Kindness at home

religion, full of wisdom and harmony. If this wonderful religion is
followed properly then a typical Muslim would only be a great example
to follow. The Prophet said: " The most perfect believer in faith is
the one who is best in moral character..." [At-Tirmithi]
Spreading kindness at home:
'Aa'ishah said: "The Messenger of Allaah said: '"When Allaah, The
Almighty,Willssome good towards the people of a household, He
introduces kindness among them.'" [Ahmad]
According to another report: "When Allaah loves the people of a
household, He introduceskindness among them." [Ibn Abu Ad-Dunyaa] In
other words, they start tobe kind to one another.
This is one of the means of attaining happiness at home, for kindness
is very beneficial between the spouses, and with thechildren, and it
brings results that cannot be achieved through harshness, as the
Prophet said: "Allaah loves kindness and rewards forit in such a way
that He does not reward for harshness or for anythingelse." [Muslim]
Helping the wife with the housework:
Many men think that housework is beneath them, and some of them think
that it will undermine their status and position if they help their
wives with this work. The Messenger of Allaah however, used to "sew
his own clothes, mend his own shoes and do whatever other work men do
in their homes." [Ahmad]
This is how 'Aa'ishah responded when she wasasked about what the
Messenger of Allaah used to do in his house; she described what she
herself had seen. According to another report, she said: "He was like
any other human being; he would clean hisclothes, milk his ewe and
serve himself." [Ahmad]
She was also asked about what the Messenger of Allaah used to do in
his house, and she said, "He used to serve his family, then when the
time for prayercame, he would go out topray." [Al-Bukhaari]
If we Muslim men were to do likewise nowadays,we would achieve three things:
1. We would be following the example of the Prophet .
2. We would be helping our wives.
3. We would feel morehumble and down to earth.
These narrations should act as a reminder to those men, who demand
food instantly from their wives, when the pot is onthe stove and the
baby is screaming to be fed; theydo not pick up the child or wait a
little while for the food.
Being affectionate towards and joking with the members of the family:
Showing affection towards one's wife and children is one of the things
that lead to creating an atmosphere of happiness and friendliness in
the home. Thus the Messenger of Allaah advised Jaabir to marry a
virgin, saying,
"Why did you not marry avirgin, so you could play with her and she
could play with you, and you could make her laugh and she could make
you laugh?" [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
The Prophet also said:" Everything in which Allaah's name is not
mentioned is idleness and play, except for four things: a man playing
with his wife..." [An-Nasaa'ee]
The Prophet used to treat his wife 'Aa'ishah affectionately when
performing Ghusl (ritual bath) with her, as she said: "The Messenger
of Allaah and I used to perform Ghusl together from one vessel, and he
would playfully pretend to take all the water so that I would say,
'Leave some for me, leave some for me.'" [Muslim]
The ways in which the Prophet showed affection towards young children
are too famous to need mentioning. He often used to show his affection
towards his grandchildren Hasan and Husayn. This is probably one of
the reasons why the children used to rejoice when he came back from
traveling; they would rush to welcome him, as reported in the
following authentic narration: "Whenever he cameback from a journey,
the children of his household would be taken out to meet him." He used
to hug them close to him, as 'Abdullaah Ibn Ja'far said:"Whenever the
Prophet came back from a journey, we would be taken out to meet him
(to the boundaries of Al-Madeenah). One day we met him, Hasan, Husayn
and I. He carried one of us in front of him (on his animal), and
another on his back, until we entered Al-Madeenah." [Muslim]
Compare this with the situation in some miserable homes where there is
no joking or playing, affection or mercy among its members. Whoever
thinks that kissing his children goes against thedignity of fatherhood
should read the following narration reported from Abu Hurayrah who
said:
" The Messenger of Allaah kissed Al-Hasan Ibn 'Ali, and Al-Aqra' Ibn
Haabis At-Tameemi was sitting with him. Al-Aqra' said: 'I have ten
children and I have never kissed any one of them.' The Messenger of
Allaah looked at him and said: 'The one who does not show mercy will
not be shown mercy.'"

The Prophet Muhammad: a mercy for all creation

Allaah's Messengerkindest of men in the same way as he excelled all
others in courage and valour. Being extremely kind-hearted, his eyes
brimmed with tears at the slightest sign of inhumanity. A Companion,
Shaddaad bin 'Aws reported the Apostle as saying: "Allaah has
commanded you to show kindness to everyone, so if you have to kill,
kill in a good manner, and if you slaughter an animal, slaughter it
gently. If anyone of you has to slay an animal, he should sharpenthe
blade first and treat the animal well." Ibn 'Abbaas relates that a man
threw a goat on its side and then started sharpening his knife. When
the Prophet saw him he said: "Do you want to kill it twice? Why didyou
not sharpen the knife before throwing it on the ground?"
A Mercy for the Believers
The Messenger's compassion towards the believers was of the utmost
degree. The Quran describes his compassion in the following verse,
which means: "There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among
yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over
you [i.e., your guidance] and to the believers is kind and merciful."
[Quran: 9:128]
Sa'd bin 'Ubaadah once became ill, so Allaah's Messenger visited him
in his house. On seeing his faithful Companion in apitiful state, he
was moved to tears. Then, he said: "Allaah does not punish because of
tears, nor because of grief, but he punishes because of this."- and he
pointed to his tongue. [Al-Bukhaari]
A Mercy Towards his Enemies
The prisoners of war taken captive at the battle of Badr wereamongst
his bitterest enemies. Nevertheless, he made sure that they were given
the best of treatment. Among them was Suhayl bin 'Amr who was a fiery
speaker and was denouncing the Prophet . 'Umar one the Prophet's
closest companions, suggested that two of his lower teeth be pulled
out so that he might not be so vile in his speeches. The Prophet
replied: "Were I to do this, Allaah would disfigure me on the Day of
Judgement, despite the fact that I am His messenger."
In Makkah, his people inflicted him with every kind of suffering,
eventually forcing him to emigrate to Madeenah, and then waged war on
him for five years. However, when he conquered Makkah without
bloodshed in thetwenty-first year of his Prophethood, he asked the
Makkan unbelievers who were awaiting his decision about them: "How do
you expect me to treat you?" They responded unanimously: "You are a
noble one, the son of a noble one." He announced to them his decision:
"You may go free! No reproach this day shall be on you; may God forgive you."
A Mercy for Women
Prophet Muhammad was alsovery kind and affectionate towards women.
Women were very badly treated in those times.The Noble Prophet gave
themhonour and dignity at par with men in the community. 'Umar
reported: "We did not have much regard for women while we were at
Makkah, but they were better treated in Madeenah.Allaah's Messenger
established women's rights through his sayings and commandments, which
improved their position and status."
A Mercy for Children
Allaah's Messenger was particularly compassionate towards children.
When he saw achild crying, he sat beside him or her and shared his or
her feelings. He felt the pain of a mother for her child more than the
mother herself. Once he said: "I stand in prayer and wish to prolong
it. However, I hear the cry of a child and cut the prayer short for
the anxiety which the mother is feeling." [Al-Bukhaari]
He would take children in his arms and embrace them. He was once
hugging his beloved grandsons, Hasan and Husayn, when Aqrah bin Haabis
told him, 'I have got ten children. So far, I have not kissed any of
them.' Allaah's Messenger responded: "The one with no pityfor others
is not pitied." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
According to another version, he said: "What can I do for you if
Allaah has removed from you the feeling of compassion?" [At-Tirmithi]
A Mercy for Slaves
The Prophet strongly enjoined the duty of kind and generous treatment
upon slaves, servants and labourers engaged in manual work. Jaabir
related the Apostle of Allaah as saying: "Feed them with the food
which you eat, clothe them with such clothing as you wear, and do not
cause trouble to Allaah's creatures." The Apostle is further stated to
have said: "Those whom Allaah has made your dependents are your
brothers, servants and helpmates. Anybody whose brother has been made
subservient to him ought to feed him with the food he eats and clothe
him with the clothes he wears; command him not to do that which he is
unable to do andif it becomes necessary to do so then he should help
him in doing the job."
A Mercy for Animals
His compassion encompassed notonly human beings, but also animals.
The Prophet forbade his companions to keep the unintelligent creatures
hungry or thirsty, to disturb or to overburden them. He commended that
kindness and putting them at ease were meritorious acts tending to
bringman nearer to Allaah. Abu Hurayrah reports the Prophet as saying:
"A traveller who was thirsty saw a well in the way.He got inside the
well and when he came out he saw a dog lickingmud due to thirst. The
man realised that the dog was as thirsty as him, so he got into the
well again, filled his leather sock with water and carried it out
holding it with his teeth. Thus, hequenched the thirst of the dog.
Allaah was pleased with this act of kindness and pardoned his sins."
The Companions asked: "O Messenger of Allaah, is there recompense in
the matter of beasts and wild animals also?" The Prophet replied:
"There is recompense in regard to every creature that has a living
heart."
'Abdullaah bin 'Umar related that the Prophet said: "A woman was cast
away to hell only because she had withheld food and water from her cat
and refused to set it free so that the cat might satisfy its hunger by
eating worms and insects."
Once on return from a military campaign, a few Companions took away
the chicks of a bird from their nest to stroke them. The mother bird
came back and when it could not find its chicks in the nest, it began
to fly aroundscreeching. When informed of the matter, Allaah's
Messenger became angry and ordered the chicks to be put back in the
nest. [Abu Daawood]
Conclusion
The love and compassion of Allaah's Messenger for all kinds of
creatures was not of the kind claimed by today's 'humanists'. He was
sincere and balanced in his love and compassion. He was more
compassionate than any other person. He was a Prophet raised by
Allaah, the Creator and Sustainer of all beings, for the guidance and
happiness of conscious beings - mankind and jinn - and the harmony of
existence. Therefore, he lived not for himself but for others; he is a
mercy for all the worlds.
"Indeed, in this [Quran] is notification for a worshipping people. And
We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds."
[Quran:

Satan's gateways to the heart

The heart is like a fort and Satan the advancing enemy, who is intent
on infiltrating and occupying it. Hence, only by guarding the gates,
entrances and vulnerable positions, will it be impenetrable. Yet, a
person who is unacquainted with the structure of the fortress,
particularly its access points, cannot adequately defend it. By the
same token, the obligation ofguarding the heart from the whispers of
Satan cannot be fulfilled and he cannot be wardedoff, unless a person
knows the gates to the heart that Satan maytake.
These gateways are, generally, personal characteristics, of whichthere
are many, but, here, we willonly refer to the ones that are so wide so
as to accommodate all the numerous soldiers of Satan. These include:
- Anger and desire: Anger is the ghoul of the psyche; when it weakens
the guards of one's mind, Satan's soldiers immediately seize the
opportunity to attack. Furthermore, when a person becomes enraged,
Satan toys with him in the same way children play with a ball.
- Envy and greed: No matter how careful man is, his covetousness makes
him deaf and dumb. The light of insight reveals the gates of Satan;
when envy and greediness mask this light, man becomes at risk. Hence,
Satan seizes that opportunity and adorns for an acquisitive person
whatever leads to his or her desires, even if it is heinous and evil.
The Prophet, , spoke of avarice: "If two starving wolves were left in
a flock of sheep, they would not be as harmful [to them] as a person's
hunger for money and status is to his [or her] faith." [At-Tirmithi,
Hasan Saheeh]
- Satiating oneself: This is one of Satan's gateways to the heart;
although lawful, eating in excess strengthens one's desires, which,in
turn, are his weapons.
- Impetuosity: Haste and recklessness are among the widest gates of
Satan to one's heart, as the Prophet, , said: "Hastiness is from Satan
and deliberateness is from Allaah the Almighty." [At-Tirmithi]
- Miserliness and fear of poverty: They prevent a person from giving
in charity, instead justifying hoarding, which only leads to a painful
punishment.
- Bigotry toward a specific school of thought or an inclination toward
a desire, bearing grudgesagainst opponents or treating them with
contempt: This destroys the immoral and pious alike. Defaming people
and calling attention to their faults is one of the predatory
characteristics inherent in humannature.
- Thinking ill of Muslims: Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {O
you who have believed! Avoid much suspicion, indeed some suspicions
are sins.} [Quran 49: 12]. Indeed, only hypocrites seek out flaws in
others, whereas believers seek excuses for them.
A person may now ask: "How can one ward Satan off? Is it enough to be
in constant remembrance of Allaah the Almighty or to utter [phrases
like] ' Laa hawla wala quwwata illaa billaah (There is nopower or
strength except in Allaah)'?" The answer is that you must know that
the course of treatment to save one's heart from the whispers of Satan
is to block the gateways [he takes] and to purify the heart from the
aforementioned bad characteristics.
This needs to be further elaborated. The remembrance of Allaah the
Almighty should indeed suffice in stopping Satan from passing by or
whispering in one's heart. However, that cannot happen unless the
heart itself is already of a pious nature and purified from evil
characteristics. If not, words of His remembrance will be no morethan
mere thoughts without any impact on the heart or substanceto deflect
Satan. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means): {Indeed, those who are
pious - when an impulse touches them from Satan, they remember
[Him]and at once they have insight.} [Quran 7: 201]. Therefore, since
this is only confined to the pious, once a person manages to uproot
evil traits from within, Satan may pass by or whisper, but will never
be able to reside inthe heart.
You see, Satan is like an approaching starved dog; if a person has
neither bread nor meat, it will move away just by your voice which
commands it to "go away". However, if you have meat in your hands and
the dog is hungry, it will attack the flesh and your mere words will
not be enough to keep the animal at bay.
Similarly, if the heart is free from anything Satan can feed on, Thikr
(remembrance of Allaah The Almighty) will be enough to fend it off. On
the other hand, if a person's desires dominate his or her heart, the
influence of Thikr isrestricted to the outer edges of the heart and
instead, its core becomes a residence for Satan. The Prophet, , said:
"The heartis touched twice: [one of it is] a touch by the angel [which
constitutes] a command of goodness and an acceptance of the truth. So,
if a man experiences this, he should knowthat it is from Allaah the
Almighty and he should consequently thank Him. On the other hand,
[there is] a touch from the enemy [Satan, and that constitutes an]
insinuation of evil, disbelief in truth and being barred from good.
So, if a person experiences this, he should seek refuge with Allaah
from the accursed Satan." Then, the Prophet, , recited the Saying of
Allaah the Almighty (which means): {Satan threatens you with poverty
and orders you to immorality . }. [Quran 2:268]." [An-Nasaa'i and
At-Tirmithi]
Expounding on this, Al-Hasan said: "They [i.e., the two touches] are
actually two concerns that occur to the heart: one from Allaah the
Almighty and the otherfrom the enemy [Satan]. May Allaah have mercy
upon a slave who examines his concerns and lets that affect him which
is fromAllaah The Almighty, and strives against whatever he deems from
the enemy."
By nature, the heart equally accepts both the inspiration of anangel
and the incitement of Satan, such that there is a balance. However,
the latter aspect dominates when a person acts ravenously and indulges
in desires, whereas the former overrules it if a person turns away
from wants and whims, and resists them.
When man becomes subservient to his desires and his actions become
driven by rage, the influence of Satan will prevail via whims, which
are his haven, and the heart will become Satan's nest and pasture. On
the other hand, if a person strives against his or her desires,
barring them from impacting him or her and adopts some angelic traits,
his orher heart will become the dwelling and station of angels. Thus,
the soldiers of angels and of Satan are in an epic struggle, until the
heart opens to one of them, allowing them to reside within and
dominate; the other party, then, will only be able to pass with
stealth.
Unfortunately, most hearts are conquered by the soldiers of Satan,
sustained by obedience to desires and whims, and, therefore, the
organs are riddled with base notions that give preference to this
temporary life, with clear disregard of the Hereafter. The heart
cannot be recaptured except when it is purified from the nutrition of
Satan and is supported with the remembrance of Allaah the Almighty,
which is the haven of angels.
Responses of the heart to temptation
Huthayfah ibn Al-Yamaan narrated that the Prophet, , said:
"Temptations are presented to hearts in the same way as a reed mat is
woven, stick by stick. Any heart which is saturated by them will
receive a black mark, whereas any heart that rejects them will have a
white mark put on it. The result is that there will be two types of
hearts: a black and dusty heart, which is like an uneven vessel that
neither recognizes good nor rejects evil, except what is impregnated
into it of desires; and a white heart that will never be harmed by any
temptation, as long as there are heavens and the earth." [Muslim]
When the lure of desire and doubts are presented to the heart, it
transforms into either oftwo types:
- The first is a heart that absorbs temptation in the same way a
sponge soaks up water. This one will get a black stain every time
itgives in to a temptation, until it becomes wholly dark and uneven.
When this happens, the heart will be susceptible to two dangerous
diseases: firstly, it will be unable to differentiate between good and
evil, to the extent that it will not recognize either of them.
Thereafter, the illness will pervade the organ until a person believes
that good is evil and evil is good, the Prophetic Sunnah is a
religious innovation and vice versa, and that truth is falsehood and
the opposite holds true as well. Secondly, the heart will begin to be
subservient to its whims, making them a criterion for judging the
teachings of the Prophet, , sallam.
- The second is the white heart that is illuminated by the light of
faith. When temptations are presented to it, it will immediately deny
and reject them, thereby increasing in brightness and radiance.
As for the temptations themselves, they are categorized into two:
desires and doubts. While the first leads to the corruption of both
intentions andone's will, the second taints a person's knowledge and
belief.
Accordingly, diseases of the heartare also of base desires and doubts;
the former can be interpreted by the verse in which Allaah the
Almighty Says (what means): {Do not be soft in speech [to men], lest
he in whose heart is disease should covet.} [Quran 33: 32] Unlike a
healthy person, a patient is more sensitive to the slightest changes
in heat, cold or movement; likewise, when the heart suffers from an
illness, evena small amount of whims or doubts harms it and it is
unable to ward them off. On the other hand, a sound heart powerfully
fends off these temptations, evenin the face of more attacks.
As for the other kind, Allaah the Almighty referred to the disease of
doubt, when He Said (what means): {In their hearts is disease, so
Allaah has increased their disease.} [Quran 2: 10] Commenting on this
verse, Qataadah and Mujaahid stated that "disease" here refers to
misgivings.
Although illnesses of the heart come in these two forms, the Glorious
Quran is a remedy for both. It includes decisive proofs that
distinguish between truth and falsehood; with them, the disease of
doubt, which corrupts a person's knowledge and intellect, is removed,
and a person can perceive things in their real form. Thus, the Quran
isthe true cure for malicious allegations and doubts. Yet, its
effectiveness is contingent on understanding the Quran and
comprehending its essence. And, if Allaah the Almighty grants that to
a person, his or her heart will as clearly distinguish between truth
and falsehood, as it does between night and day.
Additionally, the Quran heals the other of the two diseases:
desire;for, it includes wisdom, admonition and encouragement. It also
contains verses warning people against indulging in the worldly life
and instead urging them to work for the Hereafter. Furthermore, it has
parables and stories that illustrate various lessons and warnings.
Contemplating all this, a sound heart will surely incline towards what
benefits it in both worlds and turn away from what will be of harm.
The heart will then love guidance and detest vice.
Thus, the Glorious Quran removesdiseases that result in corrupt
yearnings; it reforms the heart, and so, reforms its wants, thus
restoring it to the natural, pure state that it was created in.
Referring to this, Allaah the Almighty Says (what means):
· {And We send down of the Quran that which is healing and mercy for
the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in
loss.} [Quran 17: 82]
· {O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lordand
healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the
believers.} [Quran 10: 57]
The heart feeds on faith and the Quran, taking from it what purifies
and strengthens it. Both the heart and body require growth and
development until they become perfect and sound. Hence, just as the
body needs nutrients that build it and a healthy diet that protects it
from harm, so does the heart. But, it can only obtain its nourishment
from the Quran; and if it attempts to get something similar from
another source, it would be provided with very littleand not be able
to reach its potential. Similarly, plants do not grow or become ripe
without nutrients and proper environment; only when those are
available, can we say they do.
Therefore, a person should study the signs of an ill and a sound
heart, so he or she is able to discern which type he or she possesses.
If the heart is sick, a slave of Allaah The Almighty mustdo his or her
best to treat it before he or she meets Him with a sick heart, which
will deprive him or her from entering Paradise. If the heart is sound,
then he or she must nonetheless continue to safeguard its soundness
until he or she dies in this state. If, however, the heart is dead, he
or she can take solace in the fact that Allaah the Almighty gives life
to the dead, asHe Says (what means): {Know that Allaah gives life to
the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs;
perhaps you will understand.}

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Friday Prayers - , Dought & clear - , Friday khutbah in languages other than Arabic.

what should be done by the congregation for Juma prayers? Basically,
we listen to a speech in our language then Adhan, then four sunna
salaat. After this the Imam devlivers the khutba in Arabic. During his
khutbha how should we sit? Then there is a pause in the khutbha, what
should be recited here?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The fuqaha' are unanimously agreed that it is better for the khutbah
to be in Arabic, but they differed as to whether that is
essential.There are three points ofview:
1-
That it is essential for it to be in Arabic for the one who is able to
do that, even if the listenersdo not know Arabic.
This is the view of the Maalikis and it is the well-known view of the Hanbalis.
See: al-Fawaakih al-Diwaani (1/306) and Kashshaaf al-Qinaa' (2/34).
2-
That it is essential for it to be in Arabic for the one who is able to
do that, unless none of the listeners know Arabic, in which case he
should give the khutbah in theirlanguage.
This is the correct view according to the Shaafa'is, and it is the
view of some of the Hanbalis.
See: al-Majmoo' by al-Nawawi (4/522).
3-
It is mustahabb for the khutbah to be in Arabic but it is not
essential, and the khateeb may deliver the khutbah in his own language
instead of Arabic. This is the view of Abu Haneefah and some of the
Shaafa'is.
See: Radd al-Muhtaar (1/543) and al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah (19/180).
This third view is the correct one, and it is the view favoured by a
number of our contemporary scholars, because there is no clearevidence
to say that the khutbah must be in Arabic, and because the purpose of
the khutbah is to exhort, benefit and teach, which can only bedone by
using the language of the people present.
It says in a statement of the Fiqh Council of the Muslim World League:
The fairest opinion is that using Arabic when giving the khutbah on
Friday and at Eid in countries where it is not spoken is not a
condition of it being valid, but it is better to say the preliminaries
of the khutbah and any Qur'aanic verses quoted in Arabic, so as to get
non-Arabs used to hearing Arabic and the Qur'aan, which will make it
easier to learn it and read the Qur'aan in the language in which it
was revealed. Then the khateeb can follow that with exhortation in
theirlanguage which they understand. End quote.
Qiraaraat al-Majma' al-Fiqhi (p. 99) (fifth session, fifth statement).
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:
There is no proof in the hadeeth to suggest that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) stipulated that the Friday
khutbah should be in Arabic, rather he delivered the khutbah in Arabic
because it was his language and the language of his people. So the one
who addressed them and guided them and reminded them spoke in their
language that they understood. But he sent letters in Arabic to the
kings and rulers of nations, and he knew that they spoke languages
other than Arabic, and he knew thatthey would have them translated
into their languages so that they would know what was in them.
Based on this, it is permissible for the khateeb to deliver the
khutbah in a language where the people or the vast majority of its
inhabitants do not knowArabic to deliver the khutbah in Arabic then
translate it into the local language, so that they will understand
what he is advising and reminding them of, and they will benefit from
his khutbah.
He may also deliver the khutbah in the languageof his country, even if
it is not Arabic, and thus he will accomplish the guidance, teaching,
exhortation and reminder that are the purpose of the khutbah.
But it is better to deliver the khutbah in Arabic and then translate
it to the listeners, so as to combine the guidance ofthe Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his khutbahs and his
letters with achieving the aim of giving the khutbah, and so as to
avoid an area concerning which there is scholarly dispute. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah (8/253).
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Perhaps it is better, and Allaah knows best, to discuss this matter in
detail and say:
If the majority of people in the mosque are non-Arabic speakers who do
not understand Arabic, then there is nothing wrong with giving the
khutbah in a language other than Arabic, or delivering it inArabic
then translating it.
But if most of the peoplepresent know Arabic andunderstand it in
general,then it is better to stick to Arabic and not go against the
guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
especially since the salaf used to deliver khutbahs in mosques where
there were non-Arabs present,and it is not narrated that they used to
translate it, because Islam was prevalent and so was Arabic.
As for the evidence that it is permissible in cases of necessity;
there is some evidence to that effect in sharee'ah. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people,
in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them"
[Ibraaheem 14:4]
For example, when the Sahaabah invaded non-Arab lands such as Persia
and Byzantium, they did not fight them until they called them to Islam
via interpreters. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz (12/372).
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The correct view with regard to this matter is that it is permissible
for the khateeb to deliver the khutbah in a language that the people
present understand, if the people present are not Arabs and do not
know Arabic. He may deliver the khutbah in their language, because
that is the means of explaining to them, and the purpose of the
khutbah is to explain thesacred limits of Allaah to His slaves, and
exhort them, and guide them. But the verses of Qur'aanshould be
recited in Arabic, then explained inthe language of the people.
The fact that he may give the khutbah in the language of the people is
indicated by the verse in which Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people,
in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them"
[Ibraaheem 14:4].
Allaah stated that the means of conveying should be in the language
that the people addressed understand. Based on that, he may give the
khutbah in a language other than Arabic, but if he recites verses of
Qur'aan, they must be in Arabic, in which the Qur'aan was revealed,
then after that he may explain them to these people in their language.
End quote.
Fataawa Noor 'ala al-Darb .
See the answer to question no. 984 .
Secondly:
The format of Jumu'ah prayer should not be changed to what is
mentioned in the question, whereby thereare two khutbahs, one before
the adhaan in thepeople's language and another after the adhaan in
Arabic. Ratherthere should a khutbah either in the language ofthe
people or in Arabic then translated into the other language
straightaway whilst the khateeb is still on the minbar.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked
about translating the Friday khutbah into some other languages, after
Jumu'ah prayer in al-Masjid al-Haraam, so that those who do not know
Arabic could benefit from it. He replied:
We do not agree with what has been mentioned, and there is no
justification for delivering another khutbah on Friday before or after
the prayer.
If the aim is to translate the khutbah to those who do not understand
Arabic, then the khutbahetc can be translated via the radio at times
other than Jumu'ah prayer. End quote.
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem (3/20).
We encourage all Muslims to learn Arabic, because it is the language
of the Qur'aan and through it they can understand Islam better, and
understand the meanings of the ahaadeeth of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Shaykh Rasheed Rida (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
We have stated more than once that knowledge of Arabic is obligatory
upon every Muslim, because understanding the religion, establishing
its rituals and fulfilling its obligations all depend on understanding
this language, and cannot bevalid without it. Although the Friday
khutbah does not absolutely have to be in Arabic, this ritual is of
great importance.
The non-Arabs who entered Islam in the early period hastened tolearn
Arabic in order to understand the Qur'aan and Sunnah and to form bonds
through the language without whichthe unity of the ummah cannot be
achieved. The Sahaabah used to address the people in Arabic in every
land that they conquered, and it was not long before the language of
the lands that they entered became Arabic, due to the influence of the
spirit of Islam, not for worldly gains or by forceof compulsion. If
they had thought that it was acceptable to leave the non-Arab nations
who entered their religion with their own languages, they would have
hastened to learn the languages of those nations and established the
religious obligations and acts of worship for them in those languages,
and Greek would have remained Greek, Persian would have remained
Persian, and so on.
The difference in languages that we see today among Muslims is one of
the most serious bad effects of politics. If the Ottoman and
Iranianstates do not try to spread Arabic in their realms, there will
come aday when they will regret that. We cannot rely on any religious
reform in India or elsewhere in the Muslim world, unless Arabic is
taught from the primary stage and is made the language of knowledge.
End quote.
Majallat al-Manaar (6/496).
Fourthly:
With regard to praying four Sunnah rak'ahs before Jumu'ah, there is no
Sunnah prayer Rather