A Gift After Hardships

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) dispatched towards the
sea-shore an expedition ofthree hundred men, underthe command of Abu
Ubaidah (ra) in 8 A.H. He gave them a bag full of dates for their
rations. They had been hardly out for fifteen days when theyran short
of rations. In order to provide the contingent with food, Qais(ra)
began buying three camels daily from his own men, to feed the
Mujahideen, with a promise to pay on return to Madinah. The Amir
seeing that the slaugther of camels would deprive the party of their
only means of transport, prohibited him to do so. He collected the
dates thathad been left with each person and stored them ina bag. He
would issue one date to each man as his daily ration. When Jabir (ra)
later on narrated this story to the people, one ofhis audience
inquired:
"How did you manage to live upon one date only for the whole day?" He
replied: "We longed even for that one date, when the whole stock was
exhausted. We were on the verge of starvation. We moistened the dry
tree-leaves with water and ate them."
When they reached this stage, Allah had mercy on them for He always
brings ease after every hardship, provided it is endured patiently. A
big fish knownas "Ambar" was thrown out of the sea for them. The fish
was so big that they lived on it for eighteen days altogether. They
also filled their satchels with the remaining portion, which lasted
them right up to Madinah. When the episode was narrated to the Prophet
(peace be upon him), he said: "The fish was a provision arranged for
you by Allah."
Source: From the book"Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad
Zakariyya Kandhalvi.
We are Muslims today because of such sacrifices by the companions of
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). We should remember these events
as a source of comfort whenever we too are faced with difficulties
regarding practising Islam.

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He cannot recite al-Faatihah behind the imam; should he stop praying behind him?

A mosque 900 meters away from my house i dont hear the adhan at all.i
sometimes go there and they folllow abu hanifa ra and they recite
fatiha too fast. Most of the time i am in 4 or 5th verse of fatiha
they go to rukoo. So is it still obligatory for me to attend the
prayer there since i dont hear the adhan and i cant finish reciting
fatiha, and the tranquility is also not there because of the quick
recition of the imam.
Praise be to Allaah.
If the imam does not recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, and he
recites al-Faatihah very quickly, and the person praying behind him is
not able to recite it behind him, then it is not valid forhim to pray
behind him and the congregation has to look for another imam who will
recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, or they should go to another
mosque in which the people pray at amoderate pace, because reciting
and moving at a moderate pace in prayer isone of its essential parts.
Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If it is known that
theimam does not recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, and that he
does not stand long enough to allow the people praying behind him to
complete al-Faatihah, then you should not pray with him at all,
because it is not permissible to pray with him, as you are caught
between two things: either you will follow him and miss out on the
essential part of the prayer, or you will do the essential part of the
prayer and miss out on following the imam. We warn these imams about
such things. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have stated
that it is haraam for the imam to rush so much that it prevents the
person praying behind him from doing what is obligatory, and reciting
and moving at a moderate pace are obligatory. It is not acceptable for
such imamsto be imams of the Muslims, and they should be dismissed
from the post of imam if they are employed as such. Those who are in
charge of imams should go around the mosques and if they find anyone
who is like this, and who is not doing what is required of an imam,
they should dismisshim, because this is a bad custom.
I say: if it is the habit of this imam to recite so quickly that the
person praying behind him cannot recite al-Faatihah, then the people
of the mosque have to ask for him to be dismissed, and ifit is known
that a person is like that, he should not start to pray with him at
all and he should go to another mosque. End quote.
Liqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh, 146/9
See also the answer to question no. 6551
It is obligatory for you to pray in congregation in the mosque so long
as youare able to do so; try to find a different mosque. For more
information on the evidence that it is obligatory to pray in
congregation, please see the answer to question no. 40113
For more information on the distance between the mosque and one's home
that makes it obligatory topray in the mosque, pleasesee the answer to
question no. 36674 .
And Allah knows best.

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Verses in the Qur’an about justice

upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allahalone , even against
yourselves or your parentsand relatives. Whether they are rich or
poor, Allahis well able to look after them. Do not follow your own
desires and deviatefrom the truth . If you twist or turn away, Allah
isaware of what you do. (Surat an-Nisa', 135)
Among those We have created there is a community who guide bythe Truth
and act justly according to it . (Surat al-A'raf, 181)
… if you do judge, judge between them justly. Allahloves the just .
(Surat al-Maida, 42)
You who believe! show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness
with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not
beingjust. Be just. That is closer to taqwa . Fear [and respect]
Allah. Allah isaware of what you do. (Surat al-Maida, 8)
Every nation has a Messenger and when theirMessenger comes everything
is decided between them justly . They are not wronged. (Surah Yunus,
47)
We sent Our Messengers with the Clear Signs and sent down the Book and
the Balance with them so that mankind might establish justice . (Surat
al-Hadid, 25)
Say: " My Lord has commanded justice …" (Surat al-A 'raf, 29)
So call and go straight as you have been ordered to.Do not follow
their whims and desires but say, 'I haveiman in a Book sent down by
Allah and I am orderedto be just between you . Allah is our Lord and
your Lord. We have our actions and you have your actions.There is no
debate between us and you. Allahwill gather us all together.He is our
final destination.'(Surat ash-Shura, 15)
Among those We have created there is a community who guide bythe Truth
and act justly according to it . (Surat al-A 'raf, 181)
Those with faith, those who are Jews, and the Christians and
Sabaeans,all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly,
will have their reward with their Lord . They will feel no fear and
will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara, 62)
Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fairadmonition, and argue
with them in the kindest way. (Surat an-Nahl, 125)
Is it not likely that, if you did turn away, you would cause
corruption in the earth and sever your ties of kinship? Such are the
people Allah has cursed, making them deaf and blinding their eyes.
(Surah Muhammad, 22-23)
Allah does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought
you in the deen or driven you from your homes,or from being just
towards them. Allah loves those who are just . Allah merely forbids
you from taking as friends those who have fought you in the religion
and driven you from your homes and who supported your expulsion. Any
who take them as friends are wrongdoers. (Surat al-Mumtahana, 8-9)
As for those who reject Allah's Signs, and kill the Prophets without
any right to do so, and kill those who command justice, give them news
of a painful punishment. (Surah Al 'Imran, 21)

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Verses of the Qur’an about forgiveness

Whether you reveal a goodact or keep it hidden, or pardon an evil act,
Allah is Ever-Pardoning, All-Powerful . (Surat An-Nisa, 149)
Make allowances for people , command what is right, and turn away from
the ignorant. (Surat Al-A'raf,199)
That is so. And if anyone inflicts an injury the same as the one done
to him andthen is again oppressed, Allah will come to his aid. Allah
is All-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving . (Surat Al-Hajj, 60)
Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make
oaths that they will not give to their relatives and the very poor and
those who have made hijra in theway of Allah.* They shouldrather
pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is
Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful . (Surat An-Nur, 22)
The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But if someone
pardons and puts things right, his reward is with Allah .
Certainly He does not love wrongdoers. (Surat Ash-Shura, 40)
Allah does not impose on any self any more than it can stand. For it
is what it has earned; against it, what it has merited. Our Lord, do
not take us to taskif we forget or make a mistake! Our Lord, do not
place on us a load like the one You placed on those before us! Our
Lord, do not place on us a load we have not the strength to bear! And
pardon us; and forgive us ; and have mercy on us. You are our Master ,
so help us against the people of the kafirun. (Surat Al-Baqara, 286)
Those of you who turned their backs on the day the two armies clashed
– it was Shaytan who made them slip for what they had done. But Allah
has pardoned them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, All-Forbearing . (Surat Al
'Imran, 155)
It may well be that Allah will pardon them. Allah isEver-Pardoning,
Ever-Forgiving. (Surat An-Nisa, 99)
The People of the Book willask you to bring down a Book from heaven to
them.They asked Musa for even more than that. They said, 'Let us see
Allah with our own eyes.' So the lightning-bolt struck them down for
their wrongdoing. Then they adopted the Calf after the Clear Signs had
come to them, but We pardoned them for that and gave Musa clear
authority. (SuratAn-Nisa, 153)
But because of their breaking of their covenant, We have cursed them
and made their hearts hard. They distort the true meaning of words and
have forgotten a good portion of what they were reminded of. You will
never cease to come upon some act of treachery on their part, except
for a few of them. Yet pardon them , and overlook. Allah loves
good-doers. (Surat Al-Ma'ida, 13)
You who believe! do not ask about matters which, ifthey were made
known to you, would make things difficult for you. If you do ask about
them when the Qur'an is being sent down, they will be made known to
you. Allah has ignored them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, All-Forbearing .
(Surat Al-Ma'ida, 101)
Allah pardon you ! Why did you excuse them until it was clear to you
which ofthem were telling the truthand until you knew the liars?
(Surat At-Tawba, 43)
It is He Who accepts repentence from His servants and pardons evilacts
and knows what they do. (Surat Ash-Shura, 25)
Any disaster that strikes you is through what your own hands have
earned and He pardons much . (Surat Ash-Shura, 30)
Or He wrecks them for what they have earned though He pardons much .
(Surat Ash-Shura, 34)
Those of you who divorce your wives by equating them with your
mothers, they are not your mothers.Your mothers are only those who
gave birth to you. What you are saying is wrong and a slanderous
lie.But Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving . (Surat Al-Mujadala,
2)
You who believe! some of your wives and children are an enemy to you,
so bewary of them.But if you pardon and exonerate and forgive,Allah is
Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful . (Surat At-Taghabun, 14)
FORGIVING
Those are the people who will have blessings and mercy from their
Lord; they are the ones who are guided. (Surat Al-Baqara, 157)
Your God is One God. There is no god but Him, the All-Merciful, the
Most Merciful . (Surat Al-Baqara, 163)
He has only forbidden you carrion, blood and pork and what has been
consecrated to other than Allah. But anyone who is forced to eat it –
without desiring it or going to excess in it – commits no crime. Allah
is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful . (Surat Al-Baqara, 173)
Those are the ones who have sold guidance for misguidance and
forgiveness for punishment. How steadfastly they will endure the Fire!
(Surat Al-Baqara, 175)
You who believe! retaliation is prescribed for you in the case of
people killed: free man for free man, slave for slave, femalefor
female. But if someone is absolved by his brother, blood-money should
be claimed with correctness and paid with good will. That is an
easement and a mercy from your Lord .

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