Ramadan Articles - A strategy to combat thirst in Ramadan

The feeling of thirst in the monthofRamadanbecomes intense when it
falls in summerso how can we help our bodies maintain water,resist the
feeling of thirst, and reduce its intensity?
The feeling of thirst in the monthofRamadanbecomes intense in summer
because the period of fasting may extend to more than 14 hours a day.
The body continues to lose water throughout these hours. At the time
ofIftaar)the fast-breaking meal(, one is in urgent need of prompt and
adequate compensation for the liquids it lost. However, it is possible
to help our bodies maintain water, resist the feeling of thirst, and
reduce its intensity by following the principles of healthy
nutritionduring the month of fasting. Therefore, exerting some effort
to avoid thirst would be easier than bearing the suffering.
Our allies against thirst
Water: is the best of drinks and cannot be compensated for by any
other drink. Experts recommend drinking one liter and a half of water
daily, preferably containing mineral, salts in order to compensate the
salts that the body loses, especially while sweating. The following
tips should be taken into account when dealing with water:
*.Do not leave the bottle of water for a long time after opening it
and drinking it without use because thebacteriawhich are present in
the mouth and the environment around us can be active in it and are a
source of infection.
*.Wash the bottle and its lid with hot water and soap whenrefilling it
along with changing it from time to time.
*.You can add some healthy elements to the glass of water you drink,
such as slices of lemon, fresh mint leaves or grated ginger.
*.To get rid of the taste ofchlorinepour the water into a large bowl
and leave it for about one hour before drinking it.
Liquids of all types:particularlyhydratingbeverages and natural fruit
juices which contain minerals. It is advisable to avoid juices
containing unnatural substances and colors, which contain large
amounts of sugar. These substances damage health and cause allergies.
Fresh fruits and vegetables: it is preferable to eat fresh
vegetablesand fruits at night and in theSuhoor)pre-dawn( meal. This is
because they contain considerable amounts of water and fiber that
remain for a long time in the intestines. This actually reduces the
feeling of hunger and thirst. Cucumber is one of the most popular
vegetables that combat thirst because it soothes the thirst and cools
the body. It also helps to alleviate neurological disorders, and it
contains nutritious cellulose fibers which facilitate the process of
digestion, expel toxins, and cleanse the intestines
Delaying theSuhoormeal:theSunnahrecommends that the Muslim to delay
hisSuhoormeal. Therefore, it is preferable to havethis meal after
midnight, so that the fasting person will be able to resist thirst,
especially in the firstdays of fasting. TheSuhoormeal should
preferably be a light meal.
Thieves stealing water from the body
Salt:salty foods increase the body's need for water; therefore, it is
advisable to avoid adding a lot of salt on the food and stay away from
foods with high salinity, such as salted fish andpickles. It is
preferable to replacethe salt with drops of lemon in salad as they
adjust the taste justas well.
Spices and seasonings:meals andfoods containing a large proportion of
spices and condiments require drinking large quantities of water
followingingestion. That is because these foods absorb water as they
are taken, from thepharynxmouth and stomach causing dryness in the
body, and thus the feeling of thirst. So, the fasting person should
avoid eating spicy foods which contain a lot of seasoning, especially
in theSuhoormeal.
Stimulants: It is recommended that the fasting person reduces the
amount ofstimulantslike teaand coffee because they contain caffeine,
which increases the activity of the kidneys and enhances its role in
the excretionof urine. Thus, stimulants increase the process of losing
water from the body. It should also be noted that tea and coffee
cannot be considered alternatives to water; because their hot nature
does not allow the fasting person to drink a large amount of them.
Soda drinks:they contain carbon which causes flatulence and a feeling
of fullness and prevents the body from using liquids. Therefore, it is
necessary to avoidsoda drinks during theIftaarmeal.
Direct sunlight:the fasting person should avoid direct exposure to
sunlight for long periods of time. The ways ofmitigatingthe heat of
the sun and thus avoiding thirst are as follows:
*.Taking frequent showers with warm water to cool the body and using
soap to get rid of body oils that may block the pores.
*.Blocking out the sun from entering the house in the afternoon as
much as possible by closing the blinds or curtains.
*.Wearing light-colored and loose clothes preferably made of cotton to
absorb sweat.
*.Resting to the extent which is commensurate with the effort done in
order to renew the body's dynamic energy.
6 myths to overcome thirst inRamadan
1- Drinking adequate amounts of liquids with a high concentrationof
sugar hydrates the body and repels thirst.
Fact: Liquids with a high concentration of sugar urge the body
toincrease the flow of urineand increase the feeling of
thirst.Therefore, it is recommended that the fasting person eats
sweets moderately inRamadanas well as only drinking small amounts of
drinks with high sugar concentration.
2- Drinking plenty of water at theSuhoormeal protects from thirst
during the fast.
Fact: the kidneys expel the extra water which is not needed by thebody
after a few hours, leading to disturbance of the fasting person during
sleep because he needs to go to the bathroom. This causes fatigue
during the day.
3- Drinking very cold or iced water at the start of theIftaarquenches thirst.
Fact: Drinking iced water at the beginning of theIftaarseverely
affects the stomach, reducing theefficiency of digestion and leading
to the constriction of thecapillariesthus causing some digestive
disorders. Therefore, the water temperature should beaverage or only
mildly cool, and the fasting person should drink itslowly, not all at
once.
4- Drinking water while eating food provides a greater opportunity for
good digestion.
Fact: Drinking water while eating disrupts the flow of saliva on the
food such that the food does not mix well with the saliva in the
mouth, and thus it is difficult to digest and the body scarcely
benefits from it. Therefore, doctors advise people not to drink water
while eating except for very little to help swallow thefood.
5- Drinking plenty of water after the completion of the food directly
helps in the process of digestion and extinguishes thirst.
Fact: Drinking plenty of water after eating directly in fact hampers
the digestion process and prevents the digestive system from
completing its function properly. That is, drinking an abundance of
water prevents the secretion of gastric juices. The correct way is
that theperson should drink just a little water after theIftaarto
quench his thirst. The best time to drink plenty of water is about two
hours afterIftaar, and it is preferable that the fasting person drinks
small amounts of water at intervals during the night throughout the
period between theIftaarandSuhoormeals and not wait to feel
thirstybefore drinking water.
6- Frequent drinking of water leads to obesity
Fact: Recent studies have shown that water plays an important role in
losing weight because water helps increase the secretion of the
hormone Noradrenaline which increases the activity of the nervous
systemand increases the burning of fat, and thus helps to get rid of
excess weight.

Ramadan Articles - Balancing cooking & worship in Ramadan

The blessed month of Ramadan isfast approaching and many of us are
busy making preparations to make this a special time for our families.
Ramadan is a time for voluntary acts of worship, sharing with those
who are less fortunate, and reflecting on the message that Allaah has
given to us.
Overall, the goal of this month is to develop ourselves spiritually
and to become closer to Allaah. These effects are then to be carried
with us throughout the remainder of the year. This is the beauty of
Ramadan; a gift and blessing from Allaah.
One issue that is commonly discussed is concern about the amount of
time that sisters are required to spend during this month in cooking
and related preparations. Much of the emphasis is often placed upon
food and breaking of the fast. Undoubtedly, this was not meantto be
the focus of such a spiritualtime, but it has evolved into a
sophisticated system in some cultures. The following questionsthen
arise: "If a woman is spending so much time on this aspect of the
blessed month, how much time does this leave for more important acts
of worship such as prayer and reading Quran?", "How can a woman
balance her desire to please her family and guests and her wish to
perform more acts ofworship?"
We posed these questions and related ones to sisters. We have
presented some of their responses below which you should find
enlightening. It is important to emphasize that sharing food with
others is highly rewarded in
Islam, particularly if the recipients are the poor and needy.
This is something that is stronglyencouraged notonly during Ramadan,
but throughout the year. What may be helpful to consider is that there
are many types of foods and various methods of preparation that do not
require a great deal of time and effort, but that can be enjoyed just
as much as more elaborate dishes. This element itself can be very
beneficial for the balancing act.
A woman should always be aware of how her scale is being affected by
the various acts that she engages in. If worship side is weak, it may
be time to rearrange priorities. Our focus should be on Allaah and the
beautiful
Scripture that He, Almighty, sent during this glorious month. May
Allaah help each of us to experience a rewarding and joyful Ramadan.
Comments from Sisters
*.'Aa'ishah, a mother of three teenagers. Her husband has extensive
social relationships and usually has to invite many people to eat at
their house during Ramadan. ]Los Angels, California[
"My children and husband are always helpful and understanding. I am
too. Even though cooking is tiring to me, I am always willing to do it
)I cooka large variety of foods and I never get any outside help(, and
many times I have cooked for a very large number of guests; but I
understand my
husband's position in the community and I support him in doing what he
has to do. What ismore important for me is that I look for Allaah's
reward by providing Iftaar for fasting people and having Muslims as
guests in my house. This is my biggest motivation in doing this. There
are more rewards in it than many can imagine.
The only thing I ask from my husband is that we plan these"events"
ahead of time. In Ramadan, I also always help my sons invite some of
their friends over to have Iftaar with us. Whenwe have no guests, I
cook
anything I want, and whether it is just one type of food or no food at
all )that is we go out to eat at a restaurant(. They are all happy and
supportive of the decision. As for having enough time and energy to
read Quran and perform more prayers, I think it all comes down to
management of time and settingof priorities. And yes, I do as much of
them as I want in
Ramadan."
*.Um Muhammad, married and the mother of two children.]Jersey City, New Jersey[
"I rarely cook Iftaar in Ramadan. We take the opportunity of the month
to be in the masaajid)mosques( as much as we can. There are more than
fifteen mosques around us whichprovide daily or weekend Iftaar, so we
go to them to meet the Muslims and eat with them. Sometimes the food
is free but most of the time we pay for it, and in others it is a
potluck dinner. I may have to cook once or twice for guests at our
home. This way we get to spend more time in the masjid )mosque( and
around the Muslims, and I get all the time to do more worship."
*.Zahirah, lives with three young daughters, her husband and his old
parents. ]New York, New York[
"When it comes to cooking, I have to work very hard every Ramadan
because I have to prepare different types of meals for my in-laws and
at specific times - dayand night. I get very tired and I do not, may
Allaah
forgive me, look forward to it. However, I enjoy cooking for the masjid
because some of those who eat there do not have the opportunity to eat
"Ramadan food" and for the few occasions when we invite some single
Muslims to have Iftaar with us. I usually have very little time to do
anything other than cooking in Ramadan."
*.Khadijah, a mother of two children, one of whom is third-grade
homeschooler. ]Atlanta, Georgia[
"I love to cook in Ramadan even though I am not a good cook, but I try
my best especially when we go to the masjid or when we are inviting
others over. Many likemy sweet dishes so I tend to do more of that and
I
sometimes send them as gifts to our neighbors and friends. I do make
time for Quran and prayer and helping with the Ramadan programs in our
masjid. It is a tough schedule and I get tired especially towards the
end of themonth, but I like it very much and my husband and the
Muslimsaround me appreciate what I do. I have no complaints."
*.Layla, married and the mother of three young children.
]Minneapolis, MN[
"I feel that my husband expects us to have a full, heavy meal every
night during Ramadan )i.e., salad, meat, starch, vegetable and
desert(, whereas during the rest of the year we may have a meal like
that two or three timesa week )the rest of the week it's O.K. to have
lighter meals like soup and salad, sandwiches, or omelets(. I don't
find it difficult to cook during Ramadan from a temptation standpoint
but I find that planning for these big mealsis a burden. I think that
these large meals are customary duringRamadan because we tend to
entertain more during this month. But, I don't think these large meals
should be expected when not entertaining and it is actually an
unhealthy way to eat)to gorge ourselves after sunset before we go to
sleep(. Also, the clean up from these meals is more extensive and will
take away time from prayer, reading Quran, and being with family
members. Feeling tired from fasting and taking care of small children
can add to the challengeduring this month."
We would like to thank all of the sisters for their comments and insight.

Ramadan Articles - Merits of Ramadan

It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrahthat the Messenger of
Allaahsaid:"When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of Heaven are
opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are
chained."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Another version reads:"When thefirst night of the month of Ramadan
comes, the devils and rebellious Jinn are chained up and the gates of
Hell are closed, and not one gate of it is opened. The gates of
Paradise are opened and not one gate of it is closed. Acaller cries
out, 'O seeker of good,proceed; O seeker of evil, desist.' Allaah
saves some people from Hell - and that happens every
night."]At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah[]Al-Albaani: Saheeh[
"O seeker of good, proceed!"is a call to the people who want to do
good deeds to proceed, because this is their opportunity for doing
good deeds as they willbe rewarded generously for everylittle effort.
"O seeker of evil, desist!"is a call to the people who want to get
involved in evil deeds to stop andrepent, because this is the time for
repenting to Allaah The Almighty.
In a third version, the Prophetgave glad tidings to his Companions,
saying:"There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month. Allaah has
made it obligatory for you to fast in it. In this month, the gates of
Heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are locked, and the rebellious
devils are chained up. In it there is a night that is better than a
thousand months, and whoever is deprived of its goodness is deprived
indeed."]An-Nasaa'i andAhmad[
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah and Abu Sa'eedsaidthat the Messenger
of Allaahsaid:"Allaah has people whom Hesaves )from Hell( every day
and night )in Ramadan( and every oneof them has a supplication that
will, indeed, be fulfilled."]Ahmad and At-Tabaraani: authentic chainof
narrators[
It was narrated on the authority of Jaabirthat the Messenger of
Allaahsaid:"Allaah has people whom He saves )from Hell( at each time
of Iftaar)breaking tha fast(, and that is every night )of
Ramadan(."]Ibn Maajah[ ]Al-Albaani: Hasan Saheeh]
Benefits and rulings:
*.First:The virtues of the month of Ramadan, where great things take
place, such as opening the gates of Paradise, closing the gates of
Hell and chaining the devils. All this takes place in the first night
of Ramadan and continues to the end of the month.
*.Second:The first Hadeeth indicates that Paradise and Hellare already
created and that their gates are actually opened and closed.
*.Third:Seasons with a special virtue and the righteous deeds that are
observed therein bringabout the Pleasure of Allaah and this results in
opening the gates of Paradise and closing the gates of Hell.
*.Fourth:It is permissible under Sharee'ah )Islamic legislation( to
give glad tidings about the advent of Ramadan and congratulate people
on living to witness it. The Prophetused to remind his Companions of
such merits to make them rejoice and drive them to do righteous deeds.
Thus, glad tidings should be given with regard to every good thing.
*.Fifth:Rebellious devils are chained in Ramadan and thus their effect
on people is weakened due to the good deeds that people do.
*.Sixth:Allaah The Almighty confers His favor and kindness upon His
slaves by preserving their fasting and warding the harm of rebellious
devils off them, so as not to spoil their acts of worship in the
blessed month of Ramadan.
*.Seventh:Proving the existence of devils and that they have bodies
that can be chained andthat rebellious devils from among them are
chained during the month of Ramadan.
*.Eighth:These great advantages, which are unique to Ramadan, are
enjoyed by the believers who glorify this month and fulfill the rights
of Allaah The Almighty during it. However, the disbelievers who do not
fast during this month and do not believe in its sanctity, the gates
of Paradise will not be opened for them, the gates of Hell will not be
closed for their sake, their devils will not be chained and they will
not deserve to be saved from Hell. Consequently, anyone of them who
dies during the month of Ramadan or during any other month willdeserve
the punishment of Allaah and will certainly taste it.
*.Ninth:It is feared that Muslims who imitate the disbelievers in
violating the sanctity of Ramadan, breaking the fast during the
daytime, committing acts that invalidatetheir fasting or decrease its
reward )such as backbiting, carrying tales or spreading slander and
attending gatherings where such acts take place(, will be excluded
from this great favor from Allaah; the gates of Paradise will be
closed for them, the gates of Hell will be opened forthem and their
devils will be released.
*.Tenth:The opening of the gates of Paradise and the closing of the
gates of Hell do not contradict the verse )whichmeans(:}Gardens of
perpetual residence, whose doors will be opened to them.{]Quran 38:50[
The opening of the gates of Paradise during the month of Ramadan does
not mean that they will be always opened. Also, the noble verse tells
about the opening of such gates on the Dayof Judgment. Likewise, the
closing of the gates of Hell duringthe month of Ramadan does not
contradict the verse that says with regard to Hell )what
means(:}Until, when they reach it, its gates are opened.{]Quran 39:71[
This is because the gates of Hell may be closed before the time the
doomed people reach it.
*.Eleventh:The virtue of the Night of Al-Qadr and how it is better
than one thousand months. The Muslim who misses that night is deprived
ofa great blessing.
*.Twelfth:Allaah The Almighty saves people from Hell every night in
the month of Ramadan. Those who are worthier of redemption are those
who fast perfectly, pray Qiyaam )supererogatory night prayers( well,
perform a lot of righteous deeds, out of loving Allaah and hoping for
His reward and fearing His punishment.
*.Thirteenth:Those people who will be saved from Hell will be granted
the privilege of having their supplications fulfilled. Thus, Allaah
combines two great rewards for them: redemption from Hell and
answering their supplication.
*.Fourteenth:The fasting Muslim should not commit anything that
invalidates his fasting or decreases his reward. Also, he should keep
his hearing, sight and tongue away from everything that has been
forbidden by Allaah, to be saved from Hell.
*.Fifteenth:The fasting Muslim should frequently supplicate Allaah The
Almighty, because the supplication made by a fasting person is
fulfilled, by the will of Allaah The Almighty.

Ramadan Articles - Eid Etiquette and Rulings

Praise be to Allaah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be
upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions.
"Eid" is an Arabic word referring to something habitual, that returns
andis repeated. Eids or festivals are symbols to be found in every
nation,including those that are based on revealed scriptures and those
that are idolatrous, as well as others, because celebrating festivals
is something that is an instinctive part of humannature. All people
like to have special occasions to celebrate, where they can come
together and express their joy and happiness.
The festivals of the kaafir nations may be connected to worldly
matters, such as the beginning of the year, the start of an
agricultural season, the changing of the weather,the establishment of
a state, the accession of a ruler, and so on. They may also be
connected toreligious occasions, like many of the festivals belonging
exclusively to the Jews and Christians, such as the Thursday on which
they claim the table was sent down to Jesus, Christmas, New Year's,
Thanksgiving, andholidays on which gifts are exchanged. These
arecelebrated in all European and North American countries nowadays,
and in other countries where Christianinfluence is prevalent, even if
the country is not originally Christian. Someso-called Muslims may
also join in these holidays, out of ignorance or hypocrisy.
The Magians (Zoroastrians) also have their own festivals, such as
Mahrajaan, Nowruz and so on.
The Baatinis have their own festivals too, such as"Eid al-Ghadeer",
when they claim that the Prophet [an error occurred while processing
this directive] (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gavethe
khilaafah to 'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) and to the twelve
imaams after him.
The Muslims are distinguished by their festivals
The Prophet's words "Every nation has its festival, and this is your
festival"indicate that these two Eids are exclusively for the Muslims,
and that it is notpermissible for Muslims to imitate the kuffaar and
mushrikeen in anything that is a distinctive part of their
celebrations, whether it be food, dress, bonfires or acts of worship.
Muslim children should not be allowed to play onthose kaafir
festivals, or to put up decorations, or to join in with the kuffaar on
those occasions. All kaafir or innovated festivals are haraam, such as
Independence Day celebrations, anniversaries of revolutions, holidays
celebrating trees or accessions to the throne, birthdays, Labour Day,
the Nile festival, Shimm al-Naseem (Egyptian spring holiday),
teachers'day, and al-Mawlood al-Nabawi (Prophet's Birthday).
The Muslims have no festivals apart from Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adhaa,
because of the hadeeth narrated from Anas (may Allaah be pleased with
him) who said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) came to Madeenah and the people had two days when they
would play and have fun. He said, 'What are these two days?' They
said, 'We used to play and have fun on these days during the
Jaahiliyyah. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said,'Allaah has given you something better than them, the
day of Adhaa and the day of Fitr.'"(Sunan Abi Dawood, 1134)
These two Eids are among the signs or symbols of Allaah which we must
celebrate and understand the aims and meanings behind them.
There follows a discussion of some of the rulings and manners of the
two Eids according toIslamic sharee'ah
1 – Ahkaam al-Eid (Rulings on Eid)
Fasting
It is haraam to fast on thedays of Eid because of the hadeeth of Abu
Sa'eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him), who said that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
forbade fasting on the day of Fitr and the day of Sacrifice (Adhaa).
(Reported by Muslim, 827)
Ruling on the Eid prayers
Some of the scholars say that Eid prayers are waajib (obligatory) –
thisis the view of the Hanafi scholars and of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him). They say that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) always prayedthe Eid
prayer and never omitted to do it, not evenonce. They take as evidence
the aayah (interpretation of the meaning),"Therefore turn in prayer to
your Lord and sacrifice (to Himonly)"[al-Kawthar 108:2],i.e., the Eid
prayer and the sacrifice after it, which is an instruction, and the
fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
ordered that the women should be brought out to attend the Eid
prayers, and that a woman who did not have a jilbaab should borrow one
from her sister. Some scholars say that Eid prayer is fard kifaaya.
This is the view of the Hanbalis. A third group say that Eid prayer is
sunnah mu'akkadah. This is the view of the Maalikis and Shaafa'is.
They take as evidence thehadeeth of the Bedouin which says that Allaah
has not imposed any prayers on His slaves other than the five daily
prayers. So the Muslim should be keen to attend Eid prayers,
especially since the opinion that it is waajib is based on strong
evidence. The goodness, blessings and great reward one gets from
attending Eid prayers, and the fact that one is following the example
of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) by doing
so, should be sufficient motivation.
Essentials and timing of Eid prayer
Some scholars (the Hanafis and Hanbalis) saythat the conditions of Eid
prayer are that the iqaamah should be recited and the prayer should be
offered in jamaa'ah (congregation).Some of them said that the
conditions of Eid prayer are the same as the conditions for Friday
prayer, with the exception of the khutbah, attendance at which is not
obligatory. The majority of scholars say that the time for the Eid
prayer starts when the sun has risen above the height of a spear, as
seen by the naked eye, and continues until the sun is approaching its
zenith.
Description of the Eid prayer
'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:"The prayer of Eid and
al-Adhaa is two complete rak'ahs, not shortened. This is according to
the words of your Prophet, and the liar is doomed."
Abu Sa'eed said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) usedto come out to the prayer-place on the day of
Fitr and al-Adhaa, and the first thing he would do was the prayer."
The Takbeer is repeated seven times in the first rak'ah and five times
in the second, the Qur'aan isto be recited after each.
It was reported from 'Aa'ishah: the Takbeer of al-Fitr and al-Adhaa is
seven in the first rak'ah and five in the second, apart from the
takbeer ofrukoo' . (Reported by AbuDawood; saheeh by the sum of its
isnaads)
If a person joining the prayer catches up with the imaam during these
extra takbeeraat, he should say "Allaahu akbar" with the imaam, and he
does not have to make up any takbeeraat he may have missed, because
they are sunnah,not waajib. With regard to what should be said between
the takbeeraat, Hammaad ibn Salamah reported from Ibraaheemthat Waleed
ibn 'Uqbah entered the mosque when Ibn Mas'ood, Hudhayfah and Abu
Moosa were there, and said, "Eid is here, what should I do?" Ibn
Mas'oodsaid:"Say 'Allaahu akbar',praise and thank Allaah, send
blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
and make du'aa', then say Say 'Allaahu akbar', praise and thank
Allaah, send blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him)…etc."(Reported by al-Tabaraani. It is a saheeh hadeeth
that is quoted in al-Irwaa' and elsewhere).
Recitation of Qur'aan in Eid prayers
It is recommended (mustahabb) that in the Eid prayers the imaam should
recite Qaaf [soorah 50] and Aqtarabat al-saa'ah [al-Qamar, soorah 54],
as it is reported in Saheeh Muslim that 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab asked
Abu Waaqid al-Laythi, "What did the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite at [Eid] al-Adhaa and
al-Fitr?" He said,"He used to recite Qaaf. Wa'l-Qur'aan al-majeed
[Qaaf 50:1] and Aqtarabatal-saa'ah wa anshaqq al-qamar [al-Qamar
54:1].
Most of the reports indicate that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) usedto recite Soorat al-A'laa [87] and Soorat
al-Ghaashiyah [88], as he used to recite them in theFriday prayer.
Al-Nu'maan ibn Bishr said:"The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite on the two Eids and on
Fridays, Sabbih isma rabbika'l-a'laa [al-A'laa 87:1] and Hal ataaka
hadeeth al-ghaashiyah [al-Ghaashiyah 88:1]."(Saheeh Muslim, 878).
Samurah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:"The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite on the two Eids,
Sabbih isma rabbika'l-a'laa [al-A' laa 87:1] and Hal ataaka hadeeth
al-ghaashiyah [al-Ghaashiyah 88:1]."(Reported by Ahmad and others; it
is saheeh. Al-Irwaa', 3/116)
The prayer comes before the khutbah
One of the rulings of Eid is that the prayer should come before the
khutbah, as is reported inMusnad Ahmad from the hadeeth of Ibn
'Abbaas, who testified that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed before the khutbah on Eid,
then he gave the khutbah." (Musnad Ahmad, 1905. The hadeeth is also in
al-Saheehayn).
Another indication that the khutbah should be after the prayer is the
hadeeth of Abu Sa'eed (may Allaah be pleased with him): "The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) usedto go out to the
prayer-place on the day of al-Fitrand al-Adhaa, and the first thing he
would do was to pray, then he would stand up facing the people, whilst
they were still sitting in their rows, and would advise and instruct
them. If he wanted to send out a military expedition, he would decide
about the matter then, or if he wanted to issue a command, he would do
itthen."Abu Sa'eed said:"This is what the people continued to do until
I came out [to the Eid prayers] with Marwaan, when he was governor of
Madeenah, on either Adhaa or Fitr. When we reached the prayer-place,we
saw the minbar, which had been built by Katheer ibn al-Salt. Marwaan
wanted to get on the minbar before theprayer. I pulled on his cloak,
and he pulled on mine in return, then he got on the minbar and gave
the khutbah before the prayer. I said, 'You have changed it, by
Allaah! ' He said, 'O Abu Sa'eed, what you know isgone.' I said, 'What
I know, by Allaah, is better than what I do not know.' He said, 'The
people will not remain sitting after the prayer, so we made it [the
khutbah] before the prayer.'"(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 956).
Anyone who wants to leave during the khutbahis allowed to do so
'Abd-Allaah ibn al-Saa'ib said: "I attended Eid with the Prophet ]
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and when he finished the
prayer, he said: "We will give the khutbah, so whoever wants to sit
(and listen to) the khutbah, let him sit, and whoever wants to leave,
let him go.'"(Irwaa' al-Ghaleel, 3/96)
Not delaying the prayer for too long
'Abd-Allaah ibn Bishr, the companion of the Prophet [an error occurred
while processing this directive] (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), went out with the peopleon the day of Fitr or al-Adhaa, and
objected tothe fact that the imaam came very late. He said, "At the
time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) we
would have finished by now," and that was at the time of al-Tasbeeh ."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari)
Naafil prayers in the prayer-place
There are no naafil prayers to be done eitherbefore or after the Eid
prayer, as Ibn 'Abbaas reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) used to come out on the day of Eid and pray two
rak'ahs, with nothing before or after them.
This is the case if the prayer is offered in a prayer place or public
place. If, however, the people pray the Eid prayer in a mosque, then
they should pray two rak'ahs for Tahiyat al-Masjid ("Greeting the
mosque") before sitting down.
If people did not know about Eid until the next day
Abu 'Umayr ibn Anas reported from his paternal uncles among the Ansaar
who said:"It was cloudy and we could not see the new moon of Shawwaal,
so we started the day fasting, then a caravan came at the end of the
day and told the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) that they had seen the new moon of Shawwaal the day before,
so he told thepeople to stop fasting, and they went out to pray the
Eid prayer the next day."(Reported by the five. It is saheeh;
al-Irwaa', 3/102)
If someone misses the Eidprayer, the most correct view is that he may
makeit up by praying two rak'ahs.
Women's attendance at Eid prayers
Hafsah said:"We used to prevent prepubescent girls from attending Eid
prayers. Then a woman came and stayed at the fort of Banu Khalaf, and
told us about her sister. Her sister's husband had taken part in
twelve campaigns with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and [she said],'my sister was with him on six of them. She
said, "We used to treat the wounded and take care of the sick. My
sister asked the Prophet (peaceand blessings of Allaah beupon him)
whether therewas anything wrong with her not going out [on Eid] if she
did not have a jilbaab. He said, 'Let her friend give her one of her
jilbaabs so that she may witness the blessings of Eid and see the
Muslims gathering.'"' When Um 'Atiyah came, I asked her, 'Did you hear
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) [say this]?'
Shesaid, 'May my father be sacrificed for him' – and she never
mentioned himwithout saying 'may my father be sacrificed for him' – 'I
heard him sayingthat we should bring out the young girls and thosewho
were secluded, or the young girls who were secluded, and the
menstruating women, so that they could witness the blessings of Eid
and see the gathering of the believers, but those who were
menstruating were to keep away from the prayer-place itself." (Saheeh
al-Bukhaari, 324).
The 'young girls' ('awaatiq, sing. 'aatiq) are girls who have reached
adolescence or are close to it, or have reached the age of marriage,
or are very precious to their families,or who are spared from having
to do humiliating work. It appears that they used to prevent these
young girls from going out because of the corruption that arose after
the first generation of Islam; but the Sahaabah did not approve of
that and they thought that the ruling should remain in their time as
it had been during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him).
Where it says"My sister was with him"it seems that there is something
omitted, probably"the woman said". [This is reflected in the
translation above. Translator].…
"Her jilbaabs"– she should lend her some of her clothes that she does not need.
"Secluded" – they would have a curtain in the corner of the house
behind which virgins would stay.
"Menstruating women"– huyyad, sing. haa'id – this may refer either to
girls who have reached the age of puberty, or women who are having
their period and are not taahir (pure).
"Menstruating women should avoid the prayer-place itself"– Ibn
al-Munayyir said:"The reason why they should avoid the prayer-place is
that if they stand with the women who are praying even though they are
not praying, it may appear that they have no respect for the prayer or
are careless, so it better for them to avoid that."
It was said that the reason why menstruatingwomen should avoid the
prayer-place is as a precaution, so that women will not come near men
for no reason ifthey are not praying, or so that they will not offend
others with their blood or their odour.
The hadeeth urges everyone to attend Eid prayer, and to co-operatewith
one another in righteousness and piety. The menstruating woman should
not forsake the remembrance of Allaah or places of goodness such as
gatherings for the purpose of seeking knowledge and remembering Allaah
– apart from mosques. The hadeeth also indicates that women should not
go out without a jilbaab.
This hadeeth tells us that it is not proper for youngwomen and women
in seclusion to go out except for a valid reason. It states that it is
preferable (mustahabb) for a woman to wear a jilbaab, and that it is
permissible to lend and borrow clothes. It also indicates that Eid
prayer is obligatory (waajib).
Ibn Abi Shaybah also narrated that Ibn 'Umar used to take whoever he
could of his household out to the Eid prayers.
The hadeeth of Umm 'Atiyah also states the reason for the ruling,
which is so that women may witness the blessingsof Eid, see the
gathering of the Muslims, and sharethe blessings and purification of
this day.
Al-Tirmidhi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Sunan, after
quoting the hadeeth of Umm 'Atiyah:"Some of the scholars referred to
this hadeeth and allowedwomen to go out to the Eid prayers, and some
of them disliked this. It was reported that 'Abd-Allaahibn al-Mubaarak
said: 'I do not like for women to go out to Eid prayers nowadays. If a
woman insists on going out, her husband should let her, ifshe goes out
wearing hershabbiest clothes and notadorning herself. If she insists
on adorning herself, then she should not go out. In this case the
husband has the right to stop her from going out. It was reported that
'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: 'If the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had seen whathas happened
to women,he would have stopped them from going to the mosques, just as
the women of Bani Israa'eel were stopped.' It was reported that
Sufyaan al-Thawri did not like women to go to the Eid prayers in his
day."(Al-Tirmidhi, 495).
Umm 'Atiyah gave her fatwa in the hadeeth mentioned above a whileafter
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah beupon him) had died, and
it is not reported that anyof the Sahaabah disagreed with this. The
words of 'Aa'ishah, "If the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) had seen whathas happened to women,he would have stopped
them from going to the mosques",do not contradict this (provided that
women are meeting the Islamic conditions attached to their going out)…
It is better if permission is given only to those women who are not
who are not going tolook at men or be looked at, whose attendence
willnot lead to anything undesirable and who are not going to rub
shoulders with men on the street or in the mosque. (i.e., women whose
going out will not cause fitnah or temptation to her or to men).
Men should check on their womenfolk when they going out for the prayer
to make sure that their hijaab is complete, because they are the
"shepherds" who are responsible for their "flocks". Women should go
out in shabby clothes, not adorned or wearing perfume. Menstruating
women should not enter the mosque or prayer-place; they can wait in
the car, for example, where they can hear the khutbah.

Ramadan Articles - Muslims Celebrate this Eid with Aid

Any other year, Dr. Kashif Ansari would be celebrating Eid al-Fitr
with a gathering of friends and family. He would be decked out in anew
suit for an elaboratefeast and the exchange of gifts, traditions of
the Muslim holiday.
Not this year.
With the start of Eid today, Ansari will observethe traditionally
festive holiday with prayer, as is required by the faith. Butthere
will be few new clothes or gifts, he said.A banquet will be held as a
fundraiser for survivors of the Oct. 8 earthquake in South Asia that
killed more than 73,000 people and left millions of othershomeless,
most in Pakistan.
"None of the families I know are (buying) new clothes," said Ansari,
whois involved in relief efforts through the Association of Physicians
of Pakistani Descent of North America. "In Houston, everybody I talkto
has said, 'No, not this year.'
'Eid starts after the sighting of the crescent moon, which happened
Wednesday. It comes at the end of Ramadan, the holiest month of the
Islamic calendar, during which Muslims fast in daylight hours.
ObservingRamadan, which began Oct. 5, is considered one of the five
main pillars, ortenets, of the faith.
Another of the five pillarsis giving to charity. And many Muslims
donate therequired 2.5 percent of their assets during Ramadan.
Andy Ayub Badat helps the Islamic Circle of North America Relief
USA-Houston coordinate the purchase and shipment of two ambulances to
aid disaster relief efforts in Pakistan.
"Ramadan and charity are like brother and sister,"said Naeem Baig, a
spokesman for the Islamic Circle of North America, which is providing
earthquake aid. "We know from the life of the Prophet ... that during
the month of Ramadan his generosity is described as a 'rain that comes
with the wind.' "
Many Muslims, especially those of Pakistani descent, said they plan
totone down their Eid festivities this year. Somesaid they plan to
give themoney earmarked for feasts and finery to relief efforts in the
Pakistan tent cities that are being set up for survivors.
"It is very, very low key," said Anjali Khusro of Khazana Jewels, who
has experienced lower than normal holiday sales this year. "People are
not in the mood of celebrating Eid. They are in the moodof giving."
Ramadan is the most important time of the year for Muslim
charities.Since the federal investigations of Islamic aid groups with
suspected ties to terrorists after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, some
Muslims have opted to donate only to neighborhood causes.
But with the earthquake striking a predominantly Muslim country three
days after start of the holy month, donors have responded generously,
relief organizers said. Islamic Reliefhad to hire temporary employees
to keep up. "Donations havebeen coming in at recordpace," said Arif
Shaikh, spokesman for the nonprofit headquarteredin Los Angeles.
Since the earthquake, theagency has received $4 million in cash
contributions, Shaikh said. Money has been used to provide medicine,
food, winterized tents, mattresses and blankets.
Similarly, the relief arm of the Islamic Circle, ICNA Relief,
experienced a marked increase in donations. In the three days after
the earthquake the group received $800,000, Baig said. In Houston,
ICNA Relief volunteers held fundraisers at local restaurants and
collected medicine to send to Pakistan, said Ayub Badat, a volunteer
operation manager for the agency.
The group also raised money to buy two ambulances which will be
shipped Friday to Pakistan.
The Islamic Society of Greater Houstoncollectedroughly $275,000 in
donations earmarked for Pakistan, President Rodwan Saleh said, and he
added that the majority of the group's Muslims are of Pakistani
descent.
"Everybody is paying, paying, giving, giving,"said Badat, who plans to
travel to Pakistan next week.
Indeed, Muslim charities have been in overdrive since last year's
tsunami in Southeast Asia struck alittle more than a month after
Ramadan had ended, when people had already donated to their favorite
causes. Many charities, such as Islamic Relief, also supported relief
efforts after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Efforts in Pakistan will continue for years, relief groups said.Though
some are concerned that generosity may decrease with the end of
Ramadanwhen donors feel tappedout, Baig thinks the aid will continue.
"The Muslim community in North America ... is a very blessed community
when it comes to financial resources," he said. "I am very hopeful
itwill continue."

Fathwa - Facoring Halal or Haraam

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Al Jawaab Billahit-Tawfeeq
Respected brother,
Factoring is Haraam.
It is clear usury.
"Factoring is a financial transaction whereby a business sells its accounts
receivable (i.e., invoices) to a third party (called a factor) at a discount in
exchange for immediate money with which to finance continued business."
This is such a classic example of usury. The invoices are in fact debts. Selling
debts is clearly haram in itself. And discounting the debt is another step in
usury.
And Allah knows best

Fathwa - Sujud-al-Sahw for missing Qunut in Salaah-Al-Witr

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Al Jawaab Billahit-Tawfeeq
Respected brother,
If someone praying witr forgets the Qunut and then remembers it while bowing, or
after having risen up from it, then he neither recites it in the ruku nor
returns to the original standing position in order to do so. Rather,
he completes
the prayer and performs the Sujud-al-sahw for having missed a mandatory
requisite of the prayer(recitation of the qunut)
If however one utters the Qunut after raising his head from ruku,he is not to
repeat the ruku ,but must perform the sujud al-sahw for moving the qunut from
its original position and delaying a necessary action.

Fathwa - What should we recite inthe last ten days of Ramadhan?

Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem
Al Jawaab Wa Billahit-Tawfeeq
Respected brother,
We should read:
اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني
Allahumma innaka 'affuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'annee
Translation:
"O Allah You are The One Who pardons greatly, and loves to pardon, so
pardon me.". [1]
___________________________________________________________________________
References:
[1]
Aisha radhiya Allahu `anha,narrates that she said: "O Messenger of
Allah! What if I knew which night Lailatul-Qadr was, then what should
I say in it?" He said.- "Say.- (Allahumma innaka 'affuwwun tuhibbul
'afwa fa'fu 'annee.)
"O Allah You are The One Who pardons greatly, and loves to pardon, so
pardon me.".
اللهم إنك عفو تحب العفو فاعف عني
‎And Allah knows best

Loving and glorifying theSunnah – I

Do you truly love the Messenger of Allaah? A fundamental of our
religion, and a tenet of our faith, is to love him.
Allaah Says what means:"Say ]O Muhammad[: 'If your fathers, your sons,
your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have
obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which
you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allaah and His Messenger
and Jihaad in His cause, then wait until Allaah executes His command.
And Allaah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people."]Quran 9:
24[
Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadhsaid: "This verse is enough of an evidence
toprove the obligation of loving the Prophetbecause Allaah
dispraisedin it those whose wealth, family or children are dearer to
them than the love of Allaah and His Messengerdescribing them as
defiantly disobedient at its conclusion."
Love of the Prophetbranches from Allaah's love of him; our love of the
Prophetis due to the fact that Allaah loves him, and because Allaah
sent him to us as His Messenger, as well as the fact that Allaah
instructs us to make him dearer to our hearts than our own souls. He
Almighty Says what means:"The Prophet is more worthy of the believers
than themselves…"]Quran 33: 6[
This means that the believer should love theProphetsallallaahualayhiwa
sallam more than he loves his own self.
This love entails full obedience, submission and acceptance; it also
entails favouring the Prophetsallallaahualayhiwa sallam over oneself,
one's family and one's wealth, and to surrender to
theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam the controlling direction
thatone has over himself.
The influence that theProphetsallallaahualayhiwa sallam should have
over us is greater than that which a master has over his slave, or a
father has over his child. We should have no control over ourselves
except in acting in accordance with the way hedirected us to.
It is for every Muslim to prove his love for him, which can be
determinedaccording to the following narration of
theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam:"There are three qualities;
whoever has them will taste the sweetness of faith: To love Allaah and
His Messenger )( more than anyone else…"]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
One will never taste the sweetness of faith exceptafter achieving
this, as hesaid in another narration:"I swear by theOne in whose Hand
my soul is! None of you will truly believe until I become dearer to
him than his child, his father and all of mankind."]Al-Bukhaari &
Muslim[
This love is not simply an emotion that is confined to the heart, but
rather it has implications and effects. This love makes the slave
achieve a rank that he would not otherwise achieve by means of his
bodily deeds, as in the narrationof Ibn Mas`oodwho said: "A man came
to the Messenger of Allaahand said: 'O Messenger of Allaah! When will
the Hour )i.e., the Day of Resurrection( come?' Hereplied:"What have
you prepared for it?"The man said: 'Only my love of Allaah and His
Messenger.' The Messenger of Allaahthen said:"You will be with those
whom you love.""]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
It is not as important to know when the Hour willoccur as it is to
prepare for its arrival, and this is the reason why the Prophetdrew
this to the attention of the man by asking him that question.
Anassaid: "After beingblessed by embracing Islam, we never rejoiced at
anything as much as we did about this answerof
theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam to that man. I love Allaah, His
MessengerAbuBakrand 'Umarand hope to be with them )in the Hereafter(
even if I cannot perform the gooddeeds they did."]Al-Bukhaari &
Muslim[
The Companionshad great love for theProphetsallallaahualayhiwa sallam,
to the extent that they would face arrows that were being fired in his
direction to shield him. They would risk their lives for him and
sacrifice everything for his rescue. 'Amr ibn Al-'Aassaid: "There was
no one dearer to me or more glorified than the Prophet; I could never
look him directly inthe eye due to the extent of my glorification, and
ifsomeone were to ask me to describe him, I would not be able to, as I
never looked at him for long enough to be able to describe him."
]Muslim[
When Abu Sufyaanwas still a disbeliever, he asked Zayd ibn Thaabitwho
was taken as a hostage and being brought out by the people of Makkah
to execute: "Do you not wish that Muhammad was in your place and that
we killed him instead, while you could go to your family and be with
them?" Hereplied: "I swear by Allaah! I would rather be here facing
this than have him even being pricked by a thorn." Upon hearing this,
Abu Sufyaansaid: "I never saw a people who love a man more than the
companions ofMuhammadlove him." Such incidents greatly affected the
disbelievers and caused many of themto embrace Islam.
A man from the Ansaarcame to the Prophetand said: "You are dearerto me
than myself, my child, my family and my wealth, and I feel as if I am
dieing when I do not see you." Then he began to cry.
TheProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam asked:"Why are you crying?"The
man replied: "I remembered that we will die and you will die, then you
will take your place in Paradise with the other Messengers and
Prophets, while we, if indeed we do enter Paradise, will be lower
inrank than you, and thus we will not be able to seeyou inParadise."
Note how much they loved him; they were worried about not seeinghim,
despite the fact that they may also be in Paradise.
TheProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam did not comment on his words
until Allaah revealed the following verses which mean:"And whoever
obeys Allaah and the Messenger – those will bewith the ones upon whom
Allaah has bestowed favour of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of
truth, the martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as
companions.That is the bounty from Allaah…"]Quran 4: 69-70[ Thereupon
theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam summoned him and said:"Glad
tidings to you!"]Al-Bayhaqi[
Once, a female companion was waiting at the approach to Al-Madeenah
for the return of the Muslim army from the battle of Uhud. She was
informed that her husband, brother and father were killed, but her
only reply was: "What happened to the Prophet?" They told her that
hewas fine and unharmed, but she insisted to seeing him so that she
would be sure that hewas truly safe. When she did see him, she
remarked: "Any affliction, after seeing that you are safe, is minor."

Loving and glorifying theSunnah – II

The worst disaster to ever strike this nation was the death of
theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam, who instructed us to remember
the affliction of his death whenever we are trialled by any hardship,
so that we may thereby condole ourselves and ease the impact of that
hardship, which would be insignificant in comparison.
Signs that prove one's love for theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam:
1. Mentioning him frequently and exalting his mention. Allaah Says
what means:"Indeed, Allaahexalts the mention of the Prophet, and His
angels ]ask Him to do so[. O you who have believed! Ask ]Allaah to[
exalt his mention."]Quran 33: 56[
There are many times and occasions when this is legislated to be done,
such as during supplication.Ubayibn Ka`breported: "I )once( said: 'O
Messenger of Allaah! I frequently invoke Allaah to exalt your rank;
how much of my supplication should I devote to you?' Hesaid: "You may
devote as much as you wish."When I suggested aquarter, hesaid:"Do
whatever you wish, but it would be better for you if you were to
increase upon that.''I suggested half, and hesaid:"Do whatever you
wish, but it would be better for you if you were to increase upon
that."I suggested two-thirds, and hesaid:"Do whatever you wish, but it
would be better for you if you were to increase upon that."I )finally(
said: 'Shall I devote all of my supplication to invoke Allaah to exalt
your rank?' Hesaid:"Youwould then be freed from your worries, and your
sins would be forgiven.''"]Ahmad & At-Tirmithi[
2. Longing to see him: The Prophetsaid:"I swear by the One in whose
Hand the soul of Muhammad is! A day will come when not one of you will
be able to see me )i.e., after my death( and seeing me then would be
dearer to a person's heart than his family and wealth."]Ahmad &
At-Tirmithi[
Losing ones family and wealth is a minor issue in comparison to the
great bounty of being a companion, whose sins are forgiven, of the
Prophet.
3. Being sincere to the Prophet: Imaam Al-Maroozisaid: "This was
done during his lifetime by exerting all efforts to obey him,
supporting him, helping him, sacrificing one's wealth for his sake if
he were to demand it, and hastening to attain his love. After his
death, it is expressed by learning his Sunnah, his manners and
etiquettes, glorifying his commands and adhering to them, becoming
angry at those who live according to anything other than his way, and
loving those who adhere to it, as well asloving those who are from his
descendents, those who migrated with him and those who supported him,
and indeed anyone who was in his company even for as brief a period as
an hour.
Additionally, it entails imitating him in the way he dressed." Imaam
Al-Qurtubiadded: "It is to believe in his prophethood, to love those
who supported him, to hate those who hate him,to glorify his Sunnah
and revive, defend and spread it, as well as calling people to it and
imitating him in his morals and conduct."
4. Loving those whom heloved: If heloved Al-Hasan, Al-Husayn, 'Ali
and Faatimahthen we also love them, and Allaah is our witness to this
love. Likewise, we love those who follow his Sunnah and his household,
and they are, as Zaydsaid when clarifying the narration of the
Prophet:"Myhousehold; I remind you to fear Allaah with regards to my
household; I remind you to fear Allaah with regards to my household; I
remind you to fear Allaah with regards to my household."Zaydwas asked:
"Who are his household? Are his wives included in it?" He replied:
"Yes )i.e., his wives are included(, as are all those who are
forbidden from taking Zakaah after his death, namely: the family of
'Ali, the family of 'Aqeel, the family of Ja'far and the family of
Al-'Abbaas." ]Muslim[
We pray for all of them during our daily prayers; thus if somebody's
lineage is known to originate from the Prophetand they are a pious
person with sound creed, and not a Soofee, a deviant or an innovator,
then they should be loved for two reasons: One being their piety and
the other being their relationship to the Prophet.
Loving his wives is also part of this, as Allaah Says what means:"The
Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves, and his wives
are ]in the position of[ their mothers..."]Quran 33: 6[
His wives were: Khadeejah bint Khuwaylid, 'Aa'ishah bint Abu Bakr,
Hafsah bint 'Umar, Umm Habeebah bint Abu Sufyaan, UmmSalamah, Zaynab
bint Jahsh, Zaynab bint Khuzaymah Al-Hilaaliyyah, Juwayriyyah bint
Al-Haarith, Safiyyah bint Huyay and Maymoonah bint Al-Haarith
Al-Hilaaliyyahall.
A sign of loving the Prophetisto love his wives, who are the mothers
of the believers, and notto harm or slander them in any way.
Loving his companionsaccepting the guidance they conveyed to us, and
emulating them.
Many are those who claim to lovetheProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam,
even from amongst the innovators, but the 'proof' of their love for
him is that they worship him alongside Allaah, and supplicate to him
instead of Allaah, and seek forgiveness fromhim; these people exclude
and forget Allaah. Is this love, or is it association with Allaah,
which hehated more than anything else? Healluded to this when he said:
"Do not praise me as theChristians praised the son of
Maryam."]Al-Bukhaari[
By this statement, hedid not forbid all types of praise for him, but
rather only the type that the Christians did )and do( for
Jesus)'Eesaa(, which is where theyraise his rank to one above that
which Allaah granted him, which is that of a slave and a messenger,
and they worship him instead of Allaah. This is similar to what the
deviant Soofees and other sects did and do.
On the other hand, Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa'ah prove their love
fortheProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam by obeying his
commands,following his Sunnah and adhering to his guidance; this is
how one follows his way, as Allaah Says what means:"Say ]OMuhammad[:
If you should love Allaah, then follow me, ]so[ Allaah will love you
and forgive you your sins…"]Quran 3: 31[ Thisis real love!

Loving and glorifying theSunnah – III

'Abdullaah ibn Mas`oodreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"Never
has a Prophet been sent before me by Allaah to his people except that
he had, among his people, disciples and companions who followed his
way and obeyed his command. Then there came afterthem their successors
who proclaimed what they did not practice, and practiced what theywere
not commanded to do. )He( who strove against these)people( with his
hand was a believer; he who strove against them with his heart was a
believer; and he who strove against them with his tongue was a
believer; and beyond that there is no grain of faith."]Muslim[
The Companionscomprehended this very well and also kept in mind the
saying of the Prophetwhich was reported by Anas:"He who shuns my
Sunnah is not from me."]Al-Bukhaari[ These sayings made them love the
Sunnah of theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam and spread and
propagateit amongst their successors.
The Companionsfulfilled theirduty and played their expected role in
spreading and propagating the Sunnah of theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa
sallam; they taught it to others with sincerity and advised those who
shunned it to adhere to it, warning them against their actions.
Huthayfahonce saw a man rushing during his prayer and failing to be
tranquil in his bowings and prostrations; so he said to him: "You did
not pray! Had you died in that state then you would have died upon
other than the way ofMuhammad." ]Al-Bukhaari[ He was bringing his
attention to the fact that being tranquil and submissive during
prayers was how the Prophetwould perform them.
'Abdullaah ibn 'Umarwould sit on his buttocks during the Tashahhud in
his prayer, so his son began imitating him; when 'Abdullaahsaw this,
he forbade him from doing so and informed him that this was not how
the Prophetperformed his prayers, so his son said to him: "I saw you
praying this way." His father informed him that his legs were injured
from the time of theBattleof Khaybar, and that he could not therefore
adhere to the Sunnah in this position of prayer. ]Al-Bukhaari[
'Abdullaah ibn 'Umardid not consider this part of prayer a minor or
trivial issue which he could overlook when seeing someone performing
it a way other than that of the Prophet's; compare this to the way
some people consider certain acts of the Sunnah to be minor, thereby
undermining them.
Taawoossaid: "We asked Ibn'Abbaasabout sitting in the position
ofIq'aa' between the two prostrations )which is to sit with one's
buttocks on his heels while bending his toes and directing them
towards the Qiblah(. He informed them that it was the Sunnah, but they
remarked: `We do not see it befitting a man to sit in such a manner.`
But he repeated and emphasised to them the fact thatthe Prophetwould
sit this way." ]Muslim[
This is one of the ways hewould sit, while the other and most common
practice of his was that he would sit on his left foot and have his
right foot raised while having its toes pointing towards the direction
ofthe Qiblah.
These were some examples of how the Companionswould propagate the
Sunnah of the Prophetand they would also openly forbid those who
contradicted the Sunnah, as in the story when Marwaan ibn 'Abdul-Malik
delivered the Khutbah of 'Eed before the prayer, which is directly
contrary to the Sunnah, so a man stood upwhilst he was delivering the
Khutbah and told him that he had opposed the way of the Prophetby
doing what he did. Marwaan paid no attention to what the man said, and
so AbuSa'eedsaid: "This man )i.e., the one who spoke to Marwaan( has
fulfilled his duty by informinghim of the Sunnah and attempting to
forbid him from continuing; I heard the Prophetsay:"He who sees an
evil must change it with his hands)i.e. physically(; if he is unable
to, then he must change it with his tongue )i.e. verbally(, and if he
is unable to, then with his heart)i.e., hating it( - and this is the
weakest level of faith."]At-Tirmithi[
Acts of worship were not the only thing which the Companionslearned
the ways of theProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam - he even taught
them their manners. Anassaid: "Once the Prophetcame to our house and
asked for something to drink, so we milkeda sheep for him and I gave
him the milk to drink while Abu Bakr, 'Umar and other senior
companionswere sitting to his left, and a Bedouin was sitting to his
right. When hefinished drinking, 'Umar said: `O Messenger of Allaah!
Abu Bakr is to your left` in an attempt to bring that to his
attention, but heturned to the Bedouin andhanded him the container to
drink from, saying:"It is the rightof those to your right, It is the
right of those to your right, It is the right of those to your
right."]Muslim[
All the Companionsold and young, were keen to adhere to the Sunnah of
the Prophet; it was never reported from a single one of them that they
said about any part of it: "This is only a Sunnah and is not
mandatory… this is only recommended and not obligatory… this is a
minor issue and not a major one, and we should not waste our time in
it… this is a trivial matter" quite unlike what many people say
nowadays about the Sunnah, thereby giving it a low ranking in their
list of importance. Instead, the Companionswould apply anything that
came to them fromtheProphetsallallaahualayhi wa sallam and would
practice it fully and very precisely. Even in matters that were
related to man's natural disposition, such as growing the beard, using
the Siwaak )a special twig that is used as a toothbrush( and so on.
Is it not time for us to apply the Sunnah in our practices and
actions, our families, the way we dress, our children, our homes, our
prayers and all other affairs?

Scenes from the Hereafter

The Exposure
Mankind, from Aadamto the last man to be created, will be exposed
before their Lord-Allaah Almighty- for judgment, as He, The Most
Exalted, Says )what means(:"And they shall be presented before their
Lord in rows."]Quran 18:48[
The Prophetsaid,"Mankind will be exposed three exposures on the Day of
Resurrection. The ]first[ two exposures shall be disputation and
excuses, but at the third]exposure[, the scrolls ]of deeds[ will be
distributed, and then some will take them in their righthands, others
in their left."]At-Tirmithi[
So, the first time, people will dispute with one another: the weak
with the tyrants who hinderedthem from faith, the tyrants responding
that they are, in the final analysis, not to blame, foreach individual
believes or disbelieves by his/her own conscious decision. The
disbelievers will denythat prophets came to them.
At the second exposure, people will acknowledge their wrongs, and will
seek excuses. With the third exposure, the booksof deeds will be
distributed amongst them. Receiving the bookin the right hand
signifies success, while receiving it in the left hand or behind one's
back signifies failure.
Allaah, the Most Exalted, Says )what means(:
"O mankind, indeed you are laboring toward your Lord with]great[
exertion and will meet it. Then as for he who is given his record in
his right hand. He will be judged with an easy account. And return to
his people in happiness. But as for he who is given his record behind
his back. He will cry out for destruction. And ]enter to[ burn in a
Blaze."]Quran 84: 6-12[
The Questioning
Allaah, the Most Exalted, Says )what means(:"So by your Lord, We will
surely question them all. About what they used to do."]Quran 15:
92-93[ and )what means(:"Then We will surely question those to whom ]a
message[ was sent, and We will surely question the messengers."]Quran
7: 6[
The people will be questioned about whether messengers came to them,
and how they responded to them. The messengers themselves will be
questioned about whether they conveyed the message.
Belief in the questioning and reckoning of the Hereafter instills a
sense of responsibility and accountability in the Muslim. He must be
constantly watching overhis heart and his deeds, and must be prepared
to forego those fleeting, ephemeral pleasures of this world which are
available to him on the path of sin. He must be prepared to undergo
some suffering and hardship in the temporary abode)worldly life(, in
order to avoid the inescapable consequences of evil in the Hereafter.
He must fear standing before his Lord if he desires safety on that
ghastly day. Allaah, the Almighty and Majestic, Says in a Hadeeth
Qudsi )narrationin which the meaning is from Allaah and the wording is
from Prophet Muhammad(:"By My Might! I shall not combine for My slave
two lives of fear, nor two lives of surety."]Ibn Hibbaan[
People will be questioned, on the Day ofJudgment:
1. About faith, as the Prophetsaid:"You will beasked about)the
testimony of faith(: 'Laa ilaaha illallaah )none isworthy of worship
but Allaah('"]At-Tirmithi[
2. About the five-daily prayers: The Prophetsaid"The first thing which
the slave will be questioned about onthe Day of Resurrection will be
his prayer. If it is in order, then he shall have prospered and
succeeded, while if it is impaired, then he shall have failed and be
ruined."]At-Tirmithi[
3. About those under one's care: Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:
"O you who have believed! Protect yourselves and your families from a
Fire whose fuel is people and stones..."]Quran 66: 6[
The Prophetsaid:"Every one of you is a guardian, and every one of you
will be asked about those under his care. The man is a guardian over
his family,and will be questioned about those under his care. The
womanis a guardian over her husband's house, and will be questioned
about that under her care. The slave is a guardian over his master's
property, and will be questioned for that under his care."]Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim[
4. About the bodily organs: Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:
"And do not pursue that of whichyou have no knowledge. Indeed, the
hearing, the sight and the heart- about all those ]one[ will be
questioned )by Allaah(..."]Quran 17: 36[
5. About delights: Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:"Then on that Day
you shall be asked about pleasure)you indulged in, in this
world(!"]Quran 102:8[
6. About intentions: Allaah Almighty Says)what means(:"Whoever desires
the life of this world and its adornments — We fully repay them for
their deeds therein, andthey therein will not be deprived."]Quran
11:15-16[
In a long narration reported by Muslimwe are told that the men whose
cases shall be judged first on the Day ofResurrection shall be a man
who was martyred, a man who acquired knowledge and taught it and who
recited the Quran, and a man to whom Allaah had been generous and
given many varieties of wealth.These men will acknowledge Allaah's
favors upon them, and will claim that they did these deeds for His
sake. They will be exposed as liars, for they did not do these deeds
for the sake of Allaah. The man who was martyred had been fighting in
order to be called brave, the scholar or reciter of the Quran had
acted thus in order to gain a reputation as such, and the benefactor
had sought recognition as a generous person. Since deeds are judged
according to their intentions, these people received what they had
sought through these deeds, and so they will not receive reward for
them on the Day of Judgment. Hence, they will be dragged into Hell on
their faces.
Additionally, there are four questions which everyone must face on the
Day of Judgement. The Prophetsaid:"The feet of a slave will not move
on the Day of Judgement until he has been questioned about ]four
things:[ his life – how he spent it,his knowledge – how he acted upon
it, his wealth – where he earned it and how he spent it, and his body
– how he used it."]At-Tirmithi[
The Reckoning
Allaah Almighty Says)what means(:"Indeed, to Us is their return. Then
indeed, uponUs is their account."]Quran 88: 25-26[ People will be
brought to account for their deeds, as well as fortheir resolved
intentions. The Prophet sallallaahu alayhi wa sallm said:"When two
Muslims encounter one another with their swords, the murderer and the
murdered shall be in the Fire."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The murdered individual will also enter the Fire because he was intent
onkilling his brother. However, out of the Grace of Allaah, we are
excused for fleeting thoughts which we do not consciously entertain or
sustain, nor verbalize. Allaah Says )what means(:"Allaah does not
charge a soul except ]with that within[ its capacity"]Quran 2: 286[
The Prophethas said:"Allaah has forgiven my Nation Nation for those
things which their hearts whisper to them."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
There will be some who will enterParadisewithout reckoning. In
theHadeeth narrated by Muslimthe Prophetsaid that the nations of all
the prophets may Allaah exalt their mention were exposed tohim. Hesaw
some prophets with only one or two people, or their family members
with them )i.e. no-one else had believed in them(. Then, hesaw a huge
crowd, and thought that was his Nation. Jibreel)the angel Gabriel(
told him that it was actually the Nation of Moosa)Moses(but he
indicated to him a larger crowd which stretched across the horizon,
and told him that this was his Nation. Hesaid,"…and with them are
70,000 who shall enterParadisewithout reckoning or punishment. They
are those who do not seekRuqyah from others )words from the Quran or
Sunnah said for the express purpose of protection or cure(, nor draw
omens, but rely upon their Lord."]Muslim[
Martyrs of the battlefield who died in the cause of Allaah will also
be exempted from the reckoning. The Prophethas said:"While the
slaves)people( are standing at the placeof reckoning, a ]group of[
people will come with their swords)hanging( on their backs dripping
blood, and they will assemble at the gate ofParadise. It will be
asked: 'Who are these?' whereupon it will be said: 'They are the
martyrs; they were alive, receiving sustenance.'"]At-Tabaraani[

Dought & clear - A brief glimpse at the Ahl al-Hadeeth (Ahl-e-Hadeeth) movement in India

I always go to the mosque now, and it is a mosque of Ahl al-Hadeeth.
The people in my area say that they are more Ahl al-Hadeeththan
Muslims, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said that the groupof his ummah who will enter Paradise is the group
that follows the Qur'an and Sunnah. I would like to know more about
them.
Praise be to Allah.
There follows a brief glimpse at Jamaa'at Ahl al-Hadeeth in India, so
that you may become more keen to stay close to them. It says
inal-Mawsoo'ah al-Muyassarah li'l-Adyaan wa'l-Madhaahib wa'l-Ahzaab
al-Mu'aasirah:
Jamaa'at Ahl al-Hadeeth is the oldest Islamic movement in the Indian
subcontinent. Itis based on calling people to follow the Qur'an and
Sunnah, and to understand them in the light of the understanding of
the righteous early generations, namely the Sahaabah and Taabi'een,
and those who followed them in righteousness. They give precedence to
them (the Qur'an and Sunnah) over any other opinion or practice,
whether that has to do with beliefs, acts of worship, interactions
with others, morals and manners, or politics and social issues, in
accordance with the way of the scholars who combined the knowledge of
fiqh andhadeeth. They are alsoopposed to practices and beliefs of
shirk and innovation, and myths of all kinds. End quote.
Then they said – discussing the ideas and beliefs of Jamaa'atAhl al-Hadeeth:
The belief of Ahl al-Hadeeth is the same as the belief of the
righteous early generations, based on the Qur'an and Sunnah. The
academic and methodological principles of Jamaa'at Ahl al-Hadeeth are
based on:
1.
Tawheed (affirmation of the Oneness of Allah). Ahl al-Hadeeth believe
that Tawheed is the foundation of Islam. They give precedence in their
da'wah efforts to spreading the message of pure Tawheed and instilling
it in people'shearts, whilst explaining the three types of Tawheed,
especially Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (Oneness of divinity), concerning
which many people make mistakes. They also believe in Tawheed
ar-Ruboobiyyah (oneness of the divine Lordship) and what it implies,
that sharee'ah should rule the lives of the Muslims. They are not
content only to affirm and implement the Islamic political system;
rather they believe that the rules and regulations ordained by Allah,
may He be glorified and exalted, should shape the individual's
attitude, conduct and all his worldly affairs, including legislation
and promulgation of laws.
2.
Following the Sunnah.Ahl al-Hadeeth focus on following that which is
narrated in saheeh reports from the Prophet (blessingsand peace of
Allah be upon him) in the light of the understanding of the righteous
early generations. Hence they do not believe in rigid imitation that
calls for adhering to a particular fiqhi madhhab without asking about
the evidence. Rather they call for opening the gate of ijtihaad to
everyone who fulfils the conditions of ijtihaad, and they call for
respect to the mujtahid scholars who follow in the footsteps of the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in
particular.
3.
They give precedence to reports over reason, as they give precedence
to sharee'ah, then they subject reasoning to it, because they believe
that sound reasoning is in harmony with the saheeh Islamic texts,
hence it is not valid to oppose sharee'ah on the basis of reasoning or
to give reasoning precedence over it.
4.
Tazkiyyah shar'iyyah, i.e., purification of the soul in the manner
prescribed in Islam, using all the means mentioned in the Qur'an and
Sunnah. They object to innovated means of purification, whether they
are advocated by the Sufis or others.
5.
Warning against innovation, because they think that innovation is in
fact trying to make up what Allah omitted and introducing practices on
the basis of one's opinion and reason. Hence they advocate adhering to
the Sunnah and avoiding all types of innovation.
6.
Warning against weakand fabricated hadeeths, because these kinds of
hadeethpose a great danger tothe ummah; hence it is essential to
examine the hadeethsthat are attributed to the Prophet (blessingsand
peace of Allah be upon him), especially with regard to matters of
belief and rulings. End quote.
See:al-Mawsoo'ah al-Muyassarah li'l-Adyaan wa'l-madhaahib wa'l-Ahzaab
al-Mu'aasirah, p. 173-185
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - He started fasting in London and broke his fast in Riyadh

With regard to fasting, I started fasting in London and broke my fast
in Riyadh. What is the ruling on the time difference?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Your fast is valid, because with regard to breaking the fast, what
matters is the place where the fasting person is when the sun sets;
the time difference does not matter, whether the day is long or short.
InFataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah(10/296) it says:
The scholars are unanimously agreed that the fast lasts from dawn
until sunset, and each person who fasts is subject to the rulings on
the place where he is, whether he is on the ground or in a plane that
is in the air.
In another fatwa (10/295):
The basic principle is that with regard to starting to fast,
breakingthe fast and the time of prayer, each person is subject to the
ruling of the land he is in or the air through which he is travelling.
If the plane he is in takes off a few minutes before sunset and the
day continues for him, it is not permissible for him to break his fast
or to pray Maghrib until the sun sets from the point of view of the
air through which he is travelling, even if he passes through the
airspace of a city whose people have broken the fast andprayed
Maghrib, so long as he can see the sun.
Based on this, whoever starts to fast then travels in a plane towards
the west should break his fast when the sun sets inthe place where he
is. Similarly if he travels by plane towards the east and wants to
fast, he should not break his fastuntil the sun sets in the place
where he is. The time difference does notmatter.
And Allaah knows best.

Power and Worth of Bismillah: I can walk on water

Syed Murtadha was a great aalim (scholar) wholived many years ago. He
had many students who attended his classes.
At one of his classes he noticed that one of the students always came
late. One day Syed Murtadha asked the student "Why are you always
late?"
The student replied that he lived across the river and always took the
first ferry across but the ferry service did not start any earlier.
Syed Murtadha wrote something on a piece of paper, folded it and
gaveit to the student. "Keep this with you" he said"and you will be
able to walk across the river from tomorrow - but do not open the
paper."
The next day the student got to the river and put his foot tentatively
on the water. He could not believe that he could actually walk on the
water.
For the next few days, he got to the classes on time.
One day, he could not hold back his curiosity. He looked inside the
folded piece of paper. Onit was written Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In
the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful).
For a moment he thought- "Is this all that helps me walk on water!" He
put the paper in his pocket asusual and went to the river to go to his
classes. This time he could not walk on the water and had to wait for
the ferry. This meant that he was late for his class.
When the class was over, Syed Murtadha called himover and said "You
looked into the paper when I had told you not to!"
With Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the beneficent
the merciful) you can move mountains provided you have trust and faith
in Allah.

Significance and Importance of Bismillah: Stop from Jahannam

Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) has said that on the day of judgement there
will be some people who will have to go to Jahannam (Hell) because of
their bad deeds.
However, from these people, there will be some who had the habit of
saying Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the beneficent
the merciful) before they did anything or entered anywhere.
Thus, when they will be taken to Jahannam (Hell) by the angels, they
will be very sad but they will say Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the
name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful) Allah will tell the angels
- "STOP"
Allah will tell them that He cannot let someone who says
Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the beneficent the
merciful) calling Him Rahman and Rahim enterJahannam (Hell).

The end times mattersregarding the end times that they want you to forget

The personages who will appear in the End Times and the events that
will take place during that period are most important issues that
mankind has been keenly awaiting for hundreds of years. Recently,
however, the portents, reports and glad tidings regarding the End
Times have beenignored by some, and there have been attempts to have
these facts concealed or forgotten.
According to the portents of the End Times, revealed in detail in the
hadiths of our Prophet Muhammad (saas), the End Times willconsist of
two periods. The first stage of this holy time will be a period of
corruption, moral degeneration, disasters, conflict, war and want. The
second part of the End Times, however, will be a period full of
beauty, when, with the return ofthe Prophet 'Isa (as) and the
appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as), peace,security and freedom rule the
world and therewill be plenty and abundance, and people will be
content in all respects.
The hadiths contain reports of hundreds of portents revealing whenand
in what manner the End Times will commence. The fact that the portents
reported byour Prophet (saas) 14 centuries ago are one byone coming
about in ourown time makes it very clear that the first stage of the
End Times has begun. With the successive coming aboutof these portents
the Islamic world has entered into a most holy expectation: that of
the return to earth of the Prophet 'Isa (as) and, together with Hazrat
Mahdi (as), his elimination of the corruption of the dajjal and
causing the moral values of Islam to prevailover all the world.
By Allah's leave, those people who witness the portents of the End
Times may hope that thecoming of the Prophet 'Isa (as) and Hazrat
Mahdi (as) is close at hand. Every single portent is a reminder that
we are living in a most holy time. These historic glad tidings are, by
Allah's leave, about totake place.
Our beloved Prophet (saas) has told all believers living in the End
Times of these glad tidings, by emphasising this holy period in the
hadiths:
"Hazrat Mahdi (as) is from my Ahl al-Bayt and is of my descent. He
will fill the Earth with justice.He will absolutely set outtogether
with Isa (as) to help Isa (as) to kill dajjal in Palestine, the region
called Lud's Gate."1
However, there are those who are not awaiting these gladdest of
tidings that all Muslims are expecting with great excitement with the
same enthusiasm. In defiance of the hadiths regardingthe End Times,
the truth of which is agreed by all great Islamic scholars, they
remain apathetic and uninterested, and even wish Muslims to forget
these matters. There can be no doubt that awaiting Hazrat Mahdi (as),
whose moral virtues our Prophet (saas) compared to his own and whom he
praised for his elevated attributes, and a prophet such as 'Isa (as)
whose life was filled with miracles, is not something about which one
can be apathetic or else forget about.
THE COMING OF THE HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) IS A TIDING BESTOWED ON US BY OUR
PROPHET (SAAS). The tidings of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) have
been imparted by our Prophet (saas) in person, and there are a great
many hadiths on the subject that are agreed to be completely
trustworthy (tewatur: a powerful report which cannot be untrue and
based upon an entire community). In the words of one hadith:"HAVE THE
GOOD NEWS OF HAZRAT MAHDI (AS). He is a person from Quraish and of my
Ahl al-Bayt." (Short Book of Portents of the End Times, p. 13), this
matter represents great glad tidings for all Muslims.
To be living in the End Times and witness the greatest intellectual
struggle in history is a major blessing bestowedon only a limited
number of people alive this century. Every sincere Muslim who is aware
of this will wish to follow the Prophet 'Isa (as) and Hazrat Mahdi
(as), chosen and given duties by Allah, and to support them in their
struggles. For true believers, the dominion of Islamic moral values
over the entire world will be the source of the greatest happiness in
this world. The aim behind this article is once again to recall these
important events and glad tidings of the End Times which must not be
forgotten.
THE DAJJAL (ANTI-CHRIST) IS ACTIVE…
One of those matters regarding the End Times that some would have
people forget is the emergence of the dajjal and the atheistic
corruption he will organise on Earth. We have already referred in
previous articles to the fact that the dajjal (anti-christ), about
whom detailed information is provided in the hadiths, has already
initiated his activities in these years. (Allah knows the truth.)
In the hadith "Since the day Allah created Prophet Adam (as), therehas
not been a fitnah greater than of the dajjal's."2Our Prophet (saas)
has noted the scale of the corruption of the dajjal and has warned all
Muslims against this threat. Indeed, the influence of the system of
the dajjal over the peoples of the world can be felt today. The
difficulties, troubles and oppression to whichMuslims in many
countries are subjected are increasing day by day. It is clear that
the destructive effect of atheism in societies plays a major role in
all forms of oppression, injustice and chaos in the modern world. The
eradication of the theory of evolution and Darwinist thought, which
those who are attempting to spread atheism in the world useas their
major support, isfor that reason a matter of the greatest importance.
Despite this obvious truth, however, some people seek to downplay the
significance of the intellectual struggle against Darwinism and insist
on failing to understand that the dajjal, described as the worst
corruption, implements this corruption through the theory of
evolution.
On the other hand, although everyone agrees that there is a major
moral degeneration across the world, the way that certain circles
attempt never to raise the issue of or to conceal the causes
underlying this degeneration is noteworthy in terms of the widespread
influence of the system of the dajjal. The fact is that this damaging
moral degeneration, which affects everyone in one way or another, can
only be remedied bythe unmasking of the influence of the system of the
dajjal that lies behind it.
Events taking place in the world show that the dajjal has already
begunoperations. This indicates that the appearance of the Hazrat
Mahdi (as) is also approaching. (Allah knows the truth.)
Some of the hundreds ofthe portents of the appearance of the Hazrat
Mahdi (as) that are now coming true OR HAVE TAKEN PLACE are as
follows: 1) THE INVASION OF AFGHANISTAN 2) THE IRAN-IRAQ WAR 3) THE
STOPPING OF THE WATERS OF THE RIVER EUPHRATES 4) ECLIPSES OF THE SUN
AND MOON DURING RAMADAN 5) THE BIRTH OFA COMET 6) AN ATTACK ON AND THE
SHEDDING OF BLOOD IN THE KAABA 7) FIRE BEING SEEN FROM THEEAST 8) THE
INVASION OF IRAQ 9) AN ARMY SINKING IN THE DESERT 10) WIDESPREAD
SLAUGHTER PRIOR TO THE APPEARANCEOF HAZRAT MAHDI (AS)11) CHAOS AND
CONFUSION EVERYWHERE IN THE WORLD 12) CORRUPTION IN WHICH EVEN WOMEN
AND CHILDREN ARE KILLED 13) THE DESTRUCTION OF GREAT CITIES 14)
INCREASED NUMBERS OF EARTHQUAKES. The successive realisation of the
hadiths regarding the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (as) points to a
specific time frame. The way that all the portents have been taking
place in succession since the beginning of the 14thcentury, according
to the Hijri calendar, (1979-1980), makes it very clear that the time
we are living in is that inwhich Hazrat Mahdi (as)is on the Earth.
(Allahknows the truth.)
THE COMING OF HAZRAT MAHDI (AS) IS APPROACHING…
Heading the list of the major events of the End Times is the emergence
of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and the establishment of an Islamic Union under
his leadership. Hazrat Mahdi(as) will be a means whereby people live
by the moral values of the Qur'an and he will make an Islamic union
under his leadership a reality. In some hadiths our Prophet (saas) has
clearly given a date of 1400, Hijri style, (1979-1980 according to the
Gregorian calendar), for the coming of the Hazrat Mahdi (as) and has
imparted the glad tidings of the leadership of this holy individual.
One of these hadiths reads: "People will gahter around Hazrat Mahdi
(as) in the year 1400."3
This glad news will increase believers' joy and enthusiasm. In
addition to the hadiths of our Prophet (saas), through the
hand-written works theyhave written and that have survived from
theirday to the present, Islamic scholars have also transmitted the
joy and enthusiasm of these great glad tidings and have been a means
whereby the matter has been kept alive for believers. Indeed, a number
of portents that have come about in our own day show that the coming
of the Hazrat Mahdi (as) is very close.
There is no doubt that every new piece of information learned about
the subject will bea means of enhancing Muslims' excitement. However,
certain circles are unwilling for the subject of Hazrat Mahdi (as) to
be discussed in the open. They want people to forget about the subject
by keeping itquiet and imagine that they can prevent these glad
tidings. Almighty Allah has of course told us that He will foil all
these endeavours:"They desire to extinguish Allah's Light with their
mouths. But Allah refusesto do other than perfect His Light, even
though unbelievers detest it. It isHe Who sent His Messenger with
guidance and the Religion of Truth to exaltit over every other
religion, even though polytheists detest it."(Surat at-Tawba: 32-33)
BEDIUZZAMAN'S STATEMENTS REGARDING THE END TIMES CANNOT BEIGNORED
As we have already discussed in detail in previous articles, one of
the subjects to which Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, the renovator of the
13th century, Hijri-style, attaches the greatest importance is that of
theEnd Times. Bediuzzaman set out the portents and significant
personages of this holy age for Muslims over many pages and in
considerable details. He made important statements that act as a guide
for Muslims on thesubjects of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) and the
way he will bring Islamic values to prevail on Earth. These valuable
descriptions, which shedlight on the period we are living in, cannot
be ignored or disregarded in any manner whatsoever.
THE WAY TO AN ISLAMIC UNION HAS BEEN OPENED UP
Careful attention reveals that there have been lately frequent
references to an Islamic Union in the written andvisual media.
Presidents, prime ministers and politicians from various countries,
television programme producers, various magazines and opinion shapers
have all expressed their desires on this issue. In addition,the taking
of some concrete steps to enable this union to come about is a most
pleasing development. The road leading to an Islamic Union is moving
ahead, but the really important thing here is that this subject is a
herald of the End Times and needs to be looked at from that point of
view. By Allah's leave, this union will be established by means of
Hazrat Mahdi (as). This task has already been successfully completed
inhis destiny. Yet this knowledge must not lead to any relaxation.
Muslims' responsibility is to keep the issue constantly alive and on
the agenda, to monitor events and inform all Muslims and raise their
awareness of this subject.
THE PROPHET 'ISA (AS) WILL COME TO EARTH FOR A SECOND TIME…
Attempts are also being made to cause people to forget and cover up
another welcome event concerning the End Times, the second coming to
earth of the Prophet 'Isa (as).
The fact is, however, that the second coming of the Prophet 'Isa (as)
isa fact imparted to believers in verses of theQur'an and the hadiths
of our Prophet (saas). Some of these hadiths read as follows:
"I swear to Allah in Whose hands is my life that the descent of Isa
(as), the son of Mary, as ajust rules is close."4
"Within my community Isa (as) ibn Mary will be a just ruler and a fair
imam (in administration), he will crush the cross and kill the
swine…As a pot is filled with water so doesthe Earth with peace. There
will also be unity of religion, and no longer will anyone worship
someone other than Allah."5
As revealed in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas), the Prophet 'Isa
(as), whom Allah raised into His presence two thousand years ago
(Surat an-Nisa, 158), will return to Earth again and will, together
with Hazrat Mahdi (as) and bythe leave of Allah, be a means whereby
peace and security are established in the world.Moreover, many events
and phenomena that have recently taken place also show that the coming
of this valued guest is close at hand. (Allah knows the truth.)
For that reason, the utmost must be made of the period we are living
in, and all attitudes and moral values that might embarrass the
Prophet 'Isa (as) when he comes must be strictly avoided. One of the
attitudes to be avoided, and perhapsthe most shameful, is without
doubt to cover up this fact and try to cause people to forget about
it, rather than celebrating it. For that reason, it is of the greatest
importance thatsincere believers keep the extraordinary natureof the
return of this holy emissary after two thousand years constantly on
the agenda, and that they prevent any relaxation or apathy on the part
of certain persons.
Salvation for those longing for justice, peace, order and virtue is,
by the leave of Allah, close at hand. Many developments taking place
are signs that this salvation is approaching.
People who witness this salvation may, by Allah's leave, hope that the
coming of the Prophet 'Isa (as) and Hazrat Mahdi (as) is close at
hand. Every sign is a reminder that we are living in a holy period. By
the will of Allah, thesehistoric tidings awaited for hundreds of years
are about to become reality.
There have been frequent references to an Islamic Union in the written
and visual media. The longing for such a union is expressed by certain
circles.
There can be no doubt that living in such a holy time, one that will
restore Islam to its true essence, that will be a means whereby people
come to believe, and that will establish a great unity among Muslims
is a great blessing for all Muslims. It must not be forgotten that
remaining uninterested and apathetic in the face of such great and
welcome events awaited by the whole Islamic world and seeking to have
others forget them may be a source of terrible shame in the future for
those who display such attitudes when, by Allah's leave, the
Prophet'Isa (as) and Hazrat Mahdi (as) appear. Our Lord has spoken of
this holy time in the Qur'an:
Allah has promised thoseof you who have faith and do right actions
thatHe will make them successors in the land as He made those before
them successors, and will firmly establish for them their deen with
which He is pleased and give them, in place of their fear, security.
'Theyworship Me, not associating anything with Me.' Any who are
disbelievers after that, such people are deviators. (Surat An-Nur: 55)
REFERENCES
1 – Death, Doomsday, the Hereafter and the Portents of the End Times,
Imam Sharani, Bedir Publishing, p. 438, (816)
2 - M. Chastrette, "Trends in structure-odor relationships", SAR QSAR
Environ. Res. 6, 1997, s.215-254.
3 – Risalat al-Khuruj al-Mahdi.
4 – Sahih Muslim, 6/532
5 - Ibn Majah, 10/334