5a] THE HADEETH OF JIBREEL

5a]
the Mighty and the Majestic."
And Sufyaan ibn Uyainahal-Hilaalee said,"Whoever seeks knowledge then
he has pledged
allegiance to Allaah."2
"Indeed some of them, may Allaah have mercy upon them, have clearly
stated, amongst them Maalik,
ash-Shaafi'ee and Imaam Ahmad, and it is stated word for word by Aboo
Haneefah - that, `...the
most excellent of actions, after the obligatory duties, is seeking
knowledge." This saying is
witnessed to by the saying of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam), The excellence of
knowledge is greater than optional actions and the best of your
religion is piety. [Sahih at-Targheeb wat-Targheeb,
no.65].3
And Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allaahhave mercy on him) said in
Miftaah Daaris-Sa'aadah,
commenting upon this hadeeth, "This speech is the decisive saying in
this matter because if it is the
case that some knowledge and an action are both obligatory, then they
must both be done, suchas
fasting and prayer. In that case the excellence of knowledge, optional
knowledge is better thanthe
excellence of extra and optional worship. This is because the benefit
of knowledge is general, it
benefits its possessor and it benefits the rest ofthe people as well.
Whereas the benefit of worship is
particular to the person who does that worship. Also because with the
scholar, his benefit and
knowledge remains afterhis death. Whereas worship is cut off from him
at his death."
And just as it is the case that the one fighting jihaad cannot repel
an enemy except with a weapon
and with his being prepared, then whoever wishes to go out to
fight,has to make preparation for
that. Just as Allaah, the Most High said:
If they had truly wanted to go out to fight, they would have made
preparation for it. [Soorah at-Tawbah (9):46].
2 Refer to `Madaarijas-Salikeen,' vol.2, p.470.
3 Is is rather Sahih at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb, no.65.
And therefore He has commanded that those fighting jihaad prepare and
make ready, so He said:
And prepare and make ready for them whatever strength you are able to.
[Soorah al-Anfaal (8):60].
So likewise, the scholar, the teacher and the student will not be able
to achieve anything nor
remove any distress, nor will he be able to remove any darkness except
by his having finecharacter
and correct manners. So it is befitting that the scholar and the
teacher should stand out and likewise
the student who is learning. He should be distinguished and stand out
from the ways of the common
people by the fact that he applies the narrationsof the Messenger of
Allaah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as
far as he is able. By applying the matters of the Sunnah upon
himselfbecause Allaah, the Exalted
and Most High, said:
Indeed there is in Allaah's Messenger an excellent and fine example for
you. [Soorah al-Ahzaah (33):21].
And all praise is for Allaah, who has caused Sufyaan ath-Thawree to
say a very fine word. He said,
"If you are able that you should not even scratch your head except
according to a narration, then do
so." 4 "And how truthfully the person who spoke has said, `Whoever is
not trained and watered by
the Messenger and givenfine milk to drink by him,then he is a lost
child deprived of his lineage and
he will not get beyond the behaviour of his ownpeople." In this there
is an explanation of what has
preceded, that the authentic, prophetic Sunnah, in all its
entiretycontains all the manners required
by the teacher and by the student.
They are contained and they are gathered in the authentic Sunnah.
Indeed even further, I have
found all of that stored or held within the long hadeeth of Jibreel
concerning Islaam, Eemaan
and Ihsaan." These manners are contained within the words of this one
hadeeth, because in its
words there are the methodologies of teaching and there are pearls in
that regard. In its shade are
the ways to be followed, when learning and thereare precious lessons in that.
So I saw that they shouldbe extracted and affirmed in order that they
should be brought out as a
golden chain leading to lofty and pure manners. As a reminder of the
loftyand pleasing habits that
should be adopted, in order that the ummah of Islaam should come
backto being, the best of the
creation.
I have called it The Adornment of the Scholar and the Teacher and
Sufficiency for the
Student who learns from the hadeeth of Jibreel (alaihis-salaam). And I
hope from Allaah that He
causes it to produce fruits and He causes it to reach those who
deserveit. Those who when theyfind
some good, make supplication for good and blessing for the author of a
book and for the publisher
of a book. And if they find any shortcomings init, they rectify and
they advise. But as for those
people who lie in wait then whenever they see a slip, cry out and
shout aloud, just like hyenas. And
we ask Allaah for a good end, and it is for Allaah to direct us upon the way/

5] THE HADEETH OF JIBREEL

5]
Preface
Indeed all praise is for Allah. We praise Him andwe seek His aid and
we ask for His forgiveness. We
seek Allahs refuge from the evils of ourselves andfrom our evil deeds.
Whomsoever Allah guides
no-one can misguide him and whomsoever Allaah misguides then there is
none to guide him. I bear
witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, alone,
having no partner and I bear
witness that Muhammadis His slave and His Messenger. To proceed:
Allaah has protected the homeland of Islaam withthe mujaahideen (those
who fight jihaad) and He
has protected the prescribed way of eemaan with the teachers. Since
He, the Most High, says in His
clear Book:
It is not right for the Believers that all of themshould go off to battle.
Rather from every troop of them some of them should remain in order that
they should attain knowledge in the Religion. That they should warn their
people when they returnto them so that they can beware of evil.
[Soorah at-Tawbah
(9):122].
So Allaah, the Perfect, placed the Believers into two groups. On one
of them He has made it
obligatory that they fightjihaad in His way. And upon the other one,
He has made it obligatory that
they attain knowledge ofHis Religion, in order that not all of them go
off to fight jihaad. Because if
they all went off to fight jihaad, then the prescribed laws would pass
away and knowledge would
pass away. Then it would not be possible for them to seek knowledge
after that and so the
unbelievers would therefore gain dominance over the Religion. Thus,
Allaah has raised up high the
levels of the two groups of people.1 And the great scholar Ibn
Qayyimal-Jawziyyah (may Allaahhave
mercy on him) said in hisbook, Miftaah Daaris-Sa'aadah, [vol.1,
pp.50~51]. "And Allaah, the Perfect,
has informed in His Bookabout the raising high ofthe levels four
times. Thefirst of them is His
saying:
O you who believe, when it is said to you to make space in the gatherings,
then make space such that Allaah may grant you spacious dwellings in
Paradise and if it is said to you, `Arise,' then rise up. Allaah will raise up
those of you who have Eemaan and those of you who have knowledge in
ranks. And Allaah is fully aware of whatever you do. [Soorah al-Mujaadilah
(58):11].
The second aayah is His saying:
The Believers are only those who, when Allaah is mentioned, their hearts
tremble with fear. And when His signs are recited to them, it increases
them in Eemaan and they depend upon their Lord. They are those who
establish the prayer and spend out of that which Allaah has provided for
them. They are the true Believers, they have ranks with their Lord and
they have forgiveness and generous provision in Paradise from their Lord.
[Soorah al-Anfaal (6):2~4].
And the third aayah is the saying of Allaah, the Most High:
And whomever comes toAllaah as a true Believer, having done righteous
and correct deeds, then for them there are the high ranks. [Soorah Taa Haa
(20):75].
1 Taken from the introduction of Al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih, the book of
al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee, and has been adapted
slightly.
And the fourth aayah is the saying of Allaah, the Most High:
Indeed Allaah has preferred the ones who fight jihaad over those who sit,
with a very great reward:degrees of higher gradesfrom Him and
forgiveness and mercy. [Soorah an-Nisaa (4):95~96].
So these are four places. In three of them, the raising up of the
ranks is for the people of Eemaan,
that is those who have the beneficial knowledge (al-'ilm un-naafi')
and righteous and correct action
(al-'amalus-Saalih). And the fourth aayah mentions the raising up of
ranks due to jihaad. So all of
the aayahs about the raising up of ranks refer back to knowledge and
jihaad, which are the two
supports of this Religion."
And from this we see that the scholars, (who have the correct
knowledge and wisdom,and teach
people the knowledge insuch a manner that they teach them the easy
things first and then the
harder things) those by whom the proof is established, and by whose
sayings doubts are removed in
the sittings of knowledge and whose sittings are fields where the
souls are purified, and in the fields
of calling to Allaah-(we see) that they are like those fighting jihaad
in the way of Allaah, those who
rebut the enemy and those who cut off the desires of the Unbelievers,
who go to the battlefronts
defending the frontiers.
And this understanding is reported from a group of the first Salaf,
Abud-Dardaa (radiyallaahu 'anhu)
said, "Whoever holds that going off in the morning or going off later
in the day to gain some
knowledge is not jihaad,then he is deficient in hisintellect and
deficient in his opinion."
And Ka'b al-Ahbaar said,"The student of knowledge is like the one who
goes off in the morning, or
later in the day to fight in the way of Allaah, the Mighty and the Majestic. :->

FACTS OF RAMADAN

FASTING
Assalamualaikum
The Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. TheMonth of Ramadan
isalso when it is believed the Holy Quran "was sent down from heaven,
aguidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of
Salvation"
It is during this month that Muslims fast. It is called the Fast of
Ramadan andlasts the entire month. Ramadan is atime when Muslims
concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concernsof their
everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation
During the Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily
lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat ordrink during the
daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during
fasting. At the end ofthe day the fast is broken with prayer and a
meal called theiftar. In the evening following the iftar it is
customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast
is resumed the next morning
According to the Holy Quran:
One may eat and drink at any time during the night"until you can
plainlydistinguish a white thread from a black thread by the daylight:
then keep the fast until night"
The good that is acquired through the fast can be destroyed by five things -
the telling of a lie
slander
denouncing someone behind his back
a false oath
greed or covetousness
These are consideredoffensive at all times,but are most offensive
during the Fast of Ramadan
During Ramadan, it is common for Muslims to go to the Masjid (Mosque)
and spend several hours praying and studyingthe Quran. In addition to
the five daily prayers, during Ramadan Muslims recite a special prayer
called the Taraweeh prayer (Night Prayer). The length of this prayer
is usually 2-3 times as long as the daily prayers. Some Muslims spend
the entire night in prayer
On the evening of the 27th day of the month, Muslims celebrate the
Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). It is believedthat on this night
Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. And
according to the Quran, this is when God determines the course of the
world for the following year
When the fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is
celebrated for three days in a holiday called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of
FastBreaking). Gifts are exchanged. Friends and family gather to pray
in congregationand for large meals. In some cities fairs are held to
celebrate the end of the Fast ofRamadan.
Special Characteristics of Ramadan
1. Observing the fourth pillar of Islam has been prescribed during
this month, and it is one of the best means by whicha person attains
piety and forgiveness of sins.
2. The first revelationof the Qur'an as guidance for humanity was
given to the Prophet (pbuh) during this month.
3. The sunnah of performing the tarawih prayer is observed during this month.
4. Ramadan containsLaylatul-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months.
5. The great battle ofBadr between the Muslims and the unbelievers
took place during Ramadan in the second year of the Hijrah.
6. The Muslims re-entered Makkah victorious during Ramadan in the
eighth year of the Hijrah. After this conquest people began to enter
the fold of Islam in multitudes, and Makkah became free of polytheism
and evil.
Benefits from Ramadan
1. It strengthens one's ties with Allah and trains the soul toobserve
duties of devotion in accordance with the teachings of the Qur'an and
Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).
2. It enforces patience and determination in theMuslim individual.
3. It promotes the principle of sincerity by keeping the Muslim away
from arrogance and showing off, since it is an act between the
individual and his Creator.
4. It promotes good character, particularly truthfulness and trust-worthiness.
5. It encourages the Muslim to do away with bad habits and change
his/her circumstances for the better.
6. It enhances generosity, hospitality, and spending on charitable causes.
7. It reinforces feelings of unity and brotherhood among Muslims.
8. It instills orderliness and closeobservance of the value of time.
9. It serves as an opportunity for children to perform acts of
obedience and to practice Islamic acts of worship.
10. It offers a chanceto balance one's attention to both physical and
spiritualneeds.

4a] Disturbed by waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and evil thoughts

4a]
The fact that you hate that and your heart recoils from it is a clear
sign of faith. Waswaas happens to everyone whoturns to Allaah by
reciting dhikr etc. It is inevitable, but you have to be steadfast and
patient, andpersevere with your dhikrand prayer, and not give up,
because in this way you will ward off the plot of the Shaytaan. "Ever
feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan" [al-Nisa' 4:76– interpretation
of the meaning]. Every time a person wants to turn to Allaah, waswaas
brings other matters to mind. The Shaytaan is like a bandit: every
time a person wants to move towards Allaah, he wants to block the way.
Hence when it was said to one of the salaf that the Jews and
Christians say, "We donot experience waswaas,"he said, "They are
speaking the truth, for what would the Shaytaan do with a house in
ruins?"
(From Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, 22/608).
The remedy:
1 – If you feel that you are being affected by this waswaas, say,
"Aamantu Billaahi wa Rasoolihi (I believe in Allaah and His
Messenger)." It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The Shaytaan
comes to one of you and says, 'Who created you?' And he says 'Allaah.'
Then the Shaytaan says, 'Who created Allaah?' If that happens to any
one of you, let him say, AamantuBillaahi wa Rusulihi (I believe in
Allaah and His Messenger). Then that willgo away from him."
(Narrated by Ahmad, 25671; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Saheehah, 116).
2 – Try to stop thinking about that as much as possible, and keep busy
with things that will distract you from it.
Finally we advise you to keep on turning to Allaah in all situations,
and to ask Him for help, and to beseech Him, and to ask Him to make
you steadfast until death, and to cause you to die doing righteous
deeds… And Allaah knows best.