Dought & clear, - He noticed a smell but did not feel any wind coming out of him

I am affected by waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and I am trying
hard to avoid doubts that come to me regarding wudoo' and prayer.
But two days ago, when I was praying in the mosque, I suddenly noticed
a smell (of passing wind), even though I did not feel anything in my
stomach, and I did not feel that anything came out of me before I
noticed the smell.
I said: This is waswaas, and I completed my prayer. But after I had
prayed, I began to strongly doubt the validity of my prayer. Perhaps
there had been some movement in my stomach and I had forgot, or
perhaps it was gas, because that happens to me sometimes.
I still have my doubts until now.
Is my prayer valid, or should I make it up? Do I have to do anything,
because several days have passed since I offered that prayer?
Praise be to Allah
Your prayer is valid and you do not have to repeat it; do not worry
about the smell that you noticed so long as you did not feel anything
coming out of you. You should not pay attention to the waswaas that
comes to your mind and cast aside the doubts that cross your mind.
With regard to the hadeeth which says that a man complained to the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he felt
something during the prayer, and asked whether he should stop praying,
and he said: "No, unless you hear a sound or notice a smell" (narrated
by al-Bukhaari, 20546; Muslim, 361), this has to do with one who feels
something and is not sure whether it came out; this indicates that one
should not do something that is due to waswaas, because the certainty
of being in a state of purity cannot be affected by uncertainty or
doubt.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The believer should not pay attention to this waswaas, because this
will encourage the Shaytaan, and the Shaytaan is keen to spoil the
good deeds of the sons of Adam, such as prayer and so on. What he must
do is be aware of his tricks and whispers, put his trust in Allah, and
assume that whatever happens of waswaas is from the Shaytaan, so that
he will not pay any attention to it. Then if something comes out of
him and he is certain of it, not uncertain, he should clean himself
again (istinja') and repeat wudoo'. But so long as there is any
uncertainty, even if it is slight, then he should not pay attention to
that, and he should still believe that he is in a state of purity and
ward off the whispers of the Shaytaan.
End quote fromMajmoo' Fataawa Ibn Baaz, 10/123
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Eating food that is made for ‘Ashoora’

Is it permissible to eat the foods cooked by Shiites in Aashooraa?
They say that these foods are made for Allah's sake but its reward is
for Al-Hussein, may Allah be pleased with him!
It will be embarrassing if I do not accept this food. It may even
expose me to danger, as I am in Iraq, and you know how Sunnis here are
treated.
Praise be to Allah
What the Shi'ah do on 'Ashoora' of slapping their cheeks, striking and
cutting their heads, shedding their blood and making special foods, is
all bid'ah and reprehensible innovation, as has been explained in the
answer to question no. 4033and 9438. It is not permissible to take
part in that, or to help those who do it, because that is cooperating
in sin and transgression.
And it is not permissible to eat this food that they have prepared for
their innovation and misguidance.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: This is an
abhorrent evil and reprehensible innovation which must be abandoned;
it is not permissible to take part in it and it is not permissible to
eat the food that is offered.
And he said: It is not permissible take part in it or to eat of these
meats or drink these drinks [prepared for this occasion]. If the meat
has been slaughtered for anyone other than Allaah, among Ahl al-Bayt
[the Prophet's family] or anyone else, then it is major shirk, because
Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the
meaning):
". Say (O Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم(: 'Verily, my Salaah )prayer(, my
sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the
'Aalameen )mankind, jinn and all that exists(.
163. 'He has no partner. And of this I have been commanded, and I am
the first of the Muslims'"
[al-An'aam 6:162-163]
"Verily, We have granted you (O Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم( Al-Kawthar
)a river in Paradise(.
2. Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)"
[al-Kawthar 1-2]
End quote fromFataawa al-Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz(8/320).
But if your refusing to accept their food will pose a danger to you,
then there is nothing wrong with accepting it so as to ward off harm.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - What is wrong with saying “the will of the people is part of the will of Allaah”.

I read in some books written by thinkers the phrase, "The will of the
people is part of the will of Allaah." I hope you can tell me how
correct this saying is.
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Doosari (may Allaah have mercy on him) was
asked about this phrase, and he answered as follows:
This is a serious fabrication which some theorists and those who
implement their ideas have dared to utter; nothing of this nature was
ever spoken in thekaafirenvironments of past centuries. The worst that
was said in the past was when they used the will of Allaah as an
excuse, as Allaah tells us (interpretation of the meaning):
"Those who took partners (in worship) with Allaah will say: 'If Allaah
had willed, we would not have taken partners (in worship) with Him,
nor would our fathers, and we would not have forbidden anything
(against His Will).'"
[al-An'aam 6:148].Allaah showed them to be liars, but these
philosophers attribute to the so-called people the will to do whatever
they want, in order to justify the plans which they want to carry out.
We must confront this evil lie in order to prove that it and the
motives of those who say this are false, because on the basis of their
corrupt idea the people will be allowed to do whatever they want and
conduct their affairs in such a way that there will be no restrictions
laid down by the sharee'ah and the Book, only those that suit their
whims and desires, or are based on their materialistic interests and
physical desires, or their power – like the kaafir peoples who do not
follow the religion of Allaah and do not care about morality or
virtue.
Not even Abu Jahl and his ilk, as evil and stubborn as he was, dared
to utter this lie, because the abhorrence of this lie is obvious to
anyone who has common sense. People's tastes and inclinations vary, so
if the will of the people is regarded as being part of the will of
Allaah, this would mean that all kinds of trends such as
existentialism, communism, nazism, zionism, the law of the jungle and
others are also part of the will of Allaah that He enjoins upon
people. Then all the things that evil souls desire and sick hearts
love, such as promiscuity, immorality, drinking alcohol and fulfilling
physical desires at the expense of others would also be a part of the
will of Allaah.
So why do they criticize and condemn others for it, if the will and
desires of the people are part of the will of Allaah concerning the
rulings that He likes? Why would Allaah send Messengers and reveal
Books, and enjoin jihaad, and issue commands and prohibitions to the
people, if their will is part of His will that He likes?
This is impossible; it is the ultimate immorality and misguidance.
Those who make this claim do not apply it to themselves, rather they
use it as permission to suppress the people who do not submit to their
power or act according to their plans.
It is as if the people whom they are ruling with an iron fist are the
people whose will is divine and is part of the will of Allaah.
Falsehood is inevitably self-contradictory, and points out its own
false nature. This is an action of major shirk, because they have made
the people rivals to Allaah, and they have made their desires rivals
to His sharee'ah and wisdom, instead of subject to Allaah's rulings
and adhering to His limits, content with and implementing His
sharee'ah.

Dought & clear, - Wishing for death because of intense distress.

I have great problems in my work and in my social life. Is it
permissible for me to wish for death?
Praise be to Allaah.
Your state is like that described by the poet:
"If death were for sale I would buy it.
This life is something in which there is nothing good."
This is wrong. It is not permissible for the believer to wish for
death. If he has to say something, then let him recite the du'aa' that
has been reported for such cases.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Let not
any one of you wish for death because of some harm that has befallen
him. If he must wish for something then let him say, 'O Allaah, keep
me alive so long as life is good for me, and let me die when death is
good for me.'"(Narrated by al-Bukhaari (al-Fath), 11/154)