Story,- The Boats of the Glen Carrig: Chapter 11

XI
THE SIGNALS FROM THESHIP
NOW SO SOON as it was clearly light, we went all of us to the leeward
brow of the hill to stare upon the derelict, which now we had cause to
believe no derelict, but an inhabited vessel. Yet though we watched
her for upwards of two hours, we could discoverno sign of any living
creature, the which, indeed, had we been in cooler minds, we had not
thought strange, seeing that she was all soshut in by the great
superstructure; but we were hot to see a fellow creature, after so
much lonesomeness and terrorin strange lands and seas, and so could
not byany means contain ourselves in patience until those aboard the
hulk should choose to discover themselves to us.
And so, at last, being wearied with watching, we made it up together
to shout when the bo'sun should give us the signal, by this means
making a good volume of sound which we conceived the wind might carry
down to the vessel. Yet though we raised many shouts, making as it
seemed to us a very great noise, there came no response from the ship,
and at lastwe were fain to cease from our calling, and ponder some
other way of bringing ourselves to the notice of those within the
hulk.
For awhile we talked, some proposing one thing, and some another;but
none of them seeming like to achieve our purpose. And after that we
fell to marvellingthat the fire which we had lit in the valley had not
awakened them to the fact that some of their fellow creatures were
upon the island; for, had it, we could not suppose but that they would
have kept a perpetual watch upon the island until such timeas they
should have beenable to attract our notice. Nay! more than this, it
was scarce credible that they shouldnot have made an answering fire,
or set some of their bunting above the superstructure, so that our
gaze should be arrested upon the instant we chanced to glance towards
the hulk. But so far from this, there appeared even a purpose to shun
our attention; for that light which we had viewed in the past night
was more in the way of an accident, than of the nature of a purposeful
exhibition.
And so, presently, we went to breakfast, eating heartily; our nightof
wakefulness having given us mighty appetites; but, for all that, we
were so engrossed by the mystery of the lonesome craft, that I doubt
if any of us knew what mannerof food it was with which we filled our
bellies. For first one viewof the matter would be raised, and when
this had been combated, another would be broached, and in this wise it
came up finally that some of the men were falling in doubt whether the
ship was inhabited by anything human, saying rather that it might be
held by some demoniac creature of the great weed-continent. At this
proposition, there came among us a very uncomfortable silence; for not
only did it chill the warmth of our hopes; but seemed like to provide
us with a fresh terror, who were already acquainted with too much.
Then the bo'sun spoke, laughing with a hearty contempt at our sudden
fears, and pointed out that it was just as like that they aboard the
ship had been put in fear by the great blaze from the valley, as that
they should take it for a sign that fellow creatures andfriends were
at hand. For, as he put it to us, who of us could say what fell brutes
and demons the weed-continent did hold, and if we had reason to know
that there were very dread things among the weed, how much the more
must they, who had, for all that we knew, been many years beset
aroundby such. And so, as he went on to make clear, we might suppose
that they were very well aware there had come some creatures to the
island; yet, maybe, they desired not to make themselves known until
they had been given sight of them, and because of this, we must wait
until they chose to discover themselves to us.
Now when the bo'sun had made an end, we felt each one of us greatly
cheered; for his discourse seemed very reasonable. Yet still therewere
many matters that troubled our company; for, as one put it, was it not
mightily strange thatwe had not had previoussight of their light, or,
in the day, of the smoke from their galley fire? But to this the
bo'sun replied that our camp hitherto had lain in a place where we had
not sight, even of the great world of weed, leaving alone any view of
the derelict. And more, that at such times as we had crossed to the
opposite beach, we had been occupied too sincerely tohave much thought
to watch the hulk, which, indeed, from that position showed only her
great superstructure.Further, that, until the preceding day, we had
but once climbed to any height; and that from our present camp the
derelict could not be viewed, and to do so, wehad to go near to the
leeward edge of the hill-top.
And so, breakfast being ended, we went all of us to see if there were
yet any signs of life in the hulk; but when an hour had gone, we were
no wiser. Therefore, it being folly to waste further time, the bo'sun
left one man to watch from the brow of the hill,charging him very
strictly to keep in such position that he could beseen by any aboard
the silent craft, and so took the rest down to assist him in the
repairing of the boat. And from thence on, during the day, he gave the
men a turn each at watching, telling them to wave to him should there
come any sign from the hulk. Yet, excepting the watch,he kept every
man so busy as might be, some bringing weed to keep up a fire which he
had litnear the boat; one to help him turn and hold the batten upon
which he laboured; and two he sent across to the wreck of the mast, to
detach one of the futtock shrouds, which (as is most rare) were made
ofiron rods. This, when they brought it, he bade me heat in the fire,
and afterwards beat out straight at one end, and when this was done,
he set me to burn holes with it through the keel of the boat, at such
places as he had marked,these being for the bolts with which he had
determined to fasten on the batten.
In the meanwhile, he continued to shape the batten until it was a
verygood and true fit according to his liking. And all the while he
cried out to this man andto that one to do this or that; and so I
perceived that, apart from the necessity of getting the boat into a
seaworthy condition, he was desirous to keep the men busied; for they
were become so excited at the thought of fellow creatures almost
within hail, that he could not hope to keep them sufficiently in hand
without some matter upon which to employ them.
Now, it must not be supposed that the bo'sunhad no share of our
excitement; for I noticed that he gave ever and anon a glance to the
crown of the far hill, perchance the watchman had some news for us.
Yet the morning went by, and no signal came to tell us that the people
in the ship had design to show themselves to the man upon watch, and
so we came to dinner. At this meal, as might be supposed, we had a
second discussion upon the strangeness of the behaviour of those
aboard the hulk; yet none could give any more reasonable explanation
than the bo'sun had given in the morning, and so we left it at that.
Presently, when we had smoked and rested very comfortably, for the
bo'sun was no tyrant, werose at his bidding to descend once more to
the beach. But at this moment, one of the men having run to the edge
of the hill to take a short look at the hulk, cried out that a part of
the great superstructure over the quarter had been removed, or pushed
back, and that there was a figure there,seeming, so far as his unaided
sight could tell, to be looking through a spy-glass at the island. Now
it would be difficultto tell of all our excitement at this news, and
we ran eagerly to see for ourselves if it could be as he informed us.
And so it was; for we could see the person very clearly; though remote
and small because of the distance. That he had seen us, we discovered
in a moment; for he began suddenly towave something, which Ijudged to
be the spy-glass, in a very wild manner, seeming also to be jumping up
and down. Yet, I doubt not but that we were as much excited; for
suddenly I discovered myself to be shouting with the rest in a most
insane fashion, and moreover I was waving my hands and running toand
fro upon the brow of the hill. Then, I observed that the figure on the
hulk had disappeared; but it was for no more than a moment, and then
it wasback and there were near a dozen with it, andit seemed to me
that some of them were females; but the distancewas over great for
surety. Now these, all of them, seeing us upon thebrow of the hill,
where we must have shown up plain against the sky, began at once to
wave in a very frantic way, and we, replying in like manner, shouted
ourselves hoarse with vain greetings. But soon we grew wearied of the
unsatisfactoriness of this method of showing our excitement, and one
took a piece of the square canvas, and let it stream out into the
wind, waving it to them, and another took a second piece and did
likewise, while a third man rolled up a short bit into a cone and made
use of it as a speaking trumpet; though I doubt if his voice carried
any the further because of it.For my part, I had seized one of the
long bamboo-like reeds which were lying about near the fire,and with
this I was making a very brave show. And so it may be seen how very
great andgenuine was our exaltation upon our discovery of these poor
people shut off from the world within that lonesome craft.
Then, suddenly, it seemed to come to us to realize that they were
among the weed, and we upon the hill-top, andthat we had no means
ofbridging that which lay between. And at this we faced one another to
discuss what we should do to effect the rescue ofthose within the
hulk. Yet it was little that we could even suggest; for though one
spoke of how he had seen a rope cast by means of a mortar to a ship
that lay off shore, yet this helpedus not, for we had no mortar; but
here the same man cried out that they in the ship might have such a
thing, so that they would be able to shoot the rope to us, and at this
we thought more upon his saying; for if they had such a weapon, then
might our difficulties be solved. Yet we were greatly at a lossto know
how we should discover whether they were possessed of one, and further
to explain our design to them. But here the bo'sun came to our help,
and bade one man go quickly and char some of the reeds in the fire,
and whilst this was doing he spread out upon the rock one of thespare
lengths of canvas; then he sung out to the man to bring him one of the
pieces of charred reed, and with this he wrote our question uponthe
canvas, calling for fresh charcoal as he required it. Then, havingmade
an end of writing, he bade two of the men take hold of the canvas by
the ends and expose it to the view of those in the ship, and in this
manner we got them to understand our desires. For, presently, some of
them went away, and came back after a little, and held up for us to
see,a very great square of white, and upon it a great "NO," and at
this were we again at our wits' ends to know how it would be possible
to rescue those within the ship; for, suddenly, our whole desire to
leave theisland, was changed intoa determination to rescue the people
in the hulk, and, indeed, had our intentions not been such we had been
veritable curs; though I am happy to tell that we had no thought at
this juncture but for those who were now looking to us to restore them
once more to the world to which they had been so long strangers.
Now, as I have said, we were again at our wits' ends to know how to
come at those within thehulk, and there we stoodall of us, talking
together, perchance we should hit upon some plan, and anon we would
turn and wave to those who watched us soanxiously. Yet, a while
passed, and we had come no nearer to a method of rescue. Then athought
came to me (waked perchance by the mention of shooting the rope over
to the hulkby means of a mortar) how that I had read oncein a book, of
a fair maid whose lover effected herescape from a castle by asimilar
artifice, only that in his case he made use of a bow in place of a
mortar, and a cord instead of a rope, his sweetheart hauling up the
rope by means of thecord.
Now it seemed to me a possible thing to substitute a bow for the
mortar, if only we could find the material with which to make such a
weapon, and with this inview, I took up one of the lengths of the
bamboo-like reed, and tried the spring of it, which I found to be very
good; for this curious growth, of which I have spoken hitherto as a
reed, had no resemblance to that plant, beyond its appearance; it
being extraordinarily tough and woody, and having considerably more
nature than a bamboo. Now, having tried the spring of it, I went over
to the tent and cut a piece of sampson-line which I found among the
gear, and with this and the reed I contrived a rough bow. Then I
looked about until I came upon a very young and slender reed which had
been cut with the rest, and from this I fashioned some sort of an
arrow, feathering it with a piece of one of the broad, stiff leaves,
which grew upon the plant, and after that I went forth to the crowd
about the leeward edge of the hill. Now when they saw me thus
armed,they seemed to think that I intended a jest, and some of them
laughed, conceiving thatit was a very odd action on my part; but when
I explained that which was in my mind, they ceased from laughter, and
shook their heads, making that I did but waste time; for, as they
said, nothing save gunpowder could cover so great a distance. And
after that they turned again to the bo'sun with whom some of them
seemed to be in argument. And so for a little space I held my peace,
and listened; thus I discovered that certain of the men advocated the
taking of the boat--so soon as it was sufficiently repaired--and
making a passage through the weed to the ship, which they proposed to
do by cutting a narrow canal. But the bo'sun shook his head, and
reminded them of the great devil-fish and crabs, and the worse things
which the weed concealed, saying that those in the ship would have
done it long since had it been possible, and at that the men were
silenced, being robbed of their unreasoning ardour by his warnings.
Now just at this point there happened a thing which proved the wisdom
of that which the bo'sun contended; for, suddenly, one of the men
cried out to us to look, and at that we turned quickly, and saw that
there was a great commotion among thosewho were in the open place in
the superstructure; for they were running this way and that, and some
werepushing to the slide which filled the opening.And then,
immediately, we saw the reason for their agitation and haste; for
there was a stir in the weed near to the stem of the ship, and the
next instant, monstrous tentacles were reached up to the place where
had been the opening; but the door was shut, and thoseaboard the hulk
in safety. At this manifestation, the men about me who had proposed to
make use ofthe boat, and the others also, cried out their horror of
the vast creature, and, I am convinced, had the rescue depended upon
their use of the boat, then had those in the hulk been forever doomed.
Now, conceiving that this was a good point at which to renew my
importunities, I began once again to explain the probabilities of my
plan succeeding, addressing myself more particularly to the bo'sun. I
told how that I had read that the ancients made mighty weapons, some
of whichcould throw a great stone so heavy as two men, over a distance
surpassing a quarter of amile; moreover, that theycompassed huge
catapults which threw a lance, or great arrow, even further. On this,
he expressed much surprise,never having heard of the like; but doubted
greatly that we should be able to construct sucha weapon, Yet, I told
himthat I was prepared; for Ihad the plan of one clearly in my mind,
and further I pointed out to him that we had the wind in our favour,
and that we were a great height up, which would allow the arrow to
travelthe farther before it came so low as the weed.
Then I stepped to the edge of the hill, and, bidding him watch, fitted
my arrow to the string, and, having bent the bow, loosed it,
whereupon, being aidedby the wind and the height on which I stood, the
arrow plunged into the weed at a distance ofnear two hundred yards
from where we stood, that being about a quarter of the distance on the
road to the derelict. At that, the bo'sun was won over to my idea;
though, as he remarked, the arrow hadfallen nearer had it beendrawing
a length of yarnafter it, and to this I assented; but pointed out that
my bow-and-arrow was but a rough affair, and, more, that I was no
archer; yet I promised him, with the bow that I should make, to cast a
shaft clean over the hulk, did he but give me his assistance, and bid
the men to help.
Now, as I have come to regard it in the light of greater knowledge, my
promise was exceeding rash; but I had faith in my conception, and was
very eager to put it to the test; the which, after much discussion at
supper, it was decided I should be allowed to do. [ tobe
continued....]

63 hadith found in ' Friday Prayer ' of Sahih Bukhari.

10
Narrated Tawus: Ibn 'Abbas mentioned the statement of the Prophet
regarding the taking of abath on Friday and then Iasked him whether
the Prophet (p.b.u.h) had ordered perfume or (hair) oil to be used if
they could be found in one's house. He (Ibn 'Abbas) replied that he
did not know about it.
11
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: Umar bin Al-Khattab saw a silken cloak
(being sold) at the gate of the Mosque and said to Allah's Apostle, "I
wish you would buy this to wear on Fridays and also on occasions of
the arrivals of the delegations." Allah's Apostle replied, "This
willbe worn by a person who will have no share (reward) in the
Hereafter." Later on similar cloaks were givento Allah's Apostle and
he gave one of them to 'Umar bin Al-Khattab. On that 'Umar said, "O
Allah'sApostle! You have given me this cloak although on the cloak of
Atarid (a cloak merchant who was selling that silken cloak at the gate
of the mosque) you passed suchand such a remark." Allah's Apostle
replied, "I have not given you this to wear". And so 'Umar bin
Al-Khattab gave it to his pagan brother in Mecca to wear.
12
Narrated Abu Huraira:Allah's Apostle said, "If I had not found it hard
formy followers or the people, I would have ordered them to clean
their teeth with Siwak for every prayer."
13
Narrated Anas: Allah's Apostle I said, "I have told you repeatedly to
(use) the Siwak. (The Prophet put emphasis on the use of the Siwak.)

The seven under the Shade of Allaah Almighty - II

4. Two men who love each other for Allaah's sake, meeting for that and
parting upon that:
Allaah Almighty Says (what means): "The believers are nothing else
than brothers, so make reconciliation between your brothers, and fear
Allaah, that you may receive mercy." [Quran 49:10]
Having mutual love for the sake of Allaah is one of the great doors
leading to the good of the Hereafter and a causeof tasting the
sweetness of faith in this world. Loving one another for Allaah's sake
means that the Muslim does not love another except for the correctness
of his religion. So it does not matter what the person looks like,
what he wears, how rich or poor he is, where he comes from, or what
the color of his skin is - perhaps you dislike everything about him,
but you love him for his belief in Allaah: this is loving for Allaah's
sake. 'Allaah, the Mighty and Magnificent Says in a Sacred Narration:
"Those who have mutual love for the sake of My Glory will haveminarets
of light and will be envied the Prophets and martyrs." [At-Tirmithi&
Ahmad]
Imagine being envied by Allaah's chosen Messengers and those who were
slain in His Path! Such is the reward of those who love one another
for Allaah's sake.
5. A man who is called (seduced) by a woman ofbeauty and position but
he says: 'I fear Allaah':
Allaah Says (what mean): "And come not near to the adultery. Verily,
it is a shameful (deed) and anevil way (that leads one to Hell)."
[Quran 17:32]
This world is full of temptations that lead to burning in the Fire and
amongst them is that which comes from women. Many a man has led his
soul into destruction on account ofthe lure of a woman, which is why
the Prophet warned his nation specifically about this. He said: "The
world is sweet and green and verily Allaah is going to install you as
successors upon it in order to see how you act. So avoid the
allurement of women: verily the first trial for the Children of
Israa'eel was caused by women." [Muslim]
The most important provision which we needto protect ourselves from
this and all other temptations in life is the fear of Allaah. This
fact is alluded to in the following verse (what means): "And as for
him who feared standing before his Lord and restrained himself from
impure evil desires, verilyParadise will be his abode." [Quran 79:40]
6. A man who gives in charity and hides it, such that his left hand
does not know what his right hand gives in charity:
This describes the type ofperson who goes to great lengths to protect
himself from ostentation and showing off in worship. Being
ostentations is to do deeds in order to earn the praise and
recognition of people. This sin destroys all the benefits that lie in
righteous deeds and brings on a serious punishment for the one who
commits it. It is particularly dangerous because it is in man's nature
to desire and enjoy the praise of others.
Thus, great care has to betaken to ensure that one's intentions begin
and remain pure whenever good actions (such as charity) are being
done. Allaah warns(what means): "O you who believe! Do not render vain
your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him
who spends his wealth to be seen of menand he does not believe in
Allaah nor in the Last Day." [Quran 2:264]
7. A man who remembered Allaah in private and so his eyes shed tears:
Our noble Prophet informed us: "If you knew what I knew, you would
laugh little and weep much." [Al-Bukhaari] Crying is not a sissy thing
to do! The Prophet who was the best of all creation, would weep, as
would allof his Companions. Tears are a genuine expressionof fear of
Allaah's Punishment and of our sincere love and awe of Him.
But how often do we remember Allaah in seclusion and are then moved to
tears? How much do we laugh and how little do we weep? The Prophet
said: "There is nothing more beloved to Allaah than two drops and two
marks: A tear shed due tofear of Allaah, and a dropof blood spilled in
the path of Allaah. And as for the two marks, then a mark caused in
the path of Allaah, and a mark caused by fulfilling one of the duties
made obligatory by Allaah." [At-Tirmithi]
Finally, through these seven types of people mentioned in the
narration, we have been given clear signposts of the way to attain
Allaah's pleasure and satisfaction.So you should devote yourself to
being one amongst those seven, for indeed fortunate will be those who
are granted Allaah's Shade on the Daywhen there will be no shade but
His.

The seven under the Shade of Allaah Almighty 1

On the Day of Resurrection, all people that ever lived will be
gathered before Allaah toawait His judgment for all they have done of
saidduring their lives. During this time, the sun will come very close
to the people (as close as one mile according to some narrations).
People will want to get away from the heat of the sun but there will
be no Shade or shelter to goto and they will start sweating in
proportion to their sins. The more sins a person has the more he or
she will sweat.
During this traumatic time, however, the seven groups of people who
are mentioned in the following Hadeeth (Prophetic narration) willbe
completely immune tothe sun's heat and they will be in complete
comfort.
These people will be in such comfort because they will be enjoying the
only shade available on that day and that is the Shade of Allaah. They
willenjoy such an honor because of their piety and obedience to Allaah
while they were in this life.
The Prophet said: "There are seven whom Allaah will shade in His Shade
on the Day when there is no shade except His Shade: a just ruler; a
youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah, theMighty and Majestic; a
man whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love each
other for Allaah's sake, meeting for that and parting upon that; a man
who is called by a woman of beauty and position [for illegal
intercourse], but be says: 'I fear Allaah'; a man whogives in charity
and hidesit, such that his left hand does not know what his right hand
gives in charity; and a man who remembered Allaah in private and so
his eyes shed tears." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
In this beautiful narration, the Prophet spoke about small acts
ofworship which result in such a huge reward: shade on the Day when
there will be no shade except His Shade, i.e., the Shade of His
Throne.
This may not seem like much at first but then reflect upon the
following narration: "On the Day of Resurrection, the sun would draw
so close to the people that there would be left a distance of only one
mile.The people will be submerged in perspiration according totheir
deeds, some up to their ankles, some up to their knees, some up to the
waist and some would have the bridle of perspiration (and, while
saying this, the Messenger of Allaah put his hand towards his mouth)."
[Muslim]
Let us examine now the characteristics and virtues of these seven
categories of people whowill be worthy of such anexalted position on
the Day of Gathering.
1. A Just Ruler:
The concept of Justice in Islam is very important and it is something
which the Muslim - Ruler and the ruled - must apply in all matters
without exception. Justice means to give each the right he deserves:
Muslim or non-Muslim, relative or stranger, friend or enemy. Allaah
Says (what means): "...And do not let hatred cause you to act
unjustly, that is nearer to piety." [Quran 5:8]
Unfortunately, even if weadmit this in theory, we quickly forget it in
practice. So we find that when we speak about our friends and loved
ones, we praise them beyond reason and whenwe speak about those whom
we hold difference with, we can find no good in them andwe just
capitalize on their bad points.
The Prophet said: "Allaah does not bless a people among whom a weak
man is not given his right." [At-Tirmithi]
The concept of justice is most important for the Ruler, since he is in
charge of his people and the primary disposer of justice in the land.
For this reason, the Ruler is given special mention as one of the
seven who will be honored with Allaah's Shade.
2. A youth who grew up in the worship of Allaah:
The great scholar, Imaam Ayyoob As-Sakhtiyaani (d.131H) stated: 'From
the success of a youth is that Allaah guides him to a scholar of the
Sunnah (to study under and learnfrom).'
Indeed, it is a great blessing from Allaah for ayouth be guided
towardsworship and be befriended by the righteous, since it is in
youth that a person is most vulnerable to the temptations of life and
liable to drift away from the Islamic Path. This becomes apparent when
we look at society around us and we see that most of the worldly
distractions, such as music, games, clubs, fashion etc. are all
specifically targeted at the young.
'You're only young once!'they are told, which is why many Muslims
nowadays waste their youth thinking that they will pray, wear Hijaab
and go on Hajj, etc. whenthey are old, as if they have a guarantee of
longevity from Allaah! How well we would do toheed the Prophet's
advice when he said: "Take benefit of five before five: your youth
before your old age, yourhealth before your sickness, your wealth
before your poverty, your free time before you are preoccupied and
your life before your death." [Al-Haakim]
3. A man whose heart is attached to the mosques:
There is great encouragement in the Sunnah for men to pray in the
mosques and the reward associated with itis tremendous. Not only does
it make the person eligible for Allaah's Shadeon the day of
Judgement,but also: "he does not take a step [towards the mosque
except that because of it, he is raised by one rank and one sin is
removed from him. Then when he prays, the Angels do not cease
supplicating for him [for]as long as he remains at his place of Prayer
[sayings]: O Allaah send blessings upon him, O Allaah have mercy upon
him..." [Al-Bukhaari]
It must be emphasized here however, that all the narrations
encouraging the men to be attached to the mosques are not intended to
lead one to the conclusion that Islam is a Religion which should be
confined to themosques, as many peopleimagine. Nonetheless, the mosque
should be at the heart of the Muslim community, and the role of those
in authority of the mosques is vital here.They are the ones mainly
responsible for making the mosque a welcome refuge for the Muslims.
To be concluded/

Entering the marital bond –: The marriage contract

The necessary components of themarital process:
This article, discusses some of the important issues to consider when
entering the bond of marriage. This includes the marriage contract and
witnesses to the marriage. It is imperative to remember that whatever
endeavor a person engages in, his or her intention should be purely
for the sake of Allaah, Almighty. For something as serious as
marriage, this should be obvious. The correct intention will ensure
that the union is blessed by Allaah and protected from difficulty and
tribulation. Our sole purpose in life should beto seek the pleasure of
Allaah in all that we do. If this goal were the focus, we would see
many happy, smiling married couples.
1. The marriage contract
The marriage contract is a necessary component in the marital process.
Marriage itself is actually considered to be a contract agreed upon by
the two parties. It is a binding, permanent agreement that can only be
broken through the process of divorce.
It should be entered with seriousness, and as with any contract, the
best attempt should be made to fulfill the obligations and
responsibilities due to the other party.
All scholars agree that the offer by one party and acceptance by the
other is an essential part of the marriage contract. Most of these
scholars also say that the offer must be from the woman's side (the
Wali - the guardian or one who represents him) and theacceptance from
the man during the process of the contract. The majority of the
scholars also say that it is necessary to have the presence of both
the prospective husband and the Wali during the process. The actual
presence of the woman to be wed is external to the whole process.
It is essential to mention here that the consent of the Wali is a
condition without which the contract is void.
The marriage contract itself may simply be in spoken form, although it
may also be completed through writing. Any wording that clarifies the
intention and goals of the contract would be acceptable. It is
important to mention that when the contract is entered into, the
aspects pertaining to marriage in the Sharee'ah (Islamic Law) become
binding upon each person, regardless of whether or not they are stated
inthe contract. These aspects would include the rights and
responsibilities of each party, such as the husband providing
sustenance for his wife and the wife being obedient toward her husband
and so forth.
Certain customs that are known and accepted by everyone can also take
the status of law and beconsidered binding on the parties. These, of
course, would only be acceptable if they do not contradict the
Sharee'ah. Some examples may be the custom of the husband providing
furniture for the house or the bride being taken to the home of the
groom.
Other stipulations may be added to the marriage contract if both
parties agree. These conditions cannot contradict the Sharee'ah nor
can they bring harm to anyone. The primary purpose of these additions
should be to avoid any conflict or hardship in the future.
Those who accept the stipulations must complete the condition or the
husband or wife has right to nullify the marriage. Allaah Says (what
means): "O believers, fulfill the contracts." [Quran; 5:1]
The Prophet said: "The Muslims must act upon their stipulations." [Abu
Daawood and Al-Haakim]. It is necessary to mention that some scholars
are of the opinion that additional conditions cannot be added to the
marriage contract.
2. Presence of witnesses
The majority of scholars agree that the presence of two witnesses is
an obligatory aspect of the marital contract. The Prophet said: "There
is no marriage save with a guardian and two (just) witnesses."
[Al-Bayhaqi]
The witnesses must be just and righteous, and also adult, matureand
sane. Most scholars state that the witnesses must be male,although Abu
Haneefah is of the opinion that it is allowed to have one male and two
females. The witnesses must also be Muslim between two Muslims. (Abu
Haneefah allows for non-Muslims witnesses if the marriage is to a
non-Muslim woman).
The reason for having Muslim witnesses is that the contract is
aserious one and is considered to be a religious contract.
Conclusion
As a woman eagerly prepares for her wedding day, buying clothes and
accessories, beautifying herself, informing family and friends, she
should reflect on the serious nature of the contract that she is about
to enter. It is a lifelong, binding contract that entails many duties
and responsibilities. She should become aware of the elements that are
necessary for completionof this bond (as outlined above and in the
previous article) as detailed in Sharee'ah, and learn about her role
as a wife and companion. She should also be informed about the rights
that are due to her from her husband.It is a beautiful reciprocal
relationship in which the rights of one party become the
responsibility of the other. There are many books available on this
topic and it would be wise to read some of these as part of the
preparation. In Islam, it is not enough to just get married. One must
have the knowledge to enter the union with wisdom andunderstanding and
a deep commitment to making it successful.
Equipped with the right intentionand knowledge, there should be little
room left for Satan to nudgebetween the man and woman who have
promised to love and honor each other all the days of their lives… and
in the Sight of Allaah.

Friday Prayers,- Friday khutbah in languages other than Arabic.

Could you kindly detail what should be done by the congregation for
Juma prayers? Basically, we listen to a speech in our language then
Adhan, then four sunna salaat. After this the Imam devlivers the
khutba in Arabic. During his khutbha how should we sit? Then there is
a pause in the khutbha, what should be recited here?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The fuqaha' are unanimously agreed that it is better for the khutbah
to be in Arabic, but they differed as to whether that is
essential.There are three points ofview:
1-
That it is essential for it to be in Arabic for the one who is able to
do that, even if the listenersdo not know Arabic.
This is the view of the Maalikis and it is the well-known view of the Hanbalis.
See: al-Fawaakih al-Diwaani (1/306) and Kashshaaf al-Qinaa' (2/34).
2-
That it is essential for it to be in Arabic for the one who is able to
do that, unless none of the listeners know Arabic, in which case he
should give the khutbah in theirlanguage.
This is the correct view according to the Shaafa'is, and it is the
view of some of the Hanbalis.
See: al-Majmoo' by al-Nawawi (4/522).
3-
It is mustahabb for the khutbah to be in Arabic but it is not
essential, and the khateeb may deliver the khutbah in his own language
instead of Arabic. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and some of the
Shaafa'is.
See: Radd al-Muhtaar (1/543) and al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (19/180).
This third view is the correct one, and it is the view favoured by a
number of our contemporary scholars, because there is no clearevidence
to say that the khutbah must be in Arabic, and because the purpose of
the khutbah is to exhort, benefit and teach, which can only bedone by
using the language of the people present.
It says in a statement of the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League:
The fairest opinion is that using Arabic when giving the khutbah on
Friday and at Eid in countries where it is not spoken is not a
condition of it being valid, but it is better to say the preliminaries
of the khutbah and any Qur'aanic verses quoted in Arabic, so as to get
non-Arabs used to hearing Arabic and the Qur'aan, which will make it
easier to learn it and read the Qur'aan in the language in which it
was revealed. Then the khateeb can follow that with exhortation in
theirlanguage which they understand. End quote.
Qiraaraat al-Majma' al-Fiqhi (p. 99) (fifth session, fifth statement).
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:
There is no proof in the hadeeth to suggest that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stipulated that the Friday
khutbah should be in Arabic, rather he delivered the khutbah in Arabic
because it was his language and the language of his people. So the one
who addressed them and guided them and reminded them spoke in their
language that they understood. But he sent letters in Arabic to the
kings and rulers of nations, and he knew that they spoke languages
other than Arabic, and he knew thatthey would have them translated
into their languages so that they would know what was in them.
Based on this, it is permissible for the khateeb to deliver the
khutbah in a language where the people or the vast majority of its
inhabitants do not knowArabic to deliver the khutbah in Arabic then
translate it into the local language, so that they will understand
what he is advising and reminding them of, and they will benefit from
his khutbah.
He may also deliver the khutbah in the languageof his country, even if
it is not Arabic, and thus he will accomplish the guidance, teaching,
exhortation and reminder that are the purpose of the khutbah.
But it is better to deliver the khutbah in Arabic and then translate
it to the listeners, so as to combine the guidance ofthe Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his khutbahs and his
letters with achieving the aim of giving the khutbah, and so as to
avoid an area concerning which there is scholarly dispute. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah (8/253).
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Perhaps it is better, and Allaah knows best, to discuss this matter in
detail and say:
If the majority of people in the mosque are non-Arabic speakers who do
not understand Arabic, then there is nothing wrong with giving the
khutbah in a language other than Arabic, or delivering it inArabic
then translating it.
But if most of the peoplepresent know Arabic andunderstand it in
general,then it is better to stick to Arabic and not go against the
guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
especially since the salaf used to deliver khutbahs in mosques where
there were non-Arabs present,and it is not narrated that they used to
translate it, because Islam was prevalent and so was Arabic.
As for the evidence that it is permissible in cases of necessity;
there is some evidence to that effect in sharee'ah. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people,
in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them"
[Ibraaheem 14:4]
For example, when the Sahaabah invaded non-Arab lands such as Persia
and Byzantium, they did not fight them until they called them to Islam
via interpreters. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz (12/372).
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The correct view with regard to this matter is that it is permissible
for the khateeb to deliver the khutbah in a language that the people
present understand, if the people present are not Arabs and do not
know Arabic. He may deliver the khutbah in their language, because
that is the means of explaining to them, and the purpose of the
khutbah is to explain thesacred limits of Allaah to His slaves, and
exhort them, and guide them. But the verses of Qur'aanshould be
recited in Arabic, then explained inthe language of the people.
The fact that he may give the khutbah in the language of the people is
indicated by the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people,
in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them"
[Ibraaheem 14:4].
Allaah stated that the means of conveying should be in the language
that the people addressed understand. Based on that, he may give the
khutbah in a language other than Arabic, but if he recites verses of
Qur'aan, they must be in Arabic, in which the Qur'aan was revealed,
then after that he may explain them to these people in their language.
End quote.
Fataawa Noor 'ala al-Darb .
See the answer to question no. 984 .
Secondly:
The format of Jumu'ah prayer should not be changed to what is
mentioned in the question, whereby thereare two khutbahs, one before
the adhaan in thepeople's language and another after the adhaan in
Arabic. Ratherthere should a khutbah either in the language ofthe
people or in Arabic then translated into the other language
straightaway whilst the khateeb is still on the minbar.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked
about translating the Friday khutbah into some other languages, after
Jumu'ah prayer in al-Masjid al-Haraam, so that those who do not know
Arabic could benefit from it. He replied:
We do not agree with what has been mentioned, and there is no
justification for delivering another khutbah on Friday before or after
the prayer.
If the aim is to translate the khutbah to those who do not understand
Arabic, then the khutbahetc can be translated via the radio at times
other than Jumu'ah prayer. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (3/20).
We encourage all Muslims to learn Arabic, because it is the language
of the Qur'aan and through it they can understand Islam better, and
understand the meanings of the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Shaykh Rasheed Rida (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
We have stated more than once that knowledge of Arabic is obligatory
upon every Muslim, because understanding the religion, establishing
its rituals and fulfilling its obligations all depend on understanding
this language, and cannot bevalid without it. Although the Friday
khutbah does not absolutely have to be in Arabic, this ritual is of
great importance.
The non-Arabs who entered Islam in the early period hastened tolearn
Arabic in order to understand the Qur'aan and Sunnah and to form bonds
through the language without whichthe unity of the ummah cannot be
achieved. The Sahaabah used to address the people in Arabic in every
land that they conquered, and it was not long before the language of
the lands that they entered became Arabic, due to the influence of the
spirit of Islam, not for worldly gains or by forceof compulsion. If
they had thought that it was acceptable to leave the non-Arab nations
who entered their religion with their own languages, they would have
hastened to learn the languages of those nations and established the
religious obligations and acts of worship for them in those languages,
and Greek would have remained Greek, Persian would have remained
Persian, and so on.
The difference in languages that we see today among Muslims is one of
the most serious bad effects of politics. If the Ottoman and
Iranianstates do not try to spread Arabic in their realms, there will
come aday when they will regret that. We cannot rely on any religious
reform in India or elsewhere in the Muslim world, unless Arabic is
taught from the primary stage and is made the language of knowledge.
End quote.
Majallat al-Manaar (6/496).
Fourthly:
With regard to praying four Sunnah rak'ahs before Jumu'ah, there is no
Sunnah prayer before Jumu'ah. Rather it is prescribed to offer
voluntary prayers in general before it, without specifying any
particular number.

Friday Prayers,- What should be said when the imam sits down between the two khutbahs at Jumu’ah prayer?.

What should be said when the imam sits down between the two khutbahs
at Jumu'ah prayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) used to deliver two khutbahs on Friday and he separated them by
sitting down briefly on the minbar.
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to give two khutbahs and sit down between them. Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (928).
It is not narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) or the Sahaabah, as far as we know, said any specific du'aa'
or dhikr between the two khutbahs of Jumu'ah. Rather some of the
scholars said that it is mustahabb to say du'aa' between the two
khutbahs, seeking the time when du'aa' is answered on Friday. Oneof
the strongest opinions about that timeis that it is from when the imam
first comes outto give the khutbah untilthe end of the prayer. This
has been discussed in the answer to question no. 112165 .
But because this du'aa' was not narrated from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) or the noble Sahaabah, we should not
affirm it or take it as a binding Sunnah; it is also not permissible
to raise one's voice when saying it and disturb the others who are
present. Some scholars have warned against that.
Ibn Hajar al-Haytami narrated that al-Qaadi said: Du'aa' during this
sitting (between the twokhutbahs) will be answered. Then Ibn Hajar
said:
It may be understood from what al-Qaadi said that the Sunnah is for
the people present to make use of the time when the imam sits to say
du'aa', because it is affirmed that it is answered at that time.
Ifthey say du'aa' then it is better for it to be silent, because by
saying it out loud they may disturb others, and because saying it
silently is betterin the case of du'aa', unless it is for a reason.
End quote.
Al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (1/251-252).
Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Abd al-Rahmaan Abu Bateen (may Allaah have
mercy on him) said: Du'aa' whilst sitting between the two khutbahs – I
do not know anything about it, and the one who does that seeking the
time mentioned on Friday (when du'aa' may be answered) should not
beobjected to. End quote.
Rasaa'il wa Fataawa al-Shaykh 'Abd-Allaah Abu Bateen (p. 163)
Shaykh Muhammad Rasheed Rida (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
As for raising the hands and the voice in du'aa' when the khateeb sits
down between the two khutabhs, we do not know of any Sunnah to support
that; there would be nothing wrong with it were it not for the fact
that it disturbs others and because they regarded itas a Sunnah to be
followed without any evidence.
What is narrated is to ask for silence when the imam ascends the
minbar, but the silence isfor the purpose of listening. Hence we say
that there is nothing wrong with saying du'aa' at times other than
when listening is required, but one shouldsay du'aa' quietly and not
disturb others with one's du'aa'. Not all the people should raise
theirhands so that this becomes one of the rituals of Jumu'ah for
which there is no teaching in the Sunnah. Rather they are going
against the clear Sunnah, if when the imam stands up and begins the
second khutbah they continue with their du'aa's. It is better for them
to listen and ponder at the time of the khutbah, and think and reflect
at the time when the imam is resting. The least that can be said about
this action of theirs is that it is an inappropriate innovation. End
quote.
Majallat al-Manaar (6/792).
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked whether
there is a specific du'aa' or dhikr that the worshipper maysay between
the two Jumu'ah khutbahs? Is it narrated that the khateeb should say
du'aa' between the two khutbahs or not?
He replied:
There is no specific dhikror du'aa', rather a person may say whatever
supplication he wants, because this isa time when du'aa's are
answered. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "On Friday there is a time when no Muslim slave asks Allaah for
something when he is standing and praying but He will give it to him."
In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from the hadeeth of Abu Moosa: "It is
between the time when the imam comes out – i.e., enters the mosque –
until the prayer ends."
This is a time when du'aa's are answered, soone should make the most
of this opportunity and say du'aa' between the two khutbahs, asking
for whatever he wants of the good things of this world and the
Hereafter.
The same may also be said of the imam; he should say du'aa' between
the two khutbahs but it should be silent, asking for whatever he wants
of things in this world and in the Hereafter.
The same may also be said concerning prostration during Jumu'ah
prayer, after reciting the adhkaar that were narrated from the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), one may say du'aa' as one
wishes.
And after the tashahhud and before the salaam, one may say du'aa' for
whatever one wants, after saying du'aa' for that which it is narrated
one should say du'aa' for. End quote.
He also said (may Allaah have mercy on him):
Du'aa' during this time isgood and is mustahabb, because this time is
a time when it is hoped prayers will be answered. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) toldus that on Friday there isa
time when no Muslim slave asks Allaah for something when he is
standing and praying but He will answer him.
The time of prayer is the most likely to be the time when du'aa's are
answered, because of the report narrated by Muslim from Abu Moosa
al-Ash'ari (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "It is
between the time when the imam comes out until the prayer ends."
Based on this, one should make the most ofthis opportunity and say
du'aa' between the two khutbahs.
With regard to raising the hands, I do not thinkthere is anything
wrong with it, because the basic principle with regard to du'aa' is
that its etiquette includes raising the hands. So if aperson raises
his hands there is nothing wrong with it, and if he says du'aa'
without raising his hands there is nothing wrong with it. This has to
do with du'aa' between the two khutbahs. End quote.
Fataawa Noor 'ala al-Darb (Fataawa al-Salaah/Salaat al-Jumu'ah)
Thirdly:
Some fuqaha' said that itis mustahabb to recite Qur'aan when the imam
sits down between the two khutbahs, and someof them mentioned Soorat
al-Ikhlaas in particular, based on the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn Samurah
(may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (peaceand
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to give two khutbahs, sitting in
between them.He would recite Qur'aan and remind the people. Narrated
by Muslim (862). A similar version was narrated by Ibn Hibbaan in his
Saheeh (7/42), which he included in a chapter entitled "Mention of
what the Prophet (peaceand blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
say when he sat down between the two khutbahs." End quote.
Al-Khateeb al-Sharbeeni (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
His sitting between the two khutbahs was aboutthe length of Soorat al-Ikhlaas.
Should he recite Qur'aanor dhikr therein, or remain silent?
They did not discuss it, but in Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan it says that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
reciteQur'aan therein. End quote.
Mughni al-Muhtaaj (1/557).
The correct view is that the words of Jaabir ibn Samurah in the
hadeeth,"he would recite Qur'aanand remind the people" do not refer to
the sitting between the two khutbahs, rather they refer to what is
mentioned at the beginning of the hadeeth, "The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to give two khutbahs", i.e., he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would deliver two khutbahs
on the minbar,which both included recitation of Qur'aan and
exhortation and reminders to the people.
Hence al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi said in Siyar A'laam al-Nubala' (16/102),
in his biography of Ibn Hibbaan, in an important discussion of
mistakes made by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh: One of the things which
al-Dhahabi regarded as a mistake on his part was his categorizing of
this hadeeth, when he – Ibn Hibbaan – said: Mention of what [the
Prophet] (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to
recitewhen he sat down between the two khutbahs. And he did not
mention anything. End quote. Meaning that the hadeeth does not
indicate what he mentioned in the chapter heading.
The more correct view –and Allaah knows best –is that there is no
binding Sunnah from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) concerning this matter. The one whowants to use this brief moment
of silence to saydu'aa' or dhikr or recite Qur'aan may do so, so long
as he does not disturb others.
And Allaah knows best.

Friday Prayers,- Is there a Sunnah prayer before and after Jumu’ah?.

When I go to the mosque on Friday the athaan is pronounced, then
everyone prays 2 or4 rakaat.Then the athan is again pronounced
andimmediately after it iqamah .Having prayed 2Jum'ah rakaat people
pray again 2 or 4 rakaat.Besides,the imaam when supplicating raises
hands then wipes his face and everyone follows him .
Is it bid'ah? If so,what should I do(just look at others?)
Praise be to Allaah.
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to come out of his house on the day of Jumu'ah (Friday) and climb
up on his minbar. Then the muezzin wouldgive the Adhaan, and when he
finished, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
would start his khutbah. If there were any Sunnah prayerto be done
before Jumu'ah, he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would
have told them about it and directed them to do it after the Adhaan,
and hewould have done it himself. At the time of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) there was nothing apart from the
Adhaan just before the khutbah.
Hence the majority of the imaams agreed that there is no sunnah to be
done at a specific time before Jumu'ah with a specific number of
rak'ahs, because that would have been reported from the wordsor
actions of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
andnothing of that nature has been reported from him. This is the
madhhabof Maalik, al-Shaafa'i and most of his companions, and is the
well known view in the madhhab of Ahmad.
Al-'Iraaqi said:
"I have not seen anything to indicate thatthe three imaams recommended
praying Sunnah before it [Jumu'ah]."
The muhaddith al-Albaani commented:
For that reason this so-called Sunnah is not mentioned in Kitaab
al-Umm by Imaam al-Shaafa'i, or in al-Masaa'il by Imaam Ahmad, or by
any of the other early imaams, as far as I know.
Hence I say:
Those who pray this Sunnah are not following the Messengeror imitating
any of the imaams; on the contrary,they are imitating the later
scholars who are like them in that they are also imitators [of earlier
scholars] rather than mujtahideen [scholars who investigate and form
their own rulings]. I am amazed to see an imitator imitating another
imitator.
(See al-Qawl al-Mubeen, 60, 374).
Moreover, between the first call of Jumu'ah prayer and the second
call, there should be sufficient time for people to get ready to pray,
not just the time it takes to pray two rak'ahs or thereabouts, as is
done in some countries and some mosques.
With regard to making du'aa' together in one voice behind the imaam
after the prayer, Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen answered this question in
al-Fataawaa, p. 368, where he said:
"This is one of the bid'ahs which was not reported from the Prophet or
from his companions. What is prescribed in Islam is for people to
remember Allaah Alone after the prayer, in accordance with the
teachings of the Messenger of Allaah, and this should be done aloud,
as reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaari fromIbn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be
pleased with them both), who said: "Peopleused to raise their voicesin
Dhikr [remembrance of Allaah] after finishing the prescribed prayer at
the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)."
With regard to the prayer after Jumu'ah, Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Zaad (1/440):
When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had
prayed Jumu'ah, he would enter his house and pray two Rak'ahs of
Sunnah, and he commanded those who had prayed it to pray four rak'ahs
afterwards. Our shaykh, Abu'l-'Abbaas Ibn Taymiyah said: if he prayed
in the mosque, he would pray four, and if he prayed at home, he would
pray two. I say: this is what is indicated by many ahaadeeth.
AbuDawood reported in his Sunan (1130) from Ibn 'Umar that when he
prayed in the mosque, he prayed four and when he prayed at home, he
prayed two.
With regard to wiping the face after making du'aa', this is not
reported in any saheeh hadeeth; indeed, some of the scholars stated
that it is bid'ah. See Mu'jam al-Bida' (p. 227).
Do not do that which is bid'ah and do not take part in it; advise and
enjoin people to follow the Sunnah; remind them and tell them about
the Islamic ruling. We ask Allaah to guide us all to the Straight
Path; may Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Musa's miracle repeats during the migration of the Holy Prophet

During the migration of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to Medina,
Quraishhad declared that whoever would seize Muhammad (Peace be upon
him) would receive a hundred camels as reward. This had spurred many
persons to try their luck. Among those who were on the lookout for the
Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his companion in order to win the
reward was Suraqah, the son of Malik. He, on receiving information
that a party of four, had been spotted on a certain route, decided
topursue it secretly so that he alone should be the winner of the
reward. He mounted a swift horse and went in hot pursuit of them. On
the way the horse stumbled and he fell on the ground. On drawing a lot
so as to divine whether he should continue the chase or not, as the
Arabs used to do in such circumstances, he found the omens
unpropitious.But the lust for material wealth blinded him altogether
and he resumed the chase. Oncemore he met with the same fate but paid
no heed to it. Again he jumped onto the saddle and galloped at a
break-neck speed till he came quite close to the Prophet (Peace be
upon him). Abu Bakr's heart agitated and he kept looking back while
the Prophet (Peace be upon him) remained steadfast and continued
reciting verses of the Qur'an.
The repeated stumbling of Suraqah's horse and his falling off awakened
him to the situation, andhe realized that it was a constant warning of
Allah for his evil design which he contemplated against the Prophet
(Peace be upon him). He approached the travelling group with a
penitent heart and begged of the Prophet (Peace be upon him)
forgiveness in all humility. He addressed the Prophet (Peace be upon
him) and his companion, saying:"Your people (the Quraishites) have
promised a generous reward to anyone who captures you." He added that
he offered them provision but they declined his offer. They only asked
him to screenoff their departure and blind the polytheists to their
hiding place. Then the Prophet (Peace be upon him) forgave him and
confirmed it with a token written by 'Amir bin Fuhairah on a piece of
parchment. Suraqah hurried back to Makkah and tried to foil the
attempts of those who were in pursuit of Muhammad (Peace be upon him)
and his noble companions. The sworn enemy was converted into an honest
believer.

The thief and the blanket - The thief and the blanket

A thief entered the house of a pious man, and found nothing there.
As he was leaving, the pious man perceived his disappointment
and threw him the blanket in which he was sleeping, so that he should
not go away empty-handed.