Dought & clear - Waking Up Seven-Year Old Child for Fajr.

I have a daughter who is 7 years old and she prays Alhamdulillah. Do
Ihave to wake her up forthe Fajr (early morning) prayer, knowing that
this made her dislike praying?
Praise be to Allaah.
The father is like the shepherd of his household and is responsible
for his flock, as the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said. Based on that, he shouldeducate his children andteach them
to fulfil obligations and avoid haram (unlawful) things.That includes
telling them to pray when they reach the age of seven years, because
of the report narrated by Abu Dawood (495) from 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, from
his father, from his grandfather, who said: The Messenger of
Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Tell your
children to pray when they are seven years old and smack them
(lightly) if they do not pray when they are ten, and separate them in
their beds." Classed as saheeh (authentic) by al-AlbaaniinSaheeh Abi
Dawood.
But the father should be kind in teaching his small children how to
pray, and he should encourage them by praising them, and giving them
gifts and rewards so that they willget used to it and love it.
You can delay waking your daughter up until near sunrise, and
encourage her to sleep early so that it will be easier for her to get
up.
There is nothing wrong with you not waking herup on days when you
think it will be too hard for her to wake up, because – for example –
she went to sleep late or because it is very cold, and so on.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: I have
a son who is about nine years old; should I wake him up for Fajr
prayer?
He replied: Yes, if a man has children, male or female, who have
reached the age of ten, he should wake them up. With regard to
children who are younger than that, if he wakes them up so that they
may pray on time, that is better, but there is no sin on him if he
does not do that. But it isbetter to wake them up, because the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Tell your
children to pray when they are seven years old and smack them
(lightly) if they do not pray when they are ten, and separate them in
their beds." End quote fromFataawa Noor 'ala'l-Darb.
He was also asked: My son is eight years old; should I wake him up to
pray Fajr? If he does not pray, am I sinning?
He replied: It seems that it depends. If it is winter,for example, and
it is very cold, then there is nothing wrong with leaving him and
telling him to pray when he wakes up. But if the weather is normal and
there is no harm done by waking him up, then you should wake him upso
that he will get used to praying with the people. Nowadays, praise be
to Allaah, thereare young boys betweenthe ages of seven and ten whom
we see coming with their fathers to pray Fajr. If a child gets used to
that from an early age there is a great deal of goodness in that. But
if it causes hardship, then you do not have to wakethem up. But when
they wake up you should tell them to pray. End quote fromal-Liqa'
al-Shahri(40/18).
And Allaah knows best.

Islamic Culture in Muslim Society: Morality and Ethics in Islam(Moral Stories)

A culture is a set of habits, rules and regulations, which a group of
people follows as part of their lives.
Islamic culture is how we should behave. It is the way Muslims are
taught to live and is based on the two sources of Noble Qur'an and
Hadith. A Muslim should understand and practice this knowledge, since
when these two sources are combined; we have the way and means to lead
a life, which will lead to perfection and contentment.
There are countless examples of what we should do and how we should
act, but the essence of all these actions is having good Akhlaq.
To have good Akhlaq (Morality, Moral Values), you have to follow a
verysimple rule. Prophet Isa (as), Prophet Muhammad (saw) and Imam Ali
(as) have all emphasized one message and that is:Treatothers the way
you would like them to treat you.
This just means to have consideration, whether itis family, other
relatives, or friends.
Whenever you meet others you are carrying the flag of Islam. This
means people will look atyou and say, "This is how Muslims behave".
Whenever you do an action, ask yourself,"Would Prophet Muhammad (saw)
and Imam Ali (as)do that?" Then think about your answer before you
perform the action.
Prophet Muhammad (saw)was once asked why he came to the world, what
was his purpose? He replied, "I have been sent to complete the
nobility of your character."
This means that the main purpose of Prophet Muhammad (saw) was to
improve and perfect the Islamic Culture, the noble character of a
person andthus the community.
It is very important that we should have a good Islamic Culture at
home, since this is where the foundation is set for growing children.
We should make sure that we all recite Salaat on time. If possible we
should pray Salaat-e-Jamaat (CongregationalPrayer) at home, with
thefather leading and the children following. The mother should teach
the girls the importance of wearing Hijaband the parents should
explain about music and dance, and all the other habits, which Islam
discourages.
Some parents tell their children not to fast during examinations. This
makes the children feel that fasting can be missed for such reasons
and reduces its importance. How can youblame the children, whenit is
the parents who encourage them? The point that people do not realize
is that if you obey Allah (SWT), He will help you. Allah (SWT) has
said that for every 1 step you take towards Him, He willtake 10 steps
towards you. So make a Niyyat (intension) and fast. Do not look at
fasting as if it is going to harm you, butthink that it will help your
concentration, it will help you to study, and you soon see how well
you can actually do.
We must make Islamic Culture part of our day-to-day lives, not just
something we put on for the mosque, or for Madressa. Only then will we
benefit both in this life, and the next.
Once Imam Ali (as) was asked, who is a believer? He answered as to
what the characteristics of a believer should include,
1.The believer is one withwhom peoples' life, wealth and dignity are safe.
2.When powerful, he forgives easily. He is generous in appropriate ways.
3.His behavior is gentle. His actions and walk reflect modesty.
4.People enjoy his affection and calmness. He is ready to bear painin
order to comfort others.
5.In friendship he is sincere. He honors his promises.
6.He helps the oppressed and is concerned aboutthe deprived. He does
not abandon those in distress; he tries to relieve their burdens.
7.He respects the rights of those who are absent. He accepts the
apologies of those at fault.
8.He assists those who have assisted him.
9.He does not divulge (tell) peoples' secrets. He does not inquire
into secret affairs, which do not concern him.
10.He sets a good example for those who succeed him.
11.His good deeds are not performed for the sake of being boastful.
12.He does not fall into the same difficulty twice.

Morality and Ethics in Islam: Islamic Culture in Muslim Society(Moral Stories)

The word "morality" comes from the Latin word moralitas
meaning"manner, noble character and proper behavior". Morality
generally refers to a code of conduct, thatan individual, group or
society hold as authoritative, in distinguishing right fromwrong.
Immorality is the active opposition to morality, while amorality is
not admitting of moral distinctions or judgments; neither moralnor
immoral or lacking moral sensibility; not caring about right and
wrong.
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that
addresses questions about morality that is, concepts such as good and
evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice, etc. Ethics in
Islamor True Islamic code of ethics provides basic concepts which
gives humanity a strong platform on which they can lay their lives
according to the teaching of Noble Qur'an and Prophet's Sunnah.
Islam as a comprehensiveway of life encompasses a complete moral
system that is an important aspect of its world-view. We live in an
age where good and evil are often looked at as relative concepts.
Islam however, holds that moral positions are not relative and
instead, defines a universal standard by which actions may be deemed
moral or immoral.
A major goal of Islam is toprovide mankind with a practical and
realistic system of life based on good by which he can conduct his
life. It calls upon mankind not only to practice virtue but to
establish it and to eradicate all that is harmful. It seeks the
supremacy of one's conscience in all matters, so that what is harmful
cannot gain the upper hand in either an individual or a society. Those
who respond to this call are known as Muslims, which literally means
those who have submitted to God (Allah). The sole object of the
resulting community of Muslims ( Muslim Ummah) is the undertaking of
an organized effort to establish what is good and to fight and
eradicate what is evil andharmful.
Morality is one of the fundamental sources of anation's strength, just
as immorality is one of the main causes of a nation's decline. Hence,
Morality isone of the cornerstones of Islam. Morality in Islamhas
established some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole,
which are to be observed in all circumstances. Islam's moral system is
striking in that it not only definesmorality, but also guides the
human race in how to achieve it, at both an individual as well as a
collective level. Thus, everything that leads to the welfare of the
individual and the society is morally good inIslam, and whatever is
harmful is morally bad.
Given its importance in a healthy society, Islam supports morality and
matters that lead to it and stands in the way of corruption and
matters that lead to it. The Islamicmoral principles therefore, appeal
naturally to the human intellect, while elevating the pursuit of
morality to the level of worship. This is because Islam holds every
action that is done with the goal of attaining of God's pleasure to be
worship. The Guardian and Judge of all deeds is God Himself.
The concept of morality in Islam centers around certain basic beliefs
and principles. Among these are the following: (1) Godis the Creator
and Sustainer of the Universe and Source of all goodness, truth and
beauty. (2) Man is a responsible, dignified and honorable agent of his
Creator. (3) God has put everything in the heavens and the earth in
the service of mankind. (4) By His Mercy and Wisdom, God does not
expect the impossible from man or hold him accountable for
anythingbeyond his power. Nor does God forbid man to enjoy the good
things of life. (5) Moderation, practicality and balance are the
guarantees of high integrity and sound morality. (6) All things
arepermissible in principle except what is singled out as obligatory,
which must be observed, and what is singled out as forbidden, which
must be avoided. (7) Man's ultimate responsibility is to God and his
highest goal is the pleasure of hisCreator.
From an Islamic perspective, the purpose of human life is to worship
God, by leading this worldly life in harmony with the Divine Will, and
thereby achievepeace in this world, and everlasting success in the
life of the hereafter. Muslims look to Noble Qur'an and the
Traditionsof Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) as their moral guides.
Muslims believe that true happiness occurs when you are God-conscious
and submissive to God's will. Freedom is freedom from human desires
and man-made ideals. Through prayer and fasting, self-discipline and
self-control become a focus of many Muslims. This also is a foundation
for human dignity.
Almighty Allah (SWT) sums up righteousness in verse 177 of Surat Al
Baqarah as follows:
"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and
the West, but righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah
and the last day and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and
give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the
orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for (the
emancipation of) thecaptives, and keep up prayer and pay the
poor-rate; and the performers of their promise when they makea
promise, and the patient in distress and affliction and in time of
conflicts - these are they who are true (to themselves) and these are
they who guard (against evil)." (Noble Qur'an, 2:177)
This verse teaches us thatrighteousness and piety is based before all
else ona true and sincere faith. The key to virtue and good conduct is
a strong relation with God, who sees all, at all times and everywhere.
He knows the secrets of the hearts and the intentions behind all
actions. Therefore, Islam enjoins moral behavior in all circumstances;
God is aware of each one when no one else is. It may be possible to
deceive the world, but it's not possible to deceive the Creator. The
love and continuous awareness of God and the Day of Judgment enables
man tobe moral in conduct and sincere in intentions, with devotion and
dedication:
"Indeed, the most honorable among you in the sight of God is the most
pious." (Noble Qur'an, 49:13)
The guiding principle for the behavior of a Muslim is what Noble
Qur'an refers to as virtuous deeds. This term covers all deeds, not
just the outward acts of worship.
Some of the most primary character traits expected of a Muslim are
piety, humility and a profound sense of accountability to God. A
Muslim is expected to be humble before God and with other people.
Islam also enjoins upon every Muslim to exercise control of their
passions and desires. Gratitude in prosperity, patience in adversity,
and the courage to uphold the truth, even when inconvenient to
oneself, are just some of the qualities that every Muslim is
encouraged to cultivate.
Islam warns against vanity and excessive attachment to the ephemeral
pleasures of this world. While it is easy to allow the material world
to fill our hearts, Islam calls upon human beings to keep God in their
hearts and touse the material world in moderation and in accordance
with God's guidance. The Glorious Qur'an says:
"The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail, but only he (will
prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart." ( Noble Qur'an:
26:88-89)
Charityis one of the most commendable acts in Islam. In fact, Zakah,
the annual charity that is obligatory on every Muslim who has accrued
wealth above a certain level.
Morality in Islam addresses every aspect ofa Muslim's life, starting
with as simple as a smile that counts as charity all the way up to
defending the oppressed, from simple greetings to international
relations. It is universal in its scope and in its applicability.
Backbitingis a terrible vice in Noble Qur'an. Killing innocent is
strictly prohibited in Noble Qur'an. Women are equalto men in humanity
but they have different responsibilities.
A Muslim is expected to not only be virtuous, but to also enjoin
virtue. He/She must not only refrain from evil and vice, but must also
actively engage in askingpeople to eschew them. In other words, they
mustnot only be morally healthy, but must also contribute to the moral
health of society as a whole.
Some people who say they are acting in the name of religion may
misunderstand their religion or practice it wrongly. For this reason,
it is a mistake to form any idea of that religion from the activities
of these people. The best way to understand Islam is through its
authentic source.
The authentic source of Islam is Noble Qur'an and Prophet's Sunnah;
and the model of morality in Noble Qur'an is completely different
fromthe image of it formed in the minds of some westerners. Noble
Qur'an is based on the concepts of morality, love, compassion, mercy,
modesty, self-sacrifice, tolerance and peace and a Muslim who truly
lives according to these moral precepts is highly refined, thoughtful,
tolerant, trustworthy andaccommodating. To thosearound him he gives
love, respect, peace of mind and a sense of the joy of life.
All this shows that the moral teaching offered to humanity by Islam is
one that will bring peace,prosperity, happiness and justice to the
world. The barbarism that is happening in the world today under the
name of"Islamic Terrorism" is completely removed fromthe moral
teachings of Noble Qur'an; it is the work of ignorant, criminals who
have nothing to do with religion.
On this Moral Stories website, we have listed a large collection of
moral stories covering differentaspects of Morality and Ethics in
Islam or Islamic Morals and Practices. These moral stories coverthe
broad spectrum of a Muslim's personal moral conduct as well as their
social responsibilities.

11 Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice

1)Fights Breast Cancer
Studies in Israel show that pomegranate juice destroys breast
cancer cells while leavinghealthy cells alone. It mayalso prevent
breast cancer cells from forming.
2) Lung Cancer Prevention
Studies in mice show thatpomegranate juice may inhibit the
development of lung cancer.
3) Slows Prostate Cancer
It slowed the growth of prostate cancer in mice.
4) Keeps PSA Levels Stable
In a study of 50 men whohad undergone treatment for prostate
cancer, 8 ounces of pomegranate juice per day kept PSA levels
stable, reducing the needfor further treatment
5) Protects the Neonatal Brain
Studies show that maternal consumption ofpomegranate juice
may protect the neonatalbrain from damage after injury.
6) Prevention of Osteoarthritis
Several studies indicate that pomegranate juice may prevent
cartilage deterioration.
7) Protects the Arteries
It prevents plaque from building up in the arteries and may
reverse previous plaque buildup.
Alzheimer's Disease Prevention It may prevent and slow
Alzheimer's disease. In one study, mice bred to develop
Alzheimer's disease were given pomegranate juice.They
accumulated significantlyless amyloid plaque than control mice
and they performed mental tasks better.
9)Lowers Cholesterol
It lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) and raises HDL (good cholesterol).
10) Lowers Blood Pressure
One study showed that drinking 1.7 ounces of pomegranate juice
per day lowered systolic blood pressure by as much as 5 percent.
11) Dental Protection
Research suggests that drinking pomegranate juice may be a
natural way to prevent dental plaque.

What Will Happen in Hell?

Allah Will Assemble the Unbelievers as Entities "Unable to See, Hear
or Speak," Just Like They Wanted
"But if anyone turns away from My reminder,his life will be a dark and
narrow one and on the Day of RisingWE WILL GATHER HIM BLIND."(Surah
Ta-Ha, 124)
"...SO WE PUT OUT THEIR EYES: 'Taste My punishment and warnings!'"
(Surat al-Qamar, 37)
"…WE WILL GATHER THEMon the Day of Resurrection, flat on their
faces,BLIND, DUMB AND DEAF. Their shelter will be Hell. Whenever the
Blaze dies down, We will increase it for them." (Sura al-Isra', 97)
4- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Claim That Amino Acids and Proteins Can Emerge by Chance from Boiling Water
In another scenario they have come up with, evolutionists claim that
amino acids, proteins and even cells can form by chance in boiling
water, and that cells can also combine together by chance to give rise
to living organisms.
What Will Happen in Hell?
When They Are Thirsty inHell, Unbelievers Will Be Given the Boiling
Water They Adopted as a Deity to Drink
"Each and every one of you will return to Him. Allah's promise is
true. He brings creation out of nothing and then regenerates it so
that hecan repay with justice those who had faith anddid right
actions. Those who were unbelievers will haveA DRINK OF SCALDING
WATERand a painful punishment because of their disbelief." (Surah
Yunus, 4)
"Then they will haveA BOILING BREW TO DRINKon top of it. Then their
destination will be the Blazing Fire." (Surat as-Saffat, 67-68)
"…you deniers will eat from the tree of Zaqqum, filling your stomachs with it
AND DRINK SCALDING WATER ON TOP OF IT, SLURPING LIKE THIRST-CRAZED
CAMELS. (Surat al-Waqi'a 52-55)
5- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Depict Human Beings Who Lived in Prehistoric Times as Ape-Men in
Their Imaginary Illustrations
The best known evolutionist propagandatechnique is "reconstruction."
This means making an imaginary model or picture of a living thing, of
which sometimes onlya fragment of bone may have been found. The
"ape-men" we see in newspapers, magazines and films are all
reconstructions. Evolutionists pick up their paint brushes and draw
ugly-looking and imaginary creatures, butthe absence of any fossil
remains from these represents a terrible dilemma for them. Therefore,
reconstructions merely reflect evolutionists' powers of imagination,
and not scientific findings.
What Will Happen in Hell?
The Unbelievers Will Be Turned into the Ugly LifeForms They Depicted
in Their Illustrations in Order to Deny Allah's Creation (May Our Lord
Forgive Us)
"On the Day when faces are whitenedAND FACES ARE BLACKENED. As for
those whoseFACES ARE BLACKENED: 'What! Did you become unbelieversafter
having had faith? Taste the punishment for your disbelief!'" (Surah Al
'Imran, 106)
"On the Day of Resurrection you will seethose who lied against Allah
with theirFACES BLACKENED. Do not the arrogant have a dwelling place
in Hell?" (Sura az-Zumar, 60)
"The Fire will sear their faces, making them grimace horribly in
it,THEIR LIPS DRAWN BACK FROM THEIR TEETH. 'Were My Signs not recited
to you and did you not deny them?'" (Surat al-Muminun, 104-105)
"On the Day the Trumpet is blown – and We will gatherTHE EVILDOERS,
SIGHTLESSon that Day –" (Surah Ta-Ha, 102)
"Some faces on that DayWILL BE DOWNCAST, laboring, toiling endlessly,"
(Surat al-Ghashiyya, 2-3)
6- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Claim The Universe Came into Being by Chance out of Darkness and Chaos
Everything on Earth, animate or inanimate, was created by Almighty
Allah telling it to "Be!" Evolutionists, however, believe in the
nonsense that the universe, was initially in a state of darkness and
chaos, and life came into being through coincidences combining
together in a completely impossible manner.
What Will Happen in Hell?
Allah Will Create an Environment of "Darkness and Chaos" forThe Unbelievers
"SO BE ON THE WATCH FOR A DAY WHEN HEAVEN BRINGS FORTH A DISTINCTIVE
SMOKE WHICHENSHROUDS MANKIND. 'THIS IS A PAINFUL PUNISHMENT'." (Surat
ad-Dukhan, 10-11)
"andTHE MURK OF THICK, BLACK SMOKE, providing no coolness and no
pleasure. Before that they were living in luxury, persisting in
immense wrongdoing." (Surat al-Waqi'a, 43-46)

Those who ascribe equals to Allah will encounter the horror in their minds in the hereafter

Everyone who does not believe in Allah (God) who fails to properly
appreciate Him and to perform his duty to serve Him will be
recompensed in Hell in the eternal life of the Hereafter. Yet it is as
if some people were intoxicated in the face ofthis manifest truth. It
is possible to give unbelieving evolutionists as example of such
people.
Unbelieving evolutionists spend theirwhole lives denying (surely Allah
is beyond that) Allah's existence. They have made defending this
heretical ideology the main purpose of their lives. There is no doubt
that their reward for this in Allah's presence will be very terrible.
But every lie they tell and every unscientific scenario they produce
to turn people from belief in Allah will confront them in Hell as the
dark world of the evolutionary myths in their own minds. Unbelieving
evolutionists will encounter the same horrendous moral conceptions in
Hell that they have in their minds now. Unless Allah wills otherwise,
deniers will suffer an eternal life full of torment. (Allah knowsthe
truth.)
"We created many of thejinn and mankind for Hell. They have hearts
they do not understand with. They have eyes they do not see with. They
have ears they do not hear with. Such people are like cattle. No, they
are even further astray! They are the unaware." (Surat al-A'raf, 179)
One of the distinguishing features of evolutionist propaganda is that
it is made up of stories basedon evolutionists' own imaginations. A
scientist telling the story generally sets up evolutionary scenarios
with his own personal conceptions and by misinterpreting scientific
findings through having adoptedevolution as a dogma. That scientist
will then seek to impose that scenario on people, suggesting it is a
thesis based on sound scientific evidence. In fact, what evolutionists
do is to portray wild pigs' teeth as human teeth or else produce hoax
skulls by putting bones belonging to different life forms together.
Devoid of any evidence with which to prove their theories, Darwinists
have no problem with adding a great many imaginary elements to their
tales. The fact is, however, that this is an unscientific propaganda
technique based on preconception alone.
Imagining that they can deceive people in this way, unbelieving
Darwinists have ignored one very important matter for the last 150
years:These scenarios they have produced in order to deny the
existence of Allah (surelyour Lord is beyond that) and impose the
fraud of evolution on humanity, and which merely reflecttheir own
unhealthy states of mind, will rise up before them, one by one, in
Hell. (Allah knowsthe truth)
Allah has created every detail of life in Hell as a response to the
deniers. There are many verses inthe Qur'an that describe the
torment-filled life of Hell in both physical and also psychological
and social terms. Looking at the details about Hell that Almighty
Allah reveals in these verses, itis clear that Allah has prepared Hell
as a reward for unbelievers who deny Him and take chance as their
deities (surely our Lord is beyond that), in a manner that parallels
their heretical beliefs. The fictitious process of evolution that they
have been trying to impose on humanity for centuries will itself be
imposed on evolution, skipping not a single detail. Everything, from
their food to their clothes, from the terrifying human forms in Hell
to their life styles full of mental and physical suffering, will be as
dark and painful asin their own scenarios. In this way, unbelieving
evolutionists will encounter a climate and philosophy of life that
matches their own ideas.Parallel to their own claims, they will live
alongside terrifying creatures like the intermediate forms they
invented in their own imaginations, will be subjected to an endless
class conflict, will be denigrated because of ideas about master
racesand will suffer in the kind of dark and smoky environment they
claim existed in the primeval world. (Surely Allah knows the truth.)
We can describe the environment that exists in the minds of persons,
who deny Allah's sublime creation (Allah isbeyond that) and who invent
all kinds of tales about how the universe, the world and human beings
came into existence, and that they will themselves experience in Hell,
as follows:
1- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Claim Human Beings, That Allah Created with Such Superior
Features, Are Descended from Apes
Evolutionists claim that human beings, entities possessed of
consciousness and free will and able to think, reason, and make
decisions and judgments, are descended from apes, which in terms of
consciousness, are no different from horses or mice.
What Will Happen in Hell?
Those Who Deny Allah's Creation (Surely Allah is beyond that) Will Be
Made Despicable Apes in This World and the Hereafter
"We said to them,'BE APES, DESPISED, CAST OUT.'" (Surat al-Baqara, 65)
"Say: 'Shall I tell you of areward with Allah far worse than that:
that of those whom Allah has cursed and with whom He is angry –
turning some of themINTO MONKEYS AND INTO PIGS –AND WHO WORSHIPPED
FALSE DEITIES? Such people are in a worse situation and further from
the right way.'" (Surat al-Ma'ida, 60)
"When they were insolent about what they had been forbidden to do, We
saidto them, 'BE APES!'" (Surat al-A'raf, 166)
2- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Claim That Human Beings Evolved from So-Called Reptiles
Evolutionists claim that all the living species on Earth came about
through evolution over a very long period of time. According to this
fictitious scenario, some fish felt the need to move to dry land for
various reasons, and a number of changes then began taking place in
them. As fish gradually moved onto dry land they slowly turned into
amphibians and initiated the supposed process of evolution.
What Will Happen in Hell?
In the Hereafter, Almighty Allah Will Assemble the Unbelievers in Hell
by Dragging Them on Their Faces, 'Like the Reptiles in the Scenario of
Evolution'
"Whoever Allah guides istruly guided. But as for those He leads
astray, you will not find any protectors for them apart from Him.WE
WILL GATHER THEMon the Day of Resurrection,FLAT ON THEIR FACES, BLIND,
DUMBAND DEAF. Their shelter will be Hell. Whenever the Blaze dies
down, We will increase it for them." (Sura al-Isra', 97)
"the DayTHEY ARE SHOVED ROUGHLYinto theFire of Hell: 'This is the Fire
which you denied!'"(Surat at-Tur, 13-14)
3- What Do Unbelieving EvolutionistsMaintain?
They Claim That They AreDescended "from So-Called Intermediate Forms
That Were Unable to Speak, See or Hear"
According to what evolutionists claim, thereshould have been many life
forms that reflected the transition between two species and that bore
the features of both. For example, before fish moved onto dry land and
turned intoreptiles a great many half-lunged and half-gilled, or
half-legged and half finned life forms must have existed. Or until
apes finally turned into human beings many half-human and half-apelife
forms must have existed over many millions of years. Evolutionists
call these fictitious entities they believe once existed "intermediate
forms." According to their scenario, during the time of this
intermediarytransition, a major stage in the so-called evolutionary
process, there must have been many life forms with deficient or
missing organs between two different species, for which reason there
musthave been creatures thatcould not see or hear. The fact is,
however, that no evidence for onesingle intermediate formhas been
found in any ofthe millions of fossil specimens that have been
extracted from the different strata of the Earth.

Descent from the Prophet can also come from the maternal side as from the paternal

Among the Ottomans it was sufficient for one's paternal line of
descent to go back to our Prophet (saas) to be regarded as a
sayyid. However, it is also possible to be a sayyid on one's
mother's side only. The rank of sayyid goes back to the daughter of
our Prophet (saas) and Hazrat Fatima (ra), the mother of Hazrat
Hassan (ra) and Hazrat Hussain (ra). Our Prophet (saas) also had
male children, but these died at an early age. The Prophet's (saas)
line was thus continued through his daughter. As it can be
understood, one can thus be a sayyid through the maternal line as can
be from the paternal . The great Islamic scholars Ibrahim Hakki
Erzurumi (1703-1780) and Abdul Qadir Gaylani (1078-1166) were both
sayyids on their mothers' sides.

24 Beautiful Sounds in the Garden: - (Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith) -

Beautiful sounds are another blessing given to believers in the
Garden. In the world, shrill noises, music with static in the
background,noisy surroundings, loudmotors and sirens make our
environment uncomfortable even if they only last a short time. So
screaming, shouting and cries of anguish or pain make believers think
about the Fire. As the Prophet told us, in the Garden everyone's voice
will be beautiful and every sound that strikes the ear will be
pleasant. The beautiful sounds of the Garden are described in the
following hadith:
There will certainly be an assembly of the dark-eyed maidens whowill
raise up voices the like of which people willnot have heard. (Narrated
by Ali, at-Tirmidhi)
In this world human life may last 6-7 decades on average, which is a
very short time. Allah tells us in the Qur'an the kinds of things
people will say about their earthly lives on the Last Day:
He will say, "How many years did you tarry on the earth?" They will
say,"We tarried there for a day or part of a day. Ask those able to
count!" (Surat al-Muminun: 112-113)
However, in the Garden life is limitless. Allah tells us in the Qur'an
that the believers will be immortal and that their blessings will be
eternal; "They will not taste any death there – except for the first
one…" (Surat ad-Dukhan: 56). We must consider carefully the idea of
eternity, about which we speak so easily, because it does not referto
a thousand or a million years, but to timelessness. Therefore, people
in the Garden will not think about timeor calculate it as in this
world. Life will not end with the passing of years. Allah revealed
thisto us in the Qur'an:
As for those who are glad, they will be in the Garden, remaining in it
timelessly, for ever, as long as the heavens and earth endure, except
as your Lord wills: an uninterrupted gift. (Surah Hud: 108)
Again in the Qur'an, Allah tells us that the service of ageless
youthswill be one of the blessings enjoyed in the Garden:
There will circulate among them, ageless youths. (Surat al-Waqi'a: 17)
The hadith also tell us about the endless life of the Garden:
Allah will admit the inmates of the Garden into the Garden and the
inmates of the Fire into the Fire. Then the announcer will stand
between them and say: "O inmates of the Garden, there is no death for
you, O inmatesof the Fire, there is no death for you. You will live
forever therein." (Sahih Muslim, vol. 4)
Whoever enters the Garden will be in bliss and suffer no distress; his
clothes will not wearout nor will his youth end. (Ahmad, Musnad;
at-Tirmidhi; Narrated by Abu Hurayra, Sahih Muslim)
Seeing them, you see delight and a great kingdom. They will wear green
garments of fine silk and rich brocade. They will be adorned with
silver bracelets. And their Lord will give them a pure draugth to
drink. (Surat al-Insan: 20-21)
No matter how beautiful, wealthy or healthy a person is, he cannot
escape death. Therefore, even if a person is wealthier than others,
the conditions of this world determine that this wealth can come to an
end and he may even be left destitute. One reason why worldly
blessings are transitory is because we desire the real and original
blessings of the Garden. All the beautiful things we see and the
pleasures we enjoy in this world are imperfect and transitory.
However,these blessings in the Garden have been created without being
subject to time or causality. For this reason the blessings of the
Garden will last forever. In the Qur'an, Allah announces the glad
tidings of this eternity that will be enjoyed in the Garden:
Their Lord gives them the good news of His mercy and good pleasure and
Gardens where they will enjoy everlasting delight, remaining in them
timelessly, for ever and ever. Truly there is an immense reward with
Allah. (Surat at-Tawba: 21-22)
[Those who have iman will be] remaining in them timelessly, for
ever,with no desire to move away from them. (Surat al-Kahf: 108)

23 The Expanse of the Garden: - (Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith) -

When the People of the Garden settle in Allah's Garden a wide space
will be left over. There, Allah will populate three hundredand sixty
worlds, each one of which is larger than the world from its creation
to its end. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al- Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith,
vol. 1, p. 30/5)
As the Prophet points out in this hadith, there is vast spaciousness
in the Garden. Contrary to the narrow restriction ofthe Fire described
in the Qur'an, the Garden is expansive. It has been created in this
way so that the human spirit may delight in open horizons and take
pleasure in its expanse. Allah, in the Qur'an, describes the breadth
of the Garden in these words:
Race each other to forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden as wide as
the heavens andthe earth, prepared for the people who have taqwa.
(Surah Al 'Imran: 133)
Allah expands provision to anyone He wills and restricts it. They
rejoice in the life of this world. Yet the life of this world,
compared to the akhira, is only fleeting enjoyment. (Surat ar-Ra'd:
26)
Fragrant aromas are a gift that Allah has given us. In this world, the
most beautiful scent onlylasts a short time. The molecules of a
particularscent evaporate into the air and our noses quicklybecome
used to the scent; this limits the pleasure that we can obtain from a
scent. But the duration of a scent can be as important as the
immediate pleasure it gives. In his hadith theProphet describes the
delight that beautiful aromas from the Garden can give:
If one of the women of the Garden peeped into this world, she would
illuminate and fillwith fragrance everything between [heaven and
earth]. (Sahih al-Bukhari; Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum ad-Din, vol. 4)
In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah told us about the beautiful
aromas of the food in the Garden:
… the best smelling and finest foods are produced. (Al-Hafiz ibn ad-
Dayba ash-Shaybani, Taysir al-usul ila Jami al-usul, p. 448/3)
Aroma is an important element in the pleasure we derive from food. The
pleasure we take from the scent of a cake in the oven comes from the
aroma of the vanilla and the chocolate, for example, wafting through
the air. In the same way, the pleasure we take from roasting meat,
oranges, tomatoesor any other food is due to the aromas they exude. If
we had no sense of smell we would not be able to distinguish the foods
weeat in this particular fashion and we would not experience their
tastes in quite the same way. From this point of view, smells are
complementary to the pleasure we find in delicious tastes.
Another hadith mentionsthe beauty of the aromas of the Garden:
The north wind will blow and will scatter fragrance on their faces and
on their clothes andadd to their goodness and beauty. (Narrated by
Anas, Sahih Muslim)
Another hadith speaks ofplants that are known bytheir beautiful scents:
Henna [a dye and scent] is the chief scent of the Garden… When Allah
created the GardenHe filled it with the scent of sweet basil,
andsurrounded the sweet basil with the scent of henna… (Mukhtasar
Tadhkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 342/619)
Basil, mentioned in the hadith, is one of the plants known for its
beautiful scent. However, the scents we know in this world are only a
pale reflection of those in the Garden, andAllah knows best.
All aromas in the Garden have been created as blessings to please the
senses of the believers, and none of the unpleasant odours we often
encounter in this world will be found there. Those foul odours remind
people of the imperfections of this world and make them long for the
Garden. There will be no such imperfections in the Garden and every
place will be redolent of the sweet aromas that please the human
spirit. In one of his hadith, the Prophet says the following of the
Garden:
… its mortar is of strongly scented musk … (At-Tirmidhi)
Among the reasons why those who live in this world without the
teachings of the Qur'an are sad and anxious is because they always
have to deal with conversations that are filled with apprehension,
pessimism, dishonesty and negativity. Even the slightest negativity in
conversations can make the best environment uncomfortable. On the
other hand, a heartfelt compliment, a word spoken to honour someone, a
word that evokes pleasure, courage and hope, or anhonest and sincere
conversation are sometimes more important than the material blessings
surrounding us. In this world, we often encounter conversationsthat
make us uncomfortable. However, Allah tells us that there will be no
such things in the Garden; believers will have delightful
conversations with one another in comfortable surroundings. Along with
the great blessings of sincere converse that Allah's beloved slaves
will have in the Garden, believers will also be far removed from lies
and empty, negative chatter. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us that this
will be a wonderful gift for His slaves:
Where they will hear no prattle and no denial, a recompense from your
Lord, a commensurate gift.Where they will hearno prattle and no
denial,a recompense from your Lord, a commensurate gift. (Surat
an-Naba': 35- 36)
The Messenger also tells us about the beauty of the conversations in the Garden:
Allah will fill the ears of the person of the Garden with people's
praise of him, which he will hear. Allah will fill the ears of the
person ofthe Fire with people's evil remembrance of him, which he will
hear. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al- Ahadith, vol.
1, p. 155/2)
Some hadith also indicate that the sincere converse that believers
have in this world will continue in the afterlife. Another hadith
tells us that, in their conversations in the Garden, believers will
recall what they have done in their earthly lives:
When the people of the Garden settle in the Garden some brothers will
wish to see each other. One will go to one side of a couch and the
other to the other. When they meet they will remember and speak
together of the things between them in this world. One will say, "My
brother, do you remember how we prayed to Allah in such and such a
mosque in the world? And Allah has forgiven us." (Ahmad Diya ad-Din
al- Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, vol. 1, p. 29/12)

Story, - Love an Aberration

Where to start,
I'm a software guy,she was dental student.Strange thing
but she too fell in love with me,we met through common friend i was
the one who shared the feeling,she denied at firstbut later she
accepted,
i was very happy been with her,we had big fights cuz of my work i
won't be able to give the time to her even though iwanted .One fine
day shelost her dad & i never visited her house coz she might start
crying looking at me & very nextday i asked her to meet she broke off
& ask me tojust go...
I left never look back youknow why coz she told so..
i swear she was the most happiest person with me& i was in heaven
i am still waiting dat one day she will look back at those days those
memories & miss me for one moment.
I will be the happiest person Not The LUCKIEST person..
Still loving you but can't say........
& Remember Love never Grows older or die it perishes
Never hurt them whom you love or who loves you
It PAINS
Thanx For Giving me a chance

Story, - My impossible love

Hi guys. honestly i don't know if i did the right stuff on sharing my
love story with u but i need todo it.So everything started as hi! can
u do mea favor. and ofc he did but talking with him on face book make
me feel something strong . as stupids on the first day after talking
together he was telling very romanticwords to me and i asked him:Do
feel something for me ? and he was like:i love u . he asked me thesame
and i decided to listen my heart for the first time on my life and i
said i also love u. the problem was that we were oceans away to each
other, but that didn't stop us for being together. and after a while
he proposes me to be his girlfriend and his princes forever and ever
and ofc i accepted. on that period i was very happy to be his love but
all happened on internet we talked on skype nearly everyday. u know
whats funny. one day we have talked to each other24 h without
interruptions and we didn't get bored we werenever wordless.every
second we said each howmuch we love and u know he was my prince. but
for some reasons thati cant tell but that are very serious i was
between to loves for my family and for him that was the first boy on
my life and i wanted him to be my man my boyfriend my husband cause he
already was my everything. that's what i regret i lost or better i put
away the person wholoves me more on these world. our song was
breathing .
some of the lyrics were:I ONLY MISS U WHEN i'M BREATHING I ONLY MISS U
WHEN MY HEART IS BEATING U ARE THE REASONTHAT I'M LEAVING .
and in fact he is my breath i swear i cant sleep without him i cant
breath without him . i feel like i have no powersi cant live without
him saying he loves me . without waking up with his good morning
words;Morning my princess. without me he had decided to go to army and
after 6 years ill have him back. and we are decided to fight for our
love . we don't talk toeach other very fluently but we are sure bout
something. were gonna fight for our love cause its the best feeling in
the world. cause i wanna be only his women and he will be only my man.
all i dream is being his wife and the mum of his kid. i want to wake
up every morning of my life on his arm. i wanna be every second of my
life by his side. I wanna be his friend his love his wife his partner
his lover his kid's mum, well in short i wanna be his everything and i
know i already am..I wish u all the best my love and please make sure
we're gonna fight together for these amazing feeling cause our love is
an miracle of life.

Fathwa, - One must perform Hajj before paying for someone else's Hajj

Question
asslamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuhu.my question is i made a
promise to allah to send somone for hajj.now im told since i have not
performed hajj myself i cannot send somone untill i have done it
myself.i wanted to send somone this year as promised.what should i 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,
is His Slave and Messenger.
Hajj is obligatory upon the Muslim individual who is physically and
financially capable without delay as clarifiedin Fatwa 87129. Thus, if
you are physically and financially capable to perform Hajj, then you
have to hasten to perform it without delay.This actually takes
precedence over paying the expenses of the Hajj of someone else.
If you have much money in a way you can fulfill your promise and
perform Hajj in the same year, then do that; otherwise, give
precedence to what Islamobligated you to do, i.e. perform Hajj on your
own behalf.
If you made a promise to Allaah The Almighty with a wording that
indicates commitment to pay for that person the expenses of Hajj this
year, then youshould pay an expiation of breaking an oath if you
cannot fulfill it, and pay the money for that person whenever you
areable to do so. However, ifyou did not utter a wording that
indicates commitment, then you are not obliged to do so. Allaah Knows
best.

Fathwa, - A man is not obligated to tell his family about his marriage

Question
Asalamu Alaikum. Jazakallah for your time beforehand in reading and
replying. I was married for around 1.5 years, in an arranged marriage
through family,unfortunately this marriage ended in divorce, my mother
became extremely unwellafter this news of my divorce, and i was
disowned by family, although at this point our relationship is
better.My question is that i got married again shortly after my
divorce, in secret without anyone knowing, i have not told my parents
about this because due to culture and my mothers health, itwould cause
a huge amount of problems, am iobliged to tell them when i am hiding
it to avoid arguments and fighting, and i am moving to a different
country with my wife, although i have told my parents i am moving but
not the reason why, is this wrong of me? I am still keeping relation
with my family and meet them all often.
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.
It is not obligatory upon you to tell your family about your marriage
or about the reason behind moving from your country, rather it is
obligatory upon you to be dutiful towards your parents and obey them
inwhat is good.
However, if you can tell them about your marriage without causing any
harm, then this will be better.
Allaah Knows best.

Fathwa, - Inheritance of wife, mother and full sister

Question
Assalaamu 'Alaykum; Please calculate the inheritance according to the
following information -Does the deceased have male relatives who are
entitledto inherit: )A full paternaluncle( Number 4 )A cousin from a
full paternal uncle( Number 2-Does the deceased have female relatives
who are entitled to inherit : )A mother( )A wife( Number 1 )A full
sister( Number 1
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 deceased did not have any heirs except those mentioned in the
question, then the wife will get one-fourth of theinheritance due to
the lack of the children of thedeceased. In this regard, Allaah The
Exalted says)what means(: }And for the wives is one fourth ofwhat you
leave if you leave no child.{]Quran 4:12[
The full sister will get the half for Allaah The Almighty says )what
means(: }If a man dies, leaving no child but]only[ a sister, she will
have half of what he left.{]Quran 4:176[
The mother will get one-third for Allaah The Almighty says )what
means(: }But if he had nochildren and the parents]alone[ inherit from
him, then for his mother is one third.{]Quran 4:11[
Based on that, the estate should be divided into 13shares. Originally,
it is 12 shares but exceeded to 13 )because there is whatwe call in
Arabic 'Awl, which means that the shares of the inheritance)one fourth
3/12, one half6/12 and one third 4/12 =13/12( exceed the sum of the
total inheritance and by applying the laws of 'Awl the inheritance
will be divided into 13 shares)and not only 12 shares( 6shares for the
sister, 4 shares for the mother, and 3 shares for the wife.
Nothing will be given to the four paternal uncles because they inherit
onlyby Ta'seeb )i.e. by virtue of having a parental relation with the
deceased and they got what is left after the allotted shares have
beendistributed(. Here, the allotted shares have consumed the whole
estate and thus nothing remained for the paternal relatives. Also, the
two cousins will inherit nothing at all because, in principle, they
are prevented from the inheritance by the existence of the paternal
uncles.
Finally, we wish to notify the questioner that the issue of
inheritance is a very serious and dangerous matter. As such, it is not
sufficient torely solely on a Fatwa provided by a Mufti based on the
question heis asked. Rather, you must raise this issue in the Islamic
courts so that they might look into it and verify it. There mightbe an
heir unknown untilafter a proper investigation. Also, there could be
wills or debts or other obligations of which the heirs are unaware. It
is known that those rights precede the rights of heirs in the
inheritance, so it is not correct to divide the inheritance without
first consulting the Islamic courts, if they exist, in order to
confirm the rights of the living and the dead.
Allaah Knows best.

Weakness and ineffectiveness

A Muslim is commanded to pursue available means of attaining power and
to abandon weakness and ineffectiveness. The Prophetexplained that"a
strong believer is better and dearer to Allaah than a weak believer,
and there is good in each one. Cherish that which gives you benefit,
seek help from Allaah and do not lose heart."]Muslim[ Howis it that a
Muslim can become powerless or give up when he believesin the
existence of cause and effect, and in the balance that is set by
Allaah in the universe?
Physical or spiritual weakness is a negative trait that a Muslim
shouldavoid and get rid of. Allaah The Almighty instead urged His
slaves to actively pursue any course to achieve strength, for
instance, against the enemy, whenHe Said )what means(:}And prepare
against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by
which you may terrify the enemy of Allaah and yourenemy and others
besides them whom you do not know ]but[ whomAllaah knows. And whatever
you spend in the cause of Allaah will be fully repaid to you, and you
will not be wronged.{]Quran 8:60[
The Noble Quran denounces those who are content with subordination and
lead alife of weakness and impotence, though they retain the ability
to change their state. AllaahThe Almighty Says )what means(:}Indeed,
those whom the angels take ]indeath[ while wronging themselves - ]the
angels[ will say, "In what]condition[ were you?" They will say, "We
were oppressed in the land." The angels will say, "Was not the earth
of Allaah spacious ]enough[ for you to emigrate therein?" For those,
their refuge is Hell - and evil it is as a destination.{]Quran 4:97[
Surely, those who are satisfied with such an inferior existence,
exposethemselves to humiliation, disgrace andthe oppression of
tyrants,as Allaah The Almighty tells us about Pharaoh, Saying )what
means(:}So he bluffed his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they
were]themselves[ a people defiantly disobedient ]of Allaah[.{]Quran
43:54[
In fact, nations whose constituents become weak, will surely be
disgraced and defeated, because the central issue here is they have
already crushed themselves spiritually. However, if people exhibit a
high morale, it will be all the more difficult to triumph over or
humiliate them.
The history of our righteous predecessors shows how they succeeded in
conquering virtually the whole world, when they were strong and proud
of theirreligion, and when they actively pursued the means of power.
Nonetheless, when their successors gave in to vulnerability and
impotence, their situation reversed.
We can observe this in the tale that is told of theweak Muslim who
surrendered and stayed still under the orders of the Tatar soldier who
he knew was going to find arock to kill him and sure enough, he
fulfilled his threat. We also found people who would justifyenslaving
members of the Ummah to its enemies, by mentioning their dire
circumstances or some underlying benefit.
Causes of weakness and ineffectiveness
- Loss of determination and lack of purpose
- Love of life and an inclination towards it, and hatred of death
- Deviant educational curriculum and corruptedmass media
This is the most vital catalyst of weakness. Thus, we find the enemies
of Islam conspiring to corrupt the Ummah by interfering in its
scholastic matters and invading it with depravity. They aim to tear
Muslim societies intoshreds and drown them in the mire of immorality
and materialism. Thus, a person will have no time to listen to
guidance or revisit religion. The broad policies of the enemies are to
replace mosques with nightclubs;wives with prostitutes; belief with
freedom of thought, or more precisely, disbelief; and fighting power
with different forms of pleasure.
In truth, whatever humiliation comes upon man because of others and
affects him externally, is better and easier to cure than the
humiliation that springs from within himself. And that is better than
the weakness that bursts from his own heart, because that is, indeed,
asevere malady, resulting in a slow death.
Therefore, a Muslim must abandon weakness and pursue means of power,
seeking the Help of Allaah The Almighty, without ever losing heart.

Roughness Leads to Disunity

Roughness is a dispraisedattribute that implies badmanners. It causes
disunity and estrangement among people and severs that which Allaah
The Almighty ordered to be maintained. Moreover, it has destroyed many
households and separated many families. Many people who may love each
other have nonetheless been afflicted with roughness and alienation
due to harsh tempers, ill treatment and a lack of gentleness in
tackling matters.
Roughness may be innateor acquired, and both arebad. A true believer
immediately sets himself aright by avoiding the causes and forms of
roughness. The Prophetsaid:"Whoever lives inthe desert will become
rough."]Ahmad and At-Tirmithi, At-Tirmithi - Hasan Saheeh[ This means
that if a person inhabits the desert, his nature will become coarse,
as man adopts the characteristics of his environment. In other words,
Westerners are rougher than Easterners, and the dwellers of deserts
and herders of camels are rougher than others.
It was narrated on the authority of Ibn Mas'oodthat the
Prophetsaid:"]True[ belief is overthere ]and he pointed with his hand
towards Yemen[, while roughness and harshness are the qualities of
those who own a great number of camels and drive them]noisily[ behind
their tails]to the direction[ where the two horns of Satan will appear
]in the direction of[ the tribes ofRabee'ah and Mudhar."]Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim[
It was also narrated on the authority of Abu Bakrthat the
Prophetsaid:"Bashfulness is from faith, and faith leads to Paradise.
Foulness is fromroughness, and roughness leads to Hell."]At-Tirmithi
and Ibn Maajah, At-Tirmithi - Hasan Saheeh[
Everything Has a Share ofIts Name
It is noticeable that there is an obvious relationshipbetween things
and theirnames, between man and the world around him, and between man
and the nature of his profession. Pediatricians, for example, may
differ from surgeons; the disposition of soldiers and troops may
differ from that of others, although a person is not allowed to
justify his roughness as a product of his nature, environment or work.
It is said that people did not disobey Allaah The Almighty except due
to false justifications.
The Quran Disparages Roughness
There are many texts thatdispraise and warn against roughness.
AllaahThe Almighty Says )what means(:
•}So by Mercy from Allaah, ]O Muhammad[, you were lenient with them.
And if you had been rude ]in speech[ and harsh in heart, they would
have disbanded from about you.{]Quran 3:159[
•}Then why, when Our punishment came to them, did they not humble
themselves? But their hearts became hardened, and Satan made
attractive to them that which they were doing.{]Quran 6:43[
•}So is one whose breast Allaah has expanded to]accept[ Islam and he
is upon a light from his Lord ]like one whose heart rejects it[? Then,
woe to those whose hearts are hardened against the remembranceof
Allaah. Those are in manifest error.{]Quran 39:22[
•}Has the time not come for those who have believed that their
heartsshould become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allaah and
what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like thosewho
were given the Scripture before, and a long period passed over them,
so their hearts hardened; and many of them are defiantly
disobedient.{]Quran 57:16[
The Sunnah Forbids Roughness
Like the Quran, the Sunnah of the Prophetforbade roughness. It was
narrated on the authority of Abu Moosa Al-'Ash'arithat the
Prophetsaid:"Exalting Allaah The Almighty involves showing honor to a
grey-haired Muslim and to a person who memorizes the Quran without
acting extravagantly or roughly,and by showing honor toa just
ruler."]Abu Daawood, Al-Albaani - Hasan[ In another Hadeeth which
mentions the Hour, the Prophetsaid:"When the naked, barefooted and
rough people become heads of people, this is a sign of the
Hour."]Ahmad, Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
It was also narrated on the authority of 'Aa'ishahthat the
Prophetsaid:"The most hated person in the sight of Allaah is the most
quarrelsome person."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ The quarrelsome one is he
who behaves wickedly when he quarrels.
Also, it was narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrahthat the
Prophetsaid:"Do not speak foul words, do not give your backs to one
another ]i.e., boycott or bear enmity towards oneanother[, do not spy
on one another, and do not override the sales transactions of one
another, and be, O slaves of Allaah, brothers."]Muslim[
It was also narrated on the authority of Abu Ayyoob Al-Ansaarithatthe
Prophetsaid:"It is not permissible for a Muslim to desert his brother
for more than three nights ]where[ when they meet, one turns away and
the otherturns away; and the best of the two is the one who greets the
other first."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
What the Prophetforbade us from in this Hadeeth is certainly an aspect
of roughness. Similarly, it was narrated on the authority of Abu
Hurayrahthat the Prophetsaid:"It is not permissible for a Muslim to
desert his brother for more than three nights; whoever deserts and
then dies will enter Hell."]Abu Daawood, Al-Albaani - Saheeh[
Additionally, it was narrated on the authorityof Abu Khiraash
As-Sulamithat he heard the Prophetsaying:"If a person deserts his
brother for more than a year, this is considered as if he has shed his
blood."]Abu Daawood, Al-Albaani - Saheeh[
Finally, it was narrated on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa'dthat the
Prophetsaid:"A believer harmonizes withpeople and they harmonize with
him; andthere is no good in a person who neither familiarizes nor is
familiarized."]Ahmad, Al-Albaani - Saheeh and itmeets the conditions
stipulated by Muslim[
Allaah The Almighty, the angels and mankind, in general, hate
roughness and harshness. A believer, therefore, should avoid violence,
harshness, frowning, recklessness, ill treatment, undutifulness to
parents and ill thoughts. He should havegentleness, mercy,
righteousness, compassion and forbearance. Purification of the soul
precedes beautifying it.
A Muslim should strive hard to stay away from the causes and forms of
violence. Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
•}He has succeeded who purifies it, And he has failed who instills it
]withcorruption[{]Quran 91:9-10[
•}And those who strive for Us - We will surely guide them to Our ways.
And indeed, Allaah is with the doers of good.{]Quran 29:69[
A slave should resort to Allaah The Almighty and supplicate to Him -
perhaps Allaah The Almighty will guide him to follow the example of
the Prophet. The Prophetwas the most gentle of all people; he was a
smiling person andwould maintain the ties of kinship, help the weak,
support the destitute, serve guests generously and assist those
afflicted with calamities. Allaah The Almighty never fails a person
who adopts such a behavior, as Khadeejah the mother of the
believersstated.
Let us adopt the mannersof the believers, for a believer is simple,
accessible and easy. He submits to the truth, harmonizes with people
and people harmonize with him. Conversely, there is no good in a
person who is rough and harsh: a person who doesnot harmonize with
people, nor do they harmonize with him.

Hardness of Heart

The hard heart is that which contains a mixtureof harshness and
toughness; a heart that isvoid of submission and the sense of turning
to Allah The Exalted in repentance at all times. This is the severest
punishment ever. This is why the disbelievers are punished with having
a hard and harsh heart.
Maalik ibn Deenaar, May Allah Have mercy upon him, said in this
regard,"Allah The Almighty Punishes the wrongdoersin their hearts and
bodies as well. They are punished with a hard and miserable life and
laziness and indolence in carrying out acts of worship.
However, there is no punishment that is severer than having a hard
heart." ]Hilyat Al-Awliyaa'[
Furthermore, Imaam Al-Mar'ashi, May Allah Have mercy upon him,
stressed the same meaning saying, "No one was afflicted by a
severercalamity than having a hard heart." ]Hilyat Al-Awliyaa'[
Dear readers, let us ponder over what Allah The Exalted Says )which
means(:}Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones
or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst
forth, and there aresome of them that split open and water comes out,
and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allah. And Allah
Is not unaware of what you do.{]Quran 2:74[
This verse refers to the story of the children of Israel and the
miracle of reviving the murdered man and to all the examples, warnings
and adversities that had befallen the Children of Israel. Those Divine
Miracles would cause huge mountains to shakeand solid rocks to
dissolve! Actually, it was worthier of their hearts to be softened by
such amazing miracles, yet they did not. Allah The Exalted Clarified
that their hearts had become more of rocks and even worse in hardness
due tothe fact that they rejected Imaan after knowing and
understanding the requirements of attaining Imaan and its conditions.
Hence, these hearts were like rocks and even worse in hardness.
Indeed, rocks are a good example that people use to indicate hardness.
Yet, Allah The Exalted Excluded some rocks from that absolute
hardness, but Did not Exclude the hearts of the children of Israel.
Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}For indeed, there are stones from
which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open
and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for
fear of Allah.{]Quran 2:74[
Let us reflect on this description of the one who has a hard heart.
Allah The Exalted Says)what means(:}… and his sin has encompassed
him…{]Quran 2:81[
This means that his sins and wrongdoings have encompassed him totally
from all sides until he was surrounded with his own sins and
wrongdoings from all directions. These sins andwrongdoings worked as a
separator that detached him from all that is around him. Undeniably,
this is clearly evident when a sinner does not repent of his sin, he
is tempted to commit it more and more. This incites him to preoccupy
himself exclusively and be whollytaken up with committing such sins
andeven graver sins and wrongdoings.
Hence, sins subdue and overwhelm such a persontotally and take hold of
his heart entirely. Accordingly, he becomes inherently inclined to
committing sins, liking and loving them, believing that this is the
ultimate and optimal wayto relish happiness and pleasure, disliking
all who would come on his way in attaining that fake happiness and
joy, and disbelieving anyone who would advise him toavoid such sins.
Allah The Exalted Says )what means(:}Then the end of those who did
evil was the worst ]consequence[ because they denied the Signs of
Allah and used toridicule them.{]Quran 30:10[
Regrettably, this man's sins become like a thick tent that screen
everything around him. He no longer senses or thinks of the fact that
Allah The Exalted Sees him all the time. He loses sight of the
enduring pleasures in Paradise, thepromised and anticipated punishment
in Hellfire, the evil schemes of the devil that are all set to mislead
Mankind, and the pity of the kind angels. Such a sinner fails to
notice all these facts while being wholly lost in his sins
andwrongdoings. The Prophet, sallAllahu 'alayhiwa sallam, said:"When
an adulterer commits illegal sexual intercourse,then he is not a
believer at the time he is doing it, and when a drinker of analcoholic
liquor drinks it, he is not a believer at thetime of drinking it, and
when a thief steals, he is not a believer at the timeof stealing, and
when a robber robs, and the people look at him, he is not a believer
at the timeof doing robbery."]Al-Bukhari[

Dought & clear, - Dealing with the fitnah (temptation) of women.

I have read the words ofthe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him), "I have not left behind me any fitnah (temptation) more
harmful to men than women." Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5096; Muslim,
2740.
My question is: how can I save myself from this temptation, when I see
iteverywhere – in the street, on TV, on the internet, at work…?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has created man in a world of trials and tests, and He has made
Paradise the abode of His friends and beloved ones, who preferred His
pleasure over their own and preferred obedience to Him over their
physical comfort. And He has made Hell theabode of those among His
slaves who disobey Him and preferred their own whims and desires to
the pleasure of their Lord. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Such is the Paradise which We shall give as an inheritance to those
of Our slaves who have been Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)"
[Maryam 19:63]
"But as for him who feared standing before his Lord, and restrained
himself from impure evil desires and lusts.
Verily, Paradise will be his abode"
[al-Naaz'i'aat 79:40-41]
And He says concerning the people of Hell (interpretation of the meaning):
"Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up
As-Salaat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salaat (prayers) to be lost,
either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by
not offering them in their proper fixed times] and have followed
lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell"
[Maryam 19:59]
And He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"That shall be their recompense, Hell; because they disbelievedand
took My Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,
etc.) and My Messengers by way of jest and mockery"
[al-Kahf 18:106]
"Then for him who transgressed all bounds, (in disbelief, oppression
and evil deeds of disobedience to Allaah).
And preferred the life of this world (by following his evil desires and lusts),
Verily, his abode will be Hell-fire"
[al-Naazi'aat 79:37-39]
So the Muslim must strive to worship Allaah and keep away from that
which angers Allaah, for Allaah will notcause the reward the one who
does good to be lost:
"As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide
them to Our paths (i.e. Allaah's religion — Islamic Monotheism). And
verily, Allaah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers)"
[al-'Ankaboot 29:69 – interpretation of the meaning]
One of the fitnahs (temptations) with which we are tested is the
fitnah of women, as the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "I have not left behind me any fitnah (temptation) more
harmful to men than women." There follow some of the methods by which
we can avoid this temptation. We ask Allaah to set the affairs of the
Muslims straight.
1 – Faith in Allaah.
Faith in Allaah and fear of Allaah provide a safety valve and protect
a person against committing haraam actions and following his own whims
and desires.
If the believer becomes aware that Allaah is always watching and if he
ponders the meanings of His names and attributes, such as the
All-Knowing, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the Watchful, the
Reckoner, the Preserver, the All-Encompassing, that will generate fear
of Himin secret and in public, and will put a stop to disobedience
towards Allaah, and will reduce the strength of desire that leads many
people to commit haraam actions.
2 – Lowering the gaze and avoiding looking at haraam things
The gaze can generate bad thoughts in the heart, which then lead to
ideas and then to desires, then to will and resolve, and then
inevitably to doing haraam things. Think about the meaning of this
verse which makes aconnection between the first steps towards haraam
and the end result. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden
things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexualacts).
That is purer for them. Verily, Allaah is All-Aware of what they do"
[al-Noor 24:30]
Ibn Katheer said: "This is a command from Allaah to His believing
slaves, tolower their gaze and avoid looking at that which is
forbidden to them so that they only look at that which they are
permitted to look at. If it so happens that a person's gaze
accidentally falls upon something haraam, he should turn his gaze away
from it quickly.
3 – Warding off evil thoughts
Bad thoughts pose a danger to the heart… If aperson dwells on them and
does not push them away, they will develop into an idea, then into
will and resolve, then this will inevitably lead to haraam actions.
Beware of dwelling on passing thoughts; rather what you must do is to
ward them off and crowd them out with good thoughts.
The treatment, then, is to ward off these passing thoughts and keep
yourself busy with beneficial thoughts.
4 – Marriage
It was narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn Mas'ood said: The Prophet(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "O young men, whoever among
you can afford it,let him get married, and whoever cannot, let him
fast, for it will be a shield for him." Narratedby al-Bukhaari, 5065.
5 – Fasting for those who cannot afford to get married
– because of the hadeeth quoted above, in which it says, "…and whoever
cannot, let him fast, for it will be a shield for him." Narratedby
al-Bukhaari, 5065.
Al-Qurtubi said:
The less a person eats, the weaker his desire becomes, and the weaker
his desire is, the less sins he commits.
6 – Keeping away from bad companions.
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "A man
will follow the way of his close friends, so let each one of you look
at who he takes as a close friend." Narrated by Abu Dawood, 8433;
classed ashasan by al-Albaani inSaheeh Abi Dawood, 4046.
7 – Keeping away from places of temptation.
It is obvious that we are living in a society that is filled with
temptation – media of all types, magazines, flirting in
themarketplaces, satellite TV, the internet, etc… So you have to flee
from all of these in order to keepyour religious commitment sound.
8 – Do not make your houses graves.
Make your house a reminder of obedience, not of sin. If a room is
connected to sin for example, that will make a person commit sin
repeatedly, because every time he enters thatroom he will remember the
sin and may be provoked to commit the sin again. So he should make his
room and his house a reminder of obedience to Allaah, so when he
enters he sees the Mus-haf which he reads, and he remembers praying
qiyaam al-layl for Allaah, and the regular Sunnah prayers that he
offers in this room. Doing a lot of acts of worship in your house will
make a connection in your mindbetween the house and doing good deeds,
so you will do more and will think less of sin, and the calls of
desire will grow less.
9 – Trying to make the most of your time in worshipping and obeying Allaah.
Time is one of the great blessings that Allaah has bestowed upon His
slaves, but there are many who are not making the most of it. It was
narrated that Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Two
blessings which many people do not make the most of: good health and
spare time." Narrated by al-Bukhaari,6412.
See also question no. 3234.
10 – Remembering the blessings of the Hereafter.
Particularly appropriate in this context is remembering al-hoor
al-'iyn and their attributes, whom Allaah has prepared for those who
are patient and steadfast in avoiding sin.This can help the Muslim to
look at these transientharaam pleasures which only lead to regret and
loss.
We ask Allaah to help us to avoid temptation, both obvious and hidden.
Praise be to Allaah the Lord of the Worlds.

Dought & clear, - The difference between punishments and trials.

Allah menitions in the Quran that when an evil befalls us it is due to
what our own hands have earned. Also our beloved Messenger, Muhammad
(sallalahu 'alayhi wassallam) said in a hadith that the most tried are
the Prophets, then those in piety after those. So therefore in our day
to daylife when things go wrong in our lives how do we decide whether
itis due to our sinfulness or that Allah loves us . and therefore
sends a trial upon us
Jazakallahu khairun
Praise be to Allaah.
Punishments are what happen to people in return for their evil deeds.
Trials are tests which are sent to try people, and people may be
tested by good thingsor by bad.
Concerning punishments, Allaah says(interpretation of the
meaning):"Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allaah, but whatever
of evil befalls you, is from yourself…" [al-Nisa' 4:79]
Concerning the phrase"is from yourself", Qutaadah said: "[It means]
the punishment is for you, O son of Adam, because of your sin." Abu
Saalih said that"whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself"means
"because of your sin, and I [Allaah] am theOne Who decreed it for
you."(Tafseer Ibn Katheer).
Allaah also says (interpretation of the meaning):"And whatever of
misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands haveearned.
And He pardons much." [al-Shoora 42:30]
Ibn Katheer, may Allaah have mercy on him, said:"[It means] whatever
misfortune happens to you, O people, is becauseof evil deeds that you
have already done, and 'He pardons much'refers to evil deeds – He does
not punish you for them but He pardons them.'And if Allaah were to
punish men for that which they earned, he would not leave a moving
(living) creature on the surface of the earth…' [Faatir 35:45 –
interpretation of the meaning]."
Concerning trials, the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "If Allaah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever has
patience will have patience, and whoever is anxious will be
anxious."(Reported by Imaam Ahmad;Saheeh al-Jaami', 1706).
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) also said: "The
extent of the reward will be in accordance with the extent of the
trial. If Allaah loves a people, He tries them, and whoever is content
will have contentment, and whoever is angry will have anger."(Reported
by al-Tirmidhi, 2320;Saheeh al-Jaami', 2210).
The following outlines how one may tell whether a given event isa
punishment or a trial:
If the misfortune results from doing an act of obedience to Allaah,
such as being wounded in jihaad, or losing money when migrating for
the sake of Allaah, or losing a job because of becoming Muslim or
increasing one's commitment to Islam, then this is a trial. Whoever
bears it with patience will be rewarded, but if one reacts angrily
then one will earn the wrath of Allaah. If the misfortune results from
sin, such as sexually-transmitted diseases or illnesses caused by
drinking alcohol and taking drugs, and so on, then this is the kind of
punishment that comes in this world (as opposed to being deferred
until the Hereafter). If the misfortune is connected neither to a good
deed nor a sin – such as other kinds of disease and sickness, losing a
child, or failing in business – then it depends on the person's
situation. If he is good and devout, it is a trial, and if he is
sinful, it is a punishment.
The misfortune may be apunishment to atone for sins, or it may be a
trial aimed at raising a person's status and increasing
hishasanaat(good deeds/rewards) – this may be determined by whether a
person is obedient or disobedient.A person should not praise himself,
rather he should criticize himself for his shortcomings andstrive to
attain perfection. He will benefit from misfortunesin any case, if he
has patience and hopes for reward. And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Ruling on using the masbahah (prayer beads).

What is the ruling on using the masbahah (prayer beads)?
Praise be to Allaah.
Some scholars say that itis permissible to use the masbahah, but they
say that it is preferable to dotasbeeh on one's fingers;others say
that it is bid'ah (reprehensible innovation).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said inal-Fataawa(22/187): "Some of them
might show off by putting their prayer-mats over their shoulders and
carrying their masbahahs in their hands, making them symbols of
religion and prayer. It is known from the mutawaatir reports that
neither the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) nor his
Companions used these as symbols. They used to recite tasbeeh and
count on their fingers, as the hadeeth says: "Count on your fingers,
for they will asked, and will be made to speak." Some of them may
count their tasbeeh with pebbles or date stones. Some people say that
doing tasbeeh with the masbahah is makrooh, and some allow it, but no
one says that tasbeeh with the masbahah is better than tasbeeh with
the fingers." Then he (may Allaah have mercy on him) goes on to
discuss the issue of showing off with the masbahah, saying that it is
showing off with regard to something that is not prescribed by Islam,
which is worse than showing off with regardto something that is
prescribed.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (al-Liqa' al-Maftooh, 3/30)
was asked whether using the masbahah for tasbeeh is bid'ah, and his
reply was: "It is better not to do tasbeeh with the masbahah, but it
is not bid'ah, because there is a basis for it, which is the fact that
some of the Sahaabah did tasbeeh with pebbles. But the Messenger(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught that tasbeeh with the
fingers is better, as he said, 'Count with the fingertips, for they
will be made to speak.' Doing tasbeeh with the masbahah is not
haraamor bid'ah, but it is better not to do it, because the one who
does tasbeeh with the masbahah has shunned something better. Using the
masbahah may also be contaminated with someelement of showing off,
because we see some people carrying masbahahs that contain a thousand
beads, as if they are telling people, 'Look at me, I do a thousand
tasbeehs!' Secondly, those who use the masbahah for tasbeeh are
usually absent-minded and not focused, so you see themdoing tasbeeh
with the beads, but their gaze is wandering all over the place, which
indicates that they are not really concentrating. It is better to do
tasbeeh with one's fingers, preferably using the right hand rather
than the left, because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) used to counthis tasbeeh on his right hand. If a person
counts his tasbeeh using both hands, there is nothing wrong with that,
but it isbetter to use the right hand only."
Shaykh Muhammad Naasir al-Deen al-Albaanisaid inAl-Silsilat
al-Da'eefah(1/110), where he quotes the (weak) hadeeth "What a good
reminder is the subhah [masbahah],"
"In my view, the meaning of this hadeethis invalid for a number of reasons:
Firstly, the subhah [masbahah] is bid'ah and was not known at the time
of the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It happened
after that, so how could he(peace andblessings of Allaah be upon him)
have encouraged his Sahaabah to do something that was unknown to them?
The evidence for what I havesaid is the report narrated by Ibn Waddaah
inAl-Bid' wa'l-Nahy 'anhaafrom al-Salt ibn Bahraam, who said: 'Ibn
Mas'ood passed by a woman whohad a [masbahah] with which she was
making tasbeeh, and he broke it and threw it aside, then he passed by
a man whowas making tasbeeh with pebbles, and he kicked him then said,
"You think you are better than the Sahaabah, but you are following
unjustified bid'ah! You think you have more knowledge than the
Companions of Muhammad(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)!"'
Its isnaad issaheeh to al-Salt, who is one of the trustworthy (thiqah)
followers of the Taabi'een.
Secondly, it goes againstthe guidance of the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr said, 'I saw
the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
counting the tasbeeh on his right hand.'"
He also said (1/117): "If there is only one bad thing about the
masbahah, which it is that it takes the place of the Sunnah of
counting on the fingers, even though all are agreed that counting on
the fingers is preferable, then that is bad enough.How rarely I see
people counting their tasbeeh on their fingers!
Moreover, people have invented so many sophisticated ways of following
this bid'ah, so you see the followers of one of the [Sufi] tareeqahs
wearing the masbahah around their necks! Or some of them counting with
the beads whilst talking or listening to you! Or another one – the
like ofwhom I have not seen for some time – riding his bicycle through
a street crowded with people, with the masbahah in one of his hands!
They are showingthe people that they are not distracted from the
remembrance of Allaah for even an instant, but in many cases this
bid'ahis a cause of their neglecting what is obligatory (waajib). It
has happened many times – to others as well as myself – that when I
greet one of these people with salaam, theyanswer only by waving and
not by saying the words of the greeting. The bad results of this
bid'ah are innumerable, and no one can say it better than the poet:
'All goodness is in following that which went before (the salaf)
All badness is in the innovations of those who came later.'"
And Allaah knows best.