No Other Than Allah is Prayed To

By the verse revealed in the Qur'an, " O Prophet! Allah is enough
for you, and for the faithful who follow you. " (Surat al-Anfal,
64), believers know that Allah is the only One Whom to ask help. He
is the most superior, the most powerful and the One Who sees and
hears everything. Allah is the One Who is excluded from all
deficient features, and Who is the Owner of eternal power. All power
in the universe is in His hands. So help and forgiveness should be
asked for only and only from Allah, Whom everyone is need for and
Who Himself does not need anyone. In the Qur'an it is revealed that
it is wrong to pray to others than Allah and that Allah is the sole
authority of prayer:
" So do not call on any other god along with Allah or you will be
among those who will be punished. " (Surat ash-Shu'ara', 213)
Conclusion
Prayer is an example of Allah's mercy and compassion for His
servants. Believers can pray to Allah at every moment and under
every condition and they are peaceful that Allah will accept these
prayers in the best ways. In this way, they can tell their deepest
secrets and the most hidden desires to Allah, and live the
goodness, prosperity and beauty that comes from the knowledge that
Allah is the only friend , guide and helper. We can see the biggest
secret in Allah accepting prayers in the lives of prophets as we
have mentioned in some examples. There is a relation in praying and
carrying out the actions Allah commands. The physical effort shown
for Allah's good pleasure, mercy and Paradise is an act of worship as
important as prayer. Allah revealed in the Qur'an about the
importance of effort: " But as for anyone who desires the akhira, and
strives for it with the striving it deserves, being a believer, the
striving of such people will be gratefully acknowledged. " (Surat
al-Isra', 19)
Islamic scholar Imam Rabbani explained this matter with these words:
"Desiring something means attaining it; indeed, Almighty Allah does
not make His servant pray for something He will not
accept."Believers who know that their actions are also prayers not
only pray at moments of difficulty but at every moment by feeling
the existence and mightiness of Allah. They preserve this close
connection to Almighty Allah at every moment of their lives.

How Did Our Prophets Pray?

Praying is a way of submitting to Allah and all people need prayer.
The most erudite examples of this is that all Prophets pray to Allah
by submitting to Him in every matter as revealed in the Qur'an. In
the prayers of our Prophet (saas) and all other prophets, we see
both their submission to Allah, the fact that they see Allah as
their sole friend and helper and that they praise our Lord's glory
with His most beautiful names.
The Prayer of Our Prophet (saas)
In the prayers of our Prophet Mohammad (saas), the most beautiful
examples of citing Allah with His names are revealed. One of the
verses in which our Prophet (saas)'s prayers are mentioned is as
follows:
" Say, 'O Allah! Master of the Kingdom! You give sovereignty to
whoever You will You take sovereignty from whoever You will. You
exalt whoever You will You abase whoever You will. All good is in
Your hands. You have power over all things. " (Surah Al 'Imran, 26)
In the narrations, it is noted that our Prophet (saas) prayed to our
Lord to give him a good morality and good nature.
"O Allah! Enhance goodness and ethics! O Divine! Remove from me bad
morals! . " (Tirmidhi, Imam Ahmad and Haqim; Hujjat al-Islam Imam
Gadhali, Ihyau Ulum id-din, volume 2, Translation: Dr. Sitki Gulle,
Huzur Publishing, Istanbul 1998, p.789)
The Prayer of the Prophet Noah (pbuh)
The patience of the Prophet Noah (pbuh), who called his society to
the true religion for years with an exemplary determination, was
praised in the Qur'an. The Prophet Noah (pbuh) struggled against his
society that acted with enmity towards him and the believers who
were with him. The fact that the Prophet Noah (pbuh) turned to
Allah in every situation, and prayed by hoping for his help
sincerely is a great example for believers. In one verse, it is
revealed that Allah knew the condition the Prophet Noah (pbuh) was
in and that he prayed as follows:
" He called upon his Lord: 'I am overwhelmed, so help me!' " (Surat
al-Qamar, 10)
Allah accepted the Prophet Noah (pbuh)'s prayer and commanded him
to prepare for the Flood, which was going to take place in future.
The Prophet Noah (pbuh) began to build a massive ship by the
command of Allah, even though there was no sea or lake nearby. During
the construction of the ship, he was continuously subject to
spiritual pressure by his society. When the time came Allah's
promise was realized and the flood disaster took place.
The Prayer of the Prophet Jonah (pbuh)
In the Qur'an, it is revealed that this valuable prophet of ours
separated himself from his people, as they did not respond to his
calls. (Surat as-Saffat, 139–142) As it is revealed in the verses,
following this, there was a draw in the ship that the Prophet Jonah
(pbuh) was traveling on and as a result of the draw it was decided
that the Prophet Jonah (pbuh) was to be thrown into the sea. On top
of these events, the Prophet Jonah (pbuh) submitted to Allah and
prayed to Him. Allah revealed this event as such in the Qur'an:
" And Jonah when he left in anger and thought We would not punish
him. He called out in the pitch darkness: 'There is no god but You!
Glory be to You! Truly I have been one of the wrongdoers.' We
responded to him and rescued him from his grief. That is how We
rescue the belivers ." (Surat al-Anbiya', 87–88)
As it is revealed in the verses the Prophet Jonah (pbuh) confessed
his condition sincerely in his prayer. He prayed to Allah and
waited for His help. Our Lord, Who has infinite mercy, accepted the
Prophet Jonah (pbuh)'s redemption and saved him from the stomach of
the fish by accepting his prayer.
The Prayer of the Prophet Job (pbuh)
In the Qur'an, the Prophet Job (pbuh)'s patience was mentioned as an
example to believers. The Prophet Job (pbuh) who received
revelations from Allah and who was a selected servant (Surat
an-Nisa, 163) experienced serious trouble and went through a
difficult period. However, despite all of the heavy tribulations
he was in, he always set an example for believers with his patience
and submission to Allah. (Surah Sad, 44) The sincere prayer of this
holy prophet of ours was revealed in one verse as follows:
" And Job when he called out to his Lord, 'Great harm has afflicted
me and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful,' " (Surat
al-Anbiya', 83)
It is revealed in the Qur'an that Almighty Allah accepted the
prayer of the Prophet Job (pbuh) who was one of His sincere servants:
" We responded to him and removed from him the harm which was
afflicting him and restored his family to him, and the same again
with them, as a mercy direct from Us and a Reminder to all
worshippers. " (Surat al-Anbiya', 84)
Prayer, which is an important means to reach Almighty Allah, the
All-Knowing and the All-Hearing, Who is nearer to man than his
jugular vein (Surah Qaf, 16), is an act of worship believers carry
out in every occasion and condition. However, when believers do
this, as it is revealed in the verse " But you will not will unless
Allah wills ..." (Surat al-Insan, 30) they behave in a manner
conscious of the fact that everything is always under the control of
our Lord and that everything is realized by His will.
There is a Response to Sincere Prayers in Both the World and the Hereafter
Prayer leads the person towards what is going to happen in his
destiny; Allah is the One Who determines destiny and creates prayer.
However, the blessing that comes following a prayer contains
prosperity in this world and a good return in the Hereafter. A
person's whole life is a result of the active or verbal prayers
previously made, whether he realizes it or not. Active prayer is our
actions and efforts put forth on the subject of prayer by Allah's
leave. When this effort is not for the good pleasure of Allah –as
is the case with some people- it could still be a means for an
individual to reach his or her wishes, by Allah's leave. People who
do not have faith but carry out their active prayers with great
ambition, for example, those who work and earn a lot, becomes rich
or becomes expert about a subject and becomes famous, have reached
that degree through their active struggle by holding onto causes,
and again by Allah's leave. However, active prayers that are not
made for the good pleasure of Allah will bring no benefit to the
individual in the Hereafter even if a person reaches his or her
objectives from time to time in this world.

Power of Prayer

Prayer, which is an important connection with Almighty Allah, is
demanding in the sense that we demonstrate our weakness in front of
Almighty Allah. Our Lord reveals that prayer is an important act of
worship with the verse, " Say: 'What has My Lord to do with you if
you do not call on Him? ..." (Surat al-Furqan, 77)
Actually the need to form a connection with Allah exists in every
man's character, entailed in creation. However, while praying is
an inseparable part of their lives for believers, for some people it
is an act of worship to be remembered only when they face with
difficulties or life-threatening situations. However, this is a big
mistake because what is truly good is to ask for Almighty Allah's
help both in difficulty and ease and to take refuge in His mercy.
Being Determined in Prayer
Allah has made it possible for His servants to reach anything that
He sees as good and beautiful. However, being determined in the
prayer being made is just as important as the prayer itself.
Praying with patience is an indication of the need for the desires
prayed for, of the inconvenience about this matter and most
importantly an indication that one's closeness to Allah has
increased. Being determined in prayer makes the believer more mature
and bestows on him a strong will and character. A believer who
shows determination in prayer gets much in return by earning a deep
faith, which is more valuable than most of the things he asked for.
It is revealed in the Qur'an that one needs to be determined in
prayer as such:
" Seek help in steadfastness and prayer. But that is a very hard
thing, except for the humble:" (Surat al-Baqara, 45)
Our valuable Prophet (saas) has stated how much he needs Allah
sometimes by praying for years on and our Lord, the All-Merciful,
has given what he asked for at the best time. The fact that Allah
accepts every prayer, both open and hidden, is due to His
Mightiness and Grace. Allah never leaves any thought which crosses
one's mind without a return. However, "accepting a prayer" does not
mean something happening as it was asked for because sometimes a
person may be demanding something harmful to himself. Almighty Allah
reveals as such about this matter:
" Man prays for evil just as he prays for good. Man is prone to be
impetuous." (Surat al-Isra', 11)
Allah knows best what is good and what is bad for a person because
He is the One Who appreciates everything. As with His every work,
there are many wonders hidden in the way He accepts prayers. For
example, the Prophet Jacob (pbuh) rejoining his son the Prophet
Joseph (pbuh) after many long years, the Prophet Joseph (pbuh)
gaining power and rulership after staying in prison for a long time,
the Prophet Ayoob (pbuh) being saved from the pain caused by satan;
all of these occurred after showing great patience and continuous
prayers. Almighty Allah has accepted the prayers of these sincere
servants of His at the best time for them and has made them mature,
educated them, increased their loyalty and sincerity and turned
them into servants worthy of high degrees in Paradise.
How Does Allah Accept Prayer?
· When a believer prays, he knows that Allah hears him and
will always accept his prayer in any way. This is because he
realizes that events do not take place in a coincidental way, but
according to the destiny determined by Allah and in the way He
wills. Therefore, he has no doubt that he will not have any return
for his prayer. Praying with this sincere spirit causes great
goodness by Allah's leave. In one verse, it is revealed that our
Lord will always accept a prayer as a manifestation of His name
"Al-Mujib" (One Who accepts the demands of those who beg to Him).
" If My slaves ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the
caller when he calls on Me. They should therefore respond to Me
and believe in Me so that hopefully they will be rightly guided. "
(Surat al-Baqara, 186)
· The reason that something asked for in a prayer is given
with delay, or accepted in a completely different way, could also
be that our Lord tests His servants. Allah may grant His blessings
after certain periods of time in order to test the patience of His
servants and to make them mature according to a certain reason.
Due to this and similar reasons, it cannot be expected that every
prayer is realized as it is asked for and as soon as possible. As it
is stated by the great Islamic scholar Bediuzzaman, Allah may give
less of something asked for in prayer or sometimes more of it as a
reward or because of the reasons we mentioned above He may not
grant them at all. However, in every condition, Allah accepts the
prayer of the one who prays to Him.

Friday Prayer for Women: Obligatory?

Question:
Is it obligatory for women to go to Fridayprayer as it is for men?I've
always been taught that for men it is fard, and women can pray at home
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
From a previous post by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani:
There is scholarly consensus (ijma`) that:
a) the Friday prayer is not obligatory for women; and
b) if a woman performs the Friday prayer, it is valid. [Nawawi,
al-Majmu`, 4.350, quoting Ibn al-Mundhir and others]
Imam Sarakhsi explains in his Mabsut that there is a difference between:
a) conditions of obligation (i.e. those conditions that make an action
obligatory to perform); and
b) conditions of validity (i.e. those conditions thatmake an action
valid, if fulfilled). [Sarakhsi, al-Mabsut, 2.23]
The reason why it is not obligatory for women to perform the Friday
prayer is because of the hardship and possible harm entailed in them
doing so�especially in the case of mothers and others. However, if a
woman goes ahead and attends the Friday prayer, it counts because she
bore the hardship entailed. [Sarakhsi, al-Mabsut; Nawawi, al-Majmu`]
Imam Nawawi mentions that it has been established by a large body of
authentic hadiths that women usedto pray behind the Prophet (Allah
bless him and give him peace) at his mosque, and women�s interaction
with men is not haram when there isn�t seclusion (or any other harm)
entailed. [Nawawi,al-Majmu`, 3.350]
And Allah alone gives success.
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, - If someone's menstrual period begins during their travel, should one pray regularly or as a tr

Question:
If someone's menstrual period begins during their travel, should one
prayregularly or as a traveller after it ends?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
May Allah's peace and blessings be upon His Messenger Muhammad, his
folk, companions, andfollowers
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
Being considered a traveller is not contingent to one's menstrual
cycle. Thus, when one's period ends and one is a traveller, one prays
as a traveller does.
And Allah alone gives success.

Q & A on menstruation and post-partum bleeding –II

Question:A woman had blood beginning to flow )i.e., her menses( while
she was in the Mosque of the Prophet. She stayed in the mosque for a
short while, until her husband had finished his prayer, so that she
could leave with him. Did she commit a sin?
Q & A on menstruation and post-partum bleeding –I
Response:If she was not able to depart from the mosque by herself,
then there is no harm in what she did. However, if she was able to
leave by herself, then it was obligatory upon her to exit as quickly
as possible. This is because the menstruating woman, the woman who has
post-partum bleeding and a sexually defiled person are not allowed to
sit in the mosques. This is based onAllaah's statement which forbids
certain categoriesof people from approaching the places of prayer, one
of which is)what means(:"…Nor while sexually defiled, except when
travelling on a road…"]Quran 4: 43[)1(
It is also narrated from the Prophetthat he said:"Ido not permit the
menstruating woman or the sexually defiled person to enter the
mosque."]Abu Daawood[
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Footnotes
1. Note that the verse is in reference only to those who are sexually
defiled. Obviously, the differences between a menstruating woman and a
sexually defiled person are very great. Hence, one cannot make an
analogy between the two. Furthermore, there is also a difference of
opinion concerning whether this verse implies anyone who becomes
sexually defiled or only the travellers who become sexually defiled.
Question:Is it allowed for a menstruating woman to read a book of
supplications on the Day of 'Arafah )i.e., the ninth of Thul-Hijjah(,
given the fact that the book contains Quranic verses?
Response:There is no harm in a menstruating or post-partum bleeding
woman reading the books of supplications that are written for the
rites of the pilgrimage. Infact, there is nothing wrong with her even
reciting the Quran, according to the correct opinion, as there is no
authentic, clear text prohibiting a menstruating or post-partum
bleeding woman from reciting the Quran. The narration thatwe do have
is concerned with the sexually defiled person only, which confirms
that such a person should not recite the Quran while he/she issexually
defiled, and this was narrated by 'Ali. As for the menstruating or
post-partum bleeding woman, there is the Hadeeth that was narrated by
Ibn 'Umarwhich states: "Neither the menstruating womannor the sexually
defiled person is to recite anything from the Quran." ]Abu Daawood,
At-Tirmithi & Others[
However, this is weak. This is because it is from the narrations of
Ismaa'eel Ibn 'Ayyaash onthe authority of people from the Hijaaz
)westernArabia(, and he is weak when he narrates from them. However,
the menstruating or post-partum bleeding woman may recite from her
memory without touching the Quran. As for the sexually defiled person,
he/she may not even recite the Quran from memory or touch the Mus-haf
)a copy of the Quran( until he/she makes Ghusl )ritual bathing(. The
difference between the two is that the amount of time one is sexually
defiled for is very short, as he may make Ghusl as soon as he has done
the act with his spouse. The amount of time is not long, and he isin
control of its duration as he may make Ghusl whenever he wishes. Even
if he cannot find water, he can make Tayammum )dry ablution using
soil( and can then pray or recite the Quran. However, the menstruating
or post-partum bleeding woman does not have control over its duration,
such control is in the hand of Allaah. Menstruation and post-partum
bleeding last for days. Therefore, itis allowed for them to recite the
Quran so that they do not forget what they have memorised and so that
they will not lose the merits of recitingit. They may also learn the
laws of the Sharee'ah)Islamic Law( from the Book of Allaah. Therefore,
it follows that it is certainly permissible for her to read the books
of supplications that have verses and Hadeeth intermixed within them.
This is the correct opinion of the scholarson that point.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Question:Some women have miscarriages - sometimes the foetus comes out
fully formed while at others it is only partially formed. I would like
you to make clear the ruling for prayer in both of those situations.
Response:If a woman has a miscarriage and the foetus has distinctly
human features, such as a head, limbs and so forth, then her bleeding
is post-natal bleeding. She should, therefore, follow the rulings of
one who has post-natal bleeding. She should not pray or fast and her
husband cannot have sexual intercourse with her until the bleeding
stops, or she completes forty days. If the bleedingstops before the
fortieth day, she must make Ghusl, pray, and fast if it is Ramadan,
and her husband may have sexualintercourse with her )if she is not
fasting and it isnot Ramadan(.
There is no minimum length of time for post-natal bleeding. The
bleeding could stop after ten days, more or less, and she must then
make Ghusl, and all the laws of a ritually pure person willthen apply
to her. If she sees any blood after the fortieth day, it is considered
bleeding from illness. She would then fast and pray with that bleeding
and it is permissible for her husband to have sexual intercourse with
her. Shemust make ablution for the time of every prayer, like for the
Mustahaadhah,)1(as the Prophettold Faatimah bint Abu Hubaysh:"Make
ablution for )the time of( every prayer.")2(
If the blood that flows from her after the forty-day period coincides
with the time of her menses, then it takes on the ruling of menses. It
is forbidden for her to prayor fast until she becomes pure. It is also
forbidden for her husband to have intercourse with her.
However, if the miscarried foetus does not resemble a human being,
such as when it is simply a smooth lump of flesh or clot of blood,
then she takes the ruling of Istihaadhah and not that of post-partum
bleeding. She should pray, fast during Ramadan and may have
intercourse with her husband. She should make ablution for every
prayer while keeping herself clean from the blood by using a panty
liner or something similar, as she would for the Mustahaadhah, until
the bleeding stops.
She may also combine the Thuhr )noon( and 'Asr)afternoon( prayers
together and the Maghrib )sunset( and 'Ishaa' )night( prayers. She may
also make a Ghusl for the combined prayers and a separate Ghusl for
the Fajr prayer, based on the confirmed Hadeeth of Hamnah bint Jahsh.
This is because she is to be treated as a Mustahaadhah, according to
the people of knowledge.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Footnotes
1. The Mustahaaadhah is the woman with Istihaadhah. Istihaadhah is
either a prolonged flow of blood )called menorrhagia in English( or
bleeding outside of the menses)called metrorrhagia in English(. Many
hospitals and medical clinics in theUnited Stateshave pamphlets
stating what women should do in such cases. In some cases, especially
when the bleeding is prolonged, it may be symptoms of some other
disorder.
2. This translator was not able to find this Hadeeth with this exact
wording. The authentic narrations in Al-Bukhaari and Muslim simply
state that she is tomake ablution for every prayer.

Q & A on menstruation and post-partum bleeding –I

Using pills that prevent menstruation
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Question:There are pills that prevent menses or delay their
occurrence. Is it allowed for a woman to use such pills during the
time of Hajj )pilgrimage to Makkah( only out of fear of her menses
arriving?
Response:It is allowed for a woman to use pills that prevent her
menses during the time of Hajj out of fear that her menses may come.
But this should only be done after she has consulted with a )health(
specialist who canensure that her health will be fine. Similarly, she
may do the same during Ramadan if she desires to fast with the
people.)1(
The Standing Committee
Footnotes
)1( There seems to be no need forwomen to go to such lengths. This
could probably be considered a kind of overzealousness. There is no
real certainty as to the health risks of such pills as well as birth
control pills. Furthermore, the menses are a natural matter that
Allaah has ordained for women and there is no need to flee from them.
Hence, it must be considered best for women to abstain from such pills
since there is no necessity for them and they )women( cannot be
certain of their side effects. Allaah knows best
Discontinuation of bleeding during menses
Question:Sometimes, during my menses, I have blood for four days and
then the bleeding stops for three days. Then, on the seventh day the
bleeding returns,but with less intensity. Then, the bleeding turns to
a brown colour until the twelfth day. I hope you will guide me to what
is correct in this matter.
Response:The days that you mentioned, the four and the six day periods
)i.e., the first to the fourth day, and then the seventh to twelfth
day(, are days of menstruation. You should not pray or fast during
those days. It is not allowed for your husband to have sexual
intercourse with you during those days either. Youshould make Ghusl
)ritual bathing( after the first four days and then pray, and your
husband may have intercourse with you during the period between the
fourth and the sixth days. Also, there is no prohibition upon
yourfasting during these days.
If that occurs during Ramadan, it is obligatory upon you to fast on
the days that you are not on yourmenses. When you become pure after
the second six days )i.e., theseventh to twelfth days(, you must make
Ghusl, pray and fast like any other time of purity. This is because
the monthly menses can increase or decrease. Its days are sometimes
together and sometimes separated. May Allaah guide us all to what
pleases Him. May He provide us, you and all theMuslims with
understanding and steadfastness in the religion.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Footnotes
)1(In response to this question, the Shaykh has basically given
theHanbali view of the question. There are some other views which may
be more significant that state the entire period is that of
menstruation )i.e., the full12 days in this case(. Allaah knows best
Drops of blood after making Ghusl
Question:I notice that sometimesafter making the Ghusl that follows my
monthly menses, after having had my period for the normal five days, I
have a verysmall number of drops )of blood( emerging. This occurs
immediately after I make Ghusl. After that, nothing else emerges. I do
not know what to do. ShouldI follow my normal five-day period and
simply ignore what occurs after that and continue to pray and fast? Or
should I consider that day also as part of my period and not pray or
fast during it? Note that such a thing does not always occur to me,
butonly occurs every two or three monthly cycles. I hope you will
benefit me on this matter.
Response:If what emerges after your washing is either yellow or brown,
then it is not to be taken into consideration )as menses( and it takes
the same ruling as urine.)1(
However, if it is clearly blood, it will then be considered part of
the menses and you must repeat the Ghusl due to what is confirmed from
Umm 'Atiyyahwho was a female companion of the Messenger of Allaahwho
stated: "We would not consider yellowish or brownish discharge as
anything)2(after we had been purified]from menses[.")3(
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
Footnotes
1. Meaning, it must be washed offthe clothing and the person mustmake
ablution from such a discharge.
2. That is: "We would not consider it as menses."
3. Recorded by Al-Bukhaari
If a woman ends her menses before sunset, she must perform the Thuhr
and 'Asr Prayers
Question:When a menstruating woman becomes pure before sunrise, is it
obligatory upon her to perform the Maghrib and 'Ishaa' prayers?
Similarly, if she becomes pure before sunset, is it obligatory upon
her to perform the Thuhr and 'Asr prayers?
Response:If a menstruating or post-partum bleeding woman becomes pure
before sunset, it is obligatory upon her to perform both the Thuhr and
'Asr prayers, according to the strongest opinion among the scholars.
Similar is the case if she becomes pure before dawn. In that case, she
must perform the Maghrib and 'Ishaa' prayers. This has beennarrated
from Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn 'Awf and 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Abbaas. This is the
opinion of the majority of the scholars. Similarly, if a menstruating
or post-partum bleeding woman becomes pure before sunrise, it
isobligatory upon her to perform the Fajr )dawn( prayer. And from
Allaah is guidance.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz
The menstruating woman keeping herself clean from urine
Question:When I am menstruating, I do not clean myself of urine with
water because I fear that the water mayharm me. What is the ruling
concerning that?
Response:It suffices, in place of water, to clean yourself with clean
tissue paper or any other pure solid object that will removethe impure
substance, such as a large stone, a piece of wood, or similar objects.
This wiping should be done three times or more, until the impure
substanceis removed. This ruling is not just for you or anyone in a
case like yours; rather, it is for all Muslim men and women under all
circumstances. This is based on what has been confirmed from
'Aa'ishahthat the Prophetsaid:"When one of you goes to relieve
himself, he should clean himself with three stones, and that will be
sufficient for him."]Ahmad & Others[
It is also confirmed from SalmaanAl-Faarisithat it was said to him:
"Your Prophet teaches you everything, even how to go to the lavatory."
Salmaanreplied: "Certainly! He prohibited us from facing the
Qiblah)direction of the Ka'bah( while defecating or urinating, from
cleaning our genitals with our right hand, from cleaning ourselves
with less than three stones and from cleaning ourselves with dung or
bone."]Muslim, Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi[

The covenant between the Prophet and the Jews

Soon after emigrating to Al-Madeenah and makingsure that the pillars
of the new Islamic community were well established on strong bases of
administrative, political and ideological unity, the Prophetembarked
upon the task of establishing regular and clearly-defined relations
with the non-Muslims there, who comprised of Jews and Arab tribes. All
of these efforts were exerted solely to provide peace, security, and
prosperity to all mankind at large, and to bring about a spirit of
rapport and harmony within his region in particular.
The Prophetwas also keen on establishing friendly relations between
the Muslims andnon-Muslims. He was verymeticulous in not leavingany
area in the charter that would allow pre-Islamic traditions to slip in
or violate the new environment he wanted to establish.
Geographically, the nearest people to Al-Madeenah were the Jews.
Despite harbouringevil intentions and nursing a bitter grudge, they
showed neither the least resistance nor the slightest animosity. The
Prophetdecided to ratify a treaty with them with clauses that provided
full freedom in faith and wealth. He had no intention whatsoever of
following severe policies involving banishment, seizure of wealth and
land, or hostility.
Included in the treaty were a number of terms and conditions. The
maincondition being that, in case of an attack on Al-Madeenah launched
byoutsiders, the people of Al-Madeenah as a whole would raise arms,
collectively, against the enemies. Another condition being that the
Jews of Al-Madeenah would not provide refuge to the Quraysh of Makkah
or their allies. None of the citizens of Al-Madeenah would put any
hurdle in the way of anyone else's religion, life or property. If two
people of Al-Madeenah had a falling-out on an issue and were not able
to find any solution to it by themselves, they would have to abide by
the decision made by the Prophetconcerning it. The Muslims of
Al-Madeenah would be considered as friends of the Jews, and they )the
Jews( would therefore have to treat as friends those tribes and clans
who were in alliance with the Muslims. All kinds of fighting and
bloodshed would be treated as prohibited in the territory of
Al-Madeenah.
The most important provisions of the treaty were as follows:
1. The Jews of the tribe of 'Awf were to be one community with
the believers. The Jews would profess their religion and the Muslims
theirs.
2. The Jews would be responsible for their expenditure, and the
Muslims for theirs.
3. If attacked by a third party, each would come to the
assistance of the other.
4. Each party would hold counsel with the other. Mutual
relations would be founded on righteousness; sin was totally excluded.
5. Neither group would commit sins to the prejudice of the other.
6. The wronged partywould be aided.
7. The Jews would contribute to the cost of any war, so long as
they were fighting alongside the believers.
8. Al-Madeenah would remain sacred andinviolable for all who
would join this treaty.
9. If any disagreement were to arise between the signatories of
this treaty, then Allah the All-High and His Messengerwould settle the
dispute.
10. The signatories to this treaty would boycott Quraysh
commercially; they would also abstain from extending any support to
them.
11. Each would contribute to defending Al-Madeenah, in case of
aforeign attack, in its respective area.
12. This treaty would not hinder either party from seeking lawful revenge.
After the agreement wasfinalised, the Prophetmade an all-out effort to
bring the clans around Al-Madeenah into the fold of this pact so that
all disruptions, disorder and bloodshed were curbed once and for all.
The Prophetwas so eager to widen the scopeof this pact that he made a
special journey to premises of Dhamrah bin Bakr bin 'Abd Manaaf to
bring them around to this recently signed pact. He won over their
chief, 'Amr bin Makhshi, to the idea and he put his initials on the
document. He also got the people of Mount Buwat and of Thul-'Ushayrah
in Yanbu' and Banu Mudlij to accept the peace treaty. The purpose of
the Prophetin constructing this peace pact was to create an atmosphere
of peace andorder so that the people could be at peace and be able to
reflect on the message of Islam in an air of safety and security.
These peace efforts were yet to bring fruit when clandestine
activities in Al-Madeenah and onslaughts from outside plunged
Al-Madeenah into disorder once again.
Al-Madeenah and its suburbs, after the ratification of this treaty,
turned into a coalition state, with Al-Madeenah proper as capital and
Muhammadas de facto president; authorityrested primarily in the hands
of the Muslims, and consequently it was a real capital of Islam.
The peace pact made all the people of Al-Madeenah recognise the
strength and supremacy of Islam and they all signed it, signifying
their acceptance of the superiority of the Muslims.

Dought & clear, - Should he focus on purifying his heart or on doing naafil acts?.

Which is more important – dealing with feelings and thoughts that
Allaah dislikes, such as destructive envy, hatred, arrogance, showing
off, thinking highly of one's deeds, hard-heartedness, etc., which
form the evil that resides in the heart, or focusing on doing outward
naafil deeds such as prayer, fasting and other acts of worship and
fulfilling vows even though thoseother things are presentin the heart?
Please advise us, may Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Some of the acts mentioned are obligatory, and those which are
obligatory should be given precedence, as Allaah says according to the
hadeeth qudsi narrated from His Messenger(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him): "Myslave does not draw near to Me with anything
more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined on him."
Then He says: "And My slave continues to draw near to Me with
supererogatory works sothat I shall love him." Outward physical acts
are not valid and acceptable unless they are accompanied by
appropriate actions of the heart, because the heart is like the king
andthe physical faculties arelike his troops. If the king is evil his
troops will also be evil. Hence the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "In the body there is a piece of flesh: if
it is sound the whole body will be sound and if it is corruptthen the
whole body willbe corrupt." Similarly the (hidden) actions of the
heart inevitably affect the (visible) physical actions. So precedence
must be given to that which is more obligatory, whether it is called
inward or outward. Perhaps things that are called inward may be more
obligatory, such as refraining from destructive envy and arrogance,
for that is more essential than observing naafil fasts. Oracts that
are described as outward or physical may be better, such as qiyaam
al-layl (praying at night), which is betterthan simply giving up some
thoughts that may cross one's mind such as (non-destructive) jealousy,
etc. Inward andoutward deeds support one another, and prayer keeps one
from doing evil actions and generates fear of Allaah, and has other
important effects. It (prayer) is the best of good deeds and charity.
And Allaah knows best.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him),Majmoo'
al-Fataawa, 6/381
So there is no separationbetween correcting what is inward and
correcting what is outward or physical.
The outward acts of worship which a person performs with his physical
faculties – if he does them for the sake of Allaah – will undoubtedly
have an effect on his inward nature.
For example, the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Shall I not tell you of something that will take away the evil
of the heart? Fasting three daysof each month." (Narrated by
al-Nasaa'i, 2386; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Nasaa'i,
2249). The evil of the heart refers torancour, hatred and destructive
envy.
One of the most important remedies for diseases of the heart is to
study and ponder the texts which include warnings to the one who
leaves these diseases to fester in his heart, such as the hadeeth in
which the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No
one will enter Paradise who has an atom's-weight of arrogance in his
heart." (Narrated by Muslim, 91).
And the hadeeth according to which Hell will say, "My share is the
arrogant." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4850; Muslim, 2846)
And the hadeeth: "On the Day of Resurrection the arrogant will be
gathered like ants in the form of men." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,
2492; classed as hasan by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2025).
And the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
disease of the nations who came before you has started to spread among
you: destructive envy and hatred. These are the shavers. I do not mean
that they shave hair but they shave away religious commitment. By the
One in Whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you
believe, and you will notbelieve until you love one another. Shall I
not tell you of something which if you do it, you will love one
another. Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2510; classed as hasan by al-Albaani
inSaheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2038).
Whoever ponders with true insight such warnings about the diseases of
the heart willundoubtedly strive to cleanse his heart thereof, and
will seek help in doing so by doing outward physical acts, praying to
his Lord to cleanse his heart of hatred, destructive envy,rancour and
so on, as Allaah says, describing the prayer of the believers:
"and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed"
[al-Hashr 59:10 – interpretation of the meaning]
And Allaah knows best. May Allaah send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad.

Dought & clear, - Does the soul come outof the body during sleep?

Does the soul come out of the person when he is asleep, because
sometimes just before I go to sleep, I feel that my soul is coming out
ofmy body; I do not hear anything or see anything or feel anything at
all for a few seconds, then it comes back and I wake up and am aware
of everything.
Praise be to Allah.
There is clear evidence in the Qur'an and Sunnah which indicates that
the soul is taken when one falls asleep, and that sleep is a kind of
death. This evidence includes the following:
1.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"It is Allah Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and
those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for
which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed.
Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply"
[az-Zumar 39:42].
2.
And He, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"It is He, Who takes your souls by night (when you are asleep), and
has knowledge of all that you have done by day"
[al-An'aam 6:60].
3.
It was narrated from AbuQataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that
when they slept and missed the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Verily Allah took your souls when
Hewilled, and He returned them when He willed."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,7474
4.
It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) was on a journey during which they slept until the sun rose. He
said: "Verily you were dead and Allah returned your souls to you;
whoever sleeps and misses a prayer, let him offer it when he wakes up,
and whoever forgets a prayer, let him offer it when he remembers."
Narrated by Abu Ya'la inal-Musnad, 2/192; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani inIrwa' al-Ghaleel, 1/293
5.
It was narrated from Hudhayfah (may Allah bepleased with him) that
when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wokeup, he
would say: "Al-hamdu Lillahi alladhi ahyaana ba'da ma amaatanaa wa
ilayhi an-nushoor(Praise be to Allah Who has given us life after He
caused us to die, and to Him will be the resurrection)."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,6312. It was also narrated by Muslim in
hisSaheeh, 2711, from al-Bara' (may Allah be pleased with him).
This evidence was quoted by al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy
on him), who then said:
The verse indicates that sleep is a death, and the hadeeth indicates
when a person sleeps his soul is taken. They both indicate that the
soul that is taken in death is the soul that is taken during sleep.
End quote fromFath al-Baariby Ibn Rajab, 3/325
But the taking of the soul in sleep does not necessarily mean that it
is completely separated from the body, as happens in death; ratherthe
fact that the life remains in the body during sleep indicates that the
soul is still connected to the body during sleep, but the connection
is less than the connection when it is awake. Not every departure of
the soul from the body implies death; rather what happens to the body
differs according to the type of separation.
Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The taking of the soul from the body does not necessarily mean that it
has departed from the body altogether; rather it may be taken whilst
some kind of connectionis still present, as in the case of one who is
sleeping.
End quote fromFath al-Baari, by Ibn Rajab, 3/326
For other scholarly opinions on this issue, please seeal-Jaami' li
Ahkaam al-Qur'an, by al-Qurtubi, 15/261;Fath al-Baariby Ibn Hajar,
11/114
However what appears to us to be the case is that what you mentioned
in your question does not have anything to do with this issue at all;
the departure of the soul during sleep only happens when one is
actually sleeping, and it does not happen before sleeping as you
mention.
Perhaps what is happening to you is a psychological matter or
excessive preoccupation with death and the like.
We ask Allah to keep yousafe and sound and to put your affairs straight.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Will the repentance of one who impugns the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) be accepted? And is it better to admit it to the qaadi (judge)?

With regard to the Muslim who impugns the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) in secret and conceals that: if he repents
before he is executed, will Allah accept his repentance sothat he
becomes a Muslim, because he had become a kaafir? Or does he have to
announce what he did so that he will be executed before Allah will
accept his return to Islam?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Testifying that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
is the Messenger of Allah is one of the pillars of Islam. The Muslims
arecommanded to venerate and love their Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) and he is deserving of that, because of the
lofty status he has before Allah, and because of thefavours he has
done to this ummah, for he was the cause of their being brought out of
their state of ignorance and he was the cause of theirattaining all
that is good. How could any Muslim have the audacity, in spite of
that,to impugn the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)?
Hence the scholars are unanimously agreed that the one who impugns the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is a kaafir and
apostate whohas gone beyond the pale of Islam.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Impugning Allah or impugning His Messenger is kufr both inwardly and
outwardly,regardless of whether the one who does that believes that it
is haraamor he thinks that it is permissible for him, or he was not
thinking of the ruling when he did that. This is the view of the
fuqaha' and all of Ahlas-Sunnah who say that faith is comprised of
both words and deeds.
As-Saarim al-Maslool, 1/513
It says inal-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah(40/61):
The Holy Qur'an tells us that it is a grave sin to disparage the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or belittle him,
and the onewho does that is cursed. That is in the verses in which
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, those who annoyAllah and His Messenger (SAW) Allah has cursed
them in this world, and in the Hereafter, and hasprepared for them a
humiliating torment"
[al-Ahzaab 33:57]
"If you ask them (about this), they declare: We were only talking idly
and joking. Say: Was it atAllah and His Ayat (proofs, evidences,
verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger (SAW)
that you were mocking?
Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed. If We
pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you because they
were Mujrimoon (disbelievers, polytheists,sinners, criminals, etc.)"
[at-Tawbah 9:65-66].
The fuqaha' are of the view that the one who does any of these things
is to be regarded as a kaafir. End quote.
It also says (22/184):
The ruling on the one who impugns him (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) is that he is an apostate, and there is no difference of
scholarly opinion concerning that.End quote.
If the one who impugns the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) is an apostate, then the punishment prescribed for him in
sharee'ah is execution; there is no difference of scholarly opinion
concerning that.
Ibn al-Mundhir (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The majority of scholars are agreed that the one who impugns the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is to be executed.
End quote.
See:Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 8/82
Al-Khattaabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
I do not know of any of the Muslims who differed concerning the
obligation of executing him. End quote.
Ma'aalim as-Sunan, 3/295
Secondly:
If the one who impugned the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) repents and regrets what he did, and he comes back to Islam,
thatrepentance will benefit him in his relationship with Allah. So
before Allah he will be a believing Muslim. But with regard to his
execution, the obligation of executing him will not be waived. So he
will be killed as a Muslim, and he should be washed, the funeral
prayer should be offeredfor him, he may be inherited from and he
should be buried in the Muslim graveyard. As for the apostate who did
not come back to Islam, he is to be executed as a kaafir.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
was asked:
Will the repentance of one who impugned Allah, may He be exalted and
glorified, or who reviled the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) be accepted?
He replied:
There is a difference of scholarly opinion concerning that, and there
are two opinions:
(i)
The first opinion is that repentance will not be accepted from the one
who impugned Allah or His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him). This is the well-known view of the Hanbalis. Rather he is
to be executed as a kaafir, and the funeral prayer isnot to be offered
for himand supplication is not to be offered for mercy for him, and he
is to be buried in a place far away from the Muslim graves.
(ii)
The second opinion is that the repentance of one who had reviled Allah
or His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) will be
accepted if it is known that he has sincerely repented to Allah, and
he admits thathe made a mistake and speaks of Allah, may He be
exalted, in a way thatreflects the veneration He deserves. This is
because of the general meaning of the evidencethat indicates that
repentance is accepted, such as the verse in which Allah, may He be
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):"Say: O 'Ibaadi(My
slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil
deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily, Allaah
forgives all sins" [al-Zumar 39:53]. There are some of the kuffaar who
impugn Allah, yet despite that their repentance is accepted. This is
the correct view. The repentance of one who impugned the Messenger
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is accepted, but he must be
executed. This is unlike the one who impugns Allah; his repentance is
accepted but he is not tobe executed, because Allah has told us that
He forgives transgressions against His rights if the person repents,
and thatHe forgives all sins. As forthe one who impugns the Messenger
(blessingsand peace of Allah be upon him), there are two matters to be
taken into consideration:
(a)The first is a shar'i matter, because he is theMessenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Fromthis angle, he
repentance will be accepted if he repents.
(b)The second is a personal matter. From this nagle, repentance will
not be accepted, because it has to do withthe right of a human being,
and it is not known whether he would forgive it. On that basis he is
to be executed, but if he is executed, we should wash him, shroud him,
offer the funeral prayer for him and bury him with the Muslims.
This is the view favouredby Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, who wrote a
book on that entitledas-Saarim al-Maslool fiTahattum Qatli Saabb
ar-Rasool. That is because he has transgressed against the rights of
the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). By the same
token, if he were to slander the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him), he is to be executed and not flogged.
If it is asked: Has it not been proven that some of the people
impugned the Messenger (blessingsand peace of Allah be upon him)
during his lifetime and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) accepted their repentance?
The answer is: This is true, but that was during his lifetime
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he waived what was
dueto him. But after his death, no one has the right to waive what is
due to him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So we must do
what is required if he(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is
impugned, which is to execute the one who impugns him and to believe
that the repentance of the one who does that is accepted with regard
to the relationship between that person and Allah, may He be exalted.
If it is asked: If it was possible that he (the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him)) would let him off if that happened during
his lifetime, doesn't that dictate that we should refrain from passing
judgement on him?
My response is: That does not dictate that we should refrain, because
evil has occurred by his impugning him, and it is not known whether
the effect of that impugningwill be removed; the basic principle is
that it remains.
If it is asked: Wasn't it usually the case that the Messenger
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) let off those who impugned
him?
My response is: Yes indeed, and perhaps letting them off during the
lifetime of the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
was done to serve a purpose, which was to soften people's hearts
towards Islam, as he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knew
the identities of the hypocrites but he did not execute them, "lest
people say that Muhammad kills his companions." But nowadays if we
know that a specific individual is one of the hypocrites, we should
execute him. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him)
said:Refraining from killing a known hypocrite was only done during
the lifetime of the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him). End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa ash-Shaykh al-'Uthaymeen, 2/150-152
But… So long as the matter has not reached the qaadi (judge), what is
prescribed is for the Muslim to conceal himself (his sins) and notgo
to the judge to confess his crime; rather he should strive hard to
repent and seek forgiveness, and do a lotof good deeds, so that Allah
will forgive him. Allah, may He be exalted,says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And verily, I am indeed Forgiving to him who repents, believes (in My
Oneness, and associates none in worship with Me) and does righteous
good deeds, and then remains constant in doing them, (till his death)"
[Ta-Ha 20:82]
"Then, verily! Your Lord for those who do evil (commit sins and are
disobedient to Allah) in ignorance and afterward repent and
dorighteous deeds, verily, your Lord thereafter, (to such) is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful"
[an-Nahl 16:119].
And Allah knows best.

[Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith ] - 11 Precious Stones and Metals & 12 The Beauty of the Dwellings of the Garden

11. In the Qur'an, Allah reveals that there are luxurious items,
various jewels and precious stones in the Garden. "[They are] on
sumptuous woven couches" (Surat al-Wa'qia: 15)ve "They will enter
Gardens of Eden where they will be adorned with gold bracelets and
pearls." (Surah Fatir: 33)These jewels that are mentioned in the
Qur'an and in the hadith in relation to the Garden have been
expressions throughout human history of wealth and splendour. Everyone
appreciates these adornments of diamonds, pearls, rubies,gold and
silver, and takes pleasure in seeing things decorated with them.
They will have Gardens of Eden with rivers flowing under them. They
will be adorned in them with bracelets made of gold and wear green
garments made of the finest silk and rich brocade, reclining there on
couches under canopies. What an excellent reward! What a wonderful
repose! (Surat al-Kahf: 31)
There are some hadith, such as those below thatmention pearls as a
blessing of the Garden:
Those who dwell in the Garden of Eternity will wear crowns encrusted
with pearls, the radiance of the smallest of which will illuminate the
space separating the east fromthe west! (At-Tirmidhi)
'Abd-Allah ibn 'Amr said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah saying that
the [Yemeni]Corner and the Station [of Ibrahim] are two of the
precious stones of the Garden, whose light has been extinguished by
Allah. If He had not extinguished their light,it would illuminate
everything between theeast and the west." (At-Tirmidhi, 804)
Pearls are a good example of the rare value of the blessings of the
Garden. Divers must go down several times into the dangerous depths of
the sea to bring them up, and this adornment is found in only a few of
the many oysters that are collected. Besides its beauty, what gives
valueto this little object is, as we said above, the effortrequired to
obtain it andits great rarity.
"Are these the people you swore that Allah's mercy would never reach?"
"Enter the Garden. You will feel no fear and know no sorrow. (Surat
al-A'raf: 49)
Much time, effort and expense is required in this world to obtain the
pearl, but they are abundant in the world to come. The fact that such
a rare and valuable object of beauty is plentiful will doubtless
produce a particular excitement in the humanspirit. Moreover, the
blessings of the Garden revealed in the Qur'an will have a beauty that
isbeyond our capacity to imagine. The hadith mention a pearl that
illuminates everything between East and West, but we cannot completely
picture the brilliance and splendour of such a pearl in our
minds._______________________________________________
12. Palaces and mansions are among the most beautiful residences in
the world. When people describe the beauty of these residences, they
always mention, for example, their views, valuable furnishings,
beautiful décor, columns, and gilded woodwork.
In the verses of the Qur'an that speak of the Garden, Allah often
mentions such dwellingsthat are pleasing to human beings: mansions,
palaces and pavilions. These dwellings are rare in thisworld, but they
are numerous and in perfectand splendid condition in the Garden and
Allah'sbeloved slaves will live in them.
Gardens of Eden with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them
timelessly, for ever. That is the reward of those who purify
themselves. (Surah Ta Ha: 76)
Some of the hadith in which the wealth and abundance of these
dwellings are described are as follows:
We asked: "What is the Garden made of?" The Prophet said: "A brick of
gold and a brickof silver, its mortar is of strongly scented musk, its
stones are pearls and emeralds, and its soil is of saffron. Those who
enter it will be in affluent circumstances and will not be
destitute,they will live for ever and not die, their garments will not
wear out, and their youth will not pass away." (Narrated by Abu
Hurayra, at-Tirmidhi)
The walls of the Garden are built of bricks of gold and silver,its
dust of saffron… (Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum ad- Din, vol. 4)
The hadith point out that the dwellings of theGarden are made from the
most valuable materials, and, instead of common gravel and pebbles,
there will be pearls and rubies.