Is it permissible to try tochoose verses and prescribed du‘aa’ for ruqyah, or is it obligatory to limit it to what has been narrated?

Is it permissible for the purpose of shar'i ruqyah to try to choose
verses, saheeh hadeeths and proven du'aa's? Or is it obligatory to
follow what is the proven in the saheeh hadeeths that speak
specifically of ruqyah as prescribed in sharee'ah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If the one who performs ruqyah does so by recitinggeneral verses of
the Qur'aan or general prayersseeking refuge with Allah or other
du'aa's for ruqyah, or whatever Allah may inspire him with of saheeh
du'aa's that are appropriate to the situation, without restricting it
to the specificruqyahs that have been narrated, there is nothing wrong
with that in sha Allah, because of the general meaning of the words of
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him: "Whoever among
you is able to benefit his brother,let him do so." Narrated by Ahmad,
13973; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami', 6019
And the Prophet (blessingsand peace of Allah be upon him) said: "There
is nothing wrong with a ruqyah that does not involve shirk." Narrated
byMuslim, 2200.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The scholars are unanimously agreed that ruqya is permissible if three
conditions are met:
It should be done by reciting the words of Allah,may He be exalted, or
His names and attributes, and in Arabic or in a language the meaning
of which is understood, and with the belief that ruqyah has no effect
in and of itself; rather it is only effective by the will of Allah,
may He be exalted.
They differed as to whether that is a condition; the correct viewis
that it is essential to payattention to the above-mentioned
conditions. In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated that 'Awf ibn Maalik said:
We used to recite ruqyahs during the jaahiliyyah, and we said:
OMessenger of Allaah, what do you think about that? He said: "Recite
your ruqyahs to me. There is nothing wrong with a ruqyah that does not
involve shirk."
And he narrated from Jaabir: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) forbade ruqyah, then the family of 'Amr
ibn Hazm came to the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allaah, we had a ruqyah that we
used to recite for scorpion stings, but you have forbidden ruqyah.
They recited it to him and he said: "I do not see anything wrong with
it. Whoever among you can benefit his brother, let himdo so."
Some scholars adhered to this general meaning and regarded as
permissible any ruqyah that brings benefits even if the meaning does
not make sense. But the hadeeth of 'Awf indicates that any ruqyah that
leads to shirk is forbidden, and anything that does not make sense
cannot be guaranteed not to lead to shirk, so it is forbidden as a
precaution. And the final condition is essential. … al-Qurtubi said:
Whatever (ruqyah) is by reciting the words or names of Allah is
permissible; if it is narrated in a report (from the Prophet
(blessings andpeace of Allah be upon him)) it is mustahabb.
End quote from Fath al-Baari, 10/195
Al-Khattaabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to ruqyah, what is forbidden is that which is not in
Arabic, because it is not known what it means and perhaps it may
involve witchcraft or kufr (disbelief). But if the meaning is clear
and it contains mention of Allah, may He be exalted, then it is
permissible to use it for ruqyah.
End quote from Ma'aalim as-Sunan, 4/226
Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Ruqyah is of four types: that which is mentioned inthe Sunnah – it is
prescribed and mustahabbto use it as ruqyah; that which is shirk or
bid'ah – itis haraam to use it as ruqyah; that which is a permissible
du'aa' in which there is no shirk or bid'ah, but it is not something
that was narrated from the Prophet(blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him and his family) – it is permissible to use this as ruqyah.
Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said
concerning ruqyah: "Thereis nothing wrong with it so long as it is not
shirk."
End quote from Fataawa Noor 'ala ad-Darb, 6/14
See also the answer to question no. 141669
And Allah knows best.

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Scene to be seen

Hyderabad's social calendaris rather enviable. If it's notlive gigs,
art exhibitions and dance performances, then it's theatre. The theatre
scene in the city might be in a nascent stage, but there is no denying
that Hyderabad theatre is making its presence felt. Theatre groups are
sprouting everywhere. The young have begun to take to the form more
seriously. Hit culture spots like Lamakaan on any given evening and
you'll see either a script being written, a play being rehearsed or
youngsters brainstorming. While it's always sunny in the theatre-land,
there is something missing in the scene. While ideas, characters,
stories and actors are aplenty, the technicalities, stage presence and
skill are lacking.
Cool quotient
"It has become fashionableto be a called a theatre person. Youngsters
are not working with professional theatre groups which can teach
ethics and discipline. Doing theatre is not a bed of roses or a social
get-together," says Vinay Varma of city-based theatre group,
Sutradhar. Ratna Shekhar Reddy, founder of Samahaara agrees, "Having
conducted numerous workshops and festivals, I have come across a
number of people who want to do it because it's 'cool' or 'in'. They
need to realise that 'coolness' will eventually pass, quality is what
really matters.
Theatre isn't just about having the moolah and picking out the best
venue.The stage is a subjective space and all you need is the actor
and his space. While some of the best plays have been staged using
minimal props and costumes, ironically some of the big theatre events
inthe city have failed to impress. A theatre group's performance at
Shilpa Kala Vedika recently met with bad response from the audience,
numbers reducedto a mere 40 by the end of the play. There were almost
50-60 people working on the play but couldn't get the basics right.
Talking about money, R.K. Sinha, founder of Dramanon says that theatre
is not much of quantity as it is of quality. "The experience gets lost
in gimmicks; you cannot substitute acting and direction with props and
venues." Having money, however he feels is not a bad thing, it's what
it is used for. "You can either reach a big audience or gettrained and
give the best performance you can," he adds. All hope is not lost,
Rehaan of Curtain Call Production talks about the failed production,
'Of musicand dreams', "We started with good intention, but it went
kaput. We have take a brief moment and we have asked for the first
700members to come and watch the play again for free. We are working
on where we went wrong. Weare trying to get kids out of movie theatre
to do something productive, but theatre is subject to vulnerabilities
like on-stage mishaps," says Rehaan.
Back to basics
Firdous Abdul Mujeeb, director at D for Dramatics says that big events
have been major flops. "Where is the craft? People I guess need to
work backwards. Calling yourself a professional doesn't work. Start
small, go back to the basics. The current crop of young theatre
enthusiasts are getting lost in the game of profit and loss," she
says. In the bid to market and be seen, expensive venues are being
booked and to makeup that cost, tickets are being sold at Rs. 1000 and
Rs. 500. All the while, the content of theatre doesn't match up to
neither — the price of the ticket or the ambience at the venue. Rahul
Premchander, a theatre actor experimented with theatrefour years back.
"I realised that theatre was helping me shape my individuality.People
get into theatre without realising that stage-craft is very important
too," he says.
Most theatre personalities agree that the best PR a play or a
production house can get is a happy audience. No amount of money,
marketing, event management can do that. Poor productions eventually
might damage the theatre fraternity, especially if they are
aggressively advertised and touted to be the 'best'.

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A Gift After Hardships

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) dispatched towards the
sea-shore an expedition ofthree hundred men, underthe command of Abu
Ubaidah (ra) in 8 A.H. He gave them a bag full of dates for their
rations. They had been hardly out for fifteen days when theyran short
of rations. In order to provide the contingent with food, Qais(ra)
began buying three camels daily from his own men, to feed the
Mujahideen, with a promise to pay on return to Madinah. The Amir
seeing that the slaugther of camels would deprive the party of their
only means of transport, prohibited him to do so. He collected the
dates thathad been left with each person and stored them ina bag. He
would issue one date to each man as his daily ration. When Jabir (ra)
later on narrated this story to the people, one ofhis audience
inquired:
"How did you manage to live upon one date only for the whole day?" He
replied: "We longed even for that one date, when the whole stock was
exhausted. We were on the verge of starvation. We moistened the dry
tree-leaves with water and ate them."
When they reached this stage, Allah had mercy on them for He always
brings ease after every hardship, provided it is endured patiently. A
big fish knownas "Ambar" was thrown out of the sea for them. The fish
was so big that they lived on it for eighteen days altogether. They
also filled their satchels with the remaining portion, which lasted
them right up to Madinah. When the episode was narrated to the Prophet
(peace be upon him), he said: "The fish was a provision arranged for
you by Allah."
Source: From the book"Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad
Zakariyya Kandhalvi.
We are Muslims today because of such sacrifices by the companions of
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). We should remember these events
as a source of comfort whenever we too are faced with difficulties
regarding practising Islam.

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He cannot recite al-Faatihah behind the imam; should he stop praying behind him?

A mosque 900 meters away from my house i dont hear the adhan at all.i
sometimes go there and they folllow abu hanifa ra and they recite
fatiha too fast. Most of the time i am in 4 or 5th verse of fatiha
they go to rukoo. So is it still obligatory for me to attend the
prayer there since i dont hear the adhan and i cant finish reciting
fatiha, and the tranquility is also not there because of the quick
recition of the imam.
Praise be to Allaah.
If the imam does not recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, and he
recites al-Faatihah very quickly, and the person praying behind him is
not able to recite it behind him, then it is not valid forhim to pray
behind him and the congregation has to look for another imam who will
recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, or they should go to another
mosque in which the people pray at amoderate pace, because reciting
and moving at a moderate pace in prayer isone of its essential parts.
Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If it is known that
theimam does not recite at a moderate pace in his prayer, and that he
does not stand long enough to allow the people praying behind him to
complete al-Faatihah, then you should not pray with him at all,
because it is not permissible to pray with him, as you are caught
between two things: either you will follow him and miss out on the
essential part of the prayer, or you will do the essential part of the
prayer and miss out on following the imam. We warn these imams about
such things. The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have stated
that it is haraam for the imam to rush so much that it prevents the
person praying behind him from doing what is obligatory, and reciting
and moving at a moderate pace are obligatory. It is not acceptable for
such imamsto be imams of the Muslims, and they should be dismissed
from the post of imam if they are employed as such. Those who are in
charge of imams should go around the mosques and if they find anyone
who is like this, and who is not doing what is required of an imam,
they should dismisshim, because this is a bad custom.
I say: if it is the habit of this imam to recite so quickly that the
person praying behind him cannot recite al-Faatihah, then the people
of the mosque have to ask for him to be dismissed, and ifit is known
that a person is like that, he should not start to pray with him at
all and he should go to another mosque. End quote.
Liqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh, 146/9
See also the answer to question no. 6551
It is obligatory for you to pray in congregation in the mosque so long
as youare able to do so; try to find a different mosque. For more
information on the evidence that it is obligatory to pray in
congregation, please see the answer to question no. 40113
For more information on the distance between the mosque and one's home
that makes it obligatory topray in the mosque, pleasesee the answer to
question no. 36674 .
And Allah knows best.

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Verses in the Qur’an about justice

upholders of justice, bearing witness for Allahalone , even against
yourselves or your parentsand relatives. Whether they are rich or
poor, Allahis well able to look after them. Do not follow your own
desires and deviatefrom the truth . If you twist or turn away, Allah
isaware of what you do. (Surat an-Nisa', 135)
Among those We have created there is a community who guide bythe Truth
and act justly according to it . (Surat al-A'raf, 181)
… if you do judge, judge between them justly. Allahloves the just .
(Surat al-Maida, 42)
You who believe! show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness
with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not
beingjust. Be just. That is closer to taqwa . Fear [and respect]
Allah. Allah isaware of what you do. (Surat al-Maida, 8)
Every nation has a Messenger and when theirMessenger comes everything
is decided between them justly . They are not wronged. (Surah Yunus,
47)
We sent Our Messengers with the Clear Signs and sent down the Book and
the Balance with them so that mankind might establish justice . (Surat
al-Hadid, 25)
Say: " My Lord has commanded justice …" (Surat al-A 'raf, 29)
So call and go straight as you have been ordered to.Do not follow
their whims and desires but say, 'I haveiman in a Book sent down by
Allah and I am orderedto be just between you . Allah is our Lord and
your Lord. We have our actions and you have your actions.There is no
debate between us and you. Allahwill gather us all together.He is our
final destination.'(Surat ash-Shura, 15)
Among those We have created there is a community who guide bythe Truth
and act justly according to it . (Surat al-A 'raf, 181)
Those with faith, those who are Jews, and the Christians and
Sabaeans,all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly,
will have their reward with their Lord . They will feel no fear and
will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara, 62)
Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fairadmonition, and argue
with them in the kindest way. (Surat an-Nahl, 125)
Is it not likely that, if you did turn away, you would cause
corruption in the earth and sever your ties of kinship? Such are the
people Allah has cursed, making them deaf and blinding their eyes.
(Surah Muhammad, 22-23)
Allah does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought
you in the deen or driven you from your homes,or from being just
towards them. Allah loves those who are just . Allah merely forbids
you from taking as friends those who have fought you in the religion
and driven you from your homes and who supported your expulsion. Any
who take them as friends are wrongdoers. (Surat al-Mumtahana, 8-9)
As for those who reject Allah's Signs, and kill the Prophets without
any right to do so, and kill those who command justice, give them news
of a painful punishment. (Surah Al 'Imran, 21)

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Verses of the Qur’an about forgiveness

Whether you reveal a goodact or keep it hidden, or pardon an evil act,
Allah is Ever-Pardoning, All-Powerful . (Surat An-Nisa, 149)
Make allowances for people , command what is right, and turn away from
the ignorant. (Surat Al-A'raf,199)
That is so. And if anyone inflicts an injury the same as the one done
to him andthen is again oppressed, Allah will come to his aid. Allah
is All-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving . (Surat Al-Hajj, 60)
Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make
oaths that they will not give to their relatives and the very poor and
those who have made hijra in theway of Allah.* They shouldrather
pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is
Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful . (Surat An-Nur, 22)
The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But if someone
pardons and puts things right, his reward is with Allah .
Certainly He does not love wrongdoers. (Surat Ash-Shura, 40)
Allah does not impose on any self any more than it can stand. For it
is what it has earned; against it, what it has merited. Our Lord, do
not take us to taskif we forget or make a mistake! Our Lord, do not
place on us a load like the one You placed on those before us! Our
Lord, do not place on us a load we have not the strength to bear! And
pardon us; and forgive us ; and have mercy on us. You are our Master ,
so help us against the people of the kafirun. (Surat Al-Baqara, 286)
Those of you who turned their backs on the day the two armies clashed
– it was Shaytan who made them slip for what they had done. But Allah
has pardoned them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, All-Forbearing . (Surat Al
'Imran, 155)
It may well be that Allah will pardon them. Allah isEver-Pardoning,
Ever-Forgiving. (Surat An-Nisa, 99)
The People of the Book willask you to bring down a Book from heaven to
them.They asked Musa for even more than that. They said, 'Let us see
Allah with our own eyes.' So the lightning-bolt struck them down for
their wrongdoing. Then they adopted the Calf after the Clear Signs had
come to them, but We pardoned them for that and gave Musa clear
authority. (SuratAn-Nisa, 153)
But because of their breaking of their covenant, We have cursed them
and made their hearts hard. They distort the true meaning of words and
have forgotten a good portion of what they were reminded of. You will
never cease to come upon some act of treachery on their part, except
for a few of them. Yet pardon them , and overlook. Allah loves
good-doers. (Surat Al-Ma'ida, 13)
You who believe! do not ask about matters which, ifthey were made
known to you, would make things difficult for you. If you do ask about
them when the Qur'an is being sent down, they will be made known to
you. Allah has ignored them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, All-Forbearing .
(Surat Al-Ma'ida, 101)
Allah pardon you ! Why did you excuse them until it was clear to you
which ofthem were telling the truthand until you knew the liars?
(Surat At-Tawba, 43)
It is He Who accepts repentence from His servants and pardons evilacts
and knows what they do. (Surat Ash-Shura, 25)
Any disaster that strikes you is through what your own hands have
earned and He pardons much . (Surat Ash-Shura, 30)
Or He wrecks them for what they have earned though He pardons much .
(Surat Ash-Shura, 34)
Those of you who divorce your wives by equating them with your
mothers, they are not your mothers.Your mothers are only those who
gave birth to you. What you are saying is wrong and a slanderous
lie.But Allah is Ever-Pardoning, Ever-Forgiving . (Surat Al-Mujadala,
2)
You who believe! some of your wives and children are an enemy to you,
so bewary of them.But if you pardon and exonerate and forgive,Allah is
Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful . (Surat At-Taghabun, 14)
FORGIVING
Those are the people who will have blessings and mercy from their
Lord; they are the ones who are guided. (Surat Al-Baqara, 157)
Your God is One God. There is no god but Him, the All-Merciful, the
Most Merciful . (Surat Al-Baqara, 163)
He has only forbidden you carrion, blood and pork and what has been
consecrated to other than Allah. But anyone who is forced to eat it –
without desiring it or going to excess in it – commits no crime. Allah
is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful . (Surat Al-Baqara, 173)
Those are the ones who have sold guidance for misguidance and
forgiveness for punishment. How steadfastly they will endure the Fire!
(Surat Al-Baqara, 175)
You who believe! retaliation is prescribed for you in the case of
people killed: free man for free man, slave for slave, femalefor
female. But if someone is absolved by his brother, blood-money should
be claimed with correctness and paid with good will. That is an
easement and a mercy from your Lord .

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Enemy Becomes a Friend

In the sixth year after the hijrah, the Prophet, peace be upon him,
decided to expand the scope of his mission. He sent eight letters to
rulers in the Arabian peninsula and surrounding areas invitingthem to
Islam. One of these rulers was Thumamah ibn Uthal.
Thumamah was one of themost powerful Arab rulers in pre-Qur'anic
times. This is not surprising since he was a chieftain of the Banu
Hanifah and one of the rulers of al- Yamamah whose word no one daredto
challenge or disobey.
When Thumamah receivedthe Prophet's letter, he was consumed by anger
and rejected it. He refused to listen to the invitation of Truth and
goodness. More than that, he felt a strong desire to go and killthe
Prophet and bury his mission with him.
Thumamah waited and waited for a convenient time to carry out his
design against the Prophet until eventually forgetfulness caused him
to lose interest. One of his uncles, however, remindedhim of his plan,
praising what he intended to do.
In the pursuit of his evil design against the Prophet, Thumamah met
and killed a group of the Prophet's companions. TheProphet thereupon
declared him a wanted man who could lawfully be killed on sight.
Not long afterwards, Thumamah decided to perform umrah. He wanted to
perform tawaf around the Ka'bah and sacrifice to the idols there (The
people of Makkah, before becoming Muslims, placed hundreds of idols
inthe Holy Ka'bah. These idols were later destroyed by the Prophet).
So he left al-Yamamah for Makkah. As he was passing near Madinah, an
incident took place which he had not anticipated.
Groups of Muslims were patrolling the districts of Madinah and
outlying areas on the lookout for any strangers or anyone intent on
causing trouble. One of these groups came upon Thumamah and
apprehended him but theydid not know who he was.They took him to
Madinah and tied him to one of the columns in the mosque. They waited
for the Prophet himself to question the man and decide what should be
done with him.
When the Prophet was about to enter the mosque, he saw Thumamah and
asked his companions, "Do you know whom you have taken?"
"No, messenger of God," they replied.
"This is Thumamah ibn Uthal al-Hanafi," he said."You have done well in
capturing him."
The Prophet then returnedhome to his family and said, "Get what food
you can and send it to Thumamah ibn Uthal." He then ordered his camel
to be milked for him. All this was done before he met Thumamah or had
spoken to him.
The Prophet then approached Thumamah hoping to encourage him to become
a Muslim."What do you have to say for yourself" he asked.
"If you want to kill in reprisal," Thumamah replied, "you can have
someone of noble blood to kill. If, out of your bounty, you want to
forgive, I shall be grateful. If you want money in compensation, I
shall give you whatever amount youask."
The Prophet then left him for two days, but still personally sent him
food and drink and milk from his camel. The Prophet went back to him
and asked, "What do you have to say for yourself" Thumamah repeated
whathe had said the day before. The Prophet then left and came back to
him the following day. "What do you have to say for yourself?" he
asked again and Thumamah repeated what he had said once more. Then the
Prophet turned to his companions and said, "Set him free."
Thumamah left the mosque of the Prophet and rode until he came to a
palm grove on the outskirts of Madinah near al-Baqi' (a place of
luxuriant vegetation which later became a cemetery for many of the
Prophet's companions). Hewatered his camel and washed himself well.
Thenhe turned back and made his way to the Prophet's mosque. There, he
stood before a congregation of Muslims and said:
"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that
Muhammad is His servant and His messenger." He then went to the
Prophet, upon whom be peace, andsaid:
"O Muhammad, by God, there was never on this earth a face more
detestable than yours. Now, yours is the dearest face of all to me."
"I have killed some of yourmen," he continued, "I am at your mercy.
What will you have done to me?"
"There is now no blame on you, Thumamah," replied the
Prophet."Becoming a Muslim obliterates past actions and marks a new
beginning."

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Qur'anic names of Paradise

Firdaws — The Highest Gardens of the Paradise (al-Kahf,[11] Al-Mu'minoon[12 ])
Dār al-maqāmah — The Home (Fāṭir[13])
Dār as-salām — Home of Peace (Yūnus[14])
Dār al-ʾĀḫirah — The Homein the Hereafter (al-ʿAnkabūt[15 ])
al-Ǧannah — This is the most commonly used term in the Qur'an and
Hadith. (al-Baqarah,[16 ] Al-i-Imran,[17] [10] al-Maʾidah[18])
Ǧannat al-ʿadn — Gardens of Everlasting Bliss (at-Tawbah[19]: 72, ar-Raʾd[20])
Ǧannat al-Ḫuld — The Eternal Gardens (al-Furqān[21])
Ǧannat al-Maʾwā — Gardenof Abode (an-Naǧm[22])
Ǧannat an-Naʿīm — The Gardens of Delight (al-Māʾidah,[23 ]
Yūnus,[24]al-Ḥaǧǧ[25])
Maqʿad aṣ-Ṣidq — Assembly of Truth (al-Qamar[26])
al-Maqām al-ʾAmīn — The House of Security (ad-Duḫḫān[27])

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Ruling on one who forgets to make up missed fasts before the next Ramadaan comes

What is the ruling on one who forgets to make up missed fasts before
the next Ramadaan comes?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The fuqaha' are unanimously agreed that forgetting is an excuse which
means that there is no sin or accountability in all matters, because
of a great deal of evidence in the Qur'aan and Sunnah, but they
differed as to whether the fidyah is still required in cases of
forgetfulness.
With regard to the issue of forgetting to make up missed Ramadaan
fasts before the next Ramadaan comes, the scholars are also
unanimously agreed that they must still be made up after the second
Ramadaan, and they are not waived as a result of forgetting.
But they differed as to whether the fidyah (which is feeding a poor
person) is required when making up the missed fast (after the second
Ramadaan has come and gone). There are two points of view:
1 – That the fidyah is not required, because forgetting is an excuse
thatmeans there is no sin and the fidyah is waived.
This was the view of most of the Shaafa'is and some of the Maalikis.
See: Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (3/445); Nihaayat
al-Muhtaaj (3/196); Minah al-Jaleel (2/154); Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel
(2/263).
2 – That the fidyah is required, and forgetting is an excuse that
means thereis no sin only.
This was the view of al-Khateeb al-Sharbeeni among the Shaafa'is, who
said in Mughni al-Muhtaaj (2/176):
It seems that it means there is no sin only, and that the fidyah is not waived.
This was also stated by some of the Maalikis.
See: Mawaahib al-Jaleel Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel (2/450).
The more correct view is the former, in sha Allaah, for three reasons:
1 – The general meaning ofthe verses and ahaadeeth which say that
people are not held accountable for forgetting, such as the verse in
which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
2 – The basic principle that one is not subject to any expiation or
fidyah except with evidence, and there is no reliable evidence in this
case.
3 – There is a difference of opinion as to whether this fidyah is
required in the first place, even in the case of one who delays making
up the fasts deliberately. The Hanafis and Zaahiris are of the view
that it is not obligatory and Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was of the view
that it is only mustahabb, because there is no report to suggest
thatit is prescribed except fromthe actions of some of the Sahaabah,
which is not strong enough to suggest that people be obliged to follow
it, let alone oblige them to do it in a case where Allaah has granted
an excuse.
See the answer to questionno. 26865 .
To sum up, he only has to make up the missed fasts, and he does not
have to feed the poor, so he shouldmake them up after Ramadaan.
And Allaah knows best.

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There is no compulsion in Islam, everyone enjoys freedom of worship and belief

There is no compulsion where the religion is concerned. Right guidance
has become clearly distinct from error. Anyone who rejects false
deities and believes in Allah has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which
will never give way. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.(Surat
al-Baqara, 256)
Islam is a religion of love and beauty. Since people who live by Islam
see the essence and beauty of thisbeautiful faith and have a profound
belief in Allah, they live in a state of greatexcitement and
enthusiasm. This is an opening of the heart. The source of devotion to
Islam is love of Allah. A Muslim prays because of his love of Allah.
He performs his religious obligations and lives by the Qur'an because
of his love of Allah. In the Qur'an,Allah describes Muslims in that
regard as "those whose hearts turn to Allah" and "those who are
unreservedly devoted."
A Muslim comprehends Islam and the might of Allah with his mind and
confirms them with his heart. As set out in a definitive pronouncement
in the Qur'an, nobody can impose the religion on anyone else by the
use of force or compulsion. If attempts are made to force anyone to
convert toIslam, that may make him a hypocrite rather than a Muslim.
The result is the kind of person who is totally opposed to Islam.
Under pressure, the hypocrite will say that he is a Muslim, though in
his heart he harbors a conception that is a far cryfrom the moral
values of the Qur'an and is a fraud who harbors hatred for and is
inimical to Islam and Muslims. Allah describes those who engage in
hypocrisy in these terms in the Qur'an:
Among the people thereare some who say, 'We believe in Allah and the
Last Day,' when they are not believers. They thinkthey deceive Allah
and those who believe. They deceive no one but themselves but they are
not aware of it. There is a sickness in their heartsand Allah has
increased their sickness. They will have a painful punishment on
account of their denial. (Surat al-Baqara, 8-10)
When they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe.' But then
when they go apart withtheir demons, they say, 'We are really with
you. We were only mocking.' (Surat al-Baqara, 14)
That is because they have had belief and thenreturned to unbelief. So
their hearts have been sealed up and they cannot understand. (Surat
al-Munafiqun, 3)
There is a group of you who propagated the lie... (Surat an-Nur, 24)
There is a sickness in their hearts and Allah has increased their
sickness. They will have a painful punishment onaccount of their
denial. (Surat al-Baqara, 10)
Every Muslim has an obligation to preach the word of Islam and tell
people of its pronouncements and excellent moral values. Butthis, the
Qur'an states, can never be done through compulsion. The Qur'an may be
communicated to Christians and Jews, but if these people insist of
living by their own faiths, then there can be no question of forcing
them to do otherwise.
For that reason, Allah says, "There is no compulsion in the religion"
and speaks of the need for voluntary love. Compellingpeople to be
Muslims is prohibited in Islam.
By the will of Allah, the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (as) in the End Times
in which we are living is close at hand. In the time of Hazrat Mahdi
(as) people will comprehend the essence of the religion and will turn
to belief in Allah en masse. Hazrat Mahdi (as) will rule Muslims with
the Qur'an, Christians with the Gospel and Jews with the Torah. Hazrat
Mahdi (as) will spill no blood and, as commanded in the Qur'an,will
call on people to believe in Allah and see the essence of the religion
with love and sound counsel.

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Sincerity means wholehearted belief in Allah(God) and devotion to him

As for those who believeand do right actions andhumble themselves
before their Lord, they are the Companions of the Heaven, remaining in
it timelessly, for ever. (Surah Hud, 23)
Sincerity means being deeply devoted to Allah by heart. A sincere
person has a deep fear for Allah, profoundly believes in Him, sees and
advocates the righteousness in the best way. A sincere person is the
one who believes in Allah with certainty, the Hereafter, prophets, the
Heaven and the Hell and angels.
WHAT IS ESSENTIAL IS NOT ONE'S SEEING HIMSELF SINCERE BUT THE
RECOGNITION OF HIS SINCERITY BY ALLAH.
The Prophet Muhammad(may Allah bless him andgrant him peace), the
Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him), the Prophet Moses (pbuh), the
Prophet Abraham (pbuh), the Prophet Solomon (pbuh), the Prophet Joseph
(pbuh), the Prophet Jonah (pbuh), the Prophet Job (pbuh) and all the
other prophets are the sincere servants of Allah. We are aware of
prophets' sincerity because Allah sees them sincere and declares them
to be so. All of the prophets were blessed people who were devoted to
our All-Mighty Lord with great love and experienced sincerity in
itsmost profound state. Likewise, due to their sincerity, all the
prophets were blessed people who absolutely engaged in the most
accurate act, whose deeds resulted in good and beauty and who truly
turned to Allah in all their deeds.
Due to his fear for Allah and profound love of Allah, a sincere person
is someone who readily discriminates between theright and the wrong,
who absolutely implements what is right according to the Qur'an and,
without seeing any limits in closeness to Allah and lovefor him, who
discharges allthe requirements of the religion in the most accurate
and absolute manner. Consequently, sincerity is the kind of attitude
which appears with fear of Allah, and closeness and love of Him and is
experienced in the form as depicted in the Qur'an. If a Christian is
devoid of any Islamic knowledge, we may hope for his enterance to the
Heaven, as long as he advocates Allah's existence and unity,believes
in the Heaven andthe Hell, has faith in the destiny and the Hereafter,
performs his regular prayers ( salat ), fasts albeitin his own way,
and pays the alms. Similarly, if a Jewhas no knowledge about Islam,
then we can hope that he can go to the Heaven as long as he observes
what is lawful and unlawful, has faith in the destiny and Hereafter,
performs his regular prayers (salat) and fasts. All of these are the
commandments stated in the Torah and the Gospel. If he is sincere and
has no knowledge about Islam, by Allah's leave, we may hope that a
Christian or a Jew can also enter the Heaven as long as he
wholeheartedly fulfills all these religious obligations.
When one examines the Qur'an with a sincere heartone can immediately
see that the Qur'an is the true Divine book. But if someone has never
had access to the Qur'an, then he is AHL AL-FATRAT , but if he
believes in the one Allah, loves and fears Allah, does good works
forHis approval and prays, fasts and performs his religious duties as
required by the religion, then that person may hope for Paradise.
Becausethis person may not implement some parts of the Qur'an, out of
ignorance, but if he lives by the remaining of the Prophet Abraham
(pbuh) then since this person is ahl al-fatrat he may hope to enter
Paradise.
However, nobody can everbe certain that either he oranyone else will
go to Heaven or Hell. One can never say for certain that anyone, be he
Christian, Jew or Muslim, will go to Heaven or Hell. So long as a
morally virtuous person lives for the approval of Allah he may hope
for Paradise from Him, and one may hope that this person will be one
of the saved, though one can never be certain of this. As Allah
reveals in the Qur'an,all believers live "betweenhope and fear:"
Their sides eschew their beds as they call on theirLord in fear and
ardent hope. And they give of what We have provided for them. (Surat
as-Sajda, 16)
Since sincerity can only be experienced with unconditional belief in
Allah, hoping for the Heaven merely saying, "I am sincere", without
fulfilling the decrees of thereligion is an insincere view that only
deceives the person himself. It is a great collapse of reason to
appear with a reasoning commanding that "satanists can go to the
Heaven if they are sincere" and try to show acriminal person who
overtly murders a human being and who evidently denies Allah asa
sincere person deserving the Heaven.
A person who denies Allah,commits crimes and engages in immoral acts
commits all these misdeeds due to his insincerity and his disbelieving
and rebellious mind.

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The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is not Allah, but a manifestation of Allah

The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is a holy messenger of Allah. The Qur'an
reveals that he is "One of high esteem in this world andthe Hereafter,
and one ofthose brought near [to Allah]." (Surah Al 'Imran, 45) Allah
sent the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) to call the community he lived in to the
true path, and revealed the Gospel to himto distinguish between truth
and falsity. This is revealed as follows in Surat al-Ma'ida, verse 46:
And We sent Jesus son of Mary following in their footsteps, confirming
the Torah that came before him. We gave him the Gospel containing
guidance and light, confirming theTorah that came before it, and as
guidance and admonition for those who fear [and respect Allah].
By claiming that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is the son of Allah;
Christians cause millions of people to become irreligious
Excerpt from Mr. Adnan Oktar's interview dated December 10 th , 2009
The religion revealed to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is"the true
religion, that which believes in Allah, the One and Only." However,
this holy individual's message was distorted following his being taken
into the presence of Allah, with true Christianity being replaced by
"a false belief based on superstitious philosophies," such as that"The
Prophet Jesus being the son of Allah, the Trinity and atonement for
sins." (Surely Allah is beyond all these.) The people who believed
this failed to understand that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) isa
manifestation of Allah. The scale of the error into which some
Christians have fallen is revealed as follows in the Qur'an:
People of the Book! Do not go to excess in your religion. Say nothing
butthe truth about Allah. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the
Messenger of Allah and His Word, which He cast into Mary, and a Spirit
from Him. So believe in Allah and His Messengers. Do not say, 'Three.'
It is better that you stop. Allah is only One God. He is too Glorious
to have a son! Everything in the heavens and in the Earthbelongs to
Him. Allah suffices as a Guardian. The Messiah would never disdain to
be a servant to Allah nor would the angels near toHim. If any do
disdain to worship Him, and grow arrogant, He will in any case gather
them all to Him. (Surat an-Nisa', 171-172)
Those who say, 'Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary,' are unbelievers.
Say: 'Who possesses any power at all over Allah if He desires to
destroy theMessiah, son of Mary, and his mother, and everyone else on
Earth?' The kingdom of the heavens and the Earth and everything
betweenthem belongs to Allah. He creates whatever He wills. Allah has
power over all things. (Surat al-Ma'ida, 17)
As revealed in several verses of the Qur'an, the real Prophet Jesus
(pbuh) is very different to what such people imagine. He isa servant
created by Allah. He is a holy prophet who submitted to our Lord,
someone with lofty moral values and made superior to all the worlds.
He always referred to the sublime might and power of our Lord when
preaching the word, and said that he was a servant of Allah. Just like
the prophets Abraham, Moses (peace be upon them), Muhammad (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) and all the others, the Prophet Jesus
(pbuh) isa servant and prophet of Allah. He is a created
beingpossessed of human characteristics. He himself used to pray to
Allah.
The concept of trinity in Christianity means polytheism
Excerpt from Mr. Adnan Oktar's interview dated December 3 rd , 2009
The Qur'an describes how the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) preached the word
and how he described himself:
He said, "I am the servant of Allah, He has given me the Book and made
me a prophet. He has made me blessed wherever I am and directed me to
do prayerand give alms as long as I live. (Surah Maryam, 30-31)
I come confirming the Torah I find already there, and to make lawful
for you some of what was previously forbidden to you. I have brought
you a Sign from your Lord. So have taqwa of Allah and obey me. Allah
is my Lord and your Lord so worship Him. That is a straight path."
(Surah Al 'Imran, 50-51)
To ascribe divine status to the Prophet Jesus (surely Allah is beyond
that) means to fail to properly appreciate the might, greatness and
divine power of our Lord. It is certain that Almighty Allahis
unfettered by any weakness or deficiency. Everything in this world
belongs to Allah, and He is the sole Creator, Power and Force. Allah
reveals this in the Qur'an:
Say: "He is Allah, Absolute Oneness, Allah, the Everlasting
Sustainerof all. He has not given birth and was not born. And no one
is comparable to Him." (Surat al-Ikhlas, 1-4)

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Five millionth 'test tube baby' By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News, Istanbul

Five million "test tube babies" have now been born around the world,
according to research presented at a conference of fertility experts.
Delegates hailed it as a"remarkable milestone" forfertility treatments.
The first test tube baby, Louise Brown, was born in the UK in July
1978. Her mother Leslie Brown died last month.
However, delegates at the conference in Turkey warned couples not to
use fertility treatment as an"insurance policy" if they delayed
parenthood.
The International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive
Technologies (Icmart) presented its latest data onchildren born to
infertile parents at the European Society of Human Reproduction and
Embryology conference.
It said official figures up to 2008, plus three years of estimates,
put the total number of test tube babiesborn at five million.
Milestone
Icmart chairman Dr David Adamson said: "This technology has been
highlysuccessful in treating infertile patients. Millions of families
with children have been created, therebyreducing the burden of
infertility.
IVF success rates (based on figures for 2008)
33.1% for women under 35
27.2% for women aged 35-37
19.3% for women aged 38-39
12.5% for women aged 40-42
BBC Health: IVF in depth
"The technology has improved greatly over the years to increase
pregnancy rates."
About 1.5 million cycles of IVF, and similar techniques, are performed
every year, resulting in 350,000 babies, Icmart said.
Stuart Lavery, a consultant gynaecologist and director of IVF at
Hammersmith Hospital, said: "IVF is now part of the mainstream, it is
no longer something couples are ashamed of."
However, he cautioned that the great success of assisted reproduction
techniques should not lull people into thinking they could wait to
have children.
"The subtext is that if people delay childbirth they may view IVF as
an insurance policy that they can access at any stage.
"Unfortunately the facts still suggest that IVF success rates in women
as they get older are not fantastic."
Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at theUniversity of
Sheffield, said:"I think it's significant that we've got to five
million. It's far more socially acceptable than it has beenover the
last 10 or 20 years.
"One word of warning, we should make sure that couples understand that
IVF isn't a guaranteed solution and if they're in a position to have
their children earlier in life then they should try and do that.
"IVF really is something that should be preserved for those people who
reallyneed it."
http://m.facebook.com/mNajimudeenBscIndia

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The Miser and the Angel of Death

A miser had accumulated, by effort, trade and lending, three hunderd
thousand dinars. He had lands and buildings, and all kinds of wealth.
He then decided that he would spend a year in enjoyment, living
comfortably, and then decide as what his future should be.
But, almost as soon as he had stopped amassing money the Angel of
Death appeared before him, to take his life away.
The miser tried, by every argument which he could muster, to dissuade
the Angel, who seemed, however, adament. Then the man said: "Grant me
but three more days and I will give you one-third of my possessions."
The angel refused, and pulled again at the miser'slife, tugging to take it away.
Then the man said:
"If you only allow me two more days on earth, I will give you two
hundred thousand dinars from my store."
But the Angel would not listen to him. And the Angel even refused to
givethe man a solitary extra day for all his three hundred thousand
pieces.
The the miser said:
"Please, then, give me just time enough to write one little thing down."
This time the Angel allowed him this single concession, and the man
wrote, with his own blood:
"Man, make use of your life. I could not buy one hour for three
hundred thousand dinars. Make sure that you realize the value of your
time."

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A Young Man's Fear of Allah

One day, Malik bin Dinar (rahimaullah) was passing by a place when he
noticeda young man wearing old clothes and crying by the roadside. His
name was Uthbah. Sweat was dripping down his body even though the
temperature was very cold at that time. Malik bin Dinar became very
surprised at this scene and asked Uthbah, "Oh young man, why are you
crying? And why are you sweating during this cold temperature?"
Uthbah replied, "Once, I committed a sin at this place. Today, as I
was passing by this place, I remembered that sin."
Source: Obtained from the book "Tambihul Ghafileen" by Shaikh Abul
Laith Samarkandi.
Look how pious were the early Muslims. Today, we are committing
thousands of sins, yet, we are walkingaround with happiness andjoy as
if we have nothing to worry about.

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The King and the Poor Man

There was a king who decided to take a tour of his country. As he
passed by different places, everyone rushed to see him. However, while
passing by a certain place, he noticed a poor old manwho did not pay
any attention to the king's arrival and remained engaged in his own
activities. The king went up to this poor man and asked why he did not
join the people to see him. Thepoor man replied, "Before you, there
was another king who once passed by this place. Everyone gathered to
see him as well. But, few days later he died and was buried in a place
nearby. A poor man also died during that time and was buried near the
king's grave. After some time, a strong flood passed through that area
causing those graves to overturn. As a result, the bones of the poor
man became mixed up with those of the king's. We could not
differentiate between them any longer.After seeing this, it does not
matter to me anymoreas to who is a king and who is a beggar. In the
end, our home is the same."
Narrated by brother Ayyubfrom Toronto, Canada during one of his lectures.

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Owners of the Garden

The following story is mentioned in Surah Qalam, Chapter 68 of the Holy Quran.
Once there was a wealthy and pious man. He had a big garden full of
green trees laden with fruits. After the fruits were picked, this
rightful man used to distribute some fruits among the poor who would
gather at the garden every season to take their share.
Allah liked this act of the man. By the grace of Allah the garden used
to give rich harvest every season. Truly, one who spends for the sake
of Allah gets the reward in the hereafter as well as in this life.
This man had many sons who were not so pious as him. When their father
died, they discussed a planand said to each other that their father
was not awise man. He did not know how it was difficult to earn
livelihood. They did not like the habit of distributing some of the
fruits among the poor. They felt as if all their efforts would go to
vain if the poor had some share.
One of the sons had a concern. What will they tell the poor people
when they gather to take their fruits next time? They thought over its
implications, as they were worried about losing their prestige.
However, they were not afraid of Allah's wrath. One of them suggested
removing all the fruits in the night and thus clearing the garden
before dawn so that nobody could come and ask for his share.
Everyoneagreed to this suggestion. Since they were not even afraid of
Allah, they forgot to say 'Insha-Allah', which means if Allah
Wills,"...they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the
morning, without saying Insha-Allah ('if AllahWills')" (Verses 17-18).
If a Muslim does not say Insha-Allah before doing something Allah may
not fulfill his wish. But those who have no faith in Allah fail to
remember this and get stuck up in their act.
Allah is all Powerful. He knows no bounds in His Governance. All the
brothers went to sleep with a view to getting up early in the morning
and gather the ripe fruits. In the meantime, with the Will of Allah
"...there passed by on the (garden) a visitation (fire) from your Lord
at night and burnt it while they were asleep." (Verse 19)
In the early morning, all ofthem got up and hurried up and "...called
out one toanother as soon as the morning broke, Saying: 'Goto your
tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits.' So they
departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying), No Miskin (poor
man) shallenter upon you into it today." (Verses 21-24)
As they were proceeding towards the garden, they were quite unaware
that Allah had willed otherwise. Because the garden had become
"blackby the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins)"
(Verse 20). So when they reachedthe garden, they said this was not
their garden, and that they had strayed away from the right path to
the garden. But when they saw there was no other way around, they were
wonder struck! Soon they realized the situation and yelled: "Verily,
we have gone astray," "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of(the fruits)!"
The best among them said: "Did I not say to you 'Why not glorify
(Allah)'?" (Verses 26-28). He had been advising them earlier against
this act, for he hadsaid it is only Allah who would enhance their
fruitsif they continued to give away some of them in charity.
All of them felt regretful over their misdeed. They turned, to one
another, in reproach and said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been
doing wrong. Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!" All of them,
then, sought Allah's pardon and said:"We hope that our Lord will give
us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord
(wishing for good that He may forgive our sins, and reward us in the
Hereafter)." (Verses 31-32)
It is very beloved to Allah that we share with the less fortunate
whatever we have. While some of usonly feel hungry during the month of
Ramadan, there are many who are hungry everyday. Let us be more
generous with our wealth and help all those who are in need. Wewill
not lose anything by giving away some of our wealth, we will only
gain.

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NEWS - US military buildup in the Gulf counteracts Iran’s possible retaliation 2012-07-04 03:33:09 GMT 2012-07-04 11:33:09(Beijing Time) SINA English

The U.S. has quietly added forces in the Persian Gulf to foil Iran's
possible moveto choke off the Strait of Hormuz, according to the New
York Times。
Another batch of fighter jets capable of striking deep into Iran has
been sent to the area, in a persistent effort to beef upthe American
military presence in the gulf region。
The most visible reinforcements are the doubled minesweepers bythe
Navy consigned to the region up to eight vessels. In line with the
move, Navy ships are also deployed to largely strengthen the US patrol
in the Strait of Hormuz and to reopen the narrow waterway once Iran
laid mines to deter oil tankers of Saudi Arabia and other oil
exporters from passing through。
"The message to Iran is: Don't even think about it,"one senior Defense
Department official said on the condition of anonymity, "Don't even
think about closing the strait. We'll clear the mines. Don't even
think about sending your fast boats out to harass our vessels or
commercial shipping. We'll put them on the bottom of the gulf。"
Those additional attack aircraft give the US military greater
capability against coastal missile batteries that could threaten
shipping, as well as its reach to strike other targets deeper inside
Iran。
In response to the tightening Western sanctions, Iran announced on
Monday that it would consider blocking the Strait of Hormuz. The
Islamic Republic has also started a three-day missiledrill delivering
a warning to Israel and the United States.

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The Righteous Beggar

The following incident took place in Dhaka which is the capital city
of Bangladesh.
There was a beggar in the city who used to beg beside a Masjid on
Fridays after Jumah prayer. Begging was permissible for him due to his
adverse condition. Though he was a beggar, he would pay attention to
the sermons that were delivered duringthe Khutbah. One such sermons
was about the importance of earning halal income. He learnt that
supplications (dua) will not be accepted from those people whose
income are from forbiddensources. He immediately decided to accept
money from only those individuals that he knew had halal income. His
dailyearnings decreased as a result but he was committed to his
decision.
Then came a day when the beggar died. Eventhough he lived as a beggar,
his funeral was like that of a king. Many dignitaries of the area
attended his funeral because they knew of thatgreat sacrifice he used
to make daily in order to keep up with the commandment of Almighty
Allah.
Dear readers, we too should sincerely adopt thecommandments of Allah
inour lives regardless of our social status. In this way, Allah will
elevate us in thisworld and in the hereafter.

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Ruling on paying zakaahin instalments because the cash is not available;does she have to take a loan in order to pay zakaah?

I put my money in two Islamic bank portfolios.
The first is for constructionof real estate in an Islamic Indian city.
The project was completed three years ago without receiving any money
and Icannot withdraw the money. The second is also in real estate, but
every four months I receive a small amount of profits that I spend on
my needs. For the past three years I have been saving some of my
monthly maintenance (from my husband) and have been paying the zakaah
on my wealth which has reached the sum of ten thousand.
But this year I was not able to save because my husband was building a
private villa and because prices rose. Now Ramadanis approaching and I
feel very worried because I do not have enough money to pay zakaah,
especially since I do not like to pay zakaah from bank profits.
My question is: is it permissible for me to divide the ten thousand
(which is the amount of my zakaah) according to my ability or should I
take a loan and pay the zakaah in one go, then pay off thedebt after
that?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Putting money in a sharedbank portfolio to build real estate and then
trade in it or benefit from the dividends comes under the heading of
dealing in real estate shares.
The basic principle with regard to zakaah on shares is: if the company
[or bank] has not paid zakaah on its wealth for any reason, then what
the shareholders must do is pay zakaah on their shares. If the
shareholder is able to find out from thecompany accounts how much
zakaah is due on his own shares (that is if the company has paid
zakaah on its wealth in the manner indicated), then he should pay
zakaah on his shares in this manner, because that is the basic
principle with regard to paying zakaah on shares.
If the shareholder is not able to find out about that:
If he bought shares in the company with the aim of benefitting from
the annual dividend of the shares, not with the aim oftrading in them,
then this shareholder does not haveto pay zakaah on the shares
themselves; rather he must pay zakaah on the dividend, at the rate
ofone quarter of one tenth after one full hijri year has passed since
he took possession of the dividend. He should also pay attention to
the conditions of zakaah beingobligatory and make sure there are no
impediments.
If the shareholder bought the shares with the aim of trading in them,
he shouldpay zakaah on them as trade goods. If zakaah becomes due on
them when they are still in his possession, he should pay zaakah on
the market value. If they have no market value, he should pay zakaah
on their value as estimated by experts. He should pay one quarterof
one tenth, or 2.5%, of that value and of the profit if there is any.
End quote from Majallat Majma' al-Fiqh al-Islami (1/879)
Based on that:
If you bought this portfolio with the intention of benefitting from
the dividends, but you have not received anything, then you do not
have to pay zakaah on it. If you have received a small amount of
profit, but you spent it before one full hijri year had passed, then
you do not have to pay zakaah on it either.
If you bought these shareswith the intention of trading in them, then
you have to pay zakaah every year on the market value of the shares.
There is nothing wrong with you paying the obligatory zakaah from any
money you have, from bank profits or otherwise, so long as it is
permissible according to sharee'ah.
Secondly:
If a person is obliged to pay zakaah but he does not have any cash, it
is permissible for him to delay paying zakaah until he has the cash,
or to pay in instalments whenever he is able to do so, and he does not
have to take out a loan.
Al-Mirdaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Insaaf (3/186):
If you are not able to pay it fromthe wealth itself because itis not
available or for some other reason, it is permissible to delay it
until you are able to do so.End quote.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If the land and
the like, such as the house andcar and so on, are intended for trade,
then you have to pay zakaah every year based on their value at the end
of the zakaah year, and it is not permissible to delay that, except
for one who is unable to pay his zakaah because he has no other
wealth. In this case he may delay it until he sells it and pays the
zakaah for all years, each year according to its value at the end of
that zakaah year, whether the value was greater than the priceor less.
What I mean is: the price for which the land or car or house was
bought.And Allah knows best.

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Is it permissible for him to enable his sister to see her suitor outside the home without his father’s knowledge?

A young man who has memorised the Qur'aan (Haafiz al-Qur'aan) and is
of good character has proposed to my sister, andthere is tentative
acceptance. But my sister has not seen him except fleetingly and I
want her to see him in the manner prescribed in sharee'ah before the
engagement goes ahead, to ensure thatthey are compatible and feel
comfortable about one another, but my father refuses to allow
thisseeing as prescribed in sharee'ah and he wants the engagement to
go ahead immediately. Is it permissible for my sister to see this
young man as prescribed in sharee'ah in my presence, but outside the
home and without myfather knowing about it? If it is permissible, what
are the conditions?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It is prescribed for the suitor to see his potential fiancé and to be
allowed to do that; it is also prescribed for her to be allowed to see
him, so that if there is agreement to go ahead with the marriage it is
done on the basis of clarity and insight.
Abu Dawood (2082) narrated that Jaabir ibn 'Abdillah said: The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"When one of you wants to propose marriage to a woman, if he can see
that which will encourage him to go ahead and marry her, let him do
so." I proposed marriage to a girl and I used to hide and watch her
until I saw that which prompted me to go ahead and marry her, and I
married her.
Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood
He may see that of her that which will prompt him to go ahead and
marry her, such as that which ordinarily appears such as the face,
hands, neck and feet.
It says in ar-Rawd al-Murbi' (p. 332):
It is permissible for the one who wants to propose to a woman and
thinks it most likely that she will accept, to look at what ordinarily
appears, such as the face, necks, hands and feet. End quote.
The Scholars of the Standing Committee said:
It is permissible for the one who wants to marry awoman to look, when
proposing to her, at her face without any feelings of pleasure or
desire, and without being alone with her, according to scholarly
consensus. That is prescribed because of necessity and because it is
more likely to make their marriage stable. And that is sufficient
because the face is the focal point of beauty and by means of this the
need is met. And some scholars regarded it as permissible to look at
the hands too, and whatever ordinarily appears of the woman that may
encourage him to go ahead and marry her. And it is permissible for the
suitor to watch herwhen she is walking in thestreet so that he may see
that which may encouragehim to go ahead and marry her.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 18/75
See also the answer to question no. 2572
Secondly:
If the matter is as you describe, there is nothing wrong with you
enabling your sister to see this suitor and enabling him tosee her,
even if that is outside the home, on condition that you or a mahram of
hers is present during the meeting. What matters is that he should not
be alone with her and there should be no cause of fitnah, as the
scholars have explained previously.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
He may look at the face, head, hands and feet, on condition that he is
not alone with her; rather one of her mahrams should be present. It is
also essential that there be no risk of fitnah. He should look onlyas
much as is necessary, but if he is not able to see her the first time,
there is nothing wrong with him looking at her another time, but that
is subject to the condition we have mentioned, which is that he should
not be alone with her, because being alone with a woman is haraam.
Similarly, she should not beautify or adorn her face when he looks at
her, because that will have the opposite effect. If he looks at her
when she has beautified herself he will think that she is more
beautiful than she really is, then when heenters upon her (after
marriage) and sees her as she really is, he may be put off and turn
away from her.
End quote from Fataawa Su'aal min Haaj (p. 39)
But you have to make sureyour father does not find out about that, so
that he will not get angry or refuse to let her marry him, when the
marriage is agreed upon.
If it is possible to make him agree and convince him of that, then
that is better and is preferable.
We should also point out that if the passing glance you mentioned was
sufficient for your sister and was also sufficient for the suitor to
form an opinion and lead to an agreement, then this is what is
required and thereis no need to look directly.
And Allah knows best.

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"If there's something that you're dreaming of then may it all come true,because you deserve it all..HAPPY BIRTHDAY".

As you slide down the banister of life,may all the splinters point in
the right direction.happy Birthday.
God made the sun,the earth,the moon,the stars, but love he could not
make another one when he made a love like you.happy birthday.
I would like to thank god for bringing you 2 life. andi would like 2
ask god 2 give you as much years to live as he can.Happy Birthday.
Do not keep your mind dalor boring always keep smileing-then the whole
world will smile with you.happy birthday.
"If there's something that you're dreaming of then may it all come
true,because you deserve it all..HAPPY BIRTHDAY".

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Allah is everywhere

Some people imagine thatthey themselves, matter and the world they see
all around them are all absolute beings. But they regard Allah (surely
He is beyond that) as an imagination pervading that absolute matter.
Or else, since they cannot see Him with their own eyes, they say:
"Allah must be somewhere we cannot see, in space or far away from
human eyes." (SurelyAllah is beyond that.) But these are all grave
errors.
Because Allah is everywhere, not just in the sky. As the sole absolute
being, Allah enfolds the whole universe, all people and places, the
heavens and everywhere. And Allah is manifested in the whole universe.
According to the hadith, our Prophet (saas) said that someone who said
that Allah was in the sky was telling the truth. But this account in
no wayconflicts with the fact that Allah is everywhere. Because if
someone at your location on Earth raises his hands and prays to Allah
and thinks that Allah is in the sky, while someone at the South Pole
turns to Allah in the same way, while someoneelse at the North Pole
raises his hands and yet another individual in Japan, or America or
Ecuador raises his hands tothe sky in the same way and turns to Allah,
then it is impossible to speak of any fixed direction. In the same
way, if djinn, angels and demons at various points in space and the
universe also pray toward the skies, it will again be impossible to
speak of anyfixed direction, and the situation will be one that covers
the entire universe.
We must not also forget that Allah is unfettered by time and space.
Allah's selfis something different. Butthe manifestations of Allahare
everywhere. If someone enters a room and says Allah is not there,he is
denying Allah. The manifestations of Allah arein that room and
everywhere. Wherever you may turn, manifestations of Allah arethere.
Several verses of theQur'an state that Allah pervades all places, that
He is closer to us than our own jugular veins, and that we will see
His face wherever we look. For example, in verse 255 of Surat
al-Baqara Allah says"... His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the
earth...." Verse 92 of Surah Hud says, "...But my Lord encompasses
everything that you do" meaning that Allah also pervades what people
do.
The truth revealed in the Qur'an is clear: Allah is not only in the
skies. Allah is He Who enfolds and pervades all places. This knowledge
is provided to us by way of the Qur'an. Describing the reality of the
secret behind matter will enable people to better understand these
verses. People who realizethat matter is not an absolute entity will
realizewith complete clarity that Allah is everywhere at anymoment,
that He sees and hears them at all moments, that He witnesses all
things and is closer to them than their own jugular veins, and that He
hears the prayers of those who pray.
Some verses of the Qur'an on the subject
Both East and West belong to Allah, so wherever you turn, the Face of
Allah is there. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing. (Surat
al-Baqara, 115)
Allah, there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining. He is
notsubject to drowsiness or sleep. Everything in the heavens and the
earth belongs to Him. Who canintercede with Him except by His
permission? He knows what is before them andwhat is behind them
butthey cannot grasp any ofHis knowledge save what He wills. His
Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth and their preservation
does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent. (Surat
al-Baqara, 255)
When We said to you, 'Surely your Lord encompasses the peoplewith His
knowledge.' Weonly appointed the vision We showed you and the Accursed
Tree inthe Qur'an as a trial and temptation for the people. We
frighten them, but it only increases them in their excessive
insolence. (Surat al-Isra', 60)
There is no one in the heavens and earth who will not come to the
All-Merciful as a slave. Hehas counted them and numbered them
precisely. (Surah Maryam, 93-94)

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Prayer of a Sick Person

Imam Baihaqi has stated on the authority of Hadhrat Ali (ra) who
stated: "Once, I was present with the Prophet (peace be upon him). At
that time, I had fallen so much sick that I prayed to Allah Almighty
to grant me death if I am destined to die so that I may get relief
from the sickness, otherwise, I may be restored to normal health from
the sickness if I have to live for sometime. I, also, prayed for being
granted patience if this sickness is a test for me from Allah
Almighty." Hearing that, the Prophet beat Ali with his foot and
observed: "Oh Ali! repeat what you were saying." Ali(ra) repeated his
prayer. Then the Prophet prayed to Allah Almighty: "O Allah! Heal him
from the sickness." Ali (ra) stated that he became healthy the same
day and the painnever appeared again.

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Thirst for Learning

Hadhrat Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says:
"After the passing away ofthe Prophet (peace be upon him), I said to
an Ansari friend of mine: 'The Prophet is not now with us. But a large
number of Sahabah are still among us. Let us go to them and get
knowledge of the Islamic practices.' He said: 'Who is going to
approach you for learning a regulation in the presence of these
eminent Sahabah?' I was not discouraged. I kept up my quest for
knowledge and approached every person who was supposed to have heard
something from the Prophet. I managed to gather substantial
information from the Ansar. If on my visit to someone of the Sahabah,
I found him asleep, I spread my shawl at the gate and sat waiting.
Sometimes my face and body would get covered with dust, but I kept
sitting till they woke and I was able to contact them. Some of them
said: 'Abdullah you are the cousin of the Prophet; youcould have sent
for us. Why did you take the trouble of coming to our places?' I said
to them: 'I must come to you, for I am a student and you are my
teachers.' Some peoplefor whom I had waited said: 'Since when have
youbeen waiting for us?' I informed them that I had been sitting there
for a pretty long time. They said: 'What a pity! You could have
awakened us from our sleep.' I said: 'I did not like to disturb you
for my own sake.' I thus carried on my pursuits, till there came a
time when people began to flock to me for learning. My Ansari friend
realized this at that time and remarked: 'This boy has surely proved
himself more sensible than us.'"
Source: From the book"Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad
Zakariyya Kaandhlawi.
Besides our quest for knowledge to earn a livelihood in this world, we
must as well gain sufficient knowledge of Islam. No matter what
agegroup we belong to at thismoment, we should atleast have that much
Islamic knowledge with which we can turn our 24 hours life into
worship. Those with knowledge and practice will be exalted in this
world and in the hereafter.

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The Fisherman

An investment banker wasat the pier of a small coastal village when a
small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were
several large yellow fin tuna. The investment banker complimented the
fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to
catch them.
The fisherman replied,"Only a little while."
The investment banker then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and
catch more fish?"
The fisherman said, "With this I have more than enough to support my
family's needs."
The investment banker then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of
your time?"
The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, playwith my
children, take siesta with my wife, stroll into the village each
evening and spend time with my family, I have a full and busy life."
The investment banker scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you.
You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a
bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy
several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats.
Instead of selling your catch to a middlemanyou would sell directly to
the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control
the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this
small coastal fishing village and move to a big town and eventually to
the the city where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."
The fisherman asked, "But,how long will this all take?"
To which the investment banker replied, "15 to 20 years."
"But what then?" asked the fisherman.
The investment banker laughed and said that's the best part. "When the
time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to
thepublic and become very rich, you would make millions."
"Millions?...Then what?"
The investment banker said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small
coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little,
play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village
in the evenings andspend time with your family."

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Army of Elephants

The following incident is mentioned in Surah Feel ofthe Holy Quran and
it happened during the period of the birth-year of Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him). Abraha Al-Ashram was thegovernor of Yemen on
behalf of the king of Ethiopia. He (Abrahah) thought to build a house
(like the Kabah at Makkah)in Sana (the capital of Yemen) and call the
Arabs to perform the pilgrimage there in Sana instead of the Kabah in
Makkah, withthe intention of diverting the trade and benefits from
Makkah to Yemen. He presented his idea to the king of Ethiopia who
agreed to it. So the house (church) was built and he named it
Al-Qullais; there was no church of its like atthat time. Then a man
from the Quraish tribe of Makkah came there and was infuriated by it,
so he relieved his nature (stools and urine) in it, soiled its walls
and went away. When Abrahah Al-Ashram saw that, he could not control
his anger and raised an army to invade Makkah and demolish the Kabah.
He had in that army thirteen elephants and amongst them was anelephant
called Mahmud which was the biggest of them. So that army proceeded
and none amongst the Arab tribes that faced them (fought against them)
but was killed and defeated, till it approached near Makkah. Then
there took place negotiations between Abrahah Al-Ashram and the chief
of Makkah (AbdulMuttalib bin Hashim, the grandfather of the Prophet),
and it was concluded that Abrahah would restore the camels of Abdul
Muttalib which hehad taken away, and then he (Abrahah) would
decidehimself as regards the Kabah. Abdul Muttalib ordered the men of
Makkah to evacuate the city and go to the top of the mountains along
with their wives and children incase some harm should come to them
from the invading oppressors. Then that army moved towards Makkah till
they reached valley Muhassir. While the army was marching towards
Makkah, in the middle of the valley, suddenly it was overtakenby
flocks of birds, flocks after flocks, air-raiding that army with small
stones slightly bigger thana lentil seed. There never fell a stone on
a soldier except it dissolved his flesh and burst it into pieces. So
they perished with a total destruction. Abrahah Al-Ashram fled away
while his flesh was bursting into pieces till he died on the way (back
to Yemen). Such was the victory bestowed by Allah,(the All-Majestic,
All-Powerful) to the people of Makkah and such was the protection
provided by Him for His House (Kabah in Makkah).

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Story :- Reward for Helping Others

Ibn Abbas narrated, Once I was in a state of itikaaf in the Prophet's
Mosque (Medina). A certain person came to me and sat down.I said to
him, 'O so and so, you look sad'. He said, 'Yesof course, o fraternal
brother of the Prophet. So-and-so has his due on me, and by the one
who lies in eternal peace in the grave (i.e. Prophet Muhammad), I am
not able to pay the debt' I said, 'Should I not talk to him about your
debt?' He said, 'You can do so if you like' There upon I put my shoes
on and went out of the mosque. The person asked him, 'Have you
forgotten the state you were in (i.e. itikaaf)?' I replied, 'Not at
all, but I have heard rom the one who lies in eternal peace in the
grave [saying this his eyes became filled with tears], said:
"One who moves to fulfill any need of his brother, and makes effort
for it, will find it better than itikaaf of ten years; and one who
performs itikaaf for one day for the pleasure of Allah, he will create
a distance of three ditches between him and the hell - and each ditch
has a width which lies between East and West, orbetween the heaven and
earth."
Source: Al Targhib Vol II p 272.
By the blessings of Allah, we are approaching another Ramadan. For
most of us, we feel a little taste of hunger during thismonth only.
But there are billions for whom it is a matter of daily life. Let us
get immense rewards by helping our needy brothers and sisters around
the world during this month of generosity.

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Story :- Better to Give

A young man, a student in one of the universities, was one day taking
a walkwith a Professor, who wascommonly called the student's friend,
from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.
As they went along,they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes,
which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a
field close by,and who had nearly finished his day's work.
The student turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a
trick: we will hide his shoes, and conceal ourselves behind those
bushes, and wait to see his perplexity when hecannot find them."
"My young friend," answered the professor,"we should never amuse
ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give
yourselfa much greater pleasure by means of this poor man. Put a coin
in each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how this
affects him."
The student did so and they both placed themselves behind the bushes
close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across
thefield to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.
While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes,
but feeling something hard, hestooped down to feel what it was, and
found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his
countenance. He gazed upon the coin, turned it around, and looked at
it again and again.
He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen.
He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the
other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
His feelings overcame him;he fell upon his knees, looked up to the
heavens and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of
his wifewho was sick and helpless,and his children without bread, whom
this timely bounty, from some unknown hand,would save from perishing.
The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with
tears."Now," said the professor, are you not much better pleased than
if you had played your intended trick?"
The youth replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never
forget. I feel now the truth of thesewords, which I never understood
before: "It's more blessed to give than to receive."
Abdullah bin Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) reported thatthe Prophet
(sallAllahu alaiyhi wassallam) said that encouraging good, prohibiting
evil, lifting the burden of the weak person and removing an offensive
thing from a path are all acceptable prayers to Allah.

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