Dought & clear - The story of Tha‘labah who saw a woman doing ghusl, and died from fear of Allah

I would like to find out whether a story I have heard is saheeh
(sound, true). If it turns out to be da'eef (weak), is it still
permissible to tell it?Because telling it has a good effect on
people's hearts. When I tell it, do I have to do point out that it is
da'eef? The story is as follows:
Tha'labah ibn 'Abd ar-Rahmaan was an orphan boy of the Ansaar, who was
no older than sixteen years. He often used to sit with the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who sent him on an errand
one day to the markets of Madinah. He passed by one of the houses of
the Ansaar, and looked at the door of the house, which was open. There
was a curtain to the hamaam (bathroom) that was closed, but the wind
came and lifted thecurtain, behind which there was a woman whowas
doing ghusl. He glanced at her once or twice, then he realised what
was happening and took the matter veryseriously. He was afraid that
verses would be revealed concerning himand that he would be described
as one of the hypocrites because of this sin. He was afraid to go back
to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so he went
out into the desert, and no one knewwhere he had gone. When three days
had gone by, (the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him))
instructed some of the Sahaabah to go and lookfor him in Madinah, but
they found no trace of him. He waited until forty days had passed,
then he instructed them to look for him in the wilderness areas,
because he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was worried
about him. They went and looked for him, and they came to a group of
Bedouin and described him to them. The Bedouin said: Perhaps you are
looking for the weeping boy? They said:Where is he? They said: On the
slopes of this mountain; he will come down at the end of the day. So
they lay in wait for him then they caughthim and carried him to his
house, because he was exhausted from weeping so much. The Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to him, and Tha'labah
asked him whether any verses had been revealed concerning him. He
said: "No." Tha'labah became very sick, and the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) sat beside him untilhe died (may Allah be
pleased with him). Then they offered the funeral prayer for him and
when they carried the bier to bury him, the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) was walking on tiptoe. 'Umar asked him
about that and he said: "Woe to you, O 'Umar. ByAllah, I cannot find
any place to put my feet because so many of the angels are crowding
around me."
Praise be to Allah.
The story mentioned in the question is a summary of a lengthy story
that was narrated from Jaabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with
him) who said:
A young man of the Ansaar who was called Tha'labah ibn 'Abd ar-Rahmaan
became Muslim, and he used to serve the Prophet (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him). He sent him on an errand, and he passed by the
door of a man among the Ansaar, where he saw an Ansaari woman doing
ghusl. He looked repeatedly at her, after which he became afraid that
Revelation would come down to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him), so he went out, fleeing, and came to a
mountainous area between Makkah and Madinah, where he hid. The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) missed
him for forty days, and these were thedays when they said his Lord had
forsaken him and was displeased withhim, then Jibreel (peace be upon
him) came down to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah
be upon him) and said: O Muhammad, your Lord conveys greetings of
peace (salaam) to you, and says: The man from your ummah who has fled
is in these mountains, seeking refuge with Me from My Fire. The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "O
'Umar! O Salmaan! Go and bring Tha'labah ibn 'Abd ar-Rahmaan to me."
They set out through thestreets of Madinah and were met by one of the
shepherds of Madinah whose name was Dhufaafah. 'Umar said tohim: O
Dhufaafah, do you know anything about a young man in these mountains?
Dhufaafah said to him: Perhaps you are looking for the one who is
fleeing from Hell? 'Umar said to him: How do you know that he is
fleeing from Hell? He said: Because in the middle ofthe night he came
out tous from these mountainswith his hand on his head, saying: Would
thatYou took my soul as You took other souls and my body as You took
other bodies, and not expose me on the Day of Judgement! 'Umar said:
He is the one we are looking for. So Dhufaafah set out with them, and
in the middle of the night he came outto them from those mountains,
with his hand on his head, saying: Would that You took my soul as You
tookother souls and my body as You took other bodies, and not expose
me on the Day of Judgement! 'Umar went to him and embraced him and
(Tha'labah) said: I want to be safe from the Fire. 'Umar said to him:
I am 'Umar ibn al-Khattab. He said: O 'Umar, does the Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) know of my sin? He
said: All I know is that he remembered you yesterday, and the
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wept.
Tha'labah said: O 'Umar, do not let me enter upon him except when he
is praying, and Bilaal is sayingQad qaamat as-salaah(Prayeris about to
begin – i.e., the iqaamah or call immediately preceding the prayer).
'Umar said: I shall do that. Then they brought him to Madinah and
arrived when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) was praying Fajr. 'Umar and Salmaan hastened to join the row
(of worshippers), and no sooner did Tha'labah hear the recitation of
the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but
he fell unconscious. When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) said the salaam (at the end of the prayer), he
said: "O 'Umar, O Salmaan, what happened to Tha'labah ibn 'Abd
ar-Rahmaan?" They said: He is over there, O Messenger of Allah. The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up
and said: "O Tha'labah!" He said: Here I am, O Messenger of Allah. He
looked at him and said: "What kept you away from me?" He said: My sin,
O Messenger of Allah. He said: "Shall I not tell you about a verse
that will expiate sins and errors?"He said: Yes, O Messengerof Allah.
He said: "Say:Allaahumma aatina fi'd-dunya hasanah wa fi'l-aakhirati
hasanah waqinna 'adhaab an-naar(O Allah! Give us in this world that
which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us
from the torment of the Fire) (cf. al-Baqarah 2:201)." He said: My sin
is too great, O Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah(blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Rather the word of Allah is
greater."Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) instructed him to go home. He fell sick for eight days, then
Salmaancame to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, do you want to visit
Tha'labah, because he is sick? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Let us go to him." When he entered
upon him, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) took hold of his head and placed it in his lap, but he pulled his
head away from the lap of the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of
Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: "Why did
you pull your head away from my lap?" He said: Because it is full of
sins. He said: "What do you feel?" He said: I feel something like the
crawling of ants between my skin and mybones. He said: "What doyou
long for?" He said: The forgiveness of my Lord. Then Jibreel (peacebe
upon him) came down to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of
Allah be upon him) and said: Verily your Lord conveys greetings of
salaam to you and says: If this slaveof Mine were to meet Mewith an
earthful of sins, Iwould meet him with a similar measure of
forgiveness. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) said: "Should I not tell him about that?" He said: Yes
indeed. So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be
upon him) told him about that, and he gave a shout then died. The
Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave
instructions that he should be washed and shrouded, and he offered the
funeral prayer for him. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) began walking on tiptoeand they said: O
Messenger of Allah, why do we see you walking on tiptoe? He said: By
the One Who sent me with the truth as a Prophet, I could not put my
feet on the ground because of the many wings of the angels whocame
down to accompany his funeral procession.
Narrated by Abu Na'eem inHilyat al-Awliya', 9/329-331; and inMa'rifat
as-Sahaabah, 1/498, and via him by Ibn al-Jawzi inal-Mawdoo'aat, 3/121
Al-Kharaa'iti narrated it inI'tilaal al-Quloob, 272; it was narrated
via him by Ibn Qudaamah inat-Tawwaabeen, 105-108
It was narrated by Abu 'Abd ar-Rahmaan as-Sulami inTabaqaat
as-Soofiyyah, p. 51; and by Ibn Mandah in brief, as mentioned
inal-Isaabahby Ibn Hajar, 1/405
All of them narrated it via Sulaym ibn Mansoor ibn 'Ammaar: my father
told us, from al-Munkadir ibn Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, from his
father, from Jaabir ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him)… And
he quoted the story.
But the report of al-Kharaa'iti does not refer to the verse in which
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):"your
Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased withyou" [ad-Duha
93:3].
This hadeeth is da'eef, and has a number of problems.
1.
None of the scholars stated in clear terms thatSulaym ibn Mansoor ibn
'Ammaar was reliable.
Ibn Abi Haatim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: My father narrated
from him, and Iasked him about him. I said: The scholars of Baghdad
criticise him. He said: Stop. I asked IbnAbi'th-Thalj about him. I
said to him: They are saying that he wrote down hadeeth from Ibn
'Aliyyah when he was young. He said: No; rather he was older thanus.
End quote.
Al-Jarh wa't-Ta'deel, 4?216
Adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
He was criticised but his hadeeth was not rejected. End quote.
Al-Mughni fi'd-Du'afa', 1/285
Some of the scholars stated that there was an investigation to see if
there were any similar reports, but it was not thorough.
Ibn 'Iraq said:
There was an investigation to see if there were any other reports that
were similarto that of Sulaym. That was narrated by 'Uthmaan ibn 'Umar
ad-Darraaj in his book. He said: Abu Nasr Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn
Hishaam at-Taaliqaani told us: my grandfather told me: Mansoor ibn
'Ammaar told us. But I donot know who this at-Taaliqaani was. End
quote.
Tanzeeh ash-Sharee'ah, 1/349
2.
The preacher Mansoor ibn 'Ammaar.
He was extremely eloquent in preaching and was able to move people
deeply. He preached in Baghdad, Syria and Egypt, and he became very
famous.
Abu Haatim said: He is not qawiy (strong). Ibn 'Adiyy said: His
hadeeth is odd. Al-'Uqayli said: Heis influenced by Jahami views.
Ad-Daaraqutni said: He narrated from da'eef narrators hadeeths that
were not narrated by others.
See:Mizaan al-I'tidaal, 4/187-188
3.
Al-Munkadir ibn Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir
Ibn 'Uyaynah said: He was not a scholar of hadeeth. It was
narratedfrom Yahya ibn Ma'een: He is insignificant. On one occasion he
said: There is nothing wrong with him. Abu Zar'ah said: He is not
qawiy (strong). Abu Haatim said: He was a man who did not understand
hadeeth. He made many mistakes and did not memorise the hadeeth of his
father. Al-Jawzjaani and an-Nasaa'i said: (He is) da'eef . al-Haafiz
Ibn Hajar summed up the ruling on him inat-Taqreeb, where he said: His
hadeeth is not very strong.
See:Tahdheeb at-Tahdheeb, 10/318
4.
There are also problems in the text of the hadeeth:
The verse referred to in the hadeeth –"your Lord has not forsaken you,
nor is He displeasedwith you" [ad-Duha 93:3]– was revealed in Makkah
before the Hijrah, but this hadeeth suggests that it was revealed in
Madinah after the Hijrah. This is a serious contradiction.
Ibn al-Jawzi (may Allah have mercy on him) was certain that it is
fabricated, as he said:
This is a fabricated hadeeth that is very strange, and the fabricator
exposed his fabrication when he said: that was when the verse"your
Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased with you" [ad-Duha
93:3]was revealed to him. But this verse was revealed to him in
Makkah, and there is no scholarly disagreement concerning that.
Moreover there was no one among the Sahaabah who was called Dhufaafah.
Its isnaad contains a number of da'eef narrators, including
al-Munkadir, of whom Yahya said: He is insignificant, and Ibn Hibbaan
said: He used to say things on the basis of his imagination. So his
reports are not valid to be used as proof. Another (of these da'eef
narrators) is Sulaym ibn Mansoor, who was criticized by some scholars
of hadeeth. End quote.
Al-Mawdoo'aat, 3/123. As-Suyooti agreed with him inal-La'aali
al-Masnoo'ah, 1/416
Ibn al-Atheer (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
There are other issues in it apart from its isnaad. The verse"your
Lord hasnot forsaken you, nor is He displeased with you" [ad-Duha
93:3]was revealed in the early days of Islam, in Makkah,and the
hadeeth which proves that is saheeh. But this story supposedlytook
place after the Hijrah, and the two reports cannot be reconciled. End
quote.
Asad al-Ghaabah, 1/385
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Ibn Mandah said – after narrating it in brief: Mansoor is the only one
who narrated it. I [i.e., al-Haafiz ibn Hajar] say: There is some
weakness in him, and his shaykh is weaker than him. The content of the
hadeeth also indicates that it is weak, because the verse"your Lord
has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased with you" [ad-Duha 93:3]was
revealed before the Hijrah, and there is no difference of scholarly
opinion concerning that.End quote.
Al-Isaabah, 1/405. It was narrated and confirmed by as-Sakhkhaawi
inat-Tuhfah al-Lateefah fi Tareekh al-Madinah ash-Shareefah, 152.
To sum up: the isnaad of this story is a chain of weak narrators, and
its text also shows that it is strange. So it is not permissible to
narrate it or speak of it unless one explains that it is da'eef (weak)
and that it has todo with heart-softening reports (raqaa'iq) which we
cannot be less stringent about. That is because its isnaad is
extremely weak, and those scholars who regarded it as permissible to
narrate da'eef hadeeths in the category of heart-softening reports
stipulated that they should not be extremely weak and should not have
any odd content.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - How can sins happen in Ramadaan when the devils are chained up?

I heard the imam mention that the shaytan is not present inthe month
of Ramadhan. If this is truewhy is it hard for a muslim to stay away
from sins during the month of ramadan evenif the muslim is performing
his or her regular duties.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The idea that the devils are not present in Ramadaan is not
correct.What is proven from the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) is that the devils are chained up during Ramadaan.
Al-Bukhaari (1899) and Muslim (1079) narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allaah(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "When Ramadaan comes, the gates
of Paradise are opened, the gates of Hellare closed, and the devils
are chained up."
See question no. 39736.
Al-Qurtubi said:
If it is said, How come we see many evil actionsand sins happening in
Ramadaan? If the devils are chained up that would not happen.
The answer is that evil actions are reduced on the part of those who
fast meeting all the conditions of fasting andtaking care to observe
the proper etiquette; or that only some of the devils are chained up,
namely the maarids (strong ones), and not allof them, as it says in
some reports; or that evils are reduced in this month, which is
something noticeable – fewer evils happen in this month than in
others. If all of them were to be chained up that does not mean that
evil and sin would not happen, because there are other causes of evil
apart from the devils, such as evil souls, bad habits and human
devils.
FromFath al-Baari.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked inFataawa al-Siyaam(p. 466):
How can we reconcile between the idea that the devils are chained up
in Ramadaan and the fact the people commit sin?
He replied:
The fact that sin happensin Ramadaan does not contradict the report
that the devils are chained up in Ramadaan, because the fact that they
are chained up does not prevent them from moving. Hence it says in the
hadeeth: "And the strong devils are chained up, and they cannot
achieve what they usually achieve (at other times)." Narrated by
Ahmad, 7857; this hadeeth was mentioned by al-Albaani inDa'eef
al-Targheeb, 586; he said: it is da'eef jiddan (very weak).
It does not mean that the devils do not move at all, rather they can
move and lead people astray, but their activities during Ramadaan are
not like their activities at other times.

Dought & clear - Is the husband obligedto give zakaat al-fitr on behalf of his Christian wife?

There is a Muslim man living in a western country, and he is married
to a Christian woman. Does he have togive zakaat al-fitr on her
behalf?
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Zakaat al-fitr must be paid on behalf of every free Muslim, male or
female, old or young. With regard to the non-Muslim, zakaat al-fitr is
not obligatory for him, because of the hadeeth of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined zakaat al-fitr upon the people at
the end of Ramadan, a saa' of dates or a saa' of barley, upon
everyone, free or slave, male or female, among the Muslims. Narrated
by al-Bukhaari (1504) and Muslim (984).
It says inMughni al-Muhtaaj(2/122): No zakaat al-fitr is required of
one who is originally a non-Muslim, because the Prophet (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "of the Muslims", and this is the
consensus of the Muslims. al-Maawardi said: … because it is a
purification, and he (the non-Muslim) is not one of its people [i.e.,
it is a purification from sin, and there is no purification from sin
for the non-Muslim unless he becomes Muslim]. Endquote.
Abu Ishaaq ash-Shiraazi said inal-Muhadhdhab: Nothing is required of
him except the zakaat al-fitr of a Muslim. If the one on whose behalf
he is giving it is a non-Muslim, he is not required to give zakaat
al-fitr on his behalf, because of the hadeeth of Ibn 'Umar, "[it was
enjoined] upon everyone, male or female, free or slave, among the
Muslims". Moreover, the purpose of zakaat al-fitr is purification of
the one on whose behalf it is given, and the disbeliever cannot be
purified [of sin]. End quote.
An-Nawawi said: ash-Shaafa'i and his companions said: He is not
obliged to give anything except the zakaat al-fitr of a Muslim; if he
has a relative or a wife or a slave who is a non-Muslim, he is obliged
to spend on them, but he is not obliged to give zakaat al-fitr on
their behalf. There is no difference of opinion concerning this matter
among us. This was also stated by Maalik, Ahmad and Abu Thawr. End
quote fromal-Majmoo'(6/74)
Al-Hijjaawi said inZaad al-Mustaqni': He should pay it on his own
behalf and on behalf of any Muslim on whom he spends.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said inash-Sharh
al-Mumti'(6/155): It may be understood from the author's words (may
Allah have mercy on him) that he should not give zakaat al-fitr on
behalf of a non-Muslim wife or a non-Muslim slave. End quote.
To sum up: the Muslim husband does not have to pay zakaat al-fitr on
behalf of his non-Muslimwife.
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - Eating iftaar with one whose wealth is haraam

Should we accept the Aftar which is given by aperson who is getting
almost HARAM money.
Praise be to Allaah.
If most of the man's wealth is haraam, then it is permissible to
accept his invitation.
The Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) accepted
invitations to meals withthe Jews, even though Allaah had described
them as consuming riba (usury) and consuming the people's wealth
unlawfully. One of the salaf said concerning such cases: It is a gain
for you and his sin is against him.
It is also permissible for you not to accept his invitation as a
rebuke to him for his haraam earnings. This is preferable if that will
make him give up the evil that he is doing.
And Allaah knows best.

Islamic Ideology, Nafs, Rooh, Soul, Spirit, Nafs-e-Ammara, Nafs-e-Lawwama, Nafs-al-Mutmainnah

Knowing one's self:Before we talk about practical solutions and life's
experiences relativeto "shaping one's self," we must know our Nafs
(Nafs is an Arabic word meaning self) and find out in what way we can
re-shape, train, nourish, and transform it from its lower position to
a higher level of existence.
We are aware that there are various orders and systems in the world
and each one has defined man and his Nafs in its own way. One of these
systems in our age is the materialist order of Marxism which has
engulfed half of our globe and ideologically ithas seriously clashed
with our Islamic ideology. Marxism has simply defined man as ananimal.
Physiology and Biology:In Marxism man is like an animal who conducts
his activities solely for the sake of his enjoyments; there is no
spiritual beyond this existence. Even those Marxists who try to bestow
a 'spirit' on man simply resort to a definition of him as a material
phenomenon; a definition which is rejected by us. Stalin, oneof the
leaders and ideologues of the Marxists had a popular saying; "Man's
perceptiveactivities revolve around his personal (material) gains."
Thus with such a definition man's Insaniat (humanity) and his Nafs
come to a halt.
We pass all other schools and come to the Divine school in which we
come across two kinds of human beings; man made of mud and Insan made
of the Divine essence. And man's goal in this life is to go through an
evolutionary cycle in order to become transformed into a Divinelike
Insan; namely, to create a gigantic leap in man. In order to
accomplish this task we run across the Divine school which extends
from minus infinity to plus infinity.
In order to know man Islamtakes three distinct levels into
consideration;Jism (body, physique),
Nafs (personality, character), and
Rooh (soul, spirit).
Namely, in one of the philosophical outlooks ofIslam, man is composed
of three parts;Jism,the physique which is of material substance and we
deal with it in physiology and biology. Thus our bodies are known to
various systemsand as far as these scientific areas are concerned
Islam has no disagreement with anyone.
Nafs:Nafs in man is the totality of sentiments, tendencies, desires,
wishes, experiences, and our heredity characteristics; in short, itis
man's personality.
What creates a differencebetween one man and another is Nafs rather
than Rooh. It is man's Rooh which transform and evolves.
Rooh:Based upon the Qur'anic verse; "They ask thee concerning the
spirit (of inspiration). SayThe spirit cometh by command of my Lord:
of Knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O
men!)." (Holy Qur'an 17:85) This verse teaches us that the spirit is
an 'Amr' i.e. the work of Allah. In other words, it isa created thing,
not self-existent. The Holy Qur'an does not go beyond telling us that.
It does not tell us the nature of the spirit. However, just like our
ignorance of the nature of electricity or magnetism does not prevent
us from taking full advantage of these wonders of creation, we can
advance ourselves spiritually by taking full advantage of the
functions of the spirit.
Rooh is something which descends to man from God and we interpret it
as our 'inside Prophet' namely, it is a representative from the Lord
inside Insan. And this what is interpreted as 'Gabriel' in the case of
the Prophet as was the Holy Spirit in Jesus (pbuh). It is the
relationship of God with man that appears under various names in
different Prophets. This spirit is clean and innocent and it cannot
err. Rooh never appears in plural form in the Holy Qur'an(although
common men have pluralized it; 'Arwah') since it is a single reality.
So there is no difference between your soul and my soul, the two of
them 'is' a reality like the sun which radiates its, light upon all
men. While the plural of Nafs is Anfos (or Nafus). And when and entire
group of people get killed we say; "Their Nafus died rather than their
Arwah," since the latter, being God's manifestation, cannot be killed.
Where man develops the capability, aptitude, and the worth to discover
Rooh, he will be aided by the latter. And when a disease attacks and
the body andNafs loose their natural balance Rooh falls into disuse
and cannot establish relationship with man.
What distinguishes one man from another is Nafswhich contains our
personalities. And in our opinion the part of us which is responsible
in front of the Lord in the final day is the Nafs of each of us. And
it is Nafs which errs not the Rooh. The body is not that important
since it is in constant process of change and transformation.
However,what we believe to be the essence of man was placed in the
Nafs, and it is Nafs which will be interrogated in the last day.
In order to talk about theshaping of one's self we must concentrate
upon the analysis and examination of Nafs. Once we reach this stage we
come right across the sacred Islamic school and we are proud that
Islam has conducted in-depth and extensive analysis in this area
unparalleled in any other school or system.

SEARCH FOR TRUTH: The Truth Found

I was born of staunch Catholic Christian parents.My father was a
preacherwho knew the Bible almost by heart my mother, an orthodox
Catholic, would only give us the morning coffee after her return from
Church.
Even from my youngest days, I was made to memorize certain verses from
the Bible.
By the time I had completed the study of all the four Gospels and knew
many important verses, in those four books, by heart.
My father sometimes took me along with him when he went to preach, and
from the special attention he paid to my knowing certain controversial
points, and his teaching me the methods of explaining to the others
those intricacies, it was quite obvious that he wanted me to succeed
him in his profession. The strong desire of the paternal love to make
me a priest was implemented by educating me with a detailed knowledge
of the Bible and the science of ministering it to others. By the time
I reached the Form IV in school I could preach the gospels in my own
way, supervised by my father. Many senior missionaries admired my
knowledge of the important doctrines of the faith. I passed the Form
VI and joined College. There I came in contact with several classmates
who were Protestants, and some of whom were wellversed in the study of
theProtestant Bible.
I often met my Protestantclassmates and discussed matters regarding
differences in our faith and the performance of rituals. There were
also some Muslim students, but I met them only in the play ground as I
hated meeting Muslims whom I took to be dangerous fanatics. By the
time I completed the first year in College, I wassufficiently grounded
in the knowledge of the Christian faith as held by the Catholic Church
and had also considerable knowledge of the Protestant view point.
Appreciating this knowledge of the Catholic faith in my young age I
was given a scholarship from the church funds and in return for the
help I received, I was required to receive special coaching in the
guidanceof deeper thoughts about certain parts of theHoly Book, under
of the Chief Priest of the Church who loved to teach me very much and
was very intimately attached to me. He used the special devotional
methods of worshiping Jesus and his Holy Mother. Having appeared in
the first group for my intermediate course I used to sit working at
hissubjects till late at night.
One night when all were asleep and I was absorbed in my studies an
idea suddenly struck my mind to examine the doctrine of the Holy
Trinity, the Basic formula of the Christian faith. The question, how
three different things can be one and the same, arose in my mind i.e.
how anything singularly absolute in its unity with its indivisible
oneness, can ever by itself becomedivided into three separate beings
with three variant native attributes opposed to each other justifying
the distribution into the three different entities.
My failure to reconcile mybelief in the Trinity with the reasoning of
the science of logic, created amental restlessness in me.Days passed
on and manya time I thought of asking my father to help me in solving
the problem which was puzzling my mind. But I knew that my father
would never appreciate the least doubt in the dogmatic belief of the
Catholic School and my venture to discuss anything hated by the
Catholic faith, would onlycreate further problems in my domestic life.
However, one day when Ifound my father in a happy mood, I asked him as
to how he would defend the Christian faithin the Holy Trinity
againstthe attacks from the members of the other religions of the
world. The answer was:
"In matters of faith one has to stop reasoning. One should belief in
the doctrine only by one's heart and mind."
This reply from my father upset me further more and disappointed me to
avery great extent and all my thinking got centeredin the question
which had become a definite problem to puzzle my mind further and I
wondered saying:
"What! Is this the Foundation upon which is built the huge edifice of
the Christian faith? Is the basis of my own faithonly a matter of a
blind following of some dictated belief which cannever stand reasoning
or the independent scrutinyby the dispassionate and impartial
arguments from the clean conscience?"
I became much worried and made up my mind to find some arguments to
somehow make my muchdisturbed mind at least imagine that one could at
one and the same timebe three different persons, and the three
different persons could at the same time remain one.
One day our Mathematics Professor was sitting alone in his room and I
got in with his permission and asked him if he would help me to solve
something whichto me was an intricate and a perplexing problem. He
very kindly asked me what it was. I told him to explain to me in what
sense one and the same person could bethree different beings, and the
same three different beings with their individual differences could at
the same time be the indivisible absolute one?

God Is One

GOD KNOWS EVERY CONCEALED SECRET
Everything in the heavens and everything on Earth, and everythingin
between them and everything under the ground, belongs to Him. Though
you speak out loud, He knows your secrets and what is even more
concealed. (Qur'an,20:6-7)
You do not engage in any matter or recite any of the Qur'an or do any
action without Our witnessing you while you are occupied with it.Not
even the smallest speck eludes your Lord, either on Earth or in
Heaven. Nor is there anything smaller than that, or larger, which is
not in a Clear Book. (Qur'an, 10:61)
Old Testament
You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from
afar. You discern my going outand my lying down; You are familiar with
all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know it completely, O
Lord. (Psalm 139:2-4)
THOSE WHO ABANDON GODFOR IDOLS
He [Abraham] said: "You have adopted idols apartfrom God as tokens of
mutual affection in this world. But then on the Day of Resurrection
you will reject one another and curse one another. The Fire will be
your shelter. You will have no helpers." (Qur'an, 29:25)
Your Lord creates and chooses whatever He wills. The choice is not
theirs. Glory be to God! He is exalted above anything they associate
with Him! (Qur'an, 28:68)
Those you call on besides God are servantsjust like yourselves. Call
on them and let them respond to you if you are telling the truth.
(Qur'an, 7:194)
New Testament
They exchanged the truthof God for a lie, and worshiped and served
created things rather than the Creator-Who is forever praised...
(Romans 1:25)
Old Testament
But you have forsaken Me and served other deities.... Go and cry out
to the deities you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in
trouble!" (Judges 10:13-14)
Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the
Baals[idols]. They forsook the Lord, the God of their fathers, Who had
brought them out of Egypt. ... [T]hey forsook Him and served Baal and
the Ashtoreths [other deities]. (Judges 2:11-13)
SEEKING GOD'S GOOD PLEASURE, NOT PEOPLE'S
They swear to you by God in order to please you, but it would be more
fitting for them to please God and His Messenger if they are
believers. (Qur'an, 9:62)
New Testament
On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with
the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, Who tests our
hearts. (1 Thessalonians 2:4)
SUBMITTING TO GOD'S REVELATION
Follow the best that has been sent down to you from your Lord before
the punishment comes upon you suddenly, when you are not expecting it.
(Qur'an, 39:55)
Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord. God is aware of
what you do. (Qur'an, 33:2)
New Testament
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so
prevalent, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save
you. (James 1:21)
Old Testament
Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds,
but would keep His commands. (Psalm 78:7)
He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is
righteous... (Ezekiel 18:9)
TURNING TO GOD
Remember the Name of your Lord, and devote yourself to Him completely.
(Qur'an, 73:8)
[People of intelligence are] those who are steadfast in seeking the
face of their Lord... (Qur'an, 13:22)
Old Testament
Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always! (1 Chronicles 16:11)
TO HEAR AND PRACTICE
Those who listen well to what is said and follow the best of it, they
are the ones whom God has guided, they are the people of intelligence.
(Qur'an, 39:18)
The reply of the believers when they are summoned to God and His
Messenger, so that hecan judge between them, is to say: "We hearand we
obey." They are ones who are successful. (Qur'an, 24:51)
New Testament
For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight,
but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
(Romans 2:13)
Old Testament
Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds,
but would keep His commands. (Psalm 78:7)

God Is One

TO BE THANKFUL TO GOD
Praise be to God, to Whom everything in the heavens and everything in
the earth belongs, and praise be to Him in the Hereafter... (Qur'an,
34:1)
Old Testament
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give
thanks to Him and praise His name. (Psalm 100:4)
Praise the Lord... (Psalm 113:1)
I thank and praise You... (Daniel 2:23)
We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks... (Psalm 75:1)
GOD'S NAMES
He is God-there is no godbut Him. He is the Knower of the Unseen and
the Visible. He is the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. He is
God-there is no god but Him. He is the King, the Most Pure, the
Perfect Peace, the Trustworthy, the Safeguarder, the Almighty, the
Compeller, the Supremely Great. Glory be to God above allthey
associate with Him. He is God-the Creator, the Maker, the Giver of
Form. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Everything in the
heavens and earth glorifies Him. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise.
(Qur'an, 59:22-24)
The kingdom of the heavens and Earth belongs to Him. He gives life and
causes to die. Hehas power over all things. He is the First andthe
Last, the Outward and the Inward. He has knowledge of all things. It
is He Who created the heavens and Earth in six days, then established
Himself firmly on the Throne. He knows what goes into the earth and
what comes out of it, what comes down from heaven and what goes up
into it. He is with you wherever you are-God sees what you do. The
kingdom of the heavens and Earth belongs to Him. All things return to
God. He makes night merge into day and day merge into night. He knows
what the heart contains. (Qur'an, 57:2-6)
Old Testament
The Maker of heaven andEarth, the sea, and everything in them-the
Lord... (Psalm 146:6)
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can
fathom. (Psalm 145:3)
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in
love. The Lord is good to all... (Psalm 145:8-9)
The Lord is righteous in all of His ways and lovingtoward all that He
has made. (Psalm 145:17)
The Lord watches over allwho love him, but all the wicked He will
destroy. (Psalm 145:20)
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in
love. (Psalm 103:8)
... Praise be to the name of God forever and ever; wisdom and power
are His. He changes times andseasons; He sets up kings and deposes
them. He gives wisdom to the wiseand knowledge to the discerning. He
reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and
light dwells with Him. (Daniel 2:20-22)
Know that the Lord is God. It is He Who made us, and we are His; we
are His people. (Psalm 100:3)
GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISE
... Who is truer to his contract than God?... (Qur'an, 9:111)
Old Testament
...You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good
promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been
fulfilled... (Joshua 23:14)
GOD ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING
Unquestionably, He encompasses everything.(Qur'an, 41:54)
Both East and West belong to God, so wherever you turn, the Face of
God is there. Godis All-Encompassing, All-Knowing. (Qur'an, 2:115)
Old Testament
If I go up to the heavens, You are there…, you are there. If I rise on
the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even
there Your hand will guide me... (Psalm 139:8-10)

God Is One

GOD IS ONE
Your God is One God. There is no god but Him…(Qur'an, 2:163)
… "He is God, Absolute Oneness." (Qur'an, 112:1)
New Testament
... The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lordyour God with all
your heart and with all your soul, with all your mind and with all
your strength… You are right in saying that God is One,and there is no
other but Him. (Mark 12:29, 30, 32)
Old Testament
"There is no one like You,O Lord, and there is no God but You." (1
Chronicles 17:20)
You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is
God; besides Him, there isno other. (Deuteronomy 4:35)
GOD IS THE LORD OF EVERYTHING
Your God is One: Lord of the heavens and Earth, and of everything
between them; Lord of the Easts. (Qur'an, 37: 4-5)
New Testament
"Sovereign Lord," they said, "You made Heaven and Earth and the sea,
and everything in them." (Acts 4:24)
TO WORSHIP ONLY GOD
Say: "People of the Book! Come to a proposition that is the same for
us and you-thatwe should worship nonebut God, not associate any
partners with Him, and not take one another as lords besides God..."
(Qur'an, 3:64)
New Testament
It is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only." (Matthew 4:10)
Old Testament
But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given
you, and go off to serve other deities and worship them, then I will
uproot Israel from my land... (2 Chronicles 7:19-20)
TO EXALT GOD
… All might belongs to God. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
(Qur'an, 10:65)
[He is] the Possessor of the Throne, the All-Glorious. (Qur'an, 85:15)
Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. (Qur'an, 87:1)
New Testament
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor
and glory forever and ever... (1 Timothy 1:17)
Old Testament
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the
majesty and the splendor, for everything in Heaven and Earth is Yours.
Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In
Yourhands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, our God, we give You thanks, and praise Your glorious name. (1
Chronicles 29:11-13)
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory
and strength (1 Chronicles 16:28)

Story - My Heart beats for komal...

First time I fall in love with one girl... her name is komal.. I love
really toomuch... She is studying in our college only:) daily i saw
her smiling face and her eyes... They are killing me more and more...
But if she accept my love i Will keep her smiling until my death:(.
But i don't think she accept my propose... Still i am not proposed...
Really i don't think i can get her So not proposed... what to do
now... This is going past 2years... Give me suggestions please
pleaseplease:(

Story - Your bestfriend becomes your boyfriend

Here's a story between me and him. He's my bestfriend that always
bewith me no matter how hard the situation is. He always cheer me up
whenever my feel is getting down. Both of us never have a plan to be
acouple like this. Wonder what will allah brings into our life. I just
really confused why I get a relationship with a boy that actually my
bestfriend. He makes my life so much better. He already fix my broken
hearted.I'll always him, because if someday I'll lose him it means I
should lose my bestfriendtoo. I wish our love neverdisappear for the
rest of our life. I love you and it's really true.

Ramadan Articles - What will You Do in Ramadan?

It should be the hallmark of the believers when asked, "What will you
do inRamadan?" They should respond with,"Allaah will see what I am
going to do )to please Him(. I will strive against my own self,
inclination, desires, lusts, food, drink,property and health:}Indeed,
Allaah has purchased from the believers their lives and their
properties ]in exchange[ for that they will have Paradise.{]Quran
9:111["
The way of striving is the one by which a person shows his Lord how he
fulfills the covenant, spends his property, timeand effort in the way
of Allaah The Almighty. The striving believer expects forgiveness,
exalts the Lord, approaches Him, loves Him, and gives preference to
what is with Allaah The Almighty instead of what is perishable unlike
those described by Allaah The Almighty Who Says )whatmeans(:}But you
prefer the worldly life, while the Hereafter is better and more
enduring.{]Quran 87:16-17[ They indeed prefer the Hereafter and what
is with Allaah The Almighty.They prefer to please Allaah The Almighty,
love Him, draw closer to Him, approach Him and obey Him. At the same
time, they know that if they prefer that which is with Allaah The
Almighty, He, in turn, will help them, give them preference over
others in the affairs of their world for which they fear, and give
them thereof without account, in confirmation of His Saying )what
means(:}"Our Lord, give us in thisworld ]that which is[ good and in
the Hereafter ]that which is[ good and protect us fromthe punishment
of the Fire."{]Quran 2:201[ He will give them the good of this world
and the good of the Hereafter, and the light of striving and guidance
will be visible on them:}And those who strive for Us - We will surely
guide them to Our ways. And indeed, Allaah is with thedoers of
good.{]Quran 29:69[
The issue of striving is very lengthy, and we have explained what
oneshould learn to strive against himself, proceed with it to Allaah
The Almighty, be decisive with one's Self, have control over it,
suppress it, curb it, and lead it to Allaah The Almighty. It is by
doing so that one learns that Paradise, as mentioned by the Messenger
of Allaah"issurrounded by all kinds of unfavorable things, whereas
Hell is surrounded by all kinds of desires."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Both desires and unfavorable things are curbed only with striving
against oneself to endure the unfavorable things to attain Paradise,
and to refrain from desires in order to save oneself from Hell, as
mentioned by the Prophet.
If one is eager to seek forgiveness, he would not letRamadanpass away,
week after another, without self-reckoning. The righteous believers
addressed by the speech of Allaah The Almighty to observe fasting,
stand )inprayer(, and do righteous deeds, should practice
self-reckoning before their days slip away from them, and thismonth is
over and they get nothing.
Perhaps you have noticed how fast life passes by these days and
similarly,Ramadanends very quickly too. You should wonder whether you
are still determined to realize the means of forgiveness, mercy and
emancipation from Hell, or you have slackened, and not experienced
what one should feel when knowing that Allaah The Almighty is about to
grant him forgiveness, and accept him. If the first week comes to an
end, you should ask yourself whether you have got accustomed to
standing at night in prayer, about which the Messenger of
Allaahsaid:"Whoever stands )in prayer( Ramadan out of sincere faith
and seeking the Reward of Allaah, his previous sins would be forgiven
for him."]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[ Have you then got accustomed to it?
Have you accustomed yourself to it? Did you like its length? Is it a
cause of your love for your Lord, drawing closer to Him, and long
private talk with Him, so much that you no longer liked to come out of
the presenceof Allaah The Almighty, ordo you still come late? In this
case, you do not seem to fear the statement of the Messenger of
Allaah"Some people continue to come )to prayer( late until Allaah
delays them."]Muslim[
We ask Allaah The Almighty to enable us to experience the sweetness of
worship inRamadanand thereafter.

Ramadan Articles - The Real Meaning of Striving in Ramadan

What does it mean to strive hard in Ramadan? Does our striving in
Ramadan prevent us from giving in to desires?Do we returned in a worse
state after Ramadan, or does it prevent us from desires? Is it a cause
of a person's promotion in the sight ofAllaah The Almighty, due to the
devotion of his heart, the purity of his soul, his approach to his
Lord The Almighty, his standing straight on the way, and the
forgiveness he will receive from Allaah The Almighty?
Fasting should be the cause of the rectitude of the heart and soul and
a means of approach to the Lord. It should enablea person to join
those emancipated from Hell, and come out of Ramadan with forgiveness
and mercy, otherwise, it will be thrown back at his face, as mentioned
in the prayer, and it will say to him:"May Allaah waste you just as
you have wasted me!"]Abu Daawood[
The other kind of strivingis with the Quran at night. It is the Quran
which was revealed by Allaah The Almighty as a source of mercy for the
slaves, and light for their hearts, deeds, as a meansof gaining
closeness to Allaah The Almighty, and a blessing, cure and guidance.
Consider the Hadeeth)narration( of the Messenger of Allaah:"Recite the
Quran, because it will come as an intercessor for its reciter on the
Day of Judgment."]Muslim[ In relation to this a mentionmay be made of
the authentic Hadeeth, which reads:
"The Messenger of Allaahsaw in a vision a man lying flat on his back,
andanother man standing at his head carrying a stoneor a piece of
rock, and crushing the head of the lying man, with that stone.
Whenever he struck him, the stone rolled away. The man went to pick it
up and by the time he returned to him, the crushed head had returned
to its normal state. The man came back and struck him again and so on
untilthe Day of Judgment. TheProphetsaid:'Who is this?' It was said,
'This is a man whom Allaah had given the )knowledge of( Quran but he
used to sleep at night )and did not recite it then(. He also did not
use to act upon it by day."]Al-Bukhaari: Saheeh[
It was also narrated that when the angel of death comes to )take the
soul of( anyone, he says, "Smell his head." He says,"I detect the
Quran in it."He says, "Then, smell his heart." He says, "I detect
fasting in it." He says, "Smell his feet." He says, "I detect the
standing )in prayer at night( in them." He says, "He has maintained
)the Commands of( Allaah, thereupon Allaah has guarded him; and he has
maintained himself, thereupon his Lord has guarded him."
In an authentic Hadeeth, the Messenger of Allaahsaid:
"The Quran will meet its companion on the Day ofJudgment once he
comesout of the grave as a paleman, and he will say, 'Do you recognize
me? I am your companion, the Quran, that made you thirsty during the
scorching heat of the day, and sleepless at night )because of your
long recitation of me(. Every trader seeks to make profit from his
trade, and now, you are getting the profit of yourtrade.' He will be
given the dominion in his right hand, and eternity in his left hand
and the crown of gravity will be placed on his head. Then, it will be
said to him, 'Recite and ascend the stairs andchambers of Paradise.'
Hewill keep ascending as long as he is reciting, whether with quick
recitation or with measured recitation."
Consider also the Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaahcontrary to that:
"The Noble Quran will come, on the Day of Judgment, to argue against a
person, and catch the one who has held the Quran )in this World(, and
opposed its commands, and appear in the form of an opponent to him and
say,'O Lord! You have made him hold me; and what an evil holder he
was! He exceeded my due limits, wasted my obligations, and disobeyed
rather than obeyed my rules.' He will continue to present arguments
against him until it will be said to it, 'Do with himwhat you like.'
It will seize him by the hand and not leave him beforeit will throw
him on his nostrils into Hell. On the other hand, a righteous man will
be brought, who has held the Quran and maintained its command, and it
)the Quran( will appear in the form of someone to argue for him, and
say, 'OLord! You have caused him to hold me, and what an excellent
holder he was! He kept my limits, undertook my obligations, and obeyed
rather than disobeyed my rules.' It will continue to establish
arguments infavor of him until it will be said to it, 'Do with himwhat
you like.' It will take hold of him and admit him to Paradise, and the
crown of gravity will be placed on his head…"]Ahmad[
Thus, Ramadan is time to strive and achieve all of this.

Ramadan Articles - Ramadan in the Muslim World through the Ages

In the past, there was a custom in Muslim countries to increase the
lighting of mosques uponsighting the crescent of Ramadan.
Ahmad ibn Yoosuf, the famous Abbasid writer, said,
"The Caliph, Al-Ma'moon, ordered me to write to all the territorial
governors to urge peopleto have more lamps during the month of Ramadan
and make themacquainted with the virtues of this. Therefore,I did not
know what I should write or say, as noone preceded me so that I can
follow his way or approach. I then took an afternoon nap and dreamt
that someone came to me and said, 'This makes the passers-by feel
safe, it is a light for the observers of the night voluntary prayer,
iteliminates the places of suspicion and keeps the Houses of Allaah
well-lit, not darkened.' I woke upwhile inspired with whatI should
write. I began with these and then added from my own."
The Caliphs and governors of the Muslim states were not too arrogant
to accompany judges and ascend high places in order to sight the
crescent of Ramadan.Al-Asma'isaid, "I ascended a high room along with
Ar-Rasheed)the Caliph( to sight the crescent of Ramadan. I then said,
'O Commander of the Believers! What is meant by the poetic verse said
by Hind bint 'Utbah: 'We are the daughters of Taariq. We walk upon the
plush floorings.' Ar-Rasheed said, 'At-Taariq is the planet in the
sky.' Al-Asma'i then said, 'You are correct, O Commander of the
Believers.'" Then, Ar-Rasheed ordered 10,000 Dirhams to be given to
him.
The righteous poets usedto welcome the crescent of Ramadan by using
their creative talents in describing it and considering it a sign of
goodness, optimism and a good omen.
Anecdotes from the pages of history
It was narrated that a group of people, including the noble Companion,
Anas ibn Maalikcame to sight the crescent. Anaswasabout to complete a
hundred years of age at that time."I can see the crescent!"shouted
Anas"It is there." He was pointing to it but they could not see it.
Al-Qaadhi Iyaadh, who was a wise man of discernment, was also present
there. He looked toward Anasand observed a white hair of his eyebrow
hanging upon his eye. He raised it and then said to Anas"Look, O Abu
Hamzah!" He kept looking on and saying, "I cannot see it)the
crescent(."
One night people gathered to sight the crescent. They kept on staring
at the horizon but saw nothing. Then a man among them shouted,"I can
see it! I can see it!"The people expressed admiration forhis sharp
eyes and exclaimed,"How can you alone see it?"Delighted at the praise,
he shouted,"There is another one behind it!"At this, the people
laughed at him.
One night, people ascended a high place to sight the crescent but they
could not see it. When they started to go back, a boy saw the crescent
and directed them to its place. Then a man said to him,"Give your
mother the glad tidings of great hunger."
In the city of Basrah, people went out one night to sight the crescent
and then one of them saw it and he kept on pointing to it until
thepeople saw it. When it was the time of the crescent of Shawwaal,
the man who was knownfor his jocular dispositioncame to this man and
said to him,"Get up to bring us out of what you have entered us in."
During the reign of Sultan Muhammed Al-Naasir ibn
Qalaawoon,Ramadancame in winter and the sky was completely overcast
and cloudy. Thus, sighting thecrescent was not officially confirmed
and people unanimously decided not to fast. However, it so happened
that the wife of the Mufti, who had a sharp eyesight, managed to sight
the crescent from the roof of her house. She informed her husband and
he believedher. Her husband then went to the Sultan and told him about
the matter. The Sultan asked her to swear upon her claim. Those who
were present believed her and the sighting of the crescent was
officially announced and people started fasting. Later, that woman was
officially appointed as the person who would tosight the crescent. She
woman was the first and the last one to get this honor and play the
role of a human" telescope".

Ramadan Articles - Zakaah al-Fitr

1. MEANING
Zakaah al-Fitr is often referred to as Sadaqah al-Fitr. The word Fitr
means the same as Iftaar,breaking a fast and it comes from the same
root word as Futoor which means breakfast. Thus, Islamically, Zakaah
al-Fitr is the name given to charity which is distributed at the end
of the fast of Ramadaan.
2. CLASSIFICATION
Sadaqah al-Fitr is a duty which is Waajib on every Muslim, whether
male or female, minor or adult as long as he/she has the means to do
so.
The proof that this form of charity is compulsory can be found in the
Sunnah whereby Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) made Zakaah al-Fitr compulsoryon every slave,
freeman, male, female, young and old among the Muslims; one Saa` of
dried dates or one Saa` of barely. [collected by Bukhaaree
-Arabic/English, vol. 2, p. 339, no. 579]
The head of the household may pay the required amount for the other
members. Abu Sa'eed al-Khudree said,"On behalf of our young and old,
free men and slaves, we used to take out during Allaah's Messenger's
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) lifetimeone Saa` of grain, cheese or
raisins". [collected by Muslim - English transl. vol. 2, p. 469, no.
2155]
3. SIGNIFICANCE
The significant role played by Zakaah in the circulation of wealth
within the Islamic societyis also played by the Sadaqah al-Fitr.
However,in the case of Sadaqah al-Fitr, each individual is required to
calculate how much charity is due from himself and his dependents and
go into the community in order to find those who deserve such charity.
Thus, Sadaqah al-Fitr plays a very important role in the development
of the bonds of community. The rich are obliged to come in direct
contact with the poor, and the poor are put in contact with the
extremely poor. This contact between the various levels of society
helps to build real bonds of brotherhood and love within the Islamic
community and trains those who have, to be generous to those who do
not have.
4. PURPOSE
The main purpose of Zakaah al-Fitr is to provide those who fastedwith
the means of making up for their errors during the month of fasting.
Zakaah al-Fitr also provides the poor with a means with whichthey can
celebrate the festival of breaking the fast (`Eed al-Fitr) along with
the rest of the Muslims.
Ibn Abbaas reported,"The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made
Zakaah al-Fitr compulsoryso that those who fasted may be purified of
their idle deeds and shameful talk (committed during Ramadaan) and so
that the poor may be fed. Whoever gives it before Salaah will have it
accepted as Zakaah, while he who gives it after the Salaah has given
Sadaqah." [collected by Abu Dawood - Eng. transl. vol. 2, p. 421, no.
1605 - ratedSaheeh by Shaikh Naser Al-Albanee]
Hence, the goal of Sadaqah al-Fitr is the spiritual development of the
Believers. By making them give up some of their wealth, the believers
are taught the higher moral characteristics of generosity, compassion
(sympathy for the unfortunate), gratitude to God and the
righteousness. But, since Islaam does not neglect man's material need,
partof the goal of Zakaah al-Fitr is the economic well-being of the
poorer members of society.
5. CONDITIONS
Zakaah al-Fitr is only Waajib for a particular period of time. If one
misses the time period without a good reason, he has sinned and can
not make it up. This form of charity becomes obligatory from sunset on
the last day of fasting and remains obligatory until the beginning of
Salaah al-'Eed' (i.e. shortly after sunrise on the following day).
However, it can be paid prior to the above mentioned period, as many
of the Sahaabah (companions of the Prophet(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa
sallam) ) used to pay Sadaqah al-Fitr a couple days before the `Eed.
Naafi reported that the Prophet's companion Ibn `Umar used to give it
to those who would accept it and the people used to give it a day or
two before the `Eed. [collected by al-Bukhaaree - Arabic/English, Vol.
2, p.339, no. 579]
Ibn `Umar reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
order that it (Zakaah al-Fitr) be given before people go to make the
Salaah (al-'Eed).
And Ibn `Abbaas reportedthat the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa
sallam) said,"Whoever gives it before the Salaahwill have it accepted
as Zakaah, while he who gives it after the Salaah (will not, for it
will only be considered as) ordinary charity."Therefore, one who
forgets to pay this Zakaah al-Fitr on time should do so as soon as
possible even though it will not be counted as Zakaah al-Fitr.
6. RATE
The amount of Zakaah is the same for everyone regardless of their
different income brackets. The minimum amount is one Saa` (two
handfuls ) of food, grain or dried fruit for each member of the
family. This calculation is based on Ibn `Umar's report that the
Prophet(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made Zakaah al-Fitr
compulsoryand payable by a Saa` of dried dates or a Saa` of barley.
The Sahaabee, Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree said,"In the Prophet's time,
weused to give it (Zakaah al-Fitr) as a Saa` of food, dried dates,
barley, raisins or dried cheese". [collected by al-Bukhaaree -
Arabic/English vol. 2, p. 340, no. 582]

Ramadan Articles - Zakat ul-Fitr

Its Ruling
Zakat-ul-Fitr is a Sunnah that is obligatory upon every individual
Muslim. This is due to Ibn 'Umar's statement, may Allah be pleased
with him:
"The Messenger of Allah made Zakat-ul-Fitr obligatory during Ramadhan
as one Sa' of dried dates or one Sa' of barley upon the slave and the
free man, the male and the female, andthe young and the old of the
Muslims." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Its Wisdom
From the wisdom of Zakat-ul-Fitr is that it purifies the fasting soul
from the effects of useless, non-beneficial speech (or acts) and
obscene speech (or behavior). Likewise, it keeps the poor and needy
people from having to beg on the day of 'Eid.
Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "The Messenger of
Allah made Zakat-ul-Fitr obligatory as a purification for the fasting
person from useless, non-beneficial speech (or acts) and obscene
speech (or behavior), and as a means of feeding the poor." (Abu Dawud
and Ibn Majah, and it was graded Sahih by Al-Hakim). [1]
The Prophet saws also said:
Keep them (the poor) from having to beg on this day.(Al-Bayhaqi - and
its chain of narrationis weak)
The Amount and Type of Food
The amount of Zakat-ul-Fitr is a Sa' and a Sa' is four Amdad (cupped
handfuls). It is given fromthe usual staple foods of the people of the
land, whether it is wheat, or barley, or dried dates, or rice, or
raisins or cheese. This is due to the statement of Abu Sa'id (may
Allah be pleased with him):
"When the Messenger of Allah was among us, we used to give
Zakat-ul-Fitr on behalf of every person, young and old, free or owned
(i.e. a slave), as a Sa' of Ta'am, [2]or a Sa' of cheese (dried milk)
or a Sa' of barley or a Sa' of dried dates, or a Sa' of raisins."
(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
It is Only given from items of Food
It is obligatory that Zakat-ul-Fitr be given from the types of food.
Money should not be given in place of it, except if there is a
pressing need to do so. This is because it is not confirmed that the
Prophet gave money for it in place of food. It has not even been
reported from the Companions that they gave money (for Zakat-ul-Fitr).
Its Time
Zakat-ul-Fitr becomes obligatory with the coming of the night of the
'Eid (i.e. the night before the 1st of Shawwal). It is to be paida day
or two before the day of the 'Eid, as Ibn 'Umar used to do, and
thetime of giving generosity, which is fromthe time Fajr comes in on
the day of the 'Eid until just before the prayer (Salat-ul-'Eid). This
is due to the Prophet's saws command that Zakat-ul-Fitr be given
before the people come out to the prayer. Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be
pleased with him, said:
"The Messenger of Allah made Zakat-ul-Fitr obligatory as a
purification for the fasting person from useless, non-beneficial
speech (or acts) and obscene speech (or behavior), and as a means of
feeding the poor. So whoever gives itbefore the prayer
(Salat-ul-'Eid), then it is an accepted Zakah, and whoever gives it
after the prayer (Salat-ul-'Eid), then it is a form of charity
(Sadaqah)." (It has been mentioned previously.)
The time of making it up (i.e. paying it late) is afterthe 'Eid prayer
and anytime thereafter. Zakat-ul-Fitr may be given during this time
(following the prayer) and it is acceptable, however it is disliked
(to give it late).
Its Recipients
The recipients of Zakat-ul-Fitr are the same as the recipients of the
general Zakat, except that the poor and the needy have more right toit
than the other people who have a share in it. This is based upon the
Prophet's statement:
Keep them from having to beg on this day.(Al-Bayhaqi and its chain of
narration is weak)
Therefore, it is not given to other than the poor, unless there are no
poor people or their poverty islight (i.e. not severe) or the need of
others besides them, who have a share in it, has become severe.
Important Notes:
1.It is permissible for a wealthy woman to pay her Zakah to her
husband, who is poor, however the opposite is not permissible. This is
because the maintenance of the woman is obligatory upon the man and
the maintenance of the man is not obligatory upon the woman.
2.Zakat-ul-Fitr is not required from one whodoes not possess a
day'sworth of food, as Allah does not burden a soul except with what
it canbear.
3.Whoever possesses more than a day's worth of food and he gives it
(as his Zakat-ul-Fitr), this will suffice him. This is due to Allah's
statement:So fear Allah as much as you are able.(64:16)
4.It is permissible to give the charity of an individual to a number
of people, distributing it among them, and it ispermissible to give
the charity of a number of individuals to one individual, as the
giving of charity is mentioned in the Shari'ah in unrestrictedterms.
5.The Zakat-ul-Fitr is obligatory upon the Muslim in the land in which
he resides.
6.It is not permissible to transfer Zakat-ul-Fitr from one land to
another, except if thereis a pressing need. Its Situation is the same
as Zakah.
Footnotes
1.The remainder of it states: "So whoever gives it before the prayer
(Salat-ul-'Eid), then it is an accepted Zakah, and whoever gives it
after the prayer ( Salat-ul-'Eid) , then it ischarity (Sadaqah) from
the charities."
2.The meaning of Ta'am is millet or corn.

Fathwa, - Umra Acceptance and Husband's Dua Against It

Question:
I went to umrah with my husband a few weeks ago, and subhanallah it
was such an amazing experience. A few daysbefore we arrived home me
and my husband had an argument, in the heat of the moment he said i
hope your umrah does not get accepted. i could not believe what he
said, he apologised straight away, and said he did not mean it, but my
fear is what if what he said gets accepted by Allah, what do i do. i
still haven't forgiven my husband as i am so hurt, it really felt as
if he divorced me. pleasehelp me by answering my question. salam
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Dear Sister,
Assalamu alaikum,
I pray this finds you well.
Your husband's words have no effect. What matters is that you
performed your Umrah in accordance with the Sunna, following all the
proper manners entailedtherein. If your intentionwas for Allah Ta'ala,
thenyou should think well of Allah Most High and trust Him to reward
you for this act of devotion.
What your husband said was hurtful and it's goodthat he apologized.
You should move on, but perhaps consider why you had an argument at
such a time and what you can do in the future to prevent it from
reoccurring.
Wasalaam,

Fathwa, - Pregnancy during Ramadan

Question:
am 6 weeks pregnant.This is my second pregnancy. The first one was
extremely difficult. What are the recommended dua during pregnancy
especially for things such as nausea and vomiting. The links under the
other pregnancy question donot work hence my question. W''salaamu
alaykum w.w
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Dear Sister,
Assaalamu alaikum,
I pray this message finds you in good health and spirits.
Generally, any heartfelt dua is appropriate. You also want to try to
read and listen to as much Qur'an as possible. Dhikr in the form of
glorification and praise of Allah and salutations upon the Messenger,
Allah bless him and give him peace, is very helpful.
You need to speak to your doctor to see what her recommendations are.
Make sure to drink plenty of water and try to incorporate vegetables
and fruit into your diet. These things will help to counter
dehydration. Ginger tea may be helpful in soothing an upset stomach,
but, again, you should check with your doctor.
Strive as much as possible to have a peaceful environment in the
house. Do not overburden yourself with housework and cooking. Enlist
the help of your husband and other family members.
Finally, I would advise eating frequent small meals throughout the
day, rather than three large meals since this might be easier on your
digestion. And don't feel bad about lying down when you have to. Rest
isthe important thing for you.
Here are some articles that might be helpful:
Pre-Birth Questions
I am a young woman who is suffering from a serious illness. Is there
something I should do, spiritually, or recite?
What is the famous dhikr against depression?
I pray that Allah Ta'ala blesses you with a healthy and joyful
pregnancy; a safe, smooth childbirth; and a happy, healthy baby.
Wasalaam,

Fathwa, - Mother-in-law rights on the son?

Question:
Assalamu Alikum, My mother-in-law is a divorced woman who had only my
husband as a child. She constantly likes to know our affairs and says
as long as it's not the sexual relationshipissues then she needs to
know how much myhusband makes, dictates where we live including NEVER
leaving the state where she lives cause she is lonely. She has many
brothers that live very close to her but she demands that we live very
close. we are about 45 minutes away. with our son I feel more
comfortable leaving him with my mom if we travel cause I have many
issues with my mother-in-law but she makes a big deal out of that too.
she has many bad habits and made many mistakes raising her son that
makes me not trust her judgment like smoking and dating men and
drinking and so forth.I feel that we can not make a single decision
without her interfering in it. my husband does not like to tell her
much about our lives but she really demands to know if hedoesn't want
to tell her and eventually he does and this causes a lot of stress on
our marriage. I feel that anything such as money or where we live or
when we take a vacation or where I want to leave my son cause of
concerns about her behavior should be up to us and not up to whether
she will get upset over it or not. she demanded once before that he
divorces me and she slandered me in an email to him. this led to him
wanting to divorce me 3 times in a matter of a couple of months. what
should we do since we went to many sheiks who would give general
advice of try harder to please your mom but don't ruin your marriage
and honestlynothing pleases her but to know and dictate our lives and
I can't and don't want tolive like that. please advise on what to do.
you are my last resort and may Allah help us all. Ameen
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Dear Sister,
Assalamu alaikum,
I pray you are doing well.
Kind treatment remains arequirement from your husband to his mother.
Nonetheless, her behavior certainly sounds way out of line. What is
needed here is for your husband to develop a backbone and let his
mother know that he won't tolerate abuse or disrespect of his family.
The religion does not require him to disclose his income or live in
the same city as his mother. As long as her needs are being met in
terms of kind treatment, companionship, and maintenance, then your
husband has done his duty.
You and your husband should set guidelines for how you will handle the
situation as a couple. These guidelines should be adhered to, because,
in the long run, they will bring more peace into the family,
insha'Allah.
I also suggest you seek out couples counseling.
And Allah knows best.

Improper dress for women and intermingling between sexes

The greatest and most important of all the favors and blessings
bestowed by Allaah is Islam and the honorable Islamic law, which is
derived from the Book ofAllaah and the Prophetic Sunnah. This Law has
outlined all that which is beneficial for mankind inthis life and the
Hereafter.
One of the virtues of this Law is that its rules and regulations have
clearly laid out preventions of allevil and immorality, and all the
roads that lead to it which is a protection ofthe truth and morality.
There are many issues forwhich this Law has laid out preventative
measures so that people will not fall into evil, for example on some
of the issues of faith, acts of worship and transactions.
However, the most obvious of all of these preventative measures are
those related to women and the limits that Allaah has defined for them
not to exceed. Islam has clearly laid the guidelines for the
Muslimwoman to adhere to so that her personality remains distinct and
her safety, purity, and good conduct are assured.
The correct dress and covering for women and the prohibition of them
intermixing with men arethe two most important interconnected
preventative measures that Islam has laid out. Muslims must submit to
the rulings which oblige women to properly coverin order to protect
their chastity and purity, maintain shyness and protect them from
being harassed or bothered, as Allaah says )what means(:}O Prophet!
Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to
bring down over themselves ]part[ of their outer garments. That is
more suitable that they will be known]as chaste believing women[ and
not be abused. And ever is AllaahForgiving and Merciful{]Quran 33:
59[.
In this verse, Allaah addressed the wives of the Prophetwho werethe
furthest from immorality and evil actions; they were purestand most
pious women ever and were honored by the virtue of being married to
the Prophet.
Muslims must also adhereand submit to the rulings which prohibit
intermixing mixing between men and women. There are many Islamic texts
in this regard, such as the Hadeeth which is narrated by 'Uqbah Ibn
'Aamirthat the Prophetsaid:"Do not enter into the presence of women."A
man from the Ansaar then retorted: 'What about our in-laws' -
referring to the relatives of a woman's husband such as his brothers,
cousins, and their children, so the Prophetreplied:"The in-laws are
death"]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[ which means that they are more harmful to
women than death is to the soul. The previous evidence came from the
Prophetwhose words were nothing but revelation. So how could anybody
ever accept anyone else's opinion over this?
Why is it that the Prophetlined up the rows of men for prayers in the
mosque separate from the women, and described the rows, as narrated by
Abu Hurayrahby saying:"The best rows ]in the mosque[ are the first
rows, and the worst are the last, and the best rows ]inthe mosque[ for
women are last the rows, and the worst are the first."]Muslim[. This
affirmsthe obligation of separating men from women, and keeping them
far apart. If this is the way believing men and women should be during
an act of worship inside the mosque, then how much more so is it
necessary in places outside the mosques, where gatherings might
include evil and sinful people along with the good people?
The Muslim nation must not slight these texts because the evil
consequences which these texts are aiming to prevent society from
still very much exist, and there is nothing that would prevent such
evils from occurring in our time which did not exist at the time of
the Prophet
Moreover, the people whom the Prophetaddressed in these narrations
were the best generation of the Muslim nation according to his own
testimony, as was mentioned in many narrations. So, has the need for
such texts and their warnings vanished in our time? Is it not a clear
fact that in fact we need these texts and warnings even more than that
generation did? This is especially so because of the dangers of evil
in our time becoming more widespread and its means being more diverse.
It is usually the case that people honor any set of laws which they
perceiveas being beneficial to them, especially when these laws
prevent evil orharm from befalling them when applied; moreover, people
do not mind if these laws include certain restrictions on their
freedom and impose penalties for those who disobey or transgress the
defined limits. Why is it the case that some of those who believe in
Allaah and His Messenger deal with Islamic Law with suspicion and
uncertainty. Some of these people even go as far as to demand that it
should be abolished, despite the fact that this Law includes all that
which is beneficial to mankind and prevents, or at least reduces, all
that which brings harm?
It is not permitted for anyone to discuss and pass judgment
regardingthis issue without having the proper Islamic knowledge to be
able to do so. Nor should they base their discussion and opinion on
unfounded claims with no evidence, or simply argue on the basis of
their base desires. Rather, one should be sincere and free themselves
from their base desires which will divert them far away from the
truth. In addition, one must have a broad knowledge of Islam and
possess the ability to differentiate between authentic and weak
evidences, possess a clear understanding of the relevant evidences as
well as the ability to properly extract Islamic rulings from these
evidences; only then can a person become eligible to discuss this
issue.
The outcome of what we say or write is the matter which we must fear
the most, and are extremely wary of its consequence, as the
Prophetclarified to Mu'aath Ibn Jabalafter he had asked with
astonishment:"Will we be held responsible for all that we say?" The
Prophetreplied:"What do you think makes people land on their faces or
noses into the Hellfire more than the product of their
tongues?"]Ahmad, Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi[.

Prerequisites of the Prayer

Some prerequisites exist regarding the offering of Prayers.
Theseprerequisites must be fulfilled before the commencement of the
Prayer, otherwise the Prayer will not be considered valid. The
following are the prerequisites:
1.Knowledge that the time for the Prayer has begun:
Each prayer has its own particulartime at which it must be performed.
Allaah Says )what means(:"…Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the
believers a decree of specified times."]Quran 4: 103[ The Prophethas
clarified when the time of each prayer starts and when it ends. So
anybody who prays a given prayer before its fixed time,his prayer is
invalid.
2. Purity from Major and Minor impurities:
A minor impurity is one that may be removed by the performance of
ablution )Wudhou'(. A state of minor impurity results after defecation
or urination. A major impurity requires the performance of Ghusl or
ritual bathing. A state of major impurity results after sexual
intercourse or sexual discharge for both men and women. Menstruation
and postpartum bleeding are considered forms of major impurities. In
those cases, after such conditions come to an end, women are required
to make Ghusl before praying.
Allaah Almighty Says )what means(:"O you who have believed, when you
rise to]perform[ prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the
elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.
Andif you are in a state of Janaabah)major impurity(, then purify
yourselves…"]Quran 5: 6[
The Prophetsaid:"Allaah does not accept any prayer that was not
performed while in a state of purity, nor does He accept charity from
what has been stolen from booty."]Al-Bukhaari & Muslim[
3. Purity of the body, clothes and place:
Such objects should be clean of physical impurities as much as
possible. If one can not remove them, he may pray with the impurities
present and does not have to repeat the prayer later. Concerning
bodily purity, it was related that the Prophetsaid:"Stay clean of
urine, as the majority of punishment in the grave is due to
it."]Ad-Daaraqutni[
'Alireported:"I used to have a great deal of prostatic fluid flowing,
so I asked a man to ask the Prophetabout it. He asked him and the
Prophetsaid:'Make ablution and wash your genital organ.'"]Al-Bukhaari[
Concerning purity of clothing, Allaah Says )what means(:"And your
clothing purify."]Quran 74: 4[
Jaabir Ibn Sumrahreported that he heard a man asking the Prophet:"May
I pray in the same clothes that I had on during intercourse with my
wife?"Hesaid:"Yes, but if yousee some stains on it, you must wash
it."]Ahmad and Ibn Maajah[
Concerning the purity of the placewhere one is praying, Abu
Hurayrahsaid: "A Bedouin stood and urinated in the mosque. The people
got up to grab him. The Prophetsaid:'Leave him and pour a container
full of water over his urine. You have been raised to be easy on the
people, not to be hard on them.'"]Al-Bukhaari[
4. Covering the 'Awrah)parts of the body that should be covered(
Allaah, Almighty, Says )what means(:"O children of Aadam, take your
adornment at every Masjid )Mosque(…"]Quran 7: 31[
The meaning of "adornment" here is the covering of the 'Awrah. The
meaning of"Mosque" is "prayer." Therefore, itmeans "Cover your 'Awrah
for every prayer." Salamah Ibn Al-Aku'said to the Prophet:"O Messenger
of Allaah, may I pray in a long shirt?"Hesaid:"Yes, but button it,
even with just a thorn."]Al-Bukhaari[
6. Facing the Qiblah:
All scholars agree that one must face the Qiblah during every prayer.
Allaah Says )what means(:"…Turn your face toward Al-Masjid Al-Haraam.
And wherever you ]believers[ are, turnyour faces toward it ]in
prayer[..."]Quran 2: 144[
If one can not determine the direction of the Qiblah,he shouldask one
who knows. If he finds no one to ask, he should try his best to
determine it. In such a case, his prayer will be valid, and he needs
not repeat it even though he discovers later on thathe had faced in
the wrong direction. If it is made clear to him while he is praying
that he is facing the wrong direction, he needs only turn in the
proper direction without stopping his prayer.
The first one is performing voluntary prayers while riding )ananimal,
car and so on(. The rider may bend his head slightly for the bowings,
but he should bend a little bit lower for the prostrations. He may
face in whatever direction his ride is going.
He did not, however, do this for the obligatory prayers. Ahmad and
Muslimrecorded that hewould pray on his mount while traveling from
Makkah to Madeenah, facing away from Makkah. Upon this, Allaah
revealed )what means(:"…Wherever you ]might[ turn, there is the Face
of Allaah..."]Quran 2: 115[ Ibraaheem An-Nakhaa'isaid:"They would pray
on their mounts and animals in the direction in which they were
facing."Ibn Hazmcommented:"This has been related from the companions
andthose of the following generation, during travel and residence."
The second case is praying while having to deal with forced
conditions, illness and fear. Undersuch circumstances, it is allowed
to pray without facing the Qiblah.The Prophetsaid:"If I order you to
do something, do what you are capable of doing."Allaah Says )what
means(:"And if you fear ]an enemy, then pray[ on footor riding…"]Quran
2: 239[. Ibn 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased withhim,added:"Facing the
Qiblah or not facing it."]Al-Bukhari[
There are two cases in which onedoesn't have to face the Ka'bah.'Amr
Ibn Rabee'ahreported:"I saw the Messenger of Allaahpraying while
riding and hefaced the direction in which he was going."]Al-Bukhaari &
Muslim[

The dangers of smoking

People should make use of what Almighty Allaah has made lawful for
themand beware of what He has prohibited. He left nothing which is
good without making it lawful out of His grace, and nothing which is
evil except that he prohibitedit out of His mercy. So, just as He
conferred uponyou the bounty of making the good lawful, He also
conferred upon you the bounty of making the evil prohibited. People
should therefore offer praise to Him for both cases by willingly
taking the lawful things and shunning the prohibited saying: 'we hear
and obey.'
Nowadays smoking has spread to every section of our society, even to
young boys in the markets and in their homes. No one can deny the
harmful effects that ithas on one's body, financial condition, society
and religion.
The Affects Smoking on the Body
People smoke for different reasons )as theyclaim(, some smoke to relax
when they feeling tense, others smoke to feel more alert when they
feeling dull, while others smoke when they're depressed or bored, or
to overcome feelings of anger or grief.The question here is; how can a
mere cigarettebe so many things to so many people? The answer lies in
the chemicals in cigarettes and the powerful psychological effects
theyhave.
There's hardly a part of the human body that's not affected by the
chemicals in the cigarettes you smoke. Let's take a tour of your body
to look at how smoking affects it.
The Head & Mouth
As a smoker, you're at risk for cancer of the mouth. Tobacco smoke can
also cause gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath. The teeth become
unsightly and yellow. Smokers may experience frequent headaches. And
lack of oxygen and narrowed blood vessels to the braincan lead to
strokes.
Lungs and Bronchi
Moving down to your chest, smoke passes through the bronchi, or
breathing tubes. Hydrogen cyanide and other chemicals in the smoke
attack the lining of the bronchi, inflaming them and causing that
chronic smoker's cough. Because the bronchi are weakened, you're more
likely to get bronchial infections. Mucus secretion in your lungs is
impaired, also leading to chronic coughing. Smokers are 10 times as
likely to get lung cancer and emphysema as nonsmokers.
Smoking and the Heart
The effects of smoking onyour heart are devastating. Nicotine raises
blood pressure andmakes the blood clot more easily. Carbon monoxide
robs the bloodof oxygen and leads to the development of cholesterol
deposits on the artery walls. All of these effects add up to an
increased risk of heartattack. In addition, the poor circulation
resultingfrom cholesterol depositscan cause strokes, loss of
circulation in fingers and toes and impotence.
Smoking and the Body's Organs
The digestive system is also affected. The tars in smoke can trigger
cancerof the esophagus and throat. Smoking causes increased stomach
acid secretion, leading to heartburn and ulcers. Smokers have higher
rates of deadly pancreatic cancer. Many of the carcinogens from
cigarettes are excreted inthe urine where their presence can cause
bladder cancer, which is often fatal. High blood pressure from smoking
can damage the kidneys.
Nicotine—A Stimulant
Nicotine, the chemical that makes addicts out ofcigarette smokers, is
a stimulant with propertiessimilar to those of cocaine and amphetamine
)speed(. Nicotine provides the pick-me-up that smokers feel. It
increases heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate, and makes the
smoker feel more alert. Unfortunatelythese effects wear off after 20
minutes or so and the smoker is left craving another pick-me-up.
Acetaldehyde and CarbonMonoxide—Sedatives
Acetaldehyde, a byproduct of both cigarette smoke and alcohol, has
some sedative properties. The carbon monoxide in cigarettes makes you
feeldull the way you would in a stuffy room with not enough air. These
chemicals seem to dampen some people's feelings of tension, angeror
strong emotion.
Other Psychological Effects
For many, the act of smoking itself—pausing in one's work, lighting
up, exhaling a certain way—becomes a comforting ritual in itself.The
smoker may be involved in a private fantasy that relieves feelings of
boredom and meaninglessness. Smoking may go hand in hand with other
activities, such as drinking coffee or alcohol or eating dessert.These
"triggers" are why quitting smoking involves more than just kicking
the nicotine habit. Sooner or later everyone who smokes does so to
relieve the craving for nicotine—a powerfully addictive drug. The
addicted body sends messages of uneasiness and need to the conscious
mind until the smoker gives in and lights up.
Understanding Is Power
Take a close look at the feelings that make you want a cigarette and
those that you have after you light up. Understanding these feelings
will put you in charge when you're ready to quit smoking. Do not be
deceived by smokers who might appear to be of strong stature; unlike
their outward appearance, they are not healthy in light of their lack
appetite, the condition oftheir lungs, coughs, tuberculosis and
feebleness which might be felt upon very little exertion.
The Good news
Despite the bad health effects of smoking, the good news is that when
you quit smoking your body begins to repair itself. Ten years after
you quit, your body has repaired most of the damage smoking caused.
The Affects Smoking on the financial condition
Just ask any of them about the money that they expend daily on
smoking, which, if spent on what is beneficial for a person and his
family such as good food, drink,clothes, etc., would be of much
benefit for ones religion and worldly life. Rather, a smoker uses up
most of his money on thisvain pursuit which only adds to his immediate
and deferred injuries. Weseek Allaah's guidance for us and for them.
As for the traders who earn money from buying and selling such items
and become wealthy after being poor and richafter being needy, then
these are all ill-gotten gains and sinfulness. Such people are rich
financial terms but very poor in their hearts; wealthy in this world
but have nothing in the Hereafter, due to these ill-gotten gains which
they made in this worldlylife. They do not know when death will come
to them forcing them to leave their wealth to their heirs while their
hearts still long for it. Indeed poverty is better than wealth gained
by disobeying Allaah.
The Affects Smoking on the community
Smoking diffuses social diseases that spread corruption amongst
society, but most smokersdo not care about the spread of this
phenomenon among people; in fact they may actually enjoy seeing it
spread among people to entertain and ease their own disastrous
lifestyle. Therefore, they intentionally smoke in public before the
youth, who become accustomedto this bad habit and regard it as a
normal practice of the community. This leads to the inevitable outcome
of the youth indulging in this fad to the extent thatthey rapidly
become addicted to it. How many are the diseases that afflict those
who use the remnants of cigarettes which are thrown in streets and
public places!
The Affects Smoking on the one's religion
Most scholars, who are pure of all maladies and are well versed in the
rulings of Islamic Law, know for certain it's prohibition from the
Islamic texts and principles of Islamic jurisprudence. Smoking is
disobedience of Allaah and His Prophetand disobedience opposes faith,
which decreases bycommitting sins just as it increases by doing good.
Those upon whom Allaah has conferred His bounty of being protected
against this habit should praise Him for this bounty and ask Him for
steadfastness and to protect his brothers who are plagued with this
addiction so that they may give it up. They should also ask Allaah
repeatedly to guard themand approach all possiblemeans that might help
others to shun it such as having a strong will, avoiding the places
where this vice is practiced and replacing itwith that which Allaah
has made lawful of food and drink, for Allaah has made lawful any gate
that might lead to good. They should also think of the affairs of
those whom Allaah has released from the fetters of this habit and to
what extent they regained their health and recovered from the diseases
that afflicted them because of this addiction - surely all praise is
due to Allaah.
Those who wait until cancer or emphysema has set in aren't so
lucky—these conditions are usually fatal. It's one more reason to take
the big step and quit now, but a more worthy reason to quite is to
adhere to the command of Allaah to eat and drinkhealthy and refrain
from harmful matters. Allaah Says )what means(: "O you who have
believed! Eat from the good ]i.e., lawful[ things which We have
provided for you and be grateful to Allaah,if it is ]indeed[ Him that
you worship."]Quran 2: 172[.

Dought & clear - April Fools.

In some foreign countries – kafir (non-Muslim)countries –there is the
well-known custom of April Fools, which happens of the first day of
April. Some Muslims are imitating them in this, thinking that it is
permissible to tell lies on this day… what is your opinion on this
belief and on this custom?
Praise be to Allah.
Lying is not permissible at all, at any time. And it is not
permissible to imitate the kuffar (non-Muslims) and to be like them,
on this day or on any other, because the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of
them."
And Allah knows best.

Dought & clear - Cursing One’s Children or Wife.

What is the ruling on one who curses his wife or one of his children?
Does cursing one's wife count as divorce or not?
Praise be to Allah.
Cursing one's wife is notpermitted, and it is not adivorce; she still
remains married to him and he has to repent to Allah forthat and seek
the forgiveness of the one whom he has cursed. Similarly, it is not
permitted for him to curse his children or anyone else among the
Muslims, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) said: "Tradinginsults with a Muslim is evildoing and fighting him
is kufr (disbelief)." (authentic – agreed upon). And he (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Cursing a believer is like
killing him." (al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh).
These two saheeh hadeeths (authentic narrations) indicate that a
Muslim's cursing his brother is a major sin, sowe must beware of that
and restrain our tonguesfrom committing this awful sin.
A woman is not divorcedif her husband curses her; she is still married
to her husband, as stated above.