5a] Our attitude towards the differences of opinion among the imams with regard to covering the face

5a]
The one who does not have any knowledge should ask the scholars, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “So ask of those who know the Scripture, if you know not” [al-Nahl 16:43]. He should ask one who he thinks has more knowledge and is more religiously committed, butthat does not mean that doing so obligatory, because the one who is better may make a mistake with regard to a particular issue, and the one who is regarded as less knowledgeable may be right with regard to it. But priority should be given to following the one who is more knowledgeable and more religiously committed.
See also the answers to questions no. 8294 and 10645 .
Thirdly:
If you ask about our view on the issue of covering the face, the most correct scholarly view in our opinion is that it is obligatory to cover the face in front of non-mahram men. There is a great deal of evidenceand scholarly views concerning that, as among the Maalikis. Many of them said that it is not permissible for a woman to uncover her face in front of non-mahram men, not because it is ‘awrah but because uncovering it runs the riskof fitnah. But some of them think that it is ‘awrah. Hence women, in their view, are forbidden to go out in front of non-mahram men with their faces uncovered.
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
“And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from behind a screen”
[al-Ahzaab 33:53]
al-Qaadi Abu Bakr ibn al-‘Arabi al-Maaliki (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The entire woman is ‘awrah, her body and her voice, so it is not permissible to uncover that except in cases of necessity, such as when testimony is given againsther, or medical treatment,or asking her about her health issues. End quote.
Ahkaam al-Qur’aan by Ibnal-‘Arabi (3/1578, 1579).
Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him), who is also Maaliki, said:
This verse indicates that Allaah has given permission to ask of themfrom behind a screen if there is some need, or when they ask a question about something. That includes all women. Because it is a basic shar’i principle that the entire woman is ‘awrah, her body and her voice – as stated above –it is not permissible to uncover that except in cases of necessity such as when testimony is given againsther, or medical treatment,or asking her about her health issues. End quote.
In al-Jaami’ li Ahkaam al-Qur’aan (14/227) it says:
For more information on the views of Maaliki fuqaha’ concerning the obligation for women to cover their faces, see: al-Ma’yaar al-Mu’arrab by al-Wanshireesi (10/165 and 11/226 and 229), Mawaahib al-Jaleel by al-Hattaab (3/141), al-Dhakheerah by al-Quraafi (3/307) and Haashiyat al-Dasooqi ‘ala al-Sharh al-Kabeer (2/55).
We have discussed this issue and its evidence in more than one answer onthis site. Please see the answers to questions no. 11774 , 12525 , 13998 , 21134 and 21536 .
Fourthly:
With regard to what you mention about the laws in your country forbiddingwomen to cover their faces, that is something that makes us feel very sad, to hear that covering and chastity are being opposed and wanton display and unveiling are being encouraged everywhere, especially when that happens in a country that is supposed to be Muslim.
If the laws forbid women to cover, and you fear persecution because of covering your faces, then there is no sin on you if you do not do it in that case, so long as that is based on necessity. So a woman should not go outof her house with her faceuncovered except in cases of necessity. If she can break the law and put up with a little bit of hassle, let her do so for there is no obedience to any created being if it involvesdisobedience towards the Creator.

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

5] Our attitude towards the differences of opinion among the imams with regard to covering the face

5]
There is an important matter that is giving me sleepless nights, which is: what is the meaning of the differences of the imam concerning a certain issue? If I say to someone that Shaykh So and so says that something is haraam, he says to me that is according to his madhhabor the madhhab of his country, and we follow a different madhhab that says it is halaal. This led me to the issue of hijab. For example, my country follows the Maaliki madhhab, the imams of which say that “that which is apparent” [al-Noor 24:33] refers to the face and hands. In addition to that, the face-veil is virtually banned in my country, i.e.,you could never wear it inyour daily life, such as wearing it at work or in school. There are laws that ban it and the gloves.Although personally I am fully convinced about the face-veil, I cannot wear it. What is your ruling on that? Because every time Ilisten to tapes about hijabfrom Shaykhs from another madhhab, I feel that my hijab is not Islamically acceptable, and I understand from their words that I am currently unveiled and making a wanton display of myself (tabarruj) and I am a cause of fitnah among this ummah. Whatshould we do, as we are confused?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
At the time of the Revelation, the Muslims learned the rulings of Islam from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) through the verses of the Holy Qur’aan and the ahaadeeth of his Sunnah. Hence there were no differences of opinion among them except with regard to some minor issues. If that happened, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would explain to them what was correct.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died and the Sahaabah spread out to various regions to teach the people Islam, there appeared some differences with regard tosome matters of fiqh which arose at different times and in different places. These differences were due to a number of reasons, which we will sum up here from the words of the scholars:
1- The evidence had notreached the one who helda different opinion, and he made a mistake in forming his opinion.
2- The hadeeth had reached the scholar, but he did not regard the transmitter as trustworthy, and he thought that it went against something that was stronger, so he followed that which he thought was stronger than it.
3- The hadeeth had reached him but he forgotit.
4- The hadeeth had reached him but he understood it in a way other than the intended meaning.
5- The hadeeth reached him but it was abrogated,and he did not know the abrogating text.
6- He thought that it contradicted something that was stronger than it, whether that was a text or scholarly consensus (ijmaa’)
7- The scholar used a weak hadeeth as the basisfor his ruling, or he derived the ruling by means of weak arguments.
For a detailed discussion of these reasons and others, see Raf’ al-Malaam‘an al-A’immati’l-A’laam by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, and al-Khilaaf bayna al-‘Ulama’: Asbaabuhu wa Mawqifunaminhu by Shaykh al-‘Uthaymeen.
We think that what we have mentioned about the reasons for differencesamong the scholars i.e., with regard to matters of fiqh, will be clear to you, in sha Allaah.
Secondly:
What should the Muslim’s attitude be towards differences that arise between the scholars? In other words, which scholarly opinion should the Muslim follow in matters where they differed? The answer depends:
1 – If the Muslim is one who has studied shar’i knowledge and learned its basic principles and minor issues, and he can distinguish right from wrong with regard to scholarly views, then he has to follow that which he thinks is correct and ignore that which he thinks is wrong.
2 – If he is one of the rankand file, or has not studied shar’i knowledge, and thus cannot distinguish between right and wrong with regard toscholarly views, then he must follow the fatwa of a scholar whose knowledge he trusts and who he believes to be trustworthy and religiously committed, whether he is from his own country or another country, and differences between scholars will not matter after that. He does not have to change what he is doing because he hears another scholar issuing a fatwa that differs from the one he is following, unless he realizes that what he learned later on is the correct view, on the basis of his confidence in the religious commitment and knowledge of the second Shaykh.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The one who has knowledge of evidence is required to follow the evidence, even if it goes against some of the imams, if it does not go against the consensus of the ummah./ - - - :-> 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

If the sun gets eclipsed at the time of Salaat al-‘Asr

If the sun gets eclipsed at the time of Salaat al-'Asr, what should we do?
Praise be to Allaah.
If the sun is eclipsed after the Adhaan for 'Asr, you should pray the
obligatory prayer first (i.e.,'Asr), then pray Salaat al-Kusoof. If
the sun is eclipsed before the Adhaan for 'Asr, then pray Salaat
al-Kusoof and when it is finished, give the Adhaan for 'Asr and pray
the fard (obligatory) prayer. It does not matter if the Adhaan is
given later than the beginning of the time for 'Asr.

Eclipse prayer after dawn

We went out to pray Fajr prayer last Thursday, the fourteenth of
Ramadaan, and we saw that the moon was eclipsed. What should we have
done?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The sun and moon are two of the signs of Allaah.By means of lunar and
solar eclipses, Allaah reminds His slaves of the Day of Resurrection,
the Day on which their light will disappear. Allaah
says(interpretation of the meaning):
"So, when the sight shall be dazed.
8. And the moon will be eclipsed.
9. And the sun and moon will be joined together (by going one into the
other or folded up or deprived of their light)"
[al-Qiyaamah 75:7-9]
So by means of this sign Allaah reminds us of that Day. See also
question no. 5901 . And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) hastened to pray when that happened.
When you saw the eclipsewhen you were going outfor Fajr prayer, you
had the choice of starting withthe eclipse prayer, as suggested by
some scholars, because of the command narrated from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to hasten to dothat. But if you
started with Fajr first, this is also good because the obligatory
prayer should come first. This may also serve an interest, especially
since the eclipsecould not be seen except at the time of the iqaamah,
so it may have been too difficult for the people, especially those who
had stayed up at night during the blessed month, if the imam had
started with the eclipse prayer. So he started with Fajr prayer, to
enable those who wanted to leave to do so, as that would be easier for
the people; this is also less likely to cause confusion, especially
for those who had come for Fajr and did not know that the imam was
going to offer the eclipse prayer.

He missed Fajr prayer and found the congregation offering the eclipse prayer

If a man comes late for Fajr prayer, can he join the imam whilst he is
offering the eclipse prayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If he knows that he is offering the eclipse prayer, then he should not
join him, because of the difference in nature between the two prayers.
Although the eclipse prayer is two rak'ahs, each rak'ah includes two
bowings, two standings and two recitations. So whoever does not
realize that the imam is offering the eclipse prayers and join the
imam with the intention of praying Fajr should form the intention of
praying separately from the imam when he realizes that the imam is
offering the eclipse prayer. Then he should complete his prayer as
Fajr and then if he wants he may join the imam for whatever is left of
the eclipse prayer.
And Allaah is the Source ofstrength.

What do we believe about non-Muslims who did not receive the message of Islam?

Question
I have full faith in my religion Islam, Alhamdulillah. But I have one
question which I constantly ponder over. I want to know the criteria
for which innocent non-Muslims will go to Jannah. Suppose some
non-Muslims are very innocent, poor and deprived of worldly pleasure
whilst they always do good deeds.
Will they still be kept in Jahanam forever? On the other hand Muslims
who do many bad deeds but have little faith will be allowed to enter
into Jannah one day? Do you think this is justified?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu 'alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Allah Ta'ālā says in the Quran,
{إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ }
"Verily the true religion with Allah is Islam"
Quran 3:19
The criterion for everlasting success inthe sight of Allah Ta'ālā is
to bring faithin Islam. One who hasbrought faith in the Oneness of
Allah Ta'ālā and His Messenger SallallaahuAlayhi Wasallam has secured
his life in thehereafter. Nabi Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
ثِنْتَانِ مُوجِبَتَانِ قَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا
الْمُوجِبَتَانِ؟ قَالَ: (مَنْ مَاتَ يُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا دَخَلَ
النَّارَ وَمَنْ مَاتَ لَايُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئادخل الْجنَّة)
"Two things dictate. A person asked, "Oh messenger of Allah, what are
the two dictating things? He said, "Whosoever passed away ascribing
partners to Allah will enter the fire of hell. And whosoever did not
ascribe any partners to Allah will enter paradise."
(Mishkaatul Masaabihvol.1 pg.17; Maktabatul Islami)
Islam is the measure of our eternal success. However determining who
hasIslam is something best known to Allah Ta'ālā. There are some
people who may not expose their Islam due to the circumstances they
face in this world. Considering this fact, it is not correct for
anyone to judge who will be in Jannah or Jahannam. It is quite
possible that those who we think are non-Muslims believe in Allah and
His Messenger SallallaahuAlayhi Wasallam . It isbest to dismiss this
affair as something which is best known to Allah Ta'ālā.
And Allah Ta'āla Knows Best

The heaven of this world

I heard the Sheikh of IslamIbn Taymiyah say, Truly, there is a Heaven
in this world, [and] whoever doesnot enter
it, will not enter the Heaven of the next world.
And once he said to me,
What can my enemies do to me?
I have in my breast both my Heaven and my Garden.
If I travel they are with me, and they never leave me.
Imprisonment for me is a religious retreat.
To be slain for me is martyrdom.
And to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey.
During his imprisonment in the fortress, he would say, "I could not
be more grateful for this blessing were I to have this entire fortress
in gold"or "I could never repay them for the good that has come to me
[in this prison]."
And in prostration he would say, while in a stateof imprisonment, "O
Allah, help me in my remembrance of You, gratitude to You, and the
most comely worship of You."
Once he said to me, "The real prisoner is someone whose heart is
imprisoned from his Lord; the true captive is someone captured by his
passions." And when he entered the fortress (where he was imprisoned)
and was inside its walls, he gazed upon them and quoted the verse
[Then a fence will separate them, havinga gate, in the inward whereof
is mercy, and facing the outward thereofthe torment] (Al- Hadid
57:13).
Allah knows, I have never seen anyone who had a better life than
his.Despite the difficulties and all that expunges comfort and luxury;
despite intimidation and oppression, Ibn Taymiyah had a happier life
than anyone could. He was the most generous, the strongest of heart
and the most joyful of soul, with the radiance of bliss on hisface.
When we were seized with fear and our thoughts (about Allah's decree)
turned negative, and the earth grew narrow for us, we would go to him.
No sooner did we look at him and hear his words than all these
feelings would leave us, tobe replaced by relief, strength, certainty,
and tranquility.
So glory be to the One Who lets His servants witness His Heaven well
before they meet Him, Who opens its doors to them in this world, and
Who gives them something of its refreshment, its breeze, and its
perfume — that they might seek it and hasten towards it with all their
strength.
** Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah was born in AH 691 (1292 CE) near
Damascus. A student of IbnTaymiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote more than 60
booksin various areas of Islam. He died in 751 AH (1350 CE)

2a] 'Ulûm al-Qur'ân"7-Tafsir by the Statement of The Companions

2a]
For example, in the shâdh qirâ'a of Ibn Mas'ûd, the verse which told
the believers to "fast three days" (5:89) as an expiation of an
unfulfilled oath was read by him as: "fast three consecutive days."
Due to this shâdh qirâ'a , later scholars differed over whether it was
necessary to fast threeconsecutive days, or whether it sufficed to
fast any three days if one did not fulfil an oath.
To conclude, if the Companions agreed to an interpretation of a verse,
that interpretation must be accepted, since it qualifies as ijmâ' . On
the other hand, if there exist narrations from one Companion
concerning theinterpretation of a verse, and there does not exist any
narrations to the contrary from other Companions, this interpretation
is also accepted, but is not equivalent in strength to the
interpretation given bythe Prophet (saws). If there exist various
narrations from different Companions which are notcontradictory in
nature, then all such interpretations are accepted. If there exist
contrary narrations from different Companions concerning the same
verse,in this case the researcher can choose between the different
interpretations, depending on which interpretation seems to have the
strongest evidence to support it.
Tafsîr by the Statement of the Successors Before moving on to the next
section, a brief note concerning the tafsîr narrations from the
Successors would be useful. Some scholars took the tafsîr of the
Successors to be the next source of tafsîr after the tafsîr of the
Companions. As proof for this stance, they relied on the statements of
certain prominent Successors concerning their knowledge of the Qur'ân.
Qatâdah (d. 110 A.H.) said,
"There is not a single versein the Qur'ân except that I have heard
something concerning it."
Mujâhid (d. 103 A.H.) said,
"I recited the Qur'ân to Ibn'Abbâs three times. In eachrecitation, I
stopped at every verse, asking him concerning its interpretation."
This is why Sufyân ath-Thawree (d. 161 A.H.) said,
"When you hear an interpretation from Mujâhid, this should be
sufficient for you!" [5]
Other scholars, however, rejected this view. They claimed that an
interpretation of a Successor could not have originated from the
Prophet (saws), as could the interpretation of a Companion, since they
never saw the Prophet (saws). Also, they did not witness the
revelation, as did the generation before them, and their
trustworthiness is not guaranteed specifically for every one of their
generation, unlike the Companions (in other words, the
trustworthinessof every single Companions is guaranteed by the Qur'ân,
whereas this is not the case for the Successors, for they have been
praised as a. generation, and not individually).
Therefore, the correct viewin this matter, as Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728
A.H.) said, is that if the Successors give the same interpretation to
a verse, then their interpretation must be accepted, but if they
differed among themselves, then the opinion of one group will have no
authority over theother group, nor over the generations after them. In
such cases, one must resort to the Qur'ân, the Sunnah, the Companions,
and the Arabic language inorder to obtain the correct interpretation.
[6]
Footnotes
1 Reported by al-Bukhârî
2 c£ as-Suyûtî, Tadrîb ar-Râwî, pps. 156-8.
3 az-Zarkashî, v. 2, p. 172.
4 c£ adh-Dhahabî, v. 1, p. 63.

2] 'Ulûm al-Qur'ân"7-Tafsir by the Statement of The Companions

2]
After the Qur'ân and Sunnah, the next important source for
understanding the Qur'ân is the understanding of theCompanions. The
statements of the Companions are taken as afundamental source of
tafsîr for the following reasons:
1) The primary reason is that the Companions are a generation that was
chosen by Allâh to accompany the Prophet (saws), and to pass on the
religion and teachings of Islâm to later generations. Their character
and religious knowledge has been testified by Allâh andthe Prophet
(saws), for Allâh says in the Qur'ân,
Muhammad (saws) is theMessenger of Allâh. And those who are with him
(i.e., the Companions) are severe against the disbelievers and
mercifulamongst themselves. You see them bowing and falling down in
prostration, seeking the Bounty of Allâh and His Pleasure... [48:29]
In more than one verse of the Qur'ân, Allâh mentions the fact that
He is well pleased with them, and they with Him[99:8]
Thus clearly showing the superiority of the Companions over other
generations. The Prophet (saws) said,
"The best of all mankind are my Companions, then those that will
follow them, then those that will follow them." [1]
2) The Companions actually witnessed the revelation of the Qur'ân.
Many of its verses were revealed to cater to problems that had risen
amongst them. As such, they were familiar with the asbâb an-nuzûl,
with the makî and madanî verses, and with the nâsikh and mansûkh, and
did not need to go searching for this knowledge, as later generations
would have todo.
3) The Qur'ân was revealedin the Arabic that the Companions spoke.
Therefore, many words and phrases that later generations had
difficulty understanding were clear to the Companions.
4) The Companions were the most knowledgeable of generations with
regards to pre-Islâmic customs. Therefore, they understood the
references in the Qur'ân to such customs.
There is a difference of opinion whether the interpretation of a
Companion is of definitive authority. In other words, once a Companion
has given an interpretation of a verse, must that interpretation be
accepted,as is the case with the previous two sources of tafsîr?
Al-Hâkim an-Naisapûrî (d. 404 A.H.), the author of al-Mustadrak,
considered any interpretation by a Companion to be equivalent to a
hadîth of the Prophet (saws), for he believed that all such
interpretations must have originated from the Prophet (saws). However,
this opinion is not accepted in its generality, and the majority of
scholars, such as an-Nawawî (d. 676 A.H.), As-Suyûtî (d. 911 A.H.),
andIbn Taymiyyah (d. 728 A.H.), held the view that the interpretation
of a Companion is equivalent to a hadîth of the Prophet (saws) only
when it concerns matters which are not based on personal reasoning (
ijtihâd ), such as reports concerning sabab an-nuzûl, or the knowledge
of the unseen.
This is because such knowledge could not haveoriginated from the
Companions' ijtihâd , and must have come from the Prophet (saws). A
report from a Companion not concerning these topics cannot be taken as
equivalent to a hadîth of the Prophet (saws); rather,it is given a
status below that of a. hadîth . [2] However, this does not diminish
the status of the tafsîr from the Companions. The Companions were the
most knowledgeable of this nation, and as such their personal
reasoning ( ijtihâd ) occupies a status above that of any later
scholar.
Az-Zarkashî summarised this point when he said,
As for the interpretation ofthe Companions, it is investigated into:
if this interpretation was based upon language, then they are the
scholars of the language, and there is no doubt that they should be
given credence to in this interpretation. If this interpretation
relies upon what they saw of asbâb an-nuzûl, or other circumstances
(i.e., of pre-Islâmic customs), then again there is no doubt
concerning this type of interpretation. [3]
After the interpretation of the Qur'ân by itself and by the hadîth of
the Prophet (saws), the Companions relied upon four primary sources to
interpret the Qur'ân: [4]
1) Their knowledge of Arabic language, rhetoric, grammar and pre-Islâmic poetry.
2) Their knowledge of the pre-Islâmic customs of the Arabs.
3) Their knowledge of the habits of the Jews and Christians at the
time of the revelation of the Qur'ân.
4) Their personal reasoningand their keen intellect (which, of course,
was based upon knowledge).
Another integral aspect of the tafsîr of the Companions is the shâdh
and mudraj qira'ât which were discussed earlier. It isnecessary to
take these qira'ât into account when interpreting a verse. As
mentioned earlier, such qira'ât cannot be considered as the Qur'ân,
but may be studied as tafsîr .
One of the interpretations of this type of qira'ât is that they were
added, not as Qur'ân, but for the sake of interpretation by the
Companions. For example. :->

How big can the floating objects be on the space?

Let's get the answer by starting with a journey from the moon: a
celestialbody which can be regarded as fairly big:
The Moon...
Mercury...
Mars...
Venus...
Earth... We live here
Neptune
Saturn
Jupiter
The Sun... Our star
Sirius A
Pollux… An Orange Giant
Archturus... A Red Giant
Aldebaran… A Red Giant
Ragil… A Blue Super Giant
Pistol Star… A Blue Hyper Giant
Antares A… A Red Super Giant
Mu Cephei… A Red Supergiant
VY Canis Majoris... A Red HyperGiant: known as the biggest star
The Size Of the Earth is 12,756 km.
This star is 1,975,000,000 km in diameter.
How can you imagine thissize on your mind?
Imagine an airliner which goes with 900 km per hour and flying around
this star.
Just one circuit of an airliner around this star would last exactly
1,100 years.
The size of the star on a picture which shows our galaxy is only as
big as a spot on a piece of paper.
And our galaxy ... would be seen only as big as a spot in the vastness
of theuniverse.
"Assuredly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a greater
(matter) than the creation of men: Yet most men understand not."
(Surah Al-Ghafir, 57)

Seeing the World in a New Light

I walked into Pine Street Inn, a shelter for men and women, holding
Safiya's tiny hand, hardly noticing that my grip continued to tighten
as I walked through the shelter. I had never been in such a placeand
seen such different people -- people who didn't have adequate clothes,
didn't have food, didn't even have a table to put food on, couldn't
own a house. I had always imagined what homeless people lived like,
but on this trip, it finally came into perspective: it was real.
Noticing dozens of eyes on me, I looked straight ahead, afraid to come
intoeye contact with anyone. Isaw men, young and old, sober and drunk,
sprawled across the floor sleeping, or leaning against the walls
shoutingat us, "helloo ladies." Seeing them frightened me along with
the rest of the MAS youth group.
However, as I continued to walk through the shelter with my group and
guide, Scottie, my grip on Safiya's hand began to loosen. Earlier I
was glad to have a child's hand to hold; it made it seem as though I
was protecting her; however, Irealized I was just trying to protect
myself. Finally, my fears calmed.
My stomach felt queasy, not out of fear, but out of depression. My
heart clenched trying its hardestto fight back tears. Unshaven men
looked upon us with deep eyes. Their eyes seemed to tell the stories
of their lives, stories so powerful my eyes could hardly meet theirs.
As I looked around more carefully, I remembered these men and women
were people, people like me. But they weren't like me. They didn't
even havethe basic necessities of life. I started to feel out ofplace
wearing expensive clothing and carrying a nice purse. God's blessing
over me contrasted with the surrounding in which I was. I began to
realize how blessed I am.
I realized how much we all take for granted, forgetting to thank God
for the wonderful things we've been blessed with. Many of us fail to
see the blessings of this life and focus on the negative aspects of
life. Visiting the Pine Street Inn reopened my eyes to reality. I
remembered how many blessings have been bestowed upon me by God.
Things finally startedto come into perspective.
After leaving Pine Street, my outlook on life has changed. One would
say,"how can a person changefrom one trip," but in reality, it is
quite possible.I can hardly put into words what emotions have been
going through me since I left, but my life has been greatly impacted.
Before I say"my life is so hard!" I think back on what I saw at Pine
Street. Alhamdullillah, all praises to God, my life is more than
bearable. The Qur'an repeatedly states, "On no soul do We place a
burden greater than it canbear."
Thinking back on everything I saw, I admireScottie and the others who
work there. Whetherone is volunteering or being paid for working
there, it takes more than just money to get someone to work in a place
like that. It takes a heart. It takes strength. Many times we lack
this sympathy for others and forget about the world around us. Scottie
and those like her deserve a lot of credit for having thedrive to help
others."Those who (in charity) spend of their goods by night and by
day in secretand in public have their reward with their Lord: on them
shall be no fear nor shall they grieve." (The Qur'an 2:274).
--

story !IF YOU JUST TELL THEM.

I was sitting in the kitchen. Sabi (our servant)was washing the dishes
&then she mop the floor. My Mom came in. Sabi why were you late
again?She yelled at her. My bus...... Sabi was going to say something,
when my Mom cut her off. That is not an excuse Sabi, she told her.
I had no idea what the excuse was. I decided to ask Sabi when my Mom
won't be around. It was time for Zuher. We all made wudo & went to
pray except Sabi. She was still working in the kitchen. I was shocked.
Because my Quran teachertold me," when it's time for salat you have to
stop whatever you're doing". And yet I notice she wasn't even covering
her hair, even in front of my father or uncle. Why? isn'tshe supposed
to? I asked myself. When I've been told from everybody you have to
cover your hair. (in front of nonmehrams) Wasn't my dad & uncle were
nonmehram for her?Now I really wanted to talk to her. Later that day
when my Mom went shopping I called her to my room. I told her to sit
down when she came in. Then asked her about it. I don't know how to
pray &nobody told me to cover. Do I have to? she asked me.
Yes, you do, I said.
She started to cry, I couldn't stop her she had to let those tears out.
I will teach you Sabi, don'tcry, I said. She rubbed her blue eyes. She
was so beautiful. You will? she asked. Yes, I answered.
That night I asked my parents to help her study after collage. My Mom
wasso mad. You little kiddy, how could you? they are our servents; if
they started to learn who are going to work for us? Youare forgetting
something Mom. I'm not a kid & Prophet Muhammad (SAW) teach her to be
nicewith our servants. And there's nothing wrong if they'll learn. I
see your point Aisha, my father said. Yes, you can teach her, my
father said. My Mom couldn't say anymore.
I started to teach her. I was amazed how fast she was learning.
She learned her salat in a month. Then I stared to teach her reading & writing.
She finished her 1st quranin a year. Now she was memorizing some
suras. She's so happy now. Now I see her covered from herhead to toe,
even in the hottest days.
One day my dad brought his friend's proposal for her. She was like,
how could I? My Mom asked her Mom. She was happy to hear it.
She got married in the next two weeks. I was happy for her.
Thank you Aisha,if you haven't teached me I couldn't have learn
anything. No Sabiha thankAllah. He had all planed, I just .....I did
nothing I couldn't say anything else.Now I could teach my daughters.
She was tellingme. I started to laugh & she joined me, too. I looked
at the sky & thought there was a big smile, too.
(the end)
-

Thousands flee floods in Myanmar

At least 85,000 people in Myanmar have fled their homes as the worst monsoon flooding in yearssubmerged hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice fields, a government relief official said on Saturday.
Heavy rains over the last few weeks caused the inundation, which primarily affected the country's southern delta region.
Around 70,000 people have been displaced in thedelta and are being housed at 219 emergency relief centres set up at schools and monasteries. Another 15,000 people have been displaced elsewhere in the country, and more than 240,000 hectares of rice fields have been swamped.
Annual monsoon rains often cause flooding in theregion, and this year's are the heaviest since 2004.
The delta region was devastated in 2008 by Cyclone Nargis, which killed about 130,000 people. — AP

1d] Al-Malaa’ikah (Angels)

1d]
they call out to one another,"Come to what you hunger for!" and they enfold them with their wings, stretching up to the lowest heaven. Their Lord asked then, and He knows better than them,"What are My slaves saying?" They say: "They are glorifying, magnifying,praising and extolling You." He asks, "Have they seen Me?" They say, "No, by Allaah, they have not seen You." He asks, "And how would it be if they saw Me?" They say, "They would be even more fervent and devoted in their praise and worship." He asks, "What are they asking me for?" They say,"They ask You for Paradise." He asks, "And have they seen it?" They say, "No, by Allaah, O Lord,they have not seen it." He asks, "And how would it be if they saw it?" They say: "They would be even more eager for it and theywould beseech You even more earnestly." He asks,"And what do they seek My protection from?" They say, "From the Fire of Hell." He asks, "Have they seen it?" They say,"No, by Allaah, they have
not seen it." He asks, "Andhow would it be if they saw it?" They say: "They would be even more afraid and anxious to escape it." Allah says:"You are My witnesses that I have forgiven them." One of the angels says: "So-and-so is not really one of them; he came (to the gathering) for some other reason." Allah says, "They were all in the gathering, and one of them will not be excluded (from forgiveness)."'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 6408).
Some of them are responsible for the mountains. 'Aa'ishah (mayAllaah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him):"Have you ever faced any day more difficult than the day of Uhud?" He said:"I suffered at the hands ofyour people and the worst that I suffered was what I suffered at their hands on the day of 'Aqabah. That was when I went to call Ibn 'Abd Yaalayl ibn 'Abd al-Kalaal to Islam, and he did not respond. I left, feeling depressed and hardly knowing where I was going. I did not recover until I found myself in Qarn al-Tha'aalib. I raised my head and saw that I was being shaded by a cloud. I looked, and saw Jibreel in the cloud. He called me and said: 'Allah has heard what your people said and how theyresponded to you. He has sent the Angel of the Mountains so that you cantell him to do to them whatever you want.' The Angel of the Mountains called me and greeted me, then said: 'O Muhammad, tell me
what you want me to do. If youwant, I can crush them between two mountains.'" The Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said:"All I hope for is that Allahwill bring forth from their loins people who will worship Allah alone and not associate any partner with Him." (Reported by al-Buhaari, Fath, no. 3231).
Some of them visit the Much Frequented House (al-bayt al-ma'moor). In the lengthy hadeeth describing the Israa' and Mi'raaj (the Night Journey and the Ascent to Heaven), the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said:
"Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returningto it again, another [group] coming after them."
There are also angels standing in rows, who never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or prostrate, and never raise their heads, aswas reported by Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings ofAllaah be upon Him) said: 'I see what you do not seeand hear what you do nothear. The heaven makes anoise like groaning, and ithas the right to (or it is nosurprise), for there is no space in it the width of four fingers, but there is an angel there, placing hisforehead in sujood (prostration) to Allaah. By Allaah, if you knew what Iknow, you would laugh little and weep much, youwould not enjoy your relationships with womenand you would go out in the street praying to Allaah.'" (Sunan al-Tirmidhi, no. 2312)
This is a summary of Islamic teachings concerning the noble angels of Allaah. We ask Allaah to make us believe in them and love them. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Israafeel
From Abu Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf, who said: "I asked 'Aa'ishah the Mother of the Believers about what the Prophet (Peace& Blessings of Allaah be upon Him)/

1c] Al-Malaa’ikah (Angels)

1c]
[al-Zukhruf 43:80]
"(Remember!) that the two receivers (recording angels) receive (each human being after he or she has attained the age of puberty), one sitting onthe right and one on the left (to note his or her actions).
Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it)."
[Qaaf 50:17-18]
"But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you,
Kiraaman (honourable) kaatibeen - writing down (your deeds)."
[al-Infitaar 82:10-11]
Others are responsible for testing people in the grave. These are Munkar and Nakeer. From Abu Hurayrah who said: "The Messenger of Allah (Peace& Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: 'When the deceased is buried (or he said: when one of you is buried), there come to him two blue-black angels, one of whom is called Munkar and the other Nakeer. They ask him, 'What did you used to say about this man?' . .." [The hadeeth is quoted in full above]
Some of them are the keepers of Paradise. Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"And those who kept theirduty to their Lord will be led to Paradise in groups, till, when they reach it, its gates will be opened and its keepers will say: Salaamun 'alaikum (peacebe upon you!). You have done well, so enter here, to abide therein."
[al-Zumar 39:73]
Some of them are the keepers of Hell, the"guards of Hell", whose number is nineteen and whose leader is Malik, upon whom be peace. Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"And those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups, till, when they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened. And its keepers will say, 'Did not the Messengers come to you from yourselves, - recitingto you the Verses of your Lord, and warning you of the Meeting of this Day of yours?' They will say: 'Yes,but the Word of torment has been justified against the disbelievers!'" [al-Zumar 39:71]
"Then. let him call upon his council (of helpers),
We will call the guards of Hell (to deal with him)!" [al-'Alaq 97:17-18]
"And what will make you know exactly what Hell-fire is?
It spares not (any sinner), nor does it leave (anything unburnt)!
Burning the skins!
Over it are nineteen (angels as guardians and keepers of Hell).
And We have set none butangels as guardians of theFire, and We have fixed their number only as a trial for the disbelievers - in order that the People of the Scripture may arrive at a certainty and the believers may increase in Faith . . ." [al-Muddaththir 74:27-31]
"And they will cry: 'O Malik (Keeper of Hell)! Let your Lord make an end of us.' He will say: 'Verily youshall abide forever.'" [al-Zukhruf 43:77]
One of the angels is responsible for the sperm in the womb, as is mentioned in the hadeethof Ibn Mas'ood (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "The Messengerof Allah (Peace & Blessingsof Allaah be upon Him), whose truthfulness is confirmed, said: 'The way that each of you is createdis that he is gathered in his mother's womb for forty days as a sperm drop, and then for a similar length of time as ablood-clot, and then for a similar length of time as alump of flesh. Then an angel is sent and he breathes the spirit into (the foetus), and is charged with four commands: to write down his provision, his life-span, his actions, and whether he will be wretched or happy. By theOne besides Whom there is no other god, one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until he is just a cubit away from entering it, then his fate will overtakehim and he will begin to do the deeds of the people of Hell, so he will enter Hell; and one of youmay do the
deeds of the people of Hell until he is just a cubit away from entering it, then his fate will overtake him and he will begin to do the deedsof the people of Paradise, so he will enter Paradise."(Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 3208 and by Muslim, no. 2643).
Some angels carry the Throne of Allaah, as He describes in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the meaning):
"Those (angels) who bear the Throne (of Allaah) andthose around it glorify thepraises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those whobelieve (in the Oneness of Allaah) (saying): 'Our Lord!You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your way, and savethem from the torment ofthe blazing Fire!'" [Ghaafir40:7]
Some of the angels travel throughout the world, seeking out gatherings of dhikr (remembrance of Allaah). Abu Hurayrah said: "The Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: 'Allah, be He be blessed and exalted, has angels who travel the highways seeking out the people of dhikr. When they find people remembering Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, they call out to one another,"Come to what you hunger for!"

1b] Al-Malaa’ikah (Angels)

1b]
(7) Haaroot and (8) Maaroot
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
". . . and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels Haaroot and Maaroot . . ." [al-Baqarah 2:102]
". . . and none can know the forces of your Lord, except He. And this is no other than a warning to mankind."
[al-Muddaththir 74:31]
Their powers
The angels have great powers given to them by Allaah, including the following:
The ability to take on different forms. Allah has given the angels the ability to take on forms other than their own. Allah sent Jibreel to Maryam (Mary) in the form of a man, as Allah says:
". . . Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects." [Maryam 19:17]
Angels also came to Ibraaheem in human form, and he did not know that they were angels until they told him so. Similarly, angels came to Lut in the form of young men with beautifulfaces. Jibreel used to cometo the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) in different forms: sometimes he would appear in the form of Dihyah al-Kalbi, a Sahaabee who was very handsome, and sometimes in the form of a Bedouin. The Sahaabah saw him in his human form, as is reported from 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab in the two Saheehs. ('Umar) said:
"One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (Peace& Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), there appeared before us a manwhose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of travel were to be seen on him, and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him). Resting his knees against his and placing his hands on his thighs, he said: 'O Muhammad, tell me aboutIslam.'. . ." (Saheeh Muslim, no. 8).
Many other ahaadeeth refer to the angels taking human forms, such as the hadeeth about the one who killed a hundred, in which it says ". . . there came to them an angel in human form . . ." and the hadeeth about the blind man, the bald man and the leper.
Their speed
The greatest speed known to man today is the speed of light; the angels are able to travel much faster than this. Hardly had an enquirer completed a question to the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), but Jibreel would bring the answer from Allah.
Their duties
Among the angels is one whose task it was to convey the revelation from Allah to His Messengers; this is al-Rooh al-Ameen, Jibril, upon whom be peace. Allah says:
"Say: whoever is an enemy to Jibreel - for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by Allah's will. . . " [al-Baqarah 2:97]
"Which the trustworthy spirit has brought down,
Upon your heart, that youmay be (one) of the warners."
[al-Shu'araa' 26:193-194]
Another is responsible for rain, directing it whereverAllah wishes. This is Mikaa'eel, upon whom be peace. He has helpers, who do what he tells them, by the command ofhis Lord; they direct the winds and clouds, as Allahwills.
Another is responsible for blowing the Trumpet, which will be blown by Israafeel at the onset of the Hour (the Day of Judgement).
Others are responsible for taking people's souls: these are the Angel of Death and his helpers. Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning): "Say: 'the Angel of Death, put incharge of you, will (duly) take your souls, then shallyou be brought back to your Lord.'" [al-Sajdah 32:11] There is no proof in any saheeh hadeeth that his name is 'Azraa'eel.
Others are responsible for protecting the slave throughout his life, when he stays home and when he travels, when he is asleep and when he is awake. These are the"angels in succession" concerning whom Allaah says (interpretation of themeaning):
"It is the same (to Him) whether any of you conceal his speech or declare it openly, whetherhe be hid by night or go forth freely by day.
For each (person), there are angels in succession, before and behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allaah. Verily! Allaah will not change the good condition of a people so long as they do not change their state of goodness themselves (by committing sin and by being ungrateful and disobedient to Allaah). Butwhen Allaah wills a people's punishment, there can be no turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector."
[al-Ra'd 13:10-11]
Others are responsible for recording the deeds of man, good and bad. Theseare the "honourable scribes" (kiraaman kaatibeen) and are referred to in the aayaat (interpretation of the meanings):
". . . and He sends guardians (angels guarding and writing all of one's good and bad deeds) over you . . ." [al-An'aam 6:61]
"Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private counsel? (YesWe do) and Our Messengers (appointed angels in charge of mankind) are by them, to record."
[al-Zukhruf 43:80]
"(Remember!)

1a] Al-Malaa’ikah (Angels)

1a]
[Jibreel] said: 'So it is with the angels who were present at Badr.'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 3992).
They do not eat or drink
This is indicated by the conversation between Ibraaheem, the "friend" ofAllaah and the angels who visited him. Allaah says (interpretation of themeaning):
"Then he turned quickly to his household, brought out a fatted calf, and placed it before them. He said, 'Will you not eat?' (When they did not eat), he conceived a fear of them. They said: 'Fear not,' and they gave him glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge."
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:26-28]
Elsewhere, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"But when he [Ibraaheem] saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of the. They said: 'Fear not: we have been sent against the people of Lut.'" [Hud 11:70]
They do not get bored or tired of remembering andworshipping Allah
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"They celebrate His praises night and day, nordo they ever slacken." [al-Anbiyaa' 21:20]
". . . For in the presence of your Lord are those who celebrate His praises by night and by day. And they never become tired (nor feel themselves above it)." [Fussilat 41:38]
Their number
The angels are many, and their number is known only to Allah. The Prophet(Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said, described the Much-Frequented House (al-Bayt al-Ma'moor) in the seventh heaven:
"Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returningto it again, another [group] coming after them." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, Fath, no. 3207).
'Abdullaah said: "The Messenger of Allaah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said: 'Hell will be brought forth that day by means of seventy thousand ropes, each of which will be pulled by seventy thousand angels." (Reported by Muslim, no. 2842).
Their names
The angels have names, but we know only the names of a few of them. We have to believe in the names reported in the Qur'aan and Sunnah texts,as a part of general belief in the angels. Among the names of angels that are known to us are:
(1) Jibreel (Gabriel) and (2)Mikaa'eel (Michael)
"Say: Whoever is an enemy to Jibreel - for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by Allah's will, a confirmation of what went before, and guidance and glad tidings to those who believe -
Whoever is an enemy to Allah, and His angels and prophets, to Jibreel and Mikaa'eel - Lo! Allah is an enemy to those who reject Faith." [al-Baqarah 2:97-98]
(3) Israafeel
From Abu Salamah ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf,who said: "I asked 'Aa'ishah the Mother of the Believers about what the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) used to start his prayer with when he got up to pray at night (qiyaam al-layl). She said: 'When he got up to pray at night, he would start his prayer (with the words): 'O Allah, Lord of Jibreel, Mikaa'eel and Israafeel, Creator of heaven and earth, Knowerof the unseen and the seen, You are the Judge ofthe matters in which Yourslaves differ; guide me with regard to disputed matters of Truth by Your permission, for You guide whomever You will to theStraight Path.'" (Reported by Muslim, no. 270).
(4) Malik
He is the Keeper of Hell, asAllah says (interpretation of the meaning): "They [the people in Hell] will cry: 'O Malik! Would that your Lord put an end to us!'. . ." [al-Zukhruf 43:77]
(5) Munkar and (6) Nakeer
From Abu Hurayrah, who said: "The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings ofAllaah be upon Him) said: 'When the deceased is buried (or he said: when one of you is buried), there come to him two blue-black angels, one of whom is called Munkar and the other Nakeer. They ask him, 'What did you used to say about thisman?' and he says what he used to say: 'He is the
next slave and Messenger of Allah: I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is the slave and Messenger of Allah. They say, 'We knew beforehand that you usedto say this.' Then his gravewill be widened for him to a size of seventy cubits by seventy cubits and it will be illuminated for him. Then they tell him, 'Sleep.' He says, 'Go back to my family and tell them.' They tell him, 'Sleep like a bridegroom whom no-one will wake up except his most beloved,' until Allah raiseshim up. If (the deceased) was a hypocrite, he says, 'Iheard the people saying something so I said something similar; I do not know.' They say: 'We knew beforehand that you used to say this.' The earth will be told to squeeze him, so he will becrushed until his ribs are interlocked, and he will remain like that until Allah raises him up.'" (reported by al-Tirmidhi, no. 1071. Abu 'Isa said: It is a ghareeb hasan hadeeth. It is judged
hasan in Saheeh al-Jaami',no. 724).

Al-Malaa’ikah (Angels)

What do you believe about angels regarding their function, appearance, form and powers?
Praise be to Allaah.
Belief in angels is one of the six pillars of belief or faith without which there is no faith. Whoever does not believe in any of these pillars is not a believer (mu'min). These pillars are belief in: Allaah,His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and that predestination, both good and bad, comes from Allaah.
Angels are a part of the world of the Unseen which we cannot comprehend. Allah has told us about them in many places in the Qur'aan and via His Prophet Muhammad (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him). There follows a number ofproven reports concerningthe angels, which hopefully will make you realize the greatness of the Creator and the greatness of this religion which has told us so muchabout them:
Of what are they created?
They are created from light, as 'Aa'ishah reported: "The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessingsof Allaah be upon Him) said: 'The angels are created from light, just as the jinn are created from smokeless fire and mankind is created from what you have been told about.'" (Reported by Muslim, no. 2996).
When were they created?
We have no knowledge ofprecisely when they were created, because there is no text to tell us this. But they were created before mankind for certain, because the Qur'aan says (interpretation of the meaning): "Behold, your Lord said to the angels: 'I will create a vicegerent onearth.' . . ." [al-Baqarah 2:30] The fact that Allah told them of His intention to create man indicates that they already existed.
Their great size
Allaah says concerning theangels of Hell:
"O you who believe! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whosefuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern and severe, who flinch not(from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded." [al-Tahreem 66:6]
The greatest of all the angels is Jibreel (Gabriel), upon whom be peace, who was described in the following report:
"From 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood, who said: the Messenger of Allah (Peace& Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) saw Jibreel in his true form. He had six hundred wings, each of which covered the horizon. There fell from his wings jewels, pearls and rubies, only Allah knows about them." It was reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad, and Ibn Katheer said in al-Bidaayah 1/47 that its isnaad is jayyid.
The Messenger of Allah (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said, describing Jibreel:
"I saw Jibreel descending from heaven, and his great size filled the space between heaven and earth." (Reported by Muslim, no. 177).
Among the greatest angels are those who carry the Throne (of Allaah), who were described in the followingreport:
"From Jaabir ibn 'Abdullaah from the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him), who said: 'I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels ofAllaah who carry the Throne. The distance between his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey.'" (Sunan Abee Daawood, Kitaab al-Sunnah, Baab fi'l-Jahamiyyah).
They have wings
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Praise be to Allaah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings - two, or three, or four (pairs) adds to Creation as He pleases: forAllah has power over all things." [Faatir 35:1]
Their beauty
Allaah said, describing Jibreel, upon whom be peace (interpretation of the meaning):
"He [the Prophet] has been taught by one Mighty in Power, Dhoo Mirrah (free from any defect in body and mind), then he rose and became stable." [al-Najm 53:5-6]
Ibn 'Abbaas said: "'Dhoo Mirrah means that he has a beautiful appearance." Qutaadah said: "He is tall and beautiful."
The idea that angels are beautiful is firmly established in all people's minds, so much so that they liken a beautiful human to an angel, as thewomen said about Yoosuf:
". . . When they [the women] saw him, they did extol him and (in theiramazement) cut their hands: they said: 'Allah preserve us! no mortal is this! This is none other than a noble angel!'" [Yoosuf 12:31]
Their differences in size and status
The angels are not all of one size or status; there are differences between them just as there are differences in virtue. The best of them are those that were present at the battle of Badr, as is stated in the hadeeth narrated by Mu'aadh ibn Rifaa'ah al-Zuraaqi from his father,who had been one of the people present at Badr. Hesaid: "Jibreel came to the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) and asked, 'How do you rate the people among you who were present at Badr?' He said: 'They are the best of the Muslims,' or something similar. [Jibreel] said:

Is it prescribed to send blessings upon the angels?

Is it permissible to send blessings upon the angels because of their virtue and high status?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is prescribed to send blessings upon the angels by saying " 'Alayhim al-salaatu wa'l- salaam (upon them be blessings and peace)" and " 'alayhim al-salaam (upon them be peace)", because they are honourable, devoted worshippers and one of the creations of Allaah whom Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, favoured over others as He says:
"They [whom they call children of Allaah i.e. the angels, 'Eesa (Jesus) __ son of Maryam (Mary), 'Uzayr (Ezra)], are but honoured slaves"
[al-Anbiya' 21:26]
"But verily, over you (are appointed angels in charge of mankind) to watch you,
11. Kiraaman (Honourable) Kaatibeen —writing down (your deeds)"
[al-Infitaar 82:10,11]
"In the hands of scribes (angels).
16. Honourable and obedient"
['Abasa 80:15, 16]
They have a particular status, virtue and honour, so it is prescribed to send blessings upon them, and there is no reason not to do so, rather it is prescribed. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (1/52).

Should he send blessings on the angels in the tashahhud?

Is it permissible to send blessings on the angels in the tashahhud as I send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
In the answer to question no. 105330 we stated thatit is prescribed to send blessings on the angels.
But in the tashahhud doing that is not prescribed, because what must be done is to recite only that which was proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), without adding anything to it.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan was asked: Should blessings be sent on the angels in the tashahhud as they are sent on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?
He replied:
No, the blessings that are mentioned in the tashahhud should be limited only to that whichis narrated, but when we say al-salaamu ‘alayna wa‘ala ‘ibaad-Allaah al-saaliheen (may peace be upon us and upon all the righteous slaves of Allaah), that includes every righteous slave in heaven and on earth, which includes the angels.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (1/52)./ - - - :-> 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

Should he send blessings on the angels in the tashahhud?

Is it permissible to send blessings on the angels in the tashahhud as I send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
In the answer to question no. 105330 we stated thatit is prescribed to send blessings on the angels.
But in the tashahhud doing that is not prescribed, because what must be done is to recite only that which was proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), without adding anything to it.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan was asked: Should blessings be sent on the angels in the tashahhud as they are sent on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?
He replied:
No, the blessings that are mentioned in the tashahhud should be limited only to that whichis narrated, but when we say al-salaamu ‘alayna wa‘ala ‘ibaad-Allaah al-saaliheen (may peace be upon us and upon all the righteous slaves of Allaah), that includes every righteous slave in heaven and on earth, which includes the angels.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (1/52)./ - - - :-> 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

Our attitude towards Yazeed ibn Mu’aawiyah

I heard of this person Yazeed Ibn Muawiyah. I heard that he once a calipha of the muslims and he was a drunken sadistic person, who was not really a muslim. Is thistrue? Please tell me his story. Thank you and mayallah bless you.
Praise be to Allaah.
His name was Yazeed ibn Mu’aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan ibn Harb ibn Umayaah al-Umawi al-Dimashqi.
Al-Dhahabi said: he was the commander of that army during the campaign against Constantinople, among which were people such as Abu Ayyoob al-Ansaari. Yazeed was appointed by his father as his heir, so hetook power after his father died in Rajab 60 AHat the age of thirty-three, but his reign lasted for less than four years.
Yazeed is one of those whom we neither curse nor love. There are others like him among the khaleefahs of the two states (Umawi/Umayyad and ‘Abbaasi/Abbasid) andthe governors of various regions, indeed there were some among them who were worse than him. But the issue in the case of Yazeed is that he was came to power forty-nine years after the death of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him); it was still close to the time of the Prophet and some of the Sahaabah were stillalive such as Ibn ‘Umar who was more entitled tothe position than him or his father or his grandfather.
His reign began with the killing of the martyr al-Husayn and it ended with the battle of al-Harrah, so the people hated him and he was notblessed with a long life. There were many revolts against him after al-Husayn, such as the people of Madeenah who revolted for the sake of Allaah, and Ibn al-Zubayr.
(Siyar A’laam al-Nubalaa’, part 4, p. 38)
Shaykh al-Islam describedpeople’s attitudes towards Yazeed ibn Mu’aawiyah, and said:
The people differed concerning Yazeed ibn Mu’aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan, splitting into three groups, two extreme and one moderate.
One of the two extremes said that he was a kaafir and a munaafiq, that he strove to kill the grandsonof the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to spite the Messenger of Allaah and to take revenge on him, and to avenge his grandfather ‘Utbah, his grandfather’s brother Shaybah and his maternal uncle al-Waleed ibn ‘Utbah and others who were killed by the companions of the Prophet SAWS (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), by ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib and others on the day of Badr and in other battles – and things of that nature. To have such a view is easy for the Raafidis who regard Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaanas kaafirs, so it is much easier for them to regard Yazeed as a kaafir.
The second extreme group think that he was arighteous man and a just leader, that he was one ofthe Sahaabah who were born during the time of the Prophet and were carried and blessed by him. Some of them give him a higher status than Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and some of them regard him as a prophet. Both views are obviously false to one who has the least common sense and who has any knowledge of thelives and times of the earliest Muslims. This viewis not attributable to any of the scholars who are known for following the Sunnah or to any intelligent person who has reason and experience.
The third view is that he was one of the kings of the Muslims, who did good deeds and bad deeds. He was not born until the caliphate of ‘Uthmaan. He was not a kaafir but it was because of him that the killing of al-Husayn happened, and he did what he did to the people of al-Harrah. He was not a Sahaabi, nor was he one of the righteous friends of Allaah. This is the view of most of the people of reason and knowledge and of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah.
Then they divided into three groups, one which cursed him, one which loved him and one which neither cursed him nor loved him. This is what was reported from ImaamAhmad, and this is the view of the fair-minded among his companions and others among the Muslims. Saalih ibn Ahmadsaid: I said to my father, some people say that they love Yazeed. He said, O my son, does anyone love Yazeed who believes in Allaah and the Last Day? I said, O my father, why do you not curse him? He said, O my son, when did you ever see your father curse anybody?
Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi said, when he was asked about Yazeed: according to what I have heard he is neither to be cursed nor to be loved. Hesaid, I also heard that our grandfather Abu ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Taymiyah was asked about Yazeed and he said: we do not deny his good qualities orexaggerate about them. This is the fairest opinion.
Majmoo’ Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam, part 4, p. 481-484/ - - - :-> 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

The name of the wife ofAyyoob (peace be upon him)

What is the name of the wife of Ayyoob (peace be upon him)?
Praise be to Allaah.
The historians and some of the mufassireen have stated that her name was Rahmah bint Meesha ibn Yoosuf ibn Ya’qoob.
But this is something which is not proven in any clear sound text, rather it was transmitted from the books of the People of the Book, or by some Muslims from them. We shall list those who were of this view and transmitted it:
1 – Al-Suyooti said: Ibn ‘Asaakir narrated that Wahb ibn Munabbih (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The wife of Ayyoob (peace be upon him) was Rahmah (may Allaah be pleased with her) bint Meeshaa ibn Yoosuf ibn Ya’qoob ibn Ishaaq ibn Ibraaheem (peace be upon them).
(al-Durr al-Manthoor, 7/197. Also in Tafseer al-Baydaawi, 3/310; Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 9/265; Tafseer al-Baghawi, 2/451)
2 – Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
But these Israa’eeli (i.e., Jewish) reports to be mentioned for the purpose of proving a point, they are not to be believed. They are of three types:
(i) Those which we know are sound because of evidence which we have which proves them to be true. These are saheeh.
(ii) Those which we know are false because of evidence which we have which contradicts them.
(iii) Those which wedo not know whether they are true or false. So we do not believe in themand we do not disbelieve in them, but it is permissible to narrate them for the reasons given above.
Most of them are things which serve no religious purpose, hence the scholars of the People of the Book differ greatly concerning such things. The mufassireen also differed concerning them as a result of that, as they mentioned, for example, the names of the People of the Cave, the colour of their dog and their number, or what kind of tree the staff of Moosa came from, and other matters which Allaah did not mention in detail in the Qur’aan because knowing the specific details does not serve anyworldly or religious purpose.
(Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 13/366-367).
Al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
What the mufassireen have said concerning the name of their dog – some said that its name was Qitmeer, and some said that its name was Hamdaan, etc. – we need not dwell on at length, because it serves no purpose. There are many things in the Qur’aan which neither Allaah nor His Messenger has explained to us in detail, and there are no proven reports concerning them; there is no benefit to be gained by researching such matters.
(Adwaa’ al-Bayaan, 4/48)
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

No-one who was alive in 10 AH lived for more than one hundred years

Could you please explain this hadith: Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar (RA): Once the Prophet led us inthe 'Isha' prayer during the last days of his life and after finishing it (the prayer) (with Taslim) he said: "Do you realize (the importance of) this night?" Nobody present on the surface of the earth tonight will be living after the completion of one hundred years from this night." -- Sahih Bukhari (1.116)
Praise be to Allaah.
The meaning of the hadeeth is clear and apparent, and was borne out by real events. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was stating that none of the people who were alive at that time would live for more than a hundred years, andthis is what in fact happened. The last of the Sahaabah to die passed away in 110 AH, i.e., he died one hundred years after the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died. His name was Abu’l-Tufaylibn Waathilah.
Shaykh Sa’d al-Humayd
This hadeeth was narrated by Imaam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) in his Saheeh, from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar, who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led us in praying ‘Ishaa towards the end of his life. When he had said the salaam, he stood up and said: ‘Do you see this night of yours? One hundred yearsfrom now, there will not be anyone left of those who are on the face of theearth.’”
There follow some comments made by Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) on this hadeeth:
“Led us in prayer” means as an imaam.
“Towards the end of his life”. A corroborating report narrated by Jaabir states that this was one month before he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died.
“Do you see” means, “Think about (this night).”
“One hundred years from now” means, when one hundred years have passed.
“There will not be anyoneleft of those who are on the face of the earth” means, anyone who was alive at that time.
Ibn Battaal said: What theMessenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) meant was that during this time-spantheir generation would pass away. He was pointing out to them howshort their lives were and that their lives were not like those of the nations who came before them, so that they would strive hard in worship.
Al-Nawawi said: What is meant is that everyone who was on the face of the earth on that night would not live for more than one hundred years after that night, whether he was young on that occasion or not. It does not mean that anyone who was born after that night would not live for a hundred years. And Allaahknows best.
This hadeeth is one of the signs of the Prophethood of the Prophet (peace andblessings of Allaah be upon him). He was speaking of future events which came to pass as he described them. The trustworthy scholars use this as evidence in refuting some of the Sufis who say that al-Khidr is still alive until now./ - - - :-> 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

Did the Arabs know about Allaah before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent?

We know that Holy Prophet's()father name was Abdullah & he had passed away before Prophet's birth.With this background please tell that what was the concept in arabs about"ALLAH"before prophet.Were they familiar to this word before prophet's birth?How did they differentiate Allah from idols,if at all they did?
You should note that Arabian societies before Islam were not atheistic societies that denied the existence of Allaah, or societies that were unaware that there is a Lord, Creator and Provider. They knew that, and they still retained some traces of the religion of Ibraaheem, and they had contact withJews and Christians. But their problem was that they did not worship Allaah Alone in exclusion to others; they had other gods whom they associated in worship with Him, and which they worshipped not on the basis that they were the Lord, the Creator the Provider, but because they claimed that these were intermediaries who would intercede between them and Allaah and bring them closer to Allaah. Hence Allaah said concerning them (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if you (O Muhammad) ask them: ‘Who has created the heavens and the earth,’ they will certainly say: ‘Allaah’” [Luqmaan 31:25]
This indicates that they acknowledged that Allaahis the Creator. Another aayah says (interpretationof the meaning):
“And verily, if you ask them: ‘Who created the heavens and the earth?’ Surely, they will say: ‘Allaah (has created them)’”
[al-Zumar 39:38]
Many aayaat indicated that they believed in the Unity of Lordship (Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah); their shirk was with regard to divinity (uloohiyyah), as Allaah says concerning them (interpretation of the meaning):
“And those who take Awliyaa’ (protectors, helpers, lords, gods) besides Him (say): ‘We worship them only that they may bring us near toAllaah’” [al-Zumar 39:3]
i.e., they said, we only worship them so that they may bring us closer to Allaah.
Shaykh Sa’d al-Humayd/ - - - :-> 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

Does the dove hold any significance in Islam?

In the Christian religion, a dove is a symbol not only for peace but also for the Holy Spirit.In the Islamic religion, does the dove hold any significance ?
Praise be to Allaah.
We put this question to Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows.
The dove does not have any particular meaning in Islam. It is simply one of the birds that Allaah has permitted us to eat, just like any other permissible bird.
In Islam, the dove does not stand for peace or for anything else. It is sufficient for us Muslims for us to follow the commands of Allaah to establish justice on earth.
Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreen/ - - - :-> 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

Should he pay zakaah on shares that were given to him by the company and over which he has no control?

I live in UK. My husband works for a company, which provides raw materials to other companies for making soaps, shampoos, cosmetics etc. For 3 years, he buys some company shares every month. The number of shares is doubled by the company for its employees.
Few days ago, when I wasbrowsing your website, I came to know that we’ve to pay zakaah on shares. We didn’t know that before.
Now I’ve some questions:
1. My husband can sell only the shares he boughtwith his money. The company shares can be sold only after the completion of 5 years (maturity period). Even then only the shares of first month will be mature. More shares will get matured each month. If he sells his shares now, the company shares givenwith those shares will be taken back from him. So, he doesn’t want to sell them now. My question is,Does he still has to give zakaah on these shares?
2. Second question is, What is the nisaab of shares?
3. Third, he also has to pay tax and national insurance on these shares when he sells them. Does he have to pay zakaah only on profit?
4. If we don’t have moneynow, can we pay it next year?
5. Do we’ve to pay for all 3 years?
6. The shares are in our joint name but only my husband deals with them,Who has the responsibility to pay zakaah?
I’ll be really grateful, if you can answer me in detail, I am really concerned about the issue. I don’t want any haraam money in my home
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
It is obligatory to pay zakaah on shares if the owner intends to sell them and they reached the nisaab (minimum threshold). He should work out their value each year, i.e., find out their market value, and pay one quarter of one tenth (2.5%) of their value.
The nisaab is the equivalent of 595 grams of silver or 85 grams of gold. As silver is of lesser value, the nisaab should be worked out on the basis of silver, so as to give the poor their fair share.
So if a person owns sharesthe value of which is equal to the value of 595 grams of silver, then he owns the minimum amount.
Secondly:
If a person acquires shareswith the intention of benefiting from their dividends and profits, andhe does not intend to sell them, then he does not have to pay zakaah on the share itself; rather he has to pay zakaah on the dividends, if he has taken possession of them and one zakaah year has passed; he should pay onequarter of one tenth, or 2.5%, (of the dividend).
Thirdly:
If the person does not have complete ownershipof the shares, or he is not allowed to dispose of them, like the shares which the company has given to your husband, then he should pay zakaah once when selling them or taking back their value, or when obtaining full possession of them bycompleting five years of work in that company.
Fourthly:
Zakaah is obligatory uponthe owner; if you have shares then you must pay zakaah on them, and you are responsible for that, but the husband may voluntarily pay zakaah onbehalf of his wife.
Fifthly:
The basic principle is that taxes cannot take the place of zakaah; every time one full hijri year passes, you should work out the value of the shares and pay zakaah of one quarter of one tenth.
With regard to the doubleshares, if your husband will take possession of them after five years and we said that your husband should pay zakaah for one year whenselling them, then he should pay zakaah on what remains of their price after paying taxes and National Insurance, because in fact he does not possess anything other than that.
Sixthly:
If a person owns shares and works out their value at the end of the year, buthe does not have cash with which to pay, it is permissible for him to delay zakaah until he acquires cash or sells the shares, but he has to keepa record of that and write down what he owes of zakaah for the first year, the second year and so on. But it is better to hasten to pay zakaah and to be quick in doing good,and to make it easy for oneself, because if the amount of zakaah accumulates, he may feel reluctant to pay it.
We ask Allah to bless you and to protect you from all harm.
And Allah 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

Can she make use of frozen embryos?

My husband and I have frozen embryos left over from a treatment which resulted in my little boy who is nearly 2. I found out that it is not permissible to keep the frozen embryos I was wondering whether we will be able to use the leftover embryos to do a treatment which we are looking to do as soon as possible or will we have to destroy the embryos? Please advise me
Praise be to Allah.
Artificial insemination, or what is known as test-tube babies, takes many forms, some of which are permissible andsome are haraam. The permissible forms include cases in which the sperm is taken from the man and the egg is taken from his wife, and fertilisation takes place externally, then the embryo is implanted in the wife’s uterus.
In this case it is essential to take precautions and look for trustworthy doctors, for fear of tampering, because some doctors may use sperm that does not come from the husband when they already know that the husband’s sperm is not suitable for fertilisation; and there are other problems and evil consequences that may occur. See the answer to question no. 98604
It is not permissible to keep eggs or embryos, and the fertilization of eggs must be limited to the required number so asto avoid having an excess of fertilized eggs. If there is an excess of fertilized eggs, they should be left without any care to die naturally.
That is because keeping embryos or eggs may lead to them being mixedwith others as time goes by, either by mistake or deliberately, as has happened in many cases. Some of them may be taken and placed in the uterus of another woman,which leads to confusion of lineages, which is a serious evil which outweighs the interests which the couple may think are served by keeping embryos to save money and use for fertilization later on.
The Islamic Fiqh Council belonging to the Organization of the Islamic Conference has issued a statement on thismatter. The text follows:
1- In the light of what has happened of the possibility of keeping unfertilized eggs to be used later on, when fertilizing eggs it must be limited to the required number for implantation each time, to avoid an excess of fertilized eggs.
2- If there are any extra fertilized eggs – for any reason – they should be left without medical care until they die naturally.
3- It is haraam to use fertilized eggs in another woman, and sufficient precautions must be taken to prevent using fertilized eggs for an illegitimate pregnancy.
End quote from Majallat Majma’ al-Fiqh al-Islami, issue no. 7, vol. 3, p. 563.
Based on that, what you have to do is dispose of the frozen embryos; it is permissible for you to undergo further artificial insemination even if that is costly or difficult, because that harm cannotbe compared to the possibility of embryos being mixed up, especiallysince this length of time has passed.
And Allah 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

Should he send blessings on the angels in the tashahhud?

Is it permissible to send blessings on the angels in the tashahhud as I send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
In the answer to question no. 105330 we stated thatit is prescribed to send blessings on the angels.
But in the tashahhud doing that is not prescribed, because what must be done is to recite only that which was proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), without adding anything to it.
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan was asked: Should blessings be sent on the angels in the tashahhud as they are sent on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?
He replied:
No, the blessings that are mentioned in the tashahhud should be limited only to that whichis narrated, but when we say al-salaamu ‘alayna wa‘ala ‘ibaad-Allaah al-saaliheen (may peace be upon us and upon all the righteous slaves of Allaah), that includes every righteous slave in heaven and on earth, which includes the angels.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan/ - - - :-> 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

Ruling on describing nurses as “angels of mercy”

We often read about and hear the common people and their writers and poets describing nurses as“angels of mercy.” Is that permissible?
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible to apply this description to nurses, because the angels are male and are not female. Allaah denounced the mushrikeen for describingthe angels as female. Moreover, the angels of mercy have their own description which cannot be applied to nurses, for there are good and bad nurses, so it is not permissible to apply this description to them. 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

A Group of Jinns meet Prophet Muhammad

It is stated by Imam Baihaqi in "Dalail-e-Nubuwwat" on the authority
of Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Masood (ra) that the Prophet (saw) once, said
to his companions in Makkah:"Whosoever from amongst you desires to see
the jinns, he should come to me tonight." Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Masood
stated that nobody except me came that night. The Prophet (saw) took
me with him to a high hill in Makkah. He drew a circle with his foot
for me and advised me to keep sitting within that circle. Seating
Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Masood within that circle, he advanced ahead and
then stood at a place. There, he started recitation of the Holy Quran.
All of a sudden a big group of jinns encircled the Prophet (saw) and
that group stood as a wall between me and the Prophet (saw)and I heard
the jinns saying: "Who gives evidence that you are the Prophet." There
was a tree nearby. The Prophet (saw) observed: "Will you accept my
claim if this tree gives the evidence?" The jinns said: "Yes, we shall
accept it." On that, the Prophet (saw) called the tree. The tree came
nearby and gave the evidence accordingly and all the jinns embraced
Islam.

Walking with a bag of bread by night

Ali Ibn Al Husain used to lead a seemingly miserly life. But when he
died they discovered that he was supporting one hundred poor families
in Madinah. Muhammad Ibn Ishaq said: Some people of Madinah used to
live not knowing where from they got their livelihood. When Ali Ibn Al
Husain died they lost what used to be sent to them by night. As a
matter of fact, Ali Ibn Al Husain used to carry a bag of bread by
night on his back and distribute it as charity. He would say: "The
secret charity puts out the angerof Allah." When Ali Ibn Al Husain
died and people washed his body, they found some black traces on his
back. They said: What is this? Then the answer was that he used to
carry bags of flour on itby night and would give them to the poor
people of Madinah. That is why when he died, people of Madinah said:
We only lost the secret charity when Ali Ibn Al Husain died.