Ramadan Articles - The impact of Ramadan on us

With Ramadan upon us, many of our homes naturally infuse with the
excitement and anticipation of this month of fasting, taraaweeh
prayers, night vigils, reciting the Quran, and connecting with family
and friends.
Khutbahs )sermons( abound withinstructions on how to make the most of
this month of mercy and how to make its benefits long lasting. But how
real are the effects of a month of abstaining daily from food and
drink, additional prayer, and giving charity on us as individuals?
The editors of Al-Jumu`ah magazine wanted to know how Muslims in
America evaluated their Ramadan experience.
Does Ramadan accomplish what it should for us personally? Does it make
us more worshipful, improve our characters, and trainus for the year
ahead? Also, how do newly married couples feel about the restraints
Ramadan imposes on them?
To this end, we surveyed men and women asking them to self-evaluate
their Ramadan program. Having spent the last two Ramadans overwhelmed
by natural life changes, I instinctively believed people would have
felt a kind of lag in the recent Ramadans that have passed—too many
Iftaars, not enough time for prayer and reading Quran, little
concentration in our prayer. And dare I say, even missing a few
taraaweeh prayers...?
Ramadan's Long-Lasting Effects
To my pleasant surprise, the Muslims we interviewed were highly
positive about their Ramadan routines. Fully 88 percent of the people
we surveyed said they had special programs they implemented during
this month. Aspects of their routine included reading Quran )across
the board, this wasa daily goal(, attending all of the taraweeh
prayers, Thikr, performing extra prayers, not overeating, Qiyaam, and,
as one of our answerers straightforwardly told us, sin analysis.
Of that group, nearly 100 percent of them said they felt their Ramadan
programs were effective in bringing about positive change to their
worship habits and character beyond the month of Ramadan. How
heartening is that?
"During the month, I get out of work at 3 p.m., giving me time todo
all the above... which is a reminder to me of how busy I have become
in worldly matters and not taking time out for myself or my
spirituality.
"After the month is over, I am reminded of these things, and it stays
with me, or sometimes afterwards. For example, after last Ramadan I
was reminded how little of the Quran I have memorized and that I need
to get closer to the Quran. Since then, I have slowly been trying
tomemorize the 30th juz' and have succeeded," one answerer told us.
This detailed response is quite similar to how others replied:"For me,
it's very helpful because throughout the entire month, mynumber one
goal is to collect as many "hasanaat" as possible. That should be the
case throughout the year, but during this month I'm consciously
tracing all the opportunities for potential thawaab. So for one month,
that's my ultimate goal and anything else that I want to do, like
study or work or socialize, I can make time for later."
Ramadan as a Marriage Foundation
A little more than 35 percent of the people surveyed were newly
married just shortly before Ramadan. Of these, nearly 70 percent were
happy to have beenmarried so close to the month.
If I was surprised by people's positive responses to the long-lasting
effects of their Ramadan routines, I was stunnedby the cheerful
attitude of our respondents about this aspect. I, too, was married
shortly before Ramadan, and my husband and I found it quite difficult.
Our focus had to be away from getting to know each other leisurely and
enjoying "non-worshipful" activities together, and much more toward
fasting, reading Quran, performing taraweeh and so forth.
Suffice it to say, we were a little disappointed by the shift in
focus. But the surveyed were far happier with their first Ramadan as
newlyweds. One articulate respondent said: "Ramadan was only a few
weeks after our wedding. It didn't pose that great a challenge. On the
contrary, it was nice to have that experience so early on, as our
marriage should be based on pleasing Allaah and coming closer to Him
together...it gave us that opportunity to help each other do that by
praying more together and reading books, etc.,together because it's a
time when you don't feel like your pressuring `religiosity' on someone
)as during this time it's something that everyone wants to do(,
whereas otherwise a newly married couple might feel wary to do things
like that so early on together and want to focus their marriage on
`enjoying' their time together. Obviously this is important, but for a
strong marriage it needs to be more than that."
One respondent summed it up asa great opportunity, as both spouses
stopped smoking in Ramadan together.
Other Opinions
The small percentage of people that felt more could come out of
Ramadan are not to be ignored. Some felt, "The month of Ramadan is
fine but after]wards[ everything goes back to normal again."
I think many of us can relate to that. When our families and
communities are all partaking in focused `ibaadah )and it's only for
one month(, it's much easier to keep up the rhythm and commitment to
be worshipful.
But when those special routines come to an abrupt end, it's harder to
continue on that path. As one of our respondents advised, it's really
about how much you put into the month. The more you put in, the
more"focused ]you are[ on realizing that it's a means of bringing]you[
closer to Allaah," the more likely it is that Ramadan will bring
long-lasting benefits to your spiritual life.
Others, primarily women, said they felt that if they had someone to
watch their kids, they could focus more on taraweeh prayer. They also
believed that Mosque etiquette and socialization needed to be worked
on. "]Get[ the women to stop talking during taraweeh. If you are there
to socialize, then don't come!" Furthermore, "starta culture of more
worship and less iftaars during Ramadhan..., for some reason, during
the month of more worship, we create more social obligations of
dinners and reciprocal dinners we need to attend!"
Survey Implications
I am aware that our survey does not include all the diverse voices in
the American Muslim community, nor is its sample sufficient to be
statistically significant. But it was a detailed-response survey, and
for so manyof our respondents to express their positive attitudes
about, not its significance, but the impact of Ramadan on them and
their own experience of it is a cause to be grateful to Allaah, the
only One who guides and setshearts aright. For truly the month of the
Quran, as it is also called, is supposed to be a kind of boot-camp, a
focused and all-out 30-day )or 29( break from normal life, filled with
`ibaadah and good works, so that we build the spiritual muscle to be
the worshipful creatures we were created to be during the marathon
race of the rest of the year.
For this percentage of people surveyed to feel so upbeat about their
Ramadan schedules should encourage us to utilize the month in much the
same way. Mosques and community centers take note: Overwhelmingly,
respondents felt their Ramadan programs were directly tied to
connecting with the community, going to the Mosque, and being around
family and friends that were also on a similar, vigorous worship
program.
Here is my word of advice:
Many of us here in America express an attitude about Ramadan, almost
with pride, that we are a people that remain economically and
academically"productive" in Ramadan. In fact, many of us say we
believe that we increase our "productivity," and work more in Ramadan,
while our fasting and prayer at night don't slow our wear down,they
don't make us produce less, or affect our academic studies. Nor do
they affect the amount of money we earn.
This attitude grows out of a falsematerialistic view. Ramadan teaches
us that there are transcendent values that are worth taking a break
from our yearly routines for, and those are more profound, deeper and
moremeaningful than material values.
In fact, our respondents, who felta meaningful success in Ramadhan,
reflected this in our survey. More than 75 percent of them mentioned
the time they took off or away from work to concentrate on the
spiritual goals they set out for themselvesas being key in their
spiritual success.
In Ramadhan, we refrain from food and drink and sexual pleasure in the
day and strive to worship longer and harder at night. This can
potentially reduceour GPAs, our productivity at work, or cause us to
take days offbecause of the fatigue we experience from our daily
spiritual exertions. But the right attitude toward Ramadhan tells us
that that's okay.
It's not a constant mode of life, our Ramadan routines. It's one month
out of the year. Furthermore, we use this one month out of 12 to build
certain characteristics in ourselves at precisely the expense of
material acquisition. We endeavor to buildtaqwa, resolve, and
psychologicaldiscipline.
We want to instill in ourselves, inthe long run, the spirit of
sacrifice. We desire to train ourselves in the virtues of resilience
and heartiness. So, the message here is not fast and amp up your
worship schedule without it taking a toll on your worldly pursuits,
but take a break from the latter and focus on the former. It's not
only all right to do it, it's what you must do to make Ramadan most
effective.
Our fasting is meant to affect us, to deplete us in a worldly sense,
so as to replenish us in faith and the fear of Allaah Almighty. We
fast out of a belief in the Afterlife,putting our Hereafter
deliberatelyand squarely out in front of our pursuit of the world and
our misguided attempts to consume it, which is exactly as it should
always be. But the heavy spiritualdisciplines of Ramadan—and they
should be arduous amount to a regime that does, indeed, have a major
physical affect on us, and thus should it be.
Now Ramadan is before you. Make it count. Make it last!

Ramadan Articles - O You Who Has Completed Ramadan - I

With the conclusion of the blessed month of Ramadan, the Muslims ask
Allaah The Almighty to accept the righteous deeds they have performed
in it and pledge to Him that they will continue the performance of
good deeds and remain steadfastupon the path of righteousness. The
Muslims also work hard not to break the bond that connects them with
Allaah The Almighty, and continue to worship Him through all means of
good and virtuous deeds, for Allaah The Almighty remains our Lord
during all the other months as well as Ramadan.
It follows that, although Allaah The Almighty has certainly favoured
some months over others, we must worship Him equally during the other
months,because Allaah The Almighty addressed His ProphetSaying)what
means(:}And worship yourLord until there comes to you thecertainty
]i.e. death[{]Quran 15: 99[ Thus, we as Muslims should keep reminding
ourselves that we should not regress or decrease in the performance of
good deeds, and we should beware of being like the woman whom Allaah
The Almighty mentioned in the Quran, Saying)which means(:}…She who
untwisted her spun thread after it was strong…{]Quran 16: 92[ This
represents someone who, after expending time and effort in good, goes
on to ruin the end product by undoing it. Thus, we should not ruin our
obedience bysinning, nor should we weaken our faith which was
increased and strengthened by our acts of worship by committing
prohibitions and becoming one of those who are heedless.
One may appear to others to be performing the actions of the dwellers
of Paradise until what ispreordained comes to pass, which means that
he then performs the actions of the inmates of Hell until he enters
it; this may happen due to some evilin him which he did not strive to
remove from his heart until the time of death comes upon him,
suddenly, whilst he is upon disobedience, which means that his end
will be an evil one.
Therefore, we must continue to remain firm upon obedience and acts of
worship and not change our situation to disobedience after we were
upon righteousness; we must continueto maintain the bond of faith
which connects us to our Lord. The Companionswould closely monitor the
conditions of their hearts in order to be assured that deterioration
had not occurred; when Allaah The Almighty provided some of them with
abundant sustenance, they began stating that their hearts had changed,
which was a reflection of their continuous fear regarding its
condition.
Similarly, we should watch over our actions and lives very carefully,
monitoring all that we say and do, checking our intentions. After
Ramadan is over, a believer should always maintain himself upon
obedienceas we were instructed to by the Prophetwho said: "The dearest
deeds to Allaah are the continuous ones, even if they are few." It is
the hypocrite does notmention Allaah The Almighty except very
sparingly, and when he does he does it in order to be seen doing so.
The believer, on the other hand, mentions Allaah The Almighty
continuously and with love and sincerity. Wheneverthe Prophetwould
begin performing any act of worship, he would continue performing it
regularly; just compare this to the hypocrite who hardly ever acts
righteously, and when he does, he will thereafter abandon it for a
long period; he is just as Allaah The Almighty describes him, in His
Saying )which means(:}…Showing ]themselves to[ the people and not
remembering Allaah except a little.{]Quran 4: 142[
The great fruits of being continuous in performing acts of worship include:
• Causing the heart to become continuously connected to AllaahThe
Almighty, which is what grants steadfastness and strength in faith to
the slave; Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And whoever relies
upon Allaah — then He is sufficient for him.{]Quran 65: 3[
• Instilling the love of Allaah in the slave, as Allaah The Almighty
Says )what means(:}…Indeed, Allaah loves those who are constantly
repentant and loves those who purify themselves.{]Quran 2:222[ This
means that Allaah loves those who continuously repent from their sins
and purify themselves from sinning. Allaah The Almighty also Says in a
Qudsi narration: "My servant continues to draw closer to Me through
voluntary deeds until I love him." This continuation and persistence
is a reason why the slave receives rescue during hardships.

Ramadan Articles - Not My Guest

Every year, with Ramadan on the horizon, most of us find ourselves on
the receiving end of a deluge of mails, pamphlets, andsermons,
reminding us of its significance. Some of the most useful ones are
those containing tips on how to prepare for the month ahead. There are
ideas ranging from doing all our grocery and 'Eed shopping beforehand
to getting the family in the spirit of Ramadan by performing
voluntaryfasts and playing the Quran and Nasheeds in the house.
Yet, this word often thrown about—"preparation"—seems tovalidate our
perception of this month as a guest, albeit a VIP one. Of course,
Ramadan, which comes only once a year, is specialand distinct, and,
readying ourselves for it means we ensure that we appreciate its
magnanimity. Thus, as we would before an important visitor arrives, we
put our best selves forward.
The downside to that, though, is it implies our reversion back to our
"normal" modes after the departure of any outsider, and that we shall
do the very same when Ramadhan is gone from our lives.
Is our preparation at fault here, then? Are we so consumed by our
hosting duties that we miss out on the company of our guest?
We clear up the literal and figurative clutter in our lives and homes
as we ready for the month, and plan out our activities reserved
exclusively for this time—reading the entire Quran, visiting the
Mosque more frequently and feeding the poor. And, as we sight the moon
of Ramadan, we offer a gracious and warm welcome that translates into
our changed days and nights.
Yet, and we all have noticed this, something happens a week or
solater. We start falling back on ourscheduled recitation, the rows of
praying individuals in the Mosquebegin to shorten, and instead of
donating generously we find ourselves only calculating the required
Zakaat.
So, what happens? Do we start viewing Ramadan as a guest thathas
overstayed its welcome?
Less than a third or so into the month, our anticipation for it begins
to die down and our enthusiasm wanes.
We begin to see it as just any other time of the year. Perhaps it is
because all our preparations and `hospitality' are borne out of
courtesy and tradition, rather than true desire and love. If the
opposite were true, we would belike the Companionswho would implore
Allaah Almighty tolet them witness Ramadan from six months out, not
just a couple of days in advance of it.
Thereafter, they would then trulyhonor it, such that they could
actually spend the next half of the year praying that their worship in
it was acceptable to Him Almighty.
As for us, as the month seems to stretch on for days on end, we begin
to realize that this guest ofours will stick around a bit longer. That
rush to accommodate the special month then begins to dissipate, and we
think that everything we decided to do can be put off for another day,
if not indefinitely. And so, the extra prayer we wanted to offer will
be put off to the last 10 nights. The charity we intended to give will
be left to the eve of 'Eed. The prospect of just a 29-day Ramadan does
not give ushaste to finish the entire recitation of the Quran before
then. And, as for our I`tikaaf vigils, we think there will always be a
next year. This is not to negate our very sincere good intentions and
pre-Ramadan plans. But, preparations will remain just that if not
coupled with concrete action. They will only represent remnants of
faith within us that flicker every now and then, to remind us we are
still Muslim, if only recognizable on these "limited number of days"
]2:184[.
Most importantly, we need to start treating Ramadan, not as a passing
visitor, but like family. Let it be a month we genuinely handle with
love and shower with devotion. And, when the occasion calls for it,
without pretense, we lavish it with the special attention it demands.
Either way, there is a consistency in our demeanor, in terms of
righteousness. Then when the month leaves, we fondly remember it and
remain such that it will recognize us when it graces us with its
presence yet again.
Only then will we be entertainingthis "blessed month that has come" to
us, as more than just an acquaintance ]At-Tirmithi[. After all,
Ramadan, and by extension, fasting, is a part of us and of who we
are—"…decreed upon you...as it was decreed upon those before you, that
you may become righteous."]2:183[.

Fathwa - Ramadhan - Sallatulwitr

Is there any hadeeth or athar suggesting that the qunoot in
salaatulwitr should be read silently in the month of ramadhaan? Apart
from the general ahaadeeth on reading a duaa in silent tone.
-
Bismillah
Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)
Qunut, according to the definition of the Fuqaha', "is the name of a
Du'a (supplication) offered during prayer at a specific point while
standing." It is prescribed in Witr prayer before the Ruku),according
to the opinionof the Hanafis.
-
It was narrated that Umar (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) prayed Qunut with the
following words:
"Allaahumma inna nasta'eenuka wa nu'minu bika, wa natawakkalu 'alayka
wa nuthni 'alayka al-khayr, wa laa nakfuruka. Allaahumma iyyaaka
na'budu wa laka nusalli wa nasjudu, wa ilayka nas'aa wa nahfid. Narju
rahmataka wa nakhsha 'adhaabaka, inna 'adhaabaka al-jadd bil kuffaari
mulhiq..
(O Allaah, verily we seek Your help, we believe in You, we put our
trust in You and we praise You and we are not ungrateful to You. O
Allaah, You alone we worship and to You we pray and prostrate, for
Your sake we strive. We hope for Your mercy andfear Your punishment,
for Your punishment willcertainly reach the disbelievers...)
(Al-Bayhaqi, 2/210, See also: Ibn Abi Shaibah, Chapter: The Qunut of Witr)
It is mentioned that Umar (RadhiyAllahu Anhu) used to recite this Du'a
silently and sometimes aloud to teach the people. (Maraqil Falah
Pg.143)
Regarding the issue of the Imam reciting Du'a Qunut (Allahumma Inna
Nastainuka...) audibly or silently is one regarding which nothing has
been narrated from the Imamsof the Madhab. The Fuqaha attempted to
ascertain what their views could be in this regard, by making Takhrij
(extracting) of this Mas'alah from other related Masa'il and Qawaid
(rules), however they were unable to come to any conclusive decision,
as some felt that Imam Muhammad would feel it should be recited
silently and Imam Abu Yusuf the opposite.
The early Fuqaha then looked at the students ofImam Muhamad and found
that his students would recite it silently. This indicated that this
was the view of Imam Muhammad. The early Fuqaha of the Madhab all gave
fatwa on this view, which has been the Fatwa of the Madhabfor the last
1000 years plus based on their understanding of the Usuls of the Imams
of theMadhab and the practiceof their students.
Thus, according to the most preferred opinion, Du'a Qunut should be
recited silently and completely (i.e. the Imam, Muqtadi and Munfarid
should all recite it silently).
(Raddul Muhtar, Chapter:Witr and Nawafil Vol.2 Pg.444, , Fataawa
Hindiyyah, Chapter: Salatul Witr Vol.1 Pg.123)
Also, It was the scholars of Ma wara' al-Nahar ("what lies beyond the
river," i.e., Oxus, or called Transoxiana which basically comprised
modern Uzbekistan) who opted for Ikhfa (silent) with the Qunut of
Witr.
Allah Ta'ala says,
"Call on your lord with humility and in private" (Al-A'raf, 55).
Prophet (Sallallahu AlaihiWasallam) said, "The best Du'a is the Du'a
in silence. (Ahmad Vol.1 Pg.176, Ibn Abi Shaibah Vol. 1 Pg.376)
(see: 'Ilaus Sunan, Chapter: Reciting the Du'a Qunut silently in Witr
prayer Vol.4 Pg.1837-1839)
It is thus clear that the opinion of reciting it audibly isn't
narrated from the Imams of the Madhab and neither wasit the practice
of the Mutaqaddimin (early Fuqaha).
With regards to Qunut Nazila (Allahummahdini Fiman Hadayta....) it is
recited aloud.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Whenever Allah's Apostleintended to invoke evil upon somebody or
invoke good upon somebody, he used to invoke (Allah after bowing (in
the prayer). Sometimes after saying,"Allah hears him who sends his
praises to Him, all praise is for You, O our Lord," he would say,"O
Allah. Save Al-Walid bin Al-Walid and Salama bin Hisham, and 'Aiyash
bin Abu Rabi'a. O Allah! Inflict Your Severe Torture on Mudar (tribe)
and strike them with (famine) years like the years of Joseph." The
Prophet used to say in a loud voice, and he also used to say in some
of his Fajr prayers, "O Allah!Curse so-and-so and so-and-so." naming
some of the Arab tribes till Allah revealed:--"Not for you (O
Muhammad) (but for Allah) is the decision." (3.128) (Bukhari,
Chapter:Tafseer (Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an))
Note: According to the Hanafis Qunut Nazilah is only recited in Fajr
prayers at times of adversities and disaster. (See: 'Ilaus Sunan)
And Only Allah Ta'ala Knows Best.

Fathwa - Ramadhan - Witr prayer

i have 3 small questions:
1. is the shaving of the hair for a man from directly where the navel
is and below that or just around the actual private parts? and what
about the backside area?
2. i have read in some books such as noorul idah that when fasting
ifwater enters from the backside the fast breaks.how can you stop this
happening when doing istinja and ghusl?
3. if in the state of needing farz ghusl whilst fasting to what extent
must the water go in the mouth and nose so that the ghusl is done but
the fast doesnt break?
please answer asap especially as ramadhan is very close.
-
Bismillah
Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)
1) The area immediately under the navel is not to be shaven. The area
of shaving for a male is i.e. from around the private part, scrotum,
going towards the rectum. (Ahsanul Fataawa Vol.8 Pg.78).
2) Below, is the translated text from Hashiyatut Tahtawi Ala Maraqil
Falah commentary of Nurul Idhah,
"Whilst cleansing oneself, the person should strive to loosen the rear
orifice so that asmuch impurity as possible can be removedfrom the
anus, provided one is not fasting. The person fasting, however,should
not do so to prevent the fast from being invalid. Likewise, the person
fasting should avoid inserting a wet finger because it invalidates the
fast. Aftercleansing oneself the rear orifice should be dried before
standing. This will prevent the rearorifice from gathering water
thereby breaking the fast. It is also recommended so as to protect the
garment from being wetted with used water." (HashiyatutTahtawi Pg.48)
Thus, it is understood from the above that not to exaggerate in
cleansing the rear orificewhilst Istinja, and also Ghusl.
3) Gargling is not necessary in Ghusl, but filling and passing
waterinto the mouth is necessary and the Ghusl will be correct. In the
state of fasting you should not gargle. Also, putting water into your
nose till the cartilage (soft bone) is made wet is necessary, it
should not be exaggerated i.e. wetting beyond the cartilage.
Additionally, toexaggerate in washing both mouth and nose is Sunnah.
However, it will be Makruh if one exaggerate in washing both mouth and
nose in the state of fasting, this is similar to if one taste
something whilst fasting.

Ramadhan Articles - Ramadhan: The Month of Mercy to Muslims

Mercy is a favour from Allah which He places in the hearts of
whomsoever He wills. Verily, Allah will have mercy on His servants who
are merciful. Allah is the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful. He
loves the merciful and calls to mercy. He orders His servants to
enjoin patience and mercy. A person may lack mercy for any number of
reasons, among them, an abundance of sins and disobedience. They stain
their hearts so much so that they ultimately blindthem until their
hearts become harder than stones. Allah says of the Children of
Israel:"And yet, after all this, your hearts hardened and became like
rocks, or even harder."(2:74).
Allah also says about them when they opposedand rebelled against the
divine law:"Then, for having broken their solemn pledge, We rejected
them and caused their hearts to harden."(5:13).
Among the things that cause a loss of mercy is arrogance with wealth
and pride with riches. Allah says:"Nay, verily, man becomes grossly
overweening whenever he believes himself to be
self-sufficient."(96:6-7).
The day the heart is disciplined with faith andgood deeds it fills
with mercy and kindness.
Another reason for the weakness of mercy is an abundance of gluttony
and saturation. They giverise to contempt and recklessness. Hence the
month of fasting was prescribed to crush this unruliness and ill
discipline. The fasting person is naturally among the most merciful
people. That is because he has tasted hunger, experienced thirst and
endured hardship. His soul is, therefore, enveloped with mercy, care
and gentleness for Muslims.
Mercy is something which every Muslim is required to render to his
brother Muslim. It is a requirement from every responsible custodian
toward those under his care. He should feel sorry for them and be
lenient toward them. Prophet Muhammad sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam
said:'O Allah! Whoever was entrusted with authority over any affair of
the Muslims and made it difficult for them, please make it difficult
for him. And whoever was entrusted over any affair of the Muslims and
was kind toward them, then be kind toward him.'
In a related hadith Allah'sMessenger also said:'Whoever oversees an
affair for my nation and disappeared or abandoned them without
fulfilling their needs while impoverishing them, Allah will debar him
fromhis needs and impoverishhim on the Day of Judgement.'
Mercy demands that the scholar and teacher should be gentle toward his
students and lead them to the easiest and best ways to love him and
benefit from his teachings. If he does this Allah will decree for him
the most excellent and abounding reward. Listen to the manner in which
Allah praises His Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam :'And it was by
God's grace that thou [O Prophet] didst deal gently with thy
followers:for if thou hadst been harsh and hard of heart, they would
indeed have broken away from thee'(3:159).
Mercy further requires from the imam that he should not make
worshipdifficult for his followers or cause them harm. On the
contrary, he should be merciful, kind and wise. The Prophet sallallahu
`alaihi wa sallam said:'Whoever from you leads the people in prayer
must make it easy because among them are the old, the sick, the young
and the needy.'It was narrated that when Mu'adh once extended the
prayer the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said to him:'Are you a
troublemaker O Mu'adh? Are you a troublemaker O Mu'adh? Are you a
troublemaker OMu'adh?'
In the same manner, when Uthman ibn Abi al As al Thaqafi requested: 'O
Messenger of Allah, make me an imam of my people.' The Prophet
sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said:'You are theirimam so lead the
prayer according to the weakestof them and take a caller to prayer who
would seek no payment for doing so.'
Mercy dictates that the one who calls to Islam must advise those whom
he is inviting with tenderness. That he should, moreover, clarify
issues to them with concern. He should not hurt, defame people or even
revile the disobedient in public. Allah advised Moses and Aaron to
employ the following methods in their call to the tyrant Pharaoh:'But
speak unto him in a mild manner, so that he might bethink himself or
[at least] be filled with apprehension'(20:44).
He also says:
'Call you [all mankind] unto thy Sustainer's path with wisdom and
goodly exhortation, And argue with them in the most kindly
manner'(16:125).
The eminent jurist and Islamic scholar, Imam al Shafe'e wrote:
Support me with your advice in private,
and avoid advising me in public.
Surely giving advice among the people is a kind of reproach,
which I would rather not listen to.
If you disobey and ignore my wish,
don't be saddened if you are not obeyed.
Mercy is required from a father to his children. This matter was
previously discussed in the lesson (No. 18) on how we train our
children. The mercy of the father or mother toward her children has
the greatest effect on their integrity, well-being and obedience.
Self-praise and harshness only open the door to despair. The Prophet
sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam said:'Kindness was never bestowed upon
something except that it beautified it, and it was never removed from
that thing except that it made it ugly.'
O you who fast and causehunger to your stomach, there are thousands of
stomachs more awaiting a meal. Will there not arise from among you
those who would feed them? O you who fast and cause thirst to your
liver, there are thousandsmore who await a mouthful of water. Will
there not arise from among you those who would quench their thirst? O
you who fast and wear the finest garments, there are naked people out
there awaiting only a piece of cloth to cover their bodies. Will there
not then come forth from among you those who would clothe them?
O Allah! We implore your extended mercy that will forgive our sins and
erase our misdeeds and errors.

Ramadhan Articles - Ramadhan in History

All praises to Allah, Lord of the worlds. He who revealed in His
Glorious Qur'an,"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as
it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your
duty to your Lord (havingtaqwa)."(2:185). And mayblessings and peace
of Allah be upon His last Messenger Muhammad ibn Abdullah, forever.
O you who believe, Ramadan is a sacred month wherein Almighty Allah is
constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to
achieve infinite, endless Bliss. Fasting is a complete purification
and a means to developing the consciousness of Allah's presence. The
consciousness of Allah (Taqwa) is a protection against the schemes of
Shaitan, and the suffering of this world. Allah has informed us that,
"Whoever keeps his duty to Allah (has taqwa), He ordains a way out for
him and gives him sustenance from where he imagines not. And whoever
trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah attains His
purpose. Allah has appointed a measure for everything."(65:2)
Many Muslims today havea misconception about fasting and the
activities of a fasting person. They go into a state of
semi-hibernation, spending most of their daylight hours in bad. If
they fear Allah, they wake up for prayer, but then return to sleep
immediately. This unnatural sleep makes them become lazy, dull-witted
and often cranky.
Ramadan is actually a time of increased activity wherein the believer,
now lightened of the burdens of constant eating and drinking, should
be more willing tostrive and struggle for Allah. The Prophet,
sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, passed through approximately nine
Ramadans after the Hijrah. They were filled with decisive events and
left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission to Allah.
In the first year after the Hijrah, the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa
sallam, sent Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib with thirtyMuslim riders to Saif
al Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had
campedsuspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about to engage the
disbelievers, but they were separated by Majdy ibn Umar al-Juhany. The
Hypocrites of Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims,
builttheir own masjid (called Masjid ad-Dirar). The Prophet,
sallallahu `alaihiwa sallam, ordered this masjid to be destroyed
inRamadan.
On the seventeenth of Ramadan, 3 A.H., Almighty Allah separated truth
from falsehood at the Great Battle of Badr. The Prophet, sallallahu
`alaihi wa sallam, and 313 of his companions set out to intercept a
caravan of their own goods that had been left in Makkah. It was led by
Abu Sufyan himself, and estimated at 50,000 dinars. They were met,
instead, by a well-equipped army of the nobility of Quraish, intent on
putting out the light of Islam. Despite being outnumbered three to one
and appearing weak and unseasoned, the Muslims defended their faith
witha burning desire to protect the Prophet and meet their Lord
through martyrdom. Allah gave them a decisive victory on this day of
Ramadan, that would never be forgotten.
In 6 A.H., Zaid ibn Harithawas sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a
detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area.
Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led byZaid and had succeeded
in plundering its wealth. She was known to be themost protected woman
in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her
home. Fatimah was equally renowned for showing open hostility to
Islam. She was killed in a battle against these Muslims in the month
of Ramadan.
By Ramadan of 8 A.H., thetreaty of Hudaibiyya had been broken and the
Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the north.
Muhammad,sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, felt the need to strike a fatal
blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquer the city of
Mecca. Allah has declared His Sanctuary a place of peace, security and
religious sanctity. Now the time had come to purify the Ka`bah of
nakedness and abomination. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihiwa sallam
set out with anarmy having more armedmen than al-Madinah hadever seen
before. People were swelling the army's ranks as it moved
towardMakkah. The determination of the believers, guided by the will
of Allah, became so awesome that the city of Makkah was conquered
without a battle, on 20 Ramadan. This was one of the most important
dates in Islamic history for after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in
the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month and year, after smashing
the idols of Makkah, detachments were sent to the other major centers
of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols
of Arabia, were destroyed.
Such was the month of Ramadan in the time of the Prophet, sallallahu
`alaihi wa sallam. It was atime of purification, enjoining the good,
forbidding the evil, and striving hard with one's life and wealth.
After the death of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, Muslims
carried on this tradition and Allah used the true believers to affect
the course of history. Ramadan continued to be a time of great trials
and crucial events.
Ninety-two years after the Hijrah, Islam had spread across North
Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. Spain was under the
tyrannical rule of King Roderic of the Visigoths. Roderic had forced
his six millions serfs and persecuted Jews to seek the aid of the
Muslims of North Africa in order to be delivered. Musa ibn Husair, the
Umayyad governor of North Africa, responded by sending hiscourageous
general Tariqibn Ziyad at the head of 12,000 Berber and Arab troops.
In Ramadan of that year, they were confronted with a combined Visigoth
army of 90,000 Christians led by Roderic himself, who was seated on a
throne of ivory, silver, and precious gems and drawn by white mules.
After burning his boats, Tariq preached to the Muslims warning them
that victory and Paradise lay ahead of them and defeat and the sea lay
to the rear. They burst forth with great enthusiasm and Allah
manifested a clear victory over the forces of disbelief. Not only was
Roderic killed and his forces completelyannihilated, but also Tariq
and Musa succeeded in liberating the whole of Spain, Sicily and parts
of France. This was the beginning of theGolden Age of Al-Andalus where
Muslims ruled for over 700 years.
In the year 582 A.H., Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi, after battling with the
Crusaders for years, finally drove them out of Syria and the whole of
their occupied lands in the month of Ramadan. The Muslim world was
then destined to meet one of its most frightening challenges.
In the seventh century A.H. the Mongols were sweeping across Asia
destroying everything that lay in their path. Genghis Khan called
himself "the scourge of God sent to punish humanity for their sins".
In 617 A.H., Samarkand, Ray and Hamdan were put to the sword causing
more than 700,000 people to be killed or made captive. In 656
A.H.,Hulagu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, continued this destruction.
Even Baghdad, the leading cityof the Muslim world, was sacked. Some
estimates say that as many as 1,800,000 Muslims were killed in this
awesome carnage. The Christians were asked to eat pork and drink wine
openly while the surviving Muslims were forced to participate in
drinking bouts. Wine was sprinkled in the masjids and no Azan (call to
prayer) was allowed. In the wake of such a horrible disaster and with
the threat of the whole Muslim world and then Europe being subjected
to the same fate, Allah raised up from the Mamluks of Egypt, Saifuddin
Qutz, who united the Muslim army and met the Mongols at Ain Jalut on
25th of Ramadan, 658 A.H. Although they were under great pressure,
theMuslims with the help of Allah, cunning strategy and unflinching
bravery crushed the Mongol armyand reversed this tidal wave of horror.
The whole of the civilized world sighed in relief and stood in awe at
the remarkable achievement of these noble sons of Islam.
This was the spirit of Ramadan that enabled our righteous
forefathersto face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of
intense activity, spending the dayin the saddle and the night in
prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.
Today, the Muslim world is faced with drought, military aggression,
widespread corruption and tempting materialism. Surely we are in need
or believers who can walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet,
sallallahu `alaihiwa sallam, the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn
Ziyad,Qutuz, Salahuddin and the countless heroes of Islam. Surely we
are in need of believers who are unafraid of the threats of the
disbelievers, yet kind andhumble to the believing people; Muslims
whose fast is complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst.
May Allah raise up a generation of Muslims who can carry Islam to
allcorners of the globe in a manner that befits our age, and may He
give us the strength and the success to lay the proper foundations for
them. May Allah make us of those who carry out our Islam during
Ramadan and after it, and may He not make us of those who say what
they do not do. Surely Allah and His Angels invoke blessings and peace
uponour Prophet Muhammad. O you who believe, send blessings and peace
to him forever.

Establish the prayers and the prize is Paradise

Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:"And when you have completed the
prayer, remember Allaah standing, sitting, or ]lying[ on your sides.
But when you become secure, re-establish]regular[ prayer. Indeed,
prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified
times."]Quran 4:103[
For forty consecutive years, Sa`eed Ibn Al-Musayyibwas to be found in
the mosque beforethe Athaan )call to prayer( was made. `Umarbecame
unconscious after he was stabbed, and according to Al-Miswar Ibn
Makhramahit was said: "Nothing would wake him up except the call to
prayer, if he is still alive." So people said to him: "The prayer has
finished, O Chief of the Believers!" He therefore awoke and said: "The
prayer! I swear by Allaah that there is no share of Islaam for whoever
abandons the prayer." He then performed the prayer while his wound was
bleeding.
After Ar-Rabee` Ibn Khaythambecame partially paralysed, he would go to
the mosque helped by two men. He was told:"O Abu Yaazeed! You have
been given permission to pray at home." He replied: "You have saidthe
truth, but I heard the caller say: 'Hayya `ala al-falah' )rush to
success(, and so I thought that whoever hears this call should answer
it, even by crawling."
'Uday Ibn Haatimsaid: "Every time the time for prayer arrives, it
finds me eager and ready to perform it )i.e. in the state of
ablution(."
Abu Bakr Ibn 'Abdullaah Al-Muzanisaid: "Who is like you, O son of
Aadam? Whenever you desire, you use water and make ablution, go to the
place of worship and thus enter the presence of your Lord )i.e. start
praying( without a translator or barrier between you and Him!"
Abu Rajaa' Al-`Ataaridisaid on his deathbed: "I am not grieved by
leaving anything behind, except that I used to bow down on my face
five times a day before my Lord, the Exalted and most Honoured."
Abul-'Aaliyahsaid: "I would travel for days to meet a man andthe first
thing I would note abouthim would be his prayer. If he was one who
established the prayer perfectly and on time, I would stay with him
and hear the knowledge he had to impart. If I found him to be careless
concerning the prayer, I would leave him and say to myself that for
things other than the prayer, he would be even more careless."
When 'Ali Ibn Al-Husaynwould perform ablution, the colour of his face
would change. His family asked him why this would always happen and he
would reply: "Do you know before Whom I am about to stand )in
prayer(?"
Yazeed Ibn 'Abdullaahwas asked: "Should we make a roof for our
mosque?" He replied:"Purify your hearts and your mosque )in its
current state( will suffice you."
'Uday Ibn Haatimsaid: "Ever since I became a Muslim, I alwaysmade sure
to have ablution whenthe Athaan is called."
'Ubayd Ibn Ja`farsaid:"I never saw my uncle Bishr Ibn Mansoor miss the
first Takbeer)that commences the congregational prayer in the mosque(,
and whenever any person stood up in our mosque to ask people for help,
he would always give him something."
Ibn Sam`ahsaid:"For forty years, I only missed the first Takbeer once,
and that was whenmy mother died. If you know of aman's disinterest in
being present in the mosque for the first Takbeer, then wash your
hands of him )i.e. know that there is no good in him(."
Sufyaan Ibn `Uyaynahsaid:"Honouring the prayer includes arriving
before the Iqaamah )the call that establishes the prayer( iscalled."
Maymoon Ibn Mahraanwas once delayed from coming to the mosque on time.
When he did eventually arrive, he was told that the people had already
concluded the prayer:"We all belong to Allaah and to Him shall be our
return! I value the congregational prayer more than being made
governor of Iraq," helamented.
Yoonus Ibn 'Abdullaahsaid:"What is the matter with me? If I lose a
mere chicken I feel concerned, but when I miss a prayer in
congregation it does not grieve me!"
`Umaronce said while standing on the pulpit: "A man may have white
hair in Islam )i.e. reach old age while being Muslim(, but has not yet
completed even a single prayer for Allaah the Exalted!" He was asked:
"Why is that?" He replied:"Because he does not perfect the prayer's
required Khushoo`)solemness( and fails to be attentive to Allaah with
his heart."
Hammaad Ibn Salamahsaid:"I have never stood up for prayerwithout
imagining that the Hellfire is before my eyes."
Mu`aath Ibn Jabaladvised his son saying:"My son! Pray the prayer of he
who is just about to leave this world, and imagine that you may never
be able to pray again. Know that the believer dies between two good
deeds: one that he has just performed, and the other that heintended
to perform next."
Bakr Al-Muzanisaid:"If you want your prayer to be of benefit to you
then say to yourself prior to it that you may not have the chance to
perform another prayer.'"
Shubrumahsaid:"We once accompanied Qarz Al-Haarithi on a journey;
whenever we would camp down in an area, he would scan it with his eyes
and when hefound a good piece of land that he liked, he would go to it
and pray there until it was time for usto leave."
Al-Qaasim Ibn Muhammadsaid:"Whenever I went out in themorning, I would
visit )my aunt( `Aa'ishahand greet her. One day, I found her
performing the Dhuhaa prayer and reciting the following verse from the
Quran repeatedly, while crying and invoking Allaah )which means(:"So
Allaah conferred favour upon us and protected us from the punishment
of the Scorching Fire."]Quran 52:27[ I stood there until I felt weary,
then I left and went to the marketplace, telling myself that I would
return to her when I finish. Later, when I did return to her, I found
her still standing in prayer, reciting the same verse, and crying and
invoking Allaah.'"
Maymoon Ibn Hayyaansaid:"I never saw Muslim Ibn Yasaar turn his head
while praying, whether the prayer was short or long. Once, a part of
the mosque collapsed while he was praying inthe mosque and the noise
causedpeople who were as far away as the market to be terrified, but
he felt no fear whatsoever and continued praying without even moving
his head." Healso said:"I accompanied `Ataa' Ibn Rabaah for eighteen
years. When he became old and weak, he would stand in prayer and read
close to two hundred verses fromChapter Al-Baqarah while standing so
firmly that no part ofhim would move."
Abu Bakr Ibn 'Ayyaashsaid:"If you saw Habeeb Ibn Abu Thaabit while in
prostration, you would think that he was dead due to its extended
length."
'Ali Ibn Al-Fudhaylsaid:"I saw Ath-Thawri go into prostration while
praying, and I performed Tawaaf)circumambulation( around the House
)i.e., the Ka'bah( seven times before he raised his head from
prostration."
'Uthmaan Ibn Abi Dahrashsaid:"I never performed a prayer without
invoking Allaah afterwards to forgive me for falling into shortcomings
in the way I performed it."
Mu`aawiyah Ibn Murrahsaid:"I lived among seventy of the companions of
the Prophetand had they lived among you today, they would not
recognise any of your acts except the Athaan!" Healso said:"If a man
from our predecessors was resurrected among you today, the only thing
he would recognise would be your Qiblah)prayer direction(."
When Haatim Al-Asammwasasked about his prayer, he replied:"When the
time for prayer draws near, I perform a perfect ablution, go to where
I will pray and sit there until I am fully cognisant of what I am
about to do. Then, I stand up andpray, imagining that the Ka`bah is in
front of my eyes, Paradise to my right, Hell to my left and the Angel
of Death behind me. I imagine that it is the last prayer Iwill ever
perform; I stand up in hope of Allaah, His Paradise and His rewards,
and in fear of Allaah's torment in the Hellfire. I then say the
Takbeer while having full attention. I recite the Quran calmly, bow
humbly, prostrate with humility and attentiveness and then sit on my
left leg, with my left foot laid on the floor and the right foot
raisedup - all the while praying with sincerity. Afterwards, I have no
certainty about whether that prayer was accepted from me or not."
One of our pious predecessorssaid:"O son of Aadam! You need your share
of this life, but your need of the Hereafter is far greater. If you
take care of your share of this life then you will lose your share of
the Hereafter, and you will very soon lose your share of this life,
too. But if you take care of your share of the Hereafter then you will
also win your full share of this life with ease."
Talq Ibn Habeebsaid:"Allaah's rights are greater than the slave's
capacity and ability to fulfil them. Therefore, reach everymorning in
a state of repentance and every night also in a state of repentance."

Black Seed )Nigella sativa(: A cure for every disease

Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Prophetsaid:"Use this Black Seed
regularly, because it is a cure for every disease, except
death."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
What is the Black Seed?
Its botanical name is Nigella sativa. It is believed to be indigenous
to the Mediterranean region but has been cultivated into other parts
of the world including the Arabian peninsula, northern Africa and
parts of Asia.
The Black seeds originate from the common fennel flower plant)Nigella
sativa( of the buttercup)Ranunculaceae( family. It is sometimes
mistakenly confused with the fennel herb plant)Foeniculum vulgare(.
The plant has finely divided foliage and pale bluish purple or white
flowers. The stalk of the plant reaches a height of twelve to eighteen
inches as its fruit, theblack seed, matures.
The Black Seed forms a fruit capsule which consists of many white
trigonal seeds. Once the fruit capsule has matured, it opens up and
the seeds contained within are exposed to the air, becoming black in
color.
The Black seeds are small black grains with a rough surface and an
oily white interior, similar to onion seeds. The seeds have
littlebouquet, though when rubbed, their aroma resembles oregano. They
have a slightly bitter, peppery flavor and a crunchy texture.
The Black Seed is also known by other names, varying between places.
Some call it black caraway, others call it black cumin, onion seeds or
even coriander seeds. The plant has norelation to the common kitchen
herb, cumin.
Muslims' use of the Black Seed:
Muslims have been using and promoting the use of the Black Seed for
hundreds of years, and hundreds of articles have been written about
it. The Black Seed has also been in use worldwide for over 3000 years.
It is not only a prophetic herb, but it also holds a unique place in
the medicine of the Prophet.
It is unique in that it was not used profusely before the Prophet
Muhammadmade itsuse popular. Although there weremore than 400 herbs in
use before the Prophet Muhammadand recorded in the herbals of Galen
and Hippocrates, the Black Seed was not one of the most popular
remedies of the time. Because of the way Islam has spread, the usage
and popularity of the Black Seed is widely known as a "remedy of the
Prophet." In fact, a large part of this herbal preparation's
popularity is based on the teachings of the Prophet.
The Black Seed has become very popular in recent years and is marketed
and sold by many Muslim and non-Muslim businesses.
Itsnutrients:
The Black Seed is rich in nutritional values. It contain almost 40%
fixed oils and 1.4% volatile oils. It also contains around fifteen
amino acids, proteins, calcium, iron, sodium, and potassium. Among its
most effective compositions are thymoquinone, dithymoquinone,
thymohydroquinone, and thymol.The magazine Food Chemistry found the
Black Seed to be high in protein, carbohydrates, essential fatty
acids, vitamins A, B1, B2, C and niacin as well as calcium, potassium
and iron. These are the very nutrients that modern science has found
that we most lack. It also provides many of the same nutrients that
the FDA recommends to help prevent disease and slow down the aging
process.
Dr. Michael Tierra, author of Planetary Herbology, also found the
Black Seed to be high in the above nutrients. In addition, he found a
remarkable number of sterols, especially beta-sitosterol,which is
known to have anti-carcinogenic properties. The Journal of American
Scientists reports that Black Seed has a number of useful properties
suchas antihistamine, antioxidant, antibiotic, antimycotic and
broncho-dilating effects.
The benefits and uses of the Black Seed:
The Black Seed is an excellent herb with many benefits and uses,
especially when it comes to maintaining a strong and healthyimmune
system.The prophetic reference in describing the Black Seed, as having
a healing for all illnesses is not exaggerated as it at first appears.
The Black Seed has been used for a variety of medical problems for
several thousand years. These uses rangefrom stomach aches to asthma,
cancer to coughs, and the traditional use as a spice. The Black Seed
is also used as: a carminative )rids the body of gas from the
intestines(, a digestive)aids in the digestion of foods(, a diuretic
)increases urine flow by ridding the body of excess water(, an
emmenagogue)promotes and regulates menstruation(, a
galactagogue)increases the production of milk(,a resolvent )dissolves
boils and swelling(, a stimulant )increases the flow of adrenaline and
energy(, a stomachic )relieves stomach disorders(, a
sudorific)increases perspiration(, a tonic)improves bodily functions(,
and a vermifuge )expels worms(. Caution should be taken when using the
black seed by pregnant or potentially pregnant women, as high doses of
this product could induce spontaneous abortions.
To insure that you are taking the Black Seed look for the words
Nigella Sativa. Only this plant, as opposed to true cumin or coriander
has the ability to "heal all diseases."
Research suggests that the Black Seed is an effective antitumor
treatment for certain types of cancer, including breast cancer and
fibrocystic breast disease. The Black Seed may also be of possible
benefit in treating high blood pressure. Except its potential to cause
spontaneous abortions )and only at high dosages(, there may be little
if any toxic side effects to using theBlack Seed.
Recent research has provided evidence that most illnesses arisebecause
of an imbalanced or dysfunctional immune system, which cannot perform
its primaryfunction of defending the body optimally. Researches also
indicate that the Black Seed contains an ability to significantlyboost
the human immune system - if taken over time.
The role of the Black Seed in increasing human immunity was not clear
before 1986, when Dr. Qaadi and his colleagues started a series of
researches in the United States. Afterwards, many researches were
launched in various countries. Dr. Qaadi proved that the use of the
Black Seed strengthens immunity since the ratio of the T assistant
lymph cells increased by an average of 72% compared to the restraining
cells. Also, there was a considerable development in the activity of
natural killer cells with an average of 74%.
The results of many modern researches supported the findings of Qaadi.
Amongst them are the results published by the International Immunity
magazinein August 1995 about the effect of black seed on the outer
lymph cells and the activity of white blood multi-nucleus cells. In
September 2000, the International Immunity magazinealso published a
research on the effect of the Black Seed oil in preventing
cytomegalovirus on laboratory rats. The Black Seed oilhas been tested
as an anti-virus substance and the immunity acquired during the early
stages of the disease was measured through determining the natural
killer cells and other things.
In October 1999, the European magazine of Cancer published an article
on the effect of thymoquinone on abdomen cancer in rats. Likewise, in
May 1998, a magazine specialized in anti-cancer researches published
an article on the extracts of the Black Seed as a treatment for cancer
tumors. On April 2000, the Ethanol Medical magazine wrote about the
toxicity and immunity effects of ethanol extracted from the Black
Seeds. Also, in February 1995, Medical Plants magazine published an
article on the effects of the Black Seed stable oiland thymoquinone on
white blood cells. Many other researches came out supporting these
facts.
More research is being done on the effectiveness of the Black Seed.
Research trials are also being planned in various countries to study
its actual effects on humans. However, we don't need to look any
further than the Prophet'swords that tell us there is healing in
thisplant. As long as we trust in Allaah and take the prescription His
Prophethas given us, we will all be evidence of this magnificent
plant's abilities to heal all diseases.
Nonetheless, more is needed to be learned about the appropriatedoses
of this herb for various medical problems. We pray that Allaah may
guide Muslim physicians to take a closer look atthis plant and begin
prescribing it for all of our physical ailments.
Conclusion:
The Prophettold us that the Black Seed is a cure for every disease.
The Arabic word 'Shifaa')cure( came without the definite article which
means that it is an indefinite word that covers most cures. This means
that the Black Seed contributes to the cure of every disease. It has
been scientifically proved that the immunity system is the only system
that has the ability to combat diseases and produce cells that kill
viruses.
Based on these facts, we can conclude that the Black Seed is a cure
for every disease because it strengthens the immunity system which is
responsible for curing diseases and combating viruses.
These scientific facts are obvious. No one can claim the credit of
knowing these facts fourteen centuries ago, except a Prophet. Allaah
Almighty Says )what means(:"Nor does he )the Prophet( speak of )his
own( inclination. It is not but a revelation revealed."]Quran 53: 3-4[

Common painkillers can lead to hearing loss

Loud music or noise isn't the onlything that can damage your hearing.
A new study in men hints that popping over-the-counter painkillers
regularly can also lead to hearing loss, especially in younger men.
In the study, researchers found that men younger than age 50 who
regularly took acetaminophen more than two times a week had roughly
doublethe risk of hearing loss comparedto men who did not take
acetaminophen regularly. Acetaminophen is the active ingredient in
Tylenol and certain other pain relievers.
The researchers also found that men younger than age 50 who regularly
took ibuprofen )the main ingredient in Advil( or othernon-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs )NSAID( at least twice a week had a nearly
two-thirds higher risk of hearing loss than men who took NSAIDs less
often. Men who took aspirin twice a week had a one-third higher risk.
So should middle-aged men empty the medicine cabinet of these pain
relievers? Not necessarily, because each individual's actual, or
absolute, risk of hearing loss with these medicines is likely fairly
small.
The overall absolute risk of hearing loss in the population is 1
percent per year. Those who take an analgesic have an increased risk
beyond the 1 percent, Dr. Sharon G. Curhan, of Channing Laboratory and
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston explained in an email to Reuters
Health.
"But if you consider that people continue to take the analgesic
foryears, then after 10 years the risk would be 10 percent in the
overall population and the risk in those taking an analgesic would be
proportionately higher," Curhan said.
"Even though these analgesics are available in the drugstore without a
prescription, they are still medications and there are potential side
effects," Curhan said.
"If individuals find a need to take these types of medications
regularly, they should consult with their health care professional in
order to discuss the risks and benefits and to explore possible
alternatives," she advised.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Medicine thismonth,
stem from nearly 27,000 men enrolled since 1986 in the Health
Professionals' Follow-Up Study. As part of the study, the men, who
were between 40 and 74 years old at the outset, provided information
on analgesic use, hearing loss and other relevant factors every 2
years for 18 years, during which time 3,488 men were diagnosed with
hearing loss.
In the group as a whole, the risk of hearing loss, after factoring out
relevant risk factors, was 12 percent higher in men who used aspirin
at least twice a week relative to men who used aspirin less than twice
a week. The risk was about 21 percent higher in those who used NSAIDs
or acetaminophen at least twice a week.
Among men younger than 50, therisk of hearing loss was higher by33
percent, 61 percent and 99 percent with twice weekly use of aspirin,
NSAIDs, and acetaminophen, respectively, compared to risks in men of
the same age who used these painkillers less often. For NSAIDs and
acetaminophen, the risk of hearing loss increased with longer duration
of use.
In contrast to the findings in younger men, regular aspirin use did
not increase the risk of hearing loss in men aged 60 and older, and
the ties between hearing loss and regular use of NSAIDs and
acetaminophen were weaker in the older men.
Curhan's team points out that very high doses of aspirin are well
known to have toxic effects on the ear. These effects include
reversible hearing loss and tinnitus )ringing in the ears(. On the
other hand, low-dose aspirin has been reported to protect against
hearing loss caused by certain antibiotics and excessive noise.
Very high doses of NSAIDs are toxic to the ears of animals, and there
have been a few reports of very high doses of NSAIDs causinghearing
loss in humans.
In their study, the researchers didnot have information on dosages
taken by the men or why they were regularly using these medicines --
only how often they took them. They also did not have information on
lifetime exposure to loud noise, a common cause of hearing loss.
"Hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder in the US and
factors other than age and noise might influence the risk," the
researchers note in their report. Aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen
are the three most commonly used drugs in the US and they could be
"one of the few preventable causes of hearing loss," Curhan said.

Dought & clear - Ramadan - Kissing

Asalaam u alykum.
My wife told me in the morning that I had tried to kiss her last night
in the state of fasting. This happened once before and on that
occasion I do not remember anything. However, last night I think I do
remember inserting my tongue in her mouth and feeling the taste of her
tongue, although noexchange of saliva (I think). If I was fully aware
I would not have kissed her. My wife says my eyes were open. However I
may have gotten up during my sleep. Exact details I can'tremember.
Does this necessitate a qada and or kaffarah according to the Hanafi
school?
Jazakallah u khairun for your reply.
Could I please ask one other question: My 7day old baby vomited over
me. I wiped this off my shoulder with a tissue. I changed my shirt.
Then I forgot to wash my shoulder and prayed Isha and Fajr and zohr
and then realised that I had not washed the area(shoulder) with water.
Would my wudu and salah have been valid? I did repeat the salah to be
on the safe side.
-
Bismillah
Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)
1) The Hanafi jurists (Fuqaha) state that non-sexual affectionate
kissing or Mubasharah (skin to skin), from which there is no fear of
leading to intercourse orejaculation, is allowed and not disliked.
But, if one fears that kissing or Mubasharah will lead to ejaculation
or intercourse, then it will be disliked to kiss or do Mubasharah.
However, one's fast remains valid as long as kissing or Mubasharah
does not lead to actual sexual intercourse or does not result in
ejaculation. If kissing or Mubasharah resulted in ejaculation, one's
fast would become invalid and hence will have to be made up (Qadha),
without having to expiate for it (Kaffara). (Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya,
1/200 & 1/204, Hashiyatut Tahtawi Pg. 680)
Also, Ghusl will be necessary if ejaculatory fluid was discharged.
N.B. To swallow the saliva of the wife will invalidate the fast then
Qadha and Kaffarah will be necessary. (Nurul Idhah Pg.143)
If the mentioned incident took place during the night, then there is
no problem in this as it is permissible toeat, drink and have sexual
intercourse etc until dawn.
"It is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on
the night of As-Ṣiyam…Eat and drink until the white thread becomes
clear to you from a black thread at the dawn." (2:187)
2) The vomit that is full mouth will be considered Najasat Ghaliza.
(Shaami vol.1 pg.266)
If this is equal to a Dirham, which is the circumference of the inner
hollow of the palmthen it is Wajib (necessary) to wash this from your
garments. If it is less than this amount then it will be Mustahab
(preferable).
However, if one forgets this then Salah performed in such clothing
will be valid.
(Quduri Pg. 24, Nurul Idhah Pg.53, Hashiyat Tahtawi Pg.157, Ahsanul
Fataawa Vol.2 Pg.89)
If it is more than a Dirham then it is Fardh to remove it and Salah
with this amount will be invalid and Qadha will need to be done.

Dought & clear - Ramadan - Niyyah of fasting

Assalamualaikum,
Is the niyyah for fasting to be done once at the beginning of ramadhan
or daily before fajr or both can be practiced according to the
SunnahRasul
-
Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)
Making an intention for every fast of Ramadhan (in the heart) is a
condition that validate the fast. (Nurul Idhah)
It is virtuous to make Niyyah (intention) of every fast of Ramadhan
during Subah Sadiq.
(Al Fiqhul Hanafi Wa Adillatuhu Vol. 1 Pg. 363)

Dought & clear - Ramadan - Witr raising hands daleel

as salamu aleykum,
what are the daleels of raising the hands in witr
prayer for the qunoot?
was salaam
-
Al-jawab billahi at-taufeeq (the answer with Allah's guidance)
To raise the hand till the ears upon the Takbeer ofQunoot and fold
them afterwards, this is according to Imam Abu Hanifah (RA):
Aaisha (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu
Alayhi Wasallam) used toperform 3 Rakats of Witr,and would only make
Salam at the end.' (I'elaa-us-Sunan vol.6 pg.30; Karachi)
Abd al-Razzaq narrates that Zuhri narrates that Hammad narrates that
Ibrahim narrates that Ibn Masood used to raisehis hands in Witr then
drop them after words. (Musannaf Abdur Razzaq Vol. 4 Pg. 325)
Abu Yusuf narrates that Abu Hanifa narrates that Talha narrates that
Ebrahim al-Nakha'i said, "The hands will be raised in seven places.
Atthe beginning of Salah, at the beginning of Qunoof of witr, in the
two Eids, when maing Istilam of Hajr al-Aswad, at Safa and Marwah, at
Arafat, and Muzdalifa, and the Jamarah. (Aathar Li Abi Yusuf Vol. 1
Pg. 105)
(See also: Al Hidaya, Chapter: Witr prayer)
Muhammad narrates that Abu Hanifa narrates that Hammad narrates that
Ibrahim said Qunootin Witr is Wajib in Ramadan and out of Ramadan
before Ruku'. When you intend to say Qunoot, say takbeer. When you
intend to go into ruku say Takbeer again. Imam Muhammadsays, "We hold
this view and hands should be raise before Qunoot just as how they are
raised at the beginning of Salah and then fold them and make dua.
Thisis the view of Imam Abu Hanafi (ra). (Aathar Li Muhammad Ibn Hasan
Vol. 1 Pg. 274)
(See also: I`laus Sunan Vol.6 Pg. 53, 58 , vol.1 Pg.57, and Ahsanul
FataawaVol. 3 Pg. 489)

Four Wives Story: Why a Woman can't marry morethan one Husband?

In a delightful report about how Imam Abu Hanifareceived his name
(his original name was Numan bin Thabit bin Zuta bin Mah), an account
of why the wife is forbidden to take morethan one husband is
recounted. 'Abu Hanifa' isan unusual name because it means 'the father
of Hanifah', and Hanifah was his daughter. It was not the custom in
those days to do this. Normally, the name would be 'the father of the
name of a son.' How this came about is quite edifying.
One day Imam Abu Hanifawas asked a question that, for the first time
in his illustrious career, he was unable to answer. The question was,
" Why were women forbidden to marry more than one husband at a
time?"
To make a long story short, Abu Hanifa's daughter said that she knew
the answer and would solve this questionif her father would make a
promise to her that if she succeeded in solving this problem, he would
then assure her a place inhistory. Abu Hanifa agreed.
So she gathered a group of women together and gave each of them a cup.
Then she brought in a large bowl of milk and asked each of them to dip
their cups in the milk and to fill their cups. They did so. She then
asked them to pour back the milk into the bowl. They did this too. She
then asked them to re-filltheir cups taking back only their own milk
that they had poured into the bowl.
This, obviously, was impossible to do. Hanifahhad clearly
demonstratedthe kind of predicament that would be created if a woman
had several husbands. With more than one husband, if she were to
become pregnant, she would have exceptional difficulties determining
who the actual father was? Identifying parentage and lineage would
then be insurmountable for the offspring. Imam Abu Hanifa was so
pleased with her answer that he took the name 'Abu Hanifa', 'the
father of Hanifah', so his daughter did indeed earn a place in
history.

Wonderful Stories of Islam: Be careful what you Plant(Anecdote Illustrating Real Life)

An emperor in the Far East was growing old andknew it was time to
choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his
children, he decided something different. He called young people in
the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step
downand choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going togive
each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to
plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today
with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the
plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"
One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others,
received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story.
She helped him get a pot andplanting soil, and he planted the seed and
watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to seeif
it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began
to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.
Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks,
5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about
their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure.
Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had
killed his seed.
Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling
didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for
his seed to grow.
A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their
plants to the emperor forinspection. Ling told his mother that he
wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened,
Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He
took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at
the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful
in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many
of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him andjust
said, "Hey nice try."
When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young
people. Ling just tried to hide in the back."What great plants, trees
and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will
be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted
Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards
to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm
a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"
When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is
Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him.
The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He lookedat Ling, and then
announced to the crowd,"Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!"
Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could
he be the new emperor? Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I
gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed,plant it, water
it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds,
which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees
and plants and flowers. Whenyou found that the seed would not grow,
you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only
one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it.
Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"
If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, youwill reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you willreap miracles.
But
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you willreap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.
So be careful what you plant now, It will determine what you will reap
tomorrow, The seeds you now scatter, Will make life worse or better,
your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will
enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today.
Honesty in Islam