Tuesday, September 2, 2014

For children, - Mother Sacrifice: Appreciate the importance and value of family relationship



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One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a large company. He passed the first interview; the managing director did the final interview, made the final decision.
The managing director discovered from the resume that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score good marks.
The managing director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".
The managing director asked, "Was it your father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees."
The managing director asked, "Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The managing director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The managing director asked, "Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me."
The managing director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning."
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the youth.
The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the managing director's office. The managing director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"
The youth answered, "I cleaned my mother's hand and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes."
The managing director asked, "Please tell me your feelings?"
The youth said the following:
1.I know now what appreciation is. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today.
2.By working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.
3.I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship.
The managing director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my young manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired.
Later on, this young person worked very hard and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the child instead?
You can let your child live in a big house, eat a good meal, play games, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your child learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.
Mother Sacrifice: Few 'Lovely' Inspiring Lies of My Mother (A heart-wrenching story)






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Hajj & Umrah, - * The Blessed Days: Day of Nahr and the Days of Tashreeq



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*.The Day of Nahr )the 10th day of Thul-Hijjah(:
There are multiple virtues for this day for it is the day of the major Hajj and the best day of the year. In a Hadeeth )narration(, the Prophetsaid:"The greatest day in the sight of Allaah The Almighty is the Day of Nahr and then the day of Qarr )the 11th day of Thul-Hijjah(”.
Based on this, the Day of Nahr is better than the day of ‘Eed Al-Fitr, because it includes prayer and slaughtering sacrificial animals and they are also better than prayer and charity.
Peoples and nations consider feasts as opportunities for pleasure and freedom as well as unbridled extravagance. However, in Islam, the Days of ‘Eed are filled with worship and humbleness to Allaah The Almighty as well as lawful enjoyment and entertainment. There are great acts of worship prescribed on the Day of Nahr such as prayer, Takbeer )saying Allaahu-Akbar(, slaughtering sacrificial animals on the part of the pilgrims and others, as well as other rituals of Hajj. This makes this day a blessed opportunity to bring oneself closer to Allaah The Almighty and seek His forgiveness.
This is contrary to many who make that day an opportunity for entertainment and leisure only. Some have even made it a day of rebellion and disobedience to the commands of Allaah The Almighty. )We seek refuge in Allaah The Almighty from this(.
*.The Days of Tashreeq:
They are the three days after to the Day of Nahr. According to Ibn ‘Abbaasthey are the days meant in the verse in which Allaah The Exalted Says )what means(:}And remember Allaah during ]specific[ numbered days.{]Quran 2:203[ Al-Qurtubimentioned that the scholars unanimously agreed that they are the Days of Tashreeq.
They are days of festivity for Muslims, as the Prophetsaid:"The Day of ‘Arafah, the Day of Nahr and the days of Mina )i.e. the Days of Tashreeq( are ‘Eed for us, Muslims."
It is forbidden to observe fasting on these days.
They also come after the noble ten days of Thul-Hijjah and this is another virtue. Some of the Hajj rituals are performed on these days. The Day of Nahr is also included in these days. Therefore, the honor and virtue of these days is great due to all these reasons.
The second of these days is the Day of Qarr, the 11th of Thul-Hijjah, which is the best day after the Day of Nahr. According to the preponderant opinion, these four days are specified for slaughtering the sacrificial animals on the part of both pilgrims and non pilgrims, as well as extolling and glorifying Allaah The Almighty. This exalts the virtue and excellence of these days. They are days for worship, remembrance of Allaah The Almighty and happiness. In a Hadeeth, the Prophetsaid:"The Days of Tashreeq are days for eating, drinking and remembering Allaah."
They are days for showing happiness and satisfaction with the great favors of Allaah The Almighty. The Hadeeth points out to eating and drinking so that a person would be able to remember and mention Allaah The Almighty as an aspect of gratefulness to Allaah The Almighty for His bounties.
There are several types of the Thikr )remembrance of Allaah( commanded in the Hadeeth:
Takbeer after prayers and at all times, whether it is the restricted or not restricted to a specific time, according to the apparent meaning of the verse, and this is what makes them days for Thikr.
*.Mentioning the Name of Allaah The Almighty by saying Basmalah )saying:“In the Name of Allaah The Most Merciful The Ever Merciful”( and Takbeer )saying:“Allaahu Akbar )Allaah Is The Greatest(”( when one slaughters sacrificial animals for the sake of Allaah The Almighty.
*.Mentioning the Name of Allaah The Almighty when one eats and drinks as well as other types of Thikr.
*.Repeating Takbeer when a pilgrim throws the pebbles.
*.Mentioning and remembering Allaah The Almighty at all times during these days, and this is called the Thikr and Takbeer which are not restricted to a specific time.




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Hajj & Umrah, - * The accepted Hajj



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It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrahthat the Prophet,, said:“The performance of two ‘Umrahs ]lesser pilgrimage[ expiates the sins that are committed in the interval between them, and the accepted Hajj commands no reward except Paradise.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
In another narration, it reads:“Two consecutive ‘Umrahs cause the sins which are committed therein between them to be forgiven, and the accepted Hajj commands no reward except Paradise.”]At-Tirmithi[
The Prophet,, said:“Perform Hajj and ‘Umrah repeatedly for they both rid one of poverty and just sins as the blacksmith's bellows removes all impurities from iron and gold.”]At-Tirmithi, Ibn Maajah and An-Nasaa’i[ The bellow is a tool that the blacksmith uses to purify his metals, this may be made clearer through the followingHadeeththat refers toMadeenah:“Madeenah is like a pair of bellows; it expels its impurities and brightens and clears its good.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
An Explanation of theHadeeths
Scholars have said that the acceptedHajjis the one which is not mixed with any misdeed. Signs of the acceptedHajjinclude that the slave returns fromHajjas a better person than the one he was before he left and that he keeps away from sins. The acceptedHajjmay also refer to the one performed truly and offered with full sincerity to Allaah The Almighty. Al-Qurtubisaid,“All interpretations expressed about the accepted Hajj are correlative, confirming that it is the Hajj which fulfills its rulings and is performed perfectly as required of the Muslim.”
It was narrated on the authority of Jaabirthat the Prophet,, said:“The accepted Hajj commands no reward but Paradise.”A man asked,“O Messenger of Allaah, how would Hajj be accepted?”He replied:“Feeding people and greeting each other with peace profusely.”]Ahmad and others[ This shows what is meant by an acceptedHajj. The Prophet's saying:“The performance of two ‘Umrahs expiates the sins that are committed in the interval between them,”emphasizes the virtue of ‘Umrahand that it is recommended to perform it as much as one can afford to. Moreover,‘Umrahcauses the sins committed between two consecutive‘Umrahsto be forgiven. The majority of scholars relied on thisHadeethto affirm that it is recommended to perform‘Umrahrepeatedly. They stated that the whole year is a suitable time for‘Umrahand that it becomes valid at any time except for the pilgrim who is performing the rituals ofHajj. Such a pilgrim cannot perform ‘Umrahuntil he has done hisHajj. A group of scholars held that ‘Umrahis obligatory for the Muslim only once throughout his lifetime, such as ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn `Abbaas, Taawoos, ‘Ataa’, Ibn Al-Musayyib, Sa‘eed ibn Jubayr, Ahmad, Daawood and others. Maalik and Abu Haneefah are of the opinion that‘Umrahis a recommended act and not an obligatory one.
Sins in the Prophet's saying:“The performance of two ‘Umrahs expiates the sins that are committed in the interval between them,”refer to the minor sins, not the major ones, as he said elsewhere that:“Sins committed between two consecutive Fridays are forgiven as long as major sins are not approached.”]Ibn Maajah[ InFat’h Al-Baari, Ibn Hajarsaid,“Some people are unsure as to the fact that ‘Umrah remits sins although avoiding major sins helps in attaining the forgiveness of ]other sins[, asking, ‘Which sins does ‘Umrah expiate then?’ The answer is that the expiation caused by ‘Umrah is limited to its time, whereas the expiation caused by keeping away from major sins is general and encompasses the whole lifetime of the Muslim, and it is in this aspect that they vary.”
The Prophet's saying:“They both rid one of poverty and sins,”implies that performingHajjand‘Umrahrepeatedly causes a Muslim's wealth to accumulate. Although the Muslim may spend much money onHajjor ‘Umrah, Allaah The Almighty compensates him with better than what he spent for the sake of obeying Him. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}But whatever thing you spend ]in His cause[ - He will compensate it; and He is the Best of Providers.{]Quran 34:39[
We conclude this article with a tradition reported on the authority of ‘Umarwho once saw a caravan coming back fromHajjand remarked,“Had the caravan known about the grace and forgiveness they have attained, they would have stopped working. But nay, let them continue working ]doing good deeds[.”This shows that the pilgrim should not rely on his work, good deeds and acts of worship that Allaah favored him with during hisHajj. Rather, he should continue performing good deeds and acts of worship regularly till he meets Allaah The Almighty, as Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And worship your Lord until there comes to you the certainty ]death[.{]Quran 15:99[




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Hajj & Umrah, - * Tawaaf)Circumambulation(



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Ibn ‘Umarand his father, said,“Enjoy this House, the Ka‘bah; it was destroyed twice, but the third time, it will be lifted ]i.e. it will never be rebuilt again[.”]Ibn Hibbaan in hisSaheeh, and Al-Haakim in hisMustadrak.Al-Haakim ranked it asSaheeh)authentic( according to the conditions stipulated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Furthermore, Ibn ‘Umarand his father, reported that the Prophet,, said:“He who performs circumambulation around the Ka‘bah and two Rak‘ahs ]units of prayer[, his reward shall be equivalent to that of freeing a slave.”]Ibn Maajah, Al-Albaani: Saheeh[
‘Alisaid,“Perform plenty of Tawaaf around the Ka‘bah before you cannot do so - before a man with a small head and small ears will demolish it with his shovel.”]‘Abd Ar-Razzaaq in hisAl-Musannaf[
Abu ‘Ubayd reported in his bookGhareeb Al-Ahaadeeththat ‘Alisaid,“Perform plenty of Tawaaf around the Ka‘bah before you cannot do so. It is as if I am looking at him - an Abyssinian man with a bald head ]or he may have said, with small ears[ and lean legs, sitting by it while it is being demolished.”
These narrations are proven true by the authenticHadeethsthat were reported on the thin legged man who would demolish theKa‘bah. Abu Hurayrahnarrated that the Prophet,, said:“Thu As-Suwayqatayn ]literally: one with two lean legs[, from Abyssinia will demolish the Ka‘bah.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
OtherHadeethson destroying theKa‘bahwere reported but this is not the place to cite them. Al-Bukhaariallocated a whole chapter of hisSaheehtitledHadm Al-Ka‘bah)the Destruction of theKa‘bah( where he cited these narrations.
Scholars stated that it is recommended for Muslims who go toAl-Masjid Al-Haraam)the Sacred Mosque( to performTawaafas much as they can and to the best of their abilities, and some of them were of the view that performing voluntaryTawaafis better than performing a voluntary prayer inAl-Masjid Al-Haraam.
Ibn Taymiyyahsaid,“Tawaaf is the Hajj ritual that involves the most work; it is prescribed for the person arriving at Al-Masjid Al-Haraam to perform the Arrival Tawaaf. It is also prescribed for the pilgrim to perform the Farewell Tawaaf, apart from the obligatory Ifaadhah ]Return from Mina[ Tawaaf after staying in ‘Arafah. It is also recommended to go to Makkah to perform Tawaaf during one’s stay in Mina, and in general. Tawaaf is recommended throughout the year.”
He also said,“It is far more beneficial and virtuous for a person to circumambulate around the Ka‘bah than any other walking possible.”
Thus, it can be concluded that circumambulation around theKa‘bahis one of the best acts of worship and righteous deeds for Muslims heading forAl-Masjid Al-Haraam, whether he is a pilgrim performingHajjor ‘Umrah)lesser pilgrimage( or a visitor. However, the person who performs a voluntaryTawaafshould avoid the times when people are more likely to crowd duringTawaaf,such as the Day of An-Nahr )the 10th day ofThul-Hijjah( and the days ofTashreeq)the 12th, 13thand 14thofThul-Hijjah( so as not to crowd others who are performing obligatoryTawaaf, and he shall be rewarded for such an intention, if Allaah wills.
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Night Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Status of witr prayer while traveling



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If you traveling and you are shortening your prayers, is the witr prayer still wajib?
The majority of scholars (jumhoor ul-'ulmeaa') assert that salaat ul-witr (witr prayer) is a sunnah mu'akkada (confirmed sunnah that the Prophet peace be upon him, practiced consistently), and that it is not obligatory. This is based on the hadith (saying) regarding the bedouin who once came to the Prophet asking about Islam, the Prophet answered, "Five prayers within one day-and-night." The bedouin asked, "Am I obliged to other than those?" The Prophet replied, "Unless you volunteer of your own." (al-hadith muttafaqun alaih.)
Some scholars have said that qiyaam ul-layl (prayer at the heart of night) and salaat ul-witr are the best of the voluntary prayers (al-nawaafil). Therefore, one should consistently practice them and not neglect them. The Prophet did not neglect the prayers during night nor two rak'ah before al-fajr neither in residence nor in travel (as related in al-sunnah al-sahihah).




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Night Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Sunnah (Prophet's Example) in Performing Night Prayer



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If a Muslim performs taraaweeh in a mosque, is it allowed for him to perform the night prayer at home?
What is the Prophet's (peace be upon him) manner in performing night prayer?
Praise be to Allaah.
If a Muslim performs Taraaweeh in congregation in the mosque, and wants to offer more prayers at home, he should pray a series of two-rak'ah prayers and should not repeat witr, because the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) said:
"There cannot be two witr prayers in one night." (Reported by Imaam Ahmad and others, and deemed saheeh in Saheeh al-Jaami', 7565).
Umm Salamah reported that the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) used to pray two rak'ahs after witr. (Reported by al-Tirmidhi and others, al-Sunan 433).
Al-Nawawi said: "The correct opinion is that he performed the two rak'ahs after witr sitting down, to demonstrate that this is permissible, and he did not do this all the time." (Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi Sharh Jaami' al-Tirmidhi).
The sunnah is to make the last of one's night prayers an odd number of rak'ahs, as is reported (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, no. 943). But if he has already prayed with the imaam, and wants to perform more prayers on his own and has time to do so - especially in the winter - he should do as is outlined above.
As regards the number of rak'ahs to be performed in the night prayers, the Sunnah is to perform no more than eleven rak'ahs, because of the hadeeth narrated by 'Aa'ishah may Allaah be pleased with her, who said:
". . . He never used to pray more than eleven rak'ahs, in Ramadan or at any other time . . ." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 1874).
The best way to perform the night prayer is to pray two by two (rak'ahs), and to separate the two even rak'ahs of witr from the one rak'ah (i.e., not to join the three rak'ahs of witr). The evidence for this is the hadeeth of Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), who said: "The Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him) used to perform the night prayers two by two (rak'ahs), then he would end with a single rak'ah." (Reported by al-Bukhaari, al-Fath, no. 940).
This is the best-known way of performing the night prayers according to the Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allah be upon Him); other ways are also known.




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Night Prayer, - Dought & clear, - * Is there a difference between qiyaam and taraaweeh?



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I wanted to know the difference between QIYYAM and TARAWIH.
Praise be to Allaah.
Salaat al-Taraaweeh is classified as part ofqiyaam al-layl; they are not two different prayers, as many people think. Qiyaam al-layl during Ramadaan is called Taraaweeh because the salaf or early generations of Islam (may Allaah have mercy on them) used to rest (istaraahu) after every two or four rak’ahs, because they made their prayers long in order to make the most of this season of great reward. They were eager to earn the reward mentioned in the hadeeth: “Whoever stays up and prays at night in Ramadaan out of faith and in the hope of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Reported by al-Bukhaari, no. 36). And Allaah knows best.




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