Dua, - To Expel the devil from the house (or preventing him from entering)

Translation
The messenger of Allah (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) said: "The devil flees from the house where suratAl-Baqarais
recited".
Surah Al-Baqarah Chapter 2
Note: Some scholars had mentioned that there is no problem in playing
it from a recorder or the likes, but overall its better to recite it.
(To be recited in Arabic)
Sources: Muslim No# 780 At-Tirmidhi No# 2877

Dua to ward off the deception of obstinate devils

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ
بَرٌّ وَلَا فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ، وَبَرَأَ ، وَذَرَأَ ،
وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَعْرُجُ
فِيهَا ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا ،
وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ
طَارِقٍ إِلَّا طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ ، يَا رَحْمَنُ
Translation
I seek refuge with Allah's perfect words which no righteous or
unrighteous person can transgress, from all the evil that He has
created, made and originated.
(I seek refuge) from the evil that descends from the sky and the evil
that rises up to it. and (I seek refuge) from the evil that is spread
on Earth and the evil that springs from it.
And I seek refuge from the evil of the tribulations of night and day,
and the evil of one who visits at night except the one who brings
good, O Merciful One.
Transliteration
a‛oodhu bi kalimaat-illaahit-taammaat-illatee laa yujaawizuhunna
barrun wa laa faajirun min sharri maa khalaqa, wa bara'a , wa dhara'a,
wa min sharri maa yanzilu minas-samaa'i wa min sharri maa ya‛ruju
feehaa, wa min sharri maa dhara'a fil-arḍi wa min sharri maa yakhruju
minhaa,
wa min sharri fitanil-layli wan-nahaari, wa min sharri kulli ṭaariqin
illaa ṭaariqan yaṭruqu bikhayrin, yaa raḥman
Sources: Ahmad No# 15461 with an authentic chain and Ibn As-Sunni
#637. See Al-Silsilah Al-Sahihah No# 2995

Dua, - Dua when afraid of people

اللَّهُمَّ اكْفِنِيهِمْ بِمَا شِئْتَ
Translation
O Allah, protect me from them as You wish.
Transliteration
allaahummak-fineehim bi maa shi'ta
Sources: Ibn Hibban No# 6281

Fathwa, - Sitting arrangements in a party

Question:
We are going to have a dinner party at our house where some family
members and a friend's family will be coming. Obviously, it is
important that mixing between men and women be kept at a minimum. But
I have a question regarding how this should be done, given that none
of the guests wear hijab or pay much attention avoiding free-mixing.
If we have men downstairs, women upstairs, and then have men come
upstairs to get food (and then return downstairs to eat it), would the
hosts be sinful by having an opportunity for men to look at women and
vice-versa while the men come up to get food? The men will be getting
food from the kitchen, while the women will be sitting in an adjacent
family room (which is not walled off). Also, given that the guests do
not observe any hijab, how far should we go in forcing segregation?
Would the above situation in which men and women sit separately for
most of the time be OK? The men and women guests normally converse
with each other, so would the hosts be sinful if this occurs during
the gathering?
Answer:
Assalamu alaykum
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious Most Merciful.
The setup of having Men downstairs and the Women upstairs sounds like
a fair setup. The problem that you are mentioning in this setup can
probably be overcome by having women who are mahram (wife, sister,
mother. etc.) of the men transporting the food to pass the food to
them in the hallway or something similar to this.
The responsibility of the host is to take as many reasonable measures
to observe the laws of Allah in his boundaries and facilitate them.
The setup you have mentioned seems to be fulfilling this criteria to a
certain degree if the above problem can be somehow overcome. It is
very difficult to ensure that no prohibited interaction take place at
all, since such socialization may take place outside while the guests
are leaving.
The Prophet of Allah (upon him be peace) said, "O People, you will
never be able to [completely] observe all that you have been
commanded. However, either hit the mark or be close [saddidu aw
qaribu] (Bukhari, Muslim).
Hence, you are commended greatly for your attempts at observing the
obligations and prohibitions of Allah. May Allah accept your
endeavors.

Fathwa, - Can you speak to girls who are not related to you e.g. in college?

Question:
Can you speak to girls who are not related to you e.g. in college?
Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, �I
have not left behind a trial more challenging for men than women.�
[Bukhari and Muslim]
One may speak to someone of the opposite sex when there is a need, to
the extent of the need, in an upright and restrained manner. This is
the guidance of the Beloved of Allah (Allah bless him and give him
peace).
Beyond this, it would be blameworthy and sometimes even sinful.

Fathwa, - Is it permissible for a man to marry his wife's stepmother?

Question:
Is it permissible for a man to marry his wife's stepmother? Man A is
married to Woman B, whose father has four wives, one of whom (Woman C)
is 3 years older than Woman B. Woman B's father (i.e. Woman C's
husband) dies, and Man A marries Woman B's stepmother, i.e. Woman C.
Is this permissible?
Answer:
The nature of Shariah is such that it intends to eradicate anything
that may lead to the breaking of ties and disputes. In many
injunctions of Shariah, we see that the main cause behind the
prohibition of a certain act is the possibility of disputes and
arguments arising. Many laws of commerce and trade are based on this
very principle.
Due to this, it was prohibited for a man to combine two or more women
in his marriage (i.e. at the same time) who are closely related to
each other. Co-wives normally and naturally become jealous of each
other and not everything is hunky-dory between them, thus the idea
behind the prevention of combining two relatives in marriage is to
prevent the breaking of ties between relatives and closely related
people.
The great Hanafi jurist (faqih), Imam Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on
him) explains:
"...Combining them (closely related women) in marriage is unlawful
(haram) due to the reason that it will normally lead to the breaking
of ties between the co-wives who are related. And the evidence for
this is the Hadith recorded by al-Tabrani that the Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "If you do that (m: i.e.
combine two related women in marriage), you will be breaking ties" and
more details is mentioned in Fath al-Qadir." (Radd al-Muhtar, 3/36)
Thus, the Qur'an prohibited the combining of two sisters in marriage.
Allah Most High states:
"Prohibited to you (for marriage) are......two sisters in wedlock at
one and the same time." (Surah al-Nisa, 23)
Similarly, Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates
that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said:
"A woman and her paternal aunt must not be combined in marriage,
neither a woman and her maternal aunt." (Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 4820)
Based on the above, the Hanafi jurists (fuqaha) have laid down a
principle with regards to the prohibition of combining two women in
marriage which is that, it is not permissible to combine two women who
are such that, if one of them were a man, it would not be permissible
for her to marry the other.
It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya:
"The principle (asl) is that it will not be permissible to combine two
women (in marriage) who are such that if one of them was presumed to
be a man, from any side, then it would not be permissible for them to
marry each other." (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 1/277)
Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states:
"It is unlawful to combine two women (in marriage) who are such that
if one of them was presumed to be a man, it would not be permissible
for him (her) to marry the other." (See: Radd al-Muhtar ala al-Durr,
3/38)
The meaning of the above two texts is that, Allah Most High has
mentioned the list of people whom it is unlawful for one to marry,
such as one's sister, mother, daughter, aunt, niece, mother in-law,
wife's daughter, etc. Thus, if one intends to combine two women in
marriage, one must look at whether, if one of them was assumed to be a
man, it would be permissible for her (him) to marry the other? If not,
then it would be unlawful to combine them in marriage. This assumption
must be from both sides, as mentioned in the text of al-Fatawa
al-Hindiyya, where it stated "from any side".
For example, there are two sisters, and a person wants to combine them
in marriage. Now, if we presume any one of them to be a man, marriage
would be unlawful between them. The reason being is that if any one of
them was presumed to be a man, he will be the brother of the other,
and marriage with one's sister is unlawful. This will be the case
regardless of whom we presume to be a man, i.e. from both sides.
Having understood the above, we come to the question of marrying one's
stepmother in-law. To combine a woman and her real mother (i.e. real
mother in-law) in marriage is without doubt unlawful, for if any one
of them were to be a man, marriage would not be lawful between them.
Let's say the mother was a man. In this situation it will be unlawful
for a father to marry his own daughter. Suppose we considered the
daughter to be a man, even in this case, it is unlawful for a son to
marry his mother. Thus, to have a daughter and her (real mother) in
marriage at the same time is unlawful.
However, the case with combing a woman and her step-mother is not the
same, in that this is permissible. The reason here is that, if we
presumed the daughter to be a man, then indeed it will not be
permissible for a man to marry his step-mother. However, in the vice
versa situation, meaning if we presumed the mother to be a man, it
will be allowed for him to marry the girl. The women will not be
considered to be a step father marrying his daughter, rather a strange
(ajnabi) man marrying a girl, for we presumed her to be man, thus she
cannot be the wife of her husband (I hope this is understandable!).
Thus, the Hanafi Fuqaha have permitted the marriage to a woman and her
stepdaughter at the same time. It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya:
"It will be permissible to combine (in marriage) a woman and her
husband's daughter (m: from another wife), because if the women (m:
mother) was presumed to be a man, it would be permissible for him to
marry the girl. However, in the vice versa situation, it would not be
allowed." (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 1/277)
Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states:
"It is permissible to combine (in marriage) a woman and her husband's
daughter (m: i.e. a girl and her stepmother)."
Imam Ibn Abidin (Allah have mercy on him) explains the above by stating:
"...Because if the woman (mother) was presumed to be a man, he will be
marrying the husband's daughter, and she (the daughter) will be
considered to be a daughter of a strange man (m: meaning, she cannot
be classed as a man and also have a husband at the same time, thus one
will have to say that her relationship with the girl is that of a
stranger." (Radd al-Muhtar, 3/39)
In conclusion, it is permitted for a man to combine a woman and her
stepmother in marriage at the same time, or in other words, a woman
and her stepdaughter. Thus, marriage with a stepmother in-Law is
perfectly permissible whether separately or with keeping her
stepdaughter in the marriage.
And Allah knows best.

Kindness to Daughters

Even now daughters are considered an unwanted burden in some societies
and instead ofrejoicing, anatmosphere of grief and disappointmentis
produced in the family at their birth. This is the position, today,
but in the pre-Islamic times the daughters were positively considered
a shame and disgrace among the Arabs, so much so that even the right
to live was denied to them. Many a hard-hearted parent used to
strangle his daughter to death, with his own hands, when she was born,
or bury her alive.
The Qur'an says:
"When news is brought to one of them, of thebirth of a female, his
facedarkensand he is filled with inward grief. He hides himself with
shame, from the people, because of the bad news he has had. (Asking
himself): shall he keep it in contempt or bury in the dust.Ah: What an
evil choice they decide."
Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said
"Whoever becomes the father of a girl, he shouldneither hurt her nor
treat her with contemptnor show preference over her to his
sonsinkindnessandaffection. (Both boys and girls should be treated
alike.) Allah willgrant him Paradisein return forkind treatment
towards the daughter."
It is narrated that a very poor woman, with two daughters, came to
Ayesha's (ra) place to beg. By chance, Aisha (ra) had only one date
with her, at that time, which she gave to the woman. The woman broke
the date into two parts and gave one part each to the girls. She did
not eat anything of it herself. When after some time, the Prophet
(saw) came, Aisha (ra) related the incident to him, upon which he
remarked:
"The believing man or woman upon whom there is the responsibility of
daughters and he or she discharges it well andtreats them with
affection, the daughters will become a means offreedom, for him or
her, in thehereafter."
It is related by Anas (ra) that the Prophet (PBUH) said
"The believer who bears the responsibility of two daughters and
supports them till they attain puberty,he and Iwill beclose to one
anotherlike this on the Day of Judgment."
Anas (ra), adds that the Prophet (saw) showed, by joining the fingers
of his hand, that as the fingers were close to one another, in the
same way will the believer be close to him on the Day of Judgment.
Abu Saeed Khudri (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said "Whoever
bears the responsibility of three daughters or sisters or even of two
daughters or sisters, and bears it well, and looks after their
training and welfare properly, and then, gets them married, Allah will
reward him with Paradise."
In these Ahadith, the Prophet (saw) has not only stated thatkind
treatment was the natural rightorclaim of the daughters, but, also
that thebelievers who fulfilledthe obligation towards them in a good
and proper manner would berewarded with Paradisein the hereafter. He,
further, gives the joyful tidings that such a man will be close to
him, on the Day of Judgment, as the fingers of a hand are, when joined
together.

For Whom Fasting is Mandatory?

Mandatory
The obligation of fasting is mandatory on a person who has fulfilled
these requirements: He or she must be aMuslim,sane, must have
reachedpuberty, must behealthy, and not in astate of travel; and for
women, they must be in a state of purity (clean from menstruation and
post childbirth bleeding). If a person fulfills the above
prerequisites, fasting becomes valid and mandatory.
Inferring from this definition, if one of these conditions is missing,
the fast will be invalid. Indeed, it may be better to analyze each
category of the definition.
Not Mandatory
Non-Muslim (Kafir)
Fasting isnot obligatory on a non-Muslimbecause he is not commanded to
fast and even if he decides to fast and follows all the regulations,
it will not be accepted by Allah (SWT). If he or she wants to fast the
Islamic fast, he has to declare the Kalimahfirst, and only then will
the fast be accepted. Similarly, the non-Muslim (Kafir) is not
obligated to perform any Islamic duties. If he converts to Islam
during the month of Ramadan, for instance, in the middle of the month,
it becomes incumbent upon him to fast the remaining days. There will
be no making up the days he missed before becoming Muslim.Allah (SWT)
states:
"Say to the unbelievers, if they desist from unbelief, their past
would be forgiven of them..."( Al-Qur'an 8:38)
If one converts to Islam during the daytime in Ramadan, say 10:00 a.m.
in the morning, he or she should observe the rest of the day in
fasting. That is, from 10:00 a.m. until sunset, he should not break
his fast.
Insane (Majnun)
Theinsane or retarded person is not obligatedto keep his fast because
he is deprived of sanity, a key component on which religious duties
depend. In a hadith related by Ali Bin Abi Talib (raa), the Messenger
of Allah (PBUH) said:
"The Pen that records the deeds has been lifted from three people; the
insane person, until he recovers; the sleeping person, until he wakes
up; and the minor, until he dreams (i.e., has wet dreams.)" (Ahmed)
This hadith indicates the fast of the insane person, for instance, is
not valid because he cannot comprehend the worship, and he
cannotmeaningfully declare intention (niyyah), without which the acts
are invalid. If he has mental relapses whereby he is healthy, and then
on occasion is sick, the fast is mandatory upon him during the days
and times he is healthy but not when he is unhealthy.
If he intends to fast in the morning, and he falls ill during this
time, his fast is good as if he fainted as a result of illness,
because he knows that he may experience an attack at certain times. If
he gets well during the daytime in Ramadan, he should observe the fast
the rest of the day because he is obligated to fast. However, he does
not have to make up the day because his case is like that of
unbeliever who becomes Muslim time or a minor he reached puberty
during the day.
Minor (Sabiyy)
Similarly, theminor person is not obligated to observefast (Sawm),
because of the previous hadith related by Ali bin Abi Talib, "... And
the minor until he dreams." However, it is imperative that the parents
or the guardians of the juveniles or adolescents encourage and urge
them to fast so they will get used to it. It will be vital training
for them in their worship, because they will not have any chance for
training as soon as they reach puberty.
In a hadith reported by Rubayyiah Bint Mau'awwidh (raa), the Prophet
(saas) sent a messenger to the village of Ansar on the morning of
Ashura to inform them:
"Whoever wakes in fasting should continue his fasting, whoever wakes
up without fasting should complete his day in fasting. So we used to
fast, let our young children fast, and go to the Masjid with them.
When one of the children cried for food, we would make toys from wool
and give them to the children until it was time to break the fast."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
This hadith indicates thattraining minor boys and girls is highly
recommendedearly in life, from about seven years of age for the
spiritual, educational, and cultural upbringing of Muslim youth. It is
the most powerful symbol of our religion.
Puberty - Boys
Puberty is known in Islamic law asal-bulugh, orTamyeez, (coming of age
as a man and woman). There are three signs of puberty (bulugh):
1.Discharging semen as a result of wet dreams, known
asinzaalul-manyyi. Allah (SWT) states: "But when the children among
you come of age, let them also ask for permission, as do those senior
to them in age..."(Al-Qur'an, 24-59)
In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (saas) said: "Friday bath
(ghuslul-Jum'ah) is mandatory upon anyone who has experienced a wet
dream." (Bukhari/Muslim) The point in this hadith is that Islamic
obligations are not incumbent on anyone until they reach the age
ofbulugh.
2.Appearance of hair around the pubic area is another sign of puberty.
If a person sees that even without wet dreams, he or she has attained
puberty. This may happen at the age of thirteen or fourteen, and
parents should inform girls and boys about these signs.
3.Reaching 15 years of age: When the person reaches 15, he or she is a
man or a woman, and anything that is obligatory on a man or woman is
obligatory on him or her from that time on.
In a hadith reported by Abdullah Bin Umar (raa), he said:
"My parents brought me to the Messenger of Allah on the eve of
theUhudCampaign and I was fourteen years old, so the Prophet (saas)
did not enlist me in fighting." But a year later in the Campaign of
Al-Khandaqq, I was fifteen, so this time the Prophet (saas) enlisted
me in combat." (Muslim)
This hadith indicates theage of 15 is the legal age for a Muslim boy
or girlto be responsible for his or her religion as well as worldly
responsibilities. Some of us who reside in the western world, seem to
think adulthood depends on State laws. In some states it is 18, while
in others it is 19, or 21, and so on. This is a very serious mistake,
as the juvenile will reach puberty (bulugh) and adulthood, but go on
without observing his or her Islamic duties, such as Salat, fasting,
or being restrained from that which is prohibited.
Puberty - Girls
Girls reach puberty and adulthood when they experience the above three
signs. However, they have a fourth sign, that is, menstruation (hayd).
Whenever a girl experiences it, she is a woman even if she is 12 years
old. At that time, theQalam, the pen of responsibilities, begins to
flow and to record the deeds of the servant, good or bad. It is
interesting that in the western world the case is the reverse. You
see, when ajuvenile reaches the age of puberty in Al-Islam he or she
should be careful about anything he or she does or says. On the
contrary, in the West when the person comes of age, he or she is
allowed to do things which are detrimental to his or her well being.
Indeed, if puberty is attained during the days of Ramadan, say at
midday, and the young person is fasting, he or she should continue his
or her fasting and there will be no obligation on him or her to make
up the fast. If he was not fasting, it is incumbent upon him to
observe the rest of the day in fasting, because he has become an adult
upon whom Islamic rites are obligatory. Girls in menstruation can't
observe half day, nor should they make that half day up.

Cleanliness and Beautification in Islam

Before directing its attention to the questions of adornment and good
appearance, Islam addressed itself in considerable depth to the
question of cleanliness, for cleanliness is the essence of good
appearance and the beauty of every adornment.
It is reported that the Prophet (peace be on him) said:
"Cleanse yourself, for Islam is cleanliness."(Reported by Ibn Hayyan.)
"Cleanliness invites toward faith, and faith leads its possessor to
the Garden.(Reported by al-Tabarani.)"
The Prophet (peace be on him) placed a great emphasis on keeping the
body, clothing, houses, and streets clean, and he laid special stress
on cleaning the teeth, hands, and hair.
This emphasis on cleanliness is not to be wondered at in a religion
which makes cleanliness the key to its principle form of
worship,salat,for the Muslim'ssalat isnot acceptable unless his body,
clothing, and the place where he performs hissalatare all clean. In
addition to this requirement' there are the obligatory types of
cleansing, either of the entire body in the form ofghusl(total
washing), or of those parts of the body which are exposed to dirt, in
the form ofwudu(ablution forsalat).
The desert environment of Arabia and the nomadic life of its people
were not very conducive to cleanliness and refinement, and most of
them neglected these aspects. The Prophet (peace be on him), with his
lively instruction and to-the-point admonition, gradually led them out
of their uncouth habits and taught them refinement and civil manners.
Once a man approached the Prophet (peace be on him) with his hair and
beard disheveled. The Prophet (peace be on him) made some gestures as
if asking the man to comb his hair. He did so, and when he returned
the Prophet (peace be on him) said to him,
"Is not this better than that one should come with disheveled hair,
looking like a devil?"(Reported by Malik inAl-Muwatta.)
On another occasion the Prophet (peace be on him) saw a man with
unkept hair and remarked,
"Does he have nothing with which to comb his hair?"(Reported by Abu Daoud.)
Upon seeing another man with dirty clothes he remarked,
"Cannot he find anything with which to wash his clothes?"(Reported by
Abu Daoud.)
A man came to the Prophet (peace be on him) wearing cheap-looking
garments. "Do you have property?" the Prophet (peace be on him) asked
him. "Yes," the man replied. "What kind of property?" asked the
Prophet (peace be on him). "Allah has given me all kinds of wealth,"
he said. The Prophet (peace be on him) then said to him, "Since Allah
has given you wealth, let Him see the effects of His favor and bounty
upon you.'' (Reported by al-Nisai.)
The Prophet insisted that people come to general gatherings, such as
the Friday and the 'Eid prayers, nicely dressed and well-groomed. He
said,If you can afford it, it is befitting that you wear garments
other than your working clothes to Friday prayer.(Reported by Abu
Daoud.)

The danger of changing the meaning of Allaah's Names and Attributes

When dealing with the issue of belief in Allah's Names and Attributes,
we have to bear in mind the following important points:
1( Placing Allah, The Most Exalted, above any likeness to human beings
and beyond any imperfections.
2( Belief in the Names and Attributes established in the Quran and
Sunnah )the sayings, actions and approvals of Prophet Muhammad(,
without ignoring them, expanding upon them, changing or overriding
them.
3( Abandoning any desire to discover the form of those attributes by
realizing the following:
A: The attributes of Allah Almighty bear no resemblance whatsoever to
any human attribute. Allah Says in the Quran )what means(:"There is
nothing like Him…"]Quran 42:11[
B: The only names and attributes to be ascribed to Allah Almighty are
those mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah.
C: We are required to believe in these names and attributes without
inquiring after their nature and manner or investigating their
essence.
This is so because attributes vary according to the self they
characterize; finding out how they manifest themselves depends upon
knowing the self and how it acts.
If someone were to ask: "How does Allah Almighty descend to the lower
heavens?" We would reply by asking: "What is His nature?" If the
questioner says, "I do not know Allah's nature", we say: "And we know
not how He descends!"
Tawheed of Names and Attributes is violated by the following:
1. Ta'teel )Negation(: This is done by negating Allaah's Names or
Attributes, and denying their existence in Allah. For instance,
negating the perfection of Allah by denying His Names and Attributes,
or negating the proper conduct towards Allaah by abandoning worship,
or barring the created from its Creator, such as those who deny the
fact that Allaah Almighty created the universe and claim that it
developed and evolved by itself.
The deviant Islamic sect who adopted this crooked creed is called
'Al-Jahmiyyah', the followers of Jahm Ibn Safwaan. They deny the
Attributes of Allah, the AlMighty and Exalted; in fact, their
extremists deny the Names and say: "It is not permissible to affirm a
Name or an Attribute of Allaah; for if you were to affirm a Name for
Him, you have likened Him with things with )similar( names, or an
Attribute, then you have likened Him with things of )similar(
attributes!! And whatever Allah assigns to Himself from the Names;
then it is just in a metaphorical sense; and not the case of actually
naming with these Names )literally(!!"
2.Tashbeeh )Resemblance(:This means to resemble the attributes of the
Creator to the attributes of the created as the Christians, Jews and
some deviant sects in Islam compare the face of Allah with the human
face, Allaah's Hand to the human hand and so on. ]Al-As'ilah
Wal-Ajwibah Al-Usooliyyah, p. 35[
The people who adopted this deviant creed affirm the attributes of
Allaah, and say: "It is a must to affirm the attributes of Allaah, as
He affirmed them for Himself", but they say: "Indeed they are like the
attributes of the creation."
So, these people went into extreme in affirmation, and the people of
At-Ta'teel went into extreme in elimination of seemingly
anthropomorphic Attributes.
So these people claimed: "It is a must for you to affirm the Face of
Allah, and this Face is like the Face of the most beautiful one from
the children of Aadam." They also claimed:"Because Allah addressed us
with what we understand and comprehend; )so Allah( said )what
means(:"...And remains the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and
Honour."]Quran 55:27[, so we do not understand or comprehend from the
Face except what we witness, and the best of what we see is the
human."
According to their claim - we seek refuge in Allah from such heresy -
)the Face of Allah( is like the best one of the human youth!! And they
claim that this is rationally logical!!
3.Tahreef )Distortion(:This is done through false interpretation or
change. For example, the change of the wordings of names and
attributes, by adding to them, subtracting from them or changing the
grammatical constructions, such as the verse )which means(:"And Allaah
spoke directly to Moosa )Moses(."]Quran 4:163( where the word Allaah
they claimed to be in the objective case, thus indicating that it was
Moosa may Allah exalt his mention who spoke to Allah and not vice
versa. Thus, they denied Allah's attribute of talking.
Al- Jahmiyyah also adopted this innovation through such claims as that
the Istiwaa' )Allah's Ascending above the Throne( means 'conquering
and having dominion over'; and like the saying of some of the
innovators that 'Anger' when referring to Allah means 'intending to
send blessings', all of which goes under Tahreef. The true saying,
however is that Istiwaa' means ascending and being above- as is clear
in the Arabic language. The Quran came to show that its meaning is
ascending and being above the Throne in a manner which befits Allaah's
Majesty and Greatness.
4.Takyeef)to try to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How
Allah's Hand is? It is like this and that, or: How His Descending is?
It is like this and that(: This is done by attempting to determine the
manner in which Allah's Attributes take form and also determining
their essence. The method of taking Names and Attributes mentioned in
the Quran and Sunnah at face value, without any comparison, change,
negation, nor give the "how of" is the method of the Companions may
Allah be pleased with them, their followers and those who followed
their followers, may Allah have mercy them.
Takyeef differs from Tamtheel and Tashbeeh in two ways:
1- Takyeef is to Relate How Something is, with restriction or not by
way of resembling. While Tamtheel and Tashbeeh indicate how something
is, in a restricted sense, by way of a likeness or resemblance
respectively. Takyeef is more general. All who do Tamtheel are doing
Takyeef. But vice versa is NOT the case.
2- Takyeef is Particular to Allaah's Attributes, while Tamtheel is
concerned with His Decree, Description and Self.
Ahlus-Sunnah Wal-Jamaa'ah )the mainstream moderate Muslims( affirm for
Allah -The Most Exalted -what He has affirmed for Himself in His Noble
Book, or what has been affirmed for Him by His Messenger Muhammadin
the authentic Sunnah, without Tamtheel. They free Allah - the Most
Exalted - from any resemblance to His creation, whilst also rejecting
and being free from Ta'teel.

What after Hajj?

Allaah The Almighty Legislated the acts of worship and obedience for
great wisdom and sublime objectives. No wonder, as they strengthen the
faith, purify the soul, correct the attitude and refine the morals. If
acts of worship did not achieve these objectives, then the Muslim
would not benefit from them properly. In such a case, acts of worship
might turn into lifeless rituals that one performs without any actual
influence on his reality and attitude.
This rule applies to Hajj. When the believer performs Hajj properly
realizing its objectives and feeling its meanings, it will be of great
influence upon him in this life and in the Hereafter.
Thus, dear pilgrim, Allaah The Almighty Honored you with the blessing
of visiting His House and Enabled you to perform His obligation.
Therefore, you have to stop and contemplate your conditions, review
the state of your heart and correct the course of your life.
The first thing you have to realize is the greatness of the blessing
that Allaah The Almighty Bestowed upon you when He Facilitated your
affairs and Enabled you to perform this great duty. Certainly, this
necessitates you to praise Allaah The Exalted for this blessing, of
which many people are deprived, despite their longing for it. Praising
Allaah The Almighty for this blessing entails preserving it, adherence
to obedience to Allaah The Almighty and compliance with His religion
and Sharee'ah.
The most important thing that you should maintain after your Hajj is
the issue of steadfastness and guarding this great deed )your
performance of Hajj( against things that could nullify it. You should
ask Allaah The Almighty ceaselessly to Help you adhere firmly to His
religion and Guide you to obey Him, and Make you avoid His
disobedience so that you}will be with the ones upon whom Allaah Has
Bestowed favor of the prophets, the steadfast affirmers of truth, the
martyrs and the righteous. And excellent are those as
companions{]Quran 4:69[
Allaah The Almighty Gave people examples illustrating this issue to
warn His slaves of invalidating their deeds and losing them when they
need them urgently. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Would one
of you like to have a garden of palm trees and grapevines underneath
which rivers flow in which he has from every fruit? But he is
afflicted with old age and has weak offspring, and it is hit by a
whirlwind containing fire and is burned. Thus Does Allaah Make clear
to you ]His[ verses that you might give thought.{]Quran 2:266[
This example speaks about those who did good deeds and then regressed
replacing good deeds with evil ones. We seek refuge with Allaah The
Exalted from this. In his commentary on this verse, Ibn 'Abbaas, May
Allaah Be Pleased with him, said:"This is an example of a rich man who
does good acts out of obedience of Allaah and then Allaah Sends him
the devil whereupon he commits sins till all his good deeds are
lost."]Al-Bukhaari[
Dear pilgrim, remember that the accepted Hajj has signs. The most
prominent of these signs is the continuity of uprightness and
obedience to Allaah The Exalted. Furthermore, your relationship with
Allaah The Almighty should be better than before. Al-Hasan Al-Basri,
May Allaah Have mercy upon him, was told that the accepted Hajj is
rewarded by Paradise. He said, "The sign of this is to return )from
Hajj( renouncing this world and aspiring to the Hereafter."
I wish that you, dear pilgrim, would finish your Hajj while you
realize that its most important objective is to train the Muslim in
worshipping Allaah The Almighty alone, to comply with His
commandments, avoid His prohibitions and follow the Sunnah of His
Prophet. These objectives are not confined to a certain time; rather,
the Muslim should adhere to them as long as he is alive. Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:}And worship your Lord until there comes to
you the certainty )death(.{]Quran 15:99[
Your condition after doing good deeds should be like those about whom
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And they who give what they
give while their hearts are fearful because they will be returning to
their Lord -{]Quran 23:60[
Although they try to get closer to Allaah The Almighty through various
acts of worship, they fear that their deeds may be rejected. That is
why 'Ali, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, used to say, "Be more
concerned about the acceptance of your deeds than about the deeds
themselves. Have not you read the Quranic verse in which Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:}Indeed, Allaah only Accepts from the
righteous ]who fear Him[.{]Quran 5:27[?"
Hence, Allaah The Almighty Commanded the pilgrims to seek His
forgiveness after departing from 'Arafah and Al-Muzdalifah saying
)what means(,}Then depart from the place from where ]all[ the people
depart and ask Forgiveness of Allaah. Indeed, Allaah Is Forgiving and
Merciful.{]Quran 2:199[
Finally, dear pilgrim, you stood at 'Arafah, you shed tears and you
showed remorse over your previous misdeeds. Allaah The Almighty
Emancipated you from Hell, so beware of regressing to sins after being
forgiven by Allaah or drawing near Hell after being saved from it.
Be determined to make your Hajj a turning point in your life, reckon
yourself and determine what influence your Hajj had upon your heart,
attitude, words and deeds.
Keep doing good deeds even if they are little, because regular small
deeds are better than interrupted greater ones. You should know that
deeds, which Allaah The Almighty Loves most, are the most regular and
constant ones even though they were little.
We ask Allaah The Almighty by His Names and most beautiful Attributes
to Accept your Hajj, Forgive your sins and Reward you for your
efforts. We also ask Him to Accept our good deeds and Provide us with
steadfastness and uprightness until death.

In Allah’s Hands alone

The true nature of might and power
In an ultimate way, the answer to these and other similar questions is
simple: Allah Almighty has willed it. This is so because nothing can
happen in this world except by the permission of its mighty Creator
and wise Lord, Allah, The Most High.
All of this happens because Allah Almighty, in His infinite wisdom,
created laws and means )including evil( which allow certain outcomes,
regardless of whether He loves it or not. This does not absolve people
from their intentions and deeds, but quite the opposite. It forms the
crucible and volitional test of human faith. This is known as Allah's
Creative Will or Al-Iraadah Al-Kawniyah.
Allah Almighty also has what is known as the Prescriptive Will,
Al-Iraadah Ash-Shar'iyah—or the Sharee`ah—which prescribes for us what
Allah Almighty requires us to avoid and loves for us to do. Here Allah
Almighty sets forth unambiguously what He detests as evil and what He
loves and aides; namely, good, the righteous, and the good deeds they
do.
Consequently, everything, good or bad, occurs under Allah's knowledge
and happens only by His permission and creation. Making wars,
conquests and the defeat of the weak by the physically strong, all
take place by His permission because that is His Creative Will but at
the intention and choice of man. Thus Allah Almighty Says in the Quran
)what means(:"In the victory of Allah. He gives victory to whom He
wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful. ]It is[ the
promise of Allah. Allah does not fail in His promise, but most of the
people do not know .They know what is apparent of the worldly life,
but they, of the Hereafter, are unaware."]Quran 30:5-7[
Reflecting upon history and reality shows us that Allah Almighty has
made us into various competing communities and nations, who vie with
one another for glory. Allah Almighty gives and takes from whom He
pleases, even according strength to those He despises. Yet, as the
preceding verses indicate, material displays of strength are
deceiving. Allah Almighty has created them as an illusion for the
disbelievers and those who have disregarded His signs. Strength in
this world is meaningless in the next, because it cannot be truly
substantial unless it occurs under God's favor.
So it might be a fair question to ask ourselves what do might and
power mean for the Muslim—a person who declares: La hawla wa la
quwwata illa billah, or "There is neither might nor power save with
Allah?"
In the course of our answer to this, we will see that the root of the
oppression that Allah Almighty mentions time and again in the Quran
originates from a crucial misunderstanding of power, the illusion we
mentioned previously. All the oppressors in the world perceive
themselves as strong and the makers of their own destiny as well as
the destiny of others. But the Quran makes clear that everything is as
God wills, and that "indeed, Allah is powerful over all things" ]Quran
2:20[.
So our question develops. What is the nature of power and does Allah
wish us to view it? Then what sort of concepts about power may we have
to correct in ourselves when we answer our question?
Power and Devine knowledge
Consider Ibrahim, Father of Prophets, Friend of God. He approached
King Nimrod, calling him to submit to Allah Almighty. But Nimrod
doubted and disputed him, simply because Allah Almighty had granted
him kingship )2:258(. In arrogance, Nimrod saw his kingdom and control
over other people as a sign that his power made him responsible to no
one. But Ibrahim, peace be upon him, insisted: "My Lord is He Who
gives life and gives death." And Nimrod said: "I give life and give
death."And it was true in a sense. Nimrod could decree the execution
of whomever he wished in his kingdom.
But Ibrahim, peace be upon him, saw that Nimrod's argument was sheer
falsehood. "Then, indeed, it is Allah who brings the sun from the
East. So you bring from the West." Nimrod could not answer. Ibrahim,
peace be upon him, knew the flimsiness of Nimrod's arguments, how weak
a web of self-deception he had spun for himself. He recognized the
difference between the violent might and meaningless power of Nimrod,
and the wise and ultimate nature of true power from Allah. Prophet
Ibrahim, peace be upon him, knew true power comes only from complete
submission to God, not from physical outbursts and the compulsion of
others.
The same is evident from the Prophet Muhammadwho said:"A strong person
is not the one who throws his adversaries to the ground. A strong
person is the one who contains himself when he is angry."]Al-Bukhari[
The believer does not wish to extend his human limitations onto other
people through needless violence, harsh words, and spiteful thoughts.
Allah Almighty Says )what means(:"And do not turn your cheek ]in
contempt[ toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly.
Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful."]Quran
31:18[
This Quranic verse shows attributes, not of the strong, but the
spiritually weak. Instead, the strong man of God is in selfless
devotion to his Creator. The Prophet Muhammaddid not take his revenge
on the people of Makkah when he conquered it. He did not raise his
voice at those who disrespected him. Instead, he went against most of
the expectations of what the Arabs considered to be actions of the
strong and powerful at that time. In this was a sign of his real
strength.
When we desire to oppose oppression, we must remember that we serve
only the One who has created all things, and not the created things
themselves. We have all heard the expression: "Do not fall in love
with the things of this world." But it is equally true to say: "Do not
fall into hatred of the things of this world."
To succumb to either condition is to abandon our submission to Allah
for surrender to the world and its illusions, which become controlling
over us. It is to lose sight of ultimate purposes and ends, and out of
love or hate, to focus on the temporary and miss the eternal. We lose
ourselves to our own emotions instead of locating ourselves in the
refuge of the All-Merciful.
It is always better to seek to live by Allah's commands than to follow
our false desires. An example of this is the celebrated anecdote of
Ali ibn abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, on the battlefield.
His enemy fell beneath him, open to the deathblow. At that moment, he
spat in Ali's face. Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, held his
stroke and turned away, to the astonishment of his opponent, who asked
him why. His action would have emerged not from obedience to Allah,
but from personal anger, making it insincere.
Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, recognized that to strike at that
moment would be to transfer his submission from the Divine to the
dunya )world(, controlled by the actions of his enemy or his physical
emotions. If this story is true, it goes a long way to show the solid
character of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, who wanted his heart
to be moved only by Allah Almighty and for His sake alone, not the
deception of this world.
He sacrificed a display of physical strength )at that moment(, so he
might observe the limits Allah had established )not to kill for one's
own whims or motives(. He knew that all power in this world comes from
Allah alone, and this power loses its meaning if it is not used in His
way. Through this type of action, Allah made him and many other
Companions of Prophet Muhammadof the strongest and wisest of His
servants.

Dought & clear, - sacrifice, - His sacrificial animal fell and he slaughtered it before it died; does it still count as a sacrifice?.

The sacrificial animal fell from the roof of our house and we
slaughtered it before it died; is that permissible?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It appears from your question that you slaughtered the sacrificial
animal before the Eid prayer. If that is the case, then it is not a
sacrifice (udhiyah), because the condition of the sacrifice is that it
should be slaughtered on the days of sacrifice, which are the day of
Eid and the three following days.
It was narrated that Jundub ibn Sufyaan (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: I was present on Eid al-Adha with the Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). When he had
finished leading the people in prayer, he looked at a sheep that had
been slaughtered and said, 'Whoever slaughtered (his sacrifice) before
the prayer, let him slaughter a sheep in place of it, and whoever has
not yet slaughtered (his sacrifice), let him do so in the name of
Allaah." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 942; Muslim, 1960.
Based on this, if this sacrifice was in fulfilment of a vow, then you
have to offer another sacrifice in its stead.
But if you slaughtered it at the time of sacrifice, and you bought it
with the intention of sacrificing it, then it is valid and is a
sacrifice (udhiyah), even if it was damaged as the result of its fall
from the roof. See also question no. ( 39191).
Secondly:
With regard to the validity of your slaughtering it, it is valid if
you managed to do it before it died.
Allaah has forbidden that which has been killed by strangling, and
that which has been killed by a violent blow - which is an animal that
dies from a blow with a piece of wood or metal - and that which has
been killed by a headlong fall - like your sacrifice - and that which
has been partially eaten by wild animals. This applies if the animal
dies, but if people catch up with it before it dies and slaughter it
in the manner prescribed in sharee'ah, then it becomes halaal.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maitah (the dead animals -- cattle
-- beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which
Allaah's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering (that which
has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah, or has
been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by
strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the
goring of horns -- and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild
animal -- unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death)"
[al-Maa'idah 5:3]
Ibn Katheer said:
The phrase "unless you are able to slaughter it" refers to that which
you are able to reach and slaughter in the proper manner when there is
still evidently life in it. That refers to the phrase, "that which has
been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong
fall, or by the goring of horns -- and that which has been (partly)
eaten by a wild animal".
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/11, 12
It was narrated from Ka'b ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that they had sheep that used to graze at Sal' (a mountain in
Madeenah): a girl of ours saw a sheep that was dying, so she broke a
stone and slaughtered it with it. He said to them: "Do not eat it
until I ask the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)."
He asked the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about
that and he told him to eat it. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2181.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - sacrifice, - If the sacrificial animal becomes damaged after selecting it.

I bought a sacrificial animal, and at the time of slaughtering it
jumped from on top of the roof. We caught up with it and slaughtered
it before it died. Is that counted as a sacrifice?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If a person has selected a sacrificial animal, then some damage
befalls it that is not caused by any wrongdoing or negligence, then he
slaughters it at the time of slaughtering, then it is valid and is
counted as a sacrifice.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inal-Mughni(13/373):
If the sacrificial animal is sound and free of faults, then something
happens to it that renders it unsuitable, it should be slaughtered and
it still counts as a sacrifice. This was narrated from 'Ata',
al-Hasan, al-Nakha'i, al-Zuhri, al-Thawri, Maalik, al-Shaafa'i and
Ishaaq. End quote.
The evidence for that is the report narrated by al-Bayhaqi from Ibn
al-Zubayr (may Allaah be pleased with him), according to which a
one-eyed she-camel was brought to him as a sacrificial animal, and he
said: If this happened to it after you bought it, then go ahead (and
sacrifice it), but if it happened to it before you bought it, then
offer another one instead of it." Al-Nawawi said inal-Majmoo'(8/328):
its isnaad is saheeh.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said in his essayAhkaam al-Udhiyah(Rulings on
the Sacrifice) concerning the rulings on selection of the sacrificial
animal:
If the animal has a fault that renders it unsuitable for sacrifice,
one of two scenarios must apply:
1 – That was caused by the owner's wrongdoing or negligence, in which
case it must be replaced with another animal that is the same or more
perfect, because if the damage was caused by him, he must replace it
with another one to be slaughtered instead, and the damaged animal
still belongs to him, according to the sound scholarly opinion; he may
do whatever he wants with it, sell it or whatever.
2 – The fault was caused without any wrongdoing or negligence on the
owner's part. In that case he should sacrifice it and it counts as a
sacrifice, because it is a trust that is in his keeping but it got
damaged through no action or negligence on his part, so there is no
sin on him and he does not have to replace it. End quote.
Secondly:
How is a sacrificial animal selected?
The selection of the sacrificial animal may be verbal, such as saying,
"This is a sacrificial animal."
If they buy it with the intention of offering it as a sacrifice, Abu
Haneefah and Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on them) are of the view
that the selection has been made thereby. Al-Shaafa'i and Ahmad are of
the view that the selection is not made thereby.
The scholars of the Standing Committee are of the view that the
selection is made when one buys the animal with the intention of
offering it as a sacrifice.
It says inFataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 11/402:
The sacrificial animal is selected when one buys it with the intention
of offering it as a sacrifice or when one selects it. End quote.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said
inMajmoo' al-Fataawa(26/304):
If a person buys a sacrificial animal and it gets damaged before
slaughter, it may be slaughtered according to one of the two scholarly
opinions. End quote.
Based on the above, if you bought this sheep with the intention of
offering a sacrifice, then it gets damaged without any wrongdoing or
negligence on your part, then it is counted as a sacrifice, in sha
Allaah.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - sacrifice, - What should the one who wants to offer a sacrifice refrain from doing?

With regard to a Muslim who is not performing Hajj, what should he do
during the first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah? Is cutting the nails and
hair not permissible? Is putting on henna or wearing new clothes not
permitted until after the sacrifice has been slaughtered?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If the onset of Dhu'l-Hijjah has been proven and a person wants to
offer a sacrifice, it is haraam for him to remove anything from the
hair on his body or to cut his nails or any part of his skin. It is
not forbidden for him to wear new clothes or to put on henna or
perfume, or to be intimate with his wife or have intercourse with her.
This ruling applies only to the one who is going to offer the
sacrifice, and not to the rest of his family, and not to the one whom
he appoints to slaughter the sacrifice on his behalf. None of these
things are forbidden for his wife or children, or for his deputy.
No differentiation is made between men and women with regard to this
ruling. If a woman wants to offer a sacrifice on her own behalf,
whether she is married or not, then she should refrain from removing
any hair from her body or cutting her nails, because of the general
meaning of the texts which state that that is not allowed.
This is not called ihraam, because there is no ihraam except during
the rituals of Hajj and 'Umrah, and the one who is in ihraam wears the
ihraam garments and refrains from wearing perfume, having intercourse,
and hunting, but all of these things are permissible for the one who
wants to offer a sacrifice after the month of Dhu'l-Hijjah begins. He
is not forbidden to do anything except cut his hair, trim his nails or
remove anything from his skin.
It was narrated from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When you
see the new moon of Dhu'l-Hijjah, and one of you wants to offer a
sacrifice, let him refrain from (removing anything) from his hair or
nails." Narrated by Muslim, 1977. According to another version: "Let
him not remove anything of his hair or skin."
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
It is prescribed for the one who wants to offer a sacrifice, when the
month of Dhu'l-Hijjah begins, that he should not remove anything from
his hair, nails or skin until he has offered the sacrifice, because of
the report narrated by the group apart from al-Bukhaari (may Allaah
have mercy on them), from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with
her), that the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "When you see the new moon of Dhu'l-Hijjah, and one
of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him refrain from (removing
anything) from his hair or nails." According to a version narrated by
Abu Dawood, Muslim and al-Nasaa'i: "Whoever has a sacrifice to offer,
when the new moon of Dhu'l-Hijjah begins, let him not remove anything
from his hair or nails until he has offered the sacrifice" – whether
he is going to slaughter the sacrifice himself or has asked someone
else to slaughter it on his behalf. As for the one on whose behalf the
sacrifice is being offered, that is not prescribed in his case,
because there is no report to that effect. That is not called ihraam,
rather ihraam refers to the one who enters ihraam for Hajj or 'Umrah
or both. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah, 11/397, 398
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
In the hadeeth it says, "Whoever wants to offer a sacrifice or appoint
some else to slaughter the sacrifice for him, from the beginning of
the month of Dhu'l-Hijjah, let him not remove anything from his hair,
skin or nails, until he has offered the sacrifice." Does this
prohibition apply to all the members of a household, old and young, or
does it apply to the adults only and not the children?
They replied:
We do not know of a version of the hadeeth which appears as mentioned
in the question. The version which we know is narrated from the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as reported by the
group apart from al-Bukhaari from Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased
with her), according to which the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When you see the new moon of
Dhu'l-Hijjah, and one of you wants to offer a sacrifice, let him
refrain from (removing anything) from his hair or nails." According to
a version narrated by Abu Dawood – which was also narrated by Muslim
and al-Nasaa'i – "Whoever has a sacrifice to offer, when the new moon
of Dhu'l-Hijjah begins, let him not remove anything from his hair or
nails until he has offered the sacrifice." This hadeeth indicates that
it is not allowed to remove anything from the hair or nails after the
first ten days of Dhu'l-Hijjah begin, for the one who wants to offer a
sacrifice. The first report includes a command to refrain, which
basically implies that refraining is obligatory, and we do not know of
any reason to interpret it otherwise. The second report includes the
prohibition on removing anything, which basically implies that it is
haraam, and we do not know of any reason to interpret it otherwise.
Thus it is clear that this hadeeth applies only to the one who wants
to offer the sacrifice. As for the one on whose behalf the sacrifice
is being offered, whether he is old or young he is not forbidden to
remove anything from his hair, skin or nails, based on the basic
principle, which is that these actions are permitted. We do not know
of any evidence to the contrary. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-'Daa'imah, 11/426, 427
Secondly:
None of these things are haraam for the one who does not intend to
offer a sacrifice because he is unable to. Whoever removes anything
from his hair or nails although he plans to offer a sacrifice does not
have to offer any fidyah (ransom), but he has to repent and seek
forgiveness.
Ibn Hazm (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Whoever wants to offer a sacrifice, it is obligatory for him, once the
month of Dhu'l-Hijjah begins, not to remove anything from his hair or
nails until he has offered the sacrifice, whether that is by shaving,
trimming or any other means. Whoever does not plan to offer a
sacrifice is not obliged to adhere to that.
Al-Muhallah, 6/3
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Once this is established, then he should forego cutting his hair or
clipping his nails. If he does that, he should ask Allaah for
forgiveness, but he does not have to offer any fidyah, according to
scholarly consensus, whether he did that deliberately or out of
forgetfulness.
Al-Mughni, 9/346
Note:
Al-Shawkaani said:
The reason behind this prohibition is so that all parts will remain to
be ransomed from the Fire, or it was said that it is so that he will
resemble the one who is in ihraam. Both views were narrated by
al-Nawawi, but he narrated from the companions of al-Shaafa'i that the
second view is a mistake, because (the person who wants to offer a
sacrifice) does not keep away from women or stop putting on perfume or
wearing regular clothes, and other things which the person in ihraam
refrains from.
Nayl al-Awtaar, 5/133
And Allaah knows best.