3a] Is Iblees a jinn or an angel?

3a]
[al-Jinn72;1-2]
In the same soorah, it states that the jinn said:
"'And indeed when we heard the Guidance (this Qur'aan), we believed
therein (Islamic Monotheism), and whosoever believes in his Lord shall
have no fear, either of a decrease in thereward of his good deeds or
an increase in the punishment for his sins. And of us some are
Muslims (who have submitted to Allaah, after listening to this
Qur'aan), and of us some are Al-Qaasitoon (disbelievers those who have
deviated from the Right Path)'..." [al-Jinn 72:13-14]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer:
Al-Hasan al-Basri said: Iblees was not one of the angels, not even
for a single moment. He is the father of the jinn, just as Adam (peace
be upon him) is the father of mankind. This was narrated by al-Tabari
witha saheeh isnaad (part 3/89).
Some of the scholars said that Iblees was one of theangels, that he
was the peacock of the angels, that he was the one among the angels
who strove the hardest in worship... and other reports, most of which
come from the Israa'eeliyyaat (stories and reports from Jewish
sources), and some of which contradict the clear texts of the Qur'aan.
Ibn Katheer said, explaining this:
A lot of these reports were transmitted from the Salaf, and most of
them come from the Israa'eeliyyaat, which maybe been transmitted in
order to be examined [i.e.,as opposed to being accepted as is]. Allaah
knows best about the veracity or otherwise of many of them. Some of
them are definitely to be rejected, because they go against the truth
which we hold in our hands. In the Qur'aan we have sufficient so that
we have no need of previous reports, because hardly any of them are
free of distortions, with things added or taken away. Many things have
been fabricated in them, for they did not have people who had
memorized things precisely by heart (huffaaz) who could eliminate the
distortions created by extremists andfabricators, unlike this ummah
which has its imaams, scholars, masters,pious and righteous people,
brilliant critics andmen of excellent memory who recorded the hadeeths
and classified them, stating whether they were saheeh (sound),hasan
(good), da'eef (weak), mawdoo' (fabricated), matrook (to be ignored).
They identified the fabricators and liars, and those aboutwhom nothing
was known, and other kinds ofmen (i.e., narrators). All of this
afforded protection tothe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), the Seal of the Messengers and the Leader of Mankind, so
thatnothing would be attributed to him falsely and nothing would be
transmitted from him thathe did not say or do. May Allaah be pleased
with them and make them pleased [by rewarding them], and make the
Paradise of al-Firdaws their eternal abode. (Tafseer al-Qur'aan
il-'Azeem, 3/90).
And Allaah knows best.

3] Is Iblees a jinn or an angel?

3]
I was just wondering if Iblis was actually a jinn oran angel. This
particular issue recently sparked my curiosity when it was presented
to me by a person I know. If he is an angel, then how is it he
disobeyed Allah, when Angels have no will of their own and follow
onlyAllah's command. If he is really a jinn, then it wouldbetter
explain his disobedience as then he actually had the choice to obey or
disobey Allah. I would appreciate a response, even if it is a brief
one.
Praise be to Allaah.
Ibless – may Allaah curse him – is one of the jinn. He was not an
angel for a single day, not even for an instant. The angels were
created noble; they never disobey Allaah when He commands themto do
something and theydo what they are commanded. This is clearly stated
in the Qur'aanic texts which indicate that Iblees is one of the jinn
and not one of the angels. These texts include the following:
1. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And (remember) when We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves unto
Adam." So they prostrated themselves except Iblees (Satan). He was one
of thejinn; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord. Willyou then take
him (Iblees)and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me
while theyare enemies to you? Whatan evil is the exchange forthe
Zaalimoon (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc)." [al-Kahf 18:50]
2. Allaah stated that He created thejinn from
fire, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire"
[al-Hijr 15:27]
"And the jinn He created from a smokeless flame offire" [al-Rahmaan 55:15]
And it was narrated in a saheeh hadeeth that 'Aa'ishah said: the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"The angels were created from light, the jinn were created from
smokeless fire and Adam was created from that which has been described
to you." (Narrated by Muslimin his Saheeh, no. 2996; also narrated by
Ahmad, no. 24668; by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra, no. 18207 and by
Ibn Hibbaan, no. 6155).
One of the attributes of the angels is that they were created from
light, and the jinn were created from fire. It was mentioned in the
Qur'aan that Iblees – may Allaah curse him – was created from fire.
This is what Iblees himself said when Allaah, may He be glorified and
exalted, asked him the reason for his refusal to prostrate to Adam
when Allaah commanded him to do so.He – may Allaah curse him– said:
" 'I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You
created from clay'" [al-A'raaf 7:12; Saad 38:76– interpretation of the
meaning]. This indicates that he was one of the jinn.
3. Allaah has described the angels in His Book,
where He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Wardoff yourselves and your families against a
Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones, over which are (appointed)
angels stern (and) severe, who disobey not, (from executing) the
Commandsthey receive from Allâh, but do that which they are commanded"
[al-Tahreem 66:6]
"And they say: 'The Most Gracious (Allaah) has begotten a son (or
children).' Glory to Him! They [whom they call children of Allaah i.e.
the angels, 'Eesaa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary), 'Uzair (Ezra)], are
but honoured slaves. They speak not until He has spoken, and they act
on His Command"[al-Anbiyaa' 21:26-27]
"And to Allaah prostrate all that is in the heavens and all that is in
the earth,of the moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they
are not proud [i.e. they worship their Lord (Allâh) with humility].
They fear their Lord above them, and they do what they are commanded"
[al-Nahl 16:49-50]
So it is not possbile for the angels to disobey their Lord, because
they are protected from sin and they are naturally inclined to obey
Allaah.
4. The fact that Iblees is not one of the angels
means that he is not compelled to obey Allaah. He has freedom of will
just as we humans do. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning);
"Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful"
[al-Insaan 76:3]
There are also Muslims and kaafirs among the jinn. It says in Soorat
al-Jinn (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): 'It has been revealed to me that a group (from
three to ten in number) of jinn listened (to this Qur'aan). They said:
'Verily, we haveheard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur'aan)! It guides
to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never
join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allaah).'" [al-Jinn72;1-2]
In the same soorah, it states that the jinn said: :->

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3a] Jinns & their Purpose of Creation

3a]
that follow you, together'"
[Saad 38:84-85 - interpretation of the meaning]
The friends of the Most Merciful (Allaah), among the jinn and mankind, co-operate in righteousness and piety, and the friends of the Shaytaan, among the jinn and mankind, co-operate in sin and transgression. Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"And so We have appointed for every Prophet enemies - Shayaateen (devils) among mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception). If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it; so leave them alone with their fabrications"
[al-An'aam 6:112]
The jinn used to have places near the heavens where they would sit to eavesdrop (on the inhabitants of the heavens), but when Allaahsent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) they were no longer allowed to do that.Whoever among them tries to listen is burned with a flaming fire, as Allaah tells us that the jinn said:
" 'And we have sought to reach the heaven; but found it filled with stern guards and flaming fires.
And verily, we used to sit there in stations, to (steal)a hearing, but any who listens now will find a flaming fire watching himin ambush'"
[al-Jinn 72:8-9 - interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn are with us on this earth, but by the mercy of Allaah they see us and we do not see them, as Allaah says of Iblees and his tribe (interpretation of the meaning):
"Verily, he and Qabeeluhu (his soldiers from the jinn or his tribe) see you from where you cannot see them"
[al-A'raaf 7:27]
Whoever can see you when you cannot see him,and he is your enemy, is more dangerous. So you must always beware of him and protect yourself from the devils among the jinn and mankind.
From Usool al-Deen al-Islami, by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

3] Jinns & their Purpose of Creation

3a]
The jinn are part of the creation of Allaah. He created them from fire before He created Adam, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud.
And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire"
[al-Hijr 15:26-27]
Just as Adam had descendents, so Iblees had descendents too, as Allaah says of Iblees (interpretation of the meaning):
"Will you then take him (Iblees) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while theyare enemies to you? Whatan evil is the exchange forthe Zaalimoon (polytheists, and wrongdoers, etc)"
[al-Kahf 18:50]
Allaah created the jinn and mankind to worship Him. Whoever obeys Him will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Him will enter Hell:
"And I (Allaah) created notthe jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).
I seek not any provision from them (i.e. provision for themselves or for My creatures) nor do I ask that they should feed Me (i.e. feed themselves or Mycreatures).
Verily, Allaah is the All Provider, Owner of Power,the Most Strong"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56 - interpretation]
All of the jinn, like mankind, are accountable.Among them there are believers and kaafirs, those who obey Allaah and those who disobey Him, as Allaah tells us thatthey said:
"'There are among us some that are righteous, and some the contrary; we are groups having different ways (religious sects)'"
[al-Jinn 72:11 - interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn will be rewarded or punished in the Hereafter just like mankind. Allaah tells us that they said:
"'And of us some are Muslims (who have submitted to Allaah, after listening to this Qur'aan), and of us some are Al?Qaasitoon (disbelieversthose who have deviated from the Right Path)'. Andwhosoever has embraced Islam (i.e. has become a Muslim by submitting to Allaah), then such have sought the Right Path.'
And as for the Qaasitoon (disbelievers who deviated from the Right Path), they shall be firewood for Hell"
[al-Jinn 72:14-15 - interpretation of the meaning]
The jinn and mankind willall be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection before the Lord of the Worlds. None of them will be able to postpone that or flee from it.
"O assembly of jinn and men! If you have power to pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, then pass beyond (them)! But you will neverbe able to pass them, except with authority (from Allaah)!"
[al-Rahmaan 55:33 - interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever among the jinn or mankind tries to flee from the Reckoning will never be able to do so, as Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning):
"There will be sent against you both, smokeless flames of fire and (molten) brass, and you will not be able to defend yourselves
[al-Rahmaan 55:35]
When the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was in Makkah, a group of the jinn came to him; they heard the Qur'aan and were moved by it:
"And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad) a group (three to ten persons) of the jinn, (quietly) listeningto the Qur'aan. When theystood in the presence thereof, they said: "Listen in silence!" And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners"
[al-Ahqaaf 46:29 - interpretation of the meaning]
Some of the jinn believed when they heard the Qur'aan, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammad): 'It has been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in number) of jinn listened (to this Qur'aan). They said: "Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur'aan)!
It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything with our Lord (Allaah)"'"
[al-Jinn 72:1-2]
Both Adam and Iblees fell into sin, but Adam regretted it and repented,and Allaah accepted his repentance:
"Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance).Verily, He is the One Who forgives (accepts repentance), the Most Merciful"
[al-Baqarah 2:37 - interpretation of the meaning]
But Iblees refused and was arrogant, so he was one of the disbelievers:
"And (remember) when We said to the angels: 'Prostrate yourselves before Adam.' And they prostrated except Iblees (Satan), he refused and was proud and was one of the disbelievers (disobedient to Allaah)"
[al-Baqarah 2:34 - interpretation of the meaning]
Whoever disobeys Allaah out of pride and arrogance, among the jinnand mankind, is followingthe Shaytaan and will be gathered with him in the Fire of Hell if he does not repent, as Allaah said to Iblees:
"(Allaah) said: 'The truth is- and the truth I say
That I will fill Hell with you [Iblees (Satan)] and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together'"
[Saad 38:84-85 - interpretation of the meaning]/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

2a] Questions and Answers on Jinns

2a]
Question 12: Is it true thatanimals see jinn and angels?
Yes. Animals do see angels and shaitan. When a rooster sees an angel, it starts crowing. However, when a donkey starts braying it is seeing a jinn./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

2] Questions and Answers on Jinns

2]
Question 1: Who are the jinn?
The jinn are among the creatures that Allah (swt) created. Allah (swt) created angels, jinn, mankind, animals, plants and others. Jinn have some qualities like humanbeings. These qualities areintellect, discrimination, freedom, and the power to choose between right and wrong, between true and false, as well as between good and bad.
Question 2: When did Allah (swt) create the jinn?
Allah (swt) created the jinn before Adam (pbuh) was created. Both were created in heaven and lived in paradise. One mayread in Surah Al-Hijr (The Rocky Tract) [Qur'an, 15:26-27]. However, nothing was mentioned about the duration of time of the jinn's creation before Adam (pbuh).
Question 3: What are jinn created from?
Jinn are created from fire of hot wind [Qur'an, 15:27]; and from smokeless fire [Qur'an, 55:15]. They were originally made from fire and then molded and shaped in the form and shape that Allah (swt) wanted them to be.
Question 4: Do jinn have bodies?
Yes and no! It depends upon the information thatone has. One group of scholars believe that jinn do not have bodies of their own. They also do not inhabit bodies of other creatures. However, they do exist independently by themselves. Therefore, they do not know how they exist without bodies:smoke, flame, fire or what?
The other group of scholars do believe that jinn do have bodies eitherdefinite or subtle. If their bodies are definite then they have some density; otherwise, if they are subtle, then they are so fine that our weak eyes cannot see them. One may read Surah Al-A'raf (The Heights) [Qur'an, 7:27]. Even if they are subtle they should have weight and density similar to that of the air itself.
Question 5: Do jinn die?
Yes. Jinn do die. As long asthey are creatures createdby Allah (swt), they should die. They are creatures that marry, produce children, eat, drink, and die like all other creatures in the universe. One may read Qur'an Surah Al-Rahman (The Most Merciful) [Qur'an, 55:26-28].
Question 6: Do the jinn feel envy of us?
Yes. There are two types of evil eye: human and the jinn. One has to read regularly 'A'oozu Billahi Minash-shaitanir Rajeem. Also, by reading Ayah Al-Kursi and Al-Mu'awwazatain, one will be protected from theevil eyes of both the jinn and mankind.
Question 7: Are there messengers and prophets from within the community of jinn?
Yes. Allah (swt) has sent prophets and messengers to jinn from within the jinn community. Also, Allah (swt) sent Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to mankind, to jinn, and to other creatures. In Surah Al-An'am (The Cattle), Allah (swt) explains that He sent messengers to men and to jinn. See Qur'an [6:130].
Question 8: Do jinn have different religions, sects and denominations?
In Surah Al-Jinn (Ch. 72), Allah (swt) informs us thatsome jinn accepted Islam, while others refused. Those who refused have deviated, and developed for themselves different methods, different ways of life, and different religions, sects and denominations.
Question 9: Do jinn marry and have children?
Yes. Jinn do marry and they do have children. Theway they marry is not known to us yet. We may be able to know the future if Allah (swt) wantsus to know.
People never knew about microbes, viruses, and the unseen micro creatures. Now we are able to knowmany things about their life cycles, their life duration, their methods ofduplication or reproduction: sexually and asexually. The mere fact that we do not know how the jinn marry and reproduce does not negate their being married and reproduced. The Qur'an stipulates in Surah Al-Kahf (18:50) that they have offsprings. Similarly, the Qur'an states in Surah Al-Rahman(55:56) that jinn and human beings never touched (married) the ladies of paradise.
Question 10: Do jinn have animals as pets?
Yes. Jinn do have animals or beasts of their own. The Prophet (pbuh) mentioned that every piece of dung is fodder forthe beasts of the jinn. However, we do not know what type of beaststhe jinn have. The same thing is to be said as to the varieties of beasts, their number, their shape,their size, their weight and so on.
Question 11: Do jinn have homes of their own?
Yes. The jinn do have homes. They live all over the planet earth. However, there are specialplaces that one may find them in abundance and on a regular basis. These are deserts, ruins, places of impurities such as dunghills, bathrooms and graveyards. They live in houses of human beings too. For those who enter their houses mentioning the name of Allah (swt), the jinn cannot have a place to stay overnight in that house. If the people of the house mention the name of Allah (swt) before eating, then the shaitan will not be able toeat with them./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

1a] What After Ramadan?

1a]
If the fasting in Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary fasting, such as fasting six days in Shawwal, on Mondays and Thursdays, the three days in the middle of the month, the days of `Aashoora and `Arafat, andothers.
If standing in prayer at night during Ramadan has ended, then there remains voluntary night prayer throughout the year.
“They used to sleep but little of the night.” [Adh-Dhaariyaat, 17]
If the charity in Ramadan and zakat ul-fitr have ended, then there is the obligatory Zakat, and also there are many other opendoors to charity, voluntary actions and jihad.
Reading of the Qur'an and contemplating it is not only for Ramadan, rather itis for all times.
Righteous actions are for all times and all places, so strive – O my brother and sister – and beware of laziness. And remember that it is not allowed for usto leave the obligatory actions or delay them, such as the five daily prayers on time, in congregation etc.
And do not fall into forbidden actions, such as forbidden sayings, food and drinks, or by looking at or listening to what is forbidden.
Be steadfast and upright upon the Deen of Allah at all times, for you do not know when you'll meet the Angel of Death. Beware of him taking you while you are in a state of sin.
“O Allah, Who turns the hearts, keep our hearts steadfast upon Your Deen.”
I ask Allah to accept from us and you our fasting, ourprayers and other righteous actions, that our condition after Ramadan be a better one, that the state of our Ummah improves, that we are granted honour and that we truly turn to our Lord…Ameen/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

1] What After Ramadan?

1]
AlHamdulillahi wa kafaa, was-Salatu was-salamu `alaa `ibaadihi-lladheena Stafaa We leave the blessed month of Ramadan, its beautiful days and its fragrant nights. We leave the month of the Qur'an, taqwa, patience, jihad, mercy, forgiveness and freedom from hellfire.
Have we fulfilled the requirements of taqwa and graduated from the Ramadan school with the diploma of the god-fearing?
Have we fought our souls and desires and defeated them, or have we been overtaken by our customs and blind imitations?
Have we performed our actions in a way that fulfills the conditions for receiving mercy, forgiveness and release from the Fire?
Many questions and numerous thoughts come to the heart of the sincere Muslim, who asks and answers with truthfulness.
What Have We Gained From Ramadan? Ramadan is a school of iman and a 'stop to recharge one's spiritual batteries' - to acquire one'sprovision for the rest of the year.
For when will one take a lesson and change for better if not in the month of Ramadan?
The noble month is a true school of transformation inwhich we change our actions, habits and manners that are in variance with the Law of Allah 'azza wa jall.
“Verily, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” [Ar-Ra`d, 11]
If you are from those who benefited from Ramadan, fulfilled the requirements of taqwa, truly fasted the month, prayed in it with truthfulness, and strove against you soul, then praise and thank Allah, andask Him for steadfastness upon it until you meet your death.
Be not like one who has sewn a shirt and then destroyed it... Have you seen one who sewed a shirt or thawb, so when she looked at it, she liked it. Then she destroyed it pulling a thread by thread for no reason. What wouldpeople say about such a person?! Or have you seen one who earns a fortune trading throughout the day, then when the night comes, he throws away all that he earned, dirham by dirham. What would people say about such a person?!
This is the condition of onewho returns to sinning and evildoing after Ramadan and leaves obedience and righteous actions. So after he was favored with the blessing of obedience and enjoyment of communicating with Allah he returned to the blaze ofsins and evil actions. How evil are the people who know Allah only in Ramadan!
My dear ones,
falling short in one's commitment to Islam afterRamadan is manifested in many ways, including:
1 – Men leaving the five prayers in congregation, after they filled mosques for Taraweeh prayers, thusgoing to the masjid for recommended prayers andleaving obligatory ones.
2 – Return to musical entertainment, forbidden films, women displaying their adornment beyond that which ordinarily appears thereof, free mixing etc.
This is not thankfulness forblessings and favors, nor isit the sign of acceptance ofone's actions, rather this is opposition to favors and absence of thankfulness.
These are from signs of one's deeds not being accepted – and Allah's refuge is sought – for one who truly fasts rejoices on the occasion of `eid, praises his Lord for helpinghim complete the fast, andremains fearful that Allah may not accept his fasting,just as the Salaf would continue asking for acceptance of their actions in Ramadan for six monthsafter it.
From signs that one's deeds are accepted is that he or she has improved in his or her obedience to Allah `azza wa jall.
“And remember when your Lord proclaimed, 'If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]…” [Ibrahim, 7]
Increase you in good, faith and righteous actions. So ifthe servant is truly thankful to his Lord, you will see him guided to more obedience and distanced from sinfulness. Thankfulness is leaving sins, as the early Muslims said.
“And worship your Lord until there comes you to the certainty [i.e. death].” [al-Hijr, 99]
The Muslim must continuously be in the state of obedience of Allah,firm upon His Sharee`ah, steadfast upon His Deen, so that he or she is not of those who worship Allah only during one month or only in one place. Rather, the believer knows that the Lord of Ramadan is also the Lord of other months, and that He is the Lord of all times and places, so he is steadfast upon the Sharee`ah of Allah until he meets Him while He is pleased with him. Allah ta`ala said,
“So remain on a right course as you have been commanded, [you] and those who have turned back with you [to Allah].”[Hud, 112]
And,
“So take a straight course to Him and seek His forgiveness.” [Fussilat, 6]
And the Prophet, sallallahu`alayhi wa sallam, said,
“Say 'I believe in Allah', then be steadfast.” [Muslim]/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Life After Ramadan

He also said:
Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadaan and then follows it with six days fasting in Shawwaal has done as if he has fast for live." (Reported by Muslim)
Though, night prayer during Ramadaan might have gone; yet, the night prayers throughout the year is also recommended.It has been authentically reported from the Prophetsaws that
"Allaah use to descend to the nearest heaven to this world when it is the last third of the night and say: 'Who is going to call Me that I may answer him? Who is going to ask from Me that I may give to him?Who is going to seek for my Forgiveness that I may forgive him?"
Therefore, the most pleasing to Allaah of all acts are the ones that are continuously done.
Fellow Muslims! While there are a set of youths who during the noble month of Ramadan were busy passing their time in lustful things, sins and actsof obedience, there are others who were busy doing deeds of righteousness such as I‘tikaaf in the Houses of Allaah severing all ties with fellow creatures and meditating with the Creator. They gave obedience of their Lord preference over their own desires. You would see them bowing, prostrating and reciting the Glorious Qur’aan. Such youths are the hope and pride of this Ummah.
Dear Muslims! Fear Alllaah for fear of Allaah is the head of all matters. Obey Allaah and keep away from His restrictions, you will achieve His pleasure and be saved from His torment. Do not go back tosins and disobedience so as not to be entitled to His punishment. Dear brothers, thank your Lord for making you complete the fasting of this month. Enjoy your Eid by remaining consistent on the those good deeds and keep away from undesirable things that arecapable of removing Allaah’s favors from you. One of our righteous predecessors said:
“Each day in which no act of disobedience to Allaah is committed is Eid and each day a believer spent in acts of obedience to his Lord is Eid”/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Life After Ramadan

All praise is due to Allaah. We thank Him, we seek forHis help and forgiveness. We also seek His refuge against the evils of our souls and that of our deeds. Whoever Allaah guides, nobody can mislead him, and whoever He misleads will never have no guide. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. May He bestow Peace and blessingupon this noble Prophet, his family and companions.
Fellow Muslims! Fear Allaah as He should be feared for, the fear of Allaah is the best treasure for you.
Dear Muslims! Months, days and years are made to determine lifespan and to afford people the oppurtunity to perform good deeds. Further, deathdo patrol day and night to take the souls of those whose time is due and youshall be addressed on the Day of Ressurection on account of your deeds. It isthen that your Lord will say:
“These are only your deeds that has been recorded for you and for which I am going to reward you. So, whoevergets a good reward should be thankful to Allaah and whoever gets otherwise should only blame himself.”
Dear brothers! Your monthof Ramadan has now gonewith your deeds. Let those who have committed wrong among you quickly repent and mend their ways before Door of Repentance is closed and let those who have done good continue on the same for, the best of all acts of obedience are the the ones followed up with its like. Be concerned moreover the acceptance of your deeds than over the deeds itself for, Allaah does not accept deeds except from the pious ones. Also, beware of following up good deeds with bad ones because, if we say that good deeds eradicate bad ones, it is also not impossible that bad deeds destroy good ones.
Brothers in faith! You were- during the just concludedmonth of righteous - fasting in the day, praying in the night and doing different kinds of sacrificialacts in oder to get reward and to be saved from the Fire. With the depature of this month, a stage of our live has passed. Such is how we pass days of this life in stages on our way to the everlasting abode. Indeed, continuation of good deeds at all time is character of righteous people for, acts of obedience do not have a specific time; it is rather Allaah’s unconditional right upon His servants as long as they are alive. Though, month of Ramadaan is an opportunity for the faithfuls to race with one another towards good deeds and an opportunity to direct one’s soul towards meritorious acts and keep it from vices; yet,it is quite incumbent on Muslims to remain on the path of righteousness evenafter Ramadaan. Worshipping Allaah shouldnot be restricted to Ramadaan alone for, there is no end to Muslim’s worship except when he dies. What evil people those who worship only time and do not know Allaah except in Ramadaan!
Dear Muslims! Certainly, the acceptance and rejection of deeds in this month have signs. Among the signs of acceptance of good deed is when it is followed up by good deeds and it is among the signs of rejection to followup one’s good deeds with evil ones. Therefore, followup the good deeds with itslike, it will be a sign of acceptance of that good deed and follow up your evil deeds with good ones,that will indicate that those evil deeds have beenoverlooked. Allaah says:
“Verily, the good deeds remove the evil deeds (i.e. small sins). That is a reminder (an advice) for the mindful (those who accept advice)." (Hood 11:114)
The Prophet saws also said:
“Fear Allaah wherever you are, follow up the evil deed with good one it will remove it and relate with people with good conduct.” (Reported by At-Tirmidhee)
Let those who are determined to go back to sins after Ramadaan know that Allaah is always pleased with those who obey Him regardless of themonth the obedience takes place and is angry with those who disobey Him irrespective of the month the disobedience takes place. The essence ofposperity lies in long life and good deeds and a person’s continuation of good deeds without restricting it to a certain period, particular month orspecial place is a sign of one’s righteousness and acceptance of his good deeds.
Fellow Muslims! Though Ramadaan season is now gone, yet, fasting is still recommended in other months. The Messenger of Allaah saws has recommended fasting on Mondays and Thursdays. He said:
“Deeds are presented to Allaah on Mondays and Thursdays and I would likethat my deeds be presented while I am fasting."
It is also reported that he admonished Aboo Hurayrah ra thus:
"Fasting for three days in every month is (equal to) fasting forever." (Reported by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim).
He also said:
Whoever fasts in the month of Ramadaan and then follows it with six days fasting in Shawwaal has done as if he has fast for live." (Reported by Muslim)/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

* Intermarrying among Adam and Eve's children

*
Asalam Alaikum?
I have no doubt whatsoever, but these kind a things come to mind. Whem Adam and Eve bore children, I assume their children got married among themselves. Isn’t marryingbetween brothers and sisters haram in the Quran?
Can you recommend a good book(s) on Islamic Law covering every and each aspect of Life? Thankyou very much for the generous work for the sake of Allah.
Thanks.
wa alaikum us-salaam wa-rahmat ullaahi wa-barakaatuh
All Praise be to Allaah.
As long as you are confident in your heart about your belief, no suchinsinuations will hurt you (inshaa' Allaah). If a doubtstrikes a believer or something appears to himas a conflict between different textual sources of Shari'ah, he must believe that indeed for such doubts there are trueanswers and for such apparent conflicts there are solutions even if he doesn’t know it or is unable to find the right answer himself. However, a person should not collect all the doubts in his heart and worry aboutthe complexities and leave aside the learning ofuseful knowledge. This is because it is incumbent upon a Muslim to learn and know things which have been clearly described (Muhkamaat) in Shari'ah so that he may be able to repel the doubts.
Regarding the question you have asked, it is a known fact that legislation differs from one Shari'ah to another, while the principles and beliefs remain the same inall of them. So, making of portraits was allowed in the Shari'ah of Sulayman (peace be upon him) but is prohibited in our Shari'ah. Similarly, makingprostration of salutation was permitted in the Shari'ah of Yusuf (peace be upon him) but is illegalin ours. Also, war booty was prohibited for nations before us but it is completely legal for us. The Qiblah of people before us used to be towards Bayt Al-Maqdis, but for us it is towards Ka'bah. In a similar way, marriage between brothers and sisters was permitted in the Shari'ah of Adam (peace be upon him) as opposed to those that came afterwards. Thefollowing is a clarification on the issue by Haafidh Ibn Katheer, who said:
Allaah allowed Adam (peace be upon him) to marry his daughters to hissons for necessity. Every couple used to have a boyand a girl. Hence, he married the girl of one couple to the boy of another. This is said by Suddi regarding what has been narrated by Abu Maalik and Abu Salih, fromIbn ‘Abbas, by Murrah from Ibn Mas‘ood and by other companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that Adam did not have (in his grandchildren) a baby boyunless it was accompanied by a girl, so he married the male of a couple to the female of another, and the female of a couple to the male of another.
/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Taking the crescent as asymbol

What is the symbolism behind the Muslim star and crescent? I did a keyword search of your site and searched my library's reference books and cannot find anything more than a reference to the flag of the Ottoman Empire. Thank you for your interest.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is no basis in sharee’ah for taking the crescent or star as a symbol of the Muslims. This was not known at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or atthe time of the Khulafa’ al-Raashidoon (the first four leaders of Islam after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), or during the time of the Umawis (Umayyad dynasty). It emerged some time after that, and historians differ as to when this symbol was first adopted and who was the first to adopt it. Some say it was the Persians, others say it wasthe Greeks, and that this symbol was somehow passed to the Muslims. (See Al-Taraateeb al-Idaariyah by al-Kittaani,1/320). It was said that the reason why the Muslims adopted the crescent was that when they conquered some western countries, the churches there had crosses on top of them, the Muslims replaced the crosses with these crescents, and the practicespread in this way. Whatever the case, symbols and banners must be in accordance with the teachings of Islam, and as there is no evidence that this symbol is prescribed by Islam, it isbetter not to use it. Neither the crescent nor the star are symbols of the Muslims, even though some Muslims may use them as symbols.
As regards what Muslims think about the moon andthe stars, they believe that they are part of the creation of Allaah, and as such can neither benefit nor harm people, and they do not have any influence over events on earth. Allaah has created them for the benefit of mankind, an example of which is seen in the aayahor verse of the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning):
“They ask you (O Muhammad) about the new moons. Say: These are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for the pilgrimage…” [al-Baqarah 2:189]
[The commentator] Ibn Katheer said, explaining the phrase Say: these are signs to mark fixed periods of time: “From them (the new moons) they may know the times for repaying loans, the ‘iddah (waiting period) of their women [after being divorced or widowed] andthe timing of their Hajj (pilgrimage)… Allaah has made them signs to mark the times when Muslims should start to fast and break their fast [the beginning and end of Ramadaan], to count the ‘iddah of their women and to know the times forrepaying loans.” (Tafseer Ibn Katheer).
[Another commentator] Al-Qurtubi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on thisaayah [verse]: “This explains the wisdom behind the waxing and waning of the moon, which is to avoid any confusion in appointed dates, dealings, oaths, Hajj, ‘iddah, fasting, breaking fasts, length of pregnancy, rentals and other matters that concern mankind. Similar to this aayah are others (interpretation of the meanings):
‘And We have appointed the night and the day as two aayaat (signs). Then, We have made dark the sign of the night while We have made the sign ofday illuminating, that youmay seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning…” [al-Isra’ 17:12]
‘It is He Who made the sun a shining thing and the moon as a light and measured out its (their) stages, that you might know the number of years and the reckoning…’[Yoonus 10:5]
Counting the new moons is easier than counting days.” (See Tafseer al-Qurtubi).
With regard to the stars, the scholars of Islam say that Allaah created these stars for three reasons: to adorn the heavens, to drive away the devils (shayaateen) and as signs for navigation. (Saheeh al-Bukhaari, Kitaab Bad’ al-Khalq), as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is He Who has set the stars for you, so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea…” [al-An’aam 6:97]
“And indeed We have adorned the nearest heaven with lamps, and We have made such lamps (as) missiles to drive away the shayaateen (devils), and have prepared for them the torment of the blazing Fire.” [al-Mulk 67:5]/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The mercy of the merciful Prophet

A Bedouin came to Rasul Allah and told him, "Give me from what Allah gave you, not from the wealth of your mother nor from the wealth of your father." The Sahaabah were furious at the man and step forward to discipline him for what hesaid. Rasul Allah commanded everyone to leave him.
Then by the hand, Rasul Allah took him home, opened his door and said,"Take what you wish and leave what you wish." Theman did so and after he completed, Rasul Allah asked him, "Have I honored you?" "Yes, by Allah,"
said the Bedouin. "Ash hadu an laa ilaaha illa Allah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadar Rasul Allah."
When the Sahabah heard of how the man changed, Rasul Allah taught them.
"Verily the example of myself, you and this Bedouin is that of a man who had his camel run away. The townspeople tried capturing the camel for him by running and shouting after the camel, only driving it further away. The man would shout, 'Leave me and my camel, I know my camel better.' Then he took some grass in his hand, ruffled it in front of the camel, until it came willingly.
'By Allah, had I left you to this Bedouin, you would have hit him, hurt him, hewould have left without Islam and eventually haveentered hellfire."/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Become Muslim first, then do not worry about your past

i'm a young girl, wanting to convert to islam, for me this religion is
really the truth. The problem is, that before i discovered islam, i
used to live a pretty wild life, I did a lot of wrong things (if not
all wrong things). I would like to know if it's possible for a girl
like me to convert, andwhat should I do regarding my past when
converting
Praise be to Allaah.
In the name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
"The revelation of the Book (this Qur'aan) is from Allaah, the All
Mighty, the All Knower.
The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in
punishment, the Bestower (of favours). Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has
the right to be worshipped but He), to Him is the final
return"[Ghaafir 40:2-3 - interpretation of the meaning]
Ibn 'Abbaas - who was one of the companions of the Prophet of Islam
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) - narrated that some of
the people of shirk (polytheism) killed and dida lot of killing, and
they committed adultery and they did that a great deal, then they came
to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said,
"Whatyou say and what you are calling for is good. If only you could
tell us that thereis any expiation for what we have done." Then Allaah
revealed the words (interpretation of the meaning):
'Say: "O 'Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves
(by committing evil deeds andsins)! Despair not of the Mercy of
Allaah, verily, Allaah forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving,
Most Merciful.
And turn in repentance and in obedience with trueFaith (Islamic
Monotheism)to your Lord and submit toHim (in Islam) before the torment
comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped.
And follow the best of thatwhich is sent down to you from your Lord
(i.e. this Qur'aan, do what it orders you to do and keep away from
what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly while
youperceive not!"
Lest a person should say: "Alas, my grief that I was undutiful to
Allaah (i.e. I have not done what Allaahhas ordered me to do), andI
was indeed among those who mocked [at the truth! i.e. Laa ilaaha
illAllaah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah), the
Qur'aan, and Muhammad and at the faithful believers]
Or (lest) he should say: "If only Allaah had guided me, I should
indeed have been among the Muttaqoon (the pious)."
Or (lest) he should say when he sees the torment:"If only I had
another chance (to return to the world), then I should indeed be among
the Muhsinoon (good-doers)."
Yes! Verily, there came to you My Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses,
lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) andyou denied them, and were proud
and were among the disbelievers.'[al-Zumar 39:53-59]"
'Amr ibn al-'Aas was a mushrik (polytheist, idol-worshipper), a
sinner and an enemy of Allaah. He said: "When Allaah put the love of
Islam into my heart, I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) to pledge my allegiance to him. He stretched out
his hand towards me, but I said, 'I will not pledge allegiance to you,
O Messenger of Allaah, until you forgive me my previous sins.' The
Messenger of Allaah (peaceand blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to
me, 'O 'Amr, do you not know that Islam wipes out whatever sins came
beforeit.'" (Narrated by Imaam Ahmad, 17159).
So flee to Allaah and knowthat there is nothing that you are worried
about, butthe solution to it is to be found in the texts quoted above.
Indeed, these texts are addressed to you; theyrefer to your situation
and contain the answer to yourproblem.
Your Lord is Most Merciful;He accepts repentance andforgives all
sins. His Mercy encompasses all things. Hecalls you and all His slaves
to repent and to become Muslim. He has promised you, through the words
of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), that all
of your previous sins, major and minor, of whatever type, will be
wiped out completely when you become Muslim, and you will start with a
clean sheet, a new record of deeds that is free of bad deeds. So what
are you waiting for? Why delay it any further? Hasten to enter Islam
and worship your Lord, and we give you the glad tidings of a happy
future and a good life in the shade of Islam. We were very happy - by
Allaah - to receive your question, and we are waiting to hear good
news.
For more information on how to enter Islam, please look at
Questions#703&11936 And Embracing Islam . May Allaah protect you from
allevil, for He is the Best of Protectors and the Best of Supporters,
and He is the Guide to the Straight Path.

How thirty people ate in the dark

Sheikh Abul Hasan Antaki (RA.) lived in Raye, a city in Khorassan. One
day, it chanced that the Sheikh had more than thirty guests, while he
did not have sufficient bread withhim. He could not bake more bread,
for, it was late at night. So, he broke the few loaves he had into
small pieces and spread them over a piece of cloth, which he had
laidbefore his guests. When they were going to start eating, the
Sheikh put outthe lamp. Everybody seemed to start eating and one could
hear the sound of their chewing. After a while, the sound stopped and
it was presumed that everybodyhad finished eating. The Sheikh then
lighted the lamp and they saw that all the pieces were lying
untouched; nobody had eaten anything. Because the food was little,
everyone was thinking about his brothers next tohim and wanted them to
eat instead.
Source: "Fadhail-e-Sadaqaa: Part II" translated by Prof. Abdul Karim.
May Allah make us useful for each other in terms of pleasing Allah.

7a] The prostration of everything in the universe to Allaah

7a] This prostration includes the submission and humbling of these createdentities to Allaah and their surrendering to His Lordship, Might and Sovereignty. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: “It is the prostration of humility and submission, for everything submits to His Lordship, humbles itself before His Might andis subject to His Sovereignty.” Madaarij al-Saalikeen, 1/107 The prostration of these created entities is a prostration in a real senseas befits each of these entities. So man prostrates in the manner that suits him, in the manner that is well known, on seven parts of the body. The sun prostrates in the manner that suits it, as mentionedin the saheeh hadeeth of Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Abu Dharr when the sun had set, ‘Do you know where it went?’ I said, ‘Allaah and His Messenger know best.’ He said, ‘It has gone to prostrate beneath the Throne, then it asks for permission to rise, but soon it will prostrate and its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask for permission to rise and that will not be granted to it, and it will be said to it, “Go back from whence you came,” and it will rise from the west. This is what Allaah says: “And the sun runs on its fixed course for a term (appointed). That is the Decree of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing” [Yaa-Seen 36:38].’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3199) So it prostrates in a real sense, as is suited to the sun, but how does it prostrate to Allaah beneath the Throne? Allaah knows best how this prostration happens. The apparent meaning of the hadeeth proves that what this prostration means is not simply submission to the command of Allaah and obedience to Him. Indeed,it is submission, humility and surrender by prostrating in a real sense,but we do not understandhow it happens. Similarly it is said that the moon, the trees, the animals andall other entities prostratein a manner that suits them. What the believer should do is not to let the fact that he does not know how some entities prostrate prevent him from believing in this prostration, rather he must believe in what Allaah has told him about other entities prostrating to Him. And Allaah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

7] The prostration of everything in the universe to Allaah

7] It says in Soorat al-Hajj 22:18 that the dawaab (moving living creatures, beasts, etc.) prostrate to Allaah. What is the nature of this prostration? Praise be to Allaah. Note that this universe and all the created beings in it is in thrall to Allaah, whether by choice or by force. The believer worships Allaah by choice and is rewarded for his worship. Even though the kaafir may be alienated from his Lord and failing to worship Him, the atoms of his body and everything in him is worshipping Him and glorifying Him, but because our understanding and perception are limited, weare unaware of that tasbeeh (glorification of Allaah) and unable to understand its nature. Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning): “The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein, glorify Him and there is not a thing but glorifies His Praise. But you understand not their glorification. Truly, He is Ever Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving” [al-Isra’ 17:44] What this means is that every created being is in astate of submission to Allaah and worships Him in a manner appropriate to its situation. The sun, moon, stars, trees and animals are all in a state of subjugation to Allaah and prostrate to Him, and all of them worship Him in an appropriate manner.Allaah says (interpretationof the meaning): “See you not that whoever is in the heavensand whoever is on the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the mountains, and the trees, and Ad-Dawaabb [moving (living) creatures, beasts], and many of mankind prostrate themselves to Allaah. But there are many (men) on whom thepunishment is justified. And whomsoever Allaah disgraces, none can honour him. Verily, Allaah does what He wills” [al-Hajj 22:18] “Have they not observed things that Allaah has created: (how) their shadows incline to the right and to the left, making prostration unto Allaah, and they are lowly? And to Allaah prostrate allthat is in the heavens and all that is in the earth, of the moving (living) creatures and the angels, and they are not proud [i.e. they worship their Lord (Allaah) with humility]” [al-Nahl 16:48-49] Imaam Ibn Katheer said: Allaah is telling us of His Might, Majesty and Pride, for everything submits to Him and all things and creatures humble themselves before Him, inanimate objects and animals, and those which are accountable among mankind and the jinn, andthe angels. Allaah tells us that everything that has ashadow that inclines towards the right and towards the left – i.e., morning and evening – prostrates to Allaah. Mujaahid said: When the sun passes its zenith everything prostrates to Allaah. Allaah has confirmed that all beings prostrate to Him, and He has explainedhow some of them prostrate, which is by the inclining of its shadow towards the right and the left. It does not mean thateverything prostrates on seven parts of the body; that applies only to the Muslims. The prostration of all other beings is in accordance with their nature. The fact that this prostration is prostration in the real sense is indicated by the apparent meaning of the text, because there is no valid reason for not interpreting the text as it appears to be, so we mustaccept it. That is also supported by the fact thatthe prostration of the sun,moon, stars, trees and animals is mentioned in conjunction with the prostration of the angels and humans, which indicates that this is prostration in a real sensefor all the entities mentioned. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Prostration is a form of humility, so the prostration which includes all creatures implies the utmost submission and humility. For every created thing submits to His greatness and humbles itself before His might and power. Thisdoes not mean that everything prostrates like human beings do, on seven parts of the body, putting the forehead on the ground. This kind of prostration is only for human beings. Some other nations bow but do not prostrate, and that is their prostration. Allaah says (interpretation of themeaning): ‘and enter the gate in prostration (or bowing with humility) and say: “Forgive us”’ [al-Baqarah 2:58] It was said that this means enter it bowing, and some of them prostrate on their sides like the Jews. Sujood (prostration) is a generic term but because the wayin which Muslims prostrate is so well known, many people think that this is how everything prostrates. Jaami’ al-Rasaa’il, 1/27 And he said: It is known that everything prostrates according to its nature, and the prostration of these created entities does not mean that they put their foreheads on theground. Majmoo’ al-Fataawa,/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

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

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

Which is more important – dealing with feelings and thoughts that Allaah dislikes, such as destructive envy, hatred, arrogance, showing off, thinking highly of one's deeds, hard-heartedness, etc., which form the evil that resides in the heart, or focusing on doing outward naafil deeds suchas prayer, fasting and other acts of worship and fulfilling vows even though those other thingsare present in the heart? Please advise us, may Allaah reward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Some of the acts mentioned are obligatory,and those which are obligatory should be given precedence, as Allaah says according to the hadeeth qudsi narrated from His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "My slave doesnot draw near to Me with anything more loved by Me than the religious duties I have enjoined on him." Then He says: "And My slave continues to draw near to Me with supererogatory works so that I shall love him." Outward physical acts are not valid and acceptable unless they are accompanied by appropriate actions of theheart, because the heart islike the king and the physical faculties are like his troops. If the king is evil his troops will also beevil. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "In the body there is a piece of flesh: if it is soundthe whole body will be sound and if it is corrupt then the whole body will be corrupt." Similarly the (hidden) actions of the heart
inevitably affect the (visible) physical actions. So precedence must be given to that which is more obligatory, whether it is called inward or outward. Perhaps things that are called inward may be more obligatory, such as refraining from destructive envy and arrogance, for that is more essential than observing naafil fasts. Or acts that are described as outward or physical may be better, such as qiyaam al-layl (praying at night), which is better than simply giving up some thoughts that may cross one's mind such as (non-destructive) jealousy, etc. Inward and outward deeds support one another, and prayer keeps one from doing evilactions and generates fearof Allaah, and has other important effects. It (prayer) is the best of good deeds and charity. And Allaah knows best.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him), Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 6/381
So there is no separation between correcting what is inward and correcting what is outward or physical.
The outward acts of worship which a person performs with his physicalfaculties – if he does themfor the sake of Allaah – will undoubtedly have an effect on his inward nature.
For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Shall I not tell you of something that will take away the evil of the heart? Fasting three days of each month." (Narratedby al-Nasaa'i, 2386; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Nasaa'i, 2249). The evil of the heart refers to rancour, hatred and destructive envy.
One of the most important remedies for diseases of the heart is to study and ponder the texts which include warnings to the one who leaves these diseases to fester in his heart, such as the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No one will enter Paradise who has an atom's-weight of arrogance in his heart." (Narrated by Muslim, 91).
And the hadeeth according to which Hell will say, "My share is the arrogant." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4850; Muslim,2846)
And the hadeeth: "On the Day of Resurrection the arrogant will be gathered like ants in the form of men." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2492; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2025).
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The disease of the nations who came before you has started to spread among you: destructive envy and hatred. These are the shavers. I do not mean that they shave hair but they shave away religiouscommitment. By the One in Whose hand is my soul,you will not enter Paradise until you believe,and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something which ifyou do it, you will love one another. Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2510; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2038).
Whoever ponders with true insight such warnings about the diseases of the heart will undoubtedly strive to cleanse his heart thereof, and will seek help in doing so by doing outward physical acts, praying to his Lord to cleanse his heart of hatred, destructive envy, rancour and so on, as Allaah says, describing theprayer of the believers:
"and put not in our heartsany hatred against those who have believed"
[al-Hashr 59:10 – interpretation of the meaning]
And Allaah knows best.
Keyword: Acts of Worship

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

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

And Allaah knows best.
Keyword: Acts of Worship

The reason for the existence of the honourable scribes eventhough Allaah knows all things

What is the reason for theexistence of the honourable scribes even
though Allaah knows all things?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We say concerning such matters: we may or may not understand the
wisdom behind it, because we do not know the wisdom behind many
things, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And they ask you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) concerning the Rooh
(the spirit). Say: 'The Rooh(the spirit) is one of the things, the
knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you
(mankind) have been given only a little'"
[al-Isra' 17:85].
With regard to these creatures, if someone were to ask us: what is the
reason behind Allaah making the camel in this manner, and making the
horse in this manner, and making the donkey in thismanner, and making
the human in this manner? and so on, if he were to ask us about the
reason or wisdom behind these things, we would not know. If we were to
be asked: what is the reason why Allaah has made Zuhrprayer four
rak'ahs, and 'Asr prayer four, and Maghrib three, and 'Isha' four, and
so on? We would not be able to know the wisdom behind that.
Thus we know that with regard many matters, both in the universe and
in terms of sharee'ah, the wisdom behind them is hidden from us. As
that is the case, we say: if we manage to understand the wisdom behind
some things in creation or in sharee'ah, if Allaah blessesus by
enabling us to understand it, that is additional virtue, goodness and
knowledge.If we do not understand that, that is not going to harm us
in any way.
Now let us go back to the question, which is what is the reason why
Allaah hasappointed honourable scribes to record what we do?
The wisdom behind that is to show that Allaah has organised and
measured all things in the most perfect manner, to such an extent that
He has appointed honourable scribes to record the actions and words of
the sons of Adam; they are enjoined to watch over them and write down
all that they do, even thoughHe knows what they are going to do before
they do it. But this is a manifestation of the perfection of Allaah's
care for man and His complete protection, and it shows that this
universe is organised in the best possible manner, and Allaah is All
Knowing, Most Wise. And Allaah knows best.

Flight Of The Fairies

Old woman rises from her slumber
Earlier than the sun
Sleep; an infrequent visitor in her world
She feels the burden of her world, heavy in her bones
Gently brushing a strand of silvery gray out of her eyes
She labors to unsteady feet
Slowly she makes her way to her window
To watch the moon shimmer upon the lake
She sees Them gently fluttering, awaiting the sunrise
Calling to her, beckoning her to join them
She pulls her robe tight about her, making her way outside along the shore
They are waiting for her there: The Otherkin
No cold wind does she feel,
Aches and pains forgotten
She sits upon the damp grass as they dance for her
They land softly upon gnarled hands
Beauty and age in stark contrast
They whisper to her , beckoning her to join them
She closes her eyes and flies with them
Over miles, years, time, space
Their music fills her heart and soul; she smiles
Once more she is with him; love of her life
From oh so long ago
Their music fills her heart and soul
Tonight she joins Them
The pain and fetters of age fall from her
She is young again; she is with him
The sun rises casting its yellow glow
Upon the lifeless figure of an old woman
Morning breeze gently lifting her silver strands
Peeking from a rosebud nearby
They sing; hand in hand
Together again

EAGLES IN A STORM

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long
before it breaks?
The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds tocome.
When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it
up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle
is soaring above it.
The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift
it higher. It rises on thewinds that bring the storm.
When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience
them - we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief
toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God's
power to lift us above them.
God enables us to ride the winds of thestorm that bring sickness,
tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above
the storm.
Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how
we handle them.

The ideological basis of the Rwandan Genocide is rooted in Darwin'stheory of evolution

The theory of evolution bases the development ofliving things on a
"struggle for survival" that exists in nature. According to the
founder of the theory, Charles Darwin, there is a ruthlessfight for
survival and permanent conflict in nature. The strong invariably
eliminate the weak, and progress is only possible in this way.
Darwinism longs for a world in which human beings live and behave like
animals. When this Darwinist law of the jungle is applied to
societies, conflict and war between races and nations are inevitable.
War, killing, mass murder and barbarity in many parts of the world
assumed a scientific guise,and the 20th Century was one of pain and
ruthlessness.
Darwin's writings about "the protection of favoredraces," and
especially the unscientific claims in his book The Descent of Man,
supported the German error of the superiority of the alleged Aryan
race and the British idea of thesuperiority of the Anglo Saxons.
The mass murder of approximately 40 million people by the Nazis and
their racially driven program of systematic genocide during the Second
World War, the former apartheid system in South Africa and the racial
discrimination against black people in the USA and the aboriginal
peoples in Australia all drew strength from the supportthat Darwinism
supposedly provided for racism.
How can those who say, "These ideologies are things of the past" or
"There is no longer any need to tell people of the invalidity of the
theory of evolution" ignore the fact that in Rwanda in 1994 some
800,000 Hutus and Tutsis died in 100 days as a result of skull-based
racism?
The roots of the Rwandangenocide go back to the Belgian colonization
of the country in the wake of World War I. It was claimed in those
days, on the supposed scientific basis of Darwin's theory of
evolution, that the people living in the regionof Rwanda were an
intermediate race between the Aryan race and negroes, who were
regarded as an inferior race. Skull measurements were taken, common
linguistic, traditional and ethnic similarities between the Rwandan
Hutus and Tutsis were ignored and an artificial policy of racial
discrimination was followed.
In order to foment racial discrimination, Belgian administrators
enforced ethnic identity cards and gave everyone a card on which his
or her ethnicity was written. These racially-based practices between
Hutus and Tutsisfrom 1930 to 1994 brought the background conflict in
the country to apeak. And despite a concerted last-minute UN
intervention in 1994, 800,000 Rwandans lost their lives in just 100
days.
The documentary " Shake Hands With The Devil; TheJourney of Romeo
Dallaire" , in which the commander of the UN Peace Force during the
genocide describes those events, describes how the racism in the
region was supported by Darwinist circles:
"The problem that essentially was created bythe Belgians, who had
thiscountry as a colony, and through their whole etnictiy, exercise,
and their antropologists who had gone on a wild sphere of idiotic
theories and sizes of heads and this and that, and the administrators
included the ethnicity on the ID cards. And then that splits the
country and identifies you as elements of difference.
"I understand the intense ethnic hatred weren't really in the soul of
Hutus and Tutsis but were encouraged by the emperial powers over the
years."
According to Social Darwinism, people's skullsneed to be measured and
classifications made on that basis. Under this twisted way of
thinking, members of supposed inferior classes must be ruthlessly
eliminated and exploited. For these people, who believe that only when
such savagery is applied can human beings and societies progress, and
massacres, genocide, cruelty and ruthlessness on that path are to be
regarded as successes. People, societies, cultures and nations that
fail to achieve that success must be eliminated.
This is without doubt a most twisted and dangerous way of thinking.
The dangers of Darwinism must not be ignored. We must not forget that
Darwinism and social models based on Darwinism have inflicted the most
awful tragedies on mankind. Butthe moral values commanded by Allah and
revealed in the Qur'an willalways bring with them well-being, peace
and tranquility.
If the pains of the last century are finally to come to an end in the
21st Century, and if this century is to be one of peace, then an end
must be put to dogmatic Darwinist education.

6a] Do the angels see Allah in this world?

6a]
[al-Baqarah 2:260].
Allah spoke to Moosa (peace be upon him) frombehind a screen, and that does not mean that he did not believe. To sum up, there is no contradiction between faith and seeing Him. This is borne out by the fact that Moosa (peace be upon him) asked his Lord to let him see Him so as to increase him in faith: “…he said: ‘O my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that Imay look upon You’” [al-A‘raaf 7:143]. Yes, afterseeing Allah, faith will no longer be regarded as belief in the unseen, so it is possible that the bearers of the Throne andthose who are around it may have seen Allah and thus attained the highest level of certainty. By the same token, when the believers see their Lord onthe Day of Resurrection, they will move from certainty based on knowledge to certainty based on seeing, for whenthey see Allah they will believe in Him with the faith of having seen and they will find the deepest joy in that; they will be blessed with seeing Him and hearing His words. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Some faces that Day shallbe Nâdirah (shining and radiant).
Looking at their Lord (Allâh)”
[al-Qiyaamah :22-23].
We ask Allah for the joy oflooking upon His noble Countenance. And Allah knows best.
End quote from Fataawa al-Islam al-Yawm.
To sum up: This is a matter of the unseen and it is not permissible to affirm it or deny it except on the basis of evidence. The correct approach is to refrain from asking about it.
And Allah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

6] Do the angels see Allah in this world?

6]
Angel Jibreel or any of theangels have they ever seen Allah (sabhanu wa tala)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing in the Qur’aan or Sunnah to indicate that Jibreel (peace be upon him) or any other angel has seen Allah, may He be exalted, and it is well known that this is one of the issues of the unseen which cannot be proven except on the basis of evidence.
In the hadeeth of the Mi‘raaj (Prophet’s ascent to heaven) it says that Jibreel (peace be upon him) ascended with our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to a level where the scratching of the pens could be heard, but there is no proof that either of them saw Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) in that place.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Then I passed by Ibraaheem, andhe said: ‘Welcome to the righteous Prophet and therighteous son.’ I said: ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘This is Ibraaheem (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).’” Ibn Shihaab said: And Ibn Hazm told me that Ibn ‘Abbaas and Abu Habbah al-Ansaari used to say: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Then I was taken up until we reached a level where I could hear the scratching of the pens.” Ibn Hazm and Anas ibn Maalik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah enjoined upon my ummah fifty prayers, and I went back with that until I passed by Moosa…”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 349; Muslim, 263
The scholars differed concerning this seeing: some of them affirmed it and some of them denied it.
Ibn Hajar al-Haythami (may Allah have mercy onhim) was asked: ||Do the angels see Allah, may He be exalted?
He replied:
Shaykh ‘Izz al-Deen ibn ‘Abd al-Salaam stated thatthey do not see Him, and he quoted evidence at length to support that, and he was followed in that by some scholars, buthe was refuted by the statement of the imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Shaykh Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) who said that they do see Him. This was mentioned in his book al-Ibaanah fi Usool al-Diyaanah. He was followed by al-Bayhaqi who narrated it with its isnaad from ‘Abd-Allah ibn‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas and another Sahaabi. This wasalso followed by Ibn al-Qayyim and al-Jalaal al-Balqeeni. According to a hadeeth that was classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, Jibreel never saw his Lord before the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prostrated before hisLord on that occasion, butthis does not necessarily mean that he did not see Him after that or that others of the angels do not see Him. The view that only Jibreel could seeHim is invalid.
End quote from al-Fataawa al-Hadeethiyyah, p. 153
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Do the angels see their Lord in this world or does He send revelation to them from beyond a screen?
He replied: Allah knows best.
End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb.
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak (may Allah preserve him) was asked:
There is evidence to suggest that they do not see Him. That is the verse in Soorat Ghaafir in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of themeaning): “Those (angels)who bear the Throne (of Allâh) and those around itglorify the praises of their Lord, and believe in Him, and ask forgiveness for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allâh) (saying):‘Our Lord! You comprehend all things in mercy and knowledge, so forgive those who repent and follow Your Way, andsave them from the torment of the blazing Fire!’” [Ghaafir 40:7].
The word “believe” in thisverse may point to that meaning -- is this correct?
He replied:
The fact that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says of the angelswho bear the Throne and who are around it that they believe in Him does not necessarily mean that they do not see Him, or that some of them do not see Him, or that other angels do not see Him, just as (aspiring to) see Him does not contradict faith. Similarly, the fact that Allah spoke (to some of the Prophets) is not contrary to faith. Ibraaheem (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw how Allah brought the dead back to life and that increased him in faith, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And (remember) when Ibrâhim (Abraham) said, ‘My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.’ He (Allâh) said: ‘Do you not believe?’ He [Ibrâhim (Abraham)] said: ‘Yes (I believe), but to be stronger in Faith’”/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The return of China’s wild panda

Bamboo is luring the pandas back to China's Sichuan province, its
spiritual home. (Thomas Kokta/Getty)
When it comes to picking national animals, there is no doubt that
China has struck gold in choosing theloveable, ink-eyed, roly poly
panda, and the Sichuan province, in the country's southwest, is
thepanda's spiritual home. Shops in Chengdu, the capital of the
province, andon the outskirts of Jiuzhai Valley (China's most popular
national park, attracting some 10,000 visitors a day) are packed with
panda paraphernalia, from furry-eared hats to huge panda boxing
gloves.
*. Related slidehow: The falls and hues of Jiuzhaigou
There is only one thing missing -- the pandas.
Uncovered by the Chinese government in the late 1960s and populated
only by a handful of tiny Tibetan villages (the local name,
Jiuzhaigou, means "Nine Villages Valley"), the remote Jiuzhai Valley
was threatened by logging until 1982 when it becameone of the
country's first protected national parks to preserve the region's
staggering beauty. Midnight blue lakes reflect the huge forested
canyons in their flawless waters, crystalline waterfalls flow from the
mountain tops and exquisite orchids and rhododendrons weave threads of
colour through the greenery of the forest floor. Most importantly,
these mountains were covered in bamboo, making Jiuzhai a haven
forpandas.
But bamboo is something of a tragic plant -- it only flower once in
its lifetime -- and the Jiuzhai Valley bamboo flowered and died in the
1980s, depriving pandas of the food that makes up 99% of their diet.
The animals were forced to leave the park and move into the even more
remote Min Shan mountains in search of sustenance.
Since then, the only way tosee a panda in the Sichuan province has
been to visit the Chengdu Panda Reserve -- one of the most important
international centres for panda research -- which provides a fantastic
opportunity to get up close to the animalsand watch them chompingdown
on bamboo and playfighting. The chance of seeing pandas in the wild –
always remote, even when the bamboo was at its height -- was thought
to have gone forever.
But slowly and surely, bamboo has started to regrow in Jiuzhai. And in
June 2012, a mountain ranger working for the national park authority
came across evidence of panda feeding sites within the boundary of the
park. Droppings that looked like panda scat were collected and brought
back for testing, and the results confirmed that after a gap of 20
years, pandas have begun their return to the valley.
"If pandas do return here in greater numbers they will be returning to
a well-protected nature reserve with no threat from logging or
poaching,"said Kieran Fitzgerald, a sustainable tourism expertwho has
worked at the park for the past four years. "Even though Jiuzhai
Valley is a popular tourist site, the tourist buses will be far enough
away so as not to affect these reclusive mountain dwellers."
The chances of seeing a panda in the wild at Jiuzhai remain very slim
– but there is now at least a chance. "Pandas are very shy, reclusive
animals," said Fitzgerald. "If in the future if they do return in
better numbers, it would still be extremely hard for tourists to see
them in the wild. But when the time comes, there could be some viewing
opportunitythrough long range telescopes or binoculars – who knows?"
And in any case, there are plenty of other reasons to go to Jiuzhai.
Visiting someof the park's Tibetan villages is a fantastic way to
learn about the region'sTibetan culture. Everywhere you look, linesof
colourful prayer flags flutter in the breeze and prayer wheels spin as
the water flows beneath them.
The local Tibetan people are beginning to adapt to the tourism that
the natural beauty of their home has inspired. The road leading to the
entrance of the park is lined with the high risechain hotels that are
popular with many Chinese tourists, but there are also signs that an
alternative, more sustainable approach to tourism is on the rise.

Is the Rock in Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) suspended in the air?

They told us that the sacred rock from which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) started his ascent into heaven on
thenight of the Mi'raaj is suspended in the air by the power of
Allaah. Please tell us if this is correct, may Allaah reward you.
Praise be to Allaah.
Everything is standing in its position by the permission of Allaah,
whether it be the heavensand all that is in them or the earth and all
that is on it – even the rock which you asked about. Allaah says
(interpretationof the meanings):
"Verily, Allaah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they move away
fromtheir places, and if they were to move away from their places,
there is not one that could grasp them after Him…" [Faatir 35:41]
"And among His Signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His
Command…" [al-Room 30:25]
The Rock in Bayt al-Maqdis is not suspended in space with air around
it on all sides; it is attached to the side of the mountain of which
it is a part and by which itis supported; both it and the mountain
stand in their positions because of the well-known physical laws
governing the universe; in this regard it is like everything else
thatexists. We do not deny that Allaah is Able to hold part of His
creation in space; all of creation is standing in space by the power
of Allaah, as stated above. Allaah raised the mountain above the
people of Moosa when they refused to follow thelaws that Moosa brought
them. It was held up by the power of Allaah. Allaah says
(interpretationof the meaning):
"And (remember) when We took your Covenant and We raised above you the
Mount (saying): 'Hold fast to that which We have given you, and
remember that which is therein so that you may become al-muttaqoon
(the pious)." [al-Baqarah 2:63]
"And (remember) when We raised the mountain over them as if it had
been a canopy, and they thought that it was going to fall on them. (We
said): 'Hold firmly to what We have given you, and remember that which
is therein, so that you may fear Allaah and obey Him." [al-A'raaf
7:171]
But our point here is to explain what is in fact the case: the rock in
Jerusalem is not suspended in space, completely separate from the
mountain; it is attached to it and is supported by it. And Allaah
knows best.
:- keyword: Islamic history and biography

Should a woman start with making up missed fasts from Ramadaan or with the six days of Shawwaal?

What should a woman dofirst: fast the six recommended days of Shawwal
( Alayam Alsetta Albeed) or fast equivalent to the days she missed in
Ramadan due to her monthly period?
Praise be to Allaah.
If she wants to earn the reward mentioned in the hadeeth of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), "Whoever fasts
Ramadaanthen follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he
fasted for a lifetime" (reported by Muslim, no. 1984), then she should
complete her Ramadaan fasts first, thenfollow it with six days of
Shawwaal, so that the hadeeth with be applicable to her too, and she
will gain the reward mentioned in it.
As regards the matter of permissibility, it is permissible for her to
delay making up her Ramadaan fasts, provided that she makes them up
before the next Ramadaan comes along./
Sheikh Muhammed SalihAl-Munajjid
:- key word : Naafil (supererogatory) fasts

He works as a security guard in a store that sells alcohol; what is theruling on his work?

I want to know is it permissible to work in a supermarket as a
security guard. The supermarket isin the UK and sell haraam products
such as alcohol and tobacco also. I am worried about working there as
i may have to stop people that steal alcohol and be included inthe
chain of transporting and guarding it. Can you give a clear answer.
Also it is very difficult to work anywhere in the UK without it being
linked to haraam income so what would you advise?
For example most jobs are linked to insurance, riba, alcohol etc. I am
finding it hard to get a halal job
Praise be to Allah.
There is nothing wrong with working as a securityguard in a
supermarket, but if this store sells haraam things such as alcohol and
pork, it is not permissible to work there either as a guard or a
cashier, because that implies approval of evil and because of what you
mention of helping to transport it. This is emphatically forbidden
because of the report narrated by Abu Dawood (3674) and Ibn Maajah
(3380) from Ibn 'Umar who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Allaah has cursed khamr (alcohol)
and the one who drinks it,the one who pours it, the one who sells it,
the one who buys it, the one who squeezes it, the one for whom it is
squeezed, the one who carries it and theone to whom it is carried."
Classed as saheehby al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. For more
information concerning the ruling on carrying andtransporting alcohol
for someone else, please see the answer to question no. 96739
Based on that, you shouldlook for a job that is befitting for the
Muslim who is proud of his religion, follows its commands and heeds
its prohibitions. You should take measures to find permissible ways of
earning a living. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (this Quran) that
when you hear the Verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit
not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if
you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them"
[an-Nisa' 4:140]
"And when you (Muhammad SAW) see those who engage in a false
conversation about Our Verses (of the Quran) by mocking at them, stay
away from them till they turn to another topic. Andif Shaitan (Satan)
causes you to forget, then after the remembrance sit not you in the
company of those people who are the Zalimoon (polytheists
andwrongdoers, etc.)"
[al-An 'am 6:68]
"And those who do not witness falsehood, and if they pass by some evil
play or evil talk, they passby it with dignity"
[al-Furqaan 25:72].
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on) said:"Falsehood" includes
all kinds of evil. That includesshirk (associating others with Allah),
kufr (disbelief), the festivals of the mushrikeen (those who associate
others withAllah), gathering to drink alcohol and smoke, songs,musical
instruments, movies and other evils. Something similar was stated by
al-Haafiz Ibn Katheer in his commentary on this verse.
End quote from Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 27/429
Shaykh Khaalid ibn 'Ali al-Mushayqih (may Allah preserve him) was
asked about working in the management of a hotel that sells alcohol.
He replied:
There is no doubt whatsoever that the one who welcomes guests in such
a hotel and prepares accommodation for them is a partner in that sin.
I advise the brother to keep away from that and to try hard to look
for permissible work even if it brings a lower income.
"And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a
way for him to get out (from every difficulty).
3. And He will provide himfrom (sources) he never could imagin"
[al-Talaaq 65:2-3].
He should try hard to lookfor permissible work and when he finds that
he should move to that job.
End quote from a fatwa by Shaykh Khaalid ibn 'Ali al-Mushayqih (on the
Internet).
For more information please see the answer to question no. 96739
To sum up, it is not permissible for you to work in these and similar
places even if you need towork. For more information please see the
answer to questions no. 82886 and 31781
You have to offer a great deal of du'aa' (supplication) to Allah
andbeseech Him, for He is the One in Whose hand are the stores of
heaven and earth and He is able to help you and make thingseasy for
you.
For more information on the means that help to bring a response to du'aa',

And Allah knows best.

4b] Who was Ibn Sayyaad? Was he the false messiah (al-maseeh al-dajjaal)?

4b]
Because the matter is so confusing, al-Bukhaari, instead of attempting a reconciliation, narrated the hadeeth of Jaabir from ‘Umar, believing it tobe more saheeh, and did not narrate the hadeeth of Faatimah bint Qays about the story of Tameem. (Fath al-Baari, 13/328)
It was said that Ibn Sayyaad was one of the dajjaals or liars, but he was not the greater Dajjaal. And Allaah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en