5] THE HADEETH OF JIBREEL

5]
Preface
Indeed all praise is for Allah. We praise Him andwe seek His aid and
we ask for His forgiveness. We
seek Allahs refuge from the evils of ourselves andfrom our evil deeds.
Whomsoever Allah guides
no-one can misguide him and whomsoever Allaah misguides then there is
none to guide him. I bear
witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, alone,
having no partner and I bear
witness that Muhammadis His slave and His Messenger. To proceed:
Allaah has protected the homeland of Islaam withthe mujaahideen (those
who fight jihaad) and He
has protected the prescribed way of eemaan with the teachers. Since
He, the Most High, says in His
clear Book:
It is not right for the Believers that all of themshould go off to battle.
Rather from every troop of them some of them should remain in order that
they should attain knowledge in the Religion. That they should warn their
people when they returnto them so that they can beware of evil.
[Soorah at-Tawbah
(9):122].
So Allaah, the Perfect, placed the Believers into two groups. On one
of them He has made it
obligatory that they fightjihaad in His way. And upon the other one,
He has made it obligatory that
they attain knowledge ofHis Religion, in order that not all of them go
off to fight jihaad. Because if
they all went off to fight jihaad, then the prescribed laws would pass
away and knowledge would
pass away. Then it would not be possible for them to seek knowledge
after that and so the
unbelievers would therefore gain dominance over the Religion. Thus,
Allaah has raised up high the
levels of the two groups of people.1 And the great scholar Ibn
Qayyimal-Jawziyyah (may Allaahhave
mercy on him) said in hisbook, Miftaah Daaris-Sa'aadah, [vol.1,
pp.50~51]. "And Allaah, the Perfect,
has informed in His Bookabout the raising high ofthe levels four
times. Thefirst of them is His
saying:
O you who believe, when it is said to you to make space in the gatherings,
then make space such that Allaah may grant you spacious dwellings in
Paradise and if it is said to you, `Arise,' then rise up. Allaah will raise up
those of you who have Eemaan and those of you who have knowledge in
ranks. And Allaah is fully aware of whatever you do. [Soorah al-Mujaadilah
(58):11].
The second aayah is His saying:
The Believers are only those who, when Allaah is mentioned, their hearts
tremble with fear. And when His signs are recited to them, it increases
them in Eemaan and they depend upon their Lord. They are those who
establish the prayer and spend out of that which Allaah has provided for
them. They are the true Believers, they have ranks with their Lord and
they have forgiveness and generous provision in Paradise from their Lord.
[Soorah al-Anfaal (6):2~4].
And the third aayah is the saying of Allaah, the Most High:
And whomever comes toAllaah as a true Believer, having done righteous
and correct deeds, then for them there are the high ranks. [Soorah Taa Haa
(20):75].
1 Taken from the introduction of Al-Faqeeh wal-Mutafaqqih, the book of
al-Khateeb al-Baghdaadee, and has been adapted
slightly.
And the fourth aayah is the saying of Allaah, the Most High:
Indeed Allaah has preferred the ones who fight jihaad over those who sit,
with a very great reward:degrees of higher gradesfrom Him and
forgiveness and mercy. [Soorah an-Nisaa (4):95~96].
So these are four places. In three of them, the raising up of the
ranks is for the people of Eemaan,
that is those who have the beneficial knowledge (al-'ilm un-naafi')
and righteous and correct action
(al-'amalus-Saalih). And the fourth aayah mentions the raising up of
ranks due to jihaad. So all of
the aayahs about the raising up of ranks refer back to knowledge and
jihaad, which are the two
supports of this Religion."
And from this we see that the scholars, (who have the correct
knowledge and wisdom,and teach
people the knowledge insuch a manner that they teach them the easy
things first and then the
harder things) those by whom the proof is established, and by whose
sayings doubts are removed in
the sittings of knowledge and whose sittings are fields where the
souls are purified, and in the fields
of calling to Allaah-(we see) that they are like those fighting jihaad
in the way of Allaah, those who
rebut the enemy and those who cut off the desires of the Unbelievers,
who go to the battlefronts
defending the frontiers.
And this understanding is reported from a group of the first Salaf,
Abud-Dardaa (radiyallaahu 'anhu)
said, "Whoever holds that going off in the morning or going off later
in the day to gain some
knowledge is not jihaad,then he is deficient in hisintellect and
deficient in his opinion."
And Ka'b al-Ahbaar said,"The student of knowledge is like the one who
goes off in the morning, or
later in the day to fight in the way of Allaah, the Mighty and the Majestic. :->

FACTS OF RAMADAN

FASTING
Assalamualaikum
The Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. TheMonth of Ramadan
isalso when it is believed the Holy Quran "was sent down from heaven,
aguidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of
Salvation"
It is during this month that Muslims fast. It is called the Fast of
Ramadan andlasts the entire month. Ramadan is atime when Muslims
concentrate on their faith and spend less time on the concernsof their
everyday lives. It is a time of worship and contemplation
During the Fast of Ramadan strict restraints are placed on the daily
lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat ordrink during the
daylight hours. Smoking and sexual relations are also forbidden during
fasting. At the end ofthe day the fast is broken with prayer and a
meal called theiftar. In the evening following the iftar it is
customary for Muslims to go out visiting family and friends. The fast
is resumed the next morning
According to the Holy Quran:
One may eat and drink at any time during the night"until you can
plainlydistinguish a white thread from a black thread by the daylight:
then keep the fast until night"
The good that is acquired through the fast can be destroyed by five things -
the telling of a lie
slander
denouncing someone behind his back
a false oath
greed or covetousness
These are consideredoffensive at all times,but are most offensive
during the Fast of Ramadan
During Ramadan, it is common for Muslims to go to the Masjid (Mosque)
and spend several hours praying and studyingthe Quran. In addition to
the five daily prayers, during Ramadan Muslims recite a special prayer
called the Taraweeh prayer (Night Prayer). The length of this prayer
is usually 2-3 times as long as the daily prayers. Some Muslims spend
the entire night in prayer
On the evening of the 27th day of the month, Muslims celebrate the
Laylat-al-Qadr (the Night of Power). It is believedthat on this night
Muhammad first received the revelation of the Holy Quran. And
according to the Quran, this is when God determines the course of the
world for the following year
When the fast ends (the first day of the month of Shawwal) it is
celebrated for three days in a holiday called Id-al-Fitr (the Feast of
FastBreaking). Gifts are exchanged. Friends and family gather to pray
in congregationand for large meals. In some cities fairs are held to
celebrate the end of the Fast ofRamadan.
Special Characteristics of Ramadan
1. Observing the fourth pillar of Islam has been prescribed during
this month, and it is one of the best means by whicha person attains
piety and forgiveness of sins.
2. The first revelationof the Qur'an as guidance for humanity was
given to the Prophet (pbuh) during this month.
3. The sunnah of performing the tarawih prayer is observed during this month.
4. Ramadan containsLaylatul-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months.
5. The great battle ofBadr between the Muslims and the unbelievers
took place during Ramadan in the second year of the Hijrah.
6. The Muslims re-entered Makkah victorious during Ramadan in the
eighth year of the Hijrah. After this conquest people began to enter
the fold of Islam in multitudes, and Makkah became free of polytheism
and evil.
Benefits from Ramadan
1. It strengthens one's ties with Allah and trains the soul toobserve
duties of devotion in accordance with the teachings of the Qur'an and
Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).
2. It enforces patience and determination in theMuslim individual.
3. It promotes the principle of sincerity by keeping the Muslim away
from arrogance and showing off, since it is an act between the
individual and his Creator.
4. It promotes good character, particularly truthfulness and trust-worthiness.
5. It encourages the Muslim to do away with bad habits and change
his/her circumstances for the better.
6. It enhances generosity, hospitality, and spending on charitable causes.
7. It reinforces feelings of unity and brotherhood among Muslims.
8. It instills orderliness and closeobservance of the value of time.
9. It serves as an opportunity for children to perform acts of
obedience and to practice Islamic acts of worship.
10. It offers a chanceto balance one's attention to both physical and
spiritualneeds.

4a] Disturbed by waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and evil thoughts

4a]
The fact that you hate that and your heart recoils from it is a clear
sign of faith. Waswaas happens to everyone whoturns to Allaah by
reciting dhikr etc. It is inevitable, but you have to be steadfast and
patient, andpersevere with your dhikrand prayer, and not give up,
because in this way you will ward off the plot of the Shaytaan. "Ever
feeble indeed is the plot of Shaytaan" [al-Nisa' 4:76– interpretation
of the meaning]. Every time a person wants to turn to Allaah, waswaas
brings other matters to mind. The Shaytaan is like a bandit: every
time a person wants to move towards Allaah, he wants to block the way.
Hence when it was said to one of the salaf that the Jews and
Christians say, "We donot experience waswaas,"he said, "They are
speaking the truth, for what would the Shaytaan do with a house in
ruins?"
(From Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, 22/608).
The remedy:
1 – If you feel that you are being affected by this waswaas, say,
"Aamantu Billaahi wa Rasoolihi (I believe in Allaah and His
Messenger)." It was narrated from 'Aa'ishah that the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The Shaytaan
comes to one of you and says, 'Who created you?' And he says 'Allaah.'
Then the Shaytaan says, 'Who created Allaah?' If that happens to any
one of you, let him say, AamantuBillaahi wa Rusulihi (I believe in
Allaah and His Messenger). Then that willgo away from him."
(Narrated by Ahmad, 25671; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in al-Saheehah, 116).
2 – Try to stop thinking about that as much as possible, and keep busy
with things that will distract you from it.
Finally we advise you to keep on turning to Allaah in all situations,
and to ask Him for help, and to beseech Him, and to ask Him to make
you steadfast until death, and to cause you to die doing righteous
deeds… And Allaah knows best.

4] Disturbed by waswaas (whispers from the Shaytaan) and evil thoughts

4]
When I do Salah or intendto do good deeds I often get very evil
thoughts in my mind. When I concentrate in Salah, and try to focus on
the meaning of the words, evil thoughts enter my mind, which make evil
suggestions about everything including Allah. I feel very
frustratedand angry about this. I know that none forgives sins except
Allah alone, but because of my thoughts I feel that there is nothing
worse than to have evil thoughts about Allah. After Salah I ask
Allah's forgiveness, but feel very bad because I want to stop these
evil thoughts, but I can't stop them. These thoughts spoil my
enjoyment of Salah, and also make me feel as though I am doomed.
Please advise me.
Praise be to Allaah.
Evil whispers during prayer and at other times come from the Shaytaan,
who is keen to misguide the Muslim and deprive him of good and keep it
far away from him. One ofthe Sahaabah complained to the Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about waswaas during
prayer, and he said: "The Shaytaan comes between me and my prayers and
my recitation, confusing me therein." The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "That is a devil called
Khanzab. If he affects you seek refuge in Allah from him and spit
drily to your left three times." He [the Sahaabi] said, I did that and
Allaah took him awayfrom me.
(Narrated by Muslim, 2203)
Proper focus (khushoo') is the essence of prayer. Prayer without
proper focus is like a body without a soul. The following are two of
the things that help one to develop the proper focus:
1 - Striving to think aboutwhat you are saying and doing, pondering
the meanings of the Qur'aan, dhikr and du'aa's that youare reciting;
bearing in mind that you are conversing with Allaah as if you can see
Him. For when the worshipper stands to pray, he is speaking to his
Lord, and ihsaan means worshipping Allaah as if you are seeing Him,
and knowing that even though you cannot see Him, He sees you. Every
time a person experiencesthe sweetness of prayer, he will be more
inclined to do it. [?]. This depends of the strength of one's faith -
and there are many means of strengthening one's faith. Hence the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, "Of the
things of your world, women and perfume have been made dear to me, and
my joy is in prayer." According to another hadeeth he said, "Let us
relax, O Bilal, with prayer," and he did not say, Give us a break from
it.
2 - Striving to ward off the things that may distract you during
prayer, namely thinking about things that are irrelevant or
distracting. Waswaas affects each person differently, because waswaas
has to do with a person's level ofdoubts and desires and the degree to
which a person is attached to other things or is fearing other things.
(From Majmoo' Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, 22/605)
With regard to what you say about the waswaas reaching such a great
level that you have begunto experience waswaas that makes you think
about Allaah in ways that are not appropriate, theseare evil whispers
from theShaytaan. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And if an evil whisper from Shaytaan (Satan) tries to turn you away
(O Muhammad) (from doing good), then seek refuge inAllaah. Verily, He
is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower"
[Fussilat 41:36]
Some of the Sahaabah complained about the waswaas that was bothering
[?] them. Some of the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) cameto the Prophet (peace
andblessings of Allaah be upon him) and said to him, 'We find in
ourselves thoughts that are too terrible to speak of.' He said, 'Are
you really having such thoughts?' They said, 'Yes.' He said, 'That is
a clear sign of faith.'" (Narrated by Muslim). (Narrated by Muslim,
132 from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah).
Al-Nawawi said in his commentary on this hadeeth: "The Prophet's
words, 'That is a clear signof faith' means, the fact that think of
this waswaas as something terrible is a clear sign of faith, for if
you dare not utter it and you are so afraid of it and of speaking of
it, let alone believing it, this is the sign of one who has achieved
perfect faith andwho is free of doubt."
And it was said that what it means is that the Shaytaan only whispers
tothose whom he despairs of tempting, because he isunable to tempt
them. As for the kaafir, he can approach him in any manner he wants
and is not restricted to waswaas,rather he can play with him however
he wants. Based on this, what the hadeeth means is that thecause of
waswaas is pure faith, or that waswaas is asign of pure faith. :->

Al-Itikaaf- Is i’tikaaf in musallas and Islamic centres valid?

Is it permissible to observe i'tikaaf in musallas or Islamic centres
(in which the five daily prayers and Jumu'ahprayer are offered), or is
itpermissible only in masjids? May Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is only valid to observe i'tikaaf in masjids, becauseAllaah says
(interpretationof the meaning): "And do not have sexual relations with
them (your wives) while you are in I'tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in
a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities)
in the mosques" [al-Baqarah 2:187].
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
The evidence in this verse indicates that if it (i'tikaaf)were valid
in places other than the mosque, the prohibition on intimacy with
one's wife would notbe singled out for prohibition there because
intercourse is contrary to i'tikaaf according to scholarly consensus.
So it is known, from mention of the mosques, that whatis meant is that
i'tikaaf can only be in the mosques. Ibn al-Mundhir narrated that
there was scholarly consensus that what is meant by "sexual relations"
in this verse is intercourse. Al-Tabari and others narrated via
Qataadah that the reason for revelation of this versewas that if they
were in i'tikaaf, and a man went for some need and met his wife, he
had intercourse with her if he wanted, so this verse was revealed. End
quote.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (3/65):
I'tikaaf is not permissible except in a mosque in which prayers in
congregation are held.
I'tikaaf is not valid anywhere except in a mosque if the person
observing i'tikaaf is a man. We do not know of any difference of
opinion among the scholars concerning this. The basic principle
concerning that is the words of Allaah (interpretation of the
meaning): "And do not have sexual relations withthem (your wives)
while you are in I'tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for
prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the
mosques" [al-Baqarah 2:187]. End quote.
Al-Nawawi said in al-Majmoo' (6/505):
I'tikaaf on the part of a man or of a woman is notvalid anywhere
except in the mosque. It is not validin the prayer-place of a woman's
house or the prayer-place of a man's house, which is a separatearea
set aside for prayer. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Shar'i i'tikaaf must be in the mosques, because Allaah says
(interpretationof the meaning): (interpretation of the meaning): "…
while you are in I'tikaaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for
prayers and invocations leaving the worldly activities) in the
mosques" [al-Baqarah 2:187].
End quote from Fataawa Noor 'ala al-Darb (8/176)
See also the answer to question no. 48985
Based on this, i'tikaaf in musallas or Islamic centres is not valid.
And Allaah knows best.

Al-Itikaaf - Ruling on allocating some mosques for i‘tikaaf and not others

In our country the state allocates some mosques for people to observe
i'tikaaf in, and there are other mosques that are not allocated for
i'tikaaf. There are some people who want to observe i'tikaaf in these
mosques, I mean the ones that are not allocated by the state.Are the
employees of these mosques sinning if they prevent these peoplefrom
observing i'tikaaf there, in accordance with the instructions of the
government? Are they included in the words of Allah (interpretation of
the meaning): "And who are more unjust than those who forbid that
Allaah's Name be glorifiedand mentioned much (i.e. prayers and
invocations) in Allaah's mosques" [al-Baqarah 2:114]? If they are
sinning by doing that, what about obeying the authorities?
Especiallysince there are other mosques allocated for i'tikaaf. Please
advise us, may Allah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Mosques are the most honoured places on Earth;they are the houses of
Allah and were built for His worship by praying, reading Qu''aan,
remembering Allah, seeking and teaching Islamic knowledge, and
i'tikaaf. Concerning this, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) said: "… rather they [mosques] are for the remembrance of
Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, and prayer, and reading
Qur'aan." Narrated by Muslim (285).
Every Muslim has the rightto enter the mosques and worship Allah
there, so long as he does that in the prescribed fashion. Based on
that, whoever wants to observe i'tikaaf in some mosque has the right
to do that, and no one has the right to prevent him from doing so. The
one who prevents him may be included in the meaning of this verse
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And who are more unjustthan those who forbid that Allaah's Name be
glorified and mentioned much (i.e. prayers and invocations) in
Allaah's mosques and strive for their ruin? It was not fitting that
such should themselves enter them (Allaah's mosques) except in fear.
For them there is disgrace in this world, andthey will have a great
torment in the Hereafter"
[al-Baqarah 2:114].
i.e., no one is more unjust than those who do this.
This prohibition is reinforced if it is done because these people who
are observing i'tikaafare keen to follow the Sunnah and warn people
against innovation and tell them not to cause mischief on earth, so
restrictions are put on them to prevent them from observing i'tikaaf
in the houses of Allah.
Whoever strives -- in this case -- to prevent people from observing
i'tikaaf and staying in the mosques to pray, read theQur'aan and
remember Allah, is sinning and comes under the warning mentioned in
this verse. The one who helps him todo that is like him.
As for the employees of the mosques, if they can take a stance for the
sake of Allah against preventing people from observing i'tikaaf in the
mosques unjustly, this is what they should do, and they cannot afford
to do anything else. If they cannot do that, then they should be
gentle with the one who wants to observe i'tikaaf and ask him to
change his mind, because it is not wise for a person to observe
i'tikaaf in the mosque andthus cause harm to his Muslim brothers.
It may be better for him and for the Muslims to observe i'tikaaf in
the mosques where i'tikaaf is permitted, so that a large number of
Muslims will come together, and perhaps that will be a means of
teaching them some Islamic rulings that they do not know, or one of
them may receive sincere advice (naseehah) that will benefit him.
Secondly:
Prohibiting i'tikaaf in some mosques may be acceptable if the mosque
is small and does not have enough room for theworshippers, in which
case observing i'tikaaf there would bother the worshippers and make
the place even more overcrowded.
And Allah knows best.

3a] Ruling on observing i‘tikaaf in a room that is separate from the mosque

the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because the
houses of theMessenger had doors that opened into the mosque, but
despite that they were houses and the Messenger (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) did not go out to them [i.e., during i'tikaaf].
So to be on the safe side, the one who is observing i'tikaaf should
not do it there. But the custom of people nowadays is that rooms that
are in the mosques are regarded as being part of the mosque.
End quote from Sharh al-Kaafi.

And Allah knows best.

3] Ruling on observing i‘tikaaf in a room that is separate from the mosque

3]
Our mosque has two places that are separate, outside the mosque. We
had got used to praying in this place, but since construction on the
mosque was completed, we pray inside the mosque. Is it permissible for
us to observe i'tikaaf in these two places?.
Praise be to Allaah.
I'tikaaf means staying in the mosque to worship Allah, and it is
something that is done only in the mosques and is not valid if done
elsewhere.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allahhave mercy on him) said: I'tikaaf observed
anywhere but in a mosque is not valid if the person observing i'tikaaf
is a man. We do not knowof any difference among the scholars
concerning this. The basic principle with regard to that is the verse
in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "And do not have
sexual relations withthem (your wives) while you are in I'tikaaf (i.e.
confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invocations leaving the
worldly activities) in the mosques" [al-Baqarah 2:187]. So it is
something that is only for the mosques. If it were valid to preserve
i'tikaaf anywhere else, the prohibition on intimacy would not have
been mentioned only with regard to the mosques, because intimacy is
forbidden during i'tikaaf in all cases. According to the hadeeth of
'Aa'ishah, she said: "The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) used to put his head into (my room) when he was in
the mosque, and I would comb his hair. He did not enter the house
except for some need when he was observing i'tikaaf." Al-Daaraqutni
narrated with his isnaad from al-Zuhri, from 'Urwah and Sa'eed ibn
al-Musayyab from 'Aa'ishah in a hadeeth: The Sunnah is for the person
who is observing i'tikaaf not to go out except for necessary purposes,
and there is no i'tikaaf except in a mosque where prayers are offered
in congregation (jamaa 'ah).
End quote from al-Mughni, 3/65
With regard to this separate place, it does notseem that it is part of
the mosque that is built for prayer, so it is not valid toobserve
i'tikaaf there. The guideline in defining whatis included in the rooms
of the mosque and what is not included is as follows:
1. If the room that is connected to the mosque was built to be a
mosque, i.e., the builder of the mosque intended it to be part of the
mosque in which prayers are offered,then it comes under the same
rulings as the mosque and it is permissible to observe i'tikaaf there,
and women who are menstruating or bleeding following childbirth
(nifaas) should not be allowed to enter it.
But if it was intended to be extra space for teaching or holding
meetings, or as accommodation for the imam or muezzin, and notas a
place for prayer, it does not come under the same rulings as a mosque
in that case.
2. If the intention of theone who built the mosque is not known,
then the basic principle is that whatever is within the wall of the
mosque and has a door into the mosque comes under the same rulings as
the mosque.
3. The courtyard that is enclosed within the wall of the mosque
comes under the same rulings as the mosque.
Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The walls of the mosque,
both inside and outside, comes under the same rulings as the mosque
andit is obligatory to protect them and respect their sanctity. The
same appliesto its roof, the well inside it, and its courtyard.
Al-Shaafa'i and his companions (may Allah have mercy on them) stated
that it is valid to observe i'tikaaf in its courtyard or on its roof,
and the prayer of one who follows an imam who is inside the mosque in
these places is valid.
End quote from al-Majmoo', 2/207
It says in Mataalib Ooli al-Nuha (2/234): Also included as part of the
mosque are its roof and its enclosed courtyard. Al-Qaadi said: If it
has a wall and gate, then they are like the mosque, because they are
part of itand belong to it. If it is not enclosed, then it does not
come under the same rulings as the mosque. Also part of the mosque
isthe minaret, if it or its door is in the mosque; butif it or its
gate is outside, even if they are close, andthe person who is
observing i'tikaaf goes out to them to give the adhaan, his i'tikaaf
is rendered invalid. End quote.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy onhim) was asked: With
regard to a room that is inside the mosque, is it permissible to
observe i'tikaaf in it? He replied: That depends. The one who studies
the words of the fuqaha' in general willsay that it is part of the
mosque, because they saythat the room that is enclosed by the walls of
the mosque are part of the mosque. But the one who thinks that it was
not built as part of the mosque and that it is a room for the imam,
will regard it as being like the houses of the Messenger (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him), :->

2a] Fasting lasts until the sun sets and is not as some of the Shi’ah say

2a]
He said: It is still day. He said:Dismount and make saweeq for us. So
he dismounted and made saweeq for them, and the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) drank it, then he said: When you see that
night has come from here,then let the fasting person break his fast.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This hadeeth indicates that it is mustahabb to hasten to break the
fast and that it is not permissible to refrain from eating and
drinking for any part of the night at all; rather as soon as it is
established that the sunhas set, it is permissible tobreak the fast.
End quote.
Fath al-Baari, 4/197.
Moreover, the fact that there is consensus among the Muslims regarding
breaking the fast and eating as soon as one hears the muezzin give the
call to Maghrib prayer when the sun disappears is evidence that this
is thetruth and the one who goes against that is following something
other than the way of the believers and has introduced something into
the religion for whichhe has no proof or reportsfrom the scholars.
Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Maghrib comes immediately after the sunhas set, and this is something
on which thereis consensus. Something concerning this was narrated
from the Shi'ah to which no attention should be paid and which has no
basis. End quote.
Sharh Muslim, 5/136
In fact, in many of the books of the Shi'ah it mentions that on which
there is consensus among the Muslims concerning this matter. Some of
themnarrated from Ja'far al-Saadiq (may Allah have mercy on him) that
he said: "When the sun sets, it becomes permissible to break the fast
and it becomes obligatory to offer the prayer." End quote.
Al-Baroojardi narrated from the author of al-Da'aa'im that he said: We
narrated from Ahl al-Bayt -- may the blessings of Allah be uponthem
all -- that there was consensus concerning thatwhich we learned from
the reports from them, that the onset of night which makes it
permissible for the fastingperson to break the fast isthe
disappearance of the sun beneath the western horizon without any
barrier which would prevent seeing it such as amountain or wall and
the like. When the disk disappears beneath the horizon, then the night
has begun and it is permissible to break the fast. End quote.
Jaami' Ahaadeeth al-Shi'ah, 9/165
To sum up: what are some of the Shi'ah do now, of delaying Maghrib
prayer and the breaking of the fast until sometimeafter the sun has
set is contrary to what is indicated by the Holy Qur'aan, the saheeh
Sunnah of the Prophet and the consensus of the Muslims.
Moreover it is contrary to what they themselves narrated from their Imams!
And Allah knows best.

2] Fasting lasts until the sun sets and is not as some of the Shi’ah say

2]
I am asking about the topic of fasting and breaking the fast. I was
speaking to my neighbours who follow the Shi'i madhhab, and they
recited to me a verseof Qur'aan which says thatfasting is from the
time ofthe white thread until night, and it is not until sunset only.
This is what they said to me. I hope that you can advise me, may Allah
reward you with the best of rewards.
Praise be to Allaah.
The time of fasting on which the Muslims are unanimously agreed and
which they have followedfrom the time of the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) and his Companions until the present day
is from the break of the truedawn until when the disk of the sun
disappears completely beneath the horizon. This is indicated by the
Qur'aan and Sunnah and definitive consensus of the Muslims.
Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "then complete your Sawm
(fast) till the nightfall [al-layl]" [al-Baqarah 2:187]. Al-layl
[translated here as nightfall] in the language of the Arabs starts
when the sun sets.
It says in al-Qamoos al-Muheet (1364): al-Layl: from the setting of
the sun until the break of the true dawn or sunrise. End quote.
It says in Lisaan al-'Arab (11/607): al-Layl: comes straight after the
end of al-Nahaar (day), and startswhen the sun sets. End quote.
Al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy onhim) said in his
commentary on this verse:
The words of Allah "then complete your Sawm (fast) till the nightfall"
imply that breaking the fast at the moment of sunset is a shar'i rule.
End quote.
Tafseer al-Qur'aan al-'Azeem, 1/517
In fact some commentators have pointed out that the use of the
preposition ila (till) in this verse also implies hastening, because
that preposition indicates reaching the end and achieving the goal.
Al-'Allaamah al-Taahir ibn 'Ashoor (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Ila al-layl (till the nightfall) means until one achieves that goal
and reaches the night, and thepreposition ila is chosen to indicate
that one should hasten to break the fast when the sun sets, because
the preposition ila means thatthe purpose is achieved then, unlike the
preposition hatta (until). What is meant here is to indicate that the
fast is completed when the night begins. End quote.
Al-Tahreer wa'l-Tanweer, 1/181
All of that is supported by what is narrated in al-Saheehayn from
Ameeral-Mu'mineen 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with
him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peaceof Allah be
upon him) said: "When the night comes from here and the day departs
from here, and the sun sets, then it istime for the fasting person to
break his fast." Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1954) and Muslim (1100).
In this hadeeth the coming of night from the east and the
disappearance of the disk of the sun below the horizon are mentioned
together, which is something that is well known, because darkness
starts from the East as soon as the light of the sun disappears below
the horizon. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The phrase "when night comes from here" means from the east, and what
ismeant is when darkness becomes discernible. In this hadeeth he
mentioned three things, because even though theyare interconnected in
fact,they may appear not to be connected, and it may be thought that
night is coming from the east when it has not yet come,because
something is covering the light of the sun; the same is also true of
the departure of day. Hence it is clarified by the words "and the sun
sets", as an indication that it is essential to confirm that night has
come and day has gone, and that these events occur because of the
setting of the sun and not for any other reason. End quote.
Fath al-Baari, 4/196
Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The scholars said: each of these three things impliesthe other two and
is interconnected with them. Rather he mentioned them togetherbecause
a person may be in a valley and the like in such a way that he
cannotsee the setting of the sun, so he relies on the comingof
darkness and the disappearing of daylight. End quote.
Sharh Muslim, 7/209
Al-Bukhaari (1955) and Muslim (1101) narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn Abi
Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We were with the Messenger
of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on a journey and
he was fasting. When the sun set, he said to one of the people: O So
and so, get up and make saweeq for us (mix it with water so that we
can drink it). He said O Messenger of Allah, why not wait till the
evening? He said: Dismount and make saweeq for us. He said: O
Messenger of Allah, why not wait till the evening? He said: :->

1b] Every cloud has a silver lining

Those who have no heart do not give thanks for theblessings of Allaah,
rather they are arrogant towardsthe creation of Allaah.
9 - The benefit of calamity is that it rescues man from negligence and
alerts him to his shortcomings in keeping his duty to Allaah, so that
he does not think that he is perfect, which would lead to hardening of
his heart and negligence.
Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not humble
themselves (believe with humility)? But their heartsbecame hardened,
and Shaytaan (Satan) made fair-seeming to them thatwhich they used to
do"
[al-An'aam 6:43]
10 - One of the benefits of tribulations and hardships is purification.
Hardships reveal how people really are, and distinguish the good
fromthe bad, the true from thefalse, the believer from the hypocrite.
Allaah says of the Battle of Uhud and what happened to the Muslims on
that day, explaining part of the wisdom behind this trial
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah will not leave the believers in the state in which you are
now, until He distinguishes the wicked from the good"
[Aal 'Imraan 3:179]
So the true nature of all things is shown clearly.
11 - When Muslims help those Muslims who have been afflicted by
calamity,they will be rewarded for that. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The likeness of the believers
intheir mutual love, mercy and compassion is that of the body; when
one part of it suffers, the rest of thebody joins it in staying awake
and suffering fever." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6011; Muslim,2586.
And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "None of you
truly believes until heloves for his brother whathe loves for
himself." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 13; Muslim, 45.
12 - At times of hardship and war we see the true meaning of the words
of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning):
"Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness andpiety)"
[al-Maa'idah 5:2]
Ways of cooperating in da'wah and supporting Islam include: waging
jihad against the kuffaar and hypocrites for the sake of Allaah,
joining with the people of Islamicda'wah in fighting the followers of
kufr and misguidance, and preparing all means and tools for jihad for
the sakeof Allaah.
One of the ways of cooperating in supportingIslam that was invented at
the time of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is
cooperating in killing those who claimed to be Prophets, killing the
leaders of the mushrikeenand the apostates, including those who
insulted the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

1a] Every cloud has a silver lining

1a]
In this case a person will be rewarded for what is in his heart of
loving good and hating evil, and so on,but grief in itself, if it
leads to failure to do that which is enjoined, namelypatience, jihad,
seeking benefits and warding off harm, is forbidden, but if the person
does not give it up, and it is not recorded as a sin for him then he
is fine."
So the one who wishes that Allaah would change his situation without
any effort on his part and thatof others like him needs to understand
this.
6 – Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad).
And We seized them with extremepoverty (or loss in wealth)and loss in
health (with calamities) so that they might humble themselves(believe
with humility)"
[al-'An'aam 6:42]
al-Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: (This means) We sent
(Messengers) to the nations who came before you, and they disbelieved
in Our Messengers and rejected Our signs. So We seized them with
poverty,sickness, calamities and disasters as a mercy from Us to them,
so that they might humble themselvesbefore us and turn to Us at times
of hardship.
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Evil (sins and disobedience to Allaah) has appeared on land andsea
because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil
deeds), that He (Allaah) may make them taste a part of that which they
have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allaah, and
begging His Pardon)"
[al-Room 30:41]
al-Sa'di interprets the word fasaad (translated here as "evil") as
referringto the disasters that develop on land and sea, which are
making people's lives difficult and causing a lot of problems with
regard to their livelihood and well-being.
And the disasters that befall them themselves, such as diseases,
plagues and the like, which happen because of the things their own
hands have wrought of evil deeds that can only lead to bad
consequences.
This phrase "that He (Allaah) may make them taste a part of that which
they have done" means, so that they might know that Allaah is
requiting them for their deeds, so He gives them a foretaste of the
recompense of their deeds in this world, "in order that they may
return (by repenting to Allaah, and begging His Pardon)" i.e., repent
from their deeds that have had this bad effect on them, and set their
affairs straight.
Glory be to the One Who blesses by means of His punishment, for if He
were to make them taste all that they have done, no living creature
would be left alive on earth.
7 – Worship at times of hardship and tribulation has a special flavour
and aspecial reward.
It was narrated from Ma'qil ibn Yasaar that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Worshipping at times of
tribulation and confusion is like migrating to join me." Narrated by
Muslim, 2948.
Al-Nawawi said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, 'Worshipping at times of tribulation and confusion is like
migrating to join me.' The reason why worship at such times is of such
great virtue is thatpeople become negligent about worship and are
distracted from it, and no one focuses on worship except a few."
Al-Qurtubi said: "Tribulation and great hardship will happen untilthe
matter of religion is taken lightly and people will care about nothing
but their worldly affairs and how to earn a living. So worship becomes
very important at times of tribulation, as Muslim narrated from Ma'qil
ibn Yasaar in the marfoo' report: 'Worshipping at times of tribulation
and confusion is like migratingto join me.'"
8 – Blessings that come after pain, hardship and calamity are more
precious to people.
So then they appreciate the blessings of good health and safety as
they should be appreciated.
Another of the benefits of calamity is a reminder of how Allaah has
blessed man, because the man who is created with sight – for example –
forgets the blessing of sight and does not really appreciateit, but if
Allaah tests him with temporary blindness,then restores to him his
sight, he will fully understand the value of this blessing. If things
are always easy a person mayforget this blessing and not be grateful
for it, so Allaah takes it away and then restores it, as a reminder to
him to be grateful for it.
Calamity may remind the person to whom it happens and others of
theblessings of Allaah. So when a person sees one who is insane, he
appreciates the blessing of sanity; when he sees one who is sick, he
appreciates the blessing of sound health. When he sees a kaafir who is
living like cattle, he appreciates the blessing of faith. When he sees
an ignorantman he appreciates the blessing of knowledge. Only the one
whose heart is open will feel this. :->

1] Every cloud has a silver lining

1]
I have seen on TV many ofthe calamities that have befallen the Muslim
ummah, in Palestine our wounds are bleeding; in Chechnya our bodies
are cut; in Afghanistan our houses are destroyed; in the Philippines
and in Kashmir... and now in Iraq.
Tomorrow only Allaah knows who will be meet this fate...
Are these calamities and these disasters that we see good or bad?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Disasters and calamities have been created for a reason, which none
can fully comprehend but Allaah. Some of the thingsthat Allaah has
shown to us indicate this.
1 - Disasters and calamities are a test of thebeliever's patience.
Allaah says (interpretation of themeaning):
"Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as
came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with
severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger
and those whobelieved along with him said, 'When (will come) the Help
of Allaah?' Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allaah is near!"
[al-Baqarah 2:214]
2 - This is a sign of man's weakness and his need for his Lord, and
shows that he cannot succeed unless he realizes his needfor his Lord
and starts beseeching Him.
3 - Calamities are a means of expiation of sin and raising one's
status. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"There is nothing that befalls a believer, not even a thorn that
pricks him, but Allaahwill record one good deedfor him and will remove
one bad deed from him."
Narrated by Muslim.
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Trials will continue to
befall the believing man and woman, with regard to themselves, their
children and their wealth, until they meet Allaah with no sin on
them." Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2399; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, 2280.
And it was narrated that Jaabir said: The Messengerof Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "On the Day of
Resurrection, whenpeople who had suffered affliction are given their
reward, those who were healthy will wish their skins had been cut to
pieces with scissors when they were in the world." Narrated by
al-Tirmidhi, 2402. See al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no. 2206.
4 - One of the reasons for calamities is so that people will not feel
content only with this world. If the world were free of calamities,
man would love it more and feel content with it, and would forget
about the Hereafter. But calamities wake him up from his negligence
and make him strive for the place in which there are no calamities or
trials.
5 - One of the greatest reasons behind calamities and trials is to
warn against falling short in some matters, so that man can make up
for the areas in which he has fallen short. This is like the warning
that is issuedto an employee or student who is falling short. The
purpose behindit is to make him make upfor his shortcomings. If hedoes
that, then all well and good, otherwise he deserves to be punished.
The evidence for that includes the verse (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Verily, We sent (Messengers) to many nations before you (O Muhammad).
And We seized them with extremepoverty (or loss in wealth)and loss in
health (with calamities) so that they might humble themselves(believe
with humility).
When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not humble themselves
(believe with humility)? But their heartsbecame hardened, and Shaytaan
(Satan) made fair-seeming to them thatwhich they used to do"
[al-An'aam 6:42]
Another reason... is as a punishment for those who were previously
warned, but did not benefit from the warning and mend their ways,
andpersisted in their sin. Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"...so We destroyed them for their sins ..."
[al-Anfaal 8:54]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed, We destroyed generations before you when they didwrong,
while their Messengers came to themwith clear proofs, but theywere not
such as to believe! Thus do We requite the people who are Mujrimoon"
[Yoonus 10:13]
"And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a
definite order (to obey Allaah and be righteous) to those among them
[or We (first)increase in number those of its population] who lead a
life of luxury. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of
torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with
complete destruction"
[al-Isra' 17:16]
Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaahhave mercy on him) said: "Grief may be
accompanied by that for which a person will be rewarded and praised,
so it may be good in that sense, not that grief is good in and of
itself, such as one who feels sad for falling short in religious
matters or for calamities that befall the Muslims. :->

If a person sneezes several times in a row, when is it prescribed to say “Yarhamuk Allah” to him?

My brother sneezes 5 times in a row! do i have to say yarhamukullah
after every sneeze, or can i just wait and say it once at the end?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Saying "Yarhamuk Allah (may Allah have mercy on you)" to a person who
sneezes, if he says "Al hamdu Lillah (praise be to Allah)," is a
communal obligation, in the sense that if one person says it, the
obligation is waived for the others. If no one among those who hear
him says it, then all have sinned, because of the report narrated by
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger
of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)said: "There are
five things that the Muslim must do for his brother: returning the
greeting of salaam, saying 'Yarhamuk Allah' to one who sneezes…"
Narrated by Muslim (4022)
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Our
companions and others differed concerning visiting one who is sick,
saying "Yarhamuk Allah" to one who sneezes and initiating the greeting
of salaam. What the texts indicate is that these things are waajib
(obligatory), and it is said that it is a communal obligation.
End quote from al-Fataawa al-Kubra, 1/443
Secondly:
If a person sneezes more than three times, you should not say
"Yarhamuk Allah" to him; rather you should pray for well-being for
him, because of what is narrated in al-Muwatta' (1521) from 'Abdullah
ibn Abi Bakr from his father, that the Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him)said: "If he sneezes, say 'Yarhamuk
Allah' to him; then if he sneezes, say 'Yarhamuk Allah'to him; then if
he sneezes, say 'Yarhamuk Allah' to him; then if he sneezes, say: 'You
have a cold." 'Abdullah said: I do not know whether that is after the
third or fourth time.
And it was narrated that Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased
with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him)said: "The one who sneezes may be told Yarhamuk-Allaah
three times; if he sneezes more than that, he has a cold." Narrated by
Ibn Maajah (3704); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Ibn
Maajah.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If a person sneezes
several times in a row, the Sunnah is to say "Yarhamuk Allah" each
time until he reachesthree. We narrated in Saheeh Muslim, Sunan Abi
Dawood and at-Tirmidhi from Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased
with him) that he heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) say, when a man sneezed in his presence, "Yarhamuk Allah."
Then he sneezed again, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him)said: "The man has a cold." This wording is the
report narrated by Muslim.
As for the report narrated by Abu Dawood and at-Tirmidhi, they said: A
man sneezed in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) whilst I [the narrator] was watching, and
theMessenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)said:
"Yarhamuk Allah." Then theman sneezed a second or third time and the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Yarhamuk Allah, this is a man who has a cold."
At-Tirmidhi said: A saheeh hasanhadeeth. End quote from Kitaab al-Adhkaar, 1/273
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it
obligatory to say "Yarhamuk Allah" to one who sneezes once, and if he
sneezes three times to repeat that three times or more?
He replied: If he sneezes three times and you say "Yarhamuk Allah"
each time, then after the third sneeze you should say to him: "
'Aafaaka Allah (may Allah grant you well-being); because that is a
cold, so say: May Allah grant you well-being; you have a cold. All you
have to say is: May Allah grant you well-being, and you may add: You
have a cold.
End quote from Liqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh, no. 127
And Allah knows best.

Can the same soorah berepeated in prayer?

I dont know many suras as I am still learing.Was wondering for tarweeh
prayers can i repeatly say the same ones?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with repeating the same soorah in Taraweeh
prayer, or in any other prayer. A person may recite a soorah in the
first rak'ah and repeat the same soorah in the second. The evidence
for that is the general meaning of the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, your Lord knows that you do stand (to prayat night) a little
less than two thirds of the night, orhalf the night, or a third of the
night, and also a party of those with you. And Allaah measures the
night and the day. He knows that you are unable to pray the whole
night, so He has turned to you (in mercy). So, recite you of the
Qur'aan as much as may be easy for you"
[al-Muzzammil 73:20]
Abu Dawood narrated (816) from Mu'aadh ibn 'Abd-Allaah al-Juhani that
a man from Juhaynah toldhim that he heard the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) reciting Idha zulzilat al-ard
[al-Zalzalah 99] in both rak'ahs of Fajr prayer and (he said) I do not
know whether the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) forgot or he recited that deliberately. This report was
classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
'Abd al-'Azeem Abaadi said:
The Sahaabah were uncertain as to whether the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) repeated the soorah because he
forgot, as it was his habit to recite a different soorah inthe second
rak'ah to whathe had recited in the first, so that was not prescribed
for his ummah,or he did it deliberately toshow that it is permissible.
So it is uncertain as to whether itis permissible to repeat a soorah
or not. If it is not clear whether it is permissible or not, then it
is more appropriate to interpret what the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) did as meaningthat it is permissible, because
the basic principle concerning his actions is that they were done to
show what is prescribed, and the idea that he forgot goes against that
principle.
'Awn al-Ma'bood, 3/23
Indeed, there is nothing wrong with repeating a soorah or a verse
within the same rak'ah.
Al-Nasaa'i (1010) and Ibn Maajah (1350) narrated that Abu Dharr (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) stoodreciting a verse and repeating it until
morningcame. That verse was: "If You punish them, they areYour slaves,
and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You, are the All-Mighty,
the All-Wise" [al-Maa'idah 5:118]. Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in
Saheeh al-Nasaa'i.
Al-Bukhaari (5014) narrated from Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri that a man heard
another man reciting "Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad (Say (O Muhammad): He is
Allaah, (the) One)" [al-Ikhlaas 114] and repeating it. Thenext day he
came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) and told him about that, and it was as if the man did not think
much of that. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) said: "By the One in Whose hand is my soul, it is
equivalent to one-third ofthe Qur'aan."
According to another report: A man stood at the time of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) reciting "Qul Huwa Allaahu
Ahad (Say (O Muhammad): He is Allaah, (the) One)" [al-Ikhlaas 114] at
the end of the night, and he did not do more than that, but the
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) approved of his
repeating the same soorah.
Al-Haafiz said:
The one who recited it was Qataadah ibn al-Nu'maan. Ahmad narrated via
Abu'l-Haytham that Abu Sa'eed said: Qataadah ibn al-Nu'maan stayed up
for the whole night, reciting "Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad (Say (O
Muhammad): He isAllaah, (the) One)" [al-Ikhlaas 114] and he did not
recite anything else.... And al-Daaraqutni narrated another version of
this hadeeth via Ishaaq ibn al-Tabbaa' from Maalik, in which it says:
"I had a neighbour who would spend the night in prayer and would not
recite anything other than"Qul Huwa Allaahu Ahad (Say (O Muhammad): He
isAllaah, (the) One)" [al-Ikhlaas 114]. End quote.
We ask Allaah to enable you to memorize His Book, and to act upon it.
And Allaah knows best.

Are you ready for your turn?

He was a student, probably in his early twenties. I didn't know his
name--I really didn't care. All I know is he was going for a lay-up
while playing basketball, lost hisbalance and fell on the ground--flat
on his back.
We thought he would shake it off and continue the game--so no one
really cared. To everyone'ssurprise, he never got up. At first a few
people on his team (later everyone) went up to him but he just
wouldn't reply.
CPR did no good. The ambulance personnel couldn't save him from dying.
The result at the ERwas no better. HE WAS DEAD!
As I came home tonight, I thought to myself, it could have been me
going up for that lay-up. It is very possible that I could be laying
in the coldcity morgue, right this minute, as I type this e-mail.
Am I ready to die? Did I communicate with Allah today? Did I perform
my daily prayers? Did I seek the pleasure of Allah?
Did I treat my parents andfamily with respect and love? Did I give any
at all in charity (sadaqa) today? How many times did I remember Allah
and recount His name?
The entire day I made time to go to school, check my e-mail, read the
news, chat with friends, watch TV, play basketball.......but did I
even once say"Astagfirullah"? Did I ask Allah to forgive the sins that
I've committed today? NO! Not once.
Did I say "Alhamdulillah" other than in my daily prayers? NO! Not once
myfriends. Would you like to know why? Because I wastoo caught up with
myselfand my daily activities.
Well, guess what. I could have lost my life during a lay-up in a
basketball game and what do I have with me? Not a thing. Nothing that
I did today do I get to bring with me to the grave. Nothing.
A few words that I could have uttered were the only things that I
could have brought with me. A few words that would've taken a few
seconds of concentration out of the 24 hrs. that was allotted to me.
A few cents in charity instead of cold drinks and candy bars could
have saved my soul. But I insisted to continue with my careless
attitude. Thank God it wasn't my turn to go, because I sure wasn't
ready.
Now I close my eyes and say Alhamdulillah. Now I look back and say
Astagfirullah. Now I have a different attitude. Now, I want to prepare
for my turn.
Did you perform your prayers today? Did you give in charity and love?
Did you ask for forgiveness yet? Do you care? I'm asking because
Idon't want to see you fall,knowing you aren't ready for your turn.
Are you ready for your turn?
May the Peace and Mercy of Allah be upon us all.

How to be the best in everything

Khalid Ibn El-Waleed narrated the following:
A Bedouin came one day to the prophet and said tohim, "O, Messenger of
Allah! I've come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this
life and the Hereafter.
Ask what you wish.
I'd like to be the most of learned of men.
Fear Allah, and you will bethe most learned of men.
I'd like to be the richest man in the world
Be contented, and you will be the richest man in the world.
I'd like to be the most of just men.
Desire for others what you desire for yourself, and you will be the
most just of men.
I want to be the best of men
Do good to others and you will be the best of men.
I wish to be the most favored by Allah
Engage much in Allah's praise, and you will be favored by Allah
I would like to complete my faith
If you have good mannersyou will complete your faith
I wish to be among those who do good
Adore Allah as if you see Him, for surely He sees you.
I wish to be Obedient to Allah
If observe Allah's commands you will be obedient to Allah
Id like to be free from all sins
Bathe your body from impurities and you will befree from all sins
I'd like to be raised in the day of judgment in the light
Don't wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on
the day of Judgment in the light
I'd like Allah to bestow HisMercy on me
If you have mercy on yourself and on others Allah will bestow His Mercy on you.
I'd like my sins to be very few
If you seek forgiveness from Allah as much as youcan, your sins will be very few
I'd like to be the most honorable man
If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most
honored of men
I'd like to be the strongestof men
If you put your trust in Allah, you will be the strongest of men
I'd like for Allah to enlargemy provision
If you keep yourself pure, Allah will enlarge your provision
I'd like to be loved by Allah and His Messenger
If you love what Allah andHis messenger love, you will be among their
beloved ones
I wish to be safe from Allah's wrath on the day of Judgment
If you do not lose your temper with any of your fellow creatures you
will be safe from the wrath of Allah on the day of judgment
I'd like my prayers to be responded
If you avoid forbidden actions your prayers will be responded
I'd like Allah not to disgrace me on the Day ofJudgment
If you guard your chastity Allah will not disgrace youon the Day of Judgment
I'd like Allah to protect mewith a covering protection on the Day of Judgment
Do not uncover your fellow creatures faults, and Allah will provide
youwith a covering on the Day of Judgment
What will save me from sins
Tears, humility and illness will save you
What are the best deeds in the eyes of Allah
Gentle manners, modesty,and patience in adversity
What are the worst evils in the eyes of Allah
Hot temper and Miserliness
What extinguishes hell's fire on the Day of Judgment?
Patience in adversity and misfortunes
What assuages the wrath of Allah in this life and thehereafter
Concealed charity and kindness to others.

assalamu alaikum - - 14.aug.tue

The health benefits of honey

Sweetener: Sugar can be substituted with honey in many food and
drinks. Honey contains about 69% glucose and fructose enabling it to
be used as a sweetener.
--►Energy Source: According to USDA, honey contains about 64 calories
per tablespoon. Hence honey is also used by many as a source of
energy. On the other hand, one tablespoon of sugar will g
ive you about 15 calories. Further the carbohydrates in the honey can
be easily converted into glucose by even the most sensitive stomachs.
Hence it is very easy to digest honey.
--►Weight Loss: Though honey has more calories than sugar, honey when
consumed with warm water helps in digesting the fat stored in your
body. Similarly honey and lemon juice and honey and cinnamon help in
reducing weight. Read more about benefits of honey in weight loss.
--►Improving Athletic Performance: Recent research has shown that
honey is an excellent ergogenic aid and helpsin boosting the
performance of athletes. Honey facilitates in maintaining blood sugar
levels, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration after a workout.
--►Source of Vitamins and Minerals: Honey contains a variety of
vitamins and minerals. The type of vitamins and minerals and their
quantity depends on the type of flowers used for apiculture. Commonly,
honey contains Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron. Check for the vitamin and
mineral content in sugar from any source, you will find it to be
either nil or miniscule.
--►Antibacteria l and Antifungal Properties: Honey has anti-bacterial
and anti-fungal properties and hence it can be used as a natural
antiseptic.
--►Antioxidants : Honey containsnutraceuticals, which are effective in
removing free radicals from our body. As a result, our body immunity
is improved.
--►Skin Care with Milk and Honey: Milk and honey are often served
together as both these ingredients help in getting a smooth soothing
skin. Hence consuming milk and honey daily in the morning is a common
practice in many countries.

Amazing Power of Avocados

Calling all guac addicts: Avocados keep you thin, protect your vision,
and may even prevent cancer.
1 Eye opener
Protect your vision with a few slices of avocado at lunch or dinner.
Avocados are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin , antioxidants found in the
retina that keep eyes healthy; they also may help prevent age-related
problems, like cataracts and macular degeneration.
2 Cancer fighter
Extracts from avocados kill or stop the growth of precancerouscells
that lead to oral cancer and may have a similar effect on other
cancers, according to a recent study. Researchers credit the fruit's
unique combo ofnutrients—whi ch include folate and vitamins C and E.
3 Nutrient booster
Add avocado to salsa for a bigger health payoff. A study from The Ohio
State University found that people absorbed four-and-a-half times more
of the cancer-fighter lycopene fromthe tomatoes when avocado wasadded;
the healthy fats help you absorb more nutrients.
4 Healthier fat
Skip the mayo, and go for creamy avocado on your sandwich. It packs 4
grams of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat (which lowers cholesterol),
2grams of fiber , and 1 gram of protein per ounce, making it a
lower-fat, more-filling substitute for the white stuff.

Reconciling between the reports that Jibreel, Adam and Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) saw Paradise, and the hadeeth “… that which no eye has seen…”

It is well known that in Paradise there is that which no eye has seen
and no ear has heard, but wasn't Adam in Paradise? Didn't the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enter Paradise too?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Allaah
says: 'I have prepared for My righteous slaves that which no eye has
seen, no ear has heard and it has never crossed the mind of man. All
of that is reserved, besides which all that you have known is as
nothing.' Then he recited: 'No person knows what is kept hidden for
them of joy as a reward for what they used to do' [al-Sajdah 32:17 –
interpretation of the meaning]."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3072) and Muslim (2824) -- the report
narrated by Muslim adds: "apart from that of which Allaah has informed
you."
Secondly:
With regard to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
seeing Paradise and entering it, that is proven in many hadeeths. Imam
al-Bukhaari, in his book al-Sharee'ah, quoted some of these hadeeths
under the chapter heading Baab Dukhool al-Nabi (sall Allahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) al-Jannah (The Prophet's entering Paradise) in which he
narrated several hadeeths, including the following:
It was narrated from Anas ibn Maalik that the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: Whilst I was walking in Paradise, I
saw a river whose banks were domes of hollow pearls." I said, "What is
this, O Jibreel?" He said: "This is al-Kawthar which your Lord has
given to you." The angel struck it with his hand and its mud or its
perfume was of the most fragrant (or pure) musk.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6201).
According to another report: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him)was taken up to heaven (the Mi'raaj), [he said:] I
came to a river whose banks …
According to a version narrated in Musnad Ahmad (19/66): "I entered
Paradise and saw a river whose banks were pavilions of pearls."
Thirdly:
With regard to the issue mentioned by the questioner, it may be said:
This that has been prepared in Paradise for the righteous slaves of
Allah has notbeen seen by anyone, as it states in the texts. As for
what Adam and our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon them) saw, it was only part of in Paradise because Paradise, "in
which there is that which no eye has seen" is not necessarily that
which no one has ever seen. Rather it may be that thereare in it
things that some eyes have seen, even though there is in it that which
is stored up and hidden, no eye has seen it and no ear has heard, and
no one can imagine it or describe it.
Perhaps the above meaning is supported by the hadeeth of al-Mugheerah
ibn Shu'bah, who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "Moosa asked his Lord: 'Who will be the
lowest of the people of Paradise in status?' He said: 'He will be a
man who will come after I have admitted the people of Paradise to
Paradise and it will be said to him: "Enter Paradise." He will say: "O
Lord, how, when the people have taken their places and been given
their portions?" It will be said to him: "Would it please you if you
had the like ofwhat one of the kings of the world had?" He will say:
"I would be pleased, O Lord." He will say, "You will have that, andas
much again, and as much again, and as much again, and as much again."
The fifth time, he will say, "I am pleased, O Lord." He will say: "You
will havethat and ten times as much, and you will have what your heart
desires and what will delight your eyes." He will say: "I am pleased,
O Lord."' (Moosa) said: 'My Lord, who will be the highest of them in
status?' He said, 'They will be the ones whom I have chosen, and I
haveplanted their honour with My own hand. I have set a seal overit
and no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has it entered theheart of
man.'" He said: And the confirmation thereof is in the Book of Allaah,
may He be glorified and exalted: "No person knows what is kept hidden
for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do" [al-Sajdah
32:17].
Narrated by Muslim, 189.
It is as if those who are highest in status are those who have the
greatest share of this hiddentreasure and blessing that no eye has
seen and no mind has imagined.
And Allah knows best.

Does the squeezing in the grave apply to the Prophets (peace be upon them)?

I read a hadeeth according to which the Prophet (blessings andpeace of
Allah be upon him) said:"In the grave there is squeezing; and if
anyone were to be saved from it, Sa'd ibn Mu'aadh would have been
saved from it." Does this squeezing affect everybody, including the
Prophets, the righteous, the martyrs and the siddeeqs? Is there any
way to beprotected from it?.
Praise be to Allaah.
In the answer to question no. 131627 we spoke of the squeezing of the
grave and quoted the hadeeths that have been narrated concerning that,
and discussed some of the issuessurrounding it. Please refer to this
question.
One of the things we did not discuss there is the question that is
asked here: does the squeezing in the grave affect theProphets?
The answer to that is that there was nothing proven concerning that in
the texts of Revelation, but we have come across comments of many
scholars saying that the Prophets will be exempted from squeezing.
This opinion is based on the view those who say that the severity of
the squeezing in the grave willvary according to the individual'slevel
of sin. The Prophets are protected against major sins and are
protected against persisting in minor sins, so they will not be
affected by the squeezing or questioning in the grave.
As-Suyooti (may Allah have mercy on him) quoted a hadeeth about the
grave squeezing Yahya (peace be upon him), but this hadeeth is weak
and there is a problem with its isnaad. The well-known view is that
the Prophets will not experience this squeezing.
End quote from Sharh as-Sudoor bi Sharh Haal al-Mawta wa'l-Quboor, p. 114
Al-Mannaawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The reports indicate
that no one will be spared the squeezing in the grave, whether one is
righteous or otherwise, but the Prophets are exempted, as was stated
by the author – i.e., as-Suyooti – in al-Khasaa'is.
End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer, 5/434
He also said: But al-Hakeem – i.e., al-Hakeem al-Tirmidhi – made an
exception in the case of the Prophets and awliya' (close friends of
Allah) and was of the opinion that they will not be squeezed or
questioned.
My opinion is that the exemptionin the case of the Prophets is
obvious. With regard to the awliya' it cannot be true. Have you not
seen the high status of Sad ibn Mu'aadh, and he was squeezed
nevertheless?
End quote from Fayd al-Qadeer, 5/398
Shaykh Ahmad an-Nafraawi al-Maaliki (may Allah have mercy on him)
said: With regard to the Prophets, some of them said: it isnot known
that the Prophets will be squeezed or questioned in their graves
because they are protected from sin.
End quote from al-Fawaakih al-Dawaani, 2/688
Sulaymaan al-Bujayrimi ash-Shaafa'i (may Allah have mercy on him)
said: With regard to the squeezing of the grave, it applies to
everyone who dies even if he is not accountable andno one is saved
from it except the Prophets and Faatimah bint Asad.
End quote from Tuhfat al-Habeeb'ala Sharh al-Khateeb, 2/586
There is no proof for the exemption of Faatimah bint Qaysin the
Sunnah; rather the suggestion that she is exempted is based on a
fabricated or very weak hadeeth that was quoted by Ibn Shabbah in his
book Tareekh al-Madinah, 1/124. The isnaad of the hadeeth includes
some unknown narrators, amongwhom is 'Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn
al-Miswar ibn Makhramah, of whom Ibn Hibbaan (may Allah have mercy on
him) said: He made a lot of mistakes in narration and he even narrated
from trustworthy narrators things that do not resemble proven
hadeeths. Therefore he deserves to be rejected.
End quote from al-Majrooheen, 2/27
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez al-Raajihi (may Allah preserve him) said: With
regard to the Prophets, we do not know whether they are squeezed in
their graves.
End quote from Sharh al-'Aqeedah at-Tahhaawiyyah, p. 307
So it seems that the squeezing of the grave includes the martyrs,
righteous and awliya', but it doesnot include the Prophets.
And Allah knows best.

Will the meezaan on the Day ofResurrection have a pointer?

Is there any evidence to say that the meezan (the scale)on the day of
resurrection will havea lisaan (tongue)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The meezaan (balance) which will weigh people's deeds on theDay of
Resurrection is proven inthe Qur'aan and mutawaatir Sunnah. With
regard to its description, it is proven that it will have two pans, in
which good deeds and bad deeds will be placed, as it says in the
well-known hadeeth about the one with the piece of paper. Some
scholars said that the meezaan will have a pointer, and there is a
report concerningthat from Ibn 'Abbaas and al-Hasan al-Basri, but
there is no saheeh, marfoo' hadeeth concerning that.
Shaykh Saalih ibn 'Abd al-Azeez Aal ash-Shaykh (may Allah preserve
him) said: It is narratedin the Sunnah that the meezaan will have two
pans, one in which bad deeds will be placed and one in which good
deeds will be placed; the one whose pan of good deeds weighs
moreheavily will have attained success and will enter Paradise, and
the one whose pan of bad deeds weighs more heavily will be subject to
that which Allah warned him of.
Some of the scholars said that part of the belief of Ahl as-Sunnah is
that the meezaan will have two pans and a pointer.
The idea of the meezaan having a pointer was mentioned by IbnQudaamah
in al-Lam'ah and by others, but there is no clear evidence for this,
or I have not come across any clear evidence for it. Rather they based
this idea on the fact that the pointer will indicate which pan is
heavier, so they looked at the apparent meaning of the words and took
that as proof that it has a pointer, but the matter requires more
research.
End quote from Sharh al-'Aqeedah at-Tahhaawiyyah
The wording of Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) referred to
appears in Lam'at al-I'tiqaad, where he says: The meezaan has two pans
and a pointer, and deeds are weighed in it. "Then, those whose scales
(of good deeds) are heavy, - these, they are the successful. And those
whose scales (of good deeds) are light, they are those who lose their
ownselves, in Hell will they abide." [al-Mu'minoon 23:102, 103].
Endquote.
Shaykh 'Abd ar-Razzaaq ibn 'Abdal-Muhsin al-'Abbaas (may Allah
preserve him) said: Al-meezaan: part of believing in the Last Day is
believing in the meezaan that will be set up on the Day of
Resurrection: "And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of
Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And
if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And
Sufficient are We as Reckoners." [al-Anbiya' 21:47]. So deeds, records
and people will be weighed. It is a real meezaan which has two pans.
In one pan good deeds will be placed and in the other bad deeds will
be placed. That is referred to the hadeeth of the piece of paper,
which mentions the two pans, as it says: "The piece of paper will be
placed in one pan and the scrolls in the other." In some reports it
says: "It has a pointer and two pans." This was narrated from Ibn
'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) and was quoted by
Abu'sh-Shaykh via al-Kalbi. It was also narrated from
al-Hasan.However, there is no mention ofthe pointer in any marfoo'
hadeeth, but the hadeeths that speak of the meezaan are mutawaatir.
And the Qur'aan is filled with references to the meezaan, which is a
meezaan that can weigh the smallest amounts:
"So whosoever does good equalto the weight of an atom (or a small
ant), shall see it.
And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small
ant), shall see it."
[az-Zilzaal :7-8].
End quote from al-Tuhfah as-Saniyyah Sharh Qaseedat Ibn Abi Dawood al-Haa'i
And Allah knows best.

7a] I want to be a devoted slave of Allaah … ten pointers

My brother, if you want tohave a high position in all kinds of good
deeds, to bea devoted slave of Allaah and to honour your parents, and
you are seeking Paradise, then you have to do the following:
1 – You have to revive thefaith in your heart. Faith iswhat will bring
the Muslim everything he seeks in this world and in the Hereafter.
Faith is the key to all goodness and locks the door to all evil. The
means of reviving and strengthening faith inone's heart are many and
varied, including doing a lot of acts of worship and righteous deeds.
2 – You must turn to your Lord sincerely, as it says in the report:
"If My slave turns to me inwardly and outwardly, Iwill turn the hearts
of My slaves to him with love and mercy."
Allaah has made worship the ultimate aim and loftiest purpose of man:
"And I (Allaah) created notthe jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone)"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 – interpretation of the meaning)]
3 – You should always setyour sights on the highestdegrees, and make
your goal in life to earn the pleasure of Allaah, and strive to attain
the victoryof Paradise, or to attain the highest Firdaws. You should
strive as hard as you can to achieve these lofty aims.
4 – You should follow the example of historical Muslim figures such as
theSahaabah, Taabi'een and righteous forebears (the salaf).
5 – You should make the most of every minute, every moment and every
heartbeat to use it in sucha way as to increase your faith.
6 – You should try to keepcompany with righteous people, because the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said,
"A man will follow the religion of his close friend,so let each one of
you look at whom he befriends." Narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi
with a hasan isnaad. Good friends are one of the best means of helping
you to obey Allaah and to avoid sin and error.
7 – Doing a lot of righteous deeds which will bring you happiness in
this world and in the Hereafter.
8 – Praying qiyaam al-layl, making du'aa' in the time just before
dawn. The feet of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) used to swell because of his desire to be a
thankful slave, even though Allaah had forgiven his previous and
future sins.
9 – Persisting in reading aportion of Qur'aan daily, and other dhikr
that helpsyou to think and ponder the meanings of the Qur'aan.
10 – Striving to spread the word and make da'wah for the sake of
Allaah, and working for Islam as much as possible.
If you want to reach the status of devoted slave for which you long,
then be as Allaah commanded His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him):
"Say (O Muhammad): Verily, my Salaah (prayer), my sacrifice, my
living, and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the 'Aalameen
(mankind, jinn and all that exists)"
[al-An'aam 6:162]
Being a devoted slave of Allaah means declaring one's devotion and
belonging to the Lord, which can only be achieved by applying this
aayah, so that we are for Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds, in all our
affairs.
Being a devoted slave of Allaah can only be fully achieved in this
manner; it can only be achieved byworshipping Allaah in the fullest
sense of the word, which means making our living and dying, and all
our movements, for Him alone. So we only speak that which is pleasing
to Allaah; we only do that which is pleasing to Allaah; we focus our
intention in these words and deeds only on Allaah. Worship should not
be reduced to merely raising and lowering our heads atcertain times,
or giving a few pennies every once ina while, or fasting a few days
each year, or movingour lips to say a few words and dhikrs.
Hence the deeds that leadto this status – of being a devoted slave –
are innumerable and may take many shapes in all aspects of our lives
and the places where we live. This is by the bounty of Allaah towards
us and towards all people.
Just look, in every place where you find yourself and every moment
that comes to you, for that which will please Him, and what you think
He wants to see you doing, and do it. Then you will be a devoted
slave.
Finally, we ask Allaah to accept righteous deeds from us and from you,
and to gather us and you in His mercy with the Prophets, siddeeqs,
martyrs and righteous, and those are the best of companions.