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O you who believe! Observing saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become the pious. (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:183) The goal of fasting is to attain Taqwa or God-consciousness and fear of Allah. The ability to tame the unruly tendencies of one’s inner self on one hand, and the cultivation of one’s will power, on the other, are very important in the process of purification of the soul. This is because during fasting in Ramadan, there are many opportunities, blessings and means that one can avail and utilise so that one’s soul is purified. First, forgiveness of sins has a very positive result in purifying the soul. The accumulation of sins for the whole year produces in the conscience a sense of endless guilt and the feeling of one’s sins are being forgiven is a relief in one’s weary heart. Have you ever wondered how people cannot sleep at night because they have wronged someone or quarrelled with someone? This heavy burden upon a believer’s soul is relieved once reconciliation takes place. Similarly, Allah subhanahu wa taala, in His mercy forgives the fasting people whereby relieving him of the guilt of his past sins against Allah. The Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: Whoever fasts in Ramadan having Iman and Ihtisab, his past sins will be forgiven for him. (Agreed upon by Bukhari and Muslim) This hadith stipulates two conditions in order for the sins to be forgiven. The fasting person must of course be a Mu’min. Al Ihtisab carries with it three meanings: having firm resolve, hoping for the reward, and being pleased with the act not considering it a heavy burden. Secondly, one should feel that he is doing a deed that is very dear and special to Allah. Every deed of son of Adam has an equivalent reward of 10 to 700 times, except fasting which will be rewarded by Allah Al Kareem, the Most Generous. Third, fasting purifies the soul by cultivating the much needed virtue of patience. There are three categories or facets of patience: Being patient in performing the obligations, being patient in avoiding the prohibitions and being patient in times of calamity. All of these three are trained in the fasting person by performing the obligatory act of fasting, avoiding vile, filthy, senseless, sinful actions and being patient in difficulties that might happen while fasting. Fourth, fasting reminds him the true purpose of his creation and the meaning of Islam. That to worship Allah, one must inevitably submit to His will first; that Allah comes first before one’s own desires. Especially for those who are living in non-Muslim countries experience the temptation where everyone is eating and drinking while you are holding yourself because you want to follow what Allah wants. Fifth, everything seems to slow down during Ramadan (especially in Muslim countries), and one doesn’t have the usual energy to do the fruitless things. Hence one is left with more free time to think and ponder. This leaves a person with more time to ponder over his life and possibly the wrong things he have done. Sixth, feeling and doing the act yields more certainty that witnessing it. How many times we have seen pictures of  malnourished children in Africa and felt pity for them, yet one still cannot feel how is it to starved and taste the pangs of hunger in one’s stomach. This in turn should turn on the switch of gratefulness in us for the blessings of Allah. Seventh, fasting makes us realise our potential as human beings. Some of us think that the obligations and prohibitions of Islam are overwhelming or inapplicable especially in non-Muslim societies so we involve ourselves in haram activities thinking that we cannot do anything about it. But in Ramadan, we only haven’t abstained from the haram but from the halal as well. If we have the strength to abstain from the halal then all the more so we have the will power to abstain from the haram? Allah is not unjust that He would prohibit things from us that we cannot avoid. This is especially true for the smokers! In fact fasting is a sort of training for the gradual weaning from the addictive effects of smoking. Eighth, turning to Allah and realising one’s need for Him. If Allah takes away our most fundamental needs as human beings then who is there to help us. Imagine if Allah takes away our sense of taste or sense of satiety. Having been born with all the complete senses and limbs makes us forget that ultimately these are not really ours. This reality is vividly demonstrated in people with illness such as stroke patients with hemiplegia or paralysis of one’s side of the body. His left hand is there still connected to his body, he can see it, yet he cannot move it on his own and sometimes might not even feel that it is there. Subhanallah! Ninth, we have heard the hadith of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam: Whoever guarantees me what is between his jaws/beard [the tongue] and what is between his legs [sexual organs] I guarantee him Paradise [Bukhari]. Don’t you see? Being fasting makes us more conscious of what we say and more careful in our interactions with the opposite sex.   Tenth, fasting again makes us remember that we are not here just to eat and drink; that our existence is not just mere fulfilment and gratification of our basic desires; that we are here for a more sublime purpose, which is to worship Allah. In other words we eat not just to live but to worship the Creator. This is what separates us from the modern, secular materialistic people where they eat to live or even worst, some of them actually live to eat. For the first time in human history, there are more obese people in the world than those who are starving. Eleventh, fasting is a chance to demonstrate sincerity to Allah. All types of worship are visible to others even giving charity secretly whereby the receiver knew that somebody gave him secretly. However in fasting nobody knows if you really fasted or secretly ingested food to your mouth except Allah. Sincerity in actions is a fundamental prerequisite in the acceptance of deeds and consequently success. Twelfth, fasting helps to cure the disease of the ‘desire for more’. When one thinks that he is able to survive with only one and half meal a day and this is his real needs. Some of us has this self-made needs, a make believe that we ourselves concocted. How many of us say things like “I can’t live without smart phone or a V8 engine powered vehicle or a three-storey villa”?  We misallocate our resources at the expense of other more important things. Ultimately, Taqwa have a big role in all of this. This will power to do the things that Allah has ordered us to do, this self-restraint that bridles us to avoid what Allah has prohibited for us, and this love for Allah, doing what is beyond the obligatory. Fasting in Ramadan and its Taraweeh incorporates all of these aspects, purifying our souls and making us closer and closer to Allah. “Allah the Almighty has said : For whoever has mutual animosity with a friend (wali) of Mine, I declare war upon him. My servant does not draw near to Me with anything more beloved more to Me than the religious duties that I have imposed upon him; and My servant continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works such that I love him. And when I love him, I am his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which strikes, and his leg with which he walks. Were he to ask of me, I would surely give him; and were he to ask Me for refuge, I would surely grant him it. (Bukhari). Note: This article is adapted from the Book “Purification of the Soul” by Jamaluddin Zarabozo. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

Spending charity removes sins as water extinguishes fire ... charity extinguishes the wrath of Allah… charity shades the person on the Day of Resurrection. There are many other great virtues for spending in charity, and since the month of Ramadan is the month of generosity, we will address this topic from three different perspectives: The month of Ramadan is the month of obedience and the performance of good deeds, and the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was the best of mankind and the most obedient to his Lord, yet he used to increase his acts of worship during this blessed month. Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was the most generous of all people, but the time he spent the most was during the month of Ramadan, and he used to increase his recitation of the Qur’an, prayers, mentioning Allah and I’tikaaf (i.e. residing in the mosque with the intention of worship)”. The companions were distinctly generous during the month of Ramadan. Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “There is a difference between being generous in charity and being wasteful: a generous person spends his charity in proper channels, whilst the wasteful person might spend extravagantly in places where it is not needed, and be very poorly in places where spending is direly needed.” Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was the bravest person and the most generous.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, stated: “ The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was the most generous of all the people, and he used to reach the peak in generosity in the month of Ramadan when Jibreel met him. Jibreel used to meet him every night of Ramadan to teach him the Qur’an, and when he met him, he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would be more generous than the strong uncontrollable wind (i.e. in readiness and haste to do charitable deeds).” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] Ibn Hajar, may Allah have mercy upon him, said commenting on this narration: “This added generosity resulted from the virtue of the month, the one with whom he reviewed the Qur’an and the thing being reviewed (i.e. the Words of Allah).” Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy upon him, counted 10 levels of generosity, and they are as follows: Sacrificing one’s soul: Getting killed for the sake of Allah is the most paramount rank. Utilising one’s position: This is the second best rank as in this case generosity makes a person favour fulfilling the needs of others over his personal interest and status. Sacrificing comfort: A generous person exhausts himself and sacrifices his comfort and sleep for others. Offering one’s knowledge: This is one of the noblest ranks of generosity, and it is better than sacrificing one’s wealth because knowledge is more honourable than wealth. Never will a stingy person be able to benefit from any knowledge if he possessed any, and it is from the wisdom of Allah that He only grants this knowledge to generous people who will be willing to offer it to others and benefit them with it. Generosity in this field is to teach the one who asks you what you know and to answer people’s queries. Utilising one’s prestige: This is by interceding to people and facilitating their affairs with those in charge. Sacrificing physically: Abu Tharr, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said:“When you get up in the morning, charity is due from every one of your joints. There is charity in every ascription of glory to Allah (i.e. by uttering SubhaanAllah); there is charity in every declaration of His Greatness (i.e. by uttering Allahu Akbar); there is charity in every utterance of praise of Him (i.e. by uttering Al-Hamdulillaah); there is charity in every declaration that none is worthy of worship except Allah (i.e. by uttering Laa ilaaha IllAllah); there is charity in enjoining good; there is charity in forbidding evil. Two Rak’ah of Dhuhaa (Forenoon prayer) is equal to all this (in reward)”. [Muslim] Sacrificing one’s honour: This is by forgiving someone for badmouthing and backbiting you. This reflects one’s purity in the heart and grants peace of mind and serenity. Being patient: This is another honourable rank that benefits the person more than sacrificing his wealth. This rank grants the person support from Allah and leads to others holding him in high esteem, as only selected people are able to endure patiently when others harm them. Being cheerful with others: Abu Tharr, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Do not belittle any good deed, even meeting your Muslim brother with a cheerful face”. [Muslim] This is one of the heaviest deeds on the scale. Not longing to possess what others have: This is the best type that reflects one’s contentment with the decrees of Allah and imposes ones respect on others. Article source: http://islamweb.net/emainpage/

Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, has reported that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Paradise has eight gates and one of them is Ar-Rayyaan through which none will enter but those who observe fating.” As-Suyooti, may Allah have mercy upon him, has reported that Al-Haarith Ibn Kalda, may Allah have mercy upon him, stated that: “Imposing abstinence from food” was the essence of medicine. Fasting, in medical terms, may mean a variety of things. Some healthcare practitioners might recommend juice fasting. This type of fast eliminates all solid foods and the person consumes only fruit and vegetable juices. Others might recommend elimination of all foods except fruits and water for a specified time. Some might even recommend eliminating all foods and drinks for specific periods. The reported purpose for these forms of fasting is to cleanse toxins and poisons form the body and the digestive tract. Islamically speaking, fasting both voluntary and obligatory is an act of worship. Although there may be health benefits, its primary purpose must always be to please Allah. Alternative medicine views fasting as a detoxification method. This simply means that it is used to purify the body by eliminating “toxins.” This process enhances the healing processes of the body. Fasting generally is perceived to spare any harm to vital organs but uses fatty tissue, etc. For energy production naturopathic healthcare practitioners generally proscribe short fasts. Because body temperature may drop during a fast, as does blood pressure, pulse, and respiration, it is considered important to stay warm. Fasting is seen as possible treatment for a variety of disorders and diseases including: obesity, chemical poisoning, arthritis, allergies, psoriasis, eczema, leg ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, bronchial asthma and even depression. Fasting is a protection for the body and the mind. At-Tirmithi, may Allah have mercy upon him, has reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Fasting and the Qur’an intercede for a man. Fasting says, ‘O my Lord I have kept him away from his food and his passions by day, so accept my intercession for him.’ The Qur’an says, ‘I have kept him away from sleep by night so accept my intercession for him.’ Then their intercession is accepted.” Research has shown that fasting can improve the control of diabetes. Another study has shown that fasting improved the health of persons with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. Another study suggests that fasting may improve cholesterol levels. Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, has reported that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said that Allah said: “All the deeds of the children of Aadam are for them, except fasting, which is for Me and I will give the reward for it.” Al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, has also reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, narrated that Allah said: “The fast is for Me and I will give the reward for it, as he (who observes the fast) leaves his (sexual) desire, food and drink for My Sake. Fasting is a shield (from Hell) and there are two pleasures for a fasting person, one at the time of breaking his fast and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord. The smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better in Allah’s Sight than the smell of musk.” There are specific requirements for the Muslim to consider when fasting. First is the intention to worship Allah and obey His commandments. Second, is that the fasting must take place between dawn to dusk. Muslims are prohibited from fasting for more than two continuous days without breaking the fast. This is based on the narration reported in Al-Muwatta, which states that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, forbade fasting for two days or more without breaking the fast in between. Likewise, fasting is prohibited on cer­tain days: ‘Eid Al-Fitr, ‘Eid Al-Adha, and on Jumu’ah (Fridays unless the person has fasted the day before or will fast the day after). Married women are admonished not to observe voluntary fast without the permission of their hus­bands, as the husbands have a right over their wives. Breaking the fast with dates or sips of water is better. Again, this is based on the Prophet’s Sunnah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and the narration reported by Abu Daawood, may Allah have mercy upon him: “When one of you is fasting, he should break his fast with dates, but if he cannot get any, then (he should break his fast) with water, for water is purifying.” Muslim, may Allah have mercy upon him, has reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The Ajwah date is an excellent remedy.” The best days for fasting are Mondays and Thursdays. At-Tirmithi, may Allah have mercy upon him, also reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The deeds of men are presented to Allah on Mondays and Thursdays, and I like mine to be presented when I am fasting.”  The thirteenth, fourteenth, and fif­teenth of each lunar month are also recommended for fasting. While both the obligatory fasting during Ramadan and the voluntary fast­ing during the remainder of the year are acts of worship, they may provide healing to the body. Whatever healing may occur because of fasting is a blessing from Allah, however this should not be the intention or the goal of fasting. Fasting gives us a greater ability to control our desires and emotions. It should not be con­sidered a “cure-all” or a diet programme. Those who fast will receive their reward from Allah as long as their intentions are pure and their fasting is not harmed or nullified by lying, backbiting, or evil deeds. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/ Time to study the Book of Allah Let us look at our best model, the Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Ibn‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was the most generous of people and he used to be more generous during the month of Ramadan, when he used to meet Jibreel (Angel Gabriel) and review the Qur’an with him. During this time, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was faster (in his generosity and bringing good) than a blowing wind”.  [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] We understand from this Hadith that it is recommended to review the Qur’an and study it in the month of Ramadan, even gathering in group sessions to do so. In addition, we can conclude from it that it is recommended to repeatedly recite the Qur’an during the month of Ramadan. Many people have the mistaken idea that they should recite the Qur’an repeatedly during the day of Ramadan and then stop reciting it during the night. Some of the Salaf  (righteous predecessors, may Allah have mercy upon them) used to read the entire Qur’an in Ramadan every three nights, and some used to do it every seven nights, like Qataadah, may Allah be pleased with him; others used to finish it every ten nights. Ibn Rajab, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The Salaf used to recite the Qur’an in the month of Ramadan during prayer and other times; Qataadah used to teach the Qur’an in the month of Ramadan. Whenever Ramadan started, Az-Zuhri, may Allah have mercy on him, used to say: ‘This is the month of reciting the Qur’an and giving food’.” During Ramadan, Allah gives honour and elevates people with the Qur’an and degrades others as a result of neglecting it. All thanks are due to Allah that the Qur’an is amongst us and it is very easy to obtain a copy: they are in the mosques, the homes, in the libraries and bookstores. In some of the Muslim countries you can even listen to it on the radio. Having the Qur’an available is a great bounty of Allah, glory be to Him. Being able to learn His Book, listen to it, and act according to it is another great favour and bounty of Allah, The Most Exalted. The Qur’an can also be a proven evidence against all of those who neglected it when it was so easily available. Allah Almighty says (what means): “Say (O Muhammad): ‘What thing is greatest in testimony?’ Say, ‘Allah is witness between me and you. And this Qur’an was revealed to me that I may warn you thereby and whomever it reaches…’” [Qur’an 6: 19] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The Qur’an is a proof or an evidence for or against you.” [Muslim] So we must fear Allah and pay attention to the Book of Allah, learning it, teaching it, acting according to it and applying it so that we will be among its people. About the Qur’an, Allah Almighty says (what means):“Indeed, this Qur’an guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward. And that those who do not believe in the Hereafter - We have prepared for them a painful punishment.” [Qur’an 17: 9-10]

Nowadays, we live in a time in which many ideologies exist - a time of confrontations with different misconceptions, challenges and questions that are often witnessed, heard and repeated. Each one of us in this world, regardless of his/her position, needs something at times to strengthen him, help him stay steadfast and increase his faith and reliance on Allah so he can face strong desires and new challenges as firm as mountains that are unaffected by strong winds or earthquakes. When a person feels lonely, or a problem occurs, when things are bad, when he is about to give up hope on the Mercy of Allah, or when he does wrong; he needs what guides him through such conditions to help him solve the problem, to remind him of the Mercy of Allah and to warn him when he does wrong. Unless a person heads in the right direction with his entire body (his feelings, heart and limbs) towards the Book of Allah, by reading it, contemplating its verses and practising what it contains, then one cannot hope to be steadfast and strong in his faith. He will not feel secure from being punished. He cannot expect a promise to be fulfilled nor to be mentioned or remembered after his death. The Qur’an is the pure spring that never depletes, the great treasure that does not diminish from use, rather it only increases. Its repetition and recitation add to its sweetness and encourage one to read from it again. The Qur’an is the Word of Allah that cannot be likened to any other words. It is protected from falsehood being entered into it from any direction. It was sent down by The All-Wise, Worthy of all praise, Allah, Glory be to Him, Who took it upon Himself to protect it so no one can add to it or subtract from it. It cannot be increased or decreased. It is written in a Preserved Book (in Arabic: Al Lawh Al Mahfooth). It is easy to learn and is often contemplated, memorised, and recited. Allah Says (what means): “And We have indeed made the Qur’an easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember?” [Qur’an 54: 17] Anyone, young or old, can memorise it even non-Arabic speaking people. It is not burdensome to read or recite repeatedly. Due to its sweetness, no one gets bored listening to the Qur’an. Scholars never have enough pondering over it, educating themselves from it and learning more of its meanings. Neither mankind nor jinn can produce a chapter that resembles it, because it is an eternal miracle and proof. Allah, Glory be to Him, Commanded us to recite it and to reflect upon it. He made it a blessing as well as blessed. 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] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who recites or reads a letter from the Book of Allah gets a reward and the reward is multiplied by ten. I don’t mean ‘Alif Laam Meem’ is a letter, rather, Alif is a letter, Laam is a letter and Meem is a letter.” [At-Tirmithi] Allah gave a certain position to those who memorise and work according to it -- a position that makes one different from other people. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam,  said: “The best amongst you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others.” [Al-Bukhari]. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, also said: “The example of the believer who reads the Qur’an is like the ‘Utrujjah’ (a type of fruit). It has a nice smell and a sweet taste. The example of the believer who does not read or recite the Qur’an is like a date, which has no smell but tastes sweet. The example of a hypocrite who reads the Qur’an is like the Rayhannah, it smells nice but it tastes bitter. The example of the hypocrite who does not read the Qur’an is like the Hanthalah (colocynth) which does not have any smell and it tastes bitter” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Tranquillity and true happiness lie in glorifying the Book of Allah, reading it, resorting to it as a reference and using it as a guidance. Wretchedness lies in turning one’s back on the Qur’an, degrading it and deserting it. Allah says (what means): “And whoever turns away from My remembrance - indeed, he will have a depressed life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind. He will say, “My Lord, why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing? [ Allah ] will say, “Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot them; and thus will you this Day be forgotten.” [Qur’an 20: 124-126] The blessed month of Ramadan that we live in these days should remind the believing Muslim Nation of the importance of going back truly and sincerely to the Book of Allah, the great Book that Allah has honored by having revealed it during this month. He, The Almighty, Says (what means): “The month of Ramadan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion.” [Qur’an 2: 185] The best way to spend time during the month of the Qur’an (Ramadan) is to give increased importance to the Qur’an by memorising, reciting, practicing and contemplating it.

One of the Names of Allah is Al-Hakeem (The All-Wise), Allah is All-Wise in what He decrees, what He commands, what He prohibits, what He predestines and what He legislates. Allah may make people aware of the wisdom behind certain matters or He may conceal it, or may make only some people realise the wisdom and not all people. In all cases, a believer is obliged to submit to his Lord and His decrees and commands even if he does not recognise the wisdom behind them, as Allah Says (what means): “It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair.” [Qur’an 33: 36] One of the commands of Allah which He made people partly aware of the wisdom behind it, is fasting. Fasting has many inwardly and outwardly benefits, on the individual and the community. The following are some of these benefits which can be recognised by reason: Attaining piety: Allah Says (what means): “O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become pious” [Qur’an 2: 183] Diminishing the strength of one’s desires: Eating to one’s fill and quenching the thirst and enjoying one’s wife all the time can lead one to heedlessness and to ingratitude. Focusing on the mention of Allah and pondering: Continual fulfilment of desires makes one hard-hearted and blinds him from the right path. It also prevents the slave from mentioning Allah and reflecting upon His signs and creation, all of which leads to heedlessness. Narrowing the passage of the devil: Satan runs in the blood of the son of Aadam and fasting narrows his passage and thus lessens his effects, reduces one’s desires and calms one’s anger. Strengthening one’s willpower and determination: One, who can tolerate the pain of hunger and thirst and controls himself from having a sexual relation with his spouse whilst fasting, will strengthen his determination and willpower. This frees the person from being enslaved to his lusts and desires that are harmful to him. Breaking one out of his regular routine: Some people lose their temper and become ill-mannered if their meal was delayed from its normal time or if they do not drink their morning coffee or afternoon tea. They have become so accustomed to a certain routine that changing it creates a problem for them. Such people are slaves to their routine and habits, and fasting helps the person overcome this behaviour. Realising the size of the bounties of Allah: Fasting makes rich people appreciate the favours of Allah upon him, because Allah has granted him what He has deprived many other poor people from. Refraining from such bounties and blessings for a short period through fasting, reminds the rich with those who are continuously deprived, and thus become grateful to Allah and more merciful towards the needy. A communal act of worship: This act of worship must be practised by the entire Muslim community in the east and the west. The entire Muslim nation fasts this month, even the ones who are normally disobedient fast during Ramadan in most cases. This increases the righteous environment which facilitates repentance to many people. Increases the sense of honesty: The one who breaks the fast is breaching the pledge with Allah and thus fasting improves and increases his sense of honesty when he refrains from anything that could break his fast even whilst in seclusion. Medical benefits: Fasting protects the person from many diseases with the will of Allah. Modern research proved that fasting has many health benefits, such as: l It  organises the person’s heart-beat and relaxes it since no blood is needed for digestion. l It purifies the blood from fat and cholesterol and acids. l It relieves the liver from the regular pressure. l It reduces the production of the digestive glands which is usually the cause for ulcers. l It protects the person from gaining weight, diabetes, kidney stones.   l It reduces the pressure on the heart arteries.   Some people are unable to fast due to their sickness, and thus Allah permitted them to break their fast whilst sick and mandated that they make up for the days they missed. Allah Says (what means): “So whoever among you is ill or on a journey [during them]-then an equal number of days [are to be made up]” [Qur’an: 2: 184] Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the women’s liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the women’s liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by Allah (God) to a man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. The Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, are the sources from which every Muslim woman derives her rights and duties. Human Rights: Islam, 14 centuries ago, made women equally accountable to Allah in glorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman’s equality in her humanity with men. In the first verse of the chapter entitled “Women”, Allah Says (what means): “O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Aadam), and from him (Aadam) He created his wife [Hawwaa (Eve)], and from them both, He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.” [Qur’an 4:1] Since men and women both came from the same essence, they are equal in their humanity. Women cannot be by nature evil (as some religions believes) or then men would be evil also. Similarly, neither sex can be superior because it would be a contradiction of equality. Allah Says (which means): “O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allah is that (believer) who is the most pious of you. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.” [Qur’an 49:13] Allah also Says (what means): “Verily, the Muslims men and women, the believers men and women, the men and women who are obedient (to Allah), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and women who are humble (before their Lord), the men and women who give charity, the men and women who observe fasting, the men and women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts), and the men and women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues. Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise).” [Qur’an 33:35] Civil Rights: In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based on recognition of her individual personality. First, the non-Muslim woman (from the people of the Book) is free to maintain her religion. Allah Says (what means): “There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right path has been made distinct from wrong path.” [Qur’an 2:256] Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are many traditions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, which indicate women would pose questions directly to him and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and social matters. A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her family name after marriage. A Muslim woman’s testimony is valid in legal disputes. In fact, in areas in which women are more familiar, their evidence is conclusive. Social Rights The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim (male and female).” [Ibn Maajah] This includes knowledge of the Qur’an and the Hadith as well as other religious knowledge. Men and women both have the capacity for learning and understanding. Since it is also their obligation to promote good behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres of life, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate Islamic education to perform this duty in accordance with their own natural talents and interests. While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband, and bearing, raising and teaching of children are among the first and very highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside the home for the good of the community, she may do so (if she has to) as long as her family obligations are met, and as long as there is no intermingling between her and men in the workplace. Islam recognises and fosters the natural differences between men and women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for men and other types for women. This, in no way, diminishes either’s effort nor benefit. Allah will reward both sexes equally for the value of their work, though it may not necessarily be the same activity. The success of a society can be traced to the mothers. The first and greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security, affection, and training received from the mother. Therefore, a woman having children must be educated and conscientious in order to be a skilful parent. Economic Rights: Allah Says (what  means): “By Him Who created male and female; Verily, your efforts and deeds are diverse.” [Qur’an 92:3-4] In these verses, Allah declares that He created men and women to be different, with unique roles, functions and skills. As in society, where there is a division of labour, so too in a family; each member has different responsibilities. Generally, Islam upholds that women are entrusted with the nurturing role, and men, with the guardian role. Therefore, women are given the right of financial support. Allah Says (what  means): “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to support them) from their means...” [Qur’an 4:34] This guardianship and greater financial responsibility is given to men, requires that they provide women with not, only monetary support, but also physical protection and kind and respectful treatment. The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the right to own property, to enter into legal contracts and to manage all of her assets in any way she pleases. She can run her own business and no one has any claim on her earnings including her husband. Allah Says (what means): “And wish not for the things in which Allah has made some of you to excel others. For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned, and ask Allah of His bounty. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of everything.” [Qur’an 4:32] Furthermore, a woman inherits from her relatives. Allah Says (what  means): “There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parents and those nearest related, whether, the property be small or large – a legal share.” [Qur’an 4:7] Rights of a Wife: Allah Says (what  means): “And among His signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put affection and mercy between you; Verily, in that are signs for people who reflect.” [Qur’an 30:21] Marriage is therefore not just a physical or emotional necessity, but in fact it is a relationship of mutual rights and obligations based on divine guidance. Allah created men and women with complimentary natures, and in the Qur’an, He laid out a system of laws to support harmonious interaction between the sexes. Allah Says (what means): “...They are your garments and you are their garments.” [Qur’an 2:187] Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each protects the other and hides the faults and compliments the characteristics of the spouse. To foster the love and security that come with marriage, Muslim wives have various rights. The first of the wife’s rights is to receive Mahr (marriage dowry), a gift from the husband, which is part of the marriage contract and required for the legality and validity of the marriage. The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have, her husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands. Allah Says (what  means): “Let the rich man spend according to his means, and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him. Allah will grant after hardship, ease.” [Qur’an  65:7] Allah tells us in the Qur’an that men are guardians over women and are afforded the leadership in the family. His responsibility for obeying Allah extends to guiding his family to obey Allah at all times. A wife’s rights also extend beyond material needs, as she has the right to kind treatment. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “…The best of you are those who are best (in treatment) to their wives.” [At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah and Al-Bayhaqi]    Allah tells us that He created mates and put love, mercy, and tranquillity between them. Both men and women have a need for companionship and sexual needs, and marriage is designed to fulfil those needs. For one spouse to deny this satisfaction to the other, temptation will rise to seek satisfying it elsewhere. Duties of a Wife: With rights come responsibilities. Therefore, wives have certain obligations towards their husbands. Allah Says (what  means): “…The righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and their husbands), and guard in the husband’s absence what Allah orders them to guard (i.e. their chastity, their husband’s property, etc.).” [Qur’an 4:34] A wife is to keep her husband’s secrets and protect their marital privacy. Issues of intimacy or faults of his, that would dishonour him, are not to be spread by the wife, just as he is expected to guard her honour. A wife must also guard her husband’s property. She must safeguard his home and possessions, to the best of her ability, from theft or damage. She should manage the household affairs wisely so as to prevent loss or waste. She should not allow anyone to enter the house whom her husband dislikes nor incur any expenses of which her husband disapproves. A Muslim woman must co-operate and co-ordinate with her husband. There cannot, however, be cooperation with a man who is disobedient to Allah. She should not fulfill his requests if he wants her to do something Islamically unlawful. A husband also should not take advantage of his wife, but rather he should consider her needs and happiness. Conclusion: Allah Says (what  means): “It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has strayed in a plain error.” [Qur’an 33:36] The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights more than 1,400 years ago that most women do not enjoy today, even in the West. These are rights granted by Allah and are designed to keep balance in the society; what may seem unjust or missing in one place is compensated for or explained in another place. Indeed Islam is a complete way of life.

Ramadan is just around the corner. It will be a great blessing for those of us who live to see it and pick its invaluable fruits. It is a time of Taqwa (piety), of Eeman (faith), and of Ihsaan (excellence). Its time for renovation of faith, for renewal of our pledge to Allah Almighty, for refuelling our soul for the onslaughts the next year holds for us. Yet, it will pass by many of us without touching them. How deprived are those who will remain untouched by it! And how lucky are those whom its nights will bless with tears of love and fear, and its days with the sweet hunger and thirst of fasting! Allah breaks the monotony of human life by appointing times and places that He, by His infinite Wisdom and Knowledge, made special, ones that have the special touch of Allah’s Benediction and Blessing. This concept of blessing is extremely important for it appears quite frequently in the Qur’an and the Prophetic narrations. The concept of blessing has a kind of mystery in it. The devoted slave of Allah does not know exactly how, when and in what form will the promised increase or acceptance descend, so he or she keeps an eye on the unknown prize and keeps going. It is hidden in some moments of the night, some morsels of food, some days of the week, some months of the year, and some cities or places in the world. No one knows but The All-Knower- Allah, The Most Exalted. Even a cursory look at the history of various human cultures shows that humans have a timeless instinct to separate the special from the mundane and to distinguish the sacred from the profane. This very distinction has formed the essence of worship in all human societies, primitive or modern. In the true religion of Allah, all sanctity and devotion goes finally to Allah, and Allah alone. Yet to break our routine, to grab our attention, to challenge our intellect, to satiate our spiritual yearning, and finally to fill our instinctive need of worship, devotion and love, Allah has chosen, by His Wisdom, tangible symbols for us. These symbols of time and space, of sacred moments and blessed places, are an aid to our worship. Ramadan is perhaps the richest, the largest and the most loaded of these symbols. The modern secular society has played havoc with this sense of sacredness, leaving us without symbols and their spirituality and mystery. Surrounded by man-made buildings, cars, computers, highways and gadgets, we forget The Creator of the makers of these trivialities. E-mails preempt prayers, cheap fiction strikes off the Qur’an, fashion magazines replace beneficial books; TV sports take care of any reflective moments you might have otherwise had. So much so that the month of Ramadan takes many of us by surprise when our favourite news service announces that the `Muslims are celebrating Ramadan tomorrow’. Ramadan comes to many of us without arousing any ecstasy in the heart or anticipation in the mind. All the joys of its anticipation and memories of its presence are sidelined by the clutter of this busy life. If you are busy, but not necessarily getting much done in terms of real responsibilities of your life, that is, there is no blessing in your time and efforts, nor have you any `spare’ time for pondering Allah’s Message, then be sure, the one keeping you busy is none but Satan. The solution is easy: seeking Allah’s refuge. But it is being aware and ready perpetually to seek Allah’s refuge that makes the toughest challenge. The times and places of blessing help us do just that. Don’t be too busy for Ramadan. Small things like Masjid announcements about Ramadan and other sacred days and nights, discussions with friends and relatives about your plans to read Qur’an and mutual encouragement to excel in piety can work wonders. Seek blessings by keeping track of the Islamic calendar and of the months and days, fasting on the recommended days, and visiting outdoors to reflect upon the creation of Allah. Learn the sayings of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, about such blessed moments like Ramadan, and intensify your worship, devotions and supplications during these times. Keep your tongue wet by remembering Allah and asking for His mercy and blessings. Meet the blessed Ramadan fully prepared to reap its gifts. Pray that Ramadan touches you with its incalculable blessings.

Deliberation most certainly leads to knowledge, which, in turn, results in action. Hence, if people ponder the magnificence of Allah The Almighty, they will surely refrain from His disobedience. Moreover, contemplation is a mirror that reflects one’s good and evil deeds. It is one of the best acts of worship, for not only does it bring about wisdom, it endows the heart with life and instills the fear of Allah The Almighty in it. That is why Abu Sulaymaan Ad-Daaraani, may Allah have mercy upon him, would say, “When I go out and see anything, I notice the blessing of Allah in it and take a lesson from it.” Similarly, when the wife of Abu Ad-Dardaa’, may Allah be pleased with them, was asked about her husband’s best act of worship, she replied, “Contemplation and consideration.” It was also reported that Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qarathi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “I would rather read [only] the chapters Az-Zalzalah (The Earthquake) and Al-Qaari’ah (The Sudden Calamity) all night long and ponder on their meaning, than recite the Qur’an quickly without reflection.” Taawoos, may Allah have mercy upon him, narrates, “The disciples said to ‘Eesa (Jesus), may Allah exalt his mention, ‘O soul of Allah! Is there anyone on earth like you today?’ He replied, ‘Yes; he whose utterances comprise the remembrance of Allah, silence is meditation and gazes are introspective, is like me.” Therefore, one should contemplate the blessings of Allah The Almighty and all things, and must only avoid questioning His entity, for, as He Says (what means): {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Qur’an 42:11] There are many verses that refer to deliberation, reflection, meditation and consideration in the Noble Qur’an; Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Thus Allah makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought.} [Qur’an 2:219] {“Say, ‘Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?’”} [Qur’an 6:50] {Do they not contemplate within themselves? Allah has not created the heavens and the earth and what is between them except in truth and for a specified term. And indeed, many of the people, in [the matter of] the meeting with their Lord, are disbelievers.} [Qur’an 30:8] It is related that ‘Ataa’, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “Once, I went with ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr to ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with them, who said to him: ‘It is about time you visited us.’ He, may Allah be pleased with him, replied, ‘I repeat the wise saying that goes – visit people once in a while, so that they would love you more.’ She said, ‘Let go of this nonsense.’ Ibn ‘Umayr, may Allah be pleased with him, then asked, ‘Please tell us about the most remarkable thing that you saw the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, do.’ She paused for a moment, then responded, ‘One night, the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said to me, ‘O ‘Aa’ishah! Let me worship my Lord tonight.’ I told him, “By Allah, I love being close to you and I love what pleases you.” He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, then performed ablution and started praying. He started weeping until his lap was soaked. Then, he started weeping until his beard became wet; and [he continued so] until the ground became damp. Bilaal, may Allah be pleased with him, then came to perform the Athaan (call to prayer) and found the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, weeping, so he asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, why are you in tears when Allah has forgiven what has preceded of your sins and what will follow?’ He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, answered,‘Should I not be a grateful slave? Indeed, a verse was revealed to me tonight; woe to the one who recites it and does not ponder its meaning. [The verse is:]{Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding.} [Qur’an 3:190].’” On another occasion, Huthayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates: “Once, I prayed with the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam; he started reciting the chapter of Al-Baqarah (The Cow). I thought that he would bow after one hundred verses, but he went on. Then, I assumed he would recite the whole chapter in one standing, but he then read the chapter An-Nisaa’ (The Women), finished it and continued reciting the chapter Aal-‘Imraan (The Family of ‘Imraan). Whenever he would come across a verse of Allah’s praise, he used to glorify Him; and if he would happen upon a verse mentioning good things, he would pray to Allah for them. Also, if he would read a verse that mentions bad things [like Hell], he would seek refuge from them in Him. When he finally bowed and uttered, ‘Subhaana Rabbi Al-‘Atheem (Glory be to my Lord, The Great)’ and his bowing was almost equivalent in length to his standing. After that, he said, ‘Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears the one who praises Him)’. Then, he stood for a lengthy period and prostrated for a similar amount of time, saying: ‘Subhaana Rabbi Al-A‘la (Glory be to my Lord, The Most High).’” [Muslim] Likewise, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, relates: “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said to me, ‘Recite the Qur’an for me.’ I replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, how could I read it to you when it was revealed to you?’ He said, ‘I like to listen to it being recited by others.’ I read out the chapter An-Nisaa’; when I reached the verse (which means): {So how [will it be] when We bring from every nation a witness and we bring you, [O Muhammad] against these [people] as a witness?} [Qur’an 4:41], I lifted my head, or a man beside me nudged me so I looked up, and saw the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, in tears.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Many other reports from the Sunnah confirm this quality and all of them prove the Prophet’s, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, constant contemplation and consideration. He, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would also remind us that a person who reflects and “remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes flood with tears” is among the seven types of people, whom Allah The Almighty will shelter in His shade on the Day of Judgment, when there will be no other shade. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] Others from our righteous predecessors would similarly advise us; Al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Deliberation for one hour is better than praying all night long.” It is also told that the wise man Luqmaan, may Allah have mercy upon him, would habitually sit in solitude; his slave would ask him about that, telling him that it would be better for him to remain in the company of people. But he, may Allah have mercy upon him, used to tell him that staying alone for long periods of time is better for contemplation and that deep reflection leads to Paradise. It was also narrated that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul-‘Aziz, may Allah have mercy upon him, once wept when he was among his friends; when questioned about his behavior, he replied, “I thought of life and its pleasures and desires; I learnt from it that all its desires are eventually followed by what is bitter. Verily, these realities should be warnings for those who are heedful.” Moreover, the most beneficial thoughts are those that pertain to the Hereafter and the favors of Allah The Almighty, His blessings, ordinances, prohibitions and means of true knowledge of Him, His names and attributes. Indeed, such thoughts instill in an individual love of Allah The Almighty and knowledge of Him and His religion. That is because when one ponders the next life, its honor and perpetuity, and this life and its meanness and transience, he or she would aspire to the Hereafter and forsake this world. Moreover, when one contemplates this ephemeral existence and the impossibility of a longer lifespan, he or she would become more serious and endeavor to make the optimum use of his or her time. On the other hand, thinking of only this world and other nonsense is the door to all kinds of evil. That would include concerning oneself with notions about what we have not been ordered to ruminate over, such as the essence of Allah The Almighty and matters that surpass human intellect. As for one who is mean in his or her thoughts, he or she will display the same narrow-mindedness in all affairs. Therefore, Mugheeth al-Aswad, may Allah have mercy upon him, would instruct: “Visit the graves every day so they would remind you [of death]. Imagine the situation with your hearts [and minds], looking at both groups when they are led either to Paradise or Hell. Let your souls and bodies not forget [the latter] and its maces of iron.” Another factor that stimulates contemplation is fasting, which is why it was said: “When the stomach is full, thinking becomes dormant, wisdom shuts down and the organs stop performing acts of worship.” A person should think of his first priority and primary motive of a deed; if it is for Allah The Almighty, he or she should proceed, but if it is for someone or something else, he or she should stop. Indeed, deliberation is good in all matters, except what affects one’s Hereafter. Ash-Shaafi‘i, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Think before you decide and contemplate before you take a step forward.” Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, would also advise his friends: “In your time, the best among you is the one who hastens toward good deeds; however, there will be a time when the best among people will be those who reflect on and verify everything, because of the rampant false talk.”

To reflect upon the verses of Allah is a form of worship; it is something that will draw one close to Allah, Most High. This reflection is not a reckless and wandering one, rather, it includes a study of the classical Tafseer (exegesis) of the verses being pondered over. Allah, Most High, says in the Qur’an (what means): “Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction.” [Qur’an: 4:82] The Book of Allah is unlike any other; it is the timeless Speech of Allah, and not a created thing. It is the study guide for life, death, and what follows. Therefore, it deserves a far more careful study than anyone else’s speech.  It necessitates that its reader return to the early narrations of those who witnessed its revelation and heard its explanation by the one deputed by Allah to rehearse and explain His Words to humanity, Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. For if one would try to ponder over the meanings of the verses without having done this study, then surely the filth of the time that he lives in and his ignorance of the correct application and understanding that the early Muslims had would cause him to understand some things not intended by Allah, Most High, and therefore he would go astray, thinking to be worshipping Allah. So, let every sincere Muslim who hopes to earn Allah’s Love by reciting and reflecting over Allah’s Book hold tight to the meanings explained by the Prophet and those taught by the Companions and their immediate followers, and the early scholars of Islam. Dear Muslim brother and sister! Know that reciting and pondering over the Book of Allah and devoting regular time to its study and implementation has tremendous benefits in this life and the next. Let us now look at just a few of them to attach ourselves more firmly to the majestic Words of Allah. Each benefit stands as enough of an encouragement to shun any laziness we have and dedicate ourselves wholly to the Qur’an. Reading and reflecting over the Qur’an fulfils an Islamic duty The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam  summarised this religion with his statement: “The religion (of Islam) is naseehah (offering sincere advice)!” Tameem bin Aws said: “We asked, ‘To whom?’”  He  replied: “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the people, and to their subjects.” [Muslim] The sincerity that is due to the Book of Allah includes its regular recitation, learning the rules of Tajweed (the recitation of the Qur’an, according to specified rules) and reciting it beautifully, learning about its Tafseer and the reasons for its revelation, affirming that it is the truth, the perfect Speech of Allah and not part of the creation, honouring it and defending it, abiding by the orders and prohibitions found in it, and teaching it and calling to it. The Qur’an will be a proof for or against us on the Day of Judgment This is due to the statement of the Messenger sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam : “And the Qur’an is a proof for you or against you.” [Muslim] So, one of two things will occur with this proof, the Book of Allah. It will either be in one’s favour, a proof for us on the Day when we will desperately need every single good deed, or it will be something standing against us. The very Speech of our Creator as a proof against us! Who could be saved from the terrors of that Day if Allah’s own Speech is against Him? Think carefully, dear Muslim brothers and sisters, about your position with the Qur’an. Are you neglecting it, contradicting it, and being heedless of its orders and prohibitions? Are you thinking deeply over it? Will it be on your side on the Day of Judgment? The Qur’an will Intercede for us on the Day of Judgment Abu Umaamah  related that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Read the Qur’an, for indeed it will come on the Day of Standing (Judgment) as an intercessor for its companions.” [Muslim] The Qur’an raises one’s status in this life In Saheeh Muslim, which is one of the two most authentic books of prophetic narrations, we find a wonderful story about how a man from the people of Paradise, ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab radhiallah anhu understood this principle. The story is that once, some men came to question him during his reign as caliph regarding the leadership of Makkah. The men asked: “Who do you use to govern Makkah?” He  said: “Ibn Abzaa.”  They asked: “And who is Ibn Abzaa?” ‘Umar  replied: “A freed slave from those we freed.” They remarked: “You left a freed slave in command of the People of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)?” He  replied: “Indeed he is a reciter of the Book of Allah and is knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven’t you heard the statement of your Messenger: “Verily Allah raises some people by this Book and lowers others by it?”” The People of the Qur’an are from Best of People ‘Uthmaan  said that the Prophet  said: “The best of you are those who learn the Qur’an and teach it to others.” [Al-Bukhari] There are ten rewards for every letter recited from the Qur’an As a Hadith (prophetic statement) in At-Tirmithi proves: “Whoever reads a letter from the Book of Allah, he will have a reward, and this reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not saying that ‘Alif, Laam, Meem’ (a combination of letters frequently mentioned in the Holy Qur’an) is a letter, rather I am saying that ‘Alif’ is a letter, ‘Laam’ is a letter and ‘Meem’ is a letter.” [At-Tirmithi]  So increase your recitation of the Qur’an to gain these merits, as well as the following ones. The reciters of the Qur’an will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels ‘Aa’ishah  related that the Prophet  sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Indeed the one who recites the Qur’an beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, will be in the company of the noble and obedient angels.  As for the one who recites with difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will have twice that reward.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] So dear brother or sister Muslim, do not let the Shaytaan (Satan) give you false excuses, such as ‘I am not an Arab.’ or ‘It is not in my language.’ This Hadith is a firm proof against these whisperings. Dedicate yourself to the Book of Allah, whether you are an Arab or not!  The excuses have been eliminated and the pathway has been cleared for you to embrace the Book of Allah without holding back or offering excuses! Surely you will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study circle for the Qur’an once you hear the last and perhaps greatest benefits of reading and contemplating over the Qur’an. One’s position and rank in Paradise is determined by the amount of Qur’an he memorised in this Life ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘Aas  heard the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam saying: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’an: ‘Read and elevate (through the levels of Paradise) and beautify your voice as you did when you were in the worldly life! For verily, your position in Paradise will be at the last verse you recite!’” [Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi] The Qur’an leads to Paradise The Qur’an states (what means): “Indeed the Qur’an guides to that which is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers who do righteous deeds that they will have a great reward.” [Qur’an: 17:9] The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The Qur’an is an intercessor - something given permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in.  Whoever puts it in front of him, it will lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire.” [At-Tabaraani] Know, dear brothers and sisters, that these nine benefits from the numerous benefits available can only be attained by a sincere commitment to the Book of Allah, and not simply by an empty claim of love for it. Rather, the heart must be sincerely attached to the Book of Allah and the limbs and tongue will follow suit in this attachment. One must know that we only mentioned a few of the numerous benefits of reading and reflecting over the Qur’an. There are many other benefits that await your reading of the Qur’an and books of Hadith, such as the chapter of the Qur’an that will plead on your behalf in the grave, and that it is a physical healing, a source of rest and relaxation for your heart, among many other things.

The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said about Sha‘baan: “That is a month concerning which the people are heedless, between Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which good deeds are taken up to the Lord of the worlds, and I would like my deeds to be taken up when I am fasting.” [An-Nasaa’i; Al-Albaani; Hasan] If you observe the habits of the successful people in different walks of life, you would notice that they strive hard to prepare and get ready for their tasks. A student who excels prepares for his studies before the year begins; a good runner prepares for the race long before it starts and there other numerous examples in our daily life. Not everyone who prepares gains the fruit of his endeavours or reaches the peak of success. People vary even in the success of their preparation and each one attains success according to the effort they exert. Keeping this in mind, we must ask ourselves: how can one attain any fruits without preparation, or rather without any concerns whatsoever to prepare for it? As we are now nearing the end of the blessed days of Rajab, preparing to enter the month of Sha‘baan, we must have a specific stance of determination. It is the last stage in the preparation of entering the month in which one can be saved from Hellfire, i.e. the month of Ramadan, the month of the Qur’an and the month of mercy. So, contemplate the conditions of those who seek to win worldly competitions and the effort they exert to achieve that. What then should be the case with those who seek the reward of the Hereafter? Indeed, there is no point of comparison between them. Is not the reward of the Hereafter more deserving of our effort? Immediately after Ramadan, our Salaf (righteous predecessors), may Allah have mercy upon them, used to ask Allah The Almighty for six months to accept Ramadan from them and then for the next six months, they would ask Him to enable them to live until the next Ramadan. This is the degree of importance they accorded Ramadan and its precious days. Allah willing, what we aim for and prepare for are acts of worship from the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), not innovated acts, but our objective is to increase the frequency of performing these acts. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.} [Qur’an 3: 133] {So for this let the competitors compete. }[Qur’an 83: 26] We must be determined to make the best use of Ramadan by the will of The Most Gracious. Do not let its days slip by like any other days; the days of Ramadan are precious, if they lapse they may never come back again. How many people do not reach or witness Ramadan? How many people were not destined to reach the upcoming Ramadan? From now on, put down a plan with an objective and a sincere intention to prepare for Ramadan. Hence, if death overcomes you before reaching Ramadan, then you will die with a sincere intention and a righteous deed, Allah willing. Let us take a look at some of the plans of preparation for Ramadan during the days of Sha‘baan. However, before that, keep in mind the importance of time, do not let even a minute in Sha‘baan pass without benefiting from the preparation for Ramadan. 1- What would you do if you were to expect an important guest, while your home is in a mess and needs to be cleaned? Would you start decorating it in its unclean state or start cleaning before anything else? Begin by setting right your obligations, adhere to the limits of Allah The Almighty, and hold yourself accountable for the sins you committed throughout the last 11 months since the past Ramadan. Repent from the past sins of the year before receiving the new month of Ramadan. Purify your heart of any doubts or desires, repent from every forbidden glance, or sins involving hearing, or any misdeed your hand committed and your feet walked towards. Remember that Allah The Almighty feels Jealous (which implies His wrath) when the matters He The Exalted has forbidden are violated. Beware of putting off repentance or procrastinating in this matter. Do not be deceived by the patience of Allah The Almighty and His concealment of your sins. Indeed, Allah The Almighty gives respite to the oppressor, but when He finally seizes him, He does not let him escape. 2- Do not start a deed unless you have a sincere intention. Your deed will not be accepted unless it is done with a sincere intention in accordance with the rulings of the religion (Islam). Therefore, you should learn the rulings of fasting and teach them to your family and acquaintances starting now. 3- Discipline yourself and be committed to righteous deeds as of now, for Ramadan is the school of the righteous. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous.}[Qur’an 2: 183] And the Prophet, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and ignorance and acting accordingly, Allah has no need of his giving up his food and drink.” [Al-Bukhari] 4- Make haste to maintain the ties of kinship and beware of severing them. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “Allah created His creation, and when He had finished, Ar-Rahim (the womb) got up. He said, ‘What is it?’ Ar-Rahim said: ‘This is the position of one who is seeking refuge with You from being cut off.’ He said, ‘Will you not be pleased if I should maintain ties with the one maintain ties with you, and cut off the one who cuts you off?’ Ar-Rahim said, ‘Of course, O Lord.’ He said, ‘Then it will be so.’” Then, Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, recited the verse in which Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {So would you perhaps, if you turned away, cause corruption on earth and sever your [ties of] kinship?} [Qur’an 47: 22] [Al-Bukhari] If we know this, let us ask, who is the person that upholds the ties of kinship? This is what the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, has explained saying: “The one who upholds the ties of kinship is not the one who reciprocates, rather the one who upholds the ties of kinship is the one who upholds those ties even if his relatives cut him off.” [Al-Bukhari] 5- Is there better bliss than a clean heart? You spend your day and night in peace of mind while others burn with jealousy and hatred towards others. Be keen on having a clean heart from now on, clearing it to be occupied by Ramadan and nothing else. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, was asked who is the best of people. He answered: “The one with a pure heart and a truthful tongue”. They said: “The one with a truthful tongue we know, but who is the one with a pure heart?” He, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, replied: “He is pious and pure with no sin nor injustice nor grudge nor envy (against anyone).” [Ibn Maajah] 6- Unfortunately, many people spend long hours on the Internet, wasting many bounties and golden opportunities in Ramadan. How far removed are they from Imaam Maalik ibn Anas, may Allah have mercy upon him, who, when Ramadan arrived, used to withdraw from reviewing Hadith and sitting with the people of knowledge to dedicate himself to reciting the Noble Qur’an from the Mus-haf. Start now: if you are an Internet addict, lessen the hours you spend surfing the Internet and know that Ramadan will not wait for you. 7- Hasten to make up for the days of fasting you missed in the past Ramadan for a legitimate excuse. 8- In Ramadan, most people are keen to make a complete recitation of the Noble Qur’an. In order to make the recitation and completion become easy and swift for you, begin reciting in the month of Sha‘baan, increasing the time of recitation gradually, so if you are accustomed to recite one part daily let it be two or even three – in fact, why not complete a full recitation every 10 days? 9- In Ramadan, different voluntary prayers are performed such as Taraaweeh (night prayer that takes place after the prayer of ‘Ishaa’), Qiyaam (standing in supererogatory prayer at night), and other supererogatory prayers. In order to get used to long periods of standing without any fatigue or exhaustion, dedicate a longer time for night prayer starting in Sha‘baan. Begin by dedicating an hour, increase it gradually, and start getting used to long bowing and prostrating. 10- Accustom yourself to dedicating a longer period of time for supplicating Allah The Almighty, and memorise some of the authentic supplications of the Prophet, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, for they include precise words with comprehensive meanings, and they are better, more blessed, and more likely to be answered, Allah willing. 11- Accustom yourself to spending more time in the Masjid (mosque) after performing congregational prayer to prepare for I‘tikaaf (staying in seclusion in the mosque with the intention of worship) in the last 10 days of Ramadan, Allah willing. If you cannot perform full I‘tikaaf, you could prolong your stay in the masjid, which is also considered I’tikaaf , as there is no minimum stipulated time limit for it. 12- Get used to fasting so that you do not feel worn out while fasting the first couple of days in Ramadan. Fast on alternate days or in the most of the days of Sha‘baan, Imaam al-Bukhari, may Allah have mercy upon him, reported that ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said: “The Prophet, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, did not fast in any month more than he did in Sha‘baan, and he used to fast all of Sha‘baan.” 13- Be prepared to feed the poor and needy, and provide meals for the fasting people to break their fast. Increase the quantity of food you prepare for lunch, for instance, and give out the extra food to the poor in your neighbourhood or to your building’s janitor. ‘Ataa’, may Allah have mercy upon him, narrated on the authority of Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever gives Iftaar (the meal to break the fast) to one who is fasting will have a reward like his, without that detracting from the reward of the fasting person in the slightest.” [At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa’i, Al-Albaani: Saheeh] 14- Give alms on a daily basis in the month of Sha‘baan, so that you may get used to daily charity in Ramadan and to be among those mentioned in the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “There is no day on which the people get up but two angels come down and one of them says, ‘O Allah, give in compensation to the one who spends (in charity),’ and the other says, ‘O Allah, destroy the wealth of the one who withholds.”   [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] If it was your habit to give charity in other than Ramadan, then increase the quantity you give out in Sha‘baan whenever you can. Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, was the most generous of people, and he was at his most generous during Ramadan, when Jibreel (angel Gabriel) met him. Jibreel used to meet with him every night and teach him the Qur’an. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, was the most generous person, even more generous and faster in spending than a strong blowing wind.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] 15- If you intend to perform ‘Umrah during Ramadan, walk daily for half an hour in the last 10 days of Sha’baan in order to prepare yourself, as ‘Umrah in Ramadan involves physical effort. 16- Lessen your intake of food during Sha’baan; the more food you eat the more difficult it is to perform acts of worship in Ramadan. Accustom yourself to smaller portions of food from now or eat several small meals throughout the day. Include plenty of vegetables, fruits and dates in your diet to maintain the level of hydration in the body and to provide energy. 17- Avoid staying up late, try to sleep earlier, and wake up one hour prior to Fajr prayer or earlier to practise Qiyaam (voluntary night prayers) and supplicate to Allah The Almighty before dawn. 18- Train yourself to sleep less. If your habit is to sleep eight hours, make it six or less without exhausting your body, compensating for it with a mid-day (short) nap. 19- If you are unable to perform ‘Umrah this Ramadan for some reason, know that if you remain seated after Fajr prayer until sunrise and perform two Rak‘ahs (units of prayer) you would receive the reward of a complete Haj and ‘Umrah. Anas ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation then remains sitting (in the masjid) remembering and mentioning Allah until the sun rises, then prays two Rak‘ahs (15 minutes after the sun rises), will have a reward like that of performing Haj and ‘Umrah, complete, complete, complete.” [At-Tirmithi, Al-Albaani: Hasan li-ghayrih] 20- Perform new acts of worship that you have never done before. For example, recite 1,000 verses (that is equal to Part 29 and Part 30 in the Qur’an) or give a large sum of money as charity, to prepare yourself and be inclined to perform greater acts of worship in Ramadan. 21- Try to attend a funeral prayer then follow it until burial, since doing so entails great reward, and the reward multiplies in Ramadan. Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever attends the funeral until the prayer has been offered will have one Qiraat (of reward).” [An-Nasaa’i] The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, was asked about the Qiraat, he replied: “It is equal to ‘Uhud” (a mountain in Al-Madinah).” [Al-Albaani: Saheeh] Abu Bakr ibn Ka’b, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Whoever attends a funeral prayer he is rewarded with a Qiraat, and if he attends its burial he is rewarded with two Qiraats. By He whom the soul of Muhammad is in His hands, a single Qiraat is larger than mount ‘Uhud.” [Ibn Maajah, Al-Albaani: Saheeh li-ghayrih] 22- Organise your time and make a timetable to evaluate your performance and the acts of worship you schedule for yourself. This is not an innovation in the religion, but is only a practical measure to monitor your acts of worship and to attain Paradise, Allah willing, which is your chief aim. 23- Withdraw bit-by-bit from meaningless gatherings that waste your time. Boycott TV and all other distraction – even if they are permissible. Naturally, if they are forbidden then it is compulsory to abandon them completely and repent with the intention of never returning to them again. 24- Ramadan is a great chance for smokers to quit this harmful and evil habit. Accustom yourself from now on to leave it and make an intention to quit it completely for the sake of Allah The Almighty and then for the sake of your health. Ask Allah The Almighty to help you with this and rest assured that if you ask Him with sincerity He will help you. 25- From this moment on, engage your tongue to be moist with the remembrance and mention of Allah The Almighty; do not slacken in the remembrance and mention of Allah The Almighty, seeking forgiveness, glorifying Allah The Almighty and reciting Takbeer (i.e. Allahu Akbar). It is an easy form of worship with a heavy and great reward from Allaah The Almighty. 26- Organise your daily work schedule beginning from Sha‘baan so that your distraction from worship may decrease in Ramadan. Prioritise your tasks and needs so that you cover most of it before Ramadan starts. 27- Revise what you have memorised of the Noble Qur’an or memorize some new Surahs (chapters) in Sha‘baan so that you could recite it in your supererogatory prayers in Ramadan. How happy is the one who prays and supplicates with verses he knows by heart! 28- Malls and shops are crowded in Ramadan and unfortunately, all kinds of indecency is widespread in such places, so avoid going there during Ramadan by buying your grocery, ‘Eid clothes, and other things in Sha‘baan. 29- Try to formulate a plan for all the people around you to implement to prepare for Ramadan in your house, workplace and the masjid. By doing so, people will feel the greatness of this beautiful month rather than being misled by the dissolute people who call towards watching serials and indecent shows. Many TV channels make it a point to broadcast their grandest and most lascivious productions during Ramadan, as opposed to ordinary days, in order to mislead people and draw them away from worship. 30- Approach children over seven years of age in your family, and motivate them to get used to fasting. Let them begin with a quarter of a day then increase to half a day and more and reward them for their efforts. Thus when Ramadan begins, fasting becomes easy for them. This was an attempt to provide some guidelines to follow during the month of Sha’baan in preparation for the blessed month of Ramadan. However, one can custom make his own list and add to this whatever he/she sees more suitable for his/her own situation.

Man always looks for what benefits him and what protects him from harm. However, to accomplish this, man must be able to realise what is harmful. He must then know whom he should need, trust, and love so that he can attain what is beneficial as well as to feel good about his choice. He also must know the proper and good approach that would make him achieve this goal. This latter condition requires that man: 1.Know about harm 2.What ways can be used to drive harm away? Certainly, man can have no better guidance than that which comes from the One Who had perfected everything, and the One who Has no deficiency in Himself and in His Attributes. The One Who is Ever-Living and Who does not die. There can be no One better than the One Who Has no need for anything; the One Who is rich; the Giver; the One who, after all, controls man’s soul. Man is so poor to Him. He is Allah, the True and only God. Man can bring harm to himself if he seeks other than Allah for help. Allah is the One Who can help man drive away any harm for it cannot occur without His Will and His Power. Allah Almighty sent down His Books and chose His Messengers to guide man to: 1. Know His Lord as He Almighty had explained about Himself, and 2. Seek Him Alone while living in accordance with His plan Knowing Allah’s Names and Attributes liberates man from worshiping any form of creation because creation is weak and is in need of The Creator, Allah. The knowledge about Allah leads man to know that he is created to live according to Allah’s way as revealed to His Messengers may Allah exalt their mention the final of whom was Messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). This Revelation contains a complete code of life. Everything that is beneficial or harmful is established so that man can centre his life around this Revelation. If man commits wrong and knows that Allah is Oft-Forgiving he would turn to Him, and to Him alone, seeking His forgiveness; Allah Says (what means): “Know, therefore, that there is no God Who deserves to be worshiped except Allah; and ask forgiveness for your sins.” [Qur’an 47:19] It is wrong to think or believe that Allah created other ‘gods’ besides Him so that man turns to them for help; loves them or fear them, etc. He is the same God of all nations. He does not order that people should make of stars, sun, fire, ‘Eesaa (Jesus), Moosaa (Moses), Muhammad, etc. gods besides Him. He (Most Exalted) cannot be ‘contradictory’. He has one way (religion) that calls man to surrender his will only to Him. He warned that if man (even Muhammad) would take partners with Him, then his work will fail and will be among losers; Allah Says (what means): “And verily, it had been revealed to you (O Muhammad) as has been revealed to those before you. If you join others in worship with Allah (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain and you will certainly be among the losers. Nay! But worship Allah and be among grateful.” [Qur’an 39:65-66] Let us know what Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) the man-Prophet, who knew Allah best, used to say: “O Allah, I seek refuge in You for Your Pleasure and against Your Wrath, and in Your Forgiveness and against Your Punishment and in You from You, I cannot Praise You as You can Praise Yourself.” (Muslim, Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah) He  used to say also: “I have surrendered myself to You, I have directed my face to You, I have entrusted my affairs to You, I have compelled my back to refuge in You, in want and in fright of You, there is no resort nor survival from You except (in turning) to You. I have faith in Your book (i.e. the Qur’an) which You brought down and in the Prophet (Muhammad) you have sent.” (Al-Bukhari & Muslim) When we read in the Qur’an (what means): “Whatever of Mercy (i.e. of good), Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.” [Qur’an 35:2] And when we read (what means): “If Allah touches you with hurt, there is none can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His favor which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He will, and He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an 10:117] We should be motivated to return to Him Alone at times of ease and at times of hardship. And when we read (what means): “If Allah helps you none can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there, after Him, that can help you. And in Allah (alone) let believers put their trust.” [Qur’an 3:160] The Qur’an, therefore, leads man to a true liberation from any false attachment. It brings peace to the heart. It helps the believer against hypocrisy and all forms of dishonesty. Imagine, for example, a believer facing a problem at work. He sees wrong and faces unlawful practices. He does not fear rejecting what is wrong. He knows that the job is only a means to gain his sustenance. While he may be unable to correct what is wrong, he knows well that Allah is the One Who provides. If he leaves his job for the sake of Allah, Allah will give him a better one. Allah Almighty Said (what means): “And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him. He will make a way for him to get out (from) every (difficulty), and He will provide him from (sources) he could never imagine.” [Qur’an 65:2-3] The above texts, necessitates that man must depend upon Allah Almighty asking Him Alone for assistance. It also requires that man must love Allah and worship Him Alone to gain His pleasure and His help. Is it not true that the people who consider this life as the “Final Goal” end up worshiping many things in it? You see them so careful about “having it all”. They torture themselves: pain, difficulty, constant worry, keeping their hands in the banks for loan after loan to keep up with the “demands of development”. They are under the constant threat of fore-closure. They constantly see poverty in front of their eyes. The Prophet  said: “Allah says: ‘Son of Aadam: Fill your time with My worship and I will fill your heart with richness, and end off your poverty. But if you do not, I would make your hands fully busy (i.e. in worldly affairs) and I would not end off your poverty.’” (At-Tirmithi) Our purpose of existence on earth is more meaningful than being slaves to worldly gains. There can be no meaningful life better than that prescribed by our Creator Allah. Every act done according to Allah’s way is an act of worship. Man is the beneficiary and Allah is in no need; Allah Says (what means): “O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah, but Allah is Rich (Free of all wants and needs), Worthy of All Praise.” [Qur’an 35:15]

Thanks be to Allah Who prohibited harming the Muslims in all cases and said in this regard which means: “And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear (on themselves) a calumny and a glaring sin.” (Al-Ahzaab: 58). I testify that there is no God but Allah, Who ordered us to perform good deeds and prohibited us from evil acts, and that Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallamis His Prophet and Messenger who never hurt nor humiliated others. He, as well as his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all, never cursed any person. When we examine closely our Islamic laws, we find that they are most protective of the purity of Muslims, in both the abstract[1] and real sense of the word. They cover every type of moral filth and impurity, even extending to the act of insulting people, cursing them or calling them abusive names. These laws also prohibit scoffing at or ridiculing individuals or Muslim societies. Speaking unfavourably of others is lawful in a few essential cases, such as declaring a witness unreliable in a case of law, exposing one or more narrators of the Prophet’s Ahadith if any of them are inaccurate, speaking frankly about a Muslim when marriage is involved, in matters of financial or real estate trust, or employment. In such necessary cases, it is lawful to expose the truth even if such persons have moral defects. This is not a form of slandering or backbiting. Unfortunately, on the streets, in official organisations or popular gatherings, one may hear people reviling others, calling them names, or scoffing at them. All this happens despite the fact that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “A believer is never a person who scoffs at others, calls them names, or utters vulgar and obscene phrases” (Tirmithi). This Hadith indicates that slandering people, belittling them and cursing them are all prohibited acts. A true believer is a decent person who uses polite phrases when he talks. The Holy Qur’an taught us to use decent phrases as evidenced in its discussion of delicate acts, such as expressing the act of having marital relations with one’s spouse is described by the use of the term “touch” your wife. Abu Tharr al-Ghifaari reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “If a person accused another person of depravity or atheism, such an accusation applies to the accuser unless the accused is actually immoral or rejects faith”. (Bukhari).   The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said: “Reviling[2] a Muslim is an act of outrage (moral depravity) and fighting against him is an act of disbelief (Kufr)”. (Bukhari and Muslim). In the case of a dispute arising between two persons, neither should have recourse to using vulgar and obscene phrases, reviling the other party or calling him names. Acting in this manner makes the dispute more complex and difficult to settle. One of the disputants may have been the victim of injustice, but this does not grant him the right to abuse the other party or call him names. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The one who starts abusing his fellow Muslim and calling him names bears the sin of both, unless the abused person uses more vulgar phrases than the first”. (Muslim) Imaam al-Nawawi explained this prophetic saying as thus: “This means that the person who starts insulting a Muslim or calling him names will bear the sin incurred by such an act for both of them, unless the second party uses more severe and vulgar phrases than the first”. Yet, sticking to patience and forgiving people is far better for the Muslim. Allah said which means: “But indeed if any show patience and forgive, that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and resolution in the conduct of affairs.” (Al-Shooraa: 43) Our religion does not even allow us to revile and abuse the sinner. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “A man drank alcohol so he was brought before the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam who said: “Beat him (according to the rules set by Allah).” Abu Hurairah, said: Some of us beat him with our hands, others with their sandals and still others with pieces of cloth. When the man went away, some said: May Allah humiliate you! Whereupon, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Do not say that. Do not support Shaytaan against your fellow brother.” (Bukhari). Imaam Ibn ‘Illaan al-Siddeeqi, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The meaning of this prophetic saying is that the aim of Shaytaan, when he opens the gates of sins to the believers, is to heap humiliation upon them. Invoking Allah against the sinner, as the Companions did, leads to humiliating the sinner, which is the very aim of Satan. Therefore, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam prohibited them from invoking Allah against the drunkard”. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said: “If a person accused his slave of adultery, he will be punished with the retribution set by Allah on the Day of Judgment unless his slave is really an adulterer.” (Bukhari and Muslim). This great prophetic saying points out the crime of the person who accuses others of adultery even if the accused is a slave. So what about those people who consider that one of the proofs of a strong relationship between them is their reviling and abusing each other? Such a person may accuse the other’s mother or sister of adultery while the other side is content and he may even laugh considering that this is a sign of a lasting friendship and strong relationship. Servants of Allah! Cursing people as well as calling them names is a type of verbal abuse. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “A true believer is never used to cursing others”. (Muslim) Abu Ad-Dardaa’, may Allah be pleased with him, also reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “People who curse others will never be witnesses or intercessors on the Day of Judgment” (Muslim). The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said: “Do not curse each other and do not summon the wrath of Allah or His Hell on each other”. (Abu Daawood and Tirmithi) Thaabit Ibn Al-Dahhaak, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “If a person perjures himself by swearing by a religion other than Islam, then he is as he professed. Whoever kills himself with a tool, he will be punished with the very same tool on the Day of Judgment. A man should not make a vow regarding things that he does not possess. Cursing a believer is just like the act of killing him” (Bukhari and Muslim). The meaning of the first sentence of the abovementioned prophetic saying is as follows: If a person said, “If I have done so and so, I am a Jew or a Christian” and he did, he is a Jew or a Christian as he professed. If he meant this and insists that he’s telling the truth, then he becomes a disbeliever (Kaafir). However, if he just wanted to exaggerate so as to prevent himself from doing a certain act and therefore never intended to desert the Islamic religion, then he is just a sinner who should ask Allah for forgiveness because of the sin he has committed. The meaning of the last sentence in the above Hadith is that the crime of cursing a believer is similar to the crime of killing him. Also, a Muslim may not curse his riding animal, car, house or any of his personal belongings. This is, again, a prohibited act in Islam. ‘Imraan Ibn al-Husayn, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was traveling when a woman of the Ansaar cursed her she-camel because it made her furious. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam heard the curse and upon this he said: “Take away the luggage which the she-camel carries and let her away, because she is cursed”. ‘Imraan said: I have seen the she-camel walking in the streets and nobody ever pays attention to her” (Muslim). It is allowed to curse sinners in general (and not in particular) as Allah said which means: “Behold! The curse of Allah is on those who do wrong!” (Hud: 18). “The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam cursed the one who indulges in usury, the agent, the witness and the one who writes up the contract. (Bukhari). The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said that Allah curses the person who changes the boundaries of the land (as a sort of deceiving others). He also said: “Allah curses the thief who steals (even) an egg.” (Bukhari). The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said: “Allah curses the one who curses his parent” (Muslim). “He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam invoked curses on the tribes of R’al, Thakwaan and ‘Aseyyah who disobeyed Allah and His Messenger” (Muslim). He sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam also said: “Allah cursed the men who imitate women and the women who imitate men” (Bukhari). In all these Ahaadith, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam did not curse a certain person, rather he cursed whoever commits such evil deeds as a sort of warning against them. I seek refuge in Allah and hope that we will not be damned. I invoke Allah, the All Merciful, to guide us so that we could escape the path of the damned. Thanks be to Allah, the All Merciful, the Most Compassionate. I thank Him and repent to Him and ask Him for forgiveness. I testify that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His Prophet and Messenger sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam who said: “Indecency and obscene words distort any act, while courteousness embellishes any good act”. The Islamic law prohibits the act of unjustifiably reviling and abusing the dead and it warns against harming the dead because of his innovation in religion or immorality. ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Do not revile the dead, because they have already faced their destiny (be it good or bad).” (Bukhari). The meaning of the Hadith is that the dead has already been commissioned with the consequences of his deeds, whether good or bad; accordingly, the Hadith warns against reviling them especially if they are Muslims. Sadly, some people may insult or verbally abuse their children as well as invoke Allah against them. Some may even curse themselves, their servants and even invoke ruin against their property. Jaabir bin ‘Abdullaah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: Do not invoke ruin against your property for when you do so, it may be an hour of accepting invocation (and you face such disaster) (Muslim). Ubay, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “There are three invocations which Allah will undoubtedly accept: the invocation of the oppressed, that of the traveler and the father’s invocation against his son” (Tirmithi). Glory be to Allah. What a great religion! What a supreme law! Only the pious people will stick to this religion that gives us a full account of even minute details of this life. Are we going to stick to this religion? Yes, God willing. We shall stick to the path of Allah and follow the example of Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Notes: [1] Abstract concepts of purity, such as purity of intentions (niyyah), heart, language or relationships, etc. Real concepts of purity refer to the physical sense which would include making ablution, wearing clean clothes, etc. [2] The word “revile” includes in its meaning: to call bad names, abuse with words, to speak abusively, to insult, to blaspheme, curse, to swear or to exchange insults or abusive language.

Allah the Almighty has created Paradise for His believing slaves; He has created in it pleasures that no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard of, and no mind could ever comprehend. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “Allah, the Exalted, has said: ‘I have prepared for my righteous slaves (in Paradise) what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and the mind of no man has conceived.’” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] There are many verses in the Qur’an that describe Paradise and some of what it contains; the following are a collection of some of them: * It is a wide space: {“And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a garden [i.e. Paradise] as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for the righteous.”} [Qur’an, 3: 133] * It is an eternal abode: {“Wherein they abide eternally. They will not desire from it any transfer.”} [Qur’an, 18: 108] * It contains gardens beneath which rivers flow: {“Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence; but approval from Allah is greater. It is that which the great attainment is.”} [Qur’an, 9: 72] * Its food and shade are everlasting: {“The example [i.e. description] of Paradise, which the righteous have been promised, is [that] beneath it rivers flow. Its fruit is lasting, and its shade. That is the consequence for the righteous…”} [Qur’an, 13: 35] * Its drinks and foods are delicious and varied: {“…the description of Paradise, which the righteous are promised, wherein are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey, in which they will have from all [kinds of] fruits and forgiveness from their Lord…”} [Qur’an, 47: 15] * Its inhabitants are adorned with gold and pearl jewellery: {“[For them are] gardens of perpetual residence, which they will enter. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold and pearls…”} [Qur’an, 35: 33] * Its furniture is extremely beautiful from the exterior, and it is lined with silk that is decorated with gold: { “[They are] reclining on beds whose linings are of silk brocade and the fruit of the two gardens is hanging low.”} [Qur’an, 55: 54] * In Paradise, men are given Hoor, the special women of Paradise, in addition to the wives to whom they were married in this life: {“And with them will be women limiting [their] glances, with large, [beautiful] eyes, As if they were [delicate] eggs, well protected.”} [Qur’an, 37: 48-49] * The people of Paradise will be served by beautiful youths who will never die: {“There will circulate among them young boys made eternal. When you see them, you would think them [as beautiful as] scattered pearls.”} [Qur’an, 76: 19] * Its utensils are made of gold and silver: {“‘Enter Paradise, you and your kinds, delighted.’ Circulated among them will be plates and vessels of gold. And therein is whatever the souls desire and [what] delights the eyes, and you will abide therein eternally.”} [Qur’an, 43: 70-71] * The climate in Paradise is both moderate and pleasant: {“[They will be] reclining therein on adorned couches. They will not see therein any [burning] sun or [freezing] cold.”} [Qur’an, 76: 13] * The children of the dwellers of Paradise will be raised to their rank, even if they were to fall short of it. This is so that the joy of the dwellers of Paradise will be completed by the presence of their children: {“And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith – We will join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds. Every person, for what he earned, is retained.”} [Qur’an, 52: 21] Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “The first group (of people) to enter Paradise will be shining like the moon on a full-mooned night. Then will come those who follow them, who will be (shining) like the brightest planet in the sky. They (i.e., all the people of Paradise) will not stand in need of urinating, defecating, spitting, or blowing their noses. Their combs will be of gold and their sweat will smell of musk. Their wives will be large-eyed maidens. All the men (in Paradise) will be alike and in the form of their father Aadam - sixty cubits tall.”” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] The greatest pleasure of the dwellers of Paradise will be the sight of their Lord. When the dwellers of Paradise see Him, they will forget everything, including all the types of pleasure that they had previously enjoyed. The bounty of seeing Allah in Paradise is one of its distinct features, and is a means of Allah The Almighty honoring its dwellers: {“[Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, Looking at their Lord.”} [Qur’an, 75: 22-23] Meaning that the faces of the believers will be beautified and joyful as a result of their looking at the Face of their Lord, as was stated by Imaam al-Hasan, may Allah have mercy upon him. Allah The Almighty also Says: {“For them who have done good is the best [reward] — and extra…”} [Qur’an, 10: 26] The ‘best reward’ in this verse refers to Paradise, and the ‘extra’ is to be given permission to look at the Face of Allah. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, clarified in the following narration: Suhayb, may Allah be pleased with him, reported: “The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “When the inhabitants of Paradise enter it, Allah, the Glorious and Exalted, will say to them: ‘Do you wish for me to give you anything more?’ They will reply: ‘Have You not made our faces bright? Have You not brought us into Paradise and delivered us from Hell?’ Then, Allah will remove the Veil (that screens Him from the believers); the (dwellers of Paradise) will then feel that they have not been awarded anything dearer to them than looking at their Lord.” [Muslim] Then he, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, recited the verse (i.e., the 26th verse of Chapter Yoonus).” Having known the greatest bounty and pleasure which the dwellers of Paradise will attain is looking at the Face of their Lord, it becomes evident how deprived the sinners are and how great their loss is. They will be prevented from seeing the Face of their Lord, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“No! Indeed, from their Lord, that Day, they will be partitioned”} [Qur’an, 83: 15] Reward for women in Paradise Allah The Almighty clarifies (what means): {“And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer - those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, [even by as much as] the speck on a date seed.”} [Qur’an, 4: 124] This reflects the kindness of Allah The Almighty and informs us that He will deal fairly and equally with both males and females in terms of accepting their good deeds; He will not wrong anyone by even an amount as small as the ‘speck’ on the date seed, which is a reference to the very fine membrane that covers it. In this verse, Allah The Almighty informs women specifically that He will not wrong them, provided they fulfil the condition in it (which means): {“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer— We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.”} [Qur’an, 16: 97] Imaam Ibn Katheer, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: “This is a promise from Allah to anyone from the children of Aadam, whether male or female, who perform good deeds, which (of course) are those deeds that are in accordance with the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and who perform them whilst their hearts believe in Allah and His Messenger, that they will live a good life.” If women still doubt their reward in the Hereafter, then the following narration ought to put their mind at ease. Umm ‘Umaarah, may Allah be pleased with her, went to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Why are women not mentioned in the Qur’an as much as men are?” So Allah The Almighty revealed the verse (which means): {“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.”} [Qur’an, 33: 35] [At-Tirmithi]

Allah raises the level of people in two ways: (a) Belief in Him and (b) Knowledge of Him. This is established in the following verse of the Qur’an. Allah said (which means): “Allah raises the level of those who believe and those who are endowed with knowledge.” [Al-Qur’an 58:11] Acquiring knowledge of Allah is the most important obligation on every Muslim because Allah ordered seeking knowledge (i.e. the knowledge of Himself) prior to declaration of the Shahadah. He said: “And know that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah then seek forgiveness for your sins.” [47:19] To emphasise seeking knowledge before doing any action, Imaam Al-Bukhari used the above verse as a basis for a chapter in his all famous Sahih. He entitles that chapter: “Knowledge before  speech and action”. – Book of Knowledge: [Sahih Bukhari Vol: 1 Ch 11] Excellence of knowledge Allah said: “Allah (Himself) is witness that there is no deity worth of worship except Him, and the Angels and the men of learning (are also witnesses to this). Maintaining His creation in justice, there is no god save Him, the Almighty, the Wise.” [3:18] Notice that Allah in the Ayat started the witnessing to the fact that “there is no deity worthy of worship but Himself” with Himself, then He follows it saying that this is also the witness of His Angels and then He follows it by the people who possess knowledge. This verse definitely emphasises the position of the people who are endowed with knowledge above those who are without it. Allah said: “... Are those who know equal with those  who do not know? But only men of understanding will pay heed.” [39:9] He said: “... Indeed those who fear Allah from  His servants they are the knowledgeable, Indeed Allah is the Mighty, the Most Forgiving.” [35:28] He said: “And these similitude We coin for mankind, but none will grasp their meaning except those of knowledge.” [29.43] In all  of the above verses we clearly see the very high rank that Allah Himself endowed on those who possess knowledge. N.B. The knowledge above is only in reference to knowledge of Islam. Allah said: “Ask the people of Remembrance if you do not know.” This is because understanding Allah’s Rulings is based upon the investigation and deductions of the learned. Abu Dardaa said that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam – peace be upon him) said: “Those people endowed with knowledge are the inheritors of the prophets.” [Hadith Hassan, Abu Dawood, ibn Majah, At-Tirmidhi, ibn Habaan]. He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “Whosoever Allah wishes good for, He bestows upon him understanding of the Deen.” [Bukhari and Muslim). He bestows upon him an understanding of Deen means that He will allow him to be taught the Qur’an and the Sunnah. It is common knowledge that there is no higher position than that achieved by the prospects and that there is no greater honour than that of inheriting from that  noble position [i.e inheriting from the prophets (on them be peace)]. To acquire this very coveted positions needs serious striving to acquire the knowledge they came with (i.e. the knowledge of Allah’s Deen). He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “The superiority of a learned man over a worshipper is like my superiority over the ordinary men from among any companions.” [At-Tirmidhi. Hadith Hassan]. Looking at this Hadith you will observe (a) how he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) linked knowledge with the position of prophethood, and (b) how he lowered the level of the person who  does action without knowledge. Any worship (‘eebadah) that a worshipper perform must be based on knowledge, because if it is lacking then the action would not be ‘eebadah but mere ritual. The messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “The superiority of a learned man over a worshipper is like the superiority of the full moon over the other stars.”  [This Hadith is Hassan]. ‘Ali said to Kaamil: “O Kaamil, knowledge is better than wealth. Knowledge protects you while you have to protect your wealth. Knowledge is a judge, while wealth have to be judged on. Wealth decreases when it is expended while knowledge purifies when it is given. The Excellence of Learning Allah said: “And the believers should not all go out and fight. Of every troop of them, a party should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware.” [9:122] And His saying: “...Ask the people of Remembrance if  you do not know.” [16:43] The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever  treads a path seeking knowledge therein, Allah directs him to a path leading to ‘Al-Jannah’ (Paradise).” [Hadith Hassan] He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “The quest for knowledge  is a compulsion on every Muslim.” [Hadith Hassan] N.B. The knowledge referred to above is knowledge in Deen because that is the only knowledge that is Waajib. The people who use this hadith to represent seeking after every type of knowledge are misusing it. Abu Dardaa’ said: “To learn of one issue (in Deen) is better for me than to pray the entire night” He also said: “The scholar and the seeker of knowledge are the partners in the sharing of good. Other men are hungry and there is no good in them.” Fath Al Musilee (RA) said: “Would the sick person who is not fed or given anything to drink or given any medicine, not die?” The people replied: “Surely!” He said: “It is the same with the heart, it would die if knowledge and wisdom is withheld from it.” Indeed he spoke the truth because the nourishment and enlivening of the heart is through knowledge and wisdom, just as food is nourishment for the body. Whoever does not acquire knowledge of the deen of Islam, has a sick heart and its death is inevitable. However, he is not aware of it, because his love for this world destroys his perception. The Excellence of Teaching Allah said: “... and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware.” [9:122] What is implied here is teaching and guiding them. And the saying of Allah. “And (remember) when Allah took a covenant from those who received the Scripture, (He said): You are to expound it to mankind and not to hide it..[3:187] This ayat demands that those who are endowed with knowledge   should teach it. While the verses that follows show that it is Haram to conceal it. Allah said: ... But verily, a party of them knowingly conceal the truth [2:146] And He also said: ... He who hides it, verily his heart is sinful [2:283] Allah praises the one invites with knowledge. Allah said: And who is better in speech than he who invites to Allah and does good works... [41:33] And the saying of Allah: Call unto the way of your Lord with wisdom and good exhortation, and reason with them in the better way... [16:125] ‘Ali said that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said to him: “If Allah guides a man through your help, it is better (for you) than red camels.” [Bukhari and Muslim] N.B. Red camels at that time were from among the peoples’ most precious possession. He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: Whoever acquires knowledge and keep it concealed Allah will bridle him with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection. [Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, At-Tirmidhi] He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) also said: “Verily Allah, His angels, the inmates of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its hole and the fish in the sea send salutation on the one who teaches good to the people.” [Its chain is Hassan] He (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “If the son of Adam dies, all his works are stopped except three. A charity that is continuous, useful knowledge or a righteous child who supplicates for him” [Muslim] The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever guides or directs to good, then he gets the same amount of blessing as the one who does it.” [Related by Muslim] And Allah censures those who speak on His behalf without any knowledge and some of the scholars consider it an even more heinous sin than shirk based on the following verse. Allah said: “Say (O Muhammad): My Lord has only forbidden indecencies, those of them that are apparent as well as those that are concealed, and sin and rebellion without justice, and that you associate with Allah in worship that for which He has sent down no authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know.” [7:33] Therefore, speaking on behalf of Allah without knowledge is the greatest sin with Allah and the one for which He will assign the severest punishment. Clarifying what aspect of knowledge is a compulsion on every Muslim (Fard ‘Ain). The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Seeking knowledge is a compulsion on every Muslim.” This Hadith is referring  to the knowledge of that aspect of the Deen that will save someone from the Fire. Therefore, what is important for each one of us is to be certain that we know what Knowledge  is compulsory  for each person to save himself from the Fire. Before discussing this, however, it is important to know that we must keep on doing righteous deeds until death, otherwise if anyone changes then all the worship that he did before is going to be worthless. If a person fasts a long hot day and then breaks his fast a few minutes before Maghrib, then his fast is void. Likewise, if a person prays a long Salaat and before making Tasleem passes wind, his prayer is nullified. Life may look like a long journey, but if a person apostatises before the end, he loses everything, and all his deeds are rendered worthless and he would be subjecting himself to dwell in the Fire forever. Allah said: “Verily, Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up rivals in worship with Him, but He forgives (sins) others than that to whom so ever He pleases...” [4:116] This verse establishes that Allah does not forgive Shirk (i.e. setting up rivals in worship with Him), therefore the most important knowledge that a Muslim must seek is the knowledge of Shirk and all that relates to it, from Tawheed and ‘Aqeedah (beliefs) etc. It is mandatory on every Muslim to learn these aspects before anything else and not listen to those who say: “These are theoretical issues, instead keep busy with matters  that have action.” Our answer to them is that “Aqeedah (matters relating to Eemaan) is the greatest of all matters in Islam because Eemaan comprises of the following three aspects (a) believing in the heart, (b) stating with the tongue and (c) acting with the limbs upon what is believed in and stated. Know, brothers and sisters in Islam, that all acts of worship  would be rewarded based on what the heart intends for that particular action thus making it (the heart) the most important organ of the body. Belief is practical matter because it is the action of the heart. The proof of this statement is the saying of Allah: ... But He will call you to account for that which your hearts have earned... [2:225] This verse indicates what the heart earns. What is earned is the action and it is this that we will be called to account for. Therefore, we can conclude that the action of the heart, which is the beliefs present in it are the most serious action. Is there not a difference between two persons who say. “Laa Illaha Illa Allah” (there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah), while one has a heart filled with correct beliefs, and the other is a hypocrite who disbelieves in everything in Islam? Surely there is, the first will go to Al-Jannah (Heaven) and the other will be in the lowest depth of the Fire of Hell. Why is this so? Because of the beliefs in his heart, which are its action. The messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) stayed in Makkah for thirteen years inviting people to ‘Laa Illaha Illa Allah’, and  all those things that relates to it, from Tawheed, ‘Aqeedah and Shirk. When the messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) sent Mu’adh to Yemen he said to him: “You are going to a people who possess a Book, so let the first thing  you call  them to be to testify to ‘Laa Illaha Illah Allah’, and if they acknowledge this, then tell them that Allah made obligatory on them five Salawaat every day...” From the above examples we can conclude that knowing Allah and performing Tawheed of Allah is the most glorious knowledge in existence. Therefore, the most glorious action a person has to occupy and fill his heart with is knowing his Lord. The glory of any knowledge is based on the thing studied. Is there anything more glorious than Allah, the Glorified? Definitely not. Therefore, the knowledge that relates to the study of Allah, what are His rights on us His creation, what He loves and what He does not would therefore be the most glorious knowledge there is in this universe. Above we have proved what is compulsory knowledge for every Muslim, male or female to seek i.e. any knowledge that helps him or her to perfect their worship for Allah. The knowledge that is compulsory can be classified: (a) The first obligation on any Muslim who has reached the age of maturity is to learn about the Shahadah i.e. “There is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” And to understand their meanings. That knowledge which helps us to know Allah and teaches us His rights on us. This includes the knowledge of the ‘Tawheed of Allah’ in all its various forms i.e. Tawheed of Lordship, Tawheed of His Names and Characteristics and Tawheed of ‘Eebadah. It also includes any knowledge that would help us to understand any thing that would negate any of the above aspects of Tawheed. This would fall under the category of Shirk. Every Muslim must learn about Tawheed and Shirk. (b) Knowledge of His Messenger, Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam). This includes understanding his purpose as a messenger, his rights on us, our relationship with him,  This knowledge is important because through the messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) we learn how to worship Allah and perform His rights i.e. the messenger came to invite to Tawheed and to fight mankind to keep away from worship other than Him. Allah said: “Verily we sent to each nation a messenger to invite to the worship of Allah and to avoid Taghoot.” (c) Any knowledge which helps us to know about the other four fundamental principles of the religion namely, Salaat, Zakaat, Fasting and Hajj. These are pillars of Allah’s deen and each Muslim must have knowledge about each one of them as soon as it becomes an obligation on him so that he can perform it as Allah wants him to. (d) that which is halal and that which is haram of social and business transactions that relates to anyone is also an obligation on him to know. (e) that knowledge which relates to the affairs of the heart, that which is praiseworthy and which every Muslim must try to develop and nurture, like patience, thankfulness, good character, truthfulness and sincerity, etc and from that which is blameworthy and which every Muslim must try to avoid because they are Haram and therefore can cause someone to be thrown into the Fire. Some examples of these are hatred, jealousy, pride, doing things for show, dishonesty, anger, enmity and miserliness, following the desires, etc. As for knowledge which is Fard Kifiyah; i.e. that which is a collective duty, meaning that it is not a duty on every individual, but it a group of individual undertakes to acquire this knowledge, all other individuals will be exempted from this duty, and the entire community will be free from negligence to acquire this branch of knowledge. If no one embarks on seeking this type of knowledge then the entire community is accountable. Examples of this type of knowledge are: *An in depth study of the Islamic Law. *Study of the basic sciences, industries and professions that are vital necessities for the welfare of the community like doctors of medicine, nurses, accountants, contractors, etc. The Muslims have definitely gone astray in their understanding of their priorities as to which knowledge they must concentrate on and as such we find them put a priority on a knowledge that is not compulsory on them to know about. The messenger (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) warns us of this, he said: “From among the portents of the Hour are (the following): (1) Religious knowledge will be taken away (by the death of the learned men) (2) Ignorance (of Religion) will prevail. (3) Drinking of alcoholic drinks (will be very common). (4) There will be prevalence of illegal sexual intercourse.” [Al-Bukhari: Vol 1 No. 80] The Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the heart of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men until when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they go astray and they will lead the people astray.” [Al-Bukhari: Vol 1 No. 100].

Inside the Ka’aba: Usamah bin Zaid radhiallahu anhu narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, when he entered the Ka’aba, made du’a to Allah at all its sides [Muslim]. In another hadith, Abdullah bin Umar said, “I saw Allah’s Messenger entering the Ka’aba. He, Usamah bin Zaid, Bilal and ‘Uthman bin Talha and they (locked the door) on themselves. So when they opened it, I was the first enter and I met Bilal and asked him, “Did Allah’s Messenger pray in it?” He said, ‘Yes’, he prayed between the two Yamani pillars” [Bukhari and Muslim]. However, it might be difficult for many of people to enter the Ka’aba. In such a situation, it is sufficient for a person to make Du’a inside the wall which is surrounding the Ka’aba from one side as this is considered a part of the Ka’aba. The evidence is in the hadith where ‘Aishah radhiallahu anha asked Allah’s Messenger about the Jidar (wall) – ‘Is it part of the Ka’aba? He said, ‘Yes’. She said, ‘Why did they not enter it into the Ka’aba?’ He said. ‘Your people lacked sufficient funding’ [Bukhari and Muslim]. At Safa and Marwah: Jabir narrated in his lengthy hadith about the pilgrimage (Haj) of the Messenger of Allah ‘....then he walked out from the door heading towards As-Safa, and when he got closer to the Safa, he read “Verily, As-Safa and Al-Marwah are of the symbols of Allah” {Al-Baqarah, 158} “I begin with that which Allah began with” so he began with As-Safa and went up on it till he sighted the Ka’aba, he faced the Qiblah and then proclaimed the oneness of Allah, made Takbeer and said, “La Ilaha Illallah Wahdahu La Shareeka Lah. Ladul-Mulk wa Lahul-Hamd, Wa-Huwa ‘Ala Kulli Shay-in Qadeer. La Ilaha Illallahu Whadah, Anajaza Wa’dah, Wa Nasara ‘Abdah, Wa Hazamal Ahzaaba Wahdah” then he made du’a between the two, repeating what he said three times..’ In the hadith it is also mentioned that ‘he did the same actions at Al-Marwah as he did at As-Safaa’ [Muslim]. Therefore, it is a Sunnah to make du’a to Allah at As-Safa and at Al-Marwah during ‘Umrah or Haj as these are counted among the places where Du’a is accepted. At Arafah: During the Haj, and particularly on the day of ‘Arafah, one must try to make du’a to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala as much as he can because a Du’a made on this day is the best Du’a and it is more likely to be accepted as explained in the following hadith. ‘Amru bin Shu’aib narrated from his father who, in turn, narrated from his father that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said, “The best Du’a is the Du’a (made) on the day of ‘Arafah” [Tirmithi] The people from whom Du’a is accepted Anyone who abides by the conditions of Du’a, refrains from the reasons of its rejection, implements its manners and seeks the times and places of acceptance will be among those whose Du’a will be accepted. The Sunnah of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam has also shown us specific types of people whose Du’a are especially accepted by Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala. A person’s Du’a for his Muslim brother: A Muslim must always try to remember his brothers during Du’a because such a Du’a is accepted by Allah. Whatever we ask for out brother, we will be granted likewise. Um-Ad-Dardaa narrated that the Prophet used to say, “A Muslim’s Du’a his brother in his absence is accepted. There is an angel (assigned) close to his head, whenever he supplicates for his brother that which is good, the assigned angel says, Ameen, you will be granted similarly” [Muslim] Du’a of an oppressed person: On many occasions, the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam used to warn his companions from the Du’a of an oppressed person as it will certainly by answered. An example of this is the incident when Allah’s Messenger sent Mu’adh bin Jabal to Yemen. He gave him many instructions among which he said “And beware of an oppressed person’s Du’a for there is no shield between it and Allah” [Bukhari]. A father’s Du’a against his child: When in anger, parents must avoid making Du’a against their children as it might be answered, and that they will regret the Du’a later. A father’s Du’a for or against his children is answered as was mentioned by the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah “Three (types) of du’a are answered, without doubt – an oppressed person’s Du’a, a travelling person’s Du’a and a father’s Du’a for his son” [Tirmithi, Abu Dawood]. In another narration collected by Ahmed and Tirmithi, the Prophet said “a father’s Du’a against his son”. A fasting persons Du’a: Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger said, “Three (types) of Du’a are not rejected – a fasting person’s till he breaks fast, a just ruler’s and an oppressed person’s...” [Tirmithi]. In another collected by Tirmithi, it has been reported that when a person invokes Allah when he is about to break his fast, his invocation is not rejected. A pious child’s Du’a for the deceased parents: Children remain a benefit even when a person has passed away. When they make du’a to Allah requesting pardon for their deceased parents, their du’a is accepted. The one whose children forget after death, is certainly a loser. Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger said, “When a person dies, all rewards from deeds are terminated except from three – a continuing charity, (‘Ilm) knowledge from which benefit is (still) gained, and a pious child who is making du’a for him” [Muslim].

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  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 forty 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/

O People, fear Allah as regards to yourselves and to your families. Fear him concerning your deeds and to your wealth. Fear him with regards to what you eat and to what you save. Allah says the meaning of which translates as: “O Mankind eat from whatever is on earth that is lawful and good, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan indeed he is to you a clear enemy” (Al-Baqarah: 168). Servants of Allah, earning provisions and seeking sustenance, is something that is commanded to be done by Islamic law – Shari’ah. It is something that is dictated by nature. Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) has made the day for seeking livelihood and commanded people to walk among the slopes of the earth and eat of His provisions. He says which translates as: “He has known that there will be among you those who are ill, and others travelling through the land seeking the bounties of Allah and other fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it, meaning the Qur’an.” (Al-Muzzammil: 20). The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said in the book of Imam al-Bukhari: “Never has anyone eaten a better food than what he has procured through his manual work”. Dawood (‘alaihi salaam), the messenger of Allah, ate only from the earnings from his manual work. Some of the Salaf said: “Some of the sins are not expiated but through seeking lawful provisions”. From the narrations reported about Isa (‘alaihi salaam), that he saw a man and said: “What do you do?” He said: “I am worshipping.” He said: “Who is providing for you?” He said: “My brother.” He said: “Where is your brother?” He said: “In the field.” He said: “Your brother is more of a worshipper to Allah than you”. In Islam, worship is not only by standing on you feet – meaning standing the for prayer, while someone else goes to seek your provisions. Rather you go seek the lawful earning and also worship. Being independent of people  by earning lawful provisions is a great honour and strength, so much so that the Khalifa Umar Ibnul Khatab (radhiallahu ‘anhu) said: “I would not prefer to die in a position better than a position where I am buying for my family or trading.” From the words of wisdom from Luqman, he said to his son: “O Son avoid poverty by lawful earnings. For no-one becomes poor but will adopt three characteristics: 1. Softness in his religion. 2. Weakness in his mind. 3. His manhood and sense of honour will be lost.” Lawful earnings and sound wealth safeguard the religion, protect one’s honour, beautify one’s face, and result in a strong position. It is obvious from all this that seeking lawful provisions is desirable. For Allah is Tayyib, which implies goodness and kindness. He does not accept but what is good and lawful. Allah commanded the believers as He commanded the messengers, when He says which translates as: “O Messengers eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed I am knowing of what you do” (Al-Mu’minun: 51). Allah also says which translates as: “O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah if it is indeed him that you worship” (Al-Baqarah: 172). The greatest fruits of faith is the goodness of the heart, honesty, purity of the hand, and the soundness of the tongue. Good words are for good men and good men are objects of good words. The most eminent objective of the messenger Muhammad (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) is to make good  lawful and to make evil prohibited, and on the Day of Resurrection the good consequences will be for good people. Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala says which translates as: “The ones whom the angels take in death being good and pure, the angels will say: “ Peace be upon you, enter paradise for what you use to do” (An-Nahl: 32). In the book of Imam Tirmidhi, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “Whoever eats from good, and acts according to Sunnah and people felt safe from his evil, will enter paradise”. Also in the book of Imam Ahmad, Abdullah Ibnu Amri (radhiallahu ‘anhuma) said that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “If you have four things, then do not be concerned about what you miss out in this life: Preserving the trust, saying the truth, good manners, and chastity and purity in what you eat.” Seeking lawful provisions and searching for it, is an obligation and a must. No slave’s feet will be moved on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about his wealth. How he earned it? How he spent it? It is incumbent upon every Muslim male and female to look and search for lawful provisions and chaste and pure work, to eat of the lawful and spend on the lawful. A good example is Abubakr (radhiallahu ‘anhu) who had a slave who brought him some food, which he ate. After which the slave asked him if he knew from where he had got the food. Abubakr asked: from where did you get it? He replied: “I acted as a soothsayer for a man in the pre-Islamic period, and not being good at it I deceived him. Today he met me and rewarded me for that soothsaying. From this you have eaten.” Therefore, Abubakr (radhiallahu ‘anhu) put his hand in his mouth and vomited all that he ate. In another narration he said: “If it would not have come out except with my soul, meaning except with my death, I would have still forced it out. O Allah I ask you to excuse me for what my veins have carried from this and what has mixed in my stomach.” (Bukhari). Umar (radhiallahu ‘anhu) drank some milk, which he liked. He asked the one who gave him the milk: “Where did you get this?” He said: “I passed by the camels of Zakaah while they was drinking water so I took from its milk.” Umar put his hand in his mouth and vomited it up. A righteous woman advising her husband: “O husband fear Allah, and the provisions you bring us, for we can persevere through hunger but we cannot stand and persevere through the punishment of hell fire.” These are the righteous ones. They bring out whatever is unlawful or questionable out of their stomachs, though it was something they had taken unknowingly from food or drink. However, generations came after them, earning unlawful provisions, filling their stomachs and the stomachs of their families with it. O Muslims, do you know of the man whom the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) mentioned in a Hadith found in Sahih Al-Bukhari: “He travels for long periods, his hair tousled, his feet dusty, raising his hands in supplications to the heavens saying, My Lord, My Lord, but he eats from unlawful earnings, he dresses from unlawful earnings, and he lives by unlawful earnings. His supplications will never be answered.” This man has symptoms of humility, and poverty and his situation invokes pity, compassion, and the desire to help him in his need. He has lost his way, his journey is long, and he feels like a stranger, he has lost everything. He has lost connection with his Lord and has deprived himself of the support of his Lord. So his duas (supplications) are not accepted. He ate from the unlawful, dressed from the unlawful and his lived on unlawful earnings, so his ‘hands’ (meaning his dua [supplication]), were rejected. Some of the Salaf said: “If you stand up in worship like a pole, meaning for a long time without giving up. It will not benefit you, until you watch for what goes in your stomach.” What is amazing, O brothers, is the acts of some people who avoid lawful provisions in fear of getting sick, but they do not have enough fear of Allah to avoid unlawful earning. Servants of Allah, eating from unlawful means blinds the insight, weakens the religion, hardens the heart, darkens the mind, prevents the body from worship, entraps one in this life and prevents one’s dua (supplication) from being accepted. Allah does not accept, except from the righteous. Unlawful earnings and provisions have bad effects on the individual and the community. It removes blessings and causes the spread of diseases, disasters, financial crisis, unemployment, oppression, and disputes. O Muslims, Woe to the ones who eat from unlawful provisions, raise their children and family by means of unlawful earnings. Their example is like the example of one who is drinking out of the seawater. The more they drink the thirstier they become. They drink as the drinking of a thirsty camel. They are not content with little provisions, nor do a lot of provisions satisfy them. They enjoy unlawful provisions and they use twisted means – usury, gambling, stealing forcefully taking, and they give insufficient measures and weights. They conceal deficiency in items. They use magic, fortune-telling, they usurp the property of orphans and minors, they lie when they swear, they deceive, they plan, they forge, they betray, – all twisted – dark ways. In the Hadith found in the books of Imam Al-Bukhari and An Nasa’i, he (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “A time will come on people, when a man will not worry where his earning come from, lawful or unlawful,” and in another narration he added: “Such is one whose duas (supplications) and are not accepted”. O workers and officers, businessmen, consultants, brokers, Muslim men and Muslim women, it is a duty upon you to seek what is lawful and stay away for the doubtful. Preserve the rights of people. Finish your jobs completely. Fulfil your pledges and your contracts. Refrain from cheating, and lying and delaying and fear Allah. Lawful provisions are satisfying, bring ease, enlighten the heart, energise the limbs and the body, rectify and reform the situation of the person, make the body healthy, and Allah accepts the duas (supplications) of such a person. Muslim brothers, the best way to refrain from unlawful and illegal things is to stay away from doubtful things, and to persevere through devout, pious ways and means, when hesitant. In the Hadith found in the books of Al Imam Tirmidhi, Ibn Maja, Baiyhaqi and others, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “The servant will not be among the pious until he gives up things that are objectionable for things that are not objectionable and harmful”. In Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said: “So he who guards against doubtful things, keeps his religion and his honour blameless, but he who falls into doubtful things, falls into that which is unlawful.” Narrated by An-Nu’aman Ibnu Bashir.

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. (This is a translation of the article which appeared in at-Tawheed magazine.)

Allah Almighty says (what means): “To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He creates what He wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He wills males. Or He makes them [both] males and females, and He renders whom He wills barren. Indeed, He is Knowing and Competent.” [Qur’an 49:50] Allah is the One, based on His ultimate wisdom, who grants whomever He wills sons and daughters; He grants sons only to whomever He wills, and grants daughters only to whomever He wills, and if He so wills, He makes whomever He wills infertile. We notice in the above verse that the mention of daughters preceded that of sons, and the scholars  commented on this saying: “This is to hearten daughters and encourage kindness towards them, because many fathers feel burdened by receiving a daughter. The common practice of the people during the pre-Islamic era was to hate receiving daughters, to the extent that they would bury them alive; therefore, it is as if Allah is saying to people: ‘This inferior child in your estimation takes precedence in My scale.’ He also mentions daughters first to indicate their weakness, and that they are therefore more deserving of care and attention.” Such honouring of daughters is the complete opposite of how people were accustomed to dealing with females in the pre-Islamic era, when they would degrade women and consider them a part of their wealth, and if news of a baby girl would come to any of them, it would be as if he was hit by a thunderstorm; Allah says (what means): which means: “And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground?  Unquestionably, evil is what they decide.” [Qur’an 58:59] It is said that some enemies of Qays ibn ‘Aasim At-Tameemi, who was a pre-Islamic Arab, attacked his premises and captured his daughter. Later, one of these enemies married her. After some time, the clan of Qays and that of his enemies reconciled, so they gave this daughter of his the freedom to go back to her father or remain with her husband, and she preferred to stay with her husband. At that point, Qays took a pledge upon himself to bury alive any new daughter that he would receive, and the Arabs imitated him after that. It was, therefore, this man who introduced this evil practice, and thus he will shoulder his own sin as well as the sin of all those who did it thereafter. One of the companions  who had killed his daughter in the era that preceded Islam narrated his story: “We would worship idols in the pre-Islamic era and kill our daughters. I had a daughter, who, when she was old enough to comprehend and talk, would rejoice whenever she saw me and would immediately respond. One day, I called her and told her to follow me, so she did, until we reached a well that belonged to my tribe. I then took her by her hand and threw her in the well, and the last thing I heard her cry was: ‘O father! O father!’” (Ad-Daarimi) During the era that preceded Islam, there were two methods that people used to kill their daughters: l At the time of the delivery of the child, a man would order his wife to give birth next to a hole dug in the ground; if the newborn was a male, she would return home with him, otherwise, she would throw her into the pit and bury her alive, or: l When the daughter reached six years of age, the man would tell his wife to adorn and perfume her, then he would take her to a well in the desert and tell her to look down into the well; when she would do this, he would push her into it from behind. There were some men among these people who would forbid such acts, such as Sa’sa’ah ibn Naajiyah At-Tameemi, who would go to those attempting to kill their daughter offering money to ransom their lives. There are people nowadays who share these same pre-Islamic beliefs; if they are granted only girls, which is of course something decreed only by Allah, they become angry, discontent and grieved. With the advent of Islam, the darkness of that era vanished and Allah enjoined kindness, love and compassion towards girls. Taking good care of girls was encouraged, as was giving them special attention in the process of their upbringing. In fact, Islam has designated a special reward for raising them that is not granted for raising sons. Anas  reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said: “He who raises two daughters until their puberty will be with me in Paradise like this”, and he symbolised the proximity by showing two of his fingers with a slight gap between them.” (Muslim) ‘Aa’ishah, radhiallah ‘anha, related: “A woman by the name of Jameelah came to me with her two daughters. She asked me for charity but found nothing with me except a date, which I gave her. She divided it between her two daughters and ate nothing herself; then, she got up and left. After this, the Messenger of Allah  came, so I narrated this story to him; he  said: “He who is involved (in the responsibility) of (nurturing) daughters and is generous to them, will have them as a fortification for himself against the Hellfire.” (Al-Bukhari & Muslim) In another narration of this incident, ‘Aa’ishah related: “A poor woman came to me with her two daughters. I gave her three dates; she gave each of them a date and was about to eat the third one when one of her daughters asked her for it, so she divided it between her two daughters and ate nothing herself, and I liked what she did. After this, the Messenger of Allah  came, so I told him what she did, and he  said: ‘Allah obligated Paradise for her due to this date, and (also) freed her from Hell.’”(Muslim) Pay close attention to wording of the following narration: the Prophet  said: “He who is tested by (the guardianship) of daughters….” Why did he  use the word: “…tested…”? He said it because raising them is a responsibility and a test from Allah to see how His slave would act: Will he be kind to them? Will he raise them correctly? The nature of this responsibility was further clarified in other narrations, such as: “If he patiently feeds them and endows them with clothing …” (Ibn Maajah)., and:  “…Provides for them and marries them off…” (At-Tabaraani)., and: “…Properly raises them and fears Allah in the manner in which he deals with them.” (At-Tirmithi) This is what is required when dealing with daughters: kindness, which results in Paradise, as the Prophet  said: “Whoever Allah has given two daughters and is kind towards them, will have them as a reason for him to be admitted into Paradise.” And: “Whoever Allah has given three daughters and he perseveres through raising them, will have them as a shield for him from the Hellfire on the Day of Resurrection.” A daughter is a great bounty and an honour granted by Allah, Imaam al-Hasan  said: “Girls are a source of reward and sons are a blessing; rewards are in one’s favour (on the Day of Judgement) whereas one will be held accountable for blessings.” Thus, it is incorrect to believe that one has been humiliated by being granted a girl; rather it is an honour, a bounty and a gate towards Paradise. Daughters are a great responsibility to rear, and entail greater expenditure, and this is why the reward for raising them correctly is greater than that for a son. Once, one of the leaders of the believers was receiving people when a small daughter of his entered the room, so he kissed her; a Bedouin was also in attendance and saw this, so he mentioned daughters in a very evil manner. A wise man who was also present witnessed all of this and therefore said: “O leader of the believers! Do not listen to him. I swear by Allah, that it is they (i.e., girls) who stay up to care for the sick in the family, who show mercy towards the elders, and who stand next to men during hardships.” A man was granted a baby girl, so he became angry and isolated himself from his wife for a long time, and after few months, he overheard his wife reciting the verse (which means): “…But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you…” [Qur’an 2:216] How many girls have been far more merciful and beneficial to their parents than their brothers? How many times has a son been a source of grief for his parents, to the point that they wished he was never born? Why do we raise this topic now? It is due to the vicious attacks on the Muslims under the pretext of defending ‘women’s rights’ which is in reality an evil attempt to play on the emotions of women so that they will become rebellious towards their fathers and husbands, and to encourage them to leave their homes and demand their ‘freedom’. This is a gate towards evil and immorality which gradually attracts women and then traps them in prohibitions. One cause of girls falling into this is people neglecting their daughters and undermining their rights, which makes them easily fall into the traps of the hypocritical writers and columnists, male and female, who wish to see corruption prevail. It is enough of an honour for girls that the Prophets, may Allah exalt their mention, had daughters and that most of the children of our beloved Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, were daughters, namely: Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kalthoom and Faatimah. Article source: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/

Many Muslims today have innovated practices into the religion concerning the rights of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. It is indeed correct that the Prophet deserves certain rights, but to innovate practices that go against his very teachings under the guises of loving and respecting him is bid’ah and will only lead to the fire. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said, “Beware of newly invented matters (in religion) for every invented matter (in religion) is a cursed innovation which leads astray.” In deifying him One such innovation to avoid is deifying Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. This is how the Christians went astray with their belief in Jesus. After his death they began to worship him as their deity and left the tawheed that he brought them. Allah says about them, “Surely in disbelief are they who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam. Say, ‘Who then has the least power against Allah if He were to destroy the Messiah, son of Maryam, his mother, and all those who are on the earth together?’” (5:17) Likewise, deifying Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, would throw a person into disbelief. Muhammad was a servant and a worshipper of Allah. He was a Prophet and a Messenger. Allah says, “Muhammad is no more than a Messenger.” (3:144) The Prophet Muhammad said, “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in their praise of the son of Maryam. For indeed I am a slave, so say, ‘The slave of Allah and His Messenger.’” We cannot claim that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, knew the unseen or brought harm or benefit or even guided anyone. These are things that only Allah knows and has the power to do. Muhammad only knew what knowledge Allah revealed to him and he does not have the ability to decree anything. Allah says, “Say (O Muhammad), ‘I know not whether (the punishment) which you are promised is near or whether my Lord will appoint for it a distant term. (He alone is) the All-Knower of the unseen, and He reveals to none His unseen.” (72:25-6) In keeping away from deifying the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, we must also accept his death. He was human and all humans must die. For Allah says, “Verily, you (O Muhammad) will die and verily they will die.” (39:30) Through Istigatha Related to this in innovation is istigatha to the Prophet. Istigatha means to call for help, or to appeal for aid. Some Muslims have gone astray, to the point of calling upon the Prophet for help, instead of Allah. This is tantamount to shirk, which Allah does not forgive. Allah says, “Do not call onto any beings other than Allah. These are capable of neither benefit nor harm. To do so is therefore to become guilty of wrongdoing. When Allah invests you with an affliction, none can remove it except Him.” (10:106-7) Through Tawassul Another innovation that has become popular is making tawassul by the right of Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. The meaning of tawassul is to draw near to what one seeks after, and to approach that which one desires. Allah says in the Qur’an, “O you who believe! Do your duty to Allah and fear Him. Seek the means of approach (al-wasilah) to Him, and strive hard in His cause as much as you can. So that you may be successful.” (5:35) Ibn Kathir said that the meaning of al-wasilah is to draw closer. There are three types of tawassul that are allowable in Islam. The first is by Allah’s names and attributes. The proof for this is the verse, “And the most beautiful names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them.” (7:180) Shaikh al-Albaanee said that the meaning of this verse is, “Call upon Allah, the Most High, by means of (performing tawassul with) His perfect Names, and there is no doubt that His exalted Attributes fit into this since His Names are Attributes of His.” Also the Prophet used to seek Allah’s refuge with the words, “O Allah, I seek refuge in Your Might, none has the right to be worshipped but You.” The second allowable type is by means of a righteous deed, which one has done. Allah says, “Those who say, ‘Our Lord. We have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and save us from the punishment of the fire.” (3:16) So it is allowed to use a righteous action that one has performed in one’s supplication as a means of tawassul so that his supplication is more likely to be responded to. An example of this is the hadith reported by Abdullah Ibn Umar who said that the Prophet said, “Three men, amongst those who came before you, set out until night came and they reached a cave, so they entered it. But a boulder rolled down from the mountain and blocked the entrance of the cave. So they said: Nothing can rescue you from this rock except that you supplicate to Allah by mentioning righteous deeds you have done. “So one of them said, ‘O Allah I had two elderly parents and I had not used to give precedence over them to my family and slaves in giving them milk to drink. But one day I was delayed in seeking after something and I did not return with the flock until they had slept. So I milked the animals for them but found that they were both asleep. However, I hated to give milk to my family and slaves before them, so I waited with the bowl in my hand for them to awake. Then with the break of the dawn they awoke and drank their milk. O Allah if I did that seeking Your Face, then relieve us from this situation caused by the rock.’ So it moved slightly, but they were unable to escape.” The Prophet said, “The next said, “O Allah my uncle had a daughter and she was the most beloved of the people to me and I tried to persuade her to have sexual relations with me, but she refused me until she suffered from a year of famine. Then she came to me and I gave her a hundred and twenty dinars on the condition that she would comply with my desire for her, so she agreed. But when I was about to fulfil my desire she said, ‘It is unlawful for you to break the seal except by lawful means.’ So I felt ashamed to commit the crime against her so I left her alone, and she was the dearest of all the people to me, and I left the gold which I had given her. O Allah if I did that seeking Your Face then release us from the situation we are in.’ So the rock opened further but they were still unable to escape.” The Prophet said, “And the third said, ‘O Allah I employed some labourers and paid them their wages except a single man who did not take his wages and went away. I invested his wages and it grew into a great deal of property. Then after some time he came to me and said, ‘O servant of Allah give me my wages.’ So I said to him, ‘All the camels, cows, sheep and slaves that you see are your wages.’ So he said, ‘O servant of Allah, do not mock me.’ So I said, ‘I am not mocking you.’ So he took all of that and led them away and did not leave any of it. O Allah if I did that seeking Your Face, then release us from our situation.’ So the rock moved and they walked out of the cave.” The third allowable type of tawassul is through the supplication made by a righteous man. This means going to a man whom one deems to be righteous and asking him to supplicate for him. There are a number of examples of this in the Sunnah of the Prophet. A man once came to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, and asked him to pray for rain because they were having a drought. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, did so and it rained heavily for a week. Then a man came back and asked the Prophet to supplicate for the rain to stop and so the Prophet asked for the rain to be around them and not on them and the clouds made a circle around Madinah. After the Prophet’s death, Umar used to ask the Prophet’s uncle al-Abbas to supplicate for rain for them. None of the companions, however, supplicated to Allah for anything by the right or the status of the Prophet after his death. Ibn Taymiyah said, “So a created being can only benefit another by means of his supplication or means of help while alive. So Allah, the Most High, loves that we seek nearness to Him by means of eeman, righteous actions, by sending prayers and salam upon His Prophet, by our loving him, obeying him and allying ourselves with him. These are the things which Allah loves to see us seek nearness to Him by means of.” Related to tawassul, some Muslims are now asking the Prophet for intercession. Shafa’ah, intercession, literally means to make something odd, even. In the dictionary, Lisanul-Arab, shafa’ah is defined as, “the intercessor’s speaking to a king about a need which he is requesting for someone else, and the intercessor is the one seeking something for someone else, through whom he intercedes to attain what is desired.” So people ask the Prophet to ask Allah to forgive them or to respond to their need. As mentioned, this was done during the Prophet’s lifetime but after his death his companions stopped doing this, and instead, they went to his uncle. Prophets are alive in their graves, and therefore can respond to calls for intercession. About this Ibn Taymiyah said, “Neither the Prophet, nor any of the prophets before him prescribed that the people should supplicate to the angels, the prophets, or the pious, nor that they should ask them to intercede for them, neither after their death, nor when they were absent.” Through celebrations Other innovations, which have crept into the ummah, are the celebration of his birthday, the israa and miraj, and the hijrah. Celebrating these events has no place in the Sunnah of the Prophet or in the religion of Islam. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, or his companions did not do this. Ibn Taymiyah said about celebrating the Prophet’s birthday, “Also, what many people do is due to imitating the Christians in their celebrating Jesus’ birthday or a claimed love for the Prophet. These are the reasons behind it. To celebrate the Prophet’s birthday, even when many scholars dispute the date, is an innovated act the salaf did not do. If this were a good act, then the salaf would have done it before us.” Two celebrations have been prescribed for the Muslim ummah, the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Anas said, “The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, came to Madinah and the people of Madinah had, before Islam, two days for play and amusement. So the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam, said, ‘I came to you and you had in jahileeyah two days for play and amusement. Indeed Allah has replaced them for you by that which is better than them. The day of Nahr (slaughtering) and the day of Fitr (breaking fast).’” Any celebrations, other than these are innovations and have no part in this religion. These innovations have no part in the religion but are a result of going to extremes with regard to the rights of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam. Certainly, the Prophet has a high position of honour among us. But to deviate further into matters that go against his very teachings is by no means an expression of love and respect but rather an expression of disobedience and a straying from the true rights of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.