If a married son does not live with his mother,is he regarded as being disobedient towards her?

I have been living with my husband's mother andsister for two years.
The problem is that his mother is married and herhusband lives with
us, which exposes me to a lotof haraam situations such as being alone
with him, or his entering upon me suddenly when I am not wearing
hijab. This communal living situationalso prevents us from fully
enjoying intimacy with one another and it deprives me and my husband
of many of our rights. I knew from the beginning that I would beliving
with my husband's family, but I did not realise that the matter would
be so difficult and that it would cause me psychological problems and
a sense of deprivation. Now I have begun to want separate
accommodation, as does my husband, but his mother objects on the
grounds that she is sick and needs him. Please note that she is still
working despite her sickness and she is living her life normally most
of the time. Her younger daughter also lives with her and her older
daughter lives nearby in ahouse that she gave to her, and she visits
her all the time. She also has three other houses that are rented out,
but she refuses to give us one of them and refuses to let uslive
anywhere except with her. She regards our desire for a separate home
to be a betrayal on my part and disobedienceon my husband's part. What
is the solution?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Accommodation is one of the rights of the wife that is obligatory upon
the husband according to scholarly consensus, because Allah, may He be
exalted, has decreed that the husband is obliged to provide
accommodation for the woman who is revocably divorced, as He says
(interpretation of themeaning):
"Lodge them (the divorced women) where you dwell, according to your means"
[at-Talaaq 65:6].
So it is more appropriate that he be required to provide accommodation
to the one who is still married. Moreover, Allah has enjoined kind and
honourable treatment between spouses as He says (interpretation of
themeaning):
"And live with them honourably"
[an-Nisa' 4:19].
Part of living with them honourably, as enjoined, is providing the
wife with accommodation in which she and her wealth are secure. The
wife cannot do without accommodation so as to shield her from prying
eyes, and so that she can have her privacy and keepher wealth. Hence
accommodation is one of the rights that she has over her husband.
The majority of Hanafi, Shaafa'i and Hanbali fuqaha' are of the view
that the wife has the rightto accommodation separate from her
husband's relatives, and that she has the right to refuse to live with
his father and mother or one of them.
See: al-Mawsoo'ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 25/109
See also the answer to question no. 7653
If the wife agrees to live with the husband's family,there is nothing
wrong with that, because it is a yielding of her rights on her part.
But that is subject to the conditions that she is safe from falling
into haraam situations with regard to being alone with a non-mahram or
looking, and she has the right to change her mind about this agreement
at any time, because her right to separate accommodation is not waived
as a result of her giving it up.
What you mention about the possibility of being alone with one who is
notpermissible for you, and the possibility of him catching you
unawares when you are not wearing hijab, confirms the necessity of
hasteningto find separate accommodation. It is not obligatory to obey
his mother in this case, because obedience is onlyin that which is
right and proper, and your staying in this family accommodation has
two obvious negative outcomes:
1. It is impossible to relax and enjoy time together which both spouses want
2. There is a risk of falling into haraam
So our advice to your husband is to hasten to find separate
accommodation for you both, and to strive to please his mother with
kind words, frequent visits, checking on how she is, gifts, and so on.
And he should understandthat his leaving his mother's house is not
regarded as disobedience towards her.
And Allah knows best.

--
- - - - - - -

A Sign from Allah

The following incident hasbeen narrated by Colonel Amir Uddin who
originallyheard it from his wife. Colonel Amir Uddin is a well known
caller to Islamthrough whose effort over 6,000 people have accepted
Islam all over the world. He is 86 years old and have been to over56
countries to call peopletowards Allah.
During one such journeys to invite people to Islam, his wife met a
woman who was a new Muslim. While travelling, they came to know how
she became a Muslim. The woman said that she was originally a
Christian but her husband was a Muslim. Her husband usedto tell her
about the oneness of God everyday. One day while she was in the
Church, she asked the Priest whether the Muslims' cocept of oneness of
God was correct or the Christians' concept of Trinity was correct. The
Priest told herthat the Muslims are correct and he also advised her to
keep this matter secret. She becamevery confused after hearing this.
At night when she went home, sheprayed to God to show her which path
was the truth. She started reading the Bible thoroughly to search for
answers. One night after she prayed to God to show her the truth, she
opened the Bible and to her amazement, the entire Bible appeared to
her as Arabic text! She mentioned this to an Imam who told her that
this was a sign from Allah to accept the Quran as herguidance instead
of the Bible. She became Muslim there and then.
Dear readers, such incidents are nothing new. These incidents happen
on a daily basis tothose who are searching for the truth. We did not
come to this world with our own will. We will not leave this world
with our own will. Then why live this life according to our own will?
A Muslim is thatperson who submits to the will of Allah. Let us all
submit to Allah, Who is the Lord of everything in and out of this
universe."And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never
be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the
losers." (Al Quran, 3:85)

--
- - - - - - -

Ruling on cutting and dyeing the hair without the husband’s permission

Is it the husband's right totell his wife not to cut or dye her hair?
Does she have the right to do that even if her husband does not
approve on the grounds that she is not doing anything haraam; rather
it is permissible? What are the limits on thewife's obeying the
husband so long as he does not tell her to do something sinful?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The wife is obliged to obey her husband because he is in charge of
her. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Men are the
protectors and maintainers of women" [an-Nisa' 4:34].
Ibn Katheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah
said, narrating from Ibn 'Abbaas: "Men are the protectors and
maintainers of women" means: they are in charge of them, that is, the
wife should obey the husband in that in which Allah has commanded her
to obey him; part of that obedience is that she should treat his
family kindly and look after his wealth.
Something similar was stated by Muqaatil, as-Suddi and ad-Dahhaak.End
quote from Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/293
Two things are excluded from the obligation of thewife to obey her husband:
1. If obeying him will result in falling into sin, either by
failing to do something obligatory or by doing something that is
forbidden. In this case itis not permissible for the wife to obey her
husband,because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "There is no obedience to any created being if it involves
disobedience towards Allah, may He be glorified and exalted." Narrated
by al-Bukhaari, 6830; Muslim, 1840
2. If obeying the husband will result in harm to the wife or it
will lead to loss of her rights. In that case she is not obliged to
obey her husband, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) said: "Obedience is only in that which is right and proper."
And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "There should
be neither harm nor reciprocating harm."
For more information see the answer to question no. 97125
Secondly:
It is permissible for a woman to cut and dye her hair, so long as that
cut does not resemble men or kaafir women or immoral women, and the
hair is not dyed black.
The ruling on cutting and dyeing the hair for women has been discussed
previously. Please see the answer to question no. 139414 and 82671
If the husband has not given his wife permission to cut or dye her
hair, then it is not permissible for her to do that. That is because
she is enjoined toobey him so long as he does not tell her to do
anything sinful and because it is the husband's right that his wife
should beautify herself for him. There is no doubt that the hair is
part of the woman's beauty.
And Allah knows best.

--
- - - - - - -

How Kind is Allah!

There lived an idolator in the past who made an idol out of stone and
would worship it everyday. He would call it upon it by saying "Ya
Sanam." For seventy years, he worshipped this idol. One day by mistake
he uttered "Ya Samad" instead of Ya Sanam. Samad is a name of Allah
which means The Self Sufficient Master. Allah Ta'ala immediately
replied back to this idolator by saying "I am present oh My slave."
The angels asked Allah why He replied to him since hedidn't even call
upon Him intentionally. Allah told the angels that for seventy years I
have beenwaiting for this servant ofmine to turn towards Me!
If a mother has only one child then how much would she love him? He
would be the coolness of her eyes and the comfort of her heart. But if
this son calls her saying"Mommy" more than four or five times, she
would get irritated even though she loves him more than her ownself.
On the other hand, when we call Allah once, He replies back to us70
times by saying"Labbaik Ya Abdi (I am here oh My slave)." How
unfortunate we are that we have not recognized our Allah who is so
Kind, Merciful and Forgiving.

--
- - - - - - -

Hadees

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever performs ablution for
prayer, performs it well, then walks in the prescribed prayer, and
then pray it with the people, or with the congregation, or in the
Masjid- Allah forgives him from his sins." [Related by Muslim (232)]

--
- - - - - - -

Taraweeh Changed His Life

The following story is about how Taraweeh salah changed the life of a
person during the month of Ramadan.
About 20 years ago, brother Khawaja used to live with his family in an
apartment building in Toronto, Canada. During the month of Ramadan,
the local Muslims would get together and arrange asmall room in that
building to offer Taraweehprayers. Brother Khawaja states, "I wasn't
that particular about offering prayers so I didn't show much interest
in going to Taraweeh which was Sunnah and not even Fardh." His wife
would constantly tell him to go but that didn't change his mind.
However, she wouldprepare her two small sons and send them to
theprayer. One day, his sons returned back from Taraweeh with tears in
their eyes. Brother Khawaja became concerned and asked why they were
crying. They replied, "Everyone's father goes to Taraweeh but our
father doesn't go." This really touched his heart and he promised his
sons that he will go with them to Taraweeh the next day. It so
happened that there was a speech on that day after listening to which
Brother Khawaja decided to change his life. Since then, he has been
actively participating in many Islamic activities and have built and
supported various Masjids.
Many days of Ramadan hasalready passed by. Let us spend our time
properly toobtain as much as we can from this Ramadan. Be generous in
this month and increase your acts of worship.

--
- - - - - - -

Sincerity of a Six Years Old

There was a little girl (six years old) who was fasting in Ramadhan,
even though it is not obligatory on people below the age of
puberty.She was in school, and at lunch time, when all the other
children went out to eat and have lunch, shesat in the classroom,
because she was fasting. Her (non-muslim) teacher thought that she was
too young to fast, and so said that it was not necessary, and she
could eat a little. The girl still didn't eat. Then the teacher
said:"Your parents are not here, it doesn't matter if you eat a
little". The girl replied: "I am not fasting for my parents, I am
fasting for Allah". This simple statement had such a profound effect
on the teacher, that later she accepted Islam.

--
- - - - - - -

A new Muslim and his mother

The following is a touching story about a new Muslim and his mother.
Before he was a Muslim, he lived with his mother until he was about 18
years old. Then he moved out of his homeand lived in a different place
on his own. During those days, he met some Muslims and became a very
close friend of them. Eventually he himself became a Muslim after
learning about the beautiful religion of Islam from them. He made an
effort every day to learn more and more about Islam. One day, he came
to learn about the benefits of being good to one's parents. He learned
that a person who looks at his parents with the eyes of obedience gets
the reward of one accepted Hajj! (The reward is mentioned in
anauthentic hadith of Sahih Muslim). After knowing this, he decided to
visit hismother whom he did not visit for many years. He bought some
flowers and fruits for her on his way. His mother was very pleased to
see him after so long. He started spending lots of time withhis mother
on a regular basis. During his visits, he would stare at his motherand
tears would roll down from his eyes. The mother noticed this happening
many times and asked him one day the reason why he visits her so much
all of a sudden and why he cries. He told her about how he became a
Muslim and thatthe position of a mother in Islam is very high. He also
told her about the reward he gets for looking at her. But while
looking at her, he cries because the mother is nota Muslim and would
not be able to save herself if she dies in this state. The mother
immediately recognized the beauty of Islam and became a Muslim.

--
- - - - - - -

Imam Bukhari curedfrom blindness

Imam Bukhari, who was one of the greatest compilers of ahadith, became
blind at a young age. He had recourse to many famous and skilled
doctors of his time but their treatments made no difference. His
mother was a pious worshipper and a righteous woman. She cried out for
help in the court of Allah the Almighty, for her child and begged for
the restoration of his eyesight. At last, "the riverof mercy flowed
over her," and Almighty Allah accepted her invocation. One night, she
visited Ibrahim alayhis-salam in adream and was told,"Allah has
restored the sight of your son because of your intense and beautiful
invocations." In the morning, as Imam Bukhari got up from his bed,
glimmers of light reached out into his eyes. That is, his eyesight was
fully restored.
Source: From the biography of Imam Bukhari (ra) located in
thebeginning of Sahih Al Bukhari 9 Volume English Translation.
Additional details were provided by Shaykh al-Hadith Allama Ghulam
Rasul Sa`idi.
Make use of salah and duato solve any problem thateven the best
experts of this world cannot solve. Unfortunately, the Muslims are
turning away from these deeds today when they need them themost. We
pray for Allah togive us the true understading of Islam.

--
- - - - - - -

A Quality to Avoid

Abu Hurairah (RA) narrates that Rasulullah (peace be upon him)
happened to pass by a heap of grain and insertedhis hand into it; his
fingers were moistened by the wet grain. At this, he asked the owner
of thegrain: What is this? The man replied: O Rasulullah!It is due to
rain. Rasulullah (peace be uponhim) said: Why didn't you put the damp
(wet) grain on top of the heap, so people could see it? He who
deceives people doesnot belong to me (my Ummah).
Source: Sahih Muslim.
We should always remember that deception is one of the qualities of
Shaitan. Others may not see us when we are deceiving them but Allah is
there watching us. A true believer knowing that he has to stand in
front of Allah will avoid such activities.

--
- - - - - - -

How a Person Could Change!

The following story was narrated to us by brother Mahmud from Preston,
England. Once, he along with a group of Muslims were visiting a city
for inviting others to Allah. They happened to pass bya group of
youths who were Muslims by birth butbecame gang members. The brothers
didn't give those gang members the negative attitude that others give
while passing by them. Rather, they went and hand-shook with them out
of brotherhood. With love and affection, the brothers invited the
youths to come to the Masjid. Not being familiar with such kindness,
the gang members were surprised and decided to come to the Masjid for
once. These youths were so much away from Islam that they were smoking
in the Masjid and doing a lot of other disrespectful acts. However,
brother Mahmud and others were discussing with them about the
Greatness of Allah with patience and endurance. A time came when the
brothers had to return to their homes andbefore leaving they advised
the gang members to turn towards Allah.
After several years, brother Mahmud was attending a large gathering of
Muslims when suddenly someone called him from the back. There were few
people dressed in sunnah standing behind him. They asked brother
Mahmud if he recognizes them. They told him, �We are those gang
members whom you visited few years back. We decided togo out and learn
more about Islam and eventually changed our lives.�
Dear readers, we should never underestimate certain people because of
the way they are as every individual has the capacity to become a
friend of Allah. It is only Allah who guides; we can only try with
kindness to reach out to their hearts.

--
- - - - - - -

The Wooden Bowl

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and
four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled,his eyesight was
blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table.
But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made
eating difficult.Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he
grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth. The son and
daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. We must do something
about Grandfather," said the son.I've had enough of his spilled milk,
noisy eating, and food on the floor. So the husband and wife set a
small table in the corner.There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest
of thefamily enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or
two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.
When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a
tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had
for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.
The four-year-old watchedit all in silence. One evening before supper,
thefather noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He
asked the child sweetly, "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the
boy responded, "Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat
yourfood when I grow up." Thefour-year-old smiled and went back to
work.
The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears
started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both
knew what must be done. That evening the husband took Grandfather's
hand and gently led him back tothe family table. For the remainder of
his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was
dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.
Allah mentions in Surah Al Isra 17:23-24
And your Lord has decreedthat you worship none butHim. And that you be
dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age
in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them
but addressthem in terms 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."

--
- - - - - - -

The One who did Sajdah to Allah

The following incident was mentioned by brotherAslam Nakhuda during a
lecture that he gave on 24/1/2004. Brother Aslam is an Imam of Jame
Masjid Brampton in Canada.
He said that three years back a group of eight brothers, including
him, set out to Texas, USA for dawah. They spent sometime there to
remindthe residents about the reality of this life. On their way back,
they stopped bya service station beside a highway to perform the
Magrib prayer. One of the brothers gave the Adhan (Call to prayer).
Two Non Muslim men were passing by when the Adhan was being called.
Being curious, they came to the brothers and asked them who they were,
where do they come from and what they were doing. The brothers told
them that they are Muslims who are coming from Toronto, Canada with
the glad tidings of Islam. A scholar, who was with them, discussed
about Islam with the non-Muslim men for 2 or 3 minutes. Then the
brothers prepared to offer the salah. The non Muslims who were
standing by asked what they should be doing now.The brothers told them
to join the prayer and just follow along. The two men decided to join
the prayer. The imam recited Surah Fatiha and another surah after it.
Then he went to Ruku' and both the Non Muslims did the same. When time
for sajdah (prostration on the ground) came, the Non Muslims started
hesitating and didn't know whether they should also prostrate on the
ground as they never did this before. One of them decided not to do so
and he left the prayer. However, the other one just went to sajdah.
After the prayer, this person who agreed to prostrate to Allah was
blessed with iman. He accepted Islam from the brothers.
Dear readers, this is what we have to do. We have tosubmit to the will
of Allah and in return He will bless us with iman. On the otherhand, a
person who is arrogant and decide not tosubmit to the will of Allah
may just be deprived of iman.

--
- - - - - - -

An Orphan's Eid

It was the day of celebration and a day of rejoicing. There was an air
of festivity in the streets ofMadinah. All the people, both young and
old were dressed in their best clothes, especially for this special
day of Eid.
As it was time for early morning Eid prayers everyone made their way
to an open piece of land on the outskirts of the city.The Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) arrived and led the prayers. After they had finished
they all greeted each other and everyone was walking back home. The
children running and playing in excitement, smiling and laughing,
without a care in the world. As the Prophet (pbuh) walked back home,he
suddenly became aware of a little boy (Zuhair Bin Saghir) sitting by
himself on the side of the path. The little boy was crying and looked
very sad. The Prophet (pbuh) bent down and patted him on the shoulders
and asked 'why are you crying?' 'Please leave me alone' sobbed the
little boy. The boy didn't even see who was talking to him. The
Prophet (pbuh) ran his fingers through the boy's hair and very gently
and kindly asked him again why he was crying. This time the boy said,
'My father was martyred fighting, and now my mother has married again
and my stepfather does not want me to live at home any more. Today is
Eid and everyone is happy.All the children have new clothes and nice
things to eat, but I don't have any clothes except what I am wearing.
I have no food and I don't even have a place to live.'
The Prophet (pbuh) said tohim, 'I know how you feel,I lost both my
mother andfather when I was a little boy.' The boy was surprised to
hear that it was an orphan who was comforting him, and whenhe looked
up to his great surprise it was the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and he
immediately jumped up tohis feet out of love and respect.
The Prophet (pbuh) said tohim 'If I were to become your new father and
Ayesha you new mother, and Fatima your new sister, would that make you
feel better?' 'Oh yes, that would be the best thing in the world!' The
boy started smiling. The Prophet took him home and gave him new
clothes and good food on this beautiful day of Eid. The boy indeed had
a wonderful Eid that day.
We should think of others that are less fortunate than ourselves on
this beautiful day of Eid. Not everyone has such a wonderful day. It
is a day of celebration, but take a moment to stop and thinkof those
who are less fortunate than ourselves.

--
- - - - - - -

Empty Hands of a Rich Man

An Arabian brother from Montreal, Canada narrated the following heart
softening story about his friend's father who was very rich. He owned
many buildings and lot's of properties. When he attained old age, he
became very sick and was counting his last days. Fewdays before his
death, the old man kept on saying"Ana faqir, Ana faqir" which means,
"I am poor, Iam poor." When his visiting children saw this, they took
him around and showed him all his properties to assure him that he
wasn�t poor at all. But the old man kept on saying, "I am poor, I am
poor." His children becameconfused and brought a local Muslim Scholar
to seetheir father. After spending some time with the old man, the
Scholar understood that the man is saying he is poor not regarding his
wealth but regarding his good �amal (deeds). This is because most of
his life was spent only in acquiring wealth and now that he was on his
death bed, he realized that he should�ve given more time to Allah.
When that person was dieing, hewas still saying Ana faqir.
So much time has gone from our lives in useless matters. From now on,
weshould not even waste one minute without remembering Allah as every
remembrance of Allah will increase our position in the hereafter. So,
why not be rich in the everlasting life?Empty Hands of a Rich Man
Tell a Friend
An Arabian brother from Montreal, Canada narrated the following heart
softening story about his friend's father who was very rich. He owned
many buildings and lot's of properties. When he attained old age, he
became very sick and was counting his last days. Fewdays before his
death, the old man kept on saying"Ana faqir, Ana faqir" which means,
"I am poor, Iam poor." When his visiting children saw this, they took
him around and showed him all his properties to assure him that he
wasn�t poor at all. But the old man kept on saying, "I am poor, I am
poor." His children becameconfused and brought a local Muslim Scholar
to seetheir father. After spending some time with the old man, the
Scholar understood that the man is saying he is poor not regarding his
wealth but regarding his good �amal (deeds). This is because most of
his life was spent only in acquiring wealth and now that he was on his
death bed, he realized that he should�ve given more time to Allah.
When that person was dieing, hewas still saying Ana faqir.
So much time has gone from our lives in useless matters. From now on,
weshould not even waste one minute without remembering Allah as every
remembrance of Allah will increase our position in the hereafter. So,
why not be rich in the everlasting life?

--
- - - - - - -

Splitting of the Moon an Amazing Story

In a TV interview with the Egyptian Geologist Dr. Zaghloul Annajar,
the anchor asked him about the verse:
"The Hour has drawn near,and the moon has been cleft asunder (the
people of Makkah requested Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] to show them a
miracle, so he showed them the splitting of the moon)." (Quran 54:1)
whether it contains any Quranic scientific astounding facts?
Dr. Zaghloul answered saying that he has a story to tell about this verse.
He started explaining that at a time he delivered a lecture at Cardiff
University in the West of Britain. The attendees included both Muslims
andnon-Muslims. A vital dialogue was taking place around scientific
facts included in the Noble Quran. During the course of the lecture, a
Muslim young man stood asking me, Sir Do you see in the Saying of Al
Haq Tabarak wa Ta`ala (Allah the Truth)may He be Exalted - and he
referred to the above mentioned verse - any indication to the
scientific facts included in the Quran? Dr. Najjar answered: No
because scientific astounding discoveries are interpretedthrough
science whereas amiracle is something supernatural, which may not be
interpreted through the usual. The splitting of the moon is a miracle,
which happened to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in order to prove his
prophecy. Tangible miracles are only a testimony of truth for those
who witnessed it. It is only that the incident was mentioned in Quran
and Prophet's Sunnah thatmade us believe other wise we Muslims of this
era would have never believed in it. In addition that we know for sure
that Allah is most capable of anything. At that point Dr. Zaghloul
narrated the story of moon splitting as included in Sunnah books.
He said, Sunnah books tell that five years before the immigration of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from Mecca to Medina, a group of people from
the tribe ofQuraish came challenging him saying: Oh Muhammad if you
were really a Prophet and a Messenger bring to us a miracle to
establish this fact. So he asked them what do you want? They said in
an effort to complicate matters for him: split the moon for us.The
Messenger of ALLAH (PBUH) stood supplicating to Allah to support him
and grant him victory in this hard situation. Allah may He be Exalted
inspired him to sign towards the moon with his finger. Immediately,
the moon cleft into two parts standing far from each other for several
hours then cling back together. The pagans started claiming: Oh
Muhammad (PBUH) practiced witchcraft on us.
At this point some of the wise men explained that magic would only
affect the attendees whereas it can not maintain influenceon everybody
in general. They waited for travelers who were coming back from their
journeys. The pagans harried up to the borders of Mecca in
anticipation to meet the travelers. When the first arrivals appeared,
they asked them did you see anything extraordinary happened to the
moon? The travelers answered yes on the night (X) we saw the moon
splitting into two parts which remained asunder for sometime then
reattached. Upon this statement, a number of the group believed while
the rest remained pagans. Therefore, the verse explains "The Hour has
drawn near, and the moonhas been cleft asunder (the people of Makkah
requested Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to show them a miracle, so he showed
them the splitting of the moon). * And if they see a sign, theyturn
away, and say: This is continuous magic. *They belied the Verses of
Allah -this Quran), and followed their own lusts. And every matter
will be settled according to the kind of deeds: good deeds will take
their doers to Paradise and similarly evil deeds will take their
doersto Hell." (Quran 54:1-3) until the end of the verses which were
revealed in this regard.
Dr. Najjar continued that at this point a British Muslim young man
introduced himself as Daoud Moussa Peetcock head of the British
Islamic Party. He carried on sayingsir if you allow me I wouldlike to
add on this issue? I said please do. He explained saying: At the time
when I was searchingin religions (before he embraced Islam), a
Muslimstudent gave me as a present the translation of the meaning of
Quran. I thanked him and took it home. The first Surat I came across
when I opened the book, it was Chapter of the Moon I read"has drawn
near, and the moon has been cleft asunder". I said to myself, is this
statement logical? Is it possible for the moon to split and then
reattach what kind of power may cause this? The man explained that
this verse made me reluctant to continue reading. I became busy with
my life,yet ALLAH of course Knows how sincere I was about finding the
truth.
So,one day ALLAH made me sit to watch TV....

--
- - - - - - -

Anything for Allah

Khabaab (Radiallaho Anho)is one of those fortunate persons who offered
themselves for sacrifice and suffering for the causeof Allah
(Subhanahu wa Taala). He was the sixth or seventh person to embrace
Islam and therefore, he suffered long. He was made to put on steel
armor and lie in the sun to sweat. Very often he was made to lie flat
on burning sand, which caused the flesh on his back to dissolve. He
was the slave of a woman.When she came to know that he was visiting
Rasulullah (Sallallaho Alaihi Wassallam), she used to brand his head
with a hot iron rod. Umar (Radiallaho Anho) during his Caliph once
asked him about the details of his suffering after embracing Islam.
He showed him his back, seeing which Umar (Radiallaho Anho) said, "I
have never seen such a back before."
He said, "My body was dragged over heaps of burning coal and the blood
and fat coming out of my back put out the fire."
When Islam spread and the Muslims conquered all the surrounding
territory, he used to weep and say,"Allah (Subhanahu wa Taala) seems
to be compensating us in this world for all our sufferingsand perhaps
nothing would be left for us as reward in the Akhirah".
Source: From the Book"Stories of the Sahabah" by Shaikh Muhammad
Zakariyya Kandhalvi.
Such were the followers ofthe Prophet (peace be upon him) who were
ready to give anything buttheir faith in Allah. On the other hand, we
Muslims today are ready to sell ouriman for little material gains!

--
- - - - - - -

Story From a Police Officer

A police officer in a Muslimcountry wrote the following letter to a
Shaykh describing the events that led to his return to Allah. He
recalls:
Seeing accidents and crashvictims was a normal part of my day, but one
incident was different.
My partner and I had parked on the shoulder of the highway and began
tochat. In a random second, the scene shattered to the hideous sound
of metal bodies becoming one. We threw our heads back to see what had
happened: ahead-on collision, the result of a vehicle slipping into
the lane of the oncoming traffic.
You couldn�t describe the carnage. Two young men sprawled in the first
car, both in critical condition. We carried them gently away from the
car and rested them on the ground.
Quickly we returned to assist the owner of the second car. He was
dead. Back we went to the two young men lying side by side on the
pavement.
My partner began dictating the Shahadah to them. �Say: La iIaha
illAllah (there is no god but Allah), La iIaha illAllah��
... their tongues wouldn�t acknowledge. They startedhumming the
hypnotic lyrics of some song. I was terrified. My partner had
experience however and he kept repeating his instruction.
I stood watching, no movement, eyes locked. Never in my life had I
seenanything similar to what was going on before me. In fact, I�ve
never actually seen someone die, and never in such a satanic way.
My partner continued to instruct them to say the Shahadah but there
was no use. The hum of their song came to a slow silence, slowly. The
first one stopped and then the other. Not a stir. Dead.
We carried them to our patrol car, my partner made no effort to speak.
Not a whisper between us two as we carried the corpses to the nearest
hospital.
"Has not the Time arrived for the Believers that their hearts in all
humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah andof the Truth
which has been revealed (to them), and that they should not become
like those to whom was given Revelation aforetime, but long ages
passed over them and their hearts grew hard? For many among them are
rebellious transgressors." Al Quran 57:16

--
- - - - - - -

Story of a Brilliant Student

The following story was narrated by Professor Anwar, who teaches in
theRyerson University locatedin Toronto, Canada. He said that during
his student life, he was studying at an university in Bangladesh.
There, he had a good friend who was very intelligent. This friend was
the only child of his family. Everyone used to look upto his great
future. And they were right, he graduated with the highest mark in his
field. Immediately, callscame for him from big companies. One day, Dr.
Anwar was requested by his friend to accompany him to one such
companies for an interview. They were going by riding on a motor
cycle. On the way, aspeeding truck couldn't manage itself and hit
theirmotor cycle from the back.At that collision, Dr. Anwarflew off
the motor cycle and fell on the side of the street. But his friend got
hit from another vehicle that was coming from the opposite side and
died instantly.
Here was a person who was at the peek of material success in this
world but little did he know that his death was just around the
corner. Wehave spent much of our time preparing for the life before
death, but how much time have we spent preparing for the everlasting
life after death?

--
- - - - - - -

A True Muslim Leader

Once Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho Anho), during his caliphate, was going
on his usual rounds towards Harrah (a suburb of Madinah) with his
slave Aslam, when he saw a distant fire in the desert. He said, "There
seems to be a camp. Perhaps, it is a caravan that could not enter the
town due to night fall. Let's go and look after them and arrange for
their protection during the night."
When he reached there, hefound a woman and some children. The children
were crying. The woman had a pan of water over the fire. Hadhrat Umar
(Radhiyallaho Anho) greeted her with salaam and, with her permission,
went near her. (The woman didn't recognize that it was Umar).
Umar, "Why are these children crying?"
The Woman, "Because they are hungry."
Umar, "What is in the pan?"
The Woman, "Only water to soothe the children, so that they may go to
sleep in the belief that food is being prepared for them. Ah! Allah
will judge between Umar (Radhiyallaho Anho) and me, on the Day of
Judgment, for neglecting me in my distress."
Umar (weeping), "May Allah have mercy on you! How can Umar know of
your distress?"
The Woman, "When he is our Amir, he must keep himself informed about us."
Hadhrat Umar (Radhiyallaho Anho) returned to the town and straight
away went to the Baitul Mal (House of Charity) to fill a sack with
flour, dates, fat, and clothes, and also drew some money. When the
sack was ready, he said to Aslam, "Now put this sack on my back,
Aslam."
Aslam, "No please, Amir-ul-Momineen! I shall carry this sack."
Umar refused to listen to Aslam, even on his persistent requests to
allow him to carry the sack, and remarked,"What! Will you carry my
load on the Day of Judgment? I must carry this bag, for it is I who
would be questioned (in the Hereafter) about this woman."
Aslam most reluctantly placed the bag on Umar's (Radhiyallaho Anho)
back, who carried it with a swiftpace right to the woman's tent. Aslam
followed at hisheels. He put a little flour and some dates and fat in
the pan and began to stir. He blew (with his mouth) into the fire to
kindle it.
Aslam says, "I saw the smoke passing through histhick beard."
After some time, the pottage was ready. He himself served it to the
family. When they had eaten to their fill, he madeover to them the
little thatwas left for their next meal. The children were very happy
after their meal and began to play about merrily.
The woman felt very grateful and remarked,"May Allah reward you for
your kindness! In fact you deserve to take the place of Khalifah
instead of Umar."
Umar consoled her and said, "When you come to see the Khalifah, you
will find me there."
He sat for a while at a place close by and kept onwatching the
children. He then returned to Madinah. On his way back, he said to
Aslam, "Do you know why I sat there, Aslam? I had seen them weeping
indistress. I liked to see them laughing and happy for some time."

--
- - - - - - -

Should We Really Laugh?

Hasan al-Basri (rahimaullah) was an eminent scholar and
piousindividual of his time. He would rarely laugh due to his
remembrance of death and the punishment of hell. One day he was
goingsomewhere when he saw a young man indugled in laughter. Hasan
al-Basri asked the youth, "Young man, have you already crossed the
bridge of Sirath? Have you already found out whether you are going to
paradise or hell?" The young man replied, "No." Hasan al-Basri told
him, "Then why are you laughing so much?" After that, no one saw this
young man laughing again as he cameto know the reality of this life.
Source: Story extracted from the book "Tambihul Ghafileen" by Shaikh
Abul Laith Samarkandi.
Many hours or probably days have passed away from our lives in
laughter and jokes. It is a sign that we have forgotten the life of
the hereafter. The sahabah used to do good deeds all day but still cry
during the night to Allah. On the other hand, we do sins all day and
still have no concerns! It is permissible to laugh at amazing things
and smile while being in company ofothers.

--
- - - - - - -

He divorced her five times on various occasions

I have been divorced by means of conditional talaaqs after twenty
years, but I hope that you can advise me so that I do not have to
wait. The first divorce was when he said, in a state of anger when
hewas aware of what he was saying: "You are divorced." The second
divorce was a conditional talaaq ("If you go out of the house you are
divorced"), and I went out, and I do not remember the intention. Atthe
time of the third divorce I was collapsing, because he betrayed me and
I spoke to him on the phone and said, "I will kill your children if
you do not divorce me." According to what my husband says, he said to
himself, "By Allah I do not intend divorce, by Allah I do not intend
divorce, by Allah I do not intend divorce," but he said"You are
divorced" to makeme calm down, because he feared for his children, as
I was not in my right mind. The fourth divorce was a conditional
talaaq ("If you complain to anyone about our problems again you will
be divorced"). I do not remember if I had complained to anyone.
Thefifth divorce was when I was asleep and he swore to my daughter:
"If your mother opens the door to you and takes you in, she will be
divorced." My daughter told me after I opened the door that his
intention was to threaten me. As for the last divorce, he swore to me,
"You should go today to your father in your city, and if you do not go
you will be divorced." And I did not travel, but his intention was
divorce.
Please advise me, because my husband is careless about the life of his
children and family, even though he has high academic qualifications;
he hates me and he changed towards me after he took another wife. I
have been patient for the sake of my children, despite the way he
treats me, which is with resentment and hatred. Butnow, after what has
happened, he does not come to the house and he does not ask about us,
except on rare occasions. Please advise me. Please note that he does
not wantto come back to me, and if I go back I will be living in limbo
as I was after he married the other wife.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We should point out with regard to the divorces mentioned that
whatever the shar'i court had ruled to be valid is valid, or if
youalready asked a scholar whatever he told you was valid is valid.
Secondly:
If there is no court ruling orscholarly verdict concerning these
divorces, then what appears to us tobe the case is the following:
The first divorce: if this divorce was issued in a state of extreme
anger thatdrove him to divorce, and without that anger he would not
have issued thatdivorce, then it does not count as such according to
the more correct opinion, even if the husband was aware of what he was
saying when he was in thatstate of anger. See the answer to question
no. 45174
The second divorce: this comes under the heading of a conditional
divorce in which reference should be made to the husband's intention.
If he intended it as a divorce then it counts as such, but if he
intended thereby to threaten and stop you doing something, then he has
to offer expiation for breaking an oath (kafaarat al-yameen). If he
cannot remember what his intention was, then it counts as a divorce.
The third divorce: if the husband was truly afraid that you would kill
the children or do them some obvious harm, then his divorce does not
count as such, because it was a divorce under compulsion.
The fourth divorce: this comes under the heading of conditional
divorce and does not count as such unless you did complain about your
problems to anyone, and the husband did intend divorce by what he
said.
The fifth divorce: also comes under the heading of conditional
divorce. If the husband intended it as a divorce then it counts as
such.
Based on that, if you find out the kind of anger that accompanied the
first divorce, then you will know the ruling on it.
By referring to the husbandand asking him about his intention, the
ruling on thesecond divorce will becomeclear.
He should also be asked about the third divorce, in order to find out
the ruling on it.
If your husband did not take you back after the final divorce and your
'iddah has ended, then this is an irrevocable divorce and you cannot
go back to him except with a new marriage contract, on condition that
the number of divorces that counted as such did not reach three.
And Allah knows best.

--
- - - - - - -

A Lesson from Disabled People

Once, a visitor was being shown around a leper colony in India. The
colonywas built to provide a shelter for those people who were poor
and had various physical disabilities. At noon a gong (a metal disk
that produces a sound when hit with a hammer) sounded to gather the
inhabitants for the middaymeal. People came from all parts of the
compound to the dining hall. Suddenly, everyone started laughing at
seeing two young men, one riding on the other's back, pretending to be
a horse and a rider. They were having lots of fun. As the visitor
watched, he was told that the man who carried his friend was blind,
and the man being carried was lame (who couldn't walk). The one who
couldn't see used his feet; the one who couldn'twalk used his eyes.
Together they helped eachother and reached their destination.
Let us use each other's strengths to make up for the weaknesses of
others. Our strength is in unity, not in division.

--
- - - - - - -

Good Morning

somewhere out there beneath the pale moon light someone think in of u
some where out there where dreams come true. good Morning
welcome to new morning with a smile on ur face,love in ur heart,good
thoughts in ur mind u will have a wonderfull day,gudmorning
Never forget what sumeone say to you whaen they are angry.because that
is when truth comes out Good Morning
Superb thought.never try to maintain relations in your life. just try
to maintain life in your relations.good Morning
A good plan for 2day is better than a great plan for tomorrow. look
backward with satisfactionand look forward with confidence.Good
Morning

--
- - - - - - -

Importance of Saying Insha-Allah

During a Jumah Khutbah in a small town, an Imam talked about the
significance of saying"Insha Allah" (which means if Allah wills) when
planning to do something in the future. After a few days, a man who
had also attended the Khutbah wasgoing to buy a cow from the market.
On the way, he met a friend who askedhim where he was going. He told
him about buying the cow but did not say Insha Allah in the end. His
friend reminded him about the Khutbah and told him to say Insha Allah.
However, this individual said that he hadthe money he needs and the
energy to go to the market, thus, there is no point of saying Insha
Allahas he will certainly buy thecow. He thought that saying Insha
Allah will not make any difference.
When he reached the market, he found a cow that met his expectations.
He burgained with the seller and came to a reasonable price. Finally,
he decided to pay for the cow but was dumbfounded when he discovered
that his moneywas missing. A thief had stolen the money while hewas
walking through the busy market. The cow seller asked him whether he
was going to buy the cow or not. "Insha Allah, I will buy it next
week," he said. When he reached home, his wife inquired about the cow.
He told herabout how he forgot to say Insha Allah, and also added,
"Insha Allah, I wanted to buy the cow. But Insha Allah, my moneywas
stolen. Insha Allah, I will buy it next week." His wife clarified to
him that we should say Insha Allah for things that are yet to happen,
not for those things that had already happened. He never forgothis
"Insha Allah" again.
This incident was narratedby Shaikh Wahidullah from Toronto, Canada.

--
- - - - - - -

The Story of Jazan

Once Abdullah ibn Masud (ra) was passing by an area in the city of
Qufa. There, a group of wrong doing people have gathered to have a
party. They were engrossed in drinking wine. A singer called Jazan was
entertaining them with songs. Jazan had a very beautiful voice. When
Abdullah ibn Masud heard his voice while passing by,he said in
amazement, "Sobeautiful is his voice. How wonderful it would be if he
had used that voice to recite the Quran!" After saying this, Abdullah
covered his head with a cloth and left that place. When Jazan noticed
Abdullah ibn Masud leaving, he asked, "Who is that man and what was he
saying?" The people in the gathering told him,"He is Abdullah ibn
Masud, a companion of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He said
that your voice is very beautiful. How wonderful it would be if you
had used your voice to recite the Quran!"
Jazan was struck by his comments. He threw awayhis musical instrument
and ran to Abdullah ibn Masud. The two of them embraced each other and
shed tears profusely. Abdullah ibn Masud said tohim, "Why should I not
love the one who loves Allah?" Thereafter, Jazan repented to Allah and
stayed in the company of Abdullah ibn Masud to learn the Quran and
other teachings of Islam. He learned to such an extent that he became
one of thegreat scholars of his time.
Source: Obtained from the book "Tambihul Ghafileen"by Shaikh Abul
Laith Samarkandi.

--
- - - - - - -

News :- Philippine palace spokesman tells China to 'be careful' in Mandarin 2012-07-05 02:33:27 GMT 2012-07-05 10:33:27(Beijing Time) SINA.com

Philippine presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda on Wednesday
warned China to be carefulwhen making statements about the
Philippines. And he said it loud and clear, inMandarin Chinese, "Xiao
xin yi dian!"
"Can I say to the Chinese 'xiao xin yi dian?' Be a little careful
about your statements," Edwin Lacierda said in a press briefing. He
was reacting to a question about a commentary published in China's
state newspaper the People's Daily denouncing the Philippine
provocation to ask for US spy plane deployment in the South China Sea.
He explained that President Benigno Aquino III's remarks were taken
out of context and misinterpreted by the Chinese side and that "we
don't view it as a provocative statement."
"By no stretch of the imagination can you consider the Philippines
anaggressor," Lacierda added.
Lacierda has Chinese blood and can speak Mandarin fluently. His
'Xiaoxin yi dian' warning was, by no means, made to show off his
language skills. But it has become a talking point both in the
Philippines and China.

--
- - - - - - -

What is the ruling on offering congratulations on Friday?

What is the ruling on offering congratulations on Friday, because now
it is the custom in our country on Friday to send text messages and
people congratulate one another on the occasion of Friday by saying
"Jumu'ah mubaarak" or "Jumu'ah tayyibah.".
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
There is no doubt that Friday is an "Eid" or "festival" for the
Muslims, as it says in the hadeeth narrated from Ibn 'Abbaas (may
Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "This is a day of 'Eid that
Allah has ordained for the Muslims, so whoever comes to Jumu'ah, let
him do ghusl, and if he has anyperfume let him put some on, and you
should use the miswaak." Narrated byIbn Maajah, 1098; classed as hasan
by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said, describing the
special virtues of Friday:
Thirteen: It is a day of 'Eid that is repeated every week.
Zaad al-Ma'aad, 1/369
Thus the Muslims have three Eids: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which
come once every year, and Jumu'ah which is repeatedonce every week.
Secondly:
With regard to the Muslims congratulating one another on the occasions
of Eid al-Fitr andEid al-Adha, this is prescribed and it is narrated
from the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them). This has been
discussed previously in the answers to questions no. 49021 and 36442.
As for congratulating one another on the occasion ofFriday, what seems
to us to be the case is that it is not prescribed, because the fact
that Friday is an Eid was known to the Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased
with them), and they were more knowledgeable than us about its
virtues, and they were keen to respect it and give it its due, but
there is no report to suggest that they used to congratulate one
another on Fridays. And all goodness is in following them (may Allah
be pleased with them).
Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzaan(may Allah preserve him) was asked: What is
the ruling on sending text messages every Friday andending with the
phrase "Jumu'ah mubaarak"?
He replied:
The early generation did not congratulate one another on Fridays, so
we should not introduce anything that they did notdo.
End quote from Ajwabat As'ilah Majallat al-Da'wah al-Islamiyyah.
A similar fatwa was issuedby Shaykh Sulaymaan al-Maajid (may Allah
preserve him), when he said:
We do not think it is prescribed to exchange congratulations on
Fridays, such as saying to one another, "Jumu'ah mubaarak" and so on,
because it comes under the heading of du'aa's anddhikrs, which must be
based on a text (of the Qur'aan or Sunnah) because this is purely the
matter of worship and if itwere good, the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) and hisCompanions (may Allah bepleased with
them) wouldhave done it before us. If anyone suggests that this is
permissible, then that may imply that it is prescribed to say du'aa's
and congratulate one another after having done the five daily prayers
and other acts of worship, and du'aa' at these times was not done by
the early generations.

--
- - - - - - -

1a] Is it permissible for women to go to swimming pools?

1a] They replied:
It is not permissible to build a swimming pool forwomen in the centre
mentioned, because warding off evil takes precedence over bringing
benefits.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 26/342-343
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
We live in a residential neighbourhood where there is a women's
centre; at this centre there is a swimming pool for women and a sauna.
Whatis the ruling on women going to this centre?
He replied:
My advice to my brothers is not to let their women go to swimming
pools andsports clubs because the Prophet (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) encouraged women to stay at home. Moreover,if a
woman becomes accustomed to that she will become very attachedto it
because she is subjectto her emotions, and in that case she will
become distracted from her religious or worldly duties and she will
always be talking about these activities in gatherings. And if the
woman does such things that will be a cause of her losing sense of
shame and modesty, and if a woman loses her sense of shame and modesty
do not ask about the evil consequences except for the one whom Allah
blesses by guiding her and enabling her to regain the modesty that was
taken away from her.
I will close my message byrepeating my advice to mybelieving brothers
not to let their daughters, sisters,wives or other female relatives
under their guardianship go to these centres or clubs.
End quote from the shaykh's fatwas for ad-Da'wah magazine no. 1765/54
This is not the only means of losing weight; there aremany permissible
means of doing so and there are other types of exercise that the
Muslim woman can do if she adheres to Islamic guidelines.

--
- - - - - - -

1] Is it permissible for women to go to swimming pools?

1] I am a Muslim woman aged twenty-eight years, and I want to go
swimming so that I can lose some weight. Can I goswimming in a
swimming pool wearing clothes that cover me from the top of my head to
the bottom of my feet? There are special clothes for Muslim womenwho
want to swim and they cover the entire body, but they cling to thebody
when wet. What does Islam have to say about this? What if I wear a
towel over these clothes and cover myself beforehand and straight
after coming out of the pool? Is it permissible for me to swim in this
case? Isit permissible for me to swim if there are some men present?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Islam takes complete care of the Muslim woman and preserves her
modesty, conceals her and keeps heraway from places of
fitnah(temptation).
Islam enjoins women to stay at home and not go out unnecessarily, so
as to preserve their chastity, maintain their dignity and protect them
from all evil.
Muslim women going out to public centres and swimming pools is
something that is emphatically forbidden, because it involves a number
of evils and negative consequences.
If these swimming pools are in public centres that are frequented by
men and women, this is a greatevil. Abu Dawood (4010) and at-Tirmidhi
(2803), who classed the report as hasan, narrated from Abu Maleeh
al-Hudhali that some women from Syria entered upon 'Aa'ishah and she
said: Perhaps you are the people whose women enter bathhouses?They
said: Yes. She said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) say: "There is no woman who removes her
clothes anywhere other than her house, but she has torn (the screen)
that is between her and Allaah."
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.
At-Tirmidhi (2801) also narrated from Jaabir (may Allah be pleased
with him)that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "Whoever believes in Allahand the Last Day should not let his
wife enter bathhouses." Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh
at-Tirmidhi.
What is meant by bathhouses here is the kind of bathhouses that
existed in the past (hamaam or "Turkish bath"), because houses didnot
have bathrooms at that time.
The reason why women were forbidden to enter them is because of what
happens in them of uncovering the 'awrah, looking at that which is
haraam and exposure to fitnah (temptation), although bathhouses at
that time were not mixed.
So what about bathhousesthat are mixed and public swimming pools in
which 'awrahs are uncovered and exposed? The scholarsof the Standing
Committeefor Issuing Fatwas said:
For men and women to swim together and then shake hands with one
another after swimming isa great evil and it is not permissible to do
it. The one who does that should be denounced and the ruler should
prevent them from doing it.
End quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 17/49
If these swimming pools are only for women it is not permissible to go
to them either, even if that isless serious than public baths. That is
because women uncover their 'awrahs, and even if the Muslim woman
covers her body she will see those naked women and she will not be
able to tell them not to do this evil action.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas were asked:
I am an engineer working in the holy city; my job is in the building
permits department. A citizen has submitted to us a plan for a health
centre offering natural remedies, with two sections, one for men and
one for women. After studying the drawings andplans it was noted that
there is a large swimming pool in the women's section. The project
manager was informed that this swimming pool isnot permissible,
because swimming requires women to take off their clothes and then put
on tight clothes that, even if they do not show her 'awrah, will show
the shape of her body, and as is well known it is not permissible for
women to uncover the 'awrah among other women. So we explained to the
project manager that, by way of blocking the means to evil and
wardingoff evil consequences, he should not build this swimming pool
because it was highly possible – especially nowadays – that among the
workers would be someone who did not fear Allah, even among the women,
and might take pictures of the women in secret, whether with a regular
camera or avideo camera such as is available nowadays. This would
cause a great of trouble and would turn this centre from being a
centre for healing to a centre of corruption and fitnah. And it is
well known that everything that leads to haraam is also haraam.
We hope that you can clarify the Islamic ruling on such cases.
:-> see next post *

--
- - - - - - -

Ruling on taking out a riba-based loan to build an educational institution to save the Muslim children from having to move to a Christian school

In our region there are a lot of Muslims and we haveMuslim schools in
which Arabic and English are taught together. The Christians are
second in terms of statistics, but despite that their schools are of a
high level and everyone who completes his study in those schools
graduates with distinction. For that reason, the Muslims have started
to pull their children out of the Islamic schools and are sending them
to those Christian schools, and the effect of that on the
Muslimchildren is very clear to everyone. We do not have the means to
build an educational institution at the same level in order to save
them from this clear doom.
Is it permissible for us to take a loan from the riba-based bank in
order tobuild that educational institution for this purpose?
Please advise us, may Allahreward you with good.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
Taking out a loan to be repaid with interest from any institution,
individual or bank is riba (usury) which is haraam and is a major sin.
Allah has warnedthe one who does that of curses and destruction in
this world and punishmentin the Hereafter.
See the answer to questions no. 8829 and 126056
Secondly:
What you are asking aboutof building an educational institution with
riba-based funding, to compete with the Christian schools, is not
regarded as an excuse that would make it permissible for you to take
out that haraam loan that would result in paying interest. This is not
one of the cases of necessity that may makeharaam things permissible.
The fathers and mothers who accept falling into haraam by taking their
children out of your Islamicschools and putting them in Christian
schools are incurring great sin by doing that. Their Lord will ask
them about this trust that they failed to fulfil in the proper manner.
There is no blame or sin on you for what these fathers and mothers are
doing, and Allah will not burden you with anything more than you can
bear. You have notfallen short in advising andteaching the people and
preparing a suitable place to teach their children. Rather this
neglect is on their part, and you cannot be blamed for what they do.
But if you take out a riba-based loan, you will be exposing yourselves
to the wrath and the punishment of Allah, and perhaps your action, if
you did that, would be more serious than what they are doing by taking
their children to those schools. So leave things as they are,and
whoever among the Muslims wants to stay withyou, let him do so, and
whoever refuses, you will not be brought to account for his actions.
There is nothing wrong with looking for other, permissible sources to
finance the building of the educational institution thatcan compete
with those Christian institutions. So look for someone who wants to do
good and can give you a goodly (interest-free) loan, or look for a
Muslim businessman who can help you building that institution and have
a share of the profits commensurate with his contribution, or follow
the well-known method of collecting donations from well-wishers to
establish your educational institution. Beware of riba-based loans,
for there is nothing good in them and they bring a great dealof sin
upon the one who does that or approves of it.
Shaykh 'Abd al-'Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
Is it permissible to take a loan from the riba-based banks in order to
compete with the missionaries with the aim of saving the Muslims from
Christianisation and so on?
He replied:
If it is a loan to be repaid with interest (riba), it is
notpermissible according to the consensus of the early generations of
the ummah,because the evidence from the Qur'aan and Sunnah indicates
that that is haraam, even if the intention is noble, because noble
aims do not justify haraam means or make them permissible. But if
theloan is without interest, there is nothing wrong with it. However,
taking loans from other sources, such as those who have wealth that is
free of riba, is better and preferable, and more on the safe side, if
that is possible.
We advise you to work together to obtain loans from good-hearted
Muslim businessman and to collect donations from them in order to save
the Muslim children from the hands of those who propagate
Christianity, idolatry and communism. This cooperation is obligatory
upon you, O Muslims, in Uganda and elsewhere. It comes under the
heading of jihad as prescribed in Islam and of da'wah or calling
people to Allah, and of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is
evil.We ask Allah to help and guide you, to make your intentions sound
and your actions correct....

--
- - - - - - -

Is it permissible to celebrate the night of the fifteenth of Sha‘baanand to distribute sweets to children to let people know that Ramadan is approaching?

Is it permissible to celebrate the night of the fifteenth of Sha'baan,
as it is a part of the people's heritage in some countries? To clarify
further, some groups in our country have a customof distributing
sweets to children and they told us that it is just to express joy at
the approach of Ramadan. Is there anything wrong with celebrating this
night if the celebration is limited only to distributing sweetsto
children?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not prescribed in Islam to celebrate the night of the fifteenth
of Sha'baan, whether that is by spending the night in prayer, dhikr
and reading Qur'aan, or by distributing sweets or giving food to
people and so on.
It is not known in the saheeh Sunnah that this night is to be singled
out for acts of worship or customs.
The night of the fifteenth of Sha'baan is just like any other night.
The scholars of the Standing Committee for Issuing Fatwas said:
It is not permissible to celebrate the occasion of Laylat al-Qadr or
any othernight, or to hold celebrations on other occasions such as the
night of the fifteenth of Sha'baan, the night of the Mi'raaj, or the
Prophet's birthday (Mawlid) and so on, because these are innovations
that have been introduced into the religion and were not narrated from
the Prophet(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or any of his
Companions. And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Whoever does an action that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e.,
Islam) will have it rejected." And it is not permissible to help
others to hold these celebrations by giving money or gifts or
distributing cups of tea, and it is not permissible togive speeches
and lectureson these occasions, because that comes under the heading
of approving of them and encouraging them. Rather it is obligatory to
denounce them and not to attend them. End quote.
Fataawa al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah, 2/257-258
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
We have some customs that we grew up with and that have been passed
down to us, on some occasions, such as making cakes and cookies on Eid
al-Fitr, and preparing platters of meat and fruit on the night of the
twenty-seventh of Rajab and the fifteenth of Sha'baan, and different
kinds of sweets that must be prepared on the day of 'Ashoora'. What is
the Islamic ruling on that?
He replied:
As for expressing joy and happiness of the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid
al-Adha, there is nothing wrong with that if it is within the limits
prescribed in Islam, such as preparing food and drink and the like. It
isproven that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: "The days of at-Tashreeq are days of eating and drinking and
remembering Allah, may He be glorified and exalted." This refers to
the three days following Eid al-Adha, when the people offer their
sacrifices and eat from the meat and enjoy the blessings that Allah
has bestowed upon them. Similarly, on Eid al-Fitr there is nothing
wrong with expressing joyand happiness so long as it does not overstep
the limits set by Islam.
As for expressing joy on the night of the twenty-seventh of Rajab or
the fifteenth of Sha'baan or the day of 'Ashoora', this issomething
for which thereis no basis. Rather it is forbidden and the Muslim
should not attend if he is invited to such celebrations. The Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Beware of newly
invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation
(bid'ah), and every innovation is a going astray."
The night of the twenty-seventh of Rajab is what some people claim is
the night of the Mi'raaj during which the Messenger (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) was taken up to Allah, may He be glorified
and exalted. There is no proof of this date from a historical point of
view, and everything for which thereis no proof is false, and that
which is built on falsehood is also false. Even if we assume that this
event took place on that night, it is not permissible for us to
introduce on that date anyof the symbols of festivals or acts of
worship, because no such thing is proven from the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) or from his Companions who were the
closest of people to him and the keenest of people to adhere to his
Sunnah and follow his path.

--
- - - - - - -

Ruling on one who forgets to make up missed fasts before the next Ramadaan comes

What is the ruling on one who forgets to make up missed fasts before
the next Ramadaan comes?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The fuqaha' are unanimously agreed that forgetting is an excuse which
means that there is no sin or accountability in all matters, because
of a great deal of evidence in the Qur'aan and Sunnah, but they
differed as to whether the fidyah is still required in cases of
forgetfulness.
With regard to the issue offorgetting to make up missed Ramadaan fasts
before the next Ramadaancomes, the scholars are also unanimously
agreed that they must still be made up after the second Ramadaan, and
they are not waived as a result of forgetting.
But they differed as to whether the fidyah (whichis feeding a poor
person) is required when making up the missed fast (after the second
Ramadaan has come and gone). There aretwo points of view:
1 – That the fidyah is not required, because forgetting is an excuse
that means there is no sin and the fidyah is waived.
This was the view of most of the Shaafa'is and some of the Maalikis.
See: Tuhfat al-Muhtaaj by Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (3/445); Nihaayat
al-Muhtaaj (3/196); Minah al-Jaleel (2/154); Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel
(2/263).
2 – That the fidyah is required, and forgetting is an excuse that
means there is no sin only.
This was the view of al-Khateeb al-Sharbeeni among the Shaafa'is, who
said in Mughni al-Muhtaaj (2/176):
It seems that it means there is no sin only, and that the fidyah is not waived.
This was also stated by some of the Maalikis.
See: Mawaahib al-Jaleel Sharh Mukhtasar Khaleel (2/450).
The more correct view is the former, in sha Allaah, for three reasons:
1 – The general meaning of the verses and ahaadeeth which say that
people are not held accountable for forgetting,such as the verse in
which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
2 – The basic principle thatone is not subject to any expiation or
fidyah except with evidence, and there isno reliable evidence in
thiscase.
3 – There is a difference of opinion as to whether thisfidyah is
required in the first place, even in the caseof one who delays
makingup the fasts deliberately. The Hanafis and Zaahiris are of the
view that it is not obligatory and ShaykhIbn 'Uthaymeen was of the
view that it is only mustahabb, because there is no report to suggest
that it is prescribed exceptfrom the actions of some of the Sahaabah,
which is not strong enough to suggest that people be obliged to follow
it, let alone oblige them to do it in a case where Allaah has granted
an excuse.
See the answer to question no. 26865 .
To sum up, he only has to make up the missed fasts, and he does not
have to feed the poor, so he should make them up after Ramadaan.
And Allaah knows best.

--
- - - - - - -

How prayer accelerates the treatement of the sick

Your Lord says, "Call on Me and I will answer you.Those who are too
proudto worship Me will enter Hell abject." (Qur'an, 40:60)
According to the Qur'an, prayer, meaning "calling, giving expression,
requesting, seeking help," is a person's turning sincerely to Allah,
and seeking help from Him, theAlmighty, the Compassionate and
Merciful, in the knowledge that he is a dependent being. Illness is
one of those instances when a person feels this dependence most and
draws closer to Allah. Furthermore, sickness is a test, devised in His
Wisdom, that takes place by His Will, and is a warning to remind
people of the transience and imperfection of this life, and is also a
source of recompense in the Hereafter for the patient and submissive.
Those without faith, on theother hand, imagine that the way to
recovery is through doctors, medicinesor the advanced technological
capabilities of modern science. They never pause to think that itis
Allah Who causes their physical system to functionwhen they are in
good health, or Who creates the healing medicines and doctors when
they are ill. Many turn only to Allah when they arrive at the opinion
that doctors and medicines are inadequate. People in such situations
seek help only from Allah, realising that only He can free them from
their difficulty. Allah has revealed this mindset in a verse:
When harm touches man, he calls on Us, lying on his side or sitting
down or standing up. Then when We remove the harm from him he carries
on as if he had never called on Us when the harm first touched him. In
that way We make what they have done appear good to the profligate.
(Qur'an, 10:12)
The fact is, however, that even in good health, or without
tribulations or other difficulties, a person must pray and give thanks
to Allah for the comforts, good health and all the other blessings He
has imparted.
One very important aspect of prayer is this: In addition to praying
out loud, it is also important for a person to make everyeffort to
pray through his or her deeds. Prayer by action means doing everything
possible to attain a certain wish. For example, in addition to
praying, a sick person may also have to visit an expertdoctor, use
medicines that will be of benefit, and receive hospital treatment if
necessary, or some other form of special care. Because, Allah has
linked everything that happens inthis world to specific causes.
Everything in the world and in the universe happens in accordance with
these causes. Therefore, the individual must take the requisite
measures in accordance with these causes, and yet await the outcome
from Allah, with humility, submission and patience, in the knowledge
that it is He Who brings about their results.
The positive effect of faith and prayer on the sick and the way these
accelerate treatment is a matter that has attracted the attention of
and is recommended by doctors. Under the heading"God and Health: Is
Religion Good Medicine? Why Science Is Starting to Believe," the 10
November,2003, edition of the famous magazine Newsweek took the
curative effect of religion as its cover story. It reported that faith
in God raised people's morale and helped them recover more easily, and
that science hadalso begun to believe that people with religious faith
recover more easily and quickly. According to a Newsweek survey, 72%
of Americans say they believethat praying can cure someone and that
prayer facilitates recovery. Research in Great Britain and the USA has
also concluded that prayer reduces patients' symptoms and accelerates
the recovery process.
According to research conducted at Michigan University, depression and
stress are observed to lesser extent in the devout.And, according to
findings at Rush University in Chicago, the early death rate among
people who worship and pray regularlyis some 25% lower than in those
with no religious convictions. Another study conducted on 750 people,
who underwent angiocardiography, provedscientifically the "curative
power of prayer." It was established that the death rate among heart
patients who prayed decreased by 30% within a year after their
operations.
Examples of the prayers mentioned in the Qur'an are:
And Ayyub when he called out to his Lord,"Great harm has afflicted me
and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful," We responded to him
and removed from him the harm which was afflicting him and restored
his family to him, and the same again with them, as a mercy direct
from Us and a Reminder to all worshippers. (Qur'an, 21:83)

--
- - - - - - -