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Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, sent the prophets and the messengers with glad tidings and warnings to humanity. Their main duty has been to call people to worship Allah Alone, ie to the faith of tawheed, and warn them against shirk, or associating partners with Allah. This monotheistic creed is what distinguishes between Islam and kufr, between a believer and a non-believer, between entering Paradise and entering Hellfire. Indeed, Allah and His messengers have placed great emphasis in warning us against falling into shirk; which has two categories: major and minor. Major shirk itself divided into four types: shirk in supplication, in intention, in loving and in obedience. The first category of major shirk is “association in supplication” ie, shirk al-du’a. This involves directing one’s supplications to other than Allah as a means of gaining provisions or being cured from a sickness or obtaining help during a crisis or for any other purpose. Allah says: “Do not call on any other than Allah. Such can neither profit you nor hurt you. And if you do, you shall certainly be of those who do wrong,” (Qur’an 10:106). Allah also says: “Now, if they embark on a boat, they call on Allah, making their supplication sincerely and exclusively to Him Alone. But when He has delivered them safely to land, they associate others in their worship,” (Qur’an 29:65). It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever dies while supplicating to someone other than Allah whom he considers equal to Allah, will enter Hellfire.” In another verse of the Qur’an, Allah says: “Say: Call upon the other gods besides Allah whom you pretend. They have no power, not even the weight of an atom in the heavens or on earth. Nor do they have a share in them, nor is any of them a helper to Allah. No intercession can avail with Him, except for those who He has granted permission,” (Qur’an 34:22-23). In this verse Allah has closed four avenues of shirk, namely: owner besides Allah, sharer with Allah, helper for Allah, intercessor without Allah’s permission. It has been narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said in his advice to Ibn Abbas, radiallahu anhu: “Know that if the people were to gather together to benefit you with anything, they would benefit you only with something that Allah has already prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you.” (Authentic hadith related by Al-Tirmidhi). The second category of major shirk is “association in the intention.” That is, to perform deeds that may be good themselves but which are done for the sake of this worldly life and not for the sake of Allah. Allah says: “Those who desire this life and its glitter, to them We shall pay the price of their deeds in this same life in full measure. They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but the Fire. Vain are their designs and of no effect are their deeds,” (Qur’an 11:15-16). The third category of major shirk is “association in loving Allah.” That is to love someone or something else more than or as much as one loves Allah. Allah says: “There are men who take others besides Allah as equal with Him. They love them as much as they should love Allah. But the believers have more love for Allah,” (Qur’an 2:165). There are people who recognise Allah as the Creator, the Owner and the Sustainer of the universe, and yet love others more than Him. Some people love money more than they love Allah and for this reason, they do not pay zakat or they gain their money from unlawful sources. They are the slaves of Dirhams and Dinars, or in today’s terminology, the slaves of dollars. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said, “He who became the slave of the Dinar or the Dirham will perish and be destroyed.” (This is part of a hadith related by Al-Bukhari). Some people love their desires more than they love Allah. Consequently, they would follow their desires even when they lead to disobeying Allah: “Do you see the one who is taking as his lord his own desires?” (Qur’an 25:43). Therefore, loving Allah and His Messenger more than anything is a precondition for tasting the sweetness of faith. It has been narrated in an authentic hadith that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “There are three qualities whosoever has them will taste the sweetness of Iman: loving Allah and His Messenger above all else, loving someone solely for the sake of Allah, and hating to return to disbelief after Allah has rescued him from it, as much as he would hate being thrown into Hellfire.” (Related by Al-Bukhari). Allah has put two criteria to test whether one’s love for Him is more than the love of anything else. The first is following the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Allah says: “Say (Muhammad), if you do love Allah, follow me, Allah will love you (in return) and forgive your sins,” (Qur’an 3:31). Thus, following the Sunnah in all aspects of our lives is absolutely essential. The second criterion to know if one’s love of Allah is more than anything else is through jihad for the sake of Allah: “Say: If it be that your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives or your kindred, the wealth that you have gained, the commerce in which you fear a decline or the houses in which you delight, are dearer to you than Allah or His Messenger, or the jihad for Allah’s sake; then wait until Allah brings about his decision; and Allah does not guide the rebellious,” (Qur’an 9:24). The fourth category of major shirk is “association in obedience” which is to obey people when they make unlawful things lawful, and to believe that it is permissible to follow those who make such legislations. Allah says: “They take their priests to be their lords beside Allah,” (Qur’an 9:31). A hadith of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, relates that when Adiyy Ibn Hatim heard the Prophet reciting this verse, he said to him: “But they did not worship them (their priests)!’ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: ‘Didn’t those priests make lawful some of the things that Allah has made unlawful and didn’t they make unlawful some of the things that Allah has made lawful? And didn’t they follow them in that respect? That is how they worshipped them!’” So whoever obeys scholars or rulers when they legislate these kinds of laws while knowing that they are changing the religion of Allah and still believers that they have the authority to do so, is in fact committing an act of disbelief. However, if he does not believe that they have the authority to do so, but still follows them in disobeying Allah, he is committing a sin for which he may be punished according to the gravity of the sin. As for the scholar who makes this judgment while trying his best to find the truth with the intention of following the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and he fears Allah as much as he could but did not find the truth, he will not be punished for his mistake but he will be rewarded for his ijtihad, ie. the effort he exerted in searching for the truth. However, the scholar or a Muslim who knows what the rule of Allah should be in the matter under consideration but nevertheless chooses otherwise, has fallen into “the shirk of association in obedience” especially if he has been following his desires and has been propagating his ideas with the means at his disposal. Today in many communities, there are people who get close to and even fall into one of these types of shirk, especially the shirk of obedience. If the rule of Allah coincides with their own desires, they will rush to apply it. But if it does not, they will shop around for a fatwa (legal ruling) that suits their whims. Eventually they may find a shaykh who will give them the fatwa they desire even though this does not legalise what Allah has forbidden. Unfortunately, we find such shaykhs gaining popularity. They are described to be the ones who are moderate, who are understanding, who can deal with the requirements of modern life when in fact, they are following the desires of the people. In many communities, we find people who are very eager to follow Qur’an  when it talks about striving to gain worldly provisions in such verses as, “Walk through the earth and enjoy the sustenance which Allah furnishes,” (Qur’an 67:15). They would exert efforts and spend much energy to gain more money and it will never cross their minds to sit at home without working and Allah will provide for them – and they are right in this respect. But when it comes to working for the Hereafter, such as avoiding sins, increasing their faith with righteous deeds, they would say: “This is the destiny of Allah” to justify their failure for performing their duty towards Allah. They would hope that Allah will guide them to the straight path, while unwilling to make any effort for getting guidance to it. What if somebody comes and begins beating a person, would he say this is the destiny of Allah or would he defend himself and take the necessary precautions to protect himself? Thus, relying on Allah means that one should exert his/her effort to the utmost while at the same time expecting the support and help of Allah. Some of these people would say that some of the companions of the Prophet such as Uthman Ibn Affan, Abdulrahman Ibn Awf, and Sa’ad Ibn Abi Waqqas were wealthy. However, the comparison stops there because they want to be like them only in the aspect of being rich. They do not ask themselves: How did these companions earn their wealth? How did they spend it? How were their manners? How was their worship, their piety, their fear of Allah? How were their homes? How were their wives and children? What were their interests? Whom did they mix with? The companions never negotiated part of their religion to gain their worldly life, but that is precisely what most Muslims are doing today. In Sahih Muslim, Jabir, radhiallahu anhu, reported that a man came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and said: “O Messenger of Allah, what are the two essential matter?” the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever dies without associating any partner with Allah will enter Paradise and whoever dies associating anybody with Allah will enter Hellfire.” The second category of shirk besides major shirk is minor shirk. This means showing off, or having the desire to be praised about one’s actions. Minor shirk does not take a person out of the fold of Islam, but it is nevertheless a grave sin for which there is severe punishment. Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, related on the authority of Labeed that Jabir, radhiallahu ‘anhu, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The thing I fear most for you to fall into is minor shirk”. They (the Companions) asked; ‘What is minor shirk?’ He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, replied: Al-riya’”, ie ‘showing off’. Allah will say to the people who commit it on the Day of Judgment when every one will account for his deeds: “Go back to the ones whom you showed off your deeds for their sake and see if they can reward you.” Umar Ibn al-Khattab said that he heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, saying: “Actions are judged by their intentions and every person shall have but that which he intended. Thus, he whose migration was for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, his migration was for Allah and His Messenger. And he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his migration was for that which he migrated.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Allah says in warning us against spoiling our deeds, “O you who believe, cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by harming; like those who spend their wealth to be seen of men,” (Qur’an 2:264). Furthermore, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, told us about those who will be thrown first into Hellfire on the Day of Judgment. Abu Hurairah, radhiallahu ‘anhu, narrated in Sahih Muslim: “I heard the messenger of Allah saying: ‘Among the people who will be punished first on the Day of Judgment is the martyr (ie, one who died while fighting in jihad). He will be brought before Allah and reminded of the bounties of Allah and he will acknowledge them. Then he will be asked; ‘What did you do with them?’ He will reply: ‘I fought for Your sake until I was killed.’ It will then be said to him: ‘You lied, you fought so that people will say you were a brave man and they have said so.’ Then he will be taken on his face and thrown in Hellfire. The second is a man who acquired sound knowledge of the religion, taught it, read it, and memorised the Qur’an. He will be brought before Allah and reminded of the bounties of Allah and he will acknowledge them. Then he will be asked: ‘what did you do with them?’ He will reply: ‘I have learned the knowledge and taught it to people and read the Qur’an for Your sake.’ Then it will be said to him: ‘You lied, you did it so that people will say you are a knowledgeable man and they have said so.’ Then he will be taken on his face and thrown into Hellfire. The third is a man whom Allah has given a lot of wealth. He will be brought before Allah and reminded of the bounties of Allah and he will acknowledge them. Then he will be asked: ‘What did you do with them?’ He will reply: ‘I never left any means to spend my wealth for Yours sake.’ Then, it will be said to him: ‘You lied, you did it so that people will say you are a generous man and they have said so.’ Then he will be taken on his face and thrown into Hellfire.’” It must be noted here, that their entering Hellfire is not an everlasting one. Rather, they will be punished for their lack of sincerity and will then be allowed to enter Paradise. We ask Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala, to let our actions be directed by sincere intention which is done solely for His pleasure, and not to let our good deeds be destroyed by lack of good intentions. We also ask Him to let our deeds be in accordance with the directives of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. May Allah accept our deeds and guide us to the Right Path. The excellence of generosity Generosity is a virtuous trait that every Muslim should strive to attain. As for the believer who closely adheres to the teachings of Islam, kindness and giving from what he has become part of his good character. Generosity is the opposite of stinginess, as stinginess is a disease of the heart. The Muslim should avoid this bad quality, for it is a source of corruption. The Muslim’s faith and righteous deeds purify his heart, so his hands should be outstretched, giving to those who are in need. A generous man will share what he has with others, thinking about other people as he thinks of himself. He benefits by helping others and solving their problems. He makes people happy and prevents them from doing wrong, which is often a direct result of poverty. This is a great service to society, and there are some people who spend their life in this service, establishing valuable foundations which remain after them such as hospitals, libraries, etc. Whatever is given for Allah’s Sake will never decrease one’s wealth in the slightest; rather, it will bless, purify and increase it, as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Charity does not decrease wealth.” [Muslim] Whatever is given in charity will be recorded with The One Who has full knowledge of all things. Allah, Almighty, Says (what means): “...And whatever you spend of good – it will be fully repaid to you, and you will not be wronged.” [Qur’an 2: 272] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, directed the Muslims’ attention to this higher understanding of generosity when he asked ‘Aaishah, radhiallahu ‘anha, what was left of the sheep they had slaughtered. She told him : “Nothing but the shoulder.” He  said, “Everything except the shoulder is saved.” [At-Tirmithi] Whatever is spent will return multiplied and Allah will increase it in this world and in the next. Allah Says (what means): “The example of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a seed [of grain] which grows seven spikes; in each spike is a hundred grains. And Allah multiplies [His reward] for whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.” [Qur’an 2: 261] And (what means): “…But whatever thing you spend [in His cause] – He will compensate it; and He is the best of providers.” [Qur’an 34: 39] Since noble characteristics are acquired in different ways, the Muslim works to develop virtuous traits according to Islamic guidelines. Allah Says (what means): “And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, ‘My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous.’” [Qur’an 63: 10] Generosity is not expressed exclusively with wealth and money, but also with our time, good deeds, actions and kindness to all people. Allah Says (what means): “Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love...” [Qur’an 3: 92]     Allah, Almighty Says (what means): “Indeed, mankind was created anxious: when evil touches him, impatient, and when good touches him, withholding [of it]...” [Qur’an 70: 19-21] The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Protect yourself from the Hell-fire even by giving a piece of a date as charity.’’ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] This narration shows that a person can be generous and win the pleasure of Allah even by spending a small quantity of wealth. Jaabir reported that the Messenger of Allah  never said “no” to anyone who asked him for something. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] This narration illustrates the generosity of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. If somebody asked him for something, he would never say “no” to him. He would also, on occasions, resort to borrowing to meet the want of a needy person. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Everyday two angels descend and one of them says, ‘O Allah! Compensate (more) to the person who gives (in charity)’; while the other one says, ‘O Allah! Destroy the one who withholds (charity, etc).’” [Al-Bukhari] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, also said: “Allah, the Exalted, Says, ‘Spend, O son of Aadam, you will also be spent upon.’” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] According to the narration, one who spends in the way of Allah, will be duly paid. It means that Allah will enhance the provision of such a man and grant him the best recompense. In another narration, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “There are 40 kinds of virtue, the highest of which is to gift a (milch) she-goat. He who practises any of these virtues, expecting its reward (from Allah) and believing in the truth of the promise made for it, will enter Jannah (Paradise).’’ [Al-Bukhari] A person giving charity should not render it vain by reminders of his generosity or by injury. The giver should be cheerful when asked and when giving. He should spend without being stingy or irresponsible. Whether giving in abundance from his riches, or a small amount of his meager means, one should give with complete satisfaction, a cheerful face and nice speech. The Muslim who truly understands the teachings of his religion never looks down upon any charity, no matter how small it may be. He strives to do as much as he is able, while he is firm in his conviction that Allah will reward his good deeds, no matter how small, as Allah Says (what means): “On no soul does Allah place a burden greater that it can bear …” [Qur’an 2: 286] He also responds to the words of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam: “Protect yourselves from the Fire even if it is with half a date.” [Al-Bukhari] Islam teaches the Muslims to be constructive, beneficial members of their societies; always helping those who are deprived and destitute to the best of their abilities. Every good deed is described as an act of charity, as the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Every Muslim must give charity.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, what if he cannot do that?” He said, “Then let him help one who is in desperate need.” He said, “Then let him do good, and refrain from doing evil, and that will be an act of charity on his part.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

The Shar’ee term of Halal slaughtering is Dhakat. Dhakat in Arabic comes from the root idea of making something become good in smell and taste, and making it complete. Dhakat thus means: “to slaughter an animal in such a way as to make to smell and taste good, because slaughtering releases the blood, enabling the meat to dry faster.” (Al Qurtubi V6/P52). As an Islamic technical term, it means releasing the blood of animals by means of a sharp object from  a specific place in a specific manner, doing it for the sake of Allah Alone, and mentioning His Name over the animal. Scholars have agreed that the best and most complete way to slaughter is to cut the windpipe (trachea), the gullet (esophagus) and the two jugular veins in the neck. Slaughtering must  be performed on the front of the neck without cutting the spinal cord. Scholars, however, have differed regarding what constitutes the minimum amount of cutting, and the exact point on the neck where it should take place. Those who understood the Prophet’s Ahadith to mean “kill” the animal think that cutting the throat and the windpipe is good enough to achieve the killing; and those who understood them to mean “release the blood” insisted that in addition to that, the jugular veins, or at least one of them, must also be cut. The important point is that some scholars recommended that slaughtering performed from the back of the neck be avoided, because that results in cutting the spinal cord, and thereby killing the animal, before the actual slaughtering. The actual slaughtering tool The basic tool to be used in slaughtering is, of course, a knife. Any sharp edge, however, can be used except teeth, nails, or bone. Examples of materials givinig a sharp edge are: steel, iron, copper, gold, glass, stone, and wood, if it is sharp enough. Kaab ibn Malik, radhiallahu ‘anhu, reported that: “They had sheep that were shepherded by a young woman who noticed at one point that a lamb was dying. When she told me, I broke a stone and slaughtered it, but I told them not to eat of it until I asked the Prophet, who told them to eat it.” (The full version is narrated by al-Bukhari). And in the Hadith reported by Rafa ibn Khadeej, radhiallahu ‘anhu, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, told the Companions to use “anything that releases the blood, and mention the Name of Allah over it, but do not use a tooth or a nail, for a tooth is bone, and nails are the knives of the Ethiopians.” (Reported by al-Bukhari, Muslim and others). It is said that Ethiopians at that time used to kill their animals in that fashion to show their courage and strength. In a lengthy discussion of all possible objects for slaughter, Ibn Rushd said: “It does not make sense to differentiate between teeth and bones for he (the Prophet) explained that a tooth is not a good tool by the fact that it is made of bone. And it is well agreed upon in our Madh-hab that anything other than iron is disliked (that is, when iron objects are available) because the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, has said: ‘If you slaughter, then slaughter in the best way. One should sharpen his edge and comfort gently his animal.’” (Bidaiatul Mujtahid VII/p433) Who should slaughter Scholars agree that the person conducting the slaughtering can be a Muslim or one of the People of the Book. If the person has not reached puberty yet, or is drunk or insane, scholars have differing opinions. The Shaafi’ee School says that their Dhabeehah is Halal, while the Hanbali School says it is not. The Hanafi School says that the insane person’s, and the boy’s, Dhabeehah is Halal if they are aware of what they are doing. The Malikites say the boy’s Dhabeehah is Halal, but not the drunks or the insane person’s because (under the circumstances) they cannot reason. The main issue behind these differences is that of Niyyah (intention). Those who consider it to be a requirement, do not accept their Dhabeehah as Halal, and vice versa. All scholars agree that the Dhabeehah of the Murtadd (one who has chosen to give up Islam) is not considered Halal. Invocation of Allah’s name over the animal Scholars agree regarding the legitimacy (Mashru’yah) of invoking the Name of Allah over the Dhabeehah, but they differ on whether it is obligatory (Waajib) or recommended (Mustahabb). In other words, is it considered a requirement, in order for the Dhabeehah to be Halal, or not? Three major opinions of scholars have been mentioned by Ibn Katheer in his Tafseer (V2/P169) in explaining Ayah 121 of Surah al-An’aam. The Ayah says: “Eat not of (meats) on which Allah’s name has not been pronounced: That would be impiety. But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to contend with you. If you were to obey them, you would indeed be Pagans.” The following is a brief summary of these opinions: First: That the invocation is a condition for lawfulness. This opinion is held by the majority of scholars, including Abu Hanifah, Malik, Ahmad, Thawree, Ibn Abbas and many others. They say that in the above Ayah: 1. The order not to eat implies an absolute prohibition because nothing in the Ayah or elsewhere negates it or says otherwise. 2. The absence of the invocation is considered to be Fisq (impiety) or disobedience. That classification is given only to actions that are considered to be Haram. 3. The prohibition is a general one and should not be construed to only mean dead animals killed by Mushriks, as some scholars have claimed. The reasoning behind this is that nothing in the Ayah indicates such a restriction or specification, and the fact that prohibition of dead animals and animals killed by Mushriks has been clearly and specifically mentioned elsewhere in the Qur’an more than once. These scholars also used the following Hadith to support their opinion: Aadee ibn Hatem, radhiallaahu ‘anhu, said: “I said: ‘O Prophet of Allah, I send my [hunting] dog and mention the Name of Allah.’ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, told me: ‘If you send your dog mentioning the Name of Allah and he killed, you eat; but if he eats from it, do not eat. He has caught it for himself.’ I said: ‘I send my dog, and then I find another dog with him, and I do not know which one caught for me.’ The Prophet said: ‘Do not eat, because you only invoked the Name on your dog, and not on the other’.” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Muslim, among other similar Ahadith). If the invocation is dropped deliberately, the Dhabeehah is considered to be “dead,” and it is Haram to eat. But if one forgot to mention it, then his slaughter is lawful and the Dhabeehah is Halal. Second: That invocation is not a requirement, and that if one has not made it (on purpose or just forgot to do so), the slaughter would be lawful, and the Dhabeehah Halal. This is basically the Shafi’ee School’s opinion, but is also one of the opinions reported on behalf of Malik and Ahmad. Third: That it is a condition for the lawfulness of the Dhabeehah, and that if the Muslim does not invoke the Name of Allah, his Dhabeehah is not Halal. This opinion does not differentiate between those who forget to make  the invocation from those who deliberately omit it: the Dhabeehah in either case is not Halal. This opinion was adopted by Abdullah ibn Umar, Dawood Ad-dhahiri and Ibn Sereen. Forgetfulness, however, is a valid excuse for not applying or associating consequences of actions to the doer. Rulings and conditions cannot be applied to the person who did or did not do something because of forgeting. The same concept also applies to cases in which the person is under duress or has done something wrong by mistake. In conclusion, the correct ruling regarding the requirement of invoking the Name of Allah over slaughtered animals is that the invocation is obligatory (Waajib) for the slaughter to be Halal, and that if one deliberately omits it, his Dhabeehah is Haram to eat. All this relates to cases in which the person performing the slaughtering is a Muslim. Halal or Haram? Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala sent Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, with a message detailing specific principles, ways and procedures for his followers to live by with regard to eating and food. Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala wanted His servants to enjoy life and eat all that is lawful (Halal) and good, to nurture their bodies and enjoy good health both physically and spiritually. The Qur’an says: “Say: Who has forbidden the beautiful (gifts) of Allah, which He has produced for His servants, and the things, pure and clean (at-Tayyibaat) (which He has provided) for sustenance? ...” (Surah Al-A’raf  7:32) On the other hand, the Qur’an forbids Muslims from eating unlawful (Haram) and bad foods to protect them from physical and spiritual harm. The Qur’an describes the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam as one who “... allows them as lawful good things (at-Tayyibaat) and prohibits as unlawful bad and evil things (al-Khabaa’ith)...” (Surah Al-A’raf  7:157) General Rulings on Halal Slaughtering All scholars are in agreement that a slaughtered animal can be Halal (lawful) with respect to both the use of its meat for food, and the use of its by-products, if it meets the following three conditions: 1. It is not one of the animals or meats that are Haram (unlawful) for the Muslim to consume. 2. No name other than that of Allah is invoked or mentioned over it at the time of slaughtering. 3. The slaughtering has met specific Islamic requirements. Types of Haram meats and animals The first thing Muslims are supposed to know about food is what types of animals and meats are Haram for consumption. Some Haram items are mentioned in the Qur’an, and some in the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. The Qur’an says: “Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless you are able to slaughter it (in due form); and that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day those who reject Faith have given up all hope of  your religion: so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah al-Ma’idah 5:3) This Ayah is a further explanation of a previous Ayah in the same Surah, which says: “Lawful unto you (for food) are all four-footed animals, with the exceptions named: But game animals are forbidden while you are in the Sacred Precincts or in pilgrim garb: for Allah does command according to His Will and Plan.” (Surah al-Ma’idah 5:1) It is cited here with reference to a main issue in Usoolul Fiqh, namely, “The default nature of things: Halal or Haram,” a topic that Muslims should be aware of, since it is the foundation for a good understanding of all the rulings relating to food and eating. 1. Dead meat Dead animals here denotes those which die without man’s involvement by slaughtering. Any part cut from a live animal is also considered dead and is not permissible to eat. One exception to this is seafood. Even though we consider sea creatures dead once they are out of the water, the Qur’an clearly states that seafood is Halal: “Lawful to you is the pursuit of water-game and its use for food – for the benefit of yourselves and those who travel.” (Surah al-Ma’idah 5:96) There is evidence for this exemption also in a Hadith narrated by Jaber, radhiallaahu ‘anhu, in which he told of a whale they found dead on a beach during one of their expeditions. The Hadith indicated that they ate from it and brought some back with them for the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, to taste. 2. Blood The blood meant here is the Masfooh, or that which flows out of the animal when it is slaughtered or wounded. It is considered to be Najass (impure and unclean), and is Haram to eat or use in any form. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has strict laws that require the blood of cows and sheep to be thoroughly drained after slaughter, before the meat can be sold to the public. 3. Pig meat All scholars are in agreement that the meat, fat and every part of the pig are Haram for the Muslim to consume. It should be pointed out, however, that scholars have differed regarding the impurity of the pig, and thus, on the usability of their by-products (eg, skin and fat) in non-edible products such as soap. The discussion of this subject is beyond the scope of this article, and further information can be obtained by consulting scholars or any major Fiqh book. 4. Slaughtering in other than Allah’s name Animals over which names other than that of Allah were invoked at the time of slaughter. All scholars agree that if a Muslim invokes the name of other than Allah over a Dhabeehah then it is Haram to consume. 5. Suffocated or strangled animals As a general rule, for the following five types, if the animal is reached before death, and is then slaughtered, then it is Halal to eat. 6. Animals killed by violent blows or severely beaten. 7. Animals that fall from heights and die. Whether to the ground or into water. 8. Animals killed by being gored. As well as being gutted. 9. Animals partly eaten by wild beasts. 10. Animals slaughtered on stone (altars) In his famous book of Tafseer, Al Qurtubi said: “... this type is in the slaughtering to other than Allah category, but because many people would be practising this kind of slaughter, it was important to have it as a separate type.” (V6/P57) This is very true, and even today, this type of slaughter is still being widely practised by non-Muslims and by a few ignorant Muslims. The above are the major kinds of prohibited meat. Other types are also mentioned in the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Today in the West, where all kinds of animals are being consumed and where many people practise animal slaughtering in different ways and for different purposes, it is highly recommended that Muslims learn the Islamic Ahkaam (rulings) regarding foods and meat in as much detail as possible. Slaughtering by the People of the Book The basic rule regarding the food and meat of the People of the Book is that it is Halal. A Muslim can eat their food and marry their women, as stated in the following Ayah: “This day are (all) Tayyibat (good and pure things) made lawful unto you. The food the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers but chaste women among the People of the Book when you give them their due dowers and desire chastity not lewdness nor secret intrigues. If any one rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good).” (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:5) People of the Book specifically means Christians and Jews. Scholars have discussed in great detail exactly what is meant by the expression “People of the Book” and whether or not that meaning would change with time. The majority of scholars say that the meaning of People of the Book has not changed and should not change with time, even if the Christians and Jews deviate more in their path from the True Path and regardless of how much they practise of their religion. The reasons for this understanding are very simple. First, all or most of these deviations existed even before the revelation of the Qur’an to our Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, yet Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala called them the People of the Book. Second, Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala did not mention it in the Qur’an – and He surely knows that they are going to change. We should not, therefore, pay attention to these changes, and should treat them, in every way in which we deal with them, as who they are – the People of the Book. Rasheed Ridhaa, a respected scholar who lived at the turn of the century, said in his book of  Tafseer: “Allah prohibited us from marrying Mushrik women, yet He subhanahu wa ta’aala also permitted us – in a clear and direct manner in the same Ayah – to marry the women of the People of the Book. Since marriage is more important than eating, we should not, therefore, put any restriction on the rulings derived from the Ayah regarding their food or who they are.” (Tafseer al-Manar, VI/p353). It should be pointed out that the Dhabeehah of the People of the Book is Halal regardless of whether their country is considered to be part of the Daar-ul-Harb (at war with Muslims) or Daar-us-Salaam (at peace with Muslims). Imam Nawawee has reported on the consensus of scholars on this matter (al Majmuu’a, V9/P68). Haram food is always haram All scholars have understood food in the above Ayah to refer to meat or Dhabeehah of the People of the Book. One should now ask the question: Are all the types of food and meat used by them Halal for us? The answer to that can be summarised by stating that what our Deen has shown us to be Haram will always be Haram. Therefore, all the rulings discussed above apply to their Dhabeehah with one exception – the invocation of the Name of Allah over the slaughtered animal. The same conditions for the Halal requirement of Dhabeehah, are considered again, this time with the People of the Book in mind: 1. According to Ayah 5:5 mentioned Muslims can only eat good and pure meats. Therefore, the flesh of swine, blood, dead animals, etc are not permissible for the Muslim to eat – even items (eg pork) currently eaten by the People of the Book. 2. No names other than that of Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala should be invoked over the animal. If such is done, the Dhabeehah becomes Haram according to Abu Hanifah, Shafiee and Ibn Hanbal. That is the ruling if we actually hear these names invoked at the time of slaughtering. If we do not actually hear them, scholars have said that the ruling is not to ask about it. This ruling is supported by the majority of scholars. 3. According to Abu Hanifah and Ibn Hanbal, the Dhabeehah of the People of the Book is not Halal unless they invoke the Name of Allah over it. According to Malik and Shafiee, however, invoking the Name of Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala is not a requirement, and the Dhabeehah is Halal. This latter opinion is supported by the following: * The fact that the above Ayah declares their meat to be Halal without imposing any restrictions such as the invocation of the Name of Allah over the animal. Therefore, their meat is Halal for us as long as it does not belong to one or more of the 10 Haram categories discussed here (see box). * In a Hadith narrated by Aa’isha, radhiallaahu ‘anha, she said: “Some people told the Prophet that some people brought them meat and they did not know whether the Name of Allah had been spoken over it or not. The Prophet said: ‘Speak the Name of Allah over it and eat’.” (Reported by al-Bukhari and Abu Dawood). This Hadith shows that non-Muslims were not used to invoking the Name of Allah during the time of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and that the invocation was required of Muslims because the Prophet had told them to invoke Allah’s Name before eating. That can be interpreted to mean: because their meat is permitted for you, you can eat it, just by mentioning Allah’s Name over it, and it does not really matter whether or not they had invoked Allah’s Name over it because it is not required of them. * Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala has permitted us to marry women of the People of the Book, and it is well established that the husband cannot force his wife to be a Muslim or to practise Islamic worship. Similarly, we cannot ask the People of the Book to invoke Allah’s Name over an animal they slaughter, because they are not required to do so. * If one considers Ayah 7:121 of Surah al-An’aam: “Eat not of (meats) on which Allah’s name has not been pronounced” together with the fact that the People of the Book do not invoke Allah’s Name, one may get confused. But the paradox is answered by considering the following: The meat of the People of the Book is exempted from the restriction. The Qur’an prohibits Muslims from marrying Mushrik women but at the same time has exempted women of the People of the Book from the prohibition, as mentioned in the same Ayah. By analogy, a similar exemption applies to the case of their Dhabeehah. Based on this discussion and other evidences, the following conclusions have been drawn: 1. All meats prohibited in Islam are always prohibited, even if the People of the Book eat them. 2. If a Muslim hears a Christian or a Jew invoking the names of other than Allah subhanahu wa ta’aala, he should not eat from that Dhabeehah. But if he does not hear them, he should not ask about it, either. 3. We cannot force the People of the Book to invoke Allah’s Name when slaughtering. Hence, their Dhabeehah is Halal even without the invocation. 4. The slaughtering procedure used by the People of the Book should not kill the animal before slaughtering it.

Abu Hurairah (radhiallahu ‘anhu) said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Name yourselves with my name, but do not call yourselves with my nickname; and whoever sees me in his dream, he has [truly] seen me, for Shaytaan never appears in my image. And he who purposefully speaks a lie against me, will have his seat in the Fire.” (Al-Bukhari) Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “It is mandatory for us to love the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) more than ourselves, our parent, our children, our families, and our wealth. We must revere him, honour, and obey him, outwardly and inwardly. We must also befriend and ally ourselves with those who support him, and disassociate ourselves and maintain enmity with all who oppose and disbelieve in him. “We know that there is no path to Allah, except by following His Messenger’s (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) way, and one cannot be a friend of Allah, or a true believer, nor can one be saved from punishment – by any means – except by believing in him, and following him, both inwardly and outwardly. And there is no means of achieving nearness to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) except by believing in and obeying him (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), he is the best of all who lived before, and all who will live, he is the seal of the prophets. He alone has been distinguished with the great intercession on the Day of Resurrection, making a distinction between himself and all of the other prophets, as Allah has granted it. “He is the one who holds the most praised rank, he will carry the banner of praise [on the Day of Resurrection]. Adam and all who came after him [Muhammad] will be under his banner. He will be the first to open the door to Paradise, thereupon the door-keeper will say, ‘Who is it?’ and the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) will reply ‘I am Muhammad.’ The door-keeper will say, ‘I have been commanded to open the door to Paradise for none before you.’” Those who understood this love, and acted according to its requirements in the best fashion are the noble companions of the Prophet, and those great scholars and guided leaders who followed them. They were the best at understanding the Book and the Sunnah, so if they agreed upon a matter, then it is the truth, for his (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) nation does not agree upon error. In the case of any disputes that they suffered, they were directed, upon the tongue of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) to refer back to the Book and the Sunnah, as Allah said (which means); “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. If you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger if you indeed believe in Allah and the Last Day, that is better and more suitable for a final determination.” (An-Nisaa’ 4:59) The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Indeed whoever lives after me among you will see much difference. So adhere to my Sunnah and to the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Khalifahs after me. Cling to it firmly, and beware of newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguiding.” (A well known authentic hadith recorded by at-Tirmithee and others) Among these newly invented matters is the claim of seeing the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in a vision while awake, and that he hears those who greet him, and returns their greetings. Truly, these are some of the newly invented matters and deviations that neither existed among the companions nor among the best of the Ummah. Rather this is misguidance from Shaytaan who inspires people, confusing them when they violate the shar‘ (legislation). So he causes them to fall victim to the same things the previous nations and disbelievers fell victim to. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “The people of India [claim to] see someone from among their pious people who they revere. The Christians see personalities from among their prophets, the disciples and others whom they revere. The deviators among the people of the qiblah [ie, Muslims] see those whom they revere, whether it be the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) or another prophet. This occurs while they are awake, and he speaks to them, and they to him. They might seek his advice and ask him questions regarding some hadiths so he answers them. To some of them, it [miraculously] appears as if a rock has opened up and the Prophet came out of it and embraced the onlooker and his companions. Some might imagine that he gave them salaams in a loud voice, such that it reached the distance of days or a distant place.” Shaykh ‘Abdur-Ra’oof Muhammad ‘Uthmaan wrote a splendid section in his book Love of the Prophet. Some of it follows: “But these myths occurred only among some latter ignorant people, taking advantage of the ignorant state of that Muslims suffered from, leading them into the captivity of myths and legend – like fables. [For example]: ‘Umar bin Sa’eed an-Noonee wrote in his book ar-Rumaah, that the awliyaa’ see the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) while they are awake, he attends any gathering or any place he wishes in both body and soul, he moves freely throughout the Earth and the Universe, doing so as he is, as he appeared before his death, nothing having changed. And that he is normally hidden from the vision of humans just as the angels, who although they have forms, they are normally unseen. “Therefore if Allah desired any servant to see him He would lift the veil so that the Prophet could be seen in his original form. Such innovations lead many different Sufi cults to call themselves the “Muhammadiyyah” Path. Their followers claim that these rituals of theirs have been taken directly from the Prophet. Examples of these groups include the Tinjani order, the Ahmadiyya Idreesiya order, and others among the different Sufi tareeqahs. Such ideas also founded the Hadaras and Mawlids. “The Sufis claim the hadara that they participate in was so named because the Prophet attends these gatherings, attending either with his soul, or with both his body and soul. They also believe in such ideas regarding their Mawlid celebrations for the Prophet. This is a time when they get together and chant verses of poetry, read the Qur’an, and await the arrival of the Prophet. One of them will say, ‘The Prophet has come! The Prophet arrived!’ To ensure the misguidance of the people, they will say, ‘Only the perfect worshippers will be able to see him. Those who are not perfect, the sinners, he will be shielded from their vision. Similar to their beliefs about the Qutb, one whom they believe is unseen none can meet him except for the great awliyaa’.  This claim is similar to the Shia belief of the hidden – awaited Imaam.” So the subject of this article concerns the Prophet’s (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying, ‘Whoever sees me in a dream, then he has [truly] seen me.’ (al-Bukhari, Muslim and others) In one narration, ‘Then he will see me while awake.’ There are other hadiths with slightly different wordings, which speak of seeing him in a dream. The meaning of these statements is that seeing him in a dream is not falsehood, or misleading, because Shaytaan cannot assume his appearance. Is it possible for anyone to see the Prophet while they are awake? The answer to this question is that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) after his burial, will not be seen in this world while they are awake. But his (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying, ‘Whoever saw me in a dream shall see me while awake.’ This refers to the people of his time who believed in him, although they did not see him, meaning that they would migrate to him and see him. So Allah granted such a dream to them. It has also been said that the meaning of this is that they will see the Prophet in the Hereafter. So it is not possible to understand these hadiths to mean that the Prophet  (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) can be seen by someone who is awake during this life as the Sufis and the people who follow their desires claim. Ibn Hajar said: “This is a severe problem. If it were interpreted as it appears, then these people who see him would be Sahaabahs, and until the Day of Resurrection one could join the rank of the Sahaabahs. To cause further problem for such claim, there is a large number of people who saw him in a dream, but none of them claimed to have seen him while awake, and what he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) informed us of could not be contradicted. That is if this meaning was correct, then everyone who saw him in a dream would be one who actually saw him while awake!” Does the person have any influence over the dream? As for the hadith: “Whoever has seen me in a dream has seen me, for Shaytaan does not appear in my image.” And the hadith of Abu Hurairah; “The dream is one of three: the good dream, which is good news from Allah, a sad or bad dream, which is from Shaytaan, or a dream in which the dreamer speaks to himself.” This hadith has revoked any chance of Shaytaan appearing in the Prophet’s form, but it leaves the chance that Shaytaan could appear in a different form. The scholars agree that if one has a dream, but the descriptions of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) do not match the real descriptions of him, then this is from the dreamer’s imagination as if it were to say he was talking to himself in the dream. Ibn Abi Jamrah (a commentator on Mukhatasar Saheeh al-Bukhari) said; “There are those who say that the Shaytaan cannot assume his exact appearance, so whoever sees him in a good appearance, that is because of the goodness of the religion of the one dreaming, and if the appearance was bad then that is because of a deficiency in the religion  of the one dreaming. And he said that this is the truth.” Then he said; “Similarly what he said about his (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) Sunnah during the dream, whatever agrees with it is good, and what contradicts it then it suffered from the influence of the one listening. So the dreamer’s vision of his noble presence is true, while the bad influences are from the dreamer.” Additionally, it is not feasible to limit the statement; ‘And whoever saw me has [truly] seen me’, to apply only to the companions, since the companions did not mention such limitations, rather the opposite of this has been reported from them. As in the case of Ibn ‘Abbaas when he asked a person who claimed to have seen him (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in a dream to describe the vision he had in the dream, in order to validate or invalidate it. Similarly this was done after him by the great Imaam of the Muslims, Muhammad bin Seereen. So the hadith is generally applicable to all dreamers, yet the validity of actually seeing him can only be ascertained by those who are familiar with his appearance, like the companions, or the next generation who saw his resemblance in his close relatives like Faatimah and her children, or al-Hasan and his children, may Allah be pleased with them. Is seeing him as he really looked a condition for the validity of the dream? Ibn Hajar wrote: “Whenever Muhammad bin Seereen was told by someone that he had seen the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in a dream he would say; ‘Describe what you saw to me.’ If the person described unfamiliar characteristics to him, he would reply, ‘You didn’t see him.’ The chain for this report is authentic. And there is support for this from al-Haakim by way of ‘Aasim bin Kulayb who said that his father told him, ‘I said to Ibn ‘Abbaas, I have seen the Prophet in a dream.’ He said, ‘Describe him for me.’ He replied by mentioning that he looked like al-Hasan bin ‘Ali. Ibn ‘Abbaas said, ‘You saw him.’ The chain for this report is good. There is also support for this in the Musnad of Ahmad, where Yazeed al-Faars said, ‘I saw Allah’s Messenger in a dream during the time of Ibn ‘Abbaas.’  A narrator said Yazeed was a Qur’anic scribe. ‘I said to Ibn ‘Abbaas, “I saw Allah’s Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) while dreaming.” Ibn ‘Abbaas said, “Allah’s Messenger said, ‘Shaytaan is not able to appear as me, so whoever has seen me in a dream, he has [truly] seen me.’ So are you able to describe this man you saw to us? I said, “Yes,...[he was] between brown and white, with a good smile, appearing to have kuhl around his eyes, a handsome face, his beard flowing from here to here, down to his chest.” ‘Awf said, “I was not aware of all of these descriptions of him.” Ibn ‘Abbaas said, “If you had seen him while awake, you wouldn’t be able to describe him more accurately.’” (Fath al-baaree) This proves that the decisive scholars considered it a condition for the correctness of the dream that the vision be in accordance with how he actually appeared, a portrait which Shaytaan is unable to imitate. Is one who sees him in a dream considered one of the Sahaabah? The answer to this question is no, because the Sahaabah are those who saw him during his life. Are the hadiths heard from him during a dream argumentative evidences? The answer to this question is no, due to the condition for evidence being that it was transmitted via precise hearing, and the one sleeping is not in such a state. (By Mohamed Safwat Noor al-Deen. This is a translation of the article which appeared in at-Tawheed magazine.) Muhammad the Messenger of Allah All praise is due to Allah and may peace and blessing be upon his servant and Messenger Muhammad and on his household and all of his Companions. In an article published earlier on the meaning of the testimony of faith “Ash-hadu al-Laa ilaaha illallah Muhammadar Rasoolullah” [I bear witness that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah] we focused on the first part of the testimony. Now we would like to further elaborate on the second half with hopes of providing a fuller explanation. The statement or declaration that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah has many implications, some of which are as follows: Muhammad was sent to all of mankind The first implication of the testimony that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah is the belief that Allah sent the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) to all mankind and the jinn until the Day of Judgment. Allah states in the Qur’an in Surah 7 Al-’Araaf 151 Say (to them O Muhammad): O Mankind! I am the Messenger of Allah to you all, (the Messenger) of Him to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and of the earth. There is no god but He. He gives life, and makes to die. Believe then in Allah, and in His Messenger (Muhammad), the Prophet who could neither read nor write, who believes in Allah and in His Words (the Qur’an), and follows him so that perhaps you will be guided. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has said: And the prophets were formerly sent to their people only, whereas I have been sent to all mankind. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The finality of Prophethood The second implication of the testimony is to believe that the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is the final prophet to be sent to mankind. Allah states in the Qur’an in Surah 33 Al-Ahzaab 40: Muhammad is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has said: And the line of the prophets is closed with me [Muslim] And: Before the Last Hour there will be great liars, so beware of them [Muslim] The above proofs are sufficient to refute any of the heretical groups who claim any prophet or messenger after the Prophet Muhammad such as some contemporary groups do namely: the Nation of Islam who believe that Elijah Muhammad (deceased) was the Messenger of Allah the Qadianis and Ahmadiyyahs who state that Ghulam Ahmed (deceased) was the prophet the so called Submitters or followers of Rashad Khalifah (murdered) who claim that he was a prophet Two Revelations The third implication of the testimony “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” is to believe that Allah sent two revelations with the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam): the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Allah said: Allah was verily gracious to the believers by sending them a messenger from themselves, to recite them His signs, and to purify them, and to teach them the scripture (the Qur’an) and the wisdom (the Sunnah) though before that they were in manifest error. [Surah Al-An’aam, 164] The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has said: I have been indeed been given the Qur’an and something like it along with it. [Abu Dawood] The Messenger has rights The fourth implication of the testimony is that there are rights due to the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) that must be observed. Among these are: To believe in all that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has said. To obey the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in what he has commanded and forsake what he has forbidden or discouraged. To worship according to the shari’ah (law) of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and not by whims and innovations. To judge by the shari’ah of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and not by any other law. To love the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) more than our parents, children, mankind, indeed our very selves. Allah Most High states: Say (to them O Muhammad): If you love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you, and forgive your sins. Allah is All-Forgiving, Alla-Merciful. Say : Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if they turn away Allah loves not the disbelievers (kaafireen). [Surah Aali ‘Imraan 31-32] And let those who oppose his (Muhammad’s) command beware, lest a trial befall them (that would lead them to disbelief) or a painful punishment be inflicted on them. [Surah An-Noor 63] You have indeed a good example in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) for whosoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much. [Surah Al-Ahzaab, 21] It is not fitting for any believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, to have a choice in their affair. And whosoever disobeys Allah and his Messenger, he has gone astray into manifest error. [Surah Al-Ahzaab, 36] But no, by your Lord (Rabb), they can have no faith until they make you the judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept (them) fully with submission. [Surah An-Nisaa 65] The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has said: All my people will enter Al-Jannah (The Garden) except those who refused. (On being asked about those who refused, he replied:) He who obeys me will enter Al-Jannah, he who disobeys me has refused. [Al-Bukhari] If anyone introduces into this affair of ours anything which does not belong to it, it is rejected. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] None of you believes until I am dearer to him than his father, his child, and all of mankind [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] There are three qualities for which anyone who is characterised by them will experience the sweetness of faith: He whom Allah and His Messenger are dearer than all else; He who loves a human being for Allah’s sake alone; and who has as great an abhorrence of returning to unbelief after Allah has rescued him from it as he has of being cast in Hell. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Muhammad was a man, not divine The fifth implication of the testimony “Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah” is to believe that Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was only a man sent to us by Allah to be obeyed and that we do not worship him. Allah has said: Say to them (O Muhammad) ‘I am only a man like you; it is revealed to me that your God (ilaah) is only One God; so let him who hopes for the meeting with his Rabb do righteousness and not associate anything in the worship of his Rabb’. [Surah Al-Kahf 111] The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) has said: Do not over praise me as the Christians over-praised the son of Mary. I am His slave so say: ‘Allah’s slave and messenger’ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Let each an every claimant to the religion of Islam be aware of the proofs of his faith and the essential aspects of his testimony. This is especially important in these times when anyone can make any claim and get support for it no matter how outlandish or unfounded by making unauthentic historical or textual claims. We thank Allah for preserving His religion for those who would seek to know the truth and we ask Him to put us and keep us upon the Straight Path, Ameen.

Manhood is a quality that is pursued by people of high ambitions and serious thinking men. It is a basic quality that is needed by every man, for when men lose the qualities of manhood, they cease to be real men. Manhood is deeply implanted in a person through strong belief, nurtured by sound upbringing and developed by good example. A real man is one who has good and virtuous deeds to his credit, and possesses good manners and conduct. Crediting someone with manhood sometimes means that the person possesses the characteristics which exemplify this quality, like bravery, being honest, and standing up for the truth. Allah Says (what means): “And there came a man running from the farthest end of the city. He said, ‘O Moosaa (Moses)! Verily the chiefs are taking council together about you, to kill you, so escape. Truly, I am to you of those who give sincere advice.” [Qur’an; 28:20] Recognising the importance of real manhood in the service of Islam, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to look out for men who could help the cause of his religion and with whom his mission could be enhanced. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would ask his Lord: “O Allah! Make Islam strong with the one who is more beloved to You of these two men: Abu Jahl or ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab.” The narrator commented: “And the more beloved to Him was ‘Umar.” [At-Tirmithi] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, supplicated with these words looking out for those qualities of manhood that would have a positive impact upon the spread of Islam. As a matter of fact, the acceptance of ‘Umar’s, may Allah be pleased with him, of Islam was a great event that manifested his manhood as soon as he embraced Islam. ‘Umar’s manhood, may Allah be pleased with him, was not in his physical strength nor chivalry - for there were those stronger than him among the Quraysh - but it manifested in his strength of faith; a quality that won him respect and honour. Other companions of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them, migrated to Al-Madinah secretly, while ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, - when he was migrating - armed himself with his sword, went to the Ka’aba, circumambulated the Ka’aba, prayed behind Maqaam Ibraaheem (Ibraaheem’s station), and then announced to the Quraysh chiefs that he was migrating. He told them: ‘Whoever wants to make his mother bereaved, his children orphans and his wife a widow should follow me after this valley.’ But nobody followed him.   Real men are not judged by the size of their bodies, social status or their outward beauty. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, sent Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, to fetch him something from the top of a tree. When he had climbed the tree, the companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, looked at his legs and laughed at their thinness. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Why are you laughing? Verily, Abdullaah’s leg will be heavier on the scale on the day of resurrection than Mount Uhud” [Ahmad] A man passed by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, one day. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, asked his companions: “What do you think of this man?’ They replied, ‘He deserves to be married to whomsoever he proposes, to have his intercession accepted when he intercedes and to be listened to when he speaks.’ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, remained silent. Then a poor Muslim man passed by and the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, asked the companions: “What do you think of this man?” They replied: ‘He deserves not to be married when he proposes, nor to have his intercession accepted when he intercedes nor to be listened to when he speaks.’ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, then said: “This one is as much as the fill of the Earth better than the other” [Al-Bukhari] Sometimes, one fervent man can equal a thousand others; indeed one man can outweigh a nation, as the saying goes: “A devoted man can revive a whole nation.” In a military campaign, Khaalid Ibn al-Waleed, may Allah be pleased with him, surrounded Al-Heerah and requested supplies from Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, who only sent him Al-Qa’qaa’ Ibn ‘Amr At-Tameemi, may Allah be pleased with them, and said: “An army having men like Al-Qa’qaa’ will never be defeated.” When ‘Amr Ibn al-‘Aas, may Allah be pleased with him, requested supplies from ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, during the Islamic conquest of Egypt, he (‘Umar), may Allah be pleased with him, wrote: “I have sent you (the equivalent of) four thousand men; four men each of whom are equal to a thousand others: Az-Zubayr Ibn al-‘Awwaam, Al-Miqdaad Ibn ‘Amr, ‘Ubaadah Ibn As-Saamit and Maslamah Ibn Makhlad.” Real manhood means being thoughtful, uttering good words, having decency and resoluteness in opinion, coming out openly with the truth and displaying wisdom in warning against the rejection of truth. Manhood entails having a sense of responsibility to defend Monotheism and to give sincere advice for the sake of Allah. It means avoiding unsuitable behavior and being on one’s guard against the Difficult Day (the Day of Resurrection). A real man is sincere in his words, fulfills his promises and remains firm on the right path. A real man is one who frequents the mosque, a man who is called to fornication by a woman of position and beauty, and yet says, ‘I fear Allah;’ a man who gives alms secretly; two men who love each other for the sake of Allah; they were brought together by their mutual love for the sake of Allah, and they parted upon the same. A real man is truthful about pledges and fulfils them; it is also to remain steadfast upon the right path. Allah Says (which means): “Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration.” [Qur’an; 33:23] Real manhood is expressed by exerting all efforts to reach real servitude. Allah Says (which means): “And the servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth easily, and when the ignorant address them [harshly] they say [words of] peace. And those who spend [part of] the night to their Lord prostrating and standing [in prayer]. And those who say, “Our Lord, avert from us the punishment of Hell. Indeed, its punishment is ever adhering. Indeed, it is evil as a settlement and residence.” And [they are] those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate.” [Qur’an; 25: 63-67] Nothing busies real men from worship. Allah Says (which means): “[Such roles are] in houses [i.e., mosques] which Allah has ordered to be raised and that His name be mentioned [i.e., praised] therein; exalting Him within them in the mornings and the evenings. Men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts them from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of Zakaah. They fear a Day in which the hearts and eyes will [fearfully] turn about. That Allah may reward them [according to] the best of what they did and increase them from His bounty. And Allah gives provision to whom He wills without account [i.e., limit].” [Qur’an; 24: 36-38] Imaam Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “The word ‘men’ gives an indication that they have high ambitions, noble goals, and strong wills, with which they are able to maintain themselves in the houses of Allah; and they favour the pleasure of Allah over their own.” What worse calamity can befall mankind than for its men to become effeminate, while its women adopt male mannerisms, revolting against the very nature in which Allah created them? The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam: “cursed the men who behave like women and women who behave like men” [Al-Bukhari] When the qualities of manhood disappear among men, society falls into crisis, homes are ruined, the nation becomes weak and disgraced, and moral corruption becomes widespread. Allah Says (which means): “Men are the protectors and the maintainers of women because Allah has made one of them to excel the other.”  [Qur’an; 4:34] Nations need planners and those who have determined hearts in order to fully utilise these resources. In fact the greatest of all needs is that for real men. Real men are very rare to find, they are as rare as precious minerals and jewels. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Real men are as rare as a reliable strong camel that can endure the burden of long trips; you can hardly find one in a hundred” [Al-Bukhari] Qualified righteous men are the backbone of missions, the spirit for progress and the focal point of reformation. There can be countless factories of weapons and ammunition, but if there are no men to use the weapons being produced, there will be no ability to fight. The finest educational curricula can exist, but it takes real men to implement and teach them; one can create many committees to carry out a project, yet these will accomplish nothing if there are no devoted men on these committees. Reformation and successful cultivation can only be achieved by men who experience and live it - and not merely by reading books on the subject. It is only men with zeal and devotion that accomplish projects, regardless of the number of committees that they may be members of. A generation that possesses real manhood and righteousness can only be generated through being cultured on firm belief, strong morals and sound Islamically based customs. A generation that grows up surrounded with destructive doubts, immorality, disbelief and obscenity will never discover real manhood. The world did not see real manhood in its finest and definitive form except in the unique generation that was nurtured by the great Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. That generation experienced great fear; they were not materialistic; they were not deceived or seduced by temptation; they were not scared by warnings or threats from others; nor were they proud and arrogant after victories and they would never give up after suffering setbacks. A young boy entered into the palace of one of the Umayyid Caliphs to address him on behalf of his tribe. The Caliph said: “Let an older man come forth to represent your people!” The boy said, “O leader of the believers, if leadership was gained by virtue of age, then there would have been many others worthier than you for the Caliphate.” These are fine examples of maturity and manhood despite tenderness of age and we Muslims have had many such examples throughout history.   Building the qualities of manhood in our children The following are some of many Islamic points that will help develop manhood in a child’s personality: lNicknames: Calling the child Abu so and so or Umm so and so increases their sense of responsibility and makes them feel older. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to give nicknames to children as Anas Ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, had the finest manners; and I had a brother who was called Abu ‘Umayr who was just weaned; whenever he was around the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, he would say: “O Abu ‘Umayr, what did the Nughayr do?” lTaking the child to the gatherings of adults also develops manhood in their personalities. It adds richness to their understanding and improve their way of thinking. This was the practice of the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, who used to take their children to the gatherings of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. lRelating to children historical stories, Islamic battles and heroic victories builds courage and bravery in them, which is one of the most important factors of manhood. ‘Urwah Ibn Az-Zubayr said, “Az-Zubayr Ibn Al-‘Awwaam (his father) had two children. He took one of them to some of the battles and the other would play with the battle-wounds on his father’s shoulder (when he returned).” lTeaching children to respect elders also develops manhood in the child. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The younger ones (should) greet the elders.…” lRespecting them in public. Sahl Ibn Sa’d said, “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was brought a cup to drink from and he had a child to his right and elders to his left. After he drank he said to the child, “Do you permit me to give this to the elders before you?” lTeaching children manly sports like swimming, horse riding and shooting. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, wrote to Abu ‘Ubaydah Ibn al-Jarraah, may Allah be pleased with him, instructing: “Teach your children how to swim!” lAvoiding things that would soften them up or make them resemble females, like music, dancing, wearing silk or gold and anything else that is feminine. lRefraining from insulting them publicly, encouraging them to be participative and making them feel important. lGreeting them with Salaam. Anas Ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, passed by a group of children and greeted them with Salaam.” [Muslim] lTaking and valuing their opinions. lGiving them responsibilities which are suitable for their ability and age and telling them secrets. Anas bin Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, came to me while I was playing with other children and greeted me with Salaam, then he sent me on an errand which delayed me from getting to my mother on time. When I finally reached home, she asked: ‘What delayed you?’ I replied: ‘The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, sent me on an errand.’ She asked: ‘What was it?’ I replied: ‘It is a secret!’ She said, ‘Do not tell the Prophet’s secret to anyone.’” [Muslim] lInstilling courage in them by means such as by delivering speeches.  lAttaching great importance to chastity and decency and avoiding fashionable clothes, stylish haircuts, and modern ‘mannerisms’. lKeeping them away from luxury, laziness, unnecessary rest and idleness. ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Toughen up, luxury does not last for ever.” lKeeping them away from sinful gatherings that involve music and other prohibitions because this contradicts manhood and integrity. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Issues of trade and finance By Abdullah M al-Mutlaq The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prohibited some forms of sales that people were known to use during his time. The wisdom behind this prohibition of some sales is to facilitate ease for people and not to increase prices for them. Also, it is designed to stop sales that might include risk of trickery and eliminate any sales that might instigate hatred and enmity among people. 1. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prohibited that a town dweller (urban resident), as stated in an agreed upon hadith. This means that the urban resident is prohibited from selling the goods of a rural resident on behalf of the latter. This is because the urban resident might wait until people are in need of the goods and then raise the prices. Anas bin Malik said: “We were forbidden to allow a town dweller to sell the goods of a desert-dweller, even if the later is a brother from the same mother and father.” (Agreed upon) 2. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prohibited najash. Najash is trickery whereby one offers a high price for a commodity not intent upon buying it but upon cheating someone else who wants to buy it, even though it is not worth such an elevated price. Scholars have unanimously agreed on the prohibition of such action if the increase in price puts the commodity at a higher price than similar items. This prohibition is based on the hadith narrated by Ibn Umar that Allah’s Messenger prohibited najash. (Agreed upon) Even if the price is increased to the price of a similar commodity, al-jumhoor (the majority of scholars) have gone with the impermissibility of such actions based on the generality of the hadith text. Ibn Hazm, Ibn Abdul-Barr and Ibn al-Arabi, however, held the opinion permitting such action. Ibn al-Arabi stated that, “If a man sees a commodity that is sold below its actual value and he increases the value to the correct value, then he should not be accused of najash, especially if he did not have bad intentions.” This is supported by the hadith narrated by Imam Ahmad that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said, “Leave the people alone, for Allah sustains some from others. Should one ask his brother for sincere advice, his brother should give him advice.” 3. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prohibited meeting caravans on route with the intention of purchasing goods before the sellers know the market price. Ibn Mas’oud narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prohibited going to meet the vendor on route in an agreed upon hadith. Ibnul Qayyim said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prohibited that because it includes deception of the seller who does not know the market price.” 4. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, prohibited Muslims from persuading buyers to cancel their purchases from other vendors, and then sell them his goods. This is tantamount to saying to someone who is buying an item for ten riyals, “I have the same item for seven riyals for you.” The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, also prohibited a Muslim from entering into a transaction to purchase a commodity when his brother Muslim has already negotiated the purchase of that same commodity. For example, one says to a vendor selling a commodity to one person for seven riyals, “I will buy it from you for ten riyals.” Ibn Umar narrated that Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said, “Do not urge someone to return what he has already bought from another vendor so as to sell him your own goods. And don’t urge a woman who is engaged to someone else to cancel her engagement so that she can become engaged to you, except with the permission of the other person.” (Ahmad) 5. It is also prohibited to sell a commodity that might be used in the commission of sin. This would include selling juice to someone who uses it to make khamr (intoxicants), selling weapons during periods of fitnah (confusion or instability), or selling a house to someone who will use it for sinful deeds. Allah says, “And do not help one another in sin and transgression.” [5:2] This prohibition is based upon knowledge of the intention or evidence supporting the suspicion. 6. It is also prohibited to sell one debt for another debt. Imam Ahmad had stated that there is no sound hadith on this issue but people have unanimously agreed that it is not permissible to sell one debt for another debt. 7. There is also a prohibition of injustice in sales especially when the buyer does not know the price, or he is not good in bargaining. A person came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and told him that he was always betrayed in making purchases. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, then told him, “Say at the time of buying: no cheating.” (Agreed upon) Cheating and deception are both prohibited. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said, “Both cheating and deceiving are in the fire (meaning lead the person to the Fire.)” (Ibn Adiyy) 8. It is prohibited to sell goods before taking them into possession. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said to Hakim ibn Hizam, “Do not sell what you have purchased until you receive it.” (Ahmad) Ibn Abbas narrated that Allah’s Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said, “He who buys foodstuff should not sell it until he takes all the measure which he has bought in full.” (Agreed upon) Ibn Abbas stated that all types of selling should be done similarly. Ibn Umar said he saw people at the time of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, buying foodstuff but would not sell it until they brought it to their places (Agreed upon). The followers of madhhab Ahmad ibn Hanbal went with the opinion that only foodstuffs that are measure. Other foodstuffs can be sold before taking them into possession. Benefiting from time It is absolutely necessary for Muslims to be careful about time. The Muslim is required to utilise and invest his time in what benefits him in this world and the Hereafter. In this regard, he can follow the good example set by the Righteous Salaf. They were so careful that in less than a century they were able to make radical changes in the societies into which they introduced Islam. The Righteous Salaf made sure that no time, however short it was, passed without doing something useful, such as acquiring useful knowledge, doing good deeds, helping other Muslims and serving or advising the Ummah (nation). Remarking Imam Hammad Ibn-Salama al-Basry’s [a grammarian] meticulous care for time, Musa Ibn-Ismaeel said: “It is unbelievable! I have never seen Hammad laugh at all. He was always busy explaining the Hadith, praying, reading or praising the Lord. This is how he spent his day.” Abdurrahman al-Mahdi [Abdurrahman Ibn-Mahdi Ibn-Hassan Ibn-Abdurrahman, a critic and an able reciter; was considered a good model for knowledge and work. See: Shamsuddeen Adh-Dhahabi, Biographies of Noble Scholars, 9/192-193.] said: “If you were to tell Hammad, ‘You are going to die tomorrow’, there would be nothing he could add to what he is already doing.” [Abu-Hajjaj Yusuf al-Mizzi, Tahdheeb al-Kamal fi Asma’ Arrijal, in Arabic, investigated by B A Ma’ruf, 1992, Vol. 7, p. 265.] Regretting the time he spent eating, Shumait Ibn-Ajlan [Abu-Naeem al-Asbahani, Hilyatul-Awliya’wa Tabaqat Al-Asfiya’ (The Pious Friends’ Ornaments and Classes of the Pure), in Arabic, investigated by Mustafa Abdul-Qadir Ata, 1418, 3/149] said: “By Allah, the time I hate most is that which I spend eating.” How conscious of time! [Ibid, 3509, 3/151] Once a wise man said: “If you spend one day on other than carrying out justice, performing obligatory worship, achieving some gain, praising the Lord, establishing something good or acquiring knowledge, you have been ungrateful to your day and have wronged yourself.” [Abdurra`uf Al-Minawi, Faidh Al-Qadeer bi Sharh Al-Jami’ Assagheer, 6/288]

His mother woke up and said happily: “What a pleasant dream! Allah’s messenger Ibraaheem, may Allah exalt his mention, appeared in my dream, and said: ‘O woman! Allah restored your son’s eye sight because of your frequent supplications’.” She said: “O Allah, make it a glad tiding. O Allah answer my supplications and restore the sight of my child.” The pious mother walked to her son’s room, hardly able to move her feet. When she reached his bed, she was about to wake him up but she hesitated. Her broken heart was beating and she kept tenderly and kindly caressing his head with her shaky hands. She was still supplicating and hoping that Allah would answer her frequent supplications and cure her son. The young boy woke up and started looking in amazement and moving his eyelids in confusion. He said in a breaking voice: “Mother! I can see you, I can see your beautiful face! I can see my room and my toys!” All perfect praise be to Allah! All perfect praise be to Allah! Allah gave me back my eyesight!!” She was so happy that she thought she was dreaming. But she soon realised that it was real when she saw her beloved son running and playing as he used to do. Filled with faith and happiness, she said: “All perfect praise be to Allah! All perfect praise be to Allah who has the power to do everything.” One day, when the mother was tidying up the house in the morning, she came across a few papers containing some narrations of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. She remembered her beloved husband and said sadly and painfully while wiping the tears off her cheeks: “May Allah have mercy on you, Mohamed’s father. You were a man who used to fear Allah. You dreamed for a long time that your son Mohamed would be a religious scholar! I promise you that I will do my best to achieve your dear wish, Allah willing.” Then she called her son kindly, and Mohamed hurried to her obediently. Then, she said to him: “It is time for you, my son to seek religious knowledge and benefit yourself and the people around you. Tomorrow I will send you to a small school where you can memorise the Qur’an, learn Prophetic narrations and study the Arabic language to become an honourable scholar like your father, Ismaa’eel, may Allah have mercy on him. The young boy, Mohamed, said cleverly: “Mother! Was my father an eminent scholar?” The mother replied: “Yes, my son.” Mohamed, then said politely: “I promise you, Mother, that I will follow his footsteps seriously and exert all my efforts.” The city of Bukhaaraa (now in Islamic Uzbekistan) was located at that time in one of the greatest countries beyond the Transoxus (now Turkistan). Schools of knowledge where people could learn Arabic, the Qur’an, history, and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) were spread throughout the city. The young boy, Mohamed Ibn Ismaa’eel Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on them, then set out to quench his thirst for knowledge from these sweet springs. Early in his life, he showed signs of intelligence that surprised everyone around him. He had a sharp mind, an attentive heart, an amazing memory, and an incredible ability to memorise. Before he was ten, he had memorised the whole Qur’an, mastered the Arabic language, covered much of the Fiqh, and memorised many Prophetic narrations. His pious good mother always encouraged her son and prepared a suitable atmosphere for him to acquire knowledge. When Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, finished his studies in the small schools, his wise mother thought to send him to the well-known study circles in Bukhaaraa, Samarqand, Bekend, Marw, and Nesabor. He became famous among the scholars to the point that he used to argue with his professors and even corrected them sometimes!!      The success and physiognomy of Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, didn’t end there. His shaykh and teacher Mohamed  ibn Salaam al-Bekandy, may Allah have mercy on him, the scholar of Buhaaraa and the scholar of Prophetic narrations across the Transoxus (now Turkistan), used to ask him to revise some of his books and corrected any mistakes he found. Scholars used to wonder in astonishment: “Who was that boy who edits the books of his professor?!” Imaam Bekandi, may Allah have mercy on him, used to say proudly about his clever student: “This boy is unique of his kind.” On many occasions Imaam Bekandi, may Allah have mercy on him, talked to his colleagues about his student, Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, who memorised 70,000 Prophetic narrations by heart. In addition to this, he never reported a narration of the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, or the generation following them unless he knew when and where they were born, as well as where they lived and died! The years passed and Mohamed Ibn Ismaa’eel, may Allah be pleased with him, reached the age of 16 years. He felt a great need to go and seek knowledge in every corner of the world to satisfy his thirst for knowledge. He headed to Makkah, accompanied by his mother and elder brother, Ahmad, in 210 AH to perform Haj (pilgrimage) and seek more knowledge. After the pilgrimage, his mother and brother Ahmad returned to Bukhaaraa while he stayed in Makkah to move between its domes of knowledge: East, and west; North and South. Before the end of two years in this sacred city, he started writing his book The Issues of the companions, may Allah be pleased with them, and their Followers which marked the beginning of his renowned books.  Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, always loved to visit Madinah. Among the fruits of his visits to that blessed place was writing his book The Big Book of History, which is considered the first book that comprises the names of the narrators of Prophetic narrations and the details of their lives. From that wonderful sacred spot, Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, set out on a relentless endeavor to visit all the Islamic territories out of his love for compiling the Prophetic narrations. He traveled to Hijaaz (Saudi Arabia), Levant (Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon), Egypt, and Khurasaan (a vast area between north east Iran, southern Russia, and western Afghanistan). He visited Basrah and settled for some time in Baghdad which was the capital of the Abbasid state at that time. He greatly benefited from these journeys seeking knowledge. He had the pleasure of meeting most the narrators of Prophetic narrations at that time, sat with them, listened to the narrations, and memorised whatever knowledge they had. One night, Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, had a strange dream that later had a great impact on his life. He saw himself standing before the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, holding a palm-leaf fan in his hand with which he pushed all evil away from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. He was so confused and surprised that he went to his scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, asking them to interpret his dream. They said happily: “You will clear the lies and false claims away from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.” Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, then remembered his teacher, shaykh Is-Haaq ibn Raahawayh, the prominent scholar of Khurasaan, when he told his students once: “It would be great if you can compile a concise and brief book containing the authentic narrations of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.” These words echoed in Al-Bukhari’s heart and he remembered that dream which was always in his mind since he started learning the Prophetic narrations. Thereupon, he immediately made an intention to actively and seriously pursue this mission and started to strive in his long journey of writing this great book in 217 AH when he was twentythree. Because of that dream, Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, travelled thousands of miles moving from one Islamic territory to another, undergoing all sorts of difficulties, hardships, and weariness, sometimes to obtain only one narration of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. He sometimes even had to eat grass to satisfy his extreme hunger after he had spent all his money. Even the few hours of night in which he snatched short naps to rest a while, were not so resting for him, as he used to wake up fifteen to twenty times a night to lit his lamp and sit to classify the narrations he had collected. Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, made a pact with himself that he wouldn’t include a narration from any narrator until he had personally met him, and listened to the narration with his own ears. He never accepted narrations except from the ones who were known for being honest, diligent, accurate, fearing Allah, and having a sharp memory. After this process, he would have a ritual bath; pray two Rak’as and then include only the narration that had met all these conditions in his book. After 16 years of continuous effort and hard work, Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, finished his valuable book that comprised around 7,000 authentic narrations which he selected from amongst 600,000 authentic and non-authentic narrations.  He overlooked many authentic narrations so that his book wouldn’t be too long. He chose to name the book The Authentic Book Encompassing a Brief Authentic Narrations of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, his Tradition and Life to become the title of the most authentic book after the Qur’an. The book is known as ‘Saheeh Al-Bukhari’ (The authentic narrations reported by Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him). This book became well known and it gave him a high rank that someone like him truly deserved to achieve. He, may Allah be pleased with him, had a vast knowledge, great manners, a tolerant nature, dignity, and an untainted tongue. He cared so little for this life, he had deep faith, and had Allah’s consciousness at all times. After Imaam Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, became famous throughout the world, thousands of scholars came to him as students of the leader in memorisation of authentic narrations until the number of people who attended his study circles in Baghdad reached 20,000. Among the most remarkable figures of his students were Imaams At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’ee, Muslim, and others, may Allah have mercy on them. In 250 AH, Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, left to Nisabor, a city in Khurasaan and stayed there for a while teaching the people. Then he decided to return to his dear city, Bukhara, and when he did the people rushed to welcome him in a great celebration in which huge tents were pitched and decorations were hung. They threw flowers and golden and silver coins on the Imaam upon his arrival into the city. There was an overwhelming atmosphere of happiness that prevailed throughout all Bukhaaraa. Allah Willed, out of mercy to the Imaam, that Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy on him, would only meet his Lord after peace and happiness had found their way into his heart again. One day, the people of Samarqand sent a message for him asking him to come. He agreed and packed with great joy. When he started walking towards his animal he said: “Take me back, I have become weak and very ill”. When they took him back to his house, he said some supplications then he laid on his bed sweating a lot, then his pure soul ascended to its Creator. His death, may Allah have mercy on him, was on a Friday night, the beginning of the month of Shawwaal, 256 AH (870 CE). He was sixty-two years old when he died. He was buried in the village of Khartank which is now known as ‘Khawaajah Saaheb’. May Allah have mercy upon the great Imaam and may Allah admit him into Paradise. Aameen. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ How to achieve humbleness Islam highly commends humbleness and simplicity and reckons that as one of the traits of a true believer. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Al-Kibr (proud and arrogance) is rejecting the truth and looking down upon people.”[Muslim, At-Tirmithi and Abu Daawood] Humility is for one who is important and significant and he fears to gain notoriety or to become too great among people. As it was said, “Humble yourself, you will be as a glimmering star to the viewer on the surface of the water even if it is lofty.” We don’t say to an ordinary person, “Humble yourself.” But it is said to him, “Know the value of yourself, and do not place it in the wrong place!” It was narrated by Al-Khattaabi, may Allah have mercy upon him, in Al-Uzlahthat Imaam ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak, may Allah have mercy upon him, came to Khuraassaan [in Persia] and went to a person who was known for his Zuhd and Wara’ [asceticism and cautiousness in piety], so when he entered where the man was, he (the man) did not turn around nor give him any consideration at all. When ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak left, some of the people who were inside with the man said to him, “Don’t you know who he was?!” He said, “No.” He was told, “This is the ‘Ameer of the believers... ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak.” So the man was astonished and came out to ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak in a hurry apologising and absolving himself from what happened, saying, “O Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmaan! Forgive me and advise me!” Ibn al-Mubaarak said, “Yes... whenever you come out of your house and see someone, assume that he is better than you!” He knew that the man was conceited. When ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak inquired as to what the man’s profession was, he found out that he was a weaver!! Therefore, this educated Imaam noticed that this Mutazahhid (devoted pious person) possessed a kind of arrogance, conceitedness and feeling of superiority over others. This disease sometimes envelops pious people; this is why he was offered advice that was easy for him. Many times we find this characteristic in some pious people, as well as some callers to Islam. But when it reaches the small students who misbehave with their scholars and teachers, this really hurts inside! There is no objection if you differ in opinion or judgment with a scholar as long as you are qualified to do so. The problem occurs when this difference of opinion becomes a destructive element to the scholar’s dignity, diminishes his value, disregards and disrespects him. One should humble himself with his companions. Frequently when the spirit of competition and envy is agitated between companions and rivals, a person may feel superior over his companion, he may be pleased by harming him, degrading his value and importance, accusing him of defects or exaggerating his faults; faults that may have come to light when seeking advice, or correction. In reality this is called jealousy. Humility is to humble oneself to one who is below you. If you find someone who is younger than you, or of less importance than you, you should not despise him, because he might have a better heart than you, or be less sinful, or closer to Allah than you. Even if you see a sinful person and you are righteous, do not act with arrogance towards him, and thank Allah that He saved you from the tribulation that He put him through. Remember that there might be some Riyaa’ (showing off) or vanity in your righteous deeds that may cause them to be of no avail, and that this sinful person may be regretful and fearful concerning his bad deeds, and this may be the cause of forgiveness of his sins. According to Jundub, may Allah be pleased with him, the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, mentioned that a man said, “By Allah, Allah will not forgive so-and-so,” and that Allah said: “Who is swearing by Me that I will not forgive so-and-so? I surely have forgiven so-and-so and nullified your deeds.” [Muslim]. Therefore, do not act in arrogantly towards anyone. Even when you see a sinner, do not show superiority towards him, nor treat him with arrogance and domination. If you feel that the sinner may perform some acts of obedience which you do not, and that you may also posses some defects which the sinner may not, then deal kindly with him, and gently give Da’wah which will hopefully be the cause of his acceptance and remembrance. Your deeds also should not become too great in your eyes. If you do a good deed, or attempt to get closer to Allah through an act of obedience, your deed still may not be accepted. Allah Says what means: “…Indeed, Allah only accepts from the righteous [who fear Him].” [Qur’an 5:27] This is why some of the Salaf (predecessors) said, “If I knew that Allah accepted one Tasbeeh (saying “Subhaanallah”) from me, I would have wished to die right now!” The arrogant person never gives credit to anybody or mentions good about someone, and if he needed to do so, he would also mention defects of that person. But if he hears somebody reminding him about his own defects, he will not be flexible nor comply due to his inferiority complex. This is why it is among man’s moral integrity to accept criticism or comment without any sensitivity or discomfort or feelings of shame and weakness. Here he is, the Ameer of the Believers ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, raising the flag and lifting the motto, “May Allah have mercy on a person who informed us of our defects.” Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Importance of knowing Hadith narrators The narrators of Hadith are the most honourable and respectable Muslims, as they are keepers and preservers of Sunnah. Most of them are the companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, who witnessed the acts and learnt the sayings of the Prophet. Others are the successors of the companions. Who were blessed by Allah and they are highly respected by all Muslims. They are shinning stars of Islam. Their hearts were free from worldly desires. Reading their biographies will increase love and devotion towards them and develop more interest to be faithful and obedient in the heart of the Muslim who reads their biography. Allah Almighty Says (what means): “Verily, We have sent down the Reminder, and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).” [Qur’an; 15:9] The above promise made by Allah is obviously fulfilled in the undisputed purity of the Quranic text throughout the fourteen centuries since its revelation. However, what is often forgotten by many Muslims is that the above divine promise also includes, by necessity, the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam,  for it is the practical example of the implementation of the Qur’anic guidance, the Wisdom taught to the Prophet  along with the Scripture, and neither the Qur’an nor the Sunnah can be understood correctly without recourse to the other. Allah preserved the Sunnah by enabling the Companions and their followers to memorise, write down and pass on the statements of the Messenger of Allah and the descriptions of his way, as well as to continue the blessings of practicing the Sunnah. Later, as the purity of the knowledge of the Sunnah became threatened, Allah caused the Muslim nation to produce outstanding individuals of incredible memory-skills and analytical expertise, who journeyed tirelessly to collect hundreds of thousands of narrations and distinguish the true words of precious wisdom of their Messenger  from those corrupted by weak memories, from forgeries by unscrupulous liars, and from the statements of the enormous number of scholars, the Companions and those who followed their way, who had taught in various centers of learning and helped to transmit the legacy of Muhammad  - all of this achieved through precise attention to the words narrated and detailed familiarity with the biographies of the thousands of reporters of Hadith. Action being the best way to preserve teachings, the scholars of Islam also revived the practice of the blessed authentic Sunnah. Unfortunately, however, statements will continue to be attributed to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, although the person quoting them may have no idea what the people of knowledge in the field of Hadith science have ruled regarding those Hadiths, thus ironically being in danger of contravening the Prophet’s widely-narrated stern warnings about attributing incorrect/unsound statements to him. The methodology of the expert scholars of Hadith in assessing narrations and sorting out the genuine from the mistaken, fabricated, etc. forms the subject-matter of a wealth of material left to us by the scholars of Hadith (traditionists). A Hadith is composed of two parts: the Matn (text) and the Isnaad (chain of reporters). A text may seem to be logical and reasonable but it needs an authentic Isnaad with reliable reporters to be acceptable. ‘Abdullaah ibn al-Mubaarak  (d. 181 AH), one of the illustrious teachers of Imaam Al-Bukhari  said: “The Isnaad is part of the religion, had it not been for the Isnaad, then people would have claimed whatever they wished.” Among the sciences of Hadith is the study of the chain of reporters (the Isnaad). Many Muslim scholars have specialised in this field. It includes identifying the name of each and every narrator (reporter), his character (his truthfulness, piety, public behaviour), his ability and reputation as a memoriser and the types of narrations he is known to report, whether authentic, weak, fabricated, etc. In addition, each narrator should be identified by a rating given by other narrators who knew him. So all of these and many other details must be considered to know the degree to which a Hadith may be used as a basis for Islamic belief or practice (Shari’ah), or merely as a point of interest (not to be attributed to the sayings, etc. of the Prophet). After the Book of Allah (The Qur’an), the books of Hadith collection that were collected by Imaams Bukhari and Muslim  are considered by the Muslim scholars to be the most authentic books of Hadith. However, there are other famous scholars in the field who compiled books of Hadith such as; Abu Daawood (d.275), At-Tirmithi (d. 279), An-Nasaa’i (d. 303) and others.

The Sunnah cannot dispense with the Qur’an: Allah Almighty chose Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, as His Prophet and selected him to deliver His final message. The Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet in which Allah commanded him to obey everything that was ordered of him; that is, to convey and explain His message to the people. Allah Almighty says what means: “…And We revealed to you the message [i.e., the Qur’an] that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them…” [Qur’an: 16:44] The declaration mentioned in the verse contains two commands: 1. To propagate the speech of Allah (i.e. the Qur’an). This is to openly communicate the Qur’an to (all) mankind as Allah Almighty has revealed to the Prophet  that which means: “O Messenger! Announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord…” [Qur’an: 5:67] ‘Aa’ishah, radhiallah ‘anha, is reported to have said: “Whoever says that Muhammad concealed anything that he was commanded to communicate has forged a great lie against Allah.” Then she read the abovementioned verse. [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] Another narration is found in the book of Imaam Muslim  which states: “If the Messenger of Allah had concealed something that he was commanded to communicate, he would have concealed the saying of the Almighty (which means): “And [remember, O Muhammad], when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favour: ‘Keep your wife and fear Allah,’ while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose. And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him.” [Qur’an: 33:37] 2. To clarify words, sentences or verses from the Qur’an that are not easily understood by most people. Some verses may be comprehensive or general in their meaning, and the Sunnah clarifies and defines them through the Prophet’s sayings, actions and confirmations. The Necessity of the Sunnah to Understand the Qur’an: Allah says what means: “[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands...” [Qur’an: 5:38] In the context of this verse, the thief and the hand are mentioned in a general manner. It is the Sunnah that explains the first of them and places a restriction on it by explaining the meaning of the word ‘thief’ to mean the one who steals something worth at least a quarter of a Deenaar (a unit golden currency) according to the saying of the Prophet: “There is no cutting of the hand unless the thing stolen is worth a quarter of a Deenaar or more.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] The latter (i.e., how the hand is to be amputated) is explained by the actions of the Prophet and his Companions. They would amputate the hand of the thief from the wrist, as is known from a saying of the Prophet. There are many other verses of the Qur’an that cannot be completely understood except through the Sunnah, such as: 1.        Allah says what means: “And when you travel throughout the land, there is no blame upon you for shortening the prayer, [especially] if you fear that those who disbelieve may disrupt [or attack] you. Indeed, the disbelievers are ever to you a clear enemy.” [Qur’an: 4:101] It is obvious from this verse that fear is a pre-requisite for the shortening of prayers. However, some of the Companions  asked the Prophet: “Why do we shorten our prayers while we feel safe?” He replied: “It is an allowance from Allah, so accept it.” [Muslim] 2. Allah says what means: “Say: ‘Who has forbidden the adornment of [i.e., from] Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?...” [Qur’an: 7:32] But the Sunnah has forbidden some ‘adornments’, and this is evident from the saying of the Prophet : “The wearing of silk and gold has been made unlawful for males and lawful for the females of my nation.’’ [At-Tirmithi] 3. Allah says what means: “Say: ‘I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine – for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah…” [Qur’an: 6:145] But the Sunnah has forbidden many things not mentioned in the above mentioned verse; an example of this lies in the saying of the Prophet: “All predatory animals with tusks and every bird with claws are forbidden for consumption.” There are other narrations that have forbidden the consumption of such animals, such as the one where the Prophet  is reported to have said: “Allah and His Messenger have prohibited the consumption of domesticated donkeys, for they are filth.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] There are many other examples that show the necessity of the Sunnah within Islamic Law. There is no other way to understand the Qur’an correctly except with the interpretation of the Sunnah. The Inadequacy of Philology to Understand the Qur’an: The Companions of the Prophet  were the most knowledgeable of people in the Arabic language, yet, if they were to attempt to understand the verses quoted above by relying on the Arabic language alone, then they would have erred. It is agreed upon by the majority of Muslim scholars, past and present, that the Qur’an should first and foremost be interpreted by the Qur’an itself, then by the Sunnah, then by the sayings of the Companions, and so on. It is here that the cause of deviation of scholastic theologians (Ahl Al-Kalaam), both ancient and modern, becomes clear, as well as their opposition to our righteous predecessors  in doctrine and law. In short, what is obligatory upon all Muslims is that they do not separate the Qur’an from the Sunnah; moreover, it is obligatory to follow both of them and to formulate laws using both. This is a safeguard for the people, so that they do not falter and regress, as explained by the Prophet: “I am leaving behind two things - you will never go astray if you hold fast to them: the Qur’an and my Sunnah.” [At-Tirmithi] (Source: A lecture delivered by Shaykh Al-Albaani) Celebrating the Prophet’s birthday is an innovation By Shaykh Muhammad Saalih bin al-‘Uthaimeen O people! Fear Allah the Almighty and know that the greatest favour He has ever conferred upon His servants is sending them Prophets as warners and bearers of glad tidings. Allah sent these prophets with scriptures so that He would judge between people in their disputes. The most effective and esteemed message of all of these was that of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, whom Allah sent to guide all of mankind – and to seal prophethood. Allah sent Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, after a break in the series of His messengers, when people were in dire need of His guidance. It was through him that Allah guided people after they were astray; united them after their disunity; and sufficed them after they were needy. They thus became brothers and supported the religion of Allah, due to his grace and bounty. It was due to this that nations submitted to this religion and its adherents became a luminous series in the annals of history. Due to the wholeheartedness of the early Muslims with regard to the comprehensive implementation of Allah’s laws in personal issues, financial transactions, and social and community affairs in accordance with the precepts laid down by this religions guide and leader, Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, it naturally followed that they would be victorious in all their undertakings. However, when the Muslims deviated from the correct path, the order and stability which they enjoyed collapsed, turning the Muslim nation into groups of disputing factions, whose enemies held as insignificant. This nation will never regain its past power and dignity, nor will it re-live its glorious history, until and unless its people return to their religion and practice it in word as well as in deed, in compliance with the methodology of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and his companions, may Allah be pleased with them. As a consequence of the comprehensive implementation of the religion of Islam, no devotional act or religious ceremonies can be initiated into it unless it has a basis in the conduct of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Mankind have been commanded by Allah to do no more than the following: to worship Allah alone; to offer him sincere devotion; and to be true in faith. Thus, whoever attempts to worship Allah with any act that He has not prescribed will have that act rejected by Him. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who performs any deed which is not according to what we are upon (i.e., the Prophet and his companions) then it is rejected.” Such acts are held as innovations in the sight of the lawgiver and every innovation is misguidance. Among the innovations introduced into this religion is the celebration of the birthday of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, which is celebrated in the month of Rabee’ Al-Awwal. People gather in the mosques or stay within their homes on the twelfth night of that month and send salutations upon the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, with innovated phrases as well as reciting laudatory poems and prose which concern him. These poems and prose are excessively commendatory and exceed the limits that were defined by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Some people even spend their nights cooking certain types of food, to be served on this occasion. Thus, they uselessly spend their time and money in matters that are not prescribed either by Allah or His Messenger sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, nor were practiced by the four rightly-guided caliphs after him, nor any other of the Muslims who were from the first three distinct generations, whose merit was attested to by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. If these innovations were of any benefit, then surely the pious early Muslims would have preceded us in them? If they were meritorious then surely Allah would never have deprived the early Muslims, including the rightly-guided caliphs of them? The fact of the matter is that this practice was first introduced by people who lived during the fourth Hijri century. Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in his book Iqtidaa’ As-Siraat Al-Mustaqeem Mukhaalafatu Ashaabu Al-Jaheem [The Implication of the Straightforward Way Is to Contradict the Companions of the Fire]: “Some people, due to their imitation of what the Christians do on the claimed birth-date of ‘Eesaa (Jesus), peace be upon him, or because of their love of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, or out of their wish to glorify him, celebrate the Prophet’s birthday. This is despite the fact that there is controversy among the scholars regarding the exact date of his birth. The early Muslims did not practice this, although there was good reason to honour and express their love of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and no preventing factors existed. Thus, if the celebration of the Prophet’s birthday was something meritorious, they would have had a better right to precede us in this, as their love and esteem of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was far greater than ours. Also, they were far keener to perform good deeds in general than we were. Loving and esteeming the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was thus represented by the early Muslims in following his methodology, obeying him, applying his Sunnah inwardly and outwardly, propagating his mission and striving in this cause with their hearts, bodies and tongues. Most of those who instigate religious innovations are heedless when it comes to the application of the well-known principles that were brought by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. They are like those who ornament the Qur’an but do not recite it, or recite it but do not follow its teachings.” O Muslims! The innovation of celebrating the Prophet’s birthday, which is done on the twelfth night of the month of Rabee’ Al-Awwal, has no historical basis. In fact, historians have differed greatly on the actual birth date of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Some have said that it was on the second of  Rabee’ Al-Awwal , others said the eighth, ninth, tenth, twelfth, seventeenth or twenty-second; thus making up seven different opinions. None of these opinions have any evidence which would make them take priority over others. Moreover, the innovation of celebrating the birthday of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, has no religious basis. Neither the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, nor any of his Companions or the followers did so. In fact, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “You must hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs – cling to it stubbornly. Beware of innovations, for every innovation is misguidance.” (Abu Daawood, Tirmidhi). Religious celebrations, festivals and other such occasions which glorify Allah and His Messenger are acts of worship. Only that which Allah has prescribed among these is considered to be from the pure Shari’ah, or Islamic law. None of these events can be taken as a means of devotion to Allah except those that have been sanctioned by Allah and His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. The Shari’ah already contains the sufficient means with which a believer can glorify the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and show his love to him. So fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and limit yourselves to Allah’s obligations and the Prophet’s Sunnah, to the exclusion of innovations. Allah the Exalted and Almighty said that which translates as: “And verily this is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This; He has ordained for you that you may become the pious.” (Al An’aam: 153). The two most authentic books of Hadith Of all the works of Hadith, Saheeh Al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim are regarded as the most authentic and authoritative books, after Al-Qur’an. Indeed the very word “Saheeh” means “authentic”. Saheeh Al-Bukhari was compiled by Imaam (leader) of Hadith, Mohammad Ibn Ismaa’eel Al-Bukhari, born 194H in Bukhara, central Asia. He travelled at an early age seeking knowledge to Hijaaz (Makkah and Madinah), Ancient Syria, Iraq, Egypt, etc. He devoted more than 16 years of his life to the actual compilation of this work. He learnt from more than 1,000 scholars. It is said that Imaam Al-Bukhari collected over 300,000 Hadiths and he himself memorised 200,000 of which some were unreliable. He wrote many books especially on the bibliography of Hadith narrators and other books on various issues of Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). However, his book ‘Saheeh Al-Bukhari’, stands out for being the most authentic book of Hadith. It was also the first book to contain only authentic Hadiths, while previous books contained authentic and non-authentic Hadiths, as well as sayings of the companions  and others. Imaam Al-Bukhari  died in his hometown, Bukhara in the territory of Khurasaan (West Turkistan), in the year 256H. He grouped the traditions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, under various headings dealing with specific points of Islamic jurisprudence. In his time, the schools of law had been generally established and his objective was to catalogue the traditions he regarded as authentic in relation to their respective topics of jurisprudence. Before he recorded each Hadith, he would perform ablution and offer a two-Rak’ah prayer and supplicate to Allah. Many religious scholars of Islam tried to find fault in the great remarkable collection, but without success. It is for this reason, they unanimously agreed that the most authentic book after the Book of Allah is Saheeh Al-Bukhari. Some facts about Saheeh Al-Bukhari: 1. It contains 7,275 Hadiths, which he chose from the large number of Hadiths that he  had collected. 2. The number of complete unrepeated Hadiths is 2,230. 3. All the Hadiths mentioned are authentic. 4. The conditions for accepting a Hadith were very stringent. Such as: a) The chain of narrators must be linked, i.e. every narrator must have met his predecessor, (the man of whom he heard the Hadith from, up to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.) b) For it to be enclosed in the Saheeh, the narrators must be of the highest caliber regarding their piety, manners, memory, integrity, etc. 5. The book is not a mere book of narrations; it is essentially a course of study on Hadith, its derivatives, inductions and research. 6. Each one of its 97 chapters is headed by a relevant verse from the Quran that complements the meaning of the Hadiths quoted. 7. Finally, much more could be said about this monumental work, however, it is enough to say that many people have reached fame and achieved the highest qualifications by studying the book, researching it and commenting on it. Saheeh Muslim is the second most authentic book of Hadith after Saheeh Al-Bukhari, compiled by Imaam Muslim ibn Al-Hajaaj Al-Nisapuri . Born in 202H and died in 261 H. He travelled widely to gather his collection of Hadith to Iraq Hijaaz, Ancient Syria, and Egypt. He learnt from many scholars, most of which were Al-Bukhari’s teachers. He also learnt from the Imaam Al-Bukhari himself  and became his most loyal student. Like Imaam Al-Bukhari, Allah have mercy upon him, he, Allah have mercy upon him, wrote many books on the sciences of Hadith. He, Allah have mercy upon him, sought not so much to complement the issues at stake in the fiqh, the lslamic jurisprudence, but rather to produce a collection of sound traditions, an authentic record, on which future studies of Hadith could be based. Some facts about Saheeh Muslim: 1. The book contains 4,000 non-repeated Hadiths and 12,000 repeated ones. 2. Many narrations are mentioned in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, but with different chain of narrators. 3. In every chapter more than one Hadith with the same meaning but with different chains and text are listed. The first Hadith in each chapter is the strongest, followed by weaker narrations in order to strengthen weaker narrations. 4. Excellent classification. 5. The book is forwarded by a detailed introduction about the basis of the sciences of Hadith. Saheeh Al-Bukhari is preferred over Saheeh Muslim based on the authenticity of the Hadiths. Imaam Al-Bukhari was stricter in selecting Hadiths (chains) than Imaam Muslim . Besides considering all the conditions of a Saheeh Hadith, Imaam Al-Bukhari  stipulated a further condition that a narrator should meet the person from whom he is narrating the Hadith. Imaam Muslim  however, did not stipulate the evidence of meeting the narrator from whom he is narrating, but according to him, it is sufficient to accept the Hadith of a narrator if he lives in the same period and there was the possibility of meeting the narrator from whom he is reporting the Hadith. So, the condition of Imaam Muslim was less strict than the condition of Imaam Al-Bukhari.  While Bukhari’s compilation is considered the more reliable of the two, Muslim’s arrangement of his material has been recognised as superior, and rightly so. While Al-Bukhari  made the traditions in his collection testify to his own schedule of various points of law, Muslim  left them to speak for themselves. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

Muslims were, early on, aware of the significance of the Sunnah and its authority. They, one generation after the other, were keen to preserve the Sunnah because they saw that as a part of the preserving of the last revelations man is ever to receive. Their efforts were unabated, and the remarkable job they did is unparalleled in the experience of any other religion or civilisation. At the time of the Prophet One of the main reasons behind this is the fact that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, clearly taught the Companions  the importance of his Sunnah, its place in Islam and their role in saving it, teaching and conveying it to others around them and to those who would come after them. In so doing, he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, followed an effective methodology, which will be briefly outlined below: 1. He emphasised the importance of seeking knowledge and teaching it to others. He said: “Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and female).” [Ibn Maajah] Also, he said: “Whosoever pursues a path to seek knowledge therein, Allah will thereby make easy for him a path to Paradise. No people gather together in one of the houses of Allah (mosques), reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, without tranquility descending upon them, mercy enveloping them and angels surrounding them, and Allah making mention of them to those (angels) who are with Him.” [Muslim] 2. He always had a centre for teaching. Most of the time, it was the mosque. 3. He was soft in his dealings and always facilitated things and made them easy for others. He was merciful and humble and made himself readily available. 4. He never pushed people into anything. Instead, he gradually taught them and led them to change. He always motivated them to follow his example and be their best. 5. He would not continuously teach or work with them, but he would give them enough breaks to avoid overstressing or boring them. 6. He spoke plainly and clearly and he talked to people at their level of understanding and intellectual ability. Whenever appropriate, he spoke to people in their own dialect for the Arabs had different dialects. 7. He used the method of repetition. He would repeat whatever he wanted to stress for three times to insure that all heard him properly and clearly understood what he was saying. 8. When questioned, he would give more than what is expected as an answer and use the occasion to further clarify things for all, and teach about other things. 9. Whenever the Prophet had to choose between two ways, he chose the easier way, which had facility and mercy if there was nothing forbidden in that, and he kept away from the difficult and harsh ways. 10. He attached special attention to teaching the women and provided them special times for questions. He encouraged them to ask and learn. 11. He used to do his best in everything, and he perfected whatever he did, thus setting an example for others. The era of the Companions and their Followers The Companions did their utmost to convey Islam to the generations succeeding them in the best and most accurate way possible. They sincerely loved it, honestly lived according to it and faithfully preserved it and kept any impurity or irregularity out of it. Their role in the preservation of Islam was one of utmost importance to its continuation, but they were highly prepared for it by the best teacher and trainer, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Thus the studying of this era, especially with respect to the history and authority of the Sunnah, is necessary to all Students of Knowledge. For detailed reading there are many books on Hadiths and Sunnah: Methodology of the Companions in Preserving the Sunnah Before discussing the Companions’ ways of learning, practising, preserving and conveying of the Sunnah, it is worthwhile to shed some light on the main points one needs to understand about the Companions  and their methodology: 1. The Companions were fully aware of the responsibility they shoulder after the death of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. 2. The Companions are all trustworthy. They never doubted one another in the matters of this religion and the narration of Hadith. 3. The Companions have developed a methodology for scrutinising Hadiths and narrators, and by doing that have established the rules of ascertaining narrations for those who came after them. 4. The ability of different Companions to understand the Sunnah, memorise it and convey it varied from one Companion to another. 5. The Companions left Makkah and Madinah to many places around the Muslim world, at the time, for the purpose of delivering the message and teaching Islam to those who accepted it thus spreading the Sunnah throughout the land. It is interesting to note that about 750 Companions narrated Hadiths, seven of whom narrated a high number of Hadiths, and about 20 narrated an average number, the rest narrated a small number. The seven who narrated a large number of Hadiths are: Abu Hurairah who narrated 5,374 Hadiths, ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Umar narrated 2,630, Anas Ibn Maalik narrated 2,286, ‘Aa’ishah narrated 2,210, ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Abbaas narrated 1,660, Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullaah narrated 1,540, and Abu Sa’eed AI-Khudri narrated 1,100 Hadiths. They understood their role and were aware of the significance of their ability in narrating the Hadiths and did their best to deliver them diligently and accurately. Muslims of all times are indebted to them. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Era of the Companions and their followers Most scholars group the main aspects of the methodology of the Companions  in preserving the Sunnah into the following seven categories: prudence in narrating the Hadiths, verification and substantiation of the Hadiths before accepting them, critique, discussions and assessment of the narration, travelling for search and confirmation of the Hadiths, memorisation, practice and writing of the Hadiths. Some scholars refer to these aspects as ‘rulings’, ‘methods’ or ‘ways’ instead of methodology. 1- Prudence in narrating the Hadith: Because of the fact that the Sunnah is a revelation and a sacred Source for this religion, the Companions were very careful when narrating what the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said or did. This vigilance was illustrated in: * Avoiding narration unless they had to. ‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Abi Layla said: “I have met with 120 Companions from the Ansaar (supporters of the Prophet), none of whom would narrate a Hadith or answer a question of fatwa unless he absolutely had no choice but to do it. One would have to go and ask another instead of him, so much so you would keep going from one to the other until you get back to the first one you asked.” They  understood that they were conveying the message brought to them by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and that people see it as such, thus everyone wanted the other to do that because they may know it better. This, however, should not be construed to mean they avoided spreading the message or teaching Islam to others. This prudence indicates they were fully aware of their role and its significance. They would rather let others, who may be more knowledgeable, do the job, but once they had to do, they did it in the best way possible. * Limiting or discouraging the narration. This attitude was adopted for the purpose of protecting the Sunnah because it minimises the possibility of mistakes or forgetfulness that may otherwise cause people to doubt the Sunnah or mistrust the narrators. This trend was strongly encouraged by Caliphs Abu Bakr, radhiallah ‘anhu, and ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab, radhiallah ‘anhu, and was accepted and practised by the Companions . This attitude is founded on the famous Hadith narrated by many Companions : “It is sufficient  - for one to tumble into lying - to narrate or repeat everything he/she hears.” [Al-Bukhari and others] * Encouraging narration from knowledgeable Companions. To strike a necessary balance between being cautious and insuring the transmission of the religion and the spreading of its teachings, the Companions  who had a great deal of knowledge - like those recommended by the Prophet  - never hesitated to narrate, write or teach the Sunnah. There are hundreds of narrations that encourage such practice so long as it is done in the right manner. * Opting for verbatim narration. Guided with instruction in the Hadith, “May Allah  bless the person who hears a statement from me and conveys it as he/she heard it,” the Companions  did all that was humanly possible to keep their narration verbatim of what they actually heard from the Prophet. There are many reported incidents, which testify to this fact. Having such natural mastery of the Arabic – that was common among them - and the fact that they  saw and heard the Prophet say, do and explain to them his teachings repeatedly, as well as their understanding of the need for verbatim transmission of narrations, all combined to make it easy for them not to cause changes as they narrate any Hadith. 2- Verification of the Hadith before accepting it This is an important tool that the Companions established to safeguard the Sunnah against any foreign material interference and accidental or deliberate mistakes. This was a common practice amongst all of the Companions  when receiving or narrating the Sunnah. Imaam Ath-Thahabi mentioned this practice, in one of his great books, addressing the issue of Hadith memorisers. He said that it was one of the ways used by of the four Caliphs to protect the Hadith. For example, Abu Bakr was asked to rule in the case of a grandmother who came asking for her right in inheritance, he said that he knew of no amount due to her neither in the Book of Allah (i.e., Qur’an) nor the Sunnah of the Prophet. But when Al-Mugheerah told that he has witnessed the Prophet give one-sixth of the total amount of the inheritance, he asked him if he had witness to substantiate this claim. And when Muhammad Ibn Maslamah witnessed to the truth of that figure, Abu Bakr accepted it and gave the grandmother exactly that. In the case of ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab Ath-Thahabi mentioned many incidents that testify to the fact that he  always ascertained the narration when it was necessary to do so. He narrated that Maalik Ibn Aws heard ‘Umar  say to ‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn ‘Awf, Talhah Ibn Az-Zubayr and Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqaas : “I ask by Allah, Who maintains the Heaven and Earth! Did you hear the Prophet say: ‘I am not to be inherited, whatever I leave is to be given in charity’? They said: ‘Yes, Allah is our witness.’” [Ahmad] After narrating the above incidents among others, Imaam Ath-Thahabi  repeatedly asserted that the verifications were not meant to doubt the truthfulness of any of the Companions  rather they were necessary to establish a standard of care and respect for what the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said or did. They did that for themselves and to institute a tradition to be fol­lowed and honored by all who come after them. In summary, it is essential to note the following about this method: * The purpose was to protect the Sunnah, not to doubt one another. All of the Companions are trustworthy as clearly stated in the Qur’an, and doubting their trustworthiness can certainly damage one’s faith. * The purpose, also, was to establish a method and set an example to be followed by the rest of the Muslim nation. The truth, however, remains that Companions used to accept narration conveyed by any one of them. Their request of witnesses or that the narrator gives an oath that he is saying the truth was to establish the methodology, so that people would not take narrating a Hadith lightly. This fact may further be supported when considering that:  * Sometimes they required a witness while at others they had the narrator give oath or reminded him of how serious it is to lie against the Prophet. This variation indicates that the purpose was actually to establish awareness of the significance of narrating the Hadith rather than set up a requirement of having more than one narrator as a condition for its authenticity. * There are a very large number of narrations, which indicate that in many cases the Companions  had actually accepted Hadith from one narrator without seeking any substantiation or verification. 3. Study, critique, and assessment of the narrations Of the ways the Companions used to preserve the Sunnah, properly learning and studying it, was perhaps the most important. They refer to this using terms like, “Tadaarus” and “Muthaakarah,” both of which indicate a studying that involves more than one person as well as a mutual exchange of knowledge and ideas. The results of this “studying and discussing” were manifold. Learning the Sunnah correctly, free of mistakes was one of the goals, and so was the firm memorisation of it. And since it was physically impossible for a large number of the Companions  to have equal time access to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, these discussions were the means through which the narrations known to only a few individuals were passed on to many others, thus expanding the circle of narrators. Books such as Jaami’ Bayaan Al-‘Ilm by Ibn Abd Al-Barr and Al-Jaami’ Li Akhlaaq Ar-Raawi by Al-Khateeb have many authentic narrations from the Companions  bearing witness to the effectiveness of these discussions in preserving the Sunnah. Another aspect of the Companions’ methodology in preserving the Sunnah was the critical assessment and evaluation of what they narrated and taught to one another. Anytime a Companion felt what he heard from another had a problem, he or she would critically analyse it and give his/her opinion about it. A major example of this effort by the Companions was demonstrated by Badruddeen Az-Zarkashi who wrote a book in which he collected more than seventy narrations in which one Companion, ‘Aa’ishah, the Mother of the Believers  was reported as having corrected other Companions’ narrations based on her assessment of the narrations in light of the Qur’an and the Hadith. 4. Travelling in search of the Hadith Another great effort they made was traveling in search of the Hadith, for after the death of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, the Companions moved to different places within the Muslim land, and travelling became an essential method of Hadith collection, authentication and preservation. Here are a few examples of the Companions’ travel for the sole purpose of confirming certain narrations: Jaabir Ibn Abdullaah travelled a whole month to Ancient Syria only to verify one Hadith. [Al-Bukhari] One of the Companions  travelled to visit Fudhaalah Ibn ‘Ubayd  and told him that he came not to visit him but only to ask him about a narration that they both heard together from Prophet and he was hoping that Fudhaalah had the complete wording of that Hadith. [Abu Daawood] One of the Companions  left his home in Madinah in order to meet Abu Ad-Dardaa’ in Damascus only to have Abu Ad-Dardaa’ confirm a narration which this Companion  had already heard from the Prophet. [Ibn Abd Al-Barr] The Companion Abu Ayyoob travelled all the way to Egypt to ask ‘Uqbah Ibn ‘Amr about one Hadith. Abu Ayyoob told ‘Uqbah  that the two of them were the only living Companions who have heard that Hadith directly from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and he wanted to confirm the Hadith from ‘Uqbah . [Ahmad] 5-Memorisation of the Hadith Muslims – one generation after the other – did all that is humanly possible to preserve the texts of the Qur’an and the Sunnah as accurate as they received it from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Besides the extra effort they exacted to develop the Methodology, the Companions  benefited from a talent that came naturally to them, one that was truly befitting to the main undertaking of that methodology - the verbatim transmission of the Sunnah. This unique quality of the Companions was that they enjoyed powerful memories. It was easy for anyone of them to commit to heart any number of narrations and retain them as such for a very long time. This quality was not specific only to the Companions but rather was a common feature of the Arab society as a whole. Many scholars - Muslims and non-Muslim alike - established the fact that the Arabs of that era were masters of language, and their society had a profoundly strong oral tradition. The known narrator of poetry, Hammaad, for example, was reported to have memorised at least one hundred long poems for each letter in the Arabic alphabet. That is more than 2,800 pieces of poetry. Powerful memory was a source of pride for them and they placed more con­fidence in it than in writing, they believed that writings could be tampered with. Some even took this pride to extreme levels, they would not write anything down for fear that may be taken as indication of defective memory. Obviously, the Companions who had more passion for preserving the Sunnah than poetry and literature used this powerful quality to protect and maintain the Sunnah. Imaam Ad-Daarimi  narrated that the Companion Abu Hurairah, radhiallah ‘anhu, said: “I used to divide the night into three parts. In the first, I would perform the optional night Prayer, in the second I would sleep, and in the third I would spend committing Hadith to my memory.” Actually, all of the Companions considered this an honor and a blessing, for they were encouraged to do so by the saying of the Prophet: “May Allah make radiant (bestow vigour upon) anyone who heard what I said and committed it to his memory until he is able to convey it to another. Perhaps the person who hears it from him can have a better understanding of it than him.” [At-Tirmithi] On the other hand, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, also taught the Companions  two aspects that brought a needed balance to the use of memorisation in conveying his Hadith, namely the importance of writing, and the need of being moderate in all matters. This fact complemented their efforts in establishing a sound and well-rounded methodology. The phenomenon of “Memory Power” continued to be a general character of the Arab society well into the third and fourth centuries of Hijrah, the time by which all of the Sunnah was collected into books and records. But the diminishing of its prevalence in the society with time did not minimise the role memory played in the preserving of the Sunnah. “Memory Power,” or Dhabt - proficiency in narration, as it later came to be known - became an essential part of the standards used to judge authenticity. Judging the narrators memory power is central in what we know as the science of “Al-Jarh wa Ta’deel.” Companions encouraged to learn writing of the Hadith Earlier in this series we discussed in some detail the writing of the Sunnah in the era of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and also showed that the Companions  were encouraged by him  to learn writing and that many of them learned and mastered it. Thus, not only did the Companions  use their gift of strong memories to start a tradition of oral transmission of the Sunnah, but also they added to that the use of their newly learned skill of writing. Many Companions  had recorded these Sunnah for their personal references and to supplement their memorised Hadith. The existence of these personal references has been the subject of numerous treatises by old and contemporary scholars, both Muslims and non-Muslims. There are, however, two points, which are mentioned by those who believe that the Sunnah was not recorded by the Companions and they need to be clarified. The first is the claim that some of the well-known Companions were reported to have refused to write the Sunnah and have ordered others not to write it. Such reports included Abu Bakr, ‘Umar lbn al-Khattaab, ‘Ali, Ibn Abbaas and Ibn Mas’ood. And while some of these reports are authentic, none of them present the writing of the Sunnah as being forbidden to undertake, rather these Companions were afraid that this writing might generate confusion with the Qur’an, and no report ever indicated that they tried to prevent others from writing it. In addition, these Companions  were against having a personal collection of the narrations, not against writing the Sunnah in general, later some of them, like Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Ali while being Caliphs, each ordered the writing of the Sunnah in occasions for a variety of reasons. The second point is the claim that it was ‘Umar Ibn Abd Al-‘Aziz, who first ordered the writing of the Sunnah as a collection. Obviously, this is cited in support of the claim that no written record was made of the Sunnah until that point in time. This is not true, for the authentic records prove that many collections-mostly personal were dated back to the era of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and that of the Companions. ‘Umar’s  efforts however were part of the attempt to collect the Hadiths on a global scale to facilitate its availability to all. Eventually this objective was achieved and all of the Sunnah was put together in the well-known books, which represent a tradition of care and preservation unmatched by any religion or nation. It is an undisputable fact that the Companions used their writing skills to preserve the Sunnah and convey it to their Followers. An extremely important way the Companions used to preserve the Sunnah was their efforts to bring the Sunnah into their practice and shape their life according to it. They  truly understood that the emphasis Islam places on knowledge goes beyond the mere theoretical understanding and intellectual exercise. They realised that Prophet Muhammad’s teachings are not philosophical contemplations but ways and guidance that are intimately connected to the affairs of this life. They saw in the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, a trainer and a role model, whatever they absorbed for him they immediately put into practice. Their atmosphere was one of following the Sunnah at all levels, an environment that was produced by a widespread reverence and a constant practice of the Sunnah. This environment provided the best situation for them to teach and train those who followed them the whole religion as they learned it and practiced it thus preserving it for all the time to come. We are all indebted to them. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

Allah, Almighty, Says (what means): “This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed my favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Qur’an; 5: 3] Amongst the believers there is no doubt about this way of life called Islam. It is a complete way of life. The Creator of the heavens and the earth has not left anything out of this glorious religion (way of life) of His. As the above verse states that this religion is perfect and complete. However, something new has come in fairly recent years from Satan, concerning the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. It has been suggested by him to the hearts of some of the Muslims that the Qur’an, as Glorious as it is, is sufficient as guidance for mankind. Meaning that the Sunnah is something that can be left off, or abandoned. Surely this is a disease that has no place in this wonderful religion (Islam). In order to address this issue we must ask ourselves an important question. How do we worship Allah? Do we worship Him any way we want? Is there a correct methodology to worshipping Allah? Is it sufficient for us to say and do whatever it is that we feel is worship and then call it worship and it will be accepted as such? Let us consider the saying of Allah (which means): “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and make not vain your deeds!” [Qur’an; 47: 33] You must know that the Qur’an and the Sunnah do not contradict one another, rather they complement one another. When Allah Says in this verse that the Messenger is to be obeyed, he is not only talking to that honourable group of Muslims that accompanied the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, during his lifetime. He is speaking to all of the Muslims that will come up until the Last Day. Similarly, no one is ready to conceive the notion that when Allah, Says (what means): “O you who believe!” that the only ones who believe are the Muslims who were with the Prophet at that time and no one after them believed and no one else will ever believe! This would be grossly limiting the Qur’an. Satan is crafty! He may then try to sway your thinking from another angle. He may say that the Qur’an is simple to understand and that it needs no explanation. For it is true that Allah Says (what means): “We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember” [Qur’an; 54: 32] However, although the Qur’an is easy to understand, it does need to be explained so that it is properly understood. Allah Says (what means): “And when We have recited it to you [O Muhammad through Jibreel (Gabriel)] then follow you its (The Qur’an’s) recital. Then it is for Us (Allah) to make it clear (to you).” [Qur’an; 75: 18,19] Surely if the Qur’an had to be made clear to the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, then how much more so to you and I? Allah Says (what means):  “…And We have sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the Reminder, that you may explain clearly to men what is sent down to them, and that they may give thought.” [Qur’an; 16: 44] In this verse, Allah is exhorting the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, not merely to recite the Qur’an but to explain it as well. Obviously, some explanation is required even to the most pious of men. Furthermore, giving the needed details to carry out certain commands given in the Qur’an was another very vital role played by the Sunnah. For example, Allah commands us to establish the Prayers and to pay the obligatory charity (Zakaah), saying (what means): “And establish the prayers and give Zakaah (the obligatory charity) and bow with those who bow [in worship and obedience].” [Qur’an; 2:43] Yet, nowhere in the Qur’an does Allah give the required details to implement His command, and it was the Sunnah that gave us all the details of the how, when, who of this command. Additionally, Allah Says (what means): “…(And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.” [Qur’an; 4: 59] Once again, if we try to leave off the importance of the Sunnah, then how do we implement this verse of the Qur’an? Allah orders us to refer our differences to Him. This means for us to seek our answers from the Qur’an. He also attaches the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, to that particular order when He stated for us to refer to Him. If we leave off the Sunnah then this part of the verse has no meaning. Allah Says (what means): “Whoever obeys the Messenger, has obeyed Allah.” [Qur’an; 4: 80] And (what means): “Say (O Muhammad): If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins.” [Qur’an; 3: 31] How can the Muslims of today follow the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and not refer to his Sunnah? How can we say that we love Allah and not try to follow the methodology of His Prophet ? Finally, we would like to conclude with a Hadith (narration) from the Messenger of Allah  that was collected by Imaam Maalik  in his book called Muwatta. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “I have left behind two matters. Those who hold fast to them will never go astray: The Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger.” The reason that many of the Muslims are going astray today is because they are not only leaving off the Sunnah but they are leaving the Qur’an as well! If you are not giving the Sunnah its rights, then you are not giving the Qur’an its rights. Without the Sunnah then the second statement of your Shahaadah (testimony of faith) also has no meaning. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ The ethics of the men of learning By Shaykh Abdul-Aziz Abdullah Ibn Baz (rahimahullah) The men of learning (scholars) are the successors of the prophets. Knowledge is what is indicated by the book of Almighty Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. And in this concern ‘Aa’isha (may Allah be merciful to her) said, when she was asked about the character (khuluqahu) of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, that “His character was the Qur’an”. (Akhlaaq sing. khuluq: has several meanings: ethics, morals, inborn quality, manners, natural disposition and shall be used here synonymously.) This word from ‘Aa’isha tells us that the natural disposition of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was following the teachings of the Qur’an manifested in his following the orders and refraining from the interdictions. It is now worthy of the scholars, preachers, teachers and students to take good care of the Book of Allah, and to search into it and to assimilate the good ethical teachings which Allah loves from it. Almighty Allah says: “Verily this Qur’an guides to that which is most just and right” [Bani Israeel, Aayah 9] In another verse the Qur’an says: “Nun. By the pen, and by what they (angels) write (in the records of men). You (O Muhammad), by the Grace of your  Lord, are not mad. And verily, for you  will be an endless reward. And verily,  you are on an exalted (standard of) character.” [Al-Qalam, Ayaat 1-4] The one who would like to attain this great standard of character should approach the Book of Allah and pay attention to it when reciting and studying it; while referring all the questions and doubts to the learned people for reliable answers and guidance to the correct books and references on the explanations of the Qur’an. Attention should also be given to the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, because it also explains the Qur’an and leads to the understanding of it. Almighty Allah said to His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam: “Say (O Muhammad): ‘This is my Way; I invite unto Allah  with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me. Glory to Allah! And never will I join gods with Allah.’” [Yusuf, Aayah 108] The abiding by the Book of Allah is part of the character of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and part of the character of all the scholars and the men of learning who are endowed with knowledge and insight, knowledge and faith, knowledge and piety. However people with knowledge but with no faith or any piety have no share of the high standard of character. From this we know that who ever calls for something with ignorance is not on the path of the Prophet Muhammad’s standard of character and conduct and not on the path of the people of learning. Rather, he is a criminal with great sin because Almighty Allah considers that whoever says something that Allah did not say is beyond blasphemy and above polytheism. Chaos and disorder would result from this. Allah says: “Say: The things that my Lord has indeed forbidden are: Shameful deeds whether open or secret, sins and trespasses against truth or reason, assigning of partners to Allah for which he hath given no authority, and saying things about Allah of which he has no knowledge”. [Al-’Araaf, Aayah 33] Hence, whoever says things about Allah without knowledge and permits what is forbidden and forbids what is permissible, deters from the right thing and calls for the false. So it is the duty of the scholars and men of learning and their students to be cautious about saying things about Allah without knowledge and pay attention to stating the legitimate proofs according to the “Shariah” so that they can be knowledgeable about what they presume, call for or deter from and not venture to say false things about Allah without any knowledge. Those who are knowledgeable about Allah are the ones who fear Allah the most and never trespass His limits. Allah says: “Those truly fear Allah, Among His servants, Who have knowledge”. [Faatir, Aayah 28] The knowledgeable people who fear Allah are those people who know His religion, and know the Sunnah of His Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Those people are headed by the Prophets and Messengers of Allah because they are the best example. It befits the men of learning, although they are found in a latter time like the time we are living in, to follow the foot steps of the pious people in their fear of Allah and make it their task to revere His orders and His prohibitions The fear of Allah implies stopping at the limits stated by Him and following the path of His Messenger Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Any overdoing it would be unnecessary and impermissible. The knowledgeable person is the one who does not trespass the limits of prohibition and permission, and in the doing (following) and in abstention. And besides all that be very cautious not to say any thing about Allah without knowledge, or do contrary to what he learned. Almighty Allah mentioned some good characteristics of some of His pious worshippers as a reminder to us. Allah says: “There is, in their stories instruction for men endued with understanding.” [Yusuf, Aayah 111) In other verses Allah says: “Not all of them are alike: Of the people of the Book are a portion that stand (For the right), they recite the verses of Allah all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration. They believe in Allah and the Last Day. And they enjoin what is right, and forbid what is wrong, and they hasten in emulation in (all) good works: They are in the ranks of the righteous.” [Aali ‘Imraan, Aayaat 113-114] These good characteristics, which were adopted by the best of the People of the Book and by those guided by Allah from among their scholars, include deep faith in and total submission to Him. And that they would not sell the sign of Allah for a cheap price and would not show ingratitude and deny the truth and conceal it as did their men of learning who went astray, when they concealed the story of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and they concealed a lot of truths for the sake of worldly and immediate gain. But the people of knowledge and faith, from the ancient and the latter times, would state the truth and declare it as Allah said: “Is then one who knows that which has been revealed unto you from your Lord is the truth, like one who is blind? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition.” [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 19] And in another verse: “Say: Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition.” [Az-Zumar, Aayah 19] By this Allah explained that it is the people with understanding who really think and work their insight and those are the people with healthy minds. Allah described them as: “Those who fulfil the covenant of Allah and fail not in their plighted word. And those who join together those things which Allah has commanded to be joined hold their Lord in awe, and fear the terrible reckoning.” [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayaat 20-21] They join together the things which Allah has commanded to be joined and by straightness in following Allah’s orders and showing loyalty to Him and the following of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). Hence, their faith is followed by work and practice shown in kindness to one’s parents and communication with relatives. And the fear of Allah is such as to help them in the obedience of Allah and to deter them from committing disobedience. Then Allah mentioned the two characteristics that are the sixth and the seventh and said: “Those who patiently persevere, seeking the countenance of their Lord, And they establish regular prayers.” [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 22] They persevere on the obedience of Allah and they persevere in their abstention from the interdictions made by Allah. Allah also mentioned the eighth and the ninth characteristics and said: “Spend out of (the gifts) We have bestowed for their sustenance, secretly and openly, and turn off evil with good”. [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 22] The meaning here is that they spend to get the forgiveness and redemption of Allah. They spend openly as they do in Zakat in secret either seen or not seen by people; seeking the grace of Allah. “And turn off evil with good” This indicates total patience, their resilience, their endurance and their subduing of their wrath: “For such there is the final attainment of the (Eternal) Home”. [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 22] Allah explained that this “Eternal Home” as: “Gardens of perpetual bliss: They shall enter there as well as the righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their offspring”. [Ar-Ra’ad, Aayah 23] To reward them for their good past deeds, Allah includes them together with their fathers, their offspring and their spouses in His giving. Henceforth, to be straight in carrying out of the orders of Allah and fulfilling the duties; to call for the good and deter from bad; and to stand firm with the right and be resilient on it; and to turn off evil by doing good – all these are ways for the servant of Allah to be useful and good and also for his fathers, his spouses and their offspring and their reunion will be in the home of hospitality and generosity in which the angels are visiting and welcoming them. One of the great gifts of Allah to his servant is making him to be the reason for the guidance of his father, his mother, his spouse and his offspring, and so forth. Also it is one of the great gifts of Allah is making a woman to be the reason for the guidance of her husband, her father, her mother and her children. It is learned from this holy verse that the admission into Heaven of fathers, husbands and their offspring together with their relatives is not because of this kinship and relationship but because of their correctness and their endeavor in the obedience of Allah. This verse is also similar to the verse which says: “It is not your wealth nor your sons that will bring you nearer to Us in degree; but only those who believe and work righteousness - these are the ones for whom there is a multiplied reward for their deeds while secure they (reside) in the dwellings on high.” [As-Saba, Aayah 37] Likewise the people of knowledge, faith and righteousness should follow this way of high conduct and high standard of personality so that they find the happy ending and reward. But it is very essential that the learner of knowledge should know that resilience is very important and that good deeds and abundant good does not happen simply by wishful thinking and hopeless expectations, but there should be work and patience. Guard yourself against wasting excessively Have you ever got upset when you weren’t able to buy something that you really wanted? Or, have you ever bought something that you could have done without? The answer to these two questions is yes, an unequivocal yes. It is part of our human nature. We want and we desire constantly. When we allow this to go unchecked our desire for more becomes insatiable and overtakes the dictates of our souls. Any kind of addiction or extreme act emanates from our desire. Satan ever whispers to our Nafs (self) to go after our desires. He encourages us to be greedy and to overindulge ourselves. In this way we become slaves to our desires instead of in control of them. One enslaved to his desires cannot freely and truly worship his Lord. It is a matter of our Eemaan (faith) that we hold ourselves back from wasteful spending. If we find difficulty parting with our money in times of charity, then we know we have become victims of over-consumption, or excessive spending. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Cursed is the slave of gold and silver.” [Al-Bukhari] When we allow ourselves to lust after money, then we know the shackles have tightened. Money and power are always aligned. Like sirens they call out to our desires. Today, the media is their infamous recruiter. It constantly throws in our faces more things to desire and to get and to admire. This only leads to further blinding ourselves from our purpose in life, which is to worship Allah The Almighty. Allah warns us by saying (what means): “Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you (from the more serious things).” [Qur’an 102:1] We must remind ourselves that worldly desires are mere illusions, transitory pleasures, that Allah is testing us with.  Allah Almighty warns us of this by saying (what means): “Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.” [Qur’an 57:20] Guard yourself from greed As consumers we must be mindful of Allah and thank Him for blessing us with the financial ability to purchase the things we need. Remembering Allah when shopping will help us humble our hearts and be grateful for all that he has already given us. This can help prevent us from becoming upset when we are unable to buy something we want. We must also seek to instill in spending habits of the Islamic practice of moderation. I cannot stress enough the importance of the Prophet Muhammad’s (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) injunction to the Muslim Ummah: “Eat, drink, spend, and dress without extravagance or arrogance.”[Al-Bukhari] We must strive for a balance between the extremes of spending too much (Israaf) and being stingy. The righteous are “those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but are ever, between that, [justly] moderate.” [Qur’an 25:67] This verse encourages moderation and balance in our spending. Instead of succumbing to our habits of spending on ourselves, we ought to give more than we take. When we give for the sole purpose of pleasing Allah we purify our souls. The Prophet was the most generous of men and gave the majority of his belongings away. The Prophet understood what was real and what was passing: He valued his humility, the afterlife, and his connection to Allah over worldly pleasures. When we become entangled in the superficial, our materialistic values will override our spiritual connection to our Lord. We must guard ourselves against this and instead spend our resources and time so that we may increase our spiritual wealth. This is the struggle against the Nafs which our beloved Prophet Muhammad  always emphasised. Strive for good deeds that will multiply themselves rather than hoard worldly goods that will perish into the earth and become dust. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

Islam expresses great concern for the environment. A number of verses in the Qur’an and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)  have addressed this issue. Islam’s solution to environmental problems lies in man’s adaptation of its guidance. Allah has stated that He made all the material objects on earth for man’s use, not for his abuse. Allah Almighty has not prevented humankind from enjoying a luxurious standard of living, but this should not be maintained by damaging and abusing natural resources. This is clearly stated in a number of verses in the Qur’an. Allah says (what means): “But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and (yet), do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corruptors. “ [Qur’an 28:77] The Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) contain instructions for Muslims to preserve the environment, which includes not cutting down trees unnecessarily. In this respect, Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) pointed out that there are benefits in planting trees, which will last until the Day of Judgment. This is illustrated in the saying of the Noble Prophet : “If the Hour is imminent and anyone of you has a palm shoot (to plant) in his hand and is able to plant it before the Hour strikes, then he should do so and he will be rewarded for that action.” Allah has ordained severe punishments for those who damage and abuse natural resources. He says (what means): “Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.” [Qur’an 2:60] “Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by (reason of) what the hands of people have earned, so He (i.e. Allah) may let them taste part of (the consequences of) what they have done that perhaps they will return (to righteousness).” [Qur’an 30:41] Ibn Mas’ood, radhiallah ‘anhu, reports, “While we were on a journey with Allah’s Messenger  he went a short distance from where we had encamped. There we saw a small bird with two of its chicks and caught them. The bird was fluttering when the Prophet came back, so he asked, ‘Who has distressed it by taking its chicks ?’ Then he asked us to return the chicks. There we also saw an anthill and burnt it out. When the Prophet saw that, he asked, ‘Who has burnt it?’ When we informed him that we had done it, he said, ‘Only the Lord of fire has the right to punish with fire.’” Allah says in the Qur’an (what means): “And  there is no creature on (or within) the earth or a bird that flies with its wings except that they are  nations (communities) like you.” [Qur’an 6:38] We infer from the Prophet’s statement and this Qur’anic verse that all living things are partners to man in existence and they deserve our respect. We must be merciful toward animals and strive to ensure the preservation of different species. Islam forbids wasting water and using it without benefit. The preservation of water for the nourishment of humankind, animal life, bird life and vegetation is a practice that gains Allah’s pleasure. In his article Islam and the Environment, Arafat El Ashi, director of the Muslim World League in Canada, [www.al-muslim.org] writes, “Human life is sacred in the sight of Islam. No one is permitted to take the life of another person except as life-for-life.” Under Islam, El Ashi states, “It [is] incumbent on every Muslim to contribute his/her share in improving greenery. Muslims should be active in growing more trees for the benefit of all people.” Even during battle, Muslims are required to avoid cutting down trees that are useful to people. Humankind’s stewardship of the earth entails a profound responsibility. Other living species, as mentioned above, are also considered by Allah to be “communities”. Creation itself, in its boundless diversity and complexity, may be thought of as a vast universe of “signs” of Allah’s Power, Wisdom, Beneficence and Majesty. The responsibility of humankind is to keep Allah’s creation undistorted. The environment is a trust presented by Allah to humankind and its abuse is a misuse of Allah’s trust. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Pondering over the signs of Allah In the Qur’an, it is mentioned that the unbelievers are the people who does not recognise and appreciate the signs of Allah. The significance of a believer is his ability to see those signs and proofs. They know that these are not created in vain; they can realise the power and great art of Allah everywhere and find ways to appraise Him. About such people Allah Almighty says (what means): “Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], ‘Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.’”[Qur’an 3:191] Many times in the Qur’an, there are expressions like “will you not take heed?” “...there is a sign for thinking men” which emphasise the importance of pondering on the signs of Allah. Allah has created an endless list of things to be the subjects of pondering. Everything we see and sense is indeed a manifestation and sign of Allah; so all those in heavens and in earth and in between may be a means of pondering for us. Allah says (what means): “He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and from all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.” [Qur’an 16: 11] Let’s think for a while of one of the items mentioned in the above verse; for instance, the “date-tree, as well known, grows up from a seed out of the earth. From this tiny seed (a seed is not even 1 cm3 in size), an enormous wooden mass of several metres long and hundreds of kilograms of weight, forms. The only thing that seed can use while constituting this great mass is the earth in which it is buried. How can a seed know how to constitute a tree? How does it know how to decompose the necessary substances in the soil to form food? How can it predict the required shape and structure? This last question is especially important, because it is not an ordinary wooden piece that emerges out from the seed. The seed develops a complex living organism with roots for assimilating substances from the earth, with veins in itself and with branches that are perfectly organised. A human being has difficulty while drawing even a picture of a tree, but on the other hand a simple seed can produce that extremely complex object using the substances in the soil. This observation concludes that a seed is extremely intelligent and wise, even more than us. Or better to say, there is an amazing intelligence in what a seed does. But what is the source of that intelligence? How can it be possible for a seed to have such an intelligence and memory like a computer “chip”? The chips are produced by people who have intelligence and knowledge. Just like a seed which is created by Allah with the ability to develop a tree. Every seed on earth is encompassed by Allah and grows within His knowledge. He Almighty says (what means): “Indeed, Allah is the cleaver of grain and date seeds. He brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living. That is Allah; so how are you deluded?” [Qur’an 6: 95] A seed is merely one of the numerous signs that Allah has created in the universe. If men begin to think with not only their minds but also with their hearts, asking the question of ‘why’ and ‘how’ to themselves, they can understand that all the universe is a proof of the existence and power of Allah, the Most Exalted. However, the unbelievers cannot understand such things, since they don’t have the ability to “see” this purpose- as the Qur’an expresses (what means): “…They have eyes with which they do not see…” [Qur’an 7: 179] i.e., they do not have the wisdom and comprehension to realise the important reality with their materialistic vision. On the other hand, believers are different than this ‘blind’ group, because they realise and accept that the whole universe is created by Allah with a certain aim and wisdom. This belief is the first step of faith. As faith and wisdom, both of which are in parallel, increase, they will start to identify every detail of Allah’s creation. One of the things to be done to identify the details of Allah’s Creation is to be careful and observant. Because the ability to see the signs of Allah and not to be “blind” like the unbelievers, require a high concentration. Allah Almighty says (what means): “Unquestionably, to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and earth. Already He knows that upon which you [stand] and [knows] the Day when they will be returned to Him and He will inform them of what they have done. And Allah is Knowing of all things..” [Qur’an 24: 64] “Unquestionably, they are in doubt about the meeting with their Lord. Unquestionably He is, of all things, encompassing.” [Qur’an 41:54] One should train himself to recognise the signs of Allah and should always keep this in mind. Otherwise, mind will start to wander, jumping from one topic to another, wasting time thinking about useless things. Mind is like water; unless it is directed which way to flow, it spreads away, to the places that you would not want it to flow. This is a kind of unconsciousness; you can not control your mind. You cannot focus and concentrate on a subject. Actually, you can not conceive the truth behind the events happening and also can not ever have the competence to interfere in them. On the contrary, your mind gets directed by those events. You are “bewildered” all the time, which is not an attribute of a believer, but the unbelievers, as Allah Almighty Says (what means): “...And he who associates with Allah – it is as though he had fallen from the sky and was snatched by the birds or the wind carried him down into a remote place.”[Qur’an 22: 31] Believers, on the other hand, are the ones who direct their minds, try to better perceive Allah, and who try to better serve His religion. The believers are the ones “who turn away from ill speech” [Qur’an 23:3]. They free their minds from any useless thoughts and whenever they realise the appeal of Satan, they rescue themselves just like Allah Almighty Says in the Qur’an (what means): “Indeed, those who fear Allah – when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember [Him] and at once they have insight.”[Qur’an 7: 201] Therefore, the believers should be careful to keep their minds free of useless thoughts and ponder only on useful things that serve them in their life and keep them close to the Mighty Creator. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Prayer for seeking rain from Allah This prayer is a means of seeking rain from Allah, the Exalted, during times of drought. That is, people are naturally disposed to ask help from the One Who is able to support them; Allah Alone. This prayer was known among the previous nations. It is regarded also as one of the acts of the prophets, peace be upon them all, as Allah, the Exalted, Says (what means): “And [recall] when Moses prayed for water for his people...” [Qur’an 2: 60] Similarly, the Seal of Prophets, Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention) performed Prayer for Rain for his people many times, and in many ways. In addition, Muslim scholars unanimously agree on the legality of such an act. The Prayer for Rain is ordained during times of drought and times when rain fails, which causes harm to people. Then there is no way out except by supplicating their Lord and asking Him for water (rain). People may supplicate Allah in various ways. For instance, people may supplicate Allah in Prayer, whether in congregation or alone. They may also supplicate Him by invoking Him during the sermon of the Jumu’ah (Friday) Prayer, in which the Imam may invoke Allah, and Muslims say, “Aameen (Amen)”. Furthermore, it may be by invoking Allah, the Exalted, after performing prayers, or by supplicating Him in seclusions with neither prayer nor sermon. All such acts are related about the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. The Prayer for Rain is regarded as a stressed Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) as ‘Abdullah Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, went out to invoke Allah for rain. He faced the qiblah (the direction of Ka’aba in Makkah), invoking Allah. Then he reversed his cloak and performed two Rak’ahs (units of prayer) and recited the Qur’an aloud in them.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] There are many hadiths in support of this practice. The Prayer for Rain is similar to that of the Eid Prayer concerning its relevant rulings and the place where it is performed. That is, it is viewed desirable to perform it in the place where the Eid Prayer is performed; outside the mosque. Moreover, its rulings and practices are the same as those of the Eid Prayer, namely the number of Rak’ahs, the loud recitation of the Qur’an, being performed before delivering the sermon, and the additional Takbeers (saying ‘Allahu Akbar’) in the first and second Rak’ahs before the recitation of the Qur’an. Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, performed two Rak’ahs as he does in the Eid Prayer.” At-Tirmithi says that this is a hasan (good) and saheeh (authentic) hadith, and Al-Hakim and others view it as a saheeh hadith, as well. The one performing the Prayer for Rain is to recite the chapter of Al-A’laa in the first rak’ah, and the chapter Al-Ghashiyah in the second one. People are to perform it in a vast spacious place, away from the place of residence, as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam,  did not perform it except in the desert. This is because performing it in such a place is a means of showing much need to Allah, the Exalted. When the Imam wants to proceed to perform the Prayer for Rain, he should start with reminding people of what may soften their hearts by mentioning Allah’s reward and punishment. They should also be commanded to turn to Allah in repentance and return rights to whom they are due. This is because sins are amongst the main reasons that cause rain and blessings to be withheld. On the other side, repentance and asking Allah, the Exalted, for forgiveness are reasons for Allah’s answering of supplication. Allah, the Exalted, Says (what means): “And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened [i.e. bestowed] upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning” [Qur’an 7: 96] Furthermore, the Imam should command people to give charity to the poor and needy, as this is regarded as a cause for sending Allah’s mercy. After that, he is to set for them a certain day, at which they are to come out and be prepared for such an honourable occasion, and according to that which best suits it as an act of the Sunnah. At that date, people are to go out to the place of prayer showing humbleness, submissiveness and neediness of Allah, the Exalted, as Ibn ‘Abbas ( may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Allah’s Messenge,r sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, went out to perform the Prayer for Rain showing humility, humbleness, and submissiveness, and supplicating (Allah).” [At-Tirmithi said that this is a hasan and saheeh (good and authentic) hadith.] No Muslim should stay behind (from going out) while able, even boys and women, whose presence does not cause temptation, are to go out to perform it. Then, the Imam is to lead people performing two rak’ahs, as mentioned before. After doing so, he is to deliver one sermon. However, some scholars view that the Imam is to deliver two sermons. Both opinions are permissible, but the soundest opinion is to deliver one sermon, according to the most preponderant legal proof. In most cases, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, delivered the sermon after performing the Prayer for Rain, and Muslims acted according to this. However, it is related that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, delivered the sermon before performing the prayer. This is the view of some scholars, but the first view (delivering the sermon after performing prayer) is more preponderant; and Allah Knows best. In the sermon of asking for rain, the Imam should ask for Allah’s forgiveness as well as recite the verses that command asking for forgiveness, in abundance, as this is considered a cause for sending rain. Moreover, the Imam should supplicate Allah, the Exalted, with much invocation, asking for rain. When supplicating Allah, the Imam should raise his hands, as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to raise his hands when invoking Allah in the Prayer for Rain, so much that the whiteness of his armpits became visible. The Imam should also confer blessings upon the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, as this is a cause for (Allah, the Exalted) answering his supplication. He may invoke Allah, the Exalted, with the supplication related about the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, in such situations, as a means of following him. In this regard, Allah, the Exalted, Says (what means): “There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day...” [Qur’an 33: 21] It is viewed as an act of the Sunnah to face the qiblah at the end of supplication, and to reverse one’s clothes, as related in the Two Saheehs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim, the two authentic books of Hadith) that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, turned his back toward the people and faced the qiblah asking Allah (for rain). Then he reversed his cloak. The wisdom behind this - Allah Knows best - is that it is like a good omen that the present hard condition may turn into prosperity and the sending of rain. People should also follow the Imam and reverse their clothes, as Imam Ahmad related, “... the people followed him (the Prophet) and reversed their clothes.” In addition, what is stated as done by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, is to be done by his nation, unless it is proved that he alone is particularised with such a thing. This would be until Allah, the Exalted, sends down rain; otherwise, Muslims should repeat asking for rain, as long as there is a need for that. It is considered an act of Sunnah that when rain starts to fall, one is to stand and receive some of it and say, “O Allah! Let it be a strong fruitful rain,” and say, “The rain is due to the Favor and Mercy of Allah.” However, when rain falls heavily and there is fear that it might cause harm, one should say as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to say: “O Allah! (Let the rain be) around us, not on us. O Allah! (Let the rain be) on the plateaus, on the mountains, on the hills, on the hillocks, in the valleys, and on the places where trees grow” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Allah Knows best.

And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me then (answer them), I am indeed near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he call on me. So let them obey Me and believe in Me so that they may be led aright. [Al-Baqarah 186] The word du’aa is the plural of da’wah and both come from da’aa which means to ask or to call. To call “to something” in this way is to encourage others to do it. The meaning of du’aa in Islam is: for the slave to call out to his Lord to care for him, have mercy on him and supply him with his needs and wants. The reality of du’aa is to manifest one’s absolute poverty and powerlessness before Allah Most High and the affirmation that all power to bring about anything belongs exclusively to Allah Most High. It is a sign of true worship and it contains the meaning of praising and exalting Allah Most High and ascribing to Him the attributes of generosity and grace. Types of du’aa mentioned in the Qur’an 1. Worship. Asking for something which only Allah can grant is an act of worship which can only be directed to Allah Most High. To address it to other than Allah is shirk. And do not call besides Allah those who cannot benefit your and cannot harm you. (Yunus:106) 2. Seeking of Aid. Calling to one for aid can only be directed to Allah in issues where only He can respond. One can request aid from a present, living and capable individual and this is not shirk. However, to ask those incapable of helping (such as the deceased) or not present is to worship other than Allah Most High. Allah rejected the ability of anyone to help anyone else in disobedience to Him on Yaum Al-Qiyaamah in the following: Call your witnesses beside Allah if your are indeed truthful. (Al-Baqarah:23) 3. Asking for something. Allah said: Call to (ask) Me that I may respond to you. (Ghaafir:60) 4. Exalting of Allah and addressing one another. Allah said about the people of Paradise: Their call therein is “Exalted are You, O Allah!” and their greeting therein is “Salaam”. (Yunus:10) 5. Allah calling us. On the day when He calls you and you respond with His praise. (Al-Israa:52) 6. Calling to Allah in praise and supplication. Say: Call “Allah” or call “Ar-Rahman”... Al-(Israa:110) Those whose du’aa is answered by Allah Allah and His Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) have mentioned various people/conditions under which Allah answers the du’aa of His slaves. Among them: 1. The one in desperate need. 2. The oppressed upon whom injustice is being inflicted 3. A parent who makes du’aa against their child 4. A just ruler 5. A righteous individual 6. The righteous son/daughter who prays for his parents 7. The fasting individual until they break their fast 8. Any Muslim who makes du’aa for another Muslim without their knowledge 9. Every Muslim as long as they are not asking for injustice or breaking of family ties. 10. The one making taubah (repentance) from sin 11. The traveller whose sustenance is from halaal Prerequisites of du’aa When calling to your Lord, be sure to be aware of the following requirements for making du’aa: 1. Sincerity of directing all of your worship to Allah alone 2. Obedience to Allah by fulfilling all obligations upon you and avoiding all that forbidden. 3. Avoiding all harmful consumption of food, clothing/jewellery and drink 4. Preceding the du’aa with a good deed 5. Purity (tahaara) Some etiquette of du’aa Also, pay close attention to the following etiquettes (aadaab) of supplicating Allah Most High: 1. Take advantage of the blessed times which Allah and His Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) have told us about such as the day of Arafat, all of Ramadan (especially the last ten), Jumu’ah and the time of tahajjud (after sleeping and before fajr), etc. Allah said: And in the late night they seek forgiveness. (Adh-Dhaariyaat:18) 2. Take advantage of the special circumstances when du’aa especially encouraged such as when one is in prostration (sajdah), upon meeting the enemy army, when Allah send His mercy (e.g., rain) and between the adhaan and the iqaama. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The closest a slave ever is to his Lord is when he is in prostration, so make much supplication.” Muslim & others 3. Face the Qibla. Jaabir (radiallaahu ‘anhu) reports: “The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) came to the place of standing at Arafat, faced the Qibla and continued making du’aa until the sun set.” Muslim 4. Lowering the voice and keeping it “in between” neither complete silence nor completely out loud. Abu Musa Al-Ash’ariy reported that: We were approaching with Allah’s Messenger. When we came near Al-Madinah, he said “Allahu Akbar”. The people, too said “Allahu Akbar” and they raised their voices whereupon the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “O people, verily the one whom you are calling is not deaf and is not absent. Verily, the one whom you are calling is between the necks of your mounts.” Al-Bukhari & Muslim 5. Humility, fear (of Allah and His punishment) and desire (for His mercy and His reward) when making du’aa. Allah said: They used to race one another to good deeds and they would call to us in desire and in fear and they were humble before Us. (Al-Anbiyaa:90) 6. Be serious in what you ask for and certain of the ability and the promise of Allah to respond to your call. Do not put conditionals on what you ask for except for things like “if it is the best for me in this life and the hereafter in Your knowledge”, but not things like “if you wish”, etc. Allah does not respond to du’aa which is made “routinely” or frivolously without consciousness. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Call to Allah with certainty of being answered. And know that Allah does not respond to the du’aa from a heart which is forgetful or frivolous.” At-Tirmidhi 7. To be persistent, even insistent in du’aa and repeat it three times. Ibn Masood (radiallaahu ‘anhu) reported that: “When the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) made du’aa, he used to make it three times and when he asked, he asked three times.” – Muslim 8. To begin du’aa with the mention of Allah and invoking His blessing on the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) before asking for things and to close one’s du’aa with praise of Allah. 9. To repent from one sin’s and to undo any injustices done to others (including returning property improperly taken or undoing any other kind of harm) before turning to Allah in du’aa. When we respond to Allah’s call to worship Him alone and to obey Him by performing our obligations and avoiding all the forbidden, Allah responds to this by granting us our du’aa. There can be nothing greater in this world than to have a du’aa which is answered by Allah Most High. Any nation which possesses many people who have this will succeed in this world and in the next. Allah will place in power over them those who fear and obey him and grant them victory over their enemies. The du’aa of Muslims for each other is more powerful than Muslims only making du’aa for themselves. And your Lord said: Call to me that I may respond to you. Verily, those who are too arrogant to worship me will enter Hell-fire humiliated. (Ghaafir:60) Oh Allah have mercy upon the Muslims who are suffering from attacks and oppression and living in fear, ameen. Ways we can cope with our own illness Always keep in mind that trials are inevitable and people deal with trials in a variety of ways. Allah Says (what means):  “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.’ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” [Qur’an 2:155-157] Commenting on this verse, Ash-Sharabaasi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “You all are going to be tried with some kind of these trials. But you will be different in your attitude and responsibility towards these trials.” Some people have patience and others have none. Some recover and others do not. Trials teach all of us, but only one group is deserving of the reward. “And give good tidings to the patient.” This suggests that since man must be subjected to trials, and since he is going to be afflicted by one form of a trial or another, it is then better for him not to become anxious. Man is going to be tried whether he accepts this fact or not. Since he is going to receive a reward for the trial if he is patient, it is then better for him to be considered from this good group “And give good tidings to the patient.” Don’t become pessimistic: Don’t shut your eyes only seeing the darkness of grief and worry. It will lead you into depression and isolation waiting for death to arrive, and that is a bleak existence for anyone, especially for someone who is faced with illness. Try not to allow grief and sadness overcome your heart or over burden your mind. Don’t give an opportunity for the devil to whisper to you and try to cause you mental distress that will only add to your pain and suffering. Al-Sa’adee said: “Don’t you know that weakness of the heart and its delusions are truly the incurable illness?” The strength of the heart and its reliance upon Allah are the examples of strong men. How many hospitals are filled with patients suffering from delusions and paranoia? These delusions and anxieties affect even healthy people and will sometimes cause madness and mental problems. Therefore, the health of the heart is the basis for the health of the body, and the disease of the heart is the true disease. Man may go through psychological instability where he finds the world a narrow place of distress. But, if the sick allow these thoughts to control their mind, it will add to their distress and their wish for death — possibly to the extent of contemplating suicide. One may wish to die because of pressure and pain, but we must realise that an early end results in punishment within the grave. So, by living they are afforded more time to repent and turn back towards Allah, and that is surely better. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “No one among you should wish to die because of distress. But if he must do so, then he should say, ‘O Allah give me life as long as life is better for me, and cause me to die as long as death is better for me’.” [Al-Bukhari] Look within yourself for the cause of your illness and treat it with lawful medical treatments. Don’t ignore your illness - seek medical attention right away. Doctors have only been able to make as many strides in medicine thus far because Allah has allowed them to do so. Every disease has a cure except death. Try to search out and find a righteous Muslim physician if possible. You should question yourself and be fair, do not deceive yourself: If you are afflicted with a distress hardship, look first for the reasons and reprimand yourself.  Allah Says (what means): “What comes to you of good is from Allah, what comes to you of evil (O Man) is from yourself…” [Qur’an 4: 79] “And whatever strikes you of disaster, it is what your hands have earned.” [Qur’an 42: 30] When you are grieving and don’t know the reason behind it, then do no let grief find a way into your heart. Learn that Allah decrees everything and nothing that strikes you should have missed you; and nothing that has missed you, should have struck you. Beware of saying anything that may indicate irritation and dissatisfaction with Allah’s Decree, such as saying: “O Lord, why have you afflicted me with this?” Be confident that Allah knows what is best for you: You should place your trust in Allah and must remember that you do not know the wisdom behind this trial, perhaps it will make you stronger and lead you on a path to a better life. We should never limit Allah’s wisdom to our comprehension level, because we will never be able to comprehend it — it is above our capability to understand .We should, however, know for a certainty that Allah does not intend harm because it is harmful. Harm with Allah is not intended for itself but for other things that may bring good. Ibn Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Allah doesn’t particularly intend harm for a person when He causes him to become ill. Allah intends for the disease to take place and the disease is what may harm man. But He did not intend harm for man. He intends for him only the good from it. Sometimes, the Divine Wisdom may be apparent to the sick, and sometimes it may not. As Allah has said (what means): “And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.” [Qur’an 8:25] Remember Allah and ask Him for forgiveness much: Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “When Allah guides His servants to ask for forgiveness, He helps them to achieve what they request.” Allah has said (what means): “But Allah would not punish them while you are amongst them. And Allah would not punish them while they seek forgiveness.” [Qur’an 8:33] Allah has told us that He would not punish someone who seeks forgiveness, because sincere forgiveness removes the sin that is the reason for the punishment. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who is constant in seeking forgiveness, Allah will make for him a way out of any distress, release from grief, and provide for him from where he does not expect it.” [Abu Daawood and Ibn Maajah] So whoever believes in Allah alone and seeks forgiveness from Him, He will provide for him an appointed term, and whoever does good after that, He will increase him from His Grace. Supplicate with a humble heart and a crying eye asking Allah to cure you: Try to take advantage of the time when supplications are more likely to be answered, praising Allah and calling upon Him with His Beautiful Names. It is also recommended to give something in charity from the best of your possessions before making your supplications. Understand and realise that illness is not the end of your life. If Allah has taken something from you, think of all the things that He has given you and all of the things that you still have. A believer always strives for the pleasure of his Lord and does not stop because of disease or a trial. The best example is the example the scholar of this nation; Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, when he lost his vision and said: “If Allah has taken from my eyes their light, it is in my tongue and heart that I will find the light. My heart is bright and my mind has no defects. And in my mouth there is a sharp, authentic sword.” Guard the mandatory acts of worship (Faraa’id): do not neglect them to the best of your ability. If you have any questions, ask people of knowledge. Perform many good and righteous deeds as possible. If someone else can do them for you on your behalf, this is also acceptable. Beware of any practice that is not lawful, especially those against our faith, such as slaughtering animals to anything other than Allah, hanging charms, seeking refuge with jinn or going to sorcerers. When you are physically able, try to occupy your time with beneficial things like reading. Find activities that you enjoy and that will distract you from your disease and worries. Always remember that your faith can and does make miracles: Do not underestimate the effect of reliance upon Allah. There are many incidents that have been witnessed where the impossible becomes possible by the power of faith. Although the cure for illness is out of our hands and is up to Allah alone, we can still do something to make a difference to those who are suffering. It is unfortunate that often times we belittle the impact we can have on others, especially to those who are ill. Just a smile or a funny story to make someone laugh and forget their worries for a moment is something that can be remembered for years — because it made an impact and it made a difference. How many times have we experienced the impact ourselves in our own lives when someone visited us or gave us a call - just at the time when we were at our lowest moment? Most of us will never forget that person who took the time to think about us, and we always remember them fondly because they — without realising it — helped to shine some light on our dark days. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ A healing for the heart Allah Almighty Says in the Qur’an (what means): “We send down of the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for the believers.” [Qur’an 17:82] And also (what means): “O mankind! There has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers.” [Qur’an 10:57] It is narrated on the authority of An-Nu’maan Ibn Basheer may Allah be pleased with him who said : “I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, say: “That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. Thus, he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly, every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole, all the body is whole  and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Diseases of the heart are a mixture of suspicions and lusts which can lead our souls into turmoil and despair. However, Allah Almighty has provided us with a special prescription that will cleanse and heal our diseased hearts: The Qur’an. The Qur’an provides the healing for many types of ailments: 1.     It contains proofs and clear evidences which separate right from wrong. 2.     It adequately and clearly negates our doubts. No book on this earth other than the Qur’an provides such comprehensive proofs and testimonies in relation to exalted matters of monotheism, confirmation of Allah’s attributes, the Day of Judgment, Prophethood and refutation of incongruous doctrines and degenerate opinions.  Although the Qur’an offers a genuine cure for the evils of suspicions and doubts, its benefit depends to a large extent on comprehending its essence and purpose. Those who are blessed with such faculties would have the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, as clearly and easily as they can distinguish between day and night. They would know for certain that all other knowledge and concepts prevailing among people are either traditions or false presumptions; however fanciful and appealing they may appear, these would be unable to offer a substitute for the Truth or genuine matters as encapsulated in the Qur’an and would provide no benefit. The Hadith (narration) of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, compares the futility of such efforts to: “Inferior camel’s meat on top of a rough mountain, neither the hill is easy to climb nor the camel is healthy enough to get down the hill.” [Al-Bukhari] In fact, the knowledge obtained by theologians could be found in the Qur’an with a much better elaboration and explanation, for the theologians are inclined to affectation, wordiness and perpetuating perplexity. They assume that their attitudes help in refuting suspicions and doubts, but contrary to their presumption, these suspicions and doubts are better served by their efforts. If healing and guidance, knowledge and certainty could not be obtained from the Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alaihi wa sallam, it would be impossible to obtain them from the utterances of those perplexed sceptics. The Qur’an draws its ability of healing the diseases of lusts by its wisdom and fair exhortation, through the renouncement of earthly pursuits and the pursuance of the Hereafter. It draws upon parables and narrations containing lessons to be pondered. If the heart assimilated these qualities, it would certainly be inclined towards good deeds and renounce the evil ones. The Qur’an also eliminates spiritual diseases which corrupt our intentions and prompt us towards ill deeds; hence the heart heals and returns to its normal nature, where its facultative and self-acquired deeds excel. The body also returns to its normal functioning by rejecting whatever contradicts the right guidance, just like an infant who accepts nothing but milk. In this course of affairs, the heart feeds on faith and the Qur’an which provides it with reprimands, consolidation, support, gladness, joy and invigoration to establish its authority, as a body is nourished by what develops and strengthens it. The heart and the body would not flourish without adhering to the Qur’an. Even if they attained some of the desired results from another source, the attainment would be very minor and would not serve the purpose and desired end result. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

O believers in Allah and His messenger! Fear Allah and glorify Him as He deserves to be. Know that this life is nothing except a very short period of time, so act righteously herein. He who does so will have a great and pleasant consequence by the mercy and favour of Allah and he who is neither conscious nor fearful of Allah will not have a way out of his hardships and will have an evil end. Servants of Allah! Abu Hurairah (radhiallah ‘anhu – May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “No contagion, no pessimism, no Haammah and no Safar” (Bukhari). The meaning of this Hadith is as follows: Haammah is a type of bird; the pre-Islamic Arabs used to think that whenever this bird landed on anyone’s house, somebody who lived in that house would definitely die. This is of course a type of superstition. As for Safar, this is another type of superstition; one group of Islamic scholars held the view that the pre-Islamic Arabs were highly superstitious regarding the month of Safar while another group held the view that Safar is in fact a worm which used to dwell in the bodies of some animals (as a disease) and that this disease was contagious. In this Hadith the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) negated and refuted the prevalent belief of the disbelievers at that time. These false beliefs would affect the hearts of the people so greatly that it would weaken their reliance on Allah and lead them to doubting Him and even attributing evil to Him. Also, these beliefs would lead people to attribute deficiencies to Allah, either by them claiming that He has incapabilities or by them ascribing partners to Him in acts of worship, or in controlling destiny. So the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was addressing all those who truly believe in Allah and in His control over everything by saying: “No contagion, no pessimism, no Haammah and no Safar.” The words “No contagion” mean that contagion is not independently effective, because the Pre-Islamic Arabs used to believe that contagion was itself a characteristic of a disease and that it had no external control over it. They also believed that there was nothing that could prevent contagion from occurring and that nothing could eliminate it. When the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “No contagion.” He certainly did not mean that contagion itself does not exist, nor did he mean that diseases and sicknesses do not spread from one person to another due to them coming into close contact, rather, this is something that obviously occurs. However, what the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was doing was refuting the belief that the disbelievers had which was that if a sick person happened to come close enough to a healthy person, then sickness would definitely be passed onto the healthy person. The disbelievers used to believe that this transfer was beyond the control and will of Allah and that it was bound to happen. Therefore, what the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was explaining was that sickness does not spread simply by mixing healthy people with sick ones, rather, it happens with the decree and command of Allah; contagion may or may not occur because it is not necessarily the case that every contagious disease will spread from a sick person to a healthy one unless and until Allah permits this to occur. If Allah does not permit it to happen then it cannot and will not ever occur, because that is by the decree and command of Allah. Contagion is nothing but a means that will only have an effect if Allah decrees for it to occur, it is not something that necessarily takes place. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “A sick one should not go into the presence of a healthy one, nor should a healthy one go into the presence of a sick one.” (Muslim). He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said this regarding camels because allowing them to mix is a means of spreading disease among them. Therefore, in this Hadith, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) proves that contagion actually exists, but he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) only proved its existence as a means and not as an end. This is exactly the same as saying, for example, that if a person were to do something that could result in his death, then by doing it, he would die – if Allah decreed that to happen. It is also the same as saying, for example, that if a person were to eat and drink then he would satisfy his hunger and quench his thirst. In reality, these actions are nothing but means to an end that will only occur if Allah has decreed it to do so. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Run away from a person with leprosy as you would run away from a lion.” (Ahmad and Bukhari). This is because mixing with such a person is a means of spreading the sickness from a person with leprosy to a healthy one. So this Hadith of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) explains that although these are nothing but means and that their effect will not take place without the decree of Allah, we still have to exert our utmost efforts in avoiding these means that may result in disease, destruction or tribulations. Moreover, we must rely on Allah in all cases. This is why on one occasion the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) sat next to a man who had leprosy and ate with him from the same plate, he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) even put his hand in the same food that the man was eating from to prove to people that diseases spread only if Allah wills for them to do so. He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also did this to show that it is not a must that contagious sicknesses will spread and that it is only Allah who gives the ability for these means to take effect. Then, after eating, he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “No contagion and no pessimism.” He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “No pessimism” because during Jaahiliyyah, or the pre-Islamic period of ignorance, the disbelievers were extremely pessimistic about everything. Ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said that “Each one of us had this (i.e., pessimism), but Allah replaced it with our reliance on Him.” (Abu Daawood and Tirmidhi). This saying means that at that time, the people’s hearts were full of pessimism. For example, people used to feel pessimism when they felt the wind blowing strongly, or if some of them intended to set out on a journey and subsequently saw something that they disliked, they would be sure that they would meet a calamity or even death during the forthcoming trip, so they would be overcome by pessimism. However, a believer must completely rely on Allah as Ibn Mas’ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Allah replaces pessimism with reliance on Him.” Pessimism is a false and futile concept; it has no effect in determining events because they are all under the control and decree of Allah. This is why the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) used to hate pessimism and love optimism; for one who is always optimistic has a high opinion of his Lord, which the believer is commanded to have. As for pessimism, this leads a person into thinking evil of his Lord, which was the belief of the people during Jahiliyyah. Due to these reasons, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) forbade us from being pessimistic by saying: “No pessimism.” Then, he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said “No Haammah” which refers to the bird already mentioned which the disbelievers had false beliefs about. For example, they believed that a person who was murdered would have this bird in his grave screaming for revenge. They also thought that the Haammah bird contained the soul of a dead person and flew it between different neighbourhoods. There were countless other false beliefs which were prevalent at that time, so the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) had to refute and negate them because these beliefs were contrary to the sound creed that a Muslim is commanded to have. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) clarified the concept that everything occurs due to the decree and command of Allah and nothing else. Another falsehood which the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) wanted to eliminate from its roots was regarding the month of Safar. Many scholars are of the view that Safar was a month in which the pre-Islamic Arabs were particularly pessimistic. Therefore, when the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “No Safar”, this was an indication that he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) wanted to refute and negate all the false beliefs that the disbelievers used to harbour regarding that month. The disbelievers used to think that during the month of Safar, all problems, disasters, calamities and other evils would occur. Therefore they would avoid getting married in this month as they thought that such a union would be doomed; nobody would trade during this month as they thought that it would be fruitless; they also thought that all other endeavours during that month would end in problems, hardships and even death. These are the types of beliefs that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) countered due to their falsity. Safar is just one of 12 months that Allah has given us; nothing happens in this month except what Allah has decreed to happen within it, Allah did not specify a certain month of the year where all difficulties, hardships and calamities would afflict people. In fact, if one looks at history, he will discover that many conquests and victories occurred during the month of Safar for the Muslims; it may be that some people are ignorant of this and therefore it becomes incumbent on us to pay attention to facts like these and convey them to the masses. By doing this we are going back to the fundamentals and bases of these false concepts and cutting them off from their roots. Therefore, in this particular case, we know that believing that Safar as an ‘unlucky’ month is a false and frivolous belief, both from the words of the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and by practical experience of the fact that there has been a lot of goodness in this month throughout history. Therefore, all forms of pessimism regarding minutes, hours, days and months are negated by Islam – our faith must be sound and distinct from that of the disbelievers. The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) exerted all possible efforts in explaining these concepts to us. He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) made it clear that we need to purify our hearts from thinking evil of our Lord or being pessimistic regarding places, times or dates. For example, we must refute and negate the belief that some have which is to think that Wednesday is a day on which all evil takes place, so they avoid doing certain things on that day. Dear believers! We must pay close attention to such matters, our belief must be sound and correct, and we must not allow our hearts and minds to be invaded by such falsities. We must not be pessimistic regarding specific times and places because the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) forbade us from doing this. Also, it goes against the sound belief that we are required as Muslims to possess. I ask Allah to guide me and you all and to make us among those who always think highly of their Lord. Also, we must know that favours and bounties cannot be attained except by being obedient to Allah and that hardship, calamities and problems can be reduced if not terminated by supplicating to Allah or by being obedient to Him. Therefore, whoever relies on Allah, He is sufficient for him. Allah says that which translates as: “...And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him of his matter ease.” (At-Talaaq: 4). Nothing can avert the decree and command of Allah except supplication. Destruction and calamities cannot be stopped except through obedience to Allah. I ask Allah to make me and you all among those whom He has mercy upon. Allah says that which translates as: “By time, Indeed mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” (Al-Asr: 1-3). The arrows of Satan Satan readies himself and chooses his prey carefully. He is determined as he shoots the arrows of looks to go through your eyes, tearing the veils of modesty and chastity. This arouses the desires of the weak heart, which commands the body to pursue the satisfaction of such desires. The tongue speaks, the legs walk, and thus, unlawful acts are committed and the soul falls into the mire of sin. “That is purer for them” In order to ward off this Satanic cycle, Allah The Almighty instructed his believing slaves, both men and women, to lower their gaze. He told them that this would purify them. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is acquainted with what they do. And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts.} [Qur’an 24:30-31] Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in his well-known book Al-Fawaa’id: A collection of Wise Sayings that Sahl ibn ‘Abdullah, may Allah have mercy upon him says, “Abandoning the order is greater than committing the prohibition in the Sight of Allah because Adam, may Allah exalt his mention, was forbidden to eat from the tree and when he, may Allah exalt his mention, ate from it Allah accepted his repentance, but Satan was ordered to prostrate to Adam, when he refused and Allah did not accept his repentance.” Again Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, says in his another famous book in Ad-Daa’ wad-Dawaa’, “Look at the accuracy of the Qur’anic expression in the order to lower the gaze, as if Allah The Almighty reminds us that not lowering the gaze causes the doom of the doer and his suffering in this life and in the Hereafter. Failing to lower one’s gaze is the basis for the problems that afflict man. An unlawful look generates thoughts, then thoughts generate ideas, then ideas generate desires, then desires generate will, which develops into resolve and determination, then the action inevitably takes place if there is nothing to prevent it.” This is the destructive cycle of Satan, which traps the one who does not lower his gaze, then records the images and scenes seen by his treacherous eyes. The cursed Satan waits for the moment of weakness in man’s faith to release these images and scenes in his mind and soul, igniting his sexual desire, which dominates the heart that commands the body to disobey Allah The Almighty, and so on in a consecutive sequence. The more the images vary, the easier arousal and falling into sin will be. On the other hand, the less the images and scenes, the weaker their impact and influence on the heart will be. According to a saying, “Patience over lowering the gaze is easier than patience over the pain of its consequences.” O Muslim who does not lower his gaze, if your eyes roam around looking at the charms of beautiful women, you would plant in your heart thorns of loss and regret. “Allah knows that which deceives the eyes” Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {He knows that which deceives the eyes and what the breasts conceal.} [Qur’an 40:19] This is a great verse and the interpreter of the Quran, Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, tells you its meaning, “It refers to a man who enters a person’s house where there is a beautiful woman among them, or that a beautiful woman passes by them, and while they do not notice him, he looks at her; when they see him, he lowers his gaze. However, Allah The Almighty Knows that he inwardly wishes to see her private parts.” The great scholar, Al-Ameen Ash-Shinqeeti, may Allah have mercy upon him, said in his book Adhwaa’ Al-Bayaan, “The verse contains a warning for the one who betrays with his eyes by looking at what is unlawful for him. The slave of Allah will stand before Allah and be questioned about his senses. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart - about all those [one] will be questioned.} [Qur’an 17:36] If you will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection about your stares and looks, have you prepared an answer for this? The fornication of the eyes To make this act more repugnant to the souls, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, called it adultery of the eyes. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Allah has written for the son of Adam his inevitable share of adultery. The adultery of the eye is looking (at what is prohibited), the adultery of the ears is listening (to what is prohibited), the adultery of the tongue is uttering (what it is unlawful to utter), the adultery of the hand is doing (what is prohibited), the adultery of the legs is walking (to what is prohibited) and the heart desires and wishes for (adultery) and the private parts affirm that or contradict it.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] In Sharh Saheeh Muslim, An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “The meaning of the Hadith is that a share of adultery is written for the son of Adam. Some people commit actual adultery such as a male commits sexual intercourse with a female who is unlawful to him. Other people commit adultery in the figurative sense by looking at the prohibition or listening to adultery and its relevant affairs, or by touching with the hand a non-Mahram (marriageable) woman or kissing her, or by walking to commit adultery, seeing, touching, or forbidden talking with a non-Mahram woman, or by inner thoughts. All these things belong to metaphoric adultery. By “The private parts affirm that or contradict it” it means that adultery might actually happen through the private parts or might not take place by entering the male genital organ into the female genital organ even if he is close to doing it. Allah knows best.” Destruction of homes It is noticeable that one of the most important causes of problems in many homes is failing to lower the gaze. When the husband releases his gaze, a comparison will seep into his heart between his wife and the corrupting programmes made by some people to tempt others. This comparison causes many problems in homes, when the husband asks his wife to give him what he sees from dissolute women and provocative images are imprinted in his mind. It is also noticeable that releasing the gaze is one of the main reasons for the delay in marriage. That is because the young man already has in his mind multiple examples of beautiful girls, especially those whom he watches on television and searches hard to get one like them. Yet, he will not get what he wants, because what he sees on television is generally deceptive beauty and false femininity, and thus leads him to delay his marriage and affects the marriage of Muslim girls with him. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ War against an open enemy The greatest thing that can be used as a defence against devils is sticking to the Book and the Sunnah, by one’s knowledge and by one’s actions. The Book and the Sunnah present the straight path, and it is Satan (Shaytan) who struggles to steer us from this straight path. Allah says in the Qur’an: “And He (commands you, saying:) This is My straight path, so follow it. Follow not other ways, lest you be parted from His way. This has He ordained for you, that you may ward off evil.” (al-Anaam 153). The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) explained this verse. He once drew a straight line with his hand and said, “This is the straight path of Allah.” Then on its left and on its right he drew other lines and he said, “These paths all have Satan calling (people) to them.” And then he recited the above verse. [This was narrated by Ahmad, al-Haakim, who called it sahih, and al-Nasa’i] If the person follows what has come from Allah in his beliefs, actions, words, worship, law, and so on, and avoids what He has forbidden, then he will be protected from Satan. Allah says in the Qur’an: “Oh you who believe, Come, all of you, into submission (unto Him); and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Lo! He is an open enemy for you” (al-Baqara 208). The Arabic word al-silm in that verse refers to Islam while some say it means obeying Allah and Muqaatil says it refers to all acts in which there is righteousness. From that we see that it is an order to apply all of the branches of Islam and all the aspects of its laws according to one’s abilities; and the verse prohibits the following of the footsteps of Satan. Whoever does not follow any part of Islam has, in fact, followed in some of the footsteps of Satan. Therefore any kind of allowing what Allah has prohibited or vice-versa is a following of Satan. Eating any forbidden and foul foods is all part of following in the footsteps of Satan that has been declared prohibited for us. “O mankind! Eat that which is lawful and wholesome in the earth, and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Lo! he is an open enemy for you” (al-Baqara 168). Sticking to the Book of Allah and his Sunnah in one’s words and actions will rebuke Satan and will greatly infuriate him. It is recorded in Sahih Muslim, Musnad Ahmad and Sunan Ibn Majah on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said, “When the son of Adam reads a verse of prostration and then prostrates, Satan departs from him and cries, saying, ‘Woe to me. The son of Adam was ordered to prostrate and he did so and, therefore, he will be granted paradise. I was ordered to prostrate and disobeyed and, therefore, I will get the hell-fire.”

All praise be to Allah The Almighty, Who created and proportioned, Who destined and guided; and may prayers and peace be upon the Prophet of guidance, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and those who are guided by him.  Success is the goal of those who work hard; and, Allah The Almighty has made it contingent on purifying, disciplining and refining the soul, as He Says (what means): {He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself.} [Qur’an 87:14] {He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who instills it [with corruption].} [Qur’an 91:9-10] Furthermore, Allah The Almighty sent His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), as a teacher and a mentor, as He Says (what means): {It is He Who Has Sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom - although they were before in clear error.} [Qur’an 62:2] Hence, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was careful to elevate and cleanse the souls of his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them. And such is the practice of all those who seek to draw close to Allah The Almighty. The Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, and their followers, all reformed and purified their souls. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, endured much hardship in calling his people to Allah The Almighty. Every night, he used to stand before his Lord, bowing and prostrating, supplicating to Him and seeking His help, in full submission and humility to Him. And so, for an entire year, this practice became obligatory on all Muslims because of its great effect in reforming their hearts, motivating them and keeping them steadfast. Therefore, even today, though it is no longer mandatory, praying at night is indispensable. Thus, all Muslims, particularly those who seek religious knowledge and those who call others to Allah The Almighty, are required to prioritise the reform and discipline of their souls, maintain their relationship with Allah The Almighty and take care of their manners toward others. This should be the starting point for inviting other people toward the faith and rectifying them. Purification, beautification and striving Among the most important guidelines in reforming the soul, is to purify it from following its desires, which bring about countless diseases. Since the source of an illness can only be treated by countering its effects, the heart can be cured by acting in a way that contradicts one’s whims. Allah The Almighty concisely mentioned this, when He Said (what means), {But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.} [Qur’an 79:40-41] The other requisite to the rectification of the self, is to truly struggle for it, to be among those Allah The Almighty mentions, when He Says (what means): {And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allah is with the doers of good.} [Qur’an 29:69] An important aspect of striving is to be resolute; so, when one forsakes a certain desire and Allah The Almighty tests him or her by facilitating its causes, he or she must be patient and determined. Otherwise, if the soul is irresolute, it will become accustomed to being that way and be prone to corruption. The third step in reforming the soul is to beautify it, by instructing it to do righteous deeds until it gets used to them and doing them becomes an inherent characteristic. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Knowledge and forbearance are obtained by training for, and perseverance in attaining, them. The one who earnestly seeks goodness will be granted it and the one who avoids evil, will be protected against it.” There is no doubt that one’s deeds have a correlation to the heart. Every quality that is in the heart is reflected on one’s body; equally, every deed that is performed by the limbs, influences the heart. This is only one aspect that showcases the wonderful link between the heart and the body. When the soul is purified from following its base desires and is beautified by its righteous deeds and virtues, a person is required to then shift his or her focus to the manner of his or her performance of religious duties and favorable acts, and refraining from prohibitions and disliked deeds. Thus, even when a person is doing what is permissible, it is essential to ensure having a pure intention, because laziness and negligence are part of human nature. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Every act of worship and obedience witnesses a primary surge followed by a state of slackness. A person who remains within the boundaries of my Sunnah, even at times of slackness, will prosper. Otherwise, he [or she] would be on the path towards ruin.” In his book, Madaarij As-Saalikeen, Ibn Al-Qayyim may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “It is inevitable that worshippers become dispassionate. Yet, even during such a phase, if a man adheres to what is right and remains steadfast without neglecting obligations or committing unlawful acts, he is expected to eventually return to a state that is perhaps even better than his former one.” Degrees of apathy Based on the above, it is inevitable that everyone will experience a period of listlessness and apathy. However, it may be of either of these types: 1.    General: this impacts all acts of worship and instills an intense dislike toward them; it is the most dangerous kind and is a state of the hypocrites. 2.    Specific: this is characterised by a sense of lassitude regarding certain acts of obedience, along with undesirability, but not hatred; such is what many immoral Muslims are mired in.  3.    Physical: sometimes, there is a desire to perform good deeds, but there is a feeling of weariness and disinterest; and this is how many Muslims are. The danger here lies in the fact that one’s time passes by, and his or her life is wasted without having done anything beneficial. What is even more dangerous is if he or she deteriorates to a worse level and ends up being like the hypocrites in their neglect of obligations and other good deeds.  Hence, even the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to seek refuge with Allah The Almighty from weakness and laziness every morning and evening, and teach his Companions may Allah be pleased with them to do the same. Moreover, when the believers were slow in their response to the call for Jihad (fighting or struggling), Allah The Almighty reproached them for it and urged them to race each other and hasten in doing righteous deeds, and motivated them by describing the reward of such forerunners in faith.    Apathy and the caller to Islam   Listlessness is a disease that afflicts everyone, regardless of their degrees of faith. However, it is particularly alarming if it affects the callers to Allah The Almighty and those who seek knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to evade it by all means and immediately treat it if one does fall prey to it. Since prevention is better than cure, one should make a habit of being attentive so as to steer clear of any symptoms of apathy that may gradually lead to ruin. If that happens, the remedy and cure would be very difficult. The diseases of the heart are like a plant, easy to uproot in its early stages; however, if it grows and becomes firm in the earth, removing it requires strong men and tools. Moreover, an ill heart presents with simple symptoms, but, if left untreated, will choke a person in its grip and turn into a chronic and incurable problem. Therefore, as callers to Allah The Almighty, we are required to examine ourselves and ponder our condition. If there is any sign of apathy, we are immediately obliged to look for the cause and seek treatment.  Aspects of apathy Apathy manifests itself in many ways, some of which are as follows: lSense of lethargy and disinterest in performing acts of obedience lNeglecting Thikr (remembrance of Allah The Almighty) and recitation of the Qur’an lHardness of the heart, such that it is not moved by Qur’anic verses or sermons lIndifference toward committing acts of disobedience and letting that become a habit lLack of responsibility and realisation of being entrusted with a great trust lLack of eagerness in performing Da’wah (propagation to Islam) lWeakness of the bonds of brotherhood among those who should love each other for the sake of Allah The Almighty lAn intense concern with this worldly life and indulging oneself in its pleasures at the expense of doing righteous deeds lIdle talk, increasingly engaging in disputes and self-praise lCreating problems lBothering oneself with petty issues and neglecting serious and beneficial work that serves the Ummah lWeakness of faith and an indifference toward violations of the commands of Allah The Almighty lWasting time lExhibiting no readiness to handle responsibility and avoiding serious work, instead indulging in actions with no objectives lDemonstrating a chaotic demeanour in one’s work lCriticising every positive act lPostponing good deeds lPossessing excessive wishes Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Causes and treatment of apathy There are many causes of apathy and they vary in importance. Some of them are: insincerity in performing deeds, ostentation, and a lack of religious knowledge that makes one ignorant of the reward of deeds and the virtues of patience. Also, being attached to this worldly life and forgetting the Hereafter, perhaps because of obeying or being occupied with one’s spouse and children, causes one to neglect many acts of obedience, and if one is not alert, to misunderstand religion itself. This may seem a strange possibility, but what is even more bizarre is for one to understand the nature of this religion and taste the sweetness of faith, and then stop working for its development. Additionally, other causes include: committing sins and evil deeds and consuming money procured through unlawful or doubtful means.   As for why those who call others to Islam fall prey to apathy, the reasons are numerous: lBeing unclear of one’s goals behind his or her propagation, which should be: seeking the satisfaction of Allah The Almighty, liberating people from slavery to any entity other than the Lord of the worlds and establishing the religion of Allah on earth. lWeakness of belief in the goal or the means employed in Da’wah. lExtremism that drives one to despair and abandoning his or her work lApprehension because of the many impediments and obstacles in the path of Da’wah and the preacher, which Allah The Almighty has tested all previous callers to Islam with. lIndependence and reclusiveness that leads to misery and boredom. lAdopting limited methods of propagation and not considering new means that may assist in conveying the message to people and at the same time, retain the principles of Da’wah and its spirit. For example, people may avoid a variation in the modes of address, whereas everyone should be spoken to in a manner that suits their level of intellect and the medium they prefer: audio or print, or other forms. Likewise, there is sometimes no variation in the method of delivering lectures of knowledge and the Qur’an, in terms of place and means. lForgetting the persistent enmity of Satan. lBeing heedless of the challenge the disbelievers present for Muslims and that they utilise every means to turn us away from our religion and contrive plots against us. lThe illusions and whispers of the devil that sow fear and cast doubts in the heart of the caller about the soundness of the way that he or she is following. In addition to the aforesaid causes, there are diseases of the heart: envy, suspicions about others, hatred, love of fame, arrogance and negligence in performing acts of worship, such as the daily prayers and Thikr (remembrance of Allah The Almighty). Also, apathy may stem from believing victory is out of reach, always expecting immediate results, having a lack of stability because there is no sense of direction, leaving work uncompleted and moving on to something else, looking at those lesser in terms of knowledge and worship, thereby undermining the morale, and socialising with those who seek this worldly life, thus being negatively influenced by them. Indeed, only those whom Allah The Almighty protects, are saved from that and from being overcome by apathy when treating one’s state of indifference. Treatment of apathy Allah The Almighty provided a remedy for every disease, apathy being one of the severest spiritual kind. When left unnoticed, it leads an inflicted person toward deviation and may very well cause his or her ultimate destruction. Hence, treatment is very important, by utilising every means that prevent the disease from occurring and eradicating it if it has already developed. The following are some of the most important means that would be useful in that regard: lAvoiding the causes that lead to this disease, which is the most crucial factor in helping safeguard a person from its evil. Moreover, it is necessary to realise the gravity of the illness and the significance of avoiding it, through precautionary measures or proper treatment. lSupplicating to Allah The Almighty and seeking His help, as He is the One Who responds to the prayer of the distressed; and indeed, whoever is afflicted in faith and fears destruction, is in the worst state of distress. Moreover, it is only He Whose help is sought in everything, as the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention ), commanded Mu‘aath, may Allah be pleased with him, to say at the end of every prayer: “Allaahumma a‘inni ‘alaa thikrika wa-shukrika wa-husni ‘ibaadatik (O Allah, Help me to remember [only] You, thank You and worship You perfectly).” lEnhancing, renewing and caring to increase one’s faith by intensifying worship, for this is the true provision of the believer that alleviates his or her suffering on the trying path to Paradise. lHaving confidence in the oversight of Allah the Almighty and increasing one’s remembrance of Him. This necessitates fearing, glorifying, loving and imploring Him, and believing in His knowledge and omnipotence. By invoking Him, one’s heart becomes tranquil; but, perhaps the greatest of all acts, is strengthening one’s bond with the Qur’an through frequent recitation, understanding, contemplation and application. Moreover, one is required to consider it as a judge and refer all issues and disputes to its authority; surely, the one who is not guided by the Qur’an will be led astray by his or her fancies. lSincerity and piety; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, if you fear Allah, He Will Grant you a criterion [between right and wrong].} [Qur’an 8:29] lPurifying hearts from animosity, rancour, jealousy and ill thoughts of others; this helps to open the heart and guard its integrity. lSeeking knowledge, as it is very important to attend religious lectures and circles of Thikr. Knowledge is the way to knowing and fearing Allah The Almighty, and it is the provision of one’s heart. lBeing moderate in worship and all righteous deeds. *Organising one’s time and constantly calling oneself to account. lAdhering to the society of Muslims and strengthening the ties of brotherhood. lMaintaining relations with those who may also be overcome by apathy and aiding them in avoiding deviation.  lHaving been brought up according to the comprehensive methodology of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, which is a deterrent to listlessness. lPerforming numerous good deeds and not the exact same ones. Thikr, recitation of the Qur’an, prayers, reading useful books, enjoining good, forbidding evil, helping others to fulfil their needs and relieving the troubled, are but a few examples. lFollowing the paradigm of the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, and the sincere preachers, in their zeal, punctuality and righteousness, steadfastness, noble aims and determination. A Muslim’s first concern should be Paradise and main purpose, seeking the satisfaction of Allah The Almighty by continuing to worship, until death arrives. lRemembering death frequently, fearing an evil demise, visiting the graves and seeing people in the throes of death. This urges a Muslim to repent without delay, have a content heart and a body yearning to worship. On the other hand, forgetting about death leads a person to adopt the opposite. lRemembering Paradise and Hell and reading their descriptions in the Qur’an and the Sunnah; this would strengthen the determination of a Muslim and sharpen his or her resolve. lIncreasing and carrying on in righteous deeds, while avoiding slackness. This is especially important with respect to routine acts of worship, because a person who abandons a voluntary deed is very close to leaving an obligation as well. lBeing patient and training oneself to be so. Undoubtedly, the way of knowledge, worship and Da’wah is lengthy, strenuous and full of troubles and hardship. We seek the help of Allah The Almighty to keep us steadfast on His religion and grant us a good end. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ ‘Tawheed’ and ‘Adl’, Unity and Justice Allah’s Tawheed or Unity is central to the Qur’anic message, and with that unity comes perfect justice. The idea that everything in this world, indeed everything in all of the many worlds that surround us in space and time, and perhaps other dimensions as well, stems from a single source, is a powerful message of unity. Since all of us, and everything around us, are creations of the one Creator – Allah, we must respect the hidden unity that links the many to The One, and recognise that whatever we do to that which is outside of ourselves, we are ultimately doing to ourselves. If we abuse other people, we abuse ourselves—though the full effects of that abuse may not be apparent until the last day. Likewise, if we abuse nature, we also abuse ourselves, and the consequences of that abuse will in the end be fully felt, and perfect justice dispensed by Allah when we return to Him. Those who reject this knowledge rationalise their behaviour by saying, “Well, I’m not going to curb my wasteful lifestyle now, because this catastrophe you’re predicting probably won’t happen during my lifetime.” They do not believe that they will suffer the full consequences of their own actions. But the Qur’an stands as a clear warning that this is not the case, amplifying the inner voice of conscience Allah built into our deepest nature: “Then each will see what he had done in the past; and they will turn to Allah, their true Lord, and all the lies they had fabricated will be of no avail to them.” [Qur’an, 10:30]  Zuhd, “Renunciation, asceticism” Zuhd is an especially hard word to translate into English because the closest cognate, asceticism, carries traces of Christian attempts to “mortify the flesh.” Mortification implies self-torture aimed at making us feel revulsion for our physical, earthbound existence. Islam, however, has no such tradition of self-torture. Instead, Zuhd describes a balanced, judicious approach to abstaining from excesses of ease, comfort and pleasure-seeking, in order to detach the soul from potential addictions and instead turn towards Allah. The wise detachment of Zuhd is meant to be practiced not just by a few self-flagellating monks in hair shirts, but by each and every Muslim. That is why Ramadan is a universal requirement, not an option: Fasting is a perfect lesson in moderation and self-control, as well as compassion for the less-fortunate. This moderate, universal Zuhd could, Allah willing, help us create a genuinely sustainable world, by healing the current order at both the spiritual and physical levels. (These two levels, of course, are intimately connected.) Zuhd teaches us that giving up our excesses is a blessing, not a curse—especially if we do it voluntarily, rather than waiting for Allah-given natural limits to do it for us. In practicing Zuhd, we are following a very important Sunnah. Though the leader of a powerful, rapidly-expanding community, the Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), lived and died in a small, hardly-furnished house, leaving behind virtually no material possessions. He was moderate in his consumption of food and drink, careful not to waste a drop of water when performing ablutions, fasted frequently, and prayed devoutly late into the night. Let us pray that humanity soon discovers the wisdom of his example. Fardh, ‘Obligation’ Islam prescribes certain specific obligations: prayer, fasting, bearing witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, paying alms giving, and performing pilgrimage are the best known. Fardh has been viewed by some scholars as involving general as well as specific obligations, that is, obligations from Allah that may not be specific enough to be enforceable by the community: being charitable, just, and merciful, remembering Allah, putting ones family, community, and planet ahead of oneself, and so on could be viewed as obligations in the general sense. In the more common, specifically legal sense of fardh, there are obligations incumbent on everyone (fardh al-’ayn) and others that can be fulfilled for the whole community by some of its members (fardh al-kifaayah). Because these obligations are from Allah, they demand to be taken seriously. Thus the Islamic world-view emphasises the notion of obligation, in contrast to the Western preoccupation with individualism and rights at the expense of obligations and responsibilities. The notion of obligation is obviously essential to any serious attempt to save our environment. If we are governed by the principle of individual “rights” we will not want to infringe on anyone’s “right” to consume more and more material goods—and to cut down forests, dig mines, exterminate animals, spew pollutants, and ravage ecosystems in pursuit of those goods. An ethic built on obligations before rights, like the Islamic ethic, seems better suited to a world in which areover 7bn people pursuing their “right” to unlimited material consumption will spell doom for the planet as a whole. In particular, the obligation of the fortunate to care for the less fortunate must be universally acknowledged if we are to limit planetary consumption in a humane, rational manner. Clearly the Islamic ethic of obligation is well suited to saving the world by correcting the unbalanced Western, and especially American, ethic of “rights” whose bottom line is the right of the wealthy and powerful to unlimited consumption of the planet’s resources. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

Slaves of Allah! Islam encourages making reconciliation between people in order to maintain good relations amongst the Muslims, to spread love and to keep the hearts of Muslims free from spite. Allah Says (what means): “So fear Allah and amend that which is between you” [Qur’an 8: 1]. Additionally, Islam ordains all that which spreads mutual love and frees the hearts from spite, as in the narration of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, who reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam (may Allah exalt his mention), said: “You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I guide to that which would make you love one another? Spread greetings (Salaam) abundantly amongst yourselves” [Muslim] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was asked: “Who are the best type of people?” He replied: “A person who is truthful in his speech and Makhmoom in his heart.” People asked: “We know what is truthful speech, but what is a Makhmoom heart?” The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, responded saying: “It is a pure pious heart that does not have envy, evil or spite.” [Ibn Maajah] Spite has greatly increased amongst people today, resulting in the severing of relations and in people holding grudges against each other. This is in spite of the fact that Allah has made legislations, which would prevent this from happening. For example, a Muslim is allowed to request a fellow Muslim who wants to visit him to return at a later time. In normal situations, people would not appreciate someone not allowing them entry when they visit them, but since Allah The All-Knowing, knows that people might have certain circumstances that would not allow them to receive visitors, He legislated this to protect people’s hearts from holding grudges due to this. Allah Says (what means): “And if it is said to you, ‘Go back (Or a similar expression showing that the occupants are not prepared to receive visitors)’ then go back; it is purer for you” [Qur’an 24: 28]. This is a way to console the person who was not granted permission to enter, lest he feels insulted or saddened, and a means to protect the hearts from spite. This is why some of the Salaf, may Allah have mercy upon them, used to be happy when they went visiting someone and were not permitted in, because they sought the consequence of returning mentioned in the above verse – which is the promise of becoming purer (i.e. in their hearts). Having pure hearts that are free from spite is a bounty and a blessing from Allah which He grants to the dwellers of Paradise upon their entry into it. Allah Says (what means): “And We will remove whatever is in their chests of resentment (i.e. ill will or ill feelings towards one another), [so they will be] brothers, on thrones facing each other.” [Qur’an 15: 47] In addition to a pure heart being a blessing and a bounty from Allah, it is also a source of comfort. This is why Islam puts great emphasis on purification of the heart from spite, so that people can live together in peace and harmony. The great importance attached to this issue is because it is a difficult state to achieve all the time. A person may have a strong will which enables him to wake up in the middle of the night to offer optional night prayers, but he may not be strong enough to overcome some of his bad feelings towards his fellow Muslims. Undoubtedly, this quality is a praiseworthy one indeed; Allah praised the Ansaar (i.e. the residents of Madinah) for possessing such a quality saying (which means): “They [i.e. the Ansaar] find not any [ill] feelings in their chests [i.e. hearts] of what they were given [i.e. the Muhaajireen – emigrants from Makkah] but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation.” [Qur’an 59: 9] When Allah favoured the Muhaajireen with certain things, the Ansaar did not feel any objection to this, nor did they harbour any ill feelings or envy towards their brothers in faith for being distinguished with these favours. Instead, they favoured them over their own selves with whatever they had, even if they themselves were in need of what they offered. The following great story reflects the rank of possessing a pure heart that is free from spite, and that it is a blessing from Allah. Anas Ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: “We were sitting with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, once when he said: ‘A man from the dwellers of Paradise will walk in now’ so a man from the Ansaar (i.e. residents of Madinah) walked in whose beard was dripping from the effect of ablution and who held his slippers with his left hand. The next day the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said the same thing, and the same man walked in. On the third day, the Prophet said the same thing, and the same man once again walked in. When the Prophet left the gathering, ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr followed that man and said to him: ‘I had a misunderstanding with my father and swore not to stay in his house three nights, so if you permit me I would like to spend these three nights with you.’ The man said: ‘Yes, I permit you.’”  Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, added: “ ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr told us that he spent three nights and did not notice that the man prayed the optional night prayers during any of these nights, but if he woke up during the night, he would simply mention Allah. Nonetheless, I never heard him utter except good things, so when the three nights finished, I almost belittled his deeds (as they were insignificant) and I said to him: ‘O slave of Allah! There was not dispute between me and my father or anger, but I heard the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, saying thrice: “A man from the dwellers of Paradise will walk in now” and you walked in all three times, so I wanted to sleep in your place to see what you do in order to imitate you, but I did not see that you exert extra effort in performing any extra deeds. How did you reach such a status to deserve what the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said about you?’ He replied: ‘My deeds are nothing more than what you saw.’ Then when I left, he called me back in and said: ‘My deeds are nothing more than what you saw, but the only thing I do is that I do not hold any grudge against any Muslim or envy anyone for what bounties Allah has granted them’. Thereupon ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr said to him: “This difficult quality to obtain is what granted you this rank”.  [Ahmad] It is not an easy task for someone to maintain a heart free from spite and hold no grudges against anyone. On the other hand, it is not an impossible mission either, and can be achieved with training, practice and constant striving. The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, were very keen to remove any bad feelings from the hearts of their brothers towards them. ‘Aa’ith Ibn ‘Amr al-Muzani, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “Abu Sufyaan passed by Salmaan, Suhayb and Bilaal and some other Companions (after the conquest of Makkah, when he was still a disbeliever). They said to him: “The swords of Allah did not exact their due from the foes of Allah?’’ Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said to them: “Do you speak like this to the chief of the Quraysh and their master?’’ Then he went to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and related this to him. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “O Abu Bakr! Perhaps you have angered them. If so, you have angered your Lord”. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, rushed back to them and said: “O my brothers! Did I offend you?’’ They replied: “No. May Allah forgive you, brother”. [Muslim] This proves that a person must rush to make amends and apologise for his actions, if he fears that a fellow Muslim was offended or his feelings were hurt, to make sure his brother’s heart remains pure towards him. The one who is being apologised to must accept without delay and comfort his brother, and assure him that he is not holding any grudge against him and supplicate for him as the Companions did with Abu Bakr. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ The meaning of the dual testimony of faith Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and on his household and all of his Companions. HOW many times have you heard or even said the following words? Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha illallah wa ashadu anna Muhammadar Rasoolullah. [I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah]. Yes indeed, it is the two-part testimony or declaration of faith by which the one who utters it enters into the fold of Islam. More importantly however, is whether you as a listener or as the one who has made this declaration have really considered the meaning of this great declaration and its implications for the one who utters it?  Importance of Understanding the Testimony  This testimony of faith is the foundation upon which Islam is based. The concept of life, the universe and man is diffused from it, and upon it is based the message of all Messengers (‘alaihimus salaam) beginning with Noah (‘alaihi salaam) and ending with Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), peace be upon them all. The first half of the testimony constitutes what is also known as al-kalima, which literally means ‘the word’ Laa ilaaha illallah. Allah the Exalted says: We did not send a Messenger before you without revealing to him: ‘There is no God worthy of being worshipped except I, therefore worship Me’ [Al-Anbiyaa - 21:25] The Testimony Comprises Two Pillars: Denial and Affirmation 1. The first half of this first part Laa ilaaha – There is no Ilaah (deity) – denies everyone and everything other than Allah, the Exalted, the attribute of divinity. This is known as nafy (negation) in Arabic. 2. The second half of this declaration illallah (except Allah) affirms and restricts divinity to Allah alone. That is, the slave must believe that Allah is the only true God, and therefore must not dedicate any act of worship to other than Allah. This is known in Arabic as ithbaat (affirmation). Conditions of the First Half of the Declaration  Confessing the testimony of faith must be coupled with fulfilling its seven conditions. Every door has a key that unlocks it. These conditions may be analogised with the teeth of that key in order that it function properly. Though one may have indeed entered Islam upon uttering the words it can also be said that complete faith cannot be attained unless he fully understands the implications of his testimony.  1. Knowledge which negates Ignorance. Allah states: So know [O Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)] that La ilaaha Illa-Allah. (There is no God but Allah). [Q 47:19]. The more a believer knows about Allah and His Deen the less likely is he to fall prey to the traps of Satan and more likely to benefit himself and others. 2. Certainty which negates Doubt. Only those are the believers who have believed in Allah and His Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and afterward doubt not but strive with their wealth and their lives in the Cause of Allah. They are the truthful. [Al-Hujuraat - 49:15]. The declaration should be made with the fullest conviction and confidence that Allah is One and Alone and Islam is indeed the true religion. 3. Sincerity and purity of intent which negates Shirk. Surely the religion (i.e. worship and obedience) is for Allah only. [Az-Zumar - 39:3]. No deed will be accepted if it is not done with pure intent and aim to please Allah. 4. Truthfulness which negates Hypocrisy. Do people think that they will be left alone because they say ‘We believe’ and will not be tested? And we indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make known those who are true and will certainly make known those who are liars. [Al-Ankabut - 29:2,3]. It is very simple for one to feign belief but it is Allah who indeed knows the inner truthfulness of all who claim to believe in Him. 5. Love and devotion which negates disdain of Allah’s religion. And to mankind are some who take some (associates for worship) besides Allah as rivals; they love them as they love Allah. But those who believe love Allah more (than anything else). [Al-Baqarah - 2:165]. Loving Allah necessitates that the believer put full trust in him and loves all that he learns of what Allah has commanded and forbidden. Therefore the true believer loves each and every aspect of Islam and he loves those others who likewise do so. 6. Submission which negates Disobedience. And turn in repentance to your Lord and submit to Him in Islam. [Az-Zumar 39:54]. To willfully disobey when Allah’s commands have been made clear is to belie the declaration of faith. 7. Acceptance which negates Rejection or Denial. Truly when it was said to them: ‘There is no God except Allah’, they puffed themselves up with pride (i.e. denied it). And (they) said : ‘Are we going to abandon our gods for the sake of a mad poet? [As-Saffaat 37:35-36]. There can be nothing but full acceptance of the truth of the declaration. Partial acceptance is like no acceptance at all.  The Second Half of the Testimony: Muhammadan Rasoolullah This is the declaration that “Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is the Messenger of Allah”. This second part of the testimony of faith is no less important than the first. In fact. It is impossible for one to be a true believer in the first part without also believing in the second. It necessitates belief in the following: 1. Total submission to Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) in whatever he ordered. Allah states: But no, by your Lord, they can have no faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions and accept them with full submission. [Q4:65] and He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah [Q4:80]  2 . Avoiding what he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) forbade. And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad), gives you, take it and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it). [Al-Hashr 59:7].  3. Believing in all those matters he informed us about. The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him form his Lord and so do the believers [Q 2:285]  4. Loving the Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). The Prophet has said about himself None of you truly believes until I am more beloved to him than his parents [lit. father], his children [lit. son] and all of mankind. [Al-Bukhari] A Sobering Thought Allah states: O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of glad tidings and a Warner. And as one who invites to Allah (i.e, to worship Him Alone) by His Leave and as a Lamp spreading Light (through your instructions). [Al-Ahzaab - 33:45, 46]   In an age when there is actually controversy over whether or not a Muslim must actually obey Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) and adhere to his way, no true Muslim should remain ignorant of the great meanings contained within the two-part testimony by which one joins this great Deen of Islam. It may well be true as is said by some “There are many who have been Muslims for all of their lives who are really in need of taking the Shahaadatain all over again.” The Prophet Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is the one who brought us Islam in its final form and exemplified it in his speech and character. Though him (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) Allah has spread His light all over this earth and surely in such a dark place as the world can at times be, there is nothing more needed than a beacon to show us the way. Matters that lead to spite, and envy When people went to visit Abu Dujaanah, may Allah be pleased with him, in his death sickness, they saw him happy and his face radiant; they asked him about the reason, to which he may Allah be pleased with him replied: “I have two qualities I possessed in my life; one is that I never interfered in that which did not concern me, and the second is that I always had a pure heart, free from spite towards my fellow Muslims”. Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah mercy upon him, was another great example in this matter. Some people of knowledge of his time who envied him, spoke ill of him to the Caliph who commanded him to be imprisoned; yet while he was in prison he, may Allah mercy upon him, sent a letter to his students saying: “You know very well that I do not like to see anyone from the common Muslims getting hurt because of me, let alone the people of knowledge. People are three types: one who strives to do what is correct but fails, and such will be rewarded for striving to do what is right and will be pardoned for failing as he tried; another is one who strives to do what is correct and succeeds, and such will be rewarded twice, once for striving to do what is right and another for achieving such a goal; the third type is a person who is a sinner, and we ask Allah to forgive him. I will not forgive any of you if you start talking about anyone who was the cause of my imprisonment”. Not only that, but Allah Willed that Sultan An-Naasir, may Allah have mercy upon him, became the Caliph and wanted to take revenge from the people who were the cause of his imprisonment, but Imaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah mercy upon him, refused and continued to talk to the Caliph and admonish him about the quality of forgiveness and tolerance, until he changed his mind and let them go unharmed. Jaabir, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, saying: “The devil has despaired of being worshipped by those who engage in prayer in the Arabian Peninsula but (has not lost hope) in creating dissension among them.” [Muslim] This was a statement made by the Messenger of Allah while addressing his Companions. Satan strives very hard to instil spite in the hearts of the believers towards one another, hence, we must avoid anything that could be the means or cause of enmity or spite. We must know that Satan is the source of spite and envy. Moreover, spite, dispute and envy are the reasons for one’s good deeds being rejected: Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “People’s deeds are presented before Allah on Mondays and Thursdays, and then every slave (of Allah) is granted forgiveness (of minor sins) if he does not associate anything with Allah in worship. But the person in whose heart there is rancour against his brother, will not be pardoned. With regard to them, it is said twice: ‘Hold these two until they are reconciled’. ‘Hold these two until they are reconciled.’” [Muslim] In fact, this was the reason why the exact night on which the night of Al-Qadr falls was not disclosed to the people. The matter is even graver than this, as indicated in the following narration. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “It is not lawful for a Muslim to forsake his (Muslim) brother beyond three days; and whosoever does so for more than three days, and then dies, will certainly enter the Hell.” [Abu Daawood]  We ask Allah to purify our hearts from spite and grudges. One of the main things that leads to having a spiteful heart is backbiting and tale bearing. These two evil qualities often result in hatred and severing of ties amongst people. Therefore, a Muslim must control his tongue and not allow himself to talk about others, backbite or slander them. Allah Says (what means): “And do not backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would detest it” [Qur’an 49: 12] Another matter that results in spite is disputes and arguments, thus people must beware of this bad quality. People can hold different opinions but do not have to become enemies due to this. Yoosuf As-Sadafi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “I never saw anyone wiser than Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee. I argued with him once about a matter but we could not come to an agreement, so when he saw me later, he took hold of my hand and said: ‘O Abu Moosaa! Can’t we disagree and remain brothers?’” Prejudice and partiality –  whether to one’s opinion, a group or a person – also lead to spite creeping into the heart. Competing over worldly matters results in spite in most cases; this is why Islam forbade a person from attempting to buy something that his Muslim brother has already started negotiating about, or proposing to a woman who a fellow Muslim has approached earlier. The reason for this is that Islam tries to prevent all the possible reasons that could engender spite and hatred. The zeal of attaining high posts and positions makes a person envious; Al-Fudhayl Ibn ‘Iyaadh, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Striving to reach high posts and positions and leadership makes people envious and leads them to transgressing other people’s rights.” There is another matter that people neglect, which has a direct connection to this issue: straightening the rows during prayer. Nu’maan Ibn Basheer, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Straighten your rows (during prayer) or Allah would create dissension amongst you”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Joking too much with people and two people talking in seclusion in the presence of a third are more reasons for spite amongst Muslims, which we must be careful to avoid. There are certain things a person can do to prevent spite and spread love instead, like supplicating for others and giving them gifts. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

There are certain deeds that should never be neglected, which affect the heart permanently. Yet, some people, due to their weakness in faith, may be careless and may not perform them regularly. One deed of the heart is to have constant hope in the kindness, generosity and favours of Allah The Almighty. One should be optimistic and never lose hope in the bounty of Allah The Almighty, which He bestows on whom He wills. However, this hope should be coupled with a reason, or means, for one to feel that it will be realised. Thus, one should keep performing good deeds that give one the opportunity to harbour hope in the generosity and kindness of Allah The Almighty, for if these means are not present, then it is mere wishful thinking on one’s part. Hope is not for a person who is lazy and does not endeavour to remain upon the path of those who strive and exert great efforts. Such a person is just like someone who wants to grow plants and see them bearing fruit, without bothering to cultivate or water the seeds. Is this person equal to another, who digs the soil, plants the seeds and waters them carefully and regularly? Only the latter can realistically hope that his plants will grow fruitful. This is also the case regarding hope for the bestowal of the mercy and bounty of Allah The Almighty. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {It [i.e. Paradise] is not [obtained] by your wishful thinking nor by that of the People of the Scripture.} [Qur’an, 4: 123] Moreover, it was said, “Faith is not wishful thinking, but rather, it is what is instilled in the heart and proven by good deeds.” Hope is necessary for those who are heading towards Allah The Almighty, because if a devout worshipper loses hope, then he is heading for ruin. A sincere Muslim hopes that Allah The Almighty will forgive his sins and that He will enable him to rectify a fault in himself. He hopes that Allah The Almighty will accepts his good deeds and hopes to draw closer to Allah The Almighty. Thus, hope is one of the most important means that one must possess in order to continue his journey towards Allah The Almighty with steadfastness, especially during the age of trials and tribulations we now live in. Hope is a means of steadfastness. It is the complete opposite of despair, and to feel despair is to give up on the mercy of Allah The Almighty, which is a sin in itself, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people.} [Qur’an, 12: 87] This was the advice of Prophet Ya’qoob, may Allah exalt his mention, to his sons. How does one achieve hope? • By remembering the past favours of Allah The Almighty on you. • By remembering the promise of great rewards from Allah The Almighty, and remembering His generosity and kindness towards his slaves, especially when his slaves do not even ask Him for them and are unworthy of receiving them. The slave will continue receiving all these blessings and favours as long as he remains upon the straight path. • By remembering the bounties of Allah The Almighty with regards to one’s faith, body, and life in general. • By remembering the great mercy of Allah The Almighty and that His mercy precedes His wrath, and that He is the entirely Merciful, the especially Merciful; that He is Kind and Compassionate. Thus, acquiring hope in Allah The Almighty can be achieved by knowing His Names and Attributes. Those whose hearts are alive recognise the fallacy of this world, and realise that this life is like a field in which they plant seeds for the Hereafter. The similitude of the heart is like that of the earth. Just as the earth must have seeds sown in it for it to yield fruits, the heart requires acts of obedience to make it flourish and remain alive. Just as the earth requires continuous attention, watering, digging, and so on, the heart requires continuous attention; it is enlivened by its obedience of Allah The Almighty. Just as the earth needs maintenance like removing harmful weeds from around the plants, the heart needs to be purified from doubts and desires, lest they ruin the fruits of one’s acts of obedience, which have been irrigated with the water of servitude. It is rare for one to benefit from his faith if his heart is full of evil, just as seeds cannot grow in saline water or a swamp. The slave’s hope can be compared to that of a farmer’s. Only if a farmer seeks good, fertile soil, sows quality seeds in it, waters it and takes good care of it, can he then wait for the favour of Allah The Almighty. This is real hope. On the other hand, if the farmer were to implant his seeds in a swampy, slanted area where water cannot reach, it would be ridiculous of him to expect any result or hope for anything to grow there. Also, if the farmer were to plant good seeds in good soil, but it is above ground level and on a hilly slope so that water cannot reach it; he certainly cannot hope for plants to grow there, but he might indulge in wishful thinking. Hope means waiting eagerly for results after one has exerted all efforts and employed all possible means available to them. Therefore, one should exert oneself in performing acts of obedience and worship and then wait for the bounties from Allah The Almighty to make him steadfast, to protect him from deviating until he dies, and to guard him from misguidance until he leaves this world and meets a Lord Who is pleased with him. The person with hope is someone who has been consistent in his acts of obedience and fulfils the implications of faith. He hopes that Allah The Almighty will not cause him to stray from the straight path; he hopes that Allah The Almighty will accept his good deeds and not reject them; he hopes that Allah The Almighty will reward him doubly. This is a person who can be said to have exerted all possible efforts, and who can then hope for the mercy of his Lord. Conversely, someone who habitually indulges in immoral acts, fails to water his heart with obedience, and does not curb his pleasures and lusts, and then hopes for the forgiveness and mercy of Allah The Almighty, is a deceived fool. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And there followed them successors who inherited the Scripture [while] taking the commodities [i.e. unlawful gains and pleasures] of this lower life and saying, ‘It will be forgiven for us.’} [Qur’an, 7: 169] In the Qur’an, Allah The Almighty tells us what the ungrateful disbeliever said, whom Allah The Almighty blessed with a garden: (what means): {I do not think the Hour will occur. And even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return.} [Qur’an, 18: 36] This was a case of wishful thinking on his part. Hope is a cure that two types of people require: 1. Those who have reached the state of despairing from the mercy of Allah The Almighty, to the point that they have given up worshipping Him, concluding that it is fruitless and useless. 2. Those whose fear has overwhelmed them to the point that they have caused harm upon themselves and their families; such fear transgresses the limits permitted in Islam, and thus these people must correct themselves and be balanced by also having hope in Allah The Almighty. Talking to some people about hope can cure and motivate them; however, it does not cure those deceived sinners who think that they possess hope, but in fact are only wishful thinkers because they wish for the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty whilst not doing enough acts of worship. Talking about hope with such people would only cause an increase in their transgression and make them stray even further. The only way to help them is to severely admonish them into refraining from sinning – which is a very important point that we must all pay attention to. Some of the scholars said, “The person admonishing others should be kind and look to the areas of weakness and disease in people and address them, aiming to cure each person according to his level and situation; but nowadays, one should not address matters from the hope perspective, but rather exaggerate in terrifying them. The admonisher should only mention the virtues of having hope and how one can attain it in order to attract the hearts.” Thus, one should scare people, but not to the level of making them feel despair, as ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, “The true scholar is the one who does not make people give up on the mercy of Allah, nor make them feel secure from His wrath.” Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Hope – the most sublime  rank for the followers The believers’ relationship with their Lord is characterised both by fear and hope, such that the former deters them from sins and disobedience, whereas the latter drives them towards good deeds. Ibn Al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “Hoping for the reward of Allah is one of the most supreme and honourable ranks of one who pursues the right path. Allah The Almighty praises those [who do that], when He Says (what means): {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.} [Qur’an 33:21] It was also narrated in a Hadith Qudsi, that Allah The Almighty Says: ‘O son of Adam, If you supplicate to Me, expecting My forgiveness, I will forgive you however great or many your sins may be.’ When a person has hope, it means that he or she is bound and attached to these names of his or her Lord: ‘The Benevolent, The Beneficent’. The more one knows Allah The Almighty, His names, attributes and the dominance of His mercy over His wrath, the more his or her hope increases [in Him]. Had it not been for hope, the servitude of the heart and organs [to Allah] would have ceased, and monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where the name of Allah is frequently mentioned, would have been demolished. If not for the spirit of hope, [our] limbs would not have performed acts of obedience, and neither would the ships of good deeds have sailed in the seas of will without its pleasant breeze.” Similarly, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “If a believer [truly] knew of the punishment of Allah, no one would expect His Paradise. Equally, were a disbeliever to know of the [actual] mercy of Allah, none would despair of His Paradise.” ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, remarked, “The most encouraging verse in the Qur’an is in the Chapter Az-Zumar (The Groups); Allah The Almighty Says (what means), {Say, “O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”} [Qur’an 39:53]” One of those who visited Maalik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy upon him, during the night in which he died, asked him, “O Abu ‘Abdullah, how do you find yourself?” He, may Allah have mercy upon him, answered, “I do not know what to say to you except that you will soon see [aspects] of the clemency of Allah that you have never expected.” Glory be to Allah The Almighty! If those who turn away from Him only know how He waits for their return and how Merciful He is to them, they will long for Him enormously. Indeed, if this is His will towards such people, how will He be to those who draw near to Him? ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mubaarak approached Sufyaan Ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy upon them both, on the night of [standing in] ‘Arafah, and found him kneeling [in prayer], as his eyes overflowed with tears; he asked, “Who is the worst person in this gathering [in the plains of ‘Arafah]?’ Sufyaan Ath-Thawri, may Allah have mercy upon him, replied: “Whoever thinks that Allah will not forgive their sins [i.e., of the people who are present].’” On a similar night, Al-Fudhayl ibn ‘Iyaadh, may Allah have mercy upon him, observed people’s glorification [of Allah The Almighty] and their crying, so he asked those around him: “If those people went to a man and requested one-sixth of a dirham from him, would he let them return empty-handed?” When they replied in the negative, he commented: “By Allah, pardoning is easier for Allah than [that].” Therefore, I implore Allah The Almighty, seeking His forgiveness, knowing fully that He absolves and forgives; even if people’s sins are great, they are minor in comparison to His mercy. Hence, a slave should have much hope in Him, especially when he or she is on the verge of death. Allah The Almighty Says, as narrated in a Hadith: “I am [to him or her] as My slave thinks of Me.” That is why, perhaps, when Waathilah ibn Al-Asqa’, may Allah be pleased with him, went to see Yazeed ibn al-Aswad, may Allah have mercy upon him, as he lay dying, he asked him, “What is your expectation about Allah?” The latter replied: “My sins have brought me to the brink of ruin, but I hope for the mercy of Allah.” So, Waathilah, may Allah be pleased with him, [happily] exclaimed “Allah is The Greatest”, and then said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, say: ‘Allah The Almighty Says: ‘I am as My slave thinks of Me, so let him think of Me what he wants’.’” For the same reason, when Sulaymaan At-Taymi, may Allah have mercy upon him, was dying, he instructed his son: “O Mu‘tamir, talk to me about exemptions [in Islam], so that I may meet Allah while having good expectations of Him.” Hope prompts one to do good deeds It is witnessed as a reality in life that many neglect good deeds and dare to commit evil and sins, claiming that they trust in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah The Almighty. Undoubtedly, this is a misunderstanding of the true meaning of hope. The words of Al-Hasan al-Basri, may Allah have mercy upon him, are applicable to such people mentioned above; he says: “There are people whose confidence in forgiveness diverts them from doing what is moral, so much so that they die with no virtues. They proclaim: ‘we have good expectation of Allah’. Surely, they are liars, for if they had hope [in Him], they would have done good [to support their claim].” Allah The Almighty is indeed the most Forgiving, Ever Merciful; however, I would like to draw your attention, dear reader, to the subtle meaning embedded in the verse (which means): {Indeed, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah - those expect the mercy of Allah. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Qur’an 2:218]. Contemplate how this verse alludes to these people hoping for the mercy of Allah The Almighty alongside doing those great noble deeds. Dear Muslim, let us, then, do good and repent from our sins and evil which we have committed. Let us repeat the words of Mahmood al-Warraaq, may Allah have mercy upon him: “O Allah, I have much hope in Your forgiveness and You [alone] manage my affairs. I have concealed my secrets from my relatives and others; You are the only One to Whom I disclose them as I am confident that You will veil them. O Allah! Do not fail me on the Day of Resurrection when all hidden matters will be exposed. O Allah, do not reveal my secrets before people; Your protection will provide me with an argument [for my forgiveness], even though I have no basis for contention or a real excuse.” Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ The benefits of  hoping for the best Having hope in Allah The Almighty bears fruit to the following: lIt makes one strive more and exert greater effort in performing acts of worship. lIt makes one even more inclined to be constantly obedient to Allah The Almighty. *It makes one enjoy drawing closer to Allah The Almighty, and makes one experience the thrill of supplicating to Him. lIt makes one express his servitude to and need for his Lord, and makes him realise that he cannot do without the favours and kindness of his Lord, even for a period that is as rapid as the blinking of an eye. l Allah The Almighty loves that His slaves ask favours of Him and supplicate to Him; He is angered by those who shun supplicating and asking Him. The one with hope usually supplicates much more than others who are not, and Allah The Almighty is angry with those who do not harbour any hope in the mercy and kindness of Allah The Almighty. Thus having hope rescues one from the wrath of Allah The Almighty. lHope is what makes the person enjoy his journey towards Allah The Almighty and the Hereafter; it makes him steadfast upon the path because had it not been that people hoped for Paradise and that their rewards be multiplied, then nobody would have been able to continue on their path towards Allah The Almighty and the Hereafter. lIt makes one increase in his love for his Lord, because the more he gets what he asked and hoped for, the more his love for his Lord will increase and the more grateful he becomes to his Lord – which is one of the implications of the state of servitude. lHope makes one reach the state of being thankful; which is what servitude is all about. lHope makes one research more into the Names and Attributes of Allah The Almighty. lHope is interconnected with fear of Allah The Almighty, because the one who hopes for the mercy of Allah The Almighty and His Paradise will fear that he may not be doing enough to be worthy of them; this is indeed a wonderful relationship between the two different states of the believer’s heart: hope and fear. lWhen one hopes for something and Allah The Almighty grants it to him, this encourages him to ask for more and strive harder to please Allah The Almighty, which consequently increases his level of faith and brings him close to the All-Merciful. lThe more hope that slaves harbour during this life, the more they will rejoice when attaining what they have hoped for in the Hereafter, and the best and highest of all causes for rejoicing is seeing Allah The Almighty and attaining His pleasure. Furthermore, Allah The Almighty wishes that His slaves fulfil the other ranks of servitude, such as humbling themselves before Him, relying on Him in everything, seeking His support, fearing Him, persevering through His decrees and thanking Him for His bounties. Thus, Allah The Almighty decreed that people sin in order for him to fulfil these ranks, so His slaves seek the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty and humble themselves before Him in order to be forgiven. If people did not sin, they would not feel the need to humble themselves before Him or seek His forgiveness, nor would they repent to Him; this is why Allah The Almighty tests people with these sins, in order to purify their hearts by this humility and seeking His pardon. Thus, a very important aspect of servitude is fulfilled. After the slave sins, he humbles himself before Allah The Almighty, and then begins to have hope that Allah The Almighty will forgive his sin. This results in the slave’s heart becoming more attached to his Lord. There are three types of hope, two of which are praised and one dispraised: 1. The hope of an obedient person who hopes for the reward from Allah The Almighty. 2. The hope of a sinful person who hopes for the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty. 3. The hope of a negligent person who continuously sins and then hopes for the forgiveness of Allah The Almighty, without exerting any effort to attain His forgiveness. This is a false hope and wishful thinking, which deceives no one but the one who harbours it; it is by no means considered to be real hope in Allah The Almighty.

Muslims must fear Allah and take lessons from what Allah has told us in the Qur’an regarding the Prophets and Messengers of Allah and the previous nations. Allah said (which means): “Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding. It (the Qur’an) is not a forged statement, but a confirmation of Allah’s existing books (the Torah, the Injeel, and other Scriptures of Allah), a detailed explanation of everything, and a guide and a mercy for the people who believe.” (Yusuf 12: 111) And among the stories that Allah has narrated to us in His Book is what happened in Allah’s month,(1) the sacred month of Muharram,(2) and that is the story of Prophet Moosa, and Pharaoh the tyrant of Egypt, in the Qur’an, Allah tells us this story, which means, “We recite to you some of the news of Moosa and Pharaoh in truth, for a people who believe (i.e. those who believe (ie those who believe in this Qur’an and in the Oneness of Allah). Verily, Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people sects, weakening (oppressing) a group (Bani Israa’eel) among them, killing their sons and letting their females live. Verily, he was of the mufsidoon (those who commit great sins and crimes, oppressors and tyrants). And We wished to do a favour for those who were weak (and oppressed) in the land, and to make them rulers and to make them the inheritors, and rulers and to make them the inheritors, and to establish them in the land, and We let Pharaoh and Haamaan (a minister of Pharaoh) and their hosts receive from them that which they feared.” (Al-Qasas 28:3-6) Pharaoh dominated the nation of Israa’eel and enslaved them, killing their newborn sons but letting their females live. The reason he committed this criminal act was the fear of the truth coming out from one of those newborn males. The nation of Israa’eel used to know, according to what came to them from Prophet Ibraheem, that someone from his lineage would destroy the king of Egypt. These glad tidings were famous among the nation of Israa’eel; and the news of it was made known to Pharaoh. Pharaoh ordered his soldiers to kill all newborn boys of the nation of Israa’eel; on order to secure himself from destruction. However, all of the precautions that he made were not enough to protect him from what Allah wanted, which was for this newborn boy to be raised in the house of Pharaoh. The will of Allah cannot be stopped by any precautions and His ability conquers anything. So Allah chose for the Prophet Moosa to be born safely, to be saved from being killed, and also to be raised in Pharaoh’s own home under the protection of Allah until he was an adult. Later Moosa accidentally killed a person from Pharaoh’s people. Moosa was afraid that he would be captured and be killed for this, so he fled to the land of Madyan and abided there for some time. He married there and then returned to Egypt. On the way back Allah talked to him (by wahy)(3) revelation and told him he was a prophet and the Messenger to Pharaoh. Allah told him many signs by which he will be known as the prophet of Allah and they would show that he was a true prophet. Moosa went to Pharaoh and showed him the signs of Allah but Pharaoh was arrogant and stubborn. Allah says (which means): “Has there come to you the story of Moosa? When his Lord called him in the Valley of Tuwaa. ‘Go to Pharaoh, verily he has transgressed all bounds (in crimes, sins, polytheism and disbelief). And say to hi, ‘Would you purify yourself (from the sin of disbelief and by becoming a believer). And that I guide you to your Lord, so you should fear him?’ Then (Moosa) showed him the great signs (miracles). But (Pharaoh) belied and disobeyed; then he turned his back, striving hard against (Allah). Then he gathered his people and cried aloud, saying, ‘I am you lord, most high.’’’(An-Naazi’aat 79: 15-24) Pharaoh claimed that the signs Moosa brought were only magic and that he had magic that would overtake the magic of Moosa. So Pharaoh gathered magicians from his kingdom and they presented their magic, and Moosa presented what he had from the signs, which Allah had given him. Allah said (which means):  “Thus truth was confirmed, and all that they did was made of no effect. So they were defeated there and then, and were returned disgraced. And the sorcerers fell down prostrate. They said, ‘We believe in the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (i.e. all that exists), the Lord of Moosa and Haaroon (Aaron).’” (Al-A’araf 7: 118-122) At that time Pharaoh decided to try a different plan - fear, force and retaliation. Allah told Moosa to get every believer out of Egypt and direct them to where Allah would tell him. Pharaoh gathered his army and forces, which were around one million soldiers according to the seerah, and he chased Moosa and his people, hoping to destroy them completely. Moosa ended up at the sea with Pharaoh and his army behind him. The believers were afraid because the sea was in front of them and the enemy was behind them. Allah says (which means):  “And when the two hosts saw each other, the people of Moosa, said, ‘We are sure to be overtaken. (Moosa) said, ‘Nay, verily! With me is my Lord and He will guide me!’” (Ash-Shu’araa 26: 61-62) Whoever is close to Allah, Allah will never let him down or leave him on his own. Allah ordered Moosa to strike the sea with his staff. Moosa did so and the sea opened up for them to cross: Allah says (which means):  “And indeed We inspired Moosa (saying): ‘Travel by night with ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) and strike a dry path for them in the sea, fearing neither to be overtaken (by Pharaoh) nor being afraid (of drowning).” (Taaha 20: 77) Moosa walked across the path that opened in the sea and the last of his people left the sea and every soldier of Pharaoh’s army was inside the path. At this time Allah ordered the sea to collapse upon them, drowning Pharaoh and his army. That was the victory of the truth over falsehood. The promise of Allah was true - He made the people of Moosa victorious over Pharaoh and his army. From this story we see how the truth is victorious, regardless of the size or seeming power of falsehood. Falsehood has its own limited time, but the truth is always victorious. This story should enrich the hearts of the believers and make them steadfast in the face of their enemies, regardless of size or seeming power of their enemies.  The believer should also benefit from this story by understanding that the people of falsehood claim that they are on the right path and are calling people to the truth. In fact, the opposite is true-they rely on lies and deception. Pharaoh said to his people: “I guide you only to the path of right policy!” (Ghaafir 40:29) But he was a liar. From this story we also see that whoever knows the truth and truly believes in it will not lose, regardless of what he or she endures of torment, torture or even death. An example is of the magicians. When they knew the truth, they believed in Allah and in the message of Moosa. Allah says (which means):  “So the magicians fell down prostrate. They said, ‘We believe in the Lord of Haaroon and Moosa.’” (Taaha 20:70). Pharaoh threatened to crucify them, but they were strong in their belief and refused to return to disbelief after believing. Allah said (which means): “Pharaoh said, ‘Believe you in him (Moosa) before I give you permission? Verily! He is your chief who taught you magic. So surely I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm-trees, and you shall; know which of us, (I, Pharaoh) or the Lord of Moosa (Allah) can give the severe and more lasting torment.’ They said, ‘We prefer you not over the clear signs that have come to us, and to Him (Allah) who created us. So decree whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decree (regarding) this life of the world.’ ‘Verily! We have believed in our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults, and the magic to which you did compel us. And Allah is better (as regards in comparison to your punishment).’ Verily! Whoever comes to his Lord as a mujrim (criminal, sinner, polytheist, disbeliever in the oneness of Allah and in His messengers) then surely, for him is Hell, therein he will neither die nor live.  But whoever comes to Him (Allah) as a believer (in the oneness of Allah) and has done righteous deeds, for such are the high ranks (in the Hereafter).” (Taaha 20:71-75)  We also derived from this story the lesson that falsehood, regardless of how big or the number of its adherents, will be defeated by the truth and the people of the truth are patient with whatever they are facing. This is an example of an arrogant tyrant with power, an army and a kingdom which he ruled, who pursued a few who had no munitions or other means (of defence), but Allah was with them and they had the force of Imaan in their hearts. Allah gave them His victory, His guidance, His help; and in a single moment the forces of falsehood were destroyed. Pharaoh’s forces were destroyed in the sea and as Allah said (which means):  “We fling (send down ) the truth against the falsehood, so it (truth) destroys it, and behold, it (falsehood) is vanished.” (Al-Anbiyaa 21: 18) We also learn that Allah tests the prophets and the believers, and the tests are sometimes very difficult, but in the end, victory is for the prophets and the believers. Allah is with the prophets and the believers in victory and guidance. Allah says (which means): “Truly, Allah is with those who fear him, keep their duty unto Him, and those who are Muhsinoon (doers of good, those who perform good deeds solely for the sake of Allah and in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet).” (An-Nahl 16: 128) As Muslims, we should always fear Allah and consider these lessons and not follow the ways of those who were disobedient to Allah; but rather to obey the Prophet and follow his guidance as Allah told us, which means, “Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.” (Al-Ahzaab 33: 21) This great event - the victory Allah gave Moosa and the believers over Pharaoh and his army - occurred on the 10th of the sacred month of Muharram and the day is called Yaumul ‘Ashura (the day of ‘Ashura). It is a day that has great merit. Prophet Moosa fasted on that day, and ordered the people to fast that day.  Ibn ‘Abbas reported that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) arrived in Madinah, he found the Jews fasting on the day of ‘Ashura. The Messenger of Allah asked them, “What is the significance of this day that you fast on?” They said, “It is the day of great significance when Allah delivered Moosa and his people and drowned Pharaoh and his people. Moosa observed fast out of gratitude, and we also observe it.” Upon this, the Messenger of Allah said, “We have more right and we have a closer connection (awlaa) to Moosa than you have. So Allah’s Messenger fasted (on the day of ‘Ashura ) and gave orders that it should be observed.(4) According to Muslim, the Prophet said of fasting on ‘Ashura that “It is an expiation (of sins) for the previous year.”(5) According to many authentic ahaadith, fasting on ‘Ashura was obligatory, but later made voluntary when the obligation of fasting the month of Ramadan was revealed in the Qur’an.(6) The Prophet fasted on the day of ‘Ashura and commanded that people should fast on that day. The sahaabah (his companions) said: “Messenger of Allah, it is a day which the Jews and Christians hold in high esteem.” Thereupon the Messenger of Allah said, ‘“When the next year comes, inshaa ‘Allah, we would fast on the 9th (i.e. the ninth as well as the 10th in order to differ from the disbelievers).” But the Messenger of Allah died before the advent of the next year.(7) Therefore we should fast that day and one day before it (the 9th), following the Prophet’s Sunnah and looking for the reward from Allah.(8) We also benefit from the story of Moosa by learning that the Sunnah of the Prophets is to thank and praise Allah in times of peace and when they gain victory over their enemies. Moosa fasted on the 10th, the day on which Allah made his followers victorious over Pharaoh; and this is another sign that the truth will always defeat falsehood. The Prophet fasted on this day thanking Allah for the victory of the people of the truth over the people of falsehood. The victory in that time was for Moosa, but the Sunnah of the prophets is one. This is the jihaad against the disbelievers - to make the word of Allah the highest on earth. Victory always comes from Allah and victory is a ni’mah (bounty) from Allah for which we must thank Allah by being obedient to Him. Some people nowadays create bid’ah (innovation in the deen), and deviant slogans and hold demonstrations, or invent a state of mourning for themselves on this day. NOTES: 1 The Prophet said, “The most excellent fast after Ramadan is Allah’s month, Muharram, and the most excellent prayer after what is prescribed is praying during the night.” (Saheeh Muslim, Volume 2 page 569 no.2611 ) 2 The sacred months are four: Dhul-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. See Qur’an, At-Tawbah 9: 36-37. Waging war, killing and plunder are prohibited during these months. It is prohibited to intentionally violate the sanctity of one of the months and then make up for it, as the pre-Islamic Arabs used to do in order to give themselves a military edge. However, if you are attacked during one of these months, it is permitted, as mentioned in the ayah 2:194 to attack them as you were attacked.  3. by revelation 4 Saheeh Muslim, Volume 2 page 551 no. 2520 5 Saheeh Muslim 6 Saheeh Muslim, Volume 2 page 548 no. 2499 7 Saheeh Muslim, Volume 2 page 552 no. 2528 8 We may only single out this day as a day of fasting and not a day of celebration. Abu Moosa reported that the people of Khaybar (most of them were Jews) observed fast on the day of ‘Ashura and they treated it as “Eid and gave their women ornaments and beautiful dresses to wear. The Messenger of Allah said, “You (only) fast on this day.” (Saheeh Muslim) Beneficial means to reflect upon the Qur’an Allah Says (what means): “[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad ], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.” [Qur’an: 38: 29] Reflecting upon the Qur’an is one of the reasons behind its revelation; it is the way to comprehend its rulings and find out its objectives and meanings. The Qur’an will not be properly understood, nor will its objectives be truly realised except by pausing at each verse and giving it its due right of pondering to discover the meanings and wisdom within it. All perfect praise is due to Allah, that we still see many Muslims reciting the Qur’an day and night, which is good, yet many of them recite it without the due reflection or understanding. Thus people miss the main reason for which the Qur’an was revealed, to apply its rules, adhere to its commands and refrain from its prohibitions. In an attempt to practically apply the Words of Allah (which mean): “And remind, for indeed, the reminder benefits the believers.” [Qur’an: 51: 55] we designate this article to address some important ways by which a person may ponder the Noble Qur’an and thus properly understand it. One such way is to be acquainted with the Arabic language and its methods of expression. The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic, and can only be understood according to the rules of this language, and all scholars attach great importance to learning the Arabic language and encourage their students to learn it. The one who does not know the rules of the language could easily misunderstand the following saying of Allah (which means): “And ask the city in which we were and the caravan in which we came” [Qur’an: 12: 82] and he will not be able to distinguish between the sayings of Allah (which mean): “It is You we worship and You we ask for help” [Qur’an: 1: 5] and the saying: “We worship You,” and so on. It must be pointed out here is that not every one who recites the Qur’an is asked to be a grammarian; rather, all he needs to obtain is enough knowledge and command on the language with which he can understand the Book of Allah and reflect upon it. An important practice which can help a person reflect upon the Qur’an is to study the biography of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. We must know that he  was the authentic interpreter of the Qur’an and that his manners were all derived from the Qur’an. We must also know that he  was a practical Qur’an walking on earth, in the sense that he clarified to verses that were revealed in general terms and verses that may have sounded confusing. Knowing all this makes a Muslim realise that in order to properly be able to reflect upon the Qur’an, he must return to the biography of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and the authentic Sunnah.  Knowing the historical context in which specific verses of the Qur’an were revealed increases the reader’s understanding, because many verses were revealed pertaining to a certain incident.  Without knowing the reason for its revelation and what it came down to address, one could read a verse but not really understand what it intends. For example the following saying of Allah (which means): “So do not weaken and do not grieve, and you will be superior if you are [true] believers. If a wound should touch you- there has already touched the [opposing] people a wound similar to it” [Qur’an: 3: 139-140]. This saying was addressed to the companions, may Allah pleased with them, during the battle of Uhud in which they suffered causalities fighting the disbelieving enemies. They are being rallied to fight harder by Allah’s reminder that they had already inflicted similar suffering upon these enemies during their previous battle of Badr.   One other helpful factor in reflecting on and understanding the Book of Allah, is referring to the trustworthy books of interpretation of the Qur’an, and reading what the scholars have said. Such books contain many of the interpretations of the Salaf whether the statements of the companions  or those who came after them . Some of these books of Tafseer (i.e. interpretation) are by At-Tabari, Al-Qurtubi, Ibn Katheer and others. Reading these sources helps the person reading the Qur’an reflect upon the verses and better understand them. Reciting the Qur’an attentively while thinking of what one is reading is a matter that was stressed in the Qur’an, and it helps one reflect. Allah says (what means): “Say, `I only advise you of one [thing] - that you stand for Allah, [seeking truth] in pairs and individually, and then give thought`” [Qur’an: 34: 46]. This better helps the reader understand the Qur’an. Another important rule regarding reflecting upon the Qur’an is applying it to reality. This means (in short) that the Qur’an was not revealed just for a certain period or a specific place; but is applicable during all times and places. One can best understand The Qur’an and feel it alive, when it is applied to reality and to the issues of the Muslim nation. For example, every era has its own disbelievers and hypocrites and every era has its own ‘Pharaohs’ and oppressors. A serious mistake in this regard is applying verses to those for whom it was not intended, like applying the verses about hypocrites to the believers, or the verses about righteous people to the disbelievers, as this leads to clear and serious misguidance. To conclude, we would like to remind the reader with the following prophetic narration, of Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Any group of people that assemble in one of the Houses of Allah to recite and study the Qur’an, tranquility will descend upon them, mercy will engulf them, angels will surround them and Allah will make mention of them to those (the angels) in His proximity.” [Muslim]. Note how the narration connected reciting and studying, and made this a precondition for the four magnificent virtues to be achieved. Perhaps the reason for the current situation of Muslims is that we read the Book of Allah but do not reflect upon it, and thus our application coincides with our degree of reflection which led us to our current situation. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

The Islamic year was initiated after the Hijrah, or emigration, of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and marked the formation of the first Muslim nation within an independent Islamic territory under the rule of Muslims.  The Muslims had no formal annual calendar until the caliphate of ‘Umar bin al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. In the third or fourth year of his caliphate, ‘Umar received a message from Abu Moosaa al-Ash’ari, may Allah be pleased with him, who suggested that their future correspondence be confirmed with the appropriate date. Therefore, ‘Umar gathered some of the surviving companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and consulted them on this matter. Some of them suggested adopting the Persian Calendar; others proposed adopting the Roman Calendar; others still proposed that the Muslims should form their own calendar and that it should start from the birth of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam; another group agreed but thought that the new Islamic Calendar should start from the day on which the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, embarked upon his mission; another group believed that this new Islamic Calendar should begin from the emigration of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, while a final group believed that should start from his death. After a discussion they agreed unanimously to adopt the position of those who held that the Islamic Calendar should start from when the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, emigrated from Makkah to Madina and that the first month of this new Calendar be that of Al-Muharram. This is because Al-Muharram is a sacred month and because it follows Dhu’l-Hijjah which is the month in which the Muslims perform the Haj, or the pilgrimage, which is the last of the five pillars of Islam that was enjoined upon the Muslims. Al-Muharram also follows the month in which the Ansaar (the Madinan supporters of the Prophet) pledged allegiance to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, which was prior to his migration to Madina. This pledge of allegiance was one of the introductory acts of the emigration itself and therefore Al-Muharram was deemed the most suitable month to start the Islamic Calendar by the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.  It is truly saddening that some Muslims have chosen to use the Gregorian Calendar instead of the Hijri Calendar. The Gregorian Calendar has no relation with Islam and although it has been in existence for longer than that of the Hijri Calendar, that is no excuse for the Muslims to adopt it. It is well known that the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would hate that any Muslim would use the Roman or Persian Calendar. We are about to usher in the new Hijri year. Allah said that which translates as: “Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion [i.e. way], so do not wrong yourselves during them...” (At-Tawbah: 36).  These are the months that Allah has appointed for the whole of mankind. He has said that which translates as: “They ask you [O Muhammad], about the new moons. Say ‘They are measurements of time for the people and for Haj (pilgrimage].” (Al-Baqarah: 189).   Therefore, we know that these months, based on the lunar calendar, were appointed for all of mankind and not just for the Arabs. This is due to the fact that the lunar months can very easily be detected and calculated by the sighting of the crescent-moon, which marks the end of the month and the beginning of a new one.  This is not the case with the Gregorian Calendar, which does not rely on any logical or visible signs as regards its calculation of months; rather, each month in this calendar ranges between 28 and 31 days without a single logical reason for such variation. O Muslims! It is not from the Sunnah to celebrate the new Hijri year or to congratulate one another on its advent. For the Muslims, the passage of years does not constitute a real cause of happiness; rather, what counts is the amount of time spent in obedience to Allah during these years. The years that have passed will be considered as successful if they were spent in obedience to Allah and miserable if they were spent in disobedience of Allah. Therefore, the most evil person is he who has lived a long life and has committed evil deeds throughout. It is a must that we receive our days, months and years while in obedience to Allah. We must bring ourselves to account, redeem ourselves from our bad deeds and duly perform our responsibilities towards our wives, children and relatives. Servants of Allah! Fear Him and perform the responsibilities about which you will be questioned on the Day of Resurrection. Allah the Almighty says that which translates as: “O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are (appointed) angels, harsh and severe, they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.” (At-Tahreem: 6).  Discharge responsibilities properly and know that your limbs will testify against you on the Day of Resurrection. Allah says that which translates as: “Until, when they reach it, their hearing and their eyes and their skins will testify against them of what they used to do. And they will say to their skins, ‘Why have you testified against us?’ They will say, ‘We were made to speak by Allah, who has made everything speak; and He created you the first time, and to Him you are returned. And you were not covering [i.e. protecting] yourselves [By fearing Allah] lest your hearing testify against you or your sight or your skins, but you assumed that Allah does not know much of what you do. And that was your assumption which you assumed about your Lord. It has brought you to ruin, and you have become among the losers.’” (Fussilat: 20- 23).  Servants of Allah! The advent of every new year is marked by many Muslims with sincere resolutions and plans to improve and become closer to their Lord, but the days and hours slip away while the people’s conditions remain the same, the inevitable result of such failures will be loss and disgrace in this world and the next. Therefore, we must invest our time in obedience to Allah and make sure that our spiritual condition is improving from year to year; for the more time runs away from us, the closer we are drawing to our graves. O servants of Allah! I swear by Allah that improvements in our worldly lives do us absolutely no good if our spiritual lives are not improving at the same time. I also swear that none can attain honour and dignity without submitting to the Lord of the Worlds. Safety, tranquillity and welfare cannot be attained except by adopting the methodology of the messengers of Allah. Be very clear that if any of you see welfare and pleasure accompanied with sins and deviation, then this is definitely a mere respite that has been given by Allah ahead of a total ruin. Thus, we must all stand firm in the obedience of Allah in order to protect ourselves from His punishment. Allah the Almighty says that which translates as: “...And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.” (An-Noor: 31) O  people! Fear Allah; be aware of the ultimate wisdom of Allah in who He chooses as messengers from angels and mankind. Be aware also of the fact that He favours certain times and places over others. Allah favoured Makkah over all other places and chose Madinah, the abode of the Prophet’s migration, next to Makkah in preference, after this, the next most virtuous place in the sight of Allah is Bayt Al-Maqdis, or Jerusalem, which was the abode of the majority of His prophets. Allah has also favoured certain months, days and nights more than others. The number of months is 12, as decreed by Allah when He created the heavens and the earth. Among these twelve are four sacred months, Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Al-Muharram, which are successive and the month of Rajab that comes between Jumada Al-Aakhirah and Sha’baan. The best day which the sun rises on is Friday and the night of Al-Qadr is more virtuous than a thousand months. Therefore, we must all esteem that which Allah has magnified.  The scholars of Islam maintain that the rewards for good deeds are multiplied in times and places which are favoured by Allah and vice versa for bad deeds. The proof of this is from Allah’s saying which translates as: “They ask you concerning the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, ‘Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] the Sacred Mosque [in Makkah] and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah [Polytheism and Disbelief] is worse than killing’. And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire; they will abide therein eternally.” (Al-Baqarah: 217).  Allah the Almighty says concerning the Sacred Mosque in Makkah that which translates as: “Indeed, those who have disbelieved and avert [people] from the way of Allah and from the Sacred Mosque [in Makkah], which We made for the people - equal are the resident therein and one from outside; and whoever intends [a deed] therein of deviation [in religion] or wrongdoing - We will make him taste of a painful punishment.” (Al-Hajj: 25).  O people! Do not wrong yourselves during the Sacred Months. Stay well within the limits defined by Allah, fulfil all His obligations, shun all His prohibitions and fulfil the rights of the people. The Prophet’s emigration to Madina Thirteen years after the commencement of the prophetic message, In the month of Rabee’ Al-Awwaal, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, reached Madina having left from Makkah, which was the initial point of revelation and the most beloved of places to him. He left Makkah as an emigrant, in compliance with the command of his Lord, after he had spent 13 years there calling to the clear guidance of the message of his Lord. During this period he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and his followers were confronted with rejection, defiance and even physical harm from Quraysh (his tribe). Moreover, Quraysh even conspired to kill him when their leaders met and exchanged views in order to decide on what course of action to take regarding the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and his followers. They felt endangered by the message of the Prophet and when some of his companions emigrated to Madina, they knew that he would join them there sooner or later. They knew also about the pledge that the Ansaar (the Madinan supporters of the Prophet) had given to the Prophet which stipulated that they would protect him from any kind of harm, just as they protected their own wives and children. Quraysh feared the revenge of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam ,and his followers if they had the opportunity of establishing themselves firmly in Madina. Therefore, during the meeting of the elders of Quraysh, Abu Jahl said: “My opinion is that we should select a strong young man from each of our tribes and give each a sword to strike Muhammad all at the same time. On doing so, his blood will spread among all the Arab tribes – and it will be impossible for the Banu ‘Abd Manaaf (the clan to which the Prophet belonged) to revenge his death, rather they will be obliged to take the diyyah (blood-money).” “And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners.” (Al-Anfaal: 30). Despite this, Allah revealed the entire conspiracy to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and permitted him to emigrate to Madina. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, who had prepared himself for the move to Madina, was told several times by the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, to wait. It was clear that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, wanted to accompany him in the journey of Hijrah, as he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said to him: “Wait, for I hope that Allah will allow me also to emigrate.” ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated: “One day, at midday, while we were sitting in our house, someone said to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him: ‘Here comes Allah’s Apostle, with his head and part of his face covered with a cloth (i.e. wishing to conceal his identity), at an hour in which he has never come to us’. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘Let my father and mother be sacrificed for you (an expression that indicates the level of sacrifice that the person expressing it is prepared to make), (O Prophet)! It must have been an urgent matter that brought you here at this hour.’ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, asked permission to enter and then did so, he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, then said to Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him: “Let those who are here with you leave.” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: ‘These people are your family (i.e. there is no need for them to leave because they are your own people); Let my father be sacrificed for you, O Allah’s Apostle!’ The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam then said: “I have been given permission leave (Makkah).” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, asked: ‘Can I accompany you, O Allah’s Apostle? Let my father be sacrificed for you!’ The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied: “Yes.” Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: ‘O Allah’s Apostle! Let my father be sacrificed for you! Take one of these two she-camels of mine.’ The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied: “I will take it only on the condition that I pay you for it.” So we packed their baggage and placed food for their journey into a leather bag. Then the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, set off on their journey. After this, they arrived at a mountain named Thawr and remained there for three nights. ‘Abdullah bin Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, who was an intelligent young man, would stay with them two at night and leave before dawn so that in the morning, he could be among the Quraysh in Makkah and act as if he had spent the whole night there. If he heard of any plot contrived by the Quraysh against the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, he would return and inform them two of the plot after dark.”  Quraysh exerted the maximum effort to seize the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and his companion, may Allah be pleased with him. They searched in all directions and could not find them and so they announced a reward of one hundred camels for anybody who could seize either or both of them. However, it was Allah’s plan to protect them, for some men from the Quraysh reached the very cave where the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and his companion, may Allah be pleased with him, were hiding – but were unable to spot them. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “I said to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, when we were in the cave: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if any of them looks down at their feet, they will see us.’ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, replied, assuringly: “What do you think about two companions, of whom Allah is the third? (i.e. in terms of assistance)”. When Quraysh’s pursuit abated, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, left the cave after three nights and headed for Madina following the coastline. A young man by the name of Suraaqah bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, who had not yet at that time embraced Islam caught sight of them on his horse. When Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, turned back and saw him, he said: “Messenger of Allah, someone is following us.” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied: “Don’t be anxious; for Allah is with us.” When Suraaqah came closer to them and heard the Prophet’s recitation of the Qur’an, the forelegs of his horse sank into the hard ground, so much so that the horse’s stomach touched the ground. Suraaqah dismounted and spurred the horse until it stood up, but its forelegs were struggling, causing dust to rise up into the sky like smoke.  Recalling this at a later date, Suraaqah said: “I felt then that the Prophet’s affair will come to prominence some day, (i.e. I knew that the day would come when his message would be accepted by the masses) so I cried out at them giving them a pledge of security. The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was standing ahead of me with his companion. I mounted my horse and rode until I reached them and told them about the plots contrived against them. I offered them food and luggage and said to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam: ‘You will pass by some flocks of sheep and camels that belong to me; you may take what you need from them.’ The Prophet replied: “I have no need of this, just conceal your knowledge of us.” Suraaqah headed back to where he had set out from and diverted all those he came across away from the direction that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and his companion, may Allah be pleased with him, were heading towards. It seems so strange that Suraaqah, who first sought after the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam and his companion, may Allah be pleased with him, to seize them ended up giving them his full support. This is the support Allah gives to those who serve His cause. When news of the Prophet’s Hijrah reached the people of Madina from among the Muhaajireen (those Muslims who emigrated from Makkah) and Ansaar (the Madinan supporters of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), they would go out to Al-Harrah, which is a place on the outskirts of Madina, in anticipation of the Prophet’s arrival, until they would be forced back by the heat of the sun. When the day of arrival of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam finally came, a Jew who was looking for something on a hillock in Madina saw him approaching. Despite his enmity, he could not help but cry out: “O Arabs! This is your long-awaited fortune and honour.”  The Muslims hastened to meet the Messenger of Allah sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam with their weapons, as an honorary reception as well as an indication of their readiness for Jihad in the cause of Allah and to defend him. They met him at a place in Al-Harrah and he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam diverted his course rightward and settled in the Banu ‘Amr bin ‘Awf in Qooba’ (a place on the outskirts of Madina) where he stayed for some nights and built a mosque. He then went on to Madina accompanied by many people, while many others lined the roadside. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, related: “When we came to Madina, people went out onto the roads and onto the tops of houses, along with their children and servants, crying: “Allaahu Akbar! The Messenger of Allah has come! Allaahu Akbar! Muhammad has come!” Anas bin Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated: “I was walking among small boys, since I was one of them, while people were crying out: ‘Muhammad has come! Muhammad has come!’ So the people repeated these words out of joy due to the Prophet’s arrival, who was the dearest to them. What an arrival! It filled the hearts with joy, pleasure and delight and illuminated the horizons with happiness.” When the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam reached Madina, the various tribes of Al-Ansaar rivalled each other in leading the Prophet’s she-camel to their dwellings, each saying: ‘Come, O Messenger of Allah! Stay with us! We are great in number, fully armed and ready to defend you’ The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied, regarding his she-camel: “Let it go where it wishes, for it is inspired. I will stay where Allah wished me to stay.” The she-camel stood in the place where he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam later built his mosque, it knelt down and remained there for sometime, while the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam remained on its back. After this, the she-camel got up again and the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam loosened its bridle, it walked for a short distance and then returned to the previous location and knelt down. Upon this the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Here is the settling place, Allah willing”. The place where the she-camel knelt belonged to two orphans, who offered to give it to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam for free, but he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam refused and instead he purchased it from them.  Then Allah’s Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam asked: “Whose is the nearest of the houses to here?” A man called Abu Ayyoob, may Allah be pleased with him, replied: ‘Mine, O Allah’s Prophet! This is my house and this is my gate.’ The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam then said: “Go and prepare a place for our midday rest.” Abu Ayyoob, may Allah be pleased with him, prepared it, then returned and said: ‘Come along, both of you, with the blessings of Allah.’  When Allah’s Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam went into the house, a man named ‘Abdullah ibn Salaam, may Allah be pleased with him, came and said: “I testify that you (i.e. Muhammad) are Apostle of Allah and that you have come with the truth. The Jews know very well that I am their chief and the son of their former chief and the most learned amongst them and the son of the former most learned amongst them. So send for them (i.e. the Jews) and ask them about me before they know that I have embraced Islam, for if they know that then they will say about me things which are not correct.” So Allah’s Apostle sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam sent for them and they came and entered. Allah’s Apostle sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said to them: “O Jews! Woe to you! Fear Allah! I swear by Allah besides Whom none has the right to be worshipped that you people know for certain that I am the Apostle of Allah and that I have come to you with the truth, so embrace Islam.” The Jews replied: “We do not know this.” So he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam repeated this twice and they repeated their answer twice. Then he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam asked them: “What sort of a standing does ‘Abdullah ibn Salaam have amongst you?” They said: “He is our chief, the son of our former chief and the most learned man, the son of the former most learned man amongst us.” He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “What would you think if he should embrace Islam?” They replied: “Allah forbid! He cannot embrace Islam.” He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam repeated the question and they repeated the response, then He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam called out: “O Ibn Salaam! Come out to them.” He came out and said: ‘O Jews! Be afraid of Allah besides Whom none has the right to be worshipped. You know for certain that he is Apostle of Allah and that he has brought the true religion!” The Jews replied: “You are a liar.” On that Allah’s Apostle sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam turned them out. ‘Abdullah ibn Salaam, may Allah be pleased with him, then said: “Did I not tell you, Messenger of Allah, that they are a people of falsehood, betrayal, lying and obscenity?” That was the Prophet’s emigration, who left his home town to call to the religion of Allah and reform His servants. Fear Allah! O servants of Allah and abandon acts of disobedience so that you can all at least achieve one kind of Hijrah. (This refers to the abandonment of sins. According to Islam, Hijrah is of two kinds: literal, which denotes moving from one place to another in order to be able to practise one’s religion, and metaphorical which means the abandonment of sins). Whoever abandons something which he likes for Allah’s sake, Allah will reward him with something better. Whoever sticks to piety and goodness, Allah will be with him. Allah the Almighty said that which translates as: “Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good.” (Al-Nahl: 128).

In an authentic narration narrated by Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, in Ibn Majah’s Kitab al Fitan, which is also mentioned in Al-Hakim’s Al-Mustadrak, as well as by al-Baihaqi and al-Bazzar, we learn about several causes of most fascinating consequences. The following can be deduced from that narration: * Rain is withheld when zakat is not paid, and it would not fall at all were it not for animals. l Illnesses not seen before appear when immorality spreads among people and when it becomes public. * Lack of provision and injustice of rulers towards their people occurs when those people cheat in measuring. * Allah sends an enemy to a people that takes from their hands that which they like, when those people leave their covenant with Allah and His Messenger and leave the Book and the Sunnah. * Discord among people occurs when leaders do not judge by Allah’s Book and when they choose from it what they like and leave the rest. One can wonder, how many secular scientists and those usually perceived as intellectuals are there that fail to understand Allah’s Sunan yet spend their lives trying to understand causes of many happenings in the universe? More importantly, how many of us fail to understand true reasons behind various disasters in our own Muslim countries? ...Thankfully, we can correct this by learning. What follows is a mention of two major causes of provision, many of which are mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Among other causes of provision and development are Jihad in the Path of Allah, Hijrah for the sake of Allah, Hajj and ‘Umrah, leaving sins, da’wah to Allah, seeking forgiveness and repentance, good behaviour towards the weak and spending for the sake of Allah. Tawakkul – Relying and depending on Allah Allah the Exalted said: “And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.” [at-Talaaq: 3] “If you relied on Allah with a true reliance, He would provide for you the same as He provides birds: they set off in the early morning with empty stomachs and return back at the end of the day with full stomachs.” [At-Tirmidhi, Ahmad] Shaykh Fadl Ilaahi said: “The one who relies upon Allah with a true reliance is provided for as birds are provided for, and how would it be otherwise, when he has relied upon the Ever-Living who does not die, and whoever relies on Him, He will suffice him.” [Mafaatih ar-Rizq, 36] Tawakkul in the Qur’an: Tawakkul is enjoined in the Qur’an in many places and is a lofty station: “And upon Allah let the believers rely.” [Ibrahim: 11] “And rely upon the Ever-Living who does not die.” [Al Furqaan: 58] “So worship Him and rely on Him.” [Hood:123] Tawakkul is a cause of Allah’s love for His servant: “Verily, Allah loves those who rely on Him.” [Aal ‘Imraan: 159] Tawakkul is a condition of iman and a distinguishing mark of the believers: “And upon Allah rely if you are believers.” [al-Maa’idah:23] “The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely.” [al-Anfaal:2] The believer knows that no harm and no benefit can come except by Allah’s permission, that He gives and withholds and that He owns everything in the universe. She or he knows that no one can give what Allah withholds, and that no one can withhold what Allah gives. Lastly, relying on Allah does not mean that one leaves striving in this world. Allah says: “So walk among its slopes and eat of His provision” [Al-Mulk: 15] “And when the prayer has concluded, disperse within the land and seek the bounty of Allah.” [al-Jumu’ah: 10] Taqwaa “And whoever fears Allah – He will make a way out for him. And will provide for him from where he does not expect.” [At-Talaq: 2-3] Ibn ‘Abbas said: “‘And will provide for him from where he does not expect’: meaning from where he does not hope.” [Zaad al Masyr 8:291-292] “And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened [i.e. bestowed] upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning [of blame for their sin].” [al-A’raaf 96] Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “Meaning, We would enrich them with what is good, and facilitate it for them from every side.” [Tafsir Abi Sa’ood 3/253] “And if only they had upheld [the law of] Torah, the gospel and what has been revealed to them from their Lord [the Qur’an], they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet [i.e. in great abundance]. Among them are a moderate [i.e. acceptable] community, but many of them – evil is that which they do.” [Al-Maa’idah: 66] Ibn Mas’ood said: “At-Taqwaa is that Allah is obeyed and not disobeyed, that He is remembered and not forgotten, and that He is thanked and not shown ungratefulness.” [At-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer 90/92] [Most quotes mentioned in Asbaab ar-Rizq, collected by Abi al Mundhir Khalil ibn Ibrahim Amin, and published by Daar ibn al Atheer, 1420 H.] Loving Allah’s Creation Let us think about some of the ways that Islam’s spiritual orientation and its concrete rules for social and economic life, offer potential solutions to concrete problems that face us. Islam asks us to submit to Allah, to bend toward our creator as a reed bends in the wind. Put in another way, this suggests we should live with divinely-ordained nature, not opposed to it. We should not strive to create radically artificial environments, but instead adapt ourselves more flexibly to the natural environments we have. Allah has made this easy for us in many ways: We have been given a lunar calendar to keep us in touch with the natural lunar rhythms, and a daily time-keeping system based on the sun, whose position is the key to the timing of the five daily prayers. By orienting our time-frame around these divinely provided systems, we automatically move in harmony with the solar and lunar rhythms that are, according to the Qur’an, among the most powerful signs of Allah. At a more mundane level, we have to ask ourselves questions like: Does living in harmony with nature mean that we should give up air conditioning? Certainly if we attain gratitude and inner peace by the grace of Allah, we will be less desperate to make every last detail of our physical existence as comfortable and luxurious as possible. Since air conditioning will always be a luxury that only a tiny percentage of the world’s population will ever be able to afford, perhaps we should at least be frugal (and grateful) in our use of it, and try to use our wealth to feed our hungry fellow human beings. Likewise, we should build modestly with local, natural materials, and eat modestly with locally-grown, natural foods. We should use mechanical transport with moderation, relying as much as possible on such healthy, pollution-free, non-fossil fuel burning means as walking and bicycling, and as little as possible on private automobiles. Social and Political Activism None of these individual actions, however, will save the planet if it continues to be dominated by ruthless exploiters. We need to become Islamic-environmental activists, organising and agitating for both Islamic and environmental causes and showing how the two are closely linked. By demonstrating concern for our planet, and a commitment to finding solutions, we will be spreading a positive image of Islam to all. Together, the rising army of eco-warriors and the awakening Muslim Ummah will carry the green banners of Islam and environmentalism to every corner of the planet, creating the basis for the sustainable, balanced, harmonious society of the future. Qur’anic Concepts: The Deepest, Purest Source of Environmental Wisdom Meezaan “Balance” Literally “the scale of balance.” The word Meezaan expresses the harmony of Allah’s creation. It expresses the perfect equilibrium and absolute justice of creation, which humans, as successors are obliged to help maintain. Allah says (what means): “The sun and moon revolve to a reckoning/and the grasses and trees bow in adoration/He raised the sky and set the balance/so that none may transgress against the balance.” [Qur’an, 55:5-8] Humans must help maintain the cosmic balance by acting justly toward nature as well as toward each other. The built environment and the natural environment should be in perfect harmony, as suggested by the fact that Meezaan also means, “ground design” in architecture. Traditional Islamic architecture, especially masjid architecture, harmonises building, landscape and sky in many marvellous ways. The most famous and influential 20th century architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, drew heavily on traditional Islamic architecture as he revolutionised Western architecture. Wright refused to build the usual rectangular boxes that squat like alien presences on the landscape. Instead, he used graceful Islamic-derived forms to harmonise and balance indoors with outdoors, building with landscape, and humanity with the rest of creation. Ayah, “Sign” The word ayah means, “sign” as well as “Qur’anic verse.” The first way the early Muslims recognised that the Qur’an is the word of Allah was due to the miraculous beauty of its verses. Likewise the Qur’an invites us to look at the beautiful world around us as a sign pointing to its Creator. We are meant to “read” these signs and gain ever-deeper knowledge and appreciation both of creation itself, and especially of the Creator Who set such signs before us. The Qur’anic revelation began with the command “iqra’”, “read!” This commanded Allah’s last messenger, Muhammad, to begin reading/reciting the words of Allah. It also commanded the people to whom the message was sent to become literate - and within a few generations Arabic, with the Qur’an as its central influence, had become the world’s leading written medium of expression. Finally, at the most general level, “iqra’!” commanded all humans to “read” the book of Allah’s creation to decipher its truth and beauty, which always points beyond itself toward its Creator. If we look at the world around us as an ever-shifting panorama of signs of Allah, rather than as a meaningless heap of dumb brute matter, we will contemplate it with awe and act as cautious and respectful stewards rather than hyperactive, transgressive exploiters. Haraam, “Forbidden, Off-Limits” The concept of Haraam, whose legal meaning is “forbidden,” suggests the necessity of setting limits that must not be transgressed. Traditionally the “Haraam” was the intimate part of the house which was off-limits to strangers and casual visitors. Westerners, colonialists, wishing to transgress whatever limits they found in the lands they invaded, projected their own fantasies upon the private areas of the Muslim home, turning this innocent word into the salacious English word “Haraam.” But the original word Haraam, with its implication that limits sometimes need to be drawn, is the word Western culture really needs to borrow from Islam. Among the places where limits need to be drawn, and spaces set aside, are the earth’s remaining natural areas. Nature parks, game preserves, wilderness areas, and so on are absolutely essential to the future of our planet. Yet when a secular government says, “Don’t transgress in this area because the law says so”, many people, driven by greed or desperation, will not listen. Under an Islamic system, when an area is declared Haraam, and Qur’anic precepts invoked to protect it, Muslims will be much more likely to sacrifice their immediate self-interest and respect the lines that must not be crossed. This is just one example of how sacred law, which touches our hearts and carries Allah’s imprimatur, is more effective than secular law, which requires ever-greater armies of ever-more-corrupt police, soldiers, bureaucrats and prisons to try to enforce it. In the absence of Allah’s guidance, man imagines himself self-sufficient and is driven to violate limits. Allah says (what means): “No! (But) indeed, man transgresses, because he sees himself self-sufficient. Indeed, to your Lord is the return.” [Qur’an, 96:6-8]. When humans understand that they are not self-sufficient, but utterly helpless and dependent on a marvelously beautiful and unimaginably complex natural world - a natural world which, like us, is utterly dependent on Allah for the tiniest nanosecond or smallest subatomic particle of its existence - they will be overtaken by awe and accept the limits that sustain the balance (meezaan) of Allah’s creation. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

One could understand “do not drink the water.” Or even “no swimming - polluted water.” But “do not touch the water”!? Something about that sign, and the reality it pointed to seemed deeply, irrevocably wrong. The fact that it was the nearest campground to Disneyland somehow made the whole situation even creepier. The memory of that toxic waste dump campground remained with us for years. We gradually realised that the place was not just the perfect anti-campground, but also an image of anti-paradise: a place where the flowing water is too filthy to be used to purify ourselves before prayer, and where the natural plants and creatures are poisoned and dying. The Qur’an tells us that the Paradise promised to believers is a garden with rivers flowing beneath. It is filled with fruits and flowers and growing things, offering nectar better than the finest earthly wine, and beauties and pleasures beyond earthly imagination. While we can never create such a perfect paradise on earth, Muslim architects, land-use planners and artists have sometimes used this image as a model for their efforts to preserve and celebrate the natural beauty of creation. Why not? The Qur’an tells us that all of nature is a sign of Allah, reflecting some of His mercy and magnificence. Indeed, all of nature, in the Islamic view, is in a state of continuous worship. Trees and grasses, fish and animals, are all bending in a sweet, invisible breeze that wafts their worship back toward their Creator. Human beings can learn from this process and seek harmony with it by joining creation in worship of the Lord of all worlds and creation. Or else, they can obstinately rebel, imagining themselves cut off and self-sufficient, and persist in transgressing the bounds that Allah has set for them until the inevitable payment comes due. In contrast to the prevailing view of nature in the West as a savage, fallen chaos that must be tamed by conquest, Islam insists that nature is respected and invites humans to learn from it and join it in harmonious coexistence. The polluted-campground experience awakened us to the fact that something is very wrong with the way of life that produced such a place, and that Islam holds the keys to understanding the root causes and solutions of our current environmental dilemma. It convinced us that we Muslims should be putting Islamic environmental activism at the very top of our social and personal agenda. Our planet is in a state of environmental crisis, and as Muslims we are the custodians of Allah’s last revelation, a revelation that gives humanity the knowledge and inspiration it needs to live in peace and harmony - in this life and the next. The Qur’anic solution to the problem of environment is, in a word, holistic and comprehensive. Living a truly Islamic life requires avoiding the evils of extravagance and the insanity of materialism, and that we attain harmony with our surroundings and have compassion for other creatures. It all begins, however, with the right orientation towards life: complete submission to Allah, The One Creator of all, and that this submission should be marked by pious awe, loving gratitude, inner peace, the struggle to do good, and the constant awareness that Allah is greater than any aspect of His creation. The Qur’anic orientation provides the key to restoring the lost balance between humans, nature, and The One who created both (i.e .Allah) Materialists and atheists say that nothing is sacred, which implies that there are no limits to what humans can do to gratify their material desires. Materialist culture, as my wise humanities professor once said, has two distinguishing characteristics: A tremendous drive to achieve more and more control over the natural world, and an equally energetic drive to re-make and perfect human society. Humans as trustees and keepers of the Earth Islam teaches that we are the successors and trustees of Allah on this beautiful earth, not prisoners in a flawed world that needs to be radically re-made. As successors, our task is to preserve and appreciate the beauty and goodness we find, in grateful submission to its Creator. All of our planet’s scientists are needed for a more obvious and simple task: Taking care of the planet Allah has given us, and taking care of our fellow human beings. This means finding ways to live, and live well, while expending far less physical energy, and making far less obtrusive changes to our physical environment, than is customary today. It means finding ways to redistribute the planet’s wealth more equitably, in the environment of zero economic growth or even negative growth that will surely be upon us in just a few short years, when oil production peaks and starts to decline. “Allah loves not the wasters” So, too, is the Islamic injunction: “Waste not!” Both the Qur’an and Sunnah make it absolutely clear that avoiding waste and prodigality is a matter of the highest importance. For example, Allah says (what means) : “Do not be extravagant, for Allah does not love the wasteful” [Qur’an, 96:141]. And He Says (what means): “But waste not by excess, for Allah loves not the wasters” [Qur’an, 7:31]. And (what means): “Squander not in the manner of a spendthrift. For wasters are the brothers of the Satan, and the Satan is to his Lord ungrateful” [Qur’an, 17:26-27]. Here we see that the root of wasting is ingratitude: those who respond to the marvelous beauty and bounty of Allah with gratitude and amazement are happy with a little, while the ungrateful one is never satisfied no matter how much he has, so he abandons himself to an ever-increasing cycle of consumption and waste. If humanity is to survive, it will have to move from the spiritual state of ingratitude to gratitude and give up its wasteful ways, as the Qur’an urges. Conserving food and water Along with this Qur’anic teaching, the Sunnah (prophetic tradition) provides us with the best example of living in a state of gratitude and avoiding waste. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam,  was famous for his attention to conserving and avoiding waste. He was careful not to waste a crumb of food, licking the last morsel from the utensils so that nothing would go to waste. He urged believers to avoid using more water than necessary when performing an act of worship like ablution. If we must be careful not to waste a drop of water in our ablutions, how much more necessary must it be to avoid waste in less-important activities. Unfortunately the dominant way of life among well-off people everywhere, especially in the West, is marked by unbelievable waste and extravagance. We eat more than what is good for us, buy things we do not really need, throw away things that either still work or could be repaired, buy large vehicles and drive short distances instead of walking or bicycling, build larger houses than we need and heat and cool them far beyond minimal comfort standards, waste huge amounts of water maintaining herbicide-sprinkled lawns and golf courses, and so on. In perhaps the single most absurd display of extravagance in all history, the world is currently burning up fossil fuels at a rate that will ensure that our economy, environment, or both will completely collapse in the near future. This lunatic way of life, whose seductive pleasures and comforts disguise its utter madness, its complete lack of sustainability, was not developed by Muslims. To be true to our religion, we must change our ways, and make an effort to conserve, educate, and build alternative institutions to mitigate and help cope with the coming economic and environmental meltdown, preserve and strengthen of our Islamic communities and institutions, and think about how they can be of service in the struggle to help humanity exercise responsible stewardship over our corner of creation. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

Fear of an evil end had broken the hearts of our righteous Salaf (predecessors). Sufyaan Ath-Thawri cried one night until the morning, and when he was asked whether he cried due to his fear of his sins, he replied: “No, I am more scared of having an evil end.” Ibn Katheer said: “People who are righteous inwardly and outwardly and whose actions coincide with their words, Allah willing, will not have an evil way to end their lives; and never was this reported about anyone before. It is only those who are evil inwardly and outwardly; those who are daring and indulge in major great sins and who are frequent in committing minor sins. This type of people, who are used to this practice will continue to do so until they die without repenting.” The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Verily, deeds are but by the way they end.” [Al-Bukhari]. This is why our right predecessors  feared their ends because no one knows how he will end his life and in which state he will depart. For this reason, Huthayfah was happy to die before the trials about which the Prophet informed them and said: “All perfect praise be to Allah who has hastened my death before these trials”. One of the signs indicating that the person died while having a good end is dying while performing a righteous deed. Anas narrated that he heard the Prophet saying: “Do not be impressed with someone’s actions (thinking they are righteous) until you see how his end is, because one would be performing a (righteous) deed for a long period of his life, and should he die upon such a deed he would enter Paradise, but he switches to performing evil deeds (before his death). The slave would be performing a (bad) deed for a long period of his life, and should he die upon such a deed he would enter Hell, but he switches to performing good deeds (before his death) and when Allah Wills good for a slave He uses him before his death.” The companions  asked: “O messenger of Allah! How does Allah use him?”  He responded: “He enables him to perform a good deed, then ends his life upon it.” [Ahmad] Huthayfah  narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “He who says ‘Laa ilaaha illallah’ (i.e., None is worthy of worship except Allah) seeking the pleasure of Allah, and it being his final statement, will enter Paradise; he who fasts sincerely, seeking the pleasure of Allah, and died whilst in this state, will enter Paradise; he who spends in charity, sincerely seeking the pleasure of Allah, and it being the last thing he did before dieing, will enter Paradise.” Jaabir reported: “I heard the Prophet saying: “Every slave will be resurrected in the state upon which he died” [Muslim]. Imaam As-Suyooti  said: “This narration refers to the state of obedience or disobedience”. Maalik Ibn Deenaar  used to say: “If I can afford (physically) not to sleep ever I would not sleep.” He was asked about the reason, to which he said: “I fear that the angel of death would come to me whilst I am sleeping and I would like that he comes whilst I am engaged in a righteous deed”. An example highlighting one of the best ways to die is for a disbeliever to embrace Islam then immediately die. Anas reported: “A young Jewish boy who was in the service of the Prophet fell ill. The Prophet went to visit him. He sat down by his head and said to him: “Embrace Islam.” The little boy looked at his father who was sitting beside him. He said: ‘Obey Abul-Qaasim (i.e., the Messenger of Allah ).’ So he embraced Islam and the Prophet  stepped out saying: “Praise be to Allah Who has saved him from Hell-fire.” [Al-Bukhari]. Recently Allah guided a man from the Philippines to the light of Islam in the city of Taif in Saudi Arabia, and he was taught some of the merits of Islam. The very next day after embracing Islam he started reciting some chapters of the Qur’an and on the following morning he passed away, after only two days of him becoming a Muslim. Uttering the testimonies of faith prior to death is a good deed and another example for one’s good end. Mu’aath ibn Jabal narrated that the Prophet said: “He whose final words are ‘Laa ilaaha illallah’ (i.e., ‘None is worthy of worship except Allah’) will enter Paradise.”[Al-Haakim]. ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Amr Ibn al-‘Aas  reported that when his father  was on his deathbed he said: “O Allah! You commanded me with many commands and I fell short in many of them. O Allah! You forbade me from many matters, but I transgressed. O Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but You” then he continued repeating this until he died. Many of the Salaf  died while praying, which is another example for a good way to end life. ‘Abdullah Ibn Abi As-Sarh supplicated one night after having performed Qiyaam saying: “O Allah! Make my last deed in this life the performance of Fajr prayer.” Then he performed ablution and prayed Fajr and died while concluding his prayer. Abu Tha’labah  used to say: “I hope that Allah will not make me suffer upon death like I see some people do.” Then he started performing Qiyaam and died while in the position of prostration. That night his daughter saw in her dream that her father died, so she woke up terrified and went to her mother asking about her father, so she told her that he was praying Qiyaam. They went to check on him and found him in the position of prostration and when they moved him he fell to his side. A young man prayed the Fajr prayer with the congregation and sat in the mosque reciting the Qur’an and waiting for the sun to rise so that he may pray two Rak’ahs and he did not know that it was the last hour of his life, and died whilst in that state. A 55- year-old lady was admitted into the emergency room as a result of getting a heart attack which made her heart stop beating completely. When the physicians were trying to make a heart massage with special equipment a very astonishing thing happened, which doctors had never seen before that day … the woman suddenly opened her eyes and spoke calmly saying a few words … she did not complain of any pain … she did not scream asking for their assistance … she did not ask for her husband or children … she simply uttered the two testimonies of faith … then the heart stopped again. She repeated this three times … then she died … and her face illuminated. When her husband was asked about the type of woman she was, he said: “I married her more than 35 years ago, and since then I have never seen her abandon the Witr prayer (i.e. the odd-numbered Rak’ahs after the optional night prayer) unless she was sick or during her monthly period”. Dying while fasting is yet another example exemplifying a good end, like in the case of Asmaa’ bint Abu Bakr and her son ‘Urwah. Some people die whilst in the state of Ihraam which entitles the person to a great reward, as in the narration about the Companion who died as a result of his animal kicking him whilst in the state of Ihraam (for either Haj or ‘Umrah), the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Wash him with water and lote-tree (leaves), shroud him in his own garments and do not cover his head, because he will be resurrected on the Day of Resurrection uttering the Talbiyah.”. There are some people who die whilst reciting the Qur’an, like in the case of ‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan¸ who was known to be a person who continuously recited the Qur’an day and night. He was martyred whilst reciting the Qur’an in his house. Once Ibn ‘Abbaas  recited the saying of Allah which means: “Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]?” [Qur’an 39: 9] then he said: “I swear by Allah! This applies to ‘Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan”. One of the best examples indicating a good end is being martyred. Al-Miqdaam Ibn Ma’di Karib narrated that the Prophet said: “A martyr has six bounties: He will be forgiven with the first drop of his blood that is spilt; He will see his place in Paradise (at the time of death); He will be saved from the ‘Great Horror’ (on the Day of Judgment): A Crown of Dignity will be placed on his head, which contains many corundum, each one being more precious than this life and all that it contains; He will have 72 Women of Paradise; And, he will be allowed to intercede for 70 of his family members (who would have otherwise gone to hell).”[At-Tirmithi] Shaddaad Ibn al-Haad narrated: “A Bedouin came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, accepted Islam and said: ‘I wish to migrate (to Madinah)’. So the Prophet asked some of his Companions to take care of him. Then after a battle, the Muslims had gained some booty so the Prophet divided it and gave the Bedouin’s share to some of his companions to look after, as the bedouin was still at the rearguard. When the bedouin returned, they gave him his share, so he asked them: ‘What is this?’ they replied: ‘It is your share from the booty which the Prophet gave us to hold on to for you.’ So the Bedouin took the booty and went to the Prophet and asked: ‘What is this?’ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, replied: “Your share of the booty.” The bedouin said: “This is not why I believe in you and follow you; rather, I follow you so that I can get shot by an arrow right here, (and then he pointed to his throat) then die and enter Paradise.” The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “If you are sincere then Allah will grant you your wish.” After a short while, fighting resumed and the bedouin’s body was brought to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, with an arrow in his throat at exactly the spot where he had pointed to the Prophet. Thereupon The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “He was sincere so Allah granted him his wish.” Then using his own garment, the Prophet shrouded the bedouin, prayed the funeral prayer over him and was heard by his companions to say during the prayer: “O Allah! This is Your slave who migrated for Your sake and was killed as a martyr – and I testify to this”. Which testimony could ever be more honourable, sincere and truthful than this great one given by the Prophet? A truck driver named Abu Dujaanah was known in his town to be an evil person who consumed intoxicants. One day, he got in a deadly car accident, but Allah saved him. Allah decreed that two righteous young men see the accident and rush to him whilst he was unconscious and took him with them and when he woke up they told him to perform Ghusl (ritual bath) which he did, then they instructed him to pray, and after he prayed they said to him: “Allah has rescued you from death and had you died upon the state you were in, it would have been the worse way to die and be resurrected. You should repent to Allah and shun all sins.” Their words affected him deeply, and he shunned his evil company with whom he used to hang around, and started practising. A few months later, he travelled to Bosnia for Jihad, and Allah granted him martyrdom there. His body remained with the enemies thrown in an open field for two and a half months after he was killed, and then a swap of dead bodies happened between the Mujahideen and the Serbs, and when the brothers opened the plastic bag in which he was kept for this long period, they saw his face smiling and an extremely pleasant scent emanating from his body. These were but some examples of how a good end may be, and we ask Allah to bless us and grant us a good way to end our lives. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Rulings for mortgage The linguistic meaning of the Arabic word ‘rahn’ is “settlement”, and “permanence.” The Islamic legal meaning for rahn is “a security of a debt by something with which the debt can be fulfilled.” In other words, it means mortgaging an item with monetary value or collateral as security against a debt. Rahn is permissible as indicated in the Book, the Sunnah and by Ijmaa’ (consensus of scholars). Allah says, “And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let there be a rihaan (mortgage) taken.” (2:283) When the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, died, his armour was mortgaged. Scholars are in agreement that rahn is permissible while travelling. The majority of scholars have held the opinion that it is also permissible in residence. The following points outline the rulings of mortgage: 1. The wisdom behind rahn’s validity is to preserve the wealth and protect it from loss. Allah also commanded us to document debts in writing. He says, “O you who believe! When you contract a debt for a fixed period, write it down ... and if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let there be a rihaan taken.” (2:282-283) This is a sign of Mercy from Allah where He guides us to do good for ourselves. 2. For rahn to be valid, its amount and nature should be known. The mortgager should have the right to dispose of the item, whether he is owner or has permission to dispose of it. 3. It is permissible to mortgage from your money on behalf of someone else’s debt. 4. The mortgaged item should be sellable so that the mortgage can be paid off. 5. The rahn can be conditioned in the contract or after the contract. Allah made the rahn in lieu of writing a debt, as He says, “And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let there be a rihaan taken.” (2:283) 6. Rahn is required from the mortgager only because the right is for someone else. But it is not required from the mortgagee (the lender) for he can cancel it at any time, because it is his right alone. 7. It is permissible to mortgage one’s share from a partnership. This is because the share can be sold at the time the debt is due and then it will be fulfilled. It is also permissible to mortgage something sold for its value. For example, if one buys a car or a house for a deferred price, then one can mortgage it until he pays the price. 8. Neither the mortgager nor the mortgagee can use the mortgaged (collateral) item without the permission of the other party. This is to protect both parties’ rights. If the mortgager uses it, then he nullifies the right of the mortgagee in securing the debt. On the other hand, if the mortgagee uses it, then he is actually using something owned by others. 9. Benefiting from rahn is permissible, but it should be agreed upon between both parties. 10. The growth of the rahn and the benefit derived from it becomes a rahn added to the original rahn that can also be sold to pay off the debt. 11. All expenses incurred from keeping the rahn is the liability of the mortgager, including storage, guarding the mortgage, etc. 12. If part of the mortage gets destroyed, then the remainder becomes rahn for the entire debt. 13. If the mortgager pays off some of the debt, the rahn remains as the entire collateral and none of it can be released until the entire debt is paid. 14. When the payment of the debt is due, the indebted party must repay the debt, just as one must repay a debt that does not have a rahn attached. Allah says, “Let then one who is entrusted discharge his trust (faithfully), and let him have taqwah for Allah, his Lord.” (2:283) and “Let him have taqwah for Allah, his Lord and diminish not anything of what he owes.” (2:282) If the debtor refuses to pay, he will be accused of delay and the judge will then force him to pay. If he continues to refuse, then he should be disciplined by imprisonment or other means until he repays his debt or the mortgage is sold to pay off the debt. The judge can also sell the mortgage in the debtor’s place, if the debtor refuses to do so. If there is money left after selling the mortgage and repayment of the debt, then the excess is returned to the debtor. If there is a portion of the debt that is not covered by the value of the collateral, then it remains as a liability of the mortgager that must be paid. 15. It is permissible for the lender to use the collateral (mortgaged item) in some cases, such as riding or milking the animal if it was mortgaged, but the lender should spend on it and feed it. This is based on the hadith, “The mortgaged animal can be used for riding, as long as it is fed and the milk of the animal can be drunk according to what one spends on it. The one who rides the animal or drinks its milk should provide the expenditures.” (Bukhari) Imam Ibn al-Qayim said: “This hadith, together with the principles of Shari’ah indicate that the mortgaged animal should be treated with respect, and this is Allah’s right. Its owner has the right of ownership. And the animal is in the possession of the mortgagee, but does not milk it, then the milk is wasted. Therefore justice, qiyas, and the welfare of the mortgager, mortgagee and the animal require that the mortgagee benefit from the animal in riding and milking it. This is compensated for by providing the expenses. By benefiting from the animal and paying for its expenses, all rights will be fulfilled.” Some scholars said: “There are two types of mortgage. One requires provision and the other doesn’t. The first type of mortgage is further divided into two different types. One is the animal which is ridden and milked, and the second is the slave. The latter cannot be used for benefit by the mortgagee without the permission of the owner. The second type of rahn that does not require provision includes a house, furniture, etc. The mortgagee cannot benefit from this type without the permission of the mortgager.” Istikharaah – The Guidance Prayer We are humans, powerless in this sphere of life, knowledgeable only enough to survive. So why shouldn’t we turn to Allah and seek His perfect help whenever we require it? Allah responds to the call of His servant when he asks for guidance, and we are after all seeking to do something in order to please Him. Istikharaah means to ask Allah to guide you to the path best for you concerning an affair with two halal options. In matters that are waajib (obligatory), haraam (forbidden) or makrooh (disliked) there is no need to pray Istikharaah. Salaat-ul-Istikharaah should only be used for matters that are mubaah (allowed) or in matters that are mustahabb (liked or encouraged), in which there is a decision to be made as to which one should be given priority. Many wrong notions exist concerning istikharaah. Many Muslims will pray, read the du’a, and run to bed expecting to see a dream showing them their future wife, what her favourite colour is, and some other weird fantasy. That is not the purpose of this salaat. The results of an istikharaah can take many forms. Basically, you go by your feelings, whether you now feel more favourable or not. Also, you may notice events have changed, either for or against you. Note that you must follow the results of an istikharaah, because not doing so is tantamount to rejecting Allah’s guidance once you’ve asked for it. Also, you should first clear your mind, not have your mind already decided, and then afterwards follow the results willingly. It is a Sunnah that, if one must choose between permissible alternatives, one may pray two non-obligatory rak’at, even if they are of the Sunnah prayers or a prayer for entering the mosque, and so on, during any time of the day or night, and to recite therein whatever one wishes of the Qur’an after reciting Al-Fatihah. Then one praises Allah and sends salutations to the Prophet and recites the supplication in the Hadith below. The description of Salaat-ul-Istikharah was narrated by Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allah al-Salami (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “The Messenger of Allah used to teach his companions to make istikharaah in all things, just as he used to teach them Surahs from the Qur’an. He said: ‘If any one of you is concerned about a decision he has to make, then let him pray two rak’ahs of non-obligatory prayer, then say: Allaahumma inni astakheeruka bi ‘ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi qudratika wa as’aluka min fadlika, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa aqdir, wa ta’lamu wa laa a’lam, wa anta ‘allaam al-ghuyoob. Allaahumma fa in kunta ta’lamu haadha’l-amra (then the matter should be mentioned by name) khayran li fi ‘aajil amri wa aajilihi (or: fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri) faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li fihi. Allaahumma wa in kunta ta’lamu annahu sharrun li fi deeni wa ma’aashi wa ‘aaqibati amri (or: fi ‘aajili amri wa aajilihi) fasrifni ‘anhu [wasrafhu ‘anni] waqdur li al-khayr haythu kaana thumma radini bihi. “O Allah, I seek Your guidance [in making a choice] by virtue of Your knowledge, and I seek ability by virtue of Your power, and I ask You of Your great bounty. You have power, I have none. And You know, I know not. You are the Knower of hidden things. O Allah, if in Your knowledge, this matter (then it should be mentioned by name) is good for me both in this world and in the Hereafter (or: in my religion, my livelihood and my affairs), then ordain it for me, make it easy for me, and bless it for me. And if in Your knowledge it is bad for me and for my religion, my livelihood and my affairs (or: for me both in this world and the next), then turn me away from it, [and turn it away from me], and ordain for me the good wherever it may be and make me pleased with it.” The Prophet, added that “then the person should mention his need.” [Sahih Bukhari] Salaat-ul-Istikharaah is just two rak’ats of a non-obligatory prayer, prayed at anytime during the day, with a specific du’a at the end. While reciting the du’a, you should be thinking about the situation you want to be advised about with pure intentions and from the bottom of your heart. And Allah says that whenever he guides a heart aright it can never be misguided. Afterwards, you should “have a good feeling” about one of your options. Whatever option you feel is best right after you say the dua should be your decision. If you’re still in doubt, you can repeat. Some people mistakenly wait for a dream to give a clear sign as to what decision to make, but this is not true, and often times it never really happens. In fact, dreams may lead you away from what Allah wants you to do, as Shaytaan might try to deceive you in your dreams. Salat-ul-Istikharaah is for everybody. It’s a way for all of us to implore Allah for divine guidance and mercy. It is yet another invaluable resource from Allah to keep us on the straight and narrow Siraat al-Mustaqeem. The Prophet told all Muslims about Istikharaah, not just the scholars. Despite this gift, too many of us take the advice of our friends and parents, or accept the norms of our society and act without ever wondering what Allah wants us to do. We must stop looking to the dunya for guidance. We must begin to consult Allah.

1. This is a journey that was taken by Prophets and Messengers before you. Those who take the path of the Prophets magnify the tawheed of Allah and His House. There are those, however, who come to perform Haj and their hearts are attached to other than Allah. They invoke the dead and the righteous, whether present or absent. This is the opposite of tawheed, it is shirk no matter what they call it because it is setting up rivals besides Allah. So, free your intention from any kind of devotion to other than Allah. Repent and come with a sincere heart submitting to Allah remembering what Ibraaheem and his son Ismaa’eel said when they were raising the foundations of Allah’s House, the Ka’aba. “O our Rabb! Accept from us and make us submit to You in Islam and show us our manaasik (all the rite of Haj) and accept our repentance.” – Qur’an 2:128 2. You are set to depart and you may or may not return to your home. Make this journey to Allah’s House as Allah wants it. Think of the next journey that is surely coming, the one that leads to the meeting of Allah, Most High. This raises questions like: What did I prepare for that Day? Am I following Allah’s Commands? Am I a follower of the Sunnah of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam? Do I really know of Allah? Am I a believer that Allah is above the seven heavens over His ‘arsh as He has stated in His Book and as His Messengers have asserted? Am I a believer that believes Allah has a true Face that suits His Majesty as He has affirmed in the Qur’an and as has been affirmed by His Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam? Am I believer in all of Allah’s Names, Attributes and Actions which He has affirmed in His Book and by His Messengers? Or do I just take and accept by my doubt, rejecting, or distorting (through what is called figurative interpretation of His Attributes) the meanings of Allah’s Attributes and Actions? And invoke not any other ilaah (god) along with Allah, la ilaaha ilaa huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), Everything will perish save His Face, His is the Decision, and to Him (all) shall be returned. – Qur’an 28:88 3. Know, may Allah’s Mercy upon you, that when you reach the meeqaat there is another meeqaat that is still to come. It is the meeqaat (appointed meeting) on the Day of Resurrection: Say (O Muhammad): (Yes) verily, those of old, and those of later times. All will surely be gathered together for an appointed Meeting of a known Day. – Qur’an 56:49-50 4. When you start saying the talbiyah remember the Command of Allah to Prophet Ibraaheem, ‘alaihis salaam: And proclaim to mankind the Haj. They will come to you on foot and on every lean camel, they will come from deep and distant (wide) mountain highways (to perform Haj). – Qur’an 22:27 The talbiyah you make is in response to Prophet Ibraaheem’s proclamation to visit Allah’s house of worship. Allah is Most Great. 5. Upon entering Makkah remember that you are in the Secure Sanctuary: Have We not established for them a secure sanctuary (Makkah), to which are brought fruits of all kinds, a provision from Ourselves, but most of them know not. – Qur’an 28:57 Let one commit himself to repentance, having a good opinion of Allah, hoping that Allah will grant him security from His Punishment. 6. You will enter one of the gates of al-Masjid al-Haraam. Then there you are before the magnificent House of Allah, Most High, the Ka’aba. Now you see what you hoped to see for a long time. Thank Allah for making this possible and hope that He will grant you the greatest reward of seeing His Majestic Face on the Day of Resurrection. This thankfulness is not just in saying “alhamdu-lillaah,” but also by obeying Allah while on Haj and for the rest of your life. 7. You start your tawaaf knowing that it is a great time for magnifying Allah the Exalted. Remember Him by His Names, Attributes and Actions. Also while in tawaaf try to reflect upon the time when Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was prevented from doing the same thing you are doing today. Then think about what he did in clearing out the site from the symbols signifying worship to other than Allah! All idols were demolished. Busy yourself with du’aa. Ask Allah, the Most Great to make you hold to the correct belief and Path of the salaf and make you die on it. Ask Allah to save you from all forms of shirk and bid’ah. 8. While in sa’yi, contemplate on Haajar, the mother of Ismaa’eel, when she asked her husband Ibraaheem: “Did Allah order you to do this (leaving her and her baby Ismaa’eel in Makkah)? He said: “Yes.” Her great response was: “Then He (Allah) will not neglect us!” Think about this great dependence upon Allah when you are in the sa’yi walking the same path which Haajar took in search for water and for the means of life around the mounts of Safa and Marwah. Think about her endurance, perseverance and truth in Allah. The sa’yi exemplifies the strong belief that we are in need for the One Who Sustains and Provides – Allah, the Exalted. Think about Ibraaheem’s invocation on his way homeward to Palestine: O our Rabb! I have made some of my offspring to dwell in a valley with no cultivation, by Your Sacred House (the Ka’aba at Makkah); in order, O our Rabb, that they may offer prayers perfectly, so fill some hearts among men with love towards them, and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks. – Qur’an 14:37 Men and fruits came to Makkah from many places. Ibraaheem returned to visit and later to share with his son Ismaa’eel the noble task of raising the foundations of the Ka’aba. 9. The standing on ‘Arafaat is the Haj. The crowds should remind you of the Day of Resurrection. Humble yourself to Allah, manifest your ‘uboodiyyah to Him Alone through du’aa, sincere intention and strong determination to free yourself from the sins of the past and to build up a commitment to rush for doing what is good. Think of becoming a better person when you return. Rid yourself of false pride and showing off because it may ruin what you may gain on this day. 10. You gathered the pebbles and you are about to embark on stoning the jamaraat. This is an act of obedience and remembrance of Allah, Most Magnificent. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “When you cast the small pebbles (ie at the jamaraat), it will be a light for you on the Day of Resurrection.” 11. When performing the sacrifice remember that saying of Allah, the Most High: It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah, but it is your devotion that reaches him. – Qur’an 22:37 12. When you have completed your Haj, do not think that the remembrance of Allah has ended. Listen to what Allah says: So when you have accomplished your manaasik (ie the rites of Haj) remember Allah as you remember your forefathers or with a far more remembrance. – Qur’an 2:200 Special note: If you go to Madinah then the objective of your visit should be according to the Sunnah and not bid’ah. Your intention is to set on a journey to visit the Prophet’s mosque and not his grave. When you reach the mosque and you pray upon entering then you may go to the grave and say, “As-salaama ‘alayka ayyuhan-nabiyy.” The same salaam is also mentioned when you pass by Abu Bakr and ‘Umar without innovations like: a. Visiting the grave of the Prophet before praying in the mosque. b. Making du’aa facing the grave. c. Seeking nearness to Allah by means of the Prophet. This is a prohibited form of tawassul. d. Seeking intercession from the Prophet. e. Placing the hands upon the grills around the room containing the Prophet’s grave to seek blessings, etc. Remember the Prophet’s sayings: “Do not make my grave an ‘Eid (place of celebration)... “May Allah’s curse be on the Jews and Christians for taking the graves of their Prophets as places of worship.” “Those before you took the graves of their Prophets as places of worship. Do not take graves as places of worship for verily I forbid you to do so.” 13. The Haj journey is not meant to gain any material reward. It is a selfless sacrifice solely for Allah, Most Majestic. It demands true love and fear of Him. It should be performed with full consciousness of one’s heart, with full humility and submission to Allah. It should not be thought of as a tourist-type excursion or be performed as mere physical rites. It develops sincerity, piety, humility, self-control, sacrifice, and true knowledge of the meaning of submission and obedience to Allah, Most High. It helps the pilgrim to be a better person who is devoted to Allah in every aspect of life. PRIOR TO HAJ AND/OR ‘UMRAH THE MUSLIM SHOULD: 1. Purify his creed (‘aqeedah) from any aspects of shirk, greater or lesser, as shirk destroys one’s deeds. 2. Devote his Haj purely and sincerely for Allah. 3. Sincerely repent for all of his sins. 4. Acquire knowledge about Haj and its rites. 5. Use halaal (lawful) means to support this great journey, taking what he will require (ie not begging while on Haj to meet his needs). 6. Record all of his debts and include them in his Islamic Will. 7. Relieve himself from any kind of injustice which he may have inflicted upon others. 8. Secure the needs of his family members whom he leaves home. 9. Accompany the knowledgeable and righteous Muslims and stay away from the mubtadi’ah (innovators in deen). 10. Perform salaat on time and as prescribed during the journey and in the Haj period. 11. Safeguard his tongue from backbiting, arguing, complaining, etc. 12. Keep his beard and not shave it for Haj or for any other reason, as this is prohibited. 13. Remember that it is unlawful for men to wear gold (rings included). Note: The position of the scholars regarding visiting the grave sites by women can be summarised as follows: a. Disliked but not unlawful b. Allowable, if done infrequently. If a woman is known as being unable to behave herself within the limits of Shariah at a grave site, then she should be prevented from visiting the graves. c. Forbidden, and d. A grave sin Many scholars state that women visiting the Prophet’s Mosque may pronounce their salaam upon the Prophet away from the grave site since it is confirmed by many ahadith that the salaam is related to the Prophet wherever the person may be. The Prophet is in a state of barzakh ( a state of existence that begins with death and lasts until the Day of Resurrection) the nature of which is only known to Allah. Nullification of ablution Before offering prayers and other particular acts of worship, one must be in a state of ritual purity. It is necessary therein to wash the parts of the body that are generally exposed to dirt or other impurities. This cleansing is called Wudhoo’ (Ablution) and is performed as follows: 1. Have the intention that the act is for the purpose of worship and purification. Then, begin by saying ‘Bismillaah’ (ie, ‘I begin in the Name of Allah’). 2. Wash your hands up to the wrists, three times starting with the right hand. 3. Rinse your mouth with water, three times. 4. At the same time, cleanse your nostrils by sniffing water and expelling it, three times. 5. Wash your whole face three times with both hands, if possible, from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin and from ear to ear. 6. Wash your right arm three times up to the far end of the elbow, and then do the same with the left arm. 7. Wipe the whole head, or any part of it, with a wet hand from the front to the back, once. 8. Wipe the inner sides of your ears with the forefingers and their outer sides with the thumbs. This should be done with wet fingers once. 9. Wash your two feet up to the ankles, three times, beginning with the right foot. The following acts render ablution null and void: Natural Bodily Discharges These include urine, stools, gas from behind, etc. Concerning the cases which necessitate ablution, Allah Almighty Says (what means): “… or (if) one of you comes from the place of relieving himself…” [Qur’an 5:6] This proves that such an act obligates new purification. Abu Hurairah, radhiallah ‘anhu, who was one of the outstanding Companions, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Allah does not accept the prayer of a person who has released gas until he performs a new ablution.” A person from Hadhramawt (in Yemen) asked Abu Hurairah: “What does releasing gas mean?” He answered: “Passing wind, with or without sound.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] He also narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “If one of you finds a disturbance in his abdomen and is not certain if he released any gas or not, he should not leave the mosque (i.e., quit his prayer) unless he hears its sound or smells its odour.” [Muslim] Hearing the escaping gas or smelling it is not the condition that nullifies the ablution, but the certainty that passing gas has occurred. As for a discharge of Al-Mathi (prostatic fluid), the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Perform ablution.” Concerning Al-Mani (sperm), Ibn ‘Abbaas, radhiallah ‘anhu, who was another outstanding Companion, said: “It requires Ghusl (ritual bathing) and for Al-Mathi and Al-Wadi (which is secreted from the sexual organ due to sickness or fatigue), wash your sexual organs and perform ablution.” [Al-Bayhaqi] Deep Sleep that Makes a Person Completely Unaware of his Surroundings If the person did not keep his buttocks firmly seated on the floor while sleeping, he must make a new ablution.  Safwaan Ibn ‘Asal  said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, used to order us while we were travelling not to take our socks off unless we were in post-sex impurity (i.e. not for defecation, urination or sleep).” If one’s buttocks remained firmly on the floor during his sleep, no new ablution is necessary. This is implied by the narration of Anas, radhiallah ‘anhu, who said: “The Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, were waiting for the delayed ‘Ishaa’ prayer until their heads began nodding up and down (from drowsiness and sleep). They would then pray without performing ablution.” [Muslim, Ash-Shafi’ee, Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi] The wording that At-Tirmithi recorded from the chain of Shu’bah is: “I have seen the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, sleeping to the extent that one could hear some of them snoring, but, they would stand for prayer without a new ablution.” Imaam Ibn Al-Mubaarak said: “In our view, this happened when they were sitting.” Loss of Consciousness  This nullifies the ablution, regardless of whether it was due to insanity, fainting, drunkenness, or medication. It also does not matter if one was unconscious for a short or long period of time, or if one was sitting, or fell to the ground, and so on. The aspect of unawareness here is greater than that of sleeping.  The scholars all agree on this point. Touching the Sexual Organ without Any ‘Barrier’ (clothing, and so on) between the Hand and the Organ Busrah Ibnt Safwaan (a female Companion) narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever touches his sexual organ cannot pray until he performs ablution.” [Maalik, Ash-Shafi’ee, Ahmad & Others] Imaam Abu Daawood said: “I asked Ahmad : ‘Is the Hadith (prophetic narration) of Busrah authentic?’ He replied: ‘Certainly it is authentic.’” In the narration of Imaams Ahmad and An-Nasaa’i Busrah heard the Prophet saying: “Ablution is to be made by the one who touches his sexual organ.”  This is general and encompasses touching one’s own sexual organs or touching anyone else’s. Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet as saying: “Whoever touches his sexual organ without any covering (over it) must perform ablution.” [Ahmad, Ibn Hibbaan & Al-Haakim] Imaam Ibn As-Sakan, who was a Hadith scholar, said: “This Hadith is from the best of what has been related on this topic,” Imaam Ash-Shaafi’ee related: “Any man who touches his sexual organ must perform ablution. Any woman who touches her private part must perform ablution.”  The scholars of the Hanafi school are of the opinion, based on the following Hadith, that touching the sexual organ does not nullify the ablution: “A man asked the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, if a man who touches his sexual organ has to perform ablution. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, replied: “No, it is just a part of you.” In addition to this issue (touching the sexual organ), there are other issues that are also controversial in this regard among Muslim scholars, such as excretion of pus or blood, vomiting and eating camel meat. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Faith and hypocrisy Amongst the people are those who have faith but also possess a characteristic of hypocrisy as is reported in the Two Saheehs from Abdullah bin Amr, radiallahu ‘anhu, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “There are four qualities whosoever has them is a hypocrite and whosoever has a characteristic of these four possesses a characteristic of hypocrisy until he leaves it: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks it, when he makes a covenant he proves treacherous, and when he argues he behaves in an imprudent and uncouth manner.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Also in the Two Saheehs it is reported from Abu Hurairah, radiallahu ‘anhu, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Faith has sixty or seventy and odd branches. The most lofty of them is the saying, ‘none has the right to be worshipped save Allah’ and the least of them is to remove something harmful from the road and modesty is a branch of faith.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Hence the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, explained that whosoever has a characteristic of these qualities [mentioned in the first hadith] then he has a characteristic of hypocrisy until he leaves it. It is also established in the Two Saheehs that he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, has a characteristic of hypocrisy until he leaves it. It is also established in the Two Saheehs that he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said to Abu Dharr, radiallahu ‘anhu: “Indeed you still contain some qualities of the pre-Islamic ignorance.” He asked, “despite my old age?” He replied, “yes.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] It is established from him, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, in the Saheeh that he said: “There are four things found in my nation that are from the affairs of jaahiliyyah: boasting about social status, abusing genealogies, wailing over the dead and seeking rain through the stars.” [Muslims and Ahmed] It is reported in the Two Saheehs from Abu Hurairah, radiallahu ‘anhu, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The signs of the hypocrite are there; when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks it and when he is entrusted with something he proves treacherous.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] In Saheeh Muslim [there occurs and additional wording], “Even if he fasts, prays and thinks that he is a Muslim.” [Muslim] Al-Bukhari mentions from Ibn Abi Mulaykhah that he said: “I have met 30 of the Companions of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, all of them fearing hypocrisy for themselves.” [Al-Bukhari] Allah the Exalted says: “And what struck you on the day the two armies met [at Uhud] was by the permission of Allah so that He might make evident the [true] believers and that He might make evident those who are the hypocrites. For it was said to them, ‘come, fight in the Way of Allah or [at least] defend.’ They said, ‘if we had known [there would be] fighting we would have followed you.’ They were nearer to disbelief that day than to faith.” [Aali ‘Imraan (3): 166-167] So he declare these people to be closer to belief than belief [on that day], thus it becomes known that they had mixed faith with disbelief, and that their disbelief was the stronger of the two. [Likewise] others who have mixed faith with disbelief could find that their faith is the stronger of the two. The increase and decrease of faith Now when it is known that the Awliyaa of Allah are the pious, God-fearing believers, then know that the servants’ love of and closeness to Allah (wilaayah) will be determined by the amount of faith and taqwaa he has. Therefore the one who is more complete with regards his faith and taqwaa is closer to and has greater love of Allah, the Exalted. Hence the people are of varying degrees in their closeness to, and love of Allah, the Mighty and Magnificent, varying in accordance to their degrees of completion in faith and taqwaa. Similarly people are of varying degrees with regards to their enmity to Allah, which is determined in accordance to their level of disbelief and hypocrisy. Allah, the Exalted says: “And whenever a surah is revealed, there are among them [the hypocrites] those who say, ‘which of you has this increased in faith?’ As for those who have believed, it has increased them in faith and they rejoice. But as for those in whose hearts there is a disease, it has [only] increased them in evil [in addition] to their evil and they will have died while they are disbelievers.” [At-Tawbah (9): 124- 125] “Indeed, the postponing of restriction with the sacred months is an increase in disbelief.” [At-Tawbah (9): 37] “And those who are guided - he increases them in guidance and grants them their righteousness.” [Muhammad (47): 17] He, the Exalted, says with regards to the hypocrites, “In their ears is a disease, so Allah has increased their disease.” [Al-Baqarah (2):10] In conclusion, Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, as explained that a single person could have some measure of closeness and allegiance to Allah in accordance to his level of faith and also have some measure of enmity to Allah in accordance to his level of disbelief and hypocrisy. Allah, the Exalted says: “And those who have believed will increase in faith.” [Al-Muddathir (74) 31] “...so that they would increase in faith along with their present faith.” [Al-Fath (48) 4] In Summary * A single person can contain faith and hypocrisy * Therefore the Awliyaa are of differing levels * And the enemies of Allah are also of differing levels (Excerpted from the book The Friends of Allah and the Friends of Shaytaan)