The light of guidance

I was coming back from a long journey, and Allâh decreed that my seat
in the airplane should be beside a group of carefree young men whose
loud laughter and voices were too much, and the air was filled with
clouds of smokefrom their cigarettes. By the wisdom of Allâh, the
plane was completely full and I could not change myseat.
I tried to escape from the problem by sleeping, but itwas impossible…
When I got fed up of their noise, I took out my Mus-haf (copyof the
Qur'ân), and started to read what I could of theQur'ân in a soft
voice. Soonafter that these young men started to quieten down. Some of
them started to read newspapers, and some of them fell asleep.
Suddenly one of them saidin a loud voice, even though he was sitting
right next to me, "Enough! Enough!"
I thought that I had disturbed him because my voice was too loud, so I
apologized to him and carried on reading in a whisper that only I
could hear. I saw him holding hishead in his hands, then fidgeting in
his seat, moving a lot. Then he raised his head and said tome angrily,
"Please, stop it,I can't stand it!!"
Then he got up from his seat and went away for a while, then he came
back, greeted me with salâms, and apologized. He fell silent, and I
did not know what was going on. But after a while he turned to me with
his eyes full of tears and said to me in a whisper,
"For three years or more I have not put my forehead on the ground, and
I have not read even one âyah!
For a whole month I have been on this trip, and there is no evil
action that I did not indulge in. Then I saw you reading Qur'ân, and
my world turned blackand my heart was filled with despair. I felt as
if someone was strangling me… I felt every âyah that you read coming
down on my body like a whip .
I said to myself, for how long will this negligence go on? Where will
this path lead you? What will happen after all this foolish play? Then
I went to the washroom, do you know why?
I had the strong urge to weep, and I could not find anywhere else to
hide from the people's sight!"
I spoke to him in general terms about tawbah (repentance) and turning
back to Allâh, then he fell silent.
When the plane landed, hestopped me, and it seemedthat he wanted to
keep away from his companions. He asked me, with a serious expression
on his face, "Do you think that Allâh will accept my repentance?" I
said, "If youare sincere and serious in your repentance, then Allâh
will forgive all your sins."
He said, "But I have done terrible things, very terrible."
I said, "Have you not heardwhat Allâh says (interpretation of the meaning) :
'Say: O 'Ibâdi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves
(by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of
Allâh, verily, Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft
Forgiving,Most Merciful' [al-Zumar 39:53]?"
I saw him smiling with joy,with his eyes filled with tears, then he
bade me farewell and left. Subhân Allâh al-'Azîm !
No matter how great a man's evil and sin, in his heart there is a seed
of goodness. If only we can reach it and make it grow, it will bear
fruit, in sha Allâh.
This seed of goodness is always fighting in man's heart, even when it
is covered by layers of whims and desires. When Allâh wills good for
His slave, He causes the light of guidance to shine in his heart and
guides him to the path of those who are guided. Allâh says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And whomsoever Allâh wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam;
and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and
constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky" [al-An'âm 6:125]

The Meaning of The Pronoun "We" As Used in The Qur'aan

It is a feature of literary style in Arabic that a person may refer to
himself by the pronoun nahnu (we) for respect or glorification. He may
also use the word ana (I), indicating one person, or the third person
huwa (he).All three styles are used in the Qur'an, where Allaah
addresses the Arabs in their own tongue. ( Fataawa al-Lajnah
al-Daa'imah , 4/143).
"Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, sometimes refers to Himself
in the singular, by name or by use of a pronoun, and sometimes by use
of the plural, as in the phrase (interpretation of the meaning):
'Verily, We have given you a manifest victory" [al-Fath 48:1] , and
other similar phrases. But Allaah never refers to Himself by use of
the dual, because the plural refers to the respect that He deserves,
and may refer to His names and attributes, whereas the dual refers to
a specific number (and nothing else),and He is far above that."
) Al-'Aqeedah al-Tadmuriyyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, p. 75).
These words, innaa ("VerilyWe") and nahnu ("We"), and other forms of
the plural, may be used by oneperson speaking on behalf of a group, or
they may beused by one person for purposes of respect or
glorification, as is done by some monarchs when theyissue statements
or decrees in which they say " We have decided… " etc. [This is known
in English as "The Royal We" – Translator]. In such cases, only one
person is speaking but the plural is used for respect. The One Who is
more deserving of respect than any other is Allaah, may He be
glorifiedand exalted, so when He says in the Qur'an innaa ("Verily
We") and nahnu ("We"), it is for respect andglorification, not to
indicate plurality of numbers. If an aayah of this type is causing
confusion, it is essential to refer to the clear, unambiguous aayaat
for clarification, and if a Christian, for example, insists on taking
ayaat such as
"Verily, We: it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e., the Qur'an)"
[al-Hijr 15:9 – interpretation of the meaning] as proof of divine
plurality, we may refute this claim by quoting such clear and
unambiguous aayaat as (interpretation of the meanings):
"And your god is One God, there is none who has the right to be
worshipped but He, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful" [al-Baqarah
2:163]
and
"Say: He is Allaah, the One" [al-Ikhlaas 112:1]
and other aayaat which can only be interpreted in one way. Thus
confusion will be dispelled for the one who is seeking the truth.
Every time Allaah uses the plural to refer to Himself, it is based on
the respect and honour that He deserves, and on the great number of
His namesand attributes, and on the great number of His troopsand
angels.
(Al-'Aqeedah al-Tadmuriyyah by Shaykhal-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, p. 109).

Concerns of the Islamic Scholar During the Month of Ramadan

Allah Almighty declares in the Quran:
Verily, [O you who believein Me,] this community of yours is one
single community, since I am the Sustainer of you all: worship, then
Me [alone]' (21:92).
He further explains:
'All believers are but brethren' (49:10)
As for the Prophet sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, he clarified the
nature of the relationship between Muslims in this famous hadith:
'The example of the Muslims in their love and mercy for each other is
likethe body. If one part is afflicted, all the other partsrally to
its aid with fever and sleeplessness.'
Today Muslims pass this month of Ramadan in transgression and crises.
Capitalism is rife with greed. It directs its hostility against the
Islamic world with intellectual onslaughts. The foremost means toward
this is through women, wine and other enticements, distractions,
luxuries and unlawful amusements.
Secularism calls for the separation between the religion and worldly
affairs. It seeks to oust Islam from life's stage on the pretext that
religion distinguishes between people. In effect, secularism is an
atheist ideology that disregards all religions and, therefore,excludes
Islam in its entirety from playing any role in human life.
Freemasonry, the Jewish creation, has come to destroy religions
including Islam. On the surface it appears to be calling for the unity
of all people. It has its own means, taboos,emblems and cliques. It
operates in secret, has world-wide influence and springs from Zionist
origins. Hence today the Islamic nation suffers from intensewounds:
Palestine has been stolen from it, Al Aqsa mosque remains a hostage
while old men, women and children are slaughtered morning and evening.
Yet, Palestine will never be returned to the Muslim lands except by an
Islam with the rage of Umar ibn al Khattab, the boldness of Salah al
Din and the sincerity of Ibn Taymiya.
The Muslim woman is fought against because of her covering, modesty,
purity and religion.
Our young men are seduced by destructive means, satanic enticements
and sensual delights.
Evangelism is penetrating the Islamic world from all four directions.
Divisions and schisms are widespread among Muslims except those whom
Allah has shielded.
In the circumstances, whatis required is that the Muslim should live
for these great issues with his sentiments, wealth and prayers. He
should strive to increase awareness among his Muslim brothers of these
dangers. The Muslim should work relentlessly to bring about unity
within the ranks of his own community. More importantly, the Islamic
nation must avoid disputes and internal wrangling that only cause
failure; particularly when the news of these calamities that afflict
the Islamic world are exposed and become the issues of the day. As a
result, no Muslim should despise himself because in every Muslim there
is good. Indeed, every Muslim is expected to struggle if he or she is
able and to stop making excuses. They must strive with their persons
and their wealth. If not, with their wealth and the support of others
who spend of their wealth to advance the cause of Islam. They should,
at the end of each prayer, in the early hours of the morning, and
other times when prayers are answered, implore Allah toestablish and
grant victoryto the Muslims. We must, moreover, all call upon Allah to
increase us in piety and God-consciousness because the disasters and
calamities that have befallen us are all on account of our sins and
shortcomings. 'And do you,now that a calamity has befallen you after
you had inflicted twice as much [onyour foes], ask yourselves
"How has this come about?" Say: "It has come from your own selves"' (3:165)

Zakat: pay extra or the exact amount?

Question:
1. Does it matter if I give a bit more than the exactmoney I have to
give as zakat or does zakat has to be precise?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful and Compassionate
1. Yes it is always good to pay an extra amount as a precaution.
2. Credits, money owed to you will be included in theearnings and
Zakat has to be given on that money also.
And Allah knows best

Zakat on rented out home

Question:
I live and work in Saudi Arabia. My home in England is rented out and
I receive rent from it on a monthly basis. My understanding is that
Zakat is due on the rent that I receive not on the value of the
property itself. Is this correct?
Answer:
Wa Alaykum Assalam wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,
Yes, your understanding is correct: zakat is due on your rent
(accounted with the rest of your zakatable wealth), not on the value
of the property itself.

Does the zakat recipient have to know that it is zakat?

Question:
Since you can give zakat to one's needy (biological) brother/sister,
can you give it to them asa gift with the intention of it being zakat
on your end? Ormust you give it to your bro/sis and say that this is
zakat for you?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, MostMerciful and Compassionate.
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
I pray that you are well and in the best of health and spirits, Sidi.
It is not a condition for thepayment of zakat that the eligible
receiver know thatwhat they are receiving is zakat.

Ruling on one who catches up with the tashahhud with the imam in Eid prayer or prayers for rain

What is the ruling on one who catches up with the tashahhud with the
worshippers in Eid prayer or prayers for rain? Does he have to pray
two rak'ahs as the imam did or what should he do?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If a person catches up with the tashahhud only with the imam in Eid
prayer or prayer for rain, he should pray two rak'ahs after the imam
says the salaam, doing in them as the imam did of takbeer, recitation,
bowing and prostrating.
And Allah is the source of strength. May Allah send blessings and
peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions. End
quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah,

The reason for coming back via a different route from the Eid prayer

I read that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
used to go to the Eid prayer viaone route and come back via a
different route. Whatis the reason for that?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Al-Bukhaari (986) narrated that Jaabir ibn 'Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said:On the day of Eid, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) would vary his route, i.e., he would
go viaone route and come back via a different route.
The believer is required tofollow the example of theProphet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) even if he doesnot know the reason
why the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did
something.Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah (Muhammad) you have a good
exampleto follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allaah and
the Last Day, and remembers Allaah much"
[al-Ahzaab 33:21]
Ibn Katheer said (3/756): This verse points to an important principle,
namely following the example of the Messengerof Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) in word and deed.
The scholars differed greatly as to the reason for this (i.e.,
returning via a different route).
Al-Haafiz said:
The scholars differed greatly as to the reason for this. I have
collected more than twenty different opinions, which Ihave summed up
and highlighted those that areweak. Al-Qaadi 'Abd al-Wahhaab
al-Maaliki said: Several opinions have been mentioned concerning that,
some of which are likely to be correct but most of which are
far-fetched.
For example:
1- He did that so that the two routes would bear witness for him,
or it was said: so that their inhabitants, jinns and humans, would
bear witness for him
2- It was said that it was so as to make them equal because they
are blessed by his passing through.
3- It was said that his route to the prayer-place was to his
right, and if he came back the same way he would be coming to the
left, so he went back by a different route. This requires evidence.
4- It was said that it was to make manifest thesymbols of Islam on
both routes, or to make manifest the remembrance of Allaah.
5- It was said that it was to annoy the hypocrites or the Jews, or
to alarm them by showing the large number of those who were with him.
Ibn Battaal thought this was most likely to be correct.
6- It was said that it was a precaution against the plots of the
two groups, or one of them. This needs verification.
7- It was said that he did that in order to make more people happy
or bring blessing to them by his passing through or by their seeing
him, and so that he might attend to their needs, answer their
questions, teach them, give them charity, greet them with salaam, etc
8- It was said that it was in order to visit his relatives and
uphold the ties of kinship.
9- It was said that it was in order to have a change of scene.
10-It was said that that when he went he gave charity and when he
cameback he had nothing left, so he came back via a different route so
that he would not have to refuse anyone who asked of him.This is a
very weak view as well as one that requires proof.
11-It was said that that route by which he went was longer than the
routeby which he came back, and he wanted to increase his reward by
taking more steps to get there, but on the way back he was hastening
to go home. This is the view favoured by al-Raafi'i, but he stated
that it requires evidence and that the reward for taking steps also
applies to the way back, as was proven in thehadeeth of Ubayy ibn
Ka'bwhich was narrated by al-Tirmidhi and others.
12-It was said that the angels stand on the roads and he wanted two
groups of angels to bear witness for him.
Ibn al-Qayyim mentioned some of these reasons in Zaad al-Ma'aad
(1/449), then he said:
The most correct view is that he did this for these and other reasons.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said: If it is said, what is the reason for
coming back by a different route?
The answer is: to follow the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him).
"It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger
have decreed a matter that they should have anyoption in their
decision. And whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger, he has indeed
strayed into a plain error"
[al-Ahzaab 33:36 – interpretation of the meaning]
This is the reason… Then he mentioned some of the reasons quoted
abovefrom al-Haafiz.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen,

Eid prayer for women isSunnah

Is Eid prayer obligatory for women? If it is obligatory, should they
pray at home or in the musalla (prayer place)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not obligatory for women, but it is Sunnah. Women should offer
this prayer in the prayer-placewith the Muslims, becausethe Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined them to do that.
In al-Saheehayn and elsewhere it is narrated that Umm 'Atiyah (may
Allaah be pleased with her) said: "We were commanded (and in one
report it says, he commanded us – meaning the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him)) to bring out to the Eid prayers the
adolescent girls and the women in seclusion, and he commanded the
menstruating women to avoid the prayer-place of the Muslims." Narrated
by al-Bukhaari, 1/93; Muslim,890. According to anotherreport: "We were
commanded to come out and to bring out the adolescent girls and
thosein seclusion."
According to a report narrated by al-Tirmidhi: The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to bring out the
virgins, adolescent girls, women in seclusion and menstruating women
on the two Eids, but the menstruating women were to keep away from the
prayer place and witness the gathering of the Muslims. One of them
said, "O Messenger of Allaah, what if she does not have a jilbaab?" He
said, "Then let her sister lend her one of her jilbaabs." (Agreed
upon).
According to a report narrated by al-Nasaa'i, Hafsah bint Sireen said:
Umm 'Atiyyah hardly evermentioned the Messengerof Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) but she would say, "May my father be
sacrificed for him." I said, "Did you hear the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say such and such," and
she said, "Yes, may my father be sacrificed for him, and he said, 'Let
the adolescent girls, women in seclusion and menstruating women come
out to attend Eid and witness the gatheringof the Muslims, but let
themenstruating women avoid the prayer place.'" Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 1/84
Based on the above, it is clear that for women to go out and attend
the Eid prayers is a confirmed Sunnah, but that is subjectto the
condition that they do not go out unveiled or making a wanton display
of themselves, as is known from other evidence.
With regard to boys who have reached the age of discretion going out
to Eidprayer, Jumu'ah prayers, etc., this is something which is well
known and is prescribed in Islam, because there is a great deal of
evidence to that effect.
And Allaah is the Source ofstrength.
Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas,

3a] Format of takbeer on the two Eids

3a]
"Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar wa Lillahi al-hamd, Allahu
akbar wa ajall, Allahu akbar 'ala ma hadaana (Allah is most Great,
Allah is most Great, Allah is most Great and to Allah be praise; Allah
is most Great and most Glorious, Allah is most Great,as He has guided
us)."
Narrated by al-Bayhaqi, 3/315, from Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased
with him); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa' al-Ghaleel, 3/126
Ibn Hajar said: With regard to the format of the takbeer, the most
saheeh that has been narrated concerning it is that which was narrated
by 'Abd al-Razzaaq with a saheeh isnaad from Salmaan who said:
"Proclaim Allah's greatness: Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar, Allahu akbaru
kabeeran.
Fath al-Baari, 2/462
Adhering to what was narrated from the Sahaabah concerning thatis more
appropriate.
And Allah knows best.

3] Format of takbeer on the two Eids

3]
In Eid prayer for Eid al-Adha, I hear people repeat Takbeer
(saying"Allah Akbar" in Arabic) the following phrases:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah,
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi'l-hamd.
Allaah akbar kabeera, walhamdulillaah katheera, wasubhan Allaahi
bukratan waaseela, Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu fulfilled his promise
wa nasara 'abdah wa a'az jundah wa hazama al-ahzaaba wahdah Laa ilaaha
ill-Allaah wa la na'budu ila Iyah mukhliseena lahu'l-deena wa law
kariha'l-kaafiroon). They repeat this after each prayer (from the
daily 5 prayers),is that true? If wrong, what is the correct phrases
to be repeated instead?.
Praise be to Allaah.
With regard to the formatof takbeer: "Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar,
Allahu akbar laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, wa Allaahu akbar, Allaah akbar, wa
Lillaah il-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is most Great, Allah is
most Great there is no god but Allaah,Allaah is Most great, Allaah is
most great, and to Allaah be praise)," this is proven from Ibn Mas'ood
(may Allah be pleased with him) and others of the early generation,
whether the first takbeer is said twice or three times.
See al-Musannaf by Abu Shaybah, 2/165-168; Irwa' al-Ghaleel, 3/125
With regard to the formatof takbeer, "Allaahu akbaru kabeera wa
alhamdu Lillaahi katheerawa subhaan Allaahi bukratan wa aseela… (There
is no god but Allaah, Allaah is most Great, Allaah is most Great, much
praise be to Allaah and glory be to Allaah at the beginning and end of
the day…)," Imam al-Shaafa'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If he adds to that and says: "Allaahu akbaru kabeera wa alhamdu
Lillaahi katheera wa subhaan Allaahi bukratan wa aseela, Allahu akbar
wa la na'budu illa Allah mukhliseena lahu al-deena wa law kariha
al-kaafiroon, la ilaaha ill-Allah wahdah, sadaqa wa'dah wa nasara
'abdah wa hazama al-ahzaaba wahdah, laa ilaaha ill-Allah wa Allahu
akbar (Allaah is most Great, much praise be to Allaah and glory be to
Allaah at the beginning and end of the day. Allah is most Great and we
worship none but Allah, and we make our worship purely for Him (alone)
however much the disbelievers may hate that. There is nogod but Allah
alone; He fulfilled His promise and granted victory to His slave and
defeated the Confederates alone. There is no God but Allah and Allah
is most Great)," thenhe has done well. End quote.
Al-Umm, 1/241
Abu Ishaaq al-Shiraazi said in al-Muhadhdhab (1/121):
Because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said
that atop al-Safa. End quote.
The matter is broad in scope, because the command is to say takbeer in
general, and the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
did not single out any particular format of takbeeraat. Allah, may He
be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
"and that you must magnify Allâh [i.e. to say Takbîr (Allâhu-Akbar;
Allâh is the Most Great) forhaving guided you"
[al-Baqarah 2:185].
So one may follow the Sunnah by saying any format.
Al-San'aani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: In al-Sharh there are
many formats narrated from a number of imams, which indicates that the
matter is broad in scope and the general wording of the verse
indicates that.End quote.
Subul al-Salaam, 2/72
Ibn Habeeb said: The dearest to me is to say: Allahu akbar, Allahu
akbar, la ilaaha ill-Allah wa Allahu akbar, wa Lillahi al-hamd 'ala ma
hadaana, Allahumma aj'alna laka min al-shaakireen (Allah is most
Great, Allah is most Great, there is no god but Allah and Allah is
most Great; praise be to Allah for having guided us; O Allah, make us
among those who give thanks to You).
The format preferred by Yazeed was: "Allaahu akbaru kabeera wa alhamdu
Lillaahi katheerawa subhaan Allaahi bukratan wa aseela, wa lahawla wa
la quwwata illa Billaah (Allaah is most great, much praise be to
Allaah and glory be to Allaah at the beginning and end of the day, and
there is no power and no strength except with Allah)." And he said:
Whatever you add or subtract, or whatever elseyou say, there is
nothing wrong with it. End quote.
'Aqd al-Jawaahir al-Thameenah, 3/242
Sahnoon said: I said to Ibnal-Qaasim: Did Maalik mention any
particular takbeer to you? He said: No. He said: Maalik did notsay
anything specific concerning these matters. End quote.
Al-Mudawwanah, 1/245
Imam Ahmad said: It is broad in scope. Ibn al-'Arabi said: Our
scholarsfavoured the view that takbeer is general in scope, which is
the apparent meaning of the Qur'aan, and I am inclinedto favour this
view.
al-Jaami' li Ahkaam al-Qur'aan, 2/307
Forms of takbeer for the two Eids that are proven from the salaf: :->

Description of Eid prayer

What is the description of the Eid prayer?
Praise be to Allaah.
The Eid prayer is one where the imam attends and leads the people in
praying two rak'ahs. 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The
prayer of al-Fitr is two rak'ahs and the prayer of al-Adha is two
rak'ahs, complete and not shortened, on the tongue of your Prophet,
and the one who fabricates lies is doomed." Narrated by al-Nasaa'i,
1420 and Ibn Khuzaymah. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Nasaa'i.
It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed said: The Messenger of Allaah
SAWS(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to come out on
the day ofal-Fitr and al-Adha to the prayer place, and the first thing
he would do was to offer the prayer. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 956
In the first rak'ah he should say Takbeerat al-ihraam (say "Allaahu
akbar" to start the prayer), after which he should say six or seven
more takbeers, because ofthe hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be
pleased with her), "The takbeer of al-Fitr and al-Adha is seven
takbeers in the first rak'ah and five takbeers inthe second, apart
from the takbeer of rukoo'." Narrated by Abu Dawood and classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa' al-Ghaleel, 639.
Then he should recite al-Faatihah, and recite Soorat Qaf in the first
rak'ah. In the second rak'ah he should stand up saying takbeer, and
when he has stood up completely he should say takbeer five times, and
recite Soorat al-Faatihah then Soorat al-Qamr. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to recite these two soorahs
during the two Eids. Or if he wishes he can recite Soorat al-A'la in
the first rak'ah and Soorat al-Ghaashiyah in the second, because it
was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) used to recite al-A'la and al-Ghaashiyah in the Eid prayer.
The imam should revive the Sunnah be reciting these soorahs so that
the Muslims will become familiar with the Sunnah.
After the prayer, the imam should address the people. Part of the
khutbah should be addressed specifically to the women, telling them of
the things that they should do and warning them against the things
that they should avoid, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) used to do.
See Fataawa Arkaan al-Islam by Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Uthaymeen (may
Allaah have mercy on him), p. 398; Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah,
8/300-316). The prayer comes before the khutbah
One of the rulings of Eid isthat the prayer comes before the khutbah,
because of the hadeeth ofJaabir ibn 'Abd-Allaah who said, The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cameout on the day of
al-Fitr and started with the prayer before the khutbah. Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 958; Muslim, 885.
Another indication that the khutbah comes after the prayer is the
hadeeth of Abu Sa'eed (may Allaah be pleased with him) whosaid: The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used
to come out to the prayer place onthe day of al-Fitr and al-Adha, and
the first thing he would start with was the prayer, then he would go
and stand facing the people, while the people were sitting in their
rows, and he would preach to them and advise them and command them.
If he wanted to send out a military expedition he would do so and if
he wanted to tell the people to do something he would do so, then he
would leave.
Abu Sa'eed said: The people continued to do that until I went out with
Marwaan – who was the governor of Madeenah – on Eid al-Adha or Eid
al-Fitr, and when we came to the prayer-place, there was a minbar that
had been built by Katheer ibn al-Salt. When Marwaan wanted to ascend
it before he prayed, I grabbed his garment and he pushed me away and
climbed up and delivered the khutbah before the prayer. I said, "You
have changed it by Allaah."
He said, "O Abu Sa'eed, what you knew has gone."
I said, "What I know, by Allaah, is better than whatI do not know."
He said, "The people will not sit and listen to us after the prayer,
so we didit before the prayer." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 956.

2a] Ruling on Eid and the Sunnahs of Eid

2a]
" With regard to the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) did not offer any prayer before or after the Eid
prayer, that is because when he arrived the prayer started.
Thus it is proven that we should pray Tahiyyat al-Masjid (two rak'ahs
to "greet the mosque") when arriving at the Eid prayer-place, as in
the case of all mosques, because if we assume from the hadeeth that
there is no Tahiyyat al-Masjid for the Eid mosque, then we should say
that there is no Tahiyyat al-Masjid for the Jumu'ah mosque either,
because when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) arrived at the Jumu'ah mosque he would deliver the khutbah,
then pray two rak'ahs then leave and pray the regular Sunnahs of
Jumu'ah in his house, so he did not offer any prayer before it or
after it (in the mosque).
What seems more likely to be correct in my view isthat we should pray
two rak'ahs in the Eid prayer-place to greet the mosque, but we should
not denounce one another with regard to this issue, because it is a
matter concerning which the scholars differ. We should not denounce
others with regard to matters where the scholars differ, unless there
is a clear text. So weshould not denounce the one who prays (Tahiyyat
al-Masjid) or the one who sits down without praying.
8 – One of the rulings on the day of Eid – Eid al-Fitr – is that
Zakaat al-Fitr is due on this day. The Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) enjoined that itshould be paid before the Eid
prayer. It is permissible to pay it one or two days before that,
because of the hadeeth ofIbn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him)
which was narrated by al-Bukhaari: "They used togive it one or two
days before (Eid) al-Fitr." If it is paid after the Eid prayer, it
does not count as Sadaqat al-Fitr, because ofthe hadeeth of Ibn
'Abbaas: "Whoever pays itbefore the prayer, it is Zakaat al-Fitr, and
whoever pays it after the prayer, it is ordinary charity." It is
haraam to delay Zakaat al-Fitr until after the Eid prayer. If
onedelays it with no excuse then it is not acceptable zakaah, but if
there is an excuse – such as if a person is traveling and does not
have anything togive or anyone to give it to, or he is expecting his
family to pay it and they are expecting him to pay it, then in this
case he should pay it when it is easy for him to do so, even if that
is after the prayer, and there is no sinon him because he has an
excuse.
9 – People should greet one another, but that results in haraam
actions on the part of many people, such as men entering houses and
shaking hands with unveiled women without any mahram being present.
Some of these evils are worse than others.
We see some people denouncing those who refuse to shake hands with
those who are not their mahrams, but it is they who are the
wrongdoers, not he. But he should explain to themand tell them to ask
trustworthy scholars to verify his actions and he should tell them not
to get angry and insist on following the customs of his forefathers,
because they do not make a permissible thing forbidden or a forbidden
thing permissible. He should explain to them that if they do that,
they will be like those of whom Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And similarly, We sent not a warner before you (O Muhammad) to any
town (people) but the luxurious ones among them said: "We found our
fathers following a certainway and religion, and we will indeed follow
their footsteps"
[al-Zukhruf 43:23]
Some people have the custom of going out to the graveyard on the day
of Eid to greet the occupants of the graves, but the occupants of the
graves have no need of any greeting or congratulations, because they
do not fast or pray qiyaam.
Visiting the graves is not something to be done especially on the day
of Eid or Friday or any particular day. It was proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) visited the graves at
night, as mentioned in thehadeeth of 'Aa'ishah narrated by Muslim. And
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Visit
the graves for they will remind you of the Hereafter."
Visiting graves is an act of worship, and acts of worship are not
acceptable unless they arein accordance with sharee'ah. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not single out the day
of Eid for visiting the graves, so we should not do so either.
10 – There is nothing wrong with what men do on the day of Eid of
embracing one another.
11 – It is prescribed for the one who goes out to the Eid prayer to go
by one route and return by another, following the example of the
Messengerof Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). This
Sunnah does not apply to other prayers, Jumu'ah or anything else, it
only applies to Eid.
Majmoo' Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen,

2]Ruling on Eid and the Sunnahs of Eid

2]
I would like to know some of the Sunnahs of Eid and the rulings thereon.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has set out several rulings concerning Eid, including the following:
1 – It is mustahabb to recite takbeer during the night of Eid from
sunset on the last day of Ramadaan until the imamcomes to lead the
prayer. The format of the takbeer is as follows:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah,Allaahu akbar,
Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi'l-hamd (Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is
Most Great, there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most Great,
Allaah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allaah).
Or you can say Allaahu akbar three times, so you say:
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, laa ilaaha ill-Allaah,
Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, Allaahu akbar, wa Lillaahi'l-hamd
(Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is Most
Great,there is no god except Allaah, Allaah is Most Great, Allaah is
Most Great, Allaah is Most Great, and all praise be to Allaah).
Both are permissible.
Men should raise their voices reciting this dhikr in the marketplaces,
mosques and homes, but women should not raise their voices.
2 – You should eat an oddnumber of dates before leaving for the Eid
prayer, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) did not set out on the day of Eid until he had eaten an odd
number of dates. He should stick to an odd number as the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did.
3 – You should wear your best clothes – this is for men. With regard
to women, they should not wear beautiful clothes when they go out to
the Eid prayer-place, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Let themgo out looking decent" i.e., in
regular clothes that are not fancy. It is haraamfor them to go out
wearing perfume and makeup.
4 – Some of the scholars regarded it as mustahabb to do ghusl for the
Eid prayer, because it is narrated that some of the salaf did this.
Doing ghusl for Eid prayer is mustahabb, just as it is prescribed for
Jumu'ah because one is going to meet people. So if one does ghusl,
that is good.
5 – The Eid prayer. The Muslims are unanimously agreed that the Eid
prayeris prescribed in Islam. Some of them say that it is Sunnah, some
say that it is fard kafaayah (a communal obligation) and some say that
it is fard 'ayn (an individual obligation), and that not doing it is a
sin. They quoted as evidence the fact that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) commanded even the virgins and women
in seclusion, i.e., those who did not ordinarily come out, to attend
the Eid prayer place, except that those who were menstruating should
keepaway from the prayer-place itself, because it is not permissible
for a menstruating woman to stay in the mosque; it is permissible for
her to passthrough but not to stay there.
It seems to me, based on the evidence, that it is fard 'ayn (an
individual obligation) and that everymale is obliged to attend the Eid
prayer except for those who have an excuse. This was the view favoured
by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him).
In the first rak'ah the imam should recite Sabbih isma rabbika
al-A'ala (Soorat al-A'la 87) and in the second rak'ah he should recite
Hal ataaka hadeeth ul-ghaashiyah (al-Ghaashiyah 88). Or he may recite
Soorat Qaaf (50) in the first and Sooratal-Qamar (54) in the second.
Both options are narrated in saheeh reports from the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
6 – If Jumu'ah and Eid fall on the same day, the Eid prayer should be
held, as should Jumu'ah prayer, as is indicated by the apparent
meaning of the hadeeth of al-Nu'maan ibn Basheer which was narrated by
Muslim in his Saheeh. But those who attend the Eid prayer withthe imam
may attend Jumu'ah if they wish, or they may pray Zuhr.
7 – One of the rulings on Eid prayer is that according to many
scholars, if a person comes to the Eid prayer-place before the imam
comes, he should sit down and not pray two rak'ahs, because the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed Eid with
two rak'ahs, and he did not offer any prayer before or after it.
Some of the scholars are of the view that when a person comes he
should not sit down until he has prayed two rak'ahs, because the Eid
prayer-place is a mosque, based on the fact that menstruating women
are not allowed there, so it comes under the same rulings as a mosque,
which indicates that it is amosque. Based on this, it comes under the
general meaning of the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him): "When any one of you enters the mosque, let him
not sit down until he has prayed two rak'ahs." :->

Is it permissible to give salaams to someone who is praying?

Is it permissible for a Muslim to give salaams toa Muslim when he is
praying or he is making dhikr or du'aa'?
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly, it is prescribed for a Muslim to initiate the greeting of
salaam to his Muslim brother when he is praying, but the one who is
praying should notreturn the salaams whilst praying, except by making
a gesture in a manner that will maintainthe validity of his prayer,
because it was narrated that Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said:
"I asked Bilaal, How did the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) return their salaam when they greeted him
whilst he was praying? He said, With a gesture of his hand."
(Narrated by Ahmad, 6/12; Abu Dawood, 1/569,no. 927; al-Tirmidhi,
2/204, no. 368; al-Bayhaqi, 2/262; also narrated by the five).
It was also narrated fromhim that Suhayb (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: "I passed by theMessenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) whilst he was praying. I greeted him with salaam
and he responded with a gesture." And he said: I am not sure whether
he said "a gesture with his fingers". (Narrated by the five, apart
from Ibn Maajah. Al-Tirmidhi said: both hadeeths are saheehin my
view).
It was reported that Umm Salamah (may Allaah be pleased with her)
said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
forbidding us to pray two rak'ahs after 'Asr, then I saw him praying
them when he prayed 'Asr. She said, he entered and there were some
women from Bani Haraam, from among the Ansaar, with me. He started to
pray them [these two rak'ahs after 'Asr], so I sent a young girlto
him, and I told her, 'Stand beside him and sayto him, Umm Salamah is
saying to you, O Messenger of Allaah, I heard you forbidding us to do
these two rak'ahs and now I see you praying them. If he makesa gesture
with his hand then leave him and go back.' So the young girl did that
and he made a gesture with his hand, so she left him and went back.
When he finished praying, he said: 'O daughter of Abu Umayyah, you
asked about the two rak'ahs after 'Asr. Some people from Banu 'Abd
al-Qays came to me and kept me from doing the two rak'ahs after Zuhr,
and that is what these were.'" (Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim).
These ahaadeeth indicatethat it is prescribed to say salaams to a
person whilst he is praying, and that he should respond tothe greeting
with a gesture, because this is what the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) approved of initiating the salaam, and he
returned the greeting with a gesture only.
Secondly, it is prescribed for the Muslim to initiate the greeting to
one who is engaged in making dhikr or du'aa', because it was reported
that Abu Waaqid al-Laythi (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
"Whilst the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was
sitting in the mosque and there were some people with him, three
people came in. Two of them came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and one went away. When they came up
to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), they greeted him with salaam. One of them found a space in the
circle and sat down, and the other sat down behind him. The third one
turned and went away. When the Messenger (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) had finished (his talk), he said: 'Shall I tell
you about these threepeople? One of them turned to Allaah so Allaah
accepted him; the second felt shy so Allaah will feel shy (to punish
him); and the third turned away so Allaah turned away from him."
(Narrated by Maalik in al-Muwatta', 2/960; Ahmad, 5/219; al-Bukhaari,
1/24, 122; Muslim, 4/1713, no. 2176;al-Tirmidhi, 5/73, no. 2724; Abu
Ya'laa, 3/33, no. 1445).
And in al-Saheehayn it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) that a Bedouin entered the mosque and prayed, but he
did not do the rukoo' and sujood properly. Thenhe came and greeted the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with salaam. The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) returned his
greeting then said, "Go back and pray, for you have not prayed."
And Allaah is the Source ofstrength.

* Ruling on praying at times when prayer is not allowed

* One of my friend, who is very punctual in offering Namaaz, has seen
offeringnamaaz sometimes even when the sun is setting. He is of the
view that offering Namaaz at sun set or sun rise time is not a sin and
it might be just a makrooh. I told him thatoffering prayer at sun set
or sun rise time is not allowed and it might be a sin also. Because to
have distinction with non-muslims, it has not been allowed to offer
namaaz at this time.
Please tell me whether offering of prayers(Namaaz) at sun set or sun
rise time is makrooh or a sin and why?
Praise be to Allaah.
It is mustahabb to pray naafil prayers at all times, except at the
times when praying is not allowed. These times are from afterFajr
prayer until the sun has risen to the height of a spear; from noon
time until after the sun has passed its zenith, which is at mid-day
for about five minutes before the sun reaches its zenith; and from
after 'Asr prayer until the sun sets. What is meant is the prayer
whicheach person does by himself; once he has prayed 'Asr it becomes
haraam for him to pray until the sun has set, except in specific
cases, when it is not haraam. See Question # 306.
The reason why it (prayer at these times) is not allowed is so as to
avoid any resemblance to the kuffaar who prostrate to the sun when it
rises as a greeting to it and to express their joy, and theyprostrate
to it when it sets as a farewell to it. The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to put a stop to all things
that may lead to shirk, or that might involve any resemblance to the
mushrikeen. With regard to the prohibition on praying when the sun is
near its zenith, this is because this is the time when the Fire of
Hell is intensified, as was reported from the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), so we should refrain from praying at
these times.
Summarized from the fatwas of Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen,

Zakat On Stocks And Shares

Question:
I have a zakat question on stocks and shares. There are two type of
Shares, listed which vary daily with market forces and non-listed
which have fixed price, is zakat payable on the total value of each or
is the non-listed exemptedfrom zakat?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
To begin with, it should always be remembered that paying Zakat on
stock and merchandise is obligatory (wajib). The jurists (fuqaha) have
categorically stipulated the obligation of paying Zakat on
merchandise, and there is a consensus on this position amongst the
scholars ofthe Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama�ah.
Sayyiduna Samura ibn Jundub (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that,
�the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) used to
command us to pay Zakat on those items that were for sale.� (Sunan Abu
Dawud, no: 1557)
Thus, based on this, if one has shares in a particular company, paying
Zakat on those shares will be obligatory. In the case of shares being
purchased with theintention of capital gain, Zakat will be obligatory
on the face/market value of the shares.
For example, I purchased some shares at the rate of 5 Dollars with the
intention of selling them when their value increases.Now, at the time
of paying Zakat,the value of the share became 10 Dollars, thus Zakat
will be obligatory on the current value which is 10 Dollars and not 5
Dollars. The reason is that the share itself has become an articleof
trade, for it was purchased with the intention of re-sale, andZakat is
obligatory on the current market value of goods and merchandise.
However, if shares were purchased with the intention of receiving the
annual dividend, then one is allowed to subtract the value of those
items which are exempted from Zakat, i.e. machinery, land, furniture,
cars, etc... This information (on the percentage of non�Zakat-able
assets) can be obtained from thecompany�s annual report.
This will be clearer with an example. Suppose I purchased some shares
of a particular firm worth 100 Dollars. Now, 10% of the company�s
assets are in the form of raw material, 10% in theform of cash, 10%
are produced goods and 10% of the assets aregoods which are under
process of being manufactured, totaling 40%. On the other hand,
machinery, land, furniture, and cars (for use and not sale) total 60%.
In this case, Zakat will be obligatory on only 40% of the shares, i.e.
40 Dollars.
The reason being that the share in this case does not become an
article of trade in of itself; rather one has purchased the share with
the intention of receiving a share of the company�s annual profits.
Hence, one is considered having ownership in the company�s assets to
the value of his share. Thus, it will be permitted not to pay Zakat on
those items that are exempt from Zakat, such as machinery, furniture,
and building.
If one is unable to obtain the details from the company, then one
should pay Zakat on the current market value of the whole share.
In light of the above, it becomes clear that Zakat is payable on all
types of shares. If non-listed shares mean those that are purchased
with the intention of gaining the annual dividend, then Zakat will
have to be paid inthe manner outlined above.
And Allah knows best

Question: Does a widow woman have to pay zakat? Answer: Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah, I pray that this finds you well, and in the best of health and spirits. May Allah grant you all good and success in this life and the next. If a widow fulfills t

Question:
Does a widow woman have to pay zakat?
Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
I pray that this finds you well, and in the best of health and
spirits. May Allah grant you all good and success in this life and the
next.
If a widow fulfills the conditions of zakat being due, then she would
have to pay zakat, like any other morally responsible Muslim.
Search for related answers in the SunniPath QA (http://qa.sunnipath.com).
And Allah alone gives success.

1] Reasons for doing the prostration of forgetfulness

1]
When is it prescribed for aworshipper to do the prostration of forgetfulness?.
Praise be to Allaah.
By the mercy of Allaah to His slaves, as one of the beauties of this
perfect religion, Allaah has prescribed that His slaves may make up
for shortcomings and mistakes that they make in their worship and
cannot avoid completely, by performing supererogatory (naafil) acts of
worship, praying for forgiveness and so on.
One of the things that Allaah has prescribed for His slaves to make up
for shortcomings that may occur in their prayer is theprostration of
forgetfulness, but it is only prescribed to make up for certain
things; it does not make up for everything nor is it prescribed for
everything.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked about
the reasons for doing the prostration of forgetfulness, and he replied
as follows:
The prostration of forgetfulness in prayer is generally prescribed for
three reasons:
1- Doing something extra
2- Omitting something
3- Being uncertain
Doing something extra: for example, doing an extra bow (rukoo'),
prostration (sujood), standing or sitting.
Omitting something: such as omitting an essential part of the prayer,
or omitting one of the obligatory parts of the prayer.
Being uncertain: such as when a person is not sure how many rak'ahs he
has prayed, whether it was three or four, for example.
In the case of doing something extra, if a person adds something tohis
prayer – bowing, prostrating, standing or sitting – deliberately,
thenhis prayer becomes invalid, because when he added it, that means
that he did not do the prayer in the manner ordained by Allaah and His
Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever does an
action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam),will have
it rejected." Narrated by Muslim, 1718.
But if he did that extra thing by mistake, then hisprayer is not
invalidated, but he should do the prostration of forgetfulness after
saying the salaam. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaahbe pleased with him) whosaid that when the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said the salaam after two
rak'ahs in one of the two afternoon prayers, either Zuhr or 'Asr, and
they told him about that, he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) did the rest of the prayer, then he said the salaam, then he
prostrated twice (the prostration of forgetfulness) after sayingthe
salaam. Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 482; Muslim, 573.
And Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led them in
praying Zuhr and he prayed five rak'ahs. When he had finished it was
said to him: "Has something been added to the prayer?"
He said: "Why are you asking that?"
They said: "You prayed five (rak'ahs)."
So he turned towards the qiblah and prostrated twice. Narrated by
al-Bukhaari, 4040; Muslim,572.
In the case of omitting something, if a person omits one of the
essential parts of the prayer, one ofthe following two scenarios must
apply:
Either he remembers it before he reaches the same point in the
following rak'ah, so he has to go back and do that essential part of
the prayer and whatever came after it,
Or he does not remember it until he reaches the same point in the
following rak'ah, in which case the following rak'ah takes the place
of the one in which he omitted that essential part, and he should make
up the invalid rak'ah.
In either of these two cases, he should do the prostration of
forgetfulness after saying the salaam.
For example: a man stoodup after doing the first prostration of the
first rak'ah and did not sit or do the second prostration.When he
started to recite Qur'aan he remembers that he had not done the second
prostration or sat between the two prostrations. In that case he
should go back and sit as between the two prostrations, then
prostrate, then stand up and do whatever is left of his prayer, and do
the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the salaam.
An example of one who did not remember until after he reached the
samepoint in the following rak'ah is a man who stoodup following the
first prostration in the first rak'ah and did not do the second
prostration or sit between the two prostrations, but he did not
remember that until he sat between the two prostrations in the
secondrak'ah. In this case he should make the second rak'ah the first
rak'ah, andadd another rak'ah to his prayer, then say the salaam then
do the prostration of forgetfulness. :->

1b] Permissibility of and Zakat on 401k plan &other securities

1b]
Since lawful 401K plans are considered business investments, the money
invested does not come under the definition of being a debt and thus
zakāt is necessary each year as long as the total amount (along with
any other savings a person has, minus any debts) meets the zakāt
quantum [nisāb] which is approximately $140. One is obliged to pay 2.5
percent on the total value of one�s investments (which includes one�s
owninvestment, along with any amount added by one�s employer that has
vested [i.e. the money is now considered the employees since some
companies release the amounts contributed by themselves in
installmentsso the employees cannot take the whole amount at once],
and any gain or profits that have since been accumulated. In other
words the zakātableamount will be the amount a person would consider
his or hers at thattime even if he was to leave his employment.
For instance, if a person�s total personal investmentsin his or her
401K plan are$5,000.00 along with$2,500.00 matched by the employer,
then the zakāt will be 2.5% of $7,500.00 which is $187.50 for that
year.
If he or she has an additional $2,500.00 in other zakātable assets
likecash in hand or inventory, etc. then the total zakātable income
is$10,000.00, hence, his zakāt will be $250.00 for that year.
Any penalty amount or taxes that one would haveto pay if they did a
premature withdrawal of their investment are not exempted from the
total zakātable income each year, unless a person makes such a
withdrawal or cancels his or her plan. In this case he or she would
only pay zakāt on the amount left on the day the zakāt becomes due
after deducting any penalties or taxes.
And Allah knows best.

1a] Permissibility of and Zakat on 401k plan &other securities

1a]
upon maturity. Investing in Certificates of Deposition is
impermissible because thegains of the investment are earned from
interest.
Stocks
A Stock, Share, or Equity , is a type of security that signifies
ownership in a corporation and represents a claim on part of the
corporation's assets and earnings. There are two main types of stock:
common and preferred. Common stock usually gives the shareholder
voting rights and allows them to receive dividends declared by the
company. Preferred stock generally does not have voting rights, but
has a higher claim on assets and earnings than the common shares. For
example, owners of preferred stock are given priority over owners of
common stock in the event of bankruptcy
It is permissible to invest in common stocks as long as the company
one is investing is in compliance with the following conditions (as
highlighted below by Justice Mufti Taqi Uthmani, a renownedand
respected scholar in the field of finance and economics):
1. The main business of the company is not in violation of Shari�a.
Therefore, it is not permissible to acquire the shares of the
companies providing financial services on interest, like conventional
banks, insurance companies, or the companies involved insome other
business not approved by the Sharī�a, such as the companies
manufacturing, selling or offering liquors, pork, harām meat, or
involved in gambling, night club activities, pornography etc.
2. If the main business of the companies is halāl, likeautomobiles,
textile, etc. but they deposit there surplus amounts in a
interest-bearing account or borrow money on interest, the share holder
must express his disapproval against such dealings, preferably by
raising his voice against such activities in the annual general
meeting ofthe company.
3. If some income from interest-bearing accounts is included in the
income of the company, the proportion of such incomein the dividend
paid to theshare-holder must be given charity, and must not be
retained by him. For example, if 5% of the whole income of a company
has come out of interest-bearing deposits, 5% of the dividend must be
given in charity.
4. The shares of a company are negotiable only if the company owns
some non-liquid assets. If all the assets of a company are in liquid
form, i.e. in the form of money that cannot be purchased or sold,
except on par value, because in this case the share represents money
only and the money cannot be traded in except at par. [Please visit
http://albalagh.net/Islamic_economics/finance.shtml for complete fatwa
and explanations]
Now that we understand the independent rulings ofthe securities
mentioned above, we are given a better picture of what types of 401k
plans wouldbe lawful and unlawful to invest in. Based on what we have
examined it is therefore permissible to invest in a 401K plan as long
as the mutual fund selected is in compliance with the Sharī�a.
The problem that arises atthis point is that the majority of the funds
offered by companies for this plan do not include Islamic funds (such
as the Dow Jones Islamic Fund) or even ethical funds, (which are not
necessarily lawful since they may not meet all the requirements to be
in compliance with the Sharī�a). Nevertheless, if a Sharī�a compliant
fundis offered then it would bepermissible to invest in it as part of
one�s 401k plan.In this regard any amount matched or contributed
byone�s employer toward the 401K plan is also permissible.
Existing Investments in non-lawful 401k plans
As for 401K investments already held in an unlawful mutual fund,
oneshould opt to switch his orher holdings out of the existing fund
and reallocate the money into a Shari�a compliant Fund . In the case
where one�s company does not includeany lawful mutual funds then one
may be able to make such a request, like including the Dow Jones
Islamic Funds as an option. If this is not a possibility then it would
be necessary to withdraw the funds from one�s plan and either transfer
over (roll over) to another lawful plan (such as a brokerage IRA
consisting of lawful stocks) or consider other investing venues, even
though therewill be a penalty for an early withdrawal. Whatever money
is received by the person in this case, only the original capital
amount invested by the person and that which has been added by one�s
company will be permissible for one to retain. All excess will have to
be disposed off to the poor without intention forreward.
Zakāt on 401k plans
Given that one cannot withdraw from 401K plansuntil one is 59.5 years
old without facing a penalty, the question comes up as to how and when
zakāt needs to be paid on this. :->

1] Permissibility of and Zakat on 401k plan &other securities

1]
Question:
Permissibility of and Zakat on 401k plan
& other securities
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Inspirer of truth
Permissibility of and Zakat on 401k plan
& other securities
The 401K Plan
401k refers to an IRS Code that allows employers to set up retirement
plans fortheir employees. This company-sponsored benefit allows
employees to invest money from theirpaychecks into an investment
vehicle on a pre-tax basis, meaning no taxes will be charged for
investing until the employee decides to makea withdrawal from his or
her plan at the age of 59 1/2. The employer can encourage the employee
by also contributing to theplan by matching or partially matching the
investment of each employee. All of money invested (up to a certain
predefined limit), along with any investment or matching from the
employer, is put into an account that is invested into funds (i.e.
money market, fixed income, or equity), as chosen by the employee from
a list of funds offered by the company.
To understand the Islamic ruling regarding of permissibility or
impermissibility of a 401K plan, we first need to understand the
different rulings regarding the various types of investment
instruments that may be associated with a 401K Plan.
Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
An Individual Retirement Account is traditionally a retirement plan
where individuals can deposit funds into an account that will earn
interest with the goal of augmenting an individual�s retirement
savings. An IRA is different than a 401k because an IRA earns a
fixed-rate of interest. It is not an investment so it does not have
the ability to earn a higher rate of return in a lucrative market.
Conversely, it is safe during periods of market correction.
It is very clear that investing in such an IRA is impermissible since
it is not considered an investment (hence no chance of loss on
invested capital). It is similar to an interest bearing deposit such
as a saving account.
Note: However, an IRA in many cases (of recent) can also be set up
with an institution like a broker (called brokerage IRAs) to invest in
lawful stocks at one�s own discretion. This could be a good lawful
investment option if the stocks one invests in meet the criteria
highlighted below.
Mutual Funds
A Mutual Fund is an investment entity, usually a corporation that
sells shares to investors, usuallyindividuals, in exchange for a
portion of the Fund�sinvestment portfolio. Different funds are
designed to meet the requirements of various types of investors. For
example, fixed income / bond funds are available for investors seeking
moderate returns and low risk and equity / stock funds are accessible
for those who are willing to accept more risk exchangefor potentially
higher returns.
Investing in Mutual Funds is permissible if one restricts his or
herself to investing only in equity / stock funds whose portfolios
consist of lawfulcompanies. Investing into fixed income / bond funds
is impermissible since the returns are derived from interest-bearing
securities.
Money Market Fund
A Money Market Fund is a mutual fund that invests in short-term
interest bearing securities and sometimes allows its investors to have
a debit card associated with it andwrite checks against their
accounts. Since the investments are made intoshort-term securities
(which typically mature within one year), these funds are very
low-risk. Investing in Money Market Funds is impermissible since the
pool of investments consists of interest-bearing assets.
Bonds, Bills and Notes
These are debt obligationsunder which the borrower,typically a
corporation of governmental entity, agrees to make specified payments
of interest for the money it borrows (the �face value� or principal).
For example, a corporationmay issue a bond which will mature in 5
years witha face value of $1,000 and promise to make annual interest
payments of 10% per year. In this case, the bondholder will earn $100a
year for five years and after the fifth year will be given back his or
her initialinvestment of $1,000 as long as the corporation does not
default. The interest / expected return of each of a bond depends on
the degree of risk, which determined by independent ratings agencies.
Bonds issued by governmental entities typically have a lower expected
return than those issued by corporations since the chances of
governmental entities defaulting are smaller.
Investing in Bonds is also impermissible since they are essentially
loans that promise to pay back the face value plus interest.
Certificate of Deposit (CD)
A Certificate of Deposit is a savings certificate at various
denominations issued primarily by commercial banks where the holder
receives interest at a specified rate upon maturity. :->

Zakat on Platinum Jewelry

Question:
Zakat has to be paid if one possesses gold or silver. Does it have to
be paid if one possesses platinum jewelry, pearls or diamonds? How is
zakat calculated in this case?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
Zakat isn�t due on platinum jewelry. In termsof jewelry, Zakat is only
obligatory on gold and silver .

Zakat on Private Car

Question:
I own a private car for my private use. Do I haveto pay Zakat on it?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful & Compassionate
No, zakat is not due on one�s personal needs, suchas one�s house, car,
and other belongings.

Distributing Zakat Through An Agent

Question:
I have sent my zakat for the year to my father in-law to distribute
within Pakistan on my behalf, but I have a concern as to how far
myresponsibilities lie on following up where this money goes. My
father in-law distributes this money to people he knows as genuinely
poorand also to Islamic madrasas. I don't want to question him in
great detail as he may think I am questioning my trustin him. However,
I believe he did not give all the money away. He is in great debt
which my husband and I will take it on ourselves to pay off, but I do
not wishmy zakat money to go tohim, as I believe my husband and I
should pay this and will pay it insha'Allah.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
There are certain points worth considering here:
1) Paying Zakat through an agent (wakil) is permitted. It is
permissibleto appoint a person or an organization to distribute Zakat
on one's behalf uponthe eligible and worthy recipients. (See: Radd
al-Muhtar ala al-Durr, 2/268-269)
However, in doing so, one should keep two things in mind:
Firstly, one should have full trust and confidence that the agent will
distribute the Zakat to only worthy recipients, and not misuse it in
any way.
Secondly, if the agent doesnot distribute the Zakat upon worthy
recipients, then Zakat will not be regarded as fulfilled, henceit will
remain an obligation on the Zakat-payer. Zakat will only be considered
fulfilled when the agent utilizes and distributes it on worthy
recipients.
2) Zakat cannot be given to one's parents, grandparents. Similarly,
one's children, grandchildren. However, it is permitted to give Zakat
money to one's father in-law and mother in-law, provided they are
worthy recipients. (Radd al-Muhtar, 2/346)
3) If one gives Zakat to an agent, it will be permitted for that agent
to distributethe Zakat on his parents, relatives and any other person
(provided he/she isworthy of receiving Zakat).However, it will not be
permitted for that agent to use Zakat for his personal benefit.
Imam al-Haskafi (Allah have mercy on him) states:
"It is permissible for an agent to give Zakat wealthto his poor son
and poor wife but not use it himself,unless if the Zakat-payer asked
him to use the Zakatwealth in any manner he wishes." (See: Radd
al-Muhtar ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, 2/269)
The meaning of this is thatnormally an agent cannot use Zakat wealth
for his own personal benefit. However, if the one giving Zakat and
appointing him an agent said to him:"Distribute this Zakat wealth in
any manner you wish" or "Give it to whomever you desire", then in such
a case, it will be permitted for that agent to use the Zakat wealth
for his personal needs.
Keeping the above three points in mind; we come to your specific question.
You state that you have given your Zakat to your father in-law in
order for itto be distributed upon worthy recipients. Thus, in light
of point number one, if you had full trust and confidence that he
would use and distribute the Zakat in a proper manner, then there is
nothing to worry about.
However, if this is not the case, and you fear that dueto him being
poor and in debt he may use the Zakathimself, then there are two
scenarios here.
We learnt in point numbertwo that one may give Zakat to one's father
in-law; hence if he used it for his personal benefit, your Zakat would
have been fulfilled. However, the problem here is that which was
outlined in point number three, in that an agent cannot use Zakat for
his personal benefit unless the Zakat-payer gives him permission to
distribute the Zakat in any manner he wishes and desires.
Thus, in conclusion, if you had full trust and confidence that your
father in-law would distribute Zakat in a proper manner, or you
thought that he may use ithimself, as he is a worthy recipient, and
you also said to him to use the Zakat wealth in any manner he wished,
then inall of these cases, your Zakat is valid and fulfilled.
However, if you have doubt in his distribution, and you did not give
him permission to distribute your Zakat in any manner he wished and
desired, then you should re-pay your Zakat.
And Allah knows best

Can Zakat only be paid in the month of Ramadan, or any time of the year?

Question:
Can Zakat only be paid inthe month of Ramadan, or any time of the year?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, with blessings & peace on the Beloved of Allah,
and his folk and all lovers of Allah
Walaikum assalam,
Zakat can be paid at any time, and should not be unduly delayed. [Ibn
Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar] The virtue of paying one's Zakat in Ramadan is
in that charity and good deeds are multiplied in this month.

I have 5 or 6 watches that have been given to me as gifts by various people over the last few y

Question:
I have 5 or 6 watches that have been given to me as gifts by various
people over the last few years, thetotal value of which comes to about
�3000. Do I have to pay zakat on these watches?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful
The detailed rulings of zakat have been mentioned numerous times on
the SunniPath website.
Based on those rulings, there will be no zakat on the watches given to
you as gifts, unless they are gold/silver watches. In that case, the
value of the gold/silver will have to be appraised and zakat will be
payable on the appraised [weight] value.
Verily, Allah knows best.

How Does A Wife Who Has No Source Of Income Pay Zakat On Her Jewelry?

Question:
How does a wife who has no source of income pay Zakat on her jewelry?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
If an individual possesses in his/her ownership wealth in the form of
gold,silver, cash, merchandise, or livestock to the value ofthe
Zakat-payable amount(nisab), then Zakat will be obligatory upon them.
In the Hanafi School, one is also obliged to pay Zakat on gold and
silver jewellery even if the jewellery is for personal use. (See: the
various Fiqh references)
Thus, if a woman has in her ownership gold or silver the value of
which reaches the appointed Nisab amount, then she will be required to
pay Zakat. If she has money in the form of cash, she may pay the Zakat
from it; otherwise, she will have tosell some part of the jewellery in
order to pay the Zakat. She may even give an item from the jewellery
itself as Zakat to the poor and needy.
However, it is suggested that if she has no other savings, her husband
or father pay Zakat on her behalf with her permission. It will be as
though her husband or father is giving her some money as gift, and she
is utilizing that money to pay off her Zakat. If that is not possible,
she will have no alternative but to sell some part of the gold and
silver jewellery in order to fulfil her responsibility.
The same ruling would apply with ritual slaughter(udhiyya), in that if
one does not possess cash, onewill have to sell some part of the
wealth in order to fulfil this duty. Udhiyya becomes Wajib when one
has wealth (in any form) inexcess of one�s personal needs to the
amount of Nisab. Thus, even a male who has no cash on hand would be
required to sell some items and perform Udhiyya.
And Allah knows best

Zakat On Deposits

Question:
Is the deposit one pays when renting out a house liable for zakat? In
the UK landlords are known for stealing deposits, so it is highly
likely that it may never return into one's possession. Also whatis the
ruling about entering into such a contract with a landlord involving a
deposit, when one does not know with any certainty whetherthis money
will ever be returned?
Answer:
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,
One must always remember that paying zakat from any given wealth is
the responsibility of the owner of that wealth (malik), and not the
responsibility of the one to whom it is given for a specific duration.
It is stated in al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya :
�(From the conditions for the obligation of Zakat is having complete
control over the wealth), and that is to have ownership and
possession. If one has ownership of the wealth and not possession�or
possession and not ownership�, then zakat will not be obligatory�As
far as the commodity that has not yet been deliveredis concerned�.it
will be part of the Nisab hence zakat will be obligatory on it
according to the correct opinion.� (al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, 1/172)
The above text implies that both ownership and possession are
necessary in order for zakat to be obligatory. The latter part of the
above-mentioned text (concerning the commodity) implies that physical
possession is not a necessary requirement for the obligation of
zakat;rather, if one has full control over the wealth and it is
redeemable whenever one desires, then this will be considered
sufficient.
In light of the above explanation, there are three scenarios with
regards to the obligation of zakat on money that is deposited when
purchasing something or when renting a property:
1) If the deposit is part of the total cost paid towards the purchase
of an item or towards the rent of a property, then the depositor is
not responsible for paying zakat from it. The one to whom it is
deposited will be responsible to pay its zakat. The reason is quite
obvious, in that the depositor no longer remains the owner of this
wealth; rather, it has now come into the ownership of the one to whom
it is deposited.
2) If the deposited money is merely given as a trust on the condition
and understanding that it will be returned, then paying zakat from it
will be the responsibility of the one depositing it. The reason being
is that zakat is the responsibility of the one who owns the wealth,
andthe one who deposits the money here is considered to be the owner
of the deposited wealth. As far aspossession over this money is
concerned, as explained earlier, as long as one has control over this
wealth one will be considered to have possession. Thus, both ownership
and possessionare found on the money that is deposited; hence, the
depositor will be liableto pay zakat.
3) If the deposit cannot bewithdrawn over a specific period, then the
ruling concerning it is similar to that of other loans given for a
specific period, or it issimilar to giving an item as security (rahn).
The Hanafi jurists (fuqaha) have categorized loans into three types.
Without going into the details, the crux of the ruling is that, itis
preferable to include themoney in one�s total possessions and pay
zakatfrom it annually. However,payment of zakat will not be obligatory
until the debt is recovered, but when it is received, zakat for the
previous years will also have to be paid. Similarly, if a zakat-able
item was given as security, zakat will not be obligatory annually, but
when the item is redeemed, zakat for the previous years will have to
be paid.
In conclusion, zakat is obligatory on the individual who is the owner
of the wealth. Thus,if the depositor is still considered to be the
owner of the wealth that is deposited, he/she will be responsible to
pay zakat from it.
As far as your query concerning the permissibility of deposits is
concerned, this has beenanswered in an earlier answer. Please search
the archives on www.SunniPath.com
And Allah knows best/

How do We Attain Knowledge?

There are three issues which people frequently mix up when trying to answer this question. I hope the reader will distinguish between them:What is the source of knowledge? What are the means by which knowledge is acquired? And what is the method which must be followed toacquire knowledge? The source of knowledge is, as the name indicates, the place where knowledge may be found. The means are abilities and instruments which Allah has placed at our disposal for acquiring knowledge from its source. The sources of knowledge for aMuslim are existence and revelation. Its means are the senses and the mind. As for the method, it variesaccording to the type of knowledge and its source. It is a mistake, then, for us to say - as do some religiously minded people - that the sources of knowledge or its means are the senses and revelation, or that the scientific method is restricted to empirical sciences.
The Means of Acquiring Knowledge
The verse mentioned earlier establishes that thehuman being is born ignorant, and that Allah, the Exalted, provides him with hearing, vision and intellect. This makes it clear that it is not possible for a human being to acquire knowledge-whether it is religious or worldly-except by way of the senses or the intellect. Why do I say the senses when the verse only mentions hearing and sight? Because the other senses are mentioned in other verses. This verse singles them out for mention because they are the most important sensesfor acquiring information.
The senses are - as is well-known - connected tothe brain and, by way of it,to the mind. The mind is what coverts the material arriving through the senses into things that have meaning for the person. The sense which is most closely affiliated withthe intellect is hearing. A person hears sounds arising from natural thingslike thunder, wind, birds, animals and insects, but healso hears speech, which issounds that indicate meanings. Hearing is usually referred to in the Noble Quran to mean this second aspect. The one who doesn’t understand speech or benefit from it iscompared by the Quran to an animal which hears nothing more of speech that its sounds. Speech is affiliated with intellect in another way, that is, somespeech is true and some is false, and there is no way to distinguish the true from the false by the senses alone; logic must be applied as well. It determines whether the speech is internally contradictory or consistent.
If it finds it contradictingitself it rules that it is false.If it finds it internally consistent it examines the meaning: is it in accordance with the reality it refers to or not? Deciding whether there is accord or disparity might be a simple operation. If, for instance, someone says“The sun has risen,” all oneneeds to do is look up. If you see the sun, you judgethe statement to be true, and if you can’t see it, you judge it to be false. Judging the truth or falsehood of a statement may, however, be a long, complex operation, such as confirming the authenticity of a scientific theory like Relativity./