Dought n clear, - She is an author who writes stories and articles in English, and isasking about the ruling on writing and receiving payment for it

Allah has given me a great gift, and I write stories and articles in
English. Hence I have taken this as a profession. My writings are not
always about Islam; rather I write different things about various
subjects, but I am always careful to avoid that which is haraam. Is
the money that I get for these writings halaal? I write these things
on the basis of my conviction that the Muslims should excel in all
areas of life, and so that everyone who reads my writings will know
that we are not a backward ummah as some people think.
Praise be to Allah.
There is nothing wrong with writing stories if you adhere to the
shar'i conditions that make it permissible to write them and publish
them. These conditions includethe following:
1.
They should not contain anything that is contraryto sharee'ah, or
matters that Islam came to oppose and warn against. Such things
include shirk (association of others with Allah), innovation and evil
words, deeds and behavior.
2.
They should not contain lies about historical events or real
incidents. If it is a story based on imagination, then there is
nothing wrong with that, as al-Hareeri did in hisMaqaamaat, in whichhe
made up a fictional character called al-Haarith ibn Hsmmaam.
Al-Hareeri said in the introduction to hisMaqaamaat: I hope that I am
not going to be, in what I have written, like one who is putting
himself in trouble or be like losers, those who strove in misguidance
in this life, thinking that they were doing well. However, there are
somesmart people who turn ablind eye and do not comment on my
writings, and others who like me and defend me. Yet there are ignorant
people who are not prominent at all, who criticise me and suggest that
what I write is haraam. But anyone who examines what I have written of
theseMaqaamaatwill realise that they are beneficial and that they tell
stories about animate beings and inanimate things. No one has ever
heard of anyone who rejected such stories or regarded their writers as
sinners at all. If deeds are but byintentions, then what is wrong with
one who writes stories, intending thereby to highlight some issues,
for the purpose of promoting good morals, and his intention was never
to tell lies? Isn't he, in that case, like a teacher who teaches good
manners and guides people to thestraight path?
End quote fromMaqaamaat al-Hareeri, p. 17, 18
Shaykh Muhammad Rasheed Rida (may Allah have mercy on him) commented
by noting: He says that he never heard of anyone among the scholars of
the ummah up to his time forbidding such stories which speak of
animals, such asKaleelah wa Dimnah, and so on, because the intention
behind them was to exhort and teach something good. And wehave never
heard of any of the scholars after his time saying that it is haraam
to read hisMaqaamaat. But some popular figures came up with this view
and had the audacity to declare haraam that which Allah and His
Messenger did not prohibit, and which none of the scholars of Islam
declared to be haraam.
End quote fromMajallat al-Minaar, 14/828-830, in a fatwa
entitledTamtheel al-Waqaa'i' at-Taareekhiyyah wa'l-Khayaaliyyah
li'l-I'tibaar.
3.
They should have sublime aims and great meanings.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him)
was asked: Some literary authors write stories that teach moral
lessons in a very attractive style, which have a great impact on
readers' hearts, but it is all imaginary. What is the ruling on that?
He (may Allah have mercy on him) replied:
There is nothing wrong with that. There is nothing wrong with thatif
it deals with spiritual or moral or social problems, because there is
nothing wrong with giving likenesses by telling fictional stories. In
fact some of the scholars have stated thatsome of the likenesses given
in the Holy Qur'an did not refer to real events; rather Allah
gavethese as examples (to teach a lesson), such as when He, may He be
exalted, said (interpretation of the meaning):
"And Allah puts forward (another) example of two men, one of them
dumb, who has no power over anything (disbeliever), and he is a burden
to his master, whichever way he directs him, he brings nogood. Is such
a man equal to one (believer inthe Islamic Monotheism) who commands
justice, and is himself on a Straight Path?"
[an-Nahl 16:76].
So I do not think that there is anything wrong with that, because the
purpose is to warn others. But if it so happens that a person has
knowledge of what is in the Qur'an and Sunnah, then he quotes verses
in his writings that deal with problems, and he explains them and
gives likenesses for them, this is something good. The same applies to
quoting some hadeeths and explainingthem and giving likenesses for
them. This is undoubtedly good.
End quote fromFataawa 'ala ad-Darb, tape no. 358
See also the answer to question no. 4505
In the answer to question no. 159960you will find a detailed fatwa
from Shaykh al-'Uthaymeen, in which it says that it is permissible to
earn an income from writing such stories, if they are worldly stories.
We do not think that it makes a difference whether the stories
fromwhich you earn an income are worldly or religious. What has
beensaid about it being permissible to write stories and earn income
from them may be said about writing articles and earning income from
that.
We ask Allah to guide your pen and to benefit the Muslims through you.
And Allah knows best.

Dought n clear, - The wisdom behind limiting divorce (talaaq)to three

I do not know why Islamdoes not allow the man to marry his wife again
if he has divorced her then he wants to take her back. The Qur'an
states that she has to marry another man first,then only after that
can the first husband marry her again. That does notseem logical to
me; rather I think it is harsh.
Praise be to Allah.
What the individual must do is obey the commands of Allah, may He be
exalted, and be certain that He is the most wise of judges; His
command cannot be rejected and His rule cannot be overturned. There is
wisdom and goodness in all His rulings, and they are in our best
interests.
"And who is better in judgement than Allah fora people who have firm Faith?"
[al-Maa'idah 5:50].
Because He, may He be glorified, is the Creator of His slaves, He
knows best what is in their interests. He, may He be glorified, has no
need ofHis slaves, is far above any injustice, and is mostmerciful to
His creation. As He is like that, His rulings must be the ultimate in
justice, wisdom and compassion.
The individual may know the wisdom behind the commands and
prohibitions, or he may be unaware of it, but he is enjoined to obey
in all circumstances, because this is the state of the weak slave
before the Almighty Lord and Sovereign. If he disputesthe wisdom of
his Creator (in a particular ruling), he has gone beyond the bounds of
faith and true servitude to Allah, as He, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger
have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their
decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has indeed
strayed in a plainerror"
[al-Ahzaab 33:36]
"Butno, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O
Muhammad SAW) judge in all disputes between them, and find in
themselves no resistanceagainst your decisions, and accept (them) with
full submission"
[an-Nisa' 4:65].
There is nothing to prevent the individual from asking and lookingfor
the wisdom behind rulings, in order to increase his faith and
certainty.
The one who ponders the issue of divorce will become certain of the
mercy and wisdom of Allah. Divorce is painful and harmful for the
woman, hence the Lawgiver is very strict about it and has restricted
it so that people will not be heedless about it.
If the man, every time hedivorced his wife, was able to make a new
marriage contract with her and take her back, a man might divorce his
wife dozens of times, and each time he would be harming her and
breaking her heart, thenpeople of goodwill would try to reconcile
between them, or the woman might feel sorry for her children, so she
goes back to her husband. This is obviously unfair and unjust to her.
But if the husband knows that the third divorce will make his wife
irrevocably divorced from him, in the sense that he will not be able
to take her back until after she has married another man who then dies
or divorces her, but he maynot die or divorce her, then he would be
afraid of divorce and would keep away from it, and he would not resort
to it except in cases of necessity or urgent need. In that there is
mercy for the wife and protection for the family, and it prevents
people being heedless about the matter or toying with it.
There is also another kind of wisdom behind it, which is that the man
may be hasty in divorcing the first time, then he may regret it and
take his wife back. Then if he divorces her asecond time, he will be
doing so with insight and knowledge. Then if he divorces her a third
time, that – in most cases– will indicate that they cannot live a
stable life together, so there is no point in carrying on with this
miserable life, and perhaps separation will be a relief and mercy for
both of them, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"But if they separate (bydivorce), Allah will provide abundance for
everyone of them from His Bounty. And Allah is Ever All-Sufficient for
His creatures need, All-Wise"
[an-Nisa' 4:130].
The scholars have commented on the wisdom behind making divorce three times:
At-Taahir ibn 'Aashoor (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The wisdom behind this great legislation is to deter husbands from
taking their wives' rightslightly and making them like toys in their
houses. So the husband is given the first divorce as a mistake, the
second as a test and the third as a separation, as the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said in the hadeeth
about Moosa and al-Khidr: "Thefirst time was due to forgetfulness on
the partof Moosa, the second time led to the stipulation of a
condition, and the third time was deliberate. Hence al-Khidr said to
him after the third time:'This is the parting between me and you'
[al-Kahf 18:78]."
End quote fromat-Tahreer wa't-Tanweer, 5/415
Ibn al-Humaam al-Hanafi(may Allah have mercy on him) said: He may have
false feelings that he does not need her (his wife) any more, or that
there is a need to leave her, then this idea may take hold of the
individual, but when thedivorce takes place, he may regret it and feel
distressed and become impatient (to take her back). Therefore Allah,
may He be glorified and exalted, ordained that divorce may be done
three times, so that he might test himself the first time. Then if the
reality of divorce confirms his feelings, he may persist until the
'iddah ends. Otherwise he can try to redeem thesituation by taking her
back, then if he again feels as he did the first time and that feeling
becomes so overwhelming that he divorces her again, he will have
another opportunity to think about it after the seconddivorce. Then by
the time he issues the third divorce, he will be very certain of what
he wantsto do, and after the thirddivorce there are no more excuses.
End quote fromSharh Fath al-Qadeer, 3/465
And Allah knows best.

Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith - Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and good pleasure and Gardens where they will enjoy everlasting delight. (Surat at-Tawba: 21)

One of the purposes of this book is to remind people that the real
life is not in this world, but in the Garden, and what our hearts
desire is not here but there. Even if you have never considered it
before, thisbook will help you to understand that the longing you feel
for perfection can only be fulfilled in the life of the Garden.
Another purpose of this book is to move our readers to consider the
incomparable beauty of the Garden and the never-ending pleasure that
will be the believers'. The verses of the Qur'an and the hadith of our
Prophet tell us about blessings of the Garden that many people have
perhaps never thought about before. An understanding of the splendour
of the Garden,its limitless blessings andthe good life that will
belived there will increase people's longing for the Garden and make
us strive harder to attain it. This book may be a means to help people
take pleasure in their resolve to do such good works that they may be
worthy of Allah's endlessmercy and His incomparable blessings.

Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith - Their recompense is forgiveness from theirLord, and Gardens with rivers flowing under them... (Surah Al'Imran: 136)

Allah has created human character such that we can only be at ease in
the Garden and the desires of the heart can only be fulfilled there.
Many verses of the Qur'an make this clear. Allah says in it that the
real life is the life of the Garden and, therefore, every effort
should be expended to attain this abode of endless good and beauty.
Some versesof the Qur'an on this subject are as follows:
The life of this world is nothing but a game and a diversion. The
abode of the akhira – that is truly Life if they only knew. (Surat
al-'Ankabut: 64)
The truly good will be in perfect bliss on couches gazing in wonder.
You will recognise in their faces the radiance of delight. They are
given the choicest sealed wine to drink, whose seal is musk – let
people with aspiration aspire to that! (Surat al- Mutaffifin: 22-26)
Allah expands provision to anyone He wills and restricts it. They
rejoice in the life of this world. Yet the life of this world,
compared to the akhira, is only fleeting enjoyment. (Surat ar-Ra'd:
26)
They will have there everything they want and with Us there is still
more. (Surah Qaf: 35)
In one hadith, our Prophet gives an example to show what a great
blessing the Garden is for human beings compared to the life of this
world:
A space in the Gardenequal to the distance between the middle andthe
end of a bow will bebetter than all that uponwhich the sun rises and
sets. (Sahih al- Bukhari; Sahih Muslim)
Even if a person has no knowledge of this, he can easily understand it
when he thinks of the imperfection of this world and the yearning he
feels within himself for good things. Allah has created many proofsto
show people that the life of this world is not the true life. Starting
with the body itself, one is confronted almost every day with the
imperfections of this world. You may come face to face with sickness,
injury or even death because of the slightest accident. A great part
of life must bespent compensating for the weakness of the body. But in
spite of all these efforts, the body wastes away as the yearspass.
Beautiful flowers, like the human body, also fade with time; the most
colourful and pleasing roses, tulips and violets wither and die. The
tastiest and freshest looking fruit and vegetables become stale and
inedible in a very short time. The most magnificent houses, and the
finest automobiles and other material possessions grow old, break down
and become useless withtime.
These things are just a few of the imperfectionsthat a person has to
dealwith in this world and are enough to make a person understand that
this world is not the place he longs for.
In the face of all this imperfection, a person, in his heart of
hearts, wants to live in a world where perfection is never-ending. He
longs for a world where there is no illness, death, war, conflict,
evil, anxiety or imperfection. With this in mind, he looks for ways to
establish a life within the parameters ofthis world that is happy and
carefree. However, Allah tells us in the Qur'an that this kind of life
can only be had in the Garden. What humanbeings must do to attain the
Garden is very simple: live in a way thatis pleasing to Allah. Then,
if Allah wills, they will find a perfect and endless life happy beyond
all that they could desire or imagine.
Allah says much in the Qur'an about the blessings of the Garden
because He wants people to understand that everything they are looking
for, longing for and everything they loveis in the Garden. In the
following chapters of this book we will look atverses of the Qur'an
and hadith of our Prophet to see the perfect blessings that our Lord
has prepared for us.