Dought & clear - He weeps when he hearsQur’aan but he does the secret habit and mistreats his parents. Is he a hypocrite?.

I read on a website about the characteristicsof the beloved prophet
,and this made me cry. I also cry sometimes while praying in the
masjid, especially if the imam has a passionate voice. Despite this, I
fall in sins like masturbation, and talking loudly to my father. I
read on your website about the reasons of such sins and how to stop
doing them. My question is: AmI considered hypocrite by committing
such sins?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We think that your asking whether you are a hypocrite or not is a sign
of much goodness in you in sha Allaah, because when a Muslim fears
that he may fall into hypocrisy, this indicates that his heart
is(spiritually) alive and that he is keen to protect his faith.
Ibraaheem al-Taymi said:Whenever I examine my words against my deeds,I
fear that I am insincere.Al-Hasan al-Basri said of hypocrisy: No one
fears it but a believer, and no one feels safe from it buta hypocrite.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The more faith and knowledge a person has,the more he will fear that
he may be among this class of people (i.e., hypocrites), hence the
leaders and earliest generations of this ummah were so afraid that
they might be among them. 'Umar usedto say to Hudhayfah: I adjure you
by Allaah, didthe Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) mention me along with the people (i.e., the hypocrites)? He
said: No, but I would not praise anyone after you, meaning; I would
not praise people (by saying that they are not mentioned among the
hypocrites). It does not mean that 'Umar was theonly one who was free
of hypocrisy.
Tareeq al-Hijratayn(p. 604)
The greatest of the awliya' (close friends of Allaah) feared this for
themselves.
1 – Ibn Abi Mulaykah said: I met thirty of the companions of the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), all of whom feared
being hypocrites, and none of them ever said that he had faith
equivalent to that of Jibreel and Mikaa'eel.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The most prominent among Sahaabah whom Ibn Abi Mulaykah met were:
'Aa'ishah, her sister Asma', Umm Salamah, the four 'Abd-Allaahs, Abu
Hurayrah, 'Uqbah ibn al-Haarith and al-Miswar ibn Makhramah. These are
among those from whom he heard hadeeth. He also met other more
prominent Sahaabah than these, such as 'Ali ibn Abi Taaliband Sa'd ibn
Abi Waqqaas, and he confirmed that they were afraid of hypocrisy in
their actions and nothing to the contrary was narrated from any of the
Sahaabah, so it is as if there was consensus on this matter. That is
because the believers' deeds maybecome contaminated with elements that
undermine ikhlaas (sincerity towards Allaah). The fact that they
feared it does not mean that they fell into it, rather it means that
they were extremely cautious and pious, may Allaah be pleased with
them.
Fath al-Baariby Ibn Hajar(1/110,111).
2 – al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
al-Ja'd Abu 'Uthmaan said: I said to Abu Raja' al-'Attaaridi: Did you
meet anyone whom I met of the companions of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) who feared falling into hypocrisy? He
said: Yes. Praise be to Allaah I met some of the prominent ones among
them, and they used to fear it a great deal. And he had met 'Umar.
3 – and he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Among those of the Sahaabah who used to seek refuge with Allaah from
falling into hypocrisy were: Hudhayfah, Abu'l-Darda' and Abu Ayyoob
al-Ansaari. Among the Taabi'een there were many who did that. Ibn
Sireen said: There is nothing I fear more thanthis verse
(interpretationof the meaning):"And of mankind, there are
some(hypocrites) who say: 'We believe in Allaah andthe Last Day,'
while in fact they believe not" [al-Baqarah 2:8]. Ayyoobsaid: Every
verse in the Qur'aan which mentions hypocrisy I fear lest it apply to
me. Mu'aawiyahibn Qurrah said: 'Umar used to fear it, so how I can
feel safe from it? al-Hasan spoke a great deal concerning this matter,
as did the imamsof Islam after them.
According to a report narrated by Ibn Haani', Imam Ahmad was asked:
What do you say about one who does not fear hypocrisy for himself?
Hesaid: Who can feel safe from hypocrisy?
Fath al-Baariby Ibn Rajab (1/178, 179).
Pay attention to two important matters:
1 – The hypocrisy that was feared by those imams among the Sahaabah
and those who came after them was hypocrisy in deeds, which leads to
hypocrisyin the heart, which leadsone to Hell – we seek refuge with
Allaah – this is the kind of hypocrisy which is mentioned in a number
of ahaadeeth which warn the Muslim against acquiring its
characteristics, such as the following:
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr said: The Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are
four characteristics, whoever has them all is a pure hypocrite, and
whoever has one of them has one of the characteristics of hypocrisy,
until he gives it up: when he speaks helies, when he makes a covenant
he betrays it, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he
disputes he resorts to obscene speech."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (34) and Muslim (58).
It was also narrated (2632) by al-Tirmidhi (may Allaah have mercy on
him) who said after it:
What this means according to the scholarsis hypocrisy of action. It
was the hypocrisy of disbelieving at the time of the Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Something similar
was narrated from al-Hasan al-Basri when he said: Hypocrisy is of two
types: hypocrisy of action and hypocrisy of disbelief.
End quote.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
This goes back to what we mentioned above: that hypocrisy may be minor
or major. Minor hypocrisy is hypocrisy of action, which is what these
people feared for themselves. It leads to major hypocrisy which
isfeared for the one who is overcome by minor hypocrisy to such an
extent that it robs him offaith altogether, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"when they turned away(from the path of Allaah), Allaah turned their
hearts away (from the Right Path)"
[al-Saff 61:5]
"And We shall turn their hearts and their eyes away (from guidance),
as they refused to believe therein for the first time"
[al-An'aam 6:110]
Fath al-Baariby Ibn Rajab (1/179).
Imam al-Nawawi commented on this hadeeth … See hisSharh Muslim(2/46-48).
2 – These prominent figures were the most righteous of people in
heart, and they were those who most respected the sacred limits and
were least likely to transgress them,but because of their great
awareness of theirLord and their fear of Hiswrath, they would regard a
minor sin – if they fell into it – as a major sin. Some of them feared
showing off, and others feared falling short in their deeds lest their
actions contradict their words, and others thought that being
distracted by permissibleinteractions in their homes with their wives
and families even though they focused properly in gatherings of dhikr
was a kind of hypocrisy.
It was narrated that Hanzalah al-Usaydi said: Abu Bakr met me and
said: How are you, O Hanzalah? I said: Hanzalah has become a
hypocrite. He said: Subhaan Allaah! What are you saying? I said: When
we are with the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) he reminds us of the Fire and the Garden until it isas if we
are seeing them with our own eyes, but when we depart from the
Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), we
attend to our wives and children and businesses, and we forget a great
deal. Abu Bakr said: By Allaah, we experience something similar. Abu
Bakr and I went and entered upon the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), andI said: Hanzalah has become a
hypocrite, O Messenger of Allaah. The Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Why is that?" I said: O
Messenger of Allaah, when we are with you, you remind us of the Fire
and the Garden until it is as if weare seeing them with our own eyes,
but when we depart from you, we attend to our wives and children and
businesses, and we forget a great deal. The Messenger of Allaah(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "By the One in Whose hand
is mysoul, if you continued as you are when you are with me, and
continued to remember (Paradise and Hell), the angels would shake
hands with you in your homes and on the streets. But, O Hanzalah,
there is a time for this and a time for that" (he said it) three
times.
Narrated by Muslim (2750).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the words "we attend to ourwives and children and businesses",
Al-Harawi and others said: What this means is that we get absorbed
with that and get busy with it.
"businesses" refers how a man earns a living.
"Hanzalah has become a hypocrite" means: he was afraid that he had
become a hypocrite, because he felt the fear of Allaah when he was
sitting with the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
andthat was manifested in the way he focused on remembrance of Allaah
and thinking of the Hereafter, but when he departed he became
distracted by his wife and children and earning a living in this
world, and the basic meaning of hypocrisy is showing the opposite of
what one conceals of evil, so he was afraid that he was a hypocrite
because of that. But the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) told him that this was not hypocrisy, and that they were not
expected to be like that all the time. "There is a time for this and a
time for that."
Sharh Muslim(17/66, 67)
Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
When it became clear to the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them)
that hypocrisy meant a difference between one's inner thoughts and
outward appearance, some of them feared that if they lost the focus
and presence of mind they attained when they listened to reminders,
after they returned to worldly matters and were distracted by their
families and children and wealth, that this was hypocrisy, as was
narrated inSaheehMuslimfrom Hanzalah al-Asadi … and he quoted the
hadeeth –
Fath al-Baariby Ibn Rajab (1/111).
With regard to your situation, you have to fear more than those pure
awliya' (close friends of Allaah) amongthe Sahaabah, Taabi'eenand
subsequent generations did, because you are disobeying Allaah by doing
the secret habit and by mistreating your parents. Your saying thatyou
sometimes raise your voice somewhat to your father will not excuse you
from the warning of punishment. You are forbidden to sayeven "uff" (a
mild word of objection) to your parents, so how about if you raise
your voice and speak loudly to them? What you must do is beware lest
your sins lead you to a bad end.
Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) gave a chapter heading to
the report he narrated from Ibraaheem al-Taymi, Ibn Abi Mulaykah and
al-Hasan al-Basri – whichwe have quoted above –saying: Chapter on the
believer's fear that his deeds may be cancelled out without him
realizing.
And he ended this chapter by saying:
And there is fear for the one who persists in hypocrisy and sin
without repenting, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):"and do not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while
they know" [Aal 'Imraan 3:135].
End quote.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
What the words of al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) – And
there is fear for the one who persists in hypocrisy and sin without
repenting, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):"and do
not persist in what (wrong) they have done, while they know" [Aal
'Imraan 3:135]– mean is that if one persists in sin and the various
types of hypocrisy without repenting there is the fear that the one
who does that may be punished by having his faith taken away
altogether, so that he becomes a complete hypocrite and meets a bad
end – we seek refuge with Allaah from that – as it is said that sinis
the way to kufr.
Fath al-Baariby Ibn Rajab (1/181).
Secondly:
We encourage you to continue softening your heart and weeping when you
hear Qur'aan, and listening to exhortations, and at the same time we
encourage you to repentfrom sinful actions and to refrain from doing
the secret habit, and to refrain from mistreating your parents. We
encourage you to hastento apologize to them and to honour them
andtreat them kindly in word and deed. Beware of continuing to sin
without repenting, and remember that the one who truly fears Allaah is
not the one who weeps and sheds tears, rather he is the one who gives
up something for which he fears he may be punished.
What we have quoted toyou of warnings about that is sufficient, in sha
Allaah, to make you hasten to repent and turn to Allaah.
And Allaah knows best.

The fine tuning the Universe

He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any flaw
in the creation of the All-Merciful. Look again—do you see any gaps?
Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you dazzled and
exhausted!(Qur'an, 67:3-4)
He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs. He does
not have a son and He has no partner inthe Kingdom. He
createdeverything and determined it most exactly.(Qur'an, 25:2)
Materialist philosophy emerged with the claim that all the systems in
nature and the universe were like machines that functioned on their
own, that the flawless order and balance within them were the work of
chance. However, today, the false nature of materialism and of
Darwinism, its so-called scientific foundation, has been
scientifically demonstrated. (See Harun Yahya, The Evolution
Deceit,and Darwinism Refuted)
The scientific discoveriesof the 20th century that followed swiftly,
one after the other, in the fields of astrophysics and biology have
provedthat life and the universe were created. As the theses of
Darwinism collapsed, theBig Bang theory has shown that the universe
was created from nothing.
Discoveries have revealed that there is a great design and fine-tuning
in the material world and this has categorically demonstrated the
groundless nature of theclaims of materialism.
Considering the conditions necessary for life, we see that only the
Earth meets these particular conditions. For an environment suitable
for life, there are innumerable conditions taking place simultaneously
and unceasingly all around us. There are some hundred billion
galaxies,each with-on average-a hundred billion stars. In all the
galaxies, there are perhaps as many planets as stars. 1In the face of
such overpowering numbers, one can better comprehend the significance
of the formation of such an exceptional environment on the Earth.
From the force of the BigBang explosion to the physical values of
atoms,from the levels of the four basic forces to the chemical
processes in the stars, from the type of light emitted by the Sun to
the level of viscosity of water, from the distance of the Moonto the
Earth to the level of gases in the atmosphere, from the Earth's
distance from theSun to its angle of tilt to its orbit, and from the
speed at which the Earthrevolves around its own axis to the functions
of the oceans and mountains on the Earth: every single detail is
ideally suited to our lives. Today, the world ofscience describes
these features by means of theconcepts of the"Anthropic Principle" and
"Fine-Tuning." These concepts summarise the way that the universe is
not an aimless, uncontrolled, chance collection of matter but that it
has a purpose directed towards human life and has been designed with
the greatest precision.
Attention is drawn in theabove verses to the measure and harmony
inAllah's creation. The word "taqdeer," meaning "to design, measure,
create by measuring," is employedin Qur'anic verses such as Surat
al-Furqan 2. The word "tibaaq," meaning"in harmony," is used in Surat
al-Mulk 3 and Surah Nuh 15. Furthermore, Allah also reveals in Surat
al-Mulk with the word"tafaawut," meaning"disagreement,
violation,non-conformity, disorder, opposite," that those who seek
disharmony will fail to find it.
The term "fine-tuning," which began to be used towards the end of the
20th century, represents this truth revealed in theverses. Over the
last quarter-century or so, a great many scientists, intellectuals and
writers have shown that the universe is not a collection of
coincidences. On the contrary, it has an extraordinary design and
order ideally suited to human life in its everydetail. (See Harun
Yahya, The Creation of the Universeand A Chain of Miracles) Many
features in the universe clearly show that the universe has been
specially designed to support life. The physicist Dr. Karl Giberson
expresses this fact thus:
In the 1960s, some physicists observed that our universe appears to
have beenfine-tunedforthe existence of human life. 2
The Speed of the Big Bang Explosion:
The balances establishedwith the Big Bang, the instantaneous
formationof the universe, are one of the proofs that the universe did
not come into being by chance. According to the well-known Adelaide
University professor of mathematical physics Paul Davies, if the rate
ofexpansion that took place following the Big Bang had been just one
in a billion billion parts different (1/1018), the universe could not
have come into being. 3
The Four Forces:
All physical motion in theuniverse comes about thanks to the
interactionand equilibrium of the four forces recognised by modern
physics: gravity, electromagnetic force, strong nuclear force and weak
nuclear force. These forces possess extraordinarily different values
to one another. 4
The Distances between Celestial Bodies:
The distribution of celestial bodies in space and the enormous spaces
between them are essential to the existence of life on Earth. The
distances between celestial bodieshave been set out in a calculation
compatible with a great many powerful universal forces in such a way
as to support life on Earth. 5
Gravity:
- If gravity were stronger, excessive ammonia and methane would
collect in the Earth's atmosphere, which would have a most damaging
effect onlife.
- If it were weaker, the Earth's atmosphere would lose excessive
quantities of water, making life impossible.
The Earth's Distance fromthe Sun:
- If this were any greater, the planet would grow very cold, the water
cycle in the atmosphere would be affected, and the planet would enter
an ice-age.
- If the Earth were any closer to the Sun, plants would burn up, the
water cycle in the Earth'satmosphere would be irreparably damaged, and
life would become impossible.
The Thickness of the Earth's Crust:
- If the crust were any thicker, then an excessive amount of oxygen
would be transferred to it from the atmosphere.
- If it were any thinner, the resulting amount of volcanic activity
would make life impossible.
The Speed at which the Earth Revolves:
- If this were any slower,the temperature difference between day and
night would grow enormously.
- If it were any faster, then atmospheric winds would reach enormous
speeds, and cyclones andstorms would make life impossible.
The Earth's Magnetic Field:
- If this were any more powerful, very strong electromagnetic storms
would arise.
- If it were any weaker, then the Earth would lose its protection
against the harmful particles given off by theSun and known as solar
winds. Both situations would make life impossible.
The Albedo Effect (The Fraction of Light Reflected by the Earth):
- If this were any greater, an ice-age would rapidly result.
- If it were any less, the greenhouse effect would lead to excessive
warming. The Earth would first be flooded with the melting of the
glaciers, and would thenburn up.
The Proportion of Oxygen and Nitrogen in the Atmosphere:
- If this were any greater, vital functions would be adversely accelerated.
- If it were any less, vital functions would adversely slow down.
The Proportion of Carbon Dioxide and Water in the Atmosphere:
- If this were any greater, the atmosphere would overheat.
- If it were any less, the temperature of the atmosphere would fall.
The Thickness of the Ozone Layer:
- If this were any greater, the Earth's temperature would fall enormously.
- If it were any less, the Earth would overheat and be defenceless
against the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted by the Sun.
Seismic Activity (Earthquakes):
- If this were any greater, there would be constant upheaval for living things.
- If it were any less, the nutrients at the sea bottom would fail to
spread into the water. This would have a damaging effect on life in
the seas and oceans and all living things on Earth.
The Earth's Angle of Tilt:
The Earth has a 23 degree angle of inclination to its orbit. It is
this inclination that gives rise to the seasons.If this angle were any
greater or any less than it is now, the temperature difference between
the seasons would reach extreme dimensions, with unbearably hot
summersand bitterly cold winters.
The Size of the Sun:
A smaller star than the Sun would mean the Earth would freeze and
alarger star would lead toits burning up.
The Attraction between the Earth and the Moon:
- If this were any greater, the powerful attraction of the Moon would
have extremely serious effects on atmospheric conditions, the speed at
which the Earth revolves around itsown axis and on the ocean tides.
- If it were any less, this would lead to extreme climate changes.
The Distance between the Earth and the Moon:
- If they were just a little closer, the Moon would crash into the Earth.
- If they were any further, the Moon wouldbecome lost in space.
- If they were even a little closer, the Moon's effect on the Earth's
tides would reach dangerous dimensions. Ocean waves would inundate
low-lying areas. The friction emerging as a result of this would raise
the temperature of the oceans and the sensitive temperature balance
essential to life on
Earth would disappear.
- If they were even a little further away, the tides would decrease,
leading the oceans to beless mobile. Immobile water would endanger
life in the seas, and the level of the oxygen we breathe would be
endangered. 6
The Temperature of the Earth and Carbon-Based Life:
The existence of carbon, the basis of all life, depends on the
temperature remaining within specific limits. Carbon is an essential
substance for organic molecules such as amino-acid, nucleic acid and
protein: These constitute the basis of life. For that reason, life can
only be carbon-based. Given this, the existing temperature needs to be
no lower than -20 degrees and no higher than 1200 Celsius (2480 F).
These are just the temperature limits on Earth.
These are just a few of the exceedingly sensitivebalances which are
essential for life on Earthto have emerged and to survive. Yet even
these are sufficient to definitively reveal that the Earth and the
universe could not have come into being as the result of a number of
consecutive coincidences. The concepts of "fine-tuning" and
the"anthropic principle" thatbegan to be employed inthe 20th century
are further evidence of Allah's creation. The harmony and
proportiontherein were described with magnificent accuracy fourteen
centuries ago in the Qur'an.

Thinking about satan, earthly desires and hell bestows depth on a person

· Why did Allah, the Omniscient, create satan, earthly
desires and Hell?
· How do satan, earthly desires and Hell bestow depth on a person?
· What is the wisdom behind the creation of difficulties?
As revealed in verse 30 of Surat al-Baqara, " When your Lord said to
the angels, 'I am putting a successive authority on the earth,' they
said, 'Why put on it one who will cause corruption on it and shed
blood when we glorify You with praise and proclaim Your purity?' He
said, 'I know what you do not know'," Allah created conscious
entities, human beings, even though angels were already in
existence This is because Allah loves human beings according to
their piety, who harbor a fervent love and fear of Him, who know and
praise His might, who love and appreciate His creations, who know
and are content with all the beauties He creates and who delight in
all these things, more than He does the angels. The reason why
Allah loves human beings more than the angels is that angels simply
obey Allah's commands, while human beings strive against satan and
earthly desires and believe in the mysteries without seeing Him. It
is because of these traits that separate man from the angels that
our Lord addresses our Prophet (saas) as "beloved," thus indicating
the love He feels for the Messengers and devout believers.
Rasulullah (saas) notes this love that Allah feels for His servants
in a hadith, " ALLAH said: "I have created you from My own light,
and other things from your light." ( Îmân Ahmed, Musnad IV-127;
Hâkim, Mustadrak II-600/4175; Ibni Hibban, Al- Ihsân XIV-312/6404;
Ajlûnî, Keshfu' al-Hâfâ I-265/827 ).
" Who could have a better faith than someone who submits himself
completely to Allah and is a good-doer, and follows the religion of
Abraham, a man of pure natural belief? Allah took Abraham as an
intimate friend." (Surat an-Nisa, 125)
In verse 125 of Surat an-Nisa', our Lord expresses His love of
those who have faith by speaking of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) as an
"intimate friend."
Our Lord Created Satan, Earthly Desires and Hell for Human Beings to Compare
Allah loves all fine things, including virtuous people, pleasant
views and delightful scenes and places. And He wants human beings
to delight in them, too. For example, He has sent down the verses of
the Qur'an with a delightful, melodious and magnificent harmony.
Had He wished, He could have sent them down without that harmony.
Had He wished, He could have created man in Paradise, without
creating the Earth and Hell at all. But if human beings had been
created directly in Paradise, they could never have known the
deficiencies of this world and the torments of Hell, and could never
have compared them and attained the fervor, depth and submission
desired by Allah. As revealed in verses of the Qur'an, Allah created
the Prophet Adam (pbuh) and his wife in Paradise. Despite being a
prophet, Adam (pbuh) fell into error because he knew nowhere else
other than Paradise. Indeed, verses reveal that the sorrow the
prophet Adam (pbuh) felt when he descended to earth stemmed from
his comparing this world with that of Paradise. This regret is
described as follows in verses:
" But satan made them slip up by means of it, expelling them from
where they were. We said, 'Go down from here as enemies to each
other! You will have residence on the earth and enjoyment for a
time.'
Then Adam received some words from his Lord and He turned towards
him. He is the Ever-Returning, the Most Merciful." (Surat
al-Baqara, 36- 37)
The beauty of anything can only be appreciated in comparison with
what is unpleasant and ugly, and virtue can only be appreciated when
compared with vice. One can compare the glorious variety and beauty
of life by putting good and bad, attractive and ugly side by side
and thus come to appreciate all the blessings one possesses.
Otherwise, one cannot give thanks for or appreciate the value of
one's blessings, and one would not wish to strive against one's
earthly desires in order to attain the infinite delights of
Paradise. One can only appreciate delights in this world and enjoy
Paradise in the Hereafter by making comparisons. But in that event,
by Allah's will, Paradise and all of its delights become a true
blessing.
Striving against Satan and His Supporters Bestows a Feeling of
Fervor and Depth
In the verse " Mankind! Eat what is good and lawful on the earth.
And do not follow in the footsteps of satan. He truly is an
outright enemy to you" ( Surat al-Baqara , 168) Allah reveals that
satan is the enemy of man and commands man to strive against him.
Had our Lord not created satan, there would be no struggle between
him and his supporters and Muslims, and no preaching of the word.
Having a profound faith, waging an intellectual struggle to bring
about the glorious reign of Islam, intending to be a follower of
Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), being a strong and honorable believer and
intellectually annihilating superstition and the way of the dajjal
all bring great joy and fervor to devout believers.
Indeed Allah in the past created Pharaoh against the Prophet Moses
(pbuh), Nimrod against the Prophet Abraham (pbuh), pagans and
hypocrites such as Abu Lahab and Abu Jahil against our Prophet
(saas) and the dajjal against Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), so that believers
can enjoy beauty and zeal. Allah sends the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)
back to earth for there to be beauty and so Muslims can delight in
it, and makes Hazrat KHidhir (pbuh) instrumental in many events.
Allah gives Muslims the impression that the innocent are suffering
for the test. They appear to be suffering and dying. But they do not
suffer at all. Our Lord says this of martyred Muslims, " They are
alive and well provided for in the very presence of their Lord, "
(Surat al-'Imran, 169) thus making their condition in His Presence
perfectly clear. But by creating troubles and martyrdom in this
way, Allah increases Muslims' feelings of zeal and eliminates
apathy and monotony.
Striving against Earthly Desires and the Difficulties One
Encounters Bestow Depth on a Person
Striving against satan and earthly desires allow one to reflect very
deeply. Allah loves a servant who thanks Him deeply, finds him very
beautiful, and at the end of his life in this world He will reward
the believer with the eternal life of Paradise.
One who fails to see the marvels and details that Allah creates in
this world will also fail to see them in Paradise. Someone who acts
in the light of earthly desires, who gives in to troubles and fails
to strive against them can take no pleasure fromPparadise if Allah
places him there. The glorious life of Paradise and all its delights
will mean nothing to him because he has not striven to earn
Paradise, has made no comparison between deficiencies and beauties
and has acquired no spiritual depth. But in the face of satan,
Hell, and earthly desires one acquires a glorious depth and never
forgets one's struggle for all time. One's endeavors in the face of
these tests created by Allah give one a profound mind and soul.
That is when Paradise becomes delightful for the believer. As
commanded in verses:
" O self at rest and at peace, return to your Lord, well-pleasing
and well-pleased! Enter among My slaves!
Enter My Garden.(Surat al-Fajr, 27- 30)

Fatwa, - Is it legally valid for men and women to pray in one line?

Question:
Is it legally valid for men and women to pray in one line?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
The general ruling is thatwomen should stand behind men when they are
praying together in congregation.
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra (Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the
Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) that he said:
�The best rows for men are the first rows, and the worst ones are the
last ones. The best rows for women are the last ones,and the worst
ones for them are the first ones.� (Sahih Muslim, no: 440)
Hence, it is stated in the renowned Hanafi Fiqh masterpiece, al-Hidaya:
�Men will make their rows first, then children and thereafter women��
(al-Hidaya, 1/124. Also see: Maraqi al-Falah, P: 249, al-Fatawa
al-Hindiyya, 1/89 and others)
According to the Hanafi School, if a woman was to pray next to a man,
the prayer of themanwould become invalid, and not the prayer of
thewoman. However, there are certain conditions in order for the man�s
prayer (salat) to become invalid: These conditions are as following:
1) The woman has reached puberty or is close to puberty in such away
that sexual gratification is typically acquired from her.
2) The prayer they are both offering consists of bowing (ruku�) and
prostration (sajda), even if one of them may be gesturing. Hence, the
funeral prayer of a man will not be invalidated if a woman prays next
to him, for it does not consist of a Ruku� and Sajda.
3) Both the man and woman are offering the same prayer with the same
Tahrima. In other words, they are both following the same Imamor the
woman is following the man. If they are offering their own individual
prayers, the man�s prayer will notbecome invalid.
4) There is no barrier between the man and woman. However, if there is
a barrier between them such as a pillar, then the man�s prayer would
not become invalid. This barrier should be, at minimum, the size of
the rear of a saddle in length, and to the thickness of a finger.
Moreover, empty space isalso considered to be a barrier, the minimum
of which should be that in which a person is able to stand. Thus, if a
man prayed next to a woman without a barrier, but there was enough
space between them for another person to stand, then the man�s prayer
would not become invalid.
5) The Imam makes the intention of the woman following him, for if the
Imam fails to make this intention, her prayer would become invalid
rather than the man�s, asthe Imam�s intention is arequirement for the
correctness of a woman�s prayer. Moreover, the condition is that the
Imam makes this intention (of the woman following him) atthe time of
commencing prayer, thus if a woman came later on and joinedin the
congregation and the Imam made the intention of her joining him, no
one�s prayer would become invalid.
6) The woman is from amongst those whose prayer is considered valid;
hence, if an insane woman (majnuna) prayed next to a man, hisprayer
would not be invalidated.
7) The woman remains praying next to the man for the duration of one
complete posture (rukn) of Salat such as the duration in which one can
offer a Ruku� or Sajda. (This is normally estimated to be the duration
of reading Subhan Allah thrice). Hence, if a woman remained next to
him fora period shorter than this and then left, the man�s prayer
would not become invalid.
8) Both the woman and man pray in the same direction, hence if they
were facing in different directions, such as when praying in the
Ka�ba, then the man�s prayer would not be invalidated. (See: al-Fatawa
al-Hindiyya, 1/89 & Radd al-Muhtar, 1/572)
The above are eight conditions that need to be found in order for a
man�s prayer to become invalid when praying next to a woman. If any
one of these conditions is not met, his prayer would not be
invalidated.
It is important to remember here that there is a slight difference of
opinion amongst the classical Hanafi Fuqaha with regards to the actual
method of being next to someone of the opposite gender. Is the prayer
invalidated with any limb of one�s body beingin line with any limb of
the other�s body or is the ruling based on the positioning of the
feet?
Some jurists are of the view that if any limb of the woman is in line
withany limb of the man, the man�s prayer would become invalid.
Therefore, whilst prostrating, if a woman�s head becomes in line with
the feet of the man, his prayer would be invalidated. However, the
relied uponopinion and that chosen by Ibn Abidin and others is that
the ruling will be based on the feet and in particular the heel. Thus,
the man�s prayer would not become invalid, as long as his heel is in
front of the woman�s heel. (Radd al-Muhtar, 1/572)
Given this difference of opinion, it is best for a spouse, for
example, to stand completely behind her husband when praying in
congregation.However, their prayer will be valid as long as her feet
and heel are behind her husband�s heel.
It is also worth remembering here that this above-mentioned ruling
applies to all typesof women, Mahram and non-Mahram, related or
unrelated, provided she has attained puberty or she is close to
puberty such that sexual gratification is typically acquired from her.
(al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 1/89)
Based on the above explanation, if men and women were praying together
in the same linein a congregation and behind one Imam, then the man
who is standing at the end of the men�s line which is connected to the
women�s line, his prayer will not be valid, provided all the other
above-mentioned conditions are met.
Imam Abd al-Hay al-Lakhnawi (Allah have mercy on him) states in his
notes on Imam al-Marghinani�s renowned al-Hidaya:
�Marghinani�s statement: �And that there is no barrier� It is
regarding this, Imam AbuYusuf (Allah have mercy on him) said that if
men and women prayed together in one line, the prayer of only one man,
the one standing between the men�s and women�s line, will become
invalid. And this man will be considered abarrier between the other
men and women.� (See: al-Hidaya with notes from Imam al-Lakhnawi,
1/125, Indian print)
However, this is when all the above-mentioned conditions are found.
Hence, if there was a barrier between the men�s and women�s lines
which also includes empty space that would be sufficient for a
personto stand in, then the manstanding at the edge of the row, his
prayer will not be invalidated.
In conclusion, it is alwaysbest for women to stand completely behind
men whilst offering prayer jointly, even if the woman is a close
family member. If a woman prayed next to a man, the prayer of the man
will become invalid. However, in order for theman�s prayer to become
invalid, certain necessaryconditions have to be found. If any one
condition is not met, his prayer would not be invalidated.
And Allah knows best