A Guide For Intending Pilgrims

NIYYAH
1. The person who intends to perform Hajj must do so with the express
niyyah of attaining Allah's Pleasure, and to fulfil one's fardh, and
also to diligently carry out the Commands of Allah and His Rasool
sallallahu alayhi wasallam. The rewards for deeds depend greatly on
the niyyah that is formed. Sincerity is extremely important.
2. The 'ibaadah of Hajj has the exclusive status of being fardh only
once a lifetime, for those who can afford it. It is therefore
important that the sincerity of intention must be given due regard. In
other 'ibaadaat and devotions it is possible to gradually develop
ikhlaas, whereas the time available for Hajj is usually limited. The
need for ikhlaas is vital because a fardh Hajj can never be repeated.
During your journey to Hajj a concerted effort towards developing this
all important sincerity must be made.
3. It is important that Hajj should be kept free of ulterior and
worldly motives. Joining worldly objectives with religious aims is
like adding water to milk. There are three types of adulteration which
are possible in the performance of Hajj; To ruin the Hajj even before
departing from home by having a desire to be called a haji, and using
haraam or doubtful earnings for this 'ibaadah. To engage in improper
acts while performing Hajj e.g. to commit sins during the time that
one is engaged in the performance of Hajj, to have arguments, not to
make tawbah (repentance). To complete the Hajj and then to indulge in
such deeds that defile the Hajj, e.g. to neglect the fardh salaat, to
indulge in sin etc. Perform the Hajj with all its aadaab and
requisites, for anything done in keeping with this is well
accomplished.
4. While in Hajj do not do things to display to others. Do not
announce your Hajj to all and sundry. (To avoid riyaa which is to show
off and act to gain fame). On returning from Hajj do not emphasize the
difficulties which may have been endured, instead turn your attention
towards the eternal benefits and rewards you will receive. One must
understand that the difficulties endured during this sacred journey
are insignificant compared to the high position one will receive in
jannah.
TAWBAH
5. Before beginning one's journey repent sincerely. Perform two
rakaats nafl with the niyyah of tawbah. The effect of sincerely
repenting and then proceeding for hajj will be, that one will be
favoured by Allah Ta'ala and blessed with the strength to continually
do good deeds.
6. Develop a relationship with the pious person for guidance. This
will assist you in making a true and sincere tawbah.
FULFILMENT OF DEBT
7. If you have monetary debt or are responsible for any moral
transgression, then fulfil your debt or have it waived, and have your
moral violations forgiven. It is important that one settles all
outstanding matters and transactions, and has his faults and
shortcomings forgiven.
8. All amaanaat (trusts) and anything borrowed must be returned. A
detailed and final will must be made regarding all important matters.
EDUCATION
9. It is compulsory for a person who wishes to perform Hajj to learn
the necessary masaail well before the time of Hajj. When a firm
intention is made then first learn the necessary masaail, or acquire
these from a reliable and recognized aalim (scholar).
DEPARTURE
10. Depart with happiness from home. A Hajj which is performed with a
feeling of love and keenness is conducive to religious upliftment.
Inconvenience during travel should not hamper this love and keenness.
11. Perform two rakaats nafl before departing. Take care that this
salaat is not performed during the makrooh times. Give some sadaqah to
the poor before leaving home and also after commencing your journey.
12. Ask your near and dear ones, neighbours and friends to overlook
and forgive your shortcomings. Make a request for their du'aa. Make
musafahah (shake hands) using both hands when leaving. Do not make
musafahah with non-mahrams (those of the opposite sex whom you can
marry).
13. Be at your best behaviour amongst your companions. Assist them in
their needs. The person who helps his companions on this journey will
be regarded as a mujaahid (one who strives to uplift Islaam).
IBAADAH
Salaat, Du'aa, Tawaaf and Tilaawat
14. Take great care and be punctual in the performance of all salaat
with jama'at whilst visiting the sacred places. Do not delayany salaat
at all.
15. After every salaat beseech from Allah ta'aalaa that He grant you a
mabroor Hajj (one that is accepted and free from sin). A Hajj which is
full of Allah ta'aalaa's Blessings and Favours.
16. A haji is fortunate in being present at the various sacred places
where du'aa are assured acceptance. Therefore repeatedly ask Allah
ta'aalaa for your needs of this world and the Hereafter. Your du'aa
must be appropriate and made with respect and humbleness. Do not ask
for meaningless and unrighteous things.
17. There are three persons whose du'aa are assured acceptance; the
oppressed, the traveller and the father's du'aa for his son, (meaning
children).
18. The qadhaa (fulfilment in arrears) of 'ibaadaat which are owing to
Allah ta'aalaa should be correctly fulfilled or compensated.
19. The reward for one salaat in the Masjidul Haraam ( Makkah) is
100,000 fold (with jama'at 2,700,000). The reward for salaat in the
Masjidun Nabawi (Madeenah) is 50,000 fold. Each good deed done in
Makkah is equivalent in reward to 100,000 good deeds done elsewhere.
20. Whenever entering either of the two masjidor any other masjid,
form a niyyah for nafl i'tikaaf.
21. Your stay in the Masjidul Haraam and Masjidun Nabawi must be with
utmost dignity and honour.
22. Perform as many tawaaf, umrah and nafl salaat as you can and make
du'aa that the thawaab (reward) of this be presented to Rasoolullah
sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
23. Complete the Qur'aan at least once in each of the two Holy Masjid,
i.e. Makkah and Madeenah.
24. Perform nafl salaat with the niyyah of expressing one's gratitude
to Allah ta'aalaa.
MAKKAH MUKARRAMAH
25. During your stay in Makkah abundantly increase your recital of the
Kalimah Tayyibah: Laa'ilaha il lal'lahu·, and istighfar:
'Astaghfirullah·.
26. If you desire, give an excellent gift to your near dear ones,
friends who are living, and especially those who have passed away. The
gift of the rewards of tawaaf and umrah will please their souls very
much. There will be no reduction from your own reward for these acts.
27. Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam has said that the water of
Zamzam will have the desired effect of whatever intention is made at
the time of drinking Zamzam. Zamzam should be drunk with the intention
of quenching the thirst of the Day of Qiyaamah (resurrection). It
should also be taken with the intention of shifaa (cure) from
spiritual and physical ailments. It is commendable to drink Zamzam
with the niyyah of being granted the tawfeeq of conforming to the
sunnah of our beloved Rasoolullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
MADEENAH MUNAWWARAH
28. It is stated in hadeeth: (i) "Whoever comes with the sole
intention of visiting my grave, my intercession will become incumbent
for that person". (ii) "Whoever visits my grave after my death is like
the one who has visited me during my lifetime".
29. Recite durood (salutations) in abundance on Rasoolullah sallallahu
alayhi wasallam, on beginning your journey to and from Madeenah
Munawwarah, and during your stay there.
30. To hurt or cause inconvenience to any Muslimand especially the
people of Madeenah Munawwarah is a great sin.
GENERAL
31. Choose an able pious companion who will assist you in times of
need, and it is better if this companion is a reliable recognized
aalim (scholar).
32. Regard the time in Hajj as a blessing. One never knows when one
may be favoured with this good fortune again.
33. Since your stay there is a short one, you should value every
moment there. Do not waste your time roaming in the bazaars and do not
indulge in meaningless things and idle talk.
34. Do not allow your attention to drift towards the decoration and
splendour of the buildings, nor indulge in humour and ridicule.
35. One must be extremely cautious with regard to the etiquette of
these sacred places. Any disrespect in this regard will be a cause for
retribution.
36. Do not criticize the conditions and people there. After all, the
local residents are human and are prone to faults just as we are. When
noticing the shortcomings of others, special attention must
immediately be drawn to one's own faults and weak points.
37. One must make a concentrated effort to avoid sin, especially
casting passionate glances at female who are present at Hajj. One must
keep one's gaze lowered when women gather for tawaaf and
salaat-u-salaam.
38. Hadhrat 'Umar radhiyallahu anhu said, "For me to commit a sin in
Makkah is worse than committing seventy sins outside Makkah". Just as
the rewards of good deeds are multiplied in Makkah, so too is the
retribution of misconduct multiplied.
39. One must show consideration and take care that one does not
trouble or inconvenience those who are present for Hajj and ziyaarah.
40. One must not deceive or trick others in buying or selling. To
swindle or cheat the residents of Makkah or Madeenah would result in
one's own destruction. One must be extremely cautious in this regard.
Transactions must be carried out with honesty.

Fathwa, - Convert's Hijab: The Question of Gradualism

Question:
I would like some light on the rule about Hijaab if there are any
exceptions in the case of a Catholic who has now converted, married
with a Muslim man, and is now as I stated following the Islamic
religion. The problem arises when she has heard from the local Sheikh
that she does not NEED to wear hijaab because, if she is not prepared,
then as he said, she is NOT obliged. As far as I know, rules are
rules, Islam is flexible to all at times when required to do so, but I
think that for the Sheikh to say that was not the best advice. She now
has constant conflict with her husband concerning this topic stating
that a �Sheikh� has said that she can. He wants her to wear her
garments as prescribed by his religion because its the right thing to
do and also has heard that its the husband�s duty to see that his wife
dresses accordingly. Is there any exceptions for converts regarding
Hijaab? Is this the husbands duty to see that she wears accordingly?
Was the Sheikh wrong to say what he did?
Answer:
As-Salamu `alaykum:
Hijab is hijab and the duty to cover stands as prescribed; but since
she is a new Muslim she has to take things step by step, just as fard
in Islam was revealed step by step. The Companions were taught Iman
first; then the fara�id.
The husband will be questioned about his household including this
matter. The Holy Prophet, upon him peace, warned against the dayyuth
or one who does not care who sees his wife and daughters in ways they
ought not to be seen by non-mahrams. So the husband is doing the right
thing in principle, as Allah Most High said, {Protect yourselves and
your spouses from the Fire}.
However, there is a good (ma`ruf) way of enjoining the good. Perhaps
this is where the husband is doing it the wrong way, as his wife may
or may not be ready to wear the hijab in the proper manner at this
point. This should not become a conflict where everything becomes a
problem. That is what Shaytan wants.
She has to be treated extra-leniently as she is still among the
mu�allafat al-qulub or those new to Islam. Perhaps the Shaykh
understood this more than the husband. Let her begin with a head-band
and work her way up from there insha Allah. Her socializing with pious
Muslimas will help greatly.
In recapitulation, the answer to the three questions are:
(1) Yes, there are exceptions for converts regarding hijaab, governed
by mental disposition toward Islam, cultural background, cultural,
social, and political context, knowledge, Iman, and other factors. The
Prophet, upon him peace, even permitted an early convert to leave out
certain daily prayers knowing that otherwise he would leave them all
out and knowing that in the future he would be doing them all insha
Allah. It took twenty-three years for many of the obligatory rulings
to become obligatory in early Islam, yet today we want to jump from
zero practice to perfection in 1 day.
(2) Yes, it is the husband�s duty and responsibility to see that hijab
is worn by those responsible to do so in his household, but he must
approach his duty with wisdom and right speech, not inflexibility.
Furthermore, he must be the first one to practice what he preaches AND
provide a good example even in what is not obligatory for him. As
Brother Musa Furber said:
�[T]he brothers should remember that all too often we get strict with
the sisters when we should share part of the burden of responsibility.
We are quite eager when it comes to enforcing the jilbab, khimar,
niqab, and gloves when we�re back home--especially when it comes to
the work place and at school. Yet you hardly see many of us walking
around with loose fitting shirts, pants, abayah, and
`imamah--especially in those same places. If we expect this from them,
shouldn�t we demand it from ourselves?�
(3) The Shaykh was not wrong to say what he did. He said the right
thing, applying the Qur�anic advices and following Prophetic
precedents. May Allah reward him, help every couple in this state, and
grant us Hikma.
Was-Salam

Fathwa, - RE: Are the female feet awra?

Question:
Please tell me with proof if the female feet are satar. Some students
of Din have given the following two proofs for it being satar whereas
I was instructed differently. They say:
1. In Hidayah and the hashiyah of al-Lukhnowi he is of the opinion
that it is satar
2. That in Shami under the discussion that the hukm of something when
it is munfasil is the same as when it is muttasil here Ibn Abidin (RA)
states that nails that are cut from a female if it is of the fingers
then it is not satar but of the toes then it is satar and cannot be
viewed by a male.
This mas'ala is important since many ladies wear open sandals.
Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
To verify a fiqh matter, one must follow the principles of choosing
legal positions in a rigorous manner. This was done by Ibn Abidin in
hisRadd al-Muhtarin a very systematic manner, and explained in
hisSharh `Uqud Rasm al-Mufti,which is why he is the primary source
forfatwain the Hanafi school.
It is clear that women�s feet are not awra from the top references in
the Hanafi school, including1. Marghinani�sHidaya,
2. its commentaryal-`Inayaby Akmal al-Din al-Babarti,
3. Nasafi�sKanz al-Daqa�iq,
4. Zayla`i�s commentary on it,Tabyin al-Haqa�iq
5. Mulla Khusri�sDurar
6. Shurunbulali�s commentary on it,al-Shurunbulaliyya
7.Al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya
8. Haskafi�sDurr al-Mukhtar
9. Ibn Abidin�sRadd al-Muhtari. [See Arabic texts and page references below.]
However, given the difference of opinion regarding them, both within
the Hanafi school and with other schools, it is recommended to cover
one�s feet, though not obligatory.
And Allah alone gives success.
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
Faraz Rabbani.
في الهداية:( وَبَدَنُ الْحُرَّةِ كُلِّهَا عَوْرَةٌ إلَّا وَجْهَهَا
وَكَفَّيْهَا ) لِقَوْلِهِ عليه الصلاة والسلام { الْمَرْأَةُ عَوْرَةٌ
مَسْتُورَةٌ } وَاسْتِثْنَاءُ الْعُضْوَيْنِ لِلِابْتِدَاءِ
بِإِبْدَائِهِمَا . قَالَ رضي الله عنه : وَهَذَا تَنْصِيصٌ عَلَى أَنَّ
الْقَدَمَ عَوْرَةٌ . وَيُرْوَى أَنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ بِعَوْرَةٍ وَهُوَ
الْأَصَحُّقال الأكمل في العناية شرح الهداية: (1/259)( قَوْلُهُ :
وَهَذَا ) أَيْ قَوْلُ الْقُدُورِيِّ : وَبَدَنُ الْحُرَّةِ كُلُّهُ
عَوْرَةٌ إلَّا وَجْهَهَا وَكَفَّيْهَا ( تَنْصِيصٌ ) مِنْهُ ( عَلَى
أَنَّ الْقَدَمَ عَوْرَةٌ ) ; لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَسْتَثْنِهَا . وَرَوَى
الْحَسَنُ عَنْ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ أَنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ بِعَوْرَةٍ وَبِهِ
قَالَ الْكَرْخِيِّ . قَالَ الْمُصَنِّفُ ( وَهُوَ الْأَصَحُّ ) ;
لِأَنَّهَا تُبْتَلَى بِإِبْدَاءِ الْقَدَمِ إذَا مَشَتْ حَافِيَةً أَوْ
مُتَنَعِّلَةً فَرُبَّمَا لَا تَجِدُ الْخُفَّ عَلَى أَنَّ
الِاشْتِهَاءَ لَا يَحْصُلُ بِالنَّظَرِ إلَى الْقَدَمِ كَمَا يَحْصُلُ
بِالنَّظَرِ إلَى الْوَجْهِ فَإِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ الْوَجْهُ عَوْرَةً
مَعَ كَثْرَةِ الِاشْتِهَاءِ فَالْقَدَمُ أَوْلَى وَلَمَّا كَانَتْ
رِوَايَةُ الْجَامِعِ الصَّغِيرِ مِمَّا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْقَدَمَ
لَيْسَتْ بِعَوْرَةٍ رَتَّبَهَا عَلَى مَا قَبْلَهَا بِالْفَاءفي تبيين
الحقائق شرح كنز الدقائق: (باب شروط الصلاة �1/96)قَالَ رحمه الله (
وَبَدَنُ الْحُرَّةِ عَوْرَةٌ إلَّا وَجْهَهَا وَكَفَّيْهَا
وَقَدَمَيْهَا ) لقوله تعالى { وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إلَّا مَا
ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا } وَالْمُرَادُ مَحَلُّ زِينَتِهِنَّ وَمَا ظَهَرَ
مِنْهَا الْوَجْهُ وَالْكَفَّانِ قَالَهُ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَابْنُ عُمَرَ
وَاسْتَثْنَى فِي الْمُخْتَصَرِ الْأَعْضَاءَ الثَّلَاثَةَ
لِلِابْتِلَاءِ بِإِبْدَائِهَا ; وَلِأَنَّهُ عليه الصلاة والسلام {
نَهَى الْمُحْرِمَةَ عَنْ لُبْسِ الْقُفَّازَيْنِ وَالنِّقَابِ } وَلَوْ
كَانَ الْوَجْهُ وَالْكَفَّانِ مِنْ الْعَوْرَةِ لَمَا حَرُمَ
سَتْرُهُمَا بِالْمِخْيَطِ وَفِي الْقَدَمِ رِوَايَتَانِ وَالْأَصَحُّ
أَنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ بِعَوْرَةٍ لِلِابْتِلَاءِ بِإِبْدَائِهَا .قال منلا
خسرو في الدرر [الذي قال عنه ابن عابدين أنه كتاب مبني على غاية التحقيق]
(1/59)الْحُرَّةُ ) أَيْ جَمِيعُ أَعْضَائِهَا ( عَوْرَةٌ إلَّا
وَجْهَهَا وَكَفَّيْهَا وَقَدَمَيْهَا ) فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَجِدُ بُدًّا
مِنْ مُزَاوَلَةِ الْأَشْيَاءِ بِيَدَيْهَا وَفِي كَفَّيْهَا زِيَادَةٌ
ضَرُورَةً وَمِنْ الْحَاجَةِ إلَى كَشْفِ وَجْهِهَا خُصُوصًا فِي
الشَّهَادَةِ وَالْمُحَاكَمَةِ وَالنِّكَاحِ وَتَضْطَرُّ إلَى الْمَشْيِ
فِي الطُّرُقَاتِ وَظُهُورُ قَدَمَيْهَا خُصُوصًا الْفَقِيرَاتِ
مِنْهُنَّ وَهُوَ مَعْنَى قوله تعالى عَلَى مَا قَالُوا { إلَّا مَا
ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا } أَيْ مَا جَرَتْ الْعَادَةُ وَالْجِبِلَّةُ عَلَى
ظُهُورِهِ وَيُرْوَى أَنَّ الْقَدَمَ عَوْرَةٌعلّق عليه الشرنبلالي في
حاشيته الشهيرة بـ: الشرنبلالية:قَوْلُهُ وَقَدَمَيْهَا ) هَذَا فِي
أَصَحِّ الرِّوَايَتَيْنِ كَمَا فِي الْبُرْهَانِ . ( قَوْلُهُ وَيُرْوَى
أَنَّ الْقَدَمَ عَوْرَةٌ ) أَقُولُ صَحَّحَهُ الْأَقْطَعُ وَقَاضِي
خَانْ وَاخْتَارَهُ الْإِسْبِيجَابِيُّ والمرغيناني وَصَحَّحَ صَاحِبُ
الِاخْتِيَارِ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِعَوْرَةٍ فِي الصَّلَاةِ بِخِلَافِ
خَارِجِهَا وَرَجَّحَ فِي شَرْحِ الْمُنْيَةِ كَوْنَهُ عَوْرَةً
مُطْلَقًا كَذَا فِي الْبَحْرِ لَكِنْ قَدْ عَلِمْت أَنَّ الْقَدَمَيْنِ
لَيْسَا مِنْ الْعَوْرَةِ فِي أَصَحِّ الرِّوَايَتَيْنِ .و في الفتاوى
الهندية: (1/60)بَدَنُ الْحُرَّةِ عَوْرَةٌ إلَّا وَجْهَهَا وَكَفَّيْهَا
وَقَدَمَيْهَا . كَذَا فِي الْمُتُونِقال الإمام الحصكفي في الدر المختار
شرح تنوير الأبصار: (باب شروط الصلاة)جَمِيعُ بَدَنِهَا ) حَتَّى
شَعْرُهَا النَّازِلُ فِي الْأَصَحِّ ( خَلَا الْوَجْهِ وَالْكَفَّيْنِ )
فَظَهْرُ الْكَفِّ عَوْرَةٌ عَلَى الْمَذْهَبِ ( وَالْقَدَمَيْنِ )
عَلَى الْمُعْتَمَدِقال ابن عابدين في رد المحتار: (و قد وافق فيها ما
اعتمده الحصكفي كما هو بين:)( قَوْلُهُ عَلَى الْمُعْتَمَدِ ) أَيْ مِنْ
أَقْوَالٍ ثَلَاثَةٍ مُصَحَّحَةٍ ثَانِيهَا عَوْرَةٌ مُطْلَقًا
ثَالِثهَا عَوْرَةٌ خَارِجَ الصَّلَاةِ لَا فِيهَا

Fathwa, - RE: Hijab in front of non Muslim women

Question:
I live on an all female college campus in a residence hall. Since
coming to Islam and adopting hijab, I have not allowed any non Muslim
woman to see me without hijab (covering everything including hair,
neck, ears, etc...) This year I am a resident assistant and find it
very difficult, even though I have my own room, to constantly keep my
hijab on in front of my non-Muslim female residents (though I have
been doing it). I heard from another Muslima that since this is a
hardship, it may be permissible for me to wear a different style of
hijab (one that leaves my neck and ears uncovered as long as I cover
the rest). This would of course only take place when I could be sure
that no man would see me. Is this permissible for me?
Answer:
Walaikum assalam wa rahmatullah,
The Hanafi position is that it is obligatory to cover in front of
non-Muslim women. Follow this as much as you can.
It is permitted to follow the Shafii or Hanbali positions on this point.

Etiquettes of Supplicating- I

During the caliphate of 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, May Allaah Be Pleased
with him, there was no rain for an entire year and the people were
about to perish. So 'Umar, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, gathered
the people and they went out to the desert. He then asked Al-'Abbaas,
May Allaah Be Pleased with him, the paternal uncle of the Prophetto
invoke Allaah The Exalted for the Muslims. Al-'Abbaas, May Allaah Be
Pleased with him, raised his hands towards the sky and said, "O
Allaah, we stretch our hands to You admitting our sins and our
forelocks to You declaring our repentance, so Grant us rain." Thus,
Allaah The Almighty Sent down the rain.
The mother of Anas ibn Maalik, May Allaah Be Pleased with them, went
to the Messenger of Allaahwhile holding the hand of her son Anas to
serve the Prophetand asked him to supplicate Allaah The Exalted for
him. The Prophetinvoked Allaah The Almighty Saying,"O Allaah, Bless
his wealth and offspring."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ Anas, May Allaah Be
Pleased with him, lived until his wealth and offspring increased in
abundance and he saw one hundred of his children and grandchildren.
Supplication )Du'aa'( means to ask for pardon, mercy, forgiveness and
to ask Allaah The Almighty for what one wants to achieve. It is one of
the acts of worship that earns the Satisfaction of Allaah The
Almighty. The Prophetsaid,"Supplication is worship."]At-Tirmithi[ Then
the Prophetrecited the verse in which Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:
•}And your Lord Says, "Call upon Me; I Will Respond to you." Indeed,
those who disdain My worship will enter Hell ]rendered[
contemptible.{]Quran 40:60[
•}Is He ]not best[ Who Responds to the desperate one when he calls
upon Him and Removes evil{]Quran 27:62[
The Prophetsaid,"Nothing is more honorable in the Sight of Allaah than
supplicating )to Him(."]At-Tirmithi and Ahmad[
There are etiquettes for supplicating that every Muslim should abide
by. Some of these etiquettes are:
• Choosing the time for supplication: There are some times when
supplication is likely to be answered such as in the month of
Ramadhaan, the Day of 'Arafah, Fridays, the time of Sahar )last third
of the night( and the first ten days of Thul-Hijjah. The
Prophetsaid:"No good deeds done on any other day are superior to those
done on these days )first ten days of Thul-Hijjah(."Some of his
Companions asked, "Not even Jihaad in the Path of Allaah?" He
replied:"Not even Jihaad in the Path of Allaah except that of a man
who leaves )for it( with his life and wealth and does not return with
either )i.e. he is martyred(."]Al-Bukhaari[
It was narrated that upon entering the month of Ramadhaan, the
Prophetwould say,"This month that has come has in it a night which is
better than a thousand months. Whoever is deprived of it has been
deprived of all of its goodness and none is deprived of its goodness
except the truly deprived."]Ibn Maajah[ As for Friday, the
Prophetsaid,"There is an hour on Friday in which a Muslim does not ask
Allaah for anything except that Allaah Will definitely Grant it to
him."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
The Prophetsaid,"Allaah Descends ]in a way that befits His Majesty[ in
the last third of every night and Says: 'I am the King… I am the King…
Is there anyone invoking Me that I May Respond to his invocation? Is
there anyone asking of Me so that I May Grant him his request? Is
there anyone asking My Forgiveness, so that I May Forgive him?' And
this continues until the break of dawn."]Muslim[
The Prophetalso said:"The supplication made in between the )two( calls
for prayer )i.e. Athaan and Iqaamah( will never be rejected."]Abu
Daawood, At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa'i and Ahmad[ The Prophetsaid,"The
supplication made in between the )two( calls for prayer )i.e. Athaan
and Iqaamah( is answered, so supplicate."]Ibn 'Adiyy[
The Prophetsaid,"The slave is closest to his Lord when he is in
prostration; so supplicate Allaah much )in prostration(."]Muslim[ Also
among the times when supplications are answered is when facing the
enemy, when it is raining, when roosters are crowing, after obligatory
prayers and during prostration.
• Facing the Qiblah. Once, the Messenger of Allaahwent out to lead the
people in the prayer of Istisqaa' )prayer for seeking rain(. He faced
the Qiblah and kept invoking Allaah. ]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
• Raising the hands. It was narrated on the authority of 'Umar, May
Allaah Be Pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allaahused to raise
his hands when supplicating Allaah The Almighty. ]Al-Haakim[ The
Prophetalso said:"Allaah Is Considerate and Generous; He Does not Turn
away empty the hands of His servant when he raises them to Him."]Abu
Daawood, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah[
• Praising Allaah The Almighty and asking Him to Confer His
Salutations on the Prophet: Salamah ibn Al-Akwa', May Allaah Be
Pleased with him, said, "I never heard the Messenger of Allaahbegin a
supplication other than by saying, 'Glory be to my Lord The Exalted,
The Bestower.'" ]Ahmad[
One day, the Messenger of Allaahheard a man saying, "O Allaah, I ask
You as I testify that none is worthy to be worshipped except You, The
One, The Absolute Who neither Begets nor Is Begotten, Nor is there to
Him any equivalent." The Prophetsaid,"Indeed, you have asked Allaah
with His Greatest Name upon which He Gives when He is Asked with it
and Answers when He is invoked by it."]Abu Daawood[
Fadhaalah ibn 'Ubayd, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, said,"Once,
while we were sitting with the Propheta man entered the mosque and
prayed and then said, 'Allaahumma'ghfir li warhamni ]O Allaah, Forgive
me for my sins and Bestow Your Mercy upon me[.' The Prophettold him:
'You have been hasty in your Du'aa' O you who are praying. When you
finish your prayer and are seated, you should first praise Allaah The
Exalted as He Deserves, then ask Him to Confer His blessings and peace
upon me , then Supplicate to Him.'"After this, another man entered and
prayed. Then he praised Allaah and asked Him to Confer His Peace upon
the Prophet. Thus, the Prophettold him,"O you who are praying, invoke
Allaah and He Will Answer your invocation."]Abu Daawood, At-Tirmithi
and An-Nasaa'i[
• Being persistent in supplication and repeating it thrice. 'Abdullaah
ibn Mas'ood, May Allaah Be Pleased with him, said, "If the
Prophetinvoked Allaah, he would do so thrice. And if he would ask
Allaah, he would do so thrice. And the Prophetsaid:"The supplication
of every one of you will be granted as long as he is not impatient and
say, 'I have supplicated my Lord but He has not answered
it.'"]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ The Prophetalso said:"None of you should
say, 'O Allaah, Forgive me if You Will, Have mercy upon me if You
Will. Rather, be determined in asking for Allaah Does whatever He
Wills and no one forces Him. )i.e. one should invoke Allaah The
Almighty with certainty that his supplications would be answered as
Allaah Has Power over all things.("]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Sufyaan ibn 'Uyaynah, May Allaah Have mercy upon him, said, "None of
you should abstain from invoking Allaah because of what is apparent
from his sins as Allaah The Almighty answered the invocation of the
worst of creation, Iblees, May Allaah Curse him. Allaah The Almighty
Says )what means(:}He said, "My Lord, then reprieve me until the Day
they are resurrected." ]Allaah[ Said, "So indeed, you are of those
reprieved. Until the Day of the time well-known."{]Quran15: 36,37,38[
• Lowering the voice when supplicating. Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}Call upon your Lord in humility and privately;{]Quran 7:55[
The Prophetsaid to the Companions, May Allaah Be Pleased with him,
when they raised their voices in supplication,"You are not calling
upon someone deaf or absent. You are calling upon One who is
All-Seeing and All-Hearing. He is with you all the time."]Muslim[
• Supplicating Allaah The Almighty with what was mentioned in the
Quran and the Sunnah. It is better for the Muslim to supplicate Allaah
The Almighty with what was mentioned in the Noble Quran of many
invocations such as:
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:
•}"Our Lord, Forgive us our sins and the excess ]committed[ in our
affairs and Plant firmly our feet and Give us victory over the
disbelieving people."{]Quran 3:147[
•}"Our Lord, Give us in this world ]that which is[ good and in the
Hereafter ]that which is[ good and Protect us from the punishment of
the Fire."{]Quran 2:201[

Etiquettes of Supplicating- II

The Prophetused to invoke Allaah The Exalted saying:"Allaahumma anta
rabbi la ilaaha illa ant, khalaqtani wa ana 'abduk, wa ana 'ala
'ahdika wa wa'dika mastata't, a'oothu bika min sharri maa sana't,
aboo'u laka bini'matika, wa aboo'u laka bithanbi faghfir lee fa
innahoo la yaghfiru ath-thunooba illa ant )O Allaah, You are my Lord,
there is none worthy of worship except You. You Created me and I am
Your slave; and I abide by Your Covenant and Promise as best I can. I
take refuge in You from the evil that I committed and I am grateful to
You for the blessing that You Conferred on me. I acknowledge my sin,
so forgive me, for verily none can forgive sins except
You(."]Al-Bukhaari[ The Prophetalso said,"Allaahumma inni a'oothu bika
min ash shiqaaqi wan nifaaqi wa soo'u al akhlaaq )O Allaah, I seek
refuge with you from dissension, hypocrisy and bad
morals."]An-Nasaa'i[
• Avoiding exaggeration in making an invocation rhyme: A Muslim should
not exaggerate in making a supplication rhyme because this is a state
of humility and submissiveness. Ibn 'Abbaas, May Allaah Be Pleased
with him, said, "Avoid rhymes in supplication for the Prophetand his
Companions, May Allaah Be Pleased with them, used to avoid it."
]Al-Bukhaari[
Some of the righteous people said, "Invoke Allaah The Exalted with a
humble and mild tongue, not one that is eloquent and quick."
• Invoking Allaah The Almighty for one's self and then for others.
Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}"Our Lord, Forgive us and our
brothers who preceded us in faith and Put not in our hearts ]any[
resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed You are
Kind and Merciful."{]Quran 59:10[ The Prophetused to invoke Allaah The
Almighty for himself first before invoking Him for any other person.
]At-Tirmithi[
• Avoiding supplicating Allaah The Almighty against one's self,
family, wealth or children. The Prophetsaid,"Do not supplicate Allaah
against yourselves, your children or your wealth."]Muslim[
• Supplicating Allaah The Exalted for fellow brothers in their
absence. The Messenger of Allaahsaid,"The supplication of a Muslim for
another Muslim in his absence is accepted by Allaah. He has an
appointed angel at his head and every time he supplicates good for his
brother, the angel would say: "Aameen and for you the same."]Muslim[
• Invoking Allaah The Almighty for whoever does you a favor. The
Prophetsaid,"If a favor is performed for someone and he says to the
one who performed it, 'May Allaah Reward you.' He would be rewarding
him perfectly."]At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa'i[ The Prophetalso
said,"Whoever does you a favor, reward him for it. And if you cannot
find the means of doing so, then keep supplicating for him until you
think that you have rewarded him adequately."]Abu Daawood and
An-Nasaa'i[
• Asking righteous people for supplications. A Muslim should ask his
fellow brothers to supplicate Allaah The Almighty for him especially
the righteous people. It was narrated that 'Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, May
Allaah Be Pleased with him, said, "I asked the Prophetfor permission
to perform 'Umrah and he granted it to me and said, 'O brother,
remember us in your supplication and do not forget us.' The words he
said pleased me more than could all that is in the life of this
world." ]At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah[
• Avoiding supplicating Allaah The Almighty for a sin or the severance
of kinship. The Prophetsaid:"A servant shall continue to have his
supplications answered so long as he does not supplicate for sins or
the severance of kinship."]Muslim[
• Remembering Allaah The Exalted, obeying Him and performing good
deeds. Being conscious of Allaah The Exalted, diligent on performing
acts of worship, abandoning sins and evils and hastening to repentance
makes supplication more likely to be answered. Allaah The Almighty
Says )what means(:}"Indeed, Allaah only Accepts from the righteous
]who fear Him[.{]Quran 5:27[ It was narrated that Allaah The Almighty
said in the Qudsi Hadeeth,"Whoever keeps himself busy with the Quran
and remembering Me, I Will Give him the best of all those who ask of
Me."]At-Tirmithi[
• Being keen on having lawful sustenance. The Prophetsaid,"O people,
Allaah Is Good and He Accepts only that which is good. And Allaah
Commanded the believers as He Commanded the Messengers by saying )what
means(:}"O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness.
Indeed, I, of what you do, Am Knowing.{"]Quran 23:51[ And He Says
)what means(:}O you who have believed, eat from the good things which
We have provided for you and be grateful to Allaah if it is ]indeed[
Him that you worship.{]Quran 2:172[He then mentioned )the case of( a
man who has travelled a long distance – unkempt and dusty – and raises
his hands towards the heavens and says: 'O Lord, O Lord, while his
food, drink, clothing are from unlawful means and he is fed with
unlawful food. Then how could his supplication be answered?"]Muslim[
Ibraaheem ibn Adham, May Allaah Have mercy upon him, was once asked,
"Why are our supplications to Allaah The Exalted not answered?" He
answered, "Because your hearts have died due to ten things."
"1- You know Allaah The Almighty but do not obey Him.
2- You know the Prophetbut do not follow his Sunnah )tradition(.
3- You recite the Quran but do not act upon it.
4- You enjoy the Blessings of Allaah The Exalted without giving thanks.
5- You know of Paradise but do not exert any effort to enter it.
6- You know of Hell but you do not exert any effort to escape it.
7- You know of Satan but do not oppose him.
8- You know of death but do not prepare for it.
9- You bury your dead but do not learn from their example.
10- And in your state of slumber, you focus your attention on the
shortcomings of others while neglecting your own."

Hope – the Most Sublime Rank for the Followers

In this article, we will talk about hoping for Allah's mercy. The
believers' relationship with their Lord is characterized both by fear
and hope, such that the former deters them from sins and disobedience,
whereas the latter drives them towards good deeds.
Ibn Al-Qayyimsaid:
"Hoping for the reward of Allah is one of the most supreme and
honorable ranks of one who pursues the right path. Allah The Almighty
praises those ]who do that[, when He Says )what means(:}There has
certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern
for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and ]who[ remembers
Allah often.{]Quran 33:21[ It was also narrated in a Hadeeth Qudsi,
that Allah The Almighty Says: 'O son of Adam, If you supplicate to Me,
expecting My forgiveness, I will forgive you however great or many
your sins may be.' When a person has hope, it means that he or she is
bound and attached to these names of his or her Lord: "The Benevolent,
The Beneficent". The more one knows Allah The Almighty, His names,
attributes and the dominance of His mercy over His wrath, the more his
or her hope increases ]in Him[. Had it not been for hope, the
servitude of the heart and organs ]to Allah[ would have ceased, and
monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques, where the name of Allah
is frequently mentioned, would have been demolished. If not for the
spirit of hope, ]our[ limbs would not have performed acts of
obedience, and neither would the ships of good deeds have sailed in
the seas of will without its pleasant breeze."
Similarly, the Prophetsaid:"If a believer ]truly[ knew of the
punishment of Allah, no one would expect His Paradise. Equally, were a
disbeliever to know of the ]actual[ mercy of Allah, none would despair
of His Paradise."'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood, may Allah be pleased with
him, remarked, "The most encouraging verse in the Quran is in the
Chapter Az-Zumar )The Groups(; Allah The Almighty Says )what
means(,}Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves
]by sinning[, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah
forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the
Merciful."{]Quran 39:53["
One of those who visited Maalik ibn Anasduring the night in which he
died, asked him, "O Abu 'Abdullaah, how do you find yourself?"
Heanswered, "I do not know what to say to you except that you will
soon see ]aspects[ of the clemency of Allah that you have never
expected."
Glory be to Allah The Almighty! If those who turn away from Him only
know how He waits for their return and how Merciful He is to them,
they will long for Him enormously. Indeed, if this is His will towards
such people, how will He be to those who draw near to Him? 'Abdullaah
ibn Al-Mubaarak approached Sufyaan Ath-Thawriboth, on the night of
]standing in[ 'Arafah, and found him kneeling ]in prayer[, as his eyes
overflowed with tears; he asked, "Who is the worst person in this
gathering ]in the plains of 'Arafah[?' Sufyaan Ath-Thawrireplied:
"Whoever thinks that Allah will not forgive their sins ]i.e., of the
people who are present[.'"
On a similar night, Al-Fudhayl ibn 'Iyaadhobserved people's
glorification ]of Allah The Almighty[ and their crying, so he asked
those around him: "If those people went to a man and requested
one-sixth of a dirham from him, would he let them return
empty-handed?" When they replied in the negative, he commented: "By
Allah, pardoning is easier for Allah than ]that[." Therefore, I
implore Allah The Almighty, seeking His forgiveness, knowing fully
that He absolves and forgives; even if people's sins are great, they
are minor in comparison to His mercy.
Hence, a slave should have much hope in Him, especially when he or she
is on the verge of death. Allah The Almighty Says, as narrated in a
Hadeeth: "I am ]to him or her[ as My slave thinks of Me." That is why,
perhaps, when Waathilah ibn Al-Asqa', may Allah be pleased with him,
went to see Yazeed ibn Al-Aswadas he lay dying, he asked him, "What is
your expectation about Allah?" The latter replied: "My sins have
brought me to the brink of ruin, but I hope for the mercy of Allah."
So, Waathilah, may Allah be pleased with him, ]happily[ exclaimed
"Allah is The Greatest", and then said, "I heard the Messenger of
Allahsay:'Allah The Almighty Says: 'I am as My slave thinks of Me, so
let him think of Me what he wants'.'"For the same reason, when
Sulaymaan At-Taymiwas dying, he instructed his son: "O Mu'tamir, talk
to me about exemptions ]in Islam[, so that I may meet Allah while
having good expectations of Him."
Hope prompts one to do good deeds
It is witnessed as a reality in life that many neglect good deeds and
dare to commit evil and sins, claiming that they trust in the mercy
and forgiveness of Allah The Almighty. Undoubtedly, this is a
misunderstanding of the true meaning of hope. The words of Al-Hasan
Al-Basriare applicable to such people mentioned above; he says: "There
are people whose confidence in forgiveness diverts them from doing
what is moral, so much so that they die with no virtues. They
proclaim: 'we have good expectation of Allah'. Surely, they are liars,
for if they had hope ]in Him[, they would have done good ]to support
their claim[."
Allah The Almighty is indeed the most Forgiving, Ever Merciful;
however, I would like to draw your attention, dear reader, to the
subtle meaning embedded in the verse )which means(:}Indeed, those who
have believed and those who have emigrated and fought in the cause of
Allah - those expect the mercy of Allah. And Allah is Forgiving and
Merciful.{]Quran 2:218[. Contemplate how this verse alludes to these
people hoping for the mercy of Allah The Almighty alongside doing
those great noble deeds.
Dear Muslim, let us, then, do good and repent from our sins and evil
which we have committed. Let us repeat the words of Mahmood
Al-Warraaq: "O Allah, I have much hope in Your forgiveness and You
]alone[ manage my affairs. I have concealed my secrets from my
relatives and others; You are the only One to Whom I disclose them as
I am confident that You will veil them. O Allah! Do not fail me on the
Day of Resurrection when all hidden matters will be exposed. O Allah,
do not reveal my secrets before people; Your protection will provide
me with an argument ]for my forgiveness[, even though I have no basis
for contention or a real excuse."

Dought & clear, - (Abandoning or Neglecting Salaat) ,- His wife does not pray and she disobeys him in a lot of things. What is the ruling concerning her? How should he dealwith her?.

My wife disobeys me about many matters: about bringing our children
up, education, our relationships with relatives, and about many
marital matters. What should I do with her? I asked her to pray and
read Quran, but she did not listen. Please make du'a that Allah guides
her.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Happy homes are those which are built on mutual understanding and love
and consolidated with affection and compassion between spouses. None
of this can be achieved without the spouses doing the duties that are
specific to them. For example, the husband is obliged to spend on his
wife and children, and the wife is obliged to obey her husband. If the
wife wants to deny her husband the right of qawwaamah (being in charge
of the household) or to be wilfully defiant and refuse to obey him,
then she is destroying her home by her own hand, and she will be the
cause of her children being lost and neglected because of her bad
actions.
Wives in general have to understand that obedience to their husbands
is an Islamic duty that is required of them. The husband should do a
good job of being in charge of his wife and family, by guiding them to
that which is in their best interests and will bring them happiness.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has
made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend (to
support them) from their means"
[al-Nisa' 4:34]
Wives should ponder the following ahaadeeth:
1-
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "If I were to command anyone to prostrate
to anyone else, I would have commanded women to prostrate to their
husbands."
Narrated and classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi (1159); classed as saheeh
by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Tirmidhi.
2-
It was narrated that Abu Umaamah said: The Messenger of Allaah(peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are three whose
prayer goes no further than their ears: the runaway slave until he
returns, a wife whose husband remains angry with her overnight, and a
imam who leads the people in prayer when they object to him doing so."
Narrated and classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi (360).
3-
It was narrated from Mu'aadh ibn Jabal that the Prophet(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No woman offends her husband
in this world but his wife among the hoor al-iyn says, 'Do not offend
him, may Allaah kill you, for he is only with you for a short time and
soon he will leave you and come to us.'" Narrated by al-Tirmidhi
(1174) and classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh al-Tirmidhi.
4-
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him)
that the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "It is not permissible for a woman to fast when her husband
is present except with his permission, or to allow anyone to enter his
house without his permission."
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (4899) and Muslim (1026).
Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, commenting on
this hadeeth:
As a woman is obliged to obey her husband and satisfy his desire, so
it is more appropriate that she is required to obey him with regard to
things that are more important than that, such as the upbringing of
their children, the well being of the family, and other rights and
duties.
Al-Haafiz said inal-Fath: This hadeeth shows that the husband's rights
over the wife are more important than doing voluntary good deeds,
because fulfilling his rights is obligatory, and that which is
obligatory takes precedence over voluntary acts.
Adaab al-Zafaaf(p. 210).
Secondly:
The husband has to look for the causes of his wife's wilful defiance
and find out the ways in which he can treat her sickness and lead her
to the way of guidance and salvation, so that she will be protected
from the wrath and punishment of Allaah. These causes may include the
husband! Yes, you may be one of the causes of her wilful defiance,
either because of sins that you are committing - as one of the salaf
said: "I see the effect of my sins in my mount and my wife", in her
bad attitude or refusal to obey him - or the husband may have a bad
attitude towards his wife so her behaviour is a reaction against the
way he deals with her.
Other causes may include her family, relatives, neighbours or friends
who share a role with the shaytaan in causing separation between man
and wife.
If the cause has to do with her - due to the weakness of her faith and
her ignorance of the rulings of sharee'ah - then he should remind her
of Allaah and play a role in strengthening her faith and teaching her
what she does not know about the rights that her husband has over her.
If that does not work, then he may hit her in a way that is not severe
and that does not cause injury, and if that does not work, then he may
forsake her in her bed.
If his efforts do not succeed and she does not respond to good advice
from him or from someone else, then he may divorce her once (one
talaaq). This may serve as a reminder and "wake up call". But if she
persists in her defiance and disobedience, then there is nothing good
in her and Allaah may give him someone better than her.
The basic principle for this gradual approach in setting things
straight is to be found in the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct, admonish them
(first), (next) refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them
(lightly, if it is useful); but if they return to obedience, seek not
against them means (of annoyance). Surely, Allaah is Ever Most High,
Most Great"
[al-Nisa' 4:34]
Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct" means: who
refuse to obey their husbands in word or in deed; he may discipline
her by using the lightest means then the next lightest.
"admonish them" means: explain the ruling of Allaah with regard to
obeying and disobeying the husband, and encourage her to be obedient,
and warn her against disobedience. If that produces the desired
results, all well and good, otherwise the husband should refuse to
share her bed, by not sleeping with her or being intimate with her, to
whatever extent will produce the desired result. Otherwise he may hit
her in a way that is not severe and that does not cause injury. If one
of these methods produces the desired result, then
"seek not against them means (of annoyance)" i.e., you have got what
you wanted, so stop pursuing rebuking her for what is past and seeking
out faults mention of which will cause harm and provoke evil.
Tafseer al-Sa'di(p. 142).
Whatever the case, the husband is the one who knows his wife best. If
he knows that the reason for her wilful defiance is something that he
can remedy, then he should do that. If he cannot deal with her, then
he should appoint someone else from among his family or hers to
undertake this mission. Someone else may have a stronger influence
over her than him.
Thirdly:
What we have said above is general in meaning and applies to any
husband who is suffering because of his wife's wilful defiance. It
would also include the wife asked about here, if she was one of those
who pray. But as she does not pray, what we have said does not apply
to her, because dealing with her is different. By not praying she is a
kaafir woman and it is not permissible for him to be close to her or
have intercourse with her, unless she prays.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"But if they repent [by rejecting Shirk (polytheism) and accept
Islamic Monotheism], perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah) and give
Zakaah, then they are your brethren in religion"
[al-Tawbah 9:11]
And the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
"Between a man and shirk and kufr there stands his giving up prayer."
Narrated by Muslim (116).
And he said: "The covenant that distinguishes between us and them is
prayer; whoever does not pray is a kaafir."
Narrated and classed as saheeh by al-Tirmidhi (2621); al-Nasaa'i
(463); Ibn Majaah (1079); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh
al-Tirmidhi.
Hence you have to start with this important matter and try by whatever
means are available to you to remind her of the ruling on prayer, and
that not praying is major kufr, and that your marriage contract with
her will be rendered invalid if she persists in this grave sin. If she
responds, then praise be to Allaah, and you can go on to do the things
that we have mentioned above. If she does not respond, then do not try
to deal with her wilful defiance, and do not ask about her
shortcomings in raising the children, because it is not permissible
for you to remain married to her. Warn her before her marriage is
annulled - and annulment may be by your divorcing her, because most
courts do not regard not praying as a reason for annulling a marriage.
Give her another chance; perhaps Allaah will guide her and open her
heart to the truth.
See also the answer to question no. 47425which describes the best way
to call one who does not pray.
See also the answers to questions no. 12828and 91963.
We ask Allaah to guide her and help her to pray regularly, and to
guide her to all that is good, and to guide her hearing, sight and
physical faculties, and to enable her to give thanks for the blessings
that Allaah has bestowed on her.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - (Abandoning or Neglecting Salaat) ,- Should she do Hajj and give charity onbehalf of her mother who did not pray?.

Is it permissible for a daughter to do Hajj and give charity on behalf
of her deceased mother, knowing that the mother did not pray when she
was alive?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The one who does not pray because he denies that it is obligatory is a
kaafir according to scholarly consensus. The one who does not pray out
of negligence and laziness is a kaafir according to the more correct
of the two scholarly opinions, because the Prophet(peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "The covenant that stands between us and
them is prayer; whoever gives it up is a kaafir." And there is other
evidence to that effect from the Qur'aan and Sunnah. Based on that, it
is not permissible to do Hajj or give charity on behalf of someone who
has died and did not pray, just as it is not permissible to do Hajj
and give charity on behalf of any other kaafir.
And Allaah is the Source of strength. May Allaah send blessings and
peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End
quote.
Standing Committee for Academic Research and Issuing Fatwas
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz, Shaykh 'Abd al-Razzaaq 'Afeefi, Shaykh
'Abd-Allaah ibn Qa'ood.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wa'l-Ifta (11/113.

Dought & clear, - (Abandoning or Neglecting Salaat) ,- Is the person who prays Friday prayeronly not a kaafir?.

Is it correct that who prays Friday prayer only is not considered
kaafir? I read that sheikh Ben Uthaimeen, may Allah have mercy on him,
said: whoever prays Friday prayer is not a kaafir; because he never
neglects it, because the prophet, peace be upon him, said (the prayer)
not (prayer). Is it true that ibn Uthaimeen and ibn Taymiyah said
this?.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is a difference of opinion among those who say that the one who
does not pray is a kaafir, with regard to the exact definition of the
omission of prayer which makes him a kaafir. Most of them are of the
view that he becomes a kaafir if he omits one obligatory prayer or two
obligatory prayers.
Some of them are of the view that the one who does not pray does not
become a kaafir unless he gives up prayer altogether.
The former opinion was narrated by Ishaaq ibn Raahawayh (may Allaah
have mercy on him) from the Sahaabah and Taabi'een. Imam Muhammad ibn
Nasr al-Maroozi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: I heard Ishaaq
say: it is narrated in a saheeh report from the Messenger of Allaah
(blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) that the one who does not
pray is a kaafir, and this was the opinion of the scholars from the
time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) until
our own time, that the one who deliberately does not pray without any
excuse until the time for the prayer is over is a kaafir.
The ending of the time means delaying Zuhr until sunset and delaying
Maghrib until the sun rises.
The end of the times for prayer was set as described above because the
Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) joined prayers at
'Arafah and Muzdalifah and when travelling, so he prayed one of them
at the time of the other. Because the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allaah be upon him) offered the first prayer at the time of the second
in some cases, and the second prayer at the time of the first in other
cases, the time for both became one time in cases where one has an
excuse, just as the menstruating woman, if she becomes pure before
sunset, is commanded to pray both Zuhr and 'Asr, and if she becomes
pure at the end of the night, she is commanded to pray both Maghrib
and 'Isha'. End quote fromTa'zeem Qadr al-Salaah(2/929).
Muhammad ibn Nasr (Allaah have mercy on him) narrated that Imam Ahmad
said: No one becomes a kaafir because of sin except the one who
deliberately does not pray. If he does not pray until the time for the
next prayer begins, he must be asked to repent three times. End quote.
It was narrated that Ibn al-Mubaarak said: Whoever deliberately does
not pray with no excuse until the time is over, is a kaafir. Ta'zeem
Qadr al-Salaah (2/297).
Ibn Hazm said:
We narrated from 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (me Allaah be pleased with
him), Mu'aadh ibn Jabal, Ibn Mas'ood and a number of the Sahaabah
(may Allaah be pleased with them), and from Ibn al-Mubaarak, Ahmad ibn
Hanbal, Ishaaq ibn Raahawayh (may Allaah have mercy on them), and from
17 of the Sahaabah in total (may Allaah be pleased with them) that the
one who deliberately and consciously does not offer an obligatory
prayer until the time for it ends is a kaafir and an apostate. This is
also the view of 'Abd-Allaah ibn al-Maajishoon, the companion of
Maalik. And it was the view of 'Abd al-Malik ibn Habeeb al-Andalusi
and others. End quote fromal-Fasl fi'l-Milal wa'l-Ahwa' wa'l-Nihal,
3/128.
He (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: And it was narrated from
'Umar, 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf, Mu'aadh ibn Jabal, Abu Hurayrah and
others among the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) that the
one who deliberately does not offer one obligatory prayer until the
time for it ends is a kaafir and an apostate. End quote from
al-Muhalla (2/15).
This view was also expressed in fatwas by the Standing Committee for
Issuing Fatwas, led by Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have
mercy on him).
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah(6/50, 40)
Some of the scholars quoted as evidence for this opinion the words of
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him): "Whoever does
not pray 'Asr, all his good deeds are cancelled out." Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (528), because cancellation of good deeds can only happen
as a result of becoming a kaafir, and because of what has been quoted
above from the Sahaabah who narrated these hadeeths.
With regard to the second opinion, which is that the one who does not
pray does not become a kaafir unless he gives up prayer altogether,
this is the view of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have
mercy on him), although he also ruled to be a kaafir the one who
misses some prayers and is called by the ruler to pray but does not
pray. He also stated that the one who prays sometimes and does not
pray sometimes, if he resolves in his heart to give up prayer
altogether, then he is inwardly a kaafir, i.e., it is between him and
Allaah, may He be exalted.
See:Majmoo' al-Fataawa, 22/49, 7/715;Sharh al-'Umdah, 2/94.
This was also the view of Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah be pleased
with him) who said: What appears to be the case from the evidence is
that he does not become a kaafir unless he gives up prayer all the
time, in the sense that he has decided not to pray, so he does not
pray Zuhr, 'Asr, Maghrib, 'Isha' or Fajr. This is the one who is a
kaafir. But if he prays one or two obligatory prayers, then he is not
a kaafir and he cannot truly be described as having given up prayer.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allaah be upon him) said: "Between
a man and shirk and kufr stands his giving up prayer (al-salaah)" and
he did not say "salaah (a prayer)". End quote
fromal-Sharhal-Mumti'(2/26).
We could not find any written comment of his concerning one who only
offers Friday prayer, but we asked him about that verbally and he
replied that it seems that he does become a kaafir because Friday
prayer is one of 35 prayers in the week, so the one who only prays
Friday prayer can be described as giving up prayer altogether so he
could become a kaafir as a result.
And Allaah knows best.

For children, - Nutrition suggestions for a healthy life

Almighty Allah Who created the universe from nothing has made human
beings responsible not only for acting as His servants but also for
looking after their bodily existence. He has entrusted to them what
needs to be kept as best as can be. We must not forget that robust
health is the greatest blessing that Allah has given us. When we
protect the bodies entrusted to us from illness, there are a few
things about nutrition that we should keep in mind:
- Do not eat animal fats, butter or margarine.
- Eat lost of fruits and vegetables, even before meals.
- Be careful of salt and cook your food without using salt.
- Eat small amounts frequently.
- Do not eat late. If possible, get used to not eating after 9 o'clock.
- Use cold pressed olive oil in your food and on your salads. But
don't use too much olive oil; no more than 2 tablespoons a day.
Otherwise the consumption of unsaturated fats will cause you to gain
weight.
- Watch your carbohydrate intake. You should eat only one kind of
carbohydrate per meal, such as bread, rice or pasta.
- Avoid refined sugar and white bread. Eat brown sugar instead of
white and whole grain bread instead of white bread. Refined sugar and
carbohydrates dissolve quickly in the blood producing an excess of
insulin that could overwork the pancreas. This could hasten the onset
of diabetes. Whole grain products contain vitamin B, leave a person
feeling full and supply fiber that facilitates the working of the
intestines.
- Balance your cholesterol with omega oils. Omega oils balance the
cholesterol produced in the liver. Omege-3 is found mainly in fish;
Omega-6 is found in walnuts and hazelnuts. Omega-3 found in canola oil
has recently become popular.
- Cold water oily fish are especially rich in Omega-3 but because they
contain lots of cholesterol they must be eaten sparingly. You can eat
two small servings twice a week.
- We do not need more sugar or sweets than we get in our daily diet.
The bread and rice that we consume is changed by the liver into the
sugar that the body needs every day. One way to keep the blood sugar
stable is to eat whole grain bread and brown rice which pass into the
bloodstream after being slowly absorbed by the intestines. The
stability of the blood sugar caused by these foods make us feel
satisfied for a long time. This balance is delicately adjusted, but in
any case if you are craving for sugar satisfy it by eating natural
sweets such as dates, figs or a dried apricots.

What do you know about cholesterol?

Allah has created human beings with bodies equipped with systems
superior to even the most splendid machines. All of us have a
responsibility to maintain this body in the best way so as to maintain
our good health.
Cholesterol, recently described in the press as a cause of heart
attacks even in young people, heads the list of those agents that pose
a serious threat. In light of the latest statistics, it has been
established that currently, one of the main causes of death cardiac
and artery diseases linked to cholesterol. In this article, we shall
examine how cholesterol forms and how best to protect yourself against
it.
What is Cholesterol?
This is a fatty substance, of a wax-like consistency, that is
essential for life. It is widespread throughout the body, but
particularly in the brain, nerves, liver intestines, muscles and
heart.
Every year, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report on
17 October 2002, heart attacks and strokes cause the deaths of 12
million people worldwide. Individual efforts aimed at reducing these
major threats, together with simple, low-cost measures taken at the
national level, can reduce these major risks to health—such as high
blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and cigarettes—by over 50%.
The body uses cholesterol to produce hormones, Vitamin D, and the bile
acids that digest fats. In order for these processes to take place,
very low blood levels of cholesterol are sufficient.. But if there is
too much cholesterol in the blood, it accumulates in the arteries and
causes them to harden and narrow. We absorb excess cholesterol through
animal food products causing the level of cholesterol in our
bloodstream to rise to dangerous levels.
As you know, a network of blood vessels interpenetrates the entire
body, carrying blood to such organs as the heart, brain and kidneys,
thus permitting them to function. If cholesterol accumulates in any
organ's blood vessels, then in that organ diseases appear.
If cholesterol accumulates in the coronary arteries that nourish the
heart, for example, problems such as chest pains or heart attacks
develop. On the other hand, accumulations of cholesterol in the renal
arteries may lead to kidney defects and high blood pressure. The
higher a person's cholesterol level, the greater the risk of heart
disease.
Anti-Cholesterol Nutrition
- Balance Your Cholesterol with Omega Oils
Omega-oil acids moderate the amounts of cholesterol produced by the liver.
Omega-3 is most present in fish, and Omega-6 in walnuts and hazelnuts.
Lately, canola oil has become popular for the Omega-3 it contains.
- Chicken Breast Is Low in Cholesterol
People with weight problems and high cholesterol should eat breast of
chicken—the so-called white meat—keeping in mind that wings and
drumsticks are rich in cholesterol, however. Skinning the chicken
first helps lower the fact content. Even so, in terms of cholesterol,
soya mince or soya meat are still preferable to animal products.
- Beware of Cheddar Cheese!
No matter how carefully you shop for diet products, the cheddar cheese
you buy will still contain a high level of cholesterol. Therefore,
cottage cheese is recommended instead.
- Seafood Is High in Cholesterol!
Shellfish (mussels, lobster, squid) contain high levels of
cholesterol, for which reason you should eat them only occasionally
and other forms of seafood are preferable.
- Regular Walking Raises Levels of Good Cholesterol and Lowers Harmful
Cholesterol
The more physical activity you do, the higher your level of HDL (good
cholesterol). To balance cholesterol, exercise is essential along with
a proper diet. For a healthy heart, walking is the ideal form of
exercise. One should walk at least half an hour every day. Three
kilometers (1.8 miles) in 30 minutes will be enough to maintain a
healthy heart rhythm.
In order to lower your levels of LDL (harmful cholesterol):
- Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables.
- Eat 3 to 4 portions of vegetables and 3 to 4 portions of fruit a
day. The ideal regimen is to consume five portions of both every day,
as in a home-made fruit salad.
- Eat more salads, complete with tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn,
lettuce, carrots…
- Eat less fat, and trim fat from cuts of meat before cooking.
- Cut back on sugar.

Dua to ward off the deception of obstinate devils

أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ الَّتِي لَا يُجَاوِزُهُنَّ
بَرٌّ وَلَا فَاجِرٌ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ، وَبَرَأَ ، وَذَرَأَ ،
وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا يَعْرُجُ
فِيهَا ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا ذَرَأَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا
يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا ،
وَمِنْ شَرِّ فِتَنِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ
طَارِقٍ إِلَّا طَارِقًا يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ ، يَا رَحْمَنُ
Translation
I seek refuge with Allah's perfect words which no righteous or
unrighteous person can transgress, from all the evil that He has
created, made and originated.
(I seek refuge) from the evil that descends from the sky and the evil
that rises up to it. and (I seek refuge) from the evil that is spread
on Earth and the evil that springs from it.
And I seek refuge from the evil of the tribulations of night and day,
and the evil of one who visits at night except the one who brings
good, O Merciful One.
Transliteration
a‛oodhu bi kalimaat-illaahit-taammaat-illatee laa yujaawizuhunna
barrun wa laa faajirun min sharri maa khalaqa, wa bara'a , wa dhara'a,
wa min sharri maa yanzilu minas-samaa'i wa min sharri maa ya‛ruju
feehaa, wa min sharri maa dhara'a fil-arḍi wa min sharri maa yakhruju
minhaa,
wa min sharri fitanil-layli wan-nahaari, wa min sharri kulli ṭaariqin
illaa ṭaariqan yaṭruqu bikhayrin, yaa raḥman
Sources: Ahmad No# 15461 with an authentic chain and Ibn As-Sunni
#637. See Al-Silsilah Al-Sahihah No# 2995

Dua to heal the afflicted by the Evil eye or other afflictions

بِاسْمِ اللهِ أَرْقِيكَ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يُؤْذِيكَ، مِنْ شَرِّ كُلِّ
نَفْسٍ أَوْ عَيْنِ حَاسِدٍ، اللهُ يَشْفِيكَ بِاسْمِ اللهِ أَرْقِيكَ
Translation
In the Name of Allah. I recite over you [for purpose of healing] from
all that troubles you, and from every harmful mischief and from the
evil of the eyes of an envier. Allah will cure you; and with the Name
of Allah, I recite over you.
Transliteration
Bismil-laahi ar-qeek, min kul-li shai'in yu'dheek, min shar-ri kul-li
naf-sin aw 'ayni kul-li ḥaa-sid, al-laah yash-feek, bismil-laahi
ar-qeek
Sources: Muslim No# 2186 ; At-Tirmidhi No# 972

Dua to heal the afflicted by a scorpion's sting, pain or other afflictions

سُورَةُ الفَاتِحَة - بِسْمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ الْعَـٰلَمِينَ )٢( ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ )٣(
مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ )٤( إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ
)٥(
ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ )٦( صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ
عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ )٧(
Translation
Surah Al-Fatihah- In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful (1)
All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of the 'Âlamîn
(mankind, jinn and all that exists). (2) The Most Gracious, the Most
Merciful (3) The Only Owner (and the Only Ruling Judge) of the Day of
Recompense (i.e. the Day of Resurrection) (4) You (Alone) we worship,
and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything). (5)
Guide us to the Straight Way. (6)The way of those upon whom You have
bestowed Your Grace, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of
those who went astray.. (7) (In Arabic)
Notes:
*Blow (with a little spit) over the afflicted part of the body while
reciting this Surah.
Transliteration
bismillaahir-raḥmaanir-raḥeem
alḥamdu lillaahi rabbil-‛aalameen (*) ar-raḥmaan-ir-raḥeem (*) maaliki
yawm-id-deen (*) iyyaaka na‛budu wa iyyaaka nasta‛een (*)
ihdinaṣ-ṣiraٰṭal-mustaqeem (*) ṣiraٰṭ-alladheena an‛amta ‛alayhim
ghayril-maghḍoobi ‛alayhim walaḍ-ḍaaalleen
Sources: Bukhari No# 2276, 5007, 5749; Muslim No# 2201; At-Tirmidhi No# 2063

Differences in the Islamic World Are Not Obstacles to Muslims' Loving One Another

It is perfectly natural for there to be different cultures,
traditions and understandings in the Islamic world. The important
thing is for these differences to be brought together within a unity
of belief and pluralist solidarity. Differences of ideas, opinions
and practice are regarded as normal in all societies. But Islamic
moral values require that, despite all their differences, Muslims
must not forget that they are brothers. No matter what their race,
language, nation or sect, all Muslims are brothers. Therefore,
differences within the Islamic world must be regarded as sources of
wealth. They must not turn into causes of division and conflict that
lead Muslims to fall out with one another, distract them from the
main issues and prevent them from adopting urgent and essential
measures.
Believers constitute a great spiritual force with the strength that
comes from loving one another for Allah's approval. As revealed in
the words of one verse, "… But those who were sure that they were
going to meet Allah said, 'How many times a small force has
triumphed over a much greater one by Allah's permission! Allah is
with the steadfast." (Surat al-Baqara, 249) , even if those with
faith in their hearts are few in number, spiritually, they acquire
great will and enthusiasm with which to overcome great difficulties
and obstacles. They earn Allah's help and support through the moral
virtues they display. As Allah reveals in the verse, "… You shall
be uppermost if you are [truly] faithful. ." (Surat al-Imr'an, 139)
, believers constitute a spiritual force that nobody can break, and
nobody can set them against one another.
In our time, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) Will Be Instrumental in Muslims
Loving One Another and Being United, and Everyone Will Love Him
Because He Has the Most Piety of All People Living
Our prophet (saas) reveals in the hadiths that since there will be a
decline in love, tolerance, affection and compassion in the time
preceding the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh), and people will
turn away from the moral values of the Qur'an. This state of
affairs will only be put right through Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). One of
the main characteristics of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will be that "the
profound love and affection he feels for Allah and His
manifestations." He will be instrumental in people loving one
another very much throughout the world.
To that end, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will call people to peace,
toleration, union and unity and to eradicate all causes of enmity,
hatred and rage with his every word and deed. Through Hazrat Mahdi
(pbuh), people will acquire a new perspective and learn and live by
"true love."
Indeed, the hadiths say that the intense love and affection that
Allah creates in Hazrat Mahdi's (pbuh) soul will affect every corner
of the world, that this will be a most auspicious period and that
everyone will feel a great love for Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh):
Through the bounty of the faith of time (Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh))
PEOPLE'S HEARTS WILL BE FULL OF MUTUAL LOVE AND UNITY. (Bihar-ul
Envar, Vol. 53, p. 187; Mikyaal al-makaarem, Vol. 1, p. 52)
(In the time of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh)) LOVE AND AFECTION WILL PREVAIL
ACROSS EVERY PART OF THE WORLD. (İkbal'ul-a'mal p. 507; Bihar-ul
Envar, Vol. 21, p. 312)
In this way, IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH AND
SKY ARE PLEASED WITH HIM (HAZRAT MAHDI (PBUH)), SO THE BIRDS IN THE
AIR, WILD ANIMALS IN THE FORESTS AND EVEN THE FISH IN THE SEA WILL
BE CONTENT WITH HIM. There will be none from the Ummah of Muhammed
(saas) who is not content with him. Indeed, a herald will call out,
"Does nobody have any need?," and the answer he is given will be "We
have no needs." (Allame Muhammed b. Rasul al-Hüseyni al-Barzanji of
Medina, Pamuk Press, Istanbul, 2002, p. 163)
… AT THAT TIME, THE PEOPLE OF THE EARTH AND SKY, ALL WILD ANIMALS,
BIRDS AND EVEN THE FISH IN THE SEA WILL REJOICE AT HIS (HAZRAT
MAHDIS' (PBUH) CALIPHATE (SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP) … (El Kavlu'l
Muhtasar Fi Alamatil Mehdiyy-il Muntazar, p. 31)
Believers also love what Allah loves; friends of Allah are also
friends of believers; believers approve of whomsoever Allah
approves of; they also love those servants whom Allah loves and who
love Him. Pure believers on the path of Allah are among those
servants whom Allah loves most. For that reason, believers love one
another and are very considerate of one another. Many verses of the
Qur'an refer to believers' mutual love, devotion, compassion and
consideration. One such verse reads:
" Hold fast to the rope of Allah all together, and do not separate.
Remember Allah's blessing to you when you were enemies and He
joined your hearts together so that you became brothers by His
blessing. You were on the very brink of a pit of the Fire and He
rescued you from it. In this way Allah makes His Signs clear to
you, so that hopefully you will be guided." (Surat al-Imr'an Suresi,
103)
Mr. Adnan Oktar Explains: "Love Is a Light Given by Allah"
There are no limits to love. One cannot say, "...let us love only a
little." We must love at the highest level possible because love is
a true delight and a great blessing. We love as a manifestation. We
do not love separately from Allah. If we seek to love something
separately from Allah, then that is polytheism. If one loves as a
manifestation of Allah, then Allah will bestow the true flavor of
love. Love has a beauty that rocks the soul, and you will then
receive that. But if you engage in polytheism, then that burns
away, and you walk around as mere flesh and blood, and nothing
ultimately comes of flesh and blood. But the other way, you see the
manifestation of Allah's name of Jamal, and you experience the
profound passion, beauty, flavor and delight of that love. Allah
will allow you to experience that. But if you say, no, I will love
in my own way… then if you notice, such people can never love at
all. They are ignorant of love. That is the reason why people
cannot know love. Allah does not bestow love on their hearts. They
can take no delight or flavor from love. They try to make
themselves love, but they cannot manage it. They just produce a
replica. They try to replicate it in films and in the theater and in
novels but you cannot have love from a replica, no matter how much
you try. Love is a light bestowed by Allah. It is a special force and
power. Sugar has a taste. But if Allah does not bestow that taste on
somewhere, then he will never know that taste, no matter how much
sugar he eats. He may say that sugar is delicious, just like honey.
But he does not know that taste. Why does he say it is like honey?
Pure affectation, to appear to be liking it. Allah gives Muslims a
special delight in love, one that is unique to them, to those who
love as a manifestation of Allah..."

The intelligence plants use to reproduce

• What means do plants use to make other living things carry their pollen?
• How do plants make use of the wind to carry their seeds?
Every plant has its own unique method of mechanism it uses to
disseminate its pollen. In some plants the seeds fall to the ground,
in some they are carried by the wind, while in others they attach
themselves to animal hairs and are transported in that way. But
this is only a very superficial account of the plant seed
distribution system. When we look at the details of this
distribution process we see that many most interesting phenomena
and details take place.
Some Plants Species Have Animals Such As Insects, Birds, Bees or
Butterflies Carry Their Pollen:
The mauvish or pinkish- white flowers of the honeysuckle ( Lonicera
caprifolium ) open up in the evening, especially to attract
butterflies because the nectar of the long-necked, cone-shaped
flower is too deep down for many insect species to reach. For that
reason, the twin lips of the wide mouths of these flowers, who owe
their pollination to certain species of long-tongued, nocturnal
butterfly, remain closed during the day. But when the flowers open
up in the evening the lower lip droops downward, thus revealing the
pollen in the middle. In this way, nocturnal butterflies attracted
by the flowers' perfume and coming to suck the sweet nectar from its
sac in the bottom of the cone rub against the pollen as they fly
around the flowers. Fertilization takes place as the seeds they
carry attach themselves to a sticky fluid on the top of the flower.
As we have seen, there is a flawless harmony between the survival of
this plant species and the feeding habits of nocturnal butterflies.
Yucca plants carry a large rosette made up of leaves growing around
a stem bearing cream- colored flowers. The distinguishing feature of
the yucca is that the pollens are found in a curving region of the
flower. For that reason, only a species of moth with a curved mouth
can collect the pollen. The moth presses the pollen together into a
ball and then carries this to another yucca plant. It first descends
to the bottom of the flower and deposits its own eggs. It then
climbs to the top and allows the pollen to be released by hitting
the pollen ball against this part of the plant. Moth caterpillars
later hatch from the eggs and feed on this pollen. Were it not for
these moths, yucca plants could never reproduce.
The bee orchid imitates a female bee. These orchids mimic the
appearance of a female bee so perfectly that only male bees take any
interest in them. Female bees pay no attention to these orchids.
No matter how much these details are expanded, from whatever
perspective one looks, whatever logic systems one established,
nothing will change the fact that there is something extraordinary
in this relationship between plants and animals. These life forms
were created in harmony with one another. And this flawless harmony
shows us that the force that created both plants and insects knows
both very well, is aware of all their various needs and creates them
to be compatible with one another. Both life forms are the work of
Allah, our Lord Who knows all the worlds and is aware of all
things. And their job is to make us acquainted with the greatness,
almighty power and flawless artistry of Allah.
The plant has no awareness of either its own existence or these
miraculous processes. But it is under the control of Allah, Who
plans all its features, created it alongside everything else in the
universe and who continues to create at every moment. Allah reveals
this fact in the Qur'an:
"The trees all bow down in prostration." (Surat ar-Rahman, 6)
Plants That Disseminate Their Pollens with the Wind
The way that the winds discharge the duty of carrying pollen that is
given to them is without doubt due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds,
controlling all things from the earth to the sky. Allah reveals
this in the following verse:
"We send forth the pollinating winds..." (Surat al-Hijr, 22)
Pollen carried by the winds float in the air for a while and then
fall to ground. The pollen of plants with open seeds, and
particularly members of the pine family, have two air sacs. It has
been established that pine pollen can be carried by air currents
for up to 300 kilometers.
Like other plants, those that disseminate their seeds via the wind
have different and unique structures. For example, fruits and seeds
in the deserts of North Africa are either winged or else light and
hairy. Plants, fruits and seeds in the Nubian Desert in northwest
Sudan and the deserts of North America are carried by the breeze.
And plants in the Middle East and North Africa are spherical and
rolled along by the wind in times of drought.
Some of the plants that use the wind to spread their seeds are the
dandelion, lettuce and thistle.
Another plant that has its seeds carried by the wind is the
goldenberry. The seeds of this plant lie in paper-like, air-filled
sacs. These tiny sacs allow the seeds to move in the air like
miniature balloons.
Since they grow thinly in the regions they inhabit, maple trees'
greatest helpers in fertilization are the winds. Their propeller-
like seeds revolve around their axes in even the slightest breeze,
and are thus able to travel for several kilometers.
The plant known as Terminalia calamansanai has V-shaped wings. Thanks
to this property they can easily glide even in still air, rather
like a paper airplane.
All the living things on earth are created together with systems
planned right down to the finest detail and in association with the
most delicate balances. We see this, without exception, everywhere
we look. All living things introduce us to Allah, their creator.
There is no doubt that the one who is worthy of praise here is
Allah, who creates all living things with all their different
abilities. Like all the living things on earth, plants survive
thanks to the systems specially created for them by Allah. In other
words, they are under His control:
" Everything in the heavens and everything in the earth belongs to
Him. Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy." (Surat
al-Hajj, 64)
Plants That Launch Their Seeds with a Rocket System
Although they may seem to be perfectly still, plants in fact move.
Cornus canadensis holds the speed record for plants. They spread
their seeds with a G-force 800 times greater than a rocket heading
into space because this miraculous super plant can launch its seeds
for a distance of six meters.
The sandbox plant lives in the Amazon rain forest and fires its
fruit like rockets.
Plants like the Mediterranean cucumber use their own power to
spread their seeds. As they start to mature, Mediterranean
cucumbers begin to fill up with a sticky fluid. The pressure
stemming from this fluid rises continuously, and eventually the
plant stem explodes. As the stem explodes, it spurts the fluid
inside the plant into the air, rather like the trail a rocket leaves
behind it. In this way, the cucumber seeds are also spread across
the ground.
Evening primroses store their seeds in closed capsules when they are
dry. When they become wet, these capsules open up and assume a
cup-like shape. In that position all it takes is drops of rain for
the seeds to be spread. The flowers of the henna plant have yellow,
orange and brown spots, and can commonly be seen along the side of
roads. When touched, they shoot their seeds all around, like the
firing of a gun.
The shrub is another plant that reproduces using its own opening
techniques. But the system in this plant is the exact opposite of
that in the Mediterranean cucumber. The pod containing the shrub
seeds explodes without the help of any fluid, as the result of
evaporation taking place within the plant. As the temperature rises,
the side of the pod facing the Sun begins drying out faster than
the side in the shade. This leads to a pressure difference on the
two sides. Eventually, the pod splits down the middle and the tiny
seeds inside are scattered in all directions.
Hura crepitans is a tropical tree unique to Brazil. Its fruits are
pumpkin-shaped capsules containing 16 capsules. Under the rays of
the Sun, these capsules explode with great force. The hura tree is
one of the most successful plants when it comes to scattering its
seeds. When the time to scatter the seeds comes, it can spread them
for distances of up to 12 meters. Following the explosion, both the
seeds and the pods divided in half are scattered all around.
As can be seen from these examples, Almighty Allah has created the
universe and everything within a perfect order. The duty of every
rational person is to reflect on Allah's creation by observing the
regularity in the universe. Allah reveals in verses that there is no
other god than Him and that salvation consists of worshiping Him
alone:
Even the details involved in the scattering of a single seed show
that plants appear in a perfect and flawless form, together with
all their structural features. And it is impossible for this to
happen as the result of blind chance or random and unconscious
natural processes.
The obvious truth is that plants are also the work of Allah, the
creator of the universe. There is no other god than Almighty Allah.
The duty of every intelligent person is to live without forgetting
that truth and to turn to Allah in all they do.
" Your god is Allah alone, there is no god but Him. He encompasses
all things in His knowledge." (Surah Ta Ha, 98)
" Did you suppose that We created you for amusement and that you
would not return to Us?' Exalted be Allah, the King, the Real. There
is no god but Him, Lord of the Noble Throne. Whoever calls on
another god together with Allah, has no grounds for doing so at all
and his reckoning is with his Lord. Truly the disbelievers have no
success." (Surat al-Mu'minun, 115-117)