Fifth Masoom - An introduction to fifth infallible Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS)

Birth
Hazrat Imam Hussain (A.S.) was born on the 3rd of Shaban 4th Hijrah in
Medinah Munawarra. His father was Ali (A.S.) and mother was Fatimah
(S.A.). When the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) heard the news of Imam Hussain's
birth he (P.B.U.H.) became very happy and came to the house of Fatimah
(S.A.). Asma, the maidservant of Hazrat Zahra covered the child in a
white cloth andbrought him to the Prophet (P.B.U.H.). The Prophet
(P.B.U.H.), pickedthe child up in his lap and recited the Azaan in his
right ear and Aqamat in the left one. As if, apparently, he (P.B.U.H.)
made the ears of his son familiar and acquainted with the name of God
forthe first time. On the seventh day of the birth, an angel came from
the God and he said, "Just as Haroon was the brother, sympathizer, and
helper in each and every difficulty of Moosa (A.S.) similarly Ali
(A.S.) is your sympathizer helper and brother in each and every matter
of yours. Therefore, keep the name of this child upon the name of
Haroon's son"Shabeer," which translated into Arabic becomes 'Hussain'.
Thus the name of the second child of Fatimah (S.A.) was also selected
by God.
On the 7th day of the birth Hazrat Fatimah (S.A.) got a sheep
slaughtered as the Aqeeqa and distributed it's meat among the needy
and poor.
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) quite often hugged Hussain (A.S.) taking him
into his lap and used to weep bitterly, saying, "A very big tragedy
will be met by my son Hussain". The brutals and bloody men of Bani
Omyaide willslay my dear son. I will not interces and mediate for them
on the dooms day.
The Love of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) loved Imam Hussain (A.S.)very much. His
companion Salman Farsi describes, "I saw that the Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
had picked up Imam Hussain (A.S.) upon his knee and was kissing him
saying,"Oh son, you are the Imam son of Imams and father of nine
Imams, who would be from your generation and the last one of them is
Mehdi."One can estimate and guess the amount of love the Prophet had
with Imam Hussain (A.S.) from this sentence of his"Hussain is from me
and Iam from Hussain." The one who is the friend of Hassan and Hussain
is my friend and the one who is their enemy, is my enemy.
Hussain (A.S.) the Best Helper of his Father and Brother
Imam Hussain (A.S.) spentsix years of his life with his grandfather
the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and thirty years along with his honorable
father Ali (A.S.). He shared each andevery problem and grief of his
father. He always defended his father. Oncehe went to the mosque and
saw Hazrat Omer delivering a speech on the tribune of his grandfather.
He immediately said, "get down from the tribune ofmy grandfather and
father. What have you got to do over there?"
During the reign of his father, Imam Hussain (A.S.) playing upon his
life used to be busy defending Islam and fighting against the tyrants
and brutal.
He fought against the enemies by the side of his father like his
brotherImam Hassan Mujtaba (A.S.) in the battles of Jamal, safeen, and
Neherwan.
He, after the martyrdom of his father, legally took the oath of
allegiance forhis brother and accepted him his leader and Imam.And
whenever someone asked him a question he used to send him towards Imam
Hassan (A.S.). And wherever he deemed suitable he himself would give
the answer. Briefly speaking, he considered the defense of his brother
something necessary for himself.
The Rule of Muawiyah
When Imam Hassan Mujtaba (A.S.) was martyred due to the conspiracies
of Muawiyah, Imam Hussain (A.S.) got the post of Imamate and caliphate
atthe age of forty-six.
Imam Hussain (A.S.) knewthat all the miseries and sorrows of Muslims
were due to Muawiyah who wanted to uproot Islam by his frauds,
cunningness and craftiness. Therefore, Imam (AS.) did not think it was
suitable to fight him openly, as Muawiyahwas apparently Muslim and
showed himself to be the supporter of Islam and Muslims. Therefore,
Imam Hussain (A.S.) knewthat if I declare a war upon him I would meet
the same fate as my brother did. So he startedthe movement of
awakening the people from the dream and slumbers of ignorance, and
unawareness. So that they may turn towards him slowly and gradually,
by getting aware and informed. Ultimately. Imam (A.S.) may make them
work forthe welfare of Islam. Along with the training of the Momins
(faithful), with which Imam was busy, he occasionally opposed
Muawiyah. And always gave teeth breaking and strong answer to his
scurrilous language particularly when he started making people take
the oath andallegiance of faithfulness for his ignorant, silly,
impure, and bad character, degenerate, and undutiful son Yazeed. The
Imam (A.S.) too started openly and publicly opposing him and wrote
many such letters to Muawiyah by which he disgraced him very much. One
of his letters reads:
i) Oh Muawiyah! You are the claimant of the caliphate and to be the
successor of my grandfather? Did you notslay Hajar bin Addi and his
companions in the land of Azra. You are a criminal, a killer. Then how
do you claim to be the leader and caliph of my Ummah?
ii) Oh Muawiyah! Did you not declare Ziad publicly your brother and
the illegitimate son of Abu Sufian about whose father the Muslims are
unaware? (That who is his father and who is not?)
As such, by declaring him to be your brother, you have yourself
admitted the dirtiness and uncleanness of your family. Then how can
the caliphate be your right?
iii) Oh Muawiyah! The most shameful act of yours is that you have made
such a silly, stupid unable and unworthy person a ruler of the Muslims
whose characterless ness, excesses and aggressions are not hidden and
concealed from anyone. As such, you want to destroy the religion of
God and make the Muslimummah a toy by forcibly making them take the
oath of allegiance for him (Yazeed).
Hussain (A.S.) and Yazeed
Although Imam Hussain (A.S.) did not leave any stone unturned in
disgracing and belittling Muawiyah even then he did not fight or
clashed with him.
Nonetheless, after the death of Muawiyah his incapable son Yazeed
being a proud and thickheaded person posed himself as the leader of
the Muslims. And started making the Islamic personalities takes the
oath of allegiance for the sake ofestablishing and strengthening his
government.
He wrote to the governors of the cities and as such wrote a letter to
Waleed who wasgovernor of Medinah that "Immediately take the oath of
allegiance from Hussain (A.S.) And if he refuses to do that then cut
down his head and send it to me".
Muawiyah had several times insistedly warned him that you might dash
against anybody except Hussain (A.S.), in which case you would get
destroyed. The ruler of Medinah summoned Imam Hussain (A.S.) and
informed him about the letter of Yazeed. He said"I am ready for the
martyrdom because only Yazeed's becoming the caliph of Muslims is the
death and disintegration of Islam".
When Imam (A.S.) observed the worsened condition and atmosphere of
Medinah he along with his companions migrated to Makka under the dark
cover of the night. His mere act of migration from Medinah was a great
objection upon the people's taking oath of allegiance for Yazeed.
Imam's (A.S.) migration not only created a hue and cry in Medinah, but
italso set up an atmosphere of discussionand objections against Yazeed
in Makka. And thehue and cry raised to the climax when Imam (A.S.)
addressing a gathering of the pilgrims raised his voice against the
obnoxious, dirty, and impure government of Yazeed.
This stand and pledge of Imam Hussain (A.S.) madethe people of the
whole area completely aware and understand that the caliphate of
Yazeed is notcorrect and taking oath of allegiance for him is
dishonesty to Islam and Muslims.
The Invitation of Kufis
When the news of the migration and objection of Imam Hussain (A.S.)
upon the Yazeed's regime reached Kufa. All of them (Kufis) got
themselves prepared to invite him to Kufa and elect him for the
caliphate and the leadership of Islam. They sent messengers along with
letters, rolls and scrolls, and formally invited Imam Hussain (A.S.)
to visit Kufa.
But, because of the fact that Imam (A.S.) knew about the
unfaithfulness of the Kufis and he himself had witnessed their
untruthfulness towards his father and brother so he sent his cousin
'Muslim bin Aqeel' to Kufa so that he might observe the whole affair
closely and invite Imam (A.S.) if he deemed fit and suitable. Muslim
bin Aqeel moved towards Kufa as desired and ordered by Imam (A.S.) and
when he reached there he met a warm, noisy, grand welcome. Thousands
of people took oath of allegiance and offered prayers behind him.
Muslim bin Aqeel wrote a letter to Imam (A.S.) asking him to
immediately move. Imam stayed back at makka uptill the 8th of Zil Hijj
and spoke to the people and instigated and provoked them against
Yazeed. Then he moved towards Iraq.
Termination of the Imam's Representative's Affair
When Yazeed got informed about the movement of Muslim bin Aqeel and
oath of allegiance being taken by the Kufis, he at once sent
Ibn-e-Ziad, who was the most dirty of his companions, to Kufa withfull
fledge powers.
Ibn-e-Ziad, who completely knew about the spirit and the character of
the people of Kufa, took advantage and made the most of theweakness
and debility and feebleness of their faiths and double-faced ness
hypocrisy and cowardice. And by terrifying and harassing scattered and
dispersed them from around Muslim bin Aqeel. And turned the events to
suchan extent that even thosewho had written invitation letters to
Imam(A.S.) put on the war dress and got ready to fight the
representative of the Imam (A.S.).
"Muslim bin Aqeel" was forced to fight the agentsof Ibn-e-Ziad all
alone. After showing surprising and astonishing bravery he was
arrested and martyred. From the very night Imam Hussain (A.S.) had
departed from Madinah he had been giving the news of martyrdom and
said,"Whosoever is ready to lay his life on our way and make haste to
meet God may join us."
He again spoke to his friends and companions about Jehad, holy war,
and martyrdom at Makka.To the extent that even when the poet Farzdak
met him on the way and gave him the news of"Muslim bin Aqeel's" being
martyred. He said,"Muslim bin Aqeel" has met the blessings of God and
ended his mission and has laid the burden of the mission upon our
shoulders. We hope to beable to carry this burden and weight up to its
destination.
Hussain's (A.S.) Mission
Hussain (A.S.) described his aim about this mission was to disgrace
Yazid's regime and to uphold and put into practice (Amer bil Maroofand
Nahi anil munkir), to order the correct and right and to stop and
refrain from the evils andto stand up against the brutality and
cruelty. Thiswas the mission God had entrusted him. His grandfather
the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and his father Ali (A.S.) had several times
described their son's is being martyred.
Imam Hussain (A.S.) himself, by virtue of the knowledge of Imamate,
knew that this journey would end with his martyrdom. But Hussain
(A.S.) was not the one to be afraid of martyrdom and death, and
overlook the command of God. He was the Imam who considered calamity
as magnanimity and nobility and martyrdom as bliss and blessedness.
Ultimately, he moved toward "Karbala" and he himself and his
companions were all martyred. His family members were taken prisoners.
But they gave the message of those martyred to the people inthe
streets, and bazars of the cities and thus put the agents and paid
servants of the Bani Omayaid to disgrace and shame.
The face of Hussain and his Companions on the Ashoora Day
Hussain's (A.S.) face glittered and shone like light He gave hope and
courage to his companions. The same Imam (A.S.) whose grandfather the
Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said, "Hussain (A.S.) is the lamp of guidance and
the escape boat of the ummah". Hussain (A.S.) spoke loudly, "Oh people
of the world! You must know that I have not taken steps for the battle
and did not draw my sword.
An unclean, dirty character man from the criminal family of Omayde
named "Yazeed" made me choose one of the two either I draw my sword
and defend my honor and religion or surrender to shame and humility.
But do know, beware! That surrendering with shameand humility is far
away from our family. I am obliged to choose the first way.
Then he stood by the soldiers of Yazeed forces and said, "It is not
expedient and wise both for your world and religion (the justice day)
to kill me and fight against me. So, if you have taken the decision to
fight me. It is better to compose and form a committee and take views
from everyone. Then see who says fight against the son of the Prophet
(P.B.U.H) who is the one gone astray and ill fated, miserable that
accompanies and sides with you for killing me?
The governor of Iraq, sonof Marjana, is an unclean and power seeking
person. He wants to make you helpless. I know you will repent after my
being martyred and will rebuke each other. Therefore, before taking
steps for the battle, think and ponder about the result of your
action. Be aware, God is my supporter and I am not harassed and
bewildered by any coming event. I have heard from my grandfather that
"World is the paradise of the infidel and the prison for the
faithful."
Death is the beginning ofour joy but it is the start of your misery.
There is only one bridge betweenthis world and the other world and
that is death.
If you initiate and take steps towards battle, we would also stand up
along with our friends and worthy sons for defense. If we are
victorious it will not be anything new for us and if we are killed
world knows that we are not defeated.
"Oh helpless people! The informed and knowledgefull people try and
endeavor to provide themselves with a lamp, so that they do not loose
their way, and I am the lamp of this ummah. But you want to put your
lamp off. Do you know against whom do you fight? You are not fighting
against me but you fight against God! Against your Prophet
(P.B.U.H.)."
After the speech of Imam Hussain (A.S.) an enthusiasm, humming, and
murmuring movements took place in the army of the enemy. The war
provokers saw that if they would not start the battle, Hussain (A.S.)
will shatter the army by his speech and will finish all their
planning. Therefore, the order for the battle to be started was
issued.
Hussain (A.S.) called out,"Oh my worthy and greatfriends rise up, this
is the time for the combat. His friends like Habib and Zuhair were
happy that Imam issued the order. Each one of them requested the other
to beallowed to go for battle first, hence take the lead.
The family members of Imam (A.S.) such as the Qamer-e-Bani Hashim
(Abbas [A.S.]), Ali Akbar, Qasim and all the rest gotprepared for the
battle. They attacked the flanks of the enemy like tigers. Whosoever
came their way would be killed. Imam Hussain (A.S.) himself showed
such a bravery, courage and manhood that as Ibn Sheher Ashob wrote; he
slew two thousand men of the enemy.
Whenever and whicheverof the friends and relatives was martyred,
Hussain (A.S.) would become stronger, and more resolved and
determined. One of the soldiers of the enemy said about the
astonishments and wonders of Ashoora, "on the day of Ashoora instead
of becoming broken and sorrowful whenever Hussain (A.S.) lost a person
by martyrdom his face would glow and shine more than before and he
became more determined and strongerin the battle and combat.
The thirsty and hungry, but selfless and dedicated, holy warriors
showed such bravery andferocious fight that son of Saad the Commander
of the enemy shouted, "Ifyou want to fight like this, all of you will
be killed by the swords of Hussain (A.S.) and his companions".
Therefore, he ordered all the arrow men, who were nearly four thousand
in number, to throw arrowssimultaneously and harmoniously. The battle
got flared up and reached a climax whosoever out of the Imam's
companions would fall down he would utter these words,"Oh God do
accept our sacrifice."
"The blessings of God be upon thou souls, oh movers and travelers of
the way of God and Hussain (A.S.). Oh the venture some defender of the
Quran's path. Hussain (A.S.), wherever blood flew out of his body, he
would raise his hands towards the sky and say, Oh God, who is the
source and stock of my hope and aspiration, Idepend upon you. My hopes
are focused upon you. Oh God! Accept thesesacrifices from us."
Finally, as per the tradition of Shiekh Mufid,Hussain (A.S.) and his
great honorable companions were martyred on Saturday the10th of
Moharram, of 61 Hijrah, and laid to rest side by side, to each other.
They gave the lesson of honor, dignity, manhood and bravery to the
future generations.
Why Hussain (A.S.) is not forgotten?
The one whose martyrdom, grief, pain, sorrows and children's captivity
were all only forGod will never fade out of the memories. Instead,by
the pace of time and age his love, fascination, and charm will grow in
the hearts of people. And each year the love and fascination of the
people with respect to that"pure and chaste revolutionary" increases.
Hussain (A.S.) spent 57 years of his prolific life for the sake of
God's love and God's search. Many times he traveled, to the God's
house for pilgrimage, on foot.
He was very fond of prayers confessions and supplication talking
intimately. So far so, that on the last night of his life, he asked
for respite only that he might sit all alone and make confessions and
supplications, to his God.
One of his companions said about Arafat prayers and supplications of
Imam Hussain (A.S.), On the 10th day of the month of Zil Hijj Imam
Hussain stood in the burning and scorching desert of Arafat facing
Holy Kaabah and prayed with painful and aching heart, "Oh God! I turn
my face towards you (focus my attention) and give evidence about your
being God. O God! You created me and continuously remained along with
me and provided me with sustenance and livelihood with several kinds
of blessings and bounties. Praise is for theGod; nothing can change
whose desire and stop His munificence and generosity."
"Oh God adjudge and fix in my soul the independence and freedom from
desires and faith and confidence in my heart, and sincerityin my
practice and light in my vision and awareness in my religion."
Hussain (A.S.) in the Hearts of Friends
The respect and regard which people had and still have in their hearts
for Hussain (A.S.) is due tothis that he lived with thepeople and did
not consider himself aloof and segregated from them. As such, one day,
he was passing through away, a group of poor, oppressed and afflicted
people was sitting with afood cloth, spread with a certain quantity of
dry bread upon it before them and they were eating it. They invited
him to sit along with them and eat that food with them. Imam (A.S.)
accepted their invitation and sat down besides thefood cloth and took
the bread with them. Saying,"God does not like the proud ones."
Imam Hussain (A.S.) has hundreds of such examples and specimens of
character, which keepshis memory and martyrdom alive in the memories
of the people. With every passing year, people strengthen and deepen
their relations with Hussain (A.S.).
Otherwise Hussain (A.S.) did neither possess magnificent palaces nor
had soldiers or many types of servants. He never closed and blockedthe
ways and roads to stop the movement of people like the tyrants and
imperialists, and Shrine of Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.) was never vacated
for him.
One of his friends said about him "Hussain (A.S.) had the signs of
scars of callosity and hard flesh on his back" When his son Imam Zain
ul Abidin was questioned about it he said, "These are the callosities
and signs of hardened flesh which is due to my father's carrying sacks
of food at night time, to the houses of widows and orphan children and
poor families."
One of the scholars says about Hussain (A.S.), "In the history of
humanity we come across men whowere prominent and distinguished in one
human quality, a few in bravery, a group in piety and another one in
generosity, but Hussain (A.S.) was not distinguished and eminent in
one quality and few qualities insteadhe was distinguished in all the
qualities and ethics and possessed all the human perfections and
accomplishments included in his personality.
Yes, such is the person who is the heir of Mohammad's (P.B.U.H.)
Prophetic mission. Who isthe heir of Ali's (A.S.) justice and bravery?
Whois the heir of his mother Fatima's (S.A.) modesty and chastity?
He was the reflection of all the merits, accomplishments. Self
sacrifices, piety and God'slove.
What day is the Ashoora?
Ashoora was a formal Arab Eid day in the days and era of ignorance.
People used to keep fast and make merry, and hold ceremonies of joy
inthe same manner as Nauroze was considered to be the Eid day in Iran.
In the Arab history, Ashoora day (10th of Moharram) was the historical
and customary Eid, when the various tribes of Arab put on newclothes
and decorate the cities. Still, a group of Arabs, who is known as the
"Yazeedi" group celebrates this day as a joyous festival.
When the incident and anguish of Karbala took place in the year 61
Hijrah, the mode and lineof tendencies, and views of Arab and the
Muslims was changed. Moharram, which was taken to be asone of the
(Haram) prohibited months. War and killing was prohibited in it
because the martyrdom day of thebest of the sons of Adam i.e. Hussain
Ibn-e-Ali (A.S.)and for the Shias it became a day of sorrow and grief,
the day of honoring and celebrating the memoriesof the martyrs.
In the very first year of the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (A.S.) his
friends nearly thousands in number gathered aroundhis grave and
recited alleges. From the ushering of the era of Bani Ommayide and
Yazeed unto this day, hundreds of thousands ofthe friends of Ahl
al-bayth (A.S.) celebrate the mourning meetings and caravans move
towards Karbala.
Those whose cities are away and at long distance from Karbala shape
their cities as Karbala and hold mourning gatherings.
The Fatimydes of the Egypt announced the Ashoora as the day of
mourning of Imam Hussain (A.S.). As such, men and women gathered
around the grave of Ome Kulsum (S.A.) and mourned and recited the
alleges. All along the Fatimyde Era inEgypt Ashoora remained the
official and formal day of mourning and grief.
Moez ud duala Delmi ordered that Ashoora be celebrated officially in
Iran and entire population and government officials must refrain from
work and celebrate the mourning rituals.
This is the very reason why the mourning ritualsin Iran, Egypt, Iraq
and India have brought about a spiritual movement and ideological
change among the Muslim masses so that today's movement of Muslims is
the sequence of the same. With every passing year, it is becoming
morefruit full. Hoping that a day will come when people will mend
their perverse nesses and misbehaviors and make up their deficiencies
and faults and enhance their strength and values.
One of the scholars says about it "Mosques are therelics and vestiges
of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) but themonasteries of mourningand Hussainias
(centers of mourning) are the relics of the Ahl al-bayth (A.S.).
The Shias prattle and tell their secrets to God in themosques and in
the mourning centers they prattle to the lovers of God and those who
were martyred for Him and on His way.
All along the passage of history no power could stop the movement of
the Caravan of Hussain (A.S.) and history has shown that during the
entire length of thirteen centuries this enthusiastic movement could
not be hushed up and cooled down. For thesame reason, because
themartyrdom of Hussain (A.S.) and his friends tookplace on such a day
then Joyous ceremonies and decorative measures, joyous and happy
celebrations, and lightings and keeping of fast became prohibited and
haram on that day.
Ibn-e-Kaseer writes,"Ashoora was announcedas the public and national
mourning day inBaghdad in the approximates of 400 Hijrah. People used
to keep cold water and colddrinks on the highways and through fares
for thethirsty ones to drink and to commemorate the thirst of Hussain
(A.S.) and people of Iraq used to become mournful on the Ashoora day
just like the death day of the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.).
Who was the Winner of the Karbala Movement?
Although a group of simple people think that Yazeed won the Ashoora
battle and Hussain (A.S.) was defeated. But by studying the history
deeply and thoroughly they would appreciate that the situation was
reverse and opposite of it. For, winning and succeeding does not mean
that a person must remain unharmed and intact and the enemy be killed.
But it means success in achieving one's objects and goals and
aspirations and ideology although one is killed. Defeat does not mean
being killed and loosing life in the battlefield. But it means the
death and annihilation of objective,aspiration and belief.

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And Allah Knows the Best!

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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

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Story part 8 - Moons Peak [FINISHED]- Funeral Memorial Service (chapter 8)

SATCHEL WAS GONE as soon as I woke up.
I surveyed my room thinking--hoping--he'd fallen asleep on the floor
somewhere, and then frowned. He was gone, and I found myself
disappointed at that fact.
I guess the animal attack from last night had shaken me up a bit, and
the thought of sleeping alone had scared me intoneeding someone.
Knowing Satchel was here looking over me, gave me some sort of
comfort. Now realizing he'd left made me feel unguarded again.
I could have died last night My thoughts stated blatantly as I gazed
up at the ceiling.
My thoughts consumed me and I ignored the light rapping on the door.
It was Grams.
I eyed her primed black dress suit she wore, accentuating her long
wiry frame, as her grey eyes hid behind a black veil and an oversized
hat.
Elegance and beauty defined my grandmother. The same with my mother
and I envied the thought of wanting to look like either, but I failed
to see any resemblance that I had that could compare to my mothers or
grandmothers elegance.
I shared my fathers light honey brown eyes, but my mother's mousy
brunette hair. Well, not anymore, since I'd dyed itblonde, and my wiry
frame looked more lanky than elegant. I smiled up at Grams.
"Morning Grams." I sat up, brushing out my knots in my hair with my fingers.
She raised her eyebrows.
"Willow my dear, you should be getting ready. The service will be
starting in an hour. I have a dress for you." I grunted.
I almost forgot about that. It was the day of myfathers' and
step-mothers' funeral. It wasn't so much the funeral that bothered me,
it was more the timing. And if memory served me right? Then church
service will commence at 10am sharp, followed by a curt burial,
finished off with ameal. I rolled my eyes away from her.
Though it was technicallymy father that had died, he was no more of a
stranger than my step mother was to me. I'd grown up not knowing
either. I sighed.
"I don't feel like going. Can't I just watch from my window?" I could
see the cemetery from my window, but in walking distance, it was a
fleet. She shook her head.
"An hour, be ready." She stated with a warning look in her eye. I sighed.
This day is going to be hell. I silently thought. I forced a smile.
"Give me a few secs to get ready?" She nodded, but not before placing
the little black dress on the foot of my bed. She paused.
"And please stay away from Satchel. He's unstable." I frowned. I
didn't know what to make of that, but before Icould protest. She gave
me a kiss on my foreheadand left.
After showering, and dressing, I made my way down the stairs to where
the black carriage awaited outside.
It was a bumpy ride through the estate, passing never-ending forestry,
a very windy dirt road, and to the right, was a logwood house that was
situated on the edge of the forest;The Hein's manor.
Technically, it was next door to our estate, the only house in Denvers
Drove and in walking distance, it was three quarters of a mile away.
Iloved going there. In fact, most of my childhood memories happened at
his house.
A few meters up the road; sat a lone cemetery occupying three graves.
My mothers and Satchel's real father, Noah Heins and a distant uncle
of mine.
Right next to them was two square feet holes that awaited the caskets
to fill them.
There was a huge turn out, about twenty at the most, which is saying
something because this part of Colorado only housed a few estates.
Land owned residence only, and the vast stretch of land my father
owned made up the most of it.
The service was brief, and someone handed a box of tissues around
thegroup during the hymns that were sung. I frowned. I suppose I
should have felt guilty fornot needing it, but I took it anyway.
After all, I had zero contact with either of them; they could've been
strangers for all I knew ofthem.
I felt a light tug on my dress that snapped me out of my reverie.
I looked down to investigate to see Derryn;Satchels little sister,
smiling up at me.
"Why did Satchel stay thenight at your house if you're not boyfriend
and girlfriend?"
My eyebrows raised and Iwas actually stumped to say a word. More so at
the fact that a seven year old was able to stun me speechless. I
blushed.
"Er...he..." I closed my mouth and opened it.
I really didn't know what to say. I wasn't sure how I would explain
the situation to a seven year old girl like Derryn, whom spoke far
beyond her years. I pursed my lips.
"I..." She giggled.
"Don't worry. He'll look after you like he does with me. He's good
like that." I smiled.
"He is good like that isn't he?" She nodded and slipped her hand in
mine and focused her attention back toward the ceremony.
The minister concluded with a prayer, as the caskets lowered in to the
ground. I wanted to cry, but not for the reason of losing a father, it
was more for the fact that I never got the privilege ofknowing my
father as much as I would have liked.
And I got the impression that didn't bother him too much for the lack
of contact on his part.
I spotted Satchel standing aloof, away from the crowd. His eyes a mask
of sympathy and control. My Grams words came back to me.
Please stay away from Satchel, he's unstable.
Despite my Grams words, I realized just how close he was to my father,
when I witnessed his eyes water as the caskets lowered in the ground.
Right then I knew Henry Garrison was his father just as much as he was mine.
Even more so apparently since he'd spent more time around him.
Our eyes met briefly and in that split of a second, he masked his face
and walked away.

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Utbah ibn Ghazwan - Biographies of the Companions (Sahabah)

Umar ibn al-Kattab, the head of the rapidly expanding Muslim State
went to bed early just afterthe Salat al-Isha. He wanted to have a
rest and feel refreshed forhis nightly tour of inspection of the
capital city which he often did incognito. Before he could/all asleep
however, the post from the outlying regions of the State arrived
informing him that the Persian forces confronting the Muslims were
proving especially difficult to subdue. They were able to send in
reinforcements and supplies from many places to relieve theirarmies on
the point of defeat. The letter urged Umar to send reinforcements and
in particular it said:
"The city of al-Ubullah must be considered one of the most important
sources providing men and material to the Persian forces under
attack."
Umar decided then to despatch an army to take the city of al-Ubullah
and cut off its line of supplies to the Persian armies. His main
problem was that he had so few men left with him in the city. That was
because young men, men of maturity and even old men had gone out on
campaigns far and wide in the path of God, fi sabilillah.
In these circumstances he determined to follow the strategy which he
knew and which was well-tried that is, to mobilize a small force and
place it under the leadership of a strong and able commander. He
considered, one after another the names of the individuals who were
still with him, to see who was the most suitable commander. Finally,
he exclaimed himself: "I have foundhim. Yes I have found him."
He then went back to bed: The person he had in mind was a well-known
mujahid who had fought at Badr, Uhud, al-Khandaq and other battles.
Hehad also fought in the terrible battles of Yamamah and emerged
unscathed. He was in fact one of the first to accept Islam. He went on
the first hijrahto Abyssinia but had returned tostay with the Prophet
in Makkah.He then went on hijrah to Madinah. This tall and imposing
companion of the Prophet was known for his exceptional skill inthe use
of spears and arrows.
When morning came, Umar called his attendants and said:"Call Utbah ibn
Ghazwan for me," Umar managed to put together an army of just over
three hundred men and he appointed Utbah as their commander with the
promise that he would send reinforcements to him as soon as possible.
When the army was assembled in ranks ready to depart, Umar al-Faruq
stood before them bidding them farewell and giving instructions to his
commander, Utbah. He said:"Utbah, I am sending you to the land of
al-Ubullah. It is one of the major fortresses of the enemy and I pray
that God helps you to take it. When you reach the city, invite its
inhabitants to the worship of God. If they respond to you, accept them
(as Muslims). If they refuse, then take from them the jizyah.. If they
refuse to pay the jizyah then fight them... And fear God, O Utbah, in
the discharge of yourduties. Beware of letting yourself become too
haughty or arrogant for this will corrupt your hereafter. Know that
you were a companion of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and
grant him peace. God honoured you through him after your being
insignificant. Hestrengthened you through him after you were weak. You
have become a commander with authority and a leader who mustbe obeyed.
What a great blessing if this does not make you vain and deceive you
and lead you to Jahannam. May God protect you and me from it."
With this chastening advice and prayer, Utbah and his army set off.
Several women were in the army including his wife and the wives and
sisters of other men. Eventually they reached a place called Qasbaa
not very far from al-Ubullah. It was called Qasbaa because of the
abundance of reed-like stalks which grew there.
At that point the army was absolutely famished. They had nothing to
eat. When hunger gripped them, Utbah ordered some of his men to go and
search the land for something toeat. One of the men told the story of
their search of food:
"While we were searching for something to eat, we entered a thicket
and, lo and behold there were two large baskets. In one there were
dates and in the other small white grains coveredwith a yellow husk.
We dragged the baskets with the grain and said: "This is poison which
the enemy has prepared for you. Don't go near it all."
We went for the dates and began eating from it. While we were busy
eating the dates, a horse which had broken loose from its tether went
up to the basket of grain and began eating from it. By God, we
seriously thought of slaughtering it before it should die (from the
alleged poison) and benefit from its meat. However, its owner came up
to us and said: "Leave it. I shall lookafter it for the night and if I
feel that it is going to die, I will slaughter it."
In the morning we found the horse quite healthy with no signof ill
effects. My sister then said: 'Yaa akhi, I have heard my fathersaying:
Poison does not harm (food) if it is placed on fire and cooked well.'
We then took some of the grain,placed it in a pot and put it on a
fire. After a short while my sistercalled out: 'Come and see how it
has become red and the husks have begun to separate leaving white
grains.'
We placed the white grains in a large bowl and Utbah said to us:
'Mention the name of Allah on it and eat it.' We ate and found it
exceedingly delicious and good. We learnt after that the grain was
called rice."
The army of Utbah then went onto the fortified city of al-Ubullah on
the banks of the River Euphrates. The Persians used al-Ubullah as a
massive arms depot. There were several fortresses in the city from
whichtowers sprang. These were usedas observation posts to detect any
hostile movements outside the city.
The city appeared to be impregnable. What chance had Utbah of taking
it with such a small force armed with only swords and spears? A direct
assault was obviously futile and so Utbah had to resort to some
stratagem.
Utbah had flags prepared which he had hung on spears. These hegave to
the women and ordered them to march behind the army.His instructions
to them then were: "When we get near to the city, raise the dust
behind us so that the entire atmosphere is filled with it."
As they neared al-Ubullah, a Persian force came out to confront them,
they saw the Muslims boldly advancing, the flags fluttering behind
them andthe dust which was being churned up and which filled the air
around. They thought that the Muslims in front of the flags were
merely the vanguard of theadvancing army, a strong and numerous army.
They felt they would be no match for such a foe. They lost heart and
prepared to evacuate the city. Picking up whatever valuables they
could, they rushed to boats anchored on the river and abandoned their
well-fortified city.
Utbah entered al-Ubullah without losing any of his men. From this base
he managed to bring surrounding towns and villages under Muslim
control. When news spread of Utbah's successes, and of the richness
ofthe land he had occupied, many people flocked to the region in
search of wealth and easy living.
Uqbah noted that many Muslims now inclined towards a soft life and
followed the ways and customs of the region and that this weakened
their determination to continue struggling.
He wrote to Umar ibn al-Khattabasking for permission to build the
garrison town of Basrah. He described the locations he had chosen for
the city and Umar gave his assent. Basrah lay between the desert and
the ports of the Gulf and from this base expeditions were launched
further east. The positioning of the town was for maximum military
effectiveness (not merely to support an army of occupation).
Utbah himself planned the city and built its first great masjid which
was a simple enclosure, roofed over at one end and suitable for mass
assemblies. From the mosque, Utbah and hismen went out on military
campaigns. These men eventually settled on the land and built houses.
Utbah himself however did not build a house for himself but continued
to live in a tent of cloth. He had seen how preoccupation with worldly
possessions had caused many people to forget themselves andtheir real
purpose in life. He had seen how men who not long ago knew no food
better than rice boiled in their husks, getting accustomed to
sophisticated Persian patisserie like fasludhanj and lawzinaj made
with refined flour, butter, honey and nuts of various kinds to the
point where they hankered after these things.
Utbah was afraid that his din would be affected by his dunya and he
was concerned about his hereafter. He called men to the masjid of
Basrah and addressed them thus: "O people! The dunyawill come to an
end and you willbe carried from it to an abode which will not wane or
disappear. Go to it with the best of your deeds. I look back and see
myself among the early Muslims with the Messenger of Allah may God
bless him and grant him peace. We had no food then apart from the
leaves of trees and our lips would fester. One day I found a burdah.I
tore it in two and shared it with Sad ibn Abi Waqqas. I madean aazar
with one half and he did the same with the other half. Here we are
today. There is not one of us but he is an amir of one of the garrison
towns. I seek Allah's protection lest I become great in my own
estimation and little in the sight of Allah.." With these words Utbah
appointed someone else to stand in his place, and bade farewell to the
people of Basrah.
It was the season of pilgrimage and he left to perform the Hajj. He
then travelled to Madinah andthere he asked Umar to relieve him of the
responsibility of governing the city. Umar refused. He could not
easily dispense with a governor of the quality of Utbah and said to
him:
"You place your trusts and your responsibilities on my neck and then
you abandon me to myself. No, by God, I shall never relieve you." So
Umar prevailed upon him and commanded him to return to Basrah, Utbah
knew that he had to obey the Amir al-Muminin but he did so with a
heavy heart. He mounted his camel and on his way he prayed:
"O Lord, do not send me back to Basrah. O Lord, do not send me back to
Basrah." He had not gone far from Madinah when hiscamel stumbled.
Utbah fell and the injuries he sustained proved to be fatal.

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Sacrifices - His sacrificial animal fell and he slaughtered it before it died; does it still count as a sacrifice?Wp http://aydnajimudeen.wordpress.com/

The sacrificial animal fellfrom the roof of our house and we
slaughtered it before it died; is that permissible?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It appears from your question that you slaughtered the sacrificial
animal before the Eid prayer. If that is the case, then it is not a
sacrifice (udhiyah), because the condition ofthe sacrifice is that it
should be slaughtered on the days of sacrifice, which are the day of
Eid and the three following days.
It was narrated that Jundub ibn Sufyaan (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: I was present on Eid al-Adha with the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). When he hadfinished
leading the people in prayer, he looked at a sheep that had been
slaughtered and said, 'Whoever slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the
prayer, let him slaughtera sheep in place of it, and whoever has not
yetslaughtered (his sacrifice), let him do so in the name of Allaah."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari,942; Muslim, 1960.
Based on this, if this sacrifice was in fulfilment of a vow, thenyou
have to offer another sacrifice in its stead.
But if you slaughtered it at the time of sacrifice, and you bought it
with the intention of sacrificing it, then it is valid and is a
sacrifice (udhiyah), even if it was damaged as the result ofits fall
from the roof. Seealso question no. ( 39191 ).
Secondly:
With regard to the validity of your slaughtering it, it is validif you
managed to do it before it died.
Allaah has forbidden that which has been killed by strangling, and
that which has been killed by a violent blow -which is an animal that
dies from a blow with a piece of wood or metal -and that which has
beenkilled by a headlong fall - like your sacrifice - and that which
has beenpartially eaten by wild animals. This applies if the animal
dies, but if people catch up with it before it dies and slaughter it
in the manner prescribed in sharee'ah, then it becomes halaal.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Forbidden to you (for food) are: Al-Maitah (thedead animals -- cattle
--beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which
Allaah's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering (that which
has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah, or has
been slaughtered for idols) and that which has beenkilled by
strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by
thegoring of horns -- and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild
animal -- unless you are able to slaughter it (before its death)"
[al-Maa'idah 5:3]
Ibn Katheer said:
The phrase "unless you are able to slaughter it" refers to that which
you are able to reach and slaughter in the proper manner when there is
still evidently life in it. That refers to the phrase, "that which has
been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong
fall, or by the goring of horns -- and that which has been (partly)
eaten by a wild animal".
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/11, 12
It was narrated from Ka'b ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that they had sheepthat used to graze at Sal'(a mountain in Madeenah):
a girl of ourssaw a sheep that was dying, so she broke a stone and
slaughtered it with it. He said to them: "Do not eat it until I ask
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)." He asked the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about that and he
told him to eat it.Narrated by al-Bukhaari,2181.
And Allaah knows best.

Sacrifices - Can we eat meat slaughtered by one who does not pray?

I would like to ask what we should do if my brother does not pray, so
he is regarded as a kaafir according to sharee'ah; can we eat meat
that is slaughtered by him or not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
What you have to do is to advise your brother topray regularly, and
tell him of the ruling of Allaah concerning one who does not pray. Do
not let him slaughter themeat for you himself, and tell him the reason
why, which is that the one who does not pray is regarded as a kaafir,
so meat slaughtered by him is not halaal. Perhaps knowing the ruling
will have an effecton him, and he will come back to his religion and
start to prayregularly. This will be better for him in his religious
and worldly affairs, in this world and in the Hereafter.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:
Is it permissible to eat meat slaughtered by onewho deliberately does
not pray, knowing that if he is told of that he will claim that he
says the Shahaadah? What should we do if we cannot find any butcher
who does pray?
He replied:
If a person does not pray, we should not eat meat slaughtered by him.
This is the correct view, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Between a man and shirk and kufr there
stands his giving up prayer." Narrated by Muslim in his Saheeh from
Jaabir ibn 'Abd-Allaah al-Ansaari (may Allaah be pleased with him).
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
covenant that stands between us and them is prayer; whoever does not
pray is a kaafir." Narrated by Imam Ahmad and the four authors of
Sunan with a saheeh isnaad from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allaah be
pleased with him). And he said: "The head of the matter is Islam and
its pillar is prayer." Narrated by Imam Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi with a
saheeh isnaad from Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allaah be pleased with him).
If the pillar of a thing falls, it cannot stand straight or
remain;when the pillar falls, whatever rests on it falls too.
Thus it is known that theone who does not pray has no religion, so
meat slaughtered by him cannot be eaten. If you are living in a land
where there are no Muslim butchers, you should laughter your own meat
and use your hands to do something that will be benefit to you, or
look for a Muslimbutcher to slaughter meat for you even in his own
house. Praise be to Allaah, this is something easy so you should not
be heedless about this matter.
You should advise this man to fear Allaah and pray. His suggestion
thatthe Shahaadatayn is sufficient is a serious mistake, because the
Shahaadatayn come with conditions that must be fulfilled, as the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "I have been
ordered to fight the people until they bear witness that there is no
god except Allaah and that I am the Messenger of Allaah, andestablish
regular prayer and pay zakaah. If they do that, then their bloodand
wealth are safe from me, except in cases dictated by Islamic law, and
their reckoning will be with Allaah." Saheeh – agreed upon.
So prayer and zakaah are mentioned alongside the Shahaadatayn.
According to another version: "I have been commanded to fight the
people until they say Laailaaha ill-Allaah, and if they say Laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah, then their blood and wealth are safe from me, except in
cases dictated by Islamic law, and their reckoningwill be with
Allaah." Prayer is one of these conditions and zakaah isone of these
conditions.
What the believer must do is fear Allaah, and everyone who claims to
be a Muslim must fear Allaah and offer the five prayers regularly, for
prayer is the foundation of Islam and it is the greatest of the five
pillars of Islam after the Shahaadatayn. Whoever neglects it neglects
his religious commitment, and whoever does not pray has left the
faith. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound.
This is the truth and this is what is correct. Some of the scholars
said that such a person is not a kaafir in the sense of major kufr,
rather his kufr is minor kufr, and he is a sinner who has committed a
grave sin, one that is worse than adultery, worse than stealing, worse
than drinking alcohol. But he is not a kaafir in the sense of major
kufr unless he denies that prayer is obligatory. Thisis the view of a
number of scholars. But the correct view is that which is indicated by
thewords of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
which is that such a person is a kaafir in the sense of major kufr, as
stated in the ahaadeeth quoted above, because he has neglected the
pillar or foundation of Islam which is prayer.
We should not take this matter lightly. 'Abd-Allaah ibn Shaqeeq
al-'Aqeeli, the great Taabi'i (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"Thecompanions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) did not regard the omission of anything as being kufr, except in
the case of prayer."
And he mentioned that the Sahaabah were unanimously agreed that the
one who did not pray was a kaafir in their view. We ask Allaahto keep
us safe and sound.
So we must be careful, and adhere to this important obligation and not
take the matter lightly if someone does not pray. We should not eat
meat slaughtered by him, or invite him to anyfeasts, or accept his
invitations. Rather he should be shunned until he repents to Allaah
and starts to pray. We ask Allaah to guide us all.

Sacrifices - Ruling on sacrificing camels other than an’aam animalsWp http://aydnajimudeen.wordpress.com/

A person lives at the North Pole and wants to offer a sacrifice. Is it
permissible for him to sacrifice a fish?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not valid to sacrifice a fish, horse, deer or chicken, because
one of the conditions of sacrifice is that it must be one of the
an'aam animals, which are camels, cattle and sheep of all kinds,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that
they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle [an'aam]
that He has given them for food"
[al-Hajj 22:34]
It is not reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) or any of his companions sacrificed any other kind of
animal.
See: Fath al-Qadeer (9/97).
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo' (8/364-366):
The conditions of a sacrifice being valid include that it should be
one of the an'aam animals, which are camels, cattle and sheep.All
kinds of camels, cattleand sheep, including goats, are acceptable.
Other kinds of animals, such as wild cattle, donkeys etc are not
acceptable, and there is no difference of scholarly opinion on
thispoint, whether male or female of all kinds, thereis no difference
of opinion on any of that inour view.
A cross between a deer and sheep is not acceptable, because it is not
an an'aam animal. End quote.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said something similar in
al-Mughni (368).
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said in his essay Ahkaam al-Udhiyah wa'l-Zakaah (rulings on
sacrifice and zakaah):
The type (of animal) thatmay be sacrificed is an'aam animals only,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And for every nation We have appointed religious ceremonies, that
they may mention the Name of Allaah over the beast of cattle [an'aam]
that He has given them for food"
[al-Hajj 22:34]
The an'aam animals are camels, cattle, sheep andgoats. This was stated
byIbn Katheer who said: This was the view of al-Hasan, Qataadah and
others. Ibn Jareer said: This is how it is among the Arabs. End quote.
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Do
not sacrifice anything but a musinnah; if one isnot available then
sacrifice a jadh'ah sheep(one that is over a year old)." Narrated by
Muslim (1963). A musinnah is a camel, cow or sheep that is twoyears
old or older. This was the view of the scholars (may Allaah have mercy
on them).
The sacrifice is an act of worship, and it should not be done except
in the manner narrated from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), and it is not narrated that he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sacrificed anything but a
camel, cow or sheep.

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Allah is all-powerfulGb http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/Wp http://aydnajimudeen.wordpress.com/

For many years, people have wondered how theuniverse will end. Many
possibilities spring to mind, but Allah can make it happen without a
cause and all of a sudden. The probabilities revealed byscientific
research constitute a warning and give us the opportunity to reflect
and turn to Allah before that difficult Day comes in accordance with
His will. The believers are certain that the Day of Judgment will
happen atthe predetermined time in His presence. All people will
experience it, for they will be in the All-Powerful's grip, as
follows:
Or let you see what We have promised them. They are completely in Our
power. (Surat az-Zukhruf, 42)
Many events can cause Earth's existing order to collapse and all life
to belost. Furthermore, as time progresses, even more probable causes
are added to the alreadyexisting ones. Many signs indicate that our
world is moving rapidly toward its predetermined end, even if most
people deny the existence of the Day of Judgment. The Qur'an points
out this reality in the following verse:
The Hour is coming, but Ihave concealed it so thatevery self can be
repaid for its efforts. (Surah Ta Ha, 15)
Scientists have reached aconsensus, based on scientific data, that the
universe will be destroyed. Newspapers, magazines, television
programs, and other media outlets often inform people of the latest
scientific discoveries. Researchers who are aware of these facts are
looking for ways to prevent such calamities in order to delay the
universe's death. Another area of research focuses on the probable
changes that would take place on Earth and its effects on life were
such a disaster to strike. The resulting data bears a striking
resemblance to many of the events foretold in the Qur'an.

There is light in believers' faces, but disgrace in those of disbelieversGb http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/Wp http://aydnajimudeen.wordpress.com/

One of the secrets that God reveals in the Qur'anis that belief and
disbelief are reflected onpeople's faces and skins. In many verses,
God informs that there is light on believers' faces, whereas there is
disgrace on disbelievers':
And you will see them brought forward to it (hell) made humble by
disgrace, looking with a stealthy glance... (Surat ash-Shura: 45)
Those who do good will have the best and more! Neither dust nor
debasement will cover their faces. They are the Companions of the
Garden, remaining in it timelessly, forever. But as for those who have
earned bad actions - a bad action will be repaidwith one the like of
it. Debasement will overshadow them. They will have no one to protect
them from God. It is as if their faces werecovered with a strip of
darkest night. Those are the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it
timelessly, forever. (Surah Yunus: 26-27)
As stated in these verses, disbelievers' faces are shadowed by
debasement. On the other hand, believers have light on their faces.God
states that they are recognised by the traces of prostration on their
faces:
Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and those who are with him are
fierce to the disbelievers, merciful to one another. You see them
bowing and prostrating, seeking God's good favour and His pleasure.
Their mark is on their faces, the traces of prostration... (Surat
al-Fath: 29)
In other verses, God informs that disbelieversand evildoers are
recognised by their faces:
The evildoers will be recognised by their mark and seized by
theirforelocks and their feet. (Surat ar-Rahman: 41)
If We wished, We would show them to you and you would know them by
their mark and know them by their ambivalent speech. God knows your
actions. (Surah Muhammad: 30)
It is a miracle and an important secret revealed in the Qur'an that,
depending on one's faith or evildoing, physical changes occur on one's
face. Spiritual feelings produce physical effects on body; although
the contour remains the same, the expression of the face changes or
the face is lightened or overshadowed. A man offaith, can, by the Will
of God, see this miracle Godperforms on people.

Jinn are Created from FireGb http://aydnajimudeen.blogspot.com/Wp http://aydnajimudeen.wordpress.com/

Jinn are other kind of creations of God. Like angels, the jinn's
appearance also differs from that of man. In the Qur'an we are told
that man was created from clay, while the jinn werecreated from fire:
We created mankind outof dried clay formed from fetid black mud. We
created the jinn before, out of the fire of a searing wind. (Surat
al-Hijr, 26-27)
He created man from dryearth like baked clay, and He created the jinn
from a fusion of fire. (Suratar-Rahman, 14-15)
In the Qur'an, God also reveals His purpose in creating man and the jinn:
I only created jinn and man to worship Me. (Suratadh-Dhariyat, 56)
It is clear that even though man and the jinnare very different
beingsthey both were created to worship only God by living by the
values He prescribed. God has revealed in many verses that both angels
and thejinn have some characteristics that differfrom human
characteristics. For instance, both can transport matter:
He (Solomon) said,"Council! Who among you will bring me her (the Queen
of Sheba's) throne before they cometo me in submission?" Anaudacious
one among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you get up
from your seat. I am strong and trustworthy enough to do it." (Surat
an-Naml, 38-39)
The Qur'an also reveals that the jinn, just like the angels, were
createdbefore man. When He created the Prophet Adam (pbuh) God
commanded the angels and the jinn to prostratebefore him. After that,
He reveals that satan is one of the jinn:
When We said to the angels, "Prostrate yourselves to Adam," they
prostrated, with theexception of Diabolis. Hewas one of the jinn and
wantonly deviated from his Lord's command. Do you take him and his
offspring as protectors apart from Me when they are your enemy? How
evil is the exchangethe wrongdoers make! (Surat al-Kahf, 50)
Creation is easy for God, Who can create from nothing and with no
previous cause. Just as He created the angels and the jinn in
different forms from nothing, He also created man as a separate being
from nothing and with no need for evolution. The same applies to other
living things, such as animals and plants. God created all of these
spontaneously out of nothing and without having them evolve – in other
words, without turning one species into another. Every one of these is
a product of the flawless systems God's might and sovereignty brought
about.

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Confucianism

Definition
Confucianism is the relig i on of the anc i ent Ch i nese, named after
the great philosopher Confucius who appeared in the sixth century B.C
calling for the revival of the religious values and traditions that
the Chinese had inherited from their forefathers. To these values, he
added his own philosophy and moral valuesleading to sound behaviour .
Although Confucianism became the official ideology of the Chinese
state, it has never existedas an established religion with a church
and priesthood.
Prominent Figures
Confucius is regarded as t he real founder of this Chinese philosophy.
He was born in 551 B.C. in Tsou, one of the cities of the Lu
principality (n ow called Shantung province). Originally, hewas called
' Kung Futze '; 'Kung' isthe name of the tribe to which he belong ed
and 'Futze ' means the president or the philosopher .
Thus, his name meant the 'President of Kung ' or the philosopher of
that tribe. Confucius belonged to a very aristocratic family which had
deep roots and a respected history in that area. His grandfather was
ruler of the province a nd his father was an excellent military
officer. Nevertheless, he himself was the offspring of an illegal
marriage and his father died before he wasthree, leaving his up
bringing to his mother.
Thus, he l i ved as an orphan, worked as a shepherd and married at an
e arly ag e before twenty. He had two children, a boy and a girl, but
his wife was not able to con tinue living with him for more than two
years due to his met iculous manners with regard to food, drinks and
clothing, so they divorced.
Confucius studied philosophy with a man by the name of Professor
Laotse who believed in contentment and absolute tolerance.
Nevertheless, Confucius disagreed with his professor later on when the
latter called for 'an eye for an eye'to maintain justice.
At the age of twenty-two, he established a school for studying the
essence of philosophy. His students increased in number till they
reached three thousand.
Confucius, confident in his ability to reorder society, held a
numberof important jobs: he worked as a consultant to princes and
governors, was appointed judge and governor, minister of labour,
minister of justice and finally prime minister in 496 B.C. In his
capacity as prime minister, he sentenced some ex-ministers,
politicians and riot-makers to death, thus making his province ideal
with regard to applying his philosophical values and ideas.
Later, Confucius devoted his time to making trips to the various
cities and towns of China, offering wisdom and consultation to the
rulers and inviting people to adopt his values and traditions.
Finally, he resorted to his province Lu wherehe devoted most of his
time to teaching his friends, summarising the books of the ancients
and introducing them tothe people. He died in 479 B.C. at the age of
seventy-three.
The Basic Beliefs of Confucianism with Regard to God, Angels and the
Spirits of their Ancestors
God: Confucianists believe in many gods, though it is said that they
believe in the great God, the Lord of Heaven whom they worship and to
whom they offer sacrifices. However, these sacrifices are to be
submitted through the mediation of the king or the princes of the
different governorates. The earth also has a god that is worshippedby
all the Chinese, as do the sun, the moon, the stars, the clouds and
the mountains, and to each sacrifices are to be offered.
Angels occupy a very high position in the Chinese religion; they are
consecrated and sacrifices are offered to them as well.
The spirits of the ancestors are also consecrated by the Chinese: They
believe in the immortality ofthese spirits and that they never die
with the death of the bodies. The sacrifices offered to these spirits
are given at celebrations where large banquets are extended,
accompanied by music to help the spirits rejoice and feelhappy. In
every house, there is a small temple for the spirits of thedead and
the gods of the householders.
Confucianism does not believe in the Hereafter, Paradise or Hell, nor
does it accept any belief in Resurrection. Confucianists are mainly
concerned with improvingtheir life affairs with no regard for the
destiny of the soul after leaving the body. One of the disciples once
asked Confucius about death, Confucius answeredsuccinctly: "We haven't
yet finished studying life to delve into the question of death."
Confucianism is mainly concernedwith moral values, which form the
cornerstone of its philosophy and the basis of its religion. It tends
to teach the individual to absorb these values until they become part
and parcel of his very being.
These values can be materialised in absolute obedience to
parents,elder brothers and rulers. These moral values also include
sincerity to friends, refusal to cause any harm to others even in
words, identical harmony between words and deeds, rejection of
hypocrisy, care for common interests, encouraging beneficial arts,
sympathising withforeigners and working for the common welfare of the
princes and the common people of the empire.
There was, however, another sideto Confucianism. Confucius not only
stressed social rituals (Li), but also humaneness (Ren).
'Ren',sometimes translated as love or kindness, is believed to be the
source of all virtues. The Chinese character represents the potential
to live together humanely rather than scrapping like birds or beasts.
Areas Where Confucianism Spread
Confucianism started in China butin 1949 when China adopted a
Communist regime, Confucianismwas prohibited by the force of law like
all other religions. Therefore, it spread to other places like Korea
and Japan where it is studied in universities.Confucianism was
welcomed by western philosophers like Lipnze (1646-1716) and Peter
Noyel who later published a book about this system of Chinese
Philosophy.

Taoism: the religion of magic and Yoga

Taoism, or Daoism, is the Chinese philosophical and religious system,
dating from about the 4th century BC. Taoism has, alongwith
Confucianism, shaped Chinese life for more than 2,000 years. Taoist
clergy flourished in China until 1927, when the Chinese Communists
ousted them. While the future of 'Taoist practice on the Chinese
mainland remains in question, there has been in recent decades some
renewed interest in the religion. Daoism was recognized as the
official religion of China for several brief periods and its influence
has been second only tothat of Confucianism.
Historical Development
The historians quote variant accounts, including one that Taoism is
founded by Lao Zi, also known as Lao-tzu, supposedly a senior
contemporary of Confucius(6th-5th century BC) and a curatorof the
archives at the court of theChou dynasty (c. 1111-255 BC) and,
finally, a mere mortal. The information on the life of this mysterious
person is legendary and controversial. Somehow Lao-tzu became deified
as a revealer of sacred texts and a savior. There are seven reported
versions of a meeting between Lao-tzu and Confucius.
However, about the 2nd century AD, popular Daoist religious
organizations concerned with faith healing began to appear.
Subsequently, under the influence of Buddhism, Daoist religious groups
adopted institutional monasticism and a concern for spiritual
afterlife rather than bodily immortality. The basic organization of
these groups was the local parish, which supported a Daoist priest
with its contributions. Various Daoist sects eventually developed, and
in 1019 the leaderof one of these was given an extensive tract of land
in Jiangxi ) Kiangsi ) Province.
Of the two early-organized Taoist communities, the religio-political
movement known as the "Way ofthe Great Peace" was destroyed as a
threat to the Han dynasty in 184 AD. A more important and enduring
tradition was that of the "Way of the Celestial Masters," founded by
Chang Tao-ling in 142 AD. Two late 4th-century movements were also
very important: (1) the Shang-ch'ing (Supreme Purity) Mao Shan sect,
and (2) the Ling Pao (Sacred Jewel) scriptural tradition. During the
T'ang dynasty (618-907), Taoism received special favour at court and
was characterized by doctrinal and liturgical syntheses.
Main Tenets and Sacred Texts
The essential Daoist philosophicaland mystical beliefs can be found in
the Daode Jing (Tao-te Ching - Classic of the Way and Its Power),a
composite text dating from about the 3rd century BC and attributed to
the Laozi (Lao-tzu), and in the Zhuangzi (Chuang-tzu),a book of
parables and allegories also dating from the 3rd century BC but
attributed to the philosopher Zhuangzi. Tao-te Ching is the text
central to all expressions of the Taoist spirit. There is an abundant
testimony to the vast influence exercised by the sacred book (the
'Tao'-te Ching) since the earliest times and in surprisingly varied
social contexts.
Among the classics of speculativeTaoism, it alone holds the
distinction of having become a scripture of the esoteric Taoist
movements, which developed their own interpretations of its
ambiguities and transmitted it asa sacred text. The same book contains
many of the Master's (Lao-tzu's) discourses, generally introduced by
the questions of a disciple.
The Tao-te Ching was meant as a handbook for the ruler. He shouldbe a
sage whose actions pass so unnoticed that his very existence remains
unknown. He imposes no restrictions or prohibitions onhis subjects. He
does not teach them discrimination, virtue, or ambition because "when
intellectemerges, the great artifices begin. When discord is rife in
families, 'dutiful sons' appear. When the State falls into
anarchy,'loyal subjects' appear." Thus, it isbetter to banish wisdom,
righteousness, and ingenuity, and the people will benefit a
hundredfold.
Daoism maintained that the individual should ignore the dictates of
society and seek only to conform to the underlying pattern of the
universe, the Dao (or Tao, meaning "way"), which can neither be
described in words nor conceived in thought. To be in accord with Dao,
one hasto "do nothing" (wuwei)-that is, nothing strained, artificial,
or unnatural. Through spontaneous compliance with the impulses of
one's own essential nature and by emptying oneself of all doctrines
and knowledge, one achieves unity with the Dao and derives from it a
mystical power. This power enables one to transcend all mundane
distinctions, even the distinction of life and death. At the
sociopolitical level, the Daoists called for a return to primitive
agrarian life. Unlike Confucius, who sought harmony in the ordering of
social life, Lao Zi located life's ultimate principle innature.
Religion and Philosophy
Taoism encompasses both a philosophical tradition (Tao-chia)
associated with the 'Tao'-te Ching(Lao-tzu), Chuang-tzu, Lieh-tzu, and
other texts, and a Taoist religious tradition (Tao-chiao) with
organized doctrine, formalized cultic activity, and institutional
leadership. Philosophical Taoism is rational, contemplative, and
non-sectarian, and it accepts death as a natural returning to the Tao.
The themes and texts of philosophical 'Tao'ism became established
during the Warring States period (481-221 BC). War is condemned but
not entirely excluded: "Arms are ill-omened instruments," and the sage
uses them only when he cannot do otherwise. He does not glory in
victory; "he that has conquered inbattle is received with rites of
mourning."
Religious Taoism is magical, cultic, esoteric, and sectarian, and it
emphasizes health and healing as ways to gain long life or even
immortality. T'ai chi and the medical practice of Quigong are modern
manifestations of Taoism.
Taoism takes its name from the word "Tao" ("the Way"), the ancient
Chinese name for the ordering principle that makes cosmic harmony
possible. Not a transcendent ultimate, the Tao is found in the world
(especially in nature) and can be encountered directly through
mystical experience. It is the ultimate reality as well as the proper
natural way of life humans must follow. Taoism prizes the non-action
and inwardness.
The cardinal concept is that the ''Tao'' is the ineffable, eternal
andcreative reality that is the source and end of all things. ''Tao''
is theAbsolute, the "Uncarved Block" experienced only in mystical
ecstasy. 'Te' is the manifestation of the 'Tao' within all things.
Thus, to possess the fullness of 'te' means to be in perfect harmony
with one's original nature.
The universe has its 'Tao'; there isa 'Tao' of the sovereign, his
royal mode of being, while the 'Tao' of man comprises continuity
through procreation. Each of the schools, too, had its own 'Tao', its
way or doctrine. But in the 'Tao-te' Ching, the ultimate unity of the
universal 'Tao' itself is being proposed as a social ideal. It is this
idealistic peculiarity that seems to justify later historians and
bibliographers in their assignment of the term 'Taoist' to the
'Tao-te' Ching and its successors.
Techniques for achieving immortality included dietary regimens, breath
control and meditation, sexual disciplines, alchemy, the use of
magical talismans, and the search for the fabled Isle of Bliss.
Dietary concerns focused on necessary nourishment while abstaining
from foods, which benefited the"three worms" in the body (which caused
disease, old age, and death). In meditation, the 'Taoist' adept
visualized the thousands of gods that inhabitedthe human body
(microcosm) as they inhabited the universe (macrocosm).
Through breath control and the movement of breath throughout the
fields of the body, the individual both approached immortality in this
life and achieved it finally through the nourishment of a
mysterious"embryonic body," which becamethe immortal self after death.
By avoiding ejaculation during the sexual act, it was believed that
semen could be mixed with breath to further nourish the embryonic body
or be forced back through the spinal passage to repair the brain.
The ancient Taoist mystics, and their ecstasies, for example,
wereclosely related to the trances and spirit journeys of the early
magicians and shamans (religious personages with healing and psychic
transformation powers).
'Taoism' and Other Religions
Taoist and Confucian traditions share many of the same ideas about
man, society, the ruler, Heaven, and the universe--ideas that were not
created by either school but that stem from a tradition prior to
either Confuciusor Lao-tzu.
Taoist thought permeates Chinese culture serving as a link between the
Confucian tradition and folk tradition. In contemporary China
religious Daoism has tended to merge with popular Buddhism and other
religions. Daoism exerted its greatest influence on Chinese hygiene
and aesthetics. Daoism also developed on a popular level as a cult in
which immortality was sought through magic and the use of various
elixirs.
In the case of Buddhism--a third tradition that influenced China
--fundamental concepts such as the nonexistence of the individual ego
and the illusory nature of the physical world are diametrically
opposed to Taoism. In terms of overt individual and collective
practices, however, competition between these two religions for
influence among thepeople-a competition in which Confucianism had no
need to participate because it had state patronage--resulted in mutual
borrowings, numerous superficial similarities, and essentially Chinese
developments inside Buddhism, such as the Ch'an (Japanese Zen) sect.
In folk religion, since Sung times (960-1279), Taoist and Buddhist
elements have coexisted without clear distinctions in the minds of the
worshippers.

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Dought & clear - The virtue of reciting some verses of Qur’aan just before going to sleep

I heard a hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), the meaning of which is, Whoever recites ten verses of
Qur'aan at night before going to sleep, will not be recorded as one of
the heedless.
Is this hadeeth saheeh? If it is saheeh, then is it correct to recite
Aayat al-Kursiy and Soorat al-Ikhlaas and al-Mi'wadhatayn by heart?
Thus I will have recited my wird, and I will have recited more than
ten verses. Or must it be ten verses read from the Mus-haf?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The text of the hadeeth referred to by the questioner is:
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Whoever recites ten verses at night will not be recorded
as one of the heedless." Narrated by al-Haakim inal-Mustadrak (1/742),
and he said: This hadeeth is saheeh according to the conditions of
Muslim although they (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)did not narrate it. It
was also narrated by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb (2/81)
It was also narrated that this was the view of a number of the
Sahaabah(may Allaah be pleased with them):
It was narrated that Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
Whoever recites ten verses at night will not be recorded as one of the
heedless. A similar report was narrated from Tameem al-Daari (may
Allaah be pleased with him). Both were narrated by al-Daarimi in his
Musnad (2/554-555).
Secondly:
Is what is meant in the hadeeth reciting these verses in one's prayer
at night, or can this virtue be attained simply by reciting these
verses at night, whether during prayer or otherwise?
Both are possible. The former is supported by the report narrated by
Abu Dawood (1398) from'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas (may Allaah be
pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever prays qiyaam reciting
ten verses will not be recorded as one of the heedless. Whoever prays
qiyaam reciting one hundred verses will be recorded as one of the
devout. Whoever prays qiyaam reciting one thousand verses will be
recorded as one of those who collected a great deal of reward."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood (1264).
It says in 'Awn al-Ma'bood: What is meant here is qiyaam al-layl.
Hence Ibn Hibbaan narrated this hadeeth in the chapters on qiyaam
al-layl in his Saheeh (4/120), and gave it the title: "Statement that
the one who prays qiyaam reciting ten verses is not heedless."
This is also supported by the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) whichsays: "Whoever prays at night reciting one
hundred verses will not be recorded as one of the heedless, and
whoever prays at night with two hundred verseswill be recorded as one
of the sincere and devout." Narrated by al-Haakim (1/452) and classed
as saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim. But al-Albaani was of
theview that it is da'eef, as it says in al-Saheehah (2/243) and
Da'eef al-Targheeb (1/190).
In the report narrated byIbn Khuzaymah (2/180) it says: "The one who
offers these prescribed prayers regularly will not be recorded as one
of the heedless, and whoever recites one hundred verses at night will
not be recorded as one of the heedless."
Al-Albaani said in al-Saheehah (643): Its isnaad is saheeh according
to the conditions of the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim).
The fact that recitation ismentioned alongside the prescribed prayer
suggests that the command is to recite it during the prayer, i.e., the
night prayer.
Hence Ibn Khuzaymah narrated that hadeeth ofAbu Hurayrah (may Allaah
be pleased with him) in a chapter called "The virtue of reciting one
hundred verses in the night prayer, because the one who recites one
hundred verses in the night prayer will not be recorded as being among
the heedless." It was also narrated by Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Marwazi in
his book Qiyaam al-Layl (164) in the chapters that speak of reciting
in the night prayer.
And this virtue may also be attained by the one who recites this
number of verses at night in general, whether that is during prayer or
otherwise, before going to sleep or after waking up, if he wakes
during the night. This general meaning was understood by many of the
scholars when they narrated the hadeeth in their collections of
hadeeth. Al-Daarimi (may Allaah have mercy on him) included it in a
chapter called "The virtue of one who recites ten verses" (2/554).
Al-Haakim included it in his Mustadrak (1/738) in a chapter called
"Reportsconcerning the virtue of the Qur'aan in general."
Al-Mundhiri included it in al-Targheeb wa'l-Tarheeb (2/76) in a
chapter called "Encouragement to recite Qur'aan in prayer and at other
times, and the virtue of learning it and teaching it."
He mentioned it a second time in a chapterentitled "Encouragementto
recite adhkaar to be said by night and by day,not just in the morning
and in the evening" (2/116).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Adhkaar (1/255):
Reciting Qur'aan is the most important of adhkaar, which should be
done regularly. No day or night should be without it and it may be
attained by reciting a few verses.
Then he mentioned a number of ahaadeeth including the hadeeth ofAbu
Hurayrah that we have quoted above. End quote.
It is hoped that the one who recites ten verses atnight will not be
recorded among the heedless, whether he recites them during his night
prayer or otherwise, for the bounty of Allaah is great indeed.
In Saheeh Muslim (789) itis narrated from Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "If the companion of the Qur'aan persists in reciting
it by night and by day, he will remember it, but if he does not do
that he will forget it."
The apparent meaning of the hadeeth is that what is meant by
qiyaamhere (idha qaama = if [he] persists) is broader in meaning than
the idea of praying qiyaam. Al-Manaawi (may Allaah have mercy on him)
said:i.e., if he commits himself to reading Qur'aan at night and
during the day, and doesnot neglect that… This is a recommendation to
read Qur'aan constantly, without singling out a specific time or
place. End quote.
Thirdly:
In the Sunnah it is recommended for the Muslim to recite certain
verses when he goes to bed.
Among the soorahs and verses which we are recommended to recite are
the following:
1 – Aayat al-Kursiy (al-Baqarah 2:255)
It says in a mu'allaq report narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (2311)
that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) appointed me to
guard the zakaah of Ramadaan, then someone came and started rummaging
in the foodstuff … and at the end of the hadeeth he said: "When you go
to your bed, recite Aayat al-Kursiy, for there will remain with you a
guardian from Allaah, and no devil will approach you, until morning
comes." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"He told you the truth although he is a liar. That was a devil."
2 – The last two verses ofSoorat al-Baqarah
It was narrated from AbuMas'ood al-Ansaari (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Whoever recites the last two verses of Soorat al-Baqarah at
night, they will suffice him." Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5009) and
Muslim (2714). Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Waabil al-Sayyib (132): They
will suffice him against any evil thatmay harm him.
It was narrated that 'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
"I did not think that any sane person could sleep without reciting the
last three verses of Soorat al-Baqarah."
In al-Adhkaar (220), al-Nawawi attributed it to the report of Abu
Bakribn Abi Dawood, then hesaid: It is saheeh according to the
conditions of al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
3, 4 – Soorat al-Isra' and Soorat al-Zumar
It was narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) would not go
to sleep until he had recited Bani Israa'eel (Soorat al-Isra') and
al-Zumar.
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (3402) who said: it is a hasan hadeeth. It was
also classed as hasan by al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar in Nataa'ij al-Afkaar
(3/65), and it was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Tirmidhi.
5 – Soorat al-Kaafiroon
It was narrated that Nawfal al-Ashja'i (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: The Messengerof Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said to me: "Recite Qul yaa ayyuha'l-kaafiroon then go to
sleep at the end of it, forit is a disavowal of shirk."
Narrated by Abu Dawood (5055) and al-Tirmidhi (3400); classed as hasan
by Ibn Hajar in Nataa'ij al-Afkaar (3/6); classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
6, 7, 8 – al-Ikhlaas and al-Mi'wadhatayn [i.e., the last three soorahs
of the Qur'aan]
It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) that
when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went to
bed every night,he would hold his hands together and blow into them,
and recite into them Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad, Qul a'oodhu bi rabb
il-falaq and Qul a'oodhu bi rabb il-naas. Then he would wipe them over
whatever he could of his body, starting with his head and face and the
front ofhis body, and he would do that three times. Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (5017).
It was narrated that Ibraaheem al-Nakha'i said:
They regarded it as mustahabb to recite these soorahs every night
three times: Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad and al-Mi'wadhatayn. Al-Nawawi said
in al-Adhkaar (221): its isnaad is saheeh according to the conditions
of Muslim.
Fourthly:
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Adhkaar (221):
It is better for a person to do all that has been narrated of this
matter, but if he cannot do that he should do whatever he is able to
do. End quote.
It is not essential to read from the Mus-haf. It is sufficient for the
Muslim to recite whatever he can from memory of the passages mentioned
above, and Allaah will decree for him what He has promised.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear - Is there a du‘aa’ that a pregnant woman may say for herself or for her baby?

If a woman finds out that she is pregnant, what can she do so that the
baby will be fine? In other words are there any adhkaar that she can
say during these nine months?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We do not know of any du'aa's in the saheeh Sunnah that are
specifically for the pregnant woman or the baby. Whatever has been
narrated concerning that is eitherfabricated or has been compiled by
some scholars from verses and du'aa's that are suited tothe occasion,
without attributing any of that toIslamic teachings per se.
1. Example of a fabricated report
There is a report which says that when the time of birth drew near for
Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Messenger of Allah
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Umm Salamahand
Zaynab bint Jahsh tocome and recite beside her Aayat al-Kursi and the
verse "Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens andthe
earth…" [al-A'raaf 7:54, Yoonus 10:3], and to recite al-Mu'awwidhatayn
(the last two soorahs). But this is a fabricated hadeeth. See:
al-Kalim at-Tayyib (p. 161) by Ibn Taymiyah, annotated by al-Albaani.
2. Example of ijtihaad
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
was asked: Are there any verses that may be recited for the purpose of
making childbirth easier for the woman?
He replied:
I do not know of anything of that nature in the Sunnah, but if
yourecite over the pregnant woman who is in labour that which speaks
of things being made easier, such as the verse (interpretation of the
meaning): "Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make
things difficult for you"[al-Baqarah 2:185]; and that which speaks
ofchildbirth and delivery, such as the verse (interpretation of the
meaning): "And no female conceives or gives birth, but with His
Knowledge" [Faatir 35:11] – this will be beneficial; it has been tried
and tested, by Allah's leave. The entire Qur'an is healing; if the
reciter and the one to whom it is recited believe in its impact then
it must inevitably have an effect, because Allah, may He be glorified
and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): "And We send down
from the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who
believe (in Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the
Zalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers) nothing but loss" [al-Isra'
17:82]. This verseis general in meaning; healing and mercy includes
healing of hearts from the diseases of doubt and desire, as well as
the healing of bodies from physical disease. End quote.
Fataawa Noor 'ala ad-Darb, tape no. 257, side A.
http://www.ibnothaimeen.com/all/noor/article_1210.shtml
The prayer of a mother for her child is answered, so there is thehope
that the prayer of the pregnant woman forher baby will be accepted by
Allah, may He be exalted, if she fulfills the conditions of
supplication and avoids any impediments to it receiving a response.
She should offer a great deal of supplication, asking for the baby's
well being and that he be righteous, guided and enabled to do good,and
that he will honour his parents.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - He teaches children at home in return for a monthly payment; if the child is absent is he entitled to payment?

I teach children Arabic and Qur'aan in my housein return for a monthly
payment from the familyas agreed between us. If a child is absent from
the class for a day or a week or a month, is it permissible for me to
take the payment in full without giving anything back to the family in
return for that day or week during which the child was absent? Please
note that I cannot put another child in his place for this day or week
or even month, because this time is set aside for that child and
cannot be given to anyone else. Please advise me, may Allah reward you
with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
If the agreement with the child's guardian is topay a specific monthly
payment and it was possible for the child to attend but he did not
attend, then you are entitled to take the payment in all cases,
whether he is present orabsent, so long as his absence was not due to
some shortcomings on your part, because the payment is due just for
setting aside time for the child.
But if the payment agreed upon between you is per class, such thatfor
each class there is a set payment, and the time or place was not
setaside for this particular child, or the child was not able to
attend because of some reason that was your fault, thenyou are not
entitled to payment except for the classes that you actually taught.
In that case you have to give back the payment for the classes during
which the child was absent.
The basic principle is that payment is dependent on work done.
Payment is also according to agreementsand conditions. It was narrated
from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "The Muslims are
bound by their conditions." Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3594; classed
assaheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Al-Bayhaqi (14826) narrated that 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Ghanm narrated
that 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Dues are based on
conditions.
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Irwa', 6/303
Shaykh Muhammad al-Hasan ould al-Duddo was asked about a worker who
was hired to do some work and did not do it; is it permissible for him
to bepaid for it?
He replied:
If the person who was hired is available for work but the one who
hired him turned him away, then he is entitledto payment. But if he
was negligent and did not do the work that he was hired to do, then it
is not permissible for him to take payment in return for that. This
includes renting houses and apartments and alsohiring people. If
someone hires a worker for one month, then after he works with him for
two or three days he no longer has any need of him, or he wants to
move from that city, for example, then that worker is entitled to
onemonth's payment in full, because he made himself available, but the
one who hired him no longer wanted him. But if the worker did notdo
the work properly and was not sincere, he is not entitled to the
payment, because he is the one who did wrong. The same applies to one
who rents an apartment for one month, then decides he does not need it
and wants to leave it. The landlord is entitled to a month's payment
in full, but if the apartment was not as specified, then the landlord
does not deserve the payment. End quote.
Link to the fatwa (in Arabic):
www.islamway.com/?iw_s=Fatawa&iw_a=view
To sum up:
In the case mentioned inthe question, you are entitled to one month's
payment in full, even if the student missed somelessons.
And Allah knows best.