Fathwa - Who should wife obey, her husband or her mother?

Question
Respected Sholar, I wouldlike to get an answer for the below question
as soon as possible. I am a working lady and motherof two kids (health
condition not that good).All my earnings of these many years is given
to myhusband who take cares of us and love us but spend a lot on his
family. Now my mother is really upset with all these especially when
she sees me working with poor health with no savings for me and kids.
My mother insists me to request my husband to give me half the share
of his house which is under his name. But his parents,sisters
(frequently), brother, brother's wife and kids all stays in this home
that he don't want to keep the share in my name. Moreover, his family
is much concernedfor his money than us. Because of which my mother
insist me to do this. Please let me know what I should do? Either
Ishould listen to my mother which will make my husband angry or listen
to my husband which will make my mother curse me. I am scare of Allah
and don't want to make my god angry. Please suggest what I should do?
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
MuhammadisHis slave and Messenger.
First of all, may Allaah reward you for helping your husband and there
is no doubt that this strengthens the marital relations and love
between you and him.
If the mentioned house isthe property of your husband while you have
no share in it, then you have no right to ask your husband for
anything from this house and your mother has no right to order you to
do so.
If we presume that you have a share in it, then you are not obliged to
obey your mother as on one hand she has no benefit in this matter, and
on the other hand, you might be harmed by raising this issue with your
husband. Obedienceto parents is not an obligation in such matters. For
more benefiton the limits of obedience to parents, please refer to
Fatwa 131695.
Hence, we advise you to try to please your motherand to avoid her
anger asmuch as possible. In the future, it is better not to inform
your mother of your spending on your husband, and you may save some of
your moneyso that your mother will be comforted by you having some
money.
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa - It is an obligation to break the oath that involves committing a sin

Question
a/a my question is some days before due to some misuderstanding
between me and my any I took oath that I will not talk with her till
my death. and I broke my oath god will snach my favourite thing i,e my
papa from me. Now thesedays my ant is so ill and she say sorry for her
mistake . Now I want to go her home but my oathbounded me and I don't
want to lost my papa at any cost so please give me the solution how
can I solve my mistake.
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.
You have to turn to Allaah The Almighty with repentance for what you
have done which is deserting your aunt without a Sharee'ah-acceptable
justification, then you have to talk to her, maintain ties with her
and remove all effects of that desertion. Then, you should pay the
expiation for your oath. That is because breaking an oath, if the oath
involves committing a sin, is an obligation. For more benefit, please
refer to Fataawa 81598and 123480.
As for what you have stated of losing your father, we hope that no
harm would affect him due to that supplication. Amongst the forms of
Kindness and Generosity of Allaah The Almighty to His slaves is that
He does not answer the supplications one makes against himself or his
family while he is angry. It was stated in TafseerAl-Baghawiand
others: "Zayd ibn Aslamsaid:Laghw (an inconsiderate oath) includes
one's supplication against himself saying: may Allaah make me blind if
I do not do such and such, and may Allaah make me lose my money if I
do not come to you tomorrow. Also one may say: He is a disbeliever if
he did such and such. All of that is Laghw and Allaah The Almighty
does not impose blame (upon His slaves) for it and if He were to
impose blame upon them for it, He would have hastened for them the
punishment." [End quote]
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa - Permissibility of airing sexual health programs depends on their content

Question
Assalamualaikum. I am a Journalist and heading an News Television
channel. my viewers are demanding to air sexual health related
programs during night times. As a follower of Islam can i permit to
air such programs in the television?
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
MuhammadisHis slave and Messenger.
Achieving sexual health issomething required and it is permissible to
aim to achieve it like any other objective which the people need among
the objectives that benefit them in their religion and their life.
As for airing programs about sexual health, thenthe ruling about it
differsfrom one case to another. If the content ofthese programs are
scientific and beneficial, and it does not include prohibitions that
are greater than its benefits – like showing forbidden scenes or
inciting desires,the thing that may cause temptation and spread it
amongst the Muslims, then it is permissible to broadcast them on the
channels and teaching them to the people like all other programs that
benefit the individual and the whole society.
But if the content of these programs includes the prohibitions that we
have mentioned, and its harms are greater than its benefits, then it
is not permissible for you to permit broadcasting them to the people,
as the objective of the Sharee'ah is to repel harms and reduce them
and achieve benefits and complete them.
Allaah Knows best.

Glorious Month of Holy Ramadan

The month of holy Ramadan enjoys a specialimportance in the
Islamiccalendar. As Holy ProphetMuhammad (S.A.W.) said:"It is Allah's
Own month."It is the chief of all months and the most glorious one. As
we already know, 'Fasting' isone of the important pillars of Islam and
it is the very month of Ramadan during which fasting has been made
obligatory for all adults and sane Muslims. By fasting during Ramadan,
a Muslim besides discharging an obligation imposed uponhim by Allah
(SWT), becomes entitled to great reward in the Hereafter. On the other
hand, any lapse in the matter amounts to a great sin. Fasting is an
article of worship, the knowledge about the performance or otherwise
whereof rests only with Allah (SWT) andthe person concerned. Hence, it
is Allah (SWT) alone who will reward that person for it, on the Day of
Judgment.
The blessings of Ramadan are not limited to fasting alone, because the
performance of all sorts of worship and good deeds during this month
is also a source of great Divine favor. The revelation of the Holy
Quran commenced during this very month and it is therefore the duty of
every Muslim to read and try to understand the meaning of the Holy
Quran and thereby gain an insight into the Divine secrets enshrined
therein. It brings peace and illumination to the mind and imparts
purity to the soul.
Holy Ramadan is the month of fasting, intensive prayer, sacrificeand
Divine worship. Throughout this month a devout Muslim fasts during the
day in the true sense of the word, that is, he had merely denies
himself food and water, but as explained by Holy Prophet Muhammad
(S.A.W.), exercises strict control over his tongue, eyes, ears,
thoughts and deedsand does everything possible to seek the pleasure of
Allah (SWT).
Devout supplications to Allah (SWT) and repentance of one's sins
during Holy Ramadhan are the sources of Divine blessings and mercy.
Some nights, among the last ten nights of Ramadan, are called the
'Nights of Glory' (Laylatul Qadr). These are the 19th, 21st, and 23rd
nights. Muslims keep awake during these nights and offer special
prayers. Even among these nights, the 23rd enjoys excellence over
allthe others. It is accompanied by great blessings, and he usually
grants the supplications made to Allah (SWT) during this night.
The month of holy Ramadan, besides being the month of worship and
Divine blessings, carries a historical importance as well. As already
mentioned above, the revelations of the Holy Quran commenced in this
month. The epoch-making 'Battle of Badr'and the ' Conquest of Makkah'
also took place during the holy month ofRamadan.
"Ramadhan", according to some traditions is one of Allah's names. This
is why we can not say Ramadhan without making it clear that we are
talking about the month, and therefore weshould always say the month
of Ramadhan. Commander of the faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (A.S.)
said: Do not say Ramadan, but say themonth of Ramadhan. For you do not
know what Ramadan is? This same meaning was referred to by Holy
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) in his speechduring Shaaban: The month of
Allah (SWT) is coming ...Let us:
1.Learn Islam with ambition,
2.Observe Islam with sincerity,
3.Practice Islam with discipline (Sunnah),
4.Spread Islam with truthand kindness.
Whosoever recites only one 'Ayat (Verse)' in Holy Ramadan, he will be
awarded as if he had recited the full Holy Quran, in other months.
Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.)
Everything has a spring and the spring of Holy Quran is the month of
Holy Ramadan. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (A.S.)
Today (Day of feast of fast-breaking) is the feastof those whose fasts
are accepted and their sorbs are favored by Allah (SWT), and any day
in which you do not commita sin, is the day of feast. Imam Ali ibn Abi
Taleb (A.S.)

Islamic Occasions, Islamic Calendar, Muslim Calendar, Lunar Calendar,Hijri Calendar, Islamic Months

In the name of Allah, the beneficent the merciful
Islamic calendar or Muslim calendar also called the Hijri calendar
isthe calendar used to dateevents in many predominantly Muslim
countries, and used by Muslims everywhere to determine the proper day
on which to celebrate Islamic holy days or other Islamic Occasions.
Islamic calendar or Muslim calendar is based on the Glorious Qur'an
and its proper observance is a sacred duty for Muslims. Almighty Allah
says in the Glorious Qur'an:
The number of months inthe sight of Allah is twelve (in a year) - so
ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth ...
(GloriousQur'an 9:36)
It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory,and the moon to be a
light of beauty, and measured out stages for it, that you might know
the number of years and the count of time. Allah did not create this
exceptin truth and righteousness. And He explains His signs in detail,
for those who understand. (Glorious Qur'an 10:5)
They ask thee (O Muhammad) concerning the New Moons. Say: Theyare but
signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men and for
pilgrimage ... (Glorious Qur'an 2:189)
Islamic calendar or Muslim calendar is a lunar calendar having twelve
lunar months in a year, the beginnings and endings of which are
determined by the sighting of the crescent moon (new moon). Theselunar
months (lunations) are based on the motion of the moon, and because 12
synodic months is only 12 x 29.53=354.36 days.
Therefore the Islamic calendar is consistently about eleven days
shorter than a tropical year or solar year. Islamicholy days, although
celebrated on fixed datesin their own calendar, usually shift eleven
days earlier each successive solar year, such as a year of the
Gregorian calendar or Christian calendar.
Muslims do not adjust their Islamic year by adding an extra month, as
the Jews do to keep their lunar calendar in synch with the seasons.
Hence the months of the Muslim Islamic year do not relate to the
seasons which are fundamentally related to the solar cycle. This means
that important Muslim festivals, which always fall in the same Hijri
month, may occur in different seasons. For example, the Hajj and
Ramadan can take place in the summer as well as the winter. It is only
over a 33-year cycle that lunar months take a complete turn and fall
during the same season.
As we already know the Islamic calendar or Muslim calendar is derived
from the phases of the moon, the Fasting month of Ramadanfalls a
little earlier each year. The effect of this is to balance out the
discrepancy between Fasting in the northern and the southern
hemispheres. It is often thought that in certain parts of the globe
the fast will be easier than in others, for the length of the day, as
well as its temperature, varies from season to season and from land to
land. But Ramadan, creeping forward at a rate of about eleven days in
each solar year, ensures that wherever one may be on the planet, the
fast will fall sometimes in winter and sometimes in summer. Similarly
although in high latitudes the days can be long, there is no heat. A
balance is thus obtained, so that Fasting is similarlyefficacious all
over the world.
Although new moons may be calculated quite precisely, the actual
visibility (by a human observer's eye) of the crescent is much more
difficult to predict. It depends on many factors such as weather, the
optical properties of the atmosphere or atmospheric pollution, the
altitude of the moon at sunset and its closeness, the quality of the
eyesight of the observer, the location of the observer and etc. It is
therefore very difficult togive accurate information in advance about
when a new month will start.
Furthermore, some Muslims depend on a local sighting of the moon,
whereas others depend on a sighting by authorities somewhere in the
Muslim world. Bothare valid Islamic practices, but they may lead to
different starting days for the months.
Islamic years are called asHijra (Hijrah) years, these Hijra (Hijrah)
years are counted since the Hijra (Hijrah), which is when the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh)migrated from Makkah to Madina (formerly known as
Yathrib) approximately July 622 CE. Thus each numbered year is
designated either H or AH, the latter being the initials of the Latin
Anno Hegirae (in the year of the Hijra).
All the events of Islamic history, especially those which took place
during the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and afterwards are
quoted in the Hijri calendar era.Hijra (Hijrah) of the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) is an important turning point for the Muslim
community. After the emigration, the Muslims were able to organize and
establish the first real Muslim "community," with social, political,
and economic independence. Life in Madina allowed the Muslim community
to mature and strengthen, and the people developed an entire society
based on Islamic principles.
It is indeed, a unique occasion to ponder that the Islamic Era did not
start with the victories of Islamic wars, nor with the birth or death
of the prophet (pbuh), nor withthe Revelation itself. It starts with
Hijra, or the sacrifice for the cause of Truth and for the
preservation of the Revelation. It was a divinely inspired selection.
Allah wanted toteach man that struggle between Truth and Evil is
eternal. The Islamic year reminds Muslims every year not of the pomp
andglory of Islam but of its sacrifice and prepares them to do the
same.
Hence, Muslims do not traditionally "celebrate" the beginning of a new
year, but we do acknowledge the passingof time, and take time to
reflect on our own mortality. The Islamic year begins on the first day
of Muharram with the remembrance of great sacrifice of Imam Hussain
(pbuh), the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on the land of
Karbala for the sake of Truth.
The Islamic (Hijri) year consists of twelve (purelylunar) months:
*. First Month of Islamic calendar: Muharram al-Haram(Moharam,
Moharram) - Fighting is prohibited
*. Second Month of Islamic calendar: Safar al-Muzaffar- A Time of Mourning
*. Third Month of Islamic calendar: Rabi al-Awwal(Rabi-ul-Awwal, Rabi
Awwal, Rabi Awal)
*. Fourth Month of Islamic calendar: Rabi al-Thani(Rabi-us-Sani, Rabi-ul-Akhir)
*. Fifth Month of Islamic calendar: Jumada al-Awwal(Jamadi-ul-Awwal,
Jamadi Awwal)
*. Sixth Month of Islamic calendar: Jumada al-Thani(Jamadi-us-Sani,
Jumada al-Akhir)
*. Seventh Month of Islamic calendar: Rajab al-Murajab- Fighting is prohibited
*. Eighth Month of Islamic calendar: Sha'ban al-Moazzam(Shaaban, Shaban)
*. Ninth Month of Islamic calendar: Ramadan
al-Mubarak(Ramadhan,Ramazan, Ramzan)
*. Tenth Month of Islamic calendar: Shawwal al-Mukarram(Shawal, Shawwaal)
*. Eleventh Month of Islamic calendar: Dhu al-Qa'dah(ZiQa'ad, Zul
Qadah) - Fighting is prohibited
*. Twelfth Month of Islamic calendar: Dhu al-Hijjah(ZilHaj, Zul
Hijjah) - Fighting is prohibited
Due to different transliterations of the Arabic alphabet, other
spellings of the Islamic months are possible.

Accusing chaste women of adultery

Allaah Almighty Says in the Noble Quran (what means):
"The [Unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual
intercourse— lash each one of them with a hundred lashes, and do not
be taken by pity for them in the religion [i.e. law] of Allaah, if you
should believe in Allaah and the Last Day.And let a group of the
believers witness their punishment. The fornicator does not marry
except a [female] fornicator or polytheist, and none marries her
except a fornicator or a polytheist, and that [i.e. marriageto such
persons] has been made unlawful to the believers. And those who accuse
chaste women (of adultery) and then do not produce four witnesses —
lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from them testimony
ever after. And those are the defiantly disobedient. Except for those
who repent thereafter and reform, for indeed Allaah is Forgiving and
Merciful."[Quran 24: 2-5]
Islamic law (Sharee'ah) prescribes a very heavy penalty for adultery.
However, Islam does not legislate such a penalty without first putting
in place sufficient legislation that protects people against falling
in sin. It also ensures that the punishment is not enforced except in
cases where there is certainty about the offence and its perpetrators.
Islam is a complete code of living that is not based on punishment.
Its basis is toprovide all that promotesa clean and morally pure life.
If some individuals then abandon such a clean and easy life in order
to deliberately submerge themselves into filth, they incur such heavy
penalty.
In the case of adultery, Islam requires four witnesses to testify that
they have seen the offence, or else, a clear and confirmed confession
by the perpetrators.
It may be suggested, then, that the punishment is unreal
andunenforceable, which renders it ineffective as adeterrent.
Punishment is not the basis of the Islamic approach; its basis is
prevention, education and cultivatingpeople's finer feelings and
consciences so that they refrain from even contemplating this offence.
Imaam Maaliknarrated that a man confessed to fornication in the time
of the Messenger of Allaah. The Messenger of Allaahcalled for a whip,
and he was brought a brokenwhip. Hesaid:"Above this,"and he was
broughta new whip whose knots had not been cut yet. Hesaid:"Below
this,"and hewas brought a whip which had been used and made flexible.
The Messenger of Allaahgave the order and hewas flogged. Then
hesaid:"O people! Observe the limits of Allaah. Whoever has committed
any of these ugly things (adultery or fornication) should cover them
up with the veil of Allaah. Whoever reveals to us hiswrong action, we
shall perform what is in the Book of Allaah against him (i.e. the
prescribed penalty)."[Maalik]
Prescribing a very harsh punishment for adultery is not sufficient, on
its own, to protect the Muslim community and ensure the purity of its
atmosphere. Therefore, asupplementary order is given to isolate the
adulterers from the rest of the Muslim community.It goes further to
remove the air of the offence from the Muslim community, prescribing
aheavy punishment for those who accuse chaste women of adultery
without providing firm evidence in support of their accusation. Allaah
Almighty Says in the Quran (what means):
"And those who accuse chaste women of adultery and then do not produce
four witnesses — lash them with eighty lashes and do not accept from
them testimony ever after. And those are the defiantly disobedient.
Except for those who repent thereafter and reform, for indeedAllaah is
Forgiving and Merciful"."[Quran 24: 2-5]
Allowing people to accuse chaste women, whether married or not,
without a clear proof means that people could always make up such
accusation, fearing no repercussion. This means that the Muslim
community finds itself with a stained reputation. Every individual is
threatened with false accusation. Every man suspects his wife, and
every wife suspects her husband, and people doubt their legitimacy. In
such an intolerable state of doubtand suspicion, every family is
undermined. Moreover, when such accusations are frequently made, those
who steer themselves away from adultery will begin to think that the
crime is common in society. Thus, people begin to think about adultery
in a different spirit, with its ghastly nature sounding less ghastly
as a result of its frequent mention. Those who would not have
contemplated it at all may begin to think of doing so, feeling that
many others are doing it.
Thus, in order to protect people's honor and their suffering from
suspicion as a result of uncorroborated accusations, the Quran
prescribes for false accusation a punishment that comes close to that
of adultery. The punishment is flogging with 80 stripes, rejecting
their testimony in any case or situation, and giving them the label of
transgressors. The first part of the punishment isphysical, while the
second is moral. It is sufficient that the accuser is deprived of
theright to testify, and considered deceitful. The third part of the
punishment is a religious one. The one guilty of false accusation is
following a line that deviates from that of faith. The only way to
protect himself from suchpunishments is that the accuser should
provide four witnesses who have seen the offence being committed, or
three alongside him if he himself has seen it.
It is agreed upon by Muslim scholars that for adultery (or
fornication) case to be authentically proven, four witnesses must
simultaneously see, by their own eyes, the man's sexual organ inserted
in the woman's sexual organ. Only when these four witnesses givesuch
testimony is the accusation proved and the punishment of adultery (or
fornication) is enforced on the perpetrators.
Such restrictions are set forth by Sharee'ah in order to limit to the
least minimum the possibility of falsely accusing chaste women of
adultery (or fornication), which leads to social and psychological
troubles for the accused women. Even when such a sin –adultery (or
fornication)- is committed, such restrictions laid by Sharee'ah will
guarantee the suppression of the crime and prevents its spread among
the people, which contaminates the morallypure Muslim community.

Islam's position on homosexuality

Homosexuality and lesbianism have been dubbed 'alternative
life-styles', 'personal preference', 'natural variation', etc. In the
West today, where homosexuality was once considered an illness by the
Association of Psychiatrists, it has now been removed from the list
and replaced by homophobia (the dislike of homosexuals and
homosexuality). Consequently, Islam and Muslims are considered
intolerant and biased due to their continued opposition. Arguments
infavour of tolerance towards homosexuals arebased on the assumption
that homosexual behaviour is biologically based and not merely learned
from society.
1. Early opposition to homosexuality was basedon the argument
that such behaviour was unnatural. Sodomy cannot produce children,
which is one of the main natural consequences of sexual relations.
'Mother Nature' did not make us that way, it was argued. To counter
such arguments, homosexual researchers scoured the earth until they
found supposed homosexual behaviour among the animal kingdom. They
found that the males of some species of exotic fishes off the coast
ofJapanimitated the behaviour of females of the species in order to
prevent other males fromimpregnating their mates, and some rare
butterflies from islands off the coast ofAfricaalsohad males
exhibiting female behaviour during mating season, etc. However, if the
animal kingdom is to be used to justify human behaviour, there also
exists a spider inSouth Americawhose female is much larger than the
male. When mating is complete, the female eats her mate.
2. During the 1980's it was claimed that a gland in the base of
the brain which is small in women and large in men was found to be
small among homosexuals. However, this evidence, while seeming
incontrovertibleto the layman, was immediately refuted by scientists.
The data was taken from cross-sectionsof the brains of dead adult
humans whose sexual preference was identified prior to death.
Consequently, the reduced size of that gland among homosexuals could
have been a result of the practice and not its cause. That is, they
could have been born with normal-sized glands which then became
smalldue to their deviant lifestyle.
3. Recently, genetics has become the most commonly used
foundation for the pro-gay argument. In 1993 Dr. Dean Hamer, a
researcher at the National Cancer Institute, claimed to have
discovered 'the first concrete evidence that 'gay genes' really do
exist.' Homosexual orientation was supposedly transmitted to males on
the X chromosome from the mother. Hamer's findings,published in the
prestigious journal 'Science', transformed hiscolourless career as a
government scientist intoa dynamic media personality and he penned his
memoirs. He gave expert testimony to the Colorado Supreme Court that
formed the basis of the victorious decision striking down anti-gay
propositions. However, a replication ofhis study at
theUniversityofWestern Ontariofailed to find any linkage whatsoever
between the X chromosome and sexual orientation. It wasalso found that
Hamer's study lacked a control group; a fundamental principle of
scientific research.
Furthermore, in June 1994, the Chicago Tribune reported that a junior
researcher in Hamer's laboratory who assisted in the gene mapping in
the homosexuality study, alleged that he selectively reported his
data. She was then summarily dismissed from her post-doctoral
fellowship in Hamer's lab.But a National Institute ofHealth
investigation substantiated her claims and gave her another position
in a different lab. Though Dr. Hamer was coy about his own sexuality
in his memoirs, he later admitted in his lectures that he was gay.
4. It should be noted that Islam, in its final form, did not
introduce anti-gay legislature to the world. The texts of the Torah
are replete with clear condemnations of such practices.
5. The consequence of AIDS is enough to prove that homosexuality
is eviland dangerous to society. The early spread of AIDS was
concentratedamong the homosexual community. It later spread to the
heterosexual and the so-called bisexual community through blood
transfusions and intravenous drug usage. Its spread continues on a
rampage among promiscuous heterosexuals.
6. Islam considers homosexuality to be the result of a choice. It
is inconceivable that God made people homosexuals then declared it a
crime and prescribed punishments for it in both this life and the
next. To accept such aproposition is to accept that God is unjust.
Inclinations can exist within humans for a variety of natural and
unnatural acts, from fornication to rape and from necrophilia to
bestiality. These inclinations may come from jinn-suggestions, media
influence, or even from human whisperingsor direct contact. Sodomywas
common among the people of Prophet Loot (Lot)who lived in Sodom,
Palestine; after they had rejected his advice to give up this
evilpractice, Allaah Almighty crushed and then annihilated their city.
TheQuran describes that punishment in the verse which means:"So when
Our commandment came, We made the highest part [of the city] its
lowest and rained upon them stones of hard clay in succession."[Quran:
11:82]
Human beings are not like robots who only do what they are programmed
to. Humans choose and God holds them responsible for their choices.
Were homosexuality a product of genetic destiny, it would be unfair
for God to criminalise it and punish those who practice it. Currently,
some scientists are even claiming that murder is of genetic origin. To
accept that would mean to excuse murderers and tolerate murder.
7. Islam instructs parents to separate their children in their
beds by the age of ten in order toavoid sexual experiences which may
result from childhood experimentation. Such experiences may be
reinforced by contacts in schools and through abuse from adults. Also,
the distinctions between male and female are strongly made in Islamic
teachings.
Prophet Muhammadcursed men who imitate women and women who imitate
men. Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The Messenger
of Allaahcursed the man who wears women's clothes and the woman who
wears men's clothes." [Abu Dawood & Ibn Maajah]

The Prayer of seeking Allaah's Guidance (Salaat Al-Istikhaarah)

The Prophetwas keen to teach the believers theDu'aa' (supplication)
forIstikhaarah (seeking Allaah's guidance). Jaabirnarrated: "The
Prophetwould instruct us to pray for guidance in all of our concerns,
just as he would teach us a chapter from the Quran. Hewould say:"If
any of you intends to undertake a matter, then let him pray two
supererogatory Ra'kahs (units of prayer) after which he should
supplicate: "Allaahumma innee astakheeruka bi'ilmika wa astaqdiruka bi
qudratika wa asáluka min fadhlikal-'Atheem, fa innaka taqdiru wa laa
aqdir, wa ta'lamu wa laa a'lam, wa anta 'allaamul-Ghuyoob. Allaahumma
in kunta ta'lam inna– and here hementions his need – khayrun lee fee
deenee wa dunyay wa 'aaqibatu amree wa 'aajilihi wa aajilihi faqdurhu
lee wa yassirhu lee thumma baarik lee feeh, wa in kunta ta'lam inna
haatha al-Amra sharrun lee fee deenee wa dunyay wa 'aaqibatu amree wa
'aajilihi wa aajilihi fasrifhu 'annee wasrifnee 'anhu waqdur lee
al-Khayru haythu kaan thumma radh-Dhinee bih" (O Allaah! I seek Your
counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength and I ask
You from Your immense favour, for indeed You are able while I am not
and indeed You know while I do not and You are the Knower of the
unseen. O Allaah! IfYou know this affair – and here he mentions his
need – to be good for me in relation to my religion, my life, and end,
then decree and facilitate it for me, and bless me with it; and if You
know this affair to be ill for me towards my religion, my life, and
end, then remove it from me and remove me from it, and decree for me
what is good wherever it be and make me satisfied with
such.)"[Al-Bukhaari]
The Benefits and Rulings of Istikhaarah:
1. This Hadeeth tells us the precise words with which to invoke Allaah
for guidance. There is, therefore, absolutely no doubt left about how
to seek guidance.
2. It is recommended to perform a two-Rak'ah prayer before the
Istikhaarah Du'aa' (supplication) is recited. Imaam Ibn Abu Jamrahwho
was one of the early scholars, stated: "The wisdom behind the
performance of the two-Rak'ah prayer before supplicating lies in the
fact that the purpose of Istikhaarah is to achieve success, both in
this life and in the Hereafter. For this purpose, the servant needs to
knock at the door of the King (i.e., Allaah) and nothing is better and
more effectivein this regard than praying to and glorifyingAllaah and
showing one'sneed for His bounty and constant assistance."
3- The believer should then praise Allaah Almighty as He deserves to
be praised, for Allaah loves that His servants do this.
4- An important rule for any Du'aa' is that one should ask Allaah by
His sublime Attributes; he should select that attribute which reflects
Allaah's power and ability to do the thing being asked of Him; one
should therefore supplicate by saying, for example: 'O Razzaaq (i.e.,
Provider)! Sustain me."
5- As with every Du'aa', the supplicant should have humility before
His Lord. The slave recognises that Allaah alone can do everything and
that there is no strength or power exceptHis, and that he is utterly
helpless without His Lord's help.
6- The Prophetwould teach his companions to begin their supplications
by asking Allaah for benefit and safety in their religion, for indeed
nothing is more precious than that and no calamityworse than its loss.
7- The Companionswere extremely diligent in performing Istikhaarah.
The Prophetwould teach his companionsto pray for guidance in all of
their concerns, just as he would teach them a chapter from the Quran.
Imaam Ibn Hajarstated that this shows thegreat importance of
consulting Allaah through supplication because it was mentioned here,
in the same breath, with the importance and necessityof reciting the
Quran in prayer.
What matters should Istikhaarah be performedfor?
The Hadeeth states that we should consult Allaah about all matters.
Imaam Ibn Abu Jamrahstated: "This is a general statement pertaining to
something specific. Istikhaarah should not beabout things understood
to be an obligation, nor about things that are known to be Haraam
(forbidden). For example,Salaat, (Prayer), is compulsory and so we
should not ask Allaah whether to perform it or not; when Allaah and
His Messengerhave made something clear to us we must accept it
completely."
Allaah confirms this by saying (what means):"It is not for a believing
man or a believing woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decided
amatter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their
affair."[Quran 33:36]
This tells us that before we act, we should find out the Islamic
position regarding it and then comply accordingly. Istikhaarah is
performed for matters where we have a choice, (such as marrying a
particular person, buying a car, etc…) regardless of whether they are
small orbig matters or whether one finds them to be good or not. Yet
some people only resort to Istikhaarah when they are confused about a
matter; if they see good in it, they proceed, relying on their own
judgement, thus forgetting the Sunnah.
What does one do after performing Istikhaarah?
Once the Muslim has consulted his Creator about a particular
matterthrough Istikhaarah, he should proceed to undertake what he is
content with, relying on Allaah to achieve his purpose, fully
convinced that whatever Allaah wills happens, and whatever He does not
will, never happens.
It is not a condition that after Istikhaarah has been made, one should
expect a dream relating to something unusual happening, even though
Allaah may choose to make such things occur. Therefore, Istikhaarah
is, in essence, a form of faith-education, after which the Muslim
should proceed to undertake a matter with full confidence of his
success,having consulted his Creator in whom he has full confidence
and trust.
Thereafter, even if he faces difficulties, he never loses faith in the
wisdom of Allaah, because as a Muslim he does not see success merely
in worldly terms, for he is more concerned with the rewards and
blessings of the Hereafter. Part of his faith is the belief that
calamities may be of benefit to him in the sense that Allaah
forgiveshis sins if he is patient through them. When the believer
reaches this levelof understanding of Istikhaarah and the results it
brings about, his satisfaction will be great, as will be his
contentment and perseverance, Allaah willing, since he fully believes,
having consulted his Creator, that whatever the situation is, it is
his Lord'schosen one.
This increases his faith and he will never feel regret for anything he
misses in life, nor will he indulge in the use of the expression: "If
only this or that happened…" This level of understanding is
subsequently reflected in his personality to such anextent that he
will alwaysappear firm and self confident.
These etiquettes are derived from the aforementioned Hadeeth, which
many Muslims have unfortunately turned their backs to in lethargy and
absent mindedness.

Ruling on lifting the gaze to heaven when offering supplication (du‘aa’) following the prayer.

What is the ruling on looking to the sky whenoffering supplication
(du'aa') following the obligatory prayer?
Praise be to Allah.
Du'aa' after the obligatory prayer, if it is always done raising the
hands, or is recited by everyone in unison, or the imam says du'aa'
and the people behind him say Ameen, is something for which there is
no basis, and it comes under the heading of innovations (bid'ah) that
are widespread nowadays. If it is free of these things, then there is
nothing wrong with it, because it is proven that the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered du'aa' before the
salaamat the end of the prayer and after it.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked:
Is offering du'aa' after the obligatory prayer Sunnah? Should the
du'aa' be accompanied by raising the hands? Is raising the hands with
the imam better, or not?
They replied:
Du'aa' after the obligatory prayer is not Sunnah if that is done
raising the hands, whether that is done by the imam on his own, or the
individual worshipper on his own, or by both of them. Rather it is an
innovation (bid'ah), because that is not reported from the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or from any of his
Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). As for offering du'aa'
without that, there is nothing wrong with it, because there are some
hadeeths that speak of that. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah (7/103)
They also said: Saying du'aa' out loud following the five daily
prayers and the regular Sunnah prayers, or offering du'aa' in a
communal fashion on a regular basis is a reprehensible innovation,
because no such thing is proven in reports from the Prophet(blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) or from his Companions (may Allah be
pleased with them).
End quote from Fataawa Islamiyyah (1/319).
See also the answer to question no. 26279
Secondly:
Concerning the prohibition on the worshipper lifting his gaze to
heaven, there is the report that was narrated by al-Bukhaari (750)
from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "What is the
matter withpeople who lift their gaze to heaven whilst praying?" And
he spoke sternly concerning that, until he said: "They should stop
that, or else their eyesight will be snatched away"
The reason for that is that lifting the gaze whilst praying is
contrary to proper focus (khushoo'), and it exposes the worshipper to
the risk of being distracted by what he sees.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:Because lifting the gaze to heaven is contrary to proper focus
(khushoo'),the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
stated that it is haraam and warned against it.
End quote from al-Qawaa'id an-Nooraaniyyah, p. 46
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: The words
"and lifting his gaze to heaven" mean it is makrooh (disliked) to lift
one's gaze to heaven whilst praying, whether that is when one is
reciting, or when one is bowing, or when one is rising from bowing, or
at any stage in the prayer, based on both evidence and reasoning.With
regard to the evidence, that is becausethe Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "People should stop lifting their
gaze to heaven whilst praying, or else their eyesight will be snatched
away." In otherwords, either they should stop or this punishment will
be inflicted on them, which is that their eyesight willbe snatched
away, and will not be given back tothem. The Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) spoke sternly concerningthis matter. …
With regard to reasoning, that is because this reflects bad etiquette
towards Allah, may He beexalted, because the worshipper is standing
before Allah, so he should observe proper etiquette before Him, and
not lift his head; rather he should be humble. Hence 'Amr ibn al-'Aas
(may Allah be pleased with him) said that before he became Muslim, he
hated the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) so much
that he wished that he could be able to kill him. But when he became
Muslim, he said: I could not look directly at him, out of awe and
respect for him, and if you askedme to describe him I would not be
able to.
Hence the most correct (scholarly) view concerning lifting the gaze to
heaven whilst praying is that it is haraam, and not merely makrooh.
End quote.
Ash-Sharh al-Mumti' (3/226).
With regard to lifting the gaze to heaven outside of prayer, there is
nothing wrong with it,because there is no evidence to suggest that it
is not allowed; rather some of the fuqaha' were of the view that
lifting the gaze is preferable.
It says in al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (8/99): The Shaafa'is stated that
when offering du'aa' (supplication) outside of prayer, it is
preferable tolift the gaze to heaven. However, al-Ghazaali said: The
one who is offering supplication should not lift his gaze to heaven.
End quote.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: al-Qaadi
'Iyaad said: They (the scholars) differed as to whether it is makrooh
to lift the gaze to heaven when offering du'aa' other than during the
prayer. Shurayh and others regarded it as makrooh, but the majority
regarded it as permissible. End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: It is not makrooh to lift the gaze
to heaven when offeringdu'aa', because the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) did that. This is the view of Maalik and
ash-Shaafa'i. But it is notmustahabb. End quote.
Al-Fataawa al-Kubra (5/338)
Al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him) included a chapter in
hisSaheeh entitled: Chapter on lifting the gaze to heaven, and he
quoted the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning): "Do they not look at the camels, how
they are created? And at the heaven, how it is raised?" [al-Ghaashiyah
88: 17, 18]. And 'Aa'ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) said: The
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lifted his head
(andlooked) to heaven, i.e., when he died (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him).
What al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him) meant here was to show
that it is permissible to lift the gaze to heaven, and thatthe
prohibition applies only to when one is praying. The fact that it is
permissible to lift the gaze to heaven when offering du'aa' outside of
prayer is indicated by the report was narrated by Muslim (2055) about
al-Miqdaad (may Allah be pleased with him) who drank the drink of the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) without his
knowledge. In this report it says: then he went to the mosque and
prayed. Then he came tohis drink and uncovered it, and he did not find
anything in it. He lookedup at the sky and I said: Now he is praying
against me and I am doomed. But he said: "O Allah, feed those who have
fed me and give drink to those who have given me to drink."
Abu Dawood (3488) narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with
him) said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) sitting by the Corner. He looked up at the sky and
smiled, then he said: "May Allaah curse the Jews" three times.
"Allaah, may He beexalted, forbade fat to them, but they sold it and
consumed its price. When Allaah forbids a people to eat a thing He
forbids its price to them."
Classed as saheeh by an-Nawawi in al-Majmoo', and by al-Albaani in
Saheeh Abi Dawood.
To sum up: lifting the gaze to heaven when offering du'aa' outside of
prayer is permissible and there is nothing wrong with it.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - Pilgrim doing ‘umrah in Ramadan not fasting if he has come from far away.

If a family does 'Umrah in the month of Ramadan, is it permissible for
them notto fast during their stay in Makkah al-Mukarramah, or should
they stop eating as soon as they arrive in Makkah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If the pilgrim doing 'Umrah in Ramadan comes from a far land such as
Najd or elsewhere, then he is a traveller and he may break the fast on
the road, whether he is coming from Riyadh or al-Qaseem or Haa'il or
Madeenah. He may break the fast on the road and in Makkah. But if he
has decided to stay for more than four days, then when he reaches
Makkah, to be on the safe side he should fast and it is better to
fast, because the majority of scholars are of the view that if he has
made a firm decision to stay for more than four days, then he must
offer the prayers in full and not break the fast.
But if he has decided to stay for two or three or four days and no
more, then he may break the fast or he may fast, he may shorten the
four-rak'ah prayers to two rak'ahs, or he may offer the prayers in
full with the people. If he is alone, he should pray with the
congregation, but if there are other people with him, he has the
choice: if he wishes he may pray two rak'ahswith the people who
arewith him, or if they wish they may pray four rak'ahs with the
people in congregation. If their stay is more than four days, then
they should fast and offer the prayers in full, accordingto the
majority of scholars. End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah havemercy on him).
Fataawa Noor 'ala al-Darb, 3/1231

Dought & clear - When was prayer madeobligatory? How did the Muslims pray before prayer was made obligatory?.

Is it true that prayer wasmade obligatory before the night of the
Isra'? Did the Messenger pray in the manner that we pray now, with the
samenumber of rak'ahs? When was prayer made obligatory at these
timesand in the manner that we pray now?
Praise be to Allah.
Al-Bukhaari (349) and Muslim (162) narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may
Allah be pleased with him) the famous hadeeth of the Isra' (Prophet's
Night Journey) in which it is reported that the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Then Allah revealed what He revealed to me, and enjoined fifty
prayers on me every day and night. I came back down to Moosa
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he said: What did your
Lord enjoin upon your ummah? I said: Fifty prayers. He said: Go backto
your Lord and ask Himto reduce it... I kept going back and forth
between my Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, and Moosa (peace be
upon him), until He said: 'O Muhammad, they are five prayers each day
and night, for every prayer there will be a tenfold (reward), and that
is fifty prayers."
The scholars are unanimously agreed that the five daily prayers were
not made obligatory until this night. See the answer to question no.
143111
See also Fath al-Baari by Ibn Rajab (2/104).
Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
On the night of the Isra', one and a half years before the Hijrah,
Allah enjoined upon His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) the five daily prayers, and explained that there were
conditions and essential parts and other matters having to do with
them, bit by bit.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer (7/164).
Then Jibreel (peace be upon him) came down and taught the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the times of the prayers:
Al-Bukhaari (522) and Muslim (611) narrated from Ibn Shihaab that
'Umar ibn 'Abd al-'Azeez delayed the prayer one day. 'Urwah ibn
az-Zubayr entered upon him and told him that al-Mugheerah ibn Shu'bah
delayed the prayer one day when he was in Kufah, and Abu Mas'ood
al-Ansaari entered upon him and said: What is this, O Mugheerah? Do
you not know that Jibreel came down and prayed, and the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, then he
prayed and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) prayed, then he prayed and the Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, then he prayed and the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed,
then he prayed and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) prayed. Then he said: This is what has been
enjoined upon me. 'Umar said to 'Urwah: Think what you are narrating,
O 'Urwah! Is Jibreel the one who taught the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the times of the prayers?
'Urwah said: That is what Basheer ibnAbi Mas'ood used to narrate from
his father.
An-Nasaa'i (526) narrated that Jaabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be
pleased with him) said: Jibreel (peace be upon him) came to the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when the sun had
passed its zenith and said: Get up, O Muhammad. That was when the sun
had passed the meridian. Then he waited until the(length of) a man's
shadow was equal to hisheight, then he came to him for 'Asr and said:
Getup, O Muhammad, and pray 'Asr. Then he waited until the sun set,
then he came to him andsaid: Get up and pray Maghrib. So he got up and
prayed it when the sun had set fully. Then he waited until the
twilight had disappeared, then he came and said: Get up and pray
'Isha', so he gotup and prayed it… In thishadeeth it says: He (i.e.,
Jibreel) said: The period between two of these two times is the time
to pray.
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh an-Nasaa'i.
'Abd ar-Razzaaq narrated in his Musannaf(1773) and Ibn Ishaaq narrated
in his Seerah – as it says in Fath al-Baari (2/286) – that this
happened on the morning after the night in which prayer was made
obligatory.
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
(The scholars) did not differ concerning the fact that Jibreel (peace
be upon him) came down on the morning following the night of the
Isra', when the sun passed its zenith, and taught the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the prayer and its timings.
End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Jibreel's explanation of the timings of the prayercame on the morning
following the night of the Isra'. End quote.
Sharh al-'Umdah (4/148)
When the five daily prayers were first made obligatory, each prayer
was two rak'ahs, then after the Hijrah, that wasconfirmed in the case
of travel, and two rak'ahs were added for those who are not
travelling, except Maghrib, which remained as it was. Al-Bukhaari
(3935) and Muslim (685) narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allah be pleased
with her) said: Prayer was enjoined with two rak'ahs, then when the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) migrated, it was
enjoined with four rak'ahs, but prayer whilst travelling remained as
it had originally been.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his
Companions used to pray before the five daily prayers were
madeobligatory.
It says in al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (27/52-53):
Prayer was originally enjoined in Makkah at the beginning of Islam,
because there are Makkan verses that wererevealed at the beginning of
the Prophet's mission that encourage praying. As for the five daily
prayers in the form that is well-known, they were made obligatory on
the night of the Isra' and Mi'raaj. End quote.
See also the answer to question no. 143111
Some of the scholars are of the view that prayer was made obligatory
at the beginning, two rak'ahs in the morning and two rak'ahs in the
afternoon.
Al-Haafiz (may Allah havemercy on him) said in al-Fath:
A number of scholars areof the view that before the Isra' there was no
obligatory prescribed prayer, but prayers wereoffered at night,
withoutany number of rak'ahs being specified. Al-Harbi was of the view
that prayer was made obligatory, two rak'ahs in the morning and two
rak'ahs in the afternoon.Ash-Shaafa'i narrated from some of the
scholars that prayer at night was obligatory, then it was abrogated by
the verse (interpretation of the meaning): "So, recite you of the
Quran as much as may be easy for you" [al-Muzammil 73:20]. So it
became obligatory to pray for part of the night. Then that was
abrogated by the five daily prayers. End quote.
He also said:
Before the Isra', the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) definitely used to pray, as did his companions, but there isa
scholarly difference of opinion as to whether any kind of prayer was
made obligatory before the five daily prayers or not. It was said that
what was obligatory at first was prayer before sunrise and prayer
before sunset. The evidence for that is the verse in which Allah, may
He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): "and glorify the
praises of your Lord before the rising of the sun, and before its
setting" [Ta-Ha 20:130], and similar verses. End quote.
See also Tafseer Ibn 'Atiyyah (1/204); at-Tahreer wa't-Tanweerby Ibn
'Ashoor (24/75).
And Allah knows best.

Spiritual Stories for Children: Don't treat the Evildoer with EvilTit for Tat, Backfire

There was a companion of the king who visited him all the time. He
would sit beside him and say, 'Treat the good-doer with good and don't
treat the evil-doer with evil for his evil will be sufficient for
him.'
Another man envied his position with the king and his good speech.
Theenvious man came to the king and related: 'Your companion that sits
beside you claimed that you had a bad smell.'
The king inquired, 'But how can I verify this?'
The man replied, 'Call himto you. He will put his hand on his nose as
he gets closer to you.'
The king said, 'Leave, andI will see!' This man left the king and
invited the king's companion to a meal that he had placed much garlic
in.
The companion of the king ate and then went to the king as usual and
said, 'Treat the good-doer with good and don't treat the evil-doer
with evil, for hisevil will be sufficient for him.'
The king said to him, 'Getcloser to me!' The man moved closer, and
placedhis hand over his mouth so that the king would not smell the
odor of garlic.
The king thought to himself, 'That man was truthful.' The king then
hand-wrote a letter and gave it to the companion.The king never wrote
anything unless he wanted to give someone a prize or gift.
But this letter was written to one of his administrators and contained
the following message: 'When the bearer of this letter comes to you,
slaughter him and skin him. Then fill his skin with straw and send him
back to me.'
Later, the envious man met the companion of the king on his way and
asked, 'What is this letter?'
The companion of the king replied, 'The king has given me a gift.'
The envious man asked, 'Would you give it to me.'
The companion of the king said, 'It's yours.'
The envious man took it and went to the administrator. The
administrator said to him, 'This letter is a command from the king to
slaughter you and skinyou.'
The envious man announced, 'This letter is not mine. I beseech you in
the Name of Allah to check with the king before you do anything.'
The administrator informed him that there would be no changes to what
the king had written. Then he slaughtered him, skinnedhim, filled his
skin with straw, and sent him back to the king.
In the meantime, the companion of the king returned to the king as
usual. The king was shocked and demanded, 'What happened to the
letter?'
Companion of the king said, 'So-and-so met me and asked me for it, so
I gave it to him.'
The king then challenged, 'Have you said that I have a bad smell?'
The companion of the king rebutted, 'No!'
So the king asked, 'Then why did you place your hand over your mouth?'
The companion of the king answered, 'So-and-so provided me with food
that had much garlic in it and I hated that you might smell it.'
The king declared, 'You are truthful. The evil of the evildoer is
sufficient for him.'
Noble Qur'an says: "Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul;
whoever works evil, it is against his own soul: nor is your Lord ever
unjust (in the least) to His Servants." (41:46)

Spiritual Stories for Children: Fox and StorkWhat Goes Around ComesAround

A selfish fox once invited a stork to dinner at his home in a hollow
tree. That evening, the stork flew to the fox's home and knocked on
the doorwith her long beak. The fox opened the door and said, "Please
come in andshare my food."
The stork was invited to sit down at the table. Shewas very hungry and
the food smelled delicious! The fox served soup in shallow bowls and
he licked up all his soup veryquickly. However, the stork could not
have any of it as the bowl was too shallow for her long beak. The poor
stork just smiled politely and stayed hungry.
The selfish fox asked, "Stork, why haven't you taken your soup? Don't
you like it?"
The stork replied, "It was very kind of you to invite me for dinner.
Tomorrowevening, please join me for dinner at my home."
The next day, when the fox arrived at the stork's home, he saw that
they were also having soup for dinner. This time the soup was served
in tall jugs. The stork drank the soup easily but the fox could not
reach inside the tall jug. This time it was his turn to go hungry.
MORAL: A selfish act can backfire on you.