Duas - ,

1. When consoling someone - Prophet (SAW)'s Prayers When consoling someone When consoling someone, greet with salaam and say: إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا أَخَذَ وَلَهُ مَا أَعْطَى وَكُلٌّ عِنْدَهُ بِأَجَلٍ مُسَمَىً فَلَتَصْبِرْ وَلْتَحْتَسِبْ "Definitely Allah has taken what belongs to Him. He has given us what belongs to Him. He has stipulated a time for everyone (which He does not chance by impatienceor plan). Have patience and hope for reward". (Bukhari) Prophet Mohammad's (SAW) action when bittenby a scorpion: Once a scorpion bit Prophet Mohammad (SAW.) while he was in Salaat. On completion of the Salaat he said: "Curse be on the scorpion as it does not leave the person performing Salaatnor anyone else". He thenasked for water and salt and dissolved that salt in the water. He rubbed the solution on the wound and kept reciting Surah-al-Kaafiroon, Falaq and Naas. (Hisnul Hasin from Tabarani in Al-Sagheer) ********************* 2. At the time of fire - Prophet (SAW)'s Prayers At the time of fire Extiunguish the fire by reciting: اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ The author of Hisnul Hasin says that this is proven. (Abu Yala and Ibn Al-Sunni) ********************** 3. When any animal becomes sick - Prophet (SAW)'s Prayers For any animal (cow/buffalo) that becomes sick Recite: لَا بَأْسَ أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ رَبَّ النَّاسِاشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لَا يَكْشِفُ الضُّرَّ إِلَّا أَنْتَ "There is no problem, O Lord of mankind, removethe difficulty (and) grant relief for you are the One who grants relief. There is no one but You who removes difficulties." Read this and blow 3 times on the right udder and 3 times on the left udder. (Hisn from Abi Shaiba Maqoofaan from Ibn Masood (R.A.)

Story - , Moons Peak [FINISHED]- Unbreakable Bond (chapter 20)

♥ WHEN I WOKE up later, I realized I was in someone’s arms, and I started to panic. ThinkingI’d dreamed up the whole rescue, and I was back in Trench’s arms. I opened my eyes, whipping my head around for emphasis. My guard on alert trying to sniff out Trench and the pack of dogs that held me captive for weeks. “Hey, beautiful.” A familiar voice greeted me, and I let my eyes gaze up into light green eyes. Human eyes, and that’s when Satchel’s scent finally registered. Clad in his suspenders and slacks, and his bare chest exposed, and his feet vulnerable. I was in his arms, no longer a wolf - naked - save for the huge off-white shirt I was wearing that covered what modesty I had left. The shirt had Satchel’s scent all over it, and I found that relieving somehow. The smell was comforting, hypnotic andtantalizing. “Satchel?” I groaned when my side abdomen stung with pain, as I triedto shift my weight around in his arms. He kept his pace, stalkingthrough the forest with purpose all the while being careful not to jiggle me around. He gazed down at me with astrained smile. “You’re gonna be okay, Willy. We’re almost home.” I sighed in relief, nestling into Satchel’s comfortable heat. I missed his voice. Loving the security of his solid arms, and the way he let his lips brush on my forehead every now and then, reassured me that I was safe. As soon as we were in the comfort of a home, and I’d been wrapped upin a thick warm blanket, he placed me in front of the hearth, where the orange flames were ablaze. We were in his house I realized, and I was lying in his arms, on the couch.His arms wrapped around me from behind, and I was lying on his bare chest. The logwood house was just how I remembered; cozy with Native American sculptures and artifacts everywhere, and the same indoor-outdoor flow of wooden furniture. It was pretty as I let my eyes wander around the room, and watched the flames in the hearth dance gracefully as it casted shadows over the walls. My mind reeling if this was another one of my hallucinations that I’dendured through my transition. He lightly tugged on the shirt I was wearing. “You look good in my shirt.” He murmured in my ear, and I smiled, relishing in the comfort of his broad hands stroking my hair away from my face. He rested his chin on my shoulder, lightly kissing itwhere his shirt hung loose on me, and my skin was exposed. He frownedwhen he saw my scar where Cairo had marked me, shifting the shirt so he could get a better look. "God! What did they do to you?" He whispered in shock. I shook my head. "It doesn't matter anymore." He sighed, letting it go. I was thankful that he didn't decide to pry, because i just wanted to forget it all. "Willy...? Did they...?" He couldn't seem to choke out the word, and it finally registered what he was trying to say. I shook my head defiantly. "No. No. They did nothing like that..." He exhaled heavily as if he'd been holding his breath for too long. Thank God that sexual abuse wasn't part of their agenda, though of course it didn'tmean the physical abuse they'd put me through was okay, no. It still stained my memoryof what Cairo had done, but other than that, they really didn't want to hurt me. At least, Trench and Sheeba didn't. I tried to sit up when Aretha Heins came into the room, with a tray balanced on her lap as she wheeled herself closer. Her hair a croppedcurly style, and her eyes as green as Satchel's were delightful with glee. She wore a thick sweater, and black jeans. She just smiled and urged me to lie down. "How are you feeling?" She asked, and nodded toward the wound on mystomach. "I'm fine, thank you." Sheplaced two steaming bowls of liquid, on the coffee table, with two plates of homemade bread and some glasses of water. "I hope you're hungry." She said, and I was shaking my head, because I didn't want hermaking a fuss over me, but the sweet aroma hit my nose, and my stomachgrumbled involuntarily. I blushed because I knew they heard it. "Just a little bit." I admitted. Aretha flicked her eyes toward her son. "Satchel, make sure she eats this. She needs it." Satchel nodded and pointedly looked at me following his mothers orders to eat. I watched Aretha's retreating figureas she left the room, and Satchel had the bowl in front of me with a spoon ready to feed me. I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a baby, Satchel. I'm quite capable of feeding myself. Besides, I only got shot in my stomach, my arms still work fine." He had a half smile tugging at his lips, and shrugged. "I know, but this would save you the trouble from moving." He nodded toward the spoon, and I rolled my eyes to eat what he was offering me. I let him feed me the chicken soup, and somehow the mere gesture made it feelmore intimate. He broke off a piece of Aretha's homemade bread and fed me a little of it. I moaned. God! It tasted just how I remembered it. Sweet, fluffy and pure goodness. He licked his lips, and raised his eyebrows. He was staringat me with slight amusement, but I couldn't mistake the lust in them. "What?" I stopped chewing. He stifled a chuckle, and shook his head. "There's something on your...come here." He wiped a crumb off my bottom lip with his thumb, and then popped it into his mouth, suckingon it. I blushed, but hid it behind my smile. He ate the rest after I couldn't eat anymore, and then he finished off his plate too. After we settled backdown. I sighed in relief. My stomach full, and my security intact...a little. I felt I was comfortable here. "That reminds me, I forgot to wish you a happy birthday." He nestled his mouth into my neck and whispered."Happy bithday" before he replaced it with a kiss.I smiled a little. "Thanks." "Sorry I didn't get you anything." He apologized, running his rough chin on my shoulder. I craned my head so that i could see him. "You being with me, is enough." I stated matter of factly. We shared a knowing look as we sat in comfortable silence together. I sighed thinking about everything that had happened since coming to Denvers Drove. Never had I thought I'd ever become this animal I had supposedly become. It was all so overwhelming to think about it...even still, I'd never thought I'd be falling for my childhood bestfriend either. It seemed like my life in New York was a distant memory...like I had never left this place at all. I cleared my throat,and turned to Satchel in earnest. “Tell me how I ended up like this?” He stopped stroking me abruptly, and gazed down at me with a pained expression. “You were shot by poachers. But it's okay…I took the bullet out, so it will heal.” I raised my eyebrows, at what he wasn’t saying. “Poachers? Don’t you mean my Grams? Or was Iimagining that part?” He rubbed at his chin, eying me warily. “She’s…” He started, but I knew he was going to make excuses for her. I shook my head rigorously. “I want to know Satchel…no more secrets. You looked at her like you weren’t surprised to see her there.” He rubbedhis hands over his face, and frowned. “Word around is that your Grams has been leading an army of poachers in the area…rumors have it thather and her posse have been hunting werewolves for years, but I didn’t believe them. I needed to see it for myself…so I teamed up with them.” “It wasn’t until I saw it with my own eyes what they’d nearly done to my mom, that I knew the rumors were fact. They thought my mom was a werewolf going through her transition, so they shot her where she was. Turns out she was fixing a few nails on our roof when they hit her, and she fell, causing a permanent spinal injury. I was too late to stop it, but that didn’t stop me from taking down everyone that had caused my moms pain. Grams wasn’t there at thetime, but they were under her orders. "After, Iwas considered a traitor to them, I went through my transistion when I turned seventeen. I calledfor the wolves to help methrough my change, but Iwas considered a traitor to them too...it wasn't until they found out I was part of the Pure-Breeds that they wanted me on their side. I turned them down because I knew they were just using my bloodline to strengthen their pack...they've been holding that against me ever since.” I was horrified by his story, I was stumped speechless. "Trench - The grey-wolf that took me - said you built those fences to trap animals...is that true." He was quiet for a few seconds then finally nodded. "That was before I knew what they were for. I'd been told they were traps to capture game, not wolves." I gulped. “My Grams instigated that? What happened to your mom...why didn’t you tell me?” He shrugged. “You weren’t exactly forth coming when you first got here.” He gave a sad smile. “-Besides, how was I to know she’d taught you different? You acted a lot like her when you arrived." I bit my bottom lip and blushed. “I’m sorry…” He shook hishead. “Don’t be.” “So, the question is why? Why is my Grams doing this? It’s so uncharacteristic of her…” “After my mom was bound to a wheelchair, we talked for hours…she told me your Grams’ first husband was a werewolf.Your grandfather William. After his first transition, your grams killed him because she couldn’t accept who he was. Said he was an unstable monster...or so I heard. "A few weeks after he’d been killed, she fell pregnant with your mom. Your Grams wasn't going to keep it until she found out there was a fifty-fifty chance that her child would be normal…but the other fifty meant her child could have the disease, lycanthropy disease.” I was intrigued by this telltale story of his, I needed more. “She risked it though?” He nodded. “She did, and your mom hadn’t been affected at all to your Gram’s relief…and she had the privilege to have lived out her years...it wasn’t until your mother was pregnant with you that she’d started having complications. You had more of your grandfather’s genes thanyour mother had the energy for. You were born, and your mother died because of it.” I lowered my eyes. “That explains the fever. Grams told me that she died when I was born, but not the extent of it.” He grunted. “Figures.” “Tell me more.” I urged. “I want to know how it isthat we exist.” He sighed and I felt his breath hit the nape of my neck. “Well, werewolves are born from a family member that carries the genetic gene. A werewolfbite or scratch isn’t a problem unless the one bitten has at least one parent affected with lycanthropy disease. It has to run in their bloodline to have the effect.” “A human can't change from a single scratch or bite?” He shook his head. “That’s a myth. Humans would just get an infection that would leave them to hallucinate, nothing more. They won’t changeat all. However, a bite or scratch can enhance or force its transition earlierfor a breeder. A breeder is a person that is unaffected by the geneticgene, but still has it in their bloodline, howver, one bite or scratch could force their change to the extent where they're killed because of it. Then there's a carrier. That's what you and I are. We somehow carry the gene on from our bloodline, and our transition is inevitable by the time weturn seventeen.” My headwas spinning with all thistruth, I didn't know whatto say or think. “My mother wasn’t bittenthough?” He shook his head. “She wasn’t, but the fact that you were a carrier, she knew she wouldn’t survive the pregnancy fortoo long. Unfortunately, bearing a child with the affected gene has the equilibrium status as a werewolf bite. No one usually comes out of it alive.” “That’s awful. What about you? How did you become?” He bit on his lower lip for a little whilebefore answering. “My moms a breeder too, she almost died giving birth to me, but somehow she survived the change. She's a wolf now because of me, but she can't go anywhere because her legs don't work in either wolf or human form. My dad comes from a long line ofwerewolves - Pure-breeds, he was one.His father was one, and so on and so forth." He cleared his throat and resumed his tale. "My dad was shot...several times. My mom didn't want the locals to panic if she'd told them he was murdered, so she said he died of a fever.” It was impossible to mask my horror on my face. I bit my nails trying to take this all in. “Grams?” I breathed. He just shrugged. "Nobody has solid proof to put her away, since she's never the one with the gun...until I saw you lying there in the forest." "She's a murderer...mass murderer." I stated as if itwas obvious. "-Why?" “She blames our species for what happened to her husband, even though he died at her hands, she’s always going to blame us for what he was made of. “ My eyes stung with salt. “I can’t even..” “She’s known for a lot of things, but this…she’s become a tell-tale legend. We’re almost extinct because of her.” I was close to stuttering. “How have I not seen it before, she’s talked about this place for years, despised the living crap out of it. I just thought she hated my stepmother, and my father for remarrying after her daughter’s death. But this is just…beyond extreme of her. I’m so naïve, I didn’t know.” He was stroking my hair again, I realized. “She thought she was protecting you, maybe.” Ishook my head. “Do you know what this means? I’ve hated my dad for years, because of my Grams. All along, she’sbeen the vindictive monster, I’ve been living a lie.” I winced when I tried to get up, and my wound felt like it was stinging me again. I pulled the blanket aside, to study my wounds. “You okay?” I nodded. “Yeah…just stings a little.” The wound was still a little fleshy, but I could tell it was healing. Isighed. "What about when we change? Is it the whole full moon thing?" "That's also a myth, though somewhat of it is true. We're bound by the moon, but we can change whenever the moon is visible. A full moon, however, forces our change, and we're stuck in wolf form until the sun rises." "That's promising I guess." We lay there just drinking in each other’s warmth. I felt his lips running absentmindedly on the top of my head, breathing in and out, so that his scent mingled with mine. He was a little too quiet for my liking. I bit my lip. “Tell me what you’re thinking?” I asked, playing with his fingers abesentmindedly. Waiting for him to answer. He sighed. ”I was just thinking, that I’ve never been so scared in my life. When I saw you lying there, covered with blood, it was…I thought I was gonna loseyou.” He gently tilted my chin up so that I was facing him. “Do me a favor and don’t do that again. I don’t think I can handle it.” I looked up to him with a lazy smile on my face. “Promise I'll try not to getshot again…besides, you owe me a date.” He chuckled, letting his eyes roam my face with amusement, but I couldn’t mistake the painin them. “I look forward to it.” He kissed me on the lips gently tugging on my bottom lip, claiming me with his sweetness. I had to refrain from moaning from the way it tasted. Pine, mint and pure Satchel, it was heaven. I could do this for ages. I broke the contact when aflash of Trench’s gunmetal grey eyes gazed down at me and I gaspedin horror. “Willy, what’s wrong?” I blinked my eyes again, only to see Satchel frowning down in concern. I had to shake my head for emphasis. “I…nothing.” I frowned, letting my eyes roam his face for a little longer. Myeyes had been playing tricks on me for weeks, but this was extreme. I bit my lips. “Can I ask you something?” His shifted his weight so I can see him better. “Sure…” “You said grey wolf had claimed me before I’d disappeared. How does one break that?” He ignored the question I realized, and he was staring aimlessly at the flickering flame. I sat up a little, ignoring the pain in my side, and touched his face to get his attention. “Satchel?” He reluctantly looked at me, and his eyes were a little glassy. He swallowed, making his Adams apple bob up and down, and then sighed. “It’s…” He rubbed at his face again, a habit I noticed when he was frustrated. He squeezed his eyes shut for emphasis, and then pegged a level stare on me. He fell silent and just stared at me, and stared a little longer. His jaw muscle bulged out, as he clenched his teeth. “It’s what?” I prodded. His mask of horror finally erupted, and I could see the pain flooding my insides. Just from his gaze. “The bond is unbreakable.” He finally whispered, avoiding eye contact. Clearing his throat a couple of times as if he didn’t trust himself to say anything else. I gasped, shaking my head violently. Denial kicking in and I could hear my heart thudding louder. Unbreakable?! How is that even possible? I wanted to scream and pull my hair out or something to numb the pain. The thought of having a lifetime bond with my kidnapper? It sent icy chills down my back. The bond is unbreakable. Those words blared to life repeatedly in my head, and the more I heard it, the more I panicked. Of course, some part of me knew that Trench would come looking for me, just as Satchel had come to my rescue, but the other part was tellingme that I belonged to grey wolf, but I shut that part out. This wasn’t happening.♥

Jumma Prayer - , There is no stipulation that Jumu‘ah prayer should be offeredin a masjid or jaami‘.

One of my acquaintence comented that, Juma is only valid in a place where all five daily prayers are being offered in congregation. Praise be to Allaah. There is no stipulation that Jumu‘ah prayer should be offered in a masjid or jaami‘ according to the majority of fuqaha’ of the Hanafi, Shaafa‘i and Hanbali madhhabs, unlike the Maalikis. It says in al-Bahr al-Raa’iq (2/162), which is a Hanafi book: The words “and general permission” mean: The condition of it being valid is that it should be done in the usual manner. So, for example,if a ruler were to close the gates of the fortress and lead his family and troops in offering Jumu‘ah prayer, that is not valid. This is what it says in al-Khulaasah. In al-Muheet it says that if he opens the gate of his palace and gives the people permission to enter, it is valid althoughit is makrooh, because he did not fulfil the rightof the Jaami‘ mosque. End quote. It says in Tarh al-Tathreeb (3/190): Our view (i.e., the Shaafa‘i madhhab) is that establishing Jumu‘ah is not only to be done in the mosque; rather it may be performed in an ordinary building. If they do it in a place other than a mosque, the one who enters that place should not pray during the khutbah, because there is no “greeting” (2-rak‘ah prayer upon entering) for it. End quote. It says in al-Insaaf (2/378), which is a Hanbali book: With regard to the words “it is permissible to performit in various buildings or buildings that are on theedge of the wilderness”, this is the view of our madhhab and it is the view of most of the scholars of the madhhab, many of whom stated it definitively. And it was said that it is not permissible to perform itanywhere except in the jaami‘. End quote. With regard to the Maalikis, they stipulated that it must be performed in the jaami‘, as stated above. Khaleel al-Maaliki said concerning the conditions of Jumu‘ah: [It should be] in a jaami‘ that is built separately. In al-Taaj wa’l-Ikleel (2/520) it says: “In the jaami‘.” Ibn Basheer said: The jaami ‘ is one of the conditions of offering this prayer. Ibn Rushd said: It is not validto establish Jumu‘ah except in a designated mosque. Al-Baaji said: One of the conditions is a mosque that is built specifically for that purpose in the usual style of mosques. End quote. To sum up: Jumu‘ah prayer in the place mentioned is valid according to the majority of scholars, if it is not possible to allocate a specific place for the Muslims to pray and if they cannot go to the nearest mosque or Islamic centre in which Jumu‘ah prayer is offered. And Allah knows best.

Jumma Prayer - , Why is Friday singled out for great importance?.

I want to know why Friday Prayer is important and Different then other ?. Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, chose Friday to be the best of days before Him, and He singled it out for major events and great qualities, which are the reason why Muslims are obliged to venerate this day and take it as one oftheir Eids or festivals in which Allah has prescribed rituals that He has not prescribed for other days. On our website we have previously quoted a great deal of evidence tosupport this view, whichyou can see in the answers to the followingquestions: 9211 , 12309 and 13692 Secondly: Moreover, Jumu‘ah prayer has a particular virtue and great qualities through the barakah (blessing) of this great day. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Jumu‘ah prayer is singled out from among all the other obligatory prayers for having particular characteristicsthat are not found in other prayers, including the fact that it is offered in congregation, has a minimum number of worshippers required in order for it to be valid, the iqaamah is a condition of its being valid, one must not be travelling in order for it to be obligatory, and therecitation is done out loud. There is an emphasis on its imortance the like of which is not mentioned for other prayers except ‘Asr prayer. In the four Sunans it is narrated in the hadeeth of Abu’l-Ja‘dad-Dumari – who was a Companion – that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever misses three Jumu‘ahs out of heedlessness, Allah will place a seal on his heart.” End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/384-385. The Prophet’s Sunnah also singles out Jumu‘ah prayer by encouraging believers to do ghusl for it and to wear perfume (for men only). It is also strongly encouraged to come early for the prayer and there is a great deal of reward for walking to the prayer. Concerning these specialcharacteristics, Sa‘eed ibn Mansoor narrated from Na‘eem ibn ‘Abdullah al-Mujammir that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) issuedinstructions that the mosque of Madinah be perfumed with incense every Friday at midday, as was narrated by Ibn al-Qayyim in Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/370. Thirdly: The main reason for venerating Friday prayeris because of the divine decree that singled out this prayer and this day for special virtues. This isone of the manifestations of Allah’s Lordship (ruboobiyyah), as He alone singles out for veneration whateverHe Wills of His creation and whatever times and places He chooses. He is the One Who does whatever He wills for reasons that He, may He be glorified, knows. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the only One Who has the power to create and to choose from among His creation. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses” [al-Qasas 28:68]. If you ponder this creation, you will realize that this choosing and singling out are proof of His Lordship and Oneness, and of the perfection of His wisdom, knowledge and might; that He is Allah, besides Whom there is no other god, and He has no partner who can create as He creates, or choose as He chooses, or control as Hecontrols. This choice, control and singling out,the effects of which are evident in this world, are among the greatest signs of His Lordship andthe greatest testimony to His Oneness, the perfection of His attributes and the truthfulness of His Messengers. End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/40-43 Al-‘Allaamah Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) also stated that this singling out and choice are indicative of the inherent virtue of the thing chosen, for which Allah blessed this time. By His knowledge and wisdom, Allah may grantto a certain place, time or person that which qualifies it to be chosen by Allah and favoured above others. He (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This concept may not be understood by the one who regards all individuals, deeds, times and places as equal, and claims that there is nothing inherent that makes one thing better than another, and that precedence is given to some things over others for no reason. This view is invalid for more than forty reasons that I have listed elsewhere. It is sufficient, in order to understand the falsenessof this view and how corrupt it is, to note that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, refuted this false view when He said (interpretation of the meaning): “And when there comes to them a sign (from Allah) they say: ‘We shall not believe until we receive the like of that which the Messengers ofAllah had received.’ Allahknows best with whom to place His Message” [al-An‘aam 6:124]. “Allah knows best with whom to place His Message” means: not everyone is qualified or fit to convey His Message; rather the Message has those who are suited to conveying it and it cannot befit anybut these people; Allah knows better than you who these people are. If all individuals were equal -- as these people claim -- there could havebeen no argument against them in this verse. Similarly, Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: ‘Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favoured from amongst us?’ Does not Allah knowbest those who are grateful?” [al-An‘aam 6:53]. What is meant is: Allah knows best who will give thanks for His blessings, so He singles them out for His bounty from among those who will not be grateful to Him. Not everyone is fit to thank Him or to receive His blessings andbe singled out for this honour. Those individuals and places and so on that Allah chooses have some inherent qualities that are not found in other people and places, and itis for that reason that Allah chose them, gave them precedence because of those virtues and selected them. This is His creation and His choice. “And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses” [al-Qasas 28:68]. Allah does not choose anything and give it precedence except for a reason that led to it being singled out and given precedence. Yes, He is the One Who created this reason, as He is the One Who created it then chose it after creating it. End quote from Zaad al-Ma‘aad, 1/53-54 To sum up, all the characteristics of this great prayer are by the grace of Allah, may He beglorified and exalted, to His slaves. He chose it by His decree and singled it out for His bounty and blessings, thus it attained this great importance in this worldand in the Hereafter. And Allah knows best.

Jumma Prayer - , Sneezing During Friday Sermon.

What should a person doif he sneezes during the Jumu‘ah khutbah (sermon)? Should he say “al-hamdu Lillah”?. Praise be to Allaah. If a person who is listening to the khutbah (sermon) on Friday sneezes, he should say “al-hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)” quietly to himself. If anyone hears him, it is not permissible for him to say to him “Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you)”. It says in al-Mudawwanah (1/230): Maalik said concerning someone who sneezes when the imam is delivering the khutbah that he should say “al-hamdu Lillah” quietly to himself. No one should say “Yarhamuk Allah” to the one who sneezed when the imam is delivering the khutbah. End quote. Al-Mirdaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:It is permissible for him to say Ameen to the du‘aa’ and to say “al-hamdulillah” silently if he sneezes. End quote from al-Insaaf, 2/418 Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If he sneezes, he has to praise Allah (say “al-hamdu Lillah”) to himself and not raise his voice. End quote from Majmoo‘al-Fataawa, 12/411 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If a member of the congregation sneezes onFriday, he should say “al-hamdulillah” silently. If he says it out loud and the people around him hear him, it is not permissible for them to say “Yarhamuk Allah” to him. End quote from ash-Sharh al-Mumti‘, 5/109 And Allah knows best.

Excellence in faith

In one of the great prophetic narrations which included few, yet very comprehensive words, the Prophet clarified one of the means for salvation, and a sign of the excellence of Islam. This narration gives the believing slave a tool by which to measure himself and realize how close or far he is from the straight path. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allaah said: "It is from the excellence of (a believer's) Islam that he should shun that which is of no concern to him". [At-Tirmithi]. This narration contains many great meanings which a believer should understand and apply. It is one of the principles and foundations of good manners, and thus some scholars considered it to constitute one-third or one-fourth of the religion of Islam. Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “The Prophet summed all the aspects ofpiety and devoutness in this narration. He outlined for the slave what to do and what to shun, and it is an indication to the first pillar of soul purification,namely, shunning what does not concern the person, which leads to the second pillar, and that is busying oneself essentially with what concerns him” He clarified that shunning that which does not concern the person is a means to attain excellence in religion. This means, that people, in reality, are of two categories, those who are excellent in Islaam and those who arenot. The one who appliesIslam inwardly and outwardly is the one whohas reached the level of excellence , as Allaah says(what means): “And who is better in religion than one who submits himself to Allah while being a doer of good and follows the religion of Abraham, incliningtoward truth? And Allah took Abraham as an intimate friend.” [Quran: 4:125]. On the other hand, the one who does not apply Islam inwardly and outwardly is the one whose degree of commitment to Islam is low, and one of the signs of this in him is that he busies himself in that which does not concern him. The following verse is proof substantiating the meaning of the narration, in which Allaah Says (what means): “And they who turn away from illspeech” [Quran: 23:3]. “… ill speech” is anything from falsehood, and that includes association, other minor sins and all useless speech, actions and concerns. Furthermore, busing oneself with that which does not concern him is included in the definitionof “ ill speech” . There are other prophetic narrations which highlight the virtue of excellence in religion, such as the narration of Abu Hurayrah in which he reported that the Messenger of Allaah said: "When one of you reaches the level of excellence in faith, then every good deed is multiplied for him ten times up to seven hundred times; and eachsin is recorded as only one, until he meets Allaah” [Muslim]. The saying of the Prophet : “… that which is of no concern to him" means, that which does not benefit him in his worldly life or the Hereafter, and this includes things that are prohibited, disliked, doubtful, and excess permissible matters which one does not really need. The measure by which one knows whether something is of his concern or not, is Islamic teachings and not ones desires. Many people decide to abandon enjoining good and forbidding evil under the pretext that this is interfering with people’s privacy and personal life. They would do so claiming that it is not a person’s concern tointervene in other people's affairs, basing their argument on an incorrect understanding of this very narration. Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq said: “O you people! You recite and misinterpret the following verse (which means): `O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the (right) guidance [and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and allthat Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all thatIslam has forbidden)] no hurt cancome to you from those who are in error.` [Quran:5:105] But Ihave heard Messenger of Allah saying: “When people see an oppressor but do not prevent him from (doing evil), it is likely that Allaah will punish them all.”” [Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi]. In another narration he said: “Never that evil is committed and people do not prevent it, though able to do so, but Allaah will overwhelm them with punishment”. One other thing that one must concern himself with is the affairs of other believers and their issues, because he who does not worry about theaffairs of his fellow Muslims is not one of them. The need to understand this narration, its implications and applications intensifies intimes like ours, when people’s commitments and personal obligations have increased and priorities are mixed up. The implementation of this narration is the first practical step toward reforming oneself and those under his guardianship and care which leads to achieving excellence in religion. This happens by concentrating on that which is beneficial and staying away from all that is not ones concern.

Lying: an Islamic perspective

What is Lying? Lying is the complete opposite of truth. So, anything that is untrue and deliberately intended to mislead another person is a lie. A lie, therefore, can be anything spoken or written that is totally or partially baseless, unreal, made-up, distorted or exaggerated; for example, if someone were to deliberately state that a five foot pole was a ten foot pole, then this would be a lie. Similarly praising someone out of proportion is a form of a lie. Lying: A Disease of the Heart Lying and falsehood are widespread problems and are roots of other problems that occur on an individual and public level. Lies are spoken and writtenin the media and in politics, in business and in personal dealings, by Muslims and non-Muslims alike, although the degree, magnitude and frequencymay vary. Lying is against human nature and physiology, and like any other disease, it has its own unique signs and symptoms. The act of lying produces inner conflicts between various controlcentres of the brain. The momentone begins to lie, his body sends out contradictory signals to cause facial muscle twitching, expansion and contraction of pupils, perspiration, flushing of cheeks, increased blinking of the eye, tremors of the hand, and an increased heart rate. These constitute the basis of lie detector instruments. In addition, certain unconsciously made movements are noticeable in those who lie, like the constant covering of the mouth, touching of the nose, rubbing of the eye, scratching the side of theneck, rubbing the ear, etc. One of the clearest signs is that the liar keeps his palms closed and his eyes in another direction to the person he is lying to, in an attempt to avoid eye to eye contact. A liar is aware of his body’s signals and finds lying easier when nobody can see him, such as when he is on the phone or writing. What are the Motives of a Liar? A liar tells a lie for the purpose of: a) Concealing the truth, as he may be afraid of the truth or its punitive consequences by the lawor certain individuals. b) Cheating and deceiving others and enjoying their misery, as Satan did with Aadam. c) Short-term worldly gains, such as gaining the favours of others or monetary gains. Forms of Lying The worst form of lying is to do so upon Allaah and His Messenger which is to falsely attribute things to them. Allaah Almighty Says in the Quran (what means): "And if he [i.e., Muhammad] had made up about Us some [false] sayings, We would have seized bythe right hand; then We would have cut from him the aorta " [Quran 69:44-46] And (what means): "…And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it – his heart is indeed sinful…." [Quran 2:283] And (what means): "And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know[it]." [Quran 2:42] Hypocrites are liars too, because they lie to themselves. Allaah Saysabout them (what means): "In their hearts is disease, so Allaah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie." [Quran 2:10] Allaah also addressed His Messenger Muhammad Saying (what means): "…Allaah knows that you are His Messenger, and Allaah testifies that the hypocrites are liars." [Quran 63: 1] The Quran on Liars Allaah Says (what means): "…Indeed Allaah does not guide one who is a transgressor and a liar." [Quran 40:28] And (what means): "…Indeed, Allaah does not guide he who is aliar and [confirmed] disbeliever." [Quran 39:3] Almighty Allaah also Says (what means): "…The curse of Allaah be upon him if he should be among the liars." [Quran 24:7] The Messenger on Lying and Liars Prophet Muhammad said: “Indeed, truth leads to virtue andvirtue leads to Paradise, and a truthful person continues to speak the truth until he becomes the most truthful person. Lies lead to evil and evil leads to Hell, and a liar continues to lie until heis listed as a high ranking liar before Allaah." [Al-Bukhaari] Yoosuf Ibn 'Abdullaah said that he asked Prophet Muhammad : "O Messenger of Allaah! What do you think is the most dreadful thing for me?" Yoosuf continued: "The Messenger caught hold of his tongue and said: "This." [At-Tirmithi] Bahz Ibn Hakeem related that theMessenger said: "Destruction is for the man who tells lies for the amusement of other people. Destruction is for him." [At-Tirmithi] Sufyaan Ibn Usayd reported that the Messenger said: "The biggest breach of trust is that you tell a thing to your brother who believes it to be true, whereas you have lied to him." [Abu Daawood] Is Lying Ever Justified? There are very few justifications for lying in Islam. The Prophet directed us to tell the truth, even under the harshest circumstances of oppression. However, one may choose not to tell the truth when: * He is being oppressed and thereis a real danger to his life if he speaks the truth. Shaykh As-Sa'di narrated the following story:"A cruel king ordered an innocentvillager present in his court to be executed due to the villager's lack of manners. Hearing this, thevillager began cursing the king in his native language. The king asked his minister, who understood the man's language, to tell him what the man was saying. The wise minister, insteadof telling the truth, told the king that the man was sorry for his conduct and was praising his greatness and pleading for his mercy. The king was affected andtherefore spared the life of the innocent villager." Shaykh As-Sa'di called this: "A lie with wisdom." * To promote harmony between spouses. For example, if one's wife asks him if she is beautiful or if he loves her, there is no harm in answering in the affirmative, even if this is not the case. * While making peace between two quarrelling parties, so that the ordeal would not ignite into something worse. The mediator in such a case may falsely tell oneparty that the other is speaking highly of them. * To make the unbelievers realise the truth. When Prophet Ibraaheem broke all the idols except the largest of them, the unbelievers entered the temple and saw the smashed idols. Ibraaheem had placed the axe in the hand of the chief idol. The disbelievers asked:"Who broke our gods?" He said: "Ask the chief idol, he has the axe." They replied: "Do you not know that he cannot speak or act?" Ibraaheem replied:"This is what I have been telling you, so worship Allaah rather than these stones that cannot harm or profit you." Virtues of Telling the Truth Truthfulness is commanded by Allaah as a part of faith and is an indispensable quality of the believers. It is mentioned in over one hundred places in the Quran. Some examples are when Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "That Allaah may reward the truthful for their truth…" [Quran 33:24] "O you who have believed! Fear Allaah and be with those who aretrue." [Quran 9:119] "O you who have believed! Fear Allaah and speak words of appropriate justice." [Quran 33:70] "The patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allaah], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn." [Quran 3:17] "The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allaah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allaah. It is those who are the truthful." [Quran 49:15] It is not necessary to relate any prophetic traditions about the truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad as his whole life was nothing but the epitome of truth. Prophet Muhammad was confirmed as a truthful person even before he became a Prophet. During his prophethood,even his enemies confirmed that he was truthful and trustworthy. Some of the disbelievers would deposit their belongings with him as an indication of their trustin him.

The rights of the husbandupon the wife

The rights of the husband upon his wife are greater than the rights of the wife upon her husband for the simple reason that Allaah, the Almighty, stated in the Glorious Quran what means: “…And due to the wives issimilar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. AndAllaah is Exalted in Might and Wise." [Quran 2: 228] Man is the caretaker of his wife and household. He is responsible for all her affairs. He is responsible for training, directionand discipline if needed. Allaah Almighty Says what means: “Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allaah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth…” [Quran 4:34] It is an essential right of man over his wife to be obeyed so long as his commands do not conflict or contradict the commands of Allaah, the Almighty, Allaah’s Messenger and the general teachings and codes of ethics of Islam. Allaah Almighty Says in the same verse mentioned above (what means): "...But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allaah is ever Exalted and Grand.." [Quran 4:34] A Muslim wife must protect her husband’s secrets, privacies, honor and dignity. She also must protect his wealth, children, finance, belongings and other aspects of his household, as much as possible. Allaah Almighty Says in the same verse (what means): "...So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allaah would have them guard..." [Quran4:34] Allaah's Messenger said: "The wife is the guardian over the house of her husband and his children." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] And, “If I were to command a single person to bow in prostration to another person, I could have commanded a womanto bow down (in obedience and respect, not in worship) to her husband.” [Abu Daawood] Allaah’s Messenger also said: “If a husband calls his wife to his bed, but the latter refused to fulfill the call (for any reason other than a lawful one), which drives the man to become upset with his wife, then angels will curse such a wife until she gets up in the morning.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] He furthermore, said: "Their (husbands') rights over you (wives) is that you do not allow anyone whom they dislike onto your bedding and you do not allow anyone whom they dislike into your house." [At-Tirmithi] The wife must not leave the house except with her husband's permission and approval. She must also lower her gaze, keep her voice low, keep her hands from reaching out to anything evil and keep her tongue from any lewd or foul speech. She also must not harm his parents or near relatives. This is because Allaah Almighty has said (what means): "And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance...." [Quran 33:33] Allaah Almighty also has said (what means): "...Do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech." [Quran 33:32] In another verse, Allaah Sayas (what means): "And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof..." [Quran 24:31] Allaah's Messenger said: "The best woman is the one who when you look at her, you are pleased; when you order her, she obeys; if you are absent from her,she guards herself and your property." [At-Tabarani] An other right of the husband over his wife is that the husband may ask his wife not do something, including, but not limited to voluntary acts of worship, other than obligatory, which cause her to lessen the time that her husband may have to enjoy her. Allaah’s Messenger stated: “A wife is not allowed to observe fast (other than fasting in the month of Ramadhaan, the prescribed, unless she has his permission. She may not allow any one to come into his house, unless he permits.” [At-Tirmithi] Moreover, Allaah’s Messenger placed the satisfaction and pleasure of a husband to be one of the reasons to enable the wife to enter Paradise. At-Tirmithi reported from Umm Salamah, the mother of the believers that Allaah’s Messenger said: “Any woman whose husband dies while he is pleased, happy and satisfied withher (acts, attitudes and behavior) will enter Jannah (Paradise).” These are but few items of the many rights that Islam, the religion of truth, imposes upon those who commit themselves tofollow and practice it as a way of life. We vividly see that such rights, if maintained properly, will lead a society to peace, happiness and tranquility. A husband becomes caring, affectionate, loving and responsible, yet directing and capable of discipline when needed to improve a troublesome situation, regardless of his tender care and love for his wife, so that vise and wickedness will not spread in thesociety. A wife becomes more respected, adored, cared for, highly needed and appreciated if she respects the rights of her husband, and equally given the rights she is entitled for by Islam. In such a coherent way, the religion of truth, goodness, justice, equity, and all fairness coincide with basic requirements of life including harmony between all the members of the society, especially between the husband and the wife .

The rights of the husbandupon the wife

The rights of the husband upon his wife are greater than the rights of the wife upon her husband for the simple reason that Allaah, the Almighty, stated in the Glorious Quran what means: “…And due to the wives issimilar to what is expected of them, according to what is reasonable. But the men have a degree over them [in responsibility and authority]. AndAllaah is Exalted in Might and Wise." [Quran 2: 228] Man is the caretaker of his wife and household. He is responsible for all her affairs. He is responsible for training, directionand discipline if needed. Allaah Almighty Says what means: “Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allaah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth…” [Quran 4:34] It is an essential right of man over his wife to be obeyed so long as his commands do not conflict or contradict the commands of Allaah, the Almighty, Allaah’s Messenger and the general teachings and codes of ethics of Islam. Allaah Almighty Says in the same verse mentioned above (what means): "...But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allaah is ever Exalted and Grand.." [Quran 4:34] A Muslim wife must protect her husband’s secrets, privacies, honor and dignity. She also must protect his wealth, children, finance, belongings and other aspects of his household, as much as possible. Allaah Almighty Says in the same verse (what means): "...So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allaah would have them guard..." [Quran4:34] Allaah's Messenger said: "The wife is the guardian over the house of her husband and his children." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] And, “If I were to command a single person to bow in prostration to another person, I could have commanded a womanto bow down (in obedience and respect, not in worship) to her husband.” [Abu Daawood] Allaah’s Messenger also said: “If a husband calls his wife to his bed, but the latter refused to fulfill the call (for any reason other than a lawful one), which drives the man to become upset with his wife, then angels will curse such a wife until she gets up in the morning.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] He furthermore, said: "Their (husbands') rights over you (wives) is that you do not allow anyone whom they dislike onto your bedding and you do not allow anyone whom they dislike into your house." [At-Tirmithi] The wife must not leave the house except with her husband's permission and approval. She must also lower her gaze, keep her voice low, keep her hands from reaching out to anything evil and keep her tongue from any lewd or foul speech. She also must not harm his parents or near relatives. This is because Allaah Almighty has said (what means): "And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance...." [Quran 33:33] Allaah Almighty also has said (what means): "...Do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech." [Quran 33:32] In another verse, Allaah Sayas (what means): "And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof..." [Quran 24:31] Allaah's Messenger said: "The best woman is the one who when you look at her, you are pleased; when you order her, she obeys; if you are absent from her,she guards herself and your property." [At-Tabarani] An other right of the husband over his wife is that the husband may ask his wife not do something, including, but not limited to voluntary acts of worship, other than obligatory, which cause her to lessen the time that her husband may have to enjoy her. Allaah’s Messenger stated: “A wife is not allowed to observe fast (other than fasting in the month of Ramadhaan, the prescribed, unless she has his permission. She may not allow any one to come into his house, unless he permits.” [At-Tirmithi] Moreover, Allaah’s Messenger placed the satisfaction and pleasure of a husband to be one of the reasons to enable the wife to enter Paradise. At-Tirmithi reported from Umm Salamah, the mother of the believers that Allaah’s Messenger said: “Any woman whose husband dies while he is pleased, happy and satisfied withher (acts, attitudes and behavior) will enter Jannah (Paradise).” These are but few items of the many rights that Islam, the religion of truth, imposes upon those who commit themselves tofollow and practice it as a way of life. We vividly see that such rights, if maintained properly, will lead a society to peace, happiness and tranquility. A husband becomes caring, affectionate, loving and responsible, yet directing and capable of discipline when needed to improve a troublesome situation, regardless of his tender care and love for his wife, so that vise and wickedness will not spread in thesociety. A wife becomes more respected, adored, cared for, highly needed and appreciated if she respects the rights of her husband, and equally given the rights she is entitled for by Islam. In such a coherent way, the religion of truth, goodness, justice, equity, and all fairness coincide with basic requirements of life including harmony between all the members of the society, especially between the husband and the wife .

Dought & clear - , She makes cards for festivals and sells them – is that permissible

I make handcrafted eid cards as a hobby and a source of income. I would like to know whether it is Bidah to dothis? I have been told that everything is halal unless it has been specifically made haram.Please help as this is the time of year that people buy the cards from me and I really need to know whether I am doing something wrong. Praise be to Allaah. Yes, the basic principle isthat transactions are permitted and allowed, and it is not permissible to describe anything as haraam except with evidence. The ruling on the cards that you make for festivals varies according to the festivalsin question. If they are cards with greetings for the festivals of the kuffaar, such as Christmas, or for festivalsthat are bid’ah (innovation), such as thebirthday of the Prophet (al-Mawlid) or al-Isra’ and al-Mi’raaj, or festivals that involve imitating the kuffaar, such as national holidaysand birthdays, then it is not permissible for you to make them or sell them, and it is not permissible for anyone to buy them, because that implies approval of those festivals that go against Islam, and because it is cooperatingin sin and transgression. But if they are for Islamicfestivals – and there are no Islamic festivals except Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha – then it is permissible for you to make greetings cards forthem, and it is permissible for you to sell them, so long as you make sure to use phrases that are prescribed or permissible according tosharee’ah, such as “May Allaah accept from us and from you” and so on. In the answer to question no. 947 we stated that it is haraam to congratulate the kuffaar on their festivals.In the answer to question no. 782 we stated that it is haraam to sell cards for Christian festivals. In the answer to question no. 50074 wequoted the statement of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas about taking part in the millennium celebrations,in which it was noted that it is not permissible to help the kuffaar in their festivals, and among the ways of helping them that the scholars mentioned are: making clothes, mementoes and cards.” In the answers to questions no. 49014 , 49021 and 36442 you willfind that it is permissibleto offer greetings on theIslamic festivals. And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear - , Do the shayaateen (devils) enter the mosques?

Do the shayaateen (devils) enter the mosques? Praise be to Allaah. There are proven reportsin the Sunnah which indicate that the devils do enter the mosques, because they go into thegaps in the rows and whisper (waswaas) to the individual when he is praying so as to distract him and rob himof proper focus (khushoo‘). Abu Dawood (667)and Ahmad (27552) narrated,in a report that was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Mishkaat (1093), from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Consolidate your rows, make them close together and stand with your necks in line with one another, for by the One in Whose hand is mysoul, I see the devils going into the gaps in the rows as if they are little lambs.” Muslim narrated in his Saheeh (2203) from Abu’l-‘Alaa’ that ‘Uthmaan ibn Abi’l-‘Aas came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allaah, the shaytaan interferes between me and my prayer and my recitation, and he makesme confused. The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “That is a devil called Khinzab. If you feel that, then seek refuge with Allaah from him and spit drily to your left three times.” He said: I did thatand Allaah took him away from me. Muslim also narrated (542) that Abu’d-Darda’ said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up (to pray) and we heard him saying: “I seek refuge with Allaah from you.” Then he said: “I curse you with the curse of Allaah” three times, and he stretched out his hand as if to take something. When he hadfinished praying, we said: O Messenger of Allaah, we heard you saysomething during the prayer that we have not heard you say before, and we saw you stretch out your hand. He said: “The enemy of Allaah, Iblees, came with a brand of fire to throw it in my face… Al-Bukhaari, Muslim and others narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the call to prayer is given, the Shaytaan runs away breaking wind loudly so that he will not hear the call. Then when the call has ended, he comes but when iqaamah for prayer is given he runs away, then when the iqaamah has ended, he comes back so that he can whisper to the individual, saying: Remember such and such, remember such and such -- about things that he was not thinkingabout, until he confuses the man and he does notknow how many (rak‘ahs) he prayed. These hadeeths and others clearly indicate that the devils do enter the mosques, but when they hear the adhaan they run away to somewhere where they cannot hear the call, then they come back after that and distract a person from his prayer and recitation. And Allah knows best.