worship
mentioned, and makes it conditional upon getting the desired result. This makes it quite
clear that he does not have the sincere intention of drawing closer to Allaah, because he
has clearly stated that his approach is that of giving something in return for something.
It is quite clear that if the sick person is not healed, he will not give the charity
which is conditional upon the sick person’s recovery. This is the attitude of the
miser, who does not give anything of his wealth except in exchange for some immediate
return, usually something that is worth more than what he is prepared to give. This is
what is referred to in the hadeeth: “Through vowing I make a miser spend of his
wealth.” To this could be added the point that there is an ignorant belief that
making a vow guarantees that one will get the desired result, or that Allaah will do what
a person wants because of the vow. Both notions are addressed in the hadeeth: “Vowing
does not bring to the son of Adam anything that I have not already written in his Qadar
(preordainments).”’ Concerning the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “They
(are those who) fulfil (their) vows…” [al-Insaan 76:7] al-Tabaraani reported
with a saheeh isnaad that Qutaadah said: “They used to vow to do acts of worship such
as praying, fasting, giving zakaat and going on pilgrimage (Hajj and ‘Umrah), and
other acts which were obligatory for them, and so Allaah called them abraar (those
who are pious, fear Allaah, and avoid evil – see al-Insaan 76:5). It is clear
that it is not those who make vows of repayment (nadhr al-mujaazaah) who are
praised…”
Al-Baydaawi said: “People usually make vows conditional upon gaining
some benefit or removing some evil, and this is forbidden because it is the way of the
miser. If a generous person wants to draw closer to Allaah, he starts doing good deeds
straight away, but the miser would never voluntarily give anything except in return for
something which he is given first. This attitude will not protect him from anything that
has already been decreed, or bring him any good thing that has not been decreed for him.
The vow will be in accordance with qadar and will make him give something that he would
not have given otherwise… And Allaah knows best.” |
Is it permissible to read the Quran while a woman is having menses (periods)? | Praise be to Allah.Reading the Quran during menses
Reading the Quran during menses is one of the issues on which the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, differed.
The majority of fuqaha say that it is haram for a woman to recite Quran during her period, until she is tahir (pure) again. The only exceptions they make is in the case of dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and phrases that are not intended as tilawah (recitation), such as saying “Bismillahi’r-Rahmani’r-Rahim” or “Inna Lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”, or other phrases from the Quran which are repeated as general du’as.
Evidence for forbidding women from reading the Quran during menses
They base their evidence for forbidding menstruating women to recite Quran on several things, including the following:
1- Menstruation is seen as coming under the rulings that apply to one who is junub (in a state of impurity following sexual intercourse), because both states require ghusl. This is based on the hadith narrated by ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to teach the Quran and he never prevented anyone from learning it except those who were in a state of janabah (major ritual impurity).” (Reported by Abu Dawud, 1/281; al-Tirmidhi, 146; al-Nasai, 1/144; Ibn Majah, 1/207; Ahmad, 1/84; Ibn Khuzaymah, 1/104. Al-Tirmidhi said: a sahih hasan hadith. Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar said: the truth is that it is the type of hasan hadith that could be used as evidence).
2- The hadith of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), according to which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The menstruating woman and the one who is in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) should not recite anything of the Quran.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 131; Ibn Majah, 595; al-Daraqutni (1/117); al-Bayhaqi, 1/89. This is a da’if hadith, because it was reported by Isma’il ibn ‘Ayyash from the Hijazis, and his reports from them are da’if as is well known to those who are conversant with the study of hadith. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said (21/460): it is a da’if hadith by the unanimous agreement of the scholars of hadith. See Nasb al-Rayah, 1/195; al-Talkhis al-Habir, 1/183).
Evidence for allowing women to read the Quran during menses
Some scholars say that it is permitted for a menstruating woman to recite Quran. This is the opinion of Malik, and one opinion narrated from Ahmad, which Ibn Taymiyah preferred and which al-Shawkani believed to be correct. The scholars based the following points on this opinion:
1- The principle is that things are allowed and permitted unless there is evidence to the contrary. There is no such evidence to say that a menstruating woman is not allowed to recite Quran. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “There is no clear, sahih text to indicate that a menstruating woman is forbidden to recite Quran… It is known that women used to menstruate at the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he did not forbid them to recite Quran, or to remember Allah (dhikr) and offer du’a.”
2- Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, commands (Muslims) to recite Quran. He praises the one who does so, and promises him (or her) a great reward. No one is excluded from this except the one concerning whom there is solid evidence (dalil), and there is no such evidence in the case of menstruating women, as stated above.
3- The analogy between the menstruating woman and the one who is in a state of janabah is made despite the fact that there are differences between them. The one who is in a state of janabah has the option of removing the “barrier” by making ghusl, unlike the menstruating woman. A woman’s period usually lasts for some length of time, whereas the person who is in a state of janabah is required to do ghusl when the time for prayer comes.
4- Preventing a menstruating woman from reciting Quran deprives her of the chance to earn reward, and it may make her forget something of the Quran, or she may need to recite it for the purposes of teaching or learning.
From the above, it is clear that the evidence of those who allow a menstruating woman to recite Quran is stronger. If a woman wants to err on the side of caution, she can limit her recitation to the passages which she is afraid of forgetting.
Touching the Quran during menses
It is very important to note that what we have been discussing here is restricted to what a menstruating woman recites from memory. When it comes to reading from the Mus-haf (the Arabic text itself), a different rule applies.
The correct view of the scholars is that it is forbidden to touch the mus-haf when one is in any kind of state of impurity, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… which none can touch except the purified.” [al-Waqi’ah 56:79]
In a letter to ‘Amr ibn Hazm, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told the people of Yemen: “No one should touch the Quran except one who is tahir (pure).”
The hadith is reported by Malik, 1/199; al-Nasai, 8/57; Ibn Hibban, 793; al-Bayhaqi, 1/87. Al-Hafiz ibn Hajar said: A group of scholars classed this hadith as sahih because it is so well known. Al-Shafi'i said: It is proven by them that it was a letter sent by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr said: “This letter is famous among the scholars of sirah, and is so well known among the scholars that it does not need an isnad. It is like tawatur because the people accepted and recognized it. Shaykh al-Albani said that it is sahih. Al-Talkhis al-Habir, 4/17. See also: Nasb al-Rayah, 1/196; Irwa al-Ghalil, 1/158).
(Hashiyat Ibn ‘Abidin, 1/159; al-Majmu’, 1/356; Kashshaf al-Qina’, 1/147; al-Mughni, 3/461; Nayl al-Awtar, 1/226; Majmi’ al-Fatawa, 21/460; al-Sharh al-Mumti’ li’l-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin, 1/291)
For more about issues related to menses, please see these answers: 72417 , 75727 , and 121366 .
And Allah knows best. |
Can a Muslim donate blood, and if so can he offer prayer straight after donating blood? | Praise be to Allah.Is blood donation halal?
If it is necessary to carry out a blood transfusion , there is no sin on the patient, the doctors or the donor, because of the following:
1. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “… and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind…” [al-Maidah 5:32].
This verse indicates the virtue of being the cause of saving the life of someone whom it is forbidden to kill, and there is no doubt that the doctors and blood donors are among the causes of saving the life of patients who are at risk of dying if a blood transfusion is not carried out.
2. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “He has forbidden you only the dead animals, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah. But if one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Baqarah 2:173].
This verse indicates that there is no sin on the one who does a forbidden thing out of necessity; the sick person accepts a blood transfusion out of necessity, and there is nothing wrong with the donor giving his blood either.
3. The guidelines of Islamic Shari`ah dictate that donating blood should be permitted, because one of its principles is that in cases of necessity, things that are ordinarily forbidden are permitted, and that ways should be found to ease hardship. The sick person is certainly in a hardship situation, and is compelled by necessity. The hardship he is facing could lead to his death, so it is permissible for him to receive a blood transfusion. (For more details on the issue of donating blood, please see Question #2570 ).
Does blood donation break wudu?
As regards the question of whether wudu is broken by the flowing of blood, this is an issue concerning which the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, differed. Those who think that bleeding breaks wudu quote as evidence the hadith of Abu’l-Darda (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) vomited, then did wudu.” They drew an analogy between vomit and blood, because both are najis (impure) when they come out of the body.
This hadith was narrated by Ahmad (4/449), Abu Dawud (2981) and al-Tirmidhi (87), who said: “More than one of the scholars among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and others among the Tabi’in thought that wudu should be done after vomiting or having a nosebleed. This is the opinion of Sufyan al-Thawri, Ibn al-Mubarak, Ahmad and Ishaq. Some scholars said that wudu is not necessary after vomiting or having a nosebleed. This is the opinion of Malik and al-Shafi’i.” This was also narrated as being the opinion of Ahmad. Al-Baghawi said: It is the opinion of most of the Sahabah and Tabi’in.”
The most correct view is that bleeding does not break one’s wudu, although it is preferable (mustahabb) to make wudu after bleeding. The evidence for this is as follows:
1. Wudu is considered to be valid until there is proof that something breaks it. There is no proof narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that bleeding breaks wudu , hence Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “There is no proof whatsoever that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made it obligatory to do wudu because of that (bleeding).” Shaykh Ibn Sa’di (may Allah have mercy on him) said, the correct opinion is that bleeding and vomiting , etc., do not break wudu, whether they are large or small in volume, because there is no evidence to prove that they break wudu, and the guiding principle is that wudu remains valid.
2. One cannot draw an analogy between blood and anything else, because the reasons behind them are not the same.
3. The idea that bleeding breaks wudu is contrary to what was reported from the salaf (early generations), for example, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) continued to pray although his wound was pouring with blood. Al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “The Muslims continue to pray even when they are wounded.”
4. The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did wudu after he vomited does not indicate that it is obligatory to do so, because the rules of fiqh say that the mere fact that he did something, unless it was accompanied by a command to do it, does not make it obligatory. All that this proves is that it is good to follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in this instance. Hence Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Doing wudu after cupping and vomiting is mustahabb and is good.”
To sum up the above, it is mustahabb (preferable) for a blood donor to do wudu after giving blood, but if he does not do wudu, it is still OK.
And Allah knows best.
On the issue of donation, please see:
· Al-Mukhtaraat al-Jaliyyah by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Sa’di, 327;
· Ahkam al-At’imah fi’l-Shari’ah by Dr. ‘Abd-Allah al-Tariqi, 411,
· Majallat al-Majma’ al-Fiqhi, issue 1, p. 32;
· Naql al-Damm wa Ahkamuhu by al-Safi, 27;
· Ahkam al-Jirahah al-Tibbiyah, by Dr. al-Shanqiti, 580.
On the issue of bleeding breaking wudu, please see:
· Majmu’ al-Fatawa, 20/526;
· Sharh ‘Umdat al-Fiqh, by Ibn Taymiyah, 1/295;
· al-Mughni by Ibn Qudamah, 1/234;
· Tawdih al-Ahkam by al-Bassam, 1/239;
· al-Sharh al-Mumti’ by Ibn ‘Uthaymin, 1/221. |
I happened to had masturbated while I was fasting during ramadan. Then I read in one of islamic question/answer column in a newspaper that the act of masturbation invalidate the fasting but no "kaffara" is required i.e. freeing a slave or fasting for 60 days. Is this true?
The other question is that at that time I did not know that kaffara is not required so I ate (I though my fasting is invalid so I ate). does this will make me do the kaffara or not. JazakaAllah for the response. | Praise be to Allah.Is masturbation haram?
No doubt masturbation is haram according to most of the scholars, as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said. If this happens in Ramadan, this is worse, and if there is ejaculation of sperm because of the masturbation , the violation of the sanctity of the fast is even more severe in sin.
Does masturbation break your fast?
From the time the maniy (semen) is ejaculated, the fast is broken, but the person should still fast for the rest of that day. It is not permissible for him to stop fasting, because of the sanctity of the month.
You have to repent for breaking your fast by deliberately ejaculating, and you also have to repent for not keeping the fast for the rest of the day and for violating the sanctity of the fast by doing something else that broke the fast, namely eating food.
You also have to fast one day to make up for breaking your fast. Increase the number of good deeds (hasanat) you do and observe nafl (supererogatory) fasts, for good deeds (hasanat) cancel out bad deeds (sayyiat). And Allaah is Forgiving and Merciful.
And Allah knows best. |
I read the hadiths about the prophet peace be upon him allowing the man to see the woman before deciding whether to marry her or not. My questions is, what exactelly is the person allowed to see exactelly?
Is he allowed to see her hair (entire head) ? | Praise be to Allah.Islam commands us to lower our gaze and forbids looking at non-mahram women. This is in order to purify people’s souls and protect their honour. There are, however, certain exceptions in which it is permissible to look at a non-mahram woman for reasons of necessity, one of which is in the case of proposing marriage, because it is the basis on which a very important decision affecting a person’s life will be taken. There are texts which indicate that it is permissible to look at one’s fiancée, as follows:
From Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘If one of you proposes marriage to a woman, if he can look at her to see that which will encourage him to go ahead and marry her, then let him do so.’ I proposed marriage to a young woman, and I used to hide where I could see her, until I saw that which encouraged me to go ahead and marry her, so I did so.’” According to another report he said, ‘a young woman of Bani Salamah. I used to hide from her, until I saw that which encouraged me to go ahead and marry her, so I did so.”
(Saheeh Abi Dawood, no. 1832, 1834)
From Abu Hurayrah: “I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when a man came and told him that he had married a woman of the Ansaar. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to him, ‘Have you seen her?’ He said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Go and look at her, for there is something in the eyes of the Ansaar.”
(Reported by Muslim, no. 1424; and by al-Daaraqutni, 3/253 (34))
From al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah: “I proposed marriage to a woman, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Have you seen her?’ I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘Look at her, because it is more fitting that love and compatibility be established between you.’” According to another report: “So he did that, and he married her and mentioned that they got along.”
(Reported by al-Daaraqutni, 3/252 (31, 32); Ibn Maajah, 1/574)
From Sahl ibn Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him): “A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have come to give myself to you (in marriage).” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) looked at her closely, then he lowered his head. When the woman saw that he had not made a decision about her, she sat down. One of his Companions stood up and said, O Messenger of Allah, if you do not want her, then marry her to me…’”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 7/19; Muslim, 4/143; al-Nisaa’i, 6/113 bi Sharh al-Suyooti; al-Bayhaqi, 7/84)
The sayings of the scholars on the extent to which one may look at one’s fiancée
Al-Shaafa’i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “If he wants to marry a woman, he is not allowed to see her without a headcover. He may look at her face and hands when she is covered, with or without her permission. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘… and not to show off their adornment except only that which is apparent…’ [al-Noor 24:31]. He said: ‘The face and hands.’”
(al-Haawi al-Kabeer, 9/34).
Imaam al-Nawawi said in Rawdat al-Taalibeen wa ‘Umdat al-Mufteen (7, 19-20): “When (a man) wants to marry (a woman), it is preferable (mustahabb) for him to look at her so that he will have no regrets. According to another view, it is not preferable but it is allowed. The first view is correct because of the ahaadeeth, and it is permitted to look repeatedly, with or without her permission. If it is not easy to look at her, he may send a woman to check her out and describe her to him. A woman may also look at a man if she wants to marry him, for she will like in him what he likes in her. What is permissible for him to look at is the face and hands, front and back. He should not look at anything else.”
Abu Haneefah permitted looking at the feet as well as the face and hands.
(Bidaayah al-Mujtahid wa Nihayyat al-Muqtasid, 3/10)
“It is permissible to look at the face, hands and feet, and no more than that.” Ibn Rushd also quoted it as above.
Among the reports from the madhhab of Imaam Maalik:
He may look at the face and hands only.
He may look at the face, hands and forearms only.
A number of reports were narrated from Imaam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him), one of which says that he may look at the face and forearms.
The second says that he may look at what usually appears such as the neck, calves and so on.
This was quoted by Ibn Qudaamah in al-Mughni (7/454), Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah in Tahdheeb al-Sunan (3/25-26), and al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baari (11/78)… The reliable opinion in the books of the Hanbalis is the second opinion.
From the above, it is clear that the majority of scholars say that a man is allowed to look at his fiancée’s face and hands, because the face indicates beauty or ugliness, and the hands indicate the slimness or plumpness (literally, ‘fertility’) of the body.
Abu’l-Faraj al-Maqdisi said: “There is no dispute among the scholars that he is permitted to look at the face.. the focus of beauty and the place at which one looks.”
Ruling on touching one’s fiancée or being alone with her
Al-Zayla’i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “It is not permissible for him to touch her face or hands – even if is sure that this will not provoke desire – because she is still haraam for him, and there is no need for him to do so.” In Durar al-Bihaar it says: “It is not permitted for the qaadi, the witnesses or the fiancé to touch her, even if they are sure that this will not provoke desire, because there is no need for that…”
(Radd al-Muhtaar ‘ala’l-Durr al-Mukhtaar, 5/237)
Ibn Qudaamah said: “It is not permitted for him to be alone with her, because she is forbidden and Islam only allows him to look, thus khulwah (being alone with her) remains forbidden, and because there is no certainty that nothing forbidden will take place if he is alone with her, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘No man is alone with a woman, but the Shaytaan is the third one present.’ He should not look at her in a lustful or suspicious manner. Ahmad said, in a report narrated by Saalih, ‘He may look at the face, but not in a lustful manner.’ He may look repeatedly, and examine her beauty, because the aim cannot be achieved in any other way.”
The fiancée’s permission to look
A man is permitted to look at the woman to whom he wishes to propose marriage, even without her permission or knowledge. This is what is indicated by the saheeh ahaadeeth.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said in Fath al-Baari (9/157): “The majority of scholars said: he is permitted to look at her if he wishes without her permission.”
The hadeeth scholar Shaykh Muhammad Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani said in al-Silsilat al-Saheehah (1/156), supporting this view: “Similar evidence is seen in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the hadeeth, ‘Even if she does not know.’ This is supported by the actions of the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them), in accordance with the Sunnah, such as Muhammad ibn Muslimah and Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah, both of whom hid so as to see of their fiancées that which would encourage them to go ahead and marry them…”
Note:
Shaykh al-Albaani also said (op.cit., p. 156):
“From Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)” ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wanted to marry a woman, so he sent another woman to look at her and said, “Smell her mouth (front teeth) and look at the back of her ankles.”
(Reported by al-Haakim, 2/166, who said it is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Also reported by al-Bayhaqi, 7/87. In Majma’ al-Zawaa’id (4/507) he said, ‘”Reported by Ahmad and al-Bazzaar, and the men of al-Bazzaar are thiqaat.”)
In Mughni al-Muhtaaj (2/128) it says: “What we understand from this report is that the one who is sent may describe to the one who sends her more than that which he himself may see, so this sending achieves more than just looking.”
And Allah knows best. |
What are the regulations regarding the miswak (tooth stick) and its usage:
1. its length and type;
2. how to hold and brush with it according to the Sunnah;
3. when to use it: before beginning wudu, before one rinses one's mouth, or just before beginning the prayer;
4. its recommended, permissible, disliked and forbidden times and circumstances for usage;
5. whether lemon, mint flavored ones are permissible;
6. its virtues? | Praise be to Allah.What is siwak?
Siwak means cleaning the mouth and teeth with a siwak which is the name given to the tool used. The siwak is a stick or twig used for this purpose.
Siwak is a method of cleaning the mouth which also earns the pleasure of Allah, as is proven in the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, Siwak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord. (Reported by al-Bukhari in his Sahih, 2/274, and by Ahmad, 6/47, and al-Nasai, 1/50. Its isnad is sahih, see al-Irwa 1/105)
Is it sunnah to use the siwak?
Use of the siwak is repeatedly encouraged, as in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Were it not for the fact that I did not want to make things too hard for my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the siwak at every time of prayer. (Reported by al-Bukhari, 2/299 and Muslim, 1/151). According to another report narrated by al-Bukhari, he said: at every time of making wudu.
Imam al-Nawawi reported that the respectable scholars were agreed that use of the siwak is sunnah and is encouraged. One of the signs of its importance is the fact that some of the salaf (early generations of Islam), such as Ishaq ibn Rahawayh, thought that it was obligatory.
Times when use of siwak is recommended
Siwak is recommended at all times of night and day, because of the general sense of the hadith quoted above from ‘Aishah, Siwak cleanses the mouth and pleases the Lord. The scholars have also mentioned situations where use of the siwak is even more strongly encouraged. These include:
When making wudu and at times of prayer.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Were it not for the fact that I did not want to make things too hard for my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the siwak at every time of prayer. According to another report he said: at every time of making wudu as already stated above.
When entering one's home to be with one’s family.
‘Aishah was asked what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did when he first came home. She said, When he entered his house, the first thing he would do was to use the siwak. (Reported by Muslim, 1/220)
When getting up from sleep. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) got up during the night, he would clean his mouth thoroughly with the siwak. (Reported by al-Bukhari, 1/98 and Muslim, 1/220)
When the smell of one’s mouth changes whether this is because of eating food with a strong odour, or because of not eating or drinking for a long time, etc. Siwak is cleansing for the mouth, which means that it should definitely be used when the mouth needs cleaning.
When going to the mosque . Using siwak is part of the adornment which we are commanded to wear for every prayer, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): O Children of Adam! Take your adornment while praying [al-A'raf 7:31]. It is also important because the angels are present in the mosque, and one is going to meet with other worshippers there.
When reading Quran and joining gatherings in which Allah is remembered (dhikr), because the angels are present on such occasions.
Using siwak when fasting
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) are agreed that there is nothing wrong with using siwak during the day when one is fasting , but they differed with regard to using it after noon, which some of them disliked (regarded as makruh). The correct view is that it is sunnah for one who is fasting, just as it is for anyone else, because of the general sense of the reports which prove that it is sunnah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not make any exceptions or state any specific time, and a statement that is general in nature should continue to be taken as general unless there is evidence to indicate that it is specific in application. The hadith used as evidence to forbid using siwak after noon is attributed to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), who is quoted as saying that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, When you fast, use siwak in the morning but do not use it in the afternoon. (Reported by al-Daraqutni)
This is a weak hadith. Ibn Hajar said, in al-Talkhis al-Habir, 1/62: a weak isnad). There is no proof that this can be attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). With regard to the use of the hadith, the odour that comes from the mouth of the fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the scent of musk (reported by al-Bukhari, 2/29 and Muslim, 2/806) as evidence, this mouth odour will not be dispelled by use of siwak because it is caused by the stomach being empty, and it could occur early in the day if a person has not eaten suhur. All the scholars are agreed that it is permissible for a fasting person to use siwak early in the day. This shows that use of siwak is encouraged even when fasting, and there is no difference between using it early in the day or later on.
What should be used for siwak (cleaning the mouth)
The scholars are agreed that the best thing for cleaning the mouth is the twigs of the arak tree, because of its good smell, and because it has brush-like fibers which are effective for cleaning food particles etc. from between the teeth, and because of the hadith of ‘Abd-Allah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I used to gather siwak sticks from the arak tree for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). (Reported by Ahmad, 3991; its isnad is hasan, see al-Irwa 1/104)
If arak twigs are not available, the scholars recommended using palm-leaf stalks, or twigs of the olive tree. The hadiths that have been narrated concerning this, however, are not sahih.
The correct view is that any kind of sticks that are cleansing and not harmful may be used instead of siwak, if it is not available, to clean the mouth and remove dirt from the teeth. This includes modern toothbrushes which are known to be beneficial in this regard.
Things that may not be used for siwak
The scholars have stated that it is forbidden to use poisonous sticks, things that are not pure and anything that may cause bleeding, illness or any other harm.
Attributes of siwak
The jurists have described the siwak as a stick of medium length and thickness, no thicker than ones little finger, and free of knots. It should not be so wet that it will twist, because then it will not remove dirt, nor should it be so dry that it will hurt the mouth or crack during use. No doubt this is describing the ideal, otherwise the reports do not specify any particular type of siwak. It is permissible to use any kind of siwak that will do the job.
How to use the siwak
The scholars have differed as to whether siwak should be done with the right hand or the left hand. One group, the majority, think that it is better to use the right hand, because of the general meaning of the hadith narrated by ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) liked to start with the right when putting on his shoes, dismounting (from his camel), when cleaning himself, and in all things. (Agreed upon). (They also say that) siwak is an act of worship and drawing closer to Allah, so it should not be done with the left hand.
Other scholars say that it is better to use the left hand for siwak, because it comes under the heading of removing dirt. This is the well-known opinion of Imam Ahmad’s madhhab, and it is the view favoured by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, may Allah have mercy on him.
Some scholars have said that when a person is using siwak with the intention of following the sunnah, he should use his right hand, and if he is doing it to remove dirt, he should use his left hand. The fact of the matter is that this issue is open, as there is no definitive evidence or report, and every opinion has a valid point.
The jurists suggested that when using siwak, a person should start on the right, and use a side-to-side motion rather than up-and-down, as the latter may harm the gums.
Etiquette of using siwak
Among the etiquette of using siwak, they mentioned the following:
That a person should not use the siwak in front of others or in public, because this is impolite.
That the siwak should be washed after use, to get rid of any dirt that may be on it. ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to use siwak, then he would give it to me to wash it. I would use it first, then wash it and give it back to him. (Reported by Abu Dawud, 1/45).
The siwak should be kept in a clean place.
Using one's fingers to clean one's mouth
The scholars differ as to whether it is acceptable to use one's fingers to clean one's mouth when there is nothing else available. The correct view is that using the fingers cannot be considered as a substitute for the sunnah action, because there is no basis in Islam for doing so, and this method does not clean the mouth as a siwak or similar instrument does. Modern methods of cleaning the teeth, like toothbrushes and so on, that remove dirt and make the mouth smell good, are acceptable.
There is nothing wrong with using siwak that is flavoured with mint, lemon and so on, so long as they do not cause any harm. But a person who is fasting should avoid using any flavoured siwak, and should only use natural siwak when he is fasting.
And Allah knows best.
(Lisan al-Arab (definition of sawaka); al-Majmu’ lil-Nawawi, 1/269; Nihayat al-Muhtaj lil-Ramli, 1/162; Hashiyat Ibn ‘Abidin, 1/78; Nayl al-Awtar lil-Shawkani, 1/24; al-Mughni li Ibn Qudamah, 1/78; al-Futuhat al-Rabbaniyah ‘ala adhkar al-Nawawi li Ibn ‘Allan, 3/256; al-Sharh al-Mumti’ lil-Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin, 1/137) |
About xxx years ago my wife underwent a hysterectomy to remove her reproductive organs. She took this step by herself, under doctor's consent, because of complications with her ovaries and scarring. I wanted to have more children with her, and now that we are Muslim, I want them even more in order to bring them up in the deen of Islam. I felt a deep sense of regret when she had her operation, but was hesitant to say anything because I did not want to worry her. Later, after the operation, she changed. She had many complications, and lost interest in me sexually. I still want more children, and I am getting older. We have two -- one together, who is xxx, and a stepson, who is xxx. The younger one has received Islamic instruction and accepts Islam as his religion, but the older one rejects it completely. I love them all, but the situation saddens me. I would like to start a new family, not discarding old one. She prohibits me from another wife (but not in the contract), and I know she will leave me if I do. My question is, what advice do you have to give me? I love my wife, but I want to have more children, and my desire to be a father once again, raising my children in Islam is strong. She also rejects adoption, even if it were halal. I am just looking for a way out of my dilemma. Do you think my desire to start another family is halal? What does Islam suggest in this case? | Praise be to Allah.Your desire to form
another family is halaal, and your goal of having more children is perfectly
legitimate. Your wife does not have the right to object to that. If
she will leave you if you marry another woman, then she is a sinner.
Help her to bear with patience what Allaah has decreed for her, and
tell her that you will be fair and just as Allaah has commanded if you
marry another woman. Break though the barrier of fear and look for a
loving, fertile, religious woman, and pray Istikhaarah when you decide
to go ahead. Put your trust in Allaah, for whoever puts his trust in
Allaah, Allaah will be Sufficient for him. Be optimistic that Allaah
will relieve your distress and grant you ease after difficulty. Keep
calling the other son to Islam; may Allaah open his heart and guide
him at your hands. We ask Allaah to give you strength. |
I am in the process of becoming a truly practicing Muslim and wonder what is said regarding your life previous to the full integration of Islam. I wonder whether any experiences that I have had would limit me from becoming a follower of the straigt path to Allah?
Please forgive my explicitness...but since men and women are not allowed to engage in full-blown relationships, how do I resolve the conflict that prior to it's integration in my life, I have had different experiences and now have read repeatedly that it is forbidden...how can I possibly reconcile the two dichotomous notions? I recognize that you do receive many questions, please accept my sincere thanks for having this site, regardless of whether I receive an answer or not.
May peace be with you...:) | Praise be to Allah.We cannot conceal our joy and pleasure at the intention expressed in your question of embracing the true religion, Islam. The confusion and hesitation that you describe are quite understandable, because when a person has been indulging in forbidden relationships and then wishes to move to a religion of purity and chastity, it is natural to feel that his own nafs (desires) will defeat him and that he will not be able to do what Islam requires of him in the way of purity and chastity. But we will tell you some things here which we hope will help you to overcome any difficulty that you may be fearing and give a true picture of the situation.
When a person follows the true religion, it is expected to have a far-reaching effect on his personality and behaviour, so that it re-forms him and gives him a fresh start and a new direction in life, completely different from the way he was during his jaahiliyyah (days of ignorance before his Islam). This radical change will produce morals and values that were not there before, which will purify his heart and fill him with a sense of chastity, so that the new Muslim looks with revulsion and disgust both at his own former deeds and at the ignorant world of promiscuity, infidelity, nakedness and utter corruption that exists in the society around him. He will come back to the sound nature (fitrah the natural state of man) and purity of heart of which Shaytaan had robbed him during the days when he was a non-Muslim and sinner. This new direction in life is undertaken freely, by choice, and is accompanied by contentment and acceptance stemming from his total submission to the commands and prohibitions of Allah, Who revealed this religion of Islam with all its laws. We have two sources of proof to support what we say here, one from the shareeah (Islamic law)and one from history.
The shari(textual) evidence is to be found in numerous places in the Quran, for example (interpretation of the meanings):
Is he who was dead (without Faith by ignorance and by disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge and by faith) and set for him a light (of Belief) whereby he can walk amongst men, like him who is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can never come out? [al-Anaam 6:122]
And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse and whoever does this shall receive the punishment.
The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace,
Except those who repent and believe, and do righteous deeds, for those, Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [al-Furqaan 25:68-70]
Concerning the phrase Allah will change their sins into good deeds the mufassireen (commentators) said: their evil deeds will be replaced by good deeds. Ali ibn Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbaas said: These are the believers, who before they believed did evil deeds, but Allah wanted them to do something else, so He changed their bad deeds into good deeds
Ataa ibn Abi Rabaah said: This is in this world: a man may be doing evil but then Allah replaces it with good. Saeed ibn Jubayr said: Allah changed them from worshippers of idols into worshippers of the Most Merciful, and changed them from those who fight the Muslims into those who fight the (polytheists), and from those who marry mushrik (polytheist)women into those who marry believing women. Al-Hasan al-Basri said: Allah changed them from evil deeds to good deeds, from shirk (polytheism) to ikhlaas (purity of faith), from promiscuity to chastity, from disbelief to Islam. This is the view of Abu Aaliyah, Qutaadah and a group of others.
(Ibn Katheer, Tafseer al-Quran al-Azeem).
The historical evidence includes a number of stories of Muslims who entered Islam after having been (disbelievers), and how they changed and became righteous. Among these stories is the following:
There was a (Muslim) man called Marthad ibn Abi Marthad who used to smuggle Muslim prisoners-of-war from Makkah (which was the territory of the mushrikeen) to Madeenah (which was the territory of the Muslims). There was also a woman in Makkah, called Anaaq, who was a prostitute. She had been a friend of Marthads (before he became Muslim). Marthad had promised to take one of the prisoners from Makkah to Madeenah. He said: I came to the shade of one of the gardens of Makkah on a moonlit night, then Anaaq came and saw my shadow by the garden. When she reached me, she recognized me and said: Marthad? I said, Marthad. She said: Welcome! Stay with us tonight. I said, O Anaaq, Allah has forbidden zinaa (unlawful sexual relations). She called out, O people of the camp! This man is stealing away your prisoners! (i.e., she wanted to take revenge on him because he refused to have unlawful relations with her, so she called the polytheists to come and seize him). Eight men pursued me (and he described how Allah saved him from them). This event was the reason for the revelation of the verse (interpretation of the meaning): Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication marry any but a woman similarly guilty, or an Unbeliever; nor let any but such a man or an Unbeliever marry such a woman; to the Believers such a thing is forbidden. [al-Noor 24:3 Yusuf Alis translation]
(Reported and classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi, 3101).
The reason for telling this story is that it illustrates how this man changed after he embraced Islam, and refused to commit the haraam deed with which he was tempted. Another story describes a woman who embraced Islam and became righteous:
Abd-Allah ibn Maghfal reported that there was a woman who had been a prostitute during the days of ignorance (before Islam). A man passed by her, or she passed by him, and he touched her. She said: Stop it! (Mah! A word connoting a rebuke or denunciation). Allah has done away with polytheism and had brought Islam. So he left her alone and went away.
(Reported by al-Haakim, who said this hadeeth is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim, although they did not report it).
If you enter Islam and become a truly practicsing Muslim, adhering to this pure shareeah, worshipping Allah(God willing) as He wants to be worshipped, obeying His commands and heeding His prohibitions, then in sha Allah you will not encounter or suffer the difficulties you refer to in your question. Moreover, you will have the means of keeping chaste, such as marriage, which will help you to refrain from doing unlawful deeds; marriage is enjoined by this shareeah. The one who chooses a pure and clean way has no need to enter the mire (of illicit relationships). We ask Allah to guide you and make things easy for you, and to keep evil away from you. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad. |
I have been researching Islam for the past month and have also started to read the Quran. I personally feel that I am ready to take the Shahaada but some of my Muslim friends do not feel the same way. They are warning me of making a lifelong commitment so hastily but I feel that I am ready. Could you please advise me on what I need to do so that I can readily accept and declare Allah as the one and only true God with a clear conscience that I did not do anything too soon? | Praise be to Allah.Congratulations to you. We could not conceal our joy when we read your question expressing your readiness to enter Islam .
Delaying conversion to Islam is not recommended
The advice you have received from some people to wait is rather strange, but perhaps they are afraid that you may return to disbelief after embracing Islam if you are too hasty.
But isn’t death possible at any time? If your answer is yes, do you not see that the best thing to do is to go ahead and enter Islam immediately, so that if your time should come soon, you will meet Allah as a follower of His religion, Islam, besides which He accepts no other religion. The best of good deeds is the one that is done without delay.
Moreover, you have, al-hamdu lillaah, read about Islam and read the Quran for a reasonable period, so make haste, and do not deprive yourself of the reward which you will earn the sooner you enter Islam.
We ask Allah to help you and make things easy for you, to open your heart to the truth and help you to adhere to it. And Allah is the source of strength.
For more about how to convert to Islam, please see this answer: 114 .
For more about the merits of Islam, please see this answer: 13569 .
And Allah knows best. |
What are the different types of vows in Islam? | Praise be to Allah.What is a vow?
Al-Isfahani (may Allah have mercy on him) says, in his book Mufradat Alfaz al-Quran (Vocabulary of the Quran), p. 797:
“Al-Nadhr (vow): when you oblige yourself to do something that is not obligatory because of something that you want to happen. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘[Maryam said:] I have vowed a fast unto the Most Beneficent (Allah)…’ [Maryam 19:26].”
So a vow is the action, on the part of a person who is adult and of sound mind (mukallaf), of obliging himself to do something that is not obligatory , whether he intends to do it straight away or makes his doing it conditional upon something else.
Vows are mentioned in the Quran in approving terms. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, the abrar (pious, who fear Allah and avoid evil), shall drink a cup (of wine) mixed with water from a spring in Paradise called Kafur, a spring wherefrom the slaves of Allah will drink, causing it to gush forth abundantly. They (are those who) fulfill their vows, and they fear a Day whose evil will be wide spreading.” [al-Dahr 76:5-7]. So Allah makes their fear of the horrors of the Day of Resurrection and their fulfillment of their vows some of the reasons for their salvation and admittance to Paradise.
Do you have to fulfill your vows?
Fulfilling legitimate (Shar`i) vows is obligatory according to Shari`ah. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Then let them complete the prescribed duties (manasik of Hajj) for them, and perform their vows…” [al-Hajj 22:29]. Imam al-Shawkani said: “This means that they have to do this.”
Numerous hadiths have been reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) discouraging vows and describing them as makruh. Abu Hurayrah said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Do not make vows, for vows do not change qadar (the divine decree) in the slightest, but they make the stingy person give something up.’” (Reported by Muslim)
‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) began to discourage us from making vows, and said, ‘They do not change anything, although they may make the miser give up something.’” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
One might ask, how is it that those who fulfill their vows are praised, then making vows is discouraged? The answer is that the kind of vow that is praised is the vow to do acts of worship that are not connected to anything – i.e., not conditional upon anything – which makes a man force himself to do acts of worship and prevent himself from being lazy, or in thanksgiving for some blessing.
What are the discouraged types of vows?
The kinds of vow which are discouraged are of different types, including vows that are made in return for something, whereby a person makes his doing an act of worship conditional upon attaining something or warding off something, and if that does not happen, he does not do the act of worship.
Why are these types of vows discouraged?
This is what is discouraged, perhaps for the following reasons:
Because then the person who made the vow would be doing the act of worship reluctantly, because it has become something he cannot avoid or get out of.
Because when the person making the vow makes the act of worship conditional upon his getting what he wants, his vow becomes a kind of exchange or barter which corrupts his intention; if the sick person is not cured, he will not give the charity which he vowed to give if the sick person was healed. This is miserliness, because the miser will not give anything except for something in return in this life (as opposed to the Hereafter), and what he gains is more than what he gives.
Some people ignorantly believe that making a vow guarantees that they will get whatever they made the vow for, or that Allah will make it happen for them because of the vow.
Another ignorant belief is the idea that making a vow can change qada (the divine decree), or that it can bring them some immediate benefit or ward off some harm. So vows were discouraged lest ignorant people believe such things, and as a warning of the danger that such attitudes present to sound belief.
Types of vows and their fulfillment
Vows which must be fulfilled (vows to do acts of worship and obedience to Allah)
This includes every vow which involves a promise to do some kind of act of worship, such as praying, fasting, performing ‘Umrah or Hajj, upholding family ties, doing I’tikaf (retreat for worship in the mosque), jihad, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. For example, a person may say, “It is my duty towards Allah to fast such-and-such (days)” or to give such-and-such in charity, or to go for Hajj this year, or to pray two rak`ahs in al-Masjid al-Haram [in Makkah] in thanksgiving to Allah for curing a sick person. Or he may make a vow of doing some act of worship conditional upon something that will benefit him if it happens, so he says, “If my absent loved one returns or Allah protects me from the evil of my enemy, I will fast such-and-such (days) or give such-and-such in charity.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever vows to do some act of worship and obedience to Allah, then let him do it, and whoever vows to do some sin, let him not do it.” (Reported by al-Bukhari, 6202)
If a man vows to do some act of worship then circumstances change and prevent him from fulfilling his vow, such as he vows to fast for a month or to go for Hajj or ‘Umrah, then he falls sick and is unable to fast or travel, or he vows to give charity, then he becomes poor and is unable to give what he promised, then in such cases he must offer expiation (kaffarah) for breaking his vow, which is the same as kaffarat yamin (expiation for breaking an oath). Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, “Whoever makes a vow and is then unable to fulfill it, his expiation is kaffarat yamin.” (Reported by Abu Dawud. Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said in Bulugh al-Maram, Its isnad is sahih, and some huffaz thought it was mawquf.).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in al-Fatawa (33/49): “If a man intends to vow to do some act of worship and obedience to Allah, then he must fulfill it. If he does not fulfill his vow to Allah, then he must offer kaffarat yamin, according to the majority of the salaf (early generations of Islam).”
Vows which it is forbidden to fulfill, and for which kaffarat yami n must be offered
This includes different types of vows:
Vows to commit sin :
This is every vow which involves disobedience to Allah, such as vows to bring oil, candles or money to graves or shrines (mash-hads), or to visit tombs and shrines of shirk. This is in some ways like making vows to idols. It is also forbidden to fulfill vows which promise to do some sin, like committing zina (adultery, fornication), drinking alcohol, stealing, taking orphans’ property, denying someone’s rights, or cutting family ties by cutting a certain relative off or not entering his house for no shar’i reason. All of these are not permitted at all, and (the person who makes such a vow) must offer kaffarat yamin in expiation for his vow. The evidence (dalil) that it is not permissible to fulfill this kind of vow is the hadith of ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever vows to do some act of worship and obedience to Allah, then let him do it, and whoever vows to do some sin, let him not do it.” (Reported by al-Bukhari). ‘Imran ibn Husayn reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “There should be no fulfillment of a vow to commit sin.” (Reported by Muslim, 3099).
Vows that go against a shar’i text (of the Quran or Sunnah)
If a Muslim makes a vow then it becomes clear to him that this vow of his goes against a clear, sahih text that contains some command or prohibition, then he must refrain from fulfilling his vow, and offer kaffarat yamin for it. The evidence for this is the report of al-Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) from Ziyad ibn Jubayr, who said: “I was with Ibn ‘Umar and a man asked him, ‘I made a vow to fast every Tuesday or Wednesday as long as I live, and it so happens that this day is Yawm al-Nahr (the Day of Sacrifice, i.e., the first day of ‘Eid al-Adha).’ He said, ‘Allah has commanded us to fulfill vows and we are forbidden to fast on Yawm al-Nahr.’ He repeated this to him, and said no more and no less.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6212).
Imam Ahmad reported that Ziyad ibn Jubayr said: “A man asked Ibn ‘Umar, whilst he was walking in Mina, ‘I made a vow to fast every Tuesday or Wednesday, and it so happens that this day is Yawm al-Nahr, so what do you think?’ He said, ‘Allah, may He be exalted, has commanded us to fulfill our vows, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade us [or he said: we were forbidden] to fast on Yawm al-Nahr.’ The man thought that he had not heard him properly, so he said, ‘I made a vow to fast every Tuesday or Wednesday, and it so happens that this day is Yawm al-Nahr.’ [Ibn ‘Umar] said, ‘Allah, may He be exalted, has commanded us to fulfill our vows, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade us [or he said: we were forbidden] to fast on Yawm al-Nahr.’ They kept repeating this exchange until they reached the mountain.”
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: “The scholars agree that it is not permitted to fast on Yawm al-Fitr and Yawm al-Nahr, neither as an act of worship nor in fulfillment of a vow.”
Vows concerning which there is no ruling other than kaffarat yamin
There are some vows concerning which there is no ruling other than that the one who makes such a vow must offer kaffarat yamin in expiation for his vow. These include:
Non-specific vows
If a Muslim makes a vow but does not specify what the vow is about, such as saying, “I make a vow if Allah heals this sick person” – but does not specify anything, then he must offer kaffarat yamin. ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The expiation for a vow is kaffarat yamin.” (Reported by Muslim). Imam al-Nawawi said: “Malik and many others – indeed the majority – interpreted this as meaning absolute vows, such as saying ‘I vow’ [without being specific].” (Sharh Muslim li’l-Nawawi, 11/104).
Vows concerning things that one does not possess.
If a person makes a vow concerning something that is not his, then he has no option but to offer kaffarat yamin. For example, if he vows to give charity from someone else’s wealth, or to free someone else’s slave, or to give a garden that he does not own to someone. The evidence for this ruling is the hadith of ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb from his father from his grandfather, who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘The son of Adam cannot make any vow concerning that which is not his, he cannot free (any slave) who is not his, and he cannot divorce any wife who is not his.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 1101. He said: The hadith of ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr is a sahih hasan hadith).
Vows where one has the option of fulfilling the vow or of offering kaffarat yamin
There are vows where a person has the option of fulfilling the vow or of offering kaffarat yamin. This kind of vow includes:
Vows made in desperation or in anger:
This means every vow that comes in the form of an oath made to urge for something to be done or to stop something from being done, or to swear that something is true or not true, where the person does not really intend to make a vow to do some act of worship. For example, a man might say in anger, ‘If I ever do such-and-such I have to go for Hajj, or fast for a month, or give one thousand dinars in charity’ or, ‘If I ever speak to So-and-So I have to free a slave, or divorce my wife,’ and so on, then he does the thing he said he would not do, but all he really meant by his words was that he would not do that thing – he had no intention of either doing it or the thing he vowed to do if he did.
In such a case, this person – who made the vow for argument’s sake or to express the urgency of doing or refraining from something – has the choice of either fulfilling the vow, or expiating for it by offering kaffarat yamin, because his vow was essentially an oath (yamin).
Ibn Taymiyah said: “If a vow is made in the form of an oath, such as saying, ‘If I travel with you then I have to go for Hajj, or give all my wealth in charity, or free a slave,’ in the opinion of the Sahabah and the majority of the scholars this is hilf al-nadhr (an oath by vowing), it is not a vow. If he does not do what he promised to do, it is sufficient for him to offer kaffarat yamin.” Elsewhere, he said, “The obligation of vows made in anger or desperation is one of two things, according to the majority: either expiation, or doing the thing promised. If he does not fulfill the vow, he must offer expiation (kaffarah).”
Vows concerning permissible things.
This means every vow that includes permissible things, such as vowing to wear a certain type of clothes, eat special foods, ride a certain animal, enter a certain house, and so on.
Thabit ibn al-Dahhak said: “A man vowed to sacrifice a camel in Bawanah (according to one report: because a male child had been born to him). He came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: ‘I have vowed to sacrifice a camel in Bawanah.’ The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Was there one of the idols of the Jahiliyyah there that people used to worship?’ They said, ‘No.’ He asked, ‘Did they used to celebrate any of their festivals there?’ They said, ‘No.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Then fulfill your vow, for there is no fulfillment of vows that involve disobedience to Allah, or that concern things that the son of Adam does not possess.’” (Reported by Abu Dawud, 2881)
This man had vowed to sacrifice a camel in Bawanah (a place beyond Yanbu') in thanksgiving to Allah, may He be exalted, because He had blessed him with a male child. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) allowed him to fulfill his vow, so he sacrificed a camel in that place.
We ask Allah to help us to do that which He loves and will please Him. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad. |
This is in regards to Question 'Reading Surat Ya-Sin in congregation on Friday nights '. Actually I am referring to the hadith you mentioned where the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Whoever reads one letter of the Book of Allah will have one hasanah (reward) for doing so, and every hasanah will be multiplied by 10. I do not say that Alif, lam, mim is one letter, but Alif is a letter, lam is a letter and mim is a letter.
I was wondering if this hadith was also true if one is reading the Quran in a different language (i.e. English translation) in order to actually understand what he is reading
Thank You, Allahu-Akbar | Praise be to Allah.We ask Allah to reward you for your keenness. In response to your question, the reward mentioned in this hadith is only for the one who reads the Quran as it is in Arabic, not for the one who reads the interpretation of the meanings in any other language.
However, if a person reads a Quran translation in order to understand the meanings and benefit from what the ayat are saying, then he will be rewarded for doing this, and his reward is with Allah. This is because the Muslim will be rewarded for reading tafsir (explanation and commentary), and a translation is tafsir.
But there is no indication that the person who reads the Quran translation will earn the reward mentioned in the hadith. The bounty of Allah is immense.
And Allah knows best. |
Many countries have had earthquakes, such as Turkey, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan, etc. Does this mean anything (from an Islamic point of view)? | Praise be to Allah.Allah is the All-Wise in all that He legislates and commands
Allah is the All-Wise, All-Knowing in all that He wills and decrees, and He is the All-Wise, All-Knowing in all that He legislates and commands. He creates and decrees whatever signs He wills, to frighten His slaves and remind them of their obligations and duties towards Him, and to warn them against associating anything in worship with Him, going against His commands and doing that which He has forbidden. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We sent not the signs except to warn” [al-Isra 17:59]
“We will show them Our Signs in the universe, and in their own selves, until it becomes manifest to them that this (the Quran) is the truth. Is it not sufficient in regard to your Lord that He is a Witness over all things?” [Fussilat 41:53]
“Say: ‘He has power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another.’” [al-An’am 6:65]
Al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih from Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the verse (interpretation of the meaning) “Say: ‘He has power to send torment on you from above” was revealed, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “A’udhu bi wajhika (I seek refuge in Your Face”; “or from under your feet”, he said, “A’udhu bi wajhika (I seek refuge in Your Face).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, 5/193)
(Abu’l-Shaykh al-Isbahani narrated from Mujahid concerning the Tafsir of this ayah, “Say: ‘He has power to send torment on you from above”: (this means) al-Sayhah (the shout or tumult), stones and strong wind; “or from under your feet”, (means) earthquakes and being swallowed up by the earth.)
Earthquakes are signs from Allah
Undoubtedly the earthquakes that are happening these days are among the signs which Allah uses to frighten His slaves. All the earthquakes and other things which happen and cause harm and injury to people are because of shirk and sins, as Allah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much” [al-Shura 42:30]
“Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself” [al-Nisa 4:79]
And Allah said concerning the nations of the past:
“So We punished each (of them) for his sins, of them were some on whom We sent Hasib (a violent wind with shower of stones) [as on the people of Lut (Lot)], and of them were some who were overtaken by As-Saihah [torment awful cry, (as Thamud or Shu‘ayb’s people)], and of them were some whom We caused the earth to swallow [as Qarun (Korah)], and of them were some whom We drowned [as the people of Nuh (Noah), or Fir‘aun (Pharaoh) and his people]. It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged themselves” [al-‘Ankabut 29:40]
What to do at times of earthquakes
What Muslims and others who are accountable and of sound mind must do is repent to Allah, adhere firmly to His Religion and avoid all that He has forbidden of Shirk and sin, so that they may be safe and attain salvation from all evils in this world and the next, and so that Allah will ward off from them all harm, and bless them with all good. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwa (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes).” [al-A’raf 7:96]
And Allah says concerning the People of the Book (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if only they had acted according to the Tawrah (Torah), the Injil (Gospel), and what has (now) been sent down to them from their Lord (the Quran), they would surely, have gotten provision from above them and from underneath their feet” [al-Maidah 5:66].
And Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment by night while they were asleep? Or, did the people of the towns then feel secure against the coming of Our punishment in the forenoon while they were playing? Did they then feel secure against the Plan of Allah? None feels secure from the Plan of Allah except the people who are the losers.” [al-A’raf 7:97-99]
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Allah sometimes gives the earth permission to breathe, which is when major earthquakes happen; this makes people feel scared, so they repent, give up sins, pray to Allah and feel regret [for their sins]. When there had been an earthquake, some of the Salaf said: your Lord is warning you. When Madinah was struck by an earthquake, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with you) addressed the people and said: if there is another earthquake, I will not stay here with you.”
And there are many similar reports from the Salaf.
Our response when there is an earthquake or some other sign such as an eclipse, strong winds or floods, should be to hasten to repent to Allah and pray to Him for safety, and to remember Him much and seek His forgiveness, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said when there was an eclipse: “If you see anything like that, hasten to remember Him, call on Him and seek His forgiveness.” (Part of an agreed-upon hadith narrated by al-Bukhari (2/30) and Muslim (2/628))
It is also mustahabb (recommended, encouraged) to show compassion to the poor and needy, and to give charity to them, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Show mercy, you will be shown mercy.” (Narrated by Imam Ahmad, 2/165)
“Those who are merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Have mercy on those who are on earth, and the One Who is in heaven will show mercy to you.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud (13/285), al-Tirmidhi (6/43)).
“Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari (5/75), Muslim (4/1809))
It was reported that when there was an earthquake , `Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (may Allah have mercy on him) would write to his governors telling them to give in charity.
One of the things which will help to keep people safe and sound is if the authorities impose an immediate crack-down on the foolish elements in society, forcing them to behave and applying the laws of Shari`ah to them, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The believers, men and women, are Awliya (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma‘ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform As-Salah (Iqamat-as-Salah), and give the Zakah, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise” [al-Tawbah 9:71]
“Verily, Allah will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty. Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) enjoin Iqamat-as-Salah [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salah (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakah and they enjoin Al-Ma‘ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islam has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Quran as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allah rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures).” [al-Hajj 22:40-41]
“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him.” [al-Talaq 65:2-3]
And there are many verses on this topic.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever meets the needs of his brother, Allah will meet his needs.” (Agreed upon; al-Bukhaari, 3/98; Muslim, 4/1996)
And he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever relieves a believer of some of the distress of this world, Allah will relieve him of some of the distress of the Day of Resurrection. Whoever makes things easier for one who is suffering hardship, Allah will make things easier for him in this world and in the Hereafter. Whoever conceals a Muslim’s faults, Allah will conceal his faults in this world and in the Hereafter. Allah will help a person so long as he helps his brother.” (Narrated by Muslim, 4/2074) And there are many hadiths on this topic.
Allah is the One Whom we ask to reform the affairs of all the Muslims and to bless them with proper understanding of Islam and help them to adhere steadfastly to it and repent to Allah from all their sins. We ask Him to reform all those who are in authority over the Muslims’ affairs and to support the Truth and eradicate falsehood through them, and to help them to rule the people according to the laws of Shari`ah, and to protect them and all the Muslims from misguidance and temptation and the tricks of the Shaytan, for He is Able to do all that.
And Allah knows best. |
can you give all the meanings of attributes of allah, including its literal and technical meaning and where it is mentioned in the quran or sunnah | Praise be to Allah.This is a question which needs a very long answer, but we will summarize it as follows:
Firstly, the names of Allaah are not limited to any specific number. We know some of them and do not know others, as is indicated by the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘There is no one among you who, when he is stricken with distress and grief, says, “Allaahumma inni ‘abduka wabnu ‘abdika wabnu amatika naasiyati bi yadika maadin fiyya hukmuka, ‘adlun fiyya qadaa’uka. As’aluka bi kull ismin huwa laka sammayta bihi nafsaka aw allamtahu ahadan min khalqika aw anzaltahu fi kitaabika aw asta’tharta bihi fi ‘ilm il-ghayb ‘indaka an taj’al al-Qur’aana rabee’a qalbi wa noora sadri wa jilaa’a huzni wa dhahaaba hammi [O Allaah, I am Your slave, sone of Your slave and son of Your maidservant, my forelock is in Your hand. Your command over me is forever executed and Your decree over me is just. I ask You by every name belonging to You which You named Yourself with, or You taught to any of Your creation, or revealed in Your Book, or You have preserved in the knowledge of the Unseen with You, that You nmake the Qur’aan the life of my heart and the light of my breast, and a departure for my sorrow and a release for my anxiety]” – but Allaah will remove his distress and his grief, and will give him joy instead…”
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 3582; it is a saheeh hadeeth).
Secondly, The names of Allaah are all husnaa [Most Beautiful], as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allaah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do.”
[al-A’raaf 7:180]
The meaning of al-husnaa implies the utmost beauty, and that each name includes the quality of perfection.
Al-‘Allaamah ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Naasir ibn Sa’di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Many of the names of Allaah have been mentioned in the Qur’aan, according to the context, but we also need to point out their broader meanings, so we say:
The name Rabb (Lord, Cherisher) is repeated in many aayaat. The Rabb is the One Who guides and cares for all of His slaves by managing their affairs and bestowing different kinds of blessings. In a more specific sense, He cares for and guides His friends (devoted slaves) by reforming and setting straight their hearts and souls and attitudes. For this reason, many of their du’aa’s or prayers to Him address Him by this glorious Name, because they are asking Him for this specific kind of care.
The name Allaah refers to the One Who is adored and worshipped, the One Who possesses the attributes of divinity and to whom all His creation is enslaved. The attributes of divinity with which He describes Himself are the attributes of perfection.
Al-Malik (the Sovereign), al-Maalik (the Possessor), Alladhi lahu’l-Mulk (the One to Whom Dominion belongs). Allaah is the One Who is described with the attributes of sovereignty and dominion, which are the qualities of might and pride, subjugation and control. He is the One Who is in absolute control of creation, Who issues commands and Who rewards or punishes. The entire Universe, high and low, belongs to Him. All of them are His servants and slaves, and are utterly dependent on Him.
Al-Waahid (the One), al-Ahad (the Unique). He is the One Who is uniquely and utterly and perfectly One, with no partners in His Uniqueness. His slaves are obliged to believe in His Oneness, in belief and word and deed, by recognizing that He is absolutely perfect and is unique in His oneness, and by directing all kinds of worship to Him Alone.
Al-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). He is the One to Whom all of creation turns for all of their needs, for He is in and of Himself absolutely perfect, in His Names and Attributes and Deeds.
Al-‘Aleem (the All-Knowing), al-Khabeer (the Aware). He is the One Whose Knowledge encompasses all things, seen and unseen, secret and open, everything that is inevitable or impossible or possible, in heaven and on earth, the past, the present and the future. Nothing whatsoever is hidden from Him.
Al-Hakeem (the Wise). He is the One Who has ultimate wisdom, in His creation and in His commands. He is the One Who created everything well.
“… And who is better in judgement than Allaah for a people who have firm Faith.” [al-Maa’idah 5:50 – interpretation of the meaning].
He does not create anything in vain, or legislate anything in jest. He is the One Who has Dominion in this world and the next. His ruling applies in three major spheres, in which none else has any share with Him: He judges between His slaves by means of His Law, His decree and His reward/punishment.
Wisdom: He puts things in their rightful places and gives them their rightful status.
Al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), al-Raheem (the Most Merciful), al-Barr (the Source of Goodness), al-Kareem (the Most Generous), al-Jawaad (the Generous), al-Ra’oof (the Compassionate), al-Wahhaab (the Bestower). These names are all close in meaning, and they all indicate that the Rabb is characterized by mercy, goodness, and generosity. They testify to the vastness of His mercy and other attributes, with which He encompasses all of His creation to the extent that His wisdom decrees, although the greater share is bestowed upon the believers in particular. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“… My Mercy encompasses all things. That (Mercy) I shall ordain for those who are the Muttaqoon (pious)…”
[al-A’raaf 7:156]
Blessings and goodness are all traces of His Mercy and Generosity. The good things of this world and the next are all traces of His Mercy.
Al-Samee’ (the All-Hearing). He hears all voices, in all the different languages, no matter how many and how varied, when they call on Him for their needs.
Al-Baseer (the All-Seeing) Who has insight into all things, not matter how small. He can see a black ant walking across the face of a rock on the darkest night. He can see what is below the seven levels of the earth and what is above the seven heavens. He is the All-Hearing and All-Seeing, Who knows who is deserving of reward or punishment according to His Wisdom.
Al-Hameed (the Praiseworthy), Who is inherently deserving of praise, by His Names, Attributes and deeds. He has the Most Beautiful Names, the most perfect attributes and the most perfect and beautiful deeds. His actions always revolve around munificence and justice.
Al-Majeed (the Most Glorious), al-Kabeer (the Most Great), al-‘Azeem (the Most Great), al-Jaleel (the Sublime One). These Names describe Allaah with attributes of glory, pride, greatness and majesty. He is greater than everything, more mighty, more majestic and more exalted. To Him belong glorification and exaltation in the hearts of His close friends and devoted slaves, whose hearts are filled with veneration of His might and humble submission to His glory.
Al-‘Afuw (the Pardoner), al-‘Ghafoor (the Forgiver), al-Ghaffaar (the All-Forgiving), Who has always been and will always be known for His pardon and forgiveness towards His slaves. Everyone is in need of His pardon and forgiveness, as they are in need of His mercy and generosity. He has promised to forgive and pardon whoever follows the appropriate means. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them (till his death).”
[Ta-Ha 20:82]
Al-Tawwaab (the Acceptor of Repentance). He always accepts the repentance of those who repent and forgives the sins of those who commit sin. Allaah accepts the repentance of everyone who repents to Him sincerely. He is the One Who forgives those who repent, firstly by helping them to repent and causing their hearts to turn towards Him. After they repent, He turns to them and accepts their repentance, pardoning their sins.
Al-Quddoos (the Holy) and al-Salaam (the One Free from all defects). Allaah is far above any attribute of imperfection, and He is above being likened to any of His creation.
“… There is nothing like unto Him…”
[al-Shoora 42:11]
“And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.”
[al-Ikhlaas 112:4]
“… Do you know of any who is similar to Him?…”
[Maryam 19:65]
“… Then do not set up rivals unto Allaah (in worship)…”
[al-Baqarah 2:22]
The names al-Quddoos and al-Salaam reject the idea that He could be lacking in any way, and they imply that He is absolutely perfect in all aspects, because once the idea of imperfection is rejected, this is proof of total perfection.
Al-‘Aliyy (the Exalted), al-A’laa (the Most High). He is the One Who is completely exalted in all aspects, in His essence, in His status, in His attributes and in His dominion. He is the One Who rose over the Throne and Who dominates all things. In all the attributes of might, pride, glory and beauty that are ascribed to Him, He reaches the ultimate level.
Al-‘Azeez (the Almighty), to whom belong all might and power, the power of strength, the power of dominion, the power of invincibility. None of His creatures can harm Him. He has subjugated all that exists, and the whole of creation is under His control and is subject to His might.
Al-Qawiy (the Most Strong), al-Mateen (the Firm One). The meanings of these Names are similar to the meaning of al-‘Azeez.
Al-Jabbaar (the Compeller). This Names includes the meanings of al-‘Aliyy, al-A’laa and al-Qahhaar.
Al-Ra’oof (the Compassionate) means the One Who consoles broken hearts and supports the weak and those who seek His help and turn to Him.
Al-Mutakabbir (the Majestic) is the One Who is above all bad qualities, shortcomings and faults, because of His might and pride.
Al-Khaaliq (the Creator), al-Baari’ (the Inventor of all things), al-Musawwir (the Bestower of forms). He is the One Who has created from nothing all that exists, and formed it by His wisdom, praise be to Him. He has always been and will always be known by this mighty attribute.
Al-Mu’min (the Guardian of Faith), Who is praised for His own sake by His perfect attributes, and by the perfection of His majesty and beauty. He sent His Messengers and revealed His Books with signs and proofs, and confirmed His Messengers with signs and proofs, to confirm the truth of the message they brought.
Al-Muhaymin (the Watcher over His creatures) Who is aware of everything that is hidden and concealed, and Whose knowledge encompasses all things.
Al-Qadeer (the Powerful), Whose power is perfect. By His power He created all things that exist, by His power He is controlling all things and by His power He formed them and perfected them. By His power He gives life and death, and will resurrect His slaves to receive their reward or punishment, so that those who have done well will be rewarded with good, and those who have done evil will be punished. When Allaah wills a thing, He merely says “Be!” and it is. By His power He controls people’s hearts, and He directs them as He wills.
Al-Lateef (the Most Subtle and Courteous), Whose knowledge encompasses everything that is hidden and concealed. He knows everything that is secret and understands the most subtle things. He is Kind to His believing slaves and takes care of their interests by His benevolence and grace, in many ways that they are not even aware of. This Name also shares the meanings of al-Khabeer and al-Ra’oof.
Al-Haseeb (the One Who takes account). He is the One Who is All-Knowing about His slaves. He is Sufficient for those who put their trust in Him, and He rewards or punishes His slaves for good and evil, according to His wisdom. He knows about all their deeds, major and minor.
Al-Raqeeb (the Watchful). He is the One Who watches what is hidden in people’s hearts. “… He Who takes charge of every person and knows all that he has earned” [al-Ra’d 13:33 – interpretation of the meaning]. He protected His creation and set it in motion, running according to the most perfect system and controls.
Al-Hafeez (the Preserver). He is the One Who protects what He has created and encompasses it with His knowledge. He protects His close friends from falling into sin and destruction, and gently protects them when they are active and when they are at rest. He counts the deeds of His slaves and rewards or punishes them accordingly.
Al-Muheet (the Encompasser). He is the One Who encompasses all things with His knowledge, power, mercy and dominion.
Al-Qahhaar (the Subduer). He is the Subduer of all things, to Whom all of creation submits because of His power and strength and the perfection of His Might.
Al-Muqeet (the Provider of sustenance). He gives provision to everything that exists and directs the affairs of all as He wills.
Al-Wakeel (the Trustee). He is the One Who is in a position to run the affairs of His creation, by His knowledge and the perfection of His power and His encompassing wisdom. He is the One Who is taking care of His close friends, making the right way easy for them and causing them to steer clear of the wrong way. He is taking care of all their affairs, and whoever puts his trust in Him will find that He is Sufficient for him.
“Allaah is the Walee (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light…” [al-Baqarah 2:257 – interpretation of the meaning].
Dhoo’l-Jalaali wa’l-Ikraam (Possessor of Majesty and Honour), i.e., the Possessor of Might and Pride, the Possessor of Mercy and Generosity, Who is kind to everyone and to specific individuals. He honours His close friends and devoted worshippers who glorify Him, extol His greatness and love Him.
Al-Wudood (the Loving). He loves His Prophets and Messengers and their followers, and they love Him. He is dearer to them than everything else. He has filled their hearts with love for Him and their tongues utter words of praise to Him. Their hearts are drawn to Him in love and sincerity and they turn in repentance to Him at all times.
Al-Fattaah (the Opener). He judges between His slaves according to His laws, His decrees and His decisions concerning reward and punishment. By His Grace He opens the eyes of those who are sincere, and opens their hearts to know Him, love Him and turn to Him in repentance. He opens the door to all kinds of mercy and provision for His slaves, and generates the causes by means of which they can earn good things in this world and the next.
“Whatever of mercy (i.e., good) Allaah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter…” Faatir 35:2 – interpretation of the meaning]
Al-Razzaaq (the Provider), Who provides for all His slaves. There is no living creature on earth, but Allaah provides for it.
His provision for His slaves is of two types:
General provision, which include the righteous and immoral, the first and the last. This is the provision of physical needs.
Specific provision, which is provision for the heart which is nourished with knowledge and faith, and the halaal provision which helps a person to adhere to religion. This provision is specifically for the believers, and is given to varying degrees according to His wisdom and mercy.
Al-Hakam (the Judge), al-‘Adl (the Just). He judges between His slaves in this world and the next, with His justice and fairness. He does not oppress anyone in the slightest, and no one is made to bear the burden of another person’s sin. He does not punish a person more than he deserves for his sin, he restores to people their rights and does not leave anyone without restoring what is his right. He is just in His running of the universe and in His decision making.
“… Verily, My Lord is on a Straight Path (the truth)…”
[Hood 11:56 – interpretation of the meaning].
Jaami’ al-Naas (Gatherer of the People). He will gather all of mankind on the Day concerning which there is no doubt. He has comprehensive knowledge of their deeds and their provision, and there is nothing, major or minor, that He is not aware of. He will gather every particle of their bodies that has disappeared or been changed into something else, of all the people who have died from the earliest times until the latest times, by the perfection of His power and the vastness of His knowledge.
Al-Hayy (the Ever-Living), al-Qayyoom (the Self-Sustaining). He is completely alive and sustains Himself, and He sustains and cares for the people of heaven and earth. He controls their affairs and provides for them. The name al-Hayy encompasses all the qualities of His essence and the name al-Qayyoom encompasses all the qualities of His deeds.
Al-Noor (the Light). He is the Light of the heavens and of the earth, Who enlightens the hearts of the ‘aarifeen (those who have proper knowledge of Him) with knowledge of Him and fills their hearts with the light of His guidance. He is the One Who illuminates the heavens and the earth with the lights that He has placed therein. His veil is Light and if it were to be removed, everything of His creation as far as He can see would be burnt, may He be glorified.
Badee’ al-Samawaati wa’l-Ard (Originator of the heavens and the earth). He is the One Who created them and formed them with the utmost beauty and with the most magnificent system of organization.
Al-Qaabid (the Constrictor), al-Baasit (the Expander). He is the One Who takes people’s souls, and Who provides them with ample provision and expands their hearts. All of this is in accordance with His Wisdom and Mercy.
Al-Mu’ti (the Giver), al-Maani’ (the Withholder). No-one can withhold what He gives, and no one can give what He withholds. All interests and benefits are sought from Him, and the needs of all are addressed to Him. He is the One Who gives them to whomever He wills and withholds them from whomever He wills, by His Wisdom and Mercy.
Al-Shaheed (the Witness). He is the One Who watches over all things and hears all voices, loud and soft. He sees all that exists, great and small alike. His knowledge encompasses all things, and He is the Witness Who sees all the deeds of His slaves, good and bad alike.
Al-Mubdi’ (the Originator), al-Mu’eed (the Restorer). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And it is He Who originates the creation, then will repeat (after it has perished)…”
[al-Room 30:27]
He initiated their creation, in order to test them as to which of them would be best in deeds, then He will re-create them in order to reward with good those who did well, and punish those who did evil.
He is the One Who initiated His creation in stages, and Who is constantly renewing it.
Al-Fa’’aal lima yureed (the One Who does whatever He wants). This has to do with the perfection of His power and the strength of His will and ability. Everything He wants, He does, with nothing to stop Him and no one to oppose Him, and with no support or help, no matter what it is. If He wants something, all he has to do is say “Be!” and it is. Although He can do whatever He wants, His will operates in conjunction with His Wisdom, may He be praised, so He is described as being completely Able and being Strong of will, but also as being completely Wise in all that He has done and will do.
Al-Ghaniy (the Self-Sufficient), al-Mughni (the Enricher). He is independent in and of Himself, and is completely Independent in all aspects, because of His perfection and the perfection of His attributes. Nothing can undermine His perfection and make Him imperfect in any way whatsoever. He cannot be anything but Self-Sufficient, because this self-sufficiency is one of His essential qualities, just as He cannot be anything but the Creator, the Able, the Provider, the Kind, Who does not need anyone else at all.
He is the Self-Sufficient in Whose hands are the treasures of the heavens and the earth, the treasures of this world and of the Hereafter. He gives His creation enough in general terms so that they do not have to seek help of anyone else, and He gives to specific people of the divine knowledge and realities of faith with which He has filled their hearts.
Al-Haleem (the Forbearing One). He is the One Who showers His creation with blessings both apparent and hidden, in spite of their sins and many mistakes. He is Forbearing and does not punish sinners straight away for their sins. He rebukes them so that they will repent, and gives them time to turn to Him in repentance.
Al-Shaakir (the Grateful), al-Shakoor (the Appreciative). He is the One Who appreciates the smallest deed, and forgives the greatest mistakes. He multiplies beyond measure the deeds of those who are sincere; He appreciates those who give thanks to Him, and He remembers those who remember Him. Whoever draws near to Him with something of righteous deeds, He draws near to him by more than that.
Al-Qareeb (the Ever-Near), al-Mujeeb (the Responsive). Allaah, may He be glorified, is near to everyone, and His nearness is of two types:
His nearness to everyone in a general sense, through His knowledge, watching, awareness and witnessing, which encompass all things.
His nearness in a specific sense, to His slaves, those who ask help of Him and those who love Him. The true nature of this closeness cannot be understood, but its effects may be seen in His kindness towards His slave, and His care, support and help of him. Another of its effects is His response to those who call on Him and His acceptance of the repentance of those who worship Him. He is also the One Who responds in a specific way to those who respond to Him and follow His religion. He also responds to those who are in need and to those who no longer have any hope in any of His creation, and who put their trust in Him, hoping for His pleasure and fearing His wrath.
Al-Kaafi (the Sufficient). He is the One Who gives His slaves all that they need. More specifically, He is Sufficient for the one who believes in Him and puts his trust in Him and asks Him for all that he needs in worldly and spiritual terms.
Al-Awwal (the First), al-Aakhir (the Last); al-Zaahir (the Manifest), al-Baatin (the Hidden). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this in a clear and comprehensive fashion when he said, addressing his Lord: “You are the First, and there is nothing before You; You are the Last, and there is nothing after You. You are the Manifest and there is nothing above You; You are the Hidden and there is nothing beneath You.”
Al-Waasi’ (the All-Encompassing). His attributes and qualities, and everything that has to do with Him, are all-encompassing in such a way that no one can praise Him as He deserves, but He is as He praised Himself, vast in power, might and dominion, and vast in grace and kindness, and vast in generosity and munificence.
Al-Haadi (the Guide), al-Rasheed (the Guide to the Right Path). He is the One Who guides His slaves and shows them the way to all that will benefit them, and protects them from all that will harm them. He teaches them what they do not know, and guides them to the true guidance which will help them and set them straight. He fills them with taqwa (piety) and causes their hearts to turn to Him, in response to His command.
The name al-Rasheed has a meaning akin to that of al-Hakeem: He is Wise in word and deed, and all His laws are good and wise. His creation testifies to His wisdom.
Al-Haqq (the Truth). He is true in and of Himself and in His attributes. His existence is undeniable, and His attributes are perfect. His existence is one of His essential qualities (He cannot but exist), and nothing else can exist except through Him. He is the One Who has always been and will always be described with attributes of majesty, beauty and perfection. He has always been and will always be known for His Kindness. His words are truth; the meeting with Him is truth; His Messengers are truth; His Books are truth; His religion is the Truth; the worship of Him Alone, with no partners or associates, is the Truth; everything that has to do with Him is truth. Allaah is the Truth and whatever else they claim to be divine besides Him is false. Allaah is the Most High, the Most Great, as He says (interpretation of the meanings):
“And say: ‘The Truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve…”
[al-Isra’ 18:29].
“… So, after the truth, what else can there be, save error?…”
[Yoonus 10:32]
“And say: ‘Truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Surely, falsehood is ever bound to vanish.’”[al-Isra’ 17:81] |
They are building a nightclub in my
community and we have tried to no avail to stop this. This will bring great immorality and
corruption to our community, both to Muslims and non-Muslims. According to the shari'ah,
is it allowed to destroy this place if no one is caught and the owner will lose all the
money he invested in it. Is this an acceptable form of reducing evil as commanded in the
Quran? | Praise be to Allah.We put this question to our shaykh, Shaykh Abd al-Rahmaan
al-Barraak, who answered as follows:
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Let there arise out
of you a group inviting to all that is good, enjoining al-Maruf (Islamic monotheism
and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbidding al-munkar (polytheism and all that
Islam has forbidden) [Aal Imraan 3:104].
The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
Whoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand [by taking
action against it], and if he cannot, then with his tongue [by speaking out against it],
and if he cannot, then with his heart [by feeling that it is wrong], and this is the
weakest of faith. (Reported by Muslim, no. 70).
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): So
keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can [al-Taghaabun 64:16].
With regard to the evil thing that you mention in the question, you should
try to change it or get rid of it as much as you can, so that you eliminate it or at least
reduce it. This can be done by taking the matter to the people in authority who have the
power to eliminate it or move it to another area, or by talking to the owner of the site
and asking him to stop investing in evil which will only cause harm to him in this world
and the next, and to invest in something that will be of benefit to him and the people
living in the neighbourhood, without causing them any harm in either their spiritual or
worldly affairs.
As for taking action by destroying the nightclub, as mentioned in the
question, this is not permitted, even if the one who does this is sure he will not get
caught. The evil resulting from such an action is too great, such as the destruction of
property which is it not permissible to destroy, and the accusation and torture of
innocent people that is bound to happen during the investigation of the incident.
Moreover, the owners of the nightclub may not give up, and are most likely to try again to
build the place. Beware, my zealous brother, of being too hasty to change evil things
without thinking about the consequences. It is a good job that you asked this question so
that matters might become clear to you, which they surely are now. And Allaah is the Guide
to the Straight Path. |
I have a question about shaving hairs below navel. I don't know how far down to go. Should the hairs from the testicles be also removed. Please shed some light on this.
And what about women are they also suppose to shave their hairs? | Praise be to Allah.We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows:
In the Name of Allaah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. This is not part of the Sunan al-Fitrah, but if there are too many hairs then they should be removed, so that they do not get contaminated with any impurity when using the toilet.
There are reports in the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which indicate that the pubic hairs should be removed, as it was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The fitrah consists of five things, one of which is removing the pubic hairs. (Reported by al-Bukhaari).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also set a time limit of forty days, and the hair should not be left any longer than that,because of the hadeeth of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: He set us a time limit of no more than forty days for trimming the moustache, clipping the nails, plucking the armpit hairs and shaving the pubic hair. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 10/284 and Muslim, 1/222).
The fuqaha discussed the proper etiquette of removing the pubic hair and said that it is mustahabb to start shaving the pubic hair from beneath the navel, and to start on the right hand side, and one should also be concealed from the sight of others when doing this. One should also bury and hair or nail clippings removed.
The reasons behind removing this dirty hair could also be applied to the hair on the testicles and around the anus, if impurity (najaasah) gets attached to it, because the purpose it to be comepletly clean and pure and keep away from anything that may cause dirt and impurities to cling to the body. In this case, removing this hair is a good thing. With the regard to women, the rulings on removing the pubic hair are the same as the rulings for men. And Allaah knows best. |
Assalaau Alaykum,
My dear respected Shaikh,
I am an undergraduate student studiying in the field of Computer Engineering in University of XXXXX . InshaAllah I will be graduating next year. Alhamdulillah I am married and expecting a kid very soon ! InshaAllah. Alhamdulillah I make efforts to gain knowledge and implement it upon the way of Salaf-us-Salih and I know this is the right way . But there is one thing I do not reallyunderstand : that is the issue of Jihaad. InshaAllah please do clarify this for me in the following context:
1. My obligation with regards to Jihaad
2. The meaning of the Hadith : Whoever dies and did not fight in battle, nor did he have the sincere wish to fight in battle, dies on a branch of hypocrisy. [Muslim]
3. How do I prepare for Jihaad.
4. How should I weigh the affair between gaining knowledge, Da'waf and Jihaad.
I would also like to know what the major Ulama say with regards to this.
Jazakallahu Khairan. | Praise be to Allah.Imaam Muslim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Saheeh: Chapter: Condemnation of the one who dies without having gone out for jihaad or having thought of doing so. Then he quoted the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: Whoever dies without having gone out for jihaad or having thought of doing so, dies on a branch of hypocrisy.
(Saheeh Muslim, 3533).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: What is meant is that the one who does this is behaving, in this regard, like the hypocrites who stay behind and do not go out for jihaad, because not engaging in jihaad is one of the branches of hypocrisy. This hadeeth also indicates that the one who intended to do an act of worship but died before he could do it is not to be condemned to the same extent as one who died without any such intention.
Al-Sindi said, in his footnotes to Sunan al-Nisaa'i: without having thought of [it] means without having said to himself, I wish I could go out for jihaad. Or it could mean that he did not intend to go out for jihaad, and the sign of intending to go out for jihaad is preparing equipment. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And if they had intended to march out, certainly they would have made some preparation for it [al-Tawbah 9:64].
A person can prepare himself for jihaad in many ways, such as:
Learning the virtues of jihaad and the rulings concerning it;
preparing oneself with different kinds of acts of worship;
training oneself to make sacrifices;
forcing oneself to prefer others to oneself;
spending for the sake of Allaah;
studying and reading the biographies of mujaahideen and heroes of Islam;
studying Islamic battles;
constantly telling oneself that if jihaad is established and one has the means and is able to go for jihaad, there is no choice but to enlist;
knowing how sinful it is to run away from the battlefield or flee before the kuffaar;
studying the Seerah (biography) of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) during both the Makkan and Madani periods, and studying his battles and campaigns, to see how he conducted the jihaad in the context of his own circumstances, what he started with and how he prepared himself;
understanding that jihaad has to go through stages, beginning with the nearest enemy, until one reaches the stage of being able to fight all the mushrikeen;
being aware of the movements of hypocrisy;
waging jihaad on four fronts against ones own nafs or base self, against the Shaytaan, against the kuffaar and against the hypocrites;
understanding the importance of waging jihaad with ones wealth as well as with ones self.
Know, my brother, that it is not difficult to combine jihaad with dawah, because each of them has its own time and place. When the mujaahideen were waging their conquests, they used to call people to Allaah before the battle started. When they conquered a country, they would call its people to Islam and teach them the religion. When there was no battle or jihaad going on, the doors of dawah were still wide open, and they would make dawah to their wives, children, relatives, neighbours and all people, Muslim and non-Muslim, calling them with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and arguing with them in a way that is better. May Allaah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. |
As-salaa-mu 'alai-kum
I would like to convert to Islam but I have my reservations on food,
especially pork. I am still staying with my Chinese parents whereby pork is a very regular
dish. If I were to convert and still stay at home, I am afraid that I may take pork cooked
with say chicken without my knowledge.
During family get-together dinners/functions, try as I can, I having been
trying to avoid the pork dish and I can just ask for God's forgiveness when I cannot avoid
it. If I were to convert and later have to consume pork, can I still ask for God's
forgiveness?
I am really very disturbed with this issue and appreciate your advice.
Thank you. | Praise be to Allah.There is no blessing in this world like embracing Islam, and there is no
misfortune, sin or tribulation in this world like staying in kufr (disbelief). The created
being must enter the religion of the Creator, and not wish for any other religion except
Islam. The Creator knows the situation of His creatures and understands their inabilities,
weaknesses, forgetfulness and mistakes, and so He forgives us for mistakes that are made
unintentionally. Allaah does not ask anyone to do anything that is beyond his abilities,
as he says (interpretation of the meaning): Allaah burdens not a person beyond
his scope [al-Baqarah 2:286]. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: Allaah will forgive my ummah for their mistakes, and for
what they forget, and for what they are forced to do. (Reported by Ibn
Maajah, 2033; see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 1731).
What you have mentioned in your question that you
may eat something haraam without realizing is not something for which you will be
punished. As long as you are going to do your best to avoid what Allaah has prohibited
which is what you have indicated in your question then there is no sin on
you. Even if a person does commit a haraam deed, Islam still offers a way out from every
sin, in the form of repentance, remorse, determination not to repeat the sin, and seeking
forgiveness from Allaah. This guarantees that the sin will be erased. So go ahead with
determination, and do not hesitate. Allaah will be with you and will not let you down so
long as you are following the religion with which He is pleased. May Allaah help you and
keep you on the Straight Path. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.. |
As-Salaamu Alaikum Ya noble Shaikh,
I have a question in regards to one of your answers. I have a first name
followed by the first and last name of my father, unfortunately I was born out of wedlock.
My mother wasn't muslim at this time 25 years ago, but has just become muslim this year(Al
hamdu lillah). My question is would I still have to change my name to my mothers first
name and family name even though when she did this sin she had never heard about Islam.
Wouldn't this cause people to slander her and cause people to disrespect my mother and
myself? Whatever is the right thing to do I submit to Allah Ta'ala. Please answer this
question it is very important to me and my mother. May Allah bless you for teaching people
the Deen you have helped me tremendously through your answers and kind words. JazakAllah
Khair Wa Salaamu alaikum! | Praise be to Allah.In this case you do not have to call yourself after your mother so long as
this will cause embarrassment and pain. It is sufficient for you to add any other names
you may choose to your name, so long as you do not keep the name of the man who fathered
you out of wedlock. So for example you could call yourself Ibraaheem ibn Abd-Allaah
ibn Abd al-Rahmaan, or Yoosuf ibn Abd-Allaah ibn Hammaam, and so on. May
Allaah bless us and you with strength and goodness. |
first i wish to state that this q&a is very beneficial to the ummah mash'Allah and we hope you and your helpers will receive the best reward in this world and the next.
my question is on behalf of a muslim young man. he is mash'Allah a sincere seeming and knowledgeable muslim who follows islam to the best of his ability and upon the correct aqeedah. he lives alone with his divorced mother whose does not follow islam thoroughly and engages in very unislamic activities sometimes. i know both him and his mother and they are very close and very kind but i see that the son i sometimes put in situations that are extremely stressful for him and i cannot advise him properly. a few examples of these situations include the mother going out of the house in shorts and the son hating this shame but walking with her for fear that she will be accosted, or the mother being overly freindly with male acquaintances in the western manner, or going to dinner and sitting at a table where alcohol is being consumed though the mother does not consume it. there are various other types of scenarios that try this brother such as his mothers' friends advocating every kind of bidah. he does say what is wrong and try to give dawah to his mother but it is usually ignored as "extremism" or "from the stone age". please advise, my freind is confided in me only that he feels like a dirty "dayouth" and wants to know if staying with his mother is the correct thing given such behavior on her part. he errs on the side of staying with his mother even when she is adamant about wearing unislamic clothing for fear of her being molested be some stranger. also he did not tell me of these things and reveal his families faults, rather it is evident for those arouind to see as well as for me to see as his friend. please help and mat Allah ta'Aalaa reward you with the good. | Praise be to Allah.There is no doubt that the story you have told us is
very sad and moving, especially when we see someone suffering because
the person who is closest to him is lacking in terms of religion.
But ‘Allaah (Alone) is Sufficient
for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs for us.’ [Aal- ‘Imraan
3:173 – interpretation of the meaning] ‘Truly, to Allaah we belong and
truly, to Him we shall return.’ [al-Baqarah 2:156 – interpretation of
the meaning].
This brother should remember that honouring
one’s parents is one of the most important duties that human beings
have towards one another, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): “And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to
his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness
and hardship, and his weaning is in two years – give thanks to Me and
to your parents, - unto Me is the final destination. But if they
(both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others of
which you have no knowledge, then obey them not, but behave with them
in the world kindly…” [Luqmaan 31:14-15]. These mushrik parents
were doing their utmost to make their son associate partners with Allaah,
yet in spite of that Allaah commanded the son to maintain a relationship
with them and behave kindly with them in this world. So you are
also obliged to treat your mother well, advise her to give up her bad
behaviour, explain to her how sinful her deeds are and what punishment
awaits her if she does not stop. If she responds, then praise
be to Allaah. If she does not, then keep away from her in a good way;
do not mix with her in ways that will adversely affect your religion,
but do not upset her either. Behave with her in the world kindly,
and continue to advise her from time to time. Your keeping away
from her will not be a sin, if you do it for the sake of Allaah and
in opposition to something wrong.
(See the response of Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Uthaymeen
in Fataawaa Islamiyyah,
4/196; al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah fi Fataawaa
Islamiyyah (Standing Committee on Islamic Fatwas), 4/204;
Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen in Fataawaa
al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, 2/957)
In conclusion therefore, if your staying with her will
benefit her by increasing her religious commitment and eemaan, her adherence
to Islamic duties and her avoidance of haraam deeds – or at least reduce
her involvement in such activities – because she feels that she is being
watched, for example, or because this will keep bad people away from
her, and this will not cause you any harm at the same time, then stay
with her in the hope of earning reward for whatever efforts you make,
and Allaah will reward you for your patience. If you have already
tried your utmost, to no avail, and have found that you are not making
progress in any of the ways referred to above, and staying with her
will have an adverse effect on your own religious commitment or reputation,
then there is no sin on you if you keep away from her, as stated above,
so long as you continue to check on her from time to time, to pay attention
to her needs and to advise her. We ask Allaah to bless you with patience
and reward you for your efforts, for He is the best of supporters and
helpers. |
Assalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatu 'Llahi wa
barakatuh Please explain salatul Al-Awaabin and the daleel that supports it. I
cannot locate a hadith about this salah. Jazzakallahu Khayrun | Praise be to Allah.Salaat al-Awwaabeen is otherwise known as Salaat al-Duhaa, and may consist
of 2, 4, 6 or 8 rakahs, prayed after the sun has risen and before the time for Zuhr
approaches. It is better to delay it until the day is hotter, the evidence for which is as
follows:
From Zayd ibn Arqam who said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out to the people of Qubaa and
found them praying. He said: Salaat al-Awwaabeen is when the young camels lift up
their feet (because of the heat of the sand). (Reported by Muslim,
1238).
According to a report narrated by Imaam Ahmad from Zayd ibn Arqam, the
Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to or entered the mosque at
Qubaa after the sun had risen, and found the people there praying. He said:
Salaat al-Duhaa should be prayed when the young camels lift up their feet (because
of the heat of the sand).
According to a report narrated by Muslim from al-Qaasim al-Shaybaani, Zayd
ibn Arqam saw some people praying Duhaa and said: Do they not know that praying at
some other time than this is better? The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: Salaat al-Awwaabeen is when the young camels lift up their
feet (because of the heat of the sand). (Saheeh Muslim, 1237).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The phrase
Salaat al-Awwaabeen is when the young camels lift up their feet (because of the heat
of the sand) refers to when the sand becomes unbearably hot from the suns
heat, and burns the soles of the young camels feet, so they alternately raise and
lower their feet in response to the heat of the sand. Al-Awwaab means
one who is obedient, or one who turns to obedience. The hadeeth also refers to the best
time to offer this prayer, although it is permissible to pray it any time after the sun
has risen and before it reaches its zenith. (Sharh Muslim lil-Nawawi). And Allaah knows best. |
A salamou alaykom wa rahmatou allahi wa
barakatouhou, I am Muslim, Morrocan and have been studying in xxx for 5 years. During my
study, I met a chinese girl and fell in love with her for 2 years. I have to say that I
commited zinna with her often. Few months ago, she converted to islam and now I really
want to marry her ala sunnati allahi wa rasoulihi. Am I allowed to do so? Is there any
special procedure? Jazakomou allahou khayran. | Praise be to Allah.Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And come not near
to the unlawful sexual intercourse (zinaa). Verily it is a faahishah (a great sin) and an
evil way.” [al-Israa’ 17:32]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Allaah says,
forbidding His slaves to commit zinaa, to approach it or to put themselves in situations
that may lead to it or tempt them to it: ‘And come not near to the unlawful sexual
intercourse. Verily it is a faahishah’ i.e., a great sin, and ‘an evil
way’ i.e., a bad way of behaving.”
Imaam Ahmad said: “Yazeed ibn Haaroon told us that Jareer told us
that Saleem ibn ‘Aamir told us, from Abu Umaamah that a young man came to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: ‘O Messenger of Allaah,
grant me permission to commit zinaa.’ The people turned to him and told him off,
saying, ‘Ssh!’ The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: ‘Come closer,’ so he came closer. He told him, ‘Sit down,’ so he
sat down. He asked him, ‘Would you like this for your mother?’ He said,
‘No, by Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah. May Allaah cause me to be sacrificed for
you!’ He said: ‘No people would like it for their mothers.’ He asked him,
‘Would you like this for your daughter?’ He said, ‘No, by Allaah, O
Messenger of Allaah. May Allaah cause me to be sacrificed for you!’ He said: ‘No
people would like it for their daughters.’ He asked him, ‘Would you like this
for your sister?’ He said, ‘No, by Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah. May Allaah
cause me to be sacrificed for you!’ He said: ‘No people would like it for their
sisters.’ He asked him, ‘Would you like this for your paternal aunt?’ He
said, ‘No, by Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah. May Allaah cause me to be sacrificed for
you!’ He said: ‘No people would like it for their paternal aunts.’ He asked
him, ‘Would you like this for your maternal aunt?’ He said, ‘No, by Allaah,
O Messenger of Allaah. May Allaah cause me to be sacrificed for you!’ He said:
‘No people would like it for their maternal aunts.’ The Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) put his hand on him and said: ‘O Allaah, forgive him
his sin, purify his heart and make him chaste.’ After that, the young man never paid
attention to anything of that nature.”
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And those who
invoke not any other god along with Allaah, not kill such life as Allaah has forbidden,
except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse – and whoever does this
shall receive the punishment. The torment shall be doubled to him on the Day of
Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; except those who repent and believe,
and do righteous deeds, for those, Allaah will change their sins into good deeds, and
Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And whosoever repents and does righteous good
deeds, then verily, he repents towards Allaah with sincere repentance.” [al-Furqaan
25:68-71]
It is not permitted for a man guilty of zinaa to marry a woman who is
similarly guilty unless both of them repent sincerely to Allaah, may be He be glorified,
so that they will no longer be described as being guilty of zinaa. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): “Let no man guilty of adultery or fornication
marry any but a woman similarly guilty, or an unbeliever: not let any but a such a man or
an unbeliever marry such a woman: to the Believers, such a thing is forbidden.”
[al-Noor 24:3]
So you must repent sincerely to Allaah, and follow this kabeerah
(major sin) with many good deeds, so that Allaah may forgive you. If you are both sincere
in your repentance and adhere to the laws of Allaah from now on, there is nothing wrong
with your marrying her. Allaah forgives the one who repents. |
What are the regulations concerning the ‘iddah of a widow?
I have been told that she cannot leave her husband's house at all during the 4 months and 10 days, but others say she must only be careful to leave only for true needs and must never sleep away from her husband's house during this time.
I have also been told that she cannot wash or comb her hair. The latter especially seems contrary to Islam regarding cleanliness.
A detailed response would be greatly appreciated. Jazakum Allahu khayran | Praise be to Allah.How long should a woman mourn her husband?
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
And those of you who die and leave wives behind them, they (the wives) shall wait (as regards their marriage) for four months and ten days, then when they have fulfilled their term, there is no sin on you if they (the wives) dispose of themselves in a just and honourable manner (i.e., they can marry). And Allah is Well-Acquainted with what you do. [Al-Baqarah 2:234]
And those of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath for their wives a year’s maintenance and residence without turning them out, but if they (wives) leave, there is no sin on you for that which they do of themselves, provided it is honourable (e.g., lawful marriage). And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. [Al-Baqarah 2:240]
Umm `Atiyyah reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: No woman should mourn for a dead person for more than three days , except for a husband, (in which case the period of mourning is) four months and ten days . She should not wear any coloured clothes, only simple dress. She should not apply kohl to her eyes, or use perfume, except for a little qust or izfar (types of perfume), when she cleans herself after finishing her period. (Muslim, 2739)
Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan reported that when the news of her father’s death reached her, she called for some perfume and wiped it on her forearms, and said: I do not need it, but I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: It is not permitted for a woman who believes in Allah and the Last Day to mourn for any dead person for more than three days, except for a husband, (in which case the period of mourning is) four months and ten days. (Al-Bukhari, 4926)
Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: The woman whose husband has (recently) died should not wear clothes dyed with safflower or mishq (a reddish clay), or dye her hair, or use kohl. (Al-Nasai, 3479, and others)
Zaynab bint Ka’b ibn ‘Ujrah reported that al-Furayyah bint Malik ibn Sinan, the sister of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, told her that she came to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and asked him whether she should go back to her people among Banu Khudrah. Her husband had gone out in pursuit of some rebellious slaves of his, and when he caught up with them at the edge of al-Qadum, they killed him. She said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) whether I should go back to my family, because my husband had not left me a place to live that belonged to him, or any money for provisions. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said yes, so I started to leave, and I had reached the hujrah (room) or the mosque, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called me or told someone to call me. So I came back, and he asked me, What did you say? I repeated the story I had told him about my husband. He said: Stay in your house for the specified length of time. So I spent my `iddah there, four months and ten days. At the time of ‘Uthman, he sent word to me asking about this, so I told him, and he followed what I said and judged in accordance with it. Muhammad ibn Bashshar told us that Yahya ibn Sa’id informed us that Sa’d ibn Ishaq ibn Ka'b ibn ‘Ujrah informed us of something similar. Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said: This is a sahih hasan hadith. The majority of scholars among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and others followed this hadith and did not allow a widow to move out of her husband’s home until her `iddah was over. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 1125)
How should a widow observe her `iddah?
On the basis of the texts quoted above, the scholars have defined the rules governing widows and described how the widow's mourning should affect her life. These rules may be summed up as follows:
It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to use perfume, whether on her body or on her clothes
It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to adorn herself with things like henna or facial make-up, or to use kohl unnecessarily, or to use anything else that may make her beautiful and attractive to others.
It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to wear attractive clothes, such as clothes dyed with safflower or saffron, or other types of red dyes and colours that are used for adornment.
It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to wear jewellery.
It is forbidden for the recently-widowed woman to spend the night outside her own home , meaning the home of her deceased husband, except for some Islamically legitimate reason, such as her being afraid for her own safety, or being evicted by the landlord of rented premises, etc. If a recently-widowed woman needs to go out for medical treatment, to attend legal proceedings in court, to take exams in school , or to go shopping when she has no-one who can do this for her, then she should do these things during the day, so long as she comes back home to her husband’s house before Maghrib (sunset).
She is forbidden to marry or draw up a marriage contract; even engagement is forbidden, unless it is merely hinted at and not stated clearly.
From the above, it is clear that Islam gives the husband immense rights. The wife should give up wearing adornments and perfume, and should stay in her husband’s home during this period because of those rights. These rules also pay attention to her psychological state at this time when she has lost her support.
Even though these rules are so clear, many people have still fallen prey to many different kinds of bid`ah when it comes to mourning, so they forbid a woman to do things that are not forbidden in Islam, and they fabricate lies and introduce bid`ah into the Religion of Allah.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-’Aziz ibn Baz said:
“Some people may think and imagine that a recently widowed woman should not speak to anyone, or speak to anyone on the telephone, or have a bath more than once a week, or walk barefoot in her house, or go outside in the moonlight, or other such nonsense which has no basis. But in fact she is allowed to walk barefoot or with shoes in her house, to do whatever she needs to in her house, to cook food for herself and her guests, to walk in the moonlight on the roof or in the garden of her house, to take a bath whenever she wants, to speak to whomever she wants so long as it is decent talk, to shake hands with other women and with her mahram relatives (close relatives such as father, brother, etc.) but not with non-mahrams, and to remove her head covering so long as there are no non-mahrams present. She should not use henna, saffron or perfume, and she is not allowed to get engaged. A hint is permissible but not a clear statement. And Allah is the source of strength.” (Fatawa Islamiyah, 3/316)
Ruling on wearing black in mourning for the dead
Shaykh ‘Abd-Allah ibn Jibrin said:
“Wearing black to mourn the deceased is a form of bid`ah , and the wives of the deceased only need to avoid fancy clothes, adornment, jewellery, makeup and perfume during the mourning period. Neglecting regular work during the mourning period is also a form of bid`ah. The recently widowed woman should still take care of cooking, cleaning, washing dishes, laundry, etc., and there is no sin involved in doing so. And Allah knows best. (Al-Lulu al-Makin, 39)
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin said:
“Wearing special clothes to accept condolences is a form of bid`ah, in our opinion, because it could indicate that one is discontent with the decree of Allah, may He be glorified. (Fatawaa al-Ta’ziyah, 38)
He also said:
“Wearing black as a sign of mourning is a false symbol that has no basis. At times of bereavement a person should do what is taught by Islam, which is to say: Inaa Lillahi wa innaa ilayhi raji’un. Allahumma’jurni fi musibati wakhluf li khayran minha (To Allah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allah, recompense me for my affliction and replace it for me with something better). As regards wearing some special clothing, such as wearing black and so on, this has no basis, and it is false and reprehensible conduct.” (Fatawa Islamiyah, 3/313)
And Allah knows best. |
My mother-who is non moslem- has cut off
ties with me for 13 years If I write she doesn't respond and she disconnected her
telephone. Although I know her present adress I fear that if I go there she 'll change her
residence as she had done before
She has a history of mental illness &has been hospitalized severals
times When she is at home she prefers to be "left alone"
Whenever someone speaks well of me -to try to reconcile us - she accuses
them of taking sides with me, gets angry and criticizes the person.
Since she has voiced objection to Islam on different occasions' I feel
that it is really my reversion to islam which disturbs her
Please advice me ! may Allah reward you | Praise be to Allah.The sincere believer knows that one of the things that Allaah does is
to test His slaves by means of various kinds of trials in order to demonstrate their
patience and virtue, and to raise their status, to increase their reward for their
steadfastness, and to test their sincerity in following the truth. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): And surely, We shall try you till We test those
who strive hard (for the Cause of Allaah) and the patient ones, and We shall test your
facts (i.e., the one who is a liar, and the one who is truthful). [Muhammad 47:31].
Among the different types of test are the various means which the mushrikeen may employ to
try to make a believer give up his faith, so they may apply psychological pressure to
annoy him and make him go back to kufr. Allaah, may He be glorified, has mentioned this in
His Book and has pointed out how we should respond. He tells us (interpretation of the
meaning): You shall certainly be tried and tested in your wealth and properties
and in your personal selves, and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from
those who received the Scripture before you (Jews and Christians) and from those who
ascribe partners to Allaah, but if you persevere patiently, and become al-muttaqoon
(pious), then verily, that will be a determining factor in all affairs, and that is from
the great matters, [which you must hold on to with all your efforts] [Aal
Imraan 3:186].
If what is being said or done by others is causing too much
psychological pain, then how much worse must it be when it is done by the closest of
people, one with whom you share ties of flesh and blood, the mother who gave birth to you?
The hurt caused by those who are related to you is more bitter
and painful/ to the soul than the blow of a sword. [poetry]
But when the believer is exposed to the most painful attacks from the
closest of people to him, he does not give in or retreat; he follows the Quraan in
his dealings with the mother who is hurting him or cutting him off and turning away from
him. This is illustrated in the following story:
Musab ibn Sad ibn Abi Waqqaas reported from his
father the mother of Sad swore that she would not speak to him, or eat or
drink, until he renounced his religion (Islam) and became a kaafir. She said, You
claim that Allaah tells you to honour and respect your parents. I am your mother and I am
telling you to do this. She stayed like that for three days, until she fell
unconscious from exhaustion. One of her sons, whose name was Umaarah, got up and
gave her water to drink, and she began to pray against Sad. Then Allaah revealed the
following aayah of the Quraan (interpretation of the meaning): And We have
enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents But if they (both) strive
with you to make you join in worship with Me other of which you have no knowledge, the
obey them not, but behave with them in the world kindly [Luqmaan 31:14, 15].
(Reported by Muslim, 4432).
The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) also suffered rejection at the hands of some of those who were most closely related
to him, such as his paternal uncle Abu Lahab, but this did not stop him from spreading the
message and conveying the religion, despite the harshness of the opposition. Rabeeah
ibn Abbaad al-Dayli, who later became Muslim, said: I saw the Messenger of
Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with my own eyes in the
marketplace of Dhool-Majaaz, saying, O people, say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah
and you will prosper. He was going through the alleyways of the market, and the
people were gathering around him. I did not see anyone saying anything, and he did not
stop saying, O people, say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah and you will prosper.
Behind him there was a man with a squint and a handsome face, and his hair in two braids,
saying, He is a Sabian and a liar. I asked, Who is this? They
said, Muhammad ibn Abd-Allaah, who is saying that he is a Prophet. I
asked, Who is this who is denouncing him? They said, His paternal uncle
Abu Lahab. (Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 15448).
So, my sister, you should hold fast to your religion and
honour and respect your mother as Allaah commands. If she turns away from you and rejects
your kind treatment, there will be no sin on you, even if this hurts you, because you are
following the true guidance. Bear this with patient perseverance, for you are on the right
path of truth. And Allaah is the Source of strength. |
Is it a must to wash your hair after intercourse to be considered clean? | Praise be to Allah.Can you do ghusl without washing hair?
Washing the hair when doing ghusl (full ablution) after having intercourse is obligatory. The evidence for that is the hadith narrated by ‘Aishah who said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did ghusl after having intercourse, he would start by washing his hands, then he would pour water with his right hand onto his left hand and wash his private parts, then he would do wudu as for prayer, then he would take the water and put his fingers in his hair till he reached the roots, and when he saw that the water had reached the roots, he would pour water over his head three times. Then he poured water over the rest of his body, then he washed his feet. (Muslim, 474)
Shaykh Ibn Uthaymin said in his commentary on Bulugh al-Maram (p. 399):
“This also indicates that it is obligatory to make the water reach the roots of the hair when doing ghusl after intercourse, and if the hair is thick , one does this by putting one's fingers in one's hair and pouring water over one's head three times after the water has reached the roots of the hair.
Does a woman have to undo her braid when doing ghusl?
This ruling does not differentiate between men and women , but the scholars did discuss undoing the hair if it is braided, in the case of women who do ghusl after intercourse and after finishing their period.
The most correct view is that it is not obligatory to undo braided hair . The evidence for this is the hadith of Umm Salamah, who said: I said, O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who braids her hair, should I undo it to do ghusl after having intercourse? (According to another report, she said: and after my period?) He said, No. It is enough for you to pour water on your head three times. ( Muslim)
Further evidence is to be seen in the hadith of ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr, who said: ‘Aishah heard that ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar was commanding women to undo their braids when they did ghusl. She said, “This is very strange on the part of Ibn ‘Umar! He is telling women to undo their braids when they do ghusl. Why doesn’t he tell them to shave their heads?!” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and I used to do ghusl using one vessel, and I never did more than pour water on my head three times. (Muslim, 331)
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin said in his commentary on Bulugh al-Maram (p. 406):
“This hadith speaks about women doing ghusl: do they have to undo these braids and wash what is underneath them or not? The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained that it is not obligatory to undo them every time, because this is too difficult, especially in the case of ghusl after intercourse. There is a difference of scholarly opinion on the matter. Some scholars said that it is obligatory for women to undo their braids when doing ghusl after their periods, but not when doing ghusl after having intercourse. The difference between the two is obviously that ghusl after intercourse is done frequently, and it would be too difficult for a woman to undo her braids in the morning and put them back in the evening or vice versa, but ghusl following one’s period is usually done only once a month, so it is easy for a woman to undo her braids for this purpose.”
And Allah knows best. |
AS-Salam Alaykum,
Is it permissible for a man to marry his uncles wife after their
divorce? What would his rights be towards the kids, since they are his cousins? Thanking
you. Allah's blessing be on you. | Praise be to Allah.A man is permitted to marry the wife of his maternal uncle, if they
divorce and after she has completed her iddah (waiting-period after divorce). An
uncles wife is not a mahram (close relative to whom marriage is permanently
forbidden), so there is nothing wrong with marrying her. But it is forbidden for a man to
have any kind of haraam relationship with his uncles wife. Shaytaan could make
something that is bad appear attractive to them, so it is essential to exercise caution.
Also, it is not permitted to make her hate her husband so that she will get divorced and
one can then marry her. One should try to reconcile and reunite, not destroy and break up.
In principle, it is better for the children to stay with their father and mother in one
family unit, unless the interests of shareeah in this case dictate otherwise. If the
worst comes to the worst, and they get divorced, and there is no suspicion about your role
in all this, then there is nothing wrong with marrying the woman who has been divorced by
your uncle. Your treatment of your uncles children (your cousins), if they should
come under your care, should be fair and proper, based on the ties of kinship between you.
If you treat them well, doing so sincerely for the sake of Allaah, then you will have a
great reward from Him. And Allaah knows best. |
What are the prescribed means of warding off sihr before it happens?. | Praise be to Allah.Among the most important means of warding off the danger of sihr before it happens is seeking protection through the adhkaar (dhikr) prescribed in Islam, making du`a and reciting prayers seeking refuge that were narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). These include:
1 – Reciting Aayat al-Kursiy [al-Baqarah 2:255] after every prescribed prayer, after reciting the adhkaar which are prescribed after the salaam.
2 – Reciting Aayat al-Kursiy when going to sleep. This is the greatest aayah in the Qur’aan, in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Allah! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Al-Hayyul-Qayyum (the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists). Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His Kursiy extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great”
[al-Baqarah 2:255]
3 – Reciting “Qul huwa Allahu ahad”, “Qul a’oodhu bi Rabb il-Falaq” and “Qul a’oodhu bi Rabb il-Naas” [i.e., the last three soorahs of the Qur’aan] following every prescribed prayer, and reciting these three soorahs (three times) at the beginning of the day after Fajr prayer, and at the beginning of the night after Maghrib prayer.
4 – Reciting the last two aayahs of Soorat al-Baqarah at the beginning of the night. These are the aayahs in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers’ — and they say, ‘We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all).’
Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. ‘Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Mawlaa (Patron, Supporter and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people”
[al-Baqarah 2:285-285]
And it was narrated in a saheeh report that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever recites Aayat al-Kursiy at night will have ongoing protection from Allah and no devil will come near him until morning comes.” And it was also narrated in a saheeh report that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever recites the last two aayahs of Soorat al-Baqarah at night, that will suffice him.” The meaning – and Allah knows best – is that that will be sufficient protection for him against all evil.
5 – Seeking refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of that which He has created, night and day and when stopping to rest anywhere, be it in the city, in the desert, in the air or on the sea. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever stops to rest and says, ‘A’oodhu bi kalimaat Allah il-taammah min sharri ma khalaq (I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of that which He has created),’ nothing will harm him until he moves on from that place.”
6 – The Muslim should say at the beginning of the day and the beginning of the night (three times): “Bismillaah alladhi laa yadurr ma’a ismihi shay’un fi’l-ardi wa laa fi’l-samaa’i wa huwa al-samee’ al-‘aleem (In the name of Allah with Whose name nothing on earth or in heaven can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing).” According to saheeh reports, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) urged us to recite this, and this is a means of keeping safe from all evil.
These adhkaar and prayers for refuge are among the greatest means of warding off the evil of sihr (witchcraft) and other evils, for the one who recites them regularly with sincerity and faith, putting his trust in Allah and depending upon Him, and being content with that.
They are also some of the most effective weapons for warding off sihr after it has happened, along with humbly beseeching Allah constantly and asking Him to remove the harm and relieve the distress. Among the du`a’s which have been narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to treat diseases such as sihr and other things is the ruqyah by means of which he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to treat his companions: “Allahumma Rabb al-naas, adhhib il-ba’s, washfi anta al-Shaafi laa shifaa’a illa shifaa’uka shifaa’an laa yughaadir saqaman (O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and heal him, for You are the Healer and there is no healing except Your healing, with a healing which does not leave any disease behind).” There is also the ruqyah by means of which Jibreel treated the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Bismillah urqeeka min kulli shay’in yu’dheeka, wa min sharri kulli nafsin aw ‘aynin haasid Allah yashfeek, bismillaah urqeek (In the name of Allah I perform ruqyah for you, from every thing that is harming you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye may Allah heal you, in the name of Allah I perform ruqyah for you).” This should be repeated three times.
And Allah knows best. |
The hadeeth says, “Treat women kindly, for woman was created from a bent rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is the top part…” Please explain the meaning of this hadeeth, especially the phrase “and the most crooked part of the rib is the top part”. | Praise be to Allah.
This is a saheeh hadeeth which was narrated by the two
Shaykhs [al-Bukhaari and Muslim] in al-Saheehayn
from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), from the hadeeth of Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him). The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Treat women kindly,
for woman was created from a bent rib, and the most crooked part of
the rib is the top part, so treat women kindly.”
This is a command to husbands, fathers, brothers and
others to treat women kindly and not to oppress them; to give them their
rights and to guide them to do good. This is what is obligatory upon
everyone, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Treat women kindly.”
This is not altered by the fact that a woman may sometimes mistreat
her husband or relatives with her words or actions, because she was
created from a rib as the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, and the most crooked
part of it is the top. It is well known that the top of it is the part
by which it is attached, so the rib will have some crookedness in it
at that point, as is well known.
The meaning is that she will inevitably have some crookedness
or shortcomings in her character. Hence it was narrated in another hadeeth
in al-Saheehayn:
“I have not seen any lacking in rational ability and
failing in religion but (at the same time) robbing the wisdom of the
wise, besides you [women].”
The
point is that this is the ruling of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and it is narrated in al-Saheehayn
from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with
him). What is meant by lacking in rational ability, as the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, is that the testimony
of two women is equivalent to the testimony of one man. Failing in religion,
as the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, means that women spend
days and nights without praying, i.e., because of menstruation or post-childbirth
bleeding. This is a shortcoming which Allaah has decreed for them,
and there is no sin on them because of that.
So
women should accept this in the way that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) meant it, even if a woman
is knowledgeable and pious, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not speak of his own
whims and desires, rather that was a Revelation that was revealed to
him, which he conveyed to the ummah, as Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
“By the star when it
goes down (or vanishes).
Your companion (Muhammad)
has neither gone astray nor has erred.
Nor does he speak of
(his own) desire.
It is only a Revelation
revealed” [al-Najm 53:1-4] |
I am very much interested in becoming a
righteous Muslim women and God willing I will be soon declaring my faith. However I am
very concerned about the fact that I have never stepped foot inside of a mosque and feel
very self-conscious about attending since I am not familiar with the customs. How would
you suggest I go about attending service for the first time? How important is it that a
Muslim goes to mosque? I am from Brooklyn, NY would you suggest a mosque with a womens
group that I could attend? Thank You, | Praise be to Allah.Praise and thanks be to Allaah for His help and the blessing of your being
convinced of Islam and eager to enter this religion. This would not have happened if
Allaah had not willed it, for He guides whom He wills to the Straight Path. We are
overjoyed to learn that you will soon enter Islam and become our sister in faith. You do
not have to go to a mosque in order to enter Islam. It is enough for you to pronounce the
Shahaadatayn (declaration of faith) and begin to practice the rituals of Islam straight
away. On this web-site you will find a number of questions and answers which will explain
how to enter Islam and what the new Muslim should do. If you can go to a reliable Islamic
centre to register your Islam and get to know some Muslim sisters, this is good. After you
become Muslim, there is nothing wrong with going to the mosque to spend time there, so
long as you adhere to the conditions required by sharee’ah, such as not being on your
period. Do not worry about not knowing what goes on in the mosque; in sha Allaah you will
find some Muslim sisters who can explain to you how worship is conducted in the mosque. We
also want to tell you that a woman’s prayer and worship in her own home are better
than her prayer in the mosque, as our Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) told us. We will do all we can to let you know the name of an Islamic centre
or mosque in your city as soon as possible. We welcome you warmly to the oasis of Islam. |
Does a woman who is employed have to pay the household expenses? Her husband is saying that if she does not pay the household expenses, she will not be allowed to work at all.
Does her husband have any right to the salary which she gets for her work? If she does have to pay towards the household expenses, how is that to be divided between her and husband? | Praise be to Allah.
They should come to some agreement concerning this issue
– the sharing of household expenses between a husband and wife who both
go out to work and earn a living – and avoid any dispute concerning
it.
With regard to how that should be done, this depends
on a number of things, as discussed below:
1 – If your husband stipulated in the marriage contract
that expenses are to be shared otherwise he will not let you work, then
the Muslims are bound by their conditions, as the Prophet SAWS (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“The Muslims are bound by their conditions, except for
conditions which forbid something that is permitted or permit something
that is forbidden.” And he SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said:
“The conditions which are most deserving of fulfilment
are those by means of which sexual intimacy becomes permissible for
you.”
So you are bound by the conditions you made, if you made
any conditions [in your marriage contract].
2 – If you did not make any conditions, then the household
expenses are all the responsibility of the husband, and the wife does
not have to pay any of the household expenses; he is the one who has
to pay them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Let the rich man spend
according to his means”
[al-Talaaq 65:7]
And the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: “You are obliged to spend on them and clothe them according
to what is reasonable.”
So spending is the obligation of the husband. He is the
one who should take care of the household needs and his own needs and
those of his wife and children. (The wife’s) money and salary belong
to her, because that is given in return for her work and her efforts.
(The husband) draw up the marriage contract on that basis, and he did
not stipulate any condition that she should pay the household expenses,
or half of them, etc. – unless she gives up any part of her salary of
her own good pleasure,
“but if they, of their
own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it, and enjoy it
without fear of any harm (as Allaah has made it lawful)”
[al-Nisaa’ 4:4]
But if the marriage contract was drawn up on the basis
of any such condition, then the Muslims are bound by their conditions.
But we advise you to give up part of your salary to your
husband in order to please him and to resolve the dispute and solve
the problem, so that you may live in peace and harmony. So agree upon
something between yourselves, such as one half of the salary, or one-third,
or one-quarter, etc., so that the problem will be solved and so that
love and harmony may take the place of conflict. Or perhaps he will
agree and be content with what Allaah has decreed for him, and he will
spend according to his means, and he will forego all of your salary
and have some pride concerning the matter. But if that is not possible,
then there is no reason why you should not refer the matter to the courts
in the city where you live, and whatever the shar’i court decides will
be sufficient, in sha Allah. May Allaah help you both. |
Can a moslem say: I am a momen In shaa Allah | Praise be to Allah.The issue of whether one can add the condition of saying “in sha Allah” when speaking about matters of faith is one concerning which there has been lengthy and detailed debate among the scholars. The correct attitude in this case is to ask what is meant by the word “mu’min” (believer). If the speaker is referring to the essence of faith, i.e., Islam, without which one would be a kaafir, then in this case it is not correct to say “in sha Allah.” This would imply some doubt about Islam, which is not permitted; the Muslim should be definite in his faith, and should say “I am a mu’min,” without adding “in sha Allah.” However, if what is meant is the perfection of faith and the high rank which is above the level of just being a Muslim, then one should say “in sha Allah,” because otherwise one would be praising oneself, which is forbidden as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Therefore ascribe not purity to yourselves” [al-Najm 53:32]
If a person wants to say something straightforward to express his belief, then he should say “I am a Muslim.” In this case there is no need to add “in sha Allah.”
And Allah knows best. |
Hello, my name is XXXX and I was taking a look at your web page. I am interested in it because I am in a Religious Studies class and I am interested in learning more. I just wanted to know your response to this,
if I am correct in saying this...
In Islam heaven is thought of as paradise of wine, women and song. It is achieved by living a life in which, ironically, one abstains from the things with which he or she will be rewarded in paradise. In addition to this abstention, one must follow the five Pillars of Islam.
It seems to me that the Islamic faith is a do-it-yourself proposition.
Follow this "way of life", they say, and you will gain favor with God and eventually achieve salvation. There is NO assurance. I would hate to live like that. I realize that Muslims do not believe in "original sin", but regardless of whether or not a man is born sinful or not, would you not agree that every man/woman is sinful? How does one pay for his/her sin?
I understand repentance. I agree with that...but it seems as though one can NEVER do enough to win favor with God. That is why He sent his Son to die for us. All of our sins past, present and future.
There is no possibility of assurance in the Islamic faith. I think that would be an awful way to live knowing that I was never gonna make it...not knowing of my salvation until the "day of judgement" whether or not I have done enough "goodworks" or prayed enough...etc.
I have asked a couple of Muslims in my class whether or not they were for sure if they were going to "paradise" or "heaven" when they died. I have not yet had one reply in the affirmative. Rather, they referred to the imperfection of their lives as being a barrier to this realization. THERE IS NO ASSURANCE IN ISLAM, BECAUSE THERE IS NO ATONEMENT, AND SALVATION DEPENDS WHOLLY ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S GAINING ENOUGH "MERIT"
Also, if I wanted to become a Muslim, I couldn't. If Muslims think that they are the "chosen people" then why aren't they spreading their faith.
Do you just have to be lucky enough to be born Muslim? If a person wants to become a Christian they can. ANYONE can become a Christian in a matter of seconds. All they have to do is confess that Jesus Christ is who He said He was and repent and believe...that is all a lot easier said than done. But basically that is it. I wasn't born Christian...or raised Christians assert that Jesus Christ is the only way to God because
Scripture says, "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) Jesus Christ said himself
"I am the way the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father except through me..."
He didn't say, I am one way or a way or one truth etc....THE WAY!!!
I and the Father are ONE! Jn 5:18
I just don't understand how anyone could be blind to these facts. Unless they are never told. Which was me.
I would just like a little feedback | Praise be to Allah.We appreciate your question concerning the ideas that you have about Islam, and we hope to discuss what you have written and correct some of your ideas, so as to arrive at a firm conviction of the truth of the matter.
Are the pleasures of Paradise merely physical?
What you have mentioned about the Islamic belief about Paradise, and the enjoyment of wine , women and song therein, falls wide of the mark. The pleasures of Paradise are not merely physical in nature, they also include the joy of feeling safe and secure, and of being content with God and being close to Him.
The greatest joy of all in Paradise will be seeing God , may He be glorified and exalted. When the people of Paradise see the Holy Face of God, they will forget all other kinds of pleasures that they have enjoyed. There is in Paradise everything that will delight the heart and eye; no dirty or evil talk is heard there, nor sinful speech.
No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do. [al-Sajdah 32:17 interpretation of the meaning].
What I am trying to say is that the delights of Paradise are not limited to the kind you refer to in your question. They are far greater than that.
Will the entrance to Paradise only be granted to those who heed certain prohibitions?
You mention the idea that entrance to Paradise will only be granted to those who heed certain prohibitions, which they will enjoy in Paradise in the Hereafter as a reward for avoiding it in this life.
This generalization is not correct at all. Islam is a religion which commands action, not just abstinence. Salvation can only be attained through fulfilling commands, not just by avoiding things that are forbidden.
Moreover, not every luxury in Paradise will consist of something that was forbidden in this world and is now being given as a reward. Some of the delights of Paradise will be things that were allowed in this world, such as marriage, good fruits like pomegranate and figs, etc., drinks like milk and honey, and so on. All of these are permitted in this world, and will be delights to be enjoyed in Paradise.
The bad qualities of things that are forbidden in this world will not be present in their heavenly forms. For example, the wine of Paradise, as Allah tells us, causes neither ghoul (any kind of hurt, abdominal pain, headache, sin, etc.) nor intoxication (see al-Saffat 37:47). It does not rob a person of his mental faculties, or cause headaches and stomachaches. It is quite different from its earthly counterpart.
The point I am making is that the delights of Paradise do not consist only of allowing things that were forbidden in this world. It is also worth pointing out that there are cases where abstention from prohibited things will not be rewarded by being given their equivalent in the Hereafter, whether those prohibited things are food, drinks, deeds or words. Poison, for example, will not be given as a luxury in Paradise, although it is forbidden in this world.
The same applies to sodomy, incest and other things which will not be allowed in the Hereafter although they are forbidden in this world. This matter is quite clear, praise be to Allah.
Does every person have a guarantee of Paradise?
The idea of being guaranteed Paradise, and that a person’s life will be as horrible and unbearable as you describe if he has no such guarantee, is a misconception which itself leads to the results you mention.
If you were to say that every person has a guarantee of Paradise , this would be utterly disastrous, because then everyone would commit all kinds of forbidden acts, feeling safe because of this guarantee.
Many of the crimes committed by Jews and Christians have been done on the basis of this guarantee, with documents of forgiveness from their priests. Allah has told us about such people (interpretation of the meaning):
“And they say, None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian. Say, Produce your proof if you are truthful.” [Al-Baqarah 2:111]
For us Muslims, Paradise is not the matter of our own desires or the desires of anyone else, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It will not be in accordance with your desires (Muslims), nor those of the People of the Scripture (Jews and Christians); whoever works evil will have the recompense thereof, and he will not find any protector or helper besides Allah.” [Al-Nisa 4:123]
Islamic view regarding a guarantee of one’s destiny
There follows a brief summary of the Islamic view regarding a guarantee of one’s destiny.
Islam offers a guarantee to every sincere Muslim who obeys Allah and remains in this state of devotion until he dies, that he will definitely enter Paradise. Allah says in the Quran (interpretation of the meanings):
“But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to the Gardens under which rivers flow (i.e., in Paradise), to dwell therein forever. Allah's promise is the truth, and whose words can be truer than those of Allah? (Of course, none).” [Al-Nisa 4:122]
“Allah has promised those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, that for them there is forgiveness and a great reward (i.e., Paradise).” [Al-Maidah 5:9]
“(They will enter) ‘Adn (Eden) Paradise (everlasting Gardens), which the Most Beneficent (Allah) has promised to His servants in the unseen: verily, His promise must come to pass.” [Maryam 19:61]
“Say: Is that (torment) better, or the Paradise of Eternity promised to the muttaqin (pious and righteous persons)? It will be theirs as a reward and final destination.” [Al-Furqan 25:15]
“But those who fear Allah and keep their duty to their Lord (Allah), for them are built lofty rooms, one above another, under which rivers flow (i.e., Paradise). (This is) the Promise of Allah, and Allah does not fail in (His) promise.” [Al-Zumar 39:20]
Islam also guarantees the disbeliever who ignores the commands of Allah that he will definitely enter Hell. Allah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“Allah has promised the hypocrites, men and women, and the disbelievers, the Fire of Hell, therein shall they abide. It will suffice them. Allah has cursed them and for them is the lasting torment.” [Al-Tawbah 9:68]
“But those who disbelieve, for them will be the Fire of Hell. Neither will it have a complete killing effect on them so that they die, nor shall its torment be lightened for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!” [Fatir 35:36]
Allah will say to the disbelievers on the Day of Judgement (interpretation of the meaning):
“This is Hell which you were promised! Burn therein this Day, for that you used to disbelieve!” [Ya-Sin 36:63-64]
Allah will not go back on His promise to either the believers or the disbelievers. He describes how both of them will be at the end of the Day of Judgement (interpretation of the meaning):
“And the dwellers of Paradise will call out to the dwellers of the Fire (saying): We have indeed found true what our Lord had promised us; have you also found true, what your Lord promised (warnings, etc.)? They shall say, Yes. Then a crier will proclaim between them: The Curse of Allah is on the zalimin (polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.).” [Al-A’raf 7:44]
Everyone who believes and does righteous deeds, and dies in this state, will definitely enter Paradise. Everyone who disbelieves and does evil deeds, and dies in this state, will definitely enter Hell.
One of the great guiding principles of Islam is that the believer should tread a path between fear and hope. He should not take it for granted that he will enter Paradise, because this will make him complacent, and he does not know in what state he will die. Nor should he assume that he is going to Hell, because this is despairing of the mercy of Allah, which is forbidden.
So the believer does righteous deeds, and hopes that Allah will reward him for them, and he avoids evil deeds out of fear of the punishment of Allah. If he commits a sin, he repents in order to gain forgiveness and protect himself from the punishment of Hell.
Allah forgives all sins and accepts the repentance of those who repent. If a believer fears that the good deeds he has sent on before him are not enough, as you suggest, then he will increase his efforts, in fear and hope.
No matter how many righteous deeds he has sent on before him, he cannot rely on them and take them for granted, or else he will be doomed. He keeps striving and hoping for reward, and at the same time he fears lest his deeds be contaminated with any element of showing off, self-admiration, or anything that will lead to them being rejected by Allah. Allah describes the believers (interpretation of the meaning):
“Those who give that (their charity) which they give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full of fear (whether their alms and charity, etc.) have been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to their Lord (for reckoning).” [Al-Muminun 23:60]
So the believer keeps on striving, fearing and hoping, until he meets his Lord, believing in Tawhid (Divine Unity) and doing righteous deeds, and earns the pleasure of his Lord and Paradise. If you think about the matter, you will realize that these are the right motives for action, and that righteousness cannot be achieved in this life in any other way.
Islamic view on original sin
As regards what you say about original sin, this matter needs to be approached from several angles.
Firstly: The Islamic belief concerning human sin is: the individual bears the responsibility for his own sin ; no one else should bear this burden for him, nor should he bear the burden for anyone else. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And no bearer of burdens shall bear another’s burden.” [Fatir 35:18]
This refutes the idea of original sin. If the father commits a sin, what fault is that of his children and grandchildren? Why should they bear the burden of a sin that someone else committed?
The Christian belief that the descendants should bear the sin of their father is the essence of injustice. How can any sane person say that the sin should be carried down the centuries by all of humanity, or that the children, grandchildren and subsequent descendants should be tainted because of their father’s sin?
Secondly, making mistakes is a part of human nature. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Every son of Adam is bound to commit sins.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2423), but Allah has not left man unable to do anything about the mistakes that he makes. He gives man the opportunity to repent, and so the hadith (words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) quoted above concludes: and the best of those who commit sins are those who repent. The mercy of Allah is clear in the teachings of Islam, as Allah calls His servants (interpretation of the meaning): “Say, O My servants who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Al-Zumar 39:53]
This is human nature, and this is the solution to the problem of sin. But to make this human nature, which is bound to make mistakes, a barrier between the servant and his Lord which will prevent him from ever earning the pleasure of God, and to say that the only way to reach God is through His sending His (so-called) son down to earth to be humiliated and crucified while his father looks on, so that mankind could be forgiven, is an extremely odd idea. Just describing it sounds so unlikely that there is no longer any need to refute it in detail.
Once, when discussing this issue with a Christian, I said, If you say that God sent down His son to be crucified to atone for the sins of the people alive at his time and afterwards, what about those who had come before and died as sinners before the time of Christ, and had no opportunity to know about him and believe in the Crucifixion so that their sins might be forgiven? All he could say was: No doubt our priests have an answer to that! Even if they do have an answer, it is bound to be concocted. There is no real answer.
If you really examine the Christian teaching on human sin with an open mind, you will see that they say that God sacrificed His only son to atone for the sins of mankind, and that this son was a god. If it was true that he was a god who was beaten, insulted and crucified, and died, then this doctrine contains elements of blasphemy because it accuses God of weakness and helplessness. Is God really incapable of forgiving the sins of all His servants with just one word? If He is Able to do all things (and the Christians do not dispute this fact), then why would He need to sacrifice His son in order to achieve the same thing? (Glorified and exalted be He far above what the wrongdoers say about Him!)
“He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything.” [Al-An’am 6:101 interpretation of the meaning]
An ordinary man would not accept anyone harming his child; he would come to his defence, and would never hand him over to an enemy who would insult him, let alone leave him to face the worst kind of death. If this is the attitude of a mere created being, what then of the Creator?
Thirdly, the Christian doctrine of original sin has a negative effect because, as you have mentioned, it does not require any duties of man other than to believe that God sent His son to this earth to be crucified and to die to atone for the sins of mankind.
Thus a person becomes a Christian and is to earn the pleasure of God and be admitted to heaven. Moreover, the Christian believes that everything that happened to the son of God was only to atone for his sins, past present and future, so there is no need to wonder why Christian societies have seen such an increase in murder, rape, robbery, alcoholism and other problems. After all, did not Christ die to atone for their sins, and haven’t their sins been wiped out, so why should they stop doing these things?
Tell me, by your Lord, why do you sometimes execute murderers, or put criminals in jail, or punish them in other ways, if you believe that the criminals' sins have all been atoned for and forgiven through the blood of Christ? Is this not a strange contradiction?
Why do Muslims make da`wah?
You ask why, if the Muslims are the chosen people of mankind, they do not spread their religion . The fact of the matter is that sincere Muslims have always sought to do just that. How else could Islam have spread from Makkah to Indonesia, Siberia, North Africa, Bosnia, South Africa and all parts of the world, East and West?
The faults in the behavior of some modern Muslims cannot be blamed on Islam; those faults are the result of going against Islamic teachings. It is not fair to blame the religion for the faults of some of its adherents who have gone against it or gone astray.
Are Muslims not being more just than Christians when they affirm that the sinner is threatened with the punishment of Allah unless he repents, and that for some sins there is a deterrent, a punishment to be carried out in this world as an expiation for the Hereafter, as in the case of the punishments for murder, theft, fornication/adultery, etc.?
Is it difficult to become a Muslim?
What you say about it being so easy to become a Christian, as compared to becoming a Muslim, is clearly mistaken. The key to Islam is no more than two simple phrases: Ash-hadu an la ilaha ill-Allah wa anna Muhammadan Rasul-Allah (I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).
With these few words, a person enters Islam in a matter of seconds. There is no need for baptism or priests, or even to go to a certain place such as a mosque or anywhere else.
Compare this with the ridiculous procedures of baptism which the Christians do when they want to admit someone to the Church. Then there is the fact that the Christians venerate the cross on which Jesus was tortured and crucified in great pain as they claim. They take it as a sacred object of blessing and healing, instead of scorning it and hating it as a symbol of oppression and the worst possible way for the son of God to die!
Muslims are closer than others to the truth
Do you not see that the Muslims are closer than others to the truth, because they believe in all the prophets and messengers, respecting them all and recognizing that all of them taught the truth of Divine Unity (Tawhid) and that each of them was appointed by Allah and sent to his people with laws that were appropriate to the time and place?
When the fair-minded Christian sees the followers of Islam believing in Musa (Moses), ‘Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all) and in the original Torah and Gospel, as well as the Quran, and sees his own people denying the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and rejecting the Quran, wouldn’t his open-mindedness make him think that the Muslims are most likely to be right?
Did Jesus say ‘No one comes to the Father except through me’?
You say that the Messiah said, No one comes to the Father except through me. We need, first of all, to be sure that these words can truly be attributed to Jesus. Secondly, this is clearly not true. How then could mankind have known God at the times of Nuh (Noah), Hud, Salih, Yunus (Jonah), Shu’ayb (Jethro), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and other prophets?
If you were to say that during the time of Jesus (upon whom be peace) and up to the time of the Final Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) the Children of Israel had no other way to know the religion of Allah except through the way of Jesus, this would be correct.
Does the statement ‘I and the Father are one’ prove Jesus’ divinity?
You quote the Messiah as saying, I and the Father are one . This is clearly not correct. If we examine the matter objectively, without letting our own desires get in the way, it becomes clear that the conjunction and in the phrase I and the Father implies that two separate entities are involved. I is one entity, and the Father is another. If you say, So-and-So and I, it is obvious to any rational person that they are two separate people. The equation 1+1+1=1 makes no sense to any rational person, whether he is a mathematician or not.
Finally, I advise you (and I do not think that you will reject this advice) to think deeply about what you have read, putting aside your background, any preconceived ideas, your own desires and feelings of attachment to your religion or culture, and to seek guidance sincerely from Allah. Allah is Most Generous and will never let any of His servants down. Allah is the One Who guides to the Straight Path, and He is Sufficient for us and is the best disposer of affairs.
And Allah knows best. |
What is the ruling on praying in parks (public gardens), knowing that they are watered with water that emits an offensive odour? It is my understanding that this water is taken from sanitary overflows or from wells into which leaks water that contains impure substances. Should the people be stopped by the Committee from praying in these parks? I hope that you can explain the correct view concerning this matter. | Praise be to Allah.So long as there is an offensive odour coming from it, then praying in them (the parks) is not correct, because one of the conditions of prayer being correct is that the place where the Muslim prays should be taahir (pure and clean). If he spreads out a thick and taahir (pure) mat, then his prayer will be valid.
But it is not permissible for Muslims to pray in parks – even on thick and pure mats – rather they have to pray with their Muslim brothers in the houses of Allaah – the mosques – of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“In houses (mosques) which Allaah has ordered to be raised (to be cleaned, and to be honoured), in them His Name is remembered [i.e. Adhaan, Iqaamah, Salaah (prayers), invocations, recitation of the Qur’aan]. Therein glorify Him (Allaah) in the mornings and in the afternoons or the evenings,
Men whom neither trade nor sale (business) diverts from the remembrance of Allâh (with heart and tongue) nor from performing As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah) nor from giving the Zakaah. They fear a Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned (out of the horror of the torment of the Day of Resurrection).
That Allaah may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace. And Allaah provides without measure to whom He wills”
[al-Noor 24:36-38]
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever hears the call (to prayer) and does not come, then his prayer does not count, unless he has a (valid) excuse.” (Narrated by Ibn Maajah, al-Daraaqutni, Ibn Hibbaan and al-Haakim. Its isnaad is (saheeh) according to the conditions of Muslim).
A blind man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “O Messenger of Allaah, I have no guide to bring me to the mosque. May I have a dispensation to pray in my house?” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him, “Can you hear the call to prayer?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “Then respond.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh).
And there are many ahaadeeth which say the same thing.
What the Committee for Enjoining what is Good and Forbidding what is Evil should do is to disallow people to pray in parks, and tell them to pray in the mosques, in accordance with the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
“Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety)”[al-Maa’idah 5:2]
and
“The believers, men and women, are Awliyaa’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another; they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma‘roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden)” [al-Tawbah 9:71]
And in accordance with the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whoever among you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand (by taking actions); if he cannot then with his tongue (by speaking out against it); and if he cannot then with his heart (by feeling that it is evil) – and that is the weakest of faith.” (Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh). |
What is the ruling on money which is transferred from one currency to another? For example, I am paid in Saudi riyals, and I transfer it to Sudanese riyals. One Saudi riyal is equal to three Sudanese riyals. Is this riba? | Praise be to Allah.It is permissible to change notes of one currency into notes of another currency, even if there is a difference in value, because they are of different types, such as the examples mentioned in the question. But this is subject to the condition that the exchange be completed in one sitting. Checks and money orders are counted as exchanges done in one sitting.
And Allah is the Source of strength. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and grant him peace. |
What is the ruling on a Muslim
leaving something to a kaafir in his will, so long as it does not exceed one-third of the
estate? What is the ruling on the opposite, i.e., can a Muslim accept money from a kaafir
if he leaves it to him in his will? | Praise be to Allah.The Hanafi, Hanbali and most of the Shaafa'i fuqahaa are agreed
that it is OK for a Muslim to leave something to a dhimmi (non-Muslim living under Islamic
rule) in his will, and vice versa, so long as this is within the guidelines of
shareeah. Their evidence for this is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): Allaah
does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on
account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allaah loves those
who deal with equity. [al-Mumtahinah 60:8]. Also, being a kaafir does not
disqualify a person from ownership, and as it is OK to sell to a kaafir or give him a
gift, it is also OK to include him in ones will.
Some of the Shaafais think that it is OK only if a specific
person is named, such as saying I leave [such and such] to so and so; but if a
person says I leave [it] to the Jews and Christians, this is not OK because it
sounds as if he is making their kufr the reason for leaving something to them. The
Maalikis agree with others that it is OK for a non-Muslim to leave something to a Muslim.
With regard to a Muslim leaving something to a non-Muslim, Ibn al-Qaasim and Ashhab said
that it is allowed if it is done for a reason, such as upholding family ties, otherwise it
is makrooh, and should not be done at the expense of a Muslim. No one would do such a
thing except one whose faith is diseased. (al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah,
2/312)
Unfortunately, nowadays we see some Muslims, especially
those who are living in kaafir countries, leaving huge sums of money to Christian, Jewish
or other kaafir organizations, on the basis that these are charitable, educational or
humanitarian organizations and so on, but there is no way that Muslims can benefit from
this. The only ones who benefit from it are the kuffar, and their hungry oppressed refugee
Muslim brothers are left with no h elp or support. This is a sign of weak, diluted faith
and of allegiance to and admiration of the kuffaar and their disbelieving societies. We
ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. |
I understand that a person who finds it
difficult to remain tahir due to circumstances beyond their control, eg urination problem
etc it is not necessary to continually clean up if it is too much of a strain and the
person should do fresh wudo before every prayer. What if the prayer for some reason is
prayed late eg if 'Asr is done 30 minutes before Maghrib, is a fresh wudo for maghrib
necessary for this small time gap? Also if one does wudo for Juma'h prayer one hour early
and sits in the mosque waiting for prayer is this wudo adequate or is another one
necessary, if it is alright then will the wudo last all the way until just before 'Asr
time? | Praise be to Allah.The person who is suffering from incontinence should make a new and
separate wudoo for each prayer when the time comes, even if he has just made
wudoo for another prayer a short time before. This is because the Prophet
taught the woman who suffers from istihaadah (prolonged non-menstrual vaginal bleeding) to
do this. Aaishah said: Faatimah bint Abi Hubaysh came to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allaah, I
am a woman who experiences istihaadah and I do not become clean from bleeding. Should I
forget about salaah? He said: No, that is from a vein; it is not menses. When
your period starts, then stop praying, and when it ends, wash the blood from your body and
pray again. Abu Muaawiyah said in his hadeeth: He said: Do
wudoo for each prayer, until the time for the next prayer comes
Abu Eesaa said: The hadeeth of Aaishah is a saheeh hasan hadeeth,
and this is the opinion of more than one scholar among the Companions of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the Taabieen. It is also the opinion
of Sufyaan al-Thawri, Maalik, Ibn al-Mubaarak and al-Shaafii that when the woman who
suffers from istihaadah finishes her regular period, she should do ghusl, then do
wudoo for each prayer. (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 116; the hadeeth was
reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 221).
Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The
ruling on non-menstrual blood (istihaadah) is the same as the ruling on anything that
breaks wudoo: she should do wudoo for each prayer, but she should not pray
more than one fard prayer with that wudoo, whether she is praying on time or is
making up the prayer later, because of the apparent meaning of the hadeeth, You
should do wudoo for each prayer. This is the opinion of the majority of
scholars. (Fath al-Baari, Kitaab al-hayd, Bab al-istihaadah).
The same ruling applies to the person who suffers from continual incontinence or wind. You
can pray as many naafil prayers as you like with the wudoo you made for a fard
prayer, until the time for that fard prayer is over. And Allaah knows best. |
I wanted to know the difference between QIYYAM and TARAWIH. | Praise be to Allah.Salaat al-Taraaweeh is classified as part of qiyaam al-layl; they are not two different prayers, as many people think. Qiyaam al-layl during Ramadaan is called Taraaweeh because the salaf or early generations of Islam (may Allaah have mercy on them) used to rest (istaraahu) after every two or four rak’ahs, because they made their prayers long in order to make the most of this season of great reward. They were eager to earn the reward mentioned in the hadeeth: “Whoever stays up and prays at night in Ramadaan out of faith and in the hope of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 36). And Allaah knows best. |
I had Nikaah with my cousin in our
engagement ceremony. The actual wedding ceremony was to occur at a later date. I came to the US and got married to another Muslima without telling my
parents. We have been married for 4 months now.I have informed my parents about it and they are annoyed.They wanted me to divorce this Muslima and get married to my cousin. But
now they are saying that I've to get married to my cousin irrespective of whether I
divorce this Muslima or not. But I know I will not be able to treat them equally.I never touched my cousin, but I've been living with my 2nd wife for 4
months now. What should I do ? Jazak Allah. | Praise be to Allah.If the wife who is with you now is religious and of good character, then
you are not obliged to divorce her. If you are able to treat both wives equally, then
respond to your parents request to marry the cousin you mention. This is included in
the words of the Quraan (interpretation of the meaning): then marry
(other) women of your choice, two or three or four [al-Nisa 4:3]. If
you fear that you will not be able to treat them equally and fairly, then be content with
one wife, whether it is the first or the second, because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): if you fear that you will not be able to deal justly (with
them), then [marry] only one [al-Nisa 4:3]. Try in all cases to
please your parents. And Allaah is the Source of strength. |
I have read that no man has seen Allah (S) in this life, not even the prophet (SM) in his mira'j. The book has been written by Sk. Abu Ameenah Bilaal Philips. Now, I have heard from one scholar from my country that Imam Malik saw Allah (S) hundred times in his dream. Is that possible?
May Allah (S) reward you. | Praise be to Allah.Seeing Allah in reality (as opposed to in a dream) is not possible in this life, although no doubt it will happen after death. This is not because seeing Him is impossible in itself, but because Allah has willed that it should not happen. This is for many reasons, some of which have been found by the scholars, and others which remain known only to Allah. Among the reasons which we do understand is human weakness, which is apparent from the story of Moosa (upon whom be peace), which we will quote shortly. Another reason is that seeing Allah is a great blessing and joy, indeed it is the greatest blessing, so it is withheld for the place of ultimate blessing and joy, namely Paradise. Another reason is that this world is a mixture of good believers and kuffaar, so this blessing is deferred until it will be given exclusively to the believers in Paradise. Withholding this blessing until the Hereafter also provides a strong motive to do good in this world, so that one may see Allah and feel secure and content in nearness to Him in the Hereafter.
Evidence that it is not possible to see Allah in this world
Allah says, in the story of Moosa (peace be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning): And when Moosa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord spoke to him, he said, O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You. Allah said, You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain, if its stands still in its place, then you shall see Me. So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Moosa fell down unconscious. Then when he recovered his senses he said, Glory be to You, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers. [al-Araaf 7:143]. The word lan (here translated as cannot in You cannot see Me) conveys the meaning of You will not see Me in this life, because there is evidence that man will see Allah in the Hereafter, which means that this lan is not eternal in application. (The negative particle lan often carries a sense of eternal negation, that something will never happen, but this is not the case here. Translator).
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things. [al-Anaam 6:103]. The commentator al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said, in his tafseer of this aayah: Concerning the phrase No vision can grasp Him, several comments regarding it have been narrated from the imaams of the salaf, one of which is that it means, you will not be able to see Him in this world, even though you will see Him in the Hereafter. The reports that state this, narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), reach the level of mutawaatir and are reported through more than one sound isnaad in the books of Saheeh, Musnad and Sunan.
[Translators note: a mutawaatir report is one that was narrated by so many to so many that it is inconceivable that they could all have agreed on a lie].
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He will by His Leave. Verily, He is Most High, Most Wise. [al-Shoora 42:51].
Abu Hurayrah said: Some people said, O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? He said, Do you have any doubt about seeing the sun on a cloudless day? They said, No, O Messenger of Allah. He said, Do you have any doubt about seeing the full moon on a cloudless night? They said, No, O Messenger of Allah. He said, You will see Him just as clearly on the Day of Resurrection
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6088). It is clear that the idea that Allah will not be seen in this life was well-entrenched in the minds of the Sahaabah. They were asking about the Hereafter, and this is what the Prophets answer also referred to.
Abu Dharr said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Have you seen your Lord? He said, (There is) light, how could I see Him? This light, which prevented him from seeing Him, is a veil of light, which is further explained in the hadith of Abu Moosa, who said, The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood up and told us five things: Allah does not sleep, and it is not befitting that He should sleep. He lowers the scale and lifts it. The deeds in the night are taken up to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night. His veil is the light. If He were to withdraw it (the veil), the splendour of His countenance would consume His creation as far as His sight reaches.
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad and Muslim, 263).
Further clear evidence comes in the hadith which warns against the Dajjaal (antichrist): Written between his eyes is (the word) kaafir, which will be read by everyone who hates his works, or every believer will read it. Know that none of you will see your Lord until he dies.
(Reported by Muslim, 5215).
So any claim that anyone but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) can see Allah in reality is impossible, according to the consensus of the scholars. However, there is some disagreement among the scholars as to whether or not the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw Allah on the night of the Miraaj. The correct view is that he did not see Him physically, with his own two eyes, because when he was asked about this, he said, (There is) light, how could I see Him? According to another report, he said, I saw light. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not see Him, but he saw His veil of light.
The question of whether Allah may be seen in a dream does not contradict the fact that Allah cannot be seen in reality in this world, because all the texts quoted above speak about physical vision when one is awake, not the vision of the heart when one is asleep. Proof that the latter kind of vision is possible is to be seen in the hadith about the dispute of the chiefs on high (the angels). Ibn Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, My Lord came to me tonight in the most beautiful form. I think he said, in a dream. He said, O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs on high disputed about? I said, No. He put His hand between my shoulder-blades and I could feel its coolness on my chest (or just beneath my throat), then I knew everything that is in the heavens and on earth. He said, O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs on high disputed about? I said, Yes. He said, About expiation, and expiation is staying in the mosque after prayers, walking to join congregational prayers, and doing wudoo properly in adverse conditions. Whoever does that will live a good life and die a good death, and will be as sinless as the day his mother bore him. He said, O Muhammad, when you pray, say Allahumma innee asaluka fal al-khayraat wa tark al-munkaraat wa hubb al-masaakeen, wa idha aradta bi ibaadika fitnatan faqbudni ilayka ghayra maftoon (O Allah, I ask you to make me do good deeds and avoid evil deeds, and to make me love the poor and wretched. If You want to test Your slaves, then take me unto You without subjecting me to the trial). Ones status in Paradise may be raised by spreading the greeting of salaam, feeding others, and praying at night when people are sleeping.
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 16026; and by al-Tirmidhi, 3159, who said it is a saheeh hasan hadith).
Some of the scholars have commented that it is possible to see Allah in a dream.
Imaam al-Daarimi said, in his refutation of Bishr ibn Ghiyaath, This seeing took place in a dream, and in a dream it is possible to see Allah in any shape or form. (p. 166)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, A believer may see his Lord in a dream, in various forms according to his faith and belief. If his eemaan is correct, he can only see Him in a beautiful form, and if his faith is lacking, this will be reflected in the way he sees Him. Seeing Allah in a dream is not like seeing Him in reality. It may have different interpretations and meanings referring to something in reality.
(al-Fataawa, 3/390)
He also said, Whoever sees Allah in a dream sees Him in a form that corresponds to his own state. If he is righteous, he will see Him in a beautiful form, which is why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw him in the most beautiful form.
(al-Fataawa, 5/251)
Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz was asked about the ruling concerning one who claims to have seen the Lord of Glory in a dream, and whether it was true, as some claim, that Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal had seen the Lord of Glory in his dreams more than one hundred times. The Shaykh answered as follows:
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) and others said that it is possible for a man to see his Lord in a dream, but what he sees is not reality, because there is nothing like Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. [al-Shoora 42:11]. Nothing in His creation is like unto Him. A person may dream that his Lord is speaking to him, and no matter what kind of image he sees, that image is not Allah, because there is nothing that is like Allah in any way. Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that dreams differ according to the state of the person who is dreaming. The more righteous and closer to goodness a person is, the more correct his dream will be, but the truth is still something other than what he sees, because the guiding principle is still that there is nothing like unto Allah.
He may hear a voice and be told such-and-such, or to do such-and-such, without any clear image resembling anything in creation, because there is nothing at all like unto Allah Some people may imagine that they have seen their Lord when in fact this is not the case. The Shaytaan may deceive a person and make him imagine that he is their Lord, as it was reported that he made Abd al-Qaadir al-Jeelaani see him on a throne above water, and said, I am your Lord and I freed you from doing any duties (worship, etc.). Abd al-Qaadir al-Jeelaani said, Get lost, O enemy of Allah! You are not my Lord, because the commands of my Lord are not cancelled for anyone, or some similar words.
As for whether Imaam Ahmad saw his Lord, I do not know if this is true or not. It is said that he saw his Lord but I do not know if this is true. And Allah knows best. |
If we ask someone to pray for us or if we
stumble on something and say "O mother!" or if we remember our parents as a
relief in time of weakness and illness, will these consedered to be doing Shirk? | Praise be to Allah.The Muslim should turn to Allaah at times of ease and at
times of hardship, and seek the help of Allaah in all his affairs, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
“Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the
distressed one, when he calls Him, and Who removes the evil…” [al-Naml 27:62]
If a person calls on his mother or anyone else to help him in a
matter in which that person is able to help, then this is permissible. So long as a person
is alive, present and able, there is nothing wrong with seeking his help, but it is
better and preferable to ask Allaah for help in all circumstances. And Allaah is Able to
do all things. |
I was wondering if you could explain why Muslims say, "Alhumdulliah" after they sneeze? Please reply as soon as possible... | Praise be to Allah.It was proven in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah likes the act of sneezing and dislikes the act of yawning, so if any one of you sneezes and praises Allah (says “al-hamdu Lillaah”), it is a duty on every Muslim who hears him to say to him, “Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you).” As for yawning, it is from the Shaytaan, so if any of you feels the urge to yawn, he should suppress it as much as he can, for when any one of you yawns, the Shaytaan laughs at him.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 10/505)
It was also reported from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “If any one of you sneezes, let him say ‘Al-hamdu Lillaah,’ and let his brother or his companion say, ‘Yarhamuk Allah.’ And if he says to him, ‘Yarhamuk Allah,’ let him say, ‘Yahdeekum Allahu wa yusliha baalakum (May Allah guide you and correct your thinking).’”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 10/502)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that two men sneezed in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said “Yarhamuk Allah” to one of them, but not to the other. The one to whom he did not say it said: “So and so sneezed, and you said ‘Yarhamuk Allah’ to him; I sneezed but you did not say it to me.” He said, “He praised Allah (said ‘al-hamdu Lillaah’) and you did not.”
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 10/504)
Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you sneezes and praises Allah, then say ‘Yarhamuk Allah’ to him, but if he does not praise Allah then do not say it.”
(Reported by Muslim 2992)
Sneezing brings a person the blessing of relief by releasing vapours that were trapped in the head which, if they were to remain there, would cause him pain and sickness. For this reason, Islam tells him to praise Allah for this blessing and for the fact that his body is still intact after this jolt that shook him like an earthquake… for sneezing causes a disturbing movement in the body… It was said (concerning the origin of the word “tashmeet” [which is translated here as “saying ‘yarhamuk Allah’, but the original meaning is to tell someone to rejoice at another’s ‘misfortune’]): this is telling him to feel joyful because he has annoyed the Shaytaan by praising Allah for the blessing of sneezing and its association with things that Allah likes. When a person mentions Allah and praises Him, this annoys the Shaytaan in several ways, for example: the act of sneezing itself, which Allah likes; his praising Allah for it; the Muslims praying for mercy for him; and his prayer for them to be guided. All of this annoys the Shaytaan and makes him upset, so the believer is told to rejoice over this annoyance of his enemy. Praying for mercy for the one who sneezes is called tashmeet because it implies that he should rejoice over the annoyance of his enemy. This is a good meaning which people should bear in mind when they sneeze or say ‘yarhamuk Allah’ to one who sneezes, and they should appreciate the blessing of sneezing for the body and mind, and understand why Allah likes it. Praise be to Allah as is His due for He is the Most Generous and Majestic.
The scholar Ibn Muflih al-Hanbali (may Allah have mercy on him) reported that Imaam Ibn Hubayrah said: “Al-Raazi reported from some doctors: sneezing is not a sign of the onset of sickness, unless it is accompanied by catarrh.” Ibn Hubayrah said: “If a person sneezes, this is an indication of good health, sound digestion and physical strength, so he should praise Allah. This is why the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to praise Allah.”
It is also important to know that the Muslim should submit to the texts and act in accordance with them, without trying too hard to understand precisely why a text commands or forbids something. He should believe that Allah is the Wise and Aware, Who does not prescribe anything for His slaves unless it is in their best interests, in this world and the next, even though it may not cross their minds and some people may understand part of the wisdom behind it whilst others will never know. The Muslim’s basic rule is to follow the commands, and if he has some knowledge of the reason behind the commands, then praise be to Allah.
And Allah knows best.
For further details on the rules concerning sneezing, see: Al-Aadaab al-Shara’iyyah by Ibn Muflih, 2/334; Zaad al-Ma’aad by Ibn al-Qayyim, 2/438; Ghadhaa’ al-Albaab by al-Safaareeni, 1/441 |
Is it permissible to give a person money if
he is begging on the street, but he isn't a muslim? | Praise be to Allah.The fuqahaa differed as to whether it is
permissible to give charity to a kaafir. The reason for the difference of opinion is that
charity means giving something in the hope of earning reward, so will a person be rewarded
for spending on a kaafir? The Hanbalis said and it is the well known view of the
Shaafais and was also reported from Muhammad in al-Siyar al-Kabeer
that it is permissible to give charity to kaafirs in general. This is because of the
general applicability of the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): And they give
food, in spite of their love for it (or: for the love of Him) to the poor, the orphan and
the captive [al-Insaan 76:8]. Ibn Qudaamah said: At that time, captives
could only have been kaafirs. The Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: In (the kind treatment of) every living being there is a
reward. Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said:
My mother came to visit me and she was a mushrik at the time of the Messenger of
Allaah SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). I asked the Messenger of Allaah
SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), My mother has come to visit me,
and she does not want to become Muslim. Should I uphold the ties of kinship with my
mother? He said, Yes, uphold the ties of kinship with your mother.
Because upholding the ties of kinship is praiseworthy in all religions, and giving to
others is a noble characteristic. Al-Mawsooah al-Fiqhiyyah, part 26.
If a non-Muslim person is asking, it is either of the
following cases:
He has an urgent need, such as food, and if he does not receive food he
will die. In this case you should feed him, unless he is openly hostile towards Islam, in
which case you should refrain. In cases like this, what is given to him should be charity
(sadaqah), not zakaah.
His need is not urgent as in the first case, but something may be given
to a person like this for the purpose of opening his heart and calling him to Islam,
because this serves the overall purpose of shareeah.
And Allaah knows best. |
How much is the nisab for zakah with regard to paper money? Is it possible to calculate the nisab for money on the basis of the nisab for gold or silver? | Praise be to Allah.The value of the nisab [the amount that determines whether zakah is obligatory; anyone who has more than this is obliged to pay zakah] for dollars or other currencies is whatever is equivalent to the value of 20 mithqals [a unit of measurement] of gold or 140 mithqals of silver at the time when the zakah is owed.
It should be based on whichever of the two works out better for the poor, because the prices of gold and silver vary from time to time and from country to country. (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah, 9/257) and because this will be more beneficial to the poor. (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Daimah, 9/254)
Given that currently the price of silver is lower than the price of gold, the nisab should be based on the price of silver, so if a person’s wealth (in paper money) reaches the nisab on that basis, he has to pay zakah.
The nisab for silver is roughly equivalent to 595 grams of silver, so the one who has wealth has to pay 2.5% or 25 out of every 1,000 that he has in currency, after one year has passed).
And Allah knows best. |
can i marry my mother's step brother (my
step-uncle)? my mother and this brother of hers belong to the same father but different
mothers.does the fact that we are both hanafis make a difference? | Praise be to Allah.The mothers brother is an uncle (khaal maternal uncle)
whether he is a full brother or a half-brother through the father or mother. On this basis
it is not permissible for you to marry him, because he is your uncle, may Allaah guide
you. It is also haraam for a man to marry his maternal aunt (khaalah), because
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): Forbidden to you (for marriage) are:
your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your fathers sisters, your mothers
sisters [al-Nisa 4:23]. Similarly there is a total and eternal ban
on women marrying their uncles. And Allaah knows best. |
I am converting to Islam, however I find it
difficult to tell my family..I will do so in time however is it necessary to announce it
officially.
I wish to also become a wife to a man (who already has a wife and
children) for islamic reasons. The difficult part is also telling his family
Is it necessary to annouce our marriage? As we do not wish to hurt anyone.
I trust you will be able to guide me as will Allah. | Praise be to Allah.You do not have to announce your Islam, whether officially or to your
family, and it is permissible to keep it a secret if there is some fear of harm. As for
marriage, however, the sunnah is to announce it, because the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Announce marriages.” (Reported by
Imaam Ahmad in Musnad ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Zubayr; classed as hasan in Saheeh
al-Jaami’, 1072). If a marriage is announced in one city or
location, it need not be announced in another, but we do not advise you to conceal the
news of your marriage, especially since such news usually becomes known eventually. This
news is likely to be a big shock to the first wife, so announcing the marriage is in the
interests of all concerned, as it establishes fair and just treatment for both wives. And
Allaah is the Source of strength. |
What is Hajj? | Praise be to Allah.We greatly appreciate your interest in asking about Hajj even though you are so young and live so far away in Canada. We ask Allah to enable you to go for Hajj and do all its rites.
What is Hajj?
Hajj means travelling for the purpose of visiting the Ka`bah, the sacred House of Allah, to perform the rites (manasik), i.e., the actions and words reported in accounts of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) Hajj . The rites include Tawaf or walking around the Ka`bah seven times, al-Sa’i or running between the hills of Safa and Marwah seven times, standing at ‘Arafah, stoning the Jamarat (stone pillars representing the Shaytan) at Mina, etc.
Benefits of Hajj
Hajj brings immense benefits to people , as they declare the Unity (Tawhid) of Allah, there is forgiveness for the pilgrims, Muslims get to know one another and learn the rules of their religion, and so on.
And Allah knows best. |
As-Salaamu-Alaikum.
Many years ago I had borrowed a certain amount of money from a friend when
I was working in a foreign country.
I could not repay that amount at that time. Now I have no way of
contacting or even locating that person to repay the loan and it seems that I will never
be able to locate him. I have seen in ahadeeth how important it is to repay a debt. This
is a great burden on me and I keep praying to Allah to help me in repaying it.
If I am unable to find this gentleman how can I ever lighten this burden?
The other thing in this scenario is that money gets devalued over years and the amount of
money if returned now will have a lesser value. Is it enough to repay the exact amount or
add to it taking into consideration the devaluation of the currency. Please advise me
because this is one of the problems I am unable to solve and causing me great stress.
May Allah reward you. | Praise be to Allah.If the currency in which you borrowed the money still has value, then you
should repay the same amount. If you have tried to find the person without success, then
give the same amount in charity on his behalf, and Allaah will ensure that the reward
reaches him, for He knows the hearts of His slaves and He is Able to do all things. |
How does participating in Hajj affect the life of a Muslim?. | Praise be to Allah.Performing the rituals of Hajj has many virtues and there is a great deal of wisdom behind them. The one who is enabled to understand them and do them is blessed with a great deal of good. We will try to list as many as we can here.
1-Travelling for Hajj to perform the rituals; his journey reminds him his journey to Allah and the Hereafter. When he travels he leaves behind his loved ones, family, children and homeland, and the journey to the Hereafter is like that too.
2-The one who goes on this journey takes with him supplies that will help him reach the holy land, and this reminds him that for the journey to his Lord, he must have with him provisions that will help him to arrive safely. Concerning this, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness)” [al-Baqarah 2:197].
3-Just as travelling is a kind of torment, the journey to the Hereafter is like that too, and many times greater. Ahead of a person there is the agony of death, death itself, the grave, the gathering, the reckoning, the weighing in the Balance, and al-Siraat (a bridge across Hell, over which all must pass), then Paradise or Hell. The blessed one is the one whom Allah saves.
4-When the pilgrim wears the ihraam garments (two pieces of unsewn white cloth), this reminds him of the shroud in which he will be wrapped. This motivates him to give up sin. Just as he sheds his clothes, he should also shed his sins; just as he puts on two clean white garments, his heart and limbs should also be clean and untainted with sin.
5-When he says at the meeqaat (the point at which pilgrims enter ihraam), “Labbayk Allahumma labbaayk (Here I am at Your service, O Allah)”, which means that he has responded to his Lord, may He be exalted, how can he remain in a state of sin without saying to his Lord, “Labbayk Allahumma labbaayk (Here I am at Your service, O Allah)”, meaning, I have responded to Your prohibition of them. This is the time to give up sin.
6-When he gives up the things that are forbidden when in ihraam, and keeps busy with the talbiyah and dhikr (remembering Allah), this shows the state that the Muslim should always be in. This is a means of training and disciplining himself, because he is disciplining himself by giving up what is basically permitted, but Allah has forbidden it to him in this situation. So how can he transgress the sacred limits that Allah has set for all times and places?
7-When he enters the sacred House of Allah, which Allah has made a place of safety for mankind, this reminds him of safety on the Day of Resurrection, and that no one can attain it without effort and striving. The greatest source of safety on the Day of Resurrection is Tawheed (belief in the Oneness of Allah) and avoiding shirk (associating others with Allah). Concerning this Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and worship none but Him Alone) and confuse not their Belief with Zulm (wrong, i.e. by worshipping others besides Allah), for them (only) there is security and they are the guided” [al-An’aam 6:82].
When he kisses the Black Stone, which is the first ritual that he does, this trains the visitor to venerate the Sunnah (the way of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)), and not to transgress against the law of Allah on the basis of his flawed reasoning. He knows that what Allah has prescribed for mankind is wise and good, and he trains himself to submit fully to his Lord, may He be exalted. Concerning that, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, after kissing the Black Stone: “I know that you are just a stone and you can neither cause harm nor bring benefit. Were it not that I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) kissing you, I would not have kissed you.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1520) and Muslim (1720).
8-When he circumambulates the Ka’bah, that reminds him of his father Ibraaheem (Abraham, peace be upon him), and how he built the Ka’bah as a place of safety for mankind and called them to come on pilgrimage to this House. Then came our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who also called people to come to this House. Moosa (Moses) and ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon them both) also came on pilgrimage to this House, which is therefore a symbol of these Prophets. How could it be otherwise when Allah commanded Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) to build it and venerate it?
9-When he drinks the water of Zamzam, this reminds him of the blessing that Allah has bestowed upon people in this blessed water, from which millions of people have drunk for many centuries, and it still has not dried up. He is encouraged to say du’aa’ (supplication) when drinking it, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The water of Zamzam is for whatever it is drunk for.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah (3062) and Ahmad (14435). It is a hasan hadeeth which was classed as such by Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) in Zaad al-Ma’aad (4/320).
10-The saa’i (running) between al-Safa and al-Marwa reminds him of the great hardship undergone by our mother Haajar (Hagar), and how she ran between al-Safa and al-Marwa looking for someone to save her from the trouble in which she found herself, and especially for water to give to her young son Ismaa’eel (Ishmael). This woman bore this test with patience, and turned to her Lord. In her we have a good example, because when a man remembers the striving and patience of this woman, his problems seem less significant, and when a woman remembers one of her own gender, her hardship becomes easier to bear.
11-Standing in ‘Arafah reminds the pilgrim of the great gathering of mankind on the Day of Gathering. If the pilgrim suffers exhaustion because of the crowding together of thousands of people, then how about when all of mankind are gathered, barefoot, naked and uncircumcised?
12-As we said with regard to kissing the Black Stone, so too when stoning the Jamaraat (stone pillars representing the Devil), the Muslim trains himself to be obedient and to follow the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Thus he manifests pure submission to Allah.
13-When he offers the sacrifice, this reminds him of the important incident when our father Ibraaheem submitted to Allah’s command to sacrifice his only son Ismaa’eel (Ishmael), and that there is no room for compassion which goes against the commands and prohibitions of Allah. It also teaches him to respond to the command of Allah, as Ismaa’eel said: “ ‘O my father! Do that which you are commanded, In sha’ Allah (if Allah wills), you shall find me of As‑Saabiroon (the patient)’” [al-Saffaat 37:102].
14-When he exits ihraam and that which Allah had forbidden to him during ihraam becomes permissible to him again, this trains him to be patient, and teaches him that with hardship goes ease, and that the outcome for the one who responds to the command of Allah is joy and happiness. This joy can only be felt by the one who tastes the sweetness of obedience, like the joy that the fasting person feels when he breaks his fast, or that the one who spends the night in prayer feels after he has prayed.
15-When he has finished the rituals of Hajj and done them as Allah has prescribed and as He likes, and has completed his rituals, he has the hope that his Lord will forgive him all his sins, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) promised when he said: “Whoever comes to this House and does not utter any obscene speech or do any evil deed, will go back as his mother bore him.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1449) and Muslim (1350). This motivates him to turn over a new leaf in his life, free from sin.
16-When he goes back to his wife and children, the joy of meeting them reminds him of the greater joy he will feel when he meets them in the Paradise of Allah, may He be exalted. This reminds him that true loss is loss of oneself and one's family on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Say (O Muhammad): The losers are those who will lose themselves and their families on the Day of Resurrection. Verily, that will be a manifest loss!” [al-Zumar 39:15].
This is what we were able to mention.
And Allah knows best. |
What difficulties are there for a Muslim performing the Hajj?. | Praise be to Allah.The difficulties may be summed up as follows:
1 – Obtaining the visa, because of the large numbers of pilgrims and the small number of visas allocated.
2 – Tawaaf (circumambulation) around the Ka’bah, when there are many people doing Tawaaf and there is too much crowding, especially at the Black Stone. Hence the people should not push and shove in order to kiss or touch the Black Stone, because that may cause harm that is greater than the reward for doing this action. Similarly the Muslim should choose a suitable time for Tawaaf, when it is less crowded and he can do the act of worship in the required manner.
The scholars have issued fatwas indicating that it is permissible to do tawaaf on the upper floors of al-Masjid al-Haraam (the Grand Mosque in Makkah), even though that is difficult, because of the greater distance involved – but it is more conducive to performing the act of worship as it should be done, as the Muslim can avoid the pushing and shoving and the bad consequences that may result from that.
3 – Sa’ee between al-Safa and al-Marwah (running between two hills in Makkah called al-Safa and al-Marwah). The same may be said concerning this as was said above concerning Tawaaf, although the place is smaller than the place for Tawaaf. The Muslim can also do Sa’ee on the upper floor to avoid the crowding on the lower floor.
4 – Standing in ‘Arafaah, where all the pilgrims gather together at one time in one place, then all they move on at the same time. This is where most people experience difficulties, whether it is in the standing or when moving on.
5 – Muzdalifah. The difficulties may stem from the absence of services that are available in other places, the most important of which is toilet facilities.
Hence pilgrims are advised to eat and drink little in ‘Arafaah and Muzdalifah and on all the days of the Hajj in general, so that they will not need to relieve themselves, then find it difficult to find a suitable place, so they will have problems.
6 – Stoning the Jamaraat (stone pillars representing the devil). This is the most difficult ritual in terms of crowding, and at this time the ignorance of many people becomes manifest when they push and shove their brothers and when they stone the Jamaraat from afar with large rocks that cause harm and injury to their Muslim brothers; some of them are so ignorant that they throw shoes and pieces of wood!
Hence we advise the pilgrim to avoid the time of peak crowding, which is the forenoon of the first day of Eid, and the time of Zuhr prayer on the other days of al-Tashreeq (the three days following Eid), and to stone the Jamaraat at night when the crowding becomes far less, and he can also remember Allaah in a calm manner. The scholars have issued fatwas stating that the time for stoning the Jamaraat lasts from after the sun passes the meridian (which is when the time for Zuhr prayer begins) until Fajr (dawn), so there is no need to go at the time when the people gather and cause harm to oneself and others and not be able to focus properly when doing this act of worship.
7 – In Tawaaf al-Wadaa’ (Farewell Tawaaf), when the pilgrims try to leave early to return to their families, so almost all of them gather at the same time, which causes difficulty and harm to them, whether that is in going to the sanctuary, when doing Tawaaf itself or when leaving Makkah.
Hence we advise pilgrims to delay this ritual until the third of the days of al-Tashreeq and not to be in a hurry. They will earn a greater reward than those who hurry, and they will avoid the intense crowding in Tawaaf al-Wadaa’.
This is a summary of the difficulties that the pilgrims encounter. The wisdom of Allaah dictates that the rituals should be performed in that land where there is little vegetation, and which is very hot, for great reasons, one of which may be so that Allaah may distinguish His slaves from one another, for no one responds to the call of truth except one who is sincere in his intentions towards his Lord.
We should realize that these difficulties do not prevent the Muslim from performing this act of worship which Allaah has enjoined in His Book and on the lips of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has told us that the reward will be commensurate with the degree of difficulty; the more difficult it is, the greater the reward will be.
It was narrated that the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, the people are going back having done two pilgrimages (Hajj and ‘Umrah), and I am going back having done only one (Hajj – i.e., because her period had come).” He said, ‘Wait, and when you become pure (i.e., when your period ends), go out to al-Tan’eem and enter ihraam from there, then meet us at such and such a place. But it (i.e., the reward) is commensurate with the expenses or hardship involved.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1695; Muslim 1211
Al-Nawawi said:
The phrase “But it (i.e., the reward) is commensurate with the expenses or hardship involved” indicates that the reward and the virtue of an act of worship increases the more effort and spending is required. What is meant by hardship is the type of hardship or spending that is not blameworthy or beyond the acceptable limits set by sharee’ah.
Sharh Muslim, 8/152, 153
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar commented on these words by saying:
That is undoubtedly correct but this is not always the case. Some acts of worship may be easier than others but they may be of a higher status and bring a greater reward because of the timing, such as spending the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer in contrast to spending the other nights of Ramadaan in prayer; or because of the place where they are done, such as praying two rak’ahs in al-Masjid al-Haraam in contrast to praying many rak’ahs elsewhere; or financial acts of worship (i.e., spending for the sake of Allaah) where some acts are of a higher virtue than others; or physical acts of worship such as fard (obligatory) prayers in contrast to naafil (supererogatory) prayers, although the naafil prayer s may be greater in number and more recitation of Qur’aan may be done therein; or a dirhams of zakaah in contrast to spending large amounts in voluntary charity. This was pointed out by al-‘Izz ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam in al-Qawaa’id, where he said: Prayer was the delight of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) but it is difficult for others, but the prayer of others, even though it may be difficult, cannot equal his prayer at all. And Allaah knows best.
Fath al-Baari, 3/611
And Allaah knows best. |
Can a Muslim inherit from a kaafir
relative when he dies, or vice-versa? What do the Muslims say about people of different
religions (other than Islam) inheriting from one another? | Praise be to Allah.Difference of religion is one of the factors which prevent inheritance.
A kaafir cannot inherit from a Muslim, according to scholarly consensus, and a Muslim
cannot inherit from a kaafir, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: A Muslim does not inherit from a kaafir and a kaafir does not
inherit from a Muslim. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6262).
If a kaafir becomes Muslim before the legacy is shared out, then
according to Imaam Ahmad he is allowed to inherit, to encourage him in his Islam. As
regards the kuffaar inheriting from one another, according to Imaam Abu Haneefah and Imaam
al-Shaafa'i, and according to one opinion narrated from Ahmad, they can inherit from one
another even if they belong to different religions, because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning): And those who disbelieve are allies to one another
[al-Anfaal 8:73], and because despite the differences in their religions and sects,
they are as one in their enmity towards the Muslims. |
A group of people collected an amount of
money and determined that it should be paid exclusively to any of their number who falls
on hard times, such as having to pay diyah (blood-money) in the case of manslaughter. They
invested this money in business, and donate the resulting profits to charitable causes
agreed upon between them. Do they have to pay zakaat on this money or not? Is it OK to pay
zakaat to this charitable fund? | Praise be to Allah.If it is as you describe, there is no zakaat due on the
money mentioned, because it comes under the rulings of waqf (endowment), whether it is
frozen or is actively circulating in business. It is not permissible to pay zakaat into
this fund, because it is not devoted especially to the poor and is not intended for any of
the other purposes for which zakaat should be used. And Allaah knows best. |
what should the mu'moon do if he is praying
in congregation and the imaam goes into rukoo' and the former has not finished reciting
al-faatiha? | Praise be to Allah.The person who is praying behind the imaam should do rukoo as soon
as the imaam does rukoo, because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: The imaam is appointed only to be followed, so when he prays
standing, pray standing; when he bows (does rukoo), bow; when he stands up again,
stand up again; when he says Sami Allaahu liman hamidah (Allaah hears
the one who praises Him), say, Rabbanaa wa lakal-hamd (Our Lord,
to You be praise). If he prays standing, then pray standing, and if he prays
sitting, then pray sitting, all of you. (Reported by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh,
648). The person who is praying behind an imaam is excused for not
completing al-Faatihah in this case, because he is following the imaam. And Allaah knows
best. |
Assalam Allaikum,
My husband to be is getting a job in the computer department of a bank in
XXXXX as a System engineer. I wanted to know will it be alright to accept this job. I'm
very upset if this will be a 'Halal' earning or not. Please do reply me. | Praise be to Allah.If the bank you mention is based on riba (interest, usury), then it is not
permitted to work in it, because of the hadeeth narrated by Jaabir, who said: The
Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the one who
consumes riba, the one who gives it, the one who writes it down and the ones who witness
it. He said: They are all the same. (Reported by Muslim in his Saheeh,
2995). We ask Allaah to compensate you with something better. |
Is the cheese halal if it is made from enzymes taken from haram meat (not slaughtered according to Shari’ah) as the enzymes still live beyond the animal's lifetime i.e. the enzyme does not die when the animal is killed? | Praise be to Allah.What is animal rennet?
Before answering this question, it is important to know what rennet is.
Al-Fayruzabadi said in al-Qamus al-Muhit (p. 313), under the definition of na fa ha: al-infahah and al-minfahah and al-binfahah all refer to something yellow that is extracted from the stomachs of suckling goat kids.
Infahah (rennet) was also defined in al-Mawsu'ah al-Fiqhiyyah as follows:
"Rennet is a yellowish-white substance ([in a skin vessel] - this phrase appears not to fit here) that is extracted from the stomachs of suckling kids or lambs. When a little of this substance is added to milk, it curdles and becomes cheese. In some Arabic-speaking regions, people call this rennet mujabbinah (cheese-maker), and the stomach (from which the rennet is taken) is called kursh if the animal grazes on grass.”
Is animal rennet halal?
The Islamic ruling concerning rennet is that if it is taken from an animal that has been slaughtered according to Shari'ah, then it is pure (tahir) and can be eaten. This is according to the Hanafis, Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis.
As regards eating rennet taken from an animal that dies naturally, or that was not slaughtered in accordance with Shari'ah, according to the apparent meaning of the opinions reported from the majority of scholars among the Malikis, Shafi'is and Hanbalis, it is impure (najis) and should not be eaten.
They base this ruling on the verse (interpretation of the meaning): "Forbidden to you for food) are: al-maytatah (dead animals - cattle-beasts not slaughtered)." [al-Maidah 5:3] - the rennet becomes impure by virtue of the animal's death, and it is not possible to remove that impurity from it.
Imam al-Nawawi said in al-Majmu' (9/68):
"The ummah has agreed that it is permissible to eat cheese so long as it is not mixed with anything impure, such as adding rennet from a source that is not halal because it was not slaughtered according to shari'ah. This ijma' (scholarly consensus) is the evidence for its permissibility."
The second view, which is that of Abu Hanifah and is one of two opinions narrated from Imam Ahmad, is that rennet from dead animals or animals that were not slaughtered according to Shari'ah is still tahir (pure).
This is the opinion which Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah thought most correct in al-Fatawa (21/102), where he said:
"It is more likely that their (the Zoroastrians') cheese is halal , and that the rennet and milk of dead animals is tahir (pure)."
Elsewhere in al-Fatawa (35/154) he said:
"With regard to the cheese made with their (some of the kafir Batini groups') rennet, there are two well-known scholarly opinions, as is the case with the rennet from animals slaughtered by the Zoroastrians and Christians, and rennet from dead animals, of whom it is said that they do not slaughter their animals properly. The schools of Abu Hanifah and Ahmad, according to the other of his two opinions, say that this cheese is halal, because the rennet taken from dead animals is tahir (pure), according to this view, and because the (enzymes in) rennet do not die when the animal dies (so, the concept "impure containers don't cause the contents of the container to become impure by contact" ) applies. The schools of Malik, al-Shafi'i and Ahmad, according to the other of his two opinions, state that this cheese is najis (impure), because the rennet is impure according to this view, as they see the milk and rennet of dead animals as impure. In cases where meat is classified as impure because it is not slaughtered properly, the meat is regarded as being the same as dead meat. Both opinions are based on reports narrated from the Sahabah. The first group states that the Sahabah used to eat the cheese of the Zoroastrians, while the second group states that the Sahabah used to eat what they thought was the cheese of the Christians. With regard to this issue, the follower (ordinary Muslim) must follow an 'alim who advises him to follow either of these two opinions.”
For more about halal and haram food, please see this category: Food and Nourishment.
And Allah knows best. |
Are there any colours which a muslim/muslimah cannot wear eg red garments | Praise be to Allah.Before we answer this question we should note an important point, which is that the basic principle regarding colours of clothes for men and women is that all colours are permissible except where there is a shar’i text forbidding a certain colour for men or women. There are shar’i texts which encourage the wearing of certain colours and forbid the wearing of other colours, such as the following:
Black: Umm Khaalid bint Khaalid said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was brought some clothes, among which was a small black khameesah [garment]. He said, ‘Who do you think we should give this to?’ The people remained silent. Then he said, ‘Bring me Umm Khaalid,’ and she was carried to him. He took the khameesah in his hand and put it on her, and said, ‘May you live long and wear it out.’ There was a green or yellow mark on it, and he said, ‘O Umm Khaalid, this is sanaah (good),’ and sanaah is an Abyssinian word.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari). Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, wearing a black turban.” (Reported by Muslim). ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “I made a black burdah (cloak) for the Messenger of Allah ( ) peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he wore it, but when he sweated in it he detected the smell of wool on it, so he took it off, because he used to like pleasant smells.” (Reported by Abu Dawood. Al-Haakim (4/188) said: it is saheeh according to the conditions of the two shaykhs. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Shaykh al-Albaani said in al-Saheehah (5/168, no. 2136): It is as they said. Abu Dawood named a chapter in his Sunan “Bab fi’l-Suwaad (chapter on black clothes)”. The author of ‘Awn al-Ma’bood (11/126) said: The hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to wear black and that there is nothing makrooh in doing so).
Black is permissible for both men and women alike. One of the false innovations (bid’ah) connected to this colour is the practice of deliberately wearing black at times of bereavement, which also involves imitating the Christians. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen said (Fataawa Islamiyah, 3/313): “Wearing black at times of bereavement is a false symbol that has no basis. At times of bereavement people should do what is commanded in Islam, which is to say ‘Innaa Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon. Allahumma ajirni fi museebati wa’khluf li khayran minhaa (Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return. O Allah, reward me for my calamity and compensate me with something better than it).’ If a person says this with faith and the hope of reward, Allah will reward him for that and will replace what he has lost with something better.” He also said: “Allocating certain clothes for mourning is an act of bid’ah (innovation) in our opinion, and because it could indicate that a person is discontent with the decree of Allah.”
White: Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he was wearing a white garment and was asleep. I came back to him (later), and he had woken up…” (Reported by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh, in a chapter he called Baab al-Thiyaab al-Beed (Chapter on white clothes)). Al-Bukhaari reported that Sa’d said: “I saw on the left of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and on his right two men wearing white clothes on the day of Uhud. I never saw them before or since.” These two men were Jibreel and Mikaa’eel, as al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar mentioned in al-Fath (10/295). White is a colour recommended (mustahabb) for the living to wear and for the dead to be shrouded in, as was stated in the hadeeth narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Wear your white clothes, for they are the best of your clothes, and shroud your dead in them.’” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz (p. 82)). White is also the preferred colour for men’s ihraam (special garments for Hajj), which consists of an izaar (lower garment) and a rida’ (upper garment).
Green: Abu Ramthah said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wearing two green garments.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said, this is a ghareeb hasan hadeeth, and by al-Nisaa’i, 5224).
Red: It was reported that wearing pure red is forbidden for men, but not for women, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade mafdam” (reported by Imaam Ahmad and Ibn Maajah, 3591). Mafdam is something that is filled with red safflower dye. According to the commentary of al-Sindi on Sunan al-Nisaa’i, mafdam is something that is filled with red. It was reported that if ‘Umar saw a man wearing a garment dyed red with safflower, he would pull him aside and say, “Leave this for the women.” (Reported by al-Tabari).
‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr said: “A man who was wearing two red garments passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and greeted him with salaam, but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not respond.” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi, and classed as hasan by al-Bazzaar, who said: we know it only through this isnaad, which includes Abu Yahya al-Qattaat, who is a disputed figure).
There were several suggestions as to why men are forbidden to wear red, including the following:
because it is the dress of the kuffaar
because it is the adornment of women, so forbidding it is a way of discouraging the imitation of women
because it is vanity and does not befit a decent man to wear it
The prohibition applies only to garments that are dyed completely red. Garments that contain another colour such as white, black, etc. are not forbidden. This is how the ahaadeeth that speak about the red hullah should be interpreted, such as the hadeeth of al-Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was of average height. I saw him wearing a red hullah, and I have never seen anything better than it.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5400). The Yemeni hullah usually has stripes of red and another colour, it is not pure red.
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The clothing (of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)): Abu’l-Waleed told us Shu’bah told us from Abu Ishaaq who heard al-Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was of average height. I saw him wearing a red hullah, and I have never seen anything better than it.’ The hullah consists of an izaar and a rida’ (lower and upper garments)… It is a mistake to think that it was pure red and not mixed with any other colour. The red hullah is two Yemeni garments woven with red and black stripes like all the other Yemeni garments… But pure red is emphatically forbidden. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade red saddlecloths (or blankets) … With regard to red garments in general and red broadcloth, etc., the issue is still under discussion, but it is very disliked (makrooh).” (Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/139).
And Allah knows best. |
Dear Sir,
For a muslim, is it allowed to use drugs like cocaine .
Here in Columbia 70 % of the people use it .
When I want to become a muslim, must I stop it ?
I am waiting for your answer. | Praise be to Allah.It is a great thing to learn that you are thinking of embracing Islam,
although you live in a country where drugs are rife and are not following any religion at
present. We were amazed and impressed to know that a man living in such circumstances has
reached the point where he wants to become Muslim, but Allaah is able to do all things,
and He guides whom He wills to the Straight Path. Perhaps the Divine care has been
preparing you to embrace the true religion in spite of the intense darkness, kufr
(disbelief) and drug-ridden atmosphere that surround you. The unbelieving man is dead at
heart even though his body is alive, but when Allaah guides him to the light of Islam, his
heart awakens and he sees a whole new meaning to life as he starts to follow the guidance
of his Lord. Allaah says in His Holy Book (interpretation of the meaning): “Is he
who was dead (without Faith by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life (by knowledge
and faith) and set for him a Light (belief) whereby he can walk amongst men, like him who
is in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can never come
out?…” [al-An’aam 6:122]. So come to true life, and follow the Light
which Allaah has revealed, and you will find that which will delight you and bring you
peace of mind, when you worship Allaah.
As regards the issue of drugs, no doubt you would expect this great
religion to forbid everything that is harmful and to permit everything that is beneficial,
and not to allow man to lose his mind and go crazy, doing all kinds of foolish things
without any awareness and destroying his body. This is what happens when people take drugs
and prevent themselves from thinking about or worshipping Allaah. This poison opens the
door to hostile aggression, and destroys religion, lives, minds, honour and wealth. And so
no wise person can doubt that drugs are totally forbidden.
We fully understand that addiction is no straightforward matter and that
recovery is no simple process, but this should not prevent you from entering Islam and
embracing the way of truth with which Allaah has sent His Prophet Muhammad
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). Rest assured that when you embrace Islam, this will give
you strength and will-power to overcome this addiction and rid yourself of this disease
and sin. All of this may take some time, but this should not make you hesitate to embrace
Islam. Become Muslim and you will be safe from the problems of this world and the
punishment of the Hereafter. We are prepared to stand by you and help you with any
difficulty that you may face. We thank you for your question and ask Allaah to guide you
soon. Peace be upon those who follow the truth. |
How do we explain God
to someone who believes that while God exists, they cannot accept or understand how a
merciful, comapssionate God would allow so much human suffering to take place. The analogy
they give is that if we are God's children, why does God not protect us -- just as a
parent would gaurd over their children? | Praise be to Allah.Allaah (God) Almighty, is
most merciful and compassionate, without any doubt. Yet his actions can not be fully
comprehended by our incompetent minds. What simplifies this issue is that we all agree
that Allaah is fair, just, wise and knowing. That means whatever he-Almighty- does, is
with a legitimate purpose although we may not be able to understand, just why. For
example, a caring and loving doctor and father may be forced to amputate the leg of his
only son. There is no doubt that this father loves his son. Yet his action was for the
sake of this beloved son, although it may seem cruel to those who do not understand the
circumstances. Allah Almighty has the greater and higher example, and it is
not to any of his creatures to question his doings as it is mentioned in Sura 21 verse 23
(interpreted means: He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be
questioned (for theirs).
It is a Muslims belief that suffering of pain, hunger, tragic
accidents etc, are due to ones sins, for Allaah wants this suffering to erase these
sins which were made by this Muslim. Allaah says in Sura 42 verse 30 interpreted means:
Whatever misfortune happens to you, is because of the things your
hands have wrought, and for many (of them) He grants forgiveness. It is
also apparent that man in times of crisis gets closer to Allaah and starts repenting,
while in times of ease and comfort he is far from remembering the blessings of Allaah and
he uses these gifts and blessings in committing sin after sin.
Allaah -Almighty- has shown man the path of good and evil, and he gave him
the power and will to choose. Therefore, man is accountable to his deeds and the
punishment he receives for them, for life in this world is merely a test, but the results
are to be known in the hereafter and Allaah knows best. |
Is it permissible for a Muslim man to marry
a woman who professes no faith or "deen" at all -- an "agnostic"? | Praise be to Allah.This is not permitted at all, because Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): “… they are not lawful (wives) for the
disbelievers nor are the disbelievers lawful (husbands) for them…”
[al-Mumtahinah 60:10]. An exception is made in the case of chaste women of the People
of the Book (Jews and Christians), because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “(Lawful
to you in marriage) are … and chaste women from those who were given the Scripture
(Jews and Christians) before your time…” [al-Maa’idah 5:5]. And Allaah
knows best. |
Dear brother,
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahamathulla
A muslim friend of mine intends to start a Laundry & Dry cleaning
business. Can you please clari? | Praise be to Allah.There is nothing wrong with doing this kind of work, so long as the
conditions laid down by Sharee’ah are adhered to. These include proper removal of
najaasah (impurities) from the clothes, which may be done using water or by any other
means (according to the most correct opinion), so that no trace of najaasah is left. And
Allaah knows best. |
Assalaamu 'Alaikum,
I attended a funeral today for my wife's aunt. After the janazah prayer, I
found out that the person performing the janazah prayer was not muslim. He was an Ahmadi
belonging to the sect who says Mirza Gulam was a prophet. I personally feel that the
janazah was not valid, but there were a lot of muslims in the congregation, who paid
little attention to the fact that the leader was not muslim. Should my family and I
re-pray the janazah? | Praise be to Allah.Yes, you have to repeat the funeral prayer, because this imaam behind
whom you prayed is a believer in a kaafir doctrine which puts him beyond the pale of
Islam. We ask Allaah to show mercy to your deceased loved one.. |
My wife is currently feeding our newborn child. During sex, I drank her milk. Is her milk halal for me? | Praise be to Allah.Rulings related to breastfeeding in Islam
Before answering this question, we must explain some important points about the rulings concerning breastfeeding .
1. Breastfeeding is proven in the Quran and Sunnah, and by ijma (scholarly consensus).
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“… your foster mothers who gave you suck, your foster milk suckling sisters…” [al-Nisa 4:23]
Ibn 'Abbas reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “What is forbidden by suckling or breastfeeding is the same as what is forbidden by nasab (lineage).” (Agreed upon; al-Bukhari, Muslim, 1444)
The scholars agree that the effect of rada’ah (breastfeeding) prohibits marriage and creates the relationship of mahram, and permits seeing and being alone (with the people to whom one is related through rada’ah).
2. For breastfeeding to have the effect of transmitting its benefits from the nursing woman to the child suckled, it must meet certain conditions, which are:
1. The breastfeeding must happen within the first two years of the child’s life, because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire to complete the term of suckling…” [al-Baqarah 2:233]
2. The number of breastfeedings must total the known five feeds, in which the child eats his fill as if eating and drinking. If the child leaves the breast for a reason, such as to take a breath or to switch from one breast to the other, this (i.e., each separate time the child latches on) is not counted as one breastfeeding. This is the opinion of al-Shafi'i, and the opinion favoured by Ibn al-Qayyim.
The definition of rada’ah (one breastfeeding) is when the child sucks at the breast and drinks until the milk enters his stomach, then he leaves the breast of his own accord.
The evidence for the number five (number of breastfeedings) is the report from ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: “There was in the Quran [an ayah which stipulated that] ten [was the number of] breastfeedings which created the relationship of mahram , then this was abrogated [by another ayah which stipulated] five. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) died and [the ayah which stipulated five] was still being recited as part of the Quran.” (Reported by Muslim, 1452).
In other words, the abrogation came so late that when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) died, some people had not yet heard that this ayah had been abrogated, but when they heard that it had been abrogated, they stopped reciting it, and agreed that it should not be recited, although the ruling mentioned in the ayah remained in effect.
This is an abrogation of the recitation without abrogation of the ruling, which is one type of abrogation.
Having understood this, breastfeeding after the first two years does not create any relationship of mahram. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars, and among the references which they quote is the verse cited above, along with the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “Nothing of breastfeeding creates the relationship of mahram except what fills the stomach to bursting point, before (the age of) weaning.” Reported by al-Tirmidhi. (No. 1152), who said: This is a hasan sahih hadith.
The application of this according to the scholars among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and others is that breastfeeding does not create the relationship of mahram except when it is within the first two years, and anything after the first two whole years does not create any such relationship.”
There are some other reports from the Sahabah, such as that narrated from Abu ‘Atiyah al-Wadi'i, who said: “A man came to Ibn Mas’ud and said: ‘My wife was with me and her breasts were full of milk (she was engorged). I began to suck it and spit it out. Then I came to Abu Musa.’ He (Ibn Mas’ud) said, ‘What did you tell him?’ So he (Abu Musa) told him what he had told him. Then Ibn Mas’ud stood up, took the man’s hand (and said), ‘Do you think this is an infant? Breastfeeding is what produces the growth of flesh and blood.’ Abu Musa said: ‘Do not ask me anything when this scholar is among you.’” (Reported by ‘Abd al-Razzaq in al-Musannaf, 7/463, no. 13895).
In al-Muwatta (2/603), Malik reported that Ibn ‘Umar said: “There is no breastfeeding except for the one who is breastfed in infancy; there is no breastfeeding for one who is grown up.” Its isnad is sahih.
Can husband drink milk of wife in Islam?
Malik also reported in al-Muwatta that ‘Abd-Allah ibn Dinar said: “A man came to ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar when I was with him in the court-house, asking him about breastfeeding one who is grown up. ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar said: ‘A man came to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and said, “I have a slave-girl with whom I used to have sexual relations, and my wife went to her and gave her her milk, then when I went to her, she said, ‘Stop, by Allah I have given her my milk.’” ‘Umar said, “Punish her (your wife), and (continue to) go to your slave-girl, for (the ruling on) breastfeeding only applies to breastfeeding of infants.”’” Its isnad is sahih.
From this it is clear that drinking one’s wife’s milk has no effect and does not create the relationship of mahram.
Ibn Qudamah said in al-Mughni (9/201):
“One of the conditions of breastfeeding creating the relationship of mahram is that it should be within the first two years. This is the opinion of most of the scholars. Something like this was narrated from ‘Umar, ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn Mas’ud, Ibn ‘Abbas, Abu Hurayrah and the wives of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), apart from ‘Aishah. It was also the opinion of al-Shi’bi, Ibn Shubrumah, al-Awza’i, al-Shaafi’i, Ishaq, Abu Yusuf, Muhammad, and Abu Thawr, and was narrated in one report from Malik.
On the basis of the above, drinking one’s wife’s milk has no effect, but it is better to avoid it.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymin was asked about this matter, and he replied:
“Breastfeeding a grown-up has no effect, because the breastfeeding which has an effect (of creating the relationship of mahram) is that which consists of five feedings or more within the first two years, before weaning.
On this basis, if it happened that someone breastfed from his wife or drank her milk, he does not become her son.” (Fatawa Islamiyyah, 3/338)
And Allah knows best. |
I work for a person who doesnt believe in God. Is it ok to work for him ?
He is ok with me and allows time off for prayers. | Praise be to Allah.If your work is in a permitted field, there is nothing wrong with your working for him, so long as you continue to obey the commands of Allaah. You should also do your duty of da’wah, calling to Allaah in the best way. Perhaps Allaah will guide him through you. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) when he sent him to the kuffaar on the day of Khaybar: “Call them to Islam and tell them what they have to do, for by Allaah, if Allaah were to guide one man through you, it would be better for you than red camels.” (Red camels were the most precious form of wealth to the Arabs at that time). (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2787). |
Is it permissible to marry an american christian woman just to get the green card from her, without living, or being alone with here (just on the paper).
My neya: is to do that so I can visit and help my parents back in my country, and be able to work with my degree as( a Computer Programmer). | Praise be to Allah.and peace be upon the
Messenger of Allaah.
We put this question to Shaykh al-‘Allaamah
‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz, who responded: “It is not one of the purposes
of marriage according to Islamic sharee’ah to marry for the purpose
of gaining residency rights and then to get divorced. It seems to me
that this is not permitted.”
Moreover, marrying a Christian woman
on paper only is a kind of cheating these kaafirs, and this is not permitted.
Allaah does not approve of wrongdoing even to kaafirs. And Allaah knows
best. |
I am very thankful I have found this site to ask questions about Islam and know I am receiving authoritative answers! In question 2425 you quoted a passage: Five things are part of the fitrah: circumcision, removing the pubic hair, trimming the moustache, cutting the nails, and plucking the armpit hair. (Reported by al-Bukhari, 5441) My question is: What is 'fitrah'? I have never heard of this. | Praise be to Allah.Meaning of fitrah
Al-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafsir: Fitrah : the deen (way or religion) of Allah. Al-Tabaris tafsir (commentary) of the ayah (interpretation of the meaning): [Iblis said] and indeed I will order them to change the nature created by Allah. [al-Nisa 4:119]
Concerning the ayah (interpretation of the meaning), “So set your face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah’s handiwork according to the pattern (fitrah) on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not. [al-Rum 30:30 Yusuf Ali’s translation], it was reported from some of the scholars of tafsir that the phrase the pattern (fitrah) on which He has made mankind means the design of Allah according to which He has created mankind.
What are Sunan al-Fitrah ?
This word (fitrah) was also mentioned in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Five things are part of the fitrah: removing the pubic hair, circumcision , trimming the moustache, plucking the armpit hairs, and trimming the nails. (Reported by al-jama'ah)
What is meant by these five things being part of the fitrah is that when they are done, this is in accordance with the natural pattern on which Allah made mankind and urged them to follow, so that they will be better and more perfect. This is the ancient sunnah (way) which was followed by all the prophets and which was enjoined by all the laws they brought. It is a natural and innate way. (Al-Shawkani, Nayl al-Awtar, Bab Sunan al-Fitrah)
And Allah knows best. |
Assalamu alaikum.My wife and I are planning to go for Hajj next year. Shall I send my
parents first before we go? None of us have done Hajj before.I don't have provision for all four of us to go together for Hajj.My question is: Who goes first? My wife and I, or my parents?Jazakallahu Khair,Assalamu alaikum. | Praise be to Allah.The Muslim is not obliged to pay for his wife or either of his parents
to go for Hajj, because his duty with regard to his wife and parents is to spend on their
food, drink, clothing and shelter. But if a Muslim wants to donate the cost of going to
Hajj to anybody, he should start with his mother, then his father, then his wife, because
of the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which a man
came to the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said,
O Messenger of Allaah, who is most deserving of my good treatment? He said,
Your mother. He asked, Then who? He said, Your mother.
He asked, Then who? He said, Your mother. He asked, Then
who? He said, Your father. Ibn Shubrumah and Yahyaa ibn Ayyoob said: Abu
Zurah told us something similar. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5514). And Allaah knows best. |
Asalam Alaikum,What is the ruling on bleaching one's skin, is itharam or alright? | Praise be to Allah.Bleaching the skin is done for one of two reasons:
it is done in the pursuit of beauty and perfection. This is not
permitted because it involves changing the creation of Allaah, and because it is regarded
as being in the same class as tattooing, practitioners of which were cursed by the
Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
It is done to remove a fault of blemish, such as a black spot or
something similar on the hand or elsewhere, which a person bleaches in an attempt to
remove the blemish. There is nothing wrong with this, because it is counted as removing
faults. And Allaah knows best. |
What is the ruling on killing mice and rats? | Praise be to Allah.Is it haram to kill rats?
There is nothing wrong with killing mice and rats. `Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrated that Hafsah said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“There are five animals for which there is no blame on the one who kills them: crows, kites (hawk-like birds), mice/rats, scorpions and mad dogs.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1828)
(Translators’ note: the Arabic word farah may refer to rats or mice, so both are mentioned in the translation.)
Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad said: I heard ‘Aishah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say:
“There are four things which are fasiq (corrupt) and may be killed at all times, whether one is in a state of ihram [for Hajj and ‘Umrah] or not: kites, crows, mice/rats and mad dogs.” (Narrated by Muslim, 1198)
Are mice and rats harmful?
Mice and rats are harmful creatures, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) explained:
Ibn 'Abbas said: “A mouse (or rat) came and started dragging the wick (of the lamp). It threw it in front of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), onto the mat on which he was sitting, and it burnt a hole the size of a dirham. He said, “When you go to sleep, extinguish your lamps, for the Shaytan will tell creatures like this to do something like this so that you will be burned.” (Narrated by Abu Dawud, 5427)
The mice or rats that may live in people’s houses are among the harmful creatures or vermin (fuwaysiqah) which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded us to kill in all situations, whether we are in ihram or not.
The root of the word fuwaysiqah (fasaqah) means to deviate from the right way and to do harm; hence a sinner is described as “fasiq”, and these animals are called fawasiq, as a metaphor for their evil nature; or it was said that it is because it is not haram to kill them, whether one is in ihram or not, for they have no sanctity or protection in any circumstances. Al-Tahawi narrated in Ahkam al-Quran with his isnad from Yazid ibn Abu Nu’aym that he [Yazid] asked Abu Sa’id al-Khudri why mice/rats were called fuwaysiqah. He said: the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) woke up one night and saw that a mouse/rat had taken the wick of the lamp to burn down the house of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), so he got up and killed it, and said that it was permissible to kill them whether one is in ihram or not. This was mentioned by al-‘Allamah al-Dumayri.
Al-Bukhari and Muslim narrated in their Sahihs that Abu Musa al-Ash’ari said: A house in Madinah burned down with its people inside. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) heard about this, he said:
“This fire is an enemy to you, so when you go to sleep, extinguish it.”
Al-Bukhari narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah said: the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Cover the vessels, for the mouse/rat may drag out the wick (of the lamp) and burn the occupants of the house.”
Something similar was narrated by Muslim, in which he says: “For the fuwaysiqah may start a fire and burn the house and its occupants.”
Al-Tabari said, explaining these ahadith: if a person wants to spend the night in a house in which there is no one else, and in which there is a fire or a lamp, it is a duty on him to extinguish it before he sleeps… The hadith was narrated by al-Hakim; he said its isnad is sahih. (‘Awn al-Ma’bud Sharh Abi Dawud)
For more, please see these answers: 7004 , 10498 , 169562 and 336476
And Allah knows best. |
What is the ruling on playing or allowing one's children to play the many electronic games that are widely available, such as those produced by companies like Sony and Nintendo, etc.? | Praise be to Allah.Types of video games
The one who looks at these games will see that they are based on mental skills and individual reactions or decisions. These games are of various types, with many aspects. Some of them take the form of illusionary battles which train a person in what to do in similar circumstances [in real life].
Some other games are based on being alert so as to save oneself from danger; fighting enemies and destroying targets; planning; having adventures; finding the way out of a labyrinth; escaping from wild beasts; racing cars, planes, etc.; overcoming obstacles; searching for treasure.
Some games increase knowledge and enhance one's interests, such as games that involve taking things apart and putting them back together, jigsaw puzzles, building things, colouring, and shading and lighting.
Are video games haram?
Islam does not forbid leisure or having fun in permissible ways. The basic rule concerning these games is that they are permissible so long as they do not get in the way of obligatory duties such as establishing prayer [i.e., praying properly and on time] and honouring one's parents, and so long as they do not include anything that is haram.
What are the forbidden elements in games?
There are, however, many haram elements in these games, such as the following:
Games which depict wars between the people of this world (good guys) and people from the sky (bad guys), with all its implications of accusations against Allah, may He be glorified, or the noble angels.
Games which involve sanctifying the cross or passing over or by it to gain strength, to bring one back to life or to give the player extra lives and so on. Also, games which are used for designing birthday cards as in Christian culture are also forbidden.
Games which approve of witchcraft/magic, and which glorify witches/magicians/sorcerers, etc.
Games which are based on hatred of Islam and Muslims, like the game in which a player gets 100 points if he hits Makkah, 50 points if he hits Baghdad, and so on.
Games that glorify the non-Muslims and show pride in belonging to them, like games in which if a player chooses an army belonging to a non-Muslim state he becomes strong, and if he chooses an army belonging to an Arab state he becomes weak. Also, games which teach a child to admire non-Muslim sports clubs and the names of non-Muslim players.
Games that include depictions of nudity, and some games that allow the winner to see a pornographic picture; games that corrupt morals, such as games where the idea is to run away with a girlfriend from the bad guys or a dragon.
Games based on ideas of gambling.
Music and other things that are known to be forbidden in Islam.
Physical harm, such as damage to the eyes and nervous system; harmful effects of game sounds on the ears. Modern studies have shown that these games may be addictive and harmful to the nervous system, as well as causing stress and nervous tension in children.
Making children get used to violence and criminality, and teaching them to take killing and murder lightly, as in the famous Doom game.
Corrupting children’s sense of reality by teaching them about a world of illusions and impossible things, such as coming back from the dead, supernatural powers that do not really exist, images of space aliens, and so on.
We have gone into details about some of the ideological dangers and things that are prohibited by Islam because many fathers and mothers do not pay attention to these things, and they bring these games for their children and let them play with them.
We should also point out that it is not permissible to compete for prizes in playing these electronic games , even if the game itself is permissible, because they are not a means of jihad, and they do not help you develop strength for jihad.
And Allah knows best. |
What is the ruling on following the funeral procession of a person who has died and who used to pray to graves for help? | Praise be to Allah.We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allah ibn Jibreen, who replied:
If when he died he was persisting in calling on the dead for help, it is not permissible to follow his funeral procession. If nobody discussed this issue with him, we should look to see whether he was in a land there were any pure monotheists who propagated the message of Tahweed and if there were any ways in which he could have learned about Tawheed. It is most likely that proof was established against him, so we should not follow his funeral procession. Otherwise we may do so.
And Allah knows best. |
Could we skip Shalat al-Jumu`ah (Friday prayer) when we are travelling? | Praise be to Allah.Is Jumu`ah while traveling obligatory?
Salat al-Jumu`ah (Friday prayer) is not obligatory on the traveller. This is the opinion of the majority of scholars, including the followers of the four schools of Abu Hanifah, Malik, al-Shafi’i and Ahmad.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Fatawa (24/178):
“The correct opinion, without a doubt is that this (Jumu`ah and ‘Eid prayers ) are not obligatory for the traveller. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to travel frequently: he performed ‘Umrah three times, besides the ‘Umrah he performed along with Hajj. He performed his Farewell Pilgrimage accompanied by thousands upon thousands of people, and he went on more than twenty military campaigns, but there are no reports at all that say he prayed Jumu`ah or ‘Eid prayers when travelling; he just prayed two rak’ahs [i.e., shortened prayers] as on all the other days.
There are also no reports that say he preached a khutbah on a Friday when he was travelling , neither standing on his own two feet or from atop his camel, as he used to do on ‘Eid, or from a pulpit, as he used to do on Fridays. He occasionally used to deliver an address to the people when he was travelling, and this was narrated by them but no-one reported that he delivered a khutbah to them before prayer on a Friday whilst travelling, and no-one reported that he recited Quran aloud on a Friday (i.e., during Salat al-Zuhr, on a journey). Of course, if he had done something out of the ordinary and recited aloud or delivered a khutbah, they would have reported it. On the Day of `Arafah, he delivered a khutbah, then he came down and led them in a two-rak’ah prayer, but no one reported that he recited aloud in that prayer. That khutbah was not for Jumu`ah because if it had been for Jumu`ah, he would have done the same (delivered a khutbah) on every other Friday (when he was travelling); that khutbah was given because it was part of the rituals (of Hajj). Hence all the Muslim scholars said that he would have given a khutbah at ‘Arafah even if it had not been a Friday. This mutawaatir report proves that it was a khutbah for the Day of `Arafah, not for Friday.”
Can a traveller pray Jumu`ah with the people he is visiting?
From the above we know that Jumu`ah is not obligatory for the traveller, all that he has to do is to pray Zuhr. However, if he prays Jumu`ah with the people of the place he is visiting, this is OK.
It says in al-Sharh al-Kabir (2/154):
“Whoever of these people, travellers, slaves and women attends Jumu`ah, does not have to pray Zuhr, and we know of no dispute on this point. Their exemption from having to attend Jumu`ah is to make things easy for them, but if they attend, it is OK, as is the case with the sick person. It is preferable for the traveller to attend Jumu`ah, because this is better, and is on the safe side (because some scholars think that Jumu`ah is obligatory for the traveller who is staying in a particular place, but not for the traveller who is on the road), as he comes under the general meaning of the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “O you who believe! When the call is proclaimed for the prayer on the Day of Friday (Jumu`ah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off business (and every other thing), that is better for you, if you did but know!” [al-Jumu`ah 62:9]
We have already stated that the majority of scholars say that generally speaking it is not obligatory.
And Allah knows best. |
I am unable to conceive children due to sterility are there any specific dua'a to be said in such a case ? | Praise be to Allah.You may pray the duaa of Zakariya (peace be upon him), who said:
Rabbi laa tadharni fardan wa anta khayr ul-waaritheen (O my Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors). This is a beautiful duaa which is very appropriate in this case. Also suitable is another prayer of Zakariya: Rabbi hab li min ladunka dhurriyyatan tayyibatan innaka samee al-duaa (O my Lord! Grant me from You a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation).
The story of Zakariya contains valuable lessons for us. Allaah has told us this story in several places in the Quraan. For example, in Soorat Aal Imraan, where He tells us about Maryam (peace be upon her) He says (interpretation of the meaning):
So her Lord (Allaah) accepted her [Maryam] with goodly acceptance. He made her grow in a good manner and put her under the care of Zakariya. Every time he entered al-mihrab [a praying place or private room] to (visit) her, he found her supplied with sustenance. He said, O Maryam! From where have you got this? She said, This is from Allaah. Verily, Allaah provides sustenance to whom He wills, without limit.
At that time Zakariya invoked his Lord, saying: O my Lord! Grant me from You a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation.
Then the angels called him, while he was standing in prayer in al-mihrab, (saying): Allaah gives you glad tidings of Yahya, confirming (believing in) the Word from Allaah [i.e., the creation of Eesaa], noble, keeping away from sexual relations with women, a Prophet, from among the righteous.
He said, O my Lord! How can I have a son when I am very old and my wife is barren? Allaah said: Thus Allaah does what He wills.
He said: O my Lord! Make a sign for me. Allaah said: Your sign is that you shall not speak to mankind for three days except with signals. And remember your Lord much, and glorify (Him) in the afternoon and in the morning.[Aal Imraan 3:37-41]
In Soorat Maryam, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
(This is) a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya.
When he called out to his Lord (Allaah) a call in secret,
Saying, My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, and I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord!
And verily! I fear my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir, -
Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Yaqoob [inheritance of religious knowledge and Prophethood]. And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are well-pleased!
(Allaah said): O Zakariya! Verily, We give you the glad tidings of a son. His name will be Yahya. We have given that name to none before (him).
He said, My Lord! How can I have a son, when my wife is barren, and I have reached the extreme old age?
He said, So (it will be). Your Lord says: It is easy for Me, Certainly, I have created you before, when you had been nothing!
[Zakariya] said: My Lord! Appoint for me a sign. He said, Your sign is that you shall not speak unto mankind for three nights, though having no bodily defect.
Then he came out to his people from al-mihrab [a praying-place or private room] and told them by signs to glorify Allaahs Praises in the morning and in the afternoon.[Maryam 19:2-11]
In Soorat al-Anbiya, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
And (remember) Zakariya, when he cried to his Lord: O my Lord! Leave me not single (childless), though You are the Best of the inheritors.
So We answered his call, and We bestowed upon him Yahya, and cured his wife (to bear a child) for him. Verily, they used to hasten on to do good deeds, and they used to call on Us with hope and fear, and used to humble themselves before Us. [al-Anbiya 21:89-90]
Thinking about the story of Zakariya (peace be upon him) is very beneficial for anyone who is infertile. One may also ponder the story of Ibraaheem and his wife Saarah, whom Allaah rewarded for their patience with Ishaaq when Ibraaheem was very old. He was also given another son, Ismaaeel. Allaah tells us that His khaleel (friend) said (interpretation of the meaning):
All praises and thanks be to Allaah, Who has given me in old age Ismaaeel and Ishaaq. Verily! My Lord is indeed the All-Hearer of invocations.[Ibraaheem 14:39]
In all situations, the Muslim should accept and be content with the decree of Allaah, even if he is to remain infertile for the rest of his life. It could be that his patience may be better for him than a child. Everything that Allaah decrees has wisdom and a reason behind it, and everything is subject to His Will and Command. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
To Allaah belongs the kingdom of the heaven and the earth. He creates what He wills. He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offspring) upon whom He wills.
Or He bestows both males and females, and He renders barren whom He wills. Verily, He is the All-Knower and is Able to do all things. [al-Shoora 42:49-50]
May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. |
For the time being, I do not have the resources to quote the exact Quranic verse, nor can I tell you what sura it has been taken from. However, I believe it is a common verse. I understand little Arabic; hence I found that in English. The verse can be interpretted as such:
The godfearing Jews, muslims and christians will not have fear (on that day).
I am not exactly sure of the bracketted phrase.
Now my question to you: is it mistranliteration?
We know that christians and jews in general cannot be hoped to have any
sanction in the life hereafter. So, how do we understand the verse? | Praise be to Allah.What you refer to in your question is mentioned in two similar aayaat
in the Qur’aan. The first of them is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily,
those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians, and Sabians, whoever believes in
Allaah and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their
Lord, on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.” [al-Baqarah 2:62]
The second is the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely,
those who believe, those who are the Jews and the Sabians and the Christians –
whosoever believed in Allaah and the Last Day, and worked righteousness, on them shall be
no fear, nor shall they grieve.” [al-Maa’idah 5:69]
In order to understand these aayaat correctly, we need to refer to the
scholars of Tafseer (Qur’aanic commentary). The great Imaam Ismaa’eel ibn
Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in his tafseer of the aayah from Soorat
al-Baqarah:
“Allaah, may He be exalted, points out that whoever of the
previous nations did well and was obedient, will have a good reward, and this will be the
case for everyone who follows the Unlettered Prophet [Prophet Muhammad
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) until the Hour comes – he will have eternal
happiness, and they will not fear what they are going to face, nor will they grieve for
what they have left behind. As Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): ‘No
doubt! Verily, the awliya’ of Allaah [i.e., those who believe in the Oneness of
Allaah and fear Allaah much, and love Allaah much], no fear shall come upon them nor shall
they grieve.’ [Yoonus 10:62]. And Allaah tells us what the angels say to the
believers at the time of death (interpretation of the meaning): ‘Verily, those who
say, “Our Lord is Allaah,” then they istaqaamu [stood straight, i.e.,
truly followed Islam], on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death)
(saying): “Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you
have been promised!”’ [Fussilat 41:30]
As far as the Jews are concerning, their faith meant believing in the
Tawraat (original Torah) and following the way of Moosa (peace be upon him) until
‘Eesa came, after which whoever continued to follow the Torah and the way of Moosa,
and did not leave this and follow ‘Eesa, was doomed. As far as the Christians are
concerned, their faith meant believing in the Injeel (original Gospel) and following the
laws of ‘Eesa; whoever did this was a believer whose faith was acceptable to Allaah,
until Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came, after which whoever
did not follow Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and leave the way
of ‘Eesa and the Injeel that he had been following before, was doomed.
The aayah (interpretation of the meaning), “And whoever seeks a
religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will
be one of the losers” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85] is a statement that Allaah will not
accept any way or deed from anyone, after sending His Final Messenger, except those that
are in accordance with the laws of Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him). Prior to this, however, anyone who followed the Prophet of his own time was on the
Straight Path of salvation. So the Jews were those who followed Moosa (peace be upon him)
and referred to the Tawraat for judgement at that time. When Allaah sent ‘Eesa (peace
be upon him), the Children of Israel were obliged to follow him and obey him, and so they
and others who followed him became Christians.. When Allaah sent Muhammad
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), as the Final Prophet and a Messenger to all the children
of Adam, all of mankind was obliged to believe in him and obey him, and refrain from what
he prohibited. Those who did so are the true believers. The ummah (nation) of Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are called the believers because of their
deep eemaan (faith) and conviction, and because they believe in all the past Prophets and
in the prophesied events that are yet to come.”
Commenting on the aayah in Soorat al-Baqarah, Ibn Katheer (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said:
“What is meant is that every group believed in Allaah and the Last
Day, which is the appointed Day of Reckoning, and did righteous deeds. But after Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent to both mankind and the jinn,
true belief can only be in accordance with the way of Muhammad
(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him). Whoever follows his way will not fear the future or grieve for
what they leave behind. |
IS it proper to hang Quranic verses from the wall to
1. protect one from evil things
2. beautify the room with divine words
3. with the intention that it will gain me rewards
May allah rewad u. | Praise be to Allah.The ruling on placing the Mus-haf (copy of the Quran) in cars to ward off the evil eye and for protection from danger is a bidah. The Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) never carried the Mus-haf to ward off danger or the evil eye. If it is bidah, then we should remember that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Every bidah is a going-astray and every going-astray will lead to Hell.
(Telephone conversation with Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen) (al-Bida wal-Muhdathaat wa maa laa aslun lahu, p. 259).
Shaykh Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was also asked the following question: Some people hang up aayaat of the Quran and ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the rooms of their homes or in restaurants or offices. In some hospitals and doctors offices they hang the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me [al-Shuara 26:80], and so on. Is this considered to be the use of amulets which is forbidden in shareeah, knowing that the intention behind it is to seek blessings and ward off the shayaateen, or to remind the forgetful and warn the negligent? Is it like using amulets to put the Mus-haf in one's car in order to seek blessings?
His Eminence replied as follows:
If the intention is as described, to remind people and teach them something beneficial, then there is no harm in that. But if they believe that it is a protection against the shayaateen or jinn, then I know of no basis for this. By the same token, there is no basis for putting the Mus-haf in one's car to protect it, and doing so is not allowed, but if a person puts it in his car so that he can read it sometimes or so that some of his passengers can read it, then this is good and there is nothing wrong with it. And Allah is the Source of strength. |
Assalmu Alikum,I have a question regarding the punishments described inSurah 5, in particular verse 33. It states that the punishment for anti-Islamic war mongers is that they are to be a) killed OR b) crucified OR c) have their hands
and feet on alternate sides cut-off OR d) exile from the landAre these punishments that apply today, or is the Quranrefering to a particular people from history? If this is Islamic law, under what circumstances do each apply?There are several alternatives, of lessening sevarity...does this imply levels of punishments depending on the sevarity of the
crimes being inflicted by the criminal? Also, is this "crucifiction" mentioned the same kind of
crucifiction the Romans did to their criminals, i.e. nailing people to a cross, or is this
different? I've tried finding historical accounts of Muslims practicing this, but the
prefered method of execution of criminals seems to have always been beheading by a sword. I think it's law, as in the next verse, 5:34, Allah states to have mercy
on those who repent after they fall into the power of the Believers. But I ceartainly am
in no position to give this opinion any wieght, which is why I'm sending this letter.Anyhow, I would like clarification on this in particular with respect to a) Using crucifiction as a means to punish - is this the same as nailing
or tying people to a cross and having them die over a period of time?c) to whom exactly do they apply d) does the punishment hold today, or were there revelations which
canceled this punishment systeme) any other background information you think is relevant May Allah guide
me to the Truth. May Allah bless you for this wonderful service you are offering. | Praise be to Allah.The whole issue of hiraabah, which is also known as banditry, can be
summed up in the following points:
Definition of hiraabah
Ruling on hiraabah
Punishment for hiraabah
The reasons for the different types of these punishments
Repentance of the muhaarib (person who commits hiraabah)
Definition of hiraabah
Hiraabah means ambushing people and threatening them with weapons and
so on, in the deserts or in the cities, killing them, terrorizing them and seizing their
property by force and openly.
Wealth is mentioned specifically because this is what usually happens,
but the ruling applies also to people who terrorize others for the purposes of rape or
sodomy.
Ruling on hiraabah
Hiraabah is one of the most serious of major sins, and it is forbidden
according to the Quraan, the Sunnah and ijmaa (scholarly consensus).
Quraan: The Quraan says (interpretation of the meaning): The
recompense of those who wage war against Allaah and His Messenger and do mischief in the
land is only that they shall be killed or crucified or their hands and feet be cut off on
the opposite sides, or be exiled from the land. That is their disgrace in this world, and
a great torment is theirs in the Hereafter. Except for those who (having fled away and
then) come back (as Muslims) with repentance before they fall into your power; in that
case, know that Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [al-Maaidah 5:33]
Sunnah: the hadeeth of al-Arniyeen. Anas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) reported that some people came from Akl or Areenah and avoided
Madeenah (i.e., they did not want to stay in Madeenah because they were suffering from a
fever). The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordered them to drink the
urine and milk of milch-camels (for treatment of their fever). They did that, and when
they got better, they killed the shepherd of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) and stole the sheep. This news reached (the Prophet
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) at the beginning of the day, and he sent people in pursuit of them. At
mid-day, they were brought to him and he commanded that their hands and feet should be cut
off and their eyes put out, then they were left in al-Harrah begging for water, but no one
gave them water. (Agreed upon).
Ijmaa: the ummah is agreed that hiraabah is haraam.
Punishments for hiraabah
The punishment for hiraabah is one of the hudood or punishments
prescribed by shareeah, and the punishment varies according to the severity of the
crime. This is explained as follows:
Whoever kills someone and steals their property, should definitely be
killed and crucified, so that everyone will know about him. It is not permitted to forgive
him, by the consensus of the scholars, as was reported by Ibn al-Mundhir.
Whoever kills but does not steal, should definitely be killed, but not
crucified.
Whoever steals property but does not kill, his right hand and left foot
should be cut off at the same time, then the bleeding should be stopped and he should be
released.
Whoever merely terrorizes people, but does not kill or steal, should be
banished from the land to another country, where he should be detained until he has
repented sincerely and is reformed.
The evidence for the above is as follows:
The words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): The
recompense of those who wage war against Allaah and His Messenger and do mischief in the
land [al-Maaidah 5:33].
The report narrated from Ibn Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with
them both), who said: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) made a peace treaty with Abu Barzah Hilaal ibn Awaymir al-Aslami. Some
people came, wanting to embrace Islam, and they were ambushed by the companions of Abu
Barzah. Then Jibreel (peace be upon him) brought to the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) the revelation of the punishment for killing and stealing
property, which is to be killed and crucified, and the punishment for killing without
stealing, which is to be killed Whoever steals property but does not kill should
have his hand and foot from opposite sides cut off. Whoever becomes Muslim, Islam cancels
out whatever deeds came before it at the time of shirk. (Tafseer
al-Tabari, 10/260-261).
The reason for different levels of punishment
Different punishments for different degrees of hiraabah have been
prescribed for a very important reason. Hiraabah may take different forms, as is well
known, it might not involve only killing, or only stealing. It might involve both stealing
and killing, or it may involve neither, only terrorizing people. These different forms of
crime dictate different forms of punishment.
The basic principle in shareeah is that the punishment should fit
the crime, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): The recompense for an
evil is an evil like thereof [al-Shoora 42:40]. If these punishments did
not vary according to the crime, and there was room for choice, this might result in the
most severe punishment for one whose crime was the least serious, or the lightest
punishment for one whose crime was most heinous, which is a travesty of justice. The fact
that punishments vary according to the seriousness of the crime makes perfect common
sense.
Repentance of the muhaarib
If the muhaarib repents, it can only be either of the following two
scenarios:
Either he repents before he is caught
In this case, the punishment for hiraabah no longer applies, and he
should be treated like one who is not a muhaarib. The punishment of banishment,
amputation, or execution etc., no longer applies, except in cases where the victim or his
family have the right to demand retribution. The evidence for this is the words of Allaah
(interpretation of the meaning): The recompense of those who wage war against
Allaah and His Messenger and do mischief in the land is only that they shall be killed or
crucified or their hands and feet be cut off on the opposite sides, or be exiled from the
land. That is their disgrace in this world, and a great torment is theirs in the
Hereafter. Except for those who (having fled away and then) come back (as Muslims) with
repentance before they fall into your power; in that case, know that Allaah is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. [al-Maaidah 5:33]
Or he repents after he is caught
In this case the punishment for hiraabah still applies, and indeed the
ruler is obliged to carry it out, because the exception mentioned in the aayah clearly
applies only to one who repents before he is caught. It is not too difficult for a person
who wants to escape the prescribed punishment to feign repentance.
This punishment is part of the Islamic shareeah which Allaah has
prescribed for every time and place, not just for one particular country or period. The
Muslims applied this punishment for hiraabah at the time of the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and until the present time. The fact that some of the
Roman and Pharaonic punishments were similar to those prescribed by Islamic law is of no
particular significance, good or bad. These Islamic punishments cannot be regarded as
backward or savage or barbaric at all. Any intelligent person who thinks about the
severity of the crime of hiraabah and the resulting lack of security in the cities and on
the road, terrorizing of the populace, robbing and killing, will know for sure that this
ruling is exactly what these criminals deserve. The one who looks at the way the
punishments for hiraabah fit the crime exactly will see that this is the essence of
justice. How can it be otherwise when the One Who has prescribed this law is the Almighty,
the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, the Judge, the Just, the All-Aware? He is
the Best Disposer of Affairs and the Best of Supporters. |
Are there any colours which a muslim/muslimah cannot wear eg red garments | Praise be to Allah.Before we answer this question we should note an important point, which is that the basic principle regarding colours of clothes for men and women is that all colours are permissible except where there is a shar’i text forbidding a certain colour for men or women. There are shar’i texts which encourage the wearing of certain colours and forbid the wearing of other colours, such as the following:
Black: Umm Khaalid bint Khaalid said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was brought some clothes, among which was a small black khameesah [garment]. He said, ‘Who do you think we should give this to?’ The people remained silent. Then he said, ‘Bring me Umm Khaalid,’ and she was carried to him. He took the khameesah in his hand and put it on her, and said, ‘May you live long and wear it out.’ There was a green or yellow mark on it, and he said, ‘O Umm Khaalid, this is sanaah (good),’ and sanaah is an Abyssinian word.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari). Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, wearing a black turban.” (Reported by Muslim). ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “I made a black burdah (cloak) for the Messenger of Allaah ( ) peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and he wore it, but when he sweated in it he detected the smell of wool on it, so he took it off, because he used to like pleasant smells.” (Reported by Abu Dawood. Al-Haakim (4/188) said: it is saheeh according to the conditions of the two shaykhs. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Shaykh al-Albaani said in al-Saheehah (5/168, no. 2136): It is as they said. Abu Dawood named a chapter in his Sunan “Bab fi’l-Suwaad (chapter on black clothes)”. The author of ‘Awn al-Ma’bood (11/126) said: The hadeeth indicates that it is permissible to wear black and that there is nothing makrooh in doing so).
Black is permissible for both men and women alike. One of the false innovations (bid’ah) connected to this colour is the practice of deliberately wearing black at times of bereavement, which also involves imitating the Christians. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen said (Fataawa Islamiyah, 3/313): “Wearing black at times of bereavement is a false symbol that has no basis. At times of bereavement people should do what is commanded in Islam, which is to say ‘Innaa Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji’oon. Allaahumma ajirni fi museebati wa’khluf li khayran minhaa (Truly! To Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return. O Allaah, reward me for my calamity and compensate me with something better than it).’ If a person says this with faith and the hope of reward, Allaah will reward him for that and will replace what he has lost with something better.” He also said: “Allocating certain clothes for mourning is an act of bid’ah (innovation) in our opinion, and because it could indicate that a person is discontent with the decree of Allaah.”
White: Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he was wearing a white garment and was asleep. I came back to him (later), and he had woken up…” (Reported by al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh, in a chapter he called Baab al-Thiyaab al-Beed (Chapter on white clothes)). Al-Bukhaari reported that Sa’d said: “I saw on the left of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and on his right two men wearing white clothes on the day of Uhud. I never saw them before or since.” These two men were Jibreel and Mikaa’eel, as al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar mentioned in al-Fath (10/295). White is a colour recommended (mustahabb) for the living to wear and for the dead to be shrouded in, as was stated in the hadeeth narrated by Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Wear your white clothes, for they are the best of your clothes, and shroud your dead in them.’” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Ahkaam al-Janaa’iz (p. 82)). White is also the preferred colour for men’s ihraam (special garments for Hajj), which consists of an izaar (lower garment) and a rida’ (upper garment).
Green: Abu Ramthah said: “I saw the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing two green garments.” (Reported by al-Tirmidhi, who said, this is a ghareeb hasan hadeeth, and by al-Nisaa’i, 5224).
Red: It was reported that wearing pure red is forbidden for men, but not for women, because of the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade mafdam” (reported by Imaam Ahmad and Ibn Maajah, 3591). Mafdam is something that is filled with red safflower dye. According to the commentary of al-Sindi on Sunan al-Nisaa’i, mafdam is something that is filled with red. It was reported that if ‘Umar saw a man wearing a garment dyed red with safflower, he would pull him aside and say, “Leave this for the women.” (Reported by al-Tabari).
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said: “A man who was wearing two red garments passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and greeted him with salaam, but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not respond.” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi, and classed as hasan by al-Bazzaar, who said: we know it only through this isnaad, which includes Abu Yahya al-Qattaat, who is a disputed figure).
There were several suggestions as to why men are forbidden to wear red, including the following:
because it is the dress of the kuffaar
because it is the adornment of women, so forbidding it is a way of discouraging the imitation of women
because it is vanity and does not befit a decent man to wear it
The prohibition applies only to garments that are dyed completely red. Garments that contain another colour such as white, black, etc. are not forbidden. This is how the ahaadeeth that speak about the red hullah should be interpreted, such as the hadeeth of al-Bara’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was of average height. I saw him wearing a red hullah, and I have never seen anything better than it.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 5400). The Yemeni hullah usually has stripes of red and another colour, it is not pure red.
Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said: “The clothing (of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)): Abu’l-Waleed told us Shu’bah told us from Abu Ishaaq who heard al-Bara’ (may Allaah be pleased with him) saying: ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was of average height. I saw him wearing a red hullah, and I have never seen anything better than it.’ The hullah consists of an izaar and a rida’ (lower and upper garments)… It is a mistake to think that it was pure red and not mixed with any other colour. The red hullah is two Yemeni garments woven with red and black stripes like all the other Yemeni garments… But pure red is emphatically forbidden. In Saheeh al-Bukhaari it is stated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade red saddlecloths (or blankets) … With regard to red garments in general and red broadcloth, etc., the issue is still under discussion, but it is very disliked (makrooh).” (Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/139). And Allaah knows best. |
Is it permissible to prohibit women who are
not covered in the proper islaamic covering from entering the masjid ? (after they have
been given the proper naseeha) Please advise the daleel.Jazzakallahu khayrun | Praise be to Allah.Alone, and peace and blessings be
upon him after whom there is no Prophet.
If a woman comes to the mosque wearing improper hijab, then according
to Islam she should be advised and have explained to her – with the daleel or proof
– the fact that hijab is obligatory, and the seriousness of neglecting it. If she
then complies, then praise be to Allah. If she does not comply, then do not let her enter,
because of the fitnah (temptation) and evil involved in her actions. The Prophet
(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Any woman who has put on bukhoor
(incense, fragrance) should not attend this ‘Isha’ prayer with us.” (Reported
by Muslim, 675). And he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
concerning women’s going out to the mosque: “Let them go out unperfumed” (reported
by Abu Dawood, 478), i.e., not wearing any perfume. Women have to go out
wearing complete Islamic hijab, and not wearing adornment or perfume. And Allaah knows
best. |
In the masjid that I attend the sisters are unable to see the imaam during congregational salat and an intercom system is required for them to hear the imaam. Sometimes the intercom system fails during the salat leaving the sisters unable to follow the imaam unless someone watch the imaam from the window (that divides us from the men) and makes takbeer for us, or the sisters continue the salat individually. What is the correct way for us to complete our salat when the intercom fails? | Praise be to Allah.If the sisters cannot see the imaam or anyone who is behind him, and the
intercom system fails, then each individual should make the intention (niyyah) to pray
alone independently of the imaam, and should complete the remainder of the prayer on her
own. If there is someone who can see the imaam or the people praying behind him, or can
hear the imaam’s voice, and can raise his voice and convey the imaam’s words
(takbeer) to the others, then it is OK to continue following the imaam. And Allaah knows
best. |
I am a Muslim immigrant in North America. 18 years ago I was newly married and had to go out of town for business. My wife told me that during my absence someone got into the house and just kissed her, but then left, telling her that she is too young. But now after 18 years of our marriage she is telling me that yes she was raped by him. The man had sexual intercourse with her several times that day. During the last intercourse she could not hold back and had orgasm several times from him and hugged and kissed him
Since the man was a rapist he never came back afraid of getting caught. I feel devastated from this incidence and very upset that why she did not tell me 18 years ago. I was kept in the dark for so many years, under the impression that no one has ever touched her. Please reply me ASAP what should I do? Is our marriage still valid? Should I divorce her? I also don't feel like going to the mosque and pray to Allah anymore. Please email me your reply ASAP to XXXX. Another point is that from the start when the man got into the house, she did whatever the man told her to do, she did not resist or scare him, or made him realize that it is a crime he is comitting, etc. She also did not scare him that my brother who used to live with us, is going to come in the house anytime. Her excuse is that she was too scared. I will wait for your advice. | Praise be to Allah.If what
your wife has recently told you is what really happened, then she has
committed a major sin and an act of clear betrayal by giving in to this
attacker and not trying to escape or stop him or call for help and so
on. Her claim that she was forced to do it is not acceptable,
because she makes no mention of being threatened with a weapon or being
tied up, etc. If this is indeed the case, and she clearly did
not try to defend herself, then what should you do and how should you
regard her?
There
is no doubt that you should warn her and remind her about Allaah and
the Last Day and its horrors, and explain to her the seriousness of
overstepping the limits set by Allaah and betraying one’s spouse. You
should also remind her of the terrible punishment dictated by sharee’ah
for the married person who commits adultery, which is stoning to death.
After
warning her in this fashion, if you see that she regrets what she did
and is striving to be righteous, there is nothing wrong with staying
with her, and your marriage will still be valid. It seems most
likely that this woman is indeed sorry for what she did and has repented,
because she is the one who has brought up the subject after it had been
forgotten, and she has told you about it. Perhaps this is because of
her guilty conscience and sincere desire to seek forgiveness from her
husband. The sin that she committed when she was very young and
living in the ignorant environment of America, and where she may have
resisted at the beginning of the attack, then softened, is nothing like
the sin of a woman who goes out of her way to commit it, and plans to
do it deliberately. Our advice is that if this woman is now righteous
and truly regrets what she did, then you should forgive her, especially
as you may by now have children who will suffer if you divorce her.
At the same time, you should continue to teach her, keep an eye on her
and not stay away from her for too long. We ask Allaah to acceptance
repentance from us all.
Finally,
I want to address a serious matter that you refer to in the second part
of your question, which is the fact that you say you no longer want
to go to the mosque or pray or make du’aa’, because of the crisis that
you are facing. This is very strange, for whenever the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) was faced with a serious matter he would turn to prayer
and ask Allaah to help him, and he taught us to do likewise. We should
not turn away from the houses of Allaah (mosques) or stop praying and
making du’aa’. Where else can you turn in times of trouble and who else
can you ask for protection in this crisis? Turn back to Allaah, my brother,
ask Him to relieve your distress and seek His help with patience and
prayer, for Allaah is with those who are patient. |
Salam alekam brother,
I am working in XXX. This year I went to my home country in XXX and got married over there. For some reason our marriage did not consummate at that time. We also gave a Walima party the next day of our wedding. I had to go back to XXX and report back to work. Now it has taken more than six (6) months to get my wife a visa to join me here.
A friend was telling me that my marriage has become null and void since the marriage did not consummate for more than 6 months after the Nikkah (marriage). Is this true?
Do I need to re-marry her when she joins me in XXX. Please advise me because my wife is going to arrive very soon. May Allah bless you for your good work you are doing to help the Muslims by giving them Islamic guidance related to their day to day problems in life. Thank you. | Praise be to Allah.If the marriage contract has been completed according to the conditions of sharee’ah (see Question # 813), then it is valid and will remain valid as stated in its terms, unaffected by the passage of time. The fact that you have spent six months without consummating the marriage will not invalidate it as your friend is claiming without any knowledge – if indeed you have understood him correctly. In this case you should advise him to fear Allaah and not to try to issue fatwas without knowledge. If he had advised you to make sure that your wife travelled with a mahram it would have been better. We ask Allaah to give you strength, blessing and happiness in your marriage. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad. |
Is it halal for a pregnant woman to perform ‘umrah or hajj? Does it depend on the stage of pregnancy she is at (e.g. 4 months pregnant compared to 8 months pregnant)? There is risk of falling and disease due to the crowds of pilgrims? | Praise be to Allah.Hajj during pregnancy
There is no reason why a pregnant woman should not perform Hajj. A pregnant woman is tahir (pure), she has to pray and fast, and if she is divorced by talaq, her divorce is acceptable according to the Sunnah.
It is narrated in the Sunnah that Asma bint ‘Umays (may Allah be pleased with her) went out for Hajj with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when she was pregnant and approaching full term, and she gave birth at the miqat.
‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “Asma bint ‘Umays – the wife of Abu Bakr – gave birth to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr in Shajarah and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told Abu Bakr to tell her to do ghusl and enter ihram. (Narrated by Muslim, 1209)
Shajarah refers to Dhu’l-Hulayfah, i.e., the miqat from which the people of Madinah enter ihram.
Al-Nawawi said, concerning what we learn from this hadith:
“This indicates that the ihram of women who are bleeding following childbirth or who are menstruating is valid and that it is mustahabb for them to do ghusl before entering ihram. There is scholarly consensus that it is obligatory, but our view and that of Malik, Abu Hanifah and the majority of scholars is that it is mustahabb. Al-Hasan and the Zahiri madhhab said that it is obligatory.
All the actions of Hajj on the part of women who are bleeding following childbirth or who are menstruating are valid, apart from Tawaf and the two rak’ahs following tawaf, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Do what the pilgrims do but do not do tawaf.” (Sharh Muslim, 8/133)
Hajj rituals that a pregnant woman can’t do
If a woman has not yet done the obligatory Hajj, then pregnancy is not an excuse for her not to do Hajj, because she can avoid the places where there is too much crowding and pushing and shoving. If she is unable to stone the Jamarat herself, she can delegate someone to do so on her behalf. If she cannot do tawaf and sa’i, then she can do so in a wheelchair, and so on.
Many people manage to do Hajj in comfort without any hardship.
When going to Hajj poses a risk to a pregnant woman, can she go?
If a woman is pregnant and trustworthy doctors tell her that going for Hajj will pose a risk to her or her baby because she is sick or weak or for some other reason, then she should be prevented from doing Hajj that year. This is indicated by the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), “There should be no harming nor reciprocating harm.” (Narrated by Ibn Majah, 2340; this is a hasan hadith. For details of its isnad, please see Jami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hikam by Ibn Rajab, 1/302)
Some doctors differentiate between early pregnancy, when there may be a risk to the foetus, and late pregnancy when such fears are groundless.
For more about Hajj issues related to women, please see these answers: 9370 , 34380 , 36619 , 20045 .
And Allah knows best. |
As-salamu alaikum.
Is it halal or not for a Muslim to drive a taxi because a member of the
opposite sex might be alone in the car with him which would be khulwah? | Praise be to Allah.The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “No man is ever alone with a woman (khulwah) but the Shaytaan is the third one
with them.” (Reported by Ahmad and by al-Tirmidhi in his Sunan, 2091; Saheeh
al-Jaami’, 2546). Allaah says in the story of Yoosuf, peace be
upon him (interpretation of the meaning): “And she, in whose house he was, sought
to seduce him (to do an evil act), she closed the doors and said, ‘Come on, O
you’…” [Yoosuf 12:23]
It is not permitted for a man to be alone with a woman to whom he is not
related, whether this is in a house, office, clinic, elevator, car or any other place,
because this may be the cause of him doing something haraam. Shaytaan is keen to tempt
people and make them fall into haraam deeds. The fuqaha’ are agreed that khulwah or
being alone with a woman to whom one is not related is forbidden. They said: “No man
should be alone with a woman who is not his mahram (a close relative to whom marriage is
forbidden) or his wife, but is a stranger to him, because the Shaytaan will whisper to
them and tempt them to do something that is not permitted. (Al-Mawsoo’ah
al-Fiqhiyyah, 19/267) It is not permitted for a man to be alone with a
non-mahram woman even if he is teaching her Qur’aan, or to lead her in prayer if only
the two of them are present. The guideline regarding khulwah is that this prohibition
applies in any situation where their figures are hidden from other people (Fath
al-Baari, 9/333). A taxi driver is bound to pass through empty streets
or highways, and the structure of the car conceals most of the body of a person riding in
it. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that a forbidden conversation will not take place,
or that there will not be an agreement to do something forbidden. How many tragedies and
painful stories and disasters have occurred because of a driver being alone with a female
passenger! The wise sharee’ah of Islam has taken all precautions to avoid anything
that may lead to wrongdoing. It is essential to completely avoid any situation where a man
and woman who are not related may be alone together. A taxi driver should not accept a
female passenger who is alone, except in cases of emergency such as accidents and the
like. And Allaah is the Source of strength. |
Assalaamu 'alaykum wa rahmatu 'Llahi wa
barakatuhIs there a hadith that mentions after reciting the last ayah of surah
At-Tin (#95) that one should say what means,"No doubt and I testify to it." Is
that hadith authentic and where can I find it ?Jazzakallahu Khayrun | Praise be to Allah.Al-Tirmidhi, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in his Sunan:
Ibn Abi Umar told us, Sufyaan told us from Ismaaeel ibn Umayyah who
said: I heard a Bedouin Arab man say, I heard Abu Hurayrah say, narrating
this, Whoever recites Wal-teeni wal-zaytoon (By the fig, and
the olive) [al-Teen 95:1 interpretation of the meaning] then recites Alaysa
Allaahu bi ahkam il haakimeen (Is not Allaah the Best of judges?) [al-Teen 95:8
interpretation of the meaning], let him say, Balaa wa ana ala
dhaalika min al-shaahideen (Yes indeed, and I am one of those who testify to
that). Abu Eesa said: This hadeeth was narrated
with this isnaad from this Bedouin from Abu Hurayrah, but his name is not given.
Thus al-Tirmidhi (may Allaah have mercy on him) explained the fault in this isnaad, which
is the fact that this Bedouin is not known (jahaalah). On this basis, the isnaad is
daeef (weak), and the hadeeth is not saheeh. Abu Dawood (may Allaah have mercy on
him) also narrated this report (753) from the same Bedouin. Al-Allaamah al-Albaani
also classed the hadeeth as daeef in his book Daeef al-Jaami, no.
5784. As the hadeeth is not proven, we cannot follow it. And Allaah knows best. |
A woman is asking: what is
the ruling on my going to the mosque or to a gathering of dhikr in a
Muslim’s house for da’wah or to learn, without my father’s
permission? If he knew about it he would stop me from going, but eemaan
(faith) wears out just as clothes wear out, and I need to renew my faith
because I am in an environment that is filled with munkaraat (undesirable
things). Is it permissible for me to go in secret or what? | Praise be to Allah.Before
marriage, a woman is under the guardianship of her father, so it is not
permissible for her to go out of the house except with his permission,
whether it is to go to the mosque or elsewhere, because obedience to
one’s father is obligatory so long as it does not involve disobedience
towards Allaah. We advise you to listen to broadcasts from the
Al-Qur’aan Al-Kareem station, because there is much knowledge and sound
teaching to be gained from it. They have a program called “Noor
‘ala’l-Darb (Light on the Way)” in which a group of scholars
answer questions from listeners. May Allaah help you to do all that is
good and grant you a sound understanding of Islam. |
If a person makes niyyat of maanat that if
his or her maanat is fulfilled,they will recit the story of Bebe Sayadia(RTA) or
disterbute sweets in the name of "Allah" or pray 2 raakats of shukrana nafals or
go to the shirn of a saint is this permited and what is the permited way of islam to do? | Praise be to Allah.This question includes a variety of issues, some of which are
very strange indeed. For your benefit and that of other readers, in sha Allaah,
we have discussed the issue of vows, their various types and the basic rulings
on vows in Question # 2587.
Another point related to your question is that a vow is only binding
if it is expressed verbally or by one's actions. If a person only has the intention
in his heart, this does not make it obligatory for him to fulfil the vow. One
must also beware of making vows that are bidah (innovations) or vows to
visit places that it is haraam to visit. We ask Allaah to give us the strength
to do that which He loves and that pleases Him. May Allaah bless our Prophet
Muhammad. |
I have a grocery in
which there is a product which consists of a carton in which are twelve
boxes. This is called “Try Your Luck” – each box contains candy and
a child’s toy, either a car, airplane, fan or train. Each box has a
different toy inside. What is the ruling on selling these things to
customers? | Praise be to Allah.In
this kind of product the boxes are sealed and it is not known which kind
of child’s toy is inside. This is bay’ majhool (selling
something sight unseen), which lacks the necessary condition of knowledge
of what is being sold, either by sight or by description. Hence it is not
permissible to deal with this kind of product where what is being sold is
not known, either by sight or by description, because it is a kind of
deceptive sale such as was forbidden in the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him), who narrated that the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade sales of deception. (Narrated by Muslim, 3/1153) |
One of my brothers is confused, and the matter has to do with his studies. He is doing very well in mathematics and physics, but he wants to study Islamic knowledge at university next year, in sha Allaah. He told me that if he pursues his specialty – i.e., mathematics and physics – this will keep him from studying the Islamic sciences in depth. He is debating which of the two options will be best for him. What do you advise, may Allaah reward you? | Praise be to Allah.You brother could continue his studies in the
specialty mentioned, and also study Islamic sciences with one of the
scholars, or after completing his studies, he could join one of the
institutes or colleges of sharee’ah in order to learn about his religion
and gain knowledge and understanding of sharee’ah. If he fears that
continuing to study mathematics will keep him from studying sharee’ah,
he can give that up and occupy himself with Islamic studies, because this
is more important and more beneficial, and because he was created to
worship his Lord with insight. There is no way to do this except by the
help of Allaah and then by studying the sciences of sharee’ah. May
Allaah makes matters easy for him and bless him in his studies. |
They told us that the sacred rock from
which the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started his ascent into
heaven on the night of the Mi’raaj is suspended in the air by the power of Allaah.
Please tell us if this is correct, may Allaah reward you. | Praise be to Allah.Everything is standing in its position by the permission of Allaah,
whether it be the heavens and all that is in them or the earth and all that is on it
– even the rock which you asked about. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“Verily, Allaah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move
away from their places, and if they were to move away from their places, there is not one
that could grasp them after Him…” [Faatir 35:41]
“And among His Signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His
Command…” [al-Room 30:25]
The Rock in Bayt al-Maqdis is not suspended in space with air around it
on all sides; it is attached to the side of the mountain of which it is a part and by
which it is supported; both it and the mountain stand in their positions because of the
well-known physical laws governing the universe; in this regard it is like everything else
that exists. We do not deny that Allaah is Able to hold part of His creation in space; all
of creation is standing in space by the power of Allaah, as stated above. Allaah raised
the mountain above the people of Moosa when they refused to follow the laws that Moosa
brought them. It was held up by the power of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“And (remember) when We took your Covenant and We raised above
you the Mount (saying): ‘Hold fast to that which We have given you, and remember that
which is therein so that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious).” [al-Baqarah 2:63]
“And (remember) when We raised the mountain over them as if it had
been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them. (We said): ‘Hold
firmly to what We have given you, and remember that which is therein, so that you may fear
Allaah and obey Him.” [al-A’raaf 7:171]
But our point here is to explain what is in fact the case: the rock in
Jerusalem is not suspended in space, completely separate from the mountain; it is attached
to it and is supported by it. And Allaah knows best. |
If the soul is breathed into the embryo
after four months, are we to understand that the sperm which joins with the woman’s
egg, from which the embryo is formed, has no soul, or what? | Praise be to Allah.Both the sperm and the ovum are alive in a sense which, if they are
free from defects, prepares each of them to join with the other, if Allaah wills and
decrees it to happen. When that happens, if Allaah wills it, the embryo is formed and is
also alive in a manner that suits it and prepares it to grow and develop, moving through
the known stages. When the soul is breathed into it, it becomes alive in another sense, by
the permission of Allaah, the Subtle One, the Aware. No matter how a man tries, even if he
is a highly-skilled doctor, he can never comprehend all the secrets and stages of
development of pregnancy. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“Allaah knows what every female bears, and by how much the
wombs fall short (of their time or number) or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due)
proportion. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High.”
[al-Ra’d 13:8-9]
“Verily, Allaah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He
sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs…” [Luqmaan 31:34]
(Fataawa Islamiyyah li’l-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 488).
Life is of varying kinds, and each being is alive in a
manner that suits it by the power of Allaah. So plants are alive in a manner that suits
them, sperm is alive in a manner that suits it, and man is alive in a manner that suits
him, and so on. Allaah is the Creator of all this, and He has made water the basis of
every living thing, as He says in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):
“Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the
earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from
water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” [al-Anbiya’ 21:30]
And Allaah knows best. |
It is permissible to write the Basmalah (“Bismillaah ir-Rahmaan ir-Raheem”) on wedding invitations, given that after the event they will be thrown on the streets or into the garbage? | Praise be to Allah.It is permissible to write the Basmalah on invitations and other letters, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to begin his letters by mentioning the name of Allah. It is not permissible for anyone who receives a letter in which Allah is mentioned or an aayah of the Qur’aan is quoted to throw it into the garbage or put it in any undesirable place. The same applies to newspapers and other similar papers: it is not permitted to mishandle them or throw them in the garbage, or to use them to wrap food or other things, because the name of Allah is mentioned in them. The sin is on the person who does this, not on the one who writes it. And Allah knows best. |
My father sends me boxes of
razors to sell. Given that these razors are usually used for shaving
beards, and rarely for shaving moustaches and pubic hairs, and for this
reason I feel doubtful, is it halaal or haraam, i.e., should I sell them
or not? | Praise be to Allah.It
is not haraam for you to sell them and benefit from their price, but they
are haraam for the one who intends to use them for a haraam purpose. |
I want to ask a question about the Islamic ruling on dealing in and buying animals for hobby purposes or for decorative purposes. These include the following, which is not a comprehensive list Decorative birds such as parrots and other colourful birds Reptiles such as snakes and lizards Predators such as wolves, lions, foxes, etc. -- where these animals are kept for their beautiful appearance or used for their fur. It is known that they are expensive and will be kept behind bars, but dealing in them is very profitable. | Praise be to Allah.Firstly: selling decorative birds like parrots, colourful birds and nightingales for their voices is permissible, because looking at them and listening to them is something that is permissible. There is no text in the sharee’ah which forbids selling them or collecting them; however there are texts which may be understood as meaning that it is permissible to keep them in cages, so long as they are fed and watered and given whatever care is needed. Among these texts is the hadeeth narrated by al-Bukhaari from Anas, who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the best of people in attitude. I had a brother called Abu ‘Umayr, who had just been weaned, I think. When (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) came, he would say, ‘O Abu ‘Umayr, what happened to the nughayr?’ – a nughar [young sparrow or small bird] with which he used to play.” This nughar is a type of bird. Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said in his commentary (Fath al-Baari), when enumerating the things that we learn from this hadeeth: “… it is permissible for children to play with birds; it is permissible for parents to allow their children to play with things with which it is permissible to play; it is permissible to spend money on permissible things to entertain children; it is permissible to keep a bird in a cage or to clip a birds’ wings – for one or the other must have been the case with Abu ‘Umayr’s bird, and whichever one it was, the other is also implied in the ruling.
There is also the hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A woman entered Hell because of a cat which she detained but she did not give it food or water, and she did not let it free so that it could eat of the vermin of the earth.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari in al-Saheeh, 4/100,152; Ahmad, 2/261). If this is permissible in the case of cats, then it is also permissible in the case of birds etc.
Some scholars believed it to be makrooh to keep them in cages. Some believed that it was not allowed, and said: because people do not need to listen to their voices and look at them. This is an unnecessary luxury and soft living, and it is also foolishness because it means that one is enjoying the voice of a creature that is calling out in longing to be allowed to fly and grieving that it cannot fly freely in the open air – as was stated in the book Al-Furoo’ wa Tasheehuh by al-Mirdaawi, 4/9, and al-Insaaf, 4/275.
Secondly: among the conditions of valid sales is that the thing to be sold is something which it is permissible to use and benefit from, even if there is no necessity as such. There is no benefit in snakes, which are indeed harmful, so it is not permissible to buy or sell them. The same applies to lizards – there is no benefit in them, so it is not permissible to sell or buy them.
Thirdly: it is not permissible to sell predators such as wolves, lions, foxes or any other fanged carnivore, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade that, and because it is a waste of money, which was also forbidden by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). |
Is it permissible to kill insects that
may be found in the house, such as ants, cockroaches and the like, by burning them? If it
is not permissible, what should we do? | Praise be to Allah.If these insects are harmful, they may be killed with
insecticides, but not with fire. The Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “There are five pests that may be killed whether one is in ihraam or not:
rats, scorpions, crows, kites [a hawk-like bird], and mad dogs.” (Reported by Muslim,
2071). Another report adds a sixth, snakes. Thus the Prophet
(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) told us that they are harmful pests, and that they are unlike other
animals which do not do harm, and so he told us to kill them whether we are in ihraam or
not. If other creatures, such as ants or cockroaches or dung-beetles, cause harm, they may
also be killed with insecticides, but not with fire. And Allaah knows best. |
Can an illegitimate person enter
Paradise if he obeys Allaah? Is there any sin on him or not? | Praise be to Allah.An illegitimate child does not bear any sin because of
his parents’ having committed the sin of zinaa (unlawful sexual intercourse), because
that was not of his doing. They bear their own sin, because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meanings):
“… He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and
he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned…” [al-Baqarah 2:286]
“… no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of
another…” [al-An’aam 6:164]
With regard to his ultimate destiny, the illegitimate person is like
anyone else: if he obeys Allaah and does righteous deeds, and dies as a Muslim, then
Paradise will be his; if he disobeys Allaah and dies as a kaafir, then he will be one of
the people of Hell. If he mixes righteous deeds and bad deeds, and dies as a Muslim, then
his fate is up to Allaah: if He wills, He will forgive him, if He wills, He will punish
him, and his eventual admission to Paradise will be by the Grace and Mercy of Allaah. As
for the hadeeth which says that an illegitimate person will not enter Paradise, this is a
fabrication (falsely attributed to the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him)). And Allaah knows best. |
On a daily basis I send out short enlightening phrases/verses from hadeeth to my friends via SMS (text message) to their cellular phones. I am in search of short phrases/quotes/verses which are islamic. Could you please send me a list or refer me to a website where I can find some. My friends have become accostomed to recieving their daily quote..etc and I have noticed that these quotes have had a positive influence on them and would like to continue doing this. Your response to my request will be appreciated | Praise be to Allah.May Allaah reward you for your great efforts to call your brothers to Allaah and advise and remind them by means of these brief Islamic quotations. There follows a list of some wise sayings and general rules, taken from the Qur’aan, Sunnah and words of Muslim wise men. Translations of the meanings of quotations from the Qur’aan appear in italics, quotations from saheeh ahaadeeth appear in quotation marks (“”) and other quotations appear without any such marks.
And whenever you give your word, say the truth [al-An’aam 6:152]
And seek help in patience and prayer [al-Baqarah 2:45]
And speak good to people [al-Baqarah 2:83]
And fulfil the Covenant of Allaah when you have covenanted [al-Nahl 16:91]
Verily! Allaah commands that you should render back the trusts to those to whom they are due [al-Nisa’ 4:58]
And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift) [al-Isra’ 17:29]
Eat and drink, but waste not by extravagance [al-A’raaf 7:31]
And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is al-taqwa (piety, righteousness) [al-Baqarah 2:197]
And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty) [al-Talaaq 65:2]
And whosoever puts his trust in Allaah, then He will suffice him [al-Talaaq 65:3]
He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allaah [al-Nisa’ 4:80]
By no means shall you attain al-birr (righteousness) until you spend (in Allaah’s cause) of that which you love [Aal ‘Imraan 3:92]
Allaah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of Affairs (for us) [Aal ‘Imraan 3:171]
And walk not on the earth with conceit and arrogance [al-Isra’ 17:37]
And turn not your face away from men with pride [Luqmaan 31:18]
And be moderate (or show no arrogance) in your walking, and lower your voice [Luqmaan 31:19]
And give not a thing in order to have more (or consider not your deeds of obedience to Allaah as a favour to Allaah) [al-Muddaththir 74:6]
“Pay attention to Allaah and He will pay attention to you.”
“If you feel no shame, then do as you wish.”
“Make sure your food is good (halaal and bought with halaal earnings), and you will be one whose prayers are answered.”
“Fear Allaah wherever you may be.”
“Follow up a bad deed with a good deed, to cancel it out.”
“Mix with people with a good attitude.”
“Keep away from prohibited things and you will be the best of worshippers.”
“Be content with what Allaah has given you, and you will be the richest of people.”
“Love for other people what you love for yourself.”
“Do not laugh too much, for excessive laughter deadens the heart.”
“Wrongdoing will be multiple darkness on the Day of Resurrection.”
“Fear Allaah and treat all your children fairly.”
“Fear the Fire, even if by giving half a date (in charity).”
“Fear the prayer of the oppressed.”
“The thing that weighs most heavily in the balance (of good deeds) is a good attitude.”
“Deliberation is from Allaah, haste is from Shaytaan.”
“The less your wealth, the less you will be called to account for.”
“Do not become angry, and Paradise will be yours.”
“The most beloved of deeds to Allaah is the one that is continuous, even if it is little.”
“The most beloved of places to Allaah are the mosques.”
“The most hated of places to Allaah are the marketplaces.”
“The most beloved of food to Allaah is that which is touched by many hands (i.e., shared among many people).”
“The most beloved of speech to Allaah is that a person should say, ‘Subhaan Allaah wa bi hamdih (Glory and praise be to Allaah)’.”
“The most beloved of people to Allaah is the one who is most helpful.”
“The most beloved deed to Allaah is making a Muslim happy.”
“Whoever restrains his anger, Allaah will conceal his faults.”
“A bad attitude spoils a good deed just as vinegar spoils honey.”
“The most beloved of people to Allaah are those who have the best attitudes.”
“Beware of this world, for it is sweet and tempting.”
“Control your tongue.”
“Trim your moustaches and let your beards grow.”
“Give back the things you have been entrusted with to the person who entrusted them to you.”
“Do not betray the one who betrays you.”
“Pray to Allaah and be confident of a response.”
“Cheer people up, do not put them off.”
“Make things easy for people, not difficult.”
“Eat with your right hand and eat from what is in front of you.”
“If Allaah gives you wealth, let the blessing of Allaah be seen on you.”
“If someone who is distinguished among his own people comes to you, then honour him.”
“If one with whose religion and character you are pleased comes to you (to seek your daughter’s hand in marriage), then marry (your daughter) to him.”
“If Allaah wills good to the people of a household, He guides them to be gentle.”
“If you do something bad, follow it by doing something good.”
“If you feel uncomfortable about something, then leave it alone.”
“If you judge (between people), then judge fairly.”
“If you enter a house, greet the inhabitants with salaam.”
“If you are reminded of Allaah, stop what you are doing (of sin).”
“If Allaah sends you some provision without you looking forward to it or asking others for it, then take it.”
“If you ask Allaah for anything, then ask Him for al-Firdaws (the highest level of Paradise).”
“If your good deeds please you and your bad deeds upset you, then you are a mu’min (believer).”
“If you hear the call to prayer, then respond to the one who is calling you to Allaah.”
“If you hear the call to prayer, then say something like the muezzin says.”
“If any one of you becomes angry, let him keep silent.”
“If a man becomes angry and says ‘A’oodhu Billaah (I seek refuge with Allaah),’ his anger will cease.”
“If a man says ‘Ya seedi (sir)’ to a munaafiq (hypocrite), he earns the wrath of his Lord.”
“When you stand up to pray, pray as if it is your last prayer.”
“When you get dressed and when you do wudoo’, start on the right.”
“When any one of you meets his brother, let him greet him with salaam.”
“Remember death when you are praying.”
“Show mercy towards those who are on earth so that the One Who is in heaven will show mercy to you.”
“Renounce pleasure in worldly things and Allaah will love you.”
“Show disinterest in what people have and people will love you.”
“Feel properly shy and modest before Allaah.”
Protect “the head and what does through it (thoughts and ideas).”
Protect “the stomach and what goes into it.”
“Seek help in whatever you do by being discreet.”
“Everyone who is given a blessing will be envied.”
“No one can keep their wudoo’ except a believer.”
“The worst thief among people is the one who steals from his prayer, by not doing rukoo’ and sujood properly.”
“Intercede and you will be rewarded.”
“The most grateful of people to Allaah are those who are most grateful to other people.”
The trouble with beauty is feelings of superiority.
The trouble with generosity is extravagance.
The trouble with noble descent is pride.
The trouble with knowledge is forgetfulness.
“Give to the one who denied you.”
“Uphold ties with the one who cuts you off.”
“Forgive the one who does you wrong.”
May Allaah have mercy on the person who said “Good” and was rewarded or who remained silent and was safe.
Wine is the key to all evil.
The one who is more daring in giving fatwas is more deserving of Hell.
Love the poor and mix with them.
It is better to err in forgiving than to err in punishment.
Do not judge between people when you are angry.
If you want to count the faults of anyone else, count your own faults instead.
If you commit a sin, say “Astaghfir-Allaah (I ask Allaah for forgiveness).”
If you are given a blessing, say, “Al-Hamdu Lillaah (praise be to Allaah).”
If some disaster befalls you, say, “Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa ilayhi raaji’oon (Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return).”
Seek rizq (provision) by giving charity
“Give food to others and speak good.”
“Seek a response to du’aa’s when the iqaamah for prayer is given and when rain is falling.”
The people with the longest necks on the Day of Resurrection will be the muezzins.
“Worship Allaah as if you see Him.”
“The most helpless of people are those who cannot make du’aa’.”
“The most miserly of people are those who are stingy with their salaams (i.e., do not greet others).”
“Pay the hired worker his wages before his sweat dries.”
“Tie up (your camel) [i.e., take the necessary precautions], and put your trust in Allaah.”
“Make the most of your life before your death.”
Make the most of “your health before your sickness.”
Make the most of “your free time before you become busy.”
Make the most of “your wealth before you become poor.”
Make the most of “your youth before you become old.”
“The best of dhikr is ‘La ilaaha ill-Allaah.’”
“The best of sadaqah (charity) is that given by one who has little.”
“The upper hand (the one that gives) is better than the lower hand (the one that takes).”
The best of earnings is a good sale.
“The best of the believers is one who is best in attitude.”
“The best of the muhaajireen is the one who forsakes (hajara) that which Allaah has prohibited.”
“The best type of jihaad is the jihaad of the one who strives against his own self (jihaad al-nafs) for the sake of Allaah.”
“Read the Qur’aan throughout every month.”
“Read the Qur’aan, for it will come and intercede for its readers on the Day of Resurrection.”
“Pray for Allaah to keep you safe and sound.”
“Most of the sins committed by the son of Adam are sins of the tongue.”
“Repeat often ‘Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaah (there is no power or strength except with Allaah)’, for it is from the treasure of Paradise.”
“Always remember the destroyer of joy (physical pleasure): death.”
“Lower your gaze and guard your private parts.”
“There is no goodness in the one who is not friendly or likeable.”
“Stay with her (the mother), for Paradise is under her feet.”
“Keep saying ‘Yaa Dhaa’l-jalaali wa’l-ikraam (O Possessor of Glory and Honour)’” i.e., keep repeating it persistently.
“Islam cancels out what came before it (of sins).”
“Every bid’ah (innovation) is a going astray and every going astray will end in Hell.”
“Control your tongue, let your house be enough for you, and weep for your sins.”
“(Take care of) your mother, then your mother, then your mother, then your father, then other relatives in order of closeness.”
“Feed the poor and pat the head of the orphan (i.e., show compassion).”
“The one who points the way to good deeds is like the one who does them.”
This is a list of useful sayings and general rules, which we ask Allaah to make of benefit to people. When you have finished sending them out, if you would like more, just let us know so that we can compile some more. And Allaah is the Source of strength. |
What is the Ruling on Using Prayer Beads? | Praise be to Allah.
Some scholars say that it is permissible to
use the masbahah (prayer beads), but they say that it is preferable to do
tasbeeh (count praises) on one’s fingers; others say that it is bid’ah
(reprehensible innovation).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in
al-Fatawa (22/187): “Some of them might show off by putting their
prayer-mats over their shoulders and carrying their masbahahs in their
hands, making them symbols of religion and prayer. It is known from the
mutawatir reports (reports in such large numbers that they couldn’t be
forged) that neither the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
nor his Companions used these as symbols. They used to recite tasbeeh and
count on their fingers, as the hadeeth says: “Count on your fingers, for
they will be asked, and will be made to speak.” Some of them may count their
tasbeeh with pebbles or date stones. Some people say that doing tasbeeh with
the masbahah is makrooh (disliked), and some allow it, but no one says that
tasbeeh with the masbahah is better than tasbeeh with the fingers.” Then he
(may Allah have mercy on him) goes on to discuss the issue of showing off
with the masbahah, saying that it is showing off with regard to something
that is not prescribed by Islam, which is worse than showing off with regard
to something that is prescribed.
Al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-‘Uthaymeen (al-Liqa
al-Maftooh, 3/30) was asked whether using the masbahah for tasbeeh is
bid’ah, and his reply was: “It is better not to do tasbeeh with the
masbahah, but it is not bid’ah, because there is a basis for it, which is
the fact that some of the Sahabah (Companions) did tasbeeh with pebbles. But
the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught us that
tasbeeh with the fingers is better, as he said, ‘Count with the fingertips,
for they will be made to speak.’ Doing tasbeeh with the masbahah is not
haram (impermissible) or bid’ah, but it is better not to do it, because the
one who does tasbeeh with the masbahah has shunned something better. Using
the masbahah may also be contaminated with some element of showing off,
because we see some people carrying masbahahs that contain a thousand beads,
as if they are telling people, ‘Look at me, I do a thousand tasbeehs!’
Secondly, those who use the masbahah for tasbeeh are usually absent-minded
and not focused, so you see them doing tasbeeh with the beads, but their
gaze is wandering all over the place, which indicates that they are not
really concentrating. It is better to do tasbeeh with one’s fingers,
preferably using the right hand rather than the left, because the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to count his tasbeeh on his right
hand. If a person counts his tasbeeh using both hands, there is nothing
wrong with that, but it is better to use the right hand only.”
Al-Shaykh Muhammad Nasir al-Deen al-Albani
said in Al-Silsilat al-Da’eefah (1/110), where he quotes the (weak)
hadeeth “What a good reminder is the subhah [masbahah],”
“In my view, the meaning of this hadeeth is
invalid for a number of reasons:
Firstly, the subhah [masbahah] is bid’ah and
was not known at the time of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him). It happened after that, so how could he
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) have encouraged his Sahabah to do
something that was unknown to them? The evidence for what I have said is the
report narrated by Ibn Waddah in Al-Bid’ wa’l-Nahy ‘anha from al-Salt
ibn Bahram, who said: ‘Ibn Mas’ood passed by a woman who had a [masbahah]
with which she was making tasbeeh, and he broke it and threw it aside, then
he passed by a man who was making tasbeeh with pebbles, and he kicked him
then said, “You think you are better than the Sahabah, but you are following
unjustified bid’ah! You think you have more knowledge than the Companions of
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)!”’ Its isnad (chain of
transmission) is saheeh (authentic) to al-Salt, who is one of the
trustworthy (thiqah) followers of the Tabi’een (Successors).
Secondly, it goes against the guidance of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Amr
(may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) counting the tasbeeh on his right
hand.’”
He also said (1/117): “If there is only one
bad thing about the masbahah, which is that it takes the place of the Sunnah
of counting on the fingers, even though all are agreed that counting on the
fingers is preferable, then that is bad enough. How rarely I see people
counting their tasbeeh on their fingers!
Moreover, people have invented so many
sophisticated ways of following this bid’ah, so you see the followers of one
of the [Sufi] tareeqahs (orders) wearing the masbahah around their necks! Or
some of them counting with the beads whilst talking or listening to you! Or
another one – the like of whom I have not seen for some time – riding his
bicycle through a street crowded with people, with the masbahah in one of
his hands! They are showing the people that they are not distracted from the
remembrance of Allah for even an instant, but in many cases this bid’ah is a
cause of their neglecting what is obligatory (wajib). It has happened many
times – to others as well as myself – that when I greet one of these people
with salam, they answer only by waving and not by saying the words of the
greeting. The bad results of this bid’ah are innumerable, and no one can say
it better than the poet:
‘All goodness is in following that which
went before (the salaf)
All badness is in the innovations of those
who came later.’”
And Allah knows best. |
In Question number 164 on the ruling of selling wine to non-muslims Sheikh has quoted to be said: "Verily when Allah forbids something, He forbids its price." I have a service which anyone can subscribe by sending email to: XXXX in the body of the message subscribe ahad This service sends one hadith a day, english translation, from Sahih Al-Bukhari. Here's what they have sent me: Bukhari Vol 8; no. 11 Narrated by Ibn Umar (Radhiallaho Anho): My father, seeing a silken cloak being sold, said, "O Allah's Apostle! Buy this and wear it on Fridays and when the foreign delegates pay a visit to you." He said, "This is worn only by that person who will have no share in the Hereafter." Later a few silken cloaks were given to the Prophet (Sallahllaahu 'alaihi wasallam) as a gift, and he sent one of those cloaks to Umar. Umar said (to the Prophet), "How can I wear it while you have said about it what you said?" The Prophet (Sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) said, "I did not give it to you to wear but to sell or to give to someone else to wear." So Umar sent it to his (pagan) brother who was from the inhabitants of Mecca before he (Umar's brohter) embraced Islam. From the hadith quoted above it seems like it is permissible to sell it or to give it to non-Muslims. | Praise be to Allah. We constantly advise people, when reading texts that appear to present a problem, to examine all versions and isnaads of these ahaadeeth, and to refer to the words of scholars and commentators, because they have the knowledge and understanding that can dispel the confusion. In the following discussion we will quote several versions of the hadeeth as reported by al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him), then we will give a summary from the commentary on the hadeeth by al-Haafiz Ahmad ibn ‘Ali ibn Hajar al-‘Asqallaani (may Allah have mercy on him) from his book Fath al-Baari Sharh Saheeh al-Bukhaari, and from the commentary of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) on the same hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim.
‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab saw a hullah siyara’ [a type of two-piece garment] at the door of the mosque and said, “O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you buy this and wear it on Fridays and when the delegations come to you?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “This is only worn by one who has no share in the Hereafter.” Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was brought a number of garments [hullahs] of the same type. He gave one of them to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) and ‘Umar said, “O Messenger of Allah, are you giving it to me to wear it when you said what you said about the hullah of ‘Utaarid (the vendor of the first hullah)?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I am not giving it to you to wear it.” So ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) gave it to a brother of his in Makkah who was a mushrik.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, 837).
According to another report: “[The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:] Sell it and benefit from its price.” Al-Bukhaari, 896.
According to another report: “I did not send it to you for you to wear it, for it is worn only by one who has no share in the Hereafter. I sent it to you so that you could benefit from it – i.e., by selling it.” Al-Bukhaari, 1962.
According to another report: “Umar said: ‘How can I wear it when you said what you said about it?’ He said, ‘I did not give it to you for you to wear it; sell it or give it to someone else.’ So ‘Umar sent it to a brother of his among the people of Makkah, before he [the brother] became Muslim.” Al-Bukhaari, 2426.
According to another report: “He said: ‘Sell it and spend the money on your own needs.’” Al-Bukhaari, 2826.
According to another report: “He said: ‘I sent it to you so that you could make some money from it.’” Al-Bukhaari, 5617.
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
“Concerning the phrase, ‘Why don’t you buy it and wear it?’ – it is as if ‘Umar wanted the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to buy it and wished that he would do so. ‘This is only worn’ – according to the report of Jareer ibn Haazim, he said, ‘silk is only worn’. ‘One who has no share’ – Maalik added in his report, ‘in the Hereafter.’ This could mean the one who has no share in the Hereafter, i.e., of silk clothes.
‘He gave it to him’ – it is apparent from the rest of the hadeeth that he did not give it to him to wear, or it could mean that he gave him something that could be used for clothing. [The verb used, kasaa, has the sense of covering or clothing]. According to the report of Maalik, ‘Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was brought a number of similar hullahs, and he gave one to ‘Umar.’ In another report, ‘Later on some hullahs (of the same type) were brought to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and he sent one to ‘Umar and one to Usaamah ibn Zayd, and gave one to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib.’
‘Sell it and spend the money on your own needs’ – means benefit from its price, or it could mean trade it or exchange it, or some more general meaning.
(Note): the reason why this hadeeth was included in Baab al-Hareer li’l-nisa’ (Chapter on silk for women) is because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to ‘Umar, ‘sell it or use it for clothing.’ Silk is forbidden for men, and there is no difference between ‘Umar and other men in that regard, so the permission to give it to someone else to wear applies only if it is given to a woman. The fact that ‘Umar gave it to his brother should not be a source of confusion to those who believe that the minor issues of sharee’ah apply to kaafirs too, as ‘Umar gave it to his brother to sell it or to give it to a woman to wear.
In some versions of the hadeeth… Ibn ‘Umar said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saw ‘Utaarid wearing a silk garment and he disliked that for him, then he gave ‘Umar a similar garment…’ and ‘… [he said,] “I did not give it to you to wear it, I gave it to you to give to women to wear.”’ This is an indication that it is permissible for women to wear pure silk.
Imaam Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) reported in his Saheeh that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) one day wore a coat of silk brocade that had been given to him, but soon afterwards he took it off and sent it to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab. It was said to him, “But you took it off so quickly, O Messenger of Allah.” He said, “Jibreel forbade me to wear it.” Then ‘Umar came to him, weeping, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, you disliked something and gave it to me. What is wrong with me?” He said, “I did not give it to you to wear it, I gave it to you to sell it.” So he sold it for two thousand dirhams.’ (Reported by Muslim, 3861).”
Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on Saheeh Muslim:
“In the hadeeth of ‘Umar about this hullah there is evidence that silk is forbidden for men and permitted for women, that it is permissible to give it, that its price is permitted, and that a Muslim is permitted to give a kaafir clothes and other things.
‘So ‘Umar gave it to a mushrik brother of his in Makkah’ – this is how it was reported by al-Bukhaari and Muslim. According to a report narrated by al-Bukhaari in some chapter, ‘‘Umar sent it to a brother of his among the people of Makkah, before he [the brother] became Muslim’ – this indicates that he (the brother) subsequently became Muslim… This also indicates that it is permissible to maintain family ties with kaafirs and to treat them well, and that it is permissible to give gifts to kaafirs. The permission to give silk clothes to men does not mean that they should wear them. Some may misinterpret this to mean that kaafir men are permitted to wear silk, but this is incorrect. The hadeeth describes giving a gift to a kaafir, but does not give them permission to wear silk. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent silk garments to ‘Umar, ‘Ali and Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with them), but this does not mean that they were permitted to wear silk; he stated quite clearly that he was giving it to them so that they could benefit from it in some way other than by wearing it. The correct opinion, which is that of the majority of scholars, is that the minor issues of sharee’ah apply equally to kaafirs, so they are forbidden to wear silk just as Muslims are. And Allah knows best.
Al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him) reported another hadeeth on the same issue from al-Miswar ibn Makhramah, who said that his father Makhramah said to him: ‘O my son, I have heard that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has received some coats and he is sharing them out, so let us go to him.’ So we went and found the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in his house. [My father] said to me, ‘O my son, call the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for me.’ I felt too embarrassed, so I said, ‘Should I call the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) for you?’ He said, ‘O my son, he is not arrogant.’ So I called him, and he came out carrying a coat of silk brocade with gold buttons. He said, ‘O Makhramah, we kept this for you,’ and he gave it to him. (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Kitaab al-Libaas, Baab al-Muzarrar bi’l-Dhahab).
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the hadeeth:
“ ‘He came out carrying a coat of silk brocade with gold buttons’ – it is possible that this happened before silk was prohibited, but after silk and gold were prohibited for men, this report can no longer be used as evidence by those who want to permit these things. It is also possible that this happened after these things were prohibited, in which case the garment was given so that the recipient could benefit from it either by selling it or by giving it to women to wear.”
In brief, then, the answer to the matter raised in the question is that so long as a silk garment has some legitimate use, such as clothing for women, then it is permissible to sell it and take the money paid for it. And Allah knows best. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad. |
I need further information about the verse interpreted here about adultery. Adultery, according to the Hudood I read, requires penetration. Is that true of Islamic law?
Are married persons, or single for that case, indulging in immoral acts that do not include penetration (but maybe oral sex), exempted from this punishment?
Secondly, is there forgiveness for adultery? Or for what I inquired in my previous question.
I'd be greatly obliged to receive an answer, because this issue has confused me for a long time. | Praise be to Allah.What is Zina?
Zina, in Arabic, means immorality, and is used with two meanings in Shari`ah: a general meaning and a specific meaning.
The general meaning includes that which carries the punishment (hadd) and that which does not carry it. Islam does not give the name of Zina only to that which carries the punishment, which is just one of many types of Zina.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: I have never heard any better definition of small faults [al-Najm 53:32] than that which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): Allah has decreed for every son of Adam his share of Zina, and there is no way to escape from it. The Zina of the eye is a glance, the Zina of the tongue is speaking, and the Zina of the mind is wishing and hoping; then the private part either acts upon this or it does not. (Reported by al-Bukhari, 11/26; Muslim, 4/2046).
Al-Bukhari included this hadeeth in a chapter entitled Bab Zina al-jawarih doon al-farj (Chapter on the Zina of faculties other than the private part).
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Zina is not always associated with the private part itself, but may involve other faculties such as the eyes and so on. Ibn Battal (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Looking and speaking are called Zina because they lead to real Zina. This is why he said that the private part either acts upon this or it does not
Zina: A Grave sin in Islam
Zina is one of the forbidden deeds, one of the most serious major sins (kabair) after shirk and murder. Allah says (interpretation of the meanings):
“And those who invoke not any other god along with Allah, nor kill such life as Allah has forbidden, except for just cause, nor commit illegal sexual intercourse and whoever does this shall receive the punishment. The torment will be doubled to him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein in disgrace; except those who repent and believe and do righteous deeds, for those Allah will change their sins into good deeds, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Furqan 25:68-70]
“And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a fahishah [anything that transgresses its limits a great sin], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allaah forgives him).” [al-Isra 17:32]
Imam al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The scholars said that the phrase ‘And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse’ is more eloquent than merely saying Do not commit Zina, because the meaning is, Do not even come close to Zina. This means not doing any deed that may get close to Zina or lead to it, such as being alone with a member of the opposite sex, touching, looking, going to evil places, speaking in a haraam manner to a woman to whom one is not related, thinking about and planning immoral acts, and so on.
Abd-Allah ibn Masood said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Which sin is worst in the sight of Allah? He said, To make any rival to Allah, when He has created you. I asked, Then what? He said, To kill your child for fear that he will eat with you. I asked, Then what? He said, To commit Zina with the wife of your neighbour. (Reported by al-Bukhari, 8/492; Muslim, 1/90).
All religions are agreed that Zina is haram; no religion allows it. The punishment for Zina is the most severe of punishments, because it violates peoples’ honour and lineages.
Degrees of zina
The sin of Zina may be of varying degrees, and the gravity of the offence depends on the nature and circumstances of the deed, although all Zina is haram, a major sin and an act of immorality. Zina with a mahram [i.e., incest] (Allah forbid) or with a married woman is far worse than Zina with a woman to whom one is not related or with an unmarried woman, because it involves violating the rights of the husband, contaminating his bed, attributing a child to him that is not his, and other kinds of offence and harm.
If her husband is a neighbour, the crime of being a bad neighbour is added to the offence. If her husband is one's brother or relative, the crime of breaking family ties is added. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: He will not enter Paradise whose neighbour is not safe from his evil actions. (Reported by Muslim, 1/68).
There is no evil action worse than Zina, and if the husband is absent for the sake of Allah, such as in worship, seeking knowledge or jihaad, then the sin is compounded. Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: The wives of the mujahideen are as sacred and forbidden to those who stay behind as their own mothers. There is no man of those who stay behind who is entrusted by one of the mujahideen with the care of his family and then betrays him (by committing Zina), but he will be detained on the Day of Resurrection, and (the one whom he betrayed) will take as much of his good deeds as he wishes. So what do you think? (Reported by Muslim, 3515)
Punishment for zina
If the adulterer is married, the sin is greater, and the punishment is stoning, and if he is an old man, the sin is greater and the punishment is as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned in the hadeeth about the three whom Allah will neither look at nor praise on the Day of Resurrection, and who will have a painful punishment. (Saheeh Muslim, 156)
If the deed is also committed during a sacred month or in a sacred place or at a time which is special in the sight of Allah, the sin is compounded.
What constitutes zina?
The jurists (may Allah have mercy on them) stated that the basic act of Zina which carries the punishment is illegal sexual intercourse, whereby the two circumcised parts [i.e. genitals] come together and there is penetration of the tip of the penis, because this is actual penetration (which carries the prescribed hadd or punishment).
What leads to zina?
A person must avoid evil deeds and everything that can lead to them. Allah has commanded us to avoid the traps of the Shaytaan, because if a man takes one step in that direction, his shaytan and his own ego (nafs) will keep urging him to do evil until he commits immoral deeds.
One should think about how serious it is to touch a woman to whom one is not related, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained: If one of you were to be stabbed in the head with a piece of iron it would be better for him than if he were to touch a woman whom it is not permissible for him to touch. (Reported by al-Tabaraani; see also Saheeh al-Jaami, 5045).
This refers to the punishment for touching, so how about worse deeds, such as embracing and kissing, and even worse kinds of illicit activity? The Muslim judge is empowered to stipulate an appropriate punishment for every proven action other than actual intercourse; in the case of intercourse, the punishment set out by Islam is one hundred lashes and a year’s exile for one who is unmarried, and stoning for one who is married. This is the punishment in this world, and the punishment in the Hereafter is far more severe.
Will adulterers be forgiven?
One of the important principles which the salaf (may Allah have mercy on them) pointed out is that the sincere believer who truly hopes for Allaah and the Hereafter should not look at whether the sin is major or minor, or whether is carries a punishment (hadd) or not. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: There is no major sin if one asks for forgiveness, and there is no minor sin if one persists in repeating it. Someone else said: If you want to disobey Allah, do not think about the smallness of the sin, think about the greatness of the One Whom you are disobeying.
How can you seek repentance from zina?
With regard to the matter of repentance from Zina , please refer to the book "I Want to Repent, But..." May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
For more about zina-realted issues, see these answers: 6926 , 649 , 5445 , and 2487
And Allah knows best. |
Because of my nephews bad habit he
has great difficulty in eating with his right hand. At the moment he uses his left hand
when there is nobody to remind him. I am worried about this, so, what is the fiqh ruling
concerning a person who get used to eat with his left hand? | Praise be to Allah.Doing good is a habit and doing evil is a habit. Man is
always either making progress or falling behind. When a person gets used to doing
something, he becomes very fond of it and loves it, and dislikes anything else. Then he
thinks that the thing he is not used to is not possible, but this way of thinking is not
right and it goes against both the laws of Islam and the facts of reality. Therefore the
one who uses his left hand to eat and drink should be taught the Islamic ruling and should
be reminded of the hadeeth of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on
this matter. When a man ate with his left hand in his presence, the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, Eat with your right hand. He said,
I cannot. He said, May you never be able to! Nothing was stopping
him but his stubborn arrogance, and he never raised his right hand to his mouth after
that. (Reported by Muslim, 3776). According to a report narrated by
al-Daarimi, his right hand never reached his mouth. This man suffered
paralysis because of the duaa of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: In this hadeeth we
have an indication that it is allowed to pray against a person who breaks a shari
rule with no excuse. We also see the principle of enjoining what is good and forbidding
what is evil in all situations, even with regard to eating. It encourages us to teach
proper manners of eating to a person who is eating if he is doing something wrong. The
hadeeth also teaches us that the Shaytaan eats with his left hand, because of the hadeeth:
When any one of you eats, let him eat with his right hand, and when he drinks, let
him drink with his right hand, because the Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks
with his left hand. (Reported by Muslim, 3764). The Shaytaan
eats with his left hand so the person who eats with his left hand resembles the Shaytaan,
indeed the Shaytaan is sharing his food with him. Ahmad reported with a hasan isnaad from
Aaishah and attributed to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him): Whoever eats with his left hand, the Shaytaan eats with him. (Tuhfat
al-Ahwadhi, commentary on hadeeth 1721).
Moreover, the left hand should be reserved for removing dirt, as when
cleaning oneself after going to the toilet (istinja) and blowing ones nose and
other kinds of cleaning oneself and removing dirt. How can a person use that which is used
for removing dirt and impurities for putting food in his mouth?
Hafsah (may Allaah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), reported that the Prophet
(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to use his right hand for eating, drinking and
getting dressed and his left hand for everything else. (Reported by Abu Dawood, no.
30)
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
This is a fixed rule in shareeah. It has to do with
honourable things such as putting on ones shirt, trousers and shoes, entering the
mosque, using siwaak, applying kohl, combing and styling ones hair,
shaving the head, giving salaam at the end of prayer, washing oneself in ghusl or
wudoo, leaving the toilet, eating, drinking, shaking hands, acknowledging the Black
Stone, and other things where we are encouraged to use the right hand or start with the
right. As for the opposite [things that are not honourable], such as entering the toilet,
leaving the mosque, blowing ones nose, washing oneself after using the toilet,
taking off one's shirt, trousers and shoes, and so on, then we should start with the left
or use the left hand. All of this has to do with honouring the right hand or right
side.
Some people may have a real problem that prevents them from using their
right hand, such as being paralyzed and so on. In this case they are excused and there is
no blame on them. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If he has an excuse
for not eating and drinking with his right hand, such as sickness or an injury, then this
is not makrooh
Most likely the problem of the boy you are asking about has to do with
habit, so try to get him used to eating with his right hand and keep on advising him and
reminding him to do so. You could seek the help of psychiatrists, because some of them may
have some useful ideas. We ask Allaah to give you strength, May Allaah bless our Prophet
Muhammad. |
If a person is vulnerable and cannot feel safe
from temptation in his country, is hijrah obligatory on the Muslim in this
case, and to where should he migrate? | Praise be to Allah.If
the situation is as you describe, and a Muslim feels vulnerable with
regard to himself and his religious commitment in the face of temptations
in his own country, then it is prescribed for him to migrate – if he can
– to a land where he will feel safe.
And
Allaah is the source of strength. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad
and his family and companions, and grant them peace. |
I am a Christian and is in-love with a
19-year old Muslim boy.
He is very nice for accepting me not as a virgin.He proposed marriage to
me and I am making plans about it. Is it necessary for me to convert to Islam if I marry
him even I don't like to do so. We talked about the children that they will be Muslims. | Praise be to Allah.Yes, it is very necessary for you to enter Islam. This will solve
all the problems, from making the marriage valid, through giving a united direction
to the future upbringing of the children, to attaining success and happiness
in the Hereafter. Your feelings of unease about taking this step may be due
to the difficulty of leaving behind what you are used to and the religion that
you have grown up in, or reluctance to go against your family and relatives,
or fear of hostility and criticism from others, or concern about losing some
worldly advantages. But all these issues will be easily overcome when you seek
the help of Allaah and are determined to follow the truth. The wise person is
prepared to make sacrifices and put up with difficulties for the sake of following
the truth, because the truth is worth pursuing. Any difficulties encountered
will become easy because the result is happiness in this world and the next,
and Paradise the width of heaven and earth. Moreover, your marriage will help
you to live in love and harmony with your husband (if he repents to Allaah for
the forbidden relationship and becomes a religious person of good morals) and
his Muslim family. There will be no dispute as to which religion the children
will be raised in, and they will not feel that there is any conflict in the
family, so they will be able to grow up free of the psychological complexes
that result from the parents difference of religion. Other people have
felt something similar to the feelings that you are experiencing now, as is
reflected in the following story, which happened at the time of the Prophet
of Islam (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him). Anas reported that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to a man, Become Muslim.
He said, I feel that I dont want to. He said, Become
Muslim, even if you feel that you dont really want to. (Reported
by Imaam Ahmad, 11618; Saheeh al-Jaami, 974). This is the correct approach
which people should have towards the true religion. For more information on
the topic of marriage, please see Questions #3025
and #2527. We wish you every good thing
and success. Peace be upon those who follow true guidance. |
I am a Christian girl and I want to marry a
Muslim boy. I am no longer a virgin and he knows about this. Is it right for me to ask for
dowry from him even I am no longer chaste? | Praise be to Allah.Firstly, we would like to thank you for your question. Secondly,
before we discuss the matter of your right to the mahr or dowry, we should discuss
the matter of marriage itself. A Muslim man is permitted to marry a chaste woman
from the People of the Book (see Question #689
and #2527), and she is judged according
to her situation at the time of marriage: has she given up her former promiscuous,
immoral ways or not? If she is chaste and pure, it is permissible for him to
enter into a marriage contract with her, and in this case, the dowry is her
undeniable right. In order to resolve the problem once and for all, we advise
you to enter Islam, because Islam cancels out all previous sins and wrong deeds,
so save yourself from the Fire of Hell and earn happiness in this world and
the next. Once you have become Muslim there will be no element of doubt whatsoever
concerning the validity of your marriage, and the problem to which you refer
in your question will no longer be an issue at all. We ask Allaah to guide you
and us, and to give you help and success. Peace be upon those who follow true
guidance. |
Subsets and Splits