He did not fast Ramadan and he thought negatively of Allah, may He be exalted

Will god ever forgive me? i lost my self and i lost my faith i didn't
fast on the last Ramadan and i hated god during that timei thought
that he was the cause of all my miseries do i still have a chance to
enter Islam again? and will god forgive me or am i doomed?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We ask Allah, may He be exalted, to accept your repentance, forgive
you your sins, open your heart to faith and guidance, and to keep away
from your mind all negative thoughts of your Lord and Creator, for
there is nothing stranger than a person thinking negatively of his
Lord when He has blessed him and bestowed upon him thousands of
blessings, the greatest of which are the blessing of Islam and
theblessing of reason. For He has chosen him from among His creation
and has not made him a disbeliever; He has blessed him by making him a
human who thinks rationally and ponders things, unlike animals and
those who are insane. And He has created in his body and soul
blessings of which no one knows the number except Allah.
One of Allah's blessings is that He tests His slave with some
calamities in order to expiate some of his bad deeds, or to increase
him in status, or to remind him that he will return toHim and stand
before Him. How often has a person turned awayfrom Allah, then
calamity was the means that caused him to turn back to Allah and
repent, and ultimately turned out to be a means that led to happiness
and joy.
When a person is certain that Allah, may He be exalted, is
moremerciful to him than anyone else, he will be content with His
decree, will bear with patience that with which He tests him, and will
hope for relief granted by Him.
Think about the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you; this will
increase your gratitude towards Him and will make you recognise His
bounty. Remember that no calamity befalls you but there is something
good for you in it.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "No
exhaustion, sickness, worry, grief, harm or distress befalls a
believer, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allah will expiate
some of his bad deeds thereby."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5642; Muslim, 2573
At-Tirmidhi (2399) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him)said: "Calamities will continue to befall the believing
man or woman affecting himself or his child or his wealth, until he
will meet Allah with no sin on him."
At-Tirmidhi (2398) and Ibn Maajah (4023) narrated that Sa'dibn Abi
Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I said: O Messenger of
Allaah, which people are most severely tested? He said: "The Prophets,
then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to
his religious commitment. If he is steadfast inhis religious
commitment, he willbe tested more severely, and if he is shaky in his
religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment.
Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking
on the earth with no sinon him."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.
Secondly:
If a person feels resentment towards Allah, may He be exalted, in his
heart, or is angry with His decree or thinks negatively of Him – Allah
forbid – then let him renew his Islam and utter the Shahaadatayn (twin
declaration of faith), and let him strive hard and do righteous deeds.
He does not have to make up the fasts that he deliberately omitted,
because that is an act of worship that is connected to a specific
time; if a person deliberately omitted it at the time it was due, it
would not be accepted from him after that. Moreover, Islam erases what
came before it of sins.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: What is
the ruling on the Muslim who for many years did not fast Ramadan, even
though he did some of the other obligatory duties, and he had
noimpediment that was keeping him from fasting? Does he have to make
up the fasts if he repents?
He replied:
The correct view is that he does not have to make up the fasts if he
repents, because in the case of every act of worship that is connected
to a specific time, if a person deliberately delays it without an
excuse, then Allah will not accept it from him.
Based on that, there is no benefit in making it up. But he has to
repent to Allah, may He beglorified and exalted, and do a lot of
righteous deeds. And whoever repents, Allah will turn to him in mercy.
End quote from Majmoo' Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 19/87
We ask Allah to increase you in faith and guidance.
And Allah knows best.
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The meaning of enslavement in Islam

Can you please clarify the subject of Slaves in Islam. In TheKoran,
there are many mentions of this term in particular the instance where
man is the slave to his Master Allah, which I fully understand and
agree. But in many instances the Koran cites where one man/woman is
the slave of another man/woman. In what context has Allah made this
permissible, if it is permissible. Your clarification onthis subject
would be most grateful.
Praise be to Allaah.
The enslavement of the Muslim to Allaah, may He be glorified, is what
He had commanded in His Book and is the Message with which He sent the
Messengers, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a
Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allaah (Alone), and avoid (or keep
away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, i.e. do not worship Taaghoot
besides Allaah)" [al-Nahl 16:36].
The word 'Uboodiyyah (enslavement) in Arabic comes from the word
Ta'beed (enthrallment, subjugation). The phrase 'abbadtu'l-tareeq
means "I made the way smooth and easy to walk on." The enslavement of
the slave to Allaah has two meanings, one general and one specific. If
by "slave" I mean al-mu'abbad, i.e., one who is subjugated, this is
the general meaning which includes every created thing in the both the
higher and the lower realms, sentient and otherwise, animate and
inanimate, moving and stationary, kaafir and mu'min, righteous and
immoral, for every creature is subjugated by Allaah and is subject to
His control, and for each of them there is a limit at which it stops.
If by "slave" I mean al-'aabid, one who worships Allaah and obeys His
commands, this meaning applies specifically to the believers to the
exclusion of the kaafireen, because the believers are the true slaves
of Allaah who attribute Lordship and Divinity to Him Alone and
recognize Him by His Names andAttributes, and do not associate
anything with Him. As Allaah says in the story of Iblees
(interpretation of the meaning):
"[Iblees (Satan)] said: 'O my Lord! Because You misled me, I shall
indeed adorn the path of error for them (mankind) on theearth, and I
shall mislead them all. Except Your chosen, (guided)slaves among
them.' (Allaah) said: 'This is the Way which will lead straight to Me.
Certainly, you shall have no authority over My slaves, except those
who follow you of the Ghaawoon (Mushrikoon and those who go astray,
criminals, polytheists, and evildoers).'" [al-Hijr 15:39-42]
With regard to the 'ibaadah (worship) which Allaah enjoins upon us,
this is a word which includes everything that Allaah loves and is
pleased with of words and deeds, both open and hidden, and excludes
anything that may cancel that out. This definition includes the
Shahaadatayn, Salaah, Hajj, fasting, jihaad for the sake of Allaah,
enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and believing in
Allaah, the angels, the Messengers and the Last Day. The basis for
this worship is purity of intention, so that theaim of the worshipper
is to seekthe Face of Allaah, may He be glorified, and the Home of the
Hereafter. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And Al-Muttaqûn (the pious) will be far removed from it (Hell). He
who spends his wealth for increase in self-purification, And who has
(in mind) no favour from anyone to be paid back, Except to seek the
Countenance of his Lord, the Most High. He surely, will be pleased
(when he will enter Paradise)." [al-Layl 92:17-21]
So purity of intention is essential, as is sincerity, so that the
believer strives to follow what Allaah has commanded and to avoid what
He has forbidden, prepares himself for the Meeting with Allaah (may He
be exalted), gives up feeling helpless and lazy, and refrains from
following his own desires, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"O you who believe! Be afraid of Allaah, and be with those who are
true (in words and deeds)." [al-Tawbah 9:119]
It is also essential to follow the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him), so the worshipper should worship Allaah in
accordance with what He has prescribed and not in accordance with what
created beings desire or innovate. This is the aim of following the
Prophet who was sent from Allaah, Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). Purity of intention, sincerity and following the
Messenger are all essential. Oncethese matters are understood, then it
will be clear to us that everything that goes against these essentials
is in fact enslavement to people. So showing off is a form of
enslavement to people; Shirk is aform of enslavement to people;
neglecting Allaah's commands and angering the Lord in order to earn
people's approval is a form of enslavement to people. ...

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Some of the Sunnahs of fasting

What are the Sunnahs of fasting?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There are many Sunnahs of fasting, including the following:
1 – It is Sunnah if someone insults you to respond in a better manner
and say, "I am fasting," because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari
and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him), that
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Fasting isa paradise so there shouldbe no obscene or offensive
talk or behaviour. If a person fights him or insults him, let him say,
'I am fasting,' twice. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, the smell
coming from the mouth of the fasting person is better before Allaah
then the fragrance of musk. [Allaah says:] 'He gives up his food,
drink and desire for My sake. Fasting is for Me and I willreward for
it, and a good deed receives the reward of ten like it.'" Al-Bukhaari,
no. 1894; Muslim, 1151.
2 – It is Sunnah for the fasting person to eat suhoor, because it was
proven in al-Saheehayn that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: The Prophet the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Eat suhoor for in suhoor there
is blessing." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1923; Muslim, 1059).
3 – It is Sunnah to delay suhoor because of the report narrated by
al-Bukhaari from Anas from Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allaah be pleased
with him) who said: "We ate suhoor with the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then he got up to pray." I said:
"How much time was there between the adhaan and suhoor?" He said: "The
time it takes to recite fifty verses." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
1921).
4 – It is Sunnah to hasten to break the fast because the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The people will
continue to befine so long as they hasten to break the fast."
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1957; Muslim, 1098). See also question no.
49716 )
5 – It is Sunnah to break the fast with fresh dates; if none are
available then with dry dates; if none areavailable then with water –
because of the hadeeth of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who
said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) used to break his fast with fresh dates before praying; if there
were no (fresh dates) thenwith dry dates, and if there were no (dried
dates) then he would takea few sips of water.
(Nararted by Abu Dawood, no. 2356; al-Tirmidhi, 696; classed as hasan
in al-Irwa', 4/45)
6 – It is Sunnah when breaking the fast to say what is narrated in the
hadeeth, which is to say Bismillaah. This is obligatory according to
the correct view because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) enjoined that. The words "Allaahumma laka sumtu wa 'ala
rizqikaaftartu, Allaahumma taqabbal minni, innaka antaal-samee'
al-'aleem (O Allaah, for You I have fasted and with Your provision I
have broken my fast, O Allaah accept (this fast) from me for Youare
the All-Hearing, All-Knowing) are da'eef (weak), as stated by Ibn
al-Qayyim (Zaad al-Ma'aad, 2/51). There is also another report:
"Dhahaba al-'zama' wa abtallat al-'urooq wa thabata al-ajr in sha
Allaah (the thirst is gone, the veins have been moistened and the
reward is assured, if Allaah wills)." (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2357;
al-Bayhaqi, 4/239; classedas hasan in al-Irwa', 4/39).
There are ahaadeeth which speak of the virtue of the du'aa' of the
fastingperson, such as the following:
(i) It was narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Three prayers are not rejected: the prayer of a father, the
prayer of a fasting person, and the prayer of a traveler." Narrated by
al-Bayhaqi, 3/345; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Saheeh1797.
(ii) It was narratedfrom Abu Umaamah in a marfoo' report:
"Every time the fast is broken Allaah has people whom He ransoms."
Narrated by Ahmad, 21698; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Targheeb, 1/491.
(iii) It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudriin a marfoo'
report: "Allaah ransoms people every day and night – i.e., in Ramadaan
– and every day and night the Muslim has a prayer that is answered."
Narrated by al-Bazzaar; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Targheeb,

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Taking pictures of women in Qur’aan teaching centres and showing them on satellite channels

What is the ruling on photographers entering Qur'aan teaching centres
to take pictures of a lesson given by one of thefemale daa'iyahs,
knowing that the photographer will move among the women who are
listening to the lesson,so that they can show their pictures in a
lesson that will be broadcast on an Islamic satellite channel?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Women are obliged to cover their entire bodies in front of non-mahram
men, because of evidence that we have quoted previously in the answers
to questions no. 11774 and 92801
It is not permissible to allow anyone to take pictures of women when
their faces are uncovered or to transmit these pictures on satellite
channels or otherwise.
We have previously discussed the negative consequences of women
participating in satellite channels -- even if they wear niqaab.
Please see the answer to question no. 134785
Shaykh 'Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Naasir al-Barraak (may Allah preserve him)
was asked: What is the ruling on a female daa'iyah appearing on TV in
full shar'i hijab for the purpose of da'wah and fatwas?
He replied:
Praise be to Allah. To proceed:
The basic principle is that the woman is fitnah in her image and her
voice. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "I
am not leaving behind me any fitnah more harmful to men than women."
(Agreed upon). Hence those who follow their whims and desires are very
keen to introduce women into all media programming, both audioand
video. Based on that, it is not permissible for a woman to appear on
TV, even if she is wearing hijab, in the name of da'wah and giving
fatwas,because innumerable menwill listen to her even if she only
appears on the channel on the basis of teaching women. Moreover, there
is no need for her to undertake da'wah and issue fatwas via TV
channels. The basic principle is that that is to be done by men, and
menare more suited to that. Throughout Islamic history men have been
the ones to teach, call people to Islam and issue fatwas in the
mosques and so on. They are the khateebs and imams. It is not
permissible for women to do any of thesethings unless it is among
other women.
Moreover it is well knownthat women's participation in video and audio
media results in things that are contrary tosharee'ah, such as their
going out unnecessarily, mixing with men, making images of them even
if they do wear hijab. This results in negative consequences that
Islam came to prevent, as Allah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"O wives of the Prophet! You are not like any otherwomen. If you keep
your duty (to Allah), then be not soft in speech, lest he in whose
heart is a disease (of hypocrisy, or evil desire for adultery, etc.)
should be moved with desire, but speak in an honourable manner.
And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of
thetimes of ignorance"
[al-Ahzaab 33:32-33].
A woman may be making a display of herself in her clothing even if she
wearshijab.
Based on the above I say: It is not permissible for a woman to appear
on satellite TV channels as a daa'iyah, mufti or teacher.Rather she
should restrict her da'wah activities to her fellow women at home or
in a school or in the women's prayer spacein the mosque.
On this occasion we advise our sisters who arein charge of Islamic
channels to fear Allah and not to be deceived by the words of those
who have wrong views and do not see anything wrong with women
appearing on Islamic channels and evenpromote that and supportit with
specious arguments. It is sufficient to note that this is in
accordance with the whims and desires of modernists, who do not care
about anything but falsehood or that which leads to falsehood. Hence
they like the Islamic channels on which women appear and they regard
them as keeping pace with modern times, and they do not like the
channels on which no women appear and they regard them as backward and
describe the people incharge of them as being extremists. These people
are like those of whom Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation
of themeaning):
"but those who follow their lusts, wish that you (believers) should
deviate tremendously away from the Right Path"
[an-Nisa' 4:27].
We ask Allah to guide us to the straight path and to keep us away from
the path of those who earnedHis Anger and of those who went astray.
End quote from Shabakat Noor al-Islam.
And Allah knows best.

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Aa] I want to be a devoted slave of Allaah … ten pointers

Aa]
And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah’s obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic Monotheism) — then suchare the ones whose striving shall be appreciated, (thanked andrewarded by Allaah)”
[al-Isra’ 17:18-19]
My brother, if you want tohave a high position in all kinds of good deeds, to bea devoted slave of Allaah and to honour your parents, and you are seeking Paradise, then you have to do the following:
1 – You have to revive thefaith in your heart. Faith iswhat will bring the Muslim everything he seeks in this world and in the Hereafter. Faith is the key to all goodness and locks the door to all evil. The means of reviving and strengthening faith inone’s heart are many and varied, including doing a lot of acts of worship and righteous deeds.
2 – You must turn to your Lord sincerely, as it says in the report: “If My slave turns to me inwardly and outwardly, Iwill turn the hearts of My slaves to him with love and mercy.”
Allaah has made worship the ultimate aim and loftiest purpose of man:
“And I (Allaah) created notthe jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone)”
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation of the meaning)]
3 – You should always setyour sights on the highestdegrees, and make your goal in life to earn the pleasure of Allaah, and strive to attain the victoryof Paradise, or to attain the highest Firdaws. You should strive as hard as you can to achieve these lofty aims.
4 – You should follow the example of historical Muslim figures such as theSahaabah, Taabi’een and righteous forebears (the salaf).
5 – You should make the most of every minute, every moment and every heartbeat to use it in sucha way as to increase your faith.
6 – You should try to keepcompany with righteous people, because the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “A man will follow the religion of his close friend,so let each one of you look at whom he befriends.” Narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnaad. Good friends are one of the best means of helping you to obey Allaah and to avoid sin and error.
7 – Doing a lot of righteous deeds which will bring you happiness in this world and in the Hereafter.
8 – Praying qiyaam al-layl, making du’aa’ in the time just before dawn. The feet of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to swell because of his desire to be a thankful slave, even though Allaah had forgiven his previous and future sins.
9 – Persisting in reading aportion of Qur’aan daily, and other dhikr that helpsyou to think and ponder the meanings of the Qur’aan.
10 – Striving to spread the word and make da’wah for the sake of Allaah, and working for Islam as much as possible.
If you want to reach the status of devoted slave for which you long, then be as Allaah commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
“Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)”
[al-An’aam 6:162]
Being a devoted slave of Allaah means declaring one’s devotion and belonging to the Lord, which can only be achieved by applying this aayah, so that we are for Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, in all our affairs.
Being a devoted slave of Allaah can only be fully achieved in this manner; it can only be achieved byworshipping Allaah in the fullest sense of the word, which means making our living and dying, and all our movements, for Him alone. So we only speak that which is pleasing to Allaah; we only do that which is pleasing to Allaah; we focus our intention in these words and deeds only on Allaah. Worship should not be reduced to merely raising and lowering our heads atcertain times, or giving a few pennies every once ina while, or fasting a few days each year, or movingour lips to say a few words and dhikrs.
Hence the deeds that leadto this status – of being a devoted slave – are innumerable and may take many shapes in all aspects of our lives and the places where we live. This is by the bounty of Allaah towards us and towards all people.
Just look, in every place where you find yourself and every moment that comes to you, for that which will please Him, and what you think He wants to see you doing, and do it. Then you will be a devoted slave.
Finally, we ask Allaah to accept righteous deeds from us and from you, and to gather us and you in His mercy with the Prophets, siddeeqs, martyrs and righteous, and those are the best of companions.
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A] I want to be a devoted slave of Allaah … ten pointers

A]
My question is short. I want to enter Paradise, I want to strive to control my self (my nafs), I want to kiss my mother’s hand every day, I want to keep away from whims and desires and from the Shaytaan, I want Allaah to call me a devoted slave on the Day of Resurrection, in sha Allaah, I want to love my brothers, and I want my faith to keep increasing. What should I do?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allaah to make yousteadfast in adhering to the truth, and to make your hopes come true, andto make you one of those who turn to Him and who know the truth, defend it and adhere to Islam.
The things you mention in your question indicate thatyou have a sound and pure nature, and a great desire to achieve great things and to give everyone his rights. These are great hopes that can be achieved through faith, as it was narrated that Sufyaan al-Thawri said: Faith is not wishes or pretence, rather it is what settles in the heart and is proven by actions.” So we will discuss the matter of faith and how important itis in becoming a devoted slave, pleasing and honouring one’s parents and achieving the victory of Paradise.
Whoever seeks to achieve great things has to stay upat night (worship).
Hence al-Fudayl said: “You hearts can never taste the sweetness of faith until they shun worldly pleasures.” And he also said, “If you cannot pray qiyaam at night and fast during the day, then knowthat you are deprived.”
The sincere believer has a heart like a burning coal, hence it was narrated by al-Haakim in his Mustadrakand al-Tabaraani in his Mu’jam with a saheeh isnaad that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Faith wears out in your heart as clothes wear out, so ask Allaah to renew the faith in your hearts.”
The believer’s heart may sometimes feel overwhelmed by clouds of sin. This was portrayed to us by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “There is no heart that does not have clouds like the clouds that cover the moon. When the cloud covers it, it is dark, and when the cloud moves away it shines.” Narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. So the believer’s heart is sometimes covered with a cloud and its light is hidden, and it remains dark and lonely, but if he strives to increase his storeof faith and seeks the help of Allaah, that cloud goes away and the light in his heart starts to shine again.Hence one of the salaf said: “It is part of a person’s smartness to c heck on his faith and be aware of what affects it.” It is also part of a person’s smartness “that he recognizes how the Shaytaan whispers to him.”
So he has to come back to faith. If you come back to faith and do as it requires, then you will achieve whatyou want. We will tell you of a basic principle which will let you know when faith is present and when it is not. Imam Ibn al-Jawzisaid: “O you who are turned away, O you who are deprived of meeting your loved ones, if you want to know how you stand before the king, thenlook at how you are spending your time and what work you are assigned to do. How many people stand at the door of the king, but no one enters except the one whom he cares for. Not every heart is fit to draw close, not every heart can be filled with love, not every wind is like the morning breeze.”
If a person want to know how he stands before Allaah and how he stands in relation to His commands and prohibitions, let him look at himself and see what heis preoccupied with. If he isbusy with da’wah and with saving people from the Fire, striving to attain Paradise, helping the weakand needy, honouring his parents, then let him rejoice in the fact that he isclose to the King of kings, for Allaah does not help anyone to do good except those whom He loves.
But if he is has no interest in da’wah, dislikes the daa’iyahs and does not do good things, if he is preoccupied with this world and its gains, and with gossip and asking toomany questions, whilst notdoing much or following his whims and desires, let him know that he is far from Allaah and has been deprived of that which willbring him closer to Paradise, because Allaah says in His holy Book (interpretation of the meaning):
“Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitory enjoyment of this world), We readily grant him whatWe will for whom We like. Then, afterwards, We haveappointed for him Hell; he will burn therein disgracedand rejected ( far away from Allaah’s Mercy)
:->
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:-> Is it permissible to offer a sacrifice in gratitude to Allaah for a specific blessing?

:->
The view of the Hanbalis, the more correct view among the Shaafa’is, is that these meals are mustahabb.
Ibn Qudaamah said: Theseinvitations – other than the wedding feast (waleemah) and ‘aqeeqah– are something good, but they are like invitations that are given for no reason; if the person who does them intends thereby to give thanks to Allaah for His blessing and to feed his brothers and offer food, then he will have the reward for that in sha Allaah. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:
If one of my children doeswell in school, is it permissible for me to offer a sacrifice to celebrate his success, and to give thanks to Allaah?
He replied:
There is nothing wrong with making food (waleemah) if the childrenor one of them succeeds, and inviting one’s loved ones and his child’s friends, to celebrate Allaah’s blessing and to encourage the child. End quote.
Liqaa’aat al-Baab il-Maftooh (no. 161, question no. 1).
Secondly:
It is essential to beware ofsome beliefs which many people hold, and say that in order to protect the new house or car it is essential to offer a sacrifice and sprinkle it with the blood of the slaughtered animal, or that evil spirits will not keep away from you unless you do that, otherwise the blessing will soon dissipate. hese are jaahili beliefs which do not come from someone who believes in Allaah as his Lord Who possesses all powers to bring benefit or cause harm, in Whose hand is the creation and the commandment, and knows that it is not permissible to do acts of worship unless they are done for the sake of Allaah.
The scholars of the Standing Committee wereasked about the belief held by many people, thatoffering a sacrifice on the threshold of the new house before entering it isone of the most important means of warding off the evil eye, and making the house blessed, and avoiding calamities and undesirable events.
They replied:
If this custom – i.e., offering a sacrifice on the threshold of the new house – is done in order to placate the jinn and ward off calamities and undesirable events, then it is a haraam custom, andis in fact shirk. This is what seems to be the case with offering the sacrifice before entering the house, and doing it onthe threshold in particular.
But if the intention is to honour one's new neighbours and get to know them, and to give thanks to Allaah for the blessing of a new home, and to honour one's relatives and friends on this occasion, and to showthem the house, then this is good and the one who does it is to be praised forhis action. But that is only usually done after the people have moved into the house, and not before,and the animal or animalsshould not be slaughteredon the threshold of the house or in the entryway to the house. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (1/214)
See also the answer to question no. 26952 , which quotes two fatwas from Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz and Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen concerning the same topic.
And Allaah knows best.

/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Is it permissible to offer a sacrifice in gratitude to Allaah for a specific blessing?

Is it permissible for a person who has bought a car or a house to offer a sacrifice in gratitude to Allaah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The blessings that Allaah bestows upon people are many, and His bounty andgenerosity towards them are vast. A blessing can only be responded to by giving thanks and appreciating it. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, has enjoined giving thanks to Him, for He is Appreciative and loves those who give thanks.
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
“So eat of the lawful and good food which Allaah has provided for you. And be grateful for the Graces of Allaah, if it is He Whom you worship”
[al-Nahl 16:144]
“seek your provision fromAllaah (Alone), and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him. To Him(Alone) you will be brought back”
[al-‘Ankaboot 29:17]
Part of being grateful to Allaah is seeking to draw closer to Him by means ofdifferent kinds of acts of worship and to endear oneself to Him by means of good deeds such as prayer, zakaah, fasting and so on.
Another part of being grateful to Allaah is givingthanks to Him by means of sacrifice rituals, which means offering a sacrifice for the sake of Allaah.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the verse “Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)” [al-Kawthar 108:2]:
What is meant is that prayer and sacrifice are the best of the things by means of which one may draw closer to Allaah, and the usage of the word fa (translated here as “therefore”) points to the reason, i.e., doing that – prayer and sacrifice – in gratitude for that which Allaah has given him of al-Kawthar (a river in Paradise) and much goodness. So he should give thanks to the One Who has blessed him and worship Him, and the twogreatest types of worship are these two acts of worship; indeed, prayer is the ultimate act of worship. It is as if He is saying to him: We have given you al-Kawthar and a great deal of goodness, and We have blessed you with that because you have been doing these two acts of worship in gratitude for Our blessing to you; these are the reasons why We have bestowed these blessings upon you, so do these two things for Us, for prayer and sacrifice are surrounded by blessings that come before them and after them. The best financial act of worship is sacrifice and the best physical act of worship is prayer, and the benefits that a slave of Allaah may gain from prayer cannot be compared to any othertype of worship, as is known by those whose hearts are alive and those of high aspirations. Adding to it the benefits of offering sacrifice, whichis a sign of devotion to Allaah and thinking positively of Him, and having strong certainty and faith about that which is in the hand of Allaah is something wonderful, if that is accompanied by faith and sincerity. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) obeyed the command of his Lord and prayed and sacrificed a great deal to Him; he even sacrificed sixty-three camels with his own hand during the Farewell Pilgrimage, and he used to offer sacrifices on the Eids and at other times. End quote.
Majmoo’ al-Fataawa 916/532).
If Allaah bestows a great blessing upon a person – and all His blessing are great – then it is mustahabb for him to give thanks to Allaah for itby showing kindness to people, so he should offer a sacrifice and make food and invite his brothers and friends, and give charity to those who are in need.
It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (26/180-181):
It is mustahabb to give thanks anew when new blessings come, by speaking words of praise. Gratitude for that may also be expressed by doing acts of worship, which includes offering a sacrifice or inviting peopleto a meal. The fuqaha’ have mentioned the kindsof meals that may be offered when blessing arerenewed, such as the wakeerah which is made for a new home, or naqee’ah which is made on the return of an absentloved one, and hidhaaq which is done when a child completes a reading of the Qur’aan./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Meaning of Allah breathed His soul into man

Assalam-o-Alaikum,
I have recently come across some people who believe that the verse in
Surah As Sajdah "Then He proportioned him and breathed into him from
His soul and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are
yougrateful." refers to soul which was made of Allah'snoor. Can I get
any explanation from Imam Bukhari's Kitab ul Tafseer?Plus, does it
make any sense to you that spirit (and not the body) was made of
Allah's noor and is eternal i.e the bodies will decay but the spirits
are there in Barzakh and cannot die? Any help would be appreciated.
JazakAllah!

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4a] How can he rid himself of jealousy towards his brothers?

4a]
the evil deeds
[Hood 11:114]
3- Reading the seerah (biography) of the Messenger
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), seeing how hekept away
from hasad and how he loved good for others, even for his enemies.
Among the useful books on seerah is Noor al-Yaqeen fi Seerat Sayyid
al-Mursaleen.
[Translator's note: a well-known book of seerah which is available in
English is "Al-Raheeq al-Makhtoom (the Sealed Nectar) – Biography of
theNoble Prophet (peace andblessings of Allaah be upon him), by
Safi-ur-Rahmaan al-Mubarakpuri]
4- Reading the biographies and stories ofthe Sahaabah
in books such as Suwar min Hayaatal-Sahaabah by 'Abd al-Rahmaan Ra'fat
al-Basha)
5- If any such thoughts (of hasad, etc.) cross your
mind, then seek refuge with Allaah from the accursed Shaytaan, and
keep yourself busy with something that will make you forget these
insinuating whispers and thoughts.
6- If the Shaytaan manages to instil hasad in your
heart, then beware lest you say or do anything which will show that
hasad. Every person has his or her share of hasad. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah said: "Nobody is free fromhasad, but the noble person hides
it whilst the base person shows it." (Amraad al-Quloob). A person will
not be brought to account for whatever crosses his mind, but he will
be brought to account for what he says and does. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah will forgive my
ummah for their mistakes, what they forget and what theyare forced to
do." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2033).
7- If you feel that you are jealous of a specific
person, then buy him a gift and shake hands with him. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Shake hands, for
this will dispel rancour, and exchange gifts and love one another, for
this will dispel hatred." (Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta', 1413).
Hasad is the result of hatred, whose oppositeis love, the way of which
is giving gifts and spreading (the greeting of) salaam, because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "You will
not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until
you love one another. Shall I not tell you of that which will
strengthen love between you? Spread (the greetingof) salaam amongst
yourselves." (Narrated by Muslim, 81).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said in his bookAmraad al-Quloob
(diseases of the heart):
"Whoever find in himself any hasad towards another has to try to
neutralize it by means of taqwa (piety, consciousness of Allaah) and
sabr (patience). So he should hate that (the feeling of hasad) in
himself… But the one whodoes wrong to his brotherby word or deed will
be punished for that. The onewho fears Allaah and is patient, however,
is not included among the wrongdoers, and Allaah will benefit him by
his taqwa."
And Allaah knows best.

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4] How can he rid himself of jealousy towards his brothers?

4]
to be a true beliver 1 quility is to love for your brother what u love
for yourself. Al humdurilla this is easy to do with my blood brother,
but very difficult to do this for any of my muslim brothers except a
few , the reason being is that when i see my muslim brother betterthen
me in anything i feel jealous, i thing it's pride(brother i make
duaato allah to forgive me for felling like this but when isee my
muslim brother again,this feeling comes back again)
I want to fell happy seeing my muslim brotherprosper and i want to
fell sad when he's sad.but whenever i see people praising my muslim
brother i fell jealous.
i also fell like wanting formy muslim brother janatul ferdose but
whenever my muslim brother tells me something which will benefit me
for deen, i want to practice it but saythan comes and tell me that if
i practice it then my muslim brother would get the same rewards as i
would and sohis stage will be higher then minein jannah, my nafs
sometimes fall for this trap. i would like to knowhow i can get total
cure from this problem.
Praise be to Allaah.
What every Muslim is obliged to do, as you mentioned, is to love for
his brother what he loves for himself of good things,and to hate for
his brother what he hates for himself of bad things. Thisdoes not mean
that he cannot like for himself what he likes for others. Ifhe sees
that his brother has something that he does not, and he wishes that he
had it too, this is ghibtah (envy that is free from malice); if he
wishes that the blessing would be taken away from them, this is called
hasad (destructive jealousy).
The Muslim needs to strive against his own self(jihaad al-nafs) so
that his heart will be free of jealousy towards his Muslim brothers.
If he sincerely loves his brothers, most of these problems from which
he is suffering will disappear.When the Muslim realizes how great his
virtue and status will be when he loves his brothers and loves good
things for them, and when he knows how great his reward will be if he
treats them well, this will motivate him to treat them well in all
ways, andto strive to benefit his brothers instead of being
preoccupied with jealous thoughts of what they have and he doesn't.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Duwaysh.
You have to think long and hard about the wordsof Allaah
(interpretation of the meaning):
"That is the Grace of Allaah which He bestows on whom He wills
[al-Maa'idah 5:54]
"It is We Who portion out between them their livelihood in this world,
and We raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may
employ others in their work
[al-Zukhruf 43:32]
Hasad (destructive jealousy) causes a great deal of harm in this
worldand in the Hereafter. Al-Tirmidhi narrated from al-Zubayr ibn
al-'Awaam that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said:
"There has come to you the disease of the nations before you, jealousy
and hatred. This is the 'shaver' (destroyer); I do not say that it
shaves hair, but that it shaves (destroys) faith. By the One in
WhoseHand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you believe,
and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell
you of that which will strengthen love between you? Spread (the
greetingof) salaam amongst yourselves." (A hasan hadeeth. Jaami'
al-Tirmidhi, 2434).
Concerning the meaning of the phrase "it shaves (destroys) faith",
al-Tayyibi said: "i.e., hatred takes away faith like a razor takes
away hair." (Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi bi Sharh Jaami' al-Tirmidhi).
It seems, my brother, thatyou know the ruling and are aware of the
consequences, and that you want to rid yourself of this blameworthy
characteristic. Here are some solutions for you.
1- Make du'aa' (supplication) to Allaah and ask Him to
rid you of this problem. The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to say in his du'aa', "Wa'hdi qalbi wa'slul sakheemata
sadri (guide my heart and remove ill will from my breast)." Thephrase
"guide my heart" means to the straight path, and "remove ill will from
my breast" means take away all insincerity, rancour and hatred.
2- Pondering themeanings of the Qur'aan and reading it
frequently, especially the verses which speak of hasad (destructive
jealousy), because reading the Qur'aan brings one a great deal of
hasanaat (reward for good deeds). Allaah says (interpretationof the
meaning):
"Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds
[Hood 11:114] :->

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3a] How to protect oneself against the evil eye

3a]
are:
"A'oodhu bi kalimaat Allaah al-taammaati min sharri maa khalaq (I seek
refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from the evil of that which He
has created)."
(Narrated by Muslim, al-Dhikr wa'l-Du'aa, 4881)
It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them
both) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to seek refuge with Allaah for al-Hasan and al-Husayn. He said:
'Your father [i.e., Ibraaheem] used to seek refuge with Allaah for
Ismaa'eel and Ishaaq withthese words: A'oodhu bi kalimaat Allaah
al-taammah min kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli 'aynin laammah
(I seek refuge inthe perfect words of Allaah, from every devil and
every poisonous reptile, and from every bad eye).'"(Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, Ahaadeeth al-Anbiyaa', 3120).
With regard to the meaning of laammah (translated here as
"bad"),al-Khattaabi said: "What ismeant here is every disease or harm
that a person may suffer such as insanity or mental disturbance."
It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed that Jibreel came to the Prophet
(peace andblessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: "O Muhammad, are
you ill?" He said, "Yes." He said, "Bismillaahi arqeeka min kulli
shay'in yu'dheeka, min sharri kulli nafsin aw 'aynin haasid Allaahu
yashfeek, bismillaahi arqeek (In the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah
for you, from everything that is harming you, from the evil of every
soul or envious eye may Allaah heal you, in the name of Allaah I
perform ruqyah for you)." (Narrated by Muslim, al-Salaam, 4056)
Undoubtedly, when a person persists in reciting the adhkaar (dhikr)
for morning and evening, andthe adhkaar for going to sleep, and
others, this willhave a great effect in protecting him from the evil
eye, because it will belike a stronghold for him, by Allaah's Leave.
So everyone should strive to recite these adhkaar. One of the best
treatments is the use of ruqyah, which the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) permitted for protection from the
evil eye and he instructed people to use it.
It was narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
"The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
commanded me, or he commanded (the people) to use ruqyah to deal with
the evil eye."
(narrated by al-Bukhaari, al-Tibb, 5297)
And it was narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
said: "The man who cast the evil eye would be commanded to do wudoo',
and then the man who was affected would wash himself with (the
water)."
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Tibb, 3382. Al-Albaani said, in Saheeh
Sunan Abi Dawood, its isnaad is saheeh. No. 3282)
These are some of the du'aa's and treatments which offer protection –
by Allaah's leave – from the evil eye and from destructive envy
(hasad). We ask Allaah to protect us from that. And Allaah knows best.
See Zaad al-Ma'aad by Ibn al-Qayyim, 4/162.

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3] How to protect oneself against the evil eye

3]
In the recent years I feel I have been struck with it. Allhamdullila
that allah has given me attractive features but see I don't want my
life to be in turmoil because of it. See not all people praise
Allahfor the things they admireespecially the kaafirs. Is there
anyway a young woman can protect herself from the evil eye without
veiling her face? Can wearing Quranic scripture save you from the
evil eye? And what about wearing necklaces and charms in the shape of
an eye or hands because I heard these can protect you and are they
haram? My life is so much better now than before because before I did
not practice islam although I always was a muslim, so does this mean
that because I am a better muslim the evil eye, if I was unfortunate
enough to have it hit me has disappeared from my soulor do I have to
have Quran read over me so it will leave me. How can I save and
protect myself from happening to me again?
Praise be to Allaah.
You should know that hijaab is obligatory, and no one has the right to
choose the rulings that they like and leave those for which they feel
no inclination, because Allaahsays (interpretation of themeaning):
"O you who believe! Enterperfectly in Islam (by obeying all the rules
and regulations of the Islamic religion) and follow not the footsteps
of Shaytaan (Satan). Verily, he is to youa plain enemy"[al-Baqarah
2:208]
Ibn Katheer said: "Allaah commands His believing slaves to adhere to
all the rulings and laws of Islam, to follow all the commandments and
heedall the prohibitions." (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 1/566).
The believing women are forbidden to show any of their beauty to
non-mahrams. Allaah says(interpretation of the meaning):
"… and not to show off their adornment except only that which is
apparent (like both eyes for necessity to see the way, or outer palms
of hands or one eye or dress like veil, gloves, headcover, apron), and
to draw their veils all over Juyoobihinna (i.e. their bodies, faces,
necks and bosoms) and not to revealtheir adornment except totheir
husbands, or their fathers, or their husband'sfathers, or their sons,
or their husband's sons, or their brothers or their brother's sons, or
their sister's sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. theirsisters in
Islam), or the (female) slaves whom their right hands possess, or old
male servants who lack vigour, or small children who have no sense of
feminine sex. Andlet them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what
they hide of their adornment. And all of youbeg Allaah to forgive you
all, O believers, that you may be successful" [al-Noor 24:31]
Obeying Allaah's command to observe hijaab will protect you from the
evil eye by Allaah's Leave in this world, and will protect you from
the punishment of Allaah in the Hereafter.
With regard to wearing Qur'aanic verses or certainshapes, Imaam Ahmad
narrated in his Musnad from 'Uqbah ibn 'Aamir (may Allaah be pleased
with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Whoeverwears an amulet, may Allaah not fulfil his need, and
whoever wears seashells [for protection from the evil eye] may Allaah
not protect him." According to another report, a group came to the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and he
accepted the bay'ah [allegiance] of nine of them, but not from one
ofthem. They said, "O Messenger of Allaah, you accepted the bay'ah of
nine and not from this one." He said, "He is wearing an amulet."
Thenhe took it in his hand and broke it, and the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) accepted his bay'ah. He said,
"Whoever wears an amulet is guilty of shirk." (From Fataawa al-'Ayn
wa'l-Hasad, p. 277)
With regard to dealing with the evil eye and hasad (destructive envy),
there is no doubt that when a person is close to Allaah, always
remembering Him (dhikr) and reading Qur'aan, he isless likely to be
affected by the evil eye and other kinds of harm from the devils of
mankind and thejinn. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to seek refuge with Allaah for himself, and the
greatest means of seeking refuge that is available to the Muslim is
reading the Book of Allaah, above all the Mi'wadhatayn (the last two
Soorahs of the Qur'aan, al-Falaq and al-Naas), Soorat al-Faatihah and
Aayat al-Kursiy [al-Baqarah 2:255].
Among the saheeh du'aa'sfor refuge that have been narrated from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are: :->

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2b] How to deal with sihr (magic/witchcraft)

2b]
Qul A'oodhu bi Rabb il-Naas. The point is that these and similar
treatments which are used to treat this problemof sihr, may also be
used to treat the one who is prevented by magic from having
intercourse with his wife. This has been tried a great deal and Allaah
caused it to yield results. A person may be treated with al-Faatihah
alone and be healed, or with Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad and al-Mi'wadhatayn
on their own, and be healed. It is very important that the person
performing this treatment and the person who is being treated should
both have sincere faith and trust in Allaah; they should know that
Heis control of all things andthat when He wills a thingit happens,
and when He does not will a thing it does not happen. The matter is in
His hand, whatever He wills happens and whatever Hedoes not will does
not happen. When both the reader and the one who isread over have
faith and are sincere towards Allaah, the sickness will disappear
quickly by Allaah's Leave, and both physical and spiritual medicine
will be beneficial. We ask Allaah to help us all to please Him, for He
is All-Hearing and is ever Near.
Majmoo' Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah li Samaahat al-Shaykh
al-'Allaamah 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him),
p. 70/

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2a] How to deal with sihr (magic/witchcraft)

2a]
(O Allaah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and heal him, for You are
the Healer and there is no healing except Your healing, with a healing
which does not leave any disease behind)." This may be repeated three
times or more. And it was also narrated from him (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) that Jibreel (peace be upon him) performed
ruqyah for himand said three times: "Bismillaah arqeeka min kulli
shay'in yu'dheeka, wa min sharri kulli nafsin aw 'aynin haasid Allaah
yashfeek, bismillaah arqeek (In the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah
for you, from every thing that is harming you, from the evil of every
soul or envious eye may Allaah heal you, in the name of Allaah I
perform ruqyah for you)." This is a great ruqyah which was narrated in
a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). It is prescribed to perform ruqyah for the one who has been
bitten or stung, and the one who has been affected by sihr, and the
one who is sick. There is nothing wrong with performing ruqyah for one
who is sick or has been affected by sihr or bitten or stung, by
reciting good du'aa's, even if they were not transmitted from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so long as they
do not contain anything that is haraam, because of the general meaning
of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace andblessings of Allaah be upon
him): "There is nothing wrong with ruqyah so long as it does not
involve shirk."
Allaah may heal the sick person and the person affected by sihr, and
others, without any ruqyah and without any action on the part of other
people, because He is Able to do all things, and He is Wise in all
that He does. Allaah says in HisHoly Book:
"Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to
it, 'Be!' and it is!"[Yaa-Seen 36:82]
To Him be praise and thanks for all that He willsand decrees, for He
is wisein all that He does.
The sick person may not be healed if his appointedtime has come and it
is decreed that he should die from this disease. Among the things that
may be used in ruqyah are the verses which speak of sihr, which may be
recited into water. These are the verses about sihr in Soorat
al-A'raaf, where Allaah says (interpretation of themeaning):
"And We revealed to Moosa (saying): 'Throw your stick,' and behold! It
swallowed up straight away all the falsehood which they showed.
Thus truth was confirmed,and all that they did was made of no effect.
So they were defeated there and returned disgraced
[al-A'raaf 7:117-119]
And in Soorat Yoonus (interpretation of the meaning):
"And Pharaoh said: 'Bring me every well-versed sorcerer.'
And when the sorcerers came, Moosa said to them: 'Cast down what you
want to cast!'
Then when they had cast down, Moosa said: 'What you have brought is
sorcery, Allaah will surely make it of no effect. Verily, Allaah does
not set right the work of Al-Mufsidoon.
And Allaah will establish and make apparent the truth by His Words,
however much the Mujrimoon may hate (it).'"
[Yoonus 10:79-82]
And in Soorat Ta-Ha (interpretation of the meaning):
"They said: 'O Moosa! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?'
Moosa said: 'Nay, throw you (first)!' Then behold! their ropes and
their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved
fast.
So Moosa conceived fear in himself.
We (Allaah) said: 'Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand.
And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that
which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's
trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount
(of skill) he may attain.'"
[Ta-Ha 20:65-69]
These aayahs are among the things by which Allaah causes the ruqyah
against sihr to be beneficial. If the qaari' (reader) recites these
verses into water, and also reads Soorat al-Faatiha, Aayat
al-Kursiy,"Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad", and al-Mi'wadhatayn into the water,
then pours it over the person who he thinks has been affected by sihr
or is being prevented by magic from having intercourse with his wife,
then he will be healed by Allaah's Leave. If seven lotus leaves are
ground up and added to the water as well, this is appropriate, as was
mentioned by Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Hasan (may Allaah have mercy
on him) in Fath al-Majeed, quoting from some of the scholars in the
chapter entitled Ma jaa'a fi'l-Nushrah. It is mustahabb to recite the
three soorahs, namely QulHuwa Allaahu Ahad, Qul A'oodhu bi Rabb il
Falaq and Qul A'oodhu bi Rabb il-Naas....

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3] How to deal with sihr (magic/witchcraft)

What is the way to deal with sihr (magic/witchcraft)?
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever is affected by sihr should not treat it with sihr, because
evil cannot be removed by evil, and kufr cannot be removed by kufr.
Evil is removed by good. Hence when the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) was asked about al-nushrah (treating sihr with
sihr), he said: "This is the work of the Shaytaan." Nushrahmeans
removing sihr from a person who has been affected by it by using more
sihr. But if it istreated by means of the Qur'aan and permissible
medicines or good ruqyahs, there is nothing wrong with that, but
treating it with sihr is not permitted, as previously stated, because
sihr means worshipping the shayaateen (devils). The saahir (magician,
practitioner of witchcraft) does sihr or learns sihr only after
worshipping and serving the shayaateen, and drawing close to them by
means ofthe things that they like. After that, they teach him the
means of sihr. But, praise be to Allaah, there is no reason why the
person who has been affected by sihr should not be treated by means of
reciting Qur'aan and the prayers for refuge with Allaah that are
prescribed in sharee'ah, and permissible medicines, just as
patientswith all kinds of sicknesses are treated by doctors. The
patient does not necessarily recover, because not every sick person
does recover. A sick patient might be treated and then recover if his
appointed time (of death) has not yet arrived,or he may not recover
and may die from this sickness, even though he may be been seen by the
most skilled physicians and knowledgeable doctors. When the appointed
time of death comes, no medicine or treatment will be of any avail,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And Allaah grants respiteto none when his appointed time (death) comes"
[al-Munaafiqoon 63:11]
Medical treatment is of benefit when the appointed time has not yet
come, and Allaah decrees that His slave should be healed. The same
applies in the case of one who has been affected by sihr; Allaah may
decree that he should recover, or He maynot decree that, as a test and
a trial, or for other reasons which are known to Allaah. Among those
reasons may be the fact that the one who is treating him does not have
the right treatment for this problem. It was narrated in a saheeh
report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "For every disease there isa medicine, and if that medicine is
applied to the disease, he will recover byAllaah's Leave." And he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has not sent
downany disease but He has also sent down the cure; the one who knows
it knows it and the one whodoes not know it does notknow it."
Among the treatments prescribed in sharee'ah is the treatment of sihr
withrecitation of the Qur'aan. The greatest soorah in theQur'aan,
which is al-Faatihah, should be recited over the person who has been
affected by sihr. This should be repeated several times. If it is
recited by a believing,righteous reader who knows that everything is
subject to the will and decree of Allaah, that Allaah is in control of
all things, that when He says to a thing 'Be!' it is, if the reciting
is based on faith, taqwa and sincerity, and is repeated several times,
then the sihr may be removed and the person may recover by Allaah's
Leave. Some of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) passed
by some Bedouins whose shaykh, i.e., their leader, had been bitten.
They had done everythingthey could but he had notgotten better. They
said to one of the Sahaabah, "Is there any raaqi (one who performs
ruqyah) among you?" They said, "Yes." So one of them recited Soorat
al-Faatihah over him, and he immediately got up full ofenergy as if
nothing had happened; Allaah healed him of the ill-effects of that
snakebite. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "There is nothing wrong with ruqyah so long as it does not
involve shirk." He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
performed ruqyah and had it performed for him. There is a lot of good
in ruqyah, and a great deal of benefit. Al-Faatihah, Aayat al-Kursiy,
"Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad", al-Mi'wadhatayn and other aayahs may be
recited over the person who has been affected by sihr, as well as good
du'aa's narrated in the ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), such as the du'aa' he said when he
performed ruqyah for a sick person and said, "Allaahumma Rabb al-naas,
adhhib il-ba's, washfi anta al-Shaafi laa shifaa'a illa shifaa'uka
shifaa'an laa yughaadir saqaman (O Allaah, Lord of mankind, ...

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2b] Definition of the evil eye, and ways of protecting oneself against it and treating it

2b]
In the event that you are afflicted by the evil eye, you should use
the treatments recommendedin sharee'ah, which are:
1 – Reciting ruqyah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said, "There is no ruqyah except in the case of the evil eye
or fever." al-Tirmidhi, 2057; Abu Dawood, 3884. Jibreel used to do
ruqyah for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
say, "Bismillaahi arqeeka min kulli shay'in yu'dheeka, min sharri
kulli nafsin aw 'aynin haasid Allaahu yashfeek, bismillaahi arqeek (In
the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you, from everything that is
harming you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye may Allaah
heal you, in the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you)."
2 – Asking the person who has put the evil eye on another to wash, as
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded
'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah to do in the hadeeth quoted above. Then the water
should be poured over the one who has been afflicted.
With regard to taking his waste, such as his urine and stools, there
is no basis for doing so; the same applies to taking any of his
belongings. Rather what is narrated is that which is mentioned above,
washing his limbs and washing inside his garment, or likewise washing
inside his headgear and garments. And Allaah knows best.
There is nothing wrong with taking precautions against the evil eye
before it happens, and this does not contradict the idea of tawakkul
(putting one's trust in Allaah). In fact this is tawakkul, because
tawakkul means putting one's trust in Allaah whilstalso implementing
the means that have been permitted or enjoined. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge for al-Hasan and
al-Husayn and say: U'eedhukuma bi kalimaat Allaah al-taammati min
kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli 'aynin laammah (I seek refuge
for you both in theperfect words of Allaah, from every devil and every
poisonous reptile, and from every evil eye).'" Al-Tirmidhi, 2060; Abu
Dawood, 4737. And he would say, "Thus Ibraaheem used to seek refuge
with Allaah for Ishaaq and Ismaa'eel, peace be upon them both."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3371.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen,/

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2a] Definition of the evil eye, and ways of protecting oneself against it and treating it

2a]
'Aamir and rebukedhim strongly. He said, "Why would one of you kill
his brother? If you see something that you like, then pray for
blessing for him." Then he said to him,"Wash yourself for him." So he
washed his face, hands, forearms, knees and the sides of his feet, and
inside his izaar (lowergarment) in the vessel. Then that water was
poured over him, and a man poured it over his head and back from
behind. He did that to him, then Sahl got up and joined the people and
there was nothing wrong with him.
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Mishkaat, 4562.
The majority of scholars are of the view that people can indeed be
afflicted by the evil eye, because of the ahaadeeth quoted above and
others, and because of the corroborating reports andother evidence.
With regard to the hadeeth that you mention, "One third of those who
are in the grave are there because of the evil eye," we do notknow how
sound it is, butthe author of Nayl al-Awtaar said that al-Bazzaar
narrated with a hasan isnaad from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Most of those who die among my ummah die because of the will
and decree of Allaah, and then because of the evil eye."
The Muslim has to protect himself against the devils among the evil
jinn and mankind, by having strong faith in Allaah and by putting his
trust in Himand seeking refuge with Him and beseeching Him, reciting
the prayers for protection narrated from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), reciting al-Mi'wadhatayn [the last
two soorahs of the Qur'aan], Soorat al-Ikhlaas, Soorat al-Faatihah,
and Aayat al-Kursi.
Du'aa's for protection include the following:
A'oodhu bi kalimaat-illaahil-taammati min sharri makhalaqa (I seek
refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from the evil of that which He
has created).
A'oodhu bi kalimaat-illaahil-taammati min ghadabihi wa 'iqaabihi, wa
min sharri 'ibaadihi wa min hamazaat al-shayaateeni wa an yahduroon (I
seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from His wrath
andpunishment, from the evilof His slaves and from the evil promptings
of the devils and from their presence).
And one may recite the words of Allaah:
"Hasbi Allaahu laa ilaaha illa huwa, 'alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa Rabb
ul-'arsh il-'azeem
(Allaah is sufficient for me.Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (nonehas the right
to be worshipped but He) in Him I put my trust and Heis the Lord of
the Mighty Throne)"
[al-Tawbah 9:129 – interpretation of the meaning]
And there are other similar du'aa's that are prescribed in sharee'ah.
This is what was meant by Ibn al-Qayyim in the words quoted at the
beginning of this answer.
If it is known or suspectedthat a person has been afflicted by the
evil eye, then the one who put the evil eye on him should be ordered
to wash himself for his brother. So a vesselof water should be
brought, and he should put his hand in it, rinse out his mouth into
the vessel. Then he should wash his face in the vessel, then put his
left hand into the vessel and wash his right knee, then put his right
hand in the vessel and wash his left knee. Then he should wash inside
his garment. Then the water should be poured over the head of the one
on whom he put the evil eye, pouring it from behind in one go. Then he
will be healed, byAllaah's leave.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wa'l-Ifta, 1/186
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-'Uthaymeen was asked:
Can the evil eye afflict a person? How is it treated?Does being on
one's guard against it contradictputting one's trust in Allaah?
He replied:
Our opinion concerning the evil eye is that it is real and is proven
both byIslamic teachings and by real life experiences. Allaah says
(interpretationof the meaning):
"And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with
their eyes (through hatred)"
[al-Qalam 68:51]
Ibn 'Abbaas and others said, commenting on this verse: this means,
they put the evil eye on you with their glances. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The evil eye is real and
if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil
eye. When you are asked to take a bath (to provide a cure) from the
influence of the evil eye, you should take a bath." Narrated by
Muslim. Al-Nasaa'i and IbnMaajah narrated that 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah
passed by Sahl ibn Haneefwhen he was bathing… and he quoted the
hadeeth.
Reality confirms that and it cannot be denied.
In the event that you are afflicted by the evil eye, you should use
the treatments recommendedin sharee'ah, which are: ...

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2]Definition of the evil eye, and ways of protecting oneself against it and treating it

2]
What is the evil eye? I've seen this terminology been used so many
time on this webpage. Can you please explain in detail?.
Praise be to Allaah.
These follow some information and fatwas that have to do with the evil
eye. We ask Allaah to benefit readers thereby.
The scholars of the Standing Committee wereasked:
What is the definition of the evil eye? Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"And from the evil of the envier when he envies"
[al-Falaq 113:5]
Is the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) saheeh in which it says that "One third of those who are in the
grave are there because of the evil eye"? If a person thinks that
someone is envying him, what should the Muslim do and say? If the
person who put the evil eye on someone washes himself, will the water
he used bring healing to his victim? And should he drink the water or
wash himself with it?
They replied:
The Arabic word al-'ayn (translated as the evil eye)refers to when a
person harms another with his eye. It starts when the person likes a
thing, then his evil feelings affect it, by means of his repeated
looking at the object of his jealousy. Allaah commanded His Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to seek refuge
with Him from the envier, as He said (interpretation of the meaning):
"And from the evil of the envier when he envies"
[al-Falaq 113:5]
Everyone who puts the evil eye on another is envious, but not every
envier puts the evil eye on another. The word haasid (envier) is more
general in meaning than the word 'aa'in (one who puts the evil eye on
another), so seeking refuge with Allaah from the one who envies
includes seeking refuge with Him from the one who puts the evil eye on
another. The evil eye is like an arrow which comes from the soul of
the one who envies and the one who puts the evil eye on another
towards the one who is envied and on whom the evil eyeis put;
sometimes it hits him and sometimes it misses. If the target is
exposed and unprotected,it will affect him, but if the target is
cautious and armed, the arrow will have no effect and may even come
back on the one who launched it.
Adapted from Zaad al-Ma'aad.
There are ahaadeeth fromthe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) which speak ofthe effects of the evil eye. For example it is
narrated in al-Saheehayn that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with
her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to tell me to recite ruqyahfor protection against the
evil eye.
Muslim, Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "The evil eye is real and if anything were to overtake
the divine decree, it would be the evil eye. When you are asked to
take a bath (to provide a cure) from the influence of the evil eye,
you should take a bath." This was classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi,
and also by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1251.
Imam Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi (2059, where he classed it as saheeh)
narrated that Asma' bint 'Umays said: "O Messengerof Allaah, the
children of Ja'far have been afflicted by the evil eye, shall we
recite ruqyah for them?" He said, "Yes, for if anything were to
overtake the divine decree it would be the evil eye." Classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
Abu Dawood narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
said: The person who had put the evil eye on another would be ordered
to do wudoo', then the person who had been afflicted would wash
himself (withthat water). This was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Imam Ahmad (15550), Maalik (1811), al-Nasaa'i and Ibn Hibbaan narrated
from Sahl ibn Haneef that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) came out and traveled with him towards Makkah, until they
were in the mountain pass of al-Kharaar in al-Jahfah. There Sahl ibn
Haneef did ghusl, and he was a handsome white-skinned man with
beautiful skin. 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah, one of Banu 'Adiyy ibn Ka'b
looked at him whilst he was doing ghusl and said:"I have never seen
such beautiful skin as this, not even the skin of a virgin," and Sahl
fell to the ground. They went to Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) cameand said, "O Messenger of Allaah,
can you do anything for Sahl, becauseby Allaah he cannot raise his
head." He said, "Do you accuse anyone with regard to him?" They said,"
'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah looked at him." So the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called 'Aamir and rebukedhim
strongly. ...

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Q: How to ensure that magic does not affect usin the first place?

Asalaamu Alaikum.
People can often get harmed from magic, evil eye, curse, bad luck,
possession by Jinns and ghosts, etc.
But the first line of defense: How do we ensure that magics and evil
eyes does not even affect us in the first place?What are the
precautions?What are the mistake thatpeople make?
Thanks in advance.
~
Wa alaikumusalaam akh,
Al-'ayn and sihr are from the evil of of what Allah has created and we
are taught to seek refuge in Him, from them (read the tafseer of surat
al-Falaq for example). The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said : العين حق
"the evil eye is (inreality) truth..." [saheeh Muslim, 2188] and it is
not necessary that the person who puts an evil eye on another actually
means to do it. Thus it is not possible to totally prevent evil eye
(or magic), but there are ways by which we can reduce and limit their
effects and harms. From this is increasing one's imaan and tawwakul in
Allah; increasing one's righteous deeds; doing ruqya on oneself from
theestablished du'as, means and methods; eating of the type of food
that prevents such harm (e.g. ajwa dates); and many others.
There is a narration recorded in at-Tabarani, Bayhaqi and other, in
which the Prophet صلى اللهعليه وسلم is reported to have said: "Seek
help in having your needs met by being discreet, for everyone who is
blessedwith something is envied." Despite its questionable chain, the
meaning remains correct and corroborated. It is usually when one is
givengreater rizq and bounty from Allah, and he displays it
unreservedly that he puts himself in a position where he risks the the
envy of the envier.One should be aware of all these facts and be
intelligent in these matters.
Allah is the source of guidance and protection.
.
__________________
إن ينصركم الله فلا غالب لكم وإن يخذلكم فمن ذا الذي ينصركم من بعده وعلى
الله فليتوكل المؤمنون

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1a] Who are Ahl al-Hadeeth?

1a]
preserve hisreligion. Their light is radiant, their virtues are well
known, their signs are apparent, their views are predominant, and
their proofs are indisputable. Every factionis devoted to a certain
desire that it refers to andan opinion that pleases it and so to it is
devoted, except for the People of Hadīth (Ashāb al-Hadīth), for the
Book is their provision, the Sunnah is their proof, and the Messenger
is their faction. It is to him that they ascribe. They are not
concerned with the desires and opinions. What they narrate from the
Messenger is acceptedand they are the ones trusted in that. They are
the caretakers and guardians of the religion, and they are the
receptacles and bearers ofknowledge. When there isa dispute concerning
Hadīth, they are referred to, and their judgment is accepted. From
them comes every erudite jurist,every noble Imām, every ascetic
amongst his scribe,and every righteous preacher. They are the great
majority, and it is their path which is upright. Every innovator
pretends to share their creed and does not dare to express a view
other than theirs. Anyone who plots against them, Allāh breaks him.
Whoever stubbornly opposes them,Allāh forsakes him. They are not
harmed by those who forsake, nor is there prosperity for those who
separate from them. The one who cares for his religion is in need of
their direction, the one whose sight is engaged by evil does not see
them, and indeed Allāh is Able to assist them." [Al-Khatīb
al-Baghdādī, Sharaf Ashābal-Hadīth, p. 4]

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1] Who are Ahl al-Hadeeth?

1]
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful.
Question:
Shaykh `Alawī b. `Abd al-Qādir al-Saqqāf (حفظه الله تعالى):
We would love for you to define the term Ahl al-Hadīth and what do Ahl
al-Sunnah mean by it. Is it particular to the scholars of hadīth or
does it apply to all the scholars of the Ummah? We hope for a detailed
answers with full references, and we ask Allāh to bless you and
togrant you the best reward.
Your Brothers in the Administration of MultaqāAhl al-Hadīth.
Response:
Noble brothers of MultaqāAhl al-Hadīth, peace be upon you, and Allāh's
Mercy, and His Blessings.
You, may Allāh bless you, asked for a clarification of the title Ahl
al-Hadīth and what Ahl al-Sunnah intend by it, and whether it is
particular to the scholars of Hadīth or encompasses all the scholars
of the Ummah.
Thus, I say in response – and with Allāh is the success:
The ahl (people) of something are the most familiar with it. For that
reason, in the language, the ahl of a man are the closest people to
him.
(1) Therefore, Ahl al-Hadīth are the people most familiar with
Hadīth,the most strict in adherence to it, those who follow it in
words and deeds in their manners, their conduct, their worship, their
dealings, and in their beliefs both openly and inprivate. Those who
are focused on the study, compilation, writing, and teaching of
Hadīth, transmitting them understanding them, and sorting the
authentic fromthe weak are most worthy of being included in this
group.
(2) Furthermore, the Ahl al-Hadīth are Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā`ah,
for the Hadīth is the Sunnah and the Jamā`ah (Assembly) is nothing
less than the truth. Anyone who follows Hadīth is upon the truth.
(3) Ahl al-Hadīth are the Saved Sect (al-Firqah al-Nājiyah), for if
one cannot be saved by following Hadīth, how then can he be saved?
"The people most worthy of being the saved sect are Ahl al-Hadīth wa
al-Sunnah who do not have partisanship for any leader save Allāh's
Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)." [Majmū` al-Fatāwā (3/347)]
(4) Ahl al-Hadīth are the Victorious Group (al-Tā'ifah al-Mansūrah).
The one who does not find victory in Hadīth, in what then will he find
victory?! Imām Ahmad said about the Victorious Group, "If they are not
thePeople of Hadīth (Ashāb al-Hadīth), then I do not know who they
are!" [Fath al-Bārī (1/85)]
(5) It is they who shall be manifest upon the truth until the
establishment of the Hour. It is by Hadīth that they become manifest
and receive victory, and it is because of it that they are saved. All
of these words and titles are general in a sense and specific in
another. Thus, when one of them is mentioned, theothers are included
such that each word by itself refers to all the parties of the Saved
Sect (al-Firqah al-Nājiyah). However, when the word Ahl al-Hadīth is
mentioned alongside another word, it indicates that what is meant is
those who are preoccupied with the study of Hadīth. This explains why
many of theSalaf would use the word Ahl al-Hadīth in particular for
those who were preoccupied with its study.
Shaykh al-Islām, may Allāh have mercy on him, states, "We do not mean
by Ahl al-Hadīth, merely those who are devoted tohearing them, writing
them, or narrating them. Rather we mean by them all of those who are
most deserving of having memorized them, knowing them, and
understanding them apparently and in reality, and following them
privately and publicly." [Majmū` al-Fatāwā (4/95)]
From this, we come to know the reason for the disagreement between the
adherents of Ahl al-Hadīth in our time as towhether or not there is a
distinction between thesetitles.
(6) "Ahl al-Hadīth are the Salaf from the (first) three generations
and those who tread their path fromthe Khalaf." [Majmū` al-Fatāwā
(6/355)]
(7) The People of Hadīth are the People of the Prophet, For Even If
They Did Not Accompany His Person, They Have Accompanied His Every Breath
وأهل الحديث هم أهل النبي وإن*** لم يصحبوا نفسه، أنفاسه صحبوا
(8) Ahl al-Hadīth are thosewho "seek the truth from its source, and
they seek itout where it can be expected to be found. They seek
nearness to Allāh (تعالى) by following the Sunan of Allāh's Messenger
(صلى الله عليه وسلم) and by seeking out his narrations over land and
sea from the East to the West." [Ibn Qutaybah, Ta'wīl Mukhtalif
al-Hadīth (p. 80)]
(9) Amongst the Ahl al-Hadīth, there is the scholar, the jurist
(faqīh), and the preacher (khatīb) who commands good andforbids evil.
Allāh has made them "Pillars of the Sharī`ah, and by them, He destroys
every reprehensible innovation. Thus, they are Allāh's Trustees
amongst His Creation, the medium between the Prophet and his Ummah,
and the ones who strive to preserve hisreligion. ...

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Standing firm in salat after being hit by arrows

Four years after the Hijrah[emigration of the followers of Islam from
Makkah to Medinah], in the city of Medinah, the Muslims were still in
danger due to the Jewish tribe, the Banu an-Nadir, who broke their
contract with the Prophet Muhammad [PBUH=May Allah bless him and grant
him peace].
Then the community received news that some tribes from the desert of
Najd were about to attack. So, the Prophet of Islam [PBUH] raised over
four hundred Muslims in order to prevent them from attacking.
Arriving at Najd, they found that only women were present in the
houses; the men had taken refuge in the hills.
Some of the Nadj tribes regrouped and prepared themselves for the
fight. The time of 'Asr [the afternoon prayer] came, and the Muslims
divided in two, as it was revealed,and each group prayed after the
other. The ennemy, seeing the discipline among Muslims felt uneasiness
and fear. They did not attack. So, the Muslims went back to Medinah.
The Prophet of Allah [PBUH] asked:
"Who will be our guard tonight?" Two men immediatly rose: Abbad ibn
Bishr and Ammar ibn Yasir. Abbad saw that Ammar was tired and asked
him: "What part of the night do you wish to sleep, the first or the
second?" "The first part," said Ammar.
The night was serene. Everything seemed peaceful. Abbad decided to
spend the night in Ibadah [acts of worship] while his companion was
asleep, and began recitingthe Qur'an. Abbad soon stood and faced the
Qiblah in order to performSalaat [voluntary prayer]. He began reciting
Surah al-Kahf of one hundred and ten verses which explains the virtues
of faith, truth and patience and the passing of time.
While he was absorbed in recitation and in thought, an ennemy came
from themountains of Najd and saw him vulnerable. The man drew his bow
and thew an arrow towards Abbad. Calmly, Abbad pulled the arrow out
and continued his meditation. The ennemy shot a second, then a third
arrow. Abbad pulled themout one by one, and finished his recitation.
Weak and in pain, at last, he stretched out his right hand during his
prostration and awoke hiscompanion Ammar. "Glorybe to Allah! Why
didn't you wake me up when the first arrow reached you?" "Reciting the
versesof the Qur'an filled me with such wonders that I felt repugnance
to cut it short. I would have preferred death rather than stopping
right in the middle of it." Abbad did not die this day; he died as a
shahid [a martyr], at the battle of Yamamah. He fought so vehemently
that his wounds made him almost not recognizable. He was a true
believer.

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