2a] How to deal with sihr (magic/witchcraft)

2a]
(O Allaah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm and heal him, for You are
the Healer and there is no healing except Your healing, with a healing
which does not leave any disease behind)." This may be repeated three
times or more. And it was also narrated from him (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) that Jibreel (peace be upon him) performed
ruqyah for himand said three times: "Bismillaah arqeeka min kulli
shay'in yu'dheeka, wa min sharri kulli nafsin aw 'aynin haasid Allaah
yashfeek, bismillaah arqeek (In the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah
for you, from every thing that is harming you, from the evil of every
soul or envious eye may Allaah heal you, in the name of Allaah I
perform ruqyah for you)." This is a great ruqyah which was narrated in
a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). It is prescribed to perform ruqyah for the one who has been
bitten or stung, and the one who has been affected by sihr, and the
one who is sick. There is nothing wrong with performing ruqyah for one
who is sick or has been affected by sihr or bitten or stung, by
reciting good du'aa's, even if they were not transmitted from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so long as they
do not contain anything that is haraam, because of the general meaning
of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace andblessings of Allaah be upon
him): "There is nothing wrong with ruqyah so long as it does not
involve shirk."
Allaah may heal the sick person and the person affected by sihr, and
others, without any ruqyah and without any action on the part of other
people, because He is Able to do all things, and He is Wise in all
that He does. Allaah says in HisHoly Book:
"Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to
it, 'Be!' and it is!"[Yaa-Seen 36:82]
To Him be praise and thanks for all that He willsand decrees, for He
is wisein all that He does.
The sick person may not be healed if his appointedtime has come and it
is decreed that he should die from this disease. Among the things that
may be used in ruqyah are the verses which speak of sihr, which may be
recited into water. These are the verses about sihr in Soorat
al-A'raaf, where Allaah says (interpretation of themeaning):
"And We revealed to Moosa (saying): 'Throw your stick,' and behold! It
swallowed up straight away all the falsehood which they showed.
Thus truth was confirmed,and all that they did was made of no effect.
So they were defeated there and returned disgraced
[al-A'raaf 7:117-119]
And in Soorat Yoonus (interpretation of the meaning):
"And Pharaoh said: 'Bring me every well-versed sorcerer.'
And when the sorcerers came, Moosa said to them: 'Cast down what you
want to cast!'
Then when they had cast down, Moosa said: 'What you have brought is
sorcery, Allaah will surely make it of no effect. Verily, Allaah does
not set right the work of Al-Mufsidoon.
And Allaah will establish and make apparent the truth by His Words,
however much the Mujrimoon may hate (it).'"
[Yoonus 10:79-82]
And in Soorat Ta-Ha (interpretation of the meaning):
"They said: 'O Moosa! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?'
Moosa said: 'Nay, throw you (first)!' Then behold! their ropes and
their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved
fast.
So Moosa conceived fear in himself.
We (Allaah) said: 'Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand.
And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that
which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's
trick, and the magician will never be successful, to whatever amount
(of skill) he may attain.'"
[Ta-Ha 20:65-69]
These aayahs are among the things by which Allaah causes the ruqyah
against sihr to be beneficial. If the qaari' (reader) recites these
verses into water, and also reads Soorat al-Faatiha, Aayat
al-Kursiy,"Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad", and al-Mi'wadhatayn into the water,
then pours it over the person who he thinks has been affected by sihr
or is being prevented by magic from having intercourse with his wife,
then he will be healed by Allaah's Leave. If seven lotus leaves are
ground up and added to the water as well, this is appropriate, as was
mentioned by Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Hasan (may Allaah have mercy
on him) in Fath al-Majeed, quoting from some of the scholars in the
chapter entitled Ma jaa'a fi'l-Nushrah. It is mustahabb to recite the
three soorahs, namely QulHuwa Allaahu Ahad, Qul A'oodhu bi Rabb il
Falaq and Qul A'oodhu bi Rabb il-Naas....

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3] How to deal with sihr (magic/witchcraft)

What is the way to deal with sihr (magic/witchcraft)?
Praise be to Allaah.
Whoever is affected by sihr should not treat it with sihr, because
evil cannot be removed by evil, and kufr cannot be removed by kufr.
Evil is removed by good. Hence when the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) was asked about al-nushrah (treating sihr with
sihr), he said: "This is the work of the Shaytaan." Nushrahmeans
removing sihr from a person who has been affected by it by using more
sihr. But if it istreated by means of the Qur'aan and permissible
medicines or good ruqyahs, there is nothing wrong with that, but
treating it with sihr is not permitted, as previously stated, because
sihr means worshipping the shayaateen (devils). The saahir (magician,
practitioner of witchcraft) does sihr or learns sihr only after
worshipping and serving the shayaateen, and drawing close to them by
means ofthe things that they like. After that, they teach him the
means of sihr. But, praise be to Allaah, there is no reason why the
person who has been affected by sihr should not be treated by means of
reciting Qur'aan and the prayers for refuge with Allaah that are
prescribed in sharee'ah, and permissible medicines, just as
patientswith all kinds of sicknesses are treated by doctors. The
patient does not necessarily recover, because not every sick person
does recover. A sick patient might be treated and then recover if his
appointed time (of death) has not yet arrived,or he may not recover
and may die from this sickness, even though he may be been seen by the
most skilled physicians and knowledgeable doctors. When the appointed
time of death comes, no medicine or treatment will be of any avail,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And Allaah grants respiteto none when his appointed time (death) comes"
[al-Munaafiqoon 63:11]
Medical treatment is of benefit when the appointed time has not yet
come, and Allaah decrees that His slave should be healed. The same
applies in the case of one who has been affected by sihr; Allaah may
decree that he should recover, or He maynot decree that, as a test and
a trial, or for other reasons which are known to Allaah. Among those
reasons may be the fact that the one who is treating him does not have
the right treatment for this problem. It was narrated in a saheeh
report that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "For every disease there isa medicine, and if that medicine is
applied to the disease, he will recover byAllaah's Leave." And he
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Allaah has not sent
downany disease but He has also sent down the cure; the one who knows
it knows it and the one whodoes not know it does notknow it."
Among the treatments prescribed in sharee'ah is the treatment of sihr
withrecitation of the Qur'aan. The greatest soorah in theQur'aan,
which is al-Faatihah, should be recited over the person who has been
affected by sihr. This should be repeated several times. If it is
recited by a believing,righteous reader who knows that everything is
subject to the will and decree of Allaah, that Allaah is in control of
all things, that when He says to a thing 'Be!' it is, if the reciting
is based on faith, taqwa and sincerity, and is repeated several times,
then the sihr may be removed and the person may recover by Allaah's
Leave. Some of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) passed
by some Bedouins whose shaykh, i.e., their leader, had been bitten.
They had done everythingthey could but he had notgotten better. They
said to one of the Sahaabah, "Is there any raaqi (one who performs
ruqyah) among you?" They said, "Yes." So one of them recited Soorat
al-Faatihah over him, and he immediately got up full ofenergy as if
nothing had happened; Allaah healed him of the ill-effects of that
snakebite. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "There is nothing wrong with ruqyah so long as it does not
involve shirk." He (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
performed ruqyah and had it performed for him. There is a lot of good
in ruqyah, and a great deal of benefit. Al-Faatihah, Aayat al-Kursiy,
"Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad", al-Mi'wadhatayn and other aayahs may be
recited over the person who has been affected by sihr, as well as good
du'aa's narrated in the ahaadeeth from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), such as the du'aa' he said when he
performed ruqyah for a sick person and said, "Allaahumma Rabb al-naas,
adhhib il-ba's, washfi anta al-Shaafi laa shifaa'a illa shifaa'uka
shifaa'an laa yughaadir saqaman (O Allaah, Lord of mankind, ...

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2b] Definition of the evil eye, and ways of protecting oneself against it and treating it

2b]
In the event that you are afflicted by the evil eye, you should use
the treatments recommendedin sharee'ah, which are:
1 – Reciting ruqyah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said, "There is no ruqyah except in the case of the evil eye
or fever." al-Tirmidhi, 2057; Abu Dawood, 3884. Jibreel used to do
ruqyah for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
say, "Bismillaahi arqeeka min kulli shay'in yu'dheeka, min sharri
kulli nafsin aw 'aynin haasid Allaahu yashfeek, bismillaahi arqeek (In
the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you, from everything that is
harming you, from the evil of every soul or envious eye may Allaah
heal you, in the name of Allaah I perform ruqyah for you)."
2 – Asking the person who has put the evil eye on another to wash, as
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded
'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah to do in the hadeeth quoted above. Then the water
should be poured over the one who has been afflicted.
With regard to taking his waste, such as his urine and stools, there
is no basis for doing so; the same applies to taking any of his
belongings. Rather what is narrated is that which is mentioned above,
washing his limbs and washing inside his garment, or likewise washing
inside his headgear and garments. And Allaah knows best.
There is nothing wrong with taking precautions against the evil eye
before it happens, and this does not contradict the idea of tawakkul
(putting one's trust in Allaah). In fact this is tawakkul, because
tawakkul means putting one's trust in Allaah whilstalso implementing
the means that have been permitted or enjoined. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to seek refuge for al-Hasan and
al-Husayn and say: U'eedhukuma bi kalimaat Allaah al-taammati min
kulli shaytaanin wa haammah wa min kulli 'aynin laammah (I seek refuge
for you both in theperfect words of Allaah, from every devil and every
poisonous reptile, and from every evil eye).'" Al-Tirmidhi, 2060; Abu
Dawood, 4737. And he would say, "Thus Ibraaheem used to seek refuge
with Allaah for Ishaaq and Ismaa'eel, peace be upon them both."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3371.
Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen,/

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2a] Definition of the evil eye, and ways of protecting oneself against it and treating it

2a]
'Aamir and rebukedhim strongly. He said, "Why would one of you kill
his brother? If you see something that you like, then pray for
blessing for him." Then he said to him,"Wash yourself for him." So he
washed his face, hands, forearms, knees and the sides of his feet, and
inside his izaar (lowergarment) in the vessel. Then that water was
poured over him, and a man poured it over his head and back from
behind. He did that to him, then Sahl got up and joined the people and
there was nothing wrong with him.
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Mishkaat, 4562.
The majority of scholars are of the view that people can indeed be
afflicted by the evil eye, because of the ahaadeeth quoted above and
others, and because of the corroborating reports andother evidence.
With regard to the hadeeth that you mention, "One third of those who
are in the grave are there because of the evil eye," we do notknow how
sound it is, butthe author of Nayl al-Awtaar said that al-Bazzaar
narrated with a hasan isnaad from Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with
him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: "Most of those who die among my ummah die because of the will
and decree of Allaah, and then because of the evil eye."
The Muslim has to protect himself against the devils among the evil
jinn and mankind, by having strong faith in Allaah and by putting his
trust in Himand seeking refuge with Him and beseeching Him, reciting
the prayers for protection narrated from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), reciting al-Mi'wadhatayn [the last
two soorahs of the Qur'aan], Soorat al-Ikhlaas, Soorat al-Faatihah,
and Aayat al-Kursi.
Du'aa's for protection include the following:
A'oodhu bi kalimaat-illaahil-taammati min sharri makhalaqa (I seek
refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from the evil of that which He
has created).
A'oodhu bi kalimaat-illaahil-taammati min ghadabihi wa 'iqaabihi, wa
min sharri 'ibaadihi wa min hamazaat al-shayaateeni wa an yahduroon (I
seek refuge in the perfect words of Allaah from His wrath
andpunishment, from the evilof His slaves and from the evil promptings
of the devils and from their presence).
And one may recite the words of Allaah:
"Hasbi Allaahu laa ilaaha illa huwa, 'alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa Rabb
ul-'arsh il-'azeem
(Allaah is sufficient for me.Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (nonehas the right
to be worshipped but He) in Him I put my trust and Heis the Lord of
the Mighty Throne)"
[al-Tawbah 9:129 – interpretation of the meaning]
And there are other similar du'aa's that are prescribed in sharee'ah.
This is what was meant by Ibn al-Qayyim in the words quoted at the
beginning of this answer.
If it is known or suspectedthat a person has been afflicted by the
evil eye, then the one who put the evil eye on him should be ordered
to wash himself for his brother. So a vesselof water should be
brought, and he should put his hand in it, rinse out his mouth into
the vessel. Then he should wash his face in the vessel, then put his
left hand into the vessel and wash his right knee, then put his right
hand in the vessel and wash his left knee. Then he should wash inside
his garment. Then the water should be poured over the head of the one
on whom he put the evil eye, pouring it from behind in one go. Then he
will be healed, byAllaah's leave.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wa'l-Ifta, 1/186
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-'Uthaymeen was asked:
Can the evil eye afflict a person? How is it treated?Does being on
one's guard against it contradictputting one's trust in Allaah?
He replied:
Our opinion concerning the evil eye is that it is real and is proven
both byIslamic teachings and by real life experiences. Allaah says
(interpretationof the meaning):
"And verily, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with
their eyes (through hatred)"
[al-Qalam 68:51]
Ibn 'Abbaas and others said, commenting on this verse: this means,
they put the evil eye on you with their glances. The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The evil eye is real and
if anything were to overtake the divine decree, it would be the evil
eye. When you are asked to take a bath (to provide a cure) from the
influence of the evil eye, you should take a bath." Narrated by
Muslim. Al-Nasaa'i and IbnMaajah narrated that 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah
passed by Sahl ibn Haneefwhen he was bathing… and he quoted the
hadeeth.
Reality confirms that and it cannot be denied.
In the event that you are afflicted by the evil eye, you should use
the treatments recommendedin sharee'ah, which are: ...

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2]Definition of the evil eye, and ways of protecting oneself against it and treating it

2]
What is the evil eye? I've seen this terminology been used so many
time on this webpage. Can you please explain in detail?.
Praise be to Allaah.
These follow some information and fatwas that have to do with the evil
eye. We ask Allaah to benefit readers thereby.
The scholars of the Standing Committee wereasked:
What is the definition of the evil eye? Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"And from the evil of the envier when he envies"
[al-Falaq 113:5]
Is the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) saheeh in which it says that "One third of those who are in the
grave are there because of the evil eye"? If a person thinks that
someone is envying him, what should the Muslim do and say? If the
person who put the evil eye on someone washes himself, will the water
he used bring healing to his victim? And should he drink the water or
wash himself with it?
They replied:
The Arabic word al-'ayn (translated as the evil eye)refers to when a
person harms another with his eye. It starts when the person likes a
thing, then his evil feelings affect it, by means of his repeated
looking at the object of his jealousy. Allaah commanded His Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to seek refuge
with Him from the envier, as He said (interpretation of the meaning):
"And from the evil of the envier when he envies"
[al-Falaq 113:5]
Everyone who puts the evil eye on another is envious, but not every
envier puts the evil eye on another. The word haasid (envier) is more
general in meaning than the word 'aa'in (one who puts the evil eye on
another), so seeking refuge with Allaah from the one who envies
includes seeking refuge with Him from the one who puts the evil eye on
another. The evil eye is like an arrow which comes from the soul of
the one who envies and the one who puts the evil eye on another
towards the one who is envied and on whom the evil eyeis put;
sometimes it hits him and sometimes it misses. If the target is
exposed and unprotected,it will affect him, but if the target is
cautious and armed, the arrow will have no effect and may even come
back on the one who launched it.
Adapted from Zaad al-Ma'aad.
There are ahaadeeth fromthe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) which speak ofthe effects of the evil eye. For example it is
narrated in al-Saheehayn that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with
her) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to tell me to recite ruqyahfor protection against the
evil eye.
Muslim, Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "The evil eye is real and if anything were to overtake
the divine decree, it would be the evil eye. When you are asked to
take a bath (to provide a cure) from the influence of the evil eye,
you should take a bath." This was classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi,
and also by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 1251.
Imam Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi (2059, where he classed it as saheeh)
narrated that Asma' bint 'Umays said: "O Messengerof Allaah, the
children of Ja'far have been afflicted by the evil eye, shall we
recite ruqyah for them?" He said, "Yes, for if anything were to
overtake the divine decree it would be the evil eye." Classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
Abu Dawood narrated that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
said: The person who had put the evil eye on another would be ordered
to do wudoo', then the person who had been afflicted would wash
himself (withthat water). This was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh Abi Dawood.
Imam Ahmad (15550), Maalik (1811), al-Nasaa'i and Ibn Hibbaan narrated
from Sahl ibn Haneef that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) came out and traveled with him towards Makkah, until they
were in the mountain pass of al-Kharaar in al-Jahfah. There Sahl ibn
Haneef did ghusl, and he was a handsome white-skinned man with
beautiful skin. 'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah, one of Banu 'Adiyy ibn Ka'b
looked at him whilst he was doing ghusl and said:"I have never seen
such beautiful skin as this, not even the skin of a virgin," and Sahl
fell to the ground. They went to Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) cameand said, "O Messenger of Allaah,
can you do anything for Sahl, becauseby Allaah he cannot raise his
head." He said, "Do you accuse anyone with regard to him?" They said,"
'Aamir ibn Rabee'ah looked at him." So the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called 'Aamir and rebukedhim
strongly. ...

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Q: How to ensure that magic does not affect usin the first place?

Asalaamu Alaikum.
People can often get harmed from magic, evil eye, curse, bad luck,
possession by Jinns and ghosts, etc.
But the first line of defense: How do we ensure that magics and evil
eyes does not even affect us in the first place?What are the
precautions?What are the mistake thatpeople make?
Thanks in advance.
~
Wa alaikumusalaam akh,
Al-'ayn and sihr are from the evil of of what Allah has created and we
are taught to seek refuge in Him, from them (read the tafseer of surat
al-Falaq for example). The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said : العين حق
"the evil eye is (inreality) truth..." [saheeh Muslim, 2188] and it is
not necessary that the person who puts an evil eye on another actually
means to do it. Thus it is not possible to totally prevent evil eye
(or magic), but there are ways by which we can reduce and limit their
effects and harms. From this is increasing one's imaan and tawwakul in
Allah; increasing one's righteous deeds; doing ruqya on oneself from
theestablished du'as, means and methods; eating of the type of food
that prevents such harm (e.g. ajwa dates); and many others.
There is a narration recorded in at-Tabarani, Bayhaqi and other, in
which the Prophet صلى اللهعليه وسلم is reported to have said: "Seek
help in having your needs met by being discreet, for everyone who is
blessedwith something is envied." Despite its questionable chain, the
meaning remains correct and corroborated. It is usually when one is
givengreater rizq and bounty from Allah, and he displays it
unreservedly that he puts himself in a position where he risks the the
envy of the envier.One should be aware of all these facts and be
intelligent in these matters.
Allah is the source of guidance and protection.
.
__________________
إن ينصركم الله فلا غالب لكم وإن يخذلكم فمن ذا الذي ينصركم من بعده وعلى
الله فليتوكل المؤمنون

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1a] Who are Ahl al-Hadeeth?

1a]
preserve hisreligion. Their light is radiant, their virtues are well
known, their signs are apparent, their views are predominant, and
their proofs are indisputable. Every factionis devoted to a certain
desire that it refers to andan opinion that pleases it and so to it is
devoted, except for the People of Hadīth (Ashāb al-Hadīth), for the
Book is their provision, the Sunnah is their proof, and the Messenger
is their faction. It is to him that they ascribe. They are not
concerned with the desires and opinions. What they narrate from the
Messenger is acceptedand they are the ones trusted in that. They are
the caretakers and guardians of the religion, and they are the
receptacles and bearers ofknowledge. When there isa dispute concerning
Hadīth, they are referred to, and their judgment is accepted. From
them comes every erudite jurist,every noble Imām, every ascetic
amongst his scribe,and every righteous preacher. They are the great
majority, and it is their path which is upright. Every innovator
pretends to share their creed and does not dare to express a view
other than theirs. Anyone who plots against them, Allāh breaks him.
Whoever stubbornly opposes them,Allāh forsakes him. They are not
harmed by those who forsake, nor is there prosperity for those who
separate from them. The one who cares for his religion is in need of
their direction, the one whose sight is engaged by evil does not see
them, and indeed Allāh is Able to assist them." [Al-Khatīb
al-Baghdādī, Sharaf Ashābal-Hadīth, p. 4]

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1] Who are Ahl al-Hadeeth?

1]
In the Name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful.
Question:
Shaykh `Alawī b. `Abd al-Qādir al-Saqqāf (حفظه الله تعالى):
We would love for you to define the term Ahl al-Hadīth and what do Ahl
al-Sunnah mean by it. Is it particular to the scholars of hadīth or
does it apply to all the scholars of the Ummah? We hope for a detailed
answers with full references, and we ask Allāh to bless you and
togrant you the best reward.
Your Brothers in the Administration of MultaqāAhl al-Hadīth.
Response:
Noble brothers of MultaqāAhl al-Hadīth, peace be upon you, and Allāh's
Mercy, and His Blessings.
You, may Allāh bless you, asked for a clarification of the title Ahl
al-Hadīth and what Ahl al-Sunnah intend by it, and whether it is
particular to the scholars of Hadīth or encompasses all the scholars
of the Ummah.
Thus, I say in response – and with Allāh is the success:
The ahl (people) of something are the most familiar with it. For that
reason, in the language, the ahl of a man are the closest people to
him.
(1) Therefore, Ahl al-Hadīth are the people most familiar with
Hadīth,the most strict in adherence to it, those who follow it in
words and deeds in their manners, their conduct, their worship, their
dealings, and in their beliefs both openly and inprivate. Those who
are focused on the study, compilation, writing, and teaching of
Hadīth, transmitting them understanding them, and sorting the
authentic fromthe weak are most worthy of being included in this
group.
(2) Furthermore, the Ahl al-Hadīth are Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamā`ah,
for the Hadīth is the Sunnah and the Jamā`ah (Assembly) is nothing
less than the truth. Anyone who follows Hadīth is upon the truth.
(3) Ahl al-Hadīth are the Saved Sect (al-Firqah al-Nājiyah), for if
one cannot be saved by following Hadīth, how then can he be saved?
"The people most worthy of being the saved sect are Ahl al-Hadīth wa
al-Sunnah who do not have partisanship for any leader save Allāh's
Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم)." [Majmū` al-Fatāwā (3/347)]
(4) Ahl al-Hadīth are the Victorious Group (al-Tā'ifah al-Mansūrah).
The one who does not find victory in Hadīth, in what then will he find
victory?! Imām Ahmad said about the Victorious Group, "If they are not
thePeople of Hadīth (Ashāb al-Hadīth), then I do not know who they
are!" [Fath al-Bārī (1/85)]
(5) It is they who shall be manifest upon the truth until the
establishment of the Hour. It is by Hadīth that they become manifest
and receive victory, and it is because of it that they are saved. All
of these words and titles are general in a sense and specific in
another. Thus, when one of them is mentioned, theothers are included
such that each word by itself refers to all the parties of the Saved
Sect (al-Firqah al-Nājiyah). However, when the word Ahl al-Hadīth is
mentioned alongside another word, it indicates that what is meant is
those who are preoccupied with the study of Hadīth. This explains why
many of theSalaf would use the word Ahl al-Hadīth in particular for
those who were preoccupied with its study.
Shaykh al-Islām, may Allāh have mercy on him, states, "We do not mean
by Ahl al-Hadīth, merely those who are devoted tohearing them, writing
them, or narrating them. Rather we mean by them all of those who are
most deserving of having memorized them, knowing them, and
understanding them apparently and in reality, and following them
privately and publicly." [Majmū` al-Fatāwā (4/95)]
From this, we come to know the reason for the disagreement between the
adherents of Ahl al-Hadīth in our time as towhether or not there is a
distinction between thesetitles.
(6) "Ahl al-Hadīth are the Salaf from the (first) three generations
and those who tread their path fromthe Khalaf." [Majmū` al-Fatāwā
(6/355)]
(7) The People of Hadīth are the People of the Prophet, For Even If
They Did Not Accompany His Person, They Have Accompanied His Every Breath
وأهل الحديث هم أهل النبي وإن*** لم يصحبوا نفسه، أنفاسه صحبوا
(8) Ahl al-Hadīth are thosewho "seek the truth from its source, and
they seek itout where it can be expected to be found. They seek
nearness to Allāh (تعالى) by following the Sunan of Allāh's Messenger
(صلى الله عليه وسلم) and by seeking out his narrations over land and
sea from the East to the West." [Ibn Qutaybah, Ta'wīl Mukhtalif
al-Hadīth (p. 80)]
(9) Amongst the Ahl al-Hadīth, there is the scholar, the jurist
(faqīh), and the preacher (khatīb) who commands good andforbids evil.
Allāh has made them "Pillars of the Sharī`ah, and by them, He destroys
every reprehensible innovation. Thus, they are Allāh's Trustees
amongst His Creation, the medium between the Prophet and his Ummah,
and the ones who strive to preserve hisreligion. ...

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- - - - - - -

Standing firm in salat after being hit by arrows

Four years after the Hijrah[emigration of the followers of Islam from
Makkah to Medinah], in the city of Medinah, the Muslims were still in
danger due to the Jewish tribe, the Banu an-Nadir, who broke their
contract with the Prophet Muhammad [PBUH=May Allah bless him and grant
him peace].
Then the community received news that some tribes from the desert of
Najd were about to attack. So, the Prophet of Islam [PBUH] raised over
four hundred Muslims in order to prevent them from attacking.
Arriving at Najd, they found that only women were present in the
houses; the men had taken refuge in the hills.
Some of the Nadj tribes regrouped and prepared themselves for the
fight. The time of 'Asr [the afternoon prayer] came, and the Muslims
divided in two, as it was revealed,and each group prayed after the
other. The ennemy, seeing the discipline among Muslims felt uneasiness
and fear. They did not attack. So, the Muslims went back to Medinah.
The Prophet of Allah [PBUH] asked:
"Who will be our guard tonight?" Two men immediatly rose: Abbad ibn
Bishr and Ammar ibn Yasir. Abbad saw that Ammar was tired and asked
him: "What part of the night do you wish to sleep, the first or the
second?" "The first part," said Ammar.
The night was serene. Everything seemed peaceful. Abbad decided to
spend the night in Ibadah [acts of worship] while his companion was
asleep, and began recitingthe Qur'an. Abbad soon stood and faced the
Qiblah in order to performSalaat [voluntary prayer]. He began reciting
Surah al-Kahf of one hundred and ten verses which explains the virtues
of faith, truth and patience and the passing of time.
While he was absorbed in recitation and in thought, an ennemy came
from themountains of Najd and saw him vulnerable. The man drew his bow
and thew an arrow towards Abbad. Calmly, Abbad pulled the arrow out
and continued his meditation. The ennemy shot a second, then a third
arrow. Abbad pulled themout one by one, and finished his recitation.
Weak and in pain, at last, he stretched out his right hand during his
prostration and awoke hiscompanion Ammar. "Glorybe to Allah! Why
didn't you wake me up when the first arrow reached you?" "Reciting the
versesof the Qur'an filled me with such wonders that I felt repugnance
to cut it short. I would have preferred death rather than stopping
right in the middle of it." Abbad did not die this day; he died as a
shahid [a martyr], at the battle of Yamamah. He fought so vehemently
that his wounds made him almost not recognizable. He was a true
believer.

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- - - - - - -

The man who got trapped in an island

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed upon a small, uninhabited island.
He prayed feverishly for Allah to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but noneseemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions.
But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger.
"Allah, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Earlythe next day, however, hewas awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.
"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because Allah is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.
Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just maybe a smoke signal that summons The Grace of Allah.
Pass this on. You never know who may be in need of this today.
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Hadees

Narrated Abu Aiyub (r.a): A man said to the Prophet (pbuh) "Tell me of
such a deed as will make me enter Paradise." The people said, "What is
the matter with him? What is the matter with him?" TheProphet (pbuh)
said, "He has something toask. (What he needs greatly) The Prophet
(pbuh) said: (In order to enter Paradise)you should worship Allah and
do not ascribe any partners to Him, offer prayer perfectly, pay the
zakat (charity) and keep good relations with your Kith and kin."
(See Hadith No. 12, Vol 8). (Book .23, Hadith .479)
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Hadees

Narrated Abu Aiyub (r.a): A man said to the Prophet (pbuh) "Tell me of
such a deed as will make me enter Paradise." The people said, "What is
the matter with him? What is the matter with him?" TheProphet (pbuh)
said, "He has something to ask. (What he needs greatly) The Prophet
(pbuh) said: (In order to enter Paradise)you should worship Allah and
do not ascribe any partners to Him, offer prayer perfectly, pay the
zakat (charity) and keep good relations with your Kith and kin."
(See Hadith No. 12, Vol 8). (Book .23, Hadith .479)

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2a] Fiqh of Ahlulhadeeth & Comparative Fiqh

2a]
becomesaware of [4]. However, he must be very careful in this and he
should never fall short in asking those more knowledgeable than him
from amongst the people of knowledge. As he can fall into error and
his knowledge may not embody a particular evidence which makes
specific what seems to be a general text, or which restricts what
seems to bean unrestricted text, or which abrogates a text that he
regards to be valid.
As for the third , he is the one who does not have any knowledge; it
is compulsory upon him to ask the people of knowledge as Allaah says,
"...so ask the people of thescriptures if you do not know." [5]
and in another verse He says,
"...so ask the people of thescriptures if you do not know, of the
clear signs and books..." [6]
So his duty is to ask, but who does he ask? In the land are many
scholars and everyone says 'So andso is a scholar' or it is said about
everyone: 'He is a scholar'. So, who does he ask?
Do we say: "It is obligatory on this person to search and investigate
in order to find the one closest to the correct opinion, so that he
asks him and acts by his ruling." or do we say: "He is to ask anyone
whom hebelieves to be from the people of knowledge, since, the scholar
who is less knowledgeable may arrive to the correct decision in a
specific issue and the scholar who is better and more knowledgeable
than the former may not" - the scholars differed on this:
A group of the scholars are of the opinion that it is compulsory for
the layman to ask the one whom he believes to be the most competent in
this knowledge from amongst the scholars in his country; because, just
as the person who is sick, looks for the most competent person in the
field of medicine, then thesame applies here, as knowledge is the
remedy for the hearts. Accordingly, you must choose the most competent
i knowledge as there is no difference.
Other scholars hold the view that it is not compulsory because the one
who is the most knowledgeable may not be so in every single issueand
this opinion is supported by the fact thatat the time of the
Companions people would ask one who was less knowledgeable than others
who were also present.
My view is that he should ask the one whom he believes to be the most
competent in his religion and knowledge. Not because it is compulsory,
due to the possibility of this scholar making an error in a specific
issue and the possibility of the one who is less knowledgeable to be
correct, but because it is preferable and should be the person's first
choice.

--
- - - - - - -

2] Fiqh of Ahlulhadeeth & Comparative Fiqh

2]
Our Stance Towards The Differences Amongest the Scholars -by Ibn Uthaimin
Assalamu alaykum
This is a translation of an excerpt from a book by shaikh Ibn Uthamin,
I believe it is called "ikhtilafalUlama" or something like that.
Our Stance Towards the Differences Amongst the Scholars
by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih Al-Uthaymeen
"Differences of Opinion Amongst the Scholars - Their Causes and Our
Position Towards Them" © Copyright 1997 by Al-Hidaayah Publishing and
Distribution From callerstoislam.org
As I mentioned in the beginning, due to the many forms of media:
audio, visual and written material and due to the differences amongst
the scholars or those who speak across this media, the general masses
have become dubious, and question: "Who do we follow?"
'The gazelles have gathered in great numbers around Khirash to the
extent that Khirash no longer knows which tohunt .' [1]
I say therefore, our stancetowards this differing, andI mean the
differing between the scholars whoare well trusted for their knowledge
and religion, not those who have been classified as being upon
knowledge but are not in fact from the people of knowledge. As we do
not regard the likes of such asscholars, nor do we hold that their
statements are to be known and recorded like the statements of the
people of knowledge.
But who we mean, are the scholars who are well known for their sincere
advise to the ummah, for their Islaam and knowledge; our stance
towards them is from twoangles.
The first: How did these scholars go against what the Book of Allaah
and the Sunnah of His Messenger instruct?
The answer to this question can be known in part by what has preceded
of the causes fordiffering and also by the other many causes not
mentioned, which the student of knowledge willcome across and come to
realize even if he is not very knowledgeable.[2]
The second: What is our stance towards following them? Whom do we
follow from amongst these scholars? Does one follows a particular
Imaam and never leave his saying? Even if the correct opinion is with
another scholar, as is the norm with the blind followers of the
madhhabs. Or does one follow the opinion which he believes is the most
accurate, even if it is against the opinions of the madhhab which he
attributes himself to?
The correct answer is the second, as it is compulsory upon the one who
is aware of the evidence to follow it, evenif it goes against
whomsoever of the scholars, so long as it doesnot go against a
consensus of the ummah.
Whoever believers that it is obligatory to follow thesayings of
someone other than the Messenger of Allaah, acting by what he orders
and refraining from what the prohibits, at all times and places, has
indeed affirmed for this person qualities unique and solely for the
bearer of the Message, because no one's statement can posses this
unequivocal right except that of the Messenger of Allaah's. Everyone's
opinions is either accepted or rejected, except that of the Messenger
of Allaah.
But the issue still remains unresolved, because we still question: "
Who has the capability to extract the rulings from the texts?" Here,
lies a problem, because everyone is now stating: "I am capable of
that!" This, inreality, is not correct norbefitting . Indeed, in terms
of the objective andbasis, it is a good thing forone's guiding
principle to be the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger;
but to open the door for anyone who can mention the evidence, even if
he does not understand its meaning or implication,and to say: "You are
a mujtahid, say what you desire"; this will cause the ruin of the
Sharee'ah, people and society.
In this respect, people are placed in one of three categories:
(i) The scholar whom Allaah has given the knowledge and understanding.
(ii) The student of knowledge who has some knowledge, but has not yet
reached the level of the scholar.
(iii) The layman who does not know anything.
As for the first, then he has the right to perform ijtihaad and to
give his opinion. In fact, it is compulsory for him to express that
which he believes the texts indicateregardless of whom he opposes,
because he has been ordered to do so. Allaah says,
"...those amongst them who have the ability to extract it's ruling who
have understood it directly from them..." [3]
The person in his categoryis from those who are able to extract
rulings, who know the intended meaning behind the Speech of Allaah and
His Messenger.
As for the second , who Allah has given knowledge but has not yet
reached the level of the first. Then there is no harm on him to act by
thegeneral evidences, their apparent meanings and by that which he
becomesaware of [4].

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- - - - - - -

Q: The inquirer asks: Is it permissible to supplicate in a loud voice after praying? That is, the Imam (the one who leads congregational Prayer) says the Du`a' (supplication) and the worshippers say: Amen?

Q: The inquirer asks: Is it permissible to supplicate in a loud voice
after praying? That is, the Imam (the one who leads congregational
Prayer) says the Du`a' (supplication) and the worshippers say: Ameen?
~
A: Saying Du`a' by the Imam in a loud voice and then the Ma'mums
(people being led by an Imam in Prayer) saying:"Amen" is considered a
Bid`ah (innovation in religion). Each worshippermust supplicate to
Allah individually after the invocations, or, even better, before
Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer), after seeking refuge
with Allah from the punishment of Hellfire and of the grave, and from
the Fitnah (temptation) of life and death, and the Fitnah of
Al-Masih-ul-Dajjal (the Antichrist); the worshipper can say any
supplications that are reported in Shari`ah (Islamic law), such as: O
Allah, I seek refuge with You from miserliness, and I seek refuge with
You from cowardice, and I seek refuge with You from reaching old age,
(Part No. 9; Page No. 187)
and I seek refuge with You from the Fitnah of lifeand the punishment
of the grave; O Allah, help me to remember You and thank You and
enable me to worship You properly; O Allah, I have done injustice to
myself greatly and there is no one who forgives sins but You, so grant
me forgiveness from You and have mercy upon me, O You are the
Most-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful. O Allah forgive the sins that I
have committed in the past and those I will commit in the future,
those I committed in secret and those I committed in public, and all I
have exceeded in, andwhat You know about memore than I do, You are the
Advancer and the Deferrer, there is no God who deserves worship but
You; O Allah, You are the Pardoner, You love pardoning, so pardon me;
O Allah, make my heart and my actions righteous;O Allah, forgive me
and my parents (if they are Muslims), etc.
__________________
‏"‏إن الله لا يقبض العلم انتزاعًا ينتزعه من الناس ولكنيقبض العلم بقبض
العلماء حتى إذا لم يبقِ عالمًا، اتخذ الناسرءوسًا جهالا، فسئلوا فأفتوا
بغير علم، فضلوا وأضلوا‏:‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏
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- - - - - - -

1a] Ruling on saying Du`a' after Salah with the Imam(Fatwas of Nur `Ala Al-Darb )

1a]
because the Prophet never raised his hands while supplicating after the obligatory Prayer. However, there is no problem with raising your hands while supplicating after supererogatory Prayers athome, or
(Part No. 9; Page No. 186)
any other time, because supplicating and raising the hands are reasons of fulfillment of Du`a'. But you should not raise your hands when the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not. The Prophet never raised his hands after the obligatory Prayers; he used to supplicate but without raising his hands. You can also supplicate between the two prostrations, but without raising the hands; and during the Friday Khutbah(sermon) too. If the Imam supplicates during the Friday Khutbah or the `EidKhutbah, he should not raise his hands, unless he is performing Salat-ul-Istisqa' (Prayer for rain).
__________________
‏"‏إن الله لا يقبض العلم انتزاعًا ينتزعه من الناس ولكنيقبض العلم بقبض العلماء حتى إذا لم يبقِ عالمًا، اتخذ الناسرءوسًا جهالا، فسئلوا فأفتوا بغير علم، فضلوا وأضلوا‏:‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏
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1] Ruling on saying Du`a' after Salah with the Imam(Fatwas of Nur `Ala Al-Darb )

1]
Q: Tell us about the supplication after performing Salah (Prayer) with the Imam (the one who leads congregationalPrayer), may Allah rewardyou with the best!
A: Each person must supplicate individually during or after Salah, during Sujud (Prostration)and after reciting Tashahhud (testification recited in the sitting position in the last unit of Prayer), for himself and for other Muslims, and for his Muslim parents, etc. Allthese are states in which Du`a' (supplication) is permissible: during Sujud, before Taslim (salutation of peace ending the Prayer), after invoking Allah's Blessings and Peace upon the Prophet, and between the two prostrations. The worshipper can ask Allah in these states to forgive him and his parents, or say any possible good supplications, especially those that have been authentically reported. Hecan invoke Allah's Forgiveness between the two prostrations, saying: O Allah forgive me, have mercy upon me, guide me, assist me and provideme with sustenance; during Sujud, he can say any supplication that he wishes, because the Prophet (peace be upon him) said in the authentic Hadith: The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so say as many supplications as possible (in this state).
He also said
(Part No. 9; Page No. 184)
(peace be upon him): As far as Ruku` (bowing) is concerned, glorify in it theLord, and while prostrating yourselves sayas many supplications as possible, for it is likely that your supplications will be answered. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also used to say during Sujud: O Allah, forgive all my sins; the small sins and the big ones, those I committed in the past and those I will commit in the future, and those I commit in public and those I commitin secret. This is one of thebest supplications. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught his Companions the Tashahhud, he said: “Thenlet him choose from the supplications what he loves best and let him supplicate (with it),” that is, at the end of Salah, before Taslim, after reciting the Tashahhud. Then the worshipper should invoke Allah's Blessings and peace upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) and seeks refuge with Allah, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to do, from fourthings, saying: O Allah, I seek refuge with You from torment in Hellfire, from punishment in the grave, from the Fitnah (temptation) of life and death, and from the evil of the Fitnah of Al-Masih-ul-Dajjal (the Antichrist). The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to seek refuge with Allah from these four things and to order people to seek refuge with Allah from them. It is, therefore, Sunnah (supererogatory act of worship following the example of the Prophet) for the worshipper, whether in the obligatory or the supererogatory Salah, to say: I seek refuge with Allah from the torment of Hellfire, from the punishment of the grave, from the Fitnah (trial) of life and death, and from the evil of the Fitnah of Al-Masih-ul-Dajjal (the Antichrist); or:
(Part No. 9; Page No. 185)
"O Allah, I seek refuge with you", both ways are narrated in the Hadith; then to ask Allah for Jannah (Paradise) and to seek refuge with Him from Hellfire, saying: O Allah, grant us what is good during our life and in the Hereafter, and protect us from torture in Hellfire, O Allah forgive me and my parents - if they are Muslims - O Allah I have been greatly unjustto myself, and there is no one who forgives sins but You, so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy upon me, O You the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful; O Allah, help me to remember Youand thank You, and enable me to worship Youproperly. These are all good supplications. Also from Jawami` Al-Kalim (concise yet most comprehensive expressions) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) told Mu`adh (may Allah be pleased with him): Do not miss supplicating after every Salah saying: (Allahumma a‘inni ‘ala dhikrika wa-shukrika wa-husna ‘ibadatika (O Allah, help me to remember You and thank You and enable me to worship You properly) When the Prophet (peace be upon him) finished reciting the Tashahhud, he used to seek refuge with Allah from the torture of Hellfire, punishment in the grave, the Fitnah of life and death, and the Fitnah of Al-Masih-ul-Dajjal. Then, Oyou servant of Allah, whether man or woman, you can say any Du`a' thatyou wish, during Sujud, atthe end of Salah before Taslim; and if you recite the invocations that are to be said after Salah, you can also supplicate after Taslim in secret, between you and your Lord, without raising your hands after the obligatoryPrayer, because .../ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Help required in understanding a hadeeth

Assalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, and ramadhan kareem!
I stumbled across this hadeeth in Saheeh Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 55 (Prophets), Number 546. Read the emboldened part in sha Allah, the rest doesn't matter.
Narrated by 'Anas, When 'Abdullah bin Salam heardthe arrival of the Prophet at Medina, he came to himand said, "I am going to ask you about three things which nobody knows except a prophet: What is the first portent of the Hour? What will be the first meal taken by the people of Paradise? Why does a child resemble its father, and why does it resemble its maternal uncle" Allah's Apostle said, "Gabriel has just now told me of their answers." 'Abdullah said,"He (i.e. Gabriel), from amongst all the angels, is the enemy of the Jews." Allah's Apostle said, "The first portent of the Hour will be a fire that will bring together the peoplefrom the east to the west;the first meal of the people of Paradise will be Extra-lobe (caudate lobe) of fish-liver. As for the resemblance of the child to its parents: If a man has sexual intercourse with his wife and gets discharge first, the child will resemble the father,and if the woman gets discharge first, the child will resemble her. " On that 'Abdullah bin Salam said, "I testify that you arethe Apostle of Allah." 'Abdullah bin Salam further said, "O Allah's Apostle! The Jews are liars, and if they should come to know about my conversion to Islam before you ask them (about me), they would tell a lie about me." The Jews came to Allah's Apostle and 'Abdullah went inside the house. Allah's Apostle asked (the Jews), "What kind of man is 'Abdullah bin Salam amongst you?" They replied, "He is the most learned person amongst us, and the best amongst us, and the son of the bestamongst us." Allah's Apostle said, "What do you think if he embraces Islam (will you do as he does)?" The Jews said,"May Allah save him from it." Then 'Abdullah bin Salam came out in front of them saying, "I testify that None has the right tobe worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah." Thereupon they said, "He is the evilest among us, and the son of the evilest amongst us," and continued talking badly ofhim.
Is the translation of the hadeeth (the emboldenedpart, more specifically) accurate? There are some claims that the correct/literal translation doesn't refer to the sequence of orgasms, but rather the dominance of one fluid over the other. Is this accurate?
Also, I read the reply available on islamtoday, itappeals to our present lack of knowledge regarding genetics to answer this issue. But my heart doesn't find tranquility in merely an appeal to ignorance, a stronger answer would beof benefit in sha Allahu wa ta'la.
JazakAllahu khayran in advance,
Wassalamu 'alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.
P.S. I'm sorry for posting such a question on Ramadhan, but doubts don't have any time/placerestriction, as is common knowledge.
__________________
He said: "Because thou hast thrown me out of the way, lo! I will lie in wait for them on thy straight way: then will I assault them from before them and behind them, from their right and their left: Nor wilt thou find, in most of them, gratitude (for thy mercies)." (Allah) said: "Get out from this, disgraced and expelled. If any of them follow thee,- Hell will I fill with you all. Noble Qur'an 7:16-18
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B] Reality and Obligation in Ramadan Source: Al-Jumuah Magazine, Vol 8, Issue 9

B]
Insisting on performing a certain number of Rakaas during the Tarawih
(night) prayer tothe point of not praying behind the Imam and
thusforfeiting the benefit of congregational prayer. This might also
bring hatred and disagreement between the Muslims of one community.
Reading Qur'an too fast: Some insist on finishing the whole Qur'an
once or more, even if they have to read very fast. Although reading
the Qur'an many times is desirable, this should not be done
hastily,especially during the Tarawih prayer without pondering upon
its meaning. Allah ta'ala said:"This is a Book which We have sent down
to you, full of blessings that they may ponder over its verses," (Saad
38:29), and the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said:"Those who
read the Qur'an in less than three days do not grasp [its meaning]"
Socializing in l'tikaf: Manypeople are eager to do I'tikaf but some
confine themselves in the masjid not to pray and worship Allah but to
talk and socialize.
The ways of doing good are numerous in Ramadhan Many people try to
perform more than they are able to. By going beyond their
capabilities, they end up not performing any deed in the desired way.
Scholars and Dai'ahs should assume a more prominent role in educating
the people - both by talking to them and by giving the best example in
their behavior which should comply to the Shariah and following the
Sunnah.
The Muslim should realize that his priorities dictate that he does
what benefitshim in the Hereafter and should not put worldly interests
first.
The Muslim should apply himself to deepen his sense of following the
Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, in every aspect of
his life, at all times and especially during the month of Ramadhan.
This necessitates seeking more knowledge about the Fiqh of fasting and
its etiquette,assimilating the wisdom and goals of fasting, and
facilitating the means that allow all the Muslims to benefit from
their fasting.
We ask Allah to accept our fast and our good deeds.

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A] Reality and Obligation in Ramadan Source: Al-Jumuah Magazine, Vol 8, Issue 9

A]
The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "An Umrah during
Ramadhan is like a Hajj with me." (Related by al-Hakim).
Offering Iftar (meal) to those who fasted. The Prophet sallallahu
alayhe wa sallam said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person has the same
reward as him, except that the reward of the fasting person will not
be diminished." (Related by Ahmad).
Reading and completing the Qur'an: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa
sallam said: "Fasting and [reading] Qur'an will intercede for the
person: fasting will say: O Lord I forbade him eating and drinking so
let me intercede for him, and the Qur'an will say: I deprived him from
his night sleep so let me intercede for him," he then said: "So they
will intercede." (Related by Ahmad). The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa
sallam used to recite the whole Qur'an to Angel Jibreel each Ramadhan.
Giving in charity: Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet
sallallahu alayhe wa sallam was the most generous among people, and he
was more generous during the month of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim).
I`tikaaf: which is to confine oneself in the masjid for prayer and
invocation leaving the worldly activities. Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu
said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to perforrn
I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim). It
is surprising that many people have abandoned I'tikaf though the
Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam never abandoned itfrom the time he
arrived to Madinah until he died.
Supplication: In the versesdealing with fasting, Allah said: "And when
My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then answer them, I am
indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant
when he calls on Me." (Al-Baqarah 2: 186). This is an encouragement
for the fasting person to increase his invocation. The Prophet
sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Three invocations will be answered:
The invocation of the fasting person, the invocation of the oppressed,
and the invocation of the traveler."(Related by Muslim).
Repentance: Ramadhan is the time of repentance and return to Allah,
for it isa time when the devils arechained, and when many people are
saved from hellfire every night by the grace of Allah.
Applying oneself in all good deeds in the last ten days of Ramadhan:
Aysha radhiallabu anha said: "When the last ten days come, he
sallallahu alayhe wa sallam would pray most of the night andwake his
family, and applyhimself, and tighten up hisloincloth.", and she also
said: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to
strive in thelast days of Ramadhan more than he did during the other
days." (Related by Muslim).
Abstaining from vain talk: Sins decrease the reward of fasting
althoughthey do not annul it. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam
said: "Fasting is not [only] abstaining from eating and drinking, but
abstaining from vain and obscene talk, so if someone insulted you or
wronged you say: I am fasting." (Related by al-Hakim) and he also
said:'Whoever does not abandon lying, then Allah does not need him to
abandon his food and drink." (Related by al-Bukhari).
Common errors made during Ramadhan
Excessive spending: Ramadhan should be a time to avoid being wasteful,
and learning to be prepared in facing harder times by distinguishing
the needs from the luxuries. Unfortunately, many people go beyond
their limits to spend during Ramadhan. Whether in thevarieties of food
that they savor each night, or by theother types of spending.
Staying awake during the night and sleeping during the day: Some
people sleep during most of the day when they are fasting. Ramadhan is
not a time of being lazy, and thisdo not allow the full benefit from
the experience of fasting. It is as if they have only inverted their
nights into days and vice versa. In addition, some may spend a great
portion of the night indulging in eating and drinking and socializing
Spending more time in socializing: Because people invite each other
more often during Ramadhan they do tend tospend more time socializing
with friends, and relatives. While it is a good deed to feed the
fasting person, this should not result in precious time lost in vain
talk. Use the occasion for remembering Allah and offering additional
prayers, and for the Da'wah to Allah.

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Reality and Obligation in Ramadan Source: Al-Jumuah Magazine, Vol 8, Issue 9

During this Ramadhan do not let the sweetness of our deeds vansh into
the night, leaving only emptiness. When one contemplates the texts on
fasting, its wisdom and goals in Shariah, and looks at the reality of
the Muslimcommunities, one realizes a wide gap between the reality and
our obligations.Remember that Ramadhanis a bounty that Allah blessed
His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and increase their piety
(Taqwa). Allah said: "O youwho believe! Fasting is prescribed for you
as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious."
(Al-Baqarah 2:183). This article is an attempt to present the
essential causes of this gap, and to some remedies. primary reason for
the gap is ignorance about the goals of fasting and the wisdom behind
it. Many Muslims ignore the purpose and wisdom of fasting. Fasting is
done merely to conform to the social environmet without contemplation.
If one is not aware of the divine wisdom of Shariah and its fruits in
this world and in the hereafter, one will not apply it in the right
way.
Goals of Fasting
Achieving Taqwa: is one of the most important wisdom of fasting.
Fasting brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach and
mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently would overcome
these two desires more easily. This deter against committing
abominations and sins andassist in controlling life leading to Taqwa.
Strengthening willpowerand acquiring patience: The Prophet sallallahu
alayhe wa sallam called Ramadhan the month of patience as it increases
one's will power to controlhis desire and the selfishness of his soul.
This training allows him to be strong in following Allah's commands.
The most important being to carry the Message and propel it forward.
The person trains himself to be patient in obeying Allah by stopping
at the limits set by Allah both by way of action and abstention. Allah
said:"These are the limits set byAllah, so approach them not."
(Al-Baqarah 2:187)
Fasting is pure worship: The fact that he is abstaining from food and
drink both in public and in secret shows his honest faith and strong
love of Allah, and his knowledge and feeling that Allah is all-knowing
of everything. For this reason Allah has made the reward for fasting
greater than for any other type of worship. Allah said in the hadith
Qudsi: "Every deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards],
the good deed by ten of itslike, up to seven hundreds,up to whatever
Allah wills,except fasting, it is for Me and I will reward it. He
abandons his desire and his food for My sake.." (Related by Muslim)
lbn al-Qayyim said: "...And people may see that a person is not eating
in front of them, but the fact that he is really abandoning his food
and his desire for the sake of God is a thing that nobodycan find out
about, and that is the essence of fasting." (Zaad al-Ma'ad 2/29).
Relieving Muslims from life's distractions: Eating, drinking, and
socializing alldistract a person and weaken ties with Allah. It is by
the Mercy of Allah that Muslims are ordered to fast so as not to be
bothered by the intrusion of these activities. Nor by the thought
about them nor the anticipation for them when devoting themselves to
the all typesof worship Either reading the Qur'an, offering additional
prayer or making I'tikaf. For this reason the Prophet sallallahu
alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting is a shield, and a secure fortress
against Hell fire" (Related by Ahmad).
Discovering Allah's Blessings: A person experiences the hardship of
the poor. He should then be thankful to Allah Who has blessed him with
His bounty while others are deprived. This should make him more
sympathetic and willing toshare this bounty. The poor rediscovers that
fasting helps a person be more devoted to worship. More able to
concentrate and meditate. He should then be able of this devotion all
year long, a blessing he should thank Allah for.
Acquiring strength and endurance: It has been discovered that
depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its defense and
endurance mechanism. This in turn this protects the body from certain
diseases.
Remember that fasting isnot only dependent on abstentions: Many
believethat fasting consist only of certain abstentions, forgetting
that Allah established certain acts of worship with fasting. Among
which are:
Qiyamul-layl: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Whoever
performed the night prayer during Ramadhan out of belief and
anticipating God's rewards,will be forgiven his previous
sins."(Related by Muslim).Performing Umrah: ...

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The Month of Mercy

"Ramadan is a month whose beginning is Mercy, whose middle is Forgiveness and whose end is freedom from the fire."
-Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh)
Mercy > Forgiveness> Freedom from Fire
Ponder on the inherent logical sequence ( subhanAllah ) of the above! We cannot be exempt from fire without first being forgiven. And tobe forgiven, we must be graced by Allah's mercy.
The first one third of Ramadan (10days ) is MERCY from Allah
1. Can we expect to receivemercy if we only deprive our bodies of food and drink? Of course not. Because Ramadan is meant for SPIRITUAL development through fasting. Physiologically, by fasting the body eliminates toxins efficiently and the mind becomes clear for "power thinking" so that one may ponder on the meaning of the Qur'an, Hadith and the necessity of Zhikr. One must also do some self-analysis to monitor and correct one's behaviour if necessary. With meditation the mind becomes quiet and so should our tongues!
2. Allah is looking for a sincere commitment from us and not just physical starvation till sunset and then returning to the status quo. Ramadan does not end at every iftar. It ends only on sighting the hilal of Shawwal. So the hard spiritual work must carry on for the whole of the month.
3. One must plead for mercy and sincerely cry to receive it because without it, we are stuck at stage one and our prospects of"freedom from fire" will bebleak.
4. Therefore this stage oneis for sincere confession to Allah that we are weak and sinful and that we desperately need His mercy. We have only about 10 days to qualify tostage two.
The second one third of Ramadan is ----- FORGIVENESS
1. We must now beg for Allah's forgiveness becausewe have broken so many of His rules and covenants and disobeyed His commands during the year, both knowingly and unknowingly. We must sayistighfaar day and night and ask in every sajda for forgiveness. We must be afraid that if Allah does not forgive, we will surely be among the losers. Here again, Allah will be assessing the degree of sincerity in our repentance.He looks not for lip service but for soul service!
2. We must also be forgiving to other people'smistakes and tempers.
The last one third of Ramadan is ......... FREEDOM FROM FIRE
These are our last ten daysor so. Instead of just focusing on Laylat Al-Qadar (the night of power) one should intensify supplications for the whole last third of Ramadan. If possible and affordable then do go for Umrah ... it will be probably the most spiritually fulfilling experience you will have, aside from Hajj. And Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to having done a Hajj with our Rasool pbuh! At the completion ofthe last fast, be optimistically hopeful that you will be alive to give similar pious worship during the forthcoming Ramadans. And if you remain guided in your life then you'll be will be admitted to Paradise, insha'Allah, by the Ryan gate of Paradise! Indeed Allah swt does not break His promise to his slaves.
NOTE:
The month after Ramadan is Shaw'wal .
Those who fast just 6 days of this month, get the reward of fasting the WHOLE of the year! So if one has missed fasting for 12 yrs of his/her life, just 6 days ( in any order) of Shaw'wal fasting gives onean opportunity to make upfor our past deficiency of fasting days. SubhanAllah , isn't Allah swt indeed SUPER-MERCIFUL?

/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Best Quality is to Have Trust in Allaah

As for the next part of the question, about the most valuable quality
to aim for,then the answer to this is that the best prize is to have
trust in Allaah, reliance upon Him of His sufficiency, and keeping a
good opinion of Him, the latter being that if anyone is anxious
regarding their sustenance then he shouldturn to the shelter of
Allaah, as the Exalted said, from what is narrated by His Prophet,
sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam,
"O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so
seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are
naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I
shall clothe you." [Upon Aboo Dharr, related by Muslim, at-Tirmidhee,
and Ahmad]
In this regard there is also a hadeeth which at-Tirmidhee narrates
from Anas (radiyallaahu `anhu), who said that the Messenger of Allaah
(salalllaahu `alayhi wa sallam) said,
"Each of you should ask forhis needs from Allaah, even if the strap of
your sandal breaks, because if Allaah does not facilitate it, it will
never be possible."
Allaah the Most High says in His Book:
"...But ask Allaah for His bounty..." [4:32]
"And when the prayer is finished, then you may disperse through the
land, and seek the Bounty of Allaah..." [62:10]
Although this aayah is in the context of the congreagational Friday
prayer, its meaning appliesto all the prayers. That is why- and Allaah
knows best - the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam instructed the
person entering the mosque to say,
"AllaahummaftaH lee abwaaba raHmatik" (O Allaah! open the doors of
Your mercy for me)
and when leaving the mosque to say,
"Allaahumma innee as'aluka min faDlik" (O Allaah! I ask of You some of
Your Bounty)
[Muslim, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, ad-Daarimee, ibn Maajah, Ahmad,
Aboo 'Awaanah, Abdur-Razzaaq and al-Baihaqee]
Also the Friend of Allaah (i.e. Ibraaheem, `alayhis salaam) had said,
"...then seek sustenance from Allaah, serve Him, and be grateful to
Him." [29:17]
This is a command, and a command signifies obligation. Therefore, to
seek help from Allaah and to entreat to Him in the matter of
livelihood and others is a fundamental principle. Furthermore, it
isimportant in seeking a livelihood that one should acquire wealth
with generosity of heart and not with greed so that he may be blessed
in it. Neither should he make the wealth the primary aim; rather, he
should regard wealth much as he regards the toilet, which he has need
of but it has no place in his heart, and he only resorts to it when
necessary.
A marfoo` (i.e. report consisting of a chain of narration that goes
back to the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam) hadeethwhich is
related by at-Tirmidhee and others states that, "He who begins the
morning with this world as his greatest concern, Allaah disperses his
collected gains and puts its loss in front of him, and only that of
the world comes to him whichis written for him. And he who begins the
morning with the Hereafter as his greatest concern, Allaah gathers for
him his works and creates richness in his heart due to them, and
theworld comes to him subserviently." [Related by at-Tirmidhee with a
da`eefisnaad, but the hadeeth is saheeh due to the supporting
narrations of ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan and Ahmad]
One of the Salaf said, " Eachof you is in need of the world, but you
are in moreneed of your portion in theHereafter. Therefore, if youare
in search of your portion in the Hereafter first and foremost, then
you will achieve your portion of the world in passing, such that it is
taken care of as it comes."
Allaah the Exalted says:
"I have only created jinn and men that they may worship Me. No
sustenance do I require of them, nor do I require that they should
feed Me.For Allaah is He who gives (all) sustenance, Lord of Power,
Steadfast (forever)." [51:56-58]

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Quran - its significance in Ramadan

"Ramadhan is the (month) in which the Qur'an was sent down, as a guide
to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between
right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home)
during that month should spend it in fasting�" Qur'an (2:185).
"Shahru ramadaana llethi unzila feehil quraana hudalinnaasi wa
bayyinaatin minal hudaa wal furqaan. Fa man shahida minkumu shahra fal
yasumhu"
This Qur'anic verse explains the inseparable link between the Qur'an
and the month of Ramadan. The revelation of the Qur'an to the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon Him) began in this month. Somescholars have
explained that the word 'so' (fa) in this ayah leads to the following
paraphrase of one aspect of its meaning:"Fast this month because it is
the one in which the Qur'an was sent down". The night in which the
Qur'an was revealed is known as The Night of Power or The Night of
Destiny. This night is referred to by the Qur'an in the following
verses:
"Indeed, We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power.
And what will explain to thee what the night of power is? The Night of
Power is better than a thousand months." Qur'an (97:1-3)

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The social benefits of fasting

Question : Does fasting have any social benefits?
Response : Yes, it has social benefits. From them is the feelingpeople have that they are one nation eating at one time and fasting at one time. The wealthy one is cognizant of Allaah's blessings and is sympathetic to the poor. Fasting lessens shaytaan's treachery to the son of Aadam. In fasting there is pietyof Allaah, and piety of Allaah strengthens the bonds between the individuals of the community.
Shaykh Ibn al-'Uthaymeen / (Fataawa Ramadan, Volume 1/Page 37/Fatwa No.10), also (Fiqh al-'Ibaadaat libni 'Uthaymeen, Page 170)/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The virtues of feeding the fasting person

Question : Some people hold banquets and give invitations in Ramadan making it a month of occasions. Others slaughter, and distribute the meat, in charity andmake other types of effort with food. What is the ruling regarding this?
Response : Yes, offering food in Ramadan has extra virtue due to the nobility of the time and the need that the fasting people havefor food. The Prophet (sal-Allaahu`alayhe wa sallam) said: ((Whoever feeds a fasting person will have a reward like that of his reward (i.e. the one fasting))), so preparing food in this month for the needy is from the best of actions because (the reward for giving) charity in the month of Ramadan is multiplied more than in the other months.
Shaykh Ibn Fowzaan / (Fataawa Ramadan, Volume 1/Page 38/Fatwa No.11), also (al- Fataawa libni Fowzaan - Kitaab ad-Da'wah, Volume 1/ Page 153-154)/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The ruling concerning neglecting to fast

Question : What is the ruling regarding a Muslim who neglected to fast without a permissible excuse for a number of years? He was fulfilling the other obligations upon him. Doeshe make them up or seek to expiate them? How would he make these months up if he had to?
Response : The ruling regarding a person who neglected to fast inRamadan whilst he was eligible for that, whether male or female, is that he has disobeyed Allaah and His Messenger and has fallen into a major sin. It is upon him torepent to Allaah due to this, as well as having to make up all that he missed. He must also feed a poor person for each day he missed if he is able to do so. If heis a poor person and cannot feedthem, then it is enough for him tomake up the days along with repentance. This is because fasting in Ramadan is a great obligation. Allaah ordained it upon the Muslims and the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) has mentioned that it is one of the five pillars of Islaam. If he denies the obligation of fasting Ramadan then he is, by that, a disbeliever, belying Allaah and His Messenger. He must be asked to repent from the one in authority through the Islaamic courts. If he does not repent it is obligatory to kill him due to his apostasy, and due to the saying of the Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) that"…whoever changes his religion (from Islaam) then kill him." Reported by Bukhaaree. However,if he did not fast due to illness or travel there is no sin upon him. It is obligatory upon him to make up these fasts once he has recovered from his illness or returned from his travel due to Allaah's saying in the Qur.aan:"and he who was ill or on a journey the prescribed period should be made up by days later".[Soorah al-Baqarah, Aayah 185].
Shaykh Ibn Baaz / (Fataawa Ramadan, Volume 1/Page 50/Fatwa No.17)/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The ruling concerning leaving off fasting due tolaziness

Question : Is a person who leavesoff fasting due to laziness and heedlessness like the one that leaves off prayer in the respect that he is a disbeliever (kaafir)?
Response : The one that leaves off fasting out of heedlessness and laziness is not a disbeliever. That is because the basic rule is that a person remains upon his Islaam until sufficient proof shows that he is outside Islaam. There is no proof that the personthat leaves off fasting is outside the fold of Islaam if he left it due to laziness and heedlessness. Thisis not the same as prayer because the texts from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) and the sayings of thecompanions all show that the person that leaves off praying through heedlessness and laziness is a disbeliever (kaafir.). 'Abdullaah ibn Shaqeeq said:"…the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) didn't consider as disbelief (kufr) the leaving off of any actions except prayer". It is obligatory to call thisperson who is neglecting to fast due to laziness and heedlessness to fast. If he refuses he should bebanished until he fasts.
Shaykh Ibn al-'Uthaymeen / (Fataawa Ramadan, Volume 1/Page 51/Fatwa No.18)/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The ruling and wisdom behind fasting

Question : What is the ruling of and the wisdom behind fasting?
Response : With Allaah lies all success. As for its wisdom, Allaah(subhaanahu wa-ta'aala) mentioned a very incorporating meaning in that regard: {O you who believe fasting has been prescribed for upon you as it wasprescribed upon those that came before you that you may attain taqwaa (piety)} [Soorah al-Baqarah, Aayah 183]. It incorporates everything the people have mentioned with regard to its wisdom.
Taqwaa is a comprehensive wordfor everything that Allaah (subhaanahu wa-ta'aala) loves and is pleased with from actions which are desirable and from abandoning prohibitions. So fasting is the greatest way to reach this goal which is the goal of the pleasure of the servant in his worldly life and his Hereafter;
The fasting person seeks closeness to Allaah (subhaanahu wa-ta'aala) by avoiding all desires, giving love of Allaah precedence over the love of his self. For this reason, Allaah specified it out of the other actions by attributing it to Himself, as in the authentic hadeeth;
It is from the principles of taqwaa, as Islaam is not completewithout it; o It causes an increasein faith, and attainment of patience and in it is training one's self upon hardships that bring one close to the Lord of theHeavens;
It is a cause of increase of one's good deeds, prayer, reciting (the Qur.aan), remembrance (dhikr) and charity that actualizes at-taqwaa;
In it is prevention of the self fromHaraam (prohibited) things, of prohibited action and speech which is the pillar of Taqwaa. In the authentic hadeeth: ((Whoeverdoes not abandon false speech and acting upon that, Allaah is in no need of his abandoning his food and drink)). So the servant seeks closeness to Allaah (subhaanahu wa-ta'aala) throughavoiding prohibitions altogether, and they are:
"False speech" - and that is every haraam (prohibited) speech;
"Acting upon that" - and that is every haraam (prohibited) action;
Leaving every haraam thing that obstructs the fast and that is those thing things which break the fast.
So, since in fasting there are advantages, benefits and attainment of all good and reward, that which necessitates its prescription at all times, Allaah (subhaanahu wa-ta'aala) told thatit was prescribed upon us as it was prescribed upon those before us. This is His affair with all His Laws that have universal advantages.
As for its rulings: all the "al ahkaam at takleefiyyah" Islaamic rulings could apply to it in accordance with the differing reasons behind it:
As for the obligatory (waajib & fardh): 1) It includes fasting Ramadan upon every Muslim that is Islamically bound by the `Eed and is able; 2) It also includes the fast that a person vows to do; 3) It includes the fasts of expiation (after having done an act obligating that.)
As for the prohibited fast, it is: 1) Fasting the days of Sharee'ah; 2) Fasting the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah, except for the person who is doing Hajj at-Tamattu' or Qiraan but does not have a sacrifice and did not fast before the Day of Sacrifice; 3)Also included in the haraam fast is the fast of menstruating woman and the woman in post-natal bleeding; 4) Also, the illperson that fears death (as a result of fasting); 5) Also, it is obligatory to break the fast upon the one that needs to in order to save a sinless soul from jeopardy - (meaning the baby in the mother's womb.
The fast which is recommended (sunnah) is the supererogatory fast, the restricted and the unrestricted;
As for the fast that is disliked (makrooh), it is the fast of the ill person who feels hardship in doing that;
The permissible fast (jaa.iz): the fasting of a traveler. It is permissible for him to fast or not particularly if he traveled in a day in which he began fasting beforetraveling.
Shaykh as-Sa'dee / (Fataawa Ramadan, Volume 1/Pages 34-36/Fatwa No.8), also (al-Irshaad ilaa Ma'rifatil Ahkaam, Pages 82-84)/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Meaning of Eid

Eid means recurring happiness or festivity. There are two such Eid in
Islam. The first is called Eidal-Fitr (the Festival of Fast Breaking).
It falls on the first day of Shawwaal, the tenth month of the Muslim
year, following the month of Ramadhaan in which the Holy Qur'an was
revealed and which is the month of fasting.
The second is called Eid al-Adhaa (the Festival of sacrifice). It
falls on the tenth day of Zulhijjah, the final month of the Muslim
year. The Islamic Eid are unique in every way. To them there can be
nothingsimilar in any other religion or any other sociopolitical
system. Besides their highly spiritual and moral characteristics, they
have matchless qualities.
Each Eid is a wholesome celebration of a remarkable achievement of the
individual Muslim in the service of Allah SWT. The first Eid comes
after anentire month of 'absolute' fasting during the days of the
month. The second Eid marks the completion of Hajj to Mecca, a course
in which the Muslim handsomely demonstrateshis renouncement of the
mundane concerns and hearkens only to the eternal voice of Allah SWT.
Each Eid is a thanksgiving day where Muslims assemble in a brotherly
and joyful atmosphere to offer their gratitude to Allah SWT for
helping them to fulfill their spiritual obligations prior to the Eid.
This form of thanksgiving is not confined to spiritual devotion and
verbal expressions. It goes far beyond that to manifest itself in a
handsome shapeof social and humanitarianspirit. The Muslims who have
completed the fasting of Ramadhaan express their thanks to Allah SWT
by means of distributing alms among the poor and needy on thefirst Eid
before the prayer.
Eid also is a day of remembrance. Even in their most joyful times
theMuslims make a flesh stall of the day by a plural session of
worship to AllahSWT. They pray to Him andglorify His name to
demonstrate their remembrance of His favors. Along with that course,
they remember thedeceased by praying for their souls, the needy by
extending a hand of help, the grieved by showing them sympathy and
consolation, the sick by cheerful visits and utterances of good
wishes,the absentees by cordial greetings and sincere considerateness.
Thus, the meaning of remembrance on the day transcends all limits and
expands over far-reaching dimensions ofhuman life.
Most of the imaam when delivering the Eid khutbah will mention that
Eid is a day of victory. The individual who succeeds insecuring his
spiritual rightsand growth receives the Eid with a victorious spirit.
The individual who faithfully observes the duties, which are
associated with the Eid, is a triumphant one. He proves that he holds
a strong command over his desires, exercises a sound self-control and
enjoys thetaste of disciplinary life.
Once a person acquires these qualities, he has achieved his greatest
victory because the personwho knows how to controlhimself and
discipline his desires is free from sin andwrong, from fear and
cowardice, from vice and indecency, from jealousy and greed, from
humiliation and all other causes of enslavement. Therefore, when he
receives the Eid, which marks the achievement of this freedom, he is
in fact celebrating his victory, andthe Eid thus becomes a day of
victory.
This is the proper meaningof an Islamic Eid. It is a dayof
thanksgiving, a day of festive remembrance and a day of moral victory.
An Islamic Eid is all this and is much more because it is a day of
Islam, a day of AllahSWT. Celebrate this comingEid with the true imaan
and taqwa. InshaaAllah, besides having enjoyment,we will be blessed by
AllahSWT.

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