Ahle sunnathwal Jamath, - Esaal e Sawaab

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To put simply, Esal e Sawab is nothing other than to ask Allah for the forgiveness of our sins, and to raise the spiritual status of the deceased. This may be achieved through various practices, such as the offering of du’as [supplications], to recite the Qur’an, to offer Qurbani [at Eid al Adha], and also, to perform a compulsory Hajj [fard] on the behalf of the deceased.
As this chapter will seek to demonstrate, Insh Allah, by using the Qur’an and the Sunnah as evidence, and by examining the fatwawa’s of the scholars of Islam, we shall indeed discover that this is not an innovative practice [bid’a], but something that has been practiced by Muslims throughout the centuries, and secondly, which is permissible.
Evidence from the Qur’an
Allah (Almighty.) has ordered the Muslims (believers) that you pray for your parents as follows:
O’ My Lord [Allah (Almighty.], have mercy on my parents like they have bought me up through my childhood.
(Surah Isra, Verse 24)
Allah (Almighty.) has praised those Muslims who ask for forgiveness of the deceased. They ask for forgiveness in the following manner:
O’ Allah (Almighty.) forgive us and forgive our Muslim brothers and sisters who have passed away.
(Surah Hashir, Verse 10)
The above mentioned verses demonstrate that if anyone prays on behalf of another person, the latter will receive the [spiritual] benefits - Allah Willing. This also demonstrates that if it was the wrong action Allah would not have ordered us to pray for other people, nor would He have stated that those who ask for forgiveness for the deceased, receive praises from Allah.
Evidence from the Sunnah
Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim write that:
A man came to the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] and said ‘My mother has suddenly died and she did not leave any will, but I suspect that if she did that then she would have told me to give something to charity. Now if I offer something in charity on her behalf, will she get the reward?’Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] said ‘Yes’. Then the man said that I make you, the Prophet, as my witness, that I offer my garden full of fruits to charity.
(Bukhari Muslim, Chapter Al-Wasiha)
This hadith, as can be clearly read, proves that to offer a charity on behalf of the deceased will result in the deceased obtainig a benefit.
Imam Bukhari writes that:
Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] has said, The status of the deceased is raised(during their time in the grave), and the deceased ask Allah (Almighty.) why has this happened, Allah (Almighty.) replies that your son has prayed for your forgiveness. (Al-Adab, Al-Mufid Chapter Excellency of the Parents by Imam Bukhari)
From this particular hadith, it can be understood that not only charity, but the offering of prayers (making duas) and the giving of alms, will also benefit the deceased.
After providing evidence from the primary and secondary sources, we shall now move onto the evidences provided by some of the scholars on this topic.
Hafidhh Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
From the authentic Hadith, there is evidence pointing out that the deceased person will gain rewards from all the good deeds carried out on his/her behalf by others. Some people raise the objection that a person can only gain reward from their own actions, and refer to the Qur’an [for evidence]. This is not correct. Firstly, because a Muslim recieves the reward of those deeds that he /she has never done themselves [for example]: like Allah says in the Qur’an that the Angels of the Throne of Allah, glorify Allah and ask for forgiveness on behalf of all the Muslims. It is also evident from the Qur’an: [that] Allah (The Almighty) ordered Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless Him and grant Him peace] to pray for his Ummah, since his du’a is the peace of mind for the Ummah. In the same way the d’ua is offered in the funeral prayer, also when visiting the grave and offering d’ua for the deceased.
Secondly, we know that Allah (Almighty.) rewards us through the deeds of other people, which are carried out on our behalf. An example is where the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] said “Whenever a Muslim prays for other Muslims, Allah (Almighty.) appoints an Angel to say Amin”, i.e., the angel asks Allah (Almighty.) for the acceptance of the prayer. Sometimes Allah (Almighty.) blesses the participants of the funeral prayer in response to the prayer from the deceased and vice versa.
(Mujmua Al-Fatawa vol:7, page 500 & vol:24, page 367) Published by Hafidhh Ibn-e-Taymiyyah in Saudi Arabia
Hafidhh Ibn Qayyam writes:-
“If a Muslim recites Qur’an, performs Hajj, offers du’a, gives in charity on the behalf of the deceased, then the deceased gets the benefits of it. Some innovators say that the deceased do not get any such reward, which is wrong according to the authentic Hadith. The proof is in the Qur’an that Allah (Almighty.) has praised those who ask for forgiveness for their Muslim brothers. Authentic Hadith proves that Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] replied to a question saying that to offer alms on behalf of a deceased person earns benefit. Some individuals suspect that the earlier Muslims did not do Esal-e-Sawab. This is because of their own ignorance or lack of knowledge. The earlier Muslims did not do these to show off. The Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] himself gave permission to offer Alms, so it is right to say that Esal-e-Sawab is right. The ayah in the Qur’an which states that only the own deeds are rewarded, means that he is righteous to get rewarded, which means that he is righteous to receive reward, but a present from someone else is also rewarded to the deceased by Allah (Almighty.).
(Kitab-ur-Rooh; by Hafidhh Ibn-ul-Qayyam Chapter 16)
Qadi Shawkani writes:
According to the Sunni faith, a deceased receives rewards from others praying, performing Hajj, offering Alms, but the “Mutazala” refuse to accept this. if it is wrong to offer these to the deceased, then Islam would not have allowed us to say “Salaam” (peace be to you) to the deceased when visiting or entering the graveyards. (Nal-Al-Autar, chapter: Janaiz by Qadi Shawkani).
These above references prove our argument for Esal-e-Swab and that the suspicion that people harbour in that it has no basis in either the Qur’an or the Sunnah, is not true.
Origins and Development
The origin of Esal-e-Swab is in the Qur’an but it is carried out in different manner in different communities. For example, to preach Islam to invite others to the Deen is proven but the methods are different for different situations. For example Islamic circles are held on Saturday’s or Sunday’s some but it is not mentioned in the Qur’an or Hadith that they should be held on these evenings. In the same way, the origin of Esal-e-Swab is in the Qur’an and Hadith and to call it an innovation is not right. Now we will discuss a few things concerning with Esal-e-Swab to which according to some people are, innovations
1) When a person dies, Muslims offer Alms, “Sadaqa”, on his behalf and pray in congregation. In these gatherings Islamic teachings are preached; This serves as a way to preach or spread Islam.Through these gatherings, the deceased receive benefit because Muslims pray for his/her fogiveness and others get knowledge of Islam. The poor get benefit from these Alms or charity. As you can see if you look at it from any angle, it is not an innovation.
2) Some people raise the question that a day should not be fixed for this, in that fixing such a day is “Haram” in Islam. The answer to this question is that “fixing a day” is Haram, Esal e sawaab will be haraam if it is said that outside of this day it will not be Esal-e-Sawab, (like Qurbani, Hajj and Salaah times are fixed), but Esal-e-Sawab on a fixed day is just for convenience of relatives and friends for “Du’a”. Like any Islamic conference, the date of it is fixed in advance. Alternatively, like Salaah “Jamat” time is unlike fixed. No one can become an innovator because of this. in the same way, to fix a day for “Du’a” for the deceased is not an innovation.
In Islam is it permissible for a person to fix a time, or date for voluntary (Nafal) prayer?
Imam Bukhari writes one day after the Fajar prayer, the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] asked Bilal [May Allah bless him and grant him peace], tell me what good deeds you do because I heard your foot steps in Jannat. Bilal replied the only thing I do is after I make Wudu I pray Nafal how much Allah (Almighty.) wills me to do.
(Bukhari: Chapter of Salaah)
Hafidhh Asqalani writes in his commentary on this Hadith. We can understand from this Hadith that it is permissible for a person to fix a time for his/her voluntary prayer. (Fath-ul-Bari Book of Salaah)
There is a prayer (Du’a) said for the deceased for this we can fix a time that suits our self. We can give charity for them, keep fast for them and also we can get together and read Qur’an for them. For the people who get together and read Qur’an, we could be hospitible by providing for them by giving food and drink. This is all done with the intention of Sawab (blessings). For example, when Islamic circles are held, there are usually refreshments held after and this is carried out with the intention of blessings. This is one way of doing Esal-e-Sawab. There are many other ways of doing Esal-e-Sawab. One of them is urs.
URS
Urs, is done annually for a saint by his disciples (Mureeds). They hold this Urs in the mosque near the grave of the saint. They recite the Qur’an and various scholars give lectures on different topics of Islam. The audience are allowed to question the scholars on anything they wish. At the end a du’a is said and then hospitality is done for the people. The hospitality is solely done for the blessings.
Some people consider this an innovation (bidah) and regard it to be forbidden (haram). They object to this and ask questions such as “Why once a year?” The other objection they have towards this is that the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] curses those who build mosques on the grave. Therefore, the objection they hold is that if a mosque is not allowed to be built on the graves, how can we hold a gathering such as urs there. The answer to the first question regarding “Why once a year?” is:
Imam Tabari, Hafidhh-Ibn-Kathir and Qurtabi write:
The Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] used to go to the graves of the martyrs of Uhd once a year and also recite the verse of the Holy Qur’an on excellence of patience. The Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] used to pray for them. When the beloved Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] passed away himself, the Khalifs, Abu-Bakr [May Allah bless him and grant him peace], Umar [May Allah bless him and grant him peace], Usman [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] and Ali [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] used to do the same thing.
[Tafsir Tabari, Tafsir Ibn-Kathir and Tafsir Qurtabi by Imam Tabari, Hafidhh Ibn-Kathir. Imam Qurtabi commentary of Surah Ra’d Verse 20.]
From all this we can conclude or understand that going to the grave of a saint once a year is permissible and is not an innovation (bidah). Also to lecture in a gathering is just another way of doing Dawah (work propagating Islam).
As for the answer to the second question. To build a mosque on the grave. The meaning of the Hadith is not to prostrate to the grave. There is proof in the Qur’an of building a mosque for saints near the grave.
Allah says in the Qur’an
They said, build over their cave any building. Their lord knows well about them. Those who prevailed in their affair said, we swear that we shall erect over them a mosque.
(Surah Al-Kahaf-V 21)
Imam Tabari, Hafidhh-Ibn-Kathir and Imam Qurtabi writes:
When the people of the cave went into the cave, some people said, who were close to the entrance of the cave, build a mosque so we can worship Allah (THE ALMIGHTY) The people who said this were Muslims.
[Tafsir Tabari, Tafsir Ibn-Kathir Surah Kahf Verse 21]
Therefore, from this we can prove that building a mosque near the grave of a pious person is permissible.
Hafidhh Asqalani writes:
If a person built a mosque near the graves of pious people, and that person’s intention is solely for the blessings of Allah (Almighty.), and at the time of prayer, not to prostrate or face the grave, it is permissable to build a mosque near the grave of a saint and is not forbidden.
[Fath-ul-Bari, Chapter of Masajid]
From the above we can understand the true meaning of the Hadith which points out not to prostrate to the graves. It does not mean not to build a mosque near the graves. It basically means not to face the graves whilst praying.
Imam Tabari and Hafidhh-Ibn-Kathir write, in the 88th year of Hijra, the room of Aisha [May Allah bless Her and Grant Her peace] where there are graves of the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] Abu-Bakr [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] and Umar [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] were joined to the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace]. (Tareeh Tabari and Tareeh Hafidhh Ibn-Kathir, Chapter of Government (Valid-Ibn-Abdul-Malik by Imam Tabari and Hafidhh Ibn-Kathir)
At the time of this, some companions and students (Tabeen) were alive and since then, no one has objected to this, which means it is allowed to have a mosque near the grave.
Some people assert that it is not allowed to visit the grave with that the intention that someone wants to see the grave. We ahle sunnah say that it is right to go and visit the grave with the intention that you are going to see the grave. The evidence is as follows.
Qadi Shawkani writes that:
After the Prophet’s (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) death, Bilal settled in Syria. He had a dream where he saw the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the Prophet said what kind of friend are you that you do not come and visit my grave? The next morning, Bilal made a journey to Madina to see the Prophet’s (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) grave. At that time the companions were alive and they did not object to this. This narration is authentic.
[Nal lul Autar chap on Hajj by Qadi Shawkani].
Vows
Some people make false accusation, that Ahl-us-Sunnah wa’l Jama in making vows to pious people (Anbiyaa and Awliyaa), but the Ahl-us-Sunnah make vows only for Allah and no one else. Vow is worship. We believe that if someone worships something other than Allah he is a Mushrik, and a Kafir, that is, a non-believer.
Then the following question is raised: What is the meaning when the Ahl-us-Sunnah Jamaat go to the graves of the pious and make Vows to them?
When the Ahl-Sunnah-wa’l Jama makes Vows like this to Allah they do it in the following manner. ‘O Allah, if You make our sick people better, we will feed ten poor people, and the Sawaab (Deeds) from it we will give to so and so pious person’. Sometimes the person makes a Vow to Allah and then slaughters a sheep and gives the meat to the poor and then makes Du’a that the Sawaab from this goes to pious people who have passed away.
Some people say that this is Kufr and Shirk.
Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab Najdi wrote:
'Vows is Kufr for the pious'.(Kashf-al-Shubhat Chapter on Vows by Shaykh Najdi)
He did not differentiate the Vows of worship and the Vows of gift. The Vows of the pious mean the gift of Sawaab (Deeds) not Vows of worship that can only be for Allah.
Imam Ahmad Rad’a writes:
When we slaughter an animal for Aqiqah, the slaughtering of the animal is for Allah and the meat is for the people. Or when we have visitors we slaughter the lamb, cow, chicken, etc. We do it not for worship but for the hospitality of the visitors. So in the same way when a person goes to the pious graves or slaughter an animal, the intention is for the meat to be given to the poor and the Sawaab to go to the pious grave. We cannot think that any Muslim can make Vows as worship for any pious person or slaughter animals to respect and worship of the pious. But if somebody does it with the intention of worship there is no doubt that he is a non -Muslim.
[Fatawa Radhaviyyaa, by Moulana Ahmad Raza Khan Rahmatullah, Fatawa Shaami, Fatawa Aalam Ghiri, chapter of Vows]
Some people have raised the question that is it Bid’ah to read the Qur’an and say Du’a on food during an Esal-e-Sawaab gathering.
There are certain aspects to the above question. Firstly we believe that the food is not part of the Esal-e-Sawaab gathering. Imam Ahmad Raza Qaadri writes:
If someone puts food before an Esal-e-Sawaab meeting and he has the intention of reading Qur’an and du’a on it, then this is allowed. If someone states that the deceased cannot get sawaab because there is no food in the Esal-e-Sawaab then they are wrong. (Fatawa Radawiyah Chapter on Janaza)
Secondly, we cannot say that having food before the Esal-e-Sawaab gathering is bid’ah, as Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] put food, milk and water in front of him, and then he did du’a and read something on the food.
Hafidhh Ibn-Kathir writes :
One day Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] was invited to someone’s house. Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] accepted the invitation and he bought a lot of companions with him to the house. There was a very short amount of food for the people. The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said to bring the food out. Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] read whatever Allah wanted on the food and du’a was also done on the food and the food was given to the people. After the people had eaten the food, there was still the same amount of food left as it was before the people started to eat.
(Tareekh Ibn Kathir & Siraat un Nabi Chapter of Mujizat)
From this narration it proves that to do Du’a on food is not an Innovation but it is Sunnah and is only done for the purpose of Barakah [blessing] and so the food does not be short.
The meaning of Esal-e-Sawaab gatherings is to spread Islam and teach Islam and to offer food to the people who join the gathering is not bid’ah.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Al-Shuara, under verse 214)
Hafidhh-Ibn-Kathir writes:
When Allah Almighty revealed this verse of the Qur’an which states ‘ O Beloved, warn your nearest Kinsmen’, the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said to Ali ‘O Ali, sacrifice a goat and cook that meat and bring milk and fruit with the cooked to my house for a party’. At the party, Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said ‘I am a Prophet of Allah, I have been sent to guide you to the right path, so become a Muslim’. When the family heard this, they started to laugh and they left the house. This happened for three days continuously.
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Al-Shuara, under verse 214]
From the above references it is clear that, to prepare food for blessings is allowed and to hold the gatherings for the spread and teaching of Islam and to invite people to eat the blessed food is not bid’ah.
In our times especially in the western countries, Muslims have become very lazy and they do not attend the Mosque to perform Salaah. Therefore, it is good to organise a gathering and to prepare food for the gathering and to invite Muslims and offer them food and to teach about Islam and their duties. The people who carry out this job are the praiseable people because they are spending their money and time in Allah Almighty’s way. Their intention is to please Allah Almighty and it is very surprising that people say that this is bid’ah and you will get bad deeds if you do this and this is a waste of money. We pray for all the Muslims who have passed away for their forgiveness and we also pray for those people who organise different kinds of gatherings to guide and remind Muslims for their duties and we also pray to Allah Almighty that may He accept and reward this work. (Amin)
Imam Tabari and Hafidhh-Ibn-Kathir write, in the 88th year of Hijra, the room of Aisha [May Allah bless Her and Grant Her peace] where there are graves of the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] Abu-Bakr [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] and Umar [May Allah bless him and grant him peace] were joined to the mosque of the Prophet Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant him peace]. (Tareeh Tabari and Tareeh Hafidhh Ibn-Kathir, Chapter of Government (Valid-Ibn-Abdul-Malik by Imam Tabari and Hafidhh Ibn-Kathir)
At the time of this, some companions and students (Tabeen) were alive and since then, no one has objected to this, which means it is allowed to have a mosque near the grave.
Some people assert that it is not allowed to visit the grave with that the intention that someone wants to see the grave. We ahle sunnah say that it is right to go and visit the grave with the intention that you are going to see the grave. The evidence is as follows.
Qadi Shawkani writes that:
After the Prophet’s (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) death, Bilal settled in Syria. He had a dream where he saw the Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the Prophet said what kind of friend are you that you do not come and visit my grave? The next morning, Bilal made a journey to Madina to see the Prophet’s (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) grave. At that time the companions were alive and they did not object to this. This narration is authentic.
[Nal lul Autar chap on Hajj by Qadi Shawkani].
Vows
Some people make false accusation, that Ahl-us-Sunnah wa’l Jama in making vows to pious people (Anbiyaa and Awliyaa), but the Ahl-us-Sunnah make vows only for Allah and no one else. Vow is worship. We believe that if someone worships something other than Allah he is a Mushrik, and a Kafir, that is, a non-believer.
Then the following question is raised: What is the meaning when the Ahl-us-Sunnah Jamaat go to the graves of the pious and make Vows to them?
When the Ahl-Sunnah-wa’l Jama makes Vows like this to Allah they do it in the following manner. ‘O Allah, if You make our sick people better, we will feed ten poor people, and the Sawaab (Deeds) from it we will give to so and so pious person’. Sometimes the person makes a Vow to Allah and then slaughters a sheep and gives the meat to the poor and then makes Du’a that the Sawaab from this goes to pious people who have passed away.
Some people say that this is Kufr and Shirk.
Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab Najdi wrote:
'Vows is Kufr for the pious'.(Kashf-al-Shubhat Chapter on Vows by Shaykh Najdi)
He did not differentiate the Vows of worship and the Vows of gift. The Vows of the pious mean the gift of Sawaab (Deeds) not Vows of worship that can only be for Allah.
Imam Ahmad Rad’a writes:
When we slaughter an animal for Aqiqah, the slaughtering of the animal is for Allah and the meat is for the people. Or when we have visitors we slaughter the lamb, cow, chicken, etc. We do it not for worship but for the hospitality of the visitors. So in the same way when a person goes to the pious graves or slaughter an animal, the intention is for the meat to be given to the poor and the Sawaab to go to the pious grave. We cannot think that any Muslim can make Vows as worship for any pious person or slaughter animals to respect and worship of the pious. But if somebody does it with the intention of worship there is no doubt that he is a non -Muslim.
[Fatawa Radhaviyyaa, by Moulana Ahmad Raza Khan Rahmatullah, Fatawa Shaami, Fatawa Aalam Ghiri, chapter of Vows]
Some people have raised the question that is it Bid’ah to read the Qur’an and say Du’a on food during an Esal-e-Sawaab gathering.
There are certain aspects to the above question. Firstly we believe that the food is not part of the Esal-e-Sawaab gathering. Imam Ahmad Raza Qaadri writes:
If someone puts food before an Esal-e-Sawaab meeting and he has the intention of reading Qur’an and du’a on it, then this is allowed. If someone states that the deceased cannot get sawaab because there is no food in the Esal-e-Sawaab then they are wrong. (Fatawa Radawiyah Chapter on Janaza)
Secondly, we cannot say that having food before the Esal-e-Sawaab gathering is bid’ah, as Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] put food, milk and water in front of him, and then he did du’a and read something on the food.
Hafidhh Ibn-Kathir writes :
One day Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] was invited to someone’s house. Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] accepted the invitation and he bought a lot of companions with him to the house. There was a very short amount of food for the people. The Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said to bring the food out. Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] read whatever Allah wanted on the food and du’a was also done on the food and the food was given to the people. After the people had eaten the food, there was still the same amount of food left as it was before the people started to eat.
(Tareekh Ibn Kathir & Siraat un Nabi Chapter of Mujizat)
From this narration it proves that to do Du’a on food is not an Innovation but it is Sunnah and is only done for the purpose of Barakah [blessing] and so the food does not be short.
The meaning of Esal-e-Sawaab gatherings is to spread Islam and teach Islam and to offer food to the people who join the gathering is not bid’ah.
(Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Al-Shuara, under verse 214)
Hafidhh-Ibn-Kathir writes:
When Allah Almighty revealed this verse of the Qur’an which states ‘ O Beloved, warn your nearest Kinsmen’, the Prophet [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said to Ali ‘O Ali, sacrifice a goat and cook that meat and bring milk and fruit with the cooked to my house for a party’. At the party, Muhammad [May Allah bless him and grant Him peace] said ‘I am a Prophet of Allah, I have been sent to guide you to the right path, so become a Muslim’. When the family heard this, they started to laugh and they left the house. This happened for three days continuously.
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Surah Al-Shuara, under verse 214]
From the above references it is clear that, to prepare food for blessings is allowed and to hold the gatherings for the spread and teaching of Islam and to invite people to eat the blessed food is not bid’ah.
In our times especially in the western countries, Muslims have become very lazy and they do not attend the Mosque to perform Salaah. Therefore, it is good to organise a gathering and to prepare food for the gathering and to invite Muslims and offer them food and to teach about Islam and their duties. The people who carry out this job are the praiseable people because they are spending their money and time in Allah Almighty’s way. Their intention is to please Allah Almighty and it is very surprising that people say that this is bid’ah and you will get bad deeds if you do this and this is a waste of money. We pray for all the Muslims who have passed away for their forgiveness and we also pray for those people who organise different kinds of gatherings to guide and remind Muslims for their duties and we also pray to Allah Almighty that may He accept and reward this work. (Amin)

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Personal, - Methods of Secularists in Corrupting Muslim Women - II

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Westernization
After the failure of some of their military expeditions, Western politicians developed a devilish idea that armies should not be involved in confrontations because they arouse severe reactions, and that they should exert efforts to get the Muslim countries to surrender to the Western culture and civilization willingly. This is how the idea of Westernization was developed, with the basis of blending the Muslim character with that of the Western character in such a way that the former does not see except through Western eyes, does not admire except what the West admires, renounces the values, beliefs, and morals that are derived from the Islamic Sharee‘ah )Islamic legislation(, adopts this new Westernized religion, and is involved in the cycle of economic consumption that is promoted by the West.
Westernization programs try to serve a dual objective. On the one hand, they guard the benefits of colonialism by bridging the gap that separates the West from Muslims due to the difference in values and the bitterness that Muslims feel towards the occupiers of their countries whom Muslims are obliged by their religion to strive against. On the other hand, Westernization programs weaken the religious bond that gathers Muslims, and disperses their association that centers on the unity of thought and intellectual values, or more comprehensively, the unity of cultural values.
Thus, Westernization means blending the Ummah )nation( in such a way that it becomes a deformed nation which is a reproduction of the disbelieving Western nation. However, there is a difference between the two nations – the Western nation is the leader and ruler while the other nations are its humiliated submissive subjects which comply with its dictates. This is what Westernization means.
The Westernization of Muslim women is a part of a comprehensive scheme for Westernizing the Ummah in all its affairs. Dr. Muhammad Muhammad Husayn, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,
Westernization programs rested on two main principles – as was held by the early imperialists:
First: Associating with allies and friends from among Muslims, empowering them, excluding opponents who object to their projects, hindering their progress, and distracting people from them by different means.
Second: Controlling educational programs as well as information and cultural systems in a way which they established by means of their allies, and directing such programs in a way that serves their objectives and supports their friendship.
Manifestations of Westernizing Muslim women:
• Intermixing between the two sexes in schools and workplaces:
In most countries, there are mixed schools and workplaces, with only a few exceptions. This is what the advocates of Westernization want because the more men and women meet, the more their instincts are aroused and opportunities for indulging in immorality takes place. This is especially so when women do not wear Hijaab )Islamic covering(; there are multiple outlets of sexual motivation and people find it difficult to get married, in addition to weak religious commitment.
When the West fulfills its objective of corrupting women, the family will be afflicted with corruption and degradation, and the society in turn will be ruined from the inside, and thus, it will be easy prey.
If intermixing between sexes begins, it will never end except with women frequenting places of depravity and immorality, without adhering to Hijaab and modesty. This has already started occurring and continues to take place in many Muslim countries. Consider, how does this compare to the narration of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, when he left the mosque and found men and women mingling in the street. He said, addressing women:“Draw back, for you must not walk in the middle of the road. Keep to the sides of the road.”Women used to keep so close to the wall that their garments would rub against it. ]Abu Daawood[ ]Al-Albaani: Hasan[
• Tabarruj and Sufoor
Tabarruj means women’s exposure of their adornment to men to whom women are not permitted to show their adornment.
Sufoor means women’s exposure of parts of their body which they are not permitted to show to other than non-Mahrams )marriageable men(.
It is rare to find a Muslim country that is devoid of Tabarruj and Sufoor. This is a very dangerous manifestation in the Ummah. In the past, women were modest and fitted the description of “dwellers of boudoirs”. This was not a social tradition. Rather, it stemmed from worshipping and obeying Allaah The Almighty. It is clear that the Sharee‘ah-compliant Hijaab is an inherent emblem of Islam. That is why Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, said, “May Allaah have mercy upon the early immigrant women. When Allaah revealed}and to wrap ]a portion of[ their headcovers over their chests{]Quran 24:31[, they tore the edges of their waist sheets and covered their heads with them.” ]Al-Bukhaari[
Therefore, the spread or decline of Hijaab is an indication of the Islamic awakening in society and of people’s devotion to the religion of Allaah The Almighty; and the spread of Hijaab annoys those falsifying hypocrites.
• Following fashion trends:
Nowadays, you see Muslim women imitating Western women with great alacrity. Even the way little girls are dressed follows Western fashions. Thus, you find girls who have reached the age of fifteen still wearing short clothes, marking one of the first steps of following Western fashions. When girls are stripped of modesty, they can easily respond to everything new.
Clothing is an important manifestation that distinguishes Muslim women; therefore, they were forbidden to imitate the disbelievers because this signifies an acceptance of their norms of behavior, removal of barriers and developing amicability between them. It is known that similarity of dress diminishes the distinction of what is good from what is bad and the distinction of Islam from disbelief, thus, facilitating the spread of falsehood and the concealment of its advocates.
Western fashion is rejected for several reasons, including:
• Imitating the disbelieving women: The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said:“Anyone who imitates a people is one of them.”]Abu Daawood and Ahmad[ ]Saheeh[
Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,
The straight path constitutes inward matters that exist in the heart including convictions, wills, and the like, and outward words and deeds which come in the form of acts of worship or traditions pertaining to diet, dress, and marriage. There is definitely a relationship between such inward and outward matters, since the feelings and conditions that are related to the heart result in outward conditions, and at the same time outward deeds necessarily result in certain feelings and conditions in the heart.
Hence, it is known from this that it is serious matter and forbidden that Muslim women imitate the disbelieving women.
• The economic damage resulting from attachment to fashion: It is well known how much money and expenses are involved in following fashion trends.
• Fostering mutual envy among women: This is because they are naturally attracted by a beautiful appearance and thus, they boast to each other and vie with one another in terms of their possessions. This may cause the wife of a man with limited financial resources to charge him with what is beyond his abilities so that she will be equal to fashion trends.
• Meetings of women with non-Mahram men in seclusion: People have taken this matter so lightly that some of them consider it natural. The forbidden meetings between men and women in seclusion is an aspect of Westernization that the Muslim Ummah has fallen into. It is an act of the disbelievers who do not have a religion that forbids doing so. Respecting the boundaries set by Allaah The Almighty is a characteristic of the Muslim Ummah. Daring to meet a non-Mahram )marriageable( woman in seclusion is a transgression of one of the boundaries set by Allaah The Almighty and is also a great danger. It is forbidden by Sharee‘ah in the words of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who said: “No man should be alone with a )non-Mahram( woman unless her Mahram is also present.” ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
It is a given that any person who advocates falsehood clothes his falsehood in the garb of reform and decorative speech so that it gains public acceptance.
This is because falsehood is ugly and disliked, so when it appears in its real image, people do not accept it, as they, by natural disposition, are not satisfied with it. Therefore, Westernizing secularists resort to dressing their methods, objectives, and thoughts in the garb of reform and keenness to maintain public benefits. Thus, mixed employment and education are promoted for the benefit of the Ummah and under the pretext of employing women, who are half of society, to attain economic revenue. This is decorative speech that is inspired by the devils from among humans and Jinn. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And thus We have made for every Prophet an enemy - devils from mankind and Jinn, inspiring to one another decorative speech in delusion. But if your Lord had willed, they would not have done it, so leave them and that which they invent. And ]it is[ so the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter will incline toward it and that they will be satisfied with it and that they will commit that which they are committing.{]Quran 6: 112-113[
This is deceptive to people with weak faith and deficient intellects.
In addition, secularists have found traditions that are not related to Islam in Muslim communities, so they exploited them and employed them to diffuse their poisons through them toward achieving their schemes. Then, they claimed that such traditions belong to Islam and thus, attacked Islam through them. For example, some Muslim communities are not fair with women when it comes to giving them their shares of inheritance. They may give women their shares from movables such as money and cattle but they fail to give them their shares from real estate, a practice that was followed during the pre-Islamic era.
Also, some polygamous men do not treat their wives equally, thus, violating the orders of Allaah The Almighty. Secularists capitalize on these shortcomings, though such acts do not belong to Islam and are not supported by divine authority, but are considered by Islam as forbidden

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Personal, - Methods of Secularists in Corrupting Muslim Women - I

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Allaah The Almighty instructed Muslims to beware of deviants and the methods they follow to demolish the religion of Islam, and thus, He Says )whatmeans(:}And thus do We detail the verses, and ]thus[ the way of the criminals will become evident.{]Quran 6:55[
He also commanded His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to fight the hypocrites, saying )what means(:}O Prophet, fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites and be harsh upon them.{]Quran 9:73[
Allaah The Almighty exposed the hypocrites in many chapters as in Al-Baqarah, An-Nisaa’, and At-Tawbah which was called the 'exposing chapter'. Some of the companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, said, “The chapter of At-Tawbah continued to be revealed ]concerning hypocrites with verses starting with }And among them are those who…{ ]Quran 9: 49,58,61,75[ until we thought that it would not leave ]any one without exposing him[.”
The chapter of Al-Ahzaab details the attitudes of the hypocrites during times of hardship. Allaah The Almighty named one of the chapters of the Quran after them: “Al-Munaafiqoon” i.e. The Hypocrites. No matter how the hypocrites hide themselves, surely Allaah The Almighty discloses whatever they conceal in their breasts and hearts. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Or do those in whose hearts is disease think that Allaah would never expose their ]feelings of[ hatred? And if We willed, We could show them to you, and you would know them by their mark; but you will surely know them by the tone of ]their[ speech. And Allaah knows your deeds.{]Quran 47: 29-30[
Thus, the hypocrites are an exposed group; exposed by Allaah The Almighty and He reveals their hidden misdemeanors so that people will be aware of them and will not be deceived by them.
It is extremely important to be aware of that group, its methods in fighting the Ummah )Muslim nation(, and its attempt to demolish the pillars of Islam. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “Islam will be destroyed gradually when there would be Muslims who know nothing about Jaahiliyyah )the pre-Islamic era(.” Hence, when people with anti-Islamic tendencies )similar to tendencies pertaining to Jaahiliyyah( come to destroy Islam, Muslims do not allow them to do so, because they know them and they are aware of their anti-Islamic attitudes.
It is, therefore, necessary to study the methods of secularists in corrupting the Ummah and particularly women, so that Muslims will avoid this evil that augers a great crisis that will befall the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. It is also necessary for each Muslim to know that secularists are the greatest danger enclosing the Ummah, as they work to corrupt the Ummah and distance it from its religion.
Why do the secularists focus on women?
They concentrate on women because they realized the role of women in forming the Ummah and influencing society. They are certain that when they corrupt women and succeed in causing them to deviate, then it will be easy for them to demolish the fortresses of Islam and they will even enter them without facing the least resistance. The Zionists clearly say in their Protocols, “We have to win the women to our side, since if women extend their hands to us one day, we would win the case.”
Another archenemy of Islam said, "A glass )of alcohol( and a prostitute do to the Ummah of Muhammad more than what one thousand mortars would do, so drown it in the love of materialism and lusts.”
This is true, because when one single soldier goes down into a trench and resists with his gun, it is difficult to storm him until he dies. Hence, what do you think of an entire nation that defends itself, and instead of doing so, it becomes immersed in lusts, deviates from its religion and from the path of its glory, and thus, surrenders to the enemy without any resistance but rather accords the enemy a warm welcome and greets it with applause.
In a book on raising girls and Hijaab )Islamic covering(, the author says that there is no barrier left against destroying the Muslim society – except that Muslim women undergo the transformation, or rather the corruption that has pervaded a vast number of Muslim men.
What is secularism and what is the ruling on it?
Secularism is originally meant to denote separating religion from other aspects of life. Accordingly, divine laws do not govern or interfere in social interactions, economic issues, politics, war and peace, pedagogy and education, and so on. It also corresponds with Irreligion, recognizing and dealing with only with tangible things while denying unseen phenomena and their contribution to the formation of life. In the West, people are allowed to entertain personal beliefs. However, it is not allowable to let religion influence the planning of the nation’s affairs. This epidemic was then transferred to the Muslim Ummah.
Secularism is more comprehensive in the Islamic perspective than in the Western perspective, in such a way that if a person calls for applying the entire Sharee‘ah )Islamic legislation( of Islam with exclusion to one issue that he rejects although being unanimously agreed-upon by Muslims or being an indisputably established religious fact, then such a person is a disbeliever and an apostate. For instance, if a person calls for applying the Sharee‘ah but, in terms of inheritance, he says that the woman’s share must be equal to that of the man, then such a person is a secularist under Sharee‘ah because he rejects a ruling which is indisputable in Islam. This is what we mean by secularism in the course of our writing.
In this sense, the ruling on secularism is that it designates major disbelief that takes one outside of the fold of Islam, because it means belying Allaah The Almighty and His Messenger, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. It also denotes associating with Allaah The Almighty that for which He has not sent down any authority, because it refers judgment in some issues to other than Allaah The Almighty and in other issues to Him.

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Personal, - Allaah has Prohibited Adultery and Its Causes

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A fundamental Sharee‘ah rule is that when Allaah The Almighty forbids something, He also forbids the causes, ways and means that lead to it, in order for its prohibition to be realized, any access to it denied, its protected zone kept far from intruders, sins related to it be avoided, and its harmful effects to both the individual and the community be removed.
Should anything be prohibited by Allaah and the means that lead to it left permissible, such a prohibition would then be defunct, and the Sharee‘ah of the Lord of the Worlds is far above that.
Of a surety, adultery is one of the most grievous, hideous, harmful and dangerous forms of immorality, and its consequences have the most disastrous effects on the very foundations of one’s religion. This is why the prohibition of adultery is an indisputably established fact of religion that should be known by all Muslims.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way.{]Quran 17:32[
For this reason, its causes have been prohibited, that is, Sufoor )uncovering the face( and its means, Tabarruj )exposing beauty( and its means, intermixing and its means, the woman's imitation of man and of the disbelieving women, and other such causes of suspicion, Fitnah )tribulation( and corruption.
Consider the great wonders of revelation, which indeed represent an aspect of the inimitability of the Quran: when Allaah The Almighty mentions in the beginning of Soorat An-Noor how odious the crime of adultery is, and prohibits it entirely. He enumerates, from its opening to the thirty-third noble verse, fourteen defensive means to prevent immorality and deter it in a pure and chaste community, that is, the community of Muslims. Some of these preventive means are acts, some are words and others are intentions.
They are as follows:
1- To purify both the adulterer and adulteress with the corporal punishment prescribed for them.
2- To maintain purity by stipulating that marriage with an adulteress is forbidden as is giving chaste women in marriage to adulterers except in the case of a true and sincere repentance on the part of the former adulterer/adulteress.
These are two practical preventive means.
3- To purify tongues from accusing people of the immorality of fornication, and whoever launches a false charge with no evidence should receive the corporal punishment of lashes prescribed for false accusation.
4- To purify the husband's tongue from accusing his wife of adultery with no evidence, lest he would be subjected to Li‘aan )a type of oath that results in divorce(.
5- To purify souls and forbid the hearts from baselessly accusing a Muslim of committing immorality.
6- To cleanse the person's will and prevent it from the desire to spread immorality among Muslims, lest it would weaken those who reject it and strengthen those who are immoral.
This is why the punishment for this kind of sin is more painful than any other, as stated by Allaah The Almighty )what means(:}Indeed, those who like that immorality should be spread ]or publicized[ among those who have believed will have a painful punishment in this world and the Hereafter.{]Quran 24:19[
To like that immorality should be spread includes liking all the awful means that lead to it, whether it is through words, deeds, consent or promoting what causes it.
This severe threat applies to those who advocate liberating woman from the Hijaab, and releasing her from the Sharee‘ah-defined commands that affirm her chastity and modesty.
7- To maintain a broad prevention, by purifying the soul from any doubts or passing thoughts, which are Satan's first footstep in the souls of the believers to lead them to fall in immorality. Purification is the strongest way to prevent immorality as confirmed by Allaah The Almighty who Says )what means(:}O you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan. And whoever follows the footsteps of Satan - indeed, he enjoins immorality and wrongdoing.{]Quran 24:21[
8- To seek permission to enter any dwelling, in order that the person's sight would not fall on anything exposed from the members of that household.
9- To purify the eyes from man's unlawful look at a non-Mahram )i.e., marriageable( woman, or a woman’s unlawful look at a non-Mahram man.
10- To prohibit the woman from disclosing her adornment in front of non-Mahram men.
11- To prevent all that moves and provokes the desire of the man, like a woman striking the ground with her feet in order for her anklets to be heard, attracting to her those men who have diseased souls.
12- To command those who do not have the financial means to marry, to modestly refrain from sin through several means.
The Noble Quran and the purified Sunnah have stipulated many preventive means and precautions to protect people from immorality - both men and women.
Some are specifically for men in their relation with men, like the obligation to screen the man's ‘Awrah )areas of the body that must be covered(: it is impermissible for a man to expose his ‘Awrah, which is the area from the navel to the knee. There are also the following:
Forbidding men from looking at non-Mahram women.
Forbidding men from sitting alone with beardless young men or looking at them lustfully.
Other means address women in their relation with other women.
One of the greatest preventive means and precautions that protect from adultery is the obligation of Hijaab on the Muslim woman, and this is with the objective of preserving them and keeping them chaste, screened, guarded, modest, and far from decadence, and protecting them from humiliation, degradation, and being deprived of modesty.

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