Welcome to Islam, - Islam is your birthright - I

The Creation of man and the entire Universe is not a mere accident or the product of chance. The entire Universe manifests and points to the realization of an All-Powerful Creator. Therefore, it is man's duty to know his Creator, Allaah.
Indeed, Allaah )The Only True God( has told us about Himself through the Divine guidance He sent to human beings. Humanity received this Divine guidance through the Messengers, may Allaah exalt their mention, who were chosen by Allaah to convey His message and to be living examples for their people. These Messengers, may Allaah exalt their mention, told man who his Creator is, the purpose of existence, and what will happen to him after death. They all brought the same message of Monotheism: the worship of Allaah alone. However, they differed only in the canonical teachings that were presented to their peoples.
Over a period, the earlier messages were distorted or lost by later generations. As a result, the pure message was polluted with myths, superstitions, idolatry and philosophical ideologies. However, Allaah, the Compassionate, did not leave man straying. He sent Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention, to re-instate the original message and to remind man of the right path. The last of those Prophets was Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,)may Allaah exalt his mention(, who presented Allaah's guidance in its final form: Islam, for all times and for all people.
Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission and obedience; as a religion, Islam stands for complete submission and obedience to Allaah. The other literal meaning of the word Islam is "peace", this signifies that one can only achieve real peace of heart and mind, and peace in society through submission and obedience to Allaah.
The Five Pillars of Islam
Worship in Islam is an all-inclusive term for all that Allaah loves -- private and public words and actions performed in accordance with His teachings. Islam considers every virtuous action which is performed to carry out the commandments of Allaah and in order to seek His pleasure, an act of worship. The Five Pillars of Islam, stand as the framework of the spiritual life of Islam. They include the following:
1. The Declaration of Monotheism
Monotheism is the cornerstone of Islam. A man joins the fold of Islam by believing and declaring his submission to Monotheism: "There is none worthy of worship but Allaah and Muhammad is His Messenger". It is the acceptance or denial of this belief that differentiates a Muslim from a non-Muslim.
2. Prayers
Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above a certain specified minimum must pay an annual amount of 2.5 percent of his wealth to the poor and needy.Zakaahpurifies a Muslim’s accrued wealth, fosters the quality of sacrifice and rids him of selfishness and greed.Zakaahalso helps reduce to resentment and envy between poor and rich members of the society.
4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan
Muslims observe fasting once every year during the month of Ramadan.They abstain from food, drink and sexual contact from dawn to sunset. Fasting teaches sincerity and implants devotion. It develops a sound social consciousness, patience, self-restraint, will-power and an awareness of how the needy members of the society lead their lives. It has been medically proved that fasting also helps to maintain good health.
5.Hajj)Pilgrimage to Makkah(
Hajjis an act of worship, which is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, if one can afford it both financially and physically. During this time, Muslims meet from all corners of the world in a congregation responding to the call of Allaah. It demonstrates and refreshes the belief that all Muslims are equal, irrespective of their geographical, cultural or racial origins.
The Six Articles of Faith in Islam
The Muslim believes in the following articles of faith:
1. He believes inthe Oneness of God, Allaah, Supreme and
Eternal, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider of everything.
2. He believes inall Messengers of Allaah, may Allaah exalt their mention, with no discrimination between them. Every nation had a messenger )or more( sent by Allaah to convey His message, and to exemplify it for his people or nation. The Quran mentions the names of only twenty five of them and indicates that there have been many others. Those twenty-five include Nooh )Noah(, Ibraaheem )Abraham(, Ismaa’eel )Ishmael(, Ishaaq )Issac(, Yaaqoob )Jacob(, Moosaa )Moses(, Daawood )David(, Sulaymaan )Solomon(, Yahya )John(, ‘Eesaa )Jesus( and finally, Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, may Allaah exalt their mention. Every Messenger was sent to a specific nation, but Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,)may Allaah exalt his mention(, was sent for mankind. This special status of Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,as the seal and last of all the Messengers puts the Muslim in the position, whereby honoring Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, implies honoring all those Messengers who came before him. There are numerous evidences or proofs that Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is an apostle of Allaah, mentioned in his biography. The greatest is the Quran )the Word of Allaah(, which could only have been conveyed by a Messenger. The Biblical versions, even in their present forms, clearly mention the advent of Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. ]See Deut. 18:18, 18:15, 33:2-3, Isaiah 29:12, Songs of Solomon 5:16, John 16:12-14 and John 14:15-16.[
3. A Muslim believesin all the scriptures of Allaah, in their original form. These scriptures contain the Divine message which the Messengers, may Allaah exalt their mention, received to show their respective peoples the right path of Allaah. In the Quran, a special reference is made to the books of Abraham )Suhuf(, to the Torah )Law( of Moses, theZaboor)Psalms( of David and theInjeel)Gospel( of Jesus. However, long before the birth of Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, those revealed books were corrupted or lost. Allaah revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad,sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, as the final revelation and guidance for all humankind for all times.
4. Muslims believe in theexistence of angelsas part of the unseen world. Angels are purely spiritual beings whose nature requires no food, drink or sleep; they perform specific duties assigned to them by Allaah.
5. A Muslim believes inthe Day of Judgment. The Quran teaches that life is a test for man, to see whether he will follow the commands of Allaah. Accordingly, one should prepare himself with good deeds for the eternal life after death. People will be resurrected on the Day of Judgment to stand before Allaah for a just reckoning of their worldly deeds and actions. People with good records will be generously rewarded and warmly welcomed to the Paradise of Allaah, while those with bad records will be punished and cast into hell.
6. A Muslim believes thatwhatever happens in this world is ordered and predestined by Allaah.Allaah is the Most Wise, so whatever He does has a meaningful purpose, although at times we may fail to understand it fully.

Hajj & Umrah, - Educational situationsfrom the school of Hajj - I

At the time the Islamic world is overwhelmed by the bliss of the Hajj days and their rituals legislated by Allah Almighty, to Purify and Bestow mercy upon His slaves, a lot of people write and talk about faith-related, spiritual, scientific, educational and Jihaad-related reflections, taking various models, ideas and lessons to learn from the school of Hajj.
In the Islamic religion, there is no support pillar, nor a method, nor a deed, without great wisdom lying behind it – disposed by )Allah( The Exalted in Might, and disclosed, in part, to those endowed with knowledge among people – in order to reflect on the Greatness of The Creator, the overwhelming Power of The Sovereign of the dominion, and the Mercy of The Most Merciful, The Ever Merciful, through it.
Endless lessons:
Among those educational aspects, about which there are lots of writings, without encompassing even the least or identifying their meanings and purposes, Mr. Fahd Al-Juhani says:
We may pause with some lessons, learned from the school of Hajj, or say, the "university of Hajj". Of course, we do not intend to enumerate or count them all. They are but references and enlightening hints, which show the spirit and greatness of Islam.
1- Unity and gathering together in one line:
How excellent, necessary and important those meanings are for the revival of the Ummah! They are evident and clear in Hajj. Although Muslims come from all parts of the world, different in their countries, colors, languages and names, they gather together in one place and time, explicitly and implicitly in Hajj. At the same time, they are united implicitly so that if you ask anyone of them why he has come for Hajj, he will say, without hesitation, that he has come in obedience of Allah Almighty, seeking His Pardon and Mercy. Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}Then depart from the place from where ]all[ the people depart…{]Quran 2:199[ So, all the deeds and acts of the pilgrims in Hajj would be the same, and the aspects of their unity and gathering together in the rituals would be too evident to detail. Thus, if there was no benefit in Hajj other than this lesson to learn and return with to our countries, it would be sufficient and have the clearest influence and be a Quantum leap toward the elevation and honor of the Islamic Ummah.
2- Organization of time and commitment to appointment:
That is another lesson to learn from Hajj. There is a strong relation between Hajj rituals and time, which indicates the great importance of time, as shown in the fact that Allah Assigns a certain time to each ritual, like standing at ‘Arafah, spending the night at Muzdalifah, departure therefrom to Mina, throwing Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah, the beginning of the time of throwing pebbles during the Days of Tashreeq, just after the sun declines from the middle of the sky. Hajj is performed at a definite time of the year, not before or after it; this guides us to – and alerts us about – being concerned with time. No doubt, time is life, and it is the capital that the Muslim should guard from spending in any useless or pointless affair that has no religious or worldly benefit, or in what has been made unlawful by Allah Almighty.
3- Making things easy rather than difficult:
Ease and removal of difficulty are among the good merits of Islam; and the manifestations of this are shown clearly in Hajj. It was narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas, May Allah Be Pleased with him, that he said that – when the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, stood at Mina, during his Farewell Hajj, for the people to ask him – he was never asked about anything to be done before or after the other, except that he answered:"Do, and there is no blame."It is also shown in the concession given to those legally excused, as appears in the permission given by the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to Al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with him, to spend the nights which the pilgrim should spend in Mina in Makkah, in order to be able to provide the pilgrims with water supplies; and the permission given to the weak among the women and the children to depart from Muzdalifah at night and throw Jamrat Al-‘Aqabah ahead of its due time. There is a lot more evidence for making things easy rather than difficult upon the pilgrims. Moreover, giving the freedom of choice bears much more facilitation and ease. In your Hajj, you are given the choice to perform Hajj At-Tamattu‘ )to perform Hajj after having performed ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj(, Al-Qiraan )to assume Ihraam with the intention to perform both ‘Umrah and Hajj jointly(, or Al-Ifraad )to have the intent to perform Hajj solely(; and to have your head shaved or to cut your hair short; to hasten your departure )within two days( or to delay your departure )after the third day( to the end of Hajj. Undoubtedly, that is great lesson for every caller to Allah, teacher and mentor, and every Muslim in general; to make things easy, not difficult upon others, in response to the statement of the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, where he said:"Make things easy, and do not make them difficult; and give glad tidings, and do not cause the people to have aversion )to religion(."
4- Self-upbringing, self-watchfulness and adherence to piety:
One of the clearest aspects observed in Hajj is the accurate organization and compulsory discipline and seriousness of the pilgrims. From the beginning to the end of the journey of Hajj, there are clear spatial and time limits. The spatial boundaries are the Hajj definite Meeqaats which the pilgrim, who does not live in Makkah, should not go beyond, as well as the places of Tawaaf, Sa‘y, and so on; the time limits are to do the rituals at particular times, like standing at and leaving ‘Arafah, spending the night at Muzdalifah, throwing the pebbles, and so on. A clear manifestation of organization, noticeable in Hajj, is to oblige all pilgrims to put on one form of dress of a certain quality, and avoid the list of prohibitions which invalidate the state of Ihraam.
All those limits are set by Allah Almighty as He Says )what means(:
•}These are the Limits of Allah, so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses the Limits of Allah – it is those who are the wrongdoers.{]Quran 2:229[
•}And those are the limits ]set by[ Allah. And whoever transgresses the Limits of Allah has certainly wronged himself.{]Quran 65:1[
In the "Book of Hajj", Al-Bukhaari, May Allah Have mercy upon him, has a chapter with the following title: "A Chapter on the command of the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to adhere to tranquility on departure, and signaling to them with his whip". When the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, left on the Day of ‘Arafah, he heard a loud noise and the sound of the beating of camels behind him. So he signaled to the people with his whip and said:"O people! Adhere to tranquility for haste is not a sign of piety."Look, my dear brother and sister, at those great meanings on which the Muslim is brought up in Hajj, as regards the love for organization and discipline, and strengthening the spirit of seriousness. Thus, the Muslims return to their families with those valuable educational meanings.
5- Organization, discipline and seriousness:
Those meanings are well manifested in the feelings of Hajj. Allah Almighty Enjoined righteousness in His talk about Hajj. He Says )what means(:}And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of Allah. And fear Me, O you of understanding.{]Quran 2:197[ This leads the Muslim pilgrim to have self and internal watchfulness of Allah. Allah Knows every deed he does. Allah Almighty Forbade him sexual relations, wickedness and wrangling to improve his conduct:}Hajj is ]during[ well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein ]by entering the state of Ihraam[, there is ]to be for him[ no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj. And whatever good you do – Allah Knows it.{]Quran 2:197[ From the beginning to the end of Hajj, the Muslim should observe )the Commands of( Allah and abide by righteousness. In this way, his intent, Hajj, love, hope, fear, humiliation and supplication will be for Allah Almighty. When he assumes the state of Ihraam, he makes himself a watcher that alerts and reminds him. Since he learns that Allah Knows all that he does, he then does not approach the nullifiers of Ihraam; and if he makes a mistake, he will then make expiation for it according to what is mentioned, and it is Allah Who Knows him well. If, during Tawaaf, there is crowdedness between men and women, he will watch his sight and keep it from looking at what is unlawful and guard his heart, hearing, seeing and tongue, during Hajj, in order to maintain his rituals, hoping that his worship would be accepted. The same applies to all rituals. That is, as it seems clear, to raise, develop, purify and justify the soul. It is, by Allah, a great lesson for the pilgrim to reflect on, obtain benefit from, generalize and apply to all his life affairs.
6- Mutual accord, recognition and sympathy among Muslims:
How good Hajj is when it enables you to be acquainted with anyone of your fellow Muslims from another part of the world, where you know his conditions, love him as well as he loves you, and both you and he, together, aid each other, and we all sympathize with each other, with no relationship to gather us, neither of blood, nor of nation, nor of dust or of property, nor of anything other than the religion of Islam. Yes. In Hajj, the most beautiful and wonderful meanings of brotherhood appear, and we become, as stated by the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam,"The believer is, in relation to another believer, like a firmly joined structure of which the parts strengthen each other."
Consider, my dear brother and sister, the following Hadeeth narrated in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas, May Allah Be Pleased with him, that once, the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, met a group of riders at )the place of( Rawhaa’, whom he asked:“Who are the people?”They said: “)We are among( the Muslims.” Then, they asked: “Who are you?” He said:“I am the Messenger of Allah.”A woman )from among them( raised a young boy to him )to see( and said: “Could Hajj be performed by that )young boy(?” He said:“Yes, and you would receive a reward )for enabling him to perform it(.”
Hajj always develops mutual accord, recognition, affection and proximity among the Muslims: no one among us is superior to another except by virtue of piety. In confirmation of that, Allah Almighty Says )what means(:
•}That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the Name of Allah on known days over what He Has Provided for them of ]sacrificial[ animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.{]Quran 22:28[
•}…then eat from them and feed the needy and the beggar...{]Quran 22:36[
Yes. Allah Almighty Instructs His slaves and Brings up the pilgrims to His House to aid each other, cooperate with each other, sympathize with each other, and the rich among them feed the poor, and the strong help the weak, thereby consolidating important meanings of collaboration and cooperation.
7- Honoring and protecting women:
Women have been utilized by those in whose hearts there is a disease as a means to their straying purposes, and a ladder to their suspicious wishes, to corrupt the society and alienate the Ummah. They claim, out of ignorance, that women have been wronged, exposed to humiliation, and deprived of their rights and freedom in the Muslim society. Let us say, with the highest voice, that no religion, cult or law other than Islam has ever given women their rights, honored, raised and maintained them, so much that some Western women hope to lead a life like that of Muslim women in their position, chastity and happiness in bringing up their children, and honor in wearing their Hijaab. That is because Western women have long suffered from injustice, humiliation and contempt. In Hajj, there are various forms in which women are honored, cared for and maintained. When a man stood up and said:"O Messenger of Allah! I have been enlisted in such-and-such battle, and my wife has set out for Hajj." The Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to him, "Go and perform Hajj in the company of your wife."
Since Islam has not enjoined Jihaad upon women in order to guard them and respect their weakness, Allah Has Recompensed them with Hajj and ‘Umrah. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, May Allah Be Pleased with her, that she said:"O Messenger of Allah! Is Jihaad obligatory for women?" He said, "Yes. Obligatory for them is Jihaad in which there is no fight, i.e. Hajj and ‘Umrah."]Ahmad and Ibn Maajah[
Consider with me, dear brother and sister, the following Hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhaari and Muslim on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, May Allah Be Pleased with her, where she said:
The Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, entered upon me while I was weeping. He asked me the reason for it. I replied, "I heard what you said to your Companions and I cannot do the ‘Umrah." He asked me, "What is the matter with you?" I replied, "I am not praying )as I have got my menses(." He said, "There is no harm in it as you are one of the daughters of Aadam and the same is written for you as for others. So, you should perform Hajj and I hope that Allah Will Enable you to perform ‘Umrah as well."
Is this not a kind of honor for women, asking about their state, soothing their hearts, and caring for their affairs? Would that my people know this! Would that they perceive that to abide by the Islamic method of dealing with and caring for women maintains the manners of the society and the Ummah from all kinds of social, moral and educational corruption in which the materialistic world lives – and is visible here and there.
8- Tolerance, pardon and soundness of the heart:
It was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah, May Allah Be Pleased with him, that he said that the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:"Whoever performs Hajj to this House )the Ka‘bah( during which he neither has sexual intercourse )with his wife( nor commits wickedness will return )as sinless( as a newborn on the very day his mother gave birth to him."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ There is no day on which Allah Releases people from Hell more than on the Day of ‘Arafah. This shows the great extent of the Pardon, Mercy, perfect Generosity and Munificence of Allah with the visitors of His House. During those blessed days, the mercy )of Allah( descends, the blessings are multiplied, and sins are removed by )Allah( The Forgiver, The Merciful, The Pardoning, The Generous, The Munificent and The Forbearing. So, would we obtain benefit from Hajj? That is: to return with tolerance, forgiveness, sound breasts and pure hearts; having no feelings of resentment towards the Muslims, according to which I would excuse all my brothers and sisters, pardon those who wronged me, deal with the mistakes of others in kindness, and purify my heart from all feelings of resentment, envy, grudge or hatred, in the hope that Allah Would Forgive and Pardon me; He Is The Most Merciful of those who show mercy;"Verily, Allah Bestows mercy upon the merciful among His slaves."

Hajj & Umrah, - Lessons Drawn from the Obligation of Hajj - II

The Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said:
•"All of my Ummah will enter Paradise except those who refuse."It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, who are those who refuse?" He said,"Whoever obeys me will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys me has refused."
•"Whoever does any action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours )i.e. Islam(, will have it rejected."
Allah Almighty also Says )what means(:}So let those beware who dissent from the Prophet's order, lest Fitnah strike them or a painful punishment.{]Quran 24: 63[
Complete submission and surrender to the Command of Allah Almighty:
Whoever is enslaved by his customs, taken over by his traditions, or owned by habits and desires, will not be liberated nor freed; especially if he weighs all things with his mind and does not take any action. Rather, he does not adhere to any matter except after conducting an accurate materialistic evaluation. This is the way of the slaves of mind and matter. However, Hajj, with its mysterious and unfamiliar description, is a challenge to the slaves of systems and arrangements. It is an invitation to achieve complete submission, belief in the unseen, absolute surrender to the Command of the Beloved; Allah Almighty, without seeking any proofs or depending on logic or mental proof. Such absolute submission to the command and complete surrender to its requirements without knowing the wisdom behind it is the absolute kind of servitude and slavery to the Greatest God; Allah Almighty.
Allah Almighty Has Assigned the pilgrims – as Imaam Abu Haamid Al-Ghazaali, May Allah Have mercy upon him, said – with:
Some acts which involve no fraternizing among people and whose meaning no intel¬lect can comprehend, such as throwing pebbles and running to and from repeatedly between Safa and Marwah for example. It is through such acts that perfect bondage and slavery is manifest. Zakaah is kindness; its meaning is understood and intellect inclines to it. Fast¬ing is a break with bestial passion, which is the tool of the enemy of Allah Almighty, and involves concentration on worship by abstaining from ]normal[ occupations. Rukoo‘ )bowing( and )Sujood( )prostration( in prayer ]express[ submission to Allah Almighty through acts which represent the ]outward[ forms of submission, But the running to and fro ]between Safa and Marwah[, and the casting of stones and similar acts afford no obvious benefit to the soul nor any natural sociability; nor is the intellect able to discover their meaning. For whatever the intellect understands, to that is nature inclined; inclination thus cooperates with the command and together with it incites to action. Thus, perfect bondage and slavery are hardly manifest. For this reason, the Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, with special reference to Hajj:"Here I am in Hajj, truly in devotion and slavery."He did not say this in prayer or anything else.
If the Wisdom of Allah Almighty has decreed that the salva¬tion of people shall require that their acts be in accordance with the requirements of submission and ser-vitude – for that whose meanings cannot be discovered is the most consummate of all the kinds of worship in cleansing souls and turning them away from the requirements of nature and ethics to the require¬ments of servitude.
A lesson regarding the unity of the Islamic Ummah:
Amongst the greatest benefits of Hajj is that it affirms the unity of the Islamic Ummah that is established by the Noble Quran and the honorable Sunnah as Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}Indeed this, your religion, is one religion.{]Quran 21: 92[
In Hajj, we find that all Muslims are united in performing the same specific rituals, away from any differences or distinctions. All pilgrims perform Tawaaf around the same House, make Sa‘y in the same place, stand at the same destination, turn to only one direction, recite the same Book, worship the same Lord beside Whom there is no other god and follow the same Prophet, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. All such things enhance the Islamic brotherhood and religious relationship among all Muslims. Different colors, different shapes and different countries raise the sublimity of the religion and combine the power of religion in their hearts and the acts of Hajj among their bodies and conduct. They, through actions, reject the differences of nationalities, races and parties. This proves that this Ummah can only be united by the call of belief and faith, as Allah Almighty Says )what means(:
•}Indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I Am your Lord, so worship Me.{]Quran 21: 92[
•}The believers are but brothers.{]Quran 49: 10[
Also, the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:“The relationship between one believer and another is like a structure, parts of which support other parts.”
If Muslims realize this noble meaning, act upon it and apply it, differences and causes of dissension will vanish. Rather, they will be like a single body, submitting to the Saying of Allah Almighty )which means(:}And hold firmly to the Rope of Allah all together and do not become divided.{]Quran 3: 103[
Adopting a moderate and balanced approach in all matters:
One has to avoid all types of exaggeration, going to extremes or being careless. Imaam Ahmad reported from Ibn ‘Abbaas, May Allah Be Pleased with him, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to me on the morning of Al-‘Aqabah: “Come and pick up pebbles for me.” So I picked up pebbles for him that were a little larger than a chickpea. He put them in his hand and said:“With pebbles like these stone )the Jamaraat(.”Then he added:“O people, beware of going to extremes, for those who came before you were destroyed because of going to extremes in religion.”
Really, the Ummah is in pressing need to adopt a moderate and balanced approach in all matters, without being negligent or careless, and without exaggerating or going to extremes, but rather being moderate as Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}And thus We Have Made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.{]Quran 2: 143[
Unity of history and objectives:
When the Muslim individual lives the memory of Hajj or performs it in its real sense, he records his name as one of a great caravan that responded to the call of the Messengers, May Allah Exalt their mention, and obeyed the Lord of the worlds. This caravan has been led by the Prophets and Messengers from Ibraaheem )Abraham( and those who came before and after him: Nooh )Noah(, Ismaa‘eel )Ishmael(, Is-haaq )Isac(, Moosa )Moses( ‘Eesa )Jesus( and Muhammad, May Allah Exalt their mention.
Every Muslim should know that he is not the first to experience such matters, but rather there were many before him such as the prophets, messengers, guided leaders and believing followers who underwent the same difficulties and experienced the same situations and obstacles. However, they endured and showed patience towards them. Therefore, they were rewarded greatly in the worldly life and the Hereafter. They came to have the upper hand over their enemies and their voices recited the Talbiyah of Hajj loudly, although many of them lived at a time in which they could not approach the House or even pray in it, not to mention performing Hajj or ‘Umrah.
When one remembers this, his heart will feel reassured and his feet will stand firm on this way. Actually, we are in dire need of this form of standing firm in the time of strangeness and alienation, and of knowing that the prosperous end will be for you as what happened with the believers who were before you. Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, "We will surely drive you out of our land, or you must return to our religion." So their Lord Inspired to them, "We Will surely Destroy the wrongdoers. And We will surely cause you to dwell in the land after them. That is for he who fears My position and fears My threat."{]Ibraaheem 14: 13-14[
Hajj still has greater wisdom than that, such as learning humility, remembering the Hereafter, renewing faith through seeing the places of worship and destinations of invitation. What we have mentioned is just a drop in the ocean. Whoever contemplates the matter thoughtfully will surely learn many other lessons. That is because Allah Almighty Says )what means(:}That they may witness benefits for themselves.{]Quran 22: 28[

Dought & clear, - Her husband divorced her and she got her period on the same day that the divorce papers were signed, then he took her back with a text message after three months

i have a question and i will be greatful if u can answer me as soon as possible because currently the decision has to be taken immediately.My friend husband has given her divorce in india.he legally signed the papers in front of two witnesses.the divorce was named as TALAQ E BAEEIN. And my friend was in state of menses the day he signed that day her periods began.She was told to wait for her iddah to get over and accordingly if we take that day of menses she finished her iddah.Now after three months he has sent her text message formally annoucing that he has taken her into his nikah back as his wife.
My question is
1-is talaq e baeein it the first or second or third divorce.As he has not uttered the words before also wen she was in nikaah.
2-can he take back his wife by just a mobile sms.
3-plz tell me if the divorce is valid if she is menstruating.
Plz help me in the light of Quran and Sunnah.
140315
Ruling on kissing and embracing one wife in front of her co-wives!
.
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Revocable divorce is the first or second talaaq, so long as it is not talaaq in return for money (i.e., so long as it is not khula‘). Then this revocable divorce is counted as one of the three talaaqs, and it is permissible to take the wife back during her ‘iddah, even if that is without her consent, with no new marriage contract or mahr; rather the original marriage contract remains in effect.
As for irrevocable divorce (at-talaaq al-baa’in), it is divided into two types, major and minor. Irrevocable divorce in the major sense means that the husband has completed three talaaqs, as a result of which the marriage contract between them comes to an end, and it is not permissible for him to marry her again until after she has married another husband in a genuine marriage, not a tahleel marriage (one aimed making it permissible for her to go back to the first husband), then the second husband divorces her or passes away.
Irrevocable divorce in the minor sense refers to cases where talaaq is issued in return for compensation, or it occurs before consummation of the marriage, or where the husband has issued one or two talaaqs and has not taken her back before her ‘iddah ended. As a consequence of that, the marriage contract between them comes to an end, but it is possible for the husband to remarry her with her consent, and with a new marriage contract and mahr. This has been explained previously in fatwa no. 46561.
Hence it is known that this talaaq that your friend signed for his wife is a revocable talaaq, so long as it did not happen in return for money, and was not a third talaaq, as appears to be the case from your question.
Secondly:
The ‘iddah of a woman divorced by talaaq varies according to her situation. This has been explained previously in detail in fatwa no. 12667
So long as this woman menstruates, as is mentioned in the question, then her ‘iddah is according to her menstrual cycle. So what she must do is wait until she has had three menstrual cycles after her divorce, including the menses that came on the day of the talaaq, if he divorced her before her menses began, as we shall see below. If her husband took her back during this ‘iddah, i.e., before her third menses, then she is still his wife.
But if he took her back after the end of the ‘iddah, then in that case the taking back is not valid, and she has become irrevocable divorce in the minor sense.
Thirdly:
The fuqaha’ are unanimously agreed that taking back the wife is valid if done by means of words to that effect, such as if he says to her: “I take you back” or “I take her back”. However they differed as to whether taking back may be achieved by means of actions, such as intercourse and the things that lead to it, e.g., touching, kissing, being alone together. This has been discussed previously in the answer to question no. 23269.
You say that your friend sent her a text message saying that he was taking her back. If he intended to take her back by means of this message, then it was fulfilled thereby. The scholars have stated that writing down the taking back, with the intention of doing so, counts as taking back. It says inI‘aanat al-Taalibeen ‘ala Hall Alfaaz Fath al-Ma‘een(4/34): Writing may take the place of speaking, if accompanied by the intention. End quote.
However we should point out that just as it is not necessary to have the wife’s consent to taking her back, it is also not necessary to inform her of it; rather even if he takes her back without her knowledge, the taking back is still valid, and she is obliged to comply with the implications of his taking her back once she is certain of his claim to have taken her back during the ‘iddah, or once he establishes proof for her.
It says inBadaa’i‘ as-Sanaa’i‘ fi Tarteeb ash-Sharaa’i‘(3/181):
Similarly, informing her that he is taking her back is not an essential condition; even if he does not tell her that he is taking her back, that is acceptable, because taking back is his right exclusively. End quote.
Fourthly:
Issuing a talaaq during menses is a sin and an act of disobedience; it is contrary to the command of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). As to whether it is applicable to the wife, that is a matter concerning which the scholars differed. We have discussed this difference of opinion previously; for information on the most correct view, please see fatwa no. 72417
This difference of opinion is of concern if the husband issued a divorce to his wife at the time when she was menstruating. As for completing the official procedures and filing the divorce papers, that has nothing to do with whether the woman is menstruating or not. If he divorced her during a period of purity in which he had not had intercourse with her, but the divorce papers were signed when she was menstruating, then this divorce was done in accordance with the Sunnah and counts as such, according to scholarly consensus, even if she got her menses on the same day, after he had actually divorced her.
And Allah knows best.