Fathwa - The ruling on breaking the fast before the Athaan of Maghrib

Question
Some brothers in ourMasjidbreak their fast ten minutes before
theAthaanofMaghribinRamadhaanand in any other month. Is this an act
ofSunnah? Is it supported by an authenticHadeeth?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that
Muhammad,, is His Slave and Messenger.
Breaking the fast is contingent on the sunset and not the announcing
of theAthaan. So, if the sun sets, it becomes permissible for the
Muslim to break his fast. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And
eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you
from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the
sunset.}[Quran 2:187]
The Prophet,, said:"When the night falls fromhere and the day elapses
from there, and the sun sets, the Muslim can break his
fasting."[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
If theMu'aththinannounces theAthaantenminutes after the sunset, it
will be permissible for those people to break their fast when they do
after being sure of the sunset. This is even recommended because the
Prophet,, said:"People will always retain goodness as long as they
hasten to break the fast and delay the Suhoor."[Al-Bukhaari]
But if theMu'aththinannounces theAthaanat its usual due time, then the
breaking of the fasts of those people before theAthaanand the
sunsetwill invalidate their fast. If they are observing an obligatory
fast this will be a grave major sin. They must repent to Allaah The
Almighty sincerely and make up for the days they broke their fast on
before sunset.
TheSunnahseverely warns the Muslim who breaks his fast before sunset.
It was narrated on the authority ofAbu Umaamah Al-Baahilithat the
Prophet,, said:"Two men came to me, held my upper arm and we went to a
ruggedmountain. They asked meto climb it, but I told them I could not.
They told me that they would make it easy for me. When I climbed the
mountain and reached itsmiddle, I heard loud voices. I asked, 'What
are these voices?' They said, 'This is the howling of the people of
Hell.' Then Iwas taken [to another place], and I saw people hanging
from their hamstrings, with the corners of their mouths torn and
dripping with blood. I asked, 'Who are these?' They said, 'The people
who broke their fast before the proper time of breaking the
fast.'"[An-Nasaa'i:Al-Kubra][Al-Haakim said "Saheeh according to the
conditions stipulated by Muslim" and Ath-Thahabi agreed with
him]Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa - A menstruating woman fasting before seeing thewhite discharge

Question
If a woman does not see any blood during the last days of menstruation
andbefore attaining purity, should she fast on those days even if she
does not see the white discharge that marks purity? Otherwise, what
should she do?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
sallallaahu 'alyhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeensaid: "If she previously did not see the white
discharge, as some women do not get this, she should fast. However, if
she did see the white discharge previously, then she should not fast
until she sees it."
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa - Fasting in Ramadhaan with the intention of fulfilling a vow

Question
Is it permissible to fast in Ramadan with the intention of fulfilling
a specific vow?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad,
is His slave and messenger.
If the intended meaning of the question is that he fasts in Ramadhaan
with two intentions or with the intention of fulfilling a vow in case
it is permissible for him not to fast, then this is impermissible. The
time of Ramadhaan is specific for its sake. Nothing may be associated
with it and it may not be replaced with anything else.
An-Nawawisaid: Ash-Shaafi'i and his companionssaid: "The month of
Ramadhaan should be exclusively for fasting Ramadhaan only, so
nothing else should be associated with it. If a presiding resident,
traveler or one who is sick intends to fast for expiation, fulfill a
vow, make up (a missed fast), voluntary fasting or intends to fast
absolutely without specification, then his intention and fasting are
both invalid for what he intended and for Ramadhaan. This is what was
stated and confirmed by his companions.
Allaah Knows best.

Proofs of the existence ofAllaah

Mankind, in general, has maintained a belief in the existence of the
Creator of the Universe since time immemorial. The duty of the
prophets of Allaah was not so much to inform their people of Allaah's
existence as to warn them against associating others with Him, and to
teach them how to serve Him. Allaah Says (what means):"Their
messengers said, 'Is there any doubt concerning Allaah, the originator
of the Heavens and the Earth?'"[Quran 14:10]
The early Muslim scholars did not even have to address the issue of
the Existence of Allaah, for it was a blatantly obvious fact, which
nobody questioned. It was only around the fourth century after the
Prophet's migration to Madeenah, when people's doctrine started being
infiltrated with atheism and permeated by unbelief, that the scholars
had to address the issue.
The existence of Allaah is established by various categories of
proofs, which may be conveniently classified under four categories.
Scriptural evidence
The major religions of the world have scriptures, which teach the
existence of the Creator. In particular, the Quran, the only revealed
book which has remained totally intact and preserved, establishes the
existence of Allaah by compelling rational arguments, while at the
same time serving as an enduring miracle testifying to His reality. It
decisively establishes His uniqueness and non-resemblance to creation,
and emphasizesthat worship is only for Him.
The proof of "Fitrah" (natural inborn belief in Allaah)
As already mentioned, the human being has an inherent and inborn
recognition of his Creator. This is a consequence of a pledge which
Allaah took from the soul of every one of us before we came into this
world, Allaah Says (what means):"And [remember], when your Lord took
from the children of Aadam,their children behind them, and made them
testify over their ownselves, [saying to them], 'Am I not your Lord?'
They said, 'Yea.'"[Quran 7:172]
Every human being is born with this natural disposition, which is
called in Arabic "Fitrah". Abu Hurayrahhas reported that the Messenger
of Allaah () said:"Every child is born upon Fitrah, then it is his
parents who make him Jewish, or Christian, or Magian (Zoroastrian),
just as an animal delivers a perfect baby animal; do you find it
mutilated?"[Al-Bukhaari]
But, this "Fitrah" sometimes becomes latent, especially when the human
being is in a corrupt and spiritually degenerate environment,which is
devoid of reminder and exhortation towards the Lord. The "Fitrah"
surfaces, however, in times of calamity and distress. How many avowed
atheists find themselves raising their hands to the skies in
supplication when in affliction! And how do the staunch unbelievers
cry out for deliverance when they are faced withdeath!
Allaah Says (what means):"[Allaah] it is who causes you to travel over
land and sea; until, when you are in the ships, and they sail with
[their passengers] with a fair breeze, and they are glad therein, a
tempestuous wind reaches them, waves are coming at them from
everywhere, and they think that they are overwhelmed therein; [then]
they call to Allaah, making their faith pure for Him [alone], 'IfYou
save us from this, we will surely be among the thankful!'"[Quran
10:22] Yet, this sincerity is often short-lived. Allaah Says (what
means):"Then, when He saves them, behold, they rebel upon the earth
wrongfully."[Quran, 10:23]
Mankind is all too apt, during the course of his daily life of comfort
and enjoyment, to forget his Lord. Allaah Says (what means):"And when
some trauma touches man, he calls to his Lord, turning repentant to
Him. Then, when He grants him a favor from Himself, he forgets that
for which he called to Him before, and sets up partners to
Allaah."[Quran 39:8]
It is to awaken and alert this "Fitrah" that Allaah, in His mercy and
wisdom,sent Messengers to remind people of their true religion, and to
direct them towards fulfilling their commission of serving their Lord.
Allaah has ordered His prophet to proclaim, Allaah Says (what
means):"O mankind! Ifyou are in [any] doubt regarding my religion,
then [know that] I do not worship those whom you worship besides
Allaah, but I worship Allaah Who will take your souls."[Quran 10:104]
The specific mention of death here drives home the stark reality,
which even the pagans must concede to when faced with the glaring,
intuitive evidence, that Allaah alone causes death. The rational
individual, then, should prepare for this inevitability by responding
to his Lord. Islam is merely a hearkening by man to hisnature, an
acceptance of that which is naturally good and intuitively right.
Allaah Says (what means):"So, set your face toward the religion in
uprightness. That is the "Fitrah" of Allaah, upon which He has created
mankind. Let there be no changing of Allaah's creation."[Quran 30:30]
There are others who stubbornly resist this truth and reject Allaah's
message when it is presented before them, although they are well aware
of its veracity. Thiswas the attitude of Pharaoh and his supporters,
and its consequences are severe,in this world and the Hereafter,
Allaah Says (what means):"They rejected[Our signs], although their own
souls were convinced of their truth, [and this they did] out of
iniquity and arrogance. See, then,what was the sequel for those who
cause corruption!"[Quran 27:14]
Yet, even hardened deniers who stand in the way of truth and resist it
may grab hold of it at thelast moment, before it is too late, for on
account of the surfacing of the "Fitrah", a disbeliever who is faced
with death on the battlefield may suddenly embrace Islam. The Muslim
who fights in Jihaad will similarly be exposed to death frequently,
thus enhancing and sharpening his awareness of Allaah.
Rational proof
It is intuitively obvious, and confirmed by science, that the
universehad a beginning. Every action requires a doer, and thus the
existence of creation necessarily indicates the existence ofthe
Creator. Allaah appeals to the human mind and rationality in the
Quran, saying, (whichmeans):"Were they created from nothing, or are
they [themselves] the creators?"[Quran 52:35]. Quite obviously, we
have been created, and brought into existence after beingnon-existent,
and it is also plain that we do not create ourselves.
A few years ago, the sands in the "Rub' Al-Khaali" desert (theEmpty
Quarter) were blown away by a windstorm to reveal the ruins of a city
that had been covered by the sands. Scientists began toexamine the
contents of the city to try to determine the period in which it had
been built. Nobody among the archaeologists or others even suggested
that this city could have appeared as a result of the natural actions
of the wind, rain, heat and cold, and not bythe actions of man. If
anyone had suggested such a thing, people would have regarded him as
crazy and would have taken pity on him. So how about if someonehad
said that this city was formed by the air from nothing in the far
distant past, then it settled on the earth?
Having recognized the necessity of the existenceof a Creator, one then
realizes that there can only be one Creator. Allaah Says (what
means):"If there were in [the heavens and the earth] gods other than
Allaah, [the heavens and earth] would surely have been
disordered."[Quran 21:22] Allaah Says (what means):"Allaah has not
taken a son, nor is there any god with Him, for in that case, each god
would assuredly have championed that which he created, and some of
them would surely have overcome others. Glorified be Allaah above that
which they allege!"[Quran, 23:91] Further, this one and onlyCreator
cannot possibly resemble creation. Allaah Says (what means):"Is, then,
He Who creates, like he who does not create? Do you not
reflect?"[Quran 16:17]
Perceptual experience
We witness and experience the answering of prayers, and this in itself
indicatesthe existence of Allaah. Allaah Says (what means):"When you
sought help of your Lord, and He answered you."[Quran 8:9] Al-Bukhaari
and Muslimhave both narrated the Prophet's saying in whicha bedouin
asked the Prophet () to pray for rain, since crops were perishing and
people were starving. The prophetprayed to Allaah for rain, and almost
immediately clouds began to gather and it began raining heavily. Also
in this category of evidence are the miracles which people witness at
the hands of their prophets, including the splitting of the moon by
Muhammad (), and the enduring miracle of the Quran.
Finally, we should bear inmind that abundant as the proofs may be,
they are only of avail to those who honestly and sincerely search for
the truth. As for those obdurate ones who simply refuse to believe,
they will not cease their idle disputation. Allaah Says (what
means):"And they say, 'Our hearts are in a covering from that to which
you call us, and in our ears is a deafness, and between us and you is
a veil, so act, we [also] are acting."[Quran 41:5] Allaah Says (what
means):"Those against whom the decree of your Lord has been verified,
will not believe, although every sign should come to them, until they
see the painful punishment."[Quran 10:96-97]

Attributes and abilities ofAngels

They are honourable and obedient to Allaah
Almighty Allaah has described theangels as being honourable and
obedient in the verse (which means):
"[The Quran being Carried] by the hands of messengers (angels) noble
and dutiful."[Quran 80:15-16] Meaning, the Quran is inthe hands of
scribes, i.e., the angels, because they are the emissaries of Allaah
to His Messengers and Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention.
Allaah has described these angelsas being "honourable and obedient",
i.e., He has created them honourable, good and noble. Their actions
are obedient,pure and perfect. Hence the one who learns the Quran by
heart should be one whose actions andwords are proper and correct.
The Messenger of Allaahsaid:
"The one who reads the Quran and recites it perfectly will be with the
honourable scribes (angels) and the one who reads the Quran and tries
his best, and it is hard for him, will have his reward
doubled."[Al-Bukhaari]
They are modest
Among the attributes of the angels mentioned by the Messengeris their
modesty. `Aa'ishahsaid that the Messenger of Allaahwas lyingdown in
his house with his thigh or his shin uncovered. Abu Bakrasked for
permission to come in, and he let him in and spoke with him whilst he
was in that state. Then 'Umarasked for permission to come in, and
helet him in and spoke with him whilst he was in that state. Then
`Uthmaanasked for permission to come in, and the Messengersat up and
rearranged his garment, then he let him come in and spoke with him.
When he left, `Aa'ishah said: "Abu Bakr came in, and you did not stir
or pay too much attention. Then 'Umar came in, and you did not stir or
pay too much attention. Then `Uthmaan came in, and you sat up and
fixedyour garment." He said,"How could I not feel shy of a man of whom
the angels feel shy?"[Muslim]
The phrase "you did not stir" means you did not welcome him warmly.
Khadeejahsaid to the Prophet: "… O cousin, can youinform me the next
time your companion (i.e. Jibreel) comes to you?"
Hesaid:"Indeed".Shesaid: "Tell me if he comes." Later, when the
Prophet, Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam was with her once, Jibreel came
to him. Seeing him, the Prophetsaid to Khadeejah: "O Khadeejah, here
comes Jibreel." Shesaid: "Do you see him now?" Heanswered in the
affirmative. Shesaid: "Come and sit on my right side." The Prophetcame
and sat on her right side. Then shesaid: "Doyou see him now?" the
Prophetsaid:"Yes".Then sheasked the Prophetto sit in her lap. When
hedid, sheasked him: "Do you still see him?" Heagain said:"Yes."Then
sheuncovered her headwhile the Prophetwas still sitting in her lap and
said: "Do you still see him?" Hesaid:"No"Shesaid: "He is not a devil;
he is nothing but an angel …" [Al-Bayhaqi]
That fact that Jibreel disappearedwhen Khadeejahuncovered her head
shows that angels are modest and bashful.
They are able to take on different forms
Almighty Allaah has given the angels the ability to take on forms
different from their own. Allaah sent Jibreel (the angel Gabriel) to
Maryam (Mary) in human form, as stated in the verse (which means):
"And mention, [O Muhammad], inthe Book [the story of] Maryam (Mary),
when she withdrew from her family to a place toward the east. And she
took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel
[i.e. Jibreel],and he represented himself to her as a
well-proportioned man. She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge inthe Most
Merciful from you, [so leave me], if you should be fearing of Allaah."
He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a
pure boy [i.e. Son].'"[Quran 19:16-19]
The angels came to Ibraaheem (Abraham)in human form, and he did not
know that they were angels until they told him who they really were,
as stated inthe verses (which mean):
"And certainly did Our messengers [i.e. angels] come to Ibraaheem
(Abraham) with good tidings; they said, "Peace." He said, "Peace," and
did not delay inbringing [them] a roasted calf. But when he saw their
hands notreaching for it, he distrusted them and felt from them
apprehension. They said, "Fear not. We have been sent to the people of
Lot."[Quran 11:70]
The angels came to the Prophet Lotin the form of young men with
handsome faces and hewas grieved on account of them and feared that
they may be harmed by his people, for they were an evil people who
committed evil actions, and they used to commit sodomy. Almighty
Allaah Says (what means):
"And when Our messengers, [the angels], came to Lot, he was anguished
for them and felt for them great discomfort and said, "This is a
trying day.'"[Quran 11:77]
Ibn Katheersaid:"The angelsappeared to him (Prophet Lot) in the form
of handsome young men as a test and a trial, so that proof might be
established against the people of Loot, and Allaah might seize them
with a mighty punishment."[Al-Bidaayah wan-Nihaayah, 1/43]
Jibreel used to come to the Messengerin different forms. Sometimes he
came in the form of Duhyah Ibn Khaleefah Al-Kalbi(a companion who was
of handsome appearance), and sometimes in the form of a Bedouin.
Many of the Prophet's companionssaw him when he came in that form.

Five minutes in the greencan improve mental health

Just five minutes of exercise a dayin the great outdoors can improve
mental health, accordingto a study released on Saturday, and
policymakers should encourage more people to spend time in parks and
gardens.
Researchers from the University of Essex found that as little as five
minutes of a "green activity" such as walking, gardening, cycling or
farming can boost mood and self esteem.
"We believe that there would be a large potential benefit to
individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all
groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise,"
Barton said in a statement about the study, which was published in the
journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Many studies have shown that outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of
mental illness and improvea sense of well-being, but Jules Pretty and
Jo Barton, who led thisstudy, said that until now no one knew how much
time needed to be spent on green exercise for the benefits to show.
Barton and Pretty looked at data from 1,252 people of different ages,
genders and mental health status taken from 10 existing studies in
Britain.
They analyzed activities such as walking, gardening, cycling, fishing,
boating, horse-riding andfarming.
They found that the greatest health changes occurred in the young and
the mentally ill, although people of all ages and social groups
benefited. The largest positive effect on self-esteem came from a
five-minute dose of "green exercise."
All natural environments were beneficial, including parks in towns or
cities, they said, but green areas with water appearedto have a more
positive effect.

Dought & clear - When does Taraaweeh prayer start in Ramadaan – on the first night or the second?.

When should we start topray Taraaweeh prayer, on the night of the
first day of Ramadaan (whenthe moon is sighted or the previous month
is completed) or after 'Isha' prayer on the first day of Ramadaan?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is prescribed for the Muslim to perform Taraaweeh prayer after
'Isha' on the first night of Ramadaan, which is the night on which the
new moon is sighted or the Muslims complete thirty days of Sha'baan.
Similarly at the end of Ramadaan, Taraaweeh prayer should not be
offered if it is proven that the month has ended, either by sighting
of the new moon of Eid or if the month of thirty days has been
completed.
It is clear that Taraaweeh prayer is not connected to the fast during
the day in Ramadaan, rather it is connected to the onset of the month
at night in the beginning, and the last day of Ramadaan at the end.
We should not say that Taraaweeh prayer is a naafil prayer and it is
permissible to offer it onany night and in congregation, because
taraaweeh prayer is limited to the month of Ramadaan, and those who
offer this prayer are seeking the reward that comes for praying it.
The ruling on offeringthis prayer in congregation is different from
the rulingon offering other prayers in congregation.In Ramadaan it is
permissible to pray taraaweeh in congregation on each night, whilst
announcing it and encouraging others to join, unlike qiyaam at other
times, where praying qiyaam in congregation is not part of the Sunnah
unless it isdone without having theintention beforehand, orit is done
for the purpose of encouraging and teaching others. So it is Sunnah
to do it sometimes without committing to doing it all the time or
persisting in that.
Shaykh Muhammad al-Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Taraaweeh at times other than Ramadaan is an innovation (bid'ah). For
example, if the people wanted to gatherto pray qiyaam in congregation
in the mosque at times other than Ramadaan, this would be an
innovation.
There is nothing wrong with a person praying incongregation in his
house occasionally at times other than Ramadaan, because this is what
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did. Once he
led Ibn 'Abbaas, and once Ibn Mas'ood and once Hudhayfah ibn
al-Yamaan, in prayer in his house, but he did notadopt that as a
regular Sunnah and he did not do that in the mosque.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti', 4/60, 61
Based on this, whoever offers Taraaweeh prayers before it is proven
that Ramadaan has begun is like one who offers a prayer at the wrong
time. No reward will be written for him, even if he is freeof the sin
of doing that deliberately.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear - Ruling on using medicinal gel through the nose when fasting.

I suffer from an allergy in the nose. I have read the questions having
to do with taking medication in the form of a nasal spray whilst
fasting, and you stated that it does not invalidate the fast. But my
question has to do with another kind of medicine, which is in theform
of a gel that is taken through the nose. Does taking it invalidate the
fast?
Praise be to Allah.
The Prophet's Sunnah indicates that the nose may lead to the
stomach.The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Exaggerate in rinsing the nose (when doing wudoo') unless you are
fasting." Narrated by Abu Dawood, 142; at-Tirmidhi, 788. Classed as
saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Abi Dawood.
If the gel that is taken through the nose does not reach the throat or
stomach, rather it is absorbed through the nose, then the fast is
valid.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
There is nothing wrong with using creams that moisten the lips and
nose, or dampening it with water or with a wet cloth and the like, but
you should take carenot to let any of that moisture reach the throat
or stomach. If anything does reach it without you intending itto, then
you do not haveto do anything, such as ifyou wash inside your mouth
and the water reaches the throat without you intending itto. That does
not break the fast.
End quote from Majmoo'Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 19/224
We ask Allah to heals youand all the sick Muslims, and grant you well-being.
And Allah knows best.

Islam and Teamwork (Team Work): Islam and Leadership, Islam and Consultation

Almighty Allah (SWT) says in the Noble Qur'an: "Andhold fast all
together by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you) and be not
divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitudeAllah's favor on
you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in loveso that by
His grace ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of
fire and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make his signs clearto
you: that ye may be guided." Noble Qur'an (3:103)
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: Faithful believers are to each other as
the bricks of a wall, supporting and reinforcing each other. So
saying, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) clasped his hands by interlocking
his fingers. [Sahih al-Bukhari]
In Islam, Allah (SWT) givesus the gift of brotherhood and sisterhood
and encourages us to do things in a group setting or Team Work.
Examples where Islam encourages team spirit are Juma prayers and Hajj
Pilgrimage. In fact, if we fail to work effectively as a member of
team, we fail to understand the true meaning of "Ummah(collectively
united Community)" in Islam.
Teamwork is defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as "a joint
action by a group of people, in which each person subordinates his or
her individual interests and opinions to the unity and efficiency of
the group." This does not mean that the individual is no longer
important; however, it does mean that effective and efficient teamwork
goes beyond individual accomplishments. The most effective teamwork is
produced when all the individuals involved harmonize their
contributions and work towards a common goal.
Lessons from Geese provide a perfect example of the importance of
teamwork and how it can have a profound and powerful effect on our
life. When we use these five principles in our personallife it will
help us to foster and encourage a level of passion and energy in
ourselves, as well as those who are our friends, associates or team
members.
It is essential to remember that teamwork happens whenit is
continually nurtured and encouraged.
Once a wise man said - Two people can accomplish more than twice as
much as one; they get a better return for their labor. As the old
saying goes, two heads are better than one.
Scientists have found that Geese flying in V formation can travel
around 71% further in a session than Geese flying solo (alone).
Working together on the task of flying is beneficial in a number of
ways:
Lesson 1 - The Importance of Achieving Common Goals
Aerodynamic Formation -The V formation of Geese is a way that
maximizes the energy expended by those flying as part of it. The bird
at the front of the flock breaks the air for those flying behind it
and creates a slipstream for them to be dragged along in. The birds
behind also help those in front as the upward motion of their wing
alsocreate an upward draft that propels them forward. This push/pull
relationship ensures all birds in the formation benefit from the work
of others.
Outcome: When we have a sense of "Ummah (collectively united
Community)" and focus, we create trust and can help each other to
achieve our common goals.

Islam and Consultation: Mutual Consultation(Islamic Leadership, Islamand Teamwork)

A Lion who held all the beasts of the surrounding in subjection, and
was always in the habit of making raids upon them to snap and kill any
of them as he required for his daily food. It lasted very long until
the beasts took counsel together and all agreed to deliver him one of
their company each day. They thought that it would satisfy the Lion's
hunger, and as a result, he would cease to harm them by his continual
attacks.
The Lion was at first unwilling to trust them and seemed not to
believe such words, thus he went on by remarkingthat he would prefer
to rely on his effort. But, by being serious on their decision, the
beasts succeeded in persuading Lion that he would do well to trust
them and accept the free offerings.
Having carried the suggestion, the beasts continued for sometime to
perform their engagement sending each day a certain friend of theirs
to the Lion to devour.
Once it happened to be the turn of a Hare to be delivered up as a
victim to the Lion; but before long he requested the others to let him
practice device. The friends mocked him, asking how such a silly beast
as he could pretend to outwit the Lion. The Hare assured them that the
wisdom only belonged toAllah (SWT), and that was He who might choose
weak things to confound the strong. In the end they consented to let
himtry his luck.
The Hare took slowly his way to the Lion, and found him roaring in
anger. In excuse for his being late Hare invented that he along with
another Hare had set out together to appear before the Lion, but a
strange strong Lion had seized the next Hare and carried him off into
his resting place in a ditch. On hearing the pitiful remarks of the
Hare the Lion was exceeding wroth, and commanded the Hare to show him
thefoe who had trespassed on his area. Pretending to be afraid of the
second Lion, the Hare goton the present Lion to ride to the destiny
upon his back, and directed him to a well. On looking down the well,
the Lion saw in the water the reflection of himself and of the Hare on
his back. Quite in rage, he thoughtthat it was the strong enemy of his
with the stolen Hare; he plunged down into the well to attack him.
From that moment, not only the Hare, but all his beast friends were
released by their wise consolation - which is based on Surah Shura, of
the Noble Qur'an: "And those who respond to their Lord and keep up
prayer, and their rule is to take counsel among themselves, and who
spend out of what We have given them." Noble Qur'an (42:38)
Since the principle of mutual consultation ("Shura") is mandatory,
itis a Muslim's fundamentalright, as well as responsibility, to
participate in as many aspects of the community's life as possible.

Biographies - Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh (R.A)

She was the Prophet Mohammad's (صلى اللهعليه وسلم) cousin. She was
first given in marriageby the Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) to
his adopted son Hadhrat Zaid bin Harithah (Radhiyallaho anho). When
Hadhrat Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) divorced her, she was married to the
Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) by command of Allah, as
mentioned in Surah Al Ahzab. This took place in 5 A.H., at that time
she was 35. She was therefore born 17 years before Nubuwwat. She was
always proud of the fact that, the other wives while all the other
wives were given in marriageto the Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه
وسلم) by their guardians, it was Allah Himself Who did this for her.
When Hadhrat Zaid (Radhiyallaho anho) divorced her and she
hadcompleted her Iddat, the Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)sent
the proposal to her. She said: "I cannot say anything until I have
consulted my Allah." She performed Wudhu, said two rakaat of Salaat,
andprayed to Allah: "O, Allah! Thy Prophet proposes to marry me. If I
am fit for the honor, then give me in his marriage." Allah answered
her prayerby revealing the following verse to the Prophet Mohammad
(صلى الله عليه وسلم) :
"So when Zaid had performed the necessary formality (of divorce) from
her, we gave her unto thee in marriage, sothat (henceforth) there may
be no sin for believers in respect of the wives of their adopted sons,
when the latter have performed the necessary formality (of release)
from them. The Commandment of Allah must be fulfilled." (XXXIII:37)
When she received the good news about this revelation, she prostrated
before Allah in thanksgiving. Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)
arranged a big feast of Walimah for this marriage. A goat
wasslaughtered and mutton-curry with bread was served to the guests.
People came in groups, and were served till all ofthem were fed.
Hadhrat Zainab (Radhiyallaho anha) had a very large heart for spending
in the way of Allah. She earned by working with her hands and spent
all "her earnings in charity. It was about her that the Prophet
Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)prophesied:
"My wife with long handswill be the first to meet me after my death."
The wives took this to mean the physical length of arms and began to
measure their hands with a stick. The hands ofHadhrat Saudah
(Radhiyallaho anha) came out to be the longest by measurement.But when
Hadhrat Zainab(Radhiyallaho anha) diedfirst, the meaning of the
metaphor used by the Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)dawned upon
them. She fasted very often. She died in 20 and 'Umar (Radhiyallaho
anho) led the funeral service. She fifty at the time of her death.

Biographies - Hazrat Juwairiah bintul Harith (R.A)

HadhratJuwairiah(Radhiyallaho anha) was the daughter of Harith, the
chief of Banu Mustaliq and was married to Musafe' bin Safwan.
She was one of the large number of captives who fell into Muslimhands
after the battle of Muraisee', and she was given to Hadhrat Thabit bin
Qais (R.A). He offered to release her for 360 Dirhams. She came to the
Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)and said: "O, Prophet of Allah! I
am the daughter of Harith who is the chiefof the, and you know my
story. The ransom demanded by Hadhrat Thabit (R.A) is too much for me.
I have come to seek your help in the matter."
The Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)agreed to pay her ransom, set
her free, and offered to take her as his wife. She was very glad to
accept this offer. She was married to the Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله
عليه وسلم)in 5 A.H. and as a consequence of this marriage, the
prisoners of Banu Mustaliq (Juwairiah's tribe), about a hundred
families, were all set free by the Muslims. "The tribe whichso
honoured by the Prophet Mohammad's (صلى الله عليه وسلم)relationship,
they said, should not remain in slavery."
Such were the noble expediences in all the marriages of the Prophet
Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم). HadhratJuwairiah(R.A) was pretty, her
face was very attractive. Three days before her falling captivein the
battle, she had seen in her dream the moon coming out from Madinahand
falling into her lap. She says: "When Iwas captured, I began to hope
that my dream would come true."
She was 20 at the time of her marriagewith the Prophet Mohammad (صلى
الله عليه وسلم). She died in Rabi-ul-Awwal, 50 A.H., inMadinah at the
age of 65.

Biographies - Hazrat Umme Habibah (R.A)

HadrathUmme Habibah(Radhiyallaho anha): She was the daughter of Abu
Sufyan, and was first married to Ubaidullah bin Jahsh in Mecca. The
couple embraced Islam, and then emigrated to Abyssinia due to
persecution by the Qureysh. One night she saw her husband (in a dream)
in the most ugly and obnoxious form. The next day she came to know
that he had turned Christian. She, however, remained a Muslimand was
therefore separated fromhim.
She was now all alone in exile. But Allah soon recompensed her loss.
The Prophet Mohammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)sent her an offer of
marriagethrough the King Negus, who sent a woman named Abrahah to her
with the message. She was so happy with the good news that she made
over the bracelets and other jewellery that she was wearing to the
woman in gratification. King Negus represented the Prophet Mohammad
(صلى الله عليه وسلم)Nikah ceremony, and gave her 400 dinars as her
portion and many other things in dowry from himself. He also gave a
feast and dinars as gift to all those who were present in the
ceremony. The Negus then dispatched her to Madinah, with her dowry and
other gifts such as perfume, etc. Thismarriage took place in 7 A. H.
(Her father was not a Muslim then).
She most probably died in 44 A.H.

How will the Mahdibe recognized? (The Mahdi's spiritual attributes)

The hadiths of our Prophet (saas) contain a great deal of detailed
information and signs about the End Times thatwill take place close to
Doomsday. According to the information imparted by our Prophet(saas),
a great many significant events will take place one after the other at
that time. In thefirst stage of the End Times there will be
greatcorruption and chaos onEarth, and in the second stage peace and
securitywill prevail as people begin living by true religious moral
values.
In the first stage of the End Times there will be terrible
degeneration and chaos among people because of various philosophical
systems that inculcate atheism and irreligion by their refusal to
acceptthe existence of Almighty Allah (God). Humanity will turn away
from the purpose behind its creation, leading to enormous spiritual
emptiness and moral degeneration. There will be terrible disasters,
wars and famines, and all people will seek the answer to the question,
How can we be saved? in order tobring these troubles to an end. The
majority of these developments related as portents of the End Times in
the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) have taken place in our time, just
as reported. The recent growing rise in war and conflict, terror,
violence, anarchy and chaos, slaughter and torture are a sign that the
first stage of the End Times is now taking place.
According to the information in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas),
Allah will rescue people from the chaos ofthe End Times after this
period of darkness and bestow a great salvationupon them. Allah will
make the Mahdi, in other words a servant with superior moral values
and who bears the title of he who leads to the truth, lead people who
have turned their backs on proper moral values and societies that have
suffered degeneration to the truepath. By the will of Allah,the Mahdi
will enable humanity to live by true Qur'anic moral values by ridding
Islam of all corruption and superstition. In the first stage of the
End Times, he will resolve all the chaos, social problems and societal
difficulties facing humanity and willbe a means whereby happiness,
peace, security and proper moral values prevail over the entire world.
THE SPIRITUAL ATTRIBUTESOF THE MAHDI
Various features of the Mahdi are described in several of the hadiths
of our Prophet (saas). The spiritual attributes of theMahdi that we
shall be examining in the light ofthese hadiths are all important
guides to our being able to recognize this great individual of the End
Times.
In these hadiths that we are looking at, our Prophet (saas) provides a
great deal of descriptive information about the spiritual attributes
of the Mahdi. He has reported that the Mahdi's moral values resemble
his own, and praised his fear of Allah and moral virtues. Our Prophet
(saas) stated that the Mahdi would bea very valuable personage who
would be a means whereby people attain salvation in this world and in
the Hereafter. He also told people to abide by him even if it means
crawling over snow when the Mahdi appears.
The period we are living in is the period awaited for the last
fourteen hundred years, when this historic event related by our
Prophet (saas) has drawn near. All Muslims who are aware of this fact
and who wish to attain the honor of being at the Mahdi's side when he
appears must carefully read the information described throughout this
article and impartedin the hadiths of our Prophet (saas), and
mustgrasp all means of accurately identifying this holy individual.
Because the careful study and examination of this information will, by
Allah's leave, be a guide to the recognitionof this holy personage.
There can be no doubt that preparing the ground for and assisting such
a holy individual who will be a means whereby Islam returns toits true
essence and Qur'anic moral values prevail over all the world is an
important responsibility for Muslims. Being one of those close to such
a blessed individual as the Mahdi, being able to support him and being
able to help in his work aimed at the benefit of all humanity is a
great blessing and honor for all believers.
The Mahdi is a holy personage, the tidings of whose sending in the End
Times have been imparted by our Prophet(saas), who will free Muslims
from a climate of oppression and trouble, who will eliminate the
strife on Earth and bring peace, justice, plenty, happinessand
well-being to all the world. According to reliable accounts
transmitted from our Prophet (saas), the Mahdi will restore the faith,
which has been turned away from its true essence with various
superstitious beliefs and practices, to that original nature, will
meet with the Prophet 'Isa (as), and will, by Allah's leave, be a
means whereby the moral values of Islam, the one true faith, come to
prevail over the whole world.
He Will Be A Fighter
According to what we are told in the hadiths ofour Prophet (saas), the
Mahdi will be a role model for all believers, both with his superior
moral values and with his powerful, fighter character:
The Mahdi will be dedicated to his work. (Portents of the Last
Day,Barzanji, p. 175)
The Mahdi will perform his duties scrupulously and will not go back on
his word. (The Book of Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, p. 24)
The Mahdi will appear from the East. Even if mountains rise up before
him he will crush and cross them, and he will find a path for himself
in those mountains. (The Book of Portents of the Awaited Mahdi, p. 39)
He Will Fear Allah
The more a person fears Allah, the closer he draws to Him. That is
because fear of Allah brings with it the devotion and love felt for
Almighty Allah. As is stated in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas), the
fear of Allah possessed by the Mahdi will be exceedingly powerful:
Mahdi is a person who, as the shaking of a bird's wings, has a deep
fear for Allah. (The Bookof Portents of the Awaited Mahdi of the End
Times [Al- Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar], p. 23)
His Maintenance and Observance of the Bounds Set by Allah
Even a word uttered against Islam offends hisfeelings. (Ibn Hajar
Al-Makki, "Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar", p.
15-75)
He Will Be Virtuous
Almighty Allah has dispatched many emissaries throughout history. It
is reported in the Qur'an that the emissaries possess excellent moral
values. In the verse, "Indeed you are truly vast in character." (Surat
al-Qalam, 4), it is reported that our Prophet Muhammad (saas)
possessed superior moral virtues. As we are told in the hadiths, the
Mahdi, a holy envoy of Allah, will also possess this attribute:
Mahdi is extremely submissive towards Allah. In moral terms, he is
like the Prophet (saas). (Portents of the Last Day, Barzanji, p.163)
A child of mine whose morality is similar to me will emerge.
(Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhiraz-Zaman, p. 21)
He Will Behave Justly
Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali Said:
"When the Mahdi from our Ahl al-Bayt emerges, he will distribute the
goods equally. He treats the people justly. Whoever submits him, he
would submit to Allah. He is named as theMahdi. That is because He
will guide to a secret (unknown) deed."
(Mer'iy ibn Yusuf ibn AbuBakr ibn Ahmad ibn Yusuf al-Makhdi, "Faraidu
Fawaidil Fikri fi Imamil Mahdi al-Muntadhar")
Just as how the earth was full of cruelty and injustice, Mahdi will
fill itwith justice and righteousness. (Ali Ibn Sultan Muhammad al
Qaari "Risalat Mashrab alVardi fi Mazhabi'l Mahdi)
He Will Be Greatly Loved by All
The measure that believers observe in loving someone is that person's
closeness to, love and fear of and devotion to Allah. For that reason,
whoever most manifests the titles of our Lord that is the person who
is most loved and respected by believers. Indeed, the envoys were
people who most manifested the titles of Almighty Allah and who
exhibited the highest virtues in terms of faith. Our Prophet (saas)
has indicated that the Mahdiwill be the best-loved individual of the
age during the End Times:
Allah (c.c.) will fill all people's hearts with his (Mahdi's) love.
(Al-Khavlu'l Mukhtasar Fi Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 42)
No individual who will not be pleased with the ummah of the Muhammad
will remain. (Portents of the Last Day,Barzanji, p. 163)
Abu Abdullah Nuaym ibn Hammad related from Abdullah ibn Masud as follows:
Allah will place his [Mahdi's] love in people's hearts. This waythey
will be a community who becomelions during the day and spend their
nights in worship. (Ukayli "En-Necmu's-sakıb fi Bayanı Anna'l Mahdi
minAvladı Ali ibn Abu Talib Ala't-Tamam va'l Kamal")
The people of the earth and heavens, and even the birds in the sky
will assent to his caliphate. (Al-Khavlu'l Mukhtasar Fi Alamat
al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 29)
He Will Be the Most Auspicious of the Time
The world, which will bein a state of chaos in the period when the
Mahdi appears, will begin experiencing an enlightened age by means of
him. Through him, much that is auspicious will take place. It is
reported in the hadiths of our Prophet (saas) that the Mahdi will be
the most auspicious person of the age:
Join the person who is the most auspicious of the ummah of the
Muhammad and your guardian who removes the difficulties…He is
theMahdi. (Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 57)
He will be the most auspicious of his time. (Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi
`Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p. 27)
Mahdi is the most auspicious of the people (in his time.) (Al-Burhan
fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhiraz-Zaman, s. 58) "Mahdi is the most
auspicious of people." (Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Khari al-Hanafi
"Risalatul Mashrab alvardi fi mazhabil Mahdi")
The Power of His Message
The hadiths below concerning the power ofthe Mahdi's message are
interpreted in different ways in addition to theirapparent meanings.
One of these interpretations may take this form: By turning to someone
whois compared to a dry treeand being a means whereby they come to the
truth, the Mahdi will make this person, who was formerly of no use to
his surroundings, just like a dry tree, useful to his surroundings,
like a tree that has flourished and borne fruit, in other words to his
state, nation, faith and all of humanity.
When the Mahdi plants adry tree, the tree will immediately turn green
and sprout. (Al-Qawl al-Mukhtasar fi `Alamat al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar, p.
43)
He (the Mahdi) will plant a dry seed in a dry land, and it will at
once turn green and sprout. (Portents of the Last Day,Barzanji, p.
165)
Similarly, it is reported in the hadiths below that someone who was
previously ignorant, parsimonious and timid will become generous and
courageous in the End Times through the message and teaching ofthe
Mahdi, and that he will change his character, just like a treethat was
formerly dry and unproductive flourishing and bearing leaves:
In his age, an ignorant, parsimonious and timid man will immediately
become learned, generous and courageous. (Portents ofthe Last Day,
Barzanji, p. 186)
His Wisdom and Power of Understanding
It is reported in the hadiths that the Mahdi will have a special power
bestowed on himby Allah:
He is called the Mahdi, for he is the holder of a secret power nobody
is able to know. (The Portents of the Mahdi of the End Times, Ali ibn
Husamaddin Al Muttakhi,Kahraman Publishing House. p. 77)
Muhyiddin Arabi, one of the great Islamic scholars, has set out in his
works nine of the main noteworthy characteristics of the Mahdi:
1. He has foresight
2. He understands the Holy Book
3. He knows the meaning of the verses
4. He knows the condition and actions of the people he will appoint
5. He remains compassionate and just even when angered
6. He knows the classes of entities
7. He knows the hidden sides of matters
8. He has a good understanding of people's needs
9. He knows the secret knowledge particularly needed in his own time.
He Preserves the Truth inthe Face of Oppressors
Hafiz Abu Abdullah Nuaym ibn Hammad has reported from Jafar ibn Yasar
A-sami in his book Fiten:
The Mahdi will defend the truth against the oppressors. Indeed, he
will extract the molar tooth (anything unjustly held) of a (cruel)
person and restore it to its rightful owner. (An-Nacmu's-Saqib fi
Bayanı Anna'l Mahdi minAvladı Ali b. Abu Talib Ale't-Temam ve'l Qamal)
The Surveillance – Following – of the Mahdi
When the Dajjal appears, a person among the believers (the Mahdi)
turns against him. Then, manyarmed men, those armed men charged with
surveillance in Dajjal's headquarters oppose him. (Muslim, related
from v. 11/s. 393)
At the beginning of the hadiths it is reported that the Mahdi will be
subjected to surveillanceby the supporters of the Dajjal. We also
learn from the Qur'an that some prophets struggling on the path of
Allah had also been subjected to surveillancein earlier periods, and
that the aim had been tothus keep them under control:
He is nothing but a man possessed so wait a while and see what happens
to him. (Surat al-Muminun, 25)
He Will Face Troubles and Difficulties
Most of the envoys sent to warn peoples living far removed from
religious moral values and to call them to the true path have been
rejected by the peoples to whom they were sent and subjected to
variousfalse accusations and slanders. We are told in hadiths that the
Mahdi, who will be descended from the line of the Prophet (saas), will
also encounter such troubles and difficulties. (Allah knows best.)
Our Prophet (saas) stated:
The Mahdi is among us, one from the Ahl al-Bayt…We are such a
household that, for us, Allah preferred the Hereafter over this world.
After me, my Ahl al-Bayt will surely be subjected to trouble,
abduction and banishment.
After me, my Ahl al-Bayt will meet trouble and torment, and be
subjected to expulsion. (Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman,
p.14)
…Mahdi will emerge at atime when, one after another, disasters befall
people and people lose hope of his appearance. He prays two rakaat.
When he returns from the prayer he says: "People! The Ummah of
Muhammad and especially his Ahl al-Bayt have undergone many troubles…"
(Al-Burhan fi `Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 55)
Those troubles befalling the one who is profoundand strong in his
faith are grand. (Ibn Hibban)
He Will Appear With Sacred Objects
We are told in many hadiths that the Mahdi will emerge from a
placewhere there are sacred objects and that he will be the first
person to open these. One of thesehadiths reads:
Naim ibn Hammad related from Abu Jaffar;
"Mahdi emerges at the time of night with our Prophet's banner, shirt,
sword, signs, light and beautiful expression."(Ali Ibn Sultan Muhammad
al-Qaari al-Hanafi "Risalat Mashrab al Vardi fi Mazhabi'l Mahdi)
He [the Mahdi] will emerge with the Prophet's banner. That banner has
four edges and is seam-free and its color is black. There exists a
ring above it. That banner has not been opened since the time our
Prophet passed away and it will be opened when Mahdi emerges.
(Portents of the Mahdi of the Akhir Zaman, Ali ibn Husamattin Al
Muttaki, p.22)
He Will Be Grateful to Allah Alone
When we examine the stories of the prophets in the Qur'an we see
thatthey have turned to Allah under all circumstances. We also learn
of their sincere devotion to Allah and the love and fear they felt
towards Him from the Qur'an. As emphasized in the hadiths below, this
characteristic will also be seen in the Mahdi:
"Mahdi is one of us, one of the Ahl-i Bayt. He is a person who does
not feel grateful to anyone other than Allah." (as-Suyuti, al-Havi,
2/24)
There Will Be Black Propaganda about the Mahdi
The supporters of the Dajjal, the enemy of Islam, will blacken the
name of the Mahdi in written and verbal media and will attempt to
weaken his prestige in the public eye. This is indicated as follows in
one of the hadiths:
When that Muslim personage (the Mahdi) sees the Dajjal, he says:
"People! This is the Dajjal of whom the Prophet (saas) mentioned."
Dajjal giveshis order about him right away and that person is laid
upon his stomach and from his back it is said: "Take himand beat him."
Then thatperson's back and stomach is broadened bybeating. This time
he [the Dajjal] grabs him by his two hands and two feet and hurls him.
People assume Dajjal throws him into a fire. But in fact he is thrown
away to the Garden. (Mahdism and Imamism, Ibrahim Suleymanoglu, p. 40)
We are told in the hadiths that the Mahdi will be broadened by being
beaten on his back and stomach. The author of the book says in
reference to this section that the Mahdi's fame will constantly be
declared and disseminated. Yet since itis the supporters of the Dajjal
who will do this, itmay be said that this propaganda will blackenthe
name of the Mahdi. However, although this may appear to be
infelicitous at first sight, it will be a means whereby the Mahdi is
recognized and wherebythe moral values of Islamare spread.
He Will Be Far from Sight
Naim ibn Hammad reported thus from Abu Jafar:
...At nights he will be engaged in worship while he will be hidden
during the day... (Ukayli "An-Najmu's-sakıb fi Bayanı Anna'l Mahdi
minAwladi Ali ibn Abu Talib Ala't-Tamam va'l kamal")
He Will Be Supported by Angels
In the majority of storiesabout the prophets it can be seen that they
were always supported by help from Allah in communicating their
message of religious moral values or whenever they encountered a
difficult situation. In the same way that this assistance might reach
the prophets in a moment, or take various forms such as natural
phenomena, it also took place with help from angels. In one of the
hadiths, our Prophet (saas) has revealed that Allah will help the
Mahdi by means of angels:
"Allah (cc) will help him (the Mahdi) by means of three angels. They
will beat the faces and backsof those who oppose him (the Mahdi)."
(Ikdu'd Durer, p. 12)
He Will Know What is Lawful and Unlawful
Since the Mahdi will possess superior moral virtues and have a
powerful fear of Allah, he will know Almighty Allah's bounds and what
is lawful and unlawful:
Hussain was asked:
"By what signs will the Mahdi be known?" He replied: "By his ease of
heart and dignity, by hisknowing what is lawful and unlawful." (Fera
Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar)
He Will Be Compassionate Towards the Poor
The infinite compassion of Allah is recalled at the end of many verses
in the Qur'an. In addition, the Qur'an commands believers to "be one
of those who believe and urge each other to steadfastness and urge
each other to compassion." (Surat al-Balad, 17)
Our Almighty Lord's title of The Most Compassionate of the
Compassionate is manifested in all prophets and believers. We are told
in one hadiths that the Mahdi will also be exceptionallycompassionate:
"His exercising disciplineover those working for him, his distribution
of goods generously and his being very compassionate towards the poor
are the signs ofthe Mahdi." Fera Idu Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi
al-Muntadhar", Islamic Scholars' Views about the Mahdi, p. 133,
Footnote number: 26, Kopru Publishing House.)
The Mahdi's sign is his being disciplined on those working for him,
his generosity about goods, and his compassion for the oppressed."
(Ukayli "An-Nacmu's-sakib fi Bayanı Anna'l Mahdi minAvladı Ali b. Abu
Talib Ale't-Tamam va'l Kamal)
He Will Assume All Responsibilities
He assumes all responsibilities and helps the poor and thosein need.
(M. Muhyiddin Arabi "Futuhat-Al Makkiya", 366. bab, v. 3, p. 327- 328)
He Will Disappear Twice
The way that the Mahdi will disappear twice appears in this form in
the hadiths of our Prophet (saas):
"The one who will fulfill this deed (the Mahdi) will hide twice. One
of these will lengthen to such an extent that some of them will say,
"He is dead" whereas others will say, "He has gone." Neither those who
love him nor otherswill know his whereabouts. Only his servant who is
very closeto him knows his place. (Al-Saa Fi Eshrad-is Saa" p. 93,
Egyptian edition.)
He Will Not Declare His Needs
One of the most important characteristicsof the Mahdi is that he will
not declare his needs:
Hussain was asked:
"By what signs will the Mahdi be known?" He replied: "... People will
need of him but he will express his needs to no one." (Fera Idu
Fevaidi'l Fiqr Fi'l Imam al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar")
He Will Possess Exemplary Virtues
Almighty Allah has sent envoys to issue warningsin all periods, and
they have been charged with telling people of the truefaith. However,
their message was not limitedto expounding religious moral values, and
they were role models with their behavior and attitudes. The
exemplarymoral virtues of the Mahdi are reported as follows in one
hadith:
Divine superior virtues inspired by Allah reach him. He receives
knowledge of the faith and exemplary moral virtue from Allah. (Konavi
Risalet-ul Mahdi,p. 161 B)
He Will Know the Scienceof Numerology
Some of them said this book that has reached maturity is attributed to
the appearance of Mahdi who is expected to appear in the End Times. He
is very competent of the science of jifr and its secrets. This
knowledge is the kind of wisdom that reached from the books endowed to
the prophets of the past. (Mahdism and Imamism, Ibrahim Suleymanoglu,
p. 252)

Unseen knowledge given to our Prophet (saas)

Only Almighty Allah knows the unseen thingsabout the past and the
future that are beyond the capacity of human senses to perceive.
Everything that happens in all the worlds of the universe is
controlled by Allah and contained in His knowledge. The miracle of
unseen knowledge was vouchsafed to our Prophet (saas) to the extent
that Allah willed. Allah told our Prophet (saas) about events hidden
in the past that no one else knew and about things that would happen
in the future, and he revealed this knowledge to his companions and
all his people.
It is Allah Who created time and taught the concept of it to the
people. He is exalted above time and not limited by it, He knows all
secrets and He can reveal the secret things hidden in his Presence to
any of His messengers according to His will. Those to whom He has
given secret knowledge can, by His will, tell about things past and
the yet to come; they seethe inner face of events and know their
various consequences.
Allah tells us in the Qur'an that He has given some of the unseen
knowledge hidden in HisPresence to some messengers:
He is the Knower of the Unseen, and does not divulge His Unseen to
anyone–except a Messenger with whom He is well pleased, and then He
posts sentinels before him and behind him, so that He may know that
they have indeed transmitted the Messages of their Lord. (Surat
al-Jinn, 26-27)
Our Prophet Muhammad (saas) was a messenger special to Allah to whom
He gave much secret knowledge from His Presence. Our Prophet (saas)
knew things that happened in the past unknown to anyone elseand
learned from Allah many things that were going to occur in the future.
Allah reveals this in the Qur'an:
This is news of the Unseen which We revealto you. You were not with
them when they decided what to do and devised their scheme.' (Surah
Yusuf, 102)
OUR PROPHET'S (saas) MIRACULOUS UNSEEN KNOWLEDGE
Our Prophet's (saas) ability to know unseen things did not come from
himself. But he revealed these things to those around him in
accordance to Allah's will. All-knowing Allah revealed this
knowledgeto His messenger which pointed to events that happened in the
past or that were with certainty about to occur in the future. This
shows that all the knowledge our Prophet (saas) revealed was a
miracle. Several times throughout his life, our Prophet (saas)
delivered information that could only be known by Allah's revelation.
He was given knowledge e about the past, the present and thefuture and
this was a proof that he was a true prophet. The Qur'an describes many
details of the divine knowledgegiven to Muhammad (saas) together with
his devotion and submissionto Allah:
Say: 'I possess no power to help or harm myself, except as Allah
wills. If I had had knowledge of the Unseen, I would have sought to
gain much good and no evil would have touched me.I am only a warner
and a bringer of good news to people who believe.' (Surat al-A'raf,
188)
As a result of the revelations given to Allah's holy Prophet Muhammad
(saas) both personally and through the verses of the Qur'an, he gained
knowledge about the past, present and future. According to Allah's
will, he had knowledge about many matters that no one else could know.
Because of this knowledge, he could announce victory to Muslims in
dire straits by which he was able to bolster their zeal. The
occurrence in sequence of each of these events predicted by our
Prophet (saas) was miraculous.
There are many events predicted by our Prophet (saas) 1400 years ago
that are coming true today. Manyscholars of the Hadiths such as
Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Thirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Majah, witnessto the
fact that secret knowledge revealed by our Prophet (saas) in
theHadiths is true. They attest to the miracle thatall the secret
knowledge revealed by our Prophet (saas) has come true andcontinues to
come true.
False Accusations AgainstOur Prophet (saas) Despite The Miracle of His
Unseen Knowledge
From the time our Prophet (saas) started to communicate what is
revealed to him in the Qur'an to the people around him, unbelievers
accused this blessed personage of not telling the truth. They
approached every piece of information brought by him with suspicion
and were unwilling to believe in him. However,our Prophet (saas) was
apersonage whose honesty and credibility could easily be understood
just by looking at his face and way of living. Although he was a
person who was unanimously qualified as "Al-amin" (reliable)
throughout hislife and addressed with this epithet, some people
insisted on saying lies not to complywith the right path to which he
called.
In their savage attacks on our Prophet (saas), deniers reject the
possibility that a person can tell the truth every moment of his life.
They say that an individual cannot live his life speaking the truth
everymoment until his death. But our Prophet (saas) was a devout and
self-sacrificing man who prayed day and night; he was patient and his
moral rectitude was an example to the whole world. He entered battle
with great courage and fought in the front ranks. Even faced with the
threat of death, he continued to proclaim the truth.
Our Prophet (saas) always practiced the moral teachings of the Qur'an
impeccably and was an example for all believers. Our blessed Prophet
(saas) taught generosity and gave liberally of all he had; heoffered
his life and his possessions to gain the favor of Allah. He taught
patience, self-sacrifice, true love and friendship and lived these
moral qualities in the best possible way. Also, he urged people to be
merciful and forgiving and he practiced these virtues with singular
determination. The unbelievers that accusedour Prophet (saas) should
have considered following:
It does not belong to thepower of human nature to perpetuate a lie
throughout a lifetime. It is not possible for a person to be a liar
and live his life consistently in accordance with thousands of
non-conflicting verses. And why would a liar persist in such an
attitude until the end of his life? And why would people put their
lives at risk in order to show theright path to the Hereafter?
And is it possible for everything a liar says to be the vehicle of
such great wisdom? Is it possible for everything he has said to be
perfect from the aspect of eternity; to be possessedof a certain
numerical code; for everything he has said throughout 23 years to be
in an eternal,mathematical and scientific harmony? Is it possible for
all he has said to contain the wisdom to answer all the questions
concerning social life to which people's consciences seek the answer?
It is certain thata liar cannot avoid detection when one day his words
do not hold together. However, everything our Prophet (saas) said has
come trueand both Muslims and deniers have witnessed that truth.
Undoubtedly, every miracle given to every prophet is important. But
the fact that masses of people witnessed the miracles of our Prophet
(saas) make him different from other prophets. For example, when 'Isa
(as) raised a person to life or cured a sick person, it was only the
people standing around who witnessed the miracles. And it was only
Pharaoh, his peopleand the children of Israelthat witnessed the
miracles of Musa (as). (Only Allah knows the whole truth). When our
Prophet (saas) predicted a victorious war, the number of people who
witnessed the battle wasmuch greater. Tens of thousands, even hundreds
of thousands of people saw these miracles happen.
Here are some of the announcements of our Prophet (saas) that qualify
as miracles:
The Victory over Byzantine Empire
One of the future predictions in the Qur'ancomes immediately at the
beginning of Surat ar-Rum. In these verses itis announced that the
Byzantine Empire has suffered defeat but that a short time later it
would again be victorious:
Alif Lam Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the lowest land, but
after their defeat they will themselves be victoriousin a few years'
time. The affair is Allah's from beginning to end. On that day, the
believers will rejoice. (Surat ar-Rum, 1-4)
These verses were sent down in 620 A.D., 7 yearsafter the Christian
Byzantines suffered a major defeat by the pagan Persians in 613-614
A.D. The verses tell us that the Byzantines were going to be
victorious very soon. However, at that time, the Byzantines
hadexperienced such serious losses that it seemed impossible for them
even to survive, not to mention winning another victory. The Persians
defeated the Byzantines at Antioch in 613 A.D. and went on to take
Damascus, Cilicia, Tarsus, Armenia and Jerusalem. It was especially
the loss of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Church of the Holy
Sepulcher that dealt the greatest blow to the Byzantines. 1
At that time it was not the Persians but the Avars, Slavs and Lombards
that were the most serious threat to the Byzantines. The Avars came up
to the very gates of Constantinople. In order to supply the armies,
theByzantine emperor Heracleius had the gold, silver and precious
ornaments from the churches melted down and turned into money. When
this proved insufficient, he even melted down the bronzestatues to
make coins. Many governors revoltedagainst the Heracleius and the
empire came close to disintegration. The former Byzantine possessions
of Mesopotamia, Cilicia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt and Armenia were
occupied by the pagan Persians. 2
In short, everything pointed to the destruction of the Byzantine
Empire. But exactly at that time, the first verses of Surat ar-Rum
were revealed saying that, before 9 years had passed, the Byzantines
would again be victorious. The Arab hypocrites thought that this
victory announced in the Qur'an would never happen.
But, as with everything predicted in the Qur'an, this too was
inevitable. In 622 A.D., Heracleius invaded Armenia and won several
battles against the Persians.3 InDecember 627 A.D., therewas a major
battle between the Byzantines and the Persians near Baghdad, 50 km
east theTigris River by the ruins of Nineveh. The Byzantines defeated
the Persians and a few months later the Persians were forced to sign a
treaty restoring the occupied lands to the Byzantines. 4
The Byzantine victory in 630 A.D. and the defeat of the Persian
emperor, Chosrov II, meant that Jerusalem was returned to Heracleius
and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher came back under Christian
control. 5
So, as Allah said in the Qur'an and our Prophet (saas) proclaimed to
the people, the Byzantine victory happened miraculously within that
predicted 3-9 year period.
Another miracle of these verses is that facts of geography were given
that no one could have known at that time.
Verse 3 of Surat ar-Rum says that the Byzantines were defeated at the
thelowest land. The Arabic for this is edna el-ard, which can also
mean a nearby place. But this translation is not a literalrendering
of the original; it is metaphorical. The Arabicword edna is the
superlative form of deni (low) and means lowest. Ard means Earth.
So,edna el-ardmeans thelowest place on Earth.
Some commentators, thinking that this place is close to the Arabs,
translate the phrase asclosest. But the basic meaning of the word
points to a geological fact that no one could known at the time the
Qur'an was revealed: thelowest place on Earth is the area of the Dead
Sea where the Byzantines were defeated in 613 A.D. And, as we said
before, the hardest blowfor the Christians was the loss of Jerusalem,
close to the Dead Sea.
The Dead Sea, at 399 meters below sea-level, is the lowest point on Earth. 6
What is remarkable hereis that the level of the Dead Sea could only be
determined with the useof modern measuring equipment. Previously no
one could know that the Dead Sea was the lowest place on Earth. But
this area is describedin the Qur'an as the lowest land on Earth. This
is another proof that the Qur'an is the word of Allah; and it is a
miracle that Allah granted this knowledge to His Prophet.
The defeat of Mecca
Allah has confirmed His Messenger's vision with truth: 'You will enter
theSacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) in safety, Allahwilling, shaving
your heads and cutting your hair without any fear.' He knew what you
did not know and ordained,in place of this, an imminent victory.
(Surat al-Fath, 27)
While our Prophet (saas)was in Medina, he had a dream: he saw
believers safely entering the The Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) and
circling the Kaaba. He revealed this good news to the believers. It
was good news because the believers who had left Mecca for Medina had
not been allowed to return.
As an encouragement, Allah revealed verse 27 of Surat al-Fath to our
Prophet (saas). He said the dream was true and, according to His
will, believers could return toMecca. Indeed, later as the dream had
foretold, after the Treaty of Hudaybiya and the subsequent defeat of
Mecca, Muslims entered the Sacred Mosque in peace. So the glad tidings
inspired in our Prophet (saas) by Allah came true.
Buhari relates a story of Ibn-i Abbas concerning the defeat of Mecca:
İbnu Abbas said that in the verse, "He Who has imposed the Qur'an upon
you will most certainly bring you back home again" (Surat al-Qasas,
85), what is meant with the word home here is Macca."7
It is important to note here that verse 27 of Surat al-Fath mentions
another victory before the defeat of Mecca. As the verse foretold,
before they captured Mecca, Muslims took the Hayber Castle that had
been a Jewish possession.8 The famousJelaleyn interprets the verse of
Surat al-Fath as follows:
"…Allah made the dreamHe showed his Prophet (saas) come true. In the
year the Hudaybiya was signed, before going to expedition, the Prophet
(saas) saw in his dream himself and his people safely entering Mecca
with shaved heads and informed his people about this [good news]which
made his people pleased. He set out together with his people but
unbelievers averted them in Hudaybiya. Some of the hypocrites raised
suspicions of this. This is the time when this versewas revealed.
"InshaAllah you will enter Masjid al-Haram safely, with no fear
whatsoever, with shavedheads, (or some of you) with shortened hair.
But in terms of peace, for your benefit, Allah knew what you did not
know and before entering Mecca, granted a conquest. This was the
conquest of Haybar. And the next year the dream came true." 9
In the eighth year of the Migration, our Prophet (saas) entered Mecca
and conquered it. But when he delivered this good news to the
believers, it did not appear likely to happen. Conditions seemed to be
in favor of an opposite outcome; the hypocrites seemed determined to
keep the believers from entering Mecca. This caused those who had
sickness in their hearts to doubt the words of the Prophet (saas). But
our Prophet (saas) trusted in Allah and was not moved by what people
said; he believed in what Allah had told him and revealed it to the
people. The fact that this secret revelation from our Lord came to
pass is a miracle witnessed by millions of people.
The Defeat of Egypt
O my people! You are about to conquer Egypt. Keep the welfare of the
conquered people in view. You shall have to abide by the divine
covenant that their life and property and their honor should be
protected. 10
This Hadith announces that Egypt would be conquered. While our
Prophet (saas) was proclaiming this, Egypt was under the rule of Rome
and Muslims were not yet very strong. But these words of our Prophet
(saas) came true: in the year 641 A.D.,shortly after his death, inthe
caliphate of Omar, Egypt was conquered by Muslims commanded by Amr bin
As. 11 This event was another secret revelation of our Prophet (saas)
that cametrue.
The Conquest of Roman and Persian Lands
Kisra (Khosrau, King of Persia) will die; there will be no Kisra after
him, and Qaisar (Caesar, King of Rome) will die; there would be no
Qaisar after him, but, by One in Whose Hand is my life, you will spend
their treasures in the cause of Allah. 12
The word kisra that appears in this saying was a title used by Persian
kings. The title Caesar was used by Roman Empire. In the Hadiths, our
Prophet (saas) announces that the treasuries of these two monarchs
would remain in the possessionof Muslims.
It is important to notice here that, when our Prophet (saas) made
thisglad announcement, Muslims had no military or economic power and
did not yet have the ability to make such a great conquest. And, at
that time, the most powerful states were Persia and Rome. For
thisreason, when our Prophet (saas) announced these two conquests,
economic and military conditions seemed to be against the possibility.
Nevertheless, they happened. Persia was conquered in Omar's time and
the Empire of the PersianKisrawas brought to an end.13
The beginning of the end of the Roman Caesarand the Muslim
confiscation of his treasury started in the time of the Rashid caliphs
with the conquest of some important Roman centers. Starting in the
time of Abu Bakr, the Roman possessions of Jordan, Palestine,
Jerusalem, Syria and Egypt fell to Muslims. Constantinople was taken
by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1453. And with the fall
of the Roman Empire the title of Caesar ceased to be used.14 So, these
conquests that seemed impossible in the time ofour Prophet (saas) were
miraculously revealed to him by Allah.
Our Prophet (saas) Answered a Question before it was asked.
In the Qur'an, Allah tells us that 'Isa (as) knew by the will of Allah
what people ate and what they kept. (Surah Al 'Imran, 49) and that
Yusuf (as) could tell when a meal was about to come (Surah Yusuf, 37).
These miracles were gifts bequeathed by Allah's grace to His prophets.
As our Prophet(saas) says in the Hadiths, that, as a miracle from
Allah, he answered a question before a person asked it and could tell
what a person was thinking. Forexample, the Hadiths tells us that our
Prophet (saas) told his companions where and when there would be a
victory.15 Again, according to the Hadiths,our Prophet (saas) could
tell when someone was going to come home before they came and when
they would enter a room before they entered it. 16 He also was able to
recognize immediately the mind ofa hypocrite, those hostile to Muslims
and those who harbored evilideas. 17 (Surah Muhammad, 30)
There are hundreds of examples of such miracles in the Hadiths. In
one Hadith, our Prophet (saas) gave an answer to a question in the
mind of Abu Sufian who, as a result, bore witness to the fact that
this blessed person was indeed a prophet:
Abu Sufian was sitting ina corner of the Masjid. One day our Prophet
(saas) came out of his house. From where he sat Abu Sufian thought: "I
wonder with what he overcame?" Our Prophet(saas) came next to Abu
Sufian and touched his back, saying: "I overcame you with Allah." Abu
Sufian said: "Ibear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah". 18
Our Prophet (saas) knew what people were thinking and was able togive
them an answer to their questions. An example is the Hadith about
Vabisa:
I came to our Prophet (saas). My intention was to ask him every thing
about goodness and sins. He was surrounded by Muslims, asking him
questions and demanding fetwa. I wanted to proceed among them.
- "Stay away from Allah'smessenger, Vabisa!" they said.
- I replied: "Leave me so that I can come very close to him. He is the
most amiable of all those to whom I want tobe close!
- He said: "Leave Vabisa!" Then, he addressed me twice or three times:
"Vabisa, come closer! At the end I came close to him and sat in front
of him.
- He said: "Vabisa. Shall I tell you or would you like to ask to me!"
-" I want you to tell me"I said.
- He said: "You are here to ask me about goodness and sins, right?"
- I said: "Yes." Then, he showed my heart with his fingers and said:
"Vabisa, consult your heart, consult yourself! Goodness is what your
heart finds peace in even if people give you a fatwa or not; sin is
what eradicates (disturbs) the heart, the thing that wanders around in
chest!"19
As the Hadith says, our Prophet (saas) was givengrace from Allah to be
able to know the answerto a question often before he was even asked.
Another example of his ability to read a person's thoughts and
intentions is the Hadith about Abu Darda's beinga Muslim:
Abu Darda was worshipping an idol. Abdullah b. Ravaha and Abu Salam
went near that idol and broke it. When Abu Darda saw the idol in that
situation he couldn't help himself from saying: "What a pity! Couldn't
you protect yourself" Then the Prophet (saas) came. Abdullah b. Ravaha
saw him on the way and said: "That is Abu Darda! He should certainly
be here to find us." Upon this Allah's messenger said: "No! He is
coming here to be a Muslim. My Lord told that he would be a Muslim."20
All the above examples show that our Prophet Muhammad (saas) showed
many miracles by Allah's will. Our Prophet (saas) was an example of
excellent moral character, trust and faithfulness; with his miracles
he strengthened the eager resolve of those with faith.
The End Times that is being experienced in the light of our Prophet's
Knowledge about the Unseen.
The End Times is a period that will be experienced on Earth before the
Doomsday. Our Prophet's many news regarding the events that would
occur in the End Times have reached us. That these events occur one
after another in our time is also a miracle of our Prophet (saas). Our
Prophet (saas) explainedthe events that would occur 1400 years after
his time in details as if he watched that time. The rise of a comet,
the Iran-Iraq war, the Qaba raid, the increase in fitnah and moral
degeneration are only a few of the signs that would occur in the End
Times.
It should be stated at this point that the signs revealed by our
Prophet (saas) in the Hadiths mayhave been seen severallyover the past
1400 years at various times and in diverse places in the world. But
since the year1400 in the Muslim calendar they have happened one after
another in the same period of time. This shows that another event
predicted by our Prophet (saas) has come to pass:
Signs following one another like the pieces of a necklace falling
oneafter the other when its string is cut. 21
Many of these events announced in the Hadiths of our Prophet (saas) as
signs of the endare happening in our day. The increase of wars,
conflicts, terror, violence, anarchy, chaos,murders and torture is an
indication that the first period of the end times is upon us.
According to what our Prophet (saas) says in the Hadiths, Allah will
rescue people after this dark period and save them from chaos; it will
be a great salvation. In order to direct morally deficient, degenerate
societies onto the right path, Allah will appoint His excellent
servant, Mahdi, as mediator. Mahdi (the guide to the truth) will
assemble the Islamic world under one roof; he will cause the moral
teachings of the Qur'an to prevail throughout the world and, together
with 'Isa (as) who is to return to Earth a second time, he will engage
in an intellectual struggle against the strife of the End Times.
In the Hadiths, our Prophet (saas) told people to obey the excellent
Mahdi who would be the means of salvation in this world and in the
Hereafter; he pointed out all the good things that would mark this
period:
A man from my family appears to fill Earth withjustice, just as it has
been filled with corruption. So whoever reaches that [time] ought to
come to them, even if crawling on the ice/snow, since among them is
the caliph of Allah al-Mahdi. 22
All the miracles proclaimed by our Prophet (saas) concerning past
events or with regard to 'Isa (as), Mahdi and signs of the End Times
are a cause for rejoicing for allMuslims and a gracious help from
Allah. According to Allah's will, these miracles are proofsthat will
strengthen the faith of believers and bind them even more closely to
the glorious Qur'an sent down to our Prophet (saas) from Allah.

Fathwa - Licking one's lips while fasting/Breaking one's oath out of forgetfulness

Question
I have 2 questionsIn Sha Allah. Firstly, when I fast, is it
permissible to lick the lips, as they become quite dry? Also, after I
wake up, I always have to spit, because I think that I have licked the
pillow or something, but should I have to do this? Secondly if you
make an oath, (for example, "I won't say such and such") and
forgetfully break it, then I have readthat it doesn't require
expiation. However, if you forgetfully break the oath, and then think
you have broken it and say "such and such" would this require
expiation because you didn't breakit the first time because of
forgetfullness, but you thought it was broken, soyou did it?
jazakallah , and may Allah reward you.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that
MuhammadisHis slave and Messenger.
If a fasting person licks his lips without moistening them with
hissaliva, then this is permissible and his fast isnot invalidated due
to that.
However, if one puts his saliva on his lips and thenhe licks his
saliva from them [his lips], then we have already clarified in
previousFataawathat this invalidates his fasting.
Ash-Sharh Al-Kabeer, oneof the books of the Hanbali school of
jurisprudance, reads: "If one's saliva comes out to his clothes or
between his fingers or between his lips and then he swallows it again,
or thathe swallows the saliva of another person, then, in this case,
his fast is invalidated because he swallowed it from other than his
mouth, it is exactly as if he swallowed something else other than the
saliva."[End of quote].
On the other hand, you are not obliged to spit when you wake up on the
pretext that you may have licked something (while sleeping); this is
nothing but an instance of severe whispers of Satan, so you should be
careful about this and not open a door (to whispers) which would be
very difficult for you to close.
As regards the oath, if one breaks it out of forgetfulness, then he is
not required to offer expiation for it as per theview we adopt here at
Islamweb. However, his oath does not become ineffective by breaking
itout of forgetfulness, but it still exists in a way that if he breaks
it afterwardsknowingly, he is obliged to offer expiation.
Asna Al-Mataalib, one of the books of the Shaafi'i school of
jurisprudance, reads:"The oath does notbecome ineffective if onedoes
what he made an oath on (i.e., not to do) out of forgetfulness or
ignorance or compulsion."[End of quote].
Also,Ar-Ruhaybaani,fromthe Hanbali school of jurisprudence, said:
"One's oath does not become ineffective if he breaks it in one of
these (three) cases."[End of quote].
However, if one breaks his oath deliberately while believing that his
oath no longer exists by what he did out of forgetfulness, then it
appears from the statements of the scholars that he broke hisoath
(i.e. the expiation would be required) unless he was emulating a
scholar who issued him aFatwato this effect.
Sharh Al-Bahjah, one of the books of the Shaafi'i school of
jurisprudance, reads: "If he does something (what he made an oath not
to do) while believing that his oath has become ineffective by what he
did out of forgetfulness for example, then he is not breaking his oath
if he relied on a Fatwa (to this effect) even if it was issued by a
person who isnot a scholar. However, ifhe did not rely on any Fatwa
but he acted according to his judgment that his oath no longer exists,
then he is breaking his oath…..."[End of quote].
Accordingly, if you had done what you made an oath not to do just
because of thinking that your oath no longer exists without relying on
aFatwa, then in this case you broke your oath and you are obligated to
expiate for it.
Allaah Knows best.