Unfortunately, today many of the "smartest" people of this world deny
the existence of God. Suppose one of them walks by a mountain and see
that there is a tent on top of the mountain. Immediately he will think
that someone went up there and madethe tent. He won't think that the
tent formed itself. You and I also won't think that some sticks came
and dug themselves on the ground and then a cloth flew to it to form
the tent. We will all think that someone went up there and made it.
That is the mistake. We think that the small and simpletent on the
mountain cannot form itself but we think that the huge mountain
underneath the tent was formed by itself! This is how narrow our
thinking hasbecome.
Verily Allah is the creatorof all things. Allah says inSurah Qaf Al
Quran (50:7)"And the earth! We have spread it out, and set thereon
mountains standing firm, and have produced therein every kind of
lovely growth (plants)."
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Monday, October 8, 2012
Signs of Allah in Dreams
Islam tells us that a person in the grave is either enjoying a
peaceful stay or going through punishments depending on his/her deeds.
However, many people doubt this fact. This is due to the reason that
when a grave is dug, we do not see any fire burning people or gigantic
snakes biting dead bodies. All we see are bones mixed with soil. Well,
then where is the punishment or peace? Whether we can see it or not,
the promiseof Allah is true. Allah gave us many things to understand
things better. He tells us that there are signs in His creations for
those who think. To understand thisparticular issue (grave) better, we
can examine our dreams. Say, a person is sleeping right beside you. He
is seeing a dream where some people are trying to kill him. They catch
him and starts beating him. Finally, they take out a gun and shoots
him. Youare sitting beside this sleeping individual, but you do not
see any of these things. However, he is experiencing all these things,
it's just youcannot see. The same way, that individual in the grave is
going through all the things that are promised by Allah, it's just we
cannot see.
There are important purposes in dreams for someone who reflects. Such
a person thinks about how "realistic" the dreams are that he sees
while asleep, which in that way are no different in their realismfrom
the moment he awakes. For instance, despite one person's body lying on
the bed, indream he went on business trips, met new people, and had
lunch while listening to music. He enjoyed the taste of his meal,
danced to the music, became excited because of the incidents that
happened, became happy and unhappy, was afraid and felt tired.He could
even have driven a vehicle that he had not previously driven until
that day anddid not even know how to drive.
So, you can experience, see, touch, hear and taste things that are not
only real but also things that are unreal.
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peaceful stay or going through punishments depending on his/her deeds.
However, many people doubt this fact. This is due to the reason that
when a grave is dug, we do not see any fire burning people or gigantic
snakes biting dead bodies. All we see are bones mixed with soil. Well,
then where is the punishment or peace? Whether we can see it or not,
the promiseof Allah is true. Allah gave us many things to understand
things better. He tells us that there are signs in His creations for
those who think. To understand thisparticular issue (grave) better, we
can examine our dreams. Say, a person is sleeping right beside you. He
is seeing a dream where some people are trying to kill him. They catch
him and starts beating him. Finally, they take out a gun and shoots
him. Youare sitting beside this sleeping individual, but you do not
see any of these things. However, he is experiencing all these things,
it's just youcannot see. The same way, that individual in the grave is
going through all the things that are promised by Allah, it's just we
cannot see.
There are important purposes in dreams for someone who reflects. Such
a person thinks about how "realistic" the dreams are that he sees
while asleep, which in that way are no different in their realismfrom
the moment he awakes. For instance, despite one person's body lying on
the bed, indream he went on business trips, met new people, and had
lunch while listening to music. He enjoyed the taste of his meal,
danced to the music, became excited because of the incidents that
happened, became happy and unhappy, was afraid and felt tired.He could
even have driven a vehicle that he had not previously driven until
that day anddid not even know how to drive.
So, you can experience, see, touch, hear and taste things that are not
only real but also things that are unreal.
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The Third Caliph, Uthman(644-656 A.C.)
"Every Prophet has an assistant, and my assistant will be Uthman."(Hadeeth)
Uthman's Election
When 'Umar fell under the assassin's dagger, before he died the people
asked him to nominate his successor. 'Umar appointed a committee
consisting of six of the ten companions of the Prophet (peace be on
him) about whom the Prophet had said, "They are the people of Heaven"
- Ali, Uthman, Abdul Rahman, Sa'ad, Al-Zubayr and Talha - to select
the next Caliph from among themselves. He also outlined the procedure
to be followed if any differences of opinion should arise. Abdul
Rahman withdrew his name. He was then authorized by the committee to
nominate the Caliph. After two days of discussion among the candidates
and after the opinions of the Muslims in Medina had been ascertained,
the choice was finally limited to Uthman and Ali. Abdul Rahman came to
the mosque together with other Muslims, and after a brief speech and
questioning of the two men, swore allegiance to Uthman. All those
present didthe same, and Uthman became the third Caliph of Islam in
the month of Muharram, 24 A.H.
Uthman's Life
Uthman bin Affan was born seven years after the Holy Prophet (peace be
on him). He belonged to the Omayyad branch of the Quraish tribe. He
learned to read and write at an early age, and as a young man became a
successful merchant. Even before Islam Uthman had been noted for his
truthfulness and integrity. He and Abu Bakr were close friends, and it
was Abu Bakr who brought him to Islam when he was thirty-four years of
age. Some years later hemarried the Prophet's second daughter,
Ruqayya. In spite of his wealth and position, his relatives subjected
him to torture because he had embraced Islam, and he was forced to
emigrate to Abyssinia. Some time later he returned to Mecca but soon
migrated to Medina with the other Muslims. In Medina his business
again began to flourish and he regained his former prosperity.
Uthman's generosity had no limits. On various occasions he spent a
great portion of his wealth for the welfare of the Muslims, for
charity and for equipping the Muslim armies. That is why he came to be
known as 'Ghani' meaning 'Generous.'
Uthman's wife, Ruqayya was seriously ill just before the Battleof Badr
and he was excused by the Prophet (peace be on him) from participating
in the battle. The illness Ruqayya proved fatal, leaving Uthman deeply
grieved. The Prophet was moved and offered Uthman the hand of another
of his daughters, Kulthum. Because he had the high privilege of having
two daughters of the Prophet as wives Uthman was known as 'The
Possessor of the Two Lights. '
Uthman participated in the Battles of Uhud and the Trench. After the
encounter of the Trench, the Prophet (peace be on him) determined to
perform Hajj and sent Uthman as his emissary to the Quraish in Mecca,
who detained him. The episode ended in a treaty with the Meccans known
as the Treaty of Hudaibiya.
The portrait we have of Uthman is of an unassuming, honest, mild,
generous and very kindly man, noted especially for his modesty and his
piety. He often spent part of the night in prayer,fasted every second
or third day,performed hajj every year, and looked after the needy of
the whole community. In spite of hiswealth, he lived very simply and
slept on bare sand in the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque. Uthman
knew the Qur'an from memory and had anintimate knowledge of the
context and circumstances relating to each verse.
Uthman's Caliphate
During Uthman's rule the characteristics of Abu Bakr's andUmar's
caliphates - impartial justice for all, mild and humane policies,
striving in the path of God, and the expansion of Islam - continued.
Uthman's realm extended in the west to Morocco, in the east to
Afghanistan, and in the north to Armenia and Azerbaijan. During his
caliphate a navy was organized, administrative divisions of the state
were revised, and many public projects were expanded and completed.
Uthman sent prominent Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) as
hispersonal deputies to various provinces to scrutinize the conduct of
officials and the condition of the people.
Uthman's most notable contribution to the religion of God was the
compilation of a complete and authoritative text of the Qur'an. A
large number of copies of this text were made and distributed all over
the Muslim world.
Uthman ruled for twelve years. The first six years were marked by
internal peace and tranquility,but during the second half of
hiscaliphate a rebellion arose. The Jews and the Magians, taking
advantage of dissatisfaction among the people, began conspiring
against Uthman, and by publicly airing their complaints and
grievances, gained so much sympathy that itbecame difficult to
distinguish friend from foe.
It may seem surprising that a ruler of such vast territories, whose
armies were matchless, was unable to deal with these rebels. If Uthman
had wished, the rebellion could have been crushed at the very moment
it began. But he was reluctant to be the first to shed the blood of
Muslims, however rebellious they might be. He preferred to reason with
them, to persuade them with kindness and generosity. He well
rememberedhearing the Prophet (peace be on him) say, "Once the sword
is unsheathed among my followers, it will not be sheathed until the
Last Day."
The rebels demanded that he abdicate and some of the Companions
advised him to do so. He would gladly have followed this course of
action, but again he was bound by a solemn pledge he had given to the
Prophet. "Perhaps God will clothe you with a shirt, Uthman"the Prophet
had told him once,"and if the people want you to take it off, do not
take it off for them." Uthman said to a well-wisher on a day when his
house was surrounded by the rebels, "God's Messenger made acovenant
with me and I shall show endurance in adhering to it."
After a long siege, the rebels broke into Uthman's house and murdered
him. When the first assassin's sword struck Uthman,he was reciting the
verse,
"Verily, God sufficeth thee; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing"[2:137]
Uthman breathed his last on the afternoon of Friday, 17 Dhul Hijja,35
A.H. (June. (656 A.C.). He was eighty-four years old. The powerof tHe
rebels was so great that Uthman's body lay unburied until Saturday
night when he was buried in his blood-stained clothes, the shroud
which befits all martyrs in the cause of God.
--
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- - - -
Uthman's Election
When 'Umar fell under the assassin's dagger, before he died the people
asked him to nominate his successor. 'Umar appointed a committee
consisting of six of the ten companions of the Prophet (peace be on
him) about whom the Prophet had said, "They are the people of Heaven"
- Ali, Uthman, Abdul Rahman, Sa'ad, Al-Zubayr and Talha - to select
the next Caliph from among themselves. He also outlined the procedure
to be followed if any differences of opinion should arise. Abdul
Rahman withdrew his name. He was then authorized by the committee to
nominate the Caliph. After two days of discussion among the candidates
and after the opinions of the Muslims in Medina had been ascertained,
the choice was finally limited to Uthman and Ali. Abdul Rahman came to
the mosque together with other Muslims, and after a brief speech and
questioning of the two men, swore allegiance to Uthman. All those
present didthe same, and Uthman became the third Caliph of Islam in
the month of Muharram, 24 A.H.
Uthman's Life
Uthman bin Affan was born seven years after the Holy Prophet (peace be
on him). He belonged to the Omayyad branch of the Quraish tribe. He
learned to read and write at an early age, and as a young man became a
successful merchant. Even before Islam Uthman had been noted for his
truthfulness and integrity. He and Abu Bakr were close friends, and it
was Abu Bakr who brought him to Islam when he was thirty-four years of
age. Some years later hemarried the Prophet's second daughter,
Ruqayya. In spite of his wealth and position, his relatives subjected
him to torture because he had embraced Islam, and he was forced to
emigrate to Abyssinia. Some time later he returned to Mecca but soon
migrated to Medina with the other Muslims. In Medina his business
again began to flourish and he regained his former prosperity.
Uthman's generosity had no limits. On various occasions he spent a
great portion of his wealth for the welfare of the Muslims, for
charity and for equipping the Muslim armies. That is why he came to be
known as 'Ghani' meaning 'Generous.'
Uthman's wife, Ruqayya was seriously ill just before the Battleof Badr
and he was excused by the Prophet (peace be on him) from participating
in the battle. The illness Ruqayya proved fatal, leaving Uthman deeply
grieved. The Prophet was moved and offered Uthman the hand of another
of his daughters, Kulthum. Because he had the high privilege of having
two daughters of the Prophet as wives Uthman was known as 'The
Possessor of the Two Lights. '
Uthman participated in the Battles of Uhud and the Trench. After the
encounter of the Trench, the Prophet (peace be on him) determined to
perform Hajj and sent Uthman as his emissary to the Quraish in Mecca,
who detained him. The episode ended in a treaty with the Meccans known
as the Treaty of Hudaibiya.
The portrait we have of Uthman is of an unassuming, honest, mild,
generous and very kindly man, noted especially for his modesty and his
piety. He often spent part of the night in prayer,fasted every second
or third day,performed hajj every year, and looked after the needy of
the whole community. In spite of hiswealth, he lived very simply and
slept on bare sand in the courtyard of the Prophet's mosque. Uthman
knew the Qur'an from memory and had anintimate knowledge of the
context and circumstances relating to each verse.
Uthman's Caliphate
During Uthman's rule the characteristics of Abu Bakr's andUmar's
caliphates - impartial justice for all, mild and humane policies,
striving in the path of God, and the expansion of Islam - continued.
Uthman's realm extended in the west to Morocco, in the east to
Afghanistan, and in the north to Armenia and Azerbaijan. During his
caliphate a navy was organized, administrative divisions of the state
were revised, and many public projects were expanded and completed.
Uthman sent prominent Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him) as
hispersonal deputies to various provinces to scrutinize the conduct of
officials and the condition of the people.
Uthman's most notable contribution to the religion of God was the
compilation of a complete and authoritative text of the Qur'an. A
large number of copies of this text were made and distributed all over
the Muslim world.
Uthman ruled for twelve years. The first six years were marked by
internal peace and tranquility,but during the second half of
hiscaliphate a rebellion arose. The Jews and the Magians, taking
advantage of dissatisfaction among the people, began conspiring
against Uthman, and by publicly airing their complaints and
grievances, gained so much sympathy that itbecame difficult to
distinguish friend from foe.
It may seem surprising that a ruler of such vast territories, whose
armies were matchless, was unable to deal with these rebels. If Uthman
had wished, the rebellion could have been crushed at the very moment
it began. But he was reluctant to be the first to shed the blood of
Muslims, however rebellious they might be. He preferred to reason with
them, to persuade them with kindness and generosity. He well
rememberedhearing the Prophet (peace be on him) say, "Once the sword
is unsheathed among my followers, it will not be sheathed until the
Last Day."
The rebels demanded that he abdicate and some of the Companions
advised him to do so. He would gladly have followed this course of
action, but again he was bound by a solemn pledge he had given to the
Prophet. "Perhaps God will clothe you with a shirt, Uthman"the Prophet
had told him once,"and if the people want you to take it off, do not
take it off for them." Uthman said to a well-wisher on a day when his
house was surrounded by the rebels, "God's Messenger made acovenant
with me and I shall show endurance in adhering to it."
After a long siege, the rebels broke into Uthman's house and murdered
him. When the first assassin's sword struck Uthman,he was reciting the
verse,
"Verily, God sufficeth thee; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing"[2:137]
Uthman breathed his last on the afternoon of Friday, 17 Dhul Hijja,35
A.H. (June. (656 A.C.). He was eighty-four years old. The powerof tHe
rebels was so great that Uthman's body lay unburied until Saturday
night when he was buried in his blood-stained clothes, the shroud
which befits all martyrs in the cause of God.
--
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Imam an-Nasa’i
Ahmad ibn Shu'aib an-Nasa'i (r.a) – [215 - 303 A.H.]
Imam an-Nasa'i was bornin the town of Nasa' in the Persian province of
Khorasan. After gaining hadith from the teachers his own city, Imam
an-Nasa'i travelled through Khorasan, Iraq, the Hijaz Syria and Egypt
gaining ahadith. Egypt was where Imam an-Nasa'i settled and
established his center for teaching and studies here.
Imam an-Nasa'i was said to have exhausted many of his days and nights
in prayers, repeatedly performed Hajj and also joined the Muslim army
toparticipate in battle. He was very particular of theSunnah of the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), had a hatred for deviation and avoided
the circles of kings and nobles.
Imam Nasa'i's status
Ibn Khallikan writes 'He was the Imam of hadith of his age.'
Daraqutni says 'He was more distinguished than all the muhaddithun of his time.'
He is well known for Sunan an-Nasa'i which is a collection of 5751
sound ahadith. In it he also describes the flaws of a hadith, exposes
any disagreements on the title, names and kunyat of narrators and
clarifies the variations between different versions of a hadith.
His teachers are many, the first being MuhaddithQutaibah ibn Sa'id al
Balkhi. Some others are Ishaq ibn Rahawaih, Muhammad ibn Nasr,
Muhammad ibn Bishr andthe famous Abu Dawud .
His students came from all over the Muslim world,and some of the more
famous of them are Ali ibn Jafar at-Tahawi, Abul Qasim at-Tabrani,
Muhammad ibn Mu'awiyah al Andalusi, Abu Jafar at-Tahani and also his
own son.
Imam an-Nasa'i travelled to Damascus, Syria in 302 A.H. where he
noticed people displaying some hostility towards Hazrat Ali (R.A). He
therefore wrote a book to honor the character of Hazrat Ali (R.A) and
started lecturing from it in a Masjid . He had only read a few lines
when he was accused of being a Shi'i and was beaten badly by a crowd,
such he received severe injuries to his body. In this state he
requested some admirers to take him to Makkah , and it was after
reaching Makkah Imam an-Nasa'i passed away.
Source: Scholars of Hadith by Syed Bashir Ali
May Allah Ta'ala fill Imam an-Nasa'i's Qabar with Noor, Ameen.
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Imam an-Nasa'i was bornin the town of Nasa' in the Persian province of
Khorasan. After gaining hadith from the teachers his own city, Imam
an-Nasa'i travelled through Khorasan, Iraq, the Hijaz Syria and Egypt
gaining ahadith. Egypt was where Imam an-Nasa'i settled and
established his center for teaching and studies here.
Imam an-Nasa'i was said to have exhausted many of his days and nights
in prayers, repeatedly performed Hajj and also joined the Muslim army
toparticipate in battle. He was very particular of theSunnah of the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), had a hatred for deviation and avoided
the circles of kings and nobles.
Imam Nasa'i's status
Ibn Khallikan writes 'He was the Imam of hadith of his age.'
Daraqutni says 'He was more distinguished than all the muhaddithun of his time.'
He is well known for Sunan an-Nasa'i which is a collection of 5751
sound ahadith. In it he also describes the flaws of a hadith, exposes
any disagreements on the title, names and kunyat of narrators and
clarifies the variations between different versions of a hadith.
His teachers are many, the first being MuhaddithQutaibah ibn Sa'id al
Balkhi. Some others are Ishaq ibn Rahawaih, Muhammad ibn Nasr,
Muhammad ibn Bishr andthe famous Abu Dawud .
His students came from all over the Muslim world,and some of the more
famous of them are Ali ibn Jafar at-Tahawi, Abul Qasim at-Tabrani,
Muhammad ibn Mu'awiyah al Andalusi, Abu Jafar at-Tahani and also his
own son.
Imam an-Nasa'i travelled to Damascus, Syria in 302 A.H. where he
noticed people displaying some hostility towards Hazrat Ali (R.A). He
therefore wrote a book to honor the character of Hazrat Ali (R.A) and
started lecturing from it in a Masjid . He had only read a few lines
when he was accused of being a Shi'i and was beaten badly by a crowd,
such he received severe injuries to his body. In this state he
requested some admirers to take him to Makkah , and it was after
reaching Makkah Imam an-Nasa'i passed away.
Source: Scholars of Hadith by Syed Bashir Ali
May Allah Ta'ala fill Imam an-Nasa'i's Qabar with Noor, Ameen.
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Allah's Promise
promise of Paradise, wherein they will remain forever. As there is no
doubt that this promise will be fulfilled, those whobelieve with
certainty will never doubt its truth. Moreover, if they have
surrendered their souls to Him as believers, they know that their sins
will be forgiven and that they will be accepted into Paradise. The
following verse makes this clear:
Gardens of Eden which theAll-Merciful has promised to His servants in
the Unseen. His promise is always kept. (Surah Maryam, 61)
The fact that Allah has promised Paradise to believers brings them an
indescribable joy and enthusiasm. They know that Allah wills Paradise
for His faithful servants, and that He has made them its heirs. Here
is another verse that mentions this promise:
Is someone to whom We have promised good and who then obtains it like
someone to whom We have given enjoyment in the life of the world and
then, on the Day of Rising, is one of those brought to punishment?
(Surat al-Qasas, 61)
If Allah has promised Paradise to any individuals, they will attain
eternal blessings with Allah's permission. And when believers enter
Paradise, they will certainly express their thanks to Allah in this
way:
They will say: "Praise be toAllah Who has fulfilled His promise to us
and made us the inheritors of this land, letting us settle in Paradise
wherever we want. How excellent is thewage of those who work."(Surat
az-Zumar, 74)
Believers who have been given the good news several times during their
earthly lives, and to whomAllah has promised Paradise, will receive at
the end of their lives that for which they hoped. Finally, that
long-awaited moment will come. The place that they have contemplated
throughout their lives, prayed to attain, and striven to be worthy of
is Paradise -"the best place to be," and"the most beauteous of
allgoals." This perfect place was prepared for believers, and its
doors areopened to them.
The following verse gives a unique view about their entrance into Paradise:
Gardens of Eden that they will enter, and all of their parents, wives,
and children who have acted honorably. Angels will enter in to welcome
them from every gate: "Peace be upon you because of your
steadfastness! How wonderful is the Ultimate Abode!" (Surat ar-Ra'd,
23-24)
They will be welcomed into Paradise "with greetings and [words of]
peace" (Surat al-Furqan, 75), and enter there "in peace, in complete
security!" (Surat al-Hijr, 46). There is only one thing left to do: to
discover the beauties of this eternal land prepared for believers and
endowedwith every kind of blessing.
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Beautiful Muslim Women in History
of us may think of a woman in hijab (headscarf)or modest attire.
Hijab is indeed beautiful, but by thinking Islamic beauty is only
because of hijab, we are perpetuating the idea that beauty exclusively
applies to an image.
While our religion teaches us to take care of our bodies and to
maintain a pleasant physical appearance, it alsoemphasizes the need
for every individual to developan inward beauty: a beautythat comes
with knowing Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) and obeyingHim,
and that transcends the mere image of a person. This inward beauty
can actually become so radiant that it manifests in a person's
external appearance. It is for this reason that some of the righteous
people of the past would comment on the physical beauty of those who
prayed during the night or performed other righteous deeds.
OurProphet ﷺ (peace be upon him) mentioned again and again the beauty
of he or she who embodiesgood character. He ﷺ also emphasized to
those seeking marriage to look for the one who is beautiful as a
result of theircharacter andreligion. In this way, Islam defines
beauty as something more profound than just the physical.
Our history is filled with beautiful women, women who were devout in
their service to God and who lived lives of purpose and meaning.
Their beauty is so much more than physical appearance; we see in them
the beauty of character, morals, deeds, speech and lifestyle.
While there are multitudes of incredible women to select from in our
tradition,I have specifically chosen not as well known women who will
shatter our narrow perceptions of beauty and break the stereotypes of
how a "righteous Muslim woman"should or should not be. Here is a brief
glimpse into their lives.
A West African Beauty: Princess Nana Asma'u
We begin with the story of Nana Asma'u, the daughterof Uthman don
Fodio, who was not only a renowned scholar of her time, but a poet, a
political and social activist, and a creative intellectual. She is
considered to be one of thegreatest women of 19th century Islamic
communities. She was bornin 1793 in modern-day Nigeria. A princess
with an impressive lineage,she was named after a hero in Islamic
heritage—Asma, the daughter of Abu Bakr, who was a strong woman in her
support of Islam. Shewas raised in a supportive Islamic household,
having not only memorized the Qur'an, but extensively learned the
Islamic sciencesand four languages as well.
Asma'u believed in women having a role in society andshe led the women
of her time by example throughout her life. One of her greatest
achievements was compiling the extensive collection of writings of her
father after he passed away when she was 27. The degree of respect the
scholarly community had for Asma'u is seen here because they chose her
to complete sucha monumental task. Not onlydid this job require
someone trustworthy, but also someone who was familiar with his
writings and was well-versed in the Islamic sciences.
When she was a mother of two and pregnant with herthird child, Asma'u
completed the translation of the Qur'an in her native tongue and also
translated her father's work into the various dialects of the
community. This shows herconcern for her communityand her desire to
bring the knowledge of theQur'an and Islam to her people.
Asma'u saw a dire need for the teachings of Islam to reach the women
in her community and beyond the Sokoto region. She sawthat women were
absent from the circles of knowledge and stayed in their homes as they
tendedto their familial duties. Asma'u came up with a brilliant idea
to not only teach these women but to teach them in the comfort of
their homes. It was then that she gathered knowledgeable women in her
community and trainedthem as teachers. This group, known as jajis,
traveled to neighboring communities to bring Islamic knowledge to
secluded women. This movement was called the Yan-taru movement,
whichmeans "those who congregate together" and"sisterhood". Asma'u
taught the jajis to use lesson plans, poetry, and creative mnemonic
devices in their teachings.
Nana Asma'u, by the grace and guidance of Allah (swt), revolutionized
the way her community learned Islam. She brought the knowledge of the
religion to the people in aneasy to remember fashion and wrote in
their language. Her legacy is a legacy of scholarship and activism,
and her name is still used today in West Africa.
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Our attitude towards rumours and news on the Internet
is the Muslim's attitude towards the news that weread here and there,
and what is written in chat rooms, especially since some of it is good
news for the Muslims, but the source is unknown.
Praise be to Allaah.
We live nowadays at a time when many rumours that bring hope are
appearing in the guise of news. These appears on Internet web sites
and chat rooms, so that they may be spread to the people as glad
tidings and so that good-hearted people may accept them as
indisputable facts coming from trustworthy sources. Even if any of
them could be proven, there are still many rumours that can be classed
as no more than fabrications. The one who thinks about this will
understand that many of the global media, including the Arab media,
exaggerate in their coverage of some events and they analyze them in a
subjective manner that shows a complete bias and evident absence of
objectivity, trying to take revenge by adding to the news and
exaggerating, and telling weird news stories. So there is no such
thing as credibility in these media, especially when emotions and
wishes play a part. This is apart from the fact that media objectivity
has become a victim of this current war, and western circles have
rejected the lessons [of objectivity, etc.]that they used to teach
others. But this does not mean that we should dispute the facts or
deny what is taking place in reality, or that we should face this bias
with exaggeration and hopes.
Here we should pause andremind ourselves, and the good-hearted people
who hear this news and tell it to others with good intentions – and
those who fabricate these rumours and take upon themselves the job of
propagating them – of a few facts.
1 – We must be certain about the news we accept,and we should not
accept it simply because it happens to coincide with our hopes and
wishes. We have our own methodology of verifying matters, and we
should beconsistent with regard to what we like and dislike. Itis not
right for us to doubtnews accompanied by pictures from the
battlefield, or to shed doubts on it, when the bottom line is one's
senses. At a time when you see news going around through mobiles from
some internet web sites, there are some people who may accept such
news but it should benoted that there are people who will never
believe it. So they should beware of exposing themselves to being
calledliars. An old proverb says, "Whoever pursues weird news will be
disbelieved."....
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Should the Muslim pay attention to people’s tastes and customs and let his garment hang below his ankles? Is there any isbaal involvedin wearing pants?
Firstly:
It should be noted that the rulings of sharee'ah have not come to
humiliate the Muslim or make him a laughing stock among people; rather
they have brought that which is good for all people in their religious
and worldly affairs. If you think about the state of the world you
will find this to be true. Actions that go against Islam havebecome
widespread everywhere on earth. Look– for example –at the effect that
mixing between women and menhas on nations; look at theeffects of
permitting alcohol; look at the effects of wanton display and
unveiling; look at the effects of false freedoms on those nations.
They arethe nations that are most affected by anxiety and depression,
they have the highest suicide rates, they are the nations where
wife-beating and murder of wives is most common, and there are many
other examples. What we say is based on their own statistics. But this
is not the place to discuss that indetail. Rather it is just a hint of
what we want to convey to you and other readers to whom the shaytaan
may insinuate that it is not good to implement some of the established
principles of Islam. We do not think – in sha Allaah – that you are
one of them, but this does not mean that we should not draw
attentionto the matter.
Secondly:
It should be noted that the Muslim should not payattention to people
and their customs when it has to do with a duty that Allaah has
enjoined on him or a prohibition that Allaah has forbidden him to do.
Yes, the Muslim may pay attention to people and their customs with
regard to things that are mustahabb, permissible ormakrooh, but when
it comes to things that are obligatory or forbidden, it is not
permissible for him at all to ignore them for the sake of people.
Some people mistakenly quote as evidence the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah
whichsays that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
refrained from demolishing the Ka'bah and rebuilding it on the
foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and they take that as
evidence that one may refrain from doing obligatory duties, but this
is obviously mistaken. If that had been obligatory for him (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), he would not have refrained from it
for the sake of softening people's hearts. Rather it was permissible.
There follows the hadeeth in full,and the scholars' comments on it.
It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to her:
"O 'Aa'ishah, were it not that your people have only recently left
Jaahiliyyah behind, I would have ordered that the House be demolished
and I would have incorporated into it what was left out of it, and I
would have placed (the door) at ground level and given it two doors, a
door on the east and a door on the west, and thus I would have rebuilt
it on the foundations of Ibraaheem."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1509) and Muslim (1333).
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If a person sneezes several times in a row, when is it prescribed to say “Yarhamuk Allah” to him?
My brother sneezes 5 times in a row! do i haveto say yarhamukullah
after every sneeze, or can i just wait and say it once at the end?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Saying "Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you)" to a person who
sneezes, if he says "Al hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)," is a
communal obligation, in the sense that if one person says it, the
obligation is waived for the others. If no one among those who hear
him says it, then all have sinned, because of the report narrated by
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger
of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "There are
five things that the Muslim must do for his brother: returning the
greeting of salaam, saying 'Yarhamuk Allah' to one who sneezes…"
Narrated by Muslim (4022)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:Our
companions and others differed concerning visiting one who is sick,
saying "Yarhamuk Allah" to one who sneezes and initiating the greeting
ofsalaam. What the texts indicate is that these things are waajib
(obligatory), and it is said that it is a communal obligation.
End quote from al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 1/443
Secondly:
If a person sneezes morethan three times, you should not say "Yarhamuk
Allah" to him;rather you should pray for well-being for him, because
of what is narrated in al-Muwatta' (1521) from 'Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr
from his father, that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "If he sneezes, say 'Yarhamuk Allah' to him;
then if he sneezes, say 'Yarhamuk Allah' to him; then if he sneezes,
say 'Yarhamuk Allah' to him; then if he sneezes, say: 'You have a
cold." 'Abdullah said: I do not know whether that is after the third
or fourth time.
And it was narrated that Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) said: "The one who sneezes may be told Yarhamuk-Allaah
three times; if he sneezes more than that, he has a cold." Narrated by
Ibn Maajah (3704); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Ibn
Maajah.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:If a person sneezes
several times in a row, the Sunnah is to say "Yarhamuk Allah" each
time until he reaches three. We narrated in Saheeh Muslim, Sunan Abi
Dawood and at-Tirmidhi from Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased
with him) that he heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) say, when a man sneezed in his presence, "Yarhamuk Allah."
Then he sneezed again, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: "The man has a cold." This wording is the
report narrated by Muslim.
As for the report narrated by Abu Dawoodand at-Tirmidhi, they said: A
man sneezed in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) whilst I [the narrator] was watching, and
the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "Yarhamuk Allah." Then the man sneezed a second or third time
andthe Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "Yarhamuk Allah, this is aman who has a cold."
At-Tirmidhi said: A saheeh hasan hadeeth. End quote from Kitaab
al-Adhkaar, 1/273
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it
obligatory to say "Yarhamuk Allah" to one who sneezes once, and ifhe
sneezes three times to repeat that three times or more?
He replied: If he sneezes three times and you say "Yarhamuk Allah"
each time, then after the thirdsneeze you should say tohim: " 'Aafaaka
Allah (may Allah grant you well-being); because that is a cold, so
say: MayAllah grant you well-being; you have a cold. All you have to
say is: May Allah grant you well-being, and you mayadd: You have a
cold.
End quote from Liqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh, no. 127
And Allah knows best.
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after every sneeze, or can i just wait and say it once at the end?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Saying "Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you)" to a person who
sneezes, if he says "Al hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)," is a
communal obligation, in the sense that if one person says it, the
obligation is waived for the others. If no one among those who hear
him says it, then all have sinned, because of the report narrated by
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger
of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "There are
five things that the Muslim must do for his brother: returning the
greeting of salaam, saying 'Yarhamuk Allah' to one who sneezes…"
Narrated by Muslim (4022)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:Our
companions and others differed concerning visiting one who is sick,
saying "Yarhamuk Allah" to one who sneezes and initiating the greeting
ofsalaam. What the texts indicate is that these things are waajib
(obligatory), and it is said that it is a communal obligation.
End quote from al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 1/443
Secondly:
If a person sneezes morethan three times, you should not say "Yarhamuk
Allah" to him;rather you should pray for well-being for him, because
of what is narrated in al-Muwatta' (1521) from 'Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr
from his father, that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "If he sneezes, say 'Yarhamuk Allah' to him;
then if he sneezes, say 'Yarhamuk Allah' to him; then if he sneezes,
say 'Yarhamuk Allah' to him; then if he sneezes, say: 'You have a
cold." 'Abdullah said: I do not know whether that is after the third
or fourth time.
And it was narrated that Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) said: "The one who sneezes may be told Yarhamuk-Allaah
three times; if he sneezes more than that, he has a cold." Narrated by
Ibn Maajah (3704); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Ibn
Maajah.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:If a person sneezes
several times in a row, the Sunnah is to say "Yarhamuk Allah" each
time until he reaches three. We narrated in Saheeh Muslim, Sunan Abi
Dawood and at-Tirmidhi from Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased
with him) that he heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) say, when a man sneezed in his presence, "Yarhamuk Allah."
Then he sneezed again, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: "The man has a cold." This wording is the
report narrated by Muslim.
As for the report narrated by Abu Dawoodand at-Tirmidhi, they said: A
man sneezed in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) whilst I [the narrator] was watching, and
the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "Yarhamuk Allah." Then the man sneezed a second or third time
andthe Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "Yarhamuk Allah, this is aman who has a cold."
At-Tirmidhi said: A saheeh hasan hadeeth. End quote from Kitaab
al-Adhkaar, 1/273
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it
obligatory to say "Yarhamuk Allah" to one who sneezes once, and ifhe
sneezes three times to repeat that three times or more?
He replied: If he sneezes three times and you say "Yarhamuk Allah"
each time, then after the thirdsneeze you should say tohim: " 'Aafaaka
Allah (may Allah grant you well-being); because that is a cold, so
say: MayAllah grant you well-being; you have a cold. All you have to
say is: May Allah grant you well-being, and you mayadd: You have a
cold.
End quote from Liqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh, no. 127
And Allah knows best.
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