Fathwa, - Islam protects the wife's right in enjoyment and satisfaction

Question
It is recommended in Islam for men to marry virgin women. "Marry
virgins for they have sweeter mouths, more productive wombs and are
more pleased with less". But for women it is recommended not to refuse
a man because of their age and marital status )if he is already
married( women even have got no right object if her husbands want to
have more wives. Why man's enjoyment, satisfaction and pleasure has
been given more preference to the woman's?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that
Muhammadis His slave and Messenger.
First of all, you should know that being content with the religious
rulings and surrendering oneself to them is the only way to salvation,
and listening to the misconceptions which the devil and his )human and
jinn( helpers whisper to a person are means for destruction. If the
heart accepts these misconceptions, it will be led to destruction; so
one should be very careful. Allaah Says )what means(: }And certainly,
the devils do inspire their friends )from mankind( to dispute with
you, and if you obey them )by making a dead animal legal by eating
it(, then you would indeed be polytheists because they -devils and
their friends- made lawful to you to eat that which Allaah has made
unlawful to eat and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat,
and by doing so you worshipped them, and to worship others besides
Allaah is polytheism(.{ ]Quran 6:121[.
Saying that in Islam, the right of the man in enjoying his wife is put
in priority over the right of the wife in doing so is wrong in
principle, and it has no basis. Indeed, Islam protected the right of
the wife in marital relations and other fields, and there are many
other well-known examples but this is not the place to mention them.
It is enough to mention the saying of Allaah )which means(: }And live
with them in kindness.{]Quran 4:19[. Allaah also Says )what means(:
}…And they )women( have rights )over their husbands as regards living
expenses, etc.( similar )to those of their husbands( over them )as
regards obedience and respect, etc.( to what is reasonable.{]Quran
2:228[.
Indeed, Islam urges men to marry virgin women, but this is in order to
achieve greater benefits than just temporarily, enjoinment such as
increasing the progeny, the continuity of marital relationship between
the husband and wife and so forth. On the other hand, a woman is not
obliged to accept to marry someone who is much older or much younger
than her, or someone whose social status is different than hers, and
so on. However, when the scholarssay that it is desirable for the
woman not to refuse a man because of these differences, this is in
order to achieve religious benefits. For instance, a woman is
generally the one who is asked for marriage by a man whereas she is
shy to ask someone to marry her, and if she refuses those who propose
to her for marriage, it might be that )after a while( no one else
would ask her for marriage, and so, she will remain without being
married, and live all her life without a husband. In this case
spinsterhood would spread and this, undoubtedly, leads to many
temptations and corruption.
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa, - Highlighting the status ofwoman in Islam

Question
Assalamu Alaikum We are living in a time that the opponents of Islam
spreading wrong information about the freedom of women in Islam. But I
am amazed to notice that wherever in the world occures any communal
problems, the Muslim women are abused and molested by the opposite
community but the Muslims are rarely doing the same to the women of
other religion. Is it a result of the teachings of our beloved Prophet
Muhammad )s a s( to respect women? Can we use this matter to the Dawa
purpose? Jazak allah khairan
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that
Muhammadis His slave and Messenger.
There is no doubt that there is no other civilization that respected
the status of the woman as did the Islamic civilization. This is
highlighted in the teachings of Islam in its two authentic sources:
the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Prophet.
Similarly, Islam advises its followers to be kind to the non-Muslims
and to deal justly with them as long as they are not in war with the
Muslims; Allaah Says )what means(:}Allaah does not forbid you from
those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you
from your homes — from being righteous toward them and acting justly
toward them. Indeed, Allaah loves those who act justly.{]Quran 60:83[.
There is no difference in this respect between their males and
females, young and old.
Even at war, the Prophetforbade killing a woman unless she is a
fighter.Ibn 'Umarnarrated that a woman was found killed in one of the
battles of the Prophetso hedisapproved of the killing of women and
children. ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Moreover,Imaam Maalikreported in "Al-Muwatta'a" thatAbu Bakrused to
advise the leaders of his army telling them:"Do not kill a woman or a
child or an old aged person, and do not cut down fruitful trees. Do
not destroy the inhabited places. Do not slaughter a sheep or a camel
except for food. Do not burn palm trees or drown them. Do not steal
from the booty, and do not be cowardly."
There is no doubt that this is from the good traits of Islam whose
followers abide by in most of their cases, and this is evident from
their conduct as well.
Indeed, such good traits should be highlighted by the Muslims and used
in calling non-Muslims to Islam and in their dealings with the
non-Muslims.
Allaah knows best.

Fathwa, - Children’s Islamic upbringing woman’s major role

Question
I am a woman who loves her family very much. Is my exaggerated love
for them considered a sin? If I enter Paradise, will my husband and
children be with me? I do not work for the sake of my children. Have I
committed a sin by not working?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His slave and Messenger.
Allaah The Almighty promised the people who die as believers, as well
as their families, to gather them together in Paradise. Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(, }And those who believed and whose
descendants followed them in faith - We will join with them their
descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds.
Every person, for what he earned, is retained.{]Quran 52: 21[ Allaah
The Almighty told us that by His Grace and Bounty He gathers them in
the perfect way by elevating those who are in lower ranks to those who
are in higher ranks, not vice versa.
Every Muslim, male or female, should be keen on achieving high levels
of faith. They should bring up their children according to the
guidance of faith and righteousness in order to attain this great
reward.
The questioner's love for her husband and children is an innate love
that does not result in any sin as long as she does not give it
priority over the love for Allaah The Almighty, His Messenger and His
religion.
A woman will have a great reward if she is mainly focused on
upbringing her children properly in an Islamic way, devoting herself
for this cause, and observing her husband's rights. These goals are
better for her than the transient earnings of this worldly life that
she could have if she were to work. May Allaah The Almighty guide
everyone to do what He loves and all that pleases Him.
Allaah Knows best.

Holy Days of Islam

Festivals
There are two Muslim festivals set down in Islamic law: Eid-ul-Fitr
and Eid-ul-Adha ("Eid" or "Id" is a word meaning festival).
There are also several other special days which Muslims celebrate.
Al-Hijra (1 Muharram) - The Islamic New Year's Day
This festival commemorates the Hijra (or Hegira) in 622 CE when the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) moved from Mecca to Medina.
This was the beginning of the growth of Islam into a world faith.
The Muslim calendar counts dates from the Hijra, which is why Muslim
dates have the suffix A.H. (After Hijra). There is no specific
religious ritual required on this day, but Muslims will think about
the general meaning of Hijra, and regard this as a good time for "New
Year Resolutions".
The Qur'an uses the word Hijra to mean moving from a bad place or
state of affairs to a good one - and so Muslims may think about how
their faith helps them leave behind bad ways of living and achieve a
better life.
Ashura (10 Muharram)
This is a holiday for Shi'a Muslims in particular, and commemorates
the martyrdom of Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet (pbuh) in 680 CE.
In Shi'ite communities this is a solemn day: plays reenacting the
martyrdom are often staged, and many take part in mourning rituals.
For other Muslims, Ashura is an optional fasting day.
Mawlid an Nabi (12 Rabi') - The birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
At this time Muslims think about Muhammad (pbuh), and the events of
his life. Muslim parents will tell stories of the Prophet's (pbuh)
life to their children. Those Muslims who celebrate this festival do
so joyfully. Some Muslims disapprove of celebrating the birthday, on
the grounds that it is an innovation, and innovations in religious
matters are forbidden.
Why are innovations forbidden?
Because if changes were made in religious matters it would imply that
Islam was not complete when it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh), or that the Prophet (pbuh) did not tell Muslims everything
that was revealed to him.
This would be seen as highly sacrilegious by many Muslims.
Lailat al Miraj (27 Rajab)
The night journey and ascent of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and the
revelation of Salat.
The festival is celebrated by telling the beautiful story of how the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was visited by two archangels while he was
asleep, who purified his heart and filled him with knowledge and
faith.
The Prophet (pbuh) travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem in a single night
on a strange winged creature called Burqa. From Jerusalem he ascended
into heaven, where he met the earlier prophets, and eventually God.
During his time in heaven Muhammad (pbuh) was told of the duty of
Muslims to recite Salat (ritual prayer) 5 times a day.
Lailat al Qadr (27 Ramadan)
The festival of The Night of Power marks the night in which the Qur'an
was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by Allah. Muslims
regard this as the most important event in history, and the Qur'an
says that "this night is better than a thousand months" (97:3), and
that on this night the angels descend to earth.
This is a festival that Muslims spend in study and prayer. Some will
spend the whole night in prayer or in reciting the Qur'an.
Lailat al Qadr is a good time to ask for forgiveness. Allah's Apostle said,
"Whoever establishes the prayers on the night of Qadr out of sincere
faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not to show off) then all
his past sins will be forgiven." (Bukhari Vol 1, Book 2: 34)
The date of27 Ramadanis a traditional date, as the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) did not tell us when the Night of Power would be, although he
suggested it was in the last 10 days of the month. Because of this,
many Muslims will treat the last 10 days of the month of Ramadan as a
particularly good time for prayer and reading the Qur'an.
Eid ul Fitr (1 Shawwal)
This marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting, and is a festival
of great celebration. In Islamic countries it is a public holiday. The
first Eid was celebrated in 624 CE by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) with
his friends and relatives after the victory of the battle of
Jang-e-Badar.
Muslims are not only celebrating the end of fasting, but thanking
Allah for the help and strength that he gave them throughout the
previous month to help them practice self-control. The festival begins
when the first sight of the new moon is seen in the sky.
Muslims in most countries rely on news of an official sighting, rather
than looking at the sky themselves.
Eid ul Fitr is very much a community festival and people go out into
the streets to exchange greetings, and visit friends and relatives.
The celebratory atmosphere is increased by everyone wearing best or
new clothes, and decorating their homes. There are special services
out of doors and in Mosques, processions through the streets, and of
course, a special celebratory meal-eaten during daytime, the first
daytime meal Muslims will have had in a month. Eid is also a time of
forgiveness, and making amends.
Eid ul Adha (10 Dhul-Hijja)
The Festival of sacrifice which marks the end of the Hajj or holy
pilgrimage, which is one of the 5 pillars of Islam, however it is
celebrated by all Muslims, not just those who are on the pilgrimage.
This is a 4-day public holiday in Muslim countries.
The festival remembers the prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice
his son when God ordered him to. God appeared in a dream to Ibrahim
and told him to sacrifice his son Isma'il. Ibrahim and Isma'il set off
to Mina for the sacrifice. As they went, the devil attempted to
persuade Ibrahim to disobey God and not to sacrifice his beloved son.
Ibrahim drove the devil away.
As Ibrahim prepared to kill his son God stopped him and gave him a
sheep to sacrifice instead. Ibrahim's complete submission to the will
of God is celebrated by Muslims each year. Each Muslim, as they
celebrate, reminds themselves of their own submission to God, and
their own willingness to sacrifice anything to God's wishes.
During the festival Muslims who can afford to, sacrifice domestic
animals, usually sheep, as a symbol of Ibraham's sacrifice. The meat
is distributed among family, friends and the poor, who each get a
third share. (British law insists that the animals must be killed in a
proper slaughterhouse.) As with all festivals there are prayers, and
also presents.

Days and Dates of Islamic significance

The Islamic religious year is known asHijri year. It began with the
Hijrah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from Makkah to Madinah in the
year 622 of the common era. Thetwelve-month year is based on a purely
lunar cycle of 354 days. Thus Islamic dates have no fixed relation to
the seasons of the 365 day solar year. Over the course of years all
Islamic events may occur in spring, summer, autumn or winter.
Twelve Islamic months are as follows:
1.Muharram ul Haram
2.Safar
3.Rabi-ul-Awwal
4.Rab-ul-Akhir
5.Jamadi-ul-Awwal
6.Jamadi-ul-Akhir
7.Rajab
8.Sha'aban
9.Ramadhan
10.Shawwal
11.Dhul Qadah
12.Dhul Hijjah
Important Days
Following are the most important religious days in Islam:
Friday:
This is the main day of weekly religious service in Islam. Mosques are
usually filled to capacity with worshippers on this day. Worship
service which consists of sermon and congregational prayer is held
around noon time. In most Muslim countries Friday is also a weekly
holiday. Government offices and schools are closed on this day.
Muslims respect Friday because, according to Islamic tradition, it was
thefirst day of creation when God created the heavens and earth. It is
also believed to be the day when theresurrection will take placeand so
it will be theDay of Judgment. Muslims believe that Friday has a
special cosmic significance and it is a veryblessed day of the week.
Ramadan (9th month):
Ramadan is theninth month of Islamic lunar calendar. Muslims consider
this whole month a blessed month. They fast during the days of this
month and make special prayers at night. People also give more charity
and do extra righteous deeds.
During the month of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammadreceived the first
revelation. The angel Gabriel came to him while he was in the cave of
Hira, near Makkah, and told him that God had appointed Muhammad as His
last Messenger and Prophet. Muhammad began his prophetic mission from
that time and started preaching the divine message that continued
coming to him at different intervals during the rest of his life for
23 years. Ramadan is thus the month of celebration as well as the
month of discipline and self control.
Laylat al Qadr:
This is aspecial night of the month of Ramadan. The Qur'an has spoken
about this night in Surah 97, al Qadr. It is mentioned that the Qur'an
was sent down in the Night of Qadr. The Night of Qadr is better than
one thousand months. The whole night is blessed, it is full of peace
and angelic presence. Although it is not told exactly which night of
the month of Ramadan is the Night of Qadr, Muslim make special prayers
in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan, hoping that one of it
is the blessed Night of Qadr.
Popularly the night of the27th of Ramadanis celebrated with special
prayers and vigils. Mosques are full of worshippers and special
prayers services, readings from the Qur'an and religious chants are
performed in mosques or private gatherings.
Eid-ul-Fitr (1st of Shawwal, 10th month):
At the conclusion of the month of Ramadan, on thefirst day of the 10th
month of Islamic lunar calendar occurs Eid-ul-Fitr. This is one of two
main festivals of Islam and is celebrated by all Muslims throughout
the world
The ceremony of Eid-ul-Fitr starts early morning with aworship
service. This service is generally held in a large open place and is
attended by thousands of Muslims. After the prayer the leader of the
prayer (Imam) delivers a short sermon and then people greet each
other. The rest of the ceremonies are held generally privately with
families and friends.
The significance of Eid is that it is a day ofthanksgiving to
Allahthat He gave the opportunity to Muslims to benefit from and enjoy
the blessings of the month of Ramadan.
The Day of Hajj (9th of Dhul Hijjah, 12th month):
Pilgrimage (Hajj)is one of the five pillars of Islam. Every adult
Muslim who can afford it physically and financially must perform Hajj
at least once in his/her life. The Hajj takes aboutfive days,
beginning from the eighth day until the twelfth . The twelfth month of
Islamic year is named after Hajj and is called Dhul Hijjah.
Hajj ceremonies take a pilgrim from Makkah to its surrounding
historical places Mina, `Arafah and Muzdalifa. The main day of Hajj is
the 9th day of Dhul Hijjah. On this day all pilgrims must gather in
the valley of `Arafah from mid day until sunset. Muslims in other
places who are not on pilgrimage often observe this day of `Arafah
with fasting. It is an optional fasting and is considered very
meritorious.
Eid-ul-Adha (from 10 12 of Dhul Hijjah, 12th month):
Following the day of Hajj comes Eid-ul-Adha. It begins from the10th
day of the 12th month of the Islamic lunar calendar. This is the
second main annual festival in Islam. On this day also exactly like
the previous celebration, festivities begin with a prayer service held
in an open place in the morning of the first day. This prayer is
attended by a large number of Muslims. Since this festival occurs
immediately after the Day of Pilgrimage those who go to make
pilgrimage celebrate it in Mina, near Makkah. Other Muslims around the
world also join with the pilgrims in their joy and thanksgiving.
Another significance of Idul Adha is that it is a time of sacrifice.
Muslims commemorate Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his
son, Ishmael. Since God gave Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) a
lamb to sacrifice instead of sacrificing his only son, Muslims also
offer the sacrifices of animals. The sacrifice can be done after the
prayer on the 10th until the 12th before sunset. The meat of the
animals is given to needy people and friends and a portion of it is
also kept for one's own consumption. Often people cook this meat
during the holidays, make feasts and enjoy the celebration.
Other important days:
The above days are universally recognized by all Muslims. There are
some other important days that are often celebrated by Muslims with
varying degrees of enthusiasm and devotion. Some Muslims do not
consider them as religious holidays at all.
New Year Day (First day of Muharram, 1st month):
The New Year Day of Hijrah reminds Muslims of theHijrah (migration) of
the Prophet Muhammadpeace be upon him - from Makkah to Madinah in the
year 622. It is well known that the Hijrah did not take place on the
first day of Muharram, it probably occurred in the month of Rabi'ul
Awwal (3rd month). Also the Hijri calendar was instituted some time in
the reign of Caliph 'Umar (634 644 C.E.). However, due to the
association of Islamic calendar with Hijrah, new year day becomes an
important day to remember the meaning and significance of Hijrah.
In modern times, some Muslims also began using it to send greeting
cards and celebrate new year. There are, however, no religious
services associated with this day.
Ashura (10th of Muharram, 1st month):
After his arrival in Madinah in the year 622, Prophet Muhammad - peace
be upon him institutedfasting on the 10th of Muharram. A year later
this fasting was replaced with the mandatory fasting in the month of
Ramadan. However, fasting on `Ashura' remained a voluntary fasting.
Many Muslims usually fast on this day also.
This day is also associated with themartyrdom of Prophet Muhammad's
grandson Hussain ibn Ali. He was killed in the battle of Karbala' on
the 10th of Muharram in 61 A.H. (October 10, 680 C.E.). It is a day of
sadness for all Muslims. Shi'ahs in particular attach a great
significance to this day and mark this day and the whole month of
Muharram with mourning. Special gatherings (majalis) are held to
remember the suffering of the Imam and his family and the events that
led to Karbala'.
Maulid al Nabi (12th of Rabi'ul Awwal, 3rd month):
This day is remembered as theBirthday of the Prophet peace be upon
him. It is a very popular day of celebration. It, probably, began
early in the Fatimid Egypt (beginning of tenth century C.E.) where
people began distributing sweets and making special chanting and
festivities on this day.
There are no special prayers or religious services associated with
this day, but many Muslims use this day to talk about the Prophet, his
life and example. They use it as a time to express their love and
devotion for Prophet Muhammad. It is now celebrated with varying
degrees of enthusiasm throughout the Muslim world and wherever Muslims
live. Some people, however, criticize it because it has no sanction in
the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet and the early community
(salaf) did not mark this day with any special festivities.
Night of Isra' and Mi'raj (27th of Rajab, 7th month):
Night journey of the Prophet Muhammadpeace be upon him from Makkah to
Jerusalem and then his ascension to Heavens occurred in the year 620
C.E. It is mentioned briefly in the Qurán (Surah 17 and 53). The
Hadith literature gives much more details of this experience of the
Prophet.
Muslims remember this day as a day of great miracle and honor of the
Prophet. On the eve of the 27th of Rajab, gatherings are held in the
mosques and homes to remember the event and the whole story is told in
poetry, chants or lectures. Sweets are distributed and great happiness
and joy is expressed.
There are also no special prayers associated with this night. Muslims
remember this day with varying degrees of enthusiasm and devotion.
Some people do not celebrate it at all.
Night of the Middle of Sha'ban (15th of Sha'ban, 8th month):
There are all kinds of legends associated with this night. In some
countries it is celebrated with firework.
People make special prayers at night and consider it a "night of
destiny". There are no authentic ahadith about this night. There are,
however, a number of weak (da`if) ahadith that mention that the
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him - used to make special prayers on
this night. He used to visit the Cemetery of Muslims and pray for
those who passed away and used to fast the following day. The
cumulative effect of these ahadith make them acceptable to some. On
the basis of these reports some consider fasting on this day a blessed
act. Again, this night and its following day are not universally
accepted by all Muslims.

Brief History of Islam

Origins
Islam was gradually revealed to humanity by a number of earlier
prophets, but the final and complete revelation of the faith was made
through the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the 7th century CE.
Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Mecca in Saudi Arabia in 570.
He was a deeply spiritual man, and often spent time in meditation on Mount Hira.
One night in 610 he was meditating in a cave on the mountain when he
was visited by the angel Jibreel who ordered him to "recite". After
some difficulty Muhammad (pbuh) found that he was reciting words which
he came to understand were the words of God.
During the rest of his life Muhammad (pbuh) continued to receive these
revelations. The words were remembered and recorded, and form the text
of the Holy Qu'ran, the Muslim scripture.
Preaching
Realising that God had chosen him as his messenger Muhammad began to
preach what God had revealed to him.
The simple and clear-cut message of Islam, that there is no God but
Allah, and that life should be lived in complete submission to the
will of Allah, was attractive to many people, and they flocked to hear
it.
The Hijrah
Muhammad's (pbuh) popularity was seen as threatening by the people in
power in Mecca, and Muhammad (pbuh) took his followers on a journey
from Mecca to Medina in 622.
This journey is called the Hijrah (migration) and the event was seen
as so important for Islam that 622 is the year in which the Islamic
calendar begins.
The Return to Mecca
7 years late Muhammad (pbuh) had gained so many followers that he was
able to return to Mecca and conquer it.
From this time on he was generally accepted as the true final Prophet
of God (pbuh).
Muhammad continued to lead his community both spiritually and in
earthly matters until his death in 632.

The Trade of Sincere Muslims

There is no doubt that the reward of Allaah The Almighty is better and
more lasting than any worldly benefit. Allaah, the Exalted, Says )what
means(:}But what is with Allaah is better and more lasting for those
who have believed and upon their Lord rely.{]Quran 42: 36[
Indeed, one's good deeds are generously rewarded by Allaah The
Almighty; He Says )what means(:}And whatever good you put forward for
yourselves – you will find it with Allaah. It is better and greater in
reward.{]Quran 73:20[
Herein lies the great importance of seeking the reward of Allaah The
Almighty. What exactly do we mean by that?
There are various types and meanings of hoping for the reward of
Allaah The Almighty, including:
Seeking the reward of Allaah The Almighty when carrying out acts of
obedience for His sake
If one recalls the great meaning of hoping for the reward of Allaah
The Almighty while performing acts of obedience, this would ward off
ill thoughts such as indulging in ostentation, seeking reputation and
fame or the praise and attention of people, and other manifestations
of grave diseases of the heart that render deeds worthless or reduce
their rewards. Such a Muslim has restricted his main concern;
conversely, the Muslim whose sole aim is to attain the satisfaction of
Allaah The Exalted with these deeds and hopes for His reward will be
rewarded generously. The Prophetsaid:"Whoever fasts Ramadan out of
faith and hoping for reward from Allaah The Exalted will have his past
sins forgiven for him."
Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Prophetsaid:"Whoever follows the funeral
procession of a Muslim out of faith and hoping to attain the reward of
Allaah and remains with it till the funeral prayer is offered and the
burial ceremonies are over, will return with a reward of two Qirats;
each of which is like the size of )the Mount( Uhud."]Al-Bukhaari and
Muslim[
In addition, the Muslim man is rewarded for providing for his family
)although it is obligatory for the man to provide for his family, he
will be rewarded for it as if he was offering this money for charity,
if his intention is seeking the reward of Allaah The Exalted(. The
Prophetsaid:"When the Muslim spends something on his family seeking a
reward for it from Allaah, it is counted for him as
charity."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Do you see how many rewards one can gain by offering one's acts of
obedience seeking the reward of Allaah The Almighty?
Among the meanings of seeking the reward of Allaah The Almighty is
hoping for His reward when afflicted with calamites and hardship
Allaah The Almighty has praised such pious people who endure calamites
and hardship, seeking the reward of Allaah The Exalted and has
promised them His mercy, guidance and abundant rewards. Allaah The
Exalted Says )what means(:}Who, when disaster strikes them, say,
"Indeed we belong to Allaah, and indeed to Him we will return." *
Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy.
And it is those who are the ]rightly[ guided.{]Quran 2:156-157[
Undeniably, people, whether believers or disbelievers, are afflicted
by many calamites and adversities in this life; yet the believers
endure them hoping for the reward of Allaah The Almighty. Indeed, both
believers and disbelievers suffer from losing loved ones and
relatives, yet there is a great difference between the believers and
disbelievers in this regard, i.e. the believers hope for the reward of
Allaah The Exalted by enduring such misfortunes and hardships
patiently.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And do not weaken in pursuit of
the enemy. If you should be suffering, so are they suffering as you
are suffering, but you expect from Allaah that which they expect not.
And Allaah is ever Knowing and Wise.{]Quran 3:104[
Regarding the compensation of those who endure calamites and
hardships, hoping for the reward of Allaah The Almighty, the
Prophetsaid:"Allaah The Exalted does not have a reward other than
Paradise for the believing slave who remains patient for His sake when
losing his dearest person from among the inhabitants of the world."
Furthermore, Umm Salamahsaid that she heard the Prophetsaying:"There
is no Muslim who is stricken with a calamity and says what Allaah has
enjoined, 'Verily to Allaah we belong and to Him we shall return. O
Allaah, reward me for my affliction and compensate me with what is
better', but Allaah will compensate him with something better."
Umm Salamahadded that when Abu Salamahdied, she said, "Who among the
Muslims is better than Abu Salamah, the first household to migrate to
join the Prophet?" When she uttered these very words, Allaah The
Almighty compensated her with marrying the Prophet. ]Muslim[
Moreover, our righteous predecessors used to question all their deeds
and intentions, renewing their good and sincere intentions and
advising each other to endure calamites in the hope of reward from
Allaah The Almighty.
Al-Faarooq 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaabused to say, "O people, carry out your
righteous deeds seeking the reward from Allaah The Exalted, for
whoever does so will be rewarded for his good deeds and for his
seeking the reward of Allaah The Exalted."
In addition, when the Banu Al-Haarith ibn 'Aamir wanted to kill
Khubayb ibn 'Adiyyhe did not care about his fate at their hands.
Before his death, he said, "Why should I fear death when it will
eventually seize me, and when what I truly fear is to become fuel for
Hell fire? Hence, as long as I die as a believer in the cause of
Allaah, it does not matter to me how it happens."
So, offer your acts of worship and obedience for the sake of Allaah
The Almighty seeking reward from Him, and endure calamities and
hardships, hoping for His reward; indeed, Allaah The Almighty will
compensate you for that with inner tranquilly, serenity, and strength,
Aim high and multiply your rewards.

Staying Steadfast in Turbulent Times

Steadfastness in faith has been mentioned on more than one occasion in
the Noble Quran and the Sunnah )Prophetic tradition(. Allaah The
Exalted, enjoined the Muslims to be upright in their religion,
praising the steadfast people and promising them generous rewards.
For instance, Allaah The Exalted Says )what means(:}So remain on a
right course as you have been commanded, ]you[ and those who have
turned back with you ]to Allaah[, and do not transgress. Indeed, He is
Seeing of what you do.{]Quran 11:112[
Allaah The Exalted also Says )what means(:}Indeed, those who have
said: "Our Lord is Allaah" and then remained on a right course – the
angels will descend upon them, ]saying[, "Do not fear and do not
grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were
promised.{]Quran 41:30[
In addition, Sufyaan ibn 'Abdullaahonce asked the Prophetto tell him
some concise words about Islam so that he would not need to ask anyone
else. The Prophetsaid:"Say, 'I believe in Allaah and then hold on
firmly to the straight path.'"
The Prophetsaid:")Try to( keep to the straight path although you will
not be able to do so completely; and know that the best of your deeds
is prayer, and only a )true( believer maintains his ablution."
The meaning of uprightness:
Being upright in religion means adopting a moderate approach in
showing obedience to Allaah The Almighty, abiding by His Sharee'ah
)Islamic law( and remaining on the right path regarding His Oneness.
Hence, being upright in religion means adhering to the orders of
Allaah The Almighty in terms of His Oneness, devoting all acts of
worship sincerely to Him only, as well as observing refined manners
and the Islamic moral code in one's relationships with other people
and in all one's deeds.
Uprightness is the path to salvation:
Scholars clarified that being upright in religion means being
straightness; the Arabic word 'Mustaqeem' means straight, without any
curves. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And, ]moreover[, this
is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow ]other[
ways, for you will be separated from His way.{]Quran 6:153[
Uprightness and the allies of Allaah The Almighty:
Prominent scholars defined uprightness differently, yet all the
definitions share the same meaning:
1- When Abu Bakrwas asked about uprightness, he answered, "It means
not to associate partners with Allaah."
2- 'Umardefined it as follows, "To be upright in following the orders
of Allaah The Exalted and avoiding the prohibitions and not to elude
others like a fox."
3- 'Uthmaansaid in this regard, "Uprightness means devotion to Allaah;
offering all acts of worship with full sincerity to Allaah."
4- 'Alidefined uprightness as follows, "It means carrying out the
obligatory acts of worship".
5- Al-Hasan Al-Basrisaid, "Upright people are those who adhere to the
commands of Allaah The Exalted, follow His straight path, obey Him and
shun disobedience."
6- jMuaahidsaid, "Upright people are those who adhere to the testimony
that none is truly worthy of worship but Allaah until they die."
7- Ibn Zayd and Qataadahboth, said, "Uprightness means adhering to
obedience of Allah The Exalted."
8- Sufyaan Ath-Thawrisaid that the upright person is the one whose
deeds are in accordance with his words.
9- Ar-Rabee' ibn Khuthaymsaid, "Uprightness means turning away from
everything and everyone but Allaah The Exalted."
10- Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadhsaid, "Uprightness is disinterest in the
mortal life, while seeking the immortal one."
11- Ibn Taymiyyahsaid, "Uprightness means to hold fast to loving
Allaah The Exalted and fulfilling the meaning of servitude to Him
without turning away from Him."
12- Imaam Al-Harawisaid, "Striving hard in following the commands of
Allaah moderately."
The fruits of uprightness:
1. Happiness in this life.
2. The descent of the angels of mercy on upright people.
3. The angels of mercy would bring them glad tidings in their graves
that they will be granted firmness.
4. At the time of Resurrection.
5. Entering Paradise, the abode of dignity that will last forever;
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}No fatigue will touch them
therein, nor from it will they ]ever[ be removed.{]Quran15:48[

The believer does not curse

When the Prophet,, guided the one who was seeking salvation to control
his tongue, this was an indication of the grave dangers of the tongue,
particularly when one gives it free rein. Getting used to abusing and
cursing is one of the greatest dangers of the tongue. Many people
think too lightly of this and therefore curse their children,
transportation, those who contradict their views, and even those with
whom they are joking. Hence, we will state some of what was reported
in warning against the dangers of cursing and making a habit of this.
The Meaning and Dangers of Cursing
Cursing means the deprivation and exclusion of goodness or of the
Mercy of Allaah The Almighty, and this can never be the habit of the
believers. The Prophet,, said,"The believer does not slander, curse,
or speak in an obscene or foul manner."In aHadeethon the authority of
Abu Hurayrahthe Prophet,, said:"It does not befit a man of truth to be
a curser."
Cursing a Believer is a Great Crime
Cursing a believer is a great crime that a Muslim should never dare to
commit. To illustrate the enormity of this crime, it is enough to
mention theHadeethwhere the Prophet,, said:"Cursing a believer is like
killing him."Commenting on thisHadeeth, An-Nawawisaid,"According to
the apparent meaning of the Hadeeth, both killing and cursing are
equal in prohibition, however, killing is graver."Other scholars
said,"Cursing a believer is like killing him with respect to
prohibition, guilt and deprivation. This is because cursing is
deprivation of the mercy of Allaah The Almighty, and killing is
deprivation of life."
Beware of the Rebounding of the Curse!
When a person curses something that does not deserve to be cursed, the
curse rebounds and comes back onto him, even if that which is cursed
is the subjugated wind. In aHadeethon the authority of 'Abdullaah Ibn
'Abbaasit was mentioned that the wind blew away a man's outer garment
and, thereupon, he cursed the wind. The Prophet,, said to him:"Do not
curse the wind because it is commanded ]by Allaah to blow[. Whoever
curses something and it does not deserve the curse, the curse will
turn back upon him."
Do Not Curse an Animal or a Mount
People often think of this as something trivial and they curse animals
as well as their means of transport. Such people are heedless of the
fact that doing so, they themselves mix with cursed things. It was
narrated that the Prophet,, was on a journey on which there was also a
woman from theAnsaarriding a she-camel. The she-camel annoyed her and
so she cursed it. Having heard her, the Messenger of Allaah,,
said:"Take off the load on its back and set it free because it is
cursed."'
Cursing a Specific Person
According to the consensus of the scholars, cursing is prohibited.
Imaam An-Nawawisaid,
There is a consensus among the scholars that cursing is prohibited.
Linguistically, cursing means to deprive or expel. In the Sharee'ah,
it means deprivation of the Mercy of Allaah The Exalted. For a person
whose status and end are not decisively known, it is not permissible
to deprive him of the Mercy of Allaah The Almighty. Therefore, they
]the scholars[ have said, 'It is not permissible to curse a specific
person, whether he is a Muslim or a disbeliever, unless there is a
Sharee'ah text that tells us that a specific person died or will die
as a disbeliever, like Abu Jahl and Satan; and it is impermissible to
curse a mount. However, cursing by general description is permitted
such as cursing women who artificially lengthen their hair or those
who have their hair artificially lengthened for them, women who tattoo
or have themselves tattooed, the two parties of a Riba ]interest[
transaction, those who produce images, evildoers, oppressors,
disbelievers and those who misappropriate the limits of their land.
This is general cursing that does not specify someone in particular.
Cursing is from the Gravest of the Grave Major Sins
The MuslimUmmah)nation( has been afflicted by some of its youth who
joke with each other only by sending curses and abuse, as they
recklessly curse fathers and mothers. They do this despite the fact
that this is one of the grave major sins as the Prophet,, said:"One of
the gravest of grave major sins is when a person abuses his
parents."It was then asked,"O Messenger of Allaah, is it possible that
one could abuse his own parents?"The Prophet,, replied:"Yes, when he
abuses the father or mother of another person and the latter returns
the insult."
Parents are the cause behind one's existence in this life and so they
should not be harmed, even by as little as being shown the signs of
tedium and annoyance in front of them by using the word "uff".
Therefore, what about those who curse their parents? These people are
in fact committing a grave major sin and deserve the supplication of
the Prophet,, against them as in theHadeethwhere he said,"May Allaah
curse the one who slaughters for the sake of anything other than
Allaah, the one who shelters a man who causes mischief upon the earth,
and the one who curses his parents."
Purify Your Tongue from Cursing
If cursing is dangerous, obscene and offensive to that extent, then
the believer, who seeks salvation on the Day when neither wealth nor
children will be of benefit to him, must refine and purify his tongue
from this disaster. He should recall the prohibition of the Prophet,,
in theHadeethwhere he said:"Do not curse one another invoking the
curse of Allaah, the wrath of Allaah, or the fire of Hell."
We ask Allaah The Almighty to purify our tongues, hearts and bodies
from everything that stirs His wrath.

Dought & clear, - Words and deeds of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) before his mission began.

Are the deeds and words of the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) before his mission began regarded as Sunnah, such
as his marriage to Khadeejah (may Allaah be pleased with her)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The basic principle is that the actions of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) before his mission began are outside
of the legislative Sunnah, and that we are not required to follow him
or take him as an example in that regard, except in cases where
sharee'ah – after his mission began – affirmed that something was
prescribed or Islamically acceptable, either by way of being
obligatory or mustahabb, such as fulfilling promises, helping the
destitute, honouring guests, helping people when calamity strikes and
so on. In that case we are obliged to follow his example, because it
became a law for us after his Prophethood began, and not just because
he(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it before he was a
Prophet. Based on this, there are some actions that he did before his
mission began that we are not obliged to follow, either because there
is no proof that it is prescribed for us or because there are reports
to show that it was abrogated after his mission began.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The
things that happened before Prophethood are not mentioned as things to
be followed or that are legislated, as is the case with his actions
after Prophethood, because the Muslims are unanimously agreed that
what is obligatory with regard to believing in him(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) and following what he brought, is that which
has to do with what happened after he became the Prophet.
Hence whoever stays away from Jumu'ah prayer and prayers in
congregation, and lives alone in caves and mountains, where there is
no Jumu'ah or prayer in congregation, and claims to be following the
example of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
because he was used to worship alone in the cave of Hira' before his
Prophethood, thus forsaking the acts of worship that were prescribed
and enjoined by Allaah and His Messenger, and following the example of
what he used to do before Prophethood, is wrong. That is because,
after Allaah honoured him with Prophethood, the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) no longer did what he used to do
before that, of worshipping alone in the cave of Hira and so on.
None of his Sahaabah after him went to the Cave of Hira', and they did
not stay away from Jumu'ah prayer or prayers in congregation in
isolated places, and none of them observed any kind of forty-day
retreat, as some of the later Muslims did. Rather they worshipped
Allaah by means of the prescribed acts of worship that the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) ordained for them.
End quote fromMajmoo' al-Fataawa(18/10).
With regard to the muhaddithoon (scholars of hadeeth), they paid
attention to what was narrated from the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) at all times, even if it was before his mission
began. That is part of the Sunnah according to the definition of the
muhaddithoon, who regard everything that was narrated from the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) as Sunnah, so they
narrated it in their books on that basis.
See:Af'aal al-Rasool sall-Allaahu 'alayhi wa sallam wa Dalaalatuhaa
'ala al-Ahkaam, by Dr. Muhammad al-'Aroosi (149).
And Allaah knows best.And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - What are the ahaadeeth that may be used as shar’i evidence?.

What are the ahaadeeth which may be accepted and used as evidence in sharee'ah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The ahaadeeth which must be accepted and taken as evidence are the
acceptable ahaadeeth: those which are saheeh or hasan. As for da'eef
(weak) and false ahaadeeth, it is not permissible to use them as
evidence with regard to shar'i rulings.
Al-Imam al-Shaafa'i said inal-Risaalah(p. 463):
It is obligatory to accept a report once it is proven, even if the
imams did not act upon this report. End quote. In other words: once a
hadeeth is proven to be from the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), it is obligatory to act upon it.
'Abd-Allaah ibn al-Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal said:
I asked my father about a man who has books which contain the words of
the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
the Sahaabah and Taabi'een, but the man does not know how to recognize
da'eef (weak) and matrook (rejected) ahaadeeth, and he cannot tell a
strong isnaad from a weak one. Is it permissible for him to act upon
whatever he wants and to choose reports and issue fatwas and act on
that basis?
He said: he should not do anything until he finds out which ahaadeeth
are sound and may be acted upon, so that he will be acting upon a
sound basis. He should ask the scholars about that. End quote.
I'laam al-Muwaqqi'een(4/179).
Imam Muslim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
You should note, may Allaah have mercy on you, that knowledge of
hadeeth and determining which are sound and which are unsound is the
role of the scholars of hadeeth only, because they are the ones who
have memorized the people's reports and they know them well, unlike
others. So the basic principle on which they base their beliefs is the
Sunnahs and reports which were transmitted from one era to the next
from our Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) until the
present day. End quote.
Al-Tamyeez, p. 218
Imam al-Sarkhasi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Not following a saheeh hadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) is haraam, just as doing what is
contrary to it is haraam. End quote.
Usool al-Sarkhasi(2/7).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The scholars said: Ahaadeeth are of three types: saheeh (sound), hasan
(good) and da'eef (weak). They said: It is only permissible to quote
as evidence concerning rulings those ahaadeeth which are saheeh or
hasan. As for those which are da'eef, it is not permissible to quote
them as evidence with regard to rulings or beliefs, but it is
permissible to narrate them and act upon them with regard to matters
other than rulings, such as stories, virtuous deeds, and offering
encouragements and warnings. End quote.
Al-Majmoo'(1/98).
Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the imams and fuqaha' of ahl al-hadeeth, they follow
the saheeh hadeeth wherever it is. End quote.
Fadl 'Ilm al-Hadeeth(p. 57).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible to rely in matters of sharee'ah on da'eef
ahaadeeth which are not saheeh or hasan. End quote.
Majmoo' al-Fataawa(1/250).
Al-'Allaamah Zakariya al-Ansaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The one who wants to quote as evidence a hadeeth from the Sunans or
Musnads, if he is qualified to distinguish between what may be quoted
as evidence and what may not, then he should not quote it as evidence
unless he examines its isnaad and its narrators. Otherwise if he can
find one of the imams who classed it as saheeh or hasan, he may follow
him, otherwise he should not quote it as evidence.And Allaah knows
best.

Dought & clear, - Our attitude towards the differences of opinion among theimams with regard to covering the face.

There is an important matter that is giving me sleepless nights, which
is: what is the meaning of the differences of the imam concerning a
certain issue? If I say to someone that Shaykh So and so says that
something is haraam, he says to me that is according to his madhhab or
the madhhab of his country, and we follow a different madhhab that
says it is halaal. This led me to the issue of hijab. For example, my
country follows the Maaliki madhhab, the imams of which say that "that
which is apparent" [al-Noor 24:33] refers to the face and hands. In
addition to that, the face-veil is virtually banned in my country,
i.e., you could never wear it in your daily life, such as wearing it
at work or in school. There are laws that ban it and the gloves.
Although personally I am fully convinced about the face-veil, I cannot
wear it. What is your ruling on that? Because every time I listen to
tapes about hijab from Shaykhs from another madhhab, I feel that my
hijab is not Islamically acceptable, and I understand from their words
that I am currently unveiled and making a wanton display of myself
(tabarruj) and I am a cause of fitnah among this ummah. What should we
do, as we are confused?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
At the time of the Revelation, the Muslims learned the rulings of
Islam from the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
through the verses of the Holy Qur'aan and the ahaadeeth of his
Sunnah. Hence there were no differences of opinion among them except
with regard to some minor issues. If that happened, the Prophet(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would explain to them what was
correct.
When the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died and
the Sahaabah spread out to various regions to teach the people Islam,
there appeared some differences with regard to some matters of fiqh
which arose at different times and in different places. These
differences were due to a number of reasons, which we will sum up here
from the words of the scholars:
1-The evidence had not reached the one who held a different opinion,
and he made a mistake in forming his opinion.
2-The hadeeth had reached the scholar, but he did not regard the
transmitter as trustworthy, and he thought that it went against
something that was stronger, so he followed that which he thought was
stronger than it.
3-The hadeeth had reached him but he forgot it.
4-The hadeeth had reached him but he understood it in a way other than
the intended meaning.
5-The hadeeth reached him but it was abrogated, and he did not know
the abrogating text.
6-He thought that it contradicted something that was stronger than it,
whether that was a text or scholarly consensus (ijmaa')
7-The scholar used a weak hadeeth as the basis for his ruling, or he
derived the ruling by means of weak arguments.
For a detailed discussion of these reasons and others, seeRaf'
al-Malaam 'an al-A'immati'l-A'laamby Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah,
andal-Khilaaf bayna al-'Ulama': Asbaabuhu wa Mawqifuna minhuby Shaykh
al-'Uthaymeen.
We think that what we have mentioned about the reasons for differences
among the scholars i.e., with regard to matters of fiqh, will be clear
to you, in sha Allaah.
Secondly:
What should the Muslim's attitude be towards differences that arise
between the scholars? In other words, which scholarly opinion should
the Muslim follow in matters where they differed? The answer depends:
1 – If the Muslim is one who has studied shar'i knowledge and learned
its basic principles and minor issues, and he can distinguish right
from wrong with regard to scholarly views, then he has to follow that
which he thinks is correct and ignore that which he thinks is wrong.
2 – If he is one of the rank and file, or has not studied shar'i
knowledge, and thus cannot distinguish between right and wrong with
regard to scholarly views, then he must follow the fatwa of a scholar
whose knowledge he trusts and who he believes to be trustworthy and
religiously committed, whether he is from his own country or another
country, and differences between scholars will not matter after that.
He does not have to change what he is doing because he hears another
scholar issuing a fatwa that differs from the one he is following,
unless he realizes that what he learned later on is the correct view,
on the basis of his confidence in the religious commitment and
knowledge of the second Shaykh.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The one who has knowledge of evidence is required to follow the
evidence, even if it goes against some of the imams, if it does not go
against the consensus of the ummah.
The one who does not have any knowledge should ask the scholars,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):"So ask of those
who know the Scripture, if you know not" [al-Nahl 16:43]. He should
ask one who he thinks has more knowledge and is more religiously
committed, but that does not mean that doing so obligatory, because
the one who is better may make a mistake with regard to a particular
issue, and the one who is regarded as less knowledgeable may be right
with regard to it. But priority should be given to following the one
who is more knowledgeable and more religiously committed.
See also the answers to questions no. 8294and 10645.
Thirdly:
If you ask about our view on the issue of covering the face, the most
correct scholarly view in our opinion is that it is obligatory to
cover the face in front of non-mahram men. There is a great deal of
evidence and scholarly views concerning that, as among the Maalikis.
Many of them said that it is not permissible for a woman to uncover
her face in front of non-mahram men, not because it is 'awrah but
because uncovering it runs the risk of fitnah. But some of them think
that it is 'awrah. Hence women, in their view, are forbidden to go out
in front of non-mahram men with their faces uncovered.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And when you ask (his wives) for anything you want, ask them from
behind a screen"
[al-Ahzaab 33:53]
al-Qaadi Abu Bakr ibn al-'Arabi al-Maaliki (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The entire woman is 'awrah, her body and her voice, so it is not
permissible to uncover that except in cases of necessity, such as when
testimony is given against her, or medical treatment, or asking her
about her health issues. End quote.
Ahkaam al-Qur'aan by Ibn al-'Arabi(3/1578, 1579).
Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him), who is also Maaliki, said:
This verse indicates that Allaah has given permission to ask of them
from behind a screen if there is some need, or when they ask a
question about something. That includes all women. Because it is a
basic shar'i principle that the entire woman is 'awrah, her body and
her voice – as stated above –it is not permissible to uncover that
except in cases of necessity such as when testimony is given against
her, or medical treatment, or asking her about her health issues. End
quote.
Inal-Jaami' li Ahkaam al-Qur'aan(14/227) it says:
For more information on the views of Maaliki fuqaha' concerning the
obligation for women to cover their faces, see:al-Ma'yaar
al-Mu'arrabby al-Wanshireesi (10/165 and 11/226 and 229),Mawaahib
al-Jaleelby al-Hattaab (3/141),al-Dhakheerahby al-Quraafi (3/307)
andHaashiyat al-Dasooqi 'ala al-Sharh al-Kabeer(2/55).
We have discussed this issue and its evidence in more than one answer
on this site. Please see the answers to questions no. 11774, 12525,
13998, 21134and 21536.
Fourthly:
With regard to what you mention about the laws in your country
forbidding women to cover their faces, that is something that makes us
feel very sad, to hear that covering and chastity are being opposed
and wanton display and unveiling are being encouraged everywhere,
especially when that happens in a country that is supposed to be
Muslim.
If the laws forbid women to cover, and you fear persecution because of
covering your faces, then there is no sin on you if you do not do it
in that case, so long as that is based on necessity. So a woman should
not go out of her house with her face uncovered except in cases of
necessity. If she can break the law and put up with a little bit of
hassle, let her do so for there is no obedience to any created being
if it involves disobedience towards the Creator.And Allaah knows best.

Be Patient: Key to happiness and success

A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his
puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily picked stone and
scratched lines on the side of the truck. In his anger, the man ran to
his son, knocked him away. And took the little boy's hands and hit it
many times as punishment, not realizing he was using a wrench. When
the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital.
Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he
finally had to amputate the fingers from both the little boy's hands.
When the boy woke up from the surgery and saw his bandaged stubs, he
innocently said, "Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked,
"But when are my fingers going to grow back?" The father was so hurt.
He went back to truck and kicked it a lot of times. Sitting back he
looked at the scratches, little boy wrote "I LOVE YOU DAD." Later then
committed suicide.
Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or you
wish to take revenge. Think first before you lose your patience with
someone you love. Trucks can be repaired. Broken bones and hurt
feelings often can't. Too often we fail to recognize the difference
between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is
greater than revenge.
People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes, because we
human beings are not perfect. But the actions we take while in a rage
will haunt us forever.
It takes 72 muscles to frown - only 14 to smile! So keep smiling,
After all, we only live once.
In the word SMILE:
*.S stands for Sets you free
*.M stands for Makes you special
*.I stands for Increases your face value
*.L stands for Lifts up your spirits
*.E stands for Erases all your tensions
A Smile makes us look younger, while Prayers make us feel stronger.
Think about how special a smile is. It costs nothing, but has the
power to enrich all, who receive it.
A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a
caring, sharing person inside.
Even a smile or a kind word is considered charity.
Good Life starts only when you stop wanting a better One. So, Live
like a Candle, which burns itself but give lights to others.