Should he focus on purifying his heart or ondoing naafil acts?

Which is more important – dealing with feelings and thoughts that
Allaah dislikes, such as destructive envy, hatred, arrogance, showing
off, thinking highly of one's deeds, hard-heartedness, etc., which
form the evil that resides in the heart, or focusing on doing outward
naafil deeds suchas prayer, fasting and other acts of worship and
fulfilling vows even though those other thingsare present in the
heart? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Some of the acts mentioned are obligatory,and those which are
obligatory should be given precedence, as Allaah says according to the
hadeeth qudsi narrated from His Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him): "My slave doesnot draw near to Me with anything
more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined on him."
Then He says: "And My slave continues to draw near to Me with
supererogatory works so that I shall love him." Outward physical acts
are not valid and acceptable unless they are accompanied by
appropriate actions of theheart, because the heart islike the king and
the physical faculties are like his troops. If the king is evil his
troops will also beevil. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "In the body there is a piece of flesh: if
it is soundthe whole body will be sound and if it is corrupt then the
whole body will be corrupt." Similarly the (hidden) actions of the
heart inevitably affect the (visible) physical actions. So precedence
must be given to that which is more obligatory, whether it is called
inward or outward. Perhaps things that are called inward may be more
obligatory, such as refraining from destructive envy and arrogance,
for that is more essential than observing naafil fasts. Or acts that
are described as outward or physical may be better, such as qiyaam
al-layl (praying at night), which is better than simply giving up some
thoughts that may cross one's mind such as (non-destructive) jealousy,
etc. Inward and outward deeds support one another, and prayer keeps
one from doing evilactions and generates fearof Allaah, and has other
important effects. It (prayer) is the best of good deeds and charity.
And Allaah knows best.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), Majmoo'
al-Fataawa, 6/381
So there is no separation between correcting what is inward and
correcting what is outward or physical.
The outward acts of worship which a person performs with his
physicalfaculties – if he does themfor the sake of Allaah – will
undoubtedly have an effect on his inward nature.
For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Shall I not tell you of something that will take away the evil
of the heart? Fasting three days of each month." (Narratedby
al-Nasaa'i, 2386; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Nasaa'i, 2249). The evil of the heart refers to rancour, hatred and
destructive envy.
One of the most important remedies for diseases of the heart is to
study and ponder the texts which include warnings to the one who
leaves these diseases to fester in his heart, such as the hadeeth in
which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"No one will enter Paradise who has an atom's-weight of arrogance in
his heart." (Narrated by Muslim, 91).
And the hadeeth according to which Hell will say, "My share is the
arrogant." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4850; Muslim,2846)
And the hadeeth: "On the Day of Resurrection the arrogant will be
gathered like ants in the form of men." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,
2492; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2025).
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
disease of the nations who came before you has started to spread among
you: destructive envy and hatred. These are the shavers. I do not mean
that they shave hair but they shave away religiouscommitment. By the
One in Whose hand is my soul,you will not enter Paradise until you
believe,and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I
not tell you of something which ifyou do it, you will love one
another. Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2510; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2038).
Whoever ponders with true insight such warnings about the diseases of
the heart will undoubtedly strive to cleanse his heart thereof, and
will seek help in doing so by doing outward physical acts, praying to
his Lord to cleanse his heart of hatred, destructive envy, rancour and
so on, as Allaah says, describing theprayer of the believers:....

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1] Who are the Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj?

1]
The Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj
During the reign of Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) people will live an extremely
peaceful life filled with prosperity and abundance. Then the wall
which imprisons Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj will break andthey will surge
forth in large numbers.
"But when Ya'jooj and Ma'jooj are let loose and they rush headlong
down every hill" (Quran 21:97)
Who are the Ya'jooj and Majooj?
Zul Qarnain (A.S.) who wasa pious and just Ruler travelled to many
lands and conquered them, establishing justice and the Law of Allah
therein. Allah Ta'ala provided him with all forms and material
strength throughwhich he was able to carry out his conquests and
missions.
He once carried out a mission in three directions, the far west, the
far east, and then in a northerly direction. It washere that he came
across a tribe of people who complained to him about the tribes of
Ya'jooj and Majooj which inhabited the land behind two hugemountains
and often emerged from behind these mountains to perpetrate acts of
anarchyand plunder among them.They requested Zul Qarnain (A.S.) to
erect a barrier between themselves and the tribes of Ya'jooj and
Ma'jooj so that they could be saved from their atrocities. With the
material strength at his disposal, Zul Qarnain (A.S.) enlisted their
physical labor and set about erecting a high wallbetween the two
mountains. The height of the wall or its exact length is unknown. What
is known is that the height of this wall reachesthat of the summit of
both mountains. It is made with blocks or sheets of iron, which is
further strengthened by molten lead. In this manner Ya'jooj and Majooj
are unable to scalethe wall, or cross it, except when it is the will
of Allah.
"And when the promise ofmy Rabb approaces, He will level it to dust"
(Quran 18:98)
They are situated in a land of ice which is hidden from our gazes and
the exact location of which is unknown. Though many interpretations do
exist inthis respect, none of thesecan be said to absolute.
Ya'jooj and Majooj are human beings and according to a narration they
are from the progeny of Yafith ibn Nooh (A.S.).
Some Ahadith...
In a lengthy hadith by Hadhrat Nawwas ibn Sam'aan (R.A.) Rasulullah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said:
"...Allah will send revelation upon Eesa (A.S.)that 'Such a creation
of mine is now going to emerge that no power will be able to stop
them. Therefore take my servants and ascend the Mount of Toor.' Then
Ya'jooj and Majooj will emerge and surge forth inall their fury. When
those from among them who constitute the former partof their army pass
the lake of Tiberias (which is in northern Palestine), they will drink
up all the water of that lake and by the time those that constitute
the latter part of that same army pass the lake, they will say,"There
used to be water here (long ago). When they reach the Mount of Khamr
in Jerusalem, they will arrogantly proclaim: 'We have conquered the
people of the earth, now we will annihilate those in the sky.' So
saying they will fire their arrows towards the sky. When the arrows
return to the ground they will be bloodstained.
In the meantime, Eesa (A.S.) will be on the Mountof Toor with his
followers.At that time the head of and ox will be as valuableas is a
hundred dinars to you in this day. [This indicates the scarcity of
provisions]. Faced with these hardships, Eesa (A.S.)and his followers
will make dua unto Allah (to remove this calamity). As a result, Allah
will cause sores to appear on the necks of each and every individual
of these peoplewhich will cause their death suddenly. When Eesa (A.S.)
and his followers descend from the Mount of Toor there will not be a
single space on the land where the dead rotting bodies of these people
is not littered, giving off a horrendous odour. Eesa (A.S.) and his
followers will once more supplicate unto Allah as a result of which
Allah will send down huge birds whose necks will be as thick as that
of the necks of camels, and they will dump these bodies in a place
where Allah wills. (According to a narration by Tirmidhi, they will be
dumped at a place called Nahbal).
Allah Ta'ala will then senddown a heavy rain, the waters of which will
flow in every part of the earth cleansing it thoroughly. It will rain
for a period of forty days.
The Muslims will then burn the bows and arrows of the Ya'jooj and
Ma'jooj for a period of seven years.

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Who is the evil Dajjal (the "anti-Christ")?

Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) has exhorted the regular
recital of Suratul Kahf which will most certainly save one from the
Evils of Dajjal.
Hadhrat Imraan bin Husain (R.A.) relates that,"I heard Rasulullah
(Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) saying: "Since the birth of Adam (A.S.)
tillthe advent of Qiyamah there is no fitnah (evil, test) much greater
that of Dajjal."
Hadhrat Huzaifah (R.A.) says, Dajjal will be blind inhis left eye. He
will have very thick hair on his body and he will also have his own
type of Jannat (Heaven) and Jahannam (Hell) with him:Although his
Jannat will appear as Jannat, in reality it will be Jahannamand
likewise though his Jahannam will appear to be Jahannam, in reality it
will be Jannat.
(Hadith: Muslim)
Imraan bin Husain (R.A.) says Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
said:"Those who hear about Dajjal should stay far fromhim. By Allah! A
person will approach him thinking him to be a Believer, but on seeing
hisamazing feats he will become his follower."
Ubadah bin Saamit (R.A.) once said, "I have explained Dajjal to you
but I fear that you might not have understood. Maseeh Dajjal will be
short, and his legs will be crooked. The hair on his head will be
extremely twisted. He will have one eye (with which he can see, and
this is the protruding eye about which other ahadeeth inform us) while
his other eye will be totally flat. It will neither be deep (in
itssocket) nor protruding.
If you still have any doubtregarding him then remember that your
Sustainer (Rabb) is not one-eyed. (Because Dajjal will eventually
claim to beAllah). In a lengthy Hadithnarrated by Abu Saeed (R.A.),
Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is reported to have said:
"Dajjal will come but it will be prohibited and impossiblefor him to
enter Madina. He will set up camp in a barren land outside Madina. One
person who will be the best of personswill confront him by saying: "I
bear witness that you are the very Dajjal about whom Rasulullah
(Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam) has informed us."
Dajjal will say to his followers, "If I kill this person and then
revive him, you people will still doubt me?"
They will reply, "No."
He will then kill this person, (according to another narration he will
split this person in two) and thereafter revive him.This person will
say, "I amtotally convinced more than ever before that you definitely
are Dajjal."
Dajjal will attempt to kill this person again but his efforts will now
be in vain.
(According to a hadith, after this incident, Dajjal will not be able
to harm anyone.)
Hadhrat Anas (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Salallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
said:"Dajjal will come and finally reach the outskirts of Madina.
There will be three tremors. At that time, all the disbelievers and
hypocrites will flee (from Madina).
In this way Madina Munawwarah will be purified of all the evil hypocrites.
Hadhrat Asma bint Yazeed(R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Salallahu
Alayhi Wasallam) once came to my house and there he spoke about
Dajjal. He said that before the emergence of Dajjal there will be
three spells of drought. In one year the skies will withold one third
of its rains, causing the earth to withold one third of its produce.
In thesecond year the skies will withold two thirds of its rains,
causing the earth towithold two thirds of its produce. In the third
year,the skies will withold all its water and there will beno crops
that year. All animals, be they hooved or toothed, will die as a
result. The greatest evil ofDajjall will be to approachanyone and ask
him: "If I bring your camel back to life, will you then believe that I
am your Rabb?"
This person will reply,"Most certainly."
Thereafter Shaytaan (fromthe many Shayateen who will always accompany
Dajjal) will appear before this person in the form of his camel with a
fat humpand fully laden udders.
Likewise Dajjal will appear before another person whose father and
brother have long passed away and ask him, "If I bring your father and
brother back to life will you believe that I am your Rabb?"
This person will reply,"Why not?"
Shaytaan will once again take on the appearance ofhis brother and father...
(Ahmad)
Hadhrat Mughira ibn Shu'ba (R.A.) says that,"No one asked Rasulullah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) about Dajjal as much as myself.
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) said to me, "How can he
possibly harm you?"
I said: "People are saying that he will have with him a mountain of
bread (provisions) and a river of water."....

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1a] Imam Mahdi (Descendent of Prophet MuhammadPBUH)

1a]
According to hadith narrated by Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) Rasulullah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:"...(regarding the rule of Imaam
Mahdi) the skies will rain down in abundance and the earth will yield
forth its crop in abundance, and those alive will desire that thosewho
have already passed away should have been alive to enjoy this
prosperity..."
Hadhrat Buraidah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said: "There will be many armies after me. You must join
that army which will come from Khurasaan." (Ibn Adi)
Abu Hurairah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
said:"(Armies carrying) black flags will come from Khurasaan. No power
will be able to stop them and they will finally reach Eela(Baitul
Maqdas) where they will erect their flags."
from: "Signs of Qiyamah"
by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali
More Hadeeth (with references) (contributed by Bradley Bilal).
1) The Prophet (PBUH andHF) said: "Even if the entire duration of the
world's existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left
(before the day of judgment), Allah will expand that day to such
alength of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person frommy
Ahlul-Bayt who will be called by my name. He will fill out the earth
with peace and justice as it willhave been full of injustice and
tyranny (by then)."
References:
Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v2, p86,v9, pp 74-75
Sunan Abu Dawud, v2, p7
Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, pp 84,376; V3, p63
2) The Prophet (PBUH andHF) said: "al-Mahdi is one of us, the members
of the household (Ahlul-Bayt)."
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition#4085
3) The Prophet (PBUH andHF) said: The Mahdi will be of my family, of
the descendants of Fatimah (the daughter of the Prophet (PBUH)).
References:
Sunan Abu Dawud, Englishversion, Ch. 36, Tradition#4271 (narrated by
Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet)
Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4086
4) The Prophet (PBUH andHF) said: "We (I and my family) are members of
a household that Allah (SWT) has chosen for them the life of the
Hereafter over the life of this world; and the members of my household
(Ahlul-Bayt) shall suffer a great affliction and they shall
beforcefully expelled from their homes after my death; then there will
come people from the East carrying black flags, and they will ask for
somegood to be given to them,but they shall be refused service; as
such, they will wage war and emerge victorious, and will be offered
that which they desired in the first place, but they will refuse to
accept it till they pass it toa man from my family (Ahlul-Bayt)
appears to fillthe Earth with justice as ithas been filled with
corruption. So whoever reaches that (time) ought to come to them even
if crawling on the ice/snow since among them is the Vice-regent of
Allah (Khalifatullah) al-Mahdi."
References:
Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, Tradition #4082,
The History Tabari
al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, byIbn Hajar, Ch. 11, section 1, pp 250-251
5) Abu Nadra reported: We were with the company of Jabir Ibn
Abdillah... Jabir Ibn Abdillah kept quite for a while and then
reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) having said: "There
wouldbe a Caliph in the last (period) of my Ummah who would freely
give handfuls of wealth to the people without counting it." I said to
Abu Nadra and Abu al-Ala: Do you mean Umar Ibn Abd al-Aziz? They said:
NO, (hewould be Imam Mahdi).
References:
Sahih Muslim, English version, v4, chapter MCCV, p1508, Tradition #6961
Sahih Muslim, Arabic version, Kitab al-Fitan, v4, p2234, Tradition #67
6) "al-Mahdi is from our Ahlul-Bayt, no doubt Allahwill enforce his
appearance within a night(i.e., his coming is very unpredictable and
is very sudden)."
References: Sunan Ibn Majah, v2, p269/

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1]Signs of the Day of Judgement Qiyamah - Imam Mahdi (Descendent of Prophet MuhammadPBUH)

1]
by Mufti A.H. Elias and Mohammad Ali ibn Zubair Ali
Who Is Imam Mahdi?
Note: Please do not confuse Imam Mahdi withHadhrat Isa (Jesus)
AlayhisSalaam. They are two different persons, and both will come
during thelast days. According to Hadeeth, Imam Mahdi willappear
first, and Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) will appear during Imam Mahdi's
lifetime. Furthermore, only Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) willbe able to kill
Dajjal (the"anti-Christ").
The term "MAHDI" is a title meaning "The Guided one".
Hadhrat Abdullah bin Mas'ood (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam) said,"This world will not come to an end until one
person from my progeny does not rule over the Arabs, and his name will
be the same as my name."(Tirmidhi)
Hadhrat Ali (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said,"Even if only a day remains for Qiyamah to come, yet
Allah will surelysend a man from my family who will fill this world
with such justice and fairness, just as it initally was filled with
oppression." (Abu Dawood)
His Features
Hadhrat Abu Saeed Khudri(R.A.) relates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam) said, "Al Mahdi will be from my progeny. His forehead
willbe broad and his nose willbe high. He will fill the world with
justice and fairness at a time when the world will be filled with
oppression. He will rule for seven years."
Other ahadeeth inform us that:
*. He will be tall
*. He will be fair complexioned
*. His facial features will besimilar to those of Rasulullah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam)
*. His character will be exactly like that of Rasulullah (Sallallahu
Alayhi Wasallam)
*. His father's name will beAbdullah
*. His mother's name will be Aamina
*. He will speak with a slight stutter and occasionally this stutter
will frustrate him causing him to hit his hand upon his thigh.
*. His age at the time of his emergence will be forty years
*. He will receive Knowledge from Allah.
His Emergence and Rule
Hadhrat Umme Salmah (R.A.) narrates that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said, " After the death of a Ruler there will be some
dispute between the people. At that time a citizen of Madina will flee
(from Madinah) and go to Makkah. While in Makkah, certain people will
approach him between Hajrul Aswad and Maqaame Ibraheem, and forcefully
pledge their allegiance to him.
Thereafter a huge army will proceed from Syria to attack him but when
theywill be at Baida, which is between Makkah and Madina, they will be
swallowed into the ground.
On seeing this, the Abdaals of Shaam as well as large numbers of
people from Iraq will come to him and pledge their allegiance to him.
Then a person from the Quraish, whose uncle will be from the Bani Kalb
tribe will send an army to attack him, only to be overpowered, by the
will of Allah. This (defeated) army will be that of the Bani Kalb.
Unfortunate indeed is he who does notreceive a share from the booty of
the Kalb. This person (Imam Mahdi) will distribute the spoils of war
after the battle. He will lead the people according to the Sunnat and
during his reign Islamwill spread throughout the world. He will remain
till seven years (since his emergence). He will pass away and the
Muslims will perform his Janazah salaat." (Abu Dawood)
According to a Hadeeth, Sayyidena Eesa (A.S.) will lead the Janaazah
of Imam Mahdi (A.S.).
While the people will be pledging their allegiance to Imaam Mahdi, a
voice from the unseen will call out:
"This is the representativeof Allah,
The Mahdi, listen to him and obey him"
This announcement whichwill be heard by all those present will
establish his authenticity. Another sign which will indicate the
authenticity of Imaam Mahdi wil be that in the Ramadhaan prior to his
emergence an eclipse of the sun and moon will occur.
Hadhrat Abu Umamah (R.A.) says that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) said: "There will be four peace agreements between you and
the Romans. The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who
will be from the progeny of Hadhrat Haroon (A.S.) and will be upheld
for seven years."
The people asked: "O Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), who will
be the Imaam of the people at the time?"
Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:"He will be from my
progeny and will be forty years of age. His face will shine like a
star and he will have a black spot on his left cheek. He will don two
"Qutwaani" cloaks and will appear exactly asa person from the Bani
Israeel..." (Tabrani)
According to hadith narrated by Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) Rasulullah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said:.....

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A very strange village

I have heard the following story from a pious and knowledgeable
brother. Hopefully it will be beneficial for all of us.
Once a Scholar of Islam was travelling and came across a village where
he noticed a very strange thing. He saw a store where a man was
selling bread. What was strange is that the man was charging $1 for
the fresh bread and $2 for the bread that was made a day before.
However, all the people were buying yesterday's bread though they were
more expensive than the fresh bread. The Scholar approached the bread
salesman and asked why the people preffered the old bread over the
fresh bread. The man said "The people of this village love the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) so much, that they prefer to buy
yesterday's bread over today's fresh bread because yesterday was
closer to the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)."
Today, most of our love for Prophet Muhammad ismuch less than the love
for a single dollar. May Allah give us the understanding of this
beautiful religion of Islam.Ameen.

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The Wisdom of the Prophet: the Incident of the Epileptic Woman

There is a hadith narrated by 'Ata bin Abi Rabah:
Ibn 'Abbas once said to me, "Shall I show you a woman of the people of
Paradise?"
I said, "Yes."
He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and
said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please
invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be
patient and you will have Paradise; and if youwish, I will invoke
Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but
I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not
become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her." - Bukhari :: Book 7
:: Volume 70 :: Hadith 555
This hadith was published recently on MuslimasOasis.com , and I was
fascinated by the many comments from readers who have epilepsyand have
been inspired or comforted by this hadith.
One sister wrote:
"(This hadith) was a comfort to me as an epileptic when I had a
seizure outside of a masjidon the pavement in Philadephia during a
busy Jumaah afternoon. When I came to, my niqab was removed, my hijab
loosened, and my husbandand a brother were helping the paramedics that
had arrived. Because of this hadith I felt comfortin spite of being
such a spectacle, alhamdulillah."
Another said:
"I too am an epileptic. When I first reverted to Islam over 3 years
ago, one of the sisters who witnessed my Shahada wrote this hadith out
and gave it to me. It is a HUGE comfort to know this. May Allah ease
the trials of all epileptics and those who suffer from any disease and
grant us all sabr. Ameen!"
And there were other similar comments, from men and women, ma-sha-Allah.
I don't have epilepsy or any other serious sickeness, Alhamdulillah
(praise God) for all His blessings. But as I read the comments of
people who do have some illness and have been tremendously comforted
by this hadith, all of a sudden I realized the huge wisdom of the
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in what he said to the epileptic woman. He
could have simply invokedfor her and she would have been cured, and
then all of us 1,400 years later would read the story and say,
"Ma-sha-Allah, anothermiracle to prove his Prophethood." But it would
have no lasting personal significance.
Instead, by asking the woman to be patient and promising her Jannah
(Paradise), the Prophet (pbuh) has sent a message of hope down through
theages to all the other sufferers in the world: Allah sees your
suffering. Your pain will be compensated, and your patience rewarded
with the greatest possible prize.
Even today epilepsy cannot be cured, though it can be controlled
somewhat through medication. So even now, all these years later, in
thisage of medical wonders, this hadith still has immediate
significance for people who suffer from this illness, and in fact from
people who suffer from any illness, from cancer to leprosy to bipolar
disorder.
Another point of note is that every Prophet was sent with certain
types of miracles appropriate to the understanding of their people.
Musa (Moses, peacebe upon him) was sent with the staff of power and
the white hand, because his mission was toa people steeped in sorcery.
"Medical miracles" – curing the sick, even bringing the dead back to
life – were the hallmark of the Prophet Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus son of
Mary,pbuh), because he was sent to a people who specialized in healing
arts.
If the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had made it his habit to cure the sick,
the Christians might say about us Muslims, "Oh, you are only taking
Biblical stories and applying them to yourProphet."
Instead, though the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) performed his share of
wonders, he was given the greatest miracle of all, the Quran, a living
proof through the millenia,and a source of eternal guidance. This is
appropriate because his immediate mission was to a people of poetry,
of language and eloquence; while his greater mission was to all of
humanity.
"Say: 'If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to
produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of
it, even if they backed up each other with help andsupport.'" (Quran
17:88)
Did the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), a mereshepherd and trader living
almost one and a half thousand years ago in the lonely deserts of
Arabia, realize the lasting significance of his actions? Did he
perceive the way his words and deeds would echo down the annals of
history?
Sure he did. He was a man of great wisdom, courage and natural
intelligence. He did not do things randomly, especially in matters of
worship. And hewas guided by Allah in these matters, so that his
actions could serve as an example for humanity until the day of
resquetion.....

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Is it permissible to slaughter an animal with the intention of offering a sacrifice?

I have been married for four years and have not been blessed with
children. Praise be to Allaah, I have recently heard the news that my
wife is pregnant, and on my father's advice I slaughtered two animals
(as a sacrifice) and distributed the meat among needy Muslims, purely
for the sake of Allaah on behalf of myselfand my wife. What is the
Islamic ruling on that? May Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
If this sacrifice and feeding the needy was done as an act of
thanksgiving to Allaah, then it is permissible, for feeding people is
a way ofdoing good to people, and Allaah loves those who do good.
But if your sacrifice was aimed at warding off evil and bringing about
good,then it is not permissible. This is what is well-known among
people when the word "sacrifice" (fadw) is used, because they think
that by doing this they will ward off evil and bring about good, so
they do this when accidents or sickness happen to them or their loved
ones.
In Islam, sacrifice is not a means of warding off thatwhich has been
decreed by Allaah, whether good or bad.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) was
asked about slaughtering an animal when a building is completed or
halfway through building. He said:
This action is subject to further examination. If the intention behind
the sacrifice is to protect oneself against the jinn orsome other
intention by which the owner of the house intends to achieve
something, such as keeping it or its occupantssafe, this is not
permissible, and it is a kind of bid'ah (innovation). If it is done
for the jinn then it is major shirk, because it is an act of worship
done forsomeone other than Allaah.
But if it is done as an act of thanksgiving for a blessing that Allaah
has bestowed, such as reaching the roof or completing the house, so
the person gathers his relatives and neighbours and invites them to
this feast, there is nothing wrong with this. This is what many people
do as an act of thanksgiving for a blessing from Allaah, as He has
enabled them to build a house and live in itinstead of renting.
Similar to this is what some people do when they come back from a
journey, and they invite their relatives and neighbours as an act of
thanksgiving to Allaah for their safe arrival. When the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came back from a journey
he would sacrifice a camel and invite the people to eat. (Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 3089).
Majmoo' Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 5/388.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
What some people do when they move into a new house and slaughter an
animal and invite their neighbours and relatives is fine so long as it
is not accompanied by any corrupt beliefs, as is done in some places
where, when a person moves into a new house, the firstthing he does is
to bring asheep and slaughter it on the threshold so that the blood
will fall onto it, and they say that this will prevent the jinn from
entering the house. This isa corrupt belief which has no basis in
Islam. But if a person slaughters it as an expression of joy and
happiness, there is nothing wrong with that.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 7/550,551.
And Allaah knows best.

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Is the fast invalidated by swallowing phlegm or sticking one’s finger in one’s ear?

When the blessed month of Ramadan is approaching, the scholars in our
country start to distribute pamphlets explaining how to fast and what
breaks the fast.
One of the things they sayis that the one who swallows phlegm or
mucus, or puts his finger in his ear, has broken his fast. Is this
correct?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed concerning the
fasting person swallowingphlegm or mucus: does it invalidate the fast
or not? The correct view is that it does not invalidate it, because it
does not come under the same heading as food and drink.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim) said: When the
scholars differ, the reference point is the Qur'aan and Sunnah. If
weare uncertain about a matter, as to whether it invalidates the act
of worship or does not, the basic principle is that it does not
invalidate it (unless there is evidence to the contrary). Based on
that, swallowing phlegm does not break the fast.
What matters is that one should leave phlegm and avoid trying to bring
it upto the mouth from the throat. But if it comes up to the mouth, he
should expel it, whether he is fasting or not. With regard to putting
drops inthe ears and whether thatbreaks the fast, that requires
evidence that will be proof for the individual before Allah, may He be
glorified and exalted, concerning breaking the fast.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 19/356
He also said: The more correct view is that phlegm does not break the
fast even if it reaches the mouth and one swallows it. It does not
break the fast but one should not swallow it, because the scholars
forbade that, because it is something off-putting and one should not
swallow it.
End quote from Liqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh, no. 152
Secondly:
As for putting one's finger in one's ear, that definitely does not
break the fast. In fact, even if one puts drops or medicine in the ear
and can taste it in the throat, that does not invalidate the fast
because there is no evidence to suggest that the fast is invalidatedby
that.

And Allah knows best.

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A very strange village

I have heard the following story from a pious and knowledgeable
brother. Hopefully it will be beneficial for all of us.
Once a Scholar of Islam was travelling and came across a village where
he noticed a very strange thing. He saw a store where a man was
selling bread. What was strange is that the man was charging $1 for
the fresh bread and $2 for the bread that was made a day before.
However, all the people were buying yesterday's bread though they were
more expensive than the fresh bread. The Scholar approached the bread
salesman and asked why the people preffered the old bread over the
fresh bread. The man said "The people of this village love the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) so much, that they prefer to buy
yesterday's bread over today's fresh bread because yesterday was
closer to the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)."
Today, most of our love for Prophet Muhammad ismuch less than the love
for a single dollar. May Allah give us the understanding of this
beautiful religion of Islam.Ameen.

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Kind words shine like the moon

Mus'ab ibn Umayr was thefirst of ambassador of Rasul Allah in Madinah.
Before Rasul Allah had arrived in Madinah, Mus'ab taught ahl
al-Madinah about Islam and they began to enter the Deen.
This enraged Sa'd ibn 'Ubaadah, one of the chieftains of Madinah. He
sheathed his sword and set off for the head of Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr. When
he confronted Mus'ab he threatened, "Stop this nonsense you speak or
you shall find yourself dead!"
Mus'ab replied in the way that should be a lesson for us all. This man
before him did not stop at rudeness and ignorance, he wanted to slit
his throat.
Mus'ab said, "Shall you not sit and listen for a fewmoments. If you
agree with what I say then take it, and if not, we shall desist from
this talk." Sa'd sat down.
Mus'ab spoke about Allah and His messenger until the face of Sa'd ibn
Ubaadah's face shone like a full moon and he said,"What should a
person dowho wishes to enter into this Deen?" After Mus'ab had told
him he said,"There is a man, if he accepts this Deen, there shall be
no home in Madinah that will not become Muslim. Sa'd ibn Mu'aadh."
When Sa'd ibn Mu'aadh heard what was happening, he was infuriated. He
left his home to go and kill this man called Mus'ab ibn Umayr for the
dissention he had caused. He enteredupon Mus'ab and announced, "You
shall desist of this religion you speak of or you shall find yourself
dead!"
Mus'ab replied, "Shall you not sit and listen for a fewmoments. If you
agree with what I say then take it, and if not, I shall desist from
this talk." Sa'd sat.
Mus'ab spoke about Allah and His messenger until the face of Sa'd ibn
Mu'aadh's face shone like a full moon and he said,"What should a
person dowho wishes to enter into this Deen?"
Look at what a kind word did. Sa'd ibn Mu'aadh went home to his
Madinan tribe that night and announced to them all, "Everything of
yours isHaram upon me until you all enter into Islam."
That night, every home in Madinah went to bed with Laa ilaaha illa Allah.

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Ayath, hadees, Name of Allah - of this week

Surah Al Baqarah (2) verse 185:
"Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide
to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between
right and wrong). So every one of youwho is present (at his home)
during that month should spendit in fasting, but if any one is ill, or
on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later.
Allah intends every facility for you; He does not wantto put to
difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to
glorify Him in thatHe has guided you; and perchance ye shall be
grateful. " [ 2:185 ]
Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, Book 73, Number 2 :
Volume 3, Book 31, Number 123:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah's Apostle said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of
the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils
are chained."
Listen to this Dua'a:
Transliteration: (how it sounds)
Wa-i th q a la ibr a heemurabbi ijAAal h atha baladan a minan wa o
rzuqahlahu mina a l ththamar a ti man a mana minhumbi A ll a hi wa a
lyawmi al- a khiri q a lawaman kafara faomattiAAuhu qaleelan thummaa
dt arruhu il a AAa tha bi a l nn a ri wabi/saalmaseer
Meaning:
And remember Abraham said:"My Lord, make this a City of Peace, and
feed its people with fruits,-such of them as believe in Allah and the
Last Day." He said:"(Yea), and such as reject Faith,-for a while will
I grant them their pleasure, but will soon drive them to the torment
of Fire,- an evil destination (indeed)!" [ 2:126 ]
Name of Allaah
AL-KHAFIZ
(The Abaser)

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Day of Arafaah in different time zones

What will be the day of Arafat for countries that are in different time zones?
Praise be to Allaah.
The day of 'Arafaah and the fasting that goes withit should be
observed in each country according to the local times of fajr and
maghrib. Fasting on this day expiates the sins of two years, as the
Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said:"Fasting the
day of 'Arafaah, I hope, will expiate the sins of the year before it
and the year to come, and fasting the day of 'Aashooraa' (the tenth
day of Muharram), I hope, will expiate the sins of the year before
it." (Reported by Muslim, 1976).
And Allaah knows best.

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A List of the Major Signs

Auf bin Malik (R.A.) says: I came to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) while he was in his skin tent during the Tabuk expedition.
He said to me, "Count six things before the advent of Qiyamah:
*. My death
*. The conquest of Jerusalem
*. Mass deaths amongst you people, just as when sheep die in large
numbers during an epidemic
*. Abundance of wealth to such an extent that if a person were to be
given a hundred Dinars he will still not be satisfied
*. General anarchy and bloodshed, that no Arab household will be spared
from it
*. Then a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between
youand the Banil Asfaar (Romans) which they will break and attack you
with a force consisting of eighty flags and under each flag will be an
army of twelve thousand men."
(Bukhari).
Signs Before the Major Signs (i.e. before the emergence of Imam Mahdi)
Christain Rule Will be dominant
ANOMALOUS INCIDENTS WILL OCCUR
Occurrence of red winds, disfiguration of faces (man to pig), and
people being swallowed into the ground.
GENOCIDE
A man from Abu Sufyaan'sprogeny massacres descendents of Nabi (S.A.W)
and rules over Syria and Egypt.
WAR
A major war between Muslims and Christians: Half the Christian army
will sign a peace treaty with the Muslim army, while the second half
of the Christian army remains the common enemy.
ISTANBUL CONQUERED BY CHRISTIANS
The enemy half of the Christian army conquers Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey.
ISTANBUL RECONQUERED JOINTLY BY MUSLIM AND CHRISTIANS
The Muslims and the goodhalf of the Christian army conquer
Constantinople together, against the enemy Christians. Thereafter, a
Christian willsay the victory was due tothe cross, and the Muslim will
say it was due to Islam. A battle between both sides will ensue, and
the Muslim Ruler will be martyred.
SYRIA CONQUERED BY CHRISTIANS
The two Christian armies reunite, conquering Syria.
CHRISTIAN DOMINATION
Christians dominate the world up to Khaiber (near Madinah), and they
will pursue Muslims with 80 flags, with 12,000 men under each flag.
MUSLIMS AWAIT IMAM MAHDI
TOTAL ECLIPSE
A total eclipse of the sun and moon will occur in Ramadhan, prior to
Imam Mahdi's emergence.
The Major Signs:
IMAM MAHDI EMERGES
At age 40, Imam Mahdi appears in Makkah, then flees to Madinah.
MUSLIM ARMY MARCHES
The army of Mansoor from Khurasaan will head towards Makkah to aid
Imam Mahdi. They will win many battles on the way. No force will be
able to stop them. They will carry black flags.
SUFYAANI ARMY SWALLOWED BY THE EARTH.
The Sufyaani army (an Anti-Muslim force) from Syria singles out Imam
Mahdi for execution. On the way to Makkah, they get swallowed into the
ground. A second Sufyaaniarmy is created with 960,000 men (of 80
nations).
CONFRONTATION IN SYRIA
Imam Mahdi and the Muslim army go to Syria to confront the Christians.
The Christians, before the battle, will ask Muslims for the return of
their prisoners-of-war. The Muslims will refuse. The battle will
begin. One-third of Imam Mahdi's army will flee (their repentance will
not be accepted), one-third will be martyred, and one-third will gain
victoryover the Christians.
MUSLIM ARMY UNDER IMAM MAHDI CONQUERS PALESTINE
JIHAAD ON INDIA
A jamaat of Muslims wages Jihaad on India and be successful.
SYRIA UNDER MUSLIM RULE
Imam Mahdi returns to Syria and establishes Muslim rule over the landshe passes.
ANIMOSTIY RIFE AMONGST THE PEOPLE
At this time, Muslims will be weak and there will bevery few pious people.
3 RUMORS OF EMERGENCE OF DAJJAL... 3 YEARS OF DROUGHT
Before the emergence of Dajjal there will be three years of drought.
The first year, the skies will retain 1/3 of its water, the second
year 2/3, and all ofits water the third year.
DAJJAL APPEARS
Dajjal appears. His followers, the Yahudis, will number 70,000 and
will wear expensive silk attire and carry double edged swords.
HADHRAT ISA (A.S.) (JESUS) APPEARS
Hadhrat Isa (A.S.)descends during the lifetime of Imam Mahdi.
DAJJAL KILLED AT THE GATEOF HUDD
Hadhrat Isa (A.S.) kills Dajjal at the Gate of Hudd,near an Israeli
airport, in the valley of "Ifiq." The final war between the Yahudi's
will ensue, and the Muslims be victorious.
TOTAL PEACE
With the death of Dajjal, all wars will end. Jihad will be stopped;
peace, harmony, and tranquility will be on earth. The earthwill
produce abundant crops and fruit. The people will follow Islam.
HADHRAT ISA RECEIVES REVELATION
The revelation tells that the Yajooj and Majooj willsoon be released
and the believers should be taken to Mt. Toor (Sinai).
YAJOOJ AND MAJOOJ ("Gog and Magog") RELEASED
The Yajooj and Majooj surge forth in large numbers.....

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The Minor Signs of the Last Day

by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali
Qiyamah will come when...
Hadhrat Abu Musa Ash'ari (R.A.) narrates that Rasulallah (Sallallahu
Alayhii Wassallam) said,"Qiyamah will come...
*. When it will be regarded as a shame to act on Quranic injunctions.
*. When untrustworthy people will be regarded as trustworthy and the
trustworthy will be regarded as untrustworthy.
*. When it will be hot in winter.
*. When the length of daysis stretched, i.e. a journey of a few days
is covered in a matter of hours.
*. When orators and lecturers lie openly.
*. When people dispute over petty issues.
*. When women with children come displeased on account ofthem bearing
offspring, and barren women remain happy on account of having no
responsibility of offspring.
*. When oppression, jealousy, and greed become the order of theday.
*. When people blatantly follow their passions and whims.
*. When lies prevail over the truth.
*. When violence, bloodshed and anarchy become common.
*. When immorality overtakes shamelessness and is perpetrated publicly.
*. When legislation matters pertaining to Deen is handed over to the
worst elements of the Ummat, and if people accept them and are
satisfied with their findings, then such persons will not smell the
fragrance of Jannat.
*. When the offspring become a cause of grief and anger (for their parents).
The following is part of a lengthy Hadith narrated by Hadhrat Abdullah
Ibn Mas'ood (R.A.) when he inquired from Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wassallam) about the Signs of Qiyamah.
*. Music and musical instruments will be found in every home.
*. People will indulge in homosexuality.
*. There will be an abundance of illegitimate children.
*. There will be an abundance of critics, tale-carriers, back-
bitersand taunters in society.
*. People will establish tieswith strangers and severrelations with
their nearand dear ones.
*. Hypocrites will be in control of the affairs of the community and
evil,immoral people will be at the helm of business establishments.
*. The Masjid will be decorated, but the hearts of the people willbe
devoid of guidance.
*. The courtyards of Masjids will be built beautifully and high
mimbars (pulpits) will be erected.
*. Gangsters and evil people will prevail.
*. Various wines will be consumed excessively.
Auf bin Malik (R.A.) says: I came to Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wasallam) while he was in his skin tent during the Tabuk expedition.
He said to me, "Count six things before the advent of Qiyamah:
1 My death
2 The conquest of Jerusalem
3 Mass deaths amongst you people, just as when sheep die in large
numbers during an epidemic
4 Abundance of wealth to such an extent that if a person were to be
given ahundred Dinars he will still not be satisfied
5 General anarchy and bloodshed, that no Arab household will be spared from it
6 Then a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you
and the Banil Asfaar
(Romans) which they will break and attack you witha force consisting
of eighty flags and under each flag will be an army of twelve thousand
men."(Hadith: Sahih Bukhari).
IRAQ and SYRIA
Abu Nadhrah says: "We were sitting in the company of Jabir bin
Abdullah (R.A.) when he said: 'Soon the people of IRAQ will neither
receive any food (grain) nor any money.'" We asked, "Why would such a
thing happen?" He replied,"Because of the non-Arabs." (i.e they will
prevent food from going into Iraq, in the form of"sanctions" to this
day.) He then said: "Soon the people of Shaam (SYRIA) will neither
receive any money nor grain." We asked as to why this would happen. He
replied:"Because of the Romans (christians)."
CONCEITED PEOPLE:
Hadhrat Abbas (R.A) narrates that Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhi
Wassallam) has said,"Islam will spread far and wide, across the seas.
Horses will cross the land and seas in the cause of Jihaad. Then a
time will come wherein a group of people will emerge whichrecites the
Quraan. They will claim,
'We have recited the Quraan and is there anyone who understands the
Quraan better than us? There is NO ONE more proficient than us in the
study of the Quraan.'
Then Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) asked the Sahaba, "Do
you see any good in their claims?" TheSahaba replied, "No". Rasulallah
(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) said,"But these conceited claimants will
be from myUmmah and will be the fuel of the Fire."
from "Signs of Qiyamah" (excerpts)
by Mohammed Ali Ibn Zubair Ali

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The mercy of the merciful Prophet

A Bedouin came to Rasul Allah and told him, "Give me from what Allah
gave you, not from the wealth of your mother nor from the wealth of
your father." The Sahaabah were furious at the man and step forward to
discipline him for what hesaid. Rasul Allah commanded everyone to
leave him.
Then by the hand, Rasul Allah took him home, opened his door and
said,"Take what you wish and leave what you wish." Theman did so and
after he completed, Rasul Allah asked him, "Have I honored you?" "Yes,
by Allah,"
said the Bedouin. "Ash hadu an laa ilaaha illa Allah, wa ashhadu anna
Muhammadar Rasul Allah."
When the Sahabah heard of how the man changed, Rasul Allah taught them.
"Verily the example of myself, you and this Bedouin is that of a man
who had his camel run away. The townspeople tried capturing the camel
for him by running and shouting after the camel, only driving it
further away. The man would shout, 'Leave me and my camel, I know my
camel better.' Then he took some grass in his hand, ruffled it in
front of the camel, until it came willingly.
'By Allah, had I left you to this Bedouin, you would have hit him,
hurt him, hewould have left without Islam and eventually haveentered
hellfire."

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If a menstruating woman misses the fast of ‘Ashoora’, can she make it up after that?

If a women is in impure condition on 9th 10th and 11th of Muharram,
due to which she can not fast. is itpossible to make up those fast on
other days after her GUSUL?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If a person misses the fast of 'Ashoora', it cannot be made up because
there is no proof for that, and because the reward is connected to
fasting on the tenth day of Muharram, and that time has passed.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: If the
day of 'Ashoora' comes and thewoman is menstruating, can she make up
the fast? Is there a principle concerning naafil acts of worship that
may be madeup and those that may notbe made up? May Allah reward you
with good.
He replied: Naafil acts of worship are of two types: those for which
there is a reason and those for which there is no reason. Those for
which there is a reason end when the reason ends, and they cannot be
made up. An example of that is tahiyyatal-masjid (two rak'ahs to
"greet the mosque"). If a man comes and sits down, and sits for a long
time, then he gets up wanting to pray tahiyyat al-masjid, it will not
be tahiyyat al-masjid, because that is aprayer that is done for a
reason and is connected tothe reason; once the reason no longer
applies, itis no longer prescribed. Another example, it wouldseem, is
the day of 'Arafah and the day of 'Ashoora'. Ifa person delays fasting
theday of 'Arafah and the day of 'Ashoora', with no excuse, there is
no doubt that it cannot be made up and it would not benefit him if he
did make it up, i.e., it would not benefit him in the sense of it
being the day of 'Arafah orthe day of 'Ashoora'.
But if that day comes when a person has an excuse, such as the
womanwho is menstruating or bleeding following childbirth, or a person
whois sick, then it seems that itcannot be made up in this case
either, because it is connected to a specific dayand the ruling ceases
to apply once that day is past.
End quote from Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 20/43
But if a person is excused for not fasting – such as women who are
menstruating or bleeding following childbirth, or those who are sick
or are travelling – and he usually fasts on that day or he hadthe
intention of fasting that day, then he will be rewarded for his
intention,because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (2996) from
Abu Moosa (may Allah be pleased withhim) who said: The Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Ifa person
falls sick or travels, he will have a reward recorded for him like
that of what he used to do when he was at home and was healthy."
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "He will have a reward
recorded for him like that of what he used to do when he was at home
andwas healthy" means that he is like one who used to do an act of
worship then was prevented from doingit, but he had the intentionthat
were it not for the obstacle he would have continued to do it. End
quote.
Fath al-Baari.
And Allah knows best.

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Is the fast invalidated if pus comes out of the body?

Does water (pus) coming out of acne wounds invalidate fast? And what
if the amount of blood coming out of such wound is small? Does it
invalidate fasting?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The fasting person is not affected if blood comes out of his wounds
and that does not invalidate his fast. Rather the difference of
scholarly opinion has to do with wet cupping in particular. The more
correct opinion is that it does invalidate the fast because of the
text which indicates that, which is the words of the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): "The cupper and theone for
whom cupping is done both break their fast."
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2367; Ibn Maajah, 1679. Classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: If a person
is fasting and he bleeds, does he have to break his fast or should he
complete it?
He replied: Bleeding does not affect him, except in the case of
cupping, if he is treated with cupping. The correct view is that the
fast is broken by cupping. There is a difference of scholarly opinion
concerning the matter, but the correct view is that it does break the
fast, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "The cupper and the one for whom cupping is done both break
their fast." But if he has a nosebleed or is injured in his foot or
handwhen he is fasting, his fastremains valid and that does not affect
him.
End quote from the Shaykh's website on the following link:
http://binbaz.org.sa/mat/18726
Some of the scholars differentiate with regard to bleeding in general
between that which occurs as the result of a person's actions and
choice and results in a lot of blood coming out, as inthe case of
donating blood, for example, whichdoes break the fast, by analogy with
cupping, and that in which he has no choice, such as injuries and the
like, which does not break the fast even if there is a lot of blood.
This has been discussed previously in the answer to question no. 37918
.
With regard to pus and the like coming out of wounds, this does not
affect the one who is fasting. It says in ad-Diya' al-Laami' min
al-Khutab al-Jawaami' (5/465), by Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah
have mercy onhim): The fast is not broken by lancing a wound to drain
the pus from it, even if blood comes out. End quote.
And Allah knows best.

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Fasting on his birthday and on the birthday of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)

Is it permissible to fast on the birthday of the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) on the basis of the hadeeth in Saheeh
Muslim, al-Nasaa'i and Abu Dawood, which says that when he (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays,he
said: "That is the day on which I was born…"
Also on the basis of this hadeeth, is it permissible for a person to
fast on theday on which he was born, following thereby the example of
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? Please
explain.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Muslim (1162) narrated from Abu Qataadah al-Ansaari (may Allah be
pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) was asked about fasting on Mondays and he said: "On
(that day) I was born and on it Revelation came down to me."
Al-Tirmidhi (747) narrated, in a hadeeth that he classed as hasan,
from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger
of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Deeds are
presented (to Allah) on Monday and Thursday andI like my deeds to be
presented when I am fasting."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
From the saheeh hadeeths quoted above, itis clear that just as the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fasted on Mondays
out of gratitude for the blessing of his birth on this day, he also
fasted it because of its virtue, because the Revelation came down to
him on that day, and on that day deeds are presented to Allah. So he
(blessings andpeace of Allah be upon him) liked his deeds to be taken
up when he was fasting. The fact that he was born on that day wasone
of several reasons for fasting that day.
If a person fasts on Mondays, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) did, hoping for forgiveness on that day, out of
gratitude for the blessings that Allah bestowed upon His slaves on the
day – the greatest of which blessings is the birth of His Prophet and
His sending him – and hopingto be among the people who are forgiven on
that day, then this is something good and is in accordance with what
is proven of the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him). But he should not single out one week for that to the
exclusion of others, or one month to the exclusion of others.Rather he
should do that as much as he can on a permanent basis.
With regard to singling out one day of the year for fasting it, in
celebration of the birth of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him), this is an innovation (bid'ah) that is contrary to the
Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fasted on Mondays,
and no otherday, but from year to the next, his birthday may come on
that day or any other day of the week.
For more information on the ruling on celebrating the Prophet's
birthday (Mawlid), please see the answer to questions no. 13810 and
70317 .
Secondly:
What is widespread among people nowadays of celebrating birthdays isan
innovation that is not prescribed in Islam. The Muslims do not have
any special days that they celebrate apart from the two Eids, Eid
al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
This has been discussed before in several answers;please see no. 26804
and 9485 .
Moreover, what comparison can there be between the birth of the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which is indeed a
blessing and a mercy for all of mankind as Allah says (interpretation
of themeaning): "And We have sent you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)
not but as a mercy for the 'Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that
exists)" [al-Anbiya' 21:107] and a harbinger of good for all mankind,
and the birth or death of any other humanbeing? Moreover, what would
that attitude of his Companions, and the righteous who came after
them, be towards such an action?
It is not known that any of the salaf or early scholars said that it
is prescribed to fast on any particular day of the weekor the month or
the year, and regard that day as a "festival" because the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to fast on the day of
his birth every week, which was a Monday. If that was prescribed, the
people of knowledge and virtue of the early generations whohastened to
do all that is good would have hastened to do it before us. As they
did not do that, it is known that this is something that is innovated
and it is not permissible to do it.

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Ramadan Announcement 2012 / 1433 AH – RamadanMubarak!

Ramadan Announcement by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA):
First day of Ramadan will be Friday, July 20, 2012
and Eid ul-Fitr on Sunday, August 19, insha'Allah.
"O you who believe, fasting is prescribed to you as it was
prescribedto those before you, that you may (learn) self-restraint."
Qur'an 2:183
The Fiqh Council of North America recognizes astronomical calculation
as an acceptable Shar'i method for determining the beginning of lunar
months including the months of Ramadan and Shawwal. FCNA uses Makkah
al-Mukarrama as a conventional point and takes the position that the
conjunction must takeplace before sunset in Makkah and moon must set
after sunset in Makkah.
On the basis of this method the dates of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr for
the year 1433 AH are established as follows:
1st of Ramadan will be onFriday, July 20, 2012
1st of Shawwal will be on Sunday, August 19, 2012
Ramadan 1433 AH:
The Astronomical New Moon is on July 19, 2011 (Thursday) at 4:24
Universal Time (7:24 a.m. Makkah time). Sunset at Makkah on July 19 is
at 7:05 p.m., while moonset is at 7:11 p.m. Moon is born before sunset
in Makkah and moonset is after sunset. Therefore first day of Ramadan
is Friday, July 20, insha'Allah.First Tarawih prayer will be on
Thursday night.
Eid al-Fitr 1433 AH:
The Astronomical New Moon is on August 17, 2011 (Friday) at 15:54
Universal Time (6:54 p.m. Makkah time). On Friday, August 17, sunset
at Makkah is 6:49 p.m. and moonset is 6:30 p.m. Moon is born after
sunset in Makkah and moon sets before sunset. On Saturday, August 18,
sunset at Makkah is 6:49 p.m. and moonset is at 7:11 p.m. Moon is born
24hours before sunset, whilemoonset is after sunset. Therefore, first
day of Shawwal, i.e., Eid al-Fitr is Sunday, August 19, insha'Allah.
May Allah (swt) keep us on the right path, and accept our fasting and
prayers. Ameen.

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Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays when he owes expiation for breaking an oath

I have several expiations to offer due to the fact that I broke
several oaths.These expiations are taking quite a lot of time.
Therefore, in the mean time, can i fasts on mondays and thursdays as
nafil fasts?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
What the Muslim should do is protect his oaths andnot swear oaths a
great deal or swear oaths except with regard to matters that are
deserving of oaths. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of
the meaning): "And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much)"
[al-Maa'idah 5:89].
Shaykh as-Sa'di (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer:
"And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much)" means refrain from
swearing by Allah falsely, or swearing oaths frequently, and protect
them if you do swear oaths by not breaking them, unless breaking the
oath is better.
Tafseer as-Sa'di, 1/242
Secondly:
The expiation for breaking an oath (kafaarat yameen) is to feed or
clothe ten poor persons, or to free a slave.If that is not possible,
then one should fast for three days. Allah, may He be exalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Allah will not punish you for what is uninentional in your oaths, but
He will punish you for your deliberate oaths; for its expiation (a
deliberate oath) feed ten Masakin (poor persons), on a scale of the
average of that with which you feed your own families; or clothe them;
or manumit a slave.But whosoever cannot afford (that), then he should
fast for three days.That is the expiation for the oaths when you have
sworn. And protect your oaths (i.e. do not swear much). Thus Allah
make clear to you His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs,
revelations,etc.) that you may be grateful"
[al-Maa'idah 5:89].
It is not permissible for you to move to the option of fasting unless
you are unable to do any of the three acts of expiation, namely
feedingpoor people, clothing them or freeing a slave.
Ibn al-Mundhir (may Allahhave mercy on him)said:
(The scholars) are unanimously agreed that if a person who swore an
oath is able to feed or clothe poor people, or to free a slave, it is
not acceptable for him to fast if he breaks his oath. End quote.
al-Ijmaa', p. 157
Thirdly:
There is no reason why you should not observe naafil fasts, such as on
Mondays and Thursdays and so on, before observing fasts of expiation,
or before you have finished all of them, but that is on condition that
you do not regard them as part of the expiation.
But we advise you to hasten to observe the fasts of expiation first,
if you are unable to do the things mentioned above with regard to
offering expiation for breaking an oath. Hastening to observe the
fasts of expiation takes priority because it is obligatory and doing
what is obligatory takes precedence over observing naafil fasts.

And Allah knows best.

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Categories of its inhabitants

Disbelievers:
"But those who disbelieveand deny Our signs will becompanions of the
Fire; they will abide therein."
[Sahih al-Baqarah, 2: 39]
"Those who have disbelieved and died while they are disbelievers will
have the curse of Allah upon them and the [curse of the ] angels and
all of mankind.[they will abide] eternally therein. The punishment
will not be lightened for them, nor will the punishment be postponed."
[Sahih al-Baqarah, 2: 161-162]
Hypocrites:
"Indeed the hypocrites will be in the lowest depths of the Fire; you
will find no helper for them."
[an-Nisa, 4: 145]
"The hypocrites are afraid that a surah be sent downabout them,
showing them what is [really] in their hearts. Say, 'Ridicule you! But
verily, Allah will expose all that you fear.' If you question them,
they declare, 'We were only talking idly and playing.' Say, 'Is it
Allah and His signs and His messengers that you were mocking?' Make no
excuses that you were rejected faith after havingaccepted it. IF We
pardon some of you, We will punish others because they were criminals.
The hypocrites - men and women are of one another. They enjoin evil
and forbid what is just and close their hands [in stinginess]. They
have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them. Verily, thehypocrites
are rebellious and perverse. Allah has promised the hypocrites men and
women and the rejecters of faith the fire of Hell; they will dwell
therein. It is sufficient for them. And Allah will curse them, and
they will have an enduring punishment."
[at-Tawbah, 9: 64-68]
Polytheists (Those who Associate Something with Allah): "Those who
reject [truth] among the People of the Book and the polytheists were
not going to depart [from their ways] until there comes to them clear
evidence - a messenger from Allah, rehearsing pure scriptures, wherein
are upright laws [or decrees]. Nor did those who had been given the
scripture make schisms until after there had cometo them clear
evidence. And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, sincere
in religion to Him, to establish regular prayer, and to pay zakah. And
that is the upright religion. Those who reject [truth] among the
People of the Book and the polytheists will be in the fire of Hell,
dwelling therein forever. They are the worst of creatures."
[al-Bayyinah, 98: 1-6]
People of the Book (Who Reject Islam):
"Those reject [truth] among the People of the Book are the polytheists
will be in the fire of Hell, dwelling there therein forever. They are
the worst of creatures."
[al-Bayyinah, 98: 6]
Arrogant Rejecters of the Truth:
"But those who reject Our signs and treat them witharrogance - they
are the companions of the Fire, dwelling therein forever."
[al-A'raf, 7: 36]
Sinners and Criminals:
"Indeed the criminals will be in the punishment of Hell, dwelling
therein forever. It will not be lightened for them, and they will be
overwhelmedthere in despair. And We have not wronged them, but it is
they who have wronged [themselves]."
[az-Zukhruf, 43: 74-76]
The Unjust:
"Then it will be said to those who were unjust, 'Taste the eternal
punishment. Are you recompensed except for what you used to earn?'"
[Yunus, 10: 52]
Transgressors:
"But when there comes the Greatest Event - the Day when man will
remember what he strovefor and the Hellfire will bebrought forth for
[all] to see - then for him who had transgressed and preferred the
life of this world, indeed Hellfire will be his shelter."
[an-Nazi'at, 79: 34-39]
Concealers of Allah's Revelations:
"Those who conceal what We have sent down of proofs and guidance after
We have made it clear to the people in the scripture- those are cursed
by Allah and cursed by those who [are entitled to] curse."
[Surah al Baqarah, 2: 159]
("those who curse" refers to the angels and believers.)
Tyrants:
"But they asked victory, and disappointment is thelot of every
obstinate tyrant. In front of him is Hell, and he is given pus to
drink. He will gulp it but will hardly be able t oswallow it, and
death will come to him from every place, yet he will not die. And in
front of him will be a heavy punishment."
[Ibrahim, 14: 15-17]
"[It will be said to the twoangels], 'Throw into Hellfire every
obstinate rejecter [of Allah] - who prevented good, transgressed, and
doubted, who set up another god besides Allah- throw him into the
severe punishment.'"
[Qaf, 50: 24-26]
Murderers:
"And whoever kills a believer intentionally - hisrecompense is Hell to
abide therein forever, andthe warth and the curse of Alllah is upon
him, and He has prepared for him agreat punishment."
[an-Nisa, 4: 93]

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Some of its inhabitants

Imran bin Husayn (radiAllahu anhu) narratedthat the Prophet (salAllahu
alayhi wasalam) said: "I looked into Paradise and saw that the
majority of its inhabitants were the poor, and I looked into Hell and
saw that the majority of its inhabitantswere women."
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
Usamah (radiAllahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi
wasalam) stated: "I stood at the gate of Paradise and saw that the
majorityof the people who entered it were the poor, while those of
means were held [for account], except the companions of the Fire, who
were already ordered to [be taken to] the Fire. And I stood at the
gate of the Fire and [saw that] the majority of those who entered it
were women."
[Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Ibn Abbas (radiAllahu anhu) stated: "The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi
wasalam) said, 'I looked into the Hellfire, and the majority of its
dwellers were women who were ungrateful.' It was asked, 'Did they
disbelieve in (i.e.were ungrateful to ] Allah?' He replied, 'They were
ungrateful to their husbands and were ungrateful for favors and the
good deeds done for them. If you had always been good to one of
themand then she saw something in you not to her liking, she would
say, 'I have never seen any good from you at all."'"
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
Pharaoh:
"And We sent Musa with Our clear [signs] and an authority manifest
unto Pharaoh and his chiefs, but they followed the command of Pharaoh.
And the command of Pharaoh was no right guide. He will go before his
people on the Day of Judgment and lead them into the Fire. And how
evilwill be the place to which they are led. And they are followed by
a curse in this[life] and on the Day of Judgment. And evil is the gift
which will be given [to them]."
[Hud, 11: 96-99]
"The Fire - they will be exposed to it morning and evening, and on the
Day that judgment will beestablished [it will be said], 'Cast the
people of Pharaoh into the severest punishment.'"
[Ghafir, 40: 46]
The Wives of Nuh and Lut:
"Allah has given an example of those who disbelieve: the wife of Nuh
and the wife of Lut. They were under two of Our righteous servants but
betrayed them; so they [the two prophets] did not benefit them [the
wives] before Allah at all, and they were told, 'Enter the Fire with
those who enter.'"
[at-Tahreem, 66: 10]
Abu Lahab and His Wife:
"May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he. His wealth
will not avail him nor thatwhich he gained. He will enter a flaming
fire and his wife [as well] - the carrier of firewood - around her
neck a rope of palm fiber."
[Masad, 111: 1-5]
Amr bin Luhayy:
Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) reported that Allah's Messenger
(salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "I saw 'Amr bin Luhayy bin Qam'a bin
Khindif, brotherof Bani Ka'b, dragging his intestines in the Fire."
[Muslim]
Amr bin Amir al-Khuya'i:
Abu Hurairah (radiAllahu anhu) stated that Allah's Messenger
(salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "I saw 'Amr bin 'Amir al-Khuya'i
dragging his intestines in the Fire; he was the first who dedicated to
animals to false deities."
[Muslim]
Abu Talib:
Ibn Abbas (radiAllahu anhu) reported that the Messenger of Allah
(salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said: "Of the inmates of the Fire, the one
with the easiest punishment will be Abu Talib; he will be wearing
apair of shoes which will cause his brain to boil."
[Sahih al-Bukhari]
"He will say, 'Enter into the company of communities who passed away
before you - of jinn and men - into the Fire.'"
[al-A'raf, 7: 38]
"If your Lord had so willed, He could have make mankind one people,
but they will not cease to dispute except those on whom your Lordhas
bestowed His mercy. And the word of your Lord will be fulfilled:
'Certainly I will fill Hell with jinn and men all together.'"
[Hud, 11: 118-119]
"Then they will be throwninto it [the Hellfire] on their faces - they
and those straying in evil and the soldiers of Iblees, all together."
[ash-Shu'ara, 26: 94-95]

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True peace comes with remembering Allah and growing closer to Him

When we remember God, we also realize that we areconstantly in His
presence, and thus we are liberated from the self-destructive habits
that consume us.
So often in life we are wronged by others, and the temptation to
respondin a demeaning and un-Islamic manner is very strong.
Fortunately, we can avoid wrong responses in the case of mistreatment
by relying on Allah and knowing thatHe is the All-Knowing. When we
take part in wrong responses, we fall victim to disobediences that
lead the soul away from righteousness, and into the pits of
retaliation and cruelty.
"Surely in Allah's remembrance do the hearts find peace." (13:28)
Those who seek God and remember Him will find contentment and joy in
their lives with the knowledge that they are under the protection of
Allah. When we utter praise to the Almighty andthank Him for his
countlessbounties, our hearts are filled with inner peace
andreflection. How happy and blessed are those who seek refuge in
their Lord, the Most Beneficent and Most Merciful Allah.

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In a season of consumerist madness,let’s be grateful, and give

At this time of year the stores are pushing their sales at us.
Advertising is everywhere. There if a frenzy to buy, buy, buy. Let's
realize that this is nota spiritual way of life. It's not an
appropriate lifestyle for someone who is dedicated to God. The
consumerist madness is a deception. There's no joy or peace attached
to it. It's a shallow illusion.
Look at what society has done to itself in the name of consumerism. A
day of thanks (Thanksgiving) has become the prelude to "Black Friday",
the biggest shopping day of the year. It used to be that Black Friday
did not begin until Friday morning, out of respect for Thanksgiving.
Then the starting gun was moved to midnight, and now it has crept into
Thursday evening. Nothingis sacred.
The Prophet 'Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus the son of Mary), peace be upon
him, has been turned into a marketing strategy. His purported birthday
has become a month of shopping insanity, presided over by a mythical
sub-deity named Santa. People go into debt,they fight over sale goods…
no mention is made of faith.
We Muslims fall prey to the same consumerist lifestyle. Sometimes the
holy month of Ramadan becomes a month of shopping, sleeping and binge
eating, astaghfirullah.
Let us – Christians, Muslims, Jews and all people of God – not
followthis path. Let's hew to a way of sacrifice, zakat
(purification), sadaqah (charity), zuhd (giving up material luxury).
We don't have to be monks, but we must focus on the things that
matter: faith and family.
There are movements thatadvocate a simple living, back-to-nature,
low-impact lifestyle. In Islam this is called zuhd , which could be
translated as detachment or asceticism. Zuhd is a choicethat a person
makes to give up the hunger for material possessions and transgressive
carnal experiences, and live a simple lifestyle dedicated to God.
That's what we need.
The faith in our hearts is more important than the brand name of the
clothes we wear. Where our feet carry us – to someplace good or bad –
is more important than the cost of our shoes. The sincerity in our
hearts is more important than any gift. May Allah help us to see what
is important in life.
The Enjoyment of Delusion
There's a powerful verse from the Bible, Proverbs 30:8-9:
Give me neither poverty nor riches,
grant me only my share of bread to eat,
for fear that surrounded by plenty, I should fall away
and say, "Yahweh – who isYahweh?"
or else in destitution, take to stealing
and profane the name of my God.
(Yahweh is an ancient Hebrew name for God).
If you visit the shopping malls at Christmastime, and read the news
stories of people lining up from the night before and huddling in
sleeping bags in order to buy the latest gadgets, then trampling each
other in the rush; if you turn on the TV to the usual Christmas
comedies and "Frosty the Snowman"cartoons, you see that God has been
forgotten, and has even become taboo. It's not politically correct to
speak of God. Just watchwhat we broadcast, be hypnotized by our
Christmas elevator music, buy and forget…
Allah says about this:
"Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and
adornment and boastingto one another and competition in increase of
wealth and children – like the example of a rainwhose [resulting]
plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned
yellow; then it becomes debris. And in the Hereafter is severe
punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the
worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion." – Quran, Surat
Al-Hadeed, 57:20
This theme is struck repeatedly in the Quran. The amusement and
adornment of the dunya isan illusion that dries up and crumbles like a
corn stalk, and becomes dust. It is empty, the enjoyment ofdelusion .
Wow. That phrase, "enjoyment of delusion", makes me think of a madman
alone in a room, tied in a straight jacket, engaged in a pleasant
delusion playing only in his mind.
I know people who have abedroom devoted to all the junk that they have
bought but do not use. They never enter that room and the door is kept
locked. Isn't that a kind of mental illness?
Gratitude
How do we resist the onslaught of the season? How do we remember Allah?
The greatest tool in our toolbox is gratitude. By looking at what
we've been blessed with, our hearts become content. Socrates commented
that contentment is natural wealth, while luxury is artificial
poverty. Contentment does not mean complacency or passivity; it refers
to a state of awareness of our blessings, and gratitude for the
smallest to the greatest provisions – the tiniest cells in our bodies,
to the grand earth itself.

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