General Articles, - Important statements from Al-Barzanji's book Al-Isha'at ul Ishraat us Saa'at'' (Portents of the Judgment Day)

The Great Sheikh has a poem as follows:
Be aware, the end of the saints is a martyr. He is Mahdi the Sayyid (as), who will be a descendant of Ahl al-Ahmad. He is a sharp sword, warding off the evil! He is the sun that will eliminate all the pains and troubles. When he gives, he is like a fruitful rain.
Hazrat Mahdi (as) is a martyr. He is a very select leader. He is a descendant of the Prophet Mohammad (saas). He is the sword of knowledge, a very effective, very sharp sword that will ward off the evil, all pains and troubles, what does pain mean? He will take away all the pains, stresses, tension, pains, and psychological problems of people. He says Hazrat Mahdi (as) is a sun that will destroy all the oppression, torture, threats and ordeals of people. What does Ataturk say? He also says he is a sun. What does Bediuzzaman say? Sun. What does the Prophet Mohammad (saas) say in his hadith? A sun. he will be fruitful just like a rain.
The time has come. He has become apparent in the fourth century after the three centuries that had passed. Because the Prophet Mohammad (saas) talked at once about three centuries, followed by a fourth one. In one account, it is said ‘three centuries follow each other, one apart from others …’.
In other words, three centuries are one after another and another one is alone, which is four. And if you add one thousand? 1400 in Hijri calendar. Because Imam Rabbani says that he will come one thousand years after the demise of the Prophet Mohamed (saas). When you put it together with this report, you get 1400 in Hijri calendar.
As to him; he has authority and power. He will gain the power he needs from Allah. Because he is a verified caliph (spiritual successor) who speaks language of the birds and of all animals. For that reason, his justice will be witnessed by all the humans and jinns.
He will get the power he needs not from people, but from Allah. Because he is a leader whose reliability is confirmed by Allah, and who speaks the language of all birds and animals, as reported in hadith, which means that he will have love for all animals. He will love all of them. The hadith says his justice will extend to the jinns too, which means he will have contact with them. He will ensure justice amongst them too, and prevent them from oppressing each other.
As indicated above, Allah has bestowed him helpers who believe in him. He will make great accomplishments by the help of his aides.
He will accomplish great things by the means of his helpers, so we understand that he has students. The Prophet Mohammad (saas) says Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not be alone.
The qualities required by Hazrat Mahdi (as) for the duties he will assign to his helpers:
1. Prudence; because this quality is needed when people are invited to Allah’s path. As a matter of fact the Almighty Lord has told as follows while telling the stories of the Prophets:, "I call to Allah with inner sight, I and all who follow me.."
Hazrat Mahdi will no doubt follow the Prophet Mohammad (saas). Just like the Prophet Mohammad (saas) didn’t make any mistakes in inviting people to Allah’s way, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not make a mistake too. Because Hazrat Mahdi (as) will follow in the footsteps of the Prophet Mohammad (saas).
One of the most important qualities of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is that he has prudence. ‘I call to Allah with inner sight, I and all who follow me’, which means ‘I invite people to Allah with my students’. The verse refers to Hazrat Mahdi (as) in that sense. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be innocent in his decisions.
2. He understands the Holy book perfectly.
He will understand and explain the Qur’an perfectly.
3. He understands the meaning of the Words of Allah.
He will be able to interpret the Qur’an perfectly and explain it to people in an excellent way.
4. He knows perfectly the character and thoughts of the people he will appoint to positions…
Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be able to analyze the situation, mood, attitude, behavior, in other words, the character, psychological state of people very well.
5. He never ceases to be compassionate and just even when he gets angry…
Sometimes Allah will give a sense of great rage in him, but despite that he will never cease to be compassionate and just. He is very compassionate, in other words he is reasonable even when he gets very angry. He thinks reasonably, he acts by the Qur’an and never stops being fair. He always judges fairly even if it is against him. He is not seeking to save himself or protect his own interests.
6. Knows the classes of the beings..
He treats the kids the way they should be treated, and the grownups in the way grownups should be treated. Same thing goes for everyone, the elderly, the women. He treats everyone according to the way they would like to be treated. He knows how to speak to their soul. This is a quality of Hazrat Mahdi (as).
7. He knows about the complex details of the things; because a leader with this information will not make a mistake in his decisions… Hazrat Mahdi (as) knows the knowledge of comparison not for using it in his judgments, but for avoiding it. Because his judgment will be the result of right inspiration. He will act upon the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammed (saas). For this reason, when the Prophet Mohammad (saas) described him, he said ‘He will follow in my footsteps, he will not make a mistake’. We understand from this that, he will not introduce a new command, but he will follow the existing Sunnah. He will also be innocent. With the phrase ‘innocent’, it is meant he will be innocent in his decisions. Because the real innocence can be possible only for a Prophet. But he is not a Prophet, he is a Saint. The saints are protected from making mistakes, they are not innocent.
He knows the complex details, fine details. He analyses why someone did something, for what reason, he is capable of doing a very detailed analysis.
Because a leader with this knowledge, will never make a mistake; Hazrat Mahdi (as) knows the knowledge of comparison not for using it in his judgments, but for avoiding it too, which means he will not act according to comparison. He avoids comparison, which was used in Islamic canonic law.
The Prophet Mohammad (saas) informs us upon revelation, that he will not make a mistake. He will be innocent in his decisions. When people think he made a mistake, it is still a right decision. Allah doesn’t allow him to make a mistake in his judgments. He is an innocent imam, this is exclusive to Hazrat Mahdi (as) only. He is under the special protection of Allah. The innocent imam. Always right in his decisions. But the real innocence can be seen only in the Prophets, the Prophets are protected in every way.
8. Understanding the needs of people well; because Allah has brought him over other people to take care of them. The actions and decisions of the leaders must be to seek the interests of the people, rather than themselves. A leader that does not work for the interests of the people and help them, must be relieved of duty. Because there is no more any difference between him and the people.
The quality of Hazrat Mahdi (as) is this: whole world is his family. If a kid’s leg is broken in Uganda, he will be taken care of, as if he was the child of Hazrat Mahdi (as). A Muslim in London and a Muslim in Uganda will be treated the same way. Both will eat very good food, will receive very high quality treatment, both will live in very good houses. There will be no more second class citizen, third class citizen. Everyone will be like the child of Hazrat Mahdi (as). For example let’s say a kid in Japan is to be operated on. You know in some communities, no one knows what’s going on in the life of others. It won’t be like that with Hazrat Mahdi (as). Hazrat Mahdi (as) will be as careful as it is his own operation. That’s why he will resist the offers to make him imam. He doesn’t accept, but they force him. Because the spiritual responsibility is too great, because he is responsible for the entire world, he is given the duty of imamate (religious leadership) by force, under the threat for his life. He will not seek his own interests, but he will make sure that the people’s interests are safeguarded in the best way possible. He will follow very carefully. Everyone in the hospital will be a first class citizen. Everyone will eat the best food. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will make sure that everyone will eat what he eats, everyone will wear what he wears, and everyone will live as comfortable as he does. This is the characteristic of Hazrat Mahdi (as). Because there is no more difference between him and other people, they are the same, he takes care of everyone so carefully, it’s like they will all be his own children.
9. He will have the knowledge of the unknown , which will be needed particularly in his time, because only then, can he solve the emerging problems. As indicated above, Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not act on comparison. Because comparison will lead to many new issues, and this will only cause trouble for people. But the preferred action in Islam is facilitation. For this reason, the Prophet Mohammed (saas) said: ‘Leave me alone when I leave matters to you to decide’. In this way he didn’t want people to ask him many questions, in order to prevent too much judgments and offers. He only settled with communicating the message of Allah. So since we understand that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will follow in the tracks of the Prophet Mohammad (saas), he will not make a mistake, and he will be very compassionate to beings just like the Messenger of Allah.
So Hazrat Mahdi (as) will have these nine qualities. He will have knowledge of unseen, which is particularly needed in his own time. He will know what will happen in the future, based on the hadiths and the Qur’an verses. He will take appropriate measures since he will know what will happen in the future, by the leave of Allah.
There will be no more comparison, Hazrat Mahdi (as) doesn’t use comparison. He says that if comparison is used, then there will appear complex judgments and an inextricable understanding of Islam for people. He will not accept that. Because that would trouble the people. Our religion is the religion of ease. It is Allah’s orders to make the religion easier. And making it difficult would be what satan wants. Making the religion, worshipping, life easier, that’s the style in Islam.
"Leave me alone when I leave matters to you to decide’, meaning ‘don’t try to produce new judgments’. When the Companions asked him ‘how will this be?’, he answered ‘do whatever you think is the best, because if I say something, it will be a judgment, and you will have to do it from now on, so don’t ask me, live freely’ said the Prophet Mohammad (saas). ‘If it is something important, I will warn you anyway’ he says. ‘But if I don’t say anything, don’t try to produce judgments and don’t force me to do it’.
So he doesn’t want too many rules and judgments. What is the situation now? There are too many rules and judgments. That is what gave birth to superstitions, innovations, religion turning into something else. This is the real reason behind the pains of the Islamic world.
He confined to communicating the message of Islam. Allah gave him information about significant and critical matters, other than that, Muslims should be left free.
Since Hazrat Mahdi (as) will follow in the tracks of the Prophet Mohammad (saas) and will not make a mistake, then he has to be very compassionate towards the beings just like the Messenger of Allah. So he is not only compassionate, he is extremely compassionate, towards all living things, to dogs, cats, fish, people, kids, all of them…
The Prophet Mohammad (saas) said that Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not make a mistake but was silent about others; in other words, the Prophet Mohammad (saas) didn’t say that other imams like Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman, Ali and other saints will be innocent. He only said Hazrat Mahdi (as) will not make a mistake, this is firm in the hadiths.
The Prophet Jesus (as), will descend onto a white minaret to the east of Dimashq, in the time of Hazrat Mahdi (as), while people are performing the afternoon prayer. The imam will step back and he will lead the prayer, and he will act as an imam and perform the salat in line with the commands of the Prophet Mohammad (saas).
Some people misinterpret this. Sham is a very wide area. A very vast land that includes Istanbul and Anatolia, is called Sham. So he will appear in a high building, a high house. Because when minaret is said, the first thing that comes to mind is a tall building. A high place, where he can be heard from everywhere.
Warning:
The meaning of this hadith is not contradictory to the hadiths which narrate that the Prophet Jesus (as) will follow Hazrat Mahdi (as) in the morning salat, when he will say ‘this was sent for you!’.
So it is not contradictory with the situation where the Prophet Jesus (as) pushed Hazrat Mahdi (as) forward to make sure that he leads the salat. So the Prophet Jesus (as) makes Hazrat Mahdi (as) the imam and then Hazrat Mahdi (as) makes the Prophet Jesus (as) the vizier. What is related here happens after this prayer. So Hazrat Mahdi’s (as) position as the imam is verified, it is recognized that he is the leader of the world. The Prophet Jesus (as) confirms that he is the imam. And Hazrat Mahdi (as) appoints various other people as imams, the Prophet Jesus (as) will be his head vizier, he makes him an imam too.
It is a miracle that Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) knew that white minarets would be built in the end times. There weren’t minarets in his time. And he says that it will happen. It is an amazing miracle. So in Istanbul, or in Jerusalem, or in a place like that, the Prophet Jesus (as) will lead the prayer in a mosque with a white minaret, in the area called Sham.

General Articles, - Avoiding idle talk

Idle or empty talk contains no remembrance of Allah, nor is it aimed at His approval. Thus, precious time is lost that should be spent engaging in good deeds for the Hereafter.
It is among the strategies of satan to hinder man from remembering Allah, from seeing the countless signs and miracles of Allah surrounding him, and from reflecting upon the purpose of life.
For example, the subjects that keep common people busy are sports, recipes, the problems of child raising, and so forth.
Exchange rates, the stock exchange and other subjects related to commerce and economy occupy the minds of people involved in business.
Another sector of society who call themselves intellectuals and who want to show themselves off as cultured indulge in prolonged dialogues, thinking that they have solved great difficulties, but which generally bring no benefit to society.
One frequently sees examples of this in open forums held on television. Participants discuss a particular issue for hours, only to be recognized for their knowledge and to impress others.
There are people who take such forums as an opportunity to attack religion and reveal their aversion to truth.
Allah describes these attitudes in the Qur’an:
But there are some people who trade in distracting tales to misguide people from Allah’s Way knowing nothing about it and to make a mockery of it. Such people will have a humiliating punishment. (Surah Luqman; 6)
While indulging in worthless talk is a characteristic of unbelievers, avoidance of it is a quality of believers:
When they hear worthless talk they turn away from it and say, ‘We have our actions and you have your actions. Peace be upon you. We do not desire the company of the ignorant.’ (Surat al-Qasas; 55)
A believer must always avoid ignorance, unbecoming manners and blameworthy speech. The absence in Paradise of any offensive speech is described among its blessings:
Gardens of Eden which the All-Merciful has promised to His slaves in the Unseen. His promise is always kept. They will not hear any prattling there—nothing but ‘Peace.’ They will receive their provision there morning and night. (Surah Maryam; 61-62)

General Articles, - Controlling Rage

In the Qur’an, the control of anger is described as exemplary behavior since it hinders harmful reactions likely caused by it.
Those who give in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon other people —Allah loves the good-doers. (Surah Al ‘Imran; 134)
Although rage may surface as an instant reaction in particular situations, a believer should comply with the description in this verse by controlling it.
That is because rage clouds one’s mind and hinders sound reasoning. In such a case, a person runs the risk of transgressing the limits of Allah, since the emotional judgments he makes under the influence of anger will usually be rash and incompatible with Qur’anic ethics.
A believer must immediately strive to overcome resentment he feels pertaining to personal matters, especially toward other believers, and try to replace it with compassion and mercy.
If a person’s anger is based on unjust grounds, then he has no right to be furious in the first place. He must accept his mistake, apologize and make up for his misbehavior.
But even if he was in the right, he must still control anger, and in compliance with the verse, it is better to forgive.
What has been related so far concerns the mundane situations believers are likely to encounter.
Apart from these there is a group of people who become angry at the least provocation. They actually fail to grasp some basic faith-related issues, such as putting one’s trust in Allah or recognizing the fact that all people are under His control.
In the Qur’an Allah reveals:
Everything in the heavens and the earth belong to Allah. He knows what you are engaged upon. On the Day when they are returned to Him, He will inform them of what they did. Allah has knowledge of all things. (Surat An-Nur:64)

Fathwa, - Husband is not obliged tosupport wife's child from previous marriage

Question
assalamualaikom,I am newly embraced in islam and marreid for the 2nd time to a divorced muslim man.He have 2kids from his 1st wife now living with us.We dont hve kids of our own since 5yrs of merriage.Back in my christian life b4,i marreid for the 1st time and hve a son but our marreige didnt last.Raising my son till he reach the of 6yrs old i leave him to the costudy of my aunt and decided to work abroad where i met this divorced muslim man.Withouth a doubt i accept his proposal,i converted and we get marreid.B4 we get marreid,me husband know that i hve a son.My problem now i about my son.My husband not give me any help or support for my son and telling me that its forbidden in islam to support any christian.Me as a mother is too hard to hear that fact.Rather he keep on telling me to bring my son here with us to live together which i wanted too but,him as a father,a husband and a man,i cannot trust my son to him,only reason why i refused to bring my here with us.He is a hot tempered man and used to beat us,me and his own kids for just simple mistakes.Not only simple beat but severely beating that i cannot imagine how a man,a father who have fear to ALLAH can do that.Please advice me what to do about my son.I insist to my husband if i can work, so i can send support to my son but he wont let me..I know wives in islam is not allowed to work. Only at home.,but what about my case? my son?Me as a mother, it hurts,because its like im abandoning my own son.....pls advicE me,i want my son to be a muslim soon inshALLAH...JAZZAKALLAH KHAYRAN
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, we congratulate you upon the blessing of embracing Islam as this is a great bounty that requires from a person to be grateful to Allaah for it. Among being grateful to Allaah for it, is to do all that makes you remain firm and steadfast ]on this religion[, like seeking beneficial knowledge, performing good deeds and befriending righteous and pious women.
You should know that the statement of your husband that it is forbidden in Islam to support any Christian is a statement that contradicts the Sharee’ah, as the Sharee’ah permitted us to be kind to the non-Muslims who are not belligerent to 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 60:8[
Also, you should know that a young child is ruled to be a Muslim as long as one of his parents is a Muslim. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 81957.
As regards spending on your son, then it is his father who is obligated to spend on him, and your husband does not have to spend on him unless he does so as an act of kindness, in which case he will be rewarded for doing so. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 86141.
In case his father is dead or insolvent and is unable to spend on him, then it is his mother who is obligated to spend on him, as stated by the jurists.Ibn Qudaamahsaid: “It is an obligation upon the mother to spend on her child if he has no father; this is the same view of Abu Haneefah and Ash-Shaafi’i. If the father is insolvent, then the mother is obligated to spend on him, and she is entitled to ask his father to reimburse her when he becomes solvent.”
Therefore, if you have no money to spend on him, then it is not an obligation to endeavor to find work in order to spend on him and it is not an obligation upon your husband to give you permission to work.However, since your husband does not object to your son living with you, it might be more appropriate for you to accept it and be patient with your husband so that you will be able to nurture your son and guide him and educate him in a good manner; this is better than your son being with his maternal aunt especially if she is a non-Muslim.
On the other hand, a husband is obligated to have good marital relations with his wife and treat her in kindness; we have already clarified this in Fataawa 88304and 86618.
Indeed, it is a great evil for a husband to harm his wife and his children and abuse them, as this is misconduct and bad temperament. So, you should advise him in a gentle manner and supplicate Allaah to rectify him. In case you are harmed by staying with him, then you have the right to ask for divorce, so you should resort to it if you think that there is more benefit for you in doing so, otherwise you should be patient.
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa, - A father should not feel shame if his sons support him financially

Question
Dear Brother, Asalam Alaikum , I am retired teacher served for 40 years in hyderabad india has written and compiled books on Islam, appealed for publication, but unfortunately I received no response. The reason best know to Allah. I have been suffering for Heart and diabetic aliment since 20 years. I have 2 daughters married )somehow( by His Mercy and three sons I have educated them now earning their livelihood one married. I am a honest God fearing man and I never taken loan or any thing from any members of my family. Though my sons supports us but I feel I it is unfair, and feel Hurt. Please guide me what to do?
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.
We answer your question in the following three points:
1- There is no blame on you that your children spend on you and there is nothing wrong with this. The earning of the child is pure and lawful for his father if he is in need, rather the earning of the child is the best that his parent deserves. For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 1569.
2- Your qualities of being pious, truthful and content and not desiring what is in the hands of others are good qualities to which you should hold fast; as they are a bounty and favor from Allaah.
3- Seek the reward from Allaah for your sickness and be content with the Decree and Predestination of Allaah and with the affliction of not being solvent that Allaah afflicted you with. You should look at the people who are in worse situations than yourself. You should know that Allaah is Merciful to His slaves. Allaah afflicts a person with something and that person thinks that it is a punishment from Allaah while in reality it is a blessing. Besides, you should not show displeasure or feel discontent )with the Decree of Allaah( as this is a sin and prohibited by Allaah Who says )what means(: }And leave ]i.e. desist from[ what is apparent of sin and what is concealed thereof. Indeed, those who earn ]blame for[ sin will be recompensed for that which they used to commit.{]Quran 6:120[
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa, - Imprisoned husband is obliged to provide for hiswife and child

Question
In Islam, imprisonment of husband, is he liable to pay maintenance of child and wife?
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.
It is obligatory upon the husband to spend on his wife and child. This ruling applies to the imprisoned husband like other husbands. If he cannot afford to spend on them, then he is like all other husbands, i.e. his wife has the right to raise the matter to an Islamic judge and seek separation from him due to that, and if she wants to be patient with him, then she can do so.Ibn Qudaamahsaid: “In conclusion, if a man does not spend on his wife for him being insolvent and cannot find what he may spend on her, then the wife has a choice between being patient with him or separating from him.” ]End quote[
Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyahsaid: “If the wife is adversely affected by her husband’s failing to have intercourse with her, this permits annulment of the marriage in all cases, whether the husband did that deliberately or not, or whether he was able to have intercourse or not. The same applies to the wife's maintenance, and it is permissible with greater reason to annul the marriage in case of Eelaa')a husband swearing not to have sexual intercourse with his wife and refusing to approach her(according to the consensus of scholars. Accordingly, the ruling of the captive and the imprisoned and those whose wives cannot benefit from them, if their wives seek separation from them, is the same like the ruling of the wife of the missing husband according to the consensus of the scholars.” ]End quote[
There is another issue stated by the Shaafi‘i scholars, that is if the wife was the reason behind the imprisonment of her husband without a right cause, then she will have no right to maintenance. Tuhfat Al-Habeeb ‘Ala Sharh Al-Khateeb )a Shaafi‘i book( reads: “If the wife is the reason for the imprisonment of her husband with a right cause, then she will have the right upon her husband )if possible( to spend the night with her like with his other wives and to maintenance, and if it was with no right cause, then she will not deserve such rights because she is the reason behind preventing them.” ]End quote[
This is related to the maintenance of the wife when the husband cannot afford to spend on her.
As for spending on the child, then if the husband is insolvent and the mother can afford it, she should spend on her child and she has the right to ask the husband to compensate her for what she has spent when he becomes solvent. Fat-h Al-Qadeer )a Hanafi book( reads: “If the child has a rich mother, then she should spend on him; however, she has the right to ask him )the insolvent father( later to compensate her for that. If she is pleased with that and does not ask him to compensate her, she will surely be rewarded for that and it is actually of her good character and noble manners.”
Allaah Knows best.

Social Concerns, - Women's liberation through Islam -I

Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the women's liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the women's liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by Allaah )God( to a man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. The Quran and the Traditions of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, are the sources from which every Muslim woman derives her rights and duties.
Human Rights:
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to Allaah in glorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity with men.
In the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women", Allaah Says )what means(:"O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person )Aadam(, and from him )Aadam( He created his wife ]Hawwaa )Eve([, and from them both, He created many men and women and fear Allaah through Whom you demand your mutual )rights(, and )do not cut the relations of( the wombs )kinship(. Surely, Allaah is Ever an All-Watcher over you."]Quran 4:1[
Since men and women both came from the same essence, they are equal in their humanity. Women cannot be by nature evil )as some religions believes( or then men would be evil also. Similarly, neither sex can be superior because it would be a contradiction of equality. Allaah Says )which means(:"O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allaah is that )believer( who is the most pious of you. Verily, Allaah is All-Knowing, All-Aware."]Quran 49:13[
Allaah also Says )what means(:"Verily, the Muslims men and women, the believers men and women, the men and women who are obedient )to Allaah(, the men and women who are truthful )in their speech and deeds(, the men and women who are humble )before their Lord(, the men and women who give charity, the men and women who observe fasting, the men and women who guard their chastity )from illegal sexual acts(, and the men and women who remember Allaah much with their hearts and tongues. Allaah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward )i.e. Paradise(."]Quran 33:35[
Civil Rights:
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based on recognition of her individual personality. First, the non-Muslim woman )from the people of the Book( is free to maintain her religion. Allaah Says )what means(:"There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right path has been made distinct from wrong path.”]Quran 2:256[
Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are many traditions of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, which indicate women would pose questions directly to him and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and social matters.
A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her family name after marriage. A Muslim woman's testimony is valid in legal disputes. In fact, in areas in which women are more familiar, their evidence is conclusive.
Social Rights
The Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said:"Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim )male and female(."]Ibn Maajah[ This includes knowledge of the Quran and the Hadeeth as well as other religious knowledge. Men and women both have the capacity for learning and understanding. Since it is also their obligation to promote good behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres of life, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate Islamic education to perform this duty in accordance with their own natural talents and interests.
While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband, and bearing, raising and teaching of children are among the first and very highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside the home for the good of the community, she may do so )if she has to( as long as her family obligations are met, and as long as there is no intermingling between her and men in the work place.
Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences between men and women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for men and other types for women. This, in no way, diminishes either's effort nor benefit. Allaah will reward both sexes equally for the value of their work, though it may not necessarily be the same activity.
The success of a society can be traced to the mothers. The first and greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security, affection, and training received from the mother. Therefore, a woman having children must be educated and conscientious in order to be a skillful parent.

Social Concerns, - The Deceptive Ghosts of the Internet

In the present age, Allaah The Almighty has enabled us to achieve great development in the ways and means of communication for the exchange of information and ideas, especially through the internet. The creation of internet forums and social networking sites has allowed the internet to enter almost every home. As a result, many virtuous sisters have explored this amazing and wonderful world. Unfortunately, some men take advantage of the heedlessness of some women and exploit their emotions in matters that do not please Allaah The Almighty through forums, chat rooms, instant messaging, and so on.
It has been observed that women are especially vulnerable to the guiles of men in the virtual world; if a man throws a bait, a woman usually falls for it without much ado. Over a period of time, she discovers that she has become prey to an internet ghost whom she neither knows nor sees, but she finds herself in love with him and feels that she cannot live without him. She wishes to speak with one of these virtual 'ghosts' all the time, whereas in the past, the same woman might have considered talking to an unknown male stranger a grave major sin.
She might not have expected that one day she would become emotionally attached to a strange man even though she is a virtuous, pure woman. Sometimes, this 'ghost' — or perhaps a better word would be 'wolf' — may be a wicked and evil minded individual who has devilish ways, while the poor sister who is involved in this unfortunate affair may think everything that glitters is gold and be unaware of his real character and inclinations. She may become over-confident or complacent about herself saying that she knows herself and can control herself. When a woman says these words, one should know that she is in great danger.
It has been observed on internet forums that one of the means of men being able to prey on a woman is to frequently reply to the postings of a certain female member with words of praise, especially if this sister is particularly voluble. There are very few people who are capable of resisting their emotions and preventing their hearts from softening when someone follows the topics of their interest carefully and replies to their posts in a laudatory manner.
O virtuous sister, beware of this! Do not be deceived by the ghosts of the internet.
Sometimes, this wicked ghost posts a fabricated problem and embellishes his topic with eye-catching sentences; such as,“I want someone to share my concerns”.Then, he asks this poor girl, who does not know what is being prepared for her, to find a solution for his problem. She occupies herself with the problem and falls into the trap without perceiving this fact. The matter may go further by adding him as a new contact on her messenger. Instead of being a means of acquiring good deeds, the instant messenger program is turned into a means of evil.
A sister may add a stranger out of curiosity in order to know him better or to know what he wants. Some sisters may add strange men under the pretext that she seeks an innocent friendship and that chatting over the internet is like normal speech. However, chances are that regular chatting may develop further to become severe sins and misdeeds that only Allaah The Almighty knows about.
Sister! O you who are the one who raises the future generations of Muslim men and women; O you who is a protected pearl; beware of Allaah The Almighty and beware of following the devil’s footsteps! The devil does not directly lead a person to sin; rather, he leads him step by step and then lets him fall into sin. Moreover, he may induce the person to justify and rationalize the sin. Beware of minor sins as the Prophet,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:“Beware of minor sins, their example is like a people who camped at the foot of a valley, and one man brought a stick, another man brought a stick, and so on, until they managed to bake their bread )by burning these sticks(. There are some insignificant sins which, once they accumulate and one is questioned about them, they lead to his doom.”

Social Concerns, - Status of Women before Islam

To judge the status of women in Islam, we must know their status in the religions and nations that preceded Islam. Then, we will discuss her status under Islam given that there is a long period of time between us and the time of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.
Before Islam, the status of the woman was degraded and base in most nations. They did not consider her a human being with a soul; rather, they used to believe that she is created from a base soul and that she is the source of evil and sin. The distinction that Islam gave to the woman set a precedent in the history of mankind fourteen centuries ago.
Status of women in Hinduism:
According to the Hindu Laws of Manu, the woman had no rights. She was a mere servant to her husband or father. She did not have the competence to dispose of her property, and she had no right of ownership. Anything that she owned was the property of her husband, father or son. Also, when her husband died, she was to be burnt alive and buried with him. This heinous crime lasted even after the start of the British occupation in India which imposed laws banning the act of burning women alive.
Nevertheless, the burning of wives continued from time to time even in the twentieth century.
Status of women in the ancient Greek civilization:
In ancient times, Greece was the most civilized and urbanized of nations. Athens was the city of wisdom, philosophy, medicine and knowledge. However, the people of Athens used to buy and sell the woman as if she were a mere commodity. They considered the woman nothing but defilement from the devil’s handiwork.
You will be amazed to know that the Spartan women were allowed in the past to marry more than one husband, and most Spartan women practiced polyandry. Undoubtedly, this was one of the most abominable customs.
Status of women in Judaism:
The woman in Judaism was in the rank of a servant. The father had the right to sell his underage daughter. She had no right to inherit if her father had no male offspring. It is stated in the Old Testament )the distorted Torah( that the woman should not inherit as long as there are males in the family; rather, she is part of the inheritance if her husband dies, and the nearest male relative to the husband would inherit her.
She was believed to be the source of evil and sin. They considered her impure especially on the days she was menstruating and whoever touched her during this time became impure for seven days. They blamed her for the expulsion of Aadam )Adam(, may Allaah exalt his mention, from Paradise, as they believe that she enticed him to eat the apple from the forbidden tree. They considered her the reason behind the eternal curse that befell Aadam and his offspring. Accordingly, all her offspring are born stained with the disgrace of sin.
Status of women in Christianity:
There was widespread Christian belief that the woman had no soul. In 586 AD — before the emergence of Islam— the Council of Macon was held to decide whether the woman was a body that had a base soul or that she did not have a 'saved' soul. They made an exception to Maryam )Mary(, may Allaah exalt her mention, because she is the mother of ‘Eesa )Jesus(, may Allaah exalt his mention.
Paul declared that the woman is the source of sin, the basis of every evil and the fountainhead of every abominable act. St. Bonaventure said to his disciples, “When you see a woman, you should not think that you saw a human being or even a beastly being. Rather, you saw the devil in person.”
On the other hand, the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to sleep in the same bed with his wives when they were menstruating, and if any of his wives crept away from bed while menstruating, he used to call her to sleep in the same bed. He used to be tender and touch his wife when she was menstruating while she had her waist sheet on. His wife, ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, used to comb his hair when she was menstruating. He used to recite Quran while he rested his head in her lap while she menstruating.
There is a huge difference between the Quran and the distorted Torah and falsified Gospels. The Quran is from Allaah The Almighty while the other two are books that have been distorted by the Jews and the Christians.
Status of the woman in Arab Society before Islam:
In the pre-Islamic period, the Arabs regarded the woman as a piece of property or as rubbish. When the husband died, his guardian would cover the wife of the deceased with his garment and she could not remarry until he permitted her or until she ransomed herself. They used to prevent her from remarrying until the young matrimonial guardian would grow up and then decide whether he wished to marry her or give her in marriage to anyone else and take the dowry as long as she was not his mother. If she was his mother, he would not marry her.
The woman had no rights and she did not inherit anything. She was considered a source of humiliation and shame.
Islam prohibited all this and allocated for her a specific share in inheritance. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much - an obligatory share.{]Quran 4:7[
Moreover, the Arabs in the pre-Islamic era did not only deprive the woman of inheritance but also deprived her of life itself. When some of them begot a female child, they would dig a hole and throw her into it and heap dust over her. What is worse and more disgusting is that once, a father was away travelling when his wife gave birth. When he came back, he took his grown up daughter from her mother, dug a hole while she removed the dust from his clothes, and then, taking her by surprise, pushed her into the hole then heaped dust over her while she screamed for pity. But his heart did not soften for her. This situation is described in the Quran when Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And when the girl ]who was[ buried alive is asked* For what sin she was killed.{]Quran 81:8-9[
Some mothers used to fear this painful destiny. So, the mother would dig a hole herself during her pregnancy. If she delivered a girl, she would throw her into the hole in order to save her from the tragedy that would take place when the father returned from traveling. Some mothers would strangle their baby daughters after delivering them.
Some fathers’ faces used to turn dark when they received the news that their wives had given birth to a girl because of their intense hatred for girls, and they would be hesitant whether to bury her alive or bear the humiliation and let her live. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And when one of them is informed of ]the birth of[ a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief. He hides himself from the people because of the ill of which he has been informed. Should he keep it in humiliation or bury it in the ground? Unquestionably, evil is what they decide.{]Quran 16:58-59[
Their hatred for girls was based on two reasons: First, girls do not take part in wars. Second, they feared that the girl may later become a source of shame. Despite their fear of shame, strangely enough, we find that many Arab tribes were quite lenient in the face of prostitution and that they used to force their slave girls into prostitution until Allaah The Almighty revealed the verse forbidding this act )which means(:}And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, if they desire chastity, to seek ]thereby[ the temporary interests of worldly life. And if someone should compel them, then indeed, Allaah is ]to them[, after their compulsion, Forgiving and Merciful.{]Quran 24:33[
This means that Allaah The Almighty forgives the slave girls who were compelled only, not those who compelled them. The most notorious in this respect was ‘Abdullaah bin Ubayy ibn Salool the head of the hypocrites in Al-Madeenah who used to make money by compelling his slave girls to be prostitutes. When this practice was prohibited by the revealed verses of the Quran, he was furious but then later he yielded in submission.
Women in the pre-Islamic era used to expose their adornments and entice men. Noble verses of the Quran were revealed to prohibit Muslim women from imitating the disbelieving women just as Muslim men were prohibited before them from imitating the disbelieving men. Allaah The Almighty Says addressing women )what means(:}And do not display yourselves as ]was[ the display of the former times of ignorance.{]Quran 33:33[ Allaah The Almighty ordered them to stay in their homes when He Says )what means(:}And abide in your houses{]Quran 33:33[
The woman of today is like the woman in the pre-Islamic era in terms of exposing adornments and immorality. However, the exposure of adornments in the pre-Islamic era was unsophisticated and naïve, whereas the woman’s exposure of adornments nowadays is wrapped in manicure, pedicure, perfumes, cosmetics, revealing clothes and hair-cuts which look like the humps of the camel which incline women to evil and invite men to it.
It is time we noticed the humiliated state of women in these times and discussed the status of women in Islam in order to see the great difference between that low degrading status and the refined, sublime status that Islam granted them.

Dought & clear, - The difference between qasd (objectives) and niyyah (intention) and the importance of intention in fiqh.

What is the difference between qasd (objectives) and niyyah (intention)? What is the importance of objectives in fiqh?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Objective (qasd) in the terminology of the fuqaha’ means the resolve to do something.Mu’jam al-Mustalahaat wa’l-Alfaaz al-Fiqhiyyah(3/96).
Niyyah, as al-Quraafi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, means: The intention in a person’s heart of what he wants to do.Al-Dhakheerah(1/20).
Al-Nawawi defined it as: Resolve in the heart to do an obligatory or other action.al-Majmoo’(1/310).
From the definition given by al-Quraafi it is clear that niyyah and qasd are close in meaning. Hence niyyah is defined as being qasd, but Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) was of the view that there is some difference between them. He said: Niyyah is exactly qasd but there are two differences between it and qasd:
1 – Qasd may be connected to the action of the doer himself or the action of others, whereas niyyah is connected only to his own actions. It cannot be imagined that a man would intend the deed of another, but it may be imagined that he would want it.
2 – Qasd can only refer to an action that the person is able to do and wants to do, whereas niyyah may refer to a person intending to do what he is able to do and what he is unable to do. Hence in the hadeeth of Abu Kabshah al-Anmaari, which was narrated by Ahmad, al-Tirmidhi and others, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are four types of people in this world: a man to whom Allaah gives wealth and knowledge, so he fears his Lord with regard to the way in which he disposes of his wealth, and he uses it to uphold ties of kinship and he realizes that Allaah has rights over it. This man occupies the highest status. And a man to whom Allaah has given knowledge but did not give him wealth, so he says, ‘If I had wealth I would have done the same as So and so is doing.’ So he will be rewarded according to his intention [niyyah] and the reward of both of them is the same. And a person to whom Allaah has given wealth but not knowledge. That is the worst status before Allaah. Then he said: A person to whom Allaah has given neither wealth nor knowledge, and he says: ‘If I had money I would have done what So and so is doing’. So he will be judged according to his intention [niyyah], and the burden (of sin) of both of them will be the same.” So niyyah has to do with that which is possible and that which is not possible, unlike qasd (objectives) and iraadah (will), which have nothing to do with that which is not possible, whether it is one’s actions or the actions of another.
End quote fromBadaa’i’ al-Fawaa’id(3/190). See alsoal-Qawaa’id al-Kulliyyah wa’l-Dawaabit al-Fiqhiyyahby Dr. Muhammad ‘Uthmaan Shabeer, p. 93, 94.
Secondly:
Objectives are very important in fiqh. It is sufficient for you to know that one of the most important principles is that matters are judged by their aims and objectives, which is based on the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Actions are but by intention and each person will have but that which he intended.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1) and Muslim (1907).
Al-Suyooti (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: You should know that there are plenty of reports from the imams which speak of the great importance of the hadeeth about intention (niyyah). Abu ‘Ubaydah said: There is nothing in the reports of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) that is more comprehensive, rich in meaning or more useful than this. Imam al-Shaafa’i, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ibn Mahdi, Ibn al-Madeeni, Abu Dawood, al-Daaraqutni and others were agreed that it is one-third of knowledge, and some of them said that it is one-quarter thereof. Al-Bayhaqi based its being one-third of knowledge on the fact that a person earns reward by the actions of his heart, tongue and physical faculties, so intention (niyyah) is one of these three categories and the most important of them, because it may be an independent act of worship, and the others need it. … al-Shaafa’i said: It may be entered through seventy doors. End quote fromal-Ashbaah wa’l-Nazaa’irp. 9.
This points to the importance of knowing aims and objectives, and giving them their due weight.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Should he give water to a thirsty man when he fearsthat he himself maybecome thirsty in the desert?.

If a person is walking in the desert and he has some water, but he fears that he may become thirsty later on, and there is someone who is thirsty now, does he have to give him water or not?
Praise be to Allaah.
Ibn Hajar al-Haythami was asked this question and he replied:
Two views were mentioned inal-Majmoo’, in (the chapter called)al-Muqaddam, and I do not know of anyone who stated that one of them was more correct than the other. The one which appears to be more correct is that he should give water to the one who is thirsty at that time, if there is the fear that he will die of thirst, because his death is certain, unlike the one who has the water, who has the chance of finding more water later on. But if he is in an arid land where he despairs of finding water and he thinks it most likely that death is inevitable if he gives away the water that he has with him, then the matter is subject to further discussion, and it is more likely that giving the water in this case is not obligatory. The same applies if the thirsty person fears that he may lose a limb or become sick etc. because of his thirst, and the one who has the water fears that he may die later on, then it is also more likely to be correct that he does not have to give away the water.
Al-Fataawa al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubra, 1/69.

Dought & clear, - Rulings on seizing thingswrongfully.

What is the ruling on taking another person’s property wrongfully (ghasb)?
Praise be to Allaah.
Ghasb in Arabic means to seize something wrongfully. In Fiqh terminology, it means taking the property of others wrongfully, by force.
Ghasb is haraam according to the consensus of the Muslims, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And eat up not one another’s property unjustly (in any illegal way, e.g. stealing, robbing, deceiving”
[al-Baqarah 2:188]
Ghasb is one of the worst kinds of eating up another person’s property unjustly, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Your blood, your property and your honour are sacred to you.” And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The property of a Muslim is not permissible unless he gives his consent.”
The property that is seized by force may be real estate or it may be moveable goods, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever seizes a handspan of land unlawfully, will surround him to the depth of seven earths.”
The one who has seized anything unlawfully must repent to Allaah and return the seized property to its owner and ask him for forgiveness. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever has done any wrong to his brother, let him seek his forgiveness today, before there will be no dinar and no dirham [i.e., the Day of Resurrection], when if he has any hasanaat (good deeds), some of his hasanaat will be taken and given to the one who was wronged, and if he does not have any hasanaat, some of the sayi’aat (bad deeds) of the one who was wronged will be taken and thrown onto him, and he will be thrown into Hell,” or as he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said it. If the seized property is still there, it should be returned as it is, and if it is not there, then he must replace it.
Imaam al-Muwaffaq said: “The scholars agreed that it is obligatory to return the seized property if it is still in its original condition and has not changed.”
Similarly, he is obliged to return the seized property along with any increase, whether it is connected to it or separate, because that is the growth of the seized property, so it also belongs to the original owner.
If the one who seized the property has built anything or planted crops on the seized land, he has to remove the buildings or crops if the owner asks him to, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “The sweat of the evildoer counts for nothing.” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and others; classed as hasan). If that has caused any damage to the land, he is to be penalized for that damage. He also has to erase any traces of building or planting that remain, so that the land may be given back to its owner in good condition.
He also has to pay rent covering the period from the time when he seized the land to the time when he gave it back, - i.e., the rent for a similar piece of land – because he unlawfully prevented its owner from benefiting from it during this time.
If he seized something and kept it until the price dropped, he has to make it up to the proper price, according to the correct opinion.
If he mixed the seized property with something else that can be told apart from it – like mixing wheat with barley – the one who seized it has separate it and return it . If he mixed it with something that cannot be told apart from it – such as mixing wheat with wheat – then he has to give back the equivalent, by volume or weight, without mixing it. If he mixed it with something the same or better, or he mixed it with something different that cannot be told apart from it, then the mixture should be sold and each of them should take his share of the price, in proportion. If the value of the seized goods is reduced in this fashion, and it sells for less than what it would be sold for if sold on its own, then the one who seized it has to make up the loss.
The scholars also mentioned regarding this topic that “all hands involved in seizing property by force are responsible and must guarantee its return.” This means that all hands which received the seized property from the one who seized it must all guarantee to replace the property if it is damaged or destroyed. These hands number ten: the hand of the one who buys it etc.; the hand of the one who rents it; the hand of the one who takes it in order to possess it without paying anything in return, such as one who receives it as a gift; the hand of the one who obtains it to serve the interests of one who is paying him, such as an agent; the hand of the one who borrows it; the hand of the one who seizes it by force unlawfully; the hand of the one who has it under his control such as one who seeks to use it for trade; the hand of the one who marries a woman who was seized by force ; the hand of the one who takes it in return for something without any financial transaction being involved; and the hand of the one who destroys the seized property on behalf of the one who seized it.
In each of these cases, if the second person knows the truth of the matter, and that the one who is giving it to him is the one who seized it unlawfully, then he is also responsible for replacing it, because he transgressed when he knew that there was no permission from the owner of the property. If he did not know the truth of the matter, then only one who seized it in the first place is responsible for replacing it.
If the seized property is of a type that is usually rented out, then the one who seized it has to pay rent for property of that type for the period during which he kept it, because the benefit is something that is to be measured in monetary terms, so he has to repay that as well as returning the property itself.
All of the ways in which the one who seized the property has disposed of it are null and void, because he did not have the permission of the owner.
If something is seized and the owner is not known, and it cannot be returned to him, then he should hand it over to the governor who can restore it to its rightful place, or he can give it in charity on behalf of its owner; if he gives it in charity then the reward for that will go to the owner. In this manner the one who seized it wrongfully may be absolved.
Wrongful seizure of property is not restricted only to taking it by force; it may also include taking it by way of false dispute or false oaths. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And eat up not one another’s property unjustly (in any illegal way, e.g. stealing, robbing, deceiving), nor give bribery to the rulers (judges before presenting your cases) that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully”
[al-Baqarah 2:188]
The matter is serious and the reckoning will be severe.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever seizes a handspan of land unlawfully, will surround him to the depth of seven earths.”
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“If I decide in a person’s favour mistakenly concerning that which is his brother’s right, let him not take it, for I am giving him a piece of fire.”
From al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan ibn ‘Abd-Allaah Aal Fawzaan p:130

For children, - Islamic Jokes: Golden Telephone(Islamic Humour, Hilarious Comedy, Funny Story)

An American decided to write a book about famous Mosques around the world. So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to China.
On his first day he was inside a Mosque taking photographs when he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read "$10,000 per call".
The American, being intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by what the telephone was used for. The priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 you could talk to Allah. The American thanked the priest and went along his way.
Next stop was in Japan. There, at a very large Mosque, he saw the same golden telephone with the same sign under it. He wondered if this was the same kind of telephone he had seen in China and he asked a nearby Holy man what its purpose was. He told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 he could talk to Allah. "O.K., thank you," said the American.
He then traveled to India, Sri Lanka, Russia, Turkey, Israel, France, Germany,. In every Mosque he saw the same golden telephone with the same "$10,000 per call" sign under it.
The American, upon leaving Vermont decided to travel to Pakistan to see if Pakistanis had the same phone. He arrived in Pakistan, and again, in the first Mosque he entered, there was the same golden telephone, but this time the sign under it read "One Rupee per call."
The American was surprised so he asked the priest about the sign. "Imam, I have traveled all over World and I have seen this same golden telephone in many Mosques. I am told that it is a direct line to Heaven, but everywhere the price was $10,000 per call."
"Why is it so cheap here?"
The priest smiled and answered, "You are in Pakistan now, son - it is a local call".