Swine flu is one of the reasons why Allah has made eating pork unlawful

Pork is one of the foods that Allah makes unlawful in the Qur'an.
Atrue Muslim will demonstrate determination in abiding by Allah's
commands and prohibition even if he is unaware of the wisdom behind
them. But if Allahso wills He can also showus the wisdom behind the
things He has prohibited. The recent rapid rise in cases of swine flu,
a lethal disease, is one of the reasons why the eating of pork is
unlawful.
Swine flu is a disease caused by the virus "H1N1" and can be passed
from person to person through the air. Like the flu virus in human
beings, the swine flu virus constantly changes in pigs. Pigs'
respiratory passages contain receptors that are sensitive to viruses
such as swine, human and bird flu. For that reason, pigs increase the
possibility of new viruses emerging in the event they are transmitted
simultaneously. The A/H1N1 virus, a combination of human, swine and
bird flu viruses, only appears in the receptors in pigs' respiratory
passages; in other words, pigs serve as hosts for viruses to combine
together in. Because human beings have no natural immunity to the
virus and since it spreads very fast, the World Health Organization
has warned that the disease is about to spread out ofcontrol as an
epidemic.
One of the most frightening aspects of the disease is that it is the
same as the "SpanishFlu" that led to the deaths of more than 50
million people between September 1918 and June 1920. It is the AH1N1
virus that causes the disease in both cases. Spanish flu was also
first transmitted to human beings from pigs in America, from where it
spread across the world, becoming one of the worst epidemics in
history. Therefore, in theevent that swine flu cannot be brought under
control, there is a danger that it will spread all over the world.
The Hadith Indicate That Pigs Will Be Destroyed in the End Times
Fourteen hundred years ago, our Prophet (saas) indicated that pigs
will be destroyed in the End Times:
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will come as a just judge… hewill slay the pig and
distribute goods and possessions, but becauseof their abundance nobody
will accept them.
(Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi Alamat al-Mahdi al- Muntadhar, p. 31)
This hadith suggests thatthere will have to be a mass slaughter of
pigs inthe time of Hazrat Mahdi(as). Indeed, states may have to resort
to the mass slaughter of pigs inorder to prevent the spread of swine
flu if it becomes an epidemic threatening the whole world. Egypt has
in fact already begun slaughtering pigs in order to protect itself
against the disease. The hadith of our Prophet (saas) state that it
will beessential to slaughter pigs, the source of swineflu, in the
same way the authorities dry up the swamps that constitute the
breeding grounds ofmosquitoes, which also constantly spread disease.
As has already been stated, pigs' respiratory passages play the main
role in the emergence ofthis dangerous disease. That is just one of
the reasons behind Allah's prohibiting the consumption of pork. There
are many other pieces of wisdom behindAllah's making the consumption
of pork unlawful. Some of these may be set out as follows:
Pork contains high levels of sulfur
Since pork contains highlevels of sulfur, when it is eaten a large
amount of sulfur is absorbed by the body. Excessive amounts may lead
to various diseases, such as joint infections when it accumulates in
cartilage,muscle and nerves, calcification and hernia. In the event of
regular pork consumption, soft connective tissue from the pig replaces
the hardcartilage in the body. As a result, the cartilage becomes
unable to bear the weight of the body, which in turn leads to joint
deficiencies.
Pork contains excessive amounts of growth hormone
Excessive amounts of growth hormone ingested through pork leads to
tissue swelling and deformations. It can lead to sudden and extreme
fat accumulation. People who eat pork generally have a higher risk of
obesity. It may lead to abnormal growth of the nose, jaw, hand and
feetbones. The most dangerous aspect of excessive growth hormone is
that is prepares the way for cancer.
Eating pork leads to skin diseases
Substances known as "histamine" and "imtidazole" in pork cause
excessive itching. They also prepare the way for infectious skin
diseases such as eczema, dermatitis and neurodermatitis. These
substances also increase the risk of boils, appendicitis, gall bladder
diseases and arterial infections. Doctors therefore advise heart
patients to avoid eating pork.
Eating pork spreads trichina
Trichina worms ingestedthrough pork enter the blood stream through the
stomach and intestines and spread throughout the body. Trichina worms
particularly settle in muscle tissue in the jaw, tongue, neck, throat
andchest regions. They lead to paralysis of the chewing, speech and
swallowing muscles. They also cause vein obstructions, meningitis and
brain infections. Severe cases may even end in death. The most
dangerous aspect of the disease is that there is no cure for it.
Trichina outbreaks have been observed from time to time in Sweden,
Britain and Poland, despite tight veterinary controls.
Pork is very fatty and contains poisonous substances
Pork is very fatty. When ingested, the fat enters the blood stream and
leads to hardening of the arteries, raised blood pressure and coronary
infarct. In addition, pork contains a toxin called "Sutoxin." The
lymph glands have to work extra hard in order to expel these toxins
from the body. This manifests as swelling of the lymph glands,
especially in children. If the disease progresses, all the lymphglands
swell up, temperature rises and pain begins.
These are just a few aspects of the wisdom behind Allah's making the
eating of pork unlawful. Allah is also showing us the wisdom of this
prohibition by creating swine flu in the End Times. For a sincere
believer, even not knowing why Allah has prohibited anything, his main
responsibility is to maintain the bounds set by Him. But with the
epidemic over recent days Allah is telling believers of yet another
element of that wisdom.

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Fathwa - She accuses her father-in-law of hypocrisy

Question
ASAK...my husband is a born muslim but his mother is a non
muslim...his father is muslim but is more like a
munafiquin...Alhumdullilah my husband has learned islam after marriage
and is practicing sunnah in every stage...i dislike my in laws a lot
and find it very hard to respect them..they are old and itsour duty to
take care of them..my husband loves them a lot and doesnt oppose their
faith but i find it very difficult to deal with the shirk they follow
and all the idol worship they practice at home..i want to keep my
children away from this mahool..but i know in islam not respecting
parents is also a prime gunaah...what do i do? please please guide..
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad
isHis slave and Messenger.
First of all, you should know that among the characteristics of
Eemaan(faith) is to hate what thedisbelievers do, like themcommitting
Shirk (associating partners with Allaah), worshipping idols and
disobeying Allaah, and hating them due to this. Abu Daawood
At-Tayaalisi reported that the Prophet said: " The strongest bonds of
faith are love for the sakeof Allaah and hate for thesake of Allaah. "
Therefore, there is nothing wrong in not loving the non-Muslims. Also,
it is not an obligation to respect a non-Muslim, but it is not
permissible to mistreat him by words or actions just because he is a
non-Muslim.
On the other hand, if you reside together in the same house with your
husband's parents, then you have the right to ask your husband to
provide you with a separate accommodation and you are not obligated to
live with them in the same house regardless of whether they are
Muslimsor non-Muslims, because the wife has the right upon her husband
to provide her with a separate accommodationas we clarified in Fatwa
84608 .
Therefore, your husband is obligated to provide you with a separate
accommodation according to his ability. In this way it will be
possible to protect your children from being affected by their
grandparents.
With regard to your husband, he is obligated to hate the Shirk upon
which his parents are, but he is also obligated to be kind and dutiful
to them as this is their right upon him even if they are non-Muslims.
Allaah says (what means): { And We have enjoined upon man [care] for
his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon
weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to
your parents; to Me is the[final] destination. But if they endeavor to
make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not
obey them but accompany them in [this]world with appropriate kindness.
} [Quran 31:14-15]
For more benefit in this regard, please refer to Fatwa 87019 .
Among the best acts of being kind and dutiful to them is to endeavor
to guide them to the Right Path. So, your husband has to supplicate
Allaah to guide them to Islam and he should invite them to embrace it.
He may make use of the Fataawa which clarify that Islam is the true
religion which corresponds to the Fitrah (natural predisposition upon
which Allaah created mankind] and which comprehends the benefits of
this worldly life and the Hereafter. These Fataawa are as follows:
86091 , 88906 , 173389 , 11506 and 85513 .
Finally, we draw your attention to the following three matters:
1- Hypocrisy is of two kinds: one is related to belief and one is
related to actions. The one related to actions does not take a person
out of the fold of Islam, like if a Muslim has the characteristics of
lying and betraying the trust and the like. The hypocrisy related to
belief is to pretend to be a Muslim [show Islam outwardly] and hiding
disbelief [i.e. while a person is not really a Muslim in his heart].
Nonetheless, it is not permissible to accuse a Muslim of hypocrisy
without evidence. It seems that your father-in-law although he is
affiliated with Islam, he commits Shirk actions. So, if this is the
case, it is an obligation to clarify the truth to him but he should
not be judged to be a non-Muslim unless after establishing the
evidence against him. Formore benefit, kindly refer to Fataawa 1854
and 134798 .
2- It is not permissible fora Muslim to marry a non-Muslim woman
unless she is from the People of the Book (Jews or Christians) as
Islam forbade a Muslim from keeping such a woman as a wife. Allaah
says (what means): { And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving
women. } [Quran 60:10]
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 87895 .
3- Mistreating people other than the parents, though it is
impermissible, it is not called undutifulness.
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Fathwa - A case of incestuous marriage based on doubtof lineage

Question
Assalaamu alikum wr wb,Three months ago, our daughter moved back home
with us from her (my husband's brother) uncle and Aunty's house , a
few weeks later we found out that in the pastfour years she and her
uncle were married secretly, on the grounds that her father is not
really her father - she stating that she has done DNA test between her
and her uncle and there is no relation., and the uncle state that
based on (raba'ib). They kept this marriage hidden from anyone &
everyone ( except those involved, 3 of the uncles friends & whoever
married them) even from his first wife (Aunty) until late last year.
They still continue this relationship even now & even though we have
said her father is her biological father & for her to stop. From
Islamic point of view, I would like to know: Parenthood: A) the
prophet said the child belong's to the man of whom the women she slept
with, therefor I declare by Allah SWT that my current husband is the
biological father of her, there is no benefit for me to lie as I have
gone through bad life experiences and choices and I have disclosed
them to my family about my past. Marriage: B) my daughter at age of 16
year, supposedly she appointed a friend of heruncle as her wali, while
her father and her (elder brothers who are Muslims but not fully
practicing) are there, does she have right to dothis ?, will this
marriage be nullified based upon rights of father? Correction: C) what
must be done to correct this mess, including what steps one must take
to correct the relationship with Allah SWT first and foremost(tubah)
then towards her parents, family and community. D)what must Aunty do
to retain her marriage or what choice she has, noting that she is
pregnant with 3months to go. E) what we must do as parents and Aunty
towards them if they choose to live a live of sin? Please respond to
this as soon as possible, and ifpossible please retain ourdetails and
this question from publishing if possible.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad
, is His Slave and Messenger.
If the case is as you have stated that that man is the paternal uncle
of your daughter, then marrying her is a grave sin and it is invalid.
That is because it is a form of incest and requires Hadd (i.e.
corporal punishment) according to the opinion of the majority of
scholars for the one who did it while he knows well its prohibition,
and the childcannot be attributed to him in that case unlike if he did
it ignorantly, i.e. he will not be subjected to Hadd and the child
willbe attributed to him. For details, kindly refer to Fatwa 87416 .
Accordingly, it is not permissible for him to have sexual intercourse
with her; rather, they must be separated; her guardian must be firm
with her and not let him approach her. The DNA testing is not taken
into account, for DNA testing is not relied upon in denying the
confirmed lineage as stated in a decision made by the Islamic Fiqh
Council concerning this, which reads: " It is not permissible to use
DNA analysis to confirm the paternity of children whose lineage has
already been legally confirmed. The concerned authorities are to
prevent this, and impose deterring sanctions in this regard in order
to protect people's reputations and to safeguard their lineage. " For
more benefit, p lease refer to Fataawa 122944 and 90098 .
If the laws in your country do not grant you the right to separate
between them, you should try to bring her toa Muslim country to raise
the case to a Sharee'ah-based court.
Thus, if this marriage is invalid in principle and according to the
consensus of scholars, there is no point to discuss the fact that your
daughter appointed a friend as her Wali or the like. If she turns to
Allaah The Almighty in sincere repentance, then Allaah The Almighty
will accept her repentance as He TheExalted has promised saying (what
means): { But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents
and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance. }
[Quran 20:82]
Also, Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allaah , said: "
Whoever repents before the sun rises from the west, Allaah will accept
his repentance. " [Muslim]
For more benefit on the conditions of repentance,please refer to Fatwa 86527 .
In case she repents, she should be treated kindly and not be blamed
for what she had done in thepast. Also, she has to please her parents
for she made them angry because of her actions. But if she insists on
having a relationship with her paternal uncle and it is not possible
to separate them, then she and her uncle should be deserted if it is
expected that deserting them will be beneficial for them. Indeed,
deserting the sinner is permissible if there is a benefit to be
fulfilled by that as scholars explained. For more benefit, please
refer to Fatwa 18611 .
As for the uncle's wife, if her husband insists on having a
relationship with his niece, then we advise her to seek divorce from
him and notremain with him in marriage for there is no good for her in
living with a man who commitsincest.
Finally, we should note that whoever committed a sin has to, along
with repenting from it, conceal his sin and not tell anyone in order
not to remove the screen of Allaah The Almighty for the Prophet ,
said: " Whoever has committed any of such filth should conceal himself
with the concealment of Allaah. " [Al-Bayhaqi and Maalik
inAl-Muwatta']
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa - She needs to study alone in Europe without a Mahram

Question
As-salamu alaikum, My question is about travelling without a mahram. I
was living in a place in Africa where there were a lot of Muslims. I
reverted to Islam there. Many there followed Sufi practices and had
other views which I felt uncomfortable with. Due to another issue, I
returned to my country in Europe with the intention of completing my
studies so that I could later move to a Muslim country where it seems
that Islam is practiced more correctly. The only way I have found to
do this is to have a university degree and work as a teacher (I have
teaching experience). When I returned to my country, I found out that
travelling without a mahram is haraam. I discovered that to complete
my studies I would have to spend a period in another European country,
and I travelled there, hoping it would be permissible to do so because
it was a necessary part of my plantowards making hijra. After I
arrived here, I doubted whether that was correct. I still want tomake
hijra in sha Allah because life in Europe is very difficult – I don't
feelat all inclined to their way of life, but I suffer from a lot of
waswasa and being surrounded bynon-Muslims and hearingtheir ideas
confuses me and I find it hard to remember what I have learned of
Islam correctly. Now I'm facing a dire situation: at the end of my
study period here in two months' I willhave nowhere to stay, nomoney
for food, no family, I don't know of any halal work to meet my needs
and I can't make hijra directly because I haven't finished my degree.
So which is correct: stay here, go back to Africa where there are
mostly Muslims but many doubtful practices, or go back to my own
country, complete the final year ofmy studies and then try to make
hijra? My non-Muslim mahrams arein my country and do nothave the
custom of supporting women financially; they expect usto be
independent and fend for ourselves. The only time a mahram travelled
with me was when he planned to go to the country anyway. Jazakum
Allahu khairan
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad
, is His Slave and Messenger.
First of all, we congratulate you for the favor of embracing Islam.We
ask Allaah to protect you and your religion, and make us and you firm
upon it until death so that we may inherit Paradise and abide therein
eternally.
There is no doubt that it is not permissible for a woman to travel
without a Mahram except if there is a necessity. The Mahram is only
stipulatedin travelling and not while residing. Accordingly, there is
no blame on you to stay in the country you are in to complete your
study. However, you should strive to be in a place in which you feel
safe for yourself. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 121191 .
We advise you to call Islamic Centers to learn about Islam there and
get to know some of your good Muslim sisters. Also, you may benefit
from some of the beneficial websites such as ours (Islamweb) and other
websites that refute the suspicious arguments of Christians and
atheists such as the website of Sheykh AhmadDeedat :
www.ahmed-deedate.co
If you need any help, youcan seek the help of Muslims in the country
you are in, and if you marry a good Muslim man, this may solve your
problems. For your knowledge, it is permissible for a Muslim woman to
search for a husband or introduce herself to the one whom she wants to
marry on condition that she shouldabide by the Islamic guidelines as
we have pointed out in Fatwa 82471 .
If you eventually are to choose between the three options you
mentioned, then we advise you to immigrate to a Muslim country in
which you will be safe for your religion or that African country that,
as you mentioned, has a Muslim majority for this may be better than
staying in Europe.
You should know that a Muslim woman is allowedto travel without a
Mahram when immigrating from a non-Muslim country to a Muslim one as
stated by scholars for the necessity of preserving her religion. For
more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 86565 .
Finally, we would like to note that Sufis are Muslims in general;
however, they practice many matters that involve Shirk and religious
innovations which have nothing to do with Islam. They do them
ignorantly, believing that they are part of the Islamic religion.
Thus, you have to beware of their Shirk-related matters and
innovations. You have to treat them kindly and teach them the correct
Islam.
Allaah Knows best.

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The way to reform society

Good manners, respecting others, and ensuring their rights result in
friendly bonds between people, and removes dislike and grudges from
their hearts. In this way the hearts become pure, sympathetic, and
kind; sofeelings of love and brotherhood prevail. The Messenger of
Allaah, said: "He is not from my nation, he who does not respect our
elderly, have mercy upon our young, and honor our scholars." [Musnad
Ahmad 5/323]
Good moral conduct is the path to beneficial knowledge:
Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): } Allaah will raise those who
havebelieved among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees.
And Allaah is acquainted with what you do. { [Quran 58:11].
We are so much in need today for beneficial knowledge that leads us
towards the progress, glory, and dignity that we have lacked for a
long time. At the same time, this would achieve for us the
satisfaction of our Lord and knowledge that is not a result of
[following] the inseparable two: whims and ignorance. Good manners
save us from such things.
A student of knowledge –any type of knowledge –cannot obtain it
withoutacquiring good manners first. Should a person obtain some
knowledge without obtaining good manners, it shall have negative
consequences on him in this life and in the Hereafter, because herisks
being a bad scholar.
Our predecessors frequently cautioned about taking knowledge from
someone who lacks good manners.
One of the righteous predecessors said, "One who seeks religious
knowledge and does not have good manners is likely to tell a lie about
Allaah [The Exalted] and His Messenger."
Another person said, "Through good manners, knowledge can be
understood, and throughknowledge, deeds are soundly performed."
Good manners are a necessity
Good manners are necessary for every Muslim with Allaah The Exalted,
the Prophet Muhammad, , and withall creation. Allaah The Exalted Says
(what means): } And speak to people good ] words ]} [Quran 2:83]
When there is interactionbetween a Muslim and another person, each
oneshould fulfill the criterionof rights and obligations;and it is
necessary to understand the principlesneeded for interacting with
others. This is what is meant [here] by good manners. This can only
begained through acquiring knowledge. Some would say good manners are
a kind of etiquette; but in reality they are a Sharee'ah (Islamic
legislation) and religion and a way by which to draw nearer to Allaah
The Exalted; and they are subject to the five basic Sharee'ah rulings.
Good manners are an obligation upon every Muslim to seek and to abide
by [in everyday life]. Good manners constitute the following five
basic Sharee'ah rulings: that which is obligatory, forbidden;
recommended, and that which is permissible, and that which is
disliked.
· Obligations are known through good manners:
Through good manners aMuslim knows what his obligations are in
worship, in daily practices, in his interaction with others and in his
conduct. The Messenger of Allaah, , said, "May Allaah have mercy upon
a man who isforgiving if he sells, [whois forgiving] if he buys, and
[who is forgiving] if he collects money due to him that he had lent
out." [Al-Bukhaari:1934]
· Good manners are the nation's image:
We require good manners so that a youth respects his elders, a student
respects his teacher, a teacher respects his students, offspring
respect their parents; a wife respects her husband. The Messenger of a
Allaah, , said, "He is not from my nation he who does not respect our
elders, have mercy upon our young, and honor our scholars." [Musnad
Ahmad 5/323]
· Good manners are the result of the Da'wah of the Prophets:
Good manners are the means to every virtue, and they are one of the
purposes for sending messengers and the result of their Da'wah (call
to Islam).
The Messenger of Allaah, , said:
· "I was sent to perfect righteous manners." [Ahmad, Saheeh ].
· "A believer reaches with his good manners the rank of one who is
fasting and praying throughout the night." [Ahmad, Saheeh ].
· "There is nothing heavier in the scales [of the Hereafter] than good
manners." [Abu Daawood, Saheeh ].
· "I guarantee a house on the outskirts of Paradise for he who leaves
arguing even if he is right; and a house in the center of Paradise for
he who does not lie even when he jokes; and a house in Upper Paradise
for the one who has good manners." [Abu Daawood, Saheeh [
When you realize the value of good manners inIslam and how Islam gives
much importance to it then know that acquiring good manners is
comprised of two stages:
First. The manners that parents teach their children
Second. The manners that a person acquires as he grows up
Parents should teach their children basic manners, so that they become
an essential part of their lives and they can easily acquire them as
they grow up. Should teaching a young child good manners be ignored,
it is very difficult to achieve that after he has grown up.
Allaah The Exalted 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]
Ibn 'Abbaas said (that protecting them in the verse means), "Educate
them and teach them good manners."
The manners required fora person when he is grown is to supplement
what was missed, and this is what is required, because it is necessary
for the reformation of the soul. With a righteoussoul the body becomes
sound; rather, a person's whole life and affairs become sound.
Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): } He has succeeded who purifies
it[the soul], And he has failed who instills it [withcorruption]. {
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Etiquette of eating and drinking

For every act that a Muslim does, there is a chance for him to earn
some reward for it from Allaah. From praying to per­forming Ghusl
(ritual bath), O Allaah has placedHis Blessings in everything. These
rewards and blessings can be attained only by those keen to follow the
guidance and example ofthe Prophet Muhammad into every aspect of their
lives, thereby seeking nothing but the pleasure of their Creator.
The entire life of such people becomes an act ofworship. Even the act
of eating and drinking, upon which all living things depend, can
become acts of worship. Thus, by acquainting ourselves with the Sunnah
(the tradition of the Prophet ) of eatingand drinking, we too canturn
this mundane exercise into an act of worship and a source of blessing.
The Etiquette of Eating
1- How to Begin
When a Muslim begins to eat, he should begin withthe name of Allaah.
As theProphet Muhammad said: ' When one of you eats, he should mention
Allaah's name (i.e. say Bismillaah). If he forgets to mention Allaah's
nameat the beginning, he should say (when he remembers): I begin in
the name of Allaah at the beginning and at the endof it.'
The Prophet explained that Shaytaan (Satan) partakes in the food if
the name of Allaah is not mentioned at the start of eating. However,
if one forgets in the beginning and then remembers and saysthe
aforementioned Du'aa (supplication), Shaytaan is made to vomit out
what he had eaten.
2- The Manners of Eating
The best manner in which to eat food is with the fingers of the right
hand. The Companion, Ka'ab bin Maalik reported that he saw the
Messenger eating withthree fingers and when he finished, he would
lickthem. Another manner ofeating which the Prophet taught us is that
we should always eat from what is near­est to us andnot from the
middle of the plate. The reason for this is that the blessings come
down upon the food in its mid­dle, therefore it should be leftto last.
[Abu Daawood, eng. Trans. Vol. 3, p. 1064,no. 3763]
3- The Manners of Sitting while Eating.
The Prophet would never eat while in a reclining position. Eating
while reclining was a manner used to show arrogance, as traditionally
associated with the Greeks and Romans.
The whole life of the Prophet was a model of modesty and humility and
this was evident in his manner of eating. TheCompanion Anas reported
that he saw Allaah's Messenger squatting and eating dates [Muslim]. At
other times, the Prophet would sit on his knees as reported by
'Abdullaah bin Busr who said that: "The Prophet wassitting on his
knees upon which a bedouin asked: 'Why are you sitting like this?' The
Prophet replied: "Allaah has mademe a respectable servant and He did
not make me an obstinate tyrant."
4- Do not Criticize Food:
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet never found fault with food. If
he liked it, he would eat it, but if he disliked it, he just left it.
These are the manners our Prophet who we are enjoined to emulate, who
was the best example for mankind. If we look at the manners of people
nowadays, we will see that people are quick to criticize food. It is a
sign of extreme ingratitude to Allaah, the Provider. Rather, one
should be thankful to Allaah for whatever He has provided us with
andnot complain about its taste. One should also remind oneself that
thereare many people who do not know where their next meal is coming
from. So we should instead be grateful as instructed by Allaah (what
means): " O you who believe, eat of the good (lawful) things We have
provided you with, and be grateful to Allaah,if it is (indeed) He whom
you worship." [Quran 2:172]
5- Do not Eat too Much
In today's times, many people follow a lifestyle in which they over
indulge in food. They eat large quantities until it is difficult for
them to breathe and they can almost feel the food rising to their
throats. Wehave been taught by the Prophet that we should do all
things in moderation, including eating. The Prophet said: "A Believer
eats in one intestine, whereas a non-believer eats in seven
intestines" [Muslim]
Therefore, we should noteat until we are completely satiated; rather
we should eat an amount of food that eliminates the hunger and does
not satisfy us toour fullest.
6- After Eating
When we have finished eating, we should alwaysremember Allaah and be
grateful to Him, for He is the Provider and our Sustainer. We should
express this gratitude in the manner in which the Prophet taught us.
He said: " One who has eaten some food and then says: 'All praise is
forAllaah, who has given methis (food to eat) and provided for me
without any effort or power on my part', he will have his sins
forgiven." [At-Tirmithi]
We can extract most of the etiquettes of eating from the following
Hadeeth: Narrated 'Umar bin Abi Salamah : "I was a boy under the
careof Allaah's Messenger and my hand used to go around the dish while
I was eating. So Allaah's Messenger said to me: 'O young boy! Mention
the name of Allaah, eat with your right hand andeat of the dish what
is nearer to you." [Al-Bukhaari]
Etiquette of Drinking Water
Water should be drunk inthree breaths, that is one should breathe
three times outside the drinking vessel one is drinking from. This
habit has a salutary impact on one's character and helpsone avoid
doing things in haste.
Anas reported: The Messenger of Allaah used to breathe three times in
the course of a drink (he used to drink inthree gulps).
The Messenger of Allaah also prohibited us from breathing in the
drinking vessel because the bad smell or spittle may flow into the
drink. This is both vile as well asinjurious to one's health. Abu
Qataadah reported: "The Prophet forbade breathing into the vessel
while drinking."
To sum up the etiquette of drinking :
1. Never drink straight from a bottle (carbon dioxide is released in
the bottle).
2. Do not drink from the mug's cleft and do not breathe in the beverage.
3. Drink in three draughts.
4. Invoke Allaah when you drink and praise him when you finish.
It is reported that the Prophet said: "Do not drink the water in one
draught just like camels, but drink it in one or three gulps, and
invoke Allaah when you drink and praise Him when youfinish." - -
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Altruism

If it is easy for you to givewithout being annoyed, you are a generous
person. If you are one of those who donate profusely and retain only
little for themselves, you are openhanded. However, if you give while
in need yourself, you have reached the highest degree of generosity:
altruism; this stems from staunch faith, genuine love, perseverance
and steadfastness, and hope of reward from Allaah The Almighty.
The following are some of the most important factors that urge one to
favor others over his or her self:
1- Love of good manners and abhorrence of incivility: one's level of
self-sacrifice is proportionate to one's desire to possess good
morals, because favoring others is the epitome of courtesy.
2- Dislike of stinginess: anyone who hates miserliness knows that
there is no means of countering it other than with generosity and
kindacts.
3- Respect of the rights ofothers: when a person gives people their
due and respect, he or she meticulously fulfills their rights, fully
aware that if he or she does not reach the level of altruism, he or
she will not give others their due.
4- Belittling the worldly life and aspiring for the Hereafter: if
people are primarily concerned withthe next life, the worldly one
becomes inconsequential in their sight; they know that they will be
recompensedfor whatever they give here, on the Day of Resurrection
when they will be in dire need.
5- Adapting oneself to tolerating hardship and distress: this helps
one reach a degree of self-sacrifice that may result in poverty and
harsh conditions; so, if a person is not accustomedto endurance, he or
she will not be capable of giving while in need.
Degrees of altruism
Among the scholars who have divided altruism into varying degrees, is
Ibn ul-Qayyim who said:
"The first level is to favor others over yourself in that which does
not diminish your commitment to the religion, hinder your path [to
Allaah] or waste your time; this means that you favor their interests
over your own, such as when you feed them while you are hungry, dress
them whileyou are still unclothed and offer them water while you are
thirsty. However, this should not lead you to commit anything
Islamically prohibited. Thus, any act that results in reforming your
heart, time and standing with Allaah The Almighty, should not be an
object of sacrifice. If you favor others at the expense of such acts,
you are actually ignorantly favoring Satan over Him.
The second degree is to give preference to the pleasure of Allaah The
Almighty over the satisfaction of people, even if its repercussions
are so severe that one's body and faculties cannot afford them. This
act entails that one wantsand does whatever pleases Him, although it
may result in the anger of His creatures. This is the degree of the
Prophets of Allaah, whereas the Messengers were at a higher level, and
the resolute Messengers, may Allaah exalt their mention, even more
esteemed.
However, the Prophet occupies the highest level of all, as he resisted
the whole world, devoted himself to calling others to Allaah The
Almighty, bore the animosity of both relatives and strangers for His
sake and favored His pleasure over anyone else's, in all aspects,
fearing the criticism of no one. His intention, concern and endeavors
were all dedicated to satisfying Allaah The Almighty, conveying His
message, rendering His Words the uppermost and fighting His enemies
until His religion became superior over all others, its argument
established against the worlds and His favor perfectly bestowed on the
believers. The Prophet conveyed the message, delivered the trust,
advised the Ummah, strove ardently in the way of Allaah The Almighty
and worshipped Him until he passed away. Therefore, no one attained as
exalted a degree of altruism as the Prophet .
As for a person who favors people's approval over that of Allaah The
Almighty, it is His unchangeable tradition that He makes their
satisfaction impossible toachieve and he or she is forsaken by them,
with only him/herself to blame. Indeed, someone whose praise is sought
will eventually vilify and the one whose satisfaction is desired, will
become displeased. Accordingly, the person who seeks the approval or
delight of others will neither achieve his or hergoal, nor attain the
reward of the pleasure ofthe Lord; and this is the weakest and most
foolishperson."
Ash-Shaafi'i said, "Satisfying people is an unattainable goal.
Therefore, adhere to what makes you righteous; and that is possible
only if we favor the satisfaction of the Lord over that of others."
Some Arabic verses of poetry speak about this, such as those that
read:
I wish that my bond with You [O Allaah] remains sweet
Even if life becomes bitter;
I wish that You are pleased [with me],
Even if all people are disgruntled;
I wish that what is between me and You is good,
Even if my relations with people are not.
If You love me, every problem will seem easy
And everything on earth will amount to nothing.
The third degree of altruism is to attribute this quality to Allaah
The Almighty and not one's own self, and to admit that these
self-sacrificing acts are by His Command, thereby submitting them to
Him. Consequently, if we do favor others over our own self, it means
that it is Allaah The Almighty Who did so in reality, for He is the
actual Giver.
Memorable acts of self-sacrifice
History has brightly recorded many immortal examples of Muslims
attaining the exalted degree and the paramount quality of altruism.
Once, a woman came to the best of creation, the last Prophet and the
leader of Messengers, , and presented a garment to him, saying: "O
Messenger of Allaah, this is [a gift] for you." The Prophet, ,
accepted it and wore it as he was in need of it; then, one of the
Companions sawhim wearing it, and said to him, "What a beautiful
garment! Give it to me!" The Prophet, , indicated his willingness to
do that; then, when he had left, the other Companions reproached the
man, saying, "Youdid not do a good thing when you asked the Prophet to
hand it to you while you see that he is short of [clothes]; and you
know that he never declines to give anything if asked." He explained,
"I sought the blessing of the garment as the Prophet had worn it; and
I wished I could be shrouded in it."
We see similar acts of favoring others even in the Companions and
those that succeeded them . Abu Hurayrah narrates: "A man came to the
Prophet who sent [for some food for him] to his wives, but they
replied: 'We have nothing except water.' So, he asked, 'Who will
receive this man as a guest?' A man from the Ansaar [supporters in
Madeenah] said, 'I will.' He then took the man [home] to his wife and
said to her, 'Host the guest of the Messenger of Allaah hospitably.'
She replied, 'We have nothing except the food of my children.' He
instructed, 'Prepare your food, light your lamp and put your kids to
sleep, if they ask for supper.' Therefore, she prepared her food, lit
her lantern and made her children lie down; she then stood up,
pretending to fix her lamp, when, in reality, she turned it off. Then,
both husbandand wife, pretended to eat beforetheir guest [so as not to
let him know of their dilemma], but actually went to bed hungry. In
the morning, when the Ansaar man went to the Messenger of Allaah he
said, 'Tonight, Allaah laughed [or wondered] at your action.' Then
Allaah The Almighty revealed the verse (what means): {But [they] favor
[others] over themselves, even though they are in privation. And
whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who
will be the successful.} [Quran 59: 9]
Likewise, another of the Ansaar offered to relinquish half of his
property to an emigrant who was paired up with him through the bonds
of brotherhood; he even gave him both, the option to marry one of his
wives, who he would divorce for him. However, the Muhaajir (emigrant
from Makkah) refused, praying, "May Allaah bless for you your wives
and possessions." In yet another paradigm of altruism, Abu Talhah
Al-Ansaari who was the richest of the Ansaar , had a favorite land, a
garden called Bayruhaa' . When he heard a verse in which Allaah The
Almighty Says (what means): {Never will you attain the good [reward]
until you spend [in the way of Allaah] from that which you love}
[Quran 3:92], he went tothe Prophet, , and donated it as charity for
His sake.
Another Companion, Qays ibn Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah once fell ill;when he
did not receive any visitors, he asked after them and was informed,
"They are ashamed to visit you because of the debt they owe you." He
remarked, "May Allaah debase money that prevents brothers from paying
visits." Then, he ordered someone to announce: "Whoever is indebted to
Qays, is relieved of repayment." That night, his threshold broke, due
tothe large number of people who came to see him.
But, perhaps the exemplars of self-sacrifice among our predecessors,
are the three who favored the other's lives over their own. Huthayfah
Al-'Adawi relates, "I went looking for my cousin on the battlefield
during the war of Al-Yarmook. I had some water and mentally noted, 'If
he still has any breath, Iwill give him some water to drinkand will
wipe his face with it.' I found him and asked, 'Should I give you
water to drink?' He made an affirmative gesture; but then we heard
someone gasp, so he signaled to me to take the water to that man, who
was Hishaam ibn Al-'Aas. When I asked him if I should give him water
to drink, he replied positively, but we heard another man cry out,
"Ah!" Therefore, Hishaam made a sign to me, telling me to go to that
man. When I went to him, I found that he had already expired. When I
returned to Hishaam, I discoveredhe, too, had passed away; and when I
returned to my cousin, I saw that he had died as well, may Allaah have
mercy on all of them!"
Benefits of altruism
If there is no advantage of altruism other than the fact that it
demonstrates the perfection and strength of one's faith, and noble
manners, that would be a good enough reason to practice it. In fact,
favoring others over oneself is also a way to the love of Allaah The
Almighty, intimacy among people, incurring blessings and protection
against stinginess.

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Sins of the Tongue - Calling Self Disbeliever in an Argument.

When I was having an argument with one of my relatives, I uttered the
words, "I am a kafir (disbeliever)" and I slapped myself on the face.
Please note that I regret what happened and I need direction
andguidance. What is the religious ruling in this case? Do I have to
offer any expiation?
Praise be to Allah
Inna Lillaahi wa inna ilayhi raaji'oon (Verily toAllah we belong and
unto Him is our return). We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound in
this world and in the Hereafter, and we ask Him for a good end and to
cause us to die in faith.
You should realize that you have fallen into the worst and most
abhorrent of sins, which is the sin of kufr (disbelief) and apostasy,
Allah forbid.
The words which you say that you said are a clear statement of kufr
and apostasy. The scholars said: when a person utters the words of
kufr, he is judged to be an apostate (if he knew the meaning of the
words) and he need not be asked about his intention, as Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"If you ask them (about this), they declare: 'We were only talking
idly and joking.' Say: 'Was it at Allah, and His Ayaat (proofs,
evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His
Messenger that you were mocking?" [9:65]
Allah stated that they disbelieved after having believed, even though
they said, "We spoke thewords without believingthem, we were only
talking idly and joking."
Ibn Nujaym said: Whoever speaks the words of kufr, jokingly or
otherwise, is a kafir according to all the scholars, and it doesn't
matter what his real belief is. End quote. Al-Bahr al-Raa'iq. See also
Nawaaqid al-Eemaan al-Qawliyyah wa'l-'Amaliyyah.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said:
If he utters words that put him beyond the paleof Islam, such as
saying that he is a Jew or a Christian or Magian or that he has
nothing to do with Islam, or with the Quran or the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him), thenhe is a kafir and an apostate,
and we take him at his word. End quote. Al-Sharh al-Mumti'
Apostasy is an extremely serious matter. The scholars differed
concerning one who apostatizes then repents:will any of the reward for
his previous deeds remain, or is it all erasedbecause of his apostasy?
Shaykh al-Fawzaan was asked the following question:
What is the ruling on one who apostatizes from Islam then returns to
it? Should he repeat his previous deeds in accordance with the pillars
of Islam, such as Hajj, fasting and prayer, or is it sufficient for
him to repent and return to Islam?
He replied:
The correct scholarly view is that if the apostate returns to Islamand
enters Islam anew, repenting to Allah, then he does not need to repeat
the deeds that hedid before apostatizing, because Allah has stipulated
that in order for deeds to be cancelledout by apostasy, the person has
to die as an apostate.
Allah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"And whosoever of you turns back from his religion and dies as a
disbeliever, then his deeds will be lost in this life and in the
Hereafter, and they will be the dwellers of the Fire. Theywill abide
therein forever" [2:217]
So in order for deeds to be lost, it is stipulated that a person
persist in apostasy until he dies in that state. The verse indicates
that if a personrepents then the deeds that he did before apostatizing
are still valid and will be rewarded in sha Allah. End quote.
Al-Muntaqa min Fataawaal-Fawzaan
With regard to slapping the face, this is a deed ofJaahiliyyah
(pre-Islamic age of ignorance) whichthe Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) warned against. It is narrated that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) disavowed himself of the
one who does that, as he said: "Heis not one of us who slaps his
cheeks, rends his garment and calls outwith the cry of the
Jaahiliyyah." [al-Bukhaari].This indicates that slapping the cheeks is
a major sin.
As you regret what you did, we hope that Allah will accept your
repentance. You have to utter the Shahaadatayn (twin declaration of
faith) in order to re-enter Islam after going out of it. You haveto do
good deeds and guard your tongue, for aperson may say a word that
angers Allah but he regards it as insignificant, then he will be
thrown into the Fire and will continue falling down into it for
seventy years.
With regard to expiation, there is no expiation for what you have done
apart from repentance, regret and resolve not to do it again.
We ask Allah to accept your repentance and to enable you to adhere to
His religion.
And Allah knows best. - - ▓███▓ Translator:->
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Sins of the Tongue - Fabricated Stories.

I hope that you can tell me whether this report –which I heard from a
preacher – is sound. He got up at 4.20 a.m. to getready to pray Fajr
(early morning prayer). He went and did wudoo (ablution) and got
dressed, and got ready to go out and go to the mosque. He was
accustomed to doing that since he was a child.He was used to offering
all his prayers in congregation in the mosque, even Fajr prayer. He
left his house and made his way to themosque. Whilst he was on his
way, he stumbled and fell, and tore part of his garment.
He went back home to change his garment and put on another one. He did
not get angry or swear or curse, he just went back home and simply
changed his clothes. Then he set out again for the mosque, and again
he stumbled and fell, and part of this garment got ripped as well. He
went back homeand changed his garment. Both garments had got torn but
that didnot deter him from his keenness to offer the prayer in
congregation in the mosque. He set out again for the mosque, and he
stumbled for the third time, but suddenly he felt that he was not
falling, and there was someone holding him and preventing him from
falling to the ground. The man was surprised and looked around, but he
did not see anyone. He stood confused for a moment, then he carried on
towards the mosque. Then he heard a voice saying: "Do you know who I
am?" The man said: "No." The voice replied: "I am the one who
prevented you fromfalling." The man said: "Who are you?" He replied:
"I am the shaytan." The man askedhim: "If you are the shaytan, why did
you prevent me from falling?" The shaytan answered: "The first time
when you stumbledand went home to change your clothes, Allah forgave
you all your sins. The second time when you stumbledand went home to
change your clothes, Allah forgave your family. The third time when
you stumbled, I was afraid that if you went back home and changed your
clothes, Allah would forgive all the people of your neighbourhood, so
I supported you and prevented you from falling."
What is confusing me about this story is: is it possible for the
shaytan to speak to a person andhold his hand and prevent him from
falling as is described in this story?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
There is no basis for this story in the books of Sunnah (prophetic
teachings), hadeeth (prophetic narrations) and history. It is
contraryto Islam for several reasons:
1 – The conversation between the man and the shaytan. It is
possiblefor the shaytan to whisper to a person (waswasah) when he is
in his real form, but speaking to him is not possible, unless the
shaytan appears to him in human form.
2 – The shaytan says thathe supported the man when he stumbled. This
is something that is unbelievable, and the shaytan is unable to do
such a thing. Allah has made the angels protectors and guardians of
man, to protect them from the harm of the jinn, because they can see
us but we cannot see them.Allah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"For him (each person), there are angels in succession, before and
behind him. They guard him by the Command of Allah" [13:11]
In this made-up story it clearly states that the shaytan is able to
protect a person against that which may harm him, or that the shaytan
is able to prevent something that has beendecreed by Allah.
3 – The most serious thing in this story is where the shaytan says
that the first time Allah forgave the man all his sins, then the
second time he says that Allah has forgiven his family, and he says
that if he had fallen a third time, Allah would have forgiven the
people of his neighbourhood! All of this is lies against Allah and
claiming to have knowledge of the unseen. Even if a mujahid (warrior)
is wounded in battle against the kuffar (disbelievers) it does
notbring such virtues, so how can it be ascribed to the one who is
going to the mosque? It is not ascribed to one who stumbled when
calling people to Allah or going to uphold ties of kinship or other
acts of worship,so how can these virtuesbe ascribed to one who falls
when he is going to the mosque?
There is nothing about falling or stumbling that brings such virtues.
Many of the Sahaabah (companions) fell, stumbled or were injured at
the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
but there is nothing in the Sunnah which ascribes such virtues to them
or even some of those virtues. Allah does not forgive a family or the
people of aneighbourhood or city because of the deeds or acts of
worship of one ofthe righteous, let alone the fact that stumbling does
not bring a person closer to Allah and it is not an act of worship in
itself. If anyone were to benefit from the actions of another, then
the father of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) would have benefited from
the prophethood of his son, and the son of Nuh would have benefited
from the prophethood of his father, and Abu Talib would have benefited
from the prophethood of his nephew Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him).
Moreover, how did the shaytan know of all that so that he could tell
this man about it? Does the shaytan have the power to prevent mercy
reaching one of the slaves of Allah upon whom He wishes to bestow it?
No. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Whatever of mercy (i.e. of good), Allah may grant to mankind, none
can withhold it; and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it
thereafter. And He is the All‑Mighty, the All‑Wise" [35:2]
Secondly:
Undoubtedly these false stories are things that become widespread
among those who do not understand their religion properly and who do
not know the Oneness of their Lord (Tawheed). They are propagated by
liars and storytellers who fabricate lies against thelaws of Allah.
Allah has issued a stern warning against these liars. Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): (But) the things that my Lord has indeed forbidden
are Al‑Fawaahish (great evil sins and every kind of unlawful sexual
intercourse) whether committed openly or secretly, sins (of all
kinds), unrighteous oppression, joining partners (in worship) with
Allah for which He has given no authority, and saying things about
Allah of which you have no knowledge" [7:33]
What khateebs (orators) and preachers must do isbe above being mere
storytellers who tell the common folk stories thatgo against sharee'ah
(Islamic teachings). The salaf (pious predecessors) of this ummah
(nation) issued astern warning against these storytellers, because of
the bad effects that their stories have on the common folk and because
they contain things that go against the laws of Allah.
In a hadeeth that was classed as hasan (sound) by Shaykh al-Albani in
al-Silsilah al-Saheehah it was narrated that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When the Children of Israel
were doomed they started to tell stories."
Shaykh al-Albani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It says in al-Nihayah: "when they were doomed they started to tell
stories" which meansthey relied on words and forsook deeds, and that
was the reason for their doom, or vice versa: when they were doomed it
was because they stopped doing good deeds and turned to stories.
Al-Albani said, commenting on this:
It may be said that the reason they were doomed was that they paid too
much attention to stories at the expense of fiqh (jurisprudence) and
beneficial knowledge which teach the people about their religion, and
motivate them to do righteous deeds. Because they did that, they were
doomed.Al-Silsilah al-Saheehah.
This is the case with the storytellers; they pay toomuch attention to
stories and myths, whichthey narrate to the common folk, without any
understanding or knowledge, and the common man hears a lotbut does not
understandany ruling or gain any knowledge.
Ibn al-Jawzi said in Talbees Iblees:
The storytellers are not condemned just for being storytellers,
because Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"We relate unto you (Muhammad) the best of stories" [12:3]
"So relate the stories" [7:176]
Rather the storytellers are condemned because they tell many stories
without mentioning any beneficial knowledge, and usually they mix
sound and unsound material in what they narrate and rely on things
that are mostly impossible. End quote.
It was narrated that Abu Qilabah 'Abd-Allah ibn Zayd said: Nothing
kills knowledge but stories. Aman may sit with another man for a year
and not learn anything from him, and he may sitwith a knowledgeable
man and not get up untilhe has learned something. Hilyat al-Awliya.
How often do these storytellers narrate from bad reports to the
masses, and tell them these fables, which reach such a status among
the masses that they believe everything that they hear and even give
them precedence over the scholars and seekers of knowledge.
Al-Hafiz al-'Iraqi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
One of the problems with them is that they speak to so many peopleand
tell them things thatthey are unable to comprehend, and that leads
them to confusion and makes them developmisconceptions. This applies
if what they tell them is sound, so how about if it is false?
Tahdheer al-Khawaas by al-Suyooti,quoting from al-Baa'ith 'ala
al-Khalaas by al-'Iraaqi.
Ibn al-Jawzi said:
The storyteller narrates weird reports to the masses, and tells them
that even if he had even the slightest whiff of knowledge he would not
have told them. So the masses leave with a lot of false notions in
their minds, which they discuss amongst themselves. If a scholar
denounces them, they say: we heard this, he narrated it to us. How
many storytellers have misled others by means of the fabricated
reportsthey narrate to them; how many people have turned yellow with
hunger (because of what they heard encouraging asceticism); how many
people left their families, homes and cities to wander likemonks; how
many have refrained from doing that which is permitted; how many have
refrained from learning and teaching knowledge, believing that he is
going against his own whims and desires; how many have made their
children orphans because of theirasceticism whilst still alive; how
many have turned away from their wives and not given them their
rights, so thatshe is neither single nor truly married. End
quote.Al-Mawdoo'aa
This is why the storytellers are criticized by many of the salaf.
Maymoon ibn Mahran (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The storyteller may expect punishment from Allah, and the one who
listens to him may expect mercy.
Al-Albani (may Allah havemercy on him) said, following hadeeth no.
4070 in al-Silsilah al-Da'eefah:
This was narrated by Ibnal-Mubarak in his book al-Zuhd with a saheeh
isnaad (authentic chain).
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The greatest liars amongthe people are the storytellers. The people
need truthful storytellerswho will remind them ofdeath and the
punishment of the grave. It was said to him:Didn't you attend their
gatherings? He said: No. Al-Adaab al-Shar'iyyah by Ibn Muflih
al-Hanbali.
We ask Allah to set straight the affairs of theimams (leaders) and
khateebs (orators), and to guide them to that which is best for them
and others.
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Sins of the Tongue - Husband Forcing Wife to Divulge Private Conversations.

My husband forces me totell him the whole dialogue I had with my
mother or brothers or anyone else. He justifies this by saying that my
mother may say something that can spoilour relationship. It causes
problems between us if I refuse to tell him. Shall I respond to his
request?
Praise be to Allah.
1-
What this husband should do – if what his wife is saying about him is
true – is fear his Lord with regard to this demand that he is making
of his wife, and he should realize that heis sinning by doing this,
and that it is not permissible for his wife to obey him in this
matter.
2-
We advise this husband to focus on himself rather than other people,
and to look at his own faults and correct them, and to look at his own
shortcomings and strive to perfect his own self that is inclined
towards evil. That is better for him and is more appropriate than
focusing on other people and what they say and do. Ibn al-Qayyim (may
Allah have mercy on him) said:The greatest loser is the one who is
distracted from Allah by himself, and even worse off is the one who is
distracted from himself by other people. [Al-Fawaa'id].
3-
He should not think badly of people and believe that he is perfect,
because not everything that people say concerns him or has to do with
him, rather it is his desire to hear people's stories and find out
about their situations, and to rejoiceat their shortcomings.
4-
It is to be hoped that thishusband does not approve of his wife
telling him what her family and other people say to her, even if they
are talking about him, because by doing that she would be a
gossipmonger and one of the salaf (righteous predecessors) said: A
gossipmonger and a liar could cause more damage in an hour than a
practitioner of witchcraft could do in a year. So how about if he is
the one who tells her to do that, and even orders her to do so, and
threatens to punish her if she does not do it?
Al-Nawawi said, quoting from Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (may Allah have
mercy on them both):
The one to whom gossip comes, saying so and so said this about you, or
did that to you, should do six things:
1- He should not believe it, because the one who gossips is an evildoer.
2- He should tell him not to do that, and advise him, and condemn his action.
3- He should hate him for the sake of Allah, for he is hateful
before Allah, may He be exalted,and he should hate the one whom Allah
hates.
4- He should not think ill of his absent brother.
5- He should not let what he is told lead him to spy on others or
try tofind out about it.
6- He should not approve for himself what he told the gossipmonger
not to do,so he should not transmit the gossip and say "So and so said
such and such", in which case he would also be a gossipmonger and
would be doing that which he told someone else not to do. End quote.
[Al-Adhkaar]
5-
What this husband wants from his wife is nameemah (gossip) which is a
major sin. Undoubtedly passing on such gossip will lead to evil
consequences, severing of ties, resentment and enmity, and undoubtedly
the wife's family would hatefor their words to be passed on. He should
understand that gossip is not merely passing on what people say for
the purpose of causing trouble, rather it may be for the purpose of
enjoyment.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah havemercy on him) said:
What should be avoided and shunned totally is gossip which means
transmitting words fromone person to another, or from one group to
another, or from one tribe to another, with the aim of causing trouble
and creating problems between them.It means disclosing that which
should not be disclosed, whether it is disliked by the one from whom
it is transmitted or the one to whom it is transmitted or a third
party, and whether it is disclosed verbally, in writing, in symbols or
bygestures, and whether what is transmitted is words or actions, and
whether it refers to a fault or shortcoming in the person from whom
itis transmitted or not. A person should keep quiet about whatever
hesees of people's situations, unless speaking of it will bring some
benefit to a Muslimor ward off some harm.
The motive in spreading gossip is either ill will towards the person
of whom one speaks or to show love to the person to whom one speaks,
or to indulge in unnecessary talk and falsehood. All of that is
haraam.
There is a great deal of evidence in the Quran and Sunnah (prophetic
traditions) to show that gossip is haram (impermissible), such as the
verses in which Allahsays (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (O Muhammad) obey you not everyone Hallaaf Maheen (the one who
swears much and is a liar or is worthless).
A slanderer, going aboutwith calumnies" [68:10,11]
"Woe to every slanderer and backbiter" [104:1]
It was narrated that Hudhayfah (may Allah bepleased with him) said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
said: "No gossipmonger will enter Paradise" [Agreed upon]. And it was
narrated from Ibn Mas'ood (may Allah be pleased with him) that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Shall I not
tell you what is falsehood? It is nameemah (gossip), transmitting what
people say." [Muslim].
Gossip is one of the things that incur the punishment in the grave,
because of the report narrated by Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased
with him), according to which the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) passed by two graves and said: "They
are being punished, but they are not being punished for anything that
was difficult to avoid." Then he said, "No. One of them used not to
protect himself from his urine, and the other used to walk around
spreading malicious gossip." [Agreed upon].
Rather backbiting and gossip are forbidden because they involve
attempts to cause trouble among people and create splits and chaos,
and fan the flames of enmity, rancour, destructive envy and hypocrisy,
and to take away love and friendship, by causing rifts and disputes
and resentment among brethren. It also involveslying, deceit, betrayal
and trickery, and making accusations against those who are innocent,
and giving in to slander and reviling and mentioning bad deeds and
qualities, and because they are a sign of cowardice, meanness and
weakness; moreoverthose who indulge in them commit sins which incur
the wrath of Allah and a painful punishment. Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn
Baaz.
It was said that al-'adhu (translated above a falsehood) means
witchcraft in the language of Quraysh, and it was said that it means
lies and fabrications.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Jibreen (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
My husband tells his family what I say, then he tells me what they
say, and that leads to many problems. I have often asked him not to do
that but he does not pay any heed. What should I do?
He replied:
This is called nameemah (malicious gossip), which means transmitting
what people say by way of stirring up trouble. As for the warning,
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): " A slanderer, going about
with calumnies" [68:10,11]. This is a description of some of the
people of Hell. And Allah says (interpretationof the meaning): "Woe to
every slanderer and backbiter" [104:1]. This refers to the
gossipmonger. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
said: "No gossipmonger will enter Paradise." And accordingto a report:
A gossipmonger could cause more damage in an hour than a practitioner
of witchcraft could do in a year. And the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) stated that "The gossipmonger will be punished
in his grave." Undoubtedly the prohibition is more emphatic if the
gossip is among a man and his wife and relatives. He has to fear Allah
and remember that He is always watching him, and he should keep away
from things that will incur punishment in this world or the next. He
has to avoid lying, backbiting, gossip, slander and stirring up
trouble among people. He should be honest, protect people's
honour,fear Allah and rememberthat He is always watching, and that He
is stern in punishment. Endquote. Al-Hulool al-Shar'iyyah
li'l-Khilaafaat wa'l-Mushkilaat al-Zawjiyyah wa'l-Usariyyah by Shaykh
'Abd-Allaah ibn Jibreem.
So the husband must stop asking his wife to do this, and if he
persiststhen it is not permissiblefor his wife to respond to his
request. By agreeing to transmit what people say, one is persisting in
sin and listening to it, but by refusing one is refraining from it and
putting a stop to it.
If the wife is afraid that it will lead to troubles between her and
her husband, there is no sin on her, if her husband insists that she
should tell him what her family says, if she tells him that they
praised him and said good things about him, and other such words that
will spread love and friendly feelings, and will extinguish the flames
of fitnah (tribulation) and disputes between her husband and her
family.
We ask Allah to guide your husband and bring you together in a good manner.
And Allah knows best.

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Islamic Stories - Story of a Jinn

The well-known scholar Khateeb has stated on the authority of Hadhrat
Jabir bin Abdullah who stated: "Once, we were travelling with the
Prophet (SAW). The Prophet was sitting under a tree for taking rest.
All of a sudden, there came a snake near him, took his mouth near the
hole of his ear. After sometime, the Prophet took his mouth near its
ear and said something. On that, the snake vanished in such away as if
the earth had swallowed it. We submitted to the Prophet that we were
very much frightened when you let it reach near your ear. The Prophet
told that it was an animal and in fact, it was a jinn who had
forgotten a few verses of such and such Surah and the jinns had sent
it to inquire about the same verses. Because of your presence, he came
changing its form to thatof a snake and inquired about the verses
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Islamic Stories - Newton and the atheist

Isaac Newton, had invited a scientist-friend of his, a man who
professed atheism to dine with him. Seeking to corner his friend with
his own arguments, Newton placed a model of the solar system on his
table and invited his friend to view it. Upon examining it, Newton�s
friend exclaimed, �what a marvellous craftsmanship!� Who fashioned
this exquisite model?� Newton replied casually, �This model hasno
maker, it materialized from nothing.� Disbelief written large on his
face,the friend asked, �What do you mean?� To this, Newton smiled and
replied, �How can you my friend, insist that thismodel has to have a
maker, while vehemently denying the existence of a divine Creator?�
Moral: If a model of the solar system must have acreator then what
aboutthe gigantic solar systemitself? Let us worship that Creator who
has created you and me.

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