Ruling on tankees or altering the order of verses when memorisingQur’an

I have a question regarding tankees. According to what I know, tankees
is when you recite an ayah, huroof, words, and surahs. But, what I
want to know is that is it haraam to MEMORIZE it that way. eg: I used
to memorize the quraan in a madrasah where we memorized this way: for
example, if our teacher gave us ayah 1-5, surah hashr; we would start
memorizing from: (transliteration)"wama qata'tum millinatin au tarak
tumooha qa'imah"(finsh ayah and go to the one before it, we DIDN'T
start from"sabbaha lillahi" and memorized backwards like that until we
reached the first ayah. Ofcourse, when we recitedit to the sheikhafter
memorizing, we said it in order, but is MEMORIZING while displacing
the order"tankees"?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Tankees or altering the order of verses when reciting is haraam,
whether that is during prayer or otherwise.
It says in Asna'l-Mataalib (1/63): It is haraam to switch the order of
verses when reciting, because that undermines the miraculous nature of
thetext and it ignores the wisdom behind the order in which the verses
appear. End quote.
It says in Haashiyat ad-Dasooqi (1/242): Switching the order of
soorahs is makrooh, and switching the order of consecutive verses in
one rak'ah is haraam and invalidates the prayer, because it distorts
it. End quote.
It says in Kashshaaf al-Qinaa' (1/343): It is makrooh to switch the
order of soorahs, such asreciting al-Inshiraah (94), then reciting
ad-Duha (93) after it, whether that is in one ortwo rak'ahs, because
of the report narrated fromIbn Mas'ood, according to which he was
asked about someone who recited Qur'an in the wrong order. He said:
Hisheart is disordered. Abu 'Ubayd explained that as referring to when
a person recites one soorah, then after it he recites another that
comes before it in the order (of soorahs in the Mushaf). This was
mentioned by Ibn Nasrullah in ash-Sharh asbeing similar to the case
with verses, that is, a similar ruling of it being makrooh applies in
the case of switching the order of the verses. It says in al-Furoo'
that there is consensus on this point. Ibn Nasrullah said: If it was
said that it is haraam to switch the order of verses, that would be a
valid opinion. The evidence for it being only makrooh is not clear,
and using as evidence the way the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) learned it is subject to further discussion,
because that was due to need, as the Qur'aan wasrevealed according to
events. Shaykh [Ibn Taymiyah] said: Following the order of verses is
obligatory, because the order in which they appear is based on clear
instructions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him), according to scholarly consensus. End quote.
But if the switching of the order occurs when memorising, not when
reciting or asking someone to listen so as to check one's
memorisation, there is nothing wrong with that. So one may begin by
memorising the fifth verse, for example, then the fourth, then when
one wants to recite them, one recites the fourth verse and then the
fifth, without switching the order. Then when he has memorised the
third, and he wants to recite what he had memorised,he should recite
them in the proper order without switching it. So he should recite the
third, then the fourth, then the fifth. There is nothing wrong with
this; some teachers do it this way and think that it is the best way
of memorising.
To sum up: It is not permissible to recite twoconsecutive verses in
thewrong order, and it is not permissible to switchthe order of words
in one verse.
For more information please see the answer toquestion no. 7189
And Allah knows best.

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The Second Caliph, Umar (634-644 A.C.)

"God has placed truth upon Umar's tongue and heart. (hadeeth)"
'Umar's Life
During his last illness Abu Bakr had conferred with his people,
particularly the more eminent among them. After this meeting they
chose 'Umar as his successor. 'Umar was born into a respected Quraish
family thirteen years after the birth of Muhammad (peace be on him).
Umar's family was known for its extensive knowledge of genealogy. When
he grew up, 'Umar was proficient in this branch of knowledge as well
as in swordsmanship, wrestling and the art of speaking. He also
learned to read and write while still a child, a very rare thing in
Mecca at that time. 'Umar earned his living as a merchant. His trade
took him to many foreign lands and he met all kinds of people. This
experience gave him an insight into the affairs and problems of men.
'Umar's personality was dynamic, self-assertive, frank and straight
forward. He always spoke whatever was in his mind even if it
displeased others.
'Umar was twenty-seven when the Prophet (peace be on him) proclaimed
his mission. The ideas Muhammad was preachingenraged him as much as
they did the other notables of Mecca. He was just as bitter against
anyone accepting Islam as others among the Quraish. When his
slave-girl accepted Islam he beat her until he himself was exhausted
and told her, "I have stopped because I am tired, not out of pity for
you." The story of his embracing Islam is an interesting one. One day,
full of anger against the Prophet, he drew his sword and set out to
kill him. A friend met him on the way. When 'Umar told him what he
planned to do,his friend informed him that 'Umar's own sister, Fatima,
and her husband had also accepted Islam. 'Umar went straight to his
sister's house where he found her reading from pages ofthe Qur'an. He
fell upon her and beat her mercilessly. Bruised andbleeding, she told
her brother,"Umar, you can do what you like,but you cannot turn our
hearts away from Islam." These words produced a strange effect upon
'Umar. What was this faith that made even weak women so strong of
heart? He asked his sister to show him what she hadbeen reading; he
was at once moved to the core by the words of the Qur'an and
immediately grasped their truth. He went straight to the house where
the Prophet was staying and vowed allegiance to him.
Umar made no secret of his acceptance of Islam. He gathered the
Muslims and offered prayers at the Ka'aba. This boldness and devotion
of aninfluential citizen of Mecca raisedthe morale of the small
community of Muslims. Nonetheless 'Umar was also subjected to
privations, and when permission for emigrationto Medina came, he also
left Mecca. The soundness of 'Umar'sjudgment, his devotion to the
Prophet (peace be on him), his outspokenness and uprightness won for
him a trust and confidence from the Prophet which was second only to
that given to Abu Bakr. The Prophet gave him the title 'Farooq'
whichmeans the 'Separator of Truth from False hood.' During the
Caliphate of Abu Bakr, 'Umar washis closest assistant and adviser.When
Abu Bakr died, all the people of Medina swore allegiance to 'Umar, and
on 23 Jamadi-al-Akhir, 13 A.H., he was proclaimed Caliph.
'Umar's Caliphate
After taking charge of his office, 'Umar spoke to the Muslims of Medina:
"...O people, you have some rights on me which you can always claim.
One of your rights is that if anyone of you comes tome with a claim,
he should leavesatisfied. Another of your rights is that you can
demand that I take nothing unjustly from the revenues of the State.
You can also demand that... I fortify your frontiers and do not put
you into danger. It is also your right that if you go to battle I
should look after your families as a father would while you are away.
"O people, remain conscious of God, forgive me my faults and help me
in my task. Assist me in enforcing what is good and forbidding what is
evil. Advise me regarding the obligations that have been imposed upon
me by God..."
The most notable feature of 'Umar's caliphate was the vast expansion
of Islam. Apart from Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine andIran also came
under the protection of the Islamic government. But the greatness of
'Umar himself lies in the quality of his rule. He gave a practical
meaning to the Qur'anic injunction:
"O you who believe, stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to God,
even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether
it concerns rich or poor, for God can best protect both." [4:135]
Once a woman brought a claim against the Caliph 'Umar. When 'Umar
appeared on trial before the judge, the judge stood up asa sign of
respect toward him. 'Umar reprimanded him, saying,"This is the first
act of injustice you did to this woman!"
He insisted that his appointed governors live simple lives, keep no
guard at their doors and be accessible to the people at all times, and
he himself set the example for them. Many times foreign envoys and
messengers sent to him by his generals found him resting under a palm
tree or praying in the mosque among the people, and it was difficult
for them to distinguish which man was the Caliph. He spent many a
watchful night going about the streets of Medina to see whether anyone
needed help or assistance. The general social and moral tone of the
Muslim society at that time is well-illustrated by the words of an
Egyptian who was sent to spy on the Muslims during their Egyptian
campaign. He reported:
"I have seen a people, every one of whom loves death more than he
loves life. They cultivate humility rather than pride. None is given
to material ambitions. Their mode of living is simple... Their
commander is their equal. They make no distinction between superior
and inferior, between master and slave. When the time of prayer
approaches, none remains behind..."
'Umar gave his government an administrative structure. Departments of
treasury, army and public revenues were established. Regular salaries
were set up for soldiers. A popuation census was held. Elaborate land
surveys were conducted to assess equitable taxes. New cities were
founded. The areas which came under his rule were divided into
provinces and governors were appointed. New roads were laid, canals
were lug and wayside hotels were built. Provision was made for he
support of the poor and the needy from public funds. He defined, by
precept and by example, the rights and privileges of non-Muslims, an
example of which is the following contract with the Christians of
Jerusalem:
"This is the protection which theservant of God, 'Umar, the Ruler of
the Believers has granted to the people of Eiliya [Jerusalem]. The
protection is for their lives and properties, their churches and
crosses, their sick and healthy and for all their coreligionists.
Their churches shall not be used for habitation, nor shall they be
demolished, nor shall any injury be done to them or to their
compounds, or to their crosses, nor shall their properties be injured
in any way.There shall be no compulsion forthese people in the matter
of religion, nor shall any of them suffer any injury on account of
religion... Whatever is written herein is under the covenant of God
and the responsibility of His Messenger, of the Caliphs and of the
believers, and shall hold good as long as they pay Jizya [the tax for
their defense] imposed on them."
Those non-Muslims who took part in defense together with the Muslims
were exempted from paying Jizya, and when the Muslims had to retreat
from a city whose non-Muslim citizens had paid this tax for their
defense, the tax was returned tothe non-Muslims. The old, the poor and
the disabled of Muslims and non-Muslims alike were provided for from
the public treasury and from the Zakat funds.
'Umar's Death
In 23 A.H., when Umar returned to Medina from Hajj;, he raised his
hands and prayed,
"O God! I am advanced in years, my bones are weary, my powers are
declining, and the people forwhom I am responsible have spread far and
wide. Summon me back to Thyself, my lord!" Some time later, when 'Umar
went to the mosque to lead a prayer, a Magian named Abu Lulu Feroze,
who had a grudge against 'Umar on a personal matter, attacked him with
a dagger and stabbed him several times. Umar reeled and fell to the
ground. When he learned that the assassin was a Magian, he sid, "Thank
God he is not a Muslim."
'Umar died in the first week of Muharram, 24 A.H., and was buried by
the side of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him).

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When the Unstoppable Force Meets the Immovable Object

There's a centuries old Chinese story about a man trying to sell a
spear and a shield. When askedhow good his spear was, he said that his
spear could pierce any shield. Then, when asked how good his shield
was, he said that it could defend from all spear attacks. Then one
person asked him what would happen if he were to take his spear to
strike his shield; the seller could not answer. This led to the idiom
of " zìx?ang máodùn ", or "self-contradictory".
Today we would call this a paradox. A modern phrasing of this
particular paradox might be, "What happens whenan unstoppable force
meets an immovable object?"
The scientist and author Isaac Asimov answered this by saying that the
question was essentially meaningless, because a universe in which
there exists such a thing as an irresistible force is, by definition,
a universe which cannot also contain an immovable object, and vice
versa.
I want to look at this paradox from a personal angle, in terms of
challenges in our relationships and at work, and confronting the
myriad obstacles of life.
I believe that – within this worldly plane and subject only to Allah's
decree – the human will triumphs over all. I can become either the
unstoppable force or the immovable object.
Unstoppable Force
Try it. When faced with a challenge, become the unstoppable force.
Don't give up, no matter what. If one approach does not work, try
another. Ignorethose who tell you that what you're doing is
impossible. Learn from failure and try again. When the road is dark,
ask Allah for guidance and feel your way forward. When the path is
obscured with thorns and branches, blaze your own trail. You will find
that through sheer determination, the so-called "unstoppable force"
will crumble before you like a clod of dirt, Insha'Allah.
I've experienced this. By not taking "no" for an answer, I've gotten
jobs when there were no jobsto be had. By being persistent and patient
and never losing hope, I've experienced true love. By never quitting
even when I was tired and discouraged, I've become a martial arts
expert.
I first began practicing martial arts as a teenager. I used to
literally walk across the desert outside Riyadh to get to karate
class, carrying stones in case I needed to keep the wild dogs at bay.
Later, when Ilived in Oakland, I took up a different martial art
called Hapkido. When I moved to Panama I found a Hapkido school and I
rode the bus over an hour each way to get there. The bus had no air
conditioning and was packed with tired Panamanians going home from
work. It was noisy, hot and uncomfortable. People covered their mouths
with cloths because of the smog. The Hapkido school also had no air
conditioning. After class I would wring the sweat out of my uniform.
When I later moved to a house up in the mountains there were no
martial arts schools, so I bought mats, laid them in my living room,
and recruited a few locals to come to my house for training. I even
convinced my gardener to practice with me, on the clock. So I was
payinghim to learn from me, just so I could have a practice partner!
When I returned to California I found no Hapkido school,so I started
my own class, and three years later thatclass is still going strong.
Meanwhile I have earnedblack belts in two other martial arts.
I'm not boasting, I'm simply trying to give you a real-world example.
When you want something badly enough,become the unstoppable force.
Keep moving toward your goal no matter what.
Immovable Object
When you feel like you are under attack, becomethe immovable object.
Duck your head and root yourself like a mountain, and the "unstoppable
force" will break around you like a breeze. Whether you are under
attack for your faith, or being criticized for making life choices
that others do not understand, hold your ground and do not yield an
inch, as long as you are in Allah's path.
When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) began preaching in
Makkah, thepeople were idol worshipers. The Prophet used to go to the
Ka'bah, the square mosque which is the oldest houseof worship on
earth, and preach the idea of "Laa ilaha-il-Allah". There is noGod but
Allah. In other words no idol is worthy of worship, no human being
should be deified, no saint or angel should be venerated. Only Allah.
Because of this preachingthe Quraysh (the Arab tribe which held sway
in Makkah, and to which the Prophet Muhammad himself belonged)
persecuted him relentlessly. And yet he persisted, gaining followers,
until the Quraysh became desperate. They met withMuhammad (sws)
privately, and offered to make him king of Quraysh, and to bestow
great wealth on him, on the condition that he stop preaching. He
replied, "…if they should put the sun in my right hand and the moon in
my left, even then I shall not abandon the proclamation of the Unityof
God. I shall set up the true faith upon the earth or perish in the
attempt."
Allahu Akbar! That is the immovable object! I will not detail the
extreme suffering that was imposed upon the Prophet Muhammad (sws) and
his family after that; the economic boycott, the assassinationattempts
and attempted wars of extermination against the Muslims; suffice it to
say that Islampersisted and grew until it became the dominant religion
of the world. All because one man was unstoppable and immovable.

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1a. Blessing and Dissipation

1a.
as we read in Surat al-A'raf, 32:
Say: "Who has forbidden the fine clothing that Allahhas produced for
His servants and the good kinds of provision?" Say:"On the Day of
Rising, suchthings will be exclusively for those who had faith during
their life in the hereafter�"
The Qur'an gives the example of Prophet Sulayman (as), to whom Allah
gave great wealth. Infact, it describes these possessions, as well as
his opulent palace and works of art, in Surah Saba', 12-13 and Surat
an-Naml, 44.
The important thing here is that Sulayman (as) gave thanks to Allah
amid all of these magnificent possessions, for he knew that they were
a mercy from our Lord. By relating his words: "Truly do I love the
love of good with a view to the glory of my Lord" (Surah Sad, 32), the
Qur'an draws our attention to his deep understanding.
This example shows us that the love of possessions, defined here as
"the love of good," is legitimate as long as it is ameans to praise
Allah. No doubt, believers who havethis kind of love will not hesitate
to use their possessions as Allah directs. Possessions are a blessing
belonging to Allah, and so those who have them will use them as Allah
commands.
But if possessions are not seen as a blessing, dissolution sets in.
The Qur'an gives many examples of how deviators understand the meaning
of riches. One of the clearest examples is that of Qarun, a rich man
who "gloated" (Surat al-Qasas, 76) and said: "I have only been given
it because of the knowledge I have" (Surat al-Qasas, 78). Such a love
of possessions cannot bring people close to Allah; rather, it diverts
them from His way and alienates them from faith. The Qur'an describes
this type of love as:
Truly man is ungrateful to his Lord, and indeed he bears witness to
that. Truly he is fierce in his love of wealth. (Surat al-'Adiyat,
6-8)
So, for this reason Muslimsmust view wealth according to the Qur'an's
criteria and pursue it only to please Allah and serve Islam. They must
desire allof Allah's blessings, because all blessings of this earthly
life have been created for those faithful and sincere servants who
exert every effort to please and serve Allah. Wehave to be continually
thankful for these blessings and follow Sulayman's (as) example:"What
an excellent servant! He truly turned tohis Lord" (Surah Sad, 30).
Those who live according to the real spirit of the Qur'an's moral
teachings and adopt the point of view described above will be deemed
"worthy and qualified" to enter Paradise, which possesses, as one of
its most salient characteristics, eternal splendor and dazzling wealth
and beauty. Peoplewho think and feel like Sulayman (as), who
said:"Truly do I love the love ofgood with a view to the glory of my
Lord" (Surah Sad, 32) amid all of this beauty, are believers.
Since this is how believers will think in Paradise, theirtrue home,
they must establish this point of view in this world, which is no more
than a preparation for the world to come. Far from regarding wealth,
beauty, and splendor as dissolution, believers mustknow that every
blessing is a mercy from our Lord, recognize its value, learn to enjoy
it, and be thankful.
The blessings of Paradise that we will look at in the following pages
must be examined from this point of view./

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