Commentary on Hadeeth, - Dought & clear, - * “The area between my house and my minbar is one of the gardens of Paradise”

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It was narrated from the noble Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: “The area between my grave and my minbar is one of the gardens of Paradise.” Al-Mu‘jam al-Awsat by at-Tabaraani (vol. 2, p. 120). What is the meaning of this phrase? Is it, I wonder, that if a visitor merely sits in the Prophet’s mosque between his grave and the prayer hall or the minbar, he will enter one of the gardens of Paradise? Why is this garden limited to this short distance between the minbar and the grave only? In other words, why does this garden not include all of the Prophet’s Mosque? The entire mosque is regarded as noble and holy, in fact the entire city, is blessed because of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) migrating there, and because he settled and lived there. May Allah reward you with all good.
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
This hadeeth is one of the mutawaatir hadeeths that were narrated via many chains of narration, such as the report narrated by al-Bukhaari and Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who said: “The area between my house and my minbar is one of the gardens of Paradise.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1196) and Muslim (1391).
With regard to the phrase “The area between my grave and my minbar”, this is mentioned in the report of Ibn ‘Asaakir that is attributed to al-Bukhaari, or the version ofSaheeh al-Bukhaaritransmitted by Ibn ‘Asaakir, and some of the scholars – such as Imam an-Nawawi – continued to quote this version of the hadeeth. Rather, al-Bukhaari himself, when he narrated the hadeeth in the chapter entitledKitaab Fadl as-Salaah fi Masjid Makkah wa al-Madinah(The virtue of prayer in the mosques of Makkah and Madinah), with the wording “my house and my minbar”, included it under a section heading “Fadl ma bayna al-qabr wa’l-minbar(Virtue of the area between the grave and the minbar)”. Moreover this wording is mentioned in some other hadeeths.
However, the scholars classed the wording “my grave” as da‘eef (weak), for two reasons:
1. It is contrary to the report of the majority of narrators, hence it seems most likely that those who said “my grave” were narrating the meaning but not the wording.
2. If this wording were correct, the Sahaabah would have known where to bury the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they would not have disputed concerning it, or at least some of them would have quoted this as evidence for choosing that spot. But we have no report to indicate that such a thing happened. This indicates that the word “my grave” is an error on the part of some of the narrators of the hadeeth.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
What is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is that he said: “The area between my house and my minbar is one of the gardens of Paradise.” This is what is proven inas-Saheeh, but some of them narrated the meaning and said “my grave” (instead of “my house”).
When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said these words, he had not yet been buried. Therefore none of the Sahaabah quoted this as evidence when they disputed as to where he should be buried. If they had known that, then this would have served as proof to settle the dispute. End quote.
Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa(1/236)
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The chapter heading mentions the grave, but the two hadeeths mention the house, because the grave was dug inside the house; in versions of the hadeeth the word “grave” is mentioned. Al-Qurtubi said: The saheeh report mentions “my house”; in the case of those reports which mention “my grave”, it is as if what is being narrated is the meaning, because he was buried in the house where he had dwelt. End quote.
Fath al-Baari(3/70)
He also (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The words “The area between my house and my minbar” appear as such in the majority of reports. In the report of Ibn ‘Asaakir alone it says “my grave” instead of “my house”, which is an error. This hadeeth appears earlier inKitaab as-Salaah, just before (the chapter on) funerals with this isnaad, saying “my house.” It also appears thus inMusnad Musaddad, the book of the shaykh of al-Bukhaari.
Yes, in the hadeeth of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas that is narrated in (the book of) al-Bazzaar, with an isnaad whose men are thiqaat (trustworthy), and it narrated by at-Tabaraani from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar, it mentions the grave. Based on that, what is meant by the house in the phrase “my house” is one of his houses, not all of them, meaning the house of ‘Aa’ishah in which his grave is. The hadeeth was also narrated in the words “The area between the minbar and the house of ‘Aa’ishah is one of the gardens of Paradise.” Narrated by at-Tabaraani inal-Awsat. End quote.
Fath al-Baari(4/100)
Secondly:
With regard to the meaning of this hadeeth, the scholars noted three points:
1. This place is likened to one of the gardens of Paradise in that the one who sits there attains tranquillity and peace.
2. Worship in this place is a means of attaining admittance to Paradise. This view was favoured by Ibn Hazm inal-Muhalla(7/284). It was narrated by Ibn Taymiyah from Imam Ahmad that he preferred to pray in the Rawdah.
3. The area between the minbar and the house of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) will itself be one of the gardens of Paradise in the Hereafter.
Al-Qaadi ‘Iyaad (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The words “one of the gardens of Paradise” may be understood in two ways:
1. That worshipping there will be rewarded with Paradise, and that du‘aa’ (supplication) and prayer in this place deserve that reward, as it is also said that Paradise lies in the shade of the swords.
2. That Allah will move that spot and it will actually be part of Paradise. This was the view of ad-Dawoodi. End quote.
Ash-Shifa(2/92)
Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Some said that what is meant is that this spot will be taken up on the Day of Resurrection and will become a garden in Paradise.
Others said that this is by way of a metaphor. It is as if they mean that when he (the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) sat there and the people sat with him to learn the Qur’an and matters of faith and religion, that spot became like a garden, because of the noble harvest of knowledge that they attained there, and it was connected to Paradise because these things lead to Paradise. That is similar to what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Paradise lies in the shade of the swords” meaning that it (jihad) is an action that leads to Paradise. And it is similar to the idea that the mother is one of the gates of Paradise, meaning that honouring her will lead the Muslim to Paradise if he fulfils the obligatory duties. This is possible and is in accordance with Arabic usage. And Allah knows best what he meant by that. End quote.
At-Tamheed(2/287)
Imam an-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
They mentioned two views as to its meaning:
1. That that place itself will be moved to Paradise
2. That worship in that place leads to Paradise.
At-Tabari said: With regard to what is meant by “my house” here, there are two views: one view is that it refers to the grave, which was the view of Zayd ibn Aslam, as was narrated in a version that explained what was meant by “my house”, “between my grave and my minbar”; the second view is that what is meant is the house in which he dwelt, as is the apparent meaning.
Another version says “between my chamber and my minbar”.
At-Tabari said: The two views are close in meaning, because his grave in his apartment, which is his house. End quote.
Sharh Muslim(9/161-162)
Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The words “one of the gardens of Paradise” mean: it is like one of the gardens of Paradise with regard to the descent of mercy and attainment of tranquillity that results from attending gatherings of dhikr, especially at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So it is likening it to a garden of Paradise.
Or it may mean that worship in that place leads to Paradise, so it is a metaphor.
Or it may be taken as it appears to mean, and that what is meant is that it is indeed a garden in a real sense, and that that place will itself be moved in the Hereafter to Paradise.
This is a summary of the ways in which the scholars interpreted this hadeeth, and they are given in order of strength. End quote.
Fath al-Baari(4/100)
To sum up:
That place has an evident virtue, which dictates that the Muslim should be keen to sit in that place and pray there. However what matters more is to fear Allah, may He be exalted, for that is the means of entering Paradise, not merely sitting in the Rawdah or any other place.
As it is a matter of worship, we cannot explain the reason why this place has been singled out and not others. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, singles out whatever He will of times, places and individuals for particular virtues, and there is great divine wisdom in that, of which we may be unaware.
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, & Dought & clear, - * If he does Hajj on behalf of his deceased brother, will that be expiation for him?

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If Hajj is expiation for all the pilgrim’s sins, can we say by analogy with that that it will, by Allah’s leave, be an expiation for my brother (may Allah have mercy on him)? I am intending to do Hajj on his behalf, in sha Allah, and to give the reward of that to him, sincerely for the sake of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted. Please note that I have done Hajj previously on my own behalf, praise be to Allah.
Praise be to Allah.
The saheeh evidence indicates that Hajj is very important and that it expiates sins, and that the one who does it goes back (free of sin) as on the day his mother bore him. But does that include both major and minor sins, or only minor sins? There is a difference of scholarly opinion concerning that; the majority of scholars are of the view that Hajj only expiates minor sins and that in the case of major sins, it is essential to repent from them specifically. Please see the answer to question no. 34359
Secondly:
It is permissible for an individual to perform Hajj on behalf of his brother who has died and did not perform the obligatory Hajj for himself, and the reward for the Hajj will go to the one on whose behalf it was performed. The one who performs the Hajj will have a similar reward, according to some scholars, such as the one who said that he will have a great reward, but it will not be like the reward of the one on whose behalf Hajj was performed. See the answer to question no. 111407and 111794
Undoubtedly Hajj on behalf of another is regarded as an act of kindness and upholding ties of kinship, hence it is hoped that the one who does it will have a great reward.“Is there any reward for good other than good?” [ar-Rahmaan 55:60].
As the reward of the Hajj will go to the deceased, there is the hope that it will be expiation for his sins, for Allah’s grace is immense and His mercy encompasses all things.
We ask Allah to help and guide you.
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, & Dought & clear, - * He came from Egypt to Jeddah for work during Hajj season, then he was given permission to do Hajj, so he entered ihram from Jeddah

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I am from Egypt, and I went to Jeddah for work during Hajj season. After spending twenty days in Jeddah my work ended, and I was given permission to do Hajj, so I intended to do Hajj from that time, and I entered ihram for ‘Umrah from Jeddah, intending to do Hajj tamattu‘ (in which one enters ihram for ‘Umrah, exits ihram after ‘Umrah, then enters ihram again for Hajj on 8th Dhu’l-Hijjah). Is this correct, or do I have to go back to the miqaat of the people of Egypt?
Praise be to Allah.
If a person wants to do Hajj or ‘Umrah, and he is outside the miqaat boundary, he has to enter ihram from the miqaat. However, if his place of residence is within the miqaat boundary, such as the people of Jedah, then he may enter ihram from his place of residence, because of the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (1524) and Muslim (1181) from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) defined the miqaat of the people of Madinah as Dhu’l-Hulayfah; that of the people of Shaam (Syria) as al-Juhfah; that of the people of Najd as Qarn al-Manaazil; and that of the people of Yemen as Yalamlam. They are for them and for others who come through them with the intention of performing Hajj and 'Umrah; and whoever is living within these boundaries (can enter ihram) from the place where he starts, and the people of Makkah can enter ihram from Makkah.
The words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “and whoever is living within those boundaries (can enter ihram) from the place he starts” mean: he can enter ihram from the place where he is. As you did not form the intention to do Hajj until after you finished your work, at which time you were in Jeddah, then you may enter ihram from the place where you are, and you do not have to go to the miqaat.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: I was sent (to Makkah) by my company during Hajj season and I travelled with the group as far as Mina, then I decided to ask my work for permission to perform Hajj. Should I go to the miqaat and enter ihram from there, or can I enter ihram from the place where I am?
He replied: You can enter ihram for Hajj from the place where you are, because when you passed the miqaat, you did not know whether you would be given permission or not, so you had not decided to do Hajj. So for example, if they gave you permission in Mina, then enter ihram from Mina; if they gave you permission in ‘Arafah, enter ihram from ‘Arafah.
End quote fromLiqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, 89/20
He was also asked: In sha Allah, I am intending to do ‘umrah on the day of Hajj, and I am assigned to do some tasks during Hajj season. He said: If my work allows me, and it is most likely that work will not say no. But we say there is a 10% chance that they may say no, as a precaution. He has passed the miqaat now; does he have to go back in order to enter ihram from the miqaat?
He replied: No. If the man has been given some tasks to do and does not know whether he will be given permission or not, he does not have to enter ihram from the miqaat. Then if he is given permission, he may enter ihram from the place in which he was given permission.
End quote fromLiqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh, 178/18.
And Allah knows best.

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Pilgrimage, & Dought & clear, - * He is asking about the cost of the fidyah for removing hair

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What is the cost, in riyals, of the fidyah for removing hair or clipping the nails (when in ihram)?
Praise be to Allah.
Things that are forbidden when in ihram include removing hair from the head or body and clipping the nails. For each of these a fidyah must be offered. The individual has the choice between sacrificing a sheep; feeding six poor persons, giving each poor person half a saa‘; or fasting for three days. That is because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and do not shave your heads until the Hady reaches the place of sacrifice. And whosoever of you is ill or has an ailment in his scalp (necessitating shaving), he must pay a Fidyah (ransom) of either observing Saum (fasts) (three days) or giving Sadaqah (charity - feeding six poor persons) or offering sacrifice (one sheep)”
[al-Baqarah 2:196].
And because of the hadeeth of Ka‘b ibn ‘Ajrah (may Allah be pleased with him). When he needed to shave his head whilst in ihram, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Shave your head, and fast for three days, or feed six poor persons, or offer a sacrifice.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4190; Muslim, 1201
It is not permissible to offer the fidyah in the form of cash, and it is not valid to do so, because that is not mentioned in the texts. Rather it must be given in the form of food, as enjoined by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
If the question is about removing something from the hair or nails after the month of Dhu’l-Hijjah has begun, in the case of one who wants to offer a sacrifice but is not in a state of ihram for Hajj or ‘Umrah, in this case even though it is haraam, no fidyah is required; rather he has to pray for forgiveness and repent.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * She was not certain that her period hadended, and sheprayed and fasted

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I did ghusl at night, at the time of sahoor, because I knew that my period would end that day, and I ate sahoor and I fasted and prayed as well. Nothing came out of me during the time from Fajr until the adhaan of Maghrib, and when I wanted to go and pray, I discovered that the period had ended. Are my fasting and prayers valid?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is not permissible for a menstruating woman to hasten to do ghusl and pray and fast until she is certain that her period has ended.
A woman may know that her period has ended from the emission of a white discharge which is known to women. Some women know that their period has ended when the blood stops.
So a woman should not do ghusl until she is certain that the menses has stopped.
Imam al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“Chapter on the beginning and end of menses; the women used to send to ‘Aa’ishah pieces of cloth on which were traces of yellow, and she would say: ‘Do not hasten until you see the white discharge,’ meaning thereby purification from menses. Bint Zayd ibn Thaabit heard that the women were calling for lamps in the middle of the night to see whether their periods had ended, and she said: ‘Women never used to do that,’ and she criticized them.” End quote.
Pieces of cotton refers to pieces of cloth which the women would use to check whether the period had ended. The white discharge refers to if they used the piece of cotton and it came away clean with no trace of yellow.
Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar said:
The scholars are agreed that the onset of menses is known from the emission of blood at the time when menstruation is possible, but they differed with regard to the end of menses. It was said that it is known by the cessation of bleeding, which is when something inserted into the vagina comes out dry; or it was said that it is when the white discharge appears – this was the view favoured by al-Bukhaari.
This also indicates that the white discharge is a sign of the end of the menses and the onset of the period of purity (tahaarah). The view that it is known from the cessation of bleeding is countered by the fact that a cloth may come out dry during the period and that does not mean that the menses is over. This is unlike the white discharge which is emitted by the uterus when the menses stops. Maalik said: I asked women about that and it is something that is known to them, which they recognize at the end of the menses.
Fath al-Baari, 1/420
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: If a woman’s period ends before Fajr and she does ghusl after, what is the ruling?
He replied:
Her fast is valid if she was certain that her period had ended before dawn came. What matters is that the woman is certain that she has become pure (i.e., that her period has ended). Because some women think that they have become pure when they have not. Hence the women used to bring their cotton pads to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) and ask them whether the sign of purity was there, and she would say to them: “Do not be hasty until you see the white discharge.”
Women have to wait until they are certain that the menses has ended. If a woman has become pure, then she should form the intention to fast even if she does not do ghusl until after dawn comes. But she should also pay attention to the prayer and hasten to do ghusl so that she can pray Fajr on time.
Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 17/question no. 53
The questioner did ghusl at a time when she was not certain that her period had ended, and she discovered later on that she was in fact pure, after sunset according to her own account.
Based on this, what she did was not correct, and her fast on that day was not valid, so she has to make up that day.
We ask Allaah to grant her beneficial knowledge and enable her to do righteous deeds.
And Allaah knows best.

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * She saw the tuhr then she had some discharge – what should she do?

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My period lasted six days and on the sixth day the bleeding stopped. I used a piece of tissue to make sure, and a little bit of white discharge was coming out. So I did ghusl and my husband had intercourse with me that night, then I did ghusl and fasted (as it was Ramadaan). Then at Zuhr time I noticed some discharge in which there was a slight amount of red or yellow. I do not know what the ruling is. Do I have to make up that day or not?.
Praise be to Allaah.
We do not know what you mean by “a little bit of white discharge was coming out.” If what you mean is that you saw the white discharge which is the sign of purity (tuhr), then whatever yellowish or reddish discharge comes out after that is not regarded as menses, because Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “We did not regard the brownish or yellowish discharge after the tuhr as being anything that mattered.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 307; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh Abi Dawood.
Based on this, your prayer is valid, and there is nothing wrong with your having had intercourse, because you were not menstruating.
But if what you mean is that you saw that the discharge was still yellowish or reddish, this means that the menses had not yet ended. A woman should not be hasty in deciding that the period has ended when she sees yellowish or reddish discharge, no matter how little it is. The women used to send pieces of cloth to ‘Aa’ishah with yellowish discharge on them, and she would say, “Do not be hasty until you see the white discharge.” Narrated by Maalik, 130.
Pieces of cloth refers to what women use to check whether there is any trace of menses left or not.
See also question no. 66062.
Based on this, then you have to make up that day, because it is not correct to fast when one is menstruating.
With regard to intercourse, there is no sin on you in sha Allaah, because you thought that your period had ended, and you did not deliberately commit a haraam action. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And there is no sin on you concerning that in which you made a mistake, except in regard to what your hearts deliberately intend”
[al-Ahzaab 33:5].

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Menstruation and Post-Natal bleeding, - Dought& clear, - * Menstruating woman entering the mosque to attend a class or a halaqah for memorizing Qur’aan

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A menstruating woman wants to enter the mosque to attend a class or a halaqah for memorizing Qur’aan. Please note that she regularly attends and that if she stays away because of her period, she will miss some things that she will not be able to catch up on afterwards. Is it permissible for her to attend subject to certain conditions? What is the most correct scholarly view on this matter?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
The majority of fuqaha’ of the four madhhabs are of the view that it is not permissible for a menstruating women to stay in the mosque. They quoted as evidence for that the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (974) and Muslim (890) from Umm ‘Atiyyah who said: “He (the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)) commanded us on the two Eids to bring out the virgins and those who usually stayed in seclusion, but he told the menstruating women to keep away from the prayer-place of the Muslims.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told menstruating women to stay away from the Eid prayer-place, because it comes under the same ruling as a mosque. This indicates that menstruating women are not allowed to enter the mosque.
They also quoted other ahaadeeth as evidence, but they are da’eef (weak) and are not valid to be quoted as evidence, such as the hadeeth in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is reported to have said, “The mosque is not permitted for menstruating women or anyone who is junub.” This hadeeth was classed as da’eef by al-Albaani inDa’eef Abi Dawood, 232.
The scholars of the Standing Committee were asked (6/272):
What is the ruling on a woman who enters the mosque when she is menstruating to listen to the khutbah only?
They relied: It is not permissible for a woman to enter the mosque when she is menstruating or bleeding following childbirth… as for passing through, there is nothing wrong with that if it is necessary and there is no risk of her contaminating the mosque, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“nor when you are in a state of Janaaba (i.e. in a state of sexual impurity and have not yet taken a bath), except when travelling on the road (without enough water, or just passing through a mosque), till you wash your whole body”
[al-Nisa’ 4:43]
A menstruating woman is similar to one who is in a state of janaabah. And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told ‘Aa’ishah to fetch him something from the mosque when she was menstruating.
End quote fromFataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 6/272
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) was asked: Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to attend halaqahs in the mosque? He replied: It is not permissible for a menstruating woman to stay in the mosque. As for passing through the mosque, there is nothing wrong with that, subject to the condition that there is no risk of the mosque being contaminated with the blood that is coming out of her. If it is not permissible for her to stay in the mosque, it is not permissible for her to go there to listen to halaqahs and recitation of Qur’aan, unless there is a place outside the mosque where the sound can reach via loudspeakers, in which case there is nothing wrong with her sitting there to listen to the dhikr. There is nothing wrong with a woman listening to dhikr and recitation of Qur’aan, as it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to lay his head in ‘Aa’ishah’s lap and recite Qur'aan when she was menstruating. But it is not permissible for a menstruating woman to go to the mosque and stay there to listen to dhikr or Qur’aan recitation. Hence when the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) heard, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, that Safiyyah was menstruating, he said: “Has she detained us?” because he thought that she had not done tawaaf al-ifaadah, but they said that she had already done it. This indicates that it is not permissible to stay in the mosque even for acts of worship. And it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told women to go out to the Eid prayer-place to pray and remember Allaah (dhikr), but he told the menstruating women to keep away from the prayer-place itself.
End quote fromFataawa al-Tahaarah, p. 273.
See the views of the fuqaha’ inal-Mabsoot, 3/153;Haashiyat al-Dasooqi, 1/173;al-Majmoo’, 2/388;al-Mughni, 1/195
Secondly:
A menstruating woman may read Qur’aan without touching the Mus-haf, as we explained in the answer to question no. 2564.
She may read a Mus-haf that is printed with the tafseer (commentary). Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: As for the books of tafseer, it is permissible (for a menstruating woman) to touch them, because they are regarded as tafseer, and the verses that are in them are less than the tafseer that is in them.
They quoted as evidence for this the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wrote letters to the kuffaar containing verses from the Qur’aan, which indicates that the ruling depends on what constitutes the majority of the letter, which was not the word of Allaah.
But if the Qur’aan and tasfeer are of equal amounts, this comes under the rule that when the reasons for regarding something as permissible are equal to the reasons for making it forbidden, and there is no way of distinguishing which outweighs the other, then the reasons for forbidding it take precedence, so it comes under the same rulings as Qur’aan.
If the tafseer is more, even if it is only slightly more, then it comes under the same rulings as tafseer.
End quote fromal-Sharh al-Mumti’, 1/267
Thirdly:
What is mentioned in the question about the menstruating woman being afraid of missing some topics or lessons if she cannot enter the mosque can be dealt with by recording those lessons, or by her listening from outside the mosque, if that is possible. Some mosques have additional rooms that do not come under the same rulings as mosques, such as a library or rooms for memorizing Qur’aan, so women who are not allowed to sit in the mosque should be able to sit there.
And Allaah knows best.

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Prayers on various occasions, - Dought & clear, - * A mistake in the direction of the qiblah

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One of my neighbours told me that the qiblah towards which I was praying was wrong and was not in accordance with the qiblah of the neighbouring mosque. Based on this, I changed the direction for a few months, including last Ramadaan. Then I found out that the first qiblah had been correct. What is the ruling on prayers that I did facing the incorrect qiblah? I hope you can answer me because I am confused. Thank you very much.
Praise be to Allaah.
Facing the qiblah is one of the conditions of prayer being valid. Every worshipper has to make sure he faces the qiblah in his prayer, and strive to make sure he is facing in the right direction, whether by means of natural signs or using a compass, if he is able to do that, or by asking trustworthy people in that place who know in which direction the qiblah is.
It seems most likely in the case that you describe that the deviation from the qiblah was very slight. This slight deviation is something that can happen when a person who lives in that area is a little confused and people do not pay attention to this slight difference in direction. If that is the case, i.e., if the deviation from the qiblah was slight, then it does not matter and it does not invalidate the prayer, because those who are far away from the Ka’bah have to face in its general direction; they do not have to face precisely in that direction, because al-Tirmidhi (342) and Ibn Maajah (1011) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whatever is between the east and the west is the qiblah.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inal-Irwa’.
Al-San’aani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inSubul al-Salaam(1/260). This hadeeth indicates that what is required is to face in that direction, and not towards the precise location of the Ka’bah when one cannot see it.
Further evidence to this effect is to be seen in the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (144) and Muslim (264) from Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If you need to relieve yourself, then do not face the qiblah or turn your back towards it, whether you are urinating or defecating, rather face to the east or to the west.”
Shaykh al-Islam (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inSharh al-‘Umdah: This is stating that facing any direction other than the east or the west means that one is either facing the qiblah or turning one’s back towards it. This was addressed to the people of Madeenah and everyone who was in the same direction (in relation to Makkah), because this was the consensus of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). ‘Umar said: Whatever is between the east and the west is the qiblah except at the House. And it was narrated that ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: How can a man make a mistake in his prayer when whatever is between the east and the west is the qiblah, so long he does not turn towards the east deliberately.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Thus we know that the matter is broad in scope. So if we see a person praying in a direction that is slightly off from the qiblah, that does not matter, because he is facing in its general direction, and this is what he is obliged to do.
Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 2/273
But if the deviation from the direction of the qiblah was very great, so that you were not praying in the direction of the qiblah at all, such as if you were praying towards the east when the qiblah is towards the west or the north, for example, so long as you based your action on the words of someone who you know attaches great importance to the prayer and you thought that they knew better about the direction of the qiblah, then you do not have to do anything, and the prayers which you offered are still valid, even if you faced the wrong direction when you prayed, because if a person tries his best to get it right, he has done what is required of him, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can”
[al-Taghaabun 64:16]
It says inFataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah(6/314): If a worshipper does his best to figure out the direction of the qiblah and prays, then he finds out that he was mistaken, his prayer is still valid.
InFataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz(may Allaah have mercy on him) (10/421) it says: If a believer does his best to figure out the direction of the qiblah, when he is in the desert or is in a city in which he is not sure where the qiblah is, and he prays on that basis, then he finds out that he prayed in a direction other than the qiblah, then he should continue to pray according to his latest estimate, if he believes that it is more correct than his first estimate. His first prayer is still valid because he did his best to work out the qiblah.

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Prayers on various occasions, - Dought & clear, - * Ruling on one who catches up with the tashahhud with the imam in Eid prayer orprayers for rain

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What is the ruling on one who catches up with the tashahhud with the worshippers in Eid prayer or prayers for rain? Does he have to pray two rak’ahs as the imam did or what should he do?.
Praise be to Allaah.
If a person catches up with the tashahhud only with the imam in Eid prayer or prayer for rain, he should pray two rak’ahs after the imam says the salaam, doing in them as the imam did of takbeer, recitation, bowing and prostrating.
And Allah is the source of strength. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and Companions.

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Prayers on various occasions, - Dought & clear, - * Defining the time for salaat al-istisqaa’ (prayer for rain)

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Is there any report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which defines the time for going out to pray Salaat al-Istisqaa’ (prayer for rain)?
Praise be to Allaah.
There is a hadeeth inSunan Abi Dawoodwith an acceptable isnaad from ‘Aaishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) which states that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) set a day when the people should go out. ‘Aa’ishah said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went out when the rim of the sun appeared…” The hadeeth clearly indicates that a day was set when the people were to go out to pray Salaat al-Istisqa’, even though it does not name this day. More than one of the scholars have stated that it is mustahabb to choose Mondays and Thursdays, because deeds are shown to Allaah on those days, and because these are good days for fasting. So if the Muslims combine fasting and praying for rain, their du’aa’s in this case are more likely to be accepted.
It may be said that it is not prescribed to single out these two days rather than others, because that was not proven from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or from any of the Sahaabah, and this is the correct view. So it is not prescribed to choose one day rather than another without there being any text to prove that. What is prescribed is to choose a day on which the people should go out, which may happen to be a Monday or any other day, according to what is in the people’s best interests and according to what is convenient for them.

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Hajj, - Hukm al-Hajj wa’l-‘Umrah (rulings on Hajjand ‘Umrah), Dought & clear, - * He is travelling for Hajj and business

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Is it permissible to travel for Hajj and to buy some goods from Makkah and sell them in my country to make a profit from them?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is permissible to engage in trade during the Hajj season. Al-Tabari narrated in hisTafseerwith his isnaad that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said concerning the verse (interpretation of the meaning),“There is no sin on you if you seek the Bounty of your Lord (during pilgrimage by trading)” [al-Baqarah 2:198]:
There is no sin on you if you buy and sell before and after ihraam.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.

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Hajj, - Hukm al-Hajj wa’l-‘Umrah (rulings on Hajjand ‘Umrah), Dought & clear, - * Hajj is obligatory even in the company of innovators

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We are Sunnis and we live in a Shi’ah state. We want to perform the duty of Hajj but we cannot travel with the people of this country because they are Shi’ah, and we want to avoid having trouble on the way.
Praise be to Allaah.
You have to do Hajj even if you go with the Shi’ah, if you are able to do Hajj. At the same time you have to beware of the specious arguments of the Shi’ah and their false way. If you can advise them and call them to embrace the way of Ahl al-Sunnah, then you have to do that, because Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Revelation and the Qur’aan) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better”
[al-Nahl 16:125]
And there are other verses which indicate that it is obligatory to call people to Allaah, and to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil. May Allaah set all our affairs straight.
See al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 11/18.

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Hajj, - Hukm al-Hajj wa’l-‘Umrah (rulings on Hajjand ‘Umrah), Dought & clear, - * Repeating Hajj

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Is it good to repeat Hajj every year for the one who wants to do that and for whom it is not difficult, or is it better to do it every three years or every two years?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Allaah has enjoined Hajj upon every adult accountable Muslim who is able to do it once in a lifetime. Anything more than that is voluntary and is an act of worship by means of which he may draw closer to Allaah. There is no report that specifies a particular number for voluntary Hajj, rather the number of times it is repeated depends on the person’s financial situation, his health and the circumstances of other around him such as his relatives and the poor, and other interests of the ummah, how much of his time and money he devotes to supporting the ummah, on his position within the ummah and whether it is of more benefit for the ummah for him to stay or to travel for Hajj etc.. So each person should look at his own circumstances and what is better for him and the ummah, and give precedence to that.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.

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Prayers on various occasions, - Dought & clear, - * Praying in Hijr Ismaa‘eel

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Is it permissible to pray in Hijr Ismaa‘eel and what are the virtues thereof?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We have previously explained that it is a mistake to call al-Hijr “Hijr Ismaa‘eel”, because this Hijr only became a Hijr a long time after the time of Ismaa‘eel (peace be upon him). The correct form is to call it al-Hijr only, without attributing it to anyone.
See question number 22004.
Secondly:
The Hijr is part of the Ka‘bah, so whoever prays in it has prayed in the Ka‘bah, and praying in the Ka‘bah is permissible with regard to naafil prayers only, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did. Al-Bukhaari (505) and Muslim (1329) narrated from ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Ka’bah, accompanied by Usaamah, Bilaal and ‘Uthmaan ibn Talhah al-Hajabi. He closed the door and remained inside. Ibn ‘Umar said: I asked Bilaal when he came out: What did the Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do? He said: He put two pillars on his left, one pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him – and at that time the House was built on six pillars – then he prayed.
Abu Dawood (2028), al-Tirmidhi (876) and al-Nasaa’i (2912) narrated from ‘Aa’ishah that she said: I wanted to enter the House (the Ka‘bah) and pray inside it, but the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took me by the hand and led me into al-Hijr and said: “Pray in al-Hijr if you want to enter the House, for it is a part of the House, but your people ran out of funds when they (re)built the Ka‘bah, so they left it outside the House.”
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Obligatory (fard) prayers are not valid inside the Ka‘bah or on its roof, but they were regarded as permissible by al-Shaafa‘i and Abu Haneefah, because it is a mosque and because it is a place for naafil praying, so it should be a place for obligatory prayers too, just like the area outside it. But Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):“And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah)” [al-Baqarah 2:149]. The worshipper who is inside it or on its roof is not facing towards it. But the basic principle with regard to naafil prayers is that the rulings on them are less stringent, based on the fact that they may be prayed whilst seated, facing a direction other than the qiblah, and, when travelling, on one’s mount.
Then he said: Naafil prayers are valid if offered inside the Ka‘bah or on its roof, and we do not know of any difference of opinion concerning that, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed two rak‘ahs inside the Ka‘bah.
End quote fromal-Mughni, 1/406
Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about praying inside it, and whether there is any advantage in doing so.
He replied: Praying inside Hijr Ismaa‘eel is mustahabb, because it is part of the Ka‘bah, and it is narrated in a saheeh report from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he entered the Ka‘bah during the year of the conquest (of Makkah) and prayed two rak‘ahs inside it. The soundness of this hadith is agreed upon; the hadeeth was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar and Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with them).
It is proven that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to ‘Aa’ishah when she wanted to enter the Ka‘bah: “Pray in al-Hijr,” because it is part of the House (the Ka‘bah).
With regard to obligatory prayers, it is better not to offer them inside the Ka‘bah or in Hijr Ismaa‘eel, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not do that, and because some of the scholars said that it (obligatory prayer) is not valid inside the Ka‘bah or in al-Hijr, because al-Hijr is part of the Ka‘bah.
Thus it is known that what is prescribed is to offer obligatory prayers outside the Ka‘bah and outside al-Hijr, following the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and so as to avoid differing from those scholars who say that obligatory prayer offered inside the Ka‘bah or in al-Hijr is not valid.
And Allah is the source of strength.

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Prayers on various occasions, - Dought & clear, - * The time of Taraaweeh prayer

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Is it permissible to pray Taraaweeh about two hours before Fajr prayer? Or must it be done immediately after ‘Isha’?.
Praise be to Allaah.
The time for Taraaweeh prayer lasts from after ‘Isha’ until dawn comes, so it is valid to perform this prayer at any time during this period.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said inal-Majmoo’:
The time of Taraaweeh prayer begins when ‘Isha’ prayer is over, as was stated by al-Baghawi and others, and it lasts until dawn comes.
But if a man is going to pray in the mosque as an imam leading the people in prayer, it is better to pray Taraaweeh after ‘Isha’ prayer and not to delay it until the middle or the end of the night, so that this will not cause hardship for the worshippers and some of them may sleep and miss the prayer. This is what the Muslims usually do, they pray Taraaweeh after ‘Isha’ and do not delay it.
Ibn Qudaamah said inal-Mughni:
It was said to Imam Ahmad: Will you delay qiyaam – i.e., Taraaweeh – until the end of the night? He said, No, the practice of the Muslims is dearer to me.
But for one who prays Taraaweeh at home, he has the choice: if he wants, he can pray it at the beginning of the night and if he wants he can pray it at the end. And Allaah knows best.

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Prayers on various occasions, - Dought & clear, - * Salat al-Tasbeeh

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Brother, I wanted to know the status and ruling on "Salat-al-Tasbeeh" as reference is givento it from Abu’Dawood and Tirimdhi, but without the hadeeth (narration) number and it says, "Our Beloved Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to his uncle (father’s brother) Sayyiduna ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), Oh uncle shall I not give you, shall I not grant you, shall I not award you, shall I not do mercy on you; when you do 10 things Allah will forgive your sins, of the future and of the past, new and old, those you have forgotten and those you did knowingly, big and small, hidden and revealed. Then he (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) taught him the way to pray Salat al Tasbeeh and then said if you can pray this salah once a day, if you cannot pray once a day then every Friday, and even if this is not possible then once a month, and even if this is not possible then once a year, and even if this is not possible then at least once in a lifetime (Abu’Dawood and Tirimdhi) and it said that this phrase “Subhan Allahi Wal Hamdulillahi Wa La ilaha illal Lahu Wallahu Akbar " should be recited in different steps in Salah to make it to a count of 300. What is the ruling on this and is this from an authentic source?
Praise be to Allah.
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) differed as to whether Salat al-Tasbeeh is prescribed in Islam. The reason for this difference of opinion concerning it is the difference of opinion concerning the soundness of the hadeeth which speaks of it. The prominent scholars are of the view that it is da‘eef (weak).
1. Ibn Qudamah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Mughni (1/438):
With regard to Salat al-Tasbeeh, Ahmad said: I do not like it. It was said to him: Why? He said: There is nothing saheeh (authentic) about it, and he waved his hand as if dismissing it. End quote.
2. Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in al-Majmoo‘ Sharh al-Muhadhdhab (3/547-548):
Al-Qadi Husayn, and the authors of al-Tahdheeb and al-Tatimmah said: Salat al-Tasbeeh is mustahabb (desirable), because of the hadeeth narrated concerning it. But this view of it as mustahabb is subject to further discussion, because the hadeeth in question is da‘eef (weak), and it involves changing the regular format of the prayer, so it should not be done without a hadeeth (to support it). Al-Tirmidhi said: More than one hadeeth was narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) concerning Salat al-Tasbeeh, but not many of them are saheeh. And al-‘Aqeeli said: There is no proven hadeeth about Salat al-Tasbeeh. End quote.
3. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo‘ al-Fatawa (11/579):
The best of the reports narrated about these prayers is the hadeeth about Salat al-Tasbeeh, which was narrated by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmidhi, but nevertheless none of the four imams spoke of it; in fact, Ahmad regarded the hadeeth as da‘eef, and these prayers are not mustahabb.
4. Al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo‘ Fatawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (14/327):
What seems more likely to be correct in my opinion is that Salat al-Tasbeeh is not sunnah (from the prophetic teachings), and that the hadeeth about it is da‘eef. This is for several reasons:
(i) The basic principle concerning acts of worship is that they are disallowed unless there is proven evidence that they are prescribed.
(ii) The hadeeth is mudtarib (weak); there is a difference of opinion concerning it for several reasons.
(iii) None of the imams regarded it as mustahabb.
(iv) If this prayer was prescribed, the ummah would have narrated a report concerning which there was no doubt and it would have been well known among them because of its great benefit. Moreover, it is not like any other act of worship, because there is no act of worship in which so much choice is given that it may be done once every day, or once in a week, or once in a month, or once in a year, or once in a lifetime. Because the weak hadeeth states that it is of great benefit and because it is not like any other act of worship, yet it is not well known and was not transmitted, we know that there is no basis for it, because if an act of worship is different from other acts of worship, and if it were of great benefit, people would pay attention to it and transmit it, and it would be popular and well known. Because that is not the case with regard to this prayer, we know that it is not prescribed. Hence none of the imams regarded it as mustahabb, as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said. Among the nafl (voluntary) acts which are proven to be prescribed in Islam there is a great deal of goodness and barakah (blessing) for the one who wants more, so he should be content with that which is proven, and he has no need of that which is the subject of differences of opinion and doubts.
And Allah knows best.

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Sacrifices, Dought & clear, - * Who is obliged to offer the udhiyah (sacrifice)? Is being male one of the conditions?

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Who is obliged to offer the udhiyah (sacrifice)? Is it permissible for a housewife who has an income to offer the udhiyah?
Praise be to Allah.
The scholars differed concerning the ruling on offering the udhiyah: is it obligatory, such that the one who does not do it is sinning, or is it a confirmed Sunnah, such that it is makrooh (disliked) not to do it? The correct view is that it is a confirmed Sunnah (sunnah mu’akkadah). This has been discussed previously in the answer to question no. 36432
In order for it to be obligatory or Sunnah to offer the udhiyah, it is stipulated that the one who offers it should be independent of means, in that the price of the udhiyah is surplus to his needs and the needs of those on whom he spends. If a Muslim has a salary that comes to him every month, and this salary is sufficient for him and he has surplus money which which he can afford the price of the udhiyah, then in his case it is prescribed for him to offer the udhiyah.
The fact that it is stipulated that he should be independent of means is indicated by the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Whoever can afford it but does not offer a sacrifice, let him not come near our prayer-place.” Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 3123; classed as hasan by al-Albaani inSaheeh Ibn Maajah. What is meant by being able to afford it is being independent of means.
The udhiyah is prescribed for the members of the household, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The people of each household should offer an udhiyah every year.” Narrated by Ahmad, 20207. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said inFath al-Baari: Its isnaad is qawiy. It was classed as hasan by al-Albaani inSaheeh Sunan Abi Dawood, 2788.
There is no difference between men and women in this regard. If a woman is living on her own or with her children, then they should offer the udhiyah.
It says inal-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah(5/81):
Being male is not a condition of it being obligatory or sunnah to offer the udhiyah; as it is required of males it is also required of females, because the evidence for it being obligatory or Sunnah applies to everyone.
End quote. See:al-Majmoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah, 5/79-81
And Allah knows best.

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