Women of Paradise

In the first issue, we learnt about the Black woman and her love for
Allaah. Once again we will take a trip back in time and visit another
great woman, Asmaa' bint Abi Bakr , one of the Sahabah (female
Companions) of the Prophet . This journey requires that we free our
minds from the ideas of modernists and pay special attention to the
life this blessed companion led, and compare it to our own lives. As
always, we will make this trip through the authentic narration from
the Scholars of Hadith. Brace yourselves as we now journey back in
time to the golden era at the time of the Prophet .
Asmaa' daughter of Abu Bakr said:"az-Zubair (Ibn al-`Awwam, the cousin
ofthe Prophet , through his aunt) married me. He had neither wealth,
slaveor anything else like it, except a camel (to get water) and a
horse. I used to graze his horse, [provide fodder to it and look after
it, and ground dates for his camel. Besides this, I grazed the camel],
made arrangements for providing [it with] water and patched up [his]
leather bucket and kneaded the flour. But I was not proficient in
baking the bread, so my female neighbors used tobake bread for me [and
they were sincere women]. And I used to carry on my head the stones
(seeds) of the d~tes from az-Zubair's land which Allaah's Messenger
had endowed him, and it wasat a distance of two miles(from Madinah).
"As I was one day carrying the stones of dates upon my head I happened
to meet Allaah's Messenger along with a group of hisCompanions. He
called me and said to the camel to sit down so that he should make me
ride behind him. I felt shy to go with men and I remembered az-Zuhair
and his gheerah (1) , and he was the man having the most gheerah. When
the Messenger of Allaah understood my shyness, he left. I came
toaz-Zubair and said: 'The Messenger of Allaah met me as I was
carrying the stones of the dates on my head, and there was with him a
group of his Companions, he said to the camel to sit down so that I
mount it, I felt shy from him, and remembered your gheerah.' Whereupon
he (az-Zubair) said: 'By Allaah, the carrying of dates' stone upon
your head is more severe a burden on me than riding with him.' [And I
led this life of hardship] until Abu Bakr sent afterwards a female
servant who took upon herself the responsibility of looking after the
horseand I felt as if she had emancipated me (2) ." Remember that
Asmaa' was the sister in law of the Prophet !
Asmaa' reported: "I performed the householdduties of az-Zubair and he
had a horse, I used to look after it. Nothing was(more) for me than
looking after the horse. I used to bring grass for it and looked after
it, then Igot a servant as Allaah's Messenger had some prisoners of
war in his possession. He gave me a female servant. She then began to
look after the horse and thus relieved me of this burden. A person
came and he said:'Mother of Abdullah, I am a destitute person and I
intend that I should start business under the shadow of your house.' I
(Asmaa') said: 'If I grant you permission, az Zubairmay not agree to
that, so you come and make a demand of it when az-Zubair is also
present there.'
He came accordingly and said: 'Mother of Abdullah,I am a destitute
person. I intend to start small business in the shadow of your house.
I said: 'Is there not in Madinah (any place for starting the business)
except my house?' Az-Zubair said: 'Why is it that you prohibit the
destitute man to start business here?' So he started business and he
(earned so much) that we sold our slave-girl to him. Az-Zubair came to
me while the money was in my lap. He said: 'Give this to me.' I said:
'(I intend) to spend it in charity.'" [Muslim] Notice how Asmaa' had
been in favorof allowing that person to start business under the
shadow of their house, but she did not like to do anything whichcould
be a source of annoyance or disgust to her husband. She, therefore,
posed a question in order to solicit the opinion of her husband and
when his reaction was found favorable, she agreed to this proposal.
Dear Sister, Allaah (T) has made you a protected jewel in Islam whom
the liberalists are trying to make an object of trade, and the
modernists [among Muslims] are trying to strip you of your modesty and
shyness. Read these ahadith carefully, over and over, and ponder on
them very deeply. They contain a gold mine for both women and men.
Asmaa' had thefollowing credits to her personality (among others):
*. She was one of the most noble women of Arabia at that time.
*. The daughter of the pure and the noble AbuBakr , the leader of his
tribe, and the first Caliph of Islam.
*. The sister-in-law of the best of mankind. Mohammad , who named her
"Thaatun-Nitaaqayn" (the one with two belts), for her heroic act
during the Hijrah [migration] of the Prophet and Abu Bakr , from
Makkah to Madinah.
*. The sister of the most knowledgeable woman, 'Aishah who is among
the only seven Companions of the Prophet who narrated more than a
thousand ahadith.
*. The wife of az-Zubair Ibn al-`Awwaam, one ofthe ten people promised
Paradise by the Messenger of Allaah . Az-Zubair was brave, courageous
and defended the Prophet with his sword.
*. The Mother of ameerul-mu'mineen 'Abdullah Ibn az-Zubair who was
given bay`a inHijaz and was killed by al-Hajjaaj (3) : and
*. the mother of 'Urwah, who when he entered in prayer he would forget
about this life It was 'Urwah who when his leg had to be cut, was told
to drink wine as an anesthesia but refused to drink wine and instead,
gave intructions to cut it while he was in prayer. They did, and he
did not feel anything until he woke up.
Asmaa', may Allaah (T) be pleased with her, was one of the most noble
personalities, yet was veiled and shy in front of men. She refused to
be with men, mingle with them, ride among them or go with them; and.
by Allaah, the men being talked about were no ordinary men! They
werethe Messenger of Allaah , and his Companions. She served her
husband as a true wife should, staying at home to take care of her
household. She was very careful at guarding and preserving her honor,
and the honorof her husband. Did she ever pressure az-Zubair by
reminding him of her honorable lineage as the daughter of the noble
Abu Bakr? She was patient for the hardship she went through, and was
loving and respectfultowards her husband. Can a woman be richer than
Asmaa'?
Her father, Abu Bakr , was a rich merchant. Yet, she carried stones of
dates on her head, and walked miles to get water and date seeds. She
also dealtwith horses and camels [which she did not do in her father'
s house], baked bread, pleased herhusband, yet would not takc
decisions without him, even if it were an obvious decision for the
pleasure of Allaah (T).
Dear sister, wake up! Realize that the modernists and liberalistsare
leading you to a pathother than the path of the Believers. Allaah (T)
says (the meaning (of which is): And whoever contends with, and
contradicts the Messenger after guidance has been clearly conveyed to
him, and chooses a path otherthan that of the Faithful Believers, We
shall leave him in the Path he has chosen and land him in Hell, what
an evil refuge!" [an Nisaa 4:115] (4) .
Which path leads you to happiness of this world and the hereafter, to
the pleasure of Allaah (T) andthe company of Asmaa' in Paradise? Is it
the path of tabarruj (5) and .sufoor (6) and Ikhtilaat (7) or the path
of Hijab and Modesty?
Remember the golden words of Asmaa' when she said:"I felt shy to go
with men, and I remembered az-Zubair and his gheerah." Remember also
what the Black woman said: "But I become uncovered, so please invoke
Allaah for me [make du'a to Allaah for me] that I may not become
uncovered." This illustrates what kind of a pure and clean society it
was, and what kind of amazing women they were. They were the followers
of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, the Salafthat we are proud to follow. We
ask you to think about this, and pray to Allaah (T) to makeus all
among the pure women and men whom Allaah (T) is pleased with,and whom
the Messengerof Allaah will be pleased and happy to meet in Paradise,
for theyfollowed his Sunnah. though they never met him: and they
followed the practice of his Companions, though theynever met them
either.
Imagine, dear sister. that you are among the blessed ones who
succeeded in passing over the Sirat (8) , and found in front of you
the Hawdh (pool) of the Prophet and you drank from it. Imagine
yourself entering Jannah? and findhlg RasoolAllaah who he ishappy to
see you. Imagine you are among those whom he called"my brethren" (9) .
Imagine yourself among the blessed ones when the veil will be
withdrawn, and the people of the Paradise"will not have known anything
dearer to them than looking upon the Countenance of their Lord."
[Muslim] Indeed, the reward of Allaah (T) isinvaluable; the reward
ofAllaah (T) is Paradise; its price is following and practicing the
Qur'an andthe Sunnah the way that Asmaa' and az-Zubair andall the
Sahabah did (may Allaah (T) be pleased withthem all).
Back home to the fifteenth century Hijrah [twentieth of the Christian era] ...
We hope and pray that after journeying throughthese authentic ahadith
with us, we can put into practice all that we have learnt. We remind
you that our happiness, the pleasure of our eyes and the comfort of
our heartsstart with you by your following of the Qur'an and the
Sunnah and the practice of the Salaf:
We hope to see you insha'Allaah in our next trip to the golden age
through some other ayahs of the Qur'an and the authentic ahadith.
(1) the feeling of honor a man has towards the female members of his family.
(2) al-Bukhari, Muslim and Ahmad; additional narration in brackets "[
]"are from Muslim.
(3) Abdullah Ibn az-Zubair (R) sought advice trom his mother Asmaa' in
fighting al Hajjaaj and hisameer AbdulMalik after these two called him
to surrender in peace. She replied: lf you went out [in fighting] to
revive theBook of Allaah (T) and the Sunnah of His Prophet, know that
the goat does not get tortured by slaughtering [i.e. once slain, it
does not feel anything when the skin is removed]. So die on the truth.
But if you went out seeking theworldly life, then there is no goodness
in you alive or dead. My Son! Die withhonor and dignity and do not
surrender. [Musnad al Haiku]. After this meeting with Asmaa'.Abdullah
went out to fight ...he was killed in Makkah ... May Allaah (T) have
Mercy on him and be pleased with him.
(4) The faithful believers are the Sahabah [the companions of the
Prophet ]. Shaikh-ul-lslam Ibn Taymeeyah commented on this verse"All
who contradict and oppose the Messenger after the right path has been
clearly shown to them. have followed other than the Path of the
believers: and all whofollow other than the Path of the believers have
contradicted and opposed the Messenger after the right Path has been
shown to them. If one thinks that he is following the Path of the
Faithful believers and is mistaken, he is in the same position as one
who thinks he is following the Messenger and is mistaken"
(5) Displaying one's beauty
(6) Revealing beauty
(7) Mingling with men
(8) The narrow bridge hanging over hell.
(9) Part of the hadith fromSahih Muslim which continues: '...the
Sahaabah replied "Aren't we your brethren?'' He said: "You are my
companions; my brethrenare people who come later, believe in me (and
obviously follow me), even though they did notsee me."' This hadith
will be the subject of one of our future articles, whereit will be
referenced appropriately. and mentioned in its entirety,insha'Allaah.

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Women of Paradise

Part 1: 'The Black Woman'
Paradise is for believing men and women.
We often hear speakers in Friday prayer or in admonitions talking
about Paradise and all of us find our hearts, minds and thoughts tuned
on tothat 'frequency'. However, majority of the speakers talk about
Paradise as if it were a house for men only. Reality is not like that.
Paradise is for the believing men and women. The only price for it is
sound belief in Allaah, love of Allaah and His Messenger salla Allaahu
alaihi wa sallam, and obedience to Allaah and His Messenger salla
Allaahu alaihi wa sallam.
In what follows are the glad tidings given by the Messenger of Allaah
salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam, to some of the women among his
companions.
*. Narrated 'Aisha radhiya Allaahu anha: I did not feel jealous of any
of the wives of the Prophet as much as I did of Khadija (although) she
died before he married me, for I often heard him mentioning her, and
Allaah had told him to give her the good tidings that she would have a
palace of Qasab (i.e. pipes of precious stones and pearls in
Paradise), and whenever he slaughtered a sheep, hewould send her
women-friends a good share of it. [Sahih al-Bukhari]
*. Anas reports that the Messenger of Allaah, salla Allaahu alaihi wa
sallam, said: ' The best women of mankind are four: Mariam daughter of
`Imraan, Assiya wife of Pharaoh, Khadija daughter of Khuwailid, and
Fatima the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah. ' [Bukhari and Muslim]
*. Narrated Abu Huraira: Jibreel (Gabriel) came to the Prophet and
said,'O Allaah's Apostle! This is Khadija coming to you with a dish
having meat soup (or some food or drink). When she reaches you, greet
her on behalf of her Lord (i.e. Allaah) and onmy behalf, and give
herthe glad tidings of having a Qasab (palace in Paradise) wherein
there will be neither any noise nor any fatigue (trouble).'
[al-Bukhari]
*. Narrated 'Ata bin Abi Rabah: Ibn 'Abbas said to me, 'Shall I show
you a woman of the people of Paradise?' I said, 'Yes.' He said, 'This
blackwoman came to the Prophet and said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy
and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allaah for me.' The
Prophet said (to her), ' If you wish, be patient and you will have
(enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allaah to cure you. '
She said, 'I will remain patient,' and added, 'but I become uncovered,
so please invoke Allaah for me that I may not become uncovered.' So he
invoked Allaah for her.' [al-Bukhari]
The aforementioned ahadeeth clearly state the stature of some of the
women given the glad tidings of Jannah (Paradise). What can the women
of today do in order to achieve that pinnacle of success, Paradise?
To do so one MUST learn how these women lived, how they behaved, how
they spoke, how they dressed, how they walked, etc. In this issue of
al-Mu'minah we will try to learn from the black woman mentioned in the
last Hadith, insha'Allaah. The black woman is not even known by her
name, or her exact whereabouts, rather she is known by her deeds, her
faith, her modesty, her chastity, and for her being an inmate of
Paradise. And, in the end, that is what matters most. When Abdullah
Ibn Abbas radhiya Allaahu anhu said 'this black woman', he did not
mean to point at her race or to belittle her in any way. Indeed, he
but meant to teach the people around him a great principle of Islam
which is mentioned in the verse, [in the meaning of] : ' O people! We
have created you from a man and a woman and made you into peoples and
tribes so that you may know each other, verily the most honorable
among you in the sight of Allaah are the most pious. '
The same principle is mentioned in the Hadith: ' Allaah does not look
at your pictures (shapes) and bodies but He looks at your hearts (and
your deeds). ' [Muslim] She (the black woman) was physically sick, yet
she sought cure in the du`a of the Messenger of Allaah, salla Allaahu
alaihiwa sallam. She knew thatthe one who cures, ash-Shaafee, is
Allaah, and Allaah would answerthe du`a of His Messengersalla Allaahu
alaihi wa sallam. We conclude fromthat that du`a heals all diseases be
they of the body or of the heart. When commenting on this Hadith,
al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar said: 'It is inferred from this hadith that the
cure of diseases through du`a and supplication to Allaah (wa
al-iltijaa' ilaa Allaah) is the most successful way of healing, but
this cannot be fulfilled unless two conditions are satisfied: pure
intention and sincere trust in the effectiveness of the du`a, and
righteousness and reliance on Allaah.
The fact that the Prophet salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam said: ' If
you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise ' is a proof
for the virtue andreward of patience during sickness. In another
Hadith, he, salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam, says: ' Whenever a
hardship affects the Muslim, he will be forgiven for it even whenhe is
picked by a spike. ' [Muslim]
And in another Hadith, also narrated by Muslim, Ummu as-Sa'ib cursed
fever, to which the Prophet salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam told her: '
Do not curse fever, for it takes away the sins like the blaze [fire]
takes away the impurities of iron. ' The black women preferred the
suffering of this world to getting the eternal reward of Paradise! She
suffered from sickness, yet her pain and discomfort did not force her
to forego pleasing Allaah! And no matter who one is, if one is in the
path of Allaah, one will encounter difficulties, because Paradise is
rounded by hardships. If things are easy and life is rosy, then one
must check oneself; are we following the trueIslam? Especially in this
western environment it may be difficult for a young woman to wear the
dress of modesty, the hijab (even though it is mandatory), not to talk
to men and keep away from them (which is also mandatory), except if
necessary.
All these may be difficult to achieve for some in the beginning, but
when one overcomes herself for the sake of Allaah, then all the other
obstacles become baseless. So, how to overcome oneself? By knowing
Allaah by His names and attributes; by loving and obeying Allaah and
His Messenger,salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam; and then the help of
Allaah will come, insha'Allaah. She (the black woman) preferred being
patient, but could not tolerate that her honor, her modesty and her
chastity be damaged or even touched, nor thatany part of her body be
uncovered, though she had no control over it. Indeed she was a real
slave and servant of Allaah; she was a faithful,a believer, a
Muslimah, a righteous and pious woman, a truthful woman, and she was
loyal to Allaah and His Messenger, salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam. Not
onlyhaving these awe-inspiring qualities, she was also a wise and
agreat woman, as her memorable words rang...: '... but I become
uncovered, so please invoke Allaah for me that I may not become
uncovered.'
If words are to be written in Gold, these words should be written in
gold ... Remember this simple equation:
Iman + Suffering + Patience = Paradise
It can also be inferred that the righteous Muslimwoman inherently
loves to be covered, loves modesty and chastity andhates revealing her
body and her beauty. The black woman, radhiya Allaahu `anha could
sustain being so sick but could not bear to be uncovered in front of
people.
The issue, one must understand, is not of black or white or Arab or
non-Arab, rich or poor, noble[with lineage] or not, it is rather of a
creedso deeply rooted in the hearts of Muslims like blood flows in the
arteries and veins of people. They are those who are totally committed
to Islam. Fourteen Hundred years of history showed that Muslim women
could sustain hunger, poverty, sickness but could never sustain
disobeying Allaah. The wife would tell her husband when leaving for
work: 'Fear Allaah in us, for we can sustain hunger and thirst but we
cannot sustain Hell fire [i.e. do not acquire unlawful earning].'
Dear sisters, ask yourself what made Khadija radhiya Allaahu `anha be
greeted by Allaah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala and by Jibreel alaihi as-Salaam.
Ask yourself what made Khadija be rewarded a Palace in Jannah as no
one can imagine. Reading the biography of Khadija andothers like her
in greatness, one would wish to be at their service; to carry their
shoes, wash their clothes,to serve them in any possible way and get
du`a from them. It is sad that we just don't know the great
personalities ofthis Ummah. If only we strive to study the lives ofthe
righteous that preceded us, we would find in them immense guidance for
our existence, and if we know them and follow them we could be in the
forefront of mankind ...
It is said, 'Iman (faith) is not by hope, it is rather what occurs in
the heart and is proved by the deeds [maa waqa`a fil qalbi wa
saddaqahul-`amal].' We leave you to think about this and prayto Allaah
to make us all among the dwellers of Paradise and to bestow upon us
the faith and thepatience that lead us to Paradise. And to bless
thepresent Muslim Ummah with many women like the black woman, radhiya
Allaahu `anha (may Allaah be pleased with her), who help us focus on
the straight path ...

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Explanation of Soorah al-Maa'oon

The verses:
In the name of Allaah, theMost Beneficent, the MostMerciful.
Almighty Allaah Says (what means): "Have you seen the one who denies
the Recompense? For that is the one who drives away the orphan.
Anddoes not encourage the feeding of the poor. So woe to those
whopray. [But] are heedless of their prayer – Those who make show [of
their deeds]. And withhold [simple] assistance." [Quran 107: 1-7]
Explanation:
"Have you seen the one who denies the Recompense?" [Quran107:1] Here,
Allaahthe Most High asks His Messenger if he has seen the one who
rejects the Deen - that is, the Appointed Time, the Requital and the
Reward .
"For that is the one who drives away the orphan." [Quran 107:2] That
is, he coerces and oppresses the orphan, denying him his rights, and
refusing to feed him, or give him anyaid .
" And does not encourage the feeding of the poor." [Quran 107:3] As
Allaah Says (what means) : "No! But you do not honour the orphan, And
you do not encourage one another to feed the poor." [Quran 89: 17-18]
That is, the one in need, who hasnothing, he does not support or
maintain him, or attend to his needs .
"So woe to those who pray. [But] are heedless of their prayer." [Quran
107:4-5] According to Ibn `Abbaas and others, this verse refers to the
hypocrites who pray in public but not in private, and for this reason
Allaah Says (what means): "…to those who pray" who are among those who
pray, but doesnot mean everyone who prays. These people, at first, are
steadfast in their prayers, then they become neglectful of them either
entirely, as stated by Ibn `Abbaas or they become careless about
praying on time until they pray after the prescribed time. `Ataa'
said: "All praise is due to Allaah who Says (what means): "…heedless
of their prayer" rather than neglectful in their prayers." However,
this verse is comprehensive and covers both meanings. Whoever is
neglectful by delaying hisprayers, is careless in implementing the
prescribed Sunnahs (recommended supererogatory acts) in prayer,
fulfilling its conditions, or does not pray with a fitting sense of
humility and does not reflect on the meaning may be considered a
hypocrite in his actions as confirmed by the Hadeeth (Prophetic
saying) that the Messenger of Allaah said: "This is the prayer of the
hypocrite, this is the prayer of the hypocrite: He sits and observes
the sun until it is between the horns of Satan (about to set), thenhe
quickly prays four Rak'ahs (units of prayer) in which he barely
mentions Allaah." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
The prayer referred to is the 'Asr (afternoon) prayer and the delay is
until the end of the permitted time which is atime at which it is
despised to offer prayers,when the hypocrite rapidly performs his
prayer (so that his movements resemble the rapid pecking of a
chicken), hastily, without a fitting sense of humility. Likewise, the
one who prays in order to be seen by others, and not to gain the
pleasure of Allaah, is like the one who doesn't pray at all. Allaah
Says (what means) : " Indeed , the hypocrites [think to] deceive
Allaah, but He is deceiving them. And when they stand for prayer, they
stand lazily,showing [themselves to] the people and not remembering
Allaah except a little." [Quran 4:142] While Allaah says here what
means: "…Who are heedless of their prayer." [Quran 107:5]
"Those who make show [of their deeds]." [Quran 107:6]
Imaam At-Tabaraani stated: "The Messenger ofAllaah said: "Indeed, in
Hell there is a valley (which is so terrible) that the Hellfire
wishes, four hundred times a day, that it were not a part of it. It
has been prepared for those among the community of Muhammad who
perform deeds in order to be seen doing them..."
Imam Ahmad narrated that the Messenger of Allaah said: "Whoever
performs a (good) deed in order to gain a good reputation, Allaah will
make him despised and degraded." However, if a person sincerely
performs a good deed, solely for the sake of Allaah, that happens to
be seen by others and it pleases them, there is no sin for him in
this, and the proof for this is the narration of Abu Hurayrah who
said: "I was praying once when aman entered (the mosque), and this
pleased me, so I told the Messenger of Allaah about it, and he
said:"Two rewards have been written for you - the reward of praying in
secret and the reward of being seen."
Imaam Ibn Jareer saidthat the Messenger of Allaah said that:"Those
"Who are heedless of their prayer" are those who delay theirprayers
and do not pray them at the right time." Delaying the prayer may
simply mean praying it late, or it may mean not praying it at all, or
it may mean delaying the prayer until the prescribed time has expired
.
"And withhold [simple] assistance." [Quran 107:7]
These people do not behave well in worship, nor do they behave well
towards their fellow men; they will not even lend to those in need,
though it would be returned to them, nor do they like to pay Zakaah
(obligatory alms) or other forms of charity. Ibn Abu Nujayh said that
`Ali said that the word Al-Maa'oon means Zakaah, and this was
alsorelated by Imaam As-Suddi may Allaah havemercy on him. This was
also attributed by more than one person to Ibn `Umar .
Many narrations suggest that the word is more general than this and
even includes things commonly shared, such as buckets, spades and
axes, etc. It is narrated that the Messenger of Allaah was asked
whatAl-Maa`oon is, to which he replied: "The stone (i.e. pots and
pans, etc.), the iron (i.e. axes, spades etc.) and all such things."

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Virtues of reading the Quran

To reflect upon the verses of Allaah is a form of worship; it is
something that will draw one close to Allaah, Most High. This
reflection is not a reckless and wandering one, rather, it includes a
study of the classical Tafseer (exegesis) of the verses being pondered
over. Allaah, Most High, Says in the Quran (what means): " Then do
they notreflect upon the Quran? If it had been from [any] other than
Allaah, they would have found within it much contradiction. " [Quran:
4:82]
The Book of Allaah is unlike any other; it is the timeless Speech of
Allaah, and not a created thing. Itis the study guide for life, death,
and what follows. Therefore, it deserves a far more careful study than
anyone else's speech. It necessitates that its reader return to the
early narrations of those who witnessed its revelation and heard its
explanation by the one deputed by Allaah to rehearse and explain His
Words to humanity, Muhammad . For if one wouldtry to ponder over the
meanings of the verses without having done this study, then surely the
filth of the time that he lives in and his ignorance of the correct
application and understanding that the early Muslims had wouldcause
him to understand some things not intended by Allaah, Most High, and
therefore he would go astray, thinking to be worshipping Allaah. So,
let every sincere Muslim who hopes to earn Allaah's Love by reciting
and reflecting over Allaah's Book holdtight to the meanings explained
by the Prophet and those taught by the Companions and their immediate
followers, and the early scholars of Islam.
Dear Muslim brother and sister! Know that reciting and pondering over
the Book of Allaah and devoting regular time to its study and
implementation has tremendous benefits in this life and the next. Let
us now lookat just a few of them to attach ourselves more firmly to
the majestic Words of Allaah. Each benefit stands as enough of an
encouragement to shun any laziness we have and dedicate ourselves
wholly to the Quran.
Reading and Reflecting Over the Quran Fulfils an Islamic Duty
The Prophet summarised this religion with his statement: " Thereligion
(of Islaam) is naseehah (offering sincere advice)! " Tameem bin Aws
said: " We asked, 'To whom?' " He replied: " To Allaah, His Book, His
Messenger, the leaders of the people, and to their subjects. "
[Muslim] The sincerity that is due to the Book of Allaah includes its
regular recitation, learning the rules of Tajweed (the recitation of
the Quran, according to specified rules) and reciting it beautifully,
learning about its Tafseer and the reasons for its revelation,
affirming that it is the truth, the perfect Speech of Allaah and not
part of the creation, honouring it and defending it, abiding by the
orders and prohibitions found in it, and teaching it and calling to
it.
The Quran will be a Proof for or against Us on the Day of Judgement
This is due to the statement of the Messenger : " And the Quran is a
proof for you or against you. " [Muslim] So, one of two things will
occur with this proof, the Book of Allaah. It will either be in one's
favour, a proof for us on the Day when we will desperately need every
single good deed, or it will be something standing against us. The
very Speech of our Creator as a proof against us! Who could be saved
from the terrors of that Day if Allaah's own Speech is against Him?
Think carefully, dear Muslim brothers and sisters, about your position
with the Quran. Are you neglecting it, contradicting it, and being
heedless of its orders and prohibitions? Are you thinking deeply over
it? Will it be on your side on the Day of Judgement?
The Quran will Intercede for Us on the Day of Judgement
Abu Umaamah related that the Prophet said: " Read the Quran, for
indeed it will come on the Day of Standing (Judgement) as an
intercessor for its companions. " [Muslim]
The Quran Raises One's Status in this Life
In Saheeh Muslim, which is one ofthe two most authentic books of
prophetic narrations, we find a wonderful story about how a man from
the people of Paradise,'Umar bin Al-Khattaab understood this
principle. The story is that once, some men came to question him
during his reign as caliph regarding the leadership of Makkah. The men
asked: " Who do you use to govern Makkah? " He said: " Ibn Abzaa. "
They asked: " And who is Ibn Abzaa? " 'Umar replied: " A freed slave
from thosewe freed. " They remarked: " You left a freed slave in
command of the People of the Valley (the noble tribes of the Quraysh)?
" He replied: " Indeed he is a reciter of the Book of Allaah and is
knowledgeable about the obligations of the Muslims. Haven't you heard
the statement of your Messenger : "Verily Allaah raises some people by
this Book and lowers others by it" "?
The People of the Quran are from Best of People
'Uthmaan said that the Prophet said: " The best of you are those who
learn the Quran and teach it to others. " [Al-Bukhaari]
There are Ten Rewards for Every Letter Recited from the Quran
As a Hadeeth (prophetic statement) in At-Tirmithi proves: " Whoever
reads a letter from theBook of Allaah, he will have a reward, and this
reward will be multiplied by ten. I am not sayingthat 'Alif, Laam,
Meem' (a combination of letters frequently mentioned in the Holy
Quran) is a letter, rather I am saying that 'Alif' is a letter, 'Laam'
is a letter and 'Meem' is a letter. " [At-Tirmithi] So increase your
recitation of the Quran to gain these merits, as well as the following
ones.
The Reciters of the Quran Will Be in the Company of the Noble and
Obedient Angels
'Aa'ishah related that the Prophet said: " Indeed the one who recites
the Quran beautifully, smoothly, and precisely, will be in the company
of the noble and obedient angels.As for the one who recites with
difficulty, stammering or stumbling through its verses, then he will
have twice that reward. " [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
So dear brother or sister Muslim, do not let the Shaytaan (Satan) give
you false excuses, such as 'I am not an Arab.' or 'It is not in my
language.' This Hadeeth is a firm proof against these whisperings.
Dedicate yourself to the Book of Allaah, whether you are an Arab or
not! The excuses have been eliminated and the pathway has been cleared
for you to embrace the Book of Allaah without holding back or offering
excuses! Surely you will not hesitate to seek a teacher or a study
circle for the Quran once you hear the last and perhaps greatest
benefits of reading and contemplating over the Quran.
One's Position and Rank in Paradise is Determined by the Amount of
Quran He Memorised in this Life
'Abdullaah bin 'Amr bin Al-'Aas heard the Prophet saying:"It will be
said to the companion of the Quran: 'Read and elevate (through the
levels of Paradise) and beautify your voice as you didwhen you were in
the worldly life! For verily, your position in Paradise will be at the
last verse you recite!'" [Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]
The Quran Leads to Paradise
The Quran states (what means): " Indeed the Quran guides to that which
is most suitable and gives good tidings to the believers whodo
righteous deeds that they will have a great reward. " [Quran: 17:9]
The Prophet said: " The Quran is an intercessor - something given
permission to intercede, and it is rightfully believed in. Whoever
puts it in front of him, itwill lead him to Paradise; whoever puts it
behind him, it will steer him to the Hellfire. " [At-Tabaraani]
Know, dear brothers and sisters, that these nine benefits from the
numerous benefits available can only be attained by a sincere
commitment to the Book of Allaah, and not simply by an empty claim of
love for it. Rather,the heart must be sincerely attached to the Book
of Allaah and the limbs and tongue will follow suit in this
attachment. One must know that we only mentioned a few of the numerous
benefits of reading and reflecting over the Quran. There are many
other benefits that await your reading of the Quran and books of
Hadeeth, such as the chapter of the Quran that will plead on your
behalf in the grave, and that it is a physicalhealing, a source of
rest and relaxation for your heart, among many other things.

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Modesty is a part of faith

It was related on the authority of Abu Mas'ood Al-Badri that: "The
Messenger of Allaah said: "One of the admonitions of the previous
prophets which has been conveyed to people is that if you haveno
shame, you can do whatever you wish." [Al-Bukhaari]
Explanation of the Hadeeth:
The saying of the Messenger : "…If you feel no shame, you can do
whatever you wish" is in the command form, and can be looked at from
two angles, each conveying a distinct meaning:
(1) The first is that it is a form of threat and a challenge thrown
down against those who engage in inappropriate behaviour. Such people
have no shame in front of Allaah and therefore, no matter what course
they take, it would not make any real difference.In this case, it
would be as if the Hadeeth is stating: "If you do not feel any shame
from doing these prohibited acts, then do whatever you wish…" Modesty
is the quality that prevents one from immodest behaviour, and the lack
of it will only cause one to increase in distancing himself from
Allaah and make him indifferent to creed or deed.
(2) The second meaning pertains to doing that which is lawful. That
is, if the action that one is about to do is not within the category
of the unlawful, and we are notashamed of doing the actin front of
Allaah or the people, then we are free to do it. However, if we are
ashamed to do it, then we should not. The Hadeeth gives a measuring
stick by whichwe can evaluate actions, both privately and publicly.
Thus, the first explanation relates to a lack of consciousness
regarding Allaah and the second is regarding the opposite, which is to
be conscious of Allaah and of His watching over a person and his
actions.
The former explanation relates to an unbridled Nafs (base desires and
lower self), whereas the latter implies observance of due constraint
over it, so that it does not embark on the road to destruction.
Modesty is of two types:
Modesty is either natural or acquired. Natural modesty means that the
individual has this qualityby nature and does not need to exert any
effort to acquire it. Acquired modesty, on the other hand, is attained
by those who possess knowledge concerning Allaah, being cognisant
concerning His Greatness,Proximity and His Inspection of all that
theydo.
Points Related to Modesty:
1. Modesty is one of the most honourable attributes and is a
consistent virtue found inall the various laws sent down to each
prophet and messenger.
2. It is one of the most perfect and desirable characteristics to
possess and an excellent state to be in.
3. Modesty only brings good to individuals and is an indication of faith.
4. Bashfulness and shameis in direct opposition to indecency and shamelessness.
5. Modesty is an element of faith, and indecency has no relation to it.
6. Modesty adorns one's nature and personality and is indicative of
his being Islamically culturedand refined.
7. Indecency, on the other hand, shows that one lacks virtues and is
uncouth, dishonourable and uncultured.
8. We are obligated to guard ourselves against indecency and from
acting indecently or uncultured, as qualified by Islam.
9. We must never misconstrue bashfulness or shyness with cowardice -
Islamically they are far from synonymous.
10. Modesty, as mentioned, is a root virtue. One of the fruits of
modesty is chastity.
11. There is no modesty when it comes to teaching the laws of Islam or
searching for thetruth.

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Names and Attributes of Allaah - What is the meaning of Allaah’s name al-Rafeeq?.

What is the meaning of Allaah's name al-Rafeeq (the Most Kind)?
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah is Kind to His slaves. He is Kind in His actions – He creates
all created beings in stages according to His wisdom and kindness,
although He is Able to create themall at once, in a single moment.
Whoever studies His laws and seeshow they came step by step, will see
that this bears testimony to His kindness, may He be glorified.
Allaah is Kind and He does not hasten, because the one who hastens is
the one who isafraid that he will miss something. But all thingsare
under His control and dominion, so he does not hasten.
Ibn al-Qayyim said:
He is Kind and loves people who are kind; by His kindness He gives
them more than they can wish for.
Sharh Asmaa ; Allaah taaala al-Husna by Dr. Hissah al-Sagheer, p. 134


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Names and Attributes of Allaah - The meaning of the pronoun “We” as used inthe Qur’an.

Why does the Quran use the term "we" in its ayats?
Many non-believers believe that this may be in reference to Jesus?
Praise be to Allaah.
It is a feature of literary style in Arabic that a person may refer to
himself by the pronoun nahnu (we) for respect or glorification. He may
also use the word ana (I), indicating one person, or the third person
huwa (he). All three styles are used in the Qur'an, where
Allaahaddresses the Arabs in their own tongue. (Fataawa al-Lajnah
al-Daa'imah, 4/143).
"Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, sometimes refers to Himself
in the singular, by name or by use of a pronoun, and sometimesby use
of the plural, as inthe phrase (interpretation of the meaning):
'Verily, We have given you a manifest victory" [al-Fath 48:1], and
other similar phrases. But Allaah never refers to Himself by use of
the dual, because the plural refers to the respect thatHe deserves,
and may refer to His names and attributes, whereas the dual refers to
a specific number (and nothing else), and He is far abovethat."
(Al-'Aqeedah al-Tadmuriyyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, p. 75).
These words, innaa ("Verily We") and nahnu ("We"), and other forms of
the plural, may be used by one person speaking on behalf of a group,
or they may be used by one person for purposes of respect or
glorification, as is done by some monarchs whenthey issue statements
or decrees in which they say "We have decided…" etc. [This is known in
English as "The Royal We" – Translator]. In such cases, only one
person is speaking but the plural is used for respect. The One Who is
more deserving of respect than any other isAllaah, may He be glorified
and exalted, so when He says in the Qur'an innaa ("Verily We") and
nahnu ("We"), it is for respect and glorification, not to indicate
plurality of numbers. If an aayah of this type is causing confusion,
it is essential to refer to the clear, unambiguous aayaat
forclarification, and if a Christian, for example, insists on taking
ayaat such as "Verily, We: it is We Who have sent downthe Dhikr (i.e.,
the Qur'an)" [al-Hijr 15:9 – interpretation of the meaning] as proof
of divine plurality, we may refute this claim by quoting such clear
and unambiguous aayaat as (interpretation of the meanings): "And your
god is One God, there is none who has the right to be worshipped but
He, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful" [al-Baqarah 2:163] and
"Say: He is Allaah, the One" [al-Ikhlaas 112:1] – and other aayaat
which can only be interpreted in one way. Thus confusion will be
dispelled for the one who is seeking the truth.Every time Allaah uses
the plural to refer to Himself, it is based on the respect and honour
that He deserves, and on the great number of His names and attributes,
and on the great number of His troops and angels." (Reference:
Al-'Aqeedah al-Tadmuriyyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, p. 109).
And Allaah knows best.

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Names and Attributes of Allaah - Commentary on the verse “so wherever you turn (yourselves or your faces) there is the Face of Allaah” .

Could you explain the following ayaah? If Allahis above the heavens,
why is Allah face there wherever you face?
I am only asking this because I was explainingthat Allah was above the
heavens to somebody, and he qouted this ayah;I could not respond to
him after that.
Al-Baqarah - 2:115
And to Allâh belong the east and the west, so wherever you turn
yourselves or your faces there is the Face of Allâh (and He is High
above, over His Throne). Surely! Allâh
is All-Sufficient for His creatures' needs, All-Knowing.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We are obliged to believe that Allaah has risen above His throne ina
manner that befits His majesty, not in a mannerthat resembles human
movement, and to believe that Allaah has a Face that is not like the
faces of His creation.
So we should not go astray when interpreting verses and we must not
distort theirmeanings; we should follow the views of the righteous
salaf concerning that.
With regard to the tafseer (commentary) onthis verse, Shaykh Ibn
'Uthaymeen said:
If you ask whether everymention of the wajh (face) with reference to
Allaah means the Face of Allaah which is one of His attributes, the
answer is that this is the basic principle. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And turn not away those who invoke their Lord, morning and afternoon
seeking His Face"
[al-An'aam 6:52].
"And who has (in mind) no favour from anyone to be paid back,
Except to seek the Countenance of his Lord,the Most High.
He surely, will be pleased(when he will enter Paradise)"
[al-Layl 92:19-21]
And there are other similar verses.
The basic principle is that what is meant by wajh is the Face of
Allaah which is one of His attributes. But there is a verse concerning
which the mufassireen differed, which is this verse (interpretation of
the meaning):
"And to Allaah belong the east and the west, sowherever you turn
(yourselves or your faces) there is the Face of Allaah"
[al-Baqarah 2:115] Some of them said that what is meant by wajh here
is direction, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"For every nation there is a direction to which they face (in their prayers)"
[al-Baqarah 2:148]
So what is meant by wajh here is direction, so "there is the wajh of
Allaah" means there is the direction of prayer which Allaah accepts.
They said: because whentravelling, if a person offers naafil prayers
he can pray in whatever direction he is facing.
But the correct view is that what is meant by wajh here is the Face of
Allaah. So wherever you turn there is the Face of Allaah, because
Allaah encompasses all things, and because it was proven from the
Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) thatwhen the
worshipper stands to pray, Allaah in front of him. Hence it is
forbidden for the worshipper to spit in front of him, because Allaah
is in front of him. So if you pray in a place where you do not know
where the qiblah is, but you do your best to figure it out and pray,
and the qiblah is in fact behind you, then Allaah is in front of you
even in this situation.
This is the correct meaning which is in accordance with the apparent
meaning of the verse, and the first meaning does not in factcontradict
it.
So the two meanings do not contradict one another.
It should be noted that this mighty Face which isdescribed in terms of
majesty and honour cannot be fully encompassed by human descriptions
and imagination. Rather everything that you can think of, Allaah is
above that and is greater.
"but they will never compass anything of His Knowledge"
[Ta-Ha 20:110 – interpretation of the meaning]
With regard to the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
"Everything will perish save His Face"
[al-Qasas 28:88]
What this means is that everything will perish except His Essence of
which s His Face is one ofthe attributes.
Sharh al-'Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah by Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 1/243-245.
We should not compare the Creator to His creation and imagine Him in
terms of His creation, for Allaah is as He has said of Himself
(interpretation of the meaning):
"There is nothing like Him"
[al-Shoora 42:11]
So Allaah has risen above His Throne, and He faces the worshipper when
he prays, and there is no contradictionbetween them with regard to
Allaah.
Some people were similarly confused about the issue of Allaah
descending during the last third of the night to the lowest heaven.
They said that the night is not the same throughout theearth, so how
can Allaah descend during the night and day at the same time?
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen said:
Later generations who knew that the earth is round and that the sun
revolves around the earth said: how can He descend during the last
third of the night, when the last third of the night moves from the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabiaand goes to Europe and areas nearby? We say:
now you are comparing the attributes of Allaah to the attributes of
created beings. If you believe it you do not have to do anything
beyond that, so do not ask how.
Rather say: When it is the last third of the night in the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, then Allaahdescends, and when it is the last third of
the night in America, Allaah descends then as well.
So our attitude is that we believe what has reached us via Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and that Allaah descends
to the lowest heaven when there is one third of the night left, and
says, "Who will call upon Me, that I may answer him? Who will ask of
Me, that Imay give him? Who will ask My forgiveness that I may forgive
him?"
Sharh al-Waasitiyyah, 2/437.
And Allaah knows best.

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Quran: Clear Truth - MODERN MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION

"And (He) has made horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride, and as
an adornment, and He has created (other) things of which you have no
knowledge."(The Quran, 16:8)
During the time this verse was revealed, mankind had no idea that in
the future things other than animals could be used for transportation.
That is why Allah states in this verse: He has created (other) things
of which you have no knowledge. In fact, the history shows that
mankind has continuously discovered new methods of transportation. At
any given point of time, a few means of transportation were always
unknown. This verse thus is true for all generations of mankind.
Source: 130 Evident Miracles of the Quran by Dr. Mazhar U. Kazi.

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Quran: Clear Truth - THE SOURCE OF MILK

"Verily in cattle, there is lesson for you; We give you to drink of
what is inside their bellies coming from a conjunction between the
contents of the intestine and blood, a milk, pure and pleasant for
those who drinkit." (The Quran, 16:66, translation by Maurice
Bucaille)
The Holy Quran here describes thebiological process in the mammals
which brings together the contents of the intestine and the blood at
the level of the intestinal wall, which produces milk. This is in
perfect harmony with recent discoveries made in physiology of the
digestive system of mammals. Such minuteand specific knowledge was
totally unknown to mankind when the Holy Quran was revealed!

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Fathwa - Division of inheritance among a wife, mother, 2 daughters and 10 siblings

Question
Assalaamu 'Alaykum; Please calculate the inheritance according to the
following information -Does the deceased have male relatives who are
entitledto inherit: (A full brother)Number 4 -Does the deceased have
female relatives who are entitledto inherit : (A mother) (A daughter)
Number 2 (A wife) Number 1 (A full sister) Number 6
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad
, is His Slave and Messenger.
If the deceased did not leave any heir except those mentioned, then
the two daughters will get two-thirds of the estate as the Prophet ,
gave two thirds to the two daughters of Sa'd ibn Ar-Rabee' . [Ahmad,
Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi]
The wife gets one-eighth due to the existence of the children of the
deceased for Allaah The Exalted says (what means): { But if you leave
a child, then for them [i.e., wives] is an eighth of what you leave,
after any bequest you [may have] made or debt. }[Quran 4:12]
The mother gets one-sixth due to the existence of the children (of the
deceased); Allaah The Exalted says (what means): { And for one's
parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left
children. }[Quran 4:11]
The remainder will be divided among the brothers and sisters by
Ta'seeb (by virtue of having a paternal relation with the deceased and
not having an allotted share, so they get what is left after the
allotted shares have beendistributed); the male twice the share of the
female. The estate will bedivided into 336 shares: The two daughters
will get two-thirds, i.e. 224 shares; each of them will get 112
shares, one-sixth (56 shares) for the mother, one-eighth (42 shares)
for the wife, and 2 shares for each brother and one share for each
sister.
Here, we must inform the questioner that the matter of estates is a
veryserious and complex matter. It is not possible to be sufficed by
or to rely upon a mere Fatwa, prepared by one who simply received the
question. Rather, this matter must be raised to the legitimate courts
in order to be examined and resolved. There may be an heir that will
remain unknown until after an investigation. There may also be a will,
debts, or other rights about which the heirs do not know; and such
things take precedence over the right of the heirs regarding wealth.
Itis thus not correct to divide the estate withoutreferring to the
legitimate courts, if such courts exist, for the benefit of both the
living and the dead.
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa - Who should wife obey, her husband or her mother?

Question
Respected Sholar, I wouldlike to get an answer for the below question
as soon as possible. I am a working lady and motherof two kids (health
condition not that good).All my earnings of these many years is given
to myhusband who take cares of us and love us but spend a lot on his
family. Now my mother is really upset with all these especially when
she sees me working with poor health with no savings for me and kids.
My mother insists me to request my husband to give me half the share
of his house which is under his name. But his parents,sisters
(frequently), brother, brother's wife and kids all stays in this home
that he don't want to keep the share in my name. Moreover, his family
is much concernedfor his money than us. Because of which my mother
insist me to do this. Please let me know what I should do? Either
Ishould listen to my mother which will make my husband angry or listen
to my husband which will make my mother curse me. I am scare of Allah
and don't want to make my god angry. Please suggest what I should do?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad
isHis slave and Messenger.
First of all, may Allaah reward you for helping your husband and there
is no doubt that this strengthens the marital relations and love
between you and him.
If the mentioned house isthe property of your husband while you have
no share in it, then you have no right to ask your husband for
anything from this house and your mother has no right to order you to
do so.
If we presume that you have a share in it, then you are not obliged to
obey your mother as on one hand she has no benefit in this matter, and
on the other hand, you might be harmed by raising this issue with your
husband. Obedienceto parents is not an obligation in such matters. For
more benefiton the limits of obedience to parents, please refer to
Fatwa 131695 .
Hence, we advise you to try to please your motherand to avoid her
anger asmuch as possible. In the future, it is better not to inform
your mother of your spending on your husband, and you may save some of
your moneyso that your mother will be comforted by you having some
money.
For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 85012 and 31645 .
Allaah Knows best.

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Fathwa - It is permissible to offer prayer in trousers

Question
I read in an islamic book that the Prophet ( salilahu alayhi wasalam )
forbade praying in saraweel without a cloak over them. The reference
is Sunan Abu Dawood hadith number 594. So is it really impermissible
to pray in saraweel or did the Islamic book make a mistake?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify
that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad
, is His Slave and Messenger.
The Hadeeth reported in Sunan Abu Daawood does not read like so;
rather, it states the prohibition of praying in Saraaweel (trousers)
without having Ridaa' which is the upper garment so that man's
shoulder may not become uncovered in prayer and that is something
prohibited. The Hadeeth does not prohibit offering prayer in
Saraaweel. Al-'Atheem Abaadi said in 'Awn Al-Ma'bood: " (The Prophet ,
prohibited) offering prayer in Saraaweel while having no Ridaa':
because one's shoulders will be exposed and they have tobe covered if
one is able to do so . The Prophet , said: " None of you should pray
in a single garment with nothing onhis shoulders. " [Al-Bukhaari] "
[End quote]
As for offering prayer in trousers, it is permissible,even if they are
tight though that is disliked according to some scholars.
For more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 81610 .
Allaah Knows best.

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Developing the Child's Sentiments - II

· Chastity and sincerity
Allaah The Almighty mentioned in His Book that one of the
characteristics of the faithful believers is their refraining from
committing whatis unlawful. He Says (what means): {…And they who guard
their private parts except from their wives or those their right hands
possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed.} [Quran 23:5-6] No
doubt, a chaste noble father begets chaste noble children like him.
Let the youth remember that the most precious wedding gift is chastity
prior and concomitant to marriage, along with sincerity to the spouse
afterwards.
Although some fathers during their youth were not chaste, they now
truly aspire and sincerely wish that their children would be saved
from immorality in this age of the AIDS epidemic.
So, parents should be a good model of chastity for their children, and
should not forget to clarify that in chastity, there is a promise of
happiness for those who have maintained their purityand controlled
their desires until they got married.
Of a surety, your comments on what they see in TV programs and serials
or read in books and articles should be studied, placing emphasis,
without ostentation, on the beauty of modesty and reverence for
religious commitment, and the outcomes of adherence to praiseworthy
manners, wherewith man, first, obtains thegood pleasure of Allaah The
Almighty, and, second, maintains his health, and becomes happy inthis
world and the Hereafter.
The rein of chastity is not intended to destroy man's freedom, as
alleged by those whofollow their whims. Nay! It is rather a tool to
benefit from, anddirect it for the good of people. In the absence of
the rein of chastity, it is, most likely, that theinstinct which is
lurking in the human depths, may be unleashedat any moment until it
ruins him and others along with him.
· Fulfillment of commitment
Always remind your child of the Quranic principle referred to by the
statement of Allaah The Almighty (what means): {…And fulfill [every]
commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will
be] questioned.} [Quran 17:34]
Assure yourself as well as others, that you always fulfill your
promise and thus, are reliable. If you like to be worthy of others'
confidence, start with the simplest things: be exact in your
statements: tell a friend, for instance, that you would visit him at 7
pm, instead of the unspecified statement that you would pay him a
visit in the evening.
Tell your child that you would go no matter how busy you are because
you want to be with him while delivering his speech in the morning at
school; and thus, the children would keep their promises.
· Respect
The Messenger of Allaah, , said: "He is not one of my Ummah(nation),
who does not respect the old among us, nor have mercy upon the young
among us,nor estimate the right of the learned among us."
If we want to make our children respect others, we should first treat
them with respect, and make them feel that they are respected.
Unfortunately, a lot of fathers treat their children as objects and
not people, under the pretext that as long as the young are still
young, let them remain young. A father may say, for instance, "I told
you to do such and such a thing; and I am your father: do you
understand?"
Teach your child that respect is to behave politely, talk gently, and
hasten to obtain the contentment of the people after the good pleasure
of Allaah The Almighty.
I- Affection
It is due on you, O father, to clarify to your child that your
displeasure with his bad mannersdoes not affect your love for him.
Assure your children, again and again, and on every occasion, that you
love them all unconditionally. But this should not prevent you from
punishing anyone of them who deviates (from the right course),
neglects (his duties) and harms others, keeping in mind that punishing
him is intended to depreciate his disgraceful act but not to degrade
his person or indicate that you do not love him.
j- Favoring others over oneself ( Altruism)
Teach your children the significance of the Hadeeth (narration) of the
Messenger of Allaah, : "None of you shall have his faith (complete)
until he loves for his brother the same as he loves for himself."
Remind them that the men of Al-Madeenah Al-Munawwarah (the Ansaar )
were the masters of altruism in the past and present when they gave
shelter to and supported the Muhaajiroon who emigrated from Makkah,
and let them share with them all their possessions. Thereupon Allaah
The Almighty revealed in them Quranic verses to be recited to the Day
of Judgment in which He Says (what means): {And [also for]those who
were settled in Al-Madeenah and [adopted] the faith before them. They
love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their
breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference
over themselves, even though they are in privation.} [Quran 59:9]
Teach them to feel the others' needs and that real happiness lies in
making others happy.
· Graciousness
Remind your children, from time to time, that the gentle well-mannered
polite person is closer to people's hearts and more ready to obtain
their affection and love.
Remind them of the Hadeeth ofthe Messenger of Allaah, : "The faithful
believer is he, who has affection (towards the people), and is loved
(by others); and there is no good in a believerwho neither has
affection (towards others), nor is loved (by others)."
Remind them also of the statement with which Allaah The Almighty
addressed His Prophet, (what means): {And if you hadbeen rude [in
speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.
So pardon them.} [Quran 3:159]
Try to be affectionate and gracious with everyone including your
children, and say often the phrases of refinement like "Thankyou", "I
beg your pardon", and soon. Seek the aid of graciousness in all your
behavior.
· Justice
Be just between your children so that they would feel they are equal
in all things: none of them should be rewarded to the exclusion of
another, nor should anyone be punished apartfrom another.
In sum, it is not enough to plant those seeds in the hearts ofyour
children once in their lifetime: on the contrary, you have to look
after those plants within your children in order thatthey would grow
as they grow, and adhere to them throughout their life, perchance
anyone of them would become a good righteous child causing his
fatherto be happy in this World and after his death.

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Developing the Child's Sentiments - I

1- Teach values to your children:
The Islamic Sharee'ah (Islamic legislation) came to direct peopleto
the most upright way, and guide them to the straight path, which
conveys them to the happiness of both the World and the Hereafter. The
good manners mentioned and referred to by theQuran are beyond
calculation. Allaah The Almighty described HisMessenger Muhammad, , by
saying (what means): {And indeed, you are of a great moral character.}
[Quran 68:4]
It is out of His wisdom that Allaah The Almighty made Muhammad, , the
last of His Messengers, in this high rank of moral grandeur, for noble
humanmanners are the fruits of the faith in Allaah The Almighty, faith
in the resurrection and the Last Day. That is the significance of the
statement of the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa salam : "I indeed
have been sent (as a Prophet) to perfect the noble manners."
Since this is the greatest attribute with which Allaah The Almighty
favored His Messenger, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sal l am it becomes
incumbent upon us, as parents, to implant noble manners within our
children, andbring them up in accordance with these manners. We should
instruct them all the time and be good examples for them to follow.
But even then, there is no way to implant those virtues to be a part
of our children's conduct unless they are put into practice.
· Honesty
A parent should be fully truthful with his children: he has to answer
all their questions simply and truthfully. When watching a scene on
TV, clarify toyour children the consequences of deception, cheating
and stealing.
Remind your children of the statement of the Messenger of Allaah, :
"He has no faith who does not keep a trust, and he hasno faith who
does not respect hispledge." And the other statementof the Messenger,
: "Give back the trust to him who has entrusted you, and betray not
him who has betrayed you."
· Bravery
Praise your children for any attempt revealing praiseworthy enterprise
or courage, and reward the least initiative to bravery taken by anyone
of them,even if it appears during the first years (of childhood).
Demonstrate bravery in front of your children, and talk a lot about
it, and make your personality a model for them to imitate. It is good
to tell your children about the difficulties youhave faced throughout
your life, but not boastfully in so much as honestly in a way that
gives themthe impression that even older people face difficulties.
Teach them that bravery is to do what is correct and necessary, to
hasten to help others, to be careful to make the correct decision
before you confront any situation, and to seek the aid of Allaah The
Almighty before you start any task.
· Good treatment
Remind your children of the Quranic principle: {Repel [evil] by that
[deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him
is enmity [will become] as though he was adevoted friend.} [Quran
41:34]
Teach them that had peopleadopted this principle, there would have
been neither disputes nor oppression, neither conflict nor quarrels
between them.
Teach them how to deal with people humbly and according to the basis
of forbearance and self-control; thatto behave humbly indicates power
rather than humiliation; and that the Messenger of Allaah, , commanded
us to behave humbly towards each other with neither mortification nor
transgression. He said: "Verily, Allaah revealed to me that 'You
should behave humbly, and transgress not against each other.'"
Furthermore, we should be lenient in all matters. In confirmation of
that, the Messenger of Allaah, , says: "No doubt, Allaah is lenient,
and He likes lenience, and Gives (as reward) for it what He does not
give for harshness."
Both quietness and self-control are among the supreme virtues, as
confirmed by the Messenger of Allaah, , in his statement: "Should I
not tell you from whom fire would be forbidden? The fire would be
forbidden from every tractable, well-mannered, lenient and easygoing
person." Teach them also that the Muslim, therefore, isloving and
loved by others.
By no means should the faithful believer be rude in speechand harsh in
heart, since Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {And if you had
been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded
from about you.} [Quran 3:159]
Teach them, from their earlychildhood, that good treatment is
practical and real. If your child makes noise in front of you, or
raises his voice while asking you for anything pressingly, tell him to
keep quiet first, and beware ofyielding to his anger. Control
yourself, and keep quiet. Then, take him somewhere and make him sit on
a chair. If you are convinced that his anger has calmed down, then,
give him the thing he asked for, while telling him that it is good
treatment andpeacefulness, and not noise which helped him get what he
wanted, and that noise brings about no good, and has no benefit.
· Independence
Teach your children that it isdue upon a man to work earnestly, as
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {"Do [as you will], for Allaah
will see your deeds, and [so, will] His Messenger and the believers."}
[Quran 9:105] The Messenger of Allaah, , says in this respect: "No one
ever eats anything betterthan what he eats from the laborof his
hands."
Instruct them that children have to work seriously and energetically
in their study in order to depend on themselves when they grow up and
thus, be able to eat from the labor of theirown hands. Be a good
example for others to follow, and give them the impression that you
always seek to be better and higher not only in your work, but also in
all affairs of life.
Scrutinize your children and acknowledge their talents, and help them
detect their own selves. There is a fact admitted bythe educators, "
The children are not elastic dough which we couldmolded in anyway we
will." It is more correct to say that they are"but seedlings", which
have their characteristic properties: we can not transform the seed of
an oak tree into a pear tree, but we haveto endeavor to help each tree
grow according to its own properties.
Let your children break theirown records instead of comparing
themselves with others. For example, encourage them to get a higher
rank in theirschool year and be better than their achievement the year
before.
Praise every effort they exert, and teach them to say whenever they
fail to do a thing :"I am unable to do such and such; but I can do
such and such."
Make suggestions to your children more than commands asmuch as you
can, and ask whether they need your help, butdo not impose your help.
Try to make fewer decisions and give more encouragement toyour
children to help their talentsblossom. Do not tell your child,
atfirst, what to do, but let him know by himself what to do, and
remind him of what he could do, since reminder also benefits the
faithful believers.
Ask your child about his greatest point of weakness, and about his
biggest problem. Help him know that for every matter that worries him,
there is a certain solution, given the statement of Allaah The
Almighty(what means): {For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.} [Quran 94:5-6]
· Moderateness and temperance
Allaah The Almighty described the Muslim Ummah (nation) by saying
(what means): {And thus We have made you a just community.} [Quran
2:143]
Teach your children to be moderate in everything permissible as
regards food, drink, speech, sport, and pocket money. Teach them to
know the limits of the body and mind, and how to avoid extremism and
imbalance. Tell them the following:
- excess in eating makes you more fat.
- excess in playing may exhaustyou and tire your body.
- excess in watching TV may hinder you from study, let alone its other
negative effects.
- allow your children to spend their money by themselves.
- encourage your children to give in charity, even a small percentage
of their money to the poor and indigent.

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Seeking Knowledge

It has become one of the sources of social pride and the
characteristics of civilized familiesand high classes to send their
daughters without a Mahram (non-marriageable male) to studyin a
foreign country. They imbue this act with a religious form andsaid
that the Prophet, , said: "Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon
every Muslim." [Ibn Maajah (Al-Albaani: Saheeh )] They ignore the fact
that the knowledge meant in the Hadeeth (narration) is that knowledge
which draws the Muslim man andwoman nearer to Allaah The Almighty; not
the false knowledge which keeps them away from Him.
Some people nowadays have trespassed the limits of Sharee'ah (Islamic
legislation) and give the name "knowledge" to dancing, music, singing,
drama, cinema, theater, obscene stories and every means of immorality
and disbelief. Moreover, they call the study of means of Riba (usury)
and the sexual theories of Freud "knowledge"! They have become
impudent to the extent that they claim that the obligatory knowledge
meant in the Hadeeth of the Prophet, , is immoralitywhich is disguised
by the slogansof knowledge.
For the sake of clearing up any confusion, the knowledge meant in the
Hadeeth is what is necessary to know about religion; such as knowing
the two testimonies of faith and their meaning, prayer, fasting,
Zakaah (obligatory charity) for those who have the Nisaab (the minimum
taxable amount), Hajj for those who are able to perform it, the
rulings of transactions and trade for those who wish to trade, rulings
of Muzaara'ah (Crop Sharing) for those who wish to embark upon this
transaction; and by the sametoken everybody should learn therelevant
Sharee'ah (Islamic legislation) knowledge in his/her field.
This kind of knowledge is called "individual obligation" that every
Muslim must learn. Any additional knowledge is considered "communal
obligation" which when some Muslims learn, the other Muslims are not
required to learn. When no Muslims learn it, all of them bear guilt so
long as the branch of knowledge is needed. Allaah The Almighty Says
(what means): } And it is not for the believers to go forth [to
battle] all at once. For there should separate from every division of
them a group [remaining] to obtain understanding in the religion
andwarn their people when they return to them that they might be
cautious. { [Quran 9:122]
After teaching the children, boys and girls, the necessary knowledge
of religion; we shouldbring up each group according tothe needs of
natural disposition. The programs of teaching boys and girls cannot be
the same; otherwise, the matter would be like shoe factories whose
machines produce only one model. Unifying the educational programs of
boys and girls is the worst form of foolishness and ignorance. There
must be a difference in educational programs so that in the end we
would have mothers who are knowledgeable of how to raise their
children and manage their homes and families. They should also have
general knowledge about nursing, and some of themshould be specialized
in this branch of knowledge in order to nurse and treat women and
children. The girl should be aware of household management, sewing,
needle-work and cooking. She should learn how to bring up children in
a righteous manner.
These are the basics that every girl should master after knowing the
necessary matters of religion.Then, it is permissible for her to know
various branches of knowledge or become specializedin them if she has
the ability and desire. There is a wide sphere for this matter under
Sharee'ah as long as it remains within the limits of Sharee'ah and
there is nointermixing between the sexes, exposing of adornments or
spreading corruption and obscenity.
Dr. Alexis Carrel said that it is foolish to make the woman renounce
motherhood. Therefore, girls must not have the mental and material
training that the boys have. They must not be encouraged to have the
same goals as boys. Mentors must exert great effort and pay attention
to the physical and mental characteristics of the male and female and
their natural functions. There are differences between the sexes that
cannot be ignored. Therefore, it is inevitable that we take these
differences into account when building a civilized world.
He also said that it is a cause of wonder that programs of girls'
education do not include any detailed study of the young and their
mental and physiological characteristics. The natural function of the
woman must be returned to her. This function does not include
pregnancy only, but also includes taking care of her children.
Unfortunately, educational programs for girls and boys are similar all
over the world even in Arab and Islamic countries which,regrettably,
blindly follow the course of the West.
The words of Dr. Carrel with regard to the similarity of educational
programs offered to boys and girls and its danger to society are very
important because this approach leads to attempts to obliterate the
natural and biological differencesbetween boys and girls and their
ignorance of their role in life.

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The Signs of the Hour

The Noble Quran and Prophetic narrations contain many references to
the Hour (Day of Judgement) and both the major and minor signs which
foretell itscoming. Herein is a brief summary of the signs of the Day
of Judgement. There are many books, articles, cassettes, etc., which
discuss these in greater detail. These Signs are roughly listed in a
chronological order, although this order is not necessarily precise,
especially for those to happen in the future.
May Almighty Allaah enable us to recognize and heed these Signs, and
strengthen us in the times oftribulation. Allaah Says (what means)
"Are they waiting for anything except the Hour, to come to them
suddenly? But its Signs have already come!" [Quran 47:18]
Past Sings:
· The splitting of the Moon.
· The prophethood of Muhammad .
· The death of the Prophet Muhammad .
· A form of death, which will kill thousands of Muslims. (Understood
to refer to the plague of Amwas during the caliphate of 'Umar Ibn
Al-Khattaab .
· A major fighting in Madeenah (understood to refer to the battleof
Al-Harrah during the caliphate of Yazeed 63 AH).
· A great fire in the Hijaz (in Saudi Arabia ), seen by the
inhabitants of Busra (in Syria ). This took placein 654 H (Hegira)
· The Muslim conquest of Jerusalem in 1187 AD.
· The Muslim conquest of Constantinople in 1453.
· Two large groups of Muslims fighting in war.
· A war between the Muslims and a reddish people with small eyes,
wearing sandals made of hair (understood to refer to the Mongol Tatar
invasion of the Islamic lands).
· A peace agreement between theMuslims and non-Muslims from the yellow
race (Chinese, Mongols, etc.)
· Thirty impostors will appear, each one claiming to be a prophet.
Present signs:
· Naked, destitute, barefoot shepherds will compete in building high buildings.
· The slave-woman will give birth to her master or mistress (this
refers to children disrespecting their mothers).
· A tribulation which will enter every Arab household (this may refer
to TVs, satellite dishes and the internet-when misused).
· Knowledge will be taken away (by the death of scholars), and
ignorance will prevail.
· Wine (intoxicants, alcohol) will be drunk in great quantities.
· Illegal sexual intercourse will become widespread.
· Earthquakes will increase.
· Time will pass more quickly.
· Tribulations will prevail.
· Bloodshed will increase.
· A man will pass by the grave of another and wish he was in the latter's place.
· Trustworthiness will be lost, i.e. when authority is given to those
who do not deserve it.
· People will gather for prayer, but will be unable to find an Imaam
(leader) to lead them in prayer.
Future Signs:
The following are signs that did not take place yet, but the listing
below does not reflect the sequence in which they will take place.
· The number of men will decrease, whilst the number of women will
increase, until each 50 women will be looked after byone man.
(According to a narration in the book of Imaam Al-Bukhaari (
· The Euphrates will reveal a treasure of gold, and many will die
fighting over it, each one hoping to be the one who gains the
treasure.
· The Romans (Europeans) will come to a place called A'maq or Wabiq,
and an army of the best people will go forth from Madeenah to face
them.
· The Muslim conquest of Rome .
· The Mahdi (guided one) will appear, and be the leader of the
Muslims. 'Eesaa (Jesus) will descend in Damascus, and pray behind the
Mahdi.
· Jesus will break the cross and kill the swine, i.e. destroy the
false Christianity.
· The Antichrist will appear, with all his tools of deception, and be
an immense trial. He will be followed by 70,000 Jews from Isfahan
(present-day Iran ).
· The appearance of Gog and Magog, and the associated tribulations.
· The emergence of the Beast who will speak to the people, telling
them they did not believe with certainty in the Divine Signs. This
sign is among the major signs, and the scholars say that itwill occur
in the day where the sun will rise from the west.
· A major war between the Muslims led by the Leader Al-Mahdi, and the
Jews plus othernon-Muslims led by the Antichrist.
· Jesus will kill the Antichrist at the gate of Ludd (Lod in
present-day Israel , site of an airport and a major Israeli military
base).
· A time of great peace and serenity during and after the remaining
lifetime of Jesus.
· Wealth will come so abundant that it will become difficult to find
someone to be eligible for alms (Zakaah).
· The Arabian Peninsula will become a land of gardens and rivers.
· Society will then decay.
· The buttocks of the women of the tribe of Daws will again sway in
circumambulating (Tawaaf) around the idol Thul-Khulasah.
· Three major armies will sink into the earth: one in the east, one in
the west, one in Arabia .
· An Abyssinian leader with thin shins will destroy the Ka'bah (Sacred
House in Makkah).
· The huge cloud of smoke.
· The sun will rise from the west (its place of setting).
· A gentle wind, which will take the souls of the believers.
· There is no one left on the earth saying, "Allaah, Allaah" or "There
is no god except Allaah."
· Eventually the Day of Judgment is established upon the worst of the
people, who copulate in public like donkeys.
· The blowing in the Trumpet by the Angel Israafeel upon which
everyone will die.
· The second blowing in the Trumpet, upon which everyone will be resurrected.

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