Fathwa - Women Praying at the Masjid & The Nature of Moral Responsibility

Question:
Is it forbidden for sisters to pray Taraweeh prayers in the masjid? Do
we know the Hikma behind it?
Answer:
Assalamu alaikum,
As for just praying, a woman's prayer in the depths of her house has
more reward than for her to pray in the masjid;in one narration, more
reward than praying in the Prophet's masjid itself, upon its dweller
the best of blessings and most perfect of peace. Some scholars mention
that the reward men get for praying in congregation is attained by
women when they pray at home.
However, as many scholars note, including Shaykh Hassaan al-Hindi of
Damascus and Mufti Taqi Usmani, if a woman goes to the masjid to
attain unto beneficial religious knowledge (or other religious
benefit) that may not be reasonably obtained elsewhere, then it would
not only be permitted forher to go to the masjid for this reason, but
praiseworthy, as long as there is no interminglingand no resultant
fitna or negligence of primary responsibilities (such as in the case
of a wife).
This, of course, would have to be done according to the proper norms
of Islamic behavior: the woman would have to be properly dressed, get
to the masjid in an appropriate and safe manner, not travel alone at
night, and avoid all intermingling with men.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalam,

Fathwa - Women and Congregational Prayer

Question:
Is there more reward for women to pray at home or in congregation with
men (that being not necessarily in a mosque with separate praying
areas)?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
From a previous questionanswered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani:
A man only gets full reward for his prayers, by what our beloved
Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) told us, if he prays in
congregation, in the masjid. For a woman, on the other hand, he told
us that, 'A woman's prayer in the depths of her house is better than
her prayer in this masjid of mine.' [(is better) = has more reward;
(this masjid of mine) = the Masjid al-Nabawi!]
Had women's full rewardfor prayer depended on going to the masjid or
praying in congregation,then this would have placed a great hardship
and spiritual loss on mothers and other women who are at home. Rather,
from Allah's infinite wisdom and mercy, He made the religious
responsibility ofeach gender consonant with the nature of their social
roles.
As for praying in congregation with men, there is nothing wrong with
it. In fact, if a man isunable to make it to the masjid for some
reason, it is recommended for him to pray in congregation with his
family, to get the reward.
However, it is generally disliked for women to goto the masjid just to
pray in congregation, becauseit is reversing the nature of their
religious responsibility, as we have seen. BUT, if they want to go to
the masjid for other reasons, such asgaining religious knowledge,
asking a question, meeting other religious sisters [for good company
is often not readily found at home or at school, and is a necessary
fuel for one'sspiritual life], then there is nothing wrong with going
to the masjid or praying in congregation there.
Wassalam,

Fathwa - Why is it better to pray at home for women?

Question:
Assalaam Alaikum,
I have been always told that it is better forwomen to pray at home. I
never thought about the reasons for it, until today. I've readon your
site that the reason for it was because it was more concealing and it
would prevent womento beautify themselveswhen going to the mosque.
Even though these are good reasons, I'm really wondering if there is
more to it. I also heard that a woman gets more blessings from
prayingat home? If you could tell me more reasons for it, I would love
to know...
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
Dear Sister,
I pray this message reaches you in good health and iman.
Thank you for your question.
Why are women encouraged to pray at home?
The reasons you mentioned are correct.
However, the first and foremost reason is because there are rigorously
authenticated traditions that specify that women should pray at home.
For example, the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace said, "A
woman's prayer in the depths of her house is better than her prayer in
this masjid of mine."
Aisha, may Allah be well pleased with her, said,"Had the Prophet
(Allah bless him and give him peace) seen what women do now, he would
have forbidden them the mosque as the women of Bani Isra'il were
forbidden."
Women receive the sameblessing for praying at home that men receive
for going to the mosque.
Traditionally, Muslim women were encouraged to stay at home in order
to create a peaceful, loving environment for their families. There is
also theneed to protect women from being exposed to negative
influences and harassment outside the home.
Islam, being a practical religion, also understands that it would be
difficult for women if they were required to go to the mosque. When a
woman is busy running a home and taking care of her children, going to
the mosque five times a day would become an unduehardship.
This is not to say that women may not visit the mosque. The Prophet,
Allah bless him and give him peace, said, " Do not prevent the female
slavesof Allah from coming to the mosques of Allah. When a wife of one
of you asks for permission to go to the mosque, she should not be
refused this permission."[Bukhari and Muslim]
In a previous answer on SunniPath, Shaykh Faraz Rabbani mentioned that
it is permitted for a woman to go to the mosque particularly when she
goes to seek knowledge or enjoy the fellowship of her Muslim sisters.
This is especially relevant for Muslim women in the West whose only
contact with other Muslims may be through the mosque.
Please see these related articles:
Women and Congregational Prayer

Gratitude - I

Gratitude is the greatest way to live for those whopossess high ranks
of righteousness, and such people did not reach these lofty ranks
except through their gratitude; this is because belief is comprised of
two halves; one half is gratitude and the other is perseverance.
Gratitude is to acknowledge being treated well by Allaah; it is also
to praise the One who has done one many favors. It also entails
displaying the effect of the favors of Allaah upon a person by
believing with one's heart, utteringpraise and glorifications of
Allaah by ones tongue,and to use one's limbs in the worship and
obedience of Allaah. If only a few favors are worthy of a great deal
of gratitude, how would the case be when favors are abundant? People
are either grateful or ungrateful.
Gratitude holds a high rank in Islam:
·Allaah parallels it with His mention. He Says )what means(:"So
remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do notdeny
Me".]Quran 2: 152[
·Allaah parallels it with belief. He Says )what means(:"What would
Allaah do with ]i.e., gain from[ your punishment ifyou are grateful
and believe?..."]Quran 4: 147[Meaning, if you fulfil the rights due to
Allaah and the reason for which He has created you by gratitude and
belief, He will not punish you.
·Those who practice gratitude to Allaah are those who are chosen to be
granted His favors. He Says )what means(:"And thus We have tried some
of them through others that they ]i.e., the disbelievers[ might say,
'Is it these whom Allaah has favored among us?' Isnot Allaah most
knowing of those who are grateful?"]Quran 6: 53[
·Allaah has classified people into being either grateful or
ungrateful; the worst matter in the scale of Allaah is ingratitude
whilst the dearest things to Him are gratitude and the grateful.Allaah
Says )what means(:"Indeed, We guided him ]i.e., man[ to the way, be he
grateful or ungrateful"]Quran 76: 3[
·Allaah tests His slaves in order to see who will practice gratitude
and who will not.Allaah informs us about what Prophet Sulaymaansaid
when He Says )what means(:"…This is from the favor of my Lord to test
me whether I will be grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful
–his gratitude is only for]the benefit of[ himself. And whoever is
ungrateful – then indeed my Lord is Free of need and Generous."]Quran
27: 40[
·Allaah promises increased favors for those who are grateful.He Says
)what means(:"And ]remember[ when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are
grateful, I will surely increase you ]in favor[; but if you deny,
indeed My punishment is severe.'"]Quran 14: 7[
·Allaah loves gratitude and the deeds of the grateful. He Says )what
means(:"If you disbelieve– indeed, Allaah is Free from need of you.
And Hedoes not approve for His servants disbelief. And if you are
grateful, He approves ]i.e., likes[ it foryou…"]Quran 39: 7[ The
grateful people mentioned in the verse are those who remain steadfast
upon belief during trials and who do not retreat or recantontheir
belief. Some people verbally thank Allaah during times of ease, but
during trials they give uptheir faith. The truly grateful are those
who express the true condition of their hearts during trials by
remaining steadfast and continuing to thank Allaah by their tongues,
hearts and limbs. Additionally, this verse clarifies that the
pleasureof Allaah is achieved by being grateful to Him.
·Allaah did not make the reward for the grateful subject to any
condition, as He did for other acts ofworship, which He conditioned to
His will; rather, Allaah immediately mentions their reward;He Says
)what means(:"…And Allaah will reward the grateful."]Quran 3: 144[and
also )what means(:"…And We will reward the grateful."]Quran 3: 145[
·Allaah informs us that one of Satan's primary objectives is to
prevent humans from being grateful; HeSays )what means(:"]Satan said[
'Then I will come to them from before them and from behind them and on
their right and on their left, and You ]i.e., Allaah[ will not find
most of them grateful ]to You[."]Quran 7: 17[
·Allaah describes His grateful slaves to be few in number; HeSays
)whatmeans(:"…And few of My servants are grateful."]Quran 34: 13[The
reasonbeing that many people enjoy blessings and bounties from Allaah,
butfail to practice gratitude to Allaah.
·Allaah praised the first prophet sent to man on earth, Prophet
Noohdue to him being grateful.Allaah Says )what means(:"O descendants
of those We carried ]in the ship[ with Noah. Indeed, he was a grateful
servant."]Quran 17: 3[This is as an indication that we shouldimitate
him.
·Gratitude is the first instruction given to man as soon as he begins
to comprehend.Allaah Says)what means(:"And We have enjoined upon
man]care[ for his parents. His mother carried him,]increasing her[ in
weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful
to Me and to your parents; to Me is the]final[ destination."]Quran 31:
14[
·Allaah specified it as oneof the main qualities of a person who sets
himself as a good example for others to follow. He says regarding
prophet Ibraaheem)what means(:"Indeed, Ibraaheem was a]comprehensive[
leader, devoutly obedient to Allaah, inclining toward truth, and he
was not of those who associate others with Allaah. ]He was[ grateful
for His favors. He ]i.e., Allaah[ chose him and guided him to a
straight path."]Quran 16: 120-121[
Therefore, gratitude is one of the objectives thatman is commanded to
accomplish.
Imaam ibn Al-Qayyimmentioned that gratitude isone of the ranks of
belief, which canbe extracted from the fifth verse of Soorah
Al-Faatihah, )what means(:"It is You we worship and You we ask for
help."Then hementioned the following additional points regarding
gratitude:
·It is one of the highest ranks of belief.
·It is higher than the rank of contentment; andnobody can be content
without being grateful.
·Allaah praises the grateful.
·Allaah promises the grateful the best of rewards.
·Allaah makes gratitude areason for attaining more of His bounties.
·It is a means to preserve the favors of Allaah upon a person.
·It is one of the main objectives that a slave must accomplish.
·It is extracted from Ash-Skakoor, which is one of the Names of
Allaah, and which impliesgratitude.
·Those who are grateful are very few in number.
·Gratitude results in morefavors from Allaah.
Gratitude is having ones heart devoted to loving the One bestowing the
favors, having the limbs continuously obedient to Him and having the
tongue repeatedly mentioning Him, praisingHim and glorifying Him.
Gratitude entails the following three things:
1.One should realise the favors bestowed upon him and have it present
in his mind constantly, because this leads him to remember the
Bestower of favors and therefore being grateful to and loving Allaah,
who is of course the Bestower of favors. This would therefore make one
exertmore effort in worshipping Allaah.
2.One should receive favors with humility and express his need to
Allaah, the Bestower of favors, and mention that he is unworthy of the
favors bestowed upon him, and that it is only due to the Grace and
Kindness of Allaah that such favors were bestowed.
3.One should praise Allaah, the Bestower of favors, and this is done intwo ways:
1(Generally: To describe Allaah as being generous and kind.
2(Specifically: To mention His favors upon one.
There are two points regarding the issue of mentioning and talking
about favors from Allaah:
1(To mention all that Allaah Has bestowed upon one.
2(To utilise these favors in His obedience.
People fall into three categories with regards to the favors from Allaah:
1.Those who are gratefuland praise Allaah for bestowing them upon them.
2.Those who are ungrateful and do not mention them.
3.Those who express thatthey are worthy of them, when in fact they
certainly are not.
An-Nu'maan ibn Al-Basheersaid:"He who does not thank Allaah for small
favors will not thank Him for great ones; and he who does not express
gratitude to people )for doing him favors( will not express gratitude
towards Allaah. Appreciating and mentioning the favor bestowed upon
one fromAllaah is gratitude, and not doing so expresses
ingratitude."]Ahmad[
This should be done in front of people and between a person and
himself )i.e., to himself( but if people are of the envious type, then
one should conceal such favors, and he would not be ungrateful in this
case, because he is simplyconcealing them in an attempt to prevent an
evil from befalling him, such as an evil eye or an evil plot from the
envious, and it must be known that to prevent harm from afflicting man
is an objective set forth by the Islamic Sharee'ah.
There is no way one can do anything to repay the favors bestowed upon
him by Allaah, except thathe should continue to praise and thank
Allaah for having bestowed them upon him, as well as utilising these
favors for the pleasure of Allaah.
What is our duty towardsAllaah with regards to the favors He bestows upon us?
·Being submissive to Allaah.
·Loving Allaah.
·Acknowledging that He is the Bestower of all favors.
·Praising Him.
·Utilising these favors in a way that pleases Him.
Does the way of expressing gratitude towards Allaah differ, justlike
the favors themselvesdiffer?
Yes; gratitude can be expressed by the heart, the tongue and the limbs.
Expressing gratitude by the heart:This is by knowing that Allaah is
the Bestower of these favors, and this is something that is very
important when cultivating children, so that they know where favors
come from, as Allaah Says )what means(:"O Mankind, remember the favor
of Allaah upon you. Is there any creator other than Allaah who
provides for you from theheaven and the earth? There is no deity
except Him, so how are you deluded?"]Quran35: 3[

Gratitude - II

Again, knowing and recognising the favors, aswell as their source, is
the initial step and it precedes thanking Allaah. Recognising favors
such as the favors of being able to move, walk, work, exercise, sleep,
eat etc. all branch from the great favor of being healthy. The favor
of being humans; the favor of being Muslims; the favor of being
guided; the favor of being well-mannered; the favor of being a Prophet
)when it applies for those whom Allaah Has chosen( are also great ones
to reflect on. This issue is very important to mention when calling
people towards Allaah. Allaah repeatedly reminds us in different parts
of the Quran of His favors upon us.Hesays )what means(:"…And ]He[
subjected for you the ships to sail for you through the sea by His
command and subjected for you the rivers. And He subjected for you the
sun and the moon, continuous ]in orbit[, and subjected for you the
night and the day. And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if
you should count the favor ]i.e., blessings[ of Allaah, you could not
enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is]generally[ most unjust and
ungrateful."]Quran 14: 32-34[ There are many other verses in the Quran
in which Allaah reminds us of the favors that He has bestowed upon us.
One way of calling people towards Allaah is to remind them of the
favors of Allaah upon them, so that they may be grateful and not to be
amongst those about whom Allaah says)what means(:"…And Allaah is full
of bounty to the people, but most of the people do not show
gratitude."]Quran 2: 243[ Some people attribute favors to other than
the actual source, like Qaaroon, who said when he was reminded of the
favors of Allaah upon him )which means(:"…I was only given it because
of the knowledge I have'…"]Quran 28: 78[ It is arrogance that leads to
such a reaction, which results in misery for such people, because
Allaah says )what means(:"And whatever you have of Favor – it is from
Allaah…"]Quran 16: 53[
Expressing gratitude by the tongue: One's tonguereflects what he
conceals in his heart, and thus when his heart is overwhelmed by
gratitude to Allaah, the tongue will naturally constantly utter praise
and gratitude to Allaah. One should ponder upon how the Prophetwould
perform Thikr, or supplications and remembrance of Allaah, to see how
much gratitude and praise theycontained;
·Whenever hewoke up, he would say:"All praise is due to Allaah, Who
has brought us backto life after He has causedus to die, and to Him is
the return."
·Whenever hewould retire to bed, he would say:"All Praise is due to
Allaah who has fed us, provided us with drink, satisfied us and given
us protection. Many are those who have no one to provide for them or
give them shelter."
·Some of his regular morning and evening supplications were:"O Allaah!
Whatever favor I, or any of Your creation has, is solely from You;
there is no partner with You; All praise and gratitude is due to You."
·Hewould ask forgiveness saying:"I seek refuge in You from the evil of
what I have done. I acknowledge the favors that You have bestowed upon
me, and Iconfess my sins, so forgive me."
·All his supplications would begin with the praise of Allaah, which
Heis very worthy of.
·Hewould begin all hisspeeches by praising Allaah.
·The opening supplication for prayer, Soorah Al-Faatihah,
supplications whilst bowing and prostrating, and his supplications
after concluding his prayers, were all filled with praise and
gratitudeto Allaah.
·Whenever hewished to eat, drink, travel or sneeze, he would praise
Allaah and thank him.
·On one of the nights when it was the turn of 'Aa'ishahto be with him,
she began looking for him in the dark by feeling around with her hand,
then her hand touched his hands and she heard him saying:"O Allaah! I
seek protection against Your Wrath in Your Pleasure. I seek protection
in Your Pardon against Your punishment; I am not capable of
enumerating praise of You. You are as You have lauded Yourself".
Expressing gratitude by the limbs: Any righteous deed or act of
obedience which the son of Aadam performs is a form of expressing his
gratitude to Allaah, the Lord. There are different means of performing
gratitude of the limbs; one of which iswhen one practices the
instruction of Prophet Muhammadwhen he said:"When you get up inthe
morning, charity is due from every one of your joints. There is
charity in every ascription of glory to Allaah; there is charity in
every declaration of His Greatness; there is charityin every utterance
of praise of Him; there is charity in every declaration that He is the
only true God )worthy of worship(; there is charity in enjoining good;
there is charity in forbidding evil. Two Rak'as of Dhuhaa )i.e.,
forenoon prayer( is equal to all this)in reward(."Thus, any ofthe
things mentioned in the above narration is a righteous deed which
reflects gratitude to Allaah. One should exert all efforts to thank
Allaah using all his limbs and should never feel that he has thanked
Allaah enough, or that he does not need to do it again the next day.
There is no contradiction between thanking people and being grateful
to Allaah, because Allaah commands us to thank and reward those who do
us favors, the foremost of them being one's parents, as Allaah says
)what means(:"…Be grateful to Me and to your parents…"]Quran31: 14[The
problem is when one thanks people and abandons thanking Allaah; this
is a great disaster. Additionally, there is a difference in the manner
in which onethanks people and thanks Allaah; one shouldbe submissive
and humble whilst thanking Allaah because this reflects servitude,
while on the other hand, one cannot do so with other humans; one
should instead supplicate for their forgiveness and praise them. One
who does not thank other people is evil and it is unlikely that he
would thank Allaah and express gratitude towards Him.
Additionally, favors and bounties from Allaah are preserved and even
increase by one being grateful, but what is it that helps a person to
be grateful?
·By observing the condition of those who are lower than you in status,
and to remember when seeing those who are higher than you in standard
that it is only bythe decree of Allaah.Allaah says )what means(:"And
it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised
some of you aboveothers in degrees ]of rank[ that He may try
youthrough what He has given you."]Quran6: 165[
·By realising that one willbe held accountable for these favors,
asAllaah says )what means(:"Thenyou will surely be asked that Day
about ]worldly[ pleasure".]Quran102: 8[Even for bounties as seemingly
minor as cold water. Some people, due to their misunderstanding of the
concept of gratitude, deprive themselves from enjoying them, whereas
in fact they were bestowed upon us to enjoy.Allaah says )what
means(:"…Eat from the good ]i.e., lawful[ things which We have
provided for you and be grateful to Allaah if it is ]indeed[ Him that
you worship."]Quran2:172[Thus, gratitude cannot entail deeming lawful
matters as prohibited, which is one of the principles of the Soofees.
If gratitude was a precondition of enjoying the bounties of Allaah,
then nobody would have been able to enjoy any of the favors orbounties
from Allaah, because no one can do enough deeds to appropriately
express gratitude to Allaah for what He bestowed upon us. The solution
thereforeis to utilise these favors and bounties in ways that please
Allaah, and to thank Him and seek His pardon for our shortcomings -
and Allaah will accept this much from us.
·By supplicating to Allaahto help us to be grateful to Him, as in the
prophetic supplication in which hetaught Mu'aathto say: "O Allaah!
Help me remember You, express gratitude to You and worship You in the
best manner."
It is more virtuous to be grateful when blessed with a favor than to
persevere when one is afflicted. Allaah loves to see the effects of
His favors. Once, Imraan ibn Husayncame out wearing a fine garment,
and when he saw how his friends were looking at him, he said: "The
Prophetsaid:"Allaah loves to see the effect of His Bounties on His
slaves."
The Prophetsaid:"Eat, drink and give out in charity without arrogance
or exaggeration, because Allaah loves to see the effect of His
Bounties on His slave."Therefore, the limit when expressing and
showing the effect of the favors from Allaah on oneself is to neither
be boastful and proud, nor to exaggerate.
Allaah hates a Kanood, oran ungrateful person, and punishes him.
ImaamAl-Hasansaid: "A Kanood, is one who remembers the disasters which
befall him and always forgets to mention the favors from Allaah )upon
him(." This quality is more apparent in women; for example, awoman's
husband is kindto her for many years, but as soon as she experiences a
minor shortcoming from him, she will immediately tell him that she has
never seen anything good fromhim. This is a form of oppressing the
husband, and thus the majority of the dwellers of Hell are women, the
reason beingthat they are ungrateful to their husbands. If being
ungrateful to one'shusband results in punishment in Hell, how will the
case be for those who are ungrateful to Allaah?
'Umar ibn 'Abdul-'Azeezwould look at the favors of Allaah upon himand
say: "O Allaah! I seek refuge in You from meeting Your favors
withungratefulness or denying them after knowing them, or forgetting
them and not mentioning them with praise )i.e., praising You(."
It is also recommended that one prostrates whenever he receives news
about a new favor or bounty from Allaah, as was the practice of the
Prophet. Likewise, when Abu Bakrreceived the news that Musaylamah the
liar)who claimed to be a Prophet after the death of Prophet Muhammad(
was killed, he went down into prostration. Ka'b ibn Maalikalso
prostrated when he was given the good news of forgiveness from Allaah
after he failed to participate in a battle. Onthe other hand, this
should not be a daily practice, but rather, it should only be done
when one receives good news or a new favor. An example of a new favor
or good news is the incident when one of theSalafwho was hiding from
Al-Hajjaaj, prostrated when he received the news of his death, because
the deathof a tyrant is a great bounty and favor from Allaah. Also,
the news of having a new baby, or a Muslim victory over the infidels,
warrants such a prostration to be made.
Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyimsaid: "The religion consists of two halves; one
half is represented by gratitude and the other half is by
perseverance."Scholars have disputed regarding who is better, a rich
person who is grateful, or a poor person who is patient, but it seems
that it is best for the rich person to be grateful, and for the poor
to persevere.

A Summer Reminder

Allaah Almighty reminds His slaves of the heat of Hell by making them
experience very high temperatures during the summer.
The Prophetinformed us that Hell has two breaths: it inhales during
our winter and exhales during our summer; healso stated that the
extreme heat people experience during the summer is due to this
exhalation. This information from the Prophetis a reminder to us of
the Hellfire.
The narration of the Prophetregarding this is not a figurative one;
rather, it is unambiguous and veryreal. The Prophetsaid:"When the heat
reaches an excessive level then )delay the( prayer until it cools, as
extreme heat comes from the vehement raging of Hell."]Al-Bukhaari &
Muslim[ This was said because if people wereto pray during such a very
hot time, then they would be distracted from their prayers and lose
their submissiveness and humility in it.
Abu Hurayrahreported that the Prophetsaid:"The)Hell( Fire complained
to its Lord saying: 'O my Lord! My different parts consume each other,
so allow me to breathe.' Therefore He)i.e., Allaah( allowed it to take
two breaths, one in the winter and the other in summer, and this is
the reason for the severe heat andthe bitter cold you find)in
weather(."]Al-Bukhaari[
As believers we are commanded to believein this as it is from the
unseen, even though we may not perceive it or understand exactly how
it could occur. We fully believe in it regardless, because it was
narrated to us via the truthful, trustworthy Prophet ofAllaah. It is
therefore the duty of the believer to protect himself from the
punishment of Hell.
The punishment of Hellin the grave
The punishment of Hellis not limited to the Hereafter; rather, part of
it touches the person who deserves itin his grave, just as parts of it
touch all people in this worldly life in the form of extreme heat in
the summer and bitter cold in the winter.
Al-Baraa' bin 'Aazib, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the
Prophetwas once at the funeralof one of the Ansaarwhen he began
informing some of his companions who werepresent of the situations of
the believer, the disbeliever and the sinner upon their burial in
their graves. After mentioning the situation of the believer,
headdressed that of the sinner and the disbeliever, saying:"…And two
angels come to him and ask him to sit; they say: 'Who is your Lord?'
He answers: 'Haah, Haah, Ido not know.' They ask: 'What is your
religion?' He answers: 'Haah, Haah, I do not know.' Then, a voice says
from Heaven that My slave is not telling the truth, so make his
clothing and furnishing that of fire, and open a gate of fire towards
him so as to make him smell )its terrible stench( and suffer its
scorching wind. His grave is then made so tight that his bones
intertwine. A voice then says: `Spread his grave with the fire )of
Hell( and dress him with the fire)of Hell( and open a gate towards him
fromHell, so that he may feel its heat.' Then a blind and mute
creature will appear with an iron rod in his hand, and if a mountain
were to be struck with this rod it would turn into dust;)the creature(
would strike him with this rod and cause him to make such a piercing
scream that it could be heard in the farthest parts )of the earth(,
east and west, and everything will hear his cry except Jinn and
mankind. Then a man of evil complexion and horrid smell visits him.The
buried slave man asks him: 'Who are you?' and adds: 'You have a
threatening andwretched face.' The man answers: 'I am your evil deeds
comingto you with the bad news'…." ]Ahmad & Abu Daawood[This is how
hewould admonish and remind his companions.
Allaah Says )what means(:"Not equal are the blind and the seeing. Nor
are the darknesses and the light. Nor are the shade and the
heat."]Quran 35: 19-21[ HereAllaah highlights that opposites are not
necessarily equal: faithis not equal to disbelief; those who follow
the Sunnah are not equal to those whoinnovate in the religion; and,
the religious person is not equal to the dissolute; Allaah Says )what
means(:"The example of the two parties is like the blind and the deaf,
and the seeing and hearing. Are they equal in comparison?..."]Quran
11: 24[
Paradise has shade that never decreases or disappears, unlike that of
this worldly life which is dependant on the movement of the sun. But
how is the shade in Hell? It is a 'shade' of hot black smoke that
neither shades nor protects from any heat; rather, it only adds to it.
Also, the drink of the people of hell is water that is so hot that it
slashes the intestines and doesnot quench thirst in the least.
Ways to protect oneself against the heat of the Hellfire
Allaah gives us reminders so that we may take heed and consider. The
following are some means to protect oneself against the Hellfire:
Seeking refuge in Allaah from its heat:The Prophetdirected us to seek
refuge in Allaah as a means of protecting ourselves from the Hellfire.
Abu Hurayrahreported that the Messenger of Allaahsaid:"When any one of
you has completed his Tashahhud during prayer, he should seek refuge
in Allaah from four things, saying:"Allaahumma inni a`oothubika min
`athaabi jahannam, wa min `athaabil-qabr, wa min fitnatil-mahya
wal-mamaat, wa min sharri fitnatil-maseehid-dajjaal )i.e., 'O Allaah!
I seek refuge in You from the torment of Hell, from the torment of the
grave,from the trials of life and death, and from the mischief of
Al-Maseeh Ad-Dajjaal )i.e., the Antichrist('."]Muslim[
Fasting:Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudrireported: "The Prophetsaid:"He who
observes fasting for a day in the Cause of Allaah, Allaah will
distance his face from the Hellfire for a distance equivalent to
seventy years of travel, as a reward for fasting that
day."]An-Nasaa'i[ Due to this narration, Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudriwould
select the hottest and longest days for fasting in.
Jihaad )i.e. fighting, struggle( for the sake of Allaah:This is one of
the greatest means with which one can protect himself from the heat of
Hellfire, even if it entails fighting on the hottest of summer days.
The summer heat is what made the hypocrites refrain from Jihaad, as
Allaah Says )what means(:"…And they]i.e., the hypocrites[ said: 'Do
not go forth in the heat ]i.e. for Jihaad[.'…"]Quran 9: 81[ Allaah
responded to this at the end of thevery same verse, Saying )what
means(:"Say: 'The fire of Hell is more intense in heat.'…"]Quran 9:
81[ Jihaad is the act of worship that enables the slave to attain the
highest rewards; it is thus a protection from Hellfire and its heat.
Spending in charity:Charity is another means by which the slave can
protect himself from the heat of the Hellfire. `Adiyy bin
Haatimreported: "I heard the Prophetsaying:"Protect yourself from the
)Hell( Fire, even )if( by giving half a date)in charity(."]Al-Bukhaari
& Muslim[ We ask Allaah to protect us all from the Hellfire.
Fever is a reminder of the Hellfire
One of the things that remind a person of the heat of Hellfire is
beingstruck by fever. The Prophetinformed usthat its heat is from the
vehemence of the Hellfire. `Aa'ishahnarrated that the
Prophetsaid:"Fever comes from the vehement raging of Hellfire, so cool
it with water."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
This is proof that there is a real connection between fever and the
Hellfire, and that fever is not merely caused by other physical
factors as some peoplebelieve, based on their limited view in how to
judge matters.
Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudrireported: "I enteredinto the presence of the
Prophetwhile he was sick and placed my hand upon him andcould feel the
heat of his body from above the blanket. I said: `O Prophet of Allaah!
You are afflicted with a very difficult fever.` Heresponded:"This is
how the case is with usProphets; we get multiples of the hardship and
thus receive multiples of reward."I asked: `O Prophet of Allaah!
Whoare the one's facing thetoughest hardships and trials?`
Heresponded:"Those who face the toughest trials and hardships are the
Prophets."I asked: `Then who?' Hereplied:"Then those who are the most
pious )after them(. Oneof them would be afflicted with poverty to the
point that he canfind only a single garment with which tocover
himself. Such a person would rejoice upon receiving a hardship just
like one of you rejoices at being eased of one.""]An-Nasaa'i[
Imaam Al-Bayhaqireported the following story about fever: "Once Abu
Bakrhad a very bad fever and `Aa'ishahconveyed the news to the
Prophetwho said:"O Allaah! Make Madeenah as beloved to us as Makkah
and even more so. Make its climate clear and bless our Saa' and Modd
)i.e. measures of weight forfood(, and move its fever to the area of
Juhfah"Allaah responded to the supplication of the Prophetand fever,
which was one of the famous diseases of Madeenah, shifted to the area
of Juhfah."
One should not curse fever, as it is man's share of Hell and is a
means by which Allaahexpiates sins. The Prophetforbade cursing it,
saying:"Do not curse it, as it expiates sins."
Incidentally, Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyimmentioned that fever is to be treated
by means of cold water for three consecutive days just before dawn,
and this is also a well known method of treatment in modern medicine.
Being wary of our odour during hot seasons
A Muslim must be heedful of his fellow Muslims and ensure that he does
not get a bad odour as a result of the summer heat. During the summer
it is likelier for a person to sweat and thus develop a very bad smell
if he fails to wash himself and change his clothes regularly.
'Ikrimahnarrated: "A group of people from Iraq came to Madeenah and
questioned Ibn 'Abbaas, saying: `O Ibn 'Abbaas! Do you rule the Ghusl
)i.e. ritual bath( on the day of Friday )before the sermon( as
mandatory?` Heresponded: `No, but it is purity and is)therefore(
better for the one who performs it. I will tell you how the
legislation of Ghuslcame about: The poor inhabitants of Madeenah would
wearwoollen clothes and toil very hard. The mosque was very smallwith
a low ceiling made of tree branches.One hot day, the Prophetcame out
while these people were sweating profusely due to the type of clothes
they were wearing and a very bad smell emanated from them, to the
extent that it offended others. When the Prophetsmelt this, he said:"O
people!On this day )i.e. Friday( you need to perform Ghusl and each of
you should use the best perfume he has."`"
Based on the above narration, some of the scholars ruled that
performing a Ghusl on the day of Friday )i.e. before the sermon( is
mandatory upon those who have a bad smell emanating from them,
otherwise they will be sinning. Others hold the opinion that it is
mandatory upon everybody who will attend the Friday prayer and sermon.

The congregational prayer

The virtues of the congregational prayer:
Performing the )obligatory( prayers in congregation is mandatory and
required of every believing adult male who has no excuse for not doing
so. Many authentic narrations highlight the superiority and excellence
of praying in congregation. Among these narrations are:
The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi was sallam, said: "Prayer in
congregation is superior to a prayer performed individually by
twenty-seven degrees."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The Prophetalso said:"The prayer of a man in congregation is
twenty-five times more superior )in reward( to his prayer in his house
or market - and this is because he performs ablution and perfects it
and goes to the mosque with the sole purpose of performing the prayer.
He does not take a step without being raised a degree and having one
ofhis sins erased. When he prays, aslong as he does not lose his
ablution, the angels keep on praying ]for him[ 'O Allaah, bless him. O
Allaah, have mercy upon him.' And he is considered in prayer as long
as he is waiting forthe prayer."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Abandoning the congregational prayer:
To know the status of praying with the congregation and how serious a
matter it is to abandon it, the Prophethardly exempted anyone from it.
Abu Hurayrahreported that a blind man said to the Prophet: "O
Messenger of Allaah, I have no guide to lead me to the mosque )to
attend the congregational prayer(." He askedthe Prophetfor permission
topray in his house and the Prophetpermitted him. Then, when he turned
to go, the Prophetcalled him and said: 'Do you hear the call to
prayer?'The blind man said 'yes.' The Prophetthen said: "Then respond
to it ]by coming to the mosque[!"]Muslim[
Moreover, the Prophetseverlywarned against abandoning it. Abu
Hurayrahalso reported that the Prophetsaid: "By Him in whose hand is
my soul! I have considered ordering a fire tobe kindled and then ask
someoneto lead the people in prayer. And then go to the men ]who did
not attend the prayer[ and burn their houses over them."]Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim[
This was clearly understood by the Companionsand their words reflected
it. 'Abdullaah IbnMas'oodsaid: "If anyone would like to meet Allaah
tomorrow as a Muslim, he shouldpersevere in observing these five
prayers )in congregation( whenever the call for them is made, for
Allaah has chosen for your Prophetthe way of rightguidance. And the
]five prayers in congregation[ are part of this right guidance. If you
were to pray them in your houses, as the one who stays behind in his
house, you would be leaving a 'Sunnah' of your Prophet. If you leave
the 'Sunnah' of your Prophetyou would go astray. Verily, I have seen a
time when no one abandoned them ]the congregational prayers[ except
for the hypocrites who were well known for their hypocrisy. A man
would be brought, supported by two people ]due to his weakness or
illness[ until he was placed in arow )in the congregation(."]Muslim[
The Prophetstressed on the importance of praying in a congregation
under all circumstances. In one narration, hesaid: "If there are three
men in a village or desert and prayer is not established among them,
then the devil takes mastery over them. So be with the congregation
since the wolf devours the remote )stray( sheep."]Abu Daawood[
What is considered a congregation?
The least number required for the congregational prayer is two:the
Imaam )leader( and another one with him. The more the people, the more
rewarding is the prayer by Allaah. The Prophetsaid: "A man's prayer
with another man is worth more than his prayer individually, and his
prayer with two men is worth more than his prayer with only one man.
The more there are, themore rewarding by Allaah."]Ahmad and Abu
Daawood[
The Prayer is better to be performed in the mosque. The farther mosque
is better than thenear. Concerning this, the Prophetsaid:"The people
attaining the most reward are those who have farthest to
walk."]Muslim, Ahmad and Abu Daawood[
Who should be the Imaam:
The congregational prayer is led by an Imaam. The Imaam should be
male, just, and well aware of Islamic jurisprudence. The Imaamstands
in front by himself while the followers stand behind him in straight
lines, all facing the Qiblah )the direction of Ka'bah(. The most
worthy of leading people in prayer is the one who isthe best in
memorizing and reciting the Quran. If they are equal, then the one who
has the deepest knowledge of Sunnah. If they still are equal in the
knowledge of Sunnah, then the oldest of the group. The Messenger of
Allaahsaid:"Themost versed in recitation of the Book of Allaah leads
the people inthe prayer. If they are equal, thenthe one most aware of
the Sunnah. If they all are equal, the one who emigrated earlier. If
they all are equal, then the oldestof them."]Muslim[
Women attending the congregational prayer:
Concerning women, it is better and more rewarding for them to pray in
their houses than to attend the congregational prayers. However, they
may attend the congregational prayer in the mosque provided it will be
secure from any temptation by their attendance. Also, they should
avoid wearing or using any attractive or tempting adornment or
perfume, and refrain from intermingling with men, as the Prophetsaid:
"Donot prevent the female slaves of Allaah )i.e. women( from the
mosques of Allaah. They should go without wearing perfume. If one
wears perfume, it is not lawful for her to attend the prayer in
congregation in the mosque."]Ahmad and Abu Daawood[
Women leading the congregational prayer:
It is forbidden for a woman to lead a man in prayer. If a woman leads
a man in prayer, his prayer is void and he has to make it up. This is
a matter which is agreed upon among the jurists as we have clarified
in the following fatwa 89729.

Eid ul-Fitr (Article)

O Ummatul Muslimeen! The celebration of Eid ul-Fitr culminates a month
of fasting wherein the faithful have spent their time praying and
beseeching Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala for forgiveness and
mercy.For many, the most glorious month of Ramadan was not just an
abstention from food and drink. Rather,it was an exercise in patience
and discipline. Eid-ul-Fitr is the celebration for those who fasted
and obeyed Almighty Allah's rules and teachings. It is for those who
spent the most wonderful and month of caring and sharing, the month
of patience and the month of of constant Ibadah in complete devotion
to Almighty Allah Rabbul Ala'meen. Eid is a time when the entire
Muslim community comes together to share in each others joys and
blessings and also to lessen the burden of those who are suffering.
It is preceded by people shopping and looking around for gifts for
their near anddear ones. It is a time when the bright lights from
homes and shops illuminates our life. Weuse this day and the following
days to spread happiness and social harmony by visiting our friends
and relatives and offering our Duahs to all those who have departed
from the Doonya. Gifts are exchanged during Eid by young and old
alike. We also visit the elderly and the sick. Eid is a time where all
kinds or festivities prevail. Many of us gormandize to make up for
"lost food" during the month of Ramadan.
However, with all the going around we sometimes forget our lesser
privileged brethren. We forget that there are many out there who have
nothing to celebrate. There are those among our brothers and sisters
forwhom Eid day is just another ordinary day. There are those who open
their cupboards on Eid day and find them bare. There are those in
hospitals whowill go through a bleak and lonely day with no one
visiting them. Friendless, deprived of company, they will have no one
to offer solace or comfort. Let us therefore see to it that our
deprived brethren welcome the day of Eid-ul-Fitr with warmthand hope.
This, after all, is a day of caring and sharing and bringing joy and
happiness to those who are less fortunate.This is the essence and
message of this most wonderful day of reward.
O People of Imaan! As we buy gifts and clothes for our children, let
us earmark a special sum for those who cannot afford to buy. We should
also instill in our children a sense of compassion so that when they
buy something they will also think of their unfortunate brethren. Let
us teach them the art of giving, the art ofcaring and sharing. The
desire of wishing for others what we would wish for ourselves. We
should let them know that there are millions of children in war torn
areas of Iraq, Lebanon,Afghanistan, Palestine, Kashmir, Chechnya,
Bosnia, Kosova, the Philippines and the Caucasus region, the poor and
downtrodden areas of Africa, Asia and South America, and even in the
forgotten ghettos of Europe and North America who do not have the
basic necessities to make this day a different day- a day of joy and
happiness, a day of rejoicing and thanksgiving.
Ayyuhal Muslimoon! This is a day for praying and remembering our
unfortunate brothers and sisters who are victims of drought, famine
and other natural disasters as well as those who had survived the
devastating earthquake in Pakistanand Kashmir and the recent floods in
parts of Africa and Bangladesh. They needour urgent help and astrue
Muslims we must do whatever is necessary to assist them in rebuilding
their lives. We cannot divest ourselves from the misery of others. We
cannot shrug it off saying that it does not concern us. To do this
would be an injustice to humanity and to ourImaan. The Most Holy and
Glorious Quran reminds us in verse 8 of Surah Al Ma'idah:
"Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah for
Allah is well acquainted with all that you do."
Many of us donate money to charity and fulfill our religious duty.
However, if we actually meet the recipients of our charity the
perception of charity changes. There is a feeling of belonging when
the recipients and givers meet. Islamic ideology teaches us to be kind
and compassionate. Our Beloved Nabee Muhammad SallallahooAlayhi
Wasallam said:"I and the provider of the orphan will be together."
And what greater prize is there for anyone of us than to be around our
beloved Nabee - Rahmatul Liel Ala'meenSallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam? All
we need for that is Muhabbat, compassion, sincerity and a feeling of
brotherhood and understanding. And that will decide the quality of our
life on earth and the hereafter.
From the first moment that the light of Allah-wariness shines into the
heart of a human being possessing faith,he or she becomes conscious of
its worth and significance. Humility, modesty and kindness are proper
only before Almighty Allah, Who created all the existents and the
world of being with His Will, and human beings are His real servants.
Basically, humility in front of theMost Exalted Creator of the heavens
and the earth is itself the greatest source of human honour and
dignity.
As Muslims we must remember that the vital force that lies within a
pious person keeps him or her aware of the realities of life and he or
she never gets swallowed up by the deep and shoreless sea of mundane
things for the sake of enjoying life. That is because our intellect
and souls are infused with the Truths of the Din of Haqq and we view
everything in the perspective of an Islamic world view. Islam attaches
so muchvalue to the affairs of the faithful that their station of
honour is mentioned along with the Majesty of AlmightyAllah Subhanahu
Wata'ala and His Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam in [part
of] verse 8 of Surah Al Munafiqun:
"But honour belongs to Allah and His
Messenger and to the Believers."
O Ummatul Muslimeen!May Almighty Allah Most Merciful grant us all the
good fortune to revive the Islamic values in our midst andto cherish
them with all our heart: to bow and bend only before Him and to fear
no onebesides Him, and be loyal to His Din, and proud of His Message!
We beseech Him from the depths of our hearts to confer this great
wealth upon us for He is indeed, Able to do all things. This is the
humble Message ofEid to you, the believers of the Din of Haqq. Cure
the ills of the world with the panacea you possess. The world will
then know that this radical cure is possible only with the elixir
still preserved in its pristine purity by the Ummah of Almighty
Allah's Beloved - NabeeMuhammed al-Mustapha Sallallahoo Alayhi
Wasallam. This is the essence and message of Eid-ul-Fitr - the day the
Mala'eeka in heaven call it the Day of Youm-ul-Ja'iza - the day of
Great Reward.
And Almighty Allah knows best.
Baarak Allaahu Feekumwa-sal Allaahu wa-Sallam 'alaa
Nabiyyinaa Muhammad SallallahooAlayhi Wasallam.
Was Salamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu.

Eid-ul-Fitr

Living in the 21st century it is not surprising that so many religions
and ideologies exist in the world today. Even though there are so many
religions, each is distinguished by its own customs, traditions and
celebrations. For example, the Christians celebrate Christmas and the
Jews celebrate Hanukah. And while the Hindus celebrate Divali, the
Chinese celebrate the Chinese New Year. However, it is very strange
that none of these celebrations, traditions, and customs are supported
by any authentic source that exists in their ideologies and/or
religions.
Crusading through the history of time, we have realized that the
advent of Islam has played a magnificent and important role on
millions of lives. Even though the history of Islam is enriched with
great events and glorious moments, us Muslims only celebrate twice a
year. Why?
It has been reported by Hazrat Anas (ra): "When the Prophet of Allah
(saw) came to Madinah he noticed that the people used to celebrate two
days. He asked them:'Why do you celebrate these two days?'They
replied: 'We have been celebrating these two days since the days of
ignorance.' Thereafter the Prophet of Allah (saw) respondedto them,
saying: 'Allah (swt) has changed these two days with two better days,
'Eid-ul-Adha and 'Eid-ul-Fitr,'" (Targheeb wa tarheeb)
THE NIGHT PRECEDING 'EID-UL-FITR
Even though this night has been named Lailatul Jaiza (the night of
reward), it is unfortunate that us Muslims do not take advantage
ofsuch an opputunity to gain reward and blessings. Rather, at times we
get so engaged in renting cars, shopping for nice clothes, applying
henna etc., that we become negligent of the commands of Allah (swt).
The scholars have stated that Allah (swt) rewards His fasting slaves
on this very night, by accepting one's du'as. Thus a person's
everywish and prayer will be granted. Therefore one should perform
nafl, recite Qur'an and perform zikr on this night. The Holy Prophet
(saw) is also reported to have said:"Whoever stands up (inworship) in
the night preceding the two eids expecting reward form Allah, his
heart will not die when other hearts will die,"(Ibn Majah). In order
to benefit and gain blessings from this night one should strive to
perform a great number of good deeds on this sacred occasion.
ON THE DAY OF 'EID-UL-FITR
To perform the following on the day of 'Eid are Sunnah:
1.To wake up early.
2.To useMiswak.
3.To take a shower.
4.To put on one's best clothes.
5.To use'Itr(Scent).
6.To eat something sweet, preferably dates before the 'Eidprayer.
7.To reciteTakbir-ut-Tashriq(Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La Ilaha
Illallahu, Wallahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar wa lillahilhamd) in a loud
voice while going to the 'Eid prayer.
8.To proceed to the 'Eid prayer one way and to return home from another way.
THE FASTING OF SIX DAYS IN THE MONTH OF SHAWWAL.
The Prophet (saw) said,"Whoevercompletes the fast of Ramadan and then
fasts an additional six days in the month of Shawwal, he will be
entitled to a reward just as if he had fasted throughout the entire
year,"(Muslim).
The scholars of Islam, commentating on this tradition have stated,
that every good deed is multiplied by ten. The Holy Qur`an
states:"Whoever performs a good deed, shall have ten times the like
thereof to his credit."(Surah An'am, verse 160).Therefore the reward
for fasting during the month of Ramadan (for thirty days) amounts, or
is equal to the fasting of 300 days. If the fast of Ramadan is
followedby six additional fasts in the month of Shawwal (the month
following Ramadan) A person willbe entitled to a reward just as if he
fasted 360 days - an entire year (300 for Ramadan, 60 for the six
fasts of Shawwal). Nevertheless we should try to usethis opportunity
in acquiring such a magnificent reward.
Eid Mubarak

Eid al-Fitr - Understanding Islam

There are two major holidays in the Islamic calendar. The first is
calledEid al-Fitr, or the Festival of Fast-Breaking. This celebration
marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and falls on the first
day of Shawwal, the month directly after Ramadan.
In preparation for this holiday, Muslims give money in charity so that
every family can enjoy the festivities and have a good meal. On the
early morning of the holiday, Muslims gather in a local mosque or
outdoor spacefor the special Eid prayers (salaat-l-'Eid). Every man,
woman, and child is welcome to attend this community prayer, which is
preceded by a sermon. Following a short prayer, worshipers greet each
other and begin several days of family visits.
The festivities of the holiday traditionally last for three days.
During this time, Muslims try to spend time with family and friends,
visit the sick and elderly, and offer games and gifts to the children.
Muslims thus celebrate the completion of another fasting month, seek
blessings and forgiveness, and look forward to the opportunity to fast
againthe following year.
The two Islamic "Eid" holidays are a joyful occasion for Muslims.
Non-Muslim friends and family are usually welcome to join in the
celebration, and small gifts or kind words are appropriate. The most
common phrase of greeting at this time isEid Mubarak!(Happy Eid!).

Dought & clear - Refutation of those who say that women should not pray Eid in the mosque

Why Women are not allowed for EID's Namaz in Masjid?
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever says that women should not pray Eid in the mosque shouldnote
that the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded
women to go out to the Eid prayers. It was narrated that Umm 'Atiyyah
said: "We were commanded to go out on the day of Eid, even to bring
out the virgins from their seclusion and the menstruating women, who
would be behind the people, joining in their takbeer and du'aa's,
sharing the blessings of this day."(Narrated by al-Bukhaari,
al-Jumu'ah, 918)
But if a woman is menstruating she shouldkeep away from the prayer
place and not enter it, but she should witness the good and the du'aa'
of the Muslims, and listen to the khutbah from outside the prayer
place.A woman should avoid wearing adornments and go out wearing old
clothes which do not form any kind of adornment in themselves, so that
she will not be a source of temptation to men. She should not go out
wearing perfume. 'Abd-Allaah ibn al-Mubaarak said, "If a woman insists
on going out, then her husband should give her permission to go out
wearing old clothes and not wearing adornments. If she insists on that
then the husband has the right toprevent her from going out." And
Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear - Will every Muslim enterParadise, even if he was a hypocrite or did not pray or committed shirk?

Will all the Muslims, including the hypocrites, those who did not pray
and those who committed shirk, enter Paradise after spending some time
in Hell?
Praise be to Allah.
We should understandproperly the general principle concerning this
matter, the matter of entering Paradise and spending eternity in Hell.
It is a simple matter that is explained in a brief hadeeth that was
narrated by Muslim in hisSaheeh(135) from Jaabir (may Allah be pleased
with him) who said: A man cameto the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the two
deeds that make entering Paradise or Hell inevitable?
He said: "Whoever dies not associating anything with Allah will enter
Paradise, and whoever dies associating anything with Allah will enter
Hell."
An-Nawawi said: Withregard to the words, "What are the two deeds that
make entering Paradise or Hell inevitable?" what is meant are the
characteristic that makes Paradise inevitable and the characteristic
that makes Hell inevitable. End quote.
This hadeeth explains that what makes it inevitable that a person will
enter Paradise is if he dies believing in Tawheed, and what makes it
inevitable that a person will spend eternity in Hell is if he dies
believing in shirk.
This is a definitive principle that is well-known and well established
in the religion of Islam. There are mutawaatir texts which confirm and
affirm it. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation ofthe
meaning):
"Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with him in
worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He
pleases, andwhoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has
indeed invented a tremendous sin"
[an-Nisa' 4:48].
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained, in
the hadeeth about intercession, the situation of the sinners in Hell,
and he explained that no one will be brought out of Hell except those
who died believing in Tawheed and uttered the Shahaadah (testimony of
faith), and had in their hearts something of faith: "There will be
brought out of the Fireanyone who said,Laa ilaaha ill-Allah(there is
no god but Allah) and had in his heart goodness equal to the weight of
a grain of barley. Then there willbe brought out of the Fire anyone
who saidLaa ilaaha ill-Allah(there is no god but Allah) and had in his
heart goodness equal to the weight of a grain of wheat. Then there
will be brought out of the Fire anyone who saidLaa ilaaha
ill-Allah(there is no god but Allah) and hadin his heart goodness
equal to the weight of a small ant."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6861; Muslim, 285.
Based on that, we can find out the situation of those mentioned in the question.
1.
If a person fell into major shirk, whether he was originally a mushrik
like the Jews, Christians, Buddhists and other types of disbelievers,
or he was a Muslim then he apostatised from Islam by falling into
major shirk – as mentioned in the question – then his claim to belong
to Islam or his having a Muslim name will be of no benefit to him, and
neither will any good deeds that he did and so on, if he fellinto
major shirk and died in that state without having repented. Allah, may
He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed it has been revealed to you (O Muhammad SAW), as it was to
those (Allahs Messengers) before you: 'If you joinothers in worship
with Allah, (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain, and you
will certainly be among the losers.'
Nay! But worship Allah (Alone and none else), and be among the grateful"
[az-Zumar 39:65-66].
2.
The one who does not pray at all, either in his house or in the
mosque, and does not attend Jumu'ah or prayers in congregation, has
alsorendered his good deeds invalid and has falling into kufr by
notpraying at all. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "The covenant that stands between us and them
– i.e., the characteristic that separates the Muslimsfrom the
disbelievers – is the prayer. Whoever does not pray has disbelieved."
Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 2545; an-Nasaa'i, 459. classed as saheeh by al-Albaani.
For more information on the kufr of the one who does not pray, see the
answer to question no. 5208
3.
With regard to the hypocrites, if what is meant is the people ofmajor
hypocrisy, namely those who make a show of being believers in this
worldwhen they are concealing kufr in their hearts and hiding it from
the people, they will be in a worse position than the kuffaar and
mushrikeen. Hence their fate will be in the lowest levels of Hell, as
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths (grade) of the
Fire; no helper will you find for them"
[an-Nisa' 4:145].
4.
But if what you meant by hypocrites is those who fall into some acts
of hypocrisy, such as lying or betraying atrust or breaking a promise;
or he fell into some kind of minor shirk, such as showing off or
swearing by something other than Allah; or who fell into some major or
minor sin – such a person does not become a kaafir just by doing that
thing. It does not put him beyond the pale of Islam and he will not
spend eternityin Hell because of it, if he dies believing in Tawheed.
Rather his case is up to Allah: if He wills He will punishhim for his
sin, then admit him toParadisebecause of his belief in Tawheed, or He
willbestow His grace upon him from the outset and admit him
intoParadise and forgive him for the sins that he committed.
Al-Bukhaari (6933) and Muslim (1659) narrated that Abu Dharr said: The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Jibreel appeared to me at the side of the harrah and said: 'Give your
ummah the glad tidings that whoever dies not associating anything with
Allah will enter Paradise.' I said: 'O Jibreel, even if he steals and
even if commits zina?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Evenif he steals and
even if commits zina?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Evenif he steals and
even if he commits zina?' He said: 'Yes, and even if he drinks
alcohol.'"
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - They are living in the west and do not know about any poor people –can they send their zakaat al-fitr to another country?

We are Saudis living in Europe and we do not know about any poor
people here. We have found a person who is trustworthy – in sha Allaah
– who said, "Give me the money and I will buy rice with some of it and
give it to the poor and I will give some of itto them in cash. His
argument is that there are more then 500 of us and it will be too
difficult for him to buy such a large amount as it will be too
difficult to carry it, and because thepoor may not want anything but
money because they can make more use of it than they can of rice.
Should we give him the money or should we delegate our brothers in
Saudi to give it on our behalf?.
Praise be to Allaah.The majority of scholars (including Maalik,
al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad) are of the view that it is not permissible to
give zakaat al-fitr in the form of cash, rather it must begiven in the
form of food, as was enjoined bythe Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). Al-Bukhaari (1504) and Muslim (984)
narrated from Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
enjoined zakaat al-fitr, one saa' ofdates or a saa' of barley, for
everyone, free or slave, male or female, of the Muslims.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Manyof
the poor nowadays say that they prefer to receive zakaat al-fitr in
the form of cash instead of food, because it is more useful to them.
Is itpermissible to give zakaat al-fitr in the form of cash?
He replied:
What we think is that it is not permissible to givezakaat al-fitr in
the form of cash under any circumstances, rather it must be given in
the form of food. If the poor man wants to sell the food and make use
of itsprice, he may do so, but the one who is giving this zakaah has
to give itin the form of food. It does not matter if it is the kinds
of food that were known at the time of the Messenger of Allaah(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or is a kind offood that is known
nowadays. Rice nowadays may be more beneficial than wheat, because
with rice one does not need to go to the effort of grinding it and
making dough, and so on. The purpose is to benefit the poor. It was
narrated inSaheeh al-Bukhaarithat Abu Sa'eed (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: At the time of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) we used to give (as zakaat al-fitr) a
saa' of foodstuff, and our food at that time was dates, barley,
raisins and dried yogurt. So if a person gives it in the form of food,
he should choose afood that will most beneficial to the poor; this
will vary from one time and place to another.
With regard to giving it in the form of cash, clothing, furnishings or
tools, this is not sufficient and does not discharge the obligation,
because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours will
have it rejected."
End quote.Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 18/question no. 191.
Based on this, if this person is trustworthy then you can stipulate
that he has to give it all in the form of food. If hedoes not accept
that, then you should give whatever you can to the poor of the land in
which you are staying. Then there is nothing wrong with sending the
rest of the zakaah to another country. It is notessential for it to be
sentto your country of origin, rather if you sendit to wherever the
need and poverty is greatest, or to relatives, that will be better.
In the answer to question no. 43146we stated that there is nothing
wrong with sending zakaah to another country when there is a need,
such as sending it to a land where there are relatives of the donor,
orto a land where the need is greater.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked: Can a person living in the west give
zakaat al-fitr on behalf of his family, knowing that they have given
it on behalf of themselves?
He replied: zakaat al-fitr – which is a saa' of food such as rice,
wheat, dates or other foodstuffs, is something which each person
should give on behalf of himself, as is the case with other obligatory
duties, because Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
enjoined sadaqat al-fitr upon the Muslims, free and slave, male and
female, young and old, and he enjoined that it be given before the
people go out to the prayer.
If the members of a household have given it on behalf of themselves,
there is no need for a man who is away from his family to give it on
their behalf. Rather he should give it on behalf of himself only, in
the place where he is staying, if there are Muslims there who are
entitled to this charity. Ifthere is no one there who is entitled to
it, then he should delegate his family to give it on his behalf in his
homeland. And Allaah is the Source of strength.
End quote.Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 18/question no. 771
He was also asked: What is the ruling on sending zakaat al-fitr to
distant countries on the grounds that there are many poor people
there?
He replied:
There is nothing wrong with sending zakaat al-fitr to another
countryon the grounds that there are no poor people in one's own
country. But if that is done even though there are poor people who
need it in one's own country, then it is not permissible.
End quote.Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 18/question no. 102
There follows a fatwa from the scholars of the Standing Committee
which deals wwith thesematters and more:
The amount of zakaat al-fitr is one saa' of dates, barley, raisins,
dried yogurt or other foodstuff, and it should be given on the night
before Eid, until before the Eid prayer. It is also permissible to
give it two or three days in advance. It should be given to the poor
Muslims in the land where it is given, but it is permissible to send
it to the poor in another land if the need is greater. It is
permissible for the imam of the mosque and other trustworthy people to
collect it and distribute itto the poor, so long as they make sure it
reaches them before the Eid prayer. It is not connected to inflation,
rather the amount is set in sharee'ah as one saa'. Whoever does not
have anything but food for the day of Eid for himselfand for those on
whom he is obliged to spend, does not have to give zakaat al-fitr. It
is not permissible to use it for building mosques or other charitable
projects.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 9/369, 370.
We have already quoted the fatwas of scholars which state that zakaat
al-fitr is obligatory, how much is to be given, thatit is not
permissible to give it in cash, and that it is permissible to send it
to countries where theneed is greater

Dought & clear - What should be done ifEid coincides with Friday

If Eid al-Fitr coincides with Friday, is it permissible for me to pray
the Eid prayer and not to pray Jumu'ah or vice versa?
Praise be to Allaah.
If the day of Eid coincides with Friday, then whoever prays Eid with
the imaam does nothave to attend Jumu'ah (it is not obligatory on
him); in his case it becomes Sunnah. If he does not pray Jumu'ah, he
has to pray Zuhr. This is in the case of people other than the imaam.
Asfor the imaam, he has to be present for Jumu'ah and lead those
Muslims who attend the prayer. The Jumu'ah prayer should not be
forsaken completely on this day.

Eid Mubarak! - Eid-ul-Fitr Celebration

Eid-ul-Fitr is a great day of festival for Muslims. It is a day of
rejoicing and being happy. But for whom? Is it the day of rejoicing
for those who simply put on new clothes and wear perfume? Or is it the
day of being happy for those who were eagerly waiting for the release
ofthe greatest enemy of mankind, Satan, from his captivity so that
they all revert to committing sins? Unfortunately, many Muslims
abstain from sins during the month of Ramadan, but come Eid-ul-Fitr,
they go back to what they were before! Cassettes of prayers, which
were in their cars during the holymonth of Ramadan, are thrown back
into their cases and replaced with those, which are unlawful, by
Shari'ah. The forbidden places from which they had abstained for month
long, are infact the same places they go to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr.
Just as, when a person goes to a college, or a university and at the
completion of his course, he receives his award marking his
achievement, we must understand that, the holymonth of Ramadan is a
spiritual university where we are being trained to achieve Taqwai.e.
piety. The day of Eid-ul-Fitr is when Allah (SWT) is awarding us for
our achievements.
On the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, Hazrat Ali (A.S.) delivered a sermon in
which he said: "O people! Verily this day of yours is the day when the
righteous are awarded and the wretched are losers. It is a day which
is similar to the one on which you shall be standing (before your
Lord). Therefore, when you come out of your homes to go to places of
your prayer, remind yourselves about the day when you (your souls)
shall come out of your bodies to go to yourLord. When you stand on
places of your prayer, remind yourselves of your standing in presence
of your Lord (on the day of Judgement). And when you return to your
homes(after prayer), remind yourselves about your returning to your
homes in Paradise. O Servants ofAllah! Verily the minimumreward for
those men and women who fasted (during Ramadan), is an Angel, who
calls out to them on the last day of the month of Ramadan (saying): O
SERVANTS OF ALLAH! REJOICE THE GLAD TIDING THAT ALL YOUR PREVIOUS SINS
HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN. Therefore, watch out in those thingswhich serve as
your re-creation (on this day and days to follow)." ( Nahjul Balagha)

Eid Mubarak! - Eid-ul-Fitr Prayers (Eid Al-Fitr Namaz)

It is considered by tradition to be an obligatory [Wajib - prayer,
though technically it is an optional prayer with the injunction that
it is preferable to offer even if optional (Sunnat-e-Muakkadah)]. This
prayer is Sunnat during the period of occultation of the Imam-e-Zamana
(a.s.).
Ghusl (Purification Bath) on Eid day is sunnat, which should
preferably be taken under a shelter and not under the open sky.
Before offering Eid prayers it is recommended to have a breakfast of
dates. The specified time of Eid prayer is between sunrise and the
sun's initial decline (Zawal). If this prayer happens to bemissed it
cannot be offered late as 'Qaza'. Women are exempted from this prayer.
The Prayer of Eid-ul-Fitr can be performed individually if one has
missed the Jama'at.
It is 'Mustahab' (recommended) to offer Eid prayers with two Kutbas.
Takbir before Namaz-e-Eid: "Allaaho Akbar, Allaaho Akbar, Laa Ilaaha
Illallaah Wallaaho Akbar, Allaaho Akbar, Wa lillaahil Hamd.
Alhamdulillah Alaa Maa Hadaanaa Walahu Shukr Alaa Maa Aulana."
The meaning of the above is: Allah is Greatest,Allah is Greatest there
is no one worthy of prayer but Allah, and Allah is Greatest; Allah is
Greatest,and all Praise is for Allah. All Praise is for Allah, for
that which He has guides us and for Him is thanks for what He has."
This prayer consists of two Rakats. Niyyat (Intention) should be in
these words: "I resolve tooffer two Rakats Namaz-e-Eid, Sunnat
Qurbatan Ellallah". This should be followed by "Takbir"
(Allah-Ho-Akber). In the first Rakat after Sura 'Al-Hamd', recite
Sura 'Ala' or The Most High. Then five times Dua-e-Qunoot, followed
by Ruku and then Sajda. Then up again for the second Rakat. In the
second Rakat after Sura 'Al-Hamd'recite Sura 'Shams' or The Sunand
four times 'Dua-e-Qunoot'. After this the namaz should be completed
like the Morning Prayer.

Eid Mubarak! - Eid-ul-Fitr/Eid Prayers

Eid-ul-Fitr (Id al-Fitr) is linked with the Holy month of Ramadan. It
signifies the end of the month of fasting (the first day of the month
of Shawwal).
Eid-ul-Fitr is a unique festival. It has no connection with any
historical event nor is it related to the changes of seasons or cycles
of agriculture. It is not a festival related in any way to worldly
affairs.
Its significance is purely spiritual. It is the day when the Muslims
thank Allah (SWT) for having given them the will, the strength and the
endurance to observe fast and obey His commandment during the holy
month of Ramadan.
This day, in Muslim world, brings rejoicing and happiness. The
rejoicing is not, however,at the departure of the month of Ramadan; it
is the happiness which manfeels after successfully completing an
important task.
It is celebrated for three days in a holiday called Eid-ul-Fitr (the
Feast of Fast Breaking). Gifts are exchanged. Friends and family
gather to pray in congregation.
The feast of Fitr is God's reward for those who fast during the holy
month of Ramadan. In this month, man should try to add to his true
knowledge of God, do acts of charity for the needy, renew his beliefs
towards his Lord and thiswill be a real Bairam Feast (Turkish word
meaning festival) for him. The prayers of the day of Bairam a reason
of unity and solidarity of Muslims all over the world. On this day do
honor God for His endlessand all-enhancing mercy.
In view of the great significance attached to this day of Eid,
numeroustraditions consisting of prayers and worship of God on this
day, have been quoted from Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)and his Ahlul
Bayt.
Taking a solemn bath (Ghusl) on the night preceding Ramadan Eid is
highly recommended (Sunnat). This is a night of great sanctity and
profound virtues, and should be preferably spent in worship and prayer
to Allah (SWT).
Imam Zainul Abedin (A.S.)used to spend this wholenight in devotion,
and has said: "This night is as important as that of
Shab-e-Qadr/Laylatul Qadr" (that is to say, the odd night towards the
latter part of Ramadan when the Holy Qur'anwasfirst revealed to our
Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw)).
It is quoted from Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) that "one who offers six
Rakat prayers on this night reciting in each Rakat Sura 'Al-Hamd'once
and Sura 'Qul Huwallah'five times Allah(SWT) will pardon his sins".
Haris Aawar narrates that Hazrat Ali (A.S.), on this night, after
Maghrib prayers, used to offer two Rakats prayers. In the first one he
used to recite Sure 'Al-Hamd' once and Sura 'Qul Huwallah' one hundred
times, and in the other both the Suras only once.After completion of
the prayers he would bow his head in prostration and recite "Atubo
Ellallah" 100 times and then would say, "I swear by one (God)! He has
the sole command over my life". Whoever will, in this way, offer two
Rakats prayers, the Beneficent will positively fulfill any wish begged
from Him. (Aamal- e-Shabe Eid-ul-Fitr)
The conception of Eid in Islam is not confined onlyto celebration
extravagance, luxurious feasts, friendly handshakes and embraces. The
Muslims should rather devote thisday to the worship of Allah (SWT) and
should beseech Him to approve their virtuous deeds and forgive their
sins. This is because the doors of God's pardon are kept open this day
and His Blessings are bountiful.