Eclipse prayer after dawn

We went out to pray Fajr prayer last Thursday, the fourteenth of
Ramadaan, and we saw that the moon was eclipsed. What should we have
done?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The sun and moon are two of the signs of Allaah.By means of lunar and
solar eclipses, Allaah reminds His slaves of the Day of Resurrection,
the Day on which their light will disappear. Allaah
says(interpretation of the meaning):
"So, when the sight shall be dazed.
8. And the moon will be eclipsed.
9. And the sun and moon will be joined together (by going one into the
other or folded up or deprived of their light)"
[al-Qiyaamah 75:7-9]
So by means of this sign Allaah reminds us of that Day. See also
question no. 5901 . And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) hastened to pray when that happened.
When you saw the eclipsewhen you were going outfor Fajr prayer, you
had the choice of starting withthe eclipse prayer, as suggested by
some scholars, because of the command narrated from the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to hasten to dothat. But if you
started with Fajr first, this is also good because the obligatory
prayer should come first. This may also serve an interest, especially
since the eclipsecould not be seen except at the time of the iqaamah,
so it may have been too difficult for the people, especially those who
had stayed up at night during the blessed month, if the imam had
started with the eclipse prayer. So he started with Fajr prayer, to
enable those who wanted to leave to do so, as that would be easier for
the people; this is also less likely to cause confusion, especially
for those who had come for Fajr and did not know that the imam was
going to offer the eclipse prayer.

He missed Fajr prayer and found the congregation offering the eclipse prayer

If a man comes late for Fajr prayer, can he join the imam whilst he is
offering the eclipse prayer?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If he knows that he is offering the eclipse prayer, then he should not
join him, because of the difference in nature between the two prayers.
Although the eclipse prayer is two rak'ahs, each rak'ah includes two
bowings, two standings and two recitations. So whoever does not
realize that the imam is offering the eclipse prayers and join the
imam with the intention of praying Fajr should form the intention of
praying separately from the imam when he realizes that the imam is
offering the eclipse prayer. Then he should complete his prayer as
Fajr and then if he wants he may join the imam for whatever is left of
the eclipse prayer.
And Allaah is the Source ofstrength.

What do we believe about non-Muslims who did not receive the message of Islam?

Question
I have full faith in my religion Islam, Alhamdulillah. But I have one
question which I constantly ponder over. I want to know the criteria
for which innocent non-Muslims will go to Jannah. Suppose some
non-Muslims are very innocent, poor and deprived of worldly pleasure
whilst they always do good deeds.
Will they still be kept in Jahanam forever? On the other hand Muslims
who do many bad deeds but have little faith will be allowed to enter
into Jannah one day? Do you think this is justified?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu 'alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Allah Ta'ālā says in the Quran,
{إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ }
"Verily the true religion with Allah is Islam"
Quran 3:19
The criterion for everlasting success inthe sight of Allah Ta'ālā is
to bring faithin Islam. One who hasbrought faith in the Oneness of
Allah Ta'ālā and His Messenger SallallaahuAlayhi Wasallam has secured
his life in thehereafter. Nabi Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
ثِنْتَانِ مُوجِبَتَانِ قَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا
الْمُوجِبَتَانِ؟ قَالَ: (مَنْ مَاتَ يُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا دَخَلَ
النَّارَ وَمَنْ مَاتَ لَايُشْرِكُ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئادخل الْجنَّة)
"Two things dictate. A person asked, "Oh messenger of Allah, what are
the two dictating things? He said, "Whosoever passed away ascribing
partners to Allah will enter the fire of hell. And whosoever did not
ascribe any partners to Allah will enter paradise."
(Mishkaatul Masaabihvol.1 pg.17; Maktabatul Islami)
Islam is the measure of our eternal success. However determining who
hasIslam is something best known to Allah Ta'ālā. There are some
people who may not expose their Islam due to the circumstances they
face in this world. Considering this fact, it is not correct for
anyone to judge who will be in Jannah or Jahannam. It is quite
possible that those who we think are non-Muslims believe in Allah and
His Messenger SallallaahuAlayhi Wasallam . It isbest to dismiss this
affair as something which is best known to Allah Ta'ālā.
And Allah Ta'āla Knows Best

The heaven of this world

I heard the Sheikh of IslamIbn Taymiyah say, Truly, there is a Heaven
in this world, [and] whoever doesnot enter
it, will not enter the Heaven of the next world.
And once he said to me,
What can my enemies do to me?
I have in my breast both my Heaven and my Garden.
If I travel they are with me, and they never leave me.
Imprisonment for me is a religious retreat.
To be slain for me is martyrdom.
And to be exiled from my land is a spiritual journey.
During his imprisonment in the fortress, he would say, "I could not
be more grateful for this blessing were I to have this entire fortress
in gold"or "I could never repay them for the good that has come to me
[in this prison]."
And in prostration he would say, while in a stateof imprisonment, "O
Allah, help me in my remembrance of You, gratitude to You, and the
most comely worship of You."
Once he said to me, "The real prisoner is someone whose heart is
imprisoned from his Lord; the true captive is someone captured by his
passions." And when he entered the fortress (where he was imprisoned)
and was inside its walls, he gazed upon them and quoted the verse
[Then a fence will separate them, havinga gate, in the inward whereof
is mercy, and facing the outward thereofthe torment] (Al- Hadid
57:13).
Allah knows, I have never seen anyone who had a better life than
his.Despite the difficulties and all that expunges comfort and luxury;
despite intimidation and oppression, Ibn Taymiyah had a happier life
than anyone could. He was the most generous, the strongest of heart
and the most joyful of soul, with the radiance of bliss on hisface.
When we were seized with fear and our thoughts (about Allah's decree)
turned negative, and the earth grew narrow for us, we would go to him.
No sooner did we look at him and hear his words than all these
feelings would leave us, tobe replaced by relief, strength, certainty,
and tranquility.
So glory be to the One Who lets His servants witness His Heaven well
before they meet Him, Who opens its doors to them in this world, and
Who gives them something of its refreshment, its breeze, and its
perfume — that they might seek it and hasten towards it with all their
strength.
** Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah was born in AH 691 (1292 CE) near
Damascus. A student of IbnTaymiyyah, Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote more than 60
booksin various areas of Islam. He died in 751 AH (1350 CE)