You Are Not Alone

Sometimes it seems like every person in this world of seven billion souls is living a quarantined, lonely experience. You take the subway to work and everyone reads her own novel, or rests his head against the seat, not meeting anyone else’s eyes. Each person is surrounded by an invisible sphere of seclusion. Or youwalk down a crowded downtown street, with thousands of people intenton their own lives and errands, disengaged from all around them…
Every one of us is the center of our own universe, living within our own skulls, constrained by the limitations of our senses. None of us can ever truly know the inner thoughts and feelings of another. This awareness can be isolating and depressing.
But let me give you a different perspective:
First, there is Allah. He knows the innermost hopes and fears of each of us. He is with us, watching us, protecting us and guiding us at all times. He loves us and wants good for us. So in a very real sense, none of us is alone. Allah is the unifying factor,the Master of all, the One who created a universe that functions in harmony and symmetry; even the chaos of nature is part of agreater pattern, and servesAllah in its way.
In fact, check this out: Abu Huraira narrated, “The Prophet said, “If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, ‘Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.’ Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. ‘Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,’ and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth.”
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Book 54, Hadith 431)
Wow, subhanAllah. That is a lot of love being directedyour way! That’s hardly congruous with the notionof an isolated existence.
Second, there is our noble Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Regardless of our nationalities, our schools of thought or “sects”, we are united in honoring andrevering him. We study hislife, repeat his words, and send blessings on him. We live our lives by his teachings. We look up to him and love him as we love ourselves.
Third, there is our great deen of Islam. At any givenmoment, at this very second, there are Muslims in the world standing shoulder to shoulder in prayer, all facing the same location on the earth. Islam has brought us together in a unique and unprecedented global brotherhood and sisterhood. Though we may be strangers to each other in a physical sense, spiritually we are connected. We care about each other, we feel each other’s joys and fears.
Yes, we are biological beings, each living within our own limited bodies. When you or I think, no other human hears us. When you eat, no one else tastes it. When your head hurts, no one else feels thepain. When you harbor private aspirations and terrors, no one else feels the beating of your heart.
But Allah is with you, my brother, my sister. Allah hears. Allah is always ready to comfort you, respond to your prayers, and bless you with His grace.
And the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) struggled so hard for you. Yes of course, he fought for you! You are a part of his Ummah. You are one ofhis flock. His mission was for you as much as anyoneelse. On the Day of Judgment he will intercedefor his Ummah; he will claim us, and struggle for us just as he did in his earthly life.
Lastly, we Muslims all share a spiritual bond, a common understanding ofthe world. We are family (even if some of us don’t act like it).
When the loneliness of life feels heavy on your back, remember that the isolation of human existence is an illusion. You are not alone. You are surrounded by guidance, blessings, and caring. You are loved, even when you do not see it. You are not alone./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

For Every Trouble, Allah Helps You Double

For every setback, Allah has a comeback. For every trouble, He helps you double. Every day He shows you the way. Alhamdulillah.
Allah does not get tired of you. He does not write youoff, or forget about you, orgive up on you. In fact, when you need Him and call on Him, He comes to you quickly, at speed, rushing to help you:
The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Allah the Most High said, ‘I am as My servant thinks (expects) I am. I am with him when he mentions Me. If he mentions Me to himself, Imention him to Myself; and if he mentions Me inan assembly, I mention him in an assembly greater than it. If he draws near to Me a hand’s length, I draw near to him an arm’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go to him at speed.’” [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
What an amazing, benevolent, merciful God isAllah. He is Master of all: He could have been capricious, selfish, or destructive, and we would have been helpless pawns,unable to help ourselves or be helped. But that is not His nature. In hundreds of verses of the Quran, Allah Almighty describes Himself as “Ghafurun Rahim”, that is One Who forgives and has mercy./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The evil of the evildoer is sufficient for him

Bakr bin 'Abdullah said:
"There was a companion of the king who visited him all the time. He would sit beside him and say, 'Treat the good-doer with good and don't treatthe evil-doer with evil for his evil will be sufficient for him.' Another man envied his position with the king and his good speech.
The envious man came to the king and related: 'Your companion that sits beside you claimed that you had a bad smell.' The king inquired, 'But how can I verify this?' The manreplied, 'Call him to you. He will put his hand on his nose as he gets closer to you.' The king said, 'Leave, and I will see! ' This man left the king andinvited the king's companion to a meal thathe had placed much garlicin. The companion ate and then went to the kingas usual and said, 'Treat the good-doer with good and don't treat the evil-doer with evil, for his evil will be sufficient for him.' The king said to him,'Get closer to me!' The man moved closer, and placed his hand over his mouth so that the king would not smell the odor of garlic. The king thoughtto himself, 'That man was truthful.' The king then hand-wrote a letter and gave it to the companion. The king never wrote anything unless he wanted to give someone a prize or gift. But this letter was written to one of his administrators and contained the following message: 'When the bearer of this letter comesto you, slaughter him and skin him. Then fill his skin with straw and send him back to me.'
Later, the envious man met the companion on hisway and asked, 'What is this letter?' The companion replied, 'The king has given me a gift.' The envious man asked, 'Would you give it to me.' The other companion said, 'It's yours.' The envious man took it and went to the administrator. The administrator said to him,'This letter is a command from the king to slaughteryou and skin you.' The envious man announced, 'This letter is not mine. I beseech you in the Name of Allah to check with the king before you do anything.'
The administrator informed him that there would be no changes to what the king had written. Then he slaughtered him, skinned him, filled his skin with straw, and sent him back to the king. In the meantime, the companionreturned to the king as usual. The king was shocked and demanded, 'What happened to the letter?' He said, 'So-and-somet me and asked me for it, so I gave it to him.' The king then challenged, 'Have you said that I have a bad smell?' The man rebutted, 'No! ' So the king asked, 'Then why didyou place your hand over your mouth?' The man answered, 'So-and-so provided me with food that had much garlic in it and I hated that you might smell it.' The king declared, 'You are truthful.The evil of the evildoer is sufficient for him.'"/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Those who travel bynight take rest in the morning

Qasim bin Raashid (Rahmatullah alaihe) says that Sheikh Zam'ah (Rahmatullah alaihe) was staying with his wife and daughters, in their neighbourhood at Muhassab (a place near Makkah Mukarramah). They saw that the Sheikh was accustomed to stand in Salaat for long hours of the night. He used to awake his wife and children for Tahajjud in the latter part of the night, saying, "Wake up, Otravellers! Let us proceed. Will you lie sleeping the whole night through?" At his call, all of them would wake up and engage in different activities. One of them would perform Wudhu and offer Nafl Salaat, another would sit in a corner and weep from fear of Allah, still another would sit and recite from the Holy Quraan. They continued inthis state till dawn, when the Sheikh called them and said, "Rest a while, forthose who travel by nighttake rest in the morning."
How do we spend our night?/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

How he used his eyes

It is said that Da'wood Ta'ee Rahmatullah alaihe used to take crumbs of bread soaked in water, that being the only meal he took everyday. On being asked why he did so, he replied, "By drinking this liquid food, instead of chewing and swallowing bread, I can save enough time to recite fifty Ayaat of the Holy Quran." Once a visitor came to see him and told him that the beam of his room had cracked. He said, "I have not looked up at the ceiling of this room for the last twenty years." Not only did these pious beings avoid indulging in idle talks, but also abstained from idle gazing. Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Rahmatullah alaihe says that he remained with Sheikh Ahmad ibne Razeen Rahmatullah alaihe from morning till Asr and saw that the Sheikh never looked this way or that. Someone asked him about it and he said,"Allah Ta'ala has granted us the gift of eyes in orderthat we may take a lessonfrom seeing His Majesty and Grandeur, manifested in all created things. He who cannot do so is not making proper use of his eyes."
May Allah give us the ability to make wise use of our bounties./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

How he used his eyes

It is said that Da'wood Ta'ee Rahmatullah alaihe used to take crumbs
of bread soaked in water, that being the only meal he took everyday.
On being asked why he did so, he replied, "By drinking this liquid
food, instead of chewing and swallowing bread, I can save enough time
to recite fifty Ayaat of the Holy Quran." Once a visitor came to see
him and told him that the beam of his room had cracked. He said, "I
have not looked up at the ceiling of this room for the last twenty
years." Not only did these pious beings avoid indulging in idle talks,
but also abstained from idle gazing. Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz
Rahmatullah alaihe says that he remained with Sheikh Ahmad ibne Razeen
Rahmatullah alaihe from morning till Asr and saw that the Sheikh never
looked this way or that. Someone asked him about it and he said,"Allah
Ta'ala has granted us the gift of eyes in orderthat we may take a
lessonfrom seeing His Majesty and Grandeur, manifested in all created
things. He who cannot do so is not making proper use of his eyes."
May Allah give us the ability to make wise use of our bounties.

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old news - FOR SOME, A MINDSET THAT LEADS TO VIOLENCE

Is Islam the problem? It's an increasingly public debate the White House seems less than thrilled to have. President Bush insists that "our quarrel
is not with Islam," because, well,"Islam means peace." End of story...
...At one time or another all religions have been nasty. For all of the passages in the Koran that have been used to justify violence, one can just
as easily find passages in the Jewish or Christian Bibles justifying violence.
The difference is that Europeans and Americans, broadly speaking,no longer have the desire to use religion to justify violence. Vast numbers of Arabs, North Africansand East Asians still do. Our inquisitions are in the past, their inquisitions happen every day.
Much of Muslim world simply livesin a different time than the West. Oh sure, some of the big cities, with their cars and satellite dishes, may look modern. But their culture is horribly behind the times...
...Meanwhile, Muslims use the word jihad in its literal sense, i.e. a holy war, and nobody in America or Europe is at all offended, despite the fact that the West has been a victim of Muslim jihads just as much as Muslims were victims of Crusades- take the Ottoman Empire for example. But you don't hear us shrieking about their insensitive use of the word because, frankly, we don't remember or care enough to know we should be offended. That's all in the past.
It's unfashionable to say some cultures are more "backward" than others, but that doesn't make it any less true (the lifestyle of millions of Afghans today is indistinguishable from, or worse than, the way Afghans lived centuries ago). The West went through the Protestant Reformation, the Counter Reformation, hundreds of revolts and revolutions, the Enlightenment and dozens of wars to unshackle itself from the sort of mindset that seeks religious justification for cruelty and barbarity.
Much of the Muslim world has yetto go through such a process. When they do, I have no doubt they will still be Muslims. They justwon't use that as a justification to murder people./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Ramadan 2012, The 9th Day

Perform prayer and givethe alms. Any good you send ahead for yourselves, you will find with Allah. Certainly Allah sees what you do. (Surat al-Baqara, 110)
There is no god but Allah, the One, having no partner with Him. Sovereignty belongs to Him and all the praise is due to Him, and He is Potent over everything. O Allah, grant me pardon, have mercy upon me, direct me to righteousness and provide me sustenance. (Muslim)
What does safeguarding their prayer mean? Allah does not say ‘prayers.’ Because there is not just one prayer. There are five.Someone who immaculately safeguards the prayer, who prays without exception. Not someone who prays in the morning but not at noon, or who prays at noon but not in the evening. Someone who performs them all, one after the other. (A9 TV, May 12, 2012)
The Importance Of Salat (Prayer) In The Life Of A Muslim
The scrupulousness whicha believer displays towards his religious observance makes his faith apparent. He enthusiastically establishes salat, fasts andperforms ritual washing made compulsory by Allah throughout the course of his life. Allah hasdescribed sincere Muslims'enthusiasm for religious observances in many verses. One of these reads:
Those who are steadfast in seeking the face of their Lord, and establish salat and give from the provision We have given them, secretly and openly, andstave off evil with good, it is they who will have the ultimate Abode. (Surat ar-Ra'd, 22)
The salat is a religious observance that believers are commanded to perform throughout the course of their lives, the times of which have been stipulated. Human beings are prone to forgetfulnessand heedlessness. If they fail to use their will and become caught up in the flow of daily life, they move away from subjects to which they should actually turn their attention and cling to. They forget that Allah enfolds and surrounds them in all ways, that He sees and hears them at every moment, that they will have to account to Allah for all they do; they forget death, the existence of Paradise and Hell, that nothing can happen that is not destined, and that there issomething auspicious in everything and every event. By falling into heedlessness they can forget the true purpose oflife.
The salat performed five times a day eradicates that forgetfulness and heedlessness, and keeps the believer's will and awareness alive. It ensures that the believer constantly turns to Allah and assists him in living inthe light of our Lord's commandments. The believer who stands in the presence of Allah in order to pray establishes a powerful spiritual bond with our Lord. It is revealed in one verse thatthe salat reminds people of Allah and keeps them from all forms of evil:
Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish salat. Salat precludes indecency and wrongdoing. And remembrance of Allah isgreater still. Allah knowswhat you do. (Surat al-'Ankabut, 45)
Throughout history the prophets have communicated the salat made compulsory by Allah to their respective peoples, and have been role models for all believers by abiding by this observance in the best and most correct manner.
In the Qur'an it is revealedthat the times of the salathave been set out for believers as a religious observance:
When you have finishedsalat remember Allah standing, sitting and lying on your sides. When you are safe again do salat in the normal way. The salat isprescribed for the believers at specific times. (Surat an-Nisa', 103)
The timings of the salat are "dawn," "noon,""afternoon," "evening," and "late evening." The salat timings are clearly set out in several verses of the Qur'an. Some of these verses read:
So be steadfast in the face of what they say and glorify your Lord with praise before the rising of the Sun and before its setting. And glorify Him during part of the night and at both ends of the day, so that hopefully you will be pleased. (Surah Ta Ha, 130)
So glory be to Allah when you start the night and when you greet the day. Praise be to Him in the heavens and the Earth, in the afternoon and when you reach midday. (Surat ar-Rum, 17-18)
Our Prophet (saas) who, by the revelation and inspiration of Allah, best understood and interpreted the Qur'an, described for believers thetimes of day when the five salat prayers begin and finish.
Establishing salat in awe means performing this religious observance in the presence of our Almighty Lord by feeling His might and grandeur, with fear and respect. A believer who wishes to properly fulfill this obligation must take measures against everything that might prevent this awed awareness and display the maximum scrupulousness...../ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Fasting person inhaling steam

What is the ruling on the fast of a person who takesa bath during the day in Ramadan using hot water,then the steam from that water is in his bathroom and he cannot help inhaling it? I had a wet dream during the day in Ramadan and I had no choice but to sprinkle hot water on my private partsin order to get the rest of the semen out.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
If a fasting person inhales the steam that results from him having a bath with hot water, this does not break the fast becauseit enters his body as he cannot help it and he does not do it deliberately.
The scholars of the Standing Committee wereasked: I am one of the workers in the public desalination plant. When the month of Ramadan comes, we are fasting andwe continue to work, and there is steam at the station where we are working, and we often inhale it. Does this invalidate our fast? Do wehave to make up that day during which we inhaled the steam, whether it wasan obligatory or voluntaryfast? And do we have to offer charity for each day?
They replied: If the matteris as described, then your fast is valid and you do not have to do anything. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 10/275.
Secondly:
You say: “I had no choice but to sprinkle hot water on my private parts in order to get the rest of the semen out”!
The answer is that making the semen come out in this manner comes under the heading of masturbation which is haraam, and this invalidates the fast and requires repentance as well as making up that day.
This action of yours is a transgression of the sacred limits of Allah. The fasting person will not be punished for having a wetdream, because that is beyond his control, but as for deliberately emitting the rest of the semen, thisis a transgression of the fast and invalidates it.
We ask Allah to forgive usand you.
And Allah knows best.
I am the person who asked question no. 93821.You told me that I have tomake up the fast for that day because that is counted as masturbation. Please note that I was entirely ignorant of the fact that this is counted asmasturbation, because I did not feel any pleasure or desire when I did that.
Now I want to know about the issue of fasting six days of Shawwaal. When I received your answer, I had finished fasting six days of Shawwaal, and when I made up for the day mentioned, I did that on the 23rd of Shawwaal. This made me conclude that my fasting of the six days was not valid, because I had not completed the fast of Ramadaan, so I had to repeat the six days of Shawwaal after making up that day. Tomorrow is the 24th of Shawwaal, i.e.,I have to repeat the six days tomorrow, straight away, in order to complete the six days. My question now is, with regard to the six days thatI already fasted, will they at least be regarded as a naafil fast for me? Or are they not valid at all?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If your use of hot water tobring out the rest of the maniy that was emitted as the result of an erotic dream was not accompanied by feelings of pleasure or desire, thenyour fast is valid, because the emission of maniy without pleasure does notinvalidate the fast. ShaykhIbn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: If maniy is emitted without desire, then his fast is still valid and he does not have to make it up. End quote from Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen(19/238).
He also said: If maniy is emitted without desire then it does not necessitate ghusl. End quote from al-Sharh al-Kaafi.
Based on that, your fast on that day of Ramadaan was valid, and you do not have to make it up. As for your making it up on the basis of the previous fatwa, that will be counted as a naafil fast foryou, in sha Allaah, and your fasting of the six days of Shawwaal that you did after fasting Ramadaan is complete, praise be to Allaah, and you do not need to repeatthem.
And Allaah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

1a] There were no female Prophets or Messengers – discussion of the wisdom behind that

1a]
3.
We do not accept their view that everyone who is addressed by the Angelsis a Prophet. In the hadeeth it says that Allah sent an angel to a man who was visiting one of his brothers in faith in another town. He asked him why he was visiting him, and when he said that he loved him for the sake of Allah, he (the angel) told him that Allah had sent him to tell him that He loved him. And the story of the bald man,the leper and the blind man is well known. Jibreel(Grabriel) came to teach the Sahaabah (the companions of the Prophet) about their religion by questioning the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the Sahaabah witnessed and heard that.
4.
They cannot quote as evidence the texts which say that Allah chose Maryam, for Allah clearly states that He has chosen people other than the Prophets:
“Then We gave the Book (the Quran) for inheritance to such of Our slaves whom We chose (the followers of Muhammad SAW). Then ofthem are some who wrong their ownselves, and of them are some who follow a middle course, and of them are some who are, by Allahs Leave, foremost in good deeds…”
[Faatir 35:32].
He chose the family of Ibraaheem and the familyof ‘Imraan over mankind and the jinn, and among their families are undoubtedly people who are not Prophets:
“Allah chose Adam, Nooh (Noah), the family of Ibrahim (Abraham) and the family of Imran abovethe Alameen (mankind and jinns) (of their times)”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:33].
5.
The word perfection mentioned in the hadeeth, which they used as evidence, does not necessarily imply Prophethood, because it may be applied to the perfection of completion of anything and reaching the highest level in some respect. What is meant is women who attained perfection in all the virtues that apply to women: heads perfection here is not the perfection of the Prophets.
6.
In some hadeeths it is clearly stated that Khadeejah was one of the perfect women. This clearly shows that perfection here is not the perfection of Prophethood.
See the relevant hadeethswith their commentary in the answer to question no. 7181
7.
In some hadeeths it is clearly stated that Faatimah will be the leader of the women of the people of Paradise, apart from Maryam the daughter of ‘Imraan. This rules out the Prophethood of women other than Maryam, such as the mother of Moosa and ‘Aasiyah, because Faatimah was definitely not a Prophet. This hadeeth clearly states that she is superior to other women, and if the mother of Moosa and ‘Aasiyah were Prophets they would be superior toFaatimah.
8.
Maryam is described as being a siddeeqah (truthful) in the context ofraising her and describing her virtues. Allah, may He be exalted, says:
“The Messiah (Iesa (Jesus)), son of Maryam (Mary), was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Maryam (Mary)) was a Siddiqah (i.e. she believed in the words of Allah and His Books). They both used toeat food (as any other human being, while Allah does not eat)…”
[al-Maa’idah 5:75].
If there were any higher description, it would havebeen mentioned, but there is no mention in theQur’aan or in the saheeh hadeeths of the Prophet that any women were Prophets.
Al-Qaadi ‘Iyyaad narrated from a group of scholars that Maryam was not the Prophet. An-Nawawi said in al-Adkhaar that Imam al-Haramayn narrated that there was consensus on the point that Maryam was not a Prophet. In Sharh al-Muhadhdhab it was attributed to a group of scholars, and al-Hasan al-Basri was quoted as saying that there are no Prophets along women orthe jinn.
End quote from ar-Rusul wa’r-Risaalaat [available in English under the title: The Messengers and the Messages in the Light of the Qur’aan and Sunnah, by ‘Umar S. al-Ashqar]
And Allah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

1] There were no female Prophets or Messengers – discussion of the wisdom behind that

1]
Why were all the Prophets of Judaism, Christianity and Islam men? Why were there no women Prophets? Why did they have to be male?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The Muslim does not hesitate to believe in the great wisdom of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, in all that He does. One of His names is al-Hakeem (the Most Wise) and one of his attributes is hikmah (wisdom).
Allah, may He be exalted, has decreed that one of the attributes of the Messengers is masculinity.Some of the scholars stated that there was consensus on this point. And there is the greatest wisdom behind that.
Shaykh ‘Umar al-Ashqar (may Allah preserve him) said:
Another aspect of the perfection that Allah granted is that He chose all the Messengers whom He sent from among men.He did not send any Messenger from among women. This exclusivity isindicated by the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And We sent not before you (O Muhammad SAW) but men to whom We inspired” [al-Anbiya’ 21:7].
The Messengers were menand not women for reasons which were dictated by the nature of their task. For example:
1.
The role of Messenger requires a great many tasks to be performed: addressing men and women, meeting people in secret and openly, moving throughout the land, confronting liars andestablishing proof againstthem and debating with them, preparing and leading armies, and goingthrough the sufferings of war. All of that is suitable for men but not for women.
2.
The role of the Messenger demands that the Messenger should be in charge of those who follow him, so he issues commands and prohibitions to his followers, and he rules and judges among them. If a woman were entrusted with such tasks,she would not be able to do them properly, and there would be people who would refuse to follow and obey her.
3.
Masculinity is more perfect. Hence Allah has given the role of responsibility to men overwomen:
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women” [an-Nisa’ 4:34].
And the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that women are lacking inreason and religious commitment.
4.
Women have to cope with things that prevent them from doing many tasks, such as menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth and nifaas (bleeding following childbirth), which is accompanied by psychological stresses andpains, in addition to the care that is required by the child. All of that prevents her from being able to fulfil the role of Messenger and carrying out its duties.
(p. 84-85)
Secondly:
With regard to Prophethood, some of thescholars – such as Abu’l-Hasan al-Ash‘ari, al-Qurtubi and Ibn Hazm –were of the view that there were some female Prophets! including Maryam bint ‘Imraan. Their evidence is the verses in which it says that Allah, may He be exalted, sent revelation tothe mother of Moosa, for example, and what it saysabout the angels speakingto Maryam (peace be upon her), and also what it says about Allah, may He be exalted, having chosen her above the women of the world.
What they said does not seem to be correct.
Shaykh ‘Umar al-Ashqar (may Allah preserve him) said:
What they say cannot be taken as proof of the Prophethood of women. They Their view may be refuted from several angles:
1.
We do not accept their view that the Prophet is not commanded to convey the message, to teach and to mix with people. Our view is that there is no difference between a Prophet and the Messenger in this regard; the differences that are Prophet is sent with the laws of the Messenger who came before him.
If this is the case, then thereasons why a woman Messenger cannot be sent apply also to the sending of a woman Prophet. There are many reasons which make will be incapable of playing the role of the Prophet.
2.
The revelation sent by Allah to these women, themother of Moosa and Aasiyah, happened in the form of dreams. We knowthat dreams may form a part of revelation, and that this may happen to people other than the Prophets. .../ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Family in Ramadan

13 – There may be small children in the house who need to be encouraged to fast, so the father should urge them to get up for suhoor, and encourage them to fast by praising them and giving a reward to the one who fasts the whole month or half of it, and so on.
It was narrated that al-Rubayyi’ bint Mu’awwidh said: On the morning of ‘Ashoora’ the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent word to the villages of the Ansaar saying, “Whoever started out not fasting, let him not eat for the rest of theday, and whoever started the day fasting, let him fast.” She said: Weused to fast and make our children fast, [and take them to the mosques] and make toys for them out of wool, then if one of them cried for food we would give him that toy until iftaar.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1859; Muslim, 1136 – the words in square brackets were narrated by Muslim.
Al-Nawawi said:
This hadeeth shows that we should train children todo acts of worship and getthem used to that, but they are not accountable. Al-Qaadi said: It was narrated from ‘Urwah that when they are able to fast it becomes obligatory upon them. This is a mistake which is disprovenby the saheeh hadeeth, “The Pen is lifted from three: from the child until he reaches adolescence…” And Allah knows best.
Sharh Muslim, 8/14
14 – If possible, the fatherand mother should take the family for ‘Umrah in Ramadaan, and that is something that will benefit them in the Hereafter, themselves and their family, for ‘Umrah during Ramadaan has the same reward as Hajj. It is better to go at the beginning of Ramadaan soas to avoid the crowds.
15 – The husband should not overburden his wife with more than she can bear of having to prepare food and sweets. Many people take this month to prepare fancy foods and drinks, and they go extremes in that. This detracts from the sweetness of this month and goes against the reason for fasting, which isto attain piety.
16 – The month of Ramadaan is the month of the Qur’aan, so we suggestthat each family gets together to read Qur’aan. The father should teach hisfamily to recite Qur’aan and help them to understand the meanings of the verses. In the same gathering they may also read a book about the rulings and etiquette of fasting. Allah has enabled many scholars and seekersof knowledge to write books which can be used for preaching and teachingduring Ramadaan; the books are divided into thirty parts, so one topic can be read each day, and this will benefit everyone.
17 – They should be encouraged to spend and check on their neighbours and the needy.
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most generous of people, and he was at his most generous during Ramadaan when Jibreel met him. He would meet him each night and revise the Qur’aan with him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was more generous than the blowing wind.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6;Muslim, 2308.
18 – The parents should prevent their families and children from staying up late at night and wasting their time in things that are of no benefit, let alone things that are haraam. For the devils among mankind are more active in this month in promoting evil things and acts of immorality to thosewho are fasting, during the nights of Ramadaan and during the days.
19 – They should remember the family’s meeting in Allah’s Paradisein the Hereafter, and the great joy of meeting there under the shade of His throne. These blessed gatherings in this world and coming together to obey Allah by seeking knowledge, fasting and praying are only the means that lead to attaining that happiness./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Family in Ramadan

Praise be to Allah.
It is one of the blessings ofAllah to the Muslim that Heenables him to fast in Ramadaan and to spend its nights in prayer. It is a month in which good deeds are multiplied and people are raised in status,when Allah frees some people from the Fire. So the Muslim should strive tomake the most of this month and the goodness itbrings; he should hasten to spend his life in worship. How many people have been deprived of this month because of sickness, death or misguidance.
The Muslim must make themost of his time during this month; he has an unavoidable duty towards his children, to raise them well and bring them up properly, to urge them to do all kinds of goodness and make them get used to that – because the child will grow up in the manner to which his parents makes him get accustomed.
During these blessed days, the father and mother have a role to play in making the most of this time, and we can offer parents the following advice:
1 – Checking on the children’s fasting and encouraging those who fall short in this regard.
2 – Reminding them about the real nature of fasting, and that it is not just giving up food and drink, but it is a means of attaining taqwa (piety), and that it is an opportunity for sins to be forgiven and expiated.
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ascended the minbar and said: “Ameen, Ameen, Ameen.” It was said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that?” He said, “Jibreel said to me, ‘May Allah rub his nose in the dust, that person who Ramadaan comes and his sins are not forgiven,’and I said, ‘Ameen’. Thenhe said, ‘May Allah rub his nose in the dust, thatperson who lives to see his parents grow old, one or both of them, but he does not enter Paradise,’ and I said, ‘Ameen’. Then he said, ‘May Allah rub his nose in the dust, that person in whose presence you are mentioned and he does not send blessings upon you,’ and I said, ‘Ameen.’”
Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah, 1888; al-Tirmidhi, 3545; Ahmad, 7444; Ibn Hibbaan, 908. See Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3501.
3 – Teaching them the etiquette and rulings on eating, such as eating withthe right hand from what is directly in front of them;reminding them that extravagance is haraam and is harmful to the body.
4 – Not letting them spend too long on eating iftaar so that they miss praying Maghrib in congregation.
5 – Reminding them about the situation of the poor and destitute who cannot find even a mouthful of food to quench the fires of hunger;reminding them of the situation of those who have migrated or are fighting in jihad for the sake of Allah in all places.
6 – These gatherings offeran opportunity to bring relatives together and uphold the ties of kinship. This custom still exists in some countries, and it is an opportunity to reconcile and mend broken ties between relatives.
7 – Helping the mother to prepare the food, and to clean up and keep the food fit for eating.
8 – Reminding them to pray qiyaam (taraweeh) and to prepare for it by not eating too much and to get ready in time to perform the prayer in the mosque.
9 – With regard to suhoor,the parents should remind the family of the barakah (blessing) of suhoor and that it gives a person the strength to fast.
10 – Allowing enough time before Fajr prayer so that those who have not prayed Witr may do so, and so that those who have delayed their prayer until the end of the night may pray, and so that eachperson may make du’aa’ tohis Lord as he wishes.
11 – Paying attention to praying Fajr on time in congregation in the mosque, for those who arerequired to do so. We haveseen many people who wake up at the end of the night to eat, then they go back to bed and neglect Fajr prayer.
12 – It was the practice ofthe Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the last ten days ofRamadaan to stay up at night and wake his family. This indicates that the family should pay attention to making the most of this blessed time in doing things that are pleasing to Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. So the husband should wake his wife and childrento do that which will bringthem closer to their Lord./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Real Purpose of Fasting

A Purpose for Every Work
There are essentially two component factors in any work which a man has to perform. The first thing is the purpose for which a work is done and the second thing is the particular shape of that work which is chosen to achieve that purpose. For instance, take the case of food your object in taking food is to remain alive andmaintain your strength. The method of achieving this object is that you take a morsel, put it in your mouth, masticate it and push it below the throat. This method is adopted byyou since it is the most effective and proper one to achieve this object. But everyone of you knows that the main thing is the purpose for which food is taken and not the form and procedure of this action.
What will you say if anybody were to make a morsel of saw-dust or cinder or mud, put it in his mouth, chew and gulp it? You will say only this that his brain is out of order. Why? Because this idiot did not understand the real purpose of eating and is suffering form the misunderstanding that only the aforesaid four component acts constitute eating. Likewise, you will call that person also mad who soon after taking the food vomits it by thrustinghis fingers into his throat them complains that the benefits said to accrue from taking food have not been availed of by him and that, contrarily, he is daily getting lean and is on the verge of death. Thisfool blames the food for his growing weakness little realizing that it is dueto his own stupidity. He imagined, due to his intellectual deficiency, thatlife vitality could be got byfulfilling those requirements which constitute the act of eating. As such, he thoughtwhy should he sustain the load of food in his stomach? “Why not throw it out so that the stomach may become light? I have already fulfilling the requirements of eating”, he surmises, Naturally he has himself to suffer the penalty of harboring such a foolish idea and then implementing it also. He ought to have known that until the bread gets digested after entering thestomach and having transformed into blood, is diffused into the whole body the vitality of life cannot be obtained.
Although outward actions are also necessary, becausewithout them the bread cannot reach the stomach, yet the object cannot be achieved by merely fulfilling the outward actions. There is no magic in these actions that by merely fulfilling them, blood starts running in a wizardly manner in the veins of a man. Blood will be obviously produced according to the law prescribed by Allah. If you break it, you will kill yourself by your own hands.
Consequences of Considering the Outwardas Real
If you ponder over the example I have just placedbefore you in detail, you can understand why your"Ibadat" have become inefficacious today. As I have already pointed out repeatedly, the greatest mistake of all is to regard the acts of Salah and fasting and their outward shape as real ‘`Ibadat’ and you suffer from the delusion that whoever fulfilled these requirements performed the "Ibadat" of Allah. You are just like that person who thinks that performance of four acts, i.e. making the morsel, putting it in the mouth, masticating it and pushingit below the throat makes up the process of eating, and that whoever did these four things has eaten the food and so should receive the benefitsof eating irrespective of whether he pushed down in his stomach mud and stone, or vomited the bread soon after eating it.
If you have a little sense then tell me how a man who is fasting and is thus engaged in the ‘`Ibadat’ of Allah from morning till evening, can in the midst of that ‘`Ibadat’ utter a lie and indulge in backbiting? Why does he quarrel at the slightest pretext and utter abuses from his mouth? How dare he encroach on other people’srights? How does he indulge in acquiring illicit money and giving money to others illicitly? And having done all these thing, he still thinks that he has performed ‘`Ibadat’ of Allah? Does this not resemble the work of that person who eats cinder and mud and thinks that by merely completing the four requirements of eating he has actually done the job of eating.
Again Freedom from Restrictions after Ramadan
Then tell me how is it that when you are relieved after doing Allah’s ‘`Ibadat’for about 360 hours throughout Ramadan all the effect of this whole exercise in piety disappears on the 1st of Shawwal? You do during the ‘`Eid’ days all that Hindus do in their festivals,so much so that in the cities even adultery, wine-drinking and gambling are resorted to on ‘`Eid’ day...../ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Whose promise is more valuable?

Once a Dervish went into a Masjid and sat there with the intention of observing I'tikaaf. He had no provision of food or drink with him. The Imaam of the Masjid adviced him that as a destitute person, it was better for him not to observe I'tikaaf; he shouldrather do some job to earn his daily bread. The Dervish made no reply; the Imaam again insisted that he should go and earn his living, but he remained silent. After the Imaam had repeatedly asked him to do so for thethird and the fourth time, the Dervish said, "Beside the Masjid, there is a shop owned by a Jew, Who haspromised to send me two loaves of bread everyday." The Imaam said, "If he has promised to provide you food, it is well and good. Then you may observe I'tikaaf." TheDervish reprimandingly said, "It would be far better if you did not lead the prayers; with such a weak faith in 'Tauheed', how can you dare to lead the prayers? You have great reliance on the promise made by an unbeliving Jew but you put little trust in the promise made by Allah Ta'ala to provide sustenance (to all living things)."/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that once the Holy Prophet (SAW) said "Let me show you the reality of this world."

Abu Huraira (RA) narrates that once the Holy Prophet (SAW) said "Let me show you the reality of this world." I requestedhim to do that. He took me to a place of refuse outside Medina. There I saw human skulls and bones sunk in filth with dirty rags scattered all around.
Addressing me he said"These are the human skulls that embodied brains filled with greed. These people were like many amongst you who live today. Like all of you they pinned their hopes on things worldly. These skulls are lying without skin and after a few days they will become part of the earth. They struggled hard to eat the spicy dishes only to swallow this filth today. The state in which they exist now cannot be tolerably seen by those who have eyes to see. The very sight of those who enjoyed the fragrance of tasty food makes you hate them. These dirty rags are the substitue for the gaudy dresses that made men proud. Now they are at the mercy of winds which move them the way they like. And these are the bones of those animals that carried human beingsonly to make them feel proud. Any one can shed atear or two at their tragic end." Abu Huraira stated that the tears welled up in his eyes and he wept bitterly./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Three lives and one roof

Robert Fisk-British Journalist in Kandahar province doing an interview: Out of a dust-storm came a woman in a grey shawl. "Ilost my daughter two days ago,'' she wailed."The Americans bombed our home in Kandahar and the roof fell on her.'' Amid the chaos and shouting, I did what reporters do. Out came my notebook and pen. Name? "Muzlifa.'' Age?"She was two.'' I turn away. "Then there was my other daughter.'' She nods when I ask if this girldied too. "At the same moment. Her name was Farigha. She was three.'' I turn away. "There wasn't much left of my son.'' Notebook out for the third time. "When the roof hit him, he was turned to meat and all I could see were bones. His name was Sherif. He was a year and a half old.''/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

When our fathers irritate us

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When our fathers irritate us

An old man was sitting in the courtyard of his housealong with his son who had received a high education. Suddenly a crow perched on a wall ofthe house. The father asked the son: What is this? The son replied: It is a crow. After a little while the father again asked theson: What is this? The sonsaid: It is a crow.
After a few minutes the father asked his son the third time: What is this? The son said: Father, I have just now told you that this is a crow. After a little while the old father again asked his son the fourth time: what is this? By this time some statement of irritation was felt in the son's tone when he rebuffed his father: Father! It is a crow,a crow. A little after the father again asked his son: What is this? This time the son replied to hisfather with a vein of temper. Father: You are always repeating the same question, although Ihave told you so many times that it is a crow. Areyou not able to understand this?
The father went to his room and came back withan old diary. Opening a page he asked his son to read what was written. What the son read were the following words written in the diary:
'Today my little son was sitting with me in the courtyard, when a crow came there. My son asked me twenty-five times what it was and I told him twenty-five times that it was a crow and I did not at all feel irritated.I rather felt affection for my innocent child.'
The father then explained to his son the difference between a father's and a son's attitude. While you were a little child you asked me this question twenty-five times and I felt no irritation in replying to the question twenty-five times and when today I asked you the same question only five times, you felt irritated, annoyed and impatient with me.
Allah mentions in Surah Bani-Israil 17:23-24
And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not tothem a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them interms of honour.
And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: "My Lord! Bestowon them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small."/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The way he moved from here to there

Sahl Ibne Adbullah TusturiRahmatullah alaihe used to spend liberally in the path of Allah Ta'ala. His mother and brothers complained to Abdullah Ibne Mubarak Rahmatullah alihe that Sahl wanted to spend everything and they feared he would become a pauper. Abdullah Ibne Mubarak Rahmatullah alihe enquired from Sahl Rahmatullah alihe about the matter. The lattar asked Abdullah Ibne Mubarak, "If a person wanted to migrate from Madinah to the city of Rustaqq in Persia, where he had already purchased land, would he leave anything behind in Madinah?" The reply was that nothing would be left behind. Sahl Rahmatullah alaihe then said that was his real purpose. While the peoplethought he was going to migrate to another place, he had actually meant transfer to the next world.In these days, people have personal experience of it that when people who wish to move permanently from one country to another (eg. England to Canada) by their own choice, they try to transfer all their belongings and property, buildings, etc, by exchanging with those at the new locations, before actual migration. This is exactly the state of affairs of every single person leaving this world. As longas he is living, he has the power to transfer his property and belongings, etc., to the next world (Akhira).
- Virtues of Charity, by Shaikh-ul-Hadith Muhammad Zakariyya (RA.)
Such was also the case of Abu Bakr (RA) who gave away everything in the path of Allah. We can't immitate these individuals to the full extent, however we can always try. May Allah give us the ability to be generous in giving charity./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Ruling on Musaajalah with Qur’aanic verses (i.e., where a person who has memorized Qur’aan is asked to quote a verse starting with the letter with which another verse ended)

What is the ruling on the musajalah of the Qura’anic verses in order to remember the verses and to fill the time with something of value? It is not meant by it to belittleAllah’s verses.
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing wrong with using means that help one to remember and properly memorize the Holy Qur’aan, such as competitions and testing those who have memorized it, and paying attention to verses that sound similar, rather these are things that are recommended (mustahabb), because they reinforce one’s memorization and help with it.
That includes what is called musaajalah, where a verse is recited to the hafiz then he is asked to recite a verse that starts with the letter with whichthe first verse ended.
And Allaah knows best./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

What does Islam sayabout abortion?

Are there any circumstances when abortion is allowed in Islam? What if pregnancy results from rape or incest?
Islam values human life. This is clearly expressed inthe Qur'an where we are told that in the sight of God killing a human is a very serious matter (see Qur'an 5:32). The Qur'an teaches that on the Day ofJudgement parents who killed their children will be under trial for that crime, and their children will be witnesses against them (see Qur'an 81:8-9).
People often fear that having more children will make them poor. In reply to that, the Qur'an says:
Do not slay your children for fear of poverty. We shall provide for them and for you (Qur'an 17:31).
Even in a case where one is already poor, the Qur'aninsists that Allah will provide sustenance for us and for our children, and furthermore that Allah has made human life sacred (see Qur'an 6:151).
The right to life is God-given. No human should take away that right. The general rule, therefore, is that abortion is not permitted in Islam. However, Islam is a very practical religion. It includes principles to deal with exceptional cases. One such principle is that when a pregnancy threatens the life of the mother, an abortion may be performed. Although the lives of both mother and child are sacred, in this case it is better to save the principal life, the life of the mother. Even in this case, it would be better if the abortion is done before the foetus is 120 days old, for that is when the soul is breathedinto the foetus. Islam does not permit abortion in other cases.
Women who have been victims of rape or incest naturally deserve sympathy and help. But a child conceived in this unfortunate manner still has a right to live. Of course this places an unwanted burden on the mother, but killing the child is not the right solution. To understand this point better, suppose someone sees the poorer sections of society as an unwanted burden on the rich. Would it be right then to kill off all the poor? Of course not. Why then should anyone decide that a child should be killed just because theyare an unwanted burden?Society as a whole should help such a mother and relieve her as far as possible. But the child should not be killed.
Furthermore, the fact thatsuch cases occur is an indication that people desperately need spiritualfood. They need the pure teachings that will help them turn their minds away from adultery, rape, and incest. People need God. Can you help someone to turn to God?/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The ruler and the ruled

There have been many rightly-guided khalifs in the past whose qualities were far more refined andnoble than those of today's kings, prime ministers and presidents. They lived very simply and spent very little on their own personal comfort. One of these great khalifs was called Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz. He followed the teachings of Islam with sincerity and served the people whom he ruled with humility.
One hot summer's night, Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz was lying awake in bed, too hot to sleep, but cooled a little at least by the fan with which a maidservantwas fanning him. Thanks to her efforts he at last fell asleep. After a while, however, she began to grow very tired and then finally she too fell asleep, the fan slipping from her fingers and falling to the floor.
The khalif awoke from hisslumber, and seeing that his maidservant had fallenasleep, he picked up the fan and began to fan her gently. After a while she woke up and was startledand dismayed to find the khalif fanning her. She was meant to be fanning him - what would happento her now?
"Do not worry." Said Umaribn Abdul-Aziz with a smile, "you are just as much a human being as I am. When I needed to sleep, you kept me cool, and when you needed to sleep I kept you cool. What's wrong with that?"
Story by Matina Wali Muhammad, found in the book "True stories for Children"/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Ramadhan in History

Such was the month of Ramadan in the time of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam. It was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding the evil, and striving hard with one's life and wealth. After the death of the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, Muslims carried on this tradition and Allah used the true believers to affect the course of history.Ramadan continued to be a time of great trials and crucial events.
Ninety-two years after the Hijrah , Islam had spread across North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. Spain was underthe tyrannical rule of King Roderic of the Visigoths. Roderic had forced his six millions serfs and persecuted Jews to seek the aid of the Muslims of North Africa in order to be delivered. Musa ibn Husair, the Umayyad governor of North Africa, responded bysending his courageous general Tariq ibn Ziyad at the head of 12,000 Berber and Arab troops. In Ramadan of that year, they were confronted witha combined Visigoth army of 90,000 Christians led by Roderic himself, who was seated on a throne of ivory, silver, and precious gems and drawn by white mules. After burning his boats, Tariq preached to the Muslims warning themthat victory and Paradise lay ahead of them and defeat and the sea lay to the rear. They burst forth with great enthusiasm andAllah manifested a clear victory over the forces of disbelief. Not only was Roderic killed and his forces completely annihilated, but also Tariq and Musa succeeded in liberating the whole of Spain, Sicily and parts of France. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of Al-Andalus where Muslims ruled for over 700years.
In the year 582 A.H ., Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi, afterbattling with the Crusadersfor years, finally drove them out of Syria and the whole of their occupied lands in the month of Ramadan. The Muslim world was then destined to meet one of its most frightening challenges.
In the seventh century A.H . the Mongols were sweeping across Asia destroying everything thatlay in their path. Genghis Khan called himself "the scourge of God sent to punish humanity for their sins". In 617 A.H., Samarkand, Ray and Hamdan were put to the sword causing more than 700,000 people to be killed or made captive. In 656 A.H., Hulagu, the grandson of Genghis Khan, continued this destruction.Even Baghdad, the leading city of the Muslim world, was sacked. Some estimates say that as many as 1,800,000 Muslims were killed in this awesome carnage. The Christians were asked to eat pork and drink wine openly while the survivingMuslims were forced to participate in drinking bouts. Wine was sprinkled in the masjids and no Azan(call to prayer) was allowed. In the wake of such a horrible disaster and with the threat of the whole Muslim world and then Europe being subjected to the same fate,Allah raised up from the Mamluks of Egypt, Saifuddin Qutz, who unitedthe Muslim army and met the Mongols at Ain Jalut on25th of Ramadan, 658 A.H. Although they were under great pressure, the Muslims with the help of Allah, cunning strategy and unflinching bravery crushed the Mongol army and reversed this tidal wave of horror. The whole of the civilized world sighed in relief and stood in awe at the remarkable achievement of these noble sons of Islam.
This was the spirit of Ramadan that enabled ourrighteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of intense activity, spending the day in the saddle and the night in prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.
Today , the Muslim world is faced with drought, military aggression, widespread corruption andtempting materialism. Surely we are in need or believers who can walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet, sallallahu`alaihi wa sallam, the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Qutuz, Salahuddin and the countless heroes of Islam. Surely we are in need of believers who are unafraidof the threats of the disbelievers, yet kind and humble to the believing people; Muslims whose fast is complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst.
May Allah raise up a generation of Muslims who can carry Islam to all corners of the globe in a manner that befits our age, and may He give us the strength and the success to lay the proper foundations for them. May Allah make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadan and after it, and may He not make us of those who say what they do not do. Surely Allah and His Angels invoke blessings and peaceupon our Prophet Muhammad. O you who believe, send blessings andpeace to him forever./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Ramadhan in History

Qur'an, "O you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your duty to your Lord (having taqwa)." (2:185). And may blessings and peace of Allah be upon His last Messenger Muhammad ibnAbdullah, forever.
O you who believe, Ramadan is a sacred month wherein Almighty Allah is constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to achieve infinite, endless Bliss. Fasting is a complete purification and a means to developing the consciousness of Allah's presence. The consciousness of Allah (Taqwa) is a protection against the schemes of Shaitan, and the suffering of this world. Allah has informed us that,
"Whoever keeps his duty to Allah (has taqwa), He ordains a way out for him and gives him sustenance from where he imagines not. And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah attains His purpose. Allah has appointed a measure for everything." (65:2)
Many Muslims today have a misconception about fasting and the activities ofa fasting person. They go into a state of semi-hibernation, spending most of their daylight hours in bad. If they fear Allah, they wake up for prayer, but then return to sleep immediately. This unnatural sleep makes them become lazy, dull-witted and often cranky.
Ramadan is actually a timeof increased activity wherein the believer, now lightened of the burdens of constant eating and drinking, should be more willing to strive and struggle for Allah. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, passed throughapproximately nine Ramadans after the Hijrah. They were filled with decisive events and left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission toAllah.
In the first year after the Hijrah , the Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, sent Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib with thirty Muslim riders to Saif al Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had camped suspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about toengage the disbelievers, but they were separated by Majdy ibn Umar al-Juhany. The Hypocrites of Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims, built their own masjid (called Masjid ad-Dirar). The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, ordered this masjidto be destroyed in Ramadan.
On the seventeenth of Ramadan, 3 A.H ., Almighty Allah separated truth from falsehood at the Great Battle of Badr. The Prophet, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, and 313 of his companions set out to intercept a caravan of their own goods that had been left in Makkah. It wasled by Abu Sufyan himself, and estimated at 50,000 dinars. They were met, instead, by a well-equipped army of thenobility of Quraish, intent on putting out the light of Islam. Despite being outnumbered three to oneand appearing weak and unseasoned, the Muslims defended their faith with aburning desire to protect the Prophet and meet their Lord through martyrdom. Allah gave them a decisive victory on this day of Ramadan, that would never be forgotten.
In 6 A.H ., Zaid ibn Haritha was sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area. Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led by Zaid and had succeeded in plundering its wealth. She was known to be the mostprotected woman in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her home. Fatimah was equally renowned for showing open hostility to Islam. Shewas killed in a battle against these Muslims in the month of Ramadan.
By Ramadan of 8 A.H. , the treaty of Hudaibiyya had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the north. Muhammad, sallallahu `alaihi wa sallam, felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquer thecity of Mecca. Allah has declared His Sanctuary a place of peace, security and religious sanctity. Nowthe time had come to purify the Ka`bah of nakedness and abomination. The Prophet,sallallahu `alaihi wa sallamset out with an army having more armed men than al-Madinah had ever seen before. People were swelling the army's ranks as it moved toward Makkah. The determination of the believers, guided by the will of Allah, became so awesome that the city of Makkah was conquered without a battle, on 20 Ramadan. This was one of the most important dates in Islamic history for after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month and year, after smashing the idols ofMakkah, detachments were sent to the other major centers of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols of Arabia, were destroyed./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Opening of Makkah and the Destruction of the Idols

By Ramadhan of 8 A H., thetreaty of Hudaibiyah had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the North. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquered the city of Makkah in Ramadhan. This was one of the most important dates in Islamic history for after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month and year, after smashing the idols ofMakkah, detachments were sent to the major centres of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols of Arabia, were destroyed.
Such was the month of Ramadhan in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding evil and strivinghard with one’s life and wealth to make the word of Allah the highest and Islam the dominant Deen. After the death of the Prophet (saw), Muslims carried this Sunnah on andAllah the Majestic used the believers to affect the course of history. Ramadhan continued then just as we see today in Central Asia and Afghanistan, to be a time of great trials and crucial events.
The Opening of Spain
Ninety-two years after the Hijrah and in Ramadhan, Musa ibn Nusair the Umayyad governor of North Africa, and his courageous general Tariq ibn Ziyad succeeded in liberating whole of Spain, Sicily and part of France, beginning the Golden Age of Al-Andalus where Muslims ruled for over 700years.
The Victory Against the Crusaders
In the year 682 A.H., Salahuddin al-Ayyubi, afterbattling with the Crusadersfor years, finally drove them out of Syria and liberated the whole of the occupied lands in the month of Ramadhan. It was then that the Muslim world was destined to meet one of its greatest challenges.
The Victory Over the Mongols
In the seventh century A.H.the Mongols were sweeping across Asia destroying everything thatlay in their path. Genghis Khan called himself “the scourge of God sent to punish humanity for their sins. “In 617 A.H. Samarkand, Ray, and Hamdan were put to the sword causing more than 700,000 people to be killed or made captive. In 656 A.H. Hulagu, the grandson of Genghis Khan continued this destruction.Even Baghdad, the leading city of the Muslim world, was sacked. Some estimates say that as many as 1,800,000 Muslims were killed in this awesome carnage. The Christians were asked to eat pork and drink wine openly while the survivingMuslims were forced to participate in drinking bouts. Wine was sprinkled in the masjids and no Azan(call to prayer) was allowed.
In the wake of such a horrible disaster and with the threat of the whole Muslim world being subjected to the same fate,Allah the Great One raised up from the Ummah, Saifuddin Qutz, who unitedthe Muslim army and met the Mongols at Ain Jalut on26th Ramadhan, 648 A.H. Although they were under great pressure, the Muslims with the help of Allah, cunning strategy and unflinching bravery, crushed the Mongol army and reversed this tidal wave of horror. The whole of the world sighed in relief and stood in awe at the remarkable achievement of these noble sons of Islam.
This was the spirit of Ramadhan that enabled our righteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of intense activity, spending the day in the saddle and the nightin prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness.
Today
Today, the Muslim world isfaced with imperialist occupation, military aggression, widespread corruption and oppressive rulers. The War against Islam and the Muslims is infull swing. So arise O believers and walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Qutuz, Salahuddin and the other countless heroes of Islam. Strive to become the believers who are unafraidof the threats of the disbelievers, who are kind and humble to the believing people; Muslims whose fast is complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst.
May Allah the Most Glorious One make us that generation of Muslims who re-establish the promised Khilafah and carry Islam to the four corners of the globe, may Allah the Able give us the strength and success to laythe proper foundations of the Islamic rule for the coming generations and make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadhan and after it./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Ramadhan, the Month of Victory

All praises be to Allah, Lordof the worlds. He who revealed in His Glorious Quran, “Oh you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your duty to your Lord (having taqwa),” 2:185.
And may the blessings andpeace of Allah the Almighty be upon His last Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
Ramadhan is a sacred month wherein Almighty Allah is constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to achieve His pleasure. One of the notable features of this blessed month, at a time when war has been declared upon Islam and the Muslims by America and Britain, is how the Imaan and understanding of the Muslims manifested itself upon the battlefield under the sincere Islamic leadership.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) passedthrough approximately nine Ramadhans together after the Hijrah. They werefilled with decisive events that took place in Ramadhan and left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission toAllah the Most High in the cause of making His Word the highest.
The Incident of Masjid al-Dhirar
In the first year after the Hijrah, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib with thirty Muslim riders to Saif al Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had camped auspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about toengage the disbelievers, but they were separated by Majdy ibn Umar al-Juhany. The Hypocrites of Al-Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims, built their own masjid (called Masjid al-Dhirar). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered this masjid to be destroyed in Ramadhan, after he returned from the ghazwah of Tabuk.
The Battle of Badr
On the seventeenth of Ramadhan, 2 A.H., Almighty Allah separated truth from falsehood at the Great Battle of Badr. Hethe All Powerful gave them a decisive victory on this day of Ramadhan that would never to be forgotten.
“And indeed Allah assisted you at Badr when you were weak, so be observant to your duty to Allah so that you may be of the thankful ones. Whenyou said to the believers 'Does it not suffice you that your Lord should assist you with three thousand angels sent down." Surat Aali Imran 3:123 & 124
The battle of Badr was the first of the great battles of Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) left Medina with 313 men, 2 horses and 70 camels to go to Badr. On the 17th Ramadhan 2 A.H they defeated an army of 1000 men, 100 horses and700 camels that left Makkah under the leadership of Abu Jahl to go to Badr.
During the Battle of Badr, Allah the Most Strong, inspired to His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), "I will help youwith a thousand of the angels each behind the other in succession." [TMQ 8:9]. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rested after the strainof this revelation and then raised his head joyfully, crying, "O Abu Bakr, glad tidings are there for you, Allah's victory has approached, by Allah, I cansee Gabriel on his mare in the thick of a sandstorm."
For us today, there are numerous ahadeeth whichindicate similar victories tocome not only over the Jews but also about Islam’s dominance extending over the entire world. We must make du'afor these victories, but not stop at that. For Islam also requires us to ensure that the actions of the Muslims collectively as an Ummah, through the establishmentof a sincere unified state, also reflect that noble purpose.
The battle of Badr strengthened the faith of the Muslims and was a decisive victory that shattered the forces of kufrand firmly established the new State in Medinah as a powerful spiritual, politicaland military force.
The Battle at Wadi al-Qura
In 6 A.H., Zaid ibn Haritha was sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area. Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led by Zaid and had succeeded in plundering its wealth. She was known to be the mostprotected woman in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her home. Fatimah was equally renowned for showing open hostility to Islam. Shewas killed in a battle against the Muslims in the month of Ramadhan.
The Opening of Makkah and the Destruction of the Idols
By Ramadhan of 8 A H., thetreaty of Hudaibiyah had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the North. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquered the city of Makkah in Ramadhan./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Qiyamul-layl:

The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Whoever performed the night prayer during Ramadhan out of belief and anticipating God's rewards,will be forgiven his previous sins."(Related by Muslim).Performing Umrah: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "An Umrah during Ramadhan is like a Hajj with me." (Related by al-Hakim).
Offering Iftar (meal) to those who fasted. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Whoever feeds a fasting person has the same reward as him, except that the reward of the fasting person will not be diminished." (Related by Ahmad).
Reading and completing the Qur'an: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting and [reading] Qur'an will intercede for the person: fasting will say: O Lord I forbade him eating and drinking so let me intercede for him, and the Qur'an will say: I deprived him from his night sleep so let me intercede for him," he then said: "So they will intercede." (Related by Ahmad). The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to recite the whole Qur'an to Angel Jibreel each Ramadhan.
Giving in charity: Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam was the most generous among people, and he was more generous during the month of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim).
I`tikaaf: which is to confine oneself in the masjid for prayer and invocation leaving the worldly activities. Ibn Abbas radhiallahu anhu said: "The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to perforrn I'tikaf during the last ten days of Ramadhan." (Related by Muslim). It is surprising that many people have abandoned I'tikaf though the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam never abandoned itfrom the time he arrived to Madinah until he died.
Supplication: In the versesdealing with fasting, Allah said: "And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then answer them, I am indeed near to them. I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me." (Al-Baqarah 2: 186). This is an encouragement for the fasting person to increase his invocation. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Three invocations will be answered: The invocation of the fasting person, the invocation of the oppressed, and the invocation of the traveler."(Related by Muslim).
Repentance: Ramadhan is the time of repentance and return to Allah, for it isa time when the devils arechained, and when many people are saved from hellfire every night by the grace of Allah.
Applying oneself in all good deeds in the last ten days of Ramadhan: Aysha radhiallabu anha said: "When the last ten days come, he sallallahu alayhe wa sallam would pray most of the night andwake his family, and applyhimself, and tighten up hisloincloth.", and she also said: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam used to strive in thelast days of Ramadhan more than he did during the other days." (Related by Muslim).
Abstaining from vain talk: Sins decrease the reward of fasting althoughthey do not annul it. The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting is not [only] abstaining from eating and drinking, but abstaining from vain and obscene talk, so if someone insulted you or wronged you say: I am fasting." (Related by al-Hakim) and he also said:'Whoever does not abandon lying, then Allah does not need him to abandon his food and drink." (Related by al-Bukhari).
Common errors made during Ramadhan
Excessive spending: Ramadhan should be a time to avoid being wasteful, and learning to be prepared in facing harder times by distinguishing the needs from the luxuries. Unfortunately, many people go beyond their limits to spend during Ramadhan. Whether in thevarieties of food that they savor each night, or by theother types of spending.
Staying awake during the night and sleeping during the day: Some people sleep during most of the day when they are fasting. Ramadhan is not a time of being lazy, and thisdo not allow the full benefit from the experience of fasting. It is as if they have only inverted their nights into days and vice versa. In addition, some may spend a great portion of the night indulging in eating and drinking and socializing
Spending more time in socializing: Because people invite each other more often during Ramadhan they do tend tospend more time socializing with friends, and relatives. While it is a good deed to feed the fasting person, this should not result in precious time lost in vain talk. Use the occasion for remembering Allah and offering additional prayers, and for the Da'wah to Allah./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Reality and Obligation in Ramadan

During this Ramadhan do not let the sweetness of our deeds vansh into the night, leaving only emptiness. When one contemplates the texts on fasting, its wisdom and goals in Shariah, and looks at the reality of the Muslimcommunities, one realizes a wide gap between the reality and our obligations.Remember that Ramadhanis a bounty that Allah blessed His servants with, to strengthen their faith, and increase their piety (Taqwa). Allah said: "O youwho believe! Fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious." (Al-Baqarah 2:183). This article is an attempt to present the essential causes of this gap, and to some remedies. primary reason for the gap is ignorance about the goals of fasting and the wisdom behind it. Many Muslims ignore the purpose and wisdom of fasting. Fasting is done merely to conform to the social environmet without contemplation. If one is not aware of the divine wisdom of Shariah and its fruits in this world and in the hereafter, one will not apply it in the right way.
Goals of Fasting
Achieving Taqwa: is one of the most important wisdom of fasting. Fasting brings on Taqwa as it lessens the desire of the stomach and mutes the sexual appetite. Whoever fasts frequently would overcome these two desires more easily. This deter against committing abominations and sins andassist in controlling life leading to Taqwa.
Strengthening willpowerand acquiring patience: The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam called Ramadhan the month of patience as it increases one's will power to controlhis desire and the selfishness of his soul. This training allows him to be strong in following Allah's commands. The most important being to carry the Message and propel it forward. The person trains himself to be patient in obeying Allah by stopping at the limits set by Allah both by way of action and abstention. Allah said:"These are the limits set byAllah, so approach them not." (Al-Baqarah 2:187)
Fasting is pure worship: The fact that he is abstaining from food and drink both in public and in secret shows his honest faith and strong love of Allah, and his knowledge and feeling that Allah is all-knowing of everything. For this reason Allah has made the reward for fasting greater than for any other type of worship. Allah said in the hadith Qudsi: "Every deed of the son of Adam will be multiplied [in rewards], the good deed by ten of itslike, up to seven hundreds,up to whatever Allah wills,except fasting, it is for Me and I will reward it. He abandons his desire and his food for My sake.." (Related by Muslim) lbn al-Qayyim said: "...And people may see that a person is not eating in front of them, but the fact that he is really abandoning his food and his desire for the sake of God is a thing that nobodycan find out about, and that is the essence of fasting." (Zaad al-Ma'ad 2/29).
Relieving Muslims from life's distractions: Eating, drinking, and socializing alldistract a person and weaken ties with Allah. It is by the Mercy of Allah that Muslims are ordered to fast so as not to be bothered by the intrusion of these activities. Nor by the thought about them nor the anticipation for them when devoting themselves to the all typesof worship Either reading the Qur'an, offering additional prayer or making I'tikaf. For this reason the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said: "Fasting is a shield, and a secure fortress against Hell fire" (Related by Ahmad).
Discovering Allah's Blessings: A person experiences the hardship of the poor. He should then be thankful to Allah Who has blessed him with His bounty while others are deprived. This should make him more sympathetic and willing toshare this bounty. The poor rediscovers that fasting helps a person be more devoted to worship. More able to concentrate and meditate. He should then be able of this devotion all year long, a blessing he should thank Allah for.
Acquiring strength and endurance: It has been discovered that depriving the body of food for a period of time helps its defense and endurance mechanism. This in turn this protects the body from certain diseases.
Remember that fasting isnot only dependent on abstentions: Many believethat fasting consist only of certain abstentions, forgetting that Allah established certain acts of worship with fasting./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Miscellaneous Issues Related to Dua

Making dua for others
You can make dua for Others. The Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, said “Whenever you make a supplication for another believer and he is not present, an angel will say ‘and same to you.’” One of the ethics when making dua to others is that, if youare going to make dua to yourself and others, start with yourself first, then you make dua to others. But if you are going to make dua for others only, then you don’t have to mention yourself first. An example of starting with one’s self is seen is the verse, “And those who came after them say, ‘Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who were before us in the faith…’” (59:10)
Wiping the face after making dua
It was never narrated that the Messanger of Allah, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, wiped his honorable face during Salah, such as in Witr. If itis after Salah, the scholars of Hadith have differed in the Authenticity of the Hadiths regarding this issue, the correct opinion, inshallah, is that they are all inauthentic. Therefore it is better not to wipe the face after making dua. (There is a detailed research by the MuhaddithSheikh Bakr Abu Zaid about this issue). And Allahknows best.
Making dua against oneself
Don’t make Dua’a against yourself or against your children.
The Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, said, “Don’t make dua against yourselves. Don’t make dua against your children. Don’t make dua against your maids. And don’t make dua against your wealth. It might be in a time in which Allah answers the prayers.” (Authentic, Abu Dauood)
Dua for victory
When ye sought help of your Lord and He answered you (saying): I will help you with a thousand of the angels, rank on rank. Allah appointed it only as good tidings, and that your hearts thereby might be atrest. Victory cometh only by the help of Allah. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise. (8:9-10)
It’s from the Sunnah to make dua for the Muslims all over the world, especially in the month of victory, the month of Ramadhan. The Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, made dua at the night before the Battle of Badr, which took place in the month of Ramadhan, until his upper garment fell. By dawn, he came with the glad tiding from Allah, tala, to the believers,concerning their enemies, “Their multitude will be put to flight, and they will show their backs. Nay but the Hour is their appointedtime, and the Hour will be more grievous and more bitter.” (54:45-46)
Supplication of the Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam
The prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa sallam, said that: “Every messenger has a Supplication that will be accepted, and I have savedmy Supplication as a Shafaa Intersession for my Nation on the Day of Judgment.”
May Allah make us among those who follow and emulate His Prophet, sala Allahu alaihi wa salam, till they receive his intersession on the Day of Judgment. We beg Allah, tala, that He forgives the ones who wrote this article, and forgives the Muslims among their parents. May He benefit the readers, and guide them to the path of His beloved. We ask Allah by His most beautiful names to show mercy to those who spread guidance and stand together upon the truth. Ameen.
Subhanaka Allahumma wabehamdik. Ash’hadu a’laa ilaha illa Annt. Astaghfiruka wa atubu ilayk./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

Repenting to Allah

Telling Allah about your situation
A mention of the mercy of thy Lord unto His servant Zakhariyyah—when he cried unto his Lord a cry in secret, saying, “My Lord! Lo! The bones of me wax feeble and my head is shining with grey hair, andI have never been unblest in prayer to Thee, my Lord.Lo! I fear my kinsfolk after me, since my wife is barren. Oh, give me from Thy presence a successor who shall inherit of me and inhereit of the house of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, acceptable (unto Thee).” (Maryam:2-6)
Al-Yaqeen and full awareness (“presence of the heart”)
The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said, “Ask Allah with certainty that He will answer your prayers, and know that Allah will not accept the supplication from an absent heart.” (hasan, at-Tirmidhi)
Asking Allah three times
“If you ask Allah for the jannah three times, the jannah will say, ‘O Allah, make him enter jannah.’ And if you ask Allah to protect you from hellfire three times, hellfire will say, ‘O Allah, protect him from the hellfire.’”
NB. Not every supplication should be performed thrice.
Having patience
Man prayeth for evil as he prayeth for good. [Isra:11]
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (s.A.w.s.) said, “The person’s supplication will be answered unless he asks for sin or severing the ties of kinship, except if the person is hasty.” Then the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) was asked about hastiness. So the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) described it as, “The personsays, ‘I asked, and I have not seen the answer.’ Thenhe leaves dua.” (Sahih Muslim)
NB. It is not considered haste in dua to ask for a speedy answer.
Asking with persistence (Al-Ilhah ala Allah)
The Prophet (s.A.w.s.) said, “When you ask Allah, ask with confidence.”
Some of the early Muslims used to say that the suppliant should be like a child when you ask Allah, crying until you are answered.
Asking in secret
An example of this lies in the dua of Zakariyyah,
“A mention of the mercy ofthy Lord unto His servant Zakhariyyah—when he cried unto his Lord a cry in secret.” (19:2)
Benefits of this secrecy include sincerity and beliefin Allah’s attributes (Hearing, Seeing, Closeness).
Mentioning the result you expect from the fulfillment of the du’a
As in the surah,
“(Moses) said: My Lord! Relieve my mind and ease my task for me; and loose a knot from my tongue, that they may understand my saying. Appoint for me a henchman from my folk, Aaron, my brother. Confirmmy strength with him. Andlet him share my task, thatwe may glorify Thee much,and much remember Thee.Lo! Thou art ever Seeing us.” [Ta Ha:29-34]
Omitting details in the actual request
Such as in the ayah,
“Our Lord, give us good in this world, good in the hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the fire.” (2:201)
Aisha narrated that the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) used tolike comprehensive supplications, and he would leave others. (Sahih,Abu Dawud)
One of the Sahaba saw his child asking, “O Allah, give me the right palace on the right side of jannah.” So hetold his child, “Do not do that. Rather, ask Allah to enter you into jannah and to protect you from the fire.”
Tahaarah
It is better to have wudu when making dua.
Facing the qiblah
The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.), when he climbed the Saffa and the Marwa, he would face the qiblah and make du’a.
To ask Allah by His names and attributes
Allah’s are the fairest names. Invoke Him by them. (7:180)
Raising the hands
Salman narrated from the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.), “Surely Allah is Hayyee, and He loves to conceal the shortcomings of His servants. If His servant raises his hands, He does not let him go empty handed.”
NB. It is inappropriate to raise the hands in certain occasions of dua (i.e. during Friday khutbas) andsunnah upon other occasions (i.e. the dua for rain).
Not consuming Haram
On the authority of Abu Hurairah, The Messenger ofAllah said,
“Allah the Almighty is good and accepts only thatwhich is good. Allah has commanded the faithful todo that which he commanded the messengers, and the Almighty has said: ‘O ye messengers! Eat of the good things and do right.’ And Allah the Almighty hassaid, ‘O ye who believe! Eatof the good things wherewith We have provided you.’”
Then he (s.A.a.w.s.) mentioned [the case of] a man who, having journeyed far, is disheveled and dusty and who spreads out his handsto the sky [saying] : "O Lord! O Lord!" Meanwhile, his (the traveler’s) food is unlawful, his drink unlawful, his clothing unlawful, and he is nourished unlawfully; so how can he be answered!
(Related by Muslim)
Thinking well of Allah (Husnu thun bi’llah)
When the wife of Imran said, “My Lord! I have vowed unto Thee that which is in my belly as a consecrated (offering). Accept it from me,/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Relationship Between Supplication and Ramadhan

Making dua is a part of themonth of Ramadhan. The connection between the noble practice of supplicating to Allah and the honored month of Ramadhan is shown in the following ways.
The ayah of supplication is preceded and followed by ayaat of fasting (2:183-187).
183. O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed tothose before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-
184. (Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.
185. Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sentdown the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So everyone of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill,or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.
186. When My servants askthee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me: Let them also, with a will, Listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right way.
187. Permitted to you, on the night of the fasts, is the approach to your wives. They are your garments and ye are their garments. Allah knoweth what ye used to do secretly among yourselves;but He turned to you and forgave you; so now associate with them, and seek what Allah Hath ordained for you, and eat and drink, until the white thread of dawn appear to you distinct from its black thread; then complete your fast Till the night appears; but do not associate with your wives while ye are in retreat in the mosques. Those are Limits (set by) Allah. Approach not nigh thereto.Thus doth Allah make clearHis Signs to men: that theymay learn self-restraint.
The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said that the du’a of the fasting one is accepted.
“Indeed for the fasting person, when he brakes his fast, is a supplication that will never be rejected.”
“Three people’s supplication will not be rejected: a just ruler, a fasting person until he brakes his fast, and an oppressed person.”
It is encouraged to make du’a in laylat’ul-qadr.
Aisha asked the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) “What should I say on Laylat’il-qadr?” Andhe replied, “O Allah, indeedyou are a Pardoner, and you love pardon; so pardon me.”
The Prophet (s.A.w.s.) supplicated all night before the battle of badr, which occurred during Ramadhan.
Manners of Supplication
Asking Allah alone
Do not make dua to anyone alongside Allah. (70:18)
Say (O Muhammad): I make dua unto Allah only, and I ascribe unto Him no partner. (70:20)
The Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) said, “Dua is worship.” Making dua is an act of worship; and directing one’s worship to other than Allah alone is major shirk, a sin which nullifies the person’s islam altogether.
Praising Allah at the beginning of the dua
The primary example of praising Allah before beseeching Him-subhanahu wa ta’ala- is in Surah al-Fatiha,
All praise is to Allah, Lord of the Worlds
The Beneficent, The Merciful,
Owner of the Day of Judgement
You alone we worship
And You alone we ask for help
Guide us on the straight path,
The path of those You favored,
Not of the on whom is wrath, nor the astray.
The Prophet was sitting in a masjid and a man came, and prayed, “O Allah, forgive me and have mercy on me.” So the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.) told him, “You were hasty. When you pray, praise Allah and send the salah on me, then ask Allah.” Another man came and he praised Allah and he sent the salah on the Prophet (s.A.a.w.s.); so he (s.A..a.w.s.) said, “O suppliant, ask Allah and your prayer will be answered.” (Narrated by at-Tirmidhi)
Sending the salah on theProphet (s.A.a.w.s.)
“Every supplication will be denied until the suppliant prays upon the Prophet.” (hasan) NB. Not every dua should contain the salah upon the Prophet. In fact, he (s.A.a.w.s.) instructed hiscompanions with several dua without the salah upon him (such as the dua of istikhara)./ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en

The Month of Mercy

"Ramadan is a month whose beginning is Mercy, whose middle is Forgiveness and whose end is freedom from the fire."
-Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh)
Mercy > Forgiveness> Freedom from Fire
Ponder on the inherent logical sequence ( subhanAllah ) of the above! We cannot be exempt from fire without first being forgiven. And tobe forgiven, we must be graced by Allah's mercy.
The first one third of Ramadan (10days ) is MERCY from Allah
1. Can we expect to receivemercy if we only deprive our bodies of food and drink? Of course not. Because Ramadan is meant for SPIRITUAL development through fasting. Physiologically, by fasting the body eliminates toxins efficiently and the mind becomes clear for "power thinking" so that one may ponder on the meaning of the Qur'an, Hadith and the necessity of Zhikr. One must also do some self-analysis to monitor and correct one's behaviour if necessary. With meditation the mind becomes quiet and so should our tongues!
2. Allah is looking for a sincere commitment from us and not just physical starvation till sunset and then returning to the status quo. Ramadan does not end at every iftar. It ends only on sighting the hilal of Shawwal. So the hard spiritual work must carry on for the whole of the month.
3. One must plead for mercy and sincerely cry to receive it because without it, we are stuck at stage one and our prospects of"freedom from fire" will bebleak.
4. Therefore this stage oneis for sincere confession to Allah that we are weak and sinful and that we desperately need His mercy. We have only about 10 days to qualify tostage two.
The second one third of Ramadan is ----- FORGIVENESS
1. We must now beg for Allah's forgiveness becausewe have broken so many of His rules and covenants and disobeyed His commands during the year, both knowingly and unknowingly. We must sayistighfaar day and night and ask in every sajda for forgiveness. We must be afraid that if Allah does not forgive, we will surely be among the losers. Here again, Allah will be assessing the degree of sincerity in our repentance.He looks not for lip service but for soul service!
2. We must also be forgiving to other people'smistakes and tempers.
The last one third of Ramadan is ......... FREEDOM FROM FIRE
These are our last ten daysor so. Instead of just focusing on Laylat Al-Qadar (the night of power) one should intensify supplications for the whole last third of Ramadan. If possible and affordable then do go for Umrah ... it will be probably the most spiritually fulfilling experience you will have, aside from Hajj. And Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to having done a Hajj with our Rasool pbuh! At the completion ofthe last fast, be optimistically hopeful that you will be alive to give similar pious worship during the forthcoming Ramadans. And if you remain guided in your life then you'll be will be admitted to Paradise, insha'Allah, by the Ryan gate of Paradise! Indeed Allah swt does not break His promise to his slaves.
NOTE:
The month after Ramadan is Shaw'wal .
Those who fast just 6 days of this month, get the reward of fasting the WHOLE of the year! So if one has missed fasting for 12 yrs of his/her life, just 6 days ( in any order) of Shaw'wal fasting gives onean opportunity to make upfor our past deficiency of fasting days. SubhanAllah , isn't Allah swt indeed SUPER-MERCIFUL?/ - - - :-> Transtors: 1.http://free-translation.imtranslator.net/lowres.asp 2.http://translate.google.com/m?twu=1&hl=en&vi=m&sl=auto&tl=en