2] Ramadan 2012, The 13th Day

2]
I will not let the deeds of any doer among you go towaste, male or
female—you are both the same in that respect. Those who have left
their homes and were driven from their homes, and [who] sufferedharm
in My Way and fought and were killed, I will erase their bad
actionsand admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, as
a reward from Allah. The best of all rewards is with Allah. (Surah Al
'Imran, 195)
Whoever meets Allah, without associating partners with Him, will enter
Paradise; and whoever meets Him as one who associated anything with
Him, will enter the Fire. (Muslim)
A woman and a man are both lower selves. They are souls. They are both
beings that come into being by Allah's breathing into them.
Consequently they have both the very same rights. A woman divorces as
she wishes, if she considers him to be abnormal and insincere. If he
is far removed from faith and religion, she divorces him. Even if she
does not divorce, their marriage becomes legally invalid. (A9 TV,
February 20, 2012)
The Qur'an Addresses Men And Women In The Same Manner
Every society knows all of the traditional arguments about women's
ideal role and place. Their social status and importance in the
family, whether or not they should work, and other social issues have
been discussed seemingly forever. For Muslims, these issues were
settled by the Qur'an: Men and women are equal. The facts that men and
women have different physical builds and that women are generally
weaker than men are irrelevant and cannot be used to reduce women's
value.
What truly matters in Islamic morality is not whether someone is male
or female, but whether or not he or she is a believer who fears and
respects Allah. Each believer is expected to strive to live by the
Qur'an's morality, for the results of this struggle are what Allah
values and will measure inthe Hereafter. Allah revealsthe qualities
that all Muslims, male or female, should have:
The men and women of the believers are friends ofone another. They
command what is right and forbid what is wrong, keep up prayer and
give the alms [zakat], and obey Allah and His Messenger. They are the
people on whom Allah will have mercy. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.
(Surat at-Tawba, 71)
As Allah reveals, all Muslims, regardless of their gender, have the
same responsibilities: to worship Allah, live according to the
Qur'an's morality, command good and prevent evil, and abide by the
Qur'an's rules.Allah promises everyone who fears and respects
thelimits that He has established for humanity that He will give them
the ability to distinguish right from wrong:
O you who believe! If you have fear of [and respect] Allah, He will
give you discrimination, erase your bad actions, and forgive you.
Allah's favor is indeed immense. (Surat al-Anfal, 29)
Any man or woman who acts on the impulses of theintellect derived from
belief can achieve success in many areas. This depends on their will,
motivation, and persistence. Believers never rest on their laurels,
for it is part of Islamic morality to always strive to be more
intelligent, talented, responsible, and virtuous, as well as to seekto
always improve upon their character. Allah reveals that believers pray
to Him for a character that will make them role models for those
around them.
Islam states that men and women are totally equal. For both of them,
it all depends on their ability to exceed what is expected ofthem by
realizing the full potential of their characterand personality, and by
fulfilling their responsibilities. For this reason, believing women do
not struggle for equality with men, but exert themselves in the race
to do good, defined inthe Qur'an as the effort to win Allah's good
pleasure. For this end, they race to become the person most loved by
Allah so that theymay win His good pleasureand be the nearest to Him.
The equality between menand women is also seen in the fact that Allah
gives them equal rights in this world:
Every soul will taste death.We test you with both good and evil as a
trial. And you will be returned to Us. (Surat al-Anbiya', 35)
Allah gave each man and woman a fixed number of years, holds them both
responsible for their choices, gave them a senseof right and wrong,
and made their base instincts and Satan their enemies. He also reminds
men and women that no one will be treated unjustly as regards the
rewards they are to receive on Earth as well as in the Hereafter:
"Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, We will
give them a good life and will recompense them according to the best
of what they did" (Surat an-Nahl, 97)

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1d] Sunnahs Neglected in Ramadhan

1d]
And our Messenger sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam said, "Beware of
(ghuluww) exceeding the limits in the Religion. Because those who came
before you were destroyedby their exceeding the limits in their
Religion."
So when Allah¹s Messenger, sallAllahu alaihiwa sallam, has made it
clear to us that there is in the matter of a persons taking suhoor ,
latitude and a margin of ease, to the extent that he said, "If one of
you hears the call to Prayer whilst the vessel is in his hand, then
let him not put it down until he has completed his need from it."
So it is opposition to Allah and to the Messenger that a person says
that one who hears the adhaan whilst he has food in his mouth must
spit it out upon the ground. This is not from the Sunnah . Rather this
is contrary to the Sunnah , and is contrary to the clear command of
the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihiwa sallam . And I have been asked many
times, soI will not leave the need for such a question, but rather I
will precede you init, by stating that this hadeeth is to be found in
some of the most famous books of the Sunnah . Fromthem being the Sunan
of Aboo Daawood, and it is the third book from the well-known six
books. Thefirst of which is Saheehul-Bukhaaree , the second being
Saheeh Muslim , and the third being the Sunan of Aboo Daawood.
This hadeeth is to be foundin it, and it is likewise reported by Aboo
Abdullaah al-Haakim in his Mustadrak , and it is likewise reported by
the Imaam, the Imaam of the Sunnah Ahmad ibn Hanbal, rahimahullaah ,
in his tremendous book known as the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad. So the
hadeth is not a strange hadeeth , rather it is a well-known hadeeth ,
and was reported by the Imaams ofthe sunnah in the early times, and
with an authentic chain of narration.
So here I say, to conclude this talk, since perhaps some of you have
questions, which we will answer if Allah wills, so I conclude it with
his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying "Allah loves that
Hisallowances be acted upon just as He loves that His prescribed
duties be carried out," and in one narration, "Just as He hatesthat
disobedience to Him be committed."
So there are two narrations, "Allah loves that His allowances be acted
upon just as He lovesthat His prescribed duties be carried out" , and
the second narration is, "as He hates that disobedience to Him be
committed."
So therefore the Muslim should not practice false piety, and (as a
result) refrain from obeying the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam,
in that which he encouraged us upon and clarified to us.
And what has been said is sufficient, and all praise is for Allah, the
Lord of all of the creation."/<alhamdulillaah>

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1c] Sunnahs Neglected in Ramadhan

1c]
So from this ease is his, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, saying, "If one
of you hearsthe call to Prayer and the vessel is in the hand of oneof
you, then let him not put it down until he fulfils his need from it."
"If one of you hears the call to Prayer," and he has had his fill of
whatever he was eating, then it is not allowed for him to then have
any more, whether it be a drink, or some fruit."
But as for the one who hears the Adhaan and he has not yet taken what
he needs from the food and the drink, then the Messenger, sallAllahu
alaihiwa sallam, made that lawful for him. So he clearly said, in the
clear and eloquent Arabic language, "If one of you hears the call to
Prayer, and the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it down
until he fulfils his need from it."
And what is meant here bythe call is the second call, the second
Adhaan . It is not the first Adhaan , which they wrongly call the
Adhaan for withholding ( al-Imsaak ). We must know that there is no
basis for calling the first Adhaan the Adhaan for withholding ( imsaak
).
The second Adhaan is when we are to withhold, and this is clearly
stated in the Quraan, since Allah, theMighty and Majestic, says: And
eat and drink until thewhite thread of dawn becomes clear to you
fromthe black thread of the night.
So eating becomes forbidden at the start of the time of the Fajr
Prayer. There is no separation between these two things.There is no
withholding from food and drink for a quarter of an hour, or less than
that, or more than that, before the start of the time for the Fajr
Prayer. Not at all. Because the Prayer becomes due when the true dawn
appears, and food becomes forbidden for the Fasting person when the
true dawn appears. So there is no separation between these two matters
at all.
So therefore there occurs in the hadeeth agreed upon by al-Bukharee
and Muslim, from the hadeeth of ¹Abdullaah ibn ¹Umar ibn al-Khattaab,
radiyAllahu ¹anhumaa , that the Prophet, sallAllahualaihi wa sallam,
said, "Let not the Adhaan of Bilaal deceive you," meaning, thefirst
Adhaan, "because he gives the Adhaan in order to awaken the person
whois sleeping, and so that theperson who wishes to eat the pre-dawn
meal can do so. So eat and drink until Ibn Umm Maktoon gives the
Adhaan."
Ibn Umm Maktoon, and hisname was 'Amr, he was a blind man, and he was
the one about whom the Saying of Allah, the Exaltedand Most High, came
down: He frowned and turned away, that the blind man came to him."
tothe end of the Aayahs .
So he used to give the second Adhaan , the Adhaan which means that
eating becomes prohibited, and that it is now time for the Fajr
Prayer.
How had he used to give the adhaan when he was blind? This is a
question which naturally occurs to some people. So 'Amr ibn Umm
Maktoom used to climb upon the roof of the mosque, and he could not
see the dawn, but he would wait until someone passing by saw the dawn.
So when someone saw that the dawn had appeared and spread across the
horizon, then they would say to him, It is morning. It is morning.
Then he would give the Adhaan .
So you will notice here that the Adhaan of 'Amr ibn Umm Maktoom was
after the Fajr had appeared, and had been seen by the people whilst
they were walking in the streets. So the when it was said to him, "It
is morning. It is morning," hewould give the Adhaan .
So therefore there is latitude in the affair, since the muadhdhin
would be delayed in giving the Adhaan until he heard the people
telling him, "It is morning, it is morning." And then Allah¹s
Messenger, sallAllahu alaihiwa sallam, said, "If one of you hears the
call to Prayer and the vessel is in his hand, then let him not put it
down until he has fulfilled his need from it."
So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, spoke truly when He said at the end
of those Aayahs relating to Fasting: Allah desires to make things easy
for you, and Hedoes not desire to make things difficult for you.
and,
And that you should complete the number of days, and that you should
glorify Allah by mentioning takbeer for His having guided you, and
that you should be thankful.
So therefore from the Fiqh that is to be criticised, and which runs
contrary to this Sunnah , is that a person says, "If someone hears the
Adhaan and has some food in his mouth, then he must spit it out." So
this isover-strictness, and ( ghuluww ) exceeding the limits in the
Religion, and the Lord of all of the creation admonished us, and
reminded us, in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Prophet, sallAllahu
alaihi wa sallam, that we should not exceed the due limits in our
Religion. So He said, in the Noble Quraan:
O people of the Book! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, and
do not say anything about Allah except the truth.

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1b] Sunnahs Neglected in Ramadhan

1b]
But these time-tables are based upon astronomical calculations which
count the land as being a single flat plane. So they give a time for
this flat plain, whereas the reality is that the land, particularly in
this land of ours varies, varying between the depression of valleys
and the elevation of mountains. So it is not correct that a single
time be given which covers the shore, the plains and the mountains.
No, each part of the land has its own time. So therefore whoever is
able in his place of residence, in his city or his village, to see the
sun set with his own eye, then whatever time it sets at, then that is
the hastening that we have been commanded with in his, sallAllahu
alaihi wa sallam, saying, which we just mentioned, "My Ummah will
continue to be upon good as long as they hasten to break the fast." So
the Prophet sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, was careful to implement this
Sunnah by teaching it, and by putting it into practice.
As for his teaching, then he, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, said, in
the hadeeth reported by al-Bukharee in his Saheeh (no. 1954), "If the
night appears from this side," and he pointed towards the east , "and
the day has departed from here," and he pointed towards the west ,
"and the sun has set,then the Fasting persons fast is broken."
What does, 'the Fasting persons fast is broken' mean? It means he has
entered under the ruling that he should break his fast. So then comes
the previous ruling where the Messenger, sallAllahu alaihiwa sallam,
encouraged hastening to break the Fast, and the Messenger, sallAllahu
alaihi wa sallam, used to implement this, even when he was riding on a
journey.
So it is reported in the Saheeh of al-Bukharee (no.1955) that the
Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, ordered one of his Companions to
preparethe Iftaar for him. So he replied, O Messenger of Allah it is
still daytime before us.¹ Meaning: the light of the sun, so even
though it had set, yet its light was still clear in the west. So the
Messenger, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, did not respond to what he had
said, rather he re-emphasised the command to him to prepare the Iftaar
. So the narrator of the hadeeth who said, "We could see daylight in
front of us (meaning: the light of day, the light of the sun) when we
broke our fast," said, "Ifone of us had climbed onto his camel he
would have seen the sun." The sun had set from their location, and the
Messenger, sallAllahu alaihiwa sallam, ordered one of the Companions
to prepare the Iftaar . Why? To hasten upon good "My Ummah will
continue upon good for as long as they hasten to break the Fast."
So what is important is that we notice that the Iftaar which is
legislated tobe hastened must be donewith a few dates. Then wemust
hasten to perform the Prayer. Then after this the people can sit and
eat as they need.
This is the first matter which I wanted to remind of, and it is how to
reconcile the two matters which the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa
sallam, commanded we should hasten to perform. The first being the
command to hasten the breaking of the Fast, and the second being the
command to hasten to perform the Maghrib Prayer. So the Iftaar should
be done with some dates, as occurs in the Sunnah , and if dates are
not available, then with some gulps of water. Then the Prayer should
pray in congregation in the mosque. Then the other matter which I want
to remind of is what occurs in the previous hadeeth, " And they delay
the pre-dawn meal " Meaning: what is required here is the opposite to
the case of the Iftaar . So he, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam,
commanded us to hasten to perform the Iftaar . But as for the Suhoor
, then it should be delayed. But what happens today is totally
contrary to this, since many people eat their Suhoor before the
appearance of Fajr by perhaps an hour. This is not befitting. This
is contrary to the Sunnah shown by the saying of the Prophet,
sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, and by his practice. So the Companions
of the Prophet, sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, used to leave the Suhoor
so late, that one of them would almosthear the Adhaan and he would
still be eating. He delayed the Suhoor .
Indeed there is an authentic hadeeth reported from the Prophet,
sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam, which shows the ease afforded by Islaam,
which is to be counted as one of the principles of Islaam, which the
Muslims are proud of, especially with regard to the matter of Fasting,
since Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, concluded the aayahs concerning
Fasting with His Saying:
Allah desires ease for you, and He does not desire to make things
difficult for you.

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