The Sick and Ailing in Islam - Visiting the Sick

The Prophet (S) has said:
When you visit a sick person, comfort him, though this does not alter
his destiny, but it will calm him his worries and refresh his spirit.
Such ethereal support, according to al-Akili (1993) helps the human
spirit, builds up will of the patient, and empowers his
psycho-physiological process to defeat the illness. The religion Islam
has strongly recommended its followers to constantlyvisit the sick,
and the rewards attached to suchan act are limitless. The reason for
this behavior is not only related to the fact that the sick person
gets company and confidence, but the stronger relationship is to one's
energy system, and the interaction with the fields of energy of the
sick person and its rate of vibration.
An emotional mental trauma can create interruptions in the flow of
energy within an ailing person and may surface as physical pain,
illness, or disease. When someone is ill, he suffers a big hole in his
energy and chances are that the force fields have slowed down and are
not spinning quite so fast (Lindgren et. al., 1997 & Weston, 2000).
This hole can be filled up with higher sources of energy,i.e. the
healthier people who come to visit the sick person, and various other
elements, or meditation and prayer. For instance, we have seen that
the Prophet (S) always advised the sick to stand up and pray to the
Almighty.
Grad (1965) of McGill University in Montreal observed in his
experiments that if depressed psychiatric patients held the flasks
ofwater (which was later poured on barley seeds), the growth of the
seeds was retarded. The opposite was the case if spiritually and
emotionally balanced healers held the flasks of water. Weston (1998)
writes that a depressed person or any person with an evil thought or
lustful intention releases detrimental info-energy that is powerful
enough to cause a disturbance in someone else's energy system. These
experiments have concluded that the energy surrounding a sick person
is blocked, the force fields being unstable with low vibrations. The
information within the energy is also agonizing.
Because the sick person's energy will have low-charged, weak, and
unstable fields of energy,he may naturally draw and attract stronger
and much free flowing energy from the higher energy source, the
healthier friend or relative. There is also a possibility that a sick
person's energy flow is inthe opposite and wrong direction. This
visitor's energy will go on to balance and reduce blockages that exist
in the energy centers of the sick person.
If more healthy people and friends visit the sick person, the weak
energy can completely be transformed and the sick person may feel
vibrant and active and the energy will begin spinning clockwise
indicating the start of healing. This is why we have Muslims visiting
the sick always in a group, and in his presence, there is recitation
of Qur'an, or invocations. These types of practices are deeply rooted
and contain powerful ingredients to heal a sick person at the energy
level.
It is recorded in history that when the American Indians needed to
replenish their energy, they would go into the woods; arms extended,
and absorb as much energy from the trees as possible . Apparently,
Deepak Chopra (1998) in Healing the Heart recommends daily walking
around the woods in the morning, and that the trees at that particular
time have fresh and unadulterated energy to release and allow free
flowing energy communication with the person. Weston (1998) also
recommends putting one's arms around a tree to draw energy.
Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird (1989), in their book The Secret
Life of Plants, quote an experiment in which a few unhealthy plants
were kept in the middle, surrounded by a large group of healthy
plants. Because the healthy plants emitted stable, strong and highly
charged energy that almost instantly interacted with the sick plant's
weak energy, the sick plants got stronger and healthier day by
day.This change can be strongly attributed to theenergy interactions,
the higher vibratory source feeding the lower source - the blocked and
low-charge energy replaced with pure and steady source of energy.
Results of a study, which were published in the year 2000 in the
journalHorttechology, says that people in roomswith houseplants and a
view of trees could tolerate more physical pain than those in
surroundings without any plants or trees. The Washington State
University conducted this study. Clearly, there was arelationship
between theenergy in plants and trees and the energy within an ailing
person.
Tompkins and Bird (1989)quote yet another experiment by Marcel Vogel,
in which the experimenter paid some attention to a particular leaf,
and none to other leaf, the control. He found out that the leaf
towhich there was no attention paid appeared flaccid, turning brown
and beginning to decay. The leaf on which there was focused attention
was radiantly vital and green, just as if it had been freshly plucked
from the garden.
There was indeed some kind of power that was keeping the leaf in a
healthy state, and that power was the energy interaction between the
person and the plant. Simply the person attending to it observed
significant growth in a leaf. Vogel continued his experiments in
different situations and found similar results. In some experiments,
the leaves that were attended to by human attention appeared to even
heal their wounds caused by being ripped off from thetree.
Islam has also been kind enough to advise the healthy people and
relatives to refrain from staying for a long time with a sick person.
Not only would this act make the sick person lethargic, there could be
a reversal effect, in that the sick person's energy may absorb too
much free flowing and balanced energy from the healthy person thus
lowering his healthy and vibratory nature. This may further cause
short-term illness or lethargy because of the excessive amounts of
highly charged energy being drained from the healthy person.
Praying for the Sick
We have already noted the benefits of prayer, even if the ailing
person is in another continent. Itis customary for Muslims to ask
their brethren to remember them in their prayers, and Muslims pray in
congregation for each other all the time. Inparticular, when someone
is sick, then Muslims gather together and pray for that sick andailing
person. According to Weston (1998), a group of people, saying prayers
has the followingeffect on the group, its surroundings, and the
persons the prayer may be offered to:
When you pray with other family members, you form a sacred group
energy field. The energy released bathes everyonein that room. It
flows intothe carpet, the walls, and furniture, leaving a residue of
it present at alltimes. This sacred group energy field is filled with
information, the information from the intent and content of your vocal
prayers together.
Group power, according to Weston (1998) can achieve same healing
results as that of one world-class healer. Scientists accept this
typeof prayer, with intention (as the person's name is being
mentioned), as proven acts that provide healing to the recipient.
Several specific studies have already been quoted in the earlier
sections, but one large meta-study is quoted below.
Recently, studies were identified by an electronic search of the
MEDLINE, PsychLIT, EMBASE, CISCOM, and Cochrane Library Databases from
their inception to the end of 1999 and by contact withresearchers in
the field. Studies with the following features were included; random
assignment, placebo or other adequate control, publication in
peer-reviewed journals, clinical (rather than experimental)
investigations, and use ofhuman participants. Two investigators
independently extracted data on study design, sample size, type of
intervention, type of control, direction of effect (supporting or
refuting the hypothesis), and nature of the outcomes.
A total of 23 trials involving 2774 patients met the inclusion
criteria and were analyzed. Heterogeneity of the studies precluded a
formal meta-analysis. Of the trials, five examined prayer as the
distant healing intervention, 11 assessed non- contact therapeutic
touch, and seven examined other forms of distant healing. Of the 23
studies, 13 (57%) yielded statisticallysignificant treatment effects,
nine showed no effect over control interventions, and one showed a
negative effect.
The study concluded that the methodological limitations of several
studies make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions about the
efficacy of distant healing. However, given that approximately 57% of
trials showed a positive treatment effect,the evidence thus far merits
further study. This study appeared in the Annals of Internal Medicine
2000.

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: - ^ -: |- The Islamic Ruling on Brain Death and Life Support -| : - ^ -:

as-Salamu alaykum:
This is a very brief summary regarding the Islamic Regulations
regarding Brain Death and Life Support. I put it together in a rush,
so my apologies for any misspellings and awkwardness.
The source Dr. Bakr Abu Zaid's (1) Fiqh an-Nawazil(2) (Vol. 1, pp.
215-236, Article No. 4, printed by Maktabah ar-Rushd, Riyad, 1407).
I hope you will find it useful to your question.
May Allah show us mercy and forgiveness at the time of our dying. Ameen.
******************
Dr. Bakr Abu Zaid describes his article as aninvestigation into "the
status of the ill while under life support and the indications of
death between [the viewpoint of] medicine and fiqh." (p. 215)
He proceeds then to divide his article into fivesections:
1. A discussion of life support (pp. 217-218)
2. The medical definition of death and its indications (pp. 219-221)
3. The fiqh definition of death and its indications (pp. 222-225)
4. The various states of the ill under life support (pp. 229-230)
5. The fiqh resolution of this issue (pp. 231-236)
In the first section on "a discussion of life support," Dr. Bakr Abu
Zaid provides a list of Arabic medical terms used for life support and
proceeds to summarize what is meant by "life support."
In the second section on"the medical definition of death and its
indications," Dr. Bakr AbuZaid discusses four issues:
(1) the history background of the concept of brain death;
(2) the basic anatomy of the brain;
(3) the concept of brain death; and
(4) the indications of brain death. In his discussion he brings out
two important points which have bearing on the fiqh ruling: (a) the
difference of opinion in the medical field regarding if
death occurs with the death of the brain stem; (b) the
inconclusiveness of the indications used by doctors to determine brain
death.
In the third section on"the fiqh definition of death and its
indications," Dr. Bakr AbuZaid shows that the scholars are in
agreement that death is defined as the separationof the soul from the
body. Moreover, this definition was extracted by them from the
lengthyhadith reported by al-Bara' ibn Azib and collected by Ahmad and
others regarding the nature of the death of the believer and the
unbeliever, the questioning in the grave,and the subsequent pleasure
or torment faced by the deceased in his grave. He also quotes
al-Ghazzali (Ihya' 'Ulum ad-Din, Vol. 4, p. 493) who further clarifies
that death occurs only with the total separation of the soul from the
body. (This will have bearing on the fiqh ruling). He summarizes with
the following
two points:
(1) the reality of death according to the sharia isthe separation of
the soulfrom the body;
(2) the reality of the separation of the soul from the body is such
that the soul remains in no part of the body, and hence no part of the
body contains any life.
With regards to the indications of death according to fiqh, he begins
with the hadith which states that when the soul leaves the body the
eyes follow. (Muslim).He also lists eight indications of death which
he gathered from a number of classical fiqhworks. He then quotes
an-Nawawi (Rawdatat-Talibin, Vol. 2, p. 97) who adds this important
note regarding the indicationsof death, namely, that when there is any
doubt regarding death, it is to be
assumed that the person is still alive until death is proven conclusively.
In the fourth section on"the various states of the ill under life
support," Dr.Bakr lists three possibilities for a person in intensive
care under life support.
(1) The individual begins to breath on his own andhis heart returns
beating normally, and here life support is removed as the person is no
longer indanger.
(2) The heart no longer beats nor is there any breathing even under
lifesupport. Here life supportis remove is without doubt dead.
(3) The person is brain dead however his heart still beats and there
is breathing while he is under life support. Here doctors normally
conclude death (due to brain death) and remove the person from life
support.
In the fifth and final section regarding, "the fiqh resolution of this
issue," Dr. Bakr concludeswith the following.
(a) As for cases 1 and 2 (see above), this is not any issue for
investigation as both life (case 1) and death (case 2) are certain.
The only issue that needs to be investigated is case 3, namely there
is brain death but their is a heart beat and breathing under life
support.
(b) This third case raises three fiqh questions:
1. What is the ruling for removing someone from life support?
2. What is the ruling regarding organ removal(like a heart) for a
transplant into another person?
3. Do the sharia regulations regarding death (like inheritance) take effect?
He summarizes that the answer is pretexted uponthe question if brain
death is a conclusive signof death according to thesharia definition
of death(i.e., does brain death indicate that the soul has completely
left the body?)
He answers:
(1) Brain death as being a definition for death is an issue of
difference in the medical field.
(2) The indications to show brain death are notalways conclusive.
Thus the sharia principle is that "certainty is not removed by doubt,"
negates this being used as a conclusive sign for death.
Moreover, it has been seen in repeated cases where people have still
lived after the removal oflife support.
He also adds that among the five aims of the sharia is the
preservationof life and as a result the sharia rulings seek to
continue and rescue life and that the general principle is that life
is assumed until conclusive proven otherwise.
Thus brain death cannot be seen according to the sharia to be
equivalent tothe separation of the soulfrom the body.
However, he goes on to add the following important point that this
does not mean that braindeath is not an indicationof death; just like
the heart stopping is an indication of death, but not necessarily
death itself.
For this reason, the scholars, like an-Nawawi quoted previously, said
that the sharia refrains from ruling a judgment of death, if there is
any doubt, even though the indications of death might be present.
Based on this, he answersthe three fiqh questions (see above):
As for the removal of life support in this situation where their is an
indication of death (brain death), but an indication of life (heart
beating and breathing with the aid of life support); either the doctor
will feel that with the removal of life support, the patient
mostlikely die, most likely
live or both possibilities being equal.
If the doctor who has no ulterior motive feels that the with the
removal of life support the patient will most likely die; then it IS
PERMISSIBLE to remove life support as in this case the removal of life
support does not mean preventing treatment from an individual who
there is hope in his cure. Indeed, LIFE SUPPORT SHOULD be removed as
it only prolongs his pain as his soul is being removed.
Even with this, as the same time death is NOT tobe ruled by the mere
lifting of life support until it is certain that the soul has departed
the body. And hence the sharia regulations like inheritance do not
take effect. And similarly organ removal is not permissible (if we are
to say that it is permissible even with death being certain).
This division of sharia rulings, where some takeeffect and others held
back until certainty occurs has many examples in the sharia.
However, if the doctor has no ulterior motives,is of the opinion that
the person will still live with the removal of life support or there
is a 50/50 chance for life. It becomes impermissible to life life
support, until itis felt death in all likelihood will occur or death
does occur or the patient is no longer in need of life support.
-------------------
(1) Dr. Bakr Abu Zaid is the former Deputy Minister of Justice in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and at present a member of the Council of
Leading Scholars and President ofthe Muslim World League's Body of
Scholarswhich investigate contemporary fiqh issues.
(2) Fiqh an-Nawazil refersto Sharia Rulings (Fiqh) of New Issues
(an-Nawazil, pl. of an-Nazilah or something sent down)

: - ^ -: |- Alcohol According to Quran and Sunnah -| : - ^ -:

The Prohibition
Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi #580,Narrated AbudDarda'
...don't drink wine for it is the key to every evil.
Hadith - Abu Dawood, Narrated Umar ibn al-Khattab
When the prohibition of wine (was yet to be) declared, Umar said: O
Allah, give us a satisfactory explanation about wine. So the following
verse of Surat al-Baqarah revealed;"They ask thee concerning wine and
gambling. Say: In them is great sin...." Umar was then called and it
was recited to him. He said: O Allah, give us a satisfactory
explanation about wine. Then the following verse of Surat an-Nisa' was
revealed: "O ye who believe! approach not prayers with a mind
befogged...."Thereafter the herald of the Apostle of Allah would call
when the (congregational) prayer was performed: Beware, one who is
drunk should not come to prayer . Umar was again called and it was
recited to him.He said: O Allah, give us a satisfactory explanation
about wine. This verse was revealed: "Will ye not then abstain?" Umar
said: We abstained.
The Noble Qur'an - al-Baqarah 2:219
They ask you (O Muhammad ) concerning alcoholic drink and gambling.
Say:"In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men, but the sin
of them is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they
ought to spend. Say: "That which is beyond your needs." Thus Allâh
makes clear to you His Laws in order that you may give thought.
Selling and Buying
Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi#2776, Narrated Anas ibnMalik
Allah's Messenger cursed ten people in connection with wine: the
wine-presser, the onewho has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the
one who conveys it, the one to whom it is conveyed, the one who serves
it, the one who sells it, the one who benefits from the price paid for
it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought.
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.
Dying when Addicted
Hadith - Muslim #4963, Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar
Allah's Messenger said: Every intoxicant is Khamrand every intoxicant
is forbidden. He who drinkswine in this world and dies while he is
addicted to it, not having repented, will not be given a drink in the
Hereafter.
Beat for Drunkedness
Hadith - Bukhari 3:509, Narrated 'Uqba bin Al-Harith
When An-Nuaman or his son was brought in a state of drunkenness,
Allah's Apostle orderedall those who were present in the house to beat
him. I was one of those who beat him. We beat him with shoes and
palm-leaf stalks.
Hadith - Bukhari 8:764, Narrated Anas bin Malik
The Prophet beat a drunk with palm-leaf stalks and shoes. And AbuBakr
gave (such a sinner) forty lashes.
Hadith - Bukhari 8:768, Narrated Abu Salama
Abu Huraira said,"A man who drank wine was brought to the Prophet .
The Prophet said, ' Beat him!' " Abu Huraira added,"So some of us beat
him with our hands, and some with their shoes, and some with their
garments (by twisting it) like a lash, and then when we finished,
someone said to him, 'May Allah disgrace you!' On that the Prophet
said, ' Do not say so, for you are helping Satan to overpower him. ' "
Shaitan's Use of Intoxicants
The Noble Qur'an - Al-Ma'idah 5:91
Shaitân (Satan) wants only to excite enmity andhatred between you
withintoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you from
the remembrance of Allâh and from As-Salât (the prayer). So, will you
not then abstain?
Prayer Not Accepted
Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi#3643, narrated Abdullahibn Umar ; Abdullah ibn Amr
Allah's Messenger said," If anyone drinks wine Allah will not accept
prayer from him for fortydays, but if he repents Allah will forgive
him. If he repeats the offence Allah will not accept prayer from him
for fortydays, but if he repents Allah will forgive him. If he again
repeats the offence Allah will not accept prayer from him for forty
days, but if he repents Allah will forgive him. If he repeats it a
fourth time Allah will not accept prayer from him for forty days, and
if he repents Allah will not forgive him, but will give him to drink
of the river of the fluid flowing from the inhabitants of Hell. "
[Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Nasa'i, Ibn Majah andDarimi transmitted
it on the authority of Abdullah ibn Amr.]
Medicine
Hadith - Abu Dawood, narrated Tariq ibn Suwayd or Suwayd ibn Tariq
Wa'il said: Tariq ibn Suwayd or Suwayd ibn Tariq asked the Prophet
about wine, but he forbade it. He again asked him, but he forbade him.
He said to him: Prophet of Allah, it isa medicine. The Prophet said:
No it is a disease .
Hadith
Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet reportsthat he once said: " Allah
has not placed a cure for your diseases in things that He has
forbidden foryou. '' (Reported by Baihaqi; Ibn Hibban considers this
hadith to be sound.Bukhari has also related it on the authority of Ibn
Mas'ud.)
Hadith - Abu Dawood; Sahih Bukhari
Abu ad-Darda reported that the Prophet said:" Allah has sent down both
the malady and its remedy. For every disease He has created a cure. So
seek medical treatment, but never with something the use of which
Allah has prohibited.' '
Action Items for the uttaqun:
*. Do not ingest alcohol
*. If your husband (or other relative) comes home drunk (please note
that you have grounds for divorce in such an example) , ask for the
Muslim brothers to give him 40 lashes for it.
*. Don't be a passive tool of Shaitan by accepting alcoholism in your
family or the Muslim community.
Remember... Allah, subhana watala , sees everything we do!
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A miracle and a miracle worker

Each of us is a walking miracle.
"Among His Signs in this, that He created you from dust; and then,-
behold, you are human beings scattered (far and wide)!" – Quran,
30:20.
Our existence is a miracle.That we are here, on this tiny planet
revolving in space, thinking our thoughts, sailing the ocean, growing
crops, loving, worshiping, forgiving, living and dying, is a miracle.
Our aspirations, hopes and bravery are miracles and gifts.
Beyond that, each of us has the potential to be a miracle worker, not
in the sense of walking on water or splitting the sea,but in changing
the world, spreading peace, and being examples of love and faith in
action.
My fellow editors at IslamicAnswers.com – SisterZ, Leila, Sara, Amy,
Muhammad, Abdul Wali, Maria and the others – are miracle workers. They
save lives and help desperate people.
One editor took in two foster children and raisedthem with love. He
and his wife are miracle workers.
Anyone who speaks out for truth, who dedicates themselves to helping
others, who plants trees and protects endangeredspecies, who raises
good children in this turbulent world, any such person isa miracle
worker.
Think of it: to be a miracle and a miracle worker. What a thing.
What an amazing creature the child of Adam can become if he (and she)
turns away from hatred, bigotry and revenge, and turns to compassion
and fellowship instead.

When you’re weary and alone, let faith carry you

There are times when we're alone, discouraged, and just plain weary.
Times when it seems like there's no one left who matters.
That's when faith counts more than ever. That's when faith is tested.
Don't give up. Keep hope in your heart. Remember that in the darkest
cave, the deepest canyon, the most barren desert, Allah is still
there.
Let faith carry you at those times, and let Allah guide you, and you
will come through to a betterplace. It's a promise from Allah:
"And whoever is conscious of Allah, He willmake for him a way out
(from every difficulty). And He will provide for him from (sources) he
never could imagine. Andwhoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will
suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Indeed Allah
has sent a measure for all things." (Quran: 65/2-3)

Represent Your Faith, Come What May

Some people worry about appearing Muslim because they don't want to
attract negative attention from non-Muslims. They want to be liked and
accepted. So they hide their deen. At work or on a journey they worry
about doing salat in public and may actually miss prayers. They are
reluctant to wear hijab. They don't even like to greet their fellow
Muslims with salam in public.
I say that it's better to be hated for what you are, than loved for
what you are not.
When you appear before Allah, do you want to say,"I hid my religion
and thenon-Muslims accepted me."
Or do you want to say, "People harassed me anddespised me, because I
represented Islam."
Be proud of who you are – not the pride of arrogance but the pride of
self-respect. Be grateful for Allah's greatest favor to you, Islam.
Represent your faith, no matter how people respond. I think you'll
find that most people will respect you for it. In fact I have noticed
that practicing, representing Muslims are sometimes treated like sages
or priests. But if you are mocked for being Muslim, that's an honor
and a barakah for you on Yawm Al-Qiyamah.
Stand up straight and smile. Speak your truth without preaching.
Perform your salat wherever you are, without ostentation. Greet your
fellow Muslimswith enthusiasm, wish people a happy Eid (even
non-Muslims!), wear yourIslamic garments, have no fear, and be
yourself, a believer.

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Unable to Recite al-Faatihah Due to Imam’s Speedy Recitation; Should He Pray Behind Him?

There is a mosque 900 meters away from my house but I don't hear the
adhan at all. I sometimes go there and they follow Imam AbuHanifa (ra)
and they recite al-Fatihah too fast.Most of the time I am in the 4th
or 5th verse of al-Fatiha and they go to rukoo'. So is it still
obligatory for me to attend the prayer there since I don't hear the
adhan and I can't finish reciting al-Fatiha, and the tranquility is
also notthere because of the quick recitation of the imam.
Praise be to Allaah.
If the imam does not recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, and he
recites al-Faatihah very quickly, and the person praying behind him is
not able to recite it behind him, then it is not valid for him to pray
behind him and the congregation has to look for another imam who will
recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, or they should go to another
mosque inwhich the people pray ata moderate pace, because reciting and
moving at a moderate pace in prayer is one of its essential parts.
Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If it is known that
the imam does not recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, and that he
does not stand long enough to allow the people praying behind him to
complete al-Faatihah, then you should not pray with him at all,
because it is not permissible to pray with him, as you are caught
between two things: either you will follow him and miss out on the
essential part of the prayer, or you will do the essential part of the
prayer and miss out on following the imam. We warn these imams about
such things. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have stated
that it is haraam for the imam to rush so much that it prevents the
person praying behind him from doing what is obligatory, and reciting
and moving at amoderate pace are obligatory. It is not acceptable for
such imams to be imams of the Muslims, and they should be dismissed
from the post of imam if they are employed as such. Those who are in
charge of imams should go around the mosques and if they find anyone
who is like this, and whois not doing what is required of an imam,
they should dismiss him, because this is a bad custom.
I say: if it is the habit of this imam to recite so quickly that the
person praying behind him cannot recite al-Faatihah, then the people
of the mosque have to ask for him to bedismissed, and if it is known
that a person is like that, he should not start to pray with him at
all and he should go to another mosque. End quote.
Liqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh,146/9
See also the answer to question no. 6551
It is obligatory for you topray in congregation in the mosque so long
as you are able to do so; tryto find a different mosque. For more
information on the evidence that it is obligatory to pray in
congregation, please seethe answer to question no. 40113
For more information onthe distance between the mosque and one's home
that makes it obligatory to pray in the mosque

Showing off (riya) in worship

Is there any chance of getting blessings from an act ruined by riyaa
if one's intentions change to please Allaah after thethought of riyaa
has already come? For example, I finish recitingQu'raan, and the
thought of riyaa enters my mind. If I immediately fight this thought
with thinking about Allaah, can I still get blessings for my
recitation, or is it completely ruined forever because of riyaa,given
that the act is overand the riyaa thought came after it was already
over?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said:
Showing off may affect worship in three ways:
1 – When the basic motive for worship is to be seen by others, such as
one who stands and prays so that people will see him, and so that
theywill praise him for his prayers. This invalidates the act of
worship.
2 – When it is a factor that develops during theact of worship, i.e.,
if theworshipper is initially sincere in his intention towards Allaah,
then the idea of showing off develops whilst he is doing it. In this
case one of the following two scenarios must apply:
(i) There is no connection between the first part of
his act of worship and the last part, so the first part is valid in
all cases, and thelast part is invalid.
For example: a man has one hundred riyals that he wants to give in
charity, so he gives fifty of them in a sincere act of charity. Then
the idea of showing off develops with regard to the remaining fifty.
So the first was a sound and accepted act of charity, but the last
fifty was an invalid act of charity because the sincerity was mixed
with a desire to show off.
(ii) The first part of the act of worship is connected to
the last part, in which case one of the following two scenarios must
apply:
(a) He wards off the idea of showing off and does not give in to
it, rather he turns away from it and hates it. This does not have any
effect on him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Allaah has forgiven my ummah for what crosses their
minds, so long as they do not act upon it or speak of it."
(b) When he gives in tothis idea of showing off and does not ward
it off.In this case the entire actof worship becomes invalid, because
the first part is connected to the last part. For example, hestarts
the prayer with a sincere intention towards Allaah, then the idea of
showing off develops in the second rak'ah, so the entire prayer
becomes invalid because the first part is connected to the last part.
3 – The idea of showing off develop after the act of worship has
ended. This does not affect it or invalidate it, because it has been
completed soundly, so if showing off occurs after that it does not
affect it.
It is not showing off if a person feels happy that the people come to
know about his worship,because this developed after he has finished
the act of worship.
It is not showing off if a person feels happy because he has done an
act of worship, because that is a sign of his faith. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever feels happy
because of his good deeds and sad because of his bad deeds, that is
the believer."
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was asked
about that and said: "That is the first glad tidings of the believer."
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 2/29, 30.

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

My question is short. I want to enter Paradise, Iwant to strive to
control my self (my nafs), I want to kiss my mother's handevery day, I
want to keep away from whims and desires and from theShaytaan, I want
Allaah to call me a devoted slave on the Day of Resurrection, in sha
Allaah, I want to love my brothers, and I want my faith to keep
increasing. What should I do?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We ask Allaah to make you steadfast in adhering to the truth, and to
make your hopes come true, and to make you one of those who turn to
Him and who know the truth, defend it and adhere to Islam.
The things you mention in your question indicate that you have a sound
and pure nature, and a great desire to achieve great things andto give
everyone his rights. These are great hopes that can be achieved
through faith, as it was narrated that Sufyaan al-Thawri said: Faith
is not wishes or pretence, rather it is what settles in the heart and
is proven by actions." So we will discuss the matter of faith and how
importantit is in becoming a devoted slave, pleasing and honouring
one's parents and achieving the victory of Paradise.
Whoever seeks to achieve great things has to stay up at night (worship).
Hence al-Fudayl said: "You hearts can never taste the sweetness of
faith until they shun worldly pleasures." And he also said, "If you
cannot pray qiyaam at night and fast during the day, then know that
you are deprived."
The sincere believer has a heart like a burning coal, hence it was
narrated by al-Haakim inhis Mustadrak and al-Tabaraani in his Mu'jam
with a saheeh isnaad that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said, "Faith wears out in your heart as clothes wear out,
so ask Allaah to renew the faith in your hearts."
The believer's heart may sometimes feel overwhelmed by clouds of sin.
This was portrayed to us by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) when he said:"There is no heart that does not have clouds
like the clouds that coverthe moon. When the cloud covers it, it is
dark,and when the cloud moves away it shines." Narrated by
al-Tabaraaniin al-Awsat, and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani. So the
believer's heart is sometimes covered with a cloud and its light is
hidden, and it remains dark and lonely, but if he strives to increase
his store of faith and seeks the help of Allaah, that cloud goes away
and thelight in his heart starts toshine again. Hence one of the salaf
said: "It is part of a person's smartness to c heck on his faith and
be aware of what affects it." It is also part of a person's smartness
"that he recognizes how the Shaytaan whispers to him."
So he has to come back to faith. If you come back to faith and do as
itrequires, then you will achieve what you want. We will tell you of a
basic principle which will let you know when faith is present and when
it is not. Imam Ibn al-Jawzi said: "O you who are turned away, O you
who are deprived ofmeeting your loved ones, if you want to know how
you stand before the king, then look at how you are spending your time
and what work you are assigned to do. How many people stand at the
door of the king, butno one enters except theone whom he cares for.
Not every heart is fit to draw close, not every heart can be filled
with love, not every wind is like the morning breeze."
If a person want to know how he stands before Allaah and how he stands
in relation to His commands and prohibitions, let him look at himself
and see what he is preoccupied with. If he is busy with da'wah and
with saving people from the Fire, striving to attain Paradise, helping
the weak and needy, honouring his parents, then let him rejoice in the
fact that he is close to the King of kings, for Allaah does not help
anyone to do good except those whom He loves.
But if he is has no interest in da'wah, dislikes the daa'iyahs and
does not do good things, if he is preoccupied with this world and its
gains, and with gossip and asking too many questions, whilst not doing
much or following his whims and desires, let him know that he is far
from Allaah and has been deprived of that which will bring him closer
to Paradise, because Allaah says in His holy Book (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Whoever desires the quick-passing (transitoryenjoyment of this
world), We readily grant him what We will for whom We like. Then,
afterwards, We have appointed for him Hell; he will burn therein
disgraced and rejected ( far away from Allaah's Mercy).
And whoever desires theHereafter and strives for it, with the
necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah's
obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic
Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be
appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah)"
[al-Isra' 17:18-19]
My brother, if you want to have a high position in all kinds of good
deeds, to be a devoted slave of Allaah and to honour your parents, and
you are seeking Paradise, then you have to do the following:
1 – You have to revive the faith in your heart. Faith is what will
bring the Muslim everything he seeks in this world and in the
Hereafter. Faith is the key to all goodness and locks the door to all
evil. The means of reviving and strengthening faith in one's heart are
many and varied, including doing a lot of acts of worship and
righteous deeds.
2 – You must turn to your Lord sincerely, as it says in the report:
"If My slave turns to me inwardly and outwardly,I will turn the hearts
of My slaves to him with love and mercy."
Allaah has made worshipthe ultimate aim and loftiest purpose of man:
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone)"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation of the meaning)]
3 – You should always set your sights on the highest degrees, and make
your goal in life to earn the pleasure of Allaah, and strive to attain
the victory of Paradise, or to attain thehighest Firdaws. You should
strive as hard as you can to achieve theselofty aims.
4 – You should follow the example of historicalMuslim figures such as
the Sahaabah, Taabi'eenand righteous forebears (the salaf).
5 – You should make the most of every minute, every moment and
everyheartbeat to use it in such a way as to increase your faith.
6 – You should try to keep company with righteous people, because the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
"A man will follow the religion of his close friend, so let each one
of you look at whom he befriends." Narrated by Abu Dawood and
al-Tirmidhi with a hasan isnaad. Good friends are one of the best
means of helping you to obey Allaah and to avoid sin and error.
7 – Doing a lot of righteous deeds which will bring you happinessin
this world and in the Hereafter.
8 – Praying qiyaam al-layl, making du'aa' in the time just before
dawn. The feet of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to swell because of his desire to be a
thankful slave, even though Allaah had forgiven his previous and
future sins.
9 – Persisting in reading a portion of Qur'aan daily, and other dhikr
that helps you to think and ponder the meanings of the Qur'aan.
10 – Striving to spread the word and make da'wah for the sake of
Allaah, and working for Islam as much as possible.
If you want to reach the status of devoted slave for which you long,
thenbe as Allaah commandedHis Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him):
"Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, myliving,
and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the 'Aalameen (mankind,jinn
and all that exists)"
[al-An'aam 6:162]
Being a devoted slave of Allaah means declaring one's devotion and
belonging to the Lord, which can only be achieved by applying this
aayah, so that we are for Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, in all our
affairs.
Being a devoted slave of Allaah can only be fully achieved in this
manner;it can only be achieved by worshipping Allaah inthe fullest
sense of the word, which means making our living and dying, and all
our movements, for Him alone. So we only speak that which is pleasing
to Allaah; we only do that which is pleasing to Allaah; we focus our
intention in these wordsand deeds only on Allaah. Worship should not
be reduced to merely raising and lowering our heads at certain times,
or giving afew pennies every once in a while, or fasting a few days
each year, or moving our lips to say a few words and dhikrs.
Hence the deeds that lead to this status – of being a devoted slave –
are innumerable and may take many shapes inall aspects of our lives
and the places where welive. This is by the bounty of Allaah towards
us and towards all people.
Just look, in every place where you find yourself and every moment
that comes to you, for that which will please Him, and what you think
He wants to see you doing, and do it. Then you will be a devoted
slave.
Finally, we ask Allaah to accept righteous deeds from us and from you,
and to gather us and you in His mercy with the Prophets, siddeeqs,
martyrs and righteous, and those are the best ofcompanions.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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At-Tufayl ibn Amr ad-Dawsi - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

At-Tufayl ibn Amr was the chief of the Daws tribe in preQuranic times
and a distinguished Arab notable known for his manly virtues and good
works.
He fed the hungry, comforted those in distress and granted asylum to
refugees. He was also keenly interested in literature and was himself
a sharp and sensitive poet capable of expressing the most delicate
emotions.
Tufayl left the hearths of his village in Tihama in the south of the
Arabian peninsula and set out for Makkah. The struggle between the
noble Prophet and the disbelieving Quraysh was already at its height.
Each wanted to gain support for his cause and recruit helpers. The
Prophet, peace and blessings of God be on him, sought help from his
Lord. His weapons werefaith and truth. The disbelieving Quraysh
resisted his message with every weapon, and attempted to keep people
away from it by all the means at their disposal.
Tufayl found himself entering this battle without any preparation or
warning. He did not come to Makkah to get involved in it. Indeed he
was notaware of the struggle that was taking place.
Let Tufayl himself take up the story from this point:
I approached Makkah. As soon asthe Quraysh leaders saw me, they came
up to me and gave me a most hearty welcome and accommodated me in a
grand house. Their leaders and notables then gathered and said:
"O Tufayl, you have come to our town. This man who claims that he is a
Prophet has ruined our authority and shattered our community. We are
afraid that he would succeed in undermining you and your authority
among your people just as he has done with us. Don't speak to the man.
On no account listen to anything he has to say. He has the speech of a
wizard, causing division between father and son, between brother and
brother and between husband and wife."
They went on telling me the most fantastic stories and scared me by
recounting tales ofhis incredible deeds. I made up my mind then not to
approach this man, or speak to him or listen to anything he had to
say.
The following morning I went tothe Sacred Mosque to make tawaf around
the Kabah as an act of worship to the idols that we made pilgrimage to
and glorified. I inserted a piece of cotton in my ears out of fear
that something of the speech of Muhammad would reach my hearing. As
soon as I entered theMosque, I saw him standing near the Kabah. He was
praying in a fashion which was different from our prayer. His whole
manner of worship was different. The scene captivated me. His worship
made me tremble and I felt drawn to him, despite myself, until I was
quite close to him.
Not withstanding the precautionI had taken, God willed that some of
what he was saying should reach my hearing and I heard a speech that
was so beautiful that I said to myself,"What are you doing, Tufayl?
You are a perceptive poet. You can distinguish between the good and
the bad in poetry. What prevents you from listening to what this man
is saying? If what comes from him is good, accept it, and if it is
bad,reject it."
I remained there until the Prophet left for his home. I followed him
as he entered his house, and I entered also and said, "O Muhammad,
your peoplehave said certain things to me about you. By God, they kept
on frightening me away from your message so that I even blocked my
ears to keep out your words.Despite this, God caused me to hear
something of it and I foundit good. So tell me more about your
mission."
The Prophet, peace be upon him,did and recited to me Surah Al-Iklaas
and Surah Al-Falaq. I swear by God, I had never heard such beautiful
words before. Neither was a more noble or justmission ever described
to me. Thereupon, I stretched out my hand to him in allegiance and
testified that there is no god butAllah and that Muhammad is
themessenger of Allah. This is how Ientered Islam.
I stayed on for some time in Makkah learning the teachings of Islam
memorizing parts of the Quran. When I decided to return to my people,
I said, "O Rasulullah. I am a man who is obeyed in his tribe. I am
going back to them and I shall invite them to Islam . . ."
When I returned to my people, my father, who was quite old then, came
up to me and I said, 'O Father, let me relate my news to you. I am no
longer from you and you are not of me.''
"Why so, my son?" he asked.
"I have accepted Islam and now follow the religion of Muhammad, peace
and blessingsof God be upon him," I replied.
"My son," he said, "your religion is my religion."
''Go and wash your sell and cleanse your clothes," I said."Then come
that I may teach you what I have learnt."
This the old man did and I explained Islam to him and he became a Muslim.
"Then came my wife and I said,"Let me relate my news to you. Iam no
longer of you and you arenot of me."
"Good heavens! Why so?" she exclaimed.
"Islam has separated us," I explained. "I have become a Muslim and
follow the religion of Muhammad."
"Your religion is my religion," she replied.
'Then go and purify yourself, notwith the water of Dhu Shara, theidol
of the Daws, but with pure water from the mountain. "
"Good gracious! Do you fear anything from Dhu Shara?"
"Damn Dhu Shari. I told you, go and wash there, far away from people.
I guarantee you that thisdumb stone won't do a thing to you."
She went and washed and I explained Islam to her and she became a
Muslim. I then invited the Daws as a whole to become Muslims. They
were all slow in responding, except Abu Hurayrah. He was the quickest
torespond to the invitation of Islam.
The next time I went to Makkah, Abu Hurayrah was with me.
"What have you left behind?' theProphet asked me.
"Hearts with veils over them obscuring the Truth, and firm disbelief.
Sin and disobedience have won over the Daws."
The Prophet thereupon stood up, made wudu and prayed withhis hands
raised to the heavens. Abu Hurayrah remarked, "When Isaw the Prophet
like this, I was afraid that he was praying against my people and that
they would be destroyed."
But the Prophet, upon whom be peace, prayed, "O Lord, guide theDaws,
guide the Daws, guide theDaws." Then he turned to me and said:
"Go back to your people, befriend them, treat them gently and invite
them to Islam."
I stayed in the land of the Daws inviting them to Islam until afterthe
hijrah of the Prophet to Madinah and after the battle of Badr, Uhud
and Khandaq had taken place. Then I went to the Prophet. With me were
eighty families who had become Muslims and who were strong intheir
faith. The Prophet was pleased with us and he gave us aportion of the
booty after the battle of Khaybar. We said to him, "O Rasulullah, make
us the right wing of your army in every battle and make our efforts
acceptable."
Tufayl stayed with the Prophet until the liberation of Makkah. After
the destruction of the idolsthere, Tufayl asked the Prophet to send
him to put an end to theworship of Dhu-l Kafayn, the chief idol of his
people. The Prophet gave him permission.
Back in Tihama among the Daws, men, women and childrenof the tribe had
gathered and were agitated that the idol was going to be burnt. They
were waiting to see if any evil would befall Tufayl should he harm
Dhu-l Kafayn. Tufayl approached the idols with the worshipers around
it. As he set fire to it, he proclaimed:
"O Dhu-l Kafayn, of your worshipers I certainly am not.
Fire have I inserted into your heart."
Whatever shirk remained in the Daws tribe went up in the flames that
burnt the idol. The whole tribe became Muslims.
Tufayl remained a lieutenant of the Prophet until the noble messenger
passed away. Tufayl then placed himself in the service of the Khalifah
Abu Bakr, the successor of the Prophet. During the Riddah wars, he led
acontingent of his people against the impostor Musaylamah.
In the battle of al-Yamamah thatfollowed, the dear companion ofthe
Prophet, Tufayl ibn Amr fought hard but eventually fell as a martyr on
the battlefield.

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Should he offer a sacrifice (udhiya/qurbaani) or give the price of the sacrifice to his poor sick relative so that he can get treatment?

Can one not give qurbani and give that amount of money to a sick close
relaive for treatment? zakat money given to him which is not
sufficient for treatment.
Praise be to Allaah.
The basic principle is that offering the sacrifice is better than
giving its price in charity, because of what results from that of
drawing close to Allah byoffering a sacrifice and giving charity, and
performing this ritual in front of one's family andchildren, and
keeping this ritual alive among the people, because the sacrifice is
one of the symbols of Islam.
Ibn al-Qayyim said in Tuhfat al-Mawdood (p. 65):
Sacrifice at the appropriate time, such as during Hajj and on
Eidal-Adha, is better than giving its price in charityeven if one
gives more, because offering a sacrifice and shedding blood is what is
required, and it is an act of worship that is mentioned alongside
prayer, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)"
[al-Kawthar: 108:2]
"Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, myliving,
and my dying are for Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alameen (mankind, jinn
and all that exists)"
[al-An'aam 6:162].
In every religion there is prayer and sacrifice and no other acts of
worship could take their place. Hence if you give charityequivalent to
many times the price of the sacrifice offered in Hajj, it can never
take its place. The same is true of udhiyah (qurbaani). End quote.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:
Offering the udhiyah (qurbaani) on the Muslim's behalf and on behalf
of the (living) members of his family is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah
mu'akkadah) for the one who is able to do it, and offering it isbetter
than giving its price in charity.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 11/419
If this relative is sick and in urgent need of treatment and
medicine,then helping him in his sickness and striving to find
treatment for him takes precedence over udhiyah, especially if his
sickness is severe and heis in urgent need of help, and there is no
oneamong his relatives or friends who can help him.
'Abd al-Razzaaq narratedin al-Musannaf (8156) from al-Thawri, from
'Imraan ibn Muslim, fromSuwayd ibn Ghaflah thathe said: I heard Bilaal
say: To give its price (i.e.,the price of the udhiyah)in charity to an
orphan or a debtor is dearer to me than sacrificing it. He(the
narrator) said: I do not know whether Suwayd said it by himself or it
is the wordsof Bilaal.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Hajj (i.e., voluntary Hajj) done in the prescribed manner is better
than charity that is not obligatory. But if he has relatives who are
in need, then giving charity to them is better,who need his charity
for his maintenance. But if both actions are voluntary, then Hajj is
better, because it is an act of worship that is both physical and
financial. By the same token, offering a sacrifice for 'aqeeqah or
udhiyah is better than giving its price in charity. End quote from
al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 5/382
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If it is a matter of choice between udhiyah and paying off debt on
behalf of a poor person, then paying off the debt is better,
especially if thedebtor is a relative.
End quote from Majmoo'Fataawa wa Rasaa'il Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 13/1496
And Allah knows best.

Her mother died and she had vowed to sacrifice a sheep; can herdaughter give the cash value instead?

Her maternal uncle was in an accident and her mother had vowed that if
he got out safely she would sacrifice a sheep or the like, and would
invite people, neighbours and friends, or distribute the meat among
people. Praise beto Allah, her uncle got out safely, but Allah willed
that the mother should die two years ago, without having fulfilled the
vow. Is she now required to fulfil the vow on her mother'sbehalf? Can
she give money to the poor in Iraq? Please note that the daughter
lives in Europe and it is difficult for her to fulfil the vow by
slaughtering an animal.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If a person makes a vow to sacrifice a sheep, for example, if Allah
saves his relative, this is a vow to do an act of worship which must
be fulfilled. If your mother died before fulfilling her vow,then it is
regarded as a debt that she owes and must be paid for out of her
estate. If she did not have any wealth, it is mustahabb for her
children to do it on her behalf. Al-Bukhaari (2761) and Muslim (1638)
narrated from Ibn'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sa'd ibn
'Ubaadah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): My mother died, and had
made a vow (that she did not fulfil). He said: "Fulfil it on her
behalf.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: The
words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him),
"Fulfil it on her behalf" indicate that obligationsthat were required
of the deceased should be fulfilled. With regard to financial
obligations, there is scholarly consensus (that the mustbe fulfilled).
As for obligations to do other acts of worship, there is a difference
of scholarly opinions concerning them.
Moreover, the view of ash-Shaafa'i and others is that financial
obligations that were required of the deceased, such as zakaah,
expiation and vows, must be fulfilled, whether he left instructions to
that effect or not, as is the case with debts owed to people.
It should be noted that our view and that of the majority is that the
heir is not obliged to fulfil the vow that was obligatory upon the
deceased if it was not financial, or if it was financial but he did
not leave behind any estate, but it is mustahabb for him to do that.
End quote.
Secondly:
If a person vows to sacrifice a sheep or the like, it is obligatory
for him to fulfil the vow, and it is not acceptable to pay the cash
value instead. The Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked
about a woman who vowed to sacrifice a lamb every month, but she found
it difficult to buy lambs, slaughter them and distribute the meat. Is
it permissible for her to give the cash value of the lambs?
They replied:
There is no hardship in sacrificing lambs; rather she has to continue
sacrificing them and distributing the meat to the poor, and it is not
acceptable for her to give the cash value, because the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever makes a vow
to do an act of obedience to Allah, let him do it, and whoever makes a
vow to do an act of disobedience to Allah, let him not do it." End
quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh
'Abdullah ibn Qa'ood.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 23/395
Based on that, it is not permissible to give the cash value instead of
slaughtering the sheep; the fact that the questioner lives in Europe
does not mean that she cannot delegatesomeone to sacrifice a sheep and
distribute the meat to neighbours and friends, either in the country
where she is living or elsewhere.
And Allah knows best.

Can he pray in the clothes he slept in?

Do the clothes you wear to sleep become impure (so you are not allowed
to pray Salat in them.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The basic principle with regard to clothes is that they are taahir
(pure), unless any najaasah (impurity) has gotten onto them, in which
casethey must be purified.
Merely sleeping in clothes does not make them najis (impure); rather
they remain pure until it becomes certain that any impurity has gotten
onto them.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said: The basic principle with regard to a
person wearing clothes is that he (and they) are pure so long as he is
not certain that any impurityhas gotten onto his bodyor clothes. This
basic principle is supported bythe words of the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) when a man complained to him that he felt
something duringhis prayer – referring to breaking wind. He said: "Do
not stop (praying) unless you hear a sound or notice a smell." If the
individual is not certain about that, then the basic principle is that
he remains pure. He may think it most likely that his clothes have
become contaminated with impurity, but so long as he is not certain
about it, the basic principle is that he remains pure. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 11/107
For more information please see the answer toquestion no. 12720
Secondly:
It is permissible to pray in clothes in which one has slept, so long
as theyare pure and cover the 'awrah, although it is better and more
perfect to wear beautiful clothesthat look good for prayer. That is in
obedience to the command of Allah, may He be exalted, in the verse
(interpretation of the meaning): "O Children of Adam! Take your
adornment (by wearing your clean clothes), while praying" [al-A'raaf
7:31].
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about
the ruling on praying in nightclothes and attending gatherings wearing
them. He said: There is nothing wrong with praying in nightclothes if
they are pure, whether one comes to the mosque wearing them or not,
unless those clothes will attract attention and criticism, and people
will talk about him in their gatherings because of that. People should
avoid anything that may be a cause of people backbiting about them.

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Conveying Rewards to the Deceased (Isaale Sawaab)

Allah - in the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
At the outset please know, that in Islam, death is not perceived asan
end of life. It is just the end of the worldly existence as we witness
it, and the beginning of a new existence, in which the soul
experiences a new world called "Barzakh." The soul may experiencethis
new life with or without its original body, according to its own rank
allotted to it by Allah the Almighty, the Supreme. There are too many
proofs from the Holy Qur'an and Hadeeth (Holy Prophet's Traditions)
regarding the above, and warrant an extensive article on the same. But
that is not the question here.
The question that some people ask is that if a person is dead, can we
increase its status or decrease its torment by conveying rewards of
OUR deeds
It is the consensus of the Sahaba, the earlier Ulema, and the latter
ones that the above is (a) Effective and that (b) it is certainly
permissible, in fact meritorious, to do so.
If one wants to convey the reward of one's recital of Holy Qur'an,
charity, Nafil Salaat (NonObligatory), fasts and good deeds, Hajj,
Umrah etc., then one should convey it to the virtuous soul of our
beloved Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), one's
relatives, and all the Muslim men and women. All of them will receive
the same rewardwithout any deduction; the one who has carried this out
will also receive the same reward without any loss. It is also valid
to convey the reward to the living persons. (Fatawa Shami).
Before we back up the above statements with several proofs from the
Holy Qur'an and Hadeeth, we should, as amatter of justice, look into
the objections brought against the above belief.
Those who object to this act, cite the following verse from the Holy Qur'an:
"And that man will not obtain anything except what he strove for" (Najm 53:39)
They allege that the above verse clarifies thatnone of our deeds can
benefit one who has passed away. Such a view is incorrect. Firstly,
this Ayah exhorts people to remember that good deeds will bring good
results and evil deeds, anevil result. So they must always persist is
seeking good. And that that they must not simply depend on other
people's prayers. Secondly, most scholars are of the opinion that the
message in this verse is abrogated by the verse: "And those who
believe and whose families follow them in Faith, -- to them We shall
join their families: nor shall We deprive them of the fruit of
anything of theirworks: yet each individual is in pledge for his
deeds" (Toor 52:21)." This verse entersthe children into Paradise
because of the righteousness of the parents.
They also cite a famous Hadeeth from Muslim Shareef:
Abu Huraira (Allah be well pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: When a man
dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurringcharity, or
knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who prays for him
(for the deceased).
Please closely examine the above Hadeeth. The words say " his acts"
(except three) come to an end. What comes to an end, then, is the
deceased person's own actions. This does not mean that a dead
persondoes not benefit from anything else. He cannot increase his own
rewardby any new act (even if he prays or does Zikr in the grave, as
proven from various Hadeeth). But his reward can go on increasing
because ofthe prayers of his son.
The above Hadeeth therefore cannot be quoted in support of theargument
that our actions cannot benefit those who are dead. In fact, it
supports the case for conveying rewards to the dead!.
Also note that the actions and beliefs of none else than the beloved
Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are proof of their
wrong opinion. And also against their narrow minded opinion are the
actions and beliefs of none else than the great Sahaba (Allah be well
pleased with them).
Having negated the objections, we bring forth for your perusal several
proofs from the Holy Qur'an and Hadeethsupporting the act of conveying
rewards to those who passed away before us.
A. PROOFS FROM HOLY QUR'AN
Verse 1
And those who came after them say, "O our Lord! Forgive us, and
ourbrothers who accepted faith before us , and do not keep any malice
in our hearts towards the believers - O our Lord! Indeed You only are
the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful." (Hashr 59:10)
Note that the above verse is a very strong evidence of the practice of
the Sahaba, which was so loved by Allah that it is part of the Holy
Qur'an. Why would the Sahaba pray for the deceased people if their
prayer was of no benefitAnd to top it all, Allah theAlmighty has
approved and praised their action!
Verse 2
"O our Lord! And forgive me, and my parents, andall the Muslims on the
day when the account will be established." (Ibrahim 14:41)
The benefit of the aboveverse is obvious. The prayer of Prophet Syedna
Ibrahim (peace be upon him), includes all believers - right from the
beginning i.e. those before him, and till the end of this world i.e.
even those who are not yet born. Al Hamdo Lillah! And this prayer is
often made in the last part (Qaadah) of our Salaat.
Verse 3
And those who believe and whose families follow them in Faith, -- to
them We shall join their families : nor shall We deprive them of the
fruit of anything of theirworks: yet each individual is in pledge for
his deeds." (Toor 52:21)
This verse says that children will be admitted into Paradise because
of the righteousness of the parents.
Verse 4
And lower your wing humbly for them, with mercy, and pray, " My Lord!
Have mercy on them both , the way theynursed me when I was young."
(Bani Israel 17:24)
This verse is in fact a command from Allah for all believers to seek
mercy for their parents. So what is your opinion Will not the command
ofAllah hold any benefit for the deceased parent It certainly does.
Also note that there are several other verses from the Holy Qur'an
that teach us to pray, and the prayer includes all Muslim brothers &
sisters (living, passed away or yet to be borne).
Readers are requested toreflect on the fact that the above verses are
part of the Holy Qur'an - they are read perhaps millions of times
every day all over the world, aspart of regular recitation, and also
as Qirat within Salaat, and also as prayer in the last part (Qaadah)
of Salaat.
B. PROOFS FROM THE HADEETH
GENERAL PERMISSIONS (HADEETH # 1 - 4)
Hadeeth 1
Abu Huraira (Allah be well pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: When a man
dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurringcharity, or
knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who prays for him
(for the deceased) . (Muslim)
Hadeeth 2
The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "What is
credited to a believer of his action and good deed after his death is
any useful knowledge he might have taught or spread, a Allah-fearing
child he might have left behind, a copy of the Qur'an he might have
left to an heir, a mosque he might have built, a house he might have
dedicated for use by travelers, a stream or river he might have caused
to run, a donation to charity (i.e. sadaqah) he might have set aside
when he was enjoying good health. Allthat catches up with himafter his
death. " (Ibn Majah)
Hadeeth 3
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'Aas (Allah be well pleased with
him): Al-'As ibn Wa'il left his will that a hundred slaves should be
emancipated on his behalf. His son Hisham emancipated fifty slaves and
his son Amr intended to emancipate the remaining fifty on his behalf,
but he said: I should ask first the Apostle of Allah. He, therefore,
came to the Holy Prophet and said: Apostle of Allah, my father left in
his will thata hundred slaves should be emancipated on his behalf and
Hisham has emancipated fifty on his behalf and fifty remain. Shall I
emancipate them on his behalf The Apostleof Allah said: Had he been a
Muslim and you had emancipated slaves on his behalf, or given sadaqah
on his behalf, or performed the pilgrimage, that would have reached
him. (Abu Daud)
Hadeeth 4
Abu Huraira (Allah be well pleased with him) reported Allah's
Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying: He who
alleviates the suffering of a brother out of the sufferings of the
world, Allah would alleviate his suffering from the sufferings of the
Day of Resurrection, and he who finds relief for one who is hard
pressed, Allah would make thingseasy for him in the Hereafter, and he
who conceals (the faults) of a Muslim, Allah would conceal his faults
in the world and in the Hereafter. Allah is at the back of a servant
so longas the servant is at the back of his brother, and he who treads
the path in search of know- ledge, Allah would make that path easy,
leading to Paradise for him and those persons who assemble in the
house among the houses of Allah (mosques) and recite the Book of Allah
and they learn and teachthe Qur'an (among themselves) there
woulddescend upon them the tranquility and mercy would cover them and
the angels would surround them and Allahmakes a mention of them in the
presence of those near Him , and he who is slow-paced in doing good
deeds, his (high) lineage does not make him go ahead. (Muslim)
FUNERALS (HADEETH # 5 - 9)
When a Muslim dies, it is a duty on the communityof Muslims to offer a
special prayer for him during which they pray Allah to forgive him and
admit him into heaven. The funeral prayer is Fard Kifayah for the
living Muslim brothers i.e. if just one person offers it, the entire
community is absolved of this duty. But see the importance attached to
the more and more people joining the prayer. And the benefit reaching
the deceased person is obvious.
Hadeeth 5
Syeda 'A'isha (Allah be well pleased with her) reported Allah's
Apostle (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: If a company of
Muslims numbering one hundredpray over a dead person,all of them
interceding for him, their intercession for him will be accepted.
(Muslim)
Hadeeth 6
'Abdullah b. 'Abbas (Allahbe well pleased with him) reported that his
son died in Qudaid or 'Usfan. He said to Kuraib to see as to how many
people had gathered there for his (funeral). He (Kuraib) said: So I
went out and I informedhim about the people who had gathered there. He
(Ibn 'Abbas) said: Do you think they are forty He (Kuraib) said: Yes.
Ibn 'Abbas thensaid to them: Bring him (the dead body) out for Ihave
heard Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) as saying:
If any Muslim dies and forty men who associate nothing with Allah
stand over his prayer (they offer prayerover him), Allah will accept
them as intercessors for him. (Muslim)

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Anything for Allah

Khabaab (Radiallaho Anho) is one of those fortunate persons who
offered themselves for sacrifice and suffering for the cause of Allah
(Subhanahu wa Taala). He was the sixth or seventh person to embrace
Islam and therefore, he suffered long. He was made to put on steel
armor and lie in the sun to sweat. Very often he was made to lie flat
on burning sand, which caused the flesh on his back to dissolve. He
was the slave of a woman. When she came to know that he was visiting
Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam), she used to brand his head
with a hot iron rod. Umar (Radiallaho Anho) during his Caliph once
asked him about the details of his suffering after embracing Islam.
He showed him his back,seeing which Umar (Radiallaho Anho) said,"I
have never seen such a back before."
He said, "My body was dragged over heaps of burning coal and the blood
and fat coming out of my back put out the fire."
When Islam spread and the Muslims conquered all the surrounding
territory, he used to weep and say, "Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) seems
to be compensating us in this world for all our sufferings and perhaps
nothing would be left for us as reward in the Akhirah".
Source: From the Book"Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad
Zakariyya Kandhalvi.
Such were the followers of the Prophet (peace beupon him) who were
ready to give anything but their faith in Allah. On the other hand, we
Muslims today are ready to sell our iman for little material gains!

Story of a Brilliant Student

The following story was narrated by Professor Anwar, who teaches in
the Ryerson University located in Toronto, Canada. He said that during
his student life, he was studying at an university in Bangladesh.
There, he had a good friend who was very intelligent. Thisfriend was
the only childof his family. Everyone used to look upto his great
future. And they were right, he graduated with the highest mark in his
field.Immediately, calls came for him from big companies. One day, Dr.
Anwar was requested byhis friend to accompany him to one such
companies for an interview. They were going by riding on a motor
cycle. On the way, a speeding truck couldn't manage itself and hit
their motor cyclefrom the back. At that collision, Dr. Anwar flew off
the motor cycle and fell on the side of the street. But his friend got
hit from another vehicle that was coming from the opposite side and
died instantly.
Here was a person who was at the peek of material success in this
world but little did he know that his death wasjust around the corner.
We have spent much of our time preparing for the life before death,
but how much time havewe spent preparing for the everlasting life
after death?

Should We Really Laugh?

Hasan al-Basri (rahimaullah) was an eminent scholar and pious
individual of his time. He would rarely laugh due to his remembrance
of death and the punishment of hell. One day he was going somewhere
when he saw a young man indugled in laughter. Hasan al-Basri asked the
youth, "Young man, have you already crossed the bridge of Sirath? Have
you alreadyfound out whether you are going to paradise or hell?" The
young man replied, "No." Hasan al-Basri told him, "Then why are you
laughing somuch?" After that, no one saw this young man laughing again
as he came to know the realityof this life.
Source: Story extracted from the book"Tambihul Ghafileen" by Shaikh
Abul Laith Samarkandi.
Many hours or probably days have passed away from our lives in
laughter and jokes. It is a sign that we have forgotten the life of
the hereafter. The sahabah used to do good deeds all day but still cry
during the night to Allah. On the other hand,we do sins all day and
still have no concerns! It is permissible to laugh atamazing things
and smile while being in company of others.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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