4] Did the dinosaurs really exist?

4]
We live here in the west and we have some non-Muslim friends who discuss Islam with us. They are very interested in science and theories about the universe, and they have a question: Is there any mention of the dinosaurs in Islam? Is this proven in the saheeh Sunnah? How should we answer them, whether the answer is yes or no?
Praise be to Allah.
In al-Mawsoo‘ah al-‘Arabiyyah al-‘Aalamiyyah it says: Thedinosaurs of the Jurassic period (138-205 million years ago) include the tallest known dinosaur, namely the diplodocus, which reached a height of27 m, as well as other dinosaurs such as the plated or armoured stegosaurus, the allosaurus, and the camptosaurus.
The dinosaurs were reptiles that lived millionsof years ago. The word dinosaur is derived from two Greek words meaning “terrible lizard”. However the dinosaurs were not really lizards, although the size of someof them was terrifying; the largest dinosaur was the biggest animal that ever lived on dry land, with a weight that was many times that of a fully grown elephant. There are a very few types of whales that grow to a size bigger than these dinosaurs.
The first dinosaurs appeared on earth 220 million years ago. These creatures dominated dry land for approximately 150 million years and lived on most continents on earth and in various environments, such as swamps and flat plains. They became extinct suddenly 63 million years ago. End quote.
There is nothing in the texts of the Qur’aan or Sunnah to confirm or deny the existence of these creatures. In the Holy Qur’aan there are some verses which some scholars have understood to mean that there were creatures that existed on earth before Adam (peace be upon him), such as the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.’ They said: ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, - while we glorify You with praises and thanks (Exalted be You above all that they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You.’ He (Allah) said: ‘I know that which you do not know’”
[al-Baqarah 2:30].
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim) said: The words of the angels “Will You placetherein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood?” make it very likely that they were successors to some creatures who came before them and that there were creatures on earth before that who shed blood and spread mischief. So the angels asked their Lord, may He be glorified and exalted: “Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood” as was done by those who came before them?
End quote from Tafseer al-Qur’aan al-Kareem, 1/30
See also the answer to question no. 128573
The dinosaurs may have been among those creatures.
It is not strange that therewere creatures of this great size. It is proven in the saheeh Sunnah that Adam (peace be upon him)was sixty cubits tall, as was narrated by al-Bukhaari (3326) and Muslim (2841) from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah created Adam sixty cubits tall, then He said: Go and greet those angels and listen to how they greet you, for that will be your greeting and the greeting of your descendants. So he went and said, As-salaamu ‘alaykum (peace be upon you) and they said: Al-salaam ‘alayka wa rahmat Allaah (peace be upon you and the mercy of Allaah. So they added (the words) wa rahmat Allah. Everyone who enters Paradise will be in the form of Adam. Mankind continued to diminish in size until now.”
It also says in the Sunnah that when the earth’s blessing is restored to it at the end of time, one pomegranate at that timewill be sufficient for a group of people, and theywill seek shade beneath its skin, as was narrated by Muslim (2937) from an-Nawwaas ibn Sam‘aan (may Allah be pleased with him): the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, when speaking of the descent of ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) and Allah’s destruction of Ya’jooj and Ma’jooj: “Then Allaah will send rain which will not be kept out by any house of clay or hair; it will washthe earth and leave it like a mirror. Then it will be said to the earth: Bring forth your fruits and restore your blessing. On that day a group of people will eat from a pomegranate and shelter beneath its skin. Milk will be blessed until a milch-camel will be sufficient fora crowd of people, and a milch-cow will be sufficient for a tribe of people, and a milch-sheepwill be sufficient for a family of people.” :->/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The virtue of fasting six days of Shawwaal

What is the ruling on fasting six days of Shawwaal? Is it waajib (obligatory)?
Praise be to Allaah.
Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of Ramadaan is Sunnah Mustahabbah, not waajib. It is recommended for theMuslim to fast six days of Shawwaal, and in this there is great virtue and an immense reward. Whoever fasts these six days will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole year, as was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaanand follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime.” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this when he said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completedthe year: (whoever does agood deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).”According to another report: “Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completesthe year.” (al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/421). It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of Ramadaan brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.”
The Hanbali and Shaafa’i fuqaha’ explained that fasting six days of Shawwaal after fasting Ramadaan makes it as if one has fasted for an entire year of obligatory fasts, because the multiplication of the reward applies even to naafil fasts, because each hasanah brings the reward of ten like it.
Another of the important benefits of fasting six days of Shawwaal is that is makes up for any shortfall in a person's obligatory Ramadaan fasts, because no one is free of shortcomings or sins that have a negative effect on his fasting. On the Day of Resurrection, some of his naafil deeds will be taken to make up the shortcomings in his obligatory deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The first thing for which people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be their salaah (prayer). Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels – although He knows best – ‘Look at the salaah of My slave, whether it is complete or incomplete.’ If it is perfect,it will be recorded as perfect, and if something is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether Myslave did any voluntary (naafil) prayers.’ If he did some voluntary prayers, [Allaah] will say, Completethe obligatory actions of My slave from his voluntary actions.’ Then all his actions will be dealtwith in a similar manner.”(Narrated by Abu Dawood).
And Allaah knows best.

3c] How the Prophet (peaceand blessings of Allaah be upon him) took care of his daughters when they were alive and until after they died

3c]
and put camphor in the last time, or a little camphor. And when you have finished, let me know.” When we had finished, we let him know, and he gave us his waist wrapper and said: “Put it next to her body.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1195) and Muslim (939).
The daughter in question here was Zaynab, as is stated clearly in a report narrated by Muslim.
(b)
Attending their funerals and burying them.
If we want to discuss in detail everything that our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did as referred to above, it would take too long. The questioner may refer to books of Seerah (the Prophet’s biography) and commentaries on hadeeth, and find out for himself about these things and their importance in the life of the Muslim and how he should follow this example.
And Allaah knows best.

3b] How the Prophet (peaceand blessings of Allaah be upon him) took care of his daughters when they were alive and until after they died

3b]
She said: There was something between me and him, and he got angry with me and went out; he did not take a napin my house. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to someone, “Go and look where he is.” He came andsaid: O Messenger of Allaah, by Allaah, he is in the mosque, sleeping. TheMessenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cameto him and he was lying down. His cloak had fallenfrom his back and he had gotten dusty. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started wiping it from him, saying: “Get up, Abu’l-Turaab, get up Abu’l-Turaab.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4300 and Muslim (2409).
9.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) felt sorry for his daughter who was absent, and he interceded for her husband who had been captured by the Muslims, and stipulated that he should send her toMadeenah.
All of that points to the kindness of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) towards his daughters, and that he was very fondof them; in addition to that he wished them well and wanted to save them from the environment of kufr lest they be tempted.He loved for his daughterswhat they loved for themselves of good, especially when it had to do with their husbands orchildren.
All of the above may be summed up in one saheehhadeeth:
It was narrated that ‘Aa’ishah said: When the people of Makkah sent a ransom for their prisoners, Zaynab sent some wealth as a ransom for Abu’l-Aas, among which she sent a necklace that had belonged to Khadeejah, and she had given it to her to wear when she married Abu’l-Aas. When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw it, he felt very sorry for her, and he said: “If you wish, you may release her prisoner and return what belongs to her?” They said: Yes. And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) made him promise to let Zaynab come to him. And the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent Zayd ibn Haarithah and anAnsaari man and said: “Wait in Batn Ya’jaj (a place on the outskirts of Makkah) until Zaynab passes by you, then stay with her and bring her to me.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (2629) and classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Shaykh Muhammad Shams al-Haqq al-‘Azeemabaadi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“He felt sorry for her” means, for Zaynab, because she was absent and was alone, and he remembered the time of Khadeejah and her companionship, because the necklace had belonged to her.
‘Awn al-Ma’bood al-‘Azeem (7/254).
10.
He took part in the ‘aqeeqah of his daughters’children.
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered ‘aqeeqah for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, a ram for each. Narrated by Abu Dawood (2841). According to a report narrated by al-Nasaa’i: two rams for each. Shaykhal-Albaani said: this is more sound.
11.
He checked on his daughters with their husbands, and advised them not to focus on the pleasures of this world.
It was narrated from ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) that Faatimah (may Allaah be pleased with her) complained about the pain caused to her hand by the mill, and some prisoners had been brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so she went but did not find him, but she met ‘Aa’ishahand told her. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came, ‘Aa’ishahtold him about Faatimah coming to her. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to us, and we had gone to bed. We started to get up, but the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Stay where you are.” Then he sat between us, until I could feel the coolness of his foot on my chest. Thenhe said: “Shall I not teach you something better than what you asked for? When you go to your bed,magnify Allaah thirty-fourtimes, glorify Him thirty-three times and praise Him thirty-three times. That is better for you thana servant.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3502) and Muslim (2727).
12.
The Prophet’s care for his daughters continued evenafter they died. That is represented in the following examples:
(a)
His concern about their washing, and his giving one of his garments for shrouding one of them:
It was narrated that Umm‘Atiyyah al-Ansaariyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) entered upon us when hisdaughter died, and said: “Wash her three times, or five, or more than that, if you see fit, :->