Dought & clear - Guidelines and rulings on Hajj al-badal (proxy Hajj)

In our country there are some Hajj companies that offer Hajj al-badal
(proxy Hajj, i.e., Hajj on behalf of another), i.e., we give them
money – to cover the expenses ofHajj – and some seekers of knowledge
will do Hajj on our behalf. Is that permissible?
Praise be to Allah.
Many people have a careless attitude concerning Hajj al-badal. There
are guidelines, conditions and rulings on Hajj al-badal. We will
mention whatever we can of them, in the hope that Allah will cause
people to benefit thereby.
1.
Hajj al-badal is not valid in the case of theobligatory Hajj on behalf
of one who is able to perform Hajj himself.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible for one who is able to perform Hajj himself to
appoint someone else to perform the obligatory Hajj on his behalf,
according to scholarly consensus. Ibn al-Mundhir said: The scholars
are unanimously agreed that if a person is required to perform the
obligatory Hajj and he is able to perform Hajj, it is not acceptable
for someone else to perform Hajj on his behalf. End quote.
Al-Mughni, 3/185
2.
Hajj al-badal may be performed on behalf of a sick person who has no
hope of recovery, or one who is physically incapable, or one who has
passed away, but not on behalf of one who is poor or one who is unable
to do it because of political or security circumstances.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The majority (of scholars) are of the view that it is permissible to
appoint a proxy for Hajj on behalf of the deceased and one who is
incapable and has no hope of recovery. Al-Qaadi 'Iyaad gave the
reasonwhy the Maaliki madhhab differed from the majority concerning
this matter, which was that they thought that the hadeeth about
fasting on behalf of the deceased and doing Hajj on behalf ofthe
deceased was not sound. But this is not correct and the hadeeth is
sound. It is sufficient evidence of its soundness to note that Muslim
quoted it in hisSaheeh.
Sharh an-Nawawi 'ala Muslim, 8/27
The hadeeth to which an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) referred
and noted that some of theMaalikis regarded it asunsound is as
follows:
It was narrated from 'Abdullah ibn Buraydah that his father (may Allah
be pleased with him) said: Whilst I was sitting with the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), a woman came to
himand said: I gave a slave woman in charity to my mother, then she
died. He said:"Your reward is assured, and she (the slave woman) has
been returned to you as an inheritance." She said: O Messenger of
Allah, she owed onemonth's fasting, should I fast on her behalf? He
said: "Fast on her behalf." She said: She never went for Hajj, should
I perform Hajj on her behalf? He said: "Perform Hajj on her behalf."
Narrated by Muslim, 1149
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercyon him) said:
Those who regard it as permissible to appoint a proxy for Hajj were
unanimously agreed that it is not acceptable for the obligatory Hajj
except when it is done on behalf of one who has passed away or who
isparalysed. That does not include the one who is sick, because there
is the hope that he may recover; or theone who is insane, because
there is the hope that he may come back to his senses; or the one who
is imprisoned, because there is the hope that he may be released; or
for the one who is poor, because there is the hope that he may become
independent of means.
End quote fromFath al-Baari, 4/70
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
Is it permissible for a Muslim who has performed the obligatory Hajj
to perform Hajj on behalfof one of his relatives in China, because he
isnot able to travel in order to perform the obligatory Hajj?
They replied:
It is permissible for the Muslim who has performed the obligatory Hajj
on his own behalf to performHajj on behalf of someone else, if the
other person is not able to perform Hajj himself because he is
elderly, or sick with anillness from which there is no hope of
recovery, or because he has died, because of the saheeh hadeeths that
speak ofthat. But if the person on whose behalf he wants to perform
Hajj is not able to perform Hajj because of some temporary reason
which it is hoped will pass, such as illness from which there is the
hope that he will recover, or because of the political situation, or
if the route is not safe and so on, then it is not acceptable to
perform Hajj on his behalf. End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abd ar-Razzaaq 'Afeefi, Shaykh
'Abdullah ibn Qa'ood
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/51
3.
Proxy Hajj (Hajj al-badal) cannot be done on behalf of one who is
financially incapable (and cannot afford to go for Hajj), because the
obligation of Hajj is waived for the one who is poor. Rather proxy
Hajj is done for the one who is physically incapable.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
Is it permissible for someone to do 'Umrahor Hajj on behalf of
hisrelative who lives far away from Makkah and does not have the means
of travelling there, even though he is (physically) able to do tawaaf
(circumambulation of the Ka'bah)?
They replied:
Your relative is not obliged to perform Hajj so long as he is not able
to afford it. It is not valid to performeither Hajj or 'umrah on his
behalf, because he would be physicallyable to do both if he was
present himself inthe holy places. It is only valid to do them by
proxy on behalf of one who has died or one who is physically unable to
do that himself. End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abd ar-Razzaaq 'Afeefi, Shaykh
'Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/52
4.
It is not permissible for anyone to perform Hajj on behalf of another
unless he has already performed Hajj for himself. If he does do that,
then his Hajj counts for him and not for the other person.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
It is not permissible for a person to perform Hajj on behalfof another
person before he performs Hajj for himself. The basic principle
concerning that is the report narrated by Ibn'Abbaas (may Allah be
pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (blessingsand peace
of Allah be upon him) heard a man saying, Labbayk 'an Shubrumah (Here
Iam (O Allah, for Hajj) on behalf of Shubrumah). He said: "Have you
performed Hajj on your own behalf?" He said: No. He said: "Perform
Hajj on your own behalf, then on behalf of Shubrumah." End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/50
5.
It is permissible for a woman to perform Hajj on behalf of a man, and
for a man to perform Hajj on behalfof a woman.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
Performing Hajj on behalf of another person is permissible, if the
proxy has already performed Hajj for himself. The same applies to
paying a woman to perform Hajj on behalfof your mother, because it is
permissible for a woman to perform Hajj on behalf of a woman or a man.
There is proven evidence from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) concerning that. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/52
6.
It is not permissible for anyone to perform Hajj on behalf of two or
more people in one Hajj, but it is permissible to do 'Umrah for
himself – or on behalf of someone else – and todo Hajj on behalf of a
different person.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
It is permissible to perform Hajj on behalfof one who has passedaway
and on behalf of one who is still alive but is unable to perform Hajj.
But it is not permissible for a person to perform Hajj once and make
it on behalf of two people. Hajj can only be done on behalf of one
person, and the same applies to 'Umrah. But if someone does Hajj on
behalf of one person and he does 'Umrah on behalf of another person in
the same year, that is acceptable so long as the pilgrim has already
performed Hajj and 'Umrah on hisown behalf. End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abd ar-Razzaaq 'Afeefi, Shaykh
'Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh 'Abdullah ibn Qa'ood
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/58
7.
It is not permissible for anyone to have theaim of earning money by
performing Hajj on behalf of another; rather his aim should be Hajj
and reaching those holy places, and doing an act of kindness towards
his brother by performingHajj on his behalf.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Performing Hajj on behalf of another person is something that is
mentioned in the Sunnah. A woman asked the Messenger (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him): The command from Allah to His slaves to
perform Hajj has comewhen my father is an old man and cannot sit
firmly in the saddle; can I perform Hajj on his behalf? He said:
"Yes." In the caseof performing Hajj on behalf of another in return
for payment, if one's aim is the payment, Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn
Taymiyah] (may Allah have mercy on him) said: The one who performs
Hajj in orderearn a living will have no share in the Hereafter; as for
the one who takes payment in order to perform Hajj, there is nothing
wrong with that. But the one who takes payment in order to perform
Hajj on behalf of another should have the intention of using the money
he takes to help him to perform Hajj, and he should also have the
intention of meeting his companion's need,because the one who has
asked him to do it on his behalf is in need and is happy to find
someone who cando it in his stead. So he should have the intention of
doing an act of kindness towards him in performing Hajj on hisbehalf.
Then his intention will be good. End quote.
Liqaa'aat al-Baab al-Maftooh, 89, question 6
And he (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is unfortunate that many of those who perform Hajj on behalfof
others only do so in order to earn money. But this is haraam for them,
because it is notpermissible to do acts of worship with the intention
of worldly gain. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the
new):
"Whosoever desires the life of the world and its glitter; to themWe
shall pay in full (the wages of) their deeds therein, and they will
have no diminution therein.
They are those for whom there is nothing in the Hereafter but Fire;
andvain are the deeds they did therein. And of no effect is that which
they used to do"
[Hood 11:15-16]
"But of mankind there are some who say: 'Our Lord! Give us (Your
Bounties) in thisworld!' and for such there will be no portion in the
Hereafter"
[al-Baqarah 2:200].
Allah does not accept any act of worship that is not done for Hissake,
and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
forbade earning money in places of worship. He (blessingsand peace of
Allah be upon him) said: "If you see anyone buying or selling in the
mosque, then say: May Allah not make your trade profitable."If this
has to do with the one who makes place of worship into a place for
earning wealth, and he is to beprayed against, askingthat Allah not
make his trade profitable, then how about those who make the act of
worship itself a meansof worldly gain, as if Hajj were a commodity or
a profession like that of a builder? You find theone who is asked to
perform proxy Hajj asking for more and bargaining, saying: This is too
little; this isnot enough; give me more, for So and so gave me such
and such, or So and so offered me such and such, and other such words
that turn acts ofworship into a profession. Hence the Hanbali fuqaha'
(may Allah have mercy on them) clearly stated that hiring a man to
perform Hajj on behalfof someone else is notvalid. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn
Taymiyah said: The one who performsHajj in order to earn money has no
share inthe Hereafter. But if hetakes on the task of performing it on
behalf of another for areligious purpose, such as if he intends to
benefit his brother by performing Hajj on his behalf, or if he intends
to do more acts of worship, du'aa'and dhikr in the holy places, then
there is nothing wrong with that and it is a sound intention.
Those who take on thetask of performing Hajj on behalf of others
should make their intention purely for the sake of Allah, may He be
exalted, and their intention should be to fulfil their desire to
worship around the House of Allah, remembering Him and calling upon
Him, as well as fulfilling their brothers' needs by performing Hajj on
their behalf. They should keep away from worldly intentions of earning
money. If they have nointention in their hearts other than earning
money, then in that case it is not permissible to take onthe task of
performingHajj on behalf of others. If a person takes on the task of
performing Hajj on behalf of another withthe proper intention, then
the money that he receives is all his, unless it was stipulated that
he should return anything that is left over. End quote.
Ad-Diya' al-Laami' minal-Khutab al-Jawaami', 2/477, 478
8.
If a Muslim dies without having performed the obligatory Hajj, and
hemet all the conditions of it being obligatory, then it is obligatory
toperform Hajj on his behalf from the wealth that he left behind,
whether he left instructions to that effect or not.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
If a Muslim dies without having performed the obligatory Hajj, and
hemet all the conditions of it being obligatory, then it is obligatory
toperform Hajj on his behalf from the wealth that he left behind,
whether he left instructions to that effect or not. If someone who has
already performed Hajj for himself performs Hajj on his behalf (i.e.,
on behalf of the deceased), then his Hajj on his behalf is valid and
is acceptable in fulfilment of the obligation. End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abd ar-Razzaaq 'Afeefi, Shaykh
'Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh 'Abdullah ibn Munayyi'
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/100
9.
Will the one who performs Hajj on behalf of someone else have the
reward of Hajj in full and will he go back (free of sin) as on the day
his mother bore him?
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
With regard to evaluating the Hajj that a man performs on behalf of
someone else, and whether it is like the Hajj he does for himself, or
is lesseror greater in virtue, that is known only to Allah, may He be
glorified. End quote.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abd ar-Razzaaq 'Afeefi, Shaykh
'Abdullah ibn Ghadyaan, Shaykh 'Abdullah ibn Munayyi'
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/100
And they said:
If a person performs Hajj or 'Umrah on behalf of another, with or
without payment, the reward for Hajj or 'Umrah will go to the one on
whose behalf he did it,but there is the hope that he will also have a
great reward, commensurate with his sincerity and his desire to do
good. For everyone who reachesal-Masjid al-Haraam and does a great
deal of different types of supererogatory acts ofworship there, there
is the hope that he will attain a great dealof good if his actions are
sincerely for the sake of Allah. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajn ah ad-Daa'imah, 11/77, 78
Imam Ibn Hazm (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It was narrated from Dawood that he said: Isaid to Sa'eed ibn
al-Musayyab: O Abu Muhammad, for whichof them is the reward, for the
one who performs Hajj or the one on whose behalf it is performed?
Sa'eed said: Allah's bountry, may He be exalted, encompasses both of
them.
Ibn Hazm said: Sa'eed (may Allah have mercyon him) spoke the truth.
Al-Muhalla, 7/61
Whatever the proxy does of good deeds other than the rituals of Hajj,
such as praying in the Haram, reading Qur'an, and soon, the reward for
thatwill go to him and not to the one who appointed him as his proxy.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The reward for actionsconnected to Hajj will go in its entirety to the
one who appointed him as his proxy; with regard to the extra reward
for prayers and tawaaf that he does voluntarily outside of the rituals
of Hajj, and reading Qur'an, (that reward) will go to the one who
performs Hajj, not the one who appointed him as his proxy. End quote.
Ad-Diya' al-Laami' minal-Khutab al-Jawaami', 2/476
10.
The best is for a son toperform Hajj on behalfof his father, and for a
relative to perform Hajj on behalf of his relative, but if he hiresa
stranger to do it, that is permissible.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
My mother died when I was young, and she hired a trustworthy person to
perform Hajj on her behalf. My father has also died, and I heard from
someof my relatives that heperformed Hajj.
Is it permissible to hire someone to perform Hajj on behalfof my
mother, or mustI perform Hajj on her behalf myself? Also, should I
perform Hajj on behalf of my father when I heard that he had performed
Hajj?
He replied:
If you perform Hajj on their behalf yourself, and strive hard to
complete Hajj in the manner prescribed in Islam, that is preferable.
But if you hire a person who is religiously committed and trustworthy
to perform Hajj on their behalf, there is nothing wrong with that.
The best is for you to perform Hajj and 'Umrah on their behalf. You
may also hire someone to perform Hajj and 'Umrah on their behalf. This
is part of your honouring them and treating them kindly. May Allah
accept (good deeds) from us and from you. End quote.
Fataawa ash-Shaykh Ibn Baaz, 16/408
11.
It is not stipulated that the one who performs Hajj on a person's
behalf shouldknow his name; ratherit is sufficient for him to have the
intention to perform Hajj on his behalf.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
I have approximately four relatives who have died among my paternal
uncles and aunts and grandparents, both men and women. But Ido not
know the names of some of them. I want to send people to perform
Hajjon behalf of each of them at my own expense.
They replied:
If the matter is as described, with regard to those whosenames you
know, bothmen and women, there is no problem. With regard to those
whose names you do not know, it is sufficient for you to intend it to
be on behalf of both men and women among your paternal and maternal
uncles and aunts, according their ages and descriptions,And it is
sufficient to have the intention to do that, even if you do not know
their names.End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/172
12.
It is not permissible for the one who has been appointed to perform
Hajj on behalfof someone else to appoint someone else to do it except
with the consent of the one who originally appointed him.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
It is not permissible for the one who has taken on the task of
performing Hajj on behalf of another to appoint someone else to do
that, whether fora small or large payment, except with the consent of
the one who gave task to him. End quote.
Ad-Diyaa' al-Laami' min al-Khutab al-Jawaami', 2/478
13.
Is it permissible to appoint a proxy for a supererogatory Hajj (Hajj naafil)?
There is a difference of scholarly opinion concerning this matter.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) favoured the view
that it is not permissible to appoint a proxy except for the
obligatory Hajj.
The Shaykh (may Allahhave mercy on him) said:
If a man has already performed the obligatory Hajj and wants to
appoint someone to perform anaafil Hajj or 'Umrah on his behalf, there
is a difference of opinionconcerning that among the scholars. Some of
them said that it is permissible and some of them saidthat it is not
allowed. What is more likely to be correct in my view is that it is
not allowed, and that it is not permissible for anyone to appoint
someone to perform Hajj or 'Umrah on his behalf if that is naafil,
because the basic principle concerning acts of worship is that they
should be done by the individual himself. Just as no oneshould appoint
another person to fast on his behalf – even though if he died and
still owed obligatory fasts, his heir should fast them on his behalf –
the same applies to Hajj; Hajj is an act of worship that a person
should do himself and it is not an act of charity for the benefit of
someone else. If an actof worship is a physical action that the person
should do himself, it is not valid for someone else to do it on his
behalf except in cases mentioned in the Sunnah, and there is no report
in the Sunnah about anyone performing a naafil Hajj on behalf of
someone else. This is one of the two opinions narrated from Ahmad,
i.e., that it is not valid for a person to appoint someone else to
perform a naafil Hajj or 'umrah on his behalf, whether he is able to
do that or not.
By expressing this opinion, we want to encourage those who are well of
and physically able to perform Hajj themselves, because some people
let years go by without going to Makkah, relying on the idea of
sending someone to perform Hajj on their behalf every year, so they
miss out on doing Hajjon the grounds that they are appointing others
to perform Hajjon their behalf. End quote.
14.
One should seek out good, sincere and trustworthy people who have
knowledge of the rituals of Hajj toperform proxy Hajj (Hajj al-badal).
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
The one who wants to appoint someone to perform Hajj on his behalf
should seek outone who is religiously committed and trustworthy, so
that he may be confident that he will do what isrequired. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 11/53
And Allah knows best.

Workplace Stories: In the eyes of your Boss, It's a Dog's life after all

A butcher watching over his shop is really surprised when he saw a Dog
coming inside the shop. He shoos him away.But later, the Dog is back
again. So, he goes over to the Dog and notices hehas a note in his
mouth.
He takes the note and it reads, "Can I have 12 Sausages and a leg of
Lamb, please. The Dog has money in his mouth, as well". The butcher
looks inside and, behold, a ten dollar bill. So he takes the money and
putsthe sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the Dog's mouth.
The butcher is so impressed, and since it's about closing time, he
decides to shut up shop and follow the Dog. The Dog is walking down
the street when he comes to a level crossing. The Dog puts down the
bag, jumps up and presses thebutton. Then he waits patiently, bag in
mouth, for the lights to turn. They do, and he walks across the road,
with the butcher following him allthe way.
The Dog then comes to a bus stop, and starts looking at the timetable.
The butcher is in awe at this stage. The Dog checks out the times,
andthen sits on one of the seats provided. Along comes a bus. The Dog
walks around to the front, looks at the number, and goes back to his
seat. Another bus comes. Again the Dog goes and looks at the number,
notices it's the right bus, and climbs on.
The butcher, by now, open-mouthed, follows him onto the bus. The bus
travels through the town and out into the suburbs, the Dog looking at
the scenery. Eventually he gets up, and moves to the front of the bus.
He stands on 2 back paws and pushes the button to stop the bus. Then
he gets off, his groceries stillin his mouth. Well, Dog and butcher
are walking along the road, and then the Dog turns into a house.
He walks up the path, and drops the groceries on the step. Then he
walks back down the path, takes a big run, andthrows himself against
the door. He goes back down the path, runs up to the door and again,
it throws himself against it.
There's no answer at the house, so the Dog goes back down the path,
jumps up on a narrow wall, and walks along theperimeter of the garden.
He gets to the window, and beats his head against it several times,
walks back, jumps off, and waits at the door.
The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts abusing
the Dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him.
The butcher runs up, and stops the guy. "What in heaven's name are you
doing? The Dog is a genius. He could be on TV!" to which the guy
responds: "You call this clever? This is the second time this week
that this stupid Dog's forgotten his key."
Moral of the story: You may continue to exceed onlookers' expectations
but shall always fall short of the boss's expectations! It's a Dog's
life after all.

Power of Positive Talk or Avoiding Toxic Self-Talk (Negative Talking)

Allah (SWT) the Exalted says in Noble Qur'an: "O you who believe! Be
careful of (your duty to) Allah and speak the right word." (33:70)
I remember my dad teaching me the power of language at a very young
age. Not only did my dad understand that specific words affect our
mental pictures, but he understood words are a powerful programming
factor in lifelong success.
One particularly interesting event occurred when I was eight. As a
kid, I was always climbing trees, poles, and literally hanging around
upside down from the rafters of our lake house. So, it came to no
surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree swinging
back and forth. My little eight-year-old brain didn't realize the tree
could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was fun to be up so
high.
My older cousin, Tammy, was also in the same tree.She was hanging on
the first big limb, about ten feet below me. Tammy's mother also
noticed us atthe exact time my dad did. About that time a huge gust of
wind came over the tree. I could hear the leaves start to rattle and
the tree begin to sway. I remember my dad's voice over the windyell,
"Bart, Hold on tightly." So I did.
The next thing I know, I heard Tammy screaming at the top of her
lungs, laying flat on the ground.She had fallen out of the tree.
I scampered down the tree to safety. My dad later told me why she fell
and I did not. Apparently,when Tammy's mother felt the gust of wind,
she yelled out, "Tammy, don'tfall!" And Tammy did fall.
My dad then explained tome that the mind has a very difficult time
processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal
pictures cannot see a negative at all. In order for Tammy to process
the command of not falling, her nine-year-old brain had to first
imagine falling, then try to tell thebrain not to do what it just
imagined. Whereas, my eight-year-old brain instantly had an internal
image of me hanging on tightly.
This concept is especially useful when you are attempting to break a
habit or set a goal. You can't visualize not doing something. The only
way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a
word for what you want to do andvisualize that. For example, when I
was thirteen years old, I played for my junior highschool football
team. I tried so hard to be good, but I just couldn't get it together
at that age. I remember hearing the words run through my head as I was
running out for a pass, "Don't drop it!" Naturally, I dropped the
ball.
My coaches were not skilled enough to teach us proper "Self-Talk."
They just thought some kids could catch and others couldn't. I'll
never make it pro, but I'm now a pretty good Sunday afternoon football
player, because all my internal dialogue is positive and encourages me
to win. I wish my dad had coached me playing football instead of just
climbing trees. I might have had a longer football career.
Here is a very easy demonstration to teach your kids and your friends
the power of a toxic vocabulary. Ask them to hold a pen or pencil.
Hand it to them. Now, follow my instructions carefully. Sayto them,
"Okay, try to drop the pencil." Observewhat they do.
Most people release their hands and watch the pencil hit the floor.
You respond, "You weren't paying attention. I said TRY to drop the
pencil. Now please do it again." Most people then pick up the pencil
and pretend tobe in excruciating pain while their hand tries butfails
to drop the pencil.
The point is made. If you tell your brain you will"give it a try," you
are actually telling your brainto fail. I have a "no try" rule in my
house and with everyone I interact with. Either people will do it or
they won't. Eitherthey will be at the party or they won't. I'm brutal
when people attempt to lie to me by using the word try. Do they think
I don't know they are really telegraphing to theworld they have no
intention of doing it but they want me to give them brownie points for
pretended effort? You will never hear the words"I'll try" come out of
my mouth unless I'm teaching this concept in aseminar.
If you "try" and do something, your unconscious mind has permission
not to succeed. If I truly can't make a decision I will tell the
truth. "Sorry John. I'mnot sure if I will be at your party or not.
I've gotan outstanding commitment. If that falls through, I will be
here, Insha Allah. Otherwise, I will not. Thanks for the invite."
People respect honesty. So remove the word "try" from your vocabulary.
My dad also told me that psychologists claim it takes seventeen
positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea
if it is true, but the logic holds true. It might take up to seventeen
compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism.
These are concepts that are especially useful when raising children.
Ask yourself how many compliments you give yourself daily versus
howmany criticisms. Heck, I know you are talking to yourself all day
long. We all have internal voices that give us direction.
So, are you giving yourself the 17:1 ratio or are you short changing
yourself with toxic self-talk like, "I'm fat. Nobody will like me.
I'll try this diet. I'm not goodenough. I'm so stupid. I'mbroke, etc.
etc."
If our parents can set a lifetime of programming with one wrong
statement, imagine the kind of programming you are doing on a daily
basis with your own internal dialogue. Here is a list of Toxic
Vocabulary words. Notice when you or other people use them.
*.BUT: Negates any wordsthat are stated before it.
*.TRY: Presupposes failure.
*.IF: Presupposes that youmay not.
*.MIGHT: It does nothing definite. It leaves options for your listener.
*.WOULD HAVE: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen.
*.SHOULD HAVE: Past tensethat draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen (and implies guilt.)
*.COULD HAVE: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't
actually happen but theperson tries to take credit as if it did
happen.
*.CAN'T/DON'T: These words force the listenerto focus on exactly the
opposite of what you want. This is a classic mistake that parents and
coaches make without knowing the damage of this linguistic error.
Examples:
*.Toxic phrase: "Don't drop the ball!"
*.Likely result: Drops the ball
*.Better language: "Catch the ball!"
*.Toxic phrase: "You shouldn't watch so much television."
*.Likely result: Watches more television.
*.Better language: "I readtoo much television makes people stupid. You
might find yourself turning that TV off and picking up one of
thosebooks more often!"
Exercise:
*.Take a moment to writedown all the phrases you use on a daily basis
or any Toxic Self-Talk that you have noticed yourself using. Write
these phrases down so you will begin to catch yourself as they occur
and change them.
Forge a positive relationship with the world around you and the world
will become a better place for you to live. And remember: Make
positive Self-Talk a daily practice.

Biomimetics: Drawinginspiration from the design in living things

There is instruction for you in cattle. From the contents of their
bellies, from between the dung and blood, We give you pure milk to
drink, easy for drinkers to swallow.(Qur'an, 16:66)
And there is certainly a lesson for you in your livestock. We give you
todrink from what is in their bellies and there are many ways in which
you benefit from them, and some of them you eat; and you are conveyed
on them and on ships as well.(Qur'an, 23:21-22)
Before scientists and research and development experts embark on new
projects,they usually look for models in living things and imitate
their systemsand designs. In other words, they see and study the
designs created in nature by Allah and, inspired by these, go on to
develop their own new technologies.
This approach has given birth to biometrics, a new branch of science
that seeks to imitate living things. In recent times, this branch of
science has come to be widely applied in the world of technology.
Theuse of the word "ibratan," (to learn from, advice, importance,
important thing, or model) in the above verses is most wise in this
regard.
Biomimetics refers to all of the substances, equipment, mechanisms,and
systems that people produce in order to imitate the systems present in
nature. The scientific community currently feels a great need for the
use of such equipment, particularly in the fields of nanotechnology,
robot technology, artificial intelligence, medicine, and the military.
Biomimicry was first put forward by Janine M. Benyus, a writer and
scientific observer from Montana. This concept was later analysed by
many other people and began to find applications. Some of the comments
made regarding biomimicry are as follows:
The theme of"biomimicry" is that we have much to learn fromthe natural
world, as model, measure, and mentor. What these researchers have in
common is a reverence for natural designs, and the inspiration to use
them to solve human problems. 1
David Oakey, product strategist for Interface Inc., a company that
usesnature to increasing product quality and productivity, says:
Nature is my mentor for business and design, a model for the way of
life. Nature's system has worked for millions of years … Biomimicry is
a way of learning from nature. 2
Scientists who began to favour this rapidly spreading idea accelerated
their studies by using nature's incomparable and flawless designs as
models. These designs represent models for technological research, for
they provide the maximum productivity for the least amount of
materials and energy, and are self-maintaining, environmentally
friendly, silent, aesthetically attractive, resistant, and
long-lasting. The High Country News newspaper described biomimetics as
"a scientific movement" and made the following comment:
By using natural systemsas models, we can createtechnologies that are
more sustainable than those in use today. 3
Janine M. Benyus, who believed that models in nature should be
imitated, gave the following examples in her book,Biomimicry:
Innovation Inspired by Nature(Perennial: 2002):
• Hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico on less than 3 grams (one
tenth of an ounce) of fuel,
• Dragonflies outmanoeuvre our best helicopters,
• Heating and air-conditioning systemsin termite mounds are superior
in terms of equipment and energy consumption to those made by human
beings,
• A bat's high-frequency transmitter is more efficient and sensitive
than our own radar systems,
• Light-emitting algae combine various chemicals to illuminate their bodies,
• Arctic fish and frogs freeze solid and then spring to life, having
protected their organs from ice damage,
• Chameleons and cuttlefish change the pattern of their skin to blend
instantly with their surroundings,
• Bees, turtles, and birds navigate without maps, and
• Whales and penguins dive without scuba gear.
These astonishing mechanisms and designsin nature, of which we have
cited only a few, have the potential to enrich technology in a wide
range of fields. This potential is becoming ever more obvious as our
accumulated knowledgeand technological meansincrease.
All animals possess many features that amaze human beings. Some have
the ideal hydrodynamic shape that allows them to move through water,
and others employ senses that appear very foreign to us. Most of these
are features that researchers have encountered for the firsttime, or,
rather, that they have only recently discovered. On occasion, it is
necessary to bring together prominent scientists from such fields as
computer technology, mechanical engineering, electronics,mathematics,
physics, chemistry, and biology in order to imitate just one feature
of a living thing.
Scientists are amazed when confronted with the incomparable structures
and systems they are discovering with every passing day, and use that
amazementto inspire themselves to produce new technologies for
humanity's benefit. Realising that the existing perfect systems and
extraordinary techniques applied in nature are far superior to their
own knowledge and intellect, they became aware of these matchless
solutions to existing problems and are now resorting to thedesigns in
nature to resolve problems that have eluded them for years. As a
result, they will perhaps achieve success in a very short time.
Moreover, by imitating nature, scientists are making very important
gains with regard to time and labour and also to the targeted use of
material resources.
Today we see the developing technology gradually discovering the
miracles of creation and using the extraordinary designs in living
things, as in the case of biomimetics, in the service of humanity.
Benyus has stated that "'Doing it nature's way' has the potential to
change the way we grow food, make materials, harness energy, heal
ourselves, store information, and conduct business." 4The following
are just a few of the many scientific papers to have considered such
subjects:
"Science is Imitating Nature," 5
"Life's Lessons in Design," 6
"Biomimicry: Secrets Hiding in Plain Sight," 7
"Biomimicry: InnovationInspired by Nature," 8
"Biomimicry: Genius That Surrounds Us," 9
"Biomimetics: Creating Materials from Nature's Blueprints," 10and
"Engineers Ask Nature for Design Advice." 11
In the nineteenth century, nature was imitated only in aesthetic
terms. Artists and architects of that time were influenced by nature
and used examples of the structures' external appearances in their
works. Yet the realisation of nature's extraordinary designs and that
these could be used to benefit human beings only began in thetwentieth
century with the study of natural mechanisms at the molecular level.
Scientists today are learning from living things, as revealed in
theQur'an 1,400 years ago.

The miracle of fire andwood that cannot be obtained artificially

Have you thought about the fire that you light? Isit you who make the
trees that fuel it grow orare We the Grower? We have made it to be a
reminder and a comfort for travellers in the wild.So glorify the name
of your Lord, the Magnificent! (Surat al-Waqi 'a, 71-74)
One of the chemical substances mainly responsible for the structure of
wood is "lignocellulose." This substance is a compoundof the materials
known as "lignin" and "cellulose" that give wood its hardness. In
terms of chemicalstructure, woodis made up of 50% cellulose, 25%
hemicelluloses and 25% lignin.1An analysis of these substances'
chemical formulae reveals three vital elements: hydrogen, oxygen and
carbon.
Hydrogen, oxygen and carbon are the building blocks of millions of
substances in nature. Butas a miracle from Allah, these three also
combineto give rise to the substance "lignocellulose" found inplants.
Although scientists know that theycontain these substancesthey are
unable to reproduce this special material in plants. Although these
elementsfound in large amounts in nature can easily be obtained,
scientists havebeen unable to obtain a single piece of wood by
artificial means, despite having countless examples before them. Yet
all the trees we see around us have been ceaselessly producing this
compound for millions of years by combining oxygen, carbon, water and
sunlight.
One of the compounds inlignocellulose is water, expressed by the
formula H2O. The fact that wood is one of the most flammable materials
despite containing a large amount of water is a most special state of
affairs. The above verse is very wise in noting that wood cannot be
made by human beings, by fire. Thanks to these compounds and the water
it contains, wood is one of the most important fuels of fire.
Trees are an important sphere of scientific research, and inspire
scientists, who are still struggling to grasp all the details in their
creation, in a number of areas. The complex structures of the cells
that constitute trees have still not been fully unraveled, despite
advances in technology and intensive research. The Forestry Commission
of Great Britain, one of the world's leading forestry research
institutions, says the following under the heading "Lack of
Information on the Chemistry and Structure of Wood Fibres":
Despite the knowledge resulting from earlier and ongoing research,
there still exists a lack of information on the chemistry and
structure of wood fibres. Large variations can be found within a
single tree, from the pith to the bark and from the base to the top of
a tree. Often the chemistry and structure of a wood cell are extremely
heterogeneous and difficult to investigate with conventional
techniques.2
A paper in the scientific journalPlant Physiologytitled "Our
Understanding of How Wood Develops is not Complete" describes the
limited knowledge of the subject that scientists possess:
Considering the important role that wood is foreseen to playin the
near future, it is surprising to see that our understanding of how
wood develops is far from complete. With a few exceptions, very little
is known about thecellular, molecular, and developmental processesthat
underlie wood formation. Xylogenesis represents an example of cell
differentiation in an exceptionally complex form. This process is
controlled by awide variety of factors both exogenous (photoperiod and
temperature) and endogenous (phytohormones) and byinteraction between
them. It is driven by the coordinated expression of numerous
structural genes (some of known function) involved in cellorigination,
differentiation, programmed cell death, and heartwood (HW) formation
and by virtually unknown regulatory genes orches trating this ordered
developmental sequence. The presence of gene families and the extreme
plasticity of the metabolism involved (as exemplified by the unusual
behavior of plants with transformed cell walls; for review, seeFagard
et al., 2000) add a further complexity to our understanding of the
process of wood formation.3
The extraordinary creation in wood is emphasized thus in another
scientific journal, Annals of Botany:
Wood formation is a highly complicated process involving an
unbelievable variety of metabolic steps in the roots, stem and crown
of shrubs and trees. At the centre of these processes is cambial
activity which results in the release of young woody cells that
undergo maturation until autolysis of the protoplast, indicating the
final developmental stage. Later on, in various tree species, woody
cells become further modified by an additional process calledheartwood
formation. The properties of wood that make it an appropriate raw
material for many purposes are largely determined by the specific
architecture of the cell walls. Difficulties in investigating these
many developmental stages appear when routine techniques, which work
well for soft plant tissues, are applied. Therefore, in most cases,
these techniques need modification or the use of completely revised
protocols to yield good results for woody tissues.4
These details in the creation of wood remind us, as set out in Surat
al-Waqi 'a, that wood cannot be made by human beings. Just a few of
the inimitable features of wood, which cannot be produced
artificially, are as follows:
Wood, a Resistant Material
The hard and resistant nature of wood is the result of the cellulose
fibers it contains. Because cellulose is hardand insoluble in water.
Itis this property of cellulose that makes the use of wood in
construction so advantageous. Cellulose, described as a "contractible
and incomparable substance," has for centuries been used a great deal
more than other materials in keeping wooden buildings standing, other
buildings, bridges and many other structures.
Wood consists of parallelcolumns made up of convex cells laid end to
end. These are surrounded by cellulose fibers in spiral form. In
addition, these cells are contained in "lignin," a substance made from
a complex, polymer structure resin. These spirally enclosed layers
make up 80% of the thickness of the cell wall and are the part
bearingthe main load. When a wood cell collapses internally it absorbs
the shock of a blow by detatching itself from the surrounding cells.
Even when such collapses causes a crack along the length of the fiber,
the wood remains unharmed. That is why wood is strong enough to bear
specific loads even if it is broken.
In terms of absorbing the energy of low-speed blows and reducing the
damage therefrom, wood is a most important material. The Second World
War planeknown as the "Mosquito" was made bycompressing wood between
strips of fiber board, making it the most damage-resistant plane of
its time. The hardness and resistant nature of wood make it a very
reliable material. Because wood breaks or cracks slowly enough to be
visible from the outside, and that gives people enough time to take
the necessary precautions .5
A material based on the structure of wood can be up to 50 times more
resistant than other synthetic materials in use today.6This unique
structure of wood is today used in materials developed to protect
against the impact of high speed and destructive fragments such as
bombs and bullets. But scientists have never been able to replicate a
piece of wood with all its many attributes. Every detail inthe
creation of wood, - the thickness of the internal layers, their level
of compression, thenumber of vessels, their layout and the materials
inside it, have been specialy created to resultin that resistance.
The Hydraulic System That Raises Water Many Meters against the Force of Gravity
The dead part of wood, the "xylem," contains hollow channels. These,
also known as "wood vessels," consist of inanimate cells that
gradually lose their nuclei and cytoplasms piled one on top of the
other. Long, thin wood vessels form when the membranes between
thecells dissolve and disappear.
Roots spreading out beneath the soil carry the water and minerals the
plant needs upward through these tissues and transmit them as far as
the leaves. The way the roots absorb the water in the ground is
literally reminiscent of the test bore technique. The roots have no
engines to initiate the water absorption process. Neither do they have
any technical equipment with which to pump water and minerals for
distances of up to several meters. Butthe roots absorb the water in
the depths of the soil by spreading over a very wide area.
This lifting process that the plant performs so flawlessly is in fact
an exceedingly complex one. Yet this system has still not yet been
fully understood, even in these days of high technology and space
travel. The present of a "hydraulic system: in plants was determined
some two centuries ago. But we still do not know how this action in
defiance of the force of gravity takes place. The superior technology
squeezed into such a confined space is just one of the examples
demonstrating the incomparable knowledge of our Lord the creator of
the system. Like everything in the universe, AlmightyAllah created the
transportation system in trees.
7
As seen in the picture to the left,wood consists of tube or
straw-shaped cells. By combining one on top of the other, these cells,
which make up the roots and trunks of plants, serve as channels that
carry water and minerals right through the plant. This tisue, known as
"xylem," also constitutes a powerful structure that enables the plant
to remain upright. To the right can be seen a slice of dry wood in
cross-section. Whendried out, the tube-like channelsbecome hollow, as
shown in theillustration.
Roots Capable of Selecting Minerals from the Soil:
Plants draw all the mineral nutrients they need, such as
potassium,phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and sulfur, from the soil.
Since the substances are not found seprately in the soil, they absorb
them asions (positive/negativelycharged atoms). Of all the many
inorganic ions in dissolved state in the soil, plants absorb only the
14 they need.
The iron concentration inside plant cells is 1,000 times greater than
that in the soil outside.8Under normal condition, an exchange of
matter from a high density region to a lower density one will take
place. But exactly the opposite happens in plant roots, and the ions
in the soil are easily ableto pass into the root cells.9
Because of this state of affairs that operates contrary to the
pressure system, the plant uses a high level of energy in the pumping
process. In addition, in the plant roots' taking up ions from the
soil, there needs to be an identification system that attracts only
the wanted ions and repels the unwanted ones. This shows that the ion
pumps in the root cells are no ordinary pumps, but possess the ability
toselect between ions. Bearing in mind that thecell in the plant roots
aremade up of atoms devoid of any intelligence or consciousness, one
can better see what an extraordinary process ion selection truly is.
Photosynthesis: The Superior Technology in aMiniature Factory
It is not only the wood and root parts of trees that cannot be
obtained by artificial means, but also the leaves. Most important of
the features that make leaves inimitable is their ability to make
photosynthesis. Photosynthesis, one of the systems that scientists
still do not fullyunderstand, may be summarized as plants
manufacturing their own nutrients. Thanks tothe structure in plant
cells that makes them able to make direct use of solar energy, they
store solar energy, at theend of various complex processes, in the
form of energy that can be used by human beings and animals. In
addition, the photosynthetic energy stored in trees is also given off
during burning. For example, the energy emitted by wood burned to heat
a house is actually energy from the Sun stored during the formation of
wood.10
The photosynthesis system, which operates like a miniature factory,
takes place in an organelle known as the "chloroplast" inside the
plant cell that gives the plant its green color. Chloroplasts are just
one-thousandth of a millimeter in size, for which reason they can only
be seen under the microscope. When solar energy falls on the leaf they
transmit it to the layers inside it. Chlorophyls inside the
choloplasts in the leaf cells convert this light energy into chemical
energy. The plant obtaining this chemical energy immediately usesit in
obtaining nutrients.It took scientists until the mid-20thcentury to
obtain this information summarized in just a fewlines here. Pages of
chain reactions are written to describe the whole process of
photosynthesis. But some links in the chain are still unknown. Yet
plants have been performing these processes uninterruptedly for
hundreds of millions of years, thus providing theEarth with food and
oxygen.
The chloroplast shown magnified in the illustration above is in fact
just one-thousandth of a millimeter in size. It contains many
organelles that assist with the process of photosynthesis.
Photsynthesis, which takes placein many stages, not all of which are
yet understood, takes place at high speed in these microscopic
factories.
The fact that not a singlecell constituting wood can be made by
artificialmeans, and human beings' helplessness in the face of dead
wood cells, shows the presece of a sublime Creator. Theproperties of
wood, about which many volumes could be written, their countless
aspects that so inspire scientists, all reveal the sublime knowledge
and intellect behind the creation of wood. This intelligence and
knowledge manifested in wood belongs to Almighty Allah, the Creator
and sole Lord of all things.
___________________________________________________
1 http://www.forestpathology.org /wood.html; Wood Chemistry and Anatomy, 2005.
2 http://www.forestresearch.gov. uk/fr/INFD-6FMCUS; The
ResearchAgency of the Forestry Commission, 2007.
3 Christophe Plomion, Gregoire Leprovost, Alexia Stokes, "Wood
Formation in Trees",Plant Physiology, December 2001, Vol. 127, pp.
1513–1523.
4 Uwe Schmitt, "Chaffey, N.J. ed. Wood formation in trees—cell and
molecular biology techniques",Annals of Botany, 2002, Vol. 90, no. 4,
pp. 545-546.
5 Julian Vincent, "Tricks of Nature",New Scientist, 17 August 1996,
Vol. 151, no. 2043, p. 39.
6 Julian Vincent, "Tricks of Nature",New Scientist, 17 August 1996,
Vol. 151, no. 2043, p. 40.
7 http://www.smddrums.com /woodcell.htm
8 Malcolm Wilkins,Plantwatching, Facts on File Publications, New York,
1988, p. 119.
9 William K. Purves, Gordon H. Orions, H. Craig Heller, Life,The
Science of Biology, 4th edition, W.H. Freeman and Company, p. 724.
10 http://www.montana.edu /wwwpb/pubs/mt8405.html; Michael Vogel,
"Heating with Wood: Principles of Combustion", 2003.

26 The People of the Garden are the Same Age: - (Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith) -

The fact that the people of the Garden are the same age is a great
blessing from Allah. Among people without deen, difference in age
often leads to discord and lack of communication. People often form
groups of persons of the same age in order to feel more relaxed among
themselves. Of course, this ought not to apply to Muslims. No matter
what age they may be, Muslims should understand one another very well
and form friendships with people of any age, older or younger than
themselves. The fact thatMuslims in the Garden are created the same
age as one another is another wonderful blessing from Allah. The
Messenger of Allah said that the age of the people of the Garden will
never change throughout eternity:
Whoever of the People of the Garden die, whether while young or old,
will be turned into young people of thirty years of age in the Garden,
never growing older than that. And thus will be the inmates of the
Fire… (Narrated by Abu Sa'id, Sunan Ibn Majah; at-Tirmidhi)
Another verse of the Qur'an points out that in the Garden the
believers'wives will be the same age as them:
We have brought maidens into being and made them purest virgins,
devoted, passionate, of like age. (Surat al-Waqi'a: 35-37)
...They will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in
them timelessly, for ever and ever. Allah is pleased with them and
they are pleased with Him. That is the Great Victory. (Surat
al-Ma'ida: 119)
Everything in the universe reflects Allah's infinite power and eternal
wisdom. He has created everything in this world as a test and events
in it ordinarily occur according to the laws of cause and effect that
human reason can grasp. So, when someone sees a fruit, he or she has
no doubt that it came from a seed that grew into a tree, bush orplant
which in turn yielded the fruit. According to the custom of Allah in
His creation, this is the cause of the fruit in this world. However,
it must be remembered that, if Allah wished, He could create the whole
universe independent ofcauses. Allah can create what He wants whenever
He wants without depending on any logical pattern and without the need
for any substance to create from. People should not be deceived by the
fact that in this world everything appears to depend on certain causes
and natural laws. As the Creator of all causes, Allah is completely
free of them. In the Garden creation will be freed from its need for
causes, and so afruit picked from a tree will immediately be replaced
by another, without any loss or decrease. Allah creates both causes
and effects. For example, when we look at the shade under a tree, we
know it is caused by the angle of the sun's rays. Light and shade are
effects of the sun, but Allah makes the sun the cause of light and
shade. This is revealed in the Qur'an:
Do you not see how your Lord stretches out shadows? If He had wished
He could have made them stationary. Then We appoint the sun to be the
pointer to them. Then We draw them back to Ourselves in gradual steps.
(Surat al-Furqan: 45-46)
It is as a result of the artistry of Allah that everything in this
world is created in a seeming cause-effect relationship. He can create
anything in a moment and in the form that He wants, or turn it into
any shape He desires. Allah created theuniverse from nothing, and, at
any time He desires He can dissolve the laws – the causes and effects
– that we struggle to grasp. In the Garden, faithful Muslims may ask
for anything they think will please them and, as soon as they ask for
it, they will have it, if Allah wills. Both they themselves and their
surroundings will be in the shape and form that they desire;
everything they desire will be granted and theywill live amid the
blessings that will give them the most delight and joy. This will not
be in order to supply any need, make up for a deficiency or repair a
flaw; it will be a wonderful blessing fromAllah simply for the delight
of the people of the Garden, and Allah knows best.
... You will have there all that your selves could wish for. You will
have there everything you demand.
(Surah Fussilat: 31)
Here is an example of this from the hadith:
A man asked the Prophet , "Messenger of Allah, are there any horses in
the Garden?" He replied: "If Allah makes you enter the Garden, if you
wish to ride in it on a horse made of red ruby that will fly you
wherever you wish you will do so." At this, another man asked,
"Messenger of Allah, are there any camels in the Garden?" but he did
not reply as he had to the first man. He said "If Allah makes you
enter the Garden you will find everything your self desires and that
is pleasing to your eye." (At-Tirmidhi; Al-Hafiz ibn ad-Dayba ash-
Shaybani, Taysir al-usul ila Jami al-usul, p. 431/14)
The everything your self desires and that is pleasing to your eye
mentioned in the hadith is not limited by this world's limitations or
our imaginations. In the Qur'an, Allah calls our attention to the
richness of His blessings: "… they will have there all that their
hearts desire and their eyes find delight in…" (Surat az-Zukhruf:
71)Other verses that tell us about this are the following:
… You will have there all that your selves could wish for. You will
have there everything you demand. (Surah Fussilat: 31)
… They will remain theretimelessly, for ever, among everything their
selves desire. (Surat al-Anbiya': 102)
There are many things we desire to do in this world but cannot do,
because of lack of time or because there is a riskinvolved. For
example, many people like dangerous sports such asdriving fast cars or
motorcycles, spending hours deep-sea diving orskiing on high
mountainslopes or sky-diving from great heights, but these are all
sports that put a person's life at risk.
Others want to play a musical instrument skilfully or wish they hada
special talent for painting. Besides talent, such things require
expertise and long periods of training. In the Garden, a person
canhave anything he wants and so he can even have the possibility to
do these things whenever he wants without any effort and without the
need for any talent, and Allah knows best.
Allah, exalted is He, in the Qur'an, and the Messenger of Allah tell
usthat everything the heart desires is possible if Allah wills.
Therefore, a person can enjoy unimaginable things in the next life
that are impossible to attain in this world. For example, it is not
possible in this world to fly on a horse but we are told in the hadith
that this is possible in the Garden. In one hadith the Messenger of
Allah says that people can fly if they want to:
If you are intended for the Garden and say "I would like to ride a
horse of red ruby," you will do so. If you say youwish to fly, you
will fly. (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al- Ahadith,
vol. 1, p. 149/5)
In another hadith, the Prophet spoke about theabundance of the
blessings in the Garden:
The Messenger of Allah said that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious,
said: "I have prepared for My slaves which no eye has seen, no ear
hasheard and has never occurred to a human heart …" (Narrated by Abu
Hurayra, Sahih Muslim, vol. 4)

25 Eternal Youth in the Garden: - (Jannah: The Garden from the Qur'an and Hadith) -

Those who are remote from the teachings of the Qur'an are even afraid
of growing old while young. They think about the sickness and
helplessness that old agebrings and are worried about whether or not
there will be someone tolook after them when they get to that point.
There are many people who have such anxieties,who look pessimistically
towards old age.
Gardens of Eden, whose gates will be open to them, where they will
recline, calling for plentiful fruit and drink; and there will be
dark-eyed maidens with them with eyes reserved for them alone. This is
what you are promised on the Day of Reckoning. (Surah Sâd: 50-53)
Beginning in our 20's cell renewal in our bodies slows down and our
skin starts to lose its former elasticity. With the passing years the
effects of ageing become visible. This worries people. They sorrow as
they watch their youth slip away. Of course, this scenario applies to
people who have no iman. Believers submit to Allah in all the
illnesses and weaknessesthey may encounter in this transitory world;
as an act of worship they accept everything that happens to them and,
unlike those who have no deen, they live their lives without regret or
fear and anxiety. Moreover, they realise that the good things of this
world are intrinsically flawed and that the real life is the timeless
life of the worldto come. And they make every effort hoping to attain
the Garden.
Life in this world is fleeting and temporary. Allah has already
createdall the real blessings of the Garden, just as He has already
created the torments of the Fire. On the Last Day He will grant the
blessings to Hisfaithful slaves. People in the Garden will always be
young, attractive, healthy and robust.
Ageless youths will circulate among them,serving them. Seeing them,
you would thinkthem scattered pearls. (Surat al-Insan: 19)
No matter how long an individual may live within the limitations of
this life, no matter how late the signs of ageing appear, and no
matter how healthy he is, his life will certainly come to an end one
day. However, Allah points out in the Qur'an as doesthe Prophet that
eternal youth will be one of the blessings of the Garden:
The people of the Garden will enter the Garden hairless on their
bodies, beardless and dark-eyed, aged thirty or thirty-three years
old. (Narrated by Mu'adh ibn Jabal, at-Tirmidhi)
The thirties are the best time of life when the personality matures
and facial features, and the manner of speaking and acting become
established. But we mustnot forget that youthful vigour in the Garden
is not the same as it is in this world. That is because under earthly
conditions even a youngperson can live in great helplessness.
Allah has made a new creation in the Hereafterfor the inmates of the
Garden without any flawor imperfection. In the Qur'an, Allah tells us
about this and in particular how the people of the Garden will be
served by eternally young people:
Ageless youths will circulate among them, serving them. Seeing them,
you would think them scattered pearls. (Surat al- Insan: 19)

Story, - Is this what everyone call as "MAGICAL" love???

It was when I was in class6, when I first noticed HIM.... He was then
in class 8.... 2 years older than me.....
It was at the time of our HOUSE ACTIVITY CLASS... In this period,
classes 6, 7 and 8 sat altogether....
My first day of class 6.... and also my first day of day
session....tooo much excited.....nervous too because of new teachers
and all....
At that time, my friends also got separated....all got different
sections and unfortunately, I got the section where no friends of mine
were present...I was all alone.
Back to the main incident, from that class, one more period was
extended, HOUSE ACTIVITY.It was the best period because in that I got
my old friends back. We were able to sit together again....
The first day, first class... we were all summoned in the assembly and
classes 6, 7 and 8 all together went there. We all sat in the chairs
according our roll no.s... and he sat just beside me.... He was the
head boy of classes 6, 7 and 8 and as he was maintaining discipline
allover so he dint hav to sit according to his roll no. That was the
first time when I actually noticed a boy so carefully..... FIRST
TIME....
Daily, the last period we had the House activity class and daily I
didn't know why, he came and sat just beside me....very close.....
Days passed by and the day came when my class 8 annual examination got over....
ooopsss! I forgot to tell inthis that within this two years, he always
sat beside me and every day I just waited for this house activity
class, not actually for my friends but for this stranger. Knowingly or
unknowing, I started liking him and then oviously LOVE.....
but the best part was thisI loved him without knowing him, or his name
either. Two years just passed by like a storm...nice one. It changed
me and made me believe that love existed.....
Then I was In class 9 and he 11.... Again house activity class... but
not daily, only Thursday last period. But he culdnt attain this period
every week, because of library classes. Even if he attained, he was no
morethe Head boy, so he had to sit according to roll no.which was very
far from me.....
Still every moment I felt him just beside me.... I truly was in his love....
Then the day arrived when I finally with all theguts I had sent him a
friend request and he accepted it instantly.....
We chatted a lot... and the day came when I proposed him, I can
remember it was in class 10, dated 12th September, 2012....
My best day and he accepted me.............
So my love life started, many ups and downs, break ups and patch
ups.... In this way 6 months went and I finallybroke up.
Now the reason behind it, he was very sweet, notat all caring, didn't
give me any priority. I was thelast in his priority list. When we were
in this relation, he forced me to kiss him and also forced me to be in
a physical relation. But I didn't. he started torturing me mentally.
Then the day came when I finally heard a story which was totally
unknown to me.....
When our relationship started, he said to his friends that he wanted
touse me and all.... and put a bet on it for money....#I don't want to
say the amount#
When we were together, he also had two more girlfriends.... they were
also there only for sex....
wow! great! when I heard it I was just like......
broken
When we were together, everytime we met, he just talked about doing
sex and all and even he left me alone, one evening, in heavy rain.....
though I always believed him, never argued with him, because I loved
him.....
I always admitted the fault, even everytime it was his
mistakes...still I loved him.
I started lying to my parents to meet him...... which I never did....
stil I loved him
he abused me in front of his friends.....still I loved him
he even threatened to slap me....stil I loved him
he showed up with different girls in differentoccasions......stil I loved him
he never admitted anywhere that I was his girlfriend......still I loved him
everytime he saw me in public, he behaved as if I was a
stranger.....stil I loved him
yes! I loved him, loved him like mad, loved him like nething and I got hurt
why? god, why? I don't know
now, my life changed.... I don't have ne blive in this love
anymore.... still I only love him.... :'(

Story, - My story

Hello every0ne i m tellingu my story. I joined fb 0n 2nd december 2012
therewas a guy who became my friend named syed i chated with him for
the 1st time he was very go0d guy but after that chat he went away
somewhere for 2 weeks but during those 2 weeksi met with an0ther guy
named zain he was also ago0d guy. Syed is 2 yearz eldr than me nd zain
is 9 yearz eldr than me. Aftr 2 weeks syed texted me again and he
chated withme and suddenly proposed me i didnt acept but later i
acepted he chated with me daily he was r0mantic but n0t sexy he always
kissed me in chat i guessed that he really loved me but than aftr
m0nth means in january zain also proposed me zain is to0 much sexy he
always tried to do sex wd me buti always made excuses but aftr
s0metimes syed got change and he didnt chat with me he came 0nline nd
went away but didnt chat with me means he was ign0ring me. Then i
decided for break up and i aceptd zain's proposal and told syed that i
love an0ther guy he didnt replied me nd i guessed that he was
flirting. But aftr 14 days on 14th febuary he said me that he loves me
but i didnt replied but n0w still he texts me calls me on my cell. I
am in love with zain but i think i also like syed... So what i should
do for syed? :-(

Fathwa, - Reconciling between twodefinitions of Islam

Question
assalamu alaykum My Question: On the one hand we have the definition
of islam from shaykh muhammad ibn abdilwahhab)Rahimahullaah( in usul
al thalatha: ,,Islam is submission to Allah through Tawhid, obedience
to His command, and disavowalof Shirk and its people." And on the
other hand, the prophet sall-llaahu alaihi wa sallam said in the
hadith of jibreel:,,Islam is that you witness that there is no god but
Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and you establish
the prayer, and you give the Zakat, and you fast Ramadan, and you
perform the hajj of the House if you are able to take a way to it."
how is that to understand? please give me a detailed answer. Shukran!
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.
We can reconcile between the two mattersby saying that the definition
ofShaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul Wahhaabin his book Al-Usool
Ath-Thalaathah)Three Fundamental Principles( is about Islam in general
which is the comprehensive religion of Islam, Eemaan )faith(, and
Ihsaan )perfection and excellence of worship( while the Hadeeth is
about Islam in its particular meaning. Therefore, he said after the
stated definition: "There are three degrees of Islam, which are:
Islam,Eemaan and Ihsaan. Each of them has its certain pillars."
Nevertheless, the definition ofShaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul Wahhaabis
derived from what was mentioned in the stated Hadeeth and that
ofJibreel)Gabriel(. That is because whoever bears witness that there
is none worthyof worship besides Allaahhas disassociated himself from
Shirk )polytheism(, submitted himself to Tawheed )monotheism(, and
whoever fulfills the remaining pillars such as prayer and the like has
submitted himself to obedience.
It was stated in Sharh At-Tahaawiyyah byIbn Jibreen: "The meaning of
Islam according to Sharee'ah terminology is very close to its
linguistic meaning.Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul Wahhaab,defined it at
the beginning of Al-Usool saying:"Islam is to submit to Allaah by
affirming that He is One, and to surrender to Him by obeying Him and
disavowing Shirk and its people.That is the meaning of Islam which is
very close to its linguistic meaning whichis submission and surrender.
As for its meaning according to Sharee'ah terminology, nothing is
clearer than the definition which the Prophet, gave by naming these
five pillars because they are the bestproof for one's submission,
surrender and commitment, for whoever adheres firmly to those pillars,
he will surrender to his Lord andwill not disobey Him and he will do
them with clear submissiveness as if he is led by reins."Allaah Knows
best.

Fathwa, - Son's obligation to provide for his mother

Question
Assalamu alaykum, Dear Sheikh, My mother is living with my sister as
it is the tradition in our community. My mother is not willing to give
the inheritance share that belongs to me and is planning to give to my
sister. I had been providing monthly expenses to my mother. Is it
obligatory in Islam for me to give monthly expenses to my mother since
she did not give my right and is living with my sister who is well
off?.When my wife met with an accident, my mother did not lend any
help to us although I have two kids and we were suffering. There were
conflict between my wifeand mother prior to the accident. Considering
all this, please advise if it is obligatory to continue to provide
monthly expenses for my mother.
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 your mother is in need,then you are obligated toprovide for her.
Providing for her is not obligatory on you only; rather, it is
obligatory on every rich one of her children according to his/her
ability as we havepointed out in Fatwa 90246.
If the mother is not in need, then providing for her is not
obligatory, but treating her kindly is Islamically required in all
cases. However if you provide for her, even if she is not in need for
that, you will gain her pleasure and avoid her evil. Moreover, this
actually entails great goodness in this world and the Hereafter. The
Prophet, said: "The pleasure of the Lord is in the pleasure of the
parent and the anger of the Lord is in the anger of the
parent."]At-Tirmithi[
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 92093.
As for what you have stated that she wants to prevent you from
pursuing your inheritance, then if you mean that she has bequeathed to
deny you the right to inherit, then it is an invalid will that should
not be carried out. But if she wants to distribute her estate in her
lifetime as a gift for her children, and she is completely sane and
not terminally ill, then it is permissible for her to do so on
condition that justice should be observed among them, i.e. it is not
permissible toprefer some of them overothers for no legitimate excuse.
For more benefit, kindly refer to Fataawa 124046, 159237and 94685.
As for the conflict between your mother and your wife, then this form
of conflict occurs frequently. Actually, if thetwo spouses adopt a
wiseapproach, they will be able to get over that problem and find a
suitable solution for it. It is incumbent upon the husband not to
favor his mother over his wife or vice versa. Rather, he should give
each her due.

Fathwa, - Brothers have no right todeny their sister the rightto inherit

Question
A father left behind wife, two sons and a daughter.He had by Hibah
gave his farm land to both sons without giving anything to daughter.
Further he put big house and other commercial land in name of his
wife. He also left big cash in his account. both sons being elder to
the daughter, they did not discuss about inheritance for last 8 years.
She was under good impression that both being religious minds, will
not deprive her of Allah gifted rights on fathers property. Can father
avoid his only daughter from the Hibah and can brothers depriveher of
her of inheritance rights?
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.
What that father has done of giving a gift to his sons and denying his
daughter is an injustice in gift-giving which is not permissible. It
was obligatory upon him to treat his sons and daughters fairly when it
comes to gift-giving.
However, as long as that father passed away, then that gift is valid
and takes effect by his death and cannot be annulled unless the two
sons seek to achieve justice in that gift and that would indeed be a
good thing. Zaad Al-Mustaqni' )a Hanbali book( reads: "It is
obligatory to treat children justly in gift-giving according to their
shares of inheritance. However, if some of them are given more or
less, then the parent has to fulfill justice either by annulling the
gift or by increasing the share of those who were given less than
their fair share, but if he/she died before doing that, then it )that
gift( takes effect." ]End quote[
As for the two sons who denied that daughter theright to inherit from
her father, then they have noright to do that; rather, her share is
confirmed bythe Book of Allaah The Almighty and no one has the right
to deny her thatright.
Finally, please take note that the big house which that man registered
in his wife's name should be reconsidered. If she had owned and
possessed it from him before his death, then it is a valid gift that
should be fulfilled. But if she did not possess it before his death
and he only registered it in her name so that she would take it after
his death, then it is an invalid will unless all the heirs agree to it
willingly.
Allaah Knows best.

Contentment is Bliss

Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqaastraveled to Makkah after he had become blind. Upon
his arrival the people hastened to him and kept on asking him to make
supplication for them, and he did, as Allaah always accepted his
supplication. 'Abdullaah ibn As-Saa'ibsaid, "I came to him when I was
still a young boy and became acquainted with him, so he knew me and
said to me, 'Are you the one whorecites the Quran for the people of
Makkah?' I replied, 'Yes.' Then I asked him, 'You supplicate to Allaah
for all the people, so why do you not supplicate to Allaah for
yourself so thatHe would cure you?' He smiled, and said, 'O son! The
decree of Allaah is better for me than my sight.'"
This is the satisfaction that the Companionsadjusted themselves to,
and the decree of Allaah The Almighty became more beloved to them than
their desires, and sothey loved nothing more than what Allaah the
Almighty had decreed. 'Umar ibn 'Abd Al-'Azeezsaid, "I do not want
anything except what Allaah The Almighty decrees." What confirms the
importance of this satisfaction is that the Prophetwould ask Allaah
The Almighty to grant him satisfaction with His decree, and it is
well-known that the Prophetonly asked Allaah The Almighty for the
highest ranks. Satisfaction is sincerely giving precedence to all that
Allaah The Almighty has ordained, without being hesitant or objecting.
This is exactly what the righteous predecessors sought and strived
for. They were fully content in matters pertaining to their fate and
what Allaah The Almighty had inscribed in the Preserved Slate and
never desired anything contrary to what He had decreed for them.
However, as for matters of religion that pertain toHis orders or
prohibitions, one must always progress and aspire to what is better.
The righteous predecessorswould advise each other to be satisfied and
get used to it as they knew its high rank. 'Umar )Al-Faarooq(wrote to
Abu Moosa Al-Ash'arisaying, "All that is good lies in satisfaction. If
you are able to be satisfied, please do so, otherwise, be patient."
Luqmaanwould advise his son, saying, "I advise you to be endowed with
certaincharacteristics that would bring you closer toAllaah The
Almighty and would keep you away from His dissatisfaction: to worship
Allaah The Almighty Alone without associating any other deity with
Him, and to besatisfied with His decree in anything that you like or
dislike." The one who adjusts himself to this would lead a good life
as distress and worries would not reach his heart. Indeed, how could
that be when Allaah The Almighty has become pleased with him, and
hewith Allaah? Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}Whoever does
righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We
will surely cause him to live a good life,{]Quran 16:97[ Some of the
righteous predecessorsinterpreted "good life" asa life of satisfaction
and contentment.
Once, 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaabbecame angry with his wife 'Aatikahand said
to her, "By Allaah, I will upset you." She said, "Canyou drive me away
from Islam after Allaah The Almighty has guided me to it?" He replied,
"No." She then said, "Then howcan you upset me?" She meant by that
that she was satisfied with the decree of Allaah The Almighty, and
that nothing could have brought her distress except being driven away
from Islam, and there is no way 'Umarcould ever have done that.
There are three conditions for being trulysatisfied with Allaah The Almighty:
First: Being content at times of both blessings and afflictions alike,
as one believes that Allaah the Almighty chooses what is best for him.
This is what happened with some of the righteous predecessorsas they
were patient and satisfied when they wereafflicted with hardship. When
Sulaymaan ibn Al-Ghaaziwent to condole 'Umar ibn 'Abd Al-'Azeezupon
the death of his son, 'Abd Al-Malik, 'Umarsaid to him, "I seek
Allaah's refuge from wanting something that is contrary to what He
likes,as this does not change the affliction and His good treatment of
me." Itwas narrated on the authority of Ibraaheem An-Nakhaa'ithat
UmmAl-Aswad was paralyzed and her daughter grieved, so she told her
"Do not be sad. O Allaah, if this is something good then please
increase it."
Second: Abandoning disputes unless they are related to any of the
rights of Allaah The Almighty or His Prophet. Having conflict with
others for the sake of one's desires drives satisfaction away,
disturbs its purity and alters its sweetness.
Third: Refraining from continually asking of people. Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:}An ignorant]person[ would think them
self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by
their]characteristic[ sign. They do not ask people persistently ]or at
all[. And whatever you spend of good - indeed, Allah is Knowing of
it.{]Quran 2:273[
Regarding this trait, Thawbaannarrated that the Prophetsaid:"Who will
guarantee me this trait so that I will guarantee him
Paradise?"Thawbaan said, "I." The Prophetreplied:"Do not ask people
for anything."After that, he never askedanyone for anything, even if
his whip fell whileriding, he would get off and pick it up himself
without asking anyone to hand it to him.]Ahmad[
Satisfaction is the Peak ofFaith
Abu Ad-Dardaa'said, "There are four traits at the peak of faith:
patience, satisfaction with destiny, sincerity in reliance, and
submission to Allaah The Almighty." Ibn Al-Qayyimsaid: "Satisfaction
is one of thedeeds of the heart that is the equivalent of Jihaad,
which is one of the deedsof the limbs ]body[, for each one of them is
the peak of Faith."
Deprivation is in fact a Blessing from Allaah The Almighty
Sufyaan Ath-Thawrisaid that if Allaah The Almighty deprives His
servant of something, it is in fact a blessing; whenAllaah The
Almighty deprives His slave, it is not because He is miserly or unable
to give, but because He chooses whatis best for His believing slave,
and for a certain wisdom. Allaah The Almighty never decrees anything
bad for His believing slave, whether that decree brings happiness or
misery to the slave. Thus, even when Allaah The Almighty deprives His
believing slave, it is in fact a blessing, and the affliction is for
his well-being, even if it is inthe form of an affliction. Due to the
ignorance of the slave and his injustice, he considers that bliss is
the only thingto give him pleasure in the worldly life. If man was
truly knowledgeable, he would have considered all that Allaah The
Almighty decreed as a blessing. This was the state of the righteous
predecessors. The slave will never find the sweetness of faith
exceptthrough this. The Prophetsaid:"Whoever is content with Allaah as
a God, Islam as a religion and Muhammad as a messenger, has certainly
felt the sweetness of faith."
O Allaah! Make us satisfied with Your decree and bless our destiny so
that we would not wish to hasten something that You have delayed or
delay something that You have hastened.

The Dilemma of Ill Thoughts

The disease of ill thoughts is one of the most fatal diseases that can
destroy individuals and communities. Once it becomes deep-rooted in
the soul of man, it destroys all ties of intimacy and affection and
incites hatred and resentment. Some people, whose hearts aremorally
diseased, only look at others through dark glasses. For them,
allpeople are, by default, suspects, or even guilty.
There is no doubt that having ill thoughts aboutothers contradicts the
teachings of the Noble Quran, the Sunnah and the guidance of the
righteous predecessors. Allaah The Almighty Says)what means(:}O you
who have believed, avoid much ]negative[ assumption. Indeed, some
assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of
you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest
it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and
Merciful.{]Quran 49:12[
The Prophetsaid:"Beware of ill thoughts, for ill thoughts represent
the worst of false speech.Do not look for other's faults. Do not spy
on one another."The Prophetalso taught Muslims how to think well of
others. A man came to him and said, "My wife has delivered a black
baby)and I suspect that he is not my child(." The Prophetasked
him:"Have you got camels?"The man said, "Yes." The Prophetasked:"What
is their color?"The man said, "They are reddish)brown(." The
Prophetasked:"Are any of them grey?"He said, "There aregrey ones among
them." The Prophetasked:"From where do you think this color came to
them?"The man said, "It probably resulted from hereditary
disposition." The Prophetsaid:"Similarly, this )your child( might be a
hereditary disposition."]Muslim and Al-Bukhaari, with the wording of
Muslim[
The righteous predecessorsavoided this evil quality. Theywould seek
excuses for Muslims to the extent that some of them would say, "I seek
seventy excuses for my brother's misdeed, then I say that he might
have an excuse that I do not know about." Why we donot follow the
example of the righteous predecessorsin this regard? Those who think
ill of Muslims follow the example of the man who said to the
Prophet"This division is not based on justice and it was not intended
to win the pleasure of Allaah," when he was referring tosome wealth
that the Prophethad divided and distributed.
Some scholars divided ill thoughts into two types, both of which are
from the grave major sins:
Ill thoughts about Allaah: This type is one of the most heinous crimes
and sins because it attributes to Allaah what is improper for His
generosity and benevolence.
Ill thoughts about Muslims: This type is also a grave major sin
because whoever judges his brother based on ill thoughts, the devil
will make him belittle his brother, deny his rights, slander him and
spy on him. Obviously, all of these things are forbidden destructive
acts. Some scholars have said, "If you see a person who always thinks
ill of people and seeks to expose their faults, you should know that
he is an evil person. The believer always seeks excuses for others
because he is good and righteous, whereas, the hypocrite searches for
the faults and defects of others given his evil nature."
Hence, dear Muslim, beware of ill thoughts. We advise you to
supplicate to Allaah to protect you from them. If you cannot dismiss
your ill thoughts, then the least you can do is to remain silent and
avoid speaking about them. If you manage to get rid of these ill
thoughts, then you would have escaped a grave danger. Otherwise,
perhaps you will not be saved.

Ostentation

There is an abundance ofproof in the Quran and Sunnah regarding the
impermissibility of ostentation; and those who show off are often
dispraised, as when Allaah The Almighty Said)what means(:}So woe to
those who pray*]But[ who are heedless of theirprayer -*those who
makeshow ]of their deeds[{]Quran 107:4-6[; and,}So whoever would hope
for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not
associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.{]Quran 18:110[. Allaah
The Almighty also says, in a Divine Hadeeth: "I have absolutely no
need of partners; and he who performs a deed whereinhe associates
others with Me, I will forsake him andhis partner."
The Prophetsaid:"What I fear most for youis minor Shirk)associating
partners withAllaah The Almighty(."The Companionsaskedwhat that was,
so he replied:"Ostentation."
Further, on the Day of Judgment, when Allaah The Almighty will judge
people for their deeds, He will tell them to: "]g[o to those whom you
used to impress, in order to gain their praise; see if you will find
your recompense there."
That is why, when Abu Umaamahsaw a man weeping in prostration in the
mosque, he asked him: "Would you do the same if you were at home?"
Causes of ostentation
In Arabic, ostentation is Riyaa', which is derived from the noun
Ru'yah, which means vision. Perhaps that is so, because the essence of
pretension is seeking praise and high status in the eyes of people, by
showing them one's good characteristics. This is manifest in many, but
chiefly five, external aspects, which include every action by which a
person tries to be admired by others: in one's body, clothing, words,
deeds and friends.
If we consider religious ostentation, then a person shows off by his
or her body, by having a bony figure, so as to seem to people as
persevering in worship, being seriously concerned with matters of
religion and deeply fearing the Hereafter. As for appearance and
clothing, a person may sometimes keep his or her hair unkempt, lower
the head while walking, have a slow gait that suggests humbleness
andmake sure to retain the mark on the forehead that is caused by
prostration. In speech, people's pretension is apparent when they may
constantly admonish people regarding mattersof their religion; they
may also utter words of wisdom to show their concern with the affairs
of the righteous and move their lips in Thikr)remembrance of Allaah
The Almighty( in the presence of people. An example of ostentation
indeeds occurs when a person lengthens the standing, bowing or
prostration in prayers, or lowers the head in apparent submission
andabsolute concentration, such that he or she does not look around
while praying. Many may also show off their acquaintances, by, for
instance, hosting a scholar, so that people talk about the visit.
Objectives of the ostentatious
A flamboyant person always has an ulterior motive for his or her
behavior, whether it is toobtain a certain status or some other
purpose. It may be of varying degrees:
He or she may be showing off in order to gain power that enables him
or her to commit sins. For example, a person may appear to be pious
and conscious of Allaah The Almighty, in order to be known for
trustworthiness, and consequently assume a position of authority over
the treasury, so that he or she could steal as much of it as feasible.
This is the most detested kind of ostentation in thesight of Allaah
The Almighty, because it takes obedience as a pretext to disobedience.
Obedience may be exhibited to obtain a lawful pleasure of this life,
such as wealth or marriage. A person with such a behavior pretendsto
have knowledge and piety, to encourage people to marry him or her or
trust him or her with their wealth. This is also forbidden, though on
a lesser scale than the previous one, because the person seeks the
permitted pleasures of the worldly life by means of showing obedience
to Allaah The Almighty.
A person may not aim at obtaining the pleasures of life such as money
or marriage, but worships Allaah The Almighty in front of people, to
prevent them from looking down on, or thinking of, him or her asbeing
inferior and not as distinguished in worship as ascetics, but as only
one of the common people.
Hidden ostentation
Pretension can be either apparent or hidden. The evident kind is what
motivates and urges manto do good deeds, even ifhe desires by them the
reward of Allaah The Almighty as well. The hidden type is the
ostentation that does notactually motivate one to perform an act of
worship which was originally intended for the Sake of Allaah The
Almighty, but makes it easier. For instance, a person may be
accustomed to performing voluntary prayers every night, while feeling
that it is heavy and difficult; however, when a guest visits, the same
worship seems lighter and a person feels more active.
Another manifestation of unseen ostentation is when people conceal
their worship but love that others meet them with smiles and
reverence, praise them, hasten in fulfilling their needs, show
partiality to them in trade by offeringspecial prices and make place
for them; and if that is not done for them,they become greatly
offended.
Sincere worshippers, however, fear this type of pretension and attempt
to conceal their worship more than sinners try to hide their
immorality and wrongdoings. Their every effort is based in the hope
that they are sincerely performing their good deeds for the Sake of
Allaah The Almighty, hoping for His reward for that, being fully aware
that such deeds are the only type accepted by Him on the Day of
Resurrection, when they will be in dire need of Him.
Cure of ostentation
Since ostentation invalidates good deeds and causes the pretentious
person to be detested by Allaah The Almighty, it is one of the
destructive sins a person should try his or her best to cure within
oneself. Indeed, anything with such serious consequences must be
treated, so a Muslim mustdo one of two things:
Uproot the foundation ofostentation, namely, love of praise,
abhorrence of criticism and the desire to obtain what others possess.
These three factors that prompt people to become affected, can only be
treated when a person realizes the harm of pretension, which is that
it causes a decline in the righteousness of the heart and deprivation
from success in the worldly life and of an honorable status with
Allaah The Almighty in the Hereafter; this, along with the
inevitability of punishment, His abhorrence as well as people's and
evident disgrace. Thus, when we compare the pleasure wewill obtain
from the attitudes of people toward us, with what we will have to
forego in theHereafter and the invalidation of our good deeds,
abandoning ostentation will become as easy for us, as it is for a
person who knows how delicious honey is, but leaves it if it contains
poison.
Try to thwart any rising urge or incentive to be showy during worship,
because though we may strive to cut off the roots of ostentation and
pay no attention to any praise, or lack thereof, byothers, Satan will
not leave us and will cast pretentious thoughts in our hearts while we
are busy in worship. Therefore, if the notion of people knowing of our
obedience crosses our mind, we must dismiss it by reminding ourselves
that it holds no importance as long as Allaah The Almighty knows our
intention and that we have no need foranyone to know. On the other
hand, if we happento long to bask in other's approval, we must
remember what it is that entices us toward ostentation and that its
only outcome would be that we will be susceptible to the Wrath of
Allaah The Almighty and loss in the Hereafter.
Quitting obedience for fear of ostentation
Some people stop performing a good deed out of fear that it may be a
pretentious act on theirpart; however, that is a mistake. Not only
does it fulfill Satan's wish, it is a pretext for laziness and
abandoning what is good. As long as the motivation for a deed is
sincere, sound and in accordance with Sharee'ah, a person must not
stop doing it becauseof fear of ostentation. Rather, he or she should
counter such thoughts and humble him/herself in front of Allaah The
Almighty, replacing like of people's praise with His love.
Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadhsaid: "Doing good deeds for the sake of people
is Shirk and quitting]them[ for their sake is ostentation; and
sincerityis when Allaah The Almighty protects you from both." Someone
else once said: "If a person abandons good deeds out of fear of
pretension, he ]or she[ has renounced both good acts and sincerity."

Dought & clear - If he does ghusl following a wet dream, maniy continues to comeout of him during the prayer.

May Allah reward you with good for answering my question, but I think
that it needs further explanation of the issue of sprinkling hot water
on the privatepart, because the wet dream occurred at the time of 'Asr
prayer, and Ihave a problem, which is that maniy and even madhiy
continue to come out for a considerable period after they are first
emitted. It often happens with me that one of them is emitted at the
time of prayer, whether that is because of thinking or because of a
wet dream, but in order not to miss the prayer, I sprinkle hot water
(on my private part) so that whatever isleft will come out. Please
note that I do notfeel any desire when I use this method. Now I am
going to make up the fast of that day that I told you about, in sha
Allah, but what should I do if maniy continues tocome out whilst I am
praying? Should I pray in that case?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
We appreciate this further explanation and we ask Allah, may He be
exalted, to help us and you avoid reprehensible words and actions.
Secondly:
If it does not come out continually all the time, then it does not
come under the ruling on incontinence; rather it invalidates wudoo' as
soon as it comes out, even if that happens during the prayer. The one
who is faced with that should stop praying,do wudoo' and then repeat
the prayer. He also has to do wash off whatever has gotten onto him if
what came out was urine or madhiy, because they are both najis
(impure), unlike maniy which is taahir (pure).
But the one who is praying should not interrupt his prayer unless he
is certain that something has come out of him, because the basic
principle is that he remains in a state of purity, and that which is
certain cannot be changed by mere doubt or uncertainty.
If maniy came out of a person and he did ghusl for that, then more
cameout but without desire, then he does not have todo ghusl again,
but it does invalidate his wudoo'.
See:ash-Sharh al-Mumti', 1/337
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked:
If I do wudoo' for every prayer and then go out to the mosque, I
always emit madhiy; can I pray, knowing that if I take a bath and go
out, madhiy will come out without desire. So do I have to take a bath
every time?
They replied:
If that comes out of you continually, then it comes under the same
ruling as incontinence, and you have to do wudoo' for every prayer
when the time for it begins, then your prayerwill be valid even if it
comes out whilst you arepraying. If it does not happen frequently with
you, then you have to dowudoo' as prescribed forprayer, after washing
the penis and testicles. But you do not have to do ghusl (take a bath)
for that. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 5/413
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: When I
finish wudoo' and go to pray, I feel that a drop of urine comes out of
the penis; what should I do?
He replied: What you should do is pay no attention to that and ignore
it, as the Muslim scholars have enjoined. Do not pay any attentionto
it and do not go and look at your penis to see if anything came out or
not. If you seek refuge with Allah from the accursed Shaytaan and
ignore it, it will go away,by Allah's leave. But if you are absolutely
certain about it, then it is essential to wash whatever the urine has
gotten onto and repeat your wudoo'. Some people, if they feel any
coolness on the head of the penis, think that something has come
out.So if you are certain, then do what I have toldyou. What you have
mentioned is not incontinence, because it stops and starts, whereas
incontinence is ongoing and continual. But this happens after movement
and one or two drops come out; thisis not incontinence, because once a
couple of drops have come out, it stops. In this case, he should wash
it off and do wudoo' again. He should always do this, and he should be
patientand seek reward with Allah.
End quote fromLiqa' al-Baab al-Maftooh, 15/184
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - Prayer of an elderly person who has reached the stage of senility.

My mother is 61 years old and she is looking after my grandfather who
has reached the age of 90-odd. A long time ago he began to lose his
mind and he started imagining things that are not real. He has no
sense of time, and when he gets up to pray and we tell him that it is
time for Zuhr, for example, we find him praying Maghrib or Fajr. He
calls out to my mother in the middle of the night, telling her to get
up and make him breakfast or help him get up to pray 'Asr, for
example. My question is:Does my grandfather have to pray or is it
waived in his case?
My grandfather sometimes calls my mother repeatedly for no reason, and
sometimes he asks her what time it is and sometimes he tells her some
historical story. My mother is also getting onin years and she cannot
keep getting up and going to his room. If she is certain that he does
not need anything and that she has met all his needs of food, wudoo',
prayer etc, can she refrain from answering him without incurring sin?
Especially since he calls her a lot in the middle of the night.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If the matter is as you describe, then your grandfather is not obliged
to pray, becauseof his losing his mind, The Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The Penhas been lifted from
three: from the sleeping person until he wakes up, from the minor
until he grows up, and from the insane person until he comes to his
senses." Narrated by Abu Dawood (4403), al-Tirmidhi (1423), al-Nasaa'i
(3432) and IbnMaajah (2041). Abu Dawood said: It was narrated by Ibn
Jurayj from al-Qaasim ibn Yazeed from 'Ali (may Allaah be pleased with
him) from the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
andhe added: "And the one who is senile." This hadeeth was classed as
saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh Abi Dawood.
Senility refers to when a person loses his mind as the result of
reaching a great age. It is stated in'Awn al-Ma'boodthat thereport
which mentions senility is da'eef (weak) because of the isnaad, but
something which suggests that the meaning is valid was narrated from
al-Subki. Al-Subki said: Senility may be added to these three, and it
is valid. What is meant thereby isan elderly man who has lost his mind
due to his great age. An old man may become confused and unable to
distinguish things, which may mean that heis no longer accountable,
but he is not described as insane, because an insane person may be
treated whereas a senile person cannot be treated. Henceit does not
say in the hadeeth "until he recovers", because in most cases he
cannot recover from it, until he dies. If he does recover from it
sometimes and comes back to his senses,then he is accountable again.
End quote.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) explained that
senility means that one is no longer accountable: Fasting is not
obligatory unless certain conditions are met: one, being of soundmind;
two, being an adult; three, being Muslim; four, being able to do it;
five, not being atraveller; six, being free of menses and postpartum
bleeding (nifaas) in the case of women.
1 – Being of sound mind,the opposite of which is having lost one's
mind, whether that is due to insanity or senility, i.e., old age, or
because of an accident which has caused one to lose one's mind and
sense of awareness. Such a person is not obliged to do anything
because he has lost his mind. Based on this, the old man whohas
reached the stage of senility is not obliged to fast or feed poor
persons instead, becausehe lost all sense of reason. Similarly the
onewho loses consciousness due to an accident etc is not obliged to
fast or feed poor persons instead, because he is not of sound mind.
End quote fromLiqa' al-Baab il-Maftooh.
To conclude, the person who has reached the stage of senility and has
no sense of time and cannot distinguish between the prayers is not
obliged to pray.
Secondly:
If your mother has takencare of what your grandfather needs, such as
food and drink, etc, and she thinks it most likely that his calling
for her is not due to some need, and it is just because of his
senility, then there is no sin on her if she does not answer him,
especially since that is causing her hardship.
And Allaah knows best.