Sex in Islam, - Kissing and Foreplay in Islam

Question:
My husband does not like foreplay, kissing on the mouth, or much of
anything of that sort, but I would like him to have a desire for these
things with me. I have told him several times in a humble way, but I
am very shy to tell him again and I feel embarrassed to ask him.
He is religious, though, and may listen to religious advice. Are there
any sunnahs that he can read, about playfulness with one's wife, in
regards to the intimacy that leads to intercourse? I am hoping that by
understanding and following our Prophet's (SAWS) example, my husband
will not feel shy anymore, inshallah.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
Foreplay between the spouses before actually engaging into sexual
intercourse is immensely important (especially for the wife) and a
vital ingredient for a happy and prosperous marriage, that which
should never be neglected.
The husband should sexually arouse his wife before having sex. It is
indeed selfish on the husband's part that he fulfils his sexual needs
and desires, whilst his wife remains unsatisfied and discontented.
Failure in satisfying the wife can have terrible consequences on one's
marriage.
It should be remembered that, just as Islam has given the husband his
right of sexual intimacy, and extreme emphasis has been laid upon the
wife to obey her husband in his request for sexual intimacy, at the
same time, Islam also recognizes a woman's need for love, affection
and foreplay. It is quite common in men to demand their sexual rights,
but they should also see whether they are giving their women their
rights in bed.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) also
encouraged foreplay between the spouses.
Sayyiduna Jabir ibn Abd Allah (Allah be pleased with him) narrates: "I
was in the company of the messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give
him peace) in a battle……The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give
him peace) said to me: "Did you marry?" I answered: "yes". He said: "A
virgin or a non-virgin?" I said: "A non-virgin". The Messenger of
Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: "Why not a virgin so
that you may play with her and she can play with you?"… (Sahih
al-Bukhari, no. 1991)
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) also stated:
"Every game a person plays is futile except for archery, training
one's horse and playing with one's wife". (Sunan Tirmidhi, Musnad
Ahmad, Sunan Ibn Majah).
Imam al-Daylami (Allah have mercy on him) records a narration on the
authority of Anas ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) that the
Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) is reported to
have said: "One of you should not fulfil one's (sexual) need from
one's wife like an animal, rather there should be between them
foreplay of kissing and words." (Musnad al-Firdaws Of al-Daylami,
2/55)
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim (Allah have mercy on him) reports in his famous
"Tibb al-Nabawi" that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give
him peace) forbade from engaging in sexual intercourse before
foreplay. (See: al-Tibb al-Nabawi, 183, from Jabir ibn Abd Allah)
There are many ways and methods that can be exercised during foreplay,
and it is best that we leave this to the mutual understanding of the
spouses, as each individual differs from another in exactly what
arouses and stimulates him/her, although the prohibited acts must be
avoided.
Importance of Kissing
However, as the questioner has asked about kissing, I would like to
end the article on a few notes with regards to it.
Kissing one's spouse is also of utmost importance during foreplay and
also in general. It is a Sunnah of our blessed Messenger of Allah
(Allah bless him & give him peace).
Sayyida A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger
of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) would kiss one of his
wives and then leave for prayer (salat) without performing ablution
(wudu). Urwa says that I asked A'isha: "It must have been you?" (Upon
hearing this) A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) smiled."(Sunan
al-Tirmidhi, no. 86, Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 181 & Sunan al-Nasa'i, no.
170))
Sayyida A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) says: "The Messenger of
Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) would kiss me before leaving
for prayers, and he would not perform an ablution." (Sunan
al-Darqutni, 1/49 and others)
The above two narrations indicate the recommendation of kissing one's
spouse. They also show the importance of greeting the wife when
entering the house with a kiss and departing with a kiss. This was the
Sunnah of the beloved of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace).
Thus, it is inappropriate for husbands to leave the home in a hurry
without even greeting the wife in a proper manner with hugs and
kisses, and then entering the house with the first question on whether
the food is cooked or not, or whether had someone called, etc…
Passionate kissing (or French kissing) is also the Sunnah of the
Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace).
Sayyida A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger
of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) would kiss her whilst he
was fasting (m, refer to the fiqh of kissing during fast) and he would
suck her tongue." (Sunan Abu Dawud, no. 2378)
Allama al-Munawi (Allah have mercy on him) states:
"Foreplay and passionate kissing before sexual intercourse is an
emphatic Sunnah (sunnah muakkada), and it is disliked (makruh) to do
otherwise." (Faidh al-Qadir, 5/115, See: Hadith no. 6536)
In conclusion, it is important that your husband fulfils your right of
foreplay and kissing. It is not something that he should be shy or
reluctant about. Some individuals regard practices related to foreplay
to be "inappropriate" and consider abstinence from such activities to
be from piety (taqwa).
However, this is totally incorrect, for who can possibly be more
pious, pure and God-fearing than the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless
him & give him peace), yet not only did he encourage foreplay, etc,
but practically engaged in it with his wives, as we have learnt from
the many narrations quoted above.
Thus, it is not a sign of piety to abstain from such activities, for
there is no place for monasticism (rahbaniyya) in Islam. It is a
practical religion where one may fulfil his/her needs in a permissible
way. Explain to your husband in a kind and gentle manner, that
prosperity in this world and the hereafter lies in following the
example of the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace).
And Allah Knows Best

Sex in Islam, - Fatwa on Phone Sex Between UnmarriedPersons

Question:Respected scholars, as-salamu `alaykum.
If a man and a woman, while having phone sex, address each other as
husband and wife and they actually mean it, will it amount to
marriage? Even during the normal course of telephone conversations
they occasionally call each other husband and wife. Does it mean they
are married or it just an over emotional sentiment? Is marriage
solemnized when a man tells a woman that she is his wife and the wife
says she is?
Jazakum Allahu Khayran
Answer:
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be
upon His Messenger.
Dear sister, we appreciate your forwarding this question to us and we
ask Almighty Allah to strengthen your faith, save you from the traps
of Satan and enlighten your heart with the light of Islam!
Doing this act is a crime and leads to a grave heinous sin which is
zina (illegitimate sexual intercourse). Pronouncing the words of
marriage during your conversation does not authorize this act or mean
that you have made a marriage contract with that man. Marriage is a
solemn contract that has its own rules and conditions without which
any other kind of intimate relation is considered invalid and illegal.
Islam blocks all the ways that lead to illegitimate sexual
intercourse. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:'The
eyes commit zina, the hands commit zina and the feet commit zina and
the genitals commit zina.'(Ahmad)
This is one of Satan's traps, so repent to Almighty Allah sincerely
and cut all your relations with this man. Almighty Allah says, (Do not
even come close to Zina. It is a shameful deed and an evil way.)
(Al-Israa' 17: 32)
In his response to your question, Wael`Abdul-Mut`aal Shihab, a
Shari`ah researcher at Al-Azhar University, stated,
First of all, phone sex and other forms of illicit relations between
men and women are strictly prohibited in Islam. Those who involve
themselves in such illegal practices should sincerely repent to
Almighty Allah, stop all illicit relations, fear Allah's punishment,
and return to the straight path before it is too late.
Just because a man calls a woman "his wife", whether on the phone or
during a face-to-face conversation, it does not amount to a legal
marriage. A legal marriage must fulfill the following requirements in
order to be valid:
1.The marriage must be expressed in clear and unequivocal terms
signifying the full consent of both male and female either in words or
in writing.
2.It should be witnessed by two reliable Muslim witnesses.
3.It should also be publicized.
4.The wife's guardian should give his consent.
5.A mahr should be paid to the bride.
Any arrangment that does not fulfill these conditions is not marriage,
no matter how sincere or earnest the parties might be.

Fathwa, - Meaning of laa ilaaha illa Allah Muhammadun rasool ullah

Question: What is the meaning of the words "laa ilaahah illa allaah
muhammadun rasool ullaah"?
Answer:
Bearing witness "laa ilaahah illa allah" and that "muhammadun rasool
ullaah" is the first pillar of the five pillars of Islam. And the
meaning of "laa ilaahah illa allah" is that nothing worshipped is
worthy of worship except Allah—it is simultaneously a denial and
affirmation. "laa ilaahah" is denial of all worship other than that of
Allah. "illa allaah" is affirmation that all worship is for Allah
alone without partners.
As for the declaration, "muhammadun rasool ullaa," its meaning is the
assertion of the message of Mohammed (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) and to believe in it and to adhere to it by speech, action
and faith, and to avoid all that is against it, whether it be sayings,
actions, or intentions… In other words, obeying him in what he ordered
and believing in what he said and relayed and avoiding what he has
forbid and denounced and not worshipping Allah except as he has
ordained.
wa-sall-allahu wa-sallim 'ala nabiyyina muhammadin wa-aalihi
wa-sahbih. (May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our prophet
Muhammad and upon his families and companions).

Fathwa, - Is it possible to see Allaah in this world?

Question: I have read that no man has seen Allah (S) in this life, not
even the prophet (SM) in his mira'j. The book has been written by Sk.
Abu Ameenah Bilaal Philips. Now, I have heard from one scholar from my
country that Imam Malik saw Allah (S) hundred times in his dream. Is
that possible? May Allah (S) reward you.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Seeing Allaah in reality (as opposed to in a dream) is not possible in
this life, although no doubt it will happen after death. This is not
because seeing Him is impossible in itself, but because Allaah has
willed that it should not happen. This is for many reasons, some of
which have been found by the scholars, and others which remain known
only to Allaah. Among the reasons which we do understand is human
weakness, which is apparent from the story of Moosa (upon whom be
peace), which we will quote shortly. Another reason is that seeing
Allaah is a great blessing and joy, indeed it is the greatest
blessing, so it is withheld for the place of ultimate blessing and
joy, namely Paradise. Another reason is that this world is a mixture
of good believers and kuffaar, so this blessing is deferred until it
will be given exclusively to the believers in Paradise. Withholding
this blessing until the Hereafter also provides a strong motive to do
good in this world, so that one may see Allaah and feel secure and
content in nearness to Him in the Hereafter.
Evidence that it is not possible to see Allaah in this world
Allaah says, in the story of Moosa (peace be upon him) (interpretation
of the meaning): "And when Moosa came at the time and place appointed
by Us, and his Lord spoke to him, he said, 'O my Lord! Show me
(Yourself), that I may look upon You.' Allaah said, 'You cannot see
Me, but look upon the mountain, if its stands still in its place, then
you shall see Me.' So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made
it collapse to dust, and Moosa fell down unconscious. Then when he
recovered his senses he said, 'Glory be to You, I turn to You in
repentance and I am the first of the believers.'" [al-A'raaf 7:143].
The word lan (here translated as cannot in 'You cannot see Me')
conveys the meaning of 'You will not see Me in this life', because
there is evidence that man will see Allaah in the Hereafter, which
means that this lan is not eternal in application. (The negative
particle lan often carries a sense of eternal negation, that something
will never happen, but this is not the case here. Translator).
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "No vision can grasp Him,
but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous,
Well-Acquainted with all things." [al-An'aam 6:103]. The commentator
al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, in his
tafseer of this aayah: "Concerning the phrase No vision can grasp Him,
several comments regarding it have been narrated from the imaams of
the salaf, one of which is that it means, you will not be able to see
Him in this world, even though you will see Him in the Hereafter. The
reports that state this, narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him), reach the level of mutawaatir
and are reported through more than one sound isnaad in the books of
Saheeh, Musnad and Sunan. [Translator's note: a mutawaatir report is
one that was narrated by so many to so many that it is inconceivable
that they could all have agreed on a lie].
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "It is not given to any
human being that Allaah should speak to him unless (it be) by
inspiration, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to
reveal what He will by His Leave. Verily, He is Most High, Most Wise."
[al-Shoora 42:51].
Abu Hurayrah said: "Some people said, 'O Messenger of Allaah, will we
see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?' He said, 'Do you have any
doubt about seeing the sun on a cloudless day?' They said, 'No, O
Messenger of Allaah.' He said, 'Do you have any doubt about seeing the
full moon on a cloudless night?' They said, 'No, O Messenger of
Allaah.' He said, 'You will see Him just as clearly on the Day of
Resurrection…'" (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 6088). It is clear that the
idea that Allaah will not be seen in this life was well-entrenched in
the minds of the Sahaabah. They were asking about the Hereafter, and
this is what the Prophet's answer also referred to.
Abu Dharr said: "I asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), 'Have you seen your Lord?' He said, '(There
is) light, how could I see Him?'" This light, which prevented him from
seeing Him, is a veil of light, which is further explained in the
hadeeth of Abu Moosa, who said, "The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) stood up and told us five things:
'Allaah does not sleep, and it is not befitting that He should sleep.
He lowers the scale and lifts it. The deeds in the night are taken up
to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before
the deeds of the night. His veil is the light. If He were to withdraw
it (the veil), the splendour of His countenance would consume His
creation as far as His sight reaches.'" (Reported by Imaam Ahmad and
Muslim, 263).
Further clear evidence comes in the hadeeth which warns against the
Dajjaal (antichrist): "Written between his eyes is (the word) kaafir,
which will be read by everyone who hates his works, or every believer
will read it. Know that none of you will see your Lord until he dies."
(Reported by Muslim, 5215).
So any claim that anyone but the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) can see Allaah in reality is impossible, according
to the consensus of the scholars. However, there is some disagreement
among the scholars as to whether or not the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw Allaah on the night of the
Mi'raaj. The correct view is that he did not see Him physically, with
his own two eyes, because when he was asked about this, he said,
"(There is) light, how could I see Him?" According to another report,
he said, "I saw light." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) did not see Him, but he saw His veil of light.
The question of whether Allaah may be seen in a dream does not
contradict the fact that Allaah cannot be seen in reality in this
world, because all the texts quoted above speak about physical vision
when one is awake, not the "vision" of the heart when one is asleep.
Proof that the latter kind of vision is possible is to be seen in the
hadeeth about the dispute of the "chiefs on high" (the angels). Ibn
'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said, "The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, 'My Lord came
to me tonight in the most beautiful form.' I think he said, 'in a
dream. He said, "O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs on high
disputed about?" I said, "No." He put His hand between my
shoulder-blades and I could feel its coolness on my chest (or just
beneath my throat), then I knew everything that is in the heavens and
on earth. He said, "O Muhammad, do you know what the chiefs on high
disputed about?" I said, "Yes." He said, "About expiation, and
expiation is staying in the mosque after prayers, walking to join
congregational prayers, and doing wudoo' properly in adverse
conditions. Whoever does that will live a good life and die a good
death, and will be as sinless as the day his mother bore him." He
said, "O Muhammad, when you pray, say Allaahumma innee as'aluka fa'l
al-khayraat wa tark al-munkaraat wa hubb al-masaakeen, wa idha aradta
bi 'ibaadika fitnatan fa'qbudni ilayka ghayra maftoon (O Allaah, I ask
you to make me do good deeds and avoid evil deeds, and to make me love
the poor and wretched. If You want to test Your slaves, then take me
unto You without subjecting me to the trial). One's status in Paradise
may be raised by spreading the greeting of salaam, feeding others, and
praying at night when people are sleeping."'" (Reported by Imaam
Ahmad, 16026; and by al-Tirmidhi, 3159, who said it is a saheeh hasan
hadeeth).
Some of the scholars have commented that it is possible to see Allaah
in a dream.
Imaam al-Daarimi said, in his refutation of Bishr ibn Ghiyaath, "This
seeing took place in a dream, and in a dream it is possible to see
Allaah in any shape or form." (p. 166)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, "A believer may see his Lord in a
dream, in various forms according to his faith and belief. If his
eemaan is correct, he can only see Him in a beautiful form, and if his
faith is lacking, this will be reflected in the way he sees Him.
Seeing Allaah in a dream is not like seeing Him in reality. It may
have different interpretations and meanings referring to something in
reality." (al-Fataawa, 3/390)
He also said, "Whoever sees Allaah in a dream sees Him in a form that
corresponds to his own state. If he is righteous, he will see Him in a
beautiful form, which is why the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) saw him in the most beautiful form. (al-Fataawa,
5/251)
Shaykh 'Abd al-Azeez ibn Baaz was asked about the ruling concerning
one who claims to have seen the Lord of Glory in a dream, and whether
it was true, as some claim, that Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal had seen the
Lord of Glory in his dreams more than one hundred times. The Shaykh
answered as follows:
"Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) and
others said that it is possible for a man to see his Lord in a dream,
but what he sees is not reality, because there is nothing like Allaah,
may He be glorified and exalted. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): '… There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer,
the All-Seer.' [al-Shoora 42:11]. Nothing in His creation is like unto
Him. A person may dream that his Lord is speaking to him, and no
matter what kind of image he sees, that image is not Allaah, because
there is nothing that is like Allaah in any way. Shaykh Taqiy al-Deen
(may Allaah have mercy on him) mentioned that dreams differ according
to the state of the person who is dreaming. The more righteous and
closer to goodness a person is, the more correct his dream will be,
but the truth is still something other than what he sees, because the
guiding principle is still that there is nothing like unto Allaah.
He may hear a voice and be told such-and-such, or to do such-and-such,
without any clear image resembling anything in creation, because there
is nothing at all like unto Allaah… Some people may imagine that they
have seen their Lord when in fact this is not the case. The Shaytaan
may deceive a person and make him imagine that he is their Lord, as it
was reported that he made 'Abd al-Qaadir al-Jeelaani see him on a
throne above water, and said, 'I am your Lord and I freed you from
doing any duties (worship, etc.).' 'Abd al-Qaadir al-Jeelaani said,
'Get lost, O enemy of Allaah! You are not my Lord, because the
commands of my Lord are not cancelled for anyone,' or some similar
words.
As for whether Imaam Ahmad saw his Lord, I do not know if this is true
or not. It is said that he saw his Lord but I do not know if this is
true." And Allaah knows best.

Fathwa, - The reason for the existence of the honourable scribes even ...

Question: What is the reason for the existence of the honourable
scribes even though Allaah knows all things?.
Answer: Praise be to Allaah.
We say concerning such matters: we may or may not understand the
wisdom behind it, because we do not know the wisdom behind many
things, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And they ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) concerning the Rooh
(the spirit). Say: 'The Rooh (the spirit) is one of the things, the
knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you
(mankind) have been given only a little'"
[al-Isra' 17:85].
With regard to these creatures, if someone were to ask us: what is the
reason behind Allaah making the camel in this manner, and making the
horse in this manner, and making the donkey in this manner, and making
the human in this manner? and so on, if he were to ask us about the
reason or wisdom behind these things, we would not know. If we were to
be asked: what is the reason why Allaah has made Zuhr prayer four
rak'ahs, and 'Asr prayer four, and Maghrib three, and 'Isha' four, and
so on? We would not be able to know the wisdom behind that.
Thus we know that with regard many matters, both in the universe and
in terms of sharee'ah, the wisdom behind them is hidden from us. As
that is the case, we say: if we manage to understand the wisdom behind
some things in creation or in sharee'ah, if Allaah blesses us by
enabling us to understand it, that is additional virtue, goodness and
knowledge. If we do not understand that, that is not going to harm us
in any way.
Now let us go back to the question, which is what is the reason why
Allaah has appointed honourable scribes to record what we do?
The wisdom behind that is to show that Allaah has organised and
measured all things in the most perfect manner, to such an extent that
He has appointed honourable scribes to record the actions and words of
the sons of Adam; they are enjoined to watch over them and write down
all that they do, even though He knows what they are going to do
before they do it. But this is a manifestation of the perfection of
Allaah's care for man and His complete protection, and it shows that
this universe is organised in the best possible manner, and Allaah is
All Knowing, Most Wise. And Allaah knows best.

Lailat ul-Qadr (The Night of Power)

'Lailat ul-Qadr' or 'Night of Power'… a very important occasion in
the history of Islam and in our personnel lives.
Allah says in the Qur'an in Surah Al-Qadr:
"We have indeed revealed this (message) in the Night of Power. And
what will explain to thee what the Night of Power is? The Night of
Power is better than a thousand months. Therein come down the angels
and the spirit by God's permission, on every errand: Peace! This until
the rise of Morn." ( Surah 97: Verses 1-5)
Allah also says about thispowerful nightin Surah Dukhan:
"Ha. Mim. By the book that makes things clear. We sent it down during
a blessed night. For We (ever) wish to warn (against evil). In that
(night) is made distinct every affair of wisdom, by command, from Our
Presence. For We (ever) send (revelations), as a mercy from Thy Lord:
for He hears and knows (all things)." ( Surah 44: Verses 1-6)
Allahsaid in the Qur'an in Surah Baqarah:
"Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide
to mankind, also clear (signs) for guidance and judgment (between
right and wrong)."( Surah 2: Verse 185)
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)said about Lailatul-Qadr:
It as narrated byAbu Hurayrathat Prophet said, "Anyone who stays awake
for the Night Of Power with belief and for the pleasure of Allah, all
his previous sins will be forgiven." (Bukhari and Muslim)
It has also been reported byAisha, the wife of the Prophet (pbuh) who said:
"I asked the Messenger of Allah if I knewwhich night was the Night of
Powerand whatPrayerI should say during that night?
He said to me: Say: "O Allah! You are forgiving and you love
forgiveness, so you too forgive me.
Better then 1000 months of prayers
The Night Of Power is better for you to live, to experience and to
enjoy thanone thousand monthsof your personal life. Even if you were
to live one thousand months (83.3 years) withsincerity, dedication,
and sacrificesand with good intentions and deeds, the Night Of Power
is stillfar betterfor you to live and to enjoy.
TheRevelation of the Qur'anstarted in the month of Ramadan and
specifically on the Night Of Power. The Revelation of the Qur'an; a
sign ofMercy, aguideand ablessingof Allah to mankind. Anyone who is
interested in finding the best guide, he/she should look into the
teachings of the Qur'an.
Night of blessings
The Night of Power is a night of blessings Allah has blessed this
Night. Therefore whosoever is interested inreceiving the blessingsof
Allah may look forward to the Night of Power.Anyone who seeks the
Night of Power and lives it, all his/her sin will be erased. This is,
as if, he/she is,born againnowfree of all sin and mistakes.
Everyone of us would like to live a life free of sins an free of
mistakes. Everyone would like to meet Allah on theDay of
Judgmentwithout sins. Every one of us would like to feel that he/she
isreborntoday. All of us wish torejuvenateourselves, and to start a
new year with a fresh outlook and a fresh life. Every one of us wants
to live a pure life and everyone wants to purify himself/herself
without anguish or torment. The Night of Power is one of the best ways
in which a person is to achieve all these ideals.
Determining Night of Power
As far as determining the Night of Power (Lailatul Qadr) is concerned,
it has been reported to be during one of theodd numbered nightsof
thelast ten days of Ramadan, i.e.21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. It
has been emphasized that it is most likely to be the27th night.
Signs of Lailatul-Qadr
As far as theSigns of Lailatul-Qadrare concerned:
1.The sunrises earlyin the morning withoutrays.
2.Rainmay fall either during the night or during the day of that night.
3.During night the sky will be lightlyfoggy.
4.Theskywill be slightly lighted without reflections and without rays.
5.The angels andGabrielall descend down onto earth for many purposes.
If you are interested in living the Night of Power, lsome of thethings
that you might have to do.
1.Try to observe it during the lastten days of Ramadan, at the time of
sunrise, during the days and the nights.
2.On the nights one may spend the time collectively and/or
individually observing the following activities:
a.Recitationof the Our'an.
b.Prayers-Naflafter Taraweeh.
c.Remembranceof Allah orzikr
d.Supplicationor Du'a for you and for others.
e.Pondering and contemplating into the universe, the creation of the
Heavens and the Earth: "...and they contemplate the (wonders of)
creation in the heaven and the earth…."(3:191)
f.Reading books ofHadeethso as to enjoy the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
g.ReadingTafseerof Qur'an.
h.Givingcharityto others if you can afford it.
i.Trying to explainIslam, if you know something about it, to those
next to you so they will benefit from you.
Tosummarize,
The Night of Power is a very important occasion in Islam. Everyone is
asked to live it and to enjoy it. This Night is anight of Mercy,
anight of Blessing, anight of Peaceand anight of Guidance. It is a
night ofUnificationbetween the finite world of ours and the Infinite
Universe of the Unseen.
Anyone who is interested inattainingthe Mercy of Allah will strive
very hard to look for the Night of Power. Anyone who is interested
inreceivingthe blessings of Allah on the Blessed Night will work very
hard to enjoy the Night of Power. Anyone who is interested in
attaining peace of mind, peace of body and peace in society, he has to
look for this Night and to live it.
May Allah give us the strength, the power, the courage and the effort
to do our best to obey Allah and to follow His teachings. May Allah
guide us and may Allah strengthen our Iman. May Allah help us to live
another year with sincerity and devotion. May Allah make us realize
that one year of our life is over and that we are one year closer to
our graves.
Let us wake up and do ourbest to please Allahin our daily life. Let us
askAlmighty Allah forgiveness. Ameen

Stories of Prophets, - Prophet Zakariya (PBUH)

Zakariya(Zachariah) was an illustrious Prophet of the Israelites. He
was one of the descendants ofProphet Sulaiman(peace be upon him). The
name of his wife was al-Yashbi' who belonged to the family ofProphet
Harun(peace be upon him). The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) was
the patron of Mary, the mother of Prophet Isa(peace be upon him). He
was the trustee of Hekal. He worked as a carpenter and earned his
livelihood.
His Life
The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) kept the torch of Mosaic law
burning. He used topray devotionally and preach zealously. His wife
and he were the symbols ofpiety and righteousness. Most of his kinsmen
lacked in spirit of true faith. As they were seduced, they were
inclined to doing evil deeds. They were going out of the right path.
The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) was much anxious about this
state of affairs. He had no offspring and there was no suitable person
to hold the office of priesthood of Hekal after his death. He was
desirous of having a son to become his good successor. He did not long
for a son to satisfy a mere human desire for one's progeny. He wanted
to have a son to maintain the warmth ofreligious activities.
One night he stood in prayer in his sanctuary and prayed to Allah to
bless him with a good son. He was conscious that he was in an advanced
age and his wife was barren and unable to raise any issue. He had full
faith in Allah Who possesses power to do whatever He wills. He came to
know through his prophetic insight that Allah would grant his request.
He would be blessed with a good son to act as his heir who could guide
the people aright.
God in His infinite mercy removed the defect of his wife's barrenness
so that she might become mother. She gave birth to Prophet Yahya.
(peace be upon him) who was destined to behonorable, chaste, and a
prophetfrom among the righteous. The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon
him) felt satisfied as his son grew up and became a symbol of piety.
He was graced with wisdom, obedience and asceticism.
The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) continued preaching the
religion of Allah even in old age. The Israelites were indulged in
mischief making and wickedness. They had not only ignored the
teachings of his Prophet but tortured him also. The Holy Quran makes
mention of the cruel acts of the Israelites in the following Verses:
"Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah and slay the
Prophets wrongfully and slay those of mankind who enjoin equity,
promise him a painful doom." ( Surah 3: Verse 21)
The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) did not die a natural death.
One day the Israelites decided to put him to death. He hid himself in
the covern of the tree. The Jews began to saw that part of the tree.
The Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) did not even utter a faint
cry. His body was cut into two pieces.

Stories of Prophets, - Prophet Yaqub (PBUH)

Allah conveyed to the Prophet Ibrahim(peace be upon him) glad tidings
regarding the birth of elite Prophets, Ishaq and Ya'qub (peace be upon
them). The Holy Quran says:
"We gave him Ishaq and Ya'qub. Each of them We made a Prophet. And We
gave them of Our mercy and assigned to them a high and true renown." (
Surah 19: Verses 49-50)
Qualities of the Prophet Ya'qub
The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was the son of Prophet
Ishaq(peace be upon him) and his wife Rebecca. He was born
atPalestine. He passed his life exactly in the footsteps of his father
and grandfather. He had full faith in theOneness of God. He directed
his followers to do good and shun evil. He advised them to keep up
prayer and give alms. He was a man of parts and wisdom. God showered
His blessings on him and his kith and kin. The Holy Quran affirms:
"And We gave him tidings of the birth of Ishaq, a Prophet of the
righteous and We showered Our blessings on him and on Ishaq and of
their off-spring are some who do good and some who plainly wrong their
own selves." ( Surah 37: Verse 113)
At the age of sixty the Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him) was blessed
with a pair of twins namely Esau and Ya'qub. Esau was a hunter and
provided his aged parents with meat. Ishaq was chosen to be the
Prophet of the Bani Israel.
His marriage and off-spring
It is narrated that his uncle Laban madeProphet Ya'qub(peace be upon
him) serve him for seven years on promise to marry Rachel with him. At
the end of this period the marriage was solemnized. Later on he
entered into matrimonial contract with three more women. The Prophet
Ya'qub (peace be upon him) had four wives and twelve sons who became
the progenitors of twelve tribes. TheProphet Yusuf(peace be upon him)
and Benjamin were from Rachel. The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him)
had great affection for them.
Plot against Prophet Yusuf
As the off-springs of his other wives were jealous of Prophet Yusuf
(peace be upon him) they hatched out a plan to separate Yusuf from his
father. They took him out on a lame excuse of tending sheep and threw
him into a waterless well. They came back home shedding crocodile
tears and said: A wolf has devoured Yusuf.
The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) suspected foul play on the part
of his sons. He bore with patience the mental torture to which he was
subjected in his old age. He wept bitterly day and night and lost his
eye-sight. After a long time he came to know that Prophet Yusuf (peace
Be upon him) was alive. He was the custodian of storehouse in Egypt.
The Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) along with the whole family
proceeded towards Egypt on the invitation of his son. They were
awarded a warm reception. He settled inEgypt. He died at the age of
140 years. He was buried inHebron (al-Khalil)according to his will.
When the Prophet Ya'qub (peace be upon him) was on the point of death,
be called his sons and held conversation, with them. It is mentioned
in the following Verses of the Holy Quran:
"The same did Ibrahim enjoin upon his sons, and also Ya'qub (saying):
O' my sons! Lo! Allah has chosen for you the true religion, therefore
die not save as men who have surrendered (unto Him) or were you
present when death came to Ya'qub when he said to his --sons: What
will you worship after me? They said: We shall worship your God, God
of your fathers Ibrahim, Ismail and Ishaq, One God and unto Him We
have surrendered." ( Surah 2: Verses 132-133)

The Hard-Working Muslim Woman - Women site, -

The Muslim woman was not idle; how could she be idle when she is the
mistress of the house and family and has many great tasks such as
pregnancy, delivery, suckling, feeding her husband and children,
taking care of the children and the home, participating in some tasks
of the husband such as watering, carrying water skins, using the hand
mill, managing and feeding the horse and carrying date stones from the
husband's land.
It is not one kind of work; rather, there is work that is too heavy to
be carried by mountains. They bore these tasks with patience while
praising Allaah The Almighty. When Allaah The Almighty granted Muslims
conquests, the husbands of those women alleviated some of their tasks
and brought maid-servants to help them with their work.
The highest summit that none could reach but Muhammad, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, and his offspring remained high, facing strenuous
work day and night even when there was an abundance of servants and
wealth because no one could reach the status of prophethood.
Furthermore, it is sufficient for the woman that her pregnancy and
delivery are considered Jihaad )struggle( in the way of Allaah The
Almighty. The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The woman
in her pregnancy to her delivery until she weans the child is like the
one who guards the frontiers in the way of Allaah. If she dies in this
period, she would have the reward of a martyr."]At-Tabaraani
)Al-Haythami: the chain of transmission includes Qays ibn Ar-Rubay'
who was graded as authentic by Sufyaan and Shu'bah and graded as
Dha'eef by other scholars of Hadeeth; the remainder of the chain are
among the narrators of Al-Bukhaari and/or Muslim[
Listen to the delegate of women to the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam, Asmaa' bint Yazeed Al-Ansaariyyah, may Allaah be pleased with
her, when she summarized the situation and job of the Muslim woman
while she longs for the reward of Jihaad in the way of Allaah. She
said,
'O Messenger of Allaah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for
you, I am the delegate of Muslim women to you. Allaah The Almighty
sent you to both men and women. We believed in you and followed you.
We )women( are confined and reserved at your houses and bear your
children. )However,( you men are preferred over us by attending Friday
prayers, congregational prayers, funerals, performing Hajj after Hajj
and— better than all of these acts of worship— Jihaad in the way of
Allaah The Almighty. When you go out in the way of Allaah for Jihaad
or for Hajj or 'Umrah, we preserve for you your children and your
property, weave your clothes and bring up your children. So, do we
share with you the reward?
The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, turned his
face to his Companions and said:"Have you ever heard a woman ask a
more eloquent question about her religion than this one?"They said,
"No. We did not think that a woman would be guided to say the like of
this." Then, the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, turned to her
and said:"O woman, understand and inform the women who are behind you
that being a good wife to your husband equals all that )reward you
mentioned for men(."]Al-Bayhaqi[
What glad tidings for women could be greater than this! The reward of
being a good wife and beautifying herself for her husband equals the
reward of performing Hajj and 'Umrah and doing Jihaad. This is not the
way we see the woman today; she adorns herself when she goes out to
the markets and is in a shabby appearance at home with her husband.
When she goes out of her home, she exposes her adornments like the
pre-Islamic era and even worse. She goes out wearing perfume and
struts among men until she is cursed by the angels. Meanwhile, at home
before her husband, she is in a shabby state and a terrible condition.
What an excellent advice it was that of Asmaa' ibn Khaarijah
Al-Fazaari, may Allaah have mercy upon him, when he said to his
daughter as stated in Majma' Al-Amthaal by Al-Maydaani:
O daughter, you have left the nest where you grew up and went to
another that you do not know and to a mate who is unfamiliar to you,
so be an earth for him and he will be your sky. Be a resting place for
him and he will be your pillar. Be his Bondmaid and he will be your
slave. Do not make excessive demands for he will then desert you. Do
not become too distant from him for he will then forget you. Should he
draw near then draw close to him. Should he become distant stay away
from him. Watch for his nose, his hearing and his eye; so, he will
smell nothing from you but that which is sweet, hear nothing but that
which is good; and look at nothing but that which is beautiful.
This is the best advice ever for every bride on her wedding day. The
Muslim woman acknowledged this advice and was the best wife among
mankind, and she gave birth to the most unique nation in history,
which Allaah The Almighty described as the best nation in the verse
)which means(:}You are the best nation produced ]as an example[ for
mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe
in Allaah{]Quran 3:110[
The woman had a great role in the emergence of the best Ummah )nation(
in the history of mankind. She was the best wife, mother and teacher.
Many are the great men recorded in the history of this Ummah who
became prominent through the efforts of their covered up mothers who
educated and disciplined them!
There is no doubt, if this Ummah wants to assume its prior status and
rise again, then, it should first perfect the upbringing of the
incubators who would bring up the children and teach them Islamic
teachings. In this way, the mother would indeed be like a school. In a
renowned line of Arabic poetry, the poet Haafith Ibraaheem said that
the woman is a school, if you prepare her well, you are preparing a
highly refined people.

Ar-Rubayyi’ bint Mu’awwith - Women site, -

Pledged allegiance to the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, under the Tree
Her name and lineage
Ar-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwith ibn Al-Haarith ibn Rifaa'ah ibn Al-Haarith
ibn Sawaad ibn Maalik ibn Ghanm ibn Maalik. She is one of Al-Ansaar
]the Supporters of the Prophet in Al-Madeenah[ from the tribe of Banu
An-Najjaar. Her mother is Umm Yazeed bint Qays ibn Za'waa' ibn Haraam
ibn Jundub ibn 'Aamir ibn Ghanm ibn 'Adiyy ibn An-Najjaar. Her father
is Mu'awwith, one of the honorable Companions who participated in the
Ghazwah of Badr. Her husband is the respected Companion, Iyaas ibn
Bukayr Al-Laythi, who is one of the prominent Emigrants.
Ar-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwith has numerous virtues, one of which is that
the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, visited her on her wedding
day. She narrated: "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
entered upon me on my wedding day and sat on my bed just as you are
now sitting. Some girls were playing the Duff lamenting the death of
their fathers in the Ghazwah of Badr; one of them said: "We have among
us a prophet who knows what will happen tomorrow." The Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said: "Do not say so. Just continue
what you were saying earlier." ]Al-Bukhaari[
The reason why the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, told the
girls so, is that Allaah The Exalted is the Only One who knows the
future. None of His creation has the ability to predict the future, as
Allaah The Exalted Says )what means( :}]He is[ Knower of the unseen,
and He does not disclose His ]knowledge of the[ unseen to anyone. *
Except whom He has approved of messengers, and indeed, He sends before
each messenger and behind him observers.{]Quran 72:26-27[
Ar-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwith held many courageous stances in Islamic
history that prove her sincere adherence and commitment to Allaah The
Exalted, to Islam and to all Muslims. She did not fear the blame of a
critic and was not afraid of any one who did not implement the orders
of Allaah The Almighty.
Ar-Rubayyi' narrated: "I went to buy perfume from Asmaa' bint
Makhrabah, Abu Jahl's mother, and she told me: 'Write a piece of paper
stating that you owe me money for that perfume.' Ar-Rubayyi' replied:
'Yes, I will write you a paper stating that I, Ar-Rubayyi' bint
Mu'awwith, owe you that money.' Asmaa' then said: 'Oh, I hope you
would lose someone dear to you and shave your hair mourning him/her.
You are the daughter of the man who killed his master.' Ar-Rubayyi'
said: 'Rather, I am the daughter of the man who killed his slave.'
Asmaa' said: 'By Allaah, I shall not sell you anything.'"
Ar-Rubayyi' is the mother of Muhammad ibn Iyaas ibn Al-Bukayr.
A number of the Companions and Taabi'oon used to come to her to
benefit from her knowledge on the rulings of Islam and to ask her
about her narrations.
Ar-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwith narrated: "The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi
wa sallam, told the villages of the Ansaar early on the morning of
'Aashooraa' )the tenth of Muharram(: 'Whoever is not fasting today
should continue the day and whoever is fasting should preserve his
fasting.' She said: "From that time on, we started fasting on the
tenth of Muharram. We used to make our little children fast too, and
whenever a child felt hungry, we would distract him with a toy made of
wool till the time of Iftaar." ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, conferred honor upon
Ar-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwith and Umm Sunbulah
At-Tabaraani narrated that Ar-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwith ibn 'Afraa', may
Allaah be pleased with them, said: My father, Mu'awwith ibn 'Afraa',
sent me with a measure of ]some[ ripe dates and Hisaa` ]soup[ made of
small cucumbers to the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, as the
Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, used to love cucumber. There
was jewellery that the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, had
received from Bahrain and he gave me a handful of it." In another
narration, she says: "So he gave me a handful of jewellery or gold."
This Hadeeth was narrated by Ahmad with this wording and he added in
another version:
"The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said to her:'Adorn
yourself with this.'Al-Haythami said that both narrations are Hasan,
and At-Tirmithi narrated the brief version.
At-Tabaraani narrated in Al-Awsat that Umm Sunbulah, may Allaah be
pleased with her, offered the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
a gift but his wives refused to accept it. The Prophet, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, ordered them to accept it, so they did. The
Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, granted Umm Sunbulah, may
Allaah be pleased with her, a piece of land which 'Abd-Allaah ibn
Jahsh, may Allaah be pleased with him, later on bought from Hasan ibn
'Ali, may Allaah be pleased with them.
Al-Haythami said that 'Amr ibn Qaythi is one of the narrators of this
narration and he did not know him, and the rest of the narrators are
trustworthy. There are numerous narrations on the generosity of the
Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, in giving charity.
Umm Sunbulah, may Allaah be pleased with her, died during the
Caliphate of Mu'aawiyah in the 45th year AH. Ar-Rubayyi' bint
Mu'awwith, may Allaah be pleased with her, died during the Caliphate
of 'Abd Al-Malik ibn Marwaan between the 73rd and the 79th years AH.

How to Handle Burdens - Women site, -

We all have stress and burdens in our daily lives. Whether it is
school or work or just the trials of life, we carry much on our
shoulders. Some of us carry our own loads and some of us carry loads
that we share with others, such as health problems, personal family
issues, financial dilemmas, marital discord, employment troubles, and
the list could go on. These burdens that we bear can be heavy. In
fact, most of us may say that at one time or another, these burdens
are too hard to bear.
But, in Chapter two ]Quran 2[, Allaah Almighty promises us that we
will never have to carry a burden that is greater than what we can
bear. So why do we feel then that the burden is too heavy for us to
carry? Why do we feel as if we had the weight of the entire world on
our shoulders and as if we had more than our share of worries and
woes?
We feel this way not because of the weight of the burden, but rather
the way we carry it.
Bend at the knees
When we physically carry heavy loads in our arms, we are always told
to `bend at the knees' to avoid breaking our backs and injuring our
necks. There is great wisdom in ensuring that something is sincerely
done in our own best interest, and not just done as a task that we
want to get rid of. Likewise, a burden that is carried with little or
no care or concern for our own well-being does not make much sense. In
a short amount of time, one would `burn out' and be of much less use
to the same people that we were intending to help in the first place.
So, a burden carried on our shoulders should be carried with care as
well, otherwise it could similarly become a `pain in the neck'. In
other words, a burden on its own is not such a pain but a mere
responsibility; but a burden that is not carried well becomes a pain,
a hassle that one harbors reluctantly.
No matter how heavy our burden is, if we carry it with confidence and
self respect, we can handle the weight of it and carry it to fruition
or to the point that it needs to be carried.
Sometimes, this weight that we carry is for a short period and
sometimes it is for a long period; whatever the duration, our attitude
determines in large part the outcome. The way that we handle any
situation determines how that situation can end. Think about many of
the burdens that you may have in your life at this very moment. The
way you see them can have a huge impact on the way they affect your
life. If you think they are enormous, then you tend to visualize them
as such.
If you imagine that it is the end of the world, you would probably
feel as if the world was about to come crashing down on you.
Instead, if we can remember at times like this that there is no such
thing as a burden too great, we can take a deep breath and remind
ourselves that we can handle it. We have to remember that Allaah
Almighty Knows what we can handle. After all, He Almighty created us
and thus Knows better than anyone else what we can and cannot handle.
Pulling our own weight
In remembering this, it would be better for us to handle our
responsibilities not with complaints and grouchiness but with
self-restraint and grace. The burdens placed on our shoulders should
not weigh us down to the point of immobility. Instead, we can think of
them as challenges that we can learn to face and overcome. The reality
is that, no matter how bad the situation is, there is always someone
out there whose situation is harder than ours. Maybe we can't see that
person when we need to, but we need to know that this reality exists
and that our own burdens are meant for us. The burden of other people
could be much worse.
All of the burdens that we have are a test from Allaah Almighty—we
know that already. What we sometimes forget is how to handle those
burdens. Usually, we complain about everything that is 'going wrong'
in our lives. If we can change our perspective and balance those
burdens with a stronger back and with a more positive attitude, we
will see that the burden is not as heavy as the reward for being
grateful for those things that we have in our lives that are going
well.

Dought & clear, - Is the will of Allaah the reason why people go astray?.

When a person goes astray and deviates, does that happen by the will
of Allaah or does Allaah not decree that?
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh al-Shanqeeti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"He whom Allaah guides, he is the rightly-guided; but he whom He sends
astray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) to lead him (to
the Right Path)"[al-Kahf 18:17]
In this aayah, Allaah explains that guidance and misguidance are in
His hand alone; whomsoever He guides none can lead astray, and
whomsoever He sends astray, none can guide. This meaning is also
expressed in many other aayahs, such as the following (interpretation
of the meaning):
"He whom Allaah guides, he is the rightly-guided; but he whom He sends
astray, for him you will find no Wali (guiding friend) to lead him (to
the Right Path)."[al-Israa' 17:97]
"Whomsoever Allaah guides, he is the guided one, and whomsoever He
sends astray, — then those! they are the losers"[al-A'raaf 7:178]
"Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allaah guides
whom He wills"[al-Qasas 28:56]
"And whomsoever Allaah wants to put in Al-Fitnah (error, because of
his rejecting of Faith), you can do nothing for him against Allaah"
[al-Maa'idah 5:41]
"If you (O Muhammad) covet for their guidance, then verily, Allaah
guides not those whom He makes to go astray (or none can guide him
whom Allaah sends astray). And they will have no helpers"
[al-Nahl 16:37]
"And whomsoever Allaah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam;
and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and
constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky"
[al-An'aam 6:125]
And there are very many similar aayahs.
From these and similar aayahs in the Qur'aan it may be understood that
the view of the Qadariyyah, who say that man is independent in his
actions, whether good or bad, and that does not happen by the will of
Allaah but rather by the will of the person, is false. Glorified and
exalted be Allaah far above anything happening in His dominion that
does not happen by His will.
Adwaa' al-Bayaan, 4/44.

Dought & clear, - Her husband reviles Islam and does not pray,but if she gets divorced from him, she will be forced to work and takeoff her hijab

I have been married for thirteen years to a husband who is thirty
years older than me. The problem is that from the first day, we have
not got on at all. I have thought of divorce, but I have three
children. I was not religious before, but now – praise be to Allah – I
never miss any prayer and I am raising my sons in Islam. Even though
we are living in Belgium, praise be to Allah my children speak Arabic
well. The problem is that my husband never prays, not even in Ramadan,
and he has never entered a mosque in his life, and he always reviles
Islam. By Allah, I am fed up with this life, but if I get divorced I
will be forced to go out to work and take off my hijab. I have not let
him be intimate with me for two months, since I read your fatwa on
this website. Now we are living in one house, but it is as if he is
not here; we do not speak and we do not sleep in the same room.
Praise be to Allah.
If your husband reviles Islam and does not pray, then it is not
permissible for you to stay married to him, because the one who
reviles Islam is a disbeliever according to scholarly consensus, and
the one who does not pray out of laziness is also a disbeliever,
according to the more correct of the two scholarly opinions.
If the marriage contract was done at a time when the husband was not
praying or when he was reviling Islam, then the marriage was never
valid in the first place.
If the status of disbelief came after the marriage contract, and the
husband continued in his disbelief until your 'iddah ended, then you
are completely separated from him, and you are not permissible for him
except with a new marriage contract, on condition that he repent and
come back to Islam.
Based on that, it is not permissible for you to let him be intimate
with you or to be alone with you; rather he is a non-mahram to you.
Complete separation does not depend on him issuing a divorce (talaaq);
you are not permissible for him whether he issues a divorce or not.
Now you have two options:
1.To live with your children in the same house that this husband is
living in, on condition that you be separated completely from him and
that there be no risk of intimacy occurring, and that you tell him
that you are not permissible for him, and that intimacy with him when
he is still behaving this way is haraam;
2.To become completely independent and to look for work and
accommodation. Undoubtedly this is better and safer for you; perhaps
when you look you will find permissible work where you will not be
forced to take off your hijab.
If the problem is a choice between taking off the hijab and staying
with this husband who is not permissible for you, and there is the
fear that you may commit forbidden actions with him, then taking off
the hijab is less serious, but we hope that you will not be forced to
choose one of these two options and that Allah will bless your husband
by enabling him to repent and mend his ways, or that you will find a
job where you do not have to take off your hijab. There are many ways
of earning a living, such as teaching children in your house or their
house, or working as a seamstress or typist or translator, or working
in an Islamic centre, even if you have to move to another city, or you
could go back to a Muslim country.
Keep asking Allah may He be exalted, and beseeching Him, and do a lot
of righteous deeds.
We ask Allah to grant you relief and to take away your worry and
distress, and to protect you and your children.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - The virtue of fasting ‘Ashoora’

I heard that fasting the day of 'Ashoora' expiates for the past year,
is this true?
Does it expiate for everything, even major sins? What is the reason
for venerating this day?.
Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
Fasting the day of 'Ashoora' does expiate for the past year, because
the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Fasting
the day of 'Arafah I hope Allaah will expiate thereby for the year
before it and the year after it, and fasting the day of 'Ashoora' I
hope Allaah will expiate thereby for the year that came before it."
Narrated by Muslim, 1162. This is by the bounty that Allaah bestows
upon us, whereby fasting one day expiates for the sins of a whole
year. And Allaah is the Owner of great bounty.
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to be very
keen to make sure he fasted on the day of 'Ashoora' because of its
great status. It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: I never saw the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) so keen to make sure he fasted any day and preferring it
over another except this day, the day of 'Ashoora', and this month –
meaning Ramadaan. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1867.
What is meant by being keen to make sure he fasted it is so as to earn
its reward.
Secondly:
With regard to the reason why the Prophet(peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) fasted on the day of 'Ashoora' and urged the
people to do likewise is mentioned in the hadeeth narrated by
al-Bukhaari (1865) from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him),
who said: The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came
to Madeenah and saw the Jews fasting on the day of 'Ashoora'. He said,
"What is this?" They said, "This is a good day, this is the day when
Allaah saved the Children of Israel from their enemy and Moosa fasted
on this day." He said, "We are closer to Moosa than you." So he fasted
on this day and told the people to fast.
The words "this is a good day" – according to a version narrated by
Muslim, "This is a great day when Allaah saved Moosa and his people
and drowned Pharaoh and his people."
The words "so Moosa fasted on this day" – Muslim added in his report:
"In gratitude to Allaah, so that is we fast on this day."
According to another version narrated by al-Bukhaari, "So we fast it
out of respect for it."
The words "and told the people to fast" – according to another version
narrated by al-Bukhaari, "He said to his companions, 'You are closer
to Moosa than them, so fast this day."
Thirdly:
The expiation of sins that is achieved by fasting 'Ashoora' refers to
minor sins; with regard to major sins, they need separate repentance.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Fasting the day of 'Arafaah expiates for all minor sins, in othr words
this brings forgiveness for all sins except for major sins.
Then he said:
Fasting the day of 'Arafaah is an expiation for two years, and the day
of 'Ashoora is an expiation for one year, and if a person's Ameen
coincides with the Ameen of the angels, his previous sins will be
forgiven… Each of the things mentioned may bring expiation. If he does
something that expiates for minor sins he will be expiated, and if
there are no minor or major sins, it will be recorded for him as good
deeds and he will rise in status thereby… If there is one or more
major sins and no minor sins, we hope that it will reduce his major
sins.Al-Majmoo' Sharh al-Muhadhdhab, part 6.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The
expiation of purification, prayer, and fasting Ramadaan, 'Arafah and
'Ashoora' applies to minor sins only.Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 5.

Dought & clear, - Is it permissible to plan to do something in the future even though when death comes it cannot be put off?.

I wanted to ask whether it is wrong to plan something I mean that we
have to do this tommorrow or next month or next year? Though I
strongly believe that death may come any moment.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing to prevent a person from making plans and estimating
what he will need in the future, and thinking of what he hopes to
achieve, or saying, 'I will do such-and-such tomorrow,' or next week,
or next year.' But when he does that he has to say 'in sha Allaah (if
Allaah wills).' Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And never say of anything, 'I shall do such and such thing tomorrow,'
except (with the saying): 'If Allaah will.'…"
[al-Kahf 18:23]
Everything that a person intends to do in the future, or resolves to
do, or hopes to achieve, is based on hope, and hope is what motivates
people to do things. But the believer strives in this world for the
sake of that which will benefit him in both his religion and his
worldly affairs. So he takes the means and puts his trust in Allaah,
and seeks His help, as the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said:
"Strive to do that which will benefit you, and seek the help of Allaah."
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"… So worship Him and put your trust in Him…"
[Hood 11:123]
The kaafir and the negligent person, on the other hand, depend on the
means and forget their Lord in Whose Hand is Sovereignty and nothing
happens except what He wills. If a man looks at the obstacles which
stand between him and what he hopes for, and he thinks too much about
death and other obstacles, he will stop making efforts and neglect his
own interests. Thus it is apparent that man cannot live this life
without some hope which will make him strive to pursue the things that
he wants to achieve. But the believer should not hope for too much or
feel too content with this world, or prefer its pleasures; rather he
should strive to make the Hereafter his goal, and work to do righteous
deeds which will bring him closer to his Lord, and seek the help of
His blessings to obey Him, so that he may attain happiness in this
world and in the Hereafter.

For children, - Discipline and Islam: Knowledge (Ilm) and Noble Character (Akhlaq) in Islam

Not only that discipline is a secret of the success of great men, our
universe also stands on the same foundation. If the solar system is
working regularly, if the stars are revolving around the sun
systematically and if there is no flaw function for millenniums it is
only due to the fact that the solar system is based on order.
Order is found in everything around us from the largest bodies of the
universe to the minutest thing called "atom". Everything in this world
is made up of tiny atoms. A wonderful discipline is in action and it
is seen in each and every movement of the universe. There are tiny
atoms in every system.
Every atom has its own center, which is called 'proton'. Many
'electrons' move round the center like stars and moons. In the words
of a great Muslim scholar: "If you tear up the heart of every atom you
will find its sun in its center."
The universe is the best guide for all of us. We should learn about
life and the causes and reasons of its stability and success from it.
This universe tells that: "The secret of my survival is the regularity
and orderliness which my Creator has ingrained in me."
If the educational system of any country becomes chaotic, if the trade
and economy of any nation is disturbed, if the balance of supply and
demand is upset, if the law and order of any country turns corrupt, if
the army gets out of control the end of that nation becomes certain.
When Imam Ali (pbuh), Commander of the Faithful, was fatally injured
by the sword of Ibne Muljim, the first bequest uttered by him to his
sons, after advising them to refrain from Allah's (SWT) disobedience,
was regarding this orderliness in every affair: "I advise you to
refrain from disobeying Allah (SWT) and to abide by law and order and
regularity in life."
One of the ways of orderliness is to divide our daily time according
to our needs. Doing every necessary work in its proper time is life.
We should further this foundation of life. We must refrain from
disorderliness and indiscipline because irregularity ends propriety
and destroys our talent and competence.
The leader of the God-fearing people, Imam Ali (pbuh) says, "A Muslim
must divide his timeinto three parts. One part should be reserved for
Allah's (SWT) worship, one for earning livelihood and the third for
attending to the demands of the body which cannot be ignored."
If there was no orderliness or discipline in our past can we benefit
from such orderliness in the remaining years of our life?
"Certainly, we can ..." because the three stages of our life,
childhood, youth and old age are like three compartments of a ship
which can be separated from one another by pressing a button. If a
compartment is damaged it can be separated from the rest.
Only he is successful who can, using his wisdom, separate different
compartments of his life and deal whit them separately.
It is pitiable that man, instead of gaining from the present
opportunities, should remain sorrowful for his past, thus wasting the
time available to him and become careless about brining order in the
forthcoming time.
A competent minister was carrying out his administrative duties with
the help of his assistants.
When asked as to how he was arranging his affairs he replied, "I never
postpone today's work for tomorrow. In my view it is not correct to
delay anything."
We see signs in offices and workshops saying: Time is Gold. It
surprises me because the value of time becomes more than gold if
everything is done in time.<span style="font-size:x-large;">-
PUBLISHED by "NajimudeeN_M-INDIA" -</span>

For children, - Foundation of religion Islam, is on knowledge (Ilm) and Noble Character (Akhlaq)

Foundation of religion, Islam is on knowledge (Ilm)and Noble
Character (Akhlaq). When we study the life and times of our beloved
Ahlul Bayt (as), we notice that the main weapon they used in carrying
out their mission of spreading the message of Allah (SWT), was
knowledge on one hand and Noble Character on the other.
Our 6th Imam, Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) narrates that, "Anyone who is
devoid of knowledge (Ilm) and Noble Character (Akhlaq)is like an
orphan who has lost both his parents."
Our Fuqaha (scholars) are apt examples of the height of character one
can attain. It has been narrated about the spiritual station of our
great Marja, Ayatullah Muhammad Husein Burujerdi (d.1961), that he had
made a vow (Nadhr)that if he ever uttered inappropriate words when
angry, he would fast for a whole year (to train his soul). Indeed, he
had a very lofty station because of his excellent character. He
himself has said, "Before I came to Qom, I used to hear the voices of
angels." He was a Marja whose credentials as a supreme authority had
been endorsed by Amir al-Mu'mineen, Imam Ali (pbuh) himself.
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: I seek refuge in Allah (SWT) from
knowledge that brings no wisdom, from a heart that lacks kindness,
from desires that bring discontent, and from supplications that go
unanswered.
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: "Teachers and students both share in
rewards but other people are deprived of them."
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: "He who searches for knowledge is
similar to a person who fasts during the day and keeps vigil at night
and is busy worshipping. If a person acquires a branch of knowledge,
it is better for him than possessing as much gold as the height of Abu
Qubais Mount which he would distribute in the way of Allah (SWT)."
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: "The virtue of knowledge is more
beloved with Allah (SWT) than the virtue of worship."
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: "The Noble Qur'anis Allah's (SWT)
university; so, learn as much as you can in this university."
Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said: "Fie upon that Muslim who does not
allocate (at least) one day a week to the study of the details of his
religion and to explore (the affairs) of his religion."
Imam Hassan (as) said: "Teach your knowledge to others and (try to)
learn yourself the knowledge of others."
Imam Baqir (as) said: "Try to learn knowledge because learning it is a
good action and study is itself a worship."
Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) said: "Be careful of your knowledge and see from
whom you get it."
Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) said: "Try to obtain knowledge and ornament it
with patience and dignity; and be humble for the one who learns
knowledge from you."
Knowledge (Ilm) and Wealth in the eyes of Imam Ali (pbuh):
It is related that once ten learned men approached Imam Ali (pbuh),
and wanted to know how knowledge was better than wealth. They
requested that each one of them be given a separate answer. Imam Ali
(pbuh) answered them as follows:
01. Knowledge is the legacy of the Prophets; wealth is the inheritance
of the Pharaohs. As the Prophets are superior to the Pharaohs, so
knowledge is better than wealth.
02. You have to guard your wealth, but knowledge guards you.
Therefore, knowledge is better than wealth.
03. When knowledge is distributed it increases. When wealth is
distributed it decreases. As such knowledge is better than wealth.
04. A man of wealth has many enemies, while a man of knowledge has
many friends. Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.
05. A learned man because of his wider outlook is apt to be generous
while a rich man because of his love for money is apt to be miserly.
As such knowledge is better than wealth.
06. Knowledge cannot be stolen, while wealth is constantly exposed to
the danger of being stolen. Accordingly knowledge is better than
wealth.
07. With the lapse of time, knowledge gains in depth and dimensions.
Hoarded coins get rusty, or cease to be legal tender. Therefore
knowledge is better than wealth.
08. You can keep account of wealth because it is limited, but you
cannot keep account of knowledge because it is boundless. That is why
knowledge is better than wealth.
09. Knowledge illuminates the mind, while wealth is apt to blacken it.
Therefore knowledge is better than wealth.
10. Knowledge is better than wealth, because knowledge induced the
humanity in the Holy Prophet to say to God "We worship Thee as we are
Thine servants", while wealth engendered in Pharaoh and Nimrod the
vanity which made them claim Godhead.
Imam Ali (pbuh) was the only one who declared 'Saluni, Saluni Kabla an
Tafkiduni' - 'ask me, ask me, before you do not find me amongst you.'
Imam Ali (pbuh) says regarding knowledge and acting on it:
O you who carry knowledge around with you; are you only carrying it
around with you? For surely knowledge belongs to who ever know and
then acts accordingly, so that his action corresponds to his
knowledge. There will be a people who will carry knowledge around with
them, but it will not pass beyond their shoulders. Their inner most
thoughts will contradict what they display in public and their actions
will contradict what they know.
Imam Ali (pbuh) says regarding the purity and nobility of knowledge:
When a dead person is placed in his grave, four kinds of fire will
cover him, but then the prayer will come and put one of them out, and
the fast will come and put another one of them out, and then charity
will come and put another one out, and knowledge will come and put the
forth one out, and it will say: 'If I had come sooner, I would a have
put all of them out, and given you delight for I am with you now, and
you'll not see anything else distressing.'<span
style="font-size:x-large;">- PUBLISHED by "NajimudeeN_M-INDIA"
-</span>