Quraanic Exegesis, Dought&clear, - * Reconciling between the verses “There is no compulsion in religion” [al-Baqarah 2:256] and “and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace, and they will be abased” [an-Naml 27:37]

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Allah, may He be exalted, says in Soorat al-Baqarah: “There is no compulsion in religion” [al-Baqarah 2:256], and this is a well-known Islamic principle. But in Soorat an-Naml we find that the Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) sent a message to Bilqees threatening her and compelling her to become Muslim. It seems to me that this is contrary to the general principle. How can you explain this?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
The words of Allah, may He be exalted (interpretation of the meaning):“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path” [al-Baqrah 2:256]are not contrary to the command to fight the mushrikeen who turn people away from the religion of Allah, cause mischief on earth and spread kufr, shirk and corruption. Fighting them is one of the greatest deeds by means of which people prosper on earth and enjoy safety and stability, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief and polytheism: i.e. worshipping others besides Allah) and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone” [al-Anfaal 8:39].
Islam aims to achieve that which is in people’s interests and to protect them from that which is harmful to them.
The meaning of this verse is that the teachings of Islam are very clear and the proof and evidence of its soundness are so clear and definitive that there is no need for compulsion. Whoever comes to know the reality of Islam and is not stubborn or arrogant will enter Islam willingly. Rather the one who does not want to enter it is the one who is arrogant and stubborn, who does not accept Allah as his Lord or His Prophet as his messenger, and does not believe in the Book that was revealed to him. For that reason, those mushrikeen who adhere to their false religion and fight in support of their religion out of arrogance and seek to spread mischief and kufr on earth are to be fought.
Nothing is more indicative of that than the fact that at the beginning of Islam people entered the religion of Allah in crowds, the religion in the name of which their fathers, relatives and friends had been killed.
Many of the Sahaabah became Muslim after having fought to defend kufr, such as Khaalid ibn al-Waleed, ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas, Abu Sufyaan ibn Harb, Mu‘aawiyah ibn Abi Sufyaan and many others (may Allah be pleased with them all). They became Muslim when the right path became distinct from the wrong path for them and the teachings and strong proof of Islam became clear to them. So they became Muslim willingly and joined the troops of Allah after having been among the troops of the Shaytaan.
This is also indicated by the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad SAW) then compel mankind, until they become believers?” [Yoonus 10:99]. In other words, you are not able to do that and it is not within your power; no one except Allah is able to do any of that.
End quote fromTafseer as-Sa‘di, p. 374
Ibn Jizziy (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “There is no compulsion in religion” means: the religion of Islam is very clear and its proof of its soundness is self-evident, so there is no need to compel anyone to enter this religion. Rather anyone who has sound understanding will enter it of his own accord, without compulsion. This is indicated by the words,“Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path” [al -Baqarah 2:256], i.e., it is clear that Islam is the right path and kufr is the wrong path, so there is no need for compulsion after this has become clear.
End quote fromat-Tasheel, p. 135
As-Sa‘di(may Allah have mercy on him) said:
This refers to the perfection of Islam, because its proofs are perfect and the signs of its soundness are clear. Because it is the religion of reason and knowledge, the religion of sound human nature and of wisdom, the religion of righteousness and piety, the religion of truth and guidance, and it is perfect and acceptable to human nature, there is no need to compel anyone to enter it, because compulsion is only needed in the case of that which is off-putting and contrary to the facts and truth, or that of which the proofs and signs are not clear. Otherwise, anyone who comes to know this religion then rejects it and does not accept it, it is because of his stubbornness, because right path has become distinct from the wrong path, so no one has any excuse for rejecting it and not accepting it. There is no contradiction between this idea and the many verses that speak of jihad. Allah enjoined fighting so that the religion (worship) will all be for Allah alone and to ward off the aggression of those who are hostile towards Islam. The Muslims are unanimously agreed that jihad is ongoing and that jihad in word and in deed is a permanent obligation. Any commentator who thinks that this verse contradicts the verses of jihad, and is certain that it has been abrogated, holds a weak view, as is obvious from the wording and the meaning and as is clear to anyone who studies the verse, as we have pointed out.
End quote fromTafseer as-Sa‘di, p. 954
He also said:
“Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path” [al-Baqarah 2:256]means: once the one becomes distinct from the other, there is no room for compulsion, because compulsion can only be in the case of an issue the soundness and merits of which are not clear. But once it is clear that well-being and happiness in this world and in the Hereafter are connected to it, then what reason can there be for compulsion?
Something similar may be said concerning the verse (interpretation of the meaning):“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve” [al-Kahf 18:29]., i.e., this is the truth that clear evidence demonstrates is true, so that whoever wants to believe may do so and let whoever wants to disbelieve may do so.
End quote fromal-Qawaa‘id al-Hisaan, p. 119
Az-Zarqaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the sword and the concept of jihad in Islam, that was not for the purpose of imposing belief on people or forcing any individual or group to worship Allah; rather it was to ward off those who would wield the sword, to prevent them from humiliating and persecuting the one who entered Islam, and to compel them to leave the call of truth alone without any obstacle or hindrance, so that there will be no more titnah and the religion (worship) will all be for Allah Alone (cf. 8:39).
End quote fromManaahil al-‘Irfaan, 2/406
Some of the scholars are of the view that this verse applies specifically to the People of the Book and those who come under the same rulings, such as the Magians; they are not to be compelled to enter Islam, because Allah, may He be exalted, says:“Fight against those who believe not in Allah, nor in the Last Day, nor forbid that which has been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger and those who acknowledge not the religion of truth (i.e. Islam) among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued” [at-Tawbah 9:29].
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
If one whom it is not permissible to compel is compelled to enter Islam, such as a dhimmi (non-Muslim living under Muslim rule) or a non-Muslim who has been granted security, he is not deemed to be a Muslim unless he shows signs of having become Muslim voluntarily.
End quote fromal-Mughni, 10/96.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The disbelief of one who is compelled to leave Islam is not to be regarded as anything significant and neither is the faith of one who is compelled unlawfully to believe, such as the dhimmi who is complying with the conditions (of being protected by the Muslim state and so on), as Allah, may He be exalted, says concerning him:“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path” [al-Baqrah 2:256]. This is unlike the one who is compelled (to enter Islam) for a legitimate reason, such as those who were fought of people who are in a state of war with the Muslims, until they become Muslim, if the fight against them was to make them choose between becoming Muslim or paying the jizyah.
End quote fromal-Istiqaamah, 2/320
See also the answer to question no. 165408
The point is that the verse does not mean that people should be compelled to enter the religion of Allah reluctantly and by force; rather what it means is that Islam is easy and clear, with no compulsion to enter it. The one who enters Islam becomes one of its people, and the one who does not enter Islam is either one of the ahl adh-dimmah or one of those who have a covenant with the Muslims; he is to be granted his rights to safety and security and he has to pay the jizyah, or he is one of those who are in a state of war with the Muslims and must be fought lest he spread corruption and kufr in the land.
Secondly:
The words of Allah, may He be exalted, to His Prophet Sulaymaan (peace be upon him):“Go back to them. We verily shall come to them with hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace, and they will be abased” [an-Naml 27:37], do not contradict what we have said above. The Prophet of Allah Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) had gained control over the land, as Mujaahid (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Four people gained control over the earth, east and west, two believers and two disbelievers. The two believers were Sulaymaan ibn Dawood and Dhu’l-Qarnayn, and the two disbelievers were Nebuchadnezzar and Nimrood ibn Kan‘aan (Nimrod son of Canaan). No one but they gained power over it.
Tafseer at-Tabari, 5/433
The king must be obeyed, especially if he issues commands that are in the people’s interests and are good for the people and the country, such as believing in Allah and shunning kufr. So it is not permissible for anyone to go against him in that regard, and whoever does go against him must be fought, because he may cause trouble in the kingdom and spread kufr and corruption in the land, and others may follow him in that.
Moreover, there is nothing in the verse to suggest that he compelled the queen, Bilqees, or anyone else to become Muslim. Rather what it refers to is fighting her and her army. In fact she became Muslim voluntarily, because of what she saw of the great signs that Allah granted at Sulaymaan’s hands; it was not because of fear of fighting and the sword. Allah, may He be exalted, tells us (interpretation of the meaning):“She said: ‘My Lord! Verily, I have wronged myself, and I submit (in Islam, together with Sulaymaan (Solomon), to Allah, the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists)’” [an-Naml 27:44].
From the above it is known that the command to fight does not mean compelling people to become Muslim.
Thirdly:
If we assume that this story refers to Sulaymaan (peace be upon him) compelling the Queen of Saba’ (Sheba) and the people with her to accept his laws that Allah sent down to him, this has to do only with the laws of Sulaymaan (peace be upon him), which were different to our laws. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way” [al-Maa’idah 5:4].
As-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said: These laws, that were different for different nations, are what changed according to changes in times and circumstances. All of them were aimed at achieving justice at the time when they were prescribed.
Emd quote fromTafseer as-Sa‘di, p. 234
Moreover, this ruling, which allows the dhimmi to continue following his religion and to be granted protection by the Muslims, and does not require compelling him to enter the religion of Allah, will change at the end of time, when ‘Eesa (Jesus – peace be upon him) comes down. He will abolish the jizyah and will not accept anything but Islam, and there will be a great deal of good and blessing throughout the earth. This is one of the things which indicate that fighting the mushrikeen who turn people away from the religion of Allah is one of the greatest means of bringing goodness and blessings to the people, common folk and elite alike.
Al-Bukhaari (2222) and Muslim (155) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, soon the son of Maryam will descend among you as a just judge, he will break the cross, kill the pigs and abolish the jizyah, and wealth will become so abundant that no one will accept it.”
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
With regard to the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “and (he will) abolish the jizyah”, the correct view concerning their meaning is that he will not accept it, and he will not accept anything from the kuffaar except Islam. He will not leave alone those who are willing to pay the jizyah, because it will not be good enough; rather he will not accept anything except Islam or execution. This is the view of Abu Sulaymaan al-Khattaabi and other scholars, may Allah have mercy on them.
Based on that, it may be asked: Will this be different from the Islamic ruling that exists today, which is that if the kitaabi (Jew or Christian living under Muslim rule) pays the jizyah, it must be accepted and it is not permissible to fight him or compel him to become Muslim?
The answer to that is that this ruling is not ongoing until the Day of Resurrection; rather it is limited to the time before ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) comes down. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has told us in these saheeh hadeeths that it will be abrogated. But ‘Eesa (peace be upon him) is not the one who will abrogate it; rather it is our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who explained that it will be abrogated. ‘Eesa will rule in accordance with our sharee‘ah, which indicates that his refusal to accept the jizyah at that time is what is prescribed by our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
And Allah knows best.

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For children, - Repentance in Islam (Tawbah, Taubah, Tobah): Seeking Forgiveness (Al-Istighfaar, Istighfar)

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Allah (SWT) Most High says in Noble Qur'an, "Ask your Lord for forgiveness and then turn in repentance to Him..." (11:3)
Also Allah (SWT) Most High says in Noble Qur'an, "O you who believe! Turn (in repentance) to Allah with sincere repentance; Perhaps your Lord will remove your evil from you... " (66:8)
It should not be forgotten that we, being human beings are prone to committing sins. Sinless are nobody in the universe except the Masumeen and the Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw). To seek pardon from Allah (SWT) is the instant remedy for every problem. Once a person came to Imam Ali (as) and asked him for the solution of repaying the debts, Imam Ali (as) was told to do Tawbah and seek repentance from Allah (SWT). The other person came asking for the remedy of a sickness, Imam Ali (as) was prescribed the same Tawbah and seek repentance from Allah (SWT). Yet another person came asking for the bestowing of an offspring from Allah (SWT) and Imam Ali (as) was also told to do Istighfar as much as possible.
The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: "The sign of the people of Hell is mostly because of the postponement of repenting (Tawbah and Istighfar)."
The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: "A sincere repentant never sins again as the milk drawn from the breast never can go back to its source."
The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: "The repentant from a sin is as same as him who did not commit it."
The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: "Nothing is more favorable to Allah (SWT) than a male or female repentant believer."
The Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: "There are four signs of one who is repentant: (1) He is sincere to Allah (SWT) in his actions (2) He shuns falsehood (3) He is firmly attached to truth and (4) He is eager to do good."
Imam Ali (as) said: "The sin that makes you sad and repentant is more liked by Allah (SWT) than the good deed which turns you arrogant."
Imam Ali (as) said: "A sincere repentant: (1) is ashamed of his past sins (2) takes up the duties overlooked and fulfils them (3) makes good the willfully ignored conditions of a trust managed by him (4) forgives those who provoke him (5) does not demand repayment of loans from those who are in financial distress (6) makes firm determination not to sin ever again (7) surrenders his self to the adoration, devotion and service of Allah (SWT) when it had swelled to the point of exploding due to inordinate consumption of worldly pleasures, transgression and disobedience."
Imam Zainul Abideen (as) said: "My God! You are He who has opened a door to Your pardon and named it 'repentance' for You said, 'Repent to God with unswerving (sincere) repentance' (66:8). What is the excuse for him who remains heedless of entering the door after its opening?"
Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) said: "If a servant repents sincerely, Allah (SWT) loves him (and) so conceals his sins."
Repentance is the cord of Allah (SWT) which those repenting must necessarily grasp; they need to clean their interior of their sins and testify against themselves before their Lord.
They should be repentant from the depths of their hearts with regards to their past misdeeds, and fearful with regards to the remaining period of their lives. The Auliya Allah (Friends of Allah (SWT)) repent for the (inappropriate) thoughts that may have passed through their minds, while the special ones repent for engaging themselves in anything other than Allah (SWT), even as the general masses repent for the sins committed by them.
It is vital that, in order to make amends for past (mis)deeds and refrain from committing sins in the future, the person repenting should not look upon any sin as being trivial and insignificant, but should always experience regret over his past lapses, keep his soul away from various kinds of lust and guide it towards struggle (against lust) and worship.
Allah (SWT) loves a believer who seeks forgiveness by asking for Tawbah and Istighfar. Tawbah is among the most praiseworthy acts of virtue for the believers.
Allah (SWT) is more pleased with the repentance of His servants than a person who found his lost camel in a waterless desert. In fact, Allah (SWT) loves to see the believer repent more than He hates to see him sin.
Allah (SWT) accepts the repentance of a believer for as long as he is not at the point of death. He (or she) who repents of a sin is like him who has committed no sin. Indeed Allah (SWT) loves a believing servant who sins and then realizes his mistake and greatly repents with a true heart and seeks His forgiveness, mercy, and intends with a true heart to never repeat the sin.
When a believer commits a sin and seeks Tawbah, Allah (SWT) becomes so happy and says: "My servant committed a sin and then he came to realize that he has a Lord who holds the sinner responsible and accountable, and also that He has a Lord who forgives the sins if asked for forgiveness: So let him be forgiven."
Believers are on a path of continual improvement. People do make mistakes, but believers analyze their mistakes and take positive actions to correct them. This examination is critical for creating purity in every action. In this way, believers develop a lifestyle which is firmly grounded in the principles of faith, and as loved by Allah (SWT) and His Noble Prophet Muhammad (saw). All the sons of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent.
Dua: Oh Allah (SWT), let us become better Muslims by repenting for our sins, major and minor, intentionally or unintentionally, openly or secretly, and accept our repentance, and save us from repeating our sins. Aameen.

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Quraanic Exegesis, Dought&clear, - * How many years didNooh (peace be upon him) live?

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Did Nooh (peace be upon him) live for 950 years, and why does it state in the Qur’an that he lived for one thousand years (sanah) less fifty years (‘aam)? Is there a difference between the words sanah and ‘aam (both mean “year”)?
Praise be to Allah
There are important lessons to be learned from the life of Nooh (peace be upon him).
He lived for many centuries that he spent among his people, calling them to Allah, may He be exalted, feeling compassion for them lest He punish them, hoping that He would bestow His mercy upon them. He never felt despair or wanted to give up; rather he hoped that Allah would guide them at his hands, no matter how long it took. The years of his life offer lessons for callers, teachers and educators in patience, determination and faith.
His life also offers lessons to all people, so that they may understand that death will inevitably come, no matter how long one lives, and that one’s life is no more than a series of days that end with sunset every day, so as to conclude the story of his soul that was given an opportunity to attain eternal happiness in Paradise, so what a victory it is if it strove to attain this happiness, and what a loss it is if it fell short and was heedless.
Ibn Abi’d-Dunya narrated inaz-Zuhd(no. 358) with his isnaad from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:
The Angel of Death came to Nooh (peace be upon him) and said: O longest-lived of the Prophets, how did you find this world and its pleasures? He said: Like a man who entered a room with two doors, and he stood in the middle of the room for a brief moment, then he went out of the other door. End quote.
The discerning Muslim is the one who pays attention to these lessons and develops the determination and resolve to strive. He should not be preoccupied with the details of history which the revelation did not highlight or explain, and for which there is no sound proof or shar‘i evidence.
That includes asking about the age of Nooh (peace be upon him). There were several scholarly opinions concerning it among the early generations of the Sahaabah and Taabi‘een, but there is nothing proven concerning it in the Qur’an or Sunnah, such that we could be certain that one of these opinions is correct. However, we will quote these opinions here for the sake of increasing knowledge of what is narrated in the books of the early generations:
1. 950 years. This is the view of Qataadah.
It says inTafseer al-Qur’an al-‘Azeemby Ibn Katheer (6/268):
Qataadah said: It was said that his entire lifespan was one thousand years less fifty; he remained among them for three hundred years before he began to call them, and he called them for three hundred years, and after the Flood he lived for another three hundred and fifty years. End quote.
A similar report was narrated by Ibn Abi Haatim inat-Tafseer, no. 18041
2. 1050 years. This was the view of Ibn ‘Abbaas.
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
Allah sent Nooh (as a Prophet) when he was forty years old, and he remained among them for one thousand years less fifty, calling them to Allah; after the Flood he lived for another sixty years, until the people increased in numbers and spread out. End quote.
Inad-Durr al-Manthoor(6/455), as-Suyooti attributed it to Ibn Abi Shaybah (7/18), ‘Abd ibn Humayd, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Abi Haatim, Abu’sh-Shaykh, al-Haakim (9/251), who classed it as saheeh, and Ibn Mardawayh.
3. 1020 years. This was the view of Ka‘b al-Ahbaar.
Ibn Abi Haatim narrated inat-Tafseer(no. 18043): Abu Zur‘ah told us: Safwaan told us: al-Waleed told us: Abu Raafi‘ Ismaa‘eel ibn Raafi‘ told us: from Zayd ibn Aslam, from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasaar, from Ka‘b al-Ahbaar, concerning the words of Allah,“and he stayed among them a thousand years less fifty years” al-‘Ankaboot 29:14]: After that, he lived for another seventy years.
4. 1400 years. This was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas, and was also the view of Wahb ibn Munabbih
See:Tafseer al-Qurtubi, 13/332
5. 1650 years. This was the view of ‘Awn ibn Abi Shaddaad
It was narrated that ‘Awn ibn Abi Shaddaad said:
Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, sent Nooh to his people when he was three hundred and fifty years old, and he called them for one thousand years less fifty years, then after that he lived for another three hundred and fifty years.
Narrated by Ibn Abi Haatim inat-Tafseer(no. 18044); al-Tabari inJaami‘ al-Bayaan, 20/17
6. 1700 years. This was the view of ‘Ikrimah
It was narrated that ‘Ikrimah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The age of Nooh (peace be upon him) including the time before he was sent to his people and after he was sent was one thousand, seven hundred years. End quote.
Inad-Durr al-Manthoor(6/456), as-Suyooti attributed it to ‘Abd ibn Humayd.
Ibn Katheer said inTafseer al-Qur’an al-‘Azeem(6/268), after stating that the previous views were odd: The view of Ibn ‘Abbaas is more likely (to be correct). End quote.
Secondly:
The commentators also differed concerning the reason behind the use of the wordssanahand‘aam(both meaning “year”). There are two opinions:
1.
Some of the commentators are of the view that it is a stylistic reason only, because repeating the same word is heavy on the tongue, so a different word was used the second time, namely ‘aam, to make it lighter.
Az-Zamakhshari said inal-Kashshaaf:
If you say: why is the wordsanahused the first time and the word‘aamused the second time? I would answer by saying that repeating the same word in a single phrase should be avoided in the interests of eloquence, unless that is done for a purpose, such as for emphasis or exaggeration or highlighting a point, and the like. End quote.
Something similar is mentioned inat-Tahreer wa’t-Tanweer, 20/146
2.
The wordsanah(year) is used to highlight the difficulty of the years that Nooh (peace be upon him) spent calling his people. They were years of paucity in terms of goodness, rain and blessing (barakah), and in terms of the difficulty that Nooh (peace be upon him) encountered in calling his people, as they responded by turning away and persecuting him. Then after the flood and the destruction of kufr on earth, he spent years of abundance and ease. The Arabs refer to times of drought and famine assanahand times of ease and plenty as‘aam.
Ar-Raaghib al-Asfahaani said inMufradaat Alfaaz al-Qur’an(2/140):
The‘aamis like thesanah(both words mean “year”) but the wordsanahis often used to refer to the year in which there is hardship or drought. Hence a drought is calledsanah. The word‘aamrefers to a year in which there is ease and plenty. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Then thereafter will come a year (‘aam) in which people will have abundant rain and in which they will press (wine and oil)”
[Yoosuf 12:49]
“and he stayed among them a thousand years (sanah) less fifty years (‘aam)”
[al-‘Ankaboot 29:14].
Burhaan ad-Deen al-Biqaa‘i said inNazm ad-Durar(14/404):
The word sanah is used to refer in a negative manner to the days of kufr (disbelief)… and He said “‘aam” to highlight the fact that after they (the disbelievers) were drowned, Nooh’s life became one of ease because of the faith of the believers and the abundance of the earth. End quote.
Imam az-Zarkashi said something similar inal-Burhaan fi ‘Uloom al-Qur’an, 3/386
Some of the scholars put these two opinions together because there is no reason why these two opinion cannot be regarded as complementary. When it comes to opinions of the commentators – so long as they do not contradict one another – they may all be adopted, which is preferable to rejecting some of them.
Ibn ‘Aadil said inal-Lubaab, 12/429:
Here I paid attention to a subtle point, which is that different words for “year” are used. In the first case it sayssanahand in the second case it says‘aam, lest the wording be too heavy (and so that the words will flow more easily on the tongue). Moreover, the word‘aamis used specifically with regard to the fifty years, so as to highlight that when the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was rid of them, he enjoyed good times after that. The Arabs refer to abundance by saying‘aamand to drought by sayingsanah.
And Allah knows best.

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Quraanic Exegesis, Dought&clear, - * The variation of pronouns in the Qur’an is a sign of its eloquence and miraculous nature

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A non muslim wants to know the reason why the quran was also revealed in reported speeches. An example is where Allah says in Al Inshiqaq vs 24.And Allah knows best what they gather( of good and bad deeds). That is Allah mentioning his name in terms of 2nd person.
Praise be to Allah.
The Qur’an was revealed in a plain Arabic tongue; one aspect of the literary style of the Arabs is that the speaker may refer to himself sometimes in the first person, sometimes in the third person, sometimes in the singular and sometimes in the plural. This variation is part of eloquence and good style. No one can understand this except those who know Arabic and have a sufficient grasp of its different ways of expression.
The Qur’an was not revealed in only one style, as the questioner thinks; rather it uses a variety of different styles; this is part of its miraculous nature and eloquence.
Dr ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-Mutayri says in his bookDa‘aawa al-Taa‘ineena fi’l-Qur’an al-Kareem(p. 304): One of the literary styles of the Arabs is for the speaker to refer to himself in the first person and in the third person. For example, a speaker may say, “I did such and such; I went; I instruct you, O So and so, to do such and such.” And sometimes he may also say of himself that “So and so – meaning himself – instructs you to do such and such, and forbids you to do such and such; or he likes you to do such and such.” This is like when an ameer (ruler) or king says to his people: “The Ameer asks you to do such and such.” What he is trying to emphasise is that his instructions are based on the fact that he is a ruler or king; this is more eloquent than saying to them, “I am the king and I am telling you to do such and such.” Saying “The king instructs you…” is more eloquent than saying “I am the king and I am instructing you…”
This kind of style also appears in the Qur’an. The one who does not know Arabic may think that Allah cannot speak of Himself in the third person, and that He must say “I have sent down to you, O Muhammad, the Book with truth, confirming what came before it” and the like. But this reflects ignorance of the literary style in Arabic and how it is part of Arabic eloquence. Undoubtedly for Allah to speak of Himself in the third person is more eloquent than saying “Alif-Laam-Meem, I am Allah, there is no god but I, the the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. I sent down to you the Book with truth, confirming what came before it…” (cf. Aal ‘Imraan 3:1-3).
End quote.
It is known from Arab literary custom that they do not persist in one style in their speech; rather they move from one style to another, even in a single passage, let alone when there are two different passages (on two different occasions). This is part of Arabic literary style that serves to keep the listener’s or reader’s attention.
Az-Zarkashi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Moving from one style to another serves to make speech flow more smoothly, helps the listener to focus, renews his interest and avoids the boredom that may result from always adhering to one style.
Haazim said inMinhaaj al-Bulagha’: They become bored when the style persists in using the first person or the second person, so they move from second person to third person. By the same token, a speaker may change the pronoun and play with the words, sometimes using the first person to speak of himself, and sometimes using the second person or third person. Hence speech that persists in using a particular pronoun, whether it is the first or second person, is not regarded as good; rather it is more appropriate to move from one to the other.
Then az-Zarkashi (may Allah have mercy on him) gives different examples of such usage and their effectiveness in conveying the message.
See:al-Burhaan fi ‘Uloom al-Qur’anby Badr ad-Deen az-Zarkashi, 3/314-330
And Allah knows best.

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Quraanic Exegesis, Dought&clear, - * Meaning of theverse “It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and ofthe earth the like thereof”

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What is the meaning of the verse at the end of Soorat at-Talaaq (interpretation of the meaning): “It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge.” [at-Talaaq 65:12]?
Praise be to Allah.
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven). His Command descends between them (heavens and earth), that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds (comprehends) all things in (His) Knowledge.”
[at-Talaaq 65:12].
In this verse Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, tells us that He created seven heavens and seven earths, between which His command descends; this refers to His laws and commandments, and His decrees by which all things are controlled and His signs are made clear, so that His slaves may know that to Him belong the creation and the command, and that He has the utmost wisdom and perfect might; to Him belong the most beautiful names and sublime attributes; not even the weight of an atom (or small ant), in the highest heaven or the lowest earth, is beyond His power and knowledge; and so that they may know that He is able to bring people back to life after they have died, and raise them up and resurrect them from their graves, so that they will love Him and worship Him, and they will be obedient to Him and to His Messengers. This is the purpose for which He created mankind.
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Allah, may He be exalted, tells us of His perfect might and absolute power, so that this will motivate us to venerate the true religion that He has ordained. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“It is Allah Who has created seven heavens and of the earth the like thereof (i.e. seven).”
[at-Talaaq 65:12].
End quote fromTafseer Ibn Katheer, 8/156
Ash-Shawkaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “and of the earth the like thereof” means, and He created the earth something like them, i.e., seven. There was a difference of opinion concerning the nature of the levels of the earth. Al-Qurtubi said in hisTafseer: They (the scholars) differed concerning them, and there are two opinions. One of them, which is the view of the majority, is that there are seven earths in layers, one above another, and between each two earths there is a distance like that between heaven and earth. Ad-Dahhaak said: They are in layers, one above another, with no gap in between, unlike the heavens. But the former view is more correct, because the reports indicate that.
End quote fromFath al-Qadeer, 5/346
As-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Allah, may He be exalted, tells us that He created all of creation, including the seven heavens and all that dwell therein, and the seven earths and all that dwell therein, and whatever is between them, and that He sent down His command, which is the laws and religious rulings that He revealed to His Messengers to remind and exhort His slaves, and His decrees by means of which he controls all of creation. All of that is so that His slaves will know Him and will understand that His power encompasses all things and His Knowledge encompasses all things. Then they will know Him by His holy attributes and beautiful names, and they will worship Him, love Him and fulfil their duties towards Him. This is the purpose behind creation and the command: to know Allah and worship Him. Those of the righteous slaves of Allah who were guided understood this and acted accordingly, but those who wronged themselves turned away from that.
End quote fromTafseer as-Sa‘di, p. 872
At-Tabaraani narrated inal-Mu‘jam al-Kabeer(8987) with a hasan isnaad from Ibn Mas‘ood that he said: The distance between the lowest heaven and the next one is the distance of five hundred years’ travel, and the distance between each heaven and the next is the distance of five hundred years’ travel.
So the heavens are seven, and the earths are seven, and that is by the perfect might of Allah, may He be exalted, and the command and decree of Allah descend between them.
What is required of us is to adhere to what is known from sharee‘ah, and not overstep the mark. The Qur’an and the saheeh Sunnah have told us that there are seven heavens and seven earths.
We know from the Sunnah that each heaven has its inhabitants, but there is nothing that tells us about the earths other than the one in which we live. So what we must do is adhere to what the reports say, and believe that there are seven earths, without seeking to know further, or to find out whether this is proven by modern science or not, or other things that may generate doubt and uncertainty. Rather we must believe that complete knowledge and power over these higher and lower realms belongs to Allah alone. This is part of knowing that He has power over all things, and that He encompasses all things in His knowledge. Nevertheless, we say: We hear, we obey and we believe.
And Allah knows best.

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Sacrifices, Dought & clear, - * Should he give precedence to his father over himself with regard to the price of the udhiyah so that his father can offer the sacrifice, by way of honouring him?

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My father does not have enough money to buy the udhiyah, and I usually give him the cost so that he can offer the sacrifice instead of me. Is this good (as a way of honouring my father), or should I offer the udhiyah because I am able to do so, and there is no blame on my father?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Offering the udhiyah is a confirmed Sunnah; for it to be prescribed and encouraged it is stipulated that the one who offers the udhiyah should be independent of means, in the sense that the price of the udhiyah is surplus to what he needs to suffice himself and those on whom he is obliged to spend.
Please see the answer to question no. 70291.
If a person does not own enough to pay the price of the udhiyah, surplus to what he needs for his expenses, then he is not obliged to offer an udhiyah.
Secondly:
If the members of a family share accommodation and expenses, one udhiyah is sufficient on behalf of all of them.
The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
If the family is large, but they live in one house, then one udhiyah is sufficient on behalf of all of them, but if they offer more than one, that is preferable.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/408)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The inhabitants of one house may share one udhiyah even if they are many. If they are brothers who eat together and live in one house, then they may share one udhiyah, even if they have many wives. The same applies in the case of a father with his sons, even if one of them is married: they may share one udhiyah.
End quote fromMajmoo‘ Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-‘Uthaymeen(25/43)
See also the answer to question no. 96741
Based on that, if you live in the same accommodation with your father, then one udhiyah is acceptable on behalf of the entire household, including your father and your mother.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked:
If my wife lives with my father in the same house, is it acceptable to offer one sacrifice on ‘Eid al-Adha for myself and my father, or not?
They replied:
If the situation is as you describe, and that the father and his son live in one house, then one udhiyah is sufficient on your behalf and on behalf of your father, your wife, your father’s wife and all the members of your household, one udhiyah in fulfilment of the Sunnah.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah(11/404)
There is nothing wrong with you giving your father the price of the udhiyah so that he can take care of that, and you can intend when doing that to delegate him to do that on your behalf and on behalf of the family.
There is also no reason why you should not give him the price of the udhiyah as a gift, so that he can offer the sacrifice on his own behalf and on behalf of the members of his family, including yourself and those who live with him in the same house. However it is preferable for the udhiyah to be offered in your name, so long as you are the owner of the wealth, and to give your father whatever he needs of that wealth.
But if you live in a house on your own, and your father lives in another house, then it is not prescribed for you to offer the udhiyah on your own behalf and on behalf of your father. So you should offer the sacrifice on your own behalf and on behalf of the members of your household, and your father is not obliged to offer the udhiyah if he does not have enough money to buy it.
If you give him the cost of the udhiyah sometimes, and you yourself offer the udhiyah sometimes, that will be good, in sha Allah, and it will be a way of combining the two good deeds.
And Allah knows best.






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Sacrifices, Dought & clear, - * One udhiyah is sufficient on behalf of both spouses and the members of their household

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My father customarily offers the udhiyah on his own behalf and on behalf of his deceased parents, and not on behalf of my mother who is still alive. I have spoken to him about this topic, but he said that she is not obliged to offer an udhiyah, because she is a housewife. And other people said that the husband is not obliged to offer the udhiyah on her behalf.
My question is:
What if the son or daughter wants to give her the price of the udhiyah or buy it for her – what is the ruling?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
It is permissible for the one who is offering the udhiyah to share the reward of his sacrifice with whomever he wants of his relatives, both living and dead, because of the hadith that was narrated by Muslim, in which it says: “O Allah, accept on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad”, and the family of Muhammad includes both living and dead. It is also permissible for him to offer an udhiyah on behalf of the dead separately, or along with those who are living. This has been discussed previously in the answer to questions no. 36596and 36706.
Secondly:
One udhiyah is sufficient on behalf of a man and the members of his household, including his wife, children and parents, if they all live in one house, because of the report narrated by Muslim (3637) from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ordered that a ram with black legs, black belly and black (circles) round the eyes should be brought to him, so that he could sacrifice it. He said to her: “O ‘Aa’ishah, give me the knife,” then he said: “Sharpen it on a stone.” She did that, then he took it, and he took the ram and lay it down on the ground, then he slaughtered it and said: “In the name of Allah; O Allah, accept (this sacrifice) on behalf of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad and the ummah of Muhammad.” Then he sacrificed it.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This report was quoted as evidence by those who regarded it as permissible for a man to offer the udhiyah on his own behalf and on behalf of the members of his household, and to give them a share with him in the reward. This is our view and the view of the majority.
End quote fromSharh Muslimby an-Nawawi
Based on that, what is prescribed for the husband is to intend that his udhiyah is to be on his own behalf and on behalf of the members of his household, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, and that will be acceptable and sufficient on his own behalf and theirs, and they will have a share with him in the reward. There is no need to offer a separate udhiyah on behalf of his wife.
If he did not intend that his udhiyah should also be on behalf of his family, then they are not required to offer udhiyah themselves, because the udhiyah is waived from the members of the household if the man offers an udhiyah, even though they will not be rewarded for something that they did not do and for which the one who did it did not give them a share in the reward.
Ar-Ramli (may Allah have mercy on him) said, concerning the udhiyah: It is a confirmed communal Sunnah, even if it is in Mina, if the members of the household are numerous, otherwise it is an individual Sunnah. What is meant by it being a communal Sunnah, even though it is Sunnah for each of them, is that it is waived if someone else does it, although the reward is not attained by the one who does not do it, as is also the case with the funeral prayer. The author said inSharh Muslimthat if he gives a share of the reward to someone else, that is valid, and that is also our view. The basic principle for that is the fact that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sacrificed cows in Mina on behalf of his wives. Narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim.
End quote fromNihaayat al-Muhtaaj(8/132)
But if the wife has her own money, and she wants to offer an udhiyah at her own expense, then she may do so. If one of her sons gives her money with which to offer the sacrifice, and she accepts that from him, that is also valid.
And that Allah knows best.

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Sacrifices, Dought & clear, - * If a person wants to delay the udhiyah until the days of at-tashreeq (11th, 12th and13th of Dhu’l-Hijjah), is it haraam for him to remove anything of hishair and nails?

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If a person delays his udhiyah until the days of at-tashreeq, is it haraam for him to remove anything from his hair or nails until he offers his sacrifice, or does that only apply to the first ten days, even if he delays his udhiyah?
Praise be to Allah.
If a person wants to offer an udhiyah, then it is haraam – according to the more correct view – for him to remove anything from his hair or nails until he offers his sacrifice, regardless of whether he offers his sacrifice at the beginning of the time for it, immediately after the Eid prayer, or at the end of the time, i.e., before sunset on the thirteenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah.
That is because of the report narrated by Muslim in hisSaheeh(1977) from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever has an animal to sacrifice, when the new moon of Dhu’l-Hijjah appears, let him not remove anything from his hair or nails, until he has offered his sacrifice.”
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said: When the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah begin, if you intend to offer an udhiyah on your own behalf or on behalf of someone else from your wealth, then you should not remove anything of your hair, either from the armpit or the pubic area or the moustache or the head, until you have offered your sacrifice. Similarly, you should not remove anything from your nails, either on the feet or on the hands, until you have offered your sacrifice. … That is a sign of respect for the udhiyah, and so that those who are not in ihram will attain some of what those who are in ihram for Hajj will attain, because when a person goes for Hajj or ‘umrah, he does not shave his head until the sacrificial animal reaches the place where it is to be slaughtered, and Allah, may he be glorified and exalted, wants to give His slaves who are not performing Hajj or ‘Umrah a share of the rituals. And Allah knows best.
Sharh Riyaadh as-Saaliheen(6/450)
And Allah knows best.

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For children, - Sincerity (Ikhlas) in Islam: Three Persons in a Cave(Sincere Faith and Worship)

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Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) has related: "Three persons from the tribe of Bani Israel got together and started out on a journey. On the way, clouds gathered above them and it started to pour with rain and so they sought shelter in a nearby cave.
Suddenly, a large boulder slipped and blocked the entrance to the cave, trapping the three inside and transforming the day into a dark night for them. They had no other alternative except to turn to Allahn (SWT) for help.
"Let us use our sincere deeds as a means to obtain deliverance from this predicament," suggested one of them. All the others agreed with the suggestion.
One of them said, "O' Lord! You are aware that I have an extremely attractive cousin and that I was infatuated and obsessed with her. One day, finding her alone, I took hold of her and wanted to satisfy my carnal desires, when she spoke out to me saying: O' My cousin! Fear Allah (SWT) and do not harm my chastity. Hearing this, I crushed my lustful tendencies and decided against the evil act. O' Lord! If that deed of mine had been out of absolute sincerity and only for the purpose of acquiring Your pleasure, deliver us from grief and perdition."
Suddenly they witnessed that the huge boulder had moved away a little, faintly brightening up the interior of the cave.
The second person spoke out, "O' Lord! You know that I had a father and a mother, so old that their bodies had bent over due to their excessive age, and that I used to tend to them regularly. One night, having brought them their food, I observed that both of them were asleep. I passed the entire night near them, the food in hand, without waking them up for fear of disturbing them. O' Lord! If this deed of mine had been only for the sake of Your pleasure and happiness, open up a way for us and grant us salvation."
As he completed his speech, the group noticed that the boulder had moved aside a little more.
The third person supplicated, "O' Knower of every hidden and manifest! You know Yourself that I had a worker who used to work for me. When his term had reached its termination, I handed over to him his wages, but he was not pleased and desired more and, in a state of dissatisfaction and displeasure, he went away. I used his wage to purchase a goat, which I looked after separately and very soon I had a flock in my possession. After a period of time, the worker again approached me for his wage and I pointed towards the flock of sheep. Initially, he thought I was ridiculing him, but later, realizing my seriousness, took the entire flock and left. O' Lord! If this act had been prompted by sincerity and had only been for Your pleasure, deliver us from this quandary."
At this point the entire boulder moved aside from the mouth of the cave and all three emerged from it, joyous and ecstatic, and continued their journey.

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For children, - Sincerity (Ikhlas) in Islam: Three Persons in a Cave(Sincere Faith and Worship)

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Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) has related: "Three persons from the tribe of Bani Israel got together and started out on a journey. On the way, clouds gathered above them and it started to pour with rain and so they sought shelter in a nearby cave.
Suddenly, a large boulder slipped and blocked the entrance to the cave, trapping the three inside and transforming the day into a dark night for them. They had no other alternative except to turn to Allahn (SWT) for help.
"Let us use our sincere deeds as a means to obtain deliverance from this predicament," suggested one of them. All the others agreed with the suggestion.
One of them said, "O' Lord! You are aware that I have an extremely attractive cousin and that I was infatuated and obsessed with her. One day, finding her alone, I took hold of her and wanted to satisfy my carnal desires, when she spoke out to me saying: O' My cousin! Fear Allah (SWT) and do not harm my chastity. Hearing this, I crushed my lustful tendencies and decided against the evil act. O' Lord! If that deed of mine had been out of absolute sincerity and only for the purpose of acquiring Your pleasure, deliver us from grief and perdition."
Suddenly they witnessed that the huge boulder had moved away a little, faintly brightening up the interior of the cave.
The second person spoke out, "O' Lord! You know that I had a father and a mother, so old that their bodies had bent over due to their excessive age, and that I used to tend to them regularly. One night, having brought them their food, I observed that both of them were asleep. I passed the entire night near them, the food in hand, without waking them up for fear of disturbing them. O' Lord! If this deed of mine had been only for the sake of Your pleasure and happiness, open up a way for us and grant us salvation."
As he completed his speech, the group noticed that the boulder had moved aside a little more.
The third person supplicated, "O' Knower of every hidden and manifest! You know Yourself that I had a worker who used to work for me. When his term had reached its termination, I handed over to him his wages, but he was not pleased and desired more and, in a state of dissatisfaction and displeasure, he went away. I used his wage to purchase a goat, which I looked after separately and very soon I had a flock in my possession. After a period of time, the worker again approached me for his wage and I pointed towards the flock of sheep. Initially, he thought I was ridiculing him, but later, realizing my seriousness, took the entire flock and left. O' Lord! If this act had been prompted by sincerity and had only been for Your pleasure, deliver us from this quandary."
At this point the entire boulder moved aside from the mouth of the cave and all three emerged from it, joyous and ecstatic, and continued their journey.

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